Aquinas Magazine :: Spring 2011

SPRING 2011

The magazine of aquinas college

Chris LaPorte ’96 2010 ArtPrize Winner

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

MISSION STATEMENT

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

Aquinas magazine is published 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

Editor Sally Reeves, staff Senior Contributor Editor Laura Bennett-Kimble ’95 Contributing Writers Brigid Avery ’01, staff C. Edward Balog, Ph.D., President Laura Bennett-Kimble ’95 Lauren Carlson ‘12 Cecilia Cunningham, staff Kate Davis, staff Jacqui DeFouw, ’11 Gary Eberle, faculty Allison Ferguson ‘11 Linda Nemec Foster ’72 Marjorie Kindel ’06, staff Kathy Kremer, Ph.D., faculty Tom Mikowski, staff

Sr. Jean Milhaupt, O.P., Ph.D., ’45, staff Sheila Pantlind, staff John C. Pinheiro, Ph.D., faculty Sally Reeves, staff Samantha Rinkus ‘11 Jan Sommerville, staff Jill Straub ‘00, staff Sr. Alice Wittenbach, O.P., Ph.D., ’59, staff Mike Wojciakowski ’99, staff Layout/Design Jason Bardwell, D&D Printing Co. Photography Brian Kelly, freelancer Andris Visockis, freelancer

Website: www.aquinas.edu Alumni news: www.aquinas.edu/alumni Phone (616) 632-2845 Fax: (616) 459-2563

Aquinas College Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center Phase 1 completed.

For information on the cultural events taking place at Aquinas College from March through August, please visit the following Websites: Music Schedule aquinas.edu/music/events Art Gallery Schedule aquinas.edu/art/gallery Theatre Schedule aquinas.edu/theatre

Visit the Aquinas College page at the following social media websites: facebook.com/AQ.College

twitter.com/aquinascollege

youtube.com/user/AquinasCollegeGR

Contemporary Writers Series aquinas.edu/library/cw/writers Aquinas Performing Arts Center aquinas.edu/theatre/schedule

myspace.com/aqsaints

spring 2011 vol. 10 no. 1

The magazine of aquinas college

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

Celebrating the Past. Building the Future........................... 6 Sturrus Sport & Fitness Center........................................... 8 Commencement................................................................ 9 Aquinas Professor Wins ArtPrize 2010............................. 11 Wege Foundation Speaker Series Offers Free Movies....... 12 Aquinas Campus Celebrates Veterans.............................. 14 Trustee Profile: Edward Carlson....................................... 15

STUDENT NEWS

Semester In Rome............................................................ 16 “This I Believe” Event a Success....................................... 17 SIFE Makes a Difference on Campus and Abroad............ 18 Students and Staff Visit the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center...... 19

FACULTY NEWS

AQ Professors, Students Examine Neighborhood Change................................ 20 The Erastian Way............................................................. 21

ADMISSIONS

Admissions Launches Video Series................................... 31

OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE (OLLI)

Jandernoas Named Recipients of the Norbert J. Hruby Emeritus Award............................. 32

ADVANCEMENT

Peter M. Wege ProAm...................................................... 33 Reflection Award Honors Joan Secchia................................

The Aquinas Fund – Changes Continue........................... 35 Impact: Aquinas............................................................... 36 Corporate Partners........................................................... 37 Thomas S. and Mickie Fox Receive Distinguished Philanthropist Award........................... 38

ATHLETICS

Aquinas Athletic Training Education Program Provides Unlimited Possibilities................... 40 Fall Athletic Honors......................................................... 44

CLASS NOTES............................................................. 45

ALUMNI NEWS

A Message from the Alumni Director.............................. 24 AQ Alumnus Receives Sportsmanship Award.................. 25 Aquinas Alum Helps Create Brand Identity Text............. 26 Reunions 2010: A Touch of Class..................................... 28 Homecoming 2010.......................................................... 30

Sportsmanship Award pg. 25

Philanthropist Award pg. 38

AQ Professors pg. 20

AQ Celebrates 125 yea

rs pg. 6

2010 ArtPrize pg. 11

Athletic Training Program pg. 40

C. Edward Balog, Ph.D.

As I write these words, there is turmoil in the Middle East and none of us can safely predict what the political and social realities will be in that very troubled section of the world. But while we should be aware of what is happening around the world, we should also be aware of what is happening in the United States; there is turmoil in the American Midwest.

We are beginning to see a slight improvement in the economy after the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. One would think that with all the intellectual expertise and technical talent we possess that we would all be pulling in the same direction to regain what was lost during the recession. Sadly our political and economic system seems to be roaring along on a destructive course. Many see an opportunity to exercise their power to pursue agendas based less on political economy than on a belief system that ignores alternatives.

We have heard much since the shootings in Tucson about turning down the level of inflammatory political rhetoric.

But, aside from a few memorial statements, it appears that we are still acting out of a non-rational set of beliefs rather than a rational analysis of the situation accompanied by efforts to

generate creative solutions to our current problems. There are many who seek to use this crisis to effect change according to their philosophies rather than as a way to improve the lives of citizens and to promote the security of the nation.

My next statement may seem odd coming from a college president, but I believe this is indicative of the failure of education for those who are assuming such ideologically driven positions. An education is designed to teach one how to think, to analyze, and to solve complex problems. Somewhere along the line the process of assessing information and sorting fact from fiction or untraceable opinion has been marginalized. We now seem to be creating public and social policy to achieve an end that we believe to be true simply because we believe it to be true, not because of any rational consideration. There are many techniques to use: the scientific method, cost-benefit analysis, risk analysis, mathematical modeling, or even public opinion polls.

Leaders from local officials to the President of the United States have said that the future of the United States lies in citizen access to an effective educational establishment. It will be pointless to find ways to measure effectiveness and to expand access without a concern for the quality of reasoning that graduates take with them. Education in general is sliding down a dangerous slope. We have become more concerned with credentials than with critical thinking.

I believe that we have not lost sight of this goal at Aquinas College. We are educating students who will carry these abilities to reason and analyze and to solve problems for the rest of their lives. Liberal arts colleges in general are working against the trend toward professional certification while they continue to emphasize the broad, if somewhat intangible, benefits of a liberal education. So my hope for the future is that we can once again recognize that the goal of education is to teach someone to continue to learn and to think about what they have learned and thereby avoid the trap of believing that the truth is somehow miraculously the same as what we would impose if we had the power.

By the time you read this the situation in Wisconsin will probably have been resolved. But the broader question of the relationship of power and belief will, I hope, continue to be debated by people who have a sense of history, knowledge of rational methods of analysis, and a recognition that we are all interconnected in a society that must demonstrate some social purpose to survive. I leave my post as President this year firm in my conviction, based on the evidence of our graduates, that Aquinas College is contributing to a fair and just society. I express my deepest gratitude to all the alumni and friends of the College for the opportunity to serve as President. These years have been the most gratifying and professionally satisfying of my career. Thank you.

aquinas.edu | Spring 2011 | Campus News 5

Campus News

President’s Message

Campus News

Celebrating the Past.

Building the Future.

Aquinas College celebrates 125 years: 1886–2011

At commencement 2011, Aquinas College will kick off a year’s worth of festivities celebrating its 125 years of Catholic Dominican post-secondary education in Michigan. In August, students will be welcomed back to a campus festooned with celebratory banners. Talks on the history of the college will be included in freshman orientation and in the orientation of new staff and faculty.

The year-long celebration of the college’s quasquicentennial (125th anniversary) will be punctuated by four signature events that will shine a spotlight on the values that have guided the College throughout its history: prayer, study, service and community.

On Sept. 14, the value the College places on prayer will be highlighted with a formal liturgical rededication of campus. A procession of students, faculty, staff, alumni, Marywood sisters and friends of the College will converge on a redesigned Wege plaza for a rededication ceremony. The following Sunday, Sept. 18, the celebration will continue with a solemn Mass at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, celebrated by Bishop Walter Hurley.

On Nov. 1, All Saints Day, Aquinas will hold up its long tradition of service with a worldwide service day when all members of the community, including alumni, will be asked 6 Campus News | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu

to perform a community service wherever they live and pass Aquinas’s ethic of service on to others. With a special commemorative token, meant to be passed on from person to person, a goal is to generate 125,000 acts of kindness worldwide to commemorate our long tradition of service.

On March 13, the campus will revive an old custom known as Academic Day with presentations by faculty on their areas of academic specialty and a special academic awards program. Then, on March 14, best-selling author and lawyer Scott Turow (One L, Presumed Innocent) will make an appearance on campus for a writing workshop with students and a special dinner to benefit the Contemporary Writers Series, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary next year.

Next, the pillar of community will be celebrated Feb. 19 with a special 125th birthday version of Pepsi’s annual “Wake-up People!” party, modeled on the popular “Viva Balog” celebration that was held to honor President Edward Balog’s inauguration. Then, One Enchanted Evening, a special celebration of Aquinas’s history for donors and benefactors will be April 24 in the newly remodeled Holmdene manor and Carriage House historic buildings. The highlight of this evening will be a concert by Aquinas alumna Sara Jakubiak, who recently had her New York City Opera debut in Leonard Bernstein’s A Quiet Place. Accompanying her will be her former classmate Andrew Fleser, who recently completed his Ph.D. in piano accompaniment and works as an accompanist in Minneapolis. They will be joined in the concert by their former instructor Barbara McCargar, chair of Aquinas’s Music department.

In addition to these four signature events, there will be smaller celebrations and memorials through the year.

Special signage on campus will call attention to the College’s heritage, and scrolling historic photos on the College website and new computer kiosks will highlight our rich past. In

addition, a pictorial history of Aquinas College, written by English professor Gary Eberle, will be available in coffeetable book form for alumni and friends.

Eberle, who also serves as Master of the Revels, overseeing the celebration, said, “The history of Aquinas College is a fascinating story of growth, risk-taking, innovation and survival in the face of tough times. This coming year will be an opportunity to celebrate that past and to work on major fundraising initiatives to ensure the College’s existence for at least the next 125 years.”

The spirit of festivity should abound as the College takes pride in what it has accomplished from its humble beginnings.

“Aquinas loves a party,” Eberle said, “and this coming year will be festive in the best sense of the word, a time to stop, reflect, give thanks and enjoy the gift we have been given by those who came before us, and to pass on to the future the wonderful tradition that is Aquinas College.”

The Novitiate Normal School was transferred to Grand Rapids in 1911, and in 1922 it evolved into Sacred Heart (later Marywood) College, which offered post-secondary education to lay women in addition to the sisters. In 1931, with the encouragement of Bishop Joseph Pinten of Grand Rapids, the College was renamed Catholic Junior College and began admitting male students. In 1940, the two-year program at CJC was expanded into a four-year bachelor’s degree program and the name of the college was changed to Aquinas College.

Aquinas College was originally located in downtown Grand Rapids, on Ransom Street next door to the Grand Rapids Public Library. In 1945, the College bought the former Lowe estate on East Fulton Street, where it remains.

aquinas.edu | Spring 2011 | Campus News 7

Campus News

Aquinas College had its origins in the Novitiate Normal School begun by the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids in 1886 in Traverse City. In the Normal School, older sisters taught the younger nuns the knowledge and skills they would need to staff the growing number of Catholic parish schools in Michigan in the late 1800s. Course work included thorough review of the subjects they would teach in primary school and some education methods courses like classroom management and observed practice teaching. The Normal School’s influence was felt throughout Michigan in the sisters who taught in Catholic grade schools from Beaver Island to the Thumb and south to Grand Rapids.

Campus News

Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center Dedication

Pictured (l to r): Terry Bocian ’70, Rick Heuvelman ’79, Lyle Morrison ’52, Msgr. William Duncan, Greg Alksnis ’71, Bishop Walter Hurley, Peter Sturrus ’77, Ed Balog, Ellen Satterlee, Dorothy Zoellner ’50, Sue Jandernoa, Mark and Cathy Bissell, Mike Van Gessel, Sr. Aquinas Weber, O.P. ’58, Marty Allen, Greg McAleenan

All Saints Day held special meaning this year for the Aquinas community, because it featured the grand opening and dedication of the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center.

The facility was named for lead donors Peter and Carolyn Sturrus, who said they made their gift in gratitude “for the excellent education [Peter] received at just the right time,” and are delighted with the new facility. Peter Sturrus, a 1977 graduate of the business program, was a continuing education student at Aquinas.

Before speaking at the Nov. 1 dedication ceremony, he approached the podium and removed his sport coat in homage to Athletic Director and retired head baseball coach Terry Bocian. Sturrus then opened his talk by stating, “You probably noticed I took off my warming jacket, and now I’m ready to pitch.”

Through a lead gift from the VanderWeide Family Foundation, the new facility’s competition court has been named the Terry “Coach Bo” Bocian Competition Court.

The VanderWeides wanted their gift to serve as a tribute to someone who has had the greatest impact on Aquinas athletics. Vice President for Advancement Greg McAleenan told the audience, “It took about a nanosecond to decide who that should be.”

Student Senate President Sara Sanders spoke highly of the center. “This place give students a new home to be proud of…

8 Campus News | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu

It is exactly what Aquinas needed to ignite the camaraderie and passion” of its students. “I cannot tell you how many students have come up to me and said they felt like VIPs” when they entered the building through the Dorothy and Tom Zoellner Student Entrance.

The Wege Foundation provided the third of three sevenfigure gifts in the form of a matching gift challenge that propelled the project toward completion. In combination with generous contributions from numerous donors, these lead gifts enabled the College to break ground on the field house renovation in August 2009.

The Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center is the first of a twophase project. Terry Bocian reminded those at the dedication that the work wasn’t finished.

“We have just won the first game of a double header. We have a few minutes to rest and then head back to the field for game two,” he said, alluding to the next phase, the $4.5 million Intramural & Recreation Center. Fundraising for the second phase is currently underway.

The ceremony concluded with a blessing of the building

by Bishop Walter Hurley, who offered his prayer that “this place and its facilities will contribute to leisure activities that renew the spirit and strengthen mind and body” and that “all who meet here find the enrichment of companionship.”

2011 Honorary Degree Recipietns

Campus News

2011 Aquinas College Commencement Speaker University of Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, CSC The 2011 Aquinas College Commencement will be held on Saturday, May 7 at 2 p.m. in the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center, 1580 East Fulton Street. There are approximately 500 students taking part in the graduation ceremony. Commencement is the opening event of the Aquinas 125th anniversary celebration.

There will be anniversary events throughout the 2011-2012 year with commencement 2012 wrapping up the year long celebration.

Addressing this year’s class will be Rev. John I. Jenkins, CSC, University of Notre Dame president.

A member of the Notre Dame faculty since 1990, Father Jenkins was elected president-elect in 2004 and became the University’s 17th president in 2005. He served the previous four years as vice president and associate provost.

A professor of philosophy at Notre Dame, Father Jenkins also was religious superior of the Holy Cross priests and brothers from 1997 to 2000. He was ordained a priest at Notre Dame in 1983.

Author of Knowledge and Faith in Thomas Aquinas, Father Jenkins continues to teach ancient philosophy, medieval philosophy and the philosophy of religion at Notre Dame. He also has had scholarly articles published in The Journal of Philosophy, Medieval Philosophy and Theology, and The Journal of Religious Ethics.

He earned two philosophy degrees at Oxford University, a B.Phil. in 1987 and D.Phil. in 1989. While at Oxford, he taught as an adjunct professor in Notre Dame’s London program. Father Jenkins also earned a master of divinity degree and licentiate in sacred theology from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley in 1988.

