Climbing Higher

Photo by Mark Byron.

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.

MISSION AMBASSADORS

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

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.

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

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.

Noah Shrock, Taylor Whitehead, and Emma Godfrey.

“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.”

MSJ RENAISSANCE: ARTS AT THE MOUNT

Art Guild students working with Tom Tsuchiya, local artist.

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.”

"Spoon River Requiem" Performance.

Photo by Mark Byron.

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.”

Choir performing in Mater Dei Chapel.

Photo by Don Denney.

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.”

MOSAIC CROSS CULTURAL & INCLUSION CENTER

Melissa Duke speaks at the Grand Opening of the MOSAIC Cross Cultural & Inclusion Center.

Photo by Sara Pope.

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 to host structured programs as well as casual conversations.

“It’s being used so much that we had to fix a table already—and that’s a good thing!” Eastman says. “It’s been really amazing to see the Center come to life.”

MOSAIC is a welcoming space, open to all.

Photo by Sara Pope.

Cherie Applebury, president of the Mount’s Black Student Union, says the MOSAIC Center is a physical representation of the Mount’s mission of having respect and concern for all persons, diversity of cultures, and beliefs.

“The MOSAIC Center has been a safe space for me and my friends,” she 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 out there.”

READING SCIENCE PROGRAM

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

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 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, 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.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

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

Mission Ambassadors | Suggestions for service project ideas for Mission Ambassadors? Retreat speakers and prayer partners are also welcome! Contact Sister Karen Elliott 513-244-4844 | karen.elliott@msj.edu

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

MOSAIC Center | Interested in a formal presentation or casual conversation with current students? All are welcome! Contact Rayshawn Eastman, Ph.D., ’08, rayshawn.eastman@msj.edu

Reading Science Program | Do you know a school or teacher that might benefit from the learning of the Reading Science Program? Contact Amy Murdoch, Ph.D. 513-244-4934 | amy.murdoch@msj.edu

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.