1216 | Winter 2020 - Contents & Welcome

contents

features

2 | Contemplata – Faculty Perspective Celebrating the Arts for More Than a Century

For the last 109 years, the arts have had a constant presence at 1216 Sunbury Road. Today, fresh ideas, initiatives and partnerships give students access to the arts – on campus and across Columbus – like never before.

4 | The Curtain Goes Up on the Matesich Theatre

After a multi-year, $1 million restoration, the historic Sr. Mary Andrew Matesich, OP Theatre shines once more.

11 | Student Point of View Using Art to Educate, Grow, and Heal

Taylor Petree ’21 shares her unlikely path to becoming a published book illustrator, where she’s used her love for art to touch the lives of children.

departments

8 | Campus Happenings

10 | Alumni Profile: Turning a Passion into a Career

13 | Why We Give to ODU

Dear Friends,

The focal point of this issue of 1216 Magazine is the debut of the newly refurbished Sr. Mary Andrew Matesich, OP Theatre. The campaign for this project began more than six years ago, and the finished product is indeed a showcase for our campus. In early October, we celebrated the grand re-opening of the Matesich Theatre with a world-class program by Columbus’ own ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, highlighted by a masterful performance by their guest artist, violinist Vadim Gluzman. It was an evening to remember.

The renewal of the theater serves as a reminder of the importance of the arts in the life of Ohio Dominican University. In recent years, there has been increased emphasis in the media and in society about the need for education to serve as “career preparation,” with ROI measured in job placement rates. In fact, I’m very proud to say that ODU does very well by such measures, with 91% of our 2019 graduates either working full time or enrolled in grad school six months after graduation … well ahead of the national average. And in view of our Dominican heritage, we are rightly proud of our commitment to excellence in STEM fields of the natural sciences, technology and mathematics.

At the same time, given my academic roots as a classicist, I am passionate that there is much more to a well-rounded education than just career prep. Exploration of the arts – music, theater, the fine arts, literature, as well as philosophy and theology – teaches us how to be truly human. As you’ll read throughout this issue, the arts are alive and well at Ohio Dominican University. Our Wehrle Art Gallery welcomed renowned Columbus artist Celeste Malvar-Stewart in the fall, drawing hundreds of first-time visitors to campus and giving our art students the opportunity to work alongside a visionary designer and artist. Our student performers in music and theater entertain and inspire us, and our alumni carry their artistic vision into the world.

The words attributed to the German writer-philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe beautifully capture the importance of art in our lives:

“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.”

I wish you the very best in the New Year.

Robert Gervasi, Ph.D., President

1216

The Magazine of Ohio Dominican University

1216 is published twice a year for alumni, students, parents, friends, faculty and staff by Ohio Dominican University. The name “1216” represents both the founding year of the Dominican Order and ODU’s street address – a touchpoint for a publication that closely examines a particular topic or theme that is unique to each edition. It strives to engage readers, develop interest and provide a better understanding of how the University is helping students connect their passion with God’s purpose for their lives.

Magazine Staff

Editor

Tom Brockman

Managing Editor

Mark Cooper

Designer

Monica Martin

Contributors

Chris Conroy ’04; Jeremy Glazier; Janette Knowles, Ph.D.; Nancy Recchie ’73 & Jeff Darbee; Taylor Petree ’21

Mission Statement

As a Catholic liberal arts university in the Dominican tradition, Ohio Dominican University is guided in its educational mission by the Dominican motto: to contemplate truth and to share with others the fruits of this contemplation. Ohio Dominican educates individuals committed to intellectual, spiritual and professional growth, who develop into lifelong learners, serving others in a global society. They in turn become ethical and effective leaders grounded in the pursuit of truth, justice and peace.

Please send address changes and comments to alumni@ohiodominican.edu.

Ohio Dominican University was founded by the Dominican Sisters of Peace.