Prior to joining the Congregation of Holy Cross, he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in philosophy from Notre Dame in 1976 and 1978.

Honorary degrees will be presented to Father Jenkins, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters; Darrell T. (Ted) Thompson ’52, Honorary Doctor of Science; Peter Sturrus ’77, Honorary Doctor of Science; Denise Christy ’82, Honorary Doctor of Business; and in recognition of the 125th anniversary of Aquinas College, honorary degrees will also be awarded to Sr. Jean Milhaupt. O.P., Ph.D., Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters '45; and Lyle Morrison ’52, Honorary Doctor of Business.

Darrell T. (Ted) Thompson ’52, Honorary Doctor of Science

Peter Sturrus ’77, Honorary Doctor of Science

Denise Christy ’82, Honorary Doctor of Business

Sr. Jean Milhaupt. O.P., Ph.D., Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters '45

Lyle Morrison ’52, Honorary Doctor of Business aquinas.edu | Spring 2011 | Campus News 9

Campus News

2011 College Hall of Fame Honorees Sister M. Bertrand LaLonde, O.P., Ph.D. †

A scholar of French language, literature and civilization, Sister M. Bertrand LaLonde taught two generations of students at Aquinas.

Born in Essexville, Mich., she entered the Grand Rapids Dominican Congregation at age 16 and was soon teaching in elementary schools. Through summer study at Notre Dame, she received an MA and then went abroad for doctoral work at the Paris Sorbonne and Universities of Madrid and Fribourg. She received her Ph.D. summa cum laude and was awarded the Medal for the French Language by the French Academy for her thesis on Maurice Barres, academician, novelist and member of the Chamber of Deputies. In 1935, Sr. Bertrand was appointed to Catholic Junior College as Directress of Studies and teacher of French. She was a long-time chair of the department of French and Spanish, served on faculty committees and was a member of national academic associations and the American Society of Friends of France. Many of her students became French teachers and her course in French Civilization prepared many for travel in Paris and throughout France. After 30 years of teaching, Sister Bertrand retired, and died after 86 years of religious life and three months short of her 100th birthday.

Anthony J. Brink ’43

A man of many talents, Anthony Brink was active as a musician and leader in extracurricular activities while an Aquinas undergraduate.

Graduating in the College’s second class, he went on to gain an MFA in drama from the Catholic University of America and an MA from Michigan State University.

From 1948 to l957, he taught Latin and speech at Aquinas. As one of a minority of lay teachers on the faculty, he devoted much time to student groups, assisting in Glee Club, directing and even performing in some dramatic productions and enlivening the College atmosphere. Brink left teaching to move to Florida, where he operated a music school. He returned to Michigan, earned an MA in guidance and counseling from Michigan State University and taught Latin and Greek at St. Paul Seminary in Saginaw. He also was coordinator for the Aquinas Lansing Extension Center and taught as a senior lecturer of communication arts. He 10 Campus News | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu

was a devoted member of the Alumni Association, president in 1948 and one of the first Golden Saints. In the Lansing Diocese, he was program director for Renewal through Vatican II and received the Alleluia Award for 34 years of liturgical service at St. Therese Parish. He was inducted into Saginaw Catholic Schools Hall of Fame.

Michael R. Williams, Ph.D.

Lifelong learner, educator and community organizer, Michael Williams holds a B.S. from Regis College, B.S.M.E. and M.S.M.E. from Marquette U., Ph.L. from St. Louis U. and Ph.D. from U. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. During the Civil Rights era he taught in Milwaukee’s inner-city schools and co-founded a school which later became the state’s first charter school. With his wife, Mary Alice, he was active in community service. In 1974 he joined the Aquinas faculty to teach education, philosophy, mathematics and interdisciplinary courses.

In addition to teaching, Williams chaired the boards of the Eastown Community Association and the citywide Council of Neighborhood Associations and worked with community groups for civic improvement. At Aquinas he served as faculty development director and conducted national workshops on the topic. With Mayor George Heartwell he developed the Community Leadership major, which prepares students for leadership in non-profit organizations.

In 2004 he accepted the position of Dean of the School of Education until he retired in 2006. He remained an adjunct professor and in 2010 resumed directorship of the Community Leadership major. He has published three books on community organizing and education and co-authored Eastown.

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

By Jacqui DeFouw, Student Writer The artist said that while sketching “Cavalry” he was remembering his father, who died suddenly a year ago. The photo’s 53 faces gave him a chance to bring his father’s spirit to life many times over, making this piece particularly personal to him.

Art department chairperson Ron Pederson said he is proud of LaPorte’s accomplishment.

“We are all thrilled for Chris and for our whole community. Chris is not about fame, but about leaving a trail of genuine human friendships, which has been the case from his time as a student here through his time as one of our instructors,” he said. “[LaPorte] is beloved at Aquinas and was already famous here. Now the entire GR community knows about him.”

In the spotlight

Rick DeVos presents Chris LaPorte with award Coutesy of ArtPrize/Brian Kelly Photography

Hundreds of people from Grand Rapids and beyond stood in the lobby of the Grand Rapids Art Museum on Oct. 10 watching a projector screen showing the ArtPrize 2010 award ceremony. When it was announced that Chris LaPorte’s pencil-drawn work “Cavalry, American Officers, 1921” was the winner, a roar came from the crowd as everyone clapped and cheered along with those sitting in DeVos Hall, watching the ceremony in person.

LaPorte ’96, an adjunct assistant professor of art at Aquinas College, received $250,000 in the competition.

“That makes a big impact on choices,” LaPorte said. “It has definitely allowed for my girlfriend, MJ, and I to pay off some bills that were hanging over us, and we’re looking forward to some travel.” He added that the extra money will allow him to do the art he wants to do. “We can make much more ambitious pushes with our art careers,” he said.

The creative process

LaPorte has said it took around 800 hours and at least eighty pencils to complete the 28-foot by four-foot piece.

“I chose to make it that big so that the gentleman in the front row would be life-size,” LaPorte said, “I wanted [viewers] to feel their presence here.”

The idea for this drawing came from a photograph LaPorte found in an antique shop in the Grand Rapids area, but he did not just copy the photo. “I tried to heighten [individuality of character] with detail,” he explained. LaPorte said his experience with caricature helped him to accomplish this by enhancing the facial expressions of the 53 officers in the photograph. “You want to round out their story,” he said.

LaPorte also was mentioned on the Today Show by host Kathy Lee Gifford, who named “Cavalry” over other pieces she saw on her trip to West Michigan prior to final judging.

“That kind of attention is unbelievable—pretty overwhelming—and at the same time it’s pretty surreal,” LaPorte said. “Part of why I became an artist is so that the spotlight is more on what I do than me,” he said.

The rights to LaPorte’s drawing are now owned by ArtPrize. LaPorte and his girlfriend are making available 300 prints of the drawing that LaPorte completed on a smaller scale in preparation for the large-scale “Cavalry” piece. The signed prints are available on his website, chrislaporte.com.

It has “definitely been a process of figuring out what winning ArtPrize actually means,” LaPorte said. The night of the announcement was a blur as he stood waiting in DeVos Hall and then faced reporters and cameras at the conclusion of the ceremony. “A lot of people were sounding like Peanuts adults that night,” LaPorte said.

LaPorte said the Aquinas community made a difference in his efforts during ArtPrize. When he needed a wall large enough to put the piece together and make finishing touches, Aquinas was there to help—handing over the Bukowski Chapel.

“They gave me a studio for a few days,” he said. “The whole art department—students, faculty, alumni—it’s beyond supportive. An empowering community,” he said. “When you feel like you’ve got a group of people cheering for you, it propels you forward.

“I can only take credit for so much,” he said. “There are so many things that filter into [creativity].” And he will be sticking around campus, for now at least, to take in some more creativity from those in and around the Aquinas College art department.

ArtPrize 2011 Sept. 21 – Oct. 9

Campus News

Aquinas Professor Wins ArtPrize 2010

Campus News

Wege Foundation Speaker Series Offers Free Movies If you like good movies and care about saving the environment, the College has a free offer you can’t refuse.

Thursday, April 15 Aquinas is hosting the 14th annual Wege Lecture at the Performing Arts Center at 4 p.m. Because this year’s speaker is internationally honored environmental-film producer Chris Palmer, it will be the first Wege Lecture to resemble a film festival.

Chris Palmer’s name has appeared on the credits for films broadcast on Disney Channel, Animal Planet, TBS Superstation and The Travel Channel, among others. The contents of his movies have included face-to-face encounters with Kodiak bears, camping with wolf packs and confronting sharks.

Palmer was recently honored in Los Angeles as the Environmental Educator of the decade. A full-time faculty member at American University, Palmer embodies Peter Wege’s economicology

principle. He runs a foundation that produces IMAX films raising audiences’ environmental awareness. Thus, IMAX contributes to a healthy economy at the same time Palmer’s subject matter promotes a healthy ecology. That’s economicology.

Palmer and Wege recognize the future depends on educating the next generation on what needs to be done to heal and protect planet Earth. Chris Palmer’s mission is teaching wildlife filmmaking to students at American University, including field trips into wilderness areas like the Everglades and remote parts of Alaska.

Wege’s lifelong mission is to support the best people in the best causes actively working to saving the environment.

Dr. Eduardo Echeverria delivers 20th Annual St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture

By John C. Pinheiro, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History and Director of Catholic Studies As part of the ongoing Catholic Studies Lecture Series, on Jan. 27, Eduardo J. Echeverria, Ph.D., spoke on “Evangelizing the Culture: Cultural Discipleship in an Augustinian-Thomistic Mode.”

The lecture was made possible by a generous gift from Catholic Studies Advisory Board member, Eric P. Kirby, and his wife, Elizabeth.

Professor of philosophy at the Graduate School of Theology of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit and the author of three books, Echeverria made a compelling case for what he called “integral evangelization.”

Nearly 150 people heard Echeverria explain the Church’s proper role in modern society. “The only reason to be a Christian,” he pointed out, “is because the Christian faith is true.” Thus, for Christians, the Gospel cannot be “a mere add-

12 Campus News | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu

on” to their daily lives. Instead, said Echeverria, Christians must evangelize and sanctify the world, because this is what it means to place all things under the “Lordship of Christ.”

According to Echeverria, while we ought to receive thankfully what is “good and true” in our culture, Christians “must resist and reject those features of the culture that are contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Calling to mind Blessed John Paul II’s admonition to “Be not afraid,” Echeverria said Catholics need to be “unafraid of being countercultural” in public life.

Under a partnership between Catholic Studies at Aquinas and the Diocese of Grand Rapids, Dr. Echeverria also spoke later in the day at Cathedral Square. Catholic schoolteachers, catechists and directors of Religious Education from the diocese came to hear about John Paul II’s Catechesi Tradendae, an apostolic exhortation on the role evangelization plays in religious education.

Video of Echeverria’s lecture is available at the Catholic Studies website and Facebook page. The 2012 St. Thomas Aquinas lecturer will be Robert J. Henle Professor of Philosophy at St. Louis University, Dr. Eleanore Stump, author of Aquinas and co-editor of The Cambridge Companion to Aquinas.

By Laura Bennett-Kimble ’95, Senior Contributing Editor Sustainable Business is booming at Aquinas, based on response to the new Master of Sustainable Business (MSB) degree program. Over the course of the program’s first semester, 21 people were admitted and 17 people enrolled and took classes, exceeding expectations of Sustainable Business Department Chairman Matthew Tueth.

Tueth, who pioneered the College’s Sustainable Business undergraduate degree and certification programs in 2003 with support from Aquinas President Ed Balog, who was Provost at the time, has already experienced positive response to the specialized program. When the Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Business program began, about seven or eight students were enrolled. Today, it is the largest major in the College, according to Tueth, and more than 40 students have graduated and are working in a variety of fields.

For the new master’s degree program, Tueth and Associate Professor of Sustainable Business Deborah Steketee taught

five courses during the first semester, and seven classes were scheduled for the spring semester. As the program grows, a third sustainable business professor will be added, Tueth said, with additional courses added after the new faculty member joins the program.

Sustainable Business bachelor’s and master’s degree programs provide students the opportunity to learn about and gain skills needed to incorporate a “triple bottom line” philosophy: integration of the economic, environment and social elements that can add up to a successful company—and help change the business world, one organization at a time.

More information on the MSB degree program is available in a new brochure. Interested potential students can call (616) 632-2435 to request a copy or visit www.aquinas.edu/ msb for more information.

Contemporary Writers Series Continues its 14th Exciting Season On Feb. 8, Jack Ridl gave an outstanding poetry reading to a full house in the Wege Center Ballroom. Ridl, who taught at Hope College for more than 30 years, is the author of several award-winning poetry collections including Broken Symmetry, honored by Photo by Joy Gaines Friedler the Society of Midland Authors as the best book of poetry for 2006; and Losing Season, which chronicles a year of hope and defeat on and off the basketball court in a small town. Ridl has been named one of the 100 most influential sports educators in America by the Institute for International Sport. Ridl impressed the audience not only with his fine poetry, but also his wonderful rapport with the audience.

The last reader for the CWS 14th season will be novelist Diana Abu-Jaber, daughter of an American mother and Jordanian father. Her ethnic heritage gave her a unique perspective on life, which permeates her fiction. Abu-Jaber's first novel, Arabian Jazz, is considered by many to be the first mainstream Arab-American novel and won the 1994 Oregon Book Award. Her second novel, Crescent (published by W.W. Norton in 2003), is set in Los Angeles and focuses on a multi-cultural love story between an Iraqi exile and an Iraqi-American chef. It won the prestigious PEN Center Award for Literary Fiction and the American Book Award. With the current situation in the Middle East, Diana Abu-Jaber’s visit to Aquinas is timely and significant. Her reading takes place on Thursday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Wege Center Ballroom. For more info, visit the CWS website at www. aquinas.edu/library/CW/writers.html.

Catholic Studies Advisory Board Update John Pinheiro, Ph.D., Director of Catholic Studies, and Aquinas College are proud to welcome to the Catholic Studies Advisory Board Mark A. Murray, President of Meijer, Inc., and former President of Grand Valley State University; Eric P. Kirby, President of Peninsula Holdings Group; and Sr. Aquinas Weber, O.P., Chancellor Emerita of Aquinas College.

Already on the board are its chairman, Fr. Jim Chelich, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Church, and Dr. Mark Pestana, Professor of Philosophy at GVSU.

aquinas.edu | Spring 2011 | Campus News 13

Campus News

Masters of Sustainability

Campus News

Aquinas College–MSU College of Human Medicine Collaboration Last October, Aquinas College entered into an agreement with Michigan State University College of Human Medicine that will provide an enhanced opportunity for Aquinas’ premedical students to attend medical school. Aquinas was included with Hope and Calvin in a program to establish a pipeline of strong students from regional institutions into MSU’s med school. Preference for the Early Assurance Program will be given to students interested in caring for underserved populations from the three institutions. “Our medical school is looking forward to increasing the number of students from West Michigan’s leading private institutions,” said Marsha D. Rappley, M.D., dean, MSU College of Human Medicine. “The students from these mission-oriented colleges share our core values. They bring the rigor of a superb liberal arts and science education along with a passion for serving others that is needed in the physicians of our future.”

