 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mount Mercy College to House Red Cross Core Leadership Team CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (June 25, 2008) – Mount Mercy College continues to aid in the flood relief efforts for Eastern Iowa by opening its residence halls and facilities to the Red Cross. Vice President for Finance and Business Operations Barbara Parks Pooley announced today that more than 30 members of the Red Cross Core Leadership Team will be staying on the Mount Mercy campus for approximately one month as they assist with area cleanup. The Core Leadership Team will lead over 1,200 Red Cross volunteers in Iowa helping with flood relief. The team had previously been staying at the University of Northern Iowa but is relocating to Mount Mercy in order to be housed closer to their Disaster Response Site at Westdale Mall. Throughout the flood relief efforts Mount Mercy has housed more than 600 Air and Army National Guard members and law enforcement officers who were deployed to the area. Approximately 100 Mount Mercy staff, faculty, and students volunteered 3,600 hours to provide a myriad of support services - both visible and behind the scenes - to ensure the groups were able to perform their duties without interruption or distraction. Mount Mercy volunteers were scheduled in shifts on campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to offer technical and logistical support including communications, laundry and sanitary services, food delivery, switchboard duties, and facilitation of supplies. “The continual flood relief efforts organized by Mount Mercy volunteers and the housing of organizations aiding in the efforts on our campus highlight the values of gratitude and hospitality upon which Mount Mercy prides itself,” says Pooley. “The catastrophic flooding in Cedar Rapids has helped the Mount Mercy community realize that we all have a common bond – it’s about community and community-building,” Visit www.MERCYSTRONG.org for Mount Mercy College flood-related updates.
Camp to Offer Real-World Healthcare Experience for High School Students Cresson, PA - The Southcentral Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and Mount Aloysius College will hold its Tenth Annual Health Careers Awareness Camp Sunday, July 13 through Friday, July 18, 2008 on the Mount Aloysius College campus. Students will be given the opportunity to learn the aspects of various health careers and get hands-on training while working with medical professionals. Some of the hands-on activities will include suturing, dissection of an eye, facial reconstruction, drumming, telenursing and Sim Man, a lifelike mannequin that allows students to see what it would be like in realistic patient-care scenarios. Students will be exposed to a broad spectrum of healthcare careers. There will also be a field trip to a hospital to job shadow an array of health professionals. Participants must be in grades 9-12 during the 2008-2009 academic school year and reside in Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Indiana, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, Somerset or York counties. Students must submit an application, a one-page essay explaining their interest in health careers, and letter of recommendation from a high school guidance counselor or teacher to Southcentral PA AHEC office. The cost of the camp is $175 payable upon acceptance. Interested student who would like more information or who would like to obtain an application should call the Southcentral PA AHEC office at (814) 344-2222 or visit www.scpa-ahec.org
Iowa College in Flood Ravaged City Aids Air National Guard CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (June 18, 2008) – Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa opened its residence halls and facilities on June 12 to more than 400 members of the 185th Air Refueling Wing of the Iowa Air National Guard and Army National Guard deployed to fight the rising flood waters in Eastern Iowa. More than five days later, Mount Mercy College is the acting command center for the 185th Air Refueling Wing unit based in Sioux City, Iowa, and continues to take in additional Air National Guard members as the need arises, as well as law enforcement personnel from Minnesota and SWOT team members from Nebraska. As a result of the worst natural disaster in the history of Cedar Rapids, Mount Mercy College – which was not impacted directly by flood waters – has suspended its classes and closed its campus through Friday, June 20. The institution has set up an Emergency Management Team that is continuously reviewing the needs of the troops and works in consultation with the Air National Guard and law enforcement as situations and deployments continue to evolve. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1928, Mount Mercy College’s mission has always been to provide an education grounded in service to those in need. At the present time, more than 100 Mount Mercy College staff, faculty and student volunteers are providing a myriad of support services – both visible and behind the scenes – to ensure that the Air and Army National Guard and law enforcement members are able to perform their duties without interruption or distraction. Volunteers are scheduled in shifts on campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to offer technical and logistical support including communications, laundry and sanitary services, food delivery, switchboard duties, and facilitation of supplies. “I have no doubt that as the powerful flood waters recede and the coming days, weeks, months and years ahead are dedicated to rebuilding a greater Cedar Rapids, our community will only grow stronger in the face of tragedy and devastation – thanks in large part to the service of the Air and Army National Guard and law enforcement,” says Christopher Blake, president of Mount Mercy College. “I am proud that Mount Mercy College has been on the forefront of the volunteer efforts because, in the words of the founder of the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine McAuley, ‘You must draw persons to God by your words, by your example, and by the works of Mercy.’ At this time of human suffering, the students, staff, faculty, and administration of Mount Mercy College and the members of the Air and Army National Guard and law enforcement who are dedicating many hours of hard toil in flood relief actions could not exemplify any better Catherine’s exhortation.” Visit www.MERCYSTRONG.org for Mount Mercy College flood-related updates.
Russell Named Director of Academic & Learning Support Services at Mount Aloysius College
Cresson, Pa. - Dr. Tammy Russell has been named the Director of Academic and Learning Support Services at Mount Aloysius College. In her new role, Russell will oversee all programs and services within the department of Academic and Learning Support Services, which includes Educational Enrichment, the Learning Center, Advising, ACT 101, Tutoring, MAAPP, and General Studies/Undecided. Prior to her appointment at Mount Aloysius College, Dr. Russell spent more than 10 years in the Higher Education field, most recently as an Assistant Professor and Director of Student Support Services at a local university. Dr. Russell earned her Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Services Education. She received her Master's of Education in Counselor Education, and her Ph. D. in Counselor Education with a minor in Higher Education Administration from The Pennsylvania State University. She currently resides in State College with her husband, Anthony, and their two children.
Attend a Summer Contemplative Workshop with Dr. Bonnie Thurston Cresson, Pa. - Attend a Summer Contemplative Workshop from July 23 to July 28, 2008 for all clergy, pastors, and church leaders of all Christian denominations, with lecturer, Dr. Bonnie Bowman Thurston at Mount Aloysius College. The weekend will concentrate on a prayerful study of Matthew's Gospel with special focus on the Gospel texts used in liturgical worship and prayer. Content talks and discussion will alternate with opportunity for silent meditation and praying with the Gospel. Suggestions for prayer will be offered. A contemplative attitude will be maintained throughout the workshop and the Great Silence will be observed from 10:00 p.m. through breakfast. A prolific writer, Dr. Bonnie Bowman Thurston, has held professorships at Bethany College, Wheeling Jesuit University and the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Dr. Thurston is an ordained Disciples of Christ minister. She earned her bachelor's degree at Bethany College and her masters and doctoral degrees at the University of Virginia. She did post-doctoral work in New Testament Studies at Harvard University, Eberhard Karls University in Tuebingen (Germany), and the Ecole Biblique in Jerusalem. Author of more than a dozen books and 100 articles, her interests extend from the writings of Paul, through the Gospel of Mark to contemporary spirituality and interfaith dialogue. A spiritual director and retreat speaker, she has written two books of poetry and is an expert on the works of Thomas Merton. Among her most recent publications are Preaching Mark (Fortress Press, 2002), Philippians (Liturgical Press, 2005) and Religious Vows, the Sermon on the Mount, and Christian Living (Liturgical Press, 2006). On-site accommodations will be available. There are 25 air-conditioned suites with four single beds. Each room features a living room, kitchenette, private bathroom and two bedrooms. Linens will be provided and each morning there will be coffee, juice and pastries. The Pastor Myer's Ecumenical Studies Collection will be available to all of those who are attending the workshop. The cost of the workshop is $225 for those who will be staying on campus. Room and board is included for the time of the workshop and additional meals and overnights are possible, but will need to be negotiated. The fee for those who will be commuting is $140 for the three day session and all meals. Deadline for registration is July 1, 2008. For more information or to register, visit www.mtaloy.edu/gospel or contact Cathy Kozak, Conferences and Special Events Coordinator at 814-886-6404 or ckozak@mtaloy.edu
Mount Mercy Campus Providing Housing for Many Assisting Community in Flood Relief Effort CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (June 12, 2008) – In an effort to provide flood relief assistance to Cedar Rapids and surrounding areas Mount Mercy College has opened its residence halls to members of the Air National Guard, many of whom assisted at the Boys Scout Camp in Western Iowa that was struck by a deadly tornado yesterday evening. Also being housed in the Mount Mercy residence halls are army and air force personnel, civil engineers, and nurses from St. Luke's and Mercy Medical Center. These individuals will all be involved in flood relieve efforts. At this time the Mount Mercy residence halls are at capacity. “Mount Mercy is proud to assist the local community in any way we can during this time of need," says Mount Mercy College Vice President of Finance and Business Operations Barbara Parks Pooley. "We stand ready to assist in whatever capacity we can." Mount Mercy has a strong history of helping those in need. The Sisters of Mercy, founders of Mount Mercy, arrived in Cedar Rapids over 100 years ago and established ministries that addressed needs of indigent people. In 1924 the Sisters founded Mount Mercy Academy, which today is Mount Mercy College. The institution remains focused on educating students and instilling in them a passion and calling to serve the common good and help where help is most needed.
