STEM Stuff Rocks • State Legislative Internship • SMUniverse
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saint martin’s university summer 2015
4 EDITORS Genevieve Canceko Chan Meg Nugent Dwyer CREATIVE DIRECTOR Marki Carson PRINTING Capitol City Press CONTRIBUTORS Ann Adams Chantal Arevalo ‘17 Deanna Bourgault Genevieve Canceko Chan Erik Hanberg Katie Hawkins ‘11 Roy F. Heynderickx, Ph.D. Mary Holste Brother Boniface Lazzari, O.S.B. Megan Lobdell Father Kilian Malvey, O.S.B., ‘64 Deanna Partlow Connor Stakelin ‘18 Christine Towey ‘16 Katie Wojke
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PHOTOGRAPHERS Aaron Barna Shauna Bittle Cassidy Rehwaldt Joseph Saladino Amy Vining
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Soaring
Six SMU students intern at the State Legislature
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STEM Stuff Rocks
Science and engineering students team up with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Thurston County
Insights is the official magazine of Saint Martin’s University. ©2015 All rights reserved. We invite your comments and suggestions. Please email them to gchan@stmartin.edu.
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Please send alumni news and address changes to: Institutional Advancement, 5000 Abbey Way SE, Lacey, WA 98503; telephone 360-491-4700; email alumni@stmartin.edu.
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Where creative juices flow
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The One-Woman International Welcome Wagon Graduate engineering student builds bridges between people
Mikel Smith A bumpy past makes for a smooth approach to Nationals
DEPARTMENTS Saint Martin’s University is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Visit us online at www.stmartin.edu.
3 President’s Greeting 22 In Their Own Words
26 Alumna Profile 28 Abbey News 32 Benedictine Institute
33 Campus News and Events 39 Events Calendar 40 Timeline 46 Athletics 50 Alum Notes
from the office of the
PRESIDENT
At Saint Martin’s, the Benedictine values of “stewardship” and “hospitality” go hand in hand. To extend “warmth, acceptance and joy in welcoming others” is to foster an “appreciation and care” for all of the resources and members of our community — faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, friends and, especially, students. This past spring, Saint Martin’s saw the largest number of applications for new students in the university’s history. This year’s incoming freshman class numbers will exceed those from the past two years. We anxiously await the arrival of the newest Saints, ready to welcome them into the Saint Martin’s family. As mentioned in our last issue, we have been hard at work as a community putting together our fiveyear strategic plan that will guide Saint Martin’s to the next level of excellence. This plan reaffirms our commitment to student-centeredness and student success, focusing on three imperatives: forge a distinctive Catholic, Benedictine experience; enhance our academic excellence; and cultivate an engaged diverse, global and inclusive community. We will share details of this plan in the next Insights. Our focus on students is influenced by those values of stewardship and hospitality. And this issue is dedicated to those themes. We see “stewardship” in Saint Martin’s students interning with the state legislature, learning about advocating for others; science students taking on the role of teachers and mentors, organizing STEM workshops for regional youth; and our Benedictine scholars, restoring artwork for our Stations of the Cross. We also have student stories affirming how Saint Martin’s “hospitality,” its call for engaging others, has shaped not only their college experience but their perspective on life. Our mission to educate our students, to help them grow academically, spiritually, and personally, is blessed by the support of many and we thank you for your help! We hope you have a great summer and look forward to seeing you in the fall.
Roy F. Heynderickx, Ph.D. President @SMUPresident
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Soar
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ring by Deanna Partlow
If you must walk before you can run, what must you do before you fly? At first, you stand on the edge of the nest. You hop and your wings spread a little. Then slowly, surely, you spread them further and flap harder, catching the wind. With practice, you learn and soon you are soaring. But mastering the skill does take time — 150 days worth, in the case of six young Saint Martin’s University students embedded last spring with the Washington State Legislature as interns under the Washington State Legislative Internship Program. The students — all juniors and seniors, all women — spread their wings in what is considered one of the most demanding and coveted internship experiences in the state. Having a front-row seat to power, government and politics has matured them and, in some cases, altered the trajectory of their lives. They have a clearer understanding of themselves, of how the real world works and where the two might intersect. “Washington’s legislative internship program is probably the most highly regarded nationally and has served as a model for other states,” says Roger Snider, associate professor of history and political science, and Saint Martin’s coordinator for the program. “It gives students an opportunity to see their democracy in action and, at some level, be a participant in that process. So, from the standpoint of both a student-scholar and a citizen, it enriches their development.” The program had its start in the 1950s under prominent University of Washington political scientist Hugh Bone;
Saint Martin’s became involved around 1970, Snider says. That Saint Martin’s snagged six of the 73 internship spots (four in the senate; two in the House) in 2015 is a school record — and a welcome surprise, since students applied independently of each other. Since political savvy is not a prerequisite, students from all disciplines apply and find the internship highly relevant and useful, Snider says. Senior Jaime Rosenberg, a double-major in English and legal studies who plans to study law, agrees. “Up until the internship, I was not all that in touch with politics. But seeing how a bill becomes a law, seeing the law used and seeing it implemented into the system has been a huge learning experience for me.” Senior Lauren Flynn-Burbage, a House intern, majors in political science. But as she points out, “It’s encouraging that interns come from different academic backgrounds because a lot of legislators don’t have a social science background. I think it makes for a more effective legislature because they’re all specialized in different areas and know what to do to help various agencies.” Way back in her freshman year, Rosenberg heard Emily McCartan and Paula Rehwaldt, the Senate and House internship coordinators, give a presentation in class. She started planning to apply, and last fall, worked for months on her application with Ann Adams, the University’s director of career development. The payoff was landing an internship with Senate Majority Leader Linda Evans Parlette, a Republican for the 12th District, centered in Wenatchee.
Lifting off ★
★ ★
Nothing — not even taking political science courses — prepared students for the grueling realities of the internship, itself. The six young women — poised, professionally dressed and confident — make Wonder Woman look like a sissy as they explain what their days were like and how the internship changed the architecture of their lives. Their internships began with orientation, a three-day crash course that covered everything from how bills become laws to legislative research and ethics, not to mention proper workplace decorum and phone etiquette. Under the program, interns are assigned to a legislator — sometimes more than one — and they become paid, full-time staff members for the legislative session. They also earn academic credit. Their work in legislative offices is served up with side dishes of seminars, workshops and discussions with public officials, lobbyists and others who
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form the political process. Learning opportunities spill over into the evenings and weekends for interns willing and able to take advantage of them. Most try. Lakewood senior Maria Villalpando-Ramos, a political science major, says, “Coming into it, I felt so dumb. I didn’t understand the whole process, so I just tried to listen and the legislative assistants helped me and gave me lots of advice.”
“The first days, the pace was hectic,” says Rosenberg. “Adjusting and learning to be a help and not a burden was hard. It took about two weeks to figure out the routine. You also have to get the office dynamics and learn how to read your senator.” Most difficult, though, was balancing competing demands. Like circus jugglers, the six interns had to fit in a thousand responsibilities — legislative and university — each day, never quite certain what the day would bring or when it would end. Several also were finishing senior research papers. One — Rosenberg — was chronicling the experience in a blog (www.jaimesmu.wordpress.com). One of the loneliest items in Nicolle Saucedo’s possession during her time as an intern was her Saint Martin’s dining card. Saucedo, one of the youngest interns at just 19, wanted to use it, but meals just didn’t work out. It was her first year at Saint Martin’s, where, by virtue of Washington’s Running Start Program, she compiled enough college credits during high school to enter the University as a junior. As an intern, she arrived by 8 a.m. at the domed State Legislative Building, where she worked for state Sen. Bob Hasegawa, D-11th District. If things went smoothly, she was out the door at 5 p.m., in time to reach her 6 p.m. class on campus. “My senator is on the Rules Committee and the Ways and Means Committee, and he’s the ranking minority party member on the Commerce and Labor Committee. So, because of all the extra committee assignments, I stayed late when I could,” she says. As a Saint Martin’s Benedictine Scholar and member of the Norcia Leadership Community, Saucedo had other obligations during the week at the University. Then, there’s her weekend job as a barista. Despite the craziness, Saucedo laughs. She wouldn’t have traded the internship for anything, notwithstanding the fact she dislikes politics, she says.
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“I have no clue how this internship is going to fit into my career plan but I love helping people,” she says. “I love working with children and migrants. I’m thinking about a master’s degree in public administration – something that I can use directly helping people. But the internship is still an amazing opportunity and I’m glad I did it. I’ll understand how things work a lot more because I’ve learned it hands-on.”
Darting ★
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Villalpando-Ramos found the pace exhilarating — once she adjusted to it. “I think it is one of those environments where you learn by being uncomfortable. At the same time, you get a lot of support. The legislative assistants are there to explain the processes and help you.” She and Flynn-Burbage each worked for two House members. In March, when interns from schools with a quarterly system went home, Flynn-Burbage was assigned a third one. Legislators all have their distinctive office procedures and Flynn-Burbage became a master at multitasking. No matter whose office they were in, though, the job was demanding. All six interns learned to track bills, track constituent opinion on bills and respond to constituents. They researched bills and policies, and attended meetings, hearings and functions. It is detail-oriented and sometimes tedious work. “I had 300 topics on a constituent-tracking Excel spreadsheet,” Saucedo explains. “Whenever someone emailed or phoned or came in, I tracked whether they were for or against the issues and I replied to them.” Jeaqualyn Borgonia, a Port Orchard junior who is majoring in political science and planning a legal career, says she organized lots of meetings. When her legislator was unavailable, she met with various groups, herself, to hear their concerns. So, while the work demands thoroughness, Flynn-Burbage and Borgonia say it is relevant and important because it guides their legislators’ decisions for the people they serve. It also has helped them see the direct ramifications of issues on people and hear opinions from different perspectives.
Hovering ★
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It comes as no surprise to anyone familiar with Saint Martin’s students that a favorite activity of all six interns was helping constituents solve problems, a skill they’ll carry with them forever.
“Casework” — troubleshooting problems for people — was a large part of Flynn-Burbage’s workload. Pursuing solutions means researching and talking with people at various state agencies. It has been gratifying to learn where to turn to help unsnarl a predicament, she says. She was able to help one woman who needed a stair-lift in order to stay in her home which the woman could neither pay for it nor find benefits to cover the costs. Flynn-Burbage started placing phone calls and finally found funding for her. “It can be the best part of your day,” she says. Borgonia says, “It can also be the saddest part of your day, especially if you want to help someone and you exhaust all options and have to tell them, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you’.”
Saint Martin's six legistlative interns, left to right: Maria Villalpando-Ramos, Jaime Rosenberg, Jeaqualyn Borgonia, Lauren Flynn-Burbage, Nicolle Saucedo and Clarissa Strayer
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Aloft ★
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The internship has provided a gift in the form of developing strong professional and personal networks, which promise to be priceless as the interns begin careers or grad school. Rosenberg experienced this gift first-hand when the connections she made during her legislative internship in Washington state helped her land a summer internship in Washington, D.C., working for Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, the Republican U.S. representative for Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. “The chief of staff for the Majority Coalition Caucus in Washington state, Jim Troyer, who also happens to work in the office right next to mine, called Congresswoman Beutler’s office chief of staff after I called their office to see if anything was available,” says Rosenberg. “I was scheduled for a phone interview the next day and received my acceptance email the following morning. I’m really excited!” The interns also speak of a sense of camaraderie, of coworkers who seem to value them despite their youth and inexperience — people who have guided them, supported them and welcomed them as part of the team. Villalpando-Ramos, who ultimately “would love to be a Supreme Court judge,” says a landmark occasion for her was meeting and talking informally with justices of the Washington Supreme Court at a reception. “It was a bonding time and definitely one of the most memorable experiences,” she says. “All these networking opportunities come up in the after-hours. It’s like magic — everyone gives you business cards. I have a whole stack of them.” A highlight for everyone was a mock debate on the Senate floor. The interns assumed the role of legislators, sitting at their desks and speaking for constituents of the districts they “represented” on a bill that had previously been scuttled by the real legislature. Up front stood Lt. Gov. Brad Owens, the Senate president, controlling the debate, offering advice and warning of possible ethics violations. (Maybe he took note when someone hauled in cupcakes as bribes for vote-switchers.) The simulation was the last step in a procedure that had included researching bills, holding mock committee hearings and listening to advocates, party leadership and policy wonks — all the usual legislative trappings. Students drafted amendments, huddled in whispered negotiations and tried to do the bidding of both their constituents and party leadership before the final vote.
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Legislative intern Maria Villalpando-Ramos, right, takes time out of a busy day for a photo with State Rep. Ruth Kagi, D-32nd Legislative District.
While Rosenberg is a left-leaning Democrat from the even lefter-leaning state of Hawaii, she chose to represent the views of right-leaning constituents in an Eastern Washington district, an exercise that stretched her mind and put her in touch with other viewpoints. “I’ve always thought about running for office,” Rosenberg says. “But I’ve seen the impact a single vote has on a lot of people, and when you can see both sides, you think, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m changing someone’s life’ — that’s scary for me. It’s definitely a power thing.” Says Borgonia, “Some people learn differently … here, you get to not only read about it, but also see how it is going through the process. It gives you a lot more insight than books can give you. Meeting people, getting immersed in a professional atmosphere and networking is a good thing. I think the connections you make are great.” u
“Clarissa has an abiding commitment to improving the environment, enhancing the practice of citizenship and the creation of a more open and just society. She thinks about the future and the welfare of others, especially those with less resources and power.” — Roger Snider Associate professor of history/political science
The Significance of Internships —
On the road to becoming a person of value Leave it to a genius to sum things up. "Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value," Albert Einstein said. Senior Clarissa Strayer is working on it. One of six Saint Martin’s University women who completed an internship with the Washington State Legislature this spring, she uses these adjectives to describe herself: “high energy,” “interested,” “lucky.” Her professors – her mentors – describe her with adjectives of their own: bright, articulate, hardworking and caring. They are proud of her; they say she gives them hope for the future. She is lucky number 7 on the women’s soccer team — also team captain. She is managing editor of the University’s
newspaper, The Belltower, a Norcia Leadership mentor and lots of other things at Saint Martin’s. But while she loves these activities, she yearns for knowledge the way other people crave chocolate; she wants to improve the world as much as an overworked muscle wants a massage. As she approaches graduation with a major in political science, she is also altering her life’s course, the upshot of two “invaluable” internships. Strayer, from Bothell, was clear about her future when she entered Saint Martin’s. She wanted to become a lawyer, maybe a death row defense attorney. In preparation, she interned with a municipal court prosecutor and assistant city attorney in nearby Des Moines after graduating high school. (Continued on following page)
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“I just want to get a taste of everything,” says Strayer. “I want to take advantage of every opportunity here.” But last summer, Strayer interned with the King County Council working for Councilmember Joe McDermott, an experience that presented fresh possibilities. Her legislative internship has continued to open doors that beckon. “I’ve shifted from law to politics as a result of them. It’s not a loss of interest, but a shift of direction, and who knows if that would have occurred if I hadn’t done these internships.” Since her internships, she’s aiming for a job in public policy or with a non-profit in environment, labor, domestic violence or women’s rights, areas she says she feels passionately about. “I see a master’s degree in public administration, or maybe urban planning,” she says of her future. “But I have to be open to the possibilities because I’m 21 and just graduating.” Assistant Professor of history Aaron Goings, Ph.D., a Saint Martin’s graduate and former legislative intern himself, says, “She is committed toward working for the public good and on issues of social justice.” He and his colleagues are excited to read her thesis, which she has spent two years researching.
