Meet the President

ROCKHURST Meet the President Rev. Thomas B. Curran, O.S.F.S. Rockhurst Day 2006 SAVE THE DATE: September 29 Mark your calendar and make plans to attend Rockhurst Day Friday, Sept. 29. Paired with homecoming, this annual event has become an exciting campus tradition complete with carnival games, fireworks and the Great Baby Race. This year’s highlights include honoring coach Tony Tocco in his 35th year of leading the men’s soccer team. It’s also a great opportunity to meet Rockhurst’s new president, the Rev. Thomas B. Curran, O.S.F.S. Watch your mailbox for the next Alumni News & Events newsletter for more information. ROCKHURST SPRING 2006 INSIDE MEET THE PRESIDENT 8 Introducing Rockhurst University’s 14th president, the Rev. Thomas B. Curran, O.S.F.S. FACED WITH CONTRADICTIONS 12 Two Rockhurst University theology professors reflect on why the African roots of the Bible go unnoticed. SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT 15 Hear from a woman who was mysteriously admitted to Rockhurst 10 years before the school went coed. DEPARTMENTS ROCK REPORT HAWK TALK ADVANCEMENT DIGEST FOR ALUMNI CLASS NOTES 2 18 20 22 24 ROCKHURST Editor Katherine Frohoff Assistant Editor Jamie Sievering, MBA ’06 Design Dig Design Contributing Writers John Dodderidge, Katie Fischer, ’98, Sonia Weinberg Photography Roy Inman, Mark McDonald, Craig Sands, Jamie Sievering, MBA ’06, Daniel Stramara Jr., Ph.D., Special thanks to staff photographer Joshua Hardin at Regis University ON THE COVER: Priest, attorney, athlete, champion of social justice. Get to know the many sides of Rockhurst’s new leader. Rockhurst, the magazine of Rockhurst University, is published by the Office of Public Relations and Marketing. Opinions expressed in Rockhurst magazine are those of individual authors and not necessarily those of the University. Rockhurst welcomes letters and comments. Send letters to: Katherine Frohoff Rockhurst University 1100 Rockhurst Road Kansas City, MO 64110-2561 Or e-mail to [email protected] Learning, Leadership and Service in the Jesuit Tradition ROCK REPORT 4 Letters to the editor 4 4 4 4 Rockhurst Gets the Gold T he peer review team’s report A Friend Indeed said it all — solid reputation, Thank you for publishing culture of the encouraging story, “A continuous improvement, Friend Indeed,” in the fall issue of Rockhurst magazine. supportive Kansas City business community and These are Rockhurst men to be proud of, as also your students who appreciate their education and faculty. magazine for recognizing The team was sent in their worth and sharing January by AACSB Internatheir story. tional — The Association to William G. Wren, ’46 Advance Collegiate Schools of Business to evaluate Rockhurst’s Helzberg School of Management. The result was a unanimous recommendation that the school’s undergraduate and graduate business programs receive AACSB accreditation. AACSB acted on that recommendation, notifying the University April 10 that it had received the coveted distinction. Less than 10 percent of business schools worldwide have earned AACSB accreditation, making it the gold standard of business education. “This says that the Helzberg School has demonstrated to the premier international accrediting body for business schools that its programs and faculty are of the highest caliber,” said James Daley, Ph.D., dean of the Helzberg School. To earn accreditation, business programs must satisfy the expectations of a wide range of quality standards relating to strategic management of resources, interactions of faculty and students in the educational process and achievement of learning goals in degree programs. These standards are mission driven. Fr. James Wheeler, S.J., with Vanston Ryan, Ph.D. Dear Fr. Wheeler, The Fall 2005 Rockhurst magazine and your Chem Newsletter #36 both arrived in the past few days. As usual, both were fascinating, especially the feature article on your 50 years of teaching chemistry at Rockhurst. You have aged very well. Keep up the good work. Mike O’Connor, ’58 4 Conway Hall, home of the Helzberg School of Management. 2 ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 Rockhurst University has been accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools since 1939. Taking the added step of seeking accreditation of the business programs by the AACSB is voluntary and was the result of a long-range strategic plan that required a focused commitment from the entire university. “AACSB accreditation not only raises the prestige of our business programs, but it also reflects well on the whole institution,” said William Haefele, Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs. “The accreditation team validated the high degree of congruence between the HSOM mission and the mission of Rockhurst.” The bottom line, said Daley, is that AACSB accreditation will benefit Rockhurst graduates and the employers who hire them. 4 4 4 For the Common Good I n today’s era of Washington scandals and corporate thievery, Rockhurst’s new Center for Leadership and Ethics couldn’t have come at a better time. The Helzberg School of Management established the center to focus on improving the quality of life for members of our community through the development of principled leaders. The center embraces ideas such as strategic philanthropy, in which organizations respond to real community needs in a way that aligns with their organizational mission and is good for business. The center will engage individuals and area businesses, governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations on several levels, ranging from speaker series, workshops and colloquia, to consultation on sustainable economic development for the common good. For more information, contact Director Timothy P. Keane, Ph.D., at (816) 501-4088 or timothy. [email protected]. 4 4 4 4 4 Students Launch Multicultural Sorority H ave you ever felt as though you just didn’t fit in? The uneasy feeling of being an outsider is one of the factors that prompted several Rockhurst students to band together to find friendship and sisterhood. The group, eight members strong and growing, has begun the process of becoming the University’s first multicultural sorority. “We’re not trying to compete with the other sororities on campus,” says Courtney LaChance, ’08, one of the group’s founding members. “We like what they’ve established, but we want the chance to create our own sisterhood.” These young women, who come from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds, have formed an interest group called the Women’s Society of Sisterhood and Diversity. The group hopes to affiliate with Delta Xi Phi, a national multicultural sorority, late this spring. “When I first transferred to Rockhurst, I felt like a fish out of water,” says Brandie Morris, ’07, president of the group. “The university is not as diverse as it could be, and our eyes are not as open as they should be.” Through this organization, she hopes to help break down stereotypes and open people’s minds to diversity and multiculturalism. Courtney LaChance, ’08, left, and Brandie Morris ’07, are founding members of a multicultural sorority. ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 3 ROCK REPORT 4 4 4 4 4 4 New Technique Helps Patients Recover Faster A Physical therapy student Anna Uhlrich, left, tries out the new unloading system with Mohamed Kohia, Ph.D., the first researcher to explore its benefits for jointreplacement patients. s a growing number of baby boomers reach retirement age, the number of people needing knee and hip replacement surgery and subsequent physical therapy is expected to surge. To prepare for this growing demand, Rockhurst physical therapy students soon will be learning a cutting-edge method of therapy to help patients reach a faster recovery. The technique, called an unloading system, was designed to help people who’ve suffered from conditions such as a stroke or Parkinson’s disease. But Mohamed Kohia, Ph.D., associate professor of physical therapy, is the first researcher to put it to use for joint-replacement patients, for whom it’s ideal. “Patients are afraid of two things,” said Kohia. “Pain and losing their balance. The unloading system attends to both.” It works with the help of a harness suspended by an overhead pulley system, which maintains up to 100 percent of a patient’s body weight. It is stationed over a treadmill on which patients can move without fear of falling or the pain associated with weight on their joints. This method accelerates the therapy and makes each exercise more productive. According to Kohia, the result is a shorter recovery time, less out-of-pocket and Medicare expense, and more impor- tantly, a full recovery and an enhanced quality of life. The PT department purchased the new equipment this spring. Currently on the department’s wish list is equipment that will complement the unloading system by allowing students to measure forces, muscle strength and electric activity in the muscle. Kohia, who has invested more than 10 years of research into his innovative idea, began teaching at Rockhurst last fall. He completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in PT in Cairo, Egypt, and his doctoral degree at Texas Woman’s University in Houston. Before joining Rockhurst, he taught at Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio. MBA Alumnus Steps Up to Help Expectant Mothers W hile Craig Peterson, MBA ’02, had always considered himself pro-life, the experience of having two daughters, one of whom was born seven weeks early, reaffirmed his commitment to the cause. “The experience from conception to birth to being a father completely changed my life, and it motivated me to take action and get involved,” Peterson says. That is just what he did. Peterson began by educating himself on the subject, reading and attending lectures. He took part in prayer vigils and expressed his interest in getting more involved to pro-life movement leaders. Peterson now serves on a steering committee that is 4 ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 working to create a pregnancy resource center in Wyandotte County, Kansas. The proposed center — the first of its kind in the county — plans to offer free comprehensive services, including pregnancy tests, life-skills classes, medical education, sonograms and a mentoring program. Demographic information indicates women in Wyandotte County are highly susceptible to the choice of abortion, and Peterson believes this center could help at-risk women learn about their options. If you would like to contribute your time, talents or treasures to the pregnancy resource center, call Peterson at (913) 677-4780 or e-mail him at [email protected]. 