Aquinas Magazine :: Spring 2006

SPRING 2006

The Magazine of Aquinas College

Harry and Sheila Knopke: Reflections on Their Service to AQ and the Community

MISSION STATEMENT Aquinas College, an inclusive educational community rooted in the Catholic Dominican tradition, provides a liberal arts education with a global perspective, emphasizes career preparation focused on leadership and service to others, and fosters a commitment to lifelong learning dedicated to the pursuit of truth and the common good.

VISION STATEMENT Aquinas College conducts an array of educational programs whose quality and effectiveness cause it to be considered consistently as a premiere Catholic liberal arts college in the Midwest. In doing so, it is the college of choice for increasing numbers of students who seek a diverse, but inclusive, learning community that will enable them to increase their knowledge, hone their competencies, develop their character, and answer God’s calling to use their gifts and talents to make a positive difference in our world through their lives, work and service. Aquinas strives to graduate students of competence, conscience, compassion and commitment.

Editorial Team Marty Fahey Rene Palileo ’98 Sally Reeves Julie Ridenour

Contributing Writers Laura Bennett-Kimble ’95 Terry Bocian ’70, staff Michelle Bottrall ’97 Eric Bridge ’92, staff Cecilia Cunningham, staff Stephan Davis, Ph.D., faculty Adier Deng, student Michelle DeRose, Ph.D., faculty Cindy Dorman, staff David Dvorak, Ph.D., staff Bryan Esler, The Saint Marty Fahey, staff Jessica Eimer ’05, staff Linda Nemec Foster ’72 Dave Fox, staff Phil Hatlem, staff Nic Hawley, student Brenda Hennink ’96, staff Mike Howard, CE student Stacey Jackson ’96, staff Harry Knopke, Ph.D., President

Crystal (Lubbers ’01) Laska, staff Rabbi Al Lewis, D.H.L., D.D., L.L.D., staff Tom Mikowski ’89, staff Sr. Jean Milhaupt, O.P. ’45, staff Noddea Moore, staff Rene Palileo ’98, staff Sally Reeves, staff Jennifer (Johnson ’98) Reynolds, staff Julie Ridenour, staff Tonya Schafer ’02 Jan Sommerville, staff Deb Steketee, faculty The Grand Rapids Press Cindy VanGelderen, faculty/dean Ronda Varnesdeel ’01, staff William Weitzel, staff Sr. Alice Wittenbach, O.P.,’60, Ph.D., staff Masato Yamazaki, Ph.D., faculty

Layout/Design D&D Printing, Grand Rapids Silvija Visockis

Design/Photo Archive Silvija Visockis

Photography Robb Bajema, Ph.D. Jim Birdsell, Asst. Park Supt. (Illinois) Michelle Bottrall ’97 Eric Bridge ’92 Mikel Cahill Roger Durham, Ph.D. Brenda Hennink ’96 Stacey Jackson ’96 Lance Wynn, The Grand Rapids Press MiBiz West, Muskegon Noddea Moore Courtney Newbauer, Grand Valley State University Steven O’Connell, OSU Graduate Student Mark Schmidbauer, staff Matt Tueth, Ph.D., faculty U.S. News & World Report Andris Visockis

Aquinas magazine, created in Spring 2002, is a semi-annual publication of Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is published in August and February each year by the College Relations Department for alumni, friends and benefactors of the College as well as parents of enrolled students. Aquinas is a private, four-year Catholic Dominican Liberal Arts College. Letters, comments and suggestions are encouraged.

E-mail: collegerelations@aquinas.edu Web site: www.aquinas.edu Alumni news: www.aquinas.edu/alumni Main number: (616) 632-8900

Mail to: College Relations Department 1607 Robinson Road, SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1799 (616) 632-2844 / Fax: (616) 459-2563

Spring 2006 Vol. 5 No. 1

The Magazine of Aquinas College

TABLE OF CONTENTS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

4

CAMPUS NEWS Retrospective: Harry J. Knopke Presidential Profile Accomplishments Continuing Education: Lasting Legacy CE: Experiential Learning-Alaska Campus Sustainability AQ / International Water Conference Wege Speaker Series Library Groundbreaking 2006 Commencement Bridging the Racial Divide: Lapchick 2005 Hall of Fame Gala AQ - Nobel Laureate: Seamus Heaney Catholic Intellectual Tradition: AQ Alumna Parallels Jesus’ Death TPS Seminar: Lean Business Methods

6 11 12 14 16 18 19 20 23 24 26 30

Veal Names Soccer Coach Basketball Teams Take WHAC 2005 Fall Season Wrap Up Four Athletes Top 1,000 Points Profile: Michael Dean

52 52 53 54 56

ADVANCEMENT AQ Fund: Falling in Love Evening of Elegance: April 27 Corporate Partners Network Jane Hibbard Idema (1927-2006)

60 61 65 67

TRUSTEES Profile: Deb Bailey, MM., ’83

66

EMERITUS COLLEGE 31 33

ALUMNI

Emeritus Award: Dick and Barbara Young

68

ADMISSIONS

Director’s Message Homecoming 2005 Dr. Laurence Burns ’63 Recognized

36 37 39

STUDENT NEWS

What Students Want

70

CLASS NOTES

72

Cover photo by Andris Visockis

Ambassadors Internships with U.S. Sen. Carl Levin Hurricane Katrina Clean-up

page 6 - Profile

ATHLETICS

page 14 - Alaska

42 43 45

page 42 - Ambassadors

page 53 - Athletics

Aquinas College is committed to equality. This statement of the College speaks to this commitment, as do our history and heritage. We believe that diversity is a blessing, which brings a richness of perspective to our intellectual, cultural, social and spiritual life. All members of our community—faculty, staff, students—will demonstrate respect for each other regardless of our differences. All of us will be sensitive in our actions, words and deeds. We will demonstrate these sensitivities in our classrooms, curricula, offices, meeting places and living environments. We will maintain the diversity of our Board of Trustees, faculty, student body and staff and appreciate the different gifts each brings to this community regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion or disability.

CAMPUS NEWS

President’s Message Harry J. Knopke, Ph.D.

One of the many satisfactions I’ve realized during my time at Aquinas has come from participating in the development of this very fine magazine. Since the first issue was published just a few years ago it has become a highly regarded, integral part of the life of the College, enjoyed by all who read it.

As is the case with many other current programs and initiatives of the College, the magazine wasn’t envisioned, much less existing, when I arrived here almost nine years ago. But as is also the case of many of our other undertakings, this endeavor evolved to reality by virtue of the creativity, dedication, hard work and persistence of Aquinas staff who saw the need for this publication and devoted themselves to making it happen. Marty Fahey, Sally Reeves, Julie Ridenour and Silvija Visockis, along with all those contributors listed on the masthead, have willingly added the production of the magazine to their other duties and responsibilities. The results of their efforts are consistently outstanding.

So are the results achieved in the many other such elements that make Aquinas the strong institution that it is. Whether it is our new and unique Sustainable Business degree; our beautiful landscaping and carefully maintained grounds; the science initiative; our international programs; our consistently high achieving athletic program; or the faculty and staff devoting their time and attention to advising students, all the individuals who make up the Aquinas community have ensured that the next president will come to a college that has a solid foundation and enjoys a highly respected position in West Michigan and in the broader higher education community. Our multiple collaborations, our unique and innovative academic programs, and the many ways our students, faculty, and staff sustain the Dominican heritage describe a vibrant college environment. They truly make all the difference in the world.

Our Advancement Office has initiated a survey on campus asking faculty, staff and students to contribute their lists of the top ten reasons they value Aquinas. My own list, generated by my experiences of the past nearly nine years, would be quite lengthy, but at the top would be the people of Aquinas whose dedication, commitment and hard work have caused Aquinas College to become one of the premiere educational institutions in the Midwest.

The future is bright for Aquinas, and I am personally and professionally gratified to have been intimately involved in charting its direction. Our nine years here have been among the most rewarding and fulfilling for Sheila and me, and we will take Aquinas with us as we move into the next phase of our lives, mindful of one of my favorite lines from Tennyson’s “Ulysses:” I am a part of all that I have met; Yet all experience is an arch wherethrough Gleams that untraveled world whose margin fades Forever and forever when I move.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 4

CAMPUS NEWS

A Retroseptive:

President Harry J. Knopke, Ph.D.

By Laura Bennett-Kimble ’95, Contributing Writer

In early January, Harry J. Knopke, Ph.D., announced his plan to retire from the Aquinas presidency as of June 30, 2006.

“Last fall, Sheila and I were presented with prospects that offer some new challenges for us,“ he stated. They plan to finalize a decision about their future in the spring, he said.

While looking toward the future, one cannot help but remember the past. As the College says goodbye to its fifth president, we’d like to share some memories of the man, his mission and his accomplishments during a nine-year presidency.

Connectivity “For nine years, Aquinas College has benefited from the leadership of President Knopke,” said Sr. Aquinas Weber, who has worked with all five Aquinas presidents.

“His vision, creativity, energy and expertise have raised the stature of Aquinas College to a new level of recognition nationally and

locally. He established relationships with a wider community, which was to our benefit… He reinvigorated the whole institution by what he was able to accomplish.”

That connectivity has been a significant feature in Knopke’s tenure.

“I think the real legacy Harry Knopke leaves the College is the connectivity to the community.”

Grand Rapids City Mayor George Heartwell

One of the things we’re most proud of is reestablishing the connections of the College with the broader community on multiple levels. It has been beneficial to the College in many ways,” Knopke said. “For example, our donor base has more than tripled because of the connections.”

“It really is his passion to connect the institution of the College

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 6

with the larger community in which it has context. I believe he succeeded in that,” said Grand Rapids City Mayor George Heartwell, who created the Community Leadership Institute with Knopke.

Other collaborative partners include Saint Mary’s Health Center, University of DetroitMercy, Metropolitan Hospital and the Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS).

“I think Harry has been a wonderful friend and a supporter of the Grand Rapids Public Schools,“ said Bert Bleke, GRPS superintendent, citing the Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center, a charter school started by Aquinas and GRPS. “It’s creative, it’s inventive and it’s an integral part of the Grand Rapids schools.

We’re thankful and appreciative to Aquinas for that.”

Circle Theatre also collaborated with the College to create the Performing Arts Center, along

Peter Wege, Wege Foundation

[Letter excerpt] “…I had the opportunity to have you as a professor in Medical Ethics I believe the first year it was offered. I am now a hospital chaplain, and certainly have found that class and all of our discussions so important to me… I thank both you and your wife for the work you have done, and passion you have offered to Aquinas College. It was such an amazing place for me.”

Lauren Ivory ’01, Cleveland Heights, Ohio

with the Catholic Secondary Schools. “I’m sorry to see Harry leave. He has been a blessing to this College and the community,” said Circle Theatre managing director Joe Dulin. “The Performing Arts Center (PAC) would not have been built without Harry’s leadership. He had a vision for what this collaboration could be and he never wavered. There were many people who doubted the

CAMPUS NEWS

“Harry Knopke’s innovative tenure at Aquinas College has furthered my vision of making this the best small liberal arts college in the Midwest.”

project could work. Harry always maintained a positive voice of leadership. I will always be grateful for what he has done for Circle Theatre.”

The PAC isn’t the only structure to appear on campus during the Knopke years. “I don’t think you can ignore the physical fact of the buildings that weren’t here when we came to Aquinas,” said Sheila Knopke, who noted that, for many, her husband’s legacy may well be the new buildings erected during his tenure. In addition to the PAC, the list includes the student apartments (the Ravines), Jarecki Center for Advanced Learning and now the Grace Hauenstein Library (under construction), along with renovated residence halls and other facilities. For others, she stated, that legacy may be the many programs and activities these facilities house that have also been the result of connections made with the broader community.

Character Knopke’s personality and personal drive have impressed many he’s encountered over the years.

“One of the first events during Harry’s interview process was a dinner for about 40 to 45 people,” said John Jackoboice, Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees.

Following the dinner, Harry spoke to the crowd.

“He acknowledged everyone in the room by name and had something to say about each person. Even though he only had a brief introduction to all the individuals, he remembered everyone’s name and could comment on each one. It was a most impressive moment and Dr. Larry ’63 and Mrs. Marion Dougherty ’65 Burns reflected a gift of Harry's with President Harry and Mrs. Sheila Knopke that helped him grow the AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 7

President Knopke prepares to defend the goal as his son, Kevin, kicks the ball.

Aquinas College donor list and its fund development.”

“Harry's personality has lent itself well to his position,” said Kate Pew Wolters '78, Chair Emerita Trustee. “He has a great sense of humor and a ‘glass is always half full’ attitude toward just about anything. He has always had a zest for learning and demands the same in others... Just listen to his voice mail message some day and there will be a word (or more) that you are guaranteed to have to look up in the dictionary!”

He’s quite the chef, too. He and Mayor Heartwell have put their culinary services on the block for fundraising auctions including those for the Aquinas scholarship fund, Leadership Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Ballet.

“Harry’s an extraordinary “As I was reading about Harry’s plans it struck me what a visionary presence he has been at Aquinas… we think differently about our value and reciprocal relationship with Grand Rapids and West Michigan. He will leave a mark, one that may not be fully appreciated until years from now.”

Jennifer (Johnson ’98) Reynolds, Coordinator, Alumni and Parent Relations

CAMPUS NEWS

“As parents of two boys at Aquinas College, we believe Dr. Harry Knopke is an extraordinary human being who is blessed with a special gift of connecting with parents and students. He’s accessible, available, and engaged.”

Phil and Kathie Guyeskey, Parents

gourmet chef and I consider myself a pretty good cook, too,” Heartwell said. “We’d sit down and pore over cookbooks and recipes to prepare the meals. It may be an understatement that people seem to enjoy them.”

College relations Knopke has made a point of connecting with students, both in and out of the classroom, and with their parents.

“When I had an opportunity to take his medical ethics course, it was a no-brainer,” said Patrick

Harry Knopke with Sr. Aquinas Weber ‘58

“The students feel he’s part of their community.”

David Weinandy, professor of communication and special assistant to the provost for Campus Life

Harrison ’07. “In a class that can be so polarized and controversial, Dr. Knopke always presented both sides of the argument to such an extent that we students could never figure out his own personal stance on the issue.”

“It’s all the little things he does that add up to a hardworking, dedicated College president,” said parents Phil and Kathie Guyeskey. “We remember participating in the parent orientation program when Dr. Knopke shared his home phone number with the parents and encouraged them to contact him with any question or concerns at any time. We remember our sons (Mike and Will) coming home for the weekend and sharing stories about how they were invited over to the President’s residence for dinner.

They love ‘their College’ and Harry Knopke is a main factor in their experience. He’s one in a million. He is genuinely interested in each and every aspect of Aquinas and totally engaged in the welfare of its students. He’s an extraordinary human being and a great role model for the young men and women at Aquinas.”

“Pink Panther” Night at the Aquinas College AQ Fund Auction

“When I think of Harry, I just think of his opening his house to all the students who come over,” said David Weinandy, Ph.D., professor of

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 8

[Letter excerpt] “I will forever be grateful to have met and talked to you. You were accessible to me; you helped me make a decision that will affect my life forever and most importantly, thank you for making time to see me. I wish you well with your family as you venture to different opportunities. Once again, in the words of my Gusii people– “be well wherever you go, we shall meet someday, may the winds of the Great One be with you and your family.’”

Fred Bw’Ombongi

communication and special assistant to the provost for Campus Life. “I’m always struck by not only how comfortable students are with him, but by how comfortable he is with them–and not just him, but his whole family.”

The Dominican tradition “Without a doubt, Harry Knopke, himself the product of Dominican higher education, has been a supporter of the Dominican tradition at Aquinas and its importance to the mission of the College,” said Robert P. Marko, Ph.D., professor and chair of the department of Theology.

“Since becoming bishop of Grand Rapids in August, I have had opportunities to meet with Dr. Harry Knopke on several occasions. It has been gratifying to see firsthand the many initiatives that have come to fruition during his leadership of our local Catholic college. I thank Dr. Knopke for his years of service to Aquinas College and extend best wishes to him and to Mrs. Knopke as they begin this new stage of their lives.”

Most Reverend Walter A. Hurley, Bishop of Grand Rapids

Edward Blews, President, Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Michigan (AICUM)

Through that Dominican foundation, he created connections throughout the religious community. “President Knopke was instrumental in bringing the Father James Cusack endowment to Aquinas, which funds theological education for those preparing to serve the Church and community,” Marko said.

“Moreover, Harry has supported and actually initiated the College's commitment to the ecumenical and inter-faith Western Michigan Academic Consortium, has inaugurated a new lecture series in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, and has been a good will ambassador of Aquinas in the Western Michigan religious and civic communities.”

He’s also been a strong advocate of diversity. “I have always been impressed with Harry Knopke, because he is one of the few individuals I have met who recognizes the need to deal with racism,” said Bob Woodrick, who founded the Woodrick Institute for the Study of Racism and Diversity at Aquinas College with Knopke. “We must deal with racism first to be successful with the issue of diversity. Harry also realizes how this issue impacts the ethos of a community and he has the courage to speak out, which means he has integrity… I am sure Harry learned much about racial reconciliation from his experiences at the University of Alabama.”

“I am most appreciative of all the wonderful things you have done for Aquinas and [how you have] moved them forward. Particularly, I am thrilled by the fact that you helped establish this fine charter school in the St. Adalbert’s building (Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center)… I have yet to see anything quite as important in the education field. You have been a real asset to Aquinas.”

Robert R. Israels, President, Israels Design for Living

A New Chapter As Harry and Sheila Knopke turn the page on the Aquinas chapter of their lives, they take with them the good will of the many people they’ve come to know.

“Both Sheila and Harry have involved themselves in this community beyond Aquinas…

They will be missed. I thank and congratulate Harry and Sheila for all that they have done in these brief nine years. I wish them well,” said Jackoboice, offering words many will surely echo.

Harry Knopke with daughter Anne Knopke and Jorge Acavedo

[Letter excerpt] “I always felt that you were not only accessible, but that you have the gift of making people feel welcome and important – a rare trait. Thank you for your nine years of service and leadership to my alma mater…”

Daryl J. Delabbio ’75, MM ’95, Administrator/Controller, Kent County (L-R) Bishop Robert Rose, Harry Knopke, Bishop Kevin Britt

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 9

President Knopke hoods Clement Chiwaya during private graduation ceremony in December 2002

CAMPUS NEWS

"Dr. Harry Knopke has been a truly terrific leader in the great cause of Michigan independent higher education during challenging times in this State... He has been a shining ambassador for Aquinas College, enhancing its reputation in this state as a distinctive and high quality college. I greatly admire him, as do his presidential colleagues…”

CAMPUS NEWS

Sheila Knopke

By Laura Bennett-Kimble ’95, Contributing writer

Along with her husband, Sheila Knopke soon will be packing up her memories and saying goodbye to Aquinas.

“This is an appropriate time for our departure. We’re leaving Aquinas as it is on an upward swing,” she said, “and we are looking forward to taking on something brand new. Change is good for everybody, when it’s done in as positive a way as this one is.”

Until June, the Knopkes will continue opening Willowbrook to visitors. The renovation of the house upon their arrival nine years ago (which was funded through private donations including their own) allowed Sheila to open her home to overnight guests, including commencement speakers and special guests of the College, such as Francis Cardinal George of Chicago and Diplomat Harold Saunders, among many others.

Private receptions for College visitors and guest speakers, dinners for benefactors and gatherings of students, faculty and staff became commonplace.

The backyard graduation receptions have been some of the most gratifying experiences for Sheila. “It brings that whole four-year period to completion.

“We’ll never lose our ties to Grand Rapids.

We’ve invested too much of ourselves in it.

It will always be a part of our lives.”

Sheila Knopke

These students come in as 18year-olds, they grow and they’re adults by the time they leave.

When you can see the family behind them, it makes a complete picture. Graduation is as significant for us as it is for their parents.”

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 10

Over the years, Sheila has been busy in the greater community.

She’s on the steering committee for the Jane Hibbard Idema Women’s Studies Center at Aquinas and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Grand Rapids Ballet Company and the board of Catholic Social Services. She also works on the development committee for the YWCA. In addition, she has been a reading tutor at Henry Paideia Academy for five years.

“I’ll miss all my community activity,” she said. “I enjoy every single bit of it.” And she’ll miss the Aquinas family. “We’ve made a point of having students, along with faculty and staff, in the house at least once a month for dinner. You get to sit down with them and really talk about things. It’s one of the nice things about a college of this size.”

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS • Grace Hauenstein Library and Jarecki Center Renovation ($6.8 million), 2006 • Renovation of the Cook Carriage House, 2005 • Renovation of Brink Hall (formerly Jordan Hall) which houses offices for both Circle Theatre and the AQ Theatre Department, 2005 • Renovation of Wege Cafeteria, 2004 • Performing Arts Center ($6.5 million, 410-seat auditorium with 3/4 thrust stage) (Nationally unique collaboration with Community Circle Theatre and the Grand Rapids Area Catholic Secondary Schools), 2003 • Jarecki Center for Advanced Learning ($7 million) (LEED-designed), 1999 • Ravines Apartment complex (three student resident buildings with 108-bed capacity), 1998 • Comprehensive Campus Master Plan & Landscape Plan, 1998

the Hungarian-based comprehensive education program for young children with motor disabilities; the Conductive Learning Center (CLC) is a whollyowned subsidiary where young clients receive treatment • International Cultural Immersion opportunities include six semester-long culture/language immersion programs along with a year-long student exchange program with Seikei University in Tokyo • Athletic Training Program nationally accredited and unique in that it enables students to engage in both major and intercollegiate sports • Community Leadership major produced the “Outstanding Student of the Year” award in Michigan from Michigan Campus Compact in four of the past five years • Sustainable Business Degree Program A collaboration of the Physical Sciences, Business, Environmental Studies and Sustainable Business departments, is the first undergraduate degree in Sustainable Business in the country

NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS • Nursing Program established in collaboration with University of Detroit-Mercy and Saint Mary’s Health Care • Theatre Major newly reconstituted in 2003 to coincide with opening of new Performing Arts Center • Theology Department now offers the Diaconate Intellectual Formation and Lay Ministry certification programs • Conductive Education / POHI (Physically Impaired or Otherwise Handicapped Individuals) is the first and only such degree program in United States to offer professional training in

OTHER NEW PROGRAMS • Reggio Emilia early childhood academic program in the School of Education is centered in the Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center, Aquinas’ charter school authorized by the Grand Rapids Public Schools • Jane Hibbard Idema Women’s Studies Center • Woodrick Institute for the Study of Racism and Diversity • Aquinas Emeritus College winter program was established for older learners in Naples, Florida.

