Dominican SPRING 2023 MAGAZINE A MISSION OF JUSTICE Three graduates are pursuing equity, diversity and inclusion work within varying careers HEAD OF THE CLASS With Dominican’s support, a custodian clears the path to a new career as a teacher WELCOME HOME Dominican dedicates the new Cindy ’82 and Kevin ’79 Killips Welcome Center in Lewis Hall PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO READ MLIS grads are shining a light on the growing demand for library book censorship
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Joy V. Cunningham was presented with an honorary doctorate degree from Dominican University and addressed the undergraduate Class of 2023. She is pictured with Mary Jo Herseth (left), chair-elect of the Dominican Board of Trustees, and Dr. PRESIDENT Nkuzi Nnam, professor of philosophy. Glena G. Temple VICE PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT Sara Acosta EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Stephanie Kubas MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer Johnson CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Martin Carlino Eileen Meyer MAJOR PHOTOGRAPHY Ryan Pagelow DESIGN | ILLUSTRATION Fran Gregory Raul Ramirez CONTRIBUTORS Mark Carbonara Sararose Lagreca DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY 7900 W. Division Street River Forest, Illinois [email protected] Dominican magazine is published twice yearly by Dominican University for its alumnae/i and friends. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. © 2023 Dominican University SPRING 2023 MAGAZINE Dominican
IN THIS ISSUE COVER STORY BATTLING BOOK BANS Library science alumnae/i face a growing challenge: Protecting the right to read. FEATURES A WELCOMING SPACE The new Cindy ’82 and Kevin ’79 Killips Welcome Center opened this spring with a dedication and blessing. A MISSION OF JUSTICE Three graduates pursue justice, equity and inclusion in varying careers. AT THE HEAD OF THE CLASS With support from Dominican, school custodian Keith Reardon finds his new calling as a teacher. TRUSTEE BENEFIT Award-winning actress and singer Audra McDonald headlined the 2023 Trustee Benefit Concert supporting student scholarships. DEPARTMENTS President’s Letter .................................................................................. 2 DUNews Upgrades for Student Underground ................................ 3 $6.5 million in Grants Received .......................................... 4 Pavilion Named for Library Leaders .............................. 5 New Home for Campus Food Pantry............................... 5 Students Advocate for DACA in D.C. ............................... 6 Activist Dolores Huerta Inspires ........................................ 6 Chemistry Lecturer Awarded ............................................... 7 Faculty Focus ............................................................................................ 19 Class News ................................................................................................. 21 In Sympathy .............................................................................................. 32 8 11 14 16 18
from the president 2 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE PRESIDENT’S LETTER These foundational values — forming a distinctly Dominican blueprint — keep us grounded and focused, giving us the clarity to move forward into the second century of our storied history. “ ” A Another academic year closes, punctuated by the powerful Dominican traditions we all hold dear. This May was especially meaningful as we honored the 100th class to graduate from Dominican’s River Forest campus. What a privilege it is to be part of an institution that has empowered over a century of students as they pursue their hopes and dreams. During our undergraduate ceremony, I was delighted to bestow an honorary doctoral degree on Illinois Supreme Court Justice Joy V. Cunningham. In her address to the class of 2023, Justice Cunningham said, “Your past is your blueprint to the future.” It struck me that the four Dominican pillars of study, prayer, service and community comprise a core component of the blueprint you and your fellow alumnae/i share. That blueprint continues the legacy of the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters in the spirit of Caritas et Veritas. We see it in action every day through the efforts of current students and alums. They are the best testimony to the power of a Dominican University education. You’ll recognize it when you read about the important efforts engaging our graduates from the School of Library and Information Studies. It is a pivotal moment for their field, and they are calling upon their Dominican training as they protect Americans’ constitutional right to read. You’ll notice it when you learn how Portia A. Anderson, Roberto Sepúlveda and Courtenay Boron Joseph are using their Dominican education to do vital justice, equity and inclusion work within an array of industries. And you’ll feel it when you discover how five of our Dominican students traveled to Washington, D.C., to advocate for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Our students don’t just set out to change the world once they leave