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THE MAGAZINE OF ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY
THE MAGAZINE OF ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY
Calm on Campus Reflection sites provide tangible expression of our Jesuit core values.
LEADING THE WAY
“The past year has reinforced many key leadership practices I first started understanding in my time at Rockhurst – relentlessly develop those around you, create an environment where respectful dissent is not only encouraged but expected, and deeply question your most deeply held beliefs. While I never could have imagined the challenges of the past year, staying true to these principles has helped navigate a number of difficult situations.” DAVID WILD, M.D., ’19 EMBA Vice President, Performance Improvement University of Kansas Health System
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THE MAGAZINE OF ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS LEADING THE WAY Inside Front Cover
David Wild, M.D., ’19 EMBA ROCK REPORT
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A HUNDRED YEARS OF HOOPS The Hawks have built a rich tradition throughout a century of men’s basketball. It’s time to salute the legends.
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Campaign Goes Live
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Student Profile
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Faculty Profile
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Athletics News
FOR ALUMNI 27 Class Notes 29
Alumni Q&A
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Career Center
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In Memoriam
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Everyday Leaders
IN CLOSING 36 Nicholas Bader, ‘18 TIME AND PLACE Inside Back Cover
Friday, April 16, 2020 On the cover: The colorful flowerbeds on the walkway between Arrupe Hall and the pergola are part of the “Finding God in All Things” reflection site.
18 CALM ON CAMPUS Tucked throughout the campus, you’ll find spaces that reflect Rockhurst University’s core Jesuit values. Now you’ll know where to look.
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VIRTUAL PATIENTS FILL REAL NEED The pandemic didn’t stop nursing students from interacting with patients. They just looked a little different.
ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY MISSION & VISION Rockhurst is a comprehensive university and a supportive community that forms lifelong learners in the Catholic, Jesuit, liberal arts tradition who engage with the complexities of our world and serve others as compassionate, thoughtful leaders. Our vision is to create a more just world through inclusive, innovative, and transformative education.
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
It’s Time to Ask Yourself the Big Question S
o, what did you learn?
At the completion of every class session, I always ask my students to respond to this question: “So, what did you learn?” I do this intentionally. It is a practice rooted in our Jesuit pedagogy, which is deeply embedded in the cycle of experience, reflection and action. I am interested in hearing what my students heard, considered, and how they plan to act upon the experience. Since March 2020, in many ways, the COVID-19 pandemic has been instructing us. So, what did we learn? We learned more about the pervasive and deeply disturbing inequities in health care and education for the most vulnerable and underserved, especially the poor and people of color. We learned that many laborers prefer to work remotely. In a recent Wall Street Journal article, R. Florida and A. Ozimek cite forecasters predicting that up to 25% of our 160 million workforce is expected to stay fully remote in the long term. And, even more are planning to work remotely more significantly. It’s also expected that places and cities that embrace this preference will be our nation’s newest “Zoom towns.” We learned of the significance of social solidarity, a phrase coined by David Brooks, New York Times columnist. Drawing upon the concept of solidarity from Catholic social teaching that we are interconnected, he urged us to use our time of social distancing to reconsider our rampant individuality. In a post COVID-19 world, he suggested that we pursue a community, nation and world that is focused upon a common good that cares for the least. We learned from Pope Francis how there is true virtue in considering “the forgotten people” as heroes. He was referring to not only those on the front line in medicine but also those in public service – grocery clerks, service industry workers, cleaners and caregivers. We learned how the pandemic exacerbated feelings of isolation and loneliness for those battling anxiety and depression or feeling helpless and overwhelmed. On campus, we learned how to pivot and adapt in the classroom, activities and sporting events. And, we witnessed
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our students, faculty and staff display great resilience, patience and sacrifice for one another. And, we learned, again, how generous and supportive our alumni and friends are. When we asked for additional Rev. Thomas B. Curran, S.J., assistance for technology materials, scholarship monies, president, Rockhurst University food pantry and emergency needs, the response was overwhelmingly heartening and generous. What we have learned individually and collectively is reminiscent of another COVID-like experience that instructed St. Ignatius Loyola, 500 years ago. In 1521, Ignatius Loyola was struck by a cannonball in Pamplona, Spain. While we may have varying levels of familiarity with the details of the story, what is worth noting is the similarity between the interruptions he experienced and the current disruption in our lives as a result of the pandemic. In his convalescence, Ignatius was struck again, so to speak. This time he learned how much God loved him and how he might respond to that love. What he learned moved him from knight to seeker to pilgrim. His ultimate clarity of instruction resulted in the development of the Spiritual Exercises and the establishment of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) with his companions. How blessed we are to know that his instruction continues today in what we call our way of proceeding. COVID-19 has been a cannonball experience, as it were, for many of us. It stopped us in our tracks and it instructs us. So, I ask you: “What have you learned?” I have shared a few things we have learned and I would be interested in how COVID-19 has instructed you. What practices or habits have you developed that you plan to continue post pandemic? How did God instruct you? Consider sharing what you have learned: engage.rockhurst.edu/register/comment. We may include your response in our next edition.
ROCK REPORT
“For the Greater” Campaign Goes Live W
hen Rockhurst University last updated its vision statement, one very specific word was included — “transformative.” It’s a term University leaders use often, and one that alumni evoke when describing what their education meant to them. It’s also a fairly apt description of “For the Greater,” the fundraising campaign underway now that will pave the way to the University’s future. The $55 million campaign’s name echoes the Jesuit motto represented by the initials AMDG, “ad majorem Dei gloriam,” or “for the greater glory of God.” At the center of “For the Greater” is the reimagining of Sedgwick Hall, which will become the home of Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences at Rockhurst University after an extensive renovation. The project will add a state-of-the-art simulation lab, The Troost Avenue side of Sedgwick Hall will new learning spaces for the University’s health care retain its historic façade following renovation. programs, and a new glass façade on the side facing the Kinerk Commons, all while preserving 90% of the historic building’s construction. A new AR mobile app helps users visualize Sedgwick’s “before and after” and is available in both Apple and Android app stores under Sedgwick Hall AR. But “For the Greater” is much more than the renovation of a single building. It has already resulted in the construction of the MAC and the renovation of Town House Village, and the campaign also seeks to support the annual fund and endowment, bolstering efforts to serve the University’s students for years to come.
Alumni and friends are invited to be part of this historic opportunity to push the campaign over the finish line. Visit rockhurst.edu/forthegreater to learn more. RU, the magazine of Rockhurst University, is published by the Office of University Relations. EDITOR Katherine Frohoff, ’09 EMBA DESIGN JJB Creative Design CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Nick Bader, ’18; Rev. Thomas B. Curran, S.J.; John Dodderidge; Dave Hunt; Tim Linn; Chad Schnarr; Marianne Sicking, ’11 PHOTOGRAPHY Gabrielle Brancato, ’18; John Dodderidge; Dahlia Fateen; Estuardo Garcia, ’18 MA; FJ Gaylor Photography; Dave Hunt; Helix Architecture + Design; Tim Linn; Mark McDonald; Earl Richardson; Hannah Tarwater, ’18; Chassidy Tiner/Chass Flash Photography; Ann Zanaboni SEND LETTERS TO Katherine Frohoff, Rockhurst University, 1100 Rockhurst Road, Kansas City, MO 64110-2561 or katherine.frohoff@rockhurst.edu 816-501-4151 RU magazine is printed on FSC certified uncoated paper.
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Love in Action Fund Provides Support in Uncertain Times
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hen the start of the coronavirus pandemic changed our world, few were prepared for the impact it would have on so many people’s financial well-being. But well before masks and social distancing became commonplace, Rockhurst had built an incredible safety net for its students, faculty and staff through the Love in Action fund. As COVID-19 brought many families to places of need they may not otherwise have faced, Love in Action stepped in to help carry the load. Laptop donations provided by the fund allowed many students to carry on with online courses when face-to-face classes were forced to stop, and mini grants and food donations provided a sense of security for those facing unstable incomes. “It is providential that Rockhurst established the Love in Action fund in November 2019, mere months before the pandemic heightened many companions’ need for additional support,” said Cindy Schmersal, vice president for mission and ministry. “I am abundantly grateful for this vital resource and for the generosity of those who make possible the care and support provided through Love in Action.”