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Faculty Offer Fun Physics Refresher E very summer, elementary and middle school teachers from districts all over Missouri come to Rockhurst to ride hovercraft down hallways, swing bowling balls at their noses (no, they never get hit) and play with motion detectors. It may sound like just fun and games, but it’s all in the name of learning. The activities are part of the Constructing and Understanding of Physics summer workshops taught by Rockhurst physics professors Bob Hegarty, Ph.D., and Nancy Donaldson, Ph.D. Because physics can sometimes be daunting to learn, it can be especially daunting to teach. “Often these teachers know they don’t know as much physics as they should,” Hegarty says. “We help them make sure their knowledge is up to par.” And if you think physics is all equations and formulas, think again. “We don’t just stand there and lecture,” Donaldson says. “It’s very hands-on and materials-intensive,” hence the hovercraft for studying force, motion and gravity. “The teachers are put in the position of becoming the student. If they get excited, then they’ll get their students excited,” she says. But this year, Hegarty and Donaldson are the ones who are most excited. They were awarded a three-year, $337,000 Improving Teacher Quality Grant by the Missouri Department of Higher Education for the workshops. Though they’ve had funding for nearly 10 years, this is the first three-year grant, which reflects not only the outstanding quality of the program but also the accomplishment of exceeding expectations in years past. “We’re thrilled,” Donaldson says. “This grant helps establish Rockhurst University as a center of science education.” There’s No Place Like Home B ean bags or classroom furniture? When it comes to spiritual discussions and personal reflection, can you guess which option college students prefer? Thanks to Rockhurst’s new Campus Ministry House, students are feeling much more at home discussing deeply personal topics from the comfort of a couch or over a pizza among friends. Located at 5134 Forest Ave., the house is a perfect location for student organization meetings and prayer groups, especially the University’s popular new Christian Life Communities. These small, student-led groups meet weekly for scripture, reflection, discussion and prayer. Purchased from the Jesuit Community late last year, the house feels like no other place on campus. Its home-like atmosphere, bean bags and floor pillows have proven an inviting accompaniment to the spiritual discussions and personal reflection that take place there. “The new campus ministry house is a place where we can feel comfortable sharing,” says sophomore Jessica Wagner. “The house is rapidly becoming a place for us to minister to others and ourselves.” Students feel right at home in the University’s new Campus Ministry House, a perfect location for student meetings and prayer groups. ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 5 ROCK REPORT 4 4 4 4 Lessons Learned From Service Stretch Far Beyond the Classroom A cademic research can teach students many things about homelessness, but working side by side with homeless children and discovering that entire families are homeless can fuel a desire to go beyond merely learning about the problem. A group of Rockhurst students examined the problem of homelessness in Kansas City, then developed and implemented an art program for children at reStart, a local organization that provides resources and support for the homeless. “It has taught me a lot,” said Blair Ballard, a freshman volunteer. “Everyone sees homeless people and has an automatic assumption about them and their circumstances. Now it’s harder for me to prejudge people based on their current situations.” The project grew out of Rockhurst’s effort to increase faculty interest in service learning, a teaching methodology that extends learning beyond the classroom and into the community through relevant and meaningful experience that meets a real community need. For example, Rockhurst biology students study the importance of preserving local native wild lands by rolling up their sleeves and cutting back invasive species. Students in Amy Anthony Ishmael, ’09, tutored children at the Troost Midtown Boys and Girls Club as part of a service learning course this spring. 6 ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 Mulligan’s volunteer management class organize events to encourage Girl Scouts from the inner city, many of whom have never considered college or set foot on a campus, to work toward this goal. As you’d imagine, these classes call for more than just logging a few volunteer hours. They get students involved, sometimes in projects that are outside their comfort zone. Several students in an English composition class taught by Dan Martin, Ph.D., volunteer their time to engage in pastoral conversations with patients at Truman Medical Center. Last semester, two freshmen spent their Friday nights managing a shift at St. James Place soup kitchen. “All these sites have larger social issues connected with them,” said Martin, assistant professor of English. “Service alone isn’t a solution. You can go out and serve people and feel good about it, but if you couple that with research, then you’re going to be much more aware of the magnitude of the problem. Then it becomes a question of whether our world is just, and how do we make it more just.” 4 4 Do You Hear What I Hear? E ffective listening skills are crucial to success in a wide range of fields from religion to health care. Listening is often a factor in hiring and promotion decisions and is tied to effective leadership. It is critical to academic success. It is even a significant predictor of patient satisfaction. However, most people receive very little formal training in this important communication skill. So where can you learn more about listening? This fall, Rockhurst University will co-host the International Listening Association’s Fall Listening Forum, “Measuring the Effects of Listening on Learning, Earning and Healing.” The forum, which will be held Oct. 19–21, will bring together 100 people from a variety of fields, including business, education, health care, religion and research, to set the listening research agenda for the next five years. Spaces are available for Rockhurst alumni and friends. If you are interested in learning more about listening or about the forum, please call Laura Janusik, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication, at (816) 501-3186 or e-mail her at [email protected]. 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Board Welcomes Four New Trustees R ockhurst University’s Board of Trustees recently welcomed four new members. These new trustees, who were each elected for a three-year term, will add valuable experience and depth to the board. Rockhurst’s new board members include: Charles L. Dunlap, ’65, is chief executive officer, president and director of Pasadena Refining System Inc., a refinery that produces gasoline and diesel fuels, and founding partner of Strategic Advisors LLC, a management consulting firm. He has 30 years of management experience in the petroleum and auto care industries and 14 years of public board service. Dunlap holds a law degree from Saint Louis University and is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s advanced management program. Thomas A. Gerke, MBA ’82, served as executive vice president, general counsel and external affairs for Sprint and has been designated to serve the same role for Sprint Nextel. He oversees legal and governmental affairs initiatives, handles matters related to corporate governance and provides legal support to Sprint Nextel’s board of directors. Gerke, who has more than 20 years of legal experience, holds a law degree from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. Lloyd L. Hill, XMBA ’85, is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Applebee’s International Inc. Under Hill’s leadership, Applebee’s has grown into the largest casual dining concept in the world. In 2005, he was named as one of America’s best CEOs by Institutional Investor magazine and as “Operator of the Year” by the operators-readers of Nation’s Restaurant News. Hill serves on the boards for Midwest Research Institute, the National Restaurant Association and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Walter McCormick Jr. is president and chief executive officer of the United States Telecom Association, a trade association representing telecommunications service providers and suppliers. A Washington veteran with more than 20 years of experience in telecommunications, McCormick is one of the nation’s leading trade association executives. Prior to his trade association work, McCormick served as general counsel of the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Senate staff. He holds degrees in journalism and law from the University of Missouri and completed the program for senior managers in government at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 7 By Katherine Frohoff Using his new iPod for tunes and news programs is one of Fr. Curran’s many interests. 