McGowan death hits home Soldier, brother to Cabrini senior killed in Iraq

KRISTEN CATALANOTTO NEWS EDITOR

KMC723@CABRINI EDU

Like more than 1600 American families around the country, the McGowan family received notice that Stephen McGowan, 26, brother to senior Michaela McGowan, was killed Friday, March 4, while serving in Iraq.

McGowan was serving in the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division of the U.S. Army when a roadside bomb exploded, killing him and three other fellow soldiers. The United States Central Command said in a press release, “Four soldiers assigned to I Marine Expeditionary Force were killed in action March 4, while conducting security and stability operations in the Al Anbar province.” soldiers who have been killed since the start of March. Fiftyeight U.S. soldiers were killed last month, and 1685 U.S. soldiers have perished since the start of the war.

McGowan is one of 12 U.S.

The death of Stephen McGowan brought the Iraq war close to home and forced students to look at the war with dif- ferent eyes, “It gives us a reality check of our own mortality,” junior Chris Friel said.

“This tragedy hitting so close to home certainly does put a face on the human suffering that is always the result of the senselessness of war,” said Chaplain Father Michael Bielecki.

Michaela McGowan was volunteering on the annual Project Appalachia in West Virginia and did not find out about her brother until she returned on Saturday.

“She’s surviving, she was so close to her brother,” friend Christina Callahan said.

This wasn’t Stephen McGowan’s first experience serving in the military overseas. Since he joined the Army three years ago, he was stationed in Korea for 15 months. He then

MCGOWAN, page 3 between passion and money driving students to their majors. Most fields regardless of the income require passion. Most people who stay with a field really have a passion for it. You’re going to give up weekends and evenings so it’s really important that you love what you do and not just the paycheck.”

Lisa Defino, a junior elementary education major, said, “I am choosing to teach in a Catholic school regardless of the fact that they do not make as much money as other teachers. I have gone to Catholic school my whole life and my faith in God has always been a big part of my life and a factor in shaping the person I am today. For this reason, I feel that religion is an important subject that I want to be able to teach to children. Moneyhasnever beenthemainreasonfor mewantingtoteach. Rather,Iwanttobeable to wakeupinthemorning andtrulyenjoywhatIdo. Inspiringchildrenandmaking adifferenceintheir livesismorerewarding thanreceivingabigpaycheck. Someoneonce said,‘Inahundredyears fromnowitwillnotmat-

PASSION, page 3

A&E Miss Julie page 5 Perspectives page 12