Magazine Magazine SUMMER/FALL 2013
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SUMMER/FALL 2013 Magazine Magazine SUMMER/FALL 2013 18 10 24 Departments My Perspective 2 View from Collegeville 3 Service to the Church 8 In Sight 22 Johnnie Sports 32 Alumni Connection 34 Milestones 38 Inspiring Lives 44 Cover photo courtesy US-Islamic Forum, May 30, 2012 May Forum, photo courtesy US-Islamic Cover SAINT JOHN’S MAGAZINE is the magazine of Saint John’s University. It is published in the fall and winter and the CSB/SJU magazine is published with the College of Saint Benedict in the spring. EDITOR Jean Scoon STAFF CONTRIBUTORS Rob Culligan ’82 Brendon Duy, SOT ’02 Jennifer Mathews Emery Michael Hemmesch ’97 Adam Herbst ’99 Mike Killeen Ryan Klinkner ’04 DESIGN Lori Gnahn EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Julie Scegura UNIVERSITY ARCHIVIST Peggy Roske ’77 EDITOR EMERITUS Lee A. Hanley ’58 LETTERS [email protected] or 16 Jean Scoon Saint John’s Magazine P.O. Box 7222 Collegeville, MN 56321 Features ADDRESS CHANGES 10 Stand by Me Ruth Athmann Saint John’s University He holds a position of consummate trust. No one who knows Denis P.O. Box 7222 McDonough ’92 is surprised. Collegeville, MN 56321 [email protected] 16 Simple Idea, Grand Vision Find the Saint John’s Magazine online e Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation strengthens the region at csbsju.edu/sjualum/saint-johns- magazine.htm. Connect with other through a holistic approach to economic development. Johnnies at facebook.com/sjualum. 18 Job = Classroom © 2013 Saint John’s University Alumni provide on-the-job learning opportunities to students—and scout prospective talent into the bargain. 24 Justice for All For Matt Ahmann ’52, being Catholic meant building a world free of discrimination. My Perspective Michael Hemesath ’81, President he Rule of Benedict reminds us to greet all as Christ. e tradition also encourages thumility, a gentle reminder that none of us knows the whole truth and that we can always learn from others. We are knit together by the Benedictine Catholic tradition that welcomes all and provides a transformative educational experience. In this issue of Saint John’s Magazine, our cover feature is about a Johnnie who has become the right-hand man to one of the most powerful people in the world—Denis McDonough ’92, who serves as chief of sta to the president of the United States. We also feature Mathew Ahmann ’52 (dec.), whose profound belief in equality and social justice helped bring Catholics into the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Our Saint John’s community, Steve Woit Steve like the world at large, has become increasingly diverse. Indeed, our graduates represent the in public service have potentially “hot-button” perspectives full spectrum of political ideologies from conservative that are not an obvious part of other professions, we are to moderate to liberal. In past issues of the Saint John’s proud to celebrate their accomplishments in their Magazine, we have lifted up the accomplishments of chosen careers. Edward Devitt ’34, Eugene McCarthy ’35, George As you will discover in the articles, Denis McDonough Sinner ’50, Dave Durenberger ’55, Roger Scherer ’58, is and Mathew Ahmann was deeply motivated by faith and John Brandl ’59, Rick Nolan ’66 and Mark Kennedy ’79, the values of humility and hospitality. We recognize them as well as others who have served in local, state and for the way in which they took their Catholic Benedictine national politics. liberal arts education and used it to succeed at the highest ese graduates share a number of traits in common, levels, as so many Johnnies have done for more than including a deep political conviction, a commitment to 150 years. Benedictine values and a love of alma mater. Although those 2 View from Collegeville Evan Gruenes ’14 Gruenes Evan Commencement 2013 Retiring UST President Delivers SJU Commencement Address e Rev. Dennis Dease, recently retired president of the University of St. omas, delivered the SJU Commencement address May 12. Dease, who served as president of UST since 1991, received an honorary doctorate from Saint John’s at commencement. “I never imagined that one day I’d become a Johnnie,” quipped Dease. “And I could not be more proud. ank you.” e 2013 Saint John’s graduating class included 409 undergraduate men and 24 School of eology•Seminary graduates. Paul Middlestaedt Paul Carey ’13 Walks in Grandfather’s Footsteps When Benjamin Carey ’13 realized that his grandfather, Richard Carey ’52, would not be able to attend the commencement ceremony, he decided to bring Saint John’s to his grandfather. Benjamin collected a series of photos taken when his grandfather was at SJU and recreated them, starring himself. Richard died on May 2, just a few days before Benjamin’s commencement. But not before he