• Center for Sustainability was created to serve as a resource for businesses and other organizations

The Knopke’s host monthly dinners for students at Willowbrook, the president’s home.

• Sustainability Compact A nationally unique collaborative with Aquinas, the City of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Grand Rapids Community College and Grand Valley State University begun to generate sustainable practices for the city and the city schools and to share best practices among the higher education institutions.

ORGANIZATIONAL ENHANCEMENTS • Technology Council, a campus-wide committee, was established in 1997 to determine campus information technology priorities; it guided the campus move from a DOS environment to a comprehensive Windows environment that has provided standardization and growth that now includes two-way interactive video conferencing, and wireless computer capability among countless other advances • Restructured Personnel System and revised and Significantly Enhanced Employee Benefits Package, 1998 • Established “Planning Matters” the designation for both the institutional planning process and the three-year evolving Institutional Plan, 1998 • New Mission Statement reflects the institution’s Catholic, Dominican character and its core values • Tripartite Government Structure provides for Faculty and Staff Assemblies as well as Student Senate to be involved in institutional decision-making • Number of Donors to Aquinas Programs more than tripled • College Endowment increased number and award levels of endowed scholarships (now at 120) and holds the College’s first two endowed professorships, the Lena Meijer Art History Professorship and the Steelcase Foundation Sustainable Business Professorship • Aquinas Fund Net Revenue has Tripled Since 1997, with the number of contributing alumni increased from less than 10% in 1997 to over 19% in 2005, on track to achieve 30% participation by 2008 • Aquinas Magazine Established • ACORN (Faculty and Staff) and MOOSE (Student) Intranet Portals • New institutional identity and advertising/marketing program • Integrated Enrollment Plan is exceeding initial projections and produced for the 2005-06 academic year the College’s largest entering class in history (400 students)

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 11

CAMPUS NEWS

Aquinas Accomplishments During the presidEncy of Harry J. Knopke, Ph.D., (1997-2006)

CAMPUS NEWS

Legacy of Adult Undergraduate Education spans Decades

By Laura Bennett-Kimble ’95, Contributing Writer

Members of a Career Action class take a tour of Rapistan in 1972

PAST Aquinas College has a long history of welcoming students of all ages, particularly in the Continuing Education (CE) program, which was born in 1969 when Dr. Norbert Hruby came to Aquinas from Chicago to serve as the College’s second president.

“If I have any genius at all,” Hruby said, “it’s to let people loose to do what they do best.”

Hruby, who previously had been involved with CE programs at both the University of Chicago and Mundelein College, authorized the implementation of adult undergraduate degree completion programs at Aquinas soon after his arrival.

Beginning with Career Action, a pragmatic, career-focused evening

Ralph Bennett and Joan Crandall directed the adult undergraduate degree completion programs, Career Action for men and Encore for women.

program for men led by Ralph J. Bennett, and Encore, a daytime degree completion program for women (remember, this was 1969), which was led by Joan Crandall and later Jane Idema, adult undergraduate degree programs quickly became a vital part of the College. In fact, these programs were a boon at a time when the College was running at a deficit. These programs ultimately helped to remove that deficit during his tenure, he said.

“That’s why I called Career Action a cash cow for the College.”

In creating these initiatives, “We were really the first in West Michigan to get into continuing education programs,” said academic advisor Sr. Diane Dehn, who’s been advising students at Aquinas since 1969.

As society changed, so too did the adult education programs.

After 1975, when former Aquinas president Paul Nelson became Dean of Continuing Education, “it began to blur and blend,” as Nelson said, when men and women began taking both daytime and evening classes. “I AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 12

remember the shift in motives. In the early years of Encore, the students were more focused on intellectual stimulation and education for its own sake. Then women became more interested in their careers.” Men needed to fulfill general education requirements to attain certain degrees, which meant taking liberal arts classes offered through the Encore program. By 1979, the two programs–along with the successful directed study program–had become one, and 1,500 adult students were enrolled in the newly named Continuing Education program.

In the early years when Bennett was director of Career Action, traditional students were not allowed to take continuing education classes and, according to Nelson, that was fine with them.

“The adults were known as ‘curve

Encore Class for women in 1975

fields of study with classes in a variety of formats including directed study, semester long, and 8-week quadmesters.

“Introducing traditional students into CE classes turned out to be beneficial for everyone,” Nelson said, “as the classes benefited from the curiosity and questions of the traditional students and the insight, experience and relevance of the CE students.”

“At first, I saw students who wanted to finish a degree for personal advancement,” said Dehn, who’s been at Aquinas since 1969. “Now it’s more career oriented, and changing careers…

Now, frequently, it’s people who have lost their jobs.”

Respect for the student is a given at Aquinas. “There’s always that sense when we’re working with students, that we want to treat the students the way we’d want to be treated,” said Pat Kozal, who’s been advising CE students since 1980. “We’ve developed pretty good listening skills. That helps so we don’t focus on ‘our program’ or ‘our College,’ but rather on their wants and their needs.”

“We see more people who are having to change careers,” Kozal added.

With more than 4,500 graduates over the years, the CE program has become an important part of Aquinas College–and beyond.

About 275 CE graduates are active CEOs and presidents, and graduates have found successful careers at companies as diverse as Herman Miller, Steelcase, Volkswagen and the Orlando Magic.

“This little College has been a leader, in some ways more than large universities,” Hruby said.

“It is a great service to the community.”

PRESENT The Continuing Education program at Aquinas College is still evolving to meet current student needs. Today, the program offers more than 60 undergraduate

In today’s economic climate, CE students have a different focus from the ones who’ve sought out Aquinas in the past, according to academic advisors Kozal and Sr. Diane Dehn.

Aquinas is ready to help them and anyone interested in exploring options. To aid individuals facing career crossroads, Brenda Hennink, director of adult student recruitment, represents Aquinas at area job fairs and in the Grand Rapids Area Higher Education Network (GRAHEN), a consortium of 14 colleges and universities created to help bring opportunities for higher education to the workplace.

Nineteen percent of fall 2005 students were CE, according to Hennink. Those students had an opportunity to attend the College’s renewed CE orientation last fall, and two-thirds of them did so. The orientation included talks from Hennink and faculty and staff about everything from on-campus health care facilities to financial aid and parking information. Additionally, students were served a light dinner at tables “purposefully organized so students could meet other CE students and faculty and staff,” Hennink said, and they were offered an optional campus tour.

A second orientation was held in January.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 13

CAMPUS NEWS

wreckers,’” he said, to traditional students used to classes where the teachers graded on a curve.

“The adult students were highly, highly motivated.” Eventually under the leadership of directors Bill Parker and then Nelson, “upper division students were allowed into the classes, but with a lot of forewarning,” Nelson added.

Career Action class in 1975

Because of its long and successful history, the Aquinas CE program hasn’t needed to advertise much.

“We let the program speak for itself,” Hennink said. “We’ve got something intangible here.”

As one CE student told Hennink, “I love the mix of minds.” What more could an institution of learning ask for?

FUTURE The Continuing Education program at Aquinas College has a long and successful legacy, and it will continue to provide a diverse student population with the tools and skills needed to achieve both career and personal goals.

Hennink said some of the plans to make the program even better include the creation of a CE student handbook and enhancing the CE pages of the Aquinas Web site.

In addition to these changes, much will stay the same.

Students will still meet with committed academic advisors to map out the best course plan to achieve their goals; classes will still be offered in different formats; qualifying CE students are still eligible for membership in Alpha Sigma Lambda, the national honor society for nontraditional adult students; and prospective students still have financial options including scholarships like the Donnelly Scholarship, a collaborative program between the College and some area employers.

For more information about the CE program, visit www.aquinas.edu and click on Admissions, then Continuing Ed.

CAMPUS NEWS

Alaska Awes CE Students

By Brenda Hennink ’96, Director of Adult Student Recruitment / CE Student

Pure education knows no boundaries. Class lectures, books and theories provoke thoughts and power the imagination…essential learning tools. But, they are only part of the educational equation.

Experiential learning, practical life encounters, is needed to round out and complete the equation.

Imagine not having to Utter awe at Mt. McKinley.

Photograph by imagine! Actually tasting Steven O’Connell the tartness of wild blueberries; seeing the wind swirling around snowcapped peaks that books can only describe; being moved to tears by the lyrical expressiveness of a howling pack of wolves; having one’s boots suctioned to thick taiga sludge - a 4-D experience employs all of one’s senses and brings book knowledge and theory to life.

Aquinas College offers both its traditional age and adult students opportunities for experiential learning with study abroad programs, service learning programs and field courses like “Resource Management in the National Parks.”

As members of last July’s field course, an eclectic group of professors and students meandered 1,600 miles in a 15-passenger van. Destination: south central Alaska. This was not a typical group of undergraduate students in their late teens to early 20s.

The students varied in age from 21 to 50+ years, demonstrating that adventure in education is not necessarily for the young but for the young at heart.

A few were full-time undergrads. Some were fulltime graduate students. A number were employed full-time: One, a middle school teacher; another, a

state park assistant superintendent; and there was even a new product development engineer. Three were Aquinas College Continuing Education (CE) students.

Their quest was to examine firsthand three of Alaska’s majestic and incomparable national parks: Wrangell-St. Elias: The largest national park in the country (greater than six Yellowstones combined) with over 100 major glaciers and nine of the highest 16 peaks in the country; Denali: The keeper of the “high one;” Mt. McKinley, the highest mountain on the North American continent at 20,320 feet. With a territory larger than the state of Massachusetts, Denali is home to more than 167 species of mammals and birds; and last, but certainly not least; Kenai Fjords: Which contain pristine shorelines speckled with rookeries and coated with tidewater glaciers calving into frigid waters, complete with an audience of sea life including whales, orcas and sea otters. The ice there is several thousand feet thick.

Over a period of two weeks, students combined theory and practical experience to study and evaluate the contemporary resource management issues faced by the National Park Service. Reading Michael Frome’s book, Regreening the National Parks, was a course requirement. Daily lectures (rain or shine) by Dr. Matt Tueth, AQ professor and former state park superintendent, and Dr. Wikle, a geographer, highlighted numerous topics such as national park history, public use versus preservation and park planning.

Occasional hikes on glacial ice, nervous bushwhacking treks through thick alpine tundra and backcountry overnights with indescribable views taught lessons in utter awe, public safety and visitor impacts. The lesson in how to avoid bear encounters proved most vital.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 14

The class, a joint effort between Aquinas College and Oklahoma State University, changes locations each year. The first course offered in 1999 visited Grand Canyon National Park, along with a handful of sites in New Mexico. Since then, students have examined more than a dozen other national parks and monuments from Crater Lake and Olympic in Oregon and Washington to Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone in Colorado and Wyoming. No national park or monument is too vast or too minute for the small groups of intrepid academics. At 13.2 million acres, Wrangell-St. Elias in Alaska is the largest site visited, while the 250-acre Timpanogos Cave National Monument in Utah is the smallest.

To enquire about future “Resource Management in the National Parks” classes, contact Dr. Tueth at tuethmat@aquinas.edu If you are interested in learning more about the trip by attending a lunchtime presentation, contact Brenda Hennink at (616) 632-2923 or hennibre@aqinas.edu.

AQ contingent to Alaska (from L to R) Mike McLean, Megan Cramer, Professor/Dr. Matt Tueth, Brenda Hennink Photograph by Steven O’Connell

Mt. McKinley looms in the distance as Dr. Tueth lectures in an outdoor amphitheater in Denali National Park – Photography by Jim Birdsell

The CE Students journey through Alaska highlighted in green

Director of Adult Student Recruitment, Brenda Hennink, stands in the midst of a huge glacial cavern.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 15

Crowd aboard boat stare in awe of giant glacier.

CAMPUS NEWS

Fall Bike Ride

Through Death Valley dents, participating in the Ride to Cure Diabetes on October 1, 2005.

(L-R:) Dave Gross, Julie Gross, Mike Howard, Sara Andro

There’s nothing like a fall bike ride to soak in the sunshine and beauty of the season. But, if you’re Mike Howard, a continuing education (CE) student at Aquinas, you were taking that fall bike ride through Death Valley, California with several other West Michigan people, including several AQ CE stu-

Howard, a Steelcase employee, and his wife, Teresa, needed little encouragement to make the journey as their daughter, Taylor, has diabetes. The Aquinas riders included Howard; fellow CE student David Gross; Gross’s daughter, Julie Gross, who works for the West Michigan chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation; and Sara Andro, another CE student. All four trained last summer to prepare for the grueling 104-mile Death Valley course, which began early in the morning in the shade of the mountains and continued under a hot afternoon sun with temperatures in the mid-90s.

“I can remember climbing six miles and 1300 feet up to the turnaround point at Jubilee Pass and struggling to continue. I had thought of turning around…but then thought of my motivation.

Taking a bike ride one day in my life is so much easier than living with diabetes,” said Howard.

Dave, Julie and Teresa logged 38 miles of the course. Howard rode 90 miles and Sara biked the entire 104 miles. There were more than 350 participants who raised in excess of one million dollars for diabetes research. Howard and his wife alone raised over $6,800 dollars locally.

Underway at Aquinas College:

Newly Created Center for Sustainability

The Center for Sustainability at Aquinas College (C4S) is a nonprofit organization providing a web-based clearinghouse of information for consumers, business people, non-profit organizations, students and governmental agencies interested in sustainable practices. In addition to disseminating this information, the Center organizes conferences and workshops, and maintains an extensive list of

publications on sustainability on its Web site.

The Center was established with the help of a $1 million, five-year grant from the Steelcase Foundation.

As a student-run and facultydirected organization, C4S will have a key role in integrating sustainable business theory into campus practices. Utilizing the

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 16

expertise of Program Director Jessica Eimer (2005 Sustainable Business graduate), the Center will organize and manage student involvement, assist in conducting a campus sustainability inventory, and support the suggestion submission process for the Aquinas sustainability initiative. For more information visit the web site: http://www.centerforsustainability.org.

BIOMIMICRY

“Sustainability” has captured West Michigan’s imagination—and Aquinas leads the way with its signature program in sustainable business. Nearly 50 Photo courtesy of MiBiz students are now Pictured signing the three-year Sustainability Partners majoring in this Agreement are (L-R) President Knopke; Mark Murray, president of Grand Valley State University; Bert Bleke, interdisciplinary superintendent of Grand Rapids Public Schools; and program. The proGeorge Heartwell, mayor of the city of Grand Rapids. gram is aimed at providing the perspective and skills which offer businesses a 21st century competitive advantage while promoting prosperity for future generations. The expertise of sustainable business majors will enhance sustainability efforts on campus as our own students help embed a formal process of continual examination and improvement for the college. Engaging campus-wide involvement, this initiative will promote prosperity through time by improving long-term financial stability, the health of Earth’s natural systems, and the quality of life for everyone at Aquinas and the community at large.

With more than 100 different tree species and dozens of woodland wildflower types greeting the arrival of spring, our Aquinas campus is especially inspiring. Most of us appreciate the beauty, but author and business consultant Janine Benyus also sees inspiration for technological innovation. Ms. Benyus’ book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature is a seminal work that has inspired and guided many sustainability participants since 1997.

Imagine carpet mimicking a rainforest or an energy-efficient propeller utilizing the design of ocean kelp. What if we could harness the secrets of photosynthesis for energy independence?

Some of the world’s largest and most profitable companies are implementing Benyus’ approach to design innovation.

On March 28, the Sustainable Business Department will host Benyus on campus to introduce students, faculty and staff to new ways of looking at nature’s design as inspiration for sustainable outcomes and processes.

First steps in the initiative have involved embedding the goal of sustainability into the governance process of Aquinas. Through the leadership of the faculty and staff assemblies as well as the student senate and the board of trustees, efforts to establish formal and coordinated committees are underway. Each committee will consider innovations proposed by Aquinas students, staff and faculty as well alumni and others. Innovations will be proposed and developed with the assistance of sustainable business student teams. A comprehensive campus inventory will provide a baseline from which to track our progress toward sustainability. The effort is being funded, in part, through a generous gift of the Steelcase Foundation for the Sustainable Business Program.

This Aquinas sustainability initiative received additional momentum with the signing of the Community Sustainability Partnership. The partnership was formed through the leadership of Grand Rapids Mayor Rev. George Heartwell and supported by the Wege Foundation. At the signing ceremony on August 19, 2005 President Knopke acknowledged the vital role educational institutions will play in assuring a sustainable future of our region.

For more details about the Aquinas sustainability initiative, contact Dr. Matt Tueth, Steelcase Foundation Chair of Sustainable Business, at (616) 632-2191 or Deb Steketee, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Business, at (616) 632-2930.

By Deb Steketee, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Business

During the morning she will visit a sustainable business management course and then she will present a campus-wide lecture at the Aquinas Performing Arts Center. That evening, Benyus will join a panel of West Michigan women entrepreneurs featuring “their green side” in a public event co-hosted by the Jane Hibbard Idema Women’s Studies Center.

At the end of April, Benyus’ colleague Dr. Dayna Baumeister will lead a biomimicry workshop for students, Aquinas faculty and members of the Sustainable Business External Advisory Committee. Upper level sustainable business majors will serve as assistants to Dr. Baumeister during the workshop. For more information on these events, please call Jessica Eimer at (616) 632-1994.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 17

CAMPUS NEWS

AQUINAS’ INNOVATION for SUSTAINABILITY

CAMPUS NEWS

AQ Takes Spotlight

on International Water Conference

BioSand Filter in use in the Dominican Republic

Aquinas College has established a partnership with Rotary International in a venture that will help address the worldwide potable water crisis. The partnership brought together experts on the issue for a day-long International Water Conference “Thirsting to Serve 2006” on February 27 at Aquinas.

Presenters at the conference shared their case studies on projects taking place throughout the world. Attendees also heard from David Manz, the inventor of the BioSand Filter®, a successful portable point of use water filtration systems.

The systems, costDr. David Manz ing approximately $50 each, can filter 150 gallons of water a day with nearly any type of source water. It’s one solution that many believe can quickly address many of the potable water issues in underdeveloped countries. Manz has granted exclusive rights to Safe Water Institute to manufacture and distribute the systems for

humanitarian purposes. The conference was also scheduled to discuss distribution of the BioSand Filters® through small micro business entrepreneurs in the countries where the systems will be used. Aquinas’ interest lies in that small business end of the distribution network.

The other role for Aquinas in the partnership with the Rotarian’s organization is to provide training on building the BioSand Filters to those who would go to underdeveloped countries to teach the micro business people there how to build the filters onsite.

Jim Bodenner, a Rotarian from Rockford, Michigan who initiated the project, spoke for the second time before the United Nations on February 3 about the importance of clean water. After witnessing the success of the BioSand Filters in the Dominican Republic, he convinced Rotary International to support the effort as part of its community service project. Now, Bodenner is seeking international support for the effort.

AQ Student Selected to Attend Rotarian Leadership Conference in Sweden

Freshman Nicole Parker of Kalamazoo loves the idea of community service. She discovered that through her father and his involvement with Rotary International, a community service-oriented organization.

She decided to get involved in Rotary Youth Leadership and has been a part of the college mentoring program through Rotary International since it began in 2004.

Parker has been involved in several state leadership conferences since joining and recently was selected by one of its international governor’s to attend the week-long International Leadership Conference in Sweden this June.

“I’m very excited. I’ve never been out of the country and always wanted to study abroad and learn new things,” she exclaimed.

BioSand Filter Cross section

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 18

Just like her father, Parker wants to get involved in Rotary International to become involved in community service.

She’s interested in working on the organization’s worldwide polio vaccination program and in the relatively new BioSand Filter project designed to bring potable water to people living in underdeveloped countries.

The Aquinas community responded to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina by raising nearly $600 and donating the funds to Catholic Charities, USA Katrina Relief Fund, American Red Cross and Salvation Army. A team of students and faculty helped in the disaster clean-up (see article on page 45). The Jane Hibbard Idema Women’s Studies Center also collected funds for hurricane relief. In addition, students, faculty and staff came together for a campus-wide prayer service.

For many, talking about such tragedies is important.

A Hurricane Katrina luncheon panel discussion was held in October, during which faculty members addressed the devastation from Katrina from various perspectives, including sociology, political science and geography. Structural issues such as poverty, classism and racism were also addressed at the forum.

Aquinas partnered with the Diocese of Grand Rapids and Holy Redeemer Church of Jenison, Michigan, in an on going collection of needed items.

Early donations were sent to Gulfport, Miss., in September.

Wege Speaker Series featuring James Gustave Speth, dean of the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University Environment, Speth offers his views on what the Seattle Times describes as “a remarkably well-researched and well-documented warning of potential global disaster.”

Time magazine refers to Speth as the “ultimate insider” whose book “offers a devastating critique of global environmental efforts.”

James Gustave “Gus” Speth

Renowned environmental leader, James Gustave “Gus” Speth, dean and professor in the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, will be the tenth speaker for the annual Wege Speaker Series which will take place on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 in the Performing Arts Center on the Aquinas Campus. Speth’s speech is titled “Environment and Economy: On Course for Collision or Reconciliation?”

