WI NTE R / SPR I NG 2016
Academics and Athletics A Winning Combination P. 10 ESPN Puts SJU in National Eye P. 16 Johnnies Brew Up Success P. 18
Magazine
Magazine WINTER/SPRING 2016
Departments My Perspective View from Collegeville Service to the Church In Sight Advancing the Mission Johnnie Sports Alumni Connection
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Milestones 38 Inspiring Lives 44
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SAINT JOHN’S MAGAZINE is the alumni magazine of Saint John’s University. It is published twice a year, in the spring and fall, by the SJU Office of Institutional Advancement.
EDITOR Jean Scoon
STAFF CONTRIBUTORS Rob Culligan ’82 Brendon Duffy, SOT ’02 Jennifer Mathews Emery Leslie Hanlon Ryan Klinkner ’04
DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION Lori Gnahn
PHOTOGRAPHY Sean Donohue ’16 Denise Gagner Rachel Ketz ’17 Thomas O’Laughlin ’13
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Julie Scegura ’15
18 Features Home Run P. 10 Academic prowess and athletic accomplishment go hand in hand at Saint John’s.
EDITOR EMERITUS Lee A. Hanley ’58
LETTERS jscoon@csbsju.edu or Jean Scoon Saint John’s Magazine P.O. Box 7222 Collegeville, MN 56321 Ruth Athmann Saint John’s University P.O. Box 7222 Collegeville, MN 56321 rathmann@csbsju.edu
An ESPN broadcast from Clemens Stadium was a big hit with the audience—and with the ESPN crew.
It takes more than a passion for craft beer to found a brewery. Johnnie brewers are thriving in a fastgrowing industry.
Peggy Roske ’77
ADDRESS CHANGES
Coming to You from Collegeville P. 16
From Garage Brew to Taproom P. 18
UNIVERSITY ARCHIVIST
ON THE COVER (L to R) Academic All-Americans Alex Toninato ’15, Brett Becker ’15 and Logan Hershey ’16
Find the Saint John’s Magazine online at sjualum/saint-johns-magazine. © 2016 Saint John’s University
SJU ALUMNI ARE SOCIAL Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/sjualum Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/sjualumni Follow us on Instagram at instagram.com/sjualumni
MY PERSPECTIVE Michael Hemesath ’81, President possibly sensing my narrow educational vision, encouraged me to join The Forum. The Oxford-style debating society was soon educating me on important social issues outside the classroom. Volunteering as a Big Brother, taking advantage of campus-ministry programming, lots of intramurals and other engagements followed. It was my good fortune that faculty residents, professors, peers and the residential and communityoriented ethos at Saint John's began early and emphatically to instruct me about the true meaning of a liberal arts education, to help me come to understand that if one is open to the possibility, learning can take place in any activity and when interacting with anyone.
…engagement outside the classroom prepares one for a full life.
President Hemesath throwing the ceremonial first pitch at a Twins game last June while son Cameron looks on. As I began my undergraduate years, I tended to think of my life as having two major parts: academics and extracurricular activities. Each had an important place in my typical week, but there was a clear hierarchy. Academics came first. I was, after all, in college, and I believed that the investment in my education would have an impact on my future options and life after graduation. So I allocated my time accordingly. I determined how much time my academic responsibilities required and then whatever time was "left over" was available for other things. This meant that as I began my freshman year, participation in extracurricular activities—various student organizations, intramurals, volunteering (service) and campus ministry programs, among other options—all took a backseat to my classroom responsibilities. This emphasis on book learning was driven by a belief that if an activity was not going to show up on a transcript, it was not central to my education. Fortunately this narrow conception of how one becomes "educated" was undermined as early as the fall of my freshman year when informal conversations with friends and my faculty resident educated me by challenging and testing my world view. A political science professor,
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Even if it never shows up on a graduate-school application or gets one that first job, engagement outside the classroom prepares one for a full life. Volunteering teaches empathy and the importance of community. Athletics, as is clear from the profiles of student athletes in this issue, teach myriad life lessons: teamwork, the importance of hard work and perseverance, winning and losing with grace, among many others. Student government emphasizes the need to work with others, persuade and compromise. Musical performance requires working under a director, dedication and practice, and learning to be part of a team. Spiritual engagement solidifies values and meaning. These lessons are obvious in the example of thousands of Johnnie and Bennie alumni who are thriving in all parts of their lives. When I hear stories like those of Brett Becker ’15 and Alex Toninato ’15, who are profiled in this issue (p.10), it is clear they took full advantage of the exceptional residential liberal arts experience that we pride ourselves on and got their education both inside and outside the classroom. The excellent holistic and integrated undergraduate experience we continue to offer our students prepares them for lives where the professional, personal, spiritual and communal all come together for a life of balance and meaning. To paraphrase Mark Twain, I’m glad I was ultimately smart enough not to let classroom learning get in the way of my education.
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C U l J a s S s , e of 2019 m o c l e ! W
Last fall, Saint John's welcomed 451 first-year students. When the Class of 2019 graduates, it will be the 100th anniversary of the first edition of the Saint John's yearbook, the Sagatagan. Here's a look back at some of the differences between the Class of 1919 and the Class of 2019.
Students in 1919 primarily studied in the Reading Room. The Class of 2019 will not only have Alcuin Library, but a state-of-the-art Learning Commons!
Technology has come a long way, too. This is what the “wireless room” looked like in 1919. Today, most students bring an assortment of devices—laptops, tablets and smartphones.
Nine students received their bachelor’s degree in the Class of 1919. Back then, Saint John’s was a high school, commercial school and seminary. Only students on the seminary track would have completed their bachelor’s.
The nine students who graduated in 1919 all came from Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. The Class of 2019 hails from 25 states and eight countries. Most students in 1919 were sons of German immigrant farmers and were the first in their families to pursue higher education. Thirty percent of the Class of 2019, on the other hand, had an immediate family member attend SJU or CSB. And while we have increasing numbers of first-generation students, they are now often from urban areas and from more diverse backgrounds, including African American, Asian and Hispanic.
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Famous Trail Gets Pro per Gateway A trailhead now marks the beginning of Saint John’s most beloved hiking trail. The three-mile round-trip Chapel Trail in Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum—traveled for decades by students and alumni—leads around Lake Sagatagan to the iconic Stella Maris Chapel. The trailhead structure was constructed almost completely from materials in the arboretum. The main timbers are made of white pine dating back as far as 1896, which was harvested following the devastating wind storm of 2011. A group of four monks and six volunteers constructed the trailhead using a woodworking technique called the mortise and tenon joint—the same technique used to build the attic of the Quadrangle. The trailhead marker was blessed and dedicated in a public ceremony on Oct. 4.
The Nature of Saint John’s
The Nature of Saint John’s, by Larry Haeg ’67 and Jennifer Kutter ’03, is the first comprehensive field guide to the natural and human history of the Abbey Arboretum. The book chronicles the arboretum’s many hiking trails and its native vegetation and wildlife. It also tells the story of the Benedictines who pioneered the founding and preservation of the lakes, prairie, oak savannah and forest surrounding SJU. The field guide includes meditation and prayer for spiritual renewal. It is available from the SJU bookstore or csbsju.edu/bookstore.
Give SJU Day a Success For the second straight year, Give SJU Day was one of the single biggest giving days in SJU history. A total of 616 donors, including match sponsors, made gifts totaling $306,757 towards the Student Fund, which supports student scholarships. Thanks to everyone who made Give SJU Day a success by making a gift and helping to spread the word. If you didn’t have a chance to participate, you can still make a gift at supportsju.com.
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His Holiness Pope Francis blesses the Apostles Edition of The Saint John’s Bible, which was donated to the Library of Congress in his honor. The gift, made possible by GHR Foundation, was presented following the Pope’s address to a joint meeting of Congress on September 24. Pictured are (l to r): Abbot John Klassen ’71, OSB, U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, Librarian of Congress Dr. James Billington, Pope Francis, Msgr. Mark Miles, U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, SJU President Michael Hemesath ’81 and GHR Foundation CEO Amy Goldman.
Former Connecticut Sen. Dodd Delivers McCarthy Lecture Few people can give both an insider’s and outsider’s view of the U.S. Congress. But that’s exactly what former Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd did when he delivered the Ninth Annual Eugene J. McCarthy Lecture on Oct. 26 at Saint John’s. For 36 years, Dodd represented Connecticut in both houses of Congress (1975-81 in the House of Representatives and 1981-2011 in the Senate). Dodd was a key participant in nearly every major national policy debate over the last three decades. Dodd was interviewed by Gary Eichten ’69, former host at Minnesota Public Radio, and answered questions from the audience. He urged Congress to come to terms with the major issues facing the United States. The Eugene J. McCarthy Lecture carries the commitment of Sen. Eugene J. McCarthy ’35 to the ideals and principles of democratic self-government. Past speakers in the series have included Sen. Dave Durenberger ’55, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Chuck Hagel; civil rights leader Julian Bond; and journalists Cokie Roberts, Tom Brokaw, Mark Shields and E.J. Dionne.
Baseball Bat Under Glass The Saint John’s University archives collects and houses historical records and artifacts that document the history and activities of Saint John’s University and its people. This baseball bat is a rare find. Housed in a glass display case, it sports the autographs of the players, coaches and managers of the 1942 Saint John’s championship baseball team—still one of the greatest in Saint John’s history. The team, coached by Dunstan Tucker ’25, OSB, and future Sen. Eugene McCarthy ’35, went 11-0 and placed three men on the all-conference team. If you have something that might be a good addition to the Saint John’s archives, contact Peggy Roske, Saint John’s University archivist, at proske@csbsju.edu or 320-363-2129. CSBSJU.EDU/NEWS
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Lecture Series Honors Dr. Norm Ford
Dr. Michael Osterholm, a world renowned leader on public-health preparedness for infectious diseases, lectured to a standing-room-only audience in September at SJU. The lecture, “Infectious Diseases of the 21st Century: A New World Order,” inaugurated the Norman L. Ford Science Literacy Lecture Series. The series aims to address contemporary scientific topics while encouraging students and the public to become more conversant in science as part of everyday life. An alumnus endowed the lecture series to honor one of his favorite professors, Dr. Norman Ford, CSB/SJU professor emeritus of biology. Ford taught from 1967 until his retirement in 1998. A specialist in ornithology, he was widely published in his field. His skill as a teacher was formally recognized in 1998, when he received the Robert L. Spaeth Teacher of Distinction Award. Ford attended the lecture with members of his family. His introduction at the lecture captured his legacy: “For more than 30 years, Norm has called his students to a more perceptive understanding of their world. … Because of his finely crafted presentations and emphasis on critical thought, many students consider Dr. Norm Ford to be the finest professor of their undergraduate career.”
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Military Honor Roll Installed at SJU The former Military Wall of Honor at SJU has become electronic. The new Military Honor Roll was installed in November and is located in the corridor behind the Great Hall in the Quadrangle. The honor roll was dedicated the weekend following Veteran's Day. It lists all Saint John's alumni and monastics who served in any branch of the armed forces from the Civil War onward. It is searchable by name and class year. Army Maj. Gen. Paul Nakasone ’86, commander of the Cyber National Mission Force, was the guest of honor for the dedication ceremony. “One of the most important things when you serve is the idea that you are remembered,” said Nakasone. “The fact that everyone's name that served across every branch of military service is captured within this honor roll is wonderful.” To view online, go to apps.csbsju.edu/military-honor-roll. If you have an addition or correction, please email Cathy Wieme at cwieme@csbsju.edu.
