wth - Benedictine Universitygrowth, stimulate programmatic creativity and better serve student needs. ... performance expected of leaders and managers in a global world. More than

Fall 2006

Reorganizing for GrowthReorganizing for Growth

College of BusinessCollege of Business

College of Liberal ArtsCollege of Liberal Arts

College of ScienceCollege of Science

Margaret and Harold Moser

College of Adult and

Professional Studies

Margaret and Harold Moser

College of Adult and

Professional Studies

College of Education

and Health ServicesCollege of Education

and Health Services

1 • William J. Carroll, President The House of Benedictine

S P E C I A L S E C T I O N

1-8 • New Five College SystemBetter Serves Student Needs

Contents

university news

20 • Commencement 2006

21 • Benedictine’s New Center for Civic Leadership Makes Successful Debut

22 • Great Issues – Great IdeasGen. Powell Espouses Friendship, TrustDuring Appearance at Benedictine

23 • Trustee Profile: Will Gillett

24 • Redefining Spring Break

26 • Faculty Insight: What is the Biggest Issue Facing This Country in the Next Five Years?

• The Benedictine Spirit of Giving

27 • Students Learn from Master Printmaker

• Next Visiting Scholar in Catholic Thought Scheduled for October 18-20

28 • Teachers Can Become Better Science Teachers by Learning at the Source

• Writing Across the Curriculum at Benedictine University

29 • Executive M.B.A. Program ImpartsSuperior Managerial Skills

class/faculty notes

30 • Class Notes• Picture Identified

31 • In Memoriam: Sal L. Piazza, M.D.

32 • Let Us Know• A Look at the Past

33 • Faculty/Staff Notes

eaglescenter

35 • NCAA Division III Track and FieldMeet Draws Rave Review

• Time Out: Sports Highlights

St. Benedict’s Rule for Monks begins with a powerful imperative: Listen. And atBenedictine University, we believe in theimportance of listening to one another. We therefore have named our magazineBenedictine Voices. We pledge that within these pages, members of the Benedictinecommunity will speak with candor aboutissues facing our University and our world. We cordially invite you to enter into dialogue with us.

Fall 2006 | Volume 35 | Number 1

Executive Director of Public RelationsMercy Robb, M.B.A. ’02

EditorLinda A. Hale

WritersPhil Brozynski Linda A. Hale William J. Carroll Fr. David Turner, O.S.B.Rita A. Dougherty

ContributorsPina Arnone Jean Marie Kauth, Ph.D.Dave Beyer Eileen Kolich, Ph.D.Brad Carlson Alfred Martin, Ph.D.Nadia Darwish John Mickus, Ph.D.Maria de la Cámara, Ph.D. Julie Nelligan, M.S.M.O.B. ’06Charles Gahala, Ph.D. Mercy Robb, M.B.A. ’02Sandra Gill, Ph.D. Roger Rose, Ph.D.Alan Gorr, Ph.D. Debbie SmithKatie Gregory Donald Taylor, Ph.D.Krystal Himes

PhotographersNadia Darwish Julie NelliganJeff Knox Debbie SmithDemetra LeRoy

Art DirectorMary Kay Wolf, Wolf Design

Address Corrections: For address corrections, pleasecontact Advancement Services at (630) 829-6099.

Benedictine Voices is published three times a year bythe Office of Public Relations. Reproduction in wholeor in part without written permission is prohibited.Distributed free to alumni, students and friends of the University.

Opinions expressed in Benedictine Voices are notnecessarily those of Benedictine University, itsadministrators, faculty or students.

Letters to the Editor must be signed, and letters not intended for publication should be so indicated.

Please address all mail to:Benedictine VoicesBenedictine University5700 College RoadLisle, IL 60532

Benedictine

The News From Benedictine University

philanthropy

11 • Join Us November 4 for a Night to Remember

• Twelfth Annual President’s InvitationalGolf Outing

12 • Thank You: Donations Make a Difference

13 • You Can Leave a Legacy at Benedictine

• Alma Matters: Joseph E. Siebert, M.D., C69

alumni news

14 • Giving Back: Maurice Bell, C87

15 • Alumni Reflections: A Year after Graduation withDaniel J. Bartgen, C05

16 • Alumni Briefs

18 • 2006 Alumni Awards

9 • Monastic PerspectiveBenedictine Education Over the Centuries

“Education is the best provision for the journey to old age.” — ARISTOTLE

“If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it

cannot save the few who are rich.” — JOHN F. KENNEDY

“Always bear in mind, that your own resolution to succeed

is more important than any one thing.” — ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Values

Vitality

Vision

The University’s new structure is in full swing for the Fall 2006semester and includes the College of Business, the College ofEducation and Health Services, the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Science and the Margaret and Harold MoserCollege of Adult and Professional Studies.

This “big university” model of a separate college system suits Benedictine’s continued goal for superior academicprogramming, as well as its commitment to continually strivefor the best experience and opportunities for their students.

"With the reorganization we are moving to an organizationalmodel where academic programs will essentially be driven by the colleges. This will result in additional programmatic andcurricular opportunities for students in Lisle, Naperville,Bellwood and Springfield and with our international partners.We envision a future where individual colleges will haveendowment opportunities to encourage faculty and staff to workon programs that meet student demand, reflect the creativescholarship of a wonderful faculty, and of course, continue tomaintain excellence in the traditional disciplines,” stated Dan Julius, Ph.D., vice president and provost for academicaffairs. Julius oversees the academic administration at theUniversity while working closely with the faculty, deans and the administrators.

“The new college system will benefit students in many ways, one of which is improved program growth and opportunities.One factor for continued growth is the availability of resources.The idea is to enable the colleges to obtain more resources andflexibility to use certain resources, ultimately making it easier to develop new curriculum and improve others. In addition,prospective students will benefit because each college may havecertain degree and admission requirements that will be uniqueto that college,” he added.

This academic reorganization is part of a University-widestrategic plan that will ensure and advance the quality of higher education at Benedictine University. �

The House ofBenedictineIn many respects an academicinstitution is much like ahouse. There are variousrooms, various functions and furnishings to fit theneed. Occasionally the houseis remodeled, rehabbed andrearranged for many differentreasons. The past year hasseen a remodeling and arearrangement of BenedictineUniversity academic programsin order to better position itfor its increased growth and to better serve the studentsand faculty.

This edition of Voices describesand introduces you to thereorganization that has takenplace and the team that isleading this change.

The Academic Affairs divisionhas realigned its academicprogram into five colleges:Liberal Arts, Science,Business, Education andHealth Services and Adult and Professional Studies. A key goal in this change is to provide faculty moreautonomy as they work tomake their college the best it can be.

I am excited by this newstructure, and trust that asyou read the account of what is happening here in thefollowing article that you toowill share in this excitement.

Sincerely,

William J. Carroll

President

b e n e d i c t i n e Vision

“Education is the best provision for the journey to old age.”— ARTISTOTLEVision

New Five College System Better Serves Student NeedsLast summer the beginnings of an academic reorganization took place at

Benedictine University. This reorganization was implemented to facilitate

growth, stimulate programmatic creativity and better serve student needs.

A look inside the five colleges �

Fall 2006 1

The College of Business offers seven undergraduate majors, three graduatedegree programs, one Ph.D. program and 22 business certificate programs.The College serves a diverse student body with traditional and Web-supported course delivery options. Programs are designed for traditionalaged and adult students since the majority of students work in corporateand not-for-profit organizations. Our programs enrich work experience withquantitative and qualitative business disciplines to build confidence andperformance expected of leaders and managers in a global world.

More than 8,000 alumni have advanced their careers and lives from theBenedictine University business degree, with active alumni in InternationalBusiness and Economics (I.B.E.), Management and OrganizationalBehavior (M.O.B.), Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) and Ph.D.programs. The Business Management Advisory Board, composed of areabusiness leaders, advises the Dean on strategic direction and hostsprofessional programs on business ethics. In the past year alone, College ofBusiness fund-raising achieved almost $100,000 in gifts for scholarships andacademic program innovations. A long term capital campaign is focused ona new College of Business building in this decade.

The College of Business is among the largest academic business programs in the Western suburbs with more than 1,500 student enrollments in Fall 2005. In addition to a solid reputation, the College has innovative class schedules and multiple degree delivery options for traditional aged

students and working adults. College of Business student course evaluationsexceeded national norms in 2005 for excellence of courses, teacher

excellence, improved student attitude and achieving course objectives. Programs are offered on the Lisle campus, at SpringfieldCollege in Illinois — a Benedictine Universitypartner — and in Shenyang, China. TheCollege of Business uses both asynchronous and synchronous instructional technology,supporting students across the globe withWebCT and iLinc course communication tools,especially important for professionals whotravel. Extensive University library resourcesbring world-class resources to students overfour continents — North and South America,Asia and Europe.

More than a dozen guest lecturers from world-renowned universities and companiesinteract with students and alumni each year.In addition, the College of Business conductsseveral regional executive events for professionalnetworking and development through theBusiness Management Institute, which hostsnational experts on business ethics and relatedtopics. College of Business programs offer apersonal student-to-faculty ratio of 14-to-1,enhancing more interactive learning. AllCollege of Business curricula emphasize team-based learning and leadership, as required incorporate and not-for-profit organizations.

2 Benedictine Voices

College of BusinessDean: Sandra L. Gill, Ph.D.

The rigorous

academic curricula

in the College of

Business prepare

students for

professional

excellence,

grounded in

Benedictine values,

for leadership in a

global environment.

Fall 2006 3

s p e c i a l s e c t i o n Vision

Undergraduate degrees in the College ofBusiness are customized for traditional andadult students. Undergraduate Businessoffers a Bachelor of Science degree in fivemajors: Accounting, Business andEconomics, Finance, M.O.B. andMarketing. In addition, the I.B.E.department offers a Bachelor of Artsdegree in two majors, Economics andInternational Business and Economics.I.B.E. majors integrate internationalStudy Abroad trips within their degrees,with exceptional impact on studentpreparation for a global environment.

Undergraduate business students, in our traditional, semester-long classes,participate in many service learning andbusiness clubs including the VolunteerIncome Tax Assistance Program,Investment Club and Business Club.Corporate internships are available with a variety of area businesses includingAbbott Laboratories, Dun and Bradstreet,First Investors, McDonald’s Corporation,Molex Corporation, Merrill Lynch,Packaging Corporation of America,Unilever, banks and service sectorbusinesses. Early morning, day and Web-enhanced class sections are availablefor students who work part- or full-timewhile earning their business degree.

Adult program undergraduate curriculaprovide course sections dedicated to the adult student aged 24 or older with workexperience. Some courses are cross-listedwith M.B.A. students for more advancedstudent interactions. Students have anoption to combine courses offered in five-and 10-week sessions, includingevening and weekend classes, for a flexibleschedule they can customize to fit theirlife. In addition, some of these classesmay be applied to graduate degrees. This is a very flexible degree-completionoption for working adults.

College of Business graduate degreeprograms include the Master of Science in Management and OrganizationalBehavior (M.S.M.O.B.), M.B.A. andMaster of Science in ManagementInformation Systems (M.S.M.I.S.)programs.

The College’s doctoral degree — Ph.D. in Organization Development — isinternationally recognized as among thetop programs in the U.S. Designed forscholar-practitioners, this program drawshighly-experienced executives fromthroughout the world. Every other yeartwo groups of 25 students begin theirthree-year program which includesinternational conference leadership and research with global corporations.Under the leadership of Peter Sorensen,Ph.D. for 40 years, the Ph.D. andgraduate M.O.B. programs incorporateworld-class guest speakers and alumni.Ph.D. and M.O.B. program alumni from Benedictine are in leadership roles throughout the region’s majorcorporations and academic programs. TheM.O.B. Lecture Series, ContemporaryTrends in Change Management, attractsmore than 1,000 students and alumnieach year to global experts on managingorganizational change.

The M.B.A. program was the University’sfirst graduate program. It was establishedby Abbot Dismas Kalcic, O.S.B. whotaught economics. Almost 3,000 M.B.A.alumni later, Abbot Dismas claims thatthe program has far exceeded hisimagination. Ethical issues andinternational business demands are woventhroughout the curriculum. The M.B.A./M.I.S. programs offered in Shenyang,China have expanded rapidly. M.B.A.

students have opportunities to completeintensive M.B.A. classes in China and inCopenhagen, Denmark for internationallearning. The newly redesigned ExecutiveM.B.A. (E.M.B.A.) program offers anintensive, accelerated weekend model forcompletion in 16 months. The M.B.A.curriculum is offered in four formats:evening classes that meet once each week,weekend classes, the executive weekendclasses and internship.

The graduate program in M.I.S. launchednew courses and certificates this year,addressing demands for security andinnovation in the “flat world” of Web-based business. The new M.I.S.curriculum and certificates combineinformation technology with businesscourses to achieve the alignmentbusinesses require for global competitiveadvantage.

The College of Business offers 22certificates which attract students-at-large, degree-seeking students and alumni to these focused programs. As an introduction or refresher, certificate programs add value forstudents seeking specialized managementskills. Undergraduate certificates includeBusiness, Management and Marketing.M.B.A. certificates are in Accounting,Advanced Accounting, BusinessAdministration, Entrepreneurship,Financial Management, Marketing,Operations Management and ProjectManagement. M.I.S. certificates include Electronic Commerce, HealthInformation Systems Management,Information Systems Management andInformation Systems Security. M.O.B.certificates offer many specialty areas,including Health Administration, Human Resource Management,Management in a Professional TechnicalEnvironment, Organization Developmentand Consulting, Professional PracticeManagement, Service Management andTraining and Development.

College of Business students and alumni

are employed by a vast array of global and

domestic companies, in every business

sector, including health and human

services. Their success is our success. �

The College of Education and Health Services programs are built around a highly qualified core

of faculty. The programs are augmented by leading practitioners in the various professions who

serve as adjuncts. Students, therefore, are taught a balance of theory and practice. This gives

them a depth and breadth of knowledge for long term professional progress, as well as relevant

skills and information that can be applied and practiced immediately. There is a close and

committed bond between faculty and students with an emphasis on professional responsibility.

W

A diverse population ofstudents drawn from many countries, cultures and socio-economic groups is served by the College of Education and HealthServices. They are onecommunity as futureprofessionals. Graduates are culturally competent to practice their professionsamong the widest spectrum of people in need of theirservices. In turn, they willserve the tapestry ofpopulations that is Americatoday.

The conceptual framework of the School of Educationstates, “Benedictine Universityeducators are effectivepractitioners, committed to scholarship, lifelong

inquiry, leadership and social responsibility.”

Concern for the physical andspiritual lives of students,graduates and those they serve is evident in the balanceof courses offered in theSchool of Health Services.These courses in nutrition,public health and nursingcenter on how to improvelives through knowledge,therapies and health practices,and enlightened policies.

The College enjoys excellentrelationships with schools,hospitals, governmentagencies, voluntaryorganizations and businessesin the surroundingcommunities. Its bestrecruitment tool is the

recognized excellence andnational recognition in all of its professional programs.The College also has plans to increase its communityoutreach projects.

The College of Education andHealth Services has an alumnioutreach program and theSchool of Education recentlyhad its first, and verysuccessful, alumni program.

The graduate degrees offered in the College are: Master of Education (M.Ed.);Master of Arts in Education(M.A.Ed.); Master of PublicHealth (M.P.H.); and Doctorof Higher Education andOrganizational Change(Ed.D.). �

College of Educationand Health Services

Dean: Alan Gorr, Ph.D., M.P.H.


network of graduates whorefer their friends toBenedictine and who welcome graduates into their workplace.

The College is on theascendant in many ways.The College will be expandingits faculty so that each area of expertise essential for thevarious professions isrepresented by full-timefaculty members who excel in research and teaching, andwho represent the current bestpractices of their professions.All College of Education andHealth Services programs are Illinois and regionallyaccredited. The nursing andnutrition programs arenationally accredited. TheCollege is working to achieve

While education and health services are diverse in the scope of their responsibilities, they are united in their

embrace of service. The mission of the College of Education and Health Services is unique among the colleges at

Benedictine University in that it concentrates on the service professions. Education and health services are the

home of Benedictine values in action. As graduates of a values-based institution, students are educated both

broadly and deeply and embody a strong ethical orientation. This finds expression in the excellence of their

academic preparation and their willingness to be fully accountable for their professional practices.

The following are the primaryfeatures of the adultlearning programs in Moser College:

• Incorporate a cohort model formatwhich allows for the completion of one course at a time;

• Offer a specially adjusted tuition rate for adult students enrolled inaccelerated, cohort degree programs;

• Utilize adjunct faculty practitionerswho are dedicated to teaching andlearning with adults;

• Incorporate a sequential curriculumwith clearly defined learning outcomesthat ensure quality and consistency;

• Integrate theory and practice;

• Enable immediate application of what is learned;

• Offer programs at off-campus siteswithin a five mile radius of the Lislecampus including the new Margaretand Harold Moser center for Adultand Professional Studies in Naperville;

• Provide convenient, dedicated student support services and resourcesdesigned to facilitate the registrationprocess, financial aid applications andWeb access to career planning andassistance, textbook purchases andacademic records via BenUConnect;

• Provide individual and on-goingacademic advising and student support;

• Promote on-going alumni networkingcomprised of professionals in thepublic and private sectors;

• Provide opportunities to earnadditional elective credit at theundergraduate level through CLEPexams and relevant work experience. �

The Moser College focuses on becomingthe premier venue at BenedictineUniversity for creating and offering high-quality, easily-accessible educationalopportunities for adult learners. TheMoser College provides an extended andefficient university experience designed to meet the specific educational needs ofadult students; to enable adults to earn an associate, bachelor, master or doctoraldegree while maintaining their personaland professional commitments; and to establish successful marketing,recruitment and retention plans andprocesses that significantly enhanceenrollments and revenues.