8 ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 M ost people call him Father, but this day the Rev. Thomas B. Curran, O.S.F.S., spoke as a son. On Saturday, March 18, 2006, Fr. Curran gave the homily at the funeral Mass for his father, Joseph J. Curran. Just two weeks before the Mass, Fr. Curran had been appointed the 14th president of Rockhurst University. He was able to share the news with his father, who then proceeded to provide detailed information about Rockhurst athletics. “My father was the only person I know who subscribed to newsletters about Division II and III schools,” said Fr. Curran. “Sports were a big part of our family and he followed them until the day he died.” Fr. Curran was the fifth of six children born to Joseph and Ann Curran. Their home was in Philadelphia, where life centered on family, the church and sports, especially Notre Dame football. As with most families, the years brought a mix of pain and joy. A drunk driver killed the family’s only daughter at the age of 18, and a son died of kidney disease at the age of 33. Thomas B. Curran, age 5 Named after his uncle, a Holy Cross priest from Notre Dame, Fr. Curran became a professed member of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales in 1977 and was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest in 1984. A wide range of interests shaped Fr. Curran’s career goals. He said he always wanted to be a teacher, go to law school and go into politics. Educational administration was not on the list. His dream was to open a storefront legal clinic, but after he completed his J.D. at the Catholic University of America and a clerkship with a Pennsylvania superior court judge, his religious order had different plans for him. Next up was the presidency of the struggling Northeast Catholic High School for Boys, located in his hometown of Philadelphia. His desire to learn more about the financial side of running the school led him to earn a master of business administration degree from Saint Joseph’s University, a Jesuit institution in Philadelphia. “I didn’t know a balance sheet from a bed sheet,” said Fr. Curran. By the time he left Northeast, the school’s financial situation had greatly improved. He then was asked to assume the presidency of Salesianum School in Wilmington, Del., and to create a strategic plan for the school’s 100th anniversary, which would happen six years later. Fr. Curran visits the Basilica of St. Anne de Beaupré in Quebec City. Joining Fr. Curran on the day of his ordination are his father, Joe, his mother, Ann, and his brother Ed. Rather than confine the centennial celebration to campus improvements or parties for alumni, Fr. Curran crafted a plan that would bring together the school’s supporters in a way that would leave a lasting impact on the city of Wilmington and the lives of some of its most economically disadvantaged residents. “I approached the provincial about celebrating beyond the buildings,” Fr. Curran said. Under Fr. Curran’s leadership, the school sponsored the opening of a tuition-free middle school for boys, Nativity Preparatory School. Serving as Nativity’s executive director, he found someone to donate a parcel of land and he worked to secure more ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 9 than $4 million in actual and in-kind funding for programs, staffing and facilities. The school is part of the Nativity Educational Centers Network, whose goal is to break the cycle of poverty through education. Fr. Curran said he noticed that when students from the inner city would come to Salesianum they weren’t prepared and many were unable to succeed. Nativity helps prepare them. “It creates a level playing field,” said Fr. Curran. When the first class graduates in June, Fr. Curran will be there to give the graduation address, and he won’t do it as a stranger. He got to know each of the students, even teaching a basic life skills class when they were fifth graders. Fr. Curran At a Glance The Rev. Thomas B. Curran, O.S.F.S. Born June 29, 1955, in Philadelphia What’s a Salesian? Fr. Curran is a member of a Roman Catholic religious order called the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, one of the Salesian orders. Louis Brisson, a French priest, founded the Oblates in 1875. He drew his inspiration from the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales and the work of St. Jane Frances de Chantal. The Web site for the Oblates, www.oblates.org, says the order seeks to “approach each person in a gentle and humble way while fostering peace and justice in the world community.” Its apostolic endeavors include Christian education, missions and other pastoral ministries. Additional Salesian orders that espouse the spirituality of St. Frances de Sales include the Visitation of Holy Mary, the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales, the Salesians of Don Bosco and the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, also known as the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. After making the move to higher education, Fr. Curran found he was equally at home with college students — literally. For a time, he lived in a residence hall at Regis University, where he says students would drop by for discussion, homework assistance or confession. But, he’s quick to point out that he lived in a dorm for upper-class students. “With all due respect to freshmen, I couldn’t live in a freshman dorm,” said Fr. Curran. As someone who has spent most of his life working with young people, Fr. Curran says he finds that what they want most is to be respected, heard and encouraged. This approach guides him even when talking with students about matters of religion. “In the past, the church relationship was more expectational,” said Fr. Curran. “With our college-age students, they’re more inclined to embrace an invitation rather than an expectation.” Education M.B.A., Saint Joseph’s University, 1997 J.D., The Catholic University of America, 1992 M.A., Liberal Studies, Public Policy and Government, Georgetown University, 1985 M.A., Theology, DeSales School of Theology, 1984 B.A., Politics, DeSales University, 1978 Most recent position Associate Vice President for University Relations and Assistant to the President, Regis University, Denver. Becomes president of Rockhurst University June 2006 Favorite workout Running Favorite movie To Kill a Mockingbird Favorite book Won’t commit to one, but recently has enjoyed books on Ireland, historical biographies and murder mysteries 10 ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 Fr. Curran and Regis University seniors Brian Couch and Allison Hingtgen discuss their plans for the future. Still, Fr. Curran sometimes encounters parents who ask why the university doesn’t make their children attend Mass. “Some people think we should turn up the volume on the invitation.” This isn’t meant to imply that Fr. Curran hasn’t found a role to play in students’ religious formation. “So what does that require of me, Tom Curran? It requires that I live my life in such a way that it invites people to Christ,” he said. Fr. Curran takes to the skies in a hot air balloon. The iPod was a gift from friends, a family with seven children. Fr. Curran said the children fought over who Fr. Curran pours wine at the Mass for would get to train him how to use the groundbreaking of the new chapel his new toy, but he appalled them by at Regis University. breaking it in by downloading “Meet Having an arsenal of conversation the Press.” topics in addition to faith and reli“You are so weird,” they told him. gion probably helps open a few doors Today the iPod holds an eclectic as well. Fr. Curran is an avid runner, collection of nearly 1,200 songs, although he says he runs OMP — old almost 25 percent of it Christmas man pace. He’s a movie buff who saw music. When he’s not celebrating the all five of this year’s best picture nom- holidays, Fr. Curran says he shuffles inees. And, he is the proud owner of through tunes from performers such that ubiquitous icon of pop culture, as Celine Dion, Simon and Garfuna video iPod. kel, Phil Collins, the Beach Boys, George Winston, Michael Bublé, Harry Connick Jr. and Shania Twain. He also enjoys big band. In March, Fr. Curran’s favorite song was Enya’s “If I Could Be Where You Are,” which he says he found very reflective. He was still thinking of his father, still enjoying being the son. In March, Fr. Curran’s favorite song was one that reminded him of his father. Presidential Inauguration Fr. Curran will assume his full-time duties as president of Rockhurst University in June, but his inauguration Mass and installation ceremony will be held Friday, Oct. 27. The annual Rockhurst University Gala will take place the following night, Saturday, Oct. 28. Look for information in the coming months in your mailbox and at www.rockhurst.edu Fr. Curran gives horseback riding a try on a vacation with friends in Southwest Colorado. about how to register for these events. ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 11 Faced With Contradictions 12 ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 Two Rockhurst University theology professors reflect on why the African roots of the Bible go unnoticed. By Jamie Sievering, MBA ’06 W hat does Jesus look like? The images you’ve likely known all your life of Jesus and others in Christian history may not reflect their true appearances. But even if that’s the case, does it really matter what he looks like? First, a few facts. Did you know that Moses’ wife was Ethiopian? And some of the early Roman Catholic popes were black? Jesus had ancestors of African descent. After Israel and Egypt, Ethiopia is mentioned more than any other nation in the Old Testament. Many Egyptian pharaohs were of Ethiopian descent. The Nile actually starts in Ethiopia. Today, the rich heritage of Ethiopia — and the rest of Africa — seems all but left out of Christian teachings. But if Africa and its people are so engrained in the Bible and the early Christian church, why don’t we know much about it? “It’s in there, but people are blind to it,” says Daniel Stramara Jr., Ph.D., assistant professor of theology and religious studies, who specializes in early church history. “A lot of Caucasian Americans are oblivious to the biases that get unconsciously put forth.” A prime example is the blondhaired, blue-eyed image of Jesus many Americans have grown up with. “He looks like a white guy,” says Stramara, “but Jesus was really olive skinned. He’s a Mediterranean Jew, and some of his ancestors were from Africa. From a historical point of view, that’s just the way it is.” According to Stramara, people of African heritage in the Bible tend to be ignored by those who see the people and stories through a Caucasian lens. To have a fair perspective, all of Christianity needs to be understood in a balanced historical context so no group is either overemphasized or neglected. An interest in researching misguided perceptions about ethnicity in the Bible is why Stramara traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in November 2005, to attend the International Conference on the Bible and Its African Roots. Along with educators, pastors and seminary students from around the world, Stramara met with dignitaries and locals, worshipped in local churches and visited holy and historical sites in a crosscultural effort to reclaim some of the African heritage that is overlooked in the Bible. His trip brought him face to face with Lucy, the oldest known humanoid, who was found in Ethiopia; led him into the depths of a mountain where churches are carved from the earth; and introduced him to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in a discussion session aimed at promoting better ties between black Americans and Ethiopians. Both Stramara, who is eager to share his experiences with students, and Craig Prentiss, Ph.D., associate professor of theology and religious studies, explore the growing debate in Rockhurst courses such as Christianity II; Eastern Christianity; Religion in America; and Religion, Ethnicity and Race. Daniel Stramara Jr., Ph.D., assistant professor of theology and religious studies, traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in November to explore the Bible’s neglected African heritage. ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 13 The fact that many Americans have come to visualize white imagery throughout the Bible is the result of perceptions that have been created — deliberately and otherwise — and perpetuated throughout history. On one hand, it’s a human tendency for people to project their own images and worldview on to their religions, and these religions give authority to the social hierarchies and boundaries that people create. “The history of any monarchy grows out of this idea … that God sanctions this family,” says Prentiss, who specializes in American religious history. “It’s almost like a Rorschach test, where our image of Jesus tells us as much about ourselves as it does about him.” Early Christian history wasn’t limited to Europe as many people perceive, but it was also in Africa and even Asia. Because Northern African Christianity was separated from the bulk of the Christian population for so long, that connection was lost, and the Christian imagery that developed in Europe found its way to the United States. Likewise, the distortion is opposite in Ethiopia, where, Stramara says, fair-skinned whites are seen as a minority in Christian history from their perspective. Although he noticed Ethiopians seem to be more culturReligious artwork in Ethiopia portrays ally sensitive in religious artwork figures with a variety of skin tones. by painting people with a variety of brown skin tones, those with very On the other hand, the entire light skin tones are all but absent. cause of this disparity cannot be dismissed as innocent human nature. In American history, the curse of Ham has been used to validate whites’ superiority over blacks. “The Bible has been twisted to oppress African Americans,” says Stramara. “But blacks have just as much claim to early Christianity as anyone else.” By the fourth century, Christianity stretched from Britain to Western China, and from Northern Europe to sub-Saharan Africa. So does the color of Jesus’ skin really matter? “It has real social impact because it affects how we treat each other,” says Prentiss. “It matters in the context of a Western culture that’s dominated by Europeans where you create a social hierarchy. We work toward a more just society by realizing we’re not the center of the universe.” Just as it has taken time for the church’s efforts to use inclusive language in the liturgy, Stramara says, it will take time for people to understand and appreciate the African roots of the Bible and Christianity. For now, Stramara says he hopes his experiences in Ethiopia will help his students recognize that places Stramara visited many holy and historical sites throughout Ethiopia. such as Ethiopia have an unbroken This monk stands outside the church that houses the Ark of the Covenant. link to the early church and that there are a variety of valid ways to approach God and interpret the Bible. 14 ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 Setting the Record Straight A follow-up to “Where the Girls Are” By Katherine Frohoff 6, rens) Boone, ’5 Friederun (Beh to as allowed mysteriously w e l-male full-tim infiltrate the al Rockhurst more day program at fore the college than 10 years be ed ently, she return went coed. Rec visit. to campus for a E veryone loves a mystery, and the readers of Rockhurst magazine are no exception. “According to Rockhurst Lore” on page 13 of the fall 2005 issue — which told a story about a student who traveled all the way from Germany on a boat to attend Rockhurst and was, unbeknownst to the administration, a woman — elicited numerous reader responses. Many people knew that a student from Germany, Friederun Behrens, did attend Rockhurst in the 1950s, and some swore her arrival was just as described. However, a little investigative work found Friederun, now Friederun Boone, living not far from Kansas City and willing to set the record straight. “I didn’t come over on a boat,” Boone said, “I came on a plane.” And, by the time she enrolled at Rockhurst, she already had been living in Kansas City for a while. She came to live with her great-uncle and his wife and to improve her English while finishing high school at Bishop Hogan. Boone said she enrolled in a Rockhurst biology class in the summer of 1952 and was allowed to enter the regular daytime division. “We started class at 6:30 or 7 a.m. during the summer and quit by noon to avoid the heat,” Boone recalls. 