RU: Summer 2016

SUMMER 2016

THE MAGAZINE OF ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY

THE MAKING OF A SAINT The Canonization Process

Comes From Rome to Rockhurst

LEADING THE WAY

“During my two decades in Kansas City, I had many opportunities to watch and learn from others, to gain techniques and skills in leadership to add to my tool belt. But I also learned that how you do something is just as important as what you do.”

JANE CHU, PH.D., ’05 EMBA Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts

SUMMER 2016

THE MAGAZINE OF ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

10

page

LEADING THE WAY Jane Chu, Ph.D., ’05 EMBA

PASSION FOR A CAUSE Can one person make a difference? These three Rockhurst alumni can.

ROCK REPORT Leadership Series

4

Student Profile

6

Faculty Kudos

7

Athletics News

8

page

FOR ALUMNI Class Notes

21

Alumni Q&A

23

Career Center

25

From the Chapters

26

In Memoriam

29

Everyday Leaders

31

14

IN AN ELECTION YEAR If things seem a little unusual this year, it may not be your imagination.

IN CLOSING Thomas Ringenberg, Ph.D. 32

TIME AND PLACE Thursday, April 28, 2016

16

page On the Cover The Rev. Mark Lewis, S.J., is bringing the Vatican, symbolized by St. Peter’s Basilica, a little closer to Rockhurst.

THE MAKING OF A SAINT For one inspirational Jesuit, the road to sainthood may lead through Rockhurst.

ROCKHURST.EDU

1

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Feeling the Burn in an Election Year

E

ach spring, I teach a class in the principles of Catholic Social Teaching (CST) to our undergraduates. At the completion of every class session, I ask every student to answer this question: “So, what did you learn?” No one is allowed to depart until everyone shares his or her “take away.”

In this leap year, our nation is inviting us to participate in a national election while Pope Francis offers us an extraordinary jubilee year to experience the mercy of God. Perhaps it could be characterized as an invitation to walk through the doors of God’s mercy in order to “feel the Bern,” as it were.

Tertullian, a second century Christian author, expressed it this way: What does Athens have to say to Jerusalem? Polite company tells us not to discuss religion and politics at the table. Rockhurst students are not impolite but I assure you that our students are mixing the two every time we meet.

As we explore the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching, commonly referred to as the Church’s best kept secret, students are reasoning that a center of learning and government (Athens) has a lot to learn from the center of faith (Jerusalem) and vice versa.

In the class, I frequently distill the seven principles into two: human dignity and common good. Both can be traced to Genesis 1: 26-28. It’s one of the creation accounts.

It’s where we learn how we are all created in the image and likeness of a God who calls us into a communitarian experience (common good) with responsibility for all creatures and creation in a way referred to as dominion.

2

SUMMER 2016

The students in the class immediately and repeatedly take these principles and start applying them. They garner a greater respect and appropriate dominion for the earth by reading Laudato Si, Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment. After visiting and working at Cherith Brook, a local Catholic Worker House, they start articulating the rights of workers. Upon spending time with Jewish Volunteer Services and Refugees Program, they start referring to immigrants as guests and avoid terms such as unlawful and illegal. Engaging Rabbi Alan Londy leads them to a better understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures (the First Testament) and the meaning of mishpat (justice).

Conversations with Alvin Brooks, a lifelong community advocate for racial harmony, bring students to an understanding of brothers and sisters that is much fuller and clearer.

I share with you just some of the ways that our students are learning that politics and religion can and must mix.

Athens has a lot to say to Jerusalem and vice versa. Let me assure you that our students are astute. They are not calling for a theocracy but they recognize the right of the Church to be in the public square on behalf of all life and at all stages, from conception to the grave.

In their pursuit of a consistent ethic of life, our students recognize that you must do more than just speak about the mercy and love of God. You have to feel the burn on your face and in your heart. Regularly, I encounter our graduates who tell me how grateful they are for being “ruined for life” by their Jesuit education at Rockhurst. It’s their way of answering the question about what they learned.

One must engage the world. In that engagement you confront the inequities and reflect upon what can be done to recreate the world. Simply put, you accept the invitation to be a co-creator who seeks to make God’s good world better.

After each CST class, as I walk back to the Jesuit residence, I ask myself, “What did I learn? How am I going to open the door of mercy as the president of Rockhurst? How will I feel the burn to pursue the Magis for the greater glory of God?”

Rev. Thomas B. Curran, S.J. President, Rockhurst University

SUMMER 2016

ROCK REPORT

THE MAGAZINE OF ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY

THE MAKING OF A SAINT

The Canonization Process Comes From Rome to Rockhurst

THE MAGAZINE OF ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY SUMMER 2016 RU, the magazine of Rockhurst University, is published by the Office of Public Relations and Marketing.

Staff Sharon Alexander, ’11 Jeremiah Barber, ’16 EMBA Alicia Douglas Katherine Frohoff, ’09 EMBA Estuardo Garcia Jennifer Knobel Tim Linn Michelle Smith Melissa Thompson Angela Verhulst Editor Katherine Frohoff Design JJB Creative Design Contributing Writers Rev. Thomas B. Curran, S.J.; Estuardo Garcia; Tim Linn; Lauren Pennell, senior; Thomas Ringenberg, Ph.D.; Michelle Smith Photography Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters Pictures, Dawn Boomsma, Estuardo Garcia, Martin Gommel, Mark McDonald, Earl Richardson Send letters to: Katherine Frohoff Rockhurst University 1100 Rockhurst Road Kansas City, MO 64110-2561 or katherine.frohoff@rockhurst.edu Printed on recycled paper.

Helzberg School Places Students in the “Shark Tank”

O

n the TV show “Shark Tank,” innovators and entrepreneurs attempt to persuade a panel of steely investors to fund their startup ideas.

For six years, students have been under similar pressure in the Helzberg School of Management’s own version of Shark Tank. Acey Lampe, Ph.D., executive assistant professor of management, said undergraduate- and graduate-level students alike take part in a semester-long team entrepreneurial simulation capped by negotiations inspired by the TV show. In the spring semester, undergraduate students took the reins at a simulated startup manufacturing, marketing and selling carbon bicycles. Lampe said teams making their case before a panel of local executives and venture capitalists in the Shark Tank is the culmination of that work.

“This is one of my favorite classes to teach,” Lampe said. “Finishing with the Shark Tank simulation is perfect, because for many of them it’s the first time they have to bring together everything that they’ve learned.”

Senior Miranda LoGrasso said her team spent a lot of time preparing for tough questions and perfecting their pitch. And while it can be nerve-wracking, the Shark Tank has also become something of a tradition.

“I have looked forward to this course since I began the marketing program my freshman year,” LoGrasso said.

HEARD ON CAMPUS “Racism is about power. That’s the main thing to remember.

We always focus on the antipathy between everyday black people and white people, which is really what people in power want us to do, because the whole point of racism is to divide us from each other.”

– Tanner Colby, author of Some of My Best Friends Are Black, on the need for people of different races to create meaningful connections

ROCKHURST.EDU

3

Leadership Is Often Forged in Crisis, Giuliani Tells Leadership Luncheon

O

n Thursday, March 3, the Rockhurst University Leaders Council hosted the fourth Rockhurst University Leadership Series luncheon featuring guest speaker Rudy Giuliani, 107th mayor of New York City, speaking to an audience of more than 1,000 about his own principles of leadership and how they guided him in times of crisis and change. During the luncheon, the University also awarded its Rashford-Lyon Award for Leadership and Ethics to National Endowment for the Arts Chair Jane Chu, ’05 EMBA. During his keynote address and in a candid questionand-answer session with approximately 40 students before the luncheon, Giuliani touched on the experiences that forged his leadership — from his time as a federal prosecutor fighting drug and organized crime to his guidance of New York City under the watch of the world following the terrorist attacks of 9/11. In her speech following the award presentation, Chu thanked those around her who had long modeled the style of leadership she sought to exemplify.