In the Rankings SJU and CSB ranked among the top undergraduate institutions in Open Doors 2015, the annual report published by the Institute for International Education. SJU and CSB ranked No. 3 among undergraduate schools in number of students in semester-long study abroad programs during the 201314 school year. In addition, SJU and CSB ranked No. 30 among undergraduate colleges in number of international students hosted during the 2014-15 school year.
Opitz Finds the Write Time to Retire “One thing I said I’d never do was teach writing.” That’s what Jane Opitz said when she was finishing her master’s in literature from St. Cloud State University 38 years ago. Luckily, Saint John’s convinced her otherwise. It was the spring of 1977 when Hilary Thimmesh, OSB, hired Opitz to teach one course. By that fall, she was founding the Writing Center, now a CSB/SJU institution. Under Jane’s leadership, the Writing Center grew to employ 30 tutors each year and help thousands of students become better writers. Opitz retired in June, and one of her former tutors, Kyhl Lyndgaard ’99, was appointed director of the Writing Center. What will Opitz miss most? “The students,” she says without hesitation. “Engaging with someone else’s ideas. And, of course, whenever you see a breakthrough.” Opitz also taught first-year symposium for a number of years. In fall of 2015, she and her husband, Jeff, served as co-leaders of the Greco-Roman study abroad program. She looks forward to teaching family-story writing, volunteering with literacy programs and traveling as far and as often as possible.
The U.S. News and World Report 2016 college rankings again ranked SJU and CSB among the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the country. SJU tied for 79th and CSB tied for 90th. Businessinsider.com named Saint John’s No. 1 among colleges in Minnesota from which students go on to earn the most money after graduation. The source was a report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. Time noted that SJU is the best college for merit aid according to the Money College Planner. “Aid for strong students—given without regard for a family’s finances—is the key part of this school’s appeal.”
You can send Jane a note of congratulations at jopitz@csbsju.edu. And she won’t edit it!
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SERVICE TO THE CHURCH
Vital Conversations By Jessie Bazan
Eric Fought, Master of Divinity candidate at the School of Theology, is also host of the national podcast In the Square. Eric Fought eases into his studio chair. In front of him a pair of headphones and a microphone sit among the stacks of show notes strewn about the desk. The tables have been turned on the national podcast host and School of Theology student. Instead of interviewing others, he’s now the interviewee. “It’s interesting,” Fought says as the interview begins. “I usually ask the questions!”
GIFTED COMMUNICATOR Communications work comes naturally to Fought. As a premier communications and political strategist, Fought served as campaign manager for a U.S. Senate campaign and communications director for the Democratic National Committee. In 2012, Fought led the communications operation for “Our Vote Our Future,” the nonpartisan statewide campaign that successfully defeated Minnesota’s Voter Restriction Amendment. “People are often surprised when I tell them I worked in politics and public policy for twenty years and am now a
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M. Div. student,” Fought says. “But to me, it makes perfect sense. As a Catholic, I’m called to engage in service, to engage in politics and campaigns to elect leaders who can improve peoples’ lives.” A lifelong social justice advocate, Fought longed to pursue graduate theological studies since his days as a Capuchin Franciscan friar. Saint John’s, renowned for its liturgical and justice ministries, proved the perfect place to learn, grow—and in Fought’s case, create a national podcast.
IN THE SQUARE Fought is host and executive producer of In the Square, a weekly podcast that delves into faith, social justice and politics. Each episode includes a news segment, an interview with a spiritual or political leader and a Scripture reflection. He launched the show at the time of the papal visit last September and has since gained followers around the world. In the Square gives voice to listeners in the
middle who might not fit the stereotypical “conservative” or “liberal” label but desire honest dialogue about faith in the public square. “Hopefully we’re providing information but also inspiration to get people engaged,” Fought explains. “How are people of faith who are elected officials or spiritual leaders driven by their faith?” That isn’t just a hypothetical question. Fought uses his longstanding connections to land some of the hottest names in Christian and political circles (see sidebar). “When James Martin, SJ, was finalized for the seventh episode, it was clear something big was happening,” he says.
PODCAST PREP Each show takes hours of preparation, from researching and booking guests to reading their books and developing a Scripture reflection. Along with content, Fought also produces the show, meaning he’s responsible for all of the recording, editing and final production of each episode. How does a graduate student taking four classes and working have the time? “Late nights and lots of coffee!” Fought says with a laugh. He also has help from colleagues at the School of Theology. Every other week, Fought gathers a group of “preaching partners” to offer feedback for the Scripture reflection portion of the show. The group prays through the lectionary readings and offers insights and challenges for Fought’s consideration. “There are women and men, people of color, seminarians, laypeople and Christians of different denominations in the group. All of these different perspectives represent different aspects of the church. Their feedback has been a real helpful part of the process for me,” says Fought.
NEW WAYS TO REACH OUT It’s fitting such a pivotal conversation is happening here. Collegeville has long been a place of forward-thinking engagement—from the abbey’s leadership in liturgical renewal of the early 20th century to the ecumenical work being done at the Collegeville Institute today. The College of Arts and Sciences educated two U.S. senators and the current White House Chief of Staff. “When I think about Collegeville, this has historically been a place where people came together and found common ground,” says Fought. “The spirit of Collegeville is very catholic—I mean, it is focused on dialogue and finding common ground. It’s a small “c” catholic understanding of faith and public life.” Fought’s work with In the Square fits this spirit. “We have to reach people in new ways,” he says. “Using innovative communication—from podcasts to other digital platforms and ways to engage—will attract people back to the church. We need that entrepreneurial spirit. The conversations about social justice, faith and politics, like those we’re having on In the Square, are so vital to the life of the church and the life of our communities.” Jessie Bazan is a Master of Divinity candidate at Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary.
IN THE SQUARE GUESTS Diana Butler Bass Author Erica Brown Educator and Author S. Simone Campbell Executive Director of NETWORK and Founder of the Nuns on the Bus Movement S. Joan Chittister Benedictine Scholar, Author Eric Elnes Pastor, Author Peter Enns Biblical Scholar Christopher J. Hale Executive Director of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good Aaron Ledesma Catholic Blogger Deborah Jian Lee Journalist, Author Michael O’Loughlin National Reporter for Crux, Author Fr. James Martin, SJ Author William C. Moyers Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation Vice President of Public Affairs and Community Relations Jon M. Sweeney Franciscan Scholar, Author John Thavis ’73 Author Matthew Vines Founder and President of the Reformation Project, Author Michael Wear Former White House Staffer Lauren Winner Historian, Author and Lecturer
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Hit the Books. Hit the Ball. Win at Both. At SJU, varsity athletes knock it out of the park in the classroom. By John Rosengren ’86 At first the monks weren’t sure sports were a good idea. They didn’t mind if the lads at the college played them on campus, but they worried that competition against other schools detracted from the college’s primary purpose: learning. One of the main crusaders against intercollegiate athletics in the early 1900s was the university and seminary rector, Alcuin Deutsch, OSB. Today, with sports as ingrained in Saint John’s culture as Johnnie Bread and
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Link buses, it’s difficult to imagine what would have happened if Fr. Alcuin had gotten his way. Yet the academic and athletic success of the 2015 baseball team—particularly that of three decorated players—might have convinced even Fr. Alcuin that sports have become a positive influence on the students of Saint John’s University.
Saint John’s University Archives
Senior second baseman Brett Becker ’15 and shortstop Information Directors of America vote on the All-District Logan Hershey ’16 earned second team Academic Alland All-America teams. In baseball, players are selected by America honors, and second baseman Alex Toninato ’15, position: infield, outfield and pitcher/catcher. In addition who graduated with a 3.98 GPA, won the MIAC’s Elite to Becker, Hershey and Toninato, the baseball team had 22 Award for the highest GPA among all players on the two other Academic All-MIAC honorees in pitcher Collin four teams in the MIAC Tournament. They proved that Felhaber ’15 and third baseman Derek Schiebel ’17. one can excel on the field, where Becker earned both All-Conference and All-Region recognition the past Were he around today, Fr. Alcuin would two years, and Hershey earned the same last year, no doubt be surprised—and pleased—to and in the classroom–and that athletics can promote see that academic success has become a academic success. tradition among Saint John’s athletes. Their accomplishment is not an anamoly. The football team had a pair of first team Academic All-Americans this past fall (linebacker Carter Hanson ’17 and tight end Nick Simon ’16). The soccer team had a second team Academic All-American in forward Paul Wageman ’16. Golf has had four Academic All-Americans in the past five years (Alex Klehr ’12 [twice], Dennis Granath ’13 [twice], Brett Draxler ’15 and Drew Lynch ’15. Wrestling, which has had the most Academic All-Americans of any sport—34 from 1982 to 2015—had two last season Baseball goes back a long way at Saint John’s, as this picture from 1885 demonstrates. in Evan Guffey ’15 and Ryan Becker ’15 was an accounting major with a career Michaelis ’15 (his third time). .368 batting average and cumulative 3.74 GPA (and a Were he around today, Fr. Alcuin would no doubt be third team Academic All-America last year). His decision surprised—and pleased—to see that academic success has to attend Saint John’s while growing up in North Oaks become a tradition among Saint John’s athletes. and playing baseball at Mounds View High School was “That’s what we want for our student-athletes: to do not a difficult one. His father, Scott ’77, played baseball well on the field and in the classroom,” says athletic media relations director Ryan Klinkner ’04. “It fits the mission of and football at Saint John’s. And his sister, Jenna Becker Christensen, graduated from the College of Saint Benedict Saint John’s University.” in 2009. “I felt at home there,” Becker says. BASEBALL PLAYERS HONORED By there, he means at both schools. Living in St. The baseball team has had six Academic All-Americans Joseph his junior and senior years, he spent more nights since 1993, but last season was the first time it had two in the CSB library than at Sal’s or the La, usually staying on the same team. Each school is able to nominate players until closing time. Those late nights paid off with his (excluding first-years) with a minimum cumulative current job working as an internal audit associate for the 3.30 GPA. Registered members of the College Sports Minneapolis accounting firm KPMG.
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Saint John’s was also a family affair for Toninato ’15. His paternal grandparents attended Saint John’s and Saint Ben’s. So did his dad, Mike ’81, a paternal uncle and maternal aunt, his brother Patrick ’11 and his sister Ashley ’13. His sister Megan is currently a sophomore on the Saint Ben’s softball team. “My college search wasn’t very in-depth,” says the Woodbury native who graduated from Hill-Murray School. “I always knew I wanted to go to Saint John’s.” Toninato also majored in accounting and found a job with the St. Paul firm Redpath and Company, where he works as a tax accountant. Hershey did not have a family connection to Saint John’s, but he made an important connection here before he enrolled. As a senior at Maple Grove High School, Hershey interviewed for a Regent’s Scholarship with Warren “Boz” Bostrom ’95, an associate professor of accounting and finance. Walking into the Saint Ben’s
library, Hershey felt nervous and intimidated, but Boz soon put him at ease. “We had a nice conversation about country music,” Hershey says. “I realized people at Saint John’s are very personable.” He relaxed and got the scholarship. Boz also helped him find a summer internship at Pentair his sophomore year when Hershey was struggling to land one. He even attends some of Hershey’s baseball games. So does fellow assistant professor of accounting and finance Janean Kleist. “It’s an awesome feeling when you see your professors in the stands cheering you on and talking to your parents,” Hershey says.
