GONZAGA
THE MAGAZINE OF GONZAGA UNIVERSITY | FALL 2010
Features
DIVYA’S BURN
A young nurse flies to India weeks after she graduates – and discovers that even halfway around the world she can count on her professors. PAGE 14
26TH PRESIDENT
Trustees name as Gonzaga’s first lay president Dr. Thayne McCulloh, who exemplifies the University’s Jesuit mission. PAGE 18
CLASS ACT
The largest class in GU’s history – by a margin of more than 150 students – makes its presence felt in innumerable ways during the 2009-10 academic year. PAGE 22
HUMANITY
Students teach – and learn – many things in GU’s Zambia programs. They teach Power Point – and learn the power of Africa. They teach literacy skills – and learn about giving. They teach hop-scotch – and learn to become more truly human. PAGE 26
FALL 2010 VOLUME 1, NO. 1
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS DALE GOODWIN EDITOR MARNY LOMBARD
Departments PERSPECTIVE
A note from President Thayne McCulloh PAGE 3
INBOX
Letters to the editor PAGE 4
THE WALL
Glories and Glitches Quick Reads ZigZags PAGE 5
OFF CAMPUS Who’s this Zag? AlumNews In Memoriam Chapters PAGE 35
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS RAJAH BOSE JENNIFER RAUDEBAUGH DESIGN DIRECTOR LOU MAXON (’96) M.INC. DESIGNERS GERALD ALMANZA MATT GOLLNICK LINDA LILLARD PAT SKATTUM CONTRIBUTING EDITORS AND WRITERS AUTUMN JONES (’10), SABRINA JONES, MIKE KELSEY (’10), SABRINA MAURITZ (’07), PETER TORMEY, JULI BERGSTROM WASSON CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS PETER ARKLE, JOSH ARMSTRONG, ZACK BERLAT (’11), MARK BODAMER, DAN GARRITY, NOLAN GRADY, DALE HAMILTON, LAUREN MILLS, SCOTT MULHERN, TORREY VAIL PROOFREADER ROL HERRIGES (’57) GONZAGA MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY Gonzaga University’s Marketing & Communications. Send your alumni news, change of address and updated contact information to gonzaga@gonzaga.edu, or to Gonzaga Magazine, 502 E. Boone Ave., Spokane, WA 99258-0070. Or call 509.313.6398. The opinions expressed on these pages do not always represent views of the administration or Gonzaga’s official policy. POSTMASTER Send address changes to Gonzaga Magazine, 502 E. Boone Ave., Spokane, WA 99258-0098. WEBSITE www.gonzaga.edu
COVER PHOTO College Hall and the fi gure of St. Ignatius stand ready to welcome our students. In just a few days, Gonzaga’s campus will be abuzz as the new year commences. - Rajah Bose photo
PERSPECTIVE A note from President Thayne McCulloh
Welcome to the first edition of the new Gonzaga Magazine – a project several years in the making. The story of Gonzaga – its past, present and future – are the stories of its alumni, students, faculty and friends; our hope is that this format allows us to do our storytelling in a more compelling manner. Let us know what you think! This edition highlights a significant aspect of the University’s work – our involvement in international education and service. As so many of you know, in 1963 Gonzaga established one of the earliest American “junior year abroad” programs in Florence, Italy. This summer while traveling in Tuscany, I again heard stories of the “mud angels” – among them Gonzaga-in-Florence students – who helped to rescue people and property (including significant works of art) during the historic 1966 Florentine flood. For many years Zags have been engaged in study abroad, but also in service abroad through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, the Peace Corps and several other humanitarian aid efforts. During the past five years, Gonzaga’s faculty and staff have developed numerous intensive international education programs, nearly all have a service component. This summer, our faculty taught students in Zambia, Benin, Ecuador, Poland, Italy, England, Slovenia, Turkey, Mexico and
El Salvador. Gonzaga’s focus on developing women and men who serve with and for others is strongly in evidence. Indeed, the opportunities enabled by distance-delivery of education have resulted in new ways of reaching those who need us the most: those who simultaneously live at the margins of culture and at the heart of the Jesuit mission. In future publications, you will learn of our other international education efforts, including a new law exchange program in China. All of these endeavors are created with the intent of developing students with a passion for, and a capacity to, more successfully engage the world. By now, we are welcoming another talented class of students. Since the fall semester begins before summer is truly over, we all look forward to several more weeks of glorious warmth, even as the students settle in to classes and routines. As I recount the opportunities I have to visit with alumni, students, parents and friends of Gonzaga, I am again reminded of the abundant blessings that each of you represent to us. On behalf of all of us – Jesuits, students, faculty and staff – please know that we are grateful for your prayers and support. May the peace of Christ be with you and yours, always.
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I have been graciously admitted into the “Boys of ’71” golf group of which Father Pete Neeley, S.J., is a member. His project in Nogales (summer issue, Gonzaga Quarterly) to feed the impoverished is an impossible endeavor, yet he and his group persevere. It is my good fortune to be able to help him help others. CHUCK BURGESS (‘69), SUN VALLEY, IDAHO
INBOX Letters to the Editor
NO MYSTERY ZAG: THAT’S DEAN MCGIVERN
When I was a freshman, I had Dean James McGivern (mystery Zag from summer issue, Gonzaga Quarterly) for a metallurgy class. He not only had a strong Boston accent but he had a slight lisp. Sometimes it was not easy to understand new terms. I remember one time he was lecturing about metals and was talking about “Creep Limit,” which is a property of a metal to increase in length while under prolonged load. I thought he said “Tweep Limit” and wrote this in my notes. Mac was walking up and down the aisles, came up behind me and read my notes. He asked, “What’s this ‘tweep limit?’” I said, “I thought that is what you said.” He said, “I didn’t say ‘tweep limit.’ I said ‘creep limit, C-R-E-E-P.’” The class about busted up laughing. When I completed my state engineering license written exams, I needed to take the oral ethics exam. Boeing employees could take them on Boeing property. I about fell over when the person giving the test was Mac. I guess he figured I had sufficient ethics training at Gonzaga because he didn’t ask me one ethics question and we shot the bull about everything under the sun. How many schools in the nation can a student have such a personal relationship with the dean of engineering? He was truly a remarkable man. Howard Swenson (’50) Seattle (Editor’s note: For other memories of Dean McGivern, go to p. 37 and www.gonzaga.edu/magazine.)
Letters to the Editor
HEALTHY AND THANKFUL
My wife Kim and I would like to thank you for sharing our story with the Gonzaga family (spring issue, Gonzaga Quarterly). Several Zags reached out to express their support for kidney donor Jason Boyd and myself. All the kind words and prayers have worked. I am entering my sixth month of recovery with no signs of rejection, while Jason is nearly back to form with his workout regimen as a tri-athlete. My energy level is back and I am able to take on the next phase in life at full speed as a father and a husband. Words cannot describe how thankful I am to be given a second chance. I hope other Zags will consider being an organ donor. Steve Brezniak (’91) Sausalito, Calif. FRONT AND CENTER
I was excited to see the picture of the 1950 Commencement (summer issue, Gonzaga Quarterly). That was my year and I think I found me just about front and center. One of the important things about commencement to me, besides graduating, was that the Gonzaga Men’s Glee Club sang and I was part of that group. I had dropped out of the club after my junior year to concentrate on my studies but I asked to get back in for the second semester. I knew my parents, Dennis (J.D. 1910) and my mother Mary, would come from Montana. Since I wasn’t up for any honors, I wanted to at least sing for them. I think they were thrilled to hear the Glee Club and never noticed I didn’t get any honors. I still love to sing. Another
highly anticipated part of commencement was that my parents kindly turned over to me their beautiful 1948 Packard Sedan convertible for the evening. It even had a silver swan for a hood ornament. I had a date but sadly don’t remember much about that, not even the girl’s name. Phil Dellwo (’50) Lynchburg, Va. IN ERROR
I recently received the summer issue of Gonzaga Quarterly and noticed that caption with the 1950 Commencement photograph identified me as wearing a white habit. This is incorrect because at the time I was not a sister. Sister Agnes Schweiger LaCrosse, Wisc. EDITORS REGRET THIS ERROR — AND ARE CONSUMED WITH CURIOSITY TO KNOW THE CORRECT IDENTITY OF THE SISTER IN THE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE 1950 COMMENCEMENT.
DO WRITE!
We welcome your letters. And if we trim your words, it is only for reasons of space. Send your thoughts to gonzaga@gonzaga.edu or to editor Marny Lombard, Gonzaga University, 502 E. Boone Ave., Spokane, WA 99258-0070.
THE WALL
Gonzaga News + Views
SPRAY IT AND SAY IT
In the four years that students spend on Gonzaga’s campus, they walk past the Wall at least twice most days. They’re meeting friends at the Crosby Student Center. They’re headed to the Zag Shop or for a study group at Foley Center Library. Over the weeks, by daylight, dawn and moonlight, the Wall’s spray-painted messages promote events and programs that change students’ lives. Legend has it that most of the Wall’s thickness is due to the years’ accumulation of paint. The prosaic reality is that the Wall was built decades ago to stop students from cutting through the rose bushes. The roses are history, but the Wall still marks off important moments of life at Gonzaga. There’s even a new, virtual wall at www.zagwall.org. Take a look – the spray paint is free and it never runs out. And now, in this inaugural issue of Gonzaga Magazine – and future issues – we’ll share with you the latest news from campus in a section we’re calling the Wall. ILLUSTRATION BY PETER ARKLE
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PACCAR CENTER GOLDEN
The PACCAR Center for Engineering has achieved LEED Gold certification. “Incorporating sustainability principles into engineering design has become a focus and commitment in our engineering programs,” said School of Engineering and Applied Science Dean Dennis Horn. “This certification is a public display of that commitment.” Natural light, energy efficiency and open public space are key elements of the two-year-old engineering building, which connects to the Herak Center via a skywalk. “From my perspective, it is one of the most beautiful buildings on campus, with expansive views to the south and open access to the roof decks for enjoying a lunch or simply gazing at the river and Spokane skyline,” said Horn. “In fact, some of the faculty who teach in the classrooms complain that the view is beautiful but too distracting to their students, so they close all the blinds.” LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The LEED process assessed the project for sustainable site, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. “Coming from an older building with no air conditioning and difficult-toregulate winter temperatures, the PACCAR environment is a welcome change – uniform temperatures, year-round, excellent air quality and great natural light in much of the common spaces,” said Horn. “To have all of this and know that it is far more energy-efficient than other buildings is truly amazing.”
210 tons
(90.2 percent) of construction waste diverted from landfill
34.4%
reduction in the use of potable water through low-flow toilets and irrigation
30.5%
energy cost savings by using T-8 fluorescent light tubes, high-efficiency boilers, and sensors for daylight, occupancy and CO2
34.6%
percent of building materials manufactured with recycled materials
34%
percent of materials sourced from within 20 miles Inside the PACCAR Center is a remarkable art collection. For more, go to www.gonzaga.edu/magazine.
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THE WALL Gonzaga News + Views
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GONZAGA MAGAZINE | FALL 2010
QUOTE OF THE ISSUE MOMENTS ON MOUNTAINTOPS
IT’S THOSE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN STUDENTS AND FACULTY OR STAFF THAT MAKE THIS PLACE DIFFERENT. SOMETIMES THOSE MOMENTS OCCUR IN THE RESIDENCE HALLS OR ELSEWHERE ON CAMPUS. BUT THERE ARE ALSO TIMES WHEN WE MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS ON MOUNTAINTOPS OR SITTING BY THE SPOKANE RIVER. YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE OR WHEN, BECAUSE THE STUDENTS CHOOSE WHEN THEY’RE READY TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS. CONNECTIONS. DAVID LINDSAY DIRECTOR OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES IN STUDENT LIFE
Three major scholarships, including t wo Fulbrights, were announced at Gonzaga in May. Two Gonzaga graduates will study and teach in Bulgaria this year through the Fulbright Language A ssistant Teaching Program. A junior civil engineering major received the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship. ALEX GOUKASSIAN (’08 M.A. TESOL) hopes to reclaim his Bulgarian heritage during his Fulbright year in the ancient city of Plovdiv. He wrote his thesis on loss of first language – something he knows about first-hand. Goukassian lived in Bulgaria until age 6, when his family moved to the United States. ELLEN VON ESSEN (’10) majored in English
and international relations, with minors in music and women’s studies. She believes in the interconnectedness of language, worldview, culture and policy. “Similarly, one should not ignore the way in which our history and position globally impacts our values, our art and our lives.” Teaching high school English in Bulgaria’s capital of Sofia will give her a year to expand her own grasp of such interconnections. Receiving the Goldwater Scholarship is junior ANDREW MATSUMOTO. The scholarship will help him complete his undergraduate work, which has been enhanced by two summer internships at the Hanford nuclear reservation at Richland, Wash. Finding answers to the nation’s nuclear waste storage needs is driving Matsumoto’s next goal: a doctorate in nuclear engineering.
