Mount Mary Magazine Fall 2017

VOLUME XXVII NUMBER 3 | Fall 2017

MOUNT MARY MAGAZINE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BUSINESS LEADERS with VISION AND PURPOSE. MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Mount Mary partnered with Purple Door ice cream to welcome President Pharr (center) with the signature flavor, “Mount Mary Berry.”

TABLE CONTENTS

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Creativity is in all of us. It just has to be unleashed. At Mount Mary University, we create bold women with programs that put you at the cutting edge of science, design and business.

The future of food: New program increases expertise

Meet the “Science Sisters”

Virtual reality and mathematics

Finding purpose

Glory days

mtmary.edu

2 From the President 12 Women’s Leadership 13 MMU Serves 14 Leading Lady 15 Student Spotlight 20 University Development 21 Calendar of Events 22 Alumnae Spotlight 24 Then & Now 25 Campus News 28 Achievements and Accolades 32 Class Notes 35 In Memoriam 36 Reflection

Online

mtmary.edu/magazine

READ: Meet Dr. Christine Pharr

Alumna makes a world of difference Math education resources

VIEW: New food science lab Alumnae reunion highlights On the cover: Mount Mary’s newest program brings food and science together. The symbols depicted here represent the essential amino acid methionine, a building block of protein; limonene, a terpene which gives citrus its characteristic smell and bitter taste; capsaicin, a component of chili peppers that imparts a hot flavor; and tryptophan, another amino acid.

©2017 Mount Mary University Compiled by Mount Mary Office of University Marketing and Communications, Scott Rudie, Editor Contributors: Ashley Duncan, Eva Ennamorato, Joan Hartin, Sister Joan Penzenstadler, SSND, Sherrie Serros, Kou Vang, Kathy Van Zeeland, Office of Alumnae Relations, University Development

WWW.MTMARY.EDU Sponsored by the School Sisters of Notre Dame

Mount Mary University is sponsored by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

FALL 2017 | 1

FROM THE PRESIDENT

FROM THE PRESIDENT

FROM PRESIDENT Christine Pharr, Ph.D., President, Mount Mary University Dear Mount Mary Alumnae and Friends, As a way of getting to know the University, I have chosen to spend the majority of my time meeting the people who know it best: the faculty and staff, students, board members, alumnae, donors and community members. My meetings have been both rewarding and insightful. As I complete my first four months as President, let me share some of my learnings with you.

Foods Inc., Palermo’s Pizza, Campbell Soup Company and Miller Brewing Company. I met a faculty member who speaks six languages, learned the history of the Starving Artists’ Show and so much more. What an amazing group of people work at Mount Mary.

MOUNT MARY IS A GEM THAT GLOWS BRIGHTLY FROM LIVES TRANSFORMED.

Mount Mary has a tremendously talented group of board members who bring great expertise to guiding the institution, everything from financial acumen and facilities management to mission-driven educational experiences and business innovation. Board members and community members alike admire the mission of Mount Mary; many I interviewed spoke of how moving the Mount Mary graduation ceremonies are, with many students being the first in their family to receive a college degree. Indeed, it is apparent that the School Sisters of Notre Dame have laid a foundation upon which the faculty, staff and administration have continued to build.

My meetings with faculty and staff have also been extremely positive. I’ve learned how dietetics will soon require a master’s degree for registration and occupational therapy will require a doctorate. I’ve learned the new food science degree along with the dietetics programs meet the employment needs of the Midwestern food corridor. These majors are resulting in industry partnerships with companies like Sargento

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I have also spoken to many alumnae via alumnae gatherings, individual meetings and those who visit or walk on campus regularly. We had a wonderful alumnae gathering in Madison and another in Minneapolis.

So often as I leave in the evening or stop by on a Saturday I find an alumna walking the circle drive or standing on the steps of Notre Dame taking a picture. Many speak of the “majestic” campus grounds and the sense of peace that they feel when they come to campus. Some tell me it was the best time of their lives, and whenever they return they feel that same sense of serenity and empowerment that surrounded them as a student.

Mount Mary is a gem that glows brightly from lives transformed. You, our alumnae and our friends, carry our message into the world. By your lives of service and your many accomplishments you model the Mount Mary mission far beyond our campus. Thank you for all that you do, and please send more young women our way. Help them understand how a college education at Mount Mary can transform their lives, as they understand and develop the great gifts they bring to the world.

ALUMNAE REUNION 2017 Highlights from this year's reunion featured a Beatles tribute to the 50 year class of ‘67, a performance by Milwaukee personality John McGivern and plenty of laughter.

Full coverage at

mtmary.edu/magazine

FOOD SCIENCE

OF FOOD

FOOD SCIENCE

MOUNT MARY’S NEW PROGRAM INCREASES OUR EXPERTISE IN THE SCIENCE OF FOOD

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hat’s for dinner? That is an exciting topic – lunch and breakfast are, too – with Mount Mary’s brand new program in food science and the opening of a completely renovated food lab.

Mount Mary has taken the study of food to a whole new level. With the introduction of the new food science program, the study of food delves into the molecular level to assess how the production, packaging and preparation of food affects its structure and performance.

This programmatic expansion follows the University’s well-tested recipe for success: Build upon our existing expertise to meet a growing community need, said Karen Friedlen, vice president for academic and student affairs.

“We found a community and market need, and a talent within our institution to merge the two,” Friedlen said.

Like dietetics, the study of food science fills another important mission for the University, to prepare women for leading roles in fields of great impact.

And food, of course, connects us all.

“As science continues to reveal more about healthy food and better safety, companies are looking for food scientists to improve their products and make them healthier without compromising taste and quality,” said food science faculty member Anne Vravick.

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EXPANDING OUR SCOPE Mount Mary has long been known for food and nutrition expertise through our dietetics program. Dietetics students study food in the context of nutrition and health. Accredited dietetics programs at Mount Mary combine coursework and supervised practice to allow students to be employed as registered dietitians.

The three major areas of study within dietetics are medical nutrition therapy, community nutrition, and food service management.

Food science has always been a component of the dietetics curriculum, as have the foundational courses of biology and chemistry. Yet for most consumers, food science is an “invisible industry,” said Natural and Health Sciences Dean Cheryl Bailey, as it takes place in phases of the food chain that tend to go unrecognized, in the form of research and product development, or quality and assurance.

“This is a huge industry, but these are careers people don’t know much about,” she said.

Food science classes within the new program are taught by Vravick, a former toxicologist with SC Johnson. She worked in research and development on food packaging

FALL 2017 | 5

FOOD SCIENCE

FOOD SCIENCE access to STEM careers for women and underrepresented students, was recently awarded to Mount Mary. The intention behind this funding is to grow the talent pool of highly skilled scientists in the Milwaukee area. There are nine students currently enrolled in the Jewel Scholar program (see page 25 for details); students may major in biology, chemistry or food science.

INTRODUCING THE NEW FOOD LAB This summer, a $1 million renovation and expansion to the food lab increased the number of workstations, updated the infrastructure and replaced the equipment with high-efficiency, state-of-the-art appliances.

The new demonstration table in the food lab is a major upgrade from the old demonstration table, at right. While the mirror of the old table had to be adjusted by hand for student viewing, the new table features a system of three cameras that provide close-up views of food preparation and scientific demonstrations. The video is displayed on the large high-definition monitor above the table and can be recorded for later viewing and social media sharing. Additionally, the new table features a built-in range, range hood, sink and electrical power. A refrigerator, freezer, icemaker and dishwasher are located behind the table, making the demonstration area a completely outfitted workstation.

products such as Saran food wrap and Ziploc storage bags and has played a major role in directing and giving shape to Mount Mary’s program. “Vravick brings a passion for applying science to the development and analysis of food,” Friedlen said.

FILLING A COMMUNITY NEED With Milwaukee ranked tenth in the nation for food science career opportunities, Mount Mary sought significant industry input as the program developed.

Members of the Food Science Advisory Board provided input and feedback in making sure the curriculum matched the needs of industry, and food science students have visited the lab and production facilities of the Food Science Partners (see sidebar).

“Students want an education that is relevant, one that prepares them for a career,” Vravick said. “This is a solid career-path education for our students.”

One industry partnership already taking place is a research project Vravick and three of her students are conducting alongside food scientists and engineers at Hydro-Thermal, based in Waukesha. They are performing tests on the gel strength of pressure-cooked starch and will soon present their findings back to the company.

“It is exciting that Hydro-Thermal is in on the ground level with Mount Mary’s new Food Science Chemistry major,” said Adam Small, Business Development Food Scientist for Hydro-Thermal.

