Aquinas Magazine :: Spring 2010

Spring 2010

The magazine of aquinas college

Phase One: Fieldhouse Renovation Page 6

Aquinas magazine is printed on paper containing 10 percent post-consumer waste.

Editorial Team Marty Fahey, APR, MM’06, staff Laura Bennett-Kimble ’95 Sally Reeves, staff Contributing Writers Brigid Avery ’01, staff C. Edward Balog, Ph.D., President Laura Bennett-Kimble ’95 Terry Bocian ’70, staff Brianna Boedeker, student Eric Bridge ‘92, MM’05, staff Mary Clark-Kaiser, staff Cecilia Cunningham, staff Meghan Disselkoen, staff Cindy Dorman, staff Ali Erhan, Ph.D., faculty/staff Marty Fahey, APR, MM’06, staff Linda Nemec Foster ’72 Ellen Harburn ’01, staff Brenda Hennink ‘96, staff Margie Kindel MM’06, staff Kathy Kremer, Ph.D., faculty Rachel Luehm, student Sr. Jean Milhaupt, O.P., Ph.D., ‘45, staff Valerie Mossman-Celestin ‘01 Sally Reeves, staff Sam Rinkus, student

Doug Seites, student Luke Sprunger, student Deb Steketee, Ph.D., faculty Dan Treul ’09 Matt Tueth, Ph.D., faculty Bona Van Dis ‘08 Sr. Alice Wittenbach, O.P., Ph.D., ’59, staff Mike Wojciakowski ’99, staff Jeremy Wood ‘99, staff Layout/Design Jason Bardwell, D&D Printing Co. Design/Photo Archive Silvija Visockis, staff Photography Brian Kelly, freelancer Kathy Kremer, Ph.D., faculty The Grand Rapids Press Andris Visockis, staff

Aquinas magazine is published twice a year by the Aquinas College Office of College Relations. It is created for alumni, friends and benefactors of the College, as well as parents of enrolled students and adult students. Aquinas is a private, four-year Catholic Dominican liberal arts college. Letters, comments and suggestions are encouraged. Change of address requests can be made through the channels listed below.

E-mail: collegerelations@aquinas.edu Mail: College Relations Department 1607 Robinson Road, SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1799 Web site: www.aquinas.edu Alumni news: www.aquinas.edu/alumni Phone (616) 632-2844 Fax: (616) 459-2563

Survey Results The results from the Aquinas magazine survey provided valuable feedback to help us continue to improve the reading experience for members of the Aquinas family and community. The majority of respondents told us they read most or at least half of the magazine and the most popular sections were Campus News, Alumni News and Class Notes.

As we might have expected, most respondents told us they read the magazine because they are either interested in learning what’s “new/exciting” at Aquinas College or finding out about fellow alumni.

We are always focused on improving the overall appearance of the magazine and the presentation of its contents. We are delighted that a majority of you expressed high levels of satisfaction with the Readability, Graphic Design and Photos/Artwork, with a general level of satisfaction regarding Topics and Article Length. “The layout is attractive and user friendly,” observed one survey respondent, while another noted, “How easy it is to scan through—great photos!”

While we want alumni, parents and benefactors to enjoy the magazine, we hope that you take the time to share the publication with others, including friends and prospective students. A significant number of respondents share the magazine with family or friends, but the largest

MISSION STATEMENT

group responded that they alone read their copy. Most prefer to read the magazine in print form, with notable minorities stating that they prefer the online format or have no preference. These results closely mirror those of another survey regarding format preference that involved almost 24,000 respondents and 75 colleges or universities.

Incidentally, we are revamping our online version, which will make reading articles easier and more enjoyable. Look for that later this year.

The Aquinas magazine survey showed most respondents would not want to pay a subscription fee for it. A few voiced environmental concerns regarding the paper used in the printing process and suggested a willingness to switch to reading the magazine in the online format. Visit our online site to view the online versions: www.acorn.aquinas.edu.

“Keep up your good work,” suggested an alumna/donor.

We aim to do just that; the survey results are helping us ensure that the content of Aquinas magazine is relevant and interesting to readers.

Thanks for your input. Please send along comments and suggestions at any time to faheymar@aquinas.edu.

Marty Fahey, Editor

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.

Spring 2010 vol. 9 no. 1

The magazine of aquinas college

TABLE OF CONTENTS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE. .......................................... 5 CAMPUS NEWS

Feature: Aquinas Sports and Fitness Center Campaign....... 6 New Master in Sustainable Business Degree.................... 11 2010 Commencement Preview........................................ 12 Wege Speakers Series: Oceanographer Sylvia Earle, Ph.D.............................. 13 AQ Responds to Haiti Devastation.................................. 14 ArtPrize 2009.................................................................. 22

STUDENT NEWS

New International Program–Rome................................... 28 Students Work in Local SitCom....................................... 32 AQ Student Authors Article on Sports Injuries................ 33

ADMISSIONS

Business and Technology AQ Day.................................... 54

OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE (OLLI)

2010 Emeritus Award: Kate Pew Wolters & Robert C. Pew............................ 55

ADVANCEMENT

Feature: Frey Family and Aquinas..................................... 56 Dedication of Woodhouse Archives................................. 59 2010 Reflection Award: Joan Secchia............................... 59 2009 Scholarship Reception............................................. 60 AQ Fund Going Strong.................................................... 64 Corporate Partners: A Successful Season.......................... 65

ATHLETICS

FACULTY NEWS

Girls Empowering Together (GET) Program Update....... 35 Dean/Political Science Professor Glenn Barkan Retires.... 36 New Book on Sustainable Business: Matt Tueth, Ph.D...... 38 Faculty Notes .................................................................. 38

Joslyn Narber ’10: New Women’s Basketball Points Leader............................................ 66 Men’s Cross Country: A Decade of Excellence................ 67 2010 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees.............................. 69 2009 Fall Sports Wrap-up................................................ 70

ALUMNI

CLASS NOTES............................................................. 78

Alumnus Helps in Flooded El Salvador............................ 41 Totem Pole Memorial–Craig Convissor ’69...................... 43 Teaching in China: Phil VandenBrink .............................. 46 2010 Alumni Awards....................................................... 47 2009 Reunions–Save the Date......................................... 50

Sports/Fitness Center pg. 6 Frey Family Connection pg. 56

Internation

al Program

Rome pg. 2

8

orial pg. 43

Totem Pole Mem

Barkan Reti

res pg. 36

C. Edward Balog, Ph.D. As you read through this issue of the Aquinas magazine, you will see some familiar topics: news of our students and their academic accomplishments as well as their community service activities; news of our outstanding faculty ranging from awards and publications through retirement announcements; and updates on various campus projects from construction to speakers and our faculty and institutional participation in ArtPrize.

Without repeating some of the information you will read in this issue, I would like to point out that the renovation of the Fieldhouse into a new Sports and Fitness Center is underway and scheduled for completion in September. This will provide for a new competition basketball and volleyball court, more classroom and office space for faculty and staff, a fully equipped athletic training facility, and a fitness

center for the entire campus community. We are also in the planning stages of an effort to renovate Albertus Magnus Hall to provide facilities support for our outstanding science programs. These are all important continuing efforts to provide our students with the best education available.

But a substantial amount of space in this issue is devoted to alumni, and rightly so. It has become a clichĂŠ for institutions of higher education to identify themselves as student centered. Of course all colleges exist for their students, but not all colleges can provide the opportunities for intellectual and personal growth that are available at liberal arts colleges such as Aquinas. Our students are here for more than a credential that will help them find meaningful employment. They come to Aquinas for the broader experience of service learning trips, international experiences like Ireland and the Dominican Republic, or a semester of study on the European continent, and community involvement. They come so that as Aquinas Alumni, well into the next phase of their lives, they will be able to fulfill their goals and be productive members of the community.

It is the success of these alumni that encourages our current students to continue to pursue their own goals, even in these very difficult economic circumstances. We should view our Aquinas family as more of a continuum rather than in two clearly discrete groups of students and alumni.

The generous gifts of Peter and Carolyn Sturrus and Bob and Cherie VanderWeide illustrate the value of the educational experience our alumni are continuing to support. Our current students are far ahead of my generation of college students in recognizing this continuum. Under the leadership of our Student Senate, students are engaging in a variety of activities to generate a sense of this connection to the alumni and the role they play in the current generation’s education. They are preparing to become the same type of alumni who will offer their experience and assistance to succeeding generations of college students.

What I am describing is a sense of belonging and community relationships that goes beyond a continuing commitment to a specific sport or student organization (although it may certainly include that) to an awareness of a values-based education that establishes a commitment to lifelong learning and community responsibility. Our alumni demonstrate this on a regular basis for our current students. And I am confident that our current students will do the same when they are alumni and that they will continue to make a difference in the world.

aquinas.edu | Spring 2010 | Campus News 5

Campus News

President’s Message

A Dream Realized: $12 Million Sports & Fitness Center Construction Under Way By Dan Treul ’09, Contributing Writer The Aquinas College Performing Arts Center. The Grace Hauenstein Library. An artificial turf field for soccer and lacrosse. A new three-story apartment-style building for student residents. A fully renovated second floor in the Academic Building that features cutting edge study areas, classrooms and office space.

Since 2003, Aquinas College has enacted an ambitious agenda of capital improvements that have dramatically modernized the campus and furthered the College’s academic and athletic offerings.

Last August, the wrecking ball, metaphorically speaking, arrived at the Fieldhouse and with it, the promise of a new era for members of the Aquinas community both on and off the court.

Announcing the $12 million undertaking at an Aug. 26 press conference, Aquinas College President C. Edward Balog

AQ Saints Room

Phase Two - Multipurp

ose Arena

6 Campus News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

remarked on the new facility’s cross-disciplinary design.

Scheduled to be completed in two phases, the Aquinas College Sports and Fitness Center will feature increased classroom, training and storage space; new coach and staff offices; a first-class competition venue with seating for 2,000; and an integrated fitness center.

“It will contribute to our academic programs by providing more classroom space ... and provides us with a competition facility that is comparable to our peer institutions and one that is equal in quality to our athletic programs,” said Balog.

For many in the Aquinas community, the announcement could not come a moment too soon. The existing Physical Education and Assembly Building, known as the Fieldhouse, debuted in 1969 and, according to Associate Vice President for Advancement Greg Meyer, is no longer sufficient.

“Because the project had been percolating for so long, we

with a nearly 70,000 sq. ft. addition, incorporating a 200-meter NCAA-certified track, off-season practice areas, intramural courts and seating for 300 fans.

According to Vice President for Institutional Advancement Greg McAleenan, the $7 million needed to complete Phase One has been raised. Meantime, the campaign to raise the additional $5 million continues.

“We are very excited to be past the halfway point in our campaign,” he said, “but this project won’t be complete until we have raised all of the money needed to complete both phases. I have no doubt that our alumni will rise to the occasion and help us reach that goal within the year.”

Integrated Architecture and Rockford Construction are leading design and construction work, respectively. As with all new construction on campus, the new Sports and Fitness Center will further the College’s commitment to sustainability, and will seek U.S. Green Building Council certification for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED).

You can find more information about the Sports and Fitness Center Campaign in the special insert found in this edition of Aquinas magazine or visit the campaign Web site at www.aquinas.edu/construction. Also, if you want to be a part of this campaign, the Web site provides several opportunities to contribute and includes a list of equipment needs for the renovated facility.

Main Floor Schematic

aquinas.edu | Spring 2010 | Campus News 7

Campus News

simply had to get it started so people would believe,” he said.

The project was kick-started with the generosity of lead benefactor Peter Wege of the Wege Foundation. Foundation Executive Director Ellen Satterlee, also an Aquinas trustee, said that Peter Wege has always expressed a desire that Aquinas “be the best small Catholic liberal arts college in the United States.”

“He wanted to fund this sports and fitness center in an effort to bring the Aquinas facility to a competitive level with other schools of its size,” she remarked, adding that he is especially happy with the fact that this is a “collaborative effort on the part of all of the Aquinas family, not just those using the facility.”

Also giving the project a significant boost were two $1.5 million gifts by Peter and Carolyn Sturrus of Grand Haven and Bob ’81 and Cheri VanderWeide of the VanderWeide Family Foundation in Grand Rapids. The longtime dream was finally within reach.

Sturrus ’77 captured the hope for the project’s impact in brief remarks at the August announcement: “I can sum it up it one word: Community.”

“We visualize students, faculty and staff participating in fitness activities at the fitness center,” he stated. “The results will be bonding and camaraderie.”

Phase One, currently under way, will renovate the existing Fieldhouse structure and is expected to be completed by midSeptember 2010. Phase Two will complement the renovations

Fieldhouse Sneak Peek

Training Facility

Competition Court

Fitness Area

New Main Entryway

When Peter Sturrus ’77 came to Aquinas as a continuing education student in the mid1970s, he could never have anticipated that one day, more than 30 years later, he would be back as a lead donor in the effort to develop the new College Sports and Fitness Center.

“The degree, along with life experiences, made things possible for me that probably would have been unattainable without it,” Sturrus told those attending an Aug. 26 project announcement. The former Grand Haven manufacturing executive and his wife, Carolyn, donated $1.5 million to the capital campaign in order to “acknowledge the important role Aquinas played in my future.”

In deeply personal remarks given at the press conference, Sturrus shared the emotional memories of being diagnosed with aggressive cancer, a near-fatal bicycle accident and ultimately, the miraculous “providence” that saved his life.

“I do believe in providence,” Sturrus said. “Thirty-one years later, I often ask myself, ‘Why did God spare me?’ I believe it was so I could donate to causes such as this.”

Sturrus envisions the new Sports and Fitness Center as a thriving center of activity on campus, summed up in one word: “community.”

Bob and Cheri VanderWeide: Donor Profile As president of the NBA’s Orlando Magic, Bob VanderWeide ’81 knows the value of sports and fitness. So when Aquinas College announced plans for a renovated and expanded Sports & Fitness Center, it was only natural that Bob and Cheri VanderWeide stepped forward to support the effort through the VanderWeide Family Foundation.

“As an Aquinas alum I’m excited to see the college significantly upgrade its facilities for athletics, wellness and recreation,” said VanderWeide, who graduated from the College in 1981. “As a family we are excited to be a part of this project and know that it will bless the Aquinas community for many years.”

VanderWeide is the son-in-law of Amway cofounder Rich DeVos, and has served as president of the Orlando Magic since 1994.

Bocian’s Saints Campaign

By Rachel Luehm, Student Writer

Campus News

Peter and Carolyn Sturrus: Donor Profile

Aquinas athletics has been, and still is, a source of pride Terry Bocian for many students and alumni.

Unfortunately, the home of AQ athletics, the 40-year-old Fieldhouse, is no longer meeting the needs of Aquinas’s athletics programs nor the campus community. Built in 1969, the Fieldhouse has seen better days. After a decade-long wait, renovation of the Fieldhouse has begun, and, with it, a fundraising campaign directed at AQ athletic alums – the Bocian’s Saints Campaign.

The Bocian’s Saints Campaign is named for Athletic Director Terry Bocian ’70, former AQ head baseball coach and recipient of numerous honors, including induction into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame and the NAIA Hall of Fame. This campaign is one segment of the larger Sports and Fitness Center campaign with a goal of raising one million dollars from alumni, particularly, former athletes, to name a portion of the renovated building for Bocian.

Rick Heuvelman ‘79, former student-athlete and Bocian’s Saints Appeal Chair, emphasized the importance of the project, stating that he believes “our student-athletes deserve better. It’s the same complex that was there 30 years ago (when I attended Aquinas).”

A walk through the old Fieldhouse underscored this sentiment. There was little room for the athletic training program, and it featured a diminutive weight room, a virtually unusable track, and insufficient space for the recreational needs of the College and community. According to Heuvelman and others on board for this project, the time has come for a change.

Because he feels so strongly about this project, Heuvelman decided to help out and implores his fellow alumni to do the same: “Get involved and donate. It is important to other donors to see former athletes getting involved.”

Monies raised to date have made the renovation of the Fieldhouse project (phase one of the Sports and Fitness Center project) possible.

There is still need to fund the second phase, a new building that will include a running track along with a second basketball court to be used for intramural sports.

These facilities are an integral part of the Sports and Fitness complex, and are crucial to the athletic program.

“Many donors have given small amounts of money to the cause, in increments that best suit them,” Heuvelman noted.

“If everyone helps a little bit, it can make a huge difference.” aquinas.edu | Spring 2010 | Campus News 9

Putting Energy to Use By Deb Steketee, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sustainable Business While foundation courses for Aquinas’ Sustainable Business curriculum cover the theory supporting sustainable business (SB), Aquinas SB students also undertake coursework and projects to put their knowledge into practice.

Environmental Regulatory Compliance, SB Sustainable Business studen ts listen as Pete Michell of Rockford Constru Innovations Lab and Cases ction talks about the Fieldhouse Renovation in Sustainable Business plans. join Sustainable Energy Systems as some of these “tools-based” courses.

Tools for addressing energy use and impacts are among those in demand for our Sustainable Business graduates.

Today’s energy realities post some of the most challenging aspects of business operations and offer opportunities for entrepreneurship. According to Thomas Friedman, author of Hot, Flat and Crowded (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008), we’re entering the Energy-Climate Era–where global climate change, “petrodictatorships,” and the end of “cheap” fossilfuels intersect with technological innovation, economic opportunity and new policy approaches.

During fall 2009, students enrolled in Sustainable Energy Systems learned about carbon management strategies through a focus on the Aquinas carbon inventory completed in September 2009 (one step in fulfilling the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment). Bruce Goodman, an attorney from Varnum, LLP also brought his

expertise to the classroom to help students better understand current energy policies, including those supporting renewable energy. A visit to GVSU’s Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center allowed for a first-hand look at new energy technologies, which complemented student case research work.

Putting this systems-based learning to work, students’ semester research projects involved various energy-related aspects of the renovation of the Aquinas Fieldhouse.

Students interfaced with project professionals including Pete Michell and Deb Sypien of Rockford Construction Company, Inc. , Levi Gardner, formerly with Integrated Architecture, LLC, as well as Aquinas Director of Physical Plant Operations Dale Haisma and Greg Meyer, associate vice president for Institutional Advancement, address their specific research tasks. These team projects included developing recommendations for lighting systems, energygenerating technologies, building heating and cooling, energy conservation approaches and current funding opportunities resulting from federal renewable energy incentives.

Business class about D. talks to her Sustainable Professor Deb Steketee, Ph. dhouse.

Fiel ted nned into the renova energy-related aspects pla

AQ Staying Fit By Samantha Rinkus, Student Writer Despite the closed Fieldhouse, Aquinas students are still finding ways to stay fit. With the help of the Health and Wellness Center on campus, new programs have arisen to assist students with their exercise needs.

Referring to spirit, body, environment, financial and emotional considerations, Coordinator of Wellness Services Veronica Beitner said, “It is in the balance of these aspects that a person can experience a healthier lifestyle.

So many of our existing programs embrace many aspects of this wellness model and are beneficial for not only our students, but faculty and staff as well.”

With the help of the Aquinas Student Senate, the Wellness program now offers students free access to an online health and wellness magazine. The publication is monthly, offers input from schools all over the country and is customized to provide events held at Aquinas. A link to the site may be found on the health and wellness page of the Aquinas Website.

The athletic department also offers opportunities to students who want to exercise. The Wellness program has been working with senior fitness coordinator intern Devin Tarrant to set up different workout sessions during the fall and spring semesters. The Fitness Centers in Regina and St. Joseph have extended their hours to cater to the needs of students.

“For some, a program that offers accountability or socialization works best,” said Beitner. “For others, they may like the seclusion that running alone, for example, offers. What our program hopes to do is raise awareness of what is available to our community.”

Veronica Beitner 10 Campus News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

By Bona Van Dis ’08 and Luke Sprunger, Writers Aquinas is flexing its strength and strong sense of community through its Sport Management Program (SMP).

This degree program, the ninth largest major as of 2008-2009, provides students with the information of a business degree and the specifics needed for success in the career tracks of sport, athletics and fitness. The SMP has been pumping out some of the most successful sport management professionals in the field since 1996, and its current students are “running through and helping others too.”

In the fall of 2008, the Administration of Sport class designed a 5K foot race, known as the “AQ Run Thru,” to focus on the College’s community charism. On Homecoming morning October 3, 2009, 50 participants took to the course.

The events included a 5k run and two mile walk on a scenic route through the Aquinas campus, with people of all running and walking levels encouraged to participate. The top three finishers in each category were recognized. The Run Thru received the support of 13 local sponsors and raised $800 for Kid’s Food Basket of Grand Rapids, an organization that aims to relieve childhood hunger by providing weekday sack suppers to kids in need. In addition to the money, the event collected two large baskets of goods for Kid’s Food Basket

and God’s Kitchen. The event was also endorsed by the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports.

While students are making an impact close to home, alums of the program are spread across the country, striving to be the best in the business. Marie Carbee ’08, who currently serves as a graduate assistant for the women’s basketball team at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Penn., says her experience at AQ was very satisfying. “I came away from Aquinas with an education I can use. I acquired a lot of useful information and found I had opportunities to learn in real world situations.”

Assistant Professor Heather Kesselring-Quakenbush, the Business Administration/Sport Management program director, is confident that Aquinas offers one of the best sport management programs around and, she reports, “the quality of the program extends outside of the classroom.” With internship sites like the Grand Rapids Griffins and East Hills Athletic Club, opportunities abound.

And with the new Sports and Fitness Center in the works, there’s room for growth—the Sport Management Program will be housed there.

New Master’s Program to Debut in Fall

by Laura Bennett-Kimble ’95, Contributing Writer Aquinas College will offer a new degree in August, a Master of Sustainable Business (MSB) degree that takes the existing undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Business (BSSB) program to the next level.

Approved by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association in late winter, the 18-month, 36-credit-hour evening program combines conventional business management education with a sustainable business curriculum.

“In developing this program, the College is finding another way to fulfill its mission to provide a liberal arts education emphasizing career preparation,” said Provost and Dean of Faculty Chad Gunnoe.

Like the current undergraduate and certification programs, the new master’s degree offers interdisciplinary coursework that incorporates a “triple top line” philosophy: integration of economic, environmental and social elements to successfully run an organization and have a positive or neutral effect on the world around it, according to Matthew Tueth, Ph.D., Steelcase Foundation Professor of Sustainable Business.

“We have seen a need and a demand for this,” Tueth said.

“Many people have contacted us wanting to know if it was offered – most often working professionals who are either

in a company or going to a company that’s moving in this direction.”

“The curriculum’s blending of social, natural science and business knowledge endeavors to strengthen our ability to better human and natural world conditions, resonating with the College’s core Dominican values,” Gunnoe said.

The overall SB program was inspired by Peter Wege’s vision of “economicology,” the idea that a healthy environment is necessary for a healthy economy, and supported by the Steelcase Foundation, he added.

Considered the first undergraduate degree of its kind in the nation, the BSSB degree program began in 2003. Fortythree students have graduated since then, and there are currently more than eighty BSSB majors.

To facilitate the additional degree program, a national search is under way to locate a new sustainable business faculty member. The MSB curriculum already has been established, and courses include Industrial Ecology; Research Methods, Design and Analysis; Organizational Behavior; Leadership; and Building Human Capital.

The development of the program was supported by a generous grant from the Steelcase Foundation.

aquinas.edu | Spring 2010 | Campus News 11

Campus News

Exercising Leadership – AQ’s Sport Management Program

Campus News

2010 Commencement

The Aquinas class of 2010 is about to make the transition from students to alumni. Plans are nearly complete for this year’s ceremony, which will take place Saturday, May 8, starting at 2 p.m. at a different venue since the Fieldhouse is under reconstruction. The ceremony will take place at Sunshine Community Church on East Beltline in northeast Grand Rapids. It promises to be another exciting program for the more than 400 l de eligible graduates.

An n Va vid Da Addressing this year’s commencement class will be David Van Andel, chairman and CEO of the Van Andel Institute (VAI), an organization that has made significant advancements in the life science and biomedical research industry in Grand Rapids. Since its founding in 2000, the VAI has seen strong growth and achievements, and has realized the establishment of international partnerships in the areas of research, business, and education. In addition to his role with the VAI, Van Andel is active in numerous business and community organizations, serves as chairman of the Economic Club of Grand Rapids, and is a board member of The Right Place Program and Hope College. Van Andel, the son of Amway co-founder Jay Van Andel, will receive an honorary degree from Aquinas College.

Honorary degrees will also be presented to Rosemary Zant ’58 and Greg Alksnis ’71.

