Aspirefall 2010 U N I V E R S I T Y O F Sa I N T Ma R Y from the President
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AspireFall 2010 U NIVERSITY OF SAINT MARY from the president Dear Alumni and Friends, This is a unique time in the nation’s job market. We see it in the headlines of the day. As America’s baby boomer population ages, the demand for highly-skilled, well-educated health care professionals grows exponentially. The University of Saint Mary—with our strong roster of science majors and growing number of health care programs—stands ready to meet that need. That focus on meeting the needs of society is a hallmark of our founders and sponsors, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. The sisters, after all, made nursing education a primary goal during their first years in Leavenworth, and, quite notably, opened the first civilian hospital in Kansas. That we are able to rise to the challenge speaks to our commitment to academic excellence. Inferior science programs cannot hope to produce superior graduates. But our science alums have started their own companies, explored complex ecological matters in their labs, gone on to medical school, and taught in high schools across the country. Others became dentists and physician assistants. But make no mistake: our science majors are successful not only because of the quality of our science department. They also succeed because each has a solid foundation in the liberal arts that enhanced their ability to think, to express their thoughts, and to engage in critical discussion. Our graduates praise the liberal arts foundation they received while here. They speak of becoming great communicators and of developing a breadth of knowledge that distinguishes them from their co-workers and counterparts from other schools. Those communication skills—practiced from a values-based perspective—bring ethics to research and compassion to the bedside. Leading our efforts in the science fields is our talented faculty. They help shepherd our students down their career paths, building unique research projects to meet the needs of their students. They pursue grant money to maximize student research opportunities and buy new lab equipment. They help us prepare the health care and science professionals of tomorrow. Not all scientists and doctors are created equal. Saint Mary graduates bring a depth and breadth of understanding to their professions that sets them apart from their peers. Peace and blessings to you, Diane Steele, SCL, Ph.D., C’83 MISSION STATEMENT The University of Saint Mary educates students of diverse backgrounds to realize their God-given potential and prepares them for value-centered lives and careers that contribute to the well being of our global society. We value: community, respect, justice, and excellence. Administrative Council Sr. Diane Steele, SCL, Ph.D., C’83 contents President Bryan Le Beau, Ph.D. 2 | View from the Spire Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs Dale L. Culver 6 | The Saint Mary Scientific Method Vice President for Finance and Administrative Services Laura Davis 12 | Class Notes Vice President of Marketing and Communications 6 14 | Memoriams Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Corporation Members 18 | Remembering a Brave Saint Marian Sr. Maureen Hall, SCL, C’70 Community Director Sr. Nancy Bauman, SCL, C’70 Sr. Eileen Haynes, SCL, C’77 Sr. Eileen Hurley, SCL, C’71 FOR YOUR REFERENCE Sr. Jean Anne Panisko, SCL, C’69 Sr. Peg Johnson, SCL, C’71 18 Class Codes A - Academy Board of Trustees C - College *Charles Berkel U - University *Mary Alice Bramming, C’65 M - Master’s Degree Sr. Nancy Bauman, SCL, C'70 Giddeon Brown Joseph Contrucci, C'94 Andres Dominguez, C’82 Col. (Ret.) Stanley Evans Thomas Gregory Sr. Maureen Hall, SCL, C’70 Greg Kaaz Ken Karr Susanna Laundy Charles McCann Sr. Jean Panisko, SCL, C'69 Michelle Piranio, C’81 (Sec./Treas.) Joseph Snyder (Chair) Sr. Diane Steele, SCL, C’83 (President) William Trenkle (Vice Chair) Mark Wilkinson Dr. Peter Wong *Trustee Emeritus The Aspire is published for the friends and alumni of the University of Saint Mary in the spring, summer, fall, and winter, including the Honor Roll of Donors, by the office of Marketing, 4100 South 4th Street, Leavenworth, KS 66048, (913) 758-6165. Please send all alumni news items, such as a marriage, birth, death, new job, promotion, award, additional degree, etc., to the attention of: Stephanie Shupe at 4100 South 4th Street, Leavenworth, KS 66048, (913) 758-6126 or [email protected]. Please remember to include your class year, address, and phone number. Printed on recycled paper. Fall 2010 | 1 VIEW FROM THE SPIRE Sister Susan Rieke Installed as First Holder of Fully-Endowed McGilley Chair With a simple liturgy, USM made McGilley Chair makes certain that this history on Sept. 12, 2010, as the university commitment will never be lost.” honored a beloved former