Dominican; they so often begin doing so while they’re still here, and I am deeply impressed with them for following our founders’ lead and going where “the work is great and difficult.” It’s inspiring to recognize Dominican’s mission realized in such important work; it reaffirms our commitment to our students and the promising careers with which they and their families entrust us. Our shared calling runs so deep that we are fortunate to see it come full circle as our graduates return home to help shape Dominican’s future. In April, we proudly dedicated the Cindy ’82 and Kevin ’79 Killips Welcome Center. Named to honor an alumni couple who continues to champion Dominican through many seasons of change, this special space will connect prospective students and their families to our mission from the very first time they set foot on campus. We are incredibly grateful for the Killips’ ongoing generosity and support. It's fitting that Dominican’s four pillars are etched within the walls of our Welcome Center as they are etched within the spirit of each of us. These foundational values — forming a distinctly Dominican blueprint — keep us grounded and focused, giving us the clarity to move forward into the second century of our storied history. I can think of no finer plan to build a kinder, more humane future. Sincerely, Glena G. Temple, President Dominican’s Four Pillars: Our Blueprint to a Better Future
DUNEWS SPRING 2023 | 3 From Study Space to Social Place Student Underground Gets Makeover A gathering place for Dominican University students recently got a lot more fun. The Underground in Mazzuchelli Hall — once a place to study, catch a nap or hang out — now features a bevy of lively games, perfect for students taking a break from class or looking to socialize with friends. The new additions include a pool table, ping-pong and foosball tables, a SkeeBall game, upgraded video game systems, a dart board, and an arcade table that features 60 classic games. A new sound system and furniture complete the updates. The university-funded project was aimed at enhancing student life on campus, particularly as the university welcomed its largest freshman class this school year, said Jacky Neri Arias, executive director of student experience and inclusion. Suggestions from students aided in the planning process. “I hope the Underground is perceived by students as an inclusive space on campus to build community, as well as a space to promote rest and wellness,” Arias said. “Ultimately, we know this is one of our many methods to foster student retention and success.” Jacqueline Candelas, a senior who has staffed the Underground since her freshman year, said the transition from a study area to a social space has been very well-received by students who did not previously find it conducive to socializing. “Ping-pong is so popular some students come in regularly before or after class just to play,” she noted. “It’s surprisingly super-intense and students get really excited for it.”
4 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: NEWS DUNEWS “Being able to receive this grant allows us to continue to offer these rich clinical opportunities to the students.” Dr. Tamara Bland, dean of Borra College of Health Sciences “DU-IT can take proactive steps to future-proof our network, refresh the technology in many of our campus classrooms and, most importantly, assist our students in meeting their goals at Dominican.” Dr. Todd Kleine, chief information officer “Latine — and all students — can expect to feel the impact of this grant over time as they experience greater institutional capacity to holistically meet their needs, supporting long-term academic success. ” Dr. Lisa Petrov, Title V project director and professor of Spanish Dominican Students Benefit from $6.5 Million in Grants The university recently received sizable financial awards that will advance student success in multiple ways SUPPORT FOR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT CLINICAL TRAINING The Physician Assistant Studies Program will benefit from a $1 million grant from the Westlake Health Foundation. The grant will support clinical preceptors, the supervisors who work directly with students, and enrich the program by diversifying the types of community settings in which student clinical rotations occur. TECHNOLOGY, NETWORK AND INNOVATION LAB UPGRADES A $2.5 million grant through the Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program will significantly enhance Dominican’s wired and wireless network infrastructure, upgrade student computer terminals in computer labs and classrooms, add new equipment to the WeatherTech Innovation Lab in the Rebecca Crown Library, fund stipends for technology workshops and development opportunities for faculty and students, and more. ENHANCING LATINE STUDENT SUCCESS A federal $3 million Title V grant aims to support Latine students and close equity gaps through additional career readiness opportunities. Over five years, career development courses will be required for all undergraduates, work-based learning opportunities will be expanded, and increasing internship opportunities will be a goal. A new Office of HispanicServing Initiatives will also offer additional support.