PUT TIME MANAGEMENT ON YOUR TEAM Playing a varsity sport places serious demands on a student’s time. In the fall, baseball players have intrasquad scrimmages and practices three times a week for an hour and a half. Daily practices lengthen to two and a half hours in the spring with an additional half hour in the weight room beforehand. Weekends are usually consumed by doubleheaders and long bus rides to and from places like Moorhead and Winona. “It’s pretty tough to be lazy when you know you don’t have any extra time to waste,” Becker says. “You have to stay on top of things and organize your way.” As a result, the players learn they have to use their time wisely. The daily regimen helped Hershey stay on task. “Knowing your schedule helps you plan,” he says. “If you have any extra time during the day, you know Logan Hershey ’16
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you have to get your work done then–that’s a motivator so you don’t have to stay up late.” Another aspect of time management they’re learning is to be proactive, which is critical when they know they will be missing class for games or the annual spring trip to Tucson, which cuts into three days of classes. All of them spoke to their teachers in advance and turned in the work for days they would be missing before leaving.
“It’s an awesome feeling when you see your professors in the stands cheering you on and talking to your parents.” The baseball coaches remind players to stay on top of their studies because they know how easy it can be to fall behind. But Toninato says he and his teammates understand academics come first at a NCAA Division III school. “We know we’re here for school,” he says. It’s also easier when they see one another studying on the plane or at the hotel or in the library. “When you see other guys working, you’re encouraged to work, too,” Hershey says. “That creates a positive work environment for being a student athlete.” Head baseball coach Jerry Haugen ’76 draws a straight line between academics and athletics. “Guys that pay attention and do the right things on the field do well off the field, too. They have to learn to manage their time if they want to be successful in the classroom. Brett, Logan and Alex have that in common. They did all of the things they had to to take care of their studies. I’m real proud of them.” Even though baseball keeps them busy, it paradoxically provides mental relief. “Baseball serves as an escape,” Hershey says. “When I’m at practice or a game, I’m not thinking about everything else I have to do. It’s an outlet where I don’t have to worry.” That escape can provide fresh energy to hit the books. “Baseball can clear your head of stress,” he says. “The fact you weren’t thinking about school gives you more energy to get work done.” The game itself has specific lessons to teach, such as mental alertness. “In baseball you have to pay attention to little things and always be focused,” Becker says. “Playing baseball and going to school keeps you on your toes. I am always locked in to the task before me. I don’t have any mindless days.”
Brett Becker ’15
Alex Toninato ’15
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“You fail at the plate seven out of ten times, but it teaches you how to learn from your failures so you can succeed.” Baseball can also teach one to persevere and learn from one’s mistakes. “Baseball is a game of failure,” Hershey says. “You fail at the plate seven out of ten times, but it teaches you how to learn from your failures so you can succeed.” These three learned enough to enjoy not only personal success but success as a team. Last season, the Johnnies won the MIAC Playoff championship and advanced to regional play of the NCAA national tournament before losing to Wisconsin-Whitewater, the defending Division III champion. It was the Johnnies’ second MIAC baseball title in the last four years, both times defeating rival St. Thomas to earn the automatic NCAA bid.
THANKS TO—AND FOR—A NEW BALLPARK They played their home games in the beautiful new baseball park, which will be dedicated later this spring. The field features a completely artificial SprinTurf surface that enables the team to play despite wet spring weather. Other features include spacious dugouts, bullpens, batting cages and stadium lights for night games. The 500-seat grandstand and press box has standing room for an additional 200 fans, and the new plaza includes concessions, ticketing and restrooms.
Jerry Haugen ’76 has been baseball head coach for 38 seasons and is a top 25 NCAA Division III winningest active coach. He sees a direct relationship between academic and athletic success. Saint John’s baseball diamond has come a long way since baseball’s inaugural season in 1907, when Alexius Hoffmann, OSB, described it as “an angry porcupine’s back,” studded with maple tree stumps. “The beauty of our campus is highlighted by the backdrop of the lake and arboretum seen from the grandstand,” Klinkner says. The upgrade is certain to lure more future Academic All-America baseball players. “Guys see that field and say,
Saint John's Baseball swept St. Thomas to earn the 2015 MIAC Playoff, its second MIAC title in the last four years.
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‘Wow, they’re definitely dedicated to their program here,’” says Hershey, who escorts recruits on campus visits. Current players appreciate that dedication, too. “It’s not something you want to take for granted,” Toninato says. “Knowing that people are looking out for you, putting extra money into the field because they know it’s important to you, makes you want to try a little harder.” Last spring, SJU President Michael Hemesath ’81 hosted a special commencement dinner for the seniors on the baseball team because they were playing in the MIAC tournament and unable to attend the traditional ceremony with their classmates. Afterward, Hemesath observed in regard to the academic success of Becker, Toninato and
their teammates: “As impressive as these young men are, they are typical among our athletes. I could tell similar stories about every one of our teams . . . What the evening simply reinforced was that there is no inherent conflict between a passion for athletics and a seriousness about academics and education. Hundreds of students on our campus have both.” John Rosengren ’86 is the author of eight books, most recently The Fight of Their Lives: How Juan Marichal and John Roseboro Turned Baseball’s Ugliest Brawl into a Story of Forgiveness and Redemption.
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Brings Saint John’s ESPN's SportsCenter on the Road broadcast live from Clemens Stadium on Sept. 26 in advance of the Johnnie-Tommie football game. ESPN anchors Matt Barrie and Sara Walsh hosted the telecast, which included extensive footage of the Saint John’s campus and interviews and segments about Saint John's, its football program and student-athletes. The Collegeville appearance was part of
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the SportsCenter on the Road series, which takes the program out of the studio to events and fans across the nation. Other sites visited last season were Notre Dame, Michigan, and Boston College as well as Ralph Wilson Stadium prior to the NFL game between the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots. An estimated 3,500 fans provided an audience for the broadcast, which ESPN hosts said was one of its best.
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“I can't thank you and your incredible staff enough for what you did for us this weekend. I can honestly say it was the most fun I've ever had covering anything at ESPN, and that includes Super Bowls and Final Fours. What an amazing environment Saint John's provided us. We've gotten so much great feedback at ESPN about how phenomenal everything looked.” – Sara Walsh, Anchor, ESPN SportsCenter on the Road
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University to the Nation
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Johnnies and Bennies welcome the SportsCenter on the Road bus to campus. The bus is a mobile production facility that carries the equipment needed for broadcasting from a remote location.
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The broadcast began at 6 a.m. Despite the early hour, 3,500 enthusiastic students and other fans filled the stands and got in on the show.
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Following the ESPN broadcast, a record crowd of 17,327 fans packed Clemens Stadium for the JohnnieTommie football game. It was the largest crowd in 2015 for any Division III football game. Five of the top 11 alltime attendance Division III games have involved the Saint John’s-St. Thomas rivalry.
“I wanted to take a minute and thank you for everything your school did in making this SportsCenter on the Road the best yet. We've never had a crowd with that kind of passion, energy and excitement.” – Matt Barrie, Anchor, ESPN SportsCenter on the Road
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COMMUNITY ON Exceptional craft brews + fellowship + business acumen = dreams come true for these Johnnie entrepreneurs
By Shawn Fury ’97
When Ryan Petz ’05 and Jim Diley ’05, two of the four founders of Fulton Beer in Minneapolis, searched for a business philosophy, they thought about their days playing football under John Gagliardi. Gagliardi famously won 489 games and uttered just as many memorable quotes. He loved saying his teams had “ordinary guys doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” So it’s no surprise that Fulton’s motto became “Ordinary guys brewing extraordinary beer.” “As we were coming up with the company and the brand, we both were thinking about that concept,” Petz says. “We called each other, and we both kind of said that adaptation of his motto to each other at the same time.” The motto has guided the company as it transformed itself from a garage hobby into one of the best-known breweries in the upper Midwest, a fast-growing enterprise with approximately 50 employees. Gagliardi’s famous adage also applies to Saint John’s graduates across the land who’ve founded their own breweries. From Minnesota to Iowa, North Dakota and Alaska, ordinary Johnnies have turned small dreams into big opportunities in the ever-expanding craft brewery business, creating award-
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winning products and satisfying careers. The companies are part of an explosion in craft breweries in the U.S. According to the Brewers Association, the number of breweries went from 2,401 in 2012 to 3,418 in 2014, and craft brewers account for 11 percent of beer production in the United States, with a goal of 20 percent by 2020. These Johnnies entered the business for a variety of reasons—the science fascinated some while others applied marketing or sales skills. But they all rave about the sense of community, both in their cities and with fellow brewers who are more allies than rivals. And some have discovered a possible connection to Collegeville. When Aaron Hill ’05 of Fargo Brewing Company in North Dakota wondered why so many Johnnies start breweries, his answer came from the similarities he sees between the school’s environment and the ethos of the business. Like Saint John’s, “Breweries are really sort of community focused. Breweries get ingrained in their communities, and they create spaces for fellowship, the welcoming of all different types.” And it was different types of Johnnies— scientists, farmers, salesmen and lawyers—who created Fulton, Fargo Brewing, Confluence in Des Moines, Iowa, and Arkose in Palmer, Alaska.
AHEAD OF THE PACK Jim Diley ’05, Brian Hoffman ’05, Ryan Petz ’05 Brian Hoffman ’05 is the third Johnnie co-founder of the brewery that took its name from the Fulton neighborhood in Minneapolis, where the crew started home-brewing before eventually forming a company. “It started out that very theoretical ‘what if,’” Petz says, “and then kind of laughing it off. It was over the
allowed packaging brewers to apply for a license to sell their brews for consumption on site. Fulton was ahead of the pack, and its 2012 opening of a taproom in its downtown Minneapolis brewery was the first in the city. Now the founders have surpassed their early goals, which were to open a single brewery and quit their previous day
“You don’t drink Fulton or other craft beers by accident.” course of probably two years of homebrewing that it went from the entirely hypothetical to the, ‘hey, we could actually do this.’” In the past four years, Minnesota has seen the number of breweries go from 35 in 2011 to 73 in 2014. The growth dates from the passing of the so-called Surly Bill, which
jobs. Fulton opened a second brewery in northeast Minneapolis that houses offices and the primary production facility. Fulton’s success speaks to the craving consumers have for craft beers, changing tastes, a desire to support local businesses and a willingness to pay for quality. Petz says, “When you
are talking about craft beer, people are not drinking to get drunk but are coming to it because they value something about it intrinsically. You don’t drink Fulton or other craft beers by accident.” When creating new beers for the Fulton line, the process has changed since the garage days. The co-founders continue to have a say in the tasting aspect. They still “have a ton of passion and ultimately, at the very core of it, that’s why we got started in this,” Petz says. “With that said, we have a team of brewers, we have a quality assurance lab manager. We have a lot more people involved in the process. It’s not like just the four of us sitting around a table drinking beer.” Even if that’s how it all started.
FULTON BREWING WHO Brian Hoffman ’05, Ryan Petz ’05, Jim Diley ’05, Peter Grande, co-founders WHEN Est. 2009 WHERE Minneapolis, Minnesota TRY Lonely Blonde (American Blonde Ale), Sweet Child of Vine (India Pale Ale), The Ringer (American Pale Ale)
Fulton co-founders enjoy their product. From L to R: Peter Grande, Ryan Petz ’05, Jim Diley ’05, Brian Hoffman ’05.
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HOW TO STAY YOUNG Stephen Gerteisen ’93
Arkose Brewery sits under Arkose Ridge and Arkose Peak in the Talkeetna Mountains of Palmer, Alaska.
Stephen Gerteisen ’93 (R) of Arkose recently hired Anthony Origer ’13 (L).
