Fall 2008 Alumni Magazine

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Saint Mary’s University focuses on the future of science

Profiles of science alumni, faculty, students & facilities


Saint Mary’s Kabara Institute connects student, alumni, parent entrepreneurs SMU’s Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies hosted a series of events during the past school year for students who are aspiring young entrepreneurs. Several successful alumni returned to campus to explain their businesses, detail how they got started, and share advice. If you have a story you would like to share with SMU students, call Dominic Lawrence ’06, (507) 457-1486 or dlawrenc@smumn.edu. For more information about the institute, go to www.smumn.edu/kabara.

VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS Joseph Sweeney ’81 VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATION AND MARKETING Bob Conover DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS Meg (Leuer ’97) Richtman EDITOR Deb Nahrgang Phone: (507) 457-6966 Fax: (507) 457-6967 dnahrgan@smumn.edu CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Donny Nadeau ’85 Deb Nahrgang Meg (Leuer ’97) Richtman

Russ Neitzke ’91, owner of DigiCom, Inc., a data, voice, video and sound communication business in Winona, addressed a large crowd of students on the Winona campus this past school year. Also in 2008, Maria Kreidermacher ’91 of Pork & Plants, a family-owned plant and floral nursery outside of Winona, shared some valuable business advice.

PHOTOGRAPHERS Chris Ebert ’06 Gerard Lampo Deb Nahrgang Kevin Schmidt GRAPHIC DESIGN Maria Beyerstedt Denise Hamernik PRODUCTION Pat Beech Pat Fleming Winona Printing Company Saint Mary’s Magazine is published by Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota for its alumni, parents and friends. Third-class postage paid at Winona, MN 55987-1399.

Saint Mary’s students toured the corporate offices and warehouses of Walter E. Smithe Furniture in Itasca, Ill., last winter and posed with Mark ’86 & Tim ’85 Smithe. Walter Smithe ’81 is not pictured.

ADDRESS CHANGES Saint Mary’s Magazine Saint Mary’s University 700 Terrace Heights #21 Winona, MN 55987-1399 ON THE WEB www.smumn.edu/magazine

Students also toured Wenonah Canoe, owned by Mike Cichanowski, father of Amy Cichanowski ’92 and Heather Cichanowski ’95.

An alumni panel discussion by, from left: Donald Aleksy ’80, True Vision Enterprise; Laurel Feddema ’83, Steppingstone Consulting Inc.; and Brandon Darling ’01, Orbis Technology, centered around, “I didn’t major in business, but I run a business.”

ABOUT SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is a private, Catholic institution offering comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs. About 1,400 students are enrolled in the residential undergraduate College at the Winona campus, established in 1912. More than 4,600 students are enrolled in the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs, which offers certificate, bachelor degree completion, master degree and specialist programs, and a doctoral program. The university delivers education to its adult learners through campuses in Minneapolis, Winona and Nairobi, Kenya; centers in Apple Valley, Rochester and Minnetonka; and at numerous other locations in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Jamaica. Saint Mary’s is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org.


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MAGAZINE

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FROM THE EDITOR Summer months were filled with building projects, events.

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NEWS AND VIEWS Dr. Jon Kabara ’48 honored at graduation; SMU reports record enrollment; new ropes course is going up; track and soccer complex nears completion; Winona welcomes Brother President William Mann; SGPP highlights; fifth Kaplan commissioned composer comes to campus; and more.

12 SCIENCE New science facility announced; science alumni and students share stories; new science faculty introduced.

23 INAUGURATION Brother President William Mann, FSC, was inaugurated as SMU’s 13th president.

27 ALUMNI NEWS Blogs, Facebook provide new ways for alumni to stay connected.

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30 HOMECOMING 2008 RECAP 500 alumni return to SMU; dates for next year announced.

32 VETERANS MEMORIAL Alumni, employees and friends join in remembrance of Saint Mary’s veterans during summer memorial dedication ceremony.

34 SPORTS NEWS

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Season highlights recapped; the university says goodbye to Coach Don Olson; new coaches named; athletes, alumni honored at Cardinal ‘M’ Club Weekend.

39 FACULTY FEATS View a lengthy list of summer faculty achievements.

ON THE COVER A biology class takes wildlife samples from Gilmore Creek. Find out more about SMU science including alumni, new faculty, and a proposed new facility (p.12).

41 CLASS NOTES Alumni news, weddings, births and deaths.


FROM THE EDITOR

SMU sees many ch-ch-ch-changes during the ‘lazy’ days of summer Who was it that coined the phrase, the “lazy days of summer?” In some ways, it’s true. From June to August, I steer my Honda leisurely through the parking lots on campus. As carefree as the wind, I whimsically pull into any one of a multitude of empty parking spaces. The cafeteria, usually bustling with activity, is peacefully serene. Instead of Deb Nahrgang Saint Mary’s precariously Magazine editor balancing my tray through the hubbub of hash slinging, throughout the summer, I can get my casserolesurprise-of-the-day in record speed. Though summer months may be nearly void of undergraduate students and faculty on the Winona campus, summers here are far from lazy. Summer classes are in full swing in some of our Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs. The Gilmore Creek Summer Theatre kept Page Theatre abuzz with laughter and music. More than 500 alumni came back for Homecoming ’08, and summer sports camps brought in more than 800 exuberant — and sweaty — youths. And then, there were the bulldozers. The day after graduation,

ground began to move, large equipment began to hum, and saws began to buzz. In just a few short months, our campus saw the addition of the track and field complex, a new gazebo, the installation of a ropes course, additions to our trails, the Veterans Memorial, and tons of other behindthe-scenes campus improvements and additions. Offices relocated, new refrigerators were hauled in, and old furniture was hauled out. Nearly everything got a fresh wash and a clean paint job — a virtual facelift before we welcomed back students in August. This year we’ve welcomed a record number of students at the undergraduate College, and because the previous two years have also had high enrollment, we’ve scrambled all summer to make room. On the horizon is a new science addition; sketches are being passed around, and fundraising is in full force. With the increase in students choosing to major in science, as well as increased opportunities in sciencerelated fields, SMU is adapting to meet the needs of its students, and society as well. Just as sure as Minnesota leaves turn colors in fall, this season brings a multitude of personnel changes on campus as well. As we said goodbye

We’re interested in your thoughts We want to hear from you, the alumni, parents and friends of Saint Mary’s University. You’re welcome to respond to something you read in Saint Mary’s Magazine, or to comment on any subject that involves the past, present or future of the university. Send letters to Saint Mary’s Magazine Editor, Saint Mary’s University, 700 Terrace Heights #36, Winona, MN 55987-1399 or e-mail editor Deb Nahrgang at dnahrgan@smumn.edu.

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to many of our retiring long-time beloved faculty this past spring, we say hello to some new faces who are bringing a new set of ideas into our classrooms. In this issue, we introduce a new slate of coaches as well. This also marks the first year we’ve added members of our Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs to our alumni board. Our alumni base has grown substantially to include a large group of adult, diverse professionals, so their representation on the alumni board has needed to change as well. New voices will help us reach new audiences. And, of course, the big news this year is our new president, Brother William Mann and his inauguration, along with many other new opportunities on the horizon. One of my favorite things about Homecoming is listening to our alums reminisce about how they used to pray where we now conduct band and choral rehearsals; or they used to play basketball where our art department now conducts painting classes; or they used to live in a building that is now the lot where I park my car. By remembering, we strengthen the foundation of what makes Saint Mary’s such a wonderful place to live, work and study. But it’s the constant changes that keep the spirit and excitement flowing through this university with each new freshman class. I guess that’s why we’re all glad to see the back-to-school specials begin to circulate. It means our students, the life and heart of this university, are returning. What their contributions bring to campus is worth far more than a good parking place.≠ FALL/WINTER 2008


LETTERS

’80s Saint Mary’s singing, dancing sensations identified

CAMPUS RESOURCES WEBSITE www.smumn.edu ALUMNI ASSOCIATION • Winona Undergraduate Alumni (507) 457-1499 Fax: (507) 457-6697 Toll-free: (800) 635-5987, Ext. 1499 alumni@smumn.edu • Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs Alumni (612) 728-5202 Fax: (612) 728-5167 Toll-free: (866) 437-2788 sgppalumni@smumn.edu www.smumn.edu/alumni ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT (507) 457-1579 dnadeau@smumn.edu www.saintmaryssports.com DEVELOPMENT (507) 457-6647 Fax: (507) 457-6697 giving@smumn.edu www.smumn.edu/giving PERFORMANCE CENTER BOX OFFICE (507) 457-1715 tickets@smumn.edu www.pagetheatre.org COMMUNICATION AND MARKETING (507) 457-1497 spopp@smumn.edu ADMISSION – WINONA Toll-free: (800) 635-5987, Ext. 1700 admission@smumn.edu ADMISSION – TWIN CITIES Toll-free: (866) 437-2788, Ext. 207 tc-admission@smumn.edu JOB OPPORTUNITIES www.smumn.edu/jobs

The photograph on the back page has the following SMC alumni in it. In the bigger picture from WSW Gong show is (from left): Bob Bowlin ’81, Chris (Cieslak ’81) Gicela (surfer), Julie (Johnson ’81) Shannon (surfer) and Colleen (Rapp ’81) Fowler (surfer). The photo at the bottom from Gaslight are emcees Mary (Schwartz ’81) Lunzer and Mike “Oscar” Mayer ’81. Pretty funny! — Steve Marble ’81

Red trucks not as ’green’ as magazine claims With the rush to “go green” being in vogue everywhere I find articles such as the one on SMU’s little red trucks mildly annoying. Articles such as these are often mostly “rah, rah, look at how green we are,” short on information and often ridden with inaccuracies. In particular, such statements as “they emit no pollutants” are simply deceptive. While the red trucks emit nothing while rumbling around the campus, their pollutants have been left back at the power utility, the CO2, the ash, the mercury and all the other ‘unwantables’ that go with power generation. Further, from an energy efficiency standpoint, it is axiomatic that hydrocarbon fuels should be burned as near the point of use as possible. The fuel efficiency of an automobile internal combustion engine is of the order of 30 percent for an engine in good condition. The power utility’s efficiency may be as high as 35 percent to 38 percent for a modern plant, running at full load. However, at part load (at night when you’re charging your little red trucks, for example) the energy conversion efficiency may be as low as 15 percent to which must be added the losses in transmitting the power to the campus, the chemical efficiency of the battery charging process and a myriad of other technical inconveniences along the way. True enough, the power utility does have a better way of containing some of the pollutants than a gasoline-powered

vehicle. In the end, however, because of the system efficiencies from the coal mine to the campus, the red trucks are responsible for significant pollution and CO2 emissions that likely exceed those of a gasoline-powered vehicle. Green is often not as green as it seems and in the vernacular of the street: “There ain’t no free lunch.” — R.J. Reilly ’51 Editor’s note: Our utility, Xcel Energy, delivers electricity from a variety of sources: coal, 37%; nuclear, 26.5%; natural gas, 21.5%; hydroelectric, 7%; and wind, 4.5%. Unlike fossil fuels, there is potential for more electric power to come from renewable resources.

Dr. Spring also worked in education I received the most recent Saint Mary’s Magazine today and am puzzled as to why there is no mention of the late Dr. Spring’s affiliation with the Education Department. Of all Saint Mary’s professors, he is the one who influenced me most as an educator. I know that I am not alone. Was this just an oversight? — Janine (Stringham ’86) McIlheran Editor’s note: The late Dr. Spring’s tenure remained with the English Department. He spent the majority of his 19-year career in English and the honors program; he additionally taught in education two years full-time and three years part-time during the mid-1980s. We regret the omission. WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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News and Views Kabara receives honorary doctorate from Saint Mary’s

Dr. Jon Kabara addresses the Saint Mary’s University Winona undergraduate class of 2008, while Brother Chancellor Louis DeThomasis looks on.

During its undergraduate commencement ceremony Saturday, May 10, Saint Mary’s University awarded an honorary Doctorate of Ethical Leadership to Dr. Jon Kabara, a 1948 alumnus from Galena, Ill. Dr. Kabara has dedicated his life to medical research. He served as a professor at the University of Detroit and later Michigan State University for more than 30 years, and in 1969, he helped establish the first affiliated school of osteopathic medicine at a major university (Michigan State). An expert in the field of dietary fats and oils, Dr. Kabara has been awarded more than 16 U.S. and foreign patents and is credited with more than 200 publications, including eight books. In 2005, Dr. Kabara and his wife, Betty, began their commitment of supporting the growth of entrepreneurship at SMU. Through a transformational gift, they established the Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. The lifelong entrepreneur had this advice for students: “Make ‘ethical business’ more than an oxymoron term. As leaders for the next generation, our country/world needs your special talents and efforts to help form a truly peaceful global economy.” Dr. Kabara also encouraged students to have a passion for what they do: “My final piece of advice is this secret: If you can dream it, you can make it happen. So dream big.” Two hundred and forty-nine students were eligible to participate in the undergraduate commencement ceremony. Student perspectives were offered by the Outstanding Male and Female Seniors, Kevin Black and Anastacia Sontag. Later that afternoon, 557 students were eligible to participate in the Winona campus Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs commencement. Degrees were conferred in the following areas: graduate certificate in Instruction, M.A. Instruction, M.A. International Business, M.A. Pastoral Administration, M.A. Pastoral Ministries, M.A. Philanthropy and Development, M.S. in Geographic Information Science, and M.Ed. Teaching and Learning. Student perspectives were offered by Beverly Koopman, M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning, and Ryan Hughes, M.S. in Geographic Information Science. Fifty-five students received diplomas and degrees during the Saint Mary’s Nairobi campus ceremony May 10. Three hundred and eighty-four students received degrees from the Twin Cities campus on June 8.≠

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Lisa Frank, John Freeman, Jenny Gelschus and Christina Gersch line up before the undergraduate commencement ceremony May 10 in Winona.

Two members of the first graduating class of the Saint Teresa Leadership and Service Institute for Women included Nodetty Joassaint and Diana Olivares (center left and right). Congratulating them are Institute members Georgette McCauley ’10, left, and Tamika Robinson ’09, right.

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NEWS AND VIEWS

Saint Mary’s University students, from left: Amanda Christman ’08, Bethany Kaufmann ’09, Holly Schuh ’08 and Dan Murray ’08 participated in the Mayo Scholars Program in 2007-08, sponsored by the Mayo Clinic Office of Intellectual Property.

Four SMU students complete projects in the Mayo Scholars Program Four Saint Mary’s University students received the educational opportunity of a lifetime through the Mayo Scholars Program. For five months, these students contributed to innovative medical research, associated with the world’s most prestigious health care system. The Mayo Scholars Program, now in its second year, offers an opportunity for selected MBA students and undergraduate science and business students to research projects submitted by Mayo Clinic professionals through the Mayo Clinic Office of Intellectual Property. The program connects students from biology, chemistry, math, physics, pre-med and business and helps prepare them for careers in hospitals, medical research institutions and health care agencies. Forty-five students from nine Minnesota Private College Council schools participated in the program. Saint Mary’s program participants included: Amanda Christman, a senior majoring in marketing, international business and Spanish from St. Joseph, Minn.; Bethany Kaufmann, a junior biology: pre-physical-therapy and biochemistry major from Green Bay, Wis.; Dan Murray, a senior marketing and management major from Rochester, Minn.; and Holly Schuh, a senior visual arts: business major and biology minor from Altura, Minn. The team of four students were chosen by SMU faculty in early October. For the next five months, the teams worked on research focusing on “Treating Digestive Motility Disorders,” under the guidance of team leader Leo Evans from Augsburg College and Mayo Licensing Manager, Leif Nelson. Saint Mary’s faculty advisors were Dr. Tom Marpe, Business Department, and Dr. Randy Krainock, Biology Department. The group presented their findings March 12 in Rochester. “The Mayo Scholars Program was a great opportunity for me to work in the business environment of the medical industry, a task that was very new and foreign to me. It challenged me to take aspects from all my courses and studies thus far and apply them to an innovative and demanding topic. It was very rewarding to see my studies reinforced and strengthened both individually and as a team in this practical setting,” Christman said. Students have the option of earning credit for the experience, either as an internship or independent study. They also receive a $1,000 stipend. “The students gained a wonderful experience that pushed them outside their comfort zone,” said Dr. Marpe. “They gained much in their research skills and poise and confidence in making public presentations.”≠

SMU reports record undergrad enrollment Official 10th-day-of-class statistics at the Saint Mary’s University Winona campus show a total undergraduate record enrollment of 1,413 — up 4.7 percent from last year’s total of 1,350. The previous record was set in 2002, when Saint Mary’s reported a total Winona undergraduate enrollment of 1,376. This year’s total includes 1,334 full-time Winona-campus undergraduates and 79 part-time students. A total of 404 freshmen are enrolled this fall. The freshman class is the second-highest in Saint Mary’s history; the highest was recorded in 1988. ≠

Saint Mary’s names new trustees Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota has announced four new members of its board of trustees: • Walter E. Smithe III ’81 of Barrington Hills, Ill., is the president of Walter E. Smithe Furniture in Itasca, Ill. • Michael G. Dougherty ’76 of Burnsville, Minn., is the president of and an attorney at Severson, Sheldon, Dougherty & Molenda, P.A., in Apple Valley, Minn. • Brother Patrick Conway, FSC, ’75, M’80, Ed.D., of Chicago, is the director of the Lasallian Teacher Immersion Program/Vocations for the Christian Brothers of the Midwest. He previously worked as SMU’s vice president for student development from 2001-2004 and associate dean for student achievement from 2000-01. • Brother Frederick C. Mueller, FSC of Providence, R.I., is the coordinator of faculty/staff professional development and Lasallian formation at La Salle Academy. • Additionally Loras “Red” Sieve ’60, received “emeritus” status. Sieve retired as director of planning, technology and operations division at General Mills Inc. and served as vice president of corporate and community relations at Saint Mary’s from 1994-2005. He served on the board for 20 years — from 1976-1986 and 1987-1997. He also serves on the SMU Board of Regents.≠ WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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NEWS AND VIEWS

Brother President William Mann addresses the crowd at the Winona welcome celebration.

Winona Welcome Approximately 250 Winona-area alumni, faculty, staff, students, friends and community members attended a welcome celebration for new president Brother William Mann June 18. Brother William met with community members; attendees enjoyed beverages and appetizers; and members of the Gilmore Creek Summer Theatre entertained guests with a special musical tribute to Brother William.≠

Members of the Gilmore Creek Summer Theatre performing at the Winona Welcome were, from left: front, John Freeman ’08, Stephen DiBlasi, Mike Speck (son of SMU faculty and staff, Teresa CST ’76 and Fritz M’89 Speck); back, Mariah Ciangiola and Libby (Kress ’96) Snyder.

After Mayor Jerry Miller welcomed Brother William to Winona, Brother William presented the mayor with a new red SMU shirt and said with a laugh, “I’m finding that red is a very good color.”

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Ropes course ‘going up’ at SMU Winona campus Saint Mary’s will get into the swing of things with a new ropes course, which will open this spring on the Winona campus. SMU administration has high hopes it will help the campus’ outdoor programming tower above the rest. Construction on the high and low ropes course was scheduled to begin the third week in October and be completed by November. In spring, guides will be specially trained in how to use the safety equipment and begin facilitating activities. The overall project — by ABEE Inc. (Adventure Based Experiential Educators, Inc.) — will include a 40-foot climbing tower, seven or eight high elements, and six or seven low elements. Highlights will be a 300-foot zipline and the “Leap of Faith,” where participants stand on a platform atop a telephone pole and leap to a trapeze. Students will be able to test their skills on a variety of courses; they can walk a single metal cable while reaching for ropes, placed every 5 feet above them, or they can walk across boards like a horizontal ladder. The course is also handicapped accessible. “It promotes team building and enhances the natural beauty of where we live,” said Chris Kendall ’79, M’95, vice president for student development. “It’s tied closely to the mission of our leadership office, and it’s fun; it’s exciting.” The course will be located in the thick of new athletic development on campus: over the right center field of the newly renovated baseball field, behind the bleachers of the new track and field complex, and near the trail head of the ski trails. Kendall and others at the university have been excited to begin a ropes course for several years. Kendall received positive feedback after 700 SMU students participated in a high ropes excursion in Lanesboro eight years ago. The $75,000 project was assisted with a gift from the class of 2008, which funded the low ropes portion of the course. “We see the ropes course utilized by our students, as well as a nice addition to existing summer camps,” Kendall said. “It also gives us the opportunity to develop new programs for our alums and the Winona community.”≠ FALL/WINTER 2008


NEWS AND VIEWS

Tracking the track and soccer complex Ground was broken for Phase I of the Saint Mary’s University track and field/soccer complex in early May. The project will include all of the competitive aspects of the facility, including a nine-lane Beynon track, a Sprinturf soccer pitch, sport lighting, and regrading and irrigation of the practice soccer pitch. The track and field were completed in October.â‰

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Kaplan composers share music, understand As Marc Bernstein picked up his saxophone, the SMU Concert Band swayed to the music. As they began enthusiastically clapping to the rhythm, Bernstein grinned widely, nodding his head as if to say, “Now you’ve got it; have fun with it.” Bernstein traveled twice to SMU from his home in Denmark in preparation for and the world premiere performance of his work, “Ashkenazi Fathers” during Family Weekend 2008. Bernstein became the fifth composer chosen to share his talents with the Saint Mary’s community — and the surrounding community. For the past 10 years, through the Helen and Sam Kaplan Charitable Foundation Trust Fund,

Saint Mary’s University students have had the amazing opportunity to work with, and learn from, world-class composers; the chance to perform world-premiere compositions; and several venues to receive a broader understanding of Jewish culture, music and history. In 1997, the trustees of the Helen and Sam Kaplan Charitable Foundation Trust Fund in Kansas City awarded a $100,000 grant to Saint Mary’s to establish the Helen and Sam Kaplan Foundation Jewish Scholar-in-Residence Program. Attorney Ron Thiewes ’68, counsel to the Kaplan Trust, said, “This grant is awarded on the express understanding that Saint Mary’s will introduce to its curriculum, with implications toward the Winona community, a forum to enlarge exposure for the particular talents, skills, expertise and scholarship of recognized Jewish and Israeli intellectuals, leaders, musicians and performing artists and academicians through the Jewish Scholar-in-Residence Program.” It was the dream of the Kaplans — successful business leaders and philanthropists — to share this rich heritage with learning communities. In 2000, Minneapolis Composer Steve Barnett composed “Halleil — O Praise the Lord,” which was premiered by the Saint Mary’s Concert Band during Family Weekend. Barnett expressed how excited he was to compose a Jewish-themed work for a Catholic university. “In the world of religious tension,” he said, “to know that ecumenicism is alive and well

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… .” Barnett’s work mixed musical elements from the Latin and Jewish cultures and was divided into three sections: prayer, song and dance. In 2002, Chicago composer Lee Kesselman conducted “Let Peace Descend,” a composition for choir and wind ensemble, on the SMU campus. Kesselman expressed that his work — using both Hebrew and English — reflected the yearning for peace by humanity. In 2004, Philip Rothman’s “Departure Point” for piano and wind ensemble premiered Oct. 2. Rothman said his “point of departure was a melody one chants prior to reading the Book of Prophets in the Sabbath synagogue service. And, as this commission was given in an ecumenical spirit, the piece I came to write was then four variations on this melody. Each variation is written in a different style that recalls some of the great composers of the last century.” The fourth Kaplan composer, Judith Lang Zaimont’s piece, “Israeli Rhapsody,” was written after visiting with the band in the summer of 2006. Lang Zaimont chose to “pay tribute to the complicated, thoughtful and joyous aspects that come together and do indeed characterize the people who flourish in FALL/WINTER 2008


NEWS AND VIEWS

ing of Jewish heritage

Money raised at the 2008 Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance helped Steve Groby ’01, left, who has leukemia. With Groby are the benefit’s namesake Taylor Richmond and his mother, Nikki Richmond.

Annual SMU benefit dance raises nearly $17,000 for alumnus leukemia patient

Kaplan composers at Saint Mary’s have included: clockwise, from top right, Steve Barnett, 2000; Judith Lang Zaimont, 2006; Philip Rothman, 2004; Marc Bernstein, 2008; and Lee Kesselman, 2002. SMU Concert Band Director Dr. Janet Heukeshoven is pictured with Bernstein.

that dramatic land.” Her piece, which ends as a joyful dance, contained fragments of well-known Israeli melodies. “It means a lot to me when composers are passionate about the music they are working on. They explain the history and meaning behind it, which to a musician is very important,” said senior music education major and concert band member Gosia Paidosh. “The music was challenging, which helped us with developing our musicianship in many ways. The thing that I enjoyed most was when the composers worked with us in the rehearsal setting. That is the only time when you can really understand fully what the composer meant to do in the music.” “The Kaplan Foundation has significantly enhanced our cocurricular programming through its Jewish Scholar-in-Residence Program,” said Dr. Jeffrey Highland, SMU provost. “For a decade, the endowment has enabled Saint Mary’s University to provide unique and varied opportunities to explore the Jewish experience, and we are grateful.” In addition, the trust fund has helped the university bring in an Anne Frank exhibit; an art exhibit titled “Israel/Palestine: A Home Divided;” Israeli singer Chava Alberstein; and the thought-provoking play, “remains.” The fund has also supported Page Series events.≠

More than 700 people attended Saint Mary’s University’s eighth annual Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance on April 12. Proceeds from the dance — and a silent auction held on campus — raised just over $16,900 for this year’s beneficiary, SMU alum Steve Groby ’01 of Shakopee, formerly of Wabasha. Groby was diagnosed on March 16, 2006 with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia, which resulted in a bone marrow transplant last May. This benefit dance has become an annual tradition since it was started by students in 2001 in honor of Taylor Richmond, son of Saint Mary’s Campus Ministry and Student Activities staff member Nikki Richmond and her husband Nick Richmond ’89, M’04, both of Cochrane, Wis. Taylor has a genetic terminal illness called Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T) and the money from his benefit was used to fulfill Taylor’s dream of going to Disney World. Each year this event benefits someone in the SMU community in need.≠

More than 700 people danced to the Johnny Holm Band during this year’s Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance April 12.