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“With the industry booming on a local, national and international level, we are in an excellent position to have strong ties to exceptional students on the cutting edge of learning.”

BUILDING UPON MISSION Creating opportunities for women in the sciences is a goal for Mount Mary’s School of Natural and Health Sciences, according to Bailey, and food science is a field with great potential.

Career opportunities can range from food scientists, biochemists, food inspectors, quality assurance operators to entrepreneurs.

Two students, Emily Boutcher and Stephanie Lopez, held summer internships at Palermo’s Pizza and continue to work there part-time.

“The enthusiasm of food companies for those who have food science chemistry, in addition to regular chemistry, is very strong, it’s exceeding our expectations,” Bailey said.

Additionally, a $650,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to expand

“The old lab was comfortable, it got the job done,” said dietetics faculty member Linda Gleason. “But this new lab opens up so many possibilities for us.”

Behind the demonstration counter are six tiny doors that connect the food lab to an adjacent room, a sensory lab that enables food to be assessed for consistency, taste and smell in an environment not influenced by other sensory input.

Integral to both dietetics and food science programs, this laboratory provides an opportunity to conduct research and also partner with local food companies for product testing.

Recently, food science students conducted a cheese-tasting experiment, inviting other students and staff members to test samples of their homemade mozzarella cheese to determine whether people could detect differences in salt content.

The real-world learning that takes place in this lab informs students’ careers and has an impact the food products of the future, Vravick said.

“The students are able to test actual modifications to a cheese formulation,” Vravick said. “The results of the tasting study revealed some interesting results that support scientific literature.”

A time capsule is tucked away and sealed between two walls of the food lab. Dietetics chair Cynthia Dostal, left, included some items from the old food lab, along with some of her most important tools of her profession, such as a calculator to illustrate the foundation in science and math; and a chef’s knife, as a reminder to always stay cutting-edge in this rapidly changing field.

OUR PARTNERS AT THE TABLE The Food Science Advisory Board, which has helped shape the curriculum to meet industry demands, includes: Palermo Villa, Inc. (Palermo’s Pizza), Sartori, Campbell Soup Company, MillerCoors LLC, Accelerated Analytical, Chr. Hansen A/S, and Kerry Group plc.

Indeed, the discoveries of Mount Mary’s new food scientists may soon provide answers to the question:

Mount Mary Food Science Program Partners provide students with an in-depth look at the company’s business operations, research and development. They are: Palermo Villa, Inc. (Palermo’s Pizza), Sartori, Campbell Soup Company, MillerCoors LLC, Accelerated Analytical, Chr. Hansen A/S, Kerry, Hydro-Thermal Corp., and American Pasteurization Company.

What’s for dinner?

The renovation of the food lab was made possible by the contributions of generous donors, including: • Roberta Hankes Olshansky ‘63

S E E 360° video of the lab W A T C H Special media coverage of the new lab and

food science program

R E A D The time capsule letter to be opened 50 years from now

at mtmary.edu/magazine.

• Jane Bradley Pettit Foundation • Gary & Judy Jorgensen • Michael & Marie Smith O’Brien ‘08 • We Energies Foundation • Suzanne “Suzy” Hele Carlton ‘64 • David & Lynne Jorgensen • VJS Construction Services • Virginia R. Cornyn ‘62

FALL 2017 | 7

SCIENCE SISTERS

SCIENCE SISTERS

HAYLEY COLEMAN: The Motivator •

Biology (health science) major, double minor in chemistry and psychology; Caroline Scholar

•

Hayley spent the summer as a research intern at the Medical College of Wisconsin, researching cell structures of people with osteoarthritis

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What her friends say: “Hayley sets the standards for us, she’s the role model we all follow.”

ERICA MARION: The Taskmaster

(L to R) Hayley Coleman, Erica Marion, Termeria Taper and Chaunsi Amey.

MEET THE ‘SCIENCE SISTERS’ FRIENDS ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER THROUGH THICK AND THIN (AND ORGANIC CHEMISTRY)

T

he four biology seniors who call themselves the “Science Sisters” are building something important in themselves and in one another.

They are building a bond that will have personal and professional impact long after graduation.

“We’ve struggled together, cried together and been through the ups and downs of our collegiate careers together,” Hayley Coleman said of her friendship with Chaunsi Amey, Erica Marion and Termeria Taper.

“We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses; we all want to see each other be successful,” said Erica. Coming to morning class at the end of her third-shift job has been

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brutal, she said, and there were times that she thought of giving up.

But her sisters helped her through. The four are set to graduate in May. Along the way they have encouraged one another to apply for research-based internships and shouldered through classes like organic chemistry and genetics.

While this friendship arose spontaneously, there is growing awareness nationally around the belief that team building within students’ professional discipline results in greater success in retention and completion rates, particularly among minority students who find support in one another.

•

Biology (health science) major; Grace Scholar; Promise Program Scholar

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Erica currently holds an epidemiology research internship at the Medical College of Wisconsin

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What her friends say: “Erica is a go-getter and instills discipline in all of us.”

TERMERIA TAPER: The Listener To facilitate these connections, Mount Mary’s new federally funded Jewel Scholars and Succeed Scholars programs embed teamwork and cohort-building activities into classes, said Cheryl Bailey, dean of the School of Natural and Health Sciences.

While the Science Sisters have a unique friendship, they said all upperclass science majors at Mount Mary have also formed a tight community – let’s call it an extended family — “which motivates and inspires us more,” said Hayley.

“The environment of Mount Mary inspires why we act the way we act.”

•

Biology (health science) major, English (new media) minor; Promise Program Scholar

•

Termeria currently serves as editor-in-chief for Arches student publication.

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What her friends say: “Termeria is our rock.

We go to her for advice.”

CHAUNSI AMEY: The Joker •

Biology (general sequence) major, Chemistry and Spanish minors; Promise Program Scholar and mentor

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Chaunsi works as a CNA for Froedtert and works microbiology lab technician.

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What her friends say: “Chaunsi is our hype woman, she keeps us laughing.”

FALL 2017 | 9

FACULTY ESSAY

FACULTY ESSAY

VIRTUAL REALITY TURNS MATHEMATICS UP, DOWN AND SIDEWAYS Technology unleashes potential for bringing math and science to life

BY SHERRIE SERROS One of my most interesting teaching experiences involved observing how Carl, a blind student, perceived math concepts differently than sighted students. What I learned from this student many years ago continues to influence my teaching.

During lessons in multi-variate calculus, which focuses on surfaces in space, my sighted students could see a surface on a screen or page of the text, while Carl described the changes in concavity or a saddle point as if he was feeling the surface in his hands. I was dumbfounded. This was so contrary to my expectations for a blind student because I didn’t believe he could perceive these surfaces as well as my sighted students.

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THE SENSATION OF FEELING MATHEMATICS CAN BE A POWERFUL MOTIVATOR FOR CONTINUED STUDY. SHERRIE SERROS

and it’s the challenge of a modern-day mathematics professor to bring them into the classroom. Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and 3D printing provide opportunities for students to think flexibly about mathematical constructs. For visual learners, this may provide an avenue to build interest in mathematics.

Augmented Reality: People are most familiar with the concept of augmented reality when they use their smartphone to scan a QR code. Scanning the code triggers more information to appear on their phone in a variety of formats. In education, an image of a specific homework problem might trigger a video that suggests a particular approach to solve the problem. This way, students have assistance; their struggles become productive without turning to frustration of having to wait for an email response or a professor’s office hour.

Decades later, math professor continues to influence Wisconsin educators Sister Petronia Van Straten began teaching at Mount Mary in 1947, served as chairman of the math department for over 20 years beginning in 1965, and continued to teach up until her death in January, 1987. She died just short of 40 years of service at Mount Mary.

Wisconsin

WISCONSIN

MATHEMATICS COUNCIL, INC.

Volume 69 | Number 1 | 2017 Special Issue

TEACHER of MATHEMATICS

Virtual Reality: Through the use of 3D goggles, a student enters into the projected environment. In a mathematics course, this could be used for exploration and experimentation in many areas, such as geometric surfaces or simulation of probabilistic events. I expect that this total immersion in the content will strengthen students’ connections between the symbolic equation for a surface and the “feel” of that surface in the virtual world.

A dynamic representation for a mathematical construct is a natural use of VR. I can envision students building the equations for a rollercoaster, then experiencing their design virtually. They would feel the values of position, velocity, acceleration and jerk, rather than just computing them. The sensation of feeling mathematics can be a powerful motivator for continued study.