Rudy Giuliani

 PRESENTING SPONSOR

The Rockhurst University Leaders Council thanks this year’s sponsors for making the event possible.

 MAGIS

SPONSOR

John and Marny Sherman

 JESUIT

SPONSORS

Bukaty Companies DST

®

 KANSAS

CITY SPONSORS

Bayer Crop Science Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City Cerner Commerce Bank DeBacco Family Foundation

J.M. Fahey Construction Co.

George J. Shaw Construction Co.

Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences

Husch Blackwell J.E. Dunn

Lockton Companies

Joan Horan

Tria Health

Lathrop and Gage PWC ScriptPro VanTrust Waddell and Reed

4

SUMMER 2016

ROCK REPORT

Language Research Delves Into Intrastate Differences With plenty of subjects from both sides of the state and beyond, they said Rockhurst makes for a good base for the research.

Seniors Emily Mischke (Left) and Ngozi Ijei perform linguistics research.

C

aught. Cot. Say it out loud. Now, do those two words sound different?

That’s the question that Ngozi Ijei and Emily Mischke, both seniors in Rockhurst’s communication sciences and disorders program, are asking of faculty and their peers.

They’re asking that question as part of a research project centered on the vowel sounds in the words caught and cot — known in the linguistics world as open ‘o’ and small script ‘a.’

“It started in my phonetics class,” Mischke said. “Our professor kept talking about how younger generations don’t pronounce these two differently, which got me thinking.”

Previous research has explored the geographic spread of this vowel merger, splitting native Missourians into two groups.

Those on the St. Louis side of the state are said to differentiate the sounds, while Kansas City’s speakers don’t, according to that research. Mischke, who grew up in Kansas City, enlisted the help of Ijei, from St. Louis, to expand that research to find out if there is also a generational reason for the merger and what that means for language.

With plenty of subjects from both sides of the state and beyond, they said Rockhurst makes for a good base for the research. And the listening tests are just the beginning of what they say could be a long-term research project that future undergraduates could eventually take over.

“There’s a lot of interest from our professors and from other students,” Ijei said. “So this is definitely something that we want to continue researching.”

High-tech Anatomy Lab Offers Students a Better View In April, Rockhurst University unveiled a new and improved anatomy lab in St. Ignatius Science Center, Room 306, thanks to a gift from the estate of Walter H. and Frances Epp. Matt Heinrich, vice president of facilities and technology, said the new lab is more spacious and features an improved air circulation system, new lockers, examination room-style lighting and an all-new camera system that will add high-tech capabilities like video capture to classes there.

ROCKHURST.EDU

5

Family Inspires Student’s Success D

avies Sitenta was 20 years old, due soon to leave Zambia for college in the United States, when his single mother gave him the responsibility to take care of his two younger siblings minutes before dying of cancer.

Sitenta, who graduated from Rockhurst in May with degrees in global studies and international economics and who dreams of becoming a developmental economist and diplomat, said the moment was one that left a lasting impact on him.

Long aspiring to attend college, Sitenta found a sponsor in his mother’s employers, who made it possible for him to study in the United States.

That meant leaving his family after his mother’s death.

“It was very hard for me, but eventually, I realized this sponsorship was an opportunity to help my siblings,” Sitenta said.

He completed two years of community college before transferring to his “second home” at Rockhurst, drawn by the Jesuit mission.

“The core values like cura personalis really resonated with who I am as a person,” he said.

Davies Sitenta, senior

Sitenta said he sees those values in those who have helped him at every step on his journey. And, he said, that generosity motivates him to pay it forward.

Faculty Say Goodbye to Classroom, Hello to New Endeavors

In May, three faculty members greeted new opportunities upon their departure from full-time positions at Rockhurst.

Jim Dronberger, PT, DPT, OCS, ’86 MBA, began his career as a physical therapy professor in 1989 with broad clinical knowledge that proved to be an asset to his teaching. Being a clinician made him a stronger teacher, and being a teacher made him a stronger clinician, he said.

After retirement, Dronberger plans to continue volunteer work at Rose Brooks, and return to his clinical practice at Elite Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy.

6

SUMMER 2016

Bob Hegarty, Ph.D., ’69, taught physics, math, engineering and computer science in his 42 years at Rockhurst. His career began after a conversation with longtime instructor of theology, Walter Nesbit, S.J., who taught Hegarty as an undergraduate, then later urged him to pursue a path of teaching.

Hegarty said he enjoyed teaching such a wide range of classes and students, as professor emeritus, he plans to continue tutoring Rockhurst students.

When Joann Spillman, Ph.D., reluctantly took a theology course as an undergraduate to fulfill a requirement, she did not realize she would develop a fascination with the cooperation of religions that would lead her to teach theology and religious studies at Rockhurst for 37 years.

As professor emerita, Spillman plans to write about Jewish-Christian relations and work toward interreligious understanding.

ROCK REPORT

Faculty Kudos Jeremy O’Connor, Ph.D., associate professor of management; Kelly Phipps, Ph.D., J.D., associate professor of management; and Michael Stellern, Ph.D., professor of economics, received the Outstanding Case of the Year award from the Society for Case Research for their case study on the Greek deficit crisis.

Jami Shipman, J.D., CPA, assistant professor of accounting

Tax Attorney Transitions From Clients to Classrooms

W

hen Jami Shipman, J.D., CPA, assistant professor of accounting, tells his students to learn to analyze problems from different perspectives, he is taking a page from his own playbook. After spending 12 years practicing tax law, he decided to pursue his interest in teaching.

Katie Ryan-Bloomer, Ph.D., OTR/L, assistant professor of occupational therapy, wrote an article titled “Pediatric Constraint Induced Movement Therapy” for Parenting Children With Special Needs magazine, and is leading 2to 4-year-old constraint movement therapy camps at the Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City.

Shipman’s professional experience brings practical applications to the business courses he teaches. But he says there is more to teaching than delivering subject matter.

“I love the mentoring role that comes with being a professor. It is exciting to see and develop the potential in each student I work with.”

Shipman says he was drawn to Rockhurst because of its emphasis on developing compassionate and ethical business leaders, and its focus on the whole person — cura personalis, a core value made evident by his deepened spirituality through teaching.

“I have discovered the importance of using God-given talents to serve and bring glory to God’s name,” he said.

Five years ago Shipman would never have dreamed he would be a professor.

He attributes his ability to impact the lives of students to God faithfully answering his prayers.

When he is not teaching, Shipman volunteers with his church’s global missions efforts, cooks, spends time with his family and watches the Chicago Cubs – a proclivity developed from growing up in a small town in Iowa with limited TV channels.

Maureen Walsh, Ph.D. (Above), visiting assistant professor of theology and religious studies, gave a presentation titled “Memorializing Pregnancy Loss in Japanese Buddhism and American Catholicism” at the American Academy of Religion conference.

For more faculty news, visit rockhurst.edu/ facultykudos.

ROCKHURST.EDU

7

Through Mentor Program, Hawks Find New Fans Cheers erupted and signs dotted the fan section of Mason-Halpin Fieldhouse during a December home game for the Hawks men’s basketball team.

In that section, students from nearby Troost Elementary School were doing more than cheering on their favorite players — they were paying back their mentors with a little spirit.

Players from the Hawks started spending time with Troost Elementary students at the beginning of the fall semester, visiting with classes, eating with students during lunch, hosting mini basketball camps and providing some individual mentoring for students who teachers identified as needing a little extra help. Senior guard Josh Roberts said the experience was inspiring, in part because he saw in some of the younger students a mirror of his own life.

“I knew what it was like to feel like that, not really being interested in school and trying to find that motivation, so I told them my story,” Roberts said.

Young fans greet the Hawks at halftime.

Dominique Washington, a senior center-forward, said connecting with the students at Troost Elementary was more than a one-way street. And he said he sees the mentoring relationship becoming an ongoing one.