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NEWS AND VIEWS

The inside scoop on SMU’s Schools of SGPP names new board members April marked new additions to the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs’ Board of Regents. Three new members have joined the board to bring the total membership to 12. The Board of Regents was established to provide counsel to the president of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. They serve the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs with the purpose to help advance the objectives of the SGPP and increase its visibility. Matt Mahmood is chief operating officer of Pioneer Plastics, Apple Valley. He holds an MBA from the Matt Mahmood Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. Mahmood previously held positions at Circata Corporation, American Ivy Chang Express, Smith Barney, and the Boston Group. Ivy Chang is owner of PR International and editor of “Construction Bulletin.” She holds a B.A. in Journalism Tim Brown from the University of Minnesota. Chang previously held positions at Burlington Northern, 3M, International Multifoods, and in the Saint Paul Public Schools. Tim Brown is assistant principal at Anishinabe Academy in Minneapolis. He holds an M.A. in Education from Penn State University, and an Ed.D. in Leadership from the University of St. Thomas. Brown previously held

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On April 19, current students and alumni came together on the Twin Cities campus to celebrate 36 years of the Human Development Program. HD alumni and students gathered in small groups for networking and roundtable discussions.

positions in the Minneapolis Public Schools, Augsburg College, Hamline University, Center School, and IndianMagnet School.≠

Rooms provide unique perspective for instructional training purposes Since the opening of the Park Avenue North building on the Twin Cities campus, many improvements have been made to the learning environment of the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs. One of the latest additions has been the development of several rooms that will be used for instructional clinical training purposes. They feature video and audio technology that will be used for classrooms to monitor simulations. These rooms are the first available at an educational institution in the Twin Cities metro area. These rooms will give the students an opportunity to have realistic simulations for classroom work and to obtain better feedback. Only faculty and students will have access to use these

clinical rooms. Rooms will be used by the Bachelor of Science in Business, and master’s programs in Counseling and Psychology, Nurse Anesthesia and Marriage and Family Therapy. “These rooms allow students to develop more competency-based training strategies,” said Dr. Sara Wright, clinical program director for Marriage and Family Therapy. “Students will be able to see and listen to the simulation taking place, as well as watch the nonverbal communication.” The marriage and family therapy students were the first to use the classrooms to view actual therapy experiences with individual and family groups. The rooms were used in September 2008 for the first time. They feature two cameras and microphones, which feed into a monitoring room. The monitoring room has four video monitors that can provide viewing of each camera at the same time and control information that is fed into the classroom. Saint Mary’s adheres to policies for client confidentiality and will not broadcast these activities for outside uses.≠ FALL/WINTER 2008


NEWS AND VIEWS

Graduate and Professional Programs Kelsey appointed director for M.A. in Philanthropy and Development Saint Mary’s has named Dr. Gary Kelsey as its new director for the M.A. in Philanthropy and Development program. Dr. Kelsey is a current faculty member and former director of the program, as well as the former program director for the M.A. in Health and Human Services Administration at SMU. Dr. Kelsey is also an alumnus of Saint Mary’s, receiving an M.A. in Health & Human Service Administration in 1991 and earning a Doctor of Education

in Leadership in 2001. Dr. Kelsey has 29 years of professional experience within the nonprofit, government Dr. Gary Kelsey and education sectors. Since 1991, Dr. Kelsey has been a faculty member at several Twin Cities universities, including the University of St. Thomas and Concordia University. He teaches a variety of courses including Boards and Volunteerism, Qualitative Research, Fundraising, Human Services

Next Hendrickson Forum to feature conversation with former Australian prime minister The Honorable John Winston Howard, former prime minister of Australia, will be the featured speaker at the second Hendrickson forum, to be held April 21, at the Nicollet Island Pavilion in Minneapolis. As the prime minister of Australia from March 1996 until November 2007, Howard served a distinctively Western role in the Asian-Pacific Rim. Howard approached his responsibilities from a global viewpoint, providing economic vision and security strategies that raised Australia’s profile and impact around the world as well as improving economic stability at home. During Howard’s tenure: • Ten of the 12 annual budgets produced by the Howard government were in surplus and $96 John Howard billion of federal government debt was repaid. • Economic growth averaged 3.6 percent per annum and the unemployment rate sank to a 33-year low of 4.3 percent. • Extensive trade expansion with the nations of Asia created new markets, particularly the development of the relationship with China, which is now Australia’s largest export market. Howard will discuss the role of world leaders in a new century, addressing the growing concerns of globalization and global economics, the environment, and threats to international security. He will explain in what ways, and to what degrees, China, India and the Pacific Rim may participate. Finally, he will respond to questions submitted by forum participants.≠ For questions, contact Barb Hall at (612) 238-4517 or bhall@smumn.edu. For more details, visit www.smumn.edu/Hendrickson.

Management, Strategic Planning, Systems Theory, and Dissertation and Thesis Development. Most recently, Dr. Kelsey served as the interim dean for the School of Public Policy and Administration at Walden University. He is also the principal consultant of Gary Kelsey and Associates, through which he has provided development assistance and training to more than 250 non-profit, philanthropic, education and government organizations.≠

Business leader and firm create scholarships for accounting students Farley S. Kaufmann, a partner with the accounting firm of Lurie Besikof Lapidus and Company, LLP, along with his firm, have jointly created two scholarship funds at the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs. The annual scholarships will benefit students in both the Accounting Bachelor of Science degree completion and Accounting certificate programs. The scholarships are intended to assist students completing the programs to consider public accounting as a career and increase the diversity of adult professionals in the field. Peg Pavlik, co-director of the accounting programs, said, “The scholarships will be a great enhancement for our students and our program offerings. A majority of our students have indicated a strong interest in public accounting in a recent survey.” The commitment by Kaufmann and Lurie Besikof Lapidus and Company also includes a closer relationship with both the firm and Saint Mary’s University to work together to mentor, teach, advise and inform the students about public accounting. Saint Mary’s is a partner with Lurie Besikof Lapidus and Company co-sponsoring its monthly Leadership Breakfast Seminar (www. lblco.com) held at the company’s headquarters in Minneapolis. Farley Kaufmann also serves as a member of the Board of Regents.≠ WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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Artist’s concept of proposed science facility.

SMU’s formula for growth includes new science facility As part of its mission to better serve students in pursuit of a high-quality, up-todate education — as well as a focus on recruitment and visibility — Saint Mary’s publicly announced in spring 2008 its intention to dramatically upgrade science facilities on the Winona campus. The project will include a 36,000- to 38,000square foot addition to the Adducci Science Center, with renovations to the existing 43,000-square foot facility. A completion date will be set as a clearer picture emerges concerning the $20 million funding. Funding will primarily come from private sources, and if a major gift is received, construction could begin as early as May 2010. Construction will not begin until a significant portion of the building cost is in hand. Although the addition’s design is in the conceptual stage, university officials have long recognized the need for a new facility, and the planning process has been underway for a number of years. A preliminary facilities analysis was conducted in December 2006 by the BWBR architectural firm, and a report was made on the science programs by Dr. James Gentile ’68, president of Research Corporation. Dr. Gentile endorsed the quality of existing programs and the strengths of SMU faculty, but

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noted that a major facilities enhancement was necessary. In response, in September 2007, Dr. Thomas Mans, vice president for academic affairs, appointed a Natural Science Facilities Task Force to develop a plan for state-of-the-art science education facilities. Under the leadership of Dr. Roger Kugel ’70, Chemistry Department chair, the task force initiated the planning process for an addition to the science center, and renovations of both Hoffman and Brother Charles halls. “The new wing includes teaching labs. The existing building will be made into classroom and office space. Mathematics and computer science will also be located in the science center, reflecting their key role in all science fields. It’s the lab and student-and-faculty research spaces that are demanding in terms of technology and environmental standards,” Dr. Mans said. “Current education strategies in the sciences emphasize interactive learning and group and team work. There is much less emphasis on the straight lecture to convey content and much more focus on scientific reasoning and problem solving, especially in group settings. This is a very important change since contemporary science is overwhelmingly a team effort.”

Dr. Mans also noted the greater use of science-related equipment in instruction. “When our current facilities were designed, we had Bunsen burners, traditional thermometers and some beakers. Now we use hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment. The current buildings, although structurally sound and adaptable, were not designed for this much equipment.” Dr. Kugel noted that the new structure will better facilitate this form of learning. “We have an emphasis on student research that requires a lot of student attention and a more structured program,” he said. “We need a space that will be better conducive to that type of interaction.” The early proposal for the center for science education and research envisions: • State-of-the-art instructional laboratories equipped to provide a hands-on collaborative approach to scientific study that engages students in intellectual curiosity, learning by experimentation, critical thinking and observation skills. • Research rooms for biology, chemistry, physics and psychology that are equipped for senior-year and graduate student thesis research. These facilities will also be utilized for students to work FALL/WINTER 2008


$2 million gift kicks off science center fundraising In spring 2008, an anonymous $2 million gift to Saint Mary’s University became the first step in a $20 million campaign for a new science facility on the Winona campus. The $2 million unrestricted bequest — from a Saint Mary’s alum — is being used as a matching fund, dollar for dollar, for each gift the university receives of at least $10,000. Brother President William Mann, FSC said that Saint Mary’s is moving ahead with the project, “while at the same time we are aware of and sensitive to current economic challenges. I hope that alumni can join us in the formation of this initiative and help us realize a vision we can all be proud of.” Brother William noted that the strength of Saint Mary’s educational programming is founded on expert professors, quality instrumentation, innovative curriculum, and nurturing guidance. “A new science facility will further strengthen our excellence in teaching,” Brother William added. “Together we’ll ensure that the next generations of scientists, doctors, inventors and entrepreneurs are prepared educationally and ethically to meet the global challenges they will face.” For more information on how you can support this project, contact Joseph Sweeney ’81, vice president for development, at jsweeney@smumn.edu or (507) 457-1495.

• •

• •

collaboratively with professors and scientists outside of SMU on experimental research. A dramatic atrium and courtyard, designed as a gathering space to promote the idea of science and service together, complemented by a palette of material and plants significant to the region. A fully equipped science auditorium, with provisions for varying capacity and seating (for more than 100 people) for a wide variety of seminars designed to facilitate instruction, lectures and presentations. A computer science laboratory where faculty and students conduct research in many areas including algorithms, automated reasoning, computational biology, databases and data mining, distributed systems, formal methods, graphics, and virtual environments. High-tech instructional classrooms. A teaching and research greenhouse designed to facilitate instruction and research in botany, genetics, plant physiology, molecular biology and ecology. Artifact and articles of interest display areas. A faculty-student collaboration center with faculty offices designed around informal student gathering spaces to promote opportunities for frequent learning interactions and casual meetings between students and faculty. An astronomy facility with a high-tech digital telescope and viewing area (if funded).

“The number of students majoring in the sciences is increasing, but all SMU students will benefit from this development, as all of our students take

at least two courses in science with a lab experience,” said Dr. Kugel. “The construction and renovation plans will also engage the community with our programming — through exhibitions, talks, science fairs and similar activities. We plan to use this facility year-round.” Dr. Mans added that SMU is responding to the huge national need for science and technical personnel. “I don’t see unemployed science majors around,” he said. “It’s true that an advanced degree is often required, but that’s the historical role of private colleges. Twice as many Ph.D.s come from private colleges, and that’s our pattern as well; we produce a lot of students who go on to graduate study. “And we’re preparing people to be teachers in science, which is one of the distinctive missions of SMU — to get people ready to instruct at the elementary and secondary levels.” Along with state-of-the-art classrooms, an emphasis is also being placed on making the building welcoming — a light and bright place where students can gather. “Science students don’t just come for class and leave. These students work together in teams, engage in research in labs, and work closely with faculty, and we need to design a structure with that in mind,” Dr. Kugel said. University officials hope that a new science facility also furthers SMU’s Lasallian mission to awaken, nurture and empower leaders to ethical lives of service and leadership. “Contemporary science creates social and ethical challenges of a kind not seen in the past,” Dr. Mans said. “Scientists and technologists need the kind of values- and ethics-based education SMU offers to assure an integrative and reflective approach.”≠

Get the science facts ◆ In 2005-06, SMU had 36 students graduating with science-related majors; in 2006-07 there were 46; and in 2007-08, 50, equaling nearly a fifth of degrees conferred on the Winona campus. ◆ Saint Mary’s has graduated 208 chemistry students since 1938 at an average of 3 per year. Of these 40 percent have gone on to obtain doctorates and at least 11 percent have become educators. The chemistry program is growing far beyond its 50-year average; there have been 20 chemistry or biochemistry graduates since 2006, an average of 7 per year. ◆ Students graduating with biology and biology-related majors have increased from 29 in 2005-06 to 41 in 2007-08. ◆ New this year, qualified students at Saint Mary’s Winona undergraduate campus can enter Mayo’s highly regarded Clinical Laboratory Science Training Program. Saint Mary’s also partners with Mayo Clinic in cytogenetic technology, cytotechnology, and nuclear medicine technology. ◆ Saint Mary’s University has a fully accredited unified program in nuclear medicine technology in conjunction with NorthShore University Healthsystem, with clinical facilities at Evanston Hospital in Evanston, Ill., Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview, Ill., and Highland Park Hospital in Highland Park, Ill.

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The men behind SMU’s science facility names The existing science buildings on the Winona campus were named after two legendary science educators who, together, dedicated nearly 100 years of their lives to teaching. The entire facility was named after a science alumnus who found success in the medical device industry.

HOFFMAN HALL

As a tribute to Brother Charles, the Severin Award for Excellence in Teaching is presented to a faculty member at SMU every two years. Additionally, Brother Charles Hall was completed in phases between 1987 and 1990.

The first portion of the science facility was named in honor of Dr. John Hoffman, who served as a professor and chairman of Saint Mary’s Chemistry Department for 40 years – from 1920 until 1960. Dr. John Hoffman Br. Charles Severin Anthony Adducci ’59 Dr. Hoffman was also called ADDUCCI upon to teach mathematics, SCIENCE physics, meteorology and Brother Charles Severin Scholarship CENTER modern and classical The Brother Charles Severin Scholarship was endowed by the language, all while pursuing Anthony Adducci ’59 was Class of 1958 in June 2008 in celebration of their 50th anniversary. his Ph.D. in chemistry in considered a pioneer of the This scholarship will be open to Winona campus full-time 1931. In 1964, Dr. Hoffman medical device industry in undergraduate student(s) with demonstrated financial need and suffered a fatal stroke while Minnesota. Perhaps his most preference will be given to students in chemistry, biology or physics. teaching quantitative analysis. widely known success was in For more information on how to support science scholarships at Words his former co-founding Cardiac SMU, contact the Office of Development at (507) 457-6647 or students have used to Pacemakers Inc., the company giving@smumn.edu. describe Dr. Hoffman include that manufactured the “brilliant educator” and world’s first lithium battery “great scientist,” as well as powered artificial pacemaker. his passion for learning to his students. “true Christian.” In 1959, he was named a Adducci earned his B.S. degree in When interviewed in the publication Knight of St. Gregory by Pope John XXIII in physics from Saint Mary’s in 1959. Right “Brother Charles: An oral history,” Brother recognition of his outstanding service to the after graduation, he began working as an Charles was asked what he considered his Catholic Church as a layman. acoustical engineer, helping design and most significant professional Known for explaining the complex in develop loudspeakers and horns. After a accomplishment. He responded, “Any time simple terms, Dr. Hoffman frequently used short span in digital data communication I had a chance to work with people, that’s complicated demonstrations to facilitate systems, Adducci began collaborating with the big thing. Anything else is incidental.” learning. Others remember Dr. Hoffman as a physician in 1963 and developed an Brother Charles enjoyed taking a taskmaster, but stressed that the rewards electronic ear thermometer used to detect students into the field, knowing that some of putting in extra hours of preparation the time of ovulation in women. learning must be hands-on, not textbookwere worth it. By the late 1960s, he joined based. Often students had difficulty In a 1964 issue of “Terrace Heights Medtronic; his duties included marketing keeping up with the spry teacher who let News,” Brother J. George Carney ’45, then and consulting, as well as sales his enthusiasm carry him over the rough serving as chairman of the Department of administration. He taught surgeons around bluffland. Physics at CBC in Memphis, expressed, the country the basics of how pacemakers One story, recounted by the late Rory “When I try to explain complex theories of work and how to insert them. Vose, who taught alongside Brother physics, now and then I find myself saying In 1972, he co-founded Cardiac Charles, details the educator’s muchin class, ‘As a great teacher I once had Pacemakers Inc. of St. Paul, which, remembered dry wit. would put it …’ Perhaps no finer tribute according to the Pioneer Press was “As we were climbing down the cliff, can ever be paid to a teacher.” purchased in 2006 for $27 billion by Boston Brother Charles fell and slid right down a Hoffman Hall was named in his honor Scientific Corp. After selling his stake in steep slope. He was grabbing on to in 1965. Cardiac Pacemakers to Eli Lilly & Company, whatever he could to help slow him down Adducci worked as a private venture but kept right on sliding until he finally capitalist in the Twin Cities. He was BROTHER landed in a sitting position. I was so afraid president of Technology Enterprises and CHARLES HALL he had serious injuries so I rushed down to director of North American Banking him as fast as possible. There he was, cut Brother Charles Severin, FSC, started the Company and Capsule Design. He also Biology Department at Saint Mary’s in 1933 and bleeding, but when he saw me, he founded the Adducci Family Foundation. and served as its chairman from then until held up a plant that he had grabbed during He served as a Saint Mary’s trustee 1962. He continued teaching at the from 1979 until the time of his death in his fall and said excitedly, ‘I haven’t seen university until the late 1980s. 2006. one of these in years.’ ” An expert in botany, Brother Charles The Adducci Science Center was In 1985, Brother President Louis approached learning with enthusiasm. Every named in honor of the Adducci family DeThomasis named Brother Charles plant seemed to excite him, and he spread in 1987.≠ honorary president of Saint Mary’s College.

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FALL/WINTER 2008


If these halls could speak Memories from two Saint Mary’s professors, department chairs and alums The top of Brother Charles’ bronze head is worn smooth. Many Saint Mary’s students can’t walk past the metal sculpture of Brother Charles Severin’s head, located at the entrance to Heffron Hall, without rubbing it for luck — particularly around finals week. Though decades of students never met the beloved long-time biology professor, much less follow him along winding paths through the bluffs, his legend — and his educational spirit — lives on. Students today still peer into the display cases in Hoffman Hall and Brother Charles Hall, at Brother Charles’ displays of shells, organisms or fossils. Though some of the displays contain yellowing paper or fading photos, the knowledge they share is no less relevant today than 40 years ago. Dr. Phil Cochran ’77, chair and professor of the Department of Biology, says current faculty still put info from the display cases onto tests. “I can still remember a particular one that was on my biology test,” he said. Dr. Cochran said he was lucky enough to have Brother Charles, then in his 80s, for a summer course. “Even in his 80s,

Brother Charles walked the bluffs, and a lot of students had a hard time keeping up with him,” Dr. Cochran said. “We’d see him 30 feet up in a tree where he was checking on the buds.” It’s Brother Charles’ dedication to teaching that Dr. Cochran will always remember most. “When I was a student here, he hired a biology major to sit in the back of the classroom and tell him what he could do better,” he said. “Here he was, 80 years old, a living legend, not even teaching major classes at that point, but still wanting to do better.” Dr. Cochran sees little pieces of Brother Charles throughout the building. A small handle, refashioned from a trunk handle, is fastened to the doorway of the greenhouse, “I can see him using that to pull himself up the step,” Dr. Cochran said. “In fact there’s a plant that Brother Charles planted, over 60 years ago, still in our greenhouse.” Brother Charles — and other iconic instructors like Dr. Richard Kowles M’67, Brother Jerome Rademacher ’58, Ph.D., and the late Rory Vose, Dr. John Hoffman, Brother George Pahl ’36, Brother Ambrose

Trusk ’43 and more — left enduring marks on Saint Mary’s science programs. If these halls could speak, they’d undoubtedly recount experiments that have gone awry. Two that come immediately to Dr. Cochran’s mind involve a dead deer and a vat of soured powdered milk. Sometimes it’s what’s located within the walls that stirs memories. “Alumni always bring their kids to see the two-headed calf,” Dr. Cochran said. The Siamese calf — donated from a farm in Fountain City — is a stuffed-and-mounted curiosity of the building. “We do have skeletons in our closets (literally),” Dr. Cochran continued. “But there isn’t much else that’s hidden because we don’t have a lot of storage space. A lot of the building has changed since I was a student, remodeled to meet changing needs. Unfortunately there isn’t any more room to remodel.” Dr. Cochran points out that a lot of science learning has always extended beyond the classroom. “Whether you’re in environmental biology or freshman intro classes, we do a lot outside, and we’d want to integrate that aspect into the new WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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A metal sculpture of Brother Charles Severin’s head welcomes students to Heffron Hall.

Saint Mary’s has a long tradition of quality science programs.

building,” Dr. Cochran said. “A lot of people don’t know, for example, that we have a small fleet of boats.” Dr. Cochran is currently researching the use of Gilmore Creek as a watershed and trying to get funding for equipment to monitor the temperature, flow rates and fish information from the science facilities on campus. “I’ve always enjoyed having a building that was so embedded into the environment,” he said. “It’s been really enjoyable. I’d want that to continue.” Some of Dr. Cochran’s students take a 24-hour lab, during which they collect samples from Gilmore Creek in shifts. Dr. Cochran enjoys sneaking in and taking a picture of them at 2 a.m. “It’s logistically difficult to set up, but our students look back on the experience with fondness,” he said. “I usually show up around 4 a.m. with doughnuts to keep their spirits up. Our alumni have a lot of stories like these, especially of late nights before research symposiums and of experiments. A lot of late nights happen in this building.” Dr. Roger Kugel ’70 is a bit reluctant to detail the first story that comes to mind of when he was a chemistry major in the late ’60s. “Four of us were out late one night,” he begins slowly. “Then we remembered we had a lab due the next day.” Dr. Kugel

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folds his arms as he details a story of four young men trying to unsuccessfully conduct their lab in the wee hours of the morning. “It wasn’t an explosion,” he said. “Let’s just say that some of what we were doing ended up on the ceiling.” In chemistry, even small mistakes can have volatile results. “Often chemistry alumni come looking for certain spots on the ceiling or wall where a specific explosion happened,” he said. “You remember that for the rest of your life.” Students still surprise him. In one of his classes, Dr. Kugel said, he does a demonstration with phosphorus — a chemical frequently found in match heads — which needs to be stored underwater or it will burst into flames. In class, Dr. Kugel puts small drops of the chemical onto a piece of paper and casually lays it on the table as he goes on to do other things. Students frequently jump as the paper bursts into flames. Once, a few weeks later, one of his students made phosphorus-laden paper airplanes and shot them out the window. With a mixture of combustible, often dangerous materials, and college students, it isn’t surprising that safety is now stressed much more now than when Dr. Kugel was a student. Science lab students now wear goggles and gloves, and eyewash stations,

emergency showers and fire blankets are now the norm. What hasn’t changed, in Dr. Kugel’s mind, is the camaraderie between fellow majors. “As a student, we would hang out in the science building and do things socially. The bond that tied us together was the challenge of the difficult courses we took,” he said. “That spirit is still alive in the department, and we have three times the number of majors as back then.” The Sculati Chemistry Study Center (named for the late John Sculati ’33) is a popular spot for SMU students to work at computers, study and hang out. “That’s the kind of thing we want to preserve, foster and expand upon,” Dr. Kugel said. “We want students to feel like it’s their home away from home. Because this is where learning happens, not just in a classroom.” Also important, he said, is research space. “You take classes, and you learn, but it isn’t until you get a project of your own and get a taste of being a mini-expert on a topic, learning things no one else knows… . That’s the excitement. I’ve seen it so many times.” Dr. Kugel, now in his 29th year of teaching at Saint Mary’s, says he enjoys the enthusiasm science majors bring to the classroom. “It makes it fun to teach,” he said.≠ FALL/WINTER 2008


SMU students, alums excel at summer science jobs and internships My Summer with the Idaho Eagles

