MOUNT NEWS MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY
FROZEN ASSETS
Unlocking a physiological mystery that could benefit all of humanity. A PASSION TO HEAL
The MSN-MAGELIN program transforms students into top nursing practitioners.
THE LEGACY BLOOMS
Explore the Mount’s history from 1980 to 1989.
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FALL 2018
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
ES VALU ND A GE
FINANCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Transformation 2025 continues apace and remains at the heart of everything we do at the Mount. The ultimate goal of this strategic vision is to deliver unprecedented student learning experiences. These will, in turn, best prepare our graduates to make meaningful impacts on the world. I am grateful to all of the individuals, especially alumni, who are providing the financial support to turn this vision into reality. With the help of our alumni, faculty, staff, students, Board of Trustees, and community partners, we continue to make progress along the five critical dimensions of Transformation 2025. We have also identified institutional priorities, with goals and objectives for a strategic plan that will be tracked and measured over the ensuing years to chart our progress. The first dimension, visibility and brand, focuses on increasing our brand awareness and visibility in the region. We know that word-of-mouth continues to be the most effective way the community learns about the Mount, and we need your support in being a brand champion. We are already seeing our name recognition grow through our increased partnership agreements and expanded advertising initiatives. New academic programs address current and emerging needs of the
marketplace. These include our Physician Assistant program, as well as new majors in special education, natural sciences, and behavioral science (among other fields). In addition, articulation agreements with local universities help connect more students to the Mount, as well as enable them to take the degrees they’ve earned with us and use them as springboards to future academic and professional success. Employee engagement must occur across every level for the Mount to optimize student experiences and outcomes. Put simply, a highly motivated and satisfied workforce fosters truly productive and positive learning experiences for all students. We have already completed an effective engagement survey to determine where we can improve to increase faculty and staff morale, conducted focus groups, taken a closer look at salary benchmarks and the performance review process, and begun other initiatives designed to promote inclusivity, diversity, and equity. Our financial infrastructure includes a greater focus on enrollments and fundraising. For the former, we have revamped financial aid, hired more admission counselors, and reinvigorated retention efforts to ensure that finances remain resilient. For the latter, we will look to further promote the various means through which donors can support the Mount, including through giving to the Annual Fund, providing restricted
CAT HO L
STUDENT EXPERIENCES/ OUTCOMES
CA THO
Dear Mount Alumni:
Transformation 2025 Dimensions
LIC IDE N TIT
LECTUAL TRADIT IO TEL N IN IC
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
S OF CHARITY H ER TER S I ITA S
VISIBILITY/ BRAND
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
Y
PHYSICAL/VIRTUAL INFRASTRUCTURE
gifts and endowments, and through estate planning. The last dimension of Transformation 2025 focuses on the University’s virtual and physical infrastructure. On the physical side, construction plans are underway for a new recreation and fitness center designed to promote health and wellness throughout our campus community. It is in this area that we urgently need contributions from each of the Mount’s proud alumni, as we expect to have the new center completed by 2020. Please understand that 80 percent of our fundraising dollars for Mount projects comes directly from individuals—not corporations or foundations. If each of us contributes, we can secure the funds needed to complete the Mount’s Transformation 2025 building projects. It never fails to impress me how alumni turn out in droves to demonstrate their Mount pride at Homecoming and other events throughout the year. I’m asking all of you to, again, please show your support for Mount students—ambitious young professionals ready to take on the world— and help us ensure that Transformation 2025 achieves its full potential. Remember—it’s our turn … and it’s our time! Best regards, H. James Williams, Ph.D., President
CONTENTS Around the Quad
2
Faculty & Staff Updates
22
Lions’ Corner
24
FROZEN ASSETS 6
MSJ Assistant Professor Clara do Amaral, Ph.D., is researching how frogs resist cold temperatures to unlock a physiological mystery that could benefit all of humanity.
Alumni Updates 26 Making an Impact 28 Classnotes 29 Passages 30 Homecoming Weekend 31
PUBLISHED BY
Division of Institutional Advancement Mount St. Joseph University 5701 Delhi Road Cincinnati, OH 45233-1670 msj.edu
EDITORIAL TEAM
Raye Allen Tara Byrd Kathleen Scanlan Cardwell ’87 Greg Goldschmidt ’07 Trevor Griffith Emily Joyce Michelle Olmsted Mark Osborne Zach Silka Blake Watson
THE LEGACY BLOOMS 10
The 1980s marked a turning point in the Mount’s 60-year history. New programs, coupled with the college’s financial stability and the dawn of personal computing, began to break down preconceived notions about the university.
DESIGNER
Tricia Witterstaetter Johnson ’97
CONTRIBUTORS
Anya Rao Kara Gebhart Uhl Darien Bradley ’18 Sasha Feldmann (student)
MANAGING EDITOR Michael Schiavetta
A PASSION TO HEAL 18
Accelerated but focused, the Mount’s MSN-MAGELIN program provides an opportunity for those without a nursing degree to change career paths and graduate with a master’s degree in nursing.
CONTRIBUTING COPY EDITOR Arlene Werts
All photos by Don Denney unless otherwise noted. Historical photos are courtesy of the Sisters of Charity and Mount St. Joseph University Archives. If you would like to contact a member of the editorial team, call 513-244-4330 or 800-654-9314. If you would like to submit a letter to the editor, please email alumni@msj.edu.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
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 chief diversity and inclusion officer, (513) 244-4467, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, 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 applicable federal and state civil rights laws. The University has designated the director of Learning Center & Disabilities Services, (513) 244-4524, as the individual responsible for responding to inquiries, addressing complaints, and coordinating compliance with its responsibilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
FALL 2018 1
AROUND THE QUAD NEWS
THE MOUNT WELCOMES LARGEST FRESHMAN CLASS IN THREE YEARS Visit the Mount campus and you may notice an overabundance of high energy—that’s right, Mount St. Joseph University recently welcomed its largest incoming freshman class in three years, a growth of 15 percent from the 2017 fall semester. “It’s definitely an upward trend that we’re seeing in our enrollment, and we are thrilled,” says Peggy Minnich ’04, ’86, dean of admissions. She attributes this spike in freshmen numbers to the Mount’s “amazing faculty and staff, as well as many committed admission counselors.” A snapshot of the incoming class reveals an increase in student-athletes as well as residential students. Nursing, health and wellness, sport management, and biology are among the top five majors. In addition, approximately 35 percent of the incoming freshmen are from locations outside Ohio. The growth in enrollment comes at a time when the Mount is also offering new courses and incorporating renovations in nearly every building.
2 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY
New courses include Extreme Physiology, a study of animals’ adaptations to the utmost weather environments, and Crime and Media, where students will examine the discrepancies between these oft-competing forces. Students will also find new offerings in music, including a new choir director, as well as a course in church music. Classrooms, hallways, and event spaces have been renovated with new furniture, LED lighting, and the latest technologies for teaching and learning. Students majoring in education now have a large maker space for preparing practicum materials. In addition, several areas of the residence halls have received significant updates, with some rooms converted to general study rooms. “These students are eager to get involved, make new friends, and start their college careers,” says Warren Grove, assistant dean for student engagement and leadership. “We’re going to have an extremely active fall semester!”
LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL
President H. James Williams, Ph.D., has agreed to a five-year contract extension that will keep him at the Mount through 2023, with an option for an additional five-year term. Since his arrival in 2016, the Mount has experienced consistent annual enrollment growth, launched a new Physician Assistant program, and boosted its graduation and retention rates. President Williams’ strategic vision for the university, Transformation 2025, was created with the goal of invigorating the campus with state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure that will play a critical role in delivering high-quality learning experiences and enhanced student outcomes.
AROUND THE QUAD NEWS BOARD OF TRUSTEES WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS The Mount’s Board of Trustees has welcomed seven new members: S. Nancy Bramlage, SC, ’67, who earned a master’s degree in religious education from Boston Nancy Bramlage, SC, ’67 University. She most recently served as the director of mission and ministry at the Mount and is currently an active ministry volunteer. Jennifer Damiano, a senior client advisor at PNC Jennifer Damiano Wealth Management, where she works with business-owner clients. She graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee. Lori Hallmark, an assurance partner at Pricewaterhouse Lori Hallmark Coopers with more than 15 years of experience in public accounting. She is a graduate of the University of Dayton and also serves as a member of its Accounting Michael B. Mattingly Department Advisory Board. Michael B. Mattingly, who earned his Juris Doctorate at the University of Notre Dame. After serving as an officer in the U.S. Army, he joined Dinsmore and Shohl, LLP, as a labor and employment defense attorney.
Jackie Reau, the CEO of Game Day Communications as well as an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University. She holds a graduate degree Jackie Reau from Ohio University and a certification in nonprofit management from Harvard Business School. Ann Saluke ’76, who earned her undergraduate degree from the Mount and Ann Saluke ’76 her graduate degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She worked as a community pediatrician with Anderson Hills Pediatrics for more than 30 years. Lisa Vannis, a Lisa Vannis partner in the Audit and Assurance Services practice of Deloitte & Touche LLP in Cincinnati with more than 15 years of experience in accounting and auditing. She holds an MBA from the University of Dayton and is a certified public accountant. “We’re excited to welcome these new members and all returning members to the Mount’s Board of Trustees,” says Jason Niehaus ’98, chair of the Mount’s Board of Trustees. “The Board’s efforts in guiding the talented and committed work of Dr. Williams and his leadership team will help to ensure the Mount continues on a trajectory of growth and success in fulling its mission and its contributions to the Cincinnati community.”
THE MOUNT HOLDS 4TH ANNUAL EMMITSBURG PILGRIMAGE
On June 18-22, a dozen MSJ trustees, staff, and faculty embarked on the 2018 Emmitsburg Pilgrimage Retreat to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and the Sisters of Charity, which was founded in Emmitsburg, Md., in 1809. For five days, they toured historical sites, held discussions and prayer opportunities, and completed reflection activities at the National Shrine of Elizabeth Seton. For the past two years, the retreat has been funded by the generosity of the Sisters of Charity Sister Elise Fund, allowing the participants to travel for free. Sister Judy Metz, SC, Ph.D. ’66 national historian and former archivist for the Sisters of Charity, served as the retreat director. She has authored several works on St. Elizabeth Seton and the history of the Sisters of Charity, and is a nationally recognized expert in charity charism and heritage. At the end of the retreat, participants shared their experiences and insights with colleagues back at the Mount to improve teaching and further develop new core curriculum sections outlining the charism and heritage of the Sisters of Charity. “Going on this trip was immensely helpful for truly understanding the mission of the Mount through St. Elizabeth Seton’s calling,” says retreat participant Jon Moore, social media manager at the Mount, “and all of the ways the Sisters of Charity have impacted the city of Cincinnati.”
For five days, Emmitsburg retreat participants toured historical sites, held discussions and prayer opportunities, and completed reflection activities at the National Shrine of Elizabeth Seton.
FALL 2018 3
AROUND THE QUAD NEWS
(L to R) Colleen Hayes, student brewer; Daniel Taylor, student brewer; Joe Lion; MSJ Associate Professor Andy Rasmussen, Ph.D.; MSJ Professor Tim Lawson, Ph.D.