“It was great to just listen to them talk about what’s going on in their lives,” he said. “In a lot of ways, we learned as much as they did just from being around them.”

Creative Solution Pairs Physical Therapy Students With Athletes

I

f you walk into the athletic training rooms of major Division I schools, you’ll see certified strength specialists working closely with athletes. While this is a less common sight in Division II schools, it’s something that will become very familiar at Rockhurst University.

“It allows our students to have the one-on-one time needed to improve their ability to interact with a patient,” she said.

“They feel more confident with patient communication, and self-assured going into testing situations. It has turned out to be more of a benefit than I would have thought.”

This year, the Rockhurst physical therapy department has partnered with the athletics department to provide a mutual training program for athletes and PT students.

Currently, the certified physical therapy students work with the men’s and women’s basketball teams, the volleyball team, cross country team and the baseball team. With the success of the program, Meiners said they hope to continue certifying students and expanding to the other sports at Rockhurst.

Since the fall of 2014, the physical therapy department started preparing interested students to take the National Strength and Conditioning Association certification test.

If they passed the test, the students would become certified strength and conditioning specialists.

“It’s the gold standard when it comes to strength and conditioning,” said Matt St. John, second-year PT student.

“Now, it’s becoming the standard for all NCAA schools.”

With this certification, the PT students will be able to develop specific training regimens for athletes based on their sport, teach and enforce safe exercise technique, and track athletes’ progress to make sure they are improving their overall athletic ability.

Kelly Meiners, Ph.D., assistant professor of physical therapy, said this new partnership is a win-win for the university.

(From left) John Burton, freshman; Ethan Kuster, second-year physical therapy student; and Will Kathrein, junior.

8

SUMMER 2016

ROCK REPORT

University Dedicates Loyola Park Improvements

Loyola Park dugouts are completed.

O

n April 2, Rockhurst University invited alumni, students, and community members to Loyola Park to celebrate the first phase of a two-phase improvement project to the park’s baseball field.

The first phase saw the addition of lighted, heated 80-foot dugouts and a new backstop with 30-foot high safety netting. A second phase will add stadium seating, a press box and restrooms to the park as well.

Before inaugurating the new facilities with a pair of wins over Maryville University, the University held a short dedication ceremony and blessing.

Men’s baseball head coach and Athletic Director Gary Burns thanked Jim Myers, ’68, and the Kaminski family, represented by Joe, Donna and Taylor Skala, ’15, for their support of the project.

“Obviously, none of this would happen without them, their generosity and the generosity of others who have been donors for us and are with us today,” he said.

Myers, the Kaminskis and Burns were also honored for their dedication to Rockhurst baseball with bronze plaques on the third-base dugout.

Tennis Players From Abroad Form Family at RU

J

anine Koleta, junior, is 5,114 miles from her home country of Slovenia, but is only a few feet from the international family she has adopted at Rockhurst University.

Koleta is one of 11 students from 10 different countries who have come to Rockhurst thanks to the tennis team this year. She is part of a long line of international talent that has made Rockhurst a home away from home.

Carolina Mayorga-Perry, coach for both the men’s and women’s tennis teams, said she doesn’t recruit internationally, but gets a lot of interest from students abroad who want to come to Rockhurst.

“Rockhurst is very appealing to international students,” she said. “We are a small, private, Jesuit school, which focuses on academics before athletics. That really draws a lot of international talent. They just want to compete and have a good education.”

It was this balance between education and academics that appealed to Oskar Unger, sophomore, from Bjärred, Sweden.

“Division I schools can be too focused on athletics and, to me, academics comes first,” he said. “I came to Rockhurst because I would be able to play and because of Rockhurst’s academic reputation.”

Unger is studying finance and economics.

Despite the shared interest in academics, the camaraderie built from competing in the same sport and their appreciation of Kansas City, homesickness still affects the international students from time to time. Thankfully, this close-knit group is there to support each other and the families of their American teammates are there to help when they can, whether it is making them a home-cooked meal, letting them stay over for the holidays or coming to games to cheer them on.

“We’re not just a team we are a family,” Koleta said.

ROCKHURST.EDU

9

Passion

BY ESTUARDO GARCIA

FOR A CAUSE

Meet three Rockhurst University alumni who wanted to make the world a better place and took the time to do something about it.

THE SINGER Stan Slaughter loves the Earth.

This love, which began in his childhood while growing up on a small farm in Greenwood, Missouri, was strengthened after his graduation from Rockhurst University in 1969. After leaving RU, he spent his summer breaks as a ninth-grade science teacher taking canoe trips through the Ozarks.

“It’s an eye-opening meditation with the world to go into gorgeous, pristine areas and commune with nature,” Slaughter said.

In the late ’70s, Slaughter left the Hickman Mills School District to work with the Carter Administration on solar energy and home weatherization projects and then worked at building energy-efficient homes. In 1987, Slaughter, along with a couple of local environmentalists, created the Heartland All Species Project, a nonprofit that seeks to involve the community in addressing environmental issues.

Around that time, Slaughter began to incorporate music into his environmental education program, composing and performing his own original work for children.

The success of HASP encouraged Slaughter to take his one-man environmental education show on the road. For the next five years, he traveled around Kansas and Missouri espousing the importance of recycling and composting.

The traveling gig became permanent, when the Kansas Department of Health and Environment hired him to be the state’s solid waste educator. Overall he has performed for over 400,000 students and teachers.

“When you have 250 kids who have had such a good time singing loudly ‘take good care of the little blue ball because it’s the only home that we’ll ever know’ and you take that final bow… it’s an epiphany,” Slaughter said. “What a blessing.

I am enormously blessed.”

Stan Slaughter, ’69

10

SUMMER 2016

Singer

In April, the self-described eco-troubadour was invited to the home of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles for a festival in the prince’s garden at Highgrove. As one of the United States’ pre-eminent composting experts, Slaughter was picked to give a talk on sustainability and composting to the guests of the festival.

“Rockhurst created an environment that taught me that the world is much bigger than myself. It fostered in me a sense of purpose and it allowed my passion to grow.” – Jackie Saavedra, ’13

THE DREAMER

Dreamer

Since high school, Jackie Saavedra, ’13, said God was calling her to serve.

Despite volunteering with several organizations, she never felt God working through her until she went to a regional training and learned about the plight of undocumented minors living in the U.S. While at Rockhurst University, Saavedra and a classmate learned about and started organizing for the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. Later, their focus switched to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, but most importantly, she met the people this legislation was truly affecting.

“This was something really important to me because my parents were immigrants and a lot of my family are,” she said. “My mother was undocumented for many years.

I didn’t realize all of the implications that had on me and my family until I started doing immigration advocacy work.”

After attending the training, Saavedra began doing work with the Kansas/Missouri DREAM Alliance that fought for the rights of immigrants. Through this experience, she really got to know the undocumented youth who would benefit from the DREAM Act. She learned about their potential, how they want to empower themselves with an education and how they wanted to contribute to their community after they graduate.

After leaving Rockhurst, Saavedra attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, where she graduated in May. She plans to take the Missouri bar exam in July.

Jackie Saavedra, ’13

She said she wants to be able to use her legal knowledge to help student immigrants on a national level. In April, she took a job as the Kansas City implementation fellow for the United We Dream Network. The United We Dream Network is the nation’s largest youth-led organization that advocates for the dignity and fair treatment of immigrant youth and families.

“Rockhurst created an environment that taught me that the world is much bigger than myself,” she said. “It fostered in me a sense of purpose and it allowed my passion to grow.”

Continued on page 12

ROCKHURST.EDU

11

“These families were just as kind as mine, just as peaceful as the ones that I grew up with. You realize that the journey they took, with the danger of drowning, was a safer choice than staying put.” – Max Clark, ’01

Max Clark, ’01 (In the water, wearing red hat), was part of a team of volunteers who helped Syrian and Afghan refugees who were trying to escape their war-torn countries.