LOVE IN ACTION FUND’S IMPACT GRANDMA’S PANTRY
MINI GRANTS
MORE THAN
600 people served,
MORE THAN
145 grants totaling
providing free food to help combat food insecurity on campus.
more than $41,000 to help RU community members in times of extraordinary hardship, including medical and family emergencies.
LAPTOP DONATIONS
MORE THAN 20
decommissioned staff laptops have been repurposed for students’ academic use.
Interested in supporting the Love in Action fund? Visit rockhurst.edu/love-in-action
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ROCK REPORT
Chemistry Department Brings “Government 2 University” Initiative to RU
The G2U initiative is designed to connect students with skills from the classroom to careers in the government sector.
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raduating from college is a milestone achievement for students, but one that, for many, also comes with its own questions about moving forward with a career. A new regional effort, with help from institutions including Rockhurst University, is aiming to give students at all levels an idea of the opportunities available right here in Kansas City. The Government 2 University initiative, created by the Mid America Regional Council and the Volcker Alliance, seeks to fill needs in the
federal government by creating a coalition of universities with qualified students. The program seemed like a good fit, said Petia Bobadova, Ph.D., professor of chemistry. She already emphasizes to students the kinds of skills that companies are looking for as a way to point them toward careers in chemistry. And through the newly created Science Advisory Council at Rockhurst University, she said local industry leaders have a voice on the skills students will need for the jobs of
tomorrow. The G2U partnership, for which Rockhurst held an initial virtual meeting in April, attempts to connect students from all majors to jobs in the area within the federal government. “I always tell students that these jobs exist in the area, that there are a lot of industries,” she said. “There is a demand, but not enough people to fill it, so we’re trying to connect students to those opportunities where they’re needed.”
HEARD ON CAMPUS “Going forward, we really have to ask ourselves, ‘How serious is it that we prioritize the greater good of the country over a political party or a belief?’” — Jerrit Payton, sophomore, on the RockCast podcast, recorded days after the Jan. 6 violence at the U.S. Capitol.
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Campus Life Proves Perfect Fit for Student
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unning a business, leading campus organizations, and keeping up with schoolwork. For sophomore Bri’Yana Merrill, it comes naturally — and with the help of color-coded planners.
That said, the St. Louis native physics of medicine major and business minor said she wasn’t always as enthusiastic about campus life. By her freshman orientation, Merrill said she was looking at transferring. “Coming from a majority Black high school, I felt like I wasn’t able to truly be myself,” she said. Then she signed up for campus ministry’s frosh getaway. It was like a reboot for her college experience. “I was able to meet a lot of different people in my class — of all different races — and it allowed me to have a new outlook and new perspective not just on Rockhurst, but on people in general,” she said. Merrill hasn’t looked back since, taking full advantage of leadership opportunities on campus such as Student Senate, Voices for Justice, Black Student Union, and as a resident adviser, among others. Outside of the classroom, Merrill feeds a long-standing interest in entrepreneurship with her own jewelry company, Beadz by Bri, and has begun consulting and creating websites for other small businesses.
Bri’Yana Merrill, sophomore
Staying organized is crucial — but, she said, worth it. That feeling of not fitting in is gone, replaced with a drive to share her experience with others like her. Being part of the RockCast, a weekly podcast featuring a panel of students, is a chance to speak openly about what’s happening in the world and to give others a glimpse of what life is like in the campus community she has grown to call home. “I really like that we are able to talk not just to current students and people on campus, but also to prospective students,” she said. “I hope to set a precedent on campus and leave a legacy that inspires others to lead as well.”
“I was able to meet a lot of different people in my class — of all different races — and it allowed me to have a new outlook and new perspective not just on Rockhurst, but on people in general.” – Bri’Yana Merrill, sophomore 6
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ROCK REPORT
Soccer Standout Finds Place at Head of Classroom Gutierrez left Rockhurst after his junior season to play professionally for Sporting Kansas City in 1996, spending the next 13 years playing over 400 professional games in the MLS and as part of the U.S. national team. He said his professional soccer career taught him lessons that would also impact his life off the field. “I learned it takes so much more than talent to be successful. Collaboration, sacrifice, and discipline are a fundamental part of athletic success, but also for business and life in general. They are the good habits that we teach our children so they grow up with a better chance of being successful as well.” Diego Guttierez, DBA, assistant professor of management and marketing
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ockhurst alumnus and faculty member Diego Gutierrez has taken anything but the traditional route to Rockhurst, through his professional career, and in life. Born in Colombia and an aspiring soccer star, Gutierrez came to the United States to pursue an education and his dream to play soccer professionally. After originally choosing another institution, Gutierrez realized quickly it wasn’t the right fit and transferred to RU. “I felt it was best to move close to my parents and attend a university where I had a better chance of being successful,” Gutierrez said. “Playing for Rockhurst helped me understand the balance and commitment that was required to both athletics and academics.”
Gutierrez completed his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rockhurst in 2004 while he was playing soccer and, after retiring, returned to RU to earn his EMBA in 2014, eventually earning a doctorate in business administration from Creighton University. He said his experiences in soccer and graduate school showed him the next path on his journey: teaching. “I believe that I’ve always been a teacher in some way, and after teaching one class at Rockhurst, it all came together for me,” Gutierrez said. “I understood the Jesuit mission, the influence of a good professor, and the impact that can be made by helping forge the next generation of adults and business professionals.”
FACULTY KUDOS Keith Brandt, Ph.D., professor of mathematics, and Serge Nevsky, ’12, wrote an article titled “Variants on the New Zealand Puzzle,” published in the September 2020 issue of Math Horizons. S.J. Crasnow, Ph.D., assistant professor of theology and religious studies, is the author of “Can White Jews Still Be White If They’re Reviled By White Supremacists?,” appearing in Religion Dispatches, addressing the links between settler colonial white supremacy and anti-Jewishness in the U.S. Jane Hedrick, Ph.D., RN, professor of nursing, presented the findings of a research study, “A Descriptive Study of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Depression, Anxiety NEWS
and Stress Among Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Call for Building Resiliency in Nursing Students” at the Summit on Promoting Well-Being and Resilience in Healthcare Professionals on Oct. 22, 2020, hosted by The Ohio State University. Kirsten Potter, PT, DPT, M.S., professor of physical therapy, presented a poster titled “Self-Report Measures of Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis: Systematic Review of Psychometrics and Usability with Evaluation of Evidence” at the 10th International Symposium of Gait and Balance in Multiple Sclerosis.
For more faculty news, visit rockhurst.edu/facultykudos. ROCKHURST.EDU
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With 50th Season,
Tocco Cements Reputation as Soccer Icon
Kaleb Jackson, ’18, talks to head soccer coach Tony Tocco after a soccer game.
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en’s head soccer coach Tony Tocco added some more gold to an already decorated career this spring as he embarked on his 50th campaign with the team, a milestone by any standard.
This kind of longevity wasn’t even necessarily what Tocco said he had in mind when he came to Rockhurst.
“I was just in the right place at the right time,” he said. “I was at Rockhurst applying for an accounting position, and I thought the contract they offered was a little on the low side. Then the president (the Rev. Robert Weiss, S.J.) came back and said, ‘You played soccer?’” It turned out that Gene Hart, then the University’s athletic director and soccer coach, needed an assistant. Tocco said he accepted. “It was something I thought I could do for a couple years and get to know the student body better,” he said. Hart would later step back from the head coaching job to concentrate on AD duties. Tocco found himself at the helm of the Hawks and never looked back. No stranger to collegiate soccer, Tocco was part of the undefeated 1964 Saint Louis University squad, as well as a pitcher for the Billikens baseball team during its 1965 College Baseball World Series run. Coming from the city’s longstanding soccer culture, a lot of the game was already familiar. But Tocco said he had a lot to learn about coaching a team and developing a strategy. By the mid-1980s, soccer had grown in the Kansas City area, expanding Tocco’s recruiting pool. And with some early postseason runs, Tocco said, the pieces started coming together. “I knew what it took to become consistently good,” he said.