The Moser College offers acceleratedprograms that include classroom-basedand online course formats. Classroom-based programs include: Associate of Artsin Business Administration (A.A.B.A.);Bachelor of Arts in Management(B.A.M.); business certificate programs(fully online beginning in September2006) at the undergraduate levels(Human Resources Management, SalesManagement and Project Management);Master of Business Administration(M.B.A.); Master of Education (M.Ed.)

in Reading andLiteracy, andLeadership andAdministration;and an educationcertificate programat the graduate level for Alternative TeacherCertification ingrades 6-12 inScience orMathematics. Online graduate programsinclude M.B.A. and Master of PublicHealth (M.P.H.).

There are also additional adult degree andnon-degree programs to be determinedand added in the 2006-07 academic year.For example, it is anticipated that theMoser College will provide the following:

• Customized workplace training, which includes credit and noncreditcertificates and seminars tocorporations, school districts andprofessional organizations;

• Credit certificates and seminars on-and off-site that address state-of-the-art, professional skill sets expected of leaders and change agents in thebusiness and educational sectors;

• Opportunities for educationalinteractions through the Center forSpirituality and Christian Living,which promotes Benedictine valuesand beliefs.

The Moser College offers classes inconvenient locations to support the workschedules of firemen enrolled in the FirstResponder degree programs (A.A.B.A.,B.A.M. and M.B.A.). The Moser Collegealso provides access to the University’slibrary resources and online informationand community-based studies that includehigh-interest educational opportunitiessuch as career counseling, job searchassistance, resume writing techniques, etc.

Fall 2006 5


Margaret and Harold Moser College of Adult and Professional StudiesDean: Eileen Kolich, Ph.D.

The mission of the Margaretand Harold Moser College of Adult and ProfessionalStudies is to address theeducational needs of non-traditional aged students by providing engaging, relevantand accelerated academic degreeand non-degree programs that are designed to enhanceleadership skills and promotelifelong inquiry and learning.

The programs in the College are designed to provide students — of all majors — with an

understanding of and appreciation for the physical world, to develop the students’ problem-solving skills

and their ability to reason from physical evidence, and to expose students to the current problems

related to the biomedical/life and physical sciences within a liberal arts context.

The University has a long tradition of excellence in theundergraduate science programs and is highly regarded. From the 1970s through the 1990s, the University received nationalrecognition from the U.S. Congress Office of Technology and Assessment, the National Endowment for the Humanitiesand the National Science Foundation (NSF) as being among themost productive schools in the country for the rate of graduateswho go on to earn doctorates in all fields of study, but especiallyin the fields of science and engineering. Benedictine has beenranked at or near the top in Illinois for the percentage ofgraduates who earn degrees in sciences.

The College has received funding over the years from manyrenowned science-based organizations such as the NSF, theDepartment of Energy and The Howard Hughes MedicalInstitute (HHMI). In fact, Benedictine University has thelongest continuous record of undergraduate funding fromHHMI of any predominantly undergraduate institution in Illinois.

The 70,000 square-foot Birck Hall of Science housesinterdisciplinary laboratories and classrooms, large instrumentation,research and general science labs, as well as the Jurica Nature Museum, one of the finest natural historymuseums in the Midwest. For more than 10 years, the Museum has developed “hands-on” science curricula forelementary schools and offers outreach programs and training for more than 300 teachers and 5,000 students annually.

The science programs also feature a strong collaborative,interdisciplinary student and faculty research program that builds on shared research interests among faculty from biology,chemistry, computer science, mathematics and physics to enablestudents from a range of programs to work with faculty on

The mission of the College of Science at Benedictine University is to provide instruction in

the area of natural sciences, academic advising, research opportunities and life experience

that facilitates the acquisition of knowledge and helps students understand content,

methodology and interrelationships of the various areas of study.

College of ScienceDean: Donald Taylor, Ph.D.

collaborative researchproblems. The objectives of this program are tostrengthen interdisciplinaryconnections, enhance studentunderstanding of science byallowing for sustainedinvolvement in an ongoingresearch project, and increasetheir ability to communicateeffectively in a scientificcommunity. During the past five years, more than 250 students have beenengaged in undergraduateresearch projects during theacademic year and summermonths. Ninety percent ofparticipants in our SummerUndergraduate ResearchProgram have matriculated to doctoral programs in the sciences.

During a recent 10-year span,75 percent of graduates inBiochemistry and MolecularBiology have matriculated todoctoral programs. Our sciencegraduates have been acceptedto graduate and professionalschool at such prestigiousinstitutions as Harvard, Yale,Columbia, Duke, Johns

Hopkins, Mayo Clinic,Vanderbilt, Case Western,University of Chicago,Northwestern, Illinois,Michigan, Michigan State,Iowa, Wisconsin and Purdue.

Graduates of the College arewell prepared for graduatestudy in the traditionaldisciplines of life sciences,physical sciences, computerscience and mathematics, for professional school inmedicine and other relatedhealth careers, for careers inindustry and research, forcareers in hospital-basedcardiac-pulmonaryrehabilitation centers, healthprevention centers, or work in the corporate wellness fitness area as well as careers as high school teachers.

The College of Science offers 10 undergraduate degreeprograms housed in thedepartments of BiologicalSciences, Chemistry, ComputerScience and InformationSystems, Mathematics andPhysics/Engineering. TheCollege has five allied health


Tpartnerships (ClinicalLaboratory Science,Diagnostic MedicalSonography, NuclearMedicine Technology, Pre-Pharmacy and RadiationTherapy) and offers eight pre-professional programs(Chiropractic, Dentistry,Medicine, OccupationalTherapy, Optometry, PhysicalTherapy, Podiatry andVeterinary Medicine) toprepare students forprofessional studies in ahealth-related career.

The College of Science at Benedictine University and the Illinois Institute ofTechnology (IIT) have joinedtogether to offer students achance to take advantage ofthe strengths of both schools,while earning a Bachelor ofScience or Bachelor of Artsdegree from Benedictine and a Bachelor of Science degreein engineering from IIT. TheBenedictine/IIT connectionprovides students with aunique opportunity in thatthey earn an engineeringdegree while attending a

liberal arts university. Thisprogram develops engineerswho can communicatetechnical ideas to society. The Benedictine/IIT program offers specialty in the following fields of study:Aerospace, Architectural,Chemical, Civil, Computer,Electrical, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering.

The College offers twograduate programs: a Masterof Science in Clinical ExercisePhysiology (M.C.E.P.) and aMaster of Science in ScienceContent and Process(M.S.S.C.P.). Studentsenrolled in the M.C.E.P.program are trained asexercise physiologists to work in and serve as directors of hospital-basedcardiac-pulmonaryrehabilitation centers, health prevention centers or work in the corporatewellness fitness area. TheM.S.S.C.P. program isdesigned for classroom science teachers in elementaryand middle schools. �

The College of Liberal Arts strives to instill in students the knowledge and cultural appreciation needed for life-long intellectual and aesthetic enrichment. TheCollege intends to impart an appreciation of the humancondition in all its diversity and an understanding ofsociety, government and ethics needed for responsiblecitizenship in a global society. In pursuit of the goal ofthe advancement of knowledge, the College of LiberalArts encourages quality research, scholarship andcreative production among all of its faculty membersand students under the mentorship of the faculty.

The following departments are found in the College ofLiberal Arts: the Department of Communication offersdegrees in Communication Arts, Fine Arts, Studio Artand Writing and Publishing; the Department of Musicoffers degrees in Arts Administration and Music; theDepartment of History, Philosophy and ReligiousStudies offers degrees in History, Philosophy, ReligiousStudies and Social Science; the Department of PoliticalScience offers degrees in International Studies andPolitical Science; the Department of Language andLiterature offers degrees in English Language andLiterature and Spanish; and the Department ofPsychology and Sociology offers degrees inOrganizational Leadership, Psychology, Sociology and a Master of Science Degree in Clinical Psychology. The interdisciplinary programs housed in the Collegeare the Core Curriculum, Scholars Program, GenderStudies, Latin American Studies and Film Studies. �


The College of Liberal Arts houses the

undergraduate programs in the humanities

and social sciences. The College also offers

a graduate program in clinical psychology.

The International Programs, Scholars Program

and Core Curriculum are the responsibility

of the College.

Fall 2006 7

College of Liberal ArtsDean: Maria de la Cámara, Ph.D.


During the last two years, the College hasbeen integral in the establishment of aWriting Across the Curriculum (WAC)program. This Fall, Benedictine movesfrom the pilot phase to a fully integratedWAC program by combining the First-Year Seminar and ArgumentativeWriting into one course along with anintroduction to the Benedictine heritage.

The Scholars Program aims to formexceptionally promising undergraduatestudents into intellectual, cultural andmoral leaders. The heart of the ScholarsProgram is a curriculum of honorsseminars that is reading and writingintensive along with a focus on “worldcitizenship” and an emphasis on service.

Some examples of the initiatives inprogress in the College of Liberal Artsinclude interdisciplinary programs such as Mediterranean Studies and GlobalStudies; an integrated Pre-Law program;and a cross-cultural education projectwith the South African Government.

The following are some interestingdevelopments in the differentdepartments in the College. TheDepartment of Music’s revised curriculumfocuses on the departmental strengths inchamber music and small ensembles.Combining musicianship with a liberalarts education will provide graduates abase for artistic and intellectual growth

in a manner in which the student canunderstand, experience and articulatemusical artistry within a variety ofperspectives. The program will emphasizea newly designed Chamber Musiccurriculum, a Mini-Residencies Programand a Music Outreach Program that is acollaborative effort with Diocese of Joliet.

Faculty in the Communication ArtsDepartment are presently designing a joint curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art with faculty at the College of DuPage. Through a very generous grant from an anonymousbenefactor, the department has been ableto establish a state-of-the-art Macintoshlab for art and graphic design-relatedcourses. It also launched the SportsCommunication concentration in 2005-06.

The Political Science program offersstudents an understanding of key areas ofthe political world, including knowledgeabout politics in the United States andacross the world, and preparation insignificant areas of the law. The MockTrial and Model United Nationsprograms sponsored by the departmenthave garnered awards in regional andnational competitions.

The Department of Political Science isalso the home of the new Center for Civic Leadership and Public Service, aprogram that centers on public serviceand features interesting conferences andguest speakers. It was founded by JimRyan, former Illinois Attorney Generaland Benedictine alumnus. In addition, the Department of Political Scienceearned a three year grant from the U.S. Department of State to hostleadership training for students from the Middle East.

A student may pursue one of threeundergraduate majors in the Departmentof Psychology and Sociology, including amajor in Psychology (traditional programand adult weekend accelerated program),Sociology (traditional program) andOrganizational Leadership (adult weekend

accelerated program). They may alsopursue a Master of Science in ClinicalPsychology (M.C.P.) degree.

The Department of Languages andLiterature is in the process of revising itsprograms to reflect an increased emphasison cultural studies, an approach thatemphasizes the relationships amongliterature, literacy and the larger world in which we use and enjoy language. In keeping with the Benedictine values of community and stewardship, theseprograms build the skills and knowledgebase students will need for professionalsuccess and requires both students andfaculty to participate in a learningcommunity that emphasizes the largerideals and issues of 21st century globalcitizenship. The Department’s programsalso now offer updated and redesignedcourses and curricula for SecondaryEducation students, with changesproviding all students more opportunityto develop literacy and presentation skillsand take the lead in the classroom.

At Benedictine University, at the heart of the College of Liberal Arts is the CoreCurriculum Program, and at the center of the Core is the Cultural HeritageSequence. Students take a sequence offive historically-oriented, primary-textbased, reading and writing intensive,seminar-conducted courses.

One particular feature that makes theCore Program distinctive is its reliance on the resources of the Catholic andBenedictine traditions, and therelationship of these traditions to thedevelopment both of human culture andcivilization. An overall aim of the programis to offer students a particular vision ofthe individual in community, a visionwhich respects and promotes personalfreedom and social harmony whileproviding an understanding of the meansnecessary to secure both. The overall goal is to prepare students for a lifetimeof continued learning, a holisticunderstanding of human knowledge, and active and responsible citizenship. �

For more information on the five Colleges at Benedictine University, visitwww.ben.edu/programs/ or call (630) 829-6000 and ask for the appropriate dean.

Fall 2006 9

b e n e d i c t i n e Visionm

on

asti

c

perspectiveby President William J. Carroll

and Fr. David Turner, O.S.B.,

Ph.D., Assistant to the Provost

for Institutional Mission

Recently, President Carrollwas challenged relative to a remark he made about

the Benedictines “inventing theclassroom.” His response to thechallenger was a combined effortof the two writers of this article.We hope through this issue’sfeature to think a bit aboutBenedictine education over thecenturies and what we might see as today’s challenge as wecontinue to grow as aBenedictine University.

First of all, we need to be clearthat the phrase “invention” of the classroom” is not to beunderstood in the way one wouldspeak of the invention of thelight bulb. It is much more of aconclusion to a movement thatlasted several centuries andultimately found root in theestablishment of the universitiesin the 11th century and beyond.The development of theuniversities in major cities such asParis, Bologna, Krakow andPrague also brought intoexistence the friars, groups ofreligious who did not want the“stability” of the Benedictinemonastery but rather thefreedom to travel from place toplace. Thus we have thefoundations of the Dominicans,Franciscans, Carmelites andothers, along with their scholars:for example St. Albert the Great,St. Thomas Aquinas, John DunsScotus and St. Bonaventure.

In the centuries prior to the formal startup of the universities, the

Benedictine monasteries were the centers of education, along with

some of the cathedral schools, whether the students were to become

monks and priests or to serve as educated laymen (clerks, lawyers

and other professionals). The pedagogical method, developed in the

monasteries over the centuries from Benedict’s Montecassino in

about A.D. 530, is what found its way into the universities.

While her book is now out ofprint, Patricia Quinn’s doctoraldissertation was published asBetter Than the Sons of Kings.Her study of the education of the “Boy Oblates” from St. Benedict’s time looks at the educational system throughthe 13th century and the rise of the universities. We had Quinn on our campus for adiscussion that she titled“Growing Wisdom, Toiling inthe Gardens of St. Benedict.”

We also welcomed ProfessorJohn Contreni (PurdueUniversity) whose scholarly paper “From Benedict’s Rule toCharlemagne’s Renaissance: HowMonastic Education Evolved inthe Early Middle Ages” coveredmuch relative to the beginningsof formal “classroom education”within the monastic schools.Contreni translated PierreRiché’s book Education andCulture in the Barbarian Westfrom the 6th Through the 8th Centuries, a completeexamination of the interactions in the monastic classroom.

Quinn’s work focuses onBenedictine students and

educators when the monasteriesand convents of the Benedictinemonks and nuns provided themost important (and in manyregions the only) educationalinstitutions in Western Europe.The organizational culture of the early monastic schools wascarefully examined by Quinnthrough her research withmanuscripts (i.e., hand letteredbooks). It was here in themonastic school where the likesof Thomas Aquinas receivedelementary and what todaywould be high school educationbased on the Trivium (Logic,Grammar and Rhetoric) andQuadrivium (Geometry,Arithmetic, Music andAstronomy).

The monastic school/classroomwas developed by:

• The careful selection of themasters of the children(teachers);

• The students witnessing themasters’ behaviors;

• Observing carefully designedprotocols that governedinteractions among age peersas well as between studentsand teachers; �

Benedictine Education Over the Centuries

• Masters and studentsdiscussing together thecontents of texts beingstudied;

• Students imitating amoderated version of themonks’ daily routine (toteach balance in the day);

• Students and teachersresiding in a carefullyplanned architecturalsetting that reinforcedcommunity and allowed for interactive study; and

• Having the studentdiscover the sources ofacademic knowledge, the value of texts andmeaningful academic work.

Riché and Contreni maintainthat until the establishment of the monastic school andclassroom, education wasprimarily conducted bystudents sitting at the feet of the master and engaging in the dialogue relative to the philosophical questions.Benedict left Rome and thissort of education, mostprobably being prepared at home with the reading and writing skills needed forsuccess. However, he left thisstructure and after his threeyears as a hermit in the caveatSubiaco established theeducation that truly was forthose who received something“better” than did the “sons of kings.”

Another helpful Benedictineproviding us with a vision of the education during the“Benedictine Centuries” is Fr. Hillary Thimmesh, O.S.B.,president emeritus of St. John’s University inCollegeville, Minnesota, who explains:

“That monasteries wouldprovide schooling at least for their own candidates whoentered as children or illiterateadults is implied by theimportant place of reading inmonastic observance. Perhapsthis is why a stylus and writingtablets are among the personal

articles regarded as necessities.The monastery is to have acollection of books largeenough to issue every brotherhis own reading matter forLent. Meditative reading,lectio divina, is accorded agenerous three to four hours aday throughout the year, withmore for those who preferreading to a siesta. From thestart, then, Benedictine liferequired a certain level ofdisciplined intellectual activity.It assumed familiarity with asizable body of sacredliterature and by implicationknowledge of the classicalauthors whose study provideda foundation in grammar.Remember that grammar had a larger meaning for theancients than it has for us. In Leclercq’s words grammarwas the first stage and thefoundation of general culture, and the two termsgrammaticus and litteratusdesignate one who knows howto read — that is, not onlyhow to decipher the letters,but to understand the texts.

“Given this orientation to the world of letters, it is notsurprising that in the centuriesfollowing Benedict,monasteries became centers of literary culture, preservingthe ancient texts in new copiesand composing a body ofliturgical texts, homilies,commentaries and chroniclesof their times. Nor it issurprising that schools becameattached to well-establishedmonastic communities,particularly as a result of theCarolingian renaissance in the9th century. Without drawingup guidelines for educationunder monastic auspices,Benedict had provided for astyle of religious life that lentitself to teaching children bydrawing on the monks’ ownfoundation in the liberal arts,forming them morally andreligiously at the same time, and fostering the literary and theological interests ofindividual monks. We know

the names of the mostillustrious Bede, Anselm,Bernard and medievalhistorians single out manyothers in the Benedictinecenturies, roughly the 7thto the 12th, when it can besaid that monastic teacherswere the schoolmasters ofEurope (emphasis ours). It is from those centuriesthat we derive the traditionof Benedictine education.”