Among her favorite duties is responding to concerns of constituents, which often means answering their questions by researching or contacting sources at state agencies who may have relevant information. Staff members often can point her in the right direction, but Strayer makes the calls, gathers the facts and contacts the constituent with a response. “I’ve been really lucky because Sen. Fraser lets me be so involved,” she says. “I get to call anyone. I’m learning as I go, through trial and error, and asking questions constantly.” “I’m included in meetings with constituent groups like those working on housing issues and labor issues, and I’ve learned so much from all these people. Sen. Fraser jokes that I learn at least 50 new things a day. I think that part of it has been really valuable for me — I’ve been really lucky.” She quickly learned that politics bears little resemblance to the game it appears to be in books, movies and TV shows; it’s a responsibility. At the heart of it all are real people with real lives that are affected by the outcome of what happens in the legislature’s marbled halls and hearing rooms, Strayer says.
Last spring, Strayer received the Father Jerome Toner, O.S.B., Award for outstanding contributions to the theory and practice of social justice and labor issues.
Evening and weekend activities? They offer invaluable opportunities to learn. “I like to have a lot on my plate so I can just power through. I’ve never been someone capable of relaxing,” she says.
In her legislative internship, she has discovered new tools for doing just that. “I love what I’m doing here. I love the energy of this place,” she says.
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Strayer landed an internship in the office of Sen. Karen Fraser, D-Thurston County, the Democratic Caucus chair, a development Strayer considers “lucky” because the office fairly seethes with activity.
The thesis, “Promoting Green Collar Jobs in the 21st Century: An Analysis of Labor and Environmental Coalitions,” delves into organizations that “allow for respectful, productive dialogue to take place between labor and environmental interests, while taking action to combat climate change,” she explains.
“Clarissa has an abiding commitment to improving the environment, enhancing the practice of citizenship and the creation of a more open and just society,” says Roger Snider, associate professor of history/political science. “She thinks about the future and the welfare of others, especially those with less resources and power.”
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“This place” is the state legislative building, and the energy is supplied by a parade of state legislators, lobbyists, analysts, journalists and others who are hashing out the state’s future direction at the legislative session.
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In early March, she traveled with other interns to Victoria, B.C., to observe a parliamentary session and how it works. She and other interns also took part in a mock senate debate. She also attended a forum on human trafficking, where she learned about the issue from the perspective of prosecutors, human rights advocates, a former congresswoman and victims themselves.
All those stories and ideas coming together “were incredible,” she says. “Being here, you’re the first to know about this,” she says. “It was phenomenal, inspirational — there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.” She calls the internship a crash course for “whatever you want to pursue or think you want to pursue in life. Sometimes if you’re researching a topic in a book, you just see the positive aspects and the highlights. You don’t get a full picture. Here, you learn from everyone, and I think you begin to see the intricacies of whatever organization or process you’re in.” Strayer says some of the talented, dedicated people she’s met at the legislature and in government are already becoming part of the network that will help her move forward as she begins a career. An unexpected windfall is the relationships she has had with other interns.
United by their interest in the political process and making change happen, the 73 interns share a lot in common, regardless of their major or whether they are conservative, liberal or elsewhere on the spectrum. They are learning from each other and growing together, Strayer says. “A lot of us are good friends. You have a high level of respect and regard for these people after two months —they’re all so smart, so driven.” The internship has been a highlight in her life — changed her life — and she’s totally open to the possibilities. “I just want to get a taste of everything. I want to take advantage of every opportunity here.” u
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by Deanna Partlow
Up on the second floor of Cebula Hall, the Saint Martin’s University building that houses most things engineering, students are dropping raw eggs from a window. Are they hooligans? NO! Are they engineering and science students? YES! And they’re busy helping young kids learn that science is fun!
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B
efore the egg drop begins, Justice, a visiting 10-year-old, is upstairs stuffing her egg in a baggie and packing it with a bazillion cotton balls. Her friend, Melissa, takes the masking-tape-and-bubble-wrap approach. Across the table, Rico Picone, Ph.D., assistant professor of mechanical engineering, winds layers of yarn around his egg, and here and there, a dozen more kids and Saint Martin’s students nest their eggs in a variety of protective materials before sealing them in baggies. Says Mike, a Saint Martin's engineering student, to Cora, another 10-year-old: “We’ve got the same idea. We’re smart! We are SO SMART!” She agrees. They’re onto something. The crowd hurries to the sidewalk below. A few engineering students stand at the window above, dropping eggs-in-baggies near their feet. Thud. SPLAT. Poof. (That’s Justice’s pillowy egg). SPLAT. SPLAT. As the last raw egg drops and begins oozing in its baggie, the count reveals just three unbroken eggs, among them the professor’s and Justice’s. She silently glows as everyone tells her she’s smarter than the average engineering student. Picone, who teaches courses like mechatronics and advises the University chapter of the Society for Women Engineers, points out the obvious: “Any time you are going to drop things off a building, you pretty much have a good time.” That’s true for the kids — these are members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Thurston County — and Picone’s engineering students, who are leading one of a series of workshops in science, technology, engineering and math (popularly called STEM subjects) for the visiting clubs. While everyone wants the children to learn and have a great time, they also hope the real takeaway of the day from these Science Exploration Workshops will be the seeds of an idea planted in young minds that the sciences are fun, not just something to study because you have to. “These programs show them that once they learn the fundamentals, there’s a whole world of curious amazement that awaits them,” says Fiona Kelly, vice president of the University’s Math Club.
Saint Martin's engineering students and Boys and Girls Club members test egg carriers off the side of Cebula Hall.
Given that the number of STEM jobs is expected to grow in the next few years at twice the rate of those in other areas, it’s easy to see why it’s never too early for kids — especially girls and minorities — to get hooked. Why girls and minorities? They are the “leaks” in what’s called the “leaky pipeline,” that tendency for girls and minorities to opt out of the sciences. The steady drip-dripdrip of attrition begins way back in middle school and extends through post-doctoral studies in the STEM areas. “If Einstein had been a woman back in the day, we probably wouldn’t have had Einstein,” says John Weiss, Ph.D., assistant professor of physics. He and a physics colleague, Assistant Professor Stephen Parker, Ph.D., are among the workshop advisors. “It makes you wonder what kind of great minds and what perspectives we are losing.” Another issue for girls and boys? Late-bloomers in the sciences are uncommon. Even if high school students want a career in a STEM field, those with inadequate preparation in math and science often find the learning curve too steep to overcome once they reach college, Weiss says. Sparking interest in science earlier in a child’s life is considered important enough that the national Boys & Girls Clubs of America took on the issue in a white paper last fall, urging their clubs to develop pathways for kids to explore STEM areas. Genevieve Canceko Chan, Saint Martin’s vice president of marketing and communications, and Katya Miltimore, development director for the Thurston County organization, saw the need as an opportunity. Saint Martin’s athletes and tutors already work with club members. Chan and Miltimore wanted to further strengthen the partnership and, in light of the white paper, decided to explore the possibility of a joint program in the sciences.
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At club headquarters, the staff was enthusiastic. At Saint Martin’s, Chan approached Aaron Coby, Ph.D., associate dean of the college of arts and sciences, and Arwyn Smalley, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry, to brainstorm. Faster than a speeding bullet, others got involved. Individual science students stepped up, as did the engineering societies and the Biology, Chemistry and Math clubs.
to a target downfield, an activity accompanied by shrieks, cheers and jumping up and down. Those in chemistry study light with a spectrometer. Those in biology examine pond water samples. There’s the egg drop, of course.
“Students were talking to other students and generating a lot of interest,” Chan said. “We all really liked the idea that Saint Martin’s students could make a difference and help other students in the immediate community.”
“Every single time a group has been told they have Math Club that day, they groan,” says Kelly. “I will tell you that, now, they are laughing almost as soon as they sit down and they really enjoy themselves.”
The Associated Students of Saint Martin’s University (ASSMU), the University’s student government, “was thrilled and has been incredibly supportive” in locating funding, says Kelly. The Office of the President also helped fund the workshops.
Kelly says she loves seeing the look on the children’s faces as they become more confident. “It’s so beautiful to watch it grow, that feeling of, ‘Hey, I’m in college and I can ask questions like I’m in college’.”
Each monthly Science Exploration Workshop is taught by University students and attended by some 40-50 kids from Thurston County’s four Boys and Girls Club sites. The kids, ages 8 to 14, are divided into smaller groups and rotate each month to a new area — biology, chemistry, physics, engineering or mathematics. In the physics workshop, teams adjust, aim and fire rockets to see who comes closest
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And there’s m-a-t-h.
Because math is more abstract, it often is the hardest sell, says Bonnie Amende, Ph.D., associate professor of math. “We’re trying to show them that math is useful, math is beautiful and math is everywhere, all around them … I hope it helps open up their minds and be creative in a different way. If one kid comes out of this with an appreciation of math, we can call it a success, although we’d like to have a few math converts.”
One activity is based on a YouTube clip on spirals from a series called “Doodling in Math Class.” The clip clues you in on a math concept, Fibonacci numbers, which sounds pretty scary but isn’t because “Fibonacci” is never mentioned. Instead, the clip reveals how the numbers are repeated in pinecones, seashells, flowers and throughout nature. Everyone thinks it’s pretty cool! That college students also think these activities are interesting makes an impression, says Picone. “They’re seeing our students and seeing how excited they are about engineering, and that they’re cool and smart and neat people. We’re broadening their world, and maybe they can imagine how science could fit into their future.” The workshops have another important benefit, says Joe Ingoglia, CEO of the Thurston County clubs. They bring children, many of them from disadvantaged backgrounds, onto a college campus, enabling them to see what college and college students look like.
“ When the time comes for them to think about college, it’s not so frightening and they say ‘I can do that!’” For their part, Saint Martin’s students are doing more than community service. They’re learning teaching skills as they devise curriculum and think about interesting ways to present lessons. They’re also enjoying the science, itself, without the pressures of the classroom, says Weiss. Math Club President Samantha Meek, who’s done everything from research content to write workshop lesson plans, says her biggest takeaway is realizing just how smart the kids are. “Every time we asked a question, they surprised us with their answers. The most rewarding experience is to be talking to the kids about what they want to do with their futures.” An unforeseen outcome has been the personal insights the interaction with younger students has given Saint Martin’s students. For example, Picone says a common question from the kids has been, “Why do you want to be an engineer?” Through the process of explaining their career choice and what they love about it, the older students are getting a renewed appreciation for their chosen field. It reinforces their life choice and renews their excitement about it, he says.
Saint Martin's students designed and led workshops in biology, chemistry, engineering, math and physics.
For Chan, all that’s good about the workshops boils down to a single memory: “When the kids were reconvening in Cebula Hall after a workshop for snacks and time together, I noticed the biology students crossing the field with the younger students. One of our students and one of the kids were talking animatedly. They seemed to be having a heart-toheart conversation — to be connecting on another whole level — and were so involved with each other. It was one of my favorite moments.” u
Besides, teaching is fun, says Picone. “When you get to be an expert in something, it’s just fun sharing it.”
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Over 40 kids from the four Boys and Girls Clubs of Thurston County possible future Saints, participated in the Science Exploration Workshops at Saint Martin's. Each kid received a special certificate from President Heynderickx for participating in the series.
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Thurston County high school students and Saint Martin's student mentors visited the L' Arche Farms where they received an orientation on the history and the purpose of the farm from L' Arche Farms manager and residents.
High School Juniors discover their inner leader On January 31, high school juniors from several Olympiaarea schools gathered at Saint Martin’s to take part in the first-ever Leadership Education Advancement Pathway — Benedictine Leaders Program. Informally dubbed “LEAP-IN BLP,” the day-long leadership summit introduced students to Saint Martin’s Benedictine Leaders Program, says Ann Adams, associate dean of students and director of career development. The leadership program promotes three main values that help students develop their own leadership philosophy: Listening, acting and reflecting. It places a particular emphasis on personal integrity and moral courage, focusing on Saint Martin’s core themes of faith, reason, service and community, which are rooted in the University's Benedictine values. At the summit, the students were paired with Saint Martin’s student mentors. They heard a keynote speaker, attended leadership workshops and also learned to create e-portfolios that will enable them to collect samples of their work to use for college applications. Many students also took part in a service project in February at L'Arche Farms. Students chosen to participate in both the event and service project became eligible for a $1,000 renewable scholarship if they later choose to enroll at the University after graduating, Adams said. Open to students of all faiths, the summit sought out students with an interest in leadership and/or service.
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CREATIVE JUICES FLOW INSIDE
SMUniverse by Erik Hanberg
On a Saturday afternoon this past February — a time when many college students take a well-deserved break from their studies — a small group of Saint Martin’s University students gathered in a classroom in Harned Hall with a full day of work ahead of them. Their immense task: to select the poetry, photography, prose and other expressive endeavors that will be published in the 2015 edition of SMUniverse, Saint Martin’s student-run, literary and artistic journal. “We can only choose about half of what was submitted,” said Brittany Blake ’16, SMUniverse co-editor and co-president. That meant the student review committee had to turn down as much work as it accepted — a daunting ratio for any student who submitted a visual or written piece for consideration.
