AMU Magazine Spring 2021 by Ave Maria University

SPRING 2021

ANNUNCIATION as VOCATION

CONTENTS 03 President’s Letter 04 AMU News 29 Academics 35 Athletics 38 Alumni

FEATURES 08 ANNUNCIATION AS VOCATION In the Annunciation, Mary gives her free assent to the announcement of her vocation – becoming the Mother of God. As such, she serves as the perfect role model for every person seeking to discern God’s will for their life.

14 PHILOSOPHY OF MOTHERHOOD Only taught at Ave Maria University, this course seeks to address questions surrounding maternity and the history of the family from a philosophical perspective.

16 CALLING GREAT CATHOLIC COMMUNICATORS The world is crying out for great Catholic communicators, but are we producing them? See how AMU is answering the call through a new initiative designed to equip students to master contemporary communications.

20 COACHING AS A CALLING

22 SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATING COVID-19 Only two percent of colleges had in-person instruction last semester and AMU was one of them. See how we navigated the pandemic academically, sacramentally, athletically, and in student life.

26 DEE FROM ND Meet the new Associate Vice President of Enrollment, Dee Gipson. She comes to us from a school whose name means Our Lady (Notre Dame) and hopes to use her vast experience to escort enrollment to new heights.

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A coach can have a lifelong impact on a student-athlete. Learn how Athletic Director, Joe Patterson, has assembled a core group of coaches who view winning in much broader terms than merely numerical results on a scoreboard.

SPRING 2021 VOLUME 11, ISSUE 1

PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER P. ICE MANAGING EDITOR KEVIN MURPHY CREATIVE DIRECTOR BRYANT MORIN CONTRIBUTORS NICOLE CRAWFORD ‘07 DR. DANIEL DAVY TIM DOCKERY KATHRYN EADS ‘17 GEOFF HASTINGS KIMBERLY KING DR. MARK MIRAVALLE KEVIN MURPHY ELIZABETH O’DONNELL ‘17 JOE PATTERSON RANDALL PRESS ANNE MARIE SCHLUETER ‘20 PAULA SHUTE ‘16 DR. SEANA SUGRUE

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PHOTOGRAPHY KATIE EKBLAD ‘22 MARIANO LACAYO ‘24 ANNA MAHONEY ‘22 BRYANT MORIN JANA PATTERSON

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.

ON THE COVER THE ANNUNCIATION BY MARTON VARO MADE OF 120 TONS OF CARRARA MARBLE HAND SELECTED FROM CAVA MICHELANGELO, THE SAME QUARRY MICHELANGELO USED FOR THE PIETA IN ST. PETER’S BASILICA.

PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER P. ICE

s I reflect on my first 12 months as President of Ave Maria University, it has been extremely rewarding and yet challenging at times. I have endured the death of my spouse of 32 years, and encountered a global pandemic which changed the face of higher education. Despite this, I have received incredible support from the AMU community – board of trustees, faculty, staff, benefactors, founders, friends, and prayer warriors around the country. We could never have achieved the high level of success we experienced this year without everyone pulling together. Our success included returning to and maintaining in-person classes, enrolling a record number of students for spring semester, being in one of only two conferences in the NAIA (21 total conferences) to complete full season competition, receiving a verbal commitment for the single largest gift in AMU history, and embarking on new building projects destined to invigorate our student experience. Of course, my deep gratitude goes to our current students and faculty who have navigated the challenges of the pandemic in heroic fashion. 1,400 colleges and universities are still teaching classes online, that’s one-third of all colleges in the United States! Our resiliency is undoubtedly a result of the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As you read through this issue, I want to specifically call your attention to our theme – vocation. Typically, when Catholics talk about vocation we immediately think of the priesthood or religious life, while others may expand their thoughts also to include marriage. But, rarely does one think of vocation as their work or career. At AMU, we want to change this. We want to illuminate every person’s path to vocation, whatever their calling might be - lawyer, nurse, teacher, coach, CEO, or entrepreneur. We do this by following Mary’s lead and duplicating the path she took to her vocational call.

ACCESS GOD’S GRACE When the angel Gabriel came to Mary, he exclaimed, “Hail, Full of Grace.” At AMU, we give our students every opportunity to access God’s grace through the sacraments. We offer six daily Masses between our campus and the local parish. We have access to daily confession, perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, nightly rosary walks, Marian consecration, faith households, and we pray the Angelus every day at noon. We firmly believe once students access God’s grace, they can more readily see His will for their life.

DISCERN/INQUIRE We have 31 majors and 28 minors. This allows our students to discern or inquire about their vocational call just as Mary inquired, “How shall this be since I do not know man?” Investigate what God is calling you to be. This is also why we have a core curriculum of three Theology and two Philosophy courses, because every endeavor needs a moral and ethical foundation.

FIAT Once you’ve determined this is where God wants you to go, give your free assent and passionately pursue it. Say yes to God, just as Mary did - “I am the handmaiden of the Lord, let it be done unto me according to thy Word.”

JOYFUL COLLABORATION Once Mary said yes, her participation was not reluctant or passive; instead, she joyfully collaborated, even when she didn’t fully understand. For example, how many times does the scripture say Mary pondered all these things in her heart? Even so, Mary never waned. There are thousands of universities that grant degrees, making students employable, but at AMU, we help students lead meaningful lives serving God with their unique gifts and talents. The finding of a vocation happens as a result of encountering the fullness of truth, which can only be presented at a faithful Catholic university. At AMU, we will help you find your vocation and your place within God’s wise and well-ordered vision. You are in our daily prayers, please keep us in yours. God bless.

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LETTER FROM

AMUNEWS WELCOME TO OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS

nne Hendershott

is a long-time advocate for Catholic higher education. She is a Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of the Veritas Center for Ethics in Public Life at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. Hendershott is also the author of the book “Status Envy: The Politics of Catholic Higher Education,” as well as six other published books and numerous articles for a variety of outlets, including The American Spectator, Catholic World Report, and American Greatness. In Status Envy, Hendershott identifies Ave Maria University as one of the few Catholic colleges dedicated to Catholic higher education. Anne is a Distinguished Visiting Professor at The King’s College in New York City. She also served as chair of the University of San Diego’s Department of Sociology from 1993 until 2007. Anne and her husband have been married 46 years and recently moved to Florida. They look forward to living closer to their grandchildren and being part of the vibrant Catholic community at Ave Maria University.

ichael Kane, attorney, joins the Ave Maria University Board

of Trustees after his retirement from a 47-year career in the construction industry. As chief executive officer of Boral Limited, a global construction materials and building products company, Kane oversaw the organization of over 20,000 employees and contractors all over the world. In 2020, Kane led Boral’s Global COVID-19 Task Force, managing the health, safety, and operational response to the pandemic at almost 800 worldwide sites. Kane received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Illinois University, Master of Science from Creighton University School of Law, and a Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law. He has been actively involved in executive management programs at several universities, including Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Kennedy School of Public Policy. Michael and his wife, Kathleen, have six children and five grandchildren, and split their time between their homes in Naples.

D Steven, Renee, Dcn. Marcus, Ben

eacon Steven Marcus is the founder of New England

Geriatrics and West Central Family Counseling. These facilities have provided complete, high-quality psychiatric services to long-term care residents and their families since 1994. After opening with only five employees and five locations, the company expanded to a team of over 300 professional and support staff who serviced more than 150 facilities in the long-term care, hospital, and outpatient settings. The company was sold in 2019 to HealthDrive, one of Bain Capital’s successful healthcare portfolio companies. Deacon Marcus received his Bachelor of Arts from Westfield State University in 1988, followed by his Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Connecticut in 1990. He attributes his success as an accomplished businessman, dedicated family man, and devout Catholic deacon to three pillars: faith, family, and an unwavering commitment to people in need.

erence O’Day has over 35 years of leadership experience in a

variety of supply chain, operations, and technology roles. He also served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and Michigan Air National Guard, where he attained the rank of major. Terence began his business career as a first-line supervisor at Kraft, going on to work in senior leadership roles at Nabisco Foods Group, Revlon, and Conagra Foods. He recently retired from twelve years with The Hershey Company, where he worked in a variety of leadership positions, including senior vice president and chief product supply and technology officer. In these roles, Terence oversaw over 18,000 employees across five continents and thirteen countries. He also managed the company’s global information technology and enterprise connectivity initiatives. Terence obtained his Bachelor of Science from the United States Air Force Academy and his Master of Business Administration degree from Western Michigan University. He and his wife enjoy traveling, cycling, and spending time with their two married children and five grandchildren.

imothy Patton has a wealth of experience in the medical supply

industry, as well as the investment sector and Catholic ministry. From 1981 to 1988, he served in multiple roles at American Hospital Supply. Since 1988, he has founded and sold three firms in the health care services field, one of which is currently the world’s largest supplier of respiratory devices to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and United States Military Hospital Systems. Timothy is also a founding shareholder and director of the recently sold Ann Arbor State Bank, as well as an active investor in venture capital investments. Timothy’s many volunteer activities include serving as two-time board chairman of Father Gabriel Richard Catholic High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a past board member of St. Louis Center for the mentally impaired, founder of Legatus Chapter of Ann Arbor, board member of ArborWoman Health Pro-Life Medical Clinic, sole investor in Emmaus Health, past board member of Renewal Ministries, and a current board member at The Halftime Institute. Timothy Patton completed twelve years of Catholic education and is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Timothy and his wife, Shann, have been married 38 years and have six children and nine grandchildren.

anadian philanthropist Alan Quesnel has donated to Ave Maria a magnificent bronze statue, “Be Not Afraid,” from noted American artist Mark Hopkins. This 8.5” tall statue depicts Christ calming the stormy water of the Sea of Galilee. This generous gift conveys a message not just from Christ to the Disciples but to all of our students. Mr. Quesnel’s generosity has inspired President Ice to establish a committee charged with developing a campus master plan for gifts of art to integrate them into the life of our campus in an appropriate and respectful manner. Mr. Quesnel previously donated the beautiful St. John’s University Bible on permanent exhibit in the lobby of the Canizaro Library.