Such communities as the

Abbey of St. Victor, or

Ste. Geneviève became

celebrated seats of learning,

and along with the cathedral

school of Notre-Dame, were

the cradle of the University

of Paris. The very fabric of

our higher educational

system today can be linked

to the early monasteries —

from the garb we wear at

graduation to the faculty

ranks abundantly in use

today. Although each of

these schools (monasteries)

had a master, he was not the

only teacher there as had

been the case in many of the

earlier cathedral and

monastery schools. Qualified

teachers could apply to the

chancellor or an abbot for

membership in their

institutions and, having been

granted that membership,

they formed part of the

faculty of that institution’s

school. Some instructors

resided in the monastery

itself and some outside,

providing the basis for a

distinction that persists in

the professor and associate

professor. The professors

hired assistants (assistant

professors) who might

someday become professors

themselves, while

particularly able students

might be hired to teach basic

subjects in the grammar

school as instructors. The

professors usually offered a

course or series of lectures in

which they would read from

a text, a work generally

accepted as being important to

know, so the students could

copy down the words. The

lecturer would then offer

explanations of the text while

the students made notes in the

wide margins they had left for

that purpose (marginalia). As

an aside, it was customary for

notes referring to other works

relevant to the passage to be

put at the bottom, or foot, of

the page, a practice that has

survived as the modern

footnote. When the course of

lectures was completed, the

student would have finished

copying the text and his notes

of the lecturer's commentaries

in his textbook. When the

student felt ready, he could

appear before the chancellor

to be examined. If approved,

he was given a diploma, an

official document that

permitted him to preach or

teach in the diocese of Paris.

It seems clear, we believe, thatthe transition to the universityin the 11th century and laterwas a transition rather than an invention. Many of theingredients of the university(even today’s universities) had their birth in the monasticschool with the masters whopassed knowledge from onegeneration to the next. AtBenedictine University, wetruly hope to continue to dothe same and continue thework begun by the masterteachers of our own past.Through our campus, ourbuildings, our classrooms andother places, we continue toremember the Frs. Cosmas,Cyprian, Hilary, Edmund,John, Basil, William, Richard,Leo, Luke and all thosemasters who have gone beforeus. In the genealogy of themasters, we know that someof us now living will find ournames as our institution growsand flourishes. �


The men’s first place winning teamhonors went to John Bernatowicz,David Blake, Patrick Nash and JoeProctor of JEP Communications. The first place winning mixed team was Marcy DeFalco, Kurt Hall, Jeff Krey and Lou Varchetto of Mulherin,Rehfeldt & Varchetto. Winners of

course contests were John Perteet of UPS, men’s closest to the pin;Krystal Himes of BenedictineUniversity, women’s closest to the pin; Jim Hasten of MerrillLynch, men’s longestdrive; andDeb Smilsky of Sodexho,women’s longest drive. �

Fall 2006 11

Values “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannotsave the few who are rich.” — JOHN F. KENNEDY

Join Us November 4for a Night toRemember

Time is almost here

for the Benedictine

event of the year –

The Educare

Scholarship Ball.

The theme is Sweet HomeChicago: The MagnificentMiles from Pilsen to Lisle.The event will pay tribute to the University’s humblebeginnings as St. ProcopiusAcademy/College to theinternational source of highereducation it is today asBenedictine University.

This annual black-tie eventraises much needed money forstudent scholarships so thatmore dreams can be achieved.Do your part in giving theworld more educated, value-based people by coming tothe Ball for a wonderfulevening with purpose.

Updated information aboutthe Ball is available atwww.ben.edu/alumni/events/ball.asp or by calling JulieNelligan at (630) 829-6070.Reserve your spot today! �

A Hole in One forScholarship Fund:

TwelfthAnnualPresident’sInvitationalGolf Outing It was close to being the hottest day

on record for the annual President’sInvitational Golf Outing at Cress

Creek Country Club in Naperville onJuly 17, 2006. But the golfers stayedcool with plenty of fun and excitement.

Thank You: DonationsMake a DifferenceBenedictine University expresses its condolences and appreciation to the family and friends of Bernard Kurtin, C34, Richard Remijas, D.D.S., C43, Fr. Joseph Shimanek, C54, Mary Lynn Tomer andMarie Zabelka. Each of these individuals passed awayduring the past academic year and generously providedfor the University and its students in their planned gifts.

Bernard Kurtin was a physics major at St. ProcopiusCollege. His belief in the importance of proficiency ofthe sciences and math was notably demonstrated with abequest he provided to establish the Bernard J. KurtinEndowed Scholarship for Physics and Math. It is thethird largest scholarship fund created by an individual at Benedictine University.

Richard Remijas was a pre-dental major at St. Procopius College and had been a long-time andconsistent supporter of Benedictine. He provided a verysubstantial gift by naming Benedictine as the beneficiaryof his IRA account. The funds were used to establish an endowed scholarship for science majors (the fourthlargest of any scholarship established by an individual)and for the naming of the Organic Chemistry Lab in his memory.

Fr. Joseph Shimanek earned a degree from theCollege of Arts and Sciences. He provided anunrestricted gift funded by means of a charitableremainder unitrust that he established in 1993. At thetime of his passing, the trust then provided annualincome for his sister. She died this spring. It was Fr. Joseph’s desire that the assets remaining in theunitrust at the time of her death be given to the University.

Mary Lynn Tomer was a friend of Benedictine and the niece of an alumnus, Jack Miles. Miles was agraduate of the class of 1937 and majored inengineering. Tomer included Benedictine in her will to establish an endowed scholarship, The Jack MilesEndowed Scholarship for Engineering, to serve as apermanent memorial honoring him.

Marie Zabelka provided a gift to establish theBenedictine University Endowed Scholarship for theNatural Sciences. The scholarship provides funds forstudents majoring in any of the sciences. Zabelka hadtwo sisters who were Benedictine nuns and she had astrong affinity with the Benedictine order. Zabelka’s gift was provided by means of a gift annuity that shehad established in 1995.

All these gifts will greatly add to the quality of theUniversity and to help students earn their degrees and prepare them to better the world. �

There was a total of 196 golfers, 30 were alumni.The coveted alumni cup went to the team of Ben Nachtwey,C02 and Mark McHorny. This award is permanently ondisplay in the alumni office with the names of each year’swinners. All you need is one alumnus/a on your team toqualify. Next year it could be you.

The Office of Alumni Relations wishes to sincerely thankJoe and Bess Kindlon as this year’s event sponsor. Specialthanks go to the many donors and sponsors, Cress CreekCountry Club, the golfers and, of course, the volunteerswho helped make the event a success. Approximately$30,000 was raised for student scholarships. All in all, it was a successful day for the future of Benedictine students.

Help us raise even more student scholarship funds next year.Look for your “save the date”card coming early next yearand sign up. We lookforward to seeing youJuly 16, 2007 for the13th Annual President’sInvitational GolfOuting. �


Alumni Cup

Winner Ben

Nachtwey,

C02 with

Alumni Relations

Director

Julie Nelligan,

M.S.M.O.B. ’06.

Fall 2006 1Fall 2006 13

Valuesp h i l a n t h r o p y

You Can Leave aLegacy at Benedictine

Often alumni like to establish their legacy atBenedictine University. This is easily done and many times can be accomplished in a way that generates additional personal income

with tax deductions.

Gifts can be “deferred” or “planned.” These gifts refer to situations where Benedictine does not receive full use of the gift until the time of the donor’s passing.

The most common type of deferred gift is by inclusion as a bequest in a will. This often lessens the tax burden on the estate.

Other deferred gifts may generate income for the donorwhile the donor is still alive. Gift annuities are very simple.They provide guaranteed, fixed annual income for thedonor for the remainder of his/her lifetime as well as a taxdeduction at the time that the gift annuity is established.Gift annuities may be especially attractive for people whowant extra income and have valuable assets that generatelittle or no income (such as CDs or stocks).

Charitable remainder trusts can provide greater annualincome with greater flexibility than gift annuities, but aremore complex. They, unlike gift annuities, require theassistance of an attorney to establish, a trustee to managethe trust and a larger initial gift.

Gifts of paid-up life insurance policies can yield both a tax deduction and income by converting them to giftannuities. The surrender value of the policy is used to fund the gift annuity.

Some assets may be prone to heavy taxation at the time of an individual’s passing. Traditional IRA, 401 (k), and403 (b) accounts are good examples. The taxes of thesecan usually be avoided entirely if they are donated to theUniversity. In this way, assets are passed on to a worthycause rather than being significantly depleted by taxes.

If any of these ideas are of interest to you and/or you would

like to become a member of BenedictineUniversity’s HeritageSociety, please call Brad Carlson at

(630) 829-6362 foradditional informationwith no obligation. �

Benedictine

University

Physician

m a t t e r sa l m a

Many Benedictine University

alumni have provided support to

Benedictine. One of those who

has done so consistently and

over a long period of time is

Joseph E. Siebert, M.D., C69.

Siebert has been theUniversity’s physician for thepast 25 years. He has madehimself available to studentsevery Monday. He began hisservice at the request of theschool nurse, who needed himto see the students and to beavailable for consultation.

His professional servicesenable students to getconvenient care withouthaving to find anotherphysician or go to theemergency room. Accordingto Siebert, the most commoncare students need is forinfections or muscle strains.

One of the more memorablecases he had was when agroup of students, not fromthe continental U.S., all camedown with chicken poxsimultaneously. The diseasewas not common where theycame from, so exposure to ithere became an unfortunateexperience.

“I like to help at Benedictinebecause I’m dedicated tohigher education, and becausethe University is dedicated to making higher educationavailable to deservingstudents. I am glad to see thediversity of the student bodythat is currently on campus.When I was here, all thestudents were male and almost all were Caucasian,”said Siebert.

Siebert was in the firstgeneration of his family toearn an undergraduate degree.His father was a janitor duringthe depression and never hadthe opportunity to go on tohigher education. He ispleased to know that manystudents attendingBenedictine today have beengiven an opportunity to bethe first in their families toearn degrees.

His fondest memories and feelings for Benedictinestem from being given theeducation and support heneeded to become a doctor,which had been his goal sincehe was in sixth grade. Thefriendships and camaraderie he experienced while at theUniversity had a life-longimpact on him as well. �

Joseph E. Siebert, M.D., C69

Tell us what your trip to Africa involved?A group of people fromWater’s Edge Church (WEC)located in Carol Stream havepartnered with a churchnamed “Light the WorldChurch” in Uganda. One of their ministries is named“Mercy Ministries” whichtakes children from the streets and brings them intoorphanage homes run by the church. This trip was the second year that WEC had taken a trip there. Lightthe World Church hosts aweek-long prayer conferenceevery year and invites manyChristian leaders from all over Uganda to come andlead worship and share God’s message.

In what activities did youparticipate while there?We were able to see first-handhow six young men (PastorsWilson and Wilfred, Phillip,Deo, David and Ben) havebeen using support moneyfrom WEC to grow Light the World Church from just ashell more than one year agoto a thriving, vibrant church.They were also able to

strengthen two functioninghomes that house more than50 children.

I met and spent considerabletime with my family’ssponsored children Eve, 9,and Ali, 10, to develop adeeper relationship with them.

We attended an authenticAfrican wedding where ourgroup was honored as “specialguests” and were treated aspart of the wedding party.

We delivered two young menfrom their church to NewHope, which is a trainingfacility for people who runorphanages. Our church raisedfunds to sponsor them for thefour-month training session.

We ran a children’s camp toshare the gospel for 800children — it was supposed tobe only 200. We witnessed amodern day miracle — wepurchased food to feed 300people and we fed all 800children.

We visited a hospital anddelivered coloring books,crayons and candy to thevarious children’s wards andprayed over them for God’shealing and protection.

We also visited the village ofBusandha, where one of theboy leaders grew up, to visithis family. His mother had justbirthed twin girls. They donot have a lot of money asthey must pay the olderchildren’s school fees. Webrought them rice, beans,baby formula, baby clothes,powder and soap. We alsoheld a dedication service forthe twins asking God to watch over them.

The money that was left fromour trip was used to purchasea triple-deck bunk bed,mattresses and sheets for thechildren’s home for six boyswho had been sleeping on the floor of the garage. Inaddition, we purchased a playapparatus for the front yard.

How did you decide tobecome involved?I was invited to go on the firsttrip the church put together,but I declined because I feltthere was much for me to do in the United States.However, God moved myheart to affect people globallywith this opportunity. I feelvery blessed to have spent two weeks in Uganda.

What was the hardest thing about the trip?The hardest thing about thetrip was being able to let goof my western ways and to gowith the flow of the Africanculture. We, Americans, havedeadlines to meet andschedule our days withBlackberries, Palm Pilots, etc.They have none of that. Thistook about two days to getused to it. It was also difficult

to see how content they arewith the little that they have.It was also difficult to see anation of children that long tobe loved and hugged.

What is the best thing yougot out of the trip?I realized that Uganda was anation of people who havehearts for God, people whowill share their last possessionwith you. I also begansponsoring two additionalchildren, Olivia and Deo.

Did this experience openyour eyes to anything,change your view onsomething and/or make you want to work harder on something?My eyes have been opened to how another countrystruggles for existence andhow children need to beloved. We are working hard to garner support for theorphanages. We have startedan organization named“Ugandan Orphanage ReliefFund” (UORF), which ispartnered with MercyMinistries. There is a Website, www.uorf.org, wherepeople can contribute $15 per month for a food andhealthcare sponsorship tosupport the orphanage homes. People also have the opportunity to sponsor a specific child with aneducation sponsorship to paytheir school fees. We have acopy of the child’s report cardsent directly to the sponsor asa way to stay connected.

What would you like peopleto know about the benefitsof volunteering to helpothers?


A Mission to UgandaAlumnus Maurice Bell spent two weeks givingback to others in Uganda, Africa on a volunteer

mission. He recounts his experiences here.

Maurice Bell, Political Science, C87

g i v i n g b a c k

Fall 2006 15

a l u m n i n e w s Values

God put us on earth to helpthose less fortunate thanourselves and we shouldalways be looking for ways to give back.

What are you involved with at Benedictine?I am involved with theAlumni Association Board,African American AlumniAssociation, Educare Ball and other fund-raising andalumni events.

Why have you decided tobecome so involved atBenedictine?Many people came before me at Benedictine and pavedthe way for me to attend. I believe that it is myresponsibility to help thosecoming after me, so they have the same opportunities at a wonderful institution.

Tell us about your family?My wife, Sarah, and mychildren, Benjamin, 10, andOlivia, 7, were graciousenough to let me be away for two weeks and are verysupportive of my involvementat Benedictine. We are lookingforward to having PastorsWilson and Wilfred from the Light the World Churchin Uganda, visit the UnitedStates this September to share their message andministry. We are hoping to have an event atBenedictine for them. �

Alumni Reflections:

A Year After Graduation with Daniel J. Bartgen, C05

If you know someone who hasgiven of him or herself to helpothers in the Benedictinespirit of giving back, please e-mail [email protected].

It was a safe assumption that the old Mayan woman approaching us was in constant pain. Years of degenerative arthritis hobbled her gait and knotted her hands; yet, shereturned to the clinic wearing the largest smile in Guatemala and carrying a gigantic box of mangos. Each mango that she gave us was accompanied with a heartfelt hug as she thanked us for the care, medicine and time that we gave to her and her people.

This tiny drama seemed surreal to me, for it was only a year ago that I graduated fromBenedictine University, and now I was seeing patients in Guatemala as a Loyola medicalstudent. I consider myself lucky to have enjoyed the opportunities afforded to me, but I also realize that my current accomplishments are largely dependent on my collegeexperiences. My years at Benedictine helped prepare me for the challenges that I encountered in my first year after graduation.

Benedictine provided thefoundation for me to succeedin both the classroom andclinic during my first year ofmedical school. Many lectures

at Loyola seemed like review to mebecause of the strength of Benedictine’sscience program, which prepared me well.My undergraduate background allowedme to spend more time in Loyola’shospital and less time reviewing materialthat I had already learned at Benedictine.In fact, I was already comfortable in ahospital environment as a result of themedical rotations that Benedictine’s health science department arranged for me as an undergraduate.

Despite the importance of the solidacademic and clinical education that I gained at Benedictine, I am mostgrateful for the character development thatoccurred as a member of Benedictine’sScholars Program, as a Wingspread fellowand while playing football for theBenedictine Eagles. The confidence,compassion and understanding that Ideveloped through these programs haveultimately benefited my ability to helpothers as a student doctor. Thefollowing example occurred late oneevening.

After an exhausting day of caring foran endless stream of patients in aremote village, our team waseager to return home. Weclosed the clinic, packed our

supplies and began to leave. I was halfwayinto our truck when I noticed an old manclutching his stomach and beckoning forhelp. Groggily, I reversed my momentumand put both feet on the ground. My teamquestioned, “What’s wrong?” I sighed,“Just one more patient, I’ll be right back.”As I was talking with my patient about hispain, I noticed my colleagues unpackingthe medicine in order to treat otherapproaching Guatemalans requesting help.We didn’t leave until every patient wascared for. At that moment, I could nothave been more proud of our efforts inGuatemala. The experience that I garneredfrom my time at Benedictine provided methe knowledge and empathy to help thosein need during my medical mission inGuatemala. For this andmuch more, I am grateful. �

a l u m n i e v e n t r e c a p s

First Annual Baseball Alumni ReunionOn April 30 the first annual baseball alumni reunion was held. Although the weather did not cooperate and theBenedictine baseball game was rained out, inside the KrasaCenter there was nothing but sunshine.

Participants in one of the largest alumni gatherings cametogether to relive their “glory days” and to witness theannouncement of the newly founded John Ostrowski LeadershipEndowed Scholarship. The scholarship was established by alumni who wanted to recognize the many student lives thatwere touched and changed by Coach Ostrowski. He representsleadership, perseverance, endurance, commitment and loyalty to students and alumni alike. Thescholarship will be awarded to afull-time male student who hasdemonstrated leadership qualitiesboth in and out of the classroomand who has devoted significanttime to Benedictine sponsoredextra-curricular activity. Nearly$5,000 has been raised to date,but an additional $5,000 isneeded before the scholarship canbecome operational and awardedto a qualified student.

