SUMMER 2011 A LOOK INSIDE SLU’S ART MUSEUMS PAGE 8 LEARNING COMMUNITIES IGNATIAN VOLUNTEERS HOTEL IGNACIO PAGE 14 PAGE 18 PAGE 22 FALL 2004 WINTER 2005 { president’s message } { contents } am often asked, “What’s new at SLU?” It is taling $44.8 million from funding sources includ- features a simple question, but there is not a simple ing the National Science Foundation, the National VOLUME 37, ISSUE 3 answer. That’s why I am pleased to share a Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Ibrief state of our great University and bring you up Control. We also sponsored another 21 promising 8 EDITOR to speed on many exciting things taking place at research projects through our own five-year, $5 ON EXHIBIT Laura Geiser (A&S ’90, Grad ’92) your alma mater. million President’s Research Fund initiative. Samuel Cupples House, the SLU Museum of Art and the Museum Our financial foundation is strong. As of We took chances. When Pfizer announced its of Contemporary Religious Art make SLU an art destination. CONTRIBUTORS April 30, our endowment reached a market value plan to lay off more than half of its workforce last — By Elizabeth Harris Krasnoff Clayton Berry of $848.6 million, a $219.5-million gain since the year, we stepped in and forged an exciting partner- 22 Marie Dilg (Grad SW ’94) same period just two years ago. In fact, it is the ship that led to our new Center for World Health Elizabeth Harris Krasnoff 14 Lauren Stapel (A&S ’09, Grad ’11) 88th largest in the United States and the third and Medicine. This move saved critical intellectual 14 largest among the nation’s 28 Jesuit colleges and capital for St. Louis, but more than that, it has the LIVE, LEARN, CONNECT universities, according to a 2010 endowment study. potential to make a substantial global impact as we SLU’s Learning Communities combine life “ON CAMPUS” nEWS STORIES University Communications Furthermore, our financial strength has been work toward eradicating diseases that threaten the and lessons around shared interests. Medical Center Communications recognized by Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s, af- developing world. To date, the center has received — By Lauren Stapel Billiken Media Relations firming our A1 and AA- bond ratings, respectively. $400,000 for research, and it initiated an interna- Our national reputation continues to rise. tional partnership with investigators in China to 18 COVER U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best conduct studies. Samuel Cupples House MATURITY VALUES Colleges” ranked SLU 86 out of more than 260 We reached out. During Make a Difference Photo by James Visser The Ignatian Volunteer Corps offers retired national universities and gave high marks to our Day on Oct. 28, some 2,700 Billikens volunteered, SLU alumni a chance to give back. undergraduate programs in international business and at Homeless Awareness Week, March 28-April DESIGN — By Marie Dilg Art Direction: Matt Krob (No. 12) and entrepreneurship (No. 14). Also, 1, we offered assistance to approximately 400 people. high school counselors ranked us among the top Also, more than 150 students, faculty and staff took 22 75 universities in the nation. And several of our Spring BreakOut Mission trips around the United Universitas is published by Saint Louis University. Opinions expressed in Universitas are those of the graduate and professional programs were listed in States and abroad, and from August to April, our INN DESIGN individual authors and not necessarily those of the University administration. Unsolicited manuscripts and U.S. News’ latest “Best Graduate Schools” rank- student-sponsored Campus Kitchen clocked 3,656 Hotel Ignacio, SLU’s new boutique hotel, is photographs are welcome but will be returned only if ings: health law (No. 1), health administration hours preparing 32,445 pounds of food to deliver welcoming visitors to Midtown. accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Letters to the editor must be signed, and letters not (No. 9), entrepreneurship (No. 13), supply chain 19,927 meals to feed St. Louis’ hungry. — By Clayton Berry intended for publication should indicate that fact. The management (No. 16), geriatrics (No. 16) and in- We focused on growth. At our Medical editor reserves the right to edit all items. Address all 18 mail to Universitas, DuBourg Hall 39, One N. Grand ternational business (No. 20). We also made Forbes’ Center, the Recreation Stadium and state-of-the- Blvd., St. Louis, Mo. 63103. We accept email at “Best American Colleges” and Princeton Review’s art Health Sciences Education Union are nearing [email protected] and fax submissions at (314) 977- departments 8 2249. Address fax submissions to Editor, Universitas. “Best 371 Colleges.” completion. Work also continues on our new Cen- We experienced record enrollment, yet again. ter for Global Citizenship project, which