WE HOPE GONZAGA MAGAZINE BECOMES A CLOSE FRIEND Many of you realize that a visual and communications revolution is sweeping the land. Working in this fertile atmosphere, we’ve researched, dreamed and designed Gonzaga Magazine for you. As you see, Gonzaga periodically has rethought its core communication with alumni, parents, faculty, staff and benefactors. But our mission remains the same: to educate, engage and inspire the Gonzaga community. Whether you live across Spokane or halfway around the world, we want to nurture your heart, mind and soul. So, grab something cool to drink, head out to the patio, and explore the new look and feel of Gonzaga Magazine. You’ll find stories of lofty aspirations, deepening humanity and students who are absorbing the Jesuit way – Magis and discernment, finding God in all things, Cura Personalis and creating men and women for others. New look or not, the news and features on these pages should confirm for you that the intimate community of Gonzaga still pulses through the seasons. Our goal? To bring you the most compelling stories about Gonzaga University. Gonzaga Magazine will arrive in your mailbox four times a year. If you prefer to read only the redesigned online edition (www.gonzaga.edu/magazine) or would like to receive the RSS feed, please e-mail us at gonzaga@gonzaga.edu. And by letter, e-mail or Pony Express, please send us your thoughts.
Marny Lombard, Editor FALL 2010 | GONZAGA MAGAZINE
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THE WALL Quick Reads
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FOUR-DAY EPIC Orientation for the Class of 2014, held Aug. 27-30, involved nearly 300 student volunteers. Junior Tyler Hobbs, coordinator of small groups and catering, looks back to his own orientation experience to explain why he cares so much about this event: “My first night in Catherine/Monica, I met a few of the guys in my hall and clung to them like my life depended on it. We all clicked and wound up spending most of the weekend together. I immediately felt like I belonged here. I wasn’t part of this University, it was part of me. I hope our incoming students can feel that.” Crowning the fourday introduction to Gonzaga was Welcome Night – the same ‘top-secret’ ceremony that has captured students’ imaginations since 1982. BEAUTY AND THE BRAIN Beauty is the interdisciplinary theme for 2010-11. The common read, selected each year by faculty and staff, is “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. Through the year, speakers, panels and discussion groups will explore a wide range of issues related to beauty, from math to science, literature, history, and social justice. University commonread programs recently came under some criticism from the National Association of Scholars. Gonzaga’s program, however, is distinguished from many others by its connection to a year-long interdisciplinary emphasis.
TEXTBOOK INTELLIGENCE Gonzaga Zag Shop Director Scott Franz trawls the Internet with specially designed software seeking gently used textbooks to purchase. He pulls out a 3-inch thick stack of printouts, his Amazon bill for the month of December. All this in order to ease the pain students feel in their pocketbooks at book-buying time. “It can mean great savings,” Franz says. “For instance, there’s a criminal justice book that sells for $135 new – and we sell it for $19.50.” Will students find those great savings everywhere in the Zag Shop? No, but the more discounted books are purchased, the more savings should result. LISTEN UP, LEADERS Nearly 200 new student leaders gathered in April for a Leadership Confirmation Dinner, a new event at Gonzaga. The students ranged from Center for Community Action and Service Learning (CCASL) leaders to residence hall assistants, Comprehensive Leadership Program students, Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program students, and student-athletes. “It was the widest array of student leaders I have ever seen assembled at Gonzaga,” said David Lindsay, director of student activities and the Crosby Student Center. “I was sitting with a volleyball player, a young woman from ROTC and presidents of various clubs.” President Thayne McCulloh gave the key-note presentation, and Vice President for Student Life Sue Weitz
led the confirmation pledge for leaders. “Our goal was to formally install the student leaders in their new roles and to show some unity in their roles as leaders,” said Lindsay. “We were asking, ‘What does it mean to be a leader at Gonzaga?’” BUT CAN ROMEO DUNK? Basketball guard Steven Gray has been cast as Tybalt, the hot-tempered rival of Romeo. Gonzaga Readers Theatre Project will present a staged reading of “Romeo and Juliet” in late October for Fall Family Weekend and Gonzaga’s Reunion. Gray made a gutsy GU theater debut last November in the lead role of a gay baseball player in “Take Me Out.” For the year’s theater productions, see www.gonzaga.edu and search on ‘theatre productions.’ ENGINEERING-IN-FLORENCE Engineering students no longer have to choose between studying abroad and completing their degrees on time. The new Engineering-in-Florence program successfully hosted 22 sophomores during spring semester, including 17 Gonzaga students and five from other institutions. “With new students already registering for next spring, and a growing scholarship fund to help with some of the travel expenses, we are proud of how this initiative has developed and flourished,” said Dennis Horn, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science. For more engineering news, see www. gonzaga.edu/engineering.
IS NOTHING SACRED? Madonna Hall is no longer pink, but rather a stately brown. Given this year’s decision to address energy savings by updating Madonna’s windows, it made sense to do the paint job as well, says the indefatigable Ken Sammons (’71), head of plant services. The pink, as some readers will recall, was chosen by students. Anyone recall what year that was? Or, better yet, how the pro-pink argument was framed? E-mail us at gonzaga@gonzaga.edu. UNKNOWN IN HIS LIFETIME A remarkable exhibition on famed Jesuit poet and priest Gerard Manley Hopkins is on display in the Foley Center Library’s Rare Books Room through Sept. 30. Together, the materials – many of them never before displayed in public – tell the story of Hopkins’ life. The exhibition also displays Hopkins’ talents as a sketch artist and would-be composer. On campus in July, Hopkins’ scholars from Israel, Japan, Canada, Great Britain and the United States gathered for the Regis-at-Gonzaga Conference on Hopkins.
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NOT SO DISTANT FROM HIS STUDENTS MEET LAMONT MILES, ELECTRICAL engineer. He teaches one course at Gonzaga nearly every semester, works at Avista Utilities and catches most home basketball games. Nothing unusual so far? Mind-bending as it may sound, Miles is a member of GU’s Class of 2003. He turned 26 in May and has taught for Gonzaga’s School of Engineering and Applied Science on and off for more than five years. He’s not the youngest college professor out there. Google around a bit and you’ll find a scattering of 19-year-olds in academia. Miles enrolled at Gonzaga when he was 16 and graduated in three years. Avista hired him shortly thereafter, and he began teaching the following year. Miles combines a gentle maturity, a dedication to his students and a shade of amazement at his own good fortune. “I jumped at the chance when the late Dr. Juan Bala approached me,” Miles said. “It was an amazing opportunity.” Department chair Associate Professor Vladimir Labay remembers Miles as a very bright, hard-working student. “He is devoted to his teaching, and the students have always given him very good reviews and evaluations.” Most years, Miles teaches sophomorelevel engineering classes and labs. Since Dr. Bala’s death in 2009, the young instructor has been assigned senior-level power classes.
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“I’ll never forget my first day teaching,” he said. “I was 20. My students were 20 and older. They thought I was a fellow student at first. There were a fair number of snickers when they discovered I was the ‘professor.’ But over the course of the next couple years as a teacher I changed and became more comfortable. I found myself in a unique position – being one who could really relate to the students.” Graduate John Choma (’10) radiates enthusiasm for this teacher: “Lamont’s only a few years older than me, but he has the knowledge and demeanor of someone much older and more experienced,” he said. “In class, Lamont quickly demonstrated that he knew a lot about electricity. It was like learning from a wise, old professor trapped in a younger body.” Choma found that the young instructor’s experience in industry benefitted students. “For instance, Miles integrates the modern practices dictated by national industry standards into his lectures and homework. He also passes on his knowledge of the latest trends in renewable energies and Smart Grid technologies,” Choma said. Miles is working on a master’s degree in electrical engineering at the University of Idaho. “I love being a part of the Gonzaga family and I hope to continue teaching for many years, even after students stop looking at me funny because of my age,” Miles said. LAMONT MILES KNOWS HIS STUDENTS’ ENGINEERING BACKGROUND DOWN TO THE FINEST DETAIL, BECAUSE THEY ARE TAKING THE SAME CLASSES HE TOOK NOT SO MANY YEARS AGO.
THE WALL ZigZags
Gonzaga rolls out a new fight song this fall. “Go Gonzaga!” is its title. Composers are GU’s own David Fague, jazz instructor, and Kevin Laxar (’10). For decades, GU rallied the Bulldogs to victory behind the popular Washington and Lee Swing, which is shared by Gonzaga Prep and more than 40 other colleges and high schools. The new song will rally fans at athletic and spirit events. “Gonzaga Bulldogs, rally and fight!”...Gonzaga psychology students won top student research awards this year at national conferences run by the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science. Gonzaga was the only school in the nation to achieve this honor. All three students, Paul Condon (’09), Paige Hurtig-Crosby (’10) and Whitney Rostad (’09), performed their undergraduate research with Anna Marie Medina, assistant professor of psychology…Named Gonzaga Parents of the Year are Jim and Colleen O’Brien of Spokane, thanks to a graceful nomination by their daughter Corrina O’Brien (’10). “After reflecting on my parents’ daily lives,” Corrina wrote, “it’s evident that they have been living the mission of Gonzaga their entire life. But only recently have I realized the beautiful people they are.”…Gonzaga is gaining a new director of choral activities. Versatile musician Timothy Westerhaus is completing his doctorate at Boston University and has conducted singers in the United States and Europe…The newly built St. Michael’s Chapel in the Kennedy Apartments contains some of the classical elements used to teach about the Catholic faith, including an older sanctuary light, tabernacle and an ambary in which holy oils are stored, said Fr. Craig Hightower, S.J. ...Jane Hession, longtime freshman adviser for the Jepson School of Business Administration, and Jose Hernandez, director of the Rudolf Fitness Center, won the Outstanding Service in Support of Mission Awards this spring. Yes, it’s a mouthful – but accurate, too. Hession and Hernandez were nominated by their colleagues…
Andrew Goldman, associate professor of history, led an archeological dig in Turkey: “We were working deep in a trench. My assistant Jordan Bensen-Piscopo (‘05) was shoveling dirt up and into a wheelbarrow 7 or 8 feet above him. Suddenly I heard, ‘Ah ha! Dr. Goldman!’ I looked over and there he was, next to the wheelbarrow, examining a perfectly preserved vial of delicate Roman glass. How it landed safely, I simply don’t know.” Goldman lists these ‘glories’ from his experience leading students overseas:
GLORIES AND GLITCHES OF LEADING OVERSEAS FIELDWORK
Encounters with antiquity: “Gonzaga students have a healthy regard for the ancient world. Take them on a picnic in the ruins of an ancient theater, or through an ancient city, and they completely light up. This is especially true when you have a good guide to answer their questions, which are many.” Speaking the language: “I’ve seen them enjoy learning the local language, such as Turkish. Watching students at the site learning some Turkish and then using it was wonderful. The locals appreciated it, and some real communication began.”
Watching the students learn skills: “In an archaeological setting, students have to learn how to record and observe. By the end of the month, most were quite adept. Tired, dirty and sore, perhaps. But they had a real understanding about how archeology worked. It was terrific to see them take their knowledge and accurately perform difficult, demanding tasks.” Along with glories come glitches: How students dress: “There are appropriate and inappropriate ways to dress in certain parts of the world. You can wear just about anything in western Turkey, but in the central regions, it is respectful to cover your legs. And if you dress conservatively, you can get wonderful attention, people respecting you just as you have respected their customs. Otherwise, you can attract unwanted attention.” Trying new things: “Some students I’ve taken abroad would rather do their e-mail or watch a DVD than experience the culture. Perhaps it is shyness, but I’ve seen some students not entirely embrace the situation. Getting them to taste grilled octopus, for example, fresh from the water, was quite a chore. They loved it, or most did, once they tried it. But, wow, can they be picky eaters.” FALL 2010 | GONZAGA MAGAZINE
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THE WALL News + Views
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GONZAGA MAGAZINE | FALL 2010
SENIOR JAVIER GONZALEZ connects a slender syringe to delicate tubing that emerges from a boxy piece of scientific equipment called a mass spectrometer. His syringe contains a polymer of amino acids – or a peptide – that Gonzalez and his research partner, junior Sydney Schneider, have synthesized from chemical compounds. For their research, the two biochemistry majors first must verify that they have created the right peptide. The information produced by the mass spectrometer will either confirm that or tell them that they have erred in their synthesis. Later in their work, they will use other instruments to learn more about the structure of their peptides. Mass spectrometers such as this one – known among chemists as a “triple quad” – are rarely found in undergraduate research settings. In the last two years, Gonzaga has acquired three mass spectrometers of different types, all three via two National Science Foundation grants spear-headed by Associate Professor Jennifer Shepherd and Assistant Professor Eric Ross. Students use these pieces of equipment for advanced lab classes and while they work on faculty-supervised research. Assistant Professor Matt Cremeens is leading Gonzalez and Schneider’s summer research. Cremeens emphasizes that this is student-centered work, not faculty research.