16 ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 She said she chose a double major in chemistry and biology with the intention of becoming a doctor. Rockhurst faculty were helpful with her endeavors, Boone recalled. “Perhaps they considered it quite a challenge — here’s this female and she’s not good at English. Maybe we can help her be successful.” Being one of very few women on the Rockhurst campus during that time doesn’t seem to have caused any major problems for Boone. She remembers being allowed to take refuge when necessary in a first-floor lounge used by the female staffers who worked in the office of the Rev. Joseph Gough, S.J., dean of the college. She also recalls getting along well with her fellow students, enjoying typical activities such as piling in someone’s car on a Friday for a Winstead’s grilled cheese that served as an alternative to the cafeteria fish. Following her graduation from Rockhurst in 1956, she attended Creighton Medical School for one year, but said she couldn’t afford to continue. When Fri ederun B oone attended Rockhurst, the chem istry labs were in C onway Ha ll. Instead, she put her chemistry degree to use at Colgate Palmolive, where she worked in the quality assurance lab until her retirement in 1991. Today Boone makes her home with her husband on a Turney, Mo., farm, where she helps with the business side of their small cattle operation. She said she enjoys working in their large garden, quilting and visiting with her three grown children and three grandchildren. But why did Rockhurst break the rules and allow her to attend? One alumnus writer to the magazine speculated that her great-uncle knew Fr. Gough and asked him to intercede and allow the Jesuits to keep an eye on her. “Probably, yes, the Jesuits did keep an eye on me,” said Boone, “but I don’t know why Fr. Gough made an exception. I think they took that secret to the grave.” Some things will remain a mystery after all. Readers Respond New Traditions Women Pioneers I have always extolled to my wife and daughters the merits of a Jesuit education. As my daughters neared high school age, I regretted that there were no Jesuit schools available in our area, Marin County, just north of San Francisco. Then, in 1993, St. Ignatius, the Jesuit high school in San Francisco, opened its enrollment to girls, and one of my daughters was admitted to the school. St. Ignatius had been an all-male school for more than 150 years, and it was a pleasure to watch my daughter set new traditions for that school. I am sure that the first women admitted to Rockhurst College had the same enjoyment, but I regret that Rockhurst High School has not yet changed. Thanks for reminding me about Frieda. I was just finishing my second year of college (one at Creighton University and one at the University of Nebraska at Omaha) when my parents attended a college fair with my brothers at St. Albert High School in Council Bluffs, Iowa. My dad brought home a brochure from Rockhurst and suggested that I apply to be one of the first women to attend and live on campus. We visited the campus and I was immediately taken by its intimate size and also by the fact that I would not be in classes with 300 – 400 students each. Like Jan Holland Stacy’s father, my father did point out to me the ratio of men to women and told me to make careful choices. We women were definitely pioneers at Rockhurst and I am happy to say that we enjoyed every minute of it. When we first arrived, we were advised that there were nine men on campus for every woman enrolled. I am sure that Fr. Freeman was overwhelmed by so many of us but seemed to take us in stride unless we challenged him in class. We certainly had our favorite instructors, and Fr. Freeman, Fr. Blumeyer and Fr. Wheeler were at the top of the list for most of us. Robert Kuchem, ’61 Karen Knudsen Trame ’72 Cover Story My wife and I enjoyed the cover of the fall 2005 Rockhurst magazine. We wish college students today still dressed that nicely! James Buche, ’57 I was shown a copy of the Rockhurst magazine front cover and my friend asked me if I ever went to Rockhurst, since I actually graduated from Saint Louis University in 1970. I said that I had attended summer school and she then showed me the picture! It took me back some years and I can tell you that the Rockhurst guys were extremely polite and treated we few women like royalty. I graduated from Bishop Miege High School in 1966. My father, Frank Dugan, attended Rockhurst High School and later Notre Dame before his death in 1949. Many of my cousins and their children have attended Rockhurst (Reardons and Dugans). I now live in Colorado with my husband, Bert, who runs his own architectural firm and my three children, Shannon, Ryan and Brendan Chisholm. Yes, I am the girl on the front cover, Patty Dugan. My married name is Chisholm and I am a special education teacher in Black Hawk, Colo. The man standing next to me in the picture is Melvin Lavery, who also attended Bishop Miege and was going to Rockhurst at the time. He was two years ahead of me in school. Patty Dugan Chisholm Editors note: Mel Lavery, ’68, is a member of the Rockhurst University Regents and is director of private real estate at Hallmark Cards Inc. He’s pictured on page 9 of the fall 2005 issue, on the right and wearing a white shirt and dark slacks. Speaking of Firsts …Along the course of time, a group of girls headed by Jan Schultehenrich, ’74, asked me to help them form a club bowling team. Although not sanctioned by the NAIA, the girls’ team joined the MO-KAN conference and it was the first women’s intercollegiate sport at Rockhurst College (then). After four years of captaining the team, Jan received a varsity sports letter “R,” the first woman to achieve that goal. Joseph Rydzel, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of History (Rockhurst College, 1947-85) ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 17 HAWK TALK 4 4 4 4 4 4 Star Pitchers Aim to Become Doctors C Teammates Colby Parks, ’06, left, and Andrew Silver, ’06, are bound for medical school after they graduate in May. olby Parks and Andrew Silver not only have received high marks on the Rockhurst baseball team over the past three years, but the two senior right-handed pitchers also have posted impressive grades in the classroom. Parks, Kansas City, Mo., and Silver, Maryland Heights, Mo., are the top two pitchers for the Hawks this spring. “Colby and Andrew are both four-year starters,” said Rockhurst baseball coach Gary Burns. “They are great team players and provide tremendous leadership,” Both straight-A students are completing chemistry degrees and already have been admitted to the Saint Louis University Medical School for the fall semester. “I might go into orthopedics, but I haven’t decided yet,” said Parks, who chose to attend Rockhurst over several other schools because of its reputation as having a winning baseball program. “I’ve had a lot of opportunities in baseball at Rockhurst, and it’s a really good academic program.” Parks was the team’s Pitcher of the Year and named to the All-Heartland Conference team in 2004, posting a 5-0 record and 4.64 ERA. Silver received the same honors in 2005, collecting a 10-2 record and 3.37 ERA. “I want to become an orthopedic surgeon and would like to continue playing baseball in the St. Louis area,” said Silver. “I’ve had a real good experience at Rockhurst. We went to the NCAA Division II regionals my freshman year, and last year was a really good year for me.” RU Hosts Free Tennis Clinic for Local Youth N early 300 eighth graders from nine Kansas City, Mo., schools are coming to campus this month to take part in a tennis clinic taught by Rockhurst University coaches and studentathletes. The free clinic is offered in conjunction with the 2006 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships co-hosted by Rockhurst. The championships are expected to draw more than 250 of the top collegiate tennis players to Kansas City. Rockhurst, along with the Kansas City Sports Commission, are hosting four-day tournaments featuring the top 16 men’s and 16 women’s teams in the country. The matches are 18 ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 played at the Plaza Tennis Center in Kansas City, Mo., and the Homestead Country Club in Prairie Village, Kan. The clinic is part of the NCAA’s Youth Education Through Sports (YES) program, which aims to help expose underserved youth to sports through free clinics taught by collegiate student-athletes and coaches. Rockhurst is offering a free tennis clinic to nearly 300 local eighth graders on campus this month. 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Anderson, Jennings Receive Honors Rietzke Reaches 900-Win Milestone T Volleyball coach Tracy Rietzke reached his 900th career victory this year. T he Rockhurst volleyball teams coached by Tracy Rietzke over the past 18 years have each compiled an impressive record. None of his teams has won fewer than 26 matches in a season. Rietzke joined an exclusive club last fall when he notched his 900th career coaching victory. Only one other NCAA Division II coach has won more matches. The Hawks have averaged nearly 41 wins a season under Rietzke since 1988. He has guided 12 teams into postseason tournaments, and his past four teams have played in Division II championships. “Every year is different,” Rietzke said. “Every team has its own personality. We have had a lot of good players at Rockhurst. I’ve been fortunate. A lot of things have to happen to keep your program successful.” Rietzke’s 2005 team was ranked in the Division II Top 25 national poll the entire season and captured the Great Lakes Valley Conference regular-season title in its first year of membership. The Hawks advanced to the regional finals and ended the season with a 29-7 record. “We had a good group,” said Rietzke, who was named Coach of the Year in the GLVC. “We had a few injuries, but the kids stepped up. Our seniors left a good mark.” In 24 seasons as a college volleyball coach, Rietzke’s teams have compiled a 908-165 record — a winning percentage of .846, the best among Division II coaches. wo Rockhurst athletes — seniors Cody Anderson and Kecia Jennings — received NCAA Division II All-America honors last fall. Anderson, Lee’s Summit, Mo., was a third-team AllAmerican and All-Region selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. He scored 21 points Cody Anderson, ’06 to lead the Hawks to a 15-5-1 record and a berth in the Division II championships. Jennings, Leavenworth, Kan., was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s All-America third team and All-Region team. She finished 13th in the country in assists per game and led to the Hawks to a 29-7 Kecia Jennings, ’06 record and fourth consecutive appearance in the Division II championships. Jennings received third-team Academic All-America honors and was named the GLVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for volleyball. ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 19 ADVANCEMENT DIGEST 4 4 4 4 4 Get Ready to Rock the City C an Rockhurst’s new president dance? Be among the first to see the Rev. Thomas B. Curran, O.S.F.S., cut a rug at the 11th annual Rockhurst University Gala on Saturday, Oct. 28. The black-tie event, which raises funds each year for scholarships and student services, will be held in the Impe- rial Ballroom of the Muehlebach Tower, Marriott Downtown. This year’s gala will cap a weekend of festivities that includes the inauguration Gala attendees included, from left, Carla Triano, Andrew and Kelly Toth, Sandy and John Jungk. of Fr. Curran as the 14th president of Rockhurst. Make plans now to celebrate the weekend and to join Rockhurst friends and alumni for dinner and dancing to the music of Atlantic Express. Anchorman and local celebrity Larry Moore will preside as master of ceremonies. Gala co-chairs are Michael, XMBA ’98, and Teresa Osredker and Michael, ’74, and Jeanine, ’75, Cindrich. Clyde and Katie Wendel are honorary chairs. Reserve your space now for this special event. Tickets are $200 per person or $100 for alumni from the classes of 1996–2006. For more information or to reserve your tickets, call the Alumni Office at (816) 501-4807. Gift and Bequest Council Celebrates 50 Years R ockhurst’s Planned Giving Committee, originally called the Gift and Bequest Council, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with a two-day event focusing on the religious and spiritual dimensions of charitable decision-making. University constituents and community partners are invited to attend the event, held May 18-19, which will consist of workshops and discussions designed to help donors make wise financial philanthropic choices. The event’s featured speaker is Paul Schervish, Ph.D., director of the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College. Schervish is a noted scholar on wealth, 20 ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 philanthropy and the decision-making process and has been named to The NonProfit Times’ “Power and Influence Top 50” list. The Rev. Maurice Van Ackeren, S.J., founded the Gift and Bequest Council in 1956. Over the past 50 years the council has assisted donors in giving more than $26 million to the University and has grown to include both Kansas City and St. Louis chapters. To find out more about the event or the Planned Giving Committee, contact Thomas Audley, director of gift planning, at (816) 501-4551 or [email protected]. 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Hit the Links With a Pro W ant to improve your golf game? Pull out your clubs and get ready for the fourth annual Joseph M. Freeman, S.J., Golf Classic. The tournament, which will pair each foursome with a PGA professional, is scheduled for Monday, June 26, at Oakwood Country Club. A pairing party will be held Sunday, June 25, at the Chiefs Pavilion at Arrowhead Stadium. Len Dawson, television sports anchor and former Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback, and Diego Gutierrez, ’05, midfielder for the Chicago Fire soccer team, are honorary chairmen for the event. The cost is $275 per golfer or $150 for alumni from undergraduate class years 1992–2006 or 1966 and earlier. Several sponsorship levels are available as well. All tournament proceeds will benefit the University’s athletic department. For information, call Tori Snowden at (816) 501-4807 or e-mail [email protected]. Scholarship Honors Fr. Kinerk’s Legacy T he Rev. Edward Kinerk, S.J., has devoted his eight-year presidency to improving the lives of Rockhurst students. From capital projects to academic initiatives to campus beautification, his overarching priority has been to address student needs. Thus it is fitting that an endowed scholarship in his honor has been created so students can continue to benefit from his legacy. At the request of Fr. Kinerk, the scholarship bears the name of St. Peter Claver, S.J., a 17thcentury Jesuit who devoted his life to serving the poor and oppressed. The scholarship will be designated for undergraduate students with significant financial need. If you would like to contribute to the scholarship fund, you can make a donation through our secure Web site at www.rockhurst.edu/giving and designate “St. Peter Claver Scholarship,” or send your gift by mail to Rockhurst University, Massman Hall, Room 240, 1100 Rockhurst Road, Kansas City, MO 64110. Scholarship Benefectors, Recipients Recognized at Luncheon Scholarship benefactors Mike Kleinman, ’63, and Neva and Anthony Mistretta were among those who attended a special scholarship luncheon Tuesday, April 18. Several scholarship recipients, including Cora Eggen, ’07, center, were also on hand. ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 21 FOR ALUMNI 4 4 4 4 4 4 Join Our Alumni Return for Basketball, Trivia Community W ant to look up a former classmate? Rockhurst’s alumni online community is now exclusively available to all University alumni. In this free, secure interactive environment, you can keep in touch with classmates and friends, read and submit class notes, post photos, register for upcoming events and more. To log on, visit www.rockhurst.edu/alumni or select “Alumni and Friends” on the Rockhurst home page. To register, you’ll need your constituent ID number, which you can find on the mailing label attached to your Rockhurst magazine and other alumni mailings. Once you have logged in using this ID number, you can create a personalized username and password for future visits. Take advantage of this resource and register for Rockhurst’s online community today. If you need assistance, e-mail Joan Klug in the Alumni Office at [email protected] or call (816) 501-4025 or (800) 756-2586. Future Rockhurst alumni were on hand to cheer the Hawks at Alumni Night. R ockhurst presented back-to-back nights of fun and games in February with Regents and Alumni Night at the Ballgame and Alumni Trivia Night. More than 200 people attended one or both of these exciting events. Regents, alumni and friends cheered on the Hawks and Lady Hawks 22 ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 on Thursday, Feb. 16, as they took on the University of Missouri–St. Louis Rivermen and Riverwomen. The entry fees for the event were donated to St. Francis Xavier Social Ministries, which received $150 and 10 boxes of nonperishable food. The next night, 19 fourperson teams competed for the chance to win $600 in prize money. After 10 rounds of 10 questions on topics ranging from films to presidential history to commercials, the Pierron team, led by the Hon. Joseph Pierron, ’68, took home the top prize. Second place went to Ron Goodstein, ’03, Becky Miles, ’99, Tim Blake and Andy DiOrio; and Julie Hornung, ’98, Katie Fischer, ’98, Erik Klinkenborg and Mark Rome came in third. 4 4 4 4 Building a Better Future F ive Rockhurst alumni traveled to Juarez, Mexico, for a week in March to help build a home for a disadvantaged family. They worked on the same home that a group of Rockhurst students began during their spring break service trip the week before. The alumni group included Erin Field, ’04, alumni director Deb Flores, ’93, Sharon Kovac, ’93, Nina Marsh, ’73, and Jacqueline Schumacher, ’05. Find out more about their trip in the next Alumni News & Events newsletter. Rockhurst alumni volunteers gather with local workers and the children who soon will call this house their home. Health and Wellness Complex A re you a fitness buff? You can make a meaningful contribution to future Rockhurst students and others in the Rockhurst community through a donation to the University’s Health and Wellness Complex. Visit www.rockhurst.edu/giving for more information about the facility and how to designate your gift for the project. 4 4 4 4 ALUMNI LEADERS RU GRAD HELPS TURN STRUGGLING FAMILIES INTO SUCCESS STORIES H elp wanted: seeking dedicated, seasoned nonprofit professional to help raise funds for new community agency. Other responsibilities include, but not limited to: strategic planning, emergency assistance to families in need, marketing and public relations, responding to client inquiries, cleaning office bathroom, various other duties as required. Many people might be intimidated by this job description, but Joan (Putthoff) Bosler, ’87, wasn’t afraid to roll up her sleeves and take on the challenge of this “do it all” job. In fact, she says she thrives on the multitasking aspect of her role as vice president for Working Families’ Friend, a United Way agency that provides assistance, training, and support to working families in need who often do not qualify for traditional assistance. Joan (Putthoff) Bosler, ’87 “The people we serve are the backbone of our community, and they’ve fallen on hard times and often have nowhere else to turn,” Bosler says. “The challenge is that I will never be able to secure enough resources to fulfill our mission. There will always be more people in need.” Bosler, who has worked in nonprofit fund development for nearly 20 years, says she often calls upon her Rockhurst education in her career. Whether using the persuasion skills she learned to motivate donors to support the agency or living the university’s mission as she works to better people’s lives, she uses her degree every day. “I feel like I am genuinely helping to make a difference in people’s lives,” Bosler says. “The success stories of the people we serve keep me going—I keep a file of thank you notes and read them to motivate myself.” ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 23 CLASS NOTES 4 4 4 4 4 4 ’42 ’67 ’70 ’75 Clarence Barr retired from his private bookkeeping/ income tax business. He and his wife of 57 years, Marie, live in Marshall, Mo., and have 18 grandchildren. Barr volunteers for the local food pantry and the St. Vincent DePaul Society. James W. McManus recently was named “Best of the Bar” in trials and appeals by the Kansas City Business Journal. This honor was the result of a vote by his peers in the legal community. McManus, who practices with The McManus Law Firm, was named a fellow of the American Bar. David R. Huff celebrated his 35th anniversary of ministry with a Mass of thanksgiving at St. James Church, St. Joseph, Mo. Huff currently serves as volunteer associate chaplain of the diagnostic unit at Western Reception Diagnostic and Correctional Center in St. Joseph. Richard Dreiling has been named president and chief executive officer of Duane Reade Inc., the largest drugstore chain in the metropolitan New York City area. ’57 Louis DeFeo received the Pro Bono Publico Award from the Missouri Bar on Sept. 23, 2005. The award is given for outstanding pro bono service to indigent or low-income persons in need of legal assistance. ’61 John J. (Jack) Landers was elected president of the Alpha Sigma Nu Alumni Club of Washington, D.C. The alumni club is entering its fourth year. ’62 Larry Harkness was honored as the 2004 Montgomery County, Ohio, citizen of the year. The annual award recognizes individuals who have shared their time and expertise with the community to improve the quality of life for all citizens. Dennis Owens has been chosen as a participant for the 2005 National Conference on Appellate Justice in Washington, D.C. He also has been named a “Super Lawyer” by Kansas City magazine and “Best of the Bar” by the Kansas City Business Journal. Owens, who is of counsel to DeWitt & Zeldin in Kansas City, Mo., is a fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and editor of the American Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Journal. ’69 Jim Healy, who recently completed his fifth book on golf history, has written numerous articles for LINKS magazine and local and regional golf publications. He frequently is a guest commentator on St. Louis radio shows and speaks about St. Louis golf history for groups and associations. 24 ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 ’73 James G. Castellano, former chair of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, received the Institute’s 2005 Gold Medal of Distinguished Service. The award recognizes a person who has a notable influence on the profession. Castellano is chairman of RubinBrown LLP in St. Louis, Mo., and chairman of the board of directors of Baker Tilly International, a network of independent accountancy and business consulting firms. ’76 James W. Kirkpatrick has joined Morton’s Restaurant Group Inc. as senior vice president of development. His responsibilities will include identifying new restaurant locations, negotiating leases, restaurant design, construction and facilities management. Jake Schloegel, president and founder of Schloegel Design Inc., is a recipient of the 2005 American Business Ethics Award sponsored by the Society of Financial Service Professionals and Guardian Life Insurance Company. This award recognizes the company’s commitment to ethical practices in its everyday operations, philosophies and in response to crises and challenges. ’78 Richard Kreysar has been appointed chief executive officer and president of Sendmail, a global provider of enterprise solutions for secure messaging located in Emeryville, Calif. 4 4 4 ’80 Michael J. Boland recently was named chairman of the planning and zoning commission for Ballwin, Mo. Previously he served two terms on Ballwin’s board of aldermen. Eric Jackson celebrated his induction into the IBM Quarter Century Club with 25 years of service on July 21, 2005. ’82 Michael D. Hill earned FEMA certification in disaster management in April 2005. ’86 Kathleen Hummel, who co-founded Our Little Haven with her husband, Scott, has been awarded the Classic Woman Award by Traditional Home Magazine. Our Little Haven is a facility in St. Louis, Mo., for children ages birth through 7 years who have been abused, neglected or affected by drugs. Susan M. Malisch recently accepted a position as vice president and chief information officer for Loyola University Chicago. Malisch leads Loyola’s recently formed division of information technology and services and serves on the president’s cabinet. 4 Steven L. Zirkle was honored with the dedication of a static display of a B-1 bomber at a special ceremony July 10, 2005. The plane, along with a dedication stone, will remain on display at the Kansas Air National Guard in Wichita, Kan. Major Zirkle, who was killed in an automobile accident on Feb. 1, 2002, was the husband of Liz (Stichnot) Zirkle, ’90, and the father of Colleen and Richard. ’88 Joseph A. “Joe” Fox has joined Xign Corp. in Pleasanton, Calif., as director of production account services. Fox and his wife, Amy, have three children: Elliott, 13; Hannah, 11; and Jack, 3. Donald “Don” Joseph Rashid recently founded Creative Visioning Institute LLC, a marketing communications, coaching and leadership training organization. ’90 Scott C. Trout has been named managing partner and chief operating officer for Cordell & Cordell P.C. and is responsible for the firm’s national expansion and operations. Trout and his wife, Jill, have five children, Graham, Hannah, Cullen, Grogan and Hutton. 4 4 4 4 ’90 MBA ’98 Mario “Kit” Espin, who retired to explore more adventure and less corporate stress, recently sailed across the Atlantic and also lived in Kenya for two years. Espin and his wife, Dee, now live on a small farm in northern Florida. Brad Heinemann is an instructor at East Central College, where he teaches foundation drawing, figure drawing and sculpture, and is the marketing director for Art Dimensions, a not-forprofit art organization in St. Louis. Heinemann also is the head tennis coach at Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School. The team recently placed second in the state tournament. ’91 XMBA Alexandra (Alex) D. Gregory has been appointed associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of graduate studies of Point Park Stacey E. (Dobbins) Grasser University in Pittsburgh, Pa. and Timothy J. Grasser, ’00, have lived in St. Louis ’94 for the past two and a half Caroline Millard received years where Tim attends a PRISM award from Washington University the Greater Kansas City School of Law. Upon his Chapter of the Public graduation in May 2006, Relations Society of they will move to Chicago, America for the launch of Ill., where Tim has accepted the campaign for the new a position with Winston & Saint Luke’s Hospital. Strawn LLP. ’95 MPT ’99 Nathan Garrison is a therapist at a regional spine institute where he focuses on mechanical/manual therapy. Nathan and his wife, Kathy (Dunker) Garrison, ’94, and their three children, Haley, 9, Hayden, 8, and Emma, 6, recently built and moved into a new home in Savoy, Ill. Jennifer (Losapio) Iverson graduated in 2005 from Saint Louis University with a Ph.D. in pharmacological and physiological sciences. She is a post-doctoral fellow in science education at Washington University. Her husband, Scott Iverson, ’99, is the director of research and innovation at Clockwork Home Services in Clayton, Mo., and has recently begun the professional MBA program at Washington University. ’96 James Mulik has accepted a vice president position with the College of the Marshall Islands in Majuro, Marshall Islands. ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 25 CLASS NOTES 4 ’00 Clayton Gillette and Sara Lynn (Weilert) Gillette, ’01, both graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law in 2005. Clay, who was valedictorian of the law school class, is clerking for Judge William Price Jr. at the Missouri Supreme Court. Sara has joined the law firm of Senniger Powers as a patent attorney. Erika Liliedahl recently moved from New Orleans to Washington, D.C., where she is a quality assurance specialist with the National Association for the Education of Young Children. MacKenzie Camille Wagler graduated from Pepperdine University School of Law in Malibu, Calif., in May 2004. She works for Lewis, Rice & Fingersh L.C. ’01 Kathleen Fuller recently graduated with an M.A. from Lindenwood University and is working for Preferred Family Healthcare Inc. as a clinical therapist who counsels children. Amy Maria (Viviano) Merriott is a family counselor who assists families with pre-planning and arranging funeral plans. She and her husband, Jeremy, were married in March 2005. 