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ROCK REPORT
“Some coaches care and others are just there for the paycheck. Whenever Tocco steps on that field, though, you can tell he is there to give 110%. That’s why I have no issue giving everything I have.” – Jordan Andrews, senior midfielder
Tocco is hoisted up by his players following a game in 1987. Right: Tocco talks to players.
Through the years, Tocco said he has surrounded himself with assistant coaches and players who have worked hard to put that knowledge into practice. Giorgio Antongirolami, ’02, ’05 MBA, associate head coach and a former player for the Hawks, said Tocco sees teaching and coaching as two sides of the same coin. “The thing that is really amazing is the passion he has for the game,” Antongirolami said. “He has the same passion today as when I met him in 1997. It’s not just the love of the game, but it’s a love of teaching and the University.” Bringing in Jesuit core values and prioritizing academic as well as athletic success, Antongirolami said Tocco pushes his players to excellence in all facets of life at Rockhurst. The players recognize that this season is a little different, said senior midfielder Jordan Andrews, hoping to play with a little extra fire to honor how much their coach has given to them as individuals and to the team as a whole. “Some coaches care and others are just there for the paycheck,” he said. “Whenever Tocco steps on that field, though, you can tell he is there to give 110%. That’s why I have no issue giving everything I have.” Despite the 10 national tournament appearances, the record that puts him at second alltime in wins among intercollegiate coaches and, most recently, an induction in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, Tocco said the thing that is perhaps most meaningful to him is the relationships — with players, with his fellow coaches, and to the school that gave him a chance five decades ago. “It’s been a great relationship,” he said. “Rockhurst has been good to its soccer program. Hopefully the success of the program has given back to Rockhurst.”
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The majority of fall sports, including women’s lacrosse, were played this spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pandemic Forces Most Sports to Spring Competition
C
iting safety concerns around COVID-19, the Great Lakes Valley Conference Council of Presidents voted in July to postpone the majority of the 2020 fall intercollegiate athletics season until the spring semester. Led by Gary Burns, athletic director, coaches and administrators have a unique set of challenges and opportunities. “Our priority is to provide a quality athletic experience for students while following COVID protocols to minimize risk,” Burns said. Women’s soccer coach Greg Herdlick called this season “survival of the healthiest,” a phrase he says could be adopted by all programs and universities. In terms of playing and practicing logistics, success comes down to communication and organization. Though digital resources are being used extensively, the department also has a crowded, old-school whiteboard on the wall in the office detailing practice and playing times for every team. “Communication amongst staff and athletes is critical based on the number of teams competing at the same time,” Herdlick said. “Speaking on behalf of both lacrosse and soccer programs, the four coaches got together prior to the start of the semester and created a master calendar inclusive of all practice and competition dates and times so the administration, trainers and athletes could all know when the field is in use and by what program.” For many of the coaches and athletes, it’s the first time they’ve been able to compete outside of intra-squad games since last March, or for some, fall 2019. “I am super excited to get back on the field,” said Helen Krause, who had 29 points in eight games last year for women’s lacrosse to lead the Hawks. “This being my senior season, I am looking forward to spending time with my teammates again.”
›››››››››››››››››››››››››› For schedules and results this spring, visit rockhursthawks.com. 10
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ROCK REPORT
After a Transformative Decade as AD, Burns Turns Back to Baseball
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fter serving in two different roles for the past decade, men’s baseball head coach Gary Burns is going back to where it all began.
Burns will return to coaching the Hawks team full-time in June, having spent the last decade Gary Burns balancing that and the role of athletic director. He will also become part of the University advancement division, assisting with fundraising and relationship building. Under Burns’ leadership, Rockhurst athletics experienced a period of growth, with the addition of men’s and women’s lacrosse and men’s and women’s cross country as well as bringing cheer and dance squads from club sports to
competition-level teams. There are also the multiple Final Four appearances and, in 2017, the Great Lakes Valley Conference Commissioner’s Cup, recognizing excellence in all of the University’s athletics programs. Burns also played a pivotal role in the creation of the MAC (Magis Activity Center), the recreation center opened on campus in 2019, and in improvements to Loyola Park baseball field and Bourke Field, used by soccer and lacrosse. In addition to success on the field, student-athletes have consistently earned recognition for their academic success. Burns said that shows the true strength of the athletics department and is one of the achievements of which he is most proud. “It’s a group effort. We were very intentional about being near the top of the list of academics for our student-athletes,” he said. “Everyone from the support staff to the faculty, and I don’t know that an athletics director could have a better group of coaches to lead their teams.”
Offermans is first recipient of Norman Majors Award
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enior guard Charlton Offermans of Townsville, Australia, is the first recipient of the Norman Majors Player of the Year Award for Rockhurst Men’s Basketball. The Norman Majors Player of the Year Award recognizes the Rockhurst player who inspires teammates through his fierce competitive spirit, commitment, positive attitude, and ability to persevere through adversity.
Charlton Offermans, senior
Majors was a three-year letterman at Rockhurst from 1959-62. He averaged 13.7 rebounds per game in 1959-60 and set the single-game rebound mark with 28 caroms in 1959. Majors was drafted by the Chicago Packers in the
1962 NBA draft and went on to serve in the Peace Corps. “Charlton was a bright spot for our program this year,” said Rockhurst coach Drew Diener. “His unselfish approach to the offensive end of the floor combined with his tenacity on defense was outstanding. “I am a firm believer that he was the best on-ball defender in the league this year. Most importantly, his approach to practice epitomizes the characteristics of the Norman Majors Award. He battled through a lot of aches and pains all season, but he didn’t let it affect his mindset and his positive attitude.”
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Rockhurst Taps Local Talent for New Tennis Coach K
ansas City metro native Jamie McDonald was named the Rockhurst men’s and women’s tennis coach in January.
McDonald, who still has close family in the area, was part of three team state championships at Shawnee Mission East High School. He left to play at Denison (Ohio) University, where he was a three-time all-conference player and four-time scholar-athlete. McDonald became a volunteer assistant coach for Denison before his most recent position, head coach of Pembroke Hill School’s boys tennis program in Kansas City, Missouri. Staying local was a priority for McDonald, who was offered other positions around the country. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to do what I love in the place I love,” he said. Caption to come
McDonald made a point to quickly “meet” his teams despite pandemic-related precautions, both as a group and individually over Zoom. “I’ve gotten to know the squads and they’ve been more than welcoming and helpful as I get started,” he said. The former Denison and SME captain is no stranger to leadership roles in the sport and has always known he wanted to take a serious step into coaching after his playing days were complete. Now as a coach, McDonald says he feels satisfaction seeing his student-athletes “compete with intensity, win with grace, and get better every day.” You won’t find him doing much outside of tennis with the exception of playing with his dog, a German Shepherd mix named Knox. “My life is a lot of tennis.” McDonald said. “If I’m not on the court, I’m probably watching tennis or talking about it.”
Jamie McDonald
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to do what I love in the place I love.” 12
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ROCK REPORT
Get to Know Trent Jones
Trent Jones
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rent Jones was hired as the Rockhurst head volleyball coach on June 25, 2020, and he’s still pinching himself to make sure it’s not just a dream. Jones brings to Rockhurst a winning pedigree, both as a player and as a coach, having most recently served as the associate head coach at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. At Rockhurst, he takes over for Hall of Fame coach Tracy Rietzke, and says he is excited to carry on his legacy. “It’s funny because the outside world always wondered, ‘What are they doing
over there at Rockhurst? They keep winning!,’” Jones said. “I’m not real sure exactly what the magic potion was, but there was certainly a culture that he created here that is amazing. And one of my jobs is to not mess up that culture.” It’s a winning culture that led the volleyball team to the Final Four in 2019, before having their 2020 season shifted to the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The NCAA canceled all D-II championships for fall sports, so the pursuit of a national title will have to wait for the fall 2021 season,
but Jones sees a silver lining in the unfortunate circumstances. “I was able to spend the fall getting to know my squad and understand their potential,” Jones said. “I have to say I’m ecstatic. We have a saying in coaching of, ‘What do I have in the gym?’ Even though some really talented players graduated, the cupboard, as they say, was not bare by any means.”