STUDENTS’ CRAFT BEER TAPPED AT LOCAL BREWERY Last July, two students from the Mount’s Beer Brewing and Appreciation course put their skills to the test and were selected to have their original beer recipe tapped at West Side Brewery in Westwood, Cincinnati. This brewery is part-owned by alumnus Kurtis Remmel ’08, who took the course himself when he was a student, and recently helped host a competition among current students to have their original recipe served at West Side Brewery. He chose a Raspberry and Vanilla witbier recipe crafted by student winners Colleen Hayes and Daniel Taylor. The Beer Brewing and Appreciation course (BRW 101) explores essential characteristics of well-crafted beer and brewing methods. Co-instructors Andy Rasmussen, Ph.D., and Tim Lawson, Ph.D., have won dozens of awards for their own original beers in national homebrew competitions. In the class, students brew beer, taste common beer styles, and tour a local brewery. Students have also won multiple awards at nationally-sanctioned homebrew
4 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY
competitions for the beers they brewed while taking the course. Remmel earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Mathematics at the Mount, as well as a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. In addition, he serves on the Mount’s Chemistry Advisory Board.
“This is a great opportunity to celebrate the beer our students brewed, but also to celebrate how the Mount and our alumni change communities.” - Tim Lawson, Ph.D.
AROUND THE QUAD NEWS NEWS BRIEFS: A DISTINCTIVE HONOR
Photos by Bob Pennington (conference organizer).
CARDIJN CONFERENCE COMES TO CAMPUS On July 6-8, the Mount hosted “Lay Movements as Structures of Grace: Renewing the Legacy of Cardijn, the See-Judge-Act Method, and Catholic Action in the Americas,” a conference organized by Assistant Professor Robert Pennington, Ph.D. In addition to overseeing the event, he presented the opening keynote address, “Cardijn’s Methodology and Strategic Political Theory.” The aim of the conference was to look at the legacy of Cardinal Joseph
Cardijn 50 years after his death, and his relevance to teachers, students, and members of the Church. Attendees from countries all over the world including El Salvador, Chile, Mauritius, Australia, Ethiopia, and Guinea visited the Mount during this three-day event. Several scholars presented papers and keynote addresses related to Catholic Action Movements and the continuing spirit of the Jocist movement.
Mount St. Joseph University has been named a College of Distinction for its commitment to high-impact educational practices. Schools are accepted on their adherence to the four areas of distinction: engaged students; great teaching; vibrant community; and successful outcomes.
EDUCATION PAYS
Twenty-nine MSJ students currently engaged in the Education at Work (EAW) program have earned $1,887,944 in wages and $724,969 in tuition assistance from the program since it began at the Mount in May of 2013. EAW, a nonprofit organization, offers college students the opportunity to earn wages and tuition assistance through employment in contact centers for large businesses. Along the way, students also receive invaluable job skills and professional networking opportunities.
FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS
(L to R) Award recipients: Tracie Shelton ’09, Susan McDonald, Charlene Mason, Rachel Baker, and Deana Birkenheuer.
THE MOUNT HONORS NURSING PROFESSIONALS Mount St. Joseph University honored nursing professionals Tracie Shelton ’09, Susan McDonald, Deana Birkenheuer, Rachel Baker, and Charlene Mason with Leadership in Nursing Awards on Oct. 17 at the Drees Pavilion in Devou Park in Covington, Ky. For more than 20 years, the program has recognized outstanding nursing leaders, who have a record of enhancing the image of nursing as well as promoting the professional development of themselves and others. This year’s
categories (and winners) included Distinguished Nurse Administrator (McDonald), Distinguished Nurse Educator (Birkenheuer), Distinguished Nurse Researcher (Baker), Lifetime Achievement in Nursing (Mason), and Alumni Nurse Leader (Shelton). The Mount has been a leader in nursing education programs for more than eight decades, with a rich heritage in educating and fostering the development of health care leaders.
A new program for first-generation MSJ students, “F1RST TO GO AND GRADUATE,” was launched to welcome students who are the first in their family to attend college. This initiative was created to help first-generation students assimilate themselves into college life, help them connect and make friends, learn what on-campus resources are available to them, and identify strategies for success as a MSJ student. The logo was designed by MSJ fine arts graduate Marissa Wisman ’18.
FALL 2018 5
Scientist Clara do Amaral, Ph.D., is researching how frogs resist cold temperatures to unlock a physiological mystery that could benefit all of humanity. By Anya Rao
FROZEN ASSETS
T
he human response to cold Midwest winters is to shiver, bundle up in a parka, and seek warmth indoors. There are species of frogs that endure Ohio winters much differently. These amphibians spend winter frozen just below the soil’s surface, seemingly lifeless, then “wake up” unscathed come springtime. Clara do Amaral, Ph.D., a biology professor and ecophysiologist who joined the Mount in 2017, is leading research into how these frogs do what they do—and the potential implication for humans. “When you are an amphibian and winter approaches in a temperate zone like Ohio, you only have a few options as to how to spend winter,” she says. “Amphibians are cold blooded so they don’t generate a significant amount of body heat. They follow the temperature of their environment. In winter, some amphibians will bury themselves deep, toads for example, and avoid the frost line altogether. Other amphibians spend winter at the bottom of ponds that never totally freeze.” But the frogs that Dr. do Amaral studies hibernate just at the surface because they aren’t good diggers and they don’t tend to hide in crevices or caves. Because of this, they are exposed to extremely low temperatures. “They have evolved to tolerate the freezing of their tissue fluids,” she adds. “These animals are 70 to 80 percent water, and about two-thirds of their body water will freeze solid.” The frogs tuck themselves into a tightly drawn-in position, their eyes become a glassy white, and they do not respond in any way.
“When you hold the animal, they are solid in that position like a little rock,” Dr. do Amaral explains. “There is no heartbeat, no breathing, no circulation, no brain function—it’s like the frog is dead.” But, when spring arrives and the temperature rises, those “dead” amphibians revive themselves to pursue their regularly scheduled froggy existence. How is this possible, especially without oxygen, food, or movement? That’s what Dr. do Amaral is planning to discover. “From a biological standpoint, this research helps us understand exactly how organisms survive their environment and how essential freeze tolerance is to their survival,” she says. Dr. do Amaral began studying freeze tolerant frogs from Alaska and Ohio while conducting her Ph.D. at Miami University and has continued that research. She was able to discover part of the biological strategy as to how the amphibians are able to stay alive after being frozen for so long. “We discovered how the enzymes in the liver and other organs respond to freezing and how they change seasonally, and how frogs from different places have responses suited to a specific place,” she says. Dr. do Amaral also made a discovery regarding treefrogs, which she recently added to her research. Typically, freeze-tolerant frogs have one or two cryoprotectants, which are the chemicals produced that help them survive some of the stresses of freezing by serving as fuel, preventing a large amount of ice from forming in the frog, protecting proteins. “We’ve discovered treefrogs have three cryoprotectants, while most have one or two,” she notes. “Now we’ll determine what are the mechanisms
associated with these three cryoprotectants and what is their role in this particular animal.” She’s also studying how the frog’s DNA responds to a stressor like low temperatures to see which genes are turning off or on during a specific event. “This will help us better understand what things are being promoted or inhibited that allow for survival in these situations,” she says. Though these amphibians are doing things a mammal can’t do (you can’t take a mouse and freeze it without it dying, for instance), Dr. do Amaral says understanding the physiological responses of how these frogs survive may lead to applications that may benefit humans—most notably, cryopreservation of human organs. Donated human organs currently have a short shelf life, with lungs and hearts only good for up to six hours when stored properly. “You can’t freeze organs indefinitely,” she says. “We could then take what we know from these frogs and develop strategies to freeze human hearts, lungs, livers, or any organ for a longer duration.” Another potential application—albeit much further into the future—is using this research as a means to help induce human hibernation for astronauts engaged in long-range space travel that could last years (as seen in movies such as 2001: A Space Odyssey). In the end, it comes down to a few simple questions for Dr. do Amaral and her colleagues: “Is there information in the physiology of these amphibians that we can adjust to an organism that does not naturally hibernate, that can’t lower their energy expenditure that much? Can we apply it to a mammalian system?” she asks.
“We discovered how the enzymes in the liver and other organs respond to freezing and how they change seasonally, and how frogs from different places have responses suited to a specific place.” - Clara do Amaral, Ph.D. FALL 2018 7
FROZEN ASSETS
“We could then take what we know from these frogs and develop strategies to freeze human hearts, lungs, livers, or any organ for a longer duration.” - Clara do Amaral, Ph.D. SHARING KNOWLEDGE
Starting in early childhood, Dr. do Amaral had an interest in biology and animals, specifically amphibians and reptiles, volunteering at zoos, cleaning cages and leading children’s programs and tour groups. Born in the U.S. and raised in Portugal, she came back to the U.S. to earn her master’s in biology and Ph.D. in zoology. While pursuing the latter at Miami University, Dr. do Amaral discovered her passion—frogs that can survive whole-body freezing and low temperatures. Southwest Ohio, as it turns out, is a great spot for researchers of coldtolerant frogs. There are two species present in the region that Dr. do Amaral studies: treefrogs and wood frogs. When she was looking for a university position, the Mount felt like a perfect fit, she says. It was a place where the scientist could blend her love of research with her enjoyment of teaching, plus the bonus of including students in her life’s work. “I like to actively involve my students in the research because it gives them
a window into how science is actually done and how we get the knowledge for the textbooks,” Dr. do Amaral says. Several students have worked with Dr. do Amaral in her research lab, helping run experiments, simulate natural freezing, and collect data. Some have even presented their research at scientific conferences. Briana Goines, a junior majoring in biology and psychology who plans to continue onto graduate school for neuropsychology, worked with Dr. do Amaral in her lab and also had her as a professor for classes in animal behavior and extreme physiology. “Before I had started this research, I didn’t know ‘freeze tolerance’ was even possible,” says Goines. “The whole concept of a frog being able to freeze, have no heartbeat or any signs of life, and then thaw out and continue life is amazing. It changes what most believe is the difference between life and death.” “I was dumbfounded that so few people are researching this amazing
There are two species present in the region that Clara do Amaral, Ph.D., studies: treefrogs (top right) and wood frogs (bottom right).
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event,” adds biology student Zachary Tegge, who also took several of Dr. do Amaral’s classes and worked in her lab studying the frogs. Her students at the Mount connect with her ability to present the topics she teaches in a clear, enthusiastic manner. “Dr. do Amaral has always kept a fun and engaging classroom environment,” says Spencer Dufresne, a junior biology student. “She pushes each one of us to make sure we are fulfilling our potential.” Her dedication to science and teaching extends beyond the university classroom and into local elementary schools. Dr. do Amaral and her students recently participated in a STEM night at a local school and in a Girl Scouts career day. “I think it’s important for students to see what options are out there and also get them excited about science when they are young,” she says.
A COLD CASE SOLVED: MSJ PROFESSOR HELPS CRACK 37-YEAR-OLD MYSTERY
For nearly four decades, a woman who was found murdered in Troy, Ohio, in 1981 has remained unidentified— until now. Previously known only as “buckskin girl” because of a fringed buckskin jacket the Jane Doe was wearing at the time of her death, the woman was finally identified in April 2018 thanks to the incredible perseverance of the Mount’s Beth Murray, Ph.D., ’86. A biology professor and one of only about 100 board-certified forensic anthropologists in the world, she spends her time outside the classroom working with law enforcement on cold cases or current cases involving bodies with skeletal trauma. Dr. Murray worked with Ohio’s Miami County Sheriff ’s Department on the cold case of the “buckskin girl” for several years, but every attempt to uncover the Jane Doe’s identity proved unsuccessful. Pollen studies on her clothing and tests on her hair attempted to determine where she spent the last year of her life, but did not lead to her name or her killer.