The evening was filled with stories from trips to Florida, vanrides and other famous Coach “O” stories. The coach was givena copy of the scholarship along with a jersey that was signed by

all the alumni in attendance.He was truly overwhelmed by the gesture and theoutpouring of support shown by all.

If you would like to make a donation to the JohnOstrowski LeadershipEndowed Scholarship, pleasecontact Joan Henehan,development director,Benedictine University, 5700College Road, Lisle, IL 60532or call (630) 829-6074.

Music Department Recognition DinnerBenedictine hosted a marvelous group of well-educated andtalented individuals in the Department of Music on May 18.These individuals, as well as many of those who have supportedthe program, were honored at the first annual Awards andRecognition Dinner held in the Krasa Student Center. It was an evening of music, merriment and honor for the program and the people who make up “music” at the University.

Honored at the event were alumni Christine Paryl, B.A. Music,C73, M.A.’03, Ron Paryl, B.A. Music, C73, M.B.A. ’83 andMark Lee, B.M., C76. Others who were honored included

student musician Alexandra Rose, C06, who was given thePerformance Award; faculty members Maryann Flock, Br. Augustine Mallak, O.S.B., Victoria VerHoven, John Moulder and Luis Loubriel; and Friends of the Arts honorees,John Mickus, Ph.D., professor in the College of Science and James Baker, Ph.D., professor emeritus.

Alumni awards were given to former students who continue tocontribute to the program through their assistance financially,their departmental visibility and work in the program. Thefaculty members were honored for their teaching excellence,professional integrity and commitment to the program. ThePerformance Award was given to a graduating senior who

performed at an exceptionallevel throughout his/hereducational tenure at theUniversity. The Friends of theArts awards were presented forrecognition of particularassistance or influence to thedepartment and its success.

Benedictine University“Loop” Alumni CocktailReception

The Union League Club was the site of the fourth annual“Loop” Alumni Cocktail Reception held on April 18. Alumnistopped by on their way home for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres andan opportunity to network with their fellow alumni. There werea variety of professions represented including accounting,banking, government and medicine. This was a great venue for business card swapping and many connections were made. If you live or work in the Chicago “Loop” area make plans tojoin us at our next “Loop” Alumni Cocktail Reception in April2007. Check the alumni Web site for specific details.

Senior Ball Cocktail HourThe Office of Alumni Relations hosted the cocktail hour for the annual Senior Ball for graduating seniors on April 29. Theevent was held in the Fireside Lounge of the Krasa Center.Approximately 40 seniors were in attendance and enjoyed timewith one another before heading to the Naperville Country Club for dinner and dancing. The Senior Ball is the last socialevent prior to the students graduating and it always provides alot of fun.

Golden Eagles ReunionThis year’s Golden Eagles Reunion was held on May 21immediately following the 113th Commencement Convocation.This year, graduates from the classes of 1956 through 1959 were honored with a luncheon. Great stories and memories were shared before going on a tour of the campus. Plans areunderway for next year’s reunion and if you are interested inbeing involved, please contact Julie Nelligan, alumni relationsdirector, at (630) 829-6077 or [email protected].


a l u m n i b r i e f s

www.ben.edu/alumni_events

John Parker, C01, presents

Coach “O” the jersey signed

by the donors to the

scholarship in his name.

African-American Alumni ReunionIt was a beautiful summer night in the garden of Scholl Hall whereapproximately 20 alumni attended an after-hours cocktail reception onJune 22. Everyone had a great time rekindling friendships, networkingand talking with representatives from the African-American StudentAssociation. This group is in need of support from our alumni andmany in attendancevolunteered to help.Their meetings will beheld in the eveningsand alumni arewelcome to join. The group discussedother opportunities

to get together on a regular basis and to offeropportunities to recruit and mentor students.

For more information on getting involved, please contact Julie Nelligan at (630) 829-6077 or [email protected]. �

Upcoming

University Events

OCTOBER 11

Career Development/

Alumni Workshop

OCTOBER 27

Swim/Dive Alumni Reception

NOVEMBER 4

Educare Scholarship Ball

NOVEMBER 10

Communication Arts Alumni

Reception

NOVEMBER 21

Alumni Board Meeting

DECEMBER 1

M.B.A. Alumni Reunion

FEBRUARY 3

Sweetheart Club Dinner/Dance

FEBRUARY 20


FEBRUARY 27

Alumni Wine Tasting Event

MARCH 7

Annual After-hours at Fitz’s Pub

MAY 15


For updates on alumni

events, log onto our

Web site at www.ben.edu/

alumni/events or call

(630) 829-6077.

Stay ConnectedSchool of Education SymposiumThe Krasa Center was the site for the first School of Education Symposium featuring DominicBelmonte, director of teacher preparation, Golden Apple Foundation. Belmonte addressed theeducation alumni as well as current education students with free flowing conversation discussingthe career path that teachers make, the effect they are capable of having on others and theopportunities for growth. Belmonte, a powerful speaker, brought his listeners from laughter to tears in less than five minutes. Christina Argianas, C07, summarized her experience, “Sitting in the audience myself, I wish more students had been present. It was such an honor to have Mr. Belmonte on our campus. Through his involvement with the Golden Apple Foundation, he has had numerous opportunities to assist students in achieving their dreams and goals in the field of education.”

Belmonte was available to sign his latest two books: Teaching from the Deep End and Teaching onSolid Ground. Belmonte took the time during the wine and cheese reception to speak personallywith each of the nearly 40 students and alumni in attendance.

St. Procopius Academy Class of 1956 ReunionOn the weekend of June 23-24, 15 members of the St. Procopius Academy Class of 1956gathered to celebrate their 50th class reunion. The event started with a pizza party in the homeof Don Pins on Friday evening. Saturday was a beautiful day to spend touring the campus and thenew Sports Complex. The day was completed with mass in the Krasa Center Chapel celebrated byFr. Jude Randall, O.S.B., C55. The real fun was just beginning as the alumni and their wivesgathered in the Krasa Center for a wonderful meal and shared many stories and memories evokedby the pictures the men had put together into a presentation. They told stories of each other andremembered those who were unable to be with them. The weekend ended with breakfast Sundayand promises to plan for another get-together very soon.

If your class would like to plan a special weekend similar to the Class of 1956, please contact thealumni relations office at (630) 829-6080 or [email protected]. We would be happy to help youcoordinate such an event.

Fall 2006 17


Online Directory Coming SoonThanks to a lead gift by the BenedictineUniversity Alumni Board, we are excited toannounce that you will be able to connect and network with fellow alumni via an onlinedirectory. Look for more information in themail and on the alumni Web site.

Alumni Director is an Official AlumnaAt the Commencement Convocation on May 21, Julie Nelligan, alumni relationsdirector, earned her Master of Science inManagement and Organizational Behaviordegree. “Next to the birth of my son, it was the greatest moment in my life,” said Nelligan.“It was three years of intense work along withmy hectic schedule, but so worth the time Ispent. I learned a lot, made great friends andmost important, I’m proud to say I’m aBenedictine University alumna.”

Alumni Yellow Pages has ArrivedThe first edition of the Alumni Yellow Pages isavailable for you to pick up or to have mailed to your home FREE of charge. This directorycontains more than 1,000 BenedictineUniversity alumni from the Illinois area who arelisted by their business contact information. Geta copy today and the next time you are in needof service of any kind, pick up the AlumniYellow Pages first before you go online or lookelsewhere. Participants are listed three ways —alphabetically, by location and by occupation.Support your fellow classmates.

Our goal is to produce the Yellow Pagesannually. We will be contacting alumni in early January for the second edition. For more information or to get a copy of the Yellow Pages, contact Julie Nelligan at (630) 829-6077 or [email protected].

Spa Night for AlumniOn October 16 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. in the Krasa Center, alumni and students can relaxwith massages, manicures and more. Call (630) 829-6657 to R.S.V.P. for this event.

An Alumni Tour of Italy with aBenedictine FocusAttention alumni and families — we have set up a tour of Italy, with a Benedictine focus, for June 2007 with Fr. David Turner, O.S.B. as your spiritual director.

You will leave Chicago O’Hare on June 13 and arrive in Milan, Italy on June 14. Thereyou will enjoy all the sites including religiouslandmarks. You then go on to Padova, Venice,

Florence,Siena,Assisi,Norciaand finallyRome.You leaveRome onJune 21and arrivein Chicago

June 22. Fr. David will show you such areas as the birthplace of St. Benedict, tomb of St. Francis, hold mass at several historical sites,see a working olive farm and much more.

Cost is $3,500 per person and includes airtravel, hotel, breakfast every morning, allground transportation and baggage handling.For reservations, contact Bill Carroll, C73, M.B.A. ’80, at Blue Island Travel, (708) 388-3933 or [email protected]. For additionalinformation on this trip, contact Julie Nelligan. �


DistinguishedAlumniAward

MaryEllen Giger, Ph.D.,

B.S. Mathematics, 1978

BenedictineService Award

Emil M. (Mike) Banas, Ph.D.,

St. Procopius Academy, 1939

B.S. Physics, 1943

Alumni SpiritAward

Joseph C. Dalpiaz, Ph.D.,

B.S. Chemistry, 1961

AcceptingNominations

Paul Sergio, C84; Beth (Hamilton) Martin, C98Michelle Lynn (Minch) Martinez, C95

If your name is listed here, then you havewon a prize from the Office of AlumniRelations. Congratulations!

In upcoming issues of Voices, three peoplewho appear in the class notes section of the

alumni magazine will be randomly chosen to win an alumni prize. (One win per personduring duration of promotion.)

If you are one of these lucky winners, please contact Julie Nelligan BEFOREOctober 31 to collect your prize. Good luck and keep sending in those class notes! �

Class Notes Winners from Spring 2006

n e w s & e v e n t s

Fall 2006 19


We are proud to announce this year’s alumni award winners who were recognized at the 2006 Commencement Convocation.

2006 ALUMNI AWARDS

In recognition of outstandingachievement in a career fieldor personal endeavor, the2006 Distinguished AlumniAward goes to MaryEllenGiger.

Giger credits her careersuccess in part to the time she spent at BenedictineUniversity and her mathinstructor, Rose Carney,professor emeritus. “Dr.Carney was instrumental is mypursuit of math and physics aswell as assisting in obtaining a

research summer internship at Fermilab and a Rotaryfellowship for graduate studyin physics,” said Giger. Theseexperiences piqued herinterest and help formed some important personalrelationships that furtheredboth Giger’s future educationand career in radiologymedical physics.

Currently, Giger is professorof radiology at the Universityof Chicago where she alsoearned her Ph.D. in 1985.She is the director of

Graduate Programs in MedicalPhysics and serves as chair ofthe Ph.D. degree grantingcommittee on MedicalPhysics. She serves as chief of radiological sciences andassociate chair for research inthe Department of Radiologyat the University of Chicago.Giger is considered one of thepioneers in the developmentof computer-aided diagnosiswith her work to improvemammograms helping patientsget more accurate and life-saving diagnoses.

She is proud to be aBenedictine alumna, claiming“Benedictine gave me a solid education that was rich in tradition as well asmultiple opportunities, both within coursework and extracurricular activities to broaden my horizon.”

Giger is married toBenedictine alumnus, CharlesGiger, M.D., C78, and theyhave four children, Megan,Jennifer, Charlie and Eric.

Given to alumni who serveand have served the Universitywith their time and talent, the2006 Alumni Service Awardgoes to Emil (Mike) Banas.Banas was very involved whilein attendance at St. ProcopiusAcademy and College. Fromhis high school throughcollege, he became involved in many student activities

including service projects with Professors Hazdra andRausch. His friends rememberthat he was always aroundwhen they were serving thecollege and the communitythrough various projects.Banas is the recipient of the St. Benedict Medal inrecognition of his service to the University.

After graduation, he spentmost of his career as aresearch physicist withStandard Oil/Amoco/BP. Hegave back to his alma mater asan alumnet volunteer, memberand president of the AlumniBoard and member of thePresident’s Advisory Council.Banas also volunteered forvarious service projects withthe Naval Reserves, Boy

Scouts and taught religious education at St. John theBaptist Church in Indiana.

Banas currently lives inPullman, Washington and due to ill health was unable to attend the ceremony. Hestated, “I will be with you inmy spirit and prayers.” He isthe parent of Mary KatherineBanas, Chemistry, C76.

The Benedictine Spirit Awardis given to an alumnus whoexemplifies the Benedictinevalues of service, hospitalityand dedication to theirpersonal and/or professionallife. The 2006 award is givento Joe Dalpiaz.

After Dalpiaz earned hisdegree at then St. ProcopiusCollege where he lettered inboth baseball and tennis, hewent on to earn his Master of Natural Science degreefrom the University ofOklahoma in 1966. He

earned his Doctorate inEducational Administrationand Supervision from theUniversity of Illinois in 1975and then earned a Master ofPastoral Studies from LoyolaUniversity in 2000.

His teaching career began in1961 when he taught mathand chemistry at CardinalNewman High School, thenat Immaculate ConceptionHigh School. He becamedepartment chairman of thescience department atHinsdale South High School

and moved on to assistantprincipal for curriculum andinstruction. In 1974, hebecame principal of the highschool until his retirement in 1994.

Dalpiaz has served hiscommunity well. He wasordained a deacon for theDiocese of Joliet in 1985 andhas served at St. Joan of Arcparish in Lisle since that time.In 2004, he was namedDirector for the Diaconateprogram for the Diocese of Joliet.

Dalpiaz’s fondest memories of Benedictine were the great Benedictine monks who were the backbone of the professional staff, theirdedication, their toweringintellects and their humblespirit of service to the schooland to the Church.

He resides in Lisle with hiswife, Carolyn, whom he hasbeen married for 44 years. They are the proud parents of two children and fourgrandchildren. �

The Alumni Association is accepting nominations for the Distinguished Alumni Recognition Awards for 2007. Submit nominations

to the Office of Alumni Relations, Benedictine University, 5700 College Rd., Lisle, IL 60532 or at www.ben.edu/ alumni/awards.

Procopian Award

— Anjali Dorothy Alva(League City, Texas)

The Procopian Award — the highest honor theUniversity can bestow upona graduating senior — is given for consistentlyoutstanding curricular and extracurricularactivities while atBenedictine University. The award signifies thatscholarship (a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade pointaverage) and service areexemplified by the student.

Commencement 2006Benedictine University awarded 367 associate’s,

bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees this

past May during the 113th Commencement

Convocation at the Village of Lisle – Benedictine

University Sports Complex on campus.


“Always bear in mind, that your own resolution to

succeed is more important than any one thing.” — ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Vitality

Broder’s keynoteaddress,“Democracy inModern America:

Are Citizens Really inCharge? A WashingtonPerspective,” filled theUniversity’s Scholl Halllecture hall and set thetone for the highlysuccessful conference.

“All in all, it was asuccessful two days and a great way to kick offthe opening of theCenter,” said Ryan,who was named aDistinguished Fellow atBenedictine Universityin January 2003. “Thekeynote address not only gave students achance to engage with Broder, but it alsoprovided them with a very valuable learningexperience.”

Funding for the two-day conference wasprovided by the McCormick-TribuneFoundation.

The Center for Civic Leadership and Public Service is comprised of two maincomponents — the Civic Education Programand the Public Service Fellows Program.

Civic Education Program

The Civic Education Program includes the Jim Ryan Symposium on Public Affairs, a semiannual forum which will feature state and national leaders debating issuesimportant to civic and political life, and theVisiting Scholar Program, which will bringscholars in the fields of law, politics andgovernment to Benedictine University.

The Civic Education Program will alsofeature an annual two-day conferenceengaging faculty, students and communitymembers on topics relevant to public serviceand good citizenship, and the “Rights,Duties and Opportunities of Citizenship”class, a three-hour credit course open to

students who wish to learn more abouttheir rights andresponsibilities as citizens.

Public Service

Fellows Program

The secondcomponent of theCenter is the PublicService FellowsProgram, which isopen to highlymotivated studentsnominated by facultybased on theiracademic record and leadershippotential. Thiscurriculum is

designed to prepare students for careers in public service.

Students who engage in this program will be part of simulations including Mock Trial, Model U.N. and Model IllinoisGovernment. These students may also qualifyfor Public Service Scholarships during theirthird and fourth year of academic study.

Major contributors for the establishment of the Center include Joseph Kindlon, a member of the Board of Trustees atBenedictine University; Fred Krehbiel, CEO of the Molex Corporation; and Jim Hughes, Sr. of Wise-Hughes Builders in Wheaton.

Major contributors for the Public ServiceScholarships include Robert W. Fioretti,partner in the Chicago loop law firm ofFioretti & Lower Ltd., and Carol Doris.

“Jim Ryan is a person of vision and integrity, and I agree with him that we must encourage and nurture our student-citizens to become the leaders of tomorrow,”Fioretti said. “By giving to the scholarshipfund, we are not just making an investmentfor a few, but we are making an investmentfor all of us.” �

Former Illinois gubernatorial candidate Jim Ryan, C68, champions getting more young peopleinvolved in their local communities and in the broader political process. That is why he founded the Center for Civic Leadership and Public Service at his alma mater, Benedictine University.

The Center’s inaugural two-day conference in late April featured large, enthusiastic crowds, ariveting panel discussion headlined by Chicago Tribune editorial page editor Cornelia Grumman and an insightful presentation by Washington Post syndicated columnist David S. Broder.

The recipients of the Awards in Academic Honors included:

— Bradley J. Weyer (Oak Lawn), College of Business

— Jordan R. Gage (Prophetstown,Ill.), College of Education andHealth Services

— David R. Bisterfeldt (St. Charles), College of Science

— Delin Wang (South Elgin), College of Science

The Awards in Academic Honorsare conferred upon students whohave distinguished themselves bypositive achievement in their fieldof study. These students haveachieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better and have either completed researchof consequence or have beenpublished in their field.

Lincoln Laureate Award

— Victoria E. Jennings (Glen Ellyn)

The Lincoln Laureate Awardrecognizes excellence in bothcurricular and extracurricularactivities. The Lincoln Academy of Illinois is a not-for-profit,nonpartisan organization governedby a board of regents appointed bythe governor. The governor serves as the academy’s president.

