The Torch | Spring 2023

SPRING 2023 DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

News and features about and for the Dominican community

Building Dominican page 13

Dive deep into the history and traditions of Dominican’s iconic buildings THE TORCH | SPRING 2023

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Meadowlands steps, circa 1980s

DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

Spring 2023

In This Issue

1 Letter from the President 2 News 3 Groundbreaking Ceremony Launches Center for the Dominican Experience

The Torch The Torch is a publication presenting the news, people and progress of Dominican University of California. The symbol of the flaming torch, representing truth, is rooted in the history of St. Dominic.

The University’s motto is “Truth is a flaming torch.” The torch is carried by one of the “hounds of the Lord,” or, in Latin, “Domini canes.”

President Nicola Pitchford, PhD

7 Reunited and It Feels So Good: Reunion Weekend 2022

9 Nicola Pitchford Inaugurated

As Dominican’s 10th President

13 Building Dominican 32 Alumni News 37 Class Notes 39 In Sympathy

Lead Editor Jessica Jordan

Art Direction/ Production Margaret Wylie

Editors Sarah Gardner Victoria Grajeda Yvette Koth

Writers Dave Albee Sarah Gardner Victoria Grajeda Jessica Jordan Louis Knecht Tricia Lacy Jaime Libby Holly Werly

Photographers Dave Albee Martin Klimek Stuart Lirette Dia Rao

Published By Dominican University of California 50 Acacia Ave. San Rafael, CA 94901 (415) 257-1396 dominican.edu

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear friends, Fences are up and construction is underway. We are renovating our beloved Archbishop Alemany Library. In this issue of The Torch, you’ll read about the transformation of the Library’s east wing into the Center for the Dominican Experience, the physical incarnation of our signature approach to holistic student support.

What a thrill it is to see this vision unfold. We are awed and inspired by the generosity of our donor community, whose support makes possible this continuing work—advancing our mission and educational equity for a population of learners who are brilliantly diverse in their identities, their backgrounds, their stories, their talents and their trajectories.

In the spirit of transformation (and knowing that alumni will enjoy, as we do, poring over campus images and consuming little-known facts), we’re devoting this issue to Meadowlands, Angelico, Guzman, Fanjeaux, and all the other precious buildings that have been the canvas for Dominican stories through the decades.

Aside from our enduring mission, this campus has been the most constant throughline in our institution’s history since 1889. As the times changed around and inside it, this eclectic collection of structures — wide-ranging in their style, function and presence — have stood strong.

“I saw the campus and knew this is where I wanted to be,” is a common refrain of current students and alumni. I felt that way myself, and still feel it now. We value this extraordinary setting for its unique charisma, which may have (recently or many years ago) endeared you to this little paradise north of San Francisco and started you on your own Dominican journey. May it bring you back to us whenever you’re in the neighborhood.

Warmest regards,

Nicola Pitchford President

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NEWS

Dr. Carl Garrubba Named Dean of School of Health and Natural Sciences

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r. Carl Garrubba was appointed dean of Dominican University of California’s School of Health and Natural Sciences (HNS) in June 2022. He brings to the position a strong background in strategic financial and budgetary planning, as well as leadership roles in higher education management and healthcare.

For the past five years, Dr. Garrubba has been integral to Dominican’s Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program, serving as professor, program director and chair.

“Dr. Carl Garrubba has an uncommon background in business, administration, healthcare and academia that indicates his being uniquely qualified for this dean’s position,” said Dr. Mojgan Behmand, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty.

“He has demonstrated extensive management skills and accreditation experience.”

Dr. Garrubba’s appointment began July 1, 2022. He succeeded Dr. Ruth Ramsey, who retired in June 2022 after almost 20 years of service to Dominican.

“I am humbled and honored to be accepting this appointment of dean of Health and Natural Sciences,” Dr. Garrubba said. “I look forward to furthering the excellent work that dean Ramsey

has completed during her tenure and uncovering new opportunities to advance HNS and the University.”

As Dean, Dr. Garrubba will oversee undergraduate programs in biological sciences, chemistry and biochemistry, global public health, health science/pre-occupational therapy, mathematics, and nursing. Graduate programs include the Master of Science in Biological Sciences program offered in partnership with BioMarin and the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, as well as counseling psychology, physician assistant studies and occupational therapy.

Dr. Garrubba has been a certified physician assistant for 27 years and has served on the national Physician Assistant Education Association Board for the past eight years. Before joining Dominican, he was director of the physician assistant program at Chatham University. He has worked as a physician assistant at the University of California Los Angeles and the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Garrubba’s clinical experience at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) included thoracic surgery and HIV medicine and research. While working at UPMC, he was named co-investigator on several HIV clinical trials.

Before embarking on a career as a physician assistant, Dr. Garrubba was a financial analyst and a certified public accountant. He earned a Doctor of Medical Science degree from the University of Lynchburg and a Master of Physician Assistant Studies from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. He received a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Duquesne in 1986 and his certified public accountant license in 1988.

Congratulations, Dr. Garrubba!

Dominican Ranked Among Top Universities In West

By U.S. News & World Report

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ominican University of California has been named among the top 20 regional universities in the West by U.S. News & World Report in its annual ranking of universities and colleges in the United States.

In addition, Dominican came out on top in many U.S. News & World Report individual lists, including:

The University jumped five spots to No. 18 in the Best Regional Universities (West) category of the U.S. News & World Report 2022-2023 Best Colleges guide. The ranking reflects Dominican’s strength in several categories, including graduation and retention rates, student selectivity and alumni giving.

• No. 6 in the Western Universities region for Ethnic Diversity

This is the first time the University has cracked the top 20 spot in the western region, which includes California, Oregon, Washington, Texas, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Hawaii, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Alaska. Regional universities provide a full range of undergraduate and master's programs.

• No. 2 in the Western Universities region for A+ Schools for B Students • No. 21 in the Western Universities region for Best Value Strong graduation and retention rates, combined with Dominican’s small class sizes and the academic strength of the incoming students class — almost 50 percent of last year’s first-year class graduated in the top 25 percent of their high school class — all contributed to this year’s ranking.

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NEWS

Groundbreaking Ceremony Launches Center for the Dominican Experience

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ominican University of California broke ground in May on the Center for the Dominican Experience, scheduled to open in summer 2023. The dynamic academic and social hub will enhance connections and collaboration between Dominican’s tight-knit community of students, faculty and staff.

Located within the Archbishop Alemany Library, the John F. Boneparth Center will be home to the Dominican Experience, the University’s nationally-recognized educational model that facilitates social mobility through equitable access to connections and experiences for all students, regardless of background or social capital.

“Building the Center for the Dominican Experience will give the campus a physical space to host the distinctive educational model that supports all our students' success, serves as a driver of educational equity, and strengthens our links to our community,” said Dominican President Nicola Pitchford. “The Center will expand on the crucial role the library has always played as a focal space for teaching and learning, mentoring, group study, and for students and community to gather.”

The two-story facility will incorporate centralized student service offices, smart classrooms, conference rooms, a digital portfolio lab, a spacious learning commons and art gallery, and a new outdoor learning plaza.

Many of these spaces were made possible by generous donors, including the Susan & Dennis Gilardi Center for Community Engagement & Partnerships; the Fletcher Jones Digital Portfolio Lab; the Mary B. Marcy Center for Advising & Mentorship; and the Barbara D. Goodman Gallery.

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Thus far, the University has raised about $7.5 million toward an $8 million goal to build the Center. Its design, created by HY Architects, features interior glass walls that will let light pour into the center of the existing library building, and a new entrance on the south side to connect the residence halls to Dominican’s academic core. Contractor Alten Construction and project manager Pound Management Inc. will bring the design to life.

“The Center will be an architectural incarnation of the Dominican Experience,” President Pitchford said, “hosting meetings with integrative coaches and mentors, providing space for group projects, and putting all student services at arm’s reach.”

Above all, she added, it will serve as a community-building space to welcome students, faculty, staff and community partners to come together at the heart of Dominican’s campus.

“This groundbreaking represents more than a decade of focused planning and innovation around a clear purpose: delivering Dominican students the very best, most accessible, most inclusive, most integrated, most holistic college experience we can,” President Pitchford said.

“I’m so grateful to our donors and this inspiring community.”

Limited naming opportunities within the Center are available. For more information, contact the Advancement Office at (415) 257-1396 or jessica.jordan@dominican.edu

NEWS

Dominican Awarded $3 Million Grant To Support Hispanic Students

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ominican University of California has been awarded a five-year, $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to improve educational outcomes for Hispanic students.

“COVID-19 has ravaged the Hispanic community and other communities of color. As a result, students are delaying, and in many cases abandoning, their dreams of higher education.

The grant will support Dominican in expanding undergraduate programming and introducing new initiatives to increase first-year and transfer enrollment, and improving retention and graduation rates for these students.

“Dominican is a four-year university where Hispanic students from Marin and neighboring counties can thrive. For too long, many Hispanic students have had scarce access to small, residential campuses where interaction with faculty is frequent and learning opportunities exist around every corner. Hispanic students are disproportionately enrolled in twoyear programs in community colleges, where there is a perception of greater fit and affordability.”

“We have already developed a successful infrastructure of academic, career and wrap-around services to support a diverse body of students, as evidenced by our strong retention and graduation rates,” said Dr. Mojgan Behmand, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty.

“Dominican will become even stronger at welcoming, supporting and graduating a larger number of Hispanic and underserved students.”

The “Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions” grant is a direct result of Dominican’s recent designation as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI). Under the broader MSI designation, Dominican qualifies as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), with more than 25 percent of the University’s 1,374 undergraduate students in 2020 identifying as Hispanic.

While Hispanic Americans are the largest and fastest-growing ethnic minority in the United States, they are half as likely to hold a college degree as non-Hispanic white adults. The education gap is widening. In fall of 2020, U.S. Hispanic higher education enrollment dropped by more than 5 percent, and first-time enrollment among Hispanic students fell by almost 20 percent.

Responding to the crises of inequity and economic disparity by making available a high-touch, intimately scaled education to students who have not been able to access this in the past is a priority of Dominican President Nicola Pitchford.

“This is a critical time to extend the benefits of a four-year campus experience to underserved students,” she said.

Hispanic and low-income students, many of whom are the first generation in their families to attend college, often face obstacles in accessing a college education.

These are also the same students who are either unaware of student services or do not take advantage of them and thus struggle even more once enrolled. Lack of belonging in the campus community exacerbates these issues.

In the past decade, the University has developed a network of programming and support equally accessible to students of all backgrounds and identities. The nationally recognized Dominican Experience enables all students to engage in researchbacked “high-impact practices” that nurture deep learning and achievement.

The success of the Dominican Experience is evident in the University’s enrollment and student achievement measures.

Since Fall 2011, the percentage of undergraduate students of color, particularly Asian American and Hispanic, has increased by nearly 30 percent. In this same period, graduation rates for first-time, first-year students have improved by more than 70 percent. In 2011, the four-year graduation rate was 72 percent, and the six-year rate was 74 percent — well above the national averages of 41 percent and 60 percent, respectively.

four critical points in a student’s trajectory: access, connection, success and completion.

Plans include developing college-readiness programs for underserved high school students, creating a summer bridge program for rising first-year Dominican students and their families, and streamlining the transfer process for community college students.

The University will expand the integrative coaching and peer mentor programs that guide and support students from enrollment through graduation. Meanwhile, Dominican will bolster professional development opportunities for faculty and staff to help create a more inclusive and welcoming campus for students from all backgrounds. This professional development will focus on the strengths that diverse students bring to the classroom.

Funds will support The Center for the Dominican Experience, which, when it opens next fall, will house the Center for Community Engagement & Partnerships, the Student Success Center, the Digital Portfolio Lab, the Global Education Office, and the Accessibility and Disability Resources Center.

Dominican also plans to expand its work with community partners supporting underserved communities.

“We will continue to cultivate core partnerships in underserved local communities based on mutual learning and reciprocity, creating robust learning and intentional experiences for students in the community, and leading to paid internships, jobs, and ultimately, satisfying careers,” said Dr. Behmand.

This work entails a strong foundation of trust and collaboration with organizations that serve the marginalized communities in Marin County, she added.

“As research has long established,” Dr. Behmand said, “engaging with the community is a high-impact practice that benefits all students.”

With funding spread over five years, the grant will allow Dominican to focus on

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NEWS

Undergraduates’ Salamander Research Focuses On Wildfires

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ominican University of California biologist Dr. Obed Hernández-Gómez and his undergraduate students are once again working in the field, studying the impact of wildfires on the long-term health of wildlife living in California’s forests. The work will give students unique, first-hand insight into the effects of climate change by examining the genetics of some of the smallest (and cutest) residents of California forests: the salamander.

Salamanders are usually highly abundant in forest floors and serve important roles in forest ecosystems, ranging from predator to prey. The natural history of these animals makes them important indicators of ecosystem health, says Dr. Hernández-Gómez.

“Amphibians serve as excellent models to evaluate host-pathogen responses to environmental change as the amphibian skin harbors diverse microbial communities that protect against lethal pathogens,” he said. “Any environmental disturbances can result in notable alterations to the structure of amphibian skin.”

Salamanders bury themselves during the summer, so they likely survive the initial fire event. However, previous research has shown that burning can alter the ecology of forest-dwelling species.