Catherine Chapman, library associate, enjoys the creativity in the 2015 edition of SMUniverse during the release party in O'Grady Library.
During the marathon day of review, each member of the committee took a turn reading a piece out loud to the group while the latter followed along. After each reading, the committee would discuss it and share opinions. The students would eventually have to come to a consensus: in or out? With only so many pages available in the journal, even some favorite pieces had to be left out. Alyssa Hancock ’15 had a poem that successfully made the cut. The piece, “God’s Radio Station,” has an almost jaunty cadence to it and Hancock’s fresh imagery helps her theme come alive. “I was driving the car and listening to the radio, and wondering what it would be like if God had a radio station,” she said. “I thought of a psalm and the way God speaks to people through his creation.” A business management major, Hancock sees her poetry as an important outlet for her. “Things that are more artistic allow me to deal with the personal side,” she said. “It’s an open door to engage in something that’s emotion-based.” Her poetry was included in the 2014 SMUniverse, as well,
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marking the first time her poems had ever been published. “I was excited because I had never really shown anyone, other than my family, my poems. It felt nice to have SMUniverse accept them,” Hancock said. This chance for publication and recognition by students of all majors is exactly why SMUniverse exists, according to Associate Professor of English Jamie Olson, who serves as faculty advisor to the SMUniverse student team, along with Assistant Professor of English Julia Chavez. “A literary arts journal gives students encouragement to pursue creative work that is meaningful to them personally or spiritually, outside of the academic work they are assigned in class,” Olson said. “It’s important that the students who have their work published know that it’s gone through a review process and has been recognized by a group of students as being valuable,” he added. “Publication gives validation as a writer, or, as an artist, by their peers.” The journal is just three years old, but the idea of establishing a campus-based, literary arts publication is not new. “The entire English faculty had conversations with students
over the years who were interested in starting up a literary journal. One or two students would want to do it but it wouldn’t go anywhere,” says Olson. In 2013, the campus chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the international English Honors Society, took up the cause. The student members of the chapter manage the entire process of producing the journal. Work on SMUniverse begins well before the marathon review day with such tasks as issuing a call for submissions and holding fundraisers to pay for the journal. After the review day, the students collaborate with the printer and graphic designer to generate the physical publication, host a launch party with readings by the author and publish SMUniverse for the enjoyment of the entire Saint Martin’s community. When students published the first SMUniverse in 2013, they called it a “celebration of the creative talents of the Saint Martin’s University community, regardless of major or artistic medium.” The inclusiveness was important and the chapter has continued to push that definition of “community.” This year, the students focused on making the journal as open to the wider community as they could. In addition to art and literary contributions by Saint Martin’s students, this year’s SMUniverse includes three poems by Father Benedict Auer, O.S.B. Also published were works of fiction by a middle school student and a high school student, both from Lacey, thanks to a partnership with the Lacey Loves to Read Program. “Besides opening up SMUniverse to faculty, staff, monks and the greater community outside of Saint Martin’s, we're hoping to see international contributions for next year's journal,” Blake says. Blake has submitted her own work to the journal in the past but didn’t do so this year because her role as co-editor requires a lot of labor in shepherding the journal through to publication. To Blake, all the work is worth it. “SMUniverse brings the community together in a very intimate way,” she says. “Whether you're an artist, photographer or writer, these works stem from a very personal part of the self.” “Part of what it means to be human,” Blake adds, “is to have a creative outlet in order to express thoughts, feelings and experiences that are often too complicated to explore merely through conversation.” u
God’s Radio Station by Alyssa Hancock I heard the old story How light fell from Glory Then the Good-Evil battle began Man’s eyes turned From God to himself As he proposed his own kind of plan A pursuit of pleasure Temporary in measure He forgot about eternal worth And chased for himself Love, beauty, and wealth Disguised as a woman of mirth The bling and the blonde Like a magical wand Caught him hypnotized Took him all those years And buckets of tears Before he finally realized All of creation God’s radio station Speaking in rhythm His praise The rhythm of life The circle, the pride In following their Creator’s ways The pride in the lions The clouds and the kindness All from God’s gentle hand But he was so convinced He couldn’t get better than this He could never be more mistaken The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard
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by Deanna Partlow
I
’m late. Sitting at Starbuck’s waiting for me, Priyanka Gogineni chats with another young woman.
“A friend?” I ask as we sit down nearby. “Yes — someone I just met,” she beams and her dark eyes sparkle. “I don’t remember her name though.” As we talk, it becomes apparent that I’ve just seen a demonstration of her well-honed skills. Gogineni is a civil engineer. Some engineers create roads or dams; others construct tunnels or maybe docks and canals. But Gogineni is unique: She builds bridges between people, designs esprit de corps, maintains relationships and cements community. Less than a year after coming to Saint Martin’s University, she has a justly earned reputation for being a one-woman welcome wagon — even though recalling names is a challenge for her, she admits. Gogineni’s forte is weaving together the University’s growing population of international students, making them feel comfortable and at home with each other, and with the larger college community. Indeed, she seems to be the human embodiment of the Benedictine spirit of hospitality — a match made in heaven! “She is a tremendous asset to Saint Martin’s,”
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says International Student Services Coordinator Charles Wright, who counts himself among her friends. Her full name is Sai Priyanka Choudary Gogineni but she goes by Priyanka (pronounced Pre-yawn-ka). And her Saint Martin’s story actually began in her hometown of Hyderabad in Southern India. Having earned her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, she wanted to go abroad to complete her master’s. It must have been fate because of all the colleges in the world, her choice was Saint Martin’s. It was small, beautiful, with lots of trees and it had a master’s program in engineering management. Everything she wanted. A diligent student, Gogineni works at the Hal and Inge Marcus School of Engineering and the Office of Graduate Studies through graduate assistantships. At the latter, she helps recruit students from India and other U.S. universities. “She’s been great helping with recruiting … She’s been essential in our office to create a friendly face for our students,” says Bailey Craft, assistant director of graduate studies. Gogineni, 22, was not always so outgoing. When she was younger, her parents sent her away to boarding school to get a good education. She pined for her family, calling them at least once a day, begging to come home, she says. She cried — a lot. Her parents were concerned when she decided to travel some 7,800 miles away to further her education.
But when she arrived early last August, the intrepid Gogineni immediately began reaching out to people, says Wright. She struck up friendships with staff members in the Office of International Programs and Development, and when students arrived for fall semester, she bloomed.
Gogineni first arrived on campus but when Dhaliwal returned, she helped Gogineni learn how the University and graduate programs worked. When Dhaliwal finished her master’s in business and moved near Seattle, Gogineni missed her very much.
“She has a lightness about her and she brings that with her wherever she goes,” Wright says. “She has an ability to put a smile on everyone’s face.”
“I told her that now, it was her turn to show someone else the ropes,” Wright says.
Something in her character — maybe fearlessness — makes her reach out to other international students, even when reaching out doesn’t feel comfortable to her. Her opening gambit is usually to ask a question about something they are doing. The conversation progresses to life stories and soon, they’re doing things together, she says. “They teach me their own culture and traditions, and I’ve learned much about cultures and friendship.”
“Each person teaches me something because they have some talent or skill and they share it, and I’m so happy I have met them.” Craft says, “from the moment she came, she has been a leader in helping international students on campus.” Lots of times, international students can silo themselves; they can be justifiably shy. She’s a bridge for them.” Gogineni’s circle includes students from Korea, Japan, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, China, Vietnam, India, Pakistan and, of course, the United States. Her first friend was Shiori Tatsuta, a Japanese student Gogineni met after locking herself out of her room. Gogineni and Tatsuta began cooking each other dishes from their native countries. Then, the Brazilian students got involved – because Gogineni made sure everyone got acquainted. “I love meeting new people. I don’t know how I have this way, but we talk for five minutes and we become so close that we become good friends and feel like we’ve known each other for a very long time,” she says. She admits to feeling a little shy — sometimes. “Actually, out of 100 times, I may be shy one or two times. Sometimes, I am afraid to approach someone because I think they’re too shy or too proud. But I just go up to them and start talking,” Gogineni says. Wright says Gogineni had a “big sister” early on — fellow Indian student Simran Dhaliwal. She was away when
That someone became Sabihey Namazi, a Pakistani student. Wright thought Gogineni might enjoy meeting Namazi because she was friends with several Pakistani students in the Seattle area. He asked her to accompany him to the airport to welcome Namazi. The young women hit it off. Namazi arrived just before her birthday in early January but was going to be busy that day, Wright says. Gogineni, who is “big on celebrations,” procured a birthday cake. Later that night, she gathered all the Brazilian students and, at the stroke of midnight, they all knocked on Namazi’s door and surprised her with a party. Gogineni counts her “host” family, Don and Anne Marie Kopilai, of Lacey, among her closest friends. She has become part of their Sunday routine. She also spent Christmas with them, and while they couldn’t fulfill her wish for a “white Christmas,” she had fun stringing popcorn and singing carols. Getting an education is so important in India that it leaves little time to explore other interests, Gogineni says. She is now determined to soak up all the experiences she can. The six Kopilai children — who range in age from 25 to 13 – play musical instruments, something she’s been eager to learn. They’re now teaching her to play violin, piano and mandolin. Among her other American firsts: ice-skating — a hilarious experience because she fell down so often, she says — as well as bowling, knitting and working in the Saint Martin’s garden. Still on her to-do list is securing an American driver’s license. Gogineni hopes to land a U.S. internship after graduation and work here for a couple of years before returning home, where she may eventually take over her father’s construction business. When Gogineni does go home, she will carry with her suitcases full of memories, experiences and friendships. “Some people need encouragement,” she says, “but I want to live life to the fullest and learn all I can so I don’t have any regrets.” u
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in their own
WORDS
" Little Bit of Good " to do a
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by Chantal Arevalo ’17
hen I was a student at Olympia High School, Principal Matt Grant challenged me to think in a way I never thought I could. Mr. Grant was the advisor to our diversity club, S.T.A.N.D (Students Together Advocating Nonviolence and Diversity). He inspired me to not only see the injustices in our community but to critically think of solutions to overcome them.
I am also secretary of The Interfaith Movement, a campus club. Last summer, I and other club members, were given a huge opportunity to travel to Chicago to participate in interfaith leader Eboo Patel’s Interfaith Youth Conference. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, “We may all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat, now.”
On May 13, 2011, two years before I would graduate from Olympia High, a spark was lit within me that still burns today. On that special day, I was part of a group of students Mr. Grant invited to the Tacoma Dome to hear Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the South African social rights activist, speak.
This statement is the beginning of interfaith work. Once we foster relationships with those who are different from us, then we can create “common action for the common good.”
I remember a little man on stage, hunched over, speaking into a microphone. I stood there completely focused on his words. The archbishop said, “Do your little bit of good where you are — it’s those bits of good put together that will overwhelm the world.” I still have my ticket taped into my journal with that exact quote written underneath it. In that moment, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. After receiving a scholarship from the Thurston Group of Washington state’s Reach Out Program, I made a decision to make Saint Martin’s University the place where my next chapter would begin. Being a Catholic University in the Benedictine tradition, Saint Martin’s has four core values: Faith, Reason, Service and Community. I am not Catholic, yet these values are extremely important to my being. I strive to grow in my faith every day; I use reason to think critically about the society in which we live; I long to serve all of those around me and, in every community I am a part of, I hope to make a positive contribution. I am about to enter my junior year at Saint Martin’s and am involved in a variety of groups on campus. I work in the library. I am the secretary of the Latino Student Alliance and a mentor for AHANA Connections, a twoday orientation program for students of color.
I am a student service immersion leader. Several times throughout the semester, a group of students travels to Portland to serve those who are less fortunate. It is one example of where we try to do our “little bit of good.” Some of the people are homeless, some are mentally ill and others are on their way to a better life. The experiences I have had in Portland have taught me the importance of hospitality. The relationships I have built down there are extremely special. Through many conversations in Portland, I have learned the importance of resilience and hope. This inspires me to follow my dreams and to take advantage of the opportunities given to me. In the future, I wish to become a seventhgrade English teacher in a low-income school district. I want to give those students who may be living a more difficult life than most a way out. I want them to know that education is an extremely important tool, a tool that no one can take away from them, because there is always something to be learned. Dr. King said, “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.” Throughout my life, I’ve been challenged to think in this way. Mr. Grant challenged me. Saint Martin’s University continues to challenge me. And I would like to pass on the same challenge to my students. u
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in their own
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T
he community dinners embody Saint Martin’s University’s Benedictine values of community living, hospitality and stability. The community dinners are meant to replicate a tradition within our monastic community. By continuing the tradition of community dinners, we honor our Benedictine heritage,” says Janie Sacco, resident director for Housing and Residence Life, who oversees the weekly get-togethers. The Norcia community is one of many leadership opportunities that take place on our campus. First-year students who apply to live on the floor and get accepted are treated to a year of various leadership exercises and bonding experiences, including these dinners.