Senior Day at Mason-Halpin Field House Although fans weren’t allowed at indoor sports this spring due to the pandemic, a limited number of family members were permitted to join the flat fan cutouts to watch Hawks volleyball defeat Southwest Missouri Baptist University March 26.
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Men’s Basketball 1921 - 2021
The 1923 men’s basketball team
A Hundred Years of Hoops
BY JOHN DODDERIDGE
Rockhurst men’s basketball tips the century mark
In any great saga worth reading, a lot happens over the course of a century. Hope. Promise. Tragedy. Triumph. Just take a look at the past 100 years of men’s basketball at Rockhurst and that’s what you will find. Over their first 99 seasons, the Hawks collected 1,359 victories on the hardwood and ranked 33rd in all-time wins among current NCAA Division II programs. At the close of their 100th season, we salute all those who have brought the game to life at Kansas City’s Jesuit University. 14
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FEATURES
(From left) Pat Mason, class of 1921, was the first Rockhurst basketball coach. Eddie Halpin served as assistant coach under Mason. Mason-Halpin Field House was dedicated Dec. 28, 1938, honoring the memory of the two beloved coaches.
The Beginnings The history of Rockhurst men’s basketball started in 1921 under head coach Pat Mason. The 22-year-old Mason led his inaugural team to a 12-5 record in 1921-22. Mason, who had just graduated from Rockhurst in 1921, went on to coach the Hawks to 14 winning seasons in the program’s first 17 years. Tragically, his life was cut short at the age of 39 in October 1938 due to complications from a diabetic condition and heart ailment. The young coach is remembered for building the Hawks into one of the top area small-college basketball programs in the 1920s and ’30s. But perhaps one of his greatest achievements was leading the drive to build a new basketball facility on campus — a dream he would not quite live to see fulfilled. The dedication of the new building came just two months after his shocking death. Mason-Halpin Field House was christened on Dec. 28, 1938. The 1,500-seat arena was named in honor of Mason and Eddie Halpin, who coached with Mason at Rockhurst. Halpin also died young — in 1936 at the age of 33 — after suffering an appendicitis attack.
On the National Stage Rockhurst enjoyed its greatest success under head coach Joe Brehmer from 1952-65. Brehmer coached the Hawks to the 1956 NAIA national tournament in Kansas City, led by All-American guard Jack McCloskey, ’56. Seven years later, Rockhurst won 27 games and advanced to the national quarterfinals in the NAIA Tournament. The 1962-63 season was a preview of the most memorable season in school history. The Hawks survived close games in the 1964 district playoffs to earn another ticket to the NAIA Tournament as a No. 10 seed. Rockhurst won its first three games by narrow margins to advance to the national semifinals. Never giving up hope, the Hawks got past Emporia State to earn a date with defending champion Texas-Pan American in the championship game. In front of a sellout crowd of 10,000-plus at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium, Rockhurst upset the heavily favored Pan American team. The Rockhurst fans celebrated downtown before parading several miles back to campus. Continued on page 16
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The 1964 Hawks won the NAIA championship in front of a sellout hometown crowd at Municipal Auditorium.
Continued from page 15
“It was huge playing in front of all of those people. It was really something,” said Pat Caldwell, ’66, who scored 17 points in the Hawks’ 66-56 victory over the defending NAIA national champions. Senior guard Ralph Telken, ’64, was instrumental in the championship run. The two-time AllAmerican point guard received the tournament’s prestigious Hustle Award. Telken was drafted by the Detroit Pistons and played on the NAIA Olympic Trials team.
NAIA Powerhouse Dolor Rehm replaced Brehmer as the head coach in 1965. Rehm guided the Hawks to back-to-back NAIA Tournament berths in 1966 and ’67. The 1965-66 team featured two of the greatest players in school history in Caldwell and Al Payne, ’66. Caldwell, a two-time All-American, finished his career as the most decorated player in school history. Over 50 years later, Caldwell still owns the school records for scoring and rebounding. Rehm also coached two of the best players to ever wear the blue and white. Jim Healey, ’69, was a two-time All-American from 1966-68 and scored over 1,500 points. Jim Kopp, ’72, ’78 MBA, played for the Hawks from 1968-72 and scored a school-record 50 points in a game in 1972. Rockhurst earned two more trips to the NAIA Tournament, which moved to Kansas City’s Kemper Arena in 1975. The Hawks played in the 1980 and ’81 national tournaments under coach Jerry Reynolds, who guided the program to 174 wins in nine seasons. Success came often to the Hawks in the 1980s — the winningest decade in school history. They won 20 or more games six times in the decade under three coaches: Reynolds, Andy Fisher and Frank Diskin. Dennis Luber, ’83, Mark Teahan, ’82, and Doug Wemhoff, ’89, helped the Hawks capture 194 wins in the 1980s. Luber graduated with the second-most points scored at Rockhurst. Teahan was the third player to amass over 1,000 rebounds at Rockhurst. Wemhoff was the second Hawk to score over 2,000 career points.
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FEATURES
The student section was packed Dec. 5, 2018, for “The Rivalry Renewed” when Rockhurst defeated the Benedictine Ravens.
“All of the great rivalries were the highlight of my time playing at Rockhurst,” Teahan said. “We had a lot of big games against Avila, William Jewell, Benedictine, Southwest Baptist, Drury and Central Missouri. Local basketball was a big deal back then. It helped bring out the fans.”
Entering the NCAA Rockhurst made the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II in 1998. Bill O’Connor took the Hawks to the regional finals in the D2 national tournament in 2002. O’Connor retired in 2015 as the winningest coach in school history with 272 victories over 21 seasons. Two of O’Connor’s star players were Davin Winkley, ’01, ’05 MBA, and Aaron Hill, ’08, ’10 MBA. Winkley ranks among the top scorers and rebounders in school history. Hill was a two-time All-American guard and holds the school record for 3-point field goals made. Drew Diener replaced O’Connor in 2015 and has made a point to reach out to former players and coaches. Diener organized the first annual Men’s Basketball Tip-Off Event in 2018 and brought back Jerry Reynolds as the guest speaker. “Having Coach Reynolds, Coach (Andy) Fisher and Coach (Bill) O’Connor back in the gym with many of their former players was very special,” Diener said. “Those coaches spanned 35-plus years, which brought so many great moments and memories for our program. It is clear that many people hold this program very dear to their hearts and were shaped by their time in Mason-Halpin Field House.”
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Calm on Campus
The sidewalk between Arrupe Hall and the pergola, with its colorful flowers, is part of the “finding God in all things” reflection site.
Reflection sites representing the core values of Rockhurst University can be found throughout the campus. Come and see how the intangible becomes visible to all who take time to look.
N
BY KATHERINE FROHOFF, ’09 EMBA
ot so very long ago, 53rd street ran east and west, from Troost Avenue to The Paseo, right through the Rockhurst University campus. It was a straight, quick cut-through to the neighborhoods on either side. But today most of that street has been replaced with an invitation to slow down — way down — and to consider where God is present. Come on a sunny day. Find the bench near Troost that faces this historic, bustling street and sit for a spell. How is God present, here, in the midst of the noise of the city? Remember that this street has symbolized pain as a line dividing our community by race. What can this teach us about God’s presence? “Finding God in all things,” just like the other core Jesuit values of Rockhurst University, is an intangible concept that becomes much more meaningful through personal experience and understanding. That’s the beauty of the five — soon to be six — reflection sites carefully created throughout campus. They are tangible, physical manifestations of the core values meant to gently inspire the observant to learn more about these meaningful concepts that shape the very foundation of our University.