In Palmer, Alaska, a community of 6,400, Stephen Gerteisen ’93 operates Arkose Brewery, named after a nearby ridge and peak. A chemist turned brewer, Gerteisen spent his days after Saint John’s peering through microscopes.
in Alaska, and in October 2015 the brewery began bottling. For Gerteisen, it’s the fulfillment of a dream, allowing him the chance to create a product and operate his own business. One of the first beers he brewed was Blue Skies, created on his 40th birthday. “Up until then I was just doing a good job, and doing what I could do. But as far as my career and my employment and work, I was just going through the motions. I was getting old before my time. I really didn’t find myself until I turned 40.”
many, many people who enjoy beer and love beer don’t even really have an idea what it is or how it’s made.” The scientist in Gerteisen enjoys discussing the intricacies of beer. But when it comes to breweries, he’s also a historian. “A brewery can be
“The baker, the butcher, the hardware store, the brewery— communities, historically, always had their own brewery.” Eventually he asked his wife, June, for a home-brewing kit. He also took out a library book on brewing beer. Before opening Arkose, Gerteisen immersed himself in the brewery world. He worked first as a keg washer. He then graduated from the University of California, Davis, Master Brewers Program. “At some point in my life I realized I know what’s in the food I eat,” Gerteisen says. “When I drink milk I know it came from a cow. When you drink a soda, you know what it is. But what is beer? I think
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the foundation of the community,” he says. “The baker, the butcher, the hardware store, the brewery— communities, historically, always had their own brewery. I feel every brewery that’s popping up, it’s not a new thing.” Arkose remains a small operation, although Gerteisen hired another Johnnie, Anthony Origer ’13. But Arkose found a local distributor for its kegs
ARKOSE BREWERY WHO Stephen Gerteisen ’93, June Gerteisen, co-founders WHEN Est. 2011 WHERE Palmer, Alaska TRY Bitter Earth (English Pale Ale), No 5 Boxcar Porter (English Style Ale), Steed (India Pale Ale)
COMBINING STRENGTHS Aaron Hill ’05 Aaron Hill ’05 accurately jokes that Fargo Brewing Company is “North Dakota’s oldest brewery.” Started in 2010 by Hill and three others, Fargo, like Fulton, began in a garage. Before starting Fargo Brewing, Hill did a bit of everything. A political science major, Hill bartended, worked for an attorney, dabbled in sales with a food wholesaler, spent time as a bank teller and fundraised.
problem—neither of us had any clue how to brew beer.” The pair connected with brothers Chris and John Anderson, who brought their brewing expertise to the enterprise. Saturday home-brewing sessions evolved into a company. Like Fulton, the brewery first contracted with Sand Creek Brewing in Wisconsin to brew its recipes before opening its own facility
Hill and his partners embraced their home city’s name— and confronted the stereotypes that come from people who only know Fargo because of floods, snow or the 1996 movie named after the town. Hill started talking about a brewery at a baseball game with his high school friend Jared Hardy, who had a marketing background. “The more beers we drank, the better the idea sounded. One very small
in 2013. When brainstorming a name, Hill says the four founders “had a discussion about it for about five minutes.” They thought along the lines of Red River Brewing or something involving the Plains. But
Hill and his partners embraced their home city’s name—and confronted the stereotypes that come from people who only know Fargo because of floods, snow or the 1996 movie named after the town. The company’s first beer, a nod to Fargo’s most famous scene? Wood Chipper. The public face of the company, Hill travels to markets while making sales calls and meeting bar and liquor store owners. Hill took a winding road to the brewery but now thinks about legacies, and perhaps one day working with his son, who turns 3 in March. He loves the business, the people and the bonds between breweries, along with the way Fargo Brewing Company has embedded itself in the community. And, on an even simpler level, “The beer industry is really fun. It is very relaxed, it is very real.”
FARGO BREWING WHO Aaron Hill ’05, Jared Hardy, Chris Anderson, John Anderson, co-founders WHEN Est. 2010 WHERE Fargo, North Dakota TRY Stone’s Throw (Scottish Ale), Wood Chipper (India Pale Ale), Sodbuster (Porter)
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IOWA AND CRAFT BEER UNITE John Martin ’95 John Martin ’95 made a leap of faith when he co-founded Confluence in Des Moines. He left a good job as a construction project manager that provided for his wife, Katie ’95, and their seven kids. He gave his construction company a year’s notice and then devoted himself to his brewery. “He quit his job in January of 2012, but we didn’t have a brewery,” Katie says. “We didn’t have a space, we didn’t have a business loan, we didn’t have any other kind of financial backing other than the money that John had put away for his portion of it. It was a little scary.” It worked out, thanks to John’s business acumen and brewing skills. The son of a farmer, Martin, a physics major, started home-brewing shortly after getting married in 1995. But his curiosity had sparked at an earlier age. “Growing up on a farm and being around the grains and the different smells during the harvest, I remember, probably eighth grade, and walking around the farm, and I was like, it would be cool to do something with this corn, like grind it up and boil it or something.” Martin’s love of the science and art of making beer drives the company—he remains the head brewer and has made about 45 different recipes since opening the brewery. According to the company’s website, the brewery is named for the confluence of the co-founders’ “love for Iowa and craft beer.” Hence beers like Farmer John’s, created in honor of Martin’s dad, grandpa “and the American farmer in general.”
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Martin’s love of the science and art of making beer drives the company. Martin drew on his previous work background to handle much of the construction on Confluence’s Des Moines production brewery and taproom—the first of its kind in the city. When customers enter, their first sight is of the 14-foot-tall fermenters. Confluence doesn’t serve food, just beer, the product Martin has studied for two decades. When it comes to quality vs. quantity, Martin tells his employees to “make the right beer, and then
CONFLUENCE BREWING WHO John Martin ’95, Ken Broadhead, co-founders WHEN Est. 2012 WHERE Des Moines, Iowa TRY Des Moines IPA, Farmer John’s (Multi-Grain Ale), Capital Gold (Golden Lager)
work on how to make it faster or more efficiently. People have a lot of choices, and you need to shine if you’re going to sell beer.”
GREAT BEER …AND GOALS, PLANS AND BANKERS The Johnnie brewers talk about long-term plans, with the scope depending on their current operation. What about the brewery trend in general? It’s natural to wonder if a bubble is also brewing. John Klick ’92, who co-founded Minnesota’s Excelsior Brewing (p. 38), doesn’t believe so. Like Gerteisen of Arkose, he cites the emergence of breweries as being a callback to the past, when these businesses populated communities big and small. According to the Brewers Association, there were 857 brewers in 1941, a number that plummeted to 92 in 1981. “I think there’s a lot of room for the taproom, having that local watering hole,” Klick says. “I think it’s sustainable. I
don’t think everybody’s going to have bottles in stores, but the taproom is what I think is going to be cool, and I think those will continue to open.” So the lawyers, farmers, doctors, journalists and accountants who dream big probably shouldn’t worry about oversaturation. Still, a warning—as Fulton’s Petz says, “I think sometimes there’s a misperception amongst the casual onlooker that brewing is just a lot of drinking beer, hanging out with your buddies. It is those things, but that’s after working 60-plus hours a week, at a minimum.” Johnnie entrepreneurs agree new brewers need realistic goals, a polished plan and a good banker.
Johnnies and Bennies enjoyed a beer-tasting and social at Reunion 2015 last summer. Craft brews were provided courtesy of Johnnie breweries Fulton, Fargo and Confluence.
And, of course, exceptional beer. “If someone’s not making quality beer it can turn off customers to craft beer in general,” John Martin says. “You want everybody to do their best. That’s why it’s more of a community of brewers and not a lot of competition. There aren’t a lot of industries you’ll find like that.” And it’s why it’s a perfect industry for so many Johnnies. Shawn Fury ’97’s second book, Rise and Fire: The Origins, Science, and Evolution of the Jump Shot—And How It Transformed Basketball Forever, was published on February 23 by Macmillan's Flatiron Books.
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IN SIGHT
Crews stoked the Johanna Kiln at SJU for 10 continuous days last October during its 13th firing. Designed and built by Master Potter and Artist-inResidence Richard Bresnahan ’76, the kiln can hold up to 12,000 works of pottery and sculpture. It is the largest woodburning kiln in North America. Photo by Nate Jorgensen
If you would like a reprint of this photo, please email sjumag@csbsju.edu with your name and address, and we’ll send you a complimentary 8 x 10 photo.
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ADVANCING THE MISSION
Alcuin Library Renovation Continues The first phase of the Alcuin Library renovation began last summer with the demolition of the interior walls, ceiling and flooring in the basement level. The basement renovation also includes replacement of the heating, cooling and the electrical and mechanical systems, which paves the way for refurbishing the rest of the building. The “build out” of Alcuin Library is now underway. In December, contractors began work on three areas: Archives and Special Collections, the new elevator and The Saint John’s Bible Gallery. When the spring semester comes to a close in May, renovation of the remaining floors and spaces in Alcuin Library will begin in earnest. This will include the technology center, writing center, tutorial rooms, and a variety of individual and group study spaces for students. The target completion for Alcuin Library is late summer 2017, just in time for the beginning of the new academic year. “The Saint John’s student body is pleased to support the renovation of the library and Learning Commons,” stated Edwin Torres ’16, vice president of the Saint John’s Senate. “It will be an extraordinary educational facility.”
RARE AND UNUSUAL TREASURES A spacious, climate-controlled and secured space in the basement will be the new home for Archives and Special Collections, including the Saint John’s Rare Book Collections, Arca Artium, The Saint John’s Bible, and the rare books, manuscripts and archival collections of the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library.
AMERICA’S BOOK OF KELLS The lecture hall formerly
GOING UP? Here’s a novel idea. How about a full-
known as AV1 will become the home of The Saint John’s Bible Gallery. This museum-quality gallery will house the original seven volumes of The Saint John’s Bible, along with the Book of Honor, which recognizes the efforts of the artists, scribes, theologians and craftspeople who worked on this illuminated manuscript, as well as the thousands of donors who contributed to the project.
size elevator that services all four floors of the building? Say no more. The new elevator will be completed this spring. In addition to bringing the building up to code and making it handicap-accessible, the elevator will be the new “doorway” into the library, welcoming students and visitors.
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Donald Jackson, MVO, the artistic director and scribe for The Saint John’s Bible, will receive one of the highest honors bestowed upon laypeople by the Holy See. On June 15, Jackson will be inducted into
the Order of St. Gregory the Great, a papal knighthood granted for outstanding service to the Catholic Church. Jackson will receive the honor in a special ceremony at Westminster Cathedral in London from Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the archbishop of Westminster. Jackson was nominated by Bishop Donald Kettler ’66, the bishop of the Diocese of St. Cloud. “In the course of its creation and since, The Saint John’s Bible has touched the lives of Catholics within our diocese as well as millions around the world,” said Kettler. “… Mr. Jackson and the Benedictine monks of Saint John’s Abbey have once again pointed to the central role of the Bible to the vitality of the Catholic Church.” Jackson, one of the world’s leading calligraphers, has been the artistic director and principal illuminator of The Saint John’s Bible since 1998. For more than 50 years, he has also been responsible for the creation of official state documents in Great Britain as senior illuminator to the crown office of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Jackson resides in Wales and is a member of the Anglican communion. It is rare for non-Catholics to receive papal knighthood. “Mr. Jackson has made a singular contribution to contemporary Christian art,” said Rt. Rev. Nicholas Holtam, the Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Salisbury, a longtime friend of Jackson’s. “There is no doubt in my mind that he has provided spiritual insight and inspiration to countless numbers of Anglicans and Roman Catholics alike.” The honor further fulfills Saint John’s goal to share
Image courtesy of Donald Jackson’s Scriptorium, Wales, UK, 2011.