Thomas J. Dyba Leadership Award

— Nathaniel Thomas Rebeck(Kansas City, Kan.)

The Thomas J. Dyba LeadershipAward is awarded to a student for outstanding ability to initiateand organize worthwhile activities,to encourage and direct thecooperative efforts of others and to command respect as a campusleader. This award also requires aminimum 3.5 grade point average.

Service Award

— Nour H. Shehadeh (Lombard)

The Service Award is awarded for outstanding service to theUniversity in general and to fellow students in particular.

Community Service Award

— Farah A. Meah (Glen Ellyn)

The Community Service Award is awarded for outstanding servicein religious, educational, social or political activities.

Fall 2006 21

u n i v e r s i t y n e w s Vitality

Benedictine’sCenter for Civic Leadership MakesSuccessful Debut by Katie Gregory

Welcomed by athunderousovation, Gen.Colin L. Powell,USA (Ret.)addressed more

than 2,000 people on May 11at Benedictine University’sDan and Ada Rice Center.

Powell’s appearance was partof the University’s Richard C.Becker Great Issues – GreatIdeas lecture series and wassponsored by BenedictineUniversity in association withCalamos Investments ofNaperville and SunPublications.

During his presentation, titled“Diplomacy: Persuasion, Trustand Values,” Powell spoke ofhis days as national securityadvisor to former PresidentRonald Reagan and asSecretary of State underPresident George W. Bush.He also spoke of the transitionhe has made from one of themost powerful men in theworld to John Q. Public.

“People ask me all the timewhat it feels like to be anaverage citizen,” Powell said.

“I tell them, one day you’reconsulting with foreign ministersall over world, everybody isfollowing every word you say,one day you’re the center ofattention . . . and the next day you ain’t.”

Powell told the overflowaudience that he does not miss the power, therecognition and the adulationthat came with his politicalposition. But he does miss one of the perks.

“I never miss anything I usedto do,” Powell said. “I like tolook through the windshield,not through the rear-viewmirror. The only thing I missis my airplane. It was soooocool. My own 757. I wouldwalk out of the VIP section of some airport, stroll down a red carpet, and there wouldbe my 757 with ‘UnitedStates of America’ on both sides.

“I’d walk up to the stairs andthe pilot would start the rightengine,” he added. “I’d reachthe top of the stairs and he’dstart the left engine. I’d reachmy seat and there would be

my Diet Coke waiting for me.Then they took my planeaway and gave it to Condee(current Secretary of StateCondoleezza Rice).”

Powell also spoke seriously onsuch topics as terrorism, thesocioeconomic ties that bindnations and the politicalrealities of a world “madeflatter” by information.

“Information technology ismaking the world flatter,” he said. “You can moveinformation and knowledge to any place in the worldinstantly. That hasfundamentally changed ourability to do businessanywhere in the world.Information is reshaping the world…basically for the better.”

He said that terrorists will never win as long asAmericans remain true to the ideals that have shapedthis nation.

“Terrorists can come andknock down a building, we’llbe mad, we’ll go after themand we will rebuild,” he said.“They can kill our fellow

citizens, and we’ll be mad andgo after them and we willmourn. But what they can’tdo, what they can never do, ischange the nature of society,change who we are as apeople. Only we can do that to ourselves.

“We must remain an open,welcoming, generous,considerate society,” Gen. Powell said. “If we do that, terrorists will lose.”

Gen. Powell also spoke offorging and retaining allianceswith countries throughout theworld, how those alliances arebased on friendship and trust,and how we “must remainsteadfast with our friends.” He also spoke of the challengesAmerica faces in the future andthe three “E’s” — economics,energy and education.

“One of our greatestchallenges is that none of our kids is lost along theway,” Gen. Powell said. “Wecannot afford to lose a singlechild, especially with thecompetition we have with the rest of the world.” �

Great Issues – Great IdeasGen. Powell Espouses Friendship, Trust During Appearance at Benedictine


Fall 2006 23


When asked how he became

involved at Benedictine and

other philanthropic endeavors,

Gillett smiles and replies —

Joe Kindlon. Their friendshipbegan years ago when theywere members of theNaperville Country Club.Gillett has adopted Kindlon’soft-repeated phrase: “It’simportant to give back to the community when you’vebeen blessed.”

Raised on a Wisconsin dairyfarm near Rosendale that hasbeen in the family for 125years, Gillett attended gradeschool and high school intown and matriculated at theUniversity of Wisconsin inMadison for a degree inagriculture. After a short time,he decided to go into thebusiness side of agriculture.

After graduation and twoyears in the Army, he workedfor 14 years in managementand food service positionswith Wilson & Co., Inc., amajor meat company. He leftWilson in 1974 to becomevice president of InterstateFoods, a company thatsupplied shortening toMcDonalds. In 1982, hebecame president ofInterstate.

With several partners in 1988,he bought and becamepresident and CEO of FreshStart Foods, a foodmanufacturer that providedbakery and shortening forMcDonalds. In 1994, FreshStart sold the McDonald’sbakery unit to Campbell SoupCo. and the shorteningdivision to Cargill, Inc. In

January of that year, he took a position as vice president ofCargill’s, McDonald’s business unit that provides shorteningand other products to McDonalds.

In 1998, he supposedly “retired,” but as Chairman of fourBoards, he is hardly retired. Gillett is Chairman of the Boardsof Benedictine University, Benedictine’s partner SpringfieldCollege in Illinois, Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital and Clinic, and the First DuPage Bank in Westmont. Hesometimes defines himself as a “Business Executive.” but he is more than that.

Kindlon and Gillett often talked of ways of “giving back” to the

community. In the early 1980s, Kindlon approached Gillett about

Benedictine and asked him to consider membership on the President’s

Advisory Council (PAC). Gillett was a PAC member from 1987 until

1991, when he became a Trustee.

In 1995, “the school was at a Y in the road,” said Gillett.“One way would lead to closing the school, while the otherway was to develop a Capital Campaign to provide funds for a new Birck Hall of Sciences and Kindlon Hall ofLearning.” Gillett helped develop the Capital Campaign thatled to the expansion of Benedictine.

He became Chairman of the Board in 1999, and instilled aphilosophy that we have to run the school as a business or thedoors will close. “We need to recognize that we cannot be allthings to all people, and we need to specialize,” said Gillett.“So we started concentrating on our core curriculum toremain financially solvent and increase enrollment.” Gillettadmits that he did not know much about education, but hedid know how to run a business. Since most Trustees areexperts in their field, he encouraged the Board Committees to resolve major issues by using the Trustees’ expertise.

When Benedictine Hall was headed for demolition in 2001,there was concern about the 14 stained-glass windows in theBenedictine Hall chapel. Will and Dayle Gillett assumed theexpense for removal, repairing, cleaning and re-installation of

the windows in the KrasaChapel, Kindlon and Schollbuildings. Dedication of there-blessed windows took placein the Krasa Center chapel onAugust 12, 2003.

After 9/11, when UniversityPresident William Carrollconceived the idea of a “FirstResponders” program, Gillettwas instrumental in helpinghim obtain a federal grant inFebruary 2004 to establish aprogram for police andfiremen. First Responders pay no tuition, but pay fortheir textbooks. There arecurrently 43 public serviceorganizations in the program,from Oswego to Crystal Lakein the suburbs, and east inSkokie and Oak Park.

Gillett also promoted andencouraged the permanentpartnership of Benedictinewith Springfield College inIllinois, which has been verysuccessful.

“I have always believed in

small, value-oriented Catholic

institutions, for they have a special

place in the world of education,

and Benedictine is a place of

hospitality, friendship and

camaraderie. With several religions

represented on campus, the

Benedictine and Catholic values

are instilled in all students.” �

TrusteeProfile: Will Gillett

by Rita A. Dougherty

December 2

For more information,

contact Barb Dwyer

at [email protected]

or (630) 829-6003.

IIn earlier centuries, a Renaissance man was defined as one well versed in the arts and sciences. Today’s

Renaissance man is an entrepreneur who also has power, purpose and is concerned about improving social

issues. I doubt that Will Gillett, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Benedictine University, would agree

with his power, but he definitely has purpose, concern and is a philanthropist.

Gillett is a modern Renaissance man no matter the environment. Dressed in a business suit, he chairs the

Boards of four institutions; in a tuxedo, he frequently attends fund-raising and social events, and in blue jeans

and a sweatshirt he has acted with Team Benedictine to beautify the Benedictine University campus.

28Twenty-eight students and five Benedictine staff members went ona work trip to Pecan Island, Louisiana to help the town rebuild afterthe devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The students hadcoordinated and raised funds for this unique way to spend theirvacation. They took a 19-hour bus trip toward the heat andhumidity of southwest Louisiana. When they arrived, they power-washed buildings, bleached interior walls of homes, pulled outrotting flooring, hauled debris and just about anything else thatneeded to be done during their time there. At night, they slept onfloors, cots or pews in the old church they were calling home forthe week.

Here is what some of the participants recounted about this life-changing trip.


Flora Liu, sophomore studyingpre-pharmacy (now atMidwestern University,pharmacy school)Pecan Island is a small townthat was hit very badly byHurricane Rita and did notreceive much aid, so I wantedto be able help in thehurricane relief effort. Assecretary of ConservationCoalition, Benedictine’s EarthClub, I was eager to help inthe efforts to plan the missiontrip with University Ministry.

I had a great experience atPecan Island. Our group of33 Benedictine students andstaff was large enough to bedivided into groups to work

on several projects includingpower-washing and paintingbuildings, picking up debrisscattered in people’s yards,pulling up carpet, sanding andvarnishing kitchen cabinets,and giving donations that hadbeen collected by Benedictinestudents and faculty. Each daywe woke up early and had asimple breakfast and packedsandwiches, snacks and drinksfor lunch. We worked abouteight hours at our assignedworksite. The rest of our daywas shower-time and free-timeuntil dinner was ready. We allhad to adjust to a simplelifestyle including quickshowers, simple foods and

sleeping on cots and churchpews. Every night we also had group activities whichwere great ways to get toknow each other and bond.By the end of the week, wehad all grown closer and made new friends.

It was an incredible feeling toknow that the residents wereso touched by us and ourwillingness to help. They werepleasantly surprised that sucha large group, especially ofyoung students, were happy tocome all the way from Illinoisjust to lend a hand in helpingthem rebuild.

We were able to get a $5,000grant from Benedictine. Thegrant allowed us to covermost costs so that allparticipants only needed to do some fundraising and pay a $20 fee to go on the trip.We also received manydonations from generousbusinesses, Benedictinestudents and faculty duringour Tools Drive. Thanks to all the contributions, we wereable to have a successful tripto this devastated region.

Giving to others is also a wayof giving to yourself. You feela sense of gratification fromhelping others. Spreading thelove and compassion from one human to another issomething one can onlyexperience herself — notthrough hearing about orreading another person’sexperience.

Shefy Alexander, history, C08As an individual I feltcompelled to do something,not just donate money and go back to my dailyroutine while people suffered,

but rather reach out and lendmy helping hands. Many ofthe people devastated by theHurricanes literally losteverything and really couldn’tbe compensated for it. At leastif a few of us could tell themthat we cared for their loss, it might brighten up their daya little.

The experience was probablyone of the best feelings I’veever felt — granted we wokeup real early, lived very simplyand did construction work —but seeing people smile,sharing memories with strangers who became some of my closest friends, learningabout the Island from oneresident’s childhoodmemories, experiencing thetears of others, really you have no words, you had tojust be there.

I want to share even thetiniest bit of pure happinessand love I experienced on thatlittle island with the rest of the world.

It was important to have theschool behind us. Our club’sadvisor, professor Jean-MarieKauth, set us up with Rev. Linda Owens andeverything just flowed fromthere. Our dean, MarcoMasini; school nurse, BarbaraAllanach; associate dean, Jon Miller; and the director of community development,Barbara Dwyer, showed that the Benedictine staffsupported our cause byphysically coming along on the trip with us.

In addition, the Universityallowed us to conduct a BoxProject Sleep-Out to raisemoney. Frank Budig, from

RedefiningSpringBreak

Pecan Island, Louisiana: Rebuilding Hope

This year, the typical Spring Break ritual was broken by Benedictine University

students who wanted to make a difference and view the world through the

reality that is life-experience. The first trip was a work trip to help rebuild a

Louisiana town destroyed by hurricanes, the second a learning trip to see the

poor living and working conditions suffered by people in Tijuana, Mexico.

Tijuana, Mexico: Seeing the Reality of the Underprivileged Seedy bars that attract underage drinkersfrom across the border. Street merchantshawking inexpensive wares to naivetourists. People living in cardboard boxesunderneath bridges. A city where the rateof HIV infection is nearly three times thenational average. Rampant drug traffic.

There is a side of Tijuana, Mexico that isas far from the resort towns of Cancunand Puerto Vallarta as Chicago’s near West Side housing projects are from theGold Coast. A side where workers struggleto exist, earning subsistence wages andreceiving few or no benefits while laboringin factories (“maquiladoras”) unfettered by even minimal safety standards.

This is where 11 students fromBenedictine University spent their 2006spring break, meeting with Mexican andU.S. representatives, talking to residents of a shelter for deported laborers, visitingschools, health clinics and women’scenters, interviewing factory workers andtouring the border with the Mexicancounterparts to the U.S. Border Patrol.

The tour was arranged by theInternational Business Department atBenedictine through “Global Exchange,”a San Francisco-based non-profit companythat specializes in what are called “reality

tours.” Eleven Benedictine students(joined by a student from the Universityof Wisconsin and one from San DiegoState) spent four days in Mexico.

“We wanted to show students theconsequences of business decisions madefar away and which were generally focusedon the bottom line, and how the searchfor cheap labor means that people workhard for low pay and few if any benefits,”said John Thornburg, Ph.D. associateprofessor of International Business andEconomics at Benedictine University.

The Benedictine students who participatedin the tour were: Alex Sosenko, Joliet;Andrew Glogowski, Addison; Anjali Alva,League City, Texas; Billy Prystash,Downers Grove; and Clarisa Gomez,Melrose Park; Karina Cabrales,Schaumburg; Lucia Jimenez, Aurora;Mitchell Davis, Glen Ellyn; RobertMaestas, Los Alamos, N.M.; TiffanyRickelman, Roselle; and John Broussard of Baton Rouge, La.

Among the sites visited by the studentswere Casa del Migrante, a shelter forworkers deported from the United Statesand run by a Catholic religious order fromItaly (the Scalabrinian Missionaries); andthe community of Maclovio Rojas, where

poor workers band together to providebasic services for residents.

“I don’t think anybody could haveexpected to see what we saw,” Alva said.“It was truly humbling to see people livethe way they do. It makes you think aboutthe privileges we enjoy at the cost of thelives of the less fortunate.”

The group also met with a foreignbusiness investment promoter with theSecrataria de Desarrollo Economico, whodiscussed the business climate for foreigninvestors in Baja California and Tijuana;and an urban researcher at the Colegio deFrontiera Norte, who made a presentationon the relationship between urban space,income poverty, retail centers andindustrial parks.

“In all cases, the best way to understandthese issues is through direct, face-to-facecontact and experience,” Thornburg said.“As an anthropologist, this is the methodthat works best for understanding otherpeople who seem to have little relationshipto us.

“There is nothing like being cold, wet andmuddy as you huddle talking to a memberof a poor community — who really can’tget out of the rain — to understand theirreality,” he said. �

Fall 2006 25


food services, helped us ingetting donated food from the University for the trip.

Carmel O’Farrell, nuclearmedicine technology, C08The trip was amazing. We hadsuch a wonderful time doingmany different tasks. The bestpart of the trip for me wasmeeting all the people ofPecan Island.

I got a wonderful sense ofcommunity from this trip. It has expanded myBenedictine family by allowing me an opportunity to get to know people fromBenedictine that I had nevereven spoken to before.

Not only has this trip inspiredme to help people more in thefuture, it has made me wantto get others involved more

as well. I really want others to experience the amazingbenefit of helping others.When you go somewherewhere you are truly needed,and you see the difference youcan make in someone’s life, itis a very powerful and spiritualexperience.

I was able to get help from all areas of the school andeveryone was willing to dowhat they could to help usreach our goals.

Rev. Linda Owens, University MinistryThe purpose of our trip wasto help rebuild homes in theNew Orleans area. It was alsoan opportunity to ‘rebuild’ a Spring Break for the students.Because of the positiveexperience we had on this trip, we are looking into

continuing this as a SpringBreak trip. We were told thatit will take at least 10 years torebuild the Gulf area.

My experience in Pecan Islandwas two-fold. As one of thecoordinators, I wanted tomake sure everything wentsmooth and that everyonewould gain something fromthe trip. I was also concernedabout the finance end of itbecause we didn’t want eagerstudents to be turned downbecause of lack of funds. I can say that by far, this wasabsolutely the best missiontrip I have encountered. Thecommunity I saw among our students and staff wasbeyond compare. To see theexcitement in our studentseyes after a full day of hard work, well I don’t have thewords for it. The families

accepted us with open arms and we saw and feltcommunity in the truest of forms.

I believe that in helping otherswe help ourselves. We becomebetter citizens which makes a better world. As a non-Catholic, I have cometo understand the values inthe Rule of St. Benedict.Those values are the reasonit’s important for our students to participate in outreach/volunteer opportunities. Byinvesting in our students, welive out those values: A Searchfor God, Hospitality, Livinglife in balance, Stewardship ofthe earth, Living and workingin community and Concern for the development of eachperson. That’s six of the sevenvalues that are fulfilledthrough a trip of this nature. �

College of ScienceAlfred R. Martin, Ph.D., professor of biological sciences

The relatively new and exciting field of

molecular biology is the new great frontier

in science. In fact, the late 20th and the21st centuries are sometimes dubbed “The Age of Molecular Biology,” just asthe atomic age of the early 20th centurywas the “Age of Physics.” Molecularbiology has given us powerful new tools in medicine and agriculture, as well as insights into the characterof the gene and into the nature of life itself. It has allowed us to make new and more effective medicines, and to betterunderstand the process of cancer and genetic disorders. But it has also given us profound knowledge of how the evolutionaryprocess works. The evidence clearly shows for example, thatgenes that control embryonic development, called hox genes, cantrigger major evolutionary change. Thus, our understanding ofmolecular biology, and a burgeoning fossil record (including thehuman fossil record) have left no doubt among biologists thatevolution is a very real and vital biological process.