For the 2010 entering class, the College of Human Medicine received more than 5,900 applicants for 200 seats available for first-year students. Up to eight admission slots per year will be reserved for Aquinas, Calvin and Hope College students. This development is in harmony with recent efforts at the College to enhance science programs and provide more research and other engaged learning opportunities for students.

“Having the opportunity to establish linkages to a dynamic and socially responsible medical school in close proximity to us can only enhance the educational experience of our students,” said Aquinas Provost Chad Gunnoe. “The MSU College of Human Medicine has a wonderful reputation, and we are confident this will be a fruitful collaboration.”

Aquinas Campus Celebrates Veterans

By Lauren Carlson, Student Writer Last autumn, the Aquinas College Continuing Education Committee developed a special celebration to honor veterans and active military personnel on campus. Nov. 8-12, a private room in the basement of the Academic Building was reserved for student, staff and faculty veterans to get acquainted with fellow military personnel, enjoy complimentary snacks and beverages, and sign up for a gift card raffle. This hospitality suite was designed to honor Aquinas veterans for their gift of service and celebrate their dedication to the United States during the week of Veteran’s Day. The hospitality suite also allowed for camaraderie among military service branches, which yielded humorous storytelling, friendly banter and sharing of experiences. In addition to the suite, a week-long discount was provided in the Aquinas Bookstore and oversized cards were available to students, faculty and staff to sign and show their appreciation to Aquinas veterans. On Veteran’s Day, cake was served in the Academic Building and Grace Hauenstein Library lobbies.

Aquinas, a participant of the Yellow Ribbon Program, currently hosts many undergraduate and graduate students who have either served or are currently serving in the military. Many of the students use the Veteran’s Certifying Official, which helps students access government benefits to certify their classes.

The event was well received on campus, according to participants. One veteran said that although he had been out of the service for years, he had never experienced such a heartfelt commemoration of his time in the military.

One hundred percent of Aquinas military personnel who responded to an online survey indicated that they would like the Continuing Education Committee to host a veterans week celebration next year.

14 Campus News | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu

By Laura Bennett-Kimble ’95, Senior Contributing Editor As a student attending Muskegon Catholic Central High School, Edward Carlson met another person who would also one day be affiliated with Aquinas, his biology teacher Sr. Alice Wittenbach, O.P. ’59, who went on to teach at the College for decades and is currently in Alumni Relations.

Carlson, who earned a Bachelor of Arts & Sciences in accounting at Aquinas in 1969 and a Masters of Management in 1984, said he and Sr. Alice like to remind each other of those early days. Recently named to the Aquinas College Board of Trustees, Carlson has kept in touch with Sr. Alice and many others at his alma mater–and he said he considers a large number of fellow graduates his closest friends.

“It sounds a little canned, but it’s this issue of giving back,” he said. Referring to his career as vice president of finance for St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Rapids and later corporate vice president and chief financial officer at Munson Healthcare in Traverse City, he said, “None of it would have been possible without the grounding of education I received at Aquinas.”

Listing Aquinas’s attributes including small campus size in a vibrant and large city, community involvement, sense of camaraderie and commitment of teachers and staff, Carlson said the College offers its students a lot–and it’s all principled in Dominican beliefs.

As he acclimates to the Aquinas board, Carlson said his goals include gaining knowledge about the College’s finances, development and advancement programs. As a Finance Committee member, he brings more than 30 years of finance and accounting experience to the table, and he looks forward to using his background to help strengthen Aquinas’s financial position and increase alumni giving.

Carlson and his wife, Maureen, live in Traverse City. They have three adult children who reside in Atlanta, Seattle, and Grand Rapids, which are “wonderful locations for travel,” he added. They also have a new puppy, which ensures Carlson gets regular exercise, he said with a chuckle. Retired from Munson since 2009, he also keeps busy as chairman of the Traverse City Women’s Resource Center board and as a Traverse Health Clinic board member. In addition, he’s taken 10 continuing education courses at the local community college since retirement, and when the weather is good, he’s on the golf course.

Aquinas Celebrates Non-Traditional Student Education Week

By Lauren Carlson, Student Writer Not all students live in dorms, eat in Wege Cafeteria, or even carry backpacks. Some earn their degrees on nights and weekends or stolen afternoons, all while maintaining a career, raising a family or both. These non-traditional learners, including both AQ continuing education and graduate students, experienced the fourth annual Non-Traditional Student Education Week designed to recognize these students and those who support them as they return to the classroom.

The week began on Feb. 7 with a night at Aquinas New Sturrus Sport & Fitness Center, named for Peter Sturrus ’77, a generous donor and former continuing education student. During the event, students and guests took part in a Feldenkrais exercise session, dinner in the newly furnished suite overlooking the main court and a tour of the center.

Tuesday brought poet Jack Ridl to campus as part of the Contemporary Writer’s Series.

Feb. 9, students attended a financial fitness class provided

by Huntington Bank Vice President Mike Bryson. Next, students filled Kretschmer Recital Hall in the Art and Music Center for an evening with 2010 ArtPrize winner Chris LaPorte. The resident artist described his famous work “Cavalry, American Officers, 1921” and answered questions such as, “How many times did you sharpen your pencil?” from one teacher and graduate student’s fifth grade class.

Lastly, on Feb. 11, students, guests, faculty and staff were invited to Motown Night in the Wege Ballroom, complete with live music from Sounds Like Fun, gourmet dessert and cheese buffet, elegant décor and candlelit atmosphere.

Approximately 200 students and guests attended the week long event.

aquinas.edu | Spring 2011 | Campus News 15

Campus News

Trustee Profile: Edward Carlson

Student News

Semester in Rome

Villa Serenella, monastery where students lived and studied, is located only five miles from the Vatican.

Aquinas sent seven students to Rome this fall as a new study abroad program began in the Eternal City. Aquinas students, along with students from partner school Thomas More College in New Hampshire, lived at the Villa Serenella monastery in the Trastevere neighborhood, located about five miles from the Vatican.

“While the program is open to all students, it has a particular appeal for Catholic Studies minors and Theology majors due to the program’s extensive exposure to the Vatican,” said Joelle Baldwin, Director of International Programs.

In addition to individually exploring the city, students were also given the opportunity to sightsee through the various courses taught by Thomas More professors. The offered classes covered the humanities, art, architecture, religion and languages.

“I gained a whole new appreciation for art and architecture that I could only have learned from having the city of Rome as our classroom,” said Rachel Dubie, senior. “I don’t think there is any better way to learn about and appreciate art and architecture than to be in it.”

Dubie, senior Emily Sandula and juniors Samantha Swartout and Julia Knoll took further advantage of the program through internships and classroom experience.

Swartout took part in an internship at the local H2ONews,

16 Student News | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu

Aquinas Students Pictured (l-r): Emily Sandula, Nick Perez, Samantha Swarto ut, Julia Knoll, Rachel Dubie, Rachel Fike, and Shannon Anderson.

while Swartout, Sandula and Dubie taught English in a preschool and kindergarten classroom at a nearby Montessori school.

“I learned many valuable teaching techniques from the wonderful teacher, the two other AQ students I worked with that I look forward to using in my future as a teacher,” said Sandula. “I never imagined that I was going to have this wonderful and applicable experience which will set me apart in the field of education.”

The program has been marked as a success for the International Programs department, and there are hopes to further expand the scope of the program.

“I really commend our 2010-2011 students for their efforts in being the first group of Aquinas participants,” said Baldwin. “Looking forward, it will be a goal to increase our participation numbers to 20 or 25 students, which will allow Aquinas to be the sole college at the study center for the fall semester.”

For more information on the program, visit aquinas.edu/intprograms/italy/

“This I Believe” Event a Success By Lauren Carlson, Student Writer Student News Pictured (l-r): Dan Gedimen, Jennifer Dawson, Ph.D., Erin Lodes, Bridget Salisz, Sam Granger, James Clyde, Eddie Seymour, and Ed Balog.

Generally reserved for first-year students in a classroom setting, the fall common reading experience at Aquinas College was opened up to others as they were invited to write statements of personal belief. Inspired by This I Believe, an international organization that engages people in writing and sharing essays regarding their core values, the student read-in took place at the Moose Café.

The This I Believe organization is based on a popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow, and has collected essays from people of all walks of life that are available in books and on CDs, as well as through the website thisibelieve.org.

The common read at Aquinas was headed by English Professor Jennifer Dawson and Director of Student Activities and Orientation Heather Hall.

Dawson said focusing the importance of personal philosophies on the student body was “the best thing that we did,” because students were immersed in a semester-long process that pushed them to address their own thoughts and express ideas that have personal significance. “This is really an event by, about and for our community,” she said.

At the Oct. 28 event, more than 30 students stood behind a microphone in the crowded café and shared their beliefs.

At the end of the night, writers of five essays were chosen to introduce Dan Gediman, executive producer of the National Public Radio series “This I Believe,” a revival of the original series, at a special event Nov. 3.

Essays covered a wide range of topics.

Senior Sam Granger reflected on the failing health and eventual death of his grandmother. “The first thing Death took from her was her short-term memory, and for a shortterm society, that is truly to lose one’s soul,” he said.

James Clyde, a sophomore who has cerebral palsy, described his personal philosophy as one of overcoming obstacles. “I believe in the underdog,” he stated, telling of his dedication to his high school cross-country team despite difficulties caused by his disability.

“Our dreams are the fuel that power us to realize the fact that nothing is impossible.”

Sophomore Erin Lodes shared how “the endless possibilities and the pull of the page” drew her to follow her dreams of becoming a writer. Freshman Bridget Salisz talked about cancer and its impact on family and friends.

Lastly, junior Eddie Seymour offered a heartfelt and humorous dedication to the unlimited food, friendship and memorable experiences to be found at the Wege Cafeteria.

Gediman expressed his appreciation of the thematic use of “This I Believe” at Aquinas. “You’re my latest greatest favorite campus in terms of what you’re doing here,” he said.

As Dawson prepares for next year’s common reading experience, “This I Believe” is an option. If the project is chosen for a second event, it will become more streamlined and perhaps include the Aquinas’ charismas, vital themes on campus and in this particular community, she said.

aquinas.edu | Spring 2011 | Student News 17

Student News

Pictured (l-r): Associate Professor of Economics Gary Robertson, Ali Erhan, Ph.D., Katie Rogala, Senior, U.S. Senator from Michigan Carl Levin, Ajila Alisic, Junior, Matt Gardner, Senior, Rob Hamel, Junior, Jalesa Sims, Junior, Assistant Professor of Economics Masato Yamazaki, Ph.D.

SIFE Makes a Difference on Campus and Abroad

By Lauren Carlson, Student Writer With 1,500 active teams and 42,000 active students, Students In SIFE student members have also devoted their time and energy Free Enterprise (SIFE) is gaining ground from Albania to Zimbabwe. An to the Steepletown project. This endeavor aids the Steepletown international institution with operations in forty countries as of 2009, organization, made up of St. James, St. Mary’s, and the Basilica of SIFE focuses on the betterment of their community through nonprofit St. Adalbert churches on the west side of Grand Rapids. The project business practices that create jobs, inspire workers, and invigorate works toward the betterment of the community through unity and dying economies. Here in Grand Rapids, Aquinas students have been volunteerism. One of the existing ventures of Steepletown is the working for the past nine years with a vision of a more sustainable Garage Store, an organization similar to Goodwill or the Salvation and productive community. With the development of student projects Army, which sells donated items and uses the profits to better the and the three guiding philosophies – community service, teaching, and community. SIFE members seek to support this organization by leadership – SIFE seeks to involve members in hands-on development boosting sales with productive marketing and teaching positive that teaches them “to become socially responsible business leaders,” business tools to store members. according to sife.org.

The most recent events of SIFE student Each year, SIFE chapters participate members were the on-campus lecture “SIFE wants to empower the in regional competitions that showcase with U.S. Senator Carl Levin on Tuesday, community to create a more projects completed by students during November 9 and the subsequent Energy the previous year. Within a 24 minute Conference held Saturday, November sustainable world.” presentation, group members discuss 13 in the Aquinas Wege Student Center – Matthew Gardner, Senior the programs and activities that have Ballroom. To compliment the conference, aided members of the community in Levin discussed the instabilities of oil costs some profound way. The top three winners of this initial competition driven by speculation in the commodities market. The conference itself advance to the national level. Of the past four years, the Aquinas was designed to educate students, professors, and the surrounding chapter of SIFE has advanced to the national competition on three community about energy efficiency in the home. Hopeful that this separate occasions. Dr. Masato Yamazaki, Ph.D., advisor for the group will become an annual event, energy monitor and senior Sean Fahey and professor of economics at Aquinas, continues to fuel the spirit of worked diligently to prepare and led his own workshop entitled, sustainability and volunteerism and says, “AQ SIFE together with SIFE “Green Jobs.” Among additional workshops which focused on energy USA and SIFE International network can truly change the world by efficiency, the conference included keynote speaker U.S. Congressman improving quality of life and standard of living.”

Vern Ehlers and lectures by local businessmen on a variety of topics Recently, SIFE launched the Golden Shoe Campaign, a program designed to better the community. designed to promote a healthy lifestyle through the use of the scenic Though the group works specifically toward the development of nature trails on the Aquinas campus. The kickoff event was held on business strategies including marketing and planning, SIFE is open Oct. 30 at the entrance to the Campus Trails near the Aquinas College to any student on campus. Fahey remarks that the organization is Performing Arts Center and included a walking tour and a raffle for constantly looking for passionate students and “anybody who has an a new pair of shoes. This new program, following the initial event, interest in improving our community.” In fact, many current projects, will include additional activities which promote healthy eating, light such as tutors of English as a second language, require no business exercise, and the enjoyment of nature without leaving the city of experience.

Grand Rapids.

18 Student News | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu

Students and Staff Visit the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Student News

By Jill Straub ’00, Student Support Services

On a warm mid-November day, Marnika Brown from Documentary films periodically played that featured the Diversity Initiatives and LaShondra McMillian and Jill Straub struggles of escaping slaves as they crossed the Ohio River, from Student Support Services took a group of students the watery divide that bridged slaves from bondage into to visit the Harriet Beecher freedom. The museum also Stowe House and National brought slavery to a close-up, Underground Railroad contemporary reality through Freedom Center in Cincinnati, an exhibit on modern-day hate Ohio. groups and human trafficking.

Beginning with a guided Experiencing the Freedom tour of the Stowe house, Center left a profound students walked through the impression on students and rooms where one of America’s staff alike. Junior Bridget most life-altering authors once Hibler said the contemporary lived. After living in Cincinnati exhibit “made me for 20 years, Stowe moved east, uncomfortable and upset that where she wrote Uncle Tom’s many forms of slavery still Cabin, a best-selling account of exist today.” slavery in antebellum America.

Hollywood Ortega, ff), (sta ub After touring the Stowe another participant, said, Stra Jill er, gter, Bridget Hilb Front row (l-r): Erica Jo Sla ff) (sta house, students visited the “I was overwhelmed with wn Bro a ulet, Marnik Kayla Sandell, Melissa Go Jankowski, ela Pam ff), National Underground Railroad everything the Freedom (sta lian Mil Mc Back row (l-r): LaShondra ood Ortega Freedom Center. Opened in Center displayed. It was an Anleu, Emily McAfee, Hollyw Arijeta Ahmeti, Fernando 2004, the three-story museum eye-opening experience that I houses a collection of images won’t forget.” and artifacts that testify to slavery in America.