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The dinners are “fundatory,” meaning they are mandatory but fun events. While some absences are excused for school-related or family activities, the dinners are an important element of the moral and “family” feel of the Norcia Floor. The Norcia community is designed to connect Saint Martin’s emerging student leaders with first-year students committed to establishing their leadership on campus. Students are able to participate in service projects and retreats, leadership-oriented activities and community development programs. The amazing part is that while there is an application process and you must be accepted in order to live on the
Norcia Floor, anyone can be involved with the community and all are welcome at the dinners. In my opinion, the entire purpose of the Norcia community is to foster relationships and growth in students on our campus. It is also so nice that those who don’t live on the floor are still able to attend the Sunday dinners and build an even bigger community in our residence halls. What exactly happens during the Sunday dinners? Most of the time, they are filled with conversation, laughter and just unwinding from a busy week. The residents on the floor are able to come together and foster their relationships. I know, personally, that although everyone is so busy, it is such a great opportunity to sit down and enjoy time with each other before starting a new school week. Of course, enjoying the delicious food cooked each week is a plus, too. Each mentor group gets to choose what dish to make for dinner. During the week my mentor group cooked, we made “Tachos,” commonly known as tater tot nachos.
campus and serve those students who are passionate about becoming a campus leader. A common misconception of the Norcia Floor is that only our Benedictine Scholars reside there. The 10 Benedictine Scholars are required to live on the floor and take part in the community activities, but there are about as many Norcia residents who are not Benedictine Scholars. This blend of residents encourages a fantastic collaboration among students with many different interests and skills who are all focused on becoming better leaders at Saint Martin’s. The Norcia community is warm and welcoming for anyone with a passion for growing their leadership skills. These dinners truly are an amazing feature of our campus community that you will not find at every college. In my opinion, we are very fortunate to have this opportunity! u
Recently, one of our dinners featured a murder mystery activity that brought a ton of laughs and bonding with other residents. “From the dinners, I took away the importance of being present and enjoying the company of those whom I was surrounded by. After racing through my week going to classes, studying and participating in extracurricular activities, the Norcia dinners presented the opportunity for me to stop and live in the moment of being with what felt like extended family members,” says senior Constance Uribe of her experience as a first-year, Norcia Floor resident. Uribe, who is the Norcia community event coordinator, has also served as a mentor on the floor. For me, I have found the community dinners to be a great start to the week ahead. Although there are many other activities going on and it is sometimes hard to fit it into my schedule, it is such a rewarding experience for everyone to gather and enjoy the company of others on the floor. For many students, the Norcia community truly is their home away from home. While there are many other opportunities to become a leader on campus, the Norcia community is the perfect place to start and learn many crucial leadership skills. After residing on the Norcia floor during your first year, you can choose to apply to live on the floor again and serve as a mentor to first-year students. This is also a great opportunity to continue your leadership on
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alumna profile by Katie Hawkins ̓11
Tricia Leahy ’95 shares some of her life during and after Saint Martin’s with fellow alumna Katie Hawkins. Tricia Leahy wasn’t just the only female chemistry major in the class of ’95 at Saint Martin’s University. She was one of two chemistry majors. Period. Aside from some classes where there were a few biology students in attendance, many times it was just Leahy sharing classroom space with the other chemistry student and Associate Professor of Chemistry Darrel Axtell, Ph.D. Needless to say, skipping class was not an option — but perhaps that was part of the reason why Leahy had a rich college experience.
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Leahy came to Saint Martin’s originally to focus on biology, but after dissecting several animals, she changed her mind. She headed down to what some of us would call “the basement” of Old Main but what Axtell calls “the first floor,” where she was encouraged to hang out. “It definitely had a large part in creating who I am today,” says Leahy. She reflects on experiences she had at Saint Martin’s that wouldn’t have been possible at other, bigger schools — like getting a chance to fix a gas chromatograph when it was acting up. “In a larger school, you may observe someone using a piece of equipment, then write about it. But at Saint Martin’s, you were allowed to take it apart and put it back together, again. We felt like we got to play, but we were learning a lot more.” Leahy now channels that spirit while tackling her everyday activities as part of building what’s arguably the most delicious career for a person with a chemistry degree. As the owner of a candy shop in Portland, Hattie’s Sweet Shop, Leahy has put her chemistry knowledge to use in creating delicious treats. However, she didn’t immediately jump into self-employment right after graduation. She started out doing what she calls “straight bench chemistry”: batch testing at an analytic lab in Portland. It didn’t take long to figure out that wasn’t for her. She moved on to a chemical distributor, where she stayed for six years in various positions. At some point, she became disenchanted with the fact that the harder she worked, the more money someone else made. Her dissatisfaction fueled her drive to start her own business. In 2002, Leahy purchased her first shop, which she named after her grandmother, who used to make fudge and candy for Christmas. The shop she bought in Southwest Portland’s Multnomah Village already existed as a candy store, and she took it on with the intent to grow the business. For the first several years, she had one other employee, worked the counter herself, and made all the chocolate in-house. Due to demand, Leahy eventually had to start outsourcing. But she continues to concoct her own fudge. During the holiday season, she makes a batch three to four times per week: 40 pounds in a single batch — a five-hour process! Leahy is always creating new flavors and rotates between 50 staple tastes. Her chemistry background also comes in handy for analyzing shelf life, considering the moisture levels for
food texture and predicting what the weather may do to her product during shipping. Leahy has learned from trial and error how to choose a location for a flourishing candy store. She describes Multnomah Village as a small-town, authentic Portland pocket, where she has seen teenagers grow up who are now raising their own children. There is a toy store on the same street, and its a location where people often meander and window-shop. “The reason I like owning a candy store is because my demographic is huge: an age range of 1 to 101. Candy can be a gift purchase, a celebration, a thank-you, a holiday treat and even an ‘I-have-had-the-worst-day-and-I-need-achocolate’ purchase.” Leahy closed a second store in Fremont earlier this year and is boosting her online presence to sell her treats from her website, but plans to open more candy shops, maxing out between 10 and 12. Leahy knows which critical factors she needs to weigh while researching potential locations for her future stores. In her hunt for a neighborhood with candy-shop potential, she’ll even consider parking herself on a sidewalk for the day to observe people’s shopping habits. “Dr. Axtell always said to take a business class but I didn’t listen,” she chuckles. “I was naïve and fearless, and jumped in with both feet. I have my chemistry degree but also enough skills from my education to do what I’m doing. I have the confidence to get the skills I need. It never crossed my mind I couldn’t do something because it wasn’t part of my degree.” That is a quality common to Saint Martin’s graduates. “You go to Saint Martin’s because you don’t want to be a number at a big school,” Leahy says. “Everyone was intelligent and was there because they wanted an education, and wanted to do something more. We all learned that if it doesn’t work, try something different. It doesn’t mean you failed...” Although it took a few tries to find the right path at Saint Martin’s and in her career, Leahy found her true passion and is enjoying the sweet smell of success — and candy. u
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Abbey News
MonAsTic HapPeNings by Boniface V. Lazzari, O.S.B.
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n her poetry and prose, poet May Sarton expresses her great love of flowers. In one poem, she describes summer in terms of a time when flowers bloom in great abundance. For the late ABBOT DUNSTAN E. CURTIS, O.S.B., fifth abbot of Saint Martin’s Abbey, summer was incomplete without the celebration of Independence Day, which he always referred to as the “glorious fourth” — a time when the monastic community gathered together at Lambert Lodge on the Sound to celebrate. Our Pacific Northwest summers certainly are a time of abundant flowers and usually are glorious. They can be a time for respite from the ordinary, as well as a time for “catching up” or even a time to work on projects needing more time. Summer can also afford a few moments for reflecting on the seasons just past. The Abbey’s long-time prior, treasurer and director of fiscal affairs, FATHER ALFRED J. HULSCHER, O.S.B., suffered some serious health issues last fall. As a result, ABBOT NEAL G. ROTH, O.S.B., accepted FATHER ALFRED’S resignation from the several administrative positions that he had so capably filled for so many years. FATHER ALFRED is very much a detail person, and he used his considerable gifts on behalf of his community. His steady hand in many areas is sorely missed. During his professional life, FATHER ALFRED, who holds a degree in library science and is a certified counselor, worked as a counselor in the thenSaint Martin’s College; served as principal of Saint Martin’s High School; taught classes in our schools; and engaged in parochial work. At present, FATHER ALFRED must focus on his health needs. After consultation with the members of the monastic community, ABBOT NEAL appointed FATHER JUSTIN MC CREEDY, O.S.B., as the Abbey’s prior. At one time, FATHER JUSTIN taught Spanish in our High School. He later spent many years engaged in parochial and hospital ministries, most recently in Puyallup and Tacoma. In addition to his theological degree, FATHER JUSTIN successfully completed the certification process required of hospital chaplains. FATHER JUSTIN’S fluency in Spanish was an asset in his work as a chaplain. For the past several years, FATHER JUSTIN has been an elected member of the Saint Martin’s University Board of Trustees.
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Heartfelt thanks to FATHER ALFRED for his many years of service to the community and a warm welcome home to FATHER JUSTIN! Abbey philosopher and musician FATHER GEORGE SEIDEL, O.S.B., will enjoy an academic sabbatical during the 2015-2016 school year. He will divide his sabbatical year between California and Germany. During this time, FATHER GEORGE will center his work on Martin Heidegger’s “Gesamtausgabe”. FATHER GEORGE has long studied Heidegger, and he has published extensively on the man and his work. . . BROTHER LUKE DEVINE, O.S.B., who spent this past academic year in residence in Chicago, has received the welcome news that the Doctoral Council at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, has accepted his dissertation proposal. The next step for BROTHER LUKE is the writing of the dissertation, in which BROTHER LUKE is now engaged...FATHER PETER TYNAN heads up the Abbey’s vocation team. FATHER PETER also is a special collection librarian, works in the University’s Campus Ministry and takes on weekend parish assignments. During his “free time,” he can be seen playing disc golf on the campus course. . . FATHER MARION NGUYEN, O.S.B., and BROTHER MARTIN DE PORRES DINH, O.S.B., spent two weeks in June at St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison, Kansas. They attended the annual institute for junior monks, which is held at a different Benedictine monastery each year. FATHER MARION has recently returned from a year engaged in parochial work, on special loan to the Archdiocese of Seattle. BROTHER MARTIN is studying at Saint Martin’s University, has assignments within the Abbey and is an aficionado of the bonsai. . . Sub Prior and Postmaster BROTHER RAMON NEWELL has long been active in the sport of dragon boat racing. He is a founding member of the University’s team. This spring, his photo was featured prominently on a poster advertising the 10th annual Saint Martin’s University Dragon Boat Festival in Olympia. Warm wishes for a “glorious” summer of abundantly blooming flowers and of Pacific Northwest-like summer weather! May we all enjoy a glorious summer. During the summer months, the Pacific Northwest is surely one of the loveliest places to be. u
StaiNed GlAss rendering installed in Old Main by Boniface V. Lazzari, O.S.B. On Saturday, 21st March, the feast of the “Passing of Saint Benedict of Nursia”, a small group gathered to witness the formal installation and blessing of a stained- glass depiction of Saint Martin of Tours in equestrian pose by artist Simon Kogan. This work, purchased last summer by the Abbey’s Martin of Tours Collection of Pacific Northwest Art, was installed on the second floor of Old Main, next to Salvador Dali’s “Camelot Suite”. Speaking at the installation and blessing ceremonies were Brother Boniface V. Lazzari, O.S.B., curator of the collection; Simon Kogan, the artist; and Roy F. Heynderickx, Ph.D., University president. Abbot Neal G. Roth, O.S.B., who is also chancellor of Saint Martin’s University, blessed the work. A reception honoring the artist was held following the ceremonies in Old Main’s Maud Wren Room. Saint Martin of Tours is an original stained-glass piece designed by Kogan and executed by the artist and Bill Hillman, owner of Mansion Glass, in Olympia, in 2001. The work shows Saint Martin, dressed as a Roman soldier, astride a horse, dividing his great cloak with a beggar. It is said to have been revealed to Martin later, in a dream, that the beggar was Christ.
Our campus has two other representations of Saint Martin of Tours on public view. One, depicting the same equestrian scene, is a bas-relief at the Grand Staircase. This work was commissioned by the late Brother Hugh Evans, O.S.B., in the 1950s. In the Abbey Church, there is a wood carving of Saint Martin, this time portrayed as the Bishop of Tours. The work was carved by artist Bruno LaVerdiere, then known as Brother Bruno LaVerdiere, O.S.B., in the early 1960s. Much earlier, our Father Luke O’Donnell, O.S.B., wrote a monograph on the life of Saint Martin. The late Abbot Raphael Heider, O.S.B., had it printed on the Abbey’s printing press. For the Kogan work, a special L.E.D. light panel was custom-made in Southern California. The lights are said to have a lifetime of some 100,000 hours. Local craftsman Davis “Dusty” Knobel constructed the work’s light box and its frame. Knobel, a gifted craftsman, has several other works on campus. For further information about artist Simon Kogan and artisan “Dusty” Knobel, please check their respective websites: simonkogan.com and knobelwoodworks.com.
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Father Thaddeaus Raymond Arledge, O.S.B. (1927-2015) Fortified by the Sacraments of the Church, our dear confrere, Father Thaddaeus Raymond Arledge, O.S.B., passed to God on Wednesday of Easter Week, 8th April 2015, as a result of injuries sustained in a fall on Easter Sunday afternoon. Raymond Arledge was born to Thomas and Martha Ann (née Pohl) Arledge in South Prairie, Washington, on 7th July 1927. He was inducted into the Army Air Force in September 1945, and it was while stationed with the Army Air Force in Fairbanks, Alaska, in 1947 that he was received into the Roman Catholic Church. Young Raymond entered the monastic novitiate at Saint Martin’s on 10th July 1949, and the late Abbot Raphael Heider, O.S.B., received his first vows on 11th July 1950. Following the completion of his theological studies at Mount Angel Seminary, St. Benedict, Oregon, he was ordained to the priesthood by The Most Reverend Thomas A. Connolly, Archbishop of Seattle, on 19th May 1956. In 1952, Father Thaddaeus received a bachelor’s degree from Saint Martin’s College. He did graduate studies at St. Michael’s College, Toronto, Canada; the University of Hamburg, Germany; Saint John’s University, Collegeville; and the Monterey Institute of Foreign Studies, Monterey, California. During his professional life, Father Thaddaeus was engaged in both the field of education and parochial work. Father Thaddaeus was a German instructor, as well as a residence hall counselor, at Saint Martin’s College for many years; after his retirement to the Abbey, he occasionally acted as a Latin tutor, being an almost lifelong Latinist. He exercised his priesthood extensively in parishes in the archdiocese.
Portrait by Fitzgerald Photography, 2002
The interests of our late confrere were many. He possessed an inquiring mind. He was fluent in German. His earliest translation from German (unpublished) was a work on Christian art by a monk of Maria Laach, Germany. Father Thaddaeus’ unpublished Master’s thesis is titled: “Goethe und Pietismus” (1970). He also authored a book on his beloved Key Peninsula, “Early Days of Key Peninsula,” which was published in 1997. As a young monk, he was an avid block flute player.
