An "Ethic of Care" for All Creation

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CONTENT

Sr. Jeanne Bessette, OSF

Dave DiLorenzo

Julie Futterer

Aindrea Hogan

Sr. Mary Elizabeth Imler, OSF

Kim Kalafut

Dave Laketa

Chloe Lash

Lisa Sampalis

Regina Stevens

Larry Wiers

Other USF employees, alumni, students & friends

IMAGERY

Alexis Aguirre

Don Bersano - Bersano Photography

Cherry Hill Studios

Dave Laketa

Lauren Lewis

Ashley Swanson

Unidos Marketing Network

Other USF employees, alumni, students & friends

DESIGN

Lauren Lewis

PRINTING & DISTRIBUTION

St. Croix Press, Inc. stcroixpress.com

HOPE OF BETHANY AWARD PRESENTED TO THE SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS OF MARY IMMACULATE AND USF

This fall, the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate and USF were presented with the 2022 Hope of Bethany Award at Bethany House of Hospitality’s fifth anniversary celebration. The Sisters and USF were honored for their support of a Bethany House resident with four years of tuition and room and board at USF.

Accepting the award were Sr. Jeanne Bessette, OSF, president of the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate; Sr. Dolores Zemont, OSF, founding member of Bethany House; Arvid C. Johnson, Ph.D., USF president; and Sr. Mary Elizabeth Imler, OSF, USF vice president for mission integration (pictured at right).

USF JOINS FORCES WITH THEDREAM.US TO SUPPORT STUDENTS

The University of St. Francis is now working with TheDream.US to enroll students and provide National Scholarships to undocumented youth—sometimes referred to as Dreamers—who are looking for access to higher education but cannot access federal financial aid.

“The National Scholarship provides a student with up to $8,250 per year in tuition, with USF covering the remaining cost,” said Eric Ruiz, vice president of admissions and enrollment services at USF. “Providing students from any background or culture, including the children of immigrants, with access to a college education is strongly aligned with USF’s mission. This is who we are and how we serve.”

USF has a tradition of serving first-generation college students (students who are the first in their family to attend college). Half of this year’s freshman class is comprised of first-generation students. Over the past ten years, approximately 58 % of USF’s freshman classes have been comprised of first-generation students.

The new partnership is similar to USF’s Will County Access Grant, which provides full tuition to students who live in Will County and attended a Will County high school, and who have significant financial need.

USF ACHIEVES HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTION STATUS

In January, the University of St. Francis received notice that it achieved status as a Hispanic Serving Institution. These institutions are defined in Title V of the Higher Education Act as not-for-profit institutions of higher learning with a full-time equivalent undergraduate student enrollment that is at least 25 % Hispanic. This enables USF to apply for several federal grant programs. USF’s first goal will be applying for the Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions grant, which has a maximum award size of $600,000 per year for a period of five years.

Sister Clare Award

The University of St. Francis invited the community to submit nominations for the 2023 Sister Clare Award, which recognizes women of vision who have transformed the world of their time. The award is presented each year to a deserving recipient in the spirit of Clare of Assisi. The 2023 recipient was Kathryn Giegerich (pictured at right), owner and operator of Blackburn-Giegerich-Sonntag Funeral Home and president of Zonta Club of Joliet Area. " With quiet grace and understanding, she guides Joliet community members through one of the most transformational and painful of life experiences: death," said her nominator, along with other reasons for the nomination.

New Members Of Usf Leadership Team

In March, the university announced that Eric Ruiz, ’07, ’09—previously USF's director of admissions—was named the university’s new vice president for admissions and enrollment services. With more than 15 years of employment at USF, Ruiz will now oversee the areas of financial aid; enrollment support services; undergraduate, graduate, adult and international admissions; and marketing services. Shortly afterwards, Dr. Elizabeth McDermott—previously a USF professor of English—was named dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. According to Provost Beth Roth, "McDermott led a smooth transition as interim dean since last summer, earning respect for her leadership style." (Both Ruiz and McDermott are pictured at right.)

ONLINE PROGRAMS RANK HIGH WITH U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

U.S. News & World Report recently released its 2023 Best Online Programs rankings, and the university is proud to announce that its programs were ranked among the best in Illinois. U.S. News also recognized four other online programs offered by USF, including two named as the best private programs in Illinois (online graduate education programs and online MBA programs). As online education programs gain in popularity and demand, USF continues to leverage its comprehensive history of offering quality online options that meet the changing needs of those interested in earning a degree.

• Online Graduate Business Programs (excluding MBA) – #1 program overall in Illinois (36th percentile nationally)

• Online Graduate Education Programs – #1 private program in Illinois (18th percentile nationally)

• Online MBA Programs – #1 ranked private program in Illinois (36th percentile nationally)

• Online Nursing Programs – #3 ranked private program in Illinois (35th percentile nationally)

• Online Bachelor’s Programs – #4 ranked private program in Illinois (24th percentile nationally)

JOLIET REGION CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD

Accredited & Top-Ranked

The University of St. Francis was proud to be named the Large Business of the Year as part of the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s 2023 Annual Awards and Celebration of Success. USF was one of 12 organizations and individuals honored at the event, which took place in February. (Photo

Marketing Network.)

2016 WORLD SERIES-WINNING CHICAGO CUBS MANAGER JOE MADDON FEATURED AT 44TH BROWN & GOLD

Joe Maddon, the Major League Baseball manager that helped the Chicago Cubs organization break its 108-year World Series drought in 2016, was the guest speaker at University of St. Francis’ 44th annual Brown & Gold Night. The event took take place at the Pat Sullivan Center with nearly 500 alumni, friends and students in attendance. Maddon gave an entertaining presentation after giving both his jacket and shoes to the winner of the live auction, who also secured a golf foursome with Maddon. Maddon is yet another in a long list of sports celebrities to speak at USF’s Brown & Gold Night—one that has featured 17 Hall of Fame inductees. Among the list have been John Wooden, Al McGuire and Ray Meyer in basketball; Dick Butkus, Mike Ditka, Dan Hampton, Brian Urlacher, Paul Hornung and Bart Starr from football; and Fergie Jenkins and Frank Thomas from the diamond. Others have included Iowa wrestling coach Dan Gable, Blackhawks forward Denis Savard and USF’s own Gordie Gillespie—one of college baseball’s all-time winningest coaches.