Aquinas College Magazine - Fall/Winter 2011

FALL/WINTER 2011 MAGAZINE

Sister Mary Sarah, O.P. Advancing the mission into the next 50 years page 4

Celebrating 50 Years

An Alumna’s Journey Home

FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Friends of Aquinas College,

rate prayer into their daily work. Those who visit Aquinas comment that they are struck by the joyful, peace-filled atmosphere of our buildings. Our faculty and staff have invited Christ, the Master Teacher, to join them at work, to guide their teaching, to supply wisdom, and to guard and protect this important work of education in His name.

Every once in a while you get the opportunity to repay someone who has done a great favor for you. I had this sense when I became the president of Aquinas College this past June. Aquinas served as my gateway to the intellectual life in the Dominican tradition, as I received an associate’s degree from the College in the late 1980s. I will always be grateful for that initial introduction.

Upon returning to the College more than 20 years later, I found that some things had changed while others had remained the same. The same magnanimous spirit that marked Aquinas from the beginning is still here. I have had the opportunity to meet one-on-one with nearly every member of the faculty and staff and am impressed with the caliber of their professional expertise and the excellence of the degree programs. It is apparent that the faculty, staff, and administration of Aquinas have worked hard to keep the house in good order. During the past year, the nursing and education departments were reaffirmed along with an accrediting visit to the entire school. All noted the outstanding quality of education at Aquinas. In a time of soaring student loans, Aquinas has managed its internal costs well so that tuition is affordable to our students. And the College’s budget is balanced and is debt free.

As wonderful as these things are, what has impressed me the most about Aquinas College has been the unity of voice among the faculty and staff. They want what is best for Aquinas, and they wish to know Christ and to place themselves at His service through this great work. Many have a strong faith and incorpo-

Plans for the future of Aquinas are underway! We are currently developing master’s degree programs in nursing science and teacher education and we are planning for residence halls in the near future. This past year we added degrees in philosophy and secondary English education. Aquinas has grown over these last 50 years and has made a substantial contribution to education in the city of Nashville and beyond. We are looking forward to the unfolding of the next 50 years!

SEPTEMBER 2011

Thank you for helping to make this great mission possible by your financial support and the support of your prayers. I hope you enjoy this issue of Aquinas College’s magazine.

Gratefully,

Sister Mary Sarah, O.P. President SEPTEMBER 1961

Sister Dominica, O.P., Dean of Students, surveys the hallways on the first day of Aquinas Junior College’s existence in September 1961. Sister would serve the College until her retirement in 1989.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS President Sister Mary Sarah, O.P. Executive Director of The Dominican Campus Sister Catherine Marie, O.P. Vice President for Institutional Advancement Timothy J. Stransky Director of Admissions Connie Hansom Director of Development and Community Relations Jeanne “Rickey” Chick Schuller Graphic Design/Art Direction Michael Ann Zinser Contributing Writers Sister Jane Dominic, O.P. Sister Margaret Andrew, O.P. Brother Ignatius Perkins, O.P., Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N. Aaron Urbanczyk Father Jacek Kopera, O.P. Steve McCarthy Jeanne “Rickey” Chick Schuller Timothy J. Stransky Paul Downey Photography Sister Mary Christopher, O.P. Ed Rode (www.edrode.biz) Paul Downey

FEATURES Sister Mary Sarah, O.P.: Aquinas College’s New President ............................ 4 The Year of Jubilee ............................................................................................ 20

CAMPUS HAPPENINGS Freshman Formation .........................................................................................

Alumni Pool Party ..............................................................................................

Aquinas College Writer’s Night ..........................................................................

2011 Commencement ......................................................................................

Scholarship Brunch ..........................................................................................

Evening of Excellence .......................................................................................

14 14 15 16 18 19

DEPARTMENTS Nursing: Code of Ethics ..................................................................................... 12 Board Member Profile: Patrick Sharbel ............................................................ 23

ALUMNI In memoriam..................................................................................................... 26 Profile: Jeanne (Rickey) Chick Schuller (’77).................................................... 27

IN EVERY ISSUE In The Dominican Tradition: Fifty Years of Sisterly Support ........................... 8 Cavalier Chronicles............................................................................................. 22 Development....................................................................................................... 24

FALL 2011 SCHEDULE

AQUINAS COLLEGE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20 | St. Cecilia Academy Theater | 6:30 p.m.

Taking the Power Back from the Bully

By Jim Williams | Motivational speaker | Sponsored by the Overbrook Parents’ Club

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27 | Aquinas College Main Building Room 103 | 6:30 p.m.

Yearning to Breathe Free: A Critique of America’s Immigration Policy

By James Chesser | Attorney and immigration expert

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3 | Aquinas College Main Building Room 103 | 6:30 p.m.

The Pauline Chapel: Michelangelo’s Unknown Masterpiece

By Eric Hansen, Ph.D. | Historian and Vatican art expert

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15 | Aquinas College Main Building Room 103 | 6:30 p.m.

Medical and Moral Issues

By Sister Mary Diana, O.P. | Physician and Member of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation

Please visit www.aquinascollege.edu/SMD to submit questions.

4210 Harding Road Nashville, TN 37205 (615) 297-7545 or (800) 649-9956 www.aquinascollege.edu

www.aquinascollege.edu

All events are free of charge, but reservations are recommended. Please contact The Dominican Campus at (615) 383-3230 or lectures@aquinascollege.edu for reservations.

4210 Harding Pike

Nashville, TN 37205

615.297.7545

www.aquinascollege.edu

AQUINAS COLLEGE

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FEATURE: SISTER MARY SARAH, O.P.

Aquinas College’s New President Sister Mary Sarah Galbraith, O.P.

By Sister Jane Dominic, O.P.

When Archbishop Charles Chaput was installed

God’s

better beauty,

grace

as the Archbishop of Philadelphia he likened the ceremony to a kind of ‘arranged marriage’ and said that the matchmaker in his case was in Rome.

While he didn’t know why he was chosen, he acknowledged that one should have confidence in the skill level of those making such arrangements.

It is no less a conviction for the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia that their assignments are divinely arranged and so are spiritually and practically strategic. In this 50th year of the founding of Aquinas College, God has provided a college president with extensive experience in academia, administration and the apostolate of the heart.

Who is this “match” sent to carry the mission forward at the start of the next 50 years? Where has she come from and how has she been prepared for this most recent call from God?

FAMILY LIFE Sister Mary Sarah Galbraith was born the fourth child of James Galbraith, a nuclear engineer from Kansas City, Missouri, and Joan Briggs Galbraith of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Jim and Joan had met each other singing in the Church choir at St. Augustine’s Catholic Church. Together, they created a warm family life for their children. Their days were full of adventures outdoors, roaming through a lush green 700 acres spotted with dams, waterfalls, and ruins of old houses. The only gift

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FEATURE: SISTER MARY SARAH, O.P. esteemed more highly than humor in the Galbraith home was also very much alive and present: the gift of faith. “Mom’s and Dad’s example had an impact on all of us.

They took the faith seriously and had a deep devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary,” explained her brother Ed, five years older than Sister Mary Sarah. “This is the reason that Sarah was able to interiorly feel a call to religious life. At school, she was popular and had lots of friends. She knew she had a religious vocation and that she had to pursue it; but, that’s never stopped her from being herself. In fact, she was voted ‘Most Witty’ by her high-school classmates.

She still brings joy wherever she goes. She has an eye for when things are getting too serious – either for herself or for others – and she knows how to diffuse that tension in a non-confrontational way. She is a born diplomat.”

Mary, the oldest girl in the Galbraith family, reflected, “Out of the five of us, Sarah had the most refreshing outlook on things. She thought outside the box before it was cool to think outside the box. She is resourceful, optimistic, a hard worker, and lighthearted.

But, watch out; she’s just as creative in her mischief as she is in her work.”

Galbraith Family Reunion

Clare, seven years older than Sister Mary Sarah, said, “She is a wonderful blend of both our parents. Dad was the contemplator. He considered all sides and weighed the outcomes before coming to a decision. He thought it was important to have balance in life and to reason things out. He taught his children to think before they spoke. Dad was a humble man; he spent a lot of time in prayer. Mom is the achiever. She’s passionate about life. She’s good at planning, organizing, and accomplishing things. She loves her children dearly and cares deeply about their growth and well-being.”

Betsy, two years Sister’s junior, added, “I think what attracted her to the Nashville Dominicans was their joy, their sense of humor.

Just looking at them you could see a lively spirit, a real toughness, a joy, and a humor, all blended into their whole outlook on life.”

“While exploring her vocation,” Ed recalled, “Sister Mary Sarah looked into many different orders, including a community that worked with prisoners on Death Row, a branch of the Poor Clares, and Mother Teresa’s order, the Missionaries of Charity. When she heard about the Nashville Dominicans, she went to visit them. Upon her arrival, she knew it was the place for her. The Nashville Dominicans are a great fit for her and a great fit for us. We’ve been really blessed by her prayers and her vocation. When the family is in the midst of struggles or a www.aquinascollege.edu

crisis, she sheds some outside perspective on the situation for us. She knows how to weather a crisis with good grace and how to lift up everyone around her.”

RELIGIOUS LIFE AND THE APOSTOLATE OF EDUCATION Sister Mary Sarah entered the Nashville Dominicans in August of 1988. After the period of initial formation, she began teaching in elementary schools while continuing her own higher studies and professional formation. Soon, she became an administrator, a task that would lead her into a wide variety of experiences and challenges.

Sent to work in an urban school in Chicago, Sister Mary Sarah and her companion Nashville Sisters arrived to find a school facing the challenges of so many inner city schools: financial, academic, and spiritual.

Sister Mary Sarah was appointed principal. A Sister who served in the middle continued on page 6

AQUINAS COLLEGE “Aquinas is an amazing place. One of the things I love about it is that it has grown incrementally, organically. There is nothing forced about its growth. It has been a natural process, free from excessive ambition. The Sisters, with the faculty and staff, have been both prescient and provident. They set in place a liberal arts core but attached practical programs to it. To address the battle of the mind, they instituted the Education Program. To address the battle for human life and dignity, they instituted the Nursing Program. To address the battle for humane growth in the marketplace, they instituted the Business Program. What Aquinas College is today is clearly a result of careful thought and prayer. What we have achieved here is all that is needed for a well-formed person to make a genuine contribution to our society through groundedness in a rich tradition.” ”Aquinas has been able to accomplish all of this in a balanced way for the past 50 years. When Ex Corde Ecclesiae was promulgated, instead of having to institute changes, we received an affirmation of what we had already been doing. The foundation that is now in place will make our further growth, with additions such as the Master’s programs and residential life, possible and sure.