Winners from the Third Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium at Mount Aloysius College CRESSON, PA - Mount Aloysius College is pleased to announce the winners of the Third Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium held during the Spring 2008 semester. More than 155 presenters and 74 posters were featured at this year’s symposium. Posters were judged in two categories: Primary Research and Secondary Research. Students participating in the Primary Research category conducted independent research, while students in the Secondary Research category gathered and analyzed existing data and information. Participants represented five fields of study; Creative, Health Studies & Sciences, Humanities, Social Science & Professional Studies, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and Nursing. The following are winners listed in order of the category in which they competed: Creative
Health Studies & Sciences: Primary Research
Health Studies & Sciences: Secondary Research
Humanities, Social Science, & Professional Studies: Primary Research
Humanities, Social Science, & Professional Studies: Secondary Research
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Nursing: Secondary Research
Kozak Named Conferences and Special Events Coordinator at Mount Aloysius College
Cresson, Pa. - Ms. Cathy Kozak has been named the Conferences and Special Events Coordinator at Mount Aloysius College. In her new role, Kozak will develop, plan, and market Su mmer Camp programs. She will coordinate all activities related to conferences and workshops held on campus throughout the year and work with area businesses and community organizations to develop new opportunities for conferences, workshops and camps. Kozak will also assist the Center for Lifelong Learning Staff in the planning and execution of Summer School. Prior to her appointment at Mount Aloysius College, Kozak worked at Sheetz, Inc. for 15 years, most recently as assistant to the Vice President of Human Resources.. Kozak earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the Pennsylvania State University. She currently resides in Hollidaysburg.
Georgian Court University Graduates Encouraged to Be Voice of Hope for a Better World Speaker Says Graduates’ Lives Will Be Judged by Their Kindness, Integrity, and Justice Lakewood, N.J., May 16, 2008—Celebrating its Centennial, Georgian Court University held its 97th Commencement exercises today on its Lakewood campus, conferring degrees upon 600 undergraduate and graduate students. At its morning Commencement ceremony, Georgian Court conferred 188 graduate degrees. The honorary degree of Doctor of Ministry was conferred upon Sister of Mercy Grace Nolan, a 1957 graduate of Georgian Court and coordinator of the Atlantic County Family Services and Community Center for Catholic Charities. The honorary degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence was conferred upon Eugene D. Serpentelli, J.D., who served as a New Jersey Superior Court judge for almost 29 years before his retirement in July 2007. He was the longest serving assignment judge in the history of the judiciary. The graduate Commencement speaker and recipient of the honorary degree of Doctor of Education was Patricia B. Licuanan, Ph.D. Dr. Licuanan has long been a champion for Catholic higher education and women’s rights. She is the president of Miriam College in Manila, Philippines, formerly known as Maryknoll College. Her work on women’s issues is vast and includes serving as a working trustee for the Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics, as chair of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women, as adviser to the Ministry of Women’s Affairs of Afghanistan, and in various leadership roles in regional women’s networks such as the Asia Pacific Women’s Watch and South East Asia Women’s Watch. In 1995, Dr. Licuanan chaired the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for the U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. Dr. Licuanan was instrumental in creating the conference’s sweeping platform for action on wide-ranging women’s issues from poverty and education to violence and human rights. Before accepting the presidency at Miriam College, Dr. Licuanan served in many positions at Ateneo de Manila University, Manila, Philippines, a school in the Jesuit tradition. Rosemary E. Jeffries, RSM, Ph.D., president of Georgian Court University, visited Dr. Licuanan at Miriam College several years ago to establish an exchange agreement for faculty and students between the two institutions of Catholic higher learning. Dr. Licuanan encouraged the graduates to become change-leaders in this global economy; to face inconvenient truths, and look challenges squarely in the eye. “Be a critical voice. Demand the best,” Dr. Licuanan extolled. “Be a voice of hope for a better world.” During the afternoon Commencement, GCU conferred 412 undergraduate degrees. The honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters was conferred upon GCC 1951 graduate businesswoman Peggy Cleary. The honorary degree of Doctor of Ministry was conferred upon María Elena González, a Sister of Mercy who was the first woman president of the Mexican American Cultural Center in Texas, a national Catholic center that seeks to empower and educate leaders for service in a culturally diverse church and society. She was also the first woman chancellor in the Diocese of Lubbock, and one of the first women diocesan chancellors in the country. New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram was the Commencement speaker for the undergraduate ceremony. In her remarks, Attorney General Milgram, only the third female attorney general in New Jersey, told the graduates to follow what’s in their hearts, to have confidence in their abilities, to not postpone life but to be present in each moment, and more than anything else to remember that their lives will be judged, not necessarily on their professional accomplishments, but on the kindness, integrity, and ultimately, the justice they show.