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A short time before his untimely demise, a second degree was conducted in his honor by the J.T. Quigg Council of the Knights of Columbus, Elma, Washington, in recognition of Father Thaddaeus’ service to the Knights. Father Thaddaeus was a quiet, thoughtful man who liked nothing better than reading and researching in his much-loved German. He was someone one could discuss language structures with as easily as things spiritual. During his later years, he found walking great distances difficult. He “walked” the campus and sometimes beyond, in his own motorized cart as he continued to enjoy the natural beauties of his native state.
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May the angels lead him into Paradise!
Brother Lawrence Donald Vogel, O.S.B. (1935-2015) Brother Lawrence Donald Vogel, O.S.B., fortified by the Sacraments of the Church, passed to God early in the evening on the first day of May, 2015, following a brief illness. He was sustained in his final moments by the presence of friends and loved ones praying for his peace. His passing to God was as gentle as the life he lived. Donald Vogel, a twin son of Alvin Vogel and Maryrose Vogel, (née Jansen) was born in Crescent, Nebraska, on September 3rd, 1935. In 1964, while employed at a Weyerhauser sawmill in Everett, Washington, he was baptized a Roman Catholic. He was invested as a Benedictine novice on 12th June 1969, by The Right Reverend Gerald R. Desmond, O.S.B., Abbot, and made his simple vows on 13th June in the following year. Father Adrian J. Parcher, O.S.B., later sixth Abbot of Saint Martin’s, was his novice master. Donald took “Lawrence” as his name in religion. Brother Lawrence, as he was now known, worked in many areas. For some years, he was our campus postman. He was head of Plant and Grounds for many years following his stint as postman, and in these two positions got to be known to most of the campus community. Brother Lawrence was a skilled craftsman and enjoyed creating beautiful things from wood before and after his retirement. He had a liking for dogs and was involved in the care and keep of several dogs directly or indirectly affiliated with the campus. In spite of his naturally quiet nature, he was a people person and bonded with many an individual over coffee. Our late confrere was a man of prayer, a deeply spiritual individual. He had a strong devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and regularly spent quiet time praying in the Abbey Church’s Blessed Sacrament Chapel before the day’s first community Office. The daily recitation of all fifteen decades of the rosary was his regular practice for years. Brother Lawrence was known for his strong devotion to Mary, Mother of God. The Italian marble statue of Mary, which is a fixture in the Church’s rose garden, exists through his efforts; the concrete star base on which the statue rests is his handiwork. Brother Lawrence was a kind, gentle, sensitive individual. He was helpful to others, especially to the elderly. In case of a disagreement, he would most likely be the one to first offer the hand of peace. In addition to his religious community and his many dear friends, Brother Lawrence’s survivors include his twin sister, Donna Jean Vogel-Keen, his sister Rose Mary Vogel-Laxamana, nieces and grandnieces.
May the angels lead him into Paradise!
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Benedictine institute
Come Walk the way of the Cross by Father Kilian Malvey, O.S.B., ’64
O
ne of the first things a visitor to the Saint Martin’s University campus will notice as he or she ascends the last curve to the top of the hill and to Old Main will be several imposing, seven-foot, stone Stations of the Cross. These crosses are mostly hidden amongst the tall Douglas fir and the thick bracken undergrowth on either side of the road. The 14 stone Stations of the Cross have been standing, mostly unnoticed, surrounded by the back forest of the campus, for more than 68 years. The Stations of the Cross, also called the Way of the Cross, commemorates the Passion and Death of Jesus, with each of the 14 stations representing an event that occurred during Jesus’s passion and death at Calvary on Good Friday. Many centuries ago, the Stations were originally “walked” by Christian pilgrims who visited the Holy Land and the sites of Jesus’s final days on earth. The actual promotion of the devotion to the Stations began in earnest with the Franciscans, who were given custody of the Holy Places in the 1300s. During the time of the Crusades (1095 – 1270), this devotion became popular for pilgrims in the Holy Land to walk in the footsteps of Jesus to Calvary; from there, the devotion spread through most of Europe and, eventually, to the New World. At the first sight of the Saint Martin’s University Stations of the Cross, one cannot help but recall an awakening Rip Van Winkle after years of slumber. Many of the crosses are covered in a heavy coat of moss, sprouting Medusa-like ferns, with decaying, wood-carved inserts peeling and fading from years of neglect, while ivy winds its way intrusively around the bases of the structures. It was the second cohort of Benedictine Scholars who first noticed these elegant devotional, though neglected, art pieces and decided to undertake a program of restoration: to clean the stones, to restore to their original design the wooden insert images depicting Christ’s passion, to create connecting pathways between all 14 Stations and to provide narrative plaques for all who wish to pray the Way of the Cross. Under the leadership of students Matthew Jankovic and Anna Agloro, the project is the major contribution of Cohort II, with the assistance of local artist Barbara Marcoe. These Stations of the Cross were first designed by Andrew Saliga Studios of New York City in September of 1945. Then, they were constructed in March of 1947 with stone from the Walter Cut Stone Co. Inc., of Wilkeson, Washington. The restoration of these Stations of the Cross is one small, but important, aspect of the Benedictine Institute’s effort to recall the deeply spiritual values of the Benedictine character of Saint Martin's University. u All guests who come to the campus are most welcome to Walk the Way of the Cross, or visit these lovely works of art.
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The Mary Conley Law Endowed Scholarship Mary Conley Law, whose tireless support, encouragement, counsel and tough love helped guide numerous students to success during her more than 35 years as registrar at Saint Martin’s University, is being honored with the establishment of a scholarship endowment in her name. Athletics Director Bob Grisham announced the scholarship to the delight and surprise of the emeritus registrar as she sat in the audience along with the other attendees of the 2015 Athletics Hall of Fame/Hall of Honor 25th year celebration that was held Feb. 13 in the University’s Hal and Inge Marcus Pavilion. “For 37 years, Mary had played an integral role in shaping the lives of Saint Martin's students,” Grisham told the crowd. “She continues to support the Saints by attending university events, cheering on our student-athletes and keeping in touch with the many friends she made throughout her time on campus.” The beloved Law, who served as registrar from 1975 until her retirement in 2012, was often a force to be reckoned with from the sidelines of Saints basketball games, never hesitating to inform the referees when, in her eyes, they blew a call. Law later expressed her gratitude about the scholarship endowment via a posting on Facebook:
“ Thanks to all of you for the recognition and, most of all, the love. There were so many friends at the dinner, I don't know how I can let you know how much it meant. I love you all! Thanks to all of the athletes who were there and to those who gave me so much to cheer for and about.” The purpose of the Mary Conley Law scholarship is to provide tuition assistance beyond their regular financial aid package to upper-class students who may need that support to remain in school to finish their degree. Each Law Scholarship is to be made to a junior or senior student who has completed at least one academic year at Saint Martin’s University and who may need additional tuition funding to stay in school to finish degree requirements. The award is to be made by the Saint Martin’s University Office of Financial Aid over and above the financial aid package given to the recipient under federal guidelines, not as a substitute for those funds.
The Mary Conley Law Endowed Scholarship The Saint Martin’s University Office of Institutional Advancement is accepting donations to grow the scholarship endowment. For more information or to make a donation, please contact Katie Wojke, assistant vice president of Institutional Advancement, at 360-438-4485 or kwojke@stmartin.edu.
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Cecilia Loveless is our new leader of Institutional Advancement Saint Martin’s University welcomed Cecilia Loveless as the new Vice President of Institutional Advancement on March 1. She has 18 years of experience in higher education, including more than 10 years in fundraising and administration. As the vice president for planning and college advancement at South Puget Sound Community College, Loveless established a strong fundraising plan, significantly growing the college’s endowments, rebranding the college’s fundraising event and increasing event revenue by 400 percent. In addition, Loveless led the College through the final stages of its strategic plan and recent accreditation visit from the Northwest Commission on Community Colleges and Universities.
“ We are very pleased to have Cecelia join Saint Martin̓s. She is the right leader for this important, strategic role for the University,” says President Roy F. Heynderickx, Ph.D. In her new role, Loveless serves as the chief fundraiser for the University. Her responsibilities include administration of the Office of Institutional Advancement, management of the University’s development efforts and oversight of all alumni, parent and donor relations. “The students and alumni are so passionate about what they get out of Saint Martin’s and that inspires me to work hard for the University,” says Loveless. “Saint Martin’s is known for its values-based education and that is one of the reasons I am so honored to be a part of this team.” “During my time at South Puget Sound Community College, I witnessed a lot of SPSCC first-generation students continuing with their studies at Saint Martin’s,” she adds. “Because of that, I realized that coming here to continue my support of providing access to higher education was a natural pathway for me, personally and professionally.”
Welcome, SIGMA BETA DELTA A charter for the establishment of a Sigma Beta Delta chapter at Saint Martin’s University was granted April 22. Sigma Beta Delta is a national honor society for students studying business, management and administration. The main purpose of an SBD chapter at Saint Martin's will be to encourage and reward academic excellence and stewardship in the community. Co-Founding chapter Presidents Anthony Fenner, MBA May 2016, and Nicole Phillips, MBA May 2016, were inducted into the chapter on April 22, along with School of Business Dean Richard Beer, Ph.D., and business faculty members Diane Bingaman, Donald Conant, Ph.D., Wendy Fraser, Ph.D., Heather Grob, Ph.D., and Donald Stout. The Sigma Beta Delta motto is Wisdom (Sigma), Honor (Beta), and Aspirations (Delta). The top 20 percent of undergraduate juniors and seniors, and the top 20 percent of Master of Business Administration students will be invited for membership in the fall 2015 semester.
Faculty, Staff and Student updates English Professor Olivia Archibald, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Students John Hopkins and Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology Teresa Winstead, Ph.D., presented “Holding the Mayonnaise: On-going Faculty/ Staff Development through Self-Reflection, Personal Narrative, and Group Dialogue” on March 25 at the Association of American Colleges and Universities Conference on Diversity, Learning and Student Success in San Diego, Calif. The presentation reported on the four-year Diversity Institute and its model of faculty/staff development, which uses anti-oppressive theories to support culturally responsible teaching and assist institute participants with handling difficult conversations around issues of identity, power and privilege. Published in mid-March is the collection,
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“Creativity and Discovery in the University Writing Class: A Teacher̓s Guide,” with a chapter by Olivia Archibald, Ph.D., on “Reconsidering the Essay’s Definition in the University Classroom: Writing, Disjunction, and the Active Nature of Thought,” pages 159-184. The chapter examines the essay’s past and present incarnations to call for classroom practices that include alternative “Montaignian” essay forms to offer writers rich possibilities for expressing critical inquiry, creativity and difference. Peter Bishay, Ph.D., assistant professor of mechanical engineering published a paper on the influence of electric conductivity on intensity factors for cracks in functionally graded piezoelectric semiconductors. The piece appeared in the International Journal of Solids and Structures (IJSS), volume 57, pages 79-89. Bishay also gave a presentation of his paper, “Micromechanical Modeling of Piezoelectric/Piezomagnetic Composites Using Computational Piezo-Grains (CPGs),”during the 2015 Advances in Functional Materials Conference that took place at Stony Brook University, in New York this summer Candice Carter, Ph.D., associate dean of the College of Education and Counseling Psychology, recently published her book, “Social Education for Peace: Foundations, Teaching and Curriculum for Visionary Learning” (Palgrave Macmillan, New York). Carter illuminates and validates the vital role of visioning in social education. Visioning enhances powerful social studies by orienting students towards a future without harm in response to conflict. While including enduring concepts and modern theories, she demonstrates how humanity’s global quest for peace continues in the pursuit of positive visions. Carter is widely known for her research and development in peace education. Her scholarship in that field has been published in prior books, book chapters and articles. She has presented her research on peace-focused education on several continents, as well as throughout her homeland of North America. Julia McCord Chavez, Ph.D., J.D., assistant professor of English, authored a chapter for the book, “Place and Progress in the Works of Elizabeth Gaskell” (Ashgate), which was published in June. Her piece, “Reading ‘an every-day story’ through bifocals: seriality and the limits of realism in Elizabeth Gaskell’s “‘Wives and Daughters,’” analyzes
Gaskell's last novel, “Wives and Daughters” (1864-65), in its original format as a serialized novel within a popular magazine. By looking at specific passages in the novel that reference the world beyond England, the main setting, next to accompanying magazine articles about travel, her piece seeks to shine light on Gaskell's work as deeply engaged with a globalized Victorian world. In keeping with this theme, Chavez also presented a paper at the 2015 North American Victoria Studies Association conference, held in July in Honolulu, Hawaii. The theme of the conference was “Victorians in the World,” and the title of Chavez’s paper was, “Victorian Cosmo: Periodical Desire and the Pleasures of Geographic Reverie.” It is part of a panel on “Periodical Worldviews.” This paper analyzes Victorian ideas about cosmopolitan desire and theorizes connections between desire and geography in well-known “worldly” magazines from the mid- to late-Victorian period. Chavez aimed to show that global content within these magazines allowed Victorian readers, particularly women readers, to vicariously experience the world. Toni Christy ’04, ’06, Visitor Center manager, was recognized with the Outstanding Staff/Faculty Advisor Award for her participation in and leadership of the Saint Martin’s University Circle K Club. Christy received the award during ceremonies this past winter at the annual Pacific Northwest Circle K District Convention, which was hosted in DuPont and attended by approximately 12 clubs from the Pacific Northwest. Christy also received the Frank Bower Award, which is an award the North Thurston Kiwanis Club gives to a member of the Saint Martin’s Kiwanis Club who has dedicated extra time, talent and leadership to the youth of the community. “Toni’s work this past year in reorganizing the Saint Martin’s Circle K Club, getting them involved in leadership and service projects, gained her this award,” says Howard Thronson, director of Public Safety at Saint Martin’s. The student members of the Saint Martin’s Circle K Club were involved in 31 different service projects, totaling nearly 1,000 hours of volunteer service, according to Thronson. “Toni was involved in every single one of them.” Shawn Duan, Ph.D., professor of mechanical engineering and chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, presented a technical paper, “Applying Kane’s Method to Model the Response of the Human Body to Whole Body Vibrations,” at The American Society of Mechanical Engineers 2014 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, last November, in Montreal, Canada.