Zant is a lifelong resident of Grand Rapids who used her B.S. in biology from Aquinas to teach in the Catholic

school system. While teaching, Zant developed a knack for fundraising that took her to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, where she served as event director for Tee Off Against MS, which raised more than $2.5 million during her tenure. After a successful fight of her own against breast cancer in the late 1990s, Zant returned to fundraising, becoming event director for the Positively Warren Golf Classic, which benefits the cancer library at Saint Mary’s Richard Lacks Greg Alksn is Cancer Center and the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame, which supports youth athletic programs. She received the AQ Outstanding Alumni Award in 2004.

Alksnis graduated from Aquinas with a B.S.B.A., and was awarded the Athletic Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 for golf due to his athletic accomplishments Rosie Zant during and after his years at Aquinas. He served as a trustee on the Aquinas Board from 1997 until 2006 when he was awarded emeritus status. Alksnis is the co-owner, vice president and secretary of Magic Steel Corporation of Grand Rapids.

Aquinas Using Sustainable Commencement Gowns

By Doug Seites, Student Writer Aquinas College will begin using a more sustainable commencement gown made from recycled material this spring. Herff Jones, a company that sells educational recognition and achievement products, has introduced a new line of commencement gowns manufactured by the company Repreve and made from recycled plastic bottles. The company caught the attention of President Ed Balog as preparations for commencement began.

The new, more sustainable gowns come as a response to the growing desire among colleges to be more environmentally conscious. The gowns are made from 100 percent certified recycled post-consumer plastic bottles. Approximately 27

By Doug Seites, Student Writer On Monday, April 19, oceanographer, explorer, author and lecturer Dr. Sylvia Earle will speak at Aquinas College as part of the 14th annual Wege Foundation Speaker Series. The talk, titled “Without Blue There Is No Green,” will take place from 4–5:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center (PAC) on the Aquinas campus. A reception will follow immediately and the lecture is free and open to the public.

The former chief scientist of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) is Explorer-inResidence at the National Geographic Society and founder and chairperson of Deep Search International. Her research concerns the ecology and conservation of marine ecosystems and the development of technology for researching the deep sea. She recently led the Google Ocean Advisory Council, which provided content and scientific supervision for the “Ocean in Google Earth.” Earle is the leader of the Sustainable Seas Expeditions and co-chairs the Science Committee of the U.S. National Parks 21st Century Commission. She also serves on the board of numerous organizations relating to marine research, policy and conservation.

Earle founded Deep Ocean Exploration and Research (DOER) in 1992, and has led more than 70 expeditions and totaled more than 6500 hours of underwater research. She is the author of some 170 scientific, technical, and popular publications and has lectured in 70 countries. She received the 2009 TED prize for her proposal to establish a global network of marine protected areas. Earle has been nicknamed “Her Deepness” by the New York Times, and been called a Living Legend by the Library of Congress. She was also the first person to be named Time magazine’s “Hero of the Planet.”

Some information for this article was found at www.deepdeep. org/Deep_Search/Sylvia_Earle.html

recycled plastic bottles are used to create one standard sized (5’8” person) gown.

Aquinas and President Balog are “committed to the pursuit of a more sustainable, healthier campus” says Jan Sommerville, executive assistant to the president “One of Aquinas’ signature characteristics is its commitment to sustainability initiatives.”

A Herff Jones spokesman indicated that Aquinas College is one of just three client colleges in Michigan and 55 nationwide that have chosen to use the recycled gowns.

This is the first year the gowns have been offered.

The cost of each gown is slightly higher than previous gowns. However, according to Aquinas College Bookstore Manager Marian Todish, the price will be kept down to promote the switch to a more sustainable material. aquinas.edu | Spring 2010 | Campus News 13

Campus News

Wege Foundation Speaker Series Welcomes Famed Oceanographer

Aquinas Answers the Call in Haiti By Samantha Rinkus, Student Writer In a country already devastated by poverty and hunger, the 7.0 earthquake which struck Haiti on Jan. 12 was an unimaginable blow.

As of late January, two weeks after the original quake, at least 50 aftershocks, measuring 4.5 magnitude or higher, have rocked the small nation, adding to the estimated death toll of 200,000 people.

However, with these great tragedies come great compassion and charity, and the Aquinas community is doing its part in assisting the Haitians. Aquinas’ sympathy toward Haiti does not come merely from a general feeling of good will, but from a deeper connection with the small island nation.

Since 1996, Aquinas students and faculty have dedicated time and money to support a small school in Borel, Haiti, 45 miles north of Portau-Prince. Now, Aquinas students are doing everything they can to reach out to their sister school through partnerships with Rays of Hope for Haiti and the Catholic Relief Services Haiti Emergency Fund.

“Aquinas has had a long-standing relationship with Rays of Hope for Haiti. Prior to the earthquake, AQ students regularly served with Rays of Hope in Haiti, assisting in the warehouse,” said Eric Bridge ’92, service learning coordinator. “The AQ earthquake response flowed from this already-existing partnership among friends.”

As of Jan. 29, Aquinas students had raised more than $3,000 through the Rays of Hope for Haiti and contributed to more than $550,000 which has been raised by the Diocesan Haiti Fund. Students have also volunteered alongside the Salvation Army to raise $20,000.

A 1980s and 1990s Haiti Benefit Dance was held for Feb. 6, along with an auction by Casa Hogar on Feb. 10 to raise more funds.

As we went to print, the annual service learning trip to Haiti, originally scheduled for May, is being re-assessed, as Port-au-Prince airports are closed for commercial flights. The guesthouses which would usually house students and staff have been destroyed or badly damaged. However, faculty members are still making plans to bring supplies and assistance in the coming months.

“AQ Haiti Service Learning students draw our attention to the reality that the present suffering in Haiti is due, in part, to unjust political and historical decisions that have been made over the past several hundred years,” said Bridge. “Becoming aware of the past injustices to Haiti allows us to advocate for sustainable development and the common good.”

Top: AQ students Mai Allyn Pham and Jessica Coffelt took twins, Julio and Julia, back to their parents during their May 2009 trip.

Middle: Two AQ students pictured with Haiti children last October.

Bottom: A woman in Haiti receives a shot by one of the volunteer workers.

14 Campus News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

Last October, the AQ group makes its way to visit a 90-year-old who couldn’t make it to the clinic.

AQ Alumna, Haiti and its Future By Valerie Mossman-Celestin ’01 point. HAPI has continued to develop its staff and products toward a goal of positioning the group as a sustainable business in the retail gift market. Last August, HAPI participated in training from Aid-to-Artisans, an organization that works with international artisans to understand the North American gift market, including product trends, distribution channels, costing and pricing models.

Aid-to-Artisans encouraged HAPI prototypes created “What is help?” I asked my Aquinas colleagues as I from recycled clothing and used cement sacks. The shift surveyed the Port-au-Prince landscape during the 1998 Haiti to products made from recycled materials reflects HAPI’s service-learning trip. evolvement beyond social enterprise Mission teams in neon T-shirts to holistic community development piled into vans. Bundles of imported that encompasses “people, planet, used clothing balanced on the heads of and profit” within an environment of swaying street vendors. Sweating men spiritual nurture. with muscles of iron strained beneath Nicole Phryton, HAPI artisan, used the weight of hand-drawn carts piled payroll deduction from her HAPI high with bags of surplus U.S. rice. artisan products to purchase three Port-au-Prince, Haiti was bustling solar ovens from a seminar sponsored with people going everywhere, yet going by HAPI. She now has a steady nowhere: 75-85% unemployment; 55% i VerLee with children ele income from the ovens and clean Lor er mb me rd boa PI HA illiteracy; average age expectancy 49 the Peace Pals program gathered at water.

All three of her children are in ce Pea the from years. Haiti is a case study in failed h and English. is in French, Creole, Spanis t school.

Nicole enrolled herself in a tha e Pol aid, both governmental and that of professional center to learn new skills good intentions. to expand her business opportunities.

I returned to live in Port“We help other people in our au-Prince in 2001 to seek the neighborhood who don’t work. We provide answer to my question from the credit without interest. When my neighbors perspective of the poor. Paul see me staying home, they ask me why I’m Prevost, mayor of the rural, not going to ‘look for life’ for them. This mountainous community of means that it’s not only me who’s working Mizak, introduced me to an in HAPI in this area: it’s all of our neighbors artisan cooperative. It was not and families who participate in HAPI,” states a sustainable business model, Paul and Eddy, prima ry directors in Haiti, Nicole. sta nd the community mural by but the women were receiving s created by HAPI pa Nicole summed it up best: “It’s not only inters. a paycheck and a message of the money I like about HAPI. When I go self-worth. Their children were to HAPI, if I have a problem it is resolved in school. Their husbands and the community gave them because everybody is very encouraging. There is peace in respect. They didn’t have to travel long distances on risky and HAPI.” costly public transportation to market product in dangerous

Editor’s Note: Valerie Mossman-Celestin ‘01 has been involved with Haiti for more than a decade. She prepared this updated report about her group Haitian Artisans for Peace International (HAPI) before the devastating earthquake struck on Jan. 12. However, she sent Aquinas magazine a few words in conclusion in the aftermath of the devastation.

urban areas. They were happy.

Leaving the co-op, a sign posted along the road announced a faith-based feeding program. Paul said, “Every time I see that sign, I feel shame that my community lines up for a handout of the same scoop of rice and beans every day. The missionaries want us to live but they don’t want us to grow.”

Fast forward to March 2007 and the creation of HAPI Haitian Artisans for Peace International, which I cofounded with Paul with a mission for securing health, education, dignity and hope through economic opportunities.

U.S. team members partnered with us in product development, marketing and business leadership development.

The artisans began with the production of hand-embroidered, framable gift cards, marketed arcoal An artisan uses a ch primarily to churches and nonprofits. iron as she preps the The gift cards were a launching for gs ba cement cleaned ls. our recycled journa

Epilogue

January 12, 2010…35 seconds altered the face of Haiti more significantly than 200 years of oppression, occupation, resistance and coups.

Port-au-Prince was the heart of Haiti, pumping out food, clothing, construction materials, most of the limited national income and higher education. Where are Port-au-Prince refugees to look for life? Back to the rural communities that birthed them but which currently have no resources to sustain them.

In Mizak alone, nearly 600 homes are inhabitable. People are sleeping outside on plastic tarps. Food prices are too high for the majority living on less than $1 day.

HAPI is engaging in first-response disaster relief while recognizing an opportunity to rebuild a different future that vitalizes the rural communities and provides opportunity for higher education, skilled trades and jobs that hold families together in the rural community. I invite you to be a part of the present and future: www.haitianartisans.com. aquinas.edu | Spring 2010 | Campus News 15

Campus News

Contemporary Writers Series Hosts Two Authors: Playwright and Poet The Aquinas College Contemporary Writers Series (CWS) continues its successful 13th season with visits by two acclaimed contemporary authors. On March 4, the Series hosted poet and essayist Sherod Santos who was the Curators’ Distinguished Professor of English at the tos Sherod San University of Missouri.

Now retired and living in Chicago, Santos is the author of a number of books including several prize-winners: Greek Lyric Poetry won the Umhoefer Prize for Achievement in the Humanities; The Pilot Star Elegies won the Theodore Roethke Poetry Prize; and A Poetry of Two Minds won the prestigious National Book Critics Award in Criticism. His poetry and essays have appeared in The Paris Review, The New Yorker, The Nation, Poetry and The Yale Review.

On April 7, the CWS will collaborate with the Aquinas Theatre Department in presenting the work of playwright George Brant. Drama students from the department will perform his play, Any Other Name, at the Aquinas Performing George Brant Arts Center. After the performance, there will be an informal discussion of the play with Brant, the cast/crew and audience.

The play is a dark comedy about identity theft in Victorian England and has been workshopped at the Trinity Repertory Company, WordBRIDGE Playwrights Lab and Shakespeare at Clark Park. Brant is currently in his final year as a Playwriting Fellow at the James A. Michener Center. His work has been produced in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Austin, Tex. Both events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact CWS Director Pam Luebke at (616) 632-2127 or visit the CWS Web site at www.aquinas.edu/ library.

Contemporary Writers Review

playwright and velist, essayist, no , et erican po aw as Chick ative Native Am Linda Hogan, a ential and provoc ed the flu in nd t te os at m d e ow th ure. A large cr at er activist, is one of lit n ica ra er porary Am e Contempo ry 29 as part of th figures in contem t.

Oc and on s na ui at Aq litical ideologist reading she gave ed herself as a po ish gu in st di s ha e Writers Series. Sh eorist. l/philosophical th ta en nm ro vi en an

16 Campus News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

Liesel Litzenburger opened the 2009-20 10 Contemporary Writers Series with a reading on Sept. 22. Litze nburger, a native of Michigan, is the author of The Widower (2006) and Now You Love Me (2007).

She is the recipient of several awards and residencies.

Muriel Karp Ross ‘48

Muriel Karp was an active student at Aquinas, described by a contemporary as a “combination of realist and dreamer, of activist and thinker with a zest for living that allows her a rounded view.” After graduating with a biology major, she earned master’s and doctor’s degrees at the University of Michigan, where she taught for several years and was active in a caucus that pushed for gender equity in salaries and promotions.

She worked for NASA’s Ames Research Center in California and won a Nylen Medal for her experiments on the correlation between weightlessness and balance.

She developed a computer program that provides threedimensional simulation of surgical procedures. After retirement, she continued her research at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. She was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame in recognition of her work in medical research and social activism. With her late husband, Bernard, she is the parent of four daughters.

Laurence Burns ‘63

Laurence Burns was the second of a family of 11, all of whom attended Aquinas. Raised on a farm near Carson City, Mich. he attended St. Mary’s School in Carson City. At Aquinas he served as treasurer of his junior class and president of the Aquinas Student Senate in his senior year. With his future wife, Marion Dougherty of Chicago, he went on a service Photo credit to Bruce trip to Bogota, Columbia. They Boutet Photography worked with orphans and were deeply touched by the poverty.

In later years they adopted a child from Columbia in addition to five of their own.

Larry attended Kirksville, Missouri, College of Osteopathic Medicine and became a D.O. in 1969. He started practice in Grand Rapids, specializing in OB-GYN. He became active in Right-to-Life, serving on the Grand Rapids committee and Michigan board of directors, and was a frequent spokesperson on high-profile medical issues. He has provided professional services for impoverished persons and physicals to student athletes without charge. Larry and Marion also revived the Irish Heritage Society of West Michigan.

John O’Connor †

A native of Brooklyn, John O’Connor began his career in government service. During World War Two he was assigned to a meteorological school in Grand Rapids, where one of the trainees was Pvt. Kenneth Marin. While there, he also met his future wife, Stella. When they married after the war, she accompanied him to various locations, including the Aleutian Islands and Trinidad.

He had extensive experience as a CPA in both public and private accounting.

In 1960, at the suggestion of Professor Marin, he applied for a position as an accounting instructor at Aquinas and was accepted. After two years, he left temporarily to serve as an auditor and controller for the U.S. Agency for International Development in the Caribbean Area. In 1964, he returned to Aquinas as an assistant professor in accounting and part-time controller. He also took classes and earned a bachelor of science degree. In 1967, he worked full-time as controller and later, director of business and finance. Under President Norbert Hruby, he was named vice president for business and finance, and with military decisiveness, guided the College through a series of financial crises. As Hruby said, “He was my lightning rod, the College’s guardian angel.” O’Connor retired in 1988 and passed away in 1999. His daughter, Catherine Lileikas, is a 1974 graduate of Aquinas.

To Nominate for Hall of Fame A form for nomination to the Aquinas College Hall of Fame is available at www.aquinas.edu/heritage/halloffame.html Nominations not used when received will be kept on file for future consideration.

aquinas.edu | Spring 2010 | Campus News 17

Campus News

2010 College Hall of Fame Honorees

Campus News

2009 Hall of Fame Gala Review

Fr. Mark Przybysz ’83, (3rd from left), Distinguished Service Award recipient, pictured with his family.

g Alumnus Award from right), Outstandin James Farris ’96, (3rd friends d an ily recipient with his fam

College Hall ’51, (front left), Richard Sedlecky ith his family Fame inductee w 18 Campus News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

of

St. Thomas Aquinas Week and Jr. Saints Weekend St. Thomas Aquinas Week was once again packed with fun and interesting activities to celebrate our Patron Saint and Dominican heritage. The Jazz Combo, under the direction of Professor Paul Brewer, kicked off the week’s celebration with entertainment in the Academic Building as many enjoyed slice of birthday cake in honor of St. Thomas. More than 1,000 pieces of birthday cake were served throughout campus.

Preserving and celebrating our history was the theme of lectures given by Gary Eberle, English Department; Jill Straub ’00, Student Support Services; and Brigid Avery ’01, Alumni Relations.

The Chartres Cathedral floor labyrinth replica was again prayerfully walked by members of the community. Terry Marshall, Mary Clark-Kaiser, Miriam Pederson and Pamela Dail Whiting gave mini-workshops on the history and practice of walking the labyrinth throughout the week.

Athletics also pumped up the crowds with an exciting men’s basketball game against Indiana Tech that saw the Saints finish on top 66-55.

On Wednesday, the Chamber Choir performed at the Dominican Heritage Mass, which celebrated the Dominican sisters presently working at Aquinas and the Dominican and lay retirees who have served the college for 25 years, including Miriam Pederson, Cindy Talbert and Jerry Beute.

Thursday night, C.A.V.A, Student Senate and the Early Childhood Club invited Dominican sisters to enjoy a birthday dinner complete with strawberry shortcake with members of

clubs on campus. Because St. Thomas has no need for gifts, people brought gifts for the Healthy Start Kids Program at Catholic Charities West Michigan. More than one hundred people saw Sr. Nancy Murray, sister of comedic actor Bill Murray, perform a moving one-woman play on St. Catherine of Siena, a famous Dominican saint.

Jr. Saints Weekend opened Friday evening with a rollicking Medieval Dinner and play. Jugglers, sword fighters, tumblers, and AQ Pella all performed, and great food and overall silliness were provided. Student Director Rachel Pinheiro received rave reviews for the evening’s production.

The Medieval Dinner was followed by the 9th Annual Monty Python and the Holy Grail Party sponsored by the History Club. An enthusiastic crowd enjoyed the movie and acted out scenes with members of the history faculty.

Also on Friday, AQ students and their Jr. Saints enjoyed an evening of activities presented by the Aquinas Programming Board.

Saturday was a busy day filled with crafts, story time with Nelson, the mascot, men’s and women’s basketball games against Cornerstone (defeats for both men’s and women’s teams) and at trip downtown to watch the Grand Rapids Griffins.

The week culminated with the St. Thomas Aquinas Mass, presided by former Aquinas Chaplain Fr. Mike Danner. The College Choir and brass ensemble joined with Dr. Brandon Spence, Aquinas Pastoral musician, to provide beautiful liturgical music.

Dominican Dinner

Medieval Dinner

Medieval Dinner

Entertainment

Dominican H

eritage Mass

Campus News

AQ Theater Program Receives Top Awards Aquinas’ Theater Program came out on top after this year’s Grand Awards, clinching four out of the possible six college awards.

“I feel the nominations are a reflection of the work we are doing and the caliber of students our program attracts these days,” said AQ Theater Program Director Randy Wyatt. “There’s a lot of buzz on the Internet and social networks on how AQ’s theater program t ha rforms “Somew Rob Karel ‘09 pe e is expanding in th Karel won Over Indulgent.” g tin or exciting ways.” pp Su t r “Bes Grand Award fo r fo n tio uc Wyatt was one od Pr ge Actor in a Colle n de id rb Fo of seven Aquinas in s le his multiple ro representatives .

Broadway nominated for their excellence this year. His nomination was for Outstanding Director in the production of Writer 1272. However, he lost out to Mary Rademacher,

a well-known performer who was brought in as a first-time director for Aquinas’ Forbidden Broadway.

“It’s important for me to not only match the right directors with the material we do, but to ensure that every show we produce is an educational experience for our students,” said Wyatt. “Now they know quite a lot about musical theater, and Mary played a huge part in that.”

Forbidden Broadway also won the award for Outstanding College Play, beating out Writer 1272. Aquinas actors were well represented, as they swept the Supporting Actor category. Senior Rob Karel took the award for his performance in Forbidden Broadway, edging AQ sophomores Duncan McCargar for Writer 1272, and Josh Devitt for Esperanza Rising.

“That show was one of the best experiences I’ve had in the theater,” said Karel. “The cast was incredible and the whole experience was just amazing.”

Aquinas actresses were also recognized for their performances, with sophomore Chelsea Kaye nominated for Lead Actress in Writer 1272, and junior Anna Ferris nominated for Supporting Actress in Esperanza Rising.

Sophomore Chelsea Pummill won the award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Writer 1272.

“It shows me a faith and support that both my peers and my community have in me that I didn’t know existed,” said Pummill. “[It] has really motivated me to continue along the path that I’m on.”

Kreeft: Catholic Studies Speaker Gets to the Truth This year’s speaker for the 19th Annual St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture got to the heart of the matter quickly, namely, the Truth!

On Jan. 29, more than 250 people attended the lecture given

by Peter Kreeft, Ph.D., professor of philosophy at Boston College, entitled Seeking and Responding to the Truth.

The lecture was sponsored by Catholic Studies and Campus Ministry.

Samuel Granger, a student writer for The Saint, captured the essence of the lecture best, writing: 20 Campus News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

“Using the philosophical methods of St. Thomas Aquinas, Prof. Kreeft drew a distinction between the servile and liberal arts, and drew one also between the simple pursuit of the truth and a passionate love of the truth. The Liberal Arts liberate–that is, free us–from the constraints of our own time, our own culture, our own predilections, better to seek and know the truth. They allow us to form what Cardinal Newman called the ‘philosophical habit of mind’ and moral habits that lead to human flourishing and further the search for truth. The Aquinas mission statement speaks of pursuing the truth. This presupposes that truth exists, that it can be known, that we can describe it with clarity, and that it is to be loved for its own sake because it makes us more fully human.”

The lecture is available online via a link on the Catholic Studies Website: www.aquinas.edu/catholicstudies/

Aquinas College welcomed a new face to the administration this past fall and moved key personnel into new posts.

AQ’s finances are now under the watchful eye of Stephen Wonch. He began his role as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Finance last October.

Wonch has served in a similar position for the West Michigan Christian Foundation and has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting and finance for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations in West Michigan.

Effective in January, Nanette Clatterbuck, former dean of the School of Education, assumed a new role as Associate Provost over the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies. She joined the Aquinas faculty in 1997 and served as dean from

2007 to 2009. Previously, Clatterbuck ran the Lake Michigan Academy for students with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder.

Brian Matzke ’97 MM’02, formerly director of Instructional Services, has been promoted to director of Academic Operations.

Matzke, who assumed his new role last fall, is responsible for management oversight of Information Technology Services, the mailroom and the offices of the Registrar and Academic Advising. Matzke graduated from Aquinas with a B.A. in 1997 and a Master of Management in 2002. He began his professional career at Aquinas after completing his undergraduate studies, serving as associate director of Admissions from 1997 until becoming director of Instructional Services in 2000. He is also a member of the adjunct faculty.

AQ Trustee Named Chief Judge for Michigan Appeals Court AQ trustee the Honorable William Murphy now holds the reigns of the Michigan Court of Appeals. Last November, the Michigan Supreme Court named Murphy to Chief Judge of the state Appellate Court. Judge Murphy, who has been an appeals court judge since being appointed in 1988, is in his third, three-year term as a College Board trustee.

The Honorable Willia m Murphy Chief Judge , Michigan Court of Ap peals

aquinas.edu | Spring 2010 | Campus News 21

Campus News

AQ – New Face/New Moves

Campus News

ArtPrize: A Gift to Grand Rapids ArtPrize, a celebration of art brought artists and the public together in new way last fall. Rick DeVos, creator of ArtPrize and grandson of Amway co-founder Rich DeVos, announced the event in April 2009 and said the Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation had underwritten ArtPrize to ensure its future.

The event offered the largest art prize of its kind in the world, $250,000 for the winner, $100,000 second place and $50,000 third. To top it off, there are seven prizes for the next seven winners, for a total of $450,000. ArtPrize brought Grand Rapids to life for more than two weeks between Sept. 23 and Oct. 10.

On opening day, the works of more than 1,260 artists went on display (three times the number of artists expected),

occupying 159 venues within a three-mile radius of downtown. Hundreds of thousands of people of every age visited ArtPrize and the conversation had begun. The public registered in person to vote through the ArtPrize Web site for the top 25 and during the last week of the competition, registered voters selected the winners from the top 25. More than 37,264 votes were cast in the final week alone. ArtPrize 2010 will run Sept. 22 through Oct.10. Visit www.artprize. org for information.