Former President Jimmy Carter noted that Gus Speth brought global environmental concerns to the world’s attention nearly a quarter century ago. Carter called Speth’s book “extraordinary”–one that makes an “impassioned plea to take these issues seriously before it is too late.”

Speth founded and was president of the World Resources Institute, co-founded the Natural Resources Defense Council and served as an advisor on environmental issues to both Presidents Carter and Bill Clinton.

The lecture, which begins at 4 p.m. on April 11, is free and open to the public.

Speth is a prolific writer who has authored several books and numerous articles on the environment. In his most publication, red sky at morning: America and the Crisis of the Global AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 19

CAMPUS NEWS

Campus Joins in Hurricane Relief

CAMPUS NEWS

New Library a committee that would identify Jarecki Center as an ideal site to accommodate a new threestory addition/expansion. The Board of Trustees agreed and, on May 23, 2003, approved the plan.

Grace and Ralph Hauenstein

A groundbreaking ceremony is so appropriate for a new library. Just as the start of construction symbolizes the opening of a new book, the ground breaking ceremony last September 23 begins a new chapter. We look to books to provide new insights and wisdom which can then add to our own knowledge, much like the rise of a new building.

Under a beautiful, sun-filled fall sky, a brief ceremony was held to mark the official start of construction on the new Grace Hauenstein Library.

Nearly one-hundred people gathered to listen to remarks and watch as the ceremonial shovels full of dirt were scraped and turned in a very determined manner.

The library is named for the wife of 93-year-old local philanthropist Ralph Hauenstein, whose generous contribution helped to launch the project. Grace Hauenstein was at her husband’s side on the platform for the morning ceremony.

“This Library opens a lot of knowledge for a lot of people,” he said. “No matter (what you do) how you use it…. computers, reading, they’ll (library users) be far richer persons.”

Provost Ed Balog told the audience that the new library is the result of many years of effort by dozens of people connected with Aquinas–efforts that stretch back about 30 years. The latest effort began in late 2002 with

Balog recalled telling the architect from ProgressiveAE of his vision for a building that emanated light from a largely glass structure that drew “not just the eye but a steady stream of people to it. I said my dream was a beacon as both a symbolic and physical focal point for the campus.”

The current library was established “temporarily” in the Academic Building in 1978. In the time since, Balog stated, each library staff has faced a great many challenges.

“They used their limited space wisely; they worked diligently to keep the collection current while not expanding the stack space; and they learned to deliver services in new and unconventional ways.

“But throughout that time, the library director and the staff provided a uniformly high level of library services to students, faculty and community members,” Balog stated.

Peter Wege, one of the College’s most generous and long-time benefactors, offered a shared perspective on the project.

“A library is the heart of a campus…and (this library will be) one of the greatest things on this campus,” he said.

“This building project represents Aquinas’ commitment to the heritage of our namesake and the pursuit of truth,” Balog added.

The Grace Hauenstein Library will open its doors in August 2006, in time for the start of the new academic year.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 20

will provide the basis for our students to shape the future. We know that there is a strong link between libraries and student achievement. Libraries are places where people read and think, and learn.” September 23, 2006.

Ed Balog, Provost

overview of construction progress

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3 (L-R): Joe Erhardt, Erhardt Construction; Pat Miles ’88, Board Co-chairman; Hilary Atkin, Student Senate Chair; Peter Wege, Wege Foundation; Ralph Hauenstein, Benefactor; Gary Eberle, Chair/Professor - Department of English; Shellie Jeffries, Library Co-director; Francine Paolini, Library Co-director; Brian Craig, Architect, ProgressiveAE; Ed Balog, Aquinas Provost/Dean of Faculty; Harry Knopke, President.

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AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 21

CAMPUS NEWS

“A library represents the very essence of what a college is about. It is the intellectual hub of the campus. It is a center for displays and programs that serve the broader community. And it is the repository of the information and ideas of the past and the present that

CAMPUS NEWS

Mid-Year Graduates Honored Of the more than one hundred students, undergraduate and graduate, who completed their programs at mid-year, about one-third of them showed up to be recognized at the winter gathering, created and organized by the Student Senate and the President’s office.

Aquinas College Trustee Deb Bailey ’84

As a mid-year graduate herself, Aquinas College Trustee Deb Bailey, M.M., ’84 put things into perspective for a group of 34 graduates and their families and friends who attended a special December 5, 2005 reception to honor their achievements.

“December graduation–what did that mean (to me)? It meant I received very few actual graduation cards—December is off the radar for Hallmark and other card manufacturers. My graduation gifts somehow seemed to blend with my Christmas gifts and my announcements were lost in the flurry of Christmas cards.”

Bailey offered remarks to those who completed their studies last fall rather than in spring.

Those honored in December may also walk during the traditional Commencement ceremony May 6. However, the winter reception offered the only opportunity for some who cannot attend the spring Commencement to celebrate their accomplishment publicly.

In her remarks, Bailey characterized the graduate’s lives as “privileged,” replete with the choices and opportunities often only available to those of us living in the United States. Using data from the United Nations and applying them to a diversity training exercise, she pointed out that if one hundred people represented the world population, only one person would be college educated.

“That is proof that you graduates are also living a privileged life,” she told them.

She encouraged and challenged them to take their new-found knowledge to create their own life story.

“Each of you (is) very powerful...with unique skills and abilities. How will you create a life story that inspires and challenges those behind you?

Whether those are family, friends, co-workers, neighbors or community members, how will you have used the unique privileges you have been given? Your Aquinas education is one powerful tool you now have in your toolbox.”

President Knopke congratulates one of the mid-year graduates.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 22

International Flavor to Campus The 2006 Class of Aquinas College graduates will have an international smorgasbord of honorees on the stage for this year’s Commencement ceremony, which takes place on Saturday, May 6 in the College Field House.

The Commencement speaker is an alumnus who comes from our neighbor to the north. Canadianborn Brian Williams, who is considered the dean of Canadian sports commentators with more than a quarter of a century of broadcasting experience, was a political science major who graduated with honors in 1969. Over the years, Williams has covered twelve Olympic Games beginning with the Montreal Olympics in 1976 and, most recently, covered the Turino Olympics. He has covered nearly every professional and major amateur sports event around the globe. Williams also has won numerous awards and praise from his critics.

Williams was born in Winnipeg and is with CBC Television’s Toronto station, CBLT. He lives in Toronto with his wife and three daughters.

Also receiving honorary degrees are: The Honorable Clement Terence Chiwaya, a Community Leadership major who graduated in 2002.

He returned to his homeland of Malawi, in southeast Africa, where he was elected to the Malawi parliament, representing a region that includes his small village of Mpondasi, and was soon named as Malawi’s first Social Development and Persons With Disabilities Minister, a position from which he resigned in fall 2005 to devote more time to his Parliament responsibilities.

He will receive an honorary Doctor of Social Sciences degree.

Sr. Amata Fabbro, O.P., Ph.D., ’61, Professor Emerita of Theology, retired in May of 2004 after 36 years of teaching theology. Sr. Amata will receive an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.

Brian Williams ‘69, Commencement Speaker

Don Jorge Luis Acevedo Vargas

Jorge Luis Acevedo Vargas is the coordinator of programs and professor of cultural studies in Costa Rica for Aquinas. He will receive an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree.

Sr. Amata Fabbro, O.P., Ph.D., ‘61

In addition to delivering the Commencement address, Williams will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

Hon. Clement Chiwaya ‘02

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 23

CAMPUS NEWS

2006 Commencement Brings

CAMPUS NEWS

Bridging the Racial Divide

By David Fox, Contributing Writer

Dr. Richard Lapchick

Sports and racism remain forever linked through historic events that defined racial equality in America.

Baseball’s Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier; Jesse Owens taking home Olympic Gold in Berlin; and Texas Western University starting five black players en route to an NCAA title—all had a profound and lasting impact on society’s attitudes towards racism.

Aquinas College, in cooperation with the DeVos Foundation, proudly welcomed nationally renowned author and global pioneer for racial equality Dr. Richard Lapchick to speak to the Aquinas community November 28 about his passion to affect positive social change through sports.

sports—racism still exists and, according to Lapchick, is “the most complicated issue in America today.”

Lapchick met with school representatives and offered his impressions of the ten-year-old sports management major.

As founder and director emeritus of Northeastern University’s Center for the Study of Sport in Society, Lapchick travels the world in his quest to eliminate negative influences that exist in sports and in our global society.

“It was fantastic to have Dr. Lapchick critique what we are doing at Aquinas,” said Assistant Professor of Physical Education Phil Hatlem. “His insight as to what we can do to better prepare our students will prove extremely valuable as we continuously evaluate our program.”

During his speech, Lapchick described in graphic detail racial threats, verbal and physical attacks, and attempts on his life that he endured while trying to show the world “the miracle of the huddle.” As Lapchick explained, “when people come together with a common purpose, race, gender, age or religion does not matter.”

Lapchick was first introduced to Aquinas through his friend Dr. Luis Tomatis, a Grand Rapids physician and Aquinas trustee who helped arrange Lapchick’s visit to campus.

Lapchick challenged Aquinas students to stay involved and urged them to “stay off the sidelines and to be leaders in service to America.”

“This was a great opportunity to open up our program—which is strong locally,” Tomatis said.

“Hosting a prominent expert such as Dr. Lapchick gives us the national exposure to move outside the local environment.”

At a luncheon held prior to his presentation, Dr. Lapchick lauded President Knopke and Aquinas for the school’s strong mission to promote service learning, so that “the experiences outside the classroom are as rich as those in the classroom.” After his presentation,

Tomatis, who also serves as the director of Medical Affairs for the DeVos family, knew that a visit by a man who the Sporting News called “one of the most powerful people in sports” would have a lasting and positive impact on Aquinas’ national reputation.

Often referred to as “the racial conscience of sport,” Lapchick publishes the “Racial and Gender Report Card,” which grades professional and collegiate sports organizations on their treatment of minorities.

Despite the successes of numerous great athletes who have overcome their “minority” status to dominate their respective

(L-R): Phil Hatlem, coordinator of the Aquinas Athletic Training Program; Dr. Richard Lapchick; President Knopke; Dr. Luis Tomatis, Aquinas Trustee.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 24

A Detroit-area bishop made an urgent plea to people of faith to get involved in the eradication of global poverty.

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit and founding president of Pax Christi USA came to Aquinas Bishop Thomas January 10, to speak about Gumbleton “Systemic Poverty in a Time of Consumerism.” Nearly every seat in the 400seat Performing Arts Center auditorium was filled for the talk.

Gumbleton told the audience that the gap between rich and poor continues to widen.

“A fifth of the population uses 87 percent of the resources. The bottom fifth live in ‘absolute poverty,’” he said.

“Is there anyone in this room who does not have more than we need,” he asked. “I doubt it. If we have more than we need when other people lack the necessities, then we have those material possessions unjustly.”

He challenged the audience to share their resources and the societal structures that create the disparities. The event raised more than $2,300, with the funds going to an inner city Detroit parish and a health clinic in Grand Rapids serving the uninsured.

On Wednesday, January 11, the morning following his talk, the national media reported on Bishop Gumbleton’s revelation that he was abused by a priest when he was a young boy some 60 years earlier. He told a Washington Post reporter that in 1945, he was “inappropriately touched” by a priest when he was a ninth grade student at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit. He stated that he was not traumatized by the event but felt compelled to speak out.

Gumbleton is believed to be the first U.S. bishop to disclose that he was a victim of clergy sexual abuse and also the first to endorse proposals in several states to remove time limits that have prevented many victims of sex abuse from suing the Church.

Student Interns in Sports Management Aquinas College students have been fortunate to acquire sports management internships with some major sports-related organizations. Tony Lamerato ’05 spent last summer with Momentum Marketing and the Buick Open at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in Grand Blanc, Michigan. Paul Bee, senior did an internship with the West Michigan Whitecaps, Grand Rapids’ minor league baseball team. Located in a city that is known as a “hotbed” for minor league sports, Aquinas Sports Management majors have also done internships with the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Grand Rapids Rampage and with the operators of Van Andel Arena.

On the big league level, AQ students and graduates have found great success as well. Tim O’Brien ’05 and Bill Hornyak ’05 got a taste of Florida as interns this past year for the NBA’s Orlando Magic. Bobbi Courtright, senior is currently promoting the Detroit Pistons as a community relations intern with Palace Sports. Jason Carver ’02 is with the NBA’s Minnesota

Timberwolves organization. And Kyle Weaver ’05 is getting acquainted with Wayne Gretzky as a member of hockey’s Phoenix Coyotes staff.

Clearly, opportunities abound in the field of sports management.

(L-R) Paul Bee, senior, Business Administration/Communication Major - Whitecaps Ticket Sales Intern Katie Kroft ’05, Business Administration/Sports Management Major - Whitecaps Marketing & Promotions Intern Tony Puzzuoli, senior, Business Administration/Communication Major - Whitecaps Promotions Team Member

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 25

CAMPUS NEWS

Bishop Speaks at Aquinas about Poverty

CAMPUS NEWS

2005 Hall of Fame Gala The 2005 Hall of Fame Gala assembled a crowd of 240 family members, friends and colleagues, some from as far away as California. They came out of respect about the honorees and left inspired by their testimonies about the effect Aquinas College had on their lives.

Dr. Juan Olvarez (center) poses with Sr. Aquinas Weber and GRCC Friends

Trustee Pat Quinn poses with family at ceremony

Those honored by the Alumni Association Board were: Stella Ferris ’88, deceased Aquinas multicultural director who received the Distinguished Service Award. Eric Mullen ’97, a former Aquinas colleague, knew Stella for only a short time, but in that time, he told the audience, he came to know her as a “great-spirited being who lived life to its fullest.” For Stella, he recalled, “It was important to care deeply and act on things that really mattered–community, friendship, social justice, equality and the education of others.”

Juan Olivarez, Ph.D., ’71, president of Grand Rapids Community College, said he was humbled by his selection as the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year.

“Aquinas taught me a lot,” he said, “but the thing that stands out the most is that they (Dominican Sisters) taught me the sense of, and the commitment for, community and it has done me well all these years.”

Near capacity crowd fills Wege Center Ballroom for 2005 Hall of Fame Gala

The final Alumni Award went to Michelle Bottrall ’91 as Board Member of the Year.

Mike Zagaroli ’74, president of the Alumni Board, called her dedication “second to none” and

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 26

The 2005 inductees into the Aquinas Athletic Hall of Fame included Mauro Caporuscio ’83 and Mike Hagan ’83 who together played soccer and brought attention to the relatively new athletic endeavor at the College.

“I can’t accept this award without acknowledging my teammates. We all know that a good organization is spelled t-e-a-m.

There is no ‘I’ and I personally couldn’t have done it without them,” said Hagan.

Sherry Wilder ’65 (golf), Aquinas’ first lady of golf, thanked her parents, the Aquinas faculty and those at the College who, she recalled, took a chance in the early 60s and gave her a scholarship to play on the men’s golf team.

“They made a very debatable, but courageous decision 40 years ago to give a woman a man’s scholarship. That was unheard of,” she said.

Those familiar with the competition in the mid-60s knew that Aquinas was sneered at by some opponents because of its decision to place a woman on a men’s golf team. And so she thanked her male teammates, some who were in attendance, for their unwavering support. “(They) were inclusive rather than exclusive, never petty, never jealous, never resentful….and the greatest compli-

ment I can give these guys–they were gentlemen.”

for his long time service to Aquinas.

Dennis Alexander ’67 who played some memorable basketball at Aquinas, summed up the feelings of many who were honored. “I love Aquinas; it’s not what I did for you, it’s what you did for me.”

Co-honoree, Patrick Quinn ’58, was honored as a leader in industry and in service to community and his church, as well as for his service as an Aquinas Trustee. He offered his first remarks about Dr. Clingman, his former history professor.

Tom Hofmann ’61 was honored for his baseball performance but also was recognized with Aquinas’ first Lifetime Achievement Award for his many contributions to athletics at all levels of play.

“Aquinas has always been here for all of us in this room and I think we all appreciate that.”

The Aquinas College Hall of Fame inducted the late Gertrude Horgan, English professor and founder of the Irish program. Sr. Rosemary O’Donnell, O.P., ’61, who had Horgan for a class during her education at Aquinas, remembered her as “teacher and, later, as a colleague.”

“She was an outstanding professor and really was very demanding. She had a tremendous background and brought some extremely significant experiences to the classroom.”

“(I had) many great professors, but Lew was about as good as it got. He was enthusiastic, he was great guy, he was very intelligent, very knowledgeable and made learning fun,” Quinn recalled.

Commenting about his own recognition, Quinn stated, “Thinking about the work as a board member, we’ve had a lot of challenges over the years but we’ve had a lot of great leadership. The great tradition of Aquinas continues and because of the efforts and commitments of President Harry Knopke, the faculty, cabinet, staff and students, Aquinas continues to be the premiere Catholic college in the Midwest.”

The 2006 Hall of Fame Gala will be held Friday, Sept. 29.

Mark your calendars and join us for Homecoming Weekend.

The late Lewis Clingman, Sr., Ph.D., a professor of history and a civic servant, was also honored

Lewis Clingman Sr.

Gertrude Horgan

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 27

Stella Ferris ‘88

CAMPUS NEWS

offered her the Board’s “deepest gratitude for her time, creative talent and support of her alma mater.” Bottrall is co-chair with Zagaroli and Jim Payne ’75 for the 2005-06 AQ Fund campaign.

CAMPUS NEWS

Diversity Compact West Michigan College/University Presidents Reaffirm Their Support Aquinas President Harry Knopke, who welcomed both the students and his peers from the other area institutions, told the audience that Aquinas is “very committed (to the Compact) and, from the standpoint of our institutions, is a place that not only welcomes diversity, but embraces it.”

President Knopke speaks to group of area college students as GVSU President Mark Murray (L) listens.

Photo courtesy of Courtney Newbauer, GVSU student.

The presidents gathered Oct. 25, 2005 to demonstrate their support for the Campus Diversity Compact, which they signed in March 2002. The occasion for this gathering was the first meeting of student leaders from eight of the region’s 15 colleges to discuss diversity issues.

Grand Valley State University President Mark Murray remarked that the “one thing in the community that brought us (college/university presidents) together is the urgency to make real-time progress in diversity.”

He encouraged the 32 students who were participating in the student diversity workshop to take advantage of what it offered.

“Step up as boldly and courageously as possible back on campus. Accept the opportunity to lead,” he said.

Aquinas Climbs in Rankings 2006 U.S. News & World Report Aquinas College has again improved its standing among “Top Tier Universities-Master’s” in the Midwest, according to the 2006 edition of the U.S. News & World Report (USN&WR) rankings released in August 2005. Each year, USN&WR issues an annual report summarizing information gleaned from surveys of the nation’s higher institutions.

In the 2006 edition, USN&WR ranks Aquinas second among “Best Value” universities/colleges offering master’s programs in the Midwest. Aquinas also moved up in the rankings among the “Top Tier Universities-

Master’s” in the Midwest. It was ranked 46th among 72 institutions listed for its category, an increase of two positions from its 48th place ranking for 2005.

“We’re pleased to have another external affirmation of the quality of an Aquinas College education,” noted Aquinas President Harry Knopke. “It is especially gratifying to be recognized as one of the top value colleges in the Midwest as we continue our focus to make Aquinas accessible and affordable to all qualified students.”

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 28

Receives $15,000 Grant from CVS Trust

CLC Executive Director (L) David Dvorak recieves ceremonial check for $15,000 from CVS Pharmacy during a ceremony at the Conductive Learning Center last December. (L-R): Dvorak, Mark Clarke, President of CLC Board; Tim O’Brien, CVS Pharmacy District Manager; and Janis Huffman, CVS Pharmacy Manager.

Aquinas College’s Conductive Learning Center (CLC) was the recipient of a $15,000 grant from the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust. The money, given last December, will be used to support the families of children who attend CLC. “We’ve had quite a bit of interest in our program this past year,” said CLC Executive Director David Dvorak, “and this grant will enable us to add more kids from our waiting list to the program.”

The attention came from a CBS news show, 60 Minutes II, which ran a story on Conductive Education in 2004. The program, he said, prompted calls from people all over the country.

“Grants from the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust are an effective way for us to give back to the communities where we do business,” said Eileen Howard Dunn, Vice President of the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust.

“We are proud to support the work that Conductive Learning Center does in the community to help young kids with motor challenges become more independent.”

The Conductive Learning Center began in 1998 and uses an intensive method of working with motoric-challenged children called conductive education. Conductive education assumes that

movement and coordination can be learned.

Specific class activities are used to help the brain create alternate paths to send messages to muscle groups to create the desired movement.

The CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust’s grant to the Conductive Learning Center is part of its more than $1 million in grants to more than 30 non-profit organizations in 15 states.

Grants were awarded to organizations involved in children’s health and education issues, with a particular focus on initiatives to improve the lives of children with disabilities and programs that promote awareness and inclusion of children with disabilities.

The Conductive Learning Center provides opportunities for preschool and school-age children with motor challenges–like cerebral palsy and spina bifida–to achieve optimal physical, cognitive and social independence through the application and promotion of conductive education principles.

The International Peto Institute in Budapest, Hungary, began the conductive education method in the 1950s. The CLC operates in collaboration with the Peto Institute and Aquinas College.

The presentation preceded the annual holiday children’s play attended by parents, family members, friends and board members.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 29

CAMPUS NEWS

Conductive Learning Center

CAMPUS NEWS

WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE

SEAMUS HEANEY WILL VISIT AQ For nine years, the Contemporary Writers Series (CWS) at Aquinas College has brought over 30 prestigious poets and writers to campus to read their work and interact with students, faculty and the West Michigan community.

Seamus Heaney

That legacy will be enhanced on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 when Seamus Heaney, acclaimed Irish poet and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, comes to Aquinas during a limited American reading tour.