president, The chair was established in 2008, recognized the significant contributions and named in honor of the late Sister of a current professor, and made a bold Mary Janet McGilley, former president advance in its own academic standing. of Saint Mary, who served at the school’s The celebration in Annunciation helm from 1964-1989. Sr. McGilley died Chapel marked the installation of Sister in 2003. Susan Rieke, C’68, as the holder of the Sr. Rieke, chair of USM’s language university’s first ever fully-endowed faculty and literature department, has taught at chair—the Sister Mary Janet McGilley USM since 1980. She also co-authored a Endowed Chair in Liberal Studies. book of poetry with Sr. McGilley. The chair is backed by a $1 million “Sister Susan Rieke has served the endowment raised through generous university in many different ways, leaving donations and is designed to help the her mark on just about every office and holder promote USM’s long-standing liberal arts tradition program,” Dr. Le Beau said. established by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. The Sr. Rieke, for her part, has called it a deep honor to be chair-holder will have the position for a three-year term that connected with Sr. Mary Janet’s career. can be renewed. She told the crowd in Annunciation: “With profound “An endowed chair is the hallmark of the nation’s humility, I thank those who funded the McGilley Chair, best universities,” USM Academic Vice President Dr. those who honored me with its award, and I thank Sister Bryan Le Beau told the gathered crowd. “USM has always Mary Janet McGilley for her incredible accomplishments in been committed to liberal studies. The Sister Mary Janet life and our friendship.” A Lifetime of Learning Sister Hilaria, She first started taking chair of USM’s department C’57 (though she classes at Saint Mary in of history, political science & counts herself 1943. Since then, she’s global studies. among the class of done summer coursework Why does she do it? 1947), was honored at Nebraska, Creighton, “I feel like a treasure at an all-university Colorado, St. Louis hunter,” she said. “The reception to start University, Oglala Lakota instructors come in and give the year for her College, Vanderbilt, Vassar, me the syllabus, and that’s lifelong dedication SUNY, Donnelly, UMKC, the map. I don’t know what to learning. Drake, and the Union the treasure might be, but That dedication Theological Seminary. once a month, I bump into To hear her speak of it, has led her to enroll in “And over 67 years, my something really exciting and Sister Mary Hilaria Phipps 39 credit hours worth of best teacher seems to be Ken find the treasure.” has spent her entire life classes at Saint Mary since Mulliken,” she said, lending searching for buried treasure. September 2007. high praise to the current 2 | Aspire Meet Today’s USM Earns Academic, Saint Marian Athletic, and Military- Saint Mary is in the midst of an enrollment boom, with the start of Friendly Honors the fall 2010 semester marking the third consecutive The university’s awards case grew a little more cramped this summer. First came news that The Princeton year of record freshman Review had once again named USM a enrollment. This year’s freshman “Best Midwestern College.” It’s a designation class was 135 strong, up a half-dozen that the university has earned for six consecutive from last year. With all that growth years now, and reflects both USM’s record of has come some shifting in the academic excellence and the positive feedback demographics of our freshmen. from current students and parents. Dr. Bryan Le Beau, USM’s vice president for academic affairs, said the designation is a big positive for the university. “Academics play a What would an average major part in The Princeton Review rankings, as they should,” he said. Saint Mary freshman look like today? “And they also take other factors into consideration—ones that all students should be concerned with when choosing a college.” • For starters, he’s a he. This year, 54 percent of our freshmen are male, 46 percent USM was also named a 2011 are female. Military Friendly School by G.I. Jobs, a designation that puts USM among the top • In all likelihood, he’s an athlete. 71 percent 15 percent of U.S. colleges, universities, and of this year’s freshmen play sports. .com schools trade schools for America’s veteran students. ndly aryfrie milit According to the Pittsburgh-based • 25 percent are minority—a slightly higher G.I. Jobs, a publication of Victory Media, schools on the list share a percentage than the full-time student body common priority of recruiting students with military experience, and offering benefits that enhance their college experience. USM, for its part, as a whole. is a VA Yellow Ribbon Program participant, and has an on-campus office for veterans’ services and a veteran as the office’s coordinator in • Many are undecided in major.