Continued from page 11

THE EXPLORER Sometimes, in life, you have to see the world from a new perspective.

For Max Clark, ’01, that new perspective came after seeing the world.

A few years after graduating from Rockhurst, Clark found himself in New York in an accelerating career with digital media and tech startups. One of the startups was bought by Oracle Corp. in 2012, and he spent three years working for the big tech company before deciding he needed to try something different in his life.

“I had a desire to do some volunteer work in a developing country,” Clark said.

“I wanted to go to an area of the world that I had never been exposed to. So, I bought a one-way ticket to India.”

Upon arriving in India, Clark spent some time absorbing his new environment.

He made his way to northern India to attend a teaching with the Dalai Lama before volunteering with the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta. The Missionaries of Charity is a Roman Catholic religious congregation established by Mother Teresa in 1950. He spent his time serving the men who resided in the Kalighat home for the dying — bathing them, clothing them and making them as comfortable as possible.

After a few weeks in India, Clark shifted his focus to Nepal. In April of 2015, Nepal was struck with an 8.1 magnitude earthquake that killed more than 8,000 people. By October, the small South Asian country was in the process of rebuilding.

He was contacted by the Third Wave Volunteers, who were helping to bring solar

12

SUMMER 2016

Max Clark, ’01

Explorer

energy to remote villages affected by the quake. He also helped to dig foundations and rebuild homes in remote villages.

After a little time spent hiking the Himalayas and sightseeing in Cambodia, Clark was planning on heading to help at an orphanage in central Vietnam when he received an email from a friend who was volunteering on the Greek island of Lesbos helping with Syrian and Afghan refugees.

Clark said it took a lot of time to process seeing so many families with children looking for safety.

“These families were just as kind as mine, just as peaceful as the ones that I grew up with,” he said. “You realize that the journey they took, with the danger of drowning, was a safer choice than staying put.”

Clark returned to the U.S. in February. After his time abroad, he is ready to find his next adventure back home, possibly with another startup, but his experience has left an indelible mark on his being.

“I am more aware of my lot in life and I appreciate the perceived good and bad that comes along with that,” he said. “Depending on where we come into this world and the circumstances surrounding our lives, the good and the bad may be starkly different than that for our fellow humans. So I have tried to be present in various moments and soak it up a bit more.”

ROCKHURST.EDU

13

IN AN

BY MICHELLE SMITH

ELECTION YEAR

The 2016 race to the White House has held the attention of the nation since the announcement of its polarizing candidates.

With dynamic characters and intriguing plot twists, the election has come together like a drama breaking box office records.

In an election year, there’s no use pretending it is business as usual. Take a look at the far-reaching effects of this everyfour-years phenomenon.

TV ADVERTISING During a presidential election year, you’re less likely to see the Geico gecko or an NFL star promoting the latest sports drink between episodes of your favorite TV series. Campaigns buy up commercial airtime like it’s going out of style and dominate the TV ad space. For advertisers, this means being prepared to fork over some big bucks.

“Political spend puts pressure on the TV stations’ inventory,” said Sally O’Neill, ’80, partner at Ruth Burke & Associates, a media-buying firm that provides professional media planning and consulting services. “And based on the election landscape in each city and state, some political climates are tougher than others.

Overall, advertisers will experience increased rates and costs during election years.”

ECONOMY “Elections can pump an amazing amount of money into the economy,” said Thomas Ringenberg, Ph.D., visiting assistant professor of political science.

And the presidential election’s $5 billion price tag does not even include costs of elections for the 435 members of the House of Representatives, the 34 Senate races, the 12 races for governor and all of the elections for state legislatures, as well as municipal and county offices, according to Ringenberg.

“There is some debate as to how much elections drive or harm the economy. Obviously, a great deal of money is spent, but it is a short stimulus and directed at very specific sectors,” Ringenberg said.

14

SUMMER 2016

STOCK MARKET It’s no new news that election years are turbulent times for the stock market.

Like the election itself, the market is nothing short of amusing during campaign season.

According to research done by Brian Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., professor of finance, the eighth year of an incumbent’s term in the White House has proven to be particularly rough on markets. With this being the end of President Obama’s second term, investors will want to stay tuned.

“The uncertainty probably will keep the market flat to lower until investors figure out who the next president will be,” said Fitzpatrick.

REAL ESTATE The uncertainty of presidential election years generally causes consumer confidence to plummet and potential homebuyers to shy away from making big housing purchases.

But the opposite is true in the current Kansas and Missouri markets. As the 2016 candidates vie for a chance to call the White House home, the average local homebuyer is struggling to find the right fit for the right price. Scratch off the Oval Office and Rose Garden from the must-have list, and the market still belongs to the seller.

“The inventory of homes available to purchase is low,” said Allison Rank, ’08, licensed realtor in Kansas and Missouri. “There are more buyers than sellers right now.”

For local realtors like Rank, this is a good problem to have. For local homebuyers, it may mean pushing pause on purchasing until the dust of the election storm settles.

STUDENTS’ EYE VIEW Rockhurst students have been captivated by the 2016 election and some even found a new favorite TV show.

“At the beginning of the debate season I had to bribe my friends with presidential debate bingo,” said Sara Gregg, a freshman studying elementary education. “Now they tune in willingly because it’s so entertaining.”

“The 2016 debates should be uploaded to Netflix,” said Zachary Pohlman, a sophomore studying economics, philosophy and theology and president of Student Senate.

“Can you imagine being able to binge watch a whole season of these debates? If they did that I don’t know how I’d get any studying done.”

ROCKHURST.EDU

15

The Making of a Saint

BY TIM LINN

THE CANONIZATION PROCESS COMES FROM ROME TO ROCKHURST

I

n 1940 the Rev. Walter Ciszek, S.J., entered the Soviet Union in the midst of World War II in Europe, a decision that would fundamentally alter the course of his life.

Sent to Poland from Rome after the Bolshevik revolution during a time when public displays of religious faith were being discouraged, if not persecuted, Fr. Ciszek used a false identity to enter Soviet territory and begin a clandestine ministry that eventually led to his arrest and imprisonment throughout the Soviet Union for more than 20 years.

16

SUMMER 2016

(From left) Sophomores Kielynn Havermann and Shea Radel, and the Rev. Mark Lewis, S.J., visiting assistant professor of Catholic studies, discuss the canonization process of Fr. Ciszek in Fr. Lewis’ office.

After his death in 1984, Ciszek’s incredible story has become the basis for his case for canonization.

For now, that road to sainthood runs through another Jesuit, the Rev. Mark Lewis, S.J. Fr. Lewis, visiting assistant professor of Catholic studies at Rockhurst, has been tasked by the Vatican with building the case that Fr. Ciszek displayed what is known to the Catholic Church as “heroic virtue.”

Fr. Lewis said getting the students involved in the work was a unique opportunity for them, but it also provided different viewpoints and perspectives that informed his own case.

“Did he have the guts to do what was right when no one was telling him to do it?” Fr. Lewis said, in a nutshell.

For this project to be taking place anywhere outside of Rome is rare — for this to be happening at a small Midwestern college campus is truly unique. Fr. Lewis said it started during his sabbatical in Rome before he arrived at Rockhurst in the fall of 2015.

Continued on page 18

ROCKHURST.EDU

17

Pope Francis leads the Mass for a canonization in Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

“It grew out of an off-handed comment I made to the person in charge of the Jesuit office of postulation. I learned about Fr. Ciszek’s life and the project and I said, ‘If I had time, I would do it’ — and that was all I had to say.”

– Rev. Mark Lewis, S.J.

Continued from page 17

“It grew out of an off-handed comment I made to the person in charge of the Jesuit office of postulation,” he said. “I learned about Fr. Ciszek’s life and the project and I said, ‘If I had time, I would do it’ — and that was all I had to say.”