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FEATURE: SISTER MARY SARAH, O.P. continued from page 5

school explained what happened there: “The people in Chicago were struggling.

The seemingly insurmountable obstacles they were facing left many of them demoralized. So, what Sister Mary Sarah did was she reminded them of who they were. She awakened in them a memory of their faith by being one with them. She loved them authentically. She was in there with them, shoulder-to-shoulder. A job had to be done and she didn’t wait for someone else to come do it.” Through extensive work on the curriculum, enhancing communication community-wide – by means such as inaugurating the school’s first website – and a series of spiritual- life initiatives, Sister Mary Sarah brought new and deeper life to the school and parish community.

A fellow religious Sister commented, “Before we knew it we were having Eucharistic processions in the streets, a Rosary Club after school, overnight adoration retreats, youth retreats, and so many other Catholic devotions and events. Of course, not all of the initiatives came from Sister Mary Sarah, but her enthusiasm and her optimism were contagious. So, we Sisters would come up with different ideas, and

she would support them 100%. I don’t know what else to say except that it was a transformation. They were like sleeping giants of the faith just waiting to be awakened, and Sister knew just how to do it.”

Cardinal Francis George recognized Sister Mary Sarah’s contributions by nominating her a fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago, a prestigious program reserved to Chicago’s most promising leaders.

50 Catholic Schools by the Acton Institute. Sister Mary Patrick, Sr. Mary Sarah’s successor, said, “The things she set in place are thriving now. It was through her administrative action that academics were brought to a higher level. She was a key player in writing the strategic plan; meanwhile, she also chaired the entire reaccreditation process for the North Central Accreditation Association.”

Lou Rangel, expressing his gratitude to the Sisters, put it this way: “We had forgotten what it was to be Catholic. You girls came and reminded us of who we were as Catholics. We’ll never forget you.” Under the leadership of Sister Mary Sarah, the Sisters’ work in Chicago has had a lasting effect on many levels.

Marc Lenzini, Theology Department Chair at Machebeuf, said, “Sister Mary Sarah is the best administrator I’ve ever worked with. She has something special on all different levels. It is a remarkable ability. She worked with teachers and staff members of all different backgrounds and ages, and we were all convinced that she was our best friend. In my 20 years at Machebeuf, she is the first administrator I’ve worked with who not only understood what Machebeuf was as a high school, but also what it could be. And so she was instrumental in making it what it is today. All of this happened in large part because of Sister Mary Sarah’s determination. She took things in very quickly, understood the demographics, the difficulties, the challenges, and recognized what needed to be done. Then she made it happen.”

A new level of challenge came with Sister’s assignment as Assistant Principal and Academic Dean at Bishop Machebeuf High School in Denver, Colorado. Here Sr. Mary Sarah secured a grant to purchase and integrate technology school-wide, greatly increasing productivity, communication, and professional and academic excellence. During her tenure there, she led Machebeuf to be recognized for the first time in its history as one of the Top

GRADUATE WORK AND MINISTRY TO COLLEGE STUDENTS

Sister Mary Sarah hosts a cookout with students from the University of Sydney.

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Academic studies in locales as diverse as Nashville, Chicago, Denver, Rome (Italy), and Sydney (Australia), give texture to Sister Mary Sarah’s cultural life experience and intellectual perspective. With a Master’s degree in Medieval History and a Ph.D. in Early Modern History, she understands the processes of human thought and action–the extensive consequences of decisions ill or well-made.

As a contemplative religious, she understands the longings and struggles of the human heart. It was especially her time in Sydney that afforded her the opportunity to put her insights into practice by serving the chaplaincy of the University of Sydney. “As does America, Australia faces the enormous challenges of secularism,“ explained Sister Mary Madeline, the first superior for the Nashville Dominican mission in Australia. “This is one of the reasons the Holy Father chose Sydney as the host city for World Youth Day 2008.

He hoped for a rejuvenation of the Faith

www.aquinascollege.edu

FEATURE: SISTER MARY SARAH, O.P. FROM THE SOURCE When asked about her appointment as Aquinas College President, Sister Mary Sarah remarked, “It is exciting to be a part Aquinas College, to be involved in higher education at this point in the history of the Church and of secular society. We are at critical point. The definition of the human person and so of the dignity of the human person is now at stake. Colleges and universities are the places where ideas are forged, where integrity is lived out, and where we discover more deeply what it means to be human and to be Christian.

Reflecting on the uniqueness of Aquinas College, she observed, “Meeting face-toface with the people at Aquinas now, I’m impressed by the clarity of voice on the vision and mission of Aquinas College. I believe this is a manifestation of the presence of the Holy Spirit.”

IN CONCLUSION

2011 Aquinas College graduation (l to r): Sister Elizabeth Anne, O.P., Vice President of Academic Affairs; Sister Mary Anne, O.P., Director of the Teacher Education Program; Sister Margaret Andrew, O.P., Secondary Education Coordinator; and Sister Mary Sarah.

in Australia. Materialism, moral relativism, hedonism, and the hopelessness that attend them are painfully present in Australian society. Sadly, Australia has a high suicide rate, but the openness of the people and the grace of the Spirit are bearing fruit.”

Sister Mary Rachel, present superior for the Sydney mission, observed, At the chaplaincy, Sister Mary Sarah brought to the Catholic and non-Catholic students the ability to sift through a very secular culture. She met with students to study the Scriptures and also to study the work of St. Thomas Aquinas. The clear thinking she showed them was for them a rare and precious gift. The students felt able to bring Sister their questions about culture and conscience. All of their concerns she met with compassion, understanding, and truth. Sister also gave numerous talks to meaning-eager youth throughout the Archdiocese of Sydney as well as in New Zealand. These talks became occasions of spiritual growth for them. Everyone finds in Sister a warmth and friendliness, a great conversationalist who is interested in the other. Her sense of humor lightens the

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atmosphere, and her deep faith enables others to come to her with questions and receive insight.”

We miss her already,” added Sister Cecilia Joseph,’ and so do the students at the University of Sydney. Through her kindness and goodness, Sister won their trust and so was able to lead them to a deeper knowledge of themselves and, ultimately, of God. They still remember her and ask about her often. The foundation she helped to lay in those crucial years following World Youth Day is now being built upon by the increasingly large number of students becoming involved in their faith and in the chaplaincy in various ways.

Sister has a marvelous gift for extending kindness, gentleness, and peace to others – as if you were the most important person in the world. Sister is farsighted, prudent, and wise. Most importantly, she has a deep love for the Lord which overflows into a life filled with joy, a joy shared with others. I can think of no one better to walk with the Lord and St. Thomas Aquinas, leading Aquinas College into the next phase of its growth and development.”

Chair of the Board of Directors and Prioress General, Mother Ann Marie Karlovic, said, “Sister Mary Sarah will build on the legacy that has been given to her by those who have gone before her. She already has a real love for Aquinas and the Aquinas community. I know that she will lead the College to become a flourishing academic institution that will be a gift to our country and to the world. After all, this is what Dominicans have been doing in the Church for centuries.”

Sister’s mother Joan added, “Some of the characteristics I think Sister will bring to the Presidency are her dedication to the goal, her courage, her openness to collaboration, her energy, her respect for people, and her sense of humor. This is a great moment for her and my pride in her is exceeded only by my prayers for her.”

Perhaps it’s best to end where we began, with the oldest Galbraith sibling. Ed closed his interview with these words: “Sister is by nature someone who works well in a collegial atmosphere. She puts the right people in the right places and then depends on them and their skills.

She will empower people, but also bring a sense of perspective. In terms of growing the college, I believe she will bring wisdom and perseverance.” n

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IN THE DOMINICAN TRADITION

Sister Mary Leonard with students in the 1960s.

Fifty Years of Sisterly Support Benefit Dinner to Honor Mmainstays of the College 8

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www.aquinascollege.edu

IN THE DOMINICAN TRADITION

By Sister Margaret Andrew, O.P.

ing lives and culture through truth and charity.”

On January 25, 1959 the Church convened the Second Vatican

Council. While the Dominican Sisters prayed for its success, they worked on plans of their own. For many years the congregation had prepared their own sisters for teaching through an affiliation with The Catholic University of America. The new idea before them was an expansion of this program to provide for the education of lay students who would be equipped to learn about and respond fully to the Church’s “universal call to holiness.”

Aquinas College was an inspiration that would grow and, with the passage of time, eventually thrive. Through the hard work of the Dominican Sisters and the collaboration of a dedicated faculty, this institution has for the past 50 years strengthened the Nashville Community and lived its core purpose of “transform-

On the evening of Wednesday, November 9, Aquinas College will honor five of these Dominican Sisters who accomplished what Catholics from other regions of the United States considered impossible: the foundation of a Catholic college in the “Buckle of the Bible Belt.” They will be recognized at the 2011 Aquinas College Benefit Dinner for their cumulative experience of close to 100 years. Their love and concern for the students, staff, and faculty embodies a dedication that began and continues to deepen a unique educational tradition that today is filled with vibrancy.

Sister Mary Leonard Colorigh, O.P., Sister Mary Bernard Curran, O.P., Sister Robert Ann Britton, O.P., Sister Mary Evelyn Potts, O.P., and Sister Mary Dominic Pitts, O.P. have served the College with many gifts but the same indomitable spirit.

before they entered her classroom.

Deborah Phillips, a former student of Sr. Mary Leonard, speaks for the numerous alumni of Aquinas who appreciate the impact she had on them as students: As a young 17-year-old I attended Aquinas.

Sister Mary Leonard was my biology instructor and an amazing role model. Not only did she provide academic instruction, she also loved and nurtured us. It is because of her that I realized that I had the potential to achieve my goals, even if I stumbled along the way. Her encouragement and tough love when I was a young girl have helped me to become the person I am today. She will always have a special place in my heart.

Sister Mary Leonard and Sister Mary Michael help celebrate athletic success.

SISTER MARY LEONARD, O.P.

Sister Mary Leonard gave of herself selflessly for over 30 years as an instructor of biology and anatomy. As a gifted educator, she put to good use an excellent education gained at St. Patrick School and St. Cecilia Academy, along with undergraduate studies at George Peabody College for Teachers and graduate studies in microbiology and biology at The Catholic University of America. Sister gave students confidence, meeting them where they were academically and encouraging them to believe in themselves as students.

Many teachers, nurses, police, and other professionals acknowledge the fact that Sister Mary Leonard challenged them to see more in themselves than they ever had www.aquinascollege.edu

Sister Mary Bernard, O.P.

SISTER MARY BERNARD, O.P.

