Inside Newman Fall 2014

INSIDE NEWMAN fall 2014

At Newman, it’s hard to find an excuse to be bored. Inside this issue: international service travel, career-defining internships, and more!

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a horrible thought:

the perfect family If you’ve ever been to a county fair, you’ve most likely admired displays of veggies that look too beautiful to eat, seen the county’s largest pumpkin, or admired the prize-winning pig. It seems unreal that anyone could create something so, well. . .perfect.

Did you know that in the 1920s, that pride in genetic perfection – aka Eugenics – was also applied to humans? If you’re surprised at that – you’re not alone. Newman 2014 graduate Kristin Martin was too.

“I was surprised and embarrassed to find out that eugenic propaganda thrived in my own state in such a form.”

In the 1920s, the “Fitter Families for Future Firesides” eugenic contests were held at the Kansas Free Fairs. Eugenics, a popular topic at the time, is the belief and practice of improving the genetic quality of the human population, by encouraging only the most genetically “gifted” to procreate.

As a biology major, this caught Kristin’s attention and Eugenics became the

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topic for her senior thesis project for Newman’s Honors Program.

Kristin learned that the concept of bringing your best products of selective breeding like pigs, horses or pumpkins to the fair was extended to “human stock” and families competed to take home a trophy for being named the most “eugenically fit”.

Kristin’s final paper, Fitter Families For Future Firesides: 1920s Kansas Eugenics Contests, was a success and was awarded the Student BestPaper Award from the Missouri Valley History Conference at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

“I am hoping that this award will bring attention to my topic,” Kristin said. “I hope it encourages people to become acquainted with the pre-World War II Eugenic culture in America and to see the marks that the eugenics movement left on American culture.”

So, picture your family members, Uncle Harry and Aunt Sue. Who gets the better score? Thankfully, we’ll never know.

table of contents

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11 Inside Newman is published three times a year in February, July and October by the Office of Admissions for students interested in attending Newman University. Send address changes to admissions@newmanu.edu. Newman University, 3100 McCormick, Wichita, KS, 67213-2097. Mailing lists are confidential and are not furnished to outside organizations. Newman University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, 230 S. LaSalle St. Ste. 7-500, Chicago, IL, 60604, 800-621-7440. Newman University does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, creed, handicap, national or ethnic origin. Š2014 Newman University

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behind the scenes: a faculty profile When the planets align for Deanne Zogleman, she’s able to step out of her day job and well. . .out of herself essentially. Instead, she finds herself in costumes on a stage with curtains and spotlights.

As the director of vocal music at Newman University, Deanne is around stage lights, curtains and dressing rooms all of the time. Dancing, singing and choreography are second nature to her. That’s obvious when you see her Newman students, The Troubadours or the Chorale, perform. But, there’s another pull for Deanne that runs deeper than the singing and the dancing – live theatre.

“It’s not fun to play your type,” she giggles. This past summer Deanne spent her free time on the stage in multiple productions playing characters very different from her everyday music-teacher self.

Normally, one or two shows per year are about all her calendar will allow.

After all, she’s a busy woman. Besides working with Newman students on performances, she’s director of the Heart of America Men’s Chorus, a community vocal group in Wichita. She also serves on the Guild Hall Players board where she’s done most of her theatre work in recent years. Most importantly, she’s a wife and mother. Her daughter, Sarah, is an active high school student who has her own cheer and dance activities that a mother doesn’t want to miss. Her son, Dalton, is majoring in musical theatre in New York.

“This was a golden summer for me. I spent the whole summer doing theatre with my kids and with my students.”

She took the stage in April as the Witch in the musical, Into the Woods, a role she relished. “Newman had just done the show and it’s kind of insane to do a show in April, but I already knew it and that was a role I wasn’t going to turn down.”

In July, she was Abigail Adams in the musical 1776 by the Signature Theatre.

She wore a beautiful gown now on display at the Center for the Arts and her hair dripped with curls of the era. It was her second time portraying Abigail in this musical depicting America’s rebuke of British rule. She plans to do it again next year. . .if the planets align.

