Meet the Press Fellowship Honors Russert Legacy
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Vol. 14, Issue 2 • suMMeR 2010 Meet the Press Fellowship Honors Russert legacy Commencement Alumni Survey Results Vol. 14, Issue 2 suMMeR 2010 JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY President Robert L. Niehoff, S.J. Vice President for university Advancement Doreen Knapp Riley Assistant Vice President of Integrated Marketing and Communications John A. Carfagno Director, Marketing services-Writing and Interim editor Marcia Meermans Aghajanian Alumni Journal and Campus Photography Coordinator Cheri Slattery Advisory Board John A. Carfagno Sherri Crahen Kimyette Finley ’95 Jack Hearns ’61 Mary Lavin ’87 John Marcus ’72 (ex officio) Paul V. Murphy Doreen Knapp Riley Thomas Schubeck, S.J. Barbara Schubert ’62 Karen Schuele John Walsh Brian Williams John Carroll Magazine is published quarterly by John Carroll University, 20700 North Park Blvd., University Heights, OH 44118 [email protected] / 216-397-3050 Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland, OH 44118, and additional mailing offices. ISSN 1542-0418 www.jcu.edu/magazine POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: John Carroll Magazine Integrated Marketing and Communications 20700 North Park Blvd. University Heights, OH 44118 Mission: As a Jesuit Catholic university, John Carroll inspires individuals to excel in learning, leadership, and service in the region and in the world. Photographs by Robert Wetzler by Photographs FEATURES 4 Commencement 2010 Mother Nature delivered in spades for Commencement 2010 on campus in May. Sunny, blue skies shined brightly on John Carroll’s 687 undergraduates and 248 graduate students. This year’s Commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient, Tom Brokaw, called upon 4 the graduating class to “go forth and become the next Greatest Generation.” 14 COVER STORY: 14 JCU’s Andrew Rafferty ’09 Meets the Press First fellowship recipient reflects on his D.C. experience Andrew Rafferty ’09 wrapped up his 9-month NBC/John Carroll University Meet the Press Fellowship at the end of June. His first-person, bi-partisan account sounds like a job most recent grads can only dream about, and—as he notes—“being a Blue Streak was the only way it could’ve happened.” 20 Alumni Attitude “Survey Says …” Last fall, for the first time in more than 10 years, John Carroll University’s Alumni Association engaged in a new partnership with alumni through an alumni attitude survey. The high response rate speaks volumes about Carroll’s 20 sons’ and daughters’ feelings for their alma mater. DEPARTMENTS 3 President’s Message 8 On Campus 18 Enrollment Quarterly 22 AlumNews 26 Alumni Journal / Class Notes 43 In Memoriam 44 My Turn Contributors: Jim Baron, Paul Fetters, Taylor Horen ’12, Andy Johnson ’10, Josh Marcin ’09, On the cover: John Carroll alumnus Andrew Rafferty ’09 Dan Milner, Jose Nogueras, Andrew Rafferty ’09, Chris Wenzler ’90, (far right in photo) was the first recipient of the NBC/John Robert Wetzler, Luke Whitworth ’11, Brian Williams Carroll University Meet the Press Fellowship. He is on the Design: Villa Beach Communications, Inc. cover with Betsy Fischer, Meet the Press executive producer, Printed by Lane Press and David Gregory, Meet the Press moderator. Turn to p. 14 A “G” in the class year following an alum’s name for Andrew’s first-person account of his 9-month fellowship. indicates a Carroll graduate degree. It is the mission of the magazine to provide an engaging and accurate Photograph by Paul Fetters reflection of the University and its extended community for its alumni and the other members of the John Carroll family. 2 JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY SUMMER 2010 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Building on the Momentum his issue of John Carroll magazine illustrates earn the NBC/John Carroll University Meet the Press that the hard work of our great University Fellowship. When we established this fellowship Tnever stops—not during the summer or any last summer, we did it to create a lasting tribute to other time of year. The John Carroll community works Tim Russert ’72. We couldn’t have asked for a better tirelessly year-round to prepare our students to become steward than Andrew to kick off this initiative, and I the next generation of leaders. am confident that our nextMeet the Press fellowship In May, you could feel In May, for example, you could feel our campus recipient, Joseph Toohey ’10, will uphold our new the campus buzzing community buzzing with energy. At Commencement, tradition. the crowd of faculty, staff, students, parents, The fellowship would not be possible without the with energy. grandparents, and other loved ones swelled into the generous and gracious support of Tim’s wife, Maureen thousands under blue skies and a bright sun. As Orth; their son, Luke Russert; Tim’s close friend and I greeted and congratulated members of the Class colleague, Tom Brokaw; and our donors. Before he left Looking ahead, we will of 2010, I knew that John Carroll University was campus, Mr. Brokaw shared that he