YOUNG BIOCHEMISTS AT WORK
Gonzalez nudges the syringe into position alongside the mass spectrometer. He touches a switch and sits back. In a moment, the peptide sample will emerge inside the mass spectrometer as an aerosol spray. The instrument will use electrical and electromagnetic fields to measure the mass and electrical charges of individual particles in the mixture. Those measurements will allow Gonzalez and Schneider to confirm the chemical makeup of the sample.
Chains of amino acids are peptides and some serve as neuropeptides. Neurons in the brain use neuropeptides to signal each other. Gonzalez and Schneider’s task as research assistants is to understand the underlying structure of their selected neuropeptides. The practical application of this work could be important. Certain neuropeptides also have the ability to attack micro-organisms such as E. coli bacteria. If scientists can learn how neuropeptides attack or resist microorganisms, they may be able to make valuable medical advances. First, though, scientists must learn how the neuropeptides are structured. To Gonzalez and Schneider, the larger picture is the educational benefit of their research experience. “This is the late stage of undergraduate scientific teaching in the contemporary sense,” Cremeens said. “This is where students become intimate with trials and tribulations of working science.” And in 2010, that requires more than test tubes and Bunsen burners. Halfway through the Gonzaga Summer Research Program, Schneider has both frustrations and successes to share. Sometimes the mass spectrometer delivers bad news. “It takes a lot of time to create these peptides and sometimes it can be frustrating, troubleshooting what didn’t work,” she said. But she also has enjoyed her successes in the lab. And she feels buoyed by her research advisor in ways that will help her in graduate studies, when she will be immersed in several years of research. “Dr. Cremeens goes beyond anything I expected. He helps with my research in ways that will go beyond Gonzaga,” Schneider said. “He works with me so I can be my best.” – by Marny Lombard
SYDNEY SCHNEIDER, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MATT CREMEENS AND JAVIER GONZALEZ DISCUSS THE MOLECULAR STRUCTURE OF PEPTIDES, THE SUBJECT OF THEIR RESEARCH. FALL 2010 | GONZAGA MAGAZINE
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+ DIVYA’S BURN BEGINNING A NURSING CAREER IN INDIA’S SLUMS
STORIES BY MARNY LOMBARD
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GONZAGA MAGAZINE | FALL 2010
:: MAIN PHOTO: SCOTT MULHERN, SECONDARY PHOTO: ZACK BERLAT (‘11)
Gonzaga’s nursing program developed its undergraduate nursing degree in 2005. The program recently received its 10-year accreditation and now enrolls 220 undergraduate students and 300 students in four graduate tracks. In the last five years, 99 percent of Gonzaga’s nurse practitioner graduates have passed their national certification exams. KRISTEN JUNGE MULHERN graduated from Gonzaga’s nursing program in December 2009. A month later, having passed her boards to become a registered nurse, she flew to India.
to raise families up into India’s middle class. For nine months, Kristen
Her first days were overwhelming: the gaudy colors, the henna designs
riculum, worked with local leaders, organized events and programs,
she had inked onto her feet, the sounds of the Telugu and Hindi languages, trash lying everywhere in the slums, with trash fires set daily.
and her husband, Scott, volunteered for Opportunity Foundation as school advisors. Together, they managed finances, established curbuilt a playground and sometimes taught classes. Scott, an Eastern Washington University graduate, upgraded the schools’ record-keep-
Even eating a meal is done differently – with the fingertips of your
ing systems and worked to increase the organization’s marketability.
right hand.
Kristen, who became the school nurse, was charged with perform-
Families in Hyderabad’s slums lack education, health care and suf-
ing head-to-toe health assessments of her students. She also taught
ficient food. Plumbing is rare. Opportunity Foundation India, a small non-profit started by a couple from Coeur d’Alene, runs Maggi School
basic health-care concepts to parents – how to provide first-aid, for instance, or how to know when your child needs to see a doctor.
for grades one through five and three pre-primary schools. The goal is
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+ KRISTEN (’09) AND SCOTT MULHERN ARE DECORATED WITH HANDFULS OF DYE AND COLORED WATER THROWN DURING HOLI, THE FESTIVAL OF COLORS. IN INDIA THIS FESTIVAL USHERS IN SPRING.
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FOUR DAYS LATER, MELTED PLASTIC Some days, the unexpected took over – like the morning a nursery teacher brought 4-year-old Divya to Kristen. With no parent or sibling watching, the little girl had been playing with a plastic ball. The ball bounced into a trash fire, and she grabbed it, melting plastic all over her thumb and forefinger. Four days later, when Kristen first saw Divya, the plastic still was burned into her skin. “It made me sick to my stomach to think of how this little girl’s situation could go from bad to worse.” Kristen was relieved to find no sign of infection. “The tissue was nice and pink, but I had to do a lot of scrubbing to get down to it. I think the burn had damaged some nerves because Divya experienced no pain while I scrubbed. I kept asking her ‘Nopee?’ (the word for ‘pain’ in Telugu) and she would just smile and shake her head. It made me want to cry, it looked so painful.”
With twice daily cleanings and dressing changes, the burn healed. For weeks, Kristen worked with Divya to keep a full range of motion in her thumb. Finally, only a scar remained. Divya left Kristen’s care with a completely functional right hand.
SCHOOL MEALS, GROWING CHILDREN In India, Kristen absorbed what would be years of experience in another setting. She completed the health exams on nearly 175 children. The majority are underweight. But these children receive lunch every day and are noticeably bigger than the other slum children. She grappled with how to reach an older teacher-cumdoctor whose treatment of students was sometimes dangerous. (He favored injections for almost all situations – even headaches – and when he gave antibiotics, only provided a few days’ worth.)
MENTORS SHE COULD COUNT ON A thousand times, Kristen thought of her nursing education at Gonzaga – particularly her professors who mentored their student with logistical help, advice and supplies from the moment they learned of her plan to go to India. “I was nervous about going to a third world country as a new nurse and turned to my professors for guidance and support,” she said. “Their response was so much more than I ever expected.” Before her graduation, she spent a day in graduate-level nurse practitioner classes, she learned how to suture an incision and how to deliver a baby or recognize when childbirth was going badly. Her professors gave her pediatric nursing books, helped her to acquire first aid supplies, and advised her on how to organize the health assessments and community health survey. In India, Kristen received help via e-mail from her professors – even when it came to how to approach the older teacher. She credits Gonzaga’s nursing program with teaching her to be a reflective practitioner. “Every day I encountered something new and tried to take the time at the end of the day to look back and see what was done well and what I could have done differently.”
PRECEPTS OF JESUIT EDUCATION Development of the whole person and building relationship are also cornerstones for this young nurse. In Gabbilalapet and Shanthi Nagar, the two slum communities where Kristen and Scott worked, she learned to start by asking questions and getting to know people. Kristen reminded herself often that she comes from a culture with different ways of thinking. “Throughout, Scott and I tried to set the example for change that we want to see.” She ticks off the simplest practices: washing their hands before eating, putting garbage in a trash can, not on the floor. Or taking a tablet, instead of an injection, for a headache. “As a nurse, you can’t just go in and tell people what they are doing wrong and give them your solution of how to fi x it,” Kristen said. “I have been humbled by this knowledge time and again. Change doesn’t happen unless you have the other side believing in the cause.” +
REFLECTIONS ON NURSING AND MAGIS Liane Nye specializes in pediatric cardiology. She cares for infants and children as they leave openheart surgery, stabilizing their breathing, blood pressure, heart and kidney function. “Sometimes there are more wires and monitors on a baby than there is baby,” she says. In Sacred Heart Medical Center’s pediatric intensive care unit, Nye helps shaky parents through those first days and nights. Canadian by birth, Nye is an accomplished professional. In 2007, she earned the Sacred Heart Award of Nursing Excellence. But she noticed a restlessness. She wanted more; friends and colleagues encouraged her to seek more. She wanted, in a word, to incorporate magis into her life. She enrolled in Gonzaga’s Family Nurse Practitioner Program, one of four GU graduate nursing programs. Gonzaga’s graduate nursing students take their classes on-line. This allows early- or mid-career students to remain at work in their home towns – San Diego to Montana. On-line discussion boards allow for the give-and-take and critical thinking fostered in on-campus classes. Twice each semester, the nurse practitioner students come to campus for teaching, mentoring and exams. Nye graduated in August. Her career now evolves from delivering care to planning care, from following a doctor’s orders to practicing in collaboration with doctors. Her new practice rests on a foundation of relationships with her young patients, their families – and even the Spokane community. For a community health class, Nye researched and prepared a proposal on helmet use for Mount Spokane Ski Area. “One of my biggest pet peeves,” she says, “is seeing young patients come into the emergency room with head trauma that could have been prevented by a $100 piece of equipment.” At Gonzaga, Nye learned to bring the Jesuit commitments of magis, social justice and cura personalis into her professional life.
“There have been so many learning experiences: those related to pathophysiology – the study of how disease changes body function – and pharmacology. However, I think the one tremendous insight I have learned is that I have the honor of being part of a patient’s journey. I was present when a 72-year-old mother was told she was dying of metastatic liver cancer, after a previous bout of breast cancer. She and her daughter absorbed the news. Although they were not the least bit surprised, they did get teary and hugged. “Then they turned to their nurse practitioner and discussed hospice and home care options. What struck me was the intimacy of the situation. As nurse practitioners,” Nye said, “we are not only providing care, but we also care about our patients.”
LIANE NYE GRADUATED THIS SUMMER FROM GONZAGA’S FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER PROGRAM.
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GONZAGA’S NEW PRESIDENT: COMPANION OF JESUITS, SERVANT OF THE MISSION STORY BY MARNY LOMBARD
:: PHOTOS BY JENNIFER RAUDEBAUGH
THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN JULY OF THAYNE MCCULLOH, D. PHIL., AS GONZAGA’S 26TH PRESIDENT COMES AT A TIME OF GREAT OPTIMISM AND PROMISE ACROSS CAMPUS. Record numbers of enrolled students and faithful alumni continue to demonstrate their belief in, and support of, Gonzaga. The University continues to build upon its fundamental values: the widespread manifestation of its Jesuit, Catholic and humanistic mission; the fostering of a rigorous and contemporary educational experience; and a deep commitment to the development of women and men who are committed to serving others and the promotion of justice – supported and nurtured in the context of the University’s warm sense of community. At the same time, the announcement that the Board of Trustees had appointed a layperson to lead the institution was significant in its precedent-setting nature, yet was positively received throughout the Gonzaga community. McCulloh attributes much of this to shared participation in important experiences across time; much to the generosity and support of the Jesuits whom he has known over the years; and a career-long commitment to fostering the mission of Gonzaga. “As with so many alumni and colleagues, my relationship with Gonzaga is made up of thousands of experiences, from my time as a student in Dooley and an R.A. in ‘CM’ (St. Catherine-St. Monica Hall), to Search Retreats, to working with colleagues on complex administrative projects,” McCulloh said. “Every step of the way, the experiences have involved both Jesuits and lay colleagues with whom I have become very close.” And while the numerous 18
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positions held by McCulloh over time are wellknown, less visible are the many projects of which he has been a part – projects which give confidence to members of the Gonzaga community that the values he holds are in common with theirs. “While some may be aware of Thayne’s work in financial aid, relatively few know that he instituted the first formal department of disability resources for students, or worked on our first new student housing since the 1960s,” said Sue Weitz, vice president for student life. As a psychology faculty member, Dr. McCulloh taught a variety of courses in psychology and also developed research opportunities for students and a course in crosscultural psychology. An overwhelming majority of Gonzaga faculty and staff see McCulloh as one of Gonzaga’s blessings. His commitment to collaboration, his integrity, his focus on students and his willingness to provide tangible support for academics have earned the respect and appreciation of the campus community. The Trustees, the Jesuit community, the faculty and staff share widespread agreement that the University has in Dr. McCulloh the best leader for today and Gonzaga’s future. “The Gonzaga Jesuits are firmly confident in Dr. McCulloh’s leadership ability to accomplish the highly challenging tasks of keeping the University on an even keel and of meeting the needs of its unchanging mission,” said Father Kevin Waters, S.J., presiding officer of the Board of Members. “In every way, Thayne McCulloh is the personification of what it is to truly be ‘Jesuit’ in the academic world. I look at this as a continuation or an acceleration of leadership,” said John Luger, chairman of the Board of Trustees.