Together, she and her son also produced a show and had two sellout crowds. “I can’t even explain the ability to share your passion with your son. It was just amazing.”

She also shared the stage with several Newman students and alums in A Little Night Music directed by Phil Speary and produced by the Guild Hall Players.

She played Desiree and sang the signature song “Send in the Clowns.”

She was also Marian in The Music Man. Hard work mixed with passion pays off. Deanne won the lead female in a musical, Mary Jane Teall Award, honoring Wichita Theatre artists, for her role as the witch in Into the Woods.

Don’t you just love it when the planets align?

Above: Deanne Zogleman as the witch in Into the Woods. Left: with her son Dalton.

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What you need to know academic scholarships Quality Education Made Affordable.

Newman offers students a variety of scholarships, grants, and need-based aid to help make Newman affordable.

For a complete list of scholarships plus requirement and application information please visit www.newmanu.edu/scholarships.

Newman Academic Scholarships Range from $3,000 to $15,000 per year, for up to four years. All students are automatically considered.

Cardinal Newman Scholarship Full tuition, separate application requied.

ASC Community Leaders Scholarship $3,000 per year, separate application required.

Art, Music, and Theatre Scholarships Up to $2,000, auditions or portfolio review required.

Athletic Scholarships (amounts vary) Newman offers athletic scholarships to qualified student-athletes. Athletic scholarships are granted at the decision of the coach.

Honors Scholarships $1,000 Awarded to students accepted into Newman’s Honors Program.

Stacking may be limited.

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How to apply to Newman University Visit www.newmanu.edu/apply.

Be sure to send us your official high school transcripts and SAT or ACT scores, plus transcripts of any prior college work.

Our online application is free.

Newman reviews applications on a rolling basis, so the sooner you apply, the sooner you will receive an admission decision.

2014-15 admissions & scholarship calendar NOV

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Try Newman on for size!

Experience Newman firsthand by scheduling your campus visit! You will hear from an admissions counselor, tour campus, talk to a professor (by request), and more. You can find our visit options at newmanu.edu/visit or call us at 316-942-4291 ext. 2144.

We offer visits daily Monday – Friday and on several Saturdays. We also have special visit events, including Preview Days and Accepted Student Days!

Visit our website for more information.

admissions Preview day

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Costs & Scholarships 2014-15 Tuition and Fees = $23,790 Housing and Meals = $7,060 Total = $30,850 Newman scholarships and grants are awarded to full-time students regardless of financial need. Students will be considered for merit scholarships at the time they are accepted for admission.

For more detailed information on Newman costs and scholarships, please visit www.newmanu.edu/finaid.

What do you want to know?

Ask us!

Newman University Office of Admissions 3100 McCormick, Wichita KS 67213 316-942-4291, ext. 2144 admissions@newmanu.edu

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12 transfer student evening information session

OCT

aPPly now, it’s free!

aPPlytonewman.Com Admission decisions and scholarship notifications are being mailed now. We review applications on a rolling basis.

Newman University Athletics NewmAN UNiversity is the oNLy privAte UNiversity iN KANsAs thAt is A member of the NCAA DivisioN ii.

men’s sPorts

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Baseball Basketball Bowling* Cheer/Dance Cross Country Golf Soccer Tennis Wrestling

women’s sPorts Basketball Bowling* Cheer/Dance Cross Country Golf Soccer Softball Tennis Volleyball

*bowling is a club sport.

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1 aPPly for admission by feb 1 to be Considered for our full-tuition Cardinal newman sCholarshiP

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21 aCCePted students day theatre and musiC sCholarshiP auditions

not a varsity athlete? Check out our intramural options. intramural sports vary each year depending on student interest, but popular options include:

Ultimate Frisbee Flag Football Basketball Wiffleball Volleyball Soccer Dodgeball

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THE NEWMAN ST The Newman Studies Program (NSP) provides an academic foundation for Newman University students that has been recognized nationally for its unique approach to building key critical skills needed by tomorrow’s workforce.

Newman offers an array of courses designed specifically with the NSP goals in mind.