While they didn’t capture any of the big prizes, members of the Aquinas community entered their own creations for the 2009 competition. They include these projects.

llaboration

Art, Co iate Professor of oc ss A r, se ai K t ur K Castaways among Diverse

Ron Pederson, Professor of Art and Miriam Pederson, Associate Professor of English, Pederson Collaboration: “Crown”

atue), 0 (Live St ‘9 le g n a ed story) Robert Sh (see relat s s e in s u Monkey B

22 Campus News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

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Campus News

Mary Reusch ‘99, Early Morning, Early Morning Pond

Professor of Dana Freeman, antra III Art, Eggshell M

djunct rczyk, A a m z c a eK Madelin rofessor of Art, tP Assistan ology Woman

aff, rmer Aquinas st Lisa M. Yarost, fo s ainer for Human Recyclable Cont

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Renee Therriault ‘93, Row, Row , Row Your Boat

Campus News

AQ Alum Turning Heads as Living Statue

By Doug Seites, Student Writer Robert “Bob” Shangle ’90 has always enjoyed dressing up in costume. He has competed every year at the annual Halloween costume contest at the B.O.B in downtown Grand Rapids, and has won “more often than not.” Now, his ability to perform as a “living statue” has garnered him international recognition.

Shangle has been performing as his alterego LiveStatue all over Michigan at events like Ionia Free Fair, Muskegon Summer Celebration, Coast Guard Festival, and Grand Rapids’ ArtPrize.

In addition to local showcases, his talent and dedication has taken him all the way to the World Statue Festival, the world championship for living statue performers, in Arnhem, Netherlands.

Shangle was the only American invited to compete last August and was flown to the Netherlands, along with his wife, Rachel.

Shangle says the style of the European living statue artists was much different than his. Many of the European competitors would perform for a half an hour at a time and take periodic breaks. Shangle on the other hand, remained almost motionless for the duration of the competition.

More than 350,000 people walked shoulder to shoulder for four hours around a two-mile loop in Arnhem. Awards were given out in categories including craftsmanship and entertainment, as well as the title of world champion. All though Shangle did not win an award in the Netherlands, he competed well and was regarded as one of the top performers in the championship.

Shangle came to Aquinas in 1979 after graduating from Sparta High School. He was a member on both the cross country and track and field teams at Aquinas. After two and a half years, Bob left Aquinas to start a family. He would return soon after to take night classes while holding a day job. Eventually, he became plant manager for three different factories for Wolverine Worldwide and graduated in 1990 with a business degree. Robert credits some of his success to his business professors who taught him with their real-life experience in the working world, rather than just straight from a textbook.

24 Campus News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

Performing as a living statue can be physically demanding.

Shangle spends most of his time motionless, including his facial expressions. He holds perfectly still for a long period of time with only slight shifts in balance and position.

Time spent on the track and cross country teams at Aquinas helped him develop the discipline needed to perform. Shangle says he picked up a lot of mental toughness running for the Saints and his training helped him develop methods to keep his body and mind controlled during performances. He is fascinated with the human body and has researched ways to control heart beat and breathing. In order to hold his position for long periods of time, Shangle tries to get “in a zone” by finding a point to focus on. Years of practice and experimentation have helped him become one the world’s best living statues.

Shangle’s popularity and success have been snowballing; he has received invitations to perform at private parties, company picnics and even a wedding on top of his already busy schedule of fairs and competitions. He enjoys giving back to the community whenever possible, and about once a month he does a charity gig. He performed during a West Michigan Whitecaps home playoff game, and requested that his appearance fee be used to purchase tickets to the game for people who had just lost their jobs.

Shangle was able to set this up with the Whitecaps and a local charity.

Shangle fondly remembers Aquinas’ family-like feel and a great support system. Along with his education, he was able to create lasting friendships with his teammates. “There was this sense that everyone knew you and was looking out for you” Shangle said. “I enjoyed the sense of community at Aquinas, and I don’t think I would have gotten that at a larger university where I might have gotten lost in the crowd.”

On Nov. 12, members of the Aquinas community, including a number of Dominican sisters, attended the Third Annual Humana Starlight Award ceremony in Grand Rapids.

The award, sponsored by Aquinas’ health care management company, Humana, is presented to an area senior citizen volunteer. The volunteers are nominated by their respective nonprofit organizations based on such qualities as dedication,

leadership and positive impact on the community. Rosie Zant, ’58, was nominated by Aquinas staff for her efforts at the College and other community organizations. As one of the 27 nominees, she was honored by Humana with a certificate and pin for her work.

n Hertzig, O.P. ‘62; r, O.P. ‘71; Sr. Joyce An sta Ro en ; rm Ca Sr. ; owski, O.P. ‘62 Holtgreive Christy ‘83 voni, O.P. ‘73; Denise ey ‘03; Sr. Janice Mank Pa itn rio Wh ; Ma rk‘57 .

Sr. Cla ; O.P et ‘76 a, dg dt ew Bri Ann Kostz Back (l-r): ingham; Roy Schmi as Weber, O.P. ’58; Sr. O.P. ‘59; Cecilia Cunn nt (l-r): Sr. Mary Aquin Fro .

Sr. Alice Wittenbach.

O.P , ary Ge en . ‘58; Sr. Maure ., LPN ‘60.

Sr. Nathalie Meyer, O.P ‘83; Sr. Marge Stein, O.P ma ke Dy ar Ch ; ‘58 nt, Rosemary Za

Anti-Smoking Initiatives on Campus

By Rachel Luehm, Student Writer Aquinas College smoke-free? It’s a strong possibility. There is a movement afoot to make the entire campus a smokefree environment. Randy MacGeorge MM’91, director of Residence Life is spearheading the plan and encouraging students from all sides of the issue to speak up about it so that all risks and benefits can be fully weighed.

Although the ban would mean cleaner facilities and overall a healthier campus, it is also understood that it is difficult for those who do smoke to stop at the drop of a hat.

It is also important to note that it may affect enrollment,

because it may discourage students who already smoke from coming here acknowledged MacGeorge. That’s why he is so adamant about students voicing their opinions.

“We don’t want anyone to feel that they’ve been neglected their right to be heard, and no one should feel that they have lost,” MacGeorge said in a Sept. 23, 2009 article in The Saint.

Input sessions are being scheduled to get feedback from members of the Aquinas community.

aquinas.edu | Spring 2010 | Campus News 25

Campus News

Alum Receives Recognition for Volunteer Work

Campus News

Aquinas 2010 Calendar All events are free and open to the public unless a cost is stated.

MARCH

4 ���7:30 p.m.: Contemporary Writers Series. Sherod Santos, Ph.D., poet, essayist and professor, has received numerous awards. Wege Center.

Visit www.aquinas.edu/library/writers.html.

19 ���9:30 a.m.: Fine Arts AQDay. To register, visit www.aquinas.edu/undergraduate/campus_day.html

20 ���5:00-7:30 p.m.: Ireland Reunion for Alumni.

Donnelly Center. $15 per person.

7:30-11:30 p.m.: Ireland Party.

Visit www.aquinas.edu/advancement/events.

20 ���7:30 p.m.: Aquinas Students’ Honors Recital.

Kretschmer Recital Hall, AMC. Information: (616) 632-2413.

21 ���3 p.m.: Aquinas College Band and Chamber Strings in Concert. Kretschmer Recital Hall, AMC. Information: (616) 632-2413.

7 ���8:00 p.m.: Contemporary Writers Series and the Aquinas Theatre Department present Any Other Name by George Brant, playwright and Playwriting Fellow at the James A. Michener Center. His play received the David Mark Cohen National New Play Award from the Kennedy Center. There will be a “talkback” after the performance. Aquinas Performing Arts Center, 1703 Robinson Road SE. Free and the public is welcome. For tickets, call (616) 456-6656.

8 ���7:30 p.m.: Aquinas Spring Jazz Night.

Kretschmer Recital Hall, AMC. For Information, call (616) 632-2413.

11 ���through May 9 Aquinas Gallery Exhibit Opening Reception: Sunday, April 11, 2-4 p.m.

Bachelor of Fine Arts Show.

Gallery Hours: Monday-Thursday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Friday: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday: 2-6 p.m.

25-27 ���8 p.m.: Aquinas Theatre Department presents a student–directed production, The Shadowbox, by Michael Cristofer. Aquinas Theatre Annex.

Ticket prices: $10 general, $8 staff and $4 students.

For tickets, call (616) 456-6656.

26 ���7:30 p.m.: Folias Flute and Guitar Duo with guest percussionist Brandan Grinwis; Carmen Maret, flutist, Andrew Bergeron, guitarist; and Brandan Grinwis, percussionist; Featuring George Crumb’s Mundus Canis and new works by the performers.

Kretschmer Recital Hall, AMC.

13 ���12:30 p.m.: Aquinas Lecture Series.

Richard Wagner’s Courageous Return to the Middle Ages. Speaker: Ralph Vunderink, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor of Philosophy. People are invited to bring their lunches. Wege Center Ballroom.

28 ���3 p.m.: Spring Choral Concert featuring the College Chorus, Chamber Choir and Valenti Handbell Choir. Basilica of Saint Adalbert, 671 Davis NW. Information: (616) 632-2413.

14 ���7:30 p.m.: Aquinas Music Department presents New Dimensions Percussion Plus Concert.

Kretschmer Recital Hall, AMC. Free.

Information: (616) 632-2413.

16 ���9:00 a.m.: AQDay. To register, visit www.aquinas.edu/undergraduate/campus_day.html.

18 ���3 p.m.: Aquinas Music Department’s Spring Benefit Concert featuring the Music Department Ensembles.

Kretschmer Recital Hall, AMC. Information: (616) 632-2413.

19 ���4 p.m.: 14th Annual Wege Speaker Series.

Without Blue There is No Green. Sylvia Earle, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of the Deep Research Foundation, Marine Scientist and Explorer in Residence at the National Geographic Society.

Aquinas Performing Arts Center, 1703 Robinson Road SE. www.deepdeep.org-search/sylvia-earle.html Information: (616) 632-2845.

30 ���12:30 p.m.: Aquinas Lecture Series. Teaching Spatial Logic in 3-D Design; or, Art Is Not As Scatterbrained As You May Think. Speaker: Kurt Kaiser, M.F.A., Associate Professor of Art. Wege Center Ballroom.

APRIL

2-5 ���Easter Break

8-10 ���8 p.m. and 11th at 2 p.m.

Aquinas Theatre Department presents Any Other Name by George Brant.

Tickets: $10 general admission, $8 faculty/staff, $5 for students. Tickets, call (616) 456-6656.

6 ���7:30 p.m.: Aquinas Guitar Night–AQ Guitar Ensemble and Soloists.

Andrew Bergeron, instructor.

Kretschmer Recital Hall, AMC.

26 Campus News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

23 ���9:30 a.m.: Business and Technology AQDay. To register, visit www.aquinas.edu/ undergraduate/campus_day.html.

MAY

1-9 ���Aquinas Gallery Exhibit.

Bachelor of Fine Arts Show.

Gallery Hours: Monday-Thursday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Friday: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday: 2-6 p.m.

13 ���26th Aquinas Emeritus Evening Honoring Kate Pew Wolters ’78 and Robert C. Pew Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park 1000 East Beltline SE 6:00 p.m.: Cocktails, 7:00 p.m.: Dinner $150 per person: Details or reservations, call (616) 632-2805 or e-mail harbuell@aquinas.edu.

18 ���2010 Aquinas College Peter M. Wege ProAm Blythefield Country Club. (616) 632-2805 or e-mail harbuell@aquinas.edu.

JUNE

15 ���Evening of Elegance hosted by Robert and Paulette Israels, 600 7th Street, NW. 6:30-9:30 p.m., $175 per person. (616) 632-2805 or harbuell@aquinas.edu.

13-18 ���Jazz Camp 2010 For Information, visit www.aquinas.edu/jazz_camp.html.

AUGUST

19 ���Freshmen Orientation

23 ���First day of class

27 ���9-2 p.m.: AQDay. To register, visit www.aquinas.edu/undergraduate/campus_day.html

SEPTEMBER

20 ���Reflection Award honoring Joan Secchia Browne Center, 2001 Robinson Road SE 6:00 p.m.: Cocktails, 7:30 p.m.: Dinner Ticket price: $150 per person For Information, call (616) 632-2805 or e-mail harbuell@aquinas.edu.

24 ���Aquinas College Hall of Fame Wege Center Ballroom 5:30 p.m.: Cocktails, 6:30 p.m.: Dinner Wege Center Ballroom $65 per person, Table Patron $750 (616) 632-2805 or e-mail harbuell@aquinas.edu.

24-26 ���Homecoming Weekend Reunion Years: 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005 50th Reunion Class: 1960

8 ���10 a.m.: Aquinas College Baccalaureate Cathedral of Saint Andrew, 265 Sheldon Ave., S.E. 2 p.m.: Aquinas College Commencement Sunshine Community Church, 3300 East Beltline Due to limited seating, tickets are required.

23 ���5:15 p.m.: Adult Student Orientation.

Information: (616) 632-2923 or e-mail hennibre@aquinas.edu.

2010 Circle Theatre Schedule Aquinas Performing Arts Center 1703 Robinson Road SE Ticket Information: (616) 456-6656 www.circletheatre.org

The Main Stage Shows: May 6-22 ���Rent Book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson June 3-19 ���Steel Magnolias A comedy/drama by Robert Harling July 8-24 ���Annie Book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin.

Based on the Tribune Media Service Comic Strip, “Little Orphan Annie.”

August 5-21 ���Funny Money A Farce by Ray Cooney September 2-18 ���Little Shop of Horrors Book and Lyrics by Howard Ashman Music by Alan Menken

The Magic Circle* Show June 24-27 ���Alice in Wonderland A New Adaptation by Randy Wyatt *The Magic Circle show is NOT included in the Season Ticket package, but Season Ticket holders do receive a $2 per ticket discount.

aquinas.edu | Spring 2010 | Campus News 27

Campus News

Student News

Viva la Roma! By Brianna Boedeker, Student Writer

Joelle Baldwin

John Pinheiro

The Coliseum. St. Peter’s Basilica. The Trevi Fountain.

Aquinas students. Aquinas students? In fall 2010, there will be something new to see in Italy with as many as 10 of Aquinas’ own studying within Rome’s borders.

In 2007, John Pinheiro, Ph.D., director of Catholic Studies and associate professor of history, was the advisor for the Ireland study abroad program. During their spring break, he and a group of students traveled through Europe, which included a stop in Rome. That’s when it dawned on him.

“I thought, I can’t believe we don’t have a Rome program,” said Pinheiro. He decided that he would work to develop a program for Aquinas.

When he returned to the U.S., he got the ball rolling using contacts he had through the Thomas More College of Liberal Arts, which hosts students from Catholic schools throughout the United States, and inquired if an Aquinas program was a possibility. It was.

Then last year, he gained the support of Provost Chad Gunnoe and Joelle Baldwin ’02, director of International Programs. And while the original intent was to send only Catholic Studies students to Rome, it was agreed that the program should be open to everyone.

28 Student News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

“Prospective and current students have expressed an increasing interest in studying abroad in Italy,” stated Baldwin.

“The student response to the addition of this program has been very enthusiastic, further validating the need for this opportunity.”

Sophomore Rachel Bartels knew Italy was her study abroad location of choice for years. “When Aquinas announced that they had a new program in Rome, I didn’t think twice about applying,” she said. “Studying abroad would be the pinnacle experience of my multifaceted education. I am studying business and communication and would love to work for an Italian company one day. Having that deep cultural knowledge and language skills would be vital to being hired.”

While studying in Rome, students will have opportunities to earn credits in the following fields of study: theology, humanities/culture, writing, language and art.

Participants will have the option of taking Italian or Latin language workshops as well.

“With the recent addition of the Catholic Studies program, the focus narrowed to establishing a program in Rome that would be beneficial to Catholic Studies minors as well as the general Aquinas student population,” said Baldwin.

Students in Rome will stay at the Villa Serenella Study Center

St. Peters

square

“Additionally, this program does not have an Italian language prerequisite so the Rome Program expands the international opportunities available to Aquinas students who are not majoring or minoring in a foreign language.”

Also, students will be given the opportunity to complete an internship with Vatican media centers like Vatican Radio, Zenit News Agency, Inside the Vatican magazine and H2O news. Through these internships, participants will help to create broadcasts and literature about Church news that will be sent around the world.

“The opportunity for internships at the Vatican, a place so linked to Aquinas’ own Catholic traditions, excites me because it could open doors for me,” Bartels stated.

Credit approval for an internship must be coordinated with the Aquinas College Career Development Center before the student leaves for Rome.

The students will be staying at the Villa Serenella Study Center, just five miles from Vatican City, on the grounds of the Monastery of Saint Isaia.

“The villa boasts an amazing location…with easy access to the city center of Rome,” said Baldwin. “Students will have access to the center’s 13 acres of olive groves, walking paths,

Colliseum

soccer field, fountains and on-site chapel.”

Applicants have embraced the location of the study center.

Rachel Dubie, a junior who is applying for the 2010 Rome program, said, “It would be a great way to continue to deepen my faith by living in the heart of a profoundly spiritual community… I (hope) to experience a different culture, living it every day for three months, and waking up every morning knowing that the city of Rome is my classroom for the day.”

Students participating in the fall 2010 Rome program will be responsible for paying the semester of tuition to Aquinas in addition to the $8,000 program fee.

Though this fee may be higher than other study abroad trips, it includes housing, basic travel and medical insurance, board, three meals per day and class excursions.

All financial aid is applicable to this program. Participants are also suggested to bring at least $2,500 to cover flights, passports, books and personal excursions.

In the words of Pinheiro, “What better place to study humanities, art and philosophy than Rome?”

aquinas.edu | Spring 2010 | Student News 29

Student News

Distant view of Vatican city

Student Reaps Benefits of the Study Abroad Program in Spain By Luke Sprunger, Student Writer For junior Adam Hii, the study abroad in Salamanca has been a “once in a lifetime experience,” he said. As a participant in Aquinas’ Spain program, one of a number of International Programs offered by the College, he spent the fall semester of 2009 attending classes through the Cursos Internacionales (International Courses) program offered by the University of Salamanca (USAL).

Founded in 1218, it is one of the oldest universities in Europe. As participants in the university’s international program, Aquinas students have the opportunity to meet and make friends with students from all over the world.

Hii said the positive impact of the program has helped develop his understanding of the spanish language and way of life. “In addition to classes at the university, students learn Spanish language and culture every day, due to placements with host families,” he added.

30 Student News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

Salamanca, a city in western Spain of more than 150,000 people, “is big enough that there is always something to do, yet small enough that you are not overwhelmed trying to figure out where everything is located,” Hii said. Madrid is just two hours away by bus or train, and in the heart of Spain you can connect to another train, bus, or plane to any location in Europe.”

While the university offers regular excursions, trips can also be easily arranged on one’s own or with friends.

“Spain’s elaborate history and culture, built through influences of Christians and Muslims, makes it one of the most beautiful countries in the world. The program to Salamanca is something that anyone with an interest in studying Spanish should greatly consider,” Hii said. “The Spain study abroad program at AQ is an unbelievable opportunity.”

Community House New Student Resident Housing Option

Student News

AQ upper classmen have another option for resident housing that also combines with community service, called Community House. Aquinas has leased a house within the neighboring Eastown community. Students interested in living in the house will be required to develop and carry out several service work projects that will be of benefit to the neighborhood as part of their housing agreement. The program has a curricular component and is being overseen

Correction‌ Thanks to Karen O’Malley ‘73 for bringing to our attention a logistical error in our fall 2009 article on the Aquinas Ireland Program (pg. 26). While the program did begin in 1972, it started out in Oldhead, northeast of the town of Louisburgh on the western shores of Ireland. The program was moved to Tully Cross the following year.

by Assistant Professor Bruce Nanzer, public administration/ community leadership. The project is also being led by Dean of Students Patricia Chase, Ph.D. The Community House students will also be there as mentors to other students living in the Eastown neighborhood. They are governed by the same rules as those who live on campus and have a contract to sign, just as if they were living in on-campus housing.

Aquinas Students Help to Create TV Sitcom Student News

Aquinas College students are part of a new collaboration that allows students to work directly with the business world. Combining the talent and drive of area college students with the experience of business professionals, the Bob Israels Centre for Emerging Enterprise hopes to leverage classroom learning with hands-on experience to create a real business.

Currently, Aquinas students are involved in the creation and production of a television sitcom that will be based in Grand Rapids. The sitcom will be called “GoFers” and tells the story of “an extra-special delivery service” that “runs amok,” according to a news release.

The show will be a comedy with a social conscience and positive message, according to Project Director Denny Cuson. “GoFers” is not “just another run of the mill sitcom,” he says. It will be produced locally, rather than in California or New York, meaning it can provide partvid VanHoven time and full-time jobs for Grand Rapids ng AQ student Da di clu in am te sitcom planning tion. and Michigan residents.

Members of the cs of the produc t to discuss logisti ee The Centre for Emerging Enterprise (white shirt) m was created as a sort of think tank company by Bob Israels, owner of the the money needed to commercialize. The furniture stores Israels Designs for Living and Klingman’s. It sitcom project is the first the Centre for Emerging Enterprise takes concepts, programs and services, and backs them with has created. The idea of the project is to create a real business that makes money and will give back to the schools involved.

Students are split into work groups that handle different aspects of the creation and production of the project.

Mentors from the professional world head these groups, which include legal, writing, business planning, marketing/advertising, media liaisons and market research. Mentors meet with and guide students throughout the process. “They are not learning, they’re doing,” said Cuson.

The students involved did not apply, but were recommended to the Centre for Emerging Enterprise by advisors and faculty at their school: Most students receive either internship credit or class credit for their work. Currently around 30 students from Aquinas College, Grand Valley State University, Calvin College, Cornerstone University and Kuyper College work on the project. The Centre for Emerging Enterprise is looking for more students to help in pre-production aspects like writing, technical support, set design and January 22 , 2010 press wardrobe, as well as marketing and media liaisons. The conference project cre announcin ated by Gra g the TV si project was scheduled to enter its pre-production phase nd Rapids left) and w tcom businessma ritten by To n Bob Israe m Caltabri time Emmy in January and start shooting in May or June. ls (cen ano Award win ter (center rig nin ht), the tw oy Loves Raym g writer/producer fr om the TV ond.” sitcom

“Everybod

32 Student News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

Student Research Article Published

By Luke Sprunger, Student Writer

Student News

Sophomore Stephanie Krajnik was set to have an article published in March in The Journal of Pediatrics, a publication dedicated to the prevention and treatment of childhood illnesses and injuries. The article was written in collaboration with Kieran Fogarty, Ph.D., of Western Michigan University and R. Dawn Comstock, Ph.D., and Ellen Yard of the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital at The Ohio State University. The piece is based on a research project, Shoulder Injuries in U.S. High School Baseball and Softball Athletes, 2005-2008, that deals with a secondary analysis of factors related to these injuries and details methods of injury prevention.

Krajnik began work on the project after joining the

Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center’s (KAMSC) research team in 2007, and was paired with Fogarty as her mentor. Comstock and Yard supplied the data, analysis techniques and other technical help. Once the analysis was completed, the article was submitted to the Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES) Competition sponsored by the College Board and the National Institutes of the Sciences. The entry was selected for advancement into the regional finals, and Krajnik travelled to Washington, D.C., to present her research, where she earned a $2,000 scholarship for her efforts.

Krajnik is a sustainable business and environmental studies major and biology minor. She plans to work with hospitals and businesses to make changes that will decrease health risks caused by pollution and unsustainable resource and energy use.

aquinas.edu | Spring 2010 | Student News 33

Helping Habitat for Humanity in Vietnam Student News

By Doug Seites, Student Writer

Matt Wey, a Master of Management student, traveled to Vietnam this past fall to take part in the 2009 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project with Habitat for Humanity International.

The project is an annual international week of building that aims to bring attention to the need for decent housing for low income families. It is held in a different location every year and volunteers from around the world participate. The most recent work project was held in the Mekong Region 34 Student News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

and builds took place in Thailand, China, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

Wey traveled to Vietnam in November to volunteer in Ke Sat, an extremely poor and underdeveloped fishing village. Ke Sat is approximately 30 miles southeast of the capital city of Hanoi in northern Vietnam. There is little infrastructure or Western-style sanitation. Despite harsh living conditions and unseasonably cold weather, the villagers of Ke Sat were upbeat and helpful. “I think the Vietnamese villagers we worked with were the happiest, friendliest people I’ve ever met,” said Wey. Wey is chairman of the board for the Kent County affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, a position he has held for the past year. He joined the board six years ago and works with Habitat for Humanity staff to carry out the strategic vision for the organization.