The joint-sponsored trip is a part of a larger collaborative Students especially enjoyed the Slave Pen, an original effort between Student Support Services and Diversity early-19th century holding structure that temporarily held Initiatives to provide educational and engaging cultural slaves before they were sold and sent further South. Visitors opportunities for students. could step into the pen and search for a name carved long ago in the wall by a slave waiting for the auction to begin. aquinas.edu | Spring 2011 | Student News 19

AQ Professors, Students Examine Neighborhood Change

Faculty News

Kathy Kremer, Ph.D., and Lauren Carlson, Student Writer As a result of the economic downturn and mortgage crisis in the U.S., many people have lost their homes. Grand Rapids, the situation is the same, particularly in low income and working class neighborhoods. Aquinas sociology students and Associate Professor of Sociology Kathy Kremer partnered with the Creston Neighborhood Association to learn more about the neighborhood, whose historical identity was based on home ownership, but has recently experienced both foreclosure and an increase in renting households. Using this data, Deborah Eid, executive director of the Creston Neighborhood Association and adjunct instructor of Spanish at AQ, developed a program that responds to these changes.

In April 2010, student researchers began collecting data in the Creston neighborhood. The first phase of the research has been completed and an article, “Homeowners, Renters, and Neighbors: Perceptions of Identity in a Changing Neighborhood” was recently published in the Michigan Sociological Review.

Among the initial findings were: • 12 percent of the residences were vacant at the time of data collection (more than one in 10 homes was empty). This is consistent with statistics that suggest nearly 900 homes, or one out of 10 homes, have been foreclosed in the Creston neighborhood.

• Only 32 percent of renters expressed interest in becoming a homeowner in the area. Of these, most cited a financial reason for not currently being a home owner. This finding counters popular belief that homeownership should be a goal for all households.

• While 17 percent of the residents had contacted the neighborhood association regarding a vacant or boarded up house that they were concerned about, only one was a renter. Overall, homeowners demonstrated a greater connection to the neighborhood association.

20 Faculty News | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu

This information led to additional analysis to clarify specific issues of residents in the neighborhood. As Kremer looked more closely at the data, she discovered: • 44 percent of the Creston residents indicated rental housing or renting households are their greatest neighborhood concern.

• Among homeowners, 62 percent noted this was their greatest concern.

• Survey responses given by homeowners often connected rental units or renters themselves with other community concerns, such as crime or drugs.

This data reflects the primary concerns of Creston neighborhood homeowners, and their fear that this changing identity will lead to lower property values, drugs and crime.

Renters have also expressed concerns with renting households, but related to repairs needed and inattentive landlords. No homeowners identified foreclosure or the mortgage crisis as their greatest neighborhood concern, although the increase in renting households is related to foreclosed homes becoming rental properties.

This partnership between the Creston Neighborhood Association and the Aquinas Sociology Department will enable the organization to more effectively respond to the needs of the neighborhood residents, including the needs of renting households and the relationships between home owners and renters.

The Erastian Way

The Aquinas Student of the Month is chosen by a committee of faculty overseen by the director of Academic Operations and is given out in September, October, November, February, March and April. The award is based upon a student's academic record, research and leadership during the previous month at Aquinas College. Winners receive either a $50 bookstore or food service gift card.

Provost Chad Gunnoe, Ph.D., a member of the History department, recently published a substantial study on early modern German history. The book, which is the result of some 20 years of research, tracks the career of Swiss physician and theologian Thomas Erastus (1524-1583) at the University of Heidelberg.

“Erastus holds an important place in intellectual history for his contributions to the debate on witchcraft, his engagement with the radical medical philosophy of Paracelsus, and his role in the religious renewal of the Palatinate, a small principality in Western Germany ruled by one of the leading princes of the Holy Roman Empire,” Gunnoe said.

Erastus worked to push the territory toward Reformed Protestantism in the 1560s and helped author the Heidelberg Catechism, a central confessional document in the Reformed tradition. His ideas had a major impact on British history in the 1600s, when an “Erastian” party arose as the Puritans attempted to establish a Presbyterian state church.

“This is not the sort of book that will become a New York Times bestseller, but is largely written for other scholars,” Gunnoe said.

The project involved a bit of detective work. Gunnoe drew upon original letters and printed sources, largely in Latin and German, from more than 20 libraries and archives in the United States, Britain, France, Germany and Switzerland.

He eventually created a database of more than 500 predominately handwritten letters. Many were not dated, and he used their contents to date them.

“On a couple of occasions, I was able to date letters

by Erastus’s reference to contemporary celestial phenomena–a comet and a supernova,” Gunnoe added.

“There is no central location for Erastus’s literary remains, so I had to come up with lists of people Erastus knew, find out where they lived and worked, and who might have records they left behind,” he said. “Sometimes, the archives themselves had been moved multiple times from the 1500s to the present, and some of the material which had existed into the 20th century did not survive World War Two or had been scattered into unknown East Bloc libraries or archives after the war.”

Gunnoe has been researching Erastus since the early 1990s, when he was awarded a fellowship at the University of Heidelberg. His new book was released by Brill, a publishing house in the Netherlands.

“This will be the first time the full spectrum of this important intellectual’s career will be surveyed in any language. It is very satisfying to know you have made a fundamental contribution to scholarship that will be used for decades to come to reconstruct the history of Germany,” Gunnoe said.

September 2010: Senior Christy Armock

Christy is maintaining a 3.95 overall GPA while majoring in English and Spanish and being very involved in campus life. Christy works in the Registrar and Advising Center, where she has been described as dependable and indispensible. She serves on the front line, helping everyone who comes into and works in the office. Her duties include fielding phone calls with knowledgeable finesse, preparing for STAR sessions, updating student records, verifying degrees, and many other major projects.

October 2010: Junior Lisa Hinkel

Majoring in Community Leadership, Lisa is a continuing education student returning to college after having two children. She has maintained a 4.0 GPA since returning to her studies at Aquinas.

When not in class or raising a family, Lisa is a Grand Rapids Public School board member and a volunteer with Kids’ Food Basket. With her diligence and spirit of service to the community, Lisa is a great credit to Aquinas College.

November 2010: Senior Nate Poirier

Nate, a four-year member of the Aquinas cross country team, is a true student-athlete, maintaining a 3.6 cumulative GPA while dual majoring in Math and Physics. He recently was commended for his presentation at the Michigan Undergraduate Math Conference. Additionally, Nate submitted a paper titled “The Hyperbolic Version of Alhazen’s Billiard Problem” to Involve. Nate also gives back to the community, serving as tutor for the Math Department every Thursday night.

aquinas.edu | Spring 2011 | Faculty News 21

Faculty News

Students of the Month

Faculty Publications 2010-2011 Joseph Becherer, Ph.D. Professor of Art 1. Essays

Faculty News

A. Eleven essay series about Art Prize, Grand Rapids Press 2010 B. Jim Dine: Sculptures, Steidl Press, Gottigen, Germany 2010 C. Michele Oka Doner, Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids 2010 D. Dietrich Klinge: Chateau de Biron – Les Jardins du Manoir d’Eyrignac, Die Galerie, Frankfurt, Germany, 2010 2. Lectures A. College Art Association, Chicago 2010 B. The Lillian and Morris Moss Endowment for the Visual Arts Lecture, Rhodes College 2010 C. The Vern Rusk Endowed Lecture, Davidson College 2010

Gary Eberle Professor of English 1. Lecture A. “Deep Down Things: Romantic Supernature in Wordsworth and Hopkins” School of Visual Arts conference, New York City, October, 2010 2. Book A. Currently working on a book about the history of Aquinas College

Bethany Kilcrease, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of History 1. Essays A. “Luther as Mirror, Hammer, and ‘Other’ among Victorian Britons.” Lutheran Quarterly 24 2010, pp. 1-30

22 Faculty News | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu

Jack Kilcrease, Ph.D. Adjunct Professor of Theology 1. Books A. “Introduction to the Clavis Scripturæ Sacræ: The Life and Theological Contribution of Matthias Flacius Illyricus” in Clavis Scripturæ Sacræ, trans. Wade Johnson 2. Essays

1. Essays A. “Assessing the Anti-Federalists,” Acton Institute journal, Religion & Liberty, Summer 2010 2. Book Reviews A. Journal of American History B. Journal of Historical Biography C. Tennessee Historical Quarterly

B. “Kenosis and Vocation: Christ as the Author and Exemplar of Christian Freedom.” Logia: A Journal of Lutheran Theology 19, no. 4, Reformation, 2010

3. Lectures

Robert Marko, Ph.D. Chair and Professor of Theology

4. Scholarships

1. Essays A. Article on the significance of the cardinal virtues for business managers in post Soviet Ukraine, Християнин і Світ, Christianity and the World February 2011 B. Interview on Christian witnessing, contrasting the persecution Christians suffered under Communism in the former Soviet Union with contemporary secular derision in the West, Basilian Father’s Journal, Cто Талантів, One Hundred Talents, October, 2010

A. “The Founders on “Diversity’” presented at Prospects for Cultural Renewal Seminar, Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal, Mecosta, Mich. Dec. 11, 2010.

A. Chosen to participate in “Religion, War, and the Meaning of America,” Lilly Endowment Seminar in Christian Scholarship, Calvin College, June 28, 2010 to July 16, 2010. Part of working on Pinheiro’s new book, A Republican Faith: A Religious History of the Mexican-American War 5. Media A. Invited to record a podcast for the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty giving the history of the idea of “American Exceptionalism,” recorded Sept. 15, 2010

Sister Mary Kay Oosdyke, O.P., Ph.D. Adjunct Associate Professor of Theology

Randy Wyatt Director and Professor of Theatre

1. Current projects

1. Plays

A. Three-year commitment as member of the Association of Theological Schools’ Task Force on Revision of Standards for accrediting graduate schools of theology and seminaries for all denominations in the U.S. and Canada

A. Brave Little Taylor published by YOUTHPlays, Inc., October, 2010

Miriam Pederson Associate Professor of English 1. Poems A. The Quality of Mercy – The Cresset: A Review of Literature, the Arts, and Public Affairs, Fall 2010 B. King of the Mountain – Ambassador Poetry Project, December, 2010

2. Awards A. Short play How to Make a Mobile, which was commissioned by the Grand Rapids Art Museum last February and won inclusion into Actor’s Theatre’s Living on the Edge Series in June, also recently won inclusion into the first-ever Canton One-Act Festival, January, 2011 B. Alice in Wonderland (and back again) won the first ever Grand Award for Best Performance for Young Audience; written and directed by Wyatt for Magic Circle Theatre 3. Current projects A. Currently organizing a play-reading series with Actor’s Theatre called The Pipeline, working with new scripts in process with playwrights from around the country for February 2011

aquinas.edu | Spring 2011 | Faculty News 23

Faculty News

A. “Gerhard Forde on the Law: A Confessional Lutheran Critique” Concordia Theological Quarterly, Winter, 2011

John C. Pinheiro, Ph.D. Director of Catholic Studies, Associate Professor of History

A Message from the Alumni Director

Alumni News

By Brigid Avery ’01 As I gaze out my window to the forest behind Holmdene this morning, I see pale blue skies and sunshine, a welcome greeting on a very cold December day. By the time you read these words, however, the end of winter will be near and crocuses will announce the awakening of our quiet campus.

Christmas will be a distant memory and we will be looking forward to our busy spring semester: Alumni breakfasts on campus and throughout the state, the annual golf tournament and commencement – the kick-off to Aquinas’ 125th anniversary celebration. We’ve been planning for our celebratory year for the past nine months and will continue through May 2012. As exciting as thinking about the future is, though, I am reminded to stay in the moment and celebrate today, a challenge I face in my personal life, as well!

What is so darn great about today? On my chilly walk in, I took notice of the first “sustainable” Christmas tree on campus, an eight-foot Norway spruce planted and dedicated by the Student Senate at our Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. Admittedly, next to the gigantic pines around it, this little guy is slightly reminiscent of Charlie Brown’s tree, but over time, it will grow tall and proud, like its older siblings. But, we’re staying in the moment, right? Not worrying about the future…so I celebrated it for what it is at this moment: a haven for our woodland creatures, a symbol

of AQ’s commitment to sustainability, an indication of our students’ passion for community and an embodiment of the spirit of Christmas.

My challenge to you, our alumni, is to really celebrate today. As you peruse the magazine, did you read about a student or project on campus that makes you proud to be an Aquinas alumnus or alumna? If so, why not let that person know via e-mail? Did you read a class note about a friend?

Reach out on Facebook or use the online AQ directory. We often say, “Oh, I should write…call…” but then becoming overwhelmed with our to-do lists, we just forget. Let’s hope that by the time you read this, Students gather for the annual you have indeed taken your Christmas Tree Lighting.

Christmas tree down, but do remember ours on campus. At homecoming this year, why not plan to meet an old friend at the Norway spruce and let it serve as a reminder to celebrate and take advantage of that very moment!

Italy: Pilgrimage and Tour Celebrating 125 years of Dominican Heritage

Sponsored by The Aquinas College Office of Alumni Relations Hosted by Sr. Nancy Brousseau, O.P. (’73) and Sr. Lucianne Siers, O.P. (’72) Tentative dates: November 7-18, 2011 (12 days) • Cost: $2,899 (from Chicago) plus airline taxes ($400-479)* (*Based on number of travelers).

Includes: Air transportation from Chicago, hotels, breakfast and dinner, tour guides • Learn about Dominican spirituality through history, art, and the life of Dominican Saints

• Visit the tomb of St. Dominic in Balogna and his contemporary, St. Francis, in the Umbrian city of Assisi • Experience an audience with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in Rome • Enjoy Venice, historical St. Mark’s, and more…

• Send your deposit today to reserve your spot! This will be an experience of a lifetime and a perfect way to celebrate the difference AQ has made in your life. You won’t want to miss this opportunity!

Contact Brigid Avery at (616) 632-2494 or brigid.avery@aquinas.edu.

Florence Ponte Vecchio

• Visit the birthplace of St. Thomas Aquinas in Roccasecca, travel to Sorrento and the scenic Amalfi coast • Walk in the footsteps of St. Catherine in the historic Tuscan city of Siena • See the art of Michelangelo and Dominican artist Fra Angelico in Florence 24 Alumni News | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu/alumni

St. Thomas Aquinas at entrance to his home of Rocca Secca

AQ Alumnus Receives Sportsmanship Award

By Allison Ferguson, Student Writer The Jack Kelly Fair Play Award was established after its namesake’s passing in 1985. Kelly, an Olympic bronze medalist for single scull rowing in 1956, was a past president of the United States Olympic Committee. Past award winners include Lance Armstrong, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Michele Akers, Erin Mirabella and Laura Kraut.

Pupel decided to play table tennis at club level eight years ago, having enjoyed playing the game with his two older brothers in his youth. He said he spends hours in his basement, playing table tennis against a robot capable of shooting balls at 70 miles per hour.

Pupel said he learned a great deal about sportsmanship while playing Mark Gillard, one of the top players at the Grand Rapids Table Tennis Club. Gillard conceded a contentious point, which led up to Pupel winning the match.

“Mark was a gracious as ever, never showed any frustration and taught me a lot about sportsmanship,” Pupel said.

Having majored in mathematics, computers and economics at Aquinas, Pupel said he’s familiar with hard work, citing Sister Ann Mason, O.P., ’61 for helping him see his potential: “She was a great instructor. She was very tough, but she was patient and fair if you worked hard.”