As well, faculty cite widespread reasons for optimism about the University’s future. Gonzaga’s teaching culture; the rising caliber of incoming students; impressive young faculty hires; and the impassioned sense of the Jesuit educational mission across campus – all are mentioned positively by faculty. Faculty and staff express their confidence in the leadership exercised by the president; in Dr. Patricia O’Connell Killen, recently named academic vice president; and in Dr. Earl Martin, who holds the new position of executive vice president. Some faculty express hope for stronger adherence to Catholic teachings and for major academic and faith initiatives. But, along with the sense that Gonzaga is moving toward a new level, there flows a current of seriousness and caution. The suspension of bylaws requiring a Jesuit president was not enacted lightly. Fr. Tim Clancy, S.J., who serves on the Board of Members and the Trustees, explains: “I would be disappointed if nobody was concerned about a potential weakening of our Jesuit mission in moving to a lay president. As a Jesuit myself I am very conscious of all those Jesuits who have devoted their apostolic lives to Gonzaga over the past 123 years. I would hate to see us drift away from our religious mission. I suspect we will need to be more explicit and deliberate about things we have gotten used to taking for granted with a Jesuit at the helm. What makes Thayne such a great choice for this transition is that he knows and values both the vision and ethos of Jesuit higher education as well if not better than most university Jesuits.” Without dismissing such concerns, there are others who point to McCulloh’s direct involvement with campus liturgical celebrations, his ongoing collaboration with the Jesuit Community, and his participation in the Jesuits’ preparations for General Congregation 35 as examples of his active focus on the centrality of Jesuit identity in the work. As a sign of the Jesuits’ affirmation, McCulloh formally received the apostolic mission to serve as president from Jesuit Provincial Pat Lee, S.J., at the Mass of the Holy Spirit in September 2009.
“I feel truly blessed to be part of Gonzaga – a place that has afforded me so much opportunity to participate in its life and growth,” – President Thayne McCulloh
Inauguration of Gonzaga’s 26 th President Thayne McCulloh, D.Phil. October 22, 2010, 3 P.M. McCarthey Athletic Center gonzaga.edu/inauguration
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In June 2006 the Oregon Province sponsored the historic Congregation of Lay Companions. Dr. McCulloh was chosen as one of two lay companions to respond to the provincial’s address during the opening session of the event and was also one of the primary writers of the documents that were produced as a result of this gathering. “Thayne’s remarks reflected his deep commitment and profound understanding of the Jesuit mission, as well as his strong desire to work as a companion to Jesuits,” said Cindy Reopelle, provincial assistant for Jesuit and lay collaboration. “Thayne McCulloh truly exemplifies the qualities of a deeply committed lay companion who works diligently to promote Jesuitlay collaboration in the apostolic work of Jesuit education.” Spokane’s former Bishop William Skylstad also affirms McCulloh’s commitment to the Jesuit, Catholic mission of Gonzaga. “He has already served GU as interim president with distinction. His keen intellect, his spirit of service, his sense of Church, and his spirituality come together as a wonderful gift to Gonzaga University and its very important role in our Church and the larger Spokane community.” Gonzaga is the eighth of 28 U.S. Jesuit universities and colleges to name a lay president. Georgetown University was the first in 2001. Five Jesuit presidents have announced their resignations in 2010 alone, and several institutions have made clear their intention to open the search to lay candidates. Jesuit-Lay collaboration is nothing new for the University. In the 1950s, Gonzaga hired its first tenure-track lay faculty – two of those pioneers, professors emeriti Tom Rukavina and Franz Schneider (who taught McCulloh as an undergraduate), are still living. In 1968, the first lay-Jesuit Board of Trustees allowed the addition
of varied expertise to Gonzaga’s policy-making body. In 2001, biology Professor Robert Prusch became the first lay dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. In 2002, Gonzaga named Stephen Freedman as its first regularly appointed, lay academic vice president. Educating lay faculty and staff about the Jesuit mission is an ongoing endeavor. Varied formats for this work have emerged over the years, always involving healthy conversation. Dr. Marc Manganaro, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, began participating in the national Ignatian Colleagues Program at John Carroll University this summer, the third GU administrator to do so. This 18-month program helps lay administrators to incorporate Jesuit spirituality into their work. “Knowing that there are going to be more and more lay leaders in Jesuit universities, we could become a model for how to do this right,” said Trustee Emeritus Tom Tilford, former director of the University’s Hogan Program for Entrepreneurial Leadership. “We’re early to this process. We have a president who is exceptionally grounded in what it means to be a Jesuit, Catholic institution. So we have both a caution and an opportunity. If we are going to continue to have Jesuit, Catholic universities, all the constituencies need to address these issues head on.” Luger frames the question of the institution’s future this way: “How do we create the University of 20 years out? We start with where we are today, and that comes back around to the blessing we have today – to the combination of these two realities: the gifts of a lay leader who was raised and formed by Gonzaga, and the challenge of being an authentically Jesuit university today and in the future.”
ACROSS CAMPUS, A GROUNDSWELL OF ANTICIPATION: “A college education today is expensive, and stakeholders increasingly demand that universities justify these costs. In this environment, we must be able to articulate for ourselves, our students and our donors, what makes a liberal arts education guided by Ignatian values worth the investment of money and energies. The measure and purpose of our university lies in what our students become. Our students will inherit a world that faces enormous challenges. How are we preparing them for these challenges? How does a Jesuit education prepare them not only to be professionally successful, but to become ‘men and women for others’? After a significant period of growth and transitions at Gonzaga, I believe that we have a profound opportunity to pause and consider what we would like Gonzaga University to become in the next five, 10 and 20 years. I am excited about this opportunity for reflection and collective discernment because we have a new president and a new academic vice president who have precisely the right skills and heart for this project.” ROSE MARY VOLBRECHT, professor of philosophy and president of the Faculty Senate
“Our new leadership is not just listening more often and more deeply, it is creating opportunities for conversations about who we are and what we are called to do. Being asked to consider specifically how one’s job contributes to the benefit of students may be challenging for some. The Jesuits sometimes have to remind us that conflict brings rise to the truth. However, I often hear from my peers and colleagues that recent leadership changes are inspiring, and that people believe they can trust the decisions being made are good and right for Gonzaga.” ANGELA RUFF, events coordinator and president of the Staff Assembly “One great strength of the University today is the level of concern the faculty have about teaching. I have never taught at a place where faculty from diverse backgrounds and disciplines were as willing and able to discuss pedagogy. Here the emphasis on teaching is still paramount, and this crosses departments and schools within the University.” ELLEN MACCARONE, assistant professor of philosophy “I am excited about the caliber of students we are attracting these days. We have always had good students and a few extraordinary ones. The number of truly extraordinary students is growing.” PAUL DE PALMA, professor of computer science
“I’ve known Thayne since he was a student here, and to me he is an excellent example of and opportunity to show that the Jesuit tradition of humanism and a strong sense of service and being people for others can be embodied by all of us, including lay people. He seems to me to be what we are talking about preparing our students to be, in a way that doesn’t limit the Jesuit influence and charism to being a member of the Society of Jesus.” KATHY FINLEY, lecturer in religious studies “I am especially excited by our new leadership team, with its enthusiasm and expressed willingness to take us in new directions and explore new ideas, while still maintaining a solid grasp on our traditions and heritage. This gives me great hope for a secure future, meeting the needs of both current and coming generations of students.” DENNIS HORN, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science “One of the major strengths of the University is its institutional affiliation with the Catholic community. Although there is a great deal of independence in the day-to-day operation of the University, it is tied both institutionally as well as in its ethos with the mission of the Catholic Church.” DAVID DE WOLF, professor of law
“I observe the school to be in a period of great transition as it continues to become more of a truly current, nationally ranked, sophisticated university. Growing diversity evidences this; faculty hiring of many junior faculty with ambitious scholarly agendas evidences this; other administrative hires evidence this – and, frankly, I think a lay president is an important element of this transition, someone who can guide the institution wisely and consider what GU needs to retain amid such change.” HEATHER EASTERLING, associate professor of English “We have a great infrastructure, leadership and faculty. I think that we really will develop students the world needs most. We’re poised for greatness.” PATRICK BURKE, dean of Gonzaga-in-Florence “Led by the new president, there is an intentional movement toward greater transparency and collaboration in the decisionmaking process at Gonzaga. This shows itself in the way search committees are constituted, the efforts to identify and integrate into decision-making the perspectives of all the institution’s constituencies and the restructuring of the higher administration. The president and the academic vice president share a common vision for academic excellence as well as the willingness to support that vision with appropriate resources.” MIKE HERZOG, chief of staff
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CLASS PORTRAIT PHOTOS BY JENNIFER RAUDEBAUGH
THE CLASS OF 2013 MADE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT LAST YEAR AT GONZAGA. THE LARGEST CLASS EVER ADMITTED, THESE 1,239 FRESHMEN FLUNG THEMSELVES INTO THE UNIVERSITY AND ALL THAT THE CAMPUS OFFERS. THIS ‘BYTHE-NUMBERS’ CLASS PORTRAIT OFFERS A GLIMPSE INTO THEIR ENERGY AND DESIRE TO LEARN.
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SNAPSHOT APPROXIMATELY 92 PERCENT OF THE CLASS OF 2013 RETURNS THIS FALL AS ENERGETIC, IMAGINATIVE AND BRILLIANT SOPHOMORES. HERE’S A SNAPSHOT OF HOW THIS CLASS PERFORMED IN 2009-10:
1,203 received some form of financial aid. signups for intramural sports.
505 took the introductory Pathways course.
3,402 total freshman
586 live in Washington – that’s 47 percent of the class.
375 attended one of
six sessions of the Freshman Retreat.
650 welcomed their families to Fall Family Weekend 2009.
mentoring programs such as Campus Kids.
297 participated in academic service learning.
themselves as politically liberal; 39% as moderate and 31% conservative.
115 joined
30% described
850 sessions with tutors at the Writing
Center were filled by freshmen. That’s twice the use by all other levels of students. “And it includes freshmen from across the curriculum, not just with 100-level courses in the English Department,” said John Eliason, associate professor of English and director of composition. hall.
133 lived in Coughlin Hall, Gonzaga’s newest residence
327 ate breakfast at the COG on an average day. Twice as many ate lunch.
pizzas delivered by Papa John’s and Domino’s. 30 students.
$156,110 was spent on
59 & 121 applied to Knights and Setons. Each program admits
165 & 237 made the Dean or President’s List in spring semester.
S NEAK PEAK AT THE CLASS OF 2014 BY DESIGN, GONZAGA’S CURRENT FRESHMAN CLASS IS FEWER IN NUMBERS THAN LAST FALL’S ENTERING CLASS, WITH APPROXIMATELY 1,120 STUDENTS AS THE SEMESTER BEGAN. THE CLASS OF 2014 COMES ON BOARD WITH IMPRESSIVE STATS: 3.73 cumulative GPA – the highest in Gonzaga’s history. 18.6% students of color.
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1202 SAT scores: 594 critical reading, 608 math.
53.7% female 46.3% male.
46% Washington residents.
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This summer Gonzaga students spilled into Africa, the largest classroom imaginable. Fifty-nine students, 10 faculty and staff, and a handful of Gonzaga-in-Zambia alumni spent several weeks in Zambia, the southern nation with the shape of a butterfly. Students learned by living in community – a core Gonzaga value. They sang and danced as they moved concrete blocks. They rode an oxcart, taught English and computer skills, and gingerly crossed the longest man-made bridge in Africa. Josh Armstrong, director of the Comprehensive Leadership Program, found his students integrating leadership skills and service learning more fully than ever. Armstrong dreams of expanding Gonzaga’s program in Zambezi. At Chimfunshi, an unusual chimpanzee refuge, students earned biology and psychology credits and hope to publish their research. Students also learned from Mary Jeannot, director of Gonzaga’s English Language Center, who taught the women and children. The summer also brought two firsts: a new School of Education program to teach Zambian teachers, and a reconnaissance trip by a team from Gonzaga’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.
PHOTOS BY JOSH ARMSTRONG, LAUREN MILLS, NOLAN GRADY AND MARK BODAMER
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SWIMMING IN MILK BY JOSH ARMSTRONG, DIRECTOR, COMPREHENSIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM The Gonzaga-in-Zambezi curriculum provides an opportunity for students to develop leadership skills and immerse themselves in another culture. Students return home with a deeper understanding of culturally aware leadership, a greater sense of self-awareness, and a passion for service-learning. Essential to this learning is student involvement in community development projects. The essence of the program, however, is rooted in accompaniment: While in Zambezi, students generate opportunities to become mutually indebted to the community and to develop meaningful relationships, so that they can operate at eye-level within this community. We spend time each evening reflecting on leadership articles and making meaning from the day. The student blog has been an unexpected outcome. We read each blog posting and comments at the breakfast table. It is our community mailbag. This experience, to the depth of reflection and insight that goes into the writing, and the touching response from family, friends and Zambezi alumni has become an important aspect of the program. In my farewell speech to the Zambezi parish, I spoke about the pride we held in the projects that we sponsored this
summer. But more than that, I spoke about the lessons that we learned. During his visit from Zambezi to Gonzaga in February, Father Dominic Sandu told our Gonzaga students that we were “swimming in milk.” He meant that we live with abundance and many of us weren’t seeing the responsibility that comes with that privilege. I spoke about how we had been challenged in our swimming in milk and would return to the United States to make sense of this challenge. Growth for Gonzaga-in-Zambezi will not come with more students visiting this town each year. We are nearing the capacity of our teams at about 30 each summer – two groups of about 15 students. Instead this growth will come from deepening our relationships with the community, discovering new ventures with interdisciplinary faculty from around Gonzaga’s campus, and dreaming about longer-term connections with Zambezi. Each year brings us closer to this vision and dream. STUDENTS, A CHILD FROM ZAMBEZI AND A MOMENTARILY STERN-LOOKING JOSH ARMSTRONG WALK TOGETHER.