Sister Mary Bernard Curran’s gift for encouraging those with whom she worked, both fellow teachers and her administrators, provided the humanities department

with a distinctive academic integrity and all of the Aquinas College degrees with solid reputations. As Sister Henry Suso, President from 1967-77, worked to promote Aquinas College in Nashville and Middle Tennessee and to initiate various medical and criminal justice related programs, Sister Mary Bernard developed a solid curriculum in English composition and literature. As an active member of the faculty at Aquinas College and later on the Board of Trustees, Sister Mary Bernard gave thoughtful support to four Presidents with whom she worked. Her background in the studies of English literature and philosophy enabled her to encourage people with similar interests to help Aquinas by teaching at the College. One such faculty member was Jane Sullivan, who was considered by Sister to be a great asset to the English program. Jane and her husband Walter, a writer and professor at Vanderbilt, had a number of literary friends who enriched the college by their lectures and company.

Her students have long spoken of the influence she has had on them. Rickey Schuller (’77) reflects back on her days as an Aquinas student, Sister Mary Bernard not only taught English.

She taught us the importance of great literature. Most importantly, through her support of our writing and the opportunities she provided us for the publication of our works, she helped us understand that we each had within us the potential to write well. That lesson has never left me, and at very important times in my life, it has made all the difference.

After her tenure at Aquinas College, Sister Mary Bernard continued her academic continued on page 10

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IN THE DOMINICAN TRADITION

Sister Mary Evelyn, O.P.

Sister Robert Ann, O.P. at a nurses’ pinning ceremony during her tenure as President. continued from page 9

pursuits. A life-long learner, she has been published in numerous academic journals and earned a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Memphis.

SISTER ROBERT ANN, O.P.

Sister Robert Ann Britton became President of Aquinas College in 1976. Up until that time, Sister had served as an elementary school teacher and principal in Tennessee, Alabama, Virginia, and Ohio.

Initially intimidated by the appointment, she attended her first meeting of the Aquinas Board of Trustees composed of Kenneth Shoen, Thomas Wall, J. A. Grannis, Raymond Bottoms, Oscar Hofstetter, Jr., and the Sisters who served on the Board.

Sister recollects, “I certainly was nervous, but after meeting these fine men, I felt more relaxed and was grateful for their helpful advice and support.” During Sister Robert Ann’s tenure as President, Aquinas College’s relationship with St. Thomas Hospital became stronger. “A meeting with Sister Juliana, head administrator of St. Thomas Hospital, Sister Dominica, and me [took place] to discuss a nursing degree program…Sister Juliana was as eager as we were to begin a Catholic nursing school which was much needed. St. Thomas Hospital made a financial com-

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mitment of a $1.8 million grant over a nine year period to underwrite the expense of beginning and maintaining the Aquinas Nursing Program.”

Sister Robert Ann’s quiet efforts and faithful vision strengthened Aquinas College’s career program in significant ways. Certainly, the outstanding reputation of Aquinas nurses is largely due to the initial support she provided and the outstanding faculty she hired. Her nine years of administration at the College continues to bear fruit.

SISTER MARY EVELYN, O.P.

In 1974 Sister Mary Evelyn Potts assumed the financial challenge that went with the growth of Aquinas College from a twoyear to a four-year institution. During her eight years as President of the College, not only did she establish the infrastructure for a four-year institution but she also began the Business Program. The library was expanded and transferred to the Library of Congress Catalog System. The computer system for Aquinas and the entire campus was updated. Although Sister Mary Evelyn initiated changes that helped to secure Aquinas College’s future, she is quick to acknowledge the contributions of those people who made the changes possible. “Mrs. Peggy Chance, who was the librarian during the level change at

the College, worked long hours to bring the college library to a four-year status in a very short time. Mrs. Chance never considered the task at hand or the hours demanded too difficult. She was a most loyal employee who endured through difficult times because of her love for the Dominican Sisters and Aquinas College.

As benefactors, Dr. Daphine Sprouse and Mr. Joel Cheek supported Aquinas College in every way. They supported Aquinas financially because of their belief in the College’s mission.”

Likely the person who worked the most closely with Sister Mary Evelyn was Brenda Kincaid, her personal assistant of eight years. She summed up the contributions of Sister’s leadership most appropriately: Sister Mary Evelyn was always true to the mission of Aquinas College. Sister loves Aquinas, and she gave of herself unselfishly. Sister was called upon to accomplish an almost impossible task during her time at the College, and she worked tirelessly day after day and often nights, as well. Due to her efforts, the College continues to grow and offer our students the benefit of a Catholic education in the Dominican tradition.

Sister truly deserves to be honored at our 33rd Annual Benefit Dinner.

SISTER MARY DOMINIC, O.P.

Sister Mary Dominic Pitts, a linguist, scripture scholar, musician, and lover of literature possesses a rare combination of intellectual and artistic gifts and humility.

For 20 years she has shared her many talwww.aquinascollege.edu

IN THE DOMINICAN TRADITION ents with the Aquinas College community, enriching it with her prayerful presence.

Sister Mary Dominic entered the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in 1987 with a Ph.D. in English Language and Linguistics from the University of Michigan, and a background in sociolinguistics, phonological variation, history of the English language, and Sacred Scripture. As a professor of English at Auburn University, she was a popular teacher, but as she prepared to receive tenure, it was clear that God was prompting her in another direction.

What began as a summer position at the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) quickly evolved into a full-time position with the title of Producer of the talk show Mother Angelica Live. This convert from Birmingham found herself surrounded by faithful Catholics, among them assorted religious. When she discovered the Dominican Order and the sisters in Nashville, her vocation became clear. Since that time Sister Mary Dominic has acquired a Masters in Theology with a concentration in Sacred Scripture from Providence College.

Sister Mary Dominic, O.P.

As an instructor at Aquinas College she has taught classes in English and Theology, influencing countless students. She has opened to them the world of written and verbal communication, instilled a love of learning, and brought the faith intelligently to life.

During this 50th anniversary celebration of Aquinas College we are reminded that the success of the College hinges on the sincerity of relationships among people dedicated to the Dominican Tradition in Catholic education. In different ways, Sister Mary Leonard, Sister Mary Bernard, Sister Robert Ann, Sister Mary Evelyn, and Sister Mary Dominic have developed kindly bonds among students, instructors, employees, and their relatives that reflect the love of God and the Holy Spirit’s work among us. Because of their generous gift of self in their teaching and administrative assignments, Aquinas College is poised to continue an academic tradition that they helped to define. Their dedication continues to set the tempo for the instructors and administrators who follow them into the next 50 years of the College’s history. n

33rd Annual Benefit Dinner and Anniversary Celebration

Honoring

St. Thomas Aquinas Society Inductees: Sister Mary Leonard Colorigh, O.P., Sister Mary Bernard Curran, O.P., Sister Robert Ann Britton, O.P., Sister Mary Evelyn Potts, O.P., Sister Mary Dominic Pitts, O.P. Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient Bobby E. Veach, ’05

Featuring

Stacey Bess Wednesday, November 9, 2011 The Hutton Hotel Cocktails 6 p.m. | Dinner 7 p.m.

R.S.V.P. Deadline October 31, 2011

Stacey Bess is an inspirational educator and author who speaks on the importance of service, mentorship and leadership, and overcoming adversity. Drawing on her fascinating, inspirational personal story — teaching homeless children in a small shed known as “The School with No Name” — she offers powerful insights and lessons that audiences yearning to make a difference can apply to their community or organization.

Through ups and downs and many personal struggles including a battle with thyroid cancer, Bess taught kindergarten through sixth grade for 11 years at “The School with No Name,” an experience that effected a profound change in the teacher as well as her students. During that time she discovered that by teaching and modeling love, self worth, personal power, and courage, she could reach children with no homes and little hope, children who had previously been labeled “unteachable.” These children grew into living proof that Bess’ methods work. To inspire and motivate others with a passion for service, Bess penned the memoir Nobody Don’t Love Nobody, which was adapted into the April 2011 Hallmark Hall of Fame movie Beyond the Blackboard.

Celebrating 50 years 4210 Harding Pike Nashville, TN 37205 Phone: (615) 383-3230, ext. 538

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cashionj@dominicancampus.org

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NURSING: CODE OF ETHICS

Called to Care and Healing:

A Code of Ethics for Nursing Students After more than a year of development, the Faculty of the Department of Nursing at Aquinas College promulgated a new Code of Ethics for Nursing Students at the beginning of the 2011-2012 academic year. Building on the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Services (5th ed., 2009), published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Code of Ethics identifies moral principles and beliefs of the Faculty about the professional practice of nursing in the tradition of the Mission and Core Values of Aquinas College and the philosophy of the Department of Nursing. As the premier center for nursing education in the Catholic-Dominican Tradition, the Aquinas nurse is committed to protecting and defending the dignity and freedom of every person. The Code of Ethics helps guide students in their personal and professional moral development and in their acquisition of professional competencies as they gradually assume the role of a professional nurse, as a member of a health care team, and as a citizen of the community in caring for the sick in a world in need of healing and hope.

CALLED TO CARE AND HEALING: A CODE OF ETHICS FOR NURSING STUDENTS Preamble The indelible mark of the graduate of the Nursing Programs at Aquinas College is captured in these characteristics and behaviors: • Protecting and defending the dignity and freedom of every person regardless of gender, color, ethnicity, culture, diversity, socio-economic status or the reason for the illness or station in life; • Integrating the values and traditions of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, founders of Aquinas College, the Mission of the College, and the Philosophy of the Department of Nursing into the professional practice of nursing built on the moral principles of truth, human dignity, compassion and charity for every person who has ever been born; • Caring for the sick, the suffering, the disenfranchised, the vulnerable, those at the beginning of life, those at the end of life and those who live in the shadows of life; • Providing excellence in nursing practice in caring and healing the whole person through the integration of the theories and science of nursing, the natural sciences, humanities and religious studies; • Embracing responsibilities as leaders and citizens of the community and of this nation to participate in shaping health and social policies through professional nursing in the tradition of Aquinas College; and • Engaging in life-long learning as a moral commitment to assure continuing competency in nursing practice.

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NURSING: CODE OF ETHICS

As Aquinas College nursing students you are engaged in an exciting and dynamic culture of learning that enables you to acquire and synthesize new knowledge and develop core competencies for nursing practice. As nursing students you are expected to exercise the same responsible and accountable behaviors that will be expected of you when you graduate and then practice nursing in

CODE OF ETHICS FOR NURSING STUDENTS The Aquinas College Department of Nursing, consistent with the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (5th ed. 2009), promulgates this Code of Ethics for Nursing Students applicable to all students in the Nursing Programs at Aquinas College. Questions regarding the Code of Ethics should be addressed to the Faculty, Program Directors or to the Dean of Nursing.