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Robert C. Hauhart, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Society and Social Justice, collaborated with 2012 Valedictorian Kim Menius to revise her senior thesis for publication. Menius’s revised thesis, “DNA Evidence: Examining Police Officers’ Knowledge of Handling Procedures in a Mid-Size Department,” appeared in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Criminology and Sociology (2014). Professor Hauhart, who has taught a course since 2010 on the American Dream with Associate Professor of English Jeff Birkenstein, Ph.D., chair of the Department of English, also recently published “American Sociology’s Investigations of the American Dream: Retrospect and Prospect” in The American Sociologist, in March. On the basis of this work, Hauhart has signed a contract with Palgrave MacMillan, New York, to write “Seeking the American Dream: A Sociological Inquiry.” The book will be released in spring 2016. In the summer of the year 2000, David Hlavsa, professor of the Theatre Arts Program, and director of Theatre Arts and the Interdisciplinary Studies programs, along with his wife, Lisa Holtby, went on a pilgrimage. They had been trying for three years to conceive a child, and the monthly cycle of hope and disappointment was taking a toll on their marriage. They decided to walk the ancient path Camino de Santiago, a joint enterprise — and an act of faith — they hoped would bring them back together and prepare them for parenthood. Though walking more than 400 miles across the north of Spain turns out to be more difficult than they had anticipated, after a series of misadventures, including a brief WA L K I N G stay in a Spanish hospital, they do D I S TA N C E make it to Santiago. But that’s really Pilgrimage, Parenthood, Grief, only the beginning of the pilgrimand Home Repairs age. Shortly after their return to Seattle, Lisa gets pregnant and the hardships of the Camino are nothing to what follows: the stillbirth of their first son and Lisa’s harrowing second pregnancy. Hlavsa’s memoir, “Walking Distance: Pilgrimage, Parenthood, Grief & Home Repairs,” is a disarmingly funny read, a good story with a happy ending — the safe arrival of the couple’s second son, Benjamin. In going on a pilgrimage, they get more than they had bargained for David Hlavsa
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but they also get exactly what they asked for: Children, a solid marriage, a richer life. Louise Kaplan, Ph.D., ARNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, director of the Nursing Program, published “Organizational readiness of a Magnet hospital for evidence-based practice,” in The Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, pages 274-280. Writings in English and Russian by Victor Kogan, Ph.D., professor of sociology and criminal justice, can now be found on academia.edu. The website enables academics to share their research papers throughout the globe. “I have never had such a wide and diverse “classroom” from different parts of the world,” says Kogan. “Now, Saint Martin’s is known not only in the U.S. and in Russia, but also in India, France, Turkey, Germany, Philippines, Italy, U.K., Hong Kong, Argentina, Finland, Australia, Belgium, Thailand and Greece.” Nathalie Kuroiwa-Lewis, Ph.D., associate professor of English and director of the Writing Center at Saint Martin’s, presented a paper, “The Rhetoric of the Knowledge Society in the 21st Century,” for the Rhetoric in Society Conference in Warsaw, Poland, in June. Representing the Independent Colleges of Washington, Director of Housing and Residence Life Tim McClain testified in January at the Washington State Senate Higher Education Committee’s Title IX/Sexual Assault Work Session. McClain, who testified along with representatives from the District Attorney’s office and colleagues from public institutions and community colleges throughout the state, focused his remarks on efforts by Saint Martin’s University to prevent and respond to sexual assault, harassment and domestic violence on campus. McClain highlighted the Violence Against Women Act Team he chairs, the newly established Saints Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) student organization, the University’s statement of victim’s rights and resources, Take Back the Night and other Sexual Assault Awareness Month activities, as well as a variety of other programs and policies the University has adopted to support survivors and respond compassionately to their reports. Associate Professor of French Kathleen McKain, chair of the Department of World Languages, was invited to speak at the annual convention of the American Association of Teachers of French, held in July in Saguenay, Quebec. McKain’s topic was, “Printemps Érable: ni Printemps
arabe, ni mai '68.” McKain says, “Even though the title doesn’t work in English, the English translation of it is, ‘Maple Spring: Neither Arab Spring nor May ’68.’” “The latter,” McKain says, “refers to the relatively famous student uprising in France in May 1968.” Professor of English Stephen Mead, Ph.D., delivered a paper entitled, “The Globe as Its own Prop: Imaginary Cliffs and Real Floorboards” in April at the Shakespeare Association of America in Vancouver, B.C. The panel was entitled, “Shakespearean Horizons” and dealt with horizons and boundaries, both physical and metaphysical. Mead is also continuing his work on a study of the deposition scene in Shakespeare’s “Richard II” and Eucharistic debates of 16th-century England. “I’m tying the scene in with Elizabeth’s Mass-celebrated coronation (1559) and the Essex rebellion (1603),” Mead says. Assistant Professor of Psychology Jeremy Newton, Ph.D., presented a teaching poster, “Tackling the Psychology Capstone Writing Project through Student Peer Interactions,” in March at the International Convention of Psychological Science, held in Amsterdam. “This was the first ICPS and may represent the first of many conferences of its kind,” Newton says. “I was lucky enough to participate in a planning discussion that may pinpoint new international teaching conventions in places like Prague or Paris in the near future.” Jamie Olson, Ph.D., associate professor of English, has published a number of his translations of postmodern theological poems by Timur Kibirov, considered one of Russia's most important contemporary poets. Featured in the February 23 issue of America: The National Catholic Review, one poem is entitled, “Rooster, rooster.” Other Kibirov poems were published in Asymptote in October and in Two Lines: World Writing in Translation, in March. Olson also writes about poetry, translation and Russian culture on his blog, The Flaxen Wave. Father David Pratt, assistant professor of philosophy, wrote a chapter entitled, “Infinite Speech Acts and Secular Compassion: Dostoevsky and Nussbaum,” that was accepted for inclusion in the book, “Healing, Reconciliation, and
Forgiveness: Proceedings of the Sophia Institute” (New York, 2015). The chapter stems from a conference paper (of the same title) delivered last December in New York at Columbia University/Union Theological Seminary for the Sophia Institute's 7th International Conference on "Healing, Reconciliation, and Forgiveness." The Sophia Institute brings together Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant theologians and philosophers on topics of religious and social concern. The institute is headed by the internally regarded Patristics scholar John McGucken, professor at Union Theological and Columbia University. David Price, Ph.D., professor of sociology and anthropology, and Nathalie Kuroiwa-Lewis, Ph.D., co-taught a course focusing on investigative journalism and anthropology during spring semester. Their class went on field trips to the state capitol, writing ethnographic observations on the tribal culture of the Washington State Legislature while it was in session. The students honed their journalism skills while writing as anthropologists observing in the field, with the goal of publishing their “Field Notes from Olympia” in Crosscut, a non-profit, independent, digital news organization in Seattle. David Price, Ph.D., presented the 2015 Marvin Harris Memorial Lecture on March 20 at the University of Florida, Department of Anthropology, in Gainesville. Eileen Reilich, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Education and Counseling Psychology, was a presenter in the TECH-Ed conference that took place last October at Washington State University in Pullman. Reilich presented on “Engaged Hospitality in a Synchronous Online Environment.” Reilich also led the New Faculty Orientation program for the 2014-2015 academic year, with the goal of providing a comprehensive orientation to Saint Martin’s University for all new faculty and adjunct instructors. Janie Sacco, residence director for Housing and Residence Life, was recently awarded Top 5 Program recognition at the Northwest Association of College and University Housing Officers annual conference, held in Salem, Ore. Her award-winning presentation was entitled, “Creating Inclusive Communities for Students with Disabilities.” Her program focused on ways that residence halls can better serve students with disabilities by creating an inclusive housing and educational experience. This marks the second consecutive year Sacco has received this recognition.
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Assistant Director of Public Safety Will Stakelin, Head Athletic Trainer/Senior Woman Administrator Alice Loebsack and Housing and Residence Life Director Tim McClain joined Assistant Director of Campus Life Brittany Reed in being certified as Green Dot violence prevention trainers in February, in Orlando, Fla. Stakelin, Loebsack and McClain collaborated with approximately 40 of their colleagues from around the country in completing four days of rigorous training provided by Dorothy J. Edwards, Ph.D. and her team of facilitators. The nation’s premier bystander intervention and violence prevention program, Green Dot will be launched in the fall with the goal of fostering a campus environment intolerant of sexual assault, harassment, domestic violence, bullying and other forms of ridicule or aggression through the deliberate implementation of the program’s recruitment, marketing and bystander intervention strategies. The team’s aim is to invite others to reconsider their role in preventing violence and harassment, inspire them to take a stand, strengthen positive behaviors, engage people in training and educational initiatives, and sustain institutional change through effective marketing and continued outreach. Kathleen Thomas ’14, MBA’15 executive assistant to the vice president of International Programs and Development, completed the Master of Business Administration Program in December 2014 at Saint Martin’s. Teresa Winstead, Ph.D. was part of the National Science Foundation’s anthropology methods workshop this summer. This is a competitive summer program Duke University facilitates and hosts at its Marine Biological Lab in Beaufort, N.C. The workshop brought together a select group of anthropologists to further develop high-level qualitative and quantitative methods and analytical techniques. The workshop focused on a qualitative methodology known as cultural domain analysis and allowed participants to develop new skills using this strategy, while working on their own research data. In addition, Winstead served as panel organizer and presented a paper at the national American Anthropological Association Conference, in Washington, D.C., last December. Her panel was called “Producing Policy Ethnography: Challenges, Insights, and Potential,” and her paper was entitled, “Interpretations of Sovereignty in Indigenous Education Policy of Washington State.”
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Thank you to our 2015 festival sponsors and supporters!
Saint Martin’s University Board of Trustees
Sponsorships and In-kind 94.5 Roxy Radio American Life, Inc. American Trophy Associated Students of Saint Martin's University (ASSMU) Capital Mall Capitol City Press City of Lacey City of Olympia City of Tumwater Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation Lucky Eagle Casino Olympia Area Chinese Association Olympia Federal Savings Port of Olympia Red Lion Hotel Raise the Bar Designs Ron Chow Saint Martin's University Saint Martin's University Board of Trustees Washington Dragon Boat Association Friends of the Festival Academy of International Education (AIE) Cruz and Maureen Arroyo David and Jeanne Spangler John and Cindy Hough Mary Law May Leung, Advance Travel Riley Moore Robert and Brenda Lund Saint Martin's Abbey Scot Harrison and Rebecca Bolles Saint Martin’s University Alumni Association Squaxin Island Tribe
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32nd Annual Golf Tournament Friday, August 7
Benedictine Institute Lecture Wednesday, October 7, 7 p.m.
Capitol City Golf Club
Norman Worthington Conference Center
Since 1983, the annual Saint Martin's Golf Tournament has raised thousands of dollars in scholarships for student-athletes in all sports. To register online or to learn more about the tournament, scheduled to take place at the Capitol City Golf Club, visit www.stmartin.edu/golftournament.
Each August, the Saint Martin’s community gathers in the Abbey Church for the first Mass of the academic year. All are welcome to attend! Classes are cancelled for this Mass. For more information, contact Father Kilian Malvey, O.S.B., at fr_kilian@stmartin.edu.
Father Edwin Leahy, O.S.B., a Benedictine monk and headmaster of St. Benedict’s Preparatory School, a college prep school in Newark, N.J., is the distinguished speaker for the Fall 2015 Benedictine Institute Lecture. Leahy is credited with saving St. Benedict’s Prep from extinction following the school’s suspension of operations in 1972 in the wake of the civil unrest that devastated Newark and other American cities. Under Leahy’s leadership and through the efforts of monks, parents, alumni and friends, St. Benedict’s re-opened in 1973 with 89 students and 14 faculty members. St. Benedict’s Prep has grown to include more than 500 students, most from African heritage and Hispanic backgrounds, and 67 faculty members. Today, 95 percent of the school’s graduates go on to college. Father Ed will share with us how the profound insights of Benedictine spirituality have helped to forge a successful and meaningful academic community at St. Benedict’s Prep.
Day of Caring Friday, September 25
Saint Martin’s Gala Saturday, November 7, 7 p.m.
Mass of the Holy Spirit Thursday, August 27 Saint Martin’s Abbey Church
Hundreds of volunteers make a difference during the annual United Way Day of Caring event, which is held at various locations. Participants can form or join a volunteer team with Saint Martin’s alumni and friends. The event will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at a variety of sites. For more information, contact Service Immersion at 360-438-4581 or leysters@stmartin.edu.
Les Bailey Writers Series Wednesday, September 30, 7 p.m. Norman Worthington Conference Center Jess Walters, a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author, will be the second speaker for this free series, which was established during the 2014-2015 academic year in honor of Lesley G. Bailey, Ph.D., a beloved English professor at Saint Martin’s who died in 2010. Walters has penned eight books, was a finalist for the 2006 National Book Award and the PEN/USA Literary prize in fiction and non-fiction, and won the 2005 Edgar Allan Poe Award. His work has been published in 30 languages and his short fiction has appeared in Best American Short Stories, Harpers, McSweeney’s, Esquire and more.
Marcus Pavilion Join Saint Martin's and the entire cast of ABC's The Chew — Mario Batali, Michael Symon, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly and Daphne Oz — as they cook up one outrageous night of good grub and giving! For more information, please visit www. stmartin.edu/SMUgala or contact the Office of Institutional Advancement, 360-438-4366 or gala@stmartin.edu.
Jingle Bell Run Saturday, December 5 Marcus Pavilion Kick off your holiday season by gathering with fellow alumni, students and the greater community to run, walk or stroll along the five-kilometer route on Saint Martin’s lovely wooded campus. Afterwards, enjoy a cup of cider or cocoa and Christmas cookies, and pose with Santa for a picture. All proceeds support scholarships for our student-athletes. Prizes are awarded for best times in various age categories and for most creative costume! Online registration opens Oct. 1. For more information, please contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at 360-438-4366 or jinglebellrun@stmartin.edu.
For a complete list of University events, visit the online calendar of events! Go to www.stmartin.edu and click on “Calendar.”
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WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING AT SAINT MARTIN΄S
JANUARY 31: Becoming better leaders
JANUARY 23: MLK, Jr., Celebration Saint Martin’s Campus Life, the Black Student Union and the Office of Intercultural Initiatives host this annual celebration of the legacy of human rights activist, Martin Luther King, Jr.