4 Jessica Ann Schroeder is pursuing an M.A. in human service agency management and an MBA at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. She serves on the American Humanics advisory board at Lindenwood University. Katie (Gloriod) Simpson has received two teaching awards: the Kemper Award, which is given to only 10 teachers throughout the archdiocese of St. Louis, and the Emerson Electric Teaching Award. ’02 Colleen Burke Davis was sworn in as a member of the State Bar of Texas in November 2005. Her husband, Howard, attends Baylor University School of Law. Kimberly “Kim” Mynatt recently was promoted to marketing coordinator for PaySpot Inc., a prepaid electronic payments processing company in Leawood, Kan. Seanna (Kellerman) Viggers works for a marketing firm and her husband, Robert, works for a software company. They live in Wichita, Kan. 26 ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 4 4 4 4 ’04 MBA S. Dennis “Denny” Johnson accepted a position with SRA, a Kansas City-based insurance and risk management provider, in December 2005. Denny and his wife, Audrey, were expecting their first child in March. Marriages ’89 David Andrew Schmidt and Amy Elizabeth (Schmieder) Schmidt, ’97, were married July 30, 2004, at St. Peter’s Church in Kirkwood, Mo. Rockhurst alumni in the wedding party included: Mary (Perkins) Borchert, ’97; Elizabeth DeFalco, ’97; Kristin (Bergner) Muckerman, ’97; Marianne (Mulcahey) Bell, ’96; Gerard Meiners, ’89; and John Schmidt, ’76. The couple lives in Brookside in Kansas City, Mo. ’96 Catherine (Lee) Wisbrock married Geoffrey Wisbrock on Sept. 19, 2005, in Negril, Jamaica. They both practice veterinary medicine in Austin, Texas. Update your bio or send a class note at www.rockhurst.edu/mag ’97 Kevin Lubischer and Sarah Oyer were married on Sept. 17, 2005, at St. Francis Xavier church in Kansas City, Mo., with an evening reception at the Fairmont. Many Rockhurst alumni were members of the wedding party, including Mike Sachtleben, ’97; Clayton Farrell, ’97; Jamie Frederes, ’97; Doug Pospishil, ’97; Andy Bouska, ’97; Eric Burrus, ’98, Matt Molli, ’97; and Katie Fischer, ’98. Kevin works at freightquote.com and Sarah is the director of student activities and Greek affairs at Rockhurst. They live in Roeland Park, Kan. ’00 Tom Dugan and Katie (Freshley) Dugan, ’01, were married on Nov. 6, 2004, in St. Louis. The couple lives in South Bend, Ind. 4 4 4 ’01 Jacqueline Celeste Barnes-Almquist has been accepted to the doctoral program in communication at the University of MissouriColumbia. She will teach courses at Mizzou as part of the teaching assistantship program. Her research interests include interpersonal communication with cognate areas in marriage and family. Barnes-Almquist plans to graduate in May 2006 with a master’s degree in communication from Central Missouri State University. She is the daughter of Jim Barnes, ’75. She and her husband live in Sedalia, Mo. Helen (Holmes) Giambrone married Robb Giambrone on May 28, 2005. Thomas McGuire and Lisa Hiatt were married on June 11, 2005, at Redemptorist Catholic Church in Kansas City, Mo. The couple resides in Denver. Molly Erin (Welch) Thiessen married Patrick Thiessen on June 11, 2005, at Visitation Parish in Kansas City, Mo. 4 4 4 4 4 ’03 ’05 ’95 Chris Miller and Tiffani (Pearson) Miller were married on June 19, 2004, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, Mo., by the Rev. Matt Ruhl, S.J. A reception followed at the Overland Park Marriott. Tiffani and Chris, who began dating their freshman year at Rockhurst, live in Lee’s Summit, Mo. Amy Marie BeverlinColeman married Jake Coleman on May 21, 2005, at St. Pius X in Mission, Kan. Amy is pursuing her master’s degree in elementary education while working as a kindergarten teacher. They reside in Lake St. Louis, Mo. Sean Michael Franke and Polly Marie (Enos) Franke announce the birth of their third son, Andrew “Drew” Michael, born July 20, 2005. Drew joins his brothers, William Payton, 5, and Reid Patrick, 3. Sarah Elizabeth (Lammers) Seymour married Anthony Phillip Seymour on July 16, 2005. Sarah plans to begin the accelerated option program at Research College of Nursing in August 2006. ’89 ’04 ’90 Joan Katrina (LaFayette) Bailey and Brian Scott Bailey were married on June 10, 2005, in Lorain, Ohio, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. The couple lives in Colorado Springs, Colo. David Allen DeLuca and his wife, Joan, announce the arrival of twins, Anna Grace and James David, born July 30, 2005. The DeLuca family lives in Fenton, Mo. ’04 ’93 Tucker Evan Lienhop and Mandy Brock were married Dec. 30, 2005, with the Rev. John Vowells, S.J., presiding. Mandy is a surgical ICU nurse at the University of Kansas Hospital and Tucker is in his second year at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. Rebecca “Becky” (Rysavy) Meier and her husband, Mark, announce the birth of their second daughter, Mary Beth, born Sept. 22, 2005. She joins her big sister, Caitlin, 3. Births Christine Elizabeth (Connealy) Poplau and her husband, James, announce the birth of their first child, Jillian Maureen, born Aug. 17, 2005. ’94 Daren Wilson and his wife, Margi, announce the birth of Caroline Jane, born Aug. 8, 2005. She joins siblings Ellie, Cole and Mary Grace. ’95, ’97 MOT Jennifer Kathleen (Gau) Marr and her husband, Bruce, announce the birth of their first child, James Anthony, born Oct. 9, 2005. The Marr family resides in St. Louis. ’97 Capt. Sean McGraw and Michelle Jo McGraw announce the birth of Connor Thomas, born June 3, 2005. He joins big brother, Brennan Anthony, 4. Kristen Michelle (Bergner) and Matthew John Muckerman, ’99, MBA ’03, announce the birth of their first child, Shane Matthew, born in June 2005. ’01 Andrea (Wilman) Garner and Brent Garner, ’00, ’02 MPT, welcomed the birth of their son, born Jan. 4, 2005. They live in Olathe, Kan. Teresa (Adams) and Zach Ornelas, ’02, announce the birth of their third child, Samuel Thomas, born March 14, 2005. He joins his big brother, Asher, 4, and sister, Ella, 3, at home in Liberty, Mo. ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 27 CLASS NOTES 4 4 In Memoriam William “Bill” Henry Duncan, M.D. (’34) Sept. 20, 2005 George Sheehan Nelles (’38) Oct. 27, 2005 Robert C. Wilson (’41) Aug. 20, 2005 Kenneth Harold Crone (’42) Aug. 21, 2005 George Vincent Aylward (’44) Sept. 22, 2005 Al W. Des Marteau Jr. (’46) Oct. 2, 2005 Paul S. Kelly Jr. (’47) Dec. 26, 2005 John Patrick Noonan (’47) Nov. 4, 2005 William G. Garies (’55) July 17, 2005 Terry Earl Walkenhorst (’56) Nov. 25, 2005 Patrick W. Delaney (’59) Dec. 19, 2005 Lawrence “Larry” Zirfas (’61) July 25, 2005 4 Go Online to Give It is faster and easier than ever to make a contribution to Rockhurst University. Just visit our online giving page at www.rockhurst.edu/onlinegiving, make your gift through our secure server, and we will mail you a receipt. Want more information about giving to Rockhurst? Contact Jody Burgard, director of advancement services, at (816) 501-4629 or [email protected]. Thomas D. Manion (’67) Oct. 29, 2005 Joseph P. Barnes (’69) Sept. 21, 2005 Dan Walsh (’69) Nov. 26, 2005 Alberta Halcro (’71) Aug. 14, 2005 Lawrence J. Cassidy (’76) Oct. 5, 2005 Charles G. “Gil” Burdick (’50) Dec. 31, 2005 Theresa Rose Hoedl-Hite (’86) Sept. 25, 2005 Vincent John O’Halloran (’51) Aug. 21, 2005 James Thomas Rank (’89) July 26, 2005 The Rev. William Kellett, S.J. (’54) July 18, 2005 4 James J. Smith (’62) Nov. 16, 2005 William “Bill” Robert Conwell (’48) Dec. 25, 2005 Donald W. Schnittler (’51) July 24, 2005 4 Virginia L. Robinson (’93) Dec. 7, 2005 Gerald T. Burd (’00) Aug. 17, 2005 28 ROCKHURST4SPRING 2006 The Rock Room with an International Flair Shu-Fen Shih, Ph.D., psychologist and outreach coordinator in the Counseling Center, took part in Rockhurst’s fifth annual World Cultures Day by demonstrating Chinese writing. With samples of international food and live music, the event is so popular that it has almost outgrown its venue, the Rock Room. An Ignatian Approach to Decision-Making Through insight and personal reflection, Ignatian discernment can create a foundation for making decisions based on values instead of casual desires. Jesuit education encourages discernment in every aspect of life, from everyday decision making to establishing a legacy. You’re invited to find out more at a presentation titled “Liberty and Inspiration: An Ignatian Approach to Charitable Decision-Making,” by Paul G. Schervish, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College. 2:30 p.m. May 19, 2006 Massman Hall, Room 250 Rockhurst University For more information, contact Thomas Audley at (816) 501-4551 or [email protected]. Sponsored by Country Club Trust Co. and Lathrop and Gage Law Offices. A Presidential Inauguration You’re invited to attend the inauguration ceremony for the Rev. Thomas B. Curran, O.S.F.S., Friday, Oct. 27. Watch for more information in the coming months at www.rockhurst.edu and in your mailbox. C A L E N D A R JUNE SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 26 FOURTH ANNUAL CELEBRITY GOLF CLASSIC 29 ROCKHURST DAY 27 PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION 28 11TH ANNUAL ROCKHURST GALA 1100 Rockhurst Road Kansas City, MO 64110 Please send address changes to [email protected] or to the alumni office. AND HOMECOMING Nonprofit Org. U.S.Postage PAID Kansas City, Mo. Permit No. 782