While these intricate surfaces are generated through written mathematical equations, few physical constructs exist for adding the physical connection to understanding a surface. Carl has inspired me to search for multiple representations in mathematics: numeric, symbolic, dynamic, graphical, physical/concrete and written/oral.

3D Printing: For an added tactile experience, a student could use a 3D printer to create a physical model of an abstract surface or shape. For students drawn to visual experiences, through AR/VR experiences in math classes, they may begin to see mathematics in their own futures.

Recent advances in technology offer students altogether new ways to explore the connections between these representations,

Sherrie Serros is the chair of the Department of Mathematics. The department recently received an institutional Creative Teaching and Learning grant, funded by a donation from the School Sisters of Notre Dame, to purchase equipment and apps for using VR to teach math and physics.

As this technology develops and I continue to realize its potential in the classroom, I’m making progress on that journey Carl started for me to find new representations for my students to experience mathematics.

“HER INFLUENCE HELPED TO SHAPE THE MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT AT MOUNT MARY COLLEGE ... AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.” From the Summer 2017 special edition of the Wisconsin Teacher of Mathematics, dedicated to Sister Mary Patronia Van Straten.

A copy of this periodical is available at mtmary.edu/magazine.

FALL 2017 | 11

MMU SERVES

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP

WHO IS YOUR

YOUR MALALA? In early 2017, our Women’s Leadership Institute brought Shiza Shahid to campus. Shiza helped establish the Malala Fund with Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. “We are all Malala,” Shiza believes.

In the spirit of recognizing those who inspire us, we asked some Mount Mary women about influencers who motivate them.

TERRY GANLEY is in her 41th coaching season as the University of Minnesota’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving team. She has been part of seven Big Ten championships, coached dozens of All-Americans and is in the Minnesota Aquatics Hall of Fame (as is Jashinsky, who was recently inducted). “One of the most important things I have learned from her is how to lead by example; she walks the walk.

Further, the life lessons I’ve learned from her – such as the value of hard work, persistence, humility and commitment – are reflected in everything I do, including my work as a professor.”

Terri Jashinsky, Ph.D. Faculty, Mount Mary University

Lucy Vue ’18 looks to the woman who inspired her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in education, KELLY O’KEEFE-BOETTCHER, a Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) teacher. Vue describes her as having “high expectations for all her students, no matter their differences, and she makes sure they feel safe in her classroom to speak and be themselves.” An advocate for social justice and community development, O’Keefe-Boettcher has partnered with the Jewish Museum Milwaukee for interfaith curriculum, mentored new teachers in MPS, and regularly speaks at educational events.

Lucy Vue, ’18 Student, Mount Mary University

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Mount Mary’s 12th president, Christine Pharr, Ph.D., points to KATE DODGE as a woman of courage. After graduating from a women’s college and marrying into a family that sold real estate, there was a need for companies to provide relocation to newly hired professionals. Without prior knowledge of this industry, Dodge took on the task of building the successful international company NEI Global Relocations. A friend and mentor, Pharr describes why Dodge is inspirational to her: “Kate’s inspired me with her courage, her innovation, her integrity and her dedication to women’s education. She makes everyone around her want to give their very best because of her wonderful example.”

Christine Pharr, Ph.D President, Mount Mary University

SOPHIA AMORUSO, founder of Nasty Gal, has been a pioneer in women-owned business and supports women to be their best #GirlBoss. Amoruso is a New York Times author, and Netflix has adapted her story as a scripted comedy. “The movement of GirlBoss, becoming women supporting women, inspires me to push every day toward my goal of owning my own business,” said Bronstad, who serves as the Mount Mary Alumnae Association Board President.

Leslye Schlack Bronstad, ‘11 Alumna

WE CELEBRATE THE BOLD WOMEN WHO INSPIRE US This woman has connections from Milwaukee to the Middle East:

KIMBERLEY MOTLEY, an audacious litigation lawyer, has worked in Afghanistan with clients ranging from Afghan women in prison to kidnap and rape victims. She has trained hundreds of Afghan attorneys and was the subject of the documentary, “Motley’s Law,” which profiled her commitment to defending clients amid dangerous circumstances.

She was also crowned Mrs. Wisconsin and competed in Mrs. America, and using this platform promoted truancy abatement issues for juveniles in the justice system.

“We all need to create a global culture of human rights and be investors in a global human rights economy, and by working in this mindset, we can significantly improve justice globally,” said Bos. Sister Linda Marie Bos School Sister of Notre Dame and chair of Mount Mary’s history program

These Leadership for Social Justice students will spend the semester engaging in service learning at Milwaukee’s Riverwest Food Pantry.

SERVICE LEARNING EXPLAINED Q: How does service learning differ from volunteering?

A: Service learning ties into an academic curriculum. For example, Leadership for Social Justice students are learning about issues – racism, classism, ageism – so when they go into the community through their group projects, their background knowledge impacts the service work.

Leadership for Social Justice students are working at the following organizations this semester:

March 14, 2018

Thank you to Brady Corp. and Johnson Controls for sponsoring programming to empower women.

If you have time to process your experience, you are progressing in your learning - not only about the issues but about yourself.

Amanda Ritchey is Mount Mary’s Director of Service Learning, which operates out of the University’s Student Success Center.

Milwaukee Women’s Center St. Ben’s Community Meal Susan G. Komen Running Rebels Voces de la Frontera Southeastern Educational Center

Save the date for Voices of Leadership:

what they saw, what they experienced and how they dealt with it or learned from it.

Journey House Riverwest Food Pantry Reflection is an important component of service learning. Service learning gives them the time to think through

THE BEST WAY TO FIND YOURSELF IS TO LOSE YOURSELF IN THE SERVICE OF OTHERS. – M AHATMA GANDHI

FALL 2017 | 13

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

LEADING LADY

LEADING LADY Tanya Keenan

ANDREA PETERSEN

WATER SCIENCE RESEARCH There are three good reasons why Andrea Petersen is almost always wearing a lab coat around Mount Mary’s Gerhardinger Center.

1.

English adjunct and Director of the Caroline Scholars Program

BY ASHLEY DUNCAN

F

resh out of her Composition class on a Thursday afternoon, Tanya Keenan heads across campus back to her office. Excited to have spent the class exploring grammar with her students, Keenan brims with enthusiasm. “I don’t think anyone else cares about grammar, but I love it!” she says. Continuing down the hallway with a beaming smile across her face, Keenan greets every person with a lively hello, often waving across a hallway or through a doorway to do so.

A member of the English faculty since 2011, Keenan has recently been named director of the Caroline Scholars program. Passionate about social justice, Keenan appreciated the directorship as an opportunity to cultivate bravery by acting as a role model for the Scholars.

The Caroline Scholars Program is a four-year scholarship program for undergraduate students with a passion for social justice. Each year, six students are selected for challenging academic work, leadership development and service learning opportunities in exchange for financial assistance that covers full tuition, room and board.

“I want to invest in them a deep ability to push beyond seeing service as just a requirement for school,” Keenan explains, “I want scholars to value service as a lifelong investment.”

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Keenan understands education has the power to transform society – as long as students know how to courageously apply their power.

During her undergraduate education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Keenan personally experienced the impact bravery can have in one’s life. During the spring semester of her junior year, her mother suffered a massive heart attack and passed away at the age of 45. “Her loss left me without words … but by walking through my fear and embracing the need to be brave, I was changed forever.”

Growing up, Keenan watched her mother actively contribute to her community. When her father accepted a position as a veterinarian with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, her parents moved from southern Missouri to Green Bay. Her mother faced down her culture shock by starting a support group for the few African-American families in the community and worked as an academic advisor at UW-Green Bay. “To this day, I still run into people who tell me of the impact she had on their lives, people of all races, backgrounds, and lifestyles,” Keenan says. “She is still my role model today.”

Ashley Duncan is a student reporter completing her junior year in Mount Mary’s Fashion Design program.

As a junior majoring in biology she is taking chemistry, zoology and genetics classes, all of which have required lab time.

2.

She is testing water samples for her employer, Stonehouse Water Technologies in Milwaukee, a company that develops water filtration systems.

3.

She is conducting her own research to develop a technique for removing parasites from water that could potentially benefit aquarium owners.

Petersen has three distinct roles, and each of them hold insight into Mount Mary’s transformative power to instill confidence, which Petersen has used to seize opportunities and take action.

Until the fall of 2016, Petersen had been studying at a larger university but decided to change to a school that could help direct her studies better and shape her career goals. Mount Mary was the perfect fit for her.

Shortly after Petersen enrolled at Mount Mary, she began an internship at Stonehouse Water Technologies which is located at the Global Water Center in Milwaukee.