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BY MARK BODAMER, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, PSYCHOLOGY
SEEING GOD IN THEIR FACES
This summer, three researchers from other institutions joined our Gonzaga team of students and faculty at Chimfunshi, providing our students extra opportunities to discuss methodology, to collect daily data and aid in preliminary analysis. This was a highly successful addition to students’ research experience. While the daily chance to observe the chimpanzees and to learn about the amazing biological diversity of this protected ecosystem are wonderful, students usually reported in nightly reflections that the most moving piece of their experience was the opportunity to get to know the local people. Chimfunshi staff families met students regularly for fun and games in the dambo (flood plane): soccer, tickle and chase, singing and sharing time. Here occurred the interactions that truly allowed us to see God in the face of others. Staff wives also braided students’ hair and this provided another opportunity to be in community with people who know very little or no English. For the first time, thanks to Associate Professor Mary Jeannot we were able to offer English classes to staff wives almost on a daily basis. Jeannot loves what she does and her style and passion is contagious for everyone in the room. Not only did the women respond, but so did GU students, who kept up the daily class after Mary left. By far, this year’s students made the greatest efforts to learn Bemba, the local language. It was uplifting to see GU students and Chimfunshi staff teaching each other. You could see the excitement – God – in the faces of everyone as they got to know each other. FALL 2010 | GONZAGA MAGAZINE
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TO LEARN TO TEACH, HELP OTHERS TEACH BY AUTUMN JONES (‘10)
Six students from GU’s School of Education and two faculty helped to educate Zambian teachers this summer. Professors at the Charles Lwanga College of Education “wanted two things from us,” said Deborah Booth, associate professor. “One, to learn how to be more Jesuit; and two, to improve their teaching. I knew we could do what they wanted.” Raymond Reyes, Gonzaga’s associate academic vice president, provided instruction on the Ignatian mission. Booth focused on teaching methods. The Gonzaga students teamed with their Zambian peers to create a literacy tutoring program. “I was most proud of our students,” said Booth. “There were 10 to 20 African children on our porch constantly wanting to read, play and talk with our students. They played soccer, taught all kinds of recess games, showed how to make friendship bracelets – all on their ‘free time’ when they were done teaching. They modeled the kind of teachers we want them to be and they did so at their will.” The Gonzaga group created a library with donated materials. So impressed was the national minister of education, he dedicated it as the St. Aloysius Gonzaga Resource Library. “We planted the seeds. We went with good faith, good hearts and a desire to help,” said Booth. “And we’re excited to go back,” she said with a smile.
SLOW DOWN BY CLAIRE ANDERSON (‘12)
For students’ blogs go to gonzagainzambezi.com and gonzagainchimfunshi.com.
BY JILLIAN CADWELL, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, ENGINEERING
The biggest surprise was the people’s eagerness to offer gifts. I recall one of the young girls, Wendy, placing her small hand in my palm to leave a pair of flowery gold earrings, or Timas presenting an unripe guava after his little legs ran toward me. As our group traveled to villages around Zambezi, we were stunned by the food they gave us. One of the communities we visited for just 10 minutes. This village had about 15 mud huts with thatched roofs. Illiteracy rates were high among the adults, the elder was suffering from a recent stroke, and the children were beginning agricultural work instead of attending school. Despite the adverse conditions, they brought us bamboo mats so we could sit and bowls of shelled peanuts. We did not bring any resources to these people; our only form of communication was through simple phrases in their language. I learned a valuable lesson about selflessness.
RECONNAISSANCE
I was surprised by the pure graciousness within the heart of Zambia. While the American lifestyle can be fast-paced and concentrated on efficiency, the Zambian culture showed the importance of forming relationships. Their traditional welcoming consisted of bending at the knees to show respect in addition to a handshake with subsequent clapping, and it was common courtesy to ask how the other person was feeling or where they were traveling. Memories of those long greetings in the middle of sandy roads have helped me to slow down when life becomes unnecessarily hectic.
After a month evaluating engineering opportunities at two long-standing Zambia sites, I can envision an engineering faculty member in either location teaching a threecredit course on water quality, supply and treatment; energy generation; or building infrastructure. Our engineering team conducted community surveys, recorded GPS points and took water quality and solar energy measurements at each of the sites. The water quality data in particular has given us a regional snapshot of water-related issues and needs in these communities. One day in Chimfunshi, the engineering team took water samples and measured the flowrate in a tributary of the Kafue River. Children who had joined us (they were going to fetch drinking water directly from the stream) helped me to measure the stream crosssection and velocities. As I stepped toward the deepest area of the channel, I tripped and fell. Laughter ensued from the children.
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DECIPHERING ISTANBUL – IN MULTI-MEDIA
GIVING BACK
A man begs you to come into his restaurant, following you down the street. Cars have the right-of-way, not pedestrians. A voice echoes throughout the city fi ve times a day calling millions of people to prayer. This is Istanbul, a place with which I was neither familiar nor comfortable… at first. I was approached by strangers every day. Whatever restaurant I ate at, I was the owner’s best friend for the duration of the meal. It made me uneasy and tense. I avoided anyone and everyone; I did not want to be friends. How was I supposed to create mini-documentaries about certain aspects of Istanbul? That required talking to people in a language I did not understand, people whom I thought were just looking to make some quick money. I forced myself to overcome these fears. Otherwise I was never going to accomplish what I went there to do. And in the end, I met some pretty incredible people, from
TELEFUND CALLERS: ‘MY NAME IS…’ JUNIOR CARLTON GALBREATH BEGAN WORKING ON GONZAGA’S TELEFUND TEAM AS A FRESHMAN. HE SAYS GOOD LISTENING SKILLS AND A GENUINE PASSION FOR GU HELP HIM CONNECT WITH ALUMNI.
“Hi, Sharon. My name is Kate and I’m a freshman at Gonzaga.” “Thank you for your donations in the past. Have a good night.” “Have a good one, sir.” “What about your time here 25 years ago?” “I’m so very sorry to hear that, ma’am…” “But sir, that’s just the same amount as five cups of coffee.” Spend an evening with the Gonzaga Telefund team, and you’ll come away with respect for these resilient, hard-working students. More than 30 students, freshmen to seniors, work Monday through Thursday evenings, telephoning alumni and parents to ask their financial support for the University. The team is tremendously successful and raised more than $761,000 in 2009-10. Each time these students make a phone call, they are reaching into someone’s evening – someone’s great day, someone else’s rough year. They might talk with a parent who has endured months without a job. Or they might chat with a young Law School alumnus who plans to give robust support to Gonzaga in coming years – just not right away. Largely, though, the telefund team members learn, evening by evening, that Gonzaga alumni and parents are happy to support the University that has given them and their families so much. “Our alumni are such a great group,” says junior Carlton Galbreath, a telefund team member who has an easy manner with people of all ages and backgrounds. “A lot of them talk 32
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Hamdin, the restaurant owner across the street, to Mert, the rug-dealer at the Grand Bazaar. Hamdin is 19. He has been dating a girl for over a year and wants to marry her. He would do it now but he has to wait until after his mandatory service in the Turkish army. Mert is a civil engineering student at a university in Istanbul. His father started selling rugs at the Grand Bazaar and Mert dedicates his weekends to helping his father. Mert offered me a lesson in bargaining and graciously took us around the bazaar to practice the skill with other dealers. It’s the people of Istanbul who made the trip. I learned that even if a culture can be overwhelming, you should never shut yourself off to others. Everyone is looking for a friend. – Matt Wintheiser (’11)
YOUR SUPPORT MAKES THIS POSSIBLE This summer, Dan Garrity, brilliant director of GU’s broadcast studies, and seniors Matt Wintheiser and Levi Holmes traveled to Istanbul and Slovenia for a GUTV “reality show.” They experienced a city where Christianity and Islam are practiced peacefully; they learned from and taught their international peers. Without the passion and support of Trustee Don Herak (’46) and Eon Tours co-owners Aydin Aygun (’05) and Patrick Olson, none of this would have happened.
For more, go to blogs.gonzaga.edu/gutv.
about how much they love Gonzaga, how impressed they are with the changes that have occurred since they came here.” Carlton is a marketing and finance double major. The summer before he enrolled at Gonzaga, he sold cars for the largest Toyota dealership in Vancouver, Wash. Asking alumni to invest in Gonzaga doesn’t intimidate him. “Not after having sold things with a price of $35,000.” Most of the students use a script to help them stay on track. They inquire if a caller wants the Jesuits to pray for a loved one. The script can be most helpful when it’s time to ask for a donation. But the students also acknowledge that the best conversations occur off script. “We share the most precious moments of people’s lives – the birth of a child, a marriage about to take place, these are the most fun calls,” Carlton said. “Our group of callers is incredible. They’re awesome ambassadors.” Sometimes interesting circumstances unfold. One student might reach another caller’s parents. “Tell them to donate!” comes a cry from across the room. Or a rapport develops between student and alumnus that keeps them chatting even after a gift has been pledged. After those luminous moments – which the callers share with each other during break time – the students go back to work, never knowing what their next conversation will bring. Some evenings, the team doesn’t reach its goal. But then, there are the $10,000 evenings that put the team back on track. Overall this year, Gonzaga Telefund made 150,300 attempts to reach members of the Gonzaga community; 73,101 times, the student callers encountered answering machines. “If you’re still doing well in this economy, congratulations. Your Gonzaga education has taken you far.” “Thank you. We really do appreciate your support.” “Hi, is this Clifton?” “Hi, is this Aurora?” “One hundred dollars? Awesome! Would you like that on Mastercard or VISA?”
THANK YOU NOTES Last year, Gonzaga received nearly $1.8 million in grants that will benefit students, institution and community. These awards, along with philanthropic gifts from individual benefactors and family foundations, enrich the University’s academic environment and support student success. The listings below highlight several of the competitively awarded grants from 2009-10 that support student scholarships: Mary Stuart Rogers Foundation $100,000 – Students Committed to Community Service I.S. & Emily Fetterman Foundation $35,000 – Great Teachers Program and Unrestricted Scholarship (need and merit) Dan Murphy Foundation $25,000 – Students from Los Angeles Archdiocese Frost & Margaret Snyder Foundation $20,000 – Students from Pierce County Boeing Company $18,000 – Business and Engineering Students Barbieri Charitable Foundation $5,000 – Yakima Students Amazing supporters: During the 2009-10 year, 12,731 donors supported Gonzaga University – more donors than any other year in GU’s history. The University received nearly $14 million in gifts during the year. More than half that amount came from new pledges. Building a stronger scholarship fund: Gonzaga’s annual Alumni Scholarship Benefit on June 5 contributed more than $30,000 to the Alumni Scholarship Fund. More than 300 people attended this event, held this year in the Bozarth Mansion. In 2009-10, the Alumni Association awarded $155,000 to 37 students.
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MY WORDS Alumni Perspective
LEARNING BY DOING BY JASON T. VAIL (’01 J.D.)
I came to Gonzaga Law School believing that, by becoming a lawyer, I would be empowered to serve those most in need and to work for social change. But growing up in Colville, Wash., I knew no attorneys and had no experience with the work of lawyers, so my vision was more idealistic than realistic. As a new student I felt tremendous uncertainty about how to reach my professional goals. That changed when I joined the University Legal Assistance Clinic in my second year. I clearly remember my first day at the clinic, over a decade ago now, when I was assigned to work on the Farrakhan vs. Gregoire case. Originally filed by several prison inmates, the case challenges Washington’s law prohibiting felons from voting. I would be responsible for writing briefs and arguing the case in federal court. Similar suits in other jurisdictions had been dismissed, so I would be the first to argue the substance of the clients’ claim that felon disenfranchisement disproportionately impacts minorities in violation of the federal Voting Rights Act. This was exactly the kind of mission that brought me to law school. With some excitement, I took up this monumental task. The legal and factual elements of the case are complex, involving the interplay of race discrimination, both historic and current, among the criminal justice system, electoral system and society at large. But the essence of the case is rather simple. Section Two of the Voting Rights Act prohibits any law in any state from denying the right to vote on account of race, regardless of whether any discriminatory intent lay behind the enactment of such a law. In Washington, African American men are represented in the current and former felon population at a rate over eight times that of the general population. We would argue that, regardless of the intent behind felon disenfranchisement, African Americans experience inequality of access to the ballot box in Washington. I toiled on the case throughout the summer of 2000, mindful of the responsibility placed on me as the sole student intern then assigned to a potentially law-changing decision. No on-point cases existed to guide me. Days and weeks I spent in a library study room in the just-completed new law school, researching and drafting the brief, then moving to work on the oral argument. I honed my arguments by debating the case’s obviously controversial claims with other students who objected to voting by felons. For me, the legal issue was always about equality of access to the electoral system, which is a fundamental American right. 34
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The first time I ever set foot in a courtroom was when clinic Professor Larry Weiser and I appeared in federal district court in November 2000. The months of work had left me more prepared for that moment than anything in my life. It was an exhilarating experience and a vindication of the faith that had brought me to law school, as I finally tasted what it was like to be a lawyer fighting the good fight, seeking to right the law by bringing forth a claim for those who otherwise would have gone unheard. When the court ruled against us, it was disappointing but not entirely unexpected. I immediately began work on the appeal, completing and filing it days before I graduated. Two years later, the appeals court agreed with our arguments and reversed the decision. The case has continued since. Earlier this year, the court of appeals ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, based in part on the arguments I helped develop years ago. Given the nature of the decision, it is likely to end up in the U.S. Supreme Court. I take no small amount of pride in knowing that I, along with more than 20 other clinic students, played a role in this milestone decision. Most remarkable to me, then and now, is that I was entrusted with such a significant responsibility though only a student. Many students have had similar experiences through the clinic. This is, to me, what is most exceptional about the clinical program at Gonzaga Law School. Today I carry much that I gained while working in the clinic. I developed a sense of self-confidence in my legal abilities from meeting the challenges of the Farrakhan case, and I learned what it was like to take on a controversial matter for an unpopular client. I left law school knowing that work as a public interest lawyer was a real and attainable future. I, and many of my clinic colleagues, have devoted our careers to work on behalf of those in need, giving voice to the voiceless and advancing the cause of equal access to justice for all. Regardless of how Farrakhan ultimately is decided, it is through the ongoing work of Gonzaga graduates like me that the law clinic ultimately leaves its social justice legacy. Jason T. Vail works for the American Bar Association as director of the Military Pro Bono Project, which provides access to civil legal assistance for active-duty enlisted military personnel by expanding opportunities for attorneys to provide pro bono counsel.