My Summer with the DNR

By Andy Nadeau ’07 Idaho Fish and Game seasonal field raptor biologist

By Betsy Baertlein ’10 Southeast Minnesota MinnAqua intern

Duties: Baiting hooks, releasing fish, untangling Explanation: North poles, and retaining sanity Central Idaho is growing while fishing with up to at a rapid rate, and 30 kids. While this may recreational resorts seem not sound like the to be popping up description of a typical everywhere. When internship, my summer Tamarack Resort (a ski days usually included all of resort and summer the above. From May to recreation area) opened a August, I interned with few years ago, several the Minnesota environmental studies Department of Natural were kick-started to see Resources’ MinnAqua how the development Program. would affect the wildlife With an in the area of Cascade and Donnelly, Idaho. office in This is where I came in. After graduating from Whitewater State SMU, I enrolled in the Master of Raptor Biology Park, I was program at Boise State University, and during my first responsible for semester I was contacted about taking a summer the 15-county position monitoring bald eagles around Lake Cascade. region of I would be responsible for monitoring the reproductive Southeast success of the 13 active nests around the lake and I Minnesota. would also observe how the birds reacted to the Usually when relatively recent increase in human disturbance. This people asked me sounded all fine-and-dandy to me, but when they what I do, I told mentioned I would be trained in tree climbing to access them that I the nests and band the chicks, I was sold! taught kids how My summer was spent living in a trailer in the to fish, but my middle of the Idaho wilderness (i.e. internship mosquito nirvana), driving a truck around encompassed so much more the lake daily to watch the active nests, than that. Along with Alumni are invited to learning how to climb massive ponderosa teaching kids, I also worked pines, and taking a few off moments to fish submit articles and photos with elderly people and for some Idaho trout! The highlight of the mentally disabled adults and for SMU’s Career Services summer came when I finally got to climb teens. I have acted as a liaison and Internships blog into a nest tree. Climbing the tree was the between MinnAqua and easy part – it was finding a way over and various community Go to http://smucareerservices into the massive nest that proved tricky. organizations, organized a Once secure, it was pretty awesome to be internships.blogspot.com Fishing Festival for my region, sitting in a nest with two bald eagle chicks and become familiar with (who were approximately three quarters the lessons in aquatic ecology and size of an adult already). We processed the Minnesota fish. Each day at birds, took feathers and blood for work presented itself as an opportunity for learning and professional contaminant analysis (DDT is still an issue), and left them alone in growth. For the remainder of the summer, I visited the Duluth the tree once again. We did this for the six nests that produced region to work at the Great Lakes Aquarium, shadowed a fisheries young. biologist in Lake City, shared stories of the summer at an intern camping trip, and, of course, untangled many more poles. Future Plans: After graduating from SMU my goal was to obtain a job that would put me as far away from a cubicle as possible. When Future Plans: Naturally, you’re probably wondering, how does all of I leave BSU, I hope to find a position in the Midwest working for a this relate to my future plans? Well, my major is literature with a government agency such as the Fish and Wildlife Service or the writing emphasis, and my minor is environmental biology. As a DNR. As beautiful as the West is, there is something about the junior at SMU, I am not entirely sure what I want to do for the rest of my life, but I would like my career to combine these two fields in Midwest that is drawing me back. The ultimate goal for me is to some way. I am currently pondering the possibility of doing public find a job in the National Parks Service as a raptor biologist, relations in the environmental sector.≠ hopefully still climbing trees and playing with eagles.≠


Dr. Casey Finnerty

Saint Mary’s welcomes three new science faculty

Dr. Casey Finnerty has a Ph.D. in entomology. But, he says, with a laugh, “I’m the kind of entomologist that’s of no good to anybody, because I’ve worked at the molecular level. So when people ask me what to spray on their tomatoes, I’m of no help. I tell them to step on the bugs.” Dr. Finnerty’s research focused on self and nonself recognition: during cell development, how do cells recognize they are different, particularly in insects without antibodies? His lab work helps with developing pesticides with insect viruses that have little if any environmental detriment, unlike chemical pesticides. “When people find out I studied entomology, they often ask me, ‘Why would you want to keep insects healthy?”and even though there are insects that we do want to keep healthy like honey bees, that is kind of the opposite of my work.” Though Dr. Finnerty has a broader background in biology, Dr. Finnerty said he first became interested in studying entomology for two reasons. First, he enjoyed the subject matter. “As a little boy, I grew up spending all my time outside catching bugs. My fourth-grade teacher asked me what I wanted to be, and I knew that it would involve insects,” he said, adding, “Insects are the most diverse group of animals on the planet, so I’m kind of a kid in the candy shop in that way.” Secondly, he said, he liked the fact that the field involved both basic and applied research. “It’s important in life sciences to have a broad background and entomologists receive training from the molecular to ecological levels. At a primarily

Why biology? It all started with an early interest in bugs. Affiliations: Entomological Society of America, Society for Invertebrate Pathology, American Society for Virology. Education: Ph.D., Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.; B.A. in Biological Sciences, the University of Chicago.

undergraduate institution, it’s better to have the breadth of exposure at this level of education.” He said Saint Mary’s appealed to him because of its primary teaching emphasis but also its research program. “And my wife and I are Catholic, so there was an appeal to return to a Catholic institution and one that emphasizes that identity.” This fall, Dr. Finnerty is teaching cell biology and two labs as well as the lab for botany and zoology, and will be working with the journal club and a student research program. “I’m deeply honored to be chosen as a replacement for Dr. Dick Kowles,” he said. “In many ways I hope to emulate what he was able to accomplish. “Teaching is imparting knowledge, but also stimulating thought and critical thinking. Teachers need to be cheerleaders, not only about the subject matter, but also for their students.” Like his predecessor, Dr. Finnerty said he also plans to be somewhat of a taskmaster, but also hopes his students get to know his less-serious side. “I have a good sense of humor,” he said. “Students will be able to discern just how silly I am.”≠

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Dr. Jaime Mueller

Why physics? Dr. Robyn Wangberg started out her undergraduate studies with majors in math and computer science. She took a physics class to fulfill her science requirement and found that she loved it. She ended up with a triple major when she added physics to the list. Interesting fact: She competes in Ironman triathlons, swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running 26.2 miles.

Dr. Robyn Wangberg

Early in Dr. Robyn Wangberg’s career, she worked for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Keyport, Wash. “Just software; nothing top secret,” she said with a smile, explaining that she was basically a civilian computer programmer. The closest she came to anything confidential was testing water on the range where they tested torpedoes. Her real passion is the topic of her Ph.D. dissertation at Oregon State University: “Sub-diffraction light propagation and imaging in planar negative refraction guidelines” — researching negative refraction to be used for lensing and imaging. “They want to build optical circuits and computers using light instead of electricity,” she said. “I studied a tiny piece of that using computer simulations.” This fall she is teaching quantum mechanics and introductory physics labs in the Saint Mary’s Physics Department. Dr. Wangberg admits she may not have been exactly what the search committee had originally been looking for. She was hired for her knowledge of computational physics; eventually she hopes to bring the strong interdisciplinary course into the curriculum. She also hopes that a re-instituted physics major at Saint Mary’s makes the program more robust and dynamic. Computational physics, Dr. Wangberg explains, is a combination of computer science and physics, especially relevant for visual data analysis. “In physics, there are a lot of variables, so to solve a large system of equations, it’s necessary to use a computer,” she said. “With computer modeling, you can see results graphically, three dimensionally.” The skills and knowledge of physics and computer science are in high demand in today’s job market. Dr. Wangberg is stepping into some big shoes. Following Brother Jerome Rademacher (who retired last spring after more than 30 years) can’t be easy. Brother Jerome is known for being thrifty — even a bit of a packrat. It’s been a summer of sorting. Piles of wires and cabling, boxes of gizmos, even a bag of cut-up bicycle tubes (sturdier than rubber bands, according to Brother Jerome) are piled in Dr. Wangberg’s new classroom. Little pieces of him will probably always be a part of the physics department. Early in her teaching career, Dr. Wangberg didn’t take long to move in — fewer boxes, fewer books, fewer memories. At Saint Mary’s, she hopes to begin compiling the “stuff” that comes along with an illustrious career. “I love the size of Saint Mary’s and the emphasis on teaching,” she said. “When I interviewed here I noticed that the science faculty was so close and supportive.”≠

The top shelf of Dr. Jaime Mueller’s new office in Hoffman Hall has colorful models of inorganic compounds — handed down from chemistry professor to chemistry professor for decades. Scandalously, the models for crystalline carbon (graphite, diamond and fullerenes) are missing. Names of chemistry department faculty who could be hiding the prized element are tossed around. The bigger question: “Why?” Dr. Mueller laughs and shrugs her shoulders, “Carbon was apparently cooler.” Dr. Mueller, one of a group of new science instructors at Saint Mary’s University’s Winona campus this fall, is teaching organic chemistry and lab and a general chemistry lab. It’s a world away from her research lab at the University of Chicago, where, for the past three years she’s examined “Synthesis of Pederin Family Hybrids for Biological Evaluation.”In layman’s terms, she was synthesizing anti-cancer drug candidates. From 2000 to 2005, her doctoral work at the University of Utah focused on “Mechanistic Investigations of Palladium-Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidations of Alcohols.” In layman’s terms, she studied chemical reactions that make alcohols used as building blocks for

Why chemistry? “In high school, it was the most challenging course and the most captivating,” Dr. Mueller said. Once she earned her bachelor’s degree, she still felt like there was so much more to learn and so many questions still unanswered. After earning her Ph.D. in organic chemistry in 2005, Dr. Mueller said, “I finally feel like I have a firm grasp of the field.” Interesting fact: She finished 10th in the U.S. Olympic Trials for the Women’s Biathlon in 2002. Affiliations: American Chemical Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and National Postdoctoral Association.

therapeutics with the goal of making these alcohols more practically. Much of her work led to improved reaction manifolds for generating these chiral alcohols. Dr. Mueller hopes to bring some of her research experience into the classroom. “Hopefully I’ll be able to put (what we’re learning in the classroom or lab) into a real-world perspective,” she said. “I would like to provide a context for organic chemistry. Whether (my students) will be working with sustainability … and the energy crisis or working to solve health problems, these students are going to have to solve a lot of really tough problems, and the foundation is organic chemistry.” As Dr. Mueller began applying to universities, she was choosy. “I was looking for a smaller liberal arts school,” she said. “I wanted to work somewhere where I would have a lot more one-on-one interaction with students, where I would actually know their names. And I knew I wanted to work with undergraduates and have an influence on their future in science. Saint Mary’s is focused on teaching and students’ learning and that’s what I am all about.”≠ WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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Dr. James R. Dolan In between dinner and the Bears kickoff — and before getting paged — Chicago-area surgeon James R. Dolan ’79, M.D., discusses one of his life mottos: Try to learn something every day, try to laugh every day and try to teach something every day. In his position as section chief of gynecologic oncology at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, in Park Ridge, Ill., Dr. Dolan has opportunities to do all three. Due to the nature of his job, there is always more to learn about the everchanging advancements in medicine, techniques and treatments. The second portion of his motto, laughing, he admits isn’t always easy, because in his profession the news isn’t always good. Dr. Dolan’s specialty is treating women with breast cancer, breast diseases and disorders, cervical cancer and disorders, ovarian cancer, vulvar cancer, and uterine diseases and disorders. Dr. Dolan is primarily a surgeon, but his work extends into other areas of treatment, including working with radiation oncologists and medical oncologists, and relieving pain if curing the cancer is no longer a possibility. “I’ve probably done approximately 6,000 surgeries. I’ve had many successes and some failures; that’s the life of a surgeon,” he said. “There’s an old saying in surgery. And those of us who have faith believe in it. ‘Do your best and let God do the rest.’ As a Catholic, that makes whatever life experiences a patient has a little easier to cope with. “There’s a lot that goes into counseling a patient once a cure is not possible. The human spirit is very strong. That’s a very gratifying part of what I do. The women I’m blessed to take care of fight hard to live. And if it becomes obvious they’re entering the final phase of their lives, they accept it as God’s will and allow us to take care of them.” The third portion of his motto, teaching and mentoring, Dr. Dolan says are vital in medicine. He enjoys mentoring young medical students and ob/gyn residents — paying it forward just like several professors at Saint Mary’s did for him in the 1970s. Dr. Dolan says his professors at Saint Mary’s saw the potential in him. Dr. Dolan said he always knew he wanted to be a surgeon, since sixth or seventh grade. The son of a Chicago police sergeant, Dr. Dolan said he never had a mentor in the field of medicine, or someone to lend him insight on how to reach his dream, until he came to college. “It was hard work, some twists of fate and meeting the right people,” he said. Dr. Dolan lists those people as Dr. Phil Cochran

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BIO Education: Majored in biology and minored in chemistry from Saint Mary’s in 1979; graduated in 1983 from the Abraham Lincoln School of Medicine at the University of Illinois; completed a four-year residency in obstetrics and gynecology at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, Ill.; did a two-year post-graduate fellowship in gynecologic oncology at Loyola University from 1987 to 1989; served on the faculty at Loyola from 1989 to 1995; and then went into private practice.

brought him into his office and told him to clean up his act if he wanted to get into medical school. “I ’77 (now chair of had blue jeans with the Department of holes, hair down to Biology, but then a my shoulders, a Fu fellow biology Manchu mustache, student who and an old fraternity Job: Section chief of gynecologic helped tutor him) coat with the sleeve oncology at Advocate Lutheran and professors ripped off and sewn General Hospital, Park Ridge, Ill. including: Dr. on. But he saw Richard Kowles Greatest achievements: potential in me. ’M67 (biology); Career-wise, Dr. Dolan said his “When you Brother Jerome greatest achievements include apply to medical Rademacher ’58, becoming double board certified, school a committee Ph.D. (physics); the having a very successful practice, and of professors write late Brother being designated as “teacher of the your letter of Ambrose Trusk, FSC year” eight times by his resident staff. recommendation. ’43, Ph.D. But, he stresses, his greatest joys are They changed my life. (chemistry); Dr. Paul his wife, Anne (Lock ’79), and his five They gave me the Froeschl ’67 (math); children, James, Emily, Andrew ’07, opportunity to go to Dr. Doug Foster Nicholas and Sean. the next level, and (biology); and Dr. I’ve certainly never Larry Dieterman forgotten that.” (chemistry). To upcoming SMU students looking to “Any chemistry class with Brother get into medicine, Dr. Dolan has this advice: Ambrose was a challenge, but when you did well in his class, it meant something,” • Study hard, obviously. he said. “Dr. Kowles, Brother Jerome and • Be determined; don’t take no for an Dr. Foster were all outstanding. They were answer. all very engaging and encouraging. They • Be disciplined and unselfish, especially took a deep interest in the students; they with your time. The clock doesn’t exist certainly did in me.” for young medical students, residents or Dr. Dolan remembers details of his attendings. classwork at SMU, but he also puts his • Find a good mentor. That’s true for any college years into the context of the ’70s — career. a time of long hair and loud music. As the • And strive for perfection knowing that president of the ADG (Alpha Delta Gamma) it’s not achievable. “Every incision, fraternity, partying was a part of his college every suture, every decision I make, experience. His memories include parties in I try to do perfectly. The difference Farmer’s Park, Prairie Island and at the between mediocre and very good is Hydrobiology Station on the river. care, discipline and attention to small But he also remembers the day Brother details,” he said.≠ Jerome grabbed him by the shoulder, FALL/WINTER 2008


ALUMS IN SCIENCE

Dr. Jane (Weydert) Homeyer Dr. Jane (Weydert ’86) Homeyer’s job description looks a lot like alphabet soup. As the director of competencies and standards for ODNI (Office of the Director of National Intelligence), Dr. Homeyer is helping transform the 16 Intelligence Communities (otherwise known as IC) agencies (the FBI, CIA, NSA, NGA, NRO, DIA — and 10 other acronyms) into a single community. She’s come a long way from watching “Quincy” back home in Iowa. “I used to watch ‘Quincy’ on TV and always thought I’d BIO love to apply science to investigations,” Education: Earned a B.A. with a she said. But, while major in chemistry and minor in promoted three she pursued a mathematics in 1986 from Saint years later to chemistry degree at Mary’s; earned an M.S. in Inorganic section chief of the Saint Mary’s, she Chemistry in 1987 and her Ph.D. Forensic Science hadn’t yet thought in Chemistry in 1991 from Support Section about a specific Northwestern University in and eventually led career path. Evanston, Ill. Director Robert It wasn’t until Mueller’s initiative Job: Director of competencies and near the end of her to reengineer the standards, Office of the Director of Ph.D. studies that she entire FBI training National Intelligence. happened to read a efforts, based on newspaper article Greatest achievements: innovations and about a fascinating Bringing the perpetrators of the best practices she forensic case that Brown’s Chicken murders to justice had developed for sparked her interest. was a highlight of her forensic career. the FBI’s laboratory She began division. working as a She took a fingerprint and little time off to questioned-document trainee at the have her daughter Samantha (now 4). And, Northern Illinois Police Crime Lab; three after her return, she was named the FBI’s years later she became the director. dean of Academic Studies and Professional In 2002, Dr. Homeyer found herself Development. the subject of numerous articles After 9/11, she assisted with the surrounding a fascinating forensic case — evidence recovery effort at the Pentagon all because she preserved a half-eaten and shifted her focus toward protecting chicken dinner someone had thrown in the national security. “I engaged in helping the trash at the scene of a multiple murder. FBI strengthen its National Security Branch On the evening of Jan. 8, 1993, the and establishing career paths for special two owners and five employees of Brown’s agents and a new program for training FBI Chicken & Pasta in Palatine, Ill., were killed. intelligence analysts,” she said. She’s served Dr. Homeyer, then a forensic scientist for in her current position since 2006. the Northern Illinois Police Crime “Today I am working to establish Laboratory, was called in to investigate the standards to certify intelligence analysts scene. across the Intelligence Community,” she At the time, she was questioned for said. “The Intelligence Analysts are central digging through the trash. But nine years to our National Security and the 9/11 later, two men were brought to justice for Report and the WMD Commission calls for these murders, largely because Dr. Homeyer demonstrating that individuals in these pulled a partially eaten chicken dinner from positions meet minimum requirements the trash and saved it, knowing that DNA (education, training, competencies, etc.) testing technology was improving and that before producing intelligence reports that one day it could help point to the killer(s). our nation’s leaders base very important Five years into her career, Dr. Homeyer decisions on.” joined the FBI in its laboratory division as Although she has moved on from the unit chief of the Forensic Science forensics, she remains linked through a Training Unit in Quantico, Va. She was small business she co-owns, Creative

Director Mike McConnell, the director of National Intelligence, (DNI) presents Dr. Jane (Weydert ’86) Homeyer with an award recognizing her entering into the ranks of the Senior National Intelligence Service

Approaches to Teaching, Training, and Testing, Inc., that offers annual crime science proficiency tests for police officers and evidence technicians. Dr. Homeyer tells upcoming students to get a solid education in an area they love and feel passion about. “For forensic science, an education in biology, chemistry or other physical science is a must. If you love computers/information technology, then computer forensics and cyber security, which are really growing fields, might offer exciting career opportunities. While a bachelor’s degree might get you in the door, these days, a Master of Science degree or Ph.D. is being sought.” Some of Dr. Homeyer’s fondest memories of Saint Mary’s are of quiet Saturday mornings in the labs of the chemistry department, where she looked out onto the “beautiful Saint Mary’s campus.” “I loved getting my work out of the way in this environment most of the time before the rest of the campus stirred — then I’d walk out and join my friends for brunch at the cafeteria,” she said. “This routine had a nice rhythm to it and the chemistry department always seemed welcoming.” She encourages people to take advantage of internship programs and preemployment programs as well. And she advises: “Finally, remember, you’ll have to be able to pass a background investigation, polygraph, drug testing and in some cases, a top secret clearance — so stay legal!” Though she doesn’t have much time for TV, Dr. Homeyer loves “CSI” and other television shows that spotlight forensic science. “I love that they have captured the public attention and have served as probably the most powerful recruitment tool the forensic science community could have asked for,” she said. “The shows also give great ideas for innovation and moving the science/discipline forward.”≠ WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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Dr. John Hoffman Brothers John ’51 and Robert ’56 Hoffman are the only set of brothers (or any immediate family members) who have had instruments on the same NASA satellite. In fact, John has had instrumentation (miniature mass spectrometers) on a number of space explorations including Apollo 15, 16 and 17, the Pioneer Venus project in 1978, the Giotto mission to Halley’s Comet in 1986 and numerous earth orbiting satellites. He also designed a mass spectrometer for the Phoenix Mars Lander mission in May 2008. Dr. Hoffman doesn’t just gaze at the moon for its beauty. He can tell you the precise location where one of his instruments is sitting on its surface and the factual lunar atmospheric findings it conveyed back to Earth. “Results showed the lunar atmosphere to have a density of less than 100,000 molecules per cm3, consisting mainly of argon and hydrogen,” he details. Yet, he explains, it was a toss-up for many years whether he’d pursue science, or whether he’d take after his mother — an accomplished pianist — and pursue music. Though music still plays a large part in his life, John (and Robert — now retired from the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland) were ultimately inspired by their father, John Hoffman Sr., longtime science educator at Saint Mary’s. “I had my dad for class, which was kind of interesting,” he said. “He taught at Saint Mary’s for more than 40 years. He was my faculty advisor, and I lived at home. I was, what was affectionately called in those days, one of the day dogs. It was a great place to go to school; it was small and students got a lot of individual attention. Of course, I did because my father was my advisor. “I don’t think I would have gotten away with (misbehaving) too much – I had to keep the straight and narrow path. I was kind of shy, and not too inclined to go that path anyhow.” Shortly after earning his doctorate, Dr. Hoffman began working at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington. “That was just about when NASA was formed … I got there in the beginning of the space program as far as this country is concerned,” he said. Dr. Hoffman spent seven years developing miniaturized mass spectrometers (an instrument which can measure the masses and relative concentrations of atoms and molecules) for space flight. Then, in 1966, he was invited to Dallas to give a seminar and was offered a position with the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest. In 1969, the institution became the University of Texas at Dallas. Dr. Hoffman said he has no immediate plans to

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Dr. Hoffman is retire from his pictured with his Mars position teaching mass spectrometer; in the physics its dimensions are 9 x 9 1/2 x 5 inches. department and serving as associate dean for undergraduate studies of the School of Natural Science and Mathematics. “As long as you enjoy what you’re doing, why should you get out of it?” he said. BIO In addition “The effluents to his teaching Education: Earned his bachelor’s were analyzed by the career, Dr. degree from Saint Mary’s in 1951 and university’s mass Hoffman has continued his education at the spectrometer to continued his University of Minnesota, where he determine the presence involvement in earned his Ph.D. in 1958. of water and any space research, evolved gasses and Job: Associate dean for specifically the define the undergraduate studies, School of atmospheres of mineralogical Natural Sciences & Mathematics, planets. Most composition of soil professor of physics, University of recently he served samples,” he explained. Texas at Dallas; space scientist, as co-investigator There are always a William B. Hanson Center for Space for a Mars few difficulties when Sciences; co-investigator, NASA mission doing experiments at Phoenix Mars Mission experiment. extreme long distance. Dr. Hoffman For example, once the Greatest Achievements: explains that the robotic arm dug a Dr. Hoffman’s research involves Phoenix Lander, trench 2 inches deep, it studies of planetary atmospheres, which launched hit an extremely hard particularly the composition of the in 2007, carried surface of frozen soil neutral and ionic constituents. instruments material. And now, Highlights of his career include: designed to look because of the change having an astronaut place his for water, study of season (Phoenix instrument on the surface of the the weather, landed north of the moon; working with the TEGA photograph the arctic circle), the experiment on the Mars Scout terrain and landing site is getting Phoenix mission; and being part of an discover what colder, “so pretty soon international team working on the minerals make up we’ll be out of mass spectrometer on the European the surface and business,” he said. Space Agency’s Giotto mission to subsurface of “We confirmed Halley’s Comet. “We had to make Mars. that water, in the form quite a few trips to Europe which A robotic of ice, actually exists was not exactly a bad thing,” he just beneath the arm on the says, with a laugh. Martian surface. We spacecraft dug found other materials several trenches that were interesting … to obtain samples we didn’t find any life, from just beneath but life could have existed at some time. the surface to look for water, ice and Nobody knows for sure. It was a stepping water-bearing minerals. One of the six stone to continued exploration.” instruments on board is TEGA (Thermal The next adventure, he said, will be a Evolved Gas Analyzer). TEGA includes a set Mars Science Laboratory, planned for of little ovens that can accept the samples launch in Fall of 2009. “It will be bigger and then heat them up to 1,800 degrees and more elaborate and hopefully carry the Fahrenheit. “If they contained any water or research further,” he said. ice, the ice would melt, and gas would It’s tough for Dr. Hoffman to pinpoint come off the samples, which was then specific highlights of his career. “It’s been transferred over to equipment I built,” exciting all the time,” he said.≠ he said. FALL/WINTER 2008


SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

THE INAUGURATION OF

BROTHER WILLIAM MANN, FSC

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In his address, Brother William spoke about the roots of Lasallian education, and how that tradition, philosophy and practice is manifested at Saint Mary’s University.

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ddressing a crowd of 1,200 in the Saint Mary’s University Winona campus gymnasium on Sept. 26, Brother President William Mann, FSC began his inaugural address with a laugh. “I am not a gambling person, but, I’m the 13th president,” he said, gesturing to Brother Chancellor Louis DeThomasis and Brother President Emeritus I. Basil Rothweiler ’38. “And I have No. 7 and No. 11 here with me, so I think I’m going to buy some Powerball tickets today.” Laughter turned into quiet contemplation as Brother William began his presentation, as he is frequently accustomed to, with a story. He began, “It’s about a youngster, a fairly religious young man whom you might even call a little pious. Who was forced by difficult family circumstances beyond the family’s control to wear tattered and hand-me down clothes, who didn’t have the extra spending money, who didn’t have the newest or the best or the more-slick gadgets. The condition of whose home was, to put it mildly, a bit embarrassing. Some other people, his nottoo-kind companions, were mocking him for his poverty, taunting him that even though he was so obviously concerned a great deal about God, God – from the looks of things – had obviously forgotten him and seemingly forgotten about his family. The youngster stood there silently,

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taking the hurt in. But after a few minutes, with tears rolling down his cheeks, he looked at those taunting him and said, ‘I don’t believe that God forgot me. I think that he probably asked somebody else to help me and to help my family and they forgot us.’ “I share that story because for me this story cuts to the heart of why the Catholic Church of Winona founded this university in 1912. It cuts to the heart of why John Baptist de La Salle founded the Brothers of the Christian Schools and why Lasallian schools like our SMU continue to exist in some 82 countries of the world,” Brother William continued. “We were founded upon the conviction that no person, no youngster, no family, no matter how economically affected, intellectually or spiritually in need should ever have cause to think that they have been forgotten, should ever have cause to wonder whether or not their family had been passed over by God or by the rest of us. “We are proud at SMU to be a valuedriven, person-centered university situated within a Lasallian network, that strives to empower our students to make a world of difference in this little corner of the globe,

Approximately 1,200 guests attended the inauguration convocation in the Winona campus gymnasium.

to inspire our learners with the vision and with the intellectual and moral stamina to truly make a positive difference in the 21st century.” To a sea of faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, Christian Brothers and community members, Brother William announced the university’s plan to explore further efforts to make Saint Mary’s more affordable to mid- and lower-income families through an expansion of the Brother James Miller ’66 Program for Access. He also announced the creation of a new Institute for Lasallian Studies in Saint Mary’s Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs, through which students can receive graduate degrees in Lasallian studies and Lasallian educational leadership on master’s and doctoral levels, beginning this spring and summer. “As a Lasallian university, Saint Mary’s is in a privileged position to be able to contribute to the vitality and the excellence of the global Lasallian educational network,” he said. “As we’re FALL/WINTER 2008


The inauguration activities began with a special liturgy in Saint Thomas More Chapel.