The educational experience of students within the Department of Nursing is based on the moral principles of human dignity and respect for life from conception to natural death, the pursuit of truth, freedom, compassion, the exercise of an informed conscience, integrity, responsibility, self discipline and human service governed by charity as a health care professional and a citizen of the community which are inherent in the profession of nursing. The responsibil-

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an ever-expanding health care world. We expect you to engage in professional behaviors as shown by your relationships with faculty, staff, other students, by your professional demeanor in clinical experiences, in appearance and in all forms of communications.

The administration and faculty of the Department of Nursing hold you accountable for your behaviors in these areas.

ity of students to adhere this Code of Ethics is parallel to the responsibility of professionals to adhere to the standards of professional nursing practice.

ness, the reason for their illness and wherever they call home;

As nursing students at Aquinas College we embrace our first responsibility to all those entrusted to our care and with those with whom we work in the course of our studies through:

6. Refusing to participate in any action, behavior or procedure that is unethical, violates the dignity, freedom, conscience and privacy of self or others and that places others at risk;

1. Respecting and defending the dignity and freedom of every person: self, colleagues, faculty, patients and families and all those with whom we work; 2. Respecting and advocating for the rights of all patients, families and colleagues; 3. Maintaining confidentiality, truthfulness and integrity in all privileged information and in the use of methods of communication especially the emerging social networks; 4. Providing compassionate care to every person entrusted to our care regardless of their age, color, gender, religious preferences, ill-

5. Engaging in evidenced based practice to assure the highest quality nursing care;

7. Engaging in self-care behaviors and activities through a balance of work and leisure time; 8. Facilitating the development of a caring community for other students in pursuit of their education through caring, listening, peer mentoring, advocacy, and other means of support; 9. Supporting policies, procedures and guidelines of Aquinas College and the Department of Nursing and use existing structures to promote understanding, dialogue and to facilitate responsible change. n

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CAMPUS HAPPENINGS

Freshman Formation Rev. Jacek Kopera, O.P. Director of Campus Ministry The two-day “Freshman Formation” program has been designed to introduce new students not only to the daily routine of academic life but above all to equip them with a better understanding of Aquinas College’s philosophy that faith in God enables us to acquire a better knowledge about the surrounding world and ourselves. These two days were filled with different types of activities ranging from numerous presentations to team-building exercises. Although the majority of students who participated in the program had never met before, it was the wonderful to see how quickly they started building new relationships with each other.

Both the weather and the location (Camp Widjiwagan) of Freshman Formation were perfect in every possible way for outdoor

activities, and we spent a lot of time playing team-building games. Despite my initial skepticism, these games turned out to be a great way for students not only to interact but to learn about each others’ strengths and weaknesses as well as to achieve common goals through mutual trust and dependence.

The main point of these activities was not to compete but to complete tasks together.

Those students who were better at strategic planning and memorizing sequences of complicated moves were supported by the students finding physical challenges more appealing. After every game we had an opportunity to discuss the strategies we had employed to accomplish our task and also analyze how different types of approaches could influence our performance in the academic environment of college life.

Each morning after breakfast we had two

or three presentations from Aquinas faculty members covering topics ranging from the history of Catholic education and the Dominican Order to very practical advice on how to go about choosing subjects and navigate one’s academic career. Students particularly enjoyed the presentation by Rickey Schuller, Director of Development and Community Relations, who in a very touching talk shared with us how she was able to cope with incredible challenges in her personal life thanks to deep faith and a true commitment to serving others rather than by simply pursuing her ambitions and realizing her talents.

Though Freshman Formation lasted for only two days, many of the students appreciated the impact the program had on them. As Campus Minister, I hope that we will continue this tradition with freshman students for years to come. n

Alumni Pool Party!

Aquinas College faculty and staff welcomed alumni to a cookout and reception at the White House on July 16. Guests ranged from alumni who had recently graduated in May to alumni who graduated from some of the first classes in the 1960s.

Dieter Istinski (‘67), center, regales Sister Mary Cecilia, left, and Sister Elizabeth Anne, right, about his days at Aquinas.

Jerry Novostat and his wife Paige Novostat (‘11), Teresa Seibert (‘11) and her husband William.

In the Carriage House, Andy Telli, husband of Director of Student Affairs Suzette Telli, and Kenneth Anderson (’76); test out the pool table recently donated to the students.

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CAMPUS HAPPENINGS

The Age-old Art of Expression Flourishing at Aquinas Aaron Urbanczyk, Ph.D. Director of the Write Reason Center Aristotle was, perhaps, the first to observe that what makes humanity different from all other creatures is its ability to use language.

Here at Aquinas College we are addressing the human vocation to communicate clearly through a new initiative – the Write Reason Plan. This plan is a college-wide program intended to strengthen the writing and critical thinking skills of our students through an emphasis upon the traditional foundations of all higher learning: the Trivium of grammar, logic, and rhetoric. Indeed, every college major and discipline presupposes the ability to communicate truth clearly and persuasively, and this very skill is what the Write Reason Plan seeks to cultivate at Aquinas College.

One particularly exciting facet of this Plan was launched during the Spring of 2011. Aquinas College held its first ever “Writers’ Night Contest and Symposium.” The entire student body was invited to submit essays showcasing rhetorical effectiveness and logical analysis.

We received numerous essays from many fields of study, including literature, biology, ethics, theology, history, and several personal memoirs. It was a true embarrassment of riches; from essays as divergent in theme as the origin of penicillin, Jim Crowe laws in the South, and Shakespeare’s Winter’s Tale it was difficult to select only a few winners.

prize and a bound copy of the Symposium proceedings. Yet perhaps the greatest honor for those who participated in the contest and those selected as winners was the Symposium itself. The names of all students who participated were read aloud that evening, and the winners publically read their essays with extraordinary poise and rhetorical polish. It was an evening of scholarship, wit, and oratorical excellence, and an evening that rightfully made the entire College community proud of the accomplishments of its students.

Five of the students were selected by a faculty panel to read their essays at the Writers’ Night Symposium, held on the evening of April 8, 2011. The winners received a cash

The proceedings of the event can be found and read in their entirety on the Aquinas College web site. The Writer’s Night Contest and Symposium will be a regular event

every spring at the College.

In the opening to his famous treatise entitled Rhetoric, Aristotle famously observes that rhetoric is the counterpart, or necessary companion, to logic. The Writers’ Night events demonstrate the great truth in Aristotle’s insight. We don’t cultivate the arts of thought and expression simply to persuade, refute, or dazzle an audience. We think critically and write persuasively ultimately for only one purpose: to know and love the truth more completely and to share our insights with others.

If the Writer’s Night Contest and Symposium are any indication, it seems our students are capturing this vision of human expression and communication here at Aquinas College. n Writer’s Night winners and nominees (l to r): Aaron Urbanczyk, Sarah Whitmore, Bryan Joyce, Sister Scholastica Niemann, O.P., Sister Mary Anthony Ice, O.P., Sister Mary Therese Malone, Sister John Peter Clarke, O.P., Nathan Gilmore, and David Watson.

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CAMPUS HAPPENINGS

Commencement 2011

On Saturday, May 14, 2011 Aquinas College faculty, staff and administrators joined the family and friends of the Class of 2011 in celebrating the accomplishments of 166 graduates. Following the Baccalaureate Mass at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, Jeanne (Rickey) Chick Schuller ’77, Director of Development and Community Relations gave the commencement address at the War Memorial in Nashville. It was a personal account of the power of Divine Providence in her life. (See story on p.27.)

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CAMPUS HAPPENINGS

Peggy Daniel, Director of the ASN Program, with Courtney Gregory, recipient of the St. Catherine of Siena ASN award.

Brother Ignatius Perkins, O.P., Dean of Nursing, with Pauline Hale, recipient of the RN-BSN Program’s St. Thomas Aquinas Nursing Award.

Cesar Corazao, recipient of the adjunct Faculty of the Year award, President Sister Mary Peter, O.P. Dr. William Smart, Director of the Liberal Arts Program, with Bryan Joyce, recipient of the St. Augustine Liberal Arts Award.

Dr. Douglas Gambrall, former Director of the Business Program, with Sandra Laszewski, recipient of the St. Joseph the Worker Award. www.aquinascollege.edu

Sister Mary Peter, O.P., President of Aquinas College, with Sister Matthew Marie, O.P., recipient of the full-time Faculty of the Year award.

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CAMPUS HAPPENINGS

Scholarship Brunch On Sunday, April 3, benefactors and recipients of the 2010-2011 scholarships gathered at the White House for the annual Aquinas College Scholarship Brunch.

Each year, this event gives supporters a chance to meet the students who directly benefit from their generosity, and it gives our students the opportunity to say “Thank you”…in person.

OTHER ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS Aquinas College Alumni Medallion of Merit Scholarship

Janet and Bill Bachus Family Scholarship The Ann and Monroe Carell Jr. Catholic Teacher Education Scholarship The Ann and Monroe Carell Jr. Teacher Education Scholarship J. W. Carell Family Scholarship The Mary Sue and Joel Cheek Scholarship Fund Marion Beckham and Jim Clayton Scholarship for the Education of the Dominican Sisters Denis-Shepperd-Sprouse Scholarship The Grannis Family Scholarship Fund Evelyn Howington Scholarship Margaret and Dan Maddox Tuition Assistance Scholarship Andrew Marianelli Teacher Education Scholarship The Marianelli Scholarship Angela Healey McCormick Memorial Scholarship The Terry O’Rourke Scholarship Judy and Patrick Sharbel Business Scholarship Dr. Daphine Sprouse Scholarship Helen Sprouse Teacher Education Scholarship President’s Scholarship Sister Dominica Scholarship Sister Henry Suso Scholarship Vice President’s Scholarship The J. Randall Wyatt Jr. Scholarship

God made it my mission–my calling–to care for his sick children as he would care for them. And how blessed I am to link my calling with my occupation.

Without the help of Financial Aid and the availability of Aquinas scholarships that are funded by all of you generous donors, I would not even be in this room. Together you have impacted the lives of many students and have provided a pathway for us to become the best nurses, business leaders, and educators this city will ever know.

– Charlene Guidry

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CAMPUS HAPPENINGS

Left to right: Ann Wall Christenson, John Wall and Michael Wall.

Top row, left to right: Michael Ross , Matthew Wall, Kathleen Wall Marks, Patrick Wall, Stephen Wall.