The office of postulation handed 23 volumes of documentation to Fr. Lewis to use as he wrote his “positio,” a Latin word for the document submitted to the Congregation of Causes for the Saints for their consideration.

Parts of Fr. Walter Ciszek’s story sound like Cold War-era espionage — captured by the Soviets, interrogated and tortured into signing a confession that he was a spy, and sent to Moscow’s Lubyanka prison and hard labor in Siberia before being freed in a negotiated prisoner swap in the early 1960s.

Many of those details come from Fr. Ciszek’s own writing and other documents from the time.

“The investigation doesn’t rest on just his works, or those who were his friends,” Fr. Lewis said.

“Primary sources include any documents which would describe the situation Fr Ciszek was in,

18

SUMMER 2016

The Road

TO SAINTHOOD

There are four main steps along the path to canonization within the Catholic Church. The process has historically taken a century or more, but beatification and canonization have been sped up since the papacy of Pope John Paul II.

A prison photo of the Rev. Walter Ciszek S.J., taken following his arrest in the Soviet Union.

or even documents which mentioned him.

The Church wants the process to be as objective as possible.”

Hungry, isolated and forced to work to the point of complete exhaustion, Fr. Ciszek never lost faith.

In fact, Fr. Lewis said, Fr. Ciszek writes of how in the bleakness of his situation, he surrendered his life to the will of God. He also risked his very life by continuing his ministry in the Soviet prisons.

“Clearly, to me, volunteering to travel from a Western democracy to a society that has basically killed or imprisoned all of its priests displays a tremendous amount of what we consider heroic virtue,” he said.

But Fr. Lewis said he didn’t want the conversation about Fr. Ciszek’s heroic virtue to be happening only in his head. In the spring, he incorporated the case into a discussion of heroic virtue in his Catholic studies course. The semester before, he asked two honors program students, sophomores Shea Radel and Kielynn Havermann, to look at some of the primary source documents and develop their own projects based around the case and the idea of heroic virtue.

Havermann, who focused on a summary of Fr. Ciszek’s life in her paper, said reading through the documents gave her a better idea of what heroic virtue is and how Fr. Ciszek seemed to exemplify it, even after returning to the U.S. “At first this was an assignment to me, but I was drawn in by the story. What stuck out to me was how he came back and had this message of love,” she said. “He wasn’t a mean or hateful person.”

Fr. Lewis said getting the students involved in the work was a unique opportunity for them, but it also provided different viewpoints and perspectives that informed his own case.

1 2 3 4

SERVANT OF GOD

In most cases, a cause for sainthood can be opened five years after a person’s death — Mother Teresa being a rare exception — with the “positio” and the case for a candidate’s heroic virtue, as in Fr. Walter Ciszek’s case.

VENERABLE

In the second stage, a diocese must submit a miracle performed as a result of intercession by the servant of God. The miracle is evaluated by scientists and by religious experts.

BLESSED

Once the pope issues a decree confirming the first miracle, the candidate assumes the “blessed” title in a beatification rite. At this point, the blessed can be venerated locally, though not yet by the whole Church.

SAINT

Though more were required in the past, a second miracle must be confirmed and decreed by the pope in most cases before canonization. Following the rite of canonization, the person can be universally venerated as a saint.

“What it keeps reinforcing is that heroic virtue is when you see people who are not connected to it seeing the virtue. To me that’s the sign,” he said.

Fr. Ciszek is now considered a “servant of God,” the first step in the process of canonization. After Fr. Lewis’ case is completed, he will submit it to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, who will consider it along with a case written by the “general promoter of justice” arguing that Fr. Ciszek did not meet the standard of “heroic virtue.” Where it goes from there depends on the congregation’s decision, other cases for sainthood and the speed with which Fr. Ciszek’s case can move through the other requirements, including miracles. But Fr. Lewis said there is reason to hope that Fr. Ciszek can move through that process quickly.

“This is relatively recent history and the thought now is that it’s better to have models of virtue that are contemporary,” he said.

ROCKHURST.EDU

19

The 20 Kansas CitySUMMER Royals’ Sluggerrr visited with 2016 Rock E Hawk during Alumni Night at the Ballgame.

FOR ALUMNI ’48

’80

Bill Guilfoil was the subject of a feature story in The Leaven, the diocesan newspaper for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. At the age of 93 he competed in the U.S. Olympic table tennis trials.

Sly James, mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, participated in a White House press briefing while in Washington, D.C., for the U.S. Conference of Mayors held in January 2016.

’64

Linda M. Van Horn is the founder of iShare Medical, which won the SBA InnovateHER 2016 Kansas City Business Challenge. iShare Medical provides software tools that help patients and their physicians get access to their medical records.

Mike Torma, M.D., retired Air Force general and doctor, was featured in an article in The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana) about his paintings.

’72

’82, ’84 MBA

’84

Edward W. Dinan III, CRE, president of Dinan Real Estate Advisors Inc., St. Louis, has been awarded the 2015 Committee Service Award by the Counselors of Real Estate professional association. The honor, which recognizes Dinan’s exemplary dedication to committee service, was presented at the invitationonly organization’s annual convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Stay Connected You’re part of the Rockhurst University community.

That means you belong to an organization that’s changing the world one leader at a time.

Don’t miss out on news meant for you. Go to rockhurst.edu/update and update your information today. Be sure to share your email address to receive the latest University and alumni news.

LaVaughn Henry, Ph.D., vice president and senior regional officer of the Cincinnati branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, was featured in an article in The State Journal (Lexington, Kentucky) regarding his presentation to Kentucky State University students as part of the African-American Living Legends series.

’85 EMBA Augie Grassis has started a new company, ShipX, an online freight exchange for less-than-truckload shipping.

He sold a previous company, Handmark, to Sprint Corp. in 2013.

’87 MBA

’94

Greg Graves was featured in an Ingram’s magazine story titled “Corporate Champions” for the corporate philanthropy of Burns & McDonnell. Graves has announced his retirement from the company, of which he is chairman and CEO, at the end of 2016. In addition, he was named 2015 Kansas Citian of the Year by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.

Andre and Jennifer (Rodemann) Smith, ’97, were interviewed for a Q&A story in The Kansas City Star about the business they purchased, Watts Up, which specializes in selling hard-tofind light bulbs.

’88 MBA Ellen Changho-Roxas was featured with one of her recipes in The Kansas City Star’s Eating for Life column on Jan. 5, 2016.

’90 Craig Bolger has been named a principal with The Jones Financial Companies LLLP, the holding company for Edward Jones. He has been a financial adviser with the firm since 1996.

’97 Merritt Engel was named to the “40 Under Forty” list by Ingram’s in April 2016. She is the president of Merrigan & Co., a marketing agency.

She teaches communication and technology for nonprofit organizations at Rockhurst University

’98, ’00 MPT Tiffany Tibbetts Bohm was named the 2016 F.A. Davis Outstanding Physical Therapist Assistant Educator by the American Physical Therapy Association. She recently was named dean of allied health and nursing at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

HIRE A HAWK rockhurst.edu/hireahawk

Looking for the perfect addition to your team? Contact Rockhurst University’s Career Services to connect with RU alumni and students looking to start their careers and secure internships.

ROCKHURST.EDU

21

’99 Keri Olson, founder and CEO of Chocolate Cork, shared wine and chocolate pairings for Valentine’s Day on KSHB’s Kansas City Live show

Submit a Class Note We’d love to hear from you. Submit a class note online at rockhurst.edu/classnotes.

’01 Sean Brennan, Ph.D., was promoted to associate professor of history and granted tenure at the University of Scranton, where he has worked since 2009.

Jacqueline (Barnes) Almquist graduated with a Ph.D. in organizational communication from the University of MissouriColumbia in December 2015. Her dissertation focused on community college fundraising.

She is the executive director of the Metropolitan Community College Foundation in Omaha, Nebraska.

