Brennan Revitalizing
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Spring | Summer 2018 stmikes.utoronto.ca St.University of St. Michael’s Michael’s College in the University of Toronto Alumni Magazine Revitalizing BRENNAN Major renovation will bring HALL new life to much-loved centre St.Michael’s Contents The University of St. Michael’s College Alumni Magazine Spring | Summer 2018 11 Brennan Hall: Volume 57 Number 1 11 Continuity in change PUBLISHER & EDITOR Major renovation will revitalize Leslie Belzak Advancement Director, Alumni, the social heart of St. Mike’s University of St. Michael’s College By Mark Osbaldeston 9T0 MANAGING EDITOR Welcome home, Ruth Hanley 16 Fr. Peter Galadza BULLETIN BOARD Alumnus of 7T6 returns to St. Mike’s as Melanie Waring-Chapman the Sheptytsky Institute moves to its new home here CAMPUS NOTES Matt Doyle By Taras Snihura 8T6 CONTRIBUTORS 18 High grades Valerie Burnatowski 1T1 Taking stock of the first, successful Kathryn Elton 04 Ainsley Gilkinson 0T9 academic year for St. Mike’s new faculty David Mulroney 7T8 By Rachel Ottenbreit 1T7 Mark Osbaldeston 9T0 Rachel Ottenbreit 1T7 Honours Duane Rendle 24 Taras Snihura 8T6 Campus Notes DISTRibutioN 26 Office of University Advancement 20 30 Bulletin Board ART DIRECTION & DESIGN Fresh Art & Design Inc. COVER Columns Students enjoying the sunshine FROM FOUNDERS HOUSE on the steps of Brennan Hall. 16 03 The way forward Publication Mail Agreement FIRST FLIGHT No: 40068944 04 St. Mike’s alumni are taking a bite Please send comments, corrections and inquiries out of the Big Apple to the Office of University Advancement University of St. Michael’s College 08 IN PRINT 81 St. Mary Street, Celebrating an unsung hero Toronto, ON M5S 1J4 Telephone: 416-926-7260 25 KELLY CAFÉ Fax: 416-926-2339 A cup of joe with Email: [email protected] 18 Giancarlo Mazzanti Alumni, friends and students of GIVING the University of St. Michael’s College 34 receive this magazine free of charge. Thank you for supporting Visit our website at stmikes.utoronto.ca our students 35 2016-2017 DONOR REPORT 2 Spring/Summer 2018 St. Michael’s FROM FOUNDERS HOUSE The Way Forward ver the course of recent months i have been working reforms. The idea was that if we could make early progress on this, the with colleagues to streamline and clarify our priorities. Actu- University could resume its efforts to find a distinguished scholar and ally, it’s pretty simple. For St. Mike’s to succeed as a Catholic academic administrator to lead it into the future. That particular goal was Ouniversity—with emphasis on both of those words—we need to invest accomplished through the appointment of David Sylvester, a gifted and in teaching and in student facilities. That doesn’t mean ignoring other deeply experienced Catholic educator and a truly inspired choice. He will needs, but it does mean being clear about what matters most. be more properly introduced in the next issue. Our wonderful new professors are profiled on page 18. Their pres- My second objective was to ensure that St. Michael’s is fully living up ence on campus testifies eloquently to the fact that when we embrace to its mission as the University of Toronto’s Catholic federated partner. our mission and our history, we’re capable of attracting the very best. I meant and still mean “Catholic” in its truest sense, not limited to a single Coming to St. Mike’s means joining an institution that shares in the perspective, but warmly welcoming to all within the Church and in the academic life, stan- wider community. At dards and ambitions the same time, I con- of the University of tinue to believe that to Toronto, while at the be Catholic ultimately same time staying has real meaning, some- faithful to a Catholic thing necessarily linked intellectual tradition to divinely inspired that is, in its fullest teaching, to sacrament and richest expres- and tradition, to a holy sion, increasingly rare ordering that derives on North American from our Lord’s charge campuses. to St. Peter, to a rich and And by reinvesting diverse global commu- in Brennan Hall, we’re nity of the faithful, and taking a big, important to a radical insight into and long overdue step the nature and destiny in the direction of re- of the human person. newing our student “Investment in teaching and student spaces paves the way forward.” Pursuing that sec- spaces. In our new ond objective has been vision, we’re not only deeply rewarding, and making Brennan more user-friendly for our students (who are being care- deeply challenging. That was to be expected, and will