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Finding God in All Things Unlike the other reflection sites, “Finding God in all things” encompasses several locations that together comprise the Heritage Walk. From the bench facing Troost Avenue at 53rd Street, the sidewalk leads into the interior of the campus and the next component, the labyrinth, which helps us find God in reflection and interiority. Did you know that if you stand in its center and speak, you will hear a slight echo? Continuing east, walk past the flower beds near Arrupe Hall to find God in the beauty of nature. In the spring you will see the beloved Rockhurst tulips, which yield to lush, colorful annuals in the summer and fall. The last stop on the walkway is the giant blue Adirondack chair outside of Xavier-Loyola Hall, which represents finding God in play and frivolity. It has become a favorite photo stop on campus. In 2014, Benjamin Skoch, 08, ’13 MBA, and Angela (Schleeper) Skoch, ’09, ’12 DPT, posed for a wedding photo at “the big blue chair.”
Reflection and Discernment At one of the most beautiful spots on campus, you can sit near a statue of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and listen to the gentle sound of flowing water. This reflection site for the core value “reflection and discernment” forms a tranquil oasis with tulips during the spring, followed by impatiens, purple fountain grass, liriope, black-eyed Susan and coneflowers in summer and fall. The setting, complete with Adirondack chairs for reading and relaxing, depicts St. Ignatius on the banks of the River Cardoner near Manresa, Spain, where he spent 10 months in prayer and reflection. This period, which he described as God instructing him as a teacher would a pupil, led him to write the Spiritual Exercises, a retreat intended to help individuals deepen their relationship with God that has become a cornerstone of Ignatian spirituality. Continued on page 20
A statue of St. Ignatius Loyola beside flowing water creates a tranquil space for the “reflection and discernment” reflection site.
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Continued from page 19
Contemplation in Action Filling most of a wall inside the Mabee Chapel on the first floor of Massman Hall is a large-scale, five-paneled painting by artist Anne Austin Pearce titled “Francis and the Earth.” This is the “contemplation in action” reflection site. The swirling blues and purples of the sky and greens and yellows of the earth draw the viewer into the lived experience of St. Francis of Assisi in what’s meant to be an immersive experience. One of the more concrete images in this abstract work is the head of a man, woven into a landscape that evokes the hill town of Assisi. The artist envisioned St. Francis as so much a part of the natural environment that he was inseparable from it. The painting invites us to consider our call, like St. Francis, to continually read the signs of the times through a practice of contemplation and to act in response, laboring for justice, which includes caring for our common home, the Earth. (Above) The painting “Francis and the Earth” is the “contemplation in action” reflection site. (Below) A large sculpture of the seal of the Society of Jesus forms the “magis” reflection site.
Magis “Magis,” is a Latin word meaning “more.” As a core value, it can best be understood as seeking the greater good, giving greater love and care for our neighbor, pursuing greater knowledge of the academic, spiritual and social disciplines and finding more purposeful and effective ways to carry out our work, all with the ultimate aim of glorifying God. In other words, it’s “more” in the sense of deeper, fuller, or greater, rather than additional. The magis reflection site can be found on the exterior of the Magis Activity Center, facing the soccer field. It’s dominated by a large depiction of the seal of the Society of Jesus, an image of the sun bearing the letters IHS, the first three letters of the name Jesus in Greek. St. Ignatius is attributed with the admonition to “go forth and set the world on fire.” As you sit here, perhaps hearing student-athletes from one of the nearby venues or sounds of activity inside our newest workout facility, you can contemplate your potential to “set the world on fire,” your potential to pursue the magis, glorifying God through the use of your gifts and talents.
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FEATURES
Wisdom Water is crucial for human life and it also carries sacred symbolism in many faith traditions. In the reflection site for the core value “wisdom,” it becomes a metaphor for wisdom itself. Seven panels in varying shades of blue, located on the second-floor atrium of Arrupe Hall, correspond to the seven pillars mentioned in Proverbs 9:1, the verse included in Rockhurst’s seal: “Wisdom has built herself a house: she has hewn out her seven pillars.” Through unique textures on their surfaces, the panels depict different states of water, from relative rest and stillness to agitation and waves. As the bustling life of the campus surrounds you, you can take a moment each day to imagine which of the panels best reflects your current experience.
Cura Personalis When the reconstruction of Sedgwick Hall is complete and it becomes the new home of the Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences, it will house the University’s final core value reflection site — “cura personalis,” meaning “care for the whole person.” Not only will Sedgwick Hall be home for the instruction of disciplines dedicated to physical care and healing, as the original building for Rockhurst High School and Rockhurst College, it also carries the memories of spiritual care as the site of a former chapel, and academic growth as the primary classroom building for many years.
(Above) Seven panels depicting water comprise the “wisdom” reflection site. (Below) The renovated Sedgwick Hall is the future home of the “cura personalis” reflection site.
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Virtual Patients Fill Real Need
BY TIM LINN
The pandemic briefly stopped nursing clinical experiences, but students still learned compassionate care.
Jennifer Medoza, a Bachelor of Science in nursing student at Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences, in the midst of a virtual simulation on the college’s Westport campus.
B
eing face-to-face with real patients in a clinical setting is invaluable for preparing nursing students to meet the day-to-day requirements of a health care worker. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, this central piece of nursing education was suddenly thrown into doubt. How could Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences replace that in-person experience and ensure its nursing graduates were ready to step into patient care? Just like so many other pandemic experiences, the answer could be found in the virtual realm. Administrators turned toward a software called vSim to provide virtual nursing simulation for students. At first, it was viewed as a bridge — one way to keep students engaged until the pandemic allowed them to return to clinical rotations. But in the time students and faculty have been using it, faculty and administrators now see that virtual training has earned a place alongside traditional clinical experiences, giving students a more well-rounded set of tools to care for patients. It became clear the school would have to adjust its clinical offerings shortly into the pandemic, said Emma Shotton, MSN, assistant professor in the Bachelor of Science in nursing program. Clinical sites
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FEATURES
were at first allowing students to continue, then began asking for information about students’ travel. Several days later, out of precaution, many clinical sites shut down to all but their own staff altogether. “It was almost a relief when we found out we weren’t sending students to the hospitals anymore, because then we thought, ‘OK, well now we have to make a plan for what we’re going to do,’” she said. “As far as getting those resources to students, it happened very, very quickly.” Even so, the idea of switching to virtual learning for those foundational skills was daunting at first, said Kyra Moore, a BSN student in her final year. “I was a little nervous, but also I trust Saint Luke’s staff wholeheartedly,” she said. “I know they are good people who know the fears that are associated with being a new grad nurse because they were new grad nurses, and they always make that a point when talking to us.” Caroline Olawaiye, DNP, director of the Bachelor of Science in nursing program at Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences, said knowing that the virtual experience would be very different, it was important to find a software with the right mix of features. “I’ve been in there – I asked for a demonstration, for an account, because I want to be able to tell someone, ‘I know exactly what you are going to experience,’” she said. Like many other students, the virtual experience was a new one for Jennifer Mendoza, a student in the BSN program. With a state-of-the-art simulation lab on the Westport campus and partnerships with its namesake medical system, Saint Luke’s students are used to honing skills through in-person experience alongside their peers. And she said she certainly missed the study groups and other chance opportunities to be with other students. But in other ways,
Emma Shotton, MSN, assistant professor in the Bachelor of Science in nursing program, talks to Myisha Watson, BSN student.
“It was almost a relief when we found out we weren’t sending students to the hospitals anymore, because then we thought, ‘OK, well now we have to make a plan for what we’re going to do.’ As far as getting those resources to students, it happened very, very quickly.” —Emma Shotton, MSN, assistant professor in the Bachelor of Science in nursing program
Continued on page 24
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Continued from page 23
Mendoza said virtual simulation helped her work in a new way — one focused on critical thinking. “When you’re in person, you can do all these things simultaneously, without even thinking so much,” she said. “But when you’re virtual, you have to wait until the nurse has washed their hands, and you can’t forget to introduce yourself. It’s a little bit slower, but you have to think through it. I think it made me organize myself a little better and find new ways to make subject stick.”