The company innovated the Water POD™, a smart whole-house water purification system designed for both residential and commercial use.

involves evaluating new advanced materials capable of removing nitrates from drinking water. This work is performed at Mount Mary’s chemistry lab under the guidance of Professor Colleen Conway, Ph.D. Petersen, a long time fish hobbyist, holds a second part-time job at Aquatics Unlimited in Greenfield. It was because of her employment here that she learned about a common parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, commonly known as “ich.” This parasite, is a major problem in the fish hobbyist world. If untreated it kills almost every fish it infects. A fatal infestation of “ich” can be chemically or organically treated, but fish experts are starting to see some immunity or resilience in “ich” to these chemicals.

As Petersen worked on the nitrate project, she started to think: could she utilize her experience as a water scientist and develop a technique to eliminate these deadly parasites from fish water?

Thus she started to embark on this

parasite project to develop alternate techniques to remove “ich” from a controlled fish tank.

Petersen started this new project in the basement of the fish store, but soon moved the operations to Mount Mary where she could work under the guidance of Associate Professor Maureen Leonard, Ph.D. Early results have been promising. The parasite project is being sponsored by Mount Mary University, Stonehouse Water Technologies, and Aquatics Unlimited.

Dr. Moe Mukiibi, an internationally recognized water expert with Stonehouse, believes both the parasite project and the nitrate project could be refined to serve as the foundation for a master’s thesis. Petersen credits Mount Mary for her deep dive into water science.

“My professors gave me the confidence to set in motion my future as a professional,” Petersen said.

I KNEW I HAD IT IN ME... MOUNT MARY HAS MADE MY DREAMS COME TRUE.

Thanks to a growing partnership between Mount Mary and Stonehouse, Petersen has had the ability to conduct research which

FALL 2017 | 15

FINDING

FINDING YOUR PATH

FIND YOUR PATH

FINDING YOUR PATH

YOUR PATH in purpose and career How undecided majors become equipped with knowledge

W

“

hat’s your passion?” This deep question makes a lot of women uncomfortable, said Jena Mahne, career counselor at Mount Mary University. And that’s why she starts her career exploration class with the following declaration: We have a dysfunctional belief about passion.

M AKE A N IM PA CT Make your gift to support student scholarships, so women have the opportunity to attend Mount Mary University and fully realize their major and career potential. mtmary.edu/give

“Passion,” she explained, “is an end point. Not a starting point.”

This revelation might explain why the question seems so daunting; it’s often not until after achievement or failure does a woman realize her passions for a job or skill.

through the entire career planning process in order to prepare them CONSIDER for the reality that they will most THIS: likely do this process again in The average person works their lifetime. about 900,000 hours in her lifetime. How much

The University has other time does she spend Students in Mount Mary University’s new initiatives to help students make planning her career?

SYM 102: Majors and Career Exploration are informed choices, such as the All challenged to work through the career planning Majors Career Fair – an interactive process in order to develop an understanding of self, table fair that runs for three days during learn how to research majors and careers and develop a which students can explore major options. plan for moving ahead.

“Every student will be in a different place of their understanding of self and career aspirations,” said Mahne. She helps them to come to their own decisions.

Julia Wachuta was a first-semester freshman with an undeclared major when she took the class. The class helped sharpen her focus and affirmed her love of writing.

She joined Arches, the student newspaper, and earned an editorial award from the Milwaukee Press Club in Spring 2017 for her blog.

Now she is a sophomore majoring in English – Writing for New Media.

“I can know my major without knowing exactly what industry to work in, and I’m gaining experience [in Arches].”

The class is also connected to the University’s mission of serving the whole person. Students work

{

Another member of the class, sophomore Maribel Arista, is still weighing her major options and has it narrowed down to two. She knows she wants to help people. This class helped her realize the possibilities and that she could graduate with an undergraduate degree in sociology and then pursue multiple avenues within therapy or counseling later on.

Confident that she will find answers along her journey, Arista enjoys taking the time to consider her options.

“It’s on me to put effort in,” Arista said. “Your mentality determines your path.”

The Japanese term "ikigai" could translate to “reason for being," and it is a deep, long search within yourself that can bring about satisfaction and meaning to life. Your ikigai is at the intersection of the elements listed above.

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}

FALL 2017 | 17

GLORY DAYS

GLORY DAYS

GLORY DAYS May we see our endeavors through many seasons, until the color peaks and we can open to golden readiness, available to become who You would have us be with Your grace.

From the prayer “In Autumn,” by Sister Joan Penzenstadler, SSND, Vice President of Mission and Identity

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CELEBRATE

FALL 2017 | 19

UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT

EVENTS

FIDELIS SOCIETY:

women’s empowerment and the development of the whole person.

A LOOK AT THE WOMEN WHO HAVE PLANNED THEIR LEGACY

Mount Mary has 121 members of the Fidelis Society, donors who have already named Mount Mary for charitable support through wills, estate plans, insurance plans, trusts or other planned gifts.

WHAT IS PLANNED GIVING?

Jo Jacobi ’74

in fashion design, Jacobi worked in the sewing industry. She recently retired and occasionally teaches quilting in the metro Milwaukee area.

Marilka Velez ‘03 can recall the exact moment Today’s culture “demands articulate women she knew Mount Mary would forever who understand diversity and the complexity be in her heart: The day she was so of the world,” says Jacobi. And this is why sick she could not make it to class. she is including Mount Mary as part of her By the afternoon, she received a planned giving. handwritten note and assignments Although the process might seem for her class from the professor. daunting, both alumnae said they found it She appreciated the personalized straightforward to act upon their convictions. attention she needed to be successful, and “You don’t have to be Marilka Velez ’03 feels she has the “IF YOU’RE PASSIONATE a multi-millionaire responsibility to to start something.”

ABOUT EDUCATING give future students After meeting with a the same opportunity.

WOMEN HERE LOCALLY, representative from

the University, Jacobi decided to set up an endowed scholarship, a permanent asset that continues to grow and At the age of 35, it may seem unorthodox for Velez — MARILKA VELEZ ‘03 support students. Each to put her affairs in order; however, members of year, her endowed the Fidelis Society believe that no matter what scholarship will support students who need age, it is important to contribute to the institutions that are most aid the most. meaningful to you.

“When you educate a woman, you’re giving tenfold to future generations,” Velez believes.

IF THIS MATTERS TO YOU, THEN [PLANNED GIVING] IS A GREAT FIT.”

For Jo Jacobi ‘74, giving back has always been inspired by her mother, Anne Marie Jacobi ‘48, who was always volunteering and mentoring young leaders in Girl Scouts.

Jacobi attended all-women’s institutions from high school through college. After graduating from Mount Mary University with a degree

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Planning her gift was “an easy process,” and Velez recognizes this philanthropy as a value instilled in her at Mount Mary. As a scholarship recipient, she knows how impactful the opportunity is to attend a University that promotes

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Snapshot Saturday (bilingual, offered in Spanish) 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Contact Admissions: (414) 930-3024

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Strategies for planning ahead Inherent in all of us who have been educated in the tradition of the School Sisters of Notre Dame is the desire to leave something behind, a legacy and heritage of the things we care about deeply.

DECEMBER 2017

“If you’re passionate about educating women here locally, if this matters to you, then [planned giving] is a great fit,” Velez said.

A planned gift is a charitable gift made during a donor’s life or at death that is part of her estate or financial plan. It is commonly donated through a will or trust and can include income sources such as retirement plans, pensions, insurance policies, bank accounts or other financial gifts. Depending on the arrangement, a planned gift could offer tax breaks to a donor.

Sister Marilyn Kesler SSND, gift officer at Mount Mary, shares what are the most frequent conversations she has with donors around planned giving: Make a plan. Assembling a plan in writing now ensures assets are distributed according to your wishes. Understanding how your planned gift will impact a cause important to you will allow you to customize your gift.

Milwaukee Christmas Luncheon Café Grace, Wauwatosa, WI Contact Alumnae Department: (414) 930-3025

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Feast of the Immaculate Conception Noon, Our Lady Chapel

Chicago Christmas Luncheon The Clubhouse, Oakbrook, IL Contact Alumnae Department: (414) 930-3025

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Commencement Mass and Step Singing 6 p.m., Helfaer Hall

Winter Commencement 11 a.m., Alumnae Dining Hall

FEBRUARY 2018

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Writers on Writing: Jeanette Hurt & Jim Higgins 6:30 p.m., North Dining Room Contact English Department: 414-930-3359

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Founders Day and Honors Convocation 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m., Alumnae Dining Room

Customize. This is a personal and meaningful gift to serve your community. Your gift can further the mission of educating women who transform the world. You can help someone’s future with your gift.