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“Increased pressure from frequent wildfires may predispose California's salamanders to already threatening infectious diseases like chytridiomycosis and ranaviruses,” Dr. HernándezGómez said. “Our results have the potential to influence how we proceed with the conservation management of these salamanders under what appears to be a new normal of high fire frequency across the Pacific Northwest.”

Through the School of Health and Natural Sciences, Dr. Hernández-Gómez has been collecting skin swabs from Bay Area terrestrial salamanders in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2018, in some instances on sites affected by wildfires multiple times, warranting the concern for negative long-term impacts on salamander populations. He says this research presents an ideal and unique natural experiment to characterize how increased fire regimes affect beneficial and pathogenic symbionts.

“We plan to use DNA extracted from our swab samples to compare the genetic diversity of salamanders among wildfireimpacted and unimpacted sites and throughout their range,” Dr. Hernández-Gómez noted. “This information would allow us

NEWS to evaluate whether increased fire intensities could result in genetic bottlenecks, especially in the fragmented Bay Area landscape.”

They will perform transect surveys to evaluate salamander densities, species diversity, and abundance of microhabitats within each sampling site.

Recent wildfires in California’s Coastal Range habitats have also led to increased stream erosion and sediment loads, potentially impacting many natural habitats.

Obtaining this data, combined with data collected previously in the OHG and UC Berkeley’s Rosenblum labs, will provide comparisons of salamander population health before wildfire events and longitudinally after.

“Changes in land cover and hydrology have the potential to negatively impact both terrestrial and aquatic habitats alike,” Dr. Hernández-Gómez said. “The probability of interactions between wildfires and other threats, such as infectious diseases or pollutants, increases the risk of extirpation in vulnerable wildlife populations.”

As temperature, hydrology, and wildfire regimes continue to shift, he adds, there is an urgent need to understand their combined influence on ecosystem processes fully.

Our results have the potential to influence how we proceed with the conservation management of these salamanders under what appears to be a new normal of high fire frequency across the Pacific Northwest.

— Dr. Hernández-Gómez “Identifying wildfire-impacted species and determining whether urgent management action is necessary might be key to wildlife management success in response to increased wildfire frequencies,” he said.

This winter, Dr. Hernández-Gómez and his Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics students will assess habitat suitability in a wildfire or prescribed fire-affected and unaffected areas.

Some of this work will take place in the South Bay, thanks to a grant from the Midpen Open Space District. The students will work in areas treated with prescribed fires to measure salamander diversity before and after fires.

The research teams also will return to study salamander populations at sites that burned in 2020, including Point Reyes National Seashore and the UC Cold Canyon Reserve.

In 2021, the OHG lab studied salamanders at the Bear Valley Trail in Point Reyes National Seashore. The Woodward Fire destroyed nearly 5,000 acres before it was 100 percent contained almost two months later. The research team collected salamanders across several forests that burned down in the past year and adjacent healthy forests. They collected microbial skin samples, assessed salamander health, and monitored for infectious diseases to prepare research for publication.

This research aims to provide site managers and the scientific community with recommendations for post-wildfire management in the Bay Area, salamander density/diversity estimates, genetic diversity estimates, and amphibian fungal disease frequencies.

Another goal is to inspire a future generation of scientists.

Through the execution of this project, undergraduate students will receive training in experimental design, fieldwork techniques and laboratory work. The laboratory will also hire senior undergraduate students to help carry the field and laboratory workloads. All individuals involved in field, laboratory and bioinformatics work will have the opportunity to participate in manuscript preparation.

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REUNION WEEKEND 2022

and It Feels So Good

During the weekend of April 21-23, more than 200 alumni gathered to reunite, eat, drink and reminisce.

Because the pandemic prevented Dominican from having in-person gatherings on campus in 2020 and 2021, Reunion Weekend 2022 gave special recognition to classes that ended in 0, 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7, led by the 50th anniversary of Dominican’s Class of 1972. Weekend highlights included:

Third time’s a charm! After postponing two years of Golden Circle reunions, the classes of 1970 and 1971 were finally able to celebrate their 50th reunion milestones, along with the Class of 1972.

The Class of 1962 made a full weekend out of belatedly celebrating their 60th reunion, attending events Friday evening all the way through Sunday afternoon.

In a fitting conclusion to a joyous luncheon, the entire tent joined together to sing the “Alma Mater” and the “Spirit Song,” led ably by Lianni Castro-Teets ’04, Maureen “Mo” DiNieva-Marsh 04 and Rebecca Hyatt ’04.

Dr. Ruth Ramsey, immediate past dean of the School of Health and Natural Sciences and founder of Dominican’s OT program, was honored at an occupational therapy alumni reception to celebrate her retirement.

Alumni Awards Recipients

Jean Smith Nelson ’72

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Marv Zauderer, MS ’02

Amy Henkelman

Jessica Jones ’14, accepted by her mother, Regina Cook

Four Dominican graduates received alumni awards during Reunion Weekend: Jean Smith Nelson ’72 received the Sister M. Patricia Lyons, O.P. Distinguished Alumni Service Award on her 50th anniversary of graduating with a BA in American civilization. Smith Nelson was instrumental in driving the Sister Marie Sagues O.P. Endowed Scholarship. Three prominent Dominican contributors also received honors. ExtraFood founder Marv Zauderer, MS ’02, received the Alumni Achievement Award; Dominican University Director of Athletics Amy Henkelman received the Sister M. Aquinas Nimitz O.P. Distinguished Service Award; and former student-athlete Jessica Jones ’14, now a registered nurse at UCSF Medical Center, received the Outstanding Recent Graduate Award. Jessica's mother, Regina Cook, accepted the award for her daughter.

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REUNION WEEKEND 2022 Penguinpalooza 2022 Not to be outdone, the classes of the 1990s held their own reunion in July 2022. Thanks to event organizer Ben Stricker ’95, alumni from the classes of 1991 to 1997 came back to campus from Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Texas, Idaho, Washington D.C., British Columbia and Southern California to stay in the dorms, reminisce and enjoy each other’s company. Through panel discussions with faculty, staff and current students—along with an extended tour of campus with the ultimate goal of discovering if there really are tunnels underneath Angelico (see page 18 to learn what they found)—the alumni learned how Dominican has changed over the years and reflected on the many ways in which it has remained the same.

When we entered Dominican for the first time as teenagers, we walked in as strangers but left as lifelong friends. Penguinpalooza was proof of that, as it felt like coming home again, welcomed by all the friendships that have lasted all this time.

During our time at Dominican, we met people, unlike anyone we had known before and left as better people and world citizens for it. It was a time of exploration, adventure, and knowledge, and we expanded our minds in ways we didn’t know possible while pushing our fatigue, workload and creativity levels to limits we had never previously experienced. As a result, we learned a lot about each other and learned a lot about ourselves. My time at Dominican makes me think of that line from Stand By Me: ‘I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12. Jesus, does anyone?’ but I apply it to my time at Dominican as an 18-21-year-old. Every day I'm grateful that they all came along at exactly that place and that time.”

Katie, Susannah, Laura, Gabull, then and now

Ben and Nancy, then and now

Ben Stricker ’95, Penguinpalooza organizer

Kate Hearn and I walked around campus before we went home and while looking at the unimaginably gorgeous campus and buildings, I asked her, ‘Do you ever feel just so privileged for having gone here and lived here?’ She agreed wholeheartedly.

What a glorious place. And honestly, I left with my heart full, appreciating all of you so much.”

“Although Dominican has changed, after attending the panel sessions I learned that in many ways, it has stayed the same — small classes, professors that care, and friendships that shape your life. Whenever I’m on campus, I’m able to reminisce about the years that formed my adult life at Dominican. It’s a unique place filled with love and acceptance, and although it was not rainbows and sunshine every day, I was able to become an autonomous woman and establish my voice while learning how to navigate the world around me. For this, I will forever be grateful to the sisters of Dominican and the education they gave me.”

-Caroline Bader-Hepting ’93

-Gabull (Abdullah) Alhadhrami ’94 THE TORCH | SPRING 2023

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NEWS

Nicola Pitchford Inaugurated As Dominican’s 10th President

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ominican University of California celebrated the inauguration of Dr. Nicola Pitchford as the University’s 10th president on May 13, 2022. President Pitchford’s term began on July 1, 2021, but her installation was delayed due to COVID-19 health and safety restrictions.

plished librettist whose work has been performed at the Royal Opera House and Carnegie Hall. President Pitchford chaired the English Department at Fordham University when Dr. Christiansë applied for a teaching position, which she was duly offered. They have been dear friends ever since.

Community was at the core of the inaugural celebrations, attended by more than 300 special guests, faculty, staff, alumni and students.

Dr. Mary B. Marcy, President Emerita of Dominican, presented the University seal to President Pitchford.

Dr. Carolyn Klebanoff, chair of Dominican’s board of trustees, and Hannah Roitman ’22, president of the Associated Students of Dominican University of California, served as co-hosts of the installation ceremony.

“We will revel in community, in our togetherness, at long last,” Klebanoff said. “We will recommit to our values and we will broadcast the message to which Nicola is so devoted—that students are Dominican’s greatest asset, that their diverse backgrounds and identities are a gift, and that the flourishing of all learners and graduates is our highest priority.”

Roitman praised President Pitchford’s impact on the campus community.

“This afternoon, we will appreciate that Dominican is stronger, more engaged, more invested, more clear-eyed, and more solidly focused on equity and inclusion than ever before,” Roitman said.

“We will also acknowledge and commit to the work ahead of us.

Nicola never lets us forget that we can do better tomorrow.”

Dr. Yvette Christiansë, Ann Whitney Olin Professor of English and Africana Studies at Barnard College, delivered the keynote address. Dr. Christiansë is a celebrated academic, poet and novelist. Originally from South Africa, she has written extensively on the experience of Liberated Africans following the incremental abolition of slavery in Europe and America. She is also an accom-

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Since President Pitchford’s term began in July 2021, her immediate focus has been the continuation of work that began under President Marcy’s leadership to fully develop a distinctive model of academic programming and student support. Today this effort is nationally recognized as The Dominican Experience. Dr. Pitchford served on the original design team to establish this signature student learning experience, developed over the past decade with a focus on social mobility through equitable access to connections and experiences for all students, regardless of background or social capital.

In her first 10 months as president, President Pitchford also articulated her goal around teaching for ethical action: to advance Dominican’s mission by preparing students and our institution to respond to the crises of climate and natural resources, racial inequity and economic disparity.

“I believe the core task of higher education in our changing world is the education of the whole person, nurturing habits of critical thinking and flexible intelligence that equip our students to engage ethically and carefully with others and to adapt their skills to both existing and emerging community challenges and career opportunities,” President Pitchford said. “I remain compelled by the vision of an institution that makes available a hightouch, intimately scaled, liberal arts-based education to students who have never been able to access this in the past.”

NEWS

No Wallflowers Here: President Pitchford in Conversation with Mary Jane Burke ’74 and Pepe Gonzalez ’02 district-wide position with San Rafael City Schools as director of community partnerships.

Pepe currently serves on some of Marin’s most impactful non-profit boards, including Dominican’s. Like Mary Jane, he’s a beloved educator and a devoted friend of our University.

Mary Jane, Pepe and Nicola—three friends and fellow Dominican trustees—reflected on education as a calling and on Penguin pride, stealing glances out the window toward Anne Hathaway Cottage, where blooming paperwhites and quince heralded the first signs of spring.

President Pitchford: What is it about working in education that brings you the most joy?

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n a Thursday afternoon in February, over coffee and lemon shortbread cookies in her Guzman second-floor office, President Pitchford sat down with devoted alumni and education equity champions Mary Jane Burke ’74 and Pepe Gonzalez ’02.

Mary Jane earned her BA and MA in education at Dominican and just completed her seventh consecutive term (28 years) as Marin County Superintendent of Schools. In 2010, she co-founded Schools-Rule-Marin, a fund that directs resources to schools based on need, improving access to programming that promotes literacy, the arts, technology and health. In another remarkable achievement, Mary Jane solicited a desegregation order in 2019 from the State Attorney General for the Sausalito Marin City School District.

It was California’s first formal desegregation order in 50 years. In her final term, she partnered closely with Marin Health and Human Services and Dominican administrators to implement a nationally recognized county-wide pandemic response.

As Mary Jane transitions from the Office of Education to new opportunities, Pepe Gonzalez takes on increasing responsibility with the county’s schools.

Pepe is a native of Point Reyes Station in West Marin. He earned his BA in education and his teaching credential from Dominican, followed by an MA in educational leadership and administration from Sonoma State University. Pepe spent the early years of his career at Venetia Valley School in San Rafael, first as a student teacher, then as a teacher, then as assistant principal and, until 2018, principal. That year, the county enlisted Pepe to lead both the newly opened Short School and Laurel Dell Elementary. In 2022, his exemplary record earned him a

Mary Jane Burke (MJB) - The issues we face as a county, a nation and a global community—it’s our children who will solve them.

Leveling the playing field for our next generation, embracing and uplifting their families—it’s endlessly rewarding.

Pepe Gonzalez (PG) - My parents worked hard to support my siblings and me in pursuing an education. They knew it was an essential step, a key that would unlock a world of opportunities.

Serving that vision—the one my parents had for me—it’s a real gift and a joy.

PP: Now, with more than five decades of service to public schools between you, how do you reflect on your earliest years as educators?