Heaney will be appearing at only ten venues nationwide, so his reading at Aquinas will be a rare opportunity to see and hear a literary master.

This singular event is made possible through a generous grant from Deborah Meijer and the Rimbaud Fund, a donor-advised fund that she established with the Grand Rapids Community Foundation.

This isn’t the first time that Meijer has partnered with the Contemporary Writers Series. In April 2004 she was instrumental in bringing novelist Michael Ondaatje, author of The English Patient, to Aquinas.

Her love of great writing was instilled while she was an English literature major at University of Michigan; she graduated with honors and later also received a bachelor’s degree in French. This dual interest in literature and the French language is reflected in the Rimbaud Fund, which is named after the 19th-century French Symbolist poet.

“It’s a privilege to be involved and I’m very honored to help Aquinas bring such a worldrenowned literary figure to read for its Contemporary Writers Series,” Meijer said.

And, indeed, Heaney is one of the most significant writers in the world. Born in Northern Ireland in 1939, Heaney writes poetry that is remarkable for its clarity, craft, exuberance and metaphorical intensity. He is often hailed as the most important Irish poet since W. B. Yeats. His books of poetry, criticism and translations include Door into the Dark, North, Field Work, Sweeney Astray, and Station Island. He has received numerous awards for his work including the ultimate accolade—the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995.

Seamus Heaney’s reading will conclude the 200506 season, which featured such noted writers as Betsy Sholl, Dinty Moore and Stuart Dybek. Sven Birkerts is scheduled to do a reading on Thursday, April 20.

With such literary luminaries coming to Aquinas, Deborah Meijer hopes that others will join her as a Friend of the Contemporary Writers Series.

For more information about the Friends, contact Bill Weitzel, Director of Planned Giving (616) 632-2820. For general information about Seamus Heaney’s reading, contact the CWS director, Pamela Luebke at (616) 632-2127.

This event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited–first come, first served. All readings take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Wege Student Center Ballroom at Aquinas College.

Because of her friendship with English professor Vicki McMillan and CSW founder Linda Nemec Foster ’72, Meijer said it was a natural choice to approach the College to host the Heaney reading.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 30

By Stephan Davis, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Theology

Sr. Barbara E. Reid, O.P., Ph.D.

Sr. Barbara E. Reid, O.P., Ph.D., thinks some “ways of making meaning of Jesus’ violent death are related to cycles of violence and victimization in our day, especially toward women.” Dr. Reid, a biblical scholar and Aquinas alumna (B.A. 1975, M.A. 1980), returned to her alma mater to deliver the second annual St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture on the Catholic Intellectual Tradition on October 10.

“Some formulations,” she said, “feed cycles of violence, while others have greater potential for helping to break these cycles.”

Reid discussed feminist theologians’ criticism of the imagery used to describe Jesus’ death, the plight of suffering women in Latin America, and the Fourth Gospel’s portrayal of Jesus as Friend.

Feminist theologians criticize those elements of Christian

belief that deny women their self-determination and full equality with males. As Reid noted, feminists contend that “abuse of women and other victimized persons is intimately related to Christian theologies of the cross.” For example, one feminist argues that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” can justify child abuse.

Reid’s experience among Latin American women confirms the feminist critique. One woman expressed to her this frustration: “Our faith did not help us change anything; we believed that God had decided that it should be so. All the suffering we endured we accepted as our way of carrying the cross.”

The heart of Reid’s talk was her interpretation of the Fourth Gospel’s Jesus, the Friend who lays down his life for his friends.

The raising of Lazarus, unique

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 31

to John, shows Jesus as the friend who loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus and “wept” when he heard that Lazarus had died (11:3, 35). Jesus’ disciples, in an act of protective friendship, did not want Jesus to go to Lazarus (11:11). Jesus’ reply, according to Reid, leads “the way for his disciples to overcome what is the greatest sin for friends: the temptation to break their solidarity at the moment of greatest need, because it poses mortal danger.” The disciples learn the lesson, not abandoning Jesus when he is arrested (18:1-14).

Another story unique to the Fourth Gospel is Jesus’ washing of his disciples’ feet (John 13).

Jesus’ action suggests neither inequality nor obligation.

“Rather, the service which Jesus enacts is that of free self-gift of a friend for his friends.”

Christ’s redemption is expressed in the Bible in various images, not only sacrifice. Sr. Barbara Reid continues the tradition of Christian thinkers identifying new ways of portraying Christ’s atoning work.

Reid is a professor of New Testament Studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

CAMPUS NEWS

AQ Alumna Parallels Jesus’ Death – Present Day Violence/Victimization

CAMPUS NEWS

Acclaimed Artist

Faith Ringgold Visits Aquinas

By Laura Bennett-Kimble ’95

Her work includes paintings of American flags with social messages embedded in the stripes and stars and story quilts including “Change 2: Faith Ringgold’s Over 100 Pound Weight Loss.” This and other pieces were displayed on campus when she visited as part of the Jane Hibbard Idema Women’s Studies Center Lecture Series.

Artist Faith Ringgold took time to talk with many of those who came to hear her speak at Aquinas College.

With a wry, warm sense of humor that reflects her work, internationally renowned artist Faith Ringgold presented a lecture at Aquinas last October. Opening with a story about women who could fly and men who wanted their wings, she deftly drew her audience into her world of magical possibility and practical reality.

“I’m influenced by everything and everyone I encounter, so I’m constantly inspired,” she said.

“But not inspired to not be who I am. I bring who I am with me wherever I go.”

The colorful, socially conscious art of Ringgold, who has received numerous awards and honorary doctorates, is in places as diverse as the Museum of Modern Art and Denzel Washington’s home. Since 1980, the well-traveled Ringgold has created 200 story quilts and, since 1991, she has published several children’s books and an autobiography.

International Author

Makes Appearance at Aq Through a grant provided by the Nokomis Foundation, the West Michigan Women’s Studies Council brought internationally famous author Margaret Atwood to Grand Rapids on October 6.

Author of more than sixty books and winner of numerous awards, including the Booker Prize, Atwood has published poetry, short fiction, novels, essays, literary criticism, children’s books, radio drama and screenplay.

Author Margaret Atwood

Comprised of faculty members from six local colleges and universities, including Aquinas professors Dr. Rebecca Coogan, Dr. Susan HaworthHoeppner, and Dr. Michelle DeRose, the Council selected Aquinas to host Atwood’s afternoon question-and-answer session with students because, of all the associated colleges, only Aquinas has offered a course on Margaret Atwood–Dr. Jennifer Dawson’s Atwood seminar taught in the fall of 2004.

Atwood speaks to those gathered in the Wege Ballroom for her October lecture.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 32

As a result of Yamazaki’s interest and the growing demand for information on TPS, Aquinas is offering a TPS course, Lean Enterprise System, beginning in the fourth quadmester. It will be taught by an adjunct instructor, George Mason of Herman Miller, an experienced Herman Miller Production System instructor. HMPS is based on TPS. The main emphasis of the course is to learn and understand the mind-set of TPS. Undoubtedly, the turning point between the success and the failure of TPS implementation is the absolute presence of the mind-set of TPS among employees.

Ted Larned, Herman Miller Production System (HMPS) team member, leads one of the seminar’s afternoon workshop sessions.

The Toyota Production System (TPS) is regarded by many in all types of businesses as “the” model for improving all aspects of their operations.

Aquinas has taken the lead in helping businesspeople learn more about what TPS is all about and how it can help them. In late October 2005, about two dozen of them attended a valuable TPS seminar at the College, designed to help them more fully understand the benefits if TPS is successfully implemented for business operations. The benefits become endless through a continuous effort of each employee. The known benefits are 1) consumer satisfaction, 2) worker satisfaction, 3) productivity improvement, 4) product quality improvement, 5) waste reduction, 6) inventory reduction and 7) profit increase.

Participants take part in a traditional tea ceremony.

“Therefore, it is extremely essential for business organizations, either manufacturing or non-manufacturing, to closely pay attention to TPS in order to be competitive in the market in order to stay in business for many years,” says Masato Yamazaki, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics and coordinator for the TPS seminar.

Yamazaki was assisted in presenting the seminar by representatives of companies which have already instituted TPS into their operations, including several presenters from Herman Miller and Gentex, both based in Zeeland, Michigan.

Area business people learn how TPS can help their businesses.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ SPRING 2006 33

CAMPUS NEWS

TPS

Lean Business Operating Methods to Be Taught at Aquinas College

CAMPUS NEWS

FIRST ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING A SUCCESS

Circle Theatre Schedule OLIVER! Musical by Lionel Bart May 11-13, 17-21, 24-27

DUCK HUNTER SHOOTS ANGEL Comedy by Mitch Albom June 8-10, 14-18, 21-24

MOBY DICK Though the rain fell heavily and soaked attendees to the bone, that didn’t dampen the spirits of Aquinas College students, staff, faculty and friends at the first annual Christmas Tree Lighting event on November 28, at the Cook Carriage House.

Attendees crouched under umbrellas together, while protecting the flames of lit candles that flickered in the rain. Terry Marshall, Campus Ministry Liturgist, lead the group in prayer and blessing of the tree, while Mary Harwood and Nina Croll of the Music Club led the group in Christmas Carols. “Let It Snow” was equally a celebration of song and a plea for traditional winter weather.

A special thank you was extended to the family of Aquinas alumni Andy Oetman ’05, who was responsible for the choosing, delivery and setup of the grand tree before the Cook Carriage House. The tree was decorated for the event by the student senate cabinet, senate advisor Dave Weinandy, and Leisa Keenan from the Maintenance Department. This year marks the second year for this event, which was implemented by the Student Senate Cabinet in November 2004.

Musical comedy by Robert Longden & Hereward Kaye July 20-22, 26-30 Aug. 2-5

THE BOYS NEXT DOOR Comedy by Tom Griffin Aug. 17-19, 23-27, 30 Sept. 2

THE FULL MONTY Book by Terrence McNally Music & Lyrics by David Yazbek Sept. 14-16, 20-24, 27-30

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 34

MARCH

April

MAY

1-31......Aquinas Art Exhibit

4...........Aquinas College Lecture Series

6...........Baccalaureate Mass

AMC Gallery Annual Juried Art Exhibit, Free Gallery closed March 4-12

12:30-1:20 p.m. Wege Student Center Ballroom, Free.“‘Spit in the Ocean’ as Analog to Character Dynamics in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire.”’

Dan Brooks, Ph.D.

17.........AQ Day, Fine Arts All day, 8:15 a.m.

For high school juniors, seniors and their families. For information, visit aquinas.edu/admissions. Free

10:00 a.m. St. Roberts of Newminster Church 6477 Ada Drive S.E.

Commencement 2:00 p.m. Aquinas Field House, 1580 East Fulton.

7, 8 & 9...Aquinas College Theatre Program

18.........Ireland Party 8 p.m.-midnight Cook Carriage House No admission charge. Cash bar Questions? Call (616) 632-2494

22.........JHIWSC Presentation 7:00 p.m. Moose Café, Aquinas Cook Carriage House, Free Aquinas Faculty Tandem Poetry Reading Original works pertaining to women’s issues Michaeleen Kelly, Ph.D., Vicki McMillan, Pamela Waterbury Winners of the Women’s History Month Creative Writing Contest will read their works.

23.........Campus Ministry Lunchtime Lecture Series 12:30-1:20 p.m. Wege Student Center, Loutit Room, Free “The Dry Times: When Nothing Happens in Prayer” Michael Fonseca, Spiritual Director, Author and National Speaker on Spirituality

25.........JHIWSC Presentation

7 and 2 p.m. (8, 9) Aquinas College Performing Arts Center “An Actor’s Nightmare” and “The Funeral Parlor” by Christopher Durang. $10 general admissions $8 faculty/staff and $4 students For tickets, call (616) 456-6656

9...........Reception for Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibit 9-5/6 ....Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibit AMC, Free

The Wege Foundation and Aquinas College Tenth Annual Lecture 4:00 p.m. Performing Arts Center, Free.

James Gustave Speth, Dean, School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Yale University

28.........Aquinas College Lecture Series

6:00 p.m. Aquinas Field House $150 per person Honoring Dick and Barbara Young For information or reservations, call (616) 632-2430

24-26....Haiti Garage Sale 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Gate House, 1605 Robinson Road, S.E. Sponsored by Aquinas Campus Ministry call (616) 632-2488

June 5...........Alumni Golf Outing Thousand Oaks Golf Course Grand Rapids

14-17....AMC Gallery Closed 20.........Contemporary Writers Series

18-23....Summer Jazz Camp Art & Music Center (616) 632-2416 or brewepau@aquinas.edu

7:30 p.m. Wege Student Center Loutit Room, Free Sven Birkerts, author

27.........Evening of Elegance

Details to be announced.

17.........Aquinas Emeritus Evening

11.........Wege Foundation Speaker Series

All day, 8:15 a.m.

For high school juniors, seniors and their families. For information, visit aquinas.edu/admissions. Free

27.........Political Science Reunion

7:30 p.m. Wege Student Center Ballroom. Free Seamus Heaney, Nobel Prize for Literature

2:00-4:00 p.m. AMC, Free

21.........AQ Day

9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Wege Student Center Ballroom, Free Resourceful Women Conference To register for lunch, call (616) 632-2845

10.........Contemporary Writers Series

6:30 p.m. Home of Roger and Kathleen Schiefler, $175 per person 350 Plymouth Road, S.E. For information, call (616) 632-2805

12:30-1:20 p.m.

Wege Student Center Ballroom, Free Women Composers Aquinas Music Department Faculty

JULY 25-8/3

Summer Science Program For grades 4-6 (2006-2007 school year) 1- 5 p.m. School of Education call (616) 632-2446

AUGUST 17.........Freshmen Orientation 21.........Classes Begin

September 29.........Homecoming Weekend Kickoff

28.........JHIWSC Presentation 7:00 p.m.

Wege Student Center Ballroom, Free Women Entrepreneurs: Their Green Side Janine Benyus, author of Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature

6:30 p.m. Wege Student Center Ballroom Hall of Fame Gala Reunions for the classes of: 1956, 1966, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1996

30-10/1..Homecoming Weekend Events Information to be mailed late summer

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 35

CAMPUS NEWS

2006 Spring Calendar of Events

ALUMNI NEWS

Letter from the

Alumni Director Dear Saints, I attended a conference in Boston, Mass. that focused on Alumni Relations. The executive director of Rice University’s Alumni Association, Mark Delos Reyes Davis, shared a quote taken from the Inaugural Speech of the president of Rice University, Edgar Lovett in 1907, which I feel speaks to Aquinas today. It read: “Be Proud, and continue the work that has begun…”

“Be Proud” There are so many things to be proud about Aquinas College. From academics and the education presented, to the traditions and history preserved, your Aquinas experience will always be a source of pride.

“continue the work that has begun...”

Here at Aquinas, we’ve been committed to the work started by the Dominican Sisters back in 1886.

The work began from the Dominican Chancellors of the Catholic Junior College, to our past presidents, Monsignor Arthur F. Bukowski, Dr. Peter O’Connor, Dr. Norbert Hruby, R. Paul Nelson, and most recently, with Dr. Harry Knopke. Additionally, this work today includes the successful lives and careers made by over 17,000 AQ alumni around the world. It is through their collective work, along with the exceptional education and support of the faculty, the hard work of the staff and the dedication of our board of trustees, that we the alumni, the Saints and Tommies of Aquinas, can continue to build the pride of this school.

Being proud of Aquinas College is easy, especially with so much that is happening at the institution.

From the largest freshman class last year (400), to building a new library on campus, Aquinas is very much alive and growing. There are some collective suggestions on “How to love Aquinas” on page 64 that can help you spread your love of Aquinas College. If you have any other ways to love Aquinas, please send them to the Alumni office at alumni@aquinas.edu.

While we look forward to the future of Aquinas College, we will also take the time say thank you to Dr. Knopke and his family for their contributions to the College, and for taking Aquinas to many new heights.

We are a college positioned for growth, and you the alumni have helped secure the path. We are very proud, and we will continue to do the work that has begun.

Proudly, an AQ Alum~ René Palileo ’98, Director Alumni & Parent Relations Aquinas College (616) 632-2494 alumni@aquinas.edu

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 36

Homecoming 2005 Homecoming 2005 was a groundbreaking affair, in a manner of speaking. Ground was broken officially on the College's new Grace Hauenstein Library on September 23. Alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the College welcome the start of this new resource facility on campus.

Hall of Fame gala honoring 11 outstanding alumni and friends of the College who have raised the bar for what being a true “Aquinas Saint” really is. Remarks by those who attended set the stage for a weekend full of remembering, honoring, thanking and praising Aquinas College. (see pages 26-27)

The official start of Homecoming 2005 was Friday night with the

Festivities continued with activities that included the Men’s and

Women’s varsity soccer games, entertainment with the main stage tent and the auxiliary alumni spirit tent by the soccer fields. Campus organizations provided food booths, student activities and even a Shakespearian Impromptu Roast.

The College also re-installed class reunions, honoring the classes of 1955-56, 1965, 1980 and 1995!

ALUMNI NEWS

Class of 1954 and 1955 Reunions Homecoming and Reunion Weekend (Sept. 23-25, 2005) brought to campus many of our graduates from the classes of 1954 and 1955. An evening celebration also featured an original 16mm movie segment taken at the 1954 graduation celebration. The classes also made their class gift to Dr. Knopke and received their 50th anniversary medallion and a class reunion booklet with information about their classmates.

Class of

1954 Left to right: Jack Sawinski, Joan (Quinn) Sawinski, Mary Lou (Rabidoux) Greenhoe, Philip O’Connell, Joan (Bott) McGavin, Barbara (Miles) Lems, Marguerite (Wickering) Hamilton, Bonnie (Giffel) Master, Louise (Gazella) Sweet, Madeline (Fettig) Hallacy, Fred Ewald M.D., Gerald Liesen M.D., and College President Harry Knopke.

Class of

1955

Back row: Otto Sonefeld, Ken Kelly, Bob Ziolkowski, George Barnes, Pete Erhardt, College President Harry Knopke Front row: Roy Crete, Jane (McCarthy) Rossi, Mary (Stack) Stepanovich, Judy (Nahs) Markee, Mary Ann (Seward) Niedzielski, Sr. Carmella Conway (Rita Rose), Mary (Schnur) Eddington, Deacon Richard Radecki

Detroit Alumni Reception Christmas cheer filled the air at the Detroit Alumni Reception held at the Plante & Moran offices in Southfield. The after-work reception was sponsored

by Gary Johnson ’86, Jerry Gumbleton ’75 and Michael Smith ’76. The featured guests were Sr. Alice Wittenbach, O.P., Ph.D. and Sr. Aquinas Weber, O.P., ’58 Chancellor Emerita.

Dr. Harry Knopke welcomes the guests at the 2005 Detroit Area Alumni Reception.

Golden Saints Brunch Homecoming and Reunion Weekend (Sept. 23-25, 2005) is complete with the induction of the newest “Golden Saints” from the class of 1954 and 1955.

Roy ‘51 and Helen Kluting ‘51 Emerson with Sr. Rosemary O’Donnell, O.P., ‘61

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 38

Dr. Laurence Jakubowski Promoted

Burns ’63

to Colonel in U.S. Army

His father, a World War II veteran, pinned his right shoulder; his mother, the left.

John is one of 11 children and was raised in Flint.

John Jakubowski ’81 poses with his parents, Stephen and Eileen, after the private pinning ceremony.

Dr. Laurence Burns ’63 is one of 11 Burns’ children from a farm in Carson City to attend Aquinas College.

“Anything that makes him feel like his sacrifice was worth it is the least I can do,” commented John Jakubowski about his father on the occasion of his private pinning ceremony as colonel in the U.S. Army last September.

He was honored in an August 21, 2005 Grand Rapids Press profile titled “A Passion For Life.”

After receiving his degree in medicine, Dr. Burns returned to Grand Rapids to work at Saint Mary’s Hospital, where he became the first obstetrician for the Clinica Santa Maria.

Larry is married to Marion Dougherty Burns ’65.

They have six children and their son Sean ’96 is married to Kristie Keller Burns ’95.

John, a 1981 alum of Aquinas, came to Grand Rapids in September from his home in the East to celebrate this occasion with his parents, Stephen and Eileen, who, at the time, were both confined to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, both suffering the effects of terminal cancer.

He commended his parents for serving “as role models for this family. They set the example for the rest of the community about what a family is and why it’s important.”

The official promotion ceremony took place in Washington, D.C. in October 2005.

John, who lives in Williamsburg, Virginia, is a lawyer for a Department of Defense agency and serves as judge advocate general in the U.S. Army Reserves.

John’s father, Stephen, died in November, just two months after the private pinning ceremony.

This celebration enabled John’s parents to rejoice with pride at his

Integrated Enrollment Plan Update In fall 2004, Aquinas launched a plan to boost undergraduate enrollment for entering freshmen by 150 students over four years. In the first year of the plan, entering freshmen for fall 2005 grew by more than 50 students, to a first year total of 400 freshmen–the largest in the history of the College.

Aquinas College applications for admission for traditional undergraduate freshmen continue to come in at record levels for enrollment in fall 2006. In mid-January, applications for incoming freshmen were already nearly 15 percent ahead of last year’s record pace.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ SPRING 2006 39

ALUMNI NEWS

accomplishments and, together, they pinned the eagle insignias to his uniform.