Seated left to right: John Wall, Peggy Wall Ross, Patrick Wall III

Evening of Excellence On the evening of Friday, May 5, benefactors for the entire Dominican Campus gathered for the Evening of Excellence at the Hutton Hotel. In recognition of outstanding teaching skills and commitment to students, Aquinas College named Sister Matthew Marie, O.P., and Cesar Corazao, as Faculty of the Year and Adjunct Faculty of the Year, respectively. And for their exceptional dedication throughout the decades as students, staff, and benefactors, the Wessel-Wall family was inducted into the Pro Fidelitate Society.

Alice Yopp and Aquinas Board Membes Mike Yopp and Jim Clayton. www.aquinascollege.edu

Left to right: Jo Clyde, Jim Clyde, Ann Sappenfield, Dick Sappenfield, and Judy Claverie.

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FEATURE: THE YEAR OF JUBILEE

Called to be Prophets of Mercy and Hope Aquinas College - The Year of the Jubilee - 2011 This presentation, Called To Be Prophets of Mercy and Hope, the theme of the Year of Jubilee at Aquinas College, was given to the Faculty and Staff Assembly on August 18, 2011 by Brother Ignatius Perkins, O.P., Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N..

It is shared in its entirety with the alumni, friends and associates of Aquinas College as an invitation to join with the administration, faculty, staff, and students of Aquinas College and all persons of good will to respond to the call of Leviticus to be prophets of mercy and hope and as ambassadors of peace among all persons.

This year of the Lord, 2011, has been officially declared the Year of Jubilee for Aquinas College as it begins its next 50 years of transforming lives and culture through truth and charity (Aquinas College Mission Statement). The Old Testament origins of Jubilee celebrations can be found in the Book of Leviticus (25:10) where we read “you will declare this fiftieth year sacred and proclaim the liberation of all the inhabitants of the land.” The observance of the Jubilee Year called the people to seek and accept forgiveness and then to affirm the dignity and freedom of all persons in preparation for new life in their future.

Then in 1300 Pope Boniface VIII instituted the first Christian Jubilee Year, a mere 84 years following the founding of the Order of Preachers by St. Dominic. The Jubilee’s purpose today, as it has been from time of Leviticus, is to provide the culture of reconciliation and celebration where mercy and forgiveness transforms individuals, communities in our world through the pursuit of truth and exercised through charity.

It was nearly six decades ago that the dream of a Catholic college would become a reality in the city of Nashville. So with the same daring ingenuity that caused the foundation of a new congregation of women religious, the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, in the atrium of the Civil War, these prophetic and undaunted women set forth to found Aquinas College in 1960 – just a mere 100 years after they crossed the Cumberland in a long journey from Kentucky.

We are privileged to celebrate the Golden

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Jubilee of this noble center of Dominican thought. The roots of Aquinas College, however, began in 1216 when St. Dominic committed his new Order of Preachers to a new evangelization that was served by friars who were called to preach God’s mercy and compassion for every person who has ever been born. He sent his enthusiastic friars to study in the great intellectual centers of Europe not to become academic theologians or philosophers; rather he identified the need for his friars to be informed in the sacred sciences for the prophetic role of getting the message of salvation right for the Preaching of the Word that was to follow. So we do not need to hesitate in claiming that Aquinas College traces its ecclesial charter to its roots in 1216; we are actually some 795 years old! In this trajectory is the lineage that is also part of our Jubilee Celebration this year.

Through this journey, a journey that has touched thousands of lives these 50 years, the reach of the influence of Aquinas College in the world is without measure.

These travels have been difficult for some, challenging for others and celebratory for the many. We know from the experienced narratives by our graduates, former faculty, and staff about how this journey has been transformative through grace and mercy. The profound experiences of conversion through the lived experiences of the Aquinas Mission in the lives of many remain deep in personal histories that, at times, come forth at unexpected encounters, places, and events. The rich endowment of the Aquinas Mission in the lives of those from our past and those yet to join us will continue to be told long beyond our time.

This journey of transformation, encapsulated in the lived experience of the Mission

and Core Values of Aquinas College, is centered in the dignity and freedom of the human person and serves as the centrifugal force that binds all of our duties, responsibilities, activities, and indeed our persons together in what we describe as the holy environment of Aquinas College.

Keeping the optic on the human person affirming the person’s unrepeatable and inviolable uniqueness among colleagues, students, families, alumni - has not always been easy, comfortable, or even successful. Yet the call for these encounters of caring with dignity and mercy are deeply embedded in the heart and soul of our mission in this place and among those we

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FEATURE: THE YEAR OF JUBILEE

As members of the Aquinas College community, we are called to a renewal of the mission of evangelization and new challenges in this Jubilee Year, and in the years ahead, to be Prophets of Mercy and Hope, first to one another and then to the world that surrounds this center of learning. In our roles as architects and witnesses to the mercy and compassion of God, we as facilitators of learning have the awesome responsibility to guide one another and our students, through repentance, conversion, and change to the experience of enduring hope by transforming lives and culture through truth and charity (Aquinas College Mission Statement) and to assure that these understandings are brought to bear on our world in need of mercy, healing, and an enduring peace.

Students congregate under banners installed to celebrate Aquinas College’s 50th anniversary.

are privileged to serve.

As we begin our Year of Jubilee and celebration, let us thank God: w for the gift of life, those of our families, friends and colleagues, benefactors, our students and alumni, far and near; w for the wisdom and courage of those early pioneer Sisters who said “yes” to the call of God to go and preach to all nations; w for those who have died and rest now in the favor of God who created them; w for the privilege of caring and being present for and to others with mercy and compassion in times of anguish, suffering, loss and death.

confidence and privacy of another person; w when we were reluctant to apologize and to seek reconciliation and the promotion of peace; w when we experienced alienation from the community of the College; w when we remained afraid to ask for understanding and forgiveness or to accept it when offered by from another; w when we did not respond to the suffering of another.

Prophets are called to conversion through reconciliation and renewal. During this time of grace, let us recall those times, places and circumstances: w when we may not have carefully listened to a colleague or to a student in order to understand their distress; w when we were abrupt in responding to a question, comment or a request; w when we were judgmental of the actions or behaviors of others without first hearing their story; w when we made decisions that were not inclusive or acted in isolation of the facts and a misunderstanding of the consequences; w when we unknowingly breached the

In his address to Catholic educators in April, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI stated that:

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During this Jubilee Year lets us reach out to others, asking for understanding and forgiveness and accepting it as well.

“First and foremost every Catholic educational institution is a place to encounter the living God who in Jesus Christ reveals his transforming love and truth. This relationship elicits a desire to grow in the knowledge and understanding of Christ and his teaching. In this way those who meet Him are drawn by the very power of the Gospel to lead a new life characterized by all that is beautiful, good, and true; a Christian witness nurtured and strengthened within the community of our Lord’s disciples, the Church.”

As members of the Aquinas College Community, an extension of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, founders of Aquinas College, we are an ecclesial community, witnesses and architects of the plan for unity which is the crowning point of human history in God’s design (Vita Consecrata). In giving life to our Mission and Core Values, as prophets of mercy and hope, we are a visible sign for the entire world to see and a compelling force that leads others to Christ.

The work before each of us is not for the faint-of-heart. We are compelled, however, by the presence of God in each of us and the prophetic significance of this Jubilee Year when we read in the Gospel of Luke (4:18-19): “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Let this noble work before us continue in our time with the same daring and prophetic vision that brought us to this moment. Let us pray and accompany one another in this noble journey before us.

And let us be open to the surprises that God has planned for us since before time began as we begin our next 50 years of service as prophets of mercy and hope and ambassadors of peace. In His name, let the celebration begin! Amen. n

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CAVALIER CHRONICLES

Cavalier Chronicles: Aquinas College and Beyond

By Steve McCarthy

With the wisdom of retrospect seven

pivotal events stand out in the history of Aquinas College: the arrival of the Dominican Sisters to Nashville in 1860; the weathering of the financial crisis of 1867; the purchasing of the land in 1923 upon which the future campus would be built; the establishment in 1928 at the Motherhouse in north Nashville of Saint Cecilia Normal School for the education of the sisters; the opening of the College to the public in 1961 on the present campus; St. Thomas Hospital relocating to Harding Road in 1972; and lastly the College transitioning from junior college status to a four-year school in 1994.

This decision to become a four year college was not made lightly. With the rapid growth of Nashville and an increase in the Catholic population of the region, the time was right for the change. The economy was strong and there were many students who desired to continue their education at the college after two years. Having a four-year college would also advance the sisters’ education and help the community in general.

Since 1994 Aquinas has benefited from the vision of its presidents, including the recently appointed Sister Mary Sarah Galbraith.

Sister Mary Reginald Lane (1992-1994) was the transitional president who took the college from a two year to four year institution of higher education. During her administration the Teacher Education program was established, bachelor degrees in the liberals arts and interdisciplinary studies were begun, and the Carriage House was renovated to make it more appealing for students.

Sister Mary Evelyn Potts was the longest serving president, her tenure lasting from 1994 to 2002. Sister stabilized the school in its early years by incorporating a Weekend College and an Accelerated Adult education program. The Business Program was launched, and the Frassati Society was established “…to live the Beatitudes.” Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, a lay Dominican from Turin, Italy who devoted his life to serving the poor and needy is the Society’s namesake and patron. Last, and definitely not least, the college was officially accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 2001, a necessary certification for any institution of higher education.

Under Sister Thomas Aquinas Halbmaier

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(2002- 2007) a student business fraternity Phi Beta Lamba was chartered, and Aquinas hosted an international Conference for Catholic Philosophers which included the late Ralph McInerny from Notre Dame University. In 2004 the library was moved from Aquinas Hall to the Aquinas Center where Cavalier basketball games and commencement ceremonies were once held. The new library location provides additional space for books and an enlarged computer/library instruction room and features a mezzanine study area. The old library space became the student area Aquinas Central and the lecture hall rooms 102 and 103. The William T. Coakley Memorial Bridge was completed to cross the creek on the property in 2005, which greatly enhanced the entrance to the campus, and the St. Joseph Building was installed for additional office and meeting space. Sister Thomas Aquinas’ work in the area of strategic planning set the stage for development of the College to the year 2015.

Sister Mary Peter Muehlenkamp (20072011) oversaw the ten-year reaccreditation process which affirmed all that the College was doing. During the time of an economic downturn she managed to steer the College to a place of great economic stability.

With the expansion of the Nursing Program, including the addition of an RN to BSN program, she opened the St. Martin de Porres building for the housing of much needed

nursing classrooms and office space until a permanent structure can be built. Sister Mary Peter also laid ambitious plans for the future expansion of the college and in 2008 attended the Educational Convocation at the Catholic University of America in honor of Pope Benedict XVI. Since its founding in 1961, the College has been alert to both the permanent and ever-changing needs of the Nashville community. Sensitivity to those needs and to the needs of the Church led to the sequence of establishment of the degrees that Aquinas offers. The 1970s and ‘80s presented Aquinas College with new challenges and opportunities, but none greater than becoming a four year institution in 1994. It has grown from a junior college to a four-year college offering bachelor degrees in the areas of nursing, education, business administration, liberal arts, English, history, theology and philosophy.