PG - I’ve been thinking recently about this period when I was a student teacher in the 1990s. California had banned bilingual education, and parents had to sign a waiver to allow our school to deliver classes in both English and Spanish, the latter being most students’ first language. There were some kids whose parents hadn’t signed the waiver—not intentionally, just the waiver hadn’t been submitted. I remember thinking, “Wow, this is so messy.” We weren’t sure if we could let those kids in the classroom because their parents hadn't signed the waiver. We were worried we could get caught and penalized. It’s dizzying to think how dramatically California’s values have changed. Thank goodness they have.

MJB - My first years teaching were on the Dominican campus.

At the time, there was a laboratory school here, serving students with special needs from birth to age 21. That’s where I first encountered the kind of advocacy—demonstrated by Sr. Samuel and my other mentors—that inspired my career.

PP: How did Dominican prepare you for your roles in education and in leadership?

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NEWS MJB - I'm convinced that, but for Dominican, there’s no way I would have this deeply satisfying career, and I wouldn’t have grown into the best version of myself. Dominican saw in me what I didn’t see in me. Sr. Samuel’s support, her encouragement, and her leveraging connections in the county, that got me elected to my first term as superintendent. Sr. Samuel cared for me — so deeply and as a whole person.

PG - I had childhood friends who went to state schools. Faculty and staff didn’t know who they were. For me, it was totally different. At Dominican, walking down the corridor, professors wouldn’t hesitate to call me out — ”Where were you yesterday?

You missed class!” That’s the kind of communal accountability that makes Dominican a place where, truly, it’s hard to fail. It was like at home in Point Reyes, like a small-town support system.

MJB - Exactly! I performed some of my student teaching in Mill Valley. One day I fell asleep at reading time (thankfully, I wasn’t the one reading). But my supervisor called Dominican to report it, and my professors followed up. They wanted to make sure I was sleeping enough and taking care of myself.

PG - I wish I still had this handwritten note from a teaching assistant who worked in the classroom where I was a student teacher. There was a substitute one day, and she didn’t have control of the class. I jumped in and started managing the kids, restoring calm. The substitute reported me to the principal’s office, who called Dominican. But the teaching assistant saw the whole thing, and she came to my defense. She wrote this note that said I was “right on” in taking over for the substitute.

It was Dominican that taught me not to be a wallflower, and I’m so grateful for that.

MJB - That’s right, we’re not risk averse here. You do what’s right when it’s right.

PP: What similarities do you see in Dominican students when you attended and Dominican students today?

MJB - If you’re listening to the students, all I can say is that bright light is still on, and it’s blazing. I joined student leaders at a reception last year, and hearing them speak, I thought, “Game on.” These students are amazing, they are flourishing, and they belong here.

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PG - To me, nurses and teachers still feel like the heart of the institution, the core of Dominican. Those are people with a calling, a calling to caring and nurturing.

PP: You’re both devoted to equity in education. In Marin, where are we doing our best work and what challenges have we yet to rise and meet?

PG - In this county, we can talk all day long about how progressive we are, but you look at the metrics that show how kids of color are performing in school, and Marin voters’ alleged values aren’t translating to the experience of our young people and their families. Breaking systems of poverty starts with educational opportunity — that’s how you change the trajectory of the next generation. But it doesn’t end with schools; housing and nutrition insecurity impact students’ ability to thrive in school. These are systemic issues, and we need to be making steady progress on all of them.

MJB - I agree, we do a good job here of talking about equity; that alone is different than it was many years ago. Today, the topic is on the table, we have the language to discuss it, and we understand basically that some kids need different types of support than others. But that’s also one of our biggest issues: People in Marin present really well, but I want to live in the Marin we talk about, not the real Marin. I see it all the time, after Marin residents have told a good story, when the work is there, no one actually steps into it. One thing we need to tackle headon — the most flagrant issue of our times — is the salaries of the people who educate and care for our children. What about affordable housing for educators whom we trust with our kids during their most formative years?

PP: This issue of The Torch is all about our precious, hallowed halls. What’s one of your most memorable campus moments?

PG - Nightlife at Dominican in my time was awful. But there were a few of us who thought we could have a real party in my room in Pennafort. The resident advisors shut us down within 30 minutes. That was an epic disappointment.

MJB - I lived in Fanjeaux, and I have this very clear memory of sweeping my dorm room, but the debris went into the hallway, and Sr. Aquinas really gave me a piece of her mind! I’ll never forget that. But seriously, any time I was spending time with my peers, my friends, anywhere on campus is now a treasured memory.

NEWS

The Archivist Corner: Heritage and History Podcast Returns with the Archives and Paul Raccanello ’96, MA ’01

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ased on the Campus Ministry lecture series, We Come to Tell Our Story, Dominican University of California’s “Heritage and History Podcast” shares through storytelling the rich legacy of the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael and others who have nurtured and empowered the University throughout the years.

Thank You Marin!

Dominican University of California voted one of Marin’s Best Private Schools

Stewarded by Sr. Mary Soher, former director of Campus Ministry, the “Heritage and History Podcast” had its first recording in 2017. The episode featured Sr. Patty Dougherty ’67 and the origins of the Dominican Sisters arriving in San Rafael to establish Dominican College in 1890. After Sr. Mary’s departure, University Archives took on the legacy of this special project.

This past September featured a revival of this critical method of campus storytelling with featured guest Dr. Paul Raccanello ’96, MA ’01. Dr. Raccanello has three decades of involvement with the Dominican community as a former undergraduate and graduate student, and current vice president of student affairs and enrollment. He shared his story in front of a live audience in the Edgehill Mansion Garden Room, adding a unique flair to the program.

There are many ways oral history can serve as an interesting and insightful mode of documentation. Like an autobiography, it combines history with perspective, offering a lens for those wishing to dive deep into the past. To experience the diverse historical lenses that comprise the kaleidoscope of the Dominican community, I invite you to listen to the previously recorded “Heritage and History Podcast” episodes, which may be accessed at scholar.dominican.edu/heritage-and-history-podcasts/.

We look forward to covering the many histories, stories and insights that capture the Dominican experience, and we will be sure to announce the dates of our upcoming live recordings.

At your service, Louis Knecht University Archivist

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BUILDING DOMINICAN

A few thousand dollars and 20 girls, that was the beginning not so long ago. And some smiled at Mother Louis ̓ idea for a great school and a wondrous convent here in San Rafael, and now Edgehill, Meadowlands, the Home Place [Motherhouse/Convent], an enchanted ring of little Edens, all knit together by her strength and courage and vision.

— Annie Laurie, Class of 1920

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ominican University of California’s majestic tree-lined streets and paths weave together the shared experiences of the University community, with each offshoot offering a small glimpse into Dominican’s storied 133-year lifetime.

now covers 80 acres, with the ecology-minded sisters always ensuring the conservation of its natural beauty. As the campus grew, buildings were either planned to avoid taking down trees or built around them.

In 1890, more than half a century before women were given the right to vote, the Dominican Sisters opened a liberal arts college for women on ten acres of land in San Rafael. In a four-story Victorian-style building made of California redwood, young women studied religion, history, Italian and chemistry.

Every one of those buildings has a story to tell about the growth of the campus, the expansion of the University, and the evolution of the college experience. Dominican alumni also have stories to tell about learning, living, dining and forming lifelong friendships within the four walls of their dorms, classrooms, and other nooks and crannies on campus.

These young women were ahead of their time, focusing on academics rather than home economics. In 1917, Dominican College became the first Catholic college in California to grant the BA degree to women.

Reporter Dorothy Gardner observed in a March 13, 1971, Marin Independent Journal article, “Ecumenism, ecology, racial justice, higher education for the mature woman, development of women’s intellectual potential — all comparatively recent movements on the national scene — have been for years part of the world of [Dominican] College.”

Today, Dominican remains transformational and relevant, offering more than 60 majors, minors, and concentrations to almost 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The campus

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Take a walk with us down Acacia, and bear right on Magnolia to learn more about the structures that collectively reflect and shape our community.

Thank you to the many people whose research and assistance made this piece possible: Dr. Jordan Lieser, associate professor of history, and his honors students who researched Dominican’s history for their capstone project in the spring of 2019 (Maria Guadalupe Alvarez Pineda ’20, Monica Barry ’20, Rubi Calderon-Rodriguez ’20, Terise Camasura ’20, Amanda Cheng ’20, Angela Garcia ’20, Rebecca Herrera ’20, Julia McMahon ’21, Kelsey Pontius ’19, Adriana Sigala ’20, Brenda Vasquez ’20, and Sonya Woo ’20); Louis Knecht, University Archivist; Sr. Joan Hanna, OP ’64; Sr. Patty Dougherty, OP ’67; Facilities Services and the grounds crews for keeping the campus beautiful; and to our alumni for the creative, funny and touching stories they have shared throughout the last 133 years.

BUILDING DOMINICAN

The Motherhouse

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f you were to step foot on the Dominican campus pre-1990, your eye would immediately be drawn to the four-story, Victorian-style building made of solid redwood on Grand and Locust Avenues. Thomas J. Welsh, a San Francisco architect, designed the Motherhouse in 1888, replete with cupolas, bell towers and widow’s walks, grand staircases, delicate tongue and groove joinery, intricate tilework, wall panels of black walnut, and rich oak and mahogany patterned veneers. At the time, there were only two structures of comparable size in the community: the newly built Hotel Rafael and the 15-year-old Marin County Courthouse. The red-turreted Convent was dedicated on July 21, 1889.

In the school’s early days, the ornate building housed the convent, the novitiate, and the lower and upper schools for girls.

On July 12, 1990, a devastating fire spread, leaving the top two floors badly burned and the bottom two floors significantly water damaged. Today, in place of the Motherhouse is the Sisters’ Administration Building with offices, the Dominican Sisters Archives, and a large gathering space. The Archives include many beautiful remnants of the Motherhouse. Dominican Convent is a residence for 22 sisters who live and preach the path of St. Dominic. Several spaces also belong to the Dominican Sisters near the campus, including Santa Sabina Center, Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Margaret’s and Jane d’Aza Convents.

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Archbishop Alemany Library c. 1963

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t may not be evident from the ground perspective of Archbishop Alemany Library, but its architecture offers something special; from an aerial view, its structure is the shape of a cross. The Archbishop Alemany Library was one of seven libraries recognized for architectural excellence in the 1964 American Institute of Architects Library Building Awards. In 1996, the Dominican community dedicated the Library Plaza to Sr. Marguerite Stanka, OP, the University’s chief librarian for 40 years, who later took on the role of acquisitions librarian for collection development until her retirement in 1995.

3:2:1: Action! In 1992, a scene from the Academy Awardnominated thriller “Basic Instinct” was filmed in Alemany. The scene lasts 34 seconds, and the extras are wearing University of California, Berkeley sweatshirts.

O Then P The Dominican College library was initially located in the south wing of the Motherhouse. In 1930, it moved to what is now Guzman Lecture Hall and moved again in 1962 to the newly constructed Archbishop Alemany Library. Alemany was

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built on the site of the Buck estate, purchased by the Dominican Sisters in 1935. To make way for the new library, Benincasa was razed in the summer of 1961.

O Now P The Archbishop Alemany Library features book collections, computer and printing facilities, group study and quiet study areas, the San Marco Art Gallery, and classrooms. In 2022, the Alemany Library started its next stage of evolution, with a portion of the building under renovation to serve as the home for the Center for the Dominican Experience (see page 3).

l A DU Tradition: A Maypole Dance — Maypole dance on the library lawn was a Dominican tradition for several decades.

This rite of spring, in which whistling recorders and medieval lyrics accompanied Maypole dancers, was an occasion for students to reflect on the traditions behind their learning. It was also a lot of fun. Jen Mendes ’81 remembers working on that year’s maypole at midnight before the big event when Sr. Aquinas walked across the lawn with the security guard in the middle of the night. “We thought she'd run right into the tequila and lemons, but all she said was, ‘It's the elves!' and she let us do our thing.

I'll never forget that!”

BUILDING DOMINICAN

Sister M. Samuel Conlan Center c. 2000

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he Sister M. Samuel Conlan Center was officially dedicated on April 29, 2000, the night Dominican announced its name change from Dominican College of San Rafael to Dominican University of California. Named in honor of Sr. Samuel Conlan ’48, OP, fifth president of the college from 19681980, the state-of-the-art gymnasium was the first new campus building in 37 years. It was built as part of a $20 million “Building Tomorrow Today” fundraising campaign. Nicknamed The Igloo, the Conlan Center bleachers seat 1,285 and can accommodate up to 2,098 for larger events. In 2009, Dominican joined NCAA Division II and the Pacific West Conference. The Conlan Center now is headquarters for the Penguins’ 11 NCAA intercollegiate sports.

The Penguin Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (PSAAC) hosts Midnight Mayhem in October, an annual countdown to the opening of the basketball season. The program in Conlan Center traditionally features sports team-themed skits by Penguin student-athletes and routines performed by the DU Spirit Team and Dance Club.

In 2011, the dream of having a multi-purpose, synthetic-turf field with new tennis courts at Dominican became a reality.

Generous donations from Trustee Emeritus John F. Allen, Jerry Kennelly, Tony Castellucci and many others, made the John F. Allen Athletics Complex possible, including the Castellucci Family Tennis Center and all-weather Kennelly Field. Penguin Field, home to Dominican Softball, was completed in 2014.

O Then P Before competing in the Conlan Center, Dominican students played sports in Hannify Hall, better known as The Barn, a wooden gymnasium built in 1919 as a gift of John Hanify, uncle of a former student. In the days even before Hanify was built, Dominican students played basketball on an outdoor court behind the convent.