renovates Postmaster: Send address changes to Last fall, we welcomed 13,785 students, setting and connects Des Peres Hall and the West Pine 2 | ON CAMPUS 28 | IN MEMORIAM Universitas, Saint Louis University, records at every level — undergraduate (8,406), Gym. And we are studying possible renovations 2011 Commencement Remembering those One N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103. World Wide Web address: graduate (2,437) and professional (2,942). Ninety of Pius XII Memorial Library. Near our Medical • Two deans named • members of the SLU www.slu.edu/pr/universitas.html percent of our students received more than $300 Center, we purchased property for a potential new Catholic scholarship community who million in scholarships and financial aid. This Ambulatory Care Center, and in Spain, we agreed announced • U.S. News recently died Universitas is printed by Universal Printing Co. spring, we announced the $1 million SLU Jesuit to purchase a building for our thriving Madrid graduate rankings • Community Scholarship program for local Catho- campus. Host Family Program • 30 | ALUMNI EVENTS Worldwide circulation: 116,480 lic high school students and another $1 million And that’s all that I have room to include! There Grand Bridge update Attend SLU alumni in assistance for international students. And the is so much else happening here at SLU. In fact, in activities where you live. University was listed in Barron’s “Best Buys in this issue of Universitas you’ll get an inside look at 6 | BILLIKEN NEWS © 2011, Saint Louis University 32 PERSPECTIVE College Education” and The Fiske Guide to Colleges the 51-room upscale Hotel Ignacio, read about the New volleyball coach • | All rights reserved. An alumna’s baby was “Best Buy Schools.” innovative living and learning opportunities we Fall sports schedules Reproduction in whole or in part a YouTube sensation without permission is prohibited. We invested in academics. During the past fis- offer our new students, and even see a photo of the 7 ADVANCEMENT NEWS this spring, and she cal year, we allocated more than $13 million in new Grand Bridge project. You were warned — sharing | shares their story. spending, most of which went to academic pro- what’s new at SLU isn’t as easy as it seems. A Q&A with Kent LeVan, grams and student support services. We launched executive director of the 33 | THE LAST WORD 13 new degree and certificate programs, including office of planned giving Letters to the editor three master’s degrees that are firsts in Missouri, 24 | CLASS NoTES and we added new faculty positions. Catch up with classmates We nurtured discovery. As of May 31, SLU has Lawrence Biondi, S.J. • Alumni Spotlight received 344 grants, contracts and subcontracts to- President 2 Class of 2011 { on campus } GRaduate PRogRams RIse SLU DEBUTS $1 MIllIon LOCAL CATHOLIC celebrated IN U.S. NEWS RanKIngs HIGH SCHOOL scholaRshIP EFFORT his spring, Saint Louis University established the SLU Jesuit On May 15, more than 5,500 family aint Louis University has two dozen graduate and friends filled Chaifetz Arena to S programs ranked among the top 100 in the T Community Scholarships, a new $1 million initiative for local celebrate Saint Louis University’s 2011 United States. That’s according toU.S. News & World Report, which Catholic high school students. Starting this fall, one student from each commencement. released the 2012 edition of its “Best Graduate Schools” rankings this of the 28 Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of St. Louis as well as University President Lawrence Biondi, spring. Seven SLU programs landed in the top 25. four Catholic high schools in the Metro East will receive a scholarship S.J., offered a salutation and invoca- Among the notable honors: to SLU. Annual award amounts will range from $5,000 to full tuition, tion to start the ceremony. He told the graduates that he was confident they SLU’s HEALTH LAW PRO- The GERIATRICS PROGRAM depending on need. Recipients can renew their scholarships each would make a difference in the world. GRAM secured the No. 1 spot ranked No. 16 in the United academic year if they maintain full-time enrollment and a minimum 3.0 for the eighth consecutive year. States. For more than a dozen cumulative GPA. They also must complete 20 hours of service annually “What you have already done in your The program is supported by the years, the program has been listed four, five or so years at SLU is indeed renowned Center for Health Law among the top 20 best programs at their alma mater high schools. amazing,” Biondi said. “But it is nothing Studies, which is home to some of in the nation. The SLU Jesuit Community Scholarships are sponsored by the compared to what you will do. Part of the top scholars in the field. the joy we feel today lies in the promise Marchetti Endowment Fund, which is named for the late Jerome J.