Mount News Magazine Fall 2021: Climbing Higher

MOUNT NEWS MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY | FALL 2021

CLIMBING H I G H E R cITe TAKES STUDENTS TO NEW HEIGHTS | A NEW DAY

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Dear Friends, For the past 100 years the Mount has inspired students to climb higher than they may have thought possible—personally, professionally, and within the larger community. As we begin our journey into a new century, we stand firm on the foundational pillars built by the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati in 1920 when the Mount boldly opened as a women’s college; we rededicate ourselves to our founding mission, vision, and values for all our students and the broader community.

Through new initiatives, programs, and campus improvements, we’re reinvigorating these tenets: excellence in academic endeavors; the integration of life and learning; respect and concern for all persons; diversity of cultures and beliefs; and service to all others. We’re moving upward and forward, always intent on reaching new heights.

The MSJ Renaissance is a new initiative that awards students for participation in arts at the Mount: University Band, University Singers, Theatre, Art Guild, Peak Productions, and Writer’s Block. Many alumni recall, fondly, time spent painting, creating sculptures, singing, playing in the orchestra, building sets, and theatre performances, no matter their majors. The MSJ Renaissance is a rekindling of the light and life of our campus, and a recognition of the importance of a well-rounded, interdisciplinary liberal arts education.

The integration of Mission Ambassadors is a testament to our Catholic heritage, as well as an acknowledgement of our culture of ethics and service to others. Thanks to a generous gift from the Sisters of the Precious Blood, this program will continue to guide students in their desires to live the mission of the Mount. In addition to meeting regularly for prayer, retreats, and educational programs, Mission Ambassadors engage students, faculty, and staff in a welcoming environment open to all, with service as a key component.

Our nationally acclaimed Reading Science Program emanates from our strong roots in education. Using science and research as a guide for teaching children how to read, the program’s branches are sunward and growing. The Mount offers certificates, a master’s degree, and a new Doctor of Education in Reading Science; the positive outcomes promise to affect children nationwide.

In more good news the Centennial Field House and Austin E. Knowlton Recreation & Fitness Center opened and has been a saving grace for our students, faculty, and staff during the Global Pandemic. MSJ students, faculty, staff, and alumni have continued to show their Lion’s spirit, with determined, heartfelt, and impressive stories of grit, determination, and caring during some of the Pandemic’s most difficult days—I could not be more proud.

As we move forward, may we continue to serve the Mount Community and beyond with the Heart of a Lion, reaching personal peaks we never thought possible and shining a light on what it means to be productive citizens, ethical leaders, and contributors to the greater good—we are climbing higher, together! May God continue to bless all of us—and may God continue to bless Mount St. Joseph University!

Sincerely,

H. James Williams, Ph.D. President

CONTENTS AROUND THE QUAD

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FACULTY & STAFF UPDATES

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LIONS’ CORNER

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ALUMNI UPDATES 32 A ROARING SUCCESS

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LEGACY OF A LION

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HEART OF A LION

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HOMECOMING

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IN MEMORIAM

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PUBLISHED BY

Mount St. Joseph University 5701 Delhi Road Cincinnati, OH 45233-1670 www.msj.edu

CLIMBING HIGHER 8

The Mount’s ethos of incorporating its mission into every aspect of campus life is evident in a wide range of programs and initiatives—including the Mission Ambassadors Program; MSJ Renaissance: Arts at the Mount; the MOSAIC Cross Cultural & Inclusion Center; and the Reading Science Program—helping students take on a range of peaks to reach personal and professional goals while also contributing to the common good.

EDITORIAL TEAM

Kathleen Scanlan Cardwell ’87 Morgan Carpenter ’20 Greg Goldschmidt ’07 Amanda Gratsch ’15 Matt Taske ’14, ’09 Blake Watson ’19

DESIGNER

Amanda Absher ’08

CONTRIBUTORS

Jessica Baltzersen ’13 Tabari McCoy Zachary Petit Anya Rao Richelle Thompson

cITe TAKES STUDENTS TO NEW HEIGHTS 14

Recognizing the importance of data in all professions, cITe exemplifies the Mount’s dedication to interdisciplinary liberal arts and excellence in academic endeavors by helping students take their core interests to new heights with a dual major that offers technical solutions professionally and for the common good. The program also developed a groundbreaking, newsmaking app to study thousands of photos of Brood X cicadas.

MANAGING EDITOR Kara Gebhart Uhl

MISSION STATEMENT

Mount St. Joseph University is a Catholic academic community grounded in the spiritual values and vision of its founders, the Sisters of Charity. The University educates its students through interdisciplinary liberal arts and professional curricula emphasizing values, integrity, and social responsibility. Members of the Mount Community embrace: excellence in academic endeavors; the integration of life and learning; respect and concern for all persons; diversity of cultures and beliefs; and service to others.

A NEW DAY 18 Throughout the Mount’s 100-year history, students and faculty alike have embraced uphill challenges with grit, determination, and grace. Here we take an intimate look at the lives of five impressive students as they embark on journeys of a new century of students.

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AROUND THE QUAD CAMPUS UPDATES

PLAYS ARE BACK In October the MSJ Theatre Arts presented “Spoon River Requiem,” a haunting spirit drama with original music.

A collaboration between the Mount St. Joseph University Department of Music and MSJ Theatre Arts, the original adaptation fused Edgar Lee Masters’s original poems with new arrangements of 1910s music and a mysterious narrator.

Come support our students by attending a show! Details for upcoming shows can be found at www.msj.edu/theatre or by visiting Mount St. Joseph University Theatre Arts on Facebook.

THE MOUNT NAMED HIGHER EDUCATION MARKETING TEAM OF THE YEAR An initiative recognizing “Heart of a Lion” stories, a “Climb Higher” recruitment campaign that boosted enrollment, and the memorable “Cicada Buzz” April Fool's Day prank helped the MSJ Marketing & Communications team earn the Higher Education Marketing Team of the Year award from The American Marketing Association (AMA) Foundation at the 2021 Symposium for Marketing in Higher Education in Denver, Colorado.

According to the AMA Foundation, the Mount's marketing team “created, launched, and delivered a vision to become a High-Performance Marketing Organization. The team identified and

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Photos by Mark Byron.

leveraged a consumer products Brand Building Model in early 2020 to assess the competitive landscape, perform a University Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis (SWOT), identify and personify customer targets, develop a brand equity pyramid, and identified and executed key strategies with excellence,” the Foundation said. “With this in mind, the team earned this award by fielding research with key customers to uncover insights, designed and deployed a new brand-building model, launched several new creative and innovative initiatives with excellence, and delivered breakthrough results with 13 percent enrollment growth.”

The Mount's marketing team also helped fuel a 31 percent boost in new

diverse student enrollment and a 16 percent increase in brand awareness.

“Earning this award from the AMA is such an honor for all here at the Mount,” said Jeff Wampler, Vice President of Marketing & Communications. “Our students, alumni, faculty, and staff all represent the brand in communities around the world. This recognition serves as a tribute to the University and the team, many of whom are MSJ Alumni, for their hard work and creativity.”

AROUND THE QUAD CAMPUS UPDATES NEW FACES AT THE MOUNT Chris Powers, Ph.D., Vice President for Recruitment & Admission Powers brings a wealth of experience to the University. He Chris Powers, Ph.D. has been a dedicated higher education professional for 20 years and served most recently as the Vice President of Enrollment for Thomas More University. Powers also held enrollment positions at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College, Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana.

“We are thrilled to appoint Chris Powers as our new Vice President for Recruitment & Admission,” says President H. James Williams, Ph.D. “His past accomplishments in enrollment and his proven leadership skills will have an immediate and positive impact on student recruitment and admission.”

Powers received his Doctorate in

Educational Studies from the University of Cincinnati, Master of Arts degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Louisville, and Bachelor of Arts in English from Berea College in Berea, Kentucky. He also served in the United States Air Force.

In his position at the University, Powers is responsible for the integration and management of recruitment and admission efforts. He will also be responsible for the development and implementation of annual and strategic recruiting plans, working collaboratively with other University departments.

Melanee Wagener, MSOL ’21, Director of Athletics Wagener has more than 20 years of coaching experience, including almost Melanee Wagener '21 11 years serving in athletic administration at the Mount as associate director of athletics and senior

woman administrator. In these positions, she served as liaison between coaches and the athletic director and oversaw game-day administration and special events, including the Lauren Hill game at Xavier University’s Cintas Center.

“Having been at the Mount for 14plus years, I understand what a special place this is,” Wagener says. “I am truly appreciative of Dr. Williams and his cabinet for giving me the opportunity to lead the Athletics Department. I had a great mentor in the previous Director of Athletics, Steve Radcliffe, and am excited to continue to grow the department.”

Wagener originally came to the Mount as the head coach of the women’s basketball team, a role she served in from 2006 to 2010. During this time, she also served as the University’s retention coordinator, where, working with the athletic director, she was responsible for ensuring that the school’s sports teams and individual athletes maintained their NCAA eligibility.

of Health Sciences. “She is well known and highly respected throughout the region for her academic leadership and clinical expertise.”

Sizemore earned her Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Cincinnati, her M.S. degree in Communication Disorders from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, and her B.S. degree in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She completed the Quality Scholars Training program through Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Master of Arts in Educational Studies: Fully Online The Mount is now offering a Masters in Educational Studies with Combined Wendy Strickler, Ph.D. Ohio Endorsements that can be fully

completed online, meeting teachers’ needs as working professionals. This unique opportunity helps teachers extend their professional learning by giving them the opportunity to “stack” Ohio endorsements in their areas of interest.

“This degree is a master’s that is designed by educators for educators with the opportunity to maximize your specialization while simultaneously getting your master’s degree,” says Wendy Strickler, Ph.D., program director of Teacher Advancement.

Available to students who already have an Ohio teaching license, this master’s is 33 to 34 credit hours that can be obtained in as few as 16 months or over several years. It enables real-time integration of learning and professional work, and content learned in the classroom can be immediately applied in school settings. The Ohio endorsements are each grounded in a focus on educational equity and learning to serve the diverse needs of all students.

NEW PROGRAMS New Chair and Master’s Program for Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences In January the Mount named Erin Erin Redle Sizemore, Redle Sizemore, Ph.D., Ph.D. chairperson of the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Sizemore will also develop the Master of Speech-Language Pathology program.

Sizemore came from the University of Cincinnati, where she served as program director of the Master of SpeechLanguage Pathology Akron-Cincinnati Distance Learning Collaborative.

Previously, she served in a faculty role at Kent State University and in clinical roles at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

“We are excited to have Dr. Redle Sizemore join our health sciences team,” says Darla Vale, Ph.D., dean of the School

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AROUND THE QUAD CAMPUS UPDATES MATER DEI CHAPEL’S UNIQUE DESIGN Standing as a communal and spiritual centerpiece to campus, the Mater Dei Chapel’s symbolic stained glass, intricate mosaics, and student artwork grace this sacred place.

Josh Zeller ’17, Head of Access Services in the MSJ library, recently discovered research findings that uncovered a significant point-ofdifference inside the walls of the Mater Dei Chapel, making it one of a kind among Catholic higher education institutions across the U.S.: Much of its design was created by students.

According to Zeller’s research, in the early 1960s, three female undergraduate art students, along with three female faculty members, designed every aspect of Mater Dei Chapel on the new campus of the Mount (then the College of Mount St. Joseph), including the high altar, stained-glass windows, and the religious

Photo by Don Denney.

art contained therein (including the Stations of the Cross). This was completed under the direction and supervision of Sister Augusta Zimmer, S.C., who retired from the Department of Art and Design in 1971, Sister Loretto Ann McCarty, S.C., and Sister Ann Austin Mooney, S.C. An internationally known artist of her time, Sister Augusta empowered her students to capture a spiritual message when creating the Chapel’s works of art. Student contributors included three talented students; Margaret Rolfes Brungs

’60, Judy Dettenwanger Ebbeler ’61, and Marlene Hoffman ’61, who helped design the 28 stained-glass windows.