The most immediate crisis we presently face is that the greatinsights into the working of nature which biologists have gleanedfrom their studies are often out-of-sync with the understanding,knowledge and beliefs of average American citizens who havevery little understanding of modern biology. Many recent pollshave shown that more than half of Americans do not acceptevolution but believe humans were created in their present formjust a few thousand years ago. For example, a CBS News polltaken in November 2004, (online report) reveals that 55 percentof all Americans believe that humans were created in theirpresent form. Sixty-five percent believe that evolution andcreationism should both be taught in public school scienceclasses (even though creationism is not considered a science) and 37 percent prefer to teach creationism instead of evolution in science classes. Pseudoscientific creationism is often clothed inthe guise of “Intelligent Design” (ID) which insists, again againstthe evidence, that natural processes cannot cause complexity inbiological systems. Part of the problem is that most people donot seem to understand what science is and how it operates andpart of the problem derives from the fact that the issue is oftenpresented as a false dichotomy; one can believe in either a creatorGod or in evolution, but not both. This is despite the fact thatmainline churches, religious organizations and leaders includingHis Holiness John Paul II, Catholic Bishops, Catholic scholarsand many Protestant groups, seeing no conflict betweenevolution and religion, have spoken out eloquently in favor of evolutionary science and against teaching literal six-daycreationism and ID as science.

This then is the biggest challenge for biologists in the next fiveyears (and beyond). We need to be teachers, not just in theclassrooms and labs of the great teaching universities (likeBenedictine), but in the public forum. We need to take everyopportunity to address civic and church groups, write articles forthe lay press, and listen to the questions people have. Biologistscan not afford to ignore, nor should we dismiss, the sentiments,opinions and legitimate concerns of the general public aboutevolution (or of genetic engineering, stem cell research, cloning,genetic counseling and global warming).

After all, knowledge is only significant if it is shared, and aneducated electorate is vital. A liberal arts education demands an understanding of the basic realities of biology. Laboratory and field research continue to be vitally important. But webiologists, with the support of our universities, also need to step back and better address the larger problems and concerns of society as well.

College of Liberal ArtsRoger Rose, Ph.D., associate professor of political science

Over the next five years there are, of

course, many critical issues that should

be addressed. From the world of politics

and political science, the biggest issue

will remain the war in Iraq. Unlike an

issue like immigration, in which a

thoughtful compromise is possible and

would remove the issue from the front

burner, the war is not going away.

Iraq may slowly fade from the public’s concern as Americantroops are slowly withdrawn over the next couple of years, butthe public’s perception is not the only measure of the nation’smost important issue. The war impacts the U.S. and the Gulfregion in ways that will continue to play out over these years.American troops will continue to die — maybe even at a highlevel of 50-75 a month for another year — and the tax payer will continue to fund a war that is far more expensive than mostpeople realize. ($60-$80 billion a year is just the direct cost and doesn’t include the long-term cost of Veteran health care,interest on the debt borrowed, replacement of equipment, etc. A real estimate that includes short- and long-term costs would be approximately $1.2 to 2 trillion, assuming we don’t leave fully until at least 2010.)

The cost in terms of Iraqi lives will remain enormous and we canonly pray that the current civil war (I use the standard politicalscience definition of civil war) does not explode into an all-outconflict in a failed state. I expect that most, or all, Americantroops will be removed from Iraq before five years is up, but the effects of the war will be felt powerfully for at least five years.

After five years, no one can be sure what may happen. Only one thing is for certain — our nation cannot afford the level of current spending. But send me an e-mail in five years and we’ll see.


Faculty InsightWhat is the biggest issue facing this country in the next five years?

Master printmakerand co-founder ofthe PluckedChicken Press,

Cynthia Archer, wasBenedictine University’sArtist-in-Residence this pastspring. Archer is known forher colorful, mythologicallithographs. Her exhibitionsinclude ContemporaryLithography in Chicago,Thirty American Printmakersand the U.S. StateDepartment-sponsoredprintmaking.

A grant, courtesy of theKucera Foundation, broughtthe pilot program and Archerto the Benedictine campus.The class met for fourconsecutive weekends and wascomprised of seven studentsalong with Benedictine artprofessor William Scarlato.

The purpose of the Artist-in-Residence program is to bringa different practicing artist tocampus each year. Visitingartists are drawn fromdifferent disciplines in thearts. They create educationalopportunities for students,provide arts enrichment andraise the profile of the arts atBenedictine throughout theDuPage County area.

The visiting artists work aspart-time instructors at theUniversity for approximatelyfour weeks. Althoughassignments may vary

depending on the artist’srequirements, in general,artists would be expected toteach a one-credit course,offer several workshopsand/or master classes andpresent an exhibition of theirand the students work at theend of the their visit.

The artists are selected by a committee made up ofrepresentatives from theDepartments of Music;Communications and FineArts; and Language andLiterature. These departmentsall offer courses countingtoward the Music/Fine ArtsCore Elective requirement.

The program is fundedthrough a combination ofoutside private/corporategrants. Plans are underway for the next visiting artist in Spring 2007. If you are interested in learning more about the program,please contact Scarlato at (630) 829-6273. �

Fall 2006 27


College of BusinessCharles Gahala, Ph.D., professor of finance; chair, undergraduate business department

One key issue that will matter in

the next five years is the emphasis

on cash flow management.

Managing cash flow will be the most significant issue drivingbusiness decisions during the next five years. Coming from afinance professor, how can you be surprised? Yet cash flow willshape most important decisions made in both the public andprivate sectors. Cash flow will drive investment decisions, banklending decisions and many types of personal decisions.

Cash flow is a focus upon generating revenue streams whilesimultaneously containing expenses. The focus upon generatingcash flow will affect the private sector because the key goal formost businesses is to maximize shareholder wealth. In the publicsector a focus upon revenue generation and cost containmentwill continue to cause managers to introduce business practicesthat can be useful to run government and non-profit entities.

The one constant in a capitalistic economy is change. Because of the desire to maintain international competitiveness, businesses will change their focus almost overnight. The result of the emphasis placed upon increasing cash flow can range from personal enrichment to job displacement. There will besignificant pressures on the behavior of the employees to navigate their way through the change.

The emphasis upon cash flow can create pressure. A recent articlein the Wall Street Journal reported that many employees arecalling in sick; the trend has hit a five-year high. Employees mayfeel that they are entitled to an occasional day off. Complexitiesthat result from multitasking in a world driven by e-mail and cellphones can rob employees of the time that is essential to think.Moreover, pressure can undermine the integrity of decisions.

The complexity of life brought about by the acceleration in therate of change could be contributing to both an increase inemployee stress and a potential to compromise ethical standards.This is where the hallmark of a good liberal arts education canreally pay off. Individuals who are capable of thinking throughissues have the potential to be more adept at recognizing the side effects of the high priority being placed upon cash flowmanagement. �

The next speaker in the Visiting Scholar program

is Sister Carol Keehan, D.C., president and CEO

of the Catholic Health Association of the United

States. The topic for her visit will be “Catholic

Perspectives on Health Care.”

If you are interested inattending, or need moreinformation, please contactFr. Philip Timko, O.S.B., at (630) 829-6266 [email protected].

Next Visiting Scholar in Catholic Thought October 18-20

Students Learn from Master Printmaker

by Joan Henehan

T his fall,

does not happen in the classroom or in a textbook. Science happens in nature among living things in an atmosphere of discovery.

To make science teachersbetter teachers of sciencewhile utilizing the resources ofthe local scientific community,Benedictine University ispartnering with BrookfieldZoo, Fermilab, the ForestPreserve District of DuPageCounty, Morton Arboretum

and the Golden AppleFoundation to offer a Masterof Science in Science Contentand Process (M.S.S.C.P.).

The M.S.S.C.P. program isdesigned for elementary andmiddle school teachers andthose employed as informalscience educators at parks,zoos and museums who wantto increase their scienceknowledge and confidence inscience teaching.

“Many teachers areunderprepared to teachscience,” said John Mickus,professor, College of Scienceand program director. “Someteachers have taken only theminimum science credit forcertification and these aregenerally chosen from a list of nonrelated science courses.

“Teachers can use additionalhigh-quality courses toimprove their contentknowledge and the tools tohelp them use technology intheir classrooms,” he said.

Students in the program will learninquiry-based teaching concepts at Benedictine and study sciencecontent at the educational sites ofthe partner organizations. Studentswill take courses in zoology atBrookfield Zoo, botany at MortonArboretum, physics and astronomyat Fermilab and ecology andenvironmental science at variousforest preserve sites.

The program will be taught ina “cohort” model — a groupof no more than 24 studentswho progress through theprogram at the same pace —

that meets evenings and someweekends during the academicyear. Day courses will takeplace during the summer.Teachers can manage full-timeemployment yet still completethe program in two years.

The program will be taughtby Golden Apple Fellows,research scientists, naturalistsand others who teach in theeducation programs of thepartner organizations.Applicants must hold a valid teacher’s certificate or a position in an informaleducation program. The first cohort will begin in June 2007.

Mickus added that the goal ofthe program is to inspire life-long enthusiasm for scienceamong grade-school students.

“A teacher who is competentin science and comfortableteaching it will create greaterinterest in science amongstudents,” he said.

For additional information,contact Mickus [email protected]. �


This fall, Benedictine University launchesa new Writing Across the Curriculum(WAC) program. The new programcombines the First-Year Seminar andArgumentative Writing into one coursethat provides students with the completetoolkit for their first year at Benedictine:critical thinking, academic writing and the Benedictine heritage. The newprogram retains a second writing courseon research in the disciplines. Key to thenew program are the Writing Intensive(WI) courses, one in the Core and one inthe major field of study. A simultaneouscurricular change remedies a gap in theCultural Heritage sequence of the Core;now students take all four courses in the

sequence: ancient, medieval, modern and contemporary. Faculty memberscollaborated to preserve the best parts of both first-semester courses and to teach writing not only in the first year,but at all levels of study.

Students take the new Writing Assessmentas they enter Benedictine, at the end ofthe first year and as seniors. Comparingpre- and post-tests gives one measure ofthe success of our students, as well as theWriting Program itself. The pilot courses,which ran fall 2005, included additionalmodes of evaluation: course essays, finalexams, evaluations and focus groups.By all measures, the pilot coursesperformed well.

Future efforts include rejuvenating thePeer Tutoring program. Many studentsbelieve that only those who have difficultywriting should seek help; in fact, mostwriters solicit feedback before revising.

A full-time writing director, Jean-MarieKauth, Ph.D., manages the program,conducts faculty workshops and seminars,and works directly with faculty membersto integrate the teaching of writing into the rest of the curriculum, andparticularly the WI courses. Her weeklyWriting Tips have proved popular withfaculty and students. Visit www.ben.edu/programs/centers_institutes/writing/ for more information. �

Teachers Can Become Better Science Teachers by Learning at the Source

Writing Across the Curriculum at Benedictine University


In an era characterizedby ambiguity, risk anduncertainty, today’sorganizational managersmust continuouslyinnovate, manage

change as a matter of routine,elicit the best cooperativeefforts from employees andhelp their organizations dealwith a changing businessenvironment.

The Benedictine UniversityExecutive Master of BusinessAdministration (E.M.B.A.)program provides businessleaders with a collaborativeeducational experience thatimparts superior, practicalmanagement skills, orientslearners to best businesspractices and instills a sense of personal and lifelongcommitment to improving the leadership withinorganizations.

“I learned to think completelydifferently than I had everdone before,” said Ed Garrity,M.D., professor of medicine,

Executive M.B.A. Program Imparts Superior Managerial Skills

vice chair, clinical operations,The University of ChicagoHospitals. “I also learned atBenedictine that businessethics is not an oxymoron.Those who are concernedwith justice and fairness canhave a huge impact on thebusiness world.

“I know my education fromBenedictine will serve me very well,” he added. “Thisprogram worked for me andmet my needs.”

Founded a decade ago, the

E.M.B.A. program was initially

designed to help physicians and

senior health care executives

acquire the management skills

necessary to deal with the

revolution in the health care

industry. However, inquiries by

other executives prompted

Benedictine administrators

to extend the program to

all business professionals.

The E.M.B.A. program isconducted in a cohort format,which means that a group of15 to 20 senior executivesprogress through apredetermined sequence of courses until they reachgraduation. Classes areconducted Friday andSaturday on alternatingweekends over a 16-monthperiod.

This adult learning model has proved to be enormouslysuccessful with highly self-motivated adults because itaffords intense learningopportunities within a group of peers.

“Benedictine’s E.M.B.A.program empowered me toreceive my M.B.A. in 16months while working a full-time job, raising a family andmaintaining my sanity,” saidSusan Hanselmann, R.N.,B.S.N., M.B.A., case manager,transition care coordinator.

“The cohort model wasessential to the learningexperience, drawing on theknowledge and experience ofmany talented people in thecohort,” Hanselmann added.“The instructors are top-notch, knowledgeable andsupportive. I highlyrecommend the BenedictineE.M.B.A. program for anyonedesiring a quality, flexiblegraduate program.”

Successful applicants have abaccalaureate or higher degreefrom an accredited universityand substantial managerialexperience at the executivelevel. Academic performance,personal and professionalgoals, leadership experienceand other factors are assessedduring the admissions process.

For more information about the program, call the Enrollment Center at (630) 829-6300, [email protected] or visit www.ben.edu. �

Get Your Benedictine Alumni Items Today

Select items are available on the bookstore Web

site at ben.bkstore.com. For a greater selection

visit the store in the Krasa Student Center.

b e n . b k s t o r e . c o m

Show

You

r Sc

hool

Spi

rit Attention Alumni: Refer a Student

If you know someone who would make a good addition

to the Benedictine student community, help them

complete the alumni-referred prospect student form

online at www.ben.edu/referral and their application

fee will be waived.

For more information, contact the Enrollment Center

at (630) 829-6300 or [email protected]. �

Voluntary Subscriptions Support MagazineThe cost of publishing and mailing Benedictine Voices, the

alumni magazine, continues to increase. Your tax-deductible

gift of $15 helps defray these mounting costs during difficult

budget times. This is strictly voluntarily. You can enclose

your donation in the attached contribution envelope. �

Fall 2006 29

Class of 1936Mike Krak was honoredposthumously by his high school,Benedictine High School, inCleveland, OH. Krak was inductedinto the school’s Athletic Hall ofFame. The program reflects,“There’s no football player inBenedictine history who holdsmore milestone ‘firsts’ than MikeKrak.” Krak passed away April1984 in his hometown of Cohoes, NY.

Class of 1943Bishop Michael J. Dudick,

Philosophy, retired Bishop of theEparchy of Passaic, celebrated his90th birthday surrounded by thepresence of clergy representing theEparchy including Bishop Andrew,Fr. Gerald Dino, Protosyncellus,and the syncelli representing the six syncellates which comprise theeparchy. The day began with anofficial Eparchial proclamation readby Bishop Andrew commemoratingBishop Michael’s 90th birthdayand recognizing all of his years ofdevotion and service as Bishop ofPassaic. The celebration was held at Holy Annunciation Monastery,Sugarloaf, PA, where the Bishophas been in residence for the lastseveral years as a special guest ofthe Carmelite nuns.

Class of 1965Steve Duerst, English, recentlyretired as an industrial engineerand company safety manager from

Wahl Clipper Corporation. Duerst,his wife, Debbie, and their threechildren reside in Sterling, IL.

James “Sean” Kenney, Ph.D.,

Biology, was recognized as one of100 Distinguished Alumni by theCollege of Education and HumanDevelopment of the University ofMinnesota in May 2006. Kenney is the president and CEO ofCoalition Management, Inc. inHayward, WI; executive directorfor the Upper Midwest LaborManagement Healthcare Coalition;and a senior fellow with theNational Institute of Health Policy. He and his wife, Susan,reside in Hayward.

Class of 1966Glen Gabert, Political Science, wasawarded the 2006 CommunityService Award from the RotaryClub of Jersey City – Daybreak.Gabert has been the president ofthe Hudson County CommunityCollege since 1992 and is thelongest serving president of the College.

Class of 1972Thomas W. Christiansen, History,and his wife, Janice, are currentlyliving in Abu Dhabi, United ArabEmirates where Christiansen isworking for the State Department.

Class 1976Darlene Castelvecchi, Psychology,has been honored as a member ofthe Who’s Who Among American

Teachers 2005-2006. Castelvecchiand her husband, Jaime Arias,reside in Elgin.

Donald B. Pope-Davis, Ph.D.,

Psychology, associate vice presidentfor graduate studies and professorof psychology at the University ofNotre Dame, has been appointedchair of the University’s FacultyBoard on Athletics and its NCAAfaculty athletics representative. “As a member of both the FacultyBoard on Athletics since 2002 and the Provost Advisory Councilsince 2004, Don has a distinctunderstanding of and appreciationfor the blend of athletic andacademic excellence that we seek at Notre Dame,” said Fr. JohnJenkins, C.S.C., President,University of Notre Dame. Pope-Davis is also the author of threebooks, “Multicultural CounselingCompetencies: Assessment, Education, and Supervision,” The Intersections of Race, Classand Gender in MulticulturalCounseling,” and, his most recent,“Handbook of MulticulturalCompetencies in Counseling and Psychology.”

Class of 1984Dave Dulany, Ph.D., M.B.A.,has successfully defended hisdissertation and earned his Ph.D.in Business Administration/Information Systems from ArgosyUniversity. Dulany is an assistantprofessor at Aurora UniversityDunham School of Business.

Class of 1985Jerome (Larry) Bettag,

Communication Arts, is vicepresident with Cherry CreekMortgage in St. Charles. He and his wife, Michelle, also make their home in St. Charles.

Class of 1986Fr. Patrick Mulcahy, ReligiousStudies, was ordained a priest ofthe Diocese of Joliet by BishopJoseph Imesch on June 3, 2006.Fr. Mulcahy has been assigned toSt. Raphael Parish in Naperville.