APRIL 2018

Choose with intention. You can name a percentage of your gift to benefit Mount Mary.

As part of your planning, a percentage of your funds can be given to Mount Mary, among the other people and organizations named in your planned gift.

Inauguration of President Christine Pharr, Ph.D. Mount Mary University

CREO Mount Mary University

Take action. Tell us what matters most to you and we can help direct your support. A simple phone call starts the planning process; call us at (414) 930-3034 to make your planned gift or scholarship gift to support women’s education.

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Writers on the Writing: Christopher Mohar 6:30 p.m., North Dining Room Contact English Department: 414-930-3359

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MAY 2018

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Spring Commencement 11 a.m., Bloechl Center

Alumnae are always welcome to attend weekly Masses.

For a schedule, visit mtmary.edu.

Weekly Masses are generously sponsored by Therese Campos ’66.

For all of Mount Mary’s upcoming events visit mtmary.edu.

FALL 2017 | 21

ALUMNAE SPOTLIGHT

Silent no more

KUBLY WORKS TO LIFT THE STIGMA OF DEPRESSION

ALUMNAE SPOTLIGHT

AT A WOMEN’S SCHOOL YOU LEARN TO FORM MORE OF YOUR OWN IDENTITY; THAT’S HOW I WAS ABLE TO FORM SOMETHING AFTER CHARLIE DIED. BILLIE KUBLY ‘57

Just the other day at Barnes & Noble, Billie Kubly ’57 struck up a light conversation with the salesclerk.

“I told him, ‘If he told 10 friends he had the disease of depression, half of them would tell you they did, too.’”

The clerk asked, how many children do you have?

The night after his death, 25 of his friends gathered at the Kubly home “some of them took us aside and told us, ‘we have the same problem.’”

Without hesitation Billie answered, “Seven – but one died of depression.”

The clerk went on to tell Billie about her experience with a loved one. For both of them, the moment became meaningful.

In this way, conversation by conversation, Billie lifts the veil of silence around mental health.

Personal acts and philanthropic gifts support mental health, particularly for students

Charlie, Billie’s youngest, was 28 when he took his life in 2003, “a victim of stigma,” she said, because he refused to reach out or tell his friends.

Billie has been fighting the crusade ever since. She and her husband, Michael Kubly, M.D., a retired orthopedic surgeon, have sponsored local mental health education and suicide prevention efforts through the Charles E. Kubly Foundation, named in their son's honor.

Among the many recognitions for the work of the Foundation, the couple received an honorary doctor of humanities degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin

in 2016 for their work to increase accessibility to mental health resources in Wisconsin.

In August, Billie gave a personal gift of $500,000 to Mount Mary to start an endowment that will support counseling and mental health services on campus in perpetuity. This gift will be used to expand the services of the Counseling Center.

“I want to stand up and make it better for others, to fight he fight because (Charlie) couldn’t do it.

“Everybody has a purpose,” she said. “Charlie gave me my purpose.”

Billie (Wenger) Kubly ’57 graduated from Mount Mary with a major in vocal performance and a minor in education. Read about her recollections of Mount Mary at mtmary.edu/magazine.

MENTAL HEALTH AT A GLANCE professional counselors

graduate student interns

hours student service

The Counseling Center is staffed by professional counselors and graduate school interns who provide walk-in, consultation and crisis counseling. Due to a prior increase in the scope of services, the Counseling Center saw a 70 percent increase in total appointments between 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Another mental health initiative on campus is a chapter of a national advocacy organization, Active Minds, which formed last school year. The student-led organization is designed to help students present educational events, movie screenings and awareness-raising activities designed to promote mental health resources on campus.

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FALL 2017 | 23

CAMPUS NEWS

THEN & NOW

CAMPUS NEWS

National Science Foundation award establishes STEM scholar program

THIS LUNCH IS ON US

Career and leadership coach Sara Reed is presenting a series of web-based, interactive Power Lunch classes exclusively for alumnae through a new series sponsored by the office of Sara Reed Alumnae Relations.

THEN & NOW At last month’s alumnae reunion, it was quite a surprise for Debbie Hintz ’77, to walk past the colorful mural outside the Alumnae Dining Room – and find her 21-year-old self – preserved in time.

A photo of Hintz was one of a number of photos used for the montage, which was painted in 2013.

“I was shocked to see one of the new murals outside the dining room, shocked only because I’m included,” she said. “We had a May crowning in 1977, and that’s me crowning Mary.”

Hintz has written three books of prayer services and is the parish director for St. Catherine of Alexandria in Milwaukee.

She is presently on sabbatical, taking

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classes at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. An education major and theology/social studies minor at Mount Mary, she returned to campus for her 40th reunion and the Theology Department’s 50th anniversary celebration.

That day, the Theology Department marked its anniversary with a short presentation by faculty member Helga Kisler on her ongoing Biblical research. Current faculty - Donald Rappe, Shawnee Daniels-Sykes, Kisler and Sister Joan Penzenstadler, SSND, who taught in the department for 22 years - also gathered with alumnae for a reception featuring a display commemorating the work of Sister Aloysia Freund, SSND, and Sister Anne Clare Fox, SSND, and many others.

Mount Mary University was awarded a $650,000 grant from the National Science Foundation last spring to expand access to STEM careers for women and underrepresented students, with the purpose of growing the talent pool of highly skilled scientists in the Milwaukee area.

The Jewel Scholars program, named after African-American scientist and educator Jewel Plummer Cobb, enables the University to establish scholarships and programming for 18 low-income, academically talented students over the next five years.

The program is open to qualified students enrolled in biology, chemistry and the new food science chemistry program. Jewel Scholars participate in innovative 3D molecular modeling projects that develop scientific reasoning and enhance visual-spatial skills.

The program is supported by Milwaukee’s M7 Regional Economic Development Partnership, which connects Jewel Scholars with local STEM employers in water, food and beverage, and energy sectors. Local companies that have committed to support students in this program include the Kerry Group, Stonehouse Water Technologies and Promega Corp.

Mount Mary’s retention rate of 81 percent is significantly higher than the national trends, which reflect an overall challenge in maintaining women in STEM-related careers. The program is being administered under the direction of Colleen Conway, professor of chemistry, and Maureen Leonard, associate professor of biology. Laurel End, chair of the University’s psychology department, coordinates the research study of the project.

This award marks Mount Mary’s first major funding from the National Science Foundation.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1644003.

The noontime Power Lunch is about personal and professional enrichment, said Alumnae Relations Director Andrea Miller.

“After listening to our alumnae who have busy work and home lives try to juggle their schedules, the concept of the Power Lunch was developed,” she said. “We hear all the time that alumnae in the workforce struggle to get away to enrich their own lives and further themselves.

“You don’t even have to leave your desk to participate,” she said.

The upcoming noontime webinars will be held: •

Wednesday, Dec. 6: Networking 101

•

Thursday, Feb. 8: Love Yourself: Projecting the Best “You” Forward

•

Wednesday, April 11: Stop Chasing and Attract the Right Job

All of these programs are presented by Sara Reed of Moonstone Coaching.

Register for these free, 25-minute online programs at mtmary.edu/powerlunch.

FALL 2017 | 25

CAMPUS NEWS

CAMPUS NEWS

Retired SSND educators share stories with future teachers

Mount Mary, MATC announce Nursing 1-2-1 program to address regional need

At this event, she had an opportunity to meet Sister Ellen Lorenz, former president of Mount Mary, in person.

In an effort to proactively meet the regional demand for additional bachelor’s prepared nurses, Mount Mary University and Milwaukee Area Technical College have joined forces to create a unique Nursing 1-2-1 program.

“It was an amazing experience,” Gill said. “I am humbled by the life of service that she has led. She taught high school English, and so do I. We both love and taught (teach) American literature.

This program gives high school graduates and transfer students an opportunity to earn an Associate Degree in Nursing, licensure as a Registered Nurse and then seamlessly move to completing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree within four years. By leveraging the skills and expertise of both institutions, the Nursing 1-2-1 program offers lower cost per credit than regional competitors offering similar degrees.

Elisabeth Stoeger, left, is working on her post-baccalaureate certificate in education and recently met with longtime teacher S. Lawrence Marie Brauer to discuss teaching strategies. Stoeger is currently an educational assistant at Milwaukee’s German Immersion School.

Students take prerequisite and general education courses in year one of the program at Mount Mary; two years of study take place at MATC’s Downtown Milwaukee campus to complete an Associate Degree in Nursing and licensure as a Registered Nurse; and one final year takes place at Mount Mary to complete the bachelor of science in nursing degree. The program is open to high school graduates and transfer students (women only).