“Following my research, I am able to assert with confidence that the Mount is unique for the extensive involvement of students in its chapel’s design,” Zeller says. “Most Catholic institutions of higher education employ professional artisans for this task.”

Interested in hosting your wedding at the beautiful Mater Dei Chapel? Visit www.msjchapel.com.

CAMPUS MURALS Science met artistic innovation when the Mount’s Art Guild presented a 15foot outdoor science mural located in the Japanese Garden on campus this spring. This mural, composed of acryclic paint and inspired by a contemporary, street-art style, draws its inspiration from many aspects of science, including a cicada as an entomology focal point.

Art Guild Director Kurt Grannan, associate professor in the Department of Art and Design, partnered with Velma Dailey ’98, Studio San Giuseppe Gallery

Elizabeth Ann Seton Mural. Photo by Mark Byron.

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director to collaborate with the School of Behavioral and Natural Sciences to approve the creative interpretation of the mural.

Dailey, Grannan, and 15 Art Guild students painted it.

The Art Guild is a hands-on, art-making experience, where members of the class complete public art projects both on and off campus.

Another recent public art project is the Elizabeth Ann Art Guild students with the Cicada Mural. Photo by Sara Pope.

Seton mural, featured in lay out the mural design. Then Grannan Studio San Giuseppe Art Gallery’s turned the concept into a highly detailed “Elizabeth Ann Seton: Life & design that could be printed and painted Legacy” exhibit this fall. Dailey by students. says the creation of the mural was “I think it’s most appropriate that now, a team effort involving herself; in the beginning of our next 100 years as Michelle Arnold, assistant director an institution, we support and celebrate of Mission Integration who has these artistic endeavors,” Dailey says. studied the life of Elizabeth Ann “We must work with our students to Seton; Grannan; and Art Guild create a lasting legacy that decades from students. now can tangibly be seen on our campus Using a series of digital photos and in our communities. This is the of symbols in the stained glass continued legacy of Elizabeth Ann Seton windows at Mater Dei Chapel, and the Sisters of Charity.”

Dailey made a cut paper collage to

AROUND THE QUAD CAMPUS UPDATES AN OUTDOOR GRADUATION After having to cancel 2020’s graduation due to COVID-19, MSJ students, faculty, and staff were hopeful a 2021 graduation would occur. And it did, with just a little twist: On May 8, 2021, the Mount held three in-person commencement ceremonies— all outside.

Many members of the faculty and staff worked hard to make these ceremonies possible, and the graduation planning team took up the challenge with grit and grace, determined to celebrate all the dedicated students who worked so hard to reach the top.

Dean of Students Janet Cox and others worked tirelessly with the State of Ohio, and acknowledging COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions at the time, chose to hold graduation at Schueler Field with limited guests, social distancing, and mandatory masks.

There were three ceremonies: a morning ceremony for graduate students, an afternoon ceremony for

After a challenging year the Mount was able to offer in-person graduation. Photos by Don Denney.

undergraduate students, and an evening ceremony allowing the first 200 students from the Class of 2020 who registered to walk across the stage.

Upon announcing the graduation plans, Cox said, “These students have

been through a challenging time in completing their education under the circumstances of the last year, but they have persevered and succeeded. This ceremony welcomes them into the rank of alumni who will always call the Mount home.”

CICADA BUZZ—AN APRIL FOOLS’ DAY PRANK On April 1, 2021, MSJ students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community were abuzz with the news that the Mount had launched an exciting new direction for the athletics program, complete with new University branding.

“Millions of cicadas will come and go from Greater Cincinnati this year,” began the press release. “But at least one is sticking around.”

Next came the surprising announcement: a new mascot, Cicada Buzz, would replace Joe Lion.

“Cicada Buzz is a superb representation of our student body who seek to climb higher at the Mount,” said President H. James Williams, Ph.D., in the press release. “Other schools can have their wildcats, bearcats, bobcats, and more.

The Mount is now flying high with Cicada Buzz!”

Athletic Director Melanee Wagener ’21, joined in on the prank, stating: “Just as cicadas are known to bore into

the ground, our athletic teams are really digging the new mascot.

Cicadas are active, capable, and athletic—and can fly! Their ground game is stellar and aerial attack superb, The Mount’s new mascot: Cicada Buzz. (April Fools!) something we are building on with our athletic teams at As the official mascot of the Mount, the Mount.”

Joe Lion is the heart and soul of the Later that day the Mount admitted University and embodies the excellence that the news was a prank, designed to that is the Mount. Joe Lion can be generate some “buzz” and maybe a few found at games pumping up the laughs as the University launched into crowd and cheering on his favorite the spring sports season and awaited the student-athletes, and also out in the arrival of the Brood X cicada swarm. community representing the Mount at “Happy April Fools’ Day,” said various events.

President Williams, in the press release.

“No one defends the Mount like Joe “Joe Lion is our Mascot and is here to Lion,” Wagener said in the follow-up stay at the Mount. Go Lions!!!” release. “Joe Lion forever!”

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AROUND THE QUAD CAMPUS UPDATES CENTENNIAL FIELD HOUSE IS OPEN In February, the Mount unveiled the Centennial Field House and Austin E. Knowlton Recreation & Fitness Center, an $18 million state-of-the-art facility that provides indoor practice space and a wide range of recreation and fitness opportunities. The Mount welcomes alumni to use this facility, as a way to continue challenging and elevating the whole person.

In addition to featuring a 200-meter, six-lane running track that is the only indoor NCAA regulation track in the region, the two-level, 86,000-squarefoot facility includes free-spanning indoor exercise and training space to accommodate all intercollegiate athletics.

Workout and exercise equipment includes treadmills, stair climbers, stationary bicycles, and elliptical and rowing machines. There are spacious locker rooms for the MSJ baseball team and separate locker rooms for the men’s and women’s track and field teams.

Also included are batting cages, a full tennis court, an indoor turf field, and a multi-purpose area for fitness activities, including yoga, cross-training, and dance.

Sustainability and energy-efficient features are also part of the design, including a rooftop photovoltaic panel system, low-flow plumbing fixtures, large windows that incorporate natural light, and an electric-vehicle charging station.

Athletic Director Melanee Wagener ’21, says the Field House will be a major boost for athletics. “The Centennial Field House will play an important role in MSJ Athletics by helping us recruit student athletes and through providing stateof-the-art facilities and equipment for training and practice,” Wagener said.

The Field House is the first bold step of the University’s Transformation 2025 plan, a long-term strategy that is designed to embrace, augment, and amplify the MSJ student experience, boost enrollment and fundraising, and improve the University’s outcomes, to ensure that graduates are well-prepared for 21st-century careers and leadership opportunities.

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The six-lane, indoor running track is the only one of its kind in the region.

The Fitness Center is open to the Mount Community.

The Learning Center offers space to gather and study.

The exciting new lobby design for the Jean Patrice Harrington, S.C., Student Center by Swath Design.

Alumni have usage of the Field House with their alumni ID. Hours are Mondays and Wednesdays, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Email alumni@ msj.edu for more information.

To learn more about the Field House, visit www.msj.edu/fieldhouse. You can also take a virtual tour of the Field House at www.msj.edu/#virtualtour.

While on campus, we also invite you to check out the new Harrington Center lobby and the updated Learning Center.

AROUND THE QUAD CAMPUS UPDATES LIONS’ CUPBOARD In the midst of the pandemic, Hanne Driscoll ’21, recognized that students could be facing increasing levels of food insecurity. So in March, Driscoll spearheaded the Mount’s Student Resource Center (SRC), an AmeriCorps program in which students are provided with a variety of services, including childcare, transportation, disability aid, and financial relief. The program also provides resources related to mental and physical health, and materials on how to find help with housing and electronics.

Driscoll also opened the Lions’ Cupboard, an on-campus food pantry open to all students. Items available include shelf-stable food and hygiene products. This semester, Amber Reinert, a senior psychology major and this year’s AmeriCorps member/SRC coordinator, says they plan to add clothes. The Cupboard is run by Reinert, student

ON-CAMPUS MARCH HELD FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Mount held a commemoration and on-campus march to honor his legacy.

The march was held at 10:30 a.m., where students, faculty, and staff gathered with posters, followed by a candlelight vigil

MSJ VIRTUAL TOUR 2.0 Amber Reinert, Jefferson Bishop, and Phuong Phan.

volunteers, and Jennifer Withrow, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Sociology and Social Work.

“I believe that having a food pantry on campus is taking steps to reduce the stigma surrounding seeking assistance,” Reinert says. “The Lions’ Cupboard’s impact goes beyond its basic objective of assisting students who struggle with food insecurity. The fact that our food pantry is for students and run by students reflects the strong sense of community here at the Mount. During this time, when a lot of us have felt isolated from one another and uncertain, knowing that we are part of a community provides a sense of comfort and stability for students.”

and prayers commemorating the life and legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Mount has participated in the march in downtown Cincinnati in previous years, but this year held a special significance to the community, as it was held on campus for the first time.

Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer/ Title IX Coordinator, Rayshawn Eastman, Ph.D., ’08 reflected on its significance and impact at large. “What we have to realize is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave us a gift,” Eastman told Local 12 News, “and that gift was knowledge of how important community is for us as a nation and we wanted to be just that for our students and the community.”

Has it been a while since you’ve been on campus? Check out our new and updated 360-degree virtual experience, now live on the Mount’s website, showcasing a campus brimming with students taking advantage of the Mount’s many opportunities to reach their peak potential.

Take in 360-degree views of Seton Center Plaza; Seton Center; Fifth Third Bank Hall; Seton Residence Hall; Mater Dei Chapel; Aquinas Hall – Nursing Skill Lab; Archbishop Alter Library; Campus Quad; University Theatre; Classroom Building; Science Building; the new Centennial Field House; the Jean Patrice Harrington, S.C., Student Center; MOSAIC Cross Cultural & Inclusion Center; Harrington Center Gym; Dorothy Meyer Ziv Art Building; Sports Complex; and Health Sciences Center. The tour also features eight new videos with students and faculty talking about each space. Experience the tour at www.msj.edu/#virtualtour.

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS REACHES ACBSP ACCREDITATION The Mount’s baccalaureate programs, including Accounting, Financial Economics, Management, Marketing, and Sports Management; and master’s business programs, including our 4+1 Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, are now ACBSP (Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs) accredited.

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Photo by Mark Byron.

CLIMBING

R E H H IG

The Mount offers opportunities to take on a range of peaks to help students reach personal and professional goals while also contributing to the common good.

By Richelle Thompson Often, mission statements become well-intentioned but dusty art, hanging in administration buildings but not taking hold in the places where students live and learn. That’s not the case at the Mount. Here, the mission statement is a living, breathing document, enfleshed in a bevy of programs and initiatives committed to helping students climb to new heights of learning, service, and community. Students and faculty alike can casually rattle off the core values of the mission statement, easily drawing connections from their classroom education to the knowledge and experience gained in relationship with one another.

“Coming in as a freshman, I wasn’t really expecting that our mission statement would be lived out so much,” says Emily Etris, a junior studying early childhood education and special education. “Our classes, activities, campus life . . . they all align.

My experiences here are helping me be intentional about living out the mission and seeking common ground and the common good. The Mount is preparing me to take that into my practice as a teacher.”

Grounded in the spiritual values and vision of its founders, the University’s mission is to “educate its students through interdisciplinary liberal arts and professional curricula emphasizing values, integrity, and social responsibility.”

When the Sisters of Charity opened the College of Mount St. Joseph in 1920, they paved the way for 20 women to expand their education and horizons. More than 100 years later, the Mount continues to seek new ways to help students climb higher, revolutionizing the educational field, on campus and off, locally and nationally.

“From the very inception of the University in 1920, the Sisters of Charity started Mount St. Joseph to respond to the needs of their time, and that’s what we’re continuing to do today,” says Sister Karen Elliott, C.PP.S., director of Mission Integration.

The Mount’s ethos of incorporating its mission into every aspect of campus life is evident in a wide range of programs and initiatives, helping students climb higher throughout their college experiences.