couldn’t imagine be a campus on the fulfilling its promise to provide an outstanding Jesuit a better or more fitting way for us to honor Tim than move this summer. education—mind, body, and spirit. providing a John Carroll student with a Meet the Press You will find Commencement and other events fellowship each and every year. I couldn’t agree more. on campus chronicled in greater detail in this issue of Looking ahead, we will be a campus on the John Carroll magazine, including our honorary degree move this summer. For example, our work on the recipient and speaker, Tom Brokaw; our distinguished Woodrow Wilson Ohio Teaching Fellowship program Alumni Medal Award recipients; and several faculty is accelerating. Our goal is to attract 20 Teaching and students recently celebrated for their excellence. Fellows with strong math and science backgrounds I am particularly excited about our cover story to this pioneering teacher education program at featuring Andrew Rafferty ’09, our first graduate to John Carroll. They will then focus on re-energizing education in the sciences for the young minds in Cleveland’s low-income, public, secondary schools. Work is also starting on our Hamlin Quad, which will restore the area between Grasselli Tower and the Dolan Center for Science and Technology by removing the parking lot and replacing it with a beautiful green space. In August, we will welcome the Class of 2014 – which is one of our brightest and most geographically diverse classes ever. We must build on the momentum of our spring and summer initiatives. I look forward to our 125th anniversary in 2011, when we will come together for a series of events that will celebrate our Jesuit Catholic heritage and our high-quality education that has transformed the lives of generations of John Carroll students. Blessings, Photograph by Robert Wetzler by Photograph Maureen Orth, wife of the late Tim Russert ’72; Tom Brokaw, commencement speaker and Robert L. Niehoff, S.J. 2010 honorary degree recipient; Robert L. Niehoff, S.J., president, John Carroll University. Ms. Orth presented Mr. Brokaw’s honorary degree to him and read the citation written by George Bilgere, Ph.D., associate professor and poet in John Carroll’s English department. SUMMER 2010 JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY 3 ommencement 2010 C 4 JOHNJOHN CARROLL CARROLL UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY SUMMER SUMMER 2010 2010 other Nature delivered in spades for knowledge and your talents will serve others. Commencement 2010 on campus Please ask yourself how your ethical leadership Min May. Sunny, blue skies shined will make a positive difference to society – ommencement brightly on John Carroll’s 687 undergraduates and answer those callings with all of your and 248 graduate students, their families and passion and energy.” friends, the University community, and others Legendary journalist and best-selling in the audience on the lush, green Quad. author, Tom Brokaw, received an honorary In his opening remarks, John Carroll degree and served as this year’s Commencement 2010 University President Robert L. Niehoff, speaker. He urged the graduating class “to S.J., recalled the words of John Henry celebrate one another in a common cause of Cardinal Newman (1801-1890), who said restoring economic justice and true value, the purpose of a university education “is to be advancing racial and religious tolerance, (and) a transformative experience for students, so creating a healthier planet.” C they become the kind of individuals that can Prior to Commencement, Mr. Brokaw fruitfully engage in conversation and debate. participated in a breakfast fundraiser on They can exercise good judgment and bring campus to benefit the NBC/John Carroll their insights and strong arguments from a University Meet the Press Fellowship as a variety of disciplines to solve complex issues.” tribute to his late friend and colleague Tim Fr. Niehoff said, “Ask yourself how your Russert ’72. Mr. Russert’s wife, Maureen Orth, Millor Orator Beaudry Award honoree John J. Kuczynski Emily N. Ferron Photographs by Robert Wetzler by Photographs SUMMER SUMMER 2010 2010 JOHN JOHN CARROLL CARROLL UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY 5 presented Mr. Brokaw with his degree. is presented annually at Commencement. A This year’s Millor Orator was John J. committee of faculty, students, administrators, Kuczynski, selected by a committee of students, and alumni selects the honoree for excellence faculty, and staff to serve as senior class speaker. in the classroom, scholarship, advisement, and Several days prior to Commencement, John leadership of students. This year’s recipient is and fellow 2010 graduate Franco Carapellotti, Elizabeth V. Swenson, Ph.D., professor in the were a YouTube sensation for their “John Department of Psychology. Carroll Finale” dance video that showcases Five alumni were selected as 2010 Alumni the University campus and the John Carroll Medal honorees and were celebrated at community, including students, faculty, Commencement: Suzanne (Schlichtman) administrators, staff, and others. Greenberg ’83, Carter F.