ALUMNI NEWS

Alumni Golf Outing 2006 June 5, 2006 Thousand Oaks Golf Course

4100 Thousand Oaks Drive Grand Rapids, Michigan

Alumni Upcoming Events March 18

May 20

Ireland Reunion & St. Patrick’s Day Party

Chicago Summer alumni bus trip

Cook Carriage House

June 5

March 24

Alumni Golf Outing

Alumni Breakfast

Thousand Oaks Golf Course

Wege Ballroom

September 29

May 6

Hall of Fame Gala

2006 Commencement

Wege Ballroom

May 10

September 29-October 1

Seamus Heaney Lecture

Homecoming 2006 Weekend

Performing Arts Center

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September 30 Class Reunions 1996, 1986, 1981, 1976, 1966 1956/57 and Golden Saints AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 40

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Student Ambassadors

By Tonya Schafer ‘02, Contributing Writer

STUDENT NEWS

ers when speakers come to campus, and take part in fund-raising activities–all while maintaining the academic, athletic and extracurricular excellence that made them Student Ambassadors in the first place.

Ambassador Lindsay Iwan pictured at Etiquette Training

They’re a familiar sight at campus events–the business-attired students whose friendly smiles and extended hands welcome visitors to Aquinas College.

These members of the Student Ambassador program play an important role–they’re the faces and voices of the school, representing its culture, values and academic prowess to trustees, community members and, most importantly, prospective students and their parents.

Student Ambassadors do this by serving as the College’s unofficial “welcoming committee” for major events. They greet prominent community members during black-tie affairs like Reflection and Evening of Elegance. They also mingle with peers by giving tours to prospective students and helping with recruiting efforts like Club AQ and the Spectrum Scholarship competition.

In addition, Ambassadors offer help in the President’s and Admissions offices, serve as ush-

“We’re so proud of these kids; they’re just amazing,” says cocoordinator Monica Edison, who notes that the program is as good for the students as it is for the College. “Aquinas gets the chance to showcase its best and brightest students, while the Ambassadors get a chance to establish relationships with the community. It’s a win-win situation.”

Prospective student ambassadors undergo extensive review before becoming part of the program. Nominations come from faculty, staff or current Ambassadors; information sessions, applications and interviews follow. Once chosen, Ambassadors take part in a twoday training seminar and hone their social skills through an etiquette dinner.

The Student Ambassador program stems from a similar group Aquinas President Harry Knopke worked with at the University of Alabama. After arriving in Grand Rapids in 1997, “I knew it was an organization that would help Aquinas College,” Knopke says.

The Ambassadors have become so respected that the community is eager to give back to them as well. Last year, A.K. Rikk’s, a men’s clothing store in Grand Rapids, provided male Ambassadors with high-quality suits, shirts and ties at a reduced rate.

That’s not surprising. Not only has the Ambassador program made an impression among the community, “it’s become a point of pride among the students as well,” Knopke says. “There’s a history of it now on campus, and older Ambassadors are serving as mentors to younger students. In the few years the program has been in place, it’s become an integral part of the College.”

Participants agree that the program, which keeps them busy with an array of social, professional and volunteer experiences, rounds out their college careers. Senior Paul Bee, a two-year Ambassador, says that contact with business leaders might help him find a job after school.

“It opens the door to internships and it’s great for networking,” Bee says. “But in the end, it’s great to know that I’m helping the community.”

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 42

Cindy Brown ’84 (center) guides Student Ambassadors through Etiquette Training

Michigan Governor Urges Students to Pursue Math/Science Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm had a message for area college students during a visit to Smiths Aerospace, a Grand Rapids high tech defense contractor, last December: “pursue math and science and get some applied learning.”

One Aquinas student, sophomore India Saunders, told a news reporter that she’s interested in studying robotic engineering in graduate school.

Only a week earlier, the governor had signed a $2 billion 21st Century Jobs Fund that was established to help specific areas of the state’s economy–life sciences, advanced manufacturing, alternative energy and homeland security. The fund was designed to help create new high tech jobs.

STUDENT NEWS

A group of five Aquinas students joined their peers from other area colleges for a tour of Smiths Aerospace.

Pictured at Smiths Aerospace are (from left) Jessica Bonner, Amanda Shuman, David Ophoff, Governor Granholm, Tim Ramsay and India Saunders.

AQ Student from Sudan Gets Congressional Internship “I believe in children fortification because many children go through homelessness, malnutrition or die each year without any form of representation by children’s interest groups from the United States, Africa or Asia,” he said. “Prosperous countries such as the United States should be encouraged to prioritize the need for children in the Third World countries.”

U.S. Sen. Levin pictured with (L) Adier Deng and (R) Frances Kabat

For Adier Deng, an Aquinas junior from Sudan, the opportunity to do an internship with a United States senator was one of his best experiences ever.

Deng served in the Washington, D.C. office of U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich), last summer. Among his duties were drafting correspondence, attending hearings and briefings, preparing memos, guiding tours inside Capitol Hill and providing administrative support to the senator’s staff.

Deng’s interest in going to Washington extended beyond the opportunity to observe the issues faced

by Congress on a daily basis and learn about the legislative process, but, in particular, to learn more about government policies as they relate to children. Deng has a special interest in this area stemming from his own experiences as a child victim in a third world country.

Deng had the chance during his internship to learn how he could impact government policy, especially as it relates to helping children worldwide.

“While working and researching child care policies for six weeks,” he said, “I managed to create a basic program for a children’s foundation, which will help to address the needs for children in Africa, especially those in the Sudan.”

“Internships in the offices of U.S. lawmakers are not unusual, but very difficult to acquire, as there are so many vying for those opportunities,” noted Roger Durham, political science department chair. “Deng is the second intern from Aquinas in 2005 to have served in the office of a Michigan U.S. Senator.

That’s a remarkable achievement for one college.”

Last year, current senior Frances Kabat did internships in the offices of both U.S. senators from Michigan, Carl Levin (D) and Debbie Stabenow (D).

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ SPRING 2006 43

STUDENT NEWS

AQ Students Attend 20th Annual World Youth Day Last August, more than one and a half million people from 160 nations gathered outside of Cologne, Germany, for the twentieth World Youth Day (WYD).

It was the first opportunity for Pope Benedict XVI to talk directly with young people from around the world since becoming pope following the death in April 2005 of Pope John Paul II, who started WYD in 1985.

The purpose of World Youth Day is threefold: 1) putting trust in the young–as a strong reminder of the strength and confidence the young bring to the Church today; 2) gathering together–a calling for the world’s youth to come together as one people; and 3) meeting the international world on a human level–to exchange with others and to be a part of an international experience.

Among the estimated 24,000 young people from around the

United States were Aquinas students Nic Hawley and Joyce Lewis. Hawley recalled his experiences:

Watching Pope Benedict XVI arrive on the River Rhine was a glorious spectacle as numerous pilgrims chanted “Benidictto.”

This pilgrimage was a wonderful experience. Having ventured to Toronto for World Youth Day in 2002 with Pope John Paul II, I was looking forward to improving, as well as sharing, my faith with other Catholics in the presence of Pope Benedict XVI.

The last portion of World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne was the Saturday Night Vigil and Closing Mass on Sunday.

Crowd welcomes Pope Benedict XVI

Overall, the pilgrimage to Cologne, Germany for World Youth Day 2005 was a wonderful and insightful experience filled with many blessings.

The pilgrimage was separated into two phases.The actual World Youth Day in Cologne was the second phase, while the first was “Days in the Dioceses” across Germany.

The small village of Diez, Germany was where I spent “Days of the Dioceses” with approximately forty other pilgrims from the Grand Rapids Diocese. Besides growing accustomed to the German culture during our five days in Diez, we were engaged in activities with members of the parish in Diez.

Some of these included building a stag beetle castle in the woods near by, singing at an adult care home, canoeing, painting/sculpting, and other various activities representing the culture.

Aerial View of Marienfeld

Both of these were remarkable experiences.

The town of Solingen, Germany was where we spent the second part of the pilgrimage.

Here we traveled to Cologne, Bonn, and Dusseldorf as we were embraced with other pilgrims from around the world sharing and expressing our love of Jesus Christ.

We were engaged in spiritual activities such as an Opening Mass, Way of the Cross, and Adoration of the Eucharist with various Cardinals of the Catholic Church.

Also, we made a visit to the Cathedral of the Magi in Cologne.

At the end of his historic visit to Marienfeld near Cologne, Pope Benedict XVI challenged his young audience on several fronts that included encouraging them to attend Mass regularly on Sundays, “it gives you a proper focus for your free time.”

Student

Notes…

AQ Senior Jennifer Coulon, a history major, spent part of her summer last year in New York City as a Fellowship scholar.

Coulon was awarded the scholarship to the Gilder Lerhman Institute as part of the Gilder Lehrman History Scholars Program. Forty fellows are chosen annually from approximately 700 applicants. The History Scholars, more than 300 undergraduate students representing 186 colleges and universities across the United States, received stipends to go to New York City for one week in the summer to engage in academic research and learning at the Institute under the guidance of leading historians.

Nic Hawley at Marienfeld, Germany

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 44

Katrina Clean-Up: In Service to Others

By Bryan Esler, assistant editor of the Saint

We all saw it on TV–the winds and water of Hurricane Katrina crashing into parts of Louisiana and Mississippi, destroying homes, memories and lives.

I especially remember one older woman who came with her friends.

She had lost quite a bit, but when we finished picking out items for her, she handed me a package of stationery. It had some artwork on it. She was a local artist who had painted landmarks of the Mississippi area. They looked amazing. Then, she told me that they were gone, washed away in the storm, making these drawings even more special.

The idea for the trip came from sophomore Patrick Howard.

“I felt a desire to do something to help,” he said. “So when I came back to Aquinas (from Labor Day weekend), I talked to a few friends and we started organizing it.”

I helped her carry items out to her car. She had lost everything–her house, her clothes, her memories. It was an experience I’ll never forget.

Our group teamed with volunteers from two community churches, Holy Redeemer Parish in Jenison and Jamestown Reformed Church in Ottawa County.

We all had similar experiences– whether it was finding old childhood toys while “gutting” a house or getting a kiss from a German lady every time she saw you.

We left on Oct. 14 and arrived in Gulfport the following afternoon at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, where we would stay for the next week. With us came a semi-truck load of supplies. After arriving, we unloaded the truck and settled in.

“It was so great to go down there and help such heartwarming people,” said sophomore Mai Pham. “They were so appreciative and couldn’t thank us enough for our time. It was uplifting to see everyone’s high spirits after such devastation.”

The next day, we set out on a brief tour of the area to view the devastation and talk about what we would be doing. We made our way to the Long Beach coast where the extent of the devastation was readily apparent. Houses were ripped apart, cars were covered by trees which had been uprooted in the fierce winds and people were trying to pick up what was left of their lives.

It was sad to leave the residents of Mississippi. At the final church service before we left, the residents of the town came up to us, hugging us and thanking us for what we had done during the week. We knew they had appreciated every minute of it.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget what I saw and experienced that week. I think that we got out of it just as much as the residents of Mississippi.

They got the help they needed, and we got to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

And just when I thought the experience of helping others couldn’t get any better, there were the people I worked with. Not only did the Aquinas students grow closer, but we came to know the other volunteers better, as well, and not necessarily by name alone, but by what they had accomplished during the week.

“The community of the group was overwhelming,” said Bishop. “By the end of the trip, everyone felt so close.” And there’s no better way for me to describe it.

Incredibly, some of the victims weren’t even helping themselves.

Like us, they were helping, too, volunteering to help get others back on their feet.

“It was amazing to see people whose own homes were destroyed, and yet they were right out there with us helping others,” said sophomore Lauren Wasco.

And that was just the beginning.

Along the coast itself, we saw gates and sidewalks leading up to houses that were no longer there. Piers that once jutted out into the Gulf of Mexico had been washed away and trees were lying everywhere.

And now, it was our turn to get down to business. Our teams set out to work on several projects in different areas–ranging from roofing and housing demolition to tree and nature clean-ups. And after just half a day, we were all exhausted.

Front Row: Mai Pham, Tarin Foster, and Tiffany Buway. Middle Row: Amanda Leitz, Kristine Herrington, Paul Zimmerman, Patrick Howard, Joey Bishop, Lauren Wasco, Bryan Esler, and Yoko Mitsumochi.

I think it’s fair to say that when we left Oct. 21, we were all glad to be going back to the comforts of our homes or dorm rooms. Having said that, however, I think everyone would agree that we could never have imagined coming away from such devastation with such a positive feeling.

“There were so many things to learn and so many experiences,” said sophomore Joey Bishop. “The trip went by so fast but will be remembered forever.”

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 45

Sophomore Mai Pham, junior Yoko Mitsumochi, and senior Amanda Leitz take a break from housing work.

Photo by Patrick Howard

STUDENT NEWS

During fall break (Oct. 17-21), a group of nine Aquinas students, including myself, and two faculty members decided to do something about it. We traveled more than 1,000 miles by bus to Gulfport, Mississippi to spend time helping the Gulf Coast hurricane victims.

An experience like this creates lasting memories. The most memorable ones, perhaps, are those with some of the victims who had come to the distribution center that had been established at the church.

AQ Students take

“I have A Dream” Trip

STUDENT NEWS

A group of five Aquinas students and their advisors traveled to Atlanta, Georgia over fall break (Oct. 1620) to broaden their understanding of civic responsibility and as part of activity planning for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day activities at the College.

The students, Shavonne Ri'Chard (sophomore), Justin Jones (freshman), Jameela Scales (junior), Megan Ritzema (freshman) and Tannis Smith (sophomore) were joined by advisors Stacey Jackson, director of Aquinas’ Multicultural Affairs and Jen Stephens, graduate intern from Grand Valley State University.

The students visited many places and explored various historical locations, including the Atlanta History Center, Underground Atlanta, CNN Studios and Coco-Cola World. An entire day was devoted to visiting the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic site,

his birth place, Dr. King’s tomb, the Ebenezer Baptist church where King preached and attended in his childhood and the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame. Following each day’s journey, the students took time for some structured reflection about what they had learned.

Members of the group later were involved in planning activities for MLK Jr. Day in mid-January that included a Blood Drive, a Cake Celebration and the MLK Spring Street Fair to be held on campus in April.

This trip was sponsored in part by a grant from the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund through the Michigan Colleges Foundation. Thanks to the refunding of this grant, the Aquinas College Multicultural Affairs department will look to host this trip again for Aquinas students in the fall of 2006.

Reflecting pool at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site

King’s tomb at the Historic Site

Aquinas students and advisors visited the National Monument in Atlanta dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr. They are (l-r, back row): Justin Jones, Shavonne Ri'Chard, Tannis Smith, Jameela Scales (Front row, l-r): Stacey Jackson and Megan Ritzema Photo Courtesy of Jen Stephens, GVSU Student

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 46

AQ Model United Nations – 2005

By Roger Durham, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science and Adviser for the AQ Model U.N. Program

More than 1,300 students from 100 different colleges and universities worldwide gathered for the American Model United Conference held at the Chicago Sheraton November 19-22.

This year, AQ students roleplayed delegates from Belarus, Chile, Finland and United Republic of Tanzania. Students engaged in significant diplomatic processes, attempting to solve important international issues.

Once again, our students were recognized for their outstanding performance.

Jessica Skwir and Kelly Dittmar were awarded Outstanding Delegates: ECOSOC Commission on the Status of Women. Skwir and Dittmar represented the United Republic of Tanzania dealing with the issues of: • The role of men and boys in achieving gender equality • Eradicating poverty, through the empowerment of women throughout their life cycle in a globalizing world The American Model United Nations distributes only 12 awards. By receiving this award, Aquinas students have again been recognized as most outstanding. Over the last four

2005 AQ Model United Nations Team pose in front of Holmdene before leaving for Chicago.

years, AQ students have won 16 awards of Outstanding Delegate or Outstanding Delegation, placing AQ among the top programs in the country.

Model United Nations conferences bring college and university students together to role-play delegates from their assigned countries. Delegates are judged on their ability to accurately portray their country’s policies and positions on a number of important issues.

policies. They develop specific policy statements and practice writing United Nations resolutions. Knowledge of the structures and functions of the U.N. is crucial to the success of their portrayal, as is knowledge of their country’s positions.

This year’s budget was just over $10,000. In addition to fundraisers and student fees, some of the cost was underwritten by a wonderful endowment established by Ken and Melinda Krei.

Knowledge of history, balance of power, alliances and diplomatic skill are fundamental. For example, in the Security Council the issues include the Indian-Pakistani arms race and conflict, the situation in Kosovo and the ethnic cleansing in central Africa.

Students must use diplomatic skills including negotiation, conflict resolution and debate.

Knowledge and use of parliamentary procedure is also considered in the judging.

Students at AQ spend several weeks researching and developing their countrys positions and AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 47

The team representing Chile at the General Assembly Session includes (L-R): Leah Rosenblum, Dan Costie, Sonja Matanovic and Drew Kelley.

STUDENT NEWS

For the eighth year in a row, Aquinas College students participated in a Model United Nations simulation. This year we had an amazing 53 students participate–a remarkable group for a school our size.

The Catholic Struggle in the Early Years of the U.S. Republic Detailed in

A Book by Jason Duncan, Ph.D.

F A C U LT Y N E W S

Religious struggles were not uncommon to those who came to North America to escape oppression in their homelands. But being Catholic in this new land created a unique struggle for thousands who sought new opportunities and freedom here.

The struggles endured by Catholics from the late 17th century through the 18th and early 19th centuries in the United States were put under the microscope in the mid-1990s by Jason Duncan, Ph.D., assistant professor of history at Aquinas, in his doctoral dissertation at the University of Iowa. Since completing his dissertation in 1999, he continued to revise it, and now, that work is the subject of Duncan’s first book, Citizens or Papists?, which Fordham University Press published in October 2005. “It was a natural way to combine my interests in the early republic and Catholicism,” Duncan said.

Aquinas Magazine (AQM) posed questions to Duncan (JD), a New York-born Catholic, about his first book.

AQM: Tell us about Citizens or Papists?, and a little background on the subject.

JD:

The original working title was, “A Most Democratic Class: New York Catholics and the Early American Republic.” The title refers to the struggle of Catholics in New York in the Revolutionary and early national periods to become accepted as citizens of the republic. The Catholic Church was strictly forbidden in New York from the colonial period through the end of the American Revolution. During the colonial period, Catholics were considered “papists,” meaning their primarily allegiance was to the Pope in Rome and not to the British Monarch in London. The American Revolution shattered that connection for all Americans, but in the decades that followed, a new question emerged: were Catholics full citizens of the republic or something less than that? Hence, the new title, Citizens or Papists?

AQM: So even though Catholics came to the new world, like everyone else, seeking new opportunities, they faced severe religious restrictions and questions about their citizenship?

JD:

That question was a matter of some debate; AntiFederalists passed a law banning Catholics from holding office by making them, in the oath of office, denounce all foreign religious authorities, i.e., the Pope. Catholics were nearly disenfranchised at the same time, in the 1780s. Federalists led by Alexander Hamilton prevented the latter. By the early 19th century, however, it was now Republicans who promoted political equality for Catholics as fitting for a true republic, and Federalists were now concerned that Catholics were too closely aligned with radical politics that their oppo-

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 48

nents shared. The War of 1812 brought Catholics and Jeffersonian Republicans even closer together given their shared antipathy to Great Britain, while the Federalists, who were closer to Catholics on religious grounds, faded as a major political party in the United States.

AQM: What did you learn in your research?

JD:

I learned that while colonial New York had a reputation as an open, tolerant and pluralistic society, Catholics were the exception. This book, perhaps, takes a first look at the development of the political history of

An Oxford Lesson quences for the global landscape in human and ecological terms.

Catholics in the early Republic, especially in New York where the Catholic Church was outlawed.

For example, he said, “Agricultural practices have particularly become globalized as today’s farms are typically very large, owned by a corporation and use excessive fertilizers and pesticides.

AQM: Who were you writing this book for?

JD:

AQM: Do you have plans for another book?

JD:

I would most definitely like to write a second book. I am currently considering two topics, both in the general field of American Catholic history. One subject I am considering is a national study of Catholics and the American Revolution. The second is a more modern study of Catholics and American politics since 1960.

Dr. Duncan’s book, “Citizens or Papists?,” is available through the publisher, Fordham University Press, as well as at amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

Robb Bajema, Ph.D., made his presentation to a world group gathered at Oxford University in August 2005.

The emergence of new international trade agreements and globalization efforts have had impacts not only on human rights and local economies, but have also precipitated environmental degradation. That was the message Dr. Robb Bajema, Aquinas associate professor of biology, took to an audience at England’s Oxford University last August. They were gathered for an annual Roundtable Discussion from July 31 to August 5, 2005.

Bajema recommended that corporations “adopt sustainable practices that can make a profit for their companies while, at the same time, not pollute the environment.”

Sustainable initiatives, he pointed out, offer a paradigm shift to the current globalization patterns and can possibly serve to stop the downward spiral of impacts on human rights and degradation of the environment.

Corporations that have adopted sustainability programs now recognize that they cannot rely on profit-making alone as the sole measure of their success.

Bajema was invited to present to a group of professors, lawyers and business people from around the world his evaluation of the sustainability phenomenon that is beginning to shape the future of business activity worldwide.

“Now, they also measure their impact on human rights and environmental health. These three measurements compose the ‘triple bottom line’ for a corporation which then can be compared to similar corporations for analysis and feedback,” he said.

In an abstract submitted to the Oxford Roundtable Committee, Bajema explained that the degradation covers a variety of areas including loss of biodiversity and contamination of natural resources. Should this process continue, he noted, it could have serious conse-

Aquinas is believed to be the first college/university in the nation to offer an undergraduate degree in Sustainable Business. It helps indoctrinate students to those business practices that can help future employers successfully achieve the triple bottom line.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 49

F A C U LT Y N E W S

My hope is that all those interested not just in the history of American Catholics but also in the political history of the Revolutionary and early republic eras will find this book of value. Most of the history of American Catholics begins with a brief reference to Catholics in colonial Maryland, and then picks up again with the massive influx of Catholic immigrants into the country in the 1840s. There has not been that much scholarship on Catholics in the nation’s formative and founding period from 1776-1820.