Jackson to Receive Apostolic Knighthood
the Word of God with the world. “Through his talent, Mr. Jackson has demonstrated once again the power of the artist to be in service to the sacred,” said Abbot John Klassen, OSB. Jackson was at his Scriptorium in Wales when he learned about the honor. “I give my sincere thanks to His Holiness Pope Francis for this award and to those who proposed it,” said Jackson. “I am delighted to accept it as both a symbol of his recognition of what has been achieved and of his encouragement for Saint John's mission to ‘ignite the spiritual imagination’ of all peoples. Long may The Saint John's Bible journey continue to do that.” The Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great was established in 1831 by Pope Gregory XVI. This special honor is bestowed upon Roman Catholic men and women (and sometimes in rare cases to non-Catholics) in recognition of their personal service to the Holy See and to the Roman Catholic Church, through their unusual labors, their support of the Holy See, and their excellent examples set forth in their communities and their countries.
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ADVANCING THE MISSION
Join Us for Ground Learning Commons April 22, 2016, 4 p.m.
To RSVP, call 800-635-7303 by April 15.
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breakings at SJU Gagliardi Field May 5, 2016, 4 p.m.
“It will be like an eternal Spring.”
To RSVP, call 800-635-7303 by April 25.
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JOHNNIE SPORTS
Schmitz ’03 Heads to Masters Sammy Schmitz ’03 won the U.S. Mid-Amateur in October at John's Island Club in Vero Beach, Florida, earning a spot in the 2016 Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, in April. The highest-seeded player remaining, Schmitz (No. 8) tallied a 3-and-2 victory over No. 39 Marc Dull in a 36-hole final match held on the par-72, 6,855-yard West Course at John's Island Club. He recorded a hole-in-one on the par-4, 290-yard 33rd hole (No. 15) and clinched the tournament win with a par on the 34th (No. 16). Schmitz was a four-time All-American and a four-time All-MIAC honoree for SJU and claimed medalist honors at the 2002 MIAC Championship. He also finished second at the conference tournament twice and was a two-time MIAC Player of the Year.
Calling All Sports Fans SJU’s athletics booster club—the J-Club—is now in its 57th year and going strong. Unlike its predecessor organizations, which focused on varsity sports exclusively, today’s J-Club supports varsity and club sports and enthusiastically welcomes all Johnnie sports fans. “If you love Johnnie sports, we’re the group for you,” says Vic Moore ’72, J-Club board president. The J-Club was formally founded in 1959* but traces its earliest roots to the undergraduate Monogram Club founded in 1928 by varsity letter holders. The 1929 Sagatagan hailed the establishment of this club as nothing less than “one of the outstanding events of the scholastic year.” The Monogram Club’s membership was limited to “lettermen”—undergraduates who’d earned the letter “J” (monogram) in a varsity sport. One of its primary concerns was regulating the wearing of the J to those who’d actually earned it! Vic Moore ’72, J-Club Following the examples board chair of Hamline and Macalester, whose alumni had already
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Immediately after organizing, the fraternity decided to increase respect for the “J” by insisting that only those who have earned their varsity letters be allowed to wear them. It was further agreed that the wearing on the campus of athletic monograms won at other schools should be discouraged. – The Record, Nov. 22, 1928, on the founding of the Monogram Club. established athletics booster clubs, Johnnie alumni began to lay the foundations of a similar organization for SJU in 1949. By 1959, the J-Club was established as an alumni organization and held its first board meeting after a September football matchup with Concordia that year. Notables like George Durenberger ’28 and Dunstan Tucker ’25, OSB, served on this first board. Today’s J-Club supports Johnnie athletics through two annual appeals and, in partnership with Josten’s, presents The Gagliardi Trophy annually to the outstanding football player in NCAA Division III. Its members have supported the current capital campaign for athletics as well as provided support to sports from baseball and hockey to ultimate Frisbee and lacrosse. To join or for more information, go to the Clubs link on sjualum.com. * Because there is some uncertainty about the official founding date of
the J-Club as an alumni organization, we’ve chosen to date it from the fully documented record of the first official board meeting in 1959.
Scorecard FOOTBALL (10-2, 7-1 MIAC) advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs for the second consecutive season and was ranked No. 10 nationally. Running back Sam Sura ’16 rushed for 1,614 yards and 24 touchdowns in 12 games to earn All-America honors for the second straight season. He ended his career as SJU's alltime leader in rush attempts (730); rushing yards (4,031); 100-yard rushing games, with Tim Schmitz ’78 (18); rushing yards per game (108.9); and rushing touchdowns, with Matt Malmberg ’95 (48). A two-time Gagliardi Trophy semifinalist and a runner-up to the 2015 award, Sura also finished fourth in school history with 4,445 allpurpose yards, despite never returning a kick or punt. Sura, wide receiver Josh Bungum ’16, linebacker Carter Hanson ’17 and defensive tackle Peyton Thiry ’17 earned All-America honors from D3football. com. Ninety-four SJU football student-athletes have now earned All-America honors a total of 122 times in the program's 105-year history. Hanson and tight end Nick Simon ’16 were both named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America Division III football first team.
named to the NSCAA All-North Region team for the second consecutive season. Forward Paul Wageman ’16 was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America second team and led SJU in goals (9), points (20) and shots-on-goal (23) this fall. CROSS COUNTRY finished second out of 11 teams at the 2015 MIAC Championship, its best finish since it won back-to-back conference titles in 2006 and 2007, and seventh out of 27 teams at the NCAA Central Regional. The Johnnies now have 33 top-eight finishes at their last 34 NCAA Central Regionals (going back to 1982), including five titles and 23 top-five finishes. Thomas Feichtinger ’16 earned AllRegion honors and a trip to the NCAA Division III Championship for the second straight season with an eighth-place finish to lead SJU at the regional. He went on to finish 89th out of 280 runners at the 2015 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship in Winneconne, Wis. GOLF finished fifth out of 10 teams at the 2015 MIAC Championship. Mack Farley ’17 led SJU in a tie for 14th among the 50 golfers. SJU earned GCAA AllAcademic team recognition for the seventh consecutive season in July.
SOCCER (12-4-1, 7-2-1 MIAC) finished second in the MIAC, their best regular-season finish under the direction of head coach John Haws (58-38-13 career record), and made their fourth consecutive appearance in the MIAC Playoffs. Midfielder Alex Niederloh ’16 was
GOJOHNNIES.COM
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ALUMNI CONNECTION
There’s no place like SJU for a football game on a beautiful autumn day. Homecoming 2015 got off to a rousing start on Friday evening, Oct. 16, with the Alumni Association Homecoming Banquet. Fred Senn ’64 received the Fr. Walter Reger Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Alumni Association. Saturday of the game dawned bright and clear. Among the early risers were those avid Johnnie and Bennie cyclists who biked the Red Ride, a 25- or 50mile loop in the Avon Hills surrounding campus. Fans soon began pouring in for the matchup vs. Gustavus. Tailgating in the Science Lot was a popular first stop for many, as classmates, family and friends enjoyed food and socializing before the game.
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The stands filled up, and the game got underway. It was an exciting first half, followed by a special halftime recognition for the members of the SJU 1965 NCAA championship football team, who gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their winning season. The Johnnies rewarded fans with a Homecoming win over Gustavus, 49-27. The fun continued at the Celebration on the Tundra after the game. Kids lined up for inflatables, the peanut-butter-and-jelly booth was popular and many alumni and friends raised a glass together to SJU. A number of academic departments were on hand on the Tundra for the first time this year, joining the McCarthy and McNeely Centers, who have been regulars for several years. This was a great way for alumni to reconnect with faculty.
See you on Sept. 17 for the Johnnies vs. St. Olaf at Homecoming 2016.
SJUALUM.COM
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ALUMNI CONNECTION
Johnnies
…in the media
The Washington Post noted the passing on Dec. 21 of Charles Plante ’53, a retired lobbyist for the National Kidney Foundation. Plante was credited for playing a pivotal role in enacting the legislation that authorized Medicare coverage for dialysis treatments for millions of kidney-disease patients.
Charles Plante
Dr. Eduardo Colon
Dr. Eduardo Colon ’75 was featured in the Minneapolis Star Tribune for his appointment as the chief of psychiatry at Hennepin County Medical Center. Colon still anticipates spending about half of his time working directly with patients. “It keeps me real,” says Colon. Marcellus Hall ’86 designed the January 11 cover of The New Yorker entitled “The Great Thaw.” It was the fourth cover by Hall, whose cartoons have also appeared in The New Yorker. His illustrations have also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Atlantic and Time. Peter Rothstein ’88 was named the Minneapolis Star Tribune Artist of the Year for 2015. Rothstein is the founding artistic director of Theater Latté Da.
Marcellus Hall Peter Rothstein
Mike Kuhn ’99 was named to the 2016 Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal Top 40 Under 40. Kuhn is an attorney with Lindquist & Vennum in Minneapolis. Luke Riordan ’12 was chosen as one of the 5 Under 40 Class of 2015 by the St. Cloud Times. Riordan, CEO and founder of DAYTA Marketing, has built his business into one of the fastest growing companies in St. Cloud.
Mike Kuhn
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Luke Riordan
The Hill Museum & Manuscript Library was profiled in a December issue of The Economist for its work in archiving manuscripts, particularly for recent work on Islamic manuscripts in Mali.
…in the spotlight
Jon Theobald
Jim Scheibel
Michael Hemesath Michael Hemesath ’81, president of SJU, received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the National Eagle Scout Association. He was joined at the Oct. 23 ceremony in St. Cloud by fellow Eagle Scouts and Johnnies (L to R) Raj Chaphalkar ’08, Mike Sowada ’16, Hemesath, David Wuolu ’92, Jim Knoblach ’79 and Bishop Donald Kettler ’66.
Jon Theobald ’67 was inducted into the inaugural class of the Order of the Fleur de Lis Hall of Fame at Saint Louis University School of Law. The Order of the Fleur de Lis is the highest honor from the school.
Anthony Ruff ’86, OSB, composed a psalm that was chosen for use during a Mass with the bishops during Pope Francis’s visit to the U.S. Ruff was asked by the music director of St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington to write a psalm for the liturgy. “I hope it helps them pray,” Ruff said. “I do it as a ministry.”
Prince Wallace ’68 and his wife, Sandra, were inducted into the Junior Achievement of America Business Hall of Fame. They own Independent Packing Services Inc. in Crystal, Minn.
Brian Hayes ’92 of the Dane County Sheriff’s Office (Wisc.) was given the Valor Award from the Wisconsin Professional Police Association for his heroic actions in a 2014 incident.
Jim Scheibel ’69 received the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award from Americorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA). The award, signed by President Obama, was given at a celebration in October commemorating AmeriCorps VISTA’s 50th anniversary. Scheibel is a former director of both Senior Corps and AmeriCorps VISTA.
Jim Hennig ’92 and Steve King ’92 received the design award for the most creative application of advanced composite materials at the American Composite Manufacturing Association’s and Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering’s annual CAMX show.
Pete Cheeley
Pat Held
Anthony Ruff
Bob Karn ’71, head baseball coach at St. Cloud Cathedral, was inducted into the Minnesota State High School League Hall of Fame Class of 2015. Pat Held ’73 and Pete Cheeley ’76 were both inducted into the Minnesota High School Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.