Georgian Court-Meridian Health School of Nursing Offers Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree University Joins with Meridian Health to Train Nursing Professionals to Stem Shortage Lakewood, N.J., May 20, 2008—The New Jersey State Board of Nursing just approved the new Georgian Court -Meridian Health School of Nursing to offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program (B.S.N.) this fall on the Lakewood campus. The announcement follows approval of the degree by the New Jersey Presidents’ Council of the Commission on Higher Education. “The need for nurses across the state and in our local communities is acute,” said Rosemary E. Jeffries, RSM, Ph.D., university president. “We’re glad that we can now offer a B.S.N. program to help meet that need and give our students access to a respected, rewarding, and well-paying career.” President Jeffries said that nursing is a perfect fit with Georgian Court University’s core values. “Those who practice nursing practice our core values of compassion, respect, service, and integrity,” she explained. “Our goal is to graduate students who can bring these values to their professions and make a difference in the world. Nursing is another avenue to make that happen.” Recent studies indicate that the number of new nurses—graduates from diploma, associate, or generic (i.e., four-year) programs—in New Jersey needs to triple each year from the current 2,000 to 6,000 to prevent the nursing shortage crisis predicted for 2020. And nationwide, there is expected to be a demand for nurses that exceeds the supply by almost 1,000,000 nurses by 2020. “We looked at the numbers for Georgian Court University’s primary service area,” said John Lloyd, CEO of Meridian Health, the largest employer in Monmouth and Ocean counties and the region’s premier health services provider. “The expected shortfall is nearly 600 nurses a year—and this would be every year unless we are able to educate more nurses,” he continued. “Georgian Court will help us better meet the demand and make sure patients in our area will get the excellent nursing care they need and deserve.” The Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at Georgian Court The total number of credits for graduation in the B.S.N. program is 129—64 of which are nursing courses. During the freshman year, students will mostly take general education and natural and social science prerequisite courses. The proportion of nursing courses increases each year. Joseph Gower, Ph.D., GCU provost, said that Georgian Court is perfectly suited to provide the much-needed nursing graduates for the region. “Georgian Court has a strong tradition of educating students for service professions from social work to education,” he says. “We already have a number of health-related programs, a new science facility, and a wellness center.” Georgian Court’s labs will be enhanced with additional equipment for the nursing program, such as hospital beds, a patient care simulator, a mobile cart for medication preparation, and intravenous access models. Much of the clinical coursework will take place at Meridian facilities. “GCU nursing students will also be taught in Meridian Health’s learning laboratory with a state-of-the-art environment for the practical application of clinical skills in a simulated health care setting,” said John Lloyd. “They will be rotated across Meridian’s continuum of care at acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home care settings, and hospices.” GCU Nursing Program Open Houses
Saint Joseph’s College announces new president The Saint Joseph’s College Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Joseph Lee of Windham as the next president of the college. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Robert MacBride, called Lee a man whose depth of experience and personal charisma make him a dynamic leader. “As we conducted the search, his resumé rose to the top,” MacBride said. “Despite some excellent external candidates, we discovered that we clearly had the most qualified candidate already in-house,”he added. Lee has served as a vice president at the Standish campus since 2005 and as interim president since last May. Michael Shea of Bangor, a longtime trustee and alumnus of the college, headed the search committee, which fielded applications from 54 people for the position. “Dr. Lee’s solid background in Catholic higher education, along with executive-level experience and a collaborative style make him an ideal choice as our next president,” said Shea. “As the process unfolded, he emerged as the strongest candidate, and the fact that he has already been a part of the college ensures a quick and smooth transition,” he noted. Lee, 64, has been an administrator in Catholic higher education for 35 years, serving as dean of admissions and vice president for student services at Merrimack College in Massachusetts and later as the head of student life at Manhattan College in New York. He also served as President of Thomas More College in Kentucky from 2001 to 2004. Lee expects to reinvigorate the college’s strategic plan and manage the blueprint for growth over the next five years as the college expands to 1,200 students. “I’m thrilled to be offered this opportunity and also to be in my home state to stay,” said Lee. Dr. Margaret Hourigan, a Saint Joseph’s professor and member of the search committee, said that faculty members appreciate Lee’s candor, interpersonal skills and willingness to get input on decisions. “He demonstrates a genuine concern for all,” she said. Lee grew up in Bath, Maine, attended Cheverus High School and graduated from Morse High School. He earned a B.A. in French Literature and an M.S. in Education from St. Michael’s College and holds a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Boston College. Along with many extended family members in Maine, Lee has three children, Edward J. Lee III, John Lee and Christopher Lee.
Baer and Wilkinson Share Student Ambassador of the Year Honors at Mount Aloysius College Cresson, PA - Emily Baer and Caitlin Wilkinson were recently voted Student Ambassadors of the Year at Mount Aloysius College, Cresson, PA.
Emily Baer is the daughter of Douglas and Jacalyn Baer, of Meyersdale, and is a sophomore in the four-year Medical Imaging/Radiography program. Elected as Co-Ambassadors of the Year by peers and staff votes, Baer and Wilkinson genuinely exemplify the qualities of true Mount Aloysius College students. Richard Mishler, Admissions Counselor/Ambassador Advisor, commented, "Emily and Caitlin are extremely enthusiastic, loyal and dedicated to Mount Aloysius College. They embrace the Mercy tradition through service, hospitality, mercy and justice. They send a professional and true message to students and parents about Mount Aloysius College."
In addition to being excellent student ambassador, Baer is a member of the Women's soccer team, Music Club, Medical Imaging Club and participates in intramural sports. Wilkinson is a member of the American Sign Language club and the Honors program. She is also a Mercy Presidential Scholar and participated in Relay for Life. Mount Aloysius College's mission is to "respond to individual and community needs with quality programs of education in the tradition of the Religious Sisters of Mercy." Mount Aloysius College is located at 7373 Admiral Peary Highway, Cresson, PA 16630. For more information, please visit our web site at www.mtaloy.edu.
Area Students Receive Mercy Presidential Scholar of the Year Awards from Mount Aloysius College Cresson, PA - John Porter, Laura Deely, Jess Harnly and Caitlin Wilkinson were recently awarded Mercy Presidential Scholar of the Year awards by Mount Aloysius College.
The Mercy Presidential Scholar of the Year award is awarded to students from each class and is based upon on-campus participation in clubs and activities. This includes initiating clubs, holding an office, or doing community service on-or off-campus. Paid activities are not counted. Caitlin Wilkinson was awarded the First Year Mercy Presidential Scholar of the Year Award. Wilkinson is majoring in the four-year American Sign Language/Interpreter program and has achieved an overall GPA of 3.70.
She is a member of the American Sign Language Club and the Honors program. She participated in Relay for Life and, is also a Student Jess Harnly was awarded the Second Year Mercy Presidential Scholar of the Year Award. Harnly is majoring in the four-year American Sign Language/Interpreter program and has achieved an overall GPA of 3.63. She is a member of the Women's Soccer team, the Honors program and the American Sign Language club. Harnly is also a Mercy Leader, and Student Ambassador. Laura Deely was awarded the Third Year Mercy Presidential Scholar of the Year Award. She is majoring in English and has achieved an overall GPA of 3.31. Deely is a Student Ambassador, a member of the American Sign Language club and she participated in Relay for Life. She is also a member of the Women's Soccer team, Student Government, Photography Club, and she is a blogger. John Porter was awarded the Fourth Year Mercy Presidential Scholar of the Year Award. Porter is a History/Political Science major and has achieved an overall GPA of 3.94. He is a Student Ambassador and a member of the Honors program, Scrapbooking club, Student Government. Porter is the President of the Children's Advocacy Associate, participated in Relay for Life, and he is a blogger. Mount Aloysius College's mission is to "respond to individual and community needs with quality programs of education in the tradition of the Religious Sisters of Mercy." Mount Aloysius College is located at
Mount Mercy College Board of Trustees Approves Strategic Plan to Move to University Status by 2012 CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (May 3, 2008) – Mount Mercy College President Christopher Blake today announced that the institution’s Board of Trustees, under the direction of Chairman Charles A. Rohde, has approved a new strategic plan that will guide the institution through 2012. The strategic plan endorses the goal of Mount Mercy College transitioning to Mount Mercy University by 2012. The strategic plan focuses on five major themes: a vibrant teaching and learning environment; student experiences; sustainable institutional resources; visibility, marketing and outreach; and Catholic identity and Mercy mission. Each theme includes corresponding goals that members of the campus community will address during the next four academic years. “The passage of this strategic plan is a key moment in the history of Mount Mercy, as we seek to build upon our mission, values and vision as a Catholic institution of higher learning, founded by the Sisters of Mercy, and providing a high quality student-focused education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels,” says Blake. “The strategic plan will provide the vital context and outcomes for us to become Mount Mercy University, recognized regionally for academic distinction as a small to mid-size university and as a national leader within the Conference of Mercy Higher Education. This plan is central to our evolution as a vibrant intellectual community in the 21st century, providing a range of educational experiences designed to empower our students to be leaders in their professions and communities, and to position Mount Mercy as a powerful, sustainable, viable and well-resourced place of learning.” The plan that was approved today by the Board of Trustees can be viewed at http://www2.mtmercy.edu/theplan.html.