In February 2017, Dr. Murray attended a presentation on forensic genealogy at a conference, during which the speaker discussed using ancestry databases (yes, like the ones advertised on TV) as an identification tool. Soon after, she began emailing private DNA labs until she connected with someone who was so certain that the “buckskin girl” blood sample would be unusable (it was, after all, sitting in a drawer at the sheriff ’s station for nearly 40 years) that he agreed to test it at no cost. As it turned out, the lab was able to extract a useable DNA profile from the blood. Working with the DNA Doe Project, which uses genetic genealogy to ID unknown persons, the DNA profile from the “buckskin girl” was then used to search for her relatives through genealogy registries. A match was found and the authorities were able to connect with that relative. The “buckskin girl” was identified as Marcia L. King from Arkansas. The sheriff ’s department continues to work the case to solve her murder. “What couldn’t be done in 37 years was done in a couple of hours, once the genetic profile was in the hands of the DNA Doe Project,” Dr. Murray says.
While that case received national media attention, it’s just one of the hundreds of cases Dr. Murray has worked on. During her sabbaticals away from the Mount, forensic cases have taken her all over the world, including the jungles of Laos to excavate a Vietnam War plane crash and exploration of a mass grave site in Guatemala. The Mount has been a home for her since the early 1980s when she enrolled a few years after graduating from nearby Seton High School. She was encouraged by her professor and mentor (and now longtime colleague) Gene Kritsky, Ph.D., who serves as dean of the School of Behavioral and Natural Sciences, to pursue her master’s degree and doctorate at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Murray began her forensic anthropology career in 1986 and earned board certification in 1999. Teaching at the Mount, however, remains her central focus. “The values of the Sisters of Charity include helping others get a leg up,” Dr. Murray says. “Gene pushed me to my next step, and it’s been an honor to push students to their next step.”
FALL 2018 9
In the 1980s, MSJ President Sister Jean Patrice Harrington, SC, set goals to create an endowment for future financial stability and meet the needs of an ever-growing and diversifying traditional and nontraditional student body. New programs—which included Evening College, Cooperative Education, Project EXCEL, and Project SCOPE— would become integral to the Mount’s growth.
THE MOUNT’S LEGACY BLOOMS Strong finances, new programs, a diversified student population, and floppy computer disks — welcome to the 1980s. By Kara Gebhart Uhl
IT WAS TIME TO CELEBRATE
The College of Mount St. Joseph celebrated its 60th birthday with a party on Fountain Square. Moreover, in the spring 1980 issue of Mountings, President Sister Jean Patrice Harrington, SC, ’53 wrote: “We have made a dramatic turnabout by balancing the budget for two consecutive years. And we are projecting a balanced budget for next year.” Her self-defined tasks were direct and ambitious: Create an endowment for future financial stability and meet
1980
The Mount’s Evening College opens. Ronald Reagan elected president.
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the needs of an ever-growing and diversifying traditional and nontraditional student body. New programs would become integral to the Mount’s growth and diversification throughout the 1980s. Evening College opened. Cooperative Education, which allowed students to earn academic credit while gaining work experience in their field of study, was now open to all majors. Project EXCEL helped students with learning disabilities. International students were actively recruited thanks to the
1980
The “Miracle on Ice” takes place at the 1980 Winter Olympics when the U.S. hockey team defeats the Soviet Union by a score of 4-3.
English as a Second Language (ESL) program. And Project SCOPE (Summer Collegiate Orientation Program and Enrichment) was created to introduce local African American high school students to college via a summer residency experience. In many ways, the 1980s marked a turning point in the college’s 60-year run. These new programs, coupled with the college’s financial stability and the dawn of personal computing, began to dispel preconceived notions about the Mount on both local and national levels.
1981
MTV launches with its first music video, “Video Killed the Radio Star.”
In many ways, the 1980s marked a turning point in the college’s 60-year run. These new programs, coupled with the college’s financial stability and the dawn of personal computing, began to break down preconceived notions about the Mount on both local and national levels.
THE ’80S, IN EVERY WAY
Ingrid Weber ’80 recalls that, in the mid-1970s, freshmen were expected to sign in and out as they came and went from campus. That rule was dropped in her sophomore year. School attire had become more casual. And much more was about to change. “These were times of great transition in our world and also at the Mount,” she says. Judging by yearbooks of the era, Mountees fully embraced ’80s culture. Candid photos with witty captions
1982
Project EXCEL opens and Cooperative Education begins.
showed students wearing jeans and sweatshirts, sporting permed hair and munching on pizza, often with a beer in hand (Ohio alcohol laws being much different in the ’80s). Trips to McDonald’s, Friendly’s, and Skyline were treats. Hangouts included the floor lounges, Bacchus Room (Weber says she and her friends would dance on large wooden spool tables to Lesley Gore, Neil Sedaka, and Motown) and the sand-less but nonetheless popular Seton Beach. Live music acts in Cincinnati around this time included Van Halen, Billy Joel, Sting, Linda Ronstadt, Journey, and AC/DC. This, of course, paints a picture of life as a traditional student. But many Mountees were also considered nontraditional, such as Beth Murray, Ph.D., ’86, currently a Mount professor of biology and forensic/biological anthropologist. In 1980, she was a divorced mother of a young child who came to the Mount as part of the CETA program (Comprehensive Employment
1982
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is released (and phones home).
and Training Act). She changed her major four times and took six years to graduate, as she also managed a legal typing service out of her home around her parenting responsibilities. The Mount offered a childcare program that allowed for flexible scheduling, meeting her needs in a way that empowered her to continue her education, and, ultimately, achieve the career of her dreams. In 1981, male Saudi Arabian students lived at the Mount while engaged in the Berlitz School of Languages English Study Program. The February 13, 1981, issue of MSJ Report wrote about a new “whiz machine” in the language lab called an Apple II. “The Mount’s own micro-computer can change your day of solitude into a day of amazement and frivolity!” wrote Julie Zeiser. The volleyball team flew to California for the 1981 Division III National Volleyball Competition. A new telephone system (including 500 new ivory-colored touch phones for
1983
The Mount’s first capital fundraising campaign, Forward Fund, launches and surpasses its $4 million goal.
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THE LEGACY BLOOMS both the Mount and the Motherhouse) allowed long-distance calling (for a fee). Tuition increased 10 percent in 1982. Mary Ivers ’71 served on the co-op board at the time and said the program was critical to the Mount in order to help students gain professional experience with corporations while going to school. “I can still remember some of the first students I’ve hired through the Mount’s co-op program, who have grown into wonderful, professional people,” says Ivers, who, in the 1980s was co-founder of Software Clearing House. In 1983, Sister Harrington launched Forward Fund, the Mount’s first capital campaign dedicated to increasing the endowment and making needed improvements to the buildings and grounds. Alumnae, parents, businesses, corporations, and individuals made pledges, ultimately surpassing the Mount’s $4 million goal. “We’re all Lions now,” said Athletic Director Jean Dowell in the October 1, 1984, issue of MSJ Report, after commissioning graphic artist Cecil Neal to design a new official mascot— the Mount Lion. In 1984, Eric (Chip) Berning ’88 was sworn in as the first male class president (freshman class) in college history. In May, the Sisters of Charity celebrated the 100th anniversary of their Motherhouse. In the mid-1980s, the Mount’s grading system was a popular MSJ Report headline. A new grading policy, passed by faculty in December 1984, called for incorporating the use of plus and minus symbols into the letter-grade scale. This caused controversy throughout 1985 and, in April 1986, resulted in nearly 100 students gathering in the Administration Building Lobby and staging a sit-in (“Students care! Be fair!”), effectively delaying the policy. In February 1987, faculty voted to return to a five-level
1983
Michael Jackson releases Thriller, which remains the world’s best-selling album at 66 million copies.
12 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY
1984
The Mount becomes the first college in the United States to offer the Management of Nursing Sciences degree.
grading system, eliminating pluses and minuses in the final grade. In 1985, the Career Services Center opened, a merger of the Cooperative Education Program and the Career Planning and Placement Office. Task forces titled “The Time for Talking” were appointed by U.S. bishops across the country (including one locally) to explore the role of women in church. Poet Nikki Giovanni spent a semester teaching creative writing on campus. A fire that gutted Seton Lounge marked the end of 1985. “The heat twisted light bulbs, mangled window frames, and melted the mail chute,” wrote Margaret Willis ’86 in the December 9, 1985, issue of MSJ Report. The damage, caused by an overturned Sterno can, caused an estimated $100,000 in damage. Five students and one security guard were treated for smoke inhalation. Cecilia Davis Gaynor, M.D., ’85, a biology and chemistry dual major at the Mount (and now Chief of Infectious Diseases at the Hershel Woody Williams VAMC in Huntington, W.V.), met her now-husband on a bet from a fellow freshman at one of the Mount’s many mixers. Gaynor also remembers lots of singing: “California Girls” by the Beach Boys was changed to “Mount St. Joseph Girls”; engaged dorm residents were serenaded with “Going to the Chapel”; and students in the dining hall would stand up with their class as everyone sang “Where, oh where, are the sexy seniors?” followed by “jolly juniors,” “silly sophomores,” and “foolish freshmen.” Gaynor also recalls the ever-popular Sophomore Review and Senior Christmas—a tradition in which seniors transformed Seton Lobby and the parlors into a Christmas wonderland and then woke up the freshmen at
1985
A new computer center opens on campus for adults featuring 25 IBM PCs. Classes offered included Introduction to Personal Computing and Introduction to Word Processing.
THE LEGACY BLOOMS midnight to surprise and lead them downstairs for hot chocolate and treats. “In the evenings, studying at the library was always an option,” she says. “But other nights we went dancing at The Main Entrance in Delhi, Lighthouse Limited in Clifton, or Tomorrow’s downtown.” National tragedy struck in January 1986 when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded. “President Reagan told a stunned nation in mourning that the future does not belong to the weakhearted; it belongs to the brave,” wrote James “Kevin” McDonald ’89 in an MSJ Report. “And a boy from the classroom said, ‘They saw a dream and they went for it.’ Maybe that’s proof that the Challenger really succeeded after all.” By 1986, enrollment was up nine percent from the previous year with Weekend College showing a 24 percent increase. By this time, the Mount was considered a recognized leader in continuing education, particularly for its efforts to serve an extensive adult student population via several programs and support services, including the Women’s Center, counseling, and babysitting. The 1986 yearbook recalls a dorm trick-or-treat with local children, the annual TUB fundraiser, little sibs weekend, the SGA Dance, the All Mount Formal (the theme was the ’20s), parents’ weekend, and Anything Goes-Beach Week (“a fun-filled week of plain craziness before finals”). In 1986, the Mount also adopted parking fees and toyed with the idea of designating smoking areas on campus after the U.S. Surgeon General issued a report on the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. Sister Harrington announced her retirement in 1987. In an October 1 article that had run a year earlier titled “A Tough Act to Follow,” Lora Thom ’87
1985
Cincinnati Reds player-manager Pete Rose becomes the all-time hits leader, with 4,192 hits, breaking Ty Cobb’s record.
wrote, “… the Mount has been the survivor of a $250,000 deficit because of her financial and business management techniques. The increase in enrollment from 914 in 1977 to 2,031 in 1986 is due, in part, to Sister Jean’s leadership.” In MSJ Report, ads for PHONE-OGRAMS in which the MSJ Music Club and Glee Club offered singing phone messages for $2 ran alongside ads for a new Mount president “who can assume leadership of an innovative, independent, coeducational liberal arts college. The new president, who will take office on July 1, 1987, will administer educational programs for a highly diversified student body, including 800 traditional age men and women, and 1,200 older adults.” On March 19, 1988, Sister Francis Marie Thrailkill, O.S.U., was inaugurated as the Mount’s president. A ceremony took place in the College Theatre followed by a reception and buffet in Seton Center Dining Hall. Also in 1988, Project SCOPE was introduced, the Computer Learning Center opened, and the Mount updated its alcohol policy. On February 28, 1989, the Mount announced a new National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics Division III football program that would begin in fall 1990. Later that year, it was announced that John Pont would serve as the Mount’s first head football coach. “One of the main reasons I’m eager to begin this new program at the Mount is that I am impressed with the college’s philosophy toward academics and athletics,” he said in the August 1989 issue of MSJ Report. “Football can be done well here with the true studentathlete in mind and with a sound education program as the priority.”