’04 EMBA Carol DiRaimo was honored for her work as vice president of investor relations and corporate communications for Jack in the Box Inc. by Institutional Investor as part of its 2016 All-America Executive Team rankings. DiRaimo was named Best Investor Relations Professional overall, having been named No. 1 in that category by both the buy side and sell side. DiRaimo serves on the Rockhurst University Board of Trustees.

’04 M.Ed. Kristoffer Barikmo, a social studies teacher at Blue Valley High School, was recognized as Regional Secondary Teacher of the Year and was a finalist for Kansas State Teacher of the Year by the Kansas Teacher of the Year program, sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education.

’06, ’12 MBA Jessica (Rethman) Wehling and husband Brandon Wehling welcomed their second daughter, Brett Madelyn, on Sept. 10, 2015. Brett joins big sister Blair.

’09 Jason Anderson was appointed area director of Kansas City operations for Park University.

Anderson will oversee the administrative and academic aspects of Park University’s downtown Kansas City and Independence, Missouri, campuses, as well as be responsible for Park’s presence at area community colleges and companies.

’09 MBA Brian Johanning was named to the “40 Under Forty” list by Ingram’s in April 2016. He is vice president for infrastructure and development for Shafer Kline & Warren.

’10, ’11 BSN Molly Smith married Brandon Spencer, ’16, on Nov. 7, 2015, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri. Rockhurst University President the Rev. Thomas B. Curran, S.J., officiated the ceremony.

22

SUMMER 2016

FOR ALUMNI

Q&A

WITH LANCE FISHER, ’13 MBA

LANCE FISHER IS A FINANCIAL SPECIALIST FOR THE OFFICE OF SELF GOVERNANCE WITHIN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, AND A PROUD MEMBER OF THE NORTHERN CHEYENNE TRIBE. HIS CHEYENNE NAME IS MA'HEONENAHKOHE, WHICH TRANSLATES TO “MEDICINE BEAR.” Q: What does the Office of Self Governance do?

Lance Fisher, ’13 MBA

“I believe selfgovernance is essential if tribal communities are to continue to protect their unique cultures and identities.”

A: Our office helps promote greater social, economic and political self-sufficiency among Indian tribes. We work with tribal governments to protect and support sovereignty within a government-to-government partnership, and advocate for the transfer of resources to tribal governments in accordance with selfgovernance policies. This allows Indian tribes to determine internal priorities, redesign programs and reallocate resources to more effectively and efficiently meet the needs of their communities.

Q: What is the most fulfilling part of your job?

A: This work is fulfilling for me because I believe self-governance is essential if tribal communities are to continue to protect their unique cultures and identities. Additionally, I want make a positive impact for Native American youth and future generations.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish within your career and personal life?

A: I am very grateful for the support and encouragement I have received throughout my career, so it would be an honor for me to pay it forward.

Recently, my lower right foot was amputated due to necrotizing fasciitis, and I hope my story can positively impact someone in need. I would like to help encourage others to persevere through life’s obstacles to create their own empowering stories.

Q: What advice would you give current Rockhurst students deciding on a career path?

A: I would encourage students to view the inscription on the campus bell tower and “reflect upon the reality of the world around you with all its ambiguities, opportunities, and challenges, to discern what is really happening in your life and in the lives of others, to find God there and to discover where God is calling you...”

Q: How did your experience at Rockhurst influence you?

A: Rockhurst’s core value “Finding God in All Things” helped strengthen my relationship with God (Ma'heo'o) and my own religious tradition. The theme of leadership at Rockhurst deepened my commitment to develop my gifts and talents — and the gifts and talents of others — to make a positive difference in the world.

ROCKHURST.EDU

23

’11 EMBA Kyle White, founder and CEO of Aviation Solutions, a leading aviation risk adviser and insurance broker, recently sold his company to publicly traded Marsh and McLennan Agency LLC. He will remain on as CEO of the aviation division.

UPCOMING

EVENTS JUNE 30

Cardinals vs. Royals Watch Party in St. Louis Enjoy appetizers and baseball at Failoni’s Restaurant & Bar.

JULY 15 Rockhurst Night at Starlight Theatre Enjoy dinner and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

JULY 16 Denver Alumni Night at the Colorado Rapids See Sporting KC take on the Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

JULY 16 Rockhurst Night at the Omaha Storm Chasers Spend an evening cheering on the Hawks at Werner Park.

For more information, visit alumni.rockhurst.edu.

’12 Frederick Grossman married Kristin Merlo, ’11, on Dec. 12, 2015. The wedding was held at St Ambrose on the Hill Catholic Church, St. Louis, Missouri, and officiated by Rockhurst University President the Rev. Thomas B. Curran, S.J. Rockhurst alumni and current students in attendance were John Merlo, ’13, Benjamin Sheard, ’12, Nicholas Helfrich, ’12, Michael McAuliffe, ’12, Charles Tocco, ’12, Michael Purk, ’12, Maria Merlo, ’16, Lauren Bayens, ’11, Amanda Burian, ’11, Erin (Valenta) Hooper, ’11, Margaret Huber, ’11, Gabrielle O’Keefe, ’11, Christine (Basler) Vaughan, ’11, and Angela Merlo, ’20.

’13 Mark Sappington has been assigned to pitch for the Durham Bulls, the AAA club for the Tampa Bay Rays.

’14 Austin Carroll, a second-year chemistry Ph.D. student at the University of California, Davis, was named by the National Science Foundation as recipient of an award from the Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

Mark Magee signed with Stratford Town football (soccer) club in Stratfordupon-Avon, England, on Jan. 25, 2016. He will play striker.

RETRO 2003 ROCKHURST

Doves were released as part of the on-campus commencement ceremony, held on Kinerk Commons. They represented the hopes and dreams of the graduates taking flight.

24

SUMMER 2016

5

FOR ALUMNI

CAREER CENTER

TIPS

for Planning an Event

From board meetings to conferences to fundraisers, planning events can be overwhelming.

For Christiana Jones, ’13, marketing and events coordinator at Burns & McDonnell, the back-end work is worth the labor when she sees the enjoyment it brings her clients, and the networking opportunities it provides her team.

Here are five tips from Jones on planning an event:

1 TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR RESOURCES.

Find out what resources are available to you and leverage them to your benefit.

This includes engaging your organization’s internal teams and external professional networks.

2 KNOW YOUR GUESTS.

When you have an idea of what the guests will enjoy, you can plan everything around that — from entertainment to timeline of the event to gifts. That way, you know your guests will have the best possible experience.

3 DELEGATE. This is one of the most important parts of planning and ensures that an event flows

smoothly. Evaluate the skills of those helping in order to determine who should be responsible for each task.

Once tasks are assigned, make sure everyone involved is briefed on the assigned duties and knows exactly what they’re doing, where they are supposed to be and when.

4 STAY ORGANIZED. Create lots of to-do lists and spreadsheets! It’s also helpful to have electronic folders and email folders for each event you plan. That way, it is easy to manipulate the information to the specific needs of each of your events.

5 DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF. Prepare as much as possible beforehand, and then once the day of the event arrives, just have fun. If you forget a small detail, you’re typically going to be the only one who notices.

MEET THE EXPERT

Christiana Jones, ’13, is a marketing and events coordinator at Burns & McDonnell, a full-service engineering firm based in Kansas City.

She considers her faith in Christ to be an inseparable part of her life.

In her free time she enjoys traveling and exploring nature with her husband, Christian, all things health and wellness, and is involved with her church.

ROCKHURST.EDU

25

FROM THE CHAPTERS

Business of Beer in Kansas City, Missouri

After you leave the Rockhurst University campus, you remain a Hawk for life. Connect with Hawks in your hometown by checking the calendar at rockhurst.edu/alumni. Looking to organize a Rockhurst gathering where you live? Contact Mary Mooney Burns, ’93, at mary.burns@rockhurst.edu.