He admires Habitat’s passion for eliminating poverty, housing and homelessness and creating decent shelter. The Kent County affiliate’s commitment to building and rebuilding homes to LEED certification standards appealed to Wey, who says Habitat’s commitment to sustainability “parallels nicely with Aquinas College values relative to the environment and sustainable business practices.”

Thirty-two homes, each approximately 400 square feet and constructed of concrete block, were built by Wey and the other volunteers.

Each home was built with running water, electricity and Western-style toilets.

“I grew up with the Vietnam War and have always had an interest in Vietnam’s history,” said Wey. “The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project became my opportunity to finally visit there.”

Wey leads the West Michigan operations for Marsh, the world’s leader in risk and insurance services.

He has been with the global company for more than 30 years.

“I believe strongly in continuous learning and investing in yourself and others,” said Wey. After hearing many good things about the program and meeting a lot of respected professionals who graduated from Aquinas, Wey decided to enter the program. “It fits nicely with my aspirations and interest in leadership and organizational development,” added Wey.

GET Program Update

By Laura Bennett-Kimble ’95, Contributing Editor “In creative and innovate ways, our program offers girls strategies for staying on track in school so they can be successful in reaching their future goals and becoming actively engaged in their communities in the future,” Haworth-Hoeppner said. “We would like to expand to another school next year, but much of this depends on funding.”

Faculty News

The Girls Empowering Together (GET) leadership program has helped to put a new face on campus this year, freshman Krystal Potter. The Union High School graduate, who completed the GET program, is the first recipient of the Twink Frey Leadership Scholarship, named in honor of Mary Caroline “Twink” Frey.

GET is a yearlong after-school program created by the Jane Hibbard Idema Women’s Studies Center and Grand Rapids Public Schools to increase selfesteem in high school girls facing economic and social structure challenges. Begun at Central High School in 2007, the program expanded to Union High School the next year. The scholarship, which is available to qualifying GET students, is a more recent addition.

Potter, who plans to pursue a degree related to psychology or social work, said GET was a “real eye-opener” for her.

“I really like how it helps you realize who you are as a person,” she said. “When I was in the program, I learned a lot about myself and the other girls.”

To date, 82 students have been involved in the leadership program, according to Susan HaworthHoeppner, Ph.D., director of the Women’s Studies Center. Currently, 40 girls participate, interacting with three Aquinas undergraduate students who serve as mentors and one who’s a workshop coordinator. In addition, about 40 Aquinas students volunteered to mentor the girls during a November College Day, which provided them an opportunity to explore the campus.

This year’s GET program will culminate with a banquet in May, when a documentary the girls produced will be presented to the students’ family members, guardians, teachers and special family friends. And a new adventure has been scheduled for June, a retreat at Camp Anna Behrens, where the girls can experience horseback riding, canoeing, a cookout and other outdoorsy activities.

Haworth-Hoeppner Honored

by Michigan Campus Compact Susan Haworth-Hoeppner, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology and director of the Aquinas College Jane Hibbard Idema Women’s Studies Center, received the prestigious 2009 Michigan Campus Compact Faculty/ Staff Community Service-Learning Award. Haworth-Hoeppner was recognized for her outstanding contributions to community-service learning and to Girls Empowering Together (GET), (see related story above). The award was presented Feb. 9 at the Grand Traverse Resort.

Pictured with Haworth-Hoeppner (l) is Renee Miller Zientek (c), Michigan Campus Compact Executive Director, and Dr. Don Tuski (r), Chair of the MCC Board of Directors and President of |Olive t Colle ge. | Faculty News 35 aquinas.edu Spring 2010

Glenn Barkan Ends Long Career at Aquinas

Faculty News

By Luke Sprunger, Student Writer December 2009 witnessed the retirement of Glenn Barkan, Ph.D., dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. His departure marks the end of a long and productive working relationship with Aquinas College. Barkan, who had served as dean since 2004, originally joined the College in 1973 as an assistant professor of political science. He later became full professor and chair of the political science department before obtaining his most recent promotion.

Barkan, who grew up in New York City with politically minded parents, developed his own interest in political affairs at a young age. He graduated with a B.A. in political science from Hobart College in New York State, and received his M.A. and Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate School in California. Barkan has worked with a number of community organizations in Grand Rapids, and has had multiple essays and articles featured in The Grand Rapids Press. In 1999, he received the prestigious Liberty Bell Award from the Grand Rapids Bar Association.

Looking back on his time with the college, Barkan says, “What I have been especially proud of, and thankful for, has been the way that staff and faculty from all disciplines maintain warm and caring relationships with one another.”

Barkan’s friends and peers praise his commitment.

“I consider him a role model in terms of his dedication to principle and his concern for the public good,” says Mike Williams, Ph.D., a friend and former colleague. “If he says

he’ll do something, I trust him to do it, no matter how difficult.”

Roger Durham, Ph.D., professor of political science, extolled Barkan’s example at a toast in his honor in December: “I thank him for teaching me not only the importance of citizenship, but also the praxis.”

Sr. Barbara Hansen, O.P, former academic vice president, cites his integrity and dedication to enacting positive change. According to Hansen, Barkan always advocated for reasoned political debate, “a quality very lacking right now in our political scene…I think that a generation of political scientists have been influenced

by Glenn for good.”

Glenn and his wife, Kathi, enjoy travel and plan to do more of it with children and grandchildren in Seattle and Philadelphia and Glenn’s parents in Florida. The Barkans also have a retirement trip planned this spring to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

AQ Professor Kremer to Join the Grand River Expedition July 14-26, Kathy Kremer, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology, will kayak the length of the Grand River as a participant in a journey to support responsible use of the waterway.

Kremer will her ot of ns participate ze do , Ph.D., and River nd Kathy Kremer ra G in the e th navigate kayakers will Grand River . ly this Ju (behind her) Expedition, an event organized by the Michigan Chapter of the Sierra Club that will include a team of scientists, historians, environmental professionals, community leaders, government representatives and others 36 Faculty News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

who will kayak or canoe the 225 navigable miles of the river. Along the way, the expedition will identify problems threatening the river to find solutions, and will give presentations to inform communities about the importance of the waterway.

Involved in the planning of events for the lower Grand River portion, Kremer will be responsible for organizing activities for the last two days of the journey as the paddlers progress toward Lake Michigan. The students of her Communities and Watersheds summer course will be joining her for one day of paddling with the expedition. In addition, Kremer will share her observations, photos and video of the trip on her blog and through the Grand Haven Tribune.

With a length of some 260 miles, the Grand River is the state’s longest river. Its watershed includes 18 counties, and it has an important impact on many midMichigan communities. The Michigan Chapter of the Sierra Club invites those interested to join the expedition. For information about paddling or volunteer opportunities, see the Grand River Expedition page at the group’s Website: www.michigan.sierraclub.org/issues/greatlakes/articles/ gre2010.html

Aquinas Professor Kelly publishes articles, releases CD

By Doug Seites, Student Writer

Rabbi Lewis Publishes New Book Former faculty member Rabbi Albert Lewis has recently had a book published that seeks to inspire readers. Soul Sounds contains a selection of Lewis’ uplifting columns that have appeared regularly in The Grand Rapids Press since 2001. Rabbi Lewis has been part of the Aquinas community since becoming a part-time faculty member in 1978; he went on to play a major role in the establishment of Aquinas’ Emeritus College (now the Osher LifeLong Learning Institute), serving as director of the program until 2007. Lewis and his wife, Shirley, who together were awarded the Norbert J. Hruby Emeritus Award in 2009, have served as advocates for interfaith communication and respect.

Soul Sounds is comprised of pieces that seek to provide hope and inspiration to readers. With a broad but powerful emphasis on the importance of faith, applicable to people of different beliefs and religious backgrounds, the book serves as a reminder that relationships and life’s experiences are to be appreciated. Soul Sounds is available from Commongood Publishing, and can be purchased at local book stores and at soulsoundsbook.com. aquinas.edu | Spring 2010 | Faculty News 37

Faculty News

feels no obligation to understand what their enemy does. Instead, state feels that because they are evil they must be eliminated. “Once claims are made in laws of evil, there is no responsibility to look at the conditions they are using,” Kelly says.

She cites examples of Hutu genocide against Tutsis, the Nazi genocide and the execution of “evil” citizens whose crimes are viewed as heinous.

Kelly’s paper that deals with the claim of “right to asylum” by people in countries where genocide is occurring is also being published by the Journal of Humanitarian Assistance at Tufts University. The full title is “A New Humanitarian Paradigm for the Right to Asylum.”

Dr. Kelly has also released a CD of her personal poetry titled The Piano in the Corner of My Room. Seventeen poems are accompanied by her son’s music. Kelly started writing poetry seven years ago after being “swept away” by the poetry at a Contemporary Writers Series event at Aquinas College, and has performed her poetry at poetry slams and in competition.

Michaeleen Kelly, Ph.D, chairperson of philosophy at Aquinas College, says she has found a “second wind” publishing articles and recording music and poetry.

She recently has had two articles published in books and journals and has released a CD of her poetry as well.

Dr. Kelly’s article “Disabling Evil

by Obliterating Subjectivity: One State Response” was published in the e-book Inside and Outside the Law: Perspectives on Evil, Law, and the State. The e-book is a collection of articles that were presented at a conference in Prague discussing state law and evil. Kelly learned about the conference from a colleague and began to write.

“Once I started writing, it was easy,” said Kelly. “It was easy to write the paper after I decided upon a topic and approach.” Kelly’s article was one of only nine to be selected for publication in a hardback version of the e-book. This is the first time Dr. Kelly will be published in hardback.

Kelly’s article explains the idea that once a government calls an enemy “evil,” they see the enemy as incomprehensible. She says that the state

Faculty News

Tueth Publishes First Book By Laura Bennett-Kimble ‘95, Contributing Writer Don’t judge this book by its cover. Fundamentals of Sustainable Business: A Guide for the Next 100 Years, may look like a textbook, but it’s meant for general audiences, according to author Matthew Tueth, Steelcase Foundation Professor of Sustainable Business.

Briefly covering conventional business practices and resulting environmental and social problems, the book takes a deep dive into its topic, a broadbased contemporary movement that combines long-term business, community and environmental interests, he said.

Released by textbook publishing house World Scientific, Fundamentals of Sustainable Business was written for three audiences: students, sustainable business practitioners, and, primarily, educated adults who want to know more about

the field. Tueth said initial demand for the book, his first, surprised him. Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble online have had difficulty keeping it in stock.

The book explores a range of topics, from successful sustainable practices at organizations around the globe including manufacturers, railways, energy firms and tourist resorts, to appropriate government involvement and the need for education. Companies described in the book include Google, Patagonia, Steelcase, Herman Miller and Metro Health Hospital and Village in Wyoming, Mich.

“There’s a lot of misinformation out there about sustainable business,” Tueth said. “My hope is that this books helps clear away some of the chaff.”

Tueth, who developed the AQ Sustainable Business (SB) undergraduate degree program more than six years ago, said he’s always been curious about the relationship between humans and the natural world. Prior to joining the AQ faculty in 2000, he spent more than 20 years with the U.S. Forest Service and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Fundamentals of Sustainable Business is now available at the Aquinas College bookstore, other local bookstores as well as on-line at these Web sites: www.worldscibooks.com/ business/7204.html and www.amazon.com/FundamentalsSustainable-Business-Scientific-Century.

Faculty Notes Robert Marko, Ph.D., professor and chair of Theology, was scheduled to present a paper at the 40th Annual Scholars’ Conference on the Holocaust and the Churches at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia on March 7. The paper, “The Holocaust in Galicia and Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytskyi,” arose out of his participation and research as a summer 2009 Calvin Christian Scholar in genocide and religion.

On January 21, John Pinheiro, Ph.D., associate professor of history, director of Catholic Studies, delivered the opening lecture for the 2010 Acton Lecture Series at the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty in Grand Rapids. The lecture, “Virtue and Liberty in the American Founding,” examined the U.S. Founders’ understanding of liberty as rooted in a classical and Christian understanding of virtue. It touched on why George Washington argued that public happiness could not be attained without private morality and why John Adams wrote, “It is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue.”

38 Faculty News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

Eric Zeemering, Ph.D., ‘01 and Roger Durham, Ph.D., chair of the Political Science department, published a chapter entitled “Expanding the Scope of Policy Leadership through Networks: Grand Rapids, Michigan.” This research on Mayor George Heartwell and Grand Rapids politics appeared as Chapter 9 in the text The Facilitative Leader in City Hall: Reexamining the Scope and Contributions, edited

by James Svara of Arizona State University.

Interviews with many local leaders and officials, as well as content analysis of news articles, were used to argue that Mayor Heartwell engages in significant policy-based facilitation, employing extensive intergovernmental and intersectoral policy networks. In addition to the formal structures of city government, Heartwell successfully draws in public, nonprofit and business actors to pursue specific policies.

Zeemering is an assistant professor in the department of Public Administration at San Francisco State University.

Durham, having returned from a sabbatical during spring 2009, is now focusing his research on the relationship between the current policies of counter-terrorism and how they compare with previous policies of counterrevolution.

Letter from the Director Alumni Office expecting great things in 2010 friends in Chicago this summer (perhaps for a Sox game), enjoy an evening cruise aboard the Infinity Yacht in Detroit and celebrate the warm weather on campus with a basketball tournament and cook-out. We’ll also be in many parts of Michigan, Florida and, perhaps, Arizona, too.

If you aren’t in the Grand Rapids area or one of our destination locations, I hope you will still connect to other alumni through the online community, SAINTS NETWORK. Earlier this winter, alumni should have received a special mailing detailing your log-in information. You can post class notes or look up friends from the past.

And speaking of class notes, my husband, Jeremy Chesla ’99, and I will be posting one shortly, as we are expecting our first child around St. Patrick’s Day! Although I will be out of the office for a bit, Sr. Alice Wittenbach, O.P. ‘59 and Ellen Harburn ’01 will be here, holding down the fort. Hopefully I will see you soon, and I may have one of the newest members of the Aquinas family with me!

Take care and have a blessed spring,

aquinas.edu/alumni | Spring 2010 | Alumni News 39

Alumni News

e staff: Sister AQ Alumni offic , O.P., ’59 and Alice Wittenbach Brigid Avery ’01

Upon taking a stroll through campus these days, you will notice the snow is beginning to melt and the cold air is warming slightly; it seems like the campus is waking from a deep winter slumber.

However, during this peaceful time, students are busy studying in their residence halls, classrooms have been buzzing with quests of knowledge, and the alumni staff has been planning all kinds of activities for the coming months.

Among the many events scheduled, we hope to visit our

AQ Black Alumni Society Established

By Rachel Luehm, Student Writer

Alumni News

Aquinas College has taken a more demonstrative step toward promoting the success and general welfare of black students and alumni at the school. The Board of Trustees last fall approved an initiative establishing the Aquinas College Black Alumni Society.

The society was created to not only strengthen the bonds between black students and alumni but also to focus on more student recruitment and retention. It will also focus on increasing mentoring and scholarships for potential and current students.

The members will be graduates of Aquinas, former

students of Aquinas who earned 30 credit hours or more toward a degree, diploma, or certificate, as well as anyone who graduated from the Catholic Junior College or Sacred Heart College, both of which were predecessor institutions of Aquinas.

Recently, the founding group had their bill approved by the Student Senate to put this plan into action. This group is planning their first gathering in Detroit in mid-June. For more information, visit our Facebook page: Aquinas College Black Alumni Society.

Sophomore/Alumni Career Lunch

By Brigid Avery ‘01, Alumni Relations Director great idea and the alumni were really nice and helpful.”

Dan Zang ’88, principal of Rockford High School, enjoyed being back on campus. “The visit brought back so many fond memories of my time at Aquinas. It was great to meet the current students…It’s reassuring to know that there will be AQ graduates heading into the job market.”

The offices of Alumni Relations and Career and Counseling plan to hold similar career lunches each semester. If you live in the area, have a “cool job” that complements your major and want to share your career path with students, please contact the alumni relations office at (616) 632-2805 or email alumni@aquinas.edu.

This is a fantastic way to give back to Aquinas and aid us in our retention efforts!

les discuss dent Tempest Gi stu d an 4, ‘0 ly n business.

Chris Wesse starting one’s ow d an ip rsh eu en entrepr

“What could I do with a degree in English?” “What classes should I take if I want to be a business owner?”

“What am I doing here?” All are common questions expressed by many a college student, particularly in the sophomore year. On Nov. 12, nearly a dozen alumni gathered to help students, particularly those in their second year, navigate these and other ponderings. Set up in a speed dating-meets-networking style in the Wege Cafeteria, students were able to casually visit alumni from both the business and nonprofit sectors, with careers ranging from an aquatics director, to entrepreneur, writer and editor to independent consultant.

Students and alumni alike found the lunch to be beneficial. Said student Nicole Caswell, “I thought it was a 40 Alumni News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu/alumni

Heather Young Salter ‘00 (in yellow) speaks to a group of students about her po sition at the Williams Group and the direct correlation to her En glish degree.

AQ Alums Help Alleviate Suffering of El Salvador Flood Victims

By Luke Sprunger, Student Writer

Kim Holt ‘94 stands in the middle of a sh elter where dozens of local reside nts of Vera Paz gathe red after heavy rains caused extensive flooding an d damage to homes and prope rty.

Alumni News

urse Molly sion trip, n is m e th health Early on in 8 spent time doing dor. ’0 M a in El S lva LaVoie M a residents re a n o s check

Residents in San Vicente stand on what is left of a river bank that was wiped out by flash flooding that followed heavy rains in El Salvador during last October’s mission trip.

November 6-14, Aquinas alumni Pat Kramer-Buzzita MM‘07, Molly LaVoie MM’08 and Kim Holt ’94 were in El Salvador on a medical aid trip organized by Helping Hands Medical Missions, a Catholic non-profit. KramerBuzzita and LaVoie volunteered as registered nurses, while Holt went as a general volunteer. The trip to El Salvador was planned to be a regularly scheduled mission to help supplement medical care in rural areas of the country by sending doctors, nurses and other volunteers to treat patients and offer tips on good health practices at mobile medical clinics. After a storm brought sudden, heavy rainfall, the team quickly saw their job description change from carrying out routine medical visits and procedures to providing emergency care for victims of floods and landslides that plagued the country. With well over 100 people dead and many more injured or displaced by the catastrophe, the volunteers soon found themselves overwhelmed with the task of alleviating the suffering.

“As we were on a scheduled medical mission to establish temporary general care clinics in relatively rural areas, we were pretty well prepared with medicines and 24 health care staff, but not for the human toll and suffering,” said Holt. “As we are a highly mobile organization, we were diverted from our intended clinic sites to three of the hardest hit areas in the country.

Although it was difficult to count, we estimated we saw over 400 patients a day.”

Although Helping Hands Medical Missions does not usually operate in recent disaster areas, the organization regularly provides vital medical aid to impoverished areas. The organization has sponsored week-long mission trips, serving more than 100,000 patients in Latin America and other third-world nations since 1996. To learn more about the organization, including how to donate or volunteer, visit hhmm.org.

aquinas.edu/alumni | Spring 2010 | Alumni News 41

Alumni News

Digging for Treasurers – Or, What I Did on my Summer Vacation By Brandon Sexton ‘09 My summer vacation began the morning after England before settling in their new homes in graduation, when I boarded an early Utah. The climate was different, the materials bris on clearing de morning flight from Grand Rapids were unfamiliar, and yet the potters kept Brandon Sext ried artifacts working. to Las Vegas, Nevada, that took away from bu We came to Utah to understand how me halfway across the country and the pioneers learned their techniques, while over a century back in time. After developing our own archaeological methods. landing in Vegas, I drove four hours In 19th century Utah, Tupperware wasn’t to Parowan, Utah, a town with about 1,000 residents set among some of available and, therefore, they relied on the country’s most scenic terrain. My homemade pots to pickle and preserve their trip to Utah was with students from food. Uncovering this rich past helped many Michigan Technological University of the area’s residents develop a new sense of as part of a field study master’s connection to their pioneer history. program in Industrial Archaeology, The academic rigor I found at Aquinas which focuses on industrial sites, along with the motivation of my peers places of manufacturing and how helped me to prepare for this excursion. In industrialization affected the country.

Utah, we worked together--faculty, staff and While in Utah, I helped to unearth a 19th century students—to unearth the past. The experience allowed me pottery kiln that was buried under ten inches of top soil, to broaden my understanding of our world in a way that also nearly undisturbed for the last 100 years. The kiln was in complemented all that I had learned at Aquinas. operation from the 1850’s until just before the 20th century.

Through the excavation, we learned how the pioneers adapted the practice of pottery-making they had learned in

AQ Alumnus: Reptile and Amphibian Expert

By Doug Seites, Student Writer A lifelong interest in reptiles and amphibians developed for David Mifsud ’99 when he was a young boy catching lizards and playing with turtles. Today, as a herpetologist, Mifsud uses this love to research reptiles and amphibians and help educate the public about them. “I’ve been fortunate to make a hobby become a profession,” he says.

Mifsud is the owner and founder of Herpetological Resource Management (HRM), an environmental firm that provides services to public, private and nonprofit clients.

The company offers services like wildlife surveys, habitat assessments, and ecosystem restorations with the goal of conservation and management of reptiles and amphibians and their habitat. With HRM, Mifsud puts on Herpathon, an intensive one-day volunteer program aimed at getting people outside to look for reptiles and amphibians. Mifsud considers Herpathon to be a “nice opportunity to get people of all walks of life out together looking for things and learning from each other.”

He also works part time as the herpetologist for the city of Ann Arbor, Mich. There, Mifsud coordinates frog and toad surveys as well as a salamander monitoring program that observes the diversity of the animals. He also serves as a reptile and amphibian expert and created wildlife management guidelines for the city. Mifsud also provides his services as a lecturer, at workshops and professional meetings as well as to the general public locations including Binder 42 Alumni News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu/alumni

Park Zoo in Battle Creek, Mich.

Mifsud provides data from his personal observations to the Michigan Herpetological Atlas, which catalogues the species diversity of reptiles and amphibians. Working with other researchers, Mifsud was able to identify a hybrid species of salamander that had not been previously recorded in Michigan.

At Aquinas, Mifsud majored in biology, geography and environmental studies. The multi-disciplined approach he took at Aquinas has helped him in his career, and he says it was “enjoyable and exciting to take courses in these different disciplines and make the connection between them.”

Mifsud participated in Student Senate for four years and spent four years on the Aquinas track and field team as a hammer thrower.

He credits professors thinking “outside of the box” for encouraging him to do the same, something he tries to carry on in his personnel and professional life.

Photo by Dave Raczkowski. Copyright 2009 The Grand Rapids Press. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Totem Pole Memorial By Rachel Luehm, Student Writer He chose wood from a dying Black Spruce that he found Service and community are two of the Dominican in the Grant City Cemetery, near the graves of two of the charisms that Aquinas students, faculty, staff and alumni students. After talking with the boys families, Convissor alike typically embody. decided to use the images of Alumnus Craig Convissor ’69 animals to portray the personalities of Scottville, Michigan, is not of each boy. exception.

“It was very important to me to Upon learning last year of meet the families, to feel the pain, the unrelated deaths of five to bring it home to me,” Convissor Grant-area boys during the told a Grand Rapids Press reporter previous 15 months, Convissor for an article last year (Sept. 29, decided to sculpt a totem pole in their memory. The 2009).

The Totem Pole that now graces boys, all under the age of ten, the grounds of Grant Elementary died either from illness or bears the images of an eagle, a accident. Previously, when dolphin, a tiger, an otter and a seal, a Grant Elementary School al to the memory of the five boys. A had died, the school would Craig Convissor (right) wit tractor replica was added later when plant a tree in their name, h friend, Kay Marble (Photo Courtesy of Todd and Brad Reed Photography) Convissor learned that one of the symbolizing their eternal life. boys loved John Deere tractors. The This particular rash of deaths, pole was funded by private Granthowever, was so catastrophic that the area donors as well as with grants from several community principal thought it was necessary to do something special.

Enter Convissor. organizations. Some information from The Grand Rapids Press aquinas.edu/alumni | Spring 2010 | Alumni News 43

Night at the Museum

Alumni News

Last November, alumni and their families gathered at the Grand Rapids Public Museum for “DaVinci de Notte.” Guests enjoyed a pasta dinner, admission to the “Machines in Motion” exhibit, carousel rides, planetarium shows and entrance to the VIP AQ Family Fun Room. Professors Sr. Katrina Hartman, Ph.D., Kurt Kaiser and Mike McDaniel, Ph.D. educated and entertained young and old with DaVinci-inspired science and art projects.