F A C U LT Y N E W S

Faculty Notes: Michaeleen Kelly, Ph.D., chair of the Philosophy Department has had her NEH project that she began at Stanford last summer accepted for presentation to an international philosophy conference to be held at the University of Athens June 1-3, 2006. The paper is entitled: “The Right to Asylum: A Response to Arendt and Derrida” it is primarily a philosophical essay on the centrality and weight of the interests comprising the right to asylum, but also includes a response to Arendt’s historical analysis of this right in The Origins of Totalitarianism, a discussion of the current perspective of international law, and a response to Derrida’s notion of the cosmopolitan city of refuge.

She is anxious to get a more international response to the paper and looks forward to posing these issues in an international forum.

Sr. Mary Navarre, O.P., professor of Education, marked 25 years of service at Aquinas with a Mass in late January.

Julia Reynolds, Ph.D., assistant director of Field Placement in the School of Education, had a lot to celebrate at the close of 2005. She gave birth to a son, William, in October; completed and published an article; and finished her Ph.D. at Michigan State University in December. Whew!

And, congratulations, Dr. Reynolds!

Mathematics Professor Burgis Authors New Texts

Woody Hoover, Ph.D.

Woody Hoover, Ph.D., chair of the Business Department, will have an article, “Speaking in Terms of Ethics; Can Biblically Centered Teaching Use the Ideas of the Philosophers?” published in the Christian Business Academic Review.

Dan Diedrich, director of Field Placement in the School of Education, was honored by the Notre Dame Club of Grand Rapids in May 2005 with the Frank Geary Award for Excellence in Teaching for “being the vital force behind” the Horizons Alternative High School in Wyoming, Michigan.

The award is given each year to an outstanding teacher in the Grand Rapids area, dedicated to Catholic education and its ideals. Diedrich helped to start Horizons 28 years ago and was director of the school for 24.

He joined the full time staff in the School of Education last year.

Associate Professor of Mathematics Kathy Burgis, Ph.D., has coauthored two college textbooks.

One is titled Investigating College Algebra Using Technology and the other is Investigating College Algebra and Trigonometry Using Technology. The textbooks present the core concepts of college algebra and trigonometry within a technology-oriented, datadriven applied framework that embraces investigative, collaborative learning. The books were published recently by Key College Publishing in Emeryville, California.

“As a result of computer spreadsheets and other technology, people nowadays use algebra much more in the “real world” than they used to. But the algebra that people actually use is somewhat different from the algebra that was traditionally taught in school. So writing an algebra textbook that was more connected to the real world seemed like a good idea,” Burgis said.

She also noted that “even with a terrific co-author (Jeff Morford of Henry Ford Community College) and lots of resources to draw on, the book still took almost four years to complete. However, she says she’s already putting the touches on an outline for a second book.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~Spring 2006 50

RetireMents

Sr. Rose Marie Martin, O.P., a Technical Services Librarian, has been at Aquinas since 1977.

In addition to her responsibilities in the Library, she has been an adjunct lecturer in general education.

She holds a master’s degree from Western Michigan University.

Michael R. Williams, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education, will leave his post at the end of the academic year. Williams became dean in May 2004 with the retirement of his predecessor, Jim Garofalo, Ph.D. Williams joined the Aquinas faculty in 1974 and has served in several capacities in the College, including Professor-in-the-College and as a program advisor to the Community Leadership major. He holds doctorates from St. Louis University and the University of WisconsinMilwaukee and is the author of four books.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 51

F A C U LT Y N E W S

Mr. Thomas Dooley, chair/professor in the department of Computer Information Systems, will be leaving Aquinas this year. He came to Aquinas in 1977, when the Computer Information Systems was created. He has taught a variety of courses in computers and has served on many committees within the College. Dooley has master’s degrees from Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin. He has written articles and handbooks, and has presented workshops for faculty and staff both at Aquinas College and local schools.

Veal Tabbed as Men’s Soccer Coach Joe Veal has been named the new Men's Soccer Coach. Veal brings more than 20 years of soccer experience both as a coach and as a player to Aquinas. Veal began his coaching responsibilities last fall, taking over for Abraham Shearer, who resigned after eight seasons as head coach.

AT H L E T I C S

“We are pleased to turn the program over to Coach Veal,” said Aquinas Athletic Director Terry Bocian, “He is a proven entity and well respected professional at the local, regional and national levels.”

Veal comes from Rockford High School (Mich.), where he posted a 92-79-5 record as boy's varsity soccer coach from 1997 to 2005. At the collegiate level, Veal shared head coaching duties of men’s soccer at Aquinas with Pat Hoatlin in 1996, a year in which the Saints won the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference, posting a 14-7 record. His other collegiate stops included a head coaching position for the men’s soccer program at Cornerstone University from 1988 to 1995. In Veals seven years at Cornerstone, the Golden Eagles posted a 66-63-16 record, which included Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference Championship and Coach of the Year honors in 1993. Veal was also head coach of men’s soccer at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.

AQ BASKETBALL TEAMS TAKE WHAC TITLES WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

MEN'S BASKETBALL

The Aquinas Women's Basketball team clinched their first WHAC Championship. Capturing the conference title gave the Lady Saints home court advantage during the WHAC tournament which began in late February.

The women’s basketball squad came close to a conference championship when they won a share of the title in 1993-94. The 2005-06 season brought 23 wins, one more than last year.

It’s the first time since the 93-94 and 94-95 seasons that the Saints chalked up back to back seasons with 20 or more wins. The women's basketball team notched another record with 13 wins in conference play, the most accumulated in a single season by an Aquinas women's basketball team since the inception of the WHAC in 1992.

A mid-February 77-71 victory over Indiana Teach helped the men’s team to clinch the WHAC conference title for the first time since the inception of the WHAC. The men’s Saints shared the title in ’99-00 and in 1992, the WHAC’s inaugural year. The team’s 12 conference wins mark the most in conference play by a men’s Saints basketball team since the WHAC was established. The Saints also recorded back to back 20-win seasons (’04-05 and ’05-06), the first time since the ’8485 and ’85-86 seasons. WHAC Tournament play began in late February.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 52

fall 2005

sports season Recap The fall season at Aquinas College was highlighted by sterling performances by the men’s and women’s cross country teams, the men’s golf team as well as the volleyball and soccer teams.

Men’s & Women’s Cross Country The men’s cross country team duplicated their success in 2004 by winning the WHAC championship, the NAIA Region Eight championship, and advancing to the NAIA National Meet in Louisville, Kentucky.

The men’s squad also captured the title of Academic National Champions for the third time in five years by having the highest team grade point in the nation with a 3.76 GPA. The women’s squad captured the WHAC championship; finished third in the Region meet and earned an at-large berth to the national meet as well.

The women’s squad finished 24th at the nationals.

Men’s & Women’s Golf The men’s golf team won the WHAC championship for the second consecutive year under veteran coach Tom Gunn.

The squad shot the lowest total scores in the 13-year history of the WHAC conference.

honors. The squad will compete in NAIA regional competition in May in Indiana.

The women’s golf team under Dan Pupel continues to improve as the squad won two invitationals and are preparing for the spring portion of the season.

Senior Jeff March was the conference medalist while seniors Matt Joseph and Tim Flint and sophomore Brian Hayward earned All Conference

Men’s & Womens’ Soccer

Volleyball

The soccer seasons saw Abrahm Shearer finish his fine coaching career at the College.

The volleyball team under Jan Nevelle finished third in the league behind all conference performers Lindsey Nanninga and Ashley Bouckaert.

Shearer left the program with several conference and regional titles as well as the all-time winningest coach in AQ soccer history.

The women’s soccer team under Mark Fales took a step forward as the squad posted a winning season against tough competition.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 53

AT H L E T I C S

The men’s CC squad finished sixth in the nation, which was not as good as the national runner-up spot attained in 2004, but good enough for one of the top ten national finishes in AQ sports history.

Coach Mike Wojciakowski was honored as conference and region coach of the year for the second consecutive season.

Four Saints add names to Aquinas 1,000 point record book

AT H L E T I C S

Junior basketball players Jackie Braspenninx and Jeff Jayson have surpassed the 1,000 point mark. Entering the 2005-06 season, both Jayson and Braspenninx were picked as WHAC Preseason Players of the Year by WHAC sports information directors and coaches.

Jayson (Waterford, Michigan) etched his name as one of the Aquinas men’s basketball career point leaders as he tallied his 1,000th career point in the Ken Elmendorf Memorial Tournament, held last November. He becomes the 27th Aquinas mens basketball player to join the prestigious list.

Braspenninx, from Ravenna, Michigan center for the Aquinas women’s basketball team, added her name to the women’s basketball career point leaders. In early December, she had already accumulated 1,026 career points. She becomes the 13th

Junior Jackie Braspenninx

women’s basketball player in Aquinas history to add her name to the prestigious list.

Late in the season, two more joined the 1,000-point club– Damien Mayo and Ashley Heuvelman. Heuvelman, a senior from Wyoming, Michigan, is a three year starter. She scored her 1000th point on January 25 against Indiana Tech in the Aquinas Field House. Her father, Rick, was an allAmerican baseball player at Aquinas in 1979. Her younger sister, Amanda, is an AQ freshman and a member of the Saints softball team. Ashley is a business/sports management major.

Junior Jeff Jayson

And Damien Mayo, also a senior is from Troy, Michigan. He is a business administration major and is a third year starter in the program. He scored his 1000th point on January 21, in a game at Davenport CollegeOU! Senior Damien Mayo

Senior Ashley Heuvelman

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 54

Athletic Briefs AQ Alum Officiates Rose Bowl BCS National Championship Game Dino Paganelli ’90, a former student-athlete (baseball), officiated the BCS National Championship Game between Texas and USC as the back judge.

Paganelli, who just completed his eighth year as a Big Ten football official, also works games in the European Professional Football League. Dino has two brothers, Perry and Carl, who work in the NFL. Both have worked full NFL schedules and

AQ Athletic Director Terry Bocian has been reelected Region 8 chair for his second three-year term. Bocian serves on the 14-person NAIA Council of Athletic Administrators, which deals with policy making decisions for the associations.

He supervises all NAIA regional activity in Michigan and Indiana.

AQ Spring Sports Teams

Rated in Pre-season The AQ baseball, softball and men’s tennis teams are all rated in NAIA pre-season rankings. The baseball team is rated 24th, the softball team 21st, and the men’s tennis team 23rd.

Second Annual Athletic Department

Third Annual

Baseball BO-NANZA

Golf Outing Friday, August 11 Saturday, August 12

9:30 a.m. - Youth Clinic Fifth Third Ballpark (home of the Whitecaps)

Glen Eagle Golf Club Hudsonville, MI

Noon - Old Timers Hitting Contest

Shotgun start 9:00 a.m.

Limited to the first 144 golfers Price: $88 which includes golf, cart, food at turn, dinner and beverages plus prizes

2:00 p.m. - Old Timers Game 6:00 p.m. - Social & Dinner ALL PROCEEDS/PROFITS GO TO THE COACH BOCIAN BASEBALL FUND AND COACH BO SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Call (616) 632-2474 for Details

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 55

AT H L E T I C S

Bocian Re-elected NAIA Region 8 Chairman

Carl worked the 2005 Super Bowl. Dino teaches at Rogers High School (Wyoming, Mich.), where he also coached baseball until his family responsibilities and officiating schedule forced him to step down from coaching. He and his wife Christy (Jaklinski ’93), a former AQ softball player, reside in Wyoming with their two sons.

Michael Dean: Playing the Numbers Game “Aquinas has been a great place to work,” Dean explained while typing vigorously on his laptop and crunching numbers in his head. “I really enjoy the people I work with, and getting paid to do something that I love is an added bonus.”

While Dean gets satisfaction working with all the sports, baseball remains his true love.

AT H L E T I C S

“I have always loved the scoring process in baseball the most,” he explained. “Drawing the symbols and the lines, combined with the slower pace of the game really creates the ideal situation for scoring. There’s an artistic beauty to how the numbers all relate and come together.”

Michael Dean–the human scoreboard- keeps busy maintaining statistics at many of the College’s athletic events.

James Dean defined “coolness” with his bad-boy image and deep stare; Dean Martin ruled Las Vegas with his smooth sound and signature bowtie; while Dean Smith ruled the sidelines at North Carolina with his spread offense and a guard named Jordan.

Aquinas stakes claim to its own Dean–albeit one who has made his mark on a smaller stage–who inspires curiosity and intrigue in those who’ve seen him at work using pencils, paddles and a mean acoustic harmonica.

Those familiar to the Grand Rapids sports scene should immediately conjure up the image of Aquinas’ own paddle-waving, harmonica playing, human-statistical calculator Michael Dean, who has been a behind-the-scenes fixture in the Athletic Department–and throughout the Grand Rapids community–for over 20 years.

Dean, who earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Michigan in 1978, presently holds the unique title of statistician/historian in the AQ Sports Information department, where he has worked closely with the baseball, softball, volleyball, basketball and soccer teams since joining the staff in 1984.

Dean's passion for baseball earned him national recognition last summer when the National Baseball Congress awarded him the Hap Dumont trophy in honor of his 22 years of service as the official statistician and historian for the World Series.

However, one of Dean’s most memorable experiences occurred on the sidelines of a women’s basketball game in 1990, when Aquinas hosted the NAIA District Championships and captured a spot in the National tournament.

While Dean’s position at Aquinas ranks second to his other job compiling the Scoreboard page seven nights per week for The Grand Rapids Press, his countless contributions to AQ Athletics have been a vital ingredient in the success of the school’s athletic programs during the past 20 years, culminating with the baseball team’s first trip to the NAIA World Series in 2005.

“Mike is definitely a multi-talented, one-of-a-kind person in this business,” said Aquinas Athletic Director Terry Bocian, who originally hired Dean and has worked closely with him as both head baseball coach and athletic director.

“The dedication, professionalism and the meticulous approach he brings to everything he does has earned him the respect of everyone in the local sports field and throughout the state of Michigan,” Bocian added.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 56

Academic On top of his other duties, Dean serves as the official statistician for the Whitecaps, and, on the extremely rare occasion that Dean gets a free moment, he volunteers to keep score or announce games at area high schools and colleges.

Head men’s basketball coach Dave Hammer keeps Dean’s number on his speed dial. “Mike takes a great deal of pride in everything he does–I can always count on him when I need information,” Hammer said.

While Dean still dreams of scoring a Major League Baseball game one day, all of the coaches, players and fans of AQ Athletics hope that his association with the College does not end anytime soon.

“Where else can you go where the same guy will announce the game, keep the official scorebook and play the national anthem on his harmonica before the game?”

The following 11 Aquinas College student athletes have earned Academic All American honors through the NAIA for the past fall season:

Women’s Soccer Audrey Vanderkamp Junior, Holland, Mich.

Women’s Cross Country: Stacey Hoffman Junior, St. John’s, Mich.

Men’s Cross Country: Pat Earl Junior, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Adam Hoogewind Senior, Muskegon, Mich.

Brian Keilen Junior, St. John’s, Mich.

Jeff Luehm Senior, St. Louis, Mich.

Josh Miller Senior, Rockford, Mich.

Chris Robertz Junior, Rapid City, Mich.

Women’s Vollyball Megan Holst Senior, Byron Center, Mich.

Ashley Bouckaert Senior, Leland, Mich.

Lindsay Nanninga Senior, Conklin, Mich.

Dean has been a fixture at Aquinas athletic events for over 20 years.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 57

AT H L E T I C S

“Mike does the work of three or four people–he thrives on that. If he ever left Aquinas, he would be extremely hard to replace,” Bocian said.

All American

2006 sports schedules

AT H L E T I C S

Baseball SCHEDULE Sun., Mar. 19 ............1 p.m.

Kellogg CC

Sat. Apr. 15 ................1 p.m.

Indiana Tech

Tues., Mar. 21 ............2 p.m.

Lake Michigan CC

Mon., Apr. 17 ............1 p.m.

Rochester

Sat., Mar. 25 ..............1 p.m.

GRCC

Tues., Apr. 18 ............4 p.m.

Hope

Tues., Mar. 28........3:30 p.m.

Saginaw Valley

Fri., Apr. 21................1 p.m.

Goshen

Thurs., Mar. 30......3:30 p.m.

Muskegon CC

Sat., Apr. 22 ..............1 p.m.

Madonna

Sat., Apr. 1 ................1 p.m.

St. Xavier

Sun., Apr. 23 ..............1 p.m.

Madonna

Sun., Apr. 2 ................1 p.m.

St. Xavier

Tues., Apr. 25 ............2 p.m.

Bethel (DH)

Tues., Apr. 4 ..............4 p.m.

Hope

Wed., Apr. 26 ............2 p.m.

Rochester

Wed., Apr. 5 ..............2 p.m.

Spring Arbor

Sat., Apr. 29 ..............1 p.m.

Siena Heights

Sat., Apr. 8 ................1 p.m.

Concordia

Sun., Apr. 30 ..............1 p.m.

Siena Heights

Sun., Apr. 9 ................1 p.m.

Concordia

Thurs., May 4-6 ............TBA WHAC Tournament

Tues., Apr. 11 ............4 p.m.

Calvin

Wed., May 10-13..........TBA Great Lakes Regional

Wed., Apr. 12 ............2 p.m.

Purdue North Central

mEN’s tennis

SCHEDULE Sat., March 18 ........11 a.m.

Alma/TBA Fri., March 24 ............6 p.m.

Walsh Sat., March 25 ........11 a.m.

Malone Wed., March 29 ........4 p.m.

Grand Valley Thurs., March 30 ......3 p.m.

Hope/TBA Sat., Apr. 1 ..............11 a.m.

Goshen Sat., Apr. 8 ..............11 a.m.

Spring Arbor/TBA Thurs., Apr. 13 ..........4 p.m.

Albion Wed., Apr. 19........2:30 p.m.

Kalamazoo College/TBA Fri., Apr. 21................2 p.m.

Olivet/TBA Sat., Apr. 22 ..............2 p.m.

St. Francis/TBA Thurs.-Fri., Apr. 27-28 ..TBA NAIA Regional/Ft.Wayne, Ind.

Fri., Apr. 14................1 p.m.

Indiana Tech

May 15-19 ....................TBA NAIA Championship/Mobile,Ala.

Red Indicates HOME Gold Indicates AWAY Home Games at the Aquinas Softball Field next to the Field House.

Please be aware schedule is subject to change.

Visit www.aquinas.edu/athletics for the most recent schedules AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 58

outdoor track

SCHEDULE Sat., April 1................1 p.m.

Grand Rapids Open /Grand Rapids, Mich.

Sat., April 8..............10 a.m.

Ferris State Bulldog Invitational /Big Rapids, Mich.

Sat., April 15............11 a.m.

SVSU Invitational /Saginaw, Mich.

Sat., April 22............11 a.m.

Northwood Invitational /Midland, Mich.

Sun., April 30..............Noon Track & Field Awards Banquet /Aquinas College Fri., May 5 ................5 p.m.

Aquinas College Open /Grand Rapids, Mich.

Wed., May 10 ............5 p.m.

Aquinas Twilight Invitational /Grand Rapids, Mich.

Sat., May 13 ..............5 p.m.

University of Windsor Invitational /Windsor, Ont. Thu.-Sat., May 25-27 ..TBA NAIA Outdoor Championships /Fresno, Calif.

w o m E N ’s SCHEDULE t e n n i s * Indicates WHAC games Fri.-Sat., March 17-18 ..TBA WHAC/MCC Challenge/Bethel Mon., March 20 ........3 p.m.

Grand Rapids CC Fri., March 24 ............3 p.m.

Trinity Christian Sat., March 25 ........NOON St. Xavier Wed., March 29 ........3 p.m.

Calvin College Sat., April 1................1 p.m.

Cornerstone*

SCHEDULE Sat., March 18 ........11 a.m.

Alma College Sun., March 19 ..........2 p.m.

TSU Doubles Tourn. /Battle Creek Sat., March 25 ........11 a.m.

Adrian @ Notre Dame, Ind. Sat., March 25 ..........2 p.m.

St. Mary’s @ Notre Dame, Ind. Sat., April 1 ............NOON Tri-state University @ Battle Creek

Sun. April 2 ..............1 p.m.

Concordia University*

Tues., April 4 ........3:30 p.m.

Spring Arbor University

Wed., April 5 ............3 p.m.

Northwood University

Thurs., April 6 ..........3 p.m.

GVSU

Sat., April 8................1 p.m.

Indiana Tech/Fort Wayne, Ind.*

Tues., April 11............3 p.m.

Hope College

Sun., April 9 ..............1 p.m.

Madonna/Livonia*

Wed., April 12 ......3:30 p.m.

Spring Arbor Univ.

Tues., April 11 ......3:30 p.m.

Ferris State University

Sat., April 15 ................TBA Calvin College

Thurs., April 13 ............TBA Indiana Tech

Wed., April 19 ..........3 p.m.

Adrian

Mon., April 17 ..........2 p.m.

Concordia/Ann Arbor*

Fri., April 21 ..............3 p.m.

Olivet Naz. University

Fri., April 21 ..............4 p.m.

Cornerstone*

Sat., April 22..............3 p.m.

AQ Alumni

Sat., April 22..............1 p.m.

Siena Heights*

Thurs.-Fri., April 27-28 ....TBA NAIA Region VII Tour. /Ft. Wayne, Ind.

Tues., April 25............4 p.m.

Spring Arbor University Thurs., April 27 ........4 p.m.

Saginaw Valley State University Sat., April 29..............1 p.m.

Madonna* Sun., April 30 ............1 p.m.

Siena Heights University Wed.-Thurs., May 10-11 ....TBA Regional Tournament/MCC Host AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 59

Mon.-Fri., May 15-19 ..TBA NAIA Nationals /Mobile, Ala.

AT H L E T I C S

Fri. & Sat., April 28-29Noon Hillsdale Invitational /Hillsdale, Mich.