1985
The Career Services Center opens on campus, a merger of the Cooperative Education Program and the Career Planning and Placement Office.
1986
Space Shuttle Challenger explodes shortly after takeoff.
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THE LEGACY BLOOMS
COMPUTERS GET PERSONAL
When Judi Heile ’85 started working at the Mount in the 1980s, everyone used IBM electric typewriters and carbon paper to make copies. When she moved to the Career Center, they had “Wilma,” a big machine that made mimeographed copies. “The impact of new technologies provided a significant change in the workplace during those years,” she says. “I was excited to learn the new systems and machines, but many employees and students were just plain frightened about the learning curve.” Like the rest of America in the 1980s, technology at the Mount was transforming how people worked. “Faculty were now able to prepare their own materials, fewer secretarial staff were needed, and the advent of the ‘administrative assistant’ became the norm,” adds Heile. “Everyone had to know how to type. All in all, technology helped us all to be more efficient in less time. Therefore, it gave
1986
The Mount becomes a fully coeducational institution.
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us the opportunity to do more and meet strategic goals much faster. The downside was similar to what we hear people complain about today. Too much opportunity to multi-task, giving up quality for quantity. As director, I had to stay on top of that and make sure that my employees weren’t getting burned out.” Gene Kritsky, Ph.D., professor and dean of the School of Behavioral and Natural Sciences, says the Biology Department’s first personal computer was an Apple II Plus owned by the chemistry department. Kritsky gave his first computer exam in the spring of 1984. When the Apple IIe and Apple IIc came out, both he and Professor Emerita Sister Annette Muckerheide, SC, Ph.D., ’63 purchased them. In 1989 they bought Macintosh computers. A few years later, Kritsky, Muckerheide, and Brian Bellman ’96, strung telephone wires above the acoustic ceiling tiles to create a network among the faculty offices.
1987
Sister Jean Patrice Harrington, SC, Ph.D., ’53 retires as Mount president; Sister Francis Marie Thrailkill, O.S.U., Ed.D., is named the Mount’s president.
Professor Emeritus Bill Schutzius, who taught at the Mount for 40 years and retired in 2001, remembers being one of a handful of faculty members who worked with math instructor Jean Drach’s ’55 first efforts to invest in technology. “We had a phone link to Xavier [University’s] computer lab and learned how to program,” Schutizius says. “Individual departments purchased computers when budgets allowed. I got a Macintosh for Humanities and we passed it around the offices. There was a lot of that for a few years. Inevitably, a computer committee was formed. The first Mount computer lab consisted of seven Apple and four Atari [computers].” In 1985, the Mount introduced a new computer center designed to meet the needs of adults. Equipped with 25 IBM PCs, classes were held evenings and Saturdays and included Introduction to Personal Computing, Applied Basic Programming, and Introduction to Word Processing.
1987
The 1987 Guinness Book of World Records includes the world’s largest chess set, carved by Mount Art Professor John Nartker.
THE LEGACY BLOOMS WHERE THE BOYS ARE
Gaynor remembers a song that she once sang with fellow classmates early in the ’80s: I go to an all-girl’s school so pity me. There’s not a boy in the vicinity. Every night at nine, they lock the doors. I don’t know what the hell I ever came here for. When vacation time comes rolling around, I’m going to turn my hometown upside down. I go to an all-girls’ school, so give me a hometown boy. But in 1986, the Mount officially became fully coeducational. Jamie Steele ’88 knew the Mount was working on increasing male enrollment when he considered attending the college in 1983. “I just knew that it would be a perfect fit for me,” he says. “It was a smaller school and I wanted to be part of something new.” Satinder Bharaj ’87 was not aware the Mount had been a women’s-only college when he applied. “It was not until I got there and saw very few males on campus that I asked the question,” he says. But by then, Bharaj had already fallen in love with the Mount. “Even after finding that out, I did not want to transfer or move,” he adds. Bharaj and Steele, along with 10 fellow males, became known as the “dirty dozen” on campus. “It was a fantastic experience that first year,” Steele recalls. “We had one entire floor for 12 guys and since there were only a few of us, we bonded. Some of those relationships have continued through today.” He remembers the campus being peaceful and secluded, with parlors on the ground floor of the residence hall for women to meet male visitors.
1988
George H.W. Bush elected president.
1989
The Mount’s intercollegiate football team is announced.
1989
The Berlin Wall falls.
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THE LEGACY BLOOMS MSJ TRIVIA (1980s Edition) Q: In 1980, the Mount was one of how many Catholic women’s colleges in Ohio? A: Three. Q: In the 1983-84 school year, was the Mount’s enrollment 1,097, 1,119, or 1,971? A: 1,971. Q: In the same year, what percentage of Mount students were from greater Cincinnati? A: 80 percent. Q: Students participated in a short, but vocal protest over what issue on Wednesday, April 16, 1986, in the Administration and Seton Hall lobbies? A: A new grading policy. Q: In the 1986-87 school year, how many bachelor’s degree programs did the Mount offer? A: 27. Q: A hand-carved chess set designed by John Nartker (photo below), a Mount art professor, was included in the 1987 Guinness Book of World Records. It featured 4 ½-feet tall kings and 2 ½-feet tall pawns, and weighed more than 1,300 pounds. How many weeks did it take him to build this mammoth display? A: Seven weeks.
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Gene Kritsky (left), Ph.D., professor and dean of the School of Behavioral and Natural Sciences has been a fixture of the Mount since he was hired in 1983. “He was quiet and reserved at first, but I liked his enthusiasm, his willingness, and his ability to teach a variety of courses,” recalls the woman who hired him, Sister Annette Muckerheide, SC, ’63.
“The rules weren’t too bad and, of course, we 12 boys broke most of them,” Steele says. “All of the rules were made for women and, well, we quickly made the school realize they had to update.” “My memories at the Mount have been a highlight reel so to speak,” Bharaj says. “I relish fondly the ecology/ evolution class road trip with Dr. Kritsky. What I learned on the trip and the comradery with the other students who have become lifelong friends are things I can never forget. I still look back and laugh out loud at the ‘surprise raids’ the nursing dorm students used to make on the men’s dorm floor after lights out. And I fondly remember Dr. Jean Patrice Harrington ’53, who had a vision of where the Mount was going to go, and her interactions with the student body preparing them for a successful future. She was truly a remarkable leader.”
Sister Tricia Cruise, SC, who served as director of campus ministry and director of student activities from 1983 to 1989, says the Mount going fully co-ed was a huge change, but one she believed was important for the Mount to bloom into what it has become today. “I suppose one of the biggest issues was furniture in the lounges where the male students lived,” Cruise says. “The furniture was not meant for guys —therefore several pieces were broken. But transitioning to a co-ed campus was a process that changed the atmosphere and moved the culture to a healthier place.”
Want to read more about the 1980s at the Mount? Check msj.edu/mountnews for exclusive web content.
THE LEGACY BLOOMS
A NEW HOME FOR ADULT STUDENTS Judi Heile ’85 began her college education at the University of Cincinnati in the 1960s. In 1966, she got married and started a family. “In 1968, I dropped out Judi Heile ’85 of UC just shy of an associate’s degree,” she says. “Prior to returning to the Mount, I stayed busy with our three children.” In the fall of 1980, a friend who worked at the Mount asked Heile if she’d be willing to work in her position for two weeks while she joined her husband for a trip to Germany. “Those two weeks were the impetus for my return to school,” Heile says. She immediately fell in love with the Mount, and after spotting a job notice for a part-time assistant to the Student Work Study program, she quickly applied. “The next step was to take a child psychology course and I was hooked!” Heile recalls. “The Mount had started a Weekend College and I soon realized that I could go to school on Saturday mornings while my kids slept in. It was perfect.” As years went by, Heile added evening courses to move things along more quickly. “I obtained a position in 1983 called Director of Special Services and was able to assist with a grant proposal that provided my pay and startup money for a support system for students in need of tutoring and/or disability services,” she says. (This system would eventually become the Learning Center.) The Mount allowed Heile the flexibility to work throughout her children’s school year, and be off in the summers. Only after earning her bachelor’s degree, and with more time on her hands, did she accept a full-time position at the college. “The Mount I knew was quite different from that of the traditional students
who lived on campus,” Heile recalls. “The support system in the Women’s Center was central to my success. Sister Annina Morgan, SC, ’46 and Sister Mary Bookser, SC, ’67 were my advisors and the other nontraditional women became my friends.” The group shared a common bond: learning how to be students again; surviving as workers, wives, and mothers; and taking as many as nine
“The Mount had started a Weekend College and I soon realized that I could go to school on Saturday mornings while my kids slept in. It was perfect.”
cooperative education program at the Mount,” she says. “We became the first liberal arts college in the U.S. to provide co-op opportunities for every major.” This led to her role as director of the newly formed program. She also was instrumental in merging it with the functions of the Career Planning and Placement Office, and later tying in the service learning program as well. “We spent a lot of time recruiting employers in the Greater Cincinnati area to provide positions for both co-op and postgraduation full-time positions,” Heile says. “An all-Mount restructuring was taking place at that time as well, and anything designed to save money and provide better service for students was promoted.” After returning to UC for an M.A. in labor and employment relations, in the early 1990s, Heile accepted a new position in the academic dean’s office at the Mount. She worked in that role until 2011. Today, at 72, she’s been married for 52 years and has three children (including John Heile ’97) and six grandchildren.
- Judi Heile ’85 credit hours each semester. “It could be grueling at times but it was also a great experience for my kids who learned that we were all going to keep up with our homework together,” Heile adds. Her husband, Toby, was extremely supportive and Heile also credits Mount professors for her success. “You can imagine that faculty who were willing to teach evening and weekend classes [in addition to] their daytime commitments were truly dedicated to the adult programs,” she says. “The timing fit perfectly with my roles at home.” And thanks to the Mount, Heile figured out which career to pursue. “In 1985-86, I was involved in writing a federal grant proposal to start a
Adult students at the Mount could earn their degree without sacrificing family commitments.
