alumni no t es Father Jayme Mathias MSOLE ’08, of Austin, is the pastor of Cristo Rey Catholic Church in Austin and recently celebrated 10 years as a priest.
PROFILE
Ashley Brown ’09, of Austin, a consultant with public-relations firm Jones Dilworth, was recently interviewed by Forbes and published an article about digital marketing trends on mashable.com.
The
Writer’s Words
Susan Neisinger MSOLE ’09, of Austin, is a PhD student in Human and Organizational Systems at The Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Whitney N. Devin ’10, of Dallas, was honored at an artist reception on March 26, 2011, at the Garden Cafe in Dallas. Adam DeVos ’10, of Austin, was featured in an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about creating your own job. DeVos opened the Oakington Realty office in Austin and launched Internship Builder Inc., which helps businesses find and attract internship talent. Amy Frugé ’10, of Humble, spent two months working with the Missionaries of Charity in India, the sisters founded by Mother Teresa. Ally Hugg ’10, of Bellaire, recently joined the team at Newton O’Neill Communications. She works with restaurant and lifestyle clients including Roaring Fork, Eddie V’s, Chez Zee and Rae Cosmetics. Lisa Reese ’10, of Lacey, Wash., enlisted in the Navy as a mass-communications specialist in October 2010. She plans to pursue a career in photojournalism and public relations. Andrea Stintzi MSOLE ’10, of San Antonio, is a member of the Peace Corps and is stationed at her first position in Zambia, Africa. Marianne Shea ’11, of Austin, was awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Turkey for the 2011–2012 academic year.
KEEP IN TOUCH Send your Class Note and wedding or birth announcement to the Alumni Office at seualumni@stedwards.edu. Joe O’Connor, former trustee, of Austin, on July 17, 2011
JESSICA ATTIE ’04
2010s
St. Edward’s University Magazine asks author Shaunna Scallon ’99 what it takes to write a novel. By Lauren Liebowitz Shaunna Scallon ’99 has always loved a good mystery — particularly if there’s a sweet love story unfolding amid the whodunit drama — and she’s always dreamed of writing one of her own. But as a busy first-grade teacher, she just didn’t have the time it takes to churn out a novel. In 2008, she decided to take the plunge and leave her career in education to finish her book, Oasis of Truth. What inspired the book? In a writing course I took at St. Edward’s, we were assigned to write an opening to a mystery. The professor wrote a note on my paper and said, “This needs to be a book. You really have a gift for suspense.” That was the first time someone at the collegiate level complimented my writing, and it helped motivate me to write my book. I still have that note. How did you prepare to write a mystery? I really wanted to highlight law enforcement — I think that many in society are quick to criticize police officers and we often forget all the good that they do — and shine a positive light on children with autism. I did a lot of research on the Austin Police Department. I interviewed the medical examiner’s office and talked with homicide detectives. I also got to ride out on a night shift, and the officer I rode with was the inspiration for my book’s hero. That’s when everything started falling into place. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers? A writer friend of mine told me to let the characters do what they need to do and to let the story unfold on its own. The less I tried to control the story, the better it came together. I tried to commit myself to write an hour a day minimum, even if it was lousy. I found myself thinking about my characters even when I wasn’t writing — they felt so real to me. When I hear people say they always wanted to write a book, I tell them just to sit down and do it.
James Connelly hs ’50, of Harlingen, on April 20, 2011
Brother William Geenen, CSC, ’53, of Sarasota, Fla., on May 14, 2011
Brother Richard Shea, CSC, ’54, of Notre Dame, Ind., on May 30, 2011
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