This academic year marks the 50th Anniversary of the opening of Aquinas College.

In honor of and to prepare for that momentous occasion, I was asked several years ago

by Sister Thomas Aquinas to write a series of articles for the Aquinas College Magazine. This article concludes the series. It has been my pleasure to do so and hopefully enlighten the readers of this publication about an important but little-studied aspect of Catholic history. n www.aquinascollege.edu

BOARD MEMBER PROFILE: PATRICK J. SHARBEL

Scholarship recipient Kelly Amezcua with Judy and Patrick Sharbel.

Patrick Sharbel: Beloved, Faithful and True He is a man of few words, but for whom it can be said, he is much loved. With a quiet strength and deep faith, Nashville native Patrick J. Sharbel is a valued member of the Aquinas College Board. A successful business man, he has generously given back to the community in which he was educated. Patrick Sharbel’s greatest source of pride, however, is his wife Judy and his large family. In addition to serving on the board, he and his wife Judy have sponsored The Judy and Patrick Sharbel Business Scholarship since the fall of 2004.

The annual scholarship has helped nine students receive business degrees from Aquinas College.

Patrick Sharbel was born in 1938, the son of Lebanese immigrants. His father was a laborer who came to the United States in 1906, with his mother immigrating in 1913. His father was drawn to Nashville by friends, having come through New York by way of Detroit. Together his parents raised 13 children, five boys and eight girls. In the early days the family

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lived in a rented house on Gay Street, a neighborhood at the foot of the sprawling grounds of the State Capitol. Mr. Sharbel describes the neighborhood as one that was both diverse and in decline. The neighborhood itself was bulldozed during the urban renewal project of the early 1960s in Nashville. But despite the decline, Gay Street and the surrounding area contained a vibrant culture in the 1940s: an urban neighborhood with Italians, Lebanese, Jewish, and African Americans.

The Capitol itself provided recreation for the children in the neighborhood. Mr. Sharbel remembers, “If you could climb that wall, the capitol grounds provided a big open area to play in.” He attended Assumption School beginning in first grade, along with other children in his neighborhood. He and his siblings walked to the school which was adjacent to the Church.

The parish is still vibrant, with the school building now serving an integral role as the parish community center.

In this way, Pat Sharbel received his earli-

est education from the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation. When asked about the importance of his education from the Sisters, he is clear and unequivocal. “The education by the Sisters was an extension of what I learned at home from my parents. They were the same. The Sisters maintained a high level of excellence.

They were a step ahead of everyone else. I had Sister Mary Phillip in first and second grade in the same room, and while it wasn’t crowded, we were full. Sister Mary Phillip was very young. She was full of joy and she was very funny. We would go out at recess and play hard, and when we would come back in we would be filthy.”

Mr. Sharbel smiles broadly as he recalls Sister’s standard phrase upon eyeing his post-recess dirt-caked hands: “Patrick, go wash your hands. Your fingernails have so much dirt under them you could grow potatoes there.” Later, when his family moved to East Nashville, he attended Holy Name school where he was also taught by continued on page 31

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AQUINAS DEVELOPMENT

A Visit with a Friend, Board Member and Benefactor A

ustin Triggs is President of Diabetes Care Group, Inc., a company that provides care for individuals with diabetes and other metabolic disorders. He was previously Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer at Renal Care Group, Inc., a public health care company, from May 1996 through May 2005. He formerly served as chair of the advisory board of the Duke University Institute on Care at the End of Life, a member of the advisory board of the Center for Theology and Health at the Duke University Medical Center, and a board member of the American Council on Germany. He is currently serves Aquinas College on the board of directors and the President’s Council.

How did you first become involved with the Dominican Sisters, and in particular, Aquinas College?

My association with Aquinas is the product of my journey to the Catholic Church and my interests in apologetics. I formally became a Catholic at the Easter Vigil in 2002 after thinking about it and moving in that direction for my entire adult life. Although I’d been attracted to the Catholic Faith as early as twelve, I was a migratory Protestant with a persistent curiosity about the nature of the Church. After moving to Nashville in 1981, I was a happy member of two Protestant congregations for 20 years. I was also involved in a variety of ways with a very fine Protestant seminary and its faculty for about ten years. My life-long interest in the nature of the Church found focus through the Christian writers whose art and witness I found compelling and true – T.S. Eliot, C.S. Lewis, Gabriel Marcel, Paul Claudel, George Bernanos, W. H. Auden, St. Augustine, St. John of the Cross, St. Thomas More, Erasmus, Edith Stein, Bonhoeffer, Kierkegaard, Evelyn Waugh, Reynolds Price, and Walker Percy, to name a few who meant the most to me. The catalyst for my decision formally to join the Church was John Paul II. His was a galvanizing witness and his encyclicals were especially meaningful to me, in particular, The Splendor of Truth.

Having come to the Church with that kind of

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backdrop, I had a convert’s enthusiasm and high expectations. I first encountered the Dominican Sisters because I liked the speakers they had at their annual fund-raising dinners – George Will, Tommy Lasorda, Tim Russert, and George Weigel, for example – and started going to those dinners. These weren’t the usual headliners at Nashville fundraisers.

Over time, I got better acquainted with the Sisters and their work at Aquinas, St. Cecilia, and Overbrook. What I saw in the Dominican Sisters and Aquinas was a faithfulness, vitality, integrity (in the broadest sense of that word), and intellectual seriousness that was in the greatest traditions of the Church and the Christian faith. I’d never personally encountered that kind of integrity, fidelity, and commitment in any group or organization.

They were also interested in the same things I was. As a result, when I was asked to become a member of the President’s Council and then the Board, I was delighted to have the opportunity to support the work of Aquinas and the Sisters in that way. My admiration and respect for the Sisters and their work has only grown as I’ve gotten to know them better.

You have chosen to support Aquinas College in many ways, please tell us how you are involved with the College?

I joined the President’s Council in 2008 after being introduced to the Sisters by an acquaintance who is on the parent board at Overbrook School. I joined the Board of Directors of the College in 2009. Although my work has kept me from participating in the activities of the Board and the College as much as I would

like, I try to support the College on a regular basis financially and occasionally when they have special needs. I also try to introduce the College and the work of the Sisters to likeminded people as I travel around the country.

I also enjoy the Lecture Series, conferences, and similar programs when possible.

In particular, you support the College financially. Please tell us how you chose to make your gift and why?

I grew up in a family that considered tithing – giving money and time to the Church – a normal part of trying to live a faithful life and being part of a Church community. I believe deeply in the things Aquinas stands for and its work, and believe it’s a privilege to support the work of the Sisters. I have an amount deducted from my checking account each month as a regular contribution. I also try to make contributions from time to time for particular needs when I’m able.

What would you say to others that might be considering this type of gift?

For me, it’s been better to give modest amounts regularly than to try to make larger contributions occasionally. Regular giving reinforces and, for me, is an important part of my other efforts to live faithfully. Making it automatic and on a regularly scheduled basis helps make the commitment part of the structure of your life. And it’s easy, just like paying the light bill. It’s also very trite but true: the blessings you get are far greater than whatever sacrifices you make. n

www.aquinascollege.edu

Tell us what’s Year-end: A fine time to give new with you!

AQUINAS DEVELOPMENT

By Timothy J. Stransky Vice President of Institutional Advancement Time is precious these days. Most of us are so busy with our day-to-day schedules that it is difficult to slow down, take a break, and spend as much time as we would like with those we love.

Maybe that is one of the reasons the holidays are so special to us. Traditionally, the holiday season is a time when we make a special effort to be with family and close friends—we share gifts to show our appreciation and love for those who mean the most to us.

Many also set aside time during the holidays to make special gifts in support of their favorite charitable organizations.

Each year several of our benefactors make “year-end” gifts to Aquinas College.

These contributions come in different forms, but they all have one thing in common: They are easy to make.

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

Cash, check, pledges, automatic payments, and credit card gifts can be made in person, by mail, or by phone.

CLOSELY HELD STOCK

One of the most significant assets of a small business owner is likely to be the value of the company’s closely held stock.

Closely held stock is most often found in family-run businesses or in private businesses with relatively few stockholders.

REAL PROPERTY

A gift of real estate could be a house or other personal residence, a farm, a vacation home, or commercial buildings.

Gifts of real estate may be contributed as outright gifts, as retained life estate, gifted through a donor’s will, or as a contribution to a charitable remainder trust.

The charitable deduction for a gift of real estate is generally limited to 30 percent of adjusted gross income with a five-year carryover and must be substantiated by a qualified appraisal of the property’s fair market value. Only unmortgaged real estate can be used to fund a qualified charitable remainder trust.

LIFE INSURANCE

Life insurance provides a way for donors to make a sizable future gift that might not otherwise be possible.

A donor may contribute a paidup life insurance policy, purchase a new policy and Timothy J. Stransky name Aquinas College as owner and beneficiary, or simply name us as a beneficiary. For gifts of paid-up policies, donors are entitled to an income tax deduction equal to the cash value of the policy or the total premiums paid, whichever is less.

To qualify for a charitable deduction, the donor must name Aquinas College as the policy owner and beneficiary and must not retain any “incidents of ownership.”

SEND TO:

Aquinas College Office of Alumni Relations 4210 Harding Road Nashville, TN 37205 Fax: (615)383-3196 E-mail: alumni@aquinascollege.edu

Name:

Ladies, please include your maiden name.

Class Year: Degree/Major: E-mail Address: Home Address: City:

MUTUAL FUNDS

Mutual fund shares can also be donated.

The fair market value of the mutual fund is its public redemption price (net asset value) on the valuation date. The charitable deduction for a gift of mutual fund shares is 30 percent of adjusted gross income with a five-year carryover.

CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY AND CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUST

These gift types provide donors or beneficiaries payments for life with substantial tax benefits. A charitable remainder is left for Aquinas College at the completion of the trust or the gift contract.

GIVING IN THE FUTURE

A gift in your will is an excellent way to support one of the many endowments for Aquinas College or to create a new endowment. You can make a specific gift amount in your will, name a percentage, or make Aquinas College a beneficiary of the remainder of the estate.

State: Zip: Home Phone: Company Name: Title: Business Address: City: State: Zip: Business Phone:

ALUMNI NEWS AND COMMENTS: Please print clearly.