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CLIMBINGH I G H E R MISSION AMBASSADORS The Mission Ambassador Program began three years ago with the premise of supporting students who epitomize and embrace servant leadership. Its initial success was bolstered earlier this year with a sizable gift from the Sisters of the Precious Blood, Sister Karen Elliott’s, C.PP.S., religious community.

Their generosity will support three years of the program, enabling Sister Karen and others to expand programming and opportunities.

About 10 to 12 freshmen are chosen each year to serve as Ambassadors.

While the program is an extension of the Mount’s continued commitment to its Catholic heritage, students come from Catholic and Protestant traditions; some are religion majors, others education or business. What binds them together is their desire to live the mission of the Mount and their willingness to listen to God’s call for their lives, Sister Karen says. The program supports their discernment. For instance, this semester, the Ambassadors are taking a class on the prophets of the Bible and exploring how they are called to be prophetic voices in the world today.

As Ambassadors, the students receive a $1,000 award each semester. In addition to maintaining their grades, they are required to meet regularly for prayer, retreats, and educational programs, be active in their local congregations and the Mount’s non-denominational community, and participate in on-campus activities.

Service is central. The Ambassadors started a Prayer Warrior’s group and an Interfaith Club. They helped with new student orientation and established Lions for Life, an organization focused on the importance of life at all stages, from womb to tomb.

“The Mission Ambassador Program brings a sense of community around the campus,” says Monica White, a junior religious studies major. “We are rooted in the mission of the University . . . to bring a welcoming environment for all students, centered in Christ’s love.”

During the height of the Pandemic shutdown, some of the Ambassadors

approached Sister Karen about a project to support her religious community.

They made 110 prayer jars, a tangible reminder of connection in the midst of the Pandemic’s isolation.

“You should have seen these big football players sitting on the floor in the chapel putting lace on a prayer jar,” Sister Karen says. “When I hear people complain about today’s youth, I think, ‘You need to come over to the Mount, and I can introduce you to some young people who will buoy your heart and give you hope because they’re amazing.’

They give you such hope, not just for the future but for now.”

The Ambassadors are intentional about being in conversation and community with a variety of people.

Etris says it has helped her live into one of the core values of the Mount’s mission statement: respecting and honoring a diversity of cultures and beliefs.

Sister Karen says the Mount looks to the Mission Ambassadors to inspire and encourage not only their fellow students but also the faculty and staff. They are the guides, carrying their faith and the Mount’s mission to new heights within the University and beyond.

“These young people are good leaders now,” Sister Karen says. “We need to capitalize on their enthusiasm and faith.

We need to let them lead now. They have great ideas and great energy, and we need to get out of the way and let them shine.”

Kamryn Magee, Emily Etris, Ella Hartung, and Audrey Johnston, growing in their spirituality and community on the Rise Retreat.

Noah Shrock, Taylor Whitehead, and Emma Godfrey.

The Mount’s Mission Ambassadors regularly engage in conversation and community.

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CLIMBINGH I G H E R

Choir performing in Mater Dei Chapel. Photo by Don Denney.

"Spoon River Requiem" Performance. Photo by Mark Byron.

Art Guild students working with Tom Tsuchiya, local artist.

MSJ RENAISSANCE: ARTS AT THE MOUNT When Michael Sontag, Ph.D., became dean of the School of Arts and Humanities eight years ago, three students were registered for band. So, he did what few other deans would. He joined the band and played bass drum for a year.

Now, the band has outgrown him, largely thanks to the MSJ Renaissance.

The initiative provides a $500 per semester award for students who participate in Arts at the Mount, including the University Band, University Singers, Theatre, and Art Guild. The program keeps expanding— Peak Productions (videography) and Writer’s Block launched this year. As the Mount continues into its second century, these programs are creating a true renaissance of the arts that is impacting both the University and the surrounding community, elevating the student experience and what it means to have a liberal arts education.

“I love having biology students playing in the band and business students who want to do some writing,” Sontag says. “These awards go back to the Renaissance idea that a person can

have lots of interests—in the sciences, in literature, in philosophy and in the arts. We are committed to educating the whole person.”

This philosophy rings true for sophomore Kaitlyn Schulte, a communications and new media studies major. She says the award not only helped her pay for schooling but also fueled a personal transformation.

“I used to be a very reserved kid. I didn’t really talk to people, nor did I like to do things I wouldn’t normally,” she says. “Theatre has shaped me into the better person I am today, and I am forever grateful. It opened a lot of experiences that I never would’ve thought possible.”

Noah Douglas, a liberal arts and computer science major, joined the new Writer’s Block program.

“I think that it is amazing that the Mount offers these awards and gives students who are creative in some way a chance to express that creativity while being supported,” Douglas says. “The Renaissance Awards fit very well into the idea of integrating life with learning, contained within the University’s

mission statement. Writing, not purely for a class but writing freely, is a part of me, and I like the ability to have that expressed in my education.”

The awards have lived up to their name, sparking a campus-wide renaissance in the arts: the band now has 38 members registered. The University Singers has 48, and the Art Guild, which launched in 2020, started with 14. This year, 25 students are taking the MSJ experience to new heights with creations like the Behavioral & Natural Sciences Mural—featuring iconic scientific elements and themes.

“When people are in high school, they feel like they can try these different things, but when they get to college, they often feel like, ‘Oh, that time of exploration is over. Now, I need to focus narrowly,’” Sontag says. “We encourage students to focus on their major and career goals, but we want to remind people that there’s more you can do.

You can still express your creativity and be in community and create with other people. I feel like if you do that when you’re in college, you’re set to find ways to do that for the rest of your life.”

FALL FALL 2021 11

CLIMBINGH I G H E R MOSAIC CROSS CULTURAL & INCLUSION CENTER The MOSAIC Cross Cultural & Inclusion Center opened in March.

It’s a cozy and comfortable area in the Harrington Center, designed to be a campus “family room,” where students can grab some coffee, hang out, study, and talk with others.

“Diversity includes but is not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, culture, sexual orientation, ability, religion, or any other identifier that makes us unique,” says Rayshawn Eastman, Ph.D., ’08 chief diversity and inclusion officer. “Diversity also means maintaining an environment where we explore our differences and engage in meaningful dialogue.”

Eastman says the MOSAIC Center is a space on campus that brings the Mount Community together across differences.

“The Center serves as an opportunity to convey a sense of belonging to all our students, that no matter their background, there’s the University’s commitment that we all belong here

at the Mount,” he says. “We’re creating an environment where we embrace differences and engage with each other civically.

That’s the essence of the Mount.”

The center features art and décor reflecting various cultures and communities, and is designed MOSAIC is a welcoming space, open to all. to host structured programs as well as casual conversations. the MOSAIC Center is a physical “It’s being used so much that we had representation of the Mount’s mission to fix a table already—and that’s a good of having respect and concern for all thing!” Eastman says. “It’s been really persons, diversity of cultures, and beliefs. amazing to see the Center come to life.”

“The MOSAIC Center has been a Cherie Applebury, president of the safe space for me and my friends,” she Mount’s Black Student Union, says says. “We spend time in here to enjoy each other’s presence. When we get the opportunity, we come to talk, laugh, and cry together because of the family feeling the space provides. Every time we leave, we find that we have learned something new about each other or someone else.”

There’s also a symbiosis brewing among the Mount’s new initiatives.

For instance, Schulte is putting her Renaissance Award to good use: She is writing a play to elevate awareness about ADHD (Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder) and plans to show it in the MOSAIC Center.

“I loved the message the place brings up,” Schulte says. “It’s meant to be somewhere you can go to feel included and safe, and I think that’s the best thing Melissa Duke speaks at the Grand Opening of the MOSAIC Cross Cultural & Inclusion Center. out there.”

HOW YOU CAN HELP Want to help students climb higher? Be a part of these innovative programs at the Mount.

12 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY

Mission Ambassadors Suggestions for service project ideas for Mission Ambassadors? Retreat speakers and prayer partners are also welcome!

MSJ Renaissance: Arts at the Mount Have ideas or opportunities for our campus creatives? You can also sponsor an annual award for a student in the arts.

Contact Sister Karen Elliott 513-244-4844 | karen.elliott@msj.edu

Contact Michael Sontag, Ph.D. 513-244-4766 | michael.sontag@msj.edu

CLIMBINGH I G H E R READING SCIENCE PROGRAM The Reading Science Program, which uses science and research as a guide for how to teach children to read, is receiving top accolades and interest from around the Nation. It recently received The Reading League’s Meaningful Impact in Education Award, which is presented to organizations whose contributions have made a significant impact, nationally or globally, in the field of reading education.

Amy Murdoch, Ph.D., director of the program, explains the reading science program uses a scientifically based, reading research model where teachers learn evidence-based instructional approaches to teaching reading and writing.

“We need to teach the children background knowledge and vocabulary, but we also need to teach them how to decode words and read efficiently,” Murdoch says.

The Mount offers a Master of Arts degree with a concentration in reading science and certificates in Reading Science and dyslexia.

Brooke Moore ’20, of Waco, Texas, was intrigued by the Mount’s approach.

She wanted to learn more about how to help students who were struggling with reading, especially those with dyslexia.

“Completing the program has enhanced my educational experience immensely,” says Moore, a reading specialist. “The Reading Science Program provided me with a comprehensive, scientifically based framework that I use every day to guide me in planning and teaching my students.”

In the spring, the Mount launched a Doctor of Education program with a concentration in Reading Science. The cohort of 20 students includes educators

Rosie Warburg, M.A. leading Project Ready classroom activities.

from 11 states and various occupations, including teachers, administrators, speech pathologists, and college professors.

Heather Fleming ’21, is in the doctoral program. Her organization, WY Lit, is also a donor to one of the program’s initiatives, Project Ready. This initiative seeks to elevate access to high-quality, early literacy, and learning experiences for children living in poverty.

“The ability to read is a strong predictor of helping children become happy, productive, and successful adults,” Murdoch says.

Fleming was attracted to Project Ready’s approach of a research-based curriculum with customized teacher training. After a successful pilot research project (published in the journal, Reading & Writing Quarterly) that demonstrated clear learning gains for children who participated, Project Ready was expanded to 11 classrooms in Cincinnati this year.

The Reading Science Program joins the Mount’s other innovative initiatives in making manifest the mission statement,

MOSAIC Center Interested in a formal presentation or casual conversation with current students? All are welcome!

Reading Science Program Do you know a school or teacher that might benefit from the learning of the Reading Science Program?

Contact Rayshawn Eastman, Ph.D., ’08 rayshawn.eastman@msj.edu

Contact Amy Murdoch, Ph.D. 513-244-4934 | amy.murdoch@msj.edu

moving it off the walls, to the halls and sidewalks and hearts and minds of students and staff.

These programs “are at the heart of who we are at the Mount,” Murdoch says.

“They connect back to our mission of serving the common good and of making sure our communities are supported.”

Through academic endeavors and an integration of life and learning via the arts, service, and faith-based works, students at the Mount are climbing higher while impacting the lives of others, on campus and beyond.

Support our Mission: Give Today Financial gifts from alumni help make these types of initiatives possible. Please consider offering your financial support today. Check out the “Give” section at www.msj.edu for more information.

FALL 2021 13

cITe FEATURE

cITe TAKES STUDENTS TO NEW HEIGHTS Recognizing the importance of data in all professions, cITe helps students reach their peak potential with an interdisciplinary curriculum that also provides opportunities to work on technical solutions for the common good.

By Zachary Petit The cicadas just kept coming.

This summer, red-eyed stowaways perpetually popped up in pant legs, homes, cars, businesses. The 17-year Brood X cicadas had exploded onto the scene, and their presence was allencompassing. But nowhere was that more apparent than at the Mount, specifically within the Center for IT Engagement (cITe) Scholars program.

And perhaps no one was more energized by the frenzy than Gene Kritsky, Ph.D., the man dubbed “The Indiana Jones of Cicadas.”