Daughter of Late Robert F. Kennedy to Give Keynote Address at Mount Mercy College Commencement CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (May 2, 2008) – Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, daughter of the late Robert F. Kennedy, will be the keynote speaker at Mount Mercy College commencement exercises on Saturday, May 17 at 10:00 a.m. at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids. Kennedy Townsend’s speech at Mount Mercy’s commencement builds upon the Mount Mercy-Kennedy connection that began in the 1950’s. Members of the Kennedy family have visited the Mount Mercy campus seven times in the College’s nearly 80-year history. The Kennedy family’s affinity for Mount Mercy arose from the family’s strong Catholic background and their connection to the Sisters of Mercy, the founders of Mount Mercy. Kennedy Townsend, the eldest child of Robert and Ethel Kennedy, was Maryland’s first woman Lt. Governor. She serves on a number of non-profit boards, including as chairman of the Institute for Human Virology at the University of Maryland, and as a member of the board of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, the Points of Light Foundation, National Catholic Reporter, and the Character Education Partnership, among others. While serving as the chairman of the board of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial, Kennedy Townsend created the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Mount Mercy’s two highest awards for graduates will be presented at commencement: The Mary Catherine McAuley Award and the Mary Frances Warde Award. The McAuley Award is the highest honor given to a student attending Mount Mercy for four years. The Warde Award is the highest honor given to a student who has transferred into Mount Mercy. Mount Mercy College Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs John Marsden, Ph.D., will introduce the candidates and President Christopher Blake, Ph.D., will confer Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Applied Arts, Bachelor of Applied Science and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees during the ceremony. Gregory Blythe, a biology major from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, will deliver an address on behalf of the senior class. He plans to speak about the importance of lifelong learning. Blythe has been an active member of the men’s cross country and track and field teams, as well as being named to the Dean’s List multiple times, was a member of the Stang’s Christian Fellowship Club, Biology Club, and took part in several Campus Ministry service projects. Schedule of Events Friday, May 16 4:00 p.m. – Honors Convocation in the Chapel of Mercy. Mount Mercy students will be recognized for achievements and excellence in academics, leadership and service. Among the awards presented at the convocation is the President’s Award, given to a graduating senior who has demonstrated a strong academic record, engagement in the campus community and service to others. 7:00 p.m. – Nursing Pinning Ceremony in Hennessey Recreation Center. At the Mount Mercy Department of Nursing Pinning Ceremony, a long standing school tradition, nursing graduates are presented with their nursing class pin. Saturday, May 19 10:00 a.m. – Commencement ceremony at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids. 12:00 p.m. – Commencement Party on Busse-Regina plaza. Mount Mercy will host a graduation party immediately following commencement until 2:00 p.m. Graduates and their families and friends are invited to campus for the outdoor celebration.
Mount Mercy College to Host Discussion Proposed Wall between Texas and Mexico Border CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (May 2, 2008) – Mount Mercy College’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), along with the college’s Campus Ministry, will host an informational discussion regarding the proposed construction of a wall between the Texas and Mexico border. The discussion, titled “Take a Stand,” will take place on Wednesday, May 7 beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Flaherty Community Room, Basile Hall, on the Mount Mercy campus and is free and open to the public. Panel discussion members include Ann Williams Cass, executive director of Proyecto Azteca, a nonprofit housing development organization located in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas; and David Hanson, an immigration expert and partner at the law firm Hofmeyer and Hanson PC, in Fayette, Iowa. The discussion will be moderated by Andy Petersen, the host of WMT 600’s “WMT Mornings.” The panel discussion will focus on the proposed construction of the wall between the Texas and Mexican border. Panelists will discuss a historical perspective, a local perspective, and will address facts and myths about the project. There will also be a question and answer period. SIFE, the largest student organization in the world, provides students the opportunity to make a difference by developing leadership skills through learning, practicing, and teaching the principles of the free enterprise system. Mount Mercy Campus Ministry is committed to helping individuals discover a vision by which to walk and the energy by which to live, and hosts a variety of vibrant, mainly student-generated, activities that tap into people’s thirst for a healthy relationship with God, others, and themselves. “Take a Stand” is sponsored by SIFE and Mount Mercy Campus Ministry through a generous grant from the Cedar Rapids Sisters of Mercy.
Mount Aloysius College 68th Annual Commencement Ceremony Saturday, May 10, 2008 CRESSON, Pa. - On Saturday, May 10, 2008, Mount Aloysius College will proudly hold its 68th Annual Commencement Activities. Preceded by a graduation liturgy at 10:00 a.m., the commencement convocation is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. in the Health & Physical Fitness Center on the campus of Mount Aloysius College. This year's commencement address will be given by Dr. James P. Gallagher, Ph.D., a member of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission, and the former President of both Philadelphia University and Mount Aloysius College. It wasn't until he was the Vice President for Development and Communications at The American College that his first college presidency came to fruition in 1977. The Mount Aloysius College Board of Trustees selected Dr. James Gallagher to serve as the first lay leader in the school's history. During the course of his presidency, Dr. Gallagher increased enrollment by twenty percent, increased external support by three-hundred percent, introduced a successful program for hearing-impaired students, balanced a previously un-balanced budget, and opened several off-campus centers. From Mount Aloysius, Dr. Gallagher went to Harrisburg where he served a three-year stint as Commissioner for Higher Education before assuming the presidency of Philadelphia University. Originally known as Philadelphia College of Textiles and Sciences, Philadelphia University was literally transformed during Dr. Gallagher's twenty-three year tenure as president. Selected in 2002 to serve as a member of Philadelphia's School Reform Commission, Dr. Gallagher continues to serve in that role. He is able to offer a unique perspective to help set the future direction of the School District of Philadelphia. It is his passion for education and his remarkable creativity that have contributed to some astounding changes in the school system, including five consecutive years of improved state test scores. In addition to Dr. Gallagher's volunteer service on the School Reform Commission, he is presently a member of the boards of Girard College, The American University of Rome, the Connolly Foundation, Project H.O.M.E., and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau. Other honorary degree recipients include Ms. Donna Gority, Blair County Commissioner and Sr. Mary Noel Menezes, Ph.D., Retired Professor of History - University of Guyana. Donna Gority has been a Blair County Commissioner since 1984 and, in that role, has been involved in and critically aware of issues that impact the quality of life for persons in Blair County. Throughout her twenty-four years in public life, she has been an active participant in the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania and is one of its few female presidents. In 1983 Gority was one of the founders of the Domestic Abuse Project in Blair County which continues today under the umbrella of Family Services Incorporated. In 1994 she participated in the founding of Leadership Blair County, a program to identify, educate and motivate the area's promising leaders for service to the community, which is sponsored by the Blair County Chamber of Commerce and boasts 269 graduates. In 2007, she participated in the beginning of Operation Our Town, a partnership led by business to fight drugs and violent crime in Central Pennsylvania. Sr. Mary Noel Menezes has been described as "a selfless and effective humanitarian ...who rendered phenomenal humanitarian service" throughout her career as teacher, professor, scholar, and administrator. Her life-time of humanitarian response includes thirty-five years of service at the St. John Bosco Orphanage in Plaisance, Guyana; thirty-some years visiting patients suffering from Hansen's Disease at the Mahaica Hospital and the Cheshire Home in Mahaica; eight years as director of Mercy Boys' Home which she founded for young men leaving the Orphanage with nowhere to go; on-going service on the Boards of public and private organizations and institutions. For more information on the day's events, please contact Jackie Gutshall, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, at (814) 886-6465.