They are unique and varied, and they are rarely like any class you’ve taken before.

theology and sCienCe fiCtion Did Captain Kirk and Spock believe in God? They encountered numerous overlords, but were they all really bad?

What can “Star Trek” teach you about God and Faith? Students taking the Theology and Science Fiction course from Bryan Dietrich, Professor of English, and Joshua Papsdorf, Associate Professor of Theology, are often surprised.

This teaching duo teamed up to use science fiction stories to raise theological questions and to make students analyze the human condition in different situations. Science fiction helps students learn about Theology, and Theology helps students in turn, learn about science fiction.

“Using science fiction is interesting to students and provides a more engaging context for talking about Theology,” said Dr. Papsdorf. “It works a lot better than me just standing in front of them lecturing.”

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For example, in one episode of “Star Trek” the crew from the Enterprise lands on a strange planet and discovers that the powerful overlord in control of the planet’s people is a machine. They seek to destroy it and eventually do – thereby setting the underling society free.

But, did they really save anyone? What is God? What is faith? What happens when a society is suddenly freed from the only “God” they’ve ever known?

What struggles do they face now with their newfound freedom?

The course looks at social issues, cultural biases, and other topics using science fiction movies, television episodes, short stories and novels to drive at theological questions.

It’s like this – think of Neo in The Matrix.

In what ways is he like Christ? In what ways is he not? What is the best way to battle evil – with power or selfsacrifice?

Throughout the semester, Theology and Science Fiction students discuss this and other big themes. Whether

students realize it or not, they won’t watch “Star Trek” the same again after.

They’ve added a new analytical lens to their repertoire -- a skill that will now be with them throughout life.

“The course opens their eyes and their way of thinking,” said Dr. Dietrich, poet, science fiction author and comic book fan. “The interdisciplinarity of it and the funkiness of the approach make it special. Only a handful of universities do this kind of teaching.”

the history of sCienCe At face value, you might think The History of Science course sounds pretty basic. You get a textbook, you sit and listen to lectures as you begin to learn about science beginning way back in antiquity – maybe with Aristotle or Archimedes. Next, you begin to memorize.

But this is Newman University and the Newman Studies Program. Cast those passé thoughts aside.

TUDIES ProgrAM Newman professors want students to learn to think and to understand key concepts like, “What is scientific method?” “What is a scientific argument?” “How do you analyze either?”

Kelly McFall, Associate Professor of History, and Stacy Jones, Associate Professor of Biology, teamed up to use history as a way to answer these key questions.

“This ability to draw conclusions from solid analysis is something students need to be able to do professionally,” said Dr. McFall, “And that ability will only permeate the rest of their lives.”

The course helps students understand scientific methods and arguments by looking at key issues like climate change, or whether it’s appropriate to spend tons of money on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) like bio-engineered corn, or bacterial disasters like the cholerea epidemic.

“I love the cholera game,” Dr. Jones said with a smile, her eyes lighting up.

You read right, she said “game.”

The subject matter is taught through a role-playing teaching method. For example, the cholera game places you in 1854 London, and as a Board of Regents of a parish, you must determine what to do in the face of the cholera outbreak. You and your classmates have economic issues to consider; major sanitation issues like raw sewage, bad air and various contagions to remedy and figure out.

Dr. McFall explained, “You can’t help people until you know the cause of the problem.”

And, although it’s a game, there are definitely right answers and wrong

answers. Dr. McFall and Dr. Jones keep track and monitor responses. Following the exercise, a review is conducted – a post-mortem – and students are shown by the instructors where their thinking may have gotten off track as well as what evidence and scientific data their analyses missed.

“Students get excited,” Dr. McFall said, “sometimes they just keep talking,” he said obviously reflecting on moments in class.

Stacy nodded in agreement and smiled, “It’s a fun ride.”

miCrobial musings At first glance it might be tricky to understand what you might be doing as a student in this class. This course blends microbiology with literature by looking at epidemics in history through labs, novels, short stories, medieval literature, films, poems, and photos.