APPRECIATED SECURITIES

Do you own stocks, bonds, or mutual funds that have increased in value over continued on page 26

For more information on making a gift or for information on including Aquinas College in your will or Estate Plans contact: Timothy Stransky, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, (615) 383-3230 x531 or stranskyt@dominicancampus.org.

www.aquinascollege.edu

We are interested in your accomplishments and family news. Please use this form to tell us about yourself and update your home and/ or business information as well.

Please see reverse for more information.

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AQUINAS DEVELOPMENT CHECK ACTIVITIES WITH WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP: Alumni Association Alumni Awards Student/Alumni Service Project Medallion of Merit Scholarship Reunions for Class/Program/Student Activities Other

NEWS ABOUT YOU:

continued from page 25

the years? Using such assets to make charitable gifts can bring you deductions on your tax return next spring, and those who decide to make gifts funded with appreciated securities may reap additional financial benefits this year.

Gifts of appreciated securities that you have owned for over one year provide you with a deduction for the full current value of the property. You are generally allowed to deduct the value of such gifts in amounts equal to as much as 30 percent of your adjusted gross income. In addition,

you can avoid the capital gains tax on the stock’s increase in value.

Keep in mind that gifts must be made before December 31, 2011 in order to be deductible on your 2011 tax return.

It is always a good idea to consult with your financial advisors about gift options that are best suited for your personal situation.

Help continue the work of Aquinas College by making a gift today. Your support makes a difference, so don’t wait. n Parts of this article printed with permission as Copyright 2008 RFSCO, Inc. The Sharpe Group, 1-800-238-3253, www.sharpenet.com.

IN MEMORIAM CHRIS HATCHER, son of biology professor

JEANETTE RUDY, long time friend of Aquinas

THOMAS C. NORFLEET, 1982 Aquinas Col-

MARY HELEN MUEHLENKAMP, mother of former Aquinas College President Sister Mary Peter, O.P., died on August 31.

Dr. Frank Hatcher, died on May 25.

lege honors graduate and prominent educator, died on May 27.

JAMES BOMPART, husband of adjunct

nursing instructor Carol Bompart, died on June 11.

RANDALL W. MCKNIGHT, JR., the infant

son of 2005 graduate Kathryn Billups, died on July 20.

CECIL D. JONES, father of long-time Execu-

College, died on August 13.

KENNETH B. SCHOEN, former member of the Dominican Campus Endowment Development Committee and father of Michael Schoen (Overbrook ‘65) and Patrick Schoen (Overbrook ‘67, Aquinas ‘73), died on September 10.

GLORIA JEAN JACKSON, mother of Lisa Fox

tive Assistant to the President of Aquinas Brenda Kincaid and grandfather of Jimmy Kincaid (‘86), died on July 28.

(‘08), died September 12.

ISABELLE LENNON FOX, mother of Sister

Bathrick Boatman (Overbrook ‘87, St. Cecilia ‘91, and Aquinas ‘01), died September 25.

Mary Michael, O.P., Director of Catechetics at Aquinas College, died on August 7.

DONALD BATHRICK, JR., father of Carroll

WHAT TOPICS WOULD YOU ENJOY READING MORE ABOUT? Alumni Students Faculty Campus Departments Upcoming events Other

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www.aquinascollege.edu

ALUMNI

I am not supposed to be here 2011 Commencement Address

By Jeanne “Rickey” Chick Schuller, ‘77 I am not supposed to be here today. I was invited. I am not a last minute stand-in.

In fact I am confident that a great deal of thought and consideration went into the decision to invite me here today and I am well prepared. I have spent a great deal of time preparing the remarks that I am going to say to you today. In fact-- It would be accurate to say that I have spent the better part of my life preparing and living these remarks.

Yet, none of the foregoing changes the simple fact that…I am not supposed to be here today.

My thoughts are that my story is particularly relevant to you, the Aquinas College class of 2011, because you are not supposed to be here either.

Like me, you may not be among those people for whom a college education was a foregone conclusion - a natural transition from high school to college. No, having reviewed the demographics of your class, my thought is that many of you have juggled work, run businesses, pursued careers, cared for others – persistently overcome barriers – to make today a reality.

When the secular statisticians painstakingly prepare their pie charts, you, like me, are one of those people that fall into the little sliver of pie that are the “others,” also

known as the “not supposed to be heres” or the scientific term “outliers.”

But we do not deal in secular statistics at Aquinas College. No, our statistics are generated by a Higher Power.

In 1977 I graduated from Aquinas Junior College. I am also a 1974 graduate of St. Cecilia Academy. Yes, I found my path to higher education by walking across the lawn.

Aquinas was a two year college in 1974. I was on the three year plan.

You see, I wasn’t particularly interested in attending college. I wanted to be an actress. Having experienced a measure of success in my high school theater activities, I was very comfortable on stage acting out the stories of others. It was my passion. I had and still have a burning desire to get in front of a group of politely assembled people, “an audience,” and tell a story that needs to be told.

Today is unique in that it is my story and I am charged with the task of relating it to your educational success.

As it does now, Aquinas Junior College attracted the best in faculty and mentors. The fine arts were no exception.

The College announced that the coming academic year would include a production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The cast would be chosen from students enrolled in the

Jeanne “Rickey” Chick Schuller, J.D. (‘77) looks on at the 2011 Baccalaureate Mass.

college’s “Theater in London” class that was to be offered that summer.

Unfortunately, I was broke and the prospects of coming up with the $1,200 dollars needed to pay for the course were dismal.

But a lack of personal financial resources, I had learned, was not always a barrier continued on page 28

Rickey Chick with her classmates at their graduation from St. Cecilia Academy in 1974. She walked across the lawn to Aquinas Junior College the following September. She is pictured directly behind St. Cecilia principal Sister Anne Marie (in black gown), who is seated next to Mother Marie William and Bishop Joseph Durick.

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ALUMNI ment on my poetry in the Aquinas publication The Sisyphean and on my solos with the Aquinas Singers. She was there every step of the way as we practiced and performed all 15 shows of Hamlet, an effort that prompted a written review of the show by the legendary theater critic Clara Hieronymus.

I can honestly say that I do not remember what she wrote. But I remember distinctly every word of my conversation with Sister Dominica in the hallway of Aquinas about that review of Hamlet: “Clara Hieronymus said you were the best Ophelia she had ever seen on stage.”

Sister Dominica made her point and as you can attest to today, that observation has never left me. It was with me the day I interviewed for a place in law school and on the day I was called to address the State of Tennessee Legislators to advocate for the state to fund an Office of Guardian ad Litem. It was with me when I told the New York State Child Welfare Association that there was no secret to good child welfare work. It simply required treating each foster child as we treat our own children.

Upon graduating from Aquinas College and later the University of Tennessee, I considered a career in acting but that is not what I really wanted. I wanted to marry, have children. I wanted a normal life and I wanted to come back to Nashville.

So that is exactly what I did.

In 1985, Schuller received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the Nashville School of Law, formerly the YMCA Night Law School in Nashville, Tennessee. Five months later, her son Christopher was born. continued from page 27

to receiving the gift of an education from the Dominican Sisters of the St. Cecilia Congregation. I also understood, without a question, that I had to demonstrate a sincere desire to receive that gift of learning.

So, I quickly parlayed my passion for the theater into a passion for college–at least a passion to enroll in college.

As with most young adults, I believed I was pretty smart, but I also knew that I did not like to study. I had things to think about, and those things did not include foreign languages, biology, or math. I loved to read and write, but I also was aware that I did not like too much direction in that regard.

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My non-traditional plan involved showing up, enrolling in college, playing Ophelia, and quietly slipping away to theatrical glory. Secure in my knowledge that when I wasn’t on stage, I was invisible to all those persons supporting my educational pursuits.

However, my plans were thwarted by Sister Dominica, the Academic Dean of Aquinas College. Very early I became quite visible to her – uncomfortably-so at times.

I was visible to her when I missed class, wandered in late, was hungry, or just plain old sad. But more importantly, I was visible to Sister Dominica when I made contributions to Aquinas. She would com-

I married Ralph Schuller, the love of my life. I worked during the day and attended law school at night. And on October 30, 1984 in this auditorium, I raised my right hand and took an Oath. In exchange, the State of Tennessee gave me permission to practice law. I was 8.999 months pregnant with our first child. Talk about being a sliver of the pie chart. In 1984 there were very few women being sworn in as attorneys in Tennessee and none of them was visibly pregnant. I can assure you of that!

Our beautiful son was born 18 days later.

We had it all.

When our oldest son was 14 months old we were overjoyed to see our plans for adding to our family confirmed when we learned we were expecting again.

Two months later, when our oldest son

www.aquinascollege.edu

ALUMNI was 16 months old, we learned we were expecting not only again, but again and again. We were having triplets.

I was not panicked. I was not. I simply prayed to God, “So this is what you have in store for me.” Then I distinctly remember thinking that this was not my plan. That clearly, I was not supposed to be here, pregnant with triplets and a 16 month old to care for, my piece of the pie chart getting progressively smaller.

On my birthday, July 14, our triplet sons were born. My prayers to God remained simple: “Okay God, This is what you have in store for me. I am not supposed to be here. This was not in my plan, but this is where you have put me. Now I pray for one thing and one thing only - besides the other 849,000 things I pray for each day - I pray for the strength to do this and to do it well.”

Those early years were a blast, a blur, and a joy. After a few years, the opportunity arose for me to return to work as an attorney in a position that was designed around my family needs. Ralph continued to get promoted. There was money for a housekeeper, a nanny, a nice car, nice clothes, toys, and vacations. Life was good. Now 6, 4, 4, and 4, our sons were in school.

On April 21, 1994, at the age of 40, my husband had a stroke. His motor skills were unaffected, but he could not remem-

ber our sons’ names and often struggled to understand where he was. Our sons were 7, 5, 5, and 5 when Ralph was fired from his job. Six months later I was laid off. By December 1994 we had four children and no income.

On one particularly difficult Sunday after Ralph’s stroke, I got up very early, left everyone asleep, and went to the Cathedral to Mass - alone - to talk to God. I am pretty sure that I learned from my Baltimore Catechism and from religion classes that it is a sin to get angry with God. So I want to be clear that I choose to remember that Sunday as the day that I had a very focused prayer to God. I remember that prayer very clearly. It was the same prayer I always prayed, but that Sunday it was through clenched teeth. It went something like this: “God I am not supposed to be here. But this is where you have me so please just give me strength and please, please, please help me figure out what I am supposed to do.”

I silently challenged Father Fleming to say something–anything–in his homily that had the slightest relevance to my life.

Father said this: “If you think you are bad off and you don’t know what to do, go find someone worse off than yourself and help them.”

I was skeptical.