14 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY

Kritsky, dean of Behavioral and Natural Sciences, attributes the nickname in part to his days as a Fulbright Scholar in Egypt when he was locked in a tomb— but the rest is pure passion for all things periodical cicadas (after all, he first came to Cincinnati in 1983 for three reasons: trilobite fossils, Major League Baseball, and, yes, the indigenous insects).

With the historic brood emerging, Kritsky and cITe had decided to launch a Cicada Safari—quite literally. The team developed an app and mobilized an army of camera-phone-toting everyday citizen

scientists to help document and research the emergence.

And while many in Cincinnati had perhaps underestimated the sheer volume of cicadas that would ascend upon the city, the cITe team had perhaps underestimated the sheer volume of people who would embrace the app.

Yes, the cicadas just kept coming— and so, too, did the photos of them.

Thousands and thousands and thousands, offering a groundbreaking look at the Great Eastern Brood like never before.

cITe TAKES STUDENTS TO NEW HEIGHTS BLENDING TECH WITH ANY DEGREE The Mount launched the cITe Scholars program in fall 2020 with 12 students— all from a kaleidoscopic array of core interests and backgrounds. It’s a wholly unique offering that blends a student’s core area of interest with a dual major in Computer Science and Natural Language Processing.

Jacqueline Roberts ’17, program director of technology design development and user experience, says cITe empowers students to utilize data within their unique fields.

“They’re not giving up their interest in business or biology or psychology,” Roberts says. “It’s more about pairing that content area with technology, because really no matter what field you go into today, you’re going to be dealing with data and trying to understand it to some degree. It’s essential no matter where you go. So we really wanted to give them a technological toolkit that they could take into their field.”

So far, those fields include everything from biomedical science to social work, communications, business, psychology,

CICADA SAFARI and even art. With a focus on Natural Language Processing—which Roberts describes as a systematic means of analyzing qualitative data, such as using technology to break down a large volume of feedback in, say, reviews of a product to quickly identify the overall themes and responses—the program gives participants a unique, competitive advantage upon graduation.

“Obviously, your market value increases,” says Alex Nakonechnyi, associate provost for campus technology.

Nakonechnyi believes that to make good tech, sure, coding is important— but a huge piece of the overall puzzle is usability. So he wanted to launch cITe to highlight the fact that to make good tech solutions, you need more than just excellent coders.

“We decided, let’s create a track for people who are not technical to get enough technical background in such a way that they can use technology to really revolutionize the world through what we refer to as the content area of their field,” Nakonechnyi says. “Cicada Safari is a real manifestation of that.”

Jacqueline Roberts ’17, Alex Nakonechnyi, Gene Kritsky, Ph.D., Rebecca Allen, Brooke Batch. Photo by Mark Byron.

Using crowdsourcing to study cicadas dates back to the 1840s, when a man named Gideon B. Smith put out a call in newspaper columns requesting cicada location intel from readers. By the time he died, Kritsky says, Smith had documented every known brood at the time.

Kritsky followed in his footsteps. In 1987, he began with a cicada hotline, which was featured on the front page of The Cincinnati Enquirer. “Next thing you know, I’m getting calls—so many calls the first day, my answering machine broke.” By 2004, when Brood X next emerged, tech advances saw him receiving an email every minute during the working hours of the first day. Then the iPhone came out—and with it, the dawn of apps. cITe had produced the popular app for students, Mount Roar. So as he looked ahead to Brood X’s 2021 emergence, Kritsky began collaborating. When the resulting Cicada Safari App debuted, it offered a streamlined, well-crafted user experience, and a way for anyone to channel their inner cicada mania:

FALL 2021 15

cITe students. Photo by Mark Byron.

cITe TAKES STUDENTS TO NEW HEIGHTS

Cicada Safari App.

Cicada photos submitted via the Cicada Safari app.

16 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY

Bug hunters could snap a photo of a specimen with their location services on, in order to capture the insect’s GPS coordinates. The image would land at cITe, where it would be verified by a trained team, and it would go on to help build a burgeoning body of data, piece by piece.

Prior to Brood X, the team pilot-tested the app during the small emergence of Brood VIII in 2019. It worked, yielding 5,721 records. Brood IX followed in 2020, and with it, video capability in the app, for a total of nearly 9,000 records.

Then Brood X emerged and when it did, more users downloaded the app.

En masse.

The cicadas just kept coming, as did the photos, and eventually, the servers.

“It was more than I ever anticipated,” Roberts says. “I think I’ve seen enough cicadas for my lifetime. More than I ever anticipated seeing in my lifetime.”

Nakonechnyi says the team felt that if they hit 50,000 submissions, it would be an amazing result. All told, the team received more than 575,000 photos and videos, and the app was downloaded over 197,000 times. It included a leaderboard, and one user alone sent in more than 11,000 photos.

Meanwhile, up to 25 people at a time combed through the photos to verify them. One particularly adept champion, Chad Montag ’11, reviewed more than 87,000.

“There were a few days where we were getting like 6,000 photo submissions a minute,” Roberts recalls. “That was a little hair-raising, trying to make server space as it was being taken up.”

So the team scaled up. Sixteen CPUs became 64 tethered together.

Outside the Mount, people took notice. Science Magazine featured the app. MIT Technology Review covered it. Kritsky was interviewed by Russia’s Channel One. Media high and low took notice. Even Jimmy Kimmel talked about Kritsky in an opening monologue on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” making reference to the fact that Kritsky has said cicadas taste a bit like cold, canned asparagus. (For the curious, Kritsky says he didn’t partake in any taste testings

cITe TAKES STUDENTS TO NEW HEIGHTS

cITe students. Photo by Mark Byron.

this year—“…and that’s because, well, periodical cicadas got me tenure. And, job security—I want to have them be around. And so [if you eat a] typical female, you’re going to take 500 eggs out of the environment.”)

Even wilder than the mountain of data that the team collected, Kritsky says, is the fact that they’ve already reviewed all the images.

The app is already yielding crucial insights. It’s helping them understand a couple of trends—the most important being the impact of land use and habitat destruction on cicadas, and Brood X in particular. For example, whereas in 1885 Brood X occurred in every single county in Indiana, now the results are spotty in the northern half of the state. As far back as the 1890s, Kritsky says, the USDA was worried about this very development.

The app also captured the phenomenon of cicadas emerging off cycle. All told, “I’m now trying to map a half a million dots,” Kritsky says. Ultimately, the data will help yield the most accurate map that has ever been created for such an emergence.

INITIATIVES FOR CHANGE Cicada Safari App’s lessons don’t stop with the app’s eponymous entomological phenom. Rather, Kritsky says some of the tech used in the app has been

Students and staff reviewing app photos. Photo by Mark Byron.

applied to others, “like spinoffs from the space program.” Moreover, he adds that Cicada Safari App was also powerful PR and visibility for the University, not only helping to recruit an amazing freshman class, but also helping to make the Mount extremely attractive and competitive in state grants.

Speaking of grants—cITe itself is bolstered by the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s Choose Ohio First program.

“The Mount’s Choose Ohio First cITe scholarship can award up to $8,000 per year for students who are Ohio residents, which really makes a big difference for students financially,” says Brook Batch, creative project and research coordinator of technology design development and user experience. cITe has also earned a grant from the Ohio Department of Higher Education, designed to combat infant mortality, which helped the development of an app to help do just that in Southwest Ohio.

Batch says cITe began working with a group of nurse midwives from Dayton and ultimately designed a resource navigation app featuring a chatbot that provides educational content for new and expectant mothers. It utilizes Natural Language Processing to get to the root of what the user is seeking help with, and provides specific results, in turn, on everything from housing to

transportation to health insurance.

“It provides all of those resources in a centralized location,” Batch says. “It makes a big difference, especially for individuals with low health literacy. It presents all the information in a way that’s easy to use and to understand.”

All told, the team says new partnerships and grants are in the works, and they’re perpetually looking for ways to use tech to help tackle more issues and explore new ground.

Asked whether he’s surprised that the program has produced such a crop of outstanding apps in such a short period of time, Nakonechnyi demurs.

“I don’t want to use the term surprised because it doesn’t just happen, so to speak,” he says. “There was a lot of work. But I think it’s a true testament to the overall culture of the Mount— because the Mount is a rather dynamic institution that is able and willing to do that kind of stuff.” cITe exemplifies the Mount’s dedication to interdisciplinary liberal arts and excellence in academic endeavors by helping students take their core interests to new heights with a dual major that offers technical solutions professionally and for the common good.

And the good news is, we won’t have to wait 17 years to see all the amazing creations that the program has to offer.

FALL 2021 17

A New Day Throughout the Mount’s 100-year-history, students and faculty alike have embraced uphill challenges with grit, determination, and grace. Here’s an impressive look at our new century of students.

By Jessica Baltzersen ’13 In August 2020, a campus that is usually bustling with new and returning students was quiet. The Mount’s hallways were often empty as students took classes virtually from their dorm rooms and homes. While the world was trying to find its footing amidst a surging Pandemic, college students everywhere were trying to do the same.

In 1920, when the Mount first opened its doors to 20 students, the U.S. was just nearing the end of the 1918 influenza pandemic—a time that brought self-isolation, banned public gatherings, and a changing educational landscape. Now, 100

18 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY

years later, history is repeating itself.

Thanks to advanced technology and access to remote learning, education during the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic never stopped; it merely shifted. And as classes resumed this semester, students reacclimated to their normal routines but with notably changed perspectives. One thing, however, remained the same—MSJ students met each challenge with the Heart of a Lion.

So, what does a day in the life of MSJ students look like in fall 2021? Let’s take a look.

A New Day DYLAN DECK

A CHANGING OUTLOOK ON HEALTH It’s 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday, and Dylan Deck, a junior, has just woken to start his day. As a commuter, it gives him plenty of time to drive to the Mount to begin his wrestling conditioning with his team at 6:50 a.m. After he showers, he heads to his classes from 10:50 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. He’s currently enrolled in health courses including Lifespan Development, Health Assessment and Programming, and his favorite class, Foundations of Wellness, where he has enjoyed learning how people stay physically, mentally, and emotionally well.

Once he leaves work at StretchLab (a wellness facility offering customized assisted-stretch sessions), he heads home to spend time with his girlfriend, relax with his dogs, Frido and Trout, and get caught up on his assignments.

Initially, Deck chose his Health and Wellness major1 to start his path to becoming a physical therapist, with hopes of working with athletes in recovery. But recently, his plans have shifted.

“As the reality of the Pandemic set in, my ideas of what I wanted to do in my professional path changed,” Deck says. “I realized how fascinating health care is and how many moving and working parts go into it. The idea of being involved in health care on a larger scale became more interesting.”

These days, Deck wants to get involved in nonprofits addressing health disparities or work in health care administration.

“I’ve begun to study the disparity between lowincome minority individuals and the health care gap that exists in America,” he says. “As health care has been at the forefront of American culture in the last two years, I find Dylan Deck in a 2019 Wrestling Match. Photo by Don Denney. Main this area very photo by Ross Van Pelt. important because this is where I feel the most change could be accomplished to help end health disparities.”

Deck admits that Zoom classes during the Pandemic are draining at times, and offered a markedly different feel. But these atypical times have also made him more resilient.

“I learned to make things work and be more flexible when it comes to school and work,” he says, adding that MSJ professors also adapted, offering more flexibility as needed.

1.

The Health and Wellness major is now Health and Exercise Science.

FALL 2021 19

A New Day CARISSA PALAZZOLO PIVOTING TOWARD A NEW FUTURE Carissa Palazzolo, a senior fine arts major and psychology minor who transferred to the Mount in 2019 as a sophomore, also began to reshape her career path after a heightened discovery of new possibilities.

“Initially, I wanted to be an art therapist because I love art and helping people and thought it was a good intersection of the two,” Palazzolo says. “But I’ve taken so many classes at the Mount and loved so many of them that it’s hard for me to pick just one thing to do now.”

Other fields she’s exploring include graphic design, teaching, and a master’s in art history.