So, whether it’s through the 1950s black and white film, The Seventh Seal, or the more recent movie Contagion, Newman students in Microbial Musings are exposed to various kinds of information and asked to consider, “How have people responded to epidemics? What factors were involved, and what might be involved now if a new epidemic would occur?”

Stacy Jones, Associate Professor of Biology, and Susan Crane, Associate Professor of English, teamed up to create a class that can take on a somewhat ominous tone. For example, students study the bubonic plague through a variety of sources and then consider environmental, psychological, political, religious, economic and societal impacts.

Then they consider what might happen in

a present day outbreak.

“Students learn about scientific discoveries relevant to viral and bacterial infectious diseases through lecture, discussions and labs where they replicate some of these discoveries,” Dr. Crane explains. She added, the bacterial transmission lab usually grosses students out, but they are fascinated by it at the same time.

“Through reading or viewing literature (i.e., fiction and non-fiction narratives) students have the opportunity to think about how and why people have responded to these outbreaks,“ Dr. Crane said. “Along the way, we show how scientists have developed and changed their ideas about contagious disease through further study and experimentation.”

“This course also makes it very easy to bring in current events like modern-day health threats such as MERS, measles, whooping cough or malaria,” said Dr. Jones. “We see a lot of our pre-med students take this class and they really seem to get into it. And it’s good for those pre-med students to think about how they would respond to various threats.”

So, while Dr. Jones works to make sure students understand the scientific effects of a killer epidemic, Dr. Crane introduces them to an array of texts and helps them to draw connections.

Dr. Crane pointed out the recent ebola outbreak. “I am pretty confident that, because they took Microbial Musings, at least some of our students are more aware of what’s at stake, for whom and why, than they otherwise would have been.”

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gIVINg PEACE WINgS Each year, graduating ASC Community Leaders Scholars are required to organize a creative capstone project. Some students choose to organize collection drives, while others choose to host events; however, Kat Mercer decided to fashion her project in memory of a young Japanese girl living with Leukemia in 1954.

Sadako Sasaki was 2 years old when the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. In November of 1954, Sasaki was diagnosed with Leukemia, which in those days was referred to as “the atom bomb” disease. In August of that year, she was told an old Japanese legend which said that anyone who folds 1,000 paper cranes would be granted one wish. Sasaki folded 644 cranes before she died – prompting her family and friends to finish them for her.

Kat said she initially had a hard time settling on a specific project for her capstone so she visited with Assistant Vice President of Academic Services and Student Development, Rosemary Niedens. At the time of the meeting, Niedens showed her a gift she was working on that required origami and asked if she could help her out. During the conversation, Kat told Niedens the story about the cranes which, in turn, sparked the idea of using it as her capstone.

“It was a representation of all the pain and misery that many had suffered from losing a loved one whose life was cut short, but it was also a ray of hope,” Kat said.” The gallery brought a physical symbol of the hope that people held that we could make a better world. It is a symbol of the care and compassion that people can still hold

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on to even after a devastating event. It is a ray of hope to all those who are seeking some kind of solace. That is why I chose to do this project.”

Kat received help from over 25 students during the two semesters it took to complete the project, though she folded more than half of the peace cranes herself.

Kat said she reflected on the Newman community while she worked on the project.

“We are here to gain an education that will empower us to transform society,” Mercer said. “Who knows where we will be after we leave Newman and maybe this symbol can spread and change the way the world thinks.”

Kat’s project is still on display inside the Dugan Library and Campus Center. She hopes to find a permanent spot for it to hang in her hometown, Harper, Kansas.

fighting “fore” my life with faith

The story of Jeremy Gant is a special one. It’s a story that inspires and touches everyone who hears it because it reminds us what we, as human beings, are capable of overcoming when the road turns incredibly tough.

Jeremy was 19 years old when he received news that his heart was functioning at only 10 percent, and he needed a heart transplant in order to live. He was a bodybuilder at the time and the picture of health externally as a member of the Newman University men’s golf team. However, he could hardly climb a flight of stairs without sweating or wheezing from shortness of breath.

It was 2010 and Jeremy was faced with the fight of his life, literally.

