3 minute read
Franciscan Legacy Honored Through Giving
by Jen Wingerter ’13
Since 1860, more than 300 friars from the Sacred Heart Province have worked at Quincy University. They have served as administrators, faculty, coaches, confidants, and most importantly, spiritual advisors. Ask any alumnus or alumna and they can share the name of a Franciscan Friar who changed or influenced their lives in a significant way.
The impact made by these men in the QU community is evident in the desire of alumni and friends to establish scholarships named for Franciscan Friars who served QU. While there are not as many brown robes on campus today, the legacy of the Franciscan Friars remains.
One such legacy is that of Father Gabriel Brinkman, OFM.
While at QU, the students referred to him as Father Gabe. He did not waver in his convictions and treated all with kindness and gentleness. He entered the Franciscan order in 1943 and was ordained on June 24, 1951, in Teutopolis. Father Gabe earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1947 from Our Lady of Angels Seminary in Cleveland, Ohio, a bachelor's degree in education from Quincy College, and a master's and a doctorate in sociology from the Catholic University of America. He joined the QU faculty in 1957, serving as an instructor and assistant professor of sociology. He served the college twice as president from 1963-1970 and then again from 1977-1983. Between those two terms, he served as the university’s vice president and resumed teaching. During his first term, the university doubled its enrollment, and facilities were expanded, including the construction of Brenner Library, the Student Center, and Willer and Padua Hall. His second term priorities included balancing the budget, strengthening enrollment, and implementing new programs. After retiring as president in 1983, Fr. Brinkman taught classes at QU, served as the director of the Franciscan Herald in Chicago, and served as chaplain for St. Anthony Hospital in Effingham. In addition to his work at QU, he served the community as Vicar from 1963-1972 and later as Definitor of the Franciscan Province from 1975-1978. In 1983, alumni and friends of Fr. Brinkman established a scholarship in his name to honor Father Gabe’s 26 years of service to the university.
Thank you to all the alumni and friends who give to these funds each year. And thank you to the men who taught us all the gift of generosity, may we remember each one with gratitude.
