Sacred 1 Heart U N V E R Fall 1998 I September 30/Friday-Nov.1 "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," Center for the Performing Arts. Music 5/Saturday First football night game, St. John's vs. and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Friday and Saturday, 8 Sacred Heart, Campus Field, 6 p.m. Tickets: $5 adults, p.m., Sunday 3 p.m. Tickets: $18 adults, $15 students/ $3 children. Info: 371-7885. seniors. Group rates and other special packages avail­ 11/Friday Rededication and renaming of Campus able. Box Office: 374-2777. Center, 11 a.m. Ceremony and reception. Info: 371-7840. 31/Saturday Men's ice hockey vs. Holy Cross, Milford 13/Sunday-Oct. 15 "Fictitious Icons," works by Ann Ice Pavilion, 7:30 p.m. First home game as member of Chernow, Gallery of Contemporary Art. Opening recep­ Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference hockey league. tion, Sept. 13, 1-4 p.m. Gallery hours: Monday-Thursday, Tickets: $5 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children under 14. Info: noon-7:30 p.m., Sunday, noon-4 p.m. Info: 365-7650. 878-2480. 16/Wednesday Opening convocation, Pitt Center, 2 p.m. Honorary degree to be conferred on Monika November Hellwig, Ph.D., executive director of the Association of 6/Friday-8/Sunday "A Funny Thing Happened on the Catholic Colleges and Universities. Info: 371-7910. Way to the Forum," Center for the Performing Arts. See October listing. October 14/Saturday Men's 1/Thursday Artist basketball at Nevada-Las and Curator's Talk Vegas. Group packages with Ann Chernow available. Athletics 371- and Deborah 7917 or Robustelli Travel Frizzell, Gallery of 1-800-248-0319. Contemporary Art, 7 18/Wednesday Women's p.m. Info: 365-7650. basketball home opener 3/Saturday Elder vs. Colgate, Pitt Center, 7 Care Symposium, p.m. Info: 371-7917. "Building Effective 20/Friday Business Interdisciplinary Leaders Breakfast, Teams in the Stamford, 7:30 a.m. Classroom and Info: 371-7862. Clinic," Mahogany 20/Friday "Looking at Room, 8:30 a.m.-5 Contemporary Art From p.m. Registration: an Eastern Perspective," $75, $100. Info: Dr. Gallery of Contemporary Michelle LusardI, Ann Chernow's portraits of chorus girls and would-be Art, 6:30 p.m. Cocktails, 365-4721. starlets are featured in The Gallery of Contemporary Art dinner and jazz. Guest 10/Saturday through Oct. 15. speaker: Bernice 10th Annual Steinbaum, Steinbaum/Krauss Gallery, New York. Tickets: Scholarship Dinner and Discovery Awards, Pitt Center, $100, $125, $150. Reservations: 365-7650. cocktails 6 p.m. Tickets and sponsorship info: Laurie A. Bellico, 371-7861. 21/Saturday-22/Sunday 6th Annual Mineral-Jewelry Gem Show, old gymnasium, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Donation: $2. 19/Monday "Falling Catholic Attendance," lecture by Proceeds to benefit SMARTNET program. Info: 365-7627. Dr. James Davidson, author and professor of sociology, Purdue University, Mahogany Room, 7:30 p.m. Fee: $10. Info: REAPS, 371-7867. December 20/Tuesday 3rd Annual Nostra Aetate Awards, Sutton 6/Sunday-Jan. 24 Faculty Art Exhibit, Gallery of Place Synagogue, New York City, dinner to follow at the Contemporary Art. Reception, Dec. 8. Closed Dec. 18- St. Regis Hotel. Awards program free. CCJU, 365-7692. Jan. 3 and Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 18. Info: 365- 23/Friday-25/Sunday Parents' Weekend. Saturday 7650. football. Central Connecticut vs. Sacred Heart, Campus Field, 1 p.m. Tickets: $5 adults, $3 children. 7/Monday Men's basketball home opener vs. Hartford, Info: 371-7917. Pitt Center, 7 p.m. Tickets: $5 adults, $3 children. Info: 25/Sunday-Nov. 22 "Theodore Waddell," Gallery of 371-7917. Contemporary Art. Opening reception, Oct. 25, 1-4 p.m. 29/Tuesday-31/Thursday "The Music Man," Center for Info: 365-7650. the Performing Arts. Evenings 7 p.m. Music and lyrics by Meredith Wilson, directed by Maureen Hamill. Tickets: Events are free unless otherwise noted. $18 adults, $15 children/seniors. Box Office: 374-2777. Sacred Heart Contents University Vol. 5, No. 1 Fall 1998 18 COVER STORY A NEW HORIZON President "End of track" meant a special finetlity at Anthony J. Cernera, Ph.D. the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in Poland. President Anthony J. Cernera, Ph.D., Vice President for and other participants in the Center for University Relations Christian-Jewish Understanding's "Religion Elinor U. Biggs and Violence, Religion and Peace" confer­ ence visited this memorial to inhumanity. Director of Public Relations Dean Golembeski FEATURES Editor 9 BOWLING OVER THE COMPETITION Don Harrison Led by freshman Tiffany Ballew, the Pioneer women finished third in the nation. Art Director Jill Harrington Nichols 11 COMMENCEMENT'98 Production Manager Speaker Dennis Weatherstone, retired chair­ Martha Miller Byrnes man of J.P. Morgan & Co., urged graduates to find the proper balance between family Contributing Writers and career. David Coppola, Ph.D. James L. Meeker 14 MIND OVER GRAY MATTER Corinne A. Waldheim '98 Under the direction of biology professor John D. Griffin, Ph.D., undergraduates Contributing Photographers are using the new science technology Michael Bisceglie, Debranne laboratory for important brain research. Cingari '89, Thomas Forget, Ph.D., Vin Greco, Don Heiny, Tom McDonald, Jill Nichols, 20 CCJU HAD ITS ROOTS IN VATICAN II Chris Nicholson The University's Center for Christian-Jewish Understanding, now in its seventh year, Other Contributors has brought the two faiths closer together. Gina Gardner, Mike Guastelle, Ann Miron 24 CLASS NOTES SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE is published three times a year 26 ALUMNI PROFILE by Sacred Heart University, 5151 Park The comedic writing talents of Dave Boone Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06432-1000. Send address changes to Alumni Office, '87 have contributed to the success of Billy Sacred Heart University, 5151 Park Avenue, Crystal, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Fairfield, CT 06432-1000. Jay Leno and, yes, Kevin Nealon '75. Telephone: (203) 371-7970 E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] 28 IN MEMORIAM Website: www.sacredheart.edu The University is committed to the concept DEPARTMENTS of equal educational opportunities for all, 0 O without regard to race, religion, color, sex, Printed on recycled paper with C2 Calendar 3 Pioneering 50% total recovered fibers with national origin, age or handicap. 20% post consumer waste. 2 First Word 10 Advancement Please recycle. Sacred Heart University Magazine • Fall 1998 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- c------------------------------------------------------- FIRST WORD Finding meaning in life’s contradictions ne of the many It was an overpowering experience, one that left all of us speechless. We offered prayers and sang at the pleasures of being site of a former crematorium. That night, I, like Othe president of Sacred many others, was unable to sleep. Heart University is that I am exposed to many Against this backdrop, CCJU orchestrated a three- diverse experiences that day conference that was both entiching and uplift­ provide me with inspira­ ing. To witness the cooperation, to see the begin­ tion, contemplation and nings of new friendships and to hear the open dia­ hope. logue left me feeling hopeful about the future. As Cardinal Franciszek Macharski of Poland said, One such experience “Sincere authentic faith in God can be considered a occurred this past May. On the 17th of that month, factor of peace among people, (and) the best guaran­ I participated in the University’s 32"'' Commence­ tee of peaceful, mutual relations between people.” ment. It was a joyous occasion and, as always, a great pleasure for me to present degrees that signify You will learn more about what the cardinal and the fulfdlment of many dreams for our students and others said at the conference in an article included their families. in this issue of Sacred Heart University magazine. You will also find stories about Commencement and Of the many memorable moments from Com­ other interesting events at the University. I hope you mencement, one of the most significant was the will take the time to read about them all. keynote speech given by Dennis Weatherstone, the former chairman of J.P. Morgan, whom we presented As you do, I know you will become aware of the an honorary degree. Mr. Weatherstone spoke of how continuing improvements the University is making. he worked his way up from clerk to the boardroom, I’m particularly proud of the advancements in acade­ offering the graduates a mixture of advice and, more mics, especially in the sciences. This issue includes important, hope. a story about our new neuroscience laboratory. To the best of my knowledge, no other institution any­ We learned from his speech that Mr. Weatherstone where has a similar laboratory that combines did not come from a wealthy family. In fact, he research, teaching and technology. Through hands- couldn’t even afford college when he graduated from on experience or through their laptop computers, our high school. Instead, he went to wotk for J.P. Morgan students are able to share in the groundbreaking and took six years of night classes to complete his brain research of Dr. John D. Griffin, assistant pro­ studies at what is now the Univetsity of North fessor of biology. It was Dr. Griffin who conceived of London. Through hard work, high ethical standards the lab and then secured the support of the National and intelligence, he built his remarkable career. By Science Foundation, which provided a $95,000 grant. his example and his words, he held out the promise Dr. Griffin’s research focuses on fevers and how they of a good life for those who wotk hard, honor their affect the btain. families and serve others. When I consider Dr. Griffin’s work, the CCJU Immediately after Commencement, I flew to confetence and Commencement, I feel optimistic Auschwitz, Poland, where I attended a conference about the future.