It’s now 2014 and Jeremy has moved past those dark, scary days of hospitals and the unknown. He is now a new

man, literally. Jeremy finished his schooling at Newman and completed a degree in accounting. He’s now finishing his MBA in Finance at Newman while working for Koch Industries in Wichita.

Plus, he’s an author. Jeremy’s, Win the Fight: The Fight Fore my Life, tells the story of an amazing young golfer who found courage he didn’t know he had, who found his faith was deeper than he imagined, and who found friends and supporters across cities, states and countries, and at home at Newman.

The Newman University community, led by Newman golfers, organized golf tournaments and bracelet sales to help raise money to pay medical expenses. The entire community of his hometown Chanute Kansas, population 9,500, helped the family with prayers and fundraisers. Professional golfers also offered support – their visits were bright spots in his day.

Tom Watson, professional golfer and winner of eight major championships, visited him for a few hours in his hospital room before the surgery.

Jeremy also got to meet the entire Oklahoma State University golf team, and got to play golf with U.S. Amateur Champion Peter Uhlein. Erik Compton, a PGA golfer who has had two heart transplants in his life, also sought out Jeremy and shared bits of advice on how to deal with everything going on.

“I believe I was given another chance to change people’s lives and bring them closer to God,” Jeremy writes on a promotional page about his book.

“Once people see what a big role God played in my life, maybe they will see the role He is already playing in theirs.”

Jeremy’s book, Win the Fight: The Fight Fore My Life can be found on any book retailers website as well as on the official www.win-the-fight.com/.

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make it work: the not-so-risky business of two Career-building internshiPs at koCh

Newman students get big bang for their buck with a Newman education.

A strong liberal arts foundation plus a community-centric environment allows students to explore and grow: in their studies, in their faith and in their preparedness for a future career.

At Newman, our students are so successful at landing jobs, many of them have offers locked down before they even walk across the stage at graduation. In fact, 92% of Newman 2013 graduates were employed or enrolled in graduate school nine months after graduation.

One of the best ways to make connections with potential future employers is through valuable hands-on experiences, including internships and co-operative education opportunities, such as those offered through the internship program at Koch Industries.

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TAkE, sarah hughes-lynCh for INSTANcE. For 2011 Newman grad Sarah, her time with Koch not only helped her cultivate skills she would undoubtedly put to use in her eventual career, it actually blossomed into a full-time job offer at the end of her internship.

“It was a quick process,” Sarah says, “but it was wonderful to enter into my last semester in college knowing I had a job waiting for me.”

Her four-and-a-half year story at Koch begins in early 2010, when company recruiters came to Newman’s campus to extol the virtues of a career with the company and talk up the culture and opportunities. Sarah seized the day and began her internship in May with Koch’s subsidiary arm Flint Hills Resources, an independent refining, chemicals and grain processing company.

According to the Wichita-based company website, FHR, has refineries nationwide that produce fuels powering much of Texas and the Midwest. But it’s the power of the internship that really fueled Sarah’s future.

“The experience provided me with new

insights into the work world, allowing me to connect the classroom knowledge to real-life examples,” Sarah says. “The internship allowed me to see if I would like working for a large company and to see if I enjoyed working in Information Technology before I committed to a full-time job. I was able to learn and contribute more than I ever thought I could.”

perspective and an infusion of energy into the organization, students are provided an extended opportunity to assess if Koch is the right place to start their career.”

Andy says Koch employs roughly 65 Wichita-based interns and co-ops in the school year, and that number jumps to nearly 200 over the summer.

Many of these students are offered jobs upon graduation.

Sarah worked with accountants, IT leaders, business leaders, other business systems analysts and software developers. She even helped to build a new application to solve a business need.

Then that summer internship grew into a school-year “co-op” position the following August and by January 2011, Sarah was working full-time with FHR. She’s currently a Business Systems Analyst who has very recently been given increased responsibility to lead and supervise other employees. Today, Sarah even has a hand in recruiting and encouraging students to pursue internships within the company.

“I enjoy being able to interview the college students and help play a small part in getting them a new opportunity,” she said.

