Added Value of Catholic and Jesuit Education Discussed at Lecture President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., discussed the “value added” through a Catholic and Jesuit education in his lecture “Engaged, Integrated, Global: Jesuit Education in the 21st Century,” which was presented Nov. 19 on campus. The presentation was part of the University’s 125th Anniversary Lecture Series. Father Quinn acknowledged higher education is facing close scrutiny over cost, access, value and other issues. “Given the quality and creativity of our institution, these challenges, while real and serious, need not be understood as negative,” said Father Quinn. “Rather, they present an opportunity to re-examine closely our mission and the presumptions and practices with which we approach that mission.” Father Quinn said a Catholic and Jesuit education involves teaching students more than “to think critically, reason analytically, solve problems, and communicate clearly,” which he said “is necessary, but not sufficient, for Catholic and Jesuit universities.” He said these universities “should ask more of its students by educating and forming them to become men and women of faith and of service to their communities. This is the ‘value added’ of Catholic and Jesuit education.”
President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., delivers a lecture on “Jesuit Education in the 21st Century.”
The full text of Father Quinn’s remarks can be viewed here: scranton.edu/125thanniversarylecture
Forum Looks to Sustainable Practices
Presenters and panelists at the Fall Symposium on Sustainability, from left: Brian Conniff, Ph.D., James Loven, Michael Cann Ph.D., Senator John P. Blake, Prof. Nicholas Truncale, Jessica M. Nolan, Ph.D., Sharon Meagher, Ph.D., and Mark Murphy. Read more about Scranton’s sustainability practices on the Journal website scranton.edu/scrantonjournal.
The University hosted a Symposium on Sustainability that engaged expertise from diverse disciplines to examine ways that the University and the greater Scranton community could become more sustainable over the next 125 years. The symposium, part of the University’s celebration of its 125th anniversary, was held Oct. 29. The symposium included an introduction to sustainability through an example of a new solar collection device being developed at the University. Panelists were Pennsylvania State Senator John Blake; Michael Cann, Ph.D., professor of chemistry; Sharon Meagher, Ph.D., professor of philosophy and chair of the Department of Latin American and Women’s Studies; Jessica M. Nolan, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology; Mark Murphy, the University’s director of sustainability; and James Loven, laboratory equipment manager, inventor and technologist. Topics discussed included business and political perspectives on sustainability, green chemistry and the science of sustainability, social justice aspects of sustainability and environmental and social psychology.
Residence Halls Reflect on University History University students know all about the amenities of their residence halls, but what about their history? Everyone knows Nevils and Driscoll house freshmen, but how many know they memorialize Rev. W. Coleman Nevils, S.J., the University’s first Jesuit president and James A. Driscoll, a long-time English professor? Barbara King, interim dean of students, decided the 125th anniversary was the perfect opportunity for students to explore this heritage. “I asked our Resident Assistants to design bulletin boards for the spring semester honoring our Jesuit tradition or the person for whom their building was named.” When the semester opened on Feb. 2, she was delighted to find 25 breathtaking bulletin boards. Her tour revealed everything from a board honoring “remarkable alumni” on the branches of a beautiful tree to a giant Google map with Gavigan Hall as its focal point. Since the designers were competing, King has to select a winner and it won’t be easy. “I am amazed by the creativity. These are really phenomenal boards,” she said. View other bulletin boards at scranton.edu/scrantonjournal
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THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
One of the many bulletin boards created by students commemorating the history behind the name of their residence hall.