Diversions

Four Otters Toboggan: An Animal Counting Book

The Illustrator: Mirka Hok-

kanen, MFA ’06, self-published a few titles before publishing this one in the traditional manner last year. In fall 2019, she won the SCBWI Narrative Art Award for her illustrations.

In a Nutshell: “Filled with mod - ern wood engravings, Four Otters Toboggan celebrates wild beauty, encouraging readers of all ages to preserve and cherish our planet. After the story is finished, children can read more about each species in the back of the book — conservation efforts, what causes animals to be- come endangered, and what people can do to protect wild habitats.” Start Reading: Available in hard - cover through pomegranate.com. Learn more about Hokkanen’s work at mirkah.com.

Will Murchison Artwork

The Artist: Dallas native Will Murchison, J.D., BA ’10, lives in the city with his wife and children. As a senior art history major, he completed an independent study with Professor of Painting Kim Owens; Assistant Professor of Art History Cathy Caesar led his thesis presentation. The thesis represented the culmination of his intellectual preparation, and painting suggested the path he is now following. In a Nutshell: “Optimistic depictions of American progress and consumerism become absurd and sinister when placed within the abstract scaffolding. The resulting vibration between narrative imagery and pure abstraction allows each artwork to continuously shift, like a fading memory, between a cohesive whole and a tattered collection of shapes and images.” Start Looking/Buying: Visit willmurchison.com, follow Murchison at instagram.com/willmurch1, and visit (by ap - pointment) the Erin Cluley Gallery in Dallas, where Murchi- son’s work is currently part of a group exhibition. Artwork can be purchased at erincluley.com.

Above: “It Must All Be Becoming,” 2020, 54 x 44 inches, graphite, acrylic paint and paper collage on found paper.

Jubilate Designs

The Artist: In her search for a creative outlet/ artistic medium that was easy and safe to use while wrangling her six kids, UD English major Jamaica (McGahey) DeLisle, BA ’03, devel- oped a passion for watercolor. In a Nutshell: DeLisle creates hand-painted watercolor jewelry and prints of her original saint paintings for her Etsy shop, Jubilate Designs. “I hope to spread joy through beautiful things,” she said. Start Shopping: Visit etsy.com/shop/Jubi - lateDesigns. Also follow DeLisle at instagram. com/jubilatedesigns.

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Romers Reunite After 30 Years, Blessed by Pope

ast year, three decades after their 1989 Rome semester, Milagros “Millie” Lozano, Ph.D., BA ’91, and many of her best Rome girlfriends got together for a “Rome reunion.” Now a psychologist in Irving, Lozano organized this trip to the Texas Hill Country along with her onetime Rome roommates and “sisters” Anna (Gordon) Torres, BA ’91, and Cathleen (Gilmore) Guinn, BA ’91. They rented a house between Dallas and San Antonio, and fellow alumnae flew in from all over the U.S. Touring vineyards in “girls’ weekend” T-shirts, they picked up right where they’d left off. “It’s a story of love for what brought us together,” said Lozano.

Two days later, Lozano left with her mother for a pilgrimage to Rome with their diocese, where they met Pope Francis. Lozano had taken her “girls’ weekend” shirt with her to the Vatican; she told the pope about UD’s Rome Program and asked him to bless the shirt, which of course he did.

“UD made me,” said Lozano, who hopes that last year’s Rome reunion was the first of many and that they might inspire other Rome classes to reunite as well.

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1 The shirt contained the initials of all the onetime Rome classmates who had reunited that weekend in Texas. Many of these women have been through cancer and other hardships, making the pope’s blessing of the shirt even more significant to them.

2 Read more about this special Rome reunion at udallas.edu/romesick.

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Transi ioning Online for COVID-19

By Carmen Newstreet, Ph.D.

Leaving an e-learning support session, I observed many of our most senior, revered full professors making their way to the next one. Faced with a task they surely never considered probable, they willingly did what they had to do to ensure that our students received the best education we could give them. Professionally, it occurred to me that in the face of great challenges, regardless of adversity, teachers report each day to teach our children. We are all blessed to work at UD with such wonderful role models, who keep adapting to meet our students’ needs.

Additionally, to hear our students speak warmly about their professors’ accommodations is a credit to the independent thinkers of UD. Students are committed to the pursuit of wisdom, truth and virtue and recognize the same light in their professors. Finally, we may begin to recognize that technology is not a bad thing – rather, it may be utilized as an educational tool, much like a book, which may be carefully implemented to further our education and that of our students.

Newstreet is an assistant professor of education at UD and helps coordinate the university’s Center for Teaching and Learning. Read more about her observations during the pandemic at udallas.edu/crisis-mode.