AMU Magazine Winter 2021

FALL 2021 VOLUME 11, ISSUE 2

INTERIM PRESIDENT Roger Nutt, S.T.D. MANAGING EDITOR Kevin Murphy CREATIVE DIRECTOR Bryant Morin CONTRIBUTORS Nicole Crawford, ‘07 Michael Dauphinais, Ph.D. Grace De Salvo, '14 Tim Dockery Kathryn Eads, '17 Geoff Hastings Analiese Hratko, '23 James Patterson, Ph.D. Joe Patterson Paula Shute, '16 John Spadaccini PHOTOGRAPHY Katherine Ekblad, '21 Mariano Lacayo, '24 Anna Mahoney, '22 Shelby Mayer, '20 Bryant Morin Ave Maria University Magazine is published by Ave Maria University, Ave Maria, Florida for alumni, parents and friends. Third class postage paid at Ave Maria, Florida. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Office of Advancement, Ave Maria University, 5050 Ave Maria Blvd., Ave Maria, FL, 34142. Ave Maria University is a Catholic, liberal arts institution of higher learning devoted to Mary the Mother of God. As such, we model Mary in her Annunciation, seeking first to be filled with God’s grace, then discerning or inquiring about our own vocational call, accepting that call (Fiat), and going forth to live our lives in joyful collaboration.

CONTENTS 02 President’s Letter 06 AMU News

34 Athletics 38 Class Notes

FEATURES 10 FORMING CATHOLIC LEADERS THROUGH SCRIPTURE In his new book, Wisdom of the Word, Biblical Answers to 10 Pressing Questions about Catholicism, Dr. Dauphinais proposes an ever-present, yet often overlooked source for straightening out the confusion some might have with their Catholic faith.

In addition, this book can serve as an antidote to the rising tide of “nones” - atheists, agnostics, and religiously unaffiliated.

16 THE TIME TO FUND NEW UNIVERSITIES IS NOW Faithful Catholic universities are essential to the growth and development of a Christian culture, yet many present themselves as Catholic while behaving in a manner contrary to the faith. Rather than withhold your support, Dr. James Patterson argues the time to give is now.

18 ENCOUNTERING GOD IN THE LAB AMU’s Chemistry and Physics Departments are not only conducting rigorous research at the undergraduate level, something quite rare, but they are matching that rigor with the infusion of faith producing well-formed Catholic scientists capable of transforming the STEM fields.

22 TEACHING THE TEACHERS What Father Matthew Lamb envisioned when he founded the Patrick F. Taylor graduate programs in theology, has now become a reality. See how our graduates are “teaching the teachers” at colleges, seminaries, and diocesan institutes around the world.

Since AMU’s inception, 37 alumni men have gone on to become priests. Read how the campus is a fertile ground for men discerning the priesthood.

28 THE IMPACT OF A PRO-LIFE WARRIOR The impact of Jon Scharfenberger’s life still reverberates on the AMU campus. It serves as a constant reminder to do more, to be more, and to strive for sainthood.

30 LAUNCHING CATHOLIC LEADERS Every human life is called to some task by God. Our Career Services is devoted to helping students discover that call from the moment they step foot on campus until long after they are gone.

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26 HOLY PRIESTS, HOLY PEOPLE

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L to R: Timothy, Susan, Roger

LETTER FROM

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INTERIM PRESIDENT ROGER NUTT, S.T.D.

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I

t is a special time to serve at Ave Maria University. I am Dr. Roger Nutt, interim president and provost at AMU. Although I have been here for over 15 years serving in various capacities (even becoming interim president previously), I feel the need to reintroduce myself and share a bit about my unconventional path into the Catholic Church, because it is through this path I find myself serving at Our Lady’s University.

As a young man, I grew up in a polar opposite climate from Ave Maria, Florida – Minnesota! The temperature in Minnesota rarely gets above 90° in the summer, and in the winter, rarely gets above freezing! However, I enjoyed my years in Minnesota and remain a hopeless Vikings fan.

I was born into a military family, the older of two children. Growing up, I greatly admired my soldierfather. In fact, while still in high school, I decided to follow in his boot steps and enlist in an Army program allowing me to attend basic training between my junior and senior years. I viewed the military as a way to pursue a career without having to attend additional schooling. To put it mildly, I didn’t love school. So, while the discipline of military life was part of my original attraction, evading additional schooling was even more compelling. This shows God’s sense of humor because while I spent eight years in the Army Reserves, I spent over a decade in post-secondary studies!

It was in pursuit of my undergraduate degree at St. Cloud State University when the trajectory of my life changed. I was raised Baptist, and in my freshmen classes encountered professors critical of Christianity.

This set me back, and I was unable to respond to their criticism and objections. I sought help from another professor on campus, Dr. Russell Arndts.

Arndts was a Chemistry professor and a great man.

He showed interest in me and cared enough to ask about my background. We discovered we were both Baptist and so I turned to him for advice. Arndts suggested I go to the library and look up a certain

question in Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae.

I remember responding, “You mean the Catholic St. Thomas?” Arndts smiled and said, “I know, but trust me. For these types of things, I think you will find the answer you are looking for.” I went to the library and found the volume from the Summa and began reading.

For me, this was an Emmaus Road moment.

I had never seen the Christian faith presented so beautifully, profoundly, and prayerfully, as what I was reading in the work of the “Catholic St. Thomas.”

That moment shook my anti-Catholic caricature of Catholicism to the core. I told Dr. Arndts of my newfound enthusiasm for Aquinas and he introduced me to one of his few Christian friends on the faculty, Dr. Anthony Buhl — a Catholic.

Dr. Buhl was a passionate teacher and lover of all things Catholic. He became a mentor and was my Confirmation sponsor as I entered the Catholic Church my senior year. My journey is an amazing testimony to the power of the Catholic faith and God’s love for us.

God actually led me to His Church by way of a Baptist professor at a highly secular state university.

My conversion immersed me into the delights of Catholic theology. My next step was to enroll in the Master of Arts in Theology and Christian Ministry program at Franciscan University where I also met my wife, Susan—in a theology class! Upon completing my master’s degree, and somehow convincing Susan to marry me, we moved to Rome, Italy, so I could continue my studies in pursuit of a doctorate from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum). We were in Rome during the height of St. John Paul II’s pontificate. I was blessed to study there, especially being mentored in the theology of Thomas Aquinas by the great Dominican theologian, Charles Morerod, who is now bishop of the southwest region of Switzerland.

In 2006, I joined the faculty at AMU and spent my first 10 years teaching theology in the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs. I joined the administration in 2017 as vice president for academic affairs and became provost in 2020. These experiences have fostered within me a great love for my colleagues, our wonderful students, and our inspiring mission.

Enough about me!

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RECORD ENROLLMENT AND FUNDRAISING The fall 2021 semester at AMU has been one of dizzying momentum. Nothing better attests to the reputation for academic excellence at a faithful Catholic university than the increasing demand for an AMU education. This past year, we admitted our largest-ever freshman class and, when added to the best retention rate in years, we have over 1,300 students enrolled.

For perspective, this is an increase of more than 150 students—in a single year!

In addition to our record enrollment, in September, the University received notice that it was the beneficiary of an estate gift from a couple who died within weeks of one another shortly after celebrating their 55th wedding anniversary. The couple were faithful Catholics but had no children.

He was a retired Florida Power & Light lineman and had been on the crew that ran the original power lines to Ave Maria. Deeply impressed by Tom Monaghan’s generosity in founding AMU, they made Ave Maria University a beneficiary of their modest estate. But, the story gets even better.

In 2016, the couple won the Florida lottery! Shortly thereafter, they made AMU the sole beneficiary of their estate, estimated to be in excess of $7,000,000.

Outside of Mr. Monaghan’s heroic philanthropy, this will be the largest gift in AMU’s history. Please join me in praying for the repose of this generous couple, Mr. and Mrs. Collins.

THE FULL TRUTH The foundation at the base of all these great things is THE TRUTH. It is the full truth of the Catholic faith that

makes AMU a unique university and community. Our students are not forced to choose between the pursuit of academic and professional excellence and the deepening of their faith. Instead, we offer an education that is an expression of what St. John Paul II outlined in his great apostolic constitution on Catholic Universities, Ex Corde Ecclesiae, where he challenged students to: …pursue an education that combines excellence in humanistic and cultural development with specialized professional training … This enables them (students) to acquire or, if they have already done so, to deepen a Christian way of life that is authentic. They should realize the responsibility of their professional life, the enthusiasm of being the trained ‘leaders’ of tomorrow, of being witnesses to Christ in whatever place they may exercise their profession. (#23) This is the goal at AMU. To form “trained leaders of tomorrow” who are not just professionally astute, but authentic “witnesses to Christ in whatever place they may exercise their profession.”