“If the Pandemic taught me anything it’s how uncertain things can be, and how easily things can change,” she says. “Before COVID, I had a 5-, 10-, and even 15-year plan, and now I realize that it’s not as realistic—moving forward I really evaluate what I’m doing. I ask myself, ‘Is it worth my time?’ Because ultimately …it’s about how I’m feeling and making sure I’m resonating with what I’m doing, versus whether or not I should be doing something, just because it looks good on paper.”

20 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY Mural and dance team photos by Mark Byron.

Palazzolo, however, is not short on ideas on how to fill her time. Taking seven classes this semester, she’s also working in the Career Center as a graphic design co-op, is vice president of Student Government, the lead orientation leader, and a member of the Art Guild, Honor Society, and dance team. She also teaches at Dance Etc. in Milford, Ohio, a studio where she has danced since she was 3 years old.

Going from over a year of self-isolation to a fully loaded semester right before graduation, though, is no easy feat.

“We all went through the rhythm of virtual classes, but sometimes I forget that I am a senior because 2020 happened and I was alone with my roommate and my cat on Zoom classes,” she says. “I’m definitely glad to be back. Seeing other people again is really nice, and being able to interact face-toface with my professors has been great.”

Palazzolo is also grateful for her professors’ flexibility and understanding.

“The Mount Community really came together as a whole,” she says.

A New Day CIARA TUCKER MAKING THE MOST OF UNCERTAINTY Sophomore Ciara Tucker starred in her first in-person performance in the Mount’s late-fall production, “Spoon River Requiem”. Last year, she played the lead, Agnes, in “She Kills Monsters”—an online performance in which students donned costumes, turned on their computers and performed via a virtual realm. “It was … (she pauses, then shrugs her shoulders) you know. I tried to make the most out of the situation, but this year I’m definitely excited to be back [in-person].”

For Tucker and hundreds of other incoming freshman students, starting a new school year during the height of a pandemic was far from normal, but it didn’t stop her from getting involved. Tucker is double majoring in Communication and New Media Studies and Computer Science with a concentration in Natural Language Processing (NLP). She works on campus through an NLP work-study program doing research on social justice issues, and even presented on rural students’ access to education at a recent ALARA conference.

Tucker is also a Resident Assistant (RA), an honor society member, and over the summer served as a direct service intern with IKRON Corp., where she worked to help people with disabilities find employment. One of her favorite MSJ responsibilities is giving tours through the Office of Admission.

“My tour was something that was really impactful when I was deciding on going to the Mount; now I want to provide that same experience for other potential students,” she says.

Like most, when Tucker was on her campus tour, she couldn’t have imagined that her first year of college would take place during such unusual times. But, Tucker says, there have been plenty of positives. As an extrovert with little down time, spending much more time than usual in the dorms taught her how to find things that make her Ciara Tucker performs in Spoon River Requiem. Photos happy independently,

by Mark Byron. such as exercising, reading, and journaling.

“I’ve learned how to self-reflect,” she says. “And how good it is mentally for me to have those quieter moments in my day.”

Luckily, Tucker’s been able to form formidable relationships along the way.

“My freshman orientation was a lot of fun, even though it was socially distanced in the parking garage in 90-degree heat,” she says. “I met a lot of people and established the friend group I have now through the activities that day. I’m also really lucky because I have a very small cohort with only eight people, four of which all work together…being in such a small program, I’ve been able to feel very connected.”

FALL 2021 21

A New Day EMILY ETRIS

Photos by Mark Byron and Don Denney.

A LEADER IN SERVICE On Tuesdays, Emily Etris makes a 30-minute commute to campus, where she arrives early to practice lacrosse with her best friend. As a dedicated player on the Mount’s women’s lacrosse team, she wants to get in extra practice time before her education classes from 9:25 a.m. to 2:55 p.m.

Etris is an Early Childhood and Special Education Dual Licensure Major, which will enable her to teach early childhood education—kindergarten through 5th grade and/or special education kindergarten through 12th grade.

“I chose to concentrate in these areas so that I am able to effectively teach every student that I have in my class,” Etris says. “I feel that this major is important because it gives teachers the chance to make a difference in their students’ lives.

We are able to give the next generation the tools to succeed and build a better world.”

After her classes, she goes to the Office of Mission Integration on campus for her co-op where she is responsible for all the social media accounts, working with the marketing department on Mission Ambassador social media videos, and designing and creating flyers and display boards. She also serves as the sacristan for the Mater Dei Chapel, which constitutes handling weddings and Sunday masses.

She’s also involved in Mission Ambassadors, Kappa Delta Pi (School of Education Honors Society), Lions for Life, Prayer Warriors, the Honors program, and is an orientation leader.

And somewhere in between all her activities, she has also

22 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY

warmly received the SGA Leadership in Service Award for her years of commitment to serving her community.

During Welcome Week service days, Etris has assisted with annual clean-up of parts of the Western Wildlife Corridor, volunteered sorting electronics for Be Concerned, and this year, she volunteered at Oyler School to help clean and prepare their mentoring room.

For two of her service learning credits, Etris volunteered at WordPlay Cincy, an organization in Northside that helps children in poverty get experience developing their reading, writing, and creativity. Etris was part of their puppet workshop for kindergarten through second grade, and their narrative writing workshop for third through seventh graders. Her most recent service-learning credit took place during COVID-19 in which she remotely tutored a student.

These experiences allowed her to practice many of the things she learned, like interacting with parents, handling challenging behaviors, and working as part of an instructional team, in one of her favorite courses, Classroom Management.

“As a college student, COVID has changed my learning experience all around and introduced new ways of learning and connecting with my peers,” Etris says. “It has also taught me the importance of community…and how to stay connected to people no matter what, how to continue to push myself to achieve the standards I hold myself to, and how to be able to look at and constructively criticize myself.”

A New Day JOSH BAILEY EMBRACING MANY NEW OPPORTUNITIES When Joshua Bailey started the Mount as a freshman, undecided on his major, he used one adjective to describe himself: athlete. Having played soccer since he was 4 years old, he was given the opportunity to join the Mount’s soccer team and he took it. But a conversation at a career fair later changed his tune on how he approaches opportunities.

“An alum told me, ‘If you’re spending money on tuition, then why wouldn’t you try everything? Do everything you can. Try out all that the University has to offer.’ That was what initially kickstarted me into getting involved at the Mount,” Bailey says.

His first order of business? Solidifying a major. After taking a career development course and completing various skills training, he became a marketing major with a minor in graphic design. Now he’s the social media and promotion intern in the Mount’s marketing department. He’s in charge of keeping students engaged and informed through social media platforms, such as TikTok (@mountstjosephu) and assists on a new initiative, Meet the Mount Mondays.

“Because of COVID, our freshmen and sophomores are pretty much new to the campus,” Bailey says.

“So we started a series where I visit important offices on campus and Joshua Bailey recording a TikTok with the MSJ Women’s Basketball team. Main photo by Mark Byron. highlight what they offer so students can be aware of the University’s resources.”

Today, Bailey would use lots of adjectives to describe himself.

He has burgeoned into leadership roles like captain of the men’s soccer team, vice president of Lions for Life, and president of the business club, and proudly recruits students from all departments—not just business majors—to get involved.

“We’re trying to teach students practical things they’ll need in every aspect of life,” he says. “So whether you’re a music major or art major you’ll still need to know how to do your taxes and other useful day-to-day business practices.”

Bailey grew up in Winchester, Kentucky, a place stamped halfway between Louisville and Ashland with a population of less than 20,000 and a strong, tight-knit community.

“When I first stepped foot on [the Mount’s] campus, I felt the same sense of community I grew up with,” Bailey says. “Everyone was so kind and took the time to learn my name.”

Because his tour and initial experience on campus were so significant, Bailey wanted to provide the same to his local community as a campus ambassador.

“I love giving tours,” he says. “It’s a great way to show off all the opportunities the Mount provides. Plus, students and parents really enjoy my jokes,” he laughs. “But honestly, I really want new students to enjoy this school as I do. I’m thankful for choosing the Mount.”

FALL 2021 23

FACULTY & STAFF UPDATES NEWS RESEARCH THAT REACHES SPACE Kelly Crowe, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biology, has always been driven to understand the details of how things work in Kelly Crowe, Ph.D. order to make sense of the natural world—and now beyond, thanks to her acceptance and participation in the Spaceflight Technology, Applications, and Research (STAR) program through NASA Ames Research Center.

Crowe has a Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from The Ohio State University, an M.S. in Biology from Missouri State University, and a B.A. in Biology and Psychology from Drury University.

Today she teaches biomedically relevant courses such as Anatomy & Physiology, Biological Psychology, Pathophysiology, Neurobiology, and Biotechnology

at the Mount. She also works with local researchers to develop scientific programming as the president of the University of Cincinnati chapter of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society.

“My lab’s research focuses on development of biomarkers for the rare muscle disease GNE myopathy,” she says.

Her research is funded by the Neuromuscular Disease Foundation, the largest GNE Myopathy-focused organization in the world. As a muscle researcher, Crowe says she’s particularly interested in atrophy, which is a concern for astronauts in spaceflight. Without the constant pull of gravity, she says, astronauts can lose significant amounts of muscle mass.

“For a year, I was fortunate to be among a small group of scientists who met regularly with NASA scientists and space biologists to learn the nuts and bolts of doing space biology research,” Crowe says. “Armed with all of this

information, I want to tailor my future research to investigate the mechanisms of how atrophy occurs in the muscles of astronauts, with the goal of being able to prevent this condition.”

Crowe works with undergraduate student researchers in her lab at the Mount, training them in biomedical research.

“My research students are currently keeping cells alive in an incubator, performing experiments to deliver specific genes to these cells, and measuring cellular changes with a fluorescent microscope,” she says.

And while NASA may seem like the peak of one’s career, Crowe finds great fulfillment in her faculty position.

“One of the best parts of my job is seeing the ways in which students grow over their four years at the Mount,” she says. “It’s incredible to watch students find their passion and reach their potential, even if that path isn’t always linear.”

on-campus experience for our students, and protecting our most vulnerable community members from this unrelenting disease.”

Metzger was an ideal recipient of this year’s Elizabeth Ann Seton Award—it’s the highest mission honor bestowed by the University, recognizing those who “dare to risk a caring response” in their service to the Mount Community.

A former graphic designer, Metzger was awarded the Brother Ignatius Perkins Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Practice of Nursing, and was also the 2008 Leadership in Nursing Awards (LNAP) MAGELIN Student Scholarship Award recipient when she graduated from the Mount’s MAGELIN program.

Her professional nursing career began at Mercy Hospital Western Hills where she worked on a medical-surgical/ oncology unit. In 2012, she joined the Mount’s Department of Nursing as a

clinical coordinator and also served as an adjunct faculty member. Two years later she moved to her current position of health services manager in the Wellness Center where she cares for the physical health needs of students and promotes positive health behaviors.

Even though some days feel like an uphill climb, Metzger says thinking about the Mount’s long nursing history is often what pulls her out of bed and into the clinic each morning.

“I remind myself that at some point this Pandemic will be behind us, and we will all look back in awe at all that transpired during this time,” she says.

“While this has been an incredibly difficult time for so many, these struggles have also provided us all with opportunities for personal growth. It’s really helped me see and understand how truly connected we all are to one another.”

PINNACLE HEALTH CARE RESPONSE FROM A NURSING ALUMNAE As the Mount’s health services manager, Amy Metzger, ’08, has worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic, Amy Metzger, MSN ensuring the safety and '08 well-being of students, faculty, staff, and the community.

“The work has been very challenging, seeing as we knew very little about the Coronavirus initially, and the safety recommendations from the public health experts were constantly changing,” she says. “Over time we have come to grips with COVID, and we now understand how to prevent it from spreading, catch it early, and contain outbreaks on campus. Though not always fun, I find this type of work to be critically important in keeping our students in the classroom, providing the most robust

24 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY

FACULTY & STAFF UPDATES MSJ BOOKSHELF The MSJ Bookshelf takes a look at diverse, new works written by Mount St. Joseph University faculty and staff. All titles can be found online at bookshop. org or amazon.com unless otherwise noted. Visit www.msj.edu/bookshelf to view all the books written by MSJ faculty and staff.