Prizes and a visit from Nelson, the mascot, completed this special evening sponsored by the Alumni Association. Stay tuned for more family-friendly outings!

Top: Professor Mike McDaniel makes math fun!

Bottom: Seth ‘03 (right) and Amy ‘05 (Westphal) Peters (standing left) and Janelle Burden Hill ‘99 paint with lemon juice and other substances to see magic appear on paper...or is it science?

Alumnus Ben Richardson Receives Philanthropic Award

By Luke Sprunger, Student Writer Ben Richardson ’09 completed his fundraising hike of the entire Appalachian Trail on Sept. 18, 2009. Richardson finished his journey, which lasted more than four months and covered more than 2,000 miles from Georgia to Maine, by summiting the formidable Mount Katahdin. Battling the elements to the end, Richardson endured frigid wind and rain and whiteout conditions to reach the top of Maine’s highest peak. His efforts, along with the fundraising work of his club, PennyBen, raised more than $14,000 in donations to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge in Grand Rapids, which provides support to individuals fighting cancer.

Richardson undertook the hike in memory of his father, an outdoorsman and supporter of philanthropy, who succumbed to cancer in 2008.

Last November, Richardson was honored with the President’s Award at National Philanthropy Day at Calvin College, an annual event presented by the West Michigan Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. In his acceptance speech, Richardson noted the profound effect that the hiking experience had upon his healing process and his commitment to helping others. “While my days of walking the mountains of the Appalachians are done,” he said, “the PennyBen mission, like all of our organizations’ visions, certainly continues on.”

44 Alumni News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu/alumni

Richardson is now the Social Justice Coordinator for Catholic Charities of West Michigan. He is coordinating the Haiti earthquake relief effort for the Diocese. PennyBen continues to be an active club at Aquinas, working to raise even more funds for the American Cancer Society. To read Richardson’s travel stories or make a donation, visit PennyBen.com.

Some information for this article was taken from PennyBen. com and Rob Abid’s interview with Richardson in The Saint.

t): AQ n (center) are (left to righ Pictured with Ben Richardso brother, his og; ; AQ President Ed Bal Professor Dave Weinandy ’58. .

O.P , ber We s ina Sr. Mary Aqu Nate; mother, Karen; and

AQ Nabs “First” on Habitat Total Rehab House

By Brigid Avery ‘01, Director of Alumni Relations

Alumni News

For more information, visit: www.aquinas.edu/ collegerelations/habitat.html or www.habitatkent.org.

Bible to new owners, Matthew Riak, a Lutheran minister, and Aquinas put another “first” on the board when it became his wife, Achol Kuir. The couple also delivered their first child the first West Michigan college to fully underwrite a Habitat in January. for Humanity Total Rehab house project. The project house “It has been quite an experience to witness and to take on Grand Rapids’ southwest side is also a Leadership in part in the transformation of this house from start to finish.

Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified home.

Hopefully this is just the start of a new tradition at Aquinas, in The project demonstrates Aquinas’ leadership in service to which we will sponsor a house of our own each year. It’s just community and commitment to sustainable endeavors.

The volunteer pool one way that we can bring the Aquinas community closer to drew participants each other and the greater Before After from all sectors of the Grand Rapids community Aquinas community through dedicated service,” including students, staff stated Jason Tiedemann, and faculty, trustees, Aquinas College Habitat for alumni, parents of Humanity Student Chapter students, donors and president. friends of the College.

“Aquinas has done Nearly 200 volunteers a wonderful thing by committed more than sponsoring the Habitat 2,000 hours of service to house,” said Toni Lee Cooper MM’ 06. “This has been a the project. great opportunity to give back to the community, learn new While the actual rehab effort began in late summer, the Aquinas contributions began in early last spring when a denim skills, make new friends and spend time with classmates. recycling effort at the College collected more than 700 pounds Matthew and Achol are beautiful people and I am proud to be a part of their success.” of old jeans. The denim was recycled and used as insulation in During the December dedication, Cooper, who has the rehab home. adopted Habitat as her “retirement project,” (pictured right The deconstruction and rebuilding took three months rear above) was recognized by President Balog for contributing and was completed in early December, just in time for AQ nearly 90 hours of her time to the Griggs Street Rehab project.

President Ed Balog to hand over the keys to the home and a aquinas.edu/alumni | Spring 2010 | Alumni News 45

My class is on a river activity, sort of a military style amusement park. Things like swinging across the river on ropes like Tarzan, walking a tightrope, etc... The student behind me chose the name “Cookie.” It fits him as he is hilarious. The language barrier does not bother his humor at all! –Phil VandenBrink

a part of his class in Ch

ina

Alumni News

Phil VandenBrink with

Aquinas Grad Teaching Overseas

By Doug Seites, Student Writer Since graduating from Aquinas College, Phil VanDenBrink ’04 has been able to experience new cultures while sharing his knowledge with others.

VanDenBrink has been travelling the world while teaching at the same time.

After graduating with a bachelors of science in international business, VanDenBrink moved to Paris, France to teach adults business English. VanDenBrink studied French at Aquinas as well.

In August of 2005, he began working at a collegepreparatory boarding school located in Mt. Pleasant, Utah. While there, VanDenBrink taught a diverse group of students that included Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan refugees, and children of victims of the Rwandan genocide. While working at Wasatch, VanDenBrink was able to listen to students’ life stories and assist them in molding their futures.

VanDenBrink finds it rewarding to see his students succeed and is interested to see how they develop after he has taught them. VanDenBrink credits his own teachers for helping him get to where he is now. “Were it not for Sr. Vera Tillman, a mentor at a Grand Rapids non-profit organization, and her WORD project,” he says, “I would not be teaching.”

This past year, VanDenBrink was offered a new opportunity to teach in China through Wasatch 46 Alumni News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu/alumni

Academy’s dual diploma program with Ruian Zhejiang High School. The program is meant to prepare students for studying at American universities and colleges.

Teachers are expected to assist students in attaining scores high enough on the SAT and TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) to reach their goal of studying in America. Students have only one day off a month, and the program is challenging for both students and teachers.

VanDenBrink has spent some of his vacation time at a local Ruian orphanage playing with the children and giving them attention. He has learned a lot while at the orphanage and talks about trying to start a big brother/ big sister program in the area.

VanDenBrink enjoys his busy lifestyle, but says the hardest part is always starting new. He enjoys meeting new people and making new friends, but says it will always be difficult to leave old friends. Throughout his travels, VanDenBrink remembers his days at Aquinas fondly.

“Without the exceptional education I received at Aquinas and the professors’ drive to teach international issues, I may not have come this far,” says VanDenBrink.

“I do not know what my future holds for certain, but I am certain my experiences at Aquinas helped me to shape the person I have become.”

Alumni Awards Outstanding Alumni: Jack and Rita Kirkwood, ‘60 Aquinas, giving their time and resources to further the mission of the College. Jack served as an AQ trustee from 1997 to 2000. They also contributed to the Sports and Fitness Center Campaign in the name of their late son, Jim, a 1992 Aquinas graduate who died in December 2008.

Jack and Rita have been very active in the Grand Rapids community, as well, donating money and time to arts organizations and community programs like Habitat for Humanity, Hope Network, the Grand Rapids Area Council for Ecumenism (GRACE), and the Child and Family Resource Council and are founding members of Guardian Angel Homes. They are also active with the Catholic Information Center’s efforts to support refugee resettlement and develop Montana de Luz, an AIDS program in Honduras.

Jack and Rita are currently campaign co-chairs for Catherine’s Health Center, a clinic for uninsured patients.

Distinguished Service: Robert C. Boguslaski, Ph.D., ‘62 & Thomas Zwier, Ph.D., ‘76

Thomas Zwier, Ph.D., received his degree in chemistry from Aquinas in 1976 and attended the University of Arizona where he earned his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry. Zwier joined the Upjohn Company of Kalamazoo in 1981 as a research scientist and progressed to leadership of the quality assurance program for the chemical manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Following his retirement in 2008, Tom and his wife, Patti, have been indulging their passion for travel. From his first days as a graduate student, Zwier realized how well his Aquinas education, and Dr. John A. “Doc” Poje’s instruction in chemistry in particular, prepared him for scientific research. When the scholarship fund in Doc’s name was established, Tom became a regular supporter as an expression of his gratitude to Doc and Aquinas. It was fitting that Tom answered the call to co-chair the committee which significantly increased the endowment for the fund. The success of that effort highlighted the needs for new equipment, research funding and facilities improvements for the nursing, science and mathematics division, leading to the Science Initiative, which Tom has cochaired from its inception.

Robert Boguslaski, Ph.D., was born and raised in Grand Rapids and received a degree in chemistry from Aquinas in 1962. He went on to earn his Ph.D. degree in organic chemistry from the University of Notre Dame in 1966 and conducted post-doctoral studies at the University of California Medical Center in San Francisco. Boguslaski served as the vice president of research and development and chief technical officer for the Medical Diagnostic Division of Bayer Corporation.

Later, he founded two technology-based companies, one of which is now part of the Danaher Corporation. He is currently president of the second company, Serim Research Corporation, a medical device manufacturer. Boguslaski is a co-chair of the Aquinas College Science Initiative and a member of the Advisory Council for the College of Science at the University of Notre Dame. He is a member of a number of scientific societies and the author of 65 referred publications, one book and holds 25 U.S. patents.

Alumni Educator’s Grant Program Congratulations to the following alumni teachers, recipients of a $500 grant from the Aquinas College Alumni Association Educator’s Grant Program: Michelle (Barnes) Day ‘02, from Lakeside Elementary for her project, Grand Rapids History; Angela Dressander ‘01, from Sacred Heart of Jesus for her project Listen to Reading; and Teisha Struik-Kothe ‘99, from East Kentwood High School for The Glass Castle Project.

Winners and their guests joined President Ed Balog, Associate Provost Nanette Clatterbuck, and members of the selection committee for breakfast last winter.

Recipients are expected to submit a report at the end of the project. Applications for the 2010 Grant cycle will be available later this fall. Check the Alumni Website for more information.

aquinas.edu/alumni | Spring 2010 | Alumni News 47

Alumni News

The good works of Jack ’60 and Rita (Hasse ’60) Kirkwood and their commitment to the common good have been an integral part of their lives.

They exemplify the hope that Aquinas has for all of its graduates: that their education and life experiences rooted in the Dominican tradition will enable them to “make all the difference in the world.” Jack and Rita, owners of Bulman Products in Grand Rapids, have been good to

Homecoming 2009

Alumni News

Albeit a little cold and rainy hundreds of alumni, students, family and friends braved the unsavory weather and had a wonderful time at Homecoming 2009. Check out the photos from the fun-filled weekend.

Alumni News aquinas.edu/alumni | Spring 2010 | Alumni News 49

2009 Reunions By Sr. Alice Wittenbach, O.P. ‘59, Coordinator of Alumni Reunions As we prepare for another record number (ten) of reunions for next September, I ask myself –“… why go through all this preparation one more time?” The answer comes easily, since responses from the past few years are very positive. “It was a wonderful weekend with so many classmates to visit with.” “Our 45th reunion was a wonderful event. It was great seeing fellow classmates and friends that we had not seen since graduation. The evening always ends too quickly.”

Many alumni have had wonderful experiences, including the renewal of special friendships, making new friends, admiring the

new buildings (Performing Arts Center and Grace Hauenstein Library), taking part in tours of various departments on campus, and celebrating the liturgy at the Bukowski Pastoral Center. This reunion event also includes a conversation with our president, Dr. Ed Balog, photo ops, lots of prizes, and great fun and cheer throughout.

Indeed, the celebration was special for alums from Michigan, and surrounding states, as well as from California, Washington, Virginia, Florida, Kentucky, Colorado, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina and Arkansas.

45th (1964) Reunion Class

Back row: Al Hess, Joann (Viale) Hess, Don Burns, Ann (Birkmeier) Pries, Dennis Williams, Mary Ellen (Mitchell) Tithof, Pat Haas, Bud Lothschutz, Andy Robel Front row: Dan Dillivan, Rose (Lesinski) Hendricks, Joyce (McKinney) Hoffman, Carol (Brettrager) Luzietti, Rita (Geary) Gordon, Valerie (Burkhart) Williams, Mary (Killoran) Lothschutz, Margaret (Vitale) Walquist, Nancy (Connell) Huhn

40th (1969) Reunion Class

Row 1 (L-R): (Front row) Barbara (Bustamante) Retherford, Elizabeth (Van Raalte) Clark, Jeanne (Wallace) McLaren, Cathy Downer, Dave Downer Row 2 (L-R): Dennis Leiber, Christine (Connell) Costello, Lorraine Denby, Mary Ann (Anderson) Reedy, Sylvia (Cinder) Stockdale, Edward Manning, Lewis Clingman, Russell Hogan, Donald Duczkowski Row 3 (L-R): Carol Lawrence, Mary Lou (Barrett) Dunipace, Edward Carlson, Patrick Newcombe Row 4 (L-R): Linda (Alec) Draper, Jerry Clark, Marge (Laske) Helenchild, Michael Dunipace, Jerry Sedick, Thomas Tithof, Thomas Dosumu-Johnson, Stephen Fiorenzo, John Stockdale, Daniel McLaren

35th (1974) Reunion Class

Back row: Charles Spliedt, Cynthia (Tava) Spliedt, Rita (Deitrick) Reimbold, Ron White, Jim Yeager, Mary Coupe, Dean Piotrowski, Paul Gnepper, John Fitzpatrick, Mike Winston, Will Maxon, John McLean, John Carr Middle row: Nancy (Hengesbaugh) White, Paul Roth, Coleen (Cannon) Berry, Nick Cariano, Dave Rice, Gerry Labadie, Patricia (Rahorn) Winston, Colleen Connelly, Bill Fowler Front row: Patricia Watson, Mary (McCormick) Yeager, Peggy (Wishka) Cannon, Tim Johnson, T. Michael Weber, Mike Umlauf, Sandra Wancour-Clement

30th (1979) Reunion Class

Back row: Rick Heuvelman, Ila Baker, Terry Todish, Denise Solomon, Dean Hill, Jamie Mitchell, Tim O’Brien, Celeste (Stefaneck) Dyehouse, Mary Jo (Czyzio) Bender, Mary Reichardt, Diane (Lafferty) Wright, Diane GoenseWhite Front row: Cindy (Ray) Clapp, Michele McCabeKuzmicz, Doree (Fox) Senesac, Marian (Kam) Todish, Audrey Goense, Robin Bennett, Kris (Woltanski) Allen, Theresa (Brow) Nickels, Sister Alice Wittenbach

50 Alumni News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu/alumni

25th Reunion (1984) Class

Back row: Theresa (Skully) Mills, Dan Mills, Michael Hagan, Nancy Hill-Hagan Front row: Dawn Blair, Margaret Mary (Pupel) Woodruff, Doug Woodruff, Brad Den Braber, Trina Den Braber, Susan (Hofweber) Dewan, Patrick Dewan.

20th Reunion (1989) Class:

15th Reunion (1994) Class

Adam Baxter, Emily (Schultz) Eugster, Matt Eugster, Merri Carol (Walsh) Baxter, Brenda Hennink, Matt Milzarski, Alicia (Belchak) Milzarski, Matthias Schneider, Sarah Longcore, Julie Waner-Klein

10th Reunion (1999)

Back Row: Erin (Gaereminck) Wolters, Ben Williams, Kyle Baldwin, John Krajewski, Darren Mattone, Mike Goodrich, B.J. (Brett) Jellison Front Row: Janelle (Burden) Hill, Megan (Elliott) Goodrich, Jill Howey, Nikkiya Fraser

5th Reunion (2004) Class

Lynda (Rausch) Janik, Timothy Schultz, Angela Critchett

September 24-26, 2010, Aquinas College will be the home, once again, to alumni reunions. We will celebrate the 5s and the 0s this year, beginning with 1960 (50th), 1965 (45th), 1970 (40th), 1975 (35th), 1980 (30th), 1985 (25th), 1990 (20th), 1995(15th), 2000 (10th) and 2005 (5th).

Each class will receive special invitations. In addition, please take the initiative to invite alumni from other classes with whom you spent lots of time here at Aquinas. AQ class years really know no boundaries.

Several of these reunions have already formed committees of enthusiastic alumni. We hope to reach many of you by phone or by email and we trust the attendance will be attributed to these personal contacts. If you would like to volunteer for a committee, please contact Sr. Alice Wittenbach at witteali@aquinas.edu or (616) 632-2453.

“Why should I come back to AQ?” Because you’ll remember all

the ways your Aquinas experience made all the difference in your life and in your world. You will renew connections. You will see for yourself how Aquinas continues “to make all the difference in the world” to our current and potential students. In fact, a highlight of this 2010 reunion, given the tentative schedule, will be tours of the new Sports and Fitness Center.

Watch for the Homecoming/Reunion SAVE THE DATE card and subsequent invitation which will describe activities for all alumni and will provide times for specific reunion events. We hope it convinces you that Reunion weekend at Aquinas is, indeed, the place to be the last weekend of September. You may also check online for homecoming and reunion updates. Visit: www.aquinas.edu/alumni

Alumni News

Back row: Tom Mikowski, John Tithof, Matt Coty Front row: Becky (Miller) Mikowski, Maritherese Tithof, Roseanne (Burger) Coty

Master of Management Reunion teaching the foundation course and Gary the capstone–she said, “it will be a challenge to try to replace them.”

Based on the popularity of the 2009 M.M. reunion, plans are underway for 2010. All Master of Management students, faculty and alumni are encouraged to circle their calendars for Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010 and watch for updates.

Alumni News

Master of Management alumni, students and faculty packed the Performing Arts Center for a Homecoming Week reunion last fall. Guests of honor were Gary and Allene Kieff, who are retiring after 22 years with the School of Management. Cindy VanGelderen, former dean, paid tribute to the Kieffs by saying that over the years, “students have commented on their friendly and engaging teaching styles, the relevance and high value of their courses and how current content is.” As bookends of the M.M. program–Allene

Gary and Allene Kieff

Save the Date Ireland Reunion & St. Patrick’s Day Party

Alumni Spiritual Retreat

Aquinas Campus–March, 20, 2010

Aquinas Campus–Saturday & Sunday, June 5 & 6, 2010

Alumni Breakfast–Aquinas Campus

Detroit Gala Event aboard the yacht, Infinity

Memorial Mass

Homecoming & Reunion Weekend

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Aquinas Campus–September 24-26, 2010

Peter M. Wege ProAm Blythefield Country Club

Monday, May 24, 2010

Evening of Elegance–Robert and Paulette Israels June 2010

52 Alumni News | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu/alumni

As always, check our Website for the most up-to-date information and online registration for most events! www.quinas.edu/alumni

AQ Alumna Poet Pens New Book Linda Nemec Foster ’72, founder of the Contemporary Writers Series, is the author of a new book of poems. Talking Diamonds is Foster’s ninth collection and was published by New Issues Press in October of 2009. Poet and critic Sydney Lea states that in this new book “ Foster exacts an energy that is...visionary, even miraculous...and Talking Diamonds... challenges, intrigues, awes and ultimately gratifies, poem after excellent poem.”

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Lisel Mueller describes the book as luminous, brilliant and powerful. The book can be ordered from any bookstore or online at amazon.com, spd. com or the press’ Website at www.wmich.edu/newissues.

In celebration of National Poetry Month, on April 22 at 7:00 p.m., Schuler Books and Music will host Linda Nemec

Foster and Jack Ridl. The two poets will read from their new collections, have an informal Q&A and sign books. A reception with light refreshments will follow. Schuler Books and Music is located at 2660 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids.

For more information contact Emily Stavrou at (616) 942-7330 ext. 305 or emily@schulerbooks. com.

Christopher Abbasse ’87 left Aquinas with a bachelor’s degree in science and a secondary education certificate, fully intending to become a teacher. However, what he didn’t know was that he would also become a main character in a novel, set in Harlem.

“The Street Stops Here” is the debut novel of New York Times writer Patrick McCloskey, set in Rice High School, a Catholic all-boys school in Harlem. McCloskey described a year spent at the inner city institution, following principal Orlando Gober and Abbasse as they worked to prepare their underprivileged students for graduation and college.

“Although the book is based on the perceptions of a writer…I think [it] is a pretty good snapshot of Rice during that year,” said Abbasse. “Patrick spent a great deal of time outside the school day talking with faculty, students and

parents in order to gain a better understanding of the Rice community.”

Abbasse arrived at Rice in 1990 after learning about the institution while visiting a friend in New York City. He was hired as a science teacher and spent the next eight years teaching every subject while earning his master’s degree during the summer from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland.

“Rice was my first full-time teaching position and the years there taught me a great deal about education and society,” said Abbasse. “I cherish the years I spent at Rice and will forever be thankful for the experience. I will always consider myself part of the Rice family.”

Abbasse left Rice in 2002 to rekindle his passion for teaching at the Frederick Douglas Academy public school in Harlem. He is currently teaching at Culbreth Middle School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

“In leaving and beginning again at a new high school I felt I would regain some of the enthusiasm and love I had for teaching,” said Abbasse. “I have always been thankful for the preparation I received at Aquinas. My teachers at Aquinas reinforced my love for learning and are partly responsible for any success I have enjoyed throughout my career.”

AQ Alumna Creates Book with Granddaughter Rose Mitchell ’85 said obtaining her bachelor’s degree from Aquinas was “the single most difficult, but important accomplishment” in her life. After dropping out of high school to get married, she began to sense the stigma

attached to being a “dropout.” Later, she decided to go to Aquinas College to obtain her bachelor’s degree. It was there she developed an interest in writing that she later shared with her grandchildren. Such was the case with her ten-year-old grandaughter, Kayla Obenchain. Together, they created Wet Willie: The True Story of the Silver Lake Creature.

Mitchell said the book, just 19 pages long, developed from Kayla’s imagination. She wrote down her thoughts and drew pictures to go along with the story. The Wet Willie story is “cute and fun on the surface,” Mitchell writes, “but just like the lake that Wet Willie lives in, it has a dark level too and lessons (wearing life preservers) to teach, as well.” The book is published by Xlibris. aquinas.edu/alumni | Spring 2010 | Alumni News 53

Alumni News

Aquinas Grad Recognized in Novel By Samantha Rinkus, Student Writer

AQ Adds Business and Technology to its AQDays Line-up

By Jeremy Wood ’99, Associate Director of Admissions

Admissions

If you’ve followed this section of the magazine, you know that the admissions office is always looking for ways to bring prospective students to campus. Over the last several years, a variety of new and specialized AQDays have been added to the list of opportunities for these students and their families to explore Aquinas and its various academic programs.

During the school year, students can attend visit days that showcase the science, nursing and math departments; leadership opportunities; AQ’s successful athletic teams; and the fine arts programs. Adding to this list of successful visit programs, the Admissions Office will be teaming with the accounting, business, computer information systems, and sustainable business faculty to offer Business and Technology AQDay this spring.

The April 23 event will focus on giving high school students the AQ experience while also highlighting those specific programs. In addition to partaking in a campus tour and lunch in the cafeteria, students will be able to attend fun and informative sessions that will allow them to meet and interact with faculty members. Sessions are scheduled to include a behind-the-scenes tour of campus technology, quick and easy Web page design, an overview of sustainable business, “Funny Money,” and more. For more information, or to register an AQDays event. Visit www.aquinas.edu/ undergraduate/campus_day.html or call (800) 678-9593.

AQ Videos Tell the Story—Take a Look Checkout the latest videos highlighting various aspects of the College, including: Academics, Student Athlete Perspective, Grand Rapids, Presidents Message and a faculty perspective. Videos can be viewed at www.aquinas.edu/ undergraduate/tour/video.html.

AQDays–Save the Date General AQDay April 16, 2010

Athletic AQDay January 22, 2011

Business and Technology AQDay

Club AQ

April 23, 2010

February 18-19, 2011

General AQDay

Spectrum Scholarship Competition

August 27, 2010

February 19, 2011

Fine Arts DAY

Leadership AQDay

October 8, 2010

March 18, 2011

General AQDay

Club AQ

November 5, 2010

March 20-21, 2011

Science, Nursing and Math AQDay Business, Accounting and Technology AQDay November 12, 2010

March 25, 2011

General AQDay

General AQDay

November 19, 2010

April 15, 2011

Club AQ

Club AQ

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April 17-18, 2011

Norbert J. Hruby Emeritus Award to Honor Father and Daughter recognition of long-term service to the community. According to Rick Steketee, co-director of OLLI, the two were selected because “they exemplify the spirit of giving back to the community and do it in a humble way.”