SPRING 2023 | 5 Dorothy In-Lan Wang Li (right) with daughter Lily Li during the family pavilion dedication. Library Pavilion, Scholarship Named for Library Science Leaders Dr. Richard Tze-Chung Li and his wife, Dorothy In-Lan Wang Li MALS ’68, MBA ’81 dedicated their careers to library science and academia. Through their support of Dominican University, an academic scholarship and the third-floor pavilion of Rebecca Crown Library now bear their names. With family and university leaders present, the Richard Tze-Chung and Dorothy In-Lan Wang Li Family Pavilion was formally dedicated on Nov. 2, 2022. It features a wall sign and a display case with photographs and honors that “serve as a living acknowledgment of the Lis’ special gifts to the school,” said Kate Marek, university professor and former director of the School of Information Studies at Dominican. Richard Li taught at Rosary College/Dominican University from 1966 to 2000, becoming the first Chinese American dean of a graduate library studies school in the United States. He passed away in April 2020 at the age of 93. Dorothy Li served as executive director of the Oak Park Public Library and as library director of the Brooklyn Law School and John Marshall (now University of Illinois Chicago) Law School. During the pavilion dedication, Dorothy Li noted how her Dominican education allowed for the advancement of her career. “Without these degrees, I wouldn’t have gotten the library director positions at Brooklyn and John Marshall Law Schools,” she said. To ensure access to education, the Li family established the Richard Tze-Chung and Dorothy In-Lan Wang Li Scholarship at Dominican University to attract students seeking a graduate degree in library information science. “It is our mission to ensure that countless Asian or Asian-American students, armed with their highly respected Dominican University degrees, will make a meaningful and measurable impact on society,” noted Lily Li, the couple’s daughter and a former Dominican trustee. On-Campus Food Pantry Opens DU Feeds, Dominican University’s initiative to address food insecurity on campus, gained a permanent home this school year. The DU Feeds Food Pantry opened in early November in Mazzuchelli 276, a former office space just steps from the Center for Cultural Liberation. Sponsored by the Student Nutrition and Dietetics Association, the pantry allows for the storage of nonperishable, nutritious food items from which students can select at no cost during designated hours, two to three days each week. The permanent food pantry replaces the less frequent “pop-up” food distribution events previously held on campus. “It feels good that we are feeding students and that people can access more than they have in the past,” said DU Feeds Student Coordinator Anna Martucci. According to a survey of 478 students who responded in 2022, 29% identified some level of food insecurity, said Dr. Sarah Jones, assistant professor of nutrition sciences at Dominican. “The motto of DU Feeds is ‘no student should go to class hungry,’” she said. “Now that we have a permanent location, I think we can continue with that motto in even bigger ways.” Funding for DU Feeds has come largely from private donations. “DU Feeds has seen an outpouring of donations from faculty and staff, and also from our alumnae/i," said Sara Acosta, vice president for University Advancement. “Their generosity has provided for expanded hours and resources, along with equipment in DU Feeds’ new location in Mazzuchelli Hall. We are incredibly grateful for this support, which ensures students have access to healthy food.” For more information on making a financial donation, visit connect.dom.edu/du-feeds.
6 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: NEWS DUNEWS Dominican University students, staff and alumnae joined an Illinois delegation in Washington, D.C., last November to urge federal leaders to pass DACA protections. Students Meet with Lawmakers in Push for DACA Protection Five Dominican University students were among a contingent of college students from across the country who advocated in Washington, D.C., last fall for Congressional action to protect the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Organized by the bipartisan political organization FWD.us, the “fly-in,” held Nov. 15-17 at Capitol Hill, drew undocumented students from around the country urging the Senate to pass federal legislation that will legalize protections for undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children. Dominican students spoke formally and informally with leaders like U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and U.S. Congressmen Jésus "Chuy" Garcia and Brad Schneider of Illinois, and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. On the Senate floor, Durbin even shared the personal story of first year student Eddie Rivera. “Never in my whole life did I imagine walking into the Capitol Building and speaking with representatives face-toface, taking in the advice they gave,” Rivera said. “And I never would have imagined someone in a high office speaking about me! It makes me feel so proud about where I am now and where I want to go next.” “If we didn’t have DACA, most of us wouldn’t be able to study or work in the places we call home,” said fellow freshman Tatiana Vasquez, who has lived in the U.S. since she was 11 months old. While FWD.us was pushing Congress to protect DACA recipients’ ability to legally live and work in the United States by the end of 2022, this did not occur. A Sanctuary Campus since 2017, Dominican University offers support and resources to undocumented students and their families. Last year, the university expanded its partnership with TheDream.US to accept additional out-of-state, undocumented students who have received scholarships from the organization. Social Justice Leader Dolores Huerta Speaks to University Community