Andrew Johnson ’06 was part of two teams at Fredrikson & Byron—one working on human trafficking and one on veterans’ rights—that won the Minnesota Lawyer 2015 Attorney of the Year Award. Connor Franta ’15 received a People’s Choice Award for favorite YouTube Star.
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ALUMNI CONNECTION
…on the move Stuart Harvey ’83 has become a partner in the Piper Jaffray merchant banking group. Harvey most recently served as CEO of Ceridian Corporation. “Stuart has a proven track record for building successful companies and he will be highly valuable as we expand our portfolio,” said Tom Schnettler ’79, merchant banking director and vice chairman of Piper Jaffray & Co. Stuart Harvey
Jon McGee
Jon McGee ’84 was appointed to the board of trustees for the College Board. College Board is the group that created and manages AP classes and the SAT. McGee is CSB/SJU vice president of planning and public affairs. David “Davie” Davis ’86 was promoted to vice president and chief quality officer at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. Charlie Gross ’86 has been named the director of athletics at Carroll College in Helena, Mont. Gross was previously senior associate athletics director at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Charlie Gross
Timothy Cibulka
Joe Vaughan ’86 has been named president and CEO of the Community Action Partnership (CAP) of Scott, Carver and Dakota Counties in Minnesota. CAP provides services to empower people to achieve social and economic well-being. David Schulte ’92 has been appointed managing director at McKesson Ventures, the venture capital arm of McKesson Corporation.
Isaiah Frederick
Richard Crawford
Timothy Cibulka ’94 has been named the Managing Partner at Legacy Professionals LLP, a Chicago-based certified public accounting firm.
…finding their vocation
…going to a higher degree
Isaiah Frederick ’95, OSB, and Richard Crawford ’06, OSB, professed solemn vows as Benedictine monks at Saint John’s Abbey on July 11, the feast of Saint Benedict.
Steve Babcock ’08 graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a doctorate in physical therapy.
Eric Larsen ’13 is spending a year of discernment at Saint Vincent Monastery in Latrobe, Penn., as a novice in the community.
36 WINTER/SPRING 2016
Andy Aebly ’10 received his doctorate in chemistry from the University of Montana.
Major Boddicker
Mike Shea
Shawn Fury
LeRoy Popowski
Tou Her
Austin Plaine
…on the bookshelf
…doing cool stuff
Stanley Vodraska ’61 wrote Philosophical Essays Concerning Human Families, published by University Press of America.
Bill Walsh ’61 has been organizing events for the Black Hills Forum and Press Club in Rapid City, S.D. The organization brings in speakers and fosters healthy intellectual conversation on current events. “You don’t want to die dumb,” quips Walsh.
Major Boddicker ’64 published Fire Call! Memoirs of a Smokejumper. Boddicker explores how his work parachuting from airplanes to fight forest fires as a young man shaped the rest of his life. Greg Scherer ’68 published Fire in the Hole, a historical novel dealing with the early 20th-century mining strikes in northern Minnesota. Mike Shea ’69 recently published Serenity: Meditations of Acceptance, Courage and Wisdom. R.J. Hinkemeyer ’71 released Snow Cover, the second novel in his Minnesota mystery series. Shawn Fury ’97 is the author of Rise and Fire: The Origins, Science and Evolution of the Jump Shot—and How It Transformed Basketball Forever. It was published by Macmillan in February.
LeRoy Popowski ’97 won the annual Broadmoor Pikes Peak Cycling Climb for the fourth time in August. Tou Her ’12 is heavily involved with the Hmong American Farmers Association in the Twin Cities. The organization received positive press last fall when they improved a 155-acre site in Dakota County, Minnesota, with the help of volunteers. Austin Plaine ’14 released his eponymous first album and was featured on the Wall Street Journal blog “Speakeasy.”
Enter your class note online in sjualum.com/classnotes or email it to Adam Herbst, alumni relations director, at aherbst@csbsju.edu. All class notes appear online, and some may also appear here in print. SJUALUM.COM
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MILESTONES
JOHN KLICK ’92 Excelsior Marketing expert John Klick makes his career in the beer business, as a co-founder and president of Excelsior Brewing Company in Minnesota. But the product itself wasn’t what first attracted him to the industry. “It wasn’t the beer, believe it or not,” says Klick. Prior to Excelsior’s creation, he attended a conference for craft brewers as a marketing consultant to the beverage industry, where he met owners and marketers. “I was just enthused with how welcoming they were to a vendor like me. And the other thing was just watching them communicate amongst other breweries. They had a brotherhood or a sisterhood.” That continues with Excelsior, as Klick talks about the combination word “coopertition,” cooperation between competitors, which, in the area near his brewery, now includes his own brother. As a brewery, the company takes advantage of its inspirations: Lake Minnetonka and the city of Excelsior. On Excelsior’s website, a founding principle includes: “We believe warm sun, a cold beer and a live bite nurture your soul.” Klick explains, “Some people are into mountains, but we’re into the lake. So that was kind of our MO, and that’s where we find our livelihood.”
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Stay in Touch
Alumni marriages, births and deaths are listed in the Milestones section of the magazine. SJU also publishes class notes in the Alumni Connection section of the magazine as well as online. Go to sjualum.com/classnotes to enter your class note anytime, or email aherbst@csbsju.edu, and we’ll enter it for you.
MARRIAGES ’90 Dwight Adkins to Bob Speltz, Aug. ’15 ’98 Alissa to Nels Hinderlie, Oct. ’15 ’03 Amber to Adam Johnson, Jan. ’15 ’04 Annie (Kroshus ’04) to Eddie Kasner, June ’15 ’06 Kristy (Kingsley ’09) to Webster Ford, Oct. ’15 ’07 Michell (Pickle ’10) to Jeffrey Brown, Oct. ’15 ’07 Alison (Frank ’07) to Jim Dahlman, Aug. ’15 ’07 Marisa (Hlavka ’08) to Michael McKeever, Sept. ’15 ’08 Angela (Rodgers ’10) to Cole Hickman, Oct. ’15 ’08 Quinn (Bennett ’10) to John Krebsbach, Oct. ’15 ’09 Stephanie (Hall ’09) to Andrew Braith, Mar. ’15 ’09 Bridget (McLoone ’09) to Patrick Deering, Sept. ’15 ’09 Olivia (Cyr ’15) to Adam Fitzpatrick, June ’15 ’09 Megan (Koenig ’10) to Ryan Schroeder, May ’14 ’10 Anna-Lisa (Rustad ’10) to Brady DeVaan, June ’15 ’10 Jess (Bauer ’08) to Dan Franta, Aug. ’15 ’10 Bridget (Blatzheim ’10) to Jon Hauff, June ’15
’10 ’10 ’10 ’10 ’10 ’11 ’11 ’11 ’11 ’11 ’11 ’11 ’11 ’11 ’11 ’12 ’12 ’12 ’12 ’12 ’12 ’12 ’12 ’12 ’12 ’13 ’13
Lisa (Marthaler ’10) to Aaron Hellem, Oct. ’14 Brianna Larison to Mike Koltes, Jan. ’16 Alexandra (Tansom ’10) to Chad Stanton, June ’15 Kelsey (Gustafson ’10) to Sean Suter, Aug. ’15 Lindsay (Havlik ’10) to Ben Wessels, June ’15 Eilise (Rooney ’13) to Daniel Bonebright, Feb. ’15 Megan (Peterson ’10) to David Camerino, Dec. ’14 Meghan (Rysavy ’11) to Peter Fourniea, Aug. ’15 Allison (Homstad ’11) to Tim Juba, July ’15 Molly (Noel ’11) to Zach Madson, Oct. ’15 Sarah (Taylor ’12) to Matthew Meyer, Oct. ’14 Erinn (Symons ’12) to Austin Neuburger, Sept. ’15 Cindy (Gonzalez ’14) to Jake Peterson, May ’15 Matia (Twedt ’13) to Andrew Sollom, Sept. ’15 Katherine (Nystrom ’13) to Matthew Theisen, Oct. ’15 Natalie (Jans ’12) to Ryan Battis, July ’15 Taylor (Schmidt ’12) to John Burns, Sept. ’15 Kayla (Solum ’12) to Mike Geib, Aug. ’15 Laura (Tiffany ’12) to Luke Hendrickson, Sept. ’15 Molly (McCue ’12) to Ted Kain, Aug. ’15 Jenifer (Swann ’12) to Austin Louwagie, Sept. ’15 Ariel (Smelter ’12) to Donald Pavelka, Aug. ’15 Jennifer (Grier ’12) to Mike Peiffer, Aug. ’15 Karli to Luke Riordan, Nov. ’15 Emily (Dobesh ’11) to Nick Roscoe, Oct. ’15 Julia (Segeleon ’13) to Bill Breen, July ’15 Nicole (Cariolano ’13) to Mike Olson, June ’15
’13 ’14 ’14 ’15
Alison (Toering ’) to Jacob Zetah, June ’15 Sara (Gardner ’10) to Ben Danielson, May ’15 Katie (St. Aubin ’14) to Joe Hall, Oct. ’15 Amanda (Afton ’13) to Blake Innes, Jan. ’15
BIRTHS ’95 Stacy (Tasto ’95) & Doug Ferderer, girl, Evalyn, Apr. ’15 ’95 Tessia & Patrick Melvin, boy, Finian, Feb. ’15 ’97 Amy & Justyn Cowman, girl, Mackenzie, Aug. ’15 ’98 Rachel & John Rossman, boy, Drew, Aug. ’15 ’98 Jennifer & Benjamin Sand, boy, Maxwell, June ’15 ’00 Holly & Larry Hosch, boy, Griffin, Sept. ’15 ’00 Angela (Broadwater ’02) & Steve Norton, girl, Marie, Dec. ’15 ’00 Anne (Carlin ’00) & Jeremy Skramsted, girl, Abigail, June ’15 ’00 Amanda & Mike Timm, girl, Ellery, June ’15 ’01 Melinda (Noll ’01) & Matthew Jungbauer, twins, Henry and Alayna, Mar. ’15 ’01 Michelle (Stangeland ’02) & Tom Lanz, boy, Andrew, July ’15 ’01 Jessica (Ackerman ’01) & Andrew Mesna, boy, Isaac, June ’15 ’01 Ann & Christopher Skuza, girl, Cora, Oct. ’15 ’01 Maria & Michael Slavik, girl, Kate, May ’15 ’01 Carrie & Paul Van Overbeke, girl, Claire, Aug. ’15 ’02 Emily & Karl Fischer, girl, Sophie, Aug. ’15 ’02 Amanda (Guth ’02) & Jacob Guth, boy, Harrison, Jan. ’15 ’02 Helen & Nate Holden, girl, Valentina, July ’15
’02 Sarah & Mark Kupfer, girl, Lorelei, Dec. ’15 ’02 Katie & Nick Rendahl, boy, John, Feb. ’15 ’02 Susan (Olson ’02) & Al Sivongsay, girl, Charlotte, Nov.’15 ’02 Stacy & Ryan Tamm, boy, Henry, Aug. ’15 ’02 Jaime (Peterson ’02) & Ryan Tooley, boy, Crosby, Sept. ’15 ’03 Amanda (Gustafson ’05) & Andy Burns, boy, August, Dec. ’14 ’03 Lindsey & Ross Denne, boy, Deacan, Aug. ’15 ’03 Melissa & Mike Fandrich, girl, Madeline, Sept. ’15 ’03 Katie (Wilcox ’05) & Brady Jahnke, girl, Claire, Feb. ’15 ’03 Angela (MacDonald ’03) & Chris Marsh, boy, Asher, Aug. ’15 ’04 Ashley (Thiner ’06) & Pius Kimeu, boy, Steven, Dec. ’15 ’04 Jillian (Rigg ’09) & Pat McKenzie, girl, Margaret, Dec. ’15 ’04 Sarah (Gottwalt ’03) & Alan Wilczek, boy, Carson, July ’15 ’05 Kathy & Derek Feil, girl, Mataya, Sept. ’15 ’05 Patricia (Nolan ’06) & Shaun Meling, girl, Emma, Nov. ’15 ’05 Theresa (Guentzel ’05) & Thomas Reichert, girl, Alice, Sept. ’15 ’05 Claire & Ben Steinbach, boy, Calvin, May ’15 ’06 Kate (Anderson ’06) & Sean Abernathy, girl, Ameila, Dec. ’15 ’06 Cassy & Brian Adamek, girl, Cecilia, Nov. ’15 ’06 Amy (Carruth ’08) & Daniel Fremling, boy, Luke, June ’15
DAN SCHWARZ ’97 Lift Bridge Dan Schwarz and his co-founders at Lift Bridge Brewing wanted to take full advantage of the brewery’s home in Stillwater, Minnesota. The group wanted the brewery to reflect Stillwater, a place that’s “kind of artisanal,” Schwarz says. “It’s a little bit throwback and slower pace of life. We just wanted to really capture that lazy river-town atmosphere. Also just the history of Minnesota, being the birthplace of the state, so we wanted to incorporate that into the brand.” That brand includes Farm Girl Saison, the company’s flagship beer. “It really appeals to people that are new to the craft beer world and also craft beer geeks.” Before starting Lift Bridge, Schwarz had experience with startups. “I was comfortable with the idea of starting with this blank sheet of paper and building it from there.” And he’s since built a business with 14 full-timers. “We have a program that allows our brewers to brew their own recipes. We don’t put any constraints, so there’s no, ‘You have to make it for this dollar amount’ or ‘you have to use these ingredients.’ We let them go wild, then we let the market speak, and see what they think.”