May Ave Maria University continue to thrive under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Roger Nutt, S.T.D. Interim President Provost

AMU

NEWS GENEROUS DONATION FUELS GROWTH OF BEACH VOLLEYBALL PROGRAM The Ave Maria University Beach Volleyball program, fresh off a ranking of fifth in the nation among National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) schools after its spring 2021 performance, was the beneficiary of a generous donation funding construction of a new, fivecourt, sand volleyball complex.

“The volleyball courts equip AMU with the best beach volleyball facilities in our conference,” said Director of Athletics Joe Patterson. “The courts will give us the ability to host collegiate tournaments and execute truly efficient practices.”

The volleyball courts are located on campus just north of the tennis courts and approximately 100 feet from the soon-to-be-renovated Golisano Field House. The courts are also equipped with two beach showers.

When not in use by the varsity program, AMU students are able to use the facility for intramural and pick-up competitions.

Before

After

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OPERATION GABRIEL BUILDS ON SUCCESS OF OPERATION 500

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Last year, an anonymous donor offered Ave Maria University a challenge gift of up to $1,000,000 to find donors who would help fund up to 100 new $20,000 scholarships over 4 years to pursue the largest freshman class in AMU’s history. We called this effort Operation 500. Friends and benefactors responded with an outpouring of generosity enabling AMU to fund all 100 scholarships.

Motivated by the success from last year, the anonymous donor has issued a second $1,000,000 challenge for the incoming freshman class of fall 2022. AMU once again looks to our friends and benefactors to help us meet this challenge by raising 100 new $20,000 scholarships ($5,000 annually for four years).

Donors interested in helping commit to an annual gift of $2,500 for 4 years for a total gift of $10,000. Their gift is then matched by the anonymous donor to fund a $20,000 total scholarship. Donors can add their name to the scholarship and can list a geographic preference if desired. Recipients must be an incoming freshmen in fall 2022, be a practicing Catholic with a letter from their parish designating your engagement, and have a minimum ACT of 23.

For more information on how you can support Operation Gabriel contact AMU’s Vice President for Advancement, Tim Dockery at tim.dockery@avemaria.edu or by calling (239) 280-1695.

AMU

NEWS

AVE MARIA UNIVERSITY RECEIVES $7,000,000 ESTATE GIFT

FIRST STEM STUDENT RESEARCH SHOWCASE “AMU students across all the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines of Biochemistry, Biology, Mathematics, and Physics participated in the first STEM Student Research Showcase on Oct 13. Students presented posters in the research areas of Particle Physics, Molecular Dynamics, Environmental Science, Materials and Medicinal Chemistry. They participated in a wide range of research areas including potential therapeutic agents for Alzheimer’s disease, mathematical methods to treat subatomic particles, novel materials for biofuel conversion, study of malaria proteins, and sustainable farming. AMU is an emerging center of undergraduate research with 23 undergraduate students currently conducting graduate-level research so far this year. Our students have co-authored 11 peer-reviewed scientific publications in the past year including, appearing in journals of the American Chemical Society.”

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Ave Maria University is the beneficiary of a $7,000,000 bequest from the estate of George and Ginger Collins, a Florida couple who died within weeks of one another shortly after celebrating their 55th wedding anniversary.

George and Ginger were deeply faithful Catholics who did not have children. George was retired from a career as a lineman for Florida Power & Light and had been a foreman on the crew that ran the original power lines to Ave Maria. Deeply impressed by Tom Monaghan’s generosity in founding AMU, they made the University a 75% beneficiary of their modest estate. In 2016, they won the Florida lottery. They credited Divine Providence for their windfall and elevated AMU to be a 100% beneficiary of their estate. Outside of Mr. Monaghan’s philanthropy, this is the largest single gift in AMU’s history. The gift is restricted for students considering a vocation to the priesthood or consecrated life as a religious sister or brother. “This is an incredible gift, made all the more remarkable when you consider the Collins’ were not alumni nor parents of alumni. Like so many AMU benefactors, they were inspired by Tom Monaghan’s vision for a faithful Catholic university and responded with a generosity even they couldn’t imagine when they first decided to support AMU,” said Dr. Roger Nutt, interim President and Provost.

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AMU

NEWS

NEW WRITING MINOR

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10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF SHAKESPEARE IN PERFORMANCE

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Founded in 2012, and directed by Professor Travis Curtright, Shakespeare in Performance has become a center of excellence at Ave Maria University. Under Curtright’s leadership, young people learn about the human condition through imaginative engagement with Shakespeare’s characters. By acting roles and producing plays, the study of Shakespeare becomes instruction in literae humaniores--the literature that makes one more fully human.

To celebrate the last 10 years, 15 shows, and our alumni who have enjoyed watching or acting in previous productions, Shakespeare in Performance will return to its first play, As You Like It. The Alumni Reunion Showing will be on March 26, 2022, at 1:00 PM. A reception will follow.

All alumni are invited.

The production run of As You Like It for all audiences will begin on Wednesday, March 30, and go through to Sunday’s matinee on April 3, 2022.

To learn more, visit www.shakespeareinperformance.net.

For ticketing information, contact Rosemarie Altomare at Rosemarie.Altomare@avemaria.edu.

The Department of Communications and Literature at Ave Maria University is excited to formally announce a Writing minor. Students can officially declare the minor in fall 2022.

Over the years, AMU students have often inquired about advanced writing courses after completing their introductory writing course, Composition 101. To meet this student demand, the Writing minor offers recurring courses in Journalism, Creative Writing, and Theory, so students can earn a formal minor in advanced writing instruction. By participating in the minor, students gain technical proficiency in narrative and poetic writing, understand the Church’s teachings on writing for media and journalism, and demonstrate proficiency in classical rhetoric and poetics in support of contemporary argument and storytelling. The Writing minor coincides with the launching of an official AMU Journal by the Department.

The journal will provide hands-on experience for interested students of the Writing minor and provide an outwardfacing forum for students to showcase polished work.

The Writing minor will require at least one rhetorical theory or literary theory course, and four approved advanced writing courses.

For more information, contact Department Chair, Dr. John Jasso (john.jasso@avemaria.edu) or Writing Program Director, Dr. Gavin Hurley (gavin.hurley@avemaria.edu). If you would like more information on the journal, contact Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Kirsten Hall (kirsten.Hall@avemaria.edu).

BUILDING UPDATES NEW GOLISANO FIELDHOUSE The new Golisano Fieldhouse is on track for completion in spring 2023. Work on the site will begin with demolition of the old building down to the concrete slab and structural steel.

When completed, the new facility will include two full gym spaces, one for competition and one for practice, including eight transverse court options for training. A rigid, folding curtain with sound cancellation lining will separate the competition from the practice court, but still allow opening up both spaces into one large interior area spacious enough for whole campus events.

JUDI’S GYM This outdoor, covered recreational pavilion is expected to be completed in spring or early summer of 2022. The University purchased the steel structure in advance of price increases so product is being delivered before actual construction starts, with the first shipment arriving on November 18, 2021. Phase one will include three basketball courts which will also be lined for volleyball and pickleball, as well as, a paved parking lot with nearly 100 spaces.

QUONSET LOCKER FACILITY Architect Victor Latavish is hard at work on construction drawings and permitting for the new Quonset locker facility located adjacent to Gyrene field. When completed, these structures will be a unique and defining characteristic. Lockers, bathrooms, and showers so close to the field will be a welcome upgrade!

Forming Catholic leaders

THROUGH SCRIPTURE

UNDERSTANDING GOD’S STORY IN THE BIBLE

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ve Maria University helps form Catholic leaders of tomorrow by introducing students to the greatest story ever told—and helping them share that story with others. Through Sacred Scripture (and Tradition), God tells us our true story. We are children of God who have had our identity stolen. Even worse, we have sold our identity—as did Esau, who sold his birthright to his brother Jacob for a bowl of porridge! As did the prodigal son, we have rejected our heavenly Father and spent our inheritance on our passions for pleasure and in trying to manage our fears and angers on our own.

Through the Bible, we discover our true story has four important steps, like a play with four acts:

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1. God created us to be in relationship with him.

2. In sinning, we have broken that relationship, been cut off from our homeland, unable to return to the satisfaction of our deepest desires.

3. Beginning with Israel in the Old Testament, God reveals his plan of mercy to reunite us to him in Jesus Christ, the universal way back to God. 4. In Jesus, God’s story meets our story. We are invited to believe Jesus is Lord, to be baptized into him, to follow his teachings, and to receive Him in Holy Communion.

LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE It’s helpful to remember “Word” is translated from “Logos” in Greek. Logos not only means word, but also speech, language, reason, meaning, or even story. When we call the Bible the Word of God, we might also call it the story or language of God. Now languages are not only spoken, but must be heard and understood before there is genuine communication.