▼ Brother William greets Mary (Moore ’82) Smith, trustee Jim Coogan ’69, Marianne Coogan, trustee Mary Ann Remick, trustee Walter E. Smithe ’81, and Mike ’76 and Betsy (Skiba ’76) Dougherty.

▲ Brother Rafael Ehrler ’38 congratulates Brother William.

▲ Harry Adams and trustee Cindy Calderon speak with Brother William during the reception in Gostomski Fieldhouse.

▲ Brother President William Mann thanks Winona Bishop Bernard Harrington following the Mass.

Brother Chancellor Louis DeThomasis, right, Saint Mary’s 11th president, joined Brother William on stage.

▲ Sister Judith Shaefer of the SMU Theology Department congratulates Brother William.

▲ Lunch guests also included, clockwise from bottom, Brother Carlos Gomez of Bogota, Colombia; Jerome and Mary Meeds; Brother Christopher Soosai; Brother Finbar McMullen ’46; Vince Walker ’72; and Brother President Emeritus I. Basil Rothweiler ’38.

Dr. Judith Ramaley, president of Winona State University; Craig Junker D’05, president of Cotter High School in Winona and Dr. Thomas Mans, vice president for academic affairs, share a laugh with Brother William. WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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Lance Forsdick, president of Christian Brothers University, accompanies Brother William on a walk across campus.

seeing in Washington today, tomorrow is not good enough. Today is the day to begin to address the empowerment of our laity in the future of the Church, the future of this institution and the future of this Lasallian Family. “Let no one doubt that this Lasallian Catholic university — under the protection and the inspiration of Mary, our patroness, and of John Baptist de La Salle, the patron of teachers — stands committed to educate and inform our students and to forge partnerships with our families, our alums, our benefactors, our friends and all people of good will,” Brother William said, “to educate students to be the agents of global transformation, to be part of the solution and not part of the problems that plague society in these opening years of the 21st century.” In response, the audience applauded, in standing ovation.

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he inaugural celebration, which centered on the theme, “Lasallian Education – a World of Difference,” began Friday morning as the community gathered for Mass at Saint Thomas More Chapel. Guest readers — reflecting the diversity of the SMU community — used their native tongues of Spanish, Chinese, French, Arabic, Italian, Swahili and Tamil in prayer. Inauguration guests — traveling from as close as across campus and as far away

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as Nairobi and Rome — then joined together for lunch before gathering in the gymnasium. Led by musical selections by the SMU Concert Band and Concert Choir, the convocation included an invocation by the Most Rev. Bernard J. Harrington, Bishop of the Diocese of Winona, and greetings by De La Salle Christian Brothers General Councillors Brother Claude Reinhardt and Brother Robert Schieler; Judith Ramaley, president of Winona State University; James Johnson, president of Minnesota State CollegeSoutheast Technical; and David Laird Jr., president of Minnesota Private College Council. Welcomes from the Saint Mary’s community were given by Ann Smith, representing faculty; Rebecca Prell Hopkins ’94, M’00, representing administration and staff; John Joyce, representing students; and Molly Murphy ’97, representing alumni. Brother Francis Carr, FSC ’66, provincial of the Midwest District of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, introduced Brother William, and Michael Meagher ’86, chairman of the Board of Trustees, led the investiture of the president.

Brother William took time to greet students in the dining room.

With a heartfelt hug, Brother Louis presented Brother William with the president’s medallion, and special recognition was given to the many Christian Brothers in attendance, in honor of the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Brothers at Saint Mary’s. The program concluded with a benediction from the Most Rev. Harry J. Flynn, Archbishop Emeritus of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, and a blessing by the community from the Very Rev. Andrew Beerman ’92 rector of Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary. After the warm words in a warm gym, attendees were treated to a reception in Gostomski Fieldhouse. Music continued to flow from Saint Mary’s jazz students. Even as all the handshakes, hugs and expressions of well-wishes dwindled on Friday, the celebration continued at the Winona campus with Family Weekend events, as an estimated 500 extended SMU family members attended music, theatre and sporting events, the Fall Frolic, games, and other activities.≠ FALL/WINTER 2008


ALUMNI NEWS

Meet your 2008-09 Alumni Board

Dr. John Domanico ’77 (President) La Grange, Ill.

Don Aleksy ’80 Peru, Ill.

Aleksandra (Sasha) Denisova M’07 Oakdale, Minn.

Jora Deziel ’01 Minneapolis, Minn.

Leah Hebner M’04 Sioux Falls, S.D.

Benjamin Heimdal M’04 Apple Valley, Minn.

Bill Herzog ’70 Apple Valley, Minn.

Joe Hettinger ’87 Lindenhurst, Ill.

Pamela Joachim ’77 Chanhassen, Minn.

Elizabeth Kinsella ’93 Chicago, Ill.

Doug Luebbe ’81 Rochester, Minn.

Grace (Wojski ’77) McNamara (Chair, University Relations Cmt.) Dellwood, Minn.

Debbie Monahan ’98 Hainesville, Ill.

Molly Murphy ’97 (Chair, Development Cmt.) St. Paul, Minn.

Bo Rettig ’77 (Chair, Admissions Cmt.) La Grange, Ill.

Meg (Leuer ’97) Richtman (Executive Director) Winona, Minn.

Nate Semsch ’04 (Chair, Board Development Cmt.) Crystal, Minn.

Matthew Sheasby ’88 (Chair, Communications Cmt.) Crystal Lake, Ill.

Tom Sullivan ’72 Chicago, Ill.

Joe Sweeney ’81 (Vice President for Development & Alumni Relations) Winona, Minn.

Bill VanMeter ’71 (Chair, Awards Cmt.) Orland Park, Ill.

The SMU Alumni Association and its board of directors seek to advance the mission of Saint Mary’s University by establishing ongoing and mutually beneficial relationships between the university and its alumni. The group — made up of alumni from both the undergraduate College and the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs — focuses its time and energies on deepening the relationships among alumni and with their alma mater through events, activities and communication. Alumni Board members also look for ways to support and assist Saint Mary’s faculty, staff and administration to advance the programs and services of the university. They assist in recruitment efforts of new students and support the career development needs of current students. Finally, they assist in furthering the advancement efforts of the university. Contact Meg (Leuer ’97) Richtman, mrichtma@smumn.edu, director of alumni relations, to find out ways you can support the board in its efforts.≠

Online social networking is changing the way the world communicates. This is perhaps more apparent in higher education than anywhere else. Why? Because our technologically savvy prospective students and current students are driving the change. Bigger, faster, and stronger technology has changed the way we communicate, and the way we define our communities. I invite you to join the social networking opportunities we have recently created for you. You will find Saint Mary’s University Alumni Association presence on both Facebook and LinkedIn sites. In addition, we have begun to create class blogs on the SMU alumni website. Please take a moment to check out the site at www.smumn.edu/classblogs. With these new online opportunities, we hope to make staying connected with your classmates and friends even easier! — Meg (Leuer ’97) Richtman, Director of Alumni Relations

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ALUMNI: GETTING TOGETHER

Washington, D.C., Alumni Gathering The annual Washington, D.C., Alumni and Friends Gathering took place on Feb. 4 at the University Club of D.C. This event brought together more than 40 alumni and friends including, from left: Doug Bachler, Rebecca Jungbauer ’02, Steve Mayer ’66 and Patrick Green ’68 to socialize, network and hear more about Saint Mary’s.

Twin Cities Family Skate Day A large group of alumni and their families gathered for a Family Skate Day on Feb. 24 at the Roseville Skating Center including Tom ’94 and Tricia (Sweeney ’94) Battis and their daughters, Alyson, Meghan and Molly, and Joe Sweeney ’81, vice president for development and alumni relations, top right.

Colorado Alumni Gathering Don ’53 & Eileen (CST ’53) Gass welcomed more than 30 alumni and friends to their home in Castle Rock, Colo., on April 13. Brother Jerome Cox ’60, right, displayed his works of art at the event.

Scholarship & Lasallian Legacy Society Reception & Dinner

Las Vegas Alumni Gathering Alumni from the Las Vegas area were invited to Jim ’61 and Lynn Casimir’s home on April 3. Dr. Gary Diomandes, professor of theatre arts and Dr. Mary Catherine Fox ’75, M’89, professor of interdisciplinary studies, reconnected with former students and provided updates on their alma mater. Reminiscing were, from left: Laura Ishum ’95, Dr. Fox, Todd VonBastiaans ’94, Dr. Diomandes, Ed Gelhaus ’06 and Nell Gelhaus ’02.

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The annual Scholarship and Lasallian Legacy Society Reception and Dinner were held on the Winona campus on April 19. This event celebrates and acknowledges those who have established scholarships at Saint Mary’s and those who are members of the Lasallian Legacy Society. The event has become a wonderful opportunity to bring together benefactors with the students they are supporting including: Brother Frank Walsh, FSC ’45 and senior scholarship award recipient, Jessica Evers ’08. INSET PHOTO: Lasallian Legacy Society members Patricia and Howard Tomashek ’56 attended the special reception and dinner.

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upcoming alumni events NOVEMBER 5

Los Angeles, Calif. Alumni Event

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Chicago, Ill. Chicago Cultural Center SMU/CST Luncheon Series

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Naperville, Ill. SMU Men’s Basketball North Central College Basketball Tournament

DECEMBER 13

Wheaton, Ill. Chicago Christmas Party

JANUARY 2009

Houston, Texas Alumni Gathering Kevin ’72 and Mary (Lucas ’73) Karnick hosted a gathering for all alumni and friends of the Dallas, Texas, area. Attending the event were, from left, back: David and Mary Ann (Rausch ’86) Mendoza, Glen ’75 and Patricia Kunz, Mark ’81 and Aileen Hansen, the Karnicks, Betty and Maurice ’54 Flynn; front, Dominic Lawrence ’06 (SMU Development and Alumni Relations Office), Frank ’54 and Joan Schneck. Frank Schneck passed away July 14, 2008, shortly after this photo was taken.

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Winona Holiday Gathering

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Houston, Texas Alumni Gathering

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Twin Cities Alumni of Campus Ministry

FEBRUARY 2

Washington, D.C. Alumni Reception

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Roseville, Minn. Minnesota Oval Skating Rink Family Skate Day

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Twin Cities Alumni Social

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Bradenton, Fla. Alumni Luncheon

MARCH 5

Colorado Alumni Gathering

APRIL 4

North Carolina Alumni Gathering

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Winona, Minn. Annual Donor Recognition Event

JUNE 19-21

Winona, Minn. Homecoming Weekend

AUGUST 7

Twin Cities Young Alumni Boat Cruise Many young alumni braved the lightning and rain and enjoyed a relaxing night on Lake Minnetonka during the annual boat cruise June 5. Pictured here is a group of SMU’s most recent alumni from the class of 2008 including, from left: back, Kaylin Martin, Amy Kalina, Chris Hudson, Erin McGuire, Lindsay Dickson, Moreen Bosch, Madelyn Smith; front, Chris Kellen, Doug Prideaux, Abby Rosenthal, Steve Adams and Laura Eggert.

Algonquin, Ill. Chicago Alumni Golf Outing

For updates on future events for our alumni, go online: www.smumn.edu/alumni

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A huge group of 1983 alumni gathered for a group photo in the gym.

500 find their way ‘home’ On Friday, June 13, 2008, Saint Mary’s University alumni and family began picking up nametags, room keys and itineraries for Homecoming 2008. Some tossed aside their luggage and grabbed their clubs for the alumni golf outing at Bridges Golf Club. Others took in a quick tour of their old stomping grounds. Still others experienced delays due to flooding in Wisconsin. Whether re-routed or delayed, 500 alumni and friends eventually found their way back to the Winona campus. By Friday night, the 50-plus anniversary dinner brought in a spirited group of alums, and even more bad jokes. Some of Brother William Mann’s official presidential duties included handing out “new” diplomas to the anniversary class and listening to their stories about football, faculty, and college mayhem.

Saturday morning, a few alumni rose bright and early and faced the grueling bluffs for the Gilmore Gallop 5K. Even more alumni were up by noon for the alumni picnic, some group photos and a lot of catching up. The sun continued to shine as the university dedicated its veterans memorial (see pages 32-33), held Mass, and honored outstanding alumni Saturday evening. Saint Mary’s presented its Distinguished Alumnus Award to Edward Zabrocki ’63; Religious Service Award to Hugh Downey ’62 and Alumnus Appreciation Award to Tim Burchill ’68, M’00 posthumously. SMU alumni kept the party going long into the evening during the piano sing-along and dance party with live music from “Shroom Shack,” a band made up of alumni from the class of 1983.

Make plans to get in on the fun during next year’s Homecoming weekend, June 19-21. Come and see how your friends have changed, but your friendships haven’t!

More photos of Homecoming 2008 are online: www.smumn.edu/homecoming 30

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Patricia and Anthony Towey ’63, M’71, left, congratulate Marty and Hugh Downey ’62 during the Saturday awards ceremony. Downey received the Religious Service Award.

Members of the class of 2003 including, from left: Justin Speiser, Scott Schultz, Tim Huemoeller and Brad Fox tested their golf skills at Homecoming.

Kassidy and Jana Papa (daughter and wife of Guy Papa ’98), left, joined a group of 1998 alumnae including Gwen (Fallgren) Brooks, Anna Marie Sever and Angela (Noll) Bothun at the Homecoming picnic.

Geno Cooney ’83 and Bridget (Bieser ’83) Clancy enjoyed Saturday evening Homecoming music.

James W. Heidkamp, Bob Sterr and Bill Kane stir up old memories during the 1958 class reunion.

Brother President William Mann, center, passes out two special diplomas to twin brothers John O. Martin ’58 and Dr. Frank B. Martin ’58.

Dr. John Sbarbaro ’58, Dr. Samuel Cascio ’48 and Dr. Ron Severino ’58 posed for photos at the 50+ dinner.

Brother Arnold McMullen ’53, right, visits with Jake Kugel ’97. Dr. Eugene McEnery ’53 and Dr. Patrick Costello ’54 shared memories during the picnic.

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Veterans Memorial dedicated on Winona campus It was a good day to remember. The flags fluttered persistently in the strong breeze. The blue skies provided a clear, crisp backdrop to the crisscrossing WWII vintage AT6 Navy training aircraft overhead. And the bright sun reflected off the Veterans Memorial glass, highlighting the newly laid memorial bricks and illuminating the names of Saint Mary’s alumni who died in service. About 250 people gathered together during Homecoming on June 14 to dedicate the Veterans Memorial on the Winona campus. Together, they sang, they prayed, and they bowed their heads in remembrance as a trumpet soloist’s rendition of Taps echoed through the valley. Meg (Leuer ’97) Richtman, director of alumni relations, began the service with a brief glimpse at the memorial’s lengthy history. “This memorial is the destination of a journey that began over five years ago,” she said. “Today we dedicate and bless the destination but we also recognize each step of the journey and those who have walked along its way.” While many dedications, she reflected, recognize a donor whose financial contributions made it possible to erect a building or endow a scholarship, this memorial dedication had a much different focus. “Our primary focus today is on those members of the Saint Mary’s family who have served and sacrificed for their country as members of the United States military,” she said. “It is those members of our community who this memorial is all about, the very reason for the journey. Our records show that over 1,400 Saint Mary’s alumni and students served in World War II and that 33 students and alumni gave their lives in service to their country.” Brother President William Mann acknowledged that everyone

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A WWII vintage AT6 Navy training aircraft flew over the dedication, in honor of the occasion.

Col. John Forrette ’74 saluted the SMU alumni who died in military service.

in attendance brought different memories to “create the frame of what we are doing today. “For some of you, the memory is a memory of classmates, the memories of friends and family who served in the armed services; for some of you its your own experience in military service; for all of us, it’s the memory of those who died protecting the freedom of this nation,” he said. One very personal memory framed his experience: “In 1982, I stood at the side of my mother at a veterans cemetery, burying my dad, and when Taps had finished being played, a serviceman handed to my mother a folded flag and said, ‘On behalf of a grateful nation.’ I don’t remember what he looked like but forever I can still hear those words, ‘On behalf of a grateful nation’ — the presentation of a flag to my mother who was alone with two children while my father served our nation. “I’m proud of what we do today. You have helped this university remember. You’ve made it possible for this university to express gratitude. The gratitude that has been in many hearts for many years but is now public and forever remembered.” CAPT Tim Tyre ’69, who served as chair of the veterans memorial committee for three years, told the audience, “Military service begins with a solid oath. Whether an enlisted or commissioned officer, whether a nurse, a cook, an infantry soldier, a chaplain or a pilot, the oath is the same, the service covenant is the same. This pledge of service to protect has to do with the things that are dearest to all of us, family, friends, the right to worship freely, the right to speak openly, a way of life many of us have come to enjoy daily, sometimes remembering that this way of life is not available to everyone and the freedoms we enjoy were earned, not just given.” FALL/WINTER 2008


CAPT Tim Tyre ‘69 addressed the audience.

About 250 people joined in dedicating the Saint Mary’s University Veterans Memorial June 14.

The Veterans Memorial, designed by Preston Lawing of the SMU Department of Art and Design, includes semi-circular seating, a large glass monument, etched with an olive branch bearing the words, “Peace through Service,” and several plaques that define the purpose of the monument. The project was initiated and funded through efforts of the Saint Mary’s Alumni Board.

He ended his presentation with a quote from Maria Montessori: “Establishing a lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.” Col. John Forrette ’74, whose original vision began the memorial project, identified with the Beatles’ lyrics “The Long and Winding Road.” “(The Road) has taken us through the length and breath of discovery of emotion and pride of what our fellow alumni have accomplished and experienced. “In the process we have venerated our veterans who have dedicated their careers, and in some cases their lives, to the thought that freedom cannot stand without freedom of expression, thought and word.”

His voice breaking, at times, pausing to compose himself, Forrette remembered two of his father’s best pals from Chicago. One, Joe Dattalo (who attended SMU from ’41-’42), also served as his confirmation sponsor. Forrette depicted a man with a strong personality, full of life and fun, and also full of determination. “As a sergeant he was a tank destroyer commander in Europe,” Forrette said. “He had his feet frostbitten, snuck out of the hospital, classic Joe, went back to his unit, and got frostbitten again ... He died at age 40, shortly after my confirmation. “I really believed Joe would say he gladly gave his tomorrows for our todays, and I also believe we are achieving the only request that he and other Saint Mary’s alums who gave their lives would ask and that would simply be — ‘Remember me.’ ”≠

At night, soft interior lighting illuminates the glass monument.

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Sports News MEN’S HOCKEY RECORDS: 6-10-0 MIAC, 9-14-2 Overall BRIEFLY: Sophomore Anthony Bohn (Spring Hill, Fla.) was the Cardinals’ representative on the AllMinnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team, ranking No. 1 in the MIAC in assists (21) and third in points (25). … Seniors Adam Gill (Rochester, Minn.) and Dan Smith (Rochester, Minn.), sophomore Jeff Miller (Portage, Mich.) freshmen Morgan Shepherd (Brainerd, Minn.) and Mike Glaesmer (Traverse City, Mich.) were all honorable-mention selections, while Glaesmer — who led all MIAC freshmen in goals (10) and was third in points (17) — was also named to the MIAC’s All-Rookie Team. …

Bohn

Bohn’s 31 points in SMU’s 25 games marked the first time an SMU player cracked the 30-point barrier since current assistant coach Lenny Hofmann posted 33 points during the 2003-04 season. … Glaesmer and Shepherd were two of three SMU players with 10 or more goals, while Bohn and Shepherd were two of five with at least 10 assists. … The trio — along with nine other SMU players — scored 10 or more points.

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Rodriguez

WOMEN’S HOCKEY RECORDS: 5-11-2 MIAC, 5-15-3 Overall BRIEFLY: SMU senior Val Rodriguez (Woodbury, Minn.) and freshman Katie Cachey (Orland Park, Ill.) were honorable-mention AllMinnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selections. … . With a 5-0 loss to St. Thomas on Feb. 17, the Cardinals were eliminated from the MIAC playoff chase; SMU had made the playoffs the previous seven years. … Freshman Amy Zimniewicz (River Falls, Wis.) boasted team-highs in all three offensive categories — goals (7), assists (5) and points (12), while fellow freshman Ingrid Klockars (Wheaton, Ill.) also netted seven goals and finished second in points (10). … Zimniewicz and Klockars were two Cardinals to finish the season with 10 or more points. … The Cardinals scored nine powerplay goals, while their opponents netted 39 of their 82 goals with the man-advantage.

Conference AllFirst Year team, while also earning All-MIAC honorablemention honors. Wright ranked fourth in the MIAC, averaging a team-best 19.2 ppg in 20 conference games, while also boasting teamhighs in 3pointers (39), free throws (84-for100, .840), assists (41) and steals (29). … Wright closed out his freshman year scoring 10 or more points in 22 of SMU’s 25 games. He also led the team in scoring in 17 of SMU’s 25 games … Freshman Lukas Holland (La Crosse, Wis.) scored a careerbest 30 points in SMU’s season-finale vs. Concordia, and finished second on the team in scoring with a 13.2 ppg average. … Both of the Cardinals’ wins last season came on the road — SMU was 0-10 on its home floor. SMU’s last home win was an 84-70 victory over Hamline on Jan. 27, 2007. Both of SMU’s wins came in conference play — SMU went 0-5 against nonconference

MEN’S BASKETBALL RECORDS: 2-18 MIAC, 2-23 Overall BRIEFLY: Freshman Will Wright (Chicago, Ill.) was named to the Minnesota intercollegiate Athletic

Wright

foes Winona State (NCAA Division II national champion), Minnesota State-Mankato (NCAA Division II), LoyolaChicago (NCAA Division I), Luther, and Nebraska Wesleyan.

Weisbrod

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL RECORDS: 3-19 MIAC, 4-21 Overall BRIEFLY: Senior Jess Weisbrod (Rollingstone, Minn.) earned All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team honors for the second straight season. … Weisbrod, who posted eight double-doubles this season — giving her 17 for her career — scored 10 or more points in 17 of the Cardinals’ 25 games, including 20 or more points five times. … Weisbrod scored a game-high 16 points vs. St. Catherine on Feb. 13, eclipsing the 1,000 careerpoint mark in the process. With her fourth first-half point vs. the Wildcats, Weisbrod joined Mary Schultz ’86 (1,982), Tricia Rasmussen ’93 (1,880), Jamie Rattunde ’05 (1,483), Ashley Luehmann ’06 (1,438), Kim Gleason ’89 (1,283), Vicki Wilson ’96 (1,256) and Amy Burns ’02 (1,062) in SMU’s 1,000-point club. Weisbrod closed out her career with 1,054 points. She FALL/WINTER 2008


S P O RT S N E W S is the Cardinals’ third 1,000point scorer in the last four seasons. … Three of the Cardinals’ four wins came on their home floor. SMU scored a road win with a 57-54 victory over St. Olaf on Jan. 5.

SWIMMING & DIVING MIAC FINISH: Men 7th / Women 10th BRIEFLY: Sophomore John Fox (Winona, Minn.) was SMU’s lone All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference representative. Fox placed second in the 100 breaststroke, clocking a time of 58.44 — shattering his old school record of 59.46 — en route to his second-place finish, and all-conference honors. … Fox’s 100 breaststroke time was also an NCAA Division III B provisional time, making him SMU’s firstever provisional national qualifier. … Along with his school-record performance in the 100 breaststroke, Fox also broke the 50 freestyle (5th, 21.61) and 200 breaststroke (9th, 2:14.51) school records. … Senior Danielle Braun (Cold Spring, Minn.) recorded school-record times in the 100 (1:10.23) and 200 (2:34.08) breaststroke, while Cardinal men’s 200 freestyle relay, 400-freestyle relay and 200-medley relay also put together school-record performances.

BASEBALL RECORDS: 4-16 MIAC / 8-23 Overall BRIEFLY: SMU senior Brady Knudsen (Racine, Wis.) was named to the All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team. … Knudsen finished the season with a team- and career-high .406 batting average. He is the first SMU player to close out the season hitting above .400 since Tony Cicallelo hit .432 in 2004. … Knudsen is also SMU’s all-time hits king with 147, two more than Cicalello, while also owning the career RBI title (95) and sharing the top spot in career

Knudsen

doubles (32). … Knudsen, who had a career-best 21game hitting streak this season, finished the year with at least one hit in 28 of the team’s 31 games, including 12 multiple-hit games. He also reached base safely in all 31 SMU games. … Knudsen and fellow senior Kevin Black (Mahtomedi, Minn.) closed out their stellar four-year careers as the school recordholders in at-bats (428). Knudsen appeared in every game SMU played in his four years (127) — and started 126 of those — while Black appeared and started in 126 of the team’s 127 games. … As a team, the Cardinals stole 50 bases — led by Black’s 17 — ranking them fifth all-time, just 13 steals shy of the school record (68), set in 1990. … Black, who led the team with 20 walks this season, is now the program’s all-time leader in walks with 65, while his 40 career steals are one short of the all-time mark of 41, set by Brian Doll from 1996-99. … With their two season-ending losses to Concordia, SMU finished 823 overall.