OFF CAMPUS
Alumni News + Views
WEDDING BLISS Janelle Lowe (’05) and Chad Jordan were married April 2 in the Riviera Maya, Mexico. Their honeymoon took them to Mayan ruins, untouched villages and natural pools in the jungle. Maid of honor was Jennifer Gavin (’05), Janelle’s best friend since high school. Janelle and Chad work at Wells Fargo Bank in Phoenix. Janelle currently is training new employees who have joined Wells Fargo through its acquisition of Wachovia. “Seeing their ‘ah-ha’ moments is when I feel I’ve succeeded,” she says.
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OFF CAMPUS Alumni News Briefs
KEVIN DANIELS, HERE INSIDE THE DANIELS RECITAL HALL, ALSO HAS DONE SIGNIFICANT SERVICE WORK IN NEW ORLEANS SINCE HURRICANE KATRINA.
“For me, it all began when I was very little,” said Kevin Daniels (’79), Gonzaga Regent. “I was standing alongside a railroad track in Nampa, Idaho, and watched an old steam engine power by.” Trains to buildings, his interest in preservation prevails. The Daniels Recital Hall is a favorite success story. When Daniels came on the scene, the city of Seattle had issued a demolition permit for the then First United Methodist Church. “Another developer was prepared to buy the property and demolish it to make room for a high-rise office tower,” said Daniels. “We decided we could design a high-rise tower yet save the church for future generations. My partners understood the importance of preserving such an architectural wonder.”
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PRESERVING ONE OF SEATTLE’S WONDERS His firm, Daniels Development, has handled other Seattle preservation projects including the Union Station, Starbucks Center and the Cadillac Hotel in the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park. “The congregation of the Methodist church dates back to the start of Seattle in 1853 and was the first organized religious congregation in the city. Its founders are the same as the founders of the city of Seattle. So the historical significance of preserving this link to the past is easy to understand,” said Daniels. Now a performance hall with exceptional acoustics, it is intended as a resource for artists who can’t afford other venues. “Our intention is to bring much-needed nightlife back down to the central business district,”
Daniels said. A series of Thursday noontime concerts draws regulars and first-timers. Other plans for the hall are in the works, but protecting the landmark and allowing public access will remain high priorities for Daniels. “Its current use allows the public to see one of the most magnificent interior places in all of Seattle,” he said. Daniels serves on the Board of Trustees for the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C., as a board member of the Seattle Foundation and as co-chair of the Pioneer Square Main Street organization. He also is involved with the Gonzaga Business Forum and Seattle Alumni Chapter. – Autumn Jones (’10)
WHO IS THIS ZAG? This issue’s mystery Zag from Butte, Mont., once saved three children from the millpond near Gonzaga. Their raft came apart and sank, requiring a three-man rescue. While attending school, he worked as a “gandy dancer” for the railroad and as an assistant manager for the Bluebird Theatre to make ends meet. It was at the theater that he became hooked on movies, often borrowing them from the theater in the evening to show at Jesuit House and then running to return them early in the morning before they were needed for the next showing. The strong, never-wavering belief of this Jesuit pervaded every role he held, from being the moderator of the ski club to serving as vice president for development for the University. If you know who this mystery Zag is, please share your thoughts and a favorite memory by e-mailing gonzaga@gonzaga.edu or writing to Editor, Gonzaga Magazine, Gonzaga University, 502 E. Boone Ave., Spokane, WA 99258-0070
THIS MYSTERY ZAG ARRIVED ON CAMPUS IN 1948.
MEMORIES OF DEAN MCGIVERN ’44 Paul T. Sauber, Bellevue, Wash., wrote: “Of course I know that mystery Zag (from the summer issue of Gonzaga Quarterly). As I recall he was from Boston and had many degrees in engineering. From 1940 to ’44 he was my Dean of Engineering James McGivern. Those were the days…” ’50 Ray Allen of Spokane recalled: “Dean Jim McGivern was my dean of engineering from 1944 to 1950. Jim and his wife Frances were good friends of Helen, my wife, and me as parishioners for many years at Saint Aloysius Church.” Lee Wright writes from Fortville, Ind., to say: “All of your early engineering students will immediately recognize the much admired Dean McGivern. My years at Gonzaga served me well. I never met an engineer that I thought had a better education than mine. And I ended up as a professional engineer in 12 states. Thank you, Gonzaga.” ’53 Ray W. Murphy, Edmonds, Wash., writes, “In my final year at GU, I had interviewed with recruiters from many different companies. I was having difficulty making up my mind and sought Dean McGivern’s help. He said: “Murphy, there comes a time in every man’s life when you have to look up at the sky, and ask yourself three questions: ‘Where did I come from? What I am
doing here? And where am I going?’ That was the best advice I ever got.” ’56 Father Charles Skok, professor emeritus, who serves the St. John Vianney Parish in Spokane Valley, contributes this: “Dean McGivern had a great sense of humor. At one Gonzaga function, we needed raincoats upon arrival. At departure, raincoats were no longer necessary. We just put them over our arms and carried them out. His was identical to mine, except that his was many sizes smaller. In that situation, he said, ‘Larger is always better than smaller.’ ” ’57 John J. Donoghue writes, “I served the McGivern family as a service station attendant at the Phillips gas station at Hamilton and Boone, now David’s Pizza.” John and wife Margie raised seven children and now live in Kalispell, Mont. Don Merrick, Tigard, Ore., sends these memories: “I delivered the Spokane Chronicle to his home on the north side of Sharp Avenue, across the street from the back side of the Music Building. Being a scrawny kid, I had many men try to take advantage of me when I collected money. Not Mr. McGivern. It was a pleasure to knock on his door because he always had something witty to say – with the strangest accent I had ever heard.”
’58 Clara (Shaw) Weil Richland, Wash., wrote: “I worked for Dean McGivern the second semester of my senior year. He was a wonderful human being. I met my husband, Victor Weil, who was a mechanical engineering student. We just celebrated our 51st anniversary.” Jerry Littleton sends these thoughts from Sandy, Wash.: “Dean McGivern’s favorite saying at finals time was ‘I am giving the same final exam as last year, but don’t bother looking for a copy of it, as I have changed all of the answers this year.’ ” David Walsh of Las Vegas, writes: “Ah, this was so easy, if any engineering graduate after the ’40s missed this, they should rescind their degree. Dean James McGivern’s focus on being a professional and continuing post-graduate education certainly inspired me to obtain a professional engineering license and advanced degrees.” ’63 Dick Waitt wrote: “I had the pleasure taking a few classes from Dr. James McGivern in the early ’60s. Thanks for continuing to recognize his contribution to Gonzaga and the engineering profession.” IT IS YOUR REUNION YEAR ’65 Grant McLaughlin, Bellevue, Wash., writes: “I was a math major and took many math classes in Dillon Hall which was also referred to as the Engineering Building in those
days. I worked my way through Gonzaga as a computer programmer at Washington Trust Bank. Because of my experience in computing and math I helped the engineers (including Dr. McGivern) maintain and ‘fix’ their new IBM 1620 computer.” ’69 Jay Caferro (’83 M.B.A.) of Spokane writes: “Dean McGivern’s son, Sean, and I met in the first grade in 1953 and have remained lifelong friends. My favorite memories include sitting on the McGivern front porch on east Sinto Avenue or at the McGivern Rockford Bay lake home and listening to Dean discuss English history, Louis L’Amour novels and an array of other topics.” IT IS YOUR REUNION YEAR ’70 Kenneth Hermens, of Beaverton, Ore., writes: “There were two ‘strength of materials’ classes while I was at Gonzaga. One was the more traditional course and the other was taught by Dr. McGivern. It was more like what the ‘boys at Dartmouth’ would have had, as he would say.” ’73 Mary Anne (Metcalfe) King “When I saw his picture it brought back fond memories of him, Gonzaga and growing up in the ‘Little Holy Land.’ For more, go to gonzaga.edu/magazine.
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LEADING ST. ANDREW NATIVITY SCHOOL
Loretta Wiltgen (’76) is president of Portland’s St. Andrew Nativity School – the only tuition-free Jesuit Catholic middle school in the Pacific Northwest. She arrived in August 2004, after serving as principal at St. Ignatius Elementary School, her family’s school. “But I felt there was something more I could be doing. So one morning, I gave my notice. My kids thought I was crazy to quit my job before I had another one.” That day, she received a phone call: St. Andrew had an opening. She has done much soul-searching in her time there, sometimes wondering what kind of school she leads. During her first few months, a call came from the hospital. “One of our former students had been shot. He told the nurses, ‘Please call St. Andrew Nativity School.’ This school is hugely significant to these kids.” Wiltgen has learned to make no assumptions about her students. “We had a student from a dysfunctional family who didn’t have good hygiene. We counseled her about these needs. We bought her clean underwear and I told her to put them in her dresser, so they were just hers and not for her sister. She responded, ‘I don’t have a dresser.’ Learning the culture of poverty has been a challenge.” The majority of St. Andrew’s students are behind in grade level. Each class, 12 boys and 12 girls, attends school 10 hours a day and fi ve weeks in the summer. Many gain fi ve years’ academic progress in three years. “St. Andrew is an amazing place. We do grace-work, serving the marginalized and the poor. My Gonzaga Jesuit education is happening in reality here - not just books learned, but men and women for others. This is the work that Ignatius visualized for Jesuits.” One of the school’s challenges is funding. Annual costs run $1.3 million, which is raised entirely through donations. “But it matters to these kids. Today, a sixth grade boy walked into my office with a used, crumpled envelope containing six dollars in quarters, likely all the money he had. He wanted to make a donation.” – Autumn Jones (’10)
ALUMNI NEWS ’60 John Armenia (’66 M.A.) is a member of the board of directors for Phi Delta Kappa International, a global association for educators. He is a graduate and a fellow of the National Academy of School Executives Superintendents Academy and has served as a visiting scholar with the National School Board’s Project. He continues teaching as professor emeritus at City University of Seattle’s Educational Leadership Program. ’63 Don Nau, Springfield, Ore., has been elected state president for the Oregon Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and was honored with the Tony Konen Memorial Award, recognizing service to the insurance industry, community and the association. 38
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IT IS YOUR REUNION YEAR ’70 Greg Boehmer, Chantilly, Va., has joined Apptis as director of business development. Apptis provides IT services for government and industry. He previously worked at Keane, Inc. ’74 Michael Weaver has completed 10 years as principal of Damien Memorial School, an all-boys secondary school in Honolulu. Michael and his wife, Cecelia, have three kids. Their youngest, Ryan, graduated from Gonzaga in 2009. The Weavers live in Kailua, Hawaii, and are active in the Hawaii Alumni Chapter. ’76 Barbara Savage has been appointed one of five sponsors of Providence Ministries of Providence Health and Services
in Spokane. Her position is part of a restructuring for Sisters of Providence Ministries, which will operate as a joint effort of religious sisters and laity. Her focus will be mission and values oversight for health care, education and social services. ’81 Sr. Rosanne Belpedio, C.S.J. (M. Religious Studies) was named director of worship for the Los Angeles Archdiocese. She oversees stational liturgies at the cathedral and the formation and certification of the laity in liturgical ministries. She also consults with parishes building or remodeling churches. “My Gonzaga experience definitely broadened my vision theologically. It also helped to root me spiritually,” she said.