Mount Mercy College Names Registrar CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (April 29, 2008) – Mount Mercy College has announced that Jason M. Clapp has been named to the position of registrar. Clapp will be responsible for maintaining the academic records of all students. He will support Mount Mercy’s mission and also administer and ensure compliance with Federal, State, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), Veteran’s Administration (V.A). and college regulations, policies and procedures concerning academic records. Prior to joining Mount Mercy, Clapp served as Registrar at Providence College and Seminary in Otterburne, Manitoba, Canada. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Providence College and his Master of Arts degree in Christian Studies from Providence Theological Seminary. Clapp replaces Lori Heying as registrar, who was recently named director of institutional research for Mount Mercy.
College of Saint Mary Student Scholars’ Day College of Saint Mary seniors will be presenting their research presentations during Student Scholars’ Day April 30 in Walsh and Mercy Halls on the CSM campus. Student Scholars’ Day is an opportunity for seniors at CSM to share what they are learning with the community through in-depth research presentations. The students work with businesses and industries in their chosen career fields to complete their projects, which are required prior to graduation. Each year, the college cancels classes during this time so that the entire campus community can attend the presentations given by the graduating seniors. Presentations are free and open to the public, and will begin at 9 a.m. A detailed schedule of presentations is attached. Lunch and musical entertainment will also be available on the Hixson-Lied plaza at noon for a cost of $5.25 per person.
Mount Mercy College to Host Author Ethan Canin CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (May 1, 2008) – Author Ethan Canin will visit Mount Mercy College on May 1, 2008. A question and answer period will be held at 3:30 p.m., followed by a reading at 7:30 p.m. Both sessions will be held the Flaherty Community Room located in Basile Hall and are free and open to the public. Ethan Canin is the author of six books of fiction, including the story collections Emperor of the Air and The Palace Thief, and the novel Carry Me Across the Water. His widely anthologized short stories have appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, The Paris Review, and have been the basis for four Hollywood movies. A graduate of Harvard Medical School and a licensed physician, Canin gave up medicine to become a professor at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop in Iowa City. His new novel, America America, is scheduled to be published by Random House in May 2008.
LOCATION CHANGE - Inspirational Speaker Karen McCaa to Present at Mount Mercy College CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (April 24, 2008) – Inspirational Speaker Karen McCaa will speak at Mount Mercy College on April 29 at 7:30 p.m. in Flaherty Community Room, Basile Hall, on the Mount Mercy campus. Her presentation, The Champion in You!, will focus on what makes a champion and how to become one, and how to seize dreams. The event is free and open to the public. A native of Indiana, Karen McCaa is passionate about life and sharing motivational messages that are uplifting. As an inspirational speaker, life coach, counselor and color commentator, McCaa presents at various organizations, schools, businesses and churches across the United States. McCaa received her Bachelor’s in English from Eastern Illinois University and her Master’s degree in Counseling from the University of Tennessee. This summer will be the third year that McCaa will be presenting motivational camp workshops for selected athletes for the Nike® company.
Denyce Graves to Speak at College of Saint Mary Spring Commencement Ceremony Famed opera singer will make keynote address at graduation May 18 College of Saint Mary (CSM) is proud to announce that Denyce Graves, celebrated American Mezzo-Soprano, will deliver the keynote address at this spring’s commencement ceremony May 18 at 10:30 a.m. in the Qwest Center. Recognized worldwide as one of today’s most exciting vocal stars, Graves continues to gather unparalleled popular and critical acclaim. She has performed for many notable audiences – including the Nobel Peace Prize awards in 1999 and the National Prayer Service in Washington’s National Cathedral following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 – and has been personally invited to sing for President and Mrs. George W. Bush and Pope Benedict XVI. She has also appeared on numerous television shows, including Sesame Street, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live and an Emmy Award-winning profile on CBS’s 60 Minutes. Named one of “50 Leaders of Tomorrow” by Ebony Magazine and one of Glamour Magazine’s “Women of the Year” in 1997, Graves is a truly inspirational woman with a compelling story to tell. CSM will also host a wine and cheese reception honoring Graves May 18 from 4 – 6 p.m. in the Hixson-Lied Commons on the CSM campus. The event is free and open to the public. For more information on Denyce Graves, visit her Web site at www.denycegraves.com. For more information on the College’s commencement ceremony, please call (402) 399-2400 or visit the commencement Web site at http://csm.edu/Student_Life_and_Services/Express_Center/Commencement_Information/.
Mount Mercy Choir to Perform Spring Concert CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (April 25, 2008) – Mount Mercy College will hold its annual Spring Concert in the Stello Performance Hall, Warde Hall, on the Mount Mercy campus on May 6 at 7:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. The concert will feature the college choir performing a wide variety of choral favorites, from Purcell’s “Come Ye Sons of Art” and Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” to popular tunes such as “Over the Rainbow.” The Jazz Connection will also perform jazz standards and well-known tunes by Gershwin and the Beatles.
Mount Mercy College Hosting Xavier High School Students for Leadership Retreat CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (April 23, 2008) – Today 189 juniors from Xavier High School are attending a leadership retreat at Mount Mercy College. The theme for the day is Servant Leadership through the Corporal Works of Mercy. During the day the Xavier students will attend mass at the Chapel of Mercy; presentations by Mount Mercy students, faculty and staff members; and take part in breakout sessions designed to help the students understand the importance of service learning and servant leadership. The day long event is being hosted by Mount Mercy’s Admission office and the Emerging Leaders Program. The Emerging Leaders Program exists to help students understand the philosophy of the Sisters of Mercy, “to serve wherever human need exists.”
College of Saint Mary to Present a Lecture By Jim Esch April 23 Congressional candidate hosted by the CSM College Democrats Club College of Saint Mary (CSM) is proud to announce that the CSM College Democrats Club will present a lecture by Jim Esch, Democratic candidate for Congress, April 23 at noon in the Mercy Hall Meeting Room on the CSM campus. The event is free and open to the public, and will include a question-and-answer portion. Jim Esch is a life-long resident of Omaha, and a former board member of numerous organizations, including the Sienna Francis House homeless shelter, Heart Ministry outreach program, and Black Student Catholic Scholarship Fund. For more information on his campaign, visit www.jimesch.org.
Mount Mercy College to Produce Rabbit Hole CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (April 17, 2008) – Mount Mercy College’s Theater Department will Present Rabbit Hole, a student-directed play on April 24, 25, and 26 at 7:30 p.m. each evening. The play will debut in the McAuley Theater, located in Lower McAuley Hall on the Mount Mercy Campus. David Lindsay-Abaire’s Rabbit Hole, a 2006 Pulitzer Price winner, is the story of a family turned upside down by a life-shattering accident. The play charts the family’s bittersweet search for comfort in the darkest of places and for a path that will lead them back into the light of day. The play is directed by Mount Mercy senior Nick Duffy, of Cedar Rapids. Tickets are $5.00 for the public and $3.00 for students and senior citizens. Call 319-363-8213 ext. 1229 for information.