Kate Pew Wolters ’78 AQ trustee emerita and former board chair (2001-2003), is the chairperson of the Steelcase Foundation, which makes grants to nonprofit organizations in the areas of human service, health, education, community development, the arts and the environment. Kate, current chair of the Grand Valley State University board, also serves as president of the Kate and Richard Wolters Foundation, which supports an array of nonprofits.

Kate was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the National Council on Disability in 1994, serving until 2003. She is a board member for a number of community organizations and is co-chair of the First Steps Children’s Commission. Kate holds a master’s degree in social work from Michigan State University. She has received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Aquinas College and Michigan State University, and has won numerous other awards.

Robert C. Pew II chairman emeritus, Steelcase Inc., received the 1989 Michigan Governor’s Honor Roll Award for his support of the arts. On behalf of Steelcase, he received the National Trust Historic Preservation Award, presented

by President Ronald Reagan in 1989, for the restoration of the Meyer May house in Grand Rapids.

Bob is a past director of the National Organization on Disability and has served on the Steelcase Foundation Board. He has served on the boards of Aquinas College as well as other organizations and academic institutions. He has received honorary doctorates from Grand Valley State University, Aquinas College and Davenport College of Business.

Why is the Emeritus College Now OLLI? “What happened to the Emeritus College?” That’s a question often asked. Embedded in the answer is a story of transitions and exciting new beginnings.

Started in 1975, the Aquinas Emeritus College cultivated a rich tradition of serving the intellectual and spiritual needs of adult learners. It was a groundbreaking concept that put Aquinas on the map in terms of lifelong learning for adults age 50 and older.

In 2008, the Emeritus College became the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Aquinas College.

Thanks to a very generous grant from the Osher Foundation, OLLI at Aquinas joins a nationwide network of institutions from Maine all the way to Hawaii devoted to best practices in lifelong learning.

As a part of the transition to OLLI at Aquinas, we now offer membership options, something new to the lifelong learning program at Aquinas. Benefits of a membership include course discounts, free classes, social

events and invitations to Aquinas College functions.

The grant from the Osher Foundation and subsequent change in name allows us to bring in top professors and professionals from around West Michigan, and also the chance to bring our students engaging trips and activities.

OLLI students can take courses ranging in length from one week to four weeks and trips and events throughout West Michigan and beyond. By partnering with local businesses, we further enhance our goal to become a part of and support the local community. All students take non-credit courses to gain insight and knowledge into the world around them, and to learn for the joy of learning. As one student said, “I believe that you either move forward or backwards. There is no sitting still. OLLI keeps me moving forward.”

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OLLI

This year, the Aquinas Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) will honor a father-daughter duo with the Norbert J. Hruby Emeritus Award. Kate Pew Wolters and Robert C. Pew II are to be presented with the award at the 27th Annual Emeritus evening ceremony on May 13. The award is given in

Family Ties: The Frey Legacy Portrait by LaClaire

By Laura Bennett-Kimble ’95, Contributing Editor

Advancement

(l-r): John, Twink, Ted, Dave

For the Frey siblings, Mary Caroline (“Twink”), John, Dave and Edward Jr. (“Ted”), awareness of Aquinas College came early in life, thanks to a couple of students from Guam who lived for a brief time with their family after World War II. It was close quarters for the growing Frey family in a small house in East Grand Rapids, and when the two students were added to the mix, “My brothers had to share a room with them,” recalls Twink.

The Frey children were introduced to Aquinas through these students because their father, Edward J. Frey, Sr., literally brought his work home with him when he returned from U.S. Navy service on Guam, where he had helped rebuild the island’s infrastructure after it was recaptured from the Japanese during the war. One of his accomplishments

Edward Frey, Sr., pictured (standing 4th 56 Advancement | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu/advancement from left) with the Guam Board of Trustees

while there was working with Bishop Felix Berto Flores to establish a scholarship fund so Guam youngsters could gain a college education at Aquinas College.

That program made a difference in the lives of about a dozen students who left Guam to attend Aquinas from the 1940s through the 1990s.

Carlos Garcia Camacho and Ricardo Camacho Flores lived with the Freys for a brief period of time while they attended Aquinas between 1946 and 1949. Flores went on to the University of Michigan Medical School, but died unexpectedly there during his medical residency program. Camacho went on to earn a doctorate in dental surgery at Marquette University before returning to Guam to practice his profession.

Later, he entered politics on the small island nation and, in 1969, was appointed governor by President Richard Nixon.

Zolio Lg Camacho

Ricardo Flores

Carlos Camacho

David was three or four years old when the students moved in after the war, but came to reconnect with Camacho some 20-plus years later. Shortly after Camacho’s 1969 presidential appointment, Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) Frey was aboard a U.S. Navy ship that stopped in Guam. He sent a message to Camacho requesting permission to pay him an official visit. Invited to lunch at the governor’s mansion, Frey became reacquainted with the man who lived with his family for a brief time some two decades earlier.

“The governor recalled, with great affection and gratitude, his time at Aquinas,” said Frey. Camacho served as governor until 1975, and died four years later. The current governor, Felix Perez Camacho, is his son.

Other Guamanians who attended Aquinas in the 1940s include Zoilo Lg Camacho, who later became monsignor of Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Guam; and Christobal Camacho Duenas, who was appointed by President Nixon as a federal superior judge on the island.

Also, two of Carlos Camacho’s nephews, Charles and his brother Richard, graduated from Aquinas in 1991 and 1993, respectively.

C. Arthur Woodhouse

detailing the purchase. “’Holmdene,’ the most beautiful estate in Grand Rapids township, belongs to us. It sounds like a dream that has really come true,” Sr. Felix wrote on April 30, 1945.

Much negotiating and a mountain of paperwork were involved in the process, according to Sr. Felix’s narration. A council vote was taken, meetings were held between Mother Euphrasia Sullivan and various financial and religious leaders, permission from the Apostolic Delegate in Washington, D.C., was granted for the loan, papers were filed, the bank approved the $115,000 loan at two-and-one-half percent – and the College had a new home!

The Aquinas Connection

A Dream That Came True

The son of Union Bank & Trust Co. founder John E.(“Jack”) Frey, Edward was involved with the College in another important area, as well – the acquisition of the Robinson Road campus.

During the Great Depression, banker C. Arthur Woodhouse became affiliated with Union Bank and Jack Frey when he came to Grand Rapids from the Detroit area, according to his grandson, Bob Woodhouse, Jr. ‘77, an AQ Trustee. That business relationship led Woodhouse, who had become a financial advisor to the Dominican Sisters and the local bishop, to introduce Jack and son Edward to the Sisters, according to Woodhouse.

In April 1945, Union Bank (now Chase) underwrote a loan so the Dominican Sisters could purchase the former Lowe estate on Robinson Road, allowing Aquinas College to relocate its campus from downtown Grand Rapids. Sr. Felix Brand, who was Aquinas College treasurer at the time, wrote a chronology that is housed in the Dominican archives

Edward and Frances Frey

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The Frey and Woodhouse families have continued their affiliation with Aquinas over the years, providing grants and scholarship programs, guiding decisions as trustees and supporting the College in numerous ways.

“My grandfather was the first lay trustee to the College,” Woodhouse said. C. Arthur Woodhouse was recognized for his many contributions with the Alumni Association’s 1974 Distinguished Service Award and later, in 2004, was inducted posthumously into the Aquinas College Hall of Fame. From 1977 until the Grace Hauenstein Library opened in 2006, the College library carried the name Woodhouse Learning Resource Center. (See related story on dedication of the Woodhouse archives room on page 59.)

The Frey family established a lasting relationship with the College. Edward Sr., who founded Foremost Insurance Co. in 1952, established the Frey Foundation in 1974 with his wife, Frances (“Tallie”); David, an Aquinas emeritus trustee, currently chairs the foundation. In 2007, the Frey Foundation established an endowed scholarship of $500,000 with the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, which provides a renewable, $5,000 merit-based award each year to an incoming freshman at the College who demonstrates superior academic and leadership qualities Twink became involved with the College in 1988 when a group created the Grand Rapids Women’s History Council and held its meetings in the basement of Browne Center,

Portrait by LaClaire

the Center provided just that.

As such, I would have to say that Twink has been one of our biggest champions.” The College recognized Twink with an honorary doctorate in social science in 2002.

In addition, through Frey’s Nokomis Foundation, she and her husband established the JHIWSC lecture series, which allowed the Center to bring women of achievement including British anthropologist Jane Goodall and NPR talk-show host Diane Rehm to the community. And the JHIWSC Girls Empowering Together (GET) leadership program (see p. 34), which promotes self-esteem and empowerment for high school girls facing economic and social structure challenges, recently saw its first recipient of the Twink Frey Leadership Scholarship begin her freshman year at Aquinas.

Frey’s support for the Emeritus program, now the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, began after she experienced the program for herself. She and a friend took some classes years ago, when she was “certainly not anywhere near retirement age,” she said with a laugh, “and we really enjoyed them. I have always been impressed by what they do for seniors. I’m a big cheerleader for that program.” In 1988, shortly before he passed away, Edward Sr. received the Emeritus Award in recognition for his many community contributions.

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(l-r): Twink, John, Frances, Edward,

David, Ted

home to the Emeritus Program (now OLLI). Also, her husband, Jim McKay received his master’s degree from the College in 1982 and is a trustee emeritus who served on the Board from 1995 to 2004. Twink and Jim were honored by the College with the 2005 Reflection Award, recognizing their community generosity and advocacy on issues important to improving the quality of life for residents in West Michigan.

For more than a decade, Frey also has been deeply involved with the Aquinas College Women’s Studies Center.

When the Center, which was founded in 1986, was in need of funding in the late 1990s, Frey recalled “going to bat” to keep its programs vibrant. She gave a large discretionary grant in 2000 to build an endowment fund and was given the opportunity to rename the Center. Without hesitation, she asked that it be named the Jane Hibbard Idema Women’s Studies Center (JHIWSC) in honor of a woman she had taken extension courses from decades earlier as a young girl and whom she had come to admire.

“Twink had a vision of where the Women’s Studies program might go and how it might flourish with some support,” said JHIWSC director Susan Haworth-Hoeppner, Ph.D. “The endowment that she and her husband gave

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Onward and Outward

Aquinas is what it is today through the long-term support of families and individuals like the Freys and Woodhouses.

“Aquinas is honored to have gained the support of three generations of the Frey and Woodhouse families,” noted Greg McAleenan, vice president of Institutional Advancement.

“They have truly made all the difference in the world to our students, faculty and staff through their gifts of time, talent and financial support. We look forward to earning their ongoing involvement for many generations to come,” he stated.

Acknowledging his family’s long affiliation with Aquinas, David added, “It’s been a great relationship. I have enormous respect for the institution and want it to prosper and fulfill its mission as a Catholic-oriented liberal arts college. It is part of what makes West Michigan an educational showcase.”

Woodhouse Family Archives Dedicated On August 7, 2009, the second floor archives room of the Grace Hauenstein Library was dedicated and renamed the Woodhouse Family Archives Room. The archives contain public records, documents, private papers, memorabilia, photos, institutional records and other publications.

In 1979, the Woodhouse Learning Resource Center was dedicated to C. Arthur and Marguerite Woodhouse. C. Arthur Woodhouse helped plan all major construction on campus up to 1979, served on the board of trustees, was a great supporter of the College and is a member of the Aquinas College Hall of Fame. The dedication of the archives room to the Woodhouse family recalls the long relationship that Aquinas College has had with the family.

In attendance was Bob Woodhouse, Jr., the third member of the family to serve as trustee. He credited his brothers and sisters, all of whom have taken classes at Aquinas, for voting to support the new library. Woodhouse called Aquinas a “special place” and said, “people need to remember what it’s about in the future.”

Monsignor William Duncan, chair of the Board of Trustees, offered a blessing of the archives room and expressed the gratitude of the board for the support of the Woodhouse family. Those in attendance were reminded of the importance of

the archives, including Sr. Mary Aquinas Weber O.P. ’58, who said that the archives “serve as a sanctuary for what is our heritage.” Francine Paolini, co-director of Grace Hauenstein Library, echoed that sentiment, saying the archives “really are our institution’s memory, and it’s important to keep that going.”

2010 Reflection: Joan Secchia

“We were all led and inspired by Joan’s genuine concern for student life,” said Dave Weinandy, Ph.D., a communication professor who was also instrumental in the renovation.

“Her dedication to community service is a thoughtful and deliberate act that is a core, natural component of her personality.”

Her community service has been both wide ranging and effective, but she has been particularly effective in education and other children’s issues. She has been instrumental in the Grand Rapids Public Schools Student Advancement Foundation in addition to being an active supporter of the Children’s Assessment Center. Her service and commitment took on an international flavor when, following husband Peter Secchia’s appointment as Ambassador to Italy in 1989, she worked to establish a Rome branch of the Navy League.

Aquinas President Ed Balog recalled his introduction to Joan: “Joan was a member of the Provost Search Committee in 2000. When I interviewed with that committee, I was struck by her preparation for the interview, her knowledge of the position, and her commitment to the College. It immediately became clear to me that, with a trustee such as Joan, Aquinas was the place to be.”

Aquinas College is pleased to recognize Joan for her significant contributions to both the College and the wider community.

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Joan Secchia is being honored Sept. 20 as the recipient of the 2010 Aquinas College Reflection Award. This award was established to recognize those individuals whose lives offer a true reflection of the values and mission of Aquinas College.

Joan began her affiliation with Aquinas in 1995 and served on the Board of Trustees until 2001. During that time she was also chair of the Student Affairs Committee. In that role she dedicated a great deal of her time and energy to the improvement of campus life. Her leadership was vital in the 1996 renovation of the Cook Carriage House.

By: Samantha Rinkus, Student Writer

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Juan Olivarez ‘71 Honored With 2009 Reflection Award “Tonight, we honor a man whose contributions and achievements, particularly in the field of education, have had a huge impact in our community,” stated Ed Balog, Ph.D., president of Aquinas College.

He was talking about 1971 Aquinas graduate Juan Olivarez, Ph.D., the former president of Grand Rapids Community College who was recognized for his work in literacy and education as well as community development.

Olivarez received Aquinas’ Reflection Award at a ceremony and dinner on Sept. 10 attended by several hundred friends and relatives.

“Through his career as a classroom teacher, counselor, and college president, Olivarez has worked tirelessly to

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provide this essential educational opportunity to anyone who sought it with no exceptions,” Balog added. “One could see the passion and commitment in his eyes when he spoke of his work with the national literacy council.”

Olivarez told some 200 friends and family that his passion for education began at Aquinas. “I can’t thank Aquinas enough,” he said, noting that he also met his wife, Mary, at Aquinas when they were classmates in the late 1960s.

“We have fond, fond memories of this campus and of the great community that was established while we were students here,” he remarked. “And the effort that the faculty and staff and the Dominican Sisters took to make sure that it was a community. [Our} values were not just read about in books but…we actually lived them.”

“AQ did a lot for me including to help me appreciate education. That’s why I’m so passionate about it,” he stated. “It’s about the students. Believe that education is the only way this country, our communities and our families will be able to make a difference in the world. We all need to work toward that and be a part of it.”

The Reflection Award has been given annually since 1993 to an individual who reflects the values of Aquinas College: commitment, vision, service, loyalty and integrity.

Great Golf, Great Success: Peter M. Wege ProAm

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The Third Annual Aquinas College Peter M. Wege ProAm will be held May 24, 2010 at Blythefield Country Club in northeast Grand Rapids. The response over the past two years has been tremendous. Having the club professionals vie for a purse adds a unique and competitive edge. Whether you might give the pros a run for their money or just benefit from playing alongside for the afternoon–get it on your calendar now before it fills up!

“I wouldn’t miss the Wege ProAm, it’s one of the best golf events I’ve ever played in,” stated Denny Williams ‘64, an Aquinas trustee.

In just two years, the event has grossed more than $200,000 with the net creating important scholarship

support through the Aquinas Fund and other restricted scholarships. At the heart of this event is the fact that through scholarship support, students are empowered to pursue their dreams of an Aquinas education. On behalf of the hundreds of students helped by this worthy event, thank you for your continued generosity.

For information about becoming a sponsor or to reserve an individual golf slot, call Cecilia A. Cunningham, director of the Aquinas Fund (616) 632-2816 or Ellen Harburn, coordinator of Special Events and Alumni Relations, (616) 632-2805.

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Scholarship Reception

“Gifts of opportunity” was the way junior Joseph Balog described the three privately funded scholarships he receives at Aquinas College. Balog spoke to a group of 160 donors, students, parents, faculty staff and friends of the College at the annual Scholarship Reception in November. In addition to lisetning to Balog, guests enjoyed a full program which included presentations by President Ed Balog (no relation),

d bbi Albert M. an debut of the Ra e th e g ar in s at ise br w le Ce the Le Scholarship with Dr. Shirley Lewis . er rd Co n lia nior Lil Julie Fox and se

Athletic Director Terry Bocian, athletic scholar Calvin Bekins, benefactor Rosie Zant and musical performances by Kathleen Lally, Roberta Trahan-Grabiel, Danielle Brower and the AQ Jazz Band. Over dinner, benefactors and students had the opportunity to get to know each other, which often leads to lifelong friendships. This year’s Scholarship Reception is scheduled for Nov. 16, 2010.

Marty Allen greets Allen Scholar and event sp eaker Calvin Bekins.

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shman Raycynda Ionia County fre se y O’Connor, who Corlis meets Mar P. x Re e spired th late husband in . orial Scholarship em M or O’Conn

Remembering Aquinas A quirk of fate changed Monica La Sarge’s life. This bright individual had the second highest G.P.A. in the class of 1949 at St. Simon’s High School in Ludington, Mich. When an issue arose with the original valedictorian, LaSarge ascended to the role. A Ludingtonarea philanthropist covered the tuition payments for St. Simon’s valedictorians to attend Aquinas College, and LaSarge unexpectedly found herself preparing for college in Grand Rapids. It was a big step for a small-town girl who hadn’t imagined leaving Ludington.

LaSarge thrived at Aquinas, graduated in 1953 and continued her education by earning two masters degrees in Social Work and Public Health from the University of Michigan. She went to work for the Michigan Department of Social Services and was instrumental in the development of the Michigan Medicaid program. Her interest was in the protection of vulnerable children and adults and she directed the Office of Institutional Abuse that developed policies to protect adults living in institutions. LaSarge died in 2009.

She never forgot the doors that were opened to her. So, to replicate the gift she was given, she included Aquinas College in her estate plan. Family and friends, led by Margaret Grost, made certain her wishes were carried out by establishing the Monica La Sarge Scholarship. In the fall of 2010, the first La Sarge scholar will be named and those who knew and loved her will know that her fate became her legacy, and her legacy lives on.

Did you know?

You can make a gift that gives you guaranteed payments for life.

There are ways to support Aquinas College that won’t affect your current lifestyle.

Gift Planning creates a win-win situation for you, your family and Aquinas College.

You can take advantage of tax incentives.

Visit our site or contact Marjorie Kindel, Director of Gift Planning: (616) 632-2821, kindemar@aquinas.edu

Visit our new Web site www.aquinas.edu/advancement/giftplanning

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Gift Planning is not just for the wealthy!

It’s All About People! The Aquinas Fund Participation is where the power is in ensuring there are critical scholarship funds available for students. Last year more than 3,400 alumni, friends, parents and corporate leaders were involved in supporting student scholarships through the Aquinas Fund. Over 90 percent of current students receive assistance. This year, the Aquinas Fund team of volunteers and staff are actively working toward raising $1.6 million. Already, nearly $1 million of the needed funds have been raised. The 2009-2010 campaign will end June 30, and there’s nearly $150,000 in the Wege Foundation challenge match for alumni and parents to leverage with new and increased gifts. Please get involved today. If every alumni who hasn’t contributed yet this fiscal year were to offer a modest gift of $20, we would be No. 1 in the nation for alumni participation and raise more than $300,000 in scholarships for students as well as leverage the rest of the important Wege Challenge.

Other Aquinas Fund highlights are:

Wake-up AQ student initiative–During the week of Feb. 15, Aquinas students worked to raise $1,500 for students facing immediate financial hardship. An anonymous alumni donor offered $1500 to match the enthusiasm demonstrated by the students.

Alumni Breakfast March 24 at 7:45 a.m.–This annual breakfast is going to be the kick-off event to a state-wide Alumni Breakfast series. Mark Meijer ’80 and the Meijer Foundation are offering a challenge of $50,000 to alumni who participate in any of the programs. All proceeds will directly impact the Aquinas Fund campaign.

Saints Forever–This new program will highlight both new young alumni donors who make a commitment of at least $5 for each year since graduation and those longtime alumni donors who have literally been donating for decades.

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(L-R) Lt. Gen. John Nowak ‘63, Angela Korte ‘96, and Dan Jablonski ‘77 are the Aquinas Fund co-chairs.

Greg Meyer inducted in U-M Hall of Honor Greg Meyer, the associate vice president for Institutional Advancement at Aquinas College, was honored earlier this year with his induction into the Hall of Honor at the University of Michigan, his alma mater. The fundraising specialist and Grand Rapids native was inducted Jan. 10.

In 1983, Meyer won the Boston Marathon and is the last American male to win the event. He was a state champion cross country and track runner at West Catholic High School and received All-America honors at the University of Michigan in both cross country and the 3,000 meter steeplechase. Meyer twice won the Big Ten title in the 3,000 meter steeplechase and another for the 10,000 meter steeplechase.

Meyer has been working in Institutional Advancement since March 2008. He also is the elite runner recruiter for the Fifth Third River Bank Run, an event he has won seven times.

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AQ Corporate Partners President’s Circle Amway Bissell Inc. Central Interconnect D&D Printing Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters Huntington Bank Meijer Corporation Steelcase Inc.

Executive Partner Armock Mechanical Comerica Bank Erhardt Construction Gill Industries Gordon Food Service Howard Miller Israels Design Lacks Enterprises Magic Steel Corp.

NeTech Corporation Van Dyken Mechanical Varnum Riddering Williams Group Wolverine World Wide

Partner ADAC Automotive Allied Electric Bucher Hydraulics Chemical Bank Crowe Howath LLP Dematic Corp.

Feyen-Zylstra Electric Flexco GE Avionics Grand Rapids Plastics Independent Bank Kent Manufacturing Metro Health Hospital Louis Padnos National City Pepsi Bottling Group Rehmann Robson Service Express Spartan Stores Swift Printing Vi-Chem Corp.

Zemke Electric

Associate Partner Accident Fund Adamy + Company Angel Care AON Consulting Associated Insurance Arrowaste AXA Advisors Axios Baird Co. Bartlett Tree Experts Berends Hendricks Stuit Black Monument Bradford Company Byron Bank Cole’s Quality Foods Columbian Enterprise Control Solutions Creative Dining Crystal Flash Energy Dickinson Wright D.J. Lawn Service D. Schuler’s Wine Eikenhout Inc. Founders Trust Bank Forest Hills Foods Foremost Graphics Grandville Printing Gymco Sports GWI Engineering Hanover Insurance Henry Fox Sales Highland Chrysler Infotech Imaging Products Inc. Kay Pharmacy Kamminga & Roodvoets, Inc. Lakeshore Energy Kent Beverage Marsh / Mercer Martha’s Vineyard Micron Technology Mosaic Wealth Management Northfield Lanes Prangley & Marks Pridgeon & Clay Priority Health Prudential Financial Rogers Printing S.A. Morman Inc. Shred Docs LLC Superior Asphalt Terbear LLC Terryberry Company Transmatic Wells Fargo Bank West Side Beer Weather Shield Roofing Systems Wolverine Coil Wolverine Printing

aquinas.edu/advancement | Spring 2010 | Advancement 65

Advancement

Aquinas College Corporate Partner’s networking luncheon has enjoyed another successful season, that began with its first program last September.

Keynote speaker Chris Bunbury, president of environmental Strategist, Inc. (eSI) and Environmental Risk Managers, Inc. (ERMI), told business leaders that in a transparent business environment, having an environmental management strategy in place will help drive growth and profits. He said firms y Chris Bunbur can’t be in business without being impacted by environmental issues, exposures, liabilities and investments.

In December, Peter Prinstein, vice president with Allianz Global Investors, discussed how the economic and market events of the last two years have reshaped our global financial system. Allianz believes over the next three-to-five years and perhaps even multigenerationally, certain secular pressures such as de-leveraging, Peter Prinstein de-globalization and re-regulation will affect expected returns for financial assets and create a “new normal” in investing.

The new year brought Nelson Jacobson, president and CEO of JSJ Corporation in Grand Haven, to the podium as keynote speaker. Jacobson, who has led the company since 2006, spoke about his experience developing the company’s international business, and more specifically, its manufacturing and selling capabilities on Nelson Jacobs in the China market.