FASTPITCH SOFTBALL RECORDS: 13-9 MIAC / 15-21 Overall BRIEFLY: Junior Cassie Otte (Randolph, Minn.) was named to the All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Midwest

Region First Teams. … Junior Danielle Geske (Rosemount, Minn.) was a second-team allregion pick, while freshman Katy Gannon (Roselle, Ill.) joined Otte on the All-MIAC First Team. … Otte had at least one hit in 33 of the Cardinals’ 36 games — including a team-leading 19 multiple-hit games — and reached base safely in 33 of those 36 games. … In her three seasons, Otte has put together hitting streaks of four games (freshman year), 17 (sophomore year) and 27 (junior year). … Geske, meanwhile, boasted teamhighs in home runs (7), RBIs (34) and slugging percentage (.626), and compiled 14 multiple-hit games and a team-leading 10 multiple-RBI games. … Geske’s seven home runs rank second alltime, behind Jill Hocking’s school-record 13 HRs in 2000. … The Cardinals’ 18 home runs rank No. 3 alltime. … The Cardinals did not win a game in which they were out-hit (0-16) and were just 1-17 when trailing after five innings. … SMU held its opponents to five runs or less in 13 of its 15 wins.

TRACK & FIELD MIAC INDOOR FINISH: Men 9th / Women 12th MIAC OUTDOOR FINISH: Men 11th / Women 10th BRIEFLY: Junior Chris Fisette (Elmhurst, Ill.) highlighted the Cardinals’ effort at the MIAC Outdoor Championships, placing third in the long jump with a school-record leap of 22-9 that earned him AllMinnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors. He was also fifth in the triple jump (45-0) and added times of 11.52 in the 100 and 22.88 in the 200. … Sophomore Teri Heinzen (Marshfield, Minn.) also had a solid MIAC Outdoor, placing fourth in both the 100 (13.00) and 200 (26.73). … Fisette also led SMU’s charge at the MIAC Indoor

Championships, placing fourth in the triple jump (445) and fifth in the long jump (21-8).

TENNIS MEN’S RECORDS: 2-7 MIAC, 8-10 Overall WOMEN’S RECORDS: 5-5 MIAC, 15-8 Overall BRIEFLY: The Cardinals were well-represented on the AllMinnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference teams, as senior Walter Mannino (Chicago, Ill.) earned his

Lenz

second all-conference honor on the men’s side, while senior Aubrey Hirsch (Topeka, Kan.) and freshman Kayla Lenz (Pequot Lakes, Minn.) earned the conference postseason honor on the women’s side. … Senior Steve Clements (La Crosse, Wis.) led the Cardinal men with 12 singles wins, while Mannino was close behind with 11. … Lenz and junior Toni Troumbly (Bovey, Minn.), meanwhile, shared the women’s singles lead with 12 wins each, while junior Colleen Radermacher (Belgrade, Minn.) had 11. … The SMU women’s 15 wins in 2008 were the most in the 10 years Jeff Halberg has been the Cardinals’ head coach.≠

MORE SPORTS ➜ WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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Coach Don Olson says goodbye to SMU after 32 years When Don Olson first arrived on the Saint Mary’s campus, Brother Peter Clifford was president, the school was still a “college,” the men’s teams were “Redmen,” and the hockey team played on an outdoor rink behind a dorm. Over the next 32 years, the school had four presidents, two major name changes — Saint Mary’s College to Saint Mary’s University, and Redmen to Cardinals — and that dilapidated outdoor rink gave way to one of the top oncampus indoor rinks in the West Region. Not to mention that Saint Mary’s men’s hockey saw its fair share of stellar athletes leave their marks on the program. Yet, while freshmen came and seniors went, one thing was a constant; Don Olson was in his familiar spot behind the bench as the Cardinals’ head coach. Until early June. Citing a “chance-of-a-lifetime opportunity,” Olson stepped down as the Cardinals’ head men’s hockey coach, and left Saint Mary’s after 32 years of service to become athletic director at the College of St. Scholastica. “This was the toughest decision I have ever had to make,” admitted Olson, who also served as athletic director, intramural director, Cardinal ‘M’ Club director, men’s golf and cross country coach, and summer hockey camp director, during his time at Saint Mary’s. “I will always be grateful to Saint Mary’s for the opportunities afforded me,” Olson said. “Saint Mary’s University and the Winona community have been home to my family and me for the past 32 years. It’s with a heavy heart that my wife (Linda) and I pull up roots and begin a new journey.” Olson was honored for his work at Saint Mary’s during the Sept. 13 Cardinal ‘M’ Club Awards Ceremony, where SMU athletic director Nikki Fennern and Brother President William Mann presented the long-time head coach with a framed Saint Mary’s

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hockey jersey with the No. 32 on it. Olson compiled a 377-399-41 record while guiding the Cardinals to 13 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference playoffs, two NCAA postseason appearances and one NAIA Tournament. Saint Mary’s — which has had 14 winning seasons under Olson — won the MIAC regular-season championship in 1987-88 and conference playoff championships in 1989 and 1995. In recognition of the team’s success, Olson was named MIAC Coach of the Year on three occasions, NAIA Coach of the Year, and the American Hockey Coaches Association West Region Coach of the Year three times. His 377 wins rank him 39th all-time among all collegiate hockey coaches. “Coach Olson has been the face of Cardinal hockey for more than three decades and has made tremendous contributions to not only the men’s hockey program, but to the entire athletic department,” said Fennern. “His time here in a variety of important roles has made a lasting impact on Cardinal athletics.” The winningest hockey coach in SMU history, Olson’s first victory came during the 1976-77 season. He collected win No. 100 in the 1986-87 season, eclipsed the 200-win plateau in 1993, and collected win No. 300 with a 7-5 triumph over UW-Stout on Nov. 18, 2000. While at Saint Mary’s, Olson coached 76 players who earned AllMIAC recognition, 12 All-Americans,

and five MIAC Players of the Year. With a strong emphasis on academics, the Cardinals had numerous student-athletes recognized by the MIAC and the NCAA for outstanding academic performance. “Saint Mary’s loss is St. Scholastica’s gain,” said Donny Nadeau ’85, who played for Olson as a collegian from 1981-85 and worked with him for the past 14 years, both as SMU’s sports information director and assistant men’s hockey coach. “Coach Olson has been a mentor and a friend for the past 25 years. His dedication to Saint Mary’s and the men’s hockey program is unmatched. He may not be an alum, but you would be hardpressed to find anyone who loved Saint Mary’s more.” Olson has been active in the broader hockey community over the years. He served as chairman of the NCAA Division III Hockey Championships committee from 19901997. He served the American Hockey Coaches Association as a member of its FALL/WINTER 2008


S P O RT S N E W S

Don Olson was recognized for 32 years of service during the Cardinal ‘M’ Club banquet in September. Brother President William Mann and SMU Athletic Director Nikki Fennern presented Olson with an honorary jersey.

New talent, faces make up 2008-09 SMU coaching staff

INSERTS: A younger Olson, earlier in his Saint Mary’s coaching career. Eric Zimmerman

Jeff Stangl ’68

board of directors from 1995-1998. In 1999, he chaired the National Championship Committee for the American Women’s College Hockey Alliance. In addition, Olson directed several regional and national camps and served as a presenter at numerous coaching clinics for USA Hockey. On a local level, Olson served on the Winona Area Youth Hockey Association Board of Directors and spent countless hours volunteering with Winona’s youth hockey players and coaches. “Winona has been a wonderful community to raise our children and grow as a family,” Olson said. “Linda and I are very thankful for our many friendships and all the memorable experiences we have had over the past 32 years. It has been a fantastic journey because of all the exceptional people we have met along the way.”≠

Todd Landrum

Bill Moore ’85

Nick Winecke ’07

When the Saint Mary’s University athletic department held its fall meetings in August, there were plenty of new faces sitting around the room. In fact, athletic director Nikki Fennern probably considered making nametags a requirement. When the Saint Mary’s University women’s soccer team took the field for its season-opening nonconference game against UM-Morris on Aug. 29, Eric Zimmerman became the first of five new head coaches to roam the sidelines for the Cardinals. Zimmerman, who served as an assistant women’s soccer coach a year ago, slid into the head coaching spot when Chris Dembiec stepped aside to focus all of his efforts on the Cardinal men’s soccer team. Zimmerman has worked in the Coulee Region United Soccer Association since 2000 — while also serving five years as an assistant coach for the Viterbo men’s soccer program, as well as the V-Hawks’ interim head coach for the 2004 season. On the links, Jeff Stangl ’68 will be serving double duty as the head men’s and women’s golf coach. Stangl takes over the men’s program from the late Tom Farren, who passed away suddenly in November 2007. Stangl inherited the women’s program from Jen Trewick, after Trewick and her husband, Mike — the SMU’s men’s basketball coach — stepped down from their positions to pursue other career opportunities. The start of the winter sports seasons marks the beginning of the SMU head coaching tenures for Todd Landrum and Bill Moore ’85. Landrum, who has spent the past four years as the youth/scholastic basketball coordinator for the Minnesota Timberwolves, takes over the men’s basketball post when the Cardinals kick off their season on Nov. 15 at Winona State. Landrum comes to SMU with an impressive resume that includes three NCAA Division I national tournament appearances and three NCAA Division II national championships as an assistant coach. Moore, meanwhile, made his “second” SMU head-coaching debut when the Cardinal men’s hockey team squared off against St. Scholastica on Oct. 31. Moore, who served as an interim head coach at SMU during the 1989-90 season and has spent the past 21 years as a collegiate and high school head coach, took over the Cardinal reins from long-time coach Don Olson, who stepped down to become athletic director at St. Scholastica. When the Cardinal baseball team kicks off its 2009 season, “Nick” will still be the head coach, but it will be Nick Winecke ’07, not Whaley, calling the shots. Winecke begins his first season as the Cardinals’ head coach in 2009, replacing Whaley, who resigned after 12 seasons to become the head baseball and volleyball coach, as well as a physical education and health instructor at Winona Cotter High School.≠

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S P O RT S N E W S

The 2008 Sports Hall of Fame inductees included, from left: Dick Kuehl ’57, Diane Kuehl (on behalf of her husband, the late Duane Kuehl ’58), Jen Garin ’99, Katie Kortsch ’95, and Brad Wiley ’90.

Cardinal ‘M’ Club Weekend Their 2008 numbers were staggering, and they led their respective Saint Mary’s University baseball and softball teams in virtually every offensive category. In recognition of their on-the-field successes, Brady Knudsen ’08 and Cassie Otte ’09 were named Saint Mary’s University’s Outstanding Male and Female Athletes during part of the Cardinal ‘M’ Club Sports Hall of Fame and Awards Ceremony Sept. 13. Kevin Black ’08 and Kasey Schultz ’08 were also honored as SMU’s Outstanding Male and Female Scholar Athletes. Saturday evening’s festivities also included the induction of five new members into the SMU Sports Hall of Fame: Jen Garin ’99 (fastpitch softball), Dick Kuehl ’57 (baseball), Duane Kuehl ’58 (baseball, posthumously), Katie Kortsch ’95 (women’s soccer) and Brad Wiley ’90 (men’s hockey).

In a special portion of Saturday’s ceremony, longtime coach and athletic director Don Olson was recognized for his 32 years of service to Saint Mary’s; retiring faculty athletic representative Larry Luttmers was also honored. The weekend kicked off with the seventh annual Cardinal ‘M’ Club golf outing, where more than 120 golfers converged on the Cedar Valley Golf Course. On Sunday, former studentathletes took part in alumni games in baseball, softball, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s hockey, swimming and diving, and tennis.≠ Wet weather didn’t dampen the spirits of these golfers during Cardinal ‘M’ Club Weekend. Hitting the greens were, from left: Greg Miller ’02, Tony DeMars ’00, Nate DeMars ’98 and John Redpath ’02.

Cassie Otte ’09 and Brady Knudsen ’08 were named Saint Mary’s University’s Outstanding Male and Female Athletes.

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FALL/WINTER 2008


F A C U LT Y F E A T S

Faculty Feats In summer 2008, four Saint Mary’s University faculty members received grants from the university to conduct research that was scholarly in nature. The Faculty Development Committee provided these faculty members with a small stipend and expense money in exchange for their work, which centered on a wide range of topics.

A virtual historic theatre created by Dr. Steven Bouler.

Steven Bouler, Ph.D. Title: Assistant professor of theatre arts Number of years at Saint Mary’s: 2 Research: Virtual Historic Theatres Details: “I am preparing a set of seven to 10 virtual historic theatre reconstructions of lost iconic theatres from history,” he said. “These include a composite Greek Theatre, a Roman Theatre, an outdoor Elizabethan playhouse, an indoor Jacobean playhouse, an English Restoration playhouse, an 18th century playhouse and a 19th century American playhouse/operahouse. “The grant money was to provide me the necessary computer technology (a CAD program), newer and faster memory and the time to work on these computer reconstructions, as well as funds for an off-campus ISP website for the display of these theatres. “This is a project that is unique for theatre history and will be used in the teaching of my three history of theatre courses this next year. It is a jump-start to an ongoing research interest of mine of experiencing in-performance conditions of iconic theatres of the past which have been lost to the sands of time. I research the dimensions of these theatres, elevations, and architectural details, and attempt to reconstruct each one on the computer using the architecture design program, Archicad 12 by Graphisoft. The renderings are done using Photoshop and Artlantis Render.≠

Gregory Gaut ’69, Ph.D. Title: Associate professor of history Number of years at Saint Mary’s: 14 Research: Red Stars over Minnesota Details: “With my co-author Marsha Neff, I researched and prepared a manuscript, which reconstructs and interprets a day when Minnesota was the focus of world attention,” he said. “On June 3, 1990, Mikhail and Raisa Gorbachev visited the Twin Cities at the invitation of Governor Rudy Perpich. The Soviet leader had just completed a summit meeting with President George Bush.” While in the Twin Cities, The Gorbachevs visited with corporate leaders, a local family and local businesses. Although things were going poorly for Gorbachev at home, he was at the peak of his international popularity. Thousands

of Minnesotans lined the streets to greet the Gorbachevs. “We conclude that the Gorbachevs’ visit marked a uniquely optimistic moment in the U.S., and in Minnesota in particular. Governor Perpich hoped the visit would aid in his reelection campaign, corporations hoped to find economic opportunities in the Soviet Union, and average Minnesotans hoped that the end of the Cold War would lead to U.S.-Soviet cooperation on the environment, nuclear disarmament, and poverty. Within a few years, however, all these hopes had evaporated. The Soviet Union broke into 15 republics, Gorbachev became a private citizen, Perpich lost his election, the new Russian economy floundered, and the world seemed to grow more conflicted rather than less.” The article has been accepted for publication in Minnesota History’s December 2009 issue. Minnesota History is a quarterly journal published by the Minnesota Historical Society.≠

“One result of this summer’s work has been a paper written collaboratively with my colleague in the English Department, Dr. Brooke Lenz. She and I co-chaired a panel at the 2008 Convention of the Midwest MLA (Modern Language Association) in November in Minneapolis, and presented a paper titled ‘Contesting Narratives in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions and The Book of Not,’ which we will also submit for publication. Beyond this, I will be able to enhance my presentation of African narrative in the world literature classes I teach. Further, I hope to both participate in and help strengthen Saint Mary’s students’ awareness of our ‘Nairobi connection’ and the culture surrounding it.”≠

Melissa Wolf ’10, left, and Steve Weishalla ’09, right, assisted Dr. Jeanne Minnerath on her summer research.

Jeanne Minnerath, Ph.D. Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiong’o, front left, spoke at SMU in 2005. With him are SMU faculty including, from left: back, Brother Thomas Houde, Dr. Dorothy Diehl, Brother Robert Smith, FSC ’76, Ph.D., Dr. Carolyn Ayers; front, Dr. Greg Gaut ’69 and Dr. David Lynch.

Carolyn Jursa Ayers, Ph.D. Title: Associate professor and chair of English Department Number of years at Saint Mary’s: 8 Research: Representation in Contemporary African Narrative Details: “The project I worked on examined narrative representation in a number of African novels,” she said. “Specifically, I explored how various theoretical frameworks for understanding narrative representation help us interpret the representation of culturally specific experience. “The project builds on my previous work on Ngugi wa Thiong’o, the Kenyan writer who spoke here in 2005 as part of the Kenya Series. It also dovetails with my world literature specialization, and the recent growth of world literature as a subfield of literary studies. “Besides Ngugi’s novels, I read works by several other African writers spanning a range of experience in terms of generation, region, gender, and, of course, ethnicity.

Title: Associate professor of biology, director of Allied Health Program Number of years at Saint Mary’s: 12 Research: “Effects of Lauricidin on the Immune System In Vivo” Details: “With the aid of two undergraduate biology majors, Melissa Wolf ’10 and Steve Weishalla ’09, I spent my summer conducting lab tests and doing research on the nutritional supplement Lauricidin,” she said. “Numerous studies show that Lauricidin is an effective antimicrobial agent, inhibiting the growth of bacterial, viral, fungal, and protozoal pathogens. Some evidence also suggests that Lauricidin may affect the immune system itself. That is, Lauricidin may enhance the immune response to a pathogen, thus allowing an individual taking Lauricidin to more effectively eliminate the pathogen from the body. “If the name Lauricidin sounds familiar, it may be because it was discovered and founded by Saint Mary’s alumnus Dr. Jon Kabara ’48. Dr. Kabara and his wife Betty started The Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies to encourage and educate students who are interested in entrepreneurship regardless of their major. The Kabaras provided funding that allowed us to further examine the effects of Lauricidin on the immune system. This research will continue throughout the school year.”≠ WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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, ostello eritus; Joan C L to R: professor em , 8 nt assista ompremier ’0 ry a M rs e e e n iv e R ann f 1954 class o ip recipient; , rsh ello ’54 schola ick Cost Dr. Patr r emeritus o profess

At Saint Mary’s, every gift matters, because every gift helps to educate and inspire our students, cultivate their character, and empower them to make a difference in our world. Pat ’54 and Joan Costello made a 59-year career teaching minds and touching hearts in the English and Math Departments of Saint Mary’s. Even in retirement, they continue to change students’ lives through their ongoing financial contributions.

Make or plan a gift that will expand opportunities for future students. Discover how good it feels to make a difference!

Honor your own Saint Mary’s experience by helping the university perpetuate its longstanding tradition of teaching minds and touching hearts.

What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.

To learn more about leaving your own legacy at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at (800) 635-5987, ext. 6647 or giving@smumn.edu.

– Pericles

www.smumn.edu/giving 40

SAINT MARY’S MAGAZINE

FALL/WINTER 2008


CLASS NOTES

Who’s where, doing what... 1944 Joe Connelly, Oak Brook, Ill., has been practicing law for 60 years. After a successful trial practice in business law, he moved into arbitration about 20 years ago, and is still an arbiter for DuPage County in Illinois.

1947 Robert Cleary, Charleston, W.Va., is retired.

1950 Dr. Jerry Schmeltz, Kansas City, Mo., retired from the Federal Aviation Administration in 1989. He continues to instruct aviation safety inspectors at the FFA Academy in Oklahoma City on a part-time basis. Robert Trauscht, Rolling Meadows, Ill., is retired. He has five children and 11 grandchildren.

1951 Harold Costello, Ofallon, Mo., is the owner/president of Metro Specialties.

1948 Dr. Robert Paynter, Paragould, Ariz., retired in 2007 after 57 years of educational teaching, administration, and coaching.

Brother Ray McManaman, FSC, Romeoville, Ill., has been a Christian Brother for 61 years. He is still teaching full-time at the Theology Department of Lewis University.

Jack Rodgers, Palm Desert, Calif., retired from the life insurance business. Having Peripheral Neuropathy in his legs stops him from being an active senior.

1953 Ronald Goedken, Eagan, Minn., retired from Saint Mary’s Twin Cities campus in September 2007, after 18 years as a parttime professor and site coordinator in the Education Department. He and his wife, Kitty, were married for 54 years in July 2008. They have four children, Ronald, Ann, Robert, and Mary (deceased). Richard Roth, Washington D.C., and his wife, Pat, are pleased to announce that their daughter, Siobhan, made them the proud grandparents of Cassius Lindberg Fiorill.

Robert Peters, Rochester, Mich., is in good health. He has five children and 13 grandchildren.

Dr. John Masla, Woodbury, Minn., is presently enjoying retirement after serving for 43 years as a teacher, principal, professor, dean, and state consultant. He has been married to a CST graduate, Mary Lou, for 56 years. They have eight children and 19 grandchildren. Eugene Pinski, Indio, Calif, and his wife, Marcy, became greatgrandparents. They joined family members on a lovely cruise out of Tahiti to a number of Polynesian islands. They hope to make it to Minnesota in June of 2009 for Gene’s 60th reunion.

Brother Ignatius Brown, FSC, Memphis, Tenn., retired June 1, 2008, after 53 years of teaching and school administration. He will also relinquish the directorship of the Lasallian Association of New Catholic Educators Program, a position he has held for the past three years. His retirement plans are to do more volunteer work, sing barbershop, participate in trivia nights, and play more golf. Maurice “Mickey” Flynn, Seabrook, Texas, had a heart transplant on Jan. 5, 1999. At 75, with a 30-year-old heart, he still teaches English and math and coaches physical education. He and his wife, Betty, are involved in NEW LIFE ministry for remarrying couples in the Diocese of Galveston-Houston. He says, “Better to wear out than rust out; Live Jesus in our hearts.”

1955 Jerry Binko, Mt. Pleasant, S.C., retired, moved to South Carolina, and joined the Charleston Barbershop Chorus.

1949 Albert Hoffman, Hopkins, Minn., volunteers at The Greater Lake County Food Bank which feeds the residents of 87 senior high rises in the Minneapolis area and area food shelves. His family of seven children includes two SMU alumni, and one son-in-law is an SMU grad.

1954

1956

Alumnus appears on ‘Today Show’ for Lauterbach family On the Jan. 29, 2008, “Today Show,” Matt Lauer (center) interviewed Mary Lauterbach (left), Lauterbach’s brother Pete Steiner (not pictured), Merle Wilberding ’66 (right) and Wilberding’s law partner Chris Conard (not pictured.) Lauterbach is the mother of Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach, the pregnant Marine stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C., who was murdered and then buried in the backyard of Cesar Laurean. Wilberding and Conard represented the Lauterbach family.≠ ■ To access the video of this interview, go to: www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/22893978 #22893978

Gerald Peterson, Davis, Calif., and his wife, Janice (CST ’56), celebrated 52 years of marriage in August 2008. They have six children, 18 grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. Elmer “Bud” Randolph, Aurora, Ill., and his wife, Sue, are enjoying life in a retirement community and are in good health. They celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary on May 2, 2008. Bill Schacht Jr., St. Louis, Mo., was at SMC for only one year (’52-’53) and he graduated from St. Louis University (B.S.) in 1956 and (M.A.) in 1957. He has been married for 45 years and has five children and eight grandchildren. He retired from Defense Mapping Agency Aerospace Center in 1990. He will always remember his days as a “Redman.” WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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CLASS NOTES

1957 Donald Chopp, Indian Head Park, Ill., has four children and six grandchildren. He has been married for 47 years and has been retired for 12 years. Deacon Thomas Fricke, Downers Grove, Ill., is the deacon at Christ the Servant Parish in Woodridge. Jim Langowski, Alameda, Calif., purchased The Inn on the River, in Trempealeau, Wis., in February 2008. Check out the website at www.innontheriverwisconsin.com. He will be inducted into the Minnesota Fast Pitch Hall of Fame in Minneapolis in October 2008. Thomas Porter, Ferguson, Mo., retired from the Internal Revenue Service in September 2007.

1958 Michael Butler, Boy River, Minn., and his wife, Mary, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this summer. They have four sons and 13 grandchildren. He has been retired from Honeywell for 15 years Daniel Culhane, Eden Prairie, Minn., retired after 35 years of selling and teaching classes in real estate. Dr. Bill Joern, St. Louis, Mo., is retired from his career in hospital labs. He is teaching a science research course at a local high school. He and his wife, Barbara (CST ’59), are healthy and happy with seven children and 21 grandchildren, and they will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in 2009. He has many happy memories of SMC and “the sem.” Don McElmury, Paradise Valley, Ariz., and his wife, Sharon, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Dec. 28, 2007. Marty McMahon, Bluffton, S.C., and his wife, Judy, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in 2009. If any classmates live in the area, Marty would love to hear from you! He has nothing but great memories of Saint Mary’s, all the fellow students and the Christian Brothers!

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Robert Schwendau, Chicago, Ill., is working as a part-time undergraduate academic advisor at Saint Xavier University on Chicago’s far southwest side. He lives in community with the Christian Brothers at the De LaSalle community on 34th and Michigan.

1959 Donald Dorsch, Green Bay, Wis., recently retired. He spends his winters in Florida and his summers in Green Bay and Door County. Three of his sons now run the family business, Dorsch Lincoln Mercury Ford KIA. Donald and his wife, Marilyn (CST ’58), have five grandchildren and are celebrating their 50th anniversary in France this fall with all of their children and spouses. Richard Pavilon, Duvall, Wash., has been doing some stand-up comedy as Zydrunas Zirbrauskas, “America’s Favorite LithuanianAmerican Comic,” for the last four years. His last performance was at a Lithuanian Independence Day Celebration on Feb. 15, 2008. Tom Weidenkopf, New Brighton, Minn., and his wife, Ginny, are snowbirds from the Twin Cities. They spend winters in Florida, where they actively participate in their seasonal parish. Tom also does house construction with Habitat for Humanity there.