A

A Anxiety and the Equation: Understanding

B

Boltzmann’s Entropy Eric Johnson, Ph.D. (The MIT Press)

B Cicada Symphony

Lisa Kobman MBA, MA-LER, SPHR (independently published)

C Decoding the Workplace: 50 Keys to

Understanding People in Organizations John Ballard, Ph.D. (Praeger)

D Life After Death: Practical Help for the D

C

E

Widowed Elizabeth (Buffy) Barkley, Ph.D., ’70 (Franciscan Media) shop.franciscanmedia.org

E Periodical Cicadas, The Brood X Edition Gene Kritsky, Ph.D. (Ohio Biological Survey)

F Polar Day

Julie Flanders, MLS (Ink Smith Publishing)

G The Dance of the Comedians: The People, F G

the President, and the Performance of Political Standup Comedy in America Peter M. Robinson, Ph.D. (University of Massachusetts Press)

H The Dozier School for Boys: Forensics, Survivors, and a Painful Past Beth Murray, Ph.D. (Twenty-First Century Books)

I To Build a Home: Reflections on

H

I

Construction Tim Lynch, Ph.D. (Orange Frazer) For a signed copy, contact Tim Lynch at: tim.lynch@msj.edu)

FALL 2021 25

LIONS’ CORNER

MADDIE HABERTHY ’21: HCAC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

JOSH TAYLOR: HCAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Shooting guard Maddie Haberthy ’21, was named HCAC Player of the Year and to the All-Great Lakes Region Team. This past season she ranked fifth in the country averaging 23.1 points per game, shooting 46.6 percent from the field, and 43.6 percent from beyond the arc, leading the Lions to their first HCAC tournament win in over 15 years.

In November she was named a 2021-22 D3hoops.com preseason second team All-America selection, the Mount’s first in women’s basketball since the University joined the NCAA. “Since the day Maddie hit the campus I knew she was going to be a hard worker,” says Head Coach Dan Benjamin. “Along the way she really developed as a player. We look for chemistry and culture in our program and Maddie represents them well.”

In the spring 2020 football season, freshman quarterback Josh Taylor (now a sophomore) received First Team All-Conference honors and was named HCAC Offensive Player of the Year.

Taylor led the Lions offense with 779 yards on the ground and 17 rushing touchdowns, finishing the season as the national leader in both stat categories.

Additionally he added 1,320 passing yards and 12 touchdowns. “Josh is a true competitor and works to win in everything he does,” Head Coach Tyler Hopperton says. “His teammates noticed his example as soon as he stepped on campus and he has earned the honor of being a team captain.”

26 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY

ALEHIA TUCKER ’21: ALL-AMERICAN AND HCAC FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Shortstop Alehia Tucker ’21, was named All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), the first in the Mount’s history, and 2020-21 HCAC Female Athlete of the Year. Tucker led the Heartland Athletic Conference (HCAC) in seven offensive categories with 62 hits, 48 runs scored, four triples, nine home runs, and 28 stolen bases, and led in at-bats and walks. She broke the MSJ record for career stolen bases and doubles, and set a new single-season record for home runs. “As she grew each year, she just blossomed on the softball field,” says Head Coach Beth Goderwis. “Her personality and mentality on the field really changed as well. Just as a senior, she did everything right.”

LIONS’ CORNER WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL SERVING UP A NOTABLE YEAR The 2020 women’s volleyball team had an impressive season, making the HCAC championship game and, at one point, ranking No. 13 in the nation.

“These young women have worked hard, and we went from being a team who didn’t even qualify for the conference tourney, to a team that was one match from winning the whole conference,” says Head Coach John Spinney.

In addition, Emily Abshire, now a sophomore who only had three months of club volleyball experience prior to playing for the Mount, was named HCAC’s Freshman of the Year.

“Emily definitely gets noticed by all the other coaches, and those coaches are shocked by her relative lack of experience,” Spinney says. “What makes her a star player is her pace.

She has a live arm, and from out of nowhere, just cranks the ball for kills.

Her development has been a complete joy. She knows she still has so much to learn—and she is incredibly humble— but her talents are amazing.”

Of note are these accomplishments during a pandemic. The team was regularly tested, shut down at times, and practiced in pods of 10 or fewer throughout the fall. Spinney says the Centennial Field House served as invaluable practice space.

Spinney is thankful for an increased focus on student-athletes’ mental health and recognizes his role in that capacity, particularly during difficult times.

“I think that mental health of players is talked about more, due to the Pandemic, which is great,” he says.

“There are challenges being a college athlete. I feel as though coaches are not only teachers, we’re an extension of the parents; we are the players’ touchstone to the University,” he says. “We share heartaches, we share successes—it is why we coach—particularly in DIII.” Spinney, who previously held coaching positions at the Mount 19931997 and 1999-2000, thinks back to the program’s success since its inception in 1969.

“I know many of the stars of those teams from the 1970s,” Spinney says. “I also know Pat Shibinski, Jean Dowell, and Mary Ann Broderick, three revered coaches from years ago. I simply want to return to the great tradition of success,” he says.

“I would like to lead a program that is a national contender, but also one that is active in the community, and one that does well in classes—and later in careers.”

Photos by Don Denney.

FALL 2021 27

LIONS’ CORNER SOFTBALL GRAND SLAM

By Tabari McCoy The 2020-21 women’s softball team season culminated in an HCAC tournament championship. That achievement, however, does not tell the full story of their historic run.

In addition to the HCAC conference championship, the Lions achieved a No. 12 ranking in the final National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll of the season. In addition, senior shortstop Alehia Tucker ’21 was recognized as the 2020-21 HCAC Female Athlete of the Year this June. Tucker led the HCAC in seven offensive categories while setting a new single-season record for home runs with nine and tying the single-season doubles record with 19.

Tucker wasn’t a one-woman show, however. HCAC tourney MVP Sarah Miller ’21 tossed several standout performances in her senior season, including a perfect game against Manchester on May 1. Junior Kamryn (Kam) McCool likewise hurled three shutouts en route to setting a new MSJ single season record with 170 strikeouts, one of several highlight performances this spring.

Asked how satisfying last season’s achievements were to experience, Head Coach Beth Goderwis defers a large part of the team’s success to assistant coach DeeDee Morris’ hiring several years prior.

“I truly believe this with all my heart: When I hired Coach Morris, that’s truly been the difference in the program’s (success),” she says. “The kids have a great connection with her and obviously her knowledge of the game (is fantastic). We changed our recruiting and that was also a huge factor in our success.”

Morris says COVID-19 cutting the previous season short, coupled with a craving for more respect, didn’t hurt either.

“They had a chip on their shoulder all year long...that just fueled the girls and it was not good for anybody in our path,” Morris says. “We talk about buying in all the time, be it to our culture or what we’re saying. It was cool to see those kids do that and enjoy the results.”

28 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY

Junior infielder Rachel Gabbard hopes to enjoy more success in 2022.

“I have never been a part of a more determined team and it showed on the field with how successful we were, how much fun we had, and how well we played together,” Gabbard says. “Between the students and faculty past and present there wasn’t a person that wasn’t following along and rooting for us.”

McCool, whose twin sister Kendall has also shared a part in the Lions' softball family, says the values Goderwis and Morris have taught them have already made them winners. Kam is destined to live out this legacy in her senior campaign with her twin sister cheering for her from the sideline.

“One of the first things that (my) coaches and I talked about was that they don’t only search for good softball players, but they search for good people. I believe this is a true statement,” McCool says.

“My coaches do a great job of instilling being good people day in and day out... the heart and dedication that they bring to the team and the expectations that they set impact the accomplishments that we have achieved and will continue to achieve.”

Photos by Don Denney.

Alehia Tucker ’21

Sarah Miller ’21

Kamryn McCool

LIONS’ CORNER JESSE MINTER MOUNT-ING UP SUCCESS

By Tabari McCoy

college ranks, he left the Ravens earlier

By Jesse Minter’s ’05, own admission, this year to become the new defensive he wasn’t a great athlete. But he had coordinator at Vanderbilt, where the a dream, a strong work ethic, and team has already improved under coaching in his DNA, as the son of a his watch. college football coach himself—and Mount St. Joseph University is where it A Positive Perspective all truly began to take shape.

While his family’s football pedigree “I think back to the Mount and the may have initially opened the door to requirements to do well there. You show coaching, making the most of each up, you work hard, and there are great opportunity is what’s enabled him to professors that can help you—and to keep living his dream. me, that’s just what coaching is and “How you go about your day-todoes,” says Minter, reflecting on football day operations, the impact you make principles as they relate to college life. on people in whatever job you’re in, is “All you want your players to do is show what gets you an opportunity to move up, work as hard as you can, then you’re up,” Minter says. “Every job that I’ve there to guide and help develop them. had, I’ve tried to treat it like it’s the The layout and the culture at the Mount most important job in the world and are such a strong parallel to everything never really worry about what the next that goes on in this coaching profession.” opportunity might be. The people that sit Having gone from Division III player around and wonder ‘What’s next?’ miss to Division I coach and the NFL, and out on the present.” now back to college as a defensive For Minter, however, nothing “other coordinator in the high-profile SEC, than getting married and having my the fun of living out his vision is three kids” is greater than being able to unparalleled. walk off the field a winner.

Minter spent four years (2002-2005) at “You work too hard not to enjoy the the Mount, playing wide receiver for the Lions before graduating with his liberal studies degree. He then landed an internship with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish where his father, former University of Cincinnati football coach Rick Minter, happened to be coaching at the time.

That led to four years as a coach in his own right at Indiana State University and then Georgia State University.

Then, in 2017, he would land his biggest opportunity to date: Helping coach defense with one of the NFL’s premiere franchises in the Baltimore Ravens in 2017. Presented with the chance to return to the Photo courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics.

Photo courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics.

wins, especially as tough as they might be to come by sometimes,” he says, “The look on the players’ faces is honestly what inspires me to work hard because there’s nothing better. Seeing those guys enjoy winning because they haven’t had it a lot is such a great feeling to be a part of.”

FALL 2021 29

LIONS’ CORNER ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME PEAK PERFORMANCE: 11TH ANNUAL ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES On October 15, the Mount presented its 11th annual Athletic Hall of Fame at the Jean Patrice Harrington, S.C., Student Center. President H. James Williams, Ph.D., delivered opening remarks, acknowledging the Lionhearted character of this year’s inductees.

“A holistic student experience has always defined an education at the Mount, including outstanding intercollegiate athletics, which were first offered during the 1950s,” he says.

Currently, 60 percent of first-year students participate in athletics. Steve F. Radcliffe, retired director of athletics and recreation, served as Master of Ceremonies and provided closing remarks.

Alan J. Howell, Champion Award Howell, an internationally recognized expert in physical therapy and athletic training with Alan J. Howell a standout threesport athletics career of his own, has been a supporter of the Mount and its athletics department for more than 30 years. One of his first contributions to the Mount was to help the University create a physical therapy major. Shortly after, former President Sister Francis Marie Thrailkill, O.S.U., asked Howell to help start a football team to boost male enrollment. Howell helped find legendary Coach John Pont and recruited Steve Radcliffe for the head athletic trainer position.

Nicole Bobay ’95 Bobay played basketball and fastpitch softball for the Mount all four years.

She was a member of the National Nicole Bobay Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division II District 22 Final Four Basketball team her freshman year, a member of Alphi Chi National Honor Scholarship Society, was an Academic All-American, and an

30 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY

NAIA All-American Scholar Athlete.

Bobay was named NAIA District 22 Softball Player of the Week, was named to the All-Great Lakes Region Team her junior year, and was named College Sportswoman of the Year by the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Women’s Sports Association her senior year.

Eric Johnson ’03 Johnson first played football at the College of the Sequoias in Visalia, California.