The Penguins Are Born: The original mascot of Dominican was the Hound because the English translation of the Latin word “Dominicanis” is “Hounds of the Lord.” St. Dominic’s mother, struggling with infertility, made a pilgrimage to the Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos in Spain when she dreamed that a dog leaped from her womb holding a torch and set the world on fire. Soon after, she conceived a son with her husband and named him after the 11th-century St. Dominic of Silos. In the 1970s, a group of students petitioned the administration to change the mascot to more closely resemble the Dominican Sisters and their long black-and-white veils and habits. Sr. Samuel Conlan agreed to the change only if there was a unanimous vote of approval by the entire student body.

The vote passed, and Chilly the Penguin was born.

O Now P Dominican athletics was one of 44 NCAA Division II awarded the 2022 Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence.

This was its fifth consecutive honor from the NCAA. The award honors schools with a four-cohort Academic Success Rate (ASR) of 90 percent or higher. The ASR is measured by an individual’s successful completion of their degree within a six-year window of first-time enrollment. Dominican tied for ninth nationally with an ASR of 94 percent. Only five schools in the West region received the honor this season, with Biola and Point Loma Nazarene University joining the Penguins as PacWest representatives and Seattle Pacific and Western Washington representing the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

Forest Meadows: The Dominican Sisters acquired Forest Meadows in 1927. It was originally called the Foster Tract and was the site of sporting events, picnics and barbeques. Commencement was held in the Forest Meadows Amphitheater until the fields were renovated. Forest Meadows Amphitheater has been the setting for Marin Shakespeare Company for many years.

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Guzman Hall c. 1930

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ne of the most frequented buildings on campus, Guzman Hall encompasses a rich history inside and out. Ivy-covered and adorned with cement archways, each face of the building features a hand-carved shield or angel.

Inside, sculpted angels bear shields, and each doorknob is embossed with the Dominican shield. Guzman Lecture Hall, located on the second floor, served as Dominican’s library from 1930 to 1963 and a dance studio in the 1980s. The remainder of the building houses classrooms, the president’s office, and other faculty, administration and staff offices.

✪ The Guzman Lecture Hall ceiling beams feature the shields of 10 of the college’s early graduating classes. Carved on the ends and on the intersections of the beams, they include the shields of the Dominican Order, of the various provinces, and of the Guzman family.

In 1931, Dominican installed a telescope in the Mt. Wilson Observatory on the Guzman roof, which was used by astronomy students under the supervision of Professor Ralph Minor. This 12-inch lensed ocular space device gave students a front-row view of the beautiful stars and moon, in addition to rich in-class discussions on the sun, earth and atmosphere.

O Then P “On the roof of Guzman stands the platform for our much-prized telescope… The first thrill that the telescope brought us was the sight of Venus. We had always known Venus as an exceedingly bright planet, so when the telescope arrived, we rushed to the roof to see the planet before she set behind Mount Tamalpais. We were inexperienced in the workings of our instruments and, as a flushed, nervous physics student was trying her best to focus on anything just to save her reputation, Venus quickly set amid the cries of, ‘Please hurry, she's going down.’ The following evening, after a lesson in focusing, we saw

Guzman has always housed the president’s office. Sr. Samuel Conlan ’48, OP, sat on both sides of the president’s desk: once as student body president, presenting students’ requests to then-President Sr. Patrick Harney, and 20 years later, as president.

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Venus as a miniature crescent, a tiny moon, and her beauty repaid us for our anguished moments.” − Betty Barry ’31 O Now P In a fitting nod to Guzman Lecture’s Hall origins as the college’s library, it now serves as the main hub for the annual Scholarly Research and Creative Works Conference (SCW). SCW is open to all members of the University and the greater community, and showcases undergraduate and graduate student research and creative work. “Attendees to the SCW presentations have grown from a few hundred to several hundred (with the addition of Zoom), and expected attendance for 2023 is making a move to Conlan gymnasium necessary to house the poster sessions.

We are also expecting in-person attendance from some local high schools this year!” – Bill Phillips and Christina Mayes, Conference Organizers

Myth Debunked: Was “Raiders of the Lost Ark” filmed in Guzman Lecture Hall? Contrary to popular belief, Indiana Jones has never stepped foot on the Dominican campus. Although the scene in question closely resembles the wood-paneled Guzman Lecture Hall, this iconic 1980s franchise is not a part of Dominican lore.

Guzman Gazebo: Even the smallest buildings on campus have a storied history. Guzman Gazebo was rumored to be originally a playhouse for the de Young children. In the first years of the college, it remained empty until the English poet Theodore Maynard, an instructor at Dominican in the early 1920s, gained permission to use the space as a quiet place to write. Subsequently, it became the Meadowlark Office, where “the literati of the college would gather to discuss the material for Meadowlarks and Firebrands, and literally ‘tear to pieces’ their manuscript, trying to make their printed books models of perfect English.”

(1931 Firebrand) In 1931, it transformed into the campus post office until the 1940s when it was known as the Smoke House, one of the few buildings on campus where students could smoke. Most recently, Guzman Gazebo has been the home of the Political Science Department and now houses the Art Therapy Department, Dominican’s first-ever doctoral program.

BUILDING DOMINICAN

Angelico Hall c. 1921

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ituated at the entrance to Dominican’s campus, it’s hard to miss this romantic building adorned with iconic wide, circular pillars. The name Angelico was derived from the nickname of Saint Thomas Aquinas, a 13th Century Dominican academic and theologian known as the “Angelic Doctor.” Angelico’s original design included an auditorium, faculty offices and practice rooms for music students. The third floor was used as a dormitory until Fanjeaux was built in 1927 and again at times throughout the years when enrollment surged. Angelico was last restored in 1989 to serve as a concert hall and guest speakers' venue. Today, Dominican’s historic auditorium offers 500 seats on the orchestra level and 300 seats on the balcony.

The Radio Players of Dominican College formed in 1948 using a movie projection amplifier and a portable turntable to broadcast from the Angelico stage. Their weekly show became so popular that the Dominican Alumnae Association donated funds for upgraded equipment. Today, led by Stuart Horne ’01, assistant professor in the Department of Communication and Media Studies, Penguin Radio continues the tradition started by these enterprising students at radio.dominican.edu.

Dominican received a gift of carillon chimes from the Treasure Island Exposition in 1938. Consisting of multiple cast-bronze bells which could be played from the organ in Angelico, the pitched percussion instrument rang throughout the campus on the hour. Due to the expense of repair, the chimes were removed.

O Now P Angelico Hall houses Liberal Arts & Education faculty and staff offices, soundproof music practice rooms and the celebrated Concert Hall. The Hall continues to host leading policymakers and literary luminaries through the Leadership Lecture Series, a partnership between Dominican’s Institute for Leadership Studies and Book Passage.

Myth Debunked: There is indeed a tunnel under Angelico, but it is a steam tunnel used to transfer heat. Despite the rumors, Dominican Sisters, San Quentin inmates, and wayward students have never used it travel between Angelico and the Motherhouse.

O Then P Angelico has earned its place in history with impressive productions, performances and lectures. On December 8, 1923, the Sistine Chapel Choir of Rome performed in the auditorium during their extended American tour. Dominican was the only school in the United States at which they consented to perform. Other notable early performances include the first non-Paris production of “The Ballet of Joy” by Alfred Heil in 1929 and the first American performance of “The Wedding Cantata” by Bach in 1930.

l DU Tradition: Tree Lighting — The Spanish spruce tree that is the site of Dominican’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony was planted by the 1922 graduating class. Today, peers nominate four seniors each year to light the tree. These students are chosen because they represent and live the Dominican ideals of study, community, reflection and service.

In 2010, Dominican partnered with NBC to host the third round of the California Gubernatorial Debate between candidates Jerry Brown and Meg Whittman in Angelico Hall.

SPEAKERS THROUGH THE YEARS

2006

2008

2010

2012

2013

2015

2016

2018

2019

2020

2022

Bernie Sanders, Melinda Gates, Temple Grandin, Giada de Laurentiis, Karenna Gore Schiff, Craig Robinson, chef and author United States Senator philanthropist scientist, academic author, lawyer and actor, singer, musician and animal behaviorist climate activist and comedian Abby Wambach, Gloria Steinem, Madeleine Albright, Isabel Allende, Colson Whitehead, feminist, journalist and author and National former United States author author social-political activist Soccer Hall-of-Famer Secretary of State

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Meadowlands c. 1918

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hen you think of Meadowlands, what comes to mind?

The spectacular view of Mt. Tam? The Hunt Room and its detailed mural of an English fox hunt? Evenings of bridge and piano gaiety with friends in the White Room or Wicker Room? Late-night haunts courtesy of Blue Boy? Over the years, Meadowlands has touched the lives of every Penguin.

Whether you were lucky enough to live within the mansion’s halls pre-2015 or studied in the impressive state-of-the-art labs thereafter, Meadowlands never fails to make a lasting impression.

The year 2020 wasn’t the first time students had to quarantine on the Dominican campus. Most students were able to return home during the 1918 influenza pandemic, but a few remained on campus. They were housed in Meadowlands, forming their own “bubble.” The ladies safely enjoyed picnics, studying and the occasional party. In November, the announcement of peace allowed them to break quarantine for half an hour to celebrate the end of World War I.

The mansion was originally built as a summer home for San Francisco Chronicle publisher and philanthropist Michael H. de Young. Mr. de Young sold the building to the Dominican Sisters on March 4, 1918, and for a century, Meadowlands transitioned through many uses, such as a residence hall, a dining room, classrooms and a chapel. In 1977, the San Rafael Cultural Commission named Meadowlands as a building of historical importance. In 2012, an $8 million gift from Rolf Lewis and family,

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3:2:1: Action! The Meadowlands foyer was transformed into a hotel for the season three finale of the popular Netflix series “13 Reasons Why.” along with $4.8 million in gifts from alumni and other donors, allowed the University to transform Meadowlands into today’s versatile hub for the health sciences.

O Now P Meadowlands houses occupational therapy (OT), nursing and public health programs on campus. Thirty-five offices, 11 cubicle work spaces, three smart classrooms, skill assessment laboratories equipped with simulation technology, a pediatric OT laboratory, two instructional OT laboratories, and study spaces on all floors were incorporated into the new layout. The foyer, grand staircase and hunt room were refurbished to retain the original character and style of 1918.

Hunt Room Reveal: The walls above the green panels were originally calcimined in a buff tint, which was very proper for a convent college in its infancy. But Sr. Thomas, Sr. Catherine Marie and Sr. Patrick had a feeling a hidden treasure was underneath the whitewash. In 1937, they decided to investigate. Sr. Patrick chipped away part of the plaster with a chisel, and a bright spot of color appeared. The sisters immediately ordered all the plaster removed, and there, encircling the walls of the room was a fox hunt on a dewy May morning, painted in unfaded colors. During Meadowlands’ 19th birthday party, the colorful mural was revealed to the guests.

BUILDING DOMINICAN

Myth Debunked: “The de Youngs sold Meadowlands to the Dominican Sisters for just $10!” This common piece of DU lore stems from the $10 deposit the Sisters paid for the property. The actual price was $40,000, a bargain even by today’s standards.

Ghosts of Meadowlands: Recent generations of Dominican students report sightings of the infamous Meadowlands ghost, Blue Boy, who, the legend goes, met an unfortunate end in a bathtub and turned blue. Some students claim to have seen blue, glowing lights lurking around the dark corners of the building, while some report loud, unexplained creaking and footsteps in their bedrooms. Others say the bathtub, which remained in the attic, upside down and unplugged, would mysteriously produce water.

The 1950s tell of a different ethereal presence in the attic of Meadowlands. Referred to as the “keeper of bats” and a “happy little ghoul,” Morton was known as a harmless prankster who let his bats loose on special occasions. If the lights suddenly went dark or the temperature went cold, everyone knew who was behind the playful antics.

Since Meadowlands became a health science facility, the reports of paranormal activity have subsided. However, Blue Boy and Morton live on through the stories of those who experienced the building as a dormitory.

l DU Tradition: Paint the dog — Sr. Patrick Harney, OP, was the president of Dominican from 1945 to 1968, and was regularly accompanied by her beloved dog, Siegfried. Once a year, students would sneak Siegfried away and return him to Sr. Patrick, painted a new color (some recall using food coloring to paint Siegfried green on St. Patrick’s Day!). The tradition has carried on to this day; on the night before Commencement, graduating seniors paint the Meadowlands lawn dog statue.

On one occasion, the dog statue was vandalized when someone painted it black in the middle of the night. The sisters were very upset, so Jennifer Morrissey-Dallasta ’88 spent the day scrubbing off the paint. Jennifer’s great-great-grand aunt Sr. Thomas Vaughan, OP, Dominican president from 1935-1945, would have expected nothing less.

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Bertrand Hall c. 1951

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rguably the most versatile building on Dominican’s campus, Bertrand Hall may surprise you with its multifaceted history. Named for St. Louis Bertrand, a Spanish Dominican missionary, and in honor of Mother Mary Louis O’Donnell, the first college president and Mother General of the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael from 1887 to 1929, the Hall was built in 1951 to house the Administration and Lower School. In 1965, the Lower and Upper Schools were relocated to nearby San Anselmo (and re-named San Domenico School) to make room for the growing Dominican College. Bertrand was a dormitory, classroom space, coffee house, bookstore, lounge, and housed beloved eaterie Café Marrón. Today, it is the administrative hub of Dominican, home to the Barowsky School of Business, the Department of Psychology, Counseling Services, Business Services, the Registrar, Financial Aid, Campus Security, Marketing, Student Health Center, Student Success Center, Teaching and Learning Center, and Mail Services. Although Bertrand may not be the most picturesque building on campus, its walls have witnessed more than their fair share of Dominican history!