Jon segovia Current Newman student Jon Segovia can attest to the power of a Koch partnership as well. He applied through the company’s website and after an interview, found himself working 28 hours per week for a co-op position in April 2014 while balancing his 17-credit-hour classload on top of extracurriculars.

That transitioned into 40 or more hours per week during his internship for the summer. He’s back to class for the fall, but still working there now.

“It can become difficult at times to stay on top of all the school work and meetings at school while maintaining a regular job,” Jon says. “But it is definitely worth it.”

Jon says his work wasn’t mindless or

“Our goal is to provide an internship experience that is very similar to the challenges and opportunities associated with a full-time position,” Andy says.

Both Jon and Sarah say Newman positioned them to capitalize on opportunities. disengaging. He felt like a vital part of the company’s operations.

“I was given real work that other, regular full-time people would have had to do had I not been there,” he says. “The responsibilities and experiences that I gained throughout the internship align well with my planned career path, as I plan on staying in the business world for my career.”

Just like Sarah, Jon has been offered a full-time position with Koch as an accountant once he completes his double Accounting and Management majors and double History and Mathematics minors this year. He wants to stay on track to pursue advanced degrees, but knowing he’s got a job lined up out of school is a load off his mind.

but why interns?

According to Koch Manager for College Relations Andy Ek, the company has placed a strong emphasis on talent improvement and that translates to rigorous college recruitment.

“Many of our current leaders, including current President and COO Dave Robertson, were hired through the college recruiting program and we believe many of our future leaders will also come through our ongoing campus recruiting efforts,” Andy says.

“Not only does hiring students bring a fresh

“Newman gave me the opportunity to really get to know the business faculty and make connections with them,” Jon said. “In my experience with most of the business faculty, they do not just teach from an academic standpoint but from a practical, ‘this is what you will use in the business world’ standpoint – that is very helpful.’”

In addition to well-defined educational programs at Newman, Sarah points to the opportunity to deepen her faith as a contributing factor to her success.

“The Catholic environment continually gave me the opportunity to grow in my faith through Mass times during the day and late hours, service trips and religion classes that brought forth a deeper religious understanding of Catholicism and other religions,” Sarah said.

For Sarah and Jon, the challenges of balancing school, life, religion and internships were undoubtedly challenging, but they with hard work and the support of the Newman community they found success…and a paycheck!

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Newman students redefine service while studying abroad Newman University is big on service. It’s part of who we are and something directly handed to us by our founders, The Adorers of the Blood of Christ (ASC). When we typically think of service, we envision trips to neighborhoods and cities where people are in need. And in response, we grab hammers, paint brushes, trash bins, whatever, and get busy. OR, we enter an area and show the people there better systems and approaches for solving the problem.

In 2006, Sonja Bontrager, assistant professor of Spanish, found inspiration in the ASC’s mission and organized the intensive seven-week educational experience in Guatemala – one of the many places in the world where the sisters serve. The trip blends Newman’s culture of service with its study abroad program. Students are exposed not only to Guatemala’s rich culture, but also to the poverty that exists among its people.

“Instead of a top-down model of service,” Sonja explains, “we’re aiming for a collaborative where we’re learning from the people because they know how to solve their problems.

We just feel fortunate to have the opportunity to learn with them. So, with all this comes a transformation of the idea of service. It becomes educationally reciprocal for us. There’s just a real sense of collaboration.”

Students begin by taking a predeparture course the semester prior

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to the trip where they discuss various topics and study the culture and history of the area. It’s an important part of the preparation. Students read books about history, armed conflict, current realities, challenges, and study cross-cultural adjustment transition. After all, seven weeks is a substantial amount of time.

Part of the service work is tied to Project SONRISA (Project Smile). Over the years, Newman students have collected thousands of toothbrushes and toted them to Guatemala for the children. Then, with toothbrushes and toothpaste in hand, they teach the youngsters dental hygiene. Beginning next summer, instead of toothbrushes, students will collect money to purchase the toothbrushes in Guatemala. A response to the airline baggage fees.

While in Guatemala, each student lives with a different host family and rotates through various projects in the area.