Learning a language requires we learn a certain vocabulary, some basic grammar, stock phrases, and also that we learn about the culture in which the language is spoken, perhaps key historical events, famous persons, songs, and writings. All of this is true of the Bible. The Bible will not be meaningful in our lives until we learn its basic vocabulary and grammar, its central historical events, its famous persons, songs, and writings. When we learn about these, we are more able to hear and understand the truths of the Bible.

“…A CENTRAL WAY TO DISCOVER

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THIS IS THROUGH THE BIBLE, AS CANONIZED IN THE CHURCH, PROCLAIMED IN THE LITURGY, PROFESSED IN THE CREEDS, AND EMBODIED IN THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS.

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THE WISDOM OF THE WORD In our newly co-authored book, The Wisdom of the Word: Biblical Answers to Ten Pressing Questions about Catholicism, Matthew Levering and I respond to the current crisis in the Church by showing how the Bible offers intelligible answers and hopeful truths, providing meaning and purpose in our lives. By learning to understand God’s story for our lives, we too might learn from Christ, “the leader of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2) and so learn to lead others.

In this book, we propose that the Catholic faith has a strong basis for its claims—and that a central way to discover this is through the Bible, as canonized in the Church, proclaimed in the liturgy, professed in the Creeds, and embodied in the lives of the saints. We invite Catholics who are confused about elements of Catholic faith and practice to pause and give the Bible a chance to illuminate the most challenging questions the Church faces today.

In addition to the evils of sexual abuse scandals, we see other signs the Church is suffering from malaise and

confusion. Bishop Robert Barron (the book’s publisher) has succinctly named the problem: “Young people are quitting the Church because they don’t believe in the teachings of classical Christianity.” Barron is especially attentive to the phenomenon of “nones”—people with no religious affiliation. He states that today “fully forty percent of those classed as millennials (born 1981 to 1996) are ‘nones,’ and among Catholics in that age group, fully fifty percent have left the Church. This means every other Catholic child baptized or confirmed these last thirty years now no longer participates in the life of the Church.” This is a heart-wrenching statistic, one that has impacted all of our lives.

Once people no longer believe that the Catholic faith communicates the Word of God who has come to save us from sin and death and to establish everlasting intimacy with God, then Catholicism is no longer of real interest.

This is the core of the crisis of faith we face today. Put simply, such faith becomes salt that has “lost its taste” and “is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled underfoot” (Matt. 5:13).

TURN MORE DEEPLY TO SCRIPTURE In response to this problem of faith, recent popes consistently urge the whole Church to turn more deeply to Scripture. According to Pope St. John Paul II, the Bible teaches us saving truth by offering “a vision of the human being and the world which has exceptional philosophical density.” Pope Benedict XVI expresses his own confidence in Scripture: “The Church lives in the certainty that her Lord, who spoke in the past, continues today to communicate his word in her living Tradition and in Sacred Scripture.” He eloquently summarizes the stance of the Church toward the Bible: “I trust the Gospels.”

Pope Francis reminds us to let God speak to us in the Bible: “The prayerful reading of God’s Word, which is ‘sweeter than honey’ (Ps. 119:103) yet a ‘two-edged sword’ (Heb. 4:12), enables us to pause and listen to the voice of the Master. It becomes a lamp for our steps and a light for our path (cf. Ps. 119:105).”

Under the guidance of the tradition and teaching of the Church, the Bible is a source of truth for our lives. When we read and listen to the Bible, we hear the voice of Jesus Christ leading us on our own life’s journey.

Such a biblically-focused approach to Catholicism may appear questionable to some readers who imagine that they already know what the Bible teaches or, alternatively,

suppose the Bible is too confusing and thus only known by experts. Moreover, isn’t Catholicism the religion, not of a book, but of a living person, Jesus Christ? This is so, but a central way Jesus invites us to meet him is through the words of Sacred Scripture, which reveal the meaning of our existence. God, our Creator, loves us and comes to meet us in Jesus Christ, so as to lift us into his everlasting light and life in the Holy Spirit.

As Catholic theologian Leonardo DeLorenzo aptly expresses the matter: the Bible draws us out of ourselves and teaches us “how to know Jesus on God’s terms.”

The Second Vatican Council emphasized that the Church receives the scriptures, taken together with Sacred Tradition, “as the supreme rule of faith, since, as inspired

by God and committed once and for all to writing, they impart the word of God Himself without change, and make the voice of the Holy Spirit resound in the words of the prophets and Apostles.” Through the Bible, the Holy Spirit speaks authoritatively, offering a faithful witness to help us understand our experience and discover how to embrace Christ’s redemptive love and to live in communion with God. The council insists that “like the Christian religion itself, all the preaching of the Church must be nourished and regulated by Sacred Scripture.”

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Faced with the challenging questions of our time that cause problems for handing on the faith, the Second Vatican Council’s instruction should inspire us. After all, when read with a sense for the unity of the Old and New Testaments, scripture provides answers to questions that frequently lead people to abandon faith. As Bishop Barron says, “God’s definitive revelation through the Bible—the showing forth of his unique manner of being—constitutes... a world of meaning, a new way of imagining ourselves, a matrix of thought, action, and value, otherwise unavailable to us.”

Therefore, in The Wisdom of the Word, we identify ten pressing questions that fallen away Catholics often have with respect to the Catholic faith: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10

Why Believe in God and in Jesus Christ?

Why Listen to the Church?

Does the Holy Spirit Actually Transform Christians?

How Can Christ’s Blood Be Good News?

Why Would God Hold Our Faults Against Us? Why Not Live and Think Like Everyone Else?

Why Care for the Poor?

Why Is the Church So Strict about Sex? Why Do Catholics Fight So Much with Each Other?

Are the Saints of the Church Too Strange to Be Relevant?

In response to these ten major difficulties, each of the chapters selects an emblematic biblical verse and, on this basis, turns to explore the wisdom of the Bible.

Do you, or someone you know, think certain elements of the Catholic faith just don’t make sense? As part of seeking answers, are you willing to take a deep dive into the Bible, trusting that it may well be a source of wisdom? Are you bold enough to give the wisdom of Sacred Scripture a chance?

If so, we have written this book for you.

Together, let us ask Jesus to enable us— as after his Resurrection he enabled his Apostles—“to understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:45).

Readers of the AMU magazine will receive a 20% discount on The Wisdom of the Word: Biblical Answers to Ten Pressing Questions about Catholicism when they order at wordonfire.org/wisdom wordonfire.org/wisdom.

It’s a great Christmas gift!

—Michael Dauphinais, Ph.D. Professor of Theology michael.dauphinais@avemaria.edu

LOCATION, LOCATION,

LOCATION. These are the three most important factors in real estate.

The same might be said of colleges.

Trudging through snow to get to an 8 a.m. statistics class is a much different experience than breezing by a palm tree to the raucous applause of a laughing gull. With an average temperature of 84° and wetland nature as your backdrop, it’s no wonder students tend to stay once they visit our campus.

Ave Maria University, your future location, location, location!

avemaria.edu

5050 Ave Maria Blvd. Ave Maria, FL 34142 © 2021 Ave Maria University. All rights reserved.

1-833-AMU-SWFL

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...TOO OFTEN, GIFTS CONTINUE TO GO TO SCHOOLS HOSTILE TO THE CATHOLIC FAITH...

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IS NOW AMU’S INDISPENSABLE MISSION AS A FAITHFUL CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY

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any parents want to send their children to a university, but in today’s climate, they are uncertain about where to send them.

Historically, parents have selected a college based on the U.S. News & World Report rankings, much like one would look up which car to buy in Motor Trend.

This old model served existing elite universities well, since they could simply game the rankings system to attract top students while developing curriculum and research that ran directly counter to the values of the parents and those they wish to instill in their children.

Reformers of this system, who were mostly conservatives, sought two strategies to oppose this development.

1. Fund conservative voices of opposition at these elite institutions, but this effort failed because elite institutions could simply take conservative money and ignore or subvert donor intent.

2. Develop a new model of higher education that would undermine the university business model.

The degree was, in their view, nothing more than a certification one could secure more cheaply by attending online universities. Moreover, online universities scaled much more cheaply, meaning an online university could enroll thousands of students but never need to house, feed, or otherwise care for these students. This effort also failed, as students struggled to stay engaged, leading to very few of them completing courses. Moreover, online universities have a permanent deficit in credibility and prestige. After all, they bear a close resemblance to the correspondence schools of years prior. Online might be useful for specific, graduatelevel certification for those already working in an industry, but it is no substitute for the formation one receives by attending a four-year, in-person, college or university.

Hence, as I argued in a recent article published in Law & Liberty, the time to fund new universities is now.

While in my original article, I focused on a broad range of religious families, I will focus in this article on the

Catholic liberal arts tradition that I hold so dear. Parents who take seriously the Catholic liberal arts tradition can no longer rely on the high rankings to measure whether a university provides a genuine formation in Catholic spiritual and intellectual life. Often, these universities market to parents and alumni very different material than what they teach their students. As a friend of mine said of a large Catholic university, “the Gothic architecture is for the magazines.” Meanwhile, faculty often rely on graduate students to teach course material, and the curriculum is often unhelpful for carrying on the Catholic liberal arts tradition or, worse, actively opposes passing it on to the next generation.