1960 Dr. Ron Koperski, Peoria, Ill., received the Putnam Award for excellence in teaching from Bradley University. He is in his 41st year on the faculty at Bradley. Loras “Red” Sieve, Edina, Minn., celebrated his affiliation into the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools on June 6, 2008. Robert Solczyk, Hinsdale, Ill., works for Macy’s Furniture as a sales associate.

The Trauscht family took a photo at the original Trauscht farm house (circa 1720) near Arlon, Belgium, during a recent trip. The American Trauscht family is pictured with their Belgium cousins. Pictured are, from left: back, Neil O’Connor, Bob Trauscht Sr. ’50, Louis Cailteaux, Guy Trauscht; front, Dr. Ann (O’Connor ’77) Trauscht, Dr. Bob Trauscht Jr. ’76 and Mary Agnes (McClory CST ’50) Trauscht.

Trauscht family discovers De La Salle connection in France Dr. Bob Trauscht Jr. ’76, his wife, Dr. Ann (O’Connor ’77) Trauscht, Ann’s dad Neil O’Connor, (who attended one year at Saint Mary’s), Bob Trauscht Sr. ’50 and his wife Mary Agnes (McClory CST ’50) Trauscht took a trip to France and Belgium. While touring the very ancient and beautiful cathedral at Reims, France, the Trauscht family came upon the chapel of Saint John Baptist de La Salle. De La Salle was ordained in the cathedral, said his first Mass there and served there as canon. “Since we had such strong connections to the Christian Brothers, we found it thrilling to come upon the crypt of our very own saint,” Bob Trauscht Sr. said. “We read that Saint John died at Saint-Yon (We never knew where that name came from!) near Rouen. We read how he started the first free schools for poor children in Reims and also started the first known teachers college there.”≠ ABOVE: The shrine of Saint John Baptist De La Salle at Reims Cathedral, France.

FALL/WINTER 2008


CLASS NOTES 1961 Brother Roman Jarosz, FSC, Memphis, Tenn., is retired but maintains his peer-tutoring program, in which students help students in academic reviews of different subjects. Edward Passe, Wabasha, Minn., and his life, Luci, spend December through the middle of April at their winter house in Fort Myers, Fla. Richard Giles Wilborn, Grosse Pointe, Mich., completed his 37th marathon in Sedona in February. His son, Michael, finished his Peace Corps two-year assignment in Zambia, Africa, and his son, Dane, has finished his sophomore year at Arizona State.

1962 John Baltutis, San Diego, Calif., is retired. Dr. David Madland, Los Alamos, N.M., retired after 32 years at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Theoretical Division, in April 2005. He is still active in nuclear physics research and goes to his office twice a week. He and his wife, Juanita, have three children and five grandchildren. Brother Patrick O’Brien, FSC, Ferdinand, Ind., celebrated 50 years as a Christian Brother with family and friends at his home parish in Cincinnati on Sept. 20.

1963 Thomas Holmes, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, become an academic after retiring from the business world in 2003. He teaches two business courses, human resource management and organizational behavior, to post-graduate students, teaching both on-line and in-class sessions. Charles Mertensotto, Arden Hills, Minn., made a return trip to Vietnam in April 2008 after serving there as an intelligence officer 40 years ago. He reconnected with former native associates to hear their stories of survival and re-education. He still enjoys running his own company and serving his clients by hiring accounting and finance professionals.

Patrick Trainor, Allen Park, Mich., and his wife, Marilynn (CST ’64), retired as executive director with Life Directions in 2005. He and Marilynn are currently living in North Fort Myers, Fla., in the winter and Allen Park in the summer. They have four children and nine grandchildren. Ross Tyrrell, Oak Park, Ill., and his wife, Marguerite, recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and Ross’s 40th year as an attorney. They have been blessed with two daughters, both of whom are school social workers. Dr. Donald Wedgbury, Rockford, Ill., is retired from active radiology practice, where he was an interventional radiologist. He is a partner in an active MRI imaging business. He started soccer at club and pro level. “Mad” Brad Hauter, a previous men’s soccer coach at SMU, was a goalie and assistant coach for the Rockford Raptors, which Donald started. Edward Zabrocki, Tinley Park, Ill., has been the mayor of Tinley Park since 1981. He was named Distinguished Alum for SMU in June 2008. He and his wife, Emily (CST ’63), have two sons and four grandchildren.

1964 Jack Edleson, Redlands, Calif., taught school for 18 years after retirement from the Navy. He is now retired from teaching and traveling, including to Antarctica and the Amazon. He has three daughters and six grandchildren. Francis “Frank” Lorenz, Chicago, Ill., has had his own real estate appraisal firm since 1975, specializing in eminent domain and land-use issues. Although he graduated from DePaul, he still has a strong affection for Saint Mary’s. He has seven children and nine grandchildren. Father Anthony Opem, Dakota Dunes, S.D., is the pastor at Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. On May 30 he celebrated his 40th anniversary of priesthood ordination.

Edward Royal Philpott, Calabash, N.C., moved to the Myrtle Beach area and is enjoying retirement. John Polka, Oak Park, Ill., is the chairman of the science department at Fenwick High School. David Putrich, Bloomington, Minn., is mostly retired. He does a little consulting and is an adjunct professor in human resource courses at Saint Mary’s University’s Twin Cities campus. Michael Reisinger, Richardson, Texas, is enjoying retirement with 15 grandkids and traveling.

1965 Dr. Nicholas DeGrazia, North Lakeport, Mich., and his wife, Sandy, opened the Adventure Inn Bed & Breakfast on the shores of Lake Huron, just north of Port Huron, Mich., after he retired as the president/COO of Lionel Trains, Inc. He serves as a business consultant and member of various boards. John Houha, Albuquerque, N.M., holds the position of chief, position classification section, in the U.S. Air Force. Roger Stasiak, Pueblo West, Colo., and his wife, Diane, sold their equestrian center after more than 25 years of operation and retired to a new residence in Colorado. He retired from the U.S. Navy, Medical Service Corps in 1990.

1966 Dr. Jacob Clement, Swansboro, N.C., and his wife, Mary, moved into their new home on the coast of North Carolina in April and are looking forward to boating, clamming, fishing and warm beaches. They would love to hear from or be visited by friends from the class of ’66. Jerome Hendrickson, Elk River, Minn., is semi-retired after working 34 years in the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis as a teacher and religious educator. He is now a substitute teacher in secondary schools in Elk River and does personal tax returns during the tax season.

John Holstein, Seoul, South Korea, has been at Sungkyunkwan University since 1982.

1967 Leo Cavin, Plymouth, Minn., is an accounts manager for Snap-on-Tools. Dr. Michael Hannon, Buffalo, Minn., is now involved in Disaster Response Veterinary Medicine; as the Coordinator of the Minnesota Veterinary Reserve Corps; as a member of Veterinary Medical Assistance Team V; as a member of National Veterinary Response Team V (NDMS, HHS); and as a member of the National Animal Emergency Response Corps (USDA). George Hoder, Seattle, Wash., is semi-retired. He is a volleyball coach and player. Lloyd O’Brien, Fairmont, Minn., retired from Harsco Track Technologies in Fairmont, Minn., in February 2008. Richard Ostmoe, Panama City, Fla., is retired.

1968 Tim Burchill, (posthumously), Winona, was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Philanthropy Award from the Minnesota and Wisconsin AFP chapters. The Winona Community Foundation also honored Tim by awarding him with their Founders Award. He also was honored with the 2008 SMU Alumni Appreciation Award. Greg Cahill, Oak Lawn, Ill., is a banjo player and leader in the Special Consensus bluegrass band since its formation in Chicago in 1975. He is the president/board chair of the International Bluegrass Music Association based in Nashville. Gerald Zielinski, Minnetonka, Minn., is celebrating 28 years as an employee in the advertising department of the Star Tribune newspaper. He and his wife, Kathy, are first-time grandparents to Harper Blake Goldsmith. WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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CLASS NOTES

1969 Thomas Cannon, Mill Valley, Calif., is president and managing director of the Americas for SeerGate Technologies, a global authentication and payment settlement network with operations in South Africa, Brazil and the United States. Dennis McNicholas, Lombard, Ill., and his wife, Karin, celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary in August 2008. They have three children. He is still engaged in private law practice and has completed specialized training to conduct elder mediation. He says the education and the experience provided him by Saint Mary’s has much to do with the life he is now living. Dr. Timothy Scheurer, Westerville, Ohio, recently had his book, Music and Mythmaking in Film: Genre and the Role of the Composer published by McFarland & Company. Chuck Szopa, Anchorage, Alaska, retired on Dec. 31, 2007, from Parker, Smith & Feek, Inc., after holding the position of chairman for the past three years. He joined the firm in 1986, when he opened the Anchorage office. Parker, Smith & Feek is ranked as the 86th largest insurance broker in the United States.

1970 Tom Callen, Wauwatosa, Wis., recently became the president of the inaugural chapter of the “Friends of Saint Patrick” (Milwaukee Chapter). David Collins, Montgomery Village, Md., and his wife, Val (CST ’71), enjoy traveling and hanging out with their grandson.

by Gilead Sciences in the Bay area. He enjoys outdoor activities. Loren Niemi, Minneapolis, was the winner of the 2007 Oracle award for national leadership and service.

1971 Joseph Cain, Troy, N.Y., is now retired after a 32-year career as a law enforcement criminal investigator. He and his wife, Toni, now enjoy traveling throughout the United States and Europe. Jack Kelly, Beaumont, Alberta, Can., retired in June of 2006 after more than 30 years as a classroom teacher and administrator in Catholic schools in Alberta. He now is an adjunct faculty member at St. Joseph’s College at the University of Alberta and at Newman Theological College. He has four children and 10 grandchildren. Mark Zelinsky, Morrison, Colo., works for Rocky Mountain Pavement as a senior estimator.

1972 Kevin Murtha, Buffalo Grove, Ill., retired from International Truck and Engine in 2000 after 29 years. He and his wife, Lori, have four children who are all doing wonderfully.

1974 John Driscoll, Ocala, Fla., built his own office for his accounting business in February 2008. He and his wife, Barbara, have one grandchild.

1975 Dr. Charles Giammona, Bemidji, Minn., informed SMU that his wife, Dannita, died in an auto accident in March of 2008. Please keep her in your prayers. Denny Hoffmann, Red Wing, Minn., wishes the best to all SMC alumni, especially his friends from the class of 1970. Bruce Lesser, Pleasanton, Calif., retired from Merck and Co, Inc., after 33 years. He was recruited

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John McDonough, Chicago, was named “Chicago Executive of the Year” by the Public Relations Society of America on May 21, 2008. Father Michael Mulloy of Rapid City, S.D., is the rector Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual since 2004. He is also busy with a hospital and diocesan school.

Jim Izzo ’75 (left) and Tim O’Malley ’77 (right) reunited during O’Malley’s recent induction into Montini High School’s Hall of Fame. Izzo was inducted in 2001.

1976 Frank Howard, Northbrook, Ill., welcomed his first grandchild, Ella Michele Howard, on March 21, 2008. Cathy (Trusk) Stevens, Arden Hills, Minn., raises dogs for Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota (HSDM). HSDM was started by Saint Mary’s alumnus Al Peters ’74. Check out the website for more information at www.hsdm.org. Jim Suddendorf, Orono, Minn., accepted a position as senior vice president of business development and client services for Three Wire, a patient recruitment and enrollment of medical devices and pharmaceutical clinical trials.

1977 Jean (Jovonovich) Alvillar, Ocean Springs, Miss., survived hurricane Katrina. The recovery is still slow down there. She and her twin sister, Jane (Jovonovich ’77) Popovich who now lives in Australia, took an Alaskan Inside Passage Cruise in May. She is doing molecular parasitology these days. She just co-authored a paper in aquaculture and she loves what she does! Robert Bangasser, Eden Prairie, Minn., was named the corporate sales manager for Jet Edge Inc.

Jane (Jovonovich) Popovich, Eight Mile Plains, Australia, is married with two girls and happy to be living in Australia. She says, “Any friends from 1977 who travel to OZ can come look me up!” Brother Joe Russell III, FCT, Waukegan, Ill., is soliciting papers for the book he’s writing: Winkta Cosmology, as the first mixed-blood Winkta of the Arapaho Nation. Proceeds will go to support his (slowly) growing religious community. Andre (Carlevato) Sherlock, Wood Dale, Ill., and her husband became grandparents to Claire Joanna Sherlock, born on March 23, 2007. The happy parents are Tony ’02 and his wife, Deborah.

1978 Bill Finnegan, Peninsula, Ohio, was named president of More Than Gourmet in July 2008. Father R. Paul Heiting, Winona, began his seventh year as spiritual director of IHM Seminary on the campus of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota this past summer. He will also begin an equal amount of service at the Diocese of Winona Marriage Tribunal, where he will serve as Judicial Vicar and Judge. FALL/WINTER 2008


CLASS NOTES 1979 Reverend John Berg, Cuba City, Wis., received a humanities grant to study the culture of ancient and modern Turkey and recently returned from a visit to Turkey. Thirty people participated in the educational adventure from around the United States. Michael Charron, Winona, was appointed to the Minnesota State Arts Board. He is the dean of the School of Arts at Saint Mary’s University.

1980 Mark Ferrante, Chicago, celebrated the 17th anniversary of the opening of his law firm. When not working, Mark enjoys playing ice hockey and cycling.

1981 Betsy Odya, Waukesha, Wis., has returned home to the Milwaukee area after living and traveling across North America since college. Her new career as a real estate broker started in a challenging market. Susan (Crutcher) Vander Maazen, Appleton, Wis., has a new position with Strathmore Artist Papers/Pacon Corporation as a machine operator.

1982 Julie Green Verlennich, Alexandria, Minn., is teaching

speech lessons this year and is having a blast! Terri (Pritscher) Moskal, Elk Grove Village, Ill., has four great children ages 18, 17, 15, and 12. Patricia (Bronk) Wegemer, Dover, Del., has two sons, Christopher, 22, and Benjamin, 21, who are both college graduates.

1983 Dr. Alan Hein, Oswego, Ill., moved his optometry business, Oswego Vision, to a new building in March 2008. Daniel Lange, Palos Heights, Ill., is finishing his 24th year in education, 10 years at Carl Sandburg. David Weigman, Hamel, Minn., joined the Messerli & Kramer P.A. Real Estate Group.

1984 Scott Carey, Naples, Fla., and his wife, Josephine (CST ’84), have a daughter, Sarah, 16, and son, Mark, 13. Kathleen (Crozier) Eikens, Minneapolis, says, “Only a year until our 25th reunion! It was great to catch up with many of you at the 20th. Hopefully even more from the class of 1984 will return for the reunion in the summer of 2009.”

Several Saint Mary’s alumni attended the ordination of the Rev. Kathleen Burns ’83 (center) as a minister in the United Church of Christ in Minneapolis on Oct. 28, 2006. Congratulating her are, from left: Colleen Cashen ’83, LouAnne Tighe ’84, Dr. Ray Hoffman ’83 and Jeanne Heer ’85.

Patrice Henning, Evergreen, Colo., trained for and completed her first 14,000-foot mountain climb. She crawled to the top of Mount Antero on June 20, 2007. She also traveled to Alaska and did some fishing in August 2007. She is looking forward to seeing all of her classmates at Homecoming 2009. Father Robert Herbst, OFM, Oakland, Calif., received a Doctorate in Canon Law “Summa Cum Laude” from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas (the Angelicum) in Rome in April 2008. Doug Hettinger, Olathe, Kan., started his own consulting business in January 2008. Visit his website at www.pm2elevator.com for details including Doug’s contact information.

1985 Maryann (Meyenberg) Keblusek, Island Lake, Ill., is in her third year of teaching eighthgrade language arts at Cary Junior High School. Laura (Farraday) Mont, Flower Mound, Texas, and her husband, Jim (’83), are enjoying their new adventure in Texas.

Several members of the Saint Mary’s class of 1982 hit the beaches of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, for a get-together. Among those in attendance were, clockwise from left: Chuck Eddy, Tom Rice, Kevin Buron, Mark Ayotte, Tom Stark, Ray Jenisch and John Kaminski.

Kristen Mooney, Los Angeles, Calif., has a CD “Hydroplane” available at www.kristinmooney.com. She recently added harmony vocals to Lucinda Williams’ yet-to-be released CD.

DeAnn Simmons-Campbell, West Bend, Wis., is a physician assistant practicing family medicine. She and her husband sail on Lake Michigan. Their children are Courtney, 16, and Sean, 12.

1986 Michelle (Edmond) Wolfe, Aurora, Colo., started a new position as deputy city manager of Aurora, Colo., in January, 2008. Paul Nedeau, Pickerington, Ohio, is a sales training manager for pharmaceutical sales for Cardinal Health. His daughter, Victoria, turned 2 in July 2008.

1987 Steve Hyzny, Brookfield, Ill., started working as a professor of computer networking at DeVry University in April 2008. Anne (Sternal) Piper, St. Paul, Minn., graduated from Hamline University with a Master of Fine Arts in Poetry. Lisa (Janikowski) Schlosser, Apple Valley, Minn., was appointed as vice president and chief technology officer for Global Securities Information in August 2007. Father James Steffes, Washington, D.C., was named executive director of the United States Bishops’ Secretariat for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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CLASS NOTES 1988 Mike Adamson, Rochester, Minn., was elected chairman of the Lincoln Mercury National Dealer Council for the 2008 term. Heidi (Campbell) DeRousse, Hawthorn Woods, Ill., has three children, Mackenzie, 11; Morgan, 9; and Ryan, 6. Michael Erickson, Postville, Iowa, is enrolled in the master’s program in servant leadership at Viterbo University. Donna (Peichel) Wehe, Alamosa, Colo., and her husband, David, have been blessed with two sons, Ryan, 13, and Hayden, 8. They support the activities at their local college, play golf, and chase kids! Donna is an active Rotarian.

1991 Laura (Broghammer) Evenson, Slidell, La., and her husband, Lieutenant Commander Darin Evenson, have two children, Finnegan, 2, and Chloe, 1.

1992 Kimberly (Green) Biscan, Orland Hills, Ill., accepted a position at Exelon Corporation as a procurement specialist on Nov. 5, 2007. Amy (Carlson) Larson, St. Michael, Minn., and her husband, Erik, have a business, Be There Pest Control. Amy is a stay-at-home mom. Ellen (Jones) Maruyama, White Bear Lake, Minn., and her husband, Drew, recently moved back to the Twin Cities with their three kids.

1989 Jodi (Nynas) Flynn, Niles, Ill., is an attorney with Daris McGrath LLC. Lori (Dragert) Grant, St. Paul, Minn., is teaching Spanish to kindergarteners through secondgraders at St. Paul Academy. Father Stephen Willard, Champaign, Ill., is the pastor at Holy Cross Catholic Church and encourages daily prayer.

1990 Wendy (Anthony) Buchmann, Chippewa Falls, Wis., and her husband, Michael (’90), have six children, Paul, 14; Rose, 12; Claire, 10; Tim, 8; Mark, 6; and Sarah, 1. Mike still works at Rex Systems in Chippewa Falls, Wis., and Wendy is still at home raising the children. Kim (Thome) Hand, Glenview, Ill., and her husband, Kevin, have three children Moira, 7; Liam, 4; and Clara, 4. She received the 2007 President Award for Dedication to Leadership from the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. She is the supervisor of private geriatric care management at North Shore Senior Center.

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Andrew Matanovic, Mount Prospect, Ill., started his own business called Regency Real Estate Services, LLC, after being a realtor for 12 years. Amy (Rosemark) Murphy, St. Paul, Minn., is in her fifth year with the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. She just had her fourth baby in January 2008. Todd Myers, Plymouth, Minn. and his wife, Michelle (Rohan ’94), have two sons, Tommy, 8, and Bobby, 6.

1993 Jeff Amundson, Rochester, Minn., left the for-profit sector to take a position in the non-profit sector as director of development for the History Center of Olmsted County. He also writes grant proposals for his mother’s consulting firm, Education To Careers. He returned to Saint Mary’s to pursue his Master of Arts in Philanthropy and Development in the summer of 2008. Father Todd Mlsna, La Crosse, Wis., continues to enjoy his ministry to the patients at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare, their families and the staff at the hospital. He also helps at St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral.

Alumnae from the Saint Mary’s class of 1995 gathered in Minneapolis for a festive holiday reunion. Attending were, clockwise, from left: Jane (Pouliot) Loll, Kelly (Daley) Puspoki, Myra (Ramos) Koehn, Tara (Shaffer) Noteboom, Sara Truhlar, Stacy (Quickstad) Reiff, Megan (McCarver) Bergstrom, Amy (Daley) Bjellos and Serena (Nelson) Pelowski.

1994 Carrie (Grace) Griffin, Waterbury, Vt., received the New Advisor Award ’07 from the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors for outstanding achievement as the leading new advisor in the state of Vermont. She also completed her LUTCF designation. She has two children, Taylor, 8, and Clara, 5. Michael Howard, Jefferson, Wis., is the elementary school principal for the Jefferson School District. Michelle (Vilmain) Johnson, Chesterfield, Mo., has four children, Elizabeth, 8; Anna, 5; Katherine, 5; and Patrick, 5. Ann Keen, Chicago, directed “Hamlet” in spring 2008. She received great reviews from the Chicago Reader. Tracy (Snyder) Lutz, Scandia, Minn., continues her work as a freelance editor. Michelle (Rohan) Myers, Plymouth, Minn., and her husband, Todd, have two sons, Tommy, 8, and Bobby, 6.

1995 Lori (Ronhovde) Jandl, New Hope, Minn., has three children ages 7, 9, and 10 1/2. She is employed by Sandburg Middle School in Golden Valley. Diane (Fleckenstein) Ping, Glendale, Wis., graduated from Carroll College in 2000 with a master degree in physical therapy. She works in a private outpatient clinic with a strong orthopedic background and interest in women’s health. She also teaches a post-partum class.

1996 Shelley (Vacek) Cacka, Papillion, Neb., and her husband, Ron ’96, are finishing their fourth year of homeschooling. She also volunteers as a breastfeeding counselor with La Leche League and an NFP promoter with the Couple to Couple League. Camas (Dimond) Maroney, Burnsville, Minn., enjoys her time at home raising Annabelle, 6, and Aiden, 4.

1997

Heather (Perkins) Ferber, Milwaukee, Wis., enjoys life as a stay-at-home mom. Her extra time is spent volunteering for the Elm Grove junior guild and local women and children’s charities.

Jane (Healy) Brown, Forest Park, Ill., continues to work for Chase as a retail project manager, but her greatest joy is being a mom to 18-month-old Maggie.

Father James Seitz, Adams, Minn., is a priest at Sacred Heart Church.

Rob Grumich, St. Louis, Mo., continues as the director of education at Stages St. Louis. He is FALL/WINTER 2008


CLASS NOTES the proud parent of Jimmy, 5, and Mimi, 3. He is also directing a production of “The Romantic Age” for ACT Inc. theatre and coaching kindergarten baseball. Shane Meyer, Sylvania, Ohio, works for UBS Financial Service Inc. as a financial advisor/vice president-investments, and his wife, Anna (Thibault ’97) is a stay-at-home mom. Casey (Collette) Tessler, Lombard, Ill., is a fulltime special education teacher with students who have emotional and behavioral disorders. She teaches in a high school classroom.

1998 Tracy (Klassen) Curran, St. Albans, U.K., and her husband, Anthony, have two sons, Joshua and Luke. Melanie (Smith) Hendrickson, Crystal, Minn., is in her ninth year of teaching for the Bloomington Public School District. Eric Nelson, St. Charles, Minn., graduated from Saint Mary’s with a Master of Arts in Management. He hopes to begin studying in the Ed.D. Leadership program in this fall. He works on the security management team at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He and his wife, Kimberly, have two boys, Carter, 5, and Cooper, 2.

Annissa Ulbrich, Glen Allan, Va., relocated from Rhode Island in May of 2008. She accepted a new position with her company and will work directly with the Virginia Lottery testing software.

2000 Dr. Kristin Buege, Caledonia, Minn., completed a one-month chiropractic mission trip in some of the poorest regions of Costa Rica in February 2007. She graduated with a Doctorate in Chiropractic from Northwestern Health Sciences University (Bloomington, Minn.) in August 2007 and currently works as a chiropractor in Breidenbach Family and Sports Chiropractic in La Crosse, Wis. In her spare time, she volunteers as an EMT with the Caledonia ambulance crew. Paul Fee, Rogers, Minn., and his wife, Amy (Engwer ’00), have two children, James, 2, and Emma, 1. Paul is a commercial insurance broker with Associated Financial Group, and Amy owns a home daycare. Laura Kronlage, Bloomington, Minn., is an account executive with RJF Financial Services in Plymouth, Minn. She recently earned her chartered financial consultant degree.

Adam Knutson, St. Paul, Minn., has a son, Gavin, 3; a stepson, Anthony, 13; and a dog, Jersey. Carrie Mathias, Willmar, Minn., is currently working at Headquarters, 682D Engineer Battalion. She’ll be studying for her master’s in engineering through Missouri University of Science and Technology in fall 2008. C. J. McCaffrey, Circle Pines, Minn., accepted a position with 3M Company as an analyst in its Corporate Supply Chain Operations division. Anthony Piscitiello, New York, N.Y., accepted a position as the director of alumni and community relations at La Salle Academy in New York. Ryan Rosenberg, Onalaska, Wis., was promoted to executive sales assistant for Eastern North America with Fastenal Company in Winona.