During his freshman year at Aquinas, fellow students told Pupel he wouldn’t be able to succeed in his second semester of calculus. These statements didn’t discourage Pupel, and instead motivated him to prove them wrong. He ended up earning an A, as well as the knowledge that “if you set your mind to something and work hard, you can achieve anything,” he said.

Chicago Reunion: Huge Success!

Chicago lures us back, once or twice a year, and captures many alums in its warm, albeit windy, embrace. This year’s first event was held on Nov. 20, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m., at a private dining room in the University Conference Center. It was held for Chicago area alums and friends, in conjunction with the Aquinas Model United Nations Team, scheduled for that weekend. While only eight Chicago

alums were able to attend, their enthusiasm displayed that typical Aquinas welcoming spirit and quickly included eight additional guests from the AQ United Nations Team. There was lots of conversation, with good professional exchanges, as well; some alums were able to suggest ideas for further development of Aquinas students. It was a mentoring blessing in disguise.

There will be a second Chicago event in April. Watch for the specific date on an Aquinas leaflet; put this date on your schedule and enjoy memories of Aquinas past and present.

Pictured (l-r): Pat Hurley ’04, Liz (Dudek) Kennedy ’01, Ellen Harburn ’00, Sarah (Van Hall) Postma ’03, Jerry Clark ’68, Brigid Avery ’01, Colleen (O’Neill) Ranieri ’87, Tim Ramsay ’08, Elizabeth (Van Raalte) Clark ’69, Marjorie Kindel MM ’06, Sister Alice Wittenbach ’59. Not pictured: Jeanette Goodwillie ’87 aquinas.edu/alumni | Spring 2011 | Alumni News 25

Alumni News

Last fall, Steve Pupel ’88 received the 2010 Jack Kelly Fair Play Award at the U.S. Olympic Assembly in Colorado Springs, CO. Pupel was nominated for the honor in recognition of exemplary sportsmanship during the 76th Annual Michigan Closed Table Tennis Championships last April. Pupel, defending his state title, had just won his semifinal match when officials were told that Dennis Cobb, Jr., a 16-year-old junior player, had incorrectly recorded his results. Due to this error, the wrong player had reached the quarterfinals. Officials determined that the previous results would stand since players had already advanced to the finals.

Pupel knew the young player had made an honest mistake and wanted to give Cobb another chance. He offered Cobb the opportunity to replay the quarterfinal, which the teen won. Cobb went on to defeat Pupel in the semifinal, ultimately winning the championship. Pupel was satisfied with the outcome, but Tournament Director Mike Veillette felt he deserved special recognition and consequently nominated Pupel for the award.

The Power of Networking

Alumni News

By Lauren Carlson, Student Writer As a recent graduate with a full-time job in her chosen As she prepared for graduation with a dual major in field, Nicole Parker ’09 is a strong advocate for internships community leadership and political science, Parker received and on-campus involvement. In her experience at Aquinas, guidance from Director of Career and Counseling Sharon Parker used extracurricular activities to jumpstart her career, Smith regarding internship possibilities. After discovering as well as gain business contacts and unforgettable memories. and applying for an opportunity at Calvin College, Parker The Multicultural Development program coordinator at began co-directing Calvin’s youth conference, Striving Toward Calvin College said, “Don’t burn bridges,” describing how her Educational Possibilities. In this position, Parker worked with business and academic contacts aided underrepresented youth in grades in the development of her current 7 through 10. As the three-month ed tur pic r Nicole Parke career. internship evolved into a part-time 2nd from left When entering Aquinas in her summer position for the Pre-College freshman year, Parker had an interest in Programs office, Parker gained helping others and began her education useful experience as well as contacts with hopes of studying pre-med. necessary to provide a future job However, after taking a community opportunity. leadership class in her sophomore After Parker graduated in year, Parker switched her major to December 2009, she worked for community leadership and began using eight months in the Park and the many offices on campus to further Recreation’s Loop program of her experience and social education.

Gerald R. Ford Middle School “Once you get involved, there are before learning of a position at Calvin College. Brown and key individuals to help make your dreams reality,” Parker said. Smith, as well as her former supervisor at Calvin, informed For example, as Parker began her internship under Director her of the opportunity. Her community involvement while at of Diversity Initiatives Marnika Brown, she discovered AQ paid off, and she began working at Calvin last summer. opportunities provided by the staff, including increasing As program coordinator for the Multicultural Development diversity on campus and creating a welcoming atmosphere for department, she raises awareness for anti-racism, creates students with disabilities and students of color. programs and activities for students of color and focuses “It’s like a hidden treasure; you’ve got to find it,” Parker on retention of minority students on a primarily Caucasian said about campus opportunities. campus.

In four years, Parker held an internship with Diversity “[My] experience outside the classroom helped me more Initiatives, ran track and served as team captain, coached a with my job now,” Parker said, noting that the combination of youth track team, served as an orientation leader, co-founded academics and extracurricular activities added to her college and participated in the black student union Voices Inspiring experience and prepared her for her career. She said she is Black Students Everywhere and was a mentor and student thankful for the helpful staff and opportunities provided at ambassador. When asked which of these activities was the Aquinas College. most influential, Parker replied, “just being a student.”

Aquinas Alum Helps Create Brand Identity Text

By Lauren Carlson, Student Writer Curt Wozniak ’97 put his English undergraduate degree to work when he helped write, edit and develop Brand Identity Essentials, a book published last year as part of The Essentials Series by Rockport Publishing.

Created by Peopledesign co-owners Kevin Budelmann and Yang Kim and Wozniak, who joined the local design firm in 2008, the book details 100 basic principles of marketing and design.

Wozniak, who attended three colleges before settling in at Aquinas, was editor of student newspaper Aquinas Times his senior year and went on to become a freelance writer for The Grand Rapids Press and copywriter for the internal advertising department at Meijer. He later obtained a position 26 Alumni News | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu/alumni

at Grand Rapids Magazine.

Noting his career path across various industries, Wozniak said, “There are opportunities for writers.”

Wozniak also said that although Aquinas has a similar amount of opportunities in relation to other institutions, the smaller community and guidance from professors enabled those prospects to yield positive results. He was “encouraged in a nurturing way to take advantage of them,” he said, adding, “Teachers would always be encouraging my writing.”

Budelmann and Kim agreed that an ability to quickly adapt to a changing industry is vital in a professional setting and is grounded in a liberal arts education. Despite the notion that one must choose a fixed career, Budelmann said, “The world is evolving very rapidly,” and one must be flexible in order to succeed.

Save the Date

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

Alumni Breakfast–Grand Rapids

Aquinas Campus–Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Spring Lake Breakfast Thursday, April 7, 2011

Chicago Breakfast

Great Lakes Bay Region Alumni Gathering

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Great Lakes Loons–Thursday, July 28, 2011

Lansing Breakfast

Hall of Fame Gala

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

September 22, 2011

Traverse City Breakfast

Homecoming & Reunion Weekend

Peter M. Wege ProAm

September 23-25, 2011

Blythefield Country Club–Monday, June 13, 2011

All Saints Day of Service November 1, 2011

Detroit Gala aboard the yacht, Infinity Thursday, June 23, 2011

2011 Master of Management Reunion September 20, 2011 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Donnelly Center RSVP: www.aquinas.edu/management

aquinas.edu/alumni | Spring 2011 | Alumni News 27

Alumni News

Friday, June 10, 2011

Reunions 2010: A Touch of Class

Alumni News

Sr. Alice Wittenbach, O.P., Ph.D., ’59, Contributing Writer Reunions are a touch of class. Did you touch in this year?

Are you one of the 48 attendees of the 50th Reunion, or one of the 38 who celebrated their 45th Reunion, or one of the 62 who reconnected at the 40th Reunion? Or are you one of the 100 others who came to the 35th, the 30th, the 10th or the 5th Reunions? If so, you know how special it is to be with friends from the past, to hear about the many activities going on at Aquinas, and to visit our newest building, the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center.

As special as these reunions are, one bittersweet reality of every reunion class emerges: Where were all the others? We always get just a touch of the entire class being celebrated.

Celebrations, we all know, are a tribute to those who take part, who reconnect, and who rejoice in each other’s presence.

This past reunion year was, in a sense, a milestone year. I first started, with your help, to organize reunions in spring 2005. Those of you who graduated in 1965 and celebrated your 40th reunion in 2005, celebrated your 45th reunion in 2010. Those of you who celebrated your 25th in 2005 celebrated your 30th reunion in 2010. It was special, and many of you returned to acknowledge that, indeed, five years

is a very short time. 2011 will be the “second time around” for those of you who celebrated in 1966.

Whether you have been away for five or 50 years, you really need to come to see for yourselves how Aquinas continues “to make all the difference in the world” for you and our current and potential students. We invite you to take advantage of this reunion time to celebrate, reminisce, share stories and reacquaint yourselves with the changes that have taken place since you were last here.

Photos of the 2010 reunion groups are included here. We hope the happy smiles in each group will entice you to come together next year, when we will celebrate the 1s and the 6s, beginning with 1961and 1966 and every five years up to and including the 2006 class. Consider this your first invitation to join us Sept. 23-25, 2011. I also want to invite you to be an active participant in the committee structure that will be established to make calls or send emails to give special invites to those with whom you hope to celebrate. I have discovered that it’s often “people needing (and calling) other people” that makes all the difference. I look forward to seeing you next September.

50th Reunion (1960)

Back row: Jack Kirkwood, Stan Saganski, Vern Armbrustmacher, Ralph Mathis, Tom Deschaine, Bruce Spielmaker, Phil Monterusso, Richard Weber, Jon DeVries, Tom Mayan, John Fennell, George Colburn, Harry Hudson, Don Murphy Middle row: Jerry Luxford, Alex Callaghan, Judith (Lee) Nolan, Mitzie (Easlick) Murphy, Judy (Spendow) Van Order, Martha (Kaminski) Markham, Jerry Conrad, Dick Wakulat Front row: Jeanne Anne (Hackett) Hudson, Sally Jo (Black) Orr, Rita (Hasse) Kirkwood, Carolyn (Radawski) Armbrustmacher, Roberta (Robinson) Kok, Sr. Marie Joy Yuhasz, O.P., Jim Thrall

45th Reunion (1965)

Back row: David Huhn, Tom Laberteaux, Billy Osbourne, Fred Sebulske, Ron Bostwick, Tom Thrall, Pete Cordes Middle row: Tom Wieczorek, Paul Hansknecht, Sue Rapier, Vern Emery, Janet (Armstrong) Emery, Gary Copp, Pat (Granger) Hopkins, Carol (Karns) Cordes Front row: Mary Ruth Humitz Meyers, Leona (Mayan) Osbourne; Marion (Dougherty) Burns; Kathleen (Agostini) Haas, Karen (Lehman) Zakaras, Sr. Mary Kay Oosdyke, O.P., Nora Butcher

28 Alumni News | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu/alumni

40th Reunion (1970)

Back row: Michael Boucher, Cheryl (Wood) Miller, Tom Miller, Fred Robsel, Jan (Herbertson) Reardon, Paul Haviland, Dan Measday, Jim Chervenka, Jane (Neyer) Bacon, Leonard Dezelski, Jo Nodhloh, Jim Glowski, Tom Tithof, Mary (Callan) Malone, Katie (Hauper) Galinski, Mike Ferguson, Greg Fendt Middle row: Mary (Wyniemko) Milbourne, Ann (Van Tiem) Zygmontowicz, Jo (Shea) Kendall, Peggy (Duva) Haviland, Mary Lou (Gleason) Harig, Mary Lou (Burns) Black, Marilyn (Monticelli) Arcilesi, Christine (Lensky) Newcomb, Theresa Grywalski, Pat Kozal, Ed Priemer, Gene LaPorte, Bob Cavanagh, Bill Gearing Front row: Ann Korson, Mary Jo Sherman Byrne, Ann Lennon, Sue Wood Miller, Mary Adams, Sandy O’Brien Cavanagh, Julie Mix-Thibault, Peggy Callaghan, Laura (Lentz ’70) LaPorte, Martha (Pursley ’70) Peabody, Eileen O’Connor Skalflen

Back row: Phil Schertzing, Julie (Denko) Petrie, Deb (Holt) McNally, Ann (Crampton) White, Barbara (Homrich) Johnsen, Helen (Murray) Milanowski, Mike Zagaroli, Marie (Rabideau) Fowler, Marie Kessler, Sue Haas, Bob Potts Front row: Judy Cousino, Judy (Fortino) Best, Daryl Delabbio, Lou Wolf, Patty (Coe) Burch, Mark De Chant

30th Reunion (1980)

Back row: Tim O’Brien, Jamie Mitchell, Ken Sanders, Chris Perna, John Clark, Ed Balog, Kathleen Westdorp, Rick Payne, Tom Soltys, unidentified, Richard Chrisman, Rich Peddicord, O.P., Michael Taylor ’80, Charlie Clapp Front row: Cindy (Ray) Clapp, Sharon Smith, Annette O’Brien, Sr. Alice Wittenbach, O.P., Ph.D., Colleen (Corcoran) Nelis, Jane (Rabideau ’80) Payne, John Babcock, Lena (Rabideau ’82) Taylor

We had our first alumni gathering in the greater Cincinnati area Nov. 12 at Molly Malone’s Irish Pub, in Lexington, KY., from 6:30–9:30 p.m. The spirit was great, and for a first time event, attendance was very good. Eighteen people came together to remember and reconnect. Mike ’74 and May Beth ’76 Weber spearheaded the event. We were all delighted in their good work and trust we can repeat an event of this sort, and include even more of the 75 alum’s from this region.

The Advancement Department was represented by Sister Alice Wittenbach, and Greg Meyer.

Brian Hennigan’s overview of the evening was special and insightful, and is included here. Perhaps you have had similar thoughts about your time, your learning space, at Aquinas.

Sr. Alice/Greg, Thank you so much for your perseverance to get the AQ Alumni of the Greater Cincinnati area to come together, break bread and share stories with one another. It was a very interesting evening learning about AQ from the alumni who came before me, and those who came after. I had never experienced that perspective before.

My take-away was Aquinas has been able to pull off the institutional “Big-Trick”—continuity and adaptive change for 124 years. The sense-of-place—a learning place—seemed a similar experience to alumni whether the year was ’66/’74/’83 or ’04.

But the college itself was never the same place; it was always a different place, renewed and re-imagined by events and new expectations.

The reason I say this stems from an experience. My son graduated from Miami University in Ohio. Miami’s campus is a Classic Georgian/Neo-Georgian architectural gem; it was founded in 1823. Like AQ’s campus, it has that sense-of-place. I was sitting outside in the Old Commons area one day reading about the school’s history, only to discover that the school went dark in the 1870s for 15 years — Dark!

This very beautiful Commons, with its original Georgian buildings, that was so vibrant with people and context that afternoon was for 15 years — Dark. I realized then, as I realized at the alumni gathering Friday night, that our ideas and our institutions are both powerful and fragile, and are not to be taken for granted. Please let me know how I can be of help moving continuity and change forward.

a '65, Brian Hennigan '74, Pictured (l-r): Dave Donovan '65, Ron Kuzm Connaughton '72, s yger Herr Arlie '76, May Beth O'Neil Weber Sr. Alice Wittenbach O.P., Ph.D., '59, T. Michael Weber '74, Bob Ampulski '64, Jen Langan '02 '00, Barb Ampulski '64, Stephen Langan

Alumni News

35th Reunion (1975)

Cincinnati Event

Homecoming 2010 AQ Run Thru, and the chance to catch up with old friends were just a few of the activities on campus.