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MILESTONES
DAVE HARTLEY ’01 AND JOSH HART ’01
Spilled Grain
Dave Hartley (L) and Josh Hart (R) had crossed paths during their time at Saint John’s but didn’t know each other well. As luck would have it, their paths crossed again several years after Hartley moved to Hart’s hometown of Annandale, Minnesota. They soon found themselves collaborating with two brewers to create the town’s first brewery, Spilled Grain Brewhouse. Hartley owns his own cabinetry company, and his expertise in small businesses and woodworking helped when Spilled Grain constructed its facility. “There aren’t many buildings like ours,” he says. “Lots of woodwork, a beautiful facility. A lot of people have said it’s one of the most unique taprooms they’ve been in.” Spilled Grain uses its location to attract clientele. Located in the heart of the lakes, Annandale is a destination, especially in the summer. Not only has Spilled Grain become a popular hangout for locals, but cabin-goers and others from out of town have made the taproom a regular stop. A popular offering is Crooked Rafter, a light German-style beer that gets its name from the exposed rafters of the taproom. There are six varieties of beer on tap, all brewed on site. With Spilled Grain’s inaugural year well underway, the brewery is on track for continued growth.
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’06 Kathryn (Young ’08) & Brian Gasser, boy, Nicholas, Oct. ’15 ’06 Brooke (Wheeler ’07) & Jason Hardie, girl, Amelia, Apr. ’15 ’06 Juliet (Nguyen ’06) & Eric Hill, boy, Raynor, Apr. ’15 ’06 Emma & Mike Kubovec, boy, Cash, Aug. ’15 ’06 Megan (Kuhl-Stennes ’06) & Seth Kuhl-Stennes, boy, Jonah, Apr. ’15 ’06 Nicole & Ben Manthey, girl, Vivienne, July ’15 ’06 Cassie (Benson ’06) & Max Smith, boy, Harrison, July ’15 ’07 Melissa (Schneider ’07) & Jeff Doll, girl, Britta, Jan. ’15 ’07 Meghan (Harris ’06) & Alex Kofoed, boy, Harrison, Mar. ’15 ’07 Erin (Fogle ’07) & Ben Lauer, girl, Abigail, June ’15 ’07 Bridget (Sitzer ’08) & Dan Nordlund, girl, Katherine, Dec. ’15 ’07 Megan & Nick Pariseau, girl, Lydia, Nov. ’14 ’07 Anna (Scheil ’07) & Morgan Skidmore, boy, Gabriel, Aug. ’15 ’07 Laura & Kyle Triggs, boy, David, July ’15 ’08 Rachel & Josh Rosenbush, boy, Matthew, Jan. ’16 ’08 Sarah & Matt Steele, boy, Gabriel, Apr. ’15 ’08 Elizabeth (Strawbridge ’06) & Christian Welle, girl, Maria, May ’15 ’09 Danielle (Rothfork ’09) & Brian Baker, girl, Leighton, Sept. ’15 ’09 Veronika Philippova & Daniel Philippe, girl, Vivian, Nov. ’15 ’09 Sonya (Kamen ’09) & Andrew Gaydos, girl, Eleanor, July ’15 ’09 Angie (Ballman ’09) & Kyle Punton, girl, Caroline, Feb. ’15 ’09 Ashley (Brandel ’09) & Joe Veeder, boy, Ryan, Mar. ’15 ’10 Erin (Moore ’10) & Matteson Smith, boy, Finley, Nov. ’14
’12 Victoria & Chris Vierzba, boy, Cooper, Sept. ’15 ’12 Lauren & Mike Weitnauer, girl, Scout, May ’15 ’13 Rebecca (Huesers ’14) & Tanner Petersen, girl, Lillian, Sept. ’15
DEATHS ’41 Rev. John Snyder ’41, Sept. ’14 ’43 William Bossenmaier ’43, Feb. ’15 ’43 Mary Frost, spouse of deceased,Leon ’43, mother of Stephen ’74, May ’15 ’43 Walter Kost ’43, Dec. ’15 ’43 LeRoy Henry ’43, June ’15 ’43 Robert Hunter, Sr. ’43, Dec. ’09 ’44 Rev. Henry Fehrenbacher ’44, Sept. ’15 ’44 Augustine Strub ’44, July ’15 ’45 Opal Virnig, spouse of Morris ’45, Nov. ’14 ’46 Eugene Ebner ’46, brother of Gilbert ’57 and deceased Rev. Frank Ebner ’44, Jun ’15 ’46 Armoryl Theissen, spouse of Hubert ’46, mother of Gregory ’78, George ’79, David ’80, June ’15 ’47 James Buysse ’47, May ’15 ’47 Rev. Adam Hasey ’47, June ’12 ’47 John Hughes ’47, brother of James ’52, Nov. ’15 ’47 Eileen Janey, spouse of deceased, Sylvester ’47, Nov. ’15 ’47 George Schmidt ’47, Aug ’15 ’48 Rev. Lloyd Haupt ’48, Sept. ’15 ’48 Rev. Barnabas Laubach, OSB ’48, brother Vincent ’62, June ’15 ’48 Phillip McManus ’48, July ’15 ’48 Marge Schaefer, spouse of deceased, Otto ’48, mother of Dan ’87, Mary Quick, SOT ’97 and deceased, Thomas ’81, Sept. ’15 ’48 Rev. Jacob Schumacher ’48, Sept. ’15
’48 Adella Stang, spouse of deceased Marvin ’48, Aug. ’15 ’48 Robert "Bob" Welle ’48, father of Paul ’71, Robert ’73, John ’74, Patrick ’78, Peter ’84; brother of Eugene “Joe” ’52; deceased brothers Richard ’41, Charles ’49 and Daniel ’49, July ’15 ’49 Phylis Geering, spouse of deceased, Ralph ’49, Sept. ’15 ’49 Tom Hockert ’49, Sept. 15 ’49 Stephen Liners, son of Bob ’49, Nov. ’15 ’50 Dorothy Arens, spouse of Loyal ’50. Sept. ’15 ’50 Leona Braun, spouse of David ’50, Aug. ’15 ’50 Robert Burns ’50, June ’15 ’50 Edward Gerads ’50, Aug. ’15 ’50 Shirley Ann Herzog, spouse of Tom ’50, July ’15 ’50 Dr. Allen Krebs ’50, Sept. ’15 ’50 John “Jack” Martin ’50, brother of Roger ’59; and his deceased brothers Joe ’49, Wayne ’52 and Terry ’58, June ’15 ’50 Marian Zejdlik, spouse of deceased, Richard ’50, Sept. ’15 ’51 Elaine Bresnahan, spouse of Patrick ’51, July ’15 ’51 Mary “Dee” Condon, spouse of Bob ’51, May ’15 ’51 John “Jack” Durenberger ’51, Jan. ’16 ’51 Edward Pollard ’51, Aug. ’15 ’52 Eugene “Gene” Fahey ’52, Aug. ’14 ’52 Gene Hall ’53, father of Nick ’81 and Sam ’82, Oct. ’15 ’52 Eileen Nolan, spouse of deceased Robert ’52, May ’15 ’53 Roger Bresnahan ’53, brother of Robert ’57, Jan. ’16 ’53 Dr. Charles Planet ’53, Dec. ’15 ’53 Pearl Christenson, spouse of deceased Jerry ’53, Oct. ’15 ’53 Mary Foley, spouse of Dr. Robert ’53, Aug. ’15
’53 Margaret McCarthy, spouse of Charlie ’53, mother of Mike ’87, Oct. ’15 ’54 Dennis Grebner ’54, Dec. ’15 ’55 James Dieveney ’55, June ’15 ’55 Gretchen Fandel Kresl, spouse of deceased, Jon Hassler ’55, Sept. ’15 ’55 Frank Munshower, Sr. ’55, father of Frank, Jr. ’87, Eric ’90, brother of John ’66 and Fr. William ’54, Aug. ’15 ’56 John P. Burns ’56, Jan. ’16 ’56 Jack Karnowski ’56, Sept. ’15 ’56 Daniel Padden ’56, July ’15 ’56 Anne Sivinski, spouse of deceased, Michael ’56, Sept. ’15 ’56 John Theisen ’56, brother of Lyle ’53 and Rev. Wilfred, OSB ’52, Jun ’15 ’57 Jane Hendricks, spouse of Jerry ’57, mother of Bruce ’79, Sept. ’15 ’58 Robert Frost ’58, father of Michael ’83, Jan. ’16 ’58 Michael Keating ’58, Oct. ’15 ’58 Calliope Longley, spouse of Harold ’58, Feb. ’14 ’58 Barbara Schiep, spouse of Jerome ’58, Sept. ’15 ’58 Dr. John Scheuren ’58, June ’04 ’59 Rebecca Applegren, spouse of Richard ’59, Nov. ’15 ’59 Alice Rassier, spouse of Howard ’59, June ’15 ’59 Rev. Alfred Stangl ’59, Aug. ’15 ’60 Paul Flick ’60, Oct. ’15 ’60 John F. Johnson ’60, July ’15 ’60 Charles “Chuck” Woodbeck ’60, Oct. ’15 ’61 James Genereux ’61, brother of John ’66, Mark ’75 and Renee SOT ’79, Sept. ’15 ’61 Rita Pongratz, sister of Fr. Don Tauscher, OSB ’61 and Leon Tauscher ’69, July ’15 ’62 Anne Bisson, spouse of Ron Sr. ’62, mother of Ron Jr. ’94 and John ’96, Sept. ’15
JUSTIN WALSH ’07
OMNI
Justin Walsh has maintained his job as a finance manager even after co-founding the Maple Grove, Minnesota, brewery OMNI. But that doesn’t mean he’s not completely focused on one of the main goals of the operation: “Our whole basis is kind of bringing a beer to everyone or making sure there’s good beer available everywhere,” says Walsh, who founded OMNI with Zack Ward, who handles the brewing. “We feel like there are a lot of people in the Maple Grove area who would drive into the Cities to go to breweries, and we thought they deserved one of their own right in their backyard.” With OMNI’s focus on Maple Grove and the northwest suburbs, Walsh has been happy to see the community’s reaction to the brewery. Folks welcomed the company with open arms—and open wallets. Walsh believes he knows why OMNI and so many other breweries have been such a hit, no matter the location. “Obviously beer is enjoyed by a lot of people, but when it’s your neighbors that are making it, and you’re working on it together, it just instills a larger sense of community.”