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The annual Benedictine Community Leadership Summit convenes in the Father Richard Cebula, O.S.B., Hall for a oneday program designed for all student leaders on campus. Students learn about leadership theory, Benedictine values in leadership and practical applications of leadership skills. This year's summit included a special program, LEAP-IN BLP, for local high school students.
FEBRUARY 11: #PackthePavilion FEBRUARY 6: Drawing the tiger Amy Benson, an independent documentary filmmaker in Seattle, discusses her film, “Drawing the Tiger,” at the February installment of the Robert A. Harvie Social Justice Lecture. The film provides an intimate portrait of a Nepali family whose chance to break its cycle of poverty disappears with the untimely death of their scholarly daughter, who ended her own life.
Saints fans wear red for a chance to be on live television and to “Pack the Pavilion” — Marcus Pavilion, that is — for the first, regular-season, Great Northwest Athletic Conference double-header to be televised live on ROOT Sports.
FEBRUARY 26: Engineering Awareness Day
FEBRUARY 14: Open for debate FEBRUARY 13: Saints milestone Saint Martin’s University celebrates the 25th anniversary of the annual Athletics Hall of Fame and Hall of Honor celebration. All past inductees including George Parker, are invited to participate in the event, held in Marcus Pavilion, and receive one-quarter jackets with the Hall of Fame and Hall of Honor logo as a gift of gratitude. Families of inductees who have died receive certificates.
Saint Martin’s Debate finishes second at a prestigious parliamentary tournament at Whitman College in Walla Walla. In its second year, the Saint Martin’s Debate group competes against some of the most elite debate programs in the country, including Concordia University Irvine, Lewis & Clark College, the University of Oregon and the University of Puget Sound.
FEBRUARY 13-15: Welcome home, Saints! Saint Martin’s alumni arrive on campus for a weekend of reminiscing and reconnecting with each other at the Homecoming 2015 festivities. The many accomplishments of our alumni are celebrated with the presentation of the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award to recipients at the Feb. 14 Homecoming Alumni Luncheon at the Norman Worthington Conference Center.
Students from six area high schools gather in Cebula Hall, home of The Hal and Inge Marcus School of Engineering, for the Second Annual Engineering Awareness Day. Saint Martin’s engineering students and professors give demonstrations and presentations, and facilitate discussions of different aspects of engineering. One of the highlights? Coaxing high school students to form a human bridge to show how bridges work!
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WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING AT SAINT MARTIN΄S
MARCH 28: Cheers! Bon appétit!
MARCH 17: New vice president Cecilia Loveless, former vice president for planning and college advancement at South Puget Sound Community College, joins the Saint Martin’s University community as she steps into her new role as our new vice president for institutional advancement.
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MARCH 21: Get ready! Get set! Give!a The first-ever, 24-hour giving event to raise donations and encourage donor participation for Saint Martin’s University kicks off. The Office of Institutional Advancement and Alumni Relations created 321Give, and the inaugural event raised more than $55,000.
Many Saint Martin’s student and alumni volunteers are on hand at the Norman Worthington Conference Center to help make the 26th Annual Capital Food and Wine Festival a success. With more than 40 kinds of beer on tap, representatives of scores of Washington wineries offering sample tastings and restaurateurs serving up scrumptious food, a grand time is had by all who attended.
MARCH 31: Opportunity awaits! Students and job-seekers connect with a very robust range of employers at the 2015 Career and Internship Fair that is co-sponsored by Saint Martin’s University and The Evergreen State College, and held at the Saint Martin’s Marcus Pavilion. This signature event for Saint Martin’s, Evergreen and surrounding communities draws the most students — 200 — in the history of the fair.
APRIL 8: 50 Jobs/50 States Saint Martin’s partners with South Puget Sound Community College to sponsor the “50 Jobs in 50 States” talk by guest speaker Daniel Seddiqui. He shares with Saint Martin’s students how, as a new college graduate, he was having a tough time finding a job – until he decides to build a plan to work 50 jobs in 50 states in 50 weeks. Seddiqui chooses professions that reflect the culture and economy of each state. For example, he has worked as a coal miner in West Virginia, a border patrol agent in Arizona and a lobsterman in Maine.
APRIL 25: Dragons everywhere April 9-17 Sexual Assault Awareness Week For the seventh year, Saint Martin’s University students issue their call against all acts of sexual violence. A host of activities that are free and open to the public culminates with the annual Take Back the Night candlelight march on the Lacey campus.
April 11-18 “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot” This thought-provoking play, presented by the Saint Martin’s Theatre Arts Program at the State Theater in Olympia, tells the story of a court case over the ultimate fate of Judas Iscariot.
The 10th annual Dragon Boat Festival is heralded with day-long dragon boat races involving a record 46 regional teams of paddlers plus, for the first time, two teams from China. Spectators flock to Port Plaza in Olympia to see the races and enjoy free events that include dance and music performances. The University’s Office of International Programs and Development hosts this popular event.
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MAY 9: Commencement! APRIL 28: Here’s to our scholars! APRIL 25: Making music together Saint Martin’s University students join the Olympia Chamber Orchestra for the Ninth Annual Major Works Concert, this year featuring Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria” and John Rutter’s “Magnificat.”
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Scholars Day provides Saint Martin’s students with the chance to present their scholarly or artistic work to the University community. Following the presentations is a reception in the Norman Worthington Conference Center, where the academic departments bestow special honors on students, and the monks of Saint Martin’s Abbey present the outstanding faculty and staff of the year awards.
MAY 8: Getting ready to graduate Undergraduate and graduate candidates of all faiths and their families gather in Marcus Pavilion for the Baccalaureate Mass and undergraduate hooding ceremony in anticipation of their graduation day.
Introducing the Class of 2015! Exuberant graduates celebrate the fruits of their academic labors while participating in the Commencement 2015 ceremony.
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A bumpy past makes for a smooth approach to Nationals by Christine Towey ’16
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The true essence of Mikel Smith ’17 is evident in his recent achievement of becoming the fourth track and field All-American in the history of Saint Martin’s University. It can also be found in his dreams of pursuing a career as a caseworker who helps disadvantaged children.
His sports career as a high jumper blossomed when Smith was paired last season with jumps Coach Burke Bockman. Under Bockman’s guidance, Smith became the first Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) high jumper to jump more than 7-feet indoors or outdoors.
The 7-foot jumper and social work major decided long before attending college, long before securing his place as a track-and-field star, that championing the needs and rights of kids with limited access to security and strong parenting would be his life’s calling.
He went on to compete at the NCAA Championships in Birmingham, Alabama.
“I’ve been through what those kids have been through and I understand where they come from. So, I’d like those kids to know that they can grow up to be great individuals,” he says. Smith was named an All-American when he tied for fifth in March at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships by jumping 6 feet, 9 ½ inches. He became Saint Martin’s second AllAmerican indoors because of his performance. Yet for much of his life, Smith has been on the inside track of knowing what it’s like for the world to appear as if it’s constantly against you and that success seems improbable. At the age of 4, along with his five siblings, Smith was taken from his mother, and placed into the foster care system. With a father in prison and a mom addicted to drugs, the Smith children spent two years wondering if they would see each other again. After living in Mukilteo for most of his life, Smith was adopted, uprooted and moved to Muskogee, Oklah. For any kid, this would be quite the life change and a bit of a culture shock to go from the rainy Pacific Northwest to a Midwestern state.
“Nationals were awesome,” Smith recalls. “The level of competition there was amazing. Just being able to see how much harder I have to work and fix little technique things was amazing.” Bockman is very proud of Smith for being named an NCAA All-American. “Saint Martin’s University is lucky to have Mikel Smith, and he is lucky to have Saint Martin’s,” Bockman says. “A college lifestyle and being on your own for the first time can be challenging to a lot of student-athletes. For someone like Mikel, it means stabilization and consistency.” The high jumper has set his sights on the prize of a gold, silver or bronze medal. Yes, Smith is considering the Olympics. He is currently four to six inches away from qualifying for the Olympics trials. “I really do believe I can get there,” Smith says. “I just have to work a little bit harder.”
“It was a huge change,” Smith recalls, “but since we were older, we kind of knew how to fend for ourselves. We just got through it until we graduated high school and could leave.” For Smith to land at Saint Martin’s is a matter of coincidence that led him to find a place he loves. After his graduation, Smith got on a plane and returned to Seattle to meet his dad for the first time. Those events put Smith on the path to Saint Martin’s. His sister and he went on a recruiting trip to the University and he decided it was the right fit for him.
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snapped the nation’s third-longest, non-conference homecourt winning streak at 43 before 11,636 Hoosier fans at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind. “It is a true honor to be named the next head coach at Saint Martin’s University,” says Pribble. “I thank President Roy Heynderickx and Athletic Director Grisham for their support and encouragement throughout the process.” Before arriving at Eastern, Pribble spent two seasons at San Francisco State, where he was the top assistant for the Gators. Prior to that, he was the boys’ basketball coach at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, Calif., for three years.
Alex Pribble joins Saints as the men’s basketball coach by Megan Lobdell After a nationwide search, Athletic Director Bob Grisham announced April 20th that Eastern Washington University Assistant Coach Alex Pribble will be the new head men’s basketball coach for Saint Martin’s University. Pribble came straight from Cheney, that same day to meet with the team and start individual workouts. He was introduced to the Saints family on April 22 with a meetand-greet on the Lacey campus. Pribble comes to Saint Martin’s after spending the last two seasons with National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I member Eastern Washington University, where he helped the Eagles finish last season 26-9 overall and 14-4 in the Big Sky Conference to share the regular-season title with University of Montana. Eastern swept through three games in the Big Sky Conference Tournament to garner the school’s second NCAA Tournament appearance. The Eagles were the No. 13 seed in Portland, Ore., and fell in the second round to perennial power Georgetown, 84-74. Pribble helped the Eagles break several school records this past season and helped Eastern Washington University defeat Big Ten Conference member Indiana University on Nov. 24. That game will go down as one of the greatest victories in school history after the Eagles
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He spent the 2007-08 season as a graduate assistant coach for Cal, and also spent time as an Amateur Athletic Union head coach and individual instructor for the North Bay Basketball Academy. Pribble received his bachelor’s degree in 2007 and his master’s in 2008 from the University of California-Berkeley. He was a walk-on player during his freshman season and played in 76 games for the Bears under then Coach Ben Braun during his four-year intercollegiate career. He received a scholarship at Cal after his sophomore season, and was named team captain as a senior, when he played in 29 games and started eight. He was twice named to the Pac-10 All-Academic Team and was a two-time recipient of the Cal Hustle Award. He was also selected for the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court and played in the inaugural Maccabi Australia International games. The Fairfax, Calif., native graduated from Sir Francis Drake High School in 2003. He was the team’s leading scorer during his senior season while earning league Most Valuable Player honors. Pribble also was a two-time All-Bay Area selection. Pribble inherits a team that returns eight players from the 2014-15 squad that went 6-22 overall and 3-15 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. “We are going to play a style of basketball that is fun to play and fun to watch,” says Pribble. “We will have highcharacter student athletes and we will establish a culture that our University and our community will be proud of.” “I am truly looking forward to having a terrific atmosphere at Marcus Pavilion and sharing an exciting brand of basketball with this community,” Pribble adds.
Saint Martin’s
Saint Martin’s
>> Mikel Smith was named an
All-American when he tied for fifth in March at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships by jumping 6 feet, 9 ½ inches.
>> The Saints are named Red Lion
Hotels Co-Team of the Week March 23 – Saint Martin’s wins all four games against Central Washington in Ellensburg for the first time since the 2001 season.
>> Fourteen new school records am Munger is named the S GNAC Pitcher and Co-Player of the Week.
>> Softball wins the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) regular-season championships and ends 2015 season at the NCAA West Regionals.
>> Softball is named Red Lion Hotels Co-Team of the Week after winning six games at the Division II Cal State Stanislaus Tournament of Champions in Turlock, Calif. Sam Munger is named the Most Valuable Player.
>> Softball Head Coach Rick Noren
is named the GNAC Coach of the Year for leading Saint Martin’s to a 41-20 overall record tying the school record for most wins in a season.
>> Riley Moore is named GNAC
Pitcher of the Week March 2 and again, on March 25; Carl Svanevick earns National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association West Regional Player of the Week.
are set during the 2015 indoor season, including the men and women teams each running a relay for the first time.
>> Seven golfers are named to the
GNAC Academic All-Conference, with Jennifer Liedes having the highest American GPA out of the women.
>> Five softball players are named to
the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, Academic All-Conference and Jackie Schmaeling holds the highest GPA of the 26 athletes named to the team.
>> On May 7, Carl Svanevik, Alyssa
Slate, Dani Wall and Taviah Jenkins are named to the Capital One Academic All-District for baseball and softball.
>> Sam Munger and Dani Wall are
time Saint Martin’s has had four athletes compete at Nationals and the first time a female has run two events. Porter finishes ninth in the women’s 10,000-meter with a career-best time of 35:01.04. Walker and Chalkley finish 18th and 13th, respectively, in the javelin; Porter is 22nd. Smith becomes the Saints’ first All-American both indoors and outdoors as he finishes third in the high jump. He holds both the school and GNAC record for both indoor and outdoor.
>> Fifteen track and field athletes,
three women’s basketball players, three men’s basketball players and five baseball players are named to the GNAC Academic All-Conference team.
>> Riley Carel is named GNAC
Honorable Mention March 2.
>> Krista Stabler is named Honor-
able Mention All-GNAC March 3.
>> Basketball player Megan
Wiedeman crushed the singleseason block record with 50, breaking the old record of 42 set by Juanita Mebane in ’97-98. She is 32 blocks away from beating Mebane’s career record of 125. The Saints end the season at the GNAC Tournament, falling to Simon Fraser in the first round.
named Daktronics All-Region second team May 7.
>> Kalli Walker wins the GNAC title
in the javelin with a toss of 45.19m (148-3 1/2). Walker is joined at Nationals by teammates Shannon Porter, Mikel Smith and Brian Chalkley. This is the first
For the Saints’ athletic schedules,
visit www.smusaints.com. #SaintsAlive INSIGHTS SUMMER 2015
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in Grand Forks, N.D., in both the DAK-MIN Blood Bank and Cancer Center.