This year’s event coincided with the internationally recognized art competition ArtPrize and offered alums the opportunity to see how Grand Rapids has grown, as well. We hope to see you on Sept. 23-25 for Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2011: Look for bigger, better, different events and opportunities, as this will be the 125th anniversary year.

Alumni News

Moving Homecoming Weekend in 2010 to the last weekend of September proved to be a good move, as the sun made its appearance and hundreds of alumni returned to campus. The week of activities began with the Second Annual MM Reunion and ended with the ever-popular Golden Saints Brunch.

The days in between were filled with celebration, excitement and reconnection: The Hall of Fame Gala held in the new Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center, the

Black Alumni Society

The first on-campus meeting of the AQBAS occurred during Homecoming Weekend for a very successful Reconnection Breakfast. Several alumni who had not been on campus in years returned to see familiar faces and connect with current black students. The next gathering will likely occur in Detroit this summer, and the group is looking forward to expanding its Homecoming event in conjunction with the College’s anniversary. Contact Xavier Jaramillo at xaviar_j@hotmail.com or Shatonla Daniel at shatonla@yahoo.com for more information.

30 Alumni News | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu/alumni

Admissions Launches Video Series and Revamped Website Over the past year, the Aquinas Undergraduate Admissions Department worked with well-known local photographer/videographer Brian Kelly in the creation of a series of eight exciting videos highlighting different aspects of Aquinas College. The following videos can be viewed throughout the AQ website and a gallery can be found on the undergraduate admissions website at www.aquinas.edu/ undergraduate/video.html:

Academics at AQ Athlete Profile: Lauren Smith Catholic in the Dominican Tradition Grand Rapids Nature of Aquinas

Admissions

President Balog Service Learning Sustainable Business Program In addition to the videos, you can also view three new 30-second commercials that were aired on WOOD TV8 and FOX17 in December, January and February.

Also in January, Admissions unveiled a revamped website that now includes an AQ Cost Calculator (to help prospective students estimate their cost of attendance), an events calendar and a retooled virtual tour.

Visiting Aquinas makes all the difference.

General Visit Days: Friday, April 15, 2011 Special Visit Days: Leadership AQDay Friday, March 18, 2011 Business and Technology AQDay Friday, March 25, 2011 Accounting Computer Information Systems, Business, Sustainable Business

aquinas.edu/admissions | Spring 2011 | Admissions 31

Jandernoas Named Recipients of the Norbert J. Hruby Emeritus Award The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute’s (OLLI) Board at Aquinas College has selected Mike and Sue Jandernoa to receive the prestigious Aquinas Norbert J. Hruby Emeritus Award on the 35th anniversary year of the Emeritus College program. The couple will receive the award on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at the annual Emeritus Dinner Event.

Mike and Sue exemplify all that the award represents.

They are community leaders whose generosity and spirit of service has been felt over three decades in West Michigan. As friends of many organizations and institutions, they continue to exhibit dedication to the welfare of all citizens throughout the community, and serve as a “light to those who follow.”

Mike joined Perrigo Company in 1979 a few years after graduation from the University of Michigan. He was promoted to EVP of Sales and Finance in 1981, appointed President in January 1983, and became CEO in 1986. He was promoted to Chairman of the Board and CEO in November 1991, a position he held until May of 2000. In addition to his service on Perrigo’s Board of Directors, he also serves on the Board of Directors of Business Leaders for Michigan (BLM), the Van Andel Institute, Hopen Life Science Fund, Bridge

OLLI

Fall 2011 Trip to Israel Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) and Aquinas College invite you to join us for an interfaith journey to Israel.

With Rabbi Albert M. Lewis and Father Steve Cron October 15 - 27, 2011

Street Capital, Metabolic Solutions Development Company (MSDC), the University of Michigan Business School Visiting Committee, and Grand Valley University Foundation. Mike also serves/chairs on numerous religious and community boards and committees as well.

Sue, retired teacher and committed volunteer, has given her time and talent for years to help organizations throughout the community. Because her heart and career has been with children, Sue has dedicated much of her time promoting their health, education and well being throughout the Grand Rapids community. Sue is a dedicated supporter of First Steps of Kent County and is on the Board of Directors of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan and, the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation Board.

A Sampling of Spring Courses Amazing American Revolution – Gleaves Whitney Writing Poetry Workshop – Associate Professor Miriam Pederson Experience Germany – Katharina Gross Ph.D., Footsteps: The Stones in Israel – Neal Bierling PGA – Rules of Golf – Golf Pro Mark Wilson

Finding Common Ground Walking on Uncommon Ground Contact Rabbi Lewis at (616) 485-5394 or albertmlewis@att.net for pricing and details.

Reserve your space now!

Baseball – Now and Then – Paul Nelson, Ph.D. Democratic Socialism – Roger Durham, Ph.D. Stratford Shakespeare Review – Professor Gary Eberle The Portrayal of Teachers in Cinema – Andrew Jefchak Tours of UICA & GR Neighborhoods Public Lives and Ideals of Founding Fathers – John Pinheiro Ph.D. Trips to Saugatuck, Hudsonville Ice Cream, and Dexter Antique Show OLLI membership options include course discounts, free classes, social events and invitations to Aquinas College functions. Because the academic year is partially completed, on Feb. 1, Bronze and Silver Memberships were prorated to half-off – $12.50 and $17.50 respectively – and still allow members to access free member classes as specified in OLLI catalogs.

32 OLLI | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu/olli

Great Golf, Great Success: Peter M. Wege ProAm

Advancement

The Fourth Annual Aquinas College Peter M. Wege ProAm will be held June 13, 2011 at Blythefield Country Club in northeast Grand Rapids. The response over the past two years has been tremendous. Having 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 three years, the event has grossed more than $290,000, 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 more information about becoming a sponsor or to reserve an individual golf slot, call Ellen Harburn, coordinator of Special Events and Alumni Relations, (616) 632-2805. aquinas.edu/advancement | Spring 2011 | Advancement 33

Advancement

Reflection Award Honors Joan Secchia

On Sept. 20, nearly 400 friends, relatives and community members gathered to honor Joan Secchia at the 18th annual Reflection Award in the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center at Aquinas College. Rev. Mark Przybysz, master of ceremonies, stated, “tonight, Joan joins a special group of people who have received the Reflection Award,” many of whom were in attendance.

“Honoring Joan Secchia reflects well on Aquinas College.

She has many fine qualities that Aquinas and other colleges want to hold before their students and graduates to emulate,” said Arend Lubbers, past president of Grand Valley State University.

The night kicked off in the Hall of Fame with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres prepared especially for Joan by students at the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education at Grand Rapids Community College. Guests were treated to The Beatles’ greatest hits, a prelude to the theme of the evening, the 1960s when Joan feels she came of age. The theme was carried throughout the event, from the colorful Beatles LP table numbers to the lime, yellow and orange linens and the menu, which was paired with dinner music provided by Aquinas

34 Advancement | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu/advancement

College music students. On the menu were such delights as “My Blue Heaven” salad, “Love Me Tender” filet, “Doin’ the Mashed Potato” twice baked potatoes, “Garden Party” green bean casserole and “Sugar Pie Honey Bunch” apple and blueberry pie.

“Those who give their time and resources to serve their communities contribute to the strengthening of the fabric of society,” stated Ed Balog, Ph.D., Aquinas president. “Joan Secchia has certainly made such a contribution. She has worked with particular dedication to education and children’s issues. But her service has gone beyond West Michigan.

Internationally, Joan worked to establish a Rome branch of the Navy League when her husband, Peter, was appointed Ambassador to Italy in 1989.”

Joan’s time in Rome holds many fond memories for her and the entire Secchia family, which led to the idea of setting aside a portion of money raised that evening for students studying abroad at Thomas More College on the Aquinas College Rome Semester Program. In her acceptance remarks Joan said, “Education is the only way that we as a community and as a country will be able to make a positive difference in the world.”

Thank you to Joan and the Seccia family, to our Sponsors and the Honorary Committee members who helped make the 2010 Reflection Award such a resounding success. Their contributions will help ensure that Aquinas College continues to do its part to educate and make a positive difference in the world.

The Aquinas Fund – Changes Continue As this is being written, the first snowfall of the year is twirling in the air. We held our annual tree lighting ceremony last night, and Christmas is only a short three weeks away.

All of this solidifies that we have the first six months under our belts as the co-directors of the Aquinas Fund. There has not been a dull moment since we assumed the helm and things continue to progress and change. One of the Jannine (McCarthy ’08) Guyeskey biggest of these changes is that we have a new member on our team. Jannine (McCarthy ’08) Guyeskey joined us on Nov. 1 as the Aquinas Fund coordinator. Jannine gained business experience by working as an assistant manager in retail. She brings to the position her knowledge

in management, as well as her familiarity of Aquinas as an alumna. To say the least, we are delighted for her to join our team.

We continue to focus on ways to increase our alumni participation and would like to know what compels you to give….or not to give, if that be the case. The Aquinas College website is getting a facelift, and in anticipation of that, we are working toward revamping the Aquinas Fund site as well. We’re kicking off our Saints4Ever program, hoping to engage our young alumni who have been out of college 10 years or less. Finally, we are halfway through the first year with our new Giving Societies. Please continue to visit us at www.aquinas.edu/advancement/aqfund and on Facebook and Twitter for more details. And, while you’re there, be sure to give us your input!

The new John P. and Stella M. O’Connor Scholarship, named after former College administrator John O’Connor and his wife, Stella, became a reality September 2010, when John O’Connor also was posthumously inducted into the Aquinas College Hall of Fame.

The scholarship was established by Stella O’Connor to honor her husband’s memory and will be awarded to eligible business and accounting students. O’Connor retired from the College in 1988 and died in 1999.

Preceding the September Aquinas Hall of Fame Gala, the O’Connor family gathered to sign the scholarship with President Ed Balog in Holmdene, which served as O’Connor’s workplace for many years.

He first taught as an accounting instructor at Aquinas in 1960, and over the years he served increasingly critical roles in the administration. In 1967, he became a full-time controller and, later, director of Business and Finance. In the mid1980s, he served as vice president of Business and Finance under President Norbert Hruby.

aquinas.edu/advancement | Spring 2011 | Advancement 35

Advancement

New Scholarship Honors John O’Connor

Advancement 36 Advancement | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu/advancement

Corporate Partners In the new year, Aquinas College continues to facilitate successful relationships with its corporate partners. While the Corporate Partners network provides membership funds that are donated entirely to student scholarships, Aquinas provides these friends valuable business building opportunities.

Denise Christy ’82 and Humana, Inc.

Humana, Inc., one of the largest health insurance companies in the country with more than nine million members, generously sponsored the 2010-2011 Corporate Partners networking series’ third corporate executive luncheon on Dec. 16. The company offers a wide variety of health plan options including individual health plans, group plans, Medicare Supplement and dental coverage. Denise Christy, president of the Michigan and Indiana offices of Humana Corporation and 1982 Aquinas College graduate, was the featured speaker of the luncheon and discussed the emerging business imperative for employers to build a culture of health and well being among their employees.

Curt Bechler, Ph.D.

Rockford Construction

Rockford Construction and Aquinas College are good partners because of a shared mission of sustainability and improved education for future generations.

Rockford Construction recently Ken Bailey, Executive Vice completed the Sturrus Sports & President with AQ President Fitness Center renovation for the Ed Balog, Ph.D. student athletes. It is a beautiful facility that truly allows Aquinas to compete at a higher level. Additionally, the company built new student housing on Woodward Lane and renovated the second floor of the Academic Building. All of these projects were built for U.S. Green Building Council LEED certification in keeping with the joint mission. Rockford Construction is proud to have played a part of these recent improvements to the campus and looks to the future for new ways to build sustainably.

Executive Partner Asphalt Paving Inc Comerica Bank Dematic Corp Gill Industries Israels Design Magic Steel Corp NETech Corporation Rehmann Robson Spartan Stores SondTech Inc Van Dyken Mechanical Varnum Wolverine World Wide Partner Berends Hendricks Stuit Bucher Hydraulics Cascade Engineering Chemical Bank Crowe Howath LLP Erhardt Construction GE Avionics Grand Rapids Plastics Kent Manufacturing Martha's Vineyard Leon Plastics Metro Health Hospital Mosaic Wealth Management Louis Padnos Iron & Metal Co Pepsi Bottling Group River City Mechanical Saint Mary's Health Care Service Express Spartan Stores Vi-Chem Corp Weather Shield Roofing Systems

Associate Partner A-1 Tent Rental Angel Care AON Consulting Associated Insurance Arrowaste Auto-Owners Insurance Company Baird Co Bartlett Tree Experts Baker Spindler Holtz Beene Garter LLP Byron Bank Campbell Group Carter Products Control Solutions Cap Trust Financial Advisors Creative Dining Crowne Plaza Hotel Dickinson Wright D.J. Lawn Service D. Schuler’s Wine Eikenhout Inc Founders Trust Bank Forest Hills Foods Grandville Printing Hanover Insurance Henry Fox Sales Highland Chrysler Infotech Imaging Products Inc. Integrated Architecture Kay Pharmacy Kent Beverage Company Lakeshore Energy Marsh / Mercer Pridgeon & Clay Inc Progressive AE Prudential Financial Ritsema Associates Kent Beverage Northfield Lanes Perrigo Corp Prangley & Marks Pridgeon & Clay Prudential Financial Restoration Technology S.A. Morman Inc Shred Docs LLC Superior Asphalt Swaney Sales Transmatic West Side Beer Williams Group Witte Travel Wolverine Coil Wolverine Printing

aquinas.edu/advancement | Spring 2011 | Advancement 37

Advancement

At the fourth corporate executive luncheon, on Jan. 27th managing partner of Venture International LLC and Aquinas Associate Professor of Communication Curt Bechler, Ph.D., discussed “Communication, Change and Innovation.” Bechler has served as a consultant, facilitator and trainer to organizations from Fortune 500 manufacturers, to health and human services, to small nonprofit agencies. He co-authored the book Listen to Win and has written chapters in books such as Crisis Communication and The Business Research Yearbook. In addition, he has published articles in publications including The Journal of Small Group Research, The Communication Annual and the Journal for Communication and Administration.

President’s Circle Amway Bissell Inc Fifth Third Bank Huntington Bank Central Interconnect D&D Printing Co Global Forex Trading GR Dominican Sisters Howard Miller Co Rockford Companies Steelcase Inc

Thomas S. and Mickie Fox Receive Distinguished Philanthropist Award The 24th Annual Celebration of National Philanthropy Day was held on Tuesday, November 9, 2010, and at that time, the Distinguished Philanthropist Award was presented by the Thomas S. and Association of Fundraising MIckie Fox Professionals West Michigan Chapter to Thomas S. and Mickie Fox. The Foxes have been lifelong residents of Grand Rapids and have generously supported Spectrum Health, Metro Health, and Saint Mary’s Health Care as well as the Grand Rapids Community Foundation.

The Distinguished Philanthropist Award is presented to an individual or family with a proven record of exceptional generosity who, through direct financial support, demonstrates outstanding civic and charitable responsibility, and whose generosity encourages others to take philanthropic leadership roles on a community, national, and/or international level.