Students to Participate in Third Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium Cresson, Pa. - On Tuesday, April 22, 2008 Mount Aloysius College will hold its annual conference to highlight undergraduate research from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Health and Physical Fitness Center on the College campus. To date, there are 79 poster entries by individuals or groups for the Symposium and more entries are expected. Students may enter research projects in the following categories: Participating in undergraduate research provides opportunities for students to work one-on-one with faculty, graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers. Students also benefit from the ability to explore their interests and help them to clarify career goals or prepare for graduate-level study. It is important for students to have the opportunity to contribute to the creation of new knowledge, sharpen critical and analytical thinking skills and complement and extend classroom learning. There are great benefits to students who participate in undergraduate research and the insight they will gain about how to learn, how new knowledge is created and what can be accomplished when actively engaging their own research.
CSM Will Host Mothers Living and Learning Open House Learn more about the innovate program for single mothers on April 21 College of Saint Mary (CSM) is excited to announce that it will host an open house on its Mothers Living and Learning (MLL) program on April 21 from 3:30 – 5 p.m. in Walsh Hall on the CSM campus. Mothers Living and Learning is a year-round residency program that offers single mothers the opportunity to live on campus in residence halls with their children while pursuing their degree at CSM. MLL began in the fall of 2000, and has grown to more than 30 mothers and nearly 40 children. “Obtaining a college degree while raising children brings with it special challenges,” said Dr. Martha Brown, vice president for Student Development. “However, when single mothers can live in a supportive on-campus environment, they have a better change of being successful students and parents.” During the open house, visitors can learn about the program by interacting with the moms and their kids and taking a tour of the MLL facilities, including residence areas and multi-purpose play and learning rooms funded by the Bright Space and Oliver and Ferrol Barklage Foundations. This event is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be provided. For more information on the MLL program or the open house, please contact Sister Karen Egri at kegri@csm.edu.
Mount Mercy College to Host Chicago Bronze Handbell Choir CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (April 14, 2008) – Mount Mercy College will host a workshop and concert performed by the Chicago Bronze Handbell Choir on Saturday, April 26 in the Chapel of Mercy on the Mount Mercy campus. The workshop, “Taking Your Ringing to the Next Level,” begins at 2:30 p.m., and the concert, “Storm Warning!” will be held at 7:00 p.m. There is a $15 registration cost for the workshop. Dinner with the Chicago Bronze Ringers is optional in the Mount Mercy dining hall for $5.00; reservations are necessary. A free will offering will be taken at the concert. Topics to be covered in the workshop include Musicality, Memory Moments, Creative Beginnings and Endings, 4 in hand, malleting, and much more. The concert will include a wide variety of music including titles such as “Georgia on My Mind,” “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” and “Take Five.” One of the top community choirs in the Midwest, Chicago Bronze Handbell Choir is directed by Philip Roberts, a newly elected member of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers national board. Chicago Bronze boasts fourteen extraordinary ringers that can amaze an audience with their ringing expertise. Mount Mercy is partnering with the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers for these events. Reservations can be made by contacting the Iowa Chapter of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers at jkjdjaeger@juno.com. Visit www.agehr-ia.org for more information.
Mount Mercy College Names Director of Institutional Research CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (April 14, 2008) – Mount Mercy College has announced that Lori K. Heying has been named director of institutional research for the College.
Heying will be responsible for the collection, selection, dissemination and use of institutional data to inform the decision-making and strategic growth of the College. Heying has served as Mount Mercy’s registrar since coming to the College in July 2000. Prior to joining Mount Mercy, Heying was the registrar at Upper Iowa University. She volunteers for Aid to Women, and is a member of the Upper Midwest Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. Heying earned her Bachelor of Science in Business degree from Upper Iowa University in 1992, and her Masters degree in Business form Upper Iowa University in 2000.
CSM President to be Given League of Women Voters “Making Democracy Work” Award Dr. Maryanne Stevens, RSM, will receive the award April 19 College of Saint Mary is proud to announce that Dr. Maryanne Stevens, RSM, president of College of Saint Mary, will be presented with the League of Women Voters of Greater Omaha’s “Making Democracy Work” award at their annual meeting April 19 at Champions Run. The “Making Democracy Work” award is given annually to one female leader in the Omaha community who has “envisioned a way to improve the community and mobilized others to work with them to effect change that has benefited the broader community, helping to make it strong, vibrant and fair.” Dr. Stevens has served as the president of CSM since 1996, and exemplifies vision, community change and mobilization of others through her passion for improving lives, especially through education. A resident of Omaha for 40 years, Dr. Stevens has been active in causes promoting women and justice for more than 30 years. She has used her role at CSM to improve the lives of women of all backgrounds through education and leadership opportunities, positively impacting the Omaha community in the process. Dr. Stevens has also served as Vice President of the Women’s Fund of Greater Omaha and as a board member for numerous organizations, including the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Alegent Health, Creighton Preparatory High School and Mercy High School. More information on the League of Women Voters of Greater Omaha can be found at www.omahalwv.org.
Mount Mercy College Professor to Address Chinese and Anglo-American Race and Culture CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (April 9, 2008) – Dr. Edy Parsons, assistant professor of history at Mount Mercy College, will speak regarding racial and cultural relationships between Chinese and Anglo-Americans. The presentation, entitled, “Facing the Aliens: How Chinese and Americans Viewed Each Other, 1870s-1940s,” will take place on April 22 at 7:30p.m. in the Flaherty Community Room located in Basile Hall, on the Mount Mercy campus. When Chinese and American people confronted one another between the 1870s and 1940s, wide gaps in understanding emerged as both groups held to their own ideas and racial prejudices when dealing with each other. Parsons will explore how Chinese and Anglo-Americans viewed each other racially and culturally. Dr. Parsons’ presentation is part of Mount Mercy’s Race and Gender Series, and is free and open to the public.
Ecumenical Gathering to Feature New Testament Scholar, Professor and Author Dr. Willard Swartley Cresson, Pa. - Mount Aloysius College will host a luncheon and lecture for all area clergy from Christian denominations on Thursday, April 17, 2008. Dr. Willard Swartley, Professor Emeritus of New Testament, Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart, Indiana will be the featured speaker. His lecture will be entitled, "Gospel of Peace: Biblical Witness and Challenge." The lecture will begin at approximately 1:30 p.m. in the Cosgrave Student Center meeting rooms.
Dr. Swartley holds a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary and is a graduate of Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia and Goshen Biblical Seminary (now part of AMBS) in Indiana. He began teaching the New Testament at AMBS in 1978, he served as the academic dean from 1979-81 and 1995-2000. He was also the Director of the Institute of Mennonite Studies (IMS), located at AMBS, from 1980-88. A distinguished and influential Anabaptist scholoar with numerous publications, Swartley is most interested in New Testament studies, particularly the gospel of Mark, and peace and nonviolence. Among his numerous publications are, "Send Forth Your Light: A Vision of Peace, Mission, and Worship" (Herald, 2007) and "Covenant of Peace: The Missing Peace in the New Testament Theology and Ethics" (Eerdmans, 2006). In addition to his writings, Dr. Swartley has served as a New Testament editor for Believers Church Bible Commentary series, and as co-editor of the Study of Peace and Scripture series. Mount Aloysius College's mission is to "respond to individual and community needs with quality programs of education in the tradition of the Religious Sisters of Mercy." Mount Aloysius College is located at For more information, please contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at (814) 866-6319.
Mount Aloysius College to Hold Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Residence Hall on Monday, April 21, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. Cresson, Pa. - On Monday, April 21, 2008 at 10:00 a.m., Mount Aloysius College will hold a Groundbreaking ceremony for a new residence hall expected to be ready for occupancy in fall 2009. The new hall is designed to house 103 students in double and single rooms with shared bathrooms between rooms. There will also be a large multi-purpose meeting room on the first floor that will accommodate 100 people as well as common spaces for student lounges and study halls on each of the three floors. During the 2008-2009 school year, all residence halls have been filled, with some students in tripled rooms. The continued growth in undergraduate enrollment at Mount Aloysius now requires additional residence space. The decision represents yet another milestone in the College's development.