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The original school lockers from the Lower School remain on the second floor.

years later, with three sisters and two upperclassmen for residence chaperones, and all that open space: six dormitories, one huge lounge, 40 million lockers that clanked and squealed the length of the hallway, and a wonderful sun deck that cheered you all day or night, fog or fair. I lived with you from your coming to Bertrand to your going, and I, too, can remember sad and hard things as well as light-hearted ones. But whenever we get together now and reminisce, we seem to end up pretzeled into laughter shapes.”

– Sr. Marie Sagues, OP, to the Class of 1971 (1971 Firebrand) O Now P A student need only walk down the first-floor hallway of Bertrand to access a collection of services that support their academic, personal and professional goals. From a Free Career Closet for students who need business attire for interviews to integrative coaches and peer mentors who guide them through their Dominican Experience, the Student Success Center is a one-stop shop for reaching their full potential. In Fall 2022, integrative coaches held 895 meetings with students, helping them develop education and career plans. 86 percent of first-year students enrolled in last fall’s Navigating College, a course that helps them develop skills around goal-directed behavior and effective study habits.

O Then P “Bertrand Hall, the dorm — upstairs, that is — had six ‘rooms,’ with curtains that separated five to six roommates.

Privacy notwithstanding, as a Bertrand Belle, we each had a bed, a closet, a set of drawers, a desk, and a chair. Add the lounge, where the lone television set lived and the Belles gathered for all dorm events; the pay telephone that sat forlornly midway down the long hallway, the mad rush to answer a ringing phone; and the nightly ‘Good night, ladies! God bless!’ from Sr. Damien, silently walking down the hall holding her rosary at lights out. Despite the added stresses, we Belles found that life in Bertrand created a deep closeness among its residents, much treasured to this day.”

– Doreen Isa Higa ’71 “In 1965, the first college freshmen moved their shag rugs and stereos and posters and popcorn poppers into Bertrand and learned how to cope in groups without walls. There you were two

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On December 11, 1965, a parade traveled from the Dominican Convent to the new San Domenico School for Girls site in San Anselmo. Antique fire engines, vintage cars, and horse-drawn buggies participated in the parade.

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Edgehill Mansion c. 1920

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n elegant Queen Anne Victorian, Edgehill Mansion was constructed in 1887 for shipping magnate William Babcock and named Edgehill for its hilltop location overlooking the Magnolia Valley. The Dominican Sisters purchased the mansion and 50 acres of property from Julia Babcock, widow of Mr. Babcock, in 1920 for use as a senior residence hall.

The building has functioned in several capacities since, housing classrooms, offices, the campus dining hall, and a novitiate house. The building closed in 1989 and stood empty until a significant renovation in 2009. Edgehill completed its transformation in October 2010. It is now home to the St. Catherine Benincasa Chapel, Student Life, Campus Ministry, Student Government (ASDU) and organizations, the International Center, the Inclusion and Advocacy Center, and Alumni Relations.

In 1946, Dominican College opened The Garden School, a pre-k and kindergarten, in Edgehill Mansion. Sr. Patricia Lyons, OP was founder and principal of the school.

A new life for a beloved mansion: On November 1, 2008, the Dominican Board of Trustees unanimously approved plans to transform Edgehill Mansion into the Dominican Heritage and Alumni House, with the St. Catherine Benincasa Chapel as the centerpiece of the project. Within a week of passing the resolution to proceed with the renovation, board members pledged gifts totaling more than $500,000 to signal their firm commitment to the project. Ultimately, 1,426 donors gave $8 million to make the foundation-to-roof renovation possible.

✪ Nationally recognized liturgical artist Elizabeth Devereaux '64 designed the stained glass that graces the bay windows in the chapel. In the design, she used gold leaf and a repeating icon of Mt. Tam. O Now P Edgehill Mansion houses the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) and the Inclusion and Advocacy Center (IAC). The ODEI is advancing inclusion and belonging through campus-wide initiatives that include robust professional development opportunities in the form of workshops for faculty, staff and students that provide an opportunity for self-reflection and purposeful change.

Dominican launched the IAC at the request of students who wished to create an inclusive space to gather and build community. Student organizations frequently use the IAC for their programming. Last spring, a social justice mural was painted by honors students under the direction of Professor Lynn Sondag and Stacy Poe, ODEI executive director.

Edgehill Bell: If you’re not familiar with the Great Bell, that’s probably because, for the longest time, no one could find it. The bell was a gift to Dominican’s first president, Mother Louis O’Donnell, from Rev. John Cullen on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee celebrating 50 years as a Dominican Sister. The bell was cast in 1927 and is inscribed with the Jesuit motto, “A.M.D.G.,” (“For the Greater Glory of God”). The Dominican motto "Veritas," meaning “Truth,” appears underneath. Rev. Cullen personally supervised the bell’s casting and added $100 worth of silver to secure a sweet sound. Due to its size, the bell could not be hung outside the Motherhouse and was put into storage. It was found decades later in a storage room in Caleruega and reintroduced to campus at the inauguration of Dr. Mary B Marcy, President from 20102021. The bell sits on the lawn of Edgehill Mansion for the entire campus and community to enjoy.

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Caleruega c. 1959

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aleruega’s location does not disappoint. Take in the plaza’s brightly colored planter, the big, glowing ghost tree in the foreground, the smell of delicious and locally grown food from Epicurean’s kitchen, or the peak of Fire Trail emerging inconspicuously from behind—it’s all captivating. The campus dining room (also known as the Shield Room) is lined with an extensive collection of wooden class shields carved by Ludwig Marent.

O Then P Dress codes are made to be broken: For many years, students had to wear hosiery to dinner or else face the Student Affairs Board. Some tried to get around the mandate by drawing a line with an eyebrow pencil up the back of their legs to look like a seam. Others protested by wearing torn-up nylons with as many “runs” as possible. Pants and jeans could not be worn to Caleruega until the class of 1970 convinced the administration otherwise during LedgCon their junior year. In the 1980s, students had to wear a shirt and shoes, so some students tried to dine wearing only a shirt and shoes. One student always brought his shoes but usually did not wear them on his feet until the administration clarified the posted rule.

✪ The giant white eucalyptus at the corner of Palm and Magnolia avenues was spared when Sr. Thomas Vaughn, OP (Dominican President from 1935-1945 and former dean of admissions) stood defiantly in front of a bulldozer and said, “Take the tree, take me.” The tree survived and stands today at the entrance to Caleruega as a memorial to Sr. Thomas, who passed away in 1968.

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Fr. Robert Haberm

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l DU Tradition: Thanksgiving Dinner – Continuing a tradition started 36 years ago by the late Fr. Robert Haberman and Campus Ministry, Dominican students, faculty, staff and neighbors join together annually for a Thanksgiving feast in Caleruega Dining Hall. A delicious meal as a Dominican community follows a Gathering of Gratitude on the plaza. The dinner, offered in partnership with Epicurean, is often referred to as “the best meal of the year.”

O Now P Fresh, local and delicious! Dining Services is committed to sustainable dining practices, preparing meals from seasonal and organic ingredients. The majority of products come from within 150 miles of campus.

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Joseph R. Fink Science Center c. 2007

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he Joseph R. Fink Science Center is named in honor of Dominican’s eighth president, who served in the role from 1988-2011 and was instrumental in the continued improvement of the physical campus. He raised funds to build or renovate more than half the buildings on campus, and the Fink Science Center stands as his legacy, bringing Dominican its first new scientific facility on campus in more than 50 years.

The Center is a 35,000-square-foot space designated for studying medicine and science. The building houses more than 30 classrooms and labs, as well as faculty offices and a first-floor art gallery. Within the faculty-student research labs, you may find studies concerning malaria, breast cancer, sudden oak death, alcohol addiction and biofuels.

O Now P The Science Center’s role during the COVID-19 pandemic: Dominican had just the place when Marin Public Health needed to store the coronavirus vaccine in late 2020. In a dark, noisy room in Fink Science Center, three ultra-low temperature biomedical freezers that operate at minus 80 Celsius are used by faculty to store samples, biological materials and chemical reagents for research in the University’s biological sciences and biochemistry programs. The ultra-low temperature allows samples to be stored at an even temperature for a long time.

l New home for a DU tradition: In recent years, the Associated Students of Dominican University’s (ASDU) annual haunted house took place in the Science Center, weaving in and out of the labs. If you attended DU within the last eight years, you might remember themes like: • How the Boy Became Blue - 2011 • Theater of Blood - 2013 • Carnevil - 2015 • Welcome to the Factory - 2016

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BUILDING DOMINICAN

Albertus Magnus c. 1949

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ocated east of Anne Hathaway lawn, Albertus Magnus appears significantly more modern than its ivy-covered neighbor Guzman. Built on land acquired by Dominican as part of the Buck Estate, this former chemistry building was named for Albertus Magnus OP (c. 1200 – 1280), also known as Saint Albert the Great, a German Dominican friar, philosopher, scientist and bishop who was later canonized as a Catholic saint. The building initially comprised three laboratories, a classroom with elevated seating, and office space.

Albertus Magnus dreamed of being a much larger entity with a second story and an addition to the current building. However, it never expanded and remained a small wing of a proposed science building. In 2016, it was renovated to house the Physician Assistant Studies program.

O Then P Students such as Lillian Li-Yen Wang Yin ’51 were well prepared to pioneer careers in science when few women did so, thanks to Dominican’s rigorous science curriculum. In 1948, Lillian transferred from the University of Shanghai to Dominican, where she majored in chemistry and minored in education. Science faculty in the 1950s included Drs. Pillsbury and Mumford and Sisters Anita and Frieda. They taught chemistry, physics and biology, while the Albertus Magnus Club organized field trips to research laboratories, hospitals, and chemical industrial centers. Lillian went on to earn her MS and PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania.

She enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the sciences, primarily as a laboratory research chemist and director for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

O Now P Dominican's Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) launched in 2017, at a time when the employment of PAs was projected to increase by 30 percent from 20142024. Demand continues to grow for both PAs and spots in the Dominican program. Dominican has approximately 1,500 applicants yearly, vying for about 30-40 seats. In this 28-month program, students complete 16 months of didactic education in medicine, then embark on a 12-month journey through clinical rotations, including family and internal medicine, women's health, pediatrics, surgery, behavioral health, emergency medicine and other specialties.

Michael Burns ’20, graduated from the second-ever MSPAS cohort and started a new job at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, Calif., just days after graduation.

“The faculty are highly competent, motivated and experienced, and PA school was one of the most intense and rewarding experiences of my life," said Michael. “For me, the experience wasn't marked by a singular highlight. It felt more like 1,000 small victories. The accumulation of those small victories was the most meaningful part of my experience.”

When longtime Associate Director of Facility Services Michael Henkes arrived on campus in 1994, he tried everything to save the beloved giant Sequoia tree in front of Meadowlands, including talking to it and giving it special soil. “The nursing program had a shaman come in to introduce the nursing students to different ways of thinking about healing,” Michael recalled. “I asked them, ‘Can I use your shaman for the tree?’ He wanted to participate, so we prayed for it, and he blessed it.” The tree could not be healed, but it remains a part of the campus in the form of a large picnic table outside Albertus Magnus.

Magnolia House c. 2007

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he Williams Family built Magnolia House in 1918 for their daughter Corona on the occasion of her marriage. In 1983, new owners remodeled the house and expanded it to include 11 bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms. Dominican purchased the property on February 15, 2007. Magnolia House is now home to Admission, and Human Resources is housed in the property’s former four-car garage and workshop. The first floor, which was once the living room, is now where prospective students and families await their tours. The upstairs now consists of office space for undergraduate admissions counselors, enrollment systems and operations, and student ambassadors.

O Now P Student Ambassador Program: Since the early 2000s, the admissions department has recruited some of the University’s

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most passionate Penguins as Student Ambassadors. Students chosen for this work-study program provide a crucial service to the admissions staff as student recruiters and representatives.

Ambassadors promote and share their extensive knowledge of the University to prospective students and their parents through tours, phone calls, events and social media.

“It is truly an honor being a Student Ambassador at Dominican. One of the best parts is seeing the excitement of potential new students and their families. The campus grounds, with all their trees, beautiful architectural buildings and history, are mesmerizing. Living in the dorms, attending school functions, surviving finals week − this is just the beginning of an exciting future.” Richele “Chili” Phaler '24

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San Marco c. 1947

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riginally a Quonset hut purchased from the military after World War II, San Marco was remodeled under the direction of Ann O’Hanlon, head of the art department, and introduced to Dominican College as an art studio. After a fire of unknown origin burned the original gallery in December 1952, a new art building was blessed and dedicated in April 1953.

Much of the new equipment in the building was furnished by the college alumnae association. In addition to the art gallery, the renovated San Marco contained workshops, a lecture room, a reading and reference library, and offices. Today, you will find ceramics, watercolor, painting and sculpting classes in the oddly-shaped structure, which provides students with the opportunity to put their pieces on display in the San Marco Gallery located in Archbishop Alemany Library.