GONZAGA TO HOST
ALL-MILITARY REUNION
Gonzaga will honor all alumni with military service on Oct. 22-24 at the All-Military Reunion. Kicking off the festivities on Friday, Oct. 22, will be the inauguration of President Thayne McCulloh. Also taking place that weekend are the 2010 Reunion and Fall Family Weekend. Special events for military alumni include participation in physical training with current ROTC cadets Friday morning, a golf outing Friday afternoon and a formal dinner on Saturday. That evening, attendees are invited to join fellow service men and women at Jack & Dan’s and the Bulldog Tavern. For a full schedule, see zagsonline.org.
CAPTAIN DAN FUTRELL PASSING OUT A TOMAHAWK CARD IN THE BAGHDAD EAST RAILYARD.
ELECTION DAY Today, March 7, is my 881st day in Iraq, and across the country today we saw millions of Iraqis turn out to vote in spite of threats of violence from a limping enemy. In the final weeks of my time here, today has made me proud of the work we’re doing and the work we’ve done. As you turn on the news or click to your favorite news site, you might read stories that attempt to “fairly” balance the violence storyline with the successful vote storyline, tilted depending on which outlet you choose. What you won’t read about is the monumental effort your nation’s soldiers have made to give this country an opportunity for democracy. . . a rarity in the Middle East. As analysis of today’s vote is completed, hopefully it will be recognized internationally as a legitimate election that brings Iraq together. This deployment has been good for me on many levels. While my last was more physically exciting, this one has forced me to think on a different scale. I have learned a lot. Additionally, having left Iraq mid-2007 without knowing if the surge would be successful, I am happy to return and see that our efforts have been worthwhile. Iraq still has many problems that could cut progress quickly, but they are problems that have existed for many years. We’re still moving in the right direction. – Dan Futrell (’05)
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OFF CAMPUS Alumni News Briefs
’86 Dwan Hurt was named the Daily Breeze Coach of the Year for his triumphant season with Junipero Serra High School in Gardenia, Calif. The team posted the best record in the school’s history and won the state championship for its division. “I could not have worked with a better group of guys. All the kids and coaches in the program the last four years, this is a tribute to them as well,” he said. ’87 Michele Storms (J.D.) is assistant dean for public service at the University of Washington School of Law. She has worked at the school since 2006 as the director of the Gates Public Service Law Program. IT IS YOUR REUNION YEAR ’90 Mike Redmond set a major league record of 253 games without an error. Mike, a catcher for the Cleveland Indians, committed his first error in June since July 2004. “I don’t know what is more amazing,” he said. “That I went 253 games without an error, or that it took me six years to do it.” ’91 Greg Baker graduated from the Harvard University Urban Superintendents Program with his doctorate in education, and moved to Bellingham, Wash., as superintendent of schools for Bellingham Public Schools. Greg and his wife Jeanie have three children, Landon, Makinley and Delaney. ’94 Dorothy (Hauge) Geiger (J.D.) has been named administrator 40
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of Amelia Island Surgery Center in Fernandina Beach, Fla. She is a former magistrate in the 12th Judicial Circuit Court. She will manage Amelia Island Surgery Center’s outpatient services. IT IS YOUR REUNION YEAR ’00 Shaun Hoffman…[8] and Ruta Brazauskaite were married Dec. 18 in Vilnius, Lithuania. They honeymooned in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and make their home in Florence, Italy. Shaun is the owner of Euroadventures. com. Matthew Swalling was recognized as BP’s Teacher of the Year for the MatanuskaSustina Borough School District in Alaska. He teaches band and choir at Palmer Middle School. Outside of the school year, Matt works with the Palmer Arts Council and runs a summer band program. Amy Ross was awarded the Spokane Police Chief’s Citation Award for her work as a gang expert and member of the federal Violent Crime Gang Enforcement Task Force. Amy celebrated her 10th year as an officer with the Spokane Police Department in January. James Birge (Ph.D. Leadership Studies) has been appointed president of Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, N. H. ’01 Jon Riki Karamatsu (J.D.) has completed eight years in Hawaii’s House of Representatives and is campaigning to become the Aloha State’s next lieutenant governor. Jonathan Skirko and Talina Silbernagel (’05)…[2] were married Sept. 25 at Holy Rosary
Parish in Bozeman, Mont. They live in Seattle where John is in residency training as a head and neck surgeon and Talina is an ICU nurse. Talina also is a doctoral student at the University of Washington, studying to become a family nurse practitioner. ’02 John Donohue has been named to a professional accounting fellowship in the Office of the Chief Accountant of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He will be involved in the study and development of rule proposals under the federal securities laws, among other issues. ’03 Nathan Macklin…[5] is working with the Operations Center for the U.S. Department of State, the crisis management office for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Previous posts have been in Honduras and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Sarah Burgess…[3], Columbia Falls, Mont., recently completed four years with the Maryknoll Lay Missioners. She was stationed in the Chilean city of Talca. Chris Shogan completed the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon in May. The race included a 1.5-mile swim through frigid waters from Alcatraz Island to the San Francisco shore, an 18mile bike race and an eight-mile run. Megan (Heasty)…[6] and Sam Burch welcomed their son Noah on July 5, 2009. They live in North Bend, Wash. Sam is a civil engineer at HNTB in Bellevue, Wash., and Megan is taking a break from teaching to stay home with Noah. ’04 Leigh Orne was named a fellow for the Institute for Sustainable Development. Leigh is pursuing an M.B.A. at Case Western Reserve University. Jason Mattox joined Meier Architecture and Engineering in Kennewick, Wash., as a civil project engineer. ’05 Janelle Lowe and Chad Jordan were married April 2 in the Riviera Maya, Mexico. Both work with Wells Fargo Bank and live in Phoenix. ’06 Breanna (Tarufelli) and Neil Gentile were married in August
2009. Matt Coussens, Connor Costello, Adam Karlsgodt, Kyle Godwin and Kelly Frey were in attendance. Bre and Neil are active in the Gonzaga Bay Area Alumni Chapter. Maj. Jeremiah “Scot” Heathman (M. Org. L.) …[7] earned his second master’s degree from the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies. He will be stationed in Stuttgart, Germany. Brett and Jodie (Lytle) Toresdahl…[4] each recently completed graduate school. Brett graduated from the University of Washington School of Medicine and will begin his residency in family medicine. Jodie received her master’s of education in elementary reading and math from Walden University and will continue teaching at Blackwell Elementary School in Sammamish, Wash. ’07 Travis Roberts graduated from the Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry University with a master’s of information systems management in database management. Travis works in IT for Expeditors International of Washington. He and his wife, Amanda, live in Everett, Wash. Ashley (O’Neil)…[1] and George Fletcher were married June 5 at St. Joseph’s Church in Chehalis, Wash. Plenty of fellow Zags were in attendance. Ashley is completing her research at the University of Puget Sound. She is a recent graduate with a degree in occupational therapy. ’10 Tarin Richards married Alan Worrest on May 15 in Missoula, Mont. Caitlin McKenna (’09) was a bridesmaid. After a honeymoon in Hawaii, they will live in Washington, D.C., where Tarin will attend Georgetown Medical School. Michael Serafini and McKenzie Curtis were married May 10, the day after Michael graduated. They honeymooned in Jamaica and live in Petersburg, Alaska. Tye Perdido…[9] signed with the Kitsap Pumas club soccer team in Bremerton, Wash. “It is a huge blessing to be able to wake up in the morning and go get paid to play the sport that I love so much,” he said.
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IN MEMORIAM
IN MEMORIAM GONZAGA UNIVERSITY EXTENDS ITS CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF THE FOLLOWING:
Kenneth Huss (’38), March 28, Spokane. He served in the Army Air Corps and worked as an aircraft inspection supervisor before starting Empire Metal Products. He and his wife were married nearly 72 years. Dr. John Rotchford (’43), March 25, Spokane. After service in the Navy, he led a career in obstetrics and gynecology. He was appointed president of the medical staff at Sacred Heart Medical Center in 1978. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> William Nishimura (’47), Feb. 26, Seattle. He served with the Military Intelligence Service. Later, he worked for the Seattle Housing Authority, eventually as executive director. Dr. Roy Vetto (’47), May 17, Mercer Island, Wash. He served in the Navy during the Korean War, then practiced as a general, thoracic and vascular surgeon at Group Health Cooperative for 30 years. Melvin Olson (’49), April 2, Spokane. He served with the Army Air Corps, flying 32 missions in Italy before attending Gonzaga. Philip Anderson (’49), May 18, Bellevue, Wash. After service in the Army Air Corps, he worked with the Central Intelligence Agency as an analyst of Soviet and economic affairs. 42
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Robert Beard (’50), March 5, Everett, Wash. He served in the Army and went on to work for the U.S. Department of Labor, eventually opening an accounting firm.
Fr. Joseph Ringwood, S.J. (’52), April 1, Spokane. Much of his life was devoted to high school and parish ministry in Seattle, Spokane and Missoula, Mont.
Anthony Rogalski (’54), June 7, Spokane. From 1955 to 2005, Anthony and his brother ran a construction firm serving Washington, Idaho and Montana.
John Tracy (’50), March 28, Kirkland, Wash. He served in WWII and Korean War, was the proud father of six and a long-time English teacher.
Dr. Robert Lancaster (’52), April 24, Lutherville, Md. He was chief pathologist at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.
Fr. Gerald Sullivan, S.J. (’55), May 15, Los Gatos, Calif. He taught art and art history at Santa Clara University.
Robert Lavelle (’50), May 10, Spokane. He served in the Army from 1943-1946. Robert Escure (’50), May 26, Spokane. He served in the Army before working for Seafirst Bank. He was known for his charitable works in eastern Washington. Patrick Condon (’51), March 14, Spokane. He served with the Army, worked 25 years with Monarch Life Insurance Company, and established his own agency. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Patricia Malone (’52, ’64 M. Ed.), Feb. 27, Seattle. She taught elementary school, worked in medical technology, volunteered at the State Capitol in Olympia, Wash., and served in the ski patrol. James Hogan (’52), May 10, Yakima. He was a judge of the Municipal Court and Justice Court of Yakima Precinct and the city of Yakima.
Budd Neumann (’52), June 8, Spokane. After service in the Navy, he worked for Kaiser Aluminum and the state of Washington. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Dr. Thomas Miller (’53), Feb. 25, Portland. He practiced medicine, reviewed malpractice cases, sought ways to improve medical practice, and founded the Professional Liability Loss Prevention Education Program. Dr. John Condon (’53), April 25, Spokane. He served in the Army, returning to Spokane to practice dentistry. In 2006, he received the Sister Peter Claver Award from Sacred Heart Medical Center. Robert Devereaux (’53), May 8, Spokane. As an American Ballet Theatre stage tech, he travelled widely, reaching Russia and South America among other places. He worked for ABC Television in Hollywood, eventually becoming stage manager for the Spokane Coliseum and the Opera House.
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John Oien (’55), May 24, Richland, Wash. During WWII, he drove trucks in the Montana oilfield at age 13. He flew small planes throughout the Northwest and was a wildcat driller, corporate executive, classically trained pianist and dedicated golfer. Fr. Paul Locatelli, S.J., (’57), Los Gatos, Calif. He served 28 years as president of Santa Clara University. In 2008, he became chancellor of Santa Clara and took on a newly established Jesuit position, secretary for higher education and the intellectual apostolate, with an office in Rome. Raymond Gillette (’57), April 9, Glendale, Ariz. He worked as a computer programmer. Dr. John Graham (’57), April 22, Williamsburg, Va. He served with the Air Force during the Vietnam War. Then, he practiced as an obstetrician and gynecologist in Minneapolis, before becoming director of operations for the American College
of Obstetricians & Gynecologists in Washington, D.C. Robert Cabianca (’59), March 6, Estero, Fla. He worked with Tidewater and Gulf Oil before going into real estate in Houston. He also started a firm that tested underground storage tanks domestically and overseas. Michael McKinnon (’61), April 5, Spokane. He worked as a private and public CPA and became an international auditor for the U.S. Department of Commerce. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Theodore Giese (’62), April 13, Monroe, Wash. He served in the Navy and led a career in electrical engineering in the Seattle area. Edward Jones (’63 J.D.), May 8, Seattle. After service in the Army, he produced and directed plays in Hollywood, Seattle and Spokane, practiced social work and civil engineering, and wrote several books. He earned three undergraduate degrees concurrently in Far Eastern studies (Russian and Chinese), speech and philosophy, all before earning his law degree at Gonzaga. Nicholas Lamanna (’63, ’73 J.D.), May 6, Priest River, Idaho. He was a partner in the Cooke & Lamanna Law Firm for 35 years, receiving the Idaho State Bar District Lawyer Award in 1977.