Students encounter many different types of people and locations. For

example, students serve alongside the ASCs helping with health and education projects in the town of La Labor. They also spend five weeks in the western mountains studying Spanish, history, social reality and culture in the city of Quetzaltenango. During this time, students also visit various sites, listen to speakers, take salsa lessons (the dance, not the chip dip), and attend mass.

Twice a week, students and chaperones also gather for “La Noche Newman” an evening dedicated to building relationships with each other and respective host families. Together, they reflect on readings from the predeparture course as well as trace connections to the ASC, the Catholic tradition, the United States and the global community.

“I think it’s just a natural, international network to create mission-blended opportunities for our students,” Sonja said of the trip. “It’s a unique opportunity for Newman University – for the region, really.”

Seven weeks in Guatemala submerged in a culture learning, living and working is seven weeks and seven to nine credit hours that won’t be easily forgotten.

Cherished is more like it.

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from russia with love tennis sCholarshiP serves uP the ChanCe for lisa Pleskan to design her own future really enjoyed the people and atmosphere there,” Lisa said.

Many scholars have proposed that art is a universal language; a tongue by which the soul can communicate.

When you’re more than 5,800 miles from your homeland and feeling like a stranger in a strange land, speaking through images and artistic creation can sometimes help close the gap.

For Newman graphic design and Russian transfer student, Elizavita Pleskan (Lisa to her friends), making the trek from Ufa, the capital city of the Republic of Bashkortostan, to Wichita was a daunting exercise in cultural differences.

A tennis scholarship offered her the chance to study in America, where she says the educational opportunities are far superior. But balancing classes, internships, and life in general is a challenge for any student, even when their families aren’t half a world away.

“Being an international student isn’t that easy, especially if English is not your [native] mother tongue,” Lisa said.

“Coming to another country and trying to adopt everything around is hard, and trying to meet new people is not the easiest thing either.”

Despite the challenge, Lisa has excelled. When the time came to choose a major, Lisa landed on graphic design. Her mother was an artist, so she’s been surrounded by the creative spirit her whole life, but never felt comfortable herself with drawing or painting. Her artwork sprung to life on a computer screen.

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“It was fascinating to see people being so engaged and careful about little kids in Wichita. I don’t think there was any part of this work I didn’t like.”

“I knew that I like to be creative, that I won’t be interested in business or biology,” Lisa said. “So I decided to try design.”

With spring 2014 classes coming to an end and no plans to return home over the summer, Lisa began plotting how she could make the most of the hottest months of the year and expand the skills she hopes to turn into a career. She connected with representatives from Child Start at Newman’s spring Career Fair and piqued their interest with her natural graphic design talents.

From June to August, Lisa plugged away at projects that flexed her creative muscles for Child Start, a company designed to provide early childhood developement services to parents, child care providers and early educators.

She helped the company produce a promotional poster and the layout for its most recent annual report.

“It was a great experience for me and I

Over the summer, she worked Mondays and Fridays for Child Start. She also interned as a graphic artist, making web banners and advertisements for Wichita-based wireless broadband internet provider Pixius Communications. She noticed her own artistic aesthetic tended to differ from some of the less understated work she saw others producing.

“I think my designs are different because I am close to European styles, which most of them are simple,” she said. “I like simple and elegant stuff. I am not a big fan of busy things.”

Now entering her senior year at Newman, Lisa’s dedicated to pouring herself into school and tennis. She will also continue work with Child Start into the fall. And she hopes to make the most of her experiences abroad, despite the challenges.

Her biggest challenge, she said, was being so far from family. Skype conversations aside, it can be lonely so far from the ones you love. But Newman helped with that.

“Newman is like a family,” Lisa said. “People here are always ready to help you no matter what. And that is why I like Newman.”

Wichita loves sports Sporting events are always a fun time with friends or family. And the variety of sporting options is broad! You might enjoy a hockey game and cheer on the Wichita Thunder, or catch a baseball game and root for the Wichita Wingnuts. If soccer is your thing, check out the Wichita B52s, or the arena football team, the newly formed Wichita Force.