had the opportunity to see the photos collected by his grandson. Benjamin posted the photos on popular website Reddit. “He had a chance to see the pictures I posted to Reddit the night before he died and while I wasn’t able to be there, I’m told that he was very happy to see them and smiled for the rst time in days,” says Benjamin. e story was featured in the Hungton Post, and was popular with scores of Johnnies. Richard Carey ’52 and grandson Benjamin Carey ’13 (many years later!) by Mary Hall. For more photos like this go to http://bit.ly/SJUGrandpa. csbsju.edu/news 3 View from Collegeville Object of My Affection is year, we bid farewell to 12 retiring faculty members. We asked each one to choose an object from his or her oce and tell us its story. Here’s what we heard. Ernie Diedrich Economics Object: Piece of wood found in the woods “I have several pieces of wood in my office that help me appreciate the artistry of nature. This one reminds me of a frog Gary Brown Mathematics catching a fly.” Object: Two detective stories he published “I assigned my students to write math dialogues to illustrate how math could tell a story. With these books, I followed my Ozzie Mayers English own advice.” Object: “No Discrimination” sign from his office door “I encouraged my students S. Carleen not to discriminate against Schomer ’66, other people, but also not to discriminate against literature… OSB Chemistry to approach reading with an Object: A framed photo open mind.” of Mother Henrita Osendorf ’36, OSB, former prioress “People thought of Mother Henrita as very serious, but she was very human and very holy. And she had a warm, wonderful laugh. When I had a difficult situation, I would always look at her picture and think ‘What would you do?’.” 4 csbsju.edu/news Other professors Ed Sass Education who retired this year, Object: Photo of his but weren’t available three children to participate: “When I started teaching John Gagliardi here 36 years ago, none of Athletics my children were born yet. Jim O’Meara Now, they are all Johnnies Accounting and nance and Bennies.” Tim Robinson Kay Wolsborn Philosophy Dan Steck Political science Object: A donkey and an elephant Physics “I got these during one of my favorite experiences—the Washington, D.C., Summer Study Program.” Martha Tomhave Blauvelt Gender studies Object: 1930s typewriter her family gave her to take to college in 1966 “This typewriter, passed down from my grandparents’ generation, represented the possibility of white-collar work to my family. I also used it as a teaching tool to show my students the gendering of technology since the women who used them were themselves called Konczewski Adam by Photos ‘typewriters.’” S. Mara Faulkner ’62, OSB English Object: An inspirational wall hanging from the late S. Nancy Hynes ’55, OSB “S. Nancy gave it to me when I got my Ph.D. She was my freshman English teacher and was known as ‘C minus Linus.’ I found out why when I got a C minus on my first paper. Later, she cheered me through my Ph.D. and became an invaluable colleague.” csbsju.edu/news 5 View from Collegeville Saint John’s Abbey Happy 10th to the Benedictine Volunteer Corps is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Benedictine Volunteer Corps. Founded in 2003 by Br. Paul Richards ’78, OSB, the Benedictine Volunteer Corps oers recent SJU graduates the opportunity to spend a year volunteering at another Benedictine Matt Ott ’09 and Patrick Deering ’09 distribute food and clothing in Guatemala. Ott community. and Deering volunteered at the Benedictine Monastery of the Resurrection in Coban, What began with Guatemala, in 2009-2010. two volunteers and two locations has grown to now accommodate 16 volunteers a year at eight dierent locations on ve continents. More than 100 Johnnies have participated in the program. Volunteers all return with a greater understanding of what it means to serve others. David Allen ’09, OSB, was serving in Santiago, Chile, in the midst of the 2010 Chilean earthquake. He was overcome by the hospitality and generosity that prevailed in the midst of crisis. “I learned very quickly that being a college graduate is a great accomplishment, but that there is so much beyond school,” said Allen. “I felt like my mind and heart were opened.” Rev. Richard Frechette Honored with Rev. Richard Frechette was honored with the Pax Christi Award, the highest Pax Christi Award honor awarded by Saint John’s Abbey and University, in April. Frechette, a Passionist priest, physician and missionary, has served impoverished children and orphans for more than three decades. He has worked with Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH), also called Our Little Brothers and Sisters, since 1979. rough his work with NPH and Friends of the Orphans, Frechette has provided health care, education and love to hundreds of thousands of children.