O Then P As an art major specializing in photography, filmmaking and metal fabrication, Stewart McRae ’77 spent a lot of time in San Marco and beyond, developing his creative skills. With the able assistance of classmate Leslie Ross ’78, now professor and chair of art history and visual studies at Dominican, Stewart wrote, produced, directed, photographed and edited films in Super 8 with magnetic sound — cutting edge technology at the time. He also brought his brand of humor to the Quonset hut,

sharing, “For my senior art show, part of the project was to label the artworks on walls or pillars. Next to the firehose behind a glass cabinet, I made a label that said ‘Hose in Repose.’”

Although that particular creation of Stewart’s is no longer there, the Class of 1980 Shield he designed still hangs in the Shield Room.

O Now P Lynn Sondag, Professor of Art, Honors Program Director, and member of the Dominican faculty for 20 years, has provided inspiration and guidance to countless students in San Marco.

Her work was honored in December 2022 with the Joseph R. Fink Faculty Achievement Award, which honors a faculty member’s lifetime achievement and dedication to the University. Sondag has garnered attention for Dominican and the School of Liberal Arts and Education through her recognition as a fine artist in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and through public artworks to address educational inequity, homelessness, environmental injustice and racial marginalization.

San Marco was named after the monastery in Florence, Italy, where Fra Angelico painted his famous frescoes.

Anne Hathaway Cottage c. 1935

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his small building, with its rich green lawn, peeks out from a woodsy backdrop. Before the Dominican Sisters purchased it as part of the Buck estate, Anne Hathaway was a carriage house and stable (the original beam with pulleys attached was used to hoist hay for storage). After it was remodeled in 1944, the Cottage housed first the Dominican College printing press, run by Sr. Anthony, and subsequently a wood shop. Today, it houses the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and Institutional Effectiveness offices.

What’s in a name? The Cottage was named in 1944, not after the famous American actress but after William Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway. The petite dwelling resembled her cottage in Stratford-Upon-Avon, and the original plan was to plant a Shakespearean garden out front.

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O Then P Lyn Elder, maker of handcrafted medieval and renaissance-era stringed instruments, was the Craftsman in Residence at Dominican in the 1970s through the early 1990s.

He taught students how to make instruments out of his workshop in Anne Hathaway, and built the teak Chaucer Bench in Sr. Nicholas Maltman, OP Memorial Garden.

O Now P Tucked away in one of the office suites, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) team is hard at work creating a rich offering of courses and workshops for adults over 50. The program offers a curated roster of four-, six- and eight-week courses, workshops, clubs and events. Professors experienced in their disciplines teach a learning community of more than 675 individuals. Founded in 2004, Dominican OLLI is made possible by a generous endowment from the Bernard Osher Foundation, member tuition and member donations. The complete list of courses is available on DU’s website at dominican.edu/olli.

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Fanjeaux Hall c. 1927

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gray stone hall with a peaked roof and ivy-covered towers, Fanjeaux is commonly described as a castle straight from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was named after the French village where St. Dominic established the first convent of Dominican Sisters and was the second residence hall on campus after Meadowlands. Those who were lucky enough to live within the walls of this Dominican gem have referred to themselves as the “Fanjeaux Family.” Though Fanjeaux has always maintained its purpose as a residence hall, it also previously housed the campus dining hall and the health center. The original lounge was known as the “Long Room” and described as a “scant-windowed castle dim with poetic candlelight, swanky chandeliers and comfortable Chesterfields.” Today you will find the campus bookstore and student lounge in place of the Gatsby-era art deco decor.

On a rainy afternoon in April 1935, American writer and poet Gertrude Stein came to tea in Fanjeaux with the students.

O Then P Ben Stricker ’95 lived in all of the dorms at Dominican. From 1991 to 1995, this meant Fanjeaux, Meadowlands, and Pennafort. He said: “For me, picking a favorite dorm would be equivalent to picking my favorite child. All three would be my tie for first, but since I lived in Fanjeaux for two of my four years, I’ll consider that the tie

breaker. More than the other dorms, I felt that Fanjeaux’s lounges helped build a better community. It had more spaces for people to study together, or gather to watch TV. I can also confirm that Fanjeaux was haunted* with all-night banging of the heaters in the hallways and other unexplained mysteries.

3:2:1: Action! 13 Reasons Why, S3E2, 45:13 - The Netflix series “13 Reasons Why” filmed two scenes at Dominican in season three. The Fanjeaux courtyard makes its debut as Hillcrest High School in the episode, “If You’re Breathing, You’re a Liar.”

The Fanjeaux stories extended outside the walls of the building, ranging from deer-watching out back to mud wrestling au naturel out front (broken up by Sr. Carol) to "Incoming!" attacks by the water balloon launcher from the third floor tower room that made any walk back from Caleruega or on the library lawn a treacherous one.

For those of us who didn’t have private phone lines in our rooms, we were also one of the last generations to wait in line to use the public phone and gather around the TVs that were in the lounges.” *The Carillon student newspaper in 1950 tells the story of the ghost of Fanjeaux. Cousins Gertrude and Greta lived in Fanjeaux, with Gertrude on the second floor and Greta on the third. Gertrude would use smoke from cigarettes to signal her cousin on the third floor. Later, Gertrude haunted the second floor, inhabiting the cigarette urn on the fireplace.

Pennafort Hall c. 1958

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ennafort Hall is a mid-century traditional residence hall for first-year undergraduate students. All rooms are designated as triple-occupancy spaces, with adjoining rooms and a shared bathroom. Pennafort features large sunny windows, hardwood floors, updated furniture, walk-in closets and plenty of places to study. Built in 1958 and named after St. Raymond of Pennafort, a 13th-century Dominican lawyer, the building was erected in memory of Mother Mary Raymond O’Connor, Mother

Sr. M. Nicholas Maltman, OP, chair of the English literature department, lived in Pennafort as a resident advisor. She was known for riding her white, ten-speed Peugeot bicycle into the heart of campus, whizzing down the hill from Pennafort in a full traditional habit.

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General of the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael and second president of the College (St. Raymond was her patron saint). Today, besides housing roughly 200 freshmen, Pennafort is the location for the ELS Language Centers, which offer English language immersion programs for international students.

O Then P "Pennafort was a place where new friends quickly became family. I remember how fun and welcoming everyone was during freshman year, with doors wide open and all kinds of eclectic music ringing through the halls. Everyone bonded so much over the year that we were devastated when we found out some of our #PennafortPeople were transferring. We had to do something special. We called in a large, 15-person delivery order to Szechwan 7 in Montecito Plaza and gathered in the Pennafort Lounge for one final family dinner." – Kim Harris '15, MS '16

BUILDING DOMINICAN

Edgehill Village c. 2002

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tepping foot into the cluster of six cozy cabins at the northeast corner of campus, you may think you’re in Lake Tahoe. The Edgehill Village apartment-style dormitory buildings were built to provide housing for approximately 200 upperclassmen. Opened in 2002 to accommodate the growing number of students, the suite-style residences feature two double-occupancy bedrooms, a living room and a shared bathroom. There is also a common room area known as the Club Penguin Room where students meet up with friends to play pool and darts.

O Then P Lianni Castro-Teets ’04 was an RA in Edgehill Village the first year they opened. She recalles that almost everyone who had lived in Pennafort, Fanjeaux and Meadowlands moved into the new residence halls that year, and the energy was full of newness and excitement. Fr. Bob Haberman graciously blessed each building and specific rooms upon students’ request.

O Now P When the October 2017 Tubbs Fire and its aftermath threatened his household and the health of his young son, the Dominican community rallied around Robert Daley ’18, MA ’19 and his family. Robert’s son, Francis Dominic, was born with a

heart condition that required surgery when he was six months old. While Francis Dominic was recuperating from his operation, the Daley family was forced to flee their Santa Rosa home as the Tubbs Fire moved dangerously close to their neighborhood.

The Daley home was spared, but the lingering smoke made it impossible to return home.

The Dominican community stepped up. Dr. Paul Raccanello ’96, MA ’01, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management, and dean of students, sent a campus-wide email offering accommodation in Edgehill Village to those displaced by the fires.

The Daley family remained on campus for a month, living next door to undergraduates. Robert was able to continue his studies almost uninterrupted.

“It felt like home and for a few weeks it was,” Robert said.

“Staying here that month, it really endeared me to everybody.”

The following year, Robert graduated summa cum laude with his BA in humanities and cultural studies and his MA in humanities in 2019. Today, he works as the director of housing services at Residential Youth Services and Empowerment in Hawaii.

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Martin de Porres Hall c. 1918

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ou may not know Martin de Porres without referencing his twin brother Ralph Minor. This half of the iconic red duo got its name from Martin de Porres, a Peruvian Dominican saint who healed the sick. Martin de Porres was built around 1888 and formerly served as the carriage house for the Meadowlands estate. It was originally used as a classroom and photography studio. During the renovation of Meadowlands from 2013 to 2015, this red barn was used temporarily as the nursing skills lab, but has since housed additional classroom space.

In 2016, Dr. Celia Cussen, professor of colonial Latin American history at the University of Chile in Santiago and visiting scholar at Stanford’s Center for Latin American Studies, came to campus to give an open lecture on her research on famed Dominican Saint, Martin de Porres. Dr. Cussen’s book, “Black Saint of the Americas: The Life and Afterlife of Martin de Porres,” has been reviewed as the most authoritative on the topic and gives special attention to the symbols and images of Martin de Porres. Left, Dr. Cussen is standing in front of Martin de Porres Hall while holding Dominican’s very own Martin de Porres icon that has been on display inside the building for decades.

Ralph Minor Hall c. 1924

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nlike his twin brother Martin de Porres, Ralph Minor was not purchased along with the de Young estate.

Dominican’s science program was one of the first disciplines to receive its own building when the “Old Log House” was constructed in 1924. Professor Ralph Minor, who served as both dean of the School of Optometry at UC Berkeley and professor of physics at Dominican, personally directed the project. He divided the log house into three rooms: a lab, a classroom and a darkroom with a nearby section for his physics equipment. In doing so, he created what, at the time, was hailed as one of the best small laboratories in the country.

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The barn was subsequently used as an audio/visual laboratory in the 1950s; as a stage and prop construction site for the drama department in the 1970s and 1980s; as the campus mailroom and a storage area in the 1990s; as a nursing simulation lab until the Meadowlands renovation was completed from 2013 to 2015; and currently, as the information technology department.

O Then P Chuck Graham ’90, MA ’06, Dominican’s longtime Mail Services Coordinator, fondly recalls Sr. Aquinas Nimitz, OP, bringing packages to the mailroom in Ralph Minor to ask, “how many ‘daddy stamps’ will this cost to mail?” She was, of course, referring to her father, Fleet Admiral Chester M. Nimitz, who was featured on a 50-cent Great American Series postage stamp in 1985.

BUILDING DOMINICAN

The Brown House c. 1935

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his small, tan-colored house sits between Archbishop Alemany Library and the Joseph R. Fink Science Center. In the 1930s, Brown House (then called the Tea House) was used by Upper School students for social gatherings and afternoon tea between classes. Subsequently, it housed the Student Union and headquarters for the Associated Students of Dominican University (ASDU). As the college expanded and grew in student population, Brown House became one of the primary buildings for the art department. Brown House was renovated in the summer of 2005 to become the new photography room and still houses art department faculty as well as printmaking and photography classes.

weird at night. After a very long time, it moved into the orchard and settled down to wait for the pouring of its concrete base.

Now it is almost completely remodeled—this new addition to the campus that caused such a furor in the making. – Joan Mayerle '53 What’s in a name? In the 1950s, the college newspaper The Carillon asked students to suggest new names for the teahouse.

Despite numerous attempts to find the perfect name, the building's nickname ultimately won: Brown House.

In 2008, the “dark brown” house received a paint job in “light tan” to match the Science Center after construction.

O Then P Brown House wasn’t always in the same spot on campus.

In 1949, it was moved across the creek into the then-orchard to make room for Bertrand Hall, much to the surprise of the students who tracked its slow progress across campus in the Firebrand.

“It was quite a shock when the lounge wasn't in the usual spot, but when the elusive structure appeared the next day in front of Albertus Magnus, it was doubly shocking. It stayed in the same spot for almost a week. We began to worry. Then one day, as we departed from lab, we found the restless thing precariously perched over the creek. That really started us wondering. When it stayed there for what seemed weeks, we began trying to figure out what earthly good it would be since no more than five of us could possibly be in it at the same time without fear of going into the water. It was a vast relief when the worrisome thing finally crossed the creek. Then it sat on the path to Benincasa, looking quite

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BUILDING DOMINICAN

Honorable Mentions Benincasa: In 1935, the Dominican Sisters purchased the John Buck home and property.

They remodeled the Buck family’s Victorian summer home to serve as another residence hall, named Benincasa, the family name of St. Catherine of Siena, a 14th-century Dominican. In addition to being used as a senior residence hall, Benincasa was a formal entertainment venue, tea garden and Shield Day backdrop.

Santa Sabina Retreat Center: Dominican built Santa Sabina in 1939 as a house of spiritual formation for the women preparing to join the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, and it served the sisters' needs for training new members until 1970. It is owned by the Dominican Sisters and named after the Dominican Order’s international headquarters in Rome. Currently, Santa Sabina operates as a spiritual retreat center under the leadership of Sr. Margaret Diener ’70, OP.