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A PASSION TO HEAL The accelerated MSN-MAGELIN program transforms students into top nursing practitioners. By Tara Byrd
“If there is one thing that drives me, the main thing is love,” says Pandita Eta ’18. The Mamfe, Cameroon, native was drawn to a life of service as a child when she joined a youth singing group. Though she claims she “had no voice then,” a church pianist took her under his wing and taught her how to properly project her vocals. Though she still delivers the soothing sounds of gospel at professional venues, Eta has refined a passion to heal into a future career in health care. What drew her to the United States was a desire to study nursing, with the goal of one day returning to Cameroon, “to help caregivers in a developing nation with little formal health care and learn best practices and improve the situation,” she says. For Eta, nurturing and caregiving are as natural as breathing. Her desire to turn these qualities into her life’s work was never in question. After completing a double major in science and biology
from the University of Cincinnati, she heard about the Master’s Graduate Entry-Level into Nursing program (MSN-MAGELIN) at the Mount that would fast-track her way to earning a nursing degree. Even better, once she’d visited the campus, Eta found a place that matched her personality. “Right from the first semester, faculty guided us and worked directly with other students like me who were not from a nursing background,” says Eta, who knew that balancing her singing, community interests, and schoolwork (especially coming into the program with little medical experience) would be a daunting challenge. “The welcoming culture of the Mount appreciated and supported all of my interests,” she adds.
A HEALTHY SOLUTION
Launched in 2004, the MSNMAGELIN program is designed for students interested in nursing careers who have completed prerequisite science
“Right from the first semester, faculty and staff worked directly with students like me, who were not from a nursing background.” - Pandita Eta ’18 For students in the MAGELIN-MSN program, the Mount features state-of-the-art instructional technology— including a high-fidelity human simulation lab and nursing learning lab—to ensure they are patient-ready upon graduation.
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MAGELIN’s curriculum is bolstered by an emphasis on patient-centered care, evidence-based practice, research, leadership in health care, and theoretical perspectives.
courses but lack a formal health care background. As an educational leader in health care, Mount St. Joseph University developed the program to provide an accelerated path with graduate-level outcomes. It was a chance to increase health care career opportunities in a growing market. As a result, MAGELIN courses focus strictly on nursing skills to get students up to speed and ready to treat patients quickly and competently. Their education is bolstered by an emphasis on patient-centered care, evidencebased practice, research, leadership in health care, and theoretical perspectives. In addition, the Mount features stateof-the-art instructional technology— including a high-fidelity human simulation lab and nursing learning lab—to ensure students are patient-ready upon graduation. “The MSN-MAGELIN program is intentionally accelerated but also focused,” says program director Stefanie Hiltz, D.N.P., ’18, ’05, who holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and doctorate in nursing practice from the Mount. “Our students complete a 15-month period that prepares them to take the NCLEX-RN exam and Stefanie Hiltz ’05, ’18 begin practicing as an entry-level nurse.” And with the Mount’s most recent NCLEX-RN pass rate of 92 percent, health care employers continue to take
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note of the quality and reputation of Mount graduates. “We are repeatedly told by hospital administrators and staff that they can spot a Mount nurse because of the quality of care they provide,” adds Hiltz. “We have excellent relationships with several area hospital systems throughout Cincinnati, including Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, TriHealth, St. Elizabeth’s, and Christ Hospital, which allow us to place our students into top preceptorship spots. These relationships often result in offers for full-time employment upon graduation.” These aren’t the only employment opportunities available for graduates of the MSN-MAGELIN program. In October 2018, the Cincinnati Business Courier reported that the University of Cincinnati was looking to fill nearly 300 full- and part-time nursing positions at its medical center in Corryville, West Chester Hospital in Butler County, the Daniel Drake Center for Post-Acute Care in Hartwell, the Lindner Center of Hope mental health hospital in Mason, and other outpatient sites in the local area. In fact, the rising number of jobs available for nursing practitioners nationwide continues to outpace other professions, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which notes a 31 percent increase in employment opportunities from 2016 to 2026 and a median annual salary of nearly $111,000. “Growth will occur primarily because of an increased emphasis on preventive care and demand for health care services from an aging population,” states the BLS website.
According to 2018 research from Moody’s Investors Service, there tends to be a bottleneck in getting eager students thoroughly trained to meet market demands due to a lack of clinical sites and clinical experiences overall. This critical hands-on training is what produces nursing professionals with a clear understanding of assessing patients and implementing care. The MSN-MAGELIN program at the Mount utilizes its strong, longstanding local network of health care institutions to guarantee clinical site training. “We are currently in the midst of a severe nursing shortage,” says Hiltz. “This is a great time to enter health care as a professional. The opportunities are endless not just in Cincinnati but also nationwide for nurses at all levels.” MAGELIN graduate Brian Thesing ’12, ’09 attests to the high level of careerreadiness from the program. “The clinical hours and role transition hours provide the immersive, hands-on training that prepares a professional like nothing else can,” he says. After working at University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Thesing came to serve as clinical coordinator at the Mount, where he uses his knowledge to provide effective clinical placement and role transitions for current students in the program. “In the end, impact on the clinical outcomes of patients is what matter the most,” adds Hiltz. “Our community partners value Mount graduates because the impact that our graduates have on patient outcomes is evident.”
A PASSION TO HEAL
“Nurse leaders are all-encompassing. They are treating patients and they also seek to better understand why certain health issues happen in the first place.” - Amy Demko ’08 TRAINING HEALERS TO BE LEADERS
As the Mount’s Wellness Center coordinator, MSN-MAGELIN graduate Amy Demko, M.S.N. ’08, is doing more than assessing and treating patients on campus. In running the campus clinic. She also takes a lead in promoting overall health and wellness to the Mount community. As a nurse leader, Demko embraces this work with a broad and deep responsibility. In offering the best treatment for patients, she seeks to connect with them to determine why they need help and prepare patients to take charge of their own health care. “Nurse leaders are all-encompassing,” Demko says.” They are treating patients and they also seek to better understand why certain health issues happen in the first place.” She adds that learning outcomes for MAGELIN also stress leadership as it can impact policy with regard to homelessness and opioid addiction, enabling graduates to teach others about determinants affecting the overall health of individuals and society. Her health care ambition has been a metamorphosis throughout her adult life. Though she already had an undergraduate degree from University of Cincinnati and gainful employment as a graphic designer, Demko felt “a passion, a spiritual need” to reassess the direction of her career. She set out to find what would further fulfill the parts of her work she loved, “…engaging with people and meeting their needs.”
For Tony Maccani ’13, the MSNMAGELIN experience did more than prepare him for a career in health care— it improved his overall personal and professional development. “Besides learning the art and science of nursing, the program challenged me in different ways,” he says. “The accelerated program taught me to be organized, prepared, and flexible.” Maccani entered the program after an injury changed his major league baseball plans of playing triple A ball for the New York Mets. He is currently an adjunct professor and assistant baseball coach at University of Cincinnati. “The program demands a lot of students,” he
adds. “Setting goals and priorities went a long way in the program and translated directly to my work in hospitals.” And speaking of goal setting … as of the printing of this issue of Mount News, Pandita Eta reported that she has just passed her NCLEX exams. “At the Mount, we were prepared to answer the depth of questions to pass the Boards before graduation,” says the newly minted health care professional. “Our nursing fundamentals class during the first semester provided us with the tools and techniques to tackle NCLEX-style questions effectively and successfully. These Mount experiences are what I will take with me throughout my career to help others.”
As the Mount’s Wellness Center coordinator, MSN-MAGELIN graduate Amy Demko, M.S.N., ’08 (left) helps patients take charge of their own health care by promoting healthy, active lifestyles.
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FACULTY & STAFF UPDATES ACCOMPLISHMENTS Jamie Bayliss, P.T., D.H.Sc. ’05, ’04 assistant professor and director of clinical education, and B.C. CharlesLiscombe, Ed.D., A.T., A.T.C., chairperson and associate professor of athletic training, presented “Exploring Local Health Disparities and the Social Determinants of Health to Develop Interprofessional Values and Ethics Core Competencies,” at the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions annual meeting in October. Bayliss, Charles-Liscombe, Kristin Clephane, R.N.-B.S.N., assistant professor/R.N.-B.S.N. program director, and Erin Hofmeyer, B.S., M.P.T., D.P.T. ’08, ’03, ’02, instructor and assistant director of clinical education, presented “Flipped Classroom Learning Workshop: Using Interprofessional Education to Address the Social Determinants of Health,” at the 2018 Faculty Development & Health Care Educators Conference, held at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in September. Robert Bodle, Ph.D., associate professor of communication and new media studies, received a research award from The Media, Inequality & Change Center at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania to fund his project, “Mapping Labor Precarity in Two Postindustrial Media Markets to Support Local Journalism and Early Career Journalists.” Mary Kay Fleming, Ph.D., professor of psychology, contributed to an anthology titled “You Do You,” published on September 28 as part of the New York Times bestselling series, “I Just Want to Pee Alone.” It was also ranked as the top Hot New Release in the Parenting section on Amazon. Charles-Liscombe, Mount alumnus Brandon Polking, D.P.T., P.T., A.T.C., L.A.T., B.S., A.T., ’17, ’14, and Richard Eurillo of Greensboro Orthopedics co-authored “Changes in Vision, Retinal Ischemia and Edema Indicative of Cardiovascular Disorders: Two Case Reviews,” for the June issue of the Journal of Athletic Training and Sports Health Care.
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Charles-Liscombe and former professor Jill Russell, Ph.D. ’96, co-wrote “Making the Politics of the Healthcare Reform Personal: Helping Students Understand Health Insurance,” for Advisor, the Journal of the National Association of Advisors for Health Professionals. Harrison Collier, M.Ed., chair and director of accreditation, assessment, and clinical experiences, Kate Doyle, Ph.D., M.Ed., assistant professor and graduate special education program director, and Laura Saylor, Ph.D., dean of education, presented the creation of their new dual licensure program, to the Teacher Education Division Council for Exceptional Children Conference in Las Vegas. Thomas Gooding, M.Ed., A.T., A.T.C., instructor of athletic training, became a full-time visiting instructor of health and wellness and received the title of Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist from the National Strength & Conditioning Association. Kathy Grant, M.Ed., career and co-op coordinator, hosted a webinar for Small Colleges and University Knowledge Group, “First Friday: Get ConnectedBe Prepared.” She also co-presented “Strengths Finder with Bizwomen,” through the Cincinnati Business Courier for Bizwomen Cabinet Members. Eric Johnson, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry, has written a book, Anxiety and the Equation: Understanding Boltzmann’s Entropy (MIT Press), about the physicist Ludwig Boltzmann and his contribution to the study of thermodynamics. Keith Lanser, M.A., manager of service learning and civic engagement, was awarded the 2018 Next Generation Leadership Award in education by Northern Kentucky Young Professionals. Tim Lawson, Ph.D., chair and professor of psychology, won a silver medal for his original doppelbock beer in the National Homebrew Competition in Portland, Ore. Craig Lloyd, M.F.A., professor of art and design, received a juror’s award for his work in The View, juried landscape exhibition at Rosewood Gallery.
Tim Lynch, Ph.D., professor of history, presented to two A.P. U.S. History classes at Roger Bacon High School about labor music during the Great Depression. Tracy McDonough, Ph.D., professor of psychology, discussed the Schizophrenia Oral History Project at the National Alliance on Mental Illness meeting in August. She also published a paper on the topic with Lynda L. Crane, Ph.D., professor emerita of psychology, in the Chinese journal, The Oral History Studies. Bob Pennington, Ph.D., assistant professor of religious studies, organized the international Cardijn Conference at the Mount (see page 5). He also published his first book, entitled Catholic Practical Theology: A Genealogy of the Methodological Turn to Praxis, Historical Reality, & the Preferential Option for the Poor, in May. Peter Robinson, Ph.D., professor of history contributed the chapter, ‘The Charity of Christ Urges Us: Women, War, and the Four Freedoms at the College of Mount St. Joseph,’ to the book, Denominational Higher Education during World War II. Drew Shannon, Ph.D., associate professor of English, delivered pre-show lectures on George Orwell and his novel, 1984, before the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s stage adaptation. John Trokan, D.Min., associate professor and program director of religious and pastoral studies, had his article, “Models of Theological Reflection: Theory and Praxis,” selected to be published in the Journal of Catholic Education’s 20th anniversary collection of articles. Cynthia Veraldo, Ed.D., assistant professor of sports management, gave two presentations at the North American Society for Sports Management conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in June with Dr. Heidi Grappendorf from Western Carolina University, and Dan Yost, chairperson and assistant professor of sports management at the Mount. She was also selected to attend the inaugural 2018 NCAA Division III New Orientation at the Faculty Athletics Representatives Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Md.