Students from Deb Dosemagen’s Instructional Assessment class conducted an oral history project this fall, interviewing retired teachers from the School Sisters of Notre Dame at the motherhouse in Elm Grove.

Students entering the Nursing 1-2-1 program can enjoy the full range of benefits associated with both Mount Mary and MATC, including the option of living on the Mount Mary campus.

Each student was paired with a teacher who taught at the same grade level or content area.

“I was so impressed with their level of engagement, there was a real exchange,” Dosemagen said.

This partnership is one of several steps that Mount Mary is taking to respond to a critical employment need. Nurses are increasingly required to advance in leadership positions, and earning a bachelor’s degree will advance nurses who will work together mtmary.edu/ as part of interdisciplinary teams of medical professionals.

Among the six students is Christine Gill, who is working on her post-baccalaureate certificate and teaches English at Dominican High School. She is the recipient of the University’s Lorenz Endowed Scholarship, given to student teachers, to be used during the student teaching semester.

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for your belief in our Mount Mary mission and your support of our students.

2017-18

Nursing121

We give THANKS to our donors and partners

“Sister Ellen and the rest of the school sisters were an absolute delight,” Gill said. “They’re spunky, funny, and strong ladies, and we did a lot of laughing with them while we learned about their lives and our common experiences. We’re so lucky to be associated with them.”

FUNDRAISING HIGHLIGHTS

Bring on the bold.

Nominate an outstanding alum who emphasizes community leadership or professional excellence.

For details on the Madonna Medal and Tower Award nomination process, visit mtmary.edu/nominate. The Alumnae Awards Night will be held on June 7, 2018.

This is the start of many more good things to come! As the need for student support continues to grow, we ask that you consider supporting student learning and scholarships.

$90,000

The 2017-18 fiscal year, which to support student scholarships and program improvements BEQUESTS began July 1, has already seen robust growth. Donors are to support students' personal needs in times of crisis directly impacting students and DASH GRANT academic programs by investing in the mission of Mount Mary. Here to begin an endowed fund for faculty enrichment are some of the wonderful highlights GIFT that we, thanks to our generous Hope Emergency Fund, which helps pay tuition, room and board during students' unexpected financial need donors, are have already achieved.

$84,000

$76,974

$50,000 GIFT

$500

THOUSAND

Watch for opportunities for greater engagement as we refresh,

for a new endowed fund to renew and support mental health services continue on for Mount Mary students course for a on campus strong future.

FALL 2017 | 27

ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACCOLADES

ACHIEVEMENTS

ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACCOLADES

ACCOLADES

This section highlights recent noteworthy accomplishments and awards of the Mount Mary University faculty, staff and students.

FACULTY AND STAFF Jordan Anderson, Chair, Art and Graphic Design and Josh Anderson, Art and Design,

exhibited their work in a regional group exhibit entitled “A Tiny Rivulet in the Distance Forest,” held this summer at ArtStart in Rhinelander, Wis. A total of 23 artists with Midwestern ties, whose work deals with the nature of matter, sensation, perception, reaction, consciousness and joy, participated in the exhibit.

Erickajoy Daniels,

who serves on Mount Mary’s Board of Trustees, was honored as a 2017 Woman of Influence by the Milwaukee Business Journal for her inspirational leadership.

She is a senior vice president at Aurora Health Care.

ROOTED IN PARTNERSHIP While at a conference in Wittenberg, Germany, Jennifer Hockenberry Dragseth, Philosophy, and her family served as ambassadors from the Milwaukee Archdiocese and the South Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which together gave money to Wittenberg’s Luther Garden.

Some 500 trees are being planted in this garden to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The family held a prayer service as they planted a Linden tree, symbolizing the support of Milwaukee’s Roman Catholics and ELCA Lutherans working together in ecumenical partnership.

Read more at

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mtmary.edu/magazine.

Shawnee Daniels Sykes, Theology, and secretary of

the Black Catholic Theological Symposium, was quoted in the National Catholic Reporter when the Black Catholic Theological Symposium and the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians in the United States issued a joint condemnation of racist and anti-immigrant sentiment and actions, “A Statement Regarding the Most Recent Surge in Racist Hate Crimes in the United States.”

This article can be found at mtmary.edu/

magazine.

Deb Dosemagen, Education, and Wendy Weaver, Dean for Academic Affairs, facilitated

Design Thinking workshops on campus for faculty, staff and administrators to engage the campus community in generating ideas on enhancing the summer experience at Mount Mary and increasing enrollment during the summer months.

Jennifer Hockenberry Dragseth, Philosophy,

presented a paper, “The LordServant Dialectic as Leitmotif in Continental and American philosophy after Luther,” at the International Congress for Luther Research in Wittenberg, Germany.

Trish Kuehnl, Fashion Merchandising, joined the advisory board for the Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Fashion Marketing program.

Nan Metzger, Director of International Studies, attended

the following conferences over the summer: Our City of Nations Conference on serving immigrant and refugee populations, held at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies Summer Institute, which focused on Cuba, at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; and the biennial conference of the National Association of Fellowship Advisors in Philadelphia.

—

Pat Kempen, MS, RDN, CD, Dietetics and students in her

Food and Nutrition Management class submitted an abstract and were selected to present at a poster session at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) in October at the McCormick Place in Chicago. The presentation detailed their research collaboration with Lynne Kurz ’82, MS RD CD, System Clinical Manager, Aurora Healthcare. Students looked at the application of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Staffing Model to determine appropriate clinical nutrition staffing at eight Aurora medical centers.

A gigantic study abroad experience

Terri Jashinsky, Counseling,

has been inducted into the University of Minnesota’s Golden Gopher M Club Hall of Fame Class of 2017 for her accomplishments in women’s swimming. She is a 12-time All-American (the second-most in program history at that time), and Big Ten champ. Member of the program’s first two Big Ten championship teams.

Terri Jashinsky, Counseling, and Elysium Pajhuab, Mathematics, received the University’s

2017 Teaching Excellence Awards during the AllUniversity Workshop in August. This award, given to one full-time and one part-time member of the faculty, is based upon recommendations by students and fellow faculty members.

I TAUGHT THE SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN THINGS LIKE ARTS AND CRAFTS, GAMES AND SPORTS, DANCING, AND CULTURAL STORYTELLING. IT WAS HANDS-DOWN THE GREATEST FIVE WEEKS OF MY ENTIRE LIFE AND I AM ALREADY PLANNING TO GO BACK AND INTERN FOR VISION AFRIKA AGAIN.

— L EXI WOERISHOFER, HEALTH COMMUNICATIONS, ON HER SUMMER INTERNSHIP AND STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE IN KAYAMANDI, SOUTH AFRICA

FALL 2017 | 29

ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACCOLADES

ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACCOLADES

WHEN IN SCOTLAND . . .

A trip to the final resting place of philosopher and economist Adam Smith was a must for business professor Kristin Roche. The author of “Wealth of Nations,” the first modern work of economics, is buried in Canongate Churchyard in Edinburgh.

Roche traveled this summer to Scotland to present a paper at the annual conference of the Scottish Economic Society.

DOCTORAL ART THERAPY STUDENTS IN ACTION Student journalists named national award finalists

Art Therapy doctoral students were active in projects in their home communities throughout the country:

Zoe Armstrong received an $85,000 grant

from the Yukon Health and Social Services agency, in addition to a grant from a local arts council, to develop transgender and gender non-conforming sensitivity counseling services in her community of Whitehorse, Northwest Territories in Canada.

Sandrea Smith and Emily Chapman ’17 were named finalists for two national awards by the Associated Collegiate Press:

STORY OF THE YEAR Editorial/Opinion:

Sandrea Smith for “Appropriate or Appropriation?” This piece was written as part of her Native Voice column, which focuses on contemporary issues facing Native Americans.

Oihika Chakabarti of Kolkata, India, is leading a coalition

effort of Indian art therapists to create India’s first art therapy professional organization and set the standards for training and practice in that country.

Steven Frazier began volunteering at the

ADVERTISING AWARD

Foro Penal School in Caracas, Venezuela as part of an expansion of mental health services to children of incarcerated families.

Emily Chapman for her design for the University’s study abroad program.

For her doctoral research, Liz Hlavek is interviewing some of the last surviving artists of the Holocaust.

Display Ad: Emily Nolan, Art Therapy, was recently featured in the American Art Therapy Association’s (AATA) newsletter. Nolan is also serving as president of the Wisconsin Art Therapy Association (WATA).