Barowsky House: Over the years, Dominican’s president has resided in various locations around the campus. Most recently, that location is Barowsky House, designed

by Ralf Runge and located to the right of Fanjeaux Hall. Dr. Mary B. Marcy was the first Dominican president to live in Barowsky House. The bottom level serves as a gathering place for the Dominican community, while the upper levels are dedicated to the personal space of the president.

Alvarez Pineda, M. Barry, M. Calderon-Rodriguez, R. Camasura, T. Cheng, A. Garcia, A. Herrera, R. McMahon, J. Pontius, K. Sigala, A. Vasquez, B. Woo, S. (2019). “History of Dominican University of California.” scholar.dominican.edu/public-history-websites/4/

Hey Alumni! What did we miss?

Send your feedback and memories to alumni@dominican.edu

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT: Dominican University of California in San Rafael occupies the unceded ancestral land of past, present, and future Coast Miwok people and the Coast Miwok Tribal Council of Marin. We wish to acknowledge and respect the Coast Miwok, this land’s original stewards, and honor this stolen land named Awani-Wi (red ochre baskets). We acknowledge that indigenous people had and continue to have a deep and sacred relationship with this land and that the taking of land was violent and destructive.

We acknowledge that in the colonization of California, the Catholic church, especially through the mission system, and the early Spanish, Mexican and American governments decimated indigenous people and attempted to eradicate their culture.

Dominican University of California commits to an ongoing partnership with Coast Miwok people through listening and learning, and seeks to honor and develop harmonious connections with all indigenous people and this land.

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ALUMNI NEWS Dear Fellow Alumni, As the new president of Dominican’s Alumni Board of Directors, I’m grateful for the many opportunities I have had to return to campus this past year. When I reflect on my experiences as a student and alumnus, I’m amazed by the timelessness of our buildings and traditions. One building in particular—the Archbishop Alemany Library—holds so much meaning for me and conjures some of my best memories. Walking up its stone steps as a senior in high school, I recall getting my first glimpse of Pennafort through the building’s second-floor windows, and meeting one of my closest friends, Dean Aclan ’04, in Melba Beals’ radio class.

More than 20 years later, Dominican is breathing new life into the heart of campus as the library undergoes an impressive transformation into the Center for the Dominican Experience.

Still, I will cherish the memories of what the library once was and look forward to the many innovations brought to our current and future students. Reading through this issue of the Torch magazine, I share with you that bittersweet feeling of watching our campus evolve and drift from what we once knew. Rest assured, each bit of transformation is helping Dominican thrive and continue to be a place we can all be proud of.

While we are taking the time to celebrate our Dominican heritage and history with the “Building Dominican” feature, I want to remind you of our accomplishments from the past few years and invite you to return to campus to see the exciting changes for yourself.

Like many of you, I have been honored to get to know Dominican’s newest president, Dr. Nicola Pitchford. Dominican continues to make significant and positive changes under President Pitchford’s leadership by implementing new programs for undergraduate and graduate students, including our first doctoral program in occupational therapy and a PhD in art therapy. We have added a women’s lacrosse team to our athletics lineup—which has already brought home several wins—and we look forward to our first-ever track and field competition this spring.

Dominican has earned a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) designation from the U.S. Department of Education, making it eligible for various types of federal funding to support diverse students' enrollment, persistence, graduation and post-graduation success. With the addition of a fall commencement ceremony and a graduation celebration for the Class of 2020, we were able to provide our students’ with much-deserved recognition for their achievements.

2022-2023 Alumni Board of Directors Sr. Patricia Dougherty O.P. ’67 Sr. Maureen McInerney O.P. ’68 Stewart McRae ’77 Jennifer Morrissey ’88 Jennifer Kelly ’98 Christian Lorentz ’02, MBA ’12 Natisa Dill ’02 Danny Ballesteros ’03 Anne Torok ’04 Lianni Castro-Teets ’04 Brian Moore (President) ’05 Claudia Fromm, MS ’05 Gigi Gillard ’06, MBA ’07 Felicia Bell ’06 Sherri Bridgeforth ’06 Cady Marsh (Past President) ’07, MBA ’09 Casey Lee Thorne ’10 Cynthia Roldan-Frias, MBA ’14 Kim Harris (Secretary) ’15, MS ’16 Sal Chavez (President-elect) ’16, MSOT ’17 Robert Daley ’18, MA ’19

We also brought back many beloved alumni events put on hold since the pandemic, including Reunion, various Golden Circle dinners (celebrating the classes of 1962, 1970, 1971, and 1972), and the Christmas Mass and Celebration. This academic year, we launched our inaugural fall homecoming event, which you can expect each October during Family Weekend.

We plan to bring back even more exciting events this year, and we sincerely hope you will join us.

I would like to thank Cady Marsh ’07, MBA ’09, our past president, for her leadership and guidance over the last two years. During these unprecedented times, Cady has led the Alumni Board with grace, resilience, and strength, leaving me with big shoes to fill.

I look forward to serving the Dominican Alumni Association as Alumni Board President and as a member of the Board of Trustees in the coming year. If you have any questions or concerns for me or my fellow board members, please reach out to us at board@alumni. dominican.edu. I look forward to meeting you at one or more of our alumni or athletic events.

Brian Moore ’05 Alumni Board President Dominican University of California

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ALUMNI PROFILE

Alumna Returns To Dominican With Teachers Of Color Scholarship

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eceiving a Marin Teachers of Color (TOC) scholarship is giving La Donna Clark ’03 an opportunity to return to Dominican University of California. It also represents a second chance for La Donna in more ways than one, and the timing could not have been more perfect.

“I’ve been clean and sober for 28 years, and that’s a blessing.

And then getting cancer and beating it and feeling so alive.

And then having this opportunity to have this scholarship?!

I need to finish this,” La Donna said. “I feel like God doesn’t make mistakes. He puts you right where you need to be when you need to be there. It’s always been a goal of mine to get my teacher’s certificate.”

The Marin Teachers of Color Scholarship was established at Dominican in 2019 by an anonymous donor to address the shortage of teachers of color working in Marin County’s public schools. The scholarship has received $450,000 in contributions, and La Donna is one of nine TOC scholarship recipients who received the award this academic year. She aims to join the 14 recipients who have completed their teaching credentials since Dominican started providing the TOC scholarship. Novato Unified School District and San Rafael School District are top employers of Dominican TOC graduates, and Dominican also offers the 25% Marin Public School Employees Tuition Discount.

According to Marin Promise Partnership, 43 percent of students in Marin County are people of color, but only one out of 10 of their teachers are people of color. Dominican’s Marin Teachers of Color Scholarship program was created to benefit underrepresented students, with preference given to African

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American or Latinx students who intend to teach or currently teach at a Marin County public school. They must be working on the Teaching Credential portion of the MS Education degree or taking courses toward their Teaching Credential as part of their Bachelor’s Degree in Education Studies.

I feel like God doesn’t make mistakes. He puts you right where you need to be when you need to be there. It’s always been a goal of mine to get my teacher’s certificate.

— La Donna Clark ’03 “We are honored to support La Donna with the Marin Teachers of Color Scholarship and the Marin Public School Employee Discount,” said Julie Grellas, Director of School and Community Partnerships in the Department of Education in the School of Liberal Arts and Education. “La Donna is a pillar of our community who has over 20 years of public service in local schools and non-profit organizations. Every student deserves a teacher who is as dedicated, passionate, and experienced as La Donna.”

Yet few teachers have experienced the highs and lows that La Donna has. She overcame drug addiction and, inspired by her son’s learning disabilities in kindergarten in 1998, decided to resume her career goal of teaching.

ALUMNI PROFILE “I felt like I needed to be closer to him at school. He needed me,” said La Donna, who was then a medical assistant at Kaiser Permanente but applied for a Teacher Assistant (TA) position at Bayside Martin Luther King Jr. Academy. “At that point, I fell in love with the classroom.”

That led La Donna, a single mother of three, to Dominican for her first attempt to get her teaching credential, which was a challenging proposition given she discovered later in life she had her own learning disability. Coming from a family of 13, La Donna relied on the support of her siblings—including her identical twin La Tanya Wiggins who shared childcare responsibilities with her—to attend classes at Dominican and receive a bachelor’s degree at Commencement.

“The highlight of being at Dominican was just persevering through all of that, getting to the other side,” La Donna said.

Though she faced barriers in acquiring her full-time teaching credential, La Donna continued to work as a TA and substitute teacher and make a difference in the community. However, she did not anticipate that a two-year battle with colon cancer and a pandemic would interrupt her career path to teach full-time.

She got innovative.

When in-person classes resumed, La Donna, a longtime fan of the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors, would purposely come to class dressed from head to toe in Warriors’ attire— including blue-and-gold spangled crocs—to keep her students super focused. Warriors Wednesdays have become a ritual.

“I would normally wear this to a Warriors game, not to work,” La Donna explains. “But after COVID, I had to get their attention.”

Ultimately, La Donna wanted to become a full-time Transitional Kindergarten (TK) teacher and needed her teaching credential.

The best way she knew how to do that was to return to Dominican.

“The classes were small. It was intimate. The teachers really cared that you were successful,” she remembered. “I got a lot of individual attention.”

This time she got a scholarship. Dr. Itoco Garcia, superintendent of the Sausalito Marin City School District, was a strong advocate for La Donna to pursue her teaching credential. Julie Grellas was, in La Donna’s words, “Draymond Green to my Steph Curry” in reconnecting her with Dominican and guiding her to apply for the Teachers of Color Scholarship that solved her financial dilemma to finish what she had started.

“It’s always been something that I wanted to do, and now the other piece of the puzzle is there,” she said.

La Donna, who recently got married, works with the Sausalito Marin City School District during the day, then drives to Dominican for classes. She is taking 18 units, and on Wednesdays, her class schedule stretches from 4:10 to 9:30 p.m. She is on track to graduate in May 2023 and then complete the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET).

She is confident she is in the right place. Students in Dominican’s Teacher Preparation Program develop a broad range of knowledge, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Through small class sizes and individualized attention, students can explore pedagogy and teaching strategies that address the needs of diverse learners, including English learners and students with special needs and gifts. Dominican provides full-time and part-time course offerings through the Education Master's program. This immersive program also includes supervised student teaching and internship options in the Bay Area.

“I’m ready, and I’m more prepared. I’ve got the experience under my belt. I’m older. I’m wiser,” La Donna said. “It feels different this time. I don’t feel so scared. I feel like I’ve been around the block a few times. I feel like it’s mine. I have ownership of the situation.”

The short-term goal for La Donna is to be a full-time TK teacher.

Her long-term goal is to earn her doctorate in education. Given her life’s journey, La Donna is as determined as ever.

“The moral of my story is to never give up. Never give up. And be early and on time. That’s my new motto,” La Donna said, smiling. “I’m humble. I’m grateful. I feel so blessed.”

Three years after launching a scholarship program to address the shortage of teachers of color working in Marin County’s public schools, Dominican is expanding the program into the East Bay. The new East Bay Teachers of Color Scholarship is funded by a $100,000 contribution from anonymous donors through Marin Community Foundation. Dominican hopes to award up to 10 East Bay TOC scholarships during the 2023-2024 academic year.

For more information, email allyse.rudolph@dominican.edu

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ALUMNI PROFILE

NBA Champion Assistant Coach Proud to be Dominican Alum

C

hris DeMarco ’09 MBA ’11, longtime assistant coach for the defending NBA world champion Golden State Warriors, is so proud of his Dominican roots that he wants to share the good fortune that came with his move to the University.

Chris, however, is far from a spectator. He has been a guest speaker on campus, including at summer camps. In a manner of speaking, you could say he’s the best power forward in Dominican history.

He has invited Warriors coaches and players to visit him in Marin across the Golden Gate Bridge, and it’s not uncommon for Warriors players such as Klay Thompson to shoot around in the Conlan Center gymnasium on campus. Not only that, Chris maintains a group text with about a dozen former Dominican teammates and friends. They talk and text just about every day and find time to play basketball together in the Marin City leagues.

“Chris DeMarco has made a positive impact on every team he has been associated with. His enthusiasm for basketball and his love for Dominican is contagious,” said Penguins head women’s basketball coach Tim LaKose. “Chris is always willing to help our student-athletes and support our teams. He has inspired our players by sharing his Dominican experience and how lessons learned here have been keys to his success.”

Chris contends that any student or student-athlete would be naturally attracted to Dominican.

“I love the whole Bay Area, but I tell anybody who will listen around here they are missing out if they don’t spend time in Marin,” DeMarco said, sitting at courtside after practice inside the Chase Center. “To be able to play a sport at Dominican in a location like San Rafael, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

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As Chris has discovered through the years, there’s a lot of opportunity at Dominican. He graduated in 2011 with an MBA to the NBA. He has traveled the world coaching basketball and is now an assistant coach for a team that has won four championships during his tenure.

“Dominican has a magical effect on most who attend. A lasting impact that stays with you long after you graduate,” said Phil Havlicek ’09, who played basketball with Chris at Dominican and is now the manager of Cecilia’s Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco.

ALUMNI PROFILE

I love the whole Bay Area, but I tell anybody who will listen around here they are missing out if they don’t spend time in Marin.

To be able to play a sport at Dominican in a location like San Rafael, it doesn’t get any better than that.

— Chris DeMarco ’09, MBA ’11 “Our teammates are still very close to this day, and I believe the intimate setting and smaller campus lent itself to that. Really only 20 minutes from the city, but it felt like a different part of the world. I believe this is what Chris was attracted to, the tight bonds we created and charm of the campus and faculty. Doesn’t hurt that the weather is much warmer than Wisconsin, too.”