Al Eckroth HS’62,’66 received the Citizen of the Year Award from the Thurston County Realtors Association.
Thomas Antolic ’76 joined the American Red Cross in Vancouver. For the last seven years, he has worked on emergency communications. Antolic began working with volunteer services for the Cascade Region of the American Red Cross.
Ivan Lui-Kwan ’67 was named 2015 Best Lawyers in America©, “Lawyer of the Year” in Honolulu, Government Relations Practice. 1 Jay Hammer ’69 and his brother, Jeff Hammer HS’67, took third place in the Newport-Ensenada sailboat race in April 2014. Jay is a member of Vagabonds Del Mar Boat & Travel Club, the oldest travel club in Baja. He retired in 2008 from being a teacher and cross country/track coach.
1970s After 40 years of service, Lt. Col. Dennis Almer ’73 retired from the Department of Defense on active duty – 23 years and as a consultant 17 years. L-3 Comm awarded him with the Bronze Achievement Award for performance in December 2014 while assigned to Sigonella Naval Air Station, IT for outstanding, dedicated performance. Almer volunteers at the ALTRU Hospital
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1980s Karin Nyrop ’81 is the new chief State Attorney General representative serving University of Washington and all of its divisions — UW Tacoma, UW Bothell, UW Seattle and UW Medical Center. She has been with the division for 17 years and brings 30 years of legal experience following graduation from Saint Martin’s and Seattle University School of Law. Nyrop also was a military police specialist after enlisting in the Army after high school. Glenn Waldron ’81 continues to work for the Washington State Department of Transportation Bridge and Structures Office as a bridge engineer. He volunteers at the Vietnamese Buddha Temple in Tacoma as head groundskeeper.
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1990s Deborah (Sullivan) Johnston ’91 retired in July 2014 after 20 years as a psychiatric social worker. In 1994, Johnston received her Master of Social Work from the University of Maine at Augusta. She remembers all of her wonderful staff, faculty and friends from Saint Martin’s. Husband, Joe Johnston ’91, retired after 23 years in the U.S. Air Force and from Rite Aid, where he was a district manager in Maine. Joe received his Master of Business Administration degree from Golden Gate University in 1991. Kim Lamie ’95 is a sales manager at SolarCity in Southern California. Diana Arthur-Roe ’96 founded Arthur Braithwaite & Associates, LLC, in 2014, which “provides Human Resources services with the highest levels of customer satisfaction.” The company assists public- and privatesector clients on matters that include alternative dispute resolution, alternative dispute resolution training, equal employment opportunity investigations, equal employment opportunity training and human resources consulting. Arthur-Roe is also a senior mediator for the San Francisco Federal Executive Board Shared Neutrals Program. Kenneth Rich ’96 has received a promotion to assistant professor in the department of Joint, International, and Multinational Operations at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
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Brady Olson ’98, a teacher at North Thurston High School, tackled an armed student who fired two shots into the air in the cafeteria prior to the start of classes on the morning of April 27. He, along with other staff members, held the student until authorities arrived. No one was injured during the incident, and Olson has been acknowledged as a hero by students, faculty and staff, parents and the greater community. Olson teaches Advanced Placement Government and Politics and Senior Civics.
2000s Valentin Fyrst MBA’00 relocated to Australia to join Silver Spring Networks as director of its Program Management Office. In March 2014, Jessica (Bright) Brown ’02 traveled to Granada, Nicaragua, to volunteer with the World Vets International Veterinary Medicine Program. She provided much-needed dog and cat medical treatment to Nicaraguan pet owners and community, all free of charge. Willie Lee Jones ’03 is a program acquisition manager for the U.S. Air Force. His job involves developing and coordinating program acquisition planning, support documentation and program rating. Nate Carlson ’04 ran in the Honolulu Marathon in December 2014. He was 19th overall, with a time of 2:36:58, which is a personal best for Carlson. He finished as the first American and First Hawaii Resident.
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2 Julia Eisentrout ’05 married Kevin Olson on August
30, 2014. Saint Martin’s alumni in attendance included Alana (Erickson) Olson ’04, Lindsay (Stuvland) Ford ’06, Kalynn Bales ’05, Beth (Layton) Jochim ’06, Amy Hite Layton ’08, Robin Johnson ’04, Martina Kartikova Herrington ’05, MBA’07, Brandi (Riel) Krause ’04, Whitney (Golob) Holm ’07, Sheryl Staudacher ’04, and women’s basketball coach, Tim Healy. 3 Courtney (Rogers) Blair ’06 has served as the elected president for the Family Readiness Group at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Military and Family Support Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Blair’s husband, Bobby, is a chief on board the submarine USS Buffalo. 4 Julie Weigand MAC’06 received a promotion to regional behavioral health manager at the Conmed Healthcare Management, Inc ./Correct Care Solutions in February. In her new role, Weigand oversees mental health care in correctional facilities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Las Vegas, Nev., and Tucson, Az.; a private prison in Florence, Arizona; and a Restore to Competency Program in Yuma, Az.
Natalya Washburn ’07, controller at Wilcox Farms, was a finalist for the Business Examiner's 2015 Financial Executives of the Year — mid-size or large private company category. 5 After seven years in public education, Lyndsay Gabeau, MED ’08, left her job as school counselor this past June to pursue her two passions in life. She is now
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12 the owner of Generation Wellness, a company committed to whole-child education and development by integrating mindfulness, movement and social/emotional skills into schools and homes across America. Also, Gabeau started a completely different business — The 12th Boot — in July, which has exploded around Washington. She was recently featured on KING5̓s “Evening Magazine,” “New Day Northwest,” and “Q13” for her “12 Boots.” Fans across the country now attend their favorite sporting events looking cute and stylish in their warm rain boots. Lyndsay says she firmly believes in the quote by Oprah Winfrey, “You must find what sparks the light in you, so that you in your own way can illuminate the world.” She explains, “Life is great as an entrepreneur, lifelong learner and teacher! Thanks, SMU, for a great education!” David Hoffman’01, MBA’09, chief financial officer at Tacoma Lutheran Retirement Community, was a finalist for the Business Examiner's 2015 Financial Executives of the Year — non-profit organization category. Clare Lopez ’09 has signed a contract with ArtSport, an international touring company based in Buenos Aries, Argentina. Lopez will be a part of the company’s musical production of “D’artagnan Defending the Crown.” The tour will travel to over 13 countries, including Mexico, Chile, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Colombia, Uruguay, and Costa Rica. 6 Bill Richardson ’09 and Elise Dike ’08 became engaged in 2014.
In memoriam 7 James ’09 and Jennifer ’09 Rivelli-Keagbine welcomed their first daughter, Emilia Grace, on March 9.
2010s 8 Matt Hargrave ’07 and Katie Hawkins ’11 became engaged in June 2014. Hawkins participated in the Courage Classic Bike Tour, a three-day, 173-mile ride that traverses the Cascade Mountains, including Snoqualmie, Blewett and Stevens Passes. It is the largest single funding source for the Child Abuse Intervention Department (CAID) at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma, and the statewide Children’s Trust Foundation. 9 Morgan Klemm’11 married Austin Kelly ’12 on May 10 in Chehalis. Their wedding party included fellow Saint Martin’s alumni Brandy (Klemm) Brooks ’12, Travis Dodge ’12, Kelise McGladrey ’12, Lacey McGladrey ’14, Joshua Proctor ’12, and Paul Schmidtke ’12.
Martha Laumoli ’11 was accepted into the University of Washington’s Master of Social Work Program. Josh Long ’11 is now a scientist II for Kingsford Product & Process Development at The Clorox Company. 10 Angela Shirley ’11 and Luke Christiansen ’10
and grief of others. Her goal was to inform and help providers recognize the risks and symptoms, as well as how to prevent them through compassionate self-care. Between September and December of 2014, Dempsey delivered her presentation on three separate occasions to the 5th floor nurses and the nursing residents at Providence St Peter’s Hospital, as well as to her classmates at Saint Martin’s. Since completing her capstone, Dempsey has been working with Providence leadership to further disseminate this information and to research the supportive needs of nurses at risk for compassion fatigue and how best to provide this support. 12 Stephen Mahnken ’15 has accepted a position as an
account coordinator for Brandner Communications and will be focusing on social media, client services and digital. Brandner specializes in building and architecture companies. “I am excited to work and learn from some of the best in the business, and I am ready to help in any way I can,” Mahnken says. Brooke Sanchez ’15 was accepted to the USC Rossier School of Education’s Master of Arts in Teaching Program where she will earn her Washington state teaching credential in secondary English and gifted education. She plans to teach middle school English upon graduation from the program.
became engaged in January. Sancha Elevado ’12 graduated from Loyola University Chicago in December 2014 with a Master of Education degree in higher education. Elevado currently works as an international student advisor at South Seattle College, Center for International Education. 11 Jesse Lamp ’13 and Jessica Rae Pennock ’15 married in June 2014 in Couer d’Alene, Idaho. Jesse is currently a graduate student at the University of Washington’s International Studies – Middle East Studies Program. Jessica Rae was recently accepted into the University of Southern California’s Master of Social Work Program.
Charity Dempsey ’15, a graduate of the Saint Martin’s University’s RN-to-BSN Program, completed a capstone project in which she created a one-hour, evidence-based presentation on compassion fatigue, a kind of vicarious trauma resulting from repeated exposure to the suffering
What's new with you? We want to know! Please send your news and photos (resolution of 300 dpi) by email to alumni@stmartin.edu or by mail to Office of Institutional Advancement, 5000 Abbey Way SE, Lacey, WA 98503.
Stay connected @Saints_Alumni
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In memoriam 1930s David Minnitti '38 May 13, 2014
1940s Bill Gleason HS'44 June 27, 2014 Bob Minnitti '44 April 7, 2015 Zane Lambert '48 February, 5, 2015 Joe Stamey '49 November 30, 2014
1950s
Tom Boyle '64 December 26, 2014 Sister Bernice Wessels, O.S.B. '65 April 8, 2015 Terry Rogers HS'66 December 22, 2014
Dennis Rydman HS'67, '71 November 4, 2014
Dave Baker '50 December 6, 2014
John Bartholomew '69 March 2, 2015
John Hart '56 December 14, 2014 Rein Latt '56 February 26, 2014 Harry Noonan '56 September 19, 2014 Richard Erkel '57 December 7, 2014 Victor Olson '57 December 20, 2014 Armen Oghigian '58 October 18, 2014 Dean Lee HS'59, '69 January 30, 2015
1960s Neil Johns HS'60 December 5, 2014 Jim Pessemier '60 February 21, 2015
www.stmartin.edu
2000s Pat Farrell MAC'00 January 15, 2015 Donald Devlin '01 September 17, 2014 Vanessa Thomas '02 October 29, 2014 Walter Sturm '10 October 8, 2014
Ray Phillips '66 January 3, 2015
Steve Swenson HS'67 January 1, 2015
Fr. Thaddaeus Arledge, O.S.B. '52 April 8, 2015
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Gus Fant HS'63, '72 December 20, 2014
George Yeager HS'50 December 3, 2014
Thomas Foley HS'52 November 11, 2014
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Roger McDowell '61 March 25, 2015
1970s Robert Stewart '70 February 23, 2015 Roy Ewing '73 September 11, 2014 Carol Wisner '74 March 15, 2015
1980s Marilyn Collett '80 May 26, 2014 Mike Giberson '82 November 22, 2014 Ochea Imo '86, '88 September 12, 2014
1990s Heather Runci '97 May 17, 2014 Jody Pulicicchio '98 January 28, 2015 Heather Nagle '99 March 9, 2015
REMEMBERING FRIENDS OF SAINT MARTIN'S Associate Prof. Michael Gideon, who taught accounting courses at Saint Martin’s University until his retirement in 2012, died in May. Gideon, who lived in Tacoma, received his MBA from the University of WashingtonSeattle in 1974 and had a distinguished corporate career as an accountant, controller and general manager at various firms before joining the Saint Martin’s faculty in 1990. Richard Beer, dean of the School of Business, says, “Michael brought his extensive corporate experience and a legendary dry sense of humor to the classroom. He also served for many years as chair of SMU’s accounting department. Michael was a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Washington Society of CPAs and was a prominent member of the local accounting community, having educated two generations of future accountants at Saint Martin’s.” Gideon is survived by his wife Fumiko, children and grandchildren.
Limitless Possibilities
Show your support for future generations of students. You loved your time at Saint Martin’s. You recognize the value of a Saint Martin’s education. And you know that without the generous support of alumni, parents and friends, Saint Martin’s and its students would not be the success stories they are today. We are asking for your generosity. The participation rate from our donors is lower than most of the universities we are compared to of similar-size. Your support plays a critical role in our ability to recruit and retain a diverse student body, keep our percentages up in national rankings and obtain grants from foundations and other institutions. Every Gift Matters Make a gift to The Fund for Saint Martin’s today by visiting www.stmartin.edu/giving. Thank you, and Go Saints!
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L A S T LO O K In April, the 10th anniversary of Saint Martin’s Annual Dragon Boat Festival and Race drew about 5,000 attendees and a recordbreaking 48 paddle teams, including two teams from our sister universities in China. The teams from Shanghai Maritime University and Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine made their welcomed presence known through fierce competition on the water and beautiful dance demonstrations on land. In addition to dragon boating, cultural events held throughout the day — including a traditional Dragon Dance, Lion Dance, musical performances and community booths — have helped the Dragon Boat Festival evolve into a popular event that brings people together for fun and celebration. #SMUDragonBoat
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Tacoma, WA Permit No. #378
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Office of Marketing and Communications 5000 Abbey Way SE Lacey, WA 98503
Celebrity Outrageous Foodies Night!
5Foodies
Celebrity
One outrageous Night!
Saturday, November 7 Lacey, Washington
www.stmartin.edu/SMUgala
Get ready for an evening of sparkling banter, culinary demonstrations, a five-course dinner, and live auction benefiting Saint Martin’s student scholarships, featuring Mario Batali and his fellow hosts of the Emmy Award-winning ABC’s The CHEW! #SMUGala
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