FACULTY & STAFF UPDATES NEW HIRES FOR THE LOVE OF LEARNING STAFF SPOTLIGHT
In 2013, Janet Cox was looking to work at a college with a smaller campus—one where staff, faculty, and students could interact together on a personal, one-on-one basis. She soon found Janet Cox what she was looking for at the Mount. Cox earned her undergraduate degree from Franciscan University and her graduate degree in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University. Before joining the Mount, she was working in Denver as the president of a national nonprofit that organized students to go out and educate their peers on health and safety issues. As dean of students at the Mount, Cox is responsible for overseeing the Wellness Center and Children’s Center operations, putting together the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct, and overseeing residential life, student engagement and orientation, with colleagues Tina Hoesl, residence life coordinator, and Warren Grove, assistant dean for student engagement and leadership. She also serves as advisor to the Student Government Association, helping them expand their efforts to be the voice of the students. In addition, Cox is working with the First to Go and Graduate program to welcome first generation college students to the Mount (see page 5). One of her favorite aspects of life at the Mount is orientation, where she gets to talk to students and their families about what makes the Mount special and meaningful. “There are many small private liberal arts colleges around the country, but I believe we are unique and different because of our mission to show respect and concern for all persons and serve others,” says Cox. “My hope is to make students’ experiences meaningful, successful, and life-changing.”
THE MUSIC MAN FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
If you’re a Cincinnati native and music lover, serving as the Mount’s choir director seems like landing on the right note. A graduate of Anderson High Joseph Rivers School, Joseph Rivers originally planned to major in computer science when he decided he wanted a career that would allow him to interact more with the community. So he decided to pursue music, which he had been studying and practicing since high school, and in love with since childhood. Rivers holds a BME from Morehead State University and a MM in Music Education from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. After getting a call about an open position for Choir Director at Mount St. Joseph University, he quickly applied. Today, he is responsible for directing the University Singers, teaching music majors who plan on teaching K-12 music, and coordinating special Mass music. In addition, he teaches courses Piano 1 and 2, which are available to all majors. Still an active member of the Cincinnati arts scene and community, Rivers performs with various professional choral ensembles such as the Vocal Arts Ensemble, serves as a church musician, and directs musicals for high school theatre programs including Commonwealth Artists Student Theatre. He sees music as the ideal counterweight to traditional college learning. “Other schools are so pressured into getting students to memorize information and prepare for the future that they forget to teach the human side of life,” he says. “My philosophy is that we should use music to cultivate the hearts and minds of our students so that they can better themselves and the world around them.”
NEW HIRES
Welcome to the following new faculty and staff members at the Mount: Branden Johnson, academic advising resource center Holly Bronner, admission Matt Scherer and Mary Soller, athletic training Kelly Hardin and Andrew Rosendale, biology Matthew Kane, Logan Kestermann, Ezell Leonard, Zachary McGimsey, Brandon Sullivan, and Samuel Weems, campus police/public safety Andrew Phelps, campus technology Sharon Foley and Valerie Jasinski, education Lisa Ginandt, Julian Hein, Annette Johnson, Rebecca Smith, and Benjamin Stanton, facilities Sally Dee, fiscal Brian Lainhart, Nolan Miller, Matthew Morris, and Charles Mullins, football Laura Valle, graduate nursing George Tabet, institutional advancement Madalyn White, institutional research Kathleen Flanagan, instructional technology Thomas Merrick, math Robert Kief, men’s golf Bryan Lindholz, men’s lacrosse Joel Scudder, men’s tennis Leah Reynolds, multicultural development Joseph Rivers, music Anuradha Rao Mathur, physician assistant studies Marlene Lang, religious studies Richard Simon, and Jennifer Withrow, social work and sociology Amber Jacobs, student administrative services Susan MacPherson, undergraduate nursing James Braga, wellness center Kaylee Bush, women’s basketball Grace Crawford, women’s lacrosse Alexandra Wredberg, women’s volleyball ‘The Cobbler’s Children Have No Shoes…’ Two new employees were inadvertently omitted from the New Hires list in previous issues of Mount News. There are sincere apologies from the editors, who are proud to recognize Jon Moore and Tricia Sarvak ’96 as members of the Division of University Communications.
FALL 2018 23
LIONS’ CORNER ATHLETICS
Charles Mason
Elliott Spence ’09
(L to R) Freshmen Antonio McCloud and Cameron Sauerwein. 2018-2019 MSJ Wrestling team.
MASON, SPENCE LEAD REBIRTH OF WRESTLING
It was a team that wouldn’t be pinned down. Since the onset of the 21st century, the Mount’s wrestling program had been one of the strongest teams on campus. Several All-Americans, a pair of national finalists, and a runner-up finish in the 2000 National Dual Tournament were just a few examples of its powerhouse legacy. Another instance of this program’s athletic ability was demonstrated this past October, during Homecoming Weekend, when former Lion wrestler Jason Roush ’07—threetime All-American with a career record of 129-30—was inducted into the Mount’s Athletic Hall of Fame. But that history wasn’t strong enough to endure. Following the departure of Coach Casey Stouffer ’01, himself a former MSJ wrestler, the number of wrestlers in the program steadily declined. In 2016-2017, recruitment bottomed out, and it looked as if the legacy would tap out for good. That all changed with the hiring of Elliott Spence ’09 on July 27, 2017. The new head coach wasted no time putting together a crew that would rejuvenate the program. He hired Charles Mason and Orlando Scales, both former All-Americans at the Division II level, and began recruiting a group of
24 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY
wrestlers to rival any Division III class in the nation. Headlining the new class were Antonio McCloud and Cameron Sauerwein—two young men who competed against each other for the Ohio State High School Athletic Association Championship. Joining them were numerous state placers from the tri-state area and others from as far away as Illinois. Also joining the team for the 2018-2019 season are coaches Joe Campolongo and Bryon Keeling. In July, the Mount announced that Mason will take over head coaching duties, while Spence will remain with the program as an assistant coach. “I am very pleased to have Charles Mason on board as our full-time head wrestling coach,” Director of Athletics Steve Radcliffe said. “Coach Mason has proven an effective recruiter and together with the rest of the coaching staff will start the 2018 wrestling season with a squad of almost 24 wrestlers, of which 21 are new to the Mount.” “We’re working to turn this program into a beacon for wrestling in southwest Ohio,” says Mason. “We look to have as many as five wrestlers competing in the National Championship in Roanoke, Va., this season.”
FOR MSJ ESPORTS, IT’S GAME ON!
The Mount will launch its first-ever esports team in the 2019-20 academic year. The new addition to the Lions’ athletics program will join the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), which currently has 71 members. Initially, the MSJ esports team will compete in League of Legends, an online strategy game with a player base of nearly 70 million. Incredibly popular, its world championships have drawn viewership numbers similar to that of The Masters, the NBA Finals, and the Stanley Cup Finals. The inaugural esports team will compete in a brand-new gaming room to be constructed from existing facility space on the Mount’s campus. In addition, scholarships will be awarded to players. Christa Currie, Ph.D., who helped bring esports to the Mount, will serve as interim head coach. High school students interested in joining Cincinnati’s first collegiate esports team should contact Dr. Currie at 513-244-6414 or christa.currie@msj.edu.
LIONS’ CORNER ATHLETICS STUDENT-ATHLETES EARN ACADEMIC SCHOLAR AWARDS
During the 2017-18 season, 56 Lions earned the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tom Bohlsen Academic All-Conference Award spread across the Mount’s fall, winter, and spring sports programs. In addition, two players on the men’s golf team received the Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar Award while three on the women’s golf team were named Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholars. Student-athletes from the men’s basketball team also earned a spot on the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honors Court.
SPORTS BRIEFS GRIDIRON GETS READY FOR THE CAMERAS
A new video series is following the MSJ football team and their journey to earn a Heartland Collegiate Athletics Conference (HCAC) championship. The football team ended its 2017 season with a strong 6-4 season record, going 5-3 in the HCAC, with a promising start for 2018. Each episode takes an in-depth look at how players prepare for each game, travel to different schools, and balance athletic life with academic studies. Visit facebook.com/msjlions to watch.
WOMEN’S SOCCER UPDATE
LAUREN HILL INDUCTED INTO OHIO BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME
Former women’s basketball player Lauren Hill will be inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame on May 18, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. During the 2014-2015 season, her story made nationwide news (including ESPN) when she announced that she had a rare form of terminal brain cancer called DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine gloma). Despite her diagnosis, the Lions offered her a roster spot and made her a fullfledged member of the team. Although Hill passed away after the end of the season, the Mount continues to honor her legacy of courage, strength, and perseverance by participating in the Lauren Hill Tip-Off Classic at the Cintas Center at the beginning of every season.
For the second season in a row, the MSJ women’s soccer team finished second in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season championship chase, under sixthyear head coach Josh Hess. The Mount posted a 14-2-3 record during the 2018 season with an 7-1-1 record inside the HCAC. Senior forward Kaylan Gruber was the Lions leading scorer this season with 15 goals, and she added 5 assists. They held out hope for an HCAC regular season crown until the final week of the season, but were defeated by the eventual champion Hanover in double-overtime during the second to last contest of the season.
MEN’S HOOPS NETS AWARD FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
For the third time in six years, the men’s basketball team earned the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Team Academic Excellence Award for its players’ performance in the classroom during the 2017-18 season, with an overall team cumulative GPA above 3.0. In addition, players Erik Edwards ’18, Jake Cropper, and Mitch Moorhead earned spots on the NABC Honors Court for GPAs of 3.20 or higher.
FALL 2018 25
ALUMNI UPDATES NEWS A MESSAGE FROM RAYE ALLEN, VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
I am delighted to announce the 1920 Society—a new leadership giving society named in honor of our upcoming centennial anniversary that will recognize all unrestricted gifts of $1,000 or more to the Mount Annual Fund. Members of the 1920 Society will be recognized on msj.edu, listed in Mount News, and be invited to a signature event honoring their generosity. It is so important that
HONORING JEANNETTE BRYSON
The Mount remembers the life of writer, editor, and Special Events Coordinator Jeannette Bryson with a scholarship in her name. She died April 6 during heart surgery after serving the university for 31 years in public relations, marketing, and development. An amount of $50,000 is required to endow the Jeannette Bryson Memorial Scholarship in her name.
we celebrate not only the Mount’s 100 years of academic excellence but also the valued donors who have made our accomplishments possible. Their gifts are what has provided the infrastructure, world-class faculty, and financial assistance for students to embark on careers of meaning and purpose. The Mount Annual Fund is extraordinarily critical to the financial future of our university. On behalf of the Mount community, thank you for your continued support of our wonderful and talented students. We hope you consider joining the exclusive 1920 Society to further demonstrate your pride and generosity to the university.
