Alum ni Spotlights We ar e thr illed to announce that Ber nadette Raspante '17, has j oined the CTU advancement team as par t- time Alumni Coor dinator . Ber nadette was a Ber nar din Scholar at CTU and uniquely qualified to fulfill this impor tant r ole. We ar e committed to a new way of r elating to you, our alumni, and pr oviding you with r elevant communications, for mation oppor tunities, networ king and r esour ces. Stay tuned and stay in touch!
Bernadette Ras pante, MA Theology ' 17 CTU Alumni Coordinator I am pleased to introduce myself to you as the new Alumni Coordinator. As a Southside Chicago native, studying theology at CTU had long been a dream of mine. I studied theatre and theology as an undergrad in the bluffs of Winona at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota and fell in love with Catholic Social Teaching, Philosophy, and Feminist Theology. Over the course of a few summers I worked in the Development Office here at CTU doing data entry and sneaking up to the library to devour all the theology I could during my lunch breaks. After a whirlwind of four years performing, directing, working in Campus Ministry, and doing service in Winona I was admitted to the Women and Gender Studies MA program at Loyola University Chicago where I used all of my electives to take courses in theology while working as a nanny to pay rent. Immediately following the completion of that degree, I began the Theology MA program at CTU as a Bernardin Scholar. The Bernardin Center and CTU stood out to me among other theology programs for the focus on ministry and praxis alongside academic experiences taught by world class scholars. I feel so lucky to have learned from so many wonderful and loving people like the professors at CTU and my fellow students. I currently reside in Andersonville on the Northside, but am a Southsider at heart (Beverly born and raised). During the academic year I teach theology at Loyola Academy to freshmen and juniors and use my theatrical background to design and build the costumes and props for the school plays. The high schoolers keep me on my toes! This Alumni Coordinator position is parttime in theory, but giving back to CTU is something that I have been excited to do since I began studying here. I have big ideas for what our Alumni Network (think of how much of the globe we cover!) and this position can be. I'll begin my work by listening to your responses from the recent Alumni Survey, stay tuned for some programming and benefits that you had a voice in creating. I hope you are as excited for this new step as I am. Please don't hesitate to contact me with your ideas or questions at braspante@ctu.edu. I am happy to be your liaison!
Cynthia ( Sam ) Bowns , MDiv ' 15 Ministr y in Retir ement Many of you know Sam Bowns as a classmate and former employee of CTU. With her infectious smile and laughter, Sam would brighten the hallways and the Atrium with her presence. Also of note were her intricately detailed holiday displays in her Development Office cubicle. Recently, having retired from her position at CTU, Sam has become quite the activist for the ordination of Women Deacons. Sam has been invited to speak about Mary Magdalene at multiple parishes throughout the Midwest this summer and has been approached to do some more preaching in the Archdiocese at future dates. In September, Sam has been asked to co-facilitate retreat in San Francisco for those interested in "Women's Restoration to the Diaconate." Sam did an hour long presentation and a Q&A last year at the first retreat of this kind in Cleveland. If you are interested in Sam's own vocation and activism towards Women's Diaconate, read the article "Catholic Women Preach Project Showcases Women Preachers via Modern Technology" recently published in the National Catholic Reporter that prominently features Sam's journey as well as in this PBS on the same topic.