During his two-year career as an interior Eric Johnson defensive lineman with the Lions, Johnson was named as an AllHeartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) performer both years, was named HCAC Defensive Player of the Year, and was a two-time winner of the Sister Elizabeth Cashman Award as the Mount’s best defensive player. He was an Honorable Mention D3 All-America selection, was the first player from the Mount to compete on behalf of the U.S. in the Aztec Bowl, and was the first MSJ football player to ever sign a professional football contract, signing as a college-level free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Elliott Spence ’10 Spence attended Mount wrestling camps in elementary school.

He transferred to the Mount as a sophomore.

With a career record of Elliott Spence 118-16, he was a threetime regional champion, three-time AllAmerican, Mount Athlete of the Month, Mount Athlete of the Year, and was twice selected as a team captain by his peers.

His career culminated in a runner-up finish in the 2008 NCAA DIII National Tournament. In 2017, Spence returned to the Mount as head coach of wrestling.

The Lion’s roster grew from single digits to more than 20 wrestlers. He passed the torch a year later, and the Lions opened the 2020 season ranked No. 12 in the nation.

Michael Romes ’10 As a freshman, Romes started 18 basketball games.

He ended the season averaging a team-high 16.1 points per game Michael Romes and shooting a stillschool-record .684 from the field, while also pulling in 5.2 rebounds per contest.

He was named a first-team All-HCAC performer all four years and Freshman of the Year. As a sophomore, Romes averaged 17.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game; as a junior, 18.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. As a senior, he led the league in scoring, averaging 19.7 points a game. Romes currently holds career records in points scored, field goals made, field goals attempted, free throws made, free throws attempted, rebounds, and rebounds per game.

The New Steven F. Radcliffe Excellence in Academics Award Throughout his nearly three decades of service at the Mount, including more than Steve Radcliffe 25 as the director of athletics and recreation, Radcliffe witnessed impressive growth of the Athletics Department, from eight teams when he took over to a height of 25 different offerings in 2018. He retired in 2019. At the inaugural Mountie Awards ceremony, an award was named for Radcliffe. The Steven F. Radcliffe Excellence in Academics Award is given to the top teams (one men’s and one women’s) whose team GPA is the highest among all of the athletic teams.

LIONS’ CORNER ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

Event photos by Mark Byron.

FALL 2021 31

ALUMNI ADVISORY COUNCIL UPDATE

A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT What a year it has been for all of us. I hope that as you read through this edition of Mount News you are able to see that the Mount and our alumni are always dedicated to climbing higher and making a difference in our community and the lives of others. I am continuously humbled by the Mount Community and the work that Matt Taske ’14, ’09 each of you accomplishes—with the Heart of a Lion. My team and I hope to emulate this passion in our work for you every day.

The Office of Alumni Relations has invested in engaging with our alumni this year more than ever. In a time that could be isolating, we hoped to create opportunities to reconnect with classmates, faculty, staff, and the University that all alumni could enjoy.

From virtual and in-person events, to social media contests and monthly newsletters, we hope that you were able to connect with the Mount in a meaningful way.

But nothing beats seeing our community back together on campus for this year’s Homecoming, Reunion, and Athletic Hall of Fame celebrations. Our community is unlike any other, and to have many of us “home” after so long away was amazing.

I hope that you and your family were able to join us! We look forward to inviting everyone back to campus again in the spring, for Jubilee.

Thank you for your support of the Mount and the Office of Alumni Relations. Please know that the Office of Alumni Relations is here for you whenever you need us. May God bless you and your family, and may God continue to bless our Mount Community.

Matt Taske ’14, ’09 Director of Alumni Engagement

Alumni Association members at the 2021 Homecoming Tailgate. Photo by Mark Byron.

32 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY

As students and faculty have returned to the classroom this fall, so too has the Mount’s Alumni Advisory Council gotten off to a great start in supporting the University’s students and mission.

The highlight of our recent months was the awarding of two scholarships during the past spring semester from the endowed Alumni Board Scholarship Fund, with three more deserving students being awarded for the current fall semester. The fundraising subcommittee has set a goal of raising an additional $10,000 for the endowment as its primary focus for the new academic year.

At our working retreat at the Mount in August, the Council welcomed new members and engaged in a professional development activity using the Clifton Strengths Finder, as guided by the Mount’s program manager for strategic initiatives, Kathy Grant.

With our strengths in hand, members were invited to align themselves with the respective subcommittee that best fits their skills, interests, and the needs of the Council. The subcommittees worked during a breakout session to establish their respective goals and begin developing action plans for the year. The subcommittees are: • Fundraising • Engagement • Awards & Scholarship • Networking/Recruiting/Retention We would like to thank all alumni who participated in Homecoming Week events. We hope that you enjoyed reconnecting with the Mount! Also, mark your calendars for April 9, 2022, when Jubilee returns to campus with an exciting new format.

If you’d like to learn more about the Mount’s Alumni Advisory Council or other opportunities to stay involved, visit www.msj.edu/alumni. While on the site, check out the exciting new directory of businesses owned or operated by MSJ Alumni. You can also reach the office via email at alumni@msj.edu.

ALUMNI A ROARING SUCCESS EXPANDED HORIZONS LEAD TO FORECASTING WEATHER

By Richelle Thompson

When the newspaper arrived in her childhood home, Katie Donovan ’14, went straight for the weather report.

And when a storm rolled up, Donovan watched from the porch, fascinated.

She and her dad watched weather forecasts on TV, but it wasn’t until her experience at the Mount that the clouds— proverbially—parted.

Encouragement from professors and staff, and an introduction to meteorology class, changed the trajectory of her career. In August, Donovan returned to her hometown of Cincinnati to offer the weekend forecasts as a meteorologist for WLWT-TV, the same channel she watched as a child.

Homeschooled through high school, Donovan was attracted to the Mount for its size and proximity to home as well as its physical therapy and athletic training programs. But then she discovered the communications program. At the time, the Mount had a Success Coaching program, with faculty mentoring freshmen.

“My success coach really helped me work the questions of what I wanted to do in my life,” Donovan says. “Also, my advisor, Dr. Linda Jackson, was vital in walking me through the communications program and helping me discover where I was headed and what options there were with the major.”

After she graduated, Donovan earned a certificate in broadcast meteorology from Mississippi State University and worked her way through several TV stations. In Colorado Springs, Colorado, she covered some major weather stories, including historic hail storms and a rare Colorado bomb cyclone.

“It’s a privilege to walk with people in their time of need, to be able to tell them what to expect and offer some calm assurance,” she says.

Colorado offered some sunny skies for Donovan too. She met her now-husband, Andrew, and they have a daughter, Magnolia, who is almost two.

Donovan credits the Mount with giving her the skills and the courage to

Photo courtesy of WLWT.

expand her horizon. The small classroom size and individual attention gave her the opportunity to develop and stretch her leadership skills. And the relationships that she built with professors and students provided a vital network.

Her advice to MSJ students today is the same advice she received a decade ago: “Be fearless. Don’t be afraid to take a risk.

If you’re on the fence about something, don’t be afraid to give it a try. People encouraging me to try new things when I was in college was very influential for where I am in my career,” Donovan says.

“I owe a lot to that school.”

AN INTERNSHIP WITH NASA Kristina Sattler ’21, was one of just 11 students nationwide selected for NASA’s prestigious Space Life Sciences Training Program (SLSTP), where she virtually studied and performed research with scientists at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.

Sattler, a Cincinnati native who graduated summa cum laude from the Mount with a degree in biology and is now pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at The Ohio State University, worked over the summer as a NASA intern studying the effects of spaceflight and radiation on the central nervous system.

“When I was offered a place in the selective NASA program, I was beyond ecstatic,” Sattler says. “I think at some point every kid dreams of working with NASA, so it was definitely a dream come true. Speaking to friends at other schools, the amazing experience I had at

Kristina Sattler in Microbiology lab. Photo by Mark Byron.

the Mount is unheard of anywhere else.”

Originally planning on studying prephysical therapy at the Mount, Sattler found her passion for research while working in the lab of Kelly Crowe, Ph.D., assistant professor of Biology at the Mount.

“I worked with Dr. Crowe for over two years, and having that experience has allowed me to more comprehensively

understand the world of biomedical research, not only in the lab, but in the classroom as well,” Sattler says.

The objective of the NASA program is to produce technically skilled scientists and engineers with the potential to become leaders in the U.S. Space Program by providing a glimpse into the many disciplines that are required to conduct biological research in space.

FALL 2021 33

ALUMNI LEGACY OF A LION TWO GENERATIONS TRAVEL FROM CALIFORNIA TO ATTEND THE MOUNT Mary Palmisano ’57, was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her parents were from Chicago, but moved to Alberquerque when Mary’s mother developed Tuberculosis. Mary attended St. Vincent’s Academy, founded by Sister Blandina Segale, S.C. Mary has long been inspired by Sister Blandina’s adventurous spirit and commitment to organizing public school systems, and says she was key in spreading the Sisters of Charity’s mission work out West. In many ways it is thanks to Sister Blandina that Mary eventually ended up at the Mount, years later.

After St. Vincent’s Academy, Mary attended St. Mary’s High School, also founded by the Sisters of Charity. She earned a scholarship to the Regina School of Nursing at St. Joseph Hospital in Albuquerque, and then worked at a psychiatric hospital. Six months later, the Regina School asked Mary to come back as a nursing arts instructor. Mary realized she wanted more education. She talked to the Sisters of Charity and they offered her a working scholarship to the Mount.

Mary, already a registered nurse, enrolled at the Mount in 1955 as a junior to study public health nursing. She was the nurse in charge for Marian Hall and worked in cooperation with Sister Adele Clifford.

“I would be there to help the students when they got sick,” she says. “I hated field hockey, because somebody would always get hurt and I was carrying 22 units and I had a lot of studying to do!”

She laughs.

Students ate at an assigned table for every meal with a Sister. Sister Adele was assigned to Mary’s table. Also at the table were education and music students, including Ann (Krauser) Bechtold ’57, and Phyllis (Zepf) Grannen ’57, women who are still dear friends to Mary today.

“And they were so delightful,” Mary says. “They sang! And I fit right in because music was my passion.”

Mary also played the piano and violin,

34 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY

Mary Palmisano ‘57, and her grandson, Aaron Palmisano.

and was in the Mount’s orchestra and choir, which sang with the Cincinnati Symphony.

After graduation, Mary’s first job was as a school nurse working with students grades one through eight at five schools in rural New Mexico. She married a teacher, Joseph Palmisano Jr., and they moved to Farmington, New Mexico. She got a job with the public health department and was charged with working with patients in San Juan County, including a Navajo reservation.

“I’ve had such wonderful experiences, and it’s due to what I learned at the Mount and the ability to get into that kind of field,” she says.

Mary then worked with the government, interviewing people who had been exposed to radium in the drinking water. Mary and her family moved to California where she subbed at hospitals. Years passed and her family (now five children) moved to Ventura, California, where Mary got a part-time job working at the county behavioral health department.

After the birth of their eighth child, Mary began working full-time at the department, for a total of 36 years.

She also earned a master’s degree in marriage, family, and child counseling.

Retired, Mary still lives in Ventura.

She enjoys taking communion to homebound people as a Eucharistic

The Seton Journal, 1957-05, Vol 34 - No 13.

minister, singing in the choir, and spending time with her 28 grandchildren, including Aaron Palmisano, a sophomore at the Mount.

How did Aaron, who also grew up in Ventura, end up choosing a university 2,200 miles away? Mary, of course.

“Since I’m from California, a lot of people have been asking, ‘What made you want to come out here?’ First off, the Mount is a great school,” Aaron says.

“When I was making college decisions, I kept the Mount high on my list because I wanted to learn in a smaller environment working closely with my professors.”

ALUMNI LEGACY OF A LION Aaron first visited the Mount in October 2018, with his grandmother, Mary, and her two best friends and fellow Mount graduates—Phyllis and Ann. “I went for a tour, met a lot of people, and I knew that the hospitality given here, just for a campus visit, couldn’t be found anywhere else,” Aaron says.