If $25,000 is raised by donors, the Mount will match it from the University endowment. Thanks to funds already received from Seton High School, we are currently at $20,684—just $4,316 short of our goal! Please help get us to $25,000 with a gift that honors the memory of Jeannette. Contributions can be earmarked for the scholarship and mailed to: Mount St. Joseph University Institutional Advancement 5701 Delhi Road Cincinnati, OH 45233-1670 For more information, call 513-244-4871.
HOLIDAYS ARE COMING! About to do some shopping online through Amazon? Did you know if you order through Amazon Smile (rather than Amazon) you can choose the Mount as the recipient of a donation made by Amazon on your behalf.
26 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY
Every purchase you make adds up to helping our students achieve their dreams! Visit smile.amazon.com.
#LegacyofaLion Sam Barth ’17 is living out his #LegacyofaLion at the University of Brighton in the United Kingdom, where he is earning a master’s degree to achieve his ultimate goal of becoming a physical therapist. He chose the Mount because of its excellence in the health sciences and his family’s connection to the university (his grandmother Charleen Ann Scherrer ’81and great grandmother Ruth Lonneman Scherrer ’43 also graduated from the Mount). As a student-athlete trainer for several MSJ teams, a track and field runner, and an ISS help desk worker, Barth knew how to keep busy. His accolades included numerous athletics and academic awards “I can’t say I have a favorite memory as I enjoyed so much at the Mount,” says Barth, who graduated with a degree in athletic training. “I made excellent friends and always had fun while learning and working. I enjoyed talking to faculty members who came to the help desk, working with athletes and the athletic training staff, and the exhausting track and field practices with a close group of friends.” At the University of Brighton, he plans to complete the courses and licensures necessary to practice physical therapy anywhere in the world. Barth also provides physiotherapy services at local nursing homes and primary schools on a volunteer basis. Please join us in congratulating Sam Barth as he embodies the #LegacyofaLion! Know someone who is living out the mission of the Mount beyond college? Let us know by emailing alumni@msj.edu.
ALUMNI UPDATES NEWS A MESSAGE FROM MARK OSBORNE, MANAGER OF ALUMNI PROGRAMS AND LEAD ANNUAL GIVING
The 2018-2019 year is off to a great start! We celebrated Homecoming on October 5-6 with a great turnout. This year also marks the first time we’ve combined Homecoming with Reunion Weekend, where we welcomed the Class of 1968 back to campus. See page 33 for details and photos. Engaging with Mount alumni remains our top priority, and we’re continuing to explore new ways to get you involved. For now, we’d love to have alumni: • serve as guest lecturers; • help students with mock interviews or serve as mentors; • get involved as a co-op employer; • post jobs on Mount Connect; • volunteer for activities across campus; and
YOU’RE A MOUNT GRADUATE— REAP THE REWARDS!
Being a graduate of the Mount entitles you to numerous benefits. • Need a photography class to properly use that new camera? Looking to refresh your computer skills for the job market? Alumni can audit a course for $50. Call 513-244-4892 for details.
• Obtain an MSJ alumni ID to gain free access to home Lions games as well as free access to all workout equipment and athletics facilities at the Harrington Center gymnasium. Call the Campus Police Department at 513-244-4226 to get your ID.
• donate professional attire for the Career Wear Closet. In addition, we’re also looking for members to join the Alumni Board to help strategize ways to improve alumni engagement in the years ahead. Another way alumni can support the Mount is by making gifts that help us launch new programs, improve campus facilities, and provide muchneeded financial support for students. The Mount tradition thrives because of you—we would not have lasted nearly 100 years without dedicated alumni. If you’d like to know more, please call me at 513-244-4892. All of us at the Mount look forward to connecting (and reconnecting) with our distinguished graduates.
• The Career & Experiential Education Center offers lifelong free career counseling to all MSJ alumni. This includes resume reviews, job search tips, and mock interviews. Call 513-244-4888 for details. • Time for wedding bells? MSJ alumni can get married at the Mater Dei Chapel at a discounted rate, as well as rent other spaces on campus to celebrate their vows. Call 513-244-4844 for details. • Know someone applying to the Mount? Give them promotion code MSJALUM to waive their application fee. You can also nominate an incoming freshman for the Sister Mary Lea Scholarship, which is renewable for up to eight semesters. Call the Admission Office at 513-244-4531 for details. • Lastly, we welcome all MSJ alumni back to campus for events, service opportunities, to speak as a guest lecturer, or to volunteer in other activities. Call the Alumni Office at 513-244-4871 to learn how you can benefit Mount students!
License to Drive Proudly Official Ohio license plates featuring Mount St. Joseph University are now available! You may order through the following: • In person at your Deputy Registrar License Agency • Mail the BMV using the address on your license plate renewal notice • Visit oplates.com to exchange your current plates, then choose “Specialized Plates,” and select “MOUNT ST JOSEPH UNIV” from the dropdown box. Costs are $35 in addition to standard BMV license/registration fees — $25 of your purchase will go directly to supporting students through the Mount Annual Fund.
FALL 2018 27
ALUMNI UPDATES MAKING AN IMPACT MAKING AN IMPACT LAURA PARSONS ’05
Some people discover their true calling through unforeseen circumstances. Laura Parsons ’05 is one of those people, turning tragedy into God-given purpose. And she couldn’t be more grateful. When she attended a Cursillos de Cristiandad 4-day retreat (“short courses of Christianity”) in 1999, Parsons realized her initial calling was to care for the spiritual well-being of others. In 2002, she enrolled in the Mount’s graduate program in religious studies, where she felt privileged to learn from Sister of Charity Marge Kloos, Ph.D., Dr. John Trokan, D.Min, and be on the student interview team for Joe Zalot, Ph.D., former Mount professor, whom Laura would later collaborate with at Mercy Health when he became their Ethicist. Then, in the midst of her education, Parson’s husband, Chris, was diagnosed with cancer. She found solace in a cancer support group—another caring environment where spiritual healing and health were paramount. Her life continued to be filled with trials and triumphs. It was not the first time her home served as a haven for loved ones facing serious health challenges or who could not care for themselves. Through these trying times, Parsons remembered Dr. Troken’s sage response to Laura when it came to caring for her husband, dealing with the many pressures of life, and finishing her degree: “Pastoral care begins at home. If you can’t do it there, you shouldn’t try to take it into the world.” Parsons lost her husband to cancer in March 2005. Two months later, she graduated from the Mount with a Master of Arts degree in Religious Studies and was selected by fellow students to address her fellow graduates at commencement. Fueled by love, loss, and hope, Parsons worked to become a Board-Certified Catholic Chaplain in 2013, through the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. Currently, she serves as a staff chaplain for Mercy Health where she is
28 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY
Laura sells baskets from the women basket cooperative in Kabingo, Ugandah.
also part of a pilot program that provides outpatient spiritual care to physicians offices and ancillary medical services such as cardiac/pulmonary rehab and wound care. The program currently fields 30 to 50 referrals a month across Mercy Health’s network on the east side of Cincinnati. Parsons considers her work to be both humbling and courageous. The humility is found in the gratitude she feels each day when she advocates for chronically ill patients as well as those suffering from isolation in the midst of a health crisis. Her courage stems from working with two inspiring organizations: The Sisters of Charity and the Sisters of Mercy. “The tenacity of these amazing women to remain ever faithful and
ever dedicated to health and education is a true pilgrimage of Christ in the world,” says Parsons. “I can’t think of a more courageous cause.” In many ways, she has come full circle, continuing to facilitate spiritual well-being for those who are suffering. Parsons appreciated how her Mount education challenged her and how her own spirituality blossomed at the Mount, where values of the Sisters of Charity are ever present. And now, as a staff chaplain, she is an active contributor to the mission of the Sisters of Mercy and finding fulfillment in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a beacon of Christ. Parsons professes, “You can’t always cure, but you can always care.”
ALUMNI UPDATES ALUMNI PROFILE AND CLASSNOTES LEARNING IS ALWAYS THE BEST INVESTMENT
Nathan Rice ’16 was positive that he’d ace his business communications class. Then he took it again. The Cincinnati native confesses that when taking the course his first time, he had dismissed it as being an unimportant subject. “It ended up being the most Nathan Rice ’16 meaningful class I ever took at the Mount,” he says. Taught by Professor Emeritus John Ballard, Ph.D., BUS 352 “enhances the student’s written and oral communication skills through emphasis on writing and evaluating business letters, memos, and reports” and “develops the student’s abilities to present ideas in an effective manner,” according to the university’s undergraduate catalog. Mastering the subtleties of public speaking, learning how to properly deliver presentations, and understanding one’s own mannerisms when communicating with others turned out to to be ideal training for Rice. Today, he projects confidence and professionalism when personally managing clients as a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch’s Rice Wealth Financial Group in Cincinnati, a personal investment team founded by his father. “It’s ironic that this one class turned out to be the one I rely on every day in the office,” he says. It seems as if finance was destined to play a role in Rice’s career. “The family business was something I’ve always been around,” says Rice, who played “a fair bit of Monopoly” as a child, started trading stocks at 21, and interned at Merrill Lynch during his time at the Mount after transferring from Miami University.
“Finance just stuck with me at a young age.” His typical day as a financial advisor is anything but. “There is no set routine,” he says. “But usually, I spend one-third of my time researching corporate data for clients, one-third meeting with clients, and the last third focusing on trading and strategy implementation.” Though he keeps busy personally managing client accounts at Merrill Lynch, Rice still makes time to stay connected to his alma mater. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have developed nice relationships with the Mount business department,” he says. “I still keep in touch regularly with professors.” In addition to Dr. Ballard, Rice fondly recalls Charles Kroncke, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Business. “Something about Dr. Kroncke’s teaching style agreed with me. My biggest nightmare was going to a class that would just be a slideshow. Instead, he was very detailoriented and to the point.” One of his favorite Mount memories, however, was enrolling in the Beer Brewing and Appreciation (BRW 101) class during the first semester it was offered in 2015. Besides learning how to brew beer, Rice and his classmates learned about different beer styles, proper sanitation and yeast management, beer recipes, and packaging and storage. Rice also recalls his graduation from the Mount. Despite a fondness for certain professors, he was even more delighted to think that he’d seen the last of taking exams. “It was then I found out that, to be a certified financial advisor and to meet industry requirements, I’d be taking extensive tests for many years to come,” he adds.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have developed nice relationships with the Mount business department. I still keep in touch regularly with my professors.”
CLASSNOTES
1970s
Peg Bradley-Doppes ’79 of Denver, Colo., is the co-recipient of the 2018 National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Distinguished Service Award. She has served on the NCHC Athletic Council since the organization was founded in 2011. In addition, Peg recently retired after serving for 13 years as Denver’s vice chancellor for athletics and recreation.
1980s
Therese A. Sprinle, Ph.D. ’81 of Milford, Conn., has been appointed chair of the health care management and organizational leadership department in the School of Business at Quinnipiac University. Michael Secrest ’88 of Blanchester, Ohio, is a visiting assistant professor of biology at Wilmington College.
1990s
Judy Towne-Jennings ’92 of Murfreesboro, Tenn., released her second book titled “The Wonderful World of Widowhood… Except When It Isn’t,” available from Westbow Press. Aimee Cordrey ’95 of Cleves, Ohio, is director and chief privacy officer at UC Health.
2000s
Justin Roden ’00 of Lawrenceburg, Ind., serves as head football coach at Noblesville High School, north of Indianapolis. Previously, he coached East Central High School through a fiveyear winning record, including a 2016 4A state semifinals and a 2015 4A state runner-up. Cathleen Cottrell ’04 of Saint Cloud, Fla., has received a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management. She serves as assistant director of institutional research at Johnson University.