Kristen Roche, Business, received an $800 grant from the Mount Mary Development Committee to present a cross-cohort analysis of young workers from the largest two living generations at the annual conference of the Scottish Economic Society in spring 2017. The paper’s findings suggest that a college degree plays a larger role in determining earnings for young working millennials than it did for young working baby boomers, yet millennials face a labor market with greater income inequality.

Victoria Sepulveda, Counseling, has been elected as the President of the Wisconsin Counseling Association.

Tis

n e o h s a e T S

ALUMNAE CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON

SAVE THE DATE: Milwaukee 12/5 • Chicago 12/12

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STUDENTS

Lauren Leone received a seed money grant from the Somerville

Mya Bennet was quoted in onmilwaukee.com about her

internship with Artists Working in Education (A.W.E.) Truck Studio program, which brought mobile art studios to Milwaukee County Parks over the summer. “Working with kids at the parks really solidified my choice of careers, and it made me realize that art can be more than a hobby,” she said.

Margaret Dishaw, Occupational Therapy, won a $1,000 national essay contest on Fireside Essay Scholarship Contest on the role of faith in her life. She is in her first year at Mount Mary. At the time of the scholarship she was attending Lourdes Academy in Oshkosh.

Krystin Kantenwein, Graduate English, received the most

recent New Writer Scholarship, awarded to incoming students by the Graduate Program in English for an excellent academic record and outstanding application to the program.

Lexi Woerishofer, Health Communications, received a

federal scholarship, the Benjamin A. Gilman study abroad scholarship, to study in South Africa. While she was there, she completed a communications internship as a volunteer for Vision Afrika.

This accomplishment is significant for a small school such as Mount Mary, as students compete against nominees from established journalism programs from across the country.

“We truly do have one of the best journalism programs in the state — and the nation,” said faculty advisor Laura Otto. “For a small school that doesn’t even have a formal journalism major, this is quite a feat.”

See these nationally recognized entries at

mtmary.edu/magazine.

Arts Council to develop a community arts studio in Boston, Mass.

The “Fiber Hive” is a community crafting collective that engages in local social action.

Michelle Harris Napoli, a Coastal Miwork tribal member in

California, is doing art-based community research with her tribe’s cultural initiatives, including the restoration of their native language beyond the very few members who still speak it.

Jessica Stallings, ATR-BC, LPC, AS, received the prestigious

2017 Rawley Silver Research Award from the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) for her research on the impact of art therapy for students with autism spectrum disorder. She is an associate professor in counselor education at emporia state university in Kansas.

Celebrate with us

Share your weddings, births and significant milestones with the Mount Mary community.

Send us your update (and a photo, if you’d like). You can fill out the online form at mtmary.edu/magazine or send an email to mmu-alumnae@mtmary.edu.

Nora Olson ’14 married Adam Raml in August, 2016 at the Heidel House Resort in Green Lake, Wis.

FALL 2017 | 31

CLASS NOTES Zecilia Alamillo-Roman ’17,

Anne Blanke ‘05, has been promoted to owner and principal of

received the 2017 Student Leader Award by the Hispanic Professionals of Greater Wisconsin for her work as the student president of Mount Mary’s chapter of the HPGM. Currently, Alamillo-Roman works as a mentor with College Possible at St. Anthony School and St. Thomas Moore schools in Milwaukee. The HPGM connects and unites Hispanic professionals, the community and students, and serves over 2,000 members.

Abacus Architects. The firm’s first employee after it was founded by the partners, Anne is also a certified LEED Accredited Professional to assist clients with energy and environmentally conscious design.

The company is located in Milwaukee.

Mary Andrus ’17, was instrumental in helping

Therese Campos ’66, has sponsored weekly Wednesday Masses

to pass Oregon House Bill 2434, which provides art therapy licensing and title protection for credentialed professionals in in the state of Oregon. It was signed into law by Governor Kate Brown in late May. Andrus is the past-president of the Illinois Art Therapy Association and is currently the art therapy counseling program director at Marylhurst University in Marylhurst, Ore.

Anne Brannon ‘88, has joined Johnson Bank as an assistant vice president, senior loan officer.

She is also the president of the Waukesha Chamber of Commerce.

Christi Breunig ‘92, has been hired as an English teacher at Mount Horeb High School. She has taught in Milwaukee and Blanchardville, Wis. at Our Lady Chapel for the 2017-18 year.

Pat DeGroot ’64, was profiled in the Green

Bay Compass for her volunteer work at Tamar Biblical Park in Israel. She was also profiled in the online version of the Mount Mary Magazine for her extensive volunteer work on behalf of organizations in Green Bay, Israel and Uganda.

Read more at mtmary.edu/magazine.

Stacie Anthony ‘98, exhibited

her work, “Winged Woman Art,” at the Viroqua Healing Arts Center. A jewelry designer and artist, her paintings most often begin as preliminary sketches for her jewelry creations. Anthony has exhibited nationally, and is the owner of Gary’s Rock Shop in downtown Viroqua.

Tonya (Smith) Dybdahl ’01, accepted a position as Facilities

Management Specialist at The Department of Health Services in Milwaukee.

Melissa Ebel ‘06, senior designer for the Muk Luks brand of shoes

and accessories, was profiled in M Magazine. Ebel develops knits for the brand’s footwear and accessories for women, men and children.

Read more at mtmary.edu/magazine.

CLASS NOTES

RUNNING THE RUNWAYS Mount Mary alums present a creative force at Milwaukee Fashion Week

For three days in mid-September, the city’s fashion enthusiasts pack the room for Milwaukee Fashion Week, the annual display of the city’s most vibrant styles.

Nearly half of this year’s designers were Mount Mary alumnae; many of the behind-the-scenes volunteers involved were Mount Mary students and alumnae as well.

“I was very proud to see MMU Fashion Design alums showcase their work,” said Sarah Eichhorn, interim chair of Mount Mary’s fashion department. “We want the greater Milwaukee community to continue to recognize Mount Mary for the industry standards and creativity we instill in our students.”

• Laura Bavlnka ‘14 • Sarah Corlett ‘14 • Allison Jarrett ‘13 • Duyen Nguyen ‘17 • Emily Ristow ‘15 • Tamara Sanchez ‘17 • Tori Sterr ‘16

• Melissa (Dailey) Thompson ‘01 • Angela Vang ‘17 • Elyse Walton ‘16 • Jordan Weber ‘14 • Panya Xiong ‘17

TOP PHOTO BY SAMANTHA GRANDLICH | BOTTOM PHOTO BY ERIN C. PETERSEN

During Milwaukee Fashion Week, Laura Bavlnka ‘14, launched her self-produced label, BAVLNKAbrand, both in greater Milwaukee area and online.

Also in step with the city’s fashion week, fashion entrepreneur Sydney Deutsch ’11, hosted her annual fashion show outside her boutique, Hyde Park MKE.

“I’ve always wanted to be a fashion designer, and what I learned at Mount Mary gave me the technical skills I needed to execute my designs,” Bavlnka said.

Held directly outside her shop, at 68th and Wells Street in Wauwatosa, Deutsch gets permission from city planners to close off the sidewalks and sets up rows of chairs to enclose a runway.

PRODUCER

Deutsch, also an adjunct in Mount Mary’s Fashion Department, has revolutionized her family’s dry-cleaning business, Hyde Park MKE, and turned it into a modern fashion hub.

Deutsch’s experience in the Fashion Show Coordination class at Mount Mary inspired and empowered her to pull off her own show as a fashion professional.

WOMEN DID INTERESTING THINGS IN THE SERVICE, AND I THINK THEY KIND OF UNDERESTIMATED US. PEOPLE ... CAN’T BELIEVE THAT I WAS A COLONEL.

LAURA BAVLNKA ‘14

Designers included:

SYDNEY DEUTSCH ‘11

DESIGNER

“The class gave me the production skills to be able to do this.”

— A NNE FRITSCH ‘48

Anne Fritsch ’48, enlisted in the Army in 1951; she was deployed twice during the

For a roundup of events inspired

by Milwaukee Fashion Week, visit mtmary.edu/magazine.

Vietnam War. Fritsch was discharged in 1983 with the rank of a colonel and as a recipient of the Legion of Merit. To read more about Anne, including an oral history of her career by the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, visit mtmary.edu/magazine.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS KIPP

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FALL 2017 | 33

CLASS NOTES

IN MEMORIAM

Sister Mary Lucy Edelbeck ‘51, celebrated

her 75th jubilee as a Racine Dominican Sister.

She has taught high school and college courses at schools in Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois, including St. Catherine’s High School and Dominican College in Racine. She has served in parish and neighborhood ministry in Milwaukee and has also designed greeting cards to highlight the role of women in the church.