Ave Maria University is different. It is intentionally a Catholic liberal arts university with a strong emphasis on faculty-student mentorship in the development of the faith, training in professions, and the contemplation of the best that has been thought and said. However, this effort needs funding, and too often, gifts continue to go to schools hostile to the Catholic faith and even to any form of political or social dissent. Moreover, large, wealthy schools already have so much money that any religious or conservative competition simply cannot keep up. The alternative is to donate to institutions where such money can go much farther in pursuing an orthodox pursuit of open inquiry and spiritual formation.

Ave Maria University is one such alternative. We have a firm commitment to the mission of the Catholic Church, but do not demand utter conformity on all questions.

Rather, unlike the increasingly politicized culture of other universities—and indeed everyday life in general—we guide students to the truth by free and open discussion.

If you are committed to the Catholic liberal arts tradition, consider helping Ave Maria University with donations to expand faculty hiring, student amenities, and course offerings.

Fewer and fewer universities are willing to tolerate the open practice of the Catholic faith among students and faculty. We offer a haven to both, and with it, an opportunity to continue the Gospel mission of the university as expressed by Pope Saint John Paul the Great, as he said in his 1990 document, Ex Corde Ecclesiae: The mission that the Church, with great hope, entrusts to Catholic Universities holds a cultural and religious meaning of vital importance because it concerns the very future of humanity. The renewal requested of Catholic Universities will make them better able to respond to the task of bringing the message of Christ to man, to society, to the various cultures.

To serve this end requires financial support. The time to fund Ave Maria University and the mission of the Church for Catholic universities is now.

—James Paterson, Ph.D. Chair of the Politics Department, Associate Professor of Politics james.pattersonr@avemaria.edu

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The time to fund new universities

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Encountering God

IN THE LAB

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CULTIVATING WELL-FORMED CATHOLIC SCIENTISTS

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ve Maria University’s Chemistry and Physics departments stand tall as rigorous programs promoting the study of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research while simultaneously laying a strong foundation of Catholic education, grounding students in Christ and orienting them toward their place in society.

According to Chair Dr. Stephen Thong, AMU faculty realize whow important a formation of character in faith is for science students. “We integrate faith formation with technical skills which can be applied across a wide range of

STEM fields,” said Thong. “Our students reject the notion that science points to a philosophy of materialism where everything is reducible to matter. Rather, the wonder and mystery of the universe conveys that science is transcendent in nature.”

Mairead Boucher, a sophomore, and biochemistry major, summarizes this well: “I feel closest to God in the lab,” says Boucher. “I find chemistry to be evidence of an intelligent creator. If you’re truly following the scientific method, you can’t come to any conclusion other than there is a Creator. Science points to God.”

This faith-centered approach cultivates students with well-formed consciences who respect the human person. Many of society’s moral problems are linked to the improper use of science and the degradation of the human person. Instead, our students not only have the capacity to know right from wrong because their parents and professors have properly equipped them, when combined with their intellectual tools, they can dissect any challenge.

One shining example was a recent student who was offered an impressive research internship opportunity. Almost immediately upon receiving the offer, the student was confronted with an ethical dilemma posed by the organization.

Rather than acquiesce or simply overlook the issue, the student leaned on their Catholic principles

and declined the prestigious offer.

In response, the biochemistry professors, aided by the generous gift from a university donor (Michael and Lisa Schwartz) formed their own research program for undergraduates (Research Experience

for Undergraduates-REU) in which students spent over twenty hours per week performing graduatelevel research.

“It’s uncommon for students to do research in their undergraduate studies and have it published,” said

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LOCATION, LOCATION,

VOCATION.

Nestled under the warm Florida sun is a university whose name indicates a vocational call.

Ave Maria (Latin for Hail Mary) recalls the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary of her future vocation – becoming the Mother of God. Enriched by God’s grace, Mary freely assents to this call.

This is the model for all students. Come to Ave Maria University where we offer a liberal arts curriculum buoyed by the Sacraments. This empowers you to clearly see your vocational call, whatever that might be.

Ave Maria University, your vocation location.

avemaria.edu

5050 Ave Maria Blvd. Ave Maria, FL 34142 © 2021 Ave Maria University. All rights reserved.

1-833-AMU-SWFL

Dr. Thong. “However, there are ten publications by AMU undergraduate students in the past two years alone.”

Assistant professor of chemistry, Dr. Patrick Hillesheim covers his office door with published research papers his students contributed to. “I’m so proud of them. Every one of those papers has an undergraduate as the first author.

The first author is the one who spent the most time developing, writing, and working in the lab.”

AMU STEM students dedicate a minimum of six hours a week to research outside of class.

Yet, a love of exploration and purpose behind the research motivates many students to dedicate more. For biochemistry student, Ayuni De Lucia, “the research is really important to us and it is something we enjoy.” De Lucia is currently researching tropical parasites such as Leishmania, a debilitating disease borne by sandflies.

“Leishmania really hits home for me because it affects so many people in Brazil, where I’m from,” said De Lucia.

The University also continues to conduct research on Alzheimer’s disease, hadron scattering, and ionic liquids, just to name a few. The breadth of this research is possible because the faculty expertise ranges from crystallography, particle physics, medicinal chemistry, and materials chemistry.

In addition, AMU lab courses are taught by professors and not graduate students unlike many other universities.

Students benefit from daily interactions with their professors. Similarly, many professors feel more fulfilled because they witness their direct impact on students and recognize themselves as part of a larger whole. “Scientists

often work as a team, and they work best as a team,” said Hillesheim. This emphasis on teamwork is furthered by the liberal arts curriculum, which views science as one part of a whole. In fact, in the school’s founding document, Ex Corde Ecclesiae, it says that while each individual discipline is studied in a systematic manner, they are also “brought into dialogue for mutual enhancement.”

Nathan Buckley, a junior and physics major, echoes this point: “It would be a deprivation if I couldn’t take C.S. Lewis, Theology of the Body, or Sacred Doctrine, because they provide context in which to view physics. Physics itself isn’t philosophical, but it walks you right up to the edge of that and puts the questions in your head.”

At AMU, we build empirical knowledge on a foundation grounded in absolute truth. Talented students, expert faculty, and challenging curricula are always advanced when aided by the latest state-of-the-art instruments and technology. “We can equip the students intellectually and spiritually, but we would like them to have the experience of using high quality, top-notch equipment,” said Dr. Thong. If you or your organization would like to aid in this so that AMU can continue producing the Catholic scientific leaders of tomorrow, please contact Dr. Stephen Thong at 239-304-7940 or Stephen.Thong@avemaria.edu

— Analiese Hratko, ‘23

Teaching the

TEACHERS THE DARING MISSION OF AMU’S GRADUATE THEOLOGY PROGRAMS

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s Catholics, we are all called to share the light of Christ with the world, and this is Ave Maria University’s ultimate mission. Graduates of AMU’s doctoral theology program heed this challenge in an especially critical way: by bringing the truth of the Faith into colleges, universities, and seminaries all over the world. As the program’s founder, Fr. Matthew Lamb, so perfectly expressed: “We are teaching the teachers.”

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS In 1997, Fr. Lamb made the following observation about the state of higher education theology programs in Crisis Magazine: “There is no doctoral program in North America with a rigorous ratio studiorum [plan of studies] that offers an integral formation in the doctrinal and theoretical traditions of Catholic teaching. Few if any candidates applying to such a doctoral program would have the linguistic and philosophical prerequisites for such a course of study, given the present state of M.A. and S.T.L. programs in North America.”

Less than a decade after making this statement, Fr. Lamb became an important part of the solution. In 2004, after teaching theology at Marquette

University and Boston College (combined for over 30 years), Fr. Lamb founded the Patrick F. Taylor graduate programs in theology at Ave Maria University. He worked as chair of the program for ten years and helped mold a program that continues to play a central role in higher education theology in the United States and the world at large.

Rooted in fidelity to the truth of the Catholic faith, the doctoral program demands serious commitment from its students, who in return are given a deep immersion in God’s revelation in Christ as communicated in Scripture, Tradition, and the Church’s Magesterium. The program

HOLISTIC AND RIGOROUS ACADEMICS One of the hallmark features of AMU’s graduate theology program is its commitment to a holistic view of theology. When asked about how the program helped form him as a theologian and teacher, Dr. Joshua Madden, 2017 alumnus and instructor at Blackfriars Studium at Oxford University, reflected on this important vision: “Christ called the apostles to be wise as serpents, and Peter reminded the early faithful that they were always to be ready to give an account of the reason for their hope. The vision of AMU’s graduate program prepares its students to fulfill these demands by plunging them into the sources of the Christian tradition: Scripture, the great works of the Patristic and Scholastic periods, and the brightest gems of the modern period as well. I would never have

developed the capacity to teach or write with the breadth I have without the holistic studies I received here.”

Likewise, Dr. David Tamisea, 2016 alumnus and Academic Dean at the University of Mary shared, “I appreciate the fact that we studied the Catholic theological tradition in all its breadth and depth, avoiding the narrow overspecialization of many other programs. This is a tribute to the excellent theology faculty at Ave Maria, but especially the founder and architect of AMU’s graduate programs, Fr. Matthew Lamb.”

Studying “the queen of the sciences” is an intellectually rigorous pursuit, and AMU’s doctoral program is especially challenging. This academic rigor is especially suited for preparing theologians to share the truth of the Faith with the world, as Dr. Madden explained: “The goal of Ave Maria’s theological program, as far as I interpret it, has always been to inform the student in such a way as to be able to engage with the whole of the Christian and classical tradition in ways that are prudent, faithful, and scholarly. Other

schools may prepare ‘academics’ to an equal degree, but few schools truly prepare ‘theologians’ in the way that Ave Maria University does.”

This focus on rigorous, foundational theological training was certainly what Fr. Lamb found lacking in so many other graduate theology courses of study, and it continues to set AMU apart from other programs.

MORAL FORMATION Rigorous theological training is not simply a matter of the intellect - it must also inform the spiritual and moral life. Dr. Michael Dauphinais, chair of the Theology Department and Fr. Matthew L. Lamb Chair of Catholic Theology, who worked alongside Fr. Lamb to build AMU’s doctoral theology program, emphasized the need for theological training that is intellectual, moral, and spiritual at its foundation. “Ave Maria’s graduate programs distinguish themselves in their commitment to approaching theology as primarily the truth about God while also letting that truth overflow into the spiritual and moral life,” Dr. Dauphinais said.

ave maria universit y maga zine | avemaria.edu

accomplishes this goal through a combination of holistic, rigorous, theological training, as well as, an emphasis on the moral and spiritual formation of its students.

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AD RELOCATION. LOCATION, LOCATION,

Studies show more than a third of college students transfer and half of those do it more than once.

It reminds us of St. Augustine’s quote, “…our souls are restless until they rest in thee.”

At Ave Maria University, we challenge this group to visit us, stroll down our palm tree paths, spike a shot on our sand volleyball court, or partake in an outdoor devotion. There’s a reason when students visit Ave Maria, they tend to stay.

Ave Maria University, your relocation destination.

avemaria.edu

5050 Ave Maria Blvd. Ave Maria, FL 34142 © 2021 Ave Maria University. All rights reserved.

1-833-AMU-SWFL

at AMU was much more than just being part of a typical classroom interaction. It was being part of a community of people who wrestled together, both inside and outside the classroom, with the deep things of God. Learning in this way not only strengthened my own theological sensibilities but prepared me to walk with others in their theological journey.”

That shared journey extends far beyond the walls of AMU classrooms.

From its humble beginnings, the doctoral theology program at AMU has impacted the greater community and continues to serve as a beacon of the truth of the Catholic faith. In the fall 2021 semester alone, graduates of the doctoral program teach close to 1,800 students - including approximately 200 seminarians - in twenty different colleges, universities, and seminaries around the world.

Ninety percent of AMU’s theology graduates have gone on to teach in colleges, universities, seminaries, and diocesan institutes around the world.

Fr. Matthew Lamb passed away in 2018, surrounded by graduate students even in his final moments.

A teacher to the end, his mission to reinvigorate today’s theological conversations at the graduate school level lives on. In a deeply vital way, the faculty, students, and alumni of AMU’s graduate theology programs continue to heed Christ’s challenge: “Go out and teach the nations.”

—Grace De Salvo, ‘14 Grad Theology Admin Asst. grace.desalvo@avemaria.edu

—Nicole Crawford, ‘07

“ 90% OF AMU’S THEOLOGY

GRADUATES HAVE GONE ON TO TEACH IN COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, SEMINARIES, AND DIOCESAN INSTITUTES AROUND THE WORLD.

ave maria universit y maga zine | avemaria.edu

“Fr. Lamb’s vision continues to inspire students and faculty in the quest for science and scholarship combined with the search for wisdom and holiness.”

Although Scripture and theological tracts are no doubt deep sources of moral and spiritual inspiration in the path of holiness, the AMU community of faculty and students is also a living lesson to doctoral students. Dr. Chad Raith II, 2011 Ph.D. alumnus, instructor at Regent College, and Chief Mission Integration Officer with Ascension Health, described how his professors helped shape his experience as an AMU doctoral student. “The depth of instruction at AMU and hunger of the professors to pursue the truth of things provided all the ingredients for me to mature personally as a theologian and develop the skills necessary to instruct others in the faith.” Likewise, the community of learners that is so palpable on the AMU undergraduate campus also enlivens the doctoral program. Shared Raith, “The program

25

Holy Priests,

movement, creators and sustainers of prayer-filled households, and servants to those in most need in the local community through the Mother Teresa Project, they also remain radically open to the will of the Father in their own lives both during their time in school and after.

What metric could one use to show forth such a claim?

Since AMU’s inception, 37 AMU Alumni have gone on to become Catholic priests, serving the people and furthering the Kingdom of God. This means after approximately only 18 years, AMU created a culture making it possible for 1 out of every 50 eligible men to hear the Lord’s call to the priesthood. Therefore, as AMU grows, so grows the future of the Church. What does this vocational-ready culture look like to those not exposed to it daily? It looks like students gathered around a bell outside of the café to pray the Angelus every day at noon. It looks like professors entrusting their classes to the Lord each day before they s truth slowly disappears from our modern culture’s vocabulary, Ave Maria University remains begin imparting knowledge. It looks like running into classmates or staff members in the 24/7 Adoration chapel. dedicated to the formation of young Catholics It looks like real faith lived out. At AMU, the faith is not willing to share truth, no matter the cost. compartmentalized; rather it is alive and well, penetrating AMU gives students countless opportunities to fall in all areas of life. Through all of this grace and all of these love with Christ, His Church, and His teachings. Mass and opportunities, AMU gave 37 priests the educational Confession are foundational, regular aspects of AMU life.

Theology classes are taught by some of the leading experts formation they needed to go out and change the world.

To paraphrase Venerable Fulton Sheen, as the foundation in the world, in fact, our Masters in Theology program of Catholic education goes, so goes the student. As the was recently recognized as having the “Best Faculty” by a student goes into the world, so goes the speed of the rating which included Catholic and non-Catholic colleges. spread of the Gospel.

Students incorporate their faith into their normal dinner May the holiness of AMU priests make the Church holy! discussions. The grace on campus is palpable, and in the less than two decades of Ave Maria University’s existence, the fruitfulness of the availability of grace is undeniable.

- Paula Shute‘16 Not only are AMU students active leaders in the pro-life Prgm. Mgr, Alumni Relations paula.shute@avemaria.edu

HOLY PEOPLE

T H E U N D EN I A B L E M E T R I C O F G R AC E

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- VENERABLE FULTON SHEEN

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AS THE SHEPHERD, SO THE SHEEP; AS THE PRIEST, SO THE PEOPLE. PRIEST-VICTIM LEADERSHIP BEGETS A HOLY CHURCH. EVERY WORLDLY PRIEST HINDERS THE GROWTH OF THE CHURCH; EVERY SAINTLY PRIEST PROMOTES IT. IF ONLY ALL PRIESTS REALIZED HOW THEIR HOLINESS MAKES THE CHURCH HOLY AND HOW THE CHURCH BEGINS TO DECLINE WHEN THE LEVEL OF HOLINESS AMONG PRIESTS FALLS BELOW THAT OF THE PEOPLE!

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The impact of a

PRO-LIFE WARRIOR J O N S C H A R F EN B ER G ER ’ S L I F E I S A C H A L L EN G E TO U S E YO U R T I M E W I S ELY

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on Scharfenberger was born April 26, 1989, in Warwick, NY, to a faithful, Catholic family.

His mother, Anna Scharfenberger, described him as a shy, thoughtful, and sincere boy.

She was a convert to the Catholic faith and said even as a teenager, Jon taught her Catholic traditions she knew little about, such as Liturgy of the Hours and Adoration. As Jon grew, so did his faith. He attended Catholic schools through high school, and his parents urged him to continue his Catholic education into his college years.

Long before Jon began discerning college, Tom Monaghan inspired the Scharfenberger family with his vision of a Catholic university that would “get as many people to Heaven as possible.” Motivated by this vision, the Scharfenbergers became founders of AMU with hopes Jon would one day attend the institution.

In 2007, Jon chose to attend AMU. This “shy and thoughtful boy” would go on to have a reverberating impact throughout the campus, sparked by his dedication to the pro-life

movement and love for the Lord.

Jon’s faith flourished into earnest, tangible actions for the unborn during his time at AMU. He spent one year as president, and another as vice president of Ave for Life, the campus pro-life group. After graduating in 2011, Jon accepted a position at Students for Life of America (SFLA), a non-profit organization boasting over 1,250 campus groups nationwide.

Their mission is to make abortion unthinkable and obsolete while supporting those facing an unplanned pregnancy. Jon served as a campus support coordinator for the group’s Pregnant on Campus initiative.

Jon exuded a passion for living life to the fullest and equally matched that passion with a desire to help those in need. His roommate and friend, Brother Angelus (Charles Atkinson ‘13), said Jon had “…a healthy discontent with the state of things both in his own life and in the culture. This led him to constantly search for more, make goals that stretched him further, and take real action.”

On October 8, 2011, while returning

“ JON’S LEGACY

IN PRO-LIFE ACTIVITIES STILL REVERBERATES ON THE AMU CAMPUS.

home from a pro-life event, Jon was a passenger in a deadly, head-on, car collision. The car he was traveling in was struck head-on by a speeding car on a two-lane road. The driver of the car Jon was traveling in was a pregnant SFLA leader. She and her baby died upon impact, as did the driver of the other vehicle. Jon initially survived the accident only to succumb to his injuries 10 days later.

Two other passengers in the same car as Jon were injured, but not critically, and survived the accident. It was reported Jon immediately sought a Catholic priest for prayer at the scene of the accident, instead, he stumbled

upon a Baptist minister saying, “Oh, well, you’ll do. Let’s pray the Lord’s Prayer.”

In the months that followed, Lauren Enriquez (‘12), a friend and Ave for Life co-leader, said her household volunteered at a nearby pregnancy clinic in Naples, FL, and the topic of Jon’s life came up. An employee at the clinic shared how Jon had frequently volunteered his time there.

Enriquez explained that none of them had known Jon volunteered at the clinic. She also shared that Jon didn’t have a car, so how he was able to help so frequently is a testimony to Jon’s resolve and desire to change things

no matter the circumstances.

Jon’s legacy lives on in the pro-life activities still occurring on AMU’s campus today. Filii in Filio, (which stands for Sons in the Son), Jon’s faith household during his time at AMU continues to share Jon’s story.

Alexander Clancy (‘22), Filii in Filio’s current household leader, introduces Jon to the men looking into the household: “What you do matters; to take actual steps to get closer to sainthood.” Clancy continued, “Everybody has the same 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. And yet, the difference between you and me, and people like Jon

JON’S LEGACY IS NOT AN END OF A STORY; IT REMAINS THE BEGINNING OF A UNIVERSAL CALL TO SAINTHOOD.

Scharfenberger, is the way we use that time.”

Jon’s legacy is not an end of a story; it remains the beginning of a universal call to sainthood. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace And, may they help draw us into the eternal body of Christ that makes us one.

- Paula Shute‘16 Prgm. Mgr, Alumni Relations paula.shute@avemaria.edu

ave maria universit y maga zine | avemaria.edu

“

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Launching

CATHOLIC LEADERS M any colleges and universities provide an Office of Career Services. Yet research shows less than 20% of college students engage with the services they provide. Perhaps this is because most carry an impoverished or minimalistic view of Career Services which shrinks everything down to a new, shiny resume. While a resume is certainly important and a part of the tools Career Services provides, their services run much deeper. At Ave Maria University, we set a course for student career success which begins from the moment they set foot on campus and continues long after they are gone. This is due to our belief that every life is a vocation and every person is called by God to some unique task.

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E V ERY L I F E I S A VO CAT I O N

ACCESS GOD’S GRACE The first step to finding one’s vocation is to access God’s grace. Combined with Ave Maria Parish (located just across the street), we offer six Masses daily and Confession six days a week. This gives students the supernatural gift of grace, enabling them to better hear God’s calling for their life. It also mimics the steps the Blessed Virgin Mary took in discovering and responding to her vocational call.

When the angel Gabriel entered into Mary’s presence, she was already filled with grace (Hail, Full of Grace – Lk 1:28). She then listened to the angel Gabriel propose her future vocation, inquired (How shall this be since I do not know man - Lk 1:34), accepted (I am the handmaiden of the Lord, let it be done unto me according to thy word – Lk 1:38), and ultimately lived her life in joyfully collaboration with God. This is the model for every student.

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ave maria universit y maga zine | winter 2021

RESEARCH SHOWS BETWEEN 20% - 50% OF STUDENTS ENTER COLLEGE AS UNDECIDED, UNDECLARED, OR SIMPLY UNSURE

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DISCERN/INQUIRE Choosing a university can be a stressful time for students. Yet, once this decision is made, an equally stress-inducing decision awaits – what will you major in? In fact, most college applications ask this on their enrollment form. To students, this can seem as if the world is demanding you be omniscient, knowing your future and having already systematically mapped it out. Yet research shows between 20% - 50% of students enter college as undecided, undeclared, or simply unsure. While there are students who are granted the grace of knowing exactly what their calling is, up to 75% of students change their major at least once before graduation.

To offset this, AMU Career Services seeks to engage with students immediately upon their arrival, offering consultation with our director of career services to assess potential career interests, skills and confidence levels, and conduct a work values inventory, to help guide them in their major selection. This makes a student’s time at the university more efficient, avoids delays in graduation, and ultimately save money.

Another unique aspect of the AMU experience which helps students discern their vocation is our Core Curriculum. At most colleges, students invest two years in general education courses which reflects a contemporary fragmentation of learning. Instead, at AMU, we offer a Core Curriculum or “the heart” of our college degree. This requires

students take specific courses in the great tradition of the liberal arts.

In these carefully selected courses, our students share together in the discovery of truth and acquire the indispensable foundation for a lifetime of learning.

The student not only achieves breadth of knowledge, but also depth of knowledge.

Since each discipline views reality from its distinct perspective, students encounter the truth about God and His creation more completely through the dynamic interplay of all of the liberal arts, including theology and natural science. This answers the call of Ex Corde Ecclesiae, AMU’s founding document, which asks Catholic universities to ‘bring the various disciplines together into dialogue for mutual enhancement.

And finally, in helping students properly discern what field God is calling them into, we now offer 31 majors and 30 minors.

FIAT – SAY YES! When students have established a clear career goal, they are more equipped to have an informed conversation with their academic advisor about their choice of major and incorporating experiential learning into their educational equation.

Experiential learning comes in many forms at AMU, below are just a few: • • • • • • •

Clinical Experiences Internships Job Shadowing Student Teaching Study Abroad Undergraduate Research Volunteering

These give the student real-world experience where they apply what they have learned in the classroom and the experiences garnered throughout life. It is at this stage where students give their full commitment to not just accumulating knowledge, and not just excelling within a field, but bringing the truths of Christ and His Church to that temporal order. As our Interim President, Dr. Roger Nutt, said in his opening message: “The Church, our communities, our families, and our places of work desperately need the next generationto meet this challenge.”

JOYFULLY COLLABORATE Going out and living your vocation is not always going to be perfect or easy, as is evidenced by Mary, who upon accepting the role of the Mother of God, immediately went out to serve others (Luke 1:39).

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average person in their twenties switches jobs once every three years, and throughout their lifelong career, will completely switch fields two to three times.

Therefore, our Career Services stands ready to help. We want AMU alumni to know they are not alone. They can continue to receive support from our office by participating in career fairs, career related workshops, job search strategies, networking, and yes, shining up that resume and cover letter. All you have to do is contact John Spadaccini, at 239-304-7922 or john.spadaccini@avemaria.edu Also, if your business wishes to recruit AMU students, post internship and employment opportunities, or participate in on-campus recruiting events, please contact me through the information provided above.

- John Spadaccini Director of Career Services john.spadaccini@avemaria.edu

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Athletics

UPDATE AVE MARIA UNIVERSITY LAUNCHES ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME

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n October 15, 2021, the Athletics Department inducted its inaugural class into the Ave Maria University Hall of Fame: Kingsley Avery (Softball, Class of 2016), Emily Huber (Women’s Basketball, Class of 2013), and Jeff Lindenmoyer (Football, Class of 2016) “It’s a significant step for a University,” said Joe Patterson, director of athletics. “A Hall of Fame connects generations and serves as a unifying force for the Gyrene family.” The initial ballot consisted of 12 candidates, all of whom had been selected during the nomination process. The extended Gyrene Nation could vote online for recipients, and those votes were then tabulated in conjunction with the votes of the Hall of Fame Committee. Nearly 1,000 votes were cast during the process.

Avery graduated from Ave Maria University as the most decorated softball player in program history, having been named first-team All-Sun Conference in all four years of her AMU career. The outfielder was named to The Sun Conference’s Gold Glove Team in 2016, and she still holds school records in career batting average (.435), hits (254), triples (21), and on-base percentage (.470).

Huber was one of the cornerstones of Ave Maria University’s early success in women’s basketball, which included a Sun Conference title in 2012 and a United States Collegiate Athletics Association (USCAA) national title in 2011. She is the only female athlete in AMU history to be named an All-American twice, and she was an All-Conference selection in each of her four years, earning first-team honors her last three seasons. Huber remains the all-time leading scorer in women’s basketball history with 1,702 points.

Lindenmoyer was one of the most feared offensive linemen in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) during his four years at AMU and is the only male athlete in AMU history to be named a first-team All-American, an honor he earned after his senior season in 2015. He was also a second-team All-American in 2014 and was a part of AMU’s Independent Conference championship team in 2013.

The night concluded with remarks from Dr. Roger Nutt, interim president of Ave Maria University, who spoke about the value athletics brought to the overall AMU community and thanked the honorees for providing an inspiring example. Dr. Nutt testified to the importance of never compromising one’s spiritual or academic growth, and the “false choice” society often presents athletes between the pursuit of academic, human, or professional excellence and Christian excellence. At Ave Maria University, he explained, athletes like the honorees, remind the entire University community that it is possible to pursue excellence on and off the field without being forced to choose one over the other. He exhorted all, especially the current students, to learn from the example of the honorees by fully integrating into the culture of the University.

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AMU VOLLEYBALL MAKES HISTORY AS SUN CONFERENCE CHAMPS

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he Ave Maria University women’s volleyball program won its first-ever Sun Conference Championship on November 13, sweeping Coastal Georgia in three sets. The victory gave the Gyrenes their first-ever berth in the national tournament for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Coastal Georgia led 18-14 and 18-17 in the first two sets, but each time the Gyrenes rallied for

victory. AMU left no doubt with a dominating performance in the third set.

Senior Lily Witkoski was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Sun Conference Tournament, thanks in part to 29 assists and 22 digs in the championship match Senior Cabriella Bouterse and freshman Rita Campos were also named to the All-Tournament team.

AMU finished the regular season conference play with an 11-3 record, and the Gyrenes posted a spotless 9-0 record at home. They held a nine-match winning streak going into the conference tournament.

AMU FOOTBALL CONTENDS FOR SUN CONFERENCE TITLE

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he Ave Maria University football team came within one score of earning its own conference championship. After a tough nonconference schedule, the Gyrenes reversed their fortunes and posted a 4-1 conference record, setting up a title match against Keiser University at Gyrene Field on November 13.

In front of nearly 1,700 spectators, the football team held a fourthquarter lead, 27-20, but the Seahawks were able to squeak out the victory behind the legs of Marques Burgess, the top running back in the country at the NAIA level. Freshman Bryan Stiemke’s 103 yards rushing, and senior Will Tate’s four touchdown passes, weren’t quite enough to earn AMU the title.

Despite the loss in the title game, the football team could point to several positives in the season, including a 34-10 road victory against

Southeastern, who ended up sharing the title with Keiser. On the season, freshman wide receiver Josh Jenkins set a school record with 987 yards, senior Jalyn Robinson set a singleseason school record with 9.5 sacks and a career record with 22. Junior kicker Brendan Clark set an AMU record for kickers with 65 points, including 11 field goals.

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HOMECOMING NETS RECORD CROWD

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ve Maria University’s Homecoming football game held on October 16, 2021, had a record attendance of 1,768. The Gyrenes won, pushing their record to 2-0 in conference play. “It was a tremendous day for Ave Maria University Athletics, and a tremendous day for the community,” said Director of Athletics, Joe Patterson.

There were also three alumni sporting events earlier in the day (baseball, women’s lacrosse, and men’s basketball), which featured alumni versus current student-athletes. “Our inaugural alumni weekend was a huge success,” said Mike McCormick, AMU’s head baseball coach. “It was a pleasure having the opportunity to play against, hang out with, and recognize those who have come before us. Faith, Ave Maria University, and baseball, continues to strengthen the bonds between each of our former and current players.”

The women’s lacrosse program also hosted an alumni game the morning of homecoming. “It was great to welcome our women's lacrosse alumni back to campus,” said Associate Athletic Director Liz Feger. “It was a delight to hear about the impact they are having in their careers and graduate school pursuits.”

Jamon Copeland, AMU’s current head men’s basketball coach, headed up the alumni team, which consisted primarily of players who had played for him during his first coaching stint at AMU. “It was so great to spend time with our alumni who laid the foundation for this program and the overall athletic department,” said Copeland. “It was a privilege to see what great men they have grown into and a beautiful reminder of the lasting impact AMU has on its students.”

AMU LAUNCHES TRACK & FIELD FOR 2022-2023 ave maria universit y maga zine | winter 2021

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he momentum within the athletic department continues as Ave Maria University is launching a men’s and women’s track and field program in the 2022-2023 spring season. The track and field teams become the University’s 20th and 21st varsity sports.

“Track and Field will bring an exciting new dimension to Ave Maria University athletics,” said Athletic Director, Joe Patterson. “We already have a solid base of athletes enrolled, and with a year of recruiting, we expect to have a successful launch next year.”

Brian Glassey has been named the first head coach of the program. “At AMU, we have everything we need to be successful and to have an immediate impact in the sport,” said Glassey.

The men’s and women’s track and field programs will be the sixth and seventh sports teams launched by the University in the past 12 months.

Ave Maria University relaunched its men’s and women’s golf programs, and started programs in competitive dance and men’s and women’s swimming for the 2021-22 school year. The new sports on the AMU campus mark the biggest growth in the University’s sport offerings since the founding of the school.

“There was a good amount of enthusiasm generated internally by the announcement,” said Patterson. “Track and Field syncs up well with the offseasons for a lot of our athletes.”

As of 2022-2023, the Gyrenes will be one of nine schools competing in track and field in the Sun Conference.

Athletics

UPDATE

HAMPTON JOINS AMU ATHLETICS

W

il Hampton recently joined the Ave Maria University Athletic Department as the associate athletic director for external operations. He will head up the athletic fundraising and sponsorship programs while also supervising men’s basketball, men’s baseball, men’s soccer, as well as the men’s and women’s tennis and golf coaching staffs.

“I truly believe the Holy Spirit guided me to Ave Maria University,” Hampton said. “I believe in the mission and am excited to be a part of the continued growth in athletics.”

Hampton, a native of Muncie, Indiana, previously served as the executive director for athletics at Marian University in Indianapolis from 2013-17. Prior to his time at Marian University, Hampton worked for the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts from 2006-13, including holding the position of director of production for four years. In that role, Hampton was responsible for all of the production elements for both

AMU FOOTBALL PLAYS ON ESPN3

T

he Ave Maria University football team had the opportunity to play on a national stage as their game with Stetson University was televised

by ESPN3.

“This was a great opportunity for AMU,” said Wil Hampton, associate director of athletics. “The players were excited to be on the worldwide ESPN stage, but this is also exciting for our fans and alumni. ESPN is a tremendous venue allowing us to showcase our athletes and the University.”

AMU’s matchup with Stetson marked the fifth occasion for the Gyrenes to take on an NCA A Division I opponent, all of which have come against teams from the Football Championship Subdivision level. In the past seven years, the Gyrenes have faced Mercer University, Abilene Christian University, Jacksonville University, and a prior meeting in 2015 with the Hatters of Stetson.

in-stadium and television broadcasts.

During his time with the Colts, the organization was honored on two occasions for having the NFL’s best game day experience.

Hampton has also served as a member of the Noblesville (IN.) Common Council since 2016. The community-driven unit is focused on serving the needs of the citizens. He aided in the oversight of an $80-million budget and participated in votes on city ordinances and other matters.

Hampton’s background in media also includes a stint with Indianapolis’ WISH-TV, as the station’s sports director and anchor from 1995-2004. During this time, Hampton was the two-time Associated Press award winner for excellence in play-by-play.

Hampton is a graduate of The University of Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He and his wife Becky have been married for 34 years and have three children, two of whom now attend AMU.

Class

NOTES EUGENIO CALLEJAS, '03 After graduating with a degree in Theology, Eugenio Callejas began designing content for live events and developing interactive experiences for Fortune 500 companies such as GM, Ford, Toyota, Dell, and Abbott Pharmaceuticals. In 2015, after 10 years of freelancing in the live events industry, he began his own design studio, Keen Live Inc., with two other colleagues.

At Keen Live, he coordinated teams of designers and programmers for world-class live events and e-sports tournaments. His work was recognized with an "Adobe Site of the Day" for his educational games for General Motors, and a "Pharmaceuticals Standard of Excellence Award" for the Lamisil AT (Get Your Game Feet On!) Microsite. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when all live events shutdown, Eugenio began using his knowledge of technology and his experience in the events industry to help clients pivot into virtual events and experiences. In June 2021, Eugenio left Keen Live to lead the newly-formed interactive department at Global Experience Specialists (GES), helping the global firm with various initiatives as the event industry transitioned into hybrid events in a post-pandemic world. Eugenio is originally from Nicaragua and travels home frequently.

Since most of his work is done remotely, he lives in Michigan's Upper Peninsula with his wife Rebecca (an Ave Maria University graduate), and their five kids: Juan Pablo, Samuel Agustin, Francisco Jose, Caleb Eugenio, and Reyna Kateri. He is active in his parish and can be found upstairs in the choir loft every Sunday surrounded by cameras and computers while streaming the 10 a.m. Mass with his little boys serving as audio-visual technicians and altar servers.

BRANDON DUNCAN, ’07

ave maria universit y maga zine | winter 2021

Brandon Duncan attributes his success in his career and his vocation as a husband/father to the formation and education he received while at Ave Maria University. Duncan married his college sweetheart, Katie Duncan, ’07. They currently reside in Jacksonville, Florida, with their three beautiful daughters. Fun fact: Brandon and his wife were the first couple to be married in Ave Maria’s Oratory on May 3, 2008. For the last seven years, Brandon has served as the coordinator for creative and digital services for the Diocese of St. Augustine, and freelances as a web and graphic designer for his digital marketing agency, Regent Web Design (regentwebdesign.com). While Duncan never imagined that obtaining a liberal arts degree would lead him down this career path – especially as a theology major – however he has experienced many fruits as a result of his liberal studies through the people he has met, and opportunities gained along the way. If there is one bit of advice he would give to any incoming or current student, it is to speak less and listen more. Enjoy and savor this time in your life and be patient with your studies, your future career choices, and be open to advice and criticism from those who have journeyed the path upon which you now embark. And, never underestimate the love, mercy, and generosity of God, for He can never be outdone. We are all living proof.

38

ERIN MATHIESEN (HAMACHER), ‘12 Erin Mathiesen (Hamacher) majored in music. She was a member of the Esto Femina household, serving as household vice president for one year. She was involved in the chastity club and served on the pro-life club leadership committee, organizing the abortion mill ministry. After graduation, she moved back to her hometown and began working as a receptionist and giving music lessons at a small private studio for the arts, eventually being promoted to studio manager. When the studio was forced to close, she continued teaching private lessons and took an interim, part-time position as the director of the local Birthright organization. In 2015, she obtained her dream job of teaching music at the K-8 Catholic school in her hometown.

Around that same time, Erin met her future husband on CatholicMatch. They were married two years later. She has served as a music teacher for the Archdiocese of St. Louis ever since. The couple now has 2 children, Josie (2018) and Robbie (2021).

Class

NOTES FR. ALEXANDER PINCE, '12 Alexander Pince is originally from Concord, New Hampshire and grew up a cradle Catholic in a family of seven children. He attributes his vocational call to the faithful upbringing provided by his parents. After finishing high school, he attended Ave Maria University and graduated with degrees in Economics and Business. He worked as a financial representative at Fidelity Investments, and then at Ave Maria University in the Institutional Advancement Office.

Pince felt a call to the priesthood from a young age and began discerning more seriously in the years following college. In May 2015, he went on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, which confirmed the Lord’s call to the priesthood. He subsequently applied to the Diocese of Venice, in Florida. After being accepted, Pince spent two years at St. John Vianney Seminary in Miami, completing a Philosophy degree. In July 2017, he was sent to the North American College in Rome to begin theological studies. Pince says his four years in Rome deepened his understanding of the Lord’s love for us, and intensified his desire to live and work as a priest of Jesus Christ. He was ordained to the priesthood on July 31 of this year. Pince is excited to serve the Lord as a priest and help lead souls to heaven.

ANDREW HEIM, '15 Andrew Heim has spent the past several years building academic programs and working with some of the brightest minds on the political right who are teaching and promoting America’s founding principles. He has directed fundraising teams, overseen licensing and accreditation, website creation, and implemented market research and recruitment strategies to launch and grow academic programs and organizations. Heim recently served as the managing director for Hillsdale College’s Washington campus, where he directed various aspects of the school’s programs, operations, and personnel. Prior to his role as managing director, Heim led the effort to launch the Van Andel Graduate School of Government and re-launch the James Madison Fellowship program for Hillsdale. For over a decade, Andrew has volunteered and worked with local non-profits and grassroots organizations, from Walk Across America to raise over one hundred thousand dollars for the pro-life movement, to door-knocking and answering phones for tele-town hall events designed to inform voters. Heim has a passion for educating people on the first principles of what makes America great. Heim earned his bachelor of arts from Ave Maria University and his masters of arts from Hillsdale College in Michigan. He currently resides in Washington, D.C.

Alumni Reunion March 25 - 27, 2022

Celebrating the Legacies and Accomplishments of the Class Years of 2002, 2007, 2012, and 2017!

• • • • • • •

Awards Night for Alumni Celebrating 20th, 15th, 10th, and 5th Year Reunions Wine Night with Faculty 10th Anniversary Shakespeare Show All Class Years Welcome!

Annunciation Feast Day Celebration And your kids too!

Exclusive Vineyards Campus Brunch Alumni Mass Campus Tours & so much more!

Join the Facebook page to stay up-to-date on all the exciting things happening with Reunion!

OUR NAME IS SAID FAITHFULLY, MILLIONS OF TIMES A DAY

AVE MARIA

Ave Maria University (Latin for Hail Mary) derives its name from the angel Gabriel’s salutation to the virgin Mary. Mary, “Full of Grace,” hears her vocational call and willingly cooperates with God’s plan.

This is the model for all students – prepare yourselves for God’s calling by seeking His grace, and then, empowered by this grace, you too can respond with your full assent.

Ave Maria University will help you find God’s will for your life and equip you to professionally and personally live it.

avemaria.edu

5050 Ave Maria Blvd. Ave Maria, FL 34142 © 2021 Ave Maria University. All rights reserved.

1-833-AMU-SWFL

Legacy

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Income for Life at a Fixed Rate The Legacy Society was created to honor and celebrate benefactors who choose to include Ave Maria University in their estate plans.

This includes bequests, irrevocable inclusion of AMU as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, and life income gifts such as Charitable Gift Annuities, and Charitable Trusts.

Beyond the tremendous support such gifts provide to Ave Maria University, they also offer donors immediate tax benefits or guaranteed lifetime income. With stock markets and housing markets reaching new highs, such gifts can avoid significant taxes while creating tax-advantaged income for donors.

If you have included Ave Maria University in your plans, we’d love to know so we can recognize your generosity. Additionally, adding your names to those of other Legacy Society donors encourages others to support Our Lady’s university in similar fashion.

If you’d like to learn more about how a well-structured legacy gift could benefit AMU, enable you to achieve financial plans for your family, and create current tax deductions and income for life, please email our Vice President for Advancement,Timothy J. Dockery at tim.dockery@avemaria.edu or call him at 239-280-1695. © 2021 Ave Maria University. All rights reserved.

How Mary Increases Her Fixed Income with a Charitable Gift Annuity

CD

Gift Annuity

$25,000

$25,000

1%

6.5%

Annual Payment

$250

$1,625

Net After Taxes

$190

$1,568

Amount Rate

Annual Difference

+$1,378

Gift Spotlight: Mary, 80, is concerned the interest rate on a new Certificate of Deposit (CD) which is currently around 1% for $25,000 worth of CD’s, is much lower than the rate she was used to earning. At 1% the CDs will produce $250 annually, and she will only net $ort Ave Maria University by making a donation to establish a charitable gift annuity that will pay her 6.5%, generating annual payments of $1,625, more than six times the CD return before taxes! But, the real benefit is even greater. Because only $238 of her annual income payment from the Charitable Gift Annuity is taxable during her life expectancy, Mary would net $1,568 after taxes – eight times more than the amount she would net by rolling over the CD. In addition, Mary will be eligible to claim an income-tax deduction of $11,958 if she is able to itemize. This could save an additional $2,870 in taxes that she could reinvest for even more income.

5050 AVE MARIA BOULEVARD • AVE MARIA, FL 34142 1-833-AMU-SWFL • MAGAZINE@AVEMARIA.EDU

CHOOSE THE UNIVERSITY APPEARING

FIRST ON THE NEWMAN GUIDE albeit alphabetically

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are 4,298 degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the United States. Only fifteen of those institutions make The Newman Guide.

The Newman Guide was created to help Catholic families navigate their college choice and discover faithful Catholic colleges—those expressing fidelity to the Christian message and teaching authority of The Church. Sadly, statistics reveal 85% of Catholic youth lose their faith in college and most never return to the Church. If you’ve worked hard to instill faith in your children, don’t let a college erase your work.

Choose a school from the Newman Guide, and we humbly suggest choosing the one at the head of the class.

© 2021 Ave Maria University.

All rights reserved.

avemaria.edu | 5050 Ave Maria Blvd. Ave Maria, FL 34142 | 1-833-AMU-SWFL