Specialized software provides a virtual-patient experience for nursing students.
Olawaiye said the school initially purchased vSim licenses for 97 students, mostly those whose pediatric clinical experiences were no longer possible because of COVID. A donation from Robert Kleist, whose late wife Barbara was a 1949 graduate of Saint Luke’s, ensured the costs for providing vSim across the college would not be passed on to students, something that Olawaiye said was important to the college’s leadership. To date, some 497 students have used vSim, she said. The program is immersive in mimicking the clinical experience — students must answer questions from the patient avatar on screen, conduct assessments and even deliver medication, everything they would do in a real-life patient encounter. It even includes, Moore said, the mix of emotions from a real-life situation. Being virtual has its advantages — for one, the simulations can be done from anywhere at any time. In addition, each simulation is customizable, giving faculty the ability to create specific patient scenarios or objectives for students. That flexibility is critical in supplementing the clinical experience for all students, but it also allowed faculty to maintain an active role in learning, even when students were not able to be on campus. For Lindsey Carlson, MSN, assistant professor in the Bachelor of Science in nursing program, staying visible was important as students navigated the new world of learning remotely. “One of the things that has been important to me in my teaching is to let them know that even if we’re not in a
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“Now more than ever, they need strong people at the bedside. I’m encouraged to see they’re rising to the challenge and see that this is an exciting time to be a changemaker.” —Lindsey Carlson, MSN, assistant professor in the Bachelor of Science in nursing program,
Emma Shotton, MSN, assistant professor in the Bachelor of Science in nursing program, and Myisha Watson, BSN student, in Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences’ simulation lab.
classroom seeing each other on a regular basis, we still have access to each other and I am still invested in helping them be successful,” she said. Though clinical rotations are now a possibility again, Moore and Mendoza both said the vSim experience isn’t just a fill-in. By providing a new perspective, adding the software to the curriculum moving forward means students are further honing their critical thinking and decision-making skills at a time when strong leaders are needed in the field, Carlson said. “Now more than ever, they need strong people at the bedside,” she said. “I’m encouraged to see they’re rising to the challenge and see that this is an exciting time to be a changemaker.”
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SPRING 2021 Rockhurst President the Rev. Thomas B. Curran, S.J., celebrates Palm Sunday Mass at the Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France, in St. Louis.
FOR ALUMNI
CLASS NOTES
’59 William Orrick retired as assistant vice president of
STAY CONNECTED
marketing from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City.
Insurance,” which appeared on thinkadvisor.com.
’80 John Stephens is retiring as the CFO at AT&T. ’81
Paul LaRose has been named executive vice president at Shelter Mutual Insurance.
’85 EMBA Ron Rittenmeyer, executive chair and CEO at Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare (United Surgical Partners International), was profiled as one of the five leaders to know in the ambulatory service center industry by Becker's ASC Review.
’87, ’96 MBA Angela Laville has been named chief financial officer for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
’88 Kevin Combs has been named vice president national markets for Cardinal Health.
Joseph Fox has been named CEO of Vroozi, Inc. Jennifer F. Wood, Ph.D., associate professor at Millersville University’s communication and theater department, has been named the 2021 recipient of the national, inaugural Mentor of the Year Award by PRNEWS. She was recognized at the CSR & Diversity Awards virtual ceremony in April.
’88, ’96 MBA Mark Carden has been promoted to associate director of
process re-engineering and customer advocacy at AT&T, leading a team of 10 working on improving the customer experience based upon suggestions from frontline field, care and sales personnel. He resides in Smyrna, Georgia.
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’63 Bud Blake is the author of “Back to the Future of Life
You’re part of the Rockhurst University community. That means you belong to an organization that’s changing the world one leader at a time. Don’t miss out on news meant for you. Go to engage.rockhurst.edu/
register/update and update your information today.
Be sure to share your email address to receive the latest University and alumni news.
’90 William DeVoy has been named an associate circuit judge for the 9th Judicial Circuit in Missouri.
’92 Maryann Mitts has been named head coach of the
basketball team and athletic director at Cottey College. Jarrett Kolthoff, president and CEO of cybersecurity and counterintelligence firm SpearTip, was profiled in the St. Louis Business Journal.
’94 MBA Mike Buchen has retired. He now lives in Hampstead, North Carolina.
’00 MBA Dan Streek has been named chief financial officer at Post University.
Mike Griswold was profiled in the online Kansas Leadership Center Journal as one of the candidates running for the 41st District seat in the Kansas House of Representatives.
’03 Robert Grbac got married in 2012. He has three children.
He started a job as director of technical laboratory services at Clinical Reference Laboratory, recruited to build out the Molecular Diagnostic Lab and finalize the emergency use authorization for a home collection saliva COVID-19 test.
The editorial staff reserves the right to edit for content, accuracy and length, and cannot guarantee that items received will appear in the magazine. Publication of an item does not constitute endorsement by Rockhurst University.
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››››››››››››› SUBMIT
A CLASS NOTE
We’d love to hear from you. Submit a class note online at engage.rockhurst.edu/register/update
’03 Vanessa Lillie authored a guest column titled
’11 M.ED. Chandra Clark has been
“Home but not Alone: A Coronavirus Diary | Entry 40: What we have to learn” in The Providence Journal.
’03, ’06 MBA Shelia Johnson was included as part of KSHB 41 TV's
appointed executive director at VHL Alliance, an organization that advocates for research, education and support for those affected by VHL disease.
roundup of Black History Month perspectives.
’04 EMBA Carol DiRaimo has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Qdoba restaurant chain.
’05 Andrew Q. Eck recently co-founded DiRoma Eck & Co. LLP, a Washington, D.C., government relations firm. He was previously deputy assistant secretary of the treasury for legislative affairs.
’09 Charles Giles now works as a legal nurse consultant. ’10 Alexandra Bashkiroff retired after six years of teaching elementary art in a public school setting, moved to the countryside during COVID-19, and set up her own art business, Mrs. B Productions. She is now a stay-athome mom to her two little girls, Annie and Rosie, and works on commissioned monochromatic portraits.
’11 Jasmine Taylor earned a project management professional certification.
’11, ’12 MBA Gabriel Jones was profiled in Call Newspapers as
one of the candidates running for a seat in the Missouri House of Representatives in the 93rd District.
’12 Julia Krolikowski was included in the Yakima Herald's 39 under 39 list.
Graham Renz has had two papers accepted for publication: “What is Gods Power?” in the European Journal for Philosophy of Religion and “The Five-Category Ontology? E.J. Lowe and the Ontology of the Divine’” in TheoLogica. Charlie Tocco was quoted in an article about the company for which he is chief operating officer, MightyGood.
’13 EMBA John Lowe was honored as CFO of the Year by the Sacramento Business Journal.
’15 Kristen Holmes married Jake Jansen. ’17 Elizabeth Vasel was quoted in an article about COVID
vaccine administration that appeared in the Northeast News.
’18 Corbin Hare started his own insurance agency through Country Financial.
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through your favorite social networks.
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SPRING 2021
FOR ALUMNI
POWERING THE POSTSEASON
&
QA
WITH MICHAEL RAGSDALE, ’07, ’09 MBA, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY AND ANALYTICS FOR THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS.
Q: The Chiefs have been on an incredible run for the last several years. What is it like to work for such a successful organization?
Q: The Chiefs have the reputation of being like a family — how does that affect the way you approach your day-to-day work?
A: Incredible! That’s the best I can do. Words really can’t describe the emotional roller coaster of the last three playoff runs, with the ultimate high points of getting to celebrate a Super Bowl championship in Miami. I feel very lucky and proud to have worked for the Chiefs for 14 years.
A: The family atmosphere keeps you motivated to work hard and look for opportunities to improve the organization to achieve our goals. When those goals are achieved, everyone gets the opportunity to be a part of the celebration. Super Bowl LIV was a perfect example of how the Hunts celebrated the organization’s success. I was able to take my wife to the game and have a first-class experience. Even during the high point of COVID-19, the Chiefs set up a drive-through ring ceremony party to hand out the Super Bowl rings, while keeping the employees safe.