Holocaust Speaker to Give Presentation at Mount Mercy College CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (April 9, 2008) – Holocaust Survivor, Hedy Epstein, will speak at Mount Mercy College on Wednesday April 16 at 7:00 p.m. in Betty Cherry Heritage Hall. This event is free and open to the public. Epstein was eight years old when Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933. In 1939 Epstein was one of the almost 10,000 children that England took in between December 1938 and the beginning of World War II. Epstein’s parents were deported in 1940 to a concentration camp in what was then Vichy France. Inmates of the camp were allowed to send a one page letter each week to someone in the outside world. Epstein received letters from her parents for two years, until they were sent to Auschwitz in 1942. The last communication Epstein received from her mother was a postcard dated September 4, 1942, which said, “Traveling to the east…Sending you a final goodbye.” She never heard from her parents again. Epstein speaks throughout the country about Her Nazi Holocaust experience, her five trips to the Israeli Occupied West Bank since 2003, how she came to terms with her parents' death, and her work as a research analyst at the Nuremberg trial of the physicians accused of performing medical experiments on concentration camp inmates.
Mount Mercy College to Host Giant Panda Expert CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (April 9, 2008) – Dr. Gary Machlis, Canon Professor of Conservation at the University of Idaho, will speak at Mount Mercy College on April 14 regarding his giant panda research. The presentation, which will be held in the Flaherty Community Room beginning at 7:30 p.m., is free and open to the public. Dr. Machlis worked in China in 1981 and again in 1986-87 on the Giant Panda Project for the World Wildlife Fund. He is a founding member of the Wolong Nature Reserve International Advisory Council, which provides advice to managers of one of the world's largest reserves for the giant pandas.
Meet Famous Author, Fergus Madigan Bordewich, at Cambria County's One Book, One Community Reading Program Event Cresson, Pa. - For the second year in a row, Mount Aloysius College joins other area educational institutions, service organizations and businesses in Cambria County's One Book, One Community Reading Program. The title selected this year is Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America by Fergus Madigan Bordewich. On Thursday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m., Bordewich will be a guest of Mount Aloysius College at a Meet the Author event in Academic Hall 213/215 on the college campus. In June 1998, Bordewich visited the site of the Dawn Institute, founded in 1841 in southern Ontario, a school and refuge for fugitive slaves, and the last stop on the Underground Railroad. He tried to picture the men and women who had found safety and hope there, and who had gone on to build new lives for themselves in freedom. While he was there, he began to ask himself many questions about those who were part of the Underground Railroad. His experience there allowed him to begin writing Bound for Canaan. Fergus Madigan Bordewich was born in New York City and raised in Yonkers, New York. In addition to Bound for Canaan, he is the author of Killing the White Man's Indian: Reinventing Native Americans at the End of the Twentieth Century; My Mother's Ghost, a memoir; and Cathay: A series of other community events exploring the theme of the Underground Railroad, are planned during the month of April. These include a night of Stephen Foster music, two movies, two lectures and a book discussion/coffee talk. A complete list of events, as well as the names of the additional sponsors of the One Book One Community Reading Program, is available at: For more information contact Shamim Rajpar, at 814-886-6442 or srajpar@mtaloy.edu.
CSM Hosts Lecture Series on Immigration April 12 - 17 Lectures, which address immigration issues, are free and open to the public College of Saint Mary is proud to announce that it will host “The Many Faces of Immigration,” a lecture series by Sister Kathleen Erickson, April 12 – 17 on the CSM campuses. For more information, please contact Sister Mary Kay Dobrovolny at (402) 399-2391 or mkdobrovolny@csm.edu.
Former Pittsburgh Steeler John Banaszak Headlines The Eleventh Annual Mount Aloysius College Celebrity Golf Tournament Cresson, Pa. (April 1, 2008)- Mount Aloysius College's Eleventh Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament will feature Former Pittsburgh Steeler, John Banaszak as its celebrity guest on Friday, June 13, 2008, at the Summit Country Club in Cresson. Graduating from Eastern Michigan in 1975, Banaszak became a free agent defensive line-man and was one of three rookies to make the Pittsburgh Steelers that year. As a rookie, Banaszak was the first National Football League player to celebrate a sack during his first game in Houston. Banaszak went on to play all seven seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers as both a special teams player and a defensive end. He is among a small group of Steelers who have won three Super Bowls X, XIII, XIV. After his career in the NFL, Banaszak went into business for himself, but was persuaded to give coaching a try at Washington and Jefferson College as its head football coach. He recently complete his fifth season as an assistant football coach under Joe Walton at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh. Now in its eleventh year, the Mount Aloysius College tournament will begin at 9 a.m. with breakfast and registration at the Summit Country Club, followed by a 10 a.m. shotgun start. The tournament utilizes a four-person scramble format. An outdoor steak barbecue will immediately follow the tournament's conclusion. Highlights include a hole-in-one contest where golfers have a chance to win a new 2008 Buick automobile sponsored by Stager's Chevrolet-Buick. Mount Aloysius College Golf Tournament event sponsors are Leonard S. Fiore, Inc. and Hoss's Steak and Sea House. Sponsorship opportunities are available ranging in price from $150 - $2,500. Prices have not increased in the tournament's eleven-year history. Gold Sponsorship ($2,500) includes six golfers, corporate sponsorship and recognition, including the opportunity to display your banner at the barbecue, breakfast, prizes, green fees, cart, and a team photograph with John Banaszak. Silver Sponsorship ($1,000) includes four golfers, corporate sponsorship and recognition, breakfast, prizes, green fees, cart, and a team photograph with John Banaszak. Bronze Sponsorship ($500) includes two golfers, corporate sponsorship and recognition, breakfast, prizes, green fees, cart, and a team photograph with John Banaszak. Individual Sponsorship ($200) includes one golfer, breakfast, prizes, green fees, cart, and a photograph with John Banaszak. Hole Sponsorship ($150) includes the name of the sponsoring individual or business at one of the 18 holes to be played during the tournament. All funds raised during the Golf Tournament provide scholarship assistance to students attending Mount Aloysius College. In the words of Alyssa J. Harclerode, '07 scholarship recipient, "While attending Everett High School, I participated in the Senior Challenge Program which gave me the opportunity to job shadow a Physical Therapist in my hometown. It did not take long to realize this was the career for me. I visited Mount Aloysius and knew the Physical Therapy 4+2 program would be a perfect fit. By receiving scholarships, I am able to achieve my dreams of attaining a Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy. Without your support, my dreams and those of many students would not be possible. Thank you for all you have done to make Mount Aloysius College what it is today." Last year's tournament featuring former Steeler wide receiver, Louis Lipps, raised more than $25,000 for the scholarship fund. Interested golfers can call (814) 886-6319 to reserve a place in the tournament. Individual tickets for the outdoor steak barbecue are also available at $35 each.