2001 Greg Adams, Lincoln, Neb., is an associate coordinator of composition at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he is a second-year doctoral student in rhetoric and composition.

Father Tait C. Schroeder, Sauk City, Wis., has been asked to pursue doctoral studies in canon law in Rome.

Jora Deziel, Plymouth, Minn., was lucky enough to spend a year in Hong Kong working for Gartner Studios International. She now works for the Xcel Center in the public relations department. Melissa Emley, Orlando, Fla., is a guest service manager at Walt Disney World Resort. She will also be starting grad school at Stetson University in fall 2008, studying for her master’s in business administration. Kesney LaBerge, Chicago, is a counselor and dean of students at Mille Middle School in Oak Forest, Ill. Dr. Shane Malecha, Lonsdale, Minn., was promoted to clinical director at Intrepid Healthcare. He is receiving his doctorate in physical therapy from Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions.

Bethany Heinz, Sioux Falls, S.D., is attending an accelerated nursing program at South Dakota State University.

1999

Randy Gallatin, Forest Lake, Minn., and his wife, Emily, have two children, Grady, 4, and Gwen, 1.

Eric Cronin, Chicago, is working as the lead art director for Miller Lite Motorsports. He has had the opportunity to do some amazing national work for brands in Miller Brewing such as Peroni, High Life, Pilsner Urquel, Icehouse, and Miller Lite. He has also been fortunate to work on other Upshot accounts such as FinishLine, Procter & Gamble, and Harley Davidson.

2002

Amy (Morgan) Stone, Chicago, is completing her seventh year as a third-grade teacher in Chicago and is working on obtaining her second master’s degree to become a reading specialist.

Elyse Bohn, Naperville, Ill., has accepted a new job as account manager at Hilb, Rogal and Hobbs at their Lombard office.

Nicole Simon, Bloomington, Minn., accepted a position at PRIDE Institute, located in Eden Prairie, as community relations professional.

Three SMU alums got together to “mix it up” including, from left: Jason Spartz ’06, M’08, multimedia and information technology support manager at Saint Mary’s Winona campus, Bret Fierce ’97 who operates Fierce Audio in Minneapolis and Dan Bowers ’02, who works for Clearwing Productions in Milwaukee. Bowers is supporting monitors for the Steve Miller Band (and Joe Cocker) 2008 tour and gave his Phi Mu Alpha Brothers a closer look at the system they are using for the tour. This stop was at the Target Center and the photo is the FOH mix position for Steve Miller.

Dr. Abby (Ludwig) DeBonis, North Pole, Ala., and her husband, Ryan, are currently stationed at Fort Wainwright, Ala. Abby is the Brigade Dental Surgeon for the 1/25 Stryker Brigade Combat Team. They left in September 2008 for a 12month deployment in Iraq. Stacy Kreuser, Eagan, Minn., has been with the city of Falcon Heights since 2005, and has acted as assistant city administrator since 2006. WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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CLASS NOTES his wife’s medical school rotations. He did some work for the National Wildlife Refuge or Audubon Society this past summer.

Nick McNamara, Chicago, owns Nick & Tiff’s Wedding Supply. He would like to say, “Thank you to all of the SMU alumni in Chicago. You all helped to bring this business to the next level. I miss you Winona!”

Mindy (Hynes) Winkler, Crystal, Minn., started the Family Nurse Practitioner Program at Mankato State in spring 2008.

Melissa Narum, Minneapolis, became a certified brain injury specialist and continues to support adults and teens living with brain injuries in the Twin Cities area. She also completed a triathlon and half marathon and continues to train for more races. Maria Rinaldi, St. Louis, Mo., is a biopharmaceutical sales manager.

2003 Susan Kelnberger, Grand Marais, Minn., just finished a run of Hamlet, in which she played Queen Gertrude at the Grand Marais Playhouse (in conjunction with ISD #166). She will be directing Almighty Bob this June. She is also a licensed personal trainer. Father Brent Lingle, Spencer, Iowa, was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Sioux City June 16, 2008. He is serving as the parochial administrator of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Theresa Miller, West Allis, Wis., was first author on a paper that describes her dissertation research thus far. The paper was published in the Journal Planta Issue 227 in May 2008. Monica (Deringer) Nugent, Manteno, Ill., graduated from Olivet Nazarene University with her master’s degree in professional counseling in May 2008. Margaret Ortmann, Lincoln, Neb., finished her third year of a Ph.D. program in developmental psychology. She is a research assistant studying cognitive spatial memory development of children. Emily (Theis) Reger, Woodbury, Minn., is a first-grade teacher for the North St. Paul, Maplewood, Oakdale School District. Scott Schultz, Cary, Ill., is a presale business manager with Motorola.

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Winona Bishop Bernard Harrington (center) ordained four new priests for the Diocese of Winona on June 28 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. The new priests include, from left: Father Jeffrey Dobbs ’04, Father Ubaldo Roque Huerta (attended ESL, ’06), Father William Thompson ’04 and Father Thomas Niehaus (attended ’02-’04). (Photo courtesy of The Courier, Diocese of Winona)

Martha (Stout) Sibbel, Carroll, Iowa, opened her own law offices on Aug. 9, 2007. The website is www.sibbellawoffice.com. Crystal (Erickson) Syverson, Menomonie, Wis., was promoted from package center supervisor to united parcel services account executive in May 2007. She was married on Sept. 22, 2007. Anna Tomes, St. Paul, Minn., is a pediatric nurse at Eagan Valley Pediatrics.

2004 Heidi Andre, Minnetonka, Minn., accepted a job as a reference attorney with Thomson West Corporation. Alyssa (Butenhoff) Anguiano, Winona, completed her Master of Arts in Instruction through Saint Mary’s in June. Alyssa and her husband, Eugenio, will be moving to Brownsville, Texas, in July. She will be starting a new job as the sixth-grade language arts teacher. Allison Ast, Overland Park, Kan., is a medical student at Kansas University Medical School. Lindsay (Haus) Berkseth, La Crosse, Wis., was married on May 31, 2008, to Tim Berkseth. The two moved to La Crosse, Wis., for their residency programs after graduating from the Medical College of Wisconsin in

May. Lindsay will be enrolled in the family medicine program at Franciscan Skemp of La Crosse. Keith Cockerham, Park Forest, Ill., is taking classes for his master’s in forensic science at the University of Florida in August. Kimberly (Posch) Fuentes, St. Cloud, Minn., owns her own business as a manager with Sensaria Natural Bodycare, along with working fulltime. Lauren Hinderman, Minnetonka, Minn., was promoted to sales analyst on the Super Valu Corporate Team at Kraft Foods. Robert Hollnagel, Onalaska, Wis., works for Main Street Ingredients as an account manager in sports nutrition. Benjamin Leist, Manitowoc, Wis., took over leadership of Roncalli’s Lasallian Youth retreat programs. In his free time he continues in music ministry for retreats and conferences throughout Northeast Wisconsin. Kaitlyn Olson, Plymouth, Minn., is a police officer for the City of New Hope. Kyle TePoel, St. Paul, Minn., graduated in August with a master’s in outdoor education and recreation from the University of Minnesota. In October, Kyle and his wife, Nicole (Mensink ’06), moved to Ely, Minn. where they will stay for nine months during

Dominika Zaleska, McHenry, Ill., was promoted to military director of admissions for Colorado Technical University Online. She organized a scholarship program for 25 wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

2005 Jennifer (Folgers) Baertsch, La Crosse, Wis., graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato, in May 2008. She works at Coulee Catholic Schools as a development and communications specialist. Brent Bendson, Baxter, Minn., was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He is assigned as a signal officer with the 18th Fires Brigade (Airborne). Sister Veronica Cantu, Queens, N.Y., made her first religious profession as a Little Sister of the Poor on June 28, 2008. Erik Classen, Winter Spring, Fla., has been at Full Sail College learning animation. He will graduate in August 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Animation. Anna Curtis, Brentwood, Tenn., has a new position at Lattimore, Black, Morgan and Cain as a strategic planner. Kathryn (Pilrose) Gislason, Edina, Minn., returned to school to earn her master’s degree in special education, with a focus on how students struggle with emotional and behavioral disorders. Lindsy (Gospodarek) Hemmersbach, Neenah, Wis., is working as a graphic artist for Gannett Co. Rachel Miller, La Crosse, Wis., hopes to complete her second master’s degree by the fall of 2009. FALL/WINTER 2008


CLASS NOTES David O’Leary, Grand Portage, Minn., assumed the position of director of human services for the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa as of Jan. 2, 2008. Duties include administration and oversight of the band’s youth prevention, mental health, chemical dependency, social service and child welfare programs. Reverend Jacob Runyon, New Hope, Ind., was ordained a transitional deacon on April 27, 2008. Brian Skjerven, Minneapolis, earned his Master of Science in Applied Mathematics from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He is pursuing his doctorate in scientific computation at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Jillian (Griffin) Skjerven, Minneapolis, is working as a teacher in Minneapolis. Lance Thompson, Winona, is working for Saint Mary’s as a graduate assistant hall director and is working on a master’s degree in human development. Lisa Thompson, Baltimore, Md., finished her third year as a volunteer teacher. She had one year as a Lasallian volunteer in San Francisco, teaching middle school and two years in Baltimore as an operation teacher, teaching kindergarten. She graduated in May of 2008 from Notre Dame of Maryland with a degree in leadership in teaching and certification as a reading specialist. She will be staying at her current school, Resurrection St. Paul, as a kindergarten teacher. Kami Ward, Winona, joined Teach for America and will spend the next two years teaching children in low-income communities. She is teaching elementary school in the Mississippi Delta.

Chrissy Kluczny, Rochester, Minn., graduated from an accelerated nursing program at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., in December 2007. She is a registered nurse working for St. Mary’s Hospital. Desiree Larson, Blaine, Minn., found a terrific position as a federal career intern working for customs and border protection as a team leader at the Minneapolis Hiring Center. She enjoys the work she does and is grateful to be able to serve her country in this capacity! Kendall Marsden, Oak Park, Ill., is a high school youth minister. She is living in community as a co-director of the Lasallian volunteer community at Harvey House in Chicago. Patrick McConnell, Mundelein, Ill., would like to thank his brothers and sisters at Saint Mary’s University for their prayers and continued support of each other. With the beginning of his first year of theology training, be continually assured of his prayers. Patrick encourages all alumni to continue to support our beloved Cardinals and the Catholic identity that the Christian Brothers and the Lasallian community upholds. Aaron Radish, Las Vegas, Nev., has completed his first medical research publication for Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Department of Neonatal Medicine. He will be attending Touro University, Nevada-College of Medicine in fall of 2008. Kevin Wriskey, Lino Lakes, Minn., was inducted into the Golden Key Honor Society. He was honored for achieving exceptional academic accomplishments, and making a positive impact on our world through the society’s commitment to service. He is in a master’s program at Eastern Kentucky University in loss prevention/industrial safety.

2007 2006 Rachel Goettert, Dellwood, Minn., is working for Prairie Home Productions, which is Garrison Keillor’s production company that produces his weekly radio show, A Prairie Home Companion.

Amanda Gage, Tucson, Ariz., teaches third grade in South Tucson. Amy Glasgow, Philadelphia, Pa., works for Teach for America Philadelphia, as a Tilden Middle School eighth-grade math teacher.

SMU alumni including, clockwise from left, Sarah Jane Engle ’07, Danny Pancratz ’07, Tim Markus ’07, and Sara Swanberg ’06 held a get-together in New York City since most of them have jobs near the East Coast. Engle is long-term volunteering for Lasallian Volunteers in Brooklyn, N.Y.; Markus is completing a stage management apprenticeship at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, Pa.; and Swanberg is completing a state management internship at Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, R.I. Pancratz, who is attending graduate school at Western Illinois University, was visiting.

Laura Gutierrez, Cannon Falls, Minn., holds a position with Winthrop & Weinstine, a top 10 law firm in the Twin Cities area. Sarah Kay, Winona, Minn., recently changed from being the admissions counselor for Saint Mary’s in northern Illinois to western Twin Cities. Sandra Mason, Burnsville, Minn., is a packaging specialist project manager with Target Corporation. Lincoln Scully, Minneapolis, Minn., accepted a position with Accenture as an associate software engineer. Davey Warner, Winona, is the Outdoor Leadership coordinator at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Nick Winecke, Winona, was named head baseball coach at Saint Mary’s in July 2008. Indeah (Gustafson) Yockey, Hastings, Minn., is employed at Price Waterhouse Coopers. She is pursuing a master’s degree in

accounting at the University of St. Thomas. Jason Yockey, Hastings, Minn., is a financial adviser with Ameriprise Financial in Red Wing, Minn.

2008 Lindsay Dickson, Brooklyn Park, Minn., worked for the Minnesota State Fair Foundation as a marketing and events assistant over the summer. Joe Manley, West Point, Neb., joined Teach for America and will spend the next two years teaching children in low-income communities. Abigail Rosenthal, Red Wing, Minn., has a new position with Evanston Northwestern Health Care as a nuclear medicine intern. Katie Schares, DeWitt, Iowa, joined Teach for America and will spend the next two years teaching children in low-income communities. She will be teaching English in St. Louis. WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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CLASS NOTES

WEDDINGS Phil Feiten ’52 to Barbara Owecke, Winona, on May 24, 2008. JoAnn Zagone ’92 to Jim Federici, Arlington Heights, Ill., on Aug. 19, 2007. Anne Miller ’97 to Bob Leba, Eden Prairie, Minn., on Feb. 8, 2008 in Mexico. Tina Egland ’01 to Jose Larios, Las Vegas, Nev., on Oct. 6, 2007. Former SMU faculty Dr. Joe and Carol Shields attended the wedding. Katie McGrath ’01 to Billy Guinane, Chicago, Ill., on June 23, 2006. The wedding party included Joey Guinane ’94,

Beth (Chambers ’01) Boyle, Erin Halloran ’02, and Eileen Guinane ’01. Several SMC/SMU alums were in attendance.

Tauna Grandl ’04 to Chad Juenger, Adams, Minn., on Aug. 2, 2008.

BIRTHS & ADOPTIONS

Megan Jeno ’02 to Andrew Browne, Scottsdale, Ariz., on June 7, 2008.

Shannon (Peetz ’04) Trakore to Sidiki “Djeidy” Trakore, Philadelphia, Pa., on Nov. 10, 2007.

Abby Ludwig ’02 to Ryan DeBonis, North Pole, Alaska, on July 7, 2007.

Becky Belanger ’05 to Nick Phillips, Elk River, Minn., on Sept. 15, 2007.

Katie Peel ’02 to Brian Vondera, St. Louis, Mo., on Dec. 29, 2007. Saint Mary’s alumnae in the wedding party were Jessica (Smith ’02) Whalen, Jessica (Joens ’02) Andring, and Jackie Paul ’02.

Ashley Dingels ’05 to Tim Gossen ’01, Lewiston, Minn., on June 14, 2008.

John ’92 and Beth (Feeney ’91) Heil, Mt. Prospect, Ill., adopted a baby boy, Thomas, from Guatemala. He was born on Feb. 8, 2006, and he arrived in the United States on Jan. 26, 2007. They also gave birth to a baby boy, Seamus, on June 14, 2007. Erin (Murphy ’91) Kaminski is the godmother to Seamus. They join older siblings, Molly, 9; Maggie, 7; and Packy, 7.

Anna Johnson ’03 to Chad Werner, St. Louis Park, Minn., on May 23, 2008.

Aleah Zuccarelli ’05 to Chris Harvey, Winona, on June 21, 2008.

Lindsy Gospodarek ’05 to Lee Hemmersbach, Neenah, Wis., on June 9, 2007.

Jacquelyn Ravnikar ’06 to Tom Smith ’06, St. Paul, Minn., on Dec. 28, 2007. Tony Truhler ’06 to Becky Dougherty ’07, Maple Grove, Minn., on June 21, 2008. Sara Vargason ’06 to Dominic Lawrence ’06, Winona, on May 17, 2008. Angela Pieper ’07 to Brian Kasel, Taopi, Minn, on July 28, 2008. Brian Egan ’97 married Lisa Støvora on Nov. 3, 2007, in Minnetonka Beach, Minn. SMU alumni and friends attending included, from left, front: Emily Egan ’95, Anne Egan ’95; back row, Matt Hrtanek ’99 and family; Kelsey Libby; Brent Egan ’97; the bride and groom.

Denise B. Klinkner ’97 and Patrick J. Buss were married Nov. 11, 2006. Celebrating are, from left: front, Kristen (Fierst ’96) Donovan, Fred ’96, M’97 and Beth (Maloney ’97) Kennerhed, the groom and bride, Michelle Boyum-Johnson ’97 and Aaron Johnson ’96, Jennifer (Klinkner ’98) Hagen ’98 and Jennifer (Gray ’97) Kimber; back, James Donovan ’99, Jennifer (Leis ’97) and Nathan Daubner ’94, Jackie (Olson ’97) DuLac, Mark Schwartz ’94, Marie Johnson ’97, Heidi Voth Gaedy ’97, Kimberly Kay (Sonnek ’02) Schieber, Angela Schimek ’00, Amy Mueller ’99, Allison Schaffner ’98, Kathy (Kadlec ’97) and Allan Conniff ’97. Not pictured are Father Thomas Cook ’93, Trent and Christie (Hertling ’97) Gergen ’96 and Denise C. McCabe ’97.

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Indeah Gustafson ’07 to Jason Yockey ’07, Hastings, Minn., on Dec. 28, 2007, in Mexico.

Henrique A. de Melo e Silva and Sarah Dandelet ’91, a daughter, Caiana May Silvelet, on March 15, 2007. Maribeth Corbett ’92, Chicago, Ill., a daughter, Maggie Rose, on Nov. 11, 2007. Chris ’92 and Dr. Christina (North ’92) Dolack, Morris, Ill., a son, Tyler Quinn, who joins Kelsey and Madison. Jeff and Gretchen (Schwab ’93) Abrams, Sauderstown, R.I., twin daughters, Hannah and Payton, on Oct. 28, 2007. They join brother Jack, 3. Larry and Mary Kate (Hermes ’93) Cain, Sarasota, Fla., a son, Christopher, on Sept. 5, 2007. He joins Nicholas and Dylan. She now has half of a Cardinal hockey team!

Christine Cepress ’05 and Derek Nelson ’05 were married July 26, 2008. Celebrating are SMU alumni including, from left: back, Gary Goyke ’71, Carol (Goyke ’72) Cepress '72, Ed Cepress ’72, the groom, Andrew Blake '03, Karl Hatteberg '05; middle, Katie Laubach '05, Kara Krueger '05, the bride, Natalie King '04, Diane Leutgeb-Munson '04, Jen (Solz ’03) Blake; front, Chad Sievers '05 and Mike LeutgebMunson '05.

FALL/WINTER 2008


CLASS NOTES

Colleen Corcoran '03 and Ryan Samuelson of St. Charles, Ill., were married April 26, 2008 in Gold Canyon, Ariz. SMU alumni in attendance included, from left: Dennis Marani (father of Matt Marani ’03), Tim Huemoeller ’03, Austin DeMuth ’03, Tom Evon ’76, Patrick Reedy ’02, Phil Corcoran ’76 (father of the bride), Chuck Wolande ’76, Mike Shemroske ’02, Rich Reedy ’76, Megan Manemann ’03, Paul Evon ’03, Eileen Reedy ’78, Monica Evon ’77, Jimmy Wolande ’81, the groom and bride, Vicki Corcoran (mother of the bride), Justin Speiser ’03, Owen Ford (friend), Scott Schultz ’03, Matt Marani ’03, Lindsay (Miesbauer ’03) Harmon, Lauren Marani (friend), Frank Howard ’76, Kerry Berger ’03 and David Martell (friend).

Tom Stewart ’06 and Jennifer Schipp ’06 were married in July 2007, in Stillwater, Minn. SMU students and alumni attending included, from left, front: Jen Miller ’02, Amy Lang ’06, Hanni Lohman ’05, Krista Conway ’05, Gina Rizzardi ’03, the bride and groom; middle row, Megan Pulvermacher ’09, Amy Barbiaux ’06, Jennifer Gutterman ’06, Amy Langer ’04, Niki (Lynch ’03) Peterson, Mia Herrick (daughter of Athletic Director Nikki Fennern), Amy Edge ’05, Kaitlyn Olson ’04, Danielle Geske ’09, Tara Close ’07, Maddy Loftus ’06, Katie (Johnson ’06) Flynn, Kami Ward ’05, Amy Madden ’07; back row, Megan McGraw ’09, Andy Roberts ’09, Pat Chambers ’06, David Gross ’08, Allison Schuster ’06, Emmett Swartout ’06, Regan Cahanes ’05, Molly Strusz ’08, Devin Firl ’08, Krista Duffey ’08, Adam Gill ’08, Graham Kuehner ’08, Christina Gersch ’08, Joe Morris ’04, Amelia Carlson '04, Bill Flynn ’05, Jesse Polk ’08, and April Schmidt ’06.

Dave Karsnia ’00 and Jessalin Schute ’04 were married on Oct. 19, 2007, in Eagan, Minn. SMU alumni attending included, from left, front: Julie (Bork ’01) Miller, Greg Miller ’02, the bride and groom, John Sullivan ’01, Jamie (Carter ’02) Sullivan; back row, Adam Knutson ’00, Tim Riemen ’00, Jason Tripicchio ’00, Dustin Verhey ’00, Heidi (Wagner ’00) Mackey, Kevin Mackey ’00, Erik Carlson ’06, Scott Kronebusch ’00, Libby Kiedrowski ’04, Kevin Wriskey ’06, Kristin Kempiak ’04, Sara Carlson ’04, Ryan Pajak ’04, Ryan Stinson ’02, Ryan Spencer ’05, Joey (Cole ’02) Trottier, Libby (Boerner ’02) Stinson, and Brian Trottier ’02.

WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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CLASS NOTES Laura and Michael Vena ’93, Villa Park, Ill., a son, Mitchell Jeffrey, on March 3, 2008. He joins Meredith. Fran and Tracy (Snyder ’94) Lutz, Scandia, Minn., a son, Peter Francis, on Oct. 14, 2007. He joins Martin. Rick ’95 and Julie (Anderson ’95) Davis, St. Paul, Minn., a girl, Angela Catherine, in May of 2007. She joins Yvonne, Lily, Paige, and Rylie. Geoffrey and Holly (Sroka ’95) DellaPenna, Alpharetta, Ga., a son, Harry Albert, on Jan. 2, 2008. He joins Jack Henry, 7. John and Sherri (Mitchell ’95) Dort, Oakland, Calif., a son, Conor Mitchell, on May 5, 2008. David and Karyn (O’Driscoll ’95) Fuller, Plainfield, Ill., a son, Finlay John, on Nov. 8, 2007. He joins Sean, 5, and Declan, 3. Jason and Anne Marie (Kelly ’95) Kaull, Lindenhurst, Ill., a

daughter on May 4, 2007. She joins Peter, 4, and Molly, 7. Mike and Myra (Ramos ’95) Koehn, Woodbury, Minn., a daughter, Marisa Angeline, on May 9, 2008. She joins Jonathan, 6, and Nicholas, 4. Scott and Dr. Mary (Olmscheid ’95) Maytan, Lorton, Va., a daughter, Caroline Renee, on Feb. 17, 2008. Jen and Tom McCormick ’95, Lake Elmo, Minn., a daughter, Brooke Marie, on April 23, 2007. She joins Logan, 6, and Connor, 4. Josh and Eileen (Brown ’95) Reicher, Lakewood, Ill., a son, Rylan Jon, on Oct. 23, 2007. He joins Rogan, 4. Patrick and Kristi (Wenthold ’96) Dougherty, Chaska, Minn., a son, Evan Patrick, on July 26, 2007. Jeff and Jennifer (Peel ’96) Greminger, St. Louis, Mo., a daughter, Allison Rose, on April 15, 2008.

Barb and Derek Hemmer ’96, Sartell, Minn., a daughter, Lindsey Sue, on May 24, 2007. Stephen and Rose Ellen (Basile ’96) Hovey, Melrose Pk., Ill., a daughter, Avery Simone, on Jan. 20, 2008. Carrie and James Kramer ’96, Frankfort, Ill. a daughter, Abigail Rose, in September 2007. Jesse and Toni (Anakkala ’96) Ternus, a son, Brody Michael, on March 4, 2008. He joins Ella, 3. Rich and Dr. Karen (Padden ’97) Kress, Marlboro, N.J., a son, Ryan Timothy, on Feb. 23, 2008. Brent and Beth (Aga ’97) Larson, Hudson, Wis., a son, Cale Thomas, on Nov. 16, 2007. He joins Luke, 1. Jeffrey and Amy (McFadden ’97) Majewski, St. John, Ind., a daughter, Abigail Christine, on March 31, 2008. Shane ’97 and Anna (Thibault ’97) Meyer, Sylvania, Ohio, a daughter, Dylann Thibault, in

April 2007. She joins, Ethan, 4. Will and Casey (Collette ’97) Tessler, Lombard, Ill., a daughter, Riley, on Feb. 29, 2008. She joins Rose, 2. Marie and Bernie Dalcamo ’98, Chicago, a daughter, Mia Isabel, on July 2, 2008. Bill and Wendy (Nelson ’98) Gaeding, Grayslake, Ill., a daughter, Lauren Nicole, on May 30, 2007. She joins Emily Lynn, 3. Gary and Rebecca (Heininger ’98) Liedtke, Owatonna, Minn., a son, Harrison Stephen, on Jan. 26, 2008. Shawna O’ Reilly ’98, Rochester, Minn., adopted a daughter, Sophia Grace, on Nov. 16, 2007. Sophia came via domestic adoption. Brandon and Shannon (Griffin ’98, M’04) Weick, Rochester, Minn., a daughter, Abigail Jolleen, on Nov. 1, 2007. She joins Will, 7, and Nick, 4.