Greenlease Library Annual Critique Luncheon

On April 6, the Library Guild’s annual critique luncheon featured author In May, Martin Stack, Ph.D., professor Lou Eisenbrandt who presented on her memoir, Vietnam Nurse: Mending of management, shared his expertise on and Remembering. (From left) Hon. Peggy Dunn, mayor of Leawood, Kansas; domestic and international beer markets members of the Library Guild 2016 executive board Heather Ryan, Joyce Murphy, Gayle Johnson, Sandy Berland, Paulette Crawford, ’83, Mary Ann Brenneman, with a group of Kansas City-area Elsie Forlenza and Julie McManus. alumni. (From left) Clare Holahan, ’11; Jennie Nguyen, ’11; Martin Stack, Ph.D.; Katelyn Clark, ’09, ’12 MBA; and Betsy Warfield, ’09, ’10 MBA.

Jesuits on Tap in Omaha, Nebraska Omaha-area alumni gathered on April 23 for a conversation led by the Rev. Mark Lewis, S.J., visiting assistant professor of Catholic studies, on leadership and Pope Francis. Prior to the discussion, Fr. Lewis concelebrated Mass at St. John’s Parish on the campus of Creighton University.

Jesuit Leadership Series in St. Louis, Missouri On April 26, the Rockhurst University Alumni Council launched its Jesuit Leadership Series with an event in St. Louis, Missouri, featuring a panel of Jesuit institution alumni speaking about ethical leadership in today’s business culture. Jim Powers, ’83 (Right), president of UniGroup, served on the panel.

26

SUMMER 2016

FOR ALUMNI

Legendary Basketball Coach to Receive Magis Award E ach year, Rockhurst University recognizes someone who has made outstanding contributions to the St. Louis and Rockhurst University communities by presenting that individual the Magis Award. This year’s recipient, Rich Grawer, ’65, will be honored at the Magis Award dinner on Saturday, Aug. 27, at the St. Louis Zoo Lakeside Café.

Grawer has demonstrated deep devotion to the Jesuit tradition throughout his life and career.

He helped build DeSmet Jesuit High School in St. Louis, where he was an inspirational teacher and coach. Under his leadership, the DeSmet basketball team won three state titles in the 1970s and set a record among large schools in the state with 63 consecutive wins.

Later, Grawer became the men’s head basketball coach at Saint Louis University. Though the first season produced the worst record in the school’s history, Grawer made up for it by leading the SLU Billikens to a streak of six consecutive winning seasons. He finished with 159 wins, the second most in SLU basketball history.

Rich Grawer, ’65

Grawer has been inducted into six Halls of Fame: Saint Louis University, DeSmet Jesuit High School, Missouri Sports, St. Louis Sports, Missouri Basketball Coaches, and Amateur Baseball.

He is also a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit honor society.

To register for the dinner, visit rockhurst.edu/magisaward.

Grawer works at Infinite Educational Strategies, a nonprofit organization that teaches financial concepts and strategies. He also works with the homeless and those in transition from homelessness. Grawer and his wife, Theresa, have six children and 19 grandchildren.

Connect with Rockhurst University through your favorite social networks.

HAWK HANGOUT In April, a group of nine Rockhurst University alumni from 2009, 2010 and 2013 and friends met up in New Orleans, Louisiana, to turn themselves into human balloons for a game of Knockerball bubble soccer.

Send your Hawk Hangout pictures to alumni@rockhurst.edu and you may see one in a future issue.

ROCKHURST.EDU

27

Leader Shows Decades of Dedication

I

n the corner of his office on the second floor of Massman Hall, Lane Ramey, ’79, associate vice president of enrollment, stores a box filled with thank-you notes from Rockhurst alumni, students and parents. These notes of gratitude have been accumulated over Ramey’s 37-year career in the office of admission, from which he will retire in July.

Rewind 41 years to when the Kansas City native was choosing a college to attend. For Ramey, there was only one option.

“I wanted to attend the best university in the city,” Ramey said. “If I had not been admitted, there was no plan B.” And he has been at Rockhurst ever since.

As an undergraduate, Ramey thrived in his first role as a work-study student in the admission office. It was an easy choice for Tom Audley, ’61, former director of admission and mentor to Ramey, to hire him as a full-time admission counselor when he graduated in 1979.

While Ramey’s role changed over the years, one thing remained the same: his uncompromising commitment to his alma mater.

“Lane’s dedication to Rockhurst was matched only by his concern for prospective students,” Audley said.

For Casey McGraw, ’00, it was Ramey’s authenticity that led him to choose Rockhurst over a large state school.

Lane Ramey, ’79

“I wanted to attend the best university in the city.

If I had not been admitted, there was no plan B.” And he has been at Rockhurst ever since.

“There was no hard sell, just honesty and a sincere hope for me to succeed,” McGraw said.

In his time at RU, Ramey has witnessed prospects become students, become alumni, become parents of students — a pattern to which he contributed profoundly.

“That in itself speaks volumes of the trusting relationships he has built over the years,” said Scott Hummel, ’85, of the multigeneration tradition within many Rockhurst families.

Scott and his wife, Kathleen, ’86, have two children currently attending Rockhurst.

Faculty Memory “One of the most memorable teaching moments with Dr. Risa Stein was a schizophrenia simulation. The left half of the class would chant different colors and the right half would chant numbers. The student in the middle would attempt to block out the voices in order to take notes from Dr. Stein at the front of the classroom. This gave me insight into one of the daily struggles of people with schizophrenia.”

– Kyle Johnson, ’06, director of freshman admission at Rockhurst University

28

SUMMER 2016

FOR ALUMNI

In Memoriam Lawrence W. O’Brien, ’40 — Oct. 22, 2015 Dr. William J. Rees, ’42 — Nov. 1, 2015 Charles L. Aylward Jr., ’47 — Jan. 13 Hugh G. Carr, ’48 — Dec. 22, 2015 Paul J. Martel, ’48 — Jan. 24 Sal A. Capra, ’49 — Jan. 14 Francis X. Thorne Jr., ’49 — Jan. 24 Albert H. Wilson, ’49 — Nov. 22, 2015 G. Barney Byard, CLU, ’50 — Jan. 30 Charles A. Koehler, ’50 — Jan. 1 Donald J. Morris, ’50 — Dec. 14, 2015

Raymond P. Grosko, ’58 — Feb. 16 David E. Lauck Sr., ’58 — Jan. 19 Robert E. Ishmael, ’59 — Oct. 27, 2015 Donald A. Hartstack, ’60 — April 18 John J. O’Keefe, ’60 — Dec. 17, 2015 Thomas M. Liston, ’61 — March 22 Cyril E. Muckenthaler, ’62 — April 2 Rev. John H. Wandless, ’62 — Dec. 23, 2015

Joseph M. Henley, ’73 — Dec. 19, 2015 Leslie E. Richardson, ’73 — Dec. 13, 2015 Nolan R. Long, ’74 — Jan. 12 James R. Finnegan, ’75 — Jan. 3 Almyrta F. Long, ’76 — Nov. 25, 2015 Thomas. L. Thurston, ’77 — Dec. 5, 2015