Class of 1987Maurice Bell, Political Science, hasrecently been promoted to theposition of MDFS for the CentralDivision of PepsiCo. Bell has beenwith Quaker/PepsiCo for eightyears and was a recipient of the2002 PepsiCo Ring of HonorAward. Bell and his wife, Sarah, arethe proud parents of two children,

Benjamin and Olivia. They residein Wheaton.

Fr. Andrew Skrobutt, Chemistry,was recently ordained on May 20,2006. Fr. Skrobutt is assigned tothe Diocese of Rockford.

Class of 1988Richard Anderson, M.D.,

Biochemistry, was named therecipient of the OutstandingPhysician and House Staff AngelAward at OSF St. Francis MedicalCenter in Peoria, IL.

Class of 1990David Soviak, M.B.A., is thepresident of the firm Soviak &Associates, Inc., a manufacturer’srepresentative firm. Soviak and hiswife, Cindy, reside in Plainfield.

Class of 1993Scott P. Mitchell, M.B.A., hasrecently been named president ofThink Partnership Inc., a publiclytraded interactive advertisingcompany based in Northbrook, IL.Mitchell and his wife, Kristi, residein Palm Harbor, FL.

Class of 1996Nicole Pavisic, InternationalBusiness and Economics, is thedirector of development forEurope with American Invsco.Pavisic oversees business expansionin the U.K., Irish and Europeanmarkets with relation to theiroverseas investors purchasing realestate in key markets such asChicago, Florida and Nevada.

Class of 1997Amy Zerkle, Business andEconomics, has recently acceptedthe position of cross-country coachat Holy Cross College in NotreDame, IN. This will be the firstyear for cross-country and the firstvarsity sport for Holy Cross. Zerklelooks forward to attending theBenedictine Invite in the fall.

Class of 1998Brian Kerrins, Finance, is theassistant vice president for FinancialFederal Credit Inc. located in Lisle.

Class of 2002Demetrius Ford, Communications,recently became the assistantdirector of admission at the FortWorth campus of WestwoodCollege. He currently resides inDallas and is working on hisM.B.A. in Global Managementfrom the University of Phoenix.

What was your favorite Benedictine University activity while on campus? E-mail [email protected].

class notes

“That team photo was from

about 1965 or 1966. Bill Kohn

is #34, Bill Beist (Geist?) is #30.

My father, Jack Krueger, and

uncle, Tom Krueger, played a

few years earlier. I remember

seeing all the old team

pictures in the entrance area

of the Rice Center. To this day,

it is still my favorite place on

campus to visit.”

David Krueger, C93

picture identified


Class of 2004Rex R. Mudge, M.S.M.O.B., is the vice president of humanresources with Strack & Van Til in Highland, IN.

Saara Patel, Finance, has beenappointed an Islamic BankingConsultant with University IslamicFinancial Corporation (UIFC).UIFC delivers faith-based homeacquisition and deposit products toadherents of the Islamic faith andothers who for religious reasonsmust avoid the receipt or paymentof interest. Patel is a resident ofCanton, MI.

Nicholas Scipione, Biology, has been appointed head baseballcoach at Glenbard East HighSchool in Lombard. He is also a chemistry teacher there.

MarriagesDavid E. Do, Health Science ’98,was recently married. Do and hiswife, Jonelle, reside in ArlingtonHeights. Do has opened his ownlaw firm, Law Office of David E.Do, in Rolling Meadows.

Aubrene (Knott) Fiore, Psychology’99, was married in July 2005 toRalph Fiore II. She is the clinicdirector and physical therapist atPhysical Therapy Chicago, a privateoutpatient clinic.

Diane M. (Weis) Krantz, Psychology’01, was married in October 2005to Eric Krantz. The couple residesin Montgomery, IL.

Michael A. Liss, M.D., Biology ’02,was married in May 2006 to SarahCroskey. The couple was marriedin Milwaukee two days after theyboth earned their Doctor ofMedicine degrees from the Medical College of Wisconsin. The newlyweds will relocate to

the University of California atIrvine where Liss will begin aresidency in urology and Sarah inpediatrics.

Kimberly (Kuzma) Mayer,

Elementary Education ’03, andDavid Mayer, Psychology ’03, weremarried in July 2005. The couplemet at orientation weekend atBenedictine University freshmanyear. Kimberly is a middle schoolmath and science teacher at St. Dennis Catholic School inLockport. She is also the co-chairof the Joliet Diocesan ScienceTeacher’s Association Region 11Project Session which deals withheading up the project session forall science fair projects in Will,Kankakee, Grundy, DuPage andKendall counties. David is anInternet manager. The coupleresides in Joliet.

James Mihalik, Sociology ’01, wasmarried to Sharyn (Kaczmarek)Mihalik in May 2006. The coupleresides in Downers Grove.

Elizabeth (Blankenship) Nelson,

Mathematics ’05, and Brian

Nelson, Finance ’04, were marriedin December 2005. Brian works asan equity analyst for Morningstarand is pursuing his M.B.A. at theUniversity of Chicago whileElizabeth is pursuing an M.L.I.S.at Dominican University. Thecouple resides in Aurora, IL.

BirthsJanine (O’Connor) Augustyn,

Business and Economics ’88, andher husband, James Augustyn,

Biology ’89, welcomed their sixthchild, Jonah Francis, in August2005. Jonah joins Madeline, 10years; Bernadette, 8 years; Sam, 6 years; Veronica, 5 years; andGabriel, 3 years. The family

resides in North Aurora, IL.

Caroline (Blazowski) Revak,

Writing and Publishing ’01, andher husband, Nick, welcomed theirfirst child, Sarah Marie, in March.The family is at home inShorewood, IL.

Carrieann (Fischer) Roth,

Elementary Education ’98, and herhusband, Brandon, welcomed twindaughters, Samantha Ann andElisabeth Carrie, in February 2006.The family is at home inBensenville, IL.

Aheed Siddiqi, Biology ’98, and hiswife, Shama, welcomed their firstchild, a son named Mohsin, inJune 2006.

Yuri (Manteca) Wagner, HealthScience ’98, and her husband,Joseph Wagner III, ElementaryEducation ’97, welcomed theirsecond child, Joseph Edward, inApril 2006. He joins big sister,Kathryn Marie. The family is athome in Carol Stream.

Francis J. “Bonie” Medved, ’51,passed away April 14, 2006.

Dennis M. Motyka, Political Science’71, passed away in March 2006.

James J. Sekerka, St. ProcopiusAcademy ’49 and St. ProcopiusCollege ’53, passed away February 23, 2006.

Stanley F. Skawinski, Jr., ’62,passed away on October 1, 2005.

Mira Sremcevic, M.C.P. ’04, passed away in April 2006. �

Fall 2006 31

c l a s s n o t e s Vitality

The Office of Alumni Relationsand your fellow alumni want toknow what is new in your life.Tell us what you have been

up to; what you do in yourcareer; interesting travel; a

new job, promotion or award;family news; and more.

Please contact:Debbie Smith/

Alumni Associationfax (630) 829-6313 ore-mail [email protected]

Your Class Notes Can Win You A Prize

Remember, even after you graduate, you are still connected here.

� in memory

In Memoriam

Benedictine Universitymourns the loss of Sal L. Piazza, M.D.Piazza passed away onJuly 19 at the age of 76.He was a member of theBoard of Trustees and a generous financialdonor to the University.He will be greatly missed for his insight,enthusiasm and deeppersonal commitment to Benedictine and its students.

Piazza is survived by hiswife Marilyn, to whom hewas married for 50 years,and by his childrenLeonard, C78, David,C81, Daniel, C87,Thomas and Gina.

He was a surgeon,practicing at EdwardHospital since 1963. He retired only recently.Due to his efforts, a workstudy program forBenedictine Universitypre-med undergraduatestudents was created atEdward Hospital. Piazza was very generous with Benedictine in many ways, includingcontributions toward the capital campaign forthe construction of theBirck Hall of Science. �


What’s new in your life? A marriage or a child? A new job or promotion? Have you been published or honored? Let us know!

First Name Middle/Maiden Last Name Major Class Year

Address City State Zip

Home Phone E-mail Address

Your Title/Company Name Work Phone

Job Description

Spouse’s Name Major Class Year

� Check here if you are interested in mentoring students or helping fellow alumni through

the Alumnet program.

Tell my classmates that . . .

Please clip and mail to:Benedictine UniversityDebbie Smith/Alumni Association5700 College Road, Lisle, Illinois 60532

we want your class notes

The photo (above) — found in an

antique store in Florida — of the

St. Procopius orchestra is from June

1919 or before. The center seated figure

(behind the drum) is Fr. Ambrose

Ondrak, O.S.B., later Abbot (1946-

1961). To his right is Fr. Anselm

Fleissig, O.S.B. To his right is Edward

Hrdlicka, still a student, obviously, but

who entered the Abbey in July 1919

and became Fr. Adolph, long-time

librarian and the president of the

college from 1956-1959.

— Fr. James Flint, O.S.B.Do you have a favorite memory of your time on campus? Send one of your memories to [email protected].

a look at the past

Receiving DuplicateIssues of VoicesMagazine?

If you are receiving more than one issue of Voices permailing, please let us know so we can reduce the cost of our mailings, as well as toeliminate any inconvenience to you. Please take a moment and call (630) 829-6099 tocorrect the problem.

Thank you for helping us to be more efficient andeconomical!

Are these your classmates?

If you know, contact us at

[email protected].

let us know

Fall 2006 33

f a c u l t y / s t a f f n o t e s Vitality

Sharon Borowicz (Business Administration) will present a paper, “HowOnline M.B.A. Programs Help Students Develop Virtual Team SkillsNecessary in the Workplace,” at the Association for Advancement ofComputing in Education’s 2006 E-Learn Conference this October inHonolulu, Hawaii.

Jane Crabtree (Undergraduate Business) presented the paper “U.S. andChinese Labor Laws” and the case study “But They Never Told Me...” at the Midwest Business Administration Association conference in March at the Palmer House in Chicago. She also presented an entrepreneurshipcase study, “A Sporting Adventure: How to Retire in Style,” with a choiceof ventures for students to select and develop a business plan at an academicconference in Fall 2005. Crabtree’s case study was later used in a caseanalysis and business plan competition that involved student teams fromUkraine and the State University of New York-Potsdam.

Jim Crissman (Psychology/ Sociology) wrote an article titled “Death Lore”that was published in the Encyclopedia of Appalachia, a publication of theUniversity of Tennessee Press in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Crissman and Sandy Chmelir (Sociology/Psychology) presented a paper titled “The Women in the B-Western Movie” in April at the 86th annual meeting of the Southwestern Social Science Association in San Antonio, Texas.

John Kevin Doyle (Business Administration) published a paper titled “What Effect Does CS0 Have on CS1 Performance and Major Retention?”in the May 2006 issue of the Journal of College Teaching and Learning.

Barbara Dwyer (Community Development) presented to the Illinois SafetyCouncil’s annual conference in May. Her program, “Hurricane Katrina:The Long Road Home” was delivered during two break-out sessions. Dwyerdiscussed the importance of volunteer management and service deliveryduring a disaster. She also served as a regional judge for the President’sCommission on White House Fellowships for a second year.

Benedictine University was the sponsor of the 12th Annual Association for Core Texts and Courses Conference held in Chicago April 6-9. Co-sponsors were Shimer College and the Great Books Foundation. Patrick Flynn (Philosophy and Director of Core Curriculum) was a leader in conference recruitment, preparation and participation. Participants fromBenedictine were: William Carroll (President), “The Liberal Arts MustBecome Entrepreneurial” welcoming address; John Kevin Doyle (BusinessAdministration), “The Rule of St. Benedict as a Business Core Text: HowApplicable Is It?”; Flynn, “Copenhagen, Bohr, & Heisenberg: How Did We Learn to Love the Bomb?”; Vincent Ray Gaddis (History), “The Plague:Finding Meaning in a Post Modern World;” Jean-Marie Kauth (DirectorWriting Program), “Beatrice and Pearl;” Jonathan Lewis (Sociology),“The Impact of Ptolemy’s Geographica on Cartography and Race;” Luigi Manca (Communications), “To Hell and Back: Reading Aloud inClass from Dante’s Inferno;” Alfred Martin (Biology), “Darwin and theIdea of Separate Magisteria: Rock of Ages, Science and Religion in theFullness of Life;” James Pelech (Education), “Using BenedictineMonasticism to Create a Unique Pedagogy;” Bernard Touissant

(Philosophy), “Plato and the Ideal of Liberal Education;” Martin Tracey

(Philosophy), “The Worth of Lady Philosophy’s Arguments in Boethius’sConsolation of Philosophy;” Fr. David Turner, O.S.B. (Office of the Provost),

“An Ancient Monastic Rule and Our Contemporary World;” Jaqui Lynch

(Philosophy student), “Making Plato’s Republic Comprehensible Using‘The Matrix;’ ” and Jeffrey Ptacek (Philosophy student), “Teaching JusticeThrough Plato’s Republic.” Tracey chaired the Sponsor’s Panel on “TheRule of St. Benedict as a Core Text and Pedagogical Approach.” Martin

chaired the panel featuring students from Benedictine University andShimer College. Fannie Rushing (History) attended the conference as aspecial guest. Eight Benedictine student volunteers helped with theorganization of and work at the conference. Theresa Dao, Charles Grom,

Aiyesha Kamal, Jaqui Lynch, Akshar Patel, Jeffrey Ptacek, Faruk

Rahmanovic and Hajrah Saeed did a superlative job in this capacity, andrepresented Benedictine University with high distinction.

Mardelle Fortier (English) published a mystery story in Woman’s World, anational magazine produced by Bauer Publishing in Englewood Cliffs, NJ.The story appeared in the April 25, 2006 issue. Fortier won third prize in apoetry contest through Rambunctious Review, a literary journal in Chicago.The theme of the contest was “MIRROR,” and Fortier’s winning poemwas titled, “Mr. Mirror.” She also had two poems published in the Spring2006 edition of Prairie Light Review published through College ofDuPage. The poems were titled “Life of Eyes” and “The Fields.”

College of Business faculty and Ph.D. students presented more than 12 peer-reviewed papers at the National Academy of ManagementConference in Atlanta in August. Presenters included Sandra Gill, Jim

Ludema, Peter Sorensen, Ram Tenkasi and Therese Yaeger along withOrganization Development students Jimmy Brown, Marie DiVirgilio,

Darlene Lewis, Michael Murphy, Kathy Reno and Vince Sperduto.

Founded in 1936 by two professors, the Academy of Management is theoldest and largest scholarly management association in the world. Today,the Academy is the professional home for 15,951 members from 94nations.

Ted Hogan (Disaster Management Certificate Program) was featured in an article appearing in the Chicago Tribune on March 9. Hogan was hiredby the Will County Board to assess potential health threats caused byradioactive tritium spills at the Braidwood Nuclear Power GeneratingStation. Hogan worked for ComEd as superintendent of safety andindustrial hygiene before founding his own consulting firm and joiningBenedictine University as the director of the Disaster ManagementCertificate Program.

Jim Iaccino (Psychology) presented a paper on his Jungian archetypalresearch and its applicability to contemporary television series. The paperspecifically examined “Battlestar Galactica’s Cylons: The Human FaceBehind the Jungian Shadow.” Iaccino delivered the presentation at the 36th Annual Popular Culture Association (PCA) Conference held inAtlanta, Ga. on April 12-15. He was also the moderator for another panelexamining the “Modern Realities of War as Reflected in the BattlestarGalactica Teleplay — ‘Resurrection Ship.’ ” Finally, Iaccino reviewed papersfrom nine other Galactica panels for possible inclusion in his edited text,Battlestar Galactica: A Successful Reimaging of the Classic Series(forthcoming from McFarland Press in 2007). The text will take amultidisciplinary approach to the series covering fields such as sociology,psychology, political science, gender studies, literature, communications and religion.

Nona Jones (Undergraduate Business) presented a case study titled“Upheaval in an Organization” at the Midwest Business AdministrationAssociation (MBAA) conference held in March at the Palmer House inChicago. Jones also served as a discussant for three cases in a separatesession of the conference.

Manu Kaur (Mathematics) published a paper titled “Use of Technology to Develop Student Intuition in Multivariable Calculus” in the March 2006 issue of PRIMUS (Problems, Resources, and Issues in MathematicsUndergraduate Studies). PRIMUS is a prestigious journal devoted to mathematics pedagogy and is supported by the United States Military Academy. �

New College of Liberal Arts Dean

Maria de la Cámara, Ph.D., formerly the dean of the School of Arts and Humanities at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y., is the new Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Benedictine University. De la Cámarawas educated at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio and Case WesternReserve University in Cleveland where she earned degrees in English andSpanish Literature. She later served as Associate Dean of Arts and Sciencesand Director of the International Studies Program at Lake Erie College. De la Cámara succeeds John Mickus, Ph.D., who was serving as theUniversity’s interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts since the Universityreorganized into five colleges last spring. Mickus rejoined the faculty this summer to teach biology. �

faculty notes


Fr. Michael Komechak, O.S.B. (Curator of Benedictine art collection) gave a photographic slide presentation regarding Leonardo DaVinci’s famouspainting, “The Last Supper,” at St. James Catholic Church in Glen Ellyn inMay. Fr. Michael discussed how four paintings of the Last Supper displayedin Florence influenced Leonardo while he did an apprenticeship there.Leonardo’s version, painted between 1495 and 1498, was commissioned by the Dominican friars in Milan. Fr. Michael will investigate the hiddenmessages in the painting as proposed by Dan Brown in The DaVinci Codeand Javier Sierra’s The Secret Supper. Fr. Michael also gave this presentationat St. John the Apostle Parish in Villa Park and St. Mary of Gostyn Parishin Downers Grove.

Jonathan Lewis (Sociology/Psychology) presented a paper on map tattoosat the annual meeting of the Association of American Geographers. InApril, he presented a paper at the Association for Core Texts and Coursesdescribing the impact of Ptolemy's “Geographia” on conceptions of race.