And you won’t necessarily be cheering for strangers either. Players from these teams are on our campus taking classes and getting their education just like you.

Go Thunder, Go Nuts – Go Jets!

www.newmanu.edu

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list of majors AssociAte’s Degrees: Information Technology (AS) Liberal Arts (AA) Occupational Therapy Assistant (AS) Paralegal (AS) Pre-Engineering (AS) Radiologic Technology (ASHS) Respiratory Care (ASHS) BAchelor’s Degrees: Accounting (BS) Art (BA) Biochemistry (BS) Biology (BA & BS) with following concentrations in BS: Biology Teacher Biomedical Research General Biology Pre-Chiropractic Pre-Dentistry Pre-Medical Technology Pre-Medicine Pre-Occupational Therapy Pre-Optometry Pre-Pharmacy Pre-Physical Therapy Pre-Physician Assistant Pre-Veterinary Medicine Business, General (BBA) Business Studies (BS) Chemistry (BA & BS) Communication (BA) Counseling (BS) with following concentrations: Addiction Studies Child and Adolescent Studies Criminal Justice Criminal Justice (BS)

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INSIDE NEWMAN

Education, Early Childhood Unified (BS) Education, Elementary (BS) Education, Secondary (BS) English (BA) Forensic Science (BS) Healthcare Science (BS) with following concentrations: Business Computed Tomography Education Psychology/Sociology History (BA & BS) Information Technology (BS) Interdisciplinary Studies (BA) with optional concentration: Strategic Communication Liberal Studies (BA) Management (BBA) Management Information Systems (BS) Mathematics (BA & BS) – BA only available as a second major Nursing (BSN) – Traditional and RN Completion Pastoral Ministry (BA) Philosophy (BA) Psychology (BS) Sociology (BS) with optional concentration: Criminal Justice Sonography, Diagnostic Medical Sports Communication (BA) Theatre (BA) with following concentrations: Performance Technical Theology (BA) Minors: Accounting Art Biology Business Communication Chemistry Choral Music Communication English History Information Technology International Studies Journalism Mathematics Pastoral Ministry

Philosophy Political Science Pre-Law Psychology Sociology Spanish Sports Medicine Theatre Theology certificAte ProgrAM: Computed Tomography

MAster’s Degrees: Master of Business Administration (MBA) with following concentrations: Finance International Business Leadership Management Management Information Systems Master of Business Administration/ Master of Social Work (MBA/MSW) Master of Science in Education (MSED) with following concentrations: Building Leadership English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Curriculum and Instruction Reading Specialist Curriculum and Instruction Organizational Leadership Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia (MSNA) Master of Social Work (MSW) Master of Arts in Theology (MAT) Master in Theological Studies (MTS)

DETErMINATIoN

CAN TAKE YoU PLACES If you really want something, there’s something to be said for determination.

Emily Simon wanted to go to Japan.

A busy junior at Newman, Emily is pursuing a triple major in History, English and Secondary Education, is a member of the Honors programs, and is teaching herself Korean. She plans to study East Asian Studies in South Korea after she graduates. But, she still had to get to Japan.

Emily found the Kakehashi Project, a largescale exchange program coordinated through the Japan Foundation. It works to promote deeper mutual understanding between Japan and the U.S. and partners with various universities across the U.S. to select students for participation. Emily was one of 23 students and the only one from Wichita selected to travel to Japan this past June for the 10-day tour.

Her group stayed in Tokyo for a while, and then traveled to a small city, Shizuoka.

Emily toured museums, temples and enjoyed being submersed in the Japanese culture. Some things were familiar – like karaoke – while others were not.

“This trip has only solidified my desire to learn about and possibly experience more of the world. . .there’s something about visiting another country, no matter what country it may be, that reminds you how big your world is and how much more you have to learn. It’s humbling and it’s exhilarating.”

Read more about the Kakehashi Project at www.laurasian.org/kakehashi/. www.newmanu.edu

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Coming in the Spring 2015 issue: Newman has a growing art program that includes graphic design, photography, painting, sculpture and more. Inside Newman takes a look at the artwork of our many creative students.