Burns Family Establishes Scholarship Imagine raising 11 children while running a dairy farm during the Great Depression. Louis and Florence Hogan Burns did just that. And they were a great success. What was their secret? According to one of their sons, Don, the young couple “learned to work hard, to be patient and to be persistent.”

The Burns valued family, faith and education. Louis and Florence were educated by Dominican Sisters and were excellent students.

Florence read every book in the library at St. Mary’s Academy, and Louis was valedictorian of his high school class. Their love of learning was imparted to their large family.

“Aquinas College was, in their minds, a natural step in the process,” said Don. With their parents’ encouragement, support and inspiration, all 11 Burns children attended Aquinas.

As a tribute to their parents, the children established the Louis and Florence Hogan Burns Scholarship at Aquinas. The family gathered in Holmdene last September for an official signing. It was a joyous occasion, one which certainly would have made Louis and Florence very proud.

38 Advancement | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu/advancement

Pictured (l-r): Stephanie Silverberg (granddaughter), Janet Silverberg (daughter), John Turrentine (son-in-law), Thomas Fox Turrentine (grandson), Joan Fox Turrentine (daughter), Thomas Fox, Jr. (son) and Ed Balog. Not pictured Julie Fox (daughter).

Geis Legacy Continues It is believed that Plato once said, “Friends have all things in common.”

Longtime friends C. Arthur Woodhouse, Sr. and Carl Geis definitely had one thing in common: Aquinas College. Years ago, Woodhouse, the first lay member of the College’s board, described his Aquinas connection to Geis, who then learned more about the place and, with his wife, Virginia (Ginny), developed an enduring commitment to Aquinas and its Catholic education.

In 2002, Geis, a retired executive from Foremost Insurance Co., and his wife established the Carl and Virginia Geis Scholarship at Aquinas to encourage undergraduate students to pursue careers in business and health care. The scholarship is a tribute to their commitment to students who reflect qualities of integrity and self-motivation, according to scholarship documents. The couple arranged to fund the scholarship with annual donations during their lifetime and created a bequest to endow the scholarship from their estate. Carl Geis died in 2006, and Ginny died in 2010.

Senior Joe Balog is a recent scholarship recipient. At the latest scholarship reception, he said the award was a “gift of opportunity.”

A Successful Transition and Champion Season

By Lauren Carlson, Student Writer consecutive regular season at the Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC). Women’s Cross Country earned a trip to the National Competition after winning at WHAC and placing 13th in the nation, the highest honor ever earned for AQ sport. Freshman Rachael Steil, in addition, placed sixth individually in the competition.

“We’ve done very well with very little,” said women’s cross country Coach Mike Wojciakowski, noting that before and during the facility change, the athletics department consistently turned limited resources into successful seasons.

As the teams and coaches begin to settle into the sports center, he continued, the student athletes are expected to work harder and perform better with the new convenience.

While the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center will provide equipment and facilities necessary for increased morale, the new building will also aid in recruitment of future students and athletes. Coach Wojciakowski said the “perfect mix” of Aquinas’s academics, athletic programs, scholarships and location creates a positive atmosphere for prospective students. Instead of selling the program, students become excited at myriad possibilities available and have “a passion to be Aquinas students.”

Though some teams are still awaiting completion of the second phase of the center, the new building has provided flexibility, hosting capabilities and extra space for AQ athletics.

The strength of our program has always been our people,” Bocian said, noting that now they have impressive facilities to match the already successful programs on campus. “The fitness center has been very well received.” aquinas.edu/athletics | Spring 2011 | Athletics 39

Athletics

“It’s been an exciting fall…a hectic fall,” said Aquinas College Athletic Director Terry Bocian. With the College’s new addition of the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center at the forefront of the athletic department’s itinerary, many Aquinas sports teams were required to make serious adjustments. The staff, with new office space and a complex schedule of offcampus events, also experienced a short period of upheaval.

However, despite the changes, the AQ teams soldiered through the fall season and earned notable distinctions across the board. In the coming seasons, Bocian looks forward to a successful adaptation to the new sports center as well as continued remarkable performances of the Aquinas student athletes.

“It’s been an unusual start of the season,” Bocian said.

The sports center, which provided a large basketball court and weightlifting facilities, remained unavailable to many of the teams after its first phase of construction. To maintain game and practice schedules of softball and baseball teams after the discontinuation of the adjacent field, Aquinas used off-campus facilities at Catholic Central High School, East Grand Rapids High School and MVP Sports. In addition, the volleyball team played its entire first half of the season on the road.

“We’ve had people driving all over,” Bocian said, adding that he considers the success of the teams, such as the volleyball’s impressive standing as second in the league at the WHAC championship, a direct credit to the dedication of the coaches and students.

The men’s soccer team also demonstrated its tenacity despite the transition. With Jeovani Pantoja, senior and threetime All American, leading the pack, the team won its third

Aquinas Athletic Training Education Program Provides Unlimited Possibilities

By Lauren Carlson, Student Writer As the athletic training faculty prepares for its sixth Although the program is now successful, athletic training accredited year, Program Director JoAnne Gorant reflected experienced humble beginnings and a challenging road to on the department’s five-year journey to completion and obtain student interest and accreditation. More than 15 years recent renewal. She stated, despite popular belief, that this ago, Gorant became the head athletic trainer at Aquinas. At pursuit is closely related to personal training and physical that time, AQ maintained a National Association of Athletic therapy, yet uniquely different from these other professions.

Trainers (NATA) internship program, which required seven Add a complex accreditation process and a small private classes and 1,500 hours of clinical work. With the reform college with a select number of students pursuing the in the athletic training profession, however, the internship field, she explained, and the road to success becomes program required new accreditation to continue to educate exceptionally challenging. However, through the inspiration students in the major. from enthusiastic students and Despite this road block, Deb extensive preparation, Gorant and Springer, then program director, AQ faculty developed an athletic continued to work toward training program of which students accreditation for Aquinas.

“We do much more than just can derive remarkable career Gorant explained that, in order achievement. tape ankles and fill coolers.” to compete with area colleges Gorant explained that, unlike which already maintained the – Senior Joseph Haldy personal trainers who prepare major, Aquinas needed to pursue athletes for strenuous exercise, completion. Over the next few athletic trainers are part of the years and after her addition to the allied health profession and full-time faculty in 2002, Gorant assist in the care and prevention of injuries sustained during continued to enlist students in the newly established program. competition.

Since AQ already included an emphasis in athletic training “As athletic trainers, we are the first ones on the scene,” within the health and physical education major, Springer said senior and athletic training major Catherine Newman. was able to add the classes and staff necessary to complete “With our ability to grow intimate relationships with the the program. After self-study reports, on-site visits from the entire health team and the athletes themselves, we provide Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education the key element to the good communication that leads to Programs (CAAHEP) and months filled with anxiety, the positive outcomes.” major achieved accreditation in 2004.

To gain the experience necessary for this unique athletic Now, after a 10 year renewal of the major and her niche, the major requires a minimum of 800 hours of appointment as program director, Gorant looks forward to clinical work in AQ training facilities, area high schools, and further development and increased enrollment. She and outpatient physical therapy clinics. The program also includes Department Chair Deb Springer will use their experience to a rigorous class schedule that requires a fixed sequence of research and focus on student success. In addition, the new classes that work to “build the knowledge base” of students. facilities provided by the Sturrus Sport & Fitness Center “It’s a challenging process,” said Gorant, of the 60-credit allow athletic training students to practice their craft in the program.“The athletic training program demands a lot of time classrooms and clinic specifically designed for the program. and dedication, but unlike other health or pre-med majors, After 11 years and two accreditation processes, Aquinas it exposes a true depiction on the physical demands of the has solidified athletic training for future generations to take profession,” said Newman. advantage of this viable career option.

The athletic training major also provides a wide range of career opportunities. According to Gorant, athletic trainers can work “anywhere you have physically active people.” These fields include high schools and colleges, professional sports, physical therapy clinics, the military, and–believe it or not– rodeos. Of the graduates from the Aquinas program, all are currently employed or pursuing their masters degrees while working as graduate assistants.

“Because our program is so small, we have more one-on one-time with our professors and more exposure to injured athletes,” said senior Jamie Scholma.

40 Athletics | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu/athletics

Super Saints Katie Vander Meer became the first women’s volleyball player in Aquinas history to be named All-American three times. Vander Meer is also the first Aquinas volleyball player to earn 1st Team AllAmerican status, ranking Katie as one of the top 14 players in the country. Vander Meer propelled the Saints to a 2912 record in 2010, highlighted by a 20 game winning streak.

The Saints record during her three year tenure was 77-31.

Vander Meer was named to the All-WHAC 1st team three times, Setter of the Year twice and was the WHAC Player of the Year this past season.

Vander Meer graduates as the all-time assist leader in Aquinas history with 3,603. Katie also holds the top spot in career attacking percentage (.321) and assists per set (9.36). During the past season, Vander Meer also set the single season record for assists (1379) and attack percentage (.390).

Jeovani Pantoja was also named AllAmerican for the third consecutive year. Pantoja becomes the first men’s soccer player to receive the award during three separate seasons.

The senior forward accounted for 16 goals (eight of the game winning variety) and three

assists during the 2010 season. Pantoja concluded his stellar career posting school records for career points (138), goals (61) and game winning goals (25). During Pantoja’s four seasons, the Saints posted a 56-21-3 record, including three WHAC regular season championships and one WHAC tournament championship. Pantoja was honored as an All-WHAC performer multiple times, including WHAC Offensive Player of the Year during his junior and senior campaigns. During this past season, Pantoja was honored as the NAIA National Player of the Week following a decisive two victory week in which he scored both game winners and netted a total of five goals.

Freshman Rachael Steil also garnered AllAmerican recognition as she led the Saints to a 13th place finish at the NAIA National Championships, the highest ever in the program’s history. Steil’s performance at the National Championships was also the highest individual placing for a Saint as she raced home in 6th place. Steil was also honored as the WHAC Runner of the Year, as she claimed the conference championship at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids. She teamed up with the rest of the Saints to dominate the field to claim their second consecutive WHAC championship. Steil also staked claim to the new school record as she clocked a 17:38 at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge in mid-October.

Athletics

Aquinas Receives Champions of Character Award Recently, Aquinas College received the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ Champions of Character Five Star Institution Award, ranking 12th in the nation out of 308 schools in 2010.

The nonprofit Champions of Character organization has a “mission to change the culture of sport,” according to its documentation. To encourage five core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant

leadership, it has developed a scorecard that measures an institution’s commitment to character.

Institutions that wish to be considered for the award are evaluated in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion. Any college that receives at least 60 points out of a possible 100 points becomes a Five Star Champions of Character Institution. aquinas.edu/athletics | Spring 2011 | Athletics 41

Fall Sports Wrap

The men’s golf team finished the 2010 season by taking sixth place in the WHAC. Freshman Patrick O’Brien was named Honorable Mention All-WHAC for his efforts during the season.

O’Brien carded a 78.8 average and captured two top ten performances in six rounds. Alex Smith led the Saints with a 78.0 average, including meet medalist honors at the fourth WHAC Jamboree. Smith posted a two over par (74) to claim the top spot at the Tecumseh Country Club.

Andrew Kish, Junior

Athletics

Men’s Golf

42 Athletics | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu/athletics

Women’s Cross Country

The women’s cross country team repeated as WHAC Champions for the 2010 season. With their dominate victory at the conference meet contested at Riverside Park, the Saints received an automatic bid to the National Championships in Fort Vancouver, Wash. The Saints were led by WHAC Conference Runner of the Year, Rachael Steil.

The freshman led the Saints in every meet and placed sixth at the National Championships to claim All-American honors. Katy Cramer, Samantha Rinkus and Alina Dhaseleer were rewarded with All-WHAC honors for their performance at the WHAC Championships. The team finished in 13th place at the NAIA National Championships, the highest finish ever at Nationals for the women’s cross country program. The squad ran five of the top ten team times of all-time, including the school record performance from the WHAC Championships (Steil – 18:07, Cramer – 18:31, Rinkus – 18:47, Dhaseleer – 18:50 and Boynton – 19:00).

The women’s program continues to improve and show signs of being a legitimate threat at both the conference and national levels for years to come.

Women’s Golf

The women’s golf team claimed a third-place finish in the WHAC this past fall. The team was once again led by Abigail Hagan, who was named to the All-WHAC first team for the second time in her career. Hagan (83.3 avg.) finished in the top ten in five of her six matches. Kristen Pike (87.6 avg.) and Kristina Raiz (88.2 avg.) were named to the All-WHAC Honorable Mention team for their efforts this past season. Coach Dan Pupel ’58 returns his top five ladies for next season as the Saints look to unseat Madonna and Indiana Tech at the top of the WHAC standings.

Abby Hagan, Sophomore

The men’s cross country team qualified for their 11th straight trip to the NAIA National Championships this fall. The Saints were led by All-WHAC performers Dustin Heiler and Devin Lea, who paced Aquinas to a secondplace finish at the WHAC Championships. The Saints placed 16th at the National Championships, which were contested in Fort Vancouver, Wash., for the second straight year. The Saints posted the fourth fastest team time in school history as they ran very well at the annual NAIA Great Lakes Challenge (Heiler – 24:52, Gravelyn – 25:00, Lea – 25:17, Poirier – 25:41 and Stickney – d an or ni Ju , ey Kolin Stickn 25:49) hosted by Aquinas e or om ph So r, Kevin Maha College at Riverside Park in late October. Overall, it was a disappointing conclusion to the season for the men’s cross country team, who will look to right the ship and get back to basics of what it takes to win championships.

The good news is that the stable is loaded with plenty of talented and determined student-athletes willing and excited to get the job done.

Katy Cramer, Senior

Men’s Cross Country

Men’s Soccer

The men’s soccer team posted a record of 15-5 for the 2010 season and claimed their third straight WHAC regular season title. The Saints fell one game short of advancing to the NAIA National Tournament as Aquinas fell to Davenport 1-0 in the WHAC Tournament Michael Vaughan, Senior Championship game.

Senior forward Jeovani Pantoja received All-American accolades for the third straight year as he accounted for 16 goals (eight of the goals of the game-winning variety) and three assists. Pantoja concludes his stellar career posting school records for career points (138), goals (61) and game-winning goals (25). Pantoja and fellow seniors Michael Vaughan, Chad DuRussel and Ruben Ornelas-Luna have elevated Aquinas soccer to a very respected and competitive squad in the soccer community. Coach Joe Veal will look to the next generation to carry on the tradition and legacy these four leave behind.

In Coach Veal's five seasons, the Saints record stands at 67-27-5.

Women’s Soccer

The women’s soccer team finished the 2010 season with a record of 5-13-2. An uncharacteristic season by the Saints saw them finish a disappointing fifth place in the WHAC. The lack of wins was by no means due to a lack of effort or preparation, but rather of just not getting the breaks needed to string together some victories.

Eight of the 13 losses were by one goal. A bounce here or a controlled ball there, and their record could have been flipped.

The Saints were led by All-WHAC performers Jaime Tomaszewski, Heather Lewis and Rebecca Underwood. Tomaszewski led the team with six goals and seven assists, while Underwood was credited with four goals and three assists. Coach Mark Fales will look to the future and get the Saints back competing for a WHAC title.