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“BE NOT AFRAID” MONUMENT GIFTED TO AMU

AMUNEWS

NEARLY THREE-QUARTERS TO TARGET

cohort of benefactors have funded 74 new scholarships for the incoming Fall 2021 Freshman class. A generous donor issued a challenge pledge of up to $1,000,000 to help Ave Maria University recruit the largest incoming Freshman class in its history by funding up to 100 new, four-year scholarships of $20,000 apiece ($5,000 annually for four years). For every donor who pledges a scholarship commitment of $10,000 over four years - $2,500 annually – the challenge donor will match that and together they will fund a new $20,000 scholarship. Students must be Catholic and have a high school GPA of 2.5 or higher. Donors responding to the challenge have the opportunity to name the scholarship

as they see fit and will receive an annual thank you letter from the recipient of their scholarship as well as an invitation to meet their student recipient at an annual Mass and luncheon on campus. Donors also receive an Operation 500 “challenge coin” featuring an engraving of the Annunciation statue with the Memorare on the reverse. If you’d like more information, contact Tim Dockery, VP for Advancement at tim.dockery@avemaria.edu or by calling 239.280.1695.

NEW BUILDING PLANS AHEAD

oaking rains overnight may have changed the venue, but they didn’t dampen the enthusiasm as Ave Maria University prepared to break ground on the construction of Judi’s Gym (pictured below). This multi-court outdoor covered pavilion will initially provide three courts, ultimately expandable to six, that can be configured for basketball, tennis, volleyball, or pickleball. Long-time Ave Maria University supporter George Schwartz and his family made the gift in honor of his late wife of more than 52 years, Judi. The new facility is planned for the area just south of the dormitories, making it a convenient recreational resource for the entire student body. Athletic Director Joe Patterson shared how this new facility will be instrumental in adding additional sports programs at AMU and serve as a much-needed recreational athletic facility for the Gyrene family.

The new 7,600-square-foot locker room facility (pictured above) is on track to open for the fall semester. This will mark the first time in Ave Maria University’s history the majority of outdoor sports will have locker rooms. “This is a big step for the University’s athletic programs,” said Director of Athletics Joe Patterson. The facility will include the football locker room as well as a male locker room and a female locker room. It will also house the offices for the baseball and softball programs, freeing up additional rooms in the St. Anne’s building, which currently holds the offices for all of the outdoor sports as well as the rehabilitation rooms and offices. The locker room facility will be located directly across Kelleher Street from the four main fields used by AMU Athletics. It will be situated between the canal and St. Anne’s. Student-athletes will no longer need to go to their dorms to shower, and there will now be a place of refuge during any weather-related delays. “The transition from practice to class will be so much more efficient,” said Patterson. “This is another tangible sign of the momentum in AMU athletics.”

AMUNEWS

FORMING A MARCHING BAND

ve Maria University will be launching a marching band for the fall 2021 semester. The band, expected to be 30-people strong in its first full year, will perform at football games and other outdoor events. Under the direction of the newly hired Shelby Ledbetter, the band will also have color guard and pep band components. Ledbetter highlights the band’s ability “to be at the very center of campus life.” She also notes a band is “essential in the cultivation of tradition within a university”. Scholarships are available for qualified musicians. Information on the band, including a link to reserve a time for an audition, can be found under “Inside Athletics” at avemariagyrenes.com. Additionally, Ave Maria University will be launching a competitive dance team this fall, which also offers scholarships. Members of the dance team will have the opportunity to serve as color guard members, if they desire. “A marching band has long been synonymous with college athletics,” said Director of Athletics Joe Patterson. “The band will certainly help build upon the game-day environment that is already in place.” In its initial years, the band will be fully funded by a generous donation to the university by Charles and Patricia Hatcher.

n a season of cancelled, modified, or virtualonly events, Ave Maria University’s inperson Scholarship Dinner held on Thursday, February 18, at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida was a resounding success. Held on a warm, breezy, tropical evening, the 10th annual Scholarship Dinner drew 200 people from all over the country who mingled outside in the spacious Ritz-Carlton courtyard before heading into the ballroom for dinner and the evening’s program. President Christopher Ice opened the evening thanking trustees, benefactors, vice presidents, and the many priests in attendance. While the

planned keynote speaker, Lamar Hunt, Jr., founding family member of the Kansas City Chiefs, was unable to attend due to inclement weather, the program didn’t miss a beat, filling the void with additional exposure to AMU’s immensely talented student body. Sandwiched in between the president’s welcome and the litany of student acts, were remarks from Founder and Chancellor of AMU, Tom Monaghan. Monaghan talked about the successful path the school was on, noting spring enrollment was the largest in the history of AMU, and culminated with a powerful one-liner: “I’d like Ave Maria University to be the school the devil hates the most.” For those unable to attend the dinner in person, AMU offered its first ever, Virtual Scholarship Dinner (found on YouTube). Filmed on AMU’s campus, the hour long video details the stories of students and alumni who discovered their vocational call while at AMU, whether that be in business, nursing, theology, biology, or communications. The video then dovetails into an exclusive interview with President Ice on how the Virgin Mary’s path to vocation illuminates how the University escorts students through their time at AMU. If you would like to attend next year’s Scholarship Dinner, please contact Katie Eads at kathryn.r.eads@avemaria.edu or call (239) 280-1565. ave ma r ia u n ive rsit y maga z i ne | ave ma r ia.edu

TENTH ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP DINNER

A NNUNCI ATION as VOCATION HOW THE MOTHER OF VOCATIONS CAN GUIDE YOU an interview with Dr. Mark Miravalle

Q: In a society chasing instant gratification, money, and power, we find workaholism, burnout, and anxiety to be rampant. What if we had a society filled with people viewing work as an anointed, God-given vocation? A: Clearly, our worldview of life and

our metaphysics of work foundationally impact our society. There is a radical difference between, as the great German Catholic philosopher Josef Pieper articulated, “living to work” versus “working to live.” In the latter, work is a noble means for the celebration of life, intrinsically and organically filled with dignity, as well as with and personal and societal fulfillment. Theologically, we believe an infinitely loving Father has a providential

plan for each one of us—a plan designed from all eternity for our ultimate fulfillment, happiness, and service to his Kingdom. We call this a “vocation.” Sometimes, a young person may feel everyone else has a vocation except them, crying in their hearts, “I think God forgot me!” This is impossible. If your loving Father knows the number of hairs on your head, He likewise has planned a beautiful and fruitful vocation for your life. Oftentimes, more extended time in prayer is necessary to hear it, then to accept it, then to live it. There’s no place better for this vocational listening and discerning than before our Eucharistic Jesus in Adoration, where our Lord answers all the questions we need to know at precisely the right time.

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ary, full of grace, perfectly assented to her vocational call from God. Pondering the reality of Mary’s vocation, specifically through the Annunciation, brings a wealth of inspiration to all of us on vocational journeys. As we look to her as a model, we see how to discern and live out God’s will for our lives. Dr. Mark Miravalle, world-renowned Mariologist, provides thoughtprovoking insights.

Q: What was Mary’s vocational call? How was it received? A: Our Lady’s vocational call was nothing

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short of the greatest in human history: to bring our divine Redeemer into the world, and to uniquely participate with Jesus in human Redemption. It is a “wonderment of nature”, as the liturgical text refrains, for a creature to give birth to her Creator. As Mother Teresa quipped, “Of course, Mary is the Co-redemptrix. She gave Jesus his body and the offering of the body of Jesus is what saved us.” Vocationally noteworthy as well is the fact it was a woman—not a pope, not a bishop, not a priest, not a man—chosen by God for the highest human vocation, i.e., to work with and under Jesus, like no other creature, in the historic work of Redemption. This constitutes the true

“IF YOUR LOVING FATHER KNOWS THE NUMBER OF HAIRS ON YOUR HEAD, HE LIKEWISE HAS PLANNED A BEAUTIFUL AND FRUITFUL VOCATION FOR YOUR LIFE.”

basis for authentic Christian feminism, and why Our Lady must be the ultimate exemplar and guide for all women in seeking their own rightful vocations. The Annunciation reveals the greatest human “yes” to the greatest human vocation in creation. It is truly a sublime grace for Ave Maria University, to be, both in name and in charism, so profoundly permeated with the spirituality of the Mother of Jesus and the Spiritual Mother of all peoples, as it is embodied at the Annunciation.

to the vocation which most pleases her divine Son. St. John Paul II called Mary the “Spokesperson of her Son’s will” and consecration to Our Lady can exponentially assist in discovering or in being perpetually faithful to our Christian vocations.