Softball

Falling in love at, and with, Aquinas!

Three alumni couples represent three different generations.

By Michelle Bottrall, ‘97 hard and tirelessly so that hopefully they can start a family, but also so they can give back.

Aside from sending money back to Bosnia to help rebuild what the war took from their families, the Fazlics are also diligent about their financial gifts to the Aquinas Fund.

Alma ’03 and Sanel ’04 Fazlic

Sanel and Alma Fazlic are in their middle twenties. John and Patti Woodhouse are just hitting 40 and Jack and Rita Kirkwood are in their late sixties. At first glance, they would seem to have little in common. Yet, there is a sparkle in their eyes that unites them all.

“Aquinas gave a lot to me,” Sanel said. “Everyone was so nice, even though I’m not Catholic or Christian; I was still given the same opportunities as everyone else. I was welcome. I have to give. It’s appreciation. I believe if someone gets, they need to give back. If I don’t, then it is misplaced help.”

Immigrants from Bosnia, they are practicing Muslims, newly married and without children, “yet.”

Sanel is a branch manager for Fifth Third and also owns a trucking company and a construction company.

Alma works for Bethany Christian Services, helping refugees find scholarships and grant funding to further their education. They work

A D VA N C E M E N T

That knowledge came later, after they had ducked into a campus building and were reprimanded for wearing slacks on the conservative 1957 campus.

Forty-two years, four children and two successful careers later, Aquinas still holds a large place in the hearts of the Kirkwoods. They made friends here that they still have more than 50 years later.

Rita learned to be an elementary school teacher here, and Jack majored in engineering, then business, then engineering again.

Aquinas gave him the skills to own and run Bulman Products, a successful paper dispensing business.

They all fell in love at Aquinas and while their number one commitment is to their families, running a close second is a strong loyalty to their alma mater.

It’s obvious that Sanel, ’04 and Alma, ’03, are still newlyweds. You can see it in their clasped hands, his silly grin and her quiet pride in a hard-working husband. They spent many hours walking the Aquinas pathways, hand in hand, building a relationship while they were students here, both on Aquinas scholarships. He bent her ear with a brain full of business ideas, while she spoke about the refugees she hoped to help adjust to a strange country and a strange city.

Of course, they didn’t know it was a squirt gun.

Tuition was $150 a semester when the Kirkwoods started going to school here and $220 a semester when they left.

Rita ’60 and Jack’60 Kirkwood

The Kirkwoods feel much the same way. They were married 42 years ago by Father Hennessy, a Dominican priest who served at Aquinas in the late 1950s and 1960s.

Rita, ’60, caught Jack’s eye when she called him “Tiny” in the lunchroom one day. No, she wasn’t flirting, just giving the tall basketball player “heck” in front of his family who was visiting that day.

“She never fawned over me. Maybe that’s what did it.” Jack, ’60, said with a twinkle in his eye. That same twinkle was there when he talked about the time Rita held the first cafeteria boycott in the country, or when she and a classmate were held up for $1 with a squirt gun.

At the time, they thought the price increase was appalling. Today’s prices flabbergast them. They give to Aquinas so that others can have an educational experience similar to theirs. And they give with confidence knowing that their gifts to the Aquinas Fund support student scholarships.

“Aquinas gave me the education so that I could pursue what I want to do,” Jack said. “Our standard of living is because of Aquinas. It’s only right that we give back.”

John and Patti Woodhouse ’88 were married in the same building where Jack used to practice his jump shot. In the late 1950s that building was a gymnasium, but by the time the Woodhouses graduated it had been converted into the Aquinas chapel.

John is the youngest of seven and

Aquinas gives away over $10 million annually in scholarships and discounts to its students. Donations to the Aquinas Fund go toward this effort, but raise under $2 million annually. If you would like to make a donation to the Aquinas Fund please call (616) 632-2816, or log onto the web at www.aquinas.edu/development/annual/index.html AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 60

Evening of Elegance Set for April 27

Patti ’88 and John ’88 Woodhouse

one of four Woodhouse children who went to Aquinas. The College was always a big part of the Woodhouse family life when John was young. He took piano classes and math tutoring from the Sisters, and his babysitters were always students at the College.

Today, Aquinas is still a big part of their lives. They like to go to the soccer games and ride bikes on campus with their little girls.

Their giving hasn’t changed either.

He believes that being raised in a culture of giving teaches the next generation how to give back, and why it’s so important. He should know. His family has been giving to Aquinas for generations. The library was named for his grandfather, C. Arthur Woodhouse, who was also the first layman on the Board of Trustees. John’s father, Robert, also served on the Board of Trustees.

The distinctive East Grand Rapids home, located just a block from the Aquinas campus on Plymouth Drive, is the perfect setting for Aquinas College’s Sixth Evening of Elegance, recognized widely for its exceptional wines and delicacies. Chef Andrew Smith and his Foodsmith Culinary Consultants again will provide their unique gourmet touches to the menu. The April 27 event is expected to raise nearly $100,000 for Aquinas student scholarships.

This year’s occasion will pay tribute to retiring Aquinas President Harry J. Knopke, Ph.D., for his distinguished service to the College.

Evening of Elegance has been a sell-out for each of the past four years, and is expected to do the same this year! Those interested in becoming a sponsor or purchasing tickets, call Cecilia A. Cunningham, Aquinas Fund Director, at (616) 632-2816 or Ellen Harburn, Coordinator of Special Events, at (616) 632-2805.

“We try to be very selfless,” said Patti, whose mom also is an Aquinas alum. “It’s not about Patti.

It’s not about John. It’s about giving back.”

“There is a stronger sense of family here than at other places,” John said. “And a gift here doesn’t just support the students, it supports the community locally. An Aquinas graduate helps our community be a better place.”

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 61

A D VA N C E M E N T

Three generations later the Woodhouses are consistent givers to Aquinas. “A lot of the reason we give has to do with growing up in families where giving back was important,” John said.

The rich history of Roger and Kathleen Schiefler’s Fisk Lake home will enchant Evening of Elegance participants as much as the elegant setting. The Italianate dwelling, dubbed “Lakewood” by turn-of-the-century owner Benjamin Hatchett, has been meticulously restored by the Schieflers. Hatchett, president and owner of the Grand Rapids Railroad Roger and Kathleen Schiefler Company, purchased the home in 1901 after it served as the clubhouse for the Grand Rapids Golf Club, the predecessor to Kent Country Club.

2005 Scholarship Reception The annual Scholarship Reception held each November celebrated the awarding of more than 250 privately funded scholarships to our students.

A D VA N C E M E N T

Sonya Evenson-Ford, delegate for the Dr. James F. Ford Memorial Scholarship with Vinh Ho, a sophomore biology major, whose goal is a career in medicine.

The evening event presents students and scholarship donors an opportunity to meet one another and discuss the career goals and aspirations of the students.

Dr. Luis Tomatis meets his scholarship recipient Aaron Heindl.

Aaron will begin medical school next year.

Science Initiative brings new Laboratory Equipment The first $100,000 installment of new laboratory equipment was recently purchased by the Aquinas Science Department. Four–Worx Physiology Systems were purchased for the Biology Department and a GIS (geographic information systems) laboratory was completed for the Geography Department.

Chemistry Professors, Dr. Elizabeth Jensen (second from left) and Dr. Li-Heng Chen (right) work with chemistry students with the NMR. .

The Chemistry Department has upgraded its 60MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer, which will allow for computer control and network usage.

The Science Initiative has raised more than $400,000 from alumni since the program begun.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 62

Is There a Doctor In the House?

The class of 1960 had the distinction of sending 11 of its science majors to medical school. Four of the physicians and their wives returned to campus to share memories and meet with Dr. Vern Armbrustmacher ’60, who spoke to a group of science students.

Experts to Campus Aquinas pre-med students received an introduction to neuropathology along with information about the Van Andel Research Institute.

Vern Armbrustmacher, M.D. ’60, former Director of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, presented his work on Huntington’s Chorea.

James Resau, Ph.D., Deputy Director of the Van Andel Research Institute (Grand Rapids, Mich.) shared plans for expanding the institute’s research.

James Resau, Ph.D. and Dr. Vern Armbrustmacher

ACES Profile: Aquinas College Endowment Society

Belinda Villacorta Born in the Philippines, Belinda Villacorta joined a contingent of Far East students who would pursue their Catholic higher education at Aquinas College in the late 1940s.

In 1946, the memories of the World War II and Japanese occupation were still fresh for Belinda and her fellow travelers.

Belinda Villacorta ’50 (1927-2005)

Belinda received a degree in biology and would serve as assistant principal at the American-International School in the Philippines. She moved to San Francisco, where she was an elementary school teacher with learning disabled students. Her enthusiasm and energy in the classroom endeared her to the students and fellow teachers. Belinda died in July 2005 and left a bequest to Aquinas in appreciation of the opportunities she received.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 63

A D VA N C E M E N T

(L to R) Richard Bower, M.D., Carolyn Radawski Armbrustmacher ’60, Vernon Armbrustmacher, M.D. ’60, Ralph Mathis, M.D. ’60, Yvonne Pierre Mathis ’79, Richard Conrad, M.D. ’60, Rita Laberteaux Conrad ’62.

Pre-med Faculty bring

How to Love Aquinas The Wall Street Journal, just prior to the holidays, focused its journalistic resources on American colleges, endowments and philanthropy in an article entitled “Philanthropy: When $26 Billion Isn’t Enough.”

Writer John Hechinger noted that Harvard University annually could provide a free ride to more than 3,000 students with modest (4.3 percent) earnings of its $26 billion endowment and its $590 million in donations.

The article went on to ask the question Harvard donors often ask “Will my gift matter?”

At Aquinas, that question is asked, and always answered, with a resounding YES! And here’s why: • Last year Aquinas gave away more than $11.5 million in scholarships. Those scholarships come right off the top of the school’s operational support. To generate $10 million in scholarships, Aquinas would need an endowment of roughly $230 million.

Currently our endowment level is at approximately $15 million.

Those numbers explain why the College is in the early stages of expanding its endowment support from its current level to $65 million. It’s an expansive goal, one that goes beyond the scope of any other goal previously established for the College. But it’s a goal that is not beyond the scope of our support – and it’s one that will deliver the College to a level of financial health enjoyed by many of our peers.

But if these numbers seem overwhelming, think about this: Harvard was founded 370 years ago (that’s a mere 250 years ahead of Aquinas’ founding) and received its first gift from a young minister who left his library and half his estate to the College, a generous but seemingly modest act in light of Harvard’s current holdings.

So what can you do to position Aquinas for its future of providing an outstanding education to future students, grads and alums? The following is just a short list. For more information contact any Aquinas College Advancement Officer, or e-mail alumni@aquinas.edu:

A D VA N C E M E N T

• Tuition fees, when fully paid, cover only 57 percent of the expense of educating an Aquinas student.

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Make your financial contribution Identify potential donors Make a gift-in-kind Fund a scholarship Mentor a student Mentor alumni in your career field Volunteer for an Alumni Association Committee Chair an Alumni Association Committee Serve on the Alumni Association Board of Directors Increase your annual contribution Speak proudly about Aquinas to your family, friends, and neighbors Wear Aquinas imprinted clothing Recruit potential students Bring a student to tour the campus Be a reunion representative for your class Attend College functions Attend alumni programs Participate in alumni surveys and feedback opportunities Check out the College website at least once a month Support Saints athletics Volunteer in the Alumni and Parent Relations Office Provide informational interviews for networking purposes Volunteer for an advisory committee Name Aquinas College in your will Provide stories/ideas for Aquinas Magazine Let Aquinas know that you work for a matching gift company Host a dinner for prospective students or alumni in the area where you live

28. Donate door prizes for college and alumni events 29. Keep Aquinas updated with your address, e-mail, phone number and personal successes 30. Tell your employer about the College’s Corporate Partners program 31. Be a guest lecturer in class 32. Help with the Aquinas Fund phonathon 33. Send letters to the editor in local newspapers about Aquinas College 34. Send your children to Aquinas College 35. Provide co-op and internship opportunities for students 36. Represent Aquinas College at community events 37. Hire Aquinas alumni and students 38. Offer to teach a class 39. Tell people about the academic programs at Aquinas College 40. Inform students about scholarships 41. Talk to parents of prospective students at college fairs and open house programs 42. Serve on departmental advisory boards 43. Offer to have a student shadow you for a day at work 44. Volunteer to be on an alumni panel to talk with students 45. Volunteer to help admissions on the road 46. Return to Aquinas for your class reunion 47. Return to campus for Aquinas athletic events 48. Submit a nomination for an alumni association award 49. Participate in the credit card or insurance programs sponsored by the alumni association 50. Create a personal way for YOU to make a difference

You, like Aquinas, make all the difference in the world!

Every gift matters. Love Aquinas.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 64

New Corporate Partners Network Gains Momentum Aquinas College always has enjoyed a tradition of being first in the community to develop innovative programs that create strong partnerships. Aquinas also has a lengthy history of corporate support throughout West Michigan. The creation of the Aquinas College Corporate Partners Network (CPN) is a natural evolution of these two essential qualities.

(2003) and the Jarecki Center for Advanced Learning (1999), which has the first photovoltaic rooftop construction used commercially in West Michigan.

Many businesses already have joined the program. We encourage alumni and Aquinas magazine readers to enlist their companies in this dynamic opportunity.

Strong business leaders look for collaborative opportunities to enhance the bottom line–and CPN specifically addresses that objective.

CPN has four levels of involvement; Erhardt Construction is an example of leadership at the highest level, the President’s Circle.

Larry Erhardt, Sr. ’53, founder of Erhardt Construction, has supported Aquinas in a variety of ways for decades. Erhardt Construction is a general contracting/management firm operating in the West Michigan area. The company has grown steadily throughout the past 43 years.

Illustrations of their superior work on the Aquinas campus include current construction of the Grace Hauenstein Library, the Aquinas College Performing Arts Center

The highlight of this year’s program will be the President’s Dinner for all CPN members on May 31. The speaker will be Aquinas alum Neal Hotelling ’80, Pebble Beach Golf Club Director of Special Projects. Your company has the opportunity to join this exclusive event by becoming a member of CPN. “We are pleased to provide our corporate partners the very best in business and networking opportunities. At the same time, corporate partners also feel very good about their philanthropic support, which helps bright students achieve their educational dreams here at Aquinas.” said Dr. Ali Erhan, director of Corporate Relations.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 65

President’s Circle Erhardt Construction Executive Partner Central Interconnect D&D Printing Co. Dolphin Travel Gill Industries Global Forex Trading Howard Miller Company NETech Corporation Peter Albertini Real Estate Quixtar Ritsema Associates TDS Metrocom Van Dyken Mechanical Inc. Partner Buist Electric Centennial Securities Independent Bank Leon Plastics, Inc. Monarch Hydraulics, Inc Rehmann Robson Varnum Riddering Schmidt Associate Partner Accident Fund Allied Electric Bank Financial Services Group Foremost Graphics, LLC Gymco Sports GWI Engineering Highland Chrysler Plymouth Kamminga & Roodvoets, Inc. Kent Communications, Inc. Keystone Pharmacy Martha’s Vineyard Pridgeon & Clay, Inc. Shred Docs LLC Sun Stone Hotels West Side Beer Distributing Windemuller Electric Inc Wolverine Coil Spring To join the Corporate Partners Network, or for additional information, contact: Ali I. Erhan Ph.D. Director of Corporate Relations Aquinas College 1607 Robinson Road SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1799 (616) 632-2819 Tel (616) 732-4481 Fax (616) 485-0841 Cell

A D VA N C E M E N T

CPN’s purpose is to provide valuable business building opportunities and marketing exposure to corporate friends. Additionally, each CPN member will have access to buildings and facilities, and discounted special events admissions. Aquinas hopes this partnership will stimulate increased corporate involvement in the College’s many facets.

As members at the President’s Circle both Erhardt Construction and other partners will share the benefits of a variety of business enhancing opportunities. One of the many options that dozens of top executives are currently enjoying is the Luncheon Series, bringing relevant topics to business leaders.

George Erikceck from the Upjohn Institute filled the room on February 6, George Erikdeck addressing West Michigan’s economic outlook. On April 19, CPN will present Michael Boiafore, VP of North American Operations for Global Forex, to discuss foreign currency exposure and hedging strategies for business owners.

Corporate Partners

Trustee Profile: Debra Bailey, MM ’84

By Laura Bennett-Kimble ’95, Contributing Writer

In addition to staying connected with Aquinas, where she was the speaker at the most recent Recognition Ceremony of December graduates, Bailey is on several regional boards and received the YWCA Tribute Award for community service, the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce Athena Award, and the Aquinas College Outstanding Alumni Award.

Deb Bailey MM ’84, Trustee

Trustee Debra Bailey has been involved with Aquinas College for more than 25 years, and she’s the first to point out that her involvement pretty much covers the collegiate spectrum: student, staff faculty and board member. “And they have all been positive experiences,” she said.

TRUSTEES

Bailey, director of corporate communications at Steelcase, Inc., began her Aquinas journey as an employee. “By working there, I saw that no student could slip through the cracks. There’s an incredible commitment to the students,” she noted.

The job provided her with her first experience with the Dominican Order, and she said she realized that the environment would have been ideal for her when an undergrad. However, she’d attended Western Michigan University, where she earned her bachelor of arts degree. That didn’t stop her from exploring Aquinas as a student, though. In 1984, she earned a master of management degree from the College.

She also co-founded Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids about five years ago. The local chapter has become the largest in the world, she said, and serves about 1,200 people with cancer each month. Bailey, who was diagnosed 13 years ago with breast cancer, was re-diagnosed on Election Day 2004, and finished her treatments last summer. “I received incredible support from the Aquinas community during both [periods],” she added. “Aquinas is really a unique place.”

As a board member, Bailey is aware of challenges that affect the College, too. “A pretty tough economic environment in our community has impacted all of education,” she said, including enrollment. But overall, the goal of ensuring a quality experience for the students is crucial to her as a trustee, and Bailey has been very satisfied with the Board’s work.

Bailey has a 16-year-old daughter and keeps busy outside of work and philanthropic duties by traveling, reading, and exploring–“whether it’s new neighborhoods in Grand Rapids or the backwoods of Italy,” she added.

Aquinas College Board of Trustees Meetings March 14, 2006 May 23, 2006 October 10, 2006 December 6, 2006

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 66

Jane Hibbard Idema (1920 – 2006) Jane’s career at Aquinas College began in 1971 when she became the Director of Encore, a program to help women returning to the College. The program included non-credit seminars, academic advising, teaching of study skills and other facets of education to help women. Jane’s work touched the lives of many women, some of whom would pursue advanced degrees and teach in higher education. In 1984, Jane received the Aquinas College Alumni Association Award for Distinguished Service. At that time, an endowed scholarship to honor Jane was established by the College. The award is given annually to women completing a college degree after an interruption in their education because of employment, family or other personal responsibilities. In 1986, Jane became director of the Emeritus Center of Aquinas College, a program that offered six-week non-credit courses for older adults.

Jane Hibbard Idema’s life was lived in service to her family, country and community. Shortly after graduating from college during World War II, Jane joined the American Red Cross and spent two years in Europe working with U.S. troops in dangerous and primitive conditions near the battlefields in France, Belgium and Germany. After returning to Grand Rapids, Jane married and began raising her family of five children while at the same time completing her post-graduate education. Jane became active in many educational projects, one of which, the Women’s Resource Center, provided resources for women completing their education.

In the later years of her retirement, Jane began to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. True to her commitment to education and caring for others, Jane and her husband, Hank, participated in a television news program on Alzheimer’s to help others learn from their personal experiences.

Over the years, Jane’s health gradually declined and this woman of heroic spirits finally found her peace on February 1, 2006.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 67

TRUSTEES

Jane Hibbard Idema Copyright 2006 Grand Rapids Press All rights reserved. Used with permission

As a further tribute to the work of Jane Hibbard Idema, in 2000, the Women’s Studies Program at Aquinas College, created in 1986, was named after her through an endowment gift from Mary Caroline “Twink” Frey and James E. McKay. This endowment provides support for the Jane Hibbard Idema Women’s Studies Center, whose mission is to serve the community as a resource for gender and women’s issues and to promote opportunities for women through education and community involvement.

Dick and Barbara Young Honored With 2006 Aq Emeritus Award Hills Foundation, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Blodgett Memorial Medical Center, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Grand Rapids Metropolitan YMCA, and as member of the Board of Directors of the Michigan Strategic Fund, among many others. He is currently on the Spectrum Health Care Foundation board. Dick Young graduated from the University of Michigan Business and Law Schools, was an editor of the Michigan Law Review and served in the Judge Advocate General Corps of the United States Army.

Photo Credit: Dave Ferris

Barbara and Dick Young 2006 Emeritus Award

EMERITUS

The Aquinas Emeritus College will honor local businessman Dick Young and his wife, Barbara, as the 2006 recipients of the Aquinas Emeritus Award. The couple was selected by the College Board last fall.

The Aquinas Emeritus Award is given as a tribute to an individual or couple in the community whose leadership, generosity and spirit of service have been sustained over the course of many years, and whose dedication to the welfare of all citizens serves as a light to guide those who follow.

Chairman of the Behler-Young Company, Dick has served as Campaign Chairman of the Kent County United Way, President of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Porter Hills Presbyterian Village and the Porter

Additionally, Dick has distinguished himself in his professional life as President of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors and President of the North American Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Wholesalers Association. Among his many honors, he is the recipient of the 1991 Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, 1996 United Way Alexis de Tocqueville Award, and the 1997 Junior Achievement West Michigan Business Hall of Fame Award.