Sharon Nelson and Gretel Stock-Kupperman (Library) presented “E-reserves with Voyager & EZproxy: Fast, Cheap & Good” at the annualEnduser Conference in Des Plaines in April. Enduser is the conference of the Voyager Users Group. Voyager is the shared system Benedictine uses to provide access to library resources from our own collection and the collections of 64 other member libraries in Illinois.

Fifty College of Business full-time and adjunct faculty, along withadministrative staff members, attended the College dinner in April tocelebrate accomplishments during the 2005-06 academic year. Sue Peterson

(Library) provided updates including recent book purchases from theBenedictine University Library. David Sonnenberger (associate provost)demonstrated the virtual private network (VPN) available to faculty as well as online grading and class roster procedures. Sandra Gill (Dean of theCollege of Business) provided an annual report on the College’s 2005-06goals and future challenges. Jeff Madura (Undergraduate Business), Jim Zoda (M.B.A.) and Greg Sellers (M.B.A. adjunct faculty) each won aBenedictine picnic chair as part of the evening’s events. This was the first of semi-annual College of Business dinner meetings to furthercommunication and community-building among all faculty and staff.

Niina Ronkainen (Chemistry) served as a vice-chair and evaluator of Marie Curie European Reintegration Grants funded by the ResearchDirectorate of the European Commission. The grants assist the professionalreintegration of the researcher in his/her country of origin after doingresearch for more than two years in another European Union or associatedcountry. The evaluation process and consensus meetings took place inBrussels, Belgium in May 2006. She also gave two presentations at the232nd National Meeting of the American Chemical Society held in Marchin Atlanta, Ga. Her undergraduate research student also presented hisresearch results in the Analytical Chemistry division in a poster presentationtitled “Amperometric Detection of _-D-glucose Using a Glucose Oxidase-modified Rotating Disk Electrode.” Ronkainen also organized and presided over a symposium titled “Recent Advances in Teaching AnalyticalChemistry,” a part of the programming by the Chemical Education division of the ACS.

Roger P. Rose (Political Science) and Tammy Sarver (Political Science)attended the annual meeting of the Midwest Political Science Associationheld in Chicago April 20-23. Sarver, along with Political Science seniorAndrea Dillman, presented a paper “Predicting Successful Political ScienceInternships.” Rose presented a paper by himself, Keith Carroll (Psychology/Sociology) and Jessica Herdrich (Political Science senior) titled, “ReligiousBeliefs, Practice and Student Interest in Public Service: Can ReligiousActivism Spark a New Generation of Government Workers?” Rose also served as a section head for the “Teaching Political Science”section of the conference, overseeing several panels and roundtables as well as poster sessions for “Undergraduate Research.”

Beverly Smith (Athletics) walked 39 miles as part of the annual Avon Walkfor Breast Cancer in June. More than 3,500 participants in the event, whichraised $8.2 million for access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer,made it the largest event and the most ever raised at any Avon Walk sincethe series launched in 2003. Smith described the walk as “an experience of a lifetime.”

Peter Sorensen and Therese Yaeger (Organization Development) wereamong the key presenters at two recent conferences which will help shapethe future of the O.D. field. Program directors from 18 of the leading O.D. programs in the United States met April 7-8 at the University of

Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pa. Yaeger and Sorensen were invited topresent as representatives of one of the four founding programs and theoldest program in the field. Sorensen addressed the conference on thecurrent state of and challenges for the future while Yaeger spoke on thefuture of O.D. in terms of global strategy and international O.D. doctoraleducation. The second event was the first international doctoral conferenceheld in Lyon, France, in April. More than 40 Benedictine O.D. studentsand alumni, representing four generations of students, participated in theconference which attracted representatives of 56 schools from 18 countries.Yaeger, who played a major role in the development of the conference,addressed the conference on the topic of the contribution of thescholar/practitioner doctoral student to the understanding of internationaland global O.D. and the future of the field. Sorensen addressed theconference on the future of doctoral education in terms of organization and design. The Benedictine entourage at Lyon included students andalumni from each of the Ph.D. cohorts, as well as students and graduates of the Master of Science in Management and Organizational Behavior(M.S.M.O.B.) program. Yaeger and Sorensen are working with theUniversity of Lyon and the Academy of Management in developing andimplementing a transatlantic alliance in O.D. doctoral education.

Yaeger, who has authored a chapter on “The History and CurrentApplication of Action Research in the United States” in a forthcomingbook on international action research, will also be chairing a session on Global Strategic O.D. at the National Academy of Management. The session includes leading international scholars and global corporationO.D. executives.

They also received the Annual Silver Bowl Award from the O.D. Institutefor Outstanding O.D. Project of the Year at the 36th Annual InformationExchange on “What is New in Organization Development and HumanResource Development” on May 15-19 at the Marriott Springhill Suites inWarrenville. Yaeger and Sorensen were honored for their work with PhilipAnderson, Ph.D., Director of Global O.D. at Abbott Laboratories and aBenedictine University alumnus, as part of a culture change effort atAbbott.

Carol Swett (International Programs) presented a paper and case study,“Building Bridges Across Campus: Strategies for Internationalizing theCampus,” at the International Educators Association (NAFSA) Illinois/Wisconsin Conference held in April at the Grand Geneva in Lake Geneva, Wis. She was asked to present it at the Regional Conference in November 2006.

Lisa Townsley (Mathematics) chaired the recent Illinois Section of theMathematical Association of America (ISMAA) annual conference at North Central College. The ISMAA met in April with record attendanceexceeding 250. The conference featured four super plenary speakers,contributed papers, a minicourse and banquet, with entertainment by a“math band.” The entire Benedictine mathematics department assisted Townsley as session chairs and math club supervisors. The BenedictineMath Club, led by Pablo Marquez, Debbie Witczak, Brad Callard, Amanda

Studnicka, Musil Shihadeh, Ken Miller and Jennifer Muskovin, created avery popular “Math Trail” for the undergraduate student participants.There were 25 undergraduate student presentations featuring 13 byBenedictine students. The faculty mentors were Manmohan Kaur (talksby Delin Wang, Ivana Stefaovska, Shakil Hafiz, Aimee Paran and Russel

Zagorski), Tim Comar (Mingjie Yang, Robert Maynard, Eugene Eyeson,

Ken Miller, Debbie Witczak and Jennifer Muskovin), Jeremy Nadolski

(Pablo Marquez) and Lisa Townsley (Christine Martin).

Christina Wichmann (Languages, Literature and Communication Arts) will have an article titled “The Street of Forty Doors: Alta Vista Terrace”appearing in the June issue of Historic Illinois.

Three Benedictine students, Lina Agha (Molecular Biology), Matt Moy

(Molecular Biology) and Kathryn Tormos (Biology) presented their researchfindings at the Experimental Biology Meeting April 1-5 in San Francisco,Calif. Agha and Tormos investigated the expression of cyr61 in osteoblasticand pre-osteoclastic cells exposed to cadmium. Both Agha and Tormosworked with Allison Wilson (Biology) and Lee Ann Smith (Biology).Tormos was awarded a fellowship from the American Physiology Societythat funded her summer research and trip to the national conference. Aghaand Moy were funded from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute studentresearch fund. Moy’s research with Smith focused on the effects of ethanolon A-to-I RNA editing in fruit flies. �

Robyn Serge, Benedictine University’s newhead coach for women’s soccer, can hardlywait for the 2006 season to begin. Sergecame to the Eagles’ program after twoyears as the head coach at Rockford (Ill.)College, which was also a member of theNorthern Illinois-Iowa Conference withBenedictine.

“My goal is to make sure the returningplayers – as well as new recruits – keeplooking forward toward the great thingswe can accomplish as a team. I want thestudent-athletes to be able to perform atthe highest level of competition and yetstill take time to enjoy their college

experience. That ‘balance’ is what it’s allabout, especially at the Division III level.”

Prior to joining the Rockford College staff,Serge was the head women’s soccer coachat Beloit (Wis.) College in 2002 and2003. She was a graduate assistantwomen’s soccer coach at Rockford forthree years (1999-2001).

Serge played semi-professional soccer forthe United Systems Independent Women’sSoccer League (USIWSL). In 2005, Sergereceived her national diploma from theNational Soccer Coaches Association ofAmerica. �

New Women’s Soccer Coach: Serge Eager to Infuse Electricity into Program

Senior thrower Mike MacPhee won threeevents — and placed fifth in another —highlighting the Eagles’ efforts at theNorthern Illinois-Iowa Conference (NIIC)Outdoor Track and Field Championships.The winners of each event are consideredto be All-Conference, while the runners-upare honorable mention.

MacPhee was tabbed as the NIIC’s fieldevent “Performer of the Year” for hisefforts. He was also a four-time winner of the NIIC’s “Player of the Week” awardduring the 2006 season.

Part of McPhee’s accomplishments in theNIIC meet was a then school-recordhammer toss effort, logging a distance of 160’ 4”. Two weeks later, at the North Central Invitational, MacPhee madethe most out of his last competition as an Eagle by heaving the hammer a new school record 161’ 1” to close out his career.

In the discus throw at the NIIC meet,MacPhee won the competition with a markof 131’ 9”. He also took top honors in thejavelin with an effort of 155’ 10”.

Teammate Matt Wilkin earned runner-upfinishes in the hammer and discus. PeteSgarbossa completed an Eagles’ sweep in the hammer by placing third. RyanChartrand was second in the men’s 110 meter hurdles. Chris Check and Rick Burke went 1-2 in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase.

For the women, Stacey Sara won the 100 meters and was second in the 200 meters. She was also second in the 100 meter hurdles.

Freshman Hannah Miller was the runner-upin the women’s 800 meters. TeammateMichelle White was the second-place finisher in the 5000 meters.

As a team, the Eagles’ men were secondamong the league’s six teams. TheBenedictine women’s team finished third. �

MacPhee Leads Eagles’Track and Field in NIICChampionship Meet

Fall 2006 35

e a g l e s c e n t e r Vitality

The NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s OutdoorTrack and Field Championships at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex May 25-27 werecharacterized as an overwhelming success by local

business owners, University and NCAA track and field officials.

More than 3,000 fans, friends and family members attended the three-day event, which featured nearly 700 competitorsrepresenting more than 325 colleges and universities. Peoplecame from as far away as California, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, New Hampshire and Ontario, Canada to enjoy thesportsmanship, spirited competition and Midwestern hospitality.

“This was a win-win for everybody,” said Richard Brink, generalmanager of the Lisle Hilton. “And we couldn’t have asked fornicer people. I wish we could have that weekend everyweekend.”

The Lisle Hilton, Wyndham, Hyatt and Hickory Ridge Resortreported a three-day total of 1,595 room/nights, representingbookings in excess of $130,000, according the Larry Slade of theLisle Convention and Visitors Bureau. Fans also booked roomsin hotels in nearby Oak Brook, Naperville, Glen Ellyn, OakbrookTerrace and Downers Grove.

University officials reported that attendance at the eventexceeded NCAA forecasts, setting a new record in the process.

The NCAA expected about 125 three-day passes to be neededfor the event, but 500 were sold.

More than 1,100 spectator tickets were sold for Thursday’spreliminary events, about 1,300 were sold for Friday’s events and 1,600 were sold for Saturday. Combined with the number of competitors, coaches and NCAA officials, the venue hostedbetween 2,200 and 2,800 people each of the three days.

The event was also marked by a number of record-breakingefforts by participants.

The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, which won the women’steam title, will host the event in 2007 and 2008. But BenedictineUniversity officials said they will make a push to bring thesechampionships back to the western suburbs in 2009 and 2010. �

NCAA Division IIITrack and Field MeetDraws Rave Reviews

by Phil Brozynski and Dave Beyer


Six Benedictine University student-athleteswere named to the 2005-06 NorthernIllinois-Iowa Conference (NIIC) All-Scholastic Team. The All-Scholastic Team considers a student-athlete’saccomplishments in the classroom, on thefield of competition and in campus/community involvement.

Heading the women’s honorees is graduatestudent Mandy Semenik, who participatedin both cross country and women’s tennisin the fall. She finished 18th at the 2005NIIC cross country championships, runninga personal best.

Among Semenik’s non-athletics activitiesare involvement in her church, participationin societies and campus clubs, as well asmembership in several pre-professionalorganizations.

Jennison Cox, a junior women’s basketballstandout, was once again one of thepremiere three-point field goal shooters inthe NIIC and ranked among the NCAA

Division III leaders in both three-point field goal percentage (.400) and three-point field goals made per game(3.2 m.p.g.).

She has twice been recognized on theNIIC’s All-Academic Team for women’sbasketball, in addition to being named toBenedictine’s Dean’s List and AthleticsHonor Roll. Cox is the women’s basketballteam representative on the Student-AthleteAdvisory Committee (SAAC).

Junior volleyball player Liz Fredlund wasthe third female NIIC All-Scholastic awardwinner. An All-NIIC first team selection in2005, Fredlund helped Benedictine to asecond-consecutive NIIC championship involleyball last fall.

Fredlund ranked second in the NIIC inhitting percentage and fifth in kills per game.

She works as a campus recreationassistant. She is the volleyball team’srepresentative on SAAC and was a 2005

NCAA Leadership Conference participant.She was also named to the Dean’s List.

On the men’s side, sophomore Tim Swanson was a two-sport starter(basketball and baseball) for the Eagles.

In NIIC hoops, Swanson ranked among theleague leaders in scoring (11th), field goalpercentage (.456), three-point field goalpercentage (14th) and free throwpercentage (10th).

Swanson was recognized on the NIIC All-Academic Teams for both basketball andbaseball. He was also on the BenedictineDean’s List and Athletics Honor Roll.

Sophomore track and field team memberMatt Wilkin rounds out the NIIC All-Scholastic first team award winners. Wilkin specialized in throwing events for the Eagles.

He earned two honorable mention awards at the 2006 NIIC Track and FieldChampionship meet by placing second inboth the discus and the hammer.

Wilkin was listedon the NIIC All-AcademicTeam for trackand field, as well as on theBenedictineDean’s List and AthleticsHonor Roll.

Senior basketballguard Matt Harrison, biology major, was recognized as NIIC All-Scholastichonorable mention. Harrison closed out his Benedictine career as the 12th-rankedscorer in Eagles’ history with 1,364 points.

In the 2005-06 basketball season,Harrison was named NIIC honorablemention and was “Player of the Week”twice during the course of the year.

He was also a member of the AthleticsHonor Roll. �

Eagles Land Six Student-Athletes on NIIC All-Scholastic Squad

Benedictine University‘s baseball andsoftball teams both had five individualsnamed All-Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference(All-NIIC) for the 2006 season. TheEagles’ baseball team was third in the finalconference standings, while softballfinished fourth.

Named to the All-NIIC first team forbaseball were the trio of Steve Sadowski,Carlos Soto and Tim Swanson. Honorablemention honorees included Scott Martinand Teddy Ostrowski.

Sadowski, a senior pitcher, made hissecond-consecutive appearance on the All-NIIC first team after posting a record of 5-4 with a 3.84 earned run average.Sadowski threw 75.0 innings andregistered 48 strikeouts. He also led theBenedictine staff in starts (11) andcomplete games (7). Opponents hit just.236 against him.

Soto, also a senior pitcher, was 5-3 with a4.48 ERA in 2006, tossing 62.1 innings on the hill. He appeared in 10 games with49 strikeouts. Soto’s opponent battingaverage was .263 on his way to a 5-3 record.

Swanson appeared in the most games forthe Eagles among position players, making40 starts (out of 41 games played byBenedictine). The sophomore firstbasemanled the team in at-bats (149), hits (44),triples (4), RBI (36) and steals (11).Swanson’s batting average was .295 with27 runs scored. He had a .979 fieldingpercentage in 233 chances.

Senior outfielder Scott Martin hit .286with 23 runs and 27 RBI in his finalcollegiate season. He hit four doubles andwas 10 for 15 in stolen base attempts.

Sophomore outfielder Teddy Ostrowski hada .268 batting average with six doublesand a triple. He had a .401 on-base

average as the Eagles’ leadoff man, scoring 22 runs and driving in 11 more.

For the softball team, four of the Eagles’players — Melissa Kennedy, Kristin Bonk,Nikki Schlagel and Shannon Walker —were first-team selections, while KatieBellich was named honorable mention.

Kennedy earned her third All-NIIC first teamaccolades by leading the Eagles from thepitching circle as well as producing withthe bat. Kennedy was 12-12 overall with a 2.13 earned run average. She threw147.2 of a possible 280.2 innings. She started 24 games and completed 19,making 26 appearances.

Bonk, a freshman designated player/catcher, led the team in batting with a.360 average in 86 at-bats. Bonk led the squad in doubles (7), triples (3),homeruns (4), runs batted in (30) andslugging percentage (.651).

Schlagel picked up a second-consecutive All-NIIC first team award. The sophomore

thirdbasemanhit .297 in ateam-leading128 at-bats. She also ledBenedictine with24 runs, as wellas hitting sixdoubles and threetriples. Schlagelwas 7-for-8 insteal attemptsand had ateam-leading 16 walks.

Shannon Walker, a senior firstbaseman,had a career year by batting .348 with ateam-high 40 hits. Walker scored 15 runsand drove in 14 more.

Bellich, a junior catcher, had a .273batting average and scored nine runs. She threw out four runners in 23 attemptsand sported a .983 fielding percentage (in 345 chances). �

Baseball, Softball Players Honored by NIIC

Sophomore

Tim Swanson

Senior Steve

Sadowski

at the krasa center on campus

cocktails — 5:30 p.m.

silent auction begins — 5:30 p.m.

dinner — 7:30 p.m.

dancing — 9:00 p.m.

S AT U R D AY, N O V E M B E R 4 , 2 0 0 6

at the krasa center on campus

cocktails — 5:30 p.m.

silent auction begins — 5:30 p.m.

dinner — 7:30 p.m.

dancing — 9:00 p.m.

For ticket information or sponsorship opportunities please contact

the Alumni Office at (630) 829-6077 or Debbie Smith, assistant

alumni relations director, at [email protected].

S AT U R D AY, N O V E M B E R 4 , 2 0 0 6

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Upcoming Events

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November 10 Communication Arts Alumni Reception

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