William Kirkpatrick (’64), April 20, Butte, Mont. He worked as law clerk, assistant county attorney, and in private legal practice in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. Thomas Kerley (’64), June 1, Spokane. Terrance McDonald (’65), May 7, Denver. He served as an Army Ranger for 22 years, becoming a highly decorated colonel. He also worked in insurance and property management. Joyce Perry (’68), April 5, Scottsdale, Ariz. A passionate teacher, she taught middle school English and social studies. Ronald Webster (’69 J.D.), April 8, Colfax, Wash. After an undergraduate education in political science, he studied at the Sorbonne in Paris. He eventually became a deputy prosecutor in Longview, Wash. Diehl Rettig (’69 J.D.), May 12, Pasco, Wash. He was bailiff and clerk for the Honorable Judge Charles Powell in U.S. District Court and led a successful law practice for many years. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> James Sloan (’70), Feb. 22, Kalispell, Mont. He worked for the family business, Sloan’s Appliance, where he never failed to build a friendship with his customers. Douglas Rehaume (’71), April 22, Ellensburg, Wash. He attended Gonzaga on a basketball scholarship and served as co-captain of the Zags his senior year. Sr. Lillian Deslauriers, S.P. (’75), March 27, Spokane. She entered the Sisters of Providence in 1955.
Charles Schlesinger (’77 J.D.), May 9, Spokane. One of the original announcers at Spokane’s KPBX Radio in 1975, he hosted the “Jazz with Chaz” show through April. Rolland Byrne (’83), Feb. 24, Spokane. He played baseball at Gonzaga and formed many lasting friendships through the sport. Brad Bailey (’83 J.D.), May 26, Evergreen, Colo. Most recently he served as assistant city attorney for Littleton, Colo. Donald Moller (’84), April 23, Spokane. He served with the Air Force before becoming a chaplain at the Veteran’s Administration Medical Center. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Gayle Lee (’87), April 22, Tongatapu, Tonga. A certified nurse practitioner, she served in the Army Reserves. Michael Carbone (’93 J.D.), Feb. 23, Sacramento, Calif. He was a deputy prosecuting attorney for Pend Oreille County and practiced law in Spokane and Newport, Wash. James Doyle (’04), March 18, Hillsboro, Ore. He was a Vietnam veteran, a mediator, a Eucharistic minister and a member of the Knights of Columbus. Brennan Dardis (’08), March 9, Phoenix. He was a talented musician and a graduate of Brophy College Preparatory School in Phoenix. FRIENDS OF GONZAGA Doris Anderson, March 30, Spokane. She worked as executive secretary for Fathers Clement Regimbal, S.J., and Art Dussault, S.J.
disabled children and the Red Cross. Georgia resided in France, Hawaii and throughout the United States. Robert Liddle, May 19, Seattle. He served in the military before attending Gonzaga and eventually worked for Seattle’s KIXI 880 AM, retiring in 2006. Scott Lukins, April 11, Spokane. A civic and business leader, he became president of the Spokane Symphony Orchestra, the Spokane Chamber of Commerce and Sacred Heart Medical Center. He was a director of Foundation Northwest, a board member of numerous local enterprises and the recipient of an honorary law degree from Gonzaga. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Catherine Moore, May 2, Spokane. She was the caretaker of memorabilia for the Gonzaga Glee Club of which her husband Lyle was a founding member. Her life was celebrated during this fall’s Glee Club Reunion. Beverly Clegg, May 11, Spokane. Marie Crabtree, May 13, Moscow, Idaho. She obtained her degree in pharmacy from Washington State College in 1943. Eskil Anderson, May 26, Spokane. He was a mining geologist with experience in underground mining, dredge engineering, teaching mining and geology courses and exploration geology.
Georgia Adjemian, April 1, Park Ridge, Ill. She worked with mentally FALL 2010 | GONZAGA MAGAZINE
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Chapter News
ALASKA Alaska Chapter members got a hard-earned reprieve from chapter activities this summer to enjoy the sunshine, warm weather and fishing. As we gear up for a busy fall and winter, mark your calendar for the annual Silent Auction & Wine Tasting Fundraiser on Oct. 9. We will auction Alaskan gifts, Zag gear and more, while enjoying appetizers and spirits provided by K&L Distributors. Proceeds benefit the Alumni Association and Alaska students. Watch for men’s and women’s basketball game watch announcements in your inbox. Not receiving e-mails? Want to get involved? Make a donation? E-mail Brady Strahl at bstrahl@strahlco.com or call 907.317.4572. BOISE The GU Boise Chapter welcomes Coach Leon Rice to Boise. We know he’ll love the area as much as we do. In April, the Boise Chapter helped the local Boys and Girls Club with their annual gala. Also, the Admission Office hosted a party for newly accepted students, welcoming these new Zags to the Gonzaga family. Our second annual Backpack for Kids bike ride takes place in October, date TBD. The event includes a food drive and fundraising for the Idaho Foodbank’s Backpack for Kids program. Contact Connie Sturdavant at chucks@cablone. net or 208.336.1184.
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GONZAGA MAGAZINE | FALL 2010
DENVER The Denver Chapter held a successful service day in July with Seeds of Hope, which serves Catholic grade schools in Denver. Be on the look-out for alumni happy hours and other gatherings this fall. Contact Tim Woods at wordwoods@msn.com. HAWAII The Hawaii Chapter is hearing from more and more alums during our first year. This summer, we participated in the Hawaii Pacific Islander Club’s freshman orientation. We are excited that the women’s basketball team will play in Hawaii this winter and plan several events to welcome the team to the islands. Keep informed on upcoming events through the alumni Web site and our Facebook and LinkedIn pages. Please join our mailing list. Contact Brian Kealoha at bkealoha33@gmail.com. PORTLAND The Portland Chapter sponsored a July 21 Gonzaga Night at PGE Park. AAA Portland Beavers brought back memories of spring ball games on campus for grads and families in the bleachers. Our annual Freshmen Class Summer Sendoff attracted about 100 classmates and family members. Alumni and friends gathered for our third annual service project benefiting St. Andrew Nativity School. Zags brought their paintup, fix-up, clean-up skills to spruce up the local Jesuit middle school, led by President Loretta Wiltgen (‘76). (See her profile on
SEATTLE In April, Professor Mark Alfino lectured on “Finding Happiness and Wisdom at Gonzaga” to more than 100 members of the Seattle Chapter. Gonzaga Alumni Night at the Seattle Sounders on Aug. 8 featured a match with the Houston Dynamo, starring GU’s Brian Ching (’00). We hosted “Theology on Tap” with Father Hightower, S.J., at FX McRory’s to discuss modern, relevant faith issues. The Basketball Tip-off Luncheon occurs in October, with new men’s basketball Assistant Coach Donny Daniels as guest speaker. The 10th Annual Vintner’s Dinner and Auction, sponsored by the Gonzaga Business Forum to support the School of Business Administration, takes place Nov. 12. For other events, see the new Seattle Chapter Facebook page and blog (seattlezags.wordpress. com). Contact Matt Sullivan at mattsul@amazon.com or 425.218.7736. SPOKANE Zipping down a modest hill in a soap-box derby car is a thrill for any child, but especially for a special needs youngster. For the third year, volunteers of the Spokane Chapter’s Mission and Service Committee helped to make that a reality for some 30 special needs children in July. GU alum Leo Finnegan (’59) hauls his brightly painted derby cars from his home on the West Side. Liberty Lake clears traffic from the hill on Molter Road. Volunteers from Molly Nave’s committee, along with former basketball stars and other alums, cheer the kids on. Then they all enjoy a barbecue picnic. This is one of several projects sponsored by the Spokane Chapter throughout the year. Contact Rol Herriges, sqgr@comcast.net.
TACOMA The Tacoma Chapter members toasted June at Wild Side Wines. Alums from Sequim to Olympia were educated and sated. July was the month for baseball with an evening at the Rainiers. Hometown team, hot dogs and fireworks entertained alums at this second annual event. In September, back after a year’s hiatus, was the three-club, par 3 golf tournament at Highland Hills. Let’s hope we see it in the rotation for years to come. Coming this fall is the Sixth Annual Coach Krause Event. This is your chance to learn the latest on the basketball players and some of the competition. Pre-registration is required. The Tacoma Chapter hopes to hold a return holiday gathering at the Wine Bank. Spontaneity and flexibility run amok in this chapter, so register as chapter members and receive e-mails about our events. Contact Julie and Paul Rehberger at Jbrpar@aol.com. REBUILDING EFFORT IN NE W ORLE ANS • REBUILDING EFFORT IN NE W ORLE ANS •
OFF CAMPUS
P. 38.) Hackers and duffers will be among the seasoned golfers when the Portland Chapter sponsors the first Openly Zag Open, Sept. 19 at Colwood National Golf Course. Contact John Timms at 503.288.8818 or johnt@timmco.com.
REBUILDING EFFORT IN NE W OR
NATIONAL SERVICE PROJECT, TAKE TWO JOIN THE ZAGS THIS FALL FOR A ONE-WEEK REBUILDING EFFORT IN NEW ORLEANS. THE 2ND ANNUAL NATIONAL ALUMNI SERVICE PROJECT WILL TAKE PLACE OCT. 31 - NOV. 5. THE PROJECT IS CO-SPONSORED BY REBUILDING TOGETHER, A NATIONAL SERVICE ORGANIZATION. ALL GONZAGA ALUMNI, FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE. SEE ZAGSONLINE.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION. NO SKILLS ARE NEEDED – JUST A POSITIVE, CAN-DO ATTITUDE.
TO BE CONTINUED … Named in honor of the late Father Tony Lehmann, S.J., alumni chaplain, this column presents commentary about the University and its mission.
FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS OR SO, this community has sought to engage and educate, to elicit a sense of duty and to empower action in you. So tonight, I look around and see the fruits of education, of justice, and it’s wonderful. It makes me want to say, “Great. We’ve done it. Here’s our coalition of educated, respectful, loving people to heal the world’s wounds, we’re set. Let’s go celebrate.” And of course tonight we are celebrating, but we all know it isn’t that simple. This is just the beginning. Next, service will be your life. You’ll be in a community looking to you to do what you signed up for: to volunteer, teach and learn. Don’t miss these opportunities. Throughout your time of service, you’ll see firsthand things you’ve only read or talked about. You’ll be confronted with frustrating contradictions and complexities that laugh in the face of the easy answers you’ve imagined. I’ve told my friends before, “Tell me when I act like I know everything, because that’s when I know nothing.” Of course, we should use what we’ve learned, we shouldn’t keep silent when our mind is brewing solutions, but in order to be of use to our communities, indeed to be a part of a community at all, we must be open to learning. Dismiss no opportunity to learn everything you can. This openness will not come automatically. Most of us, when confronted with ideas or situations we don’t understand, try to define them in terms of our own values and experience. We try to imagine how we would act in response to injustice, hunger or oppression. What we would do hypothetically is irrelevant. We must make no assumptions, letting instead each situation, community or individual to teach us their own story.
Be part of a community, allow yourself to be invested, to have an interest, a stake in the outcome. Allow yourself to celebrate success and joys, to mourn failures and losses. Just as we cannot be a part of a community until we celebrate together, we cannot be part of a community until we mourn with it. Losses remind us the gravity of what we do, that as members of a community, our responsibility is great. You won’t forget who or what you lose. We are talking about beings so valuable, fragile and complex that we owe nothing less than our greatest attention, our greatest love, our most open minds and ears. It’s an honor and a responsibility. Tonight is about you. We’re putting the spotlight on you, we’re holding you up as examples because the work you’ve chosen to do, the sacrifice you’re willing to make, is important, vital and a call all too often ignored. But when you leave this campus, when you enter into your service communities and a new world of responsibility, it will no longer be about you. Now that you’re on this pedestal, what will you do? I urge you, I beg you, jump down, run to the corners where light does not shine so clearly and find who is there. Listen and learn, work and love. Join in the choir of voices from across our world and yell for justice with your loudest voice so that no one may turn a deaf ear. Join in the transformation. Our love, strength and hope goes with you. Take it and give every ounce away. Keep nothing for yourself and remember: We will renew each other. THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT GONZAGA’S FIRST SOCIAL JUSTICE MISSIONING CEREMONY. HELD MAY 7, THE EVENT HONORED NEARLY 50 GRADUATING SENIORS WHO ARE GIVING A YEAR OR MORE TO JESUIT VOLUNTEER CORPS, THE PEACE CORPS AND OTHER NON-PROFITS.
RUN TO THE CORNERS, FIND WHO IS THERE BY SABRINA MAURITZ (’07) MAURITZ SERVED AS AN AMERICORPS WORKER AT THE HOUSE OF CHARITY IN SPOKANE.
502 E. BOONE, SPOKANE, WA 99258-0098
STATEMENT OF FAITH THESE ARE AMONG THE MANY CRUCIFIXES DISPLAYED ACROSS GONZAGA’S CAMPUS. CLOCKWISE, FROM UPPER LEFT, THEY ARE FOUND IN SCHOENBERG CENTER, THE BROADCAST BUILDING, COLLEGE HALL, JESUIT HOUSE AND BISHOP WHITE SEMINARY.