Barbara Young is a former President and half century member of the John T. Hodgen Guild at Blodgett Memorial Hospital and Spectrum Hospital, Treasurer and long-time member of Grand Rapids Junior League and a deeply appreciated volunteer for Goodwill Industries, the Child Guidance Center and Head Start. Barbara has taught public school in Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids and alongside Dick has been engaged in leadership roles in the First United Methodist Church in Grand Rapids. In addition to her community service, Barbara has been a devoted caregiver for aged family members for over 25 years.

Together, Dick and Barbara Young exemplify the spirit and ideals represented by the Aquinas Emeritus Award through their lifelong service and dedication to the community.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 68

Emeritus Class Draws Interest from Local High School Students The Emeritus Players The Emeritus College brought the courts to its classrooms with a focus on Michigan’s Courts: Appeals, Circuit and District.

About ten students from Catholic Central and West Catholic High Schools joined the Emeritus students to learn from District Court Judges Sara Smolenski and Benjamin Logan, Circuit Court Judge Dennis Circuit Court Judge Dennis Leiber ’69 Leiber ’69 and Appeals Court Judge David Sawyer. The intergenerational exchange was extraordinary and based on reactions; many were learning for the first time just how complex and difficult a judgeship can be, especially when cases involve young children. We hope to be able to offer other courses that will bring high school and college students together with our Emeritus students.

The Emeritus Players, established almost two years ago, has performed at many Senior Centers, retirement communities and civic events.

The Aquinas Emeritus College arranged for the original funding for director Bob Azkoul’s position.

The total community now benefits from this program, and we are proud that it is now self-sustaining.

The Emeritus Players are always eager for new performers. If you live in the Grand Rapids area and would like to join, call Bob at 452-2169.

Emeritus Students Form Writing Support Group own reasons and strategy for turning her life experiences into literature.

When the Aquinas Emeritus College offered a course on memoir writing in the spring of 2004, no one suspected the far-reaching effects it would have on students. Of the nine students who registered for Dan Mancilla’s From Memory to Memoir class, four went on to form a writing support group that continues to meet monthly. Each member of the group, Rita Traynor, Marilyn Vankat, Mary Tracey and Marion Palmer, has her

The group’s goal is to provide a supportive environment where they as writers can further develop their memoirs. One of the happy results of their association is the close friendships that have grown between four strangers brought together by a common interest.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 69

EMERITUS

Pictured (L-R) Mary Tracey, Marilyn VanKat, Marion Palmer and Rita Traynor.

Rita has chosen to record her memoirs in the form of letters to her family. Marilyn has a notebook full of memories she wants to preserve for her children and grandchildren, although she has discovered she is really writing for herself. Mary is writing “vignettes” from her life to give to her children during the Christmas 2006 season. And Marion, as the “last repository of stories” in her family, is adding to the genealogies begun by her mother and mother-in-law.

What Students Want

By Paula Meehan, Dean of Admissions

Happy Families and Cool Places.

These vignettes have so much energy; they nearly jump off the computer screen.

Don’t take it from us, go to the Web and check it out for yourself at http://www.aquinas.edu/ undergraduate/tour/video.html.

Freshmen students arrive for Orientation August 2005

As the admissions office embarked on its summer planning sessions, the predominant theme that permeated each admissions representative’s thinking was “what students want.”

Each and every new initiative had its focus on the prospective students and how they can best be served in their all important college search.

Research shows that today’s high school students are highly visual, interactive and appreciates personalization. They are a savvy consumer, and investigate very carefully all aspects of the college experience.

ADMISSIONS

The goal is to “give them what they want.”

New students settle in for their first year at college.

The admissions office developed a series of ventures that were designed to give the student the best possible information about AQ in a unique and appealing way.

Study Abroad Travelogue High school students want to maximize their college experience by seeing the world and immersing themselves in another culture.

Take a look at some of the exciting initiatives that were developed:

The international programs Web site has a series of videos that take students to Santa Ana, Costa Rica; Salamanca, Spain; Tully Cross, Ireland; Perpignan, France and Tuebingen, Germany.

AQ VIP Students who visit the admissions site on the Web may now create a VIP page that is customized to them and their interests.

Just by completing a brief interest form, students in a matter of minutes receive a highly visual communication piece that explores the latest in their interest areas as it relates to Aquinas and the surrounding Grand Rapids community. See http://emt.askadmissions.net/aq uinas/emtinterestpage.aspx?ip=f reshman.

A View of AQ With the click of a mouse, students can hear firsthand all about AQ with video segments featuring Enthusiastic Professors, Ambitious Students, AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 70

Sites, sounds and scenery come alive from the rainforests, museums, churches and cafes.

After viewing these amazing places, prospective students have told us they are ready to pack their bags and join other AQ students.

AQ Days Throughout the school year the admissions office hosts AQ Days for prospective students and their parents.

In addition to our general AQ Days which, give a broad overview of the College, students can also attend specialized days.

Science, Nursing and Math Day is customized to students who are considering careers in those fields. Hands-on sessions with faculty bring students into our labs and classrooms to explore the world of science and math.

This year students even made “home grown DNA.”

All AQ Days include campus tours, faculty exchange, and lunch. By days end, prospective students have a great feel of what it’s like to be an AQ student.

Leadership Day featured former AQ president Paul Nelson as keynote speaker on the topic “With Leadership Comes Responsibility.” Students attended sessions on team building, communication, leadership styles, peer mentoring and diversity.

Club AQ Accepted applicants are special.

They have narrowed their choices, and are now choosing between a smaller group of options than when they were in the college search.

Athletic AQ Day exposes future Saints to opportunities on the court and playing field.

Coaches, and current athletes come together to present their program and answer questions.

The event concludes with a basketball double header with the men and women teams in our field house.

In a program for accepted applicants, students arrive on-campus and exchange their high school experience for a college experience.

Fine Arts Day is enjoyed by the creative types. Writers, actors, musicians and artists come together in a series of workshops with faculty.

The day ends with a crescendo featuring junk sculpture, poetry, jazz and even a theatrical performance.

So far AQ Days have had stellar reviews.

This is why Club AQ was born.

The day and a half program is fully executed by AQ Ambassadors.

First, Club AQ visitors are taken to a popular downtown GR establishment for dinner.

They come back to campus for an evening of typical college entertainment, from movies to any of the many scheduled student activities.

Parents are welcome too, and a concurrent session is run for them while their sons/daughters are busy being college coeds.

New students get help moving in from mom and dad as well as AQ Volunteers

Club AQ is run twice a year in December and March.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 71

Fine Arts Day Friday, March 17, 2006 General Friday, April 21, 2006

It has been met with great success, and has turned Aquinas from a college option to the college of choice.

For more information, visit http://www.aquinas.edu/ undergraduate/club_aq _visit.html And There’s More Flash e-mails announcing events, deadlines and next steps for prospective students insure students don’t miss anything.

Features in publications like Great Schools, Bailey’s Guide and Student Paths extends our reach to students all over the country.

A Parent page within the AQ Web site, with Q&A leaves no stone unturned.

The AQ Advisor lets visitors key in a question and get an answer instantaneously…it’s that fast.

All of these new initiatives were designed with one purpose: What Students Want.

It’s really that simple.

ADMISSIONS

They spend the night, and rise early for breakfast in the cafeteria followed by a full day of classes and lunch.

AQ Days

Births

Deceased

’87 John Risko, a boy, Aidan Risko-Juarez, October 25, 2005.

’35 Victoria Preston on 1/5/2006

’88 Jennifer (Kensington ’96) and Dave Joppie, a boy, Casey Ray Joppie, August 5, 2005.

’43 Sr. Ann Lucille McGowan O.P. on 12/26/2005

’88 Jeff Coon and Linda Trentman, a girl, Gretchen Elizabeth, May 27, 2005.

’46 Mary Jean Mitchell on 11/18/2005

’90 Ann and Rick Kloska, a boy, Timothy James, on April 20, 2005.

’48 Thaddeus Gillis on 8/7/2005

’90 Teri and Jamie Willard, a boy, Samuel Pierre, on August 4, 2005.

’37 Gerarda Plese on 1/10/2006 ’46 Mary Hovinga on 6/23/2005 ’47 Ruth Guinn on 7/10/2005 ’49 Henry Toczydlowski on10/9/2005 ’50 Belinda Villacorta on 7/2/2005

’95 Lily and Sean McGavin, a boy, Keenan Francis, September 20, 2005.

’52 Beatrice Lamancusa on 10/20/2005

’95 Kari and Thad Smith, a girl, Sienna L. Smith, September 11, 2005.

’57 Mary Alice MacDonald on 12/11/2005

’95 Julie (Hubbard) and Nicholas Ursul '95, a boy, Daniel Nicholas, June 6, 2005.

’60 Daniel Kay on 7/9/2005

’96 Sarah and Kevin Mulvihill, a boy, Henry Seamus, January 17, 2006.

’61 Edward Rutowski on 6/17/2005

’98 Erin (Gaereminck ’99) and Keith Wolters, a boy, Isaac Edgar, born March 19, 2005 in Guatemala City, and brought home to the U.S. in December, 2005. ’98 Piper (Peteet) and Adam Kilgore, a girl, Payten Alexia, March 11, 2005. ’99 Jean (Van Weelde ‘02) and Justin Manwell, a son, Blake John Thomas Manwell, December 9, 2003.

’55 Joseph Graf on 8/7/2005 ’59 Thaddea Wagner on 1/10/2006 ’61 James Hickey on11/30/2005 ’62 Thomas Barnes on 8/16/2005 ’63 John Maintz on 12/12/2005 ’67 Dorothy Trusock on 9/5/2005 ’68 Katherine Kotz on 8/10/2005 ’68 Barbara Murphy on 12/27/2005 ’72 Daniel Gardiner on 8/13/2005 ’72 Christine Schulte Ziegler on 7/6/2005 ’72 Mary Anne Streng on 8/21/2005

’00 Nicole (Van Geest) and Jason Tokar, a girl, Braeden Faith Tokar , May 10, 2005.

’74 Robert Thomasma on 12/17/2005

’00 Jeannette (Shaieb '03) and Andy Hollander, a girl, Lindsey Grace Hollander, July 26, 2005.

’78 Calvin Kreuze on 6/22/2005

’01 Rebecca (Kupiecki) and Matthew Early, a girl, Rose Marie, September 17, 2005.

’81 Gary Hopkins on 12/21/2005

’03 Amy (Alms) and Richard Aceves, a boy, Nathan Ricardo Aceves, July 9, 2005.

’82 Joan Allen on 9/25/2005

’03 Emily (Downer) and Joe Hanley, a boy, Garrett Joseph, November 6, 2005.

’86 Angela Ryan on10/13/2005

’04 Sarah (Annerino) and Curt Wildman, a boy, Collin Alan Wildman, July 23, 2005.

’78 Lucy Ann Drzewicki on 12/10/2005 ’80 Jacqueline Johnson on 9/9/2005 ’81 Robert Walker on 8/21/2005 ’85 Robert Hause on 9/25/2005 ’86 Aron Schrotenboer on 1/25/2006 ’97 Lynne Chandonnet on 8/26/2005

CL ASS NOTES

’00 Jesse Edwards on 7/18/2005 Correction: Deaths: '79 Jo Ellen M. O'Connor, daughter of Mary V. (Westdorp '41) and John P. (Dec.) O'Connor (Mary is an alumna of Catholic Junior College and her husband, John, was not an alumnus as stated in the Fall 2005 listing)

Brian E. Dyk, student 1/17/2006 Sr. Angele Richard O.P. on 6/14/2005 Sr. Ann Frederick Heiskell O.P. on 8/24/2005 Sr. Mary Alice MacDonald O.P. on 12/11/2005

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ SPRING 2006 72

MARRIAGES

Milestones

’92 Suzanne Rasch to Michael Shui Chan on August 20, 2005.

1950

’95 Nazaar Massouh to Jennifer Frederick on July 3, 2005 in Whitestone, New York. ’96 Amy Marben to Tony Powell on July 30, 2005 in Clare, Michigan. ’97 Jennifer Zdziepko to James K. Tietschert on May 27, 2005. ’98 Gretchen Deegan to Jonathan Jack Siebers on August 13, 2005 in Suttons Bay, Michigan. ’98 Eric Sherman to Deborah Kay Janicki on July 9, 2005 in Manistee, Michigan. ’00 Danielle Hammer to Mark Zieroff on July 9, 2005. ’00 Stefanie Saullo to Matt Morris on June 18, 2005. ’01 Jennifer Churchill to Ryon John List on July 16, 2005 in Millington, Michigan. ’02 Carrie Nelson to Roderick William Pishek on May 20, 2005 in Livonia, Michigan. ’02 Joseph Langerak to Julie on September 3, 2005.

Tom Farrell was appointed by Governor Jennifer Granholm to Michigan's Historical Commission.

1968 Sr. Dorothy Jonaitas O.P. published a new book: Unmasking Apocalyptic Texts: A Proclamation of Hope.

Rosemary Cahaney was named Fowlerville Community Schools' Teacher of the Year, 2005.

1971 Tim McGuire will join Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in August as the Frank Russell Chairperson. McGuire’s journalism career includes stints as a reporter or editor at newspapers in Minnesota, Texas and Florida. He has served as a Pulitzer Prize juror six times.

1974 Jeffrey Dongvillo was appointed assistant professor of Social Work at Quincy University, Quincy, Illinois. A former Michigan State Representative (1978-1980).

Dongvillo's research and service is focused on community organizing, social justice and public policy advocacy.

’03 Heidi Marks to Charles Neeson on May 27, 2005.

Dr. Greg Knowles recently produced the debut album of the Julliard Jazz Quintet. Dr. Knowles has been a member of the Julliard School faculty since 2002.

’03 Jessica Ann Nelson to Stephen Thomas Kochin, on August 27th, 2005.

1975

’03 Sarah Ward to Michael Eickhoff on March 1, 2005. ’03 Katie Yenglin to Scott Greer on June 24, 2005. ’04 Jennifer Wheat to Rob Jordan on June 4, 2005 in Allendale, Michigan. ’05 Ruth Noot to Jerod Shovan on October 22, 2005. ’05 Danielle Potyraj to Travis VanSetters on August 20, 2005.

Jesse Young was inducted into the MIGCA (Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association) Hall of Fame 2005, after coaching the Rockford High School Boys Golf Team for 21 years. Jesse is one of 56 coaches to have ever been selected for this position. Jesse continues to teach at Rockford High School and will complete 30 years of teaching at the end of the 20052006 school year.

1976 Jo (Joyce) Doll-Carr completed the National 24 Hour Bicycle Challenge June 18-19, 2005 in Middleville, Michigan. The challenge calls participants to exceed their personal best distance and Jo reached her personal goal of 210 miles.

1977

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ SPRING 2006 73

CL ASS NOTES

Hank Kroondyk has joined the Pilgrim Manor Foundation as the director of development. He comes to Pilgrim Manor after nearly 15 years of fund-raising experience with Home Repair Services of Kent County.

1980 Stan Sidor was promoted to dean, Technology and Occupational Programs at Daytona Beach Community College. He and his wife Michele and their two sons Michael and Christopher reside in Palm Coast, Florida.

1982 Patricia Ann Perkowski is the director of Miracles Happen: Spiritual Direction for Women in Lansing, Michigan. She and her husband Greg have four children, Jon 20; Nick 14; and twins Andie and Vicky are 10.

Michael J. Smith has been named director of the Nebraska State Historical Society.

1983 Tim Ryan was named to the Board of Directors at Pilgrim Manor Retirement Community.

1984 Barbara Jourdan joined Wedgewood Corporate and Community Resources as a performance improvement and organizational development consultant.

1985 Marky Klapthor was named director of training & development for NetBank, Inc., a diversified financial services holding company headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia. In 2003 Marky married Ed Trinkle. She and her husband currently live in Marietta, Georgia.

Robert Worth became a grandfather when his son, Rob C. and his wife, Kelly, gave birth to a 7.5 lb, 18.5 inch baby girl, Aleia Jade, on December 15, 2005.

1986 Brett Scheidel started a new position with East Grand Rapids Public Schools. Brett arrives at Lakeside Elementary School with 20 years of elementary experience. He was the gifted and talented coordinator at his previous school. Brett and his family live in Middleville, where his wife is also a teacher.

1987 Ken Wasco and wife Jan (Larsen ’03) will both author a book this year. Jan’s book is Fenced in Hearts and Ken’s, Live like you mean it.

1988

CL ASS NOTES

Todd Jacobs recently accepted the position of executive director of Holland Hospital's Community Foundation.

Todd Kissel and his wife Ann (Searles '91), have three children, Arianna, 10; Todd, 8; Jeremiah, 6.

Tricia Siegel recently left her position as teacher with Grand Rapids Public Schools and started a second career as a child development instructor at Grand Rapids Community College.

1990 Kristin Anderson-Bricker is associate professor in the History Department, as well as director of the Honors Program for Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa.

Nikki Outhier was named development director for Michigan Community Blood Centers. As director, she will be in charge of all fund-raising efforts supporting services, facilities and programs at MCBC locations throughout Michigan.

1991 Kimberly Felipe recently accepted a position with the University of Alaska Southeast as an academic advisor.

Carla Wilson-Neil was promoted to chief operating officer in May 2005 for Pennock Health Systems.

1993 Laurie Andrews has been elected to the West Michigan Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators. Andrews is currently the director of administrative services for Warner Norcross & Judd in Grand Rapids.

Rodney Rock received his Ed.D. from Central Michigan University in educational leadership.

1997 Rebecca Drenovsky and Joe Stimac '95 recently moved to Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Rebecca has joined the Biology Department at John Carroll University as an assistant professor.

1998 Greg Stielstra authored PyroMarketing: The Four Step Strategy to Ignite Customer Evangelists and Keep Them for Life, published September 2005.

1999 Jerry McDowell was appointed to the position of principal at Woodside Elementary School in Holland, Michigan. McDowell joined the district last December as an assistant principal at Woodside. Before joining West Ottawa School District, McDowell was an elementary principal in Hartford in Van Buren County, Michigan.

Dave Joppie recently accepted a job as a minor-league hitting instructor with the Boston Red Sox. Dave will work with slugging prospects with the Wilmington (Del.) Blue Rocks, part of the Carolina Class A League.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 74

2000 Brigid Bulger recently joined the staff of Alway Photography. Bulger's specialties include senior photography, relationship portraiture and abstract photographic fine art.

2001 Lisa Lemanski was elected November 8, 2005, to the Potterville City Council. She had the second highest number of votes and will serve a four-year term. Lisa ran against six other candidates, four of whom were incumbents for four open seats.

Bartkiw Mykola recently received a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree. Bartkiw has a bachelor's of science degree in biology from Aquinas and is beginning residency in orthopedic surgery at POH Medical Center in Pontiac, Michigan.

Elizabeth Schofield was promoted to athletic director, Union High School, Grand Rapids Public Schools.

Eric Zeemering was selected as the recipient of the 2006-2007 Herman B. Wells Graduate Fellowship at Indiana University. One graduate student is selected for this award each year.

2002 Allison (Lindemyer) Fabian is presently in her third year of medical school at Michigan State University.

She moved to Kentwood, Michigan after her marriage to Robert Fabian and is working rotations at Metro Health Hospital as a part of her internship.

Mandy (Schneider) Pittman and husband Mark ’01 both graduated with master’s degrees from Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado. Mark’s degree is a master of arts in health and physical education and Mandy’s degree is a master of arts in counseling.

Mandy and Mark recently relocated to Connecticut and are both employed by Sacred Heart University.

Mark is the area coordinator for first year experience halls and Mandy is a campus minister.

Katie Yenglin recently graduated with an M.A. degree from the University of Notre Dame and will be joining the staff of the Kresge Art Museum in East Lansing, Michigan this fall.

2004 Michael Appel recently joined the staff of the Grand Rapids Griffins as a ticket sales account executive.

Rachel Buist will be teaching 4th grade at Lakeside Elementary School in East Grand Rapids Public Schools in East Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Jessica Fleming joined Andrews Hooper and Pavlik P.L.C. as a staff accountant.

Mindy Garvin was recently promoted to assistant GS-5 permanent employee at the Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico.

Brandon Lacic was named editor of the Ionia Sentinal -Standard. Lacic has been with the Sentinel-Standard for nearly five years and has served as its managing editor for more than two years.

Joseph Langerak was married on September 3, 2005 to Julie and recently accepted a position as an associate attorney with the law firm of Rudolph, Fine, Porter & Johnson, LLP in Evansville, Indiana.

Amy Westphal joined the faculty of St. Thomas the Apostle Elementary School in Grand Rapids as a teacher of kindergarten.

Tim Lowe passed the Michigan Bar Exam in November 2005 and is currently working for Butzel Long LLP.

Erin Griffin has joined The Austin Wranglers as manager, public relations. In her new role with the Wranglers, Griffin will manage day-to-day public relations efforts, including media relations, community relations, events and promotions.

Katie Stouffer has left her position as a political consultant in San Francisco, California and has settled in Seattle, Washington. Katie now works for the State of Washington in the departments of Urban Planning and Transportation.

2003 Jessica Anne Salinas Nelson graduated with a master’s degree in public health from the University of Michigan in December and will join the staff of Thomson Medstat in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Joe Lynn won the Louisville marathon. Joey is currently a graduate student in Sport Management at University of Louisville.

Rachel Swenson will be at Covenant House of Missouri as a member of Vincentian Service Corps.

Kristina Morris recently received her real estate license and became a member of the Coldwell Banker Schmidt real estate team.

AQUINAS MAGAZINE ~ Spring 2006 75

CL ASS NOTES

Nick Patin is currently teaching science and is serving as varsity assistant basketball coach and junior varsity baseball coach at Kelloggsville Middle School (Mich.).

2005

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE

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Grand Rapids, MI Permit NO. 101

1607 Robinson Road, S.E. Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1799 Address Service Requested

Save these dates September 29 - October 1

Homecoming 2006 1996 1986 1981 1976 1966 Class Reunions

1956 1957 Golden Saints

For details www.aquinas.edu/alumni or (616) 632-2493