Krystal Blankinship Finkbeiner ’99, has joined Old National Bank, Brookfield, as vice president of private banking. She has been in banking for nearly 20 years.

Ann Fritsch ’48, who served as an

occupational therapist and physical therapist in the U.S. Army Medical Specialist Corps, participated in an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. in September with a group of Vietnam veterans. She was featured in a story in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Read more at mtmary.edu/magazine.

A book by Debra Leea Glasheen ‘15, was released this summer by Montag Press of Oakland, CA. “Backbiters” is a young adult dystopian novel available at a number of independent booksellers in Wisconsin and Minnesota, on Amazon and at debraleeaglasheen.com.

Susan Hansen ‘72, who recently opened

the Family Mediation Center in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward, was profiled in the “C-Level” business news column of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in August.

She is an attorney with Hansel & Hildebrand S.C.

Be part of our creative conversations. Like and follow us

Anna Hiscox ’17, presented an in-service

training to women’s advocates of mental health in the California prison system. The presentation detailed on art-based interventions into domestic violence.

Kathleen Kaufman ’86, (Art Therapy certificate

program) was profiled in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for her four-day summer camp in Oconomowoc for children on the autism spectrum. She operates this camp through her Healing Through Art studio. She is also a supervisor in Mount Mary’s art therapy program.

Myjolynne “Mymy” Kim ‘04, was a keynote speaker at

the 11th annual Conference of the European Society for Oceanists conference in Munich, Germany, in June.

At the conference, her presentation focused on Pacific women and the environment. She is a Ph.D. candidate in Pacific History at the School of Culture, History and Language at The Australian National University in Canberra. Learn more about Mymy’s research at mtmary.edu/magazine.

Leona Knobloch-Nelson ‘14, joined Vision

Forward, Milwaukee as the director of development and sustainability. Her work at Vision Forward will focus on stewarding relationships with supporters and community partners, allowing Vision Forward to continue carrying out its mission of empowering individuals of all ages with vision loss through all of life’s transitions.

Malika Lor ‘12, was profiled in the September 2017 issue of M Magazine for her new line of Hmonginspired special occasion wear and custom-made wedding dresses. Lor is also a fashion designer and product quality analyst at Harley-Davidson.

Mlfashiondesign.com

Stephanie (Schleicher) McGee, ’94, Executive

Creative Director for Fingerpaint Marketing in Conshohocken, Penn., was named one of the 100 most inspirational, motivational and transformative individuals in the life-sciences industry in 2017 by PharmaVOICE magazine. According to a news release, “McGee’s body of work has had a singular focus: memorable campaigns backed by a greater purpose to improve lives and augment the health of those who need it most.” Read more at mtmary.edu/magazine.

Serena Majeski ’17, was featured in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s coverage of May 2017 graduation.

Angela Rutkowski ‘97, has joined

the Chilton School District as the district’s occupational therapist.

She has previously served in the role in the Manitowoc and Menasha school districts and at the Calumet Medical Center.

Jessica Schnur ‘14, has published a short novel,

1943 Lorraine Marquardt Kraus on July 1, 2016 1945 Elaine Steinhafel Birck on May 29, 2017 1945 Anita Conrad Heffernan on August 19, 2017 1947 Marie Gerrity Geary on March 17, 2014 1948 Maribeth Barry Price on December 26, 2016 1948 Rosemary Singer Protz on January 5, 2017 1949 Colleen Jacobson on June 14, 2017 1949 Sister Mary Levitske, SSND on May 12, 2016 1950 Mary McHugh Klein on March 30, 2017 1952 Sister Mary Alice Chineworth on June 17, 2017 1952 Kathleen Conery on February 22, 2017 1952 Sister Mary J.M. Knybel, SSND on March 14, 2017

Ashleigh Spitza, RD, ‘15, writes for the Children’s

1955 Sister Mary Fraher, SSND on December 19, 2016

Hospital of Wisconsin blog and is a frequent contributor to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s food section.

To view some of her work, including her strategies for reducing a family’s sugar intake, visit mtmary.edu/

magazine.

Contemporary Threads exhibit at the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend. She also taught a class at the museum in upcycling, guiding participants to modify, embellish and transform old garments into something completely new.

Shannon Venegas ’10 and ‘16, has been hired by

the East Troy Community School District as an English teacher at the high school.

Kalina Ziller ’15 and ‘16, has joined the staff of

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1942 Virginia Schmitt Feind on March 22, 2006

“Behind the Wall,” through Orange Hat Publishing.

The novel explores how our secrets can make us a victim and how we make the choice to live, in spite of our troubles.

Sara Terrell, ’17, displayed garments in the

Instagram (@mountmaryuniversity) and SnapChat (mountmaryu)

IN MEMORIAM

Playroom Pediatrics and Playroom Pediatric Therapy in Racine, Wis.

1953 Margaret Niles Mitten on July 9, 2017 1953 Celine Meler Stanly on September 20, 2016 1953 Patricia Baker Wagner on August 28, 2017 1957 Armela Jablonowski Hammes on June 1, 2017 1957 Donna Fenn Rice on May 6, 2017 1959 Mary Derr on May 20, 2017 1960 Leola Leochelt Jacobson on July 11, 2017 1963 Bonnie Hansen Baines on February 28, 2017 1964 Marilee Toman on June 2, 2016 1965 Sister Mary Brumm Cieminski, SSND on March 30, 2017 1965 Eilzabeth DeGuere Wipperman on May 9, 2017 1966 Sister Patricia McCusker, SSND on April 6, 2017 1966 Sandra Anne Mertes on Oct. 8, 2017 1966 Sister Mary Richard, SSND on February 10, 2017 1974 Susan Jirik Joachim on August 28, 2017 1979 Barbra Dexter on August 14, 2016 1988 Kathryn Ann Joys on September 11, 2013 2001 Clairese Thibaudeau Hunnekens on May 6, 2017

FALL 2017 | 35

REFLECTION

REFLECTION

By Sister Joan Penzenstadler, SSND, Vice President for Mission and Identity What is college for? Here at Mount Mary University, our probing of this question has been encouraged by discussions around a book titled "At This Time and in This Place," edited by David Cunningham. Through our conversations, our commitment to educate the heart as well as the mind has been reinforced. Not only is virtus et scientia the motto of Mount Mary (and the entire SSND education tradition), but a particular premise of higher education is that the character of society is profoundly influenced by the social, cultural and spiritual development of students graduating from our colleges and universities. When the whole human being flourishes, society as a whole is enriched.

Besides questions about the most suitable major or best job opportunities, there are other questions within our students that need time to be brought to the surface.

Certainly work is a concern, but as Cunningham points out, our college students face an array of obstacles and opportunities beyond work that will shape the course of their lives.

sister joan penzenstadler philanthropic, and religious institutions will receive my time and attention? How will l be affected by the increasingly global nature of concerns? How can I make decisions for my future when everything is changing so rapidly?

The purpose for which Mount Mary was founded is reflected in the extensive efforts on this campus of those who go beyond career preparation and listen to students voicing their fears and their dreams, their challenges and their deepest desires (see page 16). As a “The work of educating today is practical, pressured Catholic university for women, we have a distinct and involves messy work with young people MISSION: opportunity to hold our students’ questioning navigating a damaged, fractured, digitized and To help students realize in a vessel of hope. It is our charge to help that the development often dehumanizing culture,” Caryn Riswold students realize that the development of their of their gifts is meant to writes in the book mentioned above. gifts is meant to serve a purpose beyond the serve a purpose beyond self. the self.

Life’s deepest questions need to be cultivated through time and in a conducive environment: What sort of person am I becoming? What are my choices about where and with whom I will live? How will I engage in the economic and political systems that will govern and limit me? What sorts of civic,

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In light of the work that takes place at this University, one might say that the distinct purpose of Mount Mary is to encourage and empower students to find theirs.

YOUR YEAR-END GIFT makes transformation POSSIBLE Through competence, compassion, community and commitment, students go on to make an impact on their world and our communities.

Some opportunities include: IRA charitable distribution

TRUE BLUE monthly giving

FIDELIS SOCIETY legacy giving ANNUAL GIVING cash, stocks and matching gifts LEARN MORE AT MTMARY.EDU/GIVE, (414) 930-3034.

Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Milwaukee, WI Permit No. 340 2900 North Menomonee River Parkway Milwaukee, WI 53222-4597 mtmary.edu

Three quilted panels, with symbols rich in our history, now hang in the foyer of Haggerty Library. The tapestry commemorates the enduring spirit of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.