Q: That success must bring some added work for everyone in the organization. How was your office affected by longer postseason runs? How did you stay motivated? A: I help with planning and projecting of expenses for the playoffs and Super Bowl. The extra work is the payoff for getting the organization closer to a championship. The alternative is sitting at home watching other teams compete. I am very competitive, so it’s easy to feed off the energy of the playoffs to stay motivated to get the extra work done.
Q: Sports teams can have a lot of ups and downs in terms of success. How do you, as part of the organization, try to help sustain that success? A: I try to focus on what got us to this level of success, how to improve on those things and what new opportunities will keep us at the top of the NFL. Any opportunity we evaluate, we always want to make sure it enhances the game-day experience for our fans or improves the on-field performance of the team.
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’19 M.ED. Alexandra Smith was presented a Lawrence Horizon
Award, which honors exemplary educators in their second year of teaching. Smith teaches in the specialized autism program at Quail Run Elementary in the Lawrence (Kansas) Public Schools.
’19 M.S. Kristine Rains earned an FNP with Geriatrics Internal Medicine Specialists in Overland Park, Kansas.
’20 Emily Guinn is pursuing a master’s degree in educational
leadership at Creighton University. She teaches fourth grade at St. Cecilia Cathedral School in Omaha, Nebraska. Asia Hardy is a student at the Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas.
’18 Thomas Gauvain and Lauren Collier, ’19, were married
’20 MBA Justin Ikerionwu was included as part of KSHB 41 TV’s
Sept. 19, 2020, at Our Lady of Sorrows in Kansas City, Missouri. The couple now resides in Overland Park, Kansas, where Thomas teaches at Queen of the Holy Rosary and Lauren works for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
roundup of Black History Month perspectives.
’18 M.S. Julia Nezworski married Mike Nezworski, ’18 DPT, on
Oct. 3, 2020. They bonded over attending the same school and studying together. After graduating they moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Several Rockhurst alumni were in attendance.
RETRO
ROCKHURST
The Rev. Don Murphy, S.J., teaches a class in Sedgwick Hall in this undated photo. Fr. Murphy, nicknamed Fr. Dancing Don by some students, is remembered as an enthusiastic and popular faculty member who liked to yell out “Eureka!” during class after an “aha moment.”
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SPRING 2021
FOR ALUMNI
CAREER CENTER
TIPS
To Bring Your Inner Coach to Your Career
FROM JACOB DERRITT, ’08 MEET THE EXPERT With over 11 years of experience in banking, Jacob Derritt, ’08, is the vice president of business banking for JPMorgan Chase in Kansas City. With a passion for service, he served on the board of Della Lamb Community Services and currently serves on the boards of Guadalupe Centers Schools and KC Common Good. He is also part of the spring 2022 class of the Centurions Leadership Program and was recently named the inaugural head coach for KIPP Endeavour Academy’s high school basketball program.
1 2 3 4 5
FIND YOUR PASSION AND PURPOSE.
We’ve all heard the saying “Find something you would do for free and do it!” My passion for the game of basketball led me to my purpose of building up others, coaching them to be successful in life, and encouraging them to think how they can take their own successes and impact others.
BE A TALENT SCOUT. Something that I like to say all the time
is that we all have roles to play. I’ve been blessed with an eye for seeing some of those key character attributes that we can build on, so when I build teams, I try to find every individual’s potential and try to get them to see more in themselves than they did previously.
SMALL IMPACTS CAN ADD UP. My career in banking
started when someone opened the door for me, and I think it’s important to do the same for others. It can be frustrating to not be able to bring the big changes you want to see in the world to reality. But if you change one person’s direction in life, you change generations after that.
BE FOR THE COMMUNITY, THROUGH AND THROUGH. The community boards and organizations
I’m involved with are near and dear to my heart, but it also makes me better at my job to know what’s happening in the KC community. And I think people look to those with that service mentality to lead.
NEVER STOP LEARNING. Always be open to receiving from others and learning from others, even when it makes you uncomfortable — I’ve learned something from every person I’ve worked for or with. Understand there is something to be learned from everyone we pass along the journey. ROCKHURST.EDU
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UPCOMING EVENTS SEPT. 16-19
Family & Alumni Weekend returns!
››››››››››››› Visit rockhurst.edu/weekend for a complete schedule.
Rockhurst Cup Golf Tournament Returns
T
he Fr. Joseph M. Freeman, S.J., Rockhurst Cup, which supports Rockhurst athletics, is back this summer after a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic. This year’s tournament will take place at 10 a.m. Monday, June 28, at Loch Lloyd Country Club in Kansas City, Missouri.
Reggie Thorpe (Right), ’71, will be honored at this year's golf tournament
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The event will include a shotgun start four-man scramble, food, beverages and prizes for the top finishers. In addition, Rockhurst University will posthumously award the University’s Magis Award to longtime tournament coordinator and Rockhurst athletics fan, Reggie Thorpe, ’71, who died in April. A ceremony will be held on the first tee prior to the tournament start.
TO REGISTER, OR FOR MORE INFO Visit rockhurst.edu/rockhurstcup21. Contact Brent Blazek at brent.blazek@rockhurst.edu or 816-501-4375 with any questions.
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HAWK HANGOUT Megan Gonzalez, ’07, and Thom Booker experienced a true football fan’s dream come true when they attended Super Bowl LV Feb. 7 in Tampa Bay, Florida. The two are avid Chiefs fans and long-time season ticket members so seeing the team compete in one of sporting’s biggest events was the thrill of a lifetime, according to Gonzalez, especially since they unexpectedly won the tickets just the Tuesday before the big game. The outcome wasn’t what they had hoped for but they will be back at Arrowhead Stadium next year as faithful members of the Chiefs Kingdom.
After you leave the Rockhurst University campus, you remain a Hawk for life.
Connect with Hawks in your hometown by checking the calendar at rockhurst.edu/alumni. Looking to organize a Rockhurst gathering where you live? Contact Brent Blazek at brent.blazek@rockhurst.edu.