Aaron is majoring in chemistry and pursuing a minor in sustainability.

He’s an RA, and a member of Student Association for Sports Management and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

He thinks about the friends his grandmother made at the Mount, and how she is still very close to them today.

“She talks and visits them frequently, which is kind of awesome,” Aaron says.

“The friends she made turned out to be lifelong friends. If I don’t have friends like that, I’m doing something wrong.

But it’s great to know that the type of people the Mount attracts are nothing short of extraordinary.”

As a Mount student, Aaron also looks back at his grandmother’s life with a new lens.

“Her career seemed to embrace ‘service to others’ as stated in the Mount’s mission statement,” he says.

“That was truly what it was. And she services others not just through her career but also through her church and the values she embedded in our family.”

Aaron Palmisano in chemistry class. Photo credit Mark Byron.

The Seton Journal, 1956-04, Vol 33 - No 11.

Sister Blandina Segale, S.C., dedicated her life to missionary service in the fields of public education, nursing, and social work out West, working and meeting with Native American tribes, Hispanic settlers, and even Billy the Kid. She’s credited with building many orphanages, hospitals, and schools. You can read more about Sister Blandina in “At the End of the Santa Fe Trail”, a journal written by Sister Blandina about her time in Colorado and New Mexico from 1872 to 1892.

FALL 2021 35

ALUMNI HEART OF A LION

CONNECTING THROUGH CARE

By Anya Rao 36 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY

ALUMNI HEART OF A LION Chris Chirumbolo ’99, is fueled by the connections he makes with others. That passion for people is what led him into a career in physical therapy with seniors and what compelled him to take on positions in management.

That mindset led Chirumbolo to his role as CEO of Carespring Health Care Management. Initially inspired to pursue sports physical therapy following his own high school sports injuries, Chirumbolo discovered his passion for working with seniors during clinical internships as a student at the Mount.

“As I’ve told my own students when I’ve led clinicals: 50 percent of physical therapy is building rapport and trust with the patient,” he says. “I’m also a history buff, so listening to patients’ stories while you are taking care of them and getting them better was always fascinating and expanded my desire to work in geriatrics.”

As the top executive of Carespring, which includes 13 long-term care facilities, Chirumbolo felt the weight of his role when the Pandemic threatened employees and the residents of Carespring—senior populations are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.

“Professionally, it’s the most challenging thing I’ve ever been through,” Chirumbolo says. “There were so many things out of your control. There was so much no one knew, especially at the start of the Pandemic, and you’re just trying to do the right thing.”

When Carespring saw their first COVID-19 case in late March 2020, some worried staffers were afraid to come to work. Chirumbolo and his leadership team donned their masks and temporarily jumped in to fill the gap on the frontlines. He spent every night as the Pandemic unfolded reviewing the latest data and guidance for longterm care facilities, and consulting with his team on how to best forge ahead. The nationwide shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) led Chirumbolo to spend hours every week for months procuring PPE to protect the staff and residents.

Ohio’s governor created regional

pandemic coordination zones to improve collaboration among health care entities. Chirumbolo was tapped as the co-chair of the congregate care/living committee, which met virtually for 10 to 15 hours a week to share data and update plans to assist in the operation of the region’s elderly care facilities.

Throughout it all, Chirumbolo sought to maintain connection with the Carespring community through frequent communication.

“The frontline staff are the unsung heroes of the Pandemic,” he says. “I’ve tried to be as transparent as possible. I assisted with meetings with the buildings and emailed everyone in the corporation with ongoing updates because I want them all to see what we’re doing, what we’re going through, how we are advocating, so everyone feels like they are part of the team and the solution.”

He recognizes how critical it has been throughout the pandemic to keep morale up for the residents and the employees of Carespring. Instead of dwelling on what they can’t control, Chirumbolo emphasizes the successes.

“We have to celebrate one step at a time, because you can’t just fix it overnight,” he says.

When vaccines became available, Chirumbolo and his team addressed any questions or hesitations among the residents and staff individually.

They opened their vaccine clinics not just to residents and staff, but to their families and anyone else in the community seeking a vaccination.

“It’s a positive to know that we’ve vaccinated thousands of people, including hundreds of people that don’t even work for us,” he says.

Although leading the company doesn’t allow daily patient engagement, Chirumbolo remains driven in his goal of helping others, which

For more information about our Heart of a Lion profiles, and to submit your own nominations, visit www.msj.edu/heartofalion.

often includes identifying career growth opportunities for as many Carespring staffers as he can reach.

“As a physical therapist, you make a direct impact every day on the patients you take care of, but I had the mindset that I wanted to make a bigger impact on more people, not only the patients, but our families and our team members in our buildings,” he says.

Chirumbolo has worked at Carespring for his entire career, beginning as a physical therapist and later moving to management positions in rehabilitation services. He was named COO in 2013 and CEO in 2016. He was honored with the Mount’s 2017 Future Five leadership award and named one of Cincinnati Business Courier’s “40 Under 40.”

Chirumbolo earned two Mount degrees: his bachelor’s in Rehabilitation Sciences, summa cum laude, in 1999, and his Master’s in Physical Therapy in 2000. He was an adjunct professor at the Mount and the coordinator of clinical education for Carespring with local universities. Outside of work, he spends time with his wife and their two sons, often watching their kids’ sports teams or a Reds or Bengals game.

Chirumbolo leveraged his MSJ experience to better the lives of his employees, patients, their families, and the community in the midst of a pandemic—Heart of a Lion, indeed.

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ALUMNI HOMECOMING

2 02 1 OCTOBER 16 HOMECOMING 2021 The Office of Alumni Relations and the Mount would like to thank all of our alumni and Mount Community for joining us at any and all of our homecoming events from October 13 through October 17, 2021! The Mount’s Homecoming is a special time for students, faculty, staff, and alumni—it serves to bring the whole community together, to reconnect over a shared love of the Mount, and make new MSJ memories.

This year’s homecoming was focused on bringing our community back “home”—to the classroom, to campus, and to Delhi. Homecoming week kicked off with a virtual “One More Class” lecture from Christa Currie, Ph.D., focusing on Lessons from the Lab. Alumni, faculty, and staff

members shared in conversation and reconnected over similar classroom experiences and stories. The next day, the Office of Alumni Relations hosted a Thirsty Thursday alumni happy hour at Wishbone Tavern—where many alumni reconnected over food and refreshments, and spent time back in Delhi, the background of their MSJ education. On Friday night, the Mount celebrated the newest inductees into the Athletic Hall of Fame with a lovely program and reception in the Jean Patrice Harrington, S.C., Student Center Gym. Many former coaches and teammates showed up in support, and the room was filled with Lion pride. And on Saturday, after enjoying lunch and tailgating together, we cheered on our Lions to a 28-0 victory over Manchester

University. Meanwhile, across campus, the 50th Reunion of the classes of 1970 and 1971 was taking place, welcoming alumnae back home to campus for remembrance ceremonies, campus tours, and a luncheon and awards ceremony with other Royal Mountees. Lastly, we closed the week with a Mass in Mater Dei Chapel celebrated by Father Kevin Scalf ’97. We couldn’t imagine a more perfect way to end our homecoming celebrations than with thanking God for each other, and for Mount St. Joseph University.

We are thrilled to announce that more than 450 alumni returned to campus and engaged in one or more of the week’s events! We hope that if you didn’t make this year’s festivities, you will join us in 2022!

Save The Date For Next Year’s Homecoming Celebration:

October 29, 2022 38 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY

ALUMNI HOMECOMING

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ALUMNI IN MEMORIAM

A PRAYER FOR OUR DEPARTED MSJ FAMILY Gracious and loving God, we join in prayer for our departed brothers and sisters entrusting them to your divine charity and mercy. We pray with Mary the Mater Dei, Saint Joseph, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, along with all of the angels and saints that you will welcome them with your divine and loving embrace for all eternity.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen.

ALUMNI PASSAGES Agnes Brake ’39 Maxine Rish ’45 Dorothy Goldcamp ’47 Dorothy Kaffer ’47 Vivian Pohl ’47 Mary Anne Snyder ’48 Jeanne Lechleiter ’50 Patricia Frolicher ’51 Therese Burger ’52 Barbara Kreuer ’52 Juanita Wenke ’52 Carol Harten ’53 Betsy Ross ’53 Anna Thernes ’53 Beverly Gronemeyer ’55 Mary Louise Mueller ’56 Florence Cremering, S.C. ’57 Anita Eppley ’57 Irene Luther, S.C. ’57 Marian Rump ’57 Patricia Becker ’58 Janis Kelley ’58 Theresa Ann Moran, S.C. ’58 Joyce Westerkamp ’58

40 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY

Rose Marie Conger ’59 Betsy Bradley ’60 Suzanne Rothacker, Ph.D. ’60 Eileen Schenk ’60 Kathleen Houck, S.C. ’61 Jacqueline Riggio, S.C. ’61 Martha (Huber) Bain ’63 Brigid Rooney ’63 Frances Maureen Trampiets, S.C. ’63 Lucien Marie Davis, S.C. ’64 Gail Koehler ’64 Carol Bauer, S.C. ’65 Jane Bernadette Leo, S.C. ’65 Jean Claire Welling, S.C. ’65 Joanne Fuchs ’66 Jane Lomont ’66 Susan Miller ’68 Nancy Niesen Nash ’69 Linda Hart ’71 Regina Huseman-Donovan ’71 Maura Hamilton ’79 Irene Estes ’80 Ann Gilkey ’80 Karen Hock ’80

Joan Steiner ’81, ’72 Diane Fowler ’84 Phyllis King ’84 Sue Caudill ’85 Marilyn Centers ’85 Lori Rich ’85 Dawn McIntosh-Jefferson ’86 Charlotte Sanzere ’86, ’81 Sandra Starner ’86 Nancy (Williams) Connell ’89 James Nienaber ’89 Shelley Ritenour ’89 Thomas Bevington ’90 Joyce Schneider ’90 Thomas Roos ’91 Alissa Cordie ’01 Dennis Gruen ’03 Victor Lassandro III ’02 Andrew Snell ’13 Charlotte Foran ’19, ’16 Vivian Russell ’16 Brandon Raabe ’19 Passages listed are current as of press time.

IN CLOSING ONE LAST THOUGHT

SAVE THE DATE April 9, 2022 Mount St. Joseph University Join us to rediscover the Mount, reconnect with friends and colleagues, revisit your favorite spots on campus, and make new MSJ memories while supporting our students!

Walk onto any campus and ask a student to recite the university’s mission statement and you’ll likely be met with a blank stare—except at the Mount. Throughout this issue faculty and staff embody the mission, as is to be expected. But so do students, with passion and detailed examples of how they live the Mount’s mission on campus and off, within the classroom, on the athletic field, through community service, and in their artistic pursuits.

The alumni we’ve featured also speak passionately about the Mount’s mission and how it has played an important role in their professional and personal lives, guiding them to personal peaks as productive citizens and ethical leaders, contributing to the greater good. Excellence in academic endeavors is always a goal, but so is leading a meaningful life.

It is our hope that these stories help shine a light on the inspiring ways members of the Mount Community are Climbing Higher with the Heart of a Lion.

Learn more at www.msj.edu/jubilee

ALUMNI

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Mount St. Joseph University (“the University”) is committed to providing an educational and employment environment free from discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other minority or protected status. This commitment extends to the University’s administration of its admission, financial aid, employment, and academic policies, as well as the University’s athletic programs and other University-administered programs, services, and activities.

The University has designated the Title IX Coordinator, (513) 244-4467, as the individual responsible for responding to inquiries, addressing complaints, and coordinating compliance with its responsibilities under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and other related federal and state civil rights laws. The University has designated the Director of Human Resources/Equal Opportunity Officer, (513) 244-4979, as the individual responsible for responding to inquiries, issues, or complaints relating to discriminatory, harassing, or retaliatory conduct related to race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. The University has designated the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, (513) 244-4614, as the individual responsible for responding for addressing formal complaints regarding compliance with its responsibilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

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