continue to be the fully consulted as we proceed), we’re also giving them a new reason to case. The President is the guardian of our mission, and the person who gather in what has been for decades the centre of student life at St. Mike’s. works out (and stands up for) the space, freedom and quintessentially That’s because the project also provides for the move of the Registrar’s Canadian mutual accommodation that allows us to be, faithfully and E P Office from its cramped and unsatisfactory quarters in Alumni Hall to a authentically, who we are called to be. F completely re-equipped and re-imagined home in Brennan. This marks my last message to you as President. When I took up the David Mulroney 7T8, President & Vice-Chancellor MATTHEW VOL MATTHEW job three years ago, I said that I had two objectives. The first was to work University of St. Michael’s College PHOTO: quickly to fix things that needed fixing and to introduce some necessary [email protected] St. Michael’s Spring/Summer 2018 3 FIRST FLIGHT Start Spreading the News St. Mike’s alumni are taking a bite out of the Big Apple By Ruth Hanley With files from Valerie Burnatowski 1T1 and Ainsley Gilkinson 0T9 t. mike’s follows its students wher- York City, to find out what they have been up to a vibrant city,” says Kennard Wong (1T3). ever they go! Manhattan’s SoHo neigh- since moving to that city, and get their thoughts For Sambrook, that sense of connection is bourhood became honorary USMC on being a St. Mike’s alumnus. what sets St. Mike’s apart from every other Sterritory for one November evening last year, It’s clear that their time at St. Mike’s college or university. “Despite being part of as alumnus Donall Healy (6T8) and his wife, had a strong influence on their future lives. the University of Toronto—which has the Joyce, opened up their home—a converted largest student body in Canada—St. Mike’s blacksmith’s shop—to fellow USMC alumni still manages to create a collegial tight-knit living in the Big Apple. At the time, Donall Why did you decide to attend this community with a strong support system.” was coming up to the 50th anniversary of alumni reception? But it’s not just the institution that made a dif- his graduation from St. Mike’s, and he and ference to their lives, they say, but the friends Joyce could think of no better way to mark “It was an excellent and connections they forged there. Sambrook the occasion than inviting fellow alumni to and Wong are actually good friends from their their home for an evening of networking opportunity to be among time in residence at More House. and reminiscing over cocktails. “Over the individuals who share the same Kelsey Letang (1T1) also lived in residence years, we’ve hosted four or five events for St. pride as myself in being alumni for her four years at St. Mike’s, “and I appreci- Mike’s, but it’s been far too long since the of St. Mike’s, and a great way ate that time so much because it led to a lot last one,” says Donall. “I let the Alumni office of really great friendships.” She goes back to know that our house was available if they wanted to meet fellow alumni living Toronto frequently to visit friends, “most of to organize another reception—and they did!” in NYC from all types of whom I met while in residence at SMC. We Randy Boyagoda, Principal and Vice-Pres- career paths.” laugh a lot reminiscing about our time in the ident of USMC, was also there to update the Canada Room.” alumni about current happenings at the College, The friendships they developed at St. Mike’s including a preview presentation of The Gilson LUCAS SAMBROOK contributed to them becoming the people they Seminar in Faith and Ideas, USMC’s exciting are today. “I met some of the most resilient, bad- new program for first-year students. “The educational foundation and moral guid- ass women during my time at St. Mike’s, and It was a lively event, with more than 30 St. ance I received, as a member of St. Mike’s and I’m all the better for it,” says Zainab Shah (0T8). Mike’s grads from various class years sharing sto- the University of Toronto as a whole, helped me The wide diversity of St. Mike’s students— ries and exchanging experiences of their time at progress in law school and now in my profes- one of the strong points in undergrad life— the College. “The turnout was great and, more sional career,” says Lucas Sambrook (1T3). (See unfortunately also means that people head off importantly, it attracted a fair number of young page 5 for a description of each alumnus.) in many varied directions once they graduate, alumni,” says Donall.