In February, West Michigan business entrepreneur Mike Jandernoa, former president and CEO of international pharmaceutical company Perrigo, addressed the need for small business and entrepreneurs to lead Michigan job growth. He told a large audience that former and current presidents and CEOs of small businesses can make a clear and positive difference by making a commitment to mentoring.

The final luncheon of the series will be March 25.

The keynote speaker will be Mike Lindquist, owner of Rapid-Line and president of Mike Jandernoa the Manufacturers Council.

Lindquist will address new ways for businesses to partner with colleges and universities to help make West Michigan a growing economic environment.

The Corporate Partners Luncheon program is designed to provide valuable business building opportunities to corporate friends and stimulate involvement with Aquinas College.

Narber Breaks Women’s Scoring Record

Athletics

By Doug Seites, Student Writer

Senior Joslyn Narber ’10 is now the all-time leading scorer in Aquinas College women’s basketball history, surpassing the record of 2,037 career points held by Kathy Grzegorski-Johnson ’84. Narber came into a Valentine’s Day game against Davenport University needing 11 points to break the record. She scored the record-setting points on a driving layup with 11:06 remaining in the second half and finished with 20 points in the game and 2,047 points for her career.

Narber, from Wyoming Park High School, has battled injuries throughout her Aquinas career but has managed to be an All-WHAC and All-America performer. Narber injured her left knee as a freshman, missing all but two 66 Athletics | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu/athletics

games that season. She was given a medical redshirt because of the injury. During her junior season, Narber missed eight games due to a torn meniscus.

Narber has fought back and lead the team in scoring every full season. She became only the second player in Aquinas women’s basketball history to score 2,000 career points after a 26-point performance against Sienna Heights. An excellent free-throw shooter with the versatility to play any position, Narber has been an efficient and dangerous scoring threat for the Saints.

“It’s very exciting,” said Head Coach Linda Nash.

“She’s been a leader for us all through her years. It’s a tremendous accomplishment.”

Men’s Cross Country – “A Decade of Excellence”

conference championship. The Saints have a winning percentage of 85 percent over the past ten seasons (892-158).

The team’s success is not only reserved for the course, but also the classroom. The men’s cross country team finished first place in 2003, 2004 and 2005 in the Academic National Championships. Over the last ten years, Aquinas runners were named to the Academic All-American team 46 times.

Coach Mike Wojciakowski remarked, “I feel very blessed to be in this situation. I give all the credit to the guys who have worn an Aquinas uniform over the last decade. It’s because of all of them and the hard work that has been put forth that we find ourselves in this position. Every year is a new challenge, but one constant remains the same—the tradition of being an Aquinas Saint.” aquinas.edu/athletics | Spring 2010 | Athletics 67

Athletics

Over the past ten years, the men’s cross country team has made a name for itself not only locally, but also on the national level. The Saints have qualified for the National Championships in each of the last ten years, one of only three schools nationally to do so. During that time, Aquinas was ranked second in the nation for overall performance at the national championships. The Saints have stood on the podium twice, with a 2nd place finish in 2004 and a 3rd place finish in 2008.

At a conference level, the Saints have been crowned WHAC champions eight times in the past ten years. Aquinas runners were named to the All-WHAC team 38 times over the past decade with Ken Baginski ’00, Leo Foley ’04, Josh Miller ’05 and Chris Leikert ’08 claiming the individual

Athletics

Credit: Photo by Katy Batdorff. Copyright 2009 The Grand Rapids Press. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Former AQ Golfer Wins City Golf Title Brian Hayward ’08, a former Aquinas College golfer, is joining a growing list of Aquinas alumni who have captured one or more of the Grand Rapids’ area golf titles. He ran away with his first Grand Rapids City Golf Championship last August after starting his final round with three birdies and an eagle in the first six holes at Kent Country Club. Hayward’s final round 68 gave him an overall score of 204, six shots better than the runner-up. The 22-year-old tax accountant for Ernst & Young also won the Curly Shipman and West Michigan District titles last summer, and has now won two local major titles, winning the City Match Play title in 2007.

Hayward joins some other AQ notables, including Bob Sakocius ’78, who won both the Kent County Amateur and 68 Athletics | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu/athletics

Grand Rapids City Championship six times each and has three wins in City Match Play. Greg Alksnis ’71 won two city championships, two City Match Play titles, one Kent county amateur and one West Michigan championship. And Al Dimavicius ’62 won three Grand Rapids City titles, two Kent County Amateurs, two West Michigan Amateurs and one City Match Play championship.

Information from The Grand Rapids Press

2010 Athletic Hall of Fame The Aquinas College Athletic Department has announced its 2010 Hall of Fame class. The members of this group will be feted on Sept. 24, at the College’s Hall of Fame Gala Event in the Wege Student Center Ballroom. This year’s class includes an outstanding tennis player, two noteworthy track and field athletes and an esteemed Grand Rapids area coach.

The four honorees are Roy White ’72 (tennis); Tom Zyniewicz, M.D. ’84 (track and field); Neil Reilly ’88 (track and field) and Coach George Barcheski ’61. Barcheski will be given a lifetime achievement.

White was an outstanding tennis player at Aquinas in the early 1970s. He won the state NAIA singles championship in 1970 and was the state runner-up in 1971. He was a member of the 1971 NAIA state championship doubles team (with Buzz Hall) after the tandem finished as state runner-ups in 1970. White then went on to coach the “Tommies” for several years.

Zyniewicz was an outstanding track and field athlete in the throwing events in the early 1980s. A three-time national qualifier, he highlighted his outstanding career in 1984 by

Roy White

becoming the first track and field event performer in Aquinas history to be honored both as an All-American for his efforts at the national meet and as an Academic All-American for his classroom achievements.

Reilly became a two-time All-American for his efforts in the throwing events. He was a three-time national qualifier and is still in the top five category of Aquinas throwing records. Reilly has had a successful run as an assistant track coach at Aquinas (10 years) where he has helped develop eight throwing All-Americans through his teaching efforts.

Barcheski coached football and taught at East Grand Rapids for 30 years. During this time, his teams won 82 percent of their games (238-53-3), winning four state championships. This winning percentage is the third highest mark in the storied history of Michigan high school football.

Coach Barcheski has been inducted in the Michigan High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame and the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame (2001).

Neil Reilly Tom Zyniewicz

i

George Barchesk

Athletics

WHAC Conference Expands to Nine Schools The Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference will be nine strong when the 2010-2011 school year begins. Last October, the presidents of current member schools unanimously voted to add the University of Northwestern Ohio into membership.

The University offers basketball, golf, tennis (all for men and women) as well as baseball & volleyball.

artment was busy this past The Aquinas College Athletic Dep s and food for the needy, and, Christmas holiday, collecting gift the Grand Rapids Home for ed the women’s soccer team visit caroling.

Veterans to do a little Christmas

aquinas.edu/athletics | Spring 2010 | Athletics 69

Fall Sports Wrap

record, but untry ry impressive (113-17) ve a d Men’s Cross Co ste po m tea e Th Calvin College, ar for the Saints.

Athletics

at It was a strange ye slip away. The Saints be on the conference crown ld The Saints were led e. ho ar tim g -ye en lon Men’s Soccer ry sev ve its a saw first time in the for st, lea at s received an ator, e int Sa tim t e Th firs r. the ile He for n bly sti The men’s socc ssi po an and Du er team poste rmances of Rob Veldm p to Fort Vancouver, rfo tri pe the C de HA ma t l-W d a Al tha re ys the cord of 13-4-2 by The eight gu th. d en an sev ior sen ced e for the 2009 pla (on d an ny ls ma na for tio e na nc to rie rth pe se be ex as l ge on. One highlig lar t nationa make it to ht from the young, and it was the firs ly one of three teams to season was an on s Washington were very wa as uin Aq ). try an un ei shm co fre gh the e in ton d d game stretch an on sec res s ranked in which the junior, five sophomo past ten years, the Saint the ve Sa r ha Fo s in e. int ts cad Sa al de s the lowed only s, thi t six season one goal. Aqu Nationals every year ampionships. In the las to ch t l ou in na es tio as go na fin dit the cre at is hed the ce big ips. A conference se in overall performan the national championsh at 7th as d on an 3rd in , 6th fir , ld. st place ho with a 9-2-1 re finished 2nd, 6th, 5th that each is trying to up cord in WHA gram and the tradition pro the in s kid C at gre p lay. The Saints the season ended at the hands of Davenport in the WHAC tournament se m ifi nal game 2-0. lf Go ’s en om W d an fo n’s Junior rward Jeovani Me Pantoja receiv ed AllAmerican acco The men’s golf team finished the lades for his 13 in the goals (eight of which were 2009 season by taking fifth place of the game win the led el Sieg Joel an hm Fres ning variety) an AC. WH d two assists.

Junior Michae 78.6 a ed card he as r yea l V this jo ts aughan in Sain ed Pantoja on the All-WHA ten top two d ture cap and C al age on aver 1st Team, g with Chad D uRussell. Hea (81.2 se Rou Max iors Sen es. anc an orm th perf d Jesse Guevar Somers a-Lehker wer e voted to the All-WHA avg.) and Brad Hall (82.6 avg.) also C second team . In Coach Joe Veal’s four se were major contributors for Coach asons, the Sain ts record stan at 52-22-5.

Tom Gunn’s squad. ds The women’s golf team claimed a past third place finish in the WHAC this gail Abi an hm fall. The team was led by fres AC WH Allthe Hagan, who was named to the in hed finis ) first team. Hagan (85.5 avg. ees bor jam AC top five of all four of the WH nd seco the in and was the meet medalist .0 avg.) jamboree. Taylor Giesen-Bayley (89 le orab Hon AC was named to the All-WH on. seas past Mention for her efforts this ad that Coach Dan Pupel has a young squ re. futu the shows a lot of promise for 70 Athletics | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu/athletics

Women’s S

Women’s Cross Country

The women’s cross country team was crowned WHAC Champions for the 2009 season. With their victory at the conference meet contested at Riverside Park, the Saints received an automatic bid to the National Championships in Fort Vancouver, Washington. The Saints were led by WHAC Conference Runner of the Year, Carly Plank. The freshman led the Saints in every meet and just missed All-American honors by four places at Nationals.

Katy Cramer and Samantha Rinkus were awarded with All-WHAC honors for their performance at the WHAC Championships. The team finished a little disappointing 21st place at the national championships, but the future looks very bright for this young group of Saints.

occer The wom en’s socce record of r team fin 12-6-2. A ished the fter a slow 2009 seaso only three start that n with a goals in th saw the S eir first fiv alive. Aqu aints score e matches, inas went the offense on to score times duri came thre ng finished se the course of the re e or more goals sev en st of the se cond in th e WHAC ason. The fell just sh with an 8 S a ort of a na ints -3-1 record tional cha defeated in . Aquinas mpionship the WHA bid as the C tournam

by Siena H y were ent champ eights. ionship ga Senior forw me 3-0 ard Bri Hil All-Ameri l, who wa can and W s named to HAC Off the Saints the NAIA ensive Pla in scoring yer of the with 19 g Jaime Tom Year, led oals and tw aszewski jo o assists. S ined Hill o she record ophomore n the All-W ed eleven goals and HAC first mid-fielde nine assists r Teresa B on the sea team as uiocchi w second tea son. Junio as named m for her r to the All contributi -WHAC ons on the field for th e Saints.

The Aquinas volle ms in the best small college progra the of e on o int lop ve de from eight ars, the Saints have gone ye rt sho ee thr In n. tio na this past in 2008 to 26 victories ns wi 22 to 07 20 in ns wi ent back to the es brought the excitem wl Ra ve Da ach Co l. fal The Saints missing for some time. en be d ha t tha m gra pro WHAC. for second place in the finished the season tied were also er Me er nd and Katie Va ds un Lo llie Mo ins pta Ca Clair was C First Team. Sarah Le HA l-W Al the to d me na le Mention of the Year and Honorab ero Lib C HA W d me na All-WHAC eweg was named to the ed Br a sic Jes C. HA l-W Al red WHAC Vander Meer also garne tie Ka . am Te an shm Fre olades. The NAIA All-American acc d an ar Ye the of r tte Se k for the urning next year, so loo Saints have everyone ret nue. improvements to conti aquinas.edu/athletics | Spring 2010 | Athletics 71

Athletics

yball Women’s Volle grow and yball team continues to

Fall Athletic Honors Men’s Golf • Academic All Conference: Max Rouse • Champion of Character: Brad Hall Women’s Golf • All Conference 1st Team: Abigail Hagan • Honorable Mention All Conference: Taylor Giesen-Bayley • Academic All Conference: Anne Hertl, Gretchen Gangwer • Champion of Character: Anne Hertl

Athletics

Men’s Cross Country • All Conference: Rob Veldman, Dustin Heiler • Academic All Conference: Nate Poirier, Mitch Hoffman, Andy Vereecke • Champion of Character: Nick Thelen • Academic All American: Nate Poirier, Mitch Hoffman, Andy Vereecke Women’s Cross Country • All Conference: Carly Plank, Katy Cramer, Samantha Rinkus • Academic All Conference: Rachel Fechik, Emily Popma, Ruth Blaxton, Kaitlyn Meernik, Audrey Shireman, Emily Sandula, Samantha Rinkus • Champion of Character: Samantha Rinkus • Coach of the Year: Mike Wojciakowski • Academic All American: Emily Popma, Audrey Shireman, Emily Sandula Men’s Soccer • All Conference 1st Team: Jeovani Pantoja, Michael Vaughn, Chad DeRussell • All Conference 2nd Team: Heath Somers, Jesse Guevara-Lehker • All Conference 3rd Team: Brian McKeough • Academic All Conference: Brian Himes, Andrej Tavic, Michael Vaughn • Champion of Character: Brian Himes • All American: Jeovani Pantoja • Academic All American: Brian Himes 72 Athletics | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu/athletics

Women’s Soccer • All Conference 1st Team: Bri Hill, Jaime Tomaszewski • All Conference 2nd Team: Teresa Buiocchi • All Conference 3rd Team: Rande Siroky, Natalie Walter, Kelsey Duley • Academic All Conference: Teresa Buiocchi, Kaitlyn Burns, Kelsey Duley, Mary Lothschutz • Champion of Character: Mary Lothschutz • All American: Bri Hill • Academic All American: Teresa Buiocchi, Kelsey Duley, Mary Lothschutz Women’s Volleyball • All Conference 1st Team: Katie Vander Meer, Mollie Lounds • All Conference Honorable Mention: Sarah LeClair • All Conference Freshman Team: Jessica Bredeweg • Conference Setter of the Year: Katie Vander Meer • Conference Libero of the Year: Sarah LeClair • Academic All Conference: Mollie Lounds, Katie Vander Meer • Champion of Character: Mollie Lounds • All American: Katie Vander Meer

female track ogies to two ol ap ur O : photo that es Apologi entified in a id is m e er w edition of members who the fall 2009 in 66 ge entified pa ould have id appeared on The photo sh e.

Strouse, in n az so ag lli m A Aquinas left, and l, al H n da or Jo the runners as s. our apologie , in ga A t. gh ri

Fall 2009 Aquinas NAIA All-Americans Jeo Pantoja – Men’s Soccer Bri Hill – Women’s Soccer Katie Vander Meer – Women’s Volleyball

Academic All-American

Brian Himes – Men’s Soccer Teresa Buiocchi – Women’s Soccer Kelsey Duley – Women’s Soccer Mary Lothschutz – Women’s Soccer Mitch Hoffman – Men’s Cross Country Nate Poirier – Men’s Cross Country Andy Vereecke – Men’s Cross Country Emily Sandula – Women’s Cross Country Emily Popma – Women’s Cross Country Audrey Shireman – Women’s Cross Country aquinas.edu/athletics | Spring 2010 | Athletics 73

Athletics

Athletic All-American

Aquinas College Sports Schedules–Spring 2010 Men’s Baseball Schedule

Athletics

Head Coach: Doug Greenslate #36 (9th year) Baseball Coach Emeritus: Terry Bocian Assistant Coaches: Ed Herrera, Matt Bocian, Mark Rasmussen

DAY, DATE

OPPONENT

SITE

TIME

Fri., March 19

@ Trine (9 inning & 7 inning JV)

Angola, Ind.

1 p.m.

Sat., March 20

@ Indiana Wesleyan (DH)

Marion, Ind.

1 p.m.

Tues., March 23

@ GRCC

Grand Rapids, Mich.

3 p.m.

Wed., March 24

vs. GRCC

Kimble Stadium

3 p.m.

Thur., March 25

@ Muskegon CC

Muskegon, Mich.

4 p.m.

Tues., March 30

@ Bethel College (DH)*

Mishawaka, Ind.

1 p.m.

Wed., March 31

vs. Alma College (9 inning & 7 inning JV)

Kimble Stadium

2 p.m.

Sat., April 3

vs. Concordia (DH )*

Kimble Stadium

1 p.m.

Mon., April 5

@ Concordia (DH)*

Ann Arbor, Mich.

1 p.m.

Tues., April 6

vs. Rochester College(DH)

Kimble Stadium

2 p.m.

Wed., April 7

@ Olivet College

Olivet, Mich.

1 p.m.

Thur., April 8

vs. Kellogg CC (9 inning)

Kimble Stadium

1 p.m.

Sat., April 10

@ Indiana Tech (DH)*

Fort Wayne, Ind.

1 p.m.

Sun., April 11

vs. Indiana Tech (DH) *

Kimble Stadium

1 p.m.

Tues., April 13

@ Hope College (DH)

Holland, Mich.

2 p.m.

Wed., April 14

@ Rochester College (DH)

Rochester, Mich.

1 p.m.

Sat., April 17

@ Siena Heights (DH)*

Adrian, Mich.

1 p.m.

Sun., April 19

vs. Siena Heights (DH)*

Kimble Stadium

1 p.m.

Tues., April 20

vs. Huntington (DH)

Kimble Stadium

1 p.m.

Wed., April 21

vs. Purdue North Central (DH)

Kimble Stadium

1 p.m.

Thur., April 22

@ Calvin College (7 inning JV)

Grand Rapids, Mich.

4:30 p.m.

Sat., April 24

@ Madonna University (DH)*

Livonia, Mich.

1 p.m.

Sun., April 25

vs. Madonna University (DH)*

Kimble Stadium

1 p.m.

Tues., April 27

vs. Spring Arbor (9 inning)

Battle Creek, Mich.

5 p.m.

Wed., April 28

@ Northwood University (DH)

Midland, Mich.

2 p.m.

Fri., April 30

@ Davenport University (DH)*

Grand Rapids, Mich.

1 p.m.

Sat., May 1

vs. Davenport University (DH)*

Kimble Stadium

1 p.m.

Tues., May 4

vs. Calvin College (9 inning & 7 inning JV)

Fifth Third Park

3 p.m.

May 10-13

WHAC Tournament

TBD

TBD

74 Athletics | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu/athletics

Women’s Softball Schedule Head Coach: Crystal Laska (3rd year) Assistant Coaches: Brad Koch, Sarah Metiva, Jacquelyn Plough, Jim Elliot

DAY, DATE

OPPONENT

SITE

TIME

Fri., March 19

@ St. Francis University

Fort Wayne, Ind.

3 p.m.

Sat., March 20

@ Bethel

Mishawaka, Ind.

1 p.m.

Fri., Sat., March 26-27

@ Olivet Nazarene Invitational

Bourbonnais, Ill.

TBD

Tues., March 31

vs. Spring Arbor University

Grand Rapids, Mich.

4 p.m.

Sat., April 3

@ Siena Heights

Adrian, Mich.

1 p.m.

Mon., April 5

@ Concordia

Ann Arbor , Mich.

1 p.m.

Wed., April 7

vs. Cornerstone

Grand Rapids, Mich.

4 p.m.

Sat., April 10

vs. Madonna University

Grand Rapids, Mich.

1 p.m.

Sun., April 11

vs. University of Michigan

Grand Rapids , Mich.

1 p.m.

Wed., April 14

@ Cornerstone

Grand Rapids, Mich.

4 p.m.

Sat., April 17

@ Davenport University

Grand Rapids, Mich.

1 p.m.

Sun., April 18

vs. Indiana Tech

Grand Rapids , Mich.

1 p.m.

Wed., April 21

vs. Davenport University

Grand Rapids, Mich.

4 p.m.

Thurs., April 22

@ Calvin College

Grand Rapids, Mich.

3:30 p.m.

Sat., April 24

vs. Concordia

Grand Rapids, Mich.

1 p.m.

Sun., April 25

vs. Siena Heights

Grand Rapids, Mich.

1 p.m.

Wed., April 28

@ Indiana Tech

Fort Wayne, Ind.

4 p.m.

Sat., May 1

@ University of Michigan

Dearborn, Mich.

1 p.m.

Sun., May 2

@ Madonna University

Livonia, Mich.

1 p.m.

Men’s Lacrosse Schedule Head Coach: Luke Griemsman (2nd year) Assistant Coaches: Dale Parker (2nd year), Aaron Slusher (1st year)

OPPONENT

SITE

TIME

Sun., March 21

vs. Saginaw Valley State

Grand Rapids, Mich.

2 p.m.

Sat., March 27

vs. Indiana Tech

Grand Rapids, Mich.

3 p.m.

Tues., March 30

vs. Calvin College

Grand Rapids, Mich.

5 p.m.

Thurs., April 1

vs. Grand Valley State

Grand Rapids, Mich.

5 p.m.

Thurs., April 8

vs. Ferris State

Grand Rapids, Mich.

5:30 p.m.

Sat., April 10

vs. Northern Michigan

Grand Rapids, Mich.

2 p.m.

Wed., April 14

@ Hope College

Holland, Mich.

7 p.m.

Sat., April 17

vs. Oakland University

Grand Rapids, Mich.

2 p.m.

Sat., April 24

@ UM-Dearborn

Dearborn, Mich.

2 p.m.

aquinas.edu/athletics | Spring 2010 | Athletics 75

Athletics

DAY, DATE

Sports Schedules–Spring 2010 Women’s Lacrosse

Athletics

Head Coach: Frank Rogers (1st year)

DAY, DATE

OPPONENT

SITE

TIME

Tues., Mar. 2,

vs. Olivet College

Grand Rapids, Mich.

4 p.m.

Sat.-Sun., Mar. 6 & 7

University of Louisville Tournament

Louisville, Ky.

TBA

Sat., Mar. 6

vs. Albion

Louisville, Ky.

11:30 a.m.

Sat., Mar. 6

vs. Centre College (KY)

Louisville, Ky.

2:30 p.m.

Sun., Mar. 7

vs. University of Louisville

Louisville, Ky.

10:30 a.m.

Sun., Mar.7

vs. Samford (AL)

Louisville, Ky.

1:30 p.m.

Tues., Mar. 16

vs. Hope College

Grand Rapids, Mich.

5:30 p.m.

Thurs., Mar. 18

@ Olivet College

Olivet, Mich.

4 p.m.

Sat., Mar. 20

@ Davenport University

Grand Rapids, Mich.

8:30 a.m.

Sat., Mar. 20

vs. St. Marys @ Davenport

Grand Rapids, Mich.

10:15 a.m.

Tues., Mar. 23

vs. Grand Valley State University

Grand Rapids, Mich.

4 p.m.

Fri., Mar. 26

vs. Albion

Grand Rapids, Mich.

4 p.m.

Sat., Mar. 27

vs. Indiana Tech

Grand Rapids, Mich.

1 p.m.

Sat., Mar. 27

vs. Robert Morris

Grand Rapids, Mich.

5 p.m.

Wed., Mar. 31

vs. Calvin College

Grand Rapids, Mich.

5 p.m.

Wed., Apr. 7

vs. Western Michigan University

Grand Rapids, Mich.

4 p.m.

Sat., Apr. 10

Saint Knight Tournament

Grand Rapids, Mich.

TBA

Sat., Apr. 10

vs. Michigan Tech

Grand Rapids, Mich.

9 a.m.

Sat., Apr. 10

vs. Eastern Michigan University

Grand Rapids, Mich.

11 a.m.

Sat., Apr. 10

vs. Grand Valley State

Grand Rapids, Mich.

3:30 p.m.

Sun., Apr. 11

vs. Kalamazoo College

Grand Rapids, Mich.

1 p.m.

Sun., Apr. 18

vs. Mt. St. Joseph @ Indiana Tech

Fort Wayne, Ind.

2 p.m.

Sun., Apr. 18

@ Indiana Tech

Fort Wayne, Ind.

5 p.m.

Tues., Apr. 20

@ Albion College

Albion, Mich.

4 p.m.