Q: Mary was obviously filled with grace in a very unique way, as the Immaculate Conception. For those of us not immaculately conceived, how do we receive the grace necessary not only to know God’s call, but to respond to it? A: The prayer and sacramental life of the

(Lk. 1:38) contains within itself, according to the great French spiritual writer, Jean Pierre de Caussade, all of the greatest elements of Christian Spirituality. Our Lady’s fiat would be a “yes” that she would utter throughout her life. For example, she would utter an interior fiat to the words of Simeon, hearing her son would be a sign of contradiction and her own heart would be pierced (cf. Lk. 2:35); her fiat in action to her Son’s divine power which would lead to the first miracle at the wedding of Cana (cf. Jn. 2:5); and her most painful fiat at Calvary, where St. John Paul II states that Mary offers her “sorrowful fiat” to being “spiritually crucified with her crucified Son” for our salvation. The Second Vatican Council confirms that at Calvary, Our Lady “consented to the immolation of the victim born of her” (Lumen Gentium, 58), which is the greatest fiat to redemptive suffering any human, any

Church offers us more than ample grace to hear, to receive, and to sustain our God-given vocations. Two great vehicles for both assisting in vocation discernment and for ensuring vocation fulfillment are: 1) once again, frequent weekly visits before the Blessed Sacrament, where we can directly ask Jesus and our Mother to reveal or to strengthen our vocations within our hearts; and 2) Marian consecration, whereby consecrating ourselves to Our Lady as her “slaves,” we can be freed from certain personal agenda or attachments, and thus allow the Mother of Vocations to guide us

Q: How do we see Mary repetitively give her “fiat” throughout scripture? What does that tell us about the nature of vocation? A: Mary’s joyful fiat at the Annunciation

mother, could ever give. Our lifelong vocations, too, will be filled with both joyful and sorrowful fiats. If we keep our hearts united to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary in seeking to live our vocations day-to-day strengthened through prayer and the sacraments, then whether joyful or sorrowful, our fiats will ultimately be meritorious for our vocations and for our sanctifications. Q: Inspired by Our Lady, what does it look like to have a vocational approach to our work? A: In imitation of our Mother, our

work can become our prayer, but only if we pray first. Our Lady lived each moment of each day in complete union with the Divine will, but only because her prayer preceded her work, and therefore enveloped and transformed her work. This, in turn, allowed her to make every daily task, regardless of how menial, into a prayer. In our only limited way, we can follow the Mother’s example of making our work our prayer, but not without first praying. Hence the need for a spiritual discipline of daily prayer, which, when possible, should include daily Mass and the daily Rosary. Q: With your Marian expertise, and as a college professor, can you speak to the difference between seeking to be employable, versus seeking to

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make a meaningful contribution to society, for the student? A: While the two pursuits are not

necessarily contradictory, they should certainly be in proper priority. Returning to the critical providential foundation of Christian vocation, God does have a plan for your life, and that plan will never be exclusively to become a material success. Bringing Christ to the world through your vocation can have a great beauty of diversity of concrete manifestations, oftentimes one not better than another. It is also important to remember that a person’s God-given vocation may not necessarily turn societal heads or bring in large quantities of cash. A group of fishermen changed the world, not because they were the most employable, but because they were the most faithful in adapting their personal gifts to obey

Christ’s developing vocations for them, which of course led both to their personal holiness, and also to spreading the saving Church throughout the world. We should seek to offer our own vocational gifts in the same way. At the same time, seeking excellence in various careers or professions is an essential part of a proper Christian Theology of work. Here we must go to Joseph. St. Joseph will guide us to the proper balance of work, which should not prioritize material gain or public notoriety first, but rather a sanctified dignity in using our God-given potentials in obedience to God’s plan and the good of family and society. Q: As a father of 8 children, could you share what’s been important to you in leading your children to discern their vocations? A: The role of Christian parents in

assisting children to discern a vocation is, I believe, a delicate and difficult balance between A) honestly pointing out to your children the particular talents you perceive in them over the years, and how practically that could manifest itself in a particular vocation; and at the same time, B) to make absolutely and repeatedly clear to them that their choice of vocation is ultimately, entirely, and exclusively their

own, between themselves and God. No family is perfect, save one, which means no contemporary Christian family formation of children will be either. Still, our heartfelt efforts to form our children in the ways of the Catholic Faith, however imperfectly, will hopefully provide a foundation for our children to look to God first for their ultimate vocational choices. The Holy Family and their powerful intercession will greatly assist our children to make the best possible vocational decisions, united with our own perpetual parental supplications. Sometimes, it is a longer journey than expected for today’s young people to discover God’s vocation for them. In other cases, it may be that God will abundantly bless a young person who makes a “Plan B” vocational decision, even if it is not the “Plan A” vocational decision the Lord had originally intended for them. I believe Christian parents should ultimately support any legitimate Christian vocational choice of their children, in mirroring the respect for their vocational freedom, which the Heavenly Father has given to each one of them, which is the same vocational freedom God gave to every parent. May Our Lady of the Annunciation bless each and every student at Ave Maria University with an abundance of graces in order to discern and to accept the Father’s wondrous plan for each of their most precious lives.

—Dr. Mark Miravalle Fellow of Mariology mark.miravalle@avemaria.edu —Annie Schlueter,‘20 Social Media & Convergence Lab Coordinator anne.schlueter@avemaria.edu

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

1-833-AMU-SWFL

PHILOSOPH Y of MOTHERHOOD ADDRESSING QUESTIONS OF MATERNITY & THE CONCEPT OF THE FAMILY

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bortion Tik Tok videos were one of the most shocking things I saw on the internet in 2020. Girls would take before-footage of their bodies and their attitudes, go into a clinic, have their child aborted, and come out “empowered.” Complete with dancing and oftentimes vulgar music, they celebrated their “liberation” from motherhood. While perhaps extreme, it’s a pervasive undercurrent of society, especially seen in foreign countries which have recently legalized abortion. For example, Argentina upon hearing of the legalization of abortion, women took to the streets hysterically sobbing and screaming, overcome with emotion as they would now be legally permitted to terminate their pregnancies. On this secular backdrop, tucked into the southwest side of the sunshine state, there’s Ave Maria University, where cultural leanings are decidedly pro-life. “Pro-life” here is more than mere attendance at the March for Life in January - there’s a year-round desire to learn the sanctity of the family and uphold the dignity of life. As students discern their vocational callings at Ave Maria University, many of them seek out what Vincent DeStefano, ‘22, called “true gender studies” - classes such as Theology of the Body, Philosophy of Love, and now, the never-before-offered Philosophy of Motherhood. Taught by Associate Professor of Philosophy Dr. Janice Chik Breidenbach in a once-a-week block of three hours, the course covers all aspects of motherhood. Dr. Breidenbach brings years of teaching experience to the table, having earned her Bachelor of Arts from Princeton, Masters in Philosophy at the University of Texas, and Doctorate at the University of St. Andrews. She’s spoken nationally and internationally on philosophy and ethics and is one of the most respected professors at Ave Maria University. In addition to these accomplishments, she’s wife to fellow professor Dr. Michael Breidenbach and has a two-year-old son. Dr. Breidenbach sat down with me for a podcast episode prior to the start of the class to discuss the objectives and content. “I’m trying to urge people to think about what motherhood is,” she explained, adding the class is intended to obliterate the politicization and compartmentalization of motherhood.

In her syllabus, she has the class set up to answer questions such as, “What is a mother?”, “How is motherhood differentiated from fatherhood - or are they interchangeable in practice?”, “Is motherhood work or leisure?”, and “What is spiritual motherhood, and how is it possible in the light of infertility and loss?” just to name a few. Required readings span from Plato to Aristotle to St. Gregory of Nyssa to Pope John Paul II and St. Edith Stein, and many more, opening students’ minds to discover God’s plan for motherhood and its role in the world. Through pondering the metaphysics of pregnancy, the inevitable suffering of motherhood, and the home

“MOTHERHOOD IS SOMETHING MORE THAN BIOLOGICAL OR MERELY NATURAL.”

Suarez is taking the class not simply to inquire into the vocation of motherhood, but to take the deep understanding gained from this class into other areas of her life. Regardless of where she’s called to go after college, she has a passion for discussing and writing the truth about womanhood and motherhood, debunking the secular definition of feminism. She’s excited to take the class and answer the question, in her words, “What is it that’s so beautiful about womanhood and motherhood that makes us distinct from men?” As DeStefano discerns God’s will for his life, he’s seeking to contribute to the academic conversation of marriage and family, desiring to “help other people think” by forming them in truth. He said he’s taking this class to be a better husband and father (God willing) someday by being able to deeply understand the beauty of motherhood. He remarked, “This class is so momentous - especially when paired with other classes Ave Maria offers, like Theology of the Body and Philosophy of Love - these are direct combatants of this new post-modern definition of the ‘family.’”

It’s especially important such a class is taught at Ave Maria University, Stefano commented. “We are Ave Maria, we are ‘Hail Mary’. We are a school dedicated to Theotokos - Mary, the Mother of God.” The devil’s first attack on mankind was an attack on a woman, and the work of salvation began with the “yes” of the woman: the Blessed Virgin Mary. Clearly, the enemy knows the power of the “fiat”; and clearly, his lies to mankind about the nature of motherhood have taken root, as seen through many seeking “liberation” from motherhood and the destruction of the nuclear family. However, here, at an institution under the patronage of Our Lady, the young church is at work to bring light to the darkness. Through the Philosophy of Motherhood course, and the Ave Maria University culture as a whole, students will leave understanding motherhood as intentional, anointed, and vocational, and bring this powerful truth into their workplaces and homes, thus changing the world. —Annie Schlueter,‘20 Social Media & Convergence Lab Coordinator anne.schlueter@avemaria.edu

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as a domestic church, students gain awareness of the beautiful vocational calling of motherhood. When asked to give a definition of motherhood, Dr. Breidenbach said, “Motherhood is the quest to assist the child to discover and discern their vocation with God - what their calling is, what their particular path in life is, that God is laying out for them. It’s the parent’s duty and privilege to assist the child with that.” She went on to add, “Motherhood is a multiplicity of relationships. Primarily, and most fundamentally, it is a relationship between the mother and God. There’s something divine, something supernatural about this vocation requiring the mother to see this is something more than biological and more than merely natural.” The class is taught seminar-style, where students are encouraged to participate with their own questions and commentary on the works they’ve read. Both DeStefano and Raquel Suarez, ‘22, attribute this to the success of the class. Being able to process with classmates and have the wisdom of Dr. Breidenbach makes the material all the more engaging.

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Calling Great

CATHOLIC COMMUNICATORS

Mastering media is an integral part of the Church’s mission

WIN A FREE HARLEY DAVIDSON The concept came into focus for me years ago, as I thumbed through my local newspaper. An advertisement caught my eye that read, “Win a FREE Harley Davidson.” The offer came from a casino, that was giving away one Harley Davidson motorcycle a week for six consecutive weeks. I’m not much of a gambler, and in full transparency, have never owned a motorcycle or rarely even ridden one. If I did, I’m sure my favorite companion would be my local priest who would be on stand-by for last rites. Nonetheless, I pictured myself astride that beautiful

machine. As I drove to work that morning, the same advertisement caught my eye on a billboard next to the highway. When I arrived at work, I stumbled across several social media advertisements promoting the giveaway and using the same graphics. The following evening, I sat in my car, stuck in rush hour traffic, listening to an announcer broadcast the giveaway live. The caveat was, you had to be present to win. Suddenly, I felt a strange gravitational pull. If I go right, I continue on my path home. If I go left, I can be at the casino in 20 minutes, be a last minute registrant, and quite possibly, be the proud owner of a shiny, new Harley! Although there was a brief internal struggle, I chose to continue on my path homeward, but not before the power of convergence was realized. A number of messages had been delivered to me over a short period of time, prodding me to visit the casino, and it nearly worked! This, despite the fact I’m not a gambler nor a motorcyclist.

SLOW TO CONVERGE Convergence is crucial today because we’ve all become hardened listeners. Bombarded with messages, it’s much more difficult for a single medium to move

“THE CHURCH, AND THUS THE WORLD, IS CRYING OUT FOR GREAT CATHOLIC COMMUNICATORS.”

us to action. Previously, a person could graduate college with a communications degree, become an expert in a single medium (for example, print), and likely reside there for the duration of their career. This is no longer the case. A news reporter with 30 years of experience interviewing and writing news articles is now required to bring along a camera for videotaping, post the story on a web page, write an enticing, clickable headline for social media, and perhaps, gather a number of sources around a topic so as to host a future podcast. Convergence is the way of communicating today and while college students inherently know its value because they were brought up in this environment, colleges themselves have been sluggish to adapt.This was the conclusion of a recent virtual webinar sponsored by Adobe and The Chronicle of Higher Education. They found communication to be a “durable” skill leading industries would seek talent in because it can’t be replaced by automation. To highlight how colleges could innovate to meet tomorrow’s job market demands, they profiled a student who in her first year writing course, learned how to tell a story using mobile app, podcast, website, film, and magazine. By doing this, the student was able to identify gaps in her storytelling and perfect her product.

THE CONVERGENCE LAB In an effort to help form great Catholic communicators, Ave Maria University will be launching The Convergence Lab. In this lab, a student will be exposed to all mediums – print, online, direct, involvement, and broadcast – so they

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he Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ to bear salvation to all men. Like St. Paul, the Church is ruined if it does not meet this obligation (1 Cor. 9:16). While many translate this to mean we need more priests, nuns, and theologians, and I certainly do not want to diminish that conclusion, I do, however, want to propose another perspective. The Church, and thus the world, is crying out for great Catholic communicators. Today, there are more communication tools at our fingertips than at any time in human history. The internet, cell phones, and social media have all launched or come into their own in the last 20 years. These tools make connecting instantaneous. They not only serve to reach people but entertain, inform, and influence them. Therefore, to be a great Catholic communicator requires one possess the skills necessary to employ these tools for the advancement of the Kingdom. They also demand one understands how these tools work together to achieve “convergence.” Convergence consists of integrating messages across a variety of access points in order to achieve a cumulative effect.

can see how one activity influences another, and how to coalesce a message for ultimate impact. This effort will drive student success by augmenting scholastic work, enabling the student to boast of real-world experience. Imagine, two job candidates from two different schools, one worked at their college newspaper, whereas the other, worked in the AMU Convergence Lab, employing four or five mediums. Which candidate will likely land the job? And, which will be better equipped for the future?

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CONVERGENCE FOR THE KINGDOM

However, forming great Catholic communicators isn’t merely meeting the minimum criteria of preparing students for employment, it harkens to a much deeper, manifest call from Christ and His Church. “Go, therefore and make disciples of all the nations.” This was a command of the risen Jesus, and it’s the same command the Church perpetually presents anew. In fact, one of the first documents emerging from Vatican II was Inter Mirifica, the decree on the media of social communications. Reading it today, it seems prophetic. It calls for the laity to make effective use of the media, to create a truly Catholic press advancing the natural law and Catholic teaching, and to be watchful when the media is used contrary

to the plan of the Creator, inflicting evil upon society. Forty-two years after its publishing, Pope John Paul II wrote a follow up document, The Rapid Development. In it, he says the Church is “not only called upon to use the mass media to spread the Gospel, but today more than ever, to integrate the message of salvation into the “new culture,” and that “using the techniques and technologies of contemporary communications is an integral part of the Church’s mission in the third millennium.”

And finally, at the center of the Ave Maria University logo is the document Ex Corde Ecclesiae. Many know this document was also written by Pope John Paul II, as he expressed concern for the life of Catholic universities. The document describes what an authentic Catholic university should look like, who it would hire, and how it should display it’s fidelity to the Church in its everyday life. However, an often overlooked part of the document recommends “that by means of appropriate studies, the impact of modern technology and especially of the mass media on persons, the family, and the institutions and whole of modem culture be studied deeply.” To deeply study the impact of the media on persons, one must know the inner workings of convergence. Once you grasp the concept, see convergence in action, and recognize its ability to influence men, you’ll realize there is much work to do in communicating the Kingdom. To find out how you can support or be involved in The Convergence Lab, contact Kevin Murphy at 239-304-7918 or the email below.

—Kevin Murphy, vice president of marketing & communications kevin.murphy@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

1-833-AMU-SWFL

COACHING as a CA LLING a v e m a r i a u n i v e r s i t y m a g a z i n e | s p r i n g 2021

Using the platform of sports to communicate God’s conquering love

he pregame music for a men’s soccer game at Ave Maria University shocks secular sensibilities. The 10-song playlist, featuring “Ubi Caritas,” “Panis Angelicus,” and Bach’s “Ave Maria” is an immersive spiritual experience engulfing participants and spectators alike. The monophonic Gregorian chant unsettles as it inspires. “The first time I heard the pregame playlist, it struck me deeply,” said AMU Director of Athletics Joe Patterson. “What a tremendous reminder of the divine and of our ultimate goal.” The musical choices of men’s soccer head coach Eddie Gaven

are an unambiguous application of the AMU athletics mission, to “intentionally integrate the Catholic faith into collegiate athletics, promoting the formation of mind, body, and spirit.” The sublime music is followed by 90 minutes of some of the most intense competition. The music frames the battle that follows, giving context to the pursuit of excellence on the field. Few people debate how sports can serve as a terrific training ground for life. Most everyone notices the physical benefits of sport, but it’s the spiritual and moral components producing the

greatest, lasting fruit. “Christ gave us a playbook for happiness,” said Patterson. “We just need to faithfully follow it.” Liz Feger, who serves as the school’s associate athletic director, as well as the head cross-country coach, put it this way: “Athletics helps the student-athlete to understand their call because of the discipline it requires. Heroic sanctity isn’t easy, and neither is the life of a collegiate student-athlete.” The discipline that gets an athlete or coach out of bed at 4:45 a.m. to attend a 5:15 a.m. morning practice is the same discipline that gets the athlete or coach

“THE SPIRITUAL AND MORAL COMPONENT OF SPORTS CREATES THE GREATEST, LASTING FRUIT.”

Liz Feger, Eddie Gavin, Jamon Copeland, Joe Patterson, Tyler Rosser

For Patterson, the calling was guised at first. “I didn’t play college football, so it was the strategy and competition that first attracted me to the sport,” said Patterson. “It wasn’t until I began coaching and teaching that the strategy and competition—both still very important—were eclipsed by a desire to build relationships and ultimately build the Kingdom.” Of course, the coaches’ impact can be much more than practices, competitions, and team meetings. Coaches serve as relatable authority figures who derive their strength from the sacramental life. Jamon Copeland, the head men’s basketball coach, is a regular at the 12:15 p.m. daily Mass. He is typically the last person in the long communion line, and the image of Copeland falling to his knees to receive the Eucharist makes an indelible impression. “I seek clarity from our Lord in the Eucharist and from visiting him in the tabernacle,” said Copeland. “As Saint John Paul II said, ‘In that little host is the solution to all of the problems in the world.’ Also in that little host is the wisdom and direction to complete the tasks before me.” Bible studies, adoration hours, team retreats, Christian service projects, team prayer—these are all important, but so are the organic relationships that spring from the team setting. “Teamwork is underpinned by the ability to trust,” said Patterson. “Trust is what opens the door to conversion of heart.” Love conquers

all, and it’s this conquering love that exemplifies what is best about sports. Thankfully, the scoreboard can reward these Christian pursuits. After going 0-10 in his first season, Patterson’s football team won the conference championship two years later. Rosser’s “calling” in 2017 coincided with a 0-13-1 record. This past season, the program finished with its best record ever and hosted a playoff game for the first time ever, which the team won! Likewise, the men’s and women’s crosscountry teams finished 2020 with their best season ever, notching second-place finishes in the conference championships. The men’s basketball team is in the midst of its third straight season with—as of the writing of this article—a win-percentage hovering around 70-percent. But, of course, it’s not ultimately about the scoreboard. So many wins in life are simply choices. Am I going to be a good teammate? Am I going to get to class on time? Am I going to purposefully set aside time for prayer? Am I going to support the moral behavior of my fellow followers of Christ? For the coaches at Ave Maria University, there is little doubt about the importance of winning. It’s just really important to define winning.

—Joe Patterson; Athletic Director, Head Football Coach joseph.patterson@avemaria.edu

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out of bed at 3:45 a.m. to fill the 4 a.m. perpetual adoration time slot. The same self-sacrifice that prompts a third-string offensive lineman to serve as a scout team player translates well into the selfsacrifice that prompts a father to humbly toil countless hours to provide for his family. It is the chance to participate in this education of virtue that draws an Ave Maria coach to the sport. For Tyler Rosser, the head women’s soccer coach, this calling came years into his coaching career. Rosser first began coaching in 2009 while a senior at Ave Maria University, but he distinctly recalls a prayer session in March 2017 in which, “The Lord gently put the desire on my heart to coach for the purpose of helping each individual get to heaven.” For Feger, the college years are formative and precious. “I try to use every encounter with students as an opportunity to share the light of Christ,” said Feger. “We have the opportunity to engage them for a short window of time in their lives.”

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SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATING COV ID-19

AMU REMAINED A RESPITE OF FAITH FILLED COMMUNITY DESPITE TURBULENT TIMES OF ISOLATION For many university students in the United States, that word sums up the 2020 college experience. The College Crisis Initiative, an organization tracking higher education responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, estimates that of more than 3,000 colleges and universities in the United States, over 1,000 schools were primarily held online for the 2020-2021 school year. 681 schools were held “primarily in person,” and only 114 offered “fully in-person” classes. Ave Maria University was one of those 114.

THE ROAD BACK Like most higher education institutions in America, AMU closed for in-person learning in the spring of 2020. With the rapid spike in COVID-19 cases and all the unknown variables surrounding the pandemic, it was clearly the most prudent decision. AMU Provost Roger Nutt noted the successful transition to online learning in the spring. “We did a great job in the spring semester delivering our courses online,” Nutt said. “Many of us came away from that experience with a better appreciation for online learning.” Nevertheless, it was clear the University needed to return to in-person courses as soon as it was safe. “The experience with online classes in

the spring clarified for us how helpful the communal aspect of the life of the University is for researching, teaching, and learning in a Catholic, liberal arts setting,” Nutt noted. Therefore, the school administration decided to go in a different direction than most universities. AMU’s doors would open – not just metaphorically, but physically – to the community in the fall semester. Of course, in-person classes can’t happen without teachers and staff. Fortunately, the AMU faculty and staff was on board with the plan to return to in-person learning. “So long as the health and safety of the community could be responsibly safeguarded, the faculty and staff were happy to welcome students back to the campus,” Nutt shared. Over the summer, guidelines to keep the community safe and healthy were painstakingly outlined. In dialogue with health professionals, AMU leadership drafted an incredibly thorough Health Safety Plan, which outlined procedures for every aspect of community life, from dorm living, to classroom protocols, to quarantine and COVID-19 testing requirements. The plan worked. Remarkably, aside from a brief spike of cases in early October, AMU’s COVID-19 infection rate

has remained minimal. Many people might wonder what an in-person university experience looks like in the time of COVID-19. At AMU, students have been able to have a somewhat normal college experience, specifically in four areas central to the AMU community: academics, student life, athletics, and sacramental life.

ACADEMICS Freshman Chiara O’Keefe shared how in-person learning benefited her own experience as a first-year AMU student. “Compared to online learning, distractions were at a minimum and the classroom atmosphere really aided in learning. Additionally, I always had classmates who could help me through any homework or difficult

“ONLY 114 COLLEGES OFFERED IN-PERSON CLASSES (THAT’S 2%), AVE MARIA UNIVERSITY WAS ONE OF THEM.”

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AMU students have had a rare opportunity to live on campus, attend in-person classes, receive the sacraments, and participate in sports and student life. Though there were some cases of COVID-19 during the fall semester, the infection rate was, and continues to be, remarkably low. Perhaps most surprisingly, AMU also experienced record retention and the highest enrollment in the University’s history – all during an academic year that has been remote for most colleges and universities.

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concepts we were learning.” AMU freshman and women’s soccer manager Haley Pendergrass echoed O’Keefe’s observations. “The biggest benefit was most definitely in-person classes,” Pendergrass shared. “Learning with a professor right in front of you in case you have questions is so beneficial to absorbing the information. Having that opportunity last semester had a huge impact on my experience.” Classroom learning is a central component of any university experience, but it has a special place at AMU. The University’s Core Curriculum, which gives students a solid foundation in the most deeply human subjects – from science, to literature, to theology – forms an important cornerstone of the learning experience. This authentically Catholic academic foundation is also essentially communal. Nutt noted the centrality of the apostolic constitution Ex Corde Ecclesiae in the realization of AMU’s mission. In this document, Saint John Paul II emphasizes, “Every Catholic University, as a university, is an academic community . . .” As Nutt explained, “Living in residence at AMU - in a community where the Catholic faith animates the life of the campus and allows for the pursuit of the truth - is most compatible with our mission and identity.” At AMU, the goal of academics is the pursuit of truth in a community of faith. Remote learning could never be an adequate substitute.

PART OF THE REASON WE’RE IN THE MESS WE ARE IS BECAUSE YOU CAN’T JUST TURN OFF THE SACRAMENTS.

STUDENT LIFE At AMU, academics and student life go hand in hand. The AMU workload is challenging, and having social opportunities is an important element of a healthy university experience. This need for a vibrant student life was magnified by the pandemic. As Haley Pendergrass shared, “With COVID-19 at the forefront of my thoughts my first semester of college, I wasn’t hopeful I would get the full college experience because of the guidelines which had to be put in place for safety reasons. However, the fall semester at AMU was better than I could have ever expected. The University did a great job of keeping health guidelines in place while also allowing activities and events to go on.” In adherence with safety protocols, AMU held student life activities such as lectures by guest speakers, intramural and club sports games, outdoor events like Fall Fest and the Sadie Hawkins dance, and an all-campus outdoor event for All Saints’ Day. Although in-person graduation for the spring of 2020 was postponed, AMU held a graduation ceremony outside on the Gyrene turf field in December, honoring the class of 2020.

Though student life looked a bit different than usual, AMU did its students a great service by allowing community life to continue in a modified form.

ATHLETICS The COVID-19 pandemic has had a deep impact on student-athletes around the country. At many colleges and universities, sports have simply been put on hold, but at AMU athletics is alive and well – and student-athletes are tremendously grateful. “Being able to compete at AMU during the pandemic provided student-athletes with a tremendous opportunity to overcome adversity,” shared Gyrene quarterback Will Tate. “The lessons we learned from athletics this past year will stick with us for the rest of our lives. I am thankful the University advocated for us to compete.” Not only did athletics go on, but the department triumphed. The athletic department had its best fall-semester GPA in AMU’s history, and the competitive success was at an all-time high as the volleyball team, women’s soccer team, men’s cross country team, and women’s cross country team all had record seasons. As shared by volleyball player

Kennedy Ginaitt: “Unbelievably, the AMU volleyball team was able to make it through the season completely COVIDfree and ended up having the best record in Ave history. Despite great challenges, everyone was able to persevere, giving us great hope for the future.” Even while navigating canceled practices and postponed games, quarantines, and COVID-19 protocols, AMU athletes came out stronger than ever before.

SACRAMENTAL LIFE So many Catholics around the country have been unable to attend Mass during the pandemic, but at AMU, the sacraments have gone on and been well

attended. The AMU community was blessed to have confessions offered six days a week, as well as daily Mass. On average, 130 people attended daily Mass, and over 550 people attended Mass on the weekend. Father Rick Martignetti shared his perspective on how and why the sacraments have continued to be offered to the AMU community. “When the pandemic first hit, we moved to outdoor Masses so our student body could access Jesus through the Eucharist,” Fr. Martignetti shared. As the pandemic went on and church doors around the country continued to close, AMU came up with solutions to continue to offer sacramental access. “We adhered to the Bishop’s guidelines in regards to spacing for churches and moved to a bigger area,” said Fr. Martignetti. “While almost everyone was eliminating the Mass altogether, we were increasing the number of Masses and moved our confessional to an open yet still private area. I am the only full-time priest, but I have five other priests who helped. They were incredible, filling additional Masses and helping maintain a sacramental life.” AMU student Anna Benz noted what an amazing blessing daily Mass has been for her own student experience. “One of the greatest blessings at Ave Maria University is the opportunity to go to daily Mass, which is made available multiple times a day for the students. There was a time during the pandemic where there were

only online Masses available in my home state, and having the Mass so accessible to me has been the greatest blessing.” The graces received from AMU’s sacramental life sustained the community during this time of pandemic. As Father Martignetti expressed, “[Access to the sacraments] is important not only for students, but really the whole world. Part of the reason we’re in the mess we are is because you can’t just turn off the sacraments.”

CONCLUSION By the grace of God, AMU has remained a respite of faith-filled community in a time which, for many, is marked by isolation, distance from the sacraments, and societal conflict. Athletics and academics flourish despite a nationwide trend to halt these crucial human activities, and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered daily. Sacramental graces which have been denied to so many Catholics around the world continue to flow abundantly at AMU. Thanks to AMU’s return to inperson university life, students have learned firsthand one of life’s most important lessons: to walk with God in a community of trust, faith, and courage in the face of tribulation and suffering.

—Nicole Crawford,‘07

DEE from ND MEET DR. DEE GIPSON, A S S O S C I AT E V I C E PRESIDENT OF ENROLLMENT

ee Gipson joined the Ave Maria University family in January 2021, trading the perma-cloud of South Bend for the perma-sun of Southwest Florida. Serving as the new Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management, Dee is fueled by her faith and ready to take AMU to new heights.

Q: What was the path that led you to Ave Maria University? A: My mom. She saw an article in the Naples Newspaper about Tom

Monahan from Michigan, which happens to be our birthplace, and his dream of starting a Catholic college in Southwest Florida. At the time, I was living and working in Atlanta, Georgia, married, and raising our son, Robby. When Robby was in high school, my mom wanted him to consider Ave Maria University. While he did not ultimately decide to attend AMU, my mom loved this area, and she and my dad retired to Naples. Mom, now guiding me from heaven, is smiling that I am finally at Ave Maria University.

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Q: What most excites you about this opportunity as the new associate vice president of enrollment? A: I am excited to help students who love their faith find their second

home here at Ave Maria. I love that our team is able to meet with students and their families individually and share what makes us unique from the classroom to the athletic field. We play a role helping them decide if this is the best place for them to prepare for the next chapter of their adult lives. Q: After working in graduate admissions for the University of Notre Dame, what similarities and differences have you seen so far? A: Both institutions have a holistic view in admissions by searching for

those who desire to grow in body, mind, and spirit. The passion for sports on both campuses and the plethora of opportunities to deepen faith create ideal environments for leisure and growth. The Notre Dame Alumni are the pinnacle of loyalty and we could learn from that

Q: In your eyes, what are the qualities of a student who would thrive at Ave Maria University? A: A student who would thrive at Ave

Maria University is one who desires to incorporate their faith in every aspect of their lives, not just attend Mass on Sundays. It is someone who not only seeks wisdom and academic rigor, but also wants to play, whether that is a sport, a musical instrument, or a role in the Shakespeare theatre: they get involved on campus. In sum, it’s a student who wants to be on the cutting edge of something great. Q: What is your plan to recruit more of these students? A: We have a plan to start right in

our own backyard through increased awareness of who we are today. We will invite families to campus and we will meet them where they are in Florida and other potential neighborhoods that have come to know us and want others in their schools to enjoy the same community and education found at AMU.

“A STUDENT WHO WOULD THRIVE AT AVE MARIA UNIVERSITY IS ONE WHO DESIRES TO INCORPORATE THEIR FAITH IN EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR LIVES, NOT JUST ATTEND MASS ON SUNDAYS.”

Q: Outside of work, what are some of your hobbies and interests? A: I am an early riser and enjoy cycling

on my stationary bike while reading my daily devotionals, followed by some calisthenics to help wake up and prepare for the day. I like to meet one new person every day, preferably in person, but have adapted to other mediums during COVID. I stay focused in life by attending daily Mass, either on campus with the students or in the Ave Maria Parish. There is no better way to wrap up my day than a run listening to music, usually singing along, thanking God for the day’s opportunities and challenges and with my hopes for another new day tomorrow. Each evening, I touch base with Robby, family and friends, listen to the Hallow app, ponder the Examination of Conscience, and sip on Sleepy Time tea. I’m looking forward to incorporating the beach, running races, dinners with new friends, picking up golf and tennis again, and even learning pickleball. Q: You understand well what goes into a college decision, not only through your experience in higher education, but also as a parent yourself. What advice do you have to both students and parents? A: A student’s college decision process

can be made much easier if they prioritize what matters in high school. Focus on doing well in your four years of high school by living a balanced life: do what you are passionate about and become a leader in what gives you energy. Don’t waste your time and money on retaking the standardized tests, and don’t follow your high school friends to where they are attending. College is a place where you will more seriously discern your vocation and let God show you how He wants to use your talents to bear fruit. Lastly, I firmly believe that if you follow your intuition, you are allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and give you peace so you can run even more towards your faith

Q: In your experience, what makes a university successful? A: It starts with the individuals that

make up the university’s community. Are the staff, faculty, and current student body thriving and full of positivity and hope? Are they collaborating and sharing the same mission and message? Are they passionate about guiding students towards their vocation? Do the professors have knowledge from an academic and industry point of view? Do the coaches know that to be a successful collegiate athlete that the student needs to be a winner in both academics and athletics? A university cannot be all things to all people. The successful ones have convictions of who they are and share that truth with others. In turn, students can discern for themselves and see if Our Mother is calling them here to join us!

—Elizabeth O’Donnell ‘17 Enrollment Support Manager elizabeth.odonnell@avemaria.

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as we continue to matriculate. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the permacloud vs. the sunshine. I think we all know who has which.

ACADEMICUPDATES BIG THINGS ARE COMING FROM THE STUDENTS MAJORING IN POLITICS AT AVE MARIA UNIVERSITY political science, placing AMU in the 93rd percentile, compared to

Ambrose Bean ‘20

over 100 other peer institutions. The excellence of this year was preceded only by last year’s performance, when the Class of 2019

scored in the 96th percentile overall. Ambrose Bean, ‘20, who has gone on to pursue a Masters in Theology at AMU, believes the program succeeds by attracting the best and brightest students. “Having intelligent, highly motivated students in the program always makes the classroom environment engaging and productive,” said Bean.

perspective in their students. Dr. Seana Sugrue, who has taught at AMU since 2004, said, “Life is very short and each of us must decide what we hope our legacy will be. Mine is in the lives of my students and my children.” In her teaching, Sugrue carries with her the wisdom of the late Michael Novak, one of Ave Maria

Ryan Rasins, ‘19, who has spent two years working with Senator

University’s first trustees and a scholar of

Marco Rubio on domestic policy issues, agreed with Bean. “My formation

international renown. “Michael Novak taught

at Ave Maria University, both intellectually and spiritually, gave me a

me the key to good teaching is to love your

solid foundation as I moved into the world of politics. The value of time

students. When you love them, you give them

spent in class, working on projects with classmates, the moot court

all you have,” said Sugrue.

exercise, and the personal relationships I formed with faculty cannot be understated.”

The politics department is building a legacy of success, and few places in our culture are in

A large part of the success of the politics department lies with its

more need of great Catholic men and women

professors, who approach teaching as a vocation and foster that

than the world of politics.

Dr. John Colman, Dr. Seana Sugrue, Dr. James Patterson

ave ma r ia u n ive rsit y maga z i ne | ave ma r ia.edu

he Class of 2020 recently took the Major Field Test (MFT) in

ACADEMICS UPDATE

FOUNDONAMAZON Thomas Aquinas, Biblical Theologian Dr. Roger Nutt, S.T.L., S.T.D., Vice President for Academic Affairs, Associate Professor of Theology; Dr. Michael Dauphinais, Ph.D., Chair of the Theology Department, Professor of Theology The essays in Thomas Aquinas, Biblical Theologian explore some of Aquinas’ most important contributions within his biblical commentaries and the ongoing work of Scripture study.

a v e m a r i a u n i v e r s i t y m a g a z i n e | s p r i n g 2021

Write With You: A Yearlong Support for Teaching WritingGrades 3-5 Dr. Kathy Christensen, Ed.D., Chair of the Education Department, Associate Professor of Education; Virginia Blackburn This publication is intended to support teachers and students while helping them come to see themselves as competent and confident writers.

Neither Nature nor Grace: Aquinas, Barth, and GarrigouLagrange on the Epistemic Use of God’s Effects Dr. T. Adam Van Wart, Ph.d., Assistant Professor of Theology Neither Nature nor Grace operates at the intersection of systematic and philosophical theology, exploring in particular how St. Thomas Aquinas variously uses the latter in service to the clarification and faithful advancement of the former. Americana Latine: Latin Moments in the History of The United States Dr. Andrew Dinan, Ph.d., Associate Professor of Classics Americana Latine presents over one hundred Latin texts written for the most part in or about lands that would become, or currently are, part of The United States.

AN OVERVIEW

ve Maria University continues to draw high-caliber students interested in nursing, medicine, and scientific research, with 37% of our students majoring in the Nursing and the Biological Sciences. The Nursing Program recently completed a long-

awaited site visit by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The program was found compliant with all standards and will be recommended for full accreditation during the ACEN Board’s next meeting in March. Despite the program recent beginnings, 100% of our graduates have secured employment upon graduation, which is 27% above the national average. AMU’s Health Science Major was recently ranked 22nd in the nation by leaning.org. Most of our Biology and Biochemistry students perform original and ongoing undergraduate research under faculty mentorship – opportunities that are inaccessible at larger universities with higher student-faculty ratios. The Patrick F. Taylor Graduate Programs in Theology continues as a leading center for theological renewal. The Program has produced 33 graduates who in Fall 2020 taught approximately 1800 students, including 200 seminarians, in 20 different colleges, universities, and seminaries, around the world. Alumni job placement in colleges, universities, seminaries, and diocesan institutes is at 90%. The University has enhanced the Honors Program through a greater curricular unity and a closer community oriented towards a shared pursuit of Truth. All incoming students enroll in an interdisciplinary course on rhetoric, public speaking, and writing that fulfills the

freshman composition requirement. In their last year, students also complete a dedicated Honors seminar course on The Good Life, which integrates all they have learned in the core curriculum into a holistic vision of education that can be applied to their lives after graduation. In addition, Honors students have unique opportunities to engage with faculty in small extracurricular reading discussion groups each semester on a host of topics in science, history, theology, and political and cultural concerns. Honors students still enjoy a tight-knit community with smaller classes, dedicated housing accommodations, extracurricular events, seminars, and trips. The Economics Department has developed a new five-course Data Analytics Certificate that will provide new career opportunities to students in Economics, Mathematics, Finance, Physics, and other majors. This certificate is the first course sequence in computer science, which is an area of anticipated growth at the University.

A Better Time THERE’S N EV ER B EEN

FOR

fresh air

FO R

AND THE PEACE OF BEING OUT

rolling

IN TO T HE TOWN C E NTER

FOR

rounds

home

OF GOLF AND LIBATIONS

AT THE HEART OF EVERYTH ING

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Looking to live in a community that combines an active lifestyle with the charm and friendliness of a small town? Ave Maria is just such a place. A place with fresh air and wide-open spaces, rounds of golf, outdoor shopping and dining, and so much more. There’s always something fun happening in town— from live entertainment to signature events. One of the nation’s top-selling master planned communities, Ave Maria is home to a vibrant mix of active adults, growing families, and young professionals.

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AVE MARIA WATER PARK • Resort Pool • Lap Pool * Cascading Spa • 2 Water Slides • Interactive Water Features • Sand Volleyball Court • Life Raft Cafe

Recreation

COMMUNITY PARKS • Soccer & Baseball Fields • Basketball Courts • Tennis Courts • Bocce Ball Courts • Disc Golf • Picnic Pavilions • Children’s Playground • Lake Park • Dog Park

MORE FUN & FITNESS • Fitness Center • Walking & Biking Trails • University Athletics • Pickleball • Golf Simulator • 2 Championship 18-Hole Golf Courses

SPECIAL & ONGOING

Events

Fun abounds with live music, farmers markets, and festivals. Events will be adhering to CDC guidelines and social distancing procedures. All events are subject to change. Visit AveMaria.com for more information.

LOCATION, LOCATION,

RELOCATION. 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

1-833-AMU-SWFL

ATHLETICUPDATES ATHLETIC UPDATES GOLF IS BACK!

he Ave Maria University athletic department recently announced a partnership with The National Golf and Country Club, which just recently opened in Ave Maria, Fla., in January of 2021. The new golf course will serve as the home course for the recently relaunched Gyrenes’ men’s and women’s golf programs. “The National Golf and Country Club is a first-rate course that will give us a great venue,” Ave Maria athletic director Joe Patterson said. “We will be an attractive destination for serious golfers.” The Ave Maria University community was invited to take part in the first competition on the freshly minted course on Thursday, January 7. A total of six AMU foursomes took part in the special soft opening which included a ceremonial ribbon cutting. “We are proud to be partnered with Ave Maria University as part of the relaunch of the varsity golf programs,” said Ryan Hagerman, head PGA professional at The National. “The National is a special place, and we can’t wait to move forward with this special relationship with Ave Maria Athletics and its golf programs.” The National Golf and Country Club opened to the public on January 15. It was designed by Gordon Lewis, an awardwinning golf course architect based in Naples, Fla. The 18-hole championship course features one of the longest par 5s in the region, along with one of the shortest par 3s. It also includes a chipping area, aqua driving range, and putting green.

a golf program in a terrific part of the country,” Ave Maria head golf coach John Klacik said. “We are dedicated to building a top-notch program here, and we have the resources to do it thanks to our partnership with The National.” The addition of the men’s and women’s golf programs increases the total number of varsity sport teams offered within AMU Athletics to 18. This is part of a multi-faceted expansion of AMU’s athletic operations, which also includes the construction of three new athleticrelated buildings. “I am really excited to get on the new course at The National and to be able to see the improvement and the growth of the team all together as a group,” Ave Maria junior women’s golfer Delaney Southers said. The Ave Maria University golf teams will compete in The Sun Conference, which is widely regarded as the top golf conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). At the conclusion of the 2019-20 season, a total of seven programs in The Sun Conference were ranked among the top 25 nationally, and nine were listed among the top 35 programs in the NAIA poll. On the women’s side, The Sun Conference boasted five of the top 25 teams nationally, two of which held the top two spots nationally.

The par-72 course measures 7,309 yards from the championship tees and includes four other tee distances. “I think it is a great opportunity to start

ATHLETICS UPDATE

MEET THE PRESS

a v e m a r i a u n i v e r s i t y m a g a z i n e | s p r i n g 2021

andy Press was named assistant athletic director for media and marketing at Ave Maria University on January 11, 2021.

the social media operation for the Lumberjacks, doubling the athletic department’s reach. He was also the primary media contact for the NAU football and men’s basketball.

Press will oversee all communications for Gyrene Athletics and brings over 20 years of experience in collegiate and professional athletics to AMU.

Press previously spent seven years at the University of Connecticut where he served as an assistant director for athletic communications and was primarily responsible for the media relations and communications for the nationally prominent UConn women’s basketball program. During his tenure at UConn, Press covered four NCAA National Championship women’s basketball teams, and was the top media assistant for the UConn football program in his final three years.

“I am truly honored and privileged to have the opportunity to bring more awareness to both the mission of Ave Maria University, and share the success of Gyrene student-athletes in competition, as well as in the classroom, and in the community.”

Prior to Connecticut, Press spent nearly five years working in the Penn State University Athletic Communications Office. He also has NCAA Division II and professional level experience having formerly served as manager of broadcasting and communications with the Women’s National Basketball Association’s Atlanta Dream, and assistant commissioner for strategic communications with the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference.

Most recently, Press was the assistant athletic director for athletic communications at Northern Arizona University, a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I program. Press transformed

Press is a graduate of Georgia Southern University with a degree in Sports Management. He is a native of Coral Springs, Fla., and has been honored for his publications by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on 10 occasions. He resides in Naples Park with his wife Crystal.

AMU VARSITY EXPANDING

within the Athletic Department right now, and we believe swimming and diving will be a great asset to the University.”

Adding swim and dive to the University portfolio marks the first new sport added by AMU since women’s lacrosse began play in the spring of 2015. The University will begin recruitment immediately, with full National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) competition scheduled to begin in the fall 2021 semester. NAIA competition in swimming and diving takes place during the winter season, marking AMU’s third winter sport. Training will primarily be held at the Ave Maria Water Park, located less than a mile from campus.

he Ave Maria University athletic department is pleased to announce the launch of men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs. The addition of these varsity teams is part of a multi-faceted expansion of AMU’s athletic operations, including the addition of four new varsity sports teams and the construction of three new athletic-related buildings. “We’re thrilled to be adding swimming and diving to our varsity offerings,” said Joe Patterson, director of athletics. “There is great momentum

ATHLETICS UPDATE

FALL & WINTER OVERVIEW FOOTBALL

Ave Maria football defeated three conference opponents during the 2020 season, picking up wins over Warner University, Webber International University, and Florida Memorial University. The win over Warner was one of the most exciting finishes in AMU history, as kicker Derek McCormick made a field goal as time expired to give the Gyrenes a 32-29 victory. McCormick was named the National Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts.

MEN’S SOCCER

AMUs men’s soccer team qualified for The Sun Conference Tournament for the first time in school history, and earned wins over Florida Memorial University and Webber International University. Following the team’s Opening Night victory over Florida Memorial, freshman Cade Williams was named Sun Conference Player of the Week for scoring the game-winning goal.

going 15-4 and finishing as the conference regular season and tournament runner-up. Five Gyrenes were named All-Sun Conference players - *Cabriella Bouterse, Erica Chenard, *Madelyn Haut, *Victoria Schein, and *Lily Witkoski (* first team). AMU also dominated the conference’s end of season awards with Witkoski claiming setter of the year honors (best passer), and Schein earning libero of the year (best defensive player). In addition, Zelie Kessler was named the Sun Conference Freshman of the Year, and head coach Sonya Leszczynski was tabbed as the league’s Coach of the Year.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

CROSS COUNTRY

VOLLEYBALL

AMU’s volleyball program broke through into the upper echelon of The Sun Conference,

AMU’s cross country programs both earned conference runner-up honors at The Sun Conference Championships. Ave Maria’s men were led by freshman Joseph Perreault, who earned First Team All-Sun Conference and Freshman of the Year honors. Perreault also qualified for the NAIA National Championships. On the women’s side, Mary Goetz made it three consecutive trips to the NAIA National Championships and three consecutive First Team All-Conference honors. Additionally, Adam Paga and Anna Morris earned Second Team All-Conference honors.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

AMU men’s basketball program continued their run of success, posting their third consecutive winning season. As of press time, the Gyrenes were in first place in The Sun Conference with a 13-5 conference record. Both Eric Klekas and Fernando Salsamendi earned Conference Player of the Week honors, with All-Conference recognition likely to follow. The Gyrenes earned their first-ever victory over the powerhouse program at Keiser University, and defeated every team in the conference at least once.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

In the third season under head coach Megan Becker, the Gyrenes qualified for The Sun Conference Tournament for the fourth season in a row. The Gyrenes earned season sweeps over Warner University and Thomas University, and picked up non-conference victories over Florida College and Johnson University. Senior Syanne Rowe was named conference Player of the Week in November, following the team’s opening night win over Johnson.

ave ma r ia u n ive rsit y maga z i ne | ave ma r ia.edu

The Gyrene women’s soccer team set a school record for both overall wins and conference wins in a season. AMU also earned the first postseason win in school history, a 3-1 victory over Warner University at Gyrene Field. Forward Emily Dalton earned First Team All-Conference honors, while goalkeeper Maddie Samuelson and midfielder Lauren Brooks were selected as Second Team All-Conference honorees.

ALUMNINEWS ALUMNI NEWS THE DIVINE MERCY SCHOLARSHIP In December 2019, the Ave Maria University Alumni community gifted $5,000 for the University’s first-ever Divine Mercy Scholarships. The Alumni Leadership Council (ALC) awarded $1,000 each to five AMU seniors who met the 3.0 Grade Point Average requirement (the range for recipients was between 3.4 and 4.0), as well as participated in local service opportunities. The five recipients stood apart from the crowd of applicants because of their genuine, intelligent, and deeply faith-filled remarks in answer to the question: “How has AMU formed me into a joyful, intentional follower of Jesus Christ through Word and Sacrament, scholarship and service?” Humanities & Liberal Arts major, Brigid Bakin (’21), believes “being a student at AMU doesn’t just mean being a scholar, it means being a person dedicated to the betterment of the world around them through acts of love and service to others.” Jose Silva (’21), who is a husband, father, and Theology and Philosophy major at AMU, wrote in his application essay: “AMU is teaching me to know myself, so that I may know others, so that I may ultimately know God.”

This past December 2020, the supportive AMU Alumni community again gave $5,000 to fund these scholarships for a second time. The student recipients will be announced on April 11, 2021, Divine Mercy Sunday. It is a gift to watch the AMU Alumni community foster the growth of both their alma mater and future members of the alumni network.

These winning essays showcased how AMU is continually producing beautiful fruit in the form of students’ characters, virtues, and trust in God’s mercy.

If you would like to give to the Divine Mercy Scholarship, contact Paula Shute at paula.shute@ avemaria.edu or 239-304-7955.

Andrew Fichter, Brigid Bakin, Grace Garrett, Danielle Domino, Jose Silva

“I WAS LIKE, ‘OKAY LORD, I’M OPEN, BUT PLEASE DON’T CALL ME TO THE SEMINARY.”

essiah Rojas (’20), a first-year seminarian for the Archdiocese of Washington at Saint John Paul II Seminary, recently reflected on his providential journey towards Ave Maria University, the Catholic Church, and the seminary. Although not Catholic at the time, Jessiah attended St. Mary’s Ryken High School in Leonardtown, Maryland. He found himself intrigued by Catholic theology and the prayer community at his school. A teacher and mentor at St. Mary’s signed him up to speak with one of the priests for spiritual direction, even amidst Jessiah’s contention, “What?! I’m not even Catholic!” This same teacher encouraged Jessiah to look into Ave Maria University after a foot injury left Jessiah unable to receive other athletic scholarships. Jessiah shared how the injury “ended up being one of the best things that happened to me.” Joe Patterson, Athletic Director at AMU, knew Jessiah since middle school, and encouraged him to play football for AMU. Along with college decisions, Jessiah was wrestling with questions of faith, but he shared how “it ended up really coming down to the Eucharist.” With all of these separate promptings, Jessiah enrolled in Our Lady’s University in the fall of 2016. His intellectual conversion came to fruition

over Easter of Jessiah’s freshman year when he, after being nourished by AMU’s faith-filled community, came home to the Catholic Church. The Lord’s sense of humor revealed itself when Jessiah explained, “When I came into the Church, I was like, ‘okay Lord, I’m open, but please don’t call me to the seminary.” In the continual, surprising, and beautiful ways of providence, Coach Patterson, who had been part of Jessiah’s journey to AMU, also supported him in his next “yes” to the Lord. Jessiah coached for Patterson while he was still in school, but upon hearing Jessiah’s leanings toward discernment, Patterson told him: “Jessiah, I love you here, but if I put your job out, we’re going to have two hundred applicants by tomorrow. There are tons of college coaches, but there are not enough good priests. If the Lord is calling you that way … just go.” So Jessiah, during his senior year, applied to the seminary and entered in the fall of 2020. As a testament to how faithfulness spreads throughout a community, Jessiah’s roommate from freshman year became Catholic and chose Jessiah as his Confirmation sponsor. During his time at AMU, Jessiah focused on being a genuine and faithful man so he could lead other members of the football team closer to God. This desire to mentor ultimately led him to saying yes to the seminary. With wisdom beyond his age, Jessiah shared his thoughts on discernment: “Stay close

to the Sacraments and continue to stay close to Him. Going to AMU, becoming Catholic, or entering the seminary, none of these things were the path of least resistance. Almost all were the path of most resistance, but in there, and in that chaos of swimming upstream, there’s an underlying peace that He is with me.”

—Paula Shute ‘16 Alumni Relations Manager paula.shute@avemaria.edu

ave ma r ia u n ive rsit y maga z i ne | ave ma r ia.edu

A CALL TO VOCATION

CLASSNOTES

CHARISSA (ROMENS) REUL (2005) worked in luxury resorts after graduating. She moved to Grand Rapids,

MI, in 2006 to work at the Acton Institute. In more than 14 years with Acton, Reul was able to combine her passions for culture, liberty, poverty alleviation, operational management, and hospitality to manage boutique international conferences, programs, and events, especially those focusing on Catholic Leadership development. Adapting to the pandemic economy, Reul began leveraging her experience as a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) through consulting in hybrid conferences, program management, technical writing, and operations. In 2014, Reul married Chad Reul, a widower with two sons. They have been busy restoring their historic home, raising Ian and Lucas, and learning to sail.

BRYAN BRAVO (2006) is an investor and serial entrepreneur. He is CEO and Founder of Believe Business

Solutions Inc., Partner at Ian Financial Group, and Partner at Proxy International Wealth Management RIAs. Bravo’s consulting firm advises companies and individuals on the many benefits of corporate entities and the transition to a C-corporation. In addition to helping American families build wealth and protect assets, Bravo has opened the door for international investors to pursue financial opportunities in the United States through real estate investments, private equity, and U.S. indices. Bryan credits his accomplishments in faith, family, and business to his beautiful wife, Johanna. Together, Bryan and Johanna’s drive to succeed is fueled by their son, Jacob, who is also a budding young entrepreneur.

DR. SHELBY SIMON (2007)

is the owner and operator of The Well Manhattan Chiropractic in New York City. After AMU, Simon attended Palmer College of Chiropractic, graduating in 2011. She worked as an associate for Dr. Josh Axe, a doctor of chiropractic, certified doctor of natural medicine, and clinical nutritionist based in Nashville, TN. Following this experience, Simon headed for The Big Apple where she launched her own practice in 2016 and has been working on helping couples conceive and experience an enjoyable pregnancy while caring for children as young as one week old. AMU has given Simon the foundation she needed to thrive and live out her vocation with a heart of gratitude and hope as she strives to be the best for those she serves.

DR. ANTHONY JAY (2008) is the author of the bestselling book, “Estrogeneration: How Estrogenics Are

Making You Fat, Sick, and Infertile.” He graduated from AMU with a double major in Biology and Theology and a double minor in Classics and Chemistry. He has a Ph.D. from the Boston University School of Medicine and has been a research scientist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota for the past three years. In addition, Jay is the president of AJ Consulting Company, which analyzes 23andme DNA data from people of all walks of life to personalize and optimize health. He is the father of five children and still finds time to run a YouTube channel called “Anthony Jay Cast”.

a v e m a r i a u n i v e r s i t y m a g a z i n e | s p r i n g 2021

MERCEDEZ RASSI (2013) majored in Literature and minored in Latin. After graduating, Mercedez married

fellow Ave Maria University graduate, Rafael Rassi (2010), and worked for Legatus as a Chapter Development Officer before having her first child in 2015. The Rassis welcomed baby number two in 2018, just six weeks before Rassi earned her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction at Angelo State University. She then worked at the local education service center, where she managed federal program grants for 43 school districts in Texas. Currently, Rassi is the Director of Stewardship and Development for the Diocese of San Angelo. In her position, Rassi helps parishes and the diocese with fundraising efforts and building a culture of stewardship.

DR. JULIA SADUSKY (2013) is a doctor of Psychology, author, speaker, and licensed clinical psychologist

working in Denver, Colorado. Sadusky’s specialty is sexual and gender identity research and clinical practice. Sadusky trains many faith-based organizations and consults with colleges and universities navigating the intersection of sexuality, gender, and theology. Sadusky has coauthored “Emerging Gender Identities: Understanding the Diverse Experiences of Today’s Youth” and was a contributor to, “Understanding Transgender Identities: 4 Views”. Other recent publications include “Approaching Gender Dysphoria,” and “A Christian View of Sex Reassignment Surgery and Hormone Therapy.” Follow her current work at www.juliasadusky.com

Legacy

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

Gift Annuity

$25,000

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.

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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.

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