Chris’ journey to Dominican started when he transferred from Edgewood College in his home state of Wisconsin. He was looking to earn a degree in business at a liberal arts school while searching for a spark in his life, so he enrolled in the Barowsky School of Business.

In his senior year at Dominican — the 2008-09 season before the University joined the Pacific West Conference in NCAA Division II — Chris had the best season of his basketball-playing career. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound forward led the Penguins to a 16-13 record overall and a third-place finish in the California Pacific Conference, where he was named Newcomer of the Year.

Sal and Patti, Chris’s parents, flew out from Appleton, Wis., to watch him compete in almost every game he played at Dominican. They also made sure he was studying because, Chris said, “It was always education first in my family.” An MBA degree was his ultimate goal above the rim at Dominican.

“Dominican is a special place to Chris. When you think about the path he has taken in his life, DU was an important stop that landed him in the Bay Area and helped set the stage for where he is today, both in his career and with a solid group of friends,” said Chris’ friend and former Dominican teammate Chris Souza ’09, now senior director for sales and marketing operations at Quotient Technology Inc. Indeed, once Chris got his undergraduate degree in 2009, then his MBA, he moved to San Francisco and started networking for a job. He wanted to play professional basketball overseas but found a better opportunity. Chris reconnected with former Edgewood teammate John Fahey, who had moved to the Bay Area to become Golden State’s assistant video coordinator.

Fahey contacted Chris when an internship opportunity within the Warriors organization became available, and in August 2012, Chris’ road to the sidelines of the NBA started in the video room.

Chris rose in the ranks, taking on positions including video coordinator, advance scout, assistant coach of player development, and assistant coach/director of player development. In July 2021, he became a full-fledged assistant Warriors coach.

Chris has also coached the Warriors team in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and, since 2019, has been head coach of the Bahamas Basketball Men’s National Team.

One might say Chris is sitting pretty. Being a Warriors assistant coach has been a springboard to success. Five of Steve Kerr’s former assistant coaches in Golden State—Michael Malone, Alan Gentry, Luke Walton, Willie Green and Mike Brown—have become head coaches in the NBA. “I’d like to be a head coach, whether at the NBA level or the college level,” Chris said. “That’s why I’ve continued to gain that experience in the off-season with the Bahamas National Team.”

Chris is proud of his playing ability and has proved his prowess to the team. Over the years, he has successfully met the challenge of Warriors players who have kidded Chris that he can’t hoop and dunk a basketball over the 10-foot rim. The most widely publicized of these taunts happened during a shootaround practice in Salt Lake City before the team’s final regular-season game in 2018 when, prodded by Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, Chris ran in from the left side and dunked with his right hand.

Players and coaches erupted in amazement, and Chris took a victory lap straight up the concourse in the arena.

Dominican is a special place to Chris.

When you think about the path he has taken in his life, DU was an important stop that landed him in the Bay Area and helped set the stage for where he is today, both in his career and with a solid group of friends.

— Chris Souza ’09 Teasing aside, Chris has the players’ backs. He has made it his business to help establish a winning culture with the Warriors, focused on building relationships and team chemistry. In a recent post-practice workout, Chris led Klay Thompson through a series of drills for more than a half-hour designed for situational shooting. Though Chris’ player development assignments have mainly focused on Thompson, Jordan Poole and Kevon Looney, he is available to help all players on the team.

The Dominican graduate with his master’s in business is now a master in everybody’s business with the Warriors.

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CLASS NOTES

Georgia Thorsland ’57

Sandy (Mugford) Overton ’65, Sheila Gillespie McCune’65, Karen Page Hastings ’65

1950s Georgia Thorsland ’57 recently connected with Dakota Navrkal, Dominican’s annual giving manager, when he visited Norway in September 2022. Although Georgia was unable to meet in person, her son Arne picked up some Dominican swag to deliver on our behalf.

1960s Sandy (Mugford) Overton ’65 had a lovely visit from Sheila Gillespie McCune ’65 and Karen Page Hastings ’65. They spent a few days pooling their memories.

1970s Carol Vallely ’77 and her husband the Rev. Dr. Clayton Schmit are officially snowbirds. They have built a home in Morro Bay, California, and a lake house they call “Camp Kanoodle” in Tomahawk, Wisc.

Partially retired, Carol remains active in the legal community with some choice clients and teaches law at a local college in Wisconsin. This is a new chapter for the couple, and they hope to have time to play more tennis and enjoy the wonders of their local outdoors.

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Christine Nervo Reidel ’72, Stephanie Bulich ’72, Jean Smith Nelson ’72, Keven Seaver ’72

A jolly mini Class of 1972 reunion occurred over lunch on November 16 in Novato when Virginia resident Christine Nervo Reidel ’72 met with Stephanie Bulich ’72, Jean Smith Nelson ’72, and Keven Seaver ’72.

After receiving his credential at Dominican College and working at Terra Linda High School, Tom Thompson ’73 began teaching at his alma mater, Marin Catholic.

He will retire in June 2023 after 49 years of teaching English and history to many, many students and working with many wonderful colleagues. He says it’s been fun and rewarding.

1980s David Newton Dale ’82 is the founder of an international social enterprise, the Smart Shipping Foundation, based in Oman. Living there is like heaven on Earth for David. He is excited to apply his skills gathered while working on his last master's degree in charity management at St Mary’s University Twickenham, London (2019-2021), to the modern maritime sector. The Smart Shipping Foundation is creating a rating system to help standardize the industry and help stakeholders identify essential supply chain partners who are modernizing their fleet and adhering to Smart Shipping protocols. He is proud to be a part of

Tom Thompson ’73

Shelley Klaner, MA ’12

this exciting challenge after years of serving as an officer at Stella Maris’ international headquarters in London.

2000s Heather Steil ’03, a foreign service officer with the U.S. State Department, completed her three-year assignment as a foreign policy advisor to the commander of U.S. Central Command in May 2022. In June, she began her next adventure as the chief of staff and advisor to the ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.

After working in Dominican's Office of Financial Aid for more than seven years, Kevin Ow '05, MBA ’18 is now working at Menlo College as the director of financial aid. Kevin utilizes everything he learned as a Dominican student and employee as he navigates his new role.

Valerie Jane Chua ’08 joined the Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) Board of Directors in July 2022.

WiCyS is a global organization with a mission to help build a strong gender-diverse cybersecurity workforce by facilitating recruitment, retention and advancement for women in the field.

CLASS NOTES

Laurel Druke ’12

Yazmin Saddler ’13

Lisa Chase-Rubio ’09 says, “Graduating from DU is no small thing, especially with debilitating ADHD. It’s easy to get wound up and tangled in distractions, but having been so well supported by Harlan, my advisor, and Evril, my counselor, I learned I could do anything.” Lisa has survived cancer, cared for folks in need and is a working artist. She believes that everything about her is better since achieving her BA. “I can discern information more effectively, support others more ardently, and I have a pretty fancy calling card that validates my opinions: a BA from the Big D.” She is the first person in her family to graduate from college.

2010s Shelley Klaner, MA ’12 published the book Sammy Hagar: One Way to Rock. Shelley compiled multiple stories, then edited and rewrote the content.

Zahra Paikar ’14

Laurel Druke ’12 and Jesse TaylorVermont married on May 20, 2022, at Forest House Lodge in Foresthill, California. Laurel was surrounded by her close-knit Penguin family, including Carolyn Hanson ’12, Crystal Martinez ’12, Gracie Trice ’15, Marika Yakumithis ’22, Heather (Druke) Jedd ’14, Laura Pajari ’12, Maureen de Nieva Marsh ’07, and Alexis Rauschkolb ’18.

Roxanne (Devera) Montgomery ’17

Since graduating with her BSN, Roxanne (Devera) Montgomery ’17 has been working as an RN in an intensive care unit and is planning to pursue higher education within the next year. She also bought a house and married. She met her future husband while working in a hospital in San Joaquin County, where COVID-19 hit hard.

Yazmin Saddler ’13 is proud to have been promoted to program supervisor with the County of Marin and also to have become a U.S citizen.

Zahra Paikar ’14 will soon publish a nursing book as a Dominican University of California alumna.

As a member of the first public health cohort, Zahra credits her success to the love and support of her friends and faculty at the University. She is forever a proud Penguin. The book is titled, The ABCs of NCLEX-RN and Exit Hesi Test Success.

Want your class note included in the next Torch?

Visit dominican.edu/alumni/news-and-notes for the submission form!

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In Sympathy ALUMNI Patricia Durham Calhoon ’44

Richard Bricker ’81

Gabrielle Hall Thomas ’44

Linda Godfrey ’90

Abigail Kawananakoa ’47

Karen Henry ’90

Betty Hunzeker Sutfin ’47

Julie Nicholas ’93

Charlotte Mills Ward ’47

Inga-Britt Ostrom ’02

Edythe Johnston Benko ’51

Lance Buoncristiani ’06

Catherine Curts Christie ’52

Cristin Coleman ’09

Dorean Simoni Moore ’52 Phyllis Sutliff Smith ’52 Joan Mayerle ’53 Martha Miller Altstadt ’54 Dorothy Ryan Appelbe ’54 Honorene Phillips Mix ’55

FACULTY AND STAFF Dr. Katherine Henderson Dr. Alan Cumings Dr. Harvey “Skip” Davis Julie Nicholas ’93 Dave Weber

Ruth Sempell ’59 Elizabeth Fahy Weeks ’59 Barbara Cushing Lewis ’60 Claudia Antongiovanni Heinle ’61 Arlene Leal ’61 Jeanne Wilson ’61 Carolyn Sorriva Hipps ’63 Kathleen Harpole Solmssen ’65 Judith Klein Vucci ’65 Catherine Oneto McGrath ’68 Jacqueline McDonald Tarantino ’68 Rosalind McGrath ’69 Paul Maxwell CRED ’72, BS ’87 Joan Turtle ’72 John Iversen ’78 Todd Bolinger ’80 Beth Alper Slepian ’80

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SYMPATHY TO

Linda Morbello Heilmann ’63 and Ann Heilmann Jaime ’87 on the passing of Linda’s husband and Ann’s father, John Heilmann Madelon Healy Montobbio ’65 on the passing of her husband, John Mark Montobbio Jane Bradley ’67 on the passing of her husband, and Mary Bradley Horwitz ’63 and Margaret Bradley Davison ’65 on the passing of their brother-in-law, Thomas Thompson Martha Devitt ’68 on the passing of her brother, Michael Devitt Claire Quinte Bellanti ’70 on the passing of her husband, Robert Bellanti Victoria Coad ’70 on the passing of her sister, Linda Godfrey ’90 Janet Filippi Adam ’73 and Fred Adam ’74 on the passing of Janet’s mother and Fred’s mother-in-law, Marie Filippi

Eileen Mellon Shea ’55 and Kathleen Shea Haley ’81 on the passing of Eileen’s husband and Kathleen’s father, John Shea

Cynthia Benko Highshoe ’77 on the passing of her mother, Edythe Johnston Benko ’51

Gail Maitre Tyler ’58 on the passing of her husband, Maurice Tyler Jr.

Christine Pierson Garcia ’90 and Sara Pierson Simoncic ’96 on the passing of their mother, Catherine Oneto McGrath ’68

Serena Hall O’Sullivan ’59 on the passing of her husband, Peter O’Sullivan

Frank ’94 and Trinity Pellkofer on the passing of their daughter, Georgia Pellkofer

Diane Clecak Farley ’61 on the passing of her husband, Anthony Farley

Ellen Henderson ’95 on the passing of her mother, Katherine Henderson

Ann Devlin Ford ’61 on the passing of her husband, Bernerd Ford Martha Antongiovanni Ball ’62 on the passing of her sister, Claudia Antongiovanni Heinle ’61 Peggy Harpole Concannon ’63 on the passing of her sister, Kathleen Harpole Solmssen ’65

Gordon Maxwell ’01 on the passing of his father, Paul Maxwell ’72 ’87 Gina Vucci ’20 on the passing of her mother, Judith Klein Vucci ’65 John R. Gaulding, Trustee Emeritus, and Matt Gaulding ’12 on the passing of John’s wife and Matt’s mother, Rita Gaulding

Your Gift to Dominican Changes Lives The Lois Noonan Endowed Scholarship in Nursing was established in 2013 in honor of Lois Noonan by her husband, Frank. The fund provides scholarship assistance to nursing students at Dominican University of California.

April is a 4th year nursing student from San Jose, CA. Born in the Philippines, April moved to the United States when she was 10. After graduating, April plans to pursue a career in psychiatric nursing. April is proud to be the first person in her family to earn a college degree.

There are many ways to support Dominican: Return the envelope dominican.edu/makeagift (415) 257-1396

Include Dominican in your estate plan.

Get started today: contact Jessica Jordan at (415) 257-1396 or jessica.jordan@dominican.edu

“Without the Lois Noonan Endowed Scholarship in Nursing, it wouldn’t have been possible for me to attend the nursing program as a low-income, first-generation student. Because of your generosity, I am able to work toward my goal and complete my dream degree.”

— April Monica Magbual ’23 Nursing student, Dominican Class of 2023 (Fall) Recipient of the Lois Noonan Endowed Scholarship in Nursing

NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID

50 Acacia Avenue San Rafael, California 94901 dominican.edu Address service requested

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