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SPRING 2021
FOR ALUMNI
IN MEMORIAM
Longtime professor of economics and management in Rockhurst University’s Helzberg School of Management, The Rev. Eugene “Gene” Arthur, S.J., died March 24, 2021, at age 85 in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Fr. Arthur was born in Pueblo, Colorado, in 1936. He entered the Society of Jesus at the St. Stanislaus Seminary in Florissant, Missouri, in 1953 and was ordained in 1966. He arrived at Rockhurst University in 1968 to teach business administration following assignments at Saint Louis University High School and Regis High School. After taking a break to complete his MBA, he returned to Rockhurst and taught from 1973 to 1999. In the classroom, Fr. Arthur was known for encouraging students to think and dream big and for his lively discussions of current events. Anthony Fasenmyer, ’48 – Jan. 4
Ray Lukenbill, ’61 – Nov. 8
James Banister, ’74 – Dec. 6
Harold Brummel, ’50 – Nov. 14
Joseph Torregrosa, ’62 – Dec. 10
Charles Dunn, ’74 – Nov. 8
James Helliker, ’51 – Oct. 18
William Dugan Jr., ’63 – April 5
Clarence Hoffman, ’74 – Nov. 21
Rev. John Mannion, ’51 – Nov. 10
Francis Franke, ’63 – Dec. 14
Peter Pomerenke, ’74 – Feb. 14
Cleo Muller, ’55 – Jan. 28
Bill Lemley, ’63 – Jan. 26
Ryland Graupner, ’75 – Oct. 23
Edward Cleary, ’56 – Oct. 18
John Baker Jr., ’64 – Dec. 26
Alan Hipp, ’75 – Jan. 13
Jerome Mahoney, ’57 – Dec. 10
Joseph Carroll, ’64 – Oct. 20
Bruce Levens, ’80 – Jan. 17
Paul Wurtz, ’57 – Nov. 27
Thomas Fisch, ’64 – Dec. 17
Martha Brady, ’82 – Feb. 17
Jerome Cahill, ’58 – Dec. 12
Melvin Spreitzer, ’64 – Dec. 13
John Collins, ’82 – Feb. 2
James McNulty, ’58 – Nov. 24
Jesse Hailey, ’69 – March 15
Kevin Mahoney, ’82 – Dec. 1
Terrence O'Toole, ’59 – Jan. 7
John Lawrence, ’69 – Feb. 9
Sylvester Temaat, ’83 – Nov. 13
Genaro Rangel, ’59 – Dec. 15
Mike McEvoy, ’69 – Jan. 29
Richard Ibarra Jr., ’84 – Feb. 16
Bill Cox, ’60 – Jan. 2
Thomas Owens, ’69 – Nov. 29
David Case, ’85 – Nov. 11
Anthony Giglione, ’60 – Jan. 21
Gary Dodson, ’70 – Dec. 27
James McCartney, ’85 – Dec. 7
William Kelly, ’60 – Nov. 28
Donald James Jr., ’70 – Jan. 1
Carl Werkowitch, ’85 – Dec. 15
Vincent O'Brien, ’60 – Nov. 28
Harry Adamson Jr., ’71 – April 3
Lisa Maul, ’86 – Feb. 9
Thomas Ortman, ’60 – Dec. 19
Gregory Neylon, ’71 – Jan. 31
Patricia Snowden, ’91 – Nov. 28
Anthony Pace, ’60 – Dec. 13
Michael Scrutchfield, ’71 – March 10
Mary Martz, ’96 – Oct. 21
John Curry, ’61 – Dec. 3
Reggie Thorpe, ’71 – April 11
Nicholas Giarraffa, ’06 – Jan. 19
Peter Donnici, ’61 – Jan. 18
George Cerny, ’72 – Jan. 7
Constant Poirier, ’08 – Jan. 23
Duane Ford, ’61 – Dec. 19
Harry Nelson Jr., ’72 – Jan. 16
Michael Hays, ’61 – Jan. 24
Michael Bowen, ’73 – Jan. 19
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: ERIN BAER, ’05
Alumna Is On a Mission to Empower Survivors of Domestic Abuse
Erin Baer, ’05
“I now know that it is my life’s purpose to give courage, empowerment and hope to others impacted by domestic abuse by sharing my story.” —Erin Baer, ’05
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HIRE A HAWK
SPRING 2021
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hen Erin Baer, ’05, first heard stories shared as part of the #MeToo movement, she realized that she had a story to share, too. So, she opened up her computer and started writing.
What came out was From Beaten to Badass, Baer’s personal memoir of her triumph over an abusive relationship that led her to become a competitive body builder, and eventually her own hero. It was a book Baer felt called to write. “God doesn’t put us through battles we can’t fight, and sometimes those battles aren’t meant for us, they are meant for others,” said Baer. “I now know that it is my life’s purpose to give courage, empowerment and hope to others impacted by domestic abuse by sharing my story.” As a child who was a victim of bullying, Baer found solace in playing golf — something she has a natural talent for. She entered Rockhurst on a golf scholarship and played for four years as an RU Hawk. In her book, Erin speaks about the impact her time at Rockhurst had on her personal journey and gives a special shout out to Coach Capra, as well as Elbert Darden, Ph.D., who acted as her counselor and mentor. “Those two men were monumental in my realizing that I had potential,” Baer said. That potential has grown into a life’s mission of empowering other survivors of domestic abuse. Published in October 2019, From Beaten to Badass is now in 525 shelters throughout the country. Baer has a goal to expand that number to more than 1,000 in 2021 and aims to eventually hit 100% of shelters nationwide. Baer is a best-selling author in Amazon’s Sexual Abuse and Golf Biographies categories.
rockhurst.edu/hireahawk Looking for the perfect addition to your team? Contact Rockhurst University’s Career Services to connect with RU alumni and students looking to start their careers and secure internships.
FOR ALUMNI
EVERYDAY LEADERS Boy’s Legacy Lives Through Family’s Foundation
“Every child needs a smile.” —Slogan for the Live Like Luke Foundation.
Luke Bresette
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uke Bresette was the perfect middle child, says his father, Ryan Bresette, ’95. He was always smiling, even when he got into trouble.
Although Luke’s life was cut short at 10 years old, the Bresette family is passing along that smile to other children and, in so doing, ensuring Luke’s memory will live on. Following his tragic death in 2013 when a heavy flight information sign fell on him and other family members in the Birmingham, Alabama, airport, they created the Live Like Luke Foundation. Ryan Bresette says the foundation’s slogan is “Every child needs a smile” because when a child is smiling, they are confident and that brings success. One focus of Live Like Luke is enrichment activities. The foundation has sponsored baseball teams through the Boys and Girls Clubs’ RBI program, a football camp for underserved kids, and swim lessons through Operation Breakthrough. Over the past six years, they have reached more than 750 children.
Because the Bresette children wanted to help kids with terminal illnesses enjoy time with their family, Live Like Luke also partners with other organizations to sponsor wishes. In February, they played a part in sending a 21-year-old with a form of brain cancer to the Super Bowl with his father. When tragedy struck in Birmingham, Ryan says people from there to Kansas City reached out to help the family while his wife and son remained in the hospital. To honor their kindness, the third major focus of Live Like Luke is tragedy assistance. It may be financial assistance or emotional support, Ryan says. They have helped with funeral costs and allowed families to spend time together in a relaxing setting, just having fun. So, how did Luke Bresette live? “He lived life to the fullest each and every day,” says Ryan. “When he put his head on the pillow every night, he had no regrets. He worked hard and he played hard.”
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IN CLOSING
Out of Suffering, Empathy Brings Healing BY NICHOLAS BADER, ’18
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s a third-year medical student, I have experienced a broad spectrum of moments that can define a human life. I have held a newborn in my hands as we invited the father to cut the umbilical cord. I have assisted in surgery to remove someone’s cancer. Despite these joys, I also encounter individuals whose depth of suffering and struggles I simply cannot fully comprehend. It is in these moments that empathy — a central tenet of “cura personalis”— is the best healing one can provide another. Now, what does it actually mean to be empathetic? Looking to the ancient Greeks for the origin of the word, we find that “empatheia” can be translated quite literally as “in physical passion or suffering.” Even today, empathy is most often used in the context of suffering. My friend Merriam-Webster defines empathy as “vicariously experiencing the feelings of another.” At one point in time, I thought this meant to be truly empathetic one must have experienced that same feeling in a similar context. For example, to be able to empathize with someone who is homeless, you yourself must have experienced homelessness in your life. However, my time with patients has led me to believe that this is not true.
Nicholas Bader, ’18
As humans, we all undoubtedly experience loss, pain and anguish in our lives. This common thread allows us to connect empathetically when we see another person going through a difficult time. If in these moments we recognize that we will never know everything about that person which has brought them to this moment of their life, then we free ourselves to bring more healing to them. We can let go judgment, biases and pity that may prevent us from completely embracing their suffering. Our empathy lets them know that despite our inability to have their exact same experience, we choose to love them — and from that love, the deepest of wounds can begin to heal. Nick Bader, ’18, earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and physics of medicine and a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Rockhurst University. He is in his third year at the Georgetown University School of Medicine, where he serves as class vice president and advocates for expanded health care access.
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SPRING 2021
TIME AND PLACE
FRIDAY, APRIL 16, ARRUPE HALL AUDITORIUM Rockhurst University students commemorate the 58th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” with spoken word and musical performances.
E V SHA ! E T A D E
Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID
1100 Rockhurst Road Kansas City, MO 64110-2561
Kansas City, M0. Permit No. 782
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SEPT. 16-19, 2021
JOIN US FOR THE BEST
FAMILY & ALUMNI WEEKEND YET! This year, more than ever, we can’t wait to join as a Rockhurst community for Hawks soccer, the Hopkins Skip & Run 5K, reunions, new campus building tours, and more. Learn more at rockhurst.edu/weekend.* *All events are subject to change due to COVID-19 guidelines. Continue to check our website for updates.