Women’s Volleyball

aquinas.edu/athletics | Spring 2011 | Athletics 43

Athletics

Jessica Curtis, Junior and Amy VonKronenberger, Freshman

Over the past four seasons, the Saints have gone from cellar dwellers in the WHAC to one of the most respected and feared programs in the conference.

Aquinas won eight matches in 2007, improved to 22 in 2008, continued to excel in 2009 with 26 wins and finally in 2010, finished the season with an overall record of 29-12. A tough non-conference schedule left the Saints with a 9-11 record 20 matches into the season. The Saints responded and went on a 20-match winning streak that lasted from Oct. 9 to Nov. 13.

Aquinas came within mere points of a trip to the NAIA National Championships as they lost to WHAC Champion Indiana Tech in four sets. The Saints’ ascent to the top of the league is in direct relation to the improvement and leadership of senior co-captains Katie Vander Meer and Mollie Lounds. The two have been the driving force in a resurgence of Aquinas women’s volleyball. Vander Meer graduated as the career assist leader at Aquinas College, while Lounds is the school record-holder for career kills.

Fall Athletic Honors Men’s Golf

• All Conference Honorable Mention: Patrick O’Brien • Academic All Conference: Max Rouse, Andrew Kish • Champion of Character: Michael Wolfe

Women’s Golf

• All Conference 1st Team: Abigail Hagan • Honorable Mention All Conference: Kristin Pike, Kristina Raiz • Academic All Conference: Anne Hertl, Gretchen Gangwier, Taylor Giesen • Champion of Character: Anne Hertl

Men’s Cross Country

• All Conference: Devin Lea, Dustin Heiler • Academic All Conference: Nate Poirier, Dustin Heiler, Devin Lea, Nick Thelen, Eddie Seymour, Andrew Libs • Champion of Character: Devin Lea • Academic All American: Nate Poirier, Devin Lea, Nick Thelen, Eddie Seymour, Andrew Libs

Athletics

Women’s Cross Country

• All Conference: Rachael Steil, Katy Cramer, Samantha Rinkus and Alina Dhaseleer • Academic All Conference: Audrey Shireman, Rachel Luehm, Samantha Rinkus, Alina Dhaseleer • Champion of Character: Rachel Luehm • Coach of the Year: Mike Wojciakowski • All American: Rachel Steil • Academic All American: Samantha Rinkus, Audrey Shireman, Alina Dhaseleer

Men’s Soccer

• All Conference 1st Team: Jeovani Pantoja, Michael Vaughan, Chad DeRussell • All Conference 2nd Team: Ruben Ornelas-Luna, Jesse Guevara-Lehker • All Conference 3rd Team: Sven Welz • Academic All Conference: Joey VanGessel, Chad DeRussell, Ruben Ornelas-Luna, Michael Vaughan • Champion of Character: Chad DeRussell • All American: Jeovani Pantoja

44 Athletics | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu/athletics

Women’s Soccer

• All Conference 1st Team: Jaime Tomaszewski • All Conference 2nd Team: Heather Lewis • All Conference 3rd Team: Rebecca Underwood • Academic All Conference: Teresa Buiocchi, Matthea Brandenburg, Kelsey Duley, Mary Lothschutz, Rande Siroky, Monica Rischiotto and Michelle Miedema • Champion of Character: Mary Lothschutz • Academic All American: Teresa Buiocchi, Kelsey Duley, Mary Lothschutz, Matthea Brandenburg

Women’s Volleyball

• All Conference 1st Team: Katie Vander Meer, Mollie Lounds, Sarah LeClair, Chelsea Phillips • All Conference Honorable Mention: Jessica Curtis • All Conference Freshman Team: Kelly Flietstra • Conference Player of the Year: Katie Vander Meer • Academic All Conference: Mollie Lounds, Chelsea Phillips, Sarah LeClair • Champion of Character: Katie Vander Meer • All American 1st Team: Katie Vander Meer

Fall 2010 Aquinas NAIA All-Americans Athletic All-American

Jeovani Pantoja – Men’s Soccer Rachael Steil – Women’s Cross Country Katie Vander Meer – Women’s Volleyball

Academic All-American

Matthea Brandenburg – Women’s Soccer Teresa Buiocchi – Women’s Soccer Kelsey Duley – Women’s Soccer Mary Lothschutz – Women’s Soccer Devin Lea – Men’s Cross Country Nate Poirier – Men’s Cross Country Nick Thelen – Men’s Cross Country Eddie Seymour – Men’s Cross Country Andrew Libs – Men’s Cross Country Alina Dhaseleer – Women’s Cross Country Audrey Shireman – Women’s Cross Country Samantha Rinkus – Women’s Cross Country

Births ’02

’03

Nicholas and Rebecca Patin a daughter, Brooklyn Jo Patin; Brooklyn joined big sister Taylor on September 22, 2010

’03

’07

Mandy (Schneider) and Mark Pittman ’02 a son, Simon Thomas Pittman; Simon joined siblings Bethany Rose, 3 years old, and Jonah Robert, 18 months, on May 22, 2010

Sarah (Koster) and Ryan Schmidt ’03 a daughter, Audrey Jane, on July 15, 2010

Christine (Avery) and Alex Lentine ’04, a son Dominic John Lentine on December 9, 2010

Alumni Deaths ’40

Jack L. Monk, Grand Rapids, Michigan, June 29, 2010

’50

Robert C. Witham, husband of Audrey (O’Brien ’48) Witham; father of Barbara Witham McCargar ’77 and Robert Witham ’77, Grand Rapids, Michigan, July 10, 2010

’51

John Edward Brockschmidt, East China Twp., Michigan, July 12, 2010

’52

Shirley Garlington (Waters), Grand Rapids, Michigan, September 30, 2010

’58

John Joseph Beckwith, Amherst, Ohio, January 22, 2010

’58

Janet Lou Kosty (Heath), Wauconda, Illinois, September 29, 2010

’60

Stanley D. “Donny” Ogrodzinski, husband of Elaine (Neussendorfer ’61) Ogrodzinski, Grand Rapids, Michigan, November 20, 2010

’62

Jerrold “Jerry” Russell Richmond, brother of Robert Richmond ’69; father of Alicia (Richmond ’97) Parker and Andrea (Richmond ’98) Wirgau. Jerrold was preceded in death by his mother Irma Richmond ’64 and his brother David Richmond ’82, Lowell, Michigan, August 12, 2010

’63

William T. Withey, dear friend of Chuck ’63 and Mary (Kaminski ’63) Frydrych, Caledonia, Michigan, August 9, 2010

’64

Mary Elizabeth Rieder, Ph.D., Eyota, Minnesota, July 20, 2010

’70

Thomas John Oleniczak, Grand Rapids, Michigan, July 9, 2010

Phyllis Ann Rosenbach (Malewitz), mother of Anne (Rosenbach ’70) Wiltrakis and Thomas Rosenbach ’79, Grand Rapids, Michigan, June 27, 2010

’71

Joseph John Holtmeyer, Fenton, Michigan, October 25, 2010

’41 ’44

John Hormuth, Venice, Florida, July 17, 2010

’72

Claire Ruth Hart, MM, Jackson, Michigan, August 24, 2010

’72

Ann Henneberry, sister of Paul Henneberry ’70; dear friend of Mary (Tyjchyj ’72) Olivarez, Mount Prospect, Ilinois, July 26, 2010

’72

Paul Michael “Mike” Wanroy, brother of David Wanroy ’77; brother-in-law of Marcia (Morrison ’90) Wanroy, Grand Rapids, Michigan, August 18, 2010

’73

Alan G. Williams, Middleville, Michigan, December 3, 2010

’76

Richard Allen Napieralski, Orlando, Florida, July 27, 2010

’77

Sister Ann Kostrzewa, O.P., Grand Rapids, Michigan, July 12, 2010

’50 ’50

Helen Gage (Collins), aunt of Mary Mitchell ’77, John ’76 (Lisa Markucki ’78) Mitchell, James Mitchell ’79 and Margaret (Salik ’81) Mitchell; Helen was preceded in death by her sister Mary Jean (Collins ’46) Mitchell; Grand Rapids, Michigan, October, 18, 2010 Norma Jean Kuzma (Keena), Grand Rapids, Michigan, November 12, 2010 Geraldine A. Tyczynski (Zerfas), mother of Ronald Tyczynski ’77 and Richard Tyczynski ’81, Comstock Park, Michigan, September 4, 2010

aquinas.edu | Spring 2011 | Class Notes 45

Class Notes

’40

’80

Regina “Gina” Sue Wise, Bay City, Michigan, November 26, 2010

Lorraine Irene Gumowski, mother of Maryann (Gumowski ’82) Arrieri, August 1, 2010

’87

Dennis J. Dykstra, Byron Center, Michigan, September 20, 2010

Annette Jandernoa Guild, mother of Mary Grace Guild ’10, July 30, 2010

’91

Donna Callahan, Rockford, Michigan, August 26, 2010

Donna M. Hill, mother of Dan I. Hill ’76, Gordon A. Hill ’81 and Lee A. Hill ’84, August 7, 2010

’03

Karen Lewis, MM, dear friend of Phyllis Czymbor Cardenas ’78, Ionia, Michigan, August 8, 2010

Howard Horton, husband of Rosemary (Delaney ’58) Horton; father of Mary Horton Farrell ’84; father-in-law of Daniel Farrell ’83, May 2010

Deaths of Friends and Family Dr. Ralph Belknap Baldwin, benefactor of Aquinas College for whom the Baldwin Astronomy Conservatory atop Albertus Hall was named, October 23, 2010 Kathryn “Kay” Veneklasen Wakefield Bovard, friend and benefactor of Aquinas College, November 15, 2010 John Dennis Bunbury, former trustee and benefactor, December 2, 2010

Norman F. Kowalsyk, father of Connie Kowalsyk ’99, July 2, 2010 Kenneth Lloyd Kregel, father of Heather (Kregel ’04) Holford, August 30, 2010

Rosalie Butler, grandmother of current student Jessica Butler

Henry B. Lewis, father of former employee Rabbi Albert M. Lewis; father-in-law of retired faculty member Dr. Shirley K. Lewis, July 23, 2010

Peter C. Cook, benefactor of Aquinas College, November 28, 2010

William Henry “Bill” Martindill, benefactor of Aquinas College, November 25, 2010

Peter C. Dendrinos, former trustee and benefactor, July 24, 2010

Marcia McGinn, aunt of current employee Judi Serba, October 2010

Egbert “Ed” Dodde, father-in-law of Luci Dodde ’81; grandfather of Robert Dodde ’99, August 17, 2010

Virginia McLinden, mother of Patricia (McLinden ’72) Trapani, January 7, 2010

Thomas Matthew Ebejer, Sr., father of Continuing Education student Dorothy Rabourn; father-in-law of CE student Brian Rabourn; grandfather of Candace Rabourn ’10 and current student Ted Rabourn, June 27, 2010

Joseph G. Patin, brother-in-law of Mary Lynn (Robach ’59) Patin; uncle of Karen Patin ’85; grandfather of Amy Patin ’95, Jeff ’97 and Cindy (Wilcome ’95) Patin, Ted Patin ’00 and Nick Patin ’03, August 30, 2010

Kenneth David Ellis, benefactor of Aquinas College, November 26, 2010

Harold Darnton Reed, father of Greg Reed ’82, November 27, 2010

Joey “Joe” Enders, former employee, October 11, 2010

Walter Schousen, father of Steve Schousen of the Art Department; grandfather of current student Matthew Schousen, July 23, 2010

Genevieve Mona Engemann, mother of James Engemann ’80; grandmother of Ryan Engemann ’08, June 29, 2010 Donald D. Fink, Ed.D., past director of the Emeritus Center, currently the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Aquinas, November 30, 2010 Matt Fiorito, father of Dania Fiorito ’01, November 12, 2010

Class Notes

Mary Eileen Knape, mother of Mary Emma ’09 (John ’09) LaCross, December 6, 2010

Virginia “Ginny” Elizabeth Geis, friend and benefactor of Aquinas College, August 29, 2010 Irving F. Gillespie, father of Michael Gillespie ’72, June 21, 2010

46 Class Notes | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu

Thomas J. Sniegowski, father of Martha (Sniegowski ’77) Hamilton Mary Catherine Tjapkes, sister of Peter Sturrus ’77 Raymond Wilcome, father of Cindy (Jeff ’97) Patin ’95, July 27, 2010

Class Notes

1988

1975

Barb ’75 and Pete ’88 Weatherhead released a live album on July 31. The new album, Live at One Trick Pony is a blend of Americana, country, folk and rock.

1979

Larry Wilson is the Religious Emblem chairman for the Grand Rapids Catholic Committee on Scouting and oversees the development of religious training for Scouts working on their Catholic religious awards. Wilson was awarded the St. George Medal from the Diocese of Grand Rapids for his service to the Catholic Boy Scouts. The award was approved by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting for Wilson’s work in promoting the Catholic faith with the Boy Scouts from the Diocese.

1983

Timothy J. Ryan has been hired by Kotz, Sangster, Wysocki and Berg, P.C., a Detroit-based law firm, to manage their Grand Rapids location.

Ryan manages the office and chairs the firm’s Employment/Labor Practice group.

1985

FBI Special Agent Jane (Romanick) Pearson of Cleveland, Ohio, daughter of Conrad and Tina Romanick of Midland, Michigan was recently honored at the National Convention of the Society of Former Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in San Antonio, Texas. Agent Pearson received the William H. Webster Award for humanitarian services.

Pearson was recognized for involvement as a hospice volunteer for the Cleveland Clinic Hospice. Pearson has been active in the hospice program as a respite care volunteer since 2002. The award is presented annually to recognize and honor an active duty Special Agent of the FBI for exemplary public or humanitarian service outside their official employment.

William Edwards II, U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Ohio; FBI Director Robert Mueller; Jane Pearson; Supervisory Special Agent Daniel Leeper

In 2003 Matt Eichhorn co-founded the non-profit organization Epilepsy Council of West Michigan. The council is based in Grand Rapids, Mich. and assists those with epilepsy by helping them and those important to them to better understand this medical condition and how to improve quality of life. For more information, visit epilepsycouncil.org or call (616) 942-1010.

1996

Jason Kadzban was selected as the Directors Leadership Program resident at the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Office of Information Technology in Washington, D.C. For the next year, he will assist in the development and deployment of a national Internet Protocol Telephone (IPT) service to the courts, working with technical and executive– level representatives of the court community, the Information Technology Advisory Council and industry. The result of this project will be a nationally funded IPT deployment that promotes flexibility, incorporates new technologies and meets communications requirements of individual U.S. courts.

1997

Nathan Goetting has been named the first director of Adrian College’s George Romney Institute for Law and Public Policy.

The institute’s purpose is to enhance pre-law and graduate opportunities for students by bringing speakers to campus and promoting interdisciplinary exploration of law and public policy, among other things.

1998

Andrea (Richmond) Wirgau was named coordinator of the Doctorate in Community College Leadership program at Ferris State University’s College of Professional and Technological Studies. Andrea began her new job on June 14, 2010.

Send us your pictures!

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.

Class Notes

Special Agent Jane Pearson and Judge William Webster

aquinas.edu | Spring 2011 | Class Notes 47

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

Are you in?

2011

AQU I NA S

C

O

L

L

E

G

E

PETER M. WEGE 2011 Aquinas College Peter M. Wege ProAm JUNE 13, 2011 • Blythefield Country Club Find out more inside or visit aquinas.edu/advancement/events