Men’s/Women’s Outdoor Track Schedule Head Coach: Dave Wood (15th year) Assistant Coaches: Mike Wojciakowski (12th year), Neil Reilly (10th year), and Jim Baker (6th year)

DAY, DATE

OPPONENT

SITE

TIME

Sat., April 3

Grand Rapids Open

Grand Rapids, Mich.

TBA

Sat., April 10

Ferris State Invitational

Big Rapids, Mich.

TBA

Sat., April 17

Northwood Invitational

Midland, Mich.

TBA

Sat., April 24

Aquinas College Open

Grand Rapids, Mich.

TBA

Sat., May 1

Jack Shaw Invitational

Kalamazoo, Mich.

TBA

Fri., May 7

WHAC Championships

Grand Rapids, Mich.

TBA

Wed., May 12

Aquinas College Twilight

Grand Rapids, Mich.

TBA

Thu.-Sat., May 27-29

NAIA Outdoor Championships

Marion, Ind.

TBA

76 Athletics | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu/athletics

Men’s Tennis Schedule Head Coach: Jerry Hendrick Assistant Coach: Steve Rose

DAY, DATE

OPPONENT

SITE

TIME

Fri., Mar. 19

@ Huntington

Huntington, Ind.

3 p.m.

Sat., Mar. 20

@ Indiana Wesleyan

Marion, Ind.

1 p.m.

Thurs., Mar. 25

vs. Indiana Tech

Grand Rapids, Mich.

2 p.m.

Fri., Mar. 26

vs. Calumet

Grand Rapids, Mich.

2 p.m.

Sat., Mar. 27

vs. Olivet Nazarene

Grand Rapids, Mich.

1 p.m.

Thurs., Apr. 1

vs. Wayne State

Grand Rapids, Mich.

3 p.m.

Wed., Apr. 7

vs. Grand Valley State

Grand Rapids, Mich.

3 p.m.

Fri., Apr. 9

vs. St. Francis

Grand Rapids, Mich.

4 p.m.

Mon., Apr. 12

vs. Grand Rapids CC

Grand Rapids, Mich.

4 p.m.

Thurs., Apr. 15

vs. Albion

Grand Rapids, Mich.

3 p.m.

Wed., Apr. 21

@ Davenport

Grand Rapids, Mich.

1 p.m.

Sat., Apr. 24

vs. Spring Arbor

Grand Rapids, Mich.

1 p.m.

Fri. - Sat., Apr. 30 - May 1 NAIA “Regional”

TBA

TBA

Tues. - Sat., May 18 - 22

Mobile, Ala.

TBA

NAIA National Championships

Women’s Tennis Schedule Head Coach: Gerard Adams

OPPONENT

SITE

TIME

Sat., Mar. 20

vs. Ohio Dominican/Saginaw Valley

Saginaw, Mich.

TBA

Thurs., Mar. 25

vs. Indiana Tech

Grand Rapids, Mich.

TBA

Sat., Mar. 27

Trine Doubles Tournament

Angola, Ind.

TBA

Thurs. Apr. 1

@ Spring Arbor

Spring Arbor, Mich.

TBA

Thurs., Apr. 8

vs. Adrian

Grand Rapids, Mich.

TBA

Mon., Apr. 12

vs. Spring Arbor

Grand Rapids, Mich.

TBA

Wed., Apr. 14

vs. Davenport

Grand Rapids, Mich.

TBA

Sat., Apr. 17

vs. Indiana Wesleyan

Grand Rapids, Mich.

TBA

Sat., Apr. 24

@ St. Francis (IL)/Olivet Nazarene

Joliet, Ill.

TBA

Thurs.-Sat., April 29-May 1

NAIA Regional

Kankakee/Joliet, Ill.

TBA

aquinas.edu/athletics | Spring 2010 | Athletics 77

Athletics

DAY, DATE

Marriages

‘01

‘68

Tom Barnes and Mary (Davidowski) Oct. 17, 2009

‘00 ‘03

Sheri (Zima) and Michael Altenburg, Aug. 1, 2009

‘03

Heidi (Stanley) and David Sloan Sept. 19, 2009

‘03

Bridie (Kent) and William Bereza Oct. 3, 2009

Cassandra (Korth) and Dale Johannsen Sept. 19, 2009

‘02

David and Mandy Gregwer a son, Bo Richmond Gregwer on Sept. 9, 2009

‘07

Emily (Rogalski) and Keagan Rushmore ’06 a son, Anthony William Rushmore on Jun. 28, 2009

Alumni Deaths ‘35

Ernest “Bud” Kretschmer, Santa Cruz, Calif.

Apr. 26, 2009

‘42

Judge Roman J. Snow, Grand Rapids, Mich.

May 24, 2009

‘04

Terra Miller and Jonathon Bieneman ’04 Sept., 16, 2006

‘04 ‘05

Julie (Van Dam) and Michael Kay, Jul. 8, 2009 Amanda (Hendrickson) and Adam LaBarre Dec.20, 2008

‘45

Byron Zeilbeck, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Mar. 18, 2009

‘06

Natalie Costello and Chris Tassell, Oct. 3, 2009

‘46

Jun. L. Butler, Plymouth, Mich., Aug. 29, 2009

‘46

Anthony P. Geglio, Grand Rapids, Mich., husband of Irene (Imperi ’46) Geglio, Nov. 6, 2009

‘46

Carolyn Marie Navarre, Mableton, Ga. Jun. 30, 2009

‘49

Robert L. “Bob” Rymar, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Jul. 30, 2009

‘50

Lucille “Lucy” Mary Fabbro, Grand Rapids, Mich., sister of Sr. Amata Fabbro, O.P. ’61; sister-in-law of Marlene (Weidenfeller ’63) Fabbro, Jun. 19, 2009

‘50

John “Jack” Westerman, Grand Rapids, Mich., husband of Barbara (Engemann ’49); father of Marie Ann Westerman ’81; brother-in-law of Jane (Engemann ’56) Mayes; uncle of MaryJo Engemann ’81, Jun. 29, 2009

‘50

Joseph L. Hansknecht, Jr., Detroit, Mich., father of John Hansknecht ’83 and Karen ’81 (Raymond Fisher ’81) Joe was preceded in death by his son Stephen Hansknecht ’83 and sister Ruth (Hansknecht ’47) Guinn, Oct. 13, 2009

‘51

Ramon Joseph Kelling, Austin, Tex., husband of Lorraine (Rawlings ’62) Kelling, Dec. 18, 2008

‘50

Betty (Korb) Paauwe, Stanton, Mich.

Nov. 20, 2009

‘52

Sr. Theodine Andres, O.P., Grand Rapids, Mich.

Oct. 8, 2009

Births ‘98

Rose (Stempky) and Scott David ’98, a son, Adam Urban David on Jul. 21, 2009

‘98

Anne (Tyler) and John Duimstra, a daughter, Brianna Charlotte Duimstra on Jan. 15, 2009

‘99

Courtney (Rodgers) and Jason Engstrom, a son, Charlie Thomas Engstrom on Jul. 20, 2009

‘04

Terra Miller and Jonathon Bieneman ’04, a daughter, Laney Marie Bieneman on Oct. 16, 2008

‘00 Class Notes

Terry and Kayla Keller, a girl, Olivia Carolyn Keller on Sept. 24, 2009

Anne (Sommers) and Matt Hoogterp, a daughter, Maya Anne Hoogterp. Maya joins siblings Jude and Ava on Aug. 20, 2009

78 Class Notes | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

‘53

Monica La Sarge, DeWitt, Mich., Aug. 18, 2009

‘55

Robert Otto “Bob” Wolf, Prudenville, Mich.

Jun. 11, 2009

‘56

Charles Alkevicius, Grand Rapids, Mich., Charles was preceded in death by his wife Mary (Baltrusaitis ’55) Alkevicius, Sept. 26, 2009

‘57

Gary C. Hoffman, Saginaw, Mich., husband of Karolyn Kay (Sanders ’58) Hoffman Sept. 11, 2009

‘71

George Raymond Koster, Grand Rapids, Mich., husband of Marjory Jean Grant-Koster ’87 Mar. 3, 2009

‘74

Merlyn G. Myers, Grand Rapids, Mich.

May 22, 2007

‘74

Bruce G. Wilson, Vanderbilt, Mich., Aug. 6, 2009

‘75

James R. Ondersma, Holland, Mich.

Oct. 4, 2009

‘75

Mary A. (Norton) Weed, Grand Rapids, Mich., mother of Aquinas student Timothy Weed Jun. 12, 2009

‘58

Edward Kenneth Muraski, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Sept. 20, 2009

‘63

Sr. Mary Jeannette Chaisson, O.P., Grand Rapids, Mich., Aug. 6, 2009

‘76

Barbara Ann Dixon, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Dec. 9, 2009

‘64

Thomas B. Doyle, San Francisco, Calif., brother of Patricia (Doyle ’61) Szura and Maureen Doyle ’62, Apr.. 17, 2009

‘76

Michael L. Fifield, Newaygo, Mich.

Dec. 11, 2009

‘79

Franklin R. Hughes, Kent City, Mich.

Oct. 17, 2009

‘81

Doris (Pemberton) Zevalking, Wyoming, Mich.

Apr. 15, 2009

‘65 Paul Joseph Kozlowicz, Grand Rapids, Mich., husband of Joann (Whitson ’71) Kozlowicz, Oct. 4, 2009 Sr. Marie Eugene Charbonneau, O.P., Grand Rapids, Mich., Jun. 25, 2009

‘83

‘66

Marjorie M. Challberg, East Lansing, Mich.

Aug. 27, 2009

Maurice S. Farhat, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Nov. 10, 2009

‘83

Ronald J. Diebold, Chalfont, Penn., Jul. 22, 2009

‘66

Elizabeth (Malone) Laux, Grand Rapids, Mich.

May 7, 2009

‘83

Jack R. Kelly, Muskegon, Mich., Nov. 16, 2009

‘84

Dean Tebben, Cutlerville, Mich. Oct. 17, 2009

‘85

Glenna Armstrong, West Olive, Mich., Jul. 13, 2009

‘85

Annette K. Miedema, Wayland Twp., Mich.

Jul. 21, 2009

‘86

Shirley (Sutherland) Sherwood, Rockford, Mich.

May 4, 2009

‘92

Mary Kay Gray, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Mar. 27, 2009

‘98

Ruth (Lagow) O’Keefe, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Nov. 25, 2009

‘02

Rodger William Gurk, Wyoming, Mich.

Sept. 27, 2009

‘05

Jonel Kathryn Hoogterp, Durham, NC. Jul. 31, 2009

‘66 Judge Michael Robert Smolenski, Middleville, Mich.

May 30, 2009 ‘67

Sr. Diane Hofman, O.P., Grand Rapids, Mich.

May 10, 2009

‘67

John Mitchell Prangley, Jr., Tinley Park, Ill. Dec. 7, 2009

‘68

Kathleen “Kitty” (McCormick) Huhn, Grand Rapids, Mich., Aug. 31, 2009

‘69

Max Allen Bergh, Sparta, Mich., husband of Judith (Fea ’78) Bergh Sept. 21, 2009

‘69 ‘71

Norman A. Rominski, Grand Rapids, Mich.

May 8, 2009 Ina Mae (Peck) Bellgraph, Walker, Mich.

Nov. 30, 2009

aquinas.edu | Spring 2010 | Class Notes 79

Class Notes

‘66

Deaths of Friends and Family Ojan “Bob” Aryanfaard, husband of Liz Szewczyk ’04 Oct., 2009 Leone M. “Bubbles” Badaluco, mother of Jim Badaluco ’68 and Tom Badaluco ’70, Jul. 28, 2009 Robert David Barber, brother of Andrea (Barber ’58) Sass, Kathleen (Barber ’59) Casaletto, Sr. Judith Ann Barber, OP ’59, Rosemary (Barber) Steers; uncle of Tara Steers ’06; brother-in-law of Thomas Casaletto ’60, May 9, 2009 Adeline “Ad” Marie Bertram, mother of Tom Bertram ’71 and Elaine (Bode ’73), Patrick Bertram ’77 and Sharon (Fitzgerald ’77), Terese (Bertram ’82) McGee; grandmother of David Bertram ’05 and Laura Bertram ’08, Sept. 9, 2009 Pamela K. Bolek, mother of James Bolek ’95, Jul. 16, 2009 John Burns, brother of Larry Burns ’63, William Burns ’63, Marion (Dougherty ’65) Burns, Don Burns ’64, Joe Burns ’66, Matt Burns ’68, Mary (Burns ’70) Black, Julianne (Burns ’71) Devereaux, Michael Devereaux ’71, Rosalyn (Burns ’74) Horrigan, Luann (Burns ’77) Potts, Robert Potts ’75, Jeanne (Scrivo ’08) Burns. John was preceded in death by his brother Gerald Burns ’67, Jul., 2009

Paul Gilmet, father of Gregory Gilmet, M.D. ’73 Sept. 9, 2009 Philip Heffron, father of Michael Heffron ’84; father-in-law of Michelle (Marquis ’86) Heffron, Aug. 1, 2009 Richard S. “Dick” Knape, father of Peter J. Knape ’89 Aug. 2, 2009 Jane Lozon Korte, mother of Ron ’61 and Maureen (Madden ’62) Korte and David Korte ’65, Oct. 23, 2009 Larry LaPorte, father of adjunct professor Chris LaPorte ’96 and Amy LaPorte ’04 Mary Jane “Kelly” McDermott, friend of Aquinas College Jul. 6, 2009 Dorothy (Mahaney) Meconis, mother of Daniel Meconis ’73 Dec. 11, 2009 Sayra Patricia Merkel, wife of John Merkel ’76; sister-in-law of Tim Merkel ’76, Matt and Elise (Marin ’81) Merkel, Dan and Candace (Prettyman ’78) Merkel, Jun. 15, 2009

Val Burrer, father of Kathryn (Burrer ’77) Hyer Apr. 10, 2009

James “Jim” E. Morse, father of Aquinas College student Jonathan Morse, Jul. 26, 2009

Joseph Thomas Brown, father of Todd Brown, M.D. ’87 and Jeffery Brown ’85, Nov. 1, 2009

Richard “Dick” Mysliwiec, father of Paul ’78 and Cecilia (Schaefer ’76) Mysliwiec; brother of Patricia (Mysliwiec ’56) and Chuck ’54 Dawson; grandfather of Molly Mysliwiec ’09, Nov. 13, 2009

John D. Clark, father of Susan Clark Denny ’83 Mar. 19, 2009 Rosemari (Tryc) Colon, friend of Aquinas College Jun. 24, 2009 John J. “Jack” Crawford, father of Michael J. Crawford, M.D. ’69, Jun. 18, 2009 Natalie (Brink) Dean, mother of David Dean ’73 and Peter Dean ’76; mother-in-law of Mary Dean ’96 Nov. 24, 2009

Class Notes

Harry Robert “Bob” Gaskell, father of James Gaskell ’82 Apr. 6, 2009

Helen Marie Farrer, mother of Richard Farrer ’68, Fredrick ’69 and Judith (Waidner ’70) Farrer, Robert ’77 and Luann (Beaufait ’77) Farrer and Greg Farrer ’81; grandmother of Pamela Farrer-Cross ’92 and Richard Farrer ’91 Oct. 29, 2009

80 Class Notes | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

John J. Nemec, father of Linda Nemec Foster ’72; father-in-law of Tony Foster, M.D. ’73, Jul., 2009 Sr. Malvena Nadon, O.P., Dominican Sister for 75 years Jul. 26, 2009 Patrick E. O’Donnell, father of Michael P. O’Donnell ’08 Oct. 5, 2009 Anthony Robert “Bob” Poggi, husband of Nancy A. Poggi ’81; father of David Poggi ’84, Jun. 3, 2009 Eleanore (Pupel) Spicer, sister of Aquinas golf coach Dan Pupel ’58, Oct. 28, 2009 Lorraine (Peltola) Russell, friend of and memorial donor to Aquinas College, May 19, 2009

Helen M. Rypstra, friend of Aquinas College, Jul. 6, 2009 Carole Dunderman, mother of Vanessa (Dunderman ’84) Sciortino, Aug. 16, 2008 Michael Edward Serne, father of Michelle (Serne ’88) Doyle, Oct. 8, 2009 Nancy (Brauker) Sheffield, adjunct faculty, Jun. 13, 2009 Bill Simeral, father-in-law of Aquinas Professor Steve Schousen; grandfather of Aquinas student Matt Schousen.

Oct. 29, 2009 William “Bill” Sommers, father of Mary Jeanne (Sommers ’94) Kortz, Sept. 30, 2009 Charles M. Spliedt, father of Charles Spliedt ’74, Thomas J. Spliedt ’78, Lori (Spliedt ’83) Irving; father-in-law of Cynthia (Tava’74) Spliedt, Corinne (Creemers ’81) Spliedt, Dean Irving ’82, Oct. 11, 2009 Mary Helene (Hauenstein) Stahl, daughter of Aquinas benefactor and friend, Ralph W. Hauenstein Oct. 12, 2009 Robert Anthony Tietz, father of Christopher Tietz ’93 Jun. 25, 2009 Arthur F. Vanderhyde, father of Linda Blovits ’62 Jun. 30, 2009 Cletus Wessels, O.P., former Aquinas College faculty Aug. 12, 2009 Matt Williams, brother of Dave Williams ’06 and Kathy Williams ’09; brother-in-law of Melissa (Carey ’06) Williams, May 31, 2009 Barbara Ann Wood, wife of Robert H. Wood, friend of Aquinas College, Oct. 7, 2009 John A. Wyse, father of Rev. James B. Wyse ’82; brother of William Wisz ’52 and Robert Wisz ’58, Aug. 21, 2009

1953

Thomas Maguire is director of the Grand Rapids U.S. Commercial Services. He is a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Commerce Department, helping U.S. firms in West Michigan increase their sales through exporting. Maguire initiated the highly successful World Trade Week activities in Grand Rapids more than 25 years ago. He remains the only U.S. government employee chosen as the World Trader of the Year by the West Michigan World Trade Association. Before joining the Department of Commerce, Maguire worked in private industry specializing in international sales.

1975

Steven James Hale, Ph.D. formerly with Gerontological Research, has accepted the position as director of Program Development for Signature Healthcare’s 137-bed dementia facility atop Monteagle in southeastern Tennessee. He has been working in Alzheimer’s therapies since finishing his doctorate in 1994.

1977

Mary Lynn Rouleau-Belden had a showing of her collective work titled At Both Ends: Paintings, Drawings, Portraits.

At Both Ends is a ten-year survey of portraits referring to the artist’s position reflected through styles, mediums and subjects that shift according to a dynamic negotiation between interior and social life. Rouleau-Belden’s work was on display at A Gathering of the Tribes Gallery in Manhattan, N.Y. in May of 2009.

1978

Mary R. Reichardt, Ph.D., recently marked her 20th year as a professor at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn.

A specialist in Catholic literature, she teaches in the Catholic Studies and English departments and is also an administrator for the university’s Lilly grant program. The most recent of her eight books, Between Human and Divine: Essays in Contemporary Catholic Literature, will be published this spring by Catholic University of America Press.

1979

Mary C. (Hentschel) Lach, an Adrian Dominican Associate since 2000, has been named the new director of Associate Life for the Adrian Dominican Sisters in Adrian, Mich. In her new position, Lach oversees a program that includes about 185 Associates: men and women, at least 21 years of age, who share the values of the Adrian Dominican Sisters and undergo a formation program to learn about Dominican spirituality and history while maintaining their own independent lifestyle.

aquinas.edu | Spring 2010 | Class Notes 81

Class Notes

Donald Patrick Zahm, father of Rosalyn (Zahm ’93) Corcoran; father-in-law of Sharon (Schweitzer ’88) Zahm; uncle of Andrea Brown ’86; cousin of Gina (Finn ’87) Granholm, former Aquinas College employee Dec. 2008

Class Notes

1984

1992

Kimera Smith, an English teacher at Jackson Lumen Christi in Michigan, delivered the school’s 2009 graduation address.

Smith encouraged graduating seniors to carry the light of Christ in their everyday lives and to treasure people, not material things.

George Riddering, CPA will assume the role as firm-wide director of Plante & Moran’s tax department in Grand Rapids, Mich. Riddering joined Plante & Moran in 1991 and he’s served in a variety of positions, including most recently as office managing partner of Plante & Moran’s Grand Rapids Office.

1994

Patricia VerDuin coordinates Ready for School, a Lakeshorearea initiative that helps prepare children for kindergarten by educating parents and promoting readiness. VerDuin, who retired from Ottawa County Circuit Court in July 2009, became involved with the year-old Ready for School program after the Community Foundation of the Holland-Zeeland Area hosted a forum to discuss community needs.

1984

Class Notes

Lauretta K. Murphy is co-editor of the newly released fourth edition of “Advising the Older Client or Client with a Disability,” published by the Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) along with Alison E. Hirschel. Murphy has been practicing law since 1988 and her practice areas include elder law, estate planning, estate tax, asset protection, trust and estate administration and special needs trusts. She is the chair of Miller Johnson’s Elder Law and Disability Planning practice group in addition to being part of the Probate and Estate Planning practice group. Murphy is the president of Elder Law of Michigan and an active board member of Disability Advocates of Kent County. Listed in the “Best Lawyers in America®” for Trusts and Estates, she also is a fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, a prestigious professional association. She has been named a Michigan “Super Lawyer” for Estate Planning and Probate.

82 Class Notes | Spring 2010 | aquinas.edu

1995

Brian LaFrenier, CPA was recently promoted to partner at Beene Garter LLP in Grand Rapids, Mich. Brian provides traditional accounting as well as a wide range of specialty services that include personal and corporate income tax, monthly bookkeeping and payroll services, financial statement preparation and cash flow analysis, audit procedures and consulting, and mergers and acquisitions.

1995

Kristin Eric Smith, CPA, MST was recently promoted to partner at Beene Garter LLP in Grand Rapids, Mich. Eric has extensive experience managing tax planning and compliance for a variety of corporate clients. His management focus is most often directed toward the manufacturing and wholesale industries as well as the construction industry. Eric’s expertise includes assisting clients with the preparation of financial reporting and analysis, R&D tax credits, tax planning and compliance, Section 529-Plans, budgeting, cash flow, start-up projections and tax research.

1998

D. Wade McConnell of Siebers Mohney, PLC, has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2009 listing of Super Lawyers magazine, as a Michigan Rising Star in the field of business litigation.

2001

Maxine Charla T. Guzman has been hired by High Point University in High Point, North Carolina as instructor of mathematics in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. In her new role, Guzman is responsible for teaching various math courses and working with students on improving their math skills.

2001

Anthony Squiers recently wrote a book entitled Madness and Insanity, an edgy and provocative novel. The novel is available for purchase on at Amazon.com.

2005

Jacob Baum has been awarded a 12-month dissertation research fellowship by the Institute for European History, Mainz, Germany, for 2010-2011 for his project “Sensory Perception, Religious Ritual and Reformation in Germany, 1450-1560.” Baum is a doctoral student in history at the University of Illinois.

2007

Chris Grooms has been appointed box office/marketing director for Circle Theatre in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Grooms graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in communication and theatre. Following graduation, he worked for the Diocese of Grand Rapids. Grooms honed his directing skills with productions at Aquinas, Grand Rapids Community College and Circle Theatre. He also received a Grand Award Nomination for Outstanding Direction of a play for his work in 2008 on Heritage Theatre’s Agnes of God. In addition to being a graduate of Aquinas, Grooms is a graduate of West Catholic High School, one of the members of the unique Aquinas College, Circle Theatre and Catholic Secondary Schools collaboration.

2008

Kelly M. Malone was hired by Imlay City Community Schools to teach special education at Imlay City High School.

Send us your pictures!

2006

Lisa Gast Wolf, a recent graduate of Notre Dame Law, was sworn in as a Deputy Attorney General for the State of Indiana in the Professional Licensing and Homeowner Protection Unit. Wolf joined the Attorney General office in June as a law clerk.

We love hearing about weddings and babies, and we would like to include pictures! If you plan on submitting a class note about a marriage or new addition, please e-mail alumni@aquinas.edu, attach a jpeg (600kb or larger) and use CLASS NOTES as the subject line. If you are mailing your information, please include a hard copy.

2007

Andrea J. Dickerson joined Andrews Hooper & Pavlik PLC in 2007 upon finishing an internship with the firm.

Dickerson was promoted to senior accountant in November of 2009 and has earned CPA certification.

Class Notes

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID Grand Rapids, MI Permit NO. 101

1607 Robinson Road, S.E. Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1799 Address Service Requested

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2010

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PETER M. WEGE 2010 Aquinas College Peter M. Wege ProAm May 24, 2010

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