Mount Aloysius College to Hold Third Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium Cresson, Pa. (March 27, 2008)- On Tuesday, April 22, 2008 Mount Aloysius will hold its annual conference to highlight undergraduate research from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Health and Physical Fitness Center on the College campus. To date, there are 79 poster entries by individuals or groups for the Symposium and more entries are expected. Students may enter research projects in the following categories: Participating in undergraduate research provides opportunities for students to work one-on-one with faculty, graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers. Students also benefit from the ability to explore their interests and help them to clarify career goals or prepare for graduate-level study. It is important for students to have the opportunity to contribute to the creation of new knowledge, sharpen critical and analytical thinking skills and complement and extend classroom learning. There are great benefits to students who participate in undergraduate research and the insight they will gain about how to learn, how new knowledge is created and what can be accomplished when actively engaging their own research. For more information go to
Mount Mercy College Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Win Eleventh Consecutive Regional Competition CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (March 26, 2008) – Mount Mercy College’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team won its eleventh consecutive SIFE Regional Championship March 26 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Mount Mercy team advances to the SIFE National Competition to be held May 12-May 14 in Chicago, Illinois. In 2006 and 2007, Mount Mercy’s SIFE team finished first runner-up in the national opening round, placing in the top 40 teams out of more than 800 in the Unites States. At this year’s Regional Competition, the Mount Mercy team beat squads from University of Minnesota – Crookston, Concordia College, University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, and St. Norbert College. “We are pleased by our performance in Minneapolis and are looking forward to strong competition in Chicago,” says team advisor and Dean of the Mount Mercy College Institute Tom Castle. “I am proud of the success that this team has had, especially their feat of winning the College’s eleventh consecutive regional championship. Mount Mercy’s group of seven team members will continue to hone their skills by presenting to various local groups and organizations prior to traveling to the national competition.” Mount Mercy’s SIFE presentation team members are sophomore Ashley Coon of Oxford Junction, senior Matthew Draeger of Marion, senior Jayne Dvorak of Clutier, senior Sarah Jencks of Cedar Rapids, senior Mary Kilburg of Bellevue, senior Benjamin “BJ” Melsha of Solon, and senior Mary Jo Nie of Jesup. Team advisors and Sam M. Walton Fellows are Castle, Mount Mercy College Marketing Lecturer Anne King, and Mount Mercy College Assistant Director of Admission Elizabeth Tjelle. Tjelle is a 2003 Mount Mercy College graduate and SIFE alumna. Using multimedia technology, the SIFE team’s presentation focuses its community service activities with the Cedar Rapids Downtown District, Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa, Iowa Juvenile Home, Northeast Iowa College Readiness Center, SCORE, the ARC of East Central Iowa, AEGON, Cedar Rapids Freedom Fest, area schools, and many others. SIFE, the largest student organization in the world, provides students the opportunity to make a difference by developing leadership skills through learning, practicing, and teaching the principles of the free enterprise system. During the 2006-07 school year the team completed 47 service projects, volunteered more than 2,050 hours and taught more than 6,719 people free enterprise principles and the skills necessary to be successful in the global marketplace. The students worked with several elementary, middle and high schools, children of all age groups, seniors, and community organizations in Cedar Rapids and surrounding communities.
Mount Mercy College to Host OPERA Iowa Performance CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (March 19, 2008) – Mount Mercy College will host a performance by Des Moines Metro Opera’s educational touring troupe on Thursday, April 3 at 7:00 p.m. The performance will be held in the Stello Performance Hall in Warde Hall on the Mount Mercy College campus. The troupe will be performing Gaetano Donizetti’s Don Pasquale at Mount Mercy. The show is free and open to the public. As part of a ten-week tour, the group will be performing in some 65 schools in 34 Midwestern communities for approximately 25,000 students. The performances are presented in conjunction with interactive and engaging workshops that meet the National Standards for Arts in Education guidelines. Founded in 1986, OPERA Iowa is launching its 22nd season with performances of The Billy Goats Gruff by John Davies for elementary students and Donizetti’s comedy Don Pasquale for older students and evening audiences. The troupe will present evening concert performances of Don Pasquale in eight other communities in Iowa, including Forest City, Leon, Waukon, Preston, Corydon, and Estherville, as well as Mankato, MN, and Park Hills, MO.
Mount Aloysius College will host a Free Lecture on Moral Choices in the Twenty-First Century CRESSON, PA - On Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at 7:00 p.m., Sr. Ray Maria McNamara, RSM will be the guest speaker in the Cosgrave Student Center and will speak about "A Future for Earth - Moral Choices in the Twenty-First Century." She will be discussing topics such as, what does Catholicism say of the moral and ethical choices in environmental concerns? As well as, how do biblical concepts of creation and stewardship enrich our efforts to recycle and renew? Sr. McNamara completed her doctorate in biblical studies and Christian spirituality, with particular attention to environmental ethics. She is currently teaching at the University of Portland. The event is sponsored by the Office of Mission Integration and is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Sr. Helen Marie Burns, Vice-President of Mission Integration, at 814-886-6510 or by email at hburns@mtaloy.edu.
Message from president of saint xavier university (March 17, 2008) – I am pleased to announce that Nobel Peace Prize recipient and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel accepted our invitation to be the third speaker in our highly successful SXU Voices & Visions Speaker Series. Mr. Wiesel will speak at 7 p.m., Thursday, September 25, at the Shannon Center. Prior to his lecture, Mr. Wiesel will conduct a special class with Saint Xavier students. Elie Wiesel was born in 1928 in Sighet, Transylvania, which is now part of Romania. He was fifteen years old when he and his family were deported by the Nazis to Auschwitz. His mother and younger sister perished, his two older sisters survived. Elie and his father were later transported to Buchenwald, where his father died shortly before the camp was liberated in April 1945. After the war, Elie Wiesel studied in Paris and later became a journalist. During an interview with the distinguished French writer, Francois Mauriac, he was persuaded to write about his experiences in the death camps. The result was his internationally acclaimed memoir, La Nuit or Night, which has since been translated into more than thirty languages. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter appointed Elie Wiesel as chairman of the President's Commission on the Holocaust. In 1980, he became the founding chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. He is also the founding president of the Paris-based Universal Academy of Cultures and the chairman of The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, an organization he and his wife created to fight indifference, intolerance and injustice. Elie Wiesel has received more than 100 honorary degrees from institutions of higher education. Teaching has always been central to Elie Wiesel's work. Since 1976, he has been the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities at Boston University, where he also holds the title of university professor. He is a member of the faculty in the Department of Religion as well as the Department of Philosophy. Previously, he served as Distinguished Professor of Judaic Studies at the City University of New York (1972-1976) and the first Henry Luce Visiting Scholar in Humanities and Social Thought at Yale University (1982-1983). Elie Wiesel is the author of more than forty books of fiction and non-fiction, including A Beggar in Jerusalem (Prix Médicis winner), The Testament (Prix Livre Inter winner), The Fifth Son (winner of the Grand Prize in Literature from the City of Paris), and two volumes of his memoirs. For his literary and human rights activities, he has received numerous awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal and the Medal of Liberty Award, and the rank of Grand-Croix in the French Legion of Honor. In 1986, Elie Wiesel won the Nobel Prize for Peace, and soon after, Marion and Elie Wiesel established The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. An American citizen since 1963, Elie Wiesel lives with his wife in Connecticut. We received tremendous response to our first two SXU Voices and Visions speakers, former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright and General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret), and I am delighted that Mr. Wiesel has agreed to continue our tradition of bringing international figures to Saint Xavier University. I hope you are all able to attend this special evening. The Office of University Relations will post further information in the coming weeks. Thank you. Judith A. Dwyer, Ph.D.
Saint Xavier University reaches new fundraising record under President Judith A. Dwyer’s Presidency (March 17, 2008) –This month under the leadership of President Judith A. Dwyer, Ph.D., Saint Xavier University fundraising surpassed $30 million in the form of restricted and unrestricted funds, land and buildings since she assumed the presidency in October 2003--the most ever raised at Saint Xavier during a similar length of time. The total reflects gifts pledged and received from individuals, foundations, corporate support and realized estate gifts. “I would like to thank the en |