One week later I was at a luncheon at the City Club. The speakers that day were three judges who talked about the need for attorneys to take appointments representing neglected, abused, and delinquent children in juvenile court. There was a shortage of knowledgeable, committed attorneys to do the work. The social problems associated with the ever-increasing drug traffic in Nashville were creating a population of children in desperate need.

The problem was growing faster than the system could handle.

Moved in part by altruism and in part by the guaranteed work, I called and got my first appointment as an attorney for a child that same day.

A few weeks later, when I was in court representing that child, the Judge called me up to the bench to inform me that I had been appointed to another case to represent another delinquent child on an emergency basis. The child was in a holding cell in detention, and the hearing would occur when everyone got to court.

I declined the appointment, informing the judge that I had to go pick up my own sons who were due to get out school within the hour. “That is okay,” he said.

“Go get them and bring them back here. I continued on page 30

The four Schuller boys out for a stroll in the summer 1988: From left to right: In the stroller: William age 1, James age 1, Michael age 1. Driving the stroller: Christopher age 3.

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ALUMNI continued from page 29

need you on this one Ms. Schuller.”

As I sped down Charlotte Avenue back to the courthouse, I explained to the boys where we were going and why. They were thrilled. I was filled with trepidation and an overwhelming sense that I was not supposed to be here. I was supposed to be at home making after-school snacks and getting them settled down to do homework.

I entered the courthouse, the four Schuller boys in tow, replete in their parochial school uniforms. I lined them up on the bench outside the court room and left them dutifully doing their homework in the lobby of the Juvenile Court. I cautioned them to be on their best behavior.

I took a deep breath, buttoned my suit jacket and straightened my hair. I focused and thought about why the judge had chosen to wait for me. Just what was it he thought I could do for this yet-unknown child-client that warranted keeping court open and everyone waiting?

Rickey Chick on campus in 1978 with her best friend and St. Cecilia classmate Sister Mary Haltom (now Sister Mary Justin, O.P.).

“I am not supposed to be here, but here I am. Lord, give me the wisdom, the strength.”

I felt something deep inside of me catch fire that day. It is a fire that has never gone out.

I hope it never does. It is a very different fire than I felt as I prayed that day when God and I had a conversation in the back pew of the Cathedral at Sunday Mass.

I entered the courtroom where the judge and everyone were seated. I focused on the child right away. She sat alone on one side of the courtroom up against the wall, a court officer a few feet away. My new client looked much younger than her stated age of 14, but weary beyond her years. Her face was broken out and her hair was not clean. It was difficult to tell if she was overweight or if her clothes were just too small for her. She had a dull look about her, barely acknowledging me as the court identified me to her.

I asked for a recess to talk to the young girl in private. As the court left the bench, I walked over to her and extended my hand. She looked up and into my face directly into my eyes - as if they would reveal who I was and what exactly my extended hand meant. After a long pause, she took my hand without losing eye contact and without enthusiasm. She did not release her grip as I led her to the office in the back of the courtroom.

In the minutes my young client spoke to me.

She told me her story. It was succinct, not a particularly remarkable story, but it was

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heartbreaking. Unfortunately, it was a story I would come to hear, in its many versions from and about thousands of children thousands of times - over the next 15 years.

It was a purifying heat. It was the heat that melts iron and carbon into steel. In retrospect/hindsight, through the lens of prayer and reflection, I would venture to say today that it was probably the Holy Spirit.

In summary, after 15 years, at the age of 54, I was considering what to do next. I knew I wanted to retire at 55 but I was uncertain of how I would spend the rest of my life. I knew that my time at the Department of Children’s Services as Director of Legal Services was concluding, that my work was done.

I had been involved in a project that gave me the opportunity to become reacquainted with the Dominican campus. I spent time with Sister Catherine Marie, Sister Mary Christopher, and Sister Elizabeth Anne writing for St. Cecilia Academy’s historical coffee table book. As we worked on the project, we talked about my work at Children’s Services and how I was ready for whatever it was I should do next. In January of this year, Sister Mary Peter

prayed with me and I returned to Aquinas to do the work I do today.

I joined the Dominican Campus on January 19th. Two days later, I returned home from work to find an envelope addressed in beautiful script in my mailbox. The return address was St. Cecilia Convent. I opened it to find a handwritten note.

Dear Jeanne, I could have said “Rickey” or even “Ophelia” but the name Jeanne runs in my family – mother, niece, cousin – and I like it.

Congratulations on two counts: the St. Cecilia album and your appointment at Aquinas.

Good news for the College. Good writing for St. Cecilia.

Sincerely, Sister Mary Bernard Sister Mary Bernard was my English professor at Aquinas. Sister Mary Peter reminded us in one of her inspiring messages to the Aquinas community recently that in the words of Pope Benedict, “Catholic Education is an outstanding apostolate of hope.”

Aquinas College was and remains for me today an outstanding apostolate of hope, the mission constant through the decades: “Transforming Lives and Culture through Truth and Charity.”

Each of you has your own story. Each of you will leave here today bringing your own life experiences to the work that you will do. Those of you who are non-traditional students, you are already wellwww.aquinascollege.edu

ALUMNI

I am not supposed to be here grounded in what it is like to earn a living, raise a family, have a car note, a mortgage, and people who depend on you.

You will be at the bedside of a patient, in the front of a classroom, in the board room.

You will be challenged in every way.

be here, remember that that is a strength.

Your unique education and experiences will be the strongest attributes you posses.

And that simple but powerful fact will require you to speak up when others are silent, either because they simply lack the courage or because they simply don’t understand. It is a strength that often-times requires action when inaction would be much easier and perhaps more beneficial to your career.

You will always be the person in the room who took the least-traveled path. When the thought occurs to you, that you took the unconventional road, that the statistics predicted that you are not supposed to

I am beginning to recognize an emerging theme in my life. I tend to do my best work when it is not in my plan, when the statistics are stacked against me. I have added a line to the prayer that I say: “I am

However, after today, you will have distinguished yourselves further. That distinction comes with additional responsibility.

not supposed to be here. God please give me the strength. For now I understand I am exactly where I belong.”

You will leave here today with proof – that you have earned the right to be here, despite the statistics. And when the time comes in your professional and personal lives for you to apply, not only the knowledge you have acquired but the wisdom you have gained as a student of this wonderful college, you will know without question that you too are exactly where you belong.n Used with permission. Jeanne Chick Schuller ©

BOARD MEMBER PROFILE: PATRICK J. SHARBEL continued from page 23

the Dominican Sisters. He clearly recalls each of them in order: Sister Mary Phillip, Sister Stephana, Sister Ursula, Sister Mary Edward. During his years at Holy Name, he played on the basketball team that won the Knights of Columbus Parochial league championship in 1952.

Upon graduating from Father Ryan High School, Mr. Sharbel joined the Marine Corps and when his service was completed, he began his career in the trucking industry.

Beginning at Dixie Ohio Express, he later joined Humboldt Express where he served as President. In 1995 he started his own trucking company Specialized Transportation Services, which he sold in 2007 and retired.

When asked about retirement, “I love it!” is his unequivocal answer. Explaining his enthusiasm, he elaborates, “Trucking never stops. You have to be available for the calls that come in at all hours of the day and night because the trucks are on the road and have schedules to meet. I don’t miss that.” He now spends Tuesdays and Thursdays on the golf course with two sets of golfing companions, one of which is made up of his former high school buddies.

Mr. and Mrs. Sharbel have sponsored a business scholarship at Aquinas College since the inception of the business program. “It is really enjoyable to meet someone you have helped,” says Mrs. Sharbel, www.aquinascollege.edu

reflecting on the annual scholarship brunch at Aquinas. As for Mr. Sharbel, his advice to those seeking a successful career in business is to “Find something you like to do and stay focused. Put the necessary work into it. Don’t sit around and say ‘I will do this but I won’t do that.’ Keep in mind that what is good for the company is good for your career. If you need to transfer, then be willing to do so. It isn’t what is in it for you, but how you can help make the company be the best it can be. “ The strengths that have helped him succeed in business are the same attributes ascribed to him by the person he names as his best friend, his wife of 46 years.

Judy says, “He is honest, dependable hardworking, trustworthy. These are the values instilled in him by his mother and father, and reinforced throughout his education with the Dominican Sisters.”

Although retired, Patrick Sharbel continues to devote his energies and talents to Aquinas College. He explains, “The Sisters did a lot for me. I wanted to give back if I could. They are a pleasure to be around.

They truly enjoy what they do, and by serving Aquinas College, I hope I can help in maintaining their high level of excellence so that they can continue to do the things they have always done. They have always been one step ahead of everyone else. I want to help them continue to do that.” He wants the College’s facilities to

expand in the near future and is emphatic that residence halls are needed to draw the highest caliber students from around the country so that they can benefit from the excellence of the education offered by the College.

When asked of what is he most proud, he responds without hesitation, “My wife and my family.” In fact, his wife Judy worked with him in his business at the beginning and later took a less active role. As he talks about his family, he mentions them by name, including his sister Margaret, the oldest living of his brothers and sisters.

She lives in Pennsylvania and has three sons and one daughter, who are attorneys and CPAs. He talks about nephews and nieces, great nephews and nieces. One of his great-nephews, Ian Sharbel, the son of his nephew Joe, received an appointment to the U. S. Naval Academy in 2011. Family photographs line the shelves of the study, visual reminders of the fruits of honesty, hard work, dependability, and focus.

It is clear that Patrick Sharbel is not only a successful businessman, community leader, and family man, but a person who has found true joy in life, a joy that is a result of finding something you love to do, staying with it, staying focused, putting the necessary work into it, and making the most of opportunities. Above all, it is about a fidelity to God and family that is an inspiration to us all. n

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NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID NASHVILLE, TN PERMIT NO. 8

4210 Harding Road Nashville, TN 37205 www.aquinascollege.edu

Peter Kreeft, Ph.D.

John Cuddeback, Ph.D.

Peter Pagan, Ph.D.

Alan Schreck, Ph.D.

Sister Mary Angelica, O.P.

The 2012 St. Thomas Aquinas Forum

Faithand Reason

Peter Kreeft, Ph.D. Boston College Alan Schreck, Ph.D. Franciscan University of Steubenville

February 3-4, 2012 St. Cecilia Motherhouse

Peter Pagan, Ph.D. Aquinas College

Nashville, TN

Sister Mary Angelica, O.P. Aquinas College John Cuddeback, Ph.D. Christendom College

Registration underway

For more information, please contact the Office of Catechetics at (615) 297-7545 (ext. 469) or visit www.aquinascollege.edu.

TRANSFORMING LIVES AND CULTURE THROUGH TRUTH AND CHARITY

for 50 years