An accomplished pianist, Brother Vincent’s musical career included experience as a teacher, composer, conductor, and performer. From 1970 to 1998, he performed in the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East with his late confrere, Brother Laurence Walther ’44. Representing the international Lasallian educational family, the “Brothers in Concert” presented more than 100 programs of duo-piano and vocal music to audiences of various backgrounds and cultures. In 1996, he began teaching English and music at Bethlehem University in Bethlehem. He was named vice chancellor (CEO) at Bethlehem University in 1997 and became president in 1998, serving in that position until July 1, 2005. Throughout his tenure at Bethlehem and afterward, he was a strong voice for peace and reconciliation in the Middle East. Brother Vincent was a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. He was honored by the Sovereign Order of Malta with the “Croix Pro Piis Meritis,” by Saint Mary’s College of California with an honorary doctorate, and by Christian Brothers University with the Bishop Dozier Award for Peace and Justice. In June 2007, Brother Vincent was awarded the “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice” medal and citation by Cardinal Moussa Daoud, Prefect for the Congregation of Eastern Churches, at the Vatican. This distinguished award is the highest given to lay persons and clergy for exemplary service to the Church. Brother Vincent received this honor in recognition of his leadership and ministry at Bethlehem University.≠

Community mourns loss of Brother Vincent Malham FSC ’58 Brother Vincent Malham, FSC ’58, president of Christian Brothers University, Memphis, Tenn., and a member of the Saint Mary’s University Board of Trustees, was tragically killed in a car accident while driving near Clayton, La., on May 2, 2008. The Christian Brothers community mourns the lost of a talented and passionate international leader. Brother Vincent had served as 21st president of Christian Brothers University since December 2005. During his all-too-brief tenure, Brother Vincent oversaw the university’s largest capital project in more than a decade with the new construction and expansion of the CBU Science Complex. He also spearheaded numerous other campus improvements and beautification efforts. His guidance led to a number of new degree programs and expanded the university’s scope in academic offerings. Brother Vincent, originally from Brinkley, Ark., joined the Institute of Brothers of the Christian Schools in 1955. Early in his career, Brother Vincent held various teaching and leadership positions with CBU. From 1990-1995, he held the position of Provincial Superior of the St. Louis Province of Christian Brothers.

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FALL/WINTER 2008


CLASS NOTES Domenic ’99 and Kelly (Pavlak ’99) DiPietro, Oakdale, Minn., a daughter, Giana Rose, on Aug. 1, 2007. She joins Sophia, 4, and Maria, 3. Troy ’99 and Erika (Millerbernd ’99) Gerry, Minneapolis, Minn., a son, Mason Stephen, on March 15, 2008. Mike ’00 and Holly (Steenberg ’99) Engstrom, Maple Grove, Minn., a son, Joseph Paul, on March 20, 2008. He joins Jacob, 2. Jason and Karen (Lachowicz ’99) Hartke, Wood Lake, Minn., a daughter, Kaylee, on Dec. 5, 2007. She joins Nikolas, 3. Mike and Carrie (Drazkowski ’99) Jones, Tampa, Fla., a daughter, Savannah Jo, on Sept. 18, 2007. Greg and Toni (Kowalski ’99) Mercer, Anchorage, Alaska, a daughter, Elizabeth Nichol, on Oct. 5, 2007. She joins Steven, 11, and Michael, 3. Sara and Thomas Sturgis ’99, Chatfield, Minn., a son, Cal, on Feb. 27, 2008. He joins Olivia, 3. Jeremy and Emily (Mead ’99) Rosengren, Prior Lake, Minn., a daughter, Ellen Mead Rosengren, on April 18, 2008. Josh and Kathryn (Flater ’99) Vadnais, White Bear Lake, Minn., a son, Jenson Richard, on Oct. 8, 2007. Todd and Jean (Goff ’00) Herbst, adopted a son, Tristan James, born on Feb. 19, 2008. Leanna and John McDonald ’00, Port St. Lucie, Fla., a son, Tyler Ian, on Dec. 13, 2007. Jason and Jennifer (Cleaver ’00) Wucki, Holmen, Wis., a son, Colton, on March 22, 2008. Nick and Jodi (Meier ’01) Altavilla, West St. Paul, Minn., twin boys, Drew Meier and Cole Stanley, on Aug. 24, 2007.

2007. She joins big brother Hunter. Aaron ’01 and Amanda (Wensmann ’01) Nienow, St. Peter, Minn., a son, Allan Richard, on Dec. 23, 2007. Bob and Sara (Zeimetz ’01) Schaudenecker, Kasson, Minn., a son, Liam Joseph, on March 11, 2008. Dr. Bryan ’02 and Joey (Cole ’02) Trottier, Richfield, Minn., a son, Parker Cole, on Feb. 13, 2008. John ’01 and Emilee (Conley ’03) Scheid, Rochester, Minn., a daughter, Elizabeth Lacey, on Sept. 20, 2007. Patrick M’05 and Deborah (Goenne ’01) Sullivan, Onalaska, Wis., a daughter, Kendall Jean, on April 22, 2008. She joins Joseph, 3. Brian ’00 and Lynn (Sylla ’02) Holzworth, Rollingstone, Minn., a son, Carson Lyndon, in October 2007. He joins Nathaniel Brian, 5. Jamie ’01 and Rhonda (Thibault ’02) Nowaczewski, St. Paul, Minn., a daughter, Leah Victoria, on Aug. 26, 2007. Rosemary and Russell Gibson ’03, Des Moines, Iowa, a daughter, Kiley Anne, on Sept. 27, 2007. Ryan ’03 and Jennifer (Varchmin ’03) Hover, St. Paul, Minn., a daughter, Josephine Betsy, on Dec. 8, 2007. Troy and Hayley (Knudsen ’03) Ingli, Stockholm, Wis., a daughter, Amelia Carole, on March 15, 2008. Lee and Katie (Peterson ’03) Krueger, Oronoco, Minn., a daughter, Cecelia Rose, on Feb. 20, 2008. Devin and Monica (Deringer ’03) Nugent, Manteno, Ill., a daughter, Lydia Frances, on Aug 23, 2007. She joins Clara Jane.

Joshua and Maranda (Holt ’01) Eckert, Nora Springs, Iowa, a daughter, Gabriella Starr, on May 22, 2008.

Jennifer and James O’Brien ’03, Wyoming, Minn., a daughter, Madeline Jo, on Feb. 16, 2008.

Tim and Melissa (Lambert ’01) Fitzpatrick, Dodge, Wis., a daughter, Kiley Rose, on Dec. 2,

Chad and Rhonda (Thoms ’03) Peters, Madison, Wis., a son, Matthew Aaron, on June 8, 2008.

Paul and Jennifer (Gernentz ’03) Shaw, Red Wing, Minn., a daughter, Bryanna Irene, on Aug. 1, 2007. Chris and Erin (Lintelman ’04) Bunke, Queen Creek, Ariz., a daughter, Tatum Elaine, on Dec. 28, 2007. Tony ’04 and Joy (Gustafson ’03) White, Monticello, Minn., a son, Bennett Anthony, on Sept. 5, 2007. Kevin and Katie (Jewison ’05) Johnson, Janesville, Minn., a son, Landon Michael, on June 21, 2006.

DEATHS Edwin E. Mohrman ’38, San Diego, Calif., on July 8, 2008. Daniel J. Costello Jr. ’38, Gulf Shores, Ala., on Jan. 8, 2008. Frank G. Cichanowski ’40, Winona, on Feb. 27, 2008. Harold J. Libera ’42, Winona, on May 9, 2008. Bernard J. Wilhelm ’42, St. Cloud, Minn., on Nov. 7, 2007. John J. Helbling ’43, Sebring, Fla., on Dec. 4, 2007. James J. Jeresek ’43, Prior Lake, Minn., on March 15, 2008. Brother Adrian Powers ’43, Memphis, Tenn., on Sept. 29, 2008.

Dr. John R. “Dick” Flanary ’50, Burnt Store Marina, Fla., on March 25, 2008. Edward F. Gehrke ’51, Winona, on Jan. 8, 2008. Donald R. Cahill ’52, Aurora, Ill., on Dec. 3, 2007. Dr. David J. Higgins ’52, Carrollton, Ga., on Jan. 21, 2007. Edward J. Shepard ’53, Duluth, Minn., on June 2, 2007. Frank H. Schneck ’54, Koontz Lake, Ind., on July 14, 2008. Thomas M. Sharkey ’55, Laguna Woods, Calif., on March 9, 2008. James C. Graeber Sr. ’56, Plainfield, Ill., on July 29, 2006. Paul M. Binsfield ’57, Duxburg, Mass., on March 22, 2006. Robert T. Chernesky ’58, Palatine, Ill., in May 2008. William F. Feldmeier ’58, Cannon Beach, Ore., on July 1, 2008. William V. Kulawske ’58, Minneapolis, on June 12, 2008. Brother Vincent Malham, FSC ’58, Memphis, Tenn., on May 2, 2008. Dr. Thomas L. Pahl ’58, St. Paul, Minn., on April 7, 2008.

Brother Lawrence Peter Dannecker, FSC ’44, Addison, Ill., on Feb. 20, 2008.

Paul H. Ochtrup ’60, Adams, Wis., on Nov. 11, 2007.

Brother Martin Michuda, FSC ’44, Addison, Ill., on Feb. 2, 2008.

Walter J. Wojcik ’61, Waukesha, Wis., on Aug. 16, 2007.

Brother Eamon “Humbert Stephen” Gavin, FSC ’46, Chicago, on March 11, 2008.

Richard “Dick” J. Penny ’62, Sun Prairie, Wis., on Dec. 5, 2007.

William B. Kellman ’46, Madison, Wis., on Feb. 21, 2008. Everett O. Luhmann ’48, Rochester, Minn., on Jan. 19, 2008. Dr. Walter E. Powers ’48, Des Plaines, Ill., on Dec. 18, 2007. Robert J. Polacek ’49, Briarcliff, N.Y., on March 27, 2007. John P. Crook ’50, Council Bluff, Iowa, on Jan. 14, 2008.

Thomas A. Spaletto ’62, Walnut Creek, Calif., on Feb. 25, 2008. James L. Hurley ’63, Beaverton, Ore., on Feb. 25, 2008. Brother Owen D. Meegan, FSC ’63, Westchester, Ill., on Dec. 29, 2007. Father James R. Nickel ’65, Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, 2008. WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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CLASS NOTES Thomas F. Rhyner ’66, Franklin, Wis., on Sept. 5, 2007. Joseph P. Watkowski ’66, Winona, on May 17, 2008. William F. McNamara ’76, on Aug. 8, 2008. John R. Flanagan ’77, Skokie, Ill., on April 19, 2008. Gregory L. Thorse ’81, San Antonio, Texas, on Jan. 15, 2008. Robin R. (Kapecki ’83) Jansen, Northbrook, Ill., on June 2, 2008. Jennifer J. (Carlson ’84) Mapes, Omaha, Neb., on April 3, 2008. Jeffrey H. Rhody ’91, Columbia Heights, Minn., on June 3, 2008

FACULTY/STAFF DEATHS Ron Donovan, Spokane, Wash., former athletic director and men’s basketball coach, on March 1, 2008. Dolores M. Ewing, Winona, who worked in the maintenance department for 25 years, passed away on Sunday, June 8, 2008. Hazelmae Hodge, Winona, who cooked at Saint Mary’s for seven years, passed away Monday, July 7, 2008.

SYMPATHY TO Jerome Moede ’41, on the death of his wife of 64 years, Taveta Moede, on March 29, 2008. Joseph Kerns ’67, on the death of his wife, Rosalia Kerns, on May 17, 2008. John Nett ’69, and Richard Nett ’71, on the death of their mother, Jean Nett, on June 30, 2008. James Binsfield ’58, on the death of his brother, Paul Binsfield ’57, on March 22, 2006. Robert ’64 and Monica (CST ’64) Ochtrup, on the death of their brother and brother-in-law, Paul Ochtrup ’60, on Nov. 11, 2007.

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SAINT MARY’S MAGAZINE

SMU loses longtime environmental biologist Former Saint Mary’s biology professor Rory Vose, 67, passed away May 10, 2008, after courageously battling kidney cancer for more than a year. Vose was a member of the biology department from 1968 until his retirement in December 1999. He was instrumental in the establishment of the environmental biology degree at SMU; he authored and coauthored numerous grants for river research, teacher training, equipment and facilities remodeling. He was recognized as an expert for his knowledge of river ecology and aerial photo interpretation excellence; several of his photos were published in National Geographic magazine. As a teacher, Vose was “Mr. Versatility” and taught more than 40 different classes. His last accomplishment before his retirement was the co-founding of the Department of Resource Analysis and Geospatial Services, both contributing to the university’s regional and national recognition. An environmental advocate, Vose encouraged others to “go green” long before going green was cool. He was named “Outdoorsman of the Year” in 1972, and enjoyed hunting and fishing. Believing in protecting our world, he wrote the original language for a stewardship bill that is now being considered by the U.S. Congress, served as president of the Will Dilg Chapter of the Isaac Walton League, chaired the Winona Citizens’ Environmental Quality Committee, was listed in “Who’s Who in Ecology,” and did groundbreaking studies radio-tracking tundra swans, Canada geese, turkeys, and deer. Showing his love of the river, Vose was a key researcher and received awards and commendations from the Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and a U.S. Presidential Design Achievement Award for various Mississippi River projects. He served as president of the Mississippi River Research Consortium, served as a consultant to the National Geographic Society’s Great Rivers of the World program, wrote for American Rivers newsletter, and was a “Mississippi Mud Puppy.” He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Janis, and daughters, Dr. Laura Vose ’86, Heather (Vose ’88) Ulrich, and Tahra Vose.≠

Jack Cannon ’64, Thomas Cannon ’69, Michael ’73 and Sally (Weldon ’74) Cannon and Thomas Conway ’79, on the death of their brother, brother-inlaw, and cousin, James Cannon, on June 22, 2008.

Joe Ross ’67, on the death of his mother, Catherine Ross, on May 20, 2008. Steven Biesanz ’69 and Jeff Biesanz ’74 on the death of their father, James Biesanz Sr., on April 5, 2008.

Father Eugene Klein ’70, on the death of his sister, Therese (Tiki) Rose Koudeka, on March 31, 2008. Kenney Nanfeldt ’72 and James Nanfeldt ’74, on the death of their mother on April 2, 2008. Brad Nilles ’73, Brian Nilles ’79, Kerry ’74 and Kathy Nilles M’90, on the death of their mother and mother-in-law, Ardella Nilles, on March 19, 2008. Tom ’75 and Sue (Sughrua ’75) Schultz, Scott Schultz ’03, and Kasey Schultz ’08, on the death of their father-in-law, father and grandfather, Tom Sughrua, on Feb. 9, 2008. Kathy (Sheridan ’80) Sula, Jennifer (Sula ’05) Murillo and Sister Clare Korte (faculty) on the death of their mother, grandmother and sister, Adele Sheridan, on July 16, 2008. Sue McFarlane ’81, on the death of her sister, Penny Stanley, on Jan. 15, 2008. Eugene “Geno” Cooney ’83, on the death of his wife, Mary Cooney, on Feb. 7, 2008. Steve Jansen ’82, Ken ’58 and Kitty (CST ’59) Jansen, on the death of their wife and daughterin-law, Robin (Kapecki ’83) Jansen, on June 2, 2008. Mike Leaf ’83, Bill Leaf ’88, and John Leaf ’05, on the death of their stepfather and step grandfather, Raymond Haun, on March 10, 2008. Becky (Smith ’84) Kuck, Tom Smith ’88, and Mary (Smith ’90) Renk, on the death of their father, Ralph B. Smith, in October 2007. Michael Korin ’86, on the death of his wife, Lydia Korin, on June 12, 2008. Maureen (Smyth) Daugherty ’85, on the death of her mother, Eileen Iris McIlwee Smyth, in September 2007. Greg Beaumont ’99, on the death of his mother, Susan Beaumont, on April 26, 2008. Katie Kimm ’02, on the death of her father on March 21, 2008.≠ FALL/WINTER 2008


Steve ’9 Snyde 4 and Libby r M’98, (Kress ’96) S jo n childre ined by the yder ir n and Lu Isabelle, Eli ja c summ a, spent the h er ir directi acting and n Creek g in the Gilm Summ er The ore atre.

hree-year-old Elijah Snyder makes distorted faces at himself in a full length-mirror inside the green room of SMU’s Performance Center. His brother Luca, 1, flies about the room with a Cheshire grin, always watching the reaction of others from the corner of his eye; their sister Isabelle, 5, eagerly chatters on about her doll, pausing periodically for dramatic effect. Their parents, Steve ’94 and Libby (Kress ’96) Snyder M’98 admit with a shrug that their children are “very theatrical.” It was inevitable. In 2008, the two Saint Mary’s theatre majors returned to their alma mater for the second summer in a row to act and direct with Gilmore Creek Summer Theatre. Last year Steve directed the mayhem in “Lend Me a Tenor;” this year he got laughs with “The Foreigner.” Libby perfected her streettough attitude as Ronnette in “Little Shop of Horrors” this year, and hit the high notes in “Showtune” last year. When they started their college careers at Saint Mary’s, Libby was aiming for a career in broadcasting, Steve in English. While in college, it was their extracurricular love for the stage that changed their minds, and their majors. Dr. Michael Flanagan ’63, theatre faculty emeritus, remembers Steve as a “very focused” student. Flanagan’s 1995 production of “Noises Off” required Steve to fall down a flight of stairs. “Steve wanted to do the entire fall every rehearsal, insisting that he needed to hone the timing and to perfect it for the performance,” Dr. Flanagan said. Steve got the opportunity to perform more than pratfalls in the Page Theatre; he and Libby shared their first kiss on stage in “Anything Goes.” At the time, the kiss was just a kiss. The couple say it was their joint performance at Valley Fair in Shakopee that “sealed the deal” a year later. Coming back to Saint Mary’s, Steve says, may sound cliché, but has been like “coming home.” In some ways, you can take that literally. Libby said she and Steve both lived in the New Village, No. 227, at different times during their college careers. They have been back at the Village during the summers — only this time they were not thinking about finals and Friday night parties, they were thinking about baby gates and outlet plugs. In other ways, the couple “came home” to good memories and some old friends. Only their relationships have changed; “back then” their friends were professors, now they’re colleagues. Despite an active summer show schedule, numerous rehearsals, and a short amount of time to memorize lines — on top of living in a residence hall and raising three kids — Libby says, “This feels like a vacation compared to how life really is.” With Steve’s hectic teaching schedule at Bradley University in Peoria, Ill., time together is at a premium. During the summers, they’re able to arrange their schedules

T

for optimum family time. “Balancing is something we’ve tried to do in life together,” Steve said. For example, he said, while one of them attended graduate school, the other worked to support the family. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t a crazy summer. Steve took time out during the season to act in “Tuesdays with Morrie” in summer theatre in Findlay, Ohio. They recall one evening, after putting the kids to bed in a small hotel room, they crammed into the bathroom — Libby (fully clothed) in the bathtub, and Steve on the toilet (lid closed) — to run lines. Their careers have taken them from Winona to Minneapolis, New York City, Florida, Colorado, and Chicago — studying, working and acting all along the way. Steve’s résumé includes work at San Miguel Middle School in Rhode Island, Totino-Grace High School, School of American Ballet, Perry-Mansfield School for Performing Arts, Loyola University, Swift Middle School and Senn High School. He studied acting at Florida State University Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training and Margolis Brown Study Center, where he trained in physical theatre. This past year, Steve received the Caterpillar, Inc. New Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching from Bradley University. Libby interned with the Lincoln Center Festival, worked for Sarasota Opera and the Chicago Children’s Museum at Navy Pier, and studied vocal performance at the University of Minnesota. This fall she is teaching an acting class at Bradley as well. Libby advises young SMU theatre majors, “Never think that it’s over, even when you meet with disappointment. Life is long and surprising. I’m a stay-at-home mom, and I have the opportunity to do something that I absolutely love.” Steve adds that young theatre majors need to decide for themselves what success means. Success, he says, doesn’t necessarily have to mean acting on Broadway or being on television. “I’m getting to do what I love and I have a great family life,” he said, glancing at his wife and children. “I am very successful.”≠ WWW.SMUMN.EDU/MAGAZINE

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So, what’s new with you?

calendar of events

Alumni — send us your news! Saint Mary’s Magazine welcomes contributions to the Alumni Class Notes section. Use this form to fax or mail in your personal and professional news items. Photos, news clippings, etc., are also welcome, as well as tips about fellow alums who might make good feature story subjects. • SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Alumni Class Notes are printed in the Saint Mary’s Magazine so that Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Winona campus alumni can share news of significant events in their lives. We welcome items about personal and professional achievements, as well as life milestones such as weddings, births, adoptions and deaths. We do not print news of engagements or pregnancies. We also do not print notices of non-legal commitment ceremonies. Photos and news clippings are welcome, but cannot be returned. • MINIMUM SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: Your legal name, class year and email address; spouse’s legal name, class year and email address (if applicable); home address; and home phone number. Other useful information includes your business title, company name, address, phone number and e-mail address.

Name

Class year

E-mail Spouse’s Name

NOVEMBER 26-Dec. 1 Thanksgiving Recess DECEMBER 2

Classes Resume

11

Study Day

12-13

Final Examinations

15-16

Final Examinations

17-Jan. 5

Christmas Recess

JANUARY 6

Semester II Classes Resume

FEBRUARY 14-22

Winter Recess

23

Classes Resume

24

Founder’s Day

Class year APRIL

E-mail Address City, State, Zip Home phone

4-13

Easter Recess

14

Classes Resume

22

Senior Honors Banquet

30

Study Day

MAY

Business name Business address

1-2

Final Examinations

4-5

Final Examinations

9

Commencement

City, State, Zip Business phone Business fax Your title

Years in this position

What’s new?

SPORTS www.saintmaryssports.com

■ Check here if your son or daughter would like to receive SMU admission materials. A representative will contact you for more details.

Send to: Saint Mary’s University 700 Terrace Heights #21 Winona, MN 55987-1399 Fax: (507) 457-6967 Contact us online: www.smumn.edu/classnotes E-mail: alumni@smumn.edu

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SAINT MARY’S MAGAZINE

THEATRE www.pagetheatre.org

FALL/WINTER 2008


O U R H I S T O RY

lookingback

Hoffman Hall Construction This photograph was taken around 1954 during construction of Hoffman Hall. The science building was named in honor of a longtime faculty member and chairman of the Chemistry Department, Dr. John Hoffman. In 1987-1990, Brother Charles Hall was constructed and named for Brother Charles Severin, one of the early Christian Brothers at the university. Brother Charles Hall was completed in phases between 1987 and 1990 and directly connected to Hoffman Hall. The complex was named the Adducci Science Center in honor of the Anthony Adducci ’59 family. Anyone with more — or more accurate — information about this photo is welcome to contact Saint Mary’s Magazine editor, Deb Nahrgang. Mail comments to: Saint Mary’s Magazine, Saint Mary’s University, 700 Terrace Heights #36, Winona, MN 55987. Or, send e-mail to: dnahrgan@smumn.edu.


Do you have any favorite stories about any of (the 2008) retiring faculty? ➤ I was a physics major from 1966 to 1970 when Brother Jerome (Rademacher, FSC ’58) was on the faculty. We all had keys to the physics building and we rarely saw the light of day. Long hours were spent in the labs and in the physics library working with other students. The standards were very rigorous. Brother Jerome was one who was there every day and kept us more than busy with classroom lectures, labs and tests. He was an essential person in providing us with a solid background in physics and engineering math. Thanks Brother Jerome for all your hard work! — James McCanney ’70 ➤ I stopped to see Brother Jerome and the Saint Mary’s campus in the spring of 1999. My wife and I had the pleasure of a campus tour by Brother Jerome on his golf cart. I could tell he was very proud of the school and also of the work that he put in on the many trails through the beautiful bluffs along the river. After retiring from Los Alamos in 2004, I moved to Portland, Ore., in the fall of 2006. That, however, did not stop Brother Jerome from tracking me down. He stopped by for a visit last summer when he was in Oregon for a visit to his brother in Eugene. It was great to see him again. I have always treasured my visits with Brother Jerome. He has always showed an intense interest in his students, trying to help them see the beauty of physics in their surroundings. Brother Jerome has been inspiration to me, with his love of physics and deep commitment to his students. Thanks, Brother Jerome. — Don Wolkerstorfer ’65 ➤ Now, you have to understand one of Jerome’s fun qualities is his ability to kid and joke around with students in a fun, bantering kind of way. Behind that sweet smile of his lies a mischievous kind of guy. However, with the dishing out there comes a time when the old payback is inevitable. I’ll say right now that another of Jerome’s great qualities is that he takes the paybacks well and is able to laugh along with the rest of us on the jokes played back on him. — Bruna Bucciarelli ’76

To read more, go to: www.smumn.edu/memories

Q:

A new gazebo greets guests on SMU’s Winona campus. The gazebo, located between the baseball and softball fields and across from the Toner Student Center, has a great view of the bluffs and a lot of sports action. The idea for the structure, completed during the summer, began with the class of 2004, which voted to construct a pavilion for their senior class gift. As the project progressed, it grew in scope, location and size. The gazebo will provide a picturesque spot for gatherings and a shady location to study.

WHAT HAS CHANGED THE MOST ON THE WINONA CAMPUS OF SAINT MARY’S SINCE YOU WERE A STUDENT? Submit your answers online: smumn.edu/alumni. We’ll publish the results in the next magazine and online.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Winona, MN Permit 99 WINONA CAMPUS 700 Terrace Heights Winona, MN 55987-1399 USA


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