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MILESTONES
SAM HARRIMAN ’08 AND CATHERINE CUDDY ’08
Sisyphus
Many people come to the brewery business with science backgrounds or marketing experience. Sam Harriman had a more unusual occupation before becoming a brewer: Comedian. Harriman took advantage of his background in standup comedy and started Sisyphus Brewing, a taproom that doubles as a comedy club. Inspiration for the Minneapolis brewery, which Harriman operates with his wife, Catherine Cuddy, came after a road trip the couple took where they traveled to taprooms while Harriman performed comedy. Harriman and Cuddy wanted a place where they could combine comedy and other events with craft beer. Sisyphus started by concentrating on the craft beer crowd, but that’s changing. “When you come into the comedy-club portion, it’s like you get that feeling that you’re there for comedy,” says Harriman. “It’s not like you’re at a bar, and there’s comedy happening there. One of our goals, along with creating a good taproom, was creating another comedy club-type feel in Minneapolis, because there’s not that many for a city our size.” And there certainly aren’t many places like Sisyphus.
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’62 Robert Kuehmichel ’62, Aug. ’15 ’62 Terrance Tri ’63, father of Kevin ’85 and Carey ’03, Aug. ’15 ’62 James Waletzko ’62, Sept. ’15 ’63 Donald Chvatal ’63, Oct. ’15 ’63 Daniel Commers ’63, brother of Clem ’57, Fred ’58 and Joe ’66, Nov. ’15 ’63 James Daugherty ’63, father of James C. ’85, June ’15 ’63 John P. Gallagher, Jr. ’63, brother of Henry ’61, Sept. ’15 ’63 John Judge, brother of Jim ’63, Paul ’64 and Tom ’66, Oct. ’15 ’63 Elizabeth Symalla, spouse of Bob ’63, July ’15 ’65 Donald Fouts ’65, Dec. ’15 ’64 Raymond Greenwood ’64, Sept. ’15 ’64 Tom Wilson ’64, Oct. ’15 ’65 Dr. William Cruse ’65, son of deceased William J. ’37, Aug. ’15 ’65 Pamela Hazelton, spouse of Tom ’65, Oct. 15 ’66 Larry Lindgren ’66, July ’13 ’66 Joseph Pilon ’66, father of Matt ’03, brother of Chuck ’58, Aug. ’15 ’66 Tom Reif ’66, father of Eddie ’03 and the brother of Bill ’64 and deceased, John ’62, Sept. ’15 ’66 Kathleen Winkel, spouse of Thomas ’66. June ’15 ’67 Haralampos “Harry” Koutsoumbos ’67, Oct. ’15 ’67 Bill Mella ’67, May ’15 ’68 Amy Savopoulos, daughter of Jim ’68, May ’15 ’68 Dennis Theis ’68, June ’15 ’69 David Haycraft ’69, brother of Brad ’69, July ’14 ’69 Ed Kranz ’69, Nov. ’15 ’69 Mark Manthey ’69, brother of John ’72, Jan. ’16
’69 Edward Tuohy ’69, brother of Bernie ’72, James ’66, Richard ’67 and deceased Richard ’67; stepson, Derek Read ’92, June ’15 ’70 Lorraine Agee, mother of John ’70, Nov. ’15 ’70 Stephen Cahoon ’70, Sept. 14 ’70 Stephen Cramer-Herbst ’70, brother of Tom ’79, son of deceased Harold ’47. Dec. ’15 ’70 William Deuberry ’70, June ’15 ’70 Mary Nigon, spouse of Richard ’70, mother of Matthew ’93, Aug. ’15 ’70 Jennifer Podvin, spouse of Ryan ’70, July ’15 ’71 Anthony “Rock” Adrian ’71, Jan. ’16 ’71 Mike Foster ’71, brother of Bob ’72 and Dan ’74, July ’15 ’72 Andrea Murphy, spouse of deceased, James ’72, Aug. ’15 ’73 Rene Litecky, spouse of Bernard ’73, Aug. ’15 ’73 Rev. Paul Larson ’73, Jan. ’16 ’73 James Vickery ’73, June ’14 ’74 Robert J. Snyder, II ’74, Dec. ’15 ’74 Daniel M. Whalen ’74, brother of Bob ’64 and deceased Jared ’70, June ’15 ’74 Michael Williams ’74, July ’15 ’76 Clifford Backous, father of Rev. Timothy Backous, OSB ’76 and Randy ’83, July ’15 ’76 Loretta Javra ’76, Aug. ’15 ’76 Steven Pierce ’76, brother of Mike ’69, Jun ’15 ’77 Mark Griffin ’77, Dec. ’15 ’77 S. Eleanor Lincoln, CSJ ’77, June ’15 ’77 James Lutz ’77, son of Joe ’55, brother of David ’89, July ’15 ’78 William Pierson, father of Rev. Bob Pierson ’78, June ’15 ’78 Janet Salzer ’78, July ’15 ’79 Joanne Cummings, mother of Tom ’79 and Michael ’89, Nov. ’15 ’80 Leo Lynch, father of Jim ’80, June ’15
’81 Evan Applequiest ’81, Dec. ’15 ’81 Allen Dufault ’81, Nov. ’15 ’82 Nancy Culligan, mother of Rob ’82 and Mike ’87, Dec. ’15 ’82 Nathan Nygren ’82, July ’15 ’82 James Rettger ’82, Dec. ’15 ’82 Bill Smoger ’82, Jan. ’16 ’85 Ellen Dodos, mother of Kevin ’85, Dec. ’15 ’85 Lynn Heinen-Herda, spouse of Alex ’85, Oct. ’15 ’86 Robert Meyer ’86, Dec. ’15 ’86 Cecilia Trobec, mother of James, Jr. ’86, Dec. ’15
Fine Arts Schedule
Lil Buck Friday, April 8, 7:30 p.m. Stephen B. Humphrey Theater, SJU Tallis Scholars Saturday, April 16, 7:30 p.m. Saint John’s Abbey Church Reinventing Radio: An Evening with Ira Glass Saturday, April 23, 7:30 p.m. Escher Auditorium, CSB Catalyst Quartet Friday, April 29, 7:30 p.m. Stephen B. Humphrey Theater, SJU
43
INSPIRING LIVES
Back to the Future Philip C. Galanis ’75
Forty years after graduating from Saint John’s University, I returned last October as a Trustee. I entered SJU in 1971 with the dream of returning to The Bahamas and making a contribution to the country of my birth, which I so dearly loved and which had given me so much. I decided to study philosophy and political science with a view to pursuing a career in law. Even back in the 1970s, many of my contemporaries asked, “What are you going to do with philosophy and political science? You cannot possibly get a job with a degree in those subjects.”
“It will teach me to think, to analyze and to write,” I responded. “Getting a job will not be a problem.” I was right. My success is not unique. An impressive number of Bahamian SJU graduates have consistently contributed to the development of Bahamian life, in the private and public sectors as well as in spiritual and secular spheres. Their impact has transformed Bahamian society. One of the first Bahamians to attend SJU was Sir Etienne Dupuch ’28, publisher of the Tribune, who also served in the House of Assembly for 24 years. His education contributed to the transformation of the social and political landscape of The Bahamas through his reporting of significant events and the way it shaped public opinion over that newspaper’s many decades. Another prominent graduate was Sir Etienne’s brother, the Hon. Eugene Dupuch ’34, who wrote the “The Johnnie Fight Song” sung at the beginning of all University sporting events. The Law School in The Bahamas is named in Eugene’s honor, in recognition of his contribution to national jurisprudence. Other notable Bahamians include Deacon Leviticus Adderley ’55, a wrestling and tennis champion at SJU, and Monsignor Preston Moss ’61, who contributed enormously to building on the spiritual foundation of the Catholic Church and the Benedictines in The Bahamas. During my October visit, I was pleased to meet Bahamian student Ramond Mitchell ’17, a student-body senator on campus and the SJU senate’s representative on the Board of Trustees. Ramond is studying theology with
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a minor in communications but does not plan to pursue a religious vocation. I could tell that Ramond appreciated the importance of a liberal arts education. He is not sure what the future holds, but he has already made a positive impact on campus. There’s no doubt his future is bright. Bahamian students also pursue majors that will place them on career paths like accounting, nursing and education. Others are pursuing studies that can be classified as pre-med or pre-engineering. As I returned to the environment that shaped many Bahamian lives, it reaffirmed for me that the value of a liberal arts education cannot be overstated. The liberal arts exposure that the Bahamian students obtained from the Benedictines, first at St. Augustine’s College in the Bahamas, and then at SJU, made a lifelong transformative impact not only on us, but on the thousands with whom we have come into contact over the decades. The propensity to look for a linear relationship between one’s course of study and a job can often deprive the student of the ability to find a more enriching and fulfilling future, a future that can be substantially enhanced and guided by a liberal arts education
My opinion 40 years later echoes my younger self: Learn to think, to analyze and to write. Getting a job will not be a problem. Philip Galanis is the founder and managing partner of HLB Galanis & Co., a leading Bahamian-based accounting firm. This essay for Inspiring Lives is based on his column “Consider This,” which appeared in The Nassau Guardian, Oct. 5, 2015. Inspiring Lives is reserved for reflective pieces with a Benedictine theme written by Saint John’s alumni. Please submit essays, poetry or other reflections for consideration to the editor: jscoon@csbsju.edu.
Sharing Success When John ’45 and Jo Ann Mullen returned to Saint John’s for their grandson’s graduation in 2014, it brought back good memories of John’s graduation nearly 70 years before. They decided to start a scholarship fund for future Johnnies. John and Jo Ann were natives of North Dakota, but met and married in Honolulu. They both had successful careers in education and owned two real estate companies in Waikiki.
John and Jo Ann wanted to share the fruits of their labors. “I felt Saint John’s had a great
influence on my life and on our family,” John says. “Saint John’s changed our lives.” Two of John’s brothers and three grandsons— Michael ’09, Patrick ’12 and Matthew Thompson ’14 —are graduates. And now, thanks to the John and Jo Ann Mullen Family Endowed Scholarship Fund, future students with need will be able to get a Saint John’s education.
It’s your will. To learn more about making a bequest to Saint John’s, contact Jim Dwyer ’75, director of planned giving, at (800) 635-7303 or jdwyer@csbsju.edu.
Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Saint John’s University
INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT P.O. Box 7222 Collegeville, MN 56321
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
2016
We look forward to seeing you
JUNE 24-26
Classes ending in 1 and 6 and Beyond 50th
Your class reunion is approaching fast! Mark your calendar and plan to reconnect with classmates and enjoy the campuses in the summer. Watch for more information coming soon.