Vince Dover, ’63 — Feb. 15

Alvero E. Corredor, ’80 — Dec. 13, 2015

Donald R. Kenyon, ’63 — April 10

Robert B. Rogers, ’80 — March 7

Col. Michael E. King, ’66 — Feb. 27

Diane L. Stockard, ’81 — Dec. 6, 2015

Robert E. McDermott, ’66 — Feb. 1

Darrell J. Theobald. ’81 — Jan. 2

Thomas G. Geha, ’52 — Dec. 2, 2015

Terence M. Phillips, ’66 — Jan. 10

Herbert J. Meagher Jr. ’52 — Nov. 21, 2015

Louis H. Schlafly, ’66 — Dec. 10, 2015

Richard W. Miller, ’52 — April 15

Paul. B. Maasen, ’68 — Feb. 19

Pearline E. Motley, ’82 — Feb. 3

Porter O’Brien, ’52 – Dec. 3, 2015

Charles A. Comeau, ’69 — March 2

Leo C. Schleicher Jr., ’52 — Jan. 9

Arthur C. Seibert, ’69 — Oct. 28, 2015

David J. Maschger, ’89 — Dec. 24, 2015

John P. Holman, ’54 — Feb. 26

Rick E. Westhues, ’81 — March 16 Thomas R. Bruegging, ’82 — Jan. 18

Mark J. Catanzaro, ’91 — Feb. 20

Mark J. Griffin, ’71 — Nov. 27, 2015

Joan E. Smith, ’95 — Dec. 1, 2015 Paul A. Dean, ’99 — Dec. 18, 2015

George R. Butell, ’55 — Dec. 7, 2015

John E. Vermillion, ’71 — Nov. 4, 2015

Francis J. Schorgl, ’56 — Nov. 27, 2015

George W. Engler, ’73 — Dec. 25, 2015

James F. Stephen, ’56 — March 24

Haskel Fisher Jr., ’73 — Oct. 15, 2015

James L. Basgall, ’55 — Jan. 7

Aubrey W. Dickerson, ’58 — Feb. 28

Marthe Wolff, ’07 — March 4

ROCKHURST.EDU

29

Service Immersion Experience Offered to Alumni For the first time, Rockhurst University invited alumni and parents to participate in a service immersion trip organized just for them.

Over the course of one week in April, the group spent time in Nicaragua with the organization Amigos for Christ building stoves and expanding the availability of clean water to people in rural Nicaragua.

(From left) Danielle Sather, ’14, assistant director of alumni Alumni interested in taking part in future service immersion and constituent relations; Matt Gould, parent; Anna Licata, trips can fill out an interest form at rockhurst.edu/alumniservice. ’08; Angie Gutierrez, ’08; and DeAnn Lehigh, ’87.

WHERE

?

ARE THEY NOW Catching Up With Former Classmates

W

hen you envision someone who has a graduate degree in chemistry, you might picture a goggle-clad academic working in a lab. You probably don’t imagine an Olympicsbound weightlifting competitor. Yet that’s exactly what Ethan Harak is.

Harak graduated from Rockhurst University in May 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. In December 2015, he graduated from Indiana University with a Master of Science degree. While in school, he studied materials chemistry, focusing on shape-controlled nanoparticles for use as catalysts in energy-related applications.

Now that he has completed his education, Harak has turned whole-heartedly toward a new goal: representing the USA in weightlifting at the Olympics.

In March, Harak was invited to compete for Team USA in the 2016 Russian President’s Cup in Kazan, Russia. He placed fourth overall out of nine lifters in the 105 kg session. Taking part in this competition qualified him for the Olympic trials in Salt Lake City, Utah, in May. Training will be a full-time job for Harak as he prepares for the 2020 Olympics. He plans to move back to the Kansas City area with his wife, Lauren (Myers) Harak, ’13, this summer and get involved in coaching. In the

30

SUMMER 2016

Ethan Harak, ’13

future, Harak says he hopes to open a gym that focuses on strength development for specific sports, including Olympic weightlifting. Following his weightlifting career, Harak intends to return to the chemistry field.

“Weightlifting has greatly affected my life, mainly for the better,” said Harak. “It started as a passion, but now it has transformed into a calling of its own.”

Harak’s father, Dale Harak, Ph.D., is an associate professor of chemistry at Rockhurst University. His brother, Evan Harak, a Rockhurst freshman, also does weightlifting and the brothers’ journey can be followed on Twitter (@EthanWHarak) and Instagram (@EvanHarak7).

FOR ALUMNI

EVERYDAY LEADERS RU Grad Creates Bilingual Superhero to Promote Reading

T

he origin stories of many superheroes have familiar tropes like radiation exposure, tragic accidents and genetic mutations. But only Amigoman can say his origin story has ties with a Jesuit university.

On one fateful afternoon in 1993, Anthony Oropeza, ’96, had just finished a communications class where the main focus of the lesson was the importance of knowing your audience. Oropeza, who loved reading and looking at the artwork in comic books, decided to take a detour home that afternoon and stop by a local shop to pick up some of the latest issues of his favorites.

As he stood facing racks of his heroes, the idea of audience was still fresh in his mind. For the first time he noticed that none of the characters spoke to him or reflected his experiences.

“There were no Latin characters on any one of those covers,” Oropeza said. “Why not? Why hasn’t anybody done that? Then, I thought, ‘what if I made that comic book?’”

And he did.

Anthony Oropeza, ’96

Oropeza would work on Amigoman part time over the next 20 years. Over that time the audience for his books changed.

Originally they were meant for older readers, but Oropeza changed the focus to a storyline that encourages children to read, and made Amigoman bilingual to teach children Spanish and English.

Amigoman has been a big hit in classrooms. Oropeza has sold the books to schools throughout the country and has been invited by some of these schools to speak to the children about writing, drawing and reading.

“There were no Latin characters on any one of those covers,” Oropeza said. “Why not? Why hasn’t anybody done that? Then, I thought, ‘what if I made that comic book?’”

ROCKHURST.EDU

31

IN CLOSING

Getting

Along

BY THOMAS RINGENBERG, PH.D.

T

his year, I’ve had the chance to live and work on Capitol Hill as part of the American Political Science Association’s Congressional Fellowship Program.

For an early-career scholar who focuses on legislative politics in the U.S. House of Representatives, this has been a dream opportunity. The fellowship was created to give political scientists a view “behind the curtain” and experience Congress from the viewpoint of a legislative staffer. In its more than 50 years of history, the fellowship has added to its alumni ranks leading academics, policy advisors, journalists, and even a vice president.

In my work with the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform I have experienced firsthand that when confronted with problems like opioid addiction, HIV/AIDS drug price gouging, information-technology security, and wartime contracting, members are genuinely interested in saving not only taxpayer dollars, but lives.

Outside of the committee, I’ve watched Democrats and Republicans from Missouri work to find solutions to the ongoing environmental disaster at the West Lake Landfill and to keep good jobs with the National GeospatialIntelligence Agency in-state.

You don’t need to be a political scientist to know that our national legislature is an institution with considerable problems. In recent years, pollsters have found that Congress is less popular among Americans than cockroaches, colonoscopies, traffic jams, and even the rock band Nickelback. The dismal approval of the public seems to match its productivity, with commentators and scholars calling the most recent 113th Congress (2013-14) the “Worst. Congress. Ever.” Prospects for the current 114th Congress (2015-16) look equally grim. Even a casual follower of political news will tell you that Washington is fractured by parties that can’t get along with one another and a system of rules that produce a near constant stalemate.

Now, don’t get me wrong, most of what you’ve heard about dysfunction in Congress is true. But as a university community that values an Ignatian approach to conversation — being slow to speak, listening attentively, seeking the truth in others’ opinions, humble disagreement, and giving conversation the time it needs — we should appreciate the importance of working together. As you encounter disagreement and impasse in your families, jobs or social groups, remember that even this Congress can find ways to get along.

I arrived in D.C. this November with both a nerdy passion for the history and traditions of Congress and a sober awareness of the reality of the contemporary body. So, what I say next may surprise you as much as it did me.

Sometimes, people actually get along.

32

SUMMER 2016

Thomas Ringenberg, Ph.D., visiting assistant professor of political science, spent the spring semester working in the office of Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay (MO-1st District, St. Louis). He joined Rockhurst in 2015 after having taught at Missouri State University.

He can be contacted at thomas.ringenberg@rockhurst.edu.

TIME AND PLACE

16 THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 20

on , puts the final touches Carolyn Rouw, sophomore Hall. upe Arr ide ins classroom her portrait in the new art

1100 Rockhurst Road Kansas City, MO 64110-2561

Kansas City, M0.

Permit No. 782

PAID

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage