WWW.ALUMNI.BELLARMINE.EDU OF KNIG T HT ALSO: H S ALSO: G 2 I 0 N 0 Wallitsch travels to Japan K 2 Founders Day 2002 Dean’s Notes Class Notes Heading the KKNIGHTSNIGHTS Six alumni return to coach their alma mater BELLARMINE MAGAZINE LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR When I first arrived on the Bellarmine campus in 1994, I was immediately struck by a campus community that was kind and caring. In my first months as Executive Director of the Bellarmine University Alumni Association I have met with many alumni. It is evident from those face-to-face meetings that the same qualities, kindness and caring, permeate throughout the Alumni Association even though the alumni I have visited have left the confines of the Bellarmine campus. Kindness and “An undeniable trait “An undeniable trait caring should not be mistaken for passivity or mediocrity, however. An undeniable trait of Bellarmine alumni of Bellarmine alumni is that they become leaders in a variety of fields and pursuits due to is that they become a passion for learning and achievement taught in Bellarmine’s unique educational environment. leadersleaders inin aa varietyvariety of fields and pursuits Because you are kind, you care about your alma mater and you are a leader, a common question I hear is, “what can I do to help?” There is a misconception that if you do not due to a passion for give monetarily, that your input is less important. Nothing could be further from the learninglearning andand truth. Two of the objectives of the Alumni Association are to encourage alumni to return achievement taught to campus to re-engage with their alma mater and to aid in the recruitment effort of high school students so that they may share the same positive experience that you had while in Bellarmine’s attending Bellarmine. unique educational environment.” On page 26 of the Bellarmine Magazine, you will find a form in which we ask you to send in the name of a potential student who you feel is a strong candidate for Bellarmine. The student that you recommend will receive information about Bellarmine, an application, and the appropriate correspondence for prospective students. In addition, because the recommendation has come from one of our most valued resources, our alumni, the $25 application fee will be waived if the prospect is a legacy (son/daughter, brother/sister, grandson/granddaughter of an alumnus). This simple act encompasses the spirit of Bellarmine alumni, to give future generations the chance to experience kindness, caring and the opportunity to develop into leaders just the way you did during your days at Bellarmine. I look forward to meeting you in the coming months and years and I hope you take the time to visit Bellarmine and see all of the remarkable changes that have taken place. Sincerely, Ian Patrick Executive Director Bellarmine University Alumni Association FALL / WINTER EDITION 2 WWW.ALUMNI.BELLARMINE.EDU TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the Executive Director 2 FEATURES Putting the Bellarmine Mission to the Test 4 Bellarmine Coaches Bellarmine 6 Running Down A Dream 10 E VENTS Founders Day 2002 12 BELLARMINE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE 2002 Alumni Awards 15 Knight of Knights 16 DR. JOSEPH J. MCGOWAN President May Commencement 17 Guarnaschelli Lecture 17 DR. JOHN OPPELT Provost IN THE NEWS Dean’s Corner: Bellarmine College 18 VINCE MANIACI Dean’s Corner: Lansing School of Nursing and Health Sciences 20 Vice President for Institutional Advancement Bellarmine bids farewell to Nell Crews 22 Bellarmine Women’s Council Designers’ Show House 22 IAN PATRICK Executive Director, BUAA U.S. News and World Report Ranking 22 Editor Jazz Guitar Clinic and Concert 23 Bagby named Director of Athletics 23 WES BURGISS Chief Marketing Officer Dr. Margaret Mahoney Endowed Scholarship 24 Bellarmine adds lacrosse 24 JOHN SPUGNARDI Ultimate Questions Lecture Series 24 Director of News and Information Co-Editor Focus on Development 25 Chris Pullem appointed basketball coach 27 DONNA ARMSTRONG ’01 Director of Communications ALUMNI Magazine Coordinator Class Notes 28 BRAD CRAIG ’01 Publications Associate Creative Director and Designer ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Board of Directors Vanessa Cox Pollard ’99 Contributing Writers: Rob Bader ’78 Frank Pontrich ’71, President Ian Patrick George Ballard ’71 Gina Schmitt Priddy ’91 Pat Ballard Rita Bowman ’74 Harry Rothgerber ’69 Joan Riggert Stephanie Tracy Clemons ’89 Todd Siegel ’95/’99 Jason Cooper ’96 Christa Spalding ’97 John Spugnardi Chris Sternberg ’87 Brad Craig ’01 James E. Forst ’72 Jack Horn ’84 Robert E. Thieman ’79 Allison Becker J. O. Kampschaefer ’54, Treasurer Faculty Representatives Sarah Wimsatt ’01 Christopher J. Klein ’87 Dr. Dan Bauer JimVargo ‘82 Stephanie L. McKune ’90/’94 Dr. Anne Moll ’81 Tina Kauffmann Mary Lynn Meyer ’86/’88/’93 Mary Ellen Pike ’81 Beth Ennis Kathleen Voor Montano ’84 Dr. Ruth Wagoner ’71 Susan Keating 3 BELLARMINE MAGAZINE Putting the Bellarmine Mission to the “…where diverse persons of all faiths and ages develop the intellectual, Test moral, and professional competencies to Many Bellarmine graduates are shining had to examples for the ideals and goals set forth do, but I lead, to serve and to make a living and a life in the Bellarmine mission statement, but could worth living.” perhaps no one better embodies this than not have recent graduate Kristen Wallitsch ’00. With gotten -excerpt from the the ink on her diploma just barely dry, into the Bellarmine University Wallitsch decided to put her knowledge program and preparation to the test by embarking without their mission statement on a journey that took her far from home help,” said and tested her ability as teacher and many Wallitsch. The work of of the components included in the the Bellarmine staff and Wallitsch’s individual efforts led Bellarmine mission. to an interview in Washington, D.C., at the Japanese Wallitsch’s journey took her to Japan to Embassy. Wallitsch left for Japan in the summer of 2000, teach English as a second language to and stayed overseas for two years. “The program really Japanese elementary and middle school looks for younger people,” Wallitsch said. “I think they children. As part of this experience, she was want energetic people right out of college to give the forced to acclimate to a new culture on her Japanese an excitement about American and other own and apply the skills learned through a English-speaking cultures.” Bellarmine education. Upon learning she had been accepted to the program, As a senior at Bellarmine, Wallitsch Wallitsch began meeting with a tutor to practice speaking served on an International Special Japanese at her own expense. “Learning Japanese is not a Education Committee on the Council for requirement of the JET program, but you cannot begin to Exceptional Children. Her role on the learn the culture unless you know the language,” said committee required her to travel extensively Wallitsch. “In any culture, the spoken language is so throughout the United States, including a intertwined with understanding daily life.” stop in Washington, D.C. to lobby Wallitsch worked for a Board of Education in the town congressional and senatorial leaders for the allocation of special education funds. The stateside travel sparked an interest in traveling abroad. Others involved in the council suggested that she apply for the Japan Teaching and Exchange Program (JET). Wallitsch received full support from Bellarmine faculty members Dr. Maureen Norris (Dean of Education) and Dr. Anne Moll, both of whom wrote recommendations for Wallitsch to be included in JET. “It is a very intense application process—essays, signatures. I do not know what Dr. Norris and Dr. Moll Wallitsch with two Japanese students 4 FALL / WINTER EDITION WWW.ALUMNI.BELLARMINE.EDU “The dual certification at of Yuwa, which is in the prefecture of Akita. “My town Bellarmine helped me so much, had 8,000 people in it,” said Wallitsch, “and I was there are so many responsible for two junior high schools and two elementary schools. Every child in each of parallels the four schools saw me once a week.” between Wallitsch likened her role to that of an teaching art or music teacher in the United English as States where children rotate to the teacher on a consistent, but not daily, a second basis. language The Japanese students have a and special Japanese teacher who teaches English to the students everyday. Wallitsch would take education.” the teacher’s place once a week and her role was to make English fun, as well as evaluate the students’ performance. “The Japanese high school approach to work with a special education student,” Wallitsch teaching English is very boring for the students,” said explained. “It was also a great learning experience for me Wallitsch. “The town of Yuwa’s philosophy was to bring because, in a way, I was in the shoes of the person with an American in and get the elementary students really the disability in Japan. My Japanese sounded funny to excited about English, so by the time they get to junior them. People stared at me. People gawked at me. People high school and high school, they will love English and gave me a hard time. But it was all worth it to gain that dive right in. In addition, a lot of Japanese teachers are learning experience.” very shy about speaking English and teach English to the Since her return, Wallitsch teaches children with students in Japanese. You cannot really learn a language behavior disorders in a self-contained classroom at J.B. without speaking it, that is where people from my Atkinson Elementary School. In looking at the American program were called upon. My role was to speak English model of education compared to the Japanese model, to the students.” Wallitsch compares the difference to two pyramids, one In America, curriculum is decided on a state-by-state pointing up, the other pointing down.