- Nathan Rice ’16 FALL 2018 29
ALUMNI UPDATES CLASSNOTES AND PASSAGES Sara Calsin Barto ’04 of Westerville, Ohio, and her husband Chad, welcomed their second child, Mabel Mary, on January 14, 2018. She joins big sister Ruby. DeAnna Hoskins ’07 of Arlington, Va., is president of JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA) after working several years in the justice system at the local, state and federal levels. She previously worked as a senior policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Justice and as deputy director of the Federal Interagency Re-Entry Council. Jeremy Adam ’09 of Boynton Beach, Fla., has been promoted to associate director of marketing at Florida Atlantic University. Bea Broder-Oldach ’09 of Cincinnati published “Diamond Pin: Stories from the Street,” which recounts the experiences of a chaplain engaged in “street ministry” dealing with the homeless and the poor. Gina Gonzales ’11 of Dearborn Heights, Mich., has been named assistant athletic director for marketing and fan experience at Georgia Tech. Steven Von Hertsenberg ’11 and Kelsey Keyes Von Hertsenberg ’11 of Cincinnati welcomed their first child, Grace, on June 12, 2018. Elise Jesse ’12 of Cincinnati recently welcomed her first child into the world. A sports anchor and reporter for WLWT Channel 5, she also received an Emmy for her segment, “The Personal Side of Sports,” at the 54th Annual Ohio Valley Regional Emmy Awards. Rachel Jackson ’17 of Newtown, Ohio, was recognized as an Outstanding Student Abstract winner by Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice. She is a doctoral student in the University of Cincinnati’s Educational Studies program. Her concentration is in Educational and Community-Based Action Research. Angela Frith ’18 of Cincinnati has been named president of St. Rita School for the Deaf.
30 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY
ALUMNI PASSAGES Virginia Hart Pohl ’42 Geraldine Vigil Chavez ’46* Rosemary Spraul Reyering ’46 Martha Klingensmith Ifcic ’47 Annina Morgan, SC, ’48 Linda (Leo Margaret) Chavez, SC ’48 Marie Angotti Wakim ’48 Lois Levy Johannigman ’49 Sydney Vinson Burns Turnbull ’49* Janet Darbro Hils ’51 Patricia Caulfield Ross-Trost ’51 Joann Mercurio Worrall ’51 Thelma Jean Grilliot Kaup ’52 Kathryn Ann Murray Laukonis ’52 Jane Vogt, SC, ’52 Jeanine Marie Holthouse, SC, ’54 Loretto Burke, SC, ’57 Jane Grosheider, SC, ’57 Marian Ruede, SC, ’58 Helen McNamara Sharer ’58 Mariann Schenking Becker ’60 Mary Carol “Mokey” Spraul ’63 Janice (Mary Victor) Ernst, SC, ’64 Patricia Erhart Dwyer ’65 Suzanne Harding ’67 Joan Schoen Walker ’67 Katherine Cole Koch ’68 Mary Kay Kelly Feighery ’72 Deborah Pollner Barrow ’79 Florence (Michael Maureen) O’Keefe, CND, ’82 Cathy Coker Greene ’83 Ruth Evans Pope ’84 Carol Oberschmidt Koop ’85 Virginia Muenchen Dilworth ’86 Bobbi Cooper Dickinson ’89 Donna Barcus ’90 Erin McCann ’96
Passages listed are current as of press time. *Non-grad alumni or social class year.
TELL US A STORY
Got married? New job? We want to hear from you! Share your personal and professional accomplishments with the entire Mount community in an upcoming issue of Mount News. You can submit stories and photos online at msj.edu/classnotes.
REMEMBERING SISTER ELIZABETH CASHMAN
The Mount Community will fondly remember Sister of Charity of Cincinnati Elizabeth (John Christopher) Cashman, who died Oct. 29, Sister Elizabeth Cashman, SC, 2018, at the age 1926-2018. of 92. She was a Sister of Charity for 73 years. In 1975, Sister Elizabeth was invited to serve as vice president at the College of Mount St. Joseph. Another new career emerged when she agreed to serving as the Dean of Students at the Mount in 1986. Sister Elizabeth referred to this time with great fondness. “I was home again with students. They enlivened as well as challenged me while offering me the opportunity to be part of their growth and development, this time to adulthood,” she once said. In the 1990s, she chaired the Mission Integration Committee and after retiring in 2003, Sister Elizabeth volunteered in the Campus Ministry Center at the Mount. More is available at: srcharitycinti.org/obituaries.htm.
IN MEMORIAM
We remember Jordyn Alexander, a senior in the School of Health Sciences nursing program, who passed away on August 14. She was 21. Jordyn was the daughter of Teresa A. “Terri” Alexander (nee Iles) and Harry A. Alexander, sister of the late Grant C. Alexander, and granddaughter of Jo Ann Iles & Betty Alexander. Friends joined the family for a Celebration of Life on August 23, and members of the Mount Community gathered for a memorial service to honor Jordyn on September 7.
ALUMNI UPDATES HOMECOMING WEEKEND
HOMECOMING WEEKEND
The Mount community came together once again to celebrate in style during Homecoming Weekend, October 5-6, 2018. Alumni, families, and guests enjoyed events and activities the entire weekend. On Friday night, the Mount inducted its most recent members of the Athletic Hall of Fame: Rob Paff ’94, Andy Wellendorf ’06, and Jason Roush ’07, as well as the late Bill Keating Jr., with the Champion Award for his impact on women’s athletics. During the event, Inductee Rob Paff received an exciting surprise visit from the 4th grade football team he coaches at St. Jude’s - Bridgetown (thanks goes to Natalie Broering ’07). The starting quarterback for the Mount’s first football team, Rob Paff ’94 was a valuable scholar-athlete. His many achievements on the field include Rob Paff ’94 getting the first win in team history against RoseHulman, throwing the first touchdown pass in MSJ football history, and starting as quarterback for Coach John Pont’s 100th career win. Paff earned AllAmerican Scholar Athlete (the first male athlete to receive this award at the
Mount), All-District First Team, and National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete Awards. Andy Wellendorf ’06 was a talented member of the Mount football team. He was recognized as a two-time Heartland Collegiate Athletic Andy Wellendorf ’06 Conference Champion, the HCAC Freshman of the Year, the HCAC Offensive Player of the Year, four-time All-Conference First Team, and three-time Sister Francis Marie Thrailkill Most Valuable Offense Player. Wellendorf returned to the Mount as a success coach and academic advisor for five years. He currently coaches at the University of Cincinnati. Jason Roush ’07 was an outstanding wrestling talent during his career at the Mount. Athletic accolades include fourtime Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Champion, four-time NCAA Division III Midwest Regional Champion, four-time NCAA Division III Jason Roush ’07
At the Athletic Hall of Fame award ceremony, inductee Rob Paff ‘94 receives a surprise visit from the St. Jude’s (Cincinnati, Ohio) fourth grade football team that he coaches.
National Qualifier, NCAA Division III Midwest Most Outstanding Wrestler, and three-time NCAA Division III AllAmerican. Currently, he coaches at Elder High School, and was named league Coach of the Year and Southwest Ohio Division I Coach of the Year. Advocating for women’s athletics was a passion for Bill Keating, Jr. He referred to the Mount as the “Cradle of Women’s Coaches.” The Big East Conference honored him for his contribution to women in sports, as did the USA Regional Chamber, with its Women Empowerment Award. Accepting the Champion Award in his honor were his wife, Joan, and daughter Caroline.
Caroline and Joan Keating
FALL 2018 31
ALUMNI UPDATES HOMECOMING WEEKEND
FUN IN THE SUN
The unseasonably warm, sunny Saturday was enjoyed by pre-game tailgaters while Lions Park featured Circus Mojo’s juggling lessons, face painting, caricature artists, and music. Many thirsty Mount fans welcomed alumnus Kurtis Remmell ’08, and wife Jennifer Remmell ’08, part owners of West Side Brewing, as they brought the brewery’s beer truck to the alumni tailgate area. The featured beer was brewed by Mount students Daniel Taylor and Colleen Hayes (see full story on page 4). To complete the day’s festivities, the Mount’s band and dance team led fans into the stadium where the Lions football team had a valiant victory over the Manchester Spartans with a final score of 49 to 27.
32 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY
ALUMNI UPDATES HOMECOMING WEEKEND
Betsy Pogue Hendy ’68
Class of 1968
Mary Robinson ’86
REUNION RECAP
(L to R) Tara Coughlin Joyce and Jean Lieser Shaw
Susan Miller ’68
With the slogan “Come Home,” this was also the inaugural year for holding Reunion during Homecoming, and it was a huge success. Friday evening included a special reception for the Class of 1968, prior to the Athletic Hall of Fame. Following the football game on Saturday, the Class of 1968 held their Golden Anniversary Dinner, which included recognizing three outstanding alumni award winners. Mary Robinson ’86 was honored with the Loretta Richards Distinguished Alumni Award; Susan Miller ’68 was recognized for her career accomplishments with the Alumni Career Achievement Award; and Barbara Stenger Mechley ’68 received
Barbara Stenger Mechley ’68
(L to R) Connie Ruwe Gallagher ’68, Peggy Kenney ’68 and Paulette Tatone Buening’68
the Sister Mary Lea Human Service Award. The celebration continued with the Class of 1968 offering President Williams a check for the Golden Anniversary Scholarship, followed by the classmates attending Mass in Mater Dei Chapel, to honor alumni who are no longer with us. This new tradition of combining Reunion events with those of Homecoming will become an annual treat for alumni. Alumni can expect to enjoy these same Reunion festivities— class receptions, award ceremonies, and Mass—during Homecoming Weekend. Be sure to join us next year for Homecoming/Reunion on October 4-5, 2019, where we’ll welcome the Class of 1969!
Be sure to join next year’s Homecoming on October 4-5, 2019!
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FALL 2018 33
IMPORTANT DATES DECEMBER 4 13 15 24-25 31
MSJ Alumni Christmas Party at the Festival of Lights Fall Semester Ends Commencement Christmas Break (University Closed) New Year’s Holidays (University Closed)
1 14 21 26 30
New Year’s Holiday (University Closed) Spring Semester Begins Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday (University Closed) Mount Madness Discussion of Leadership Speaker Series: Common Ground for the Common Good
1 13 18 22
Gallery Reception: Alumni Excellence! Discussion of Leadership Speaker Series: Money Talks and Ours Speaks Justice Discover the Mount Visit Day Mid-Semester Holiday (University Closed)
3 6 11-16 21 23
Gallery Reception: Parallel Visions XII Ash Wednesday Spring Break (No Classes) Greater Cincinnati Quality of Life Forum: Addiction and the Opioid Epidemic Columbus, OH Alumni Event
5 6 11 12 19-22
Mount Jubilee Gala Discover the Mount Visit Day Celebration of Teaching & Learning Gallery Reception: 2019 Senior Thesis Degree Projects Easter Break (University Closed)
9 11 20 27
Spring Semester Ends Commencement Summer Semester Begins Memorial Day (University Closed)
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
6-9 29th Annual International Virginia Woolf Conference Hosted at the Mount For complete calendar listings, visit msj.edu/calendar. For MSJ Lions schedule, visit msjsports.com.
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. If you have received Mount News in error or wish to update your mailing preferences, please contact us at alumni@msj.edu or call 513-244-4871.