SPRING 2023 | 7 Rahel Bokretsion Receives Excellence in Teaching Award Senior chemistry lecturer Rahel Bokretsion is the recipient of the 2023 Mother Evelyn Murphy Excellence in Teaching Award from Dominican University. The award recognizes full-time undergraduate faculty members for achievements in teaching, including their command and communication of subject matter, ability to intellectually stimulate students, and their availability to students for academic assistance, among other criteria. Winners of the award are selected through student voting. Bokretsion, who joined Dominican University as an adjunct professor in 2011, discovered a love of chemistry while a high school student in Eritrea. She initially considered entering the medical field, but opportunities for further study in her country were limited. At the time, the country’s only university did not have a medical school, she said. Expectations for women generally did not involve higher education, and certainly not in the scientific fields, Bokretsion noted. But she pushed forward to pursue the study of chemistry. “The reason I am here is because of my parents’ encouragement,” she said. “But socially and culturally there was a stigma on women in science.” Bokretsion obtained master’s degrees in chemistry from the University of Pretoria in South Africa and the University of Illinois at Chicago. She began teaching 20 years ago. “I feel like I’m also learning every day, so I really love the profession,” she said. In 2021, Bokretsion told Dominican magazine that she works to create positive interactions with her students as a way to make them more comfortable with the subject of chemistry, which she acknowledges can be challenging to learn. “In the first week of the semester, I invite each student into my office and I spend 10 to 15 minutes with them, explaining my expectations,” she explained. “And that creates a good atmosphere for me and for them.” It also allows Bokretsion to get to know her students and for them to share with her how they effectively learn. “I start the interaction with my personal story of how I got here and it opens a discussion,” she shared. “Then I tell them my expectations. That creates for both of us a good connection and it is translated into learning, I feel.” As the recipient of the Mother Evelyn Murphy Excellence in Teaching Award, Bokretsion spoke during the 2023 undergraduate commencement ceremony on May 7. The award is named for Mother Evelyn Murphy (1881-1955), who served as president of Rosary College from 1928 to 1943 and established international study programs for women in Fribourg, Switzerland and Florence, Italy. A standing ovation and shouts of “sí se puede!” greeted lifelong activist and social justice leader Dolores Huerta as she took the Lund Auditorium stage this spring as a special guest of Dominican University. A labor activist who coined what became the farm labor movement’s motto “Yes, we can,” Huerta, now 93, answered questions on a number of topics, including her time as cofounder of the United Farm Workers Association with Cesar Chavez, grassroots union organizing, and the successful consumer grape boycotts that led to improved conditions and rights for workers. It was a return visit for Huerta, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient and founder of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, which helps communities build volunteer organizations pursuing social justice. “I’m very proud to come back to this university because the Dominicans have always been courageous fighters for women, especially children,” Huerta said. She shared insights for a new generation of activists, encouraging them to find organizations that need volunteers to help do their work. “We can talk about social justice, but when we get physically engaged, we learn by doing,” Huerta said. “It gives the emotional fortitude [activists] need.” “She is a very good representation of myself,” said Dominican sophomore and Schmitt Scholar Ingrid Bustos, who attended Huerta’s appearance. “Not only is she Hispanic, but she’s a woman, and I feel like Latina women don’t get the same representation as men. It was very important for me to go see her.” Senior Remesis Garcia said she attended Huerta’s visit because she read about her work in a Latin American history course. “She was very inspiring and she’s still very, very motivated, which I really like,” Garcia noted. “And she’s 93 and still fighting!”
8 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: COVER STORY TO PROTECTING THE RIGHT READ AS BOOK CENSORSHIP SWEEPS THE COUNTRY, MLIS GRADS DEFEND ACCESS TO LIBRARY MATERIALS
SPRING 2023 | 9 Across the country, the call to remove a growing number of book titles from library shelves is getting louder. It’s sparked fiery meetings of countless public library boards, a permanent ban on 22 award-winning book titles from an Idaho school district’s libraries, photos of empty or covered bookshelves in Florida classrooms, and a vote from residents of a Michigan town to strip their public library of funding. Pursuing truth is at the heart of Dominican University’s mission. Since the 1930s, the School of Information Studies has educated countless library professionals in the pursuit of knowledge and truth — and for many alumnae/i, the call to ban books is troubling. For them, access to materials is paramount — a constitutional right echoed in the American Library Association’s Freedom to Read Statement. “Libraries are the best example we have of the 1st Amendment in our lives on a daily basis,” said Cyndi Robinson MLIS ’97, executive director of the Illinois Library Association. “Intellectual freedom is why I went to library school. It’s very important to me.” According to the American Library Association, there were 1,269 documented attempts to ban 2,571 book titles in 2022, the highest number of attempts since the ALA began compiling censorship data more than 20 years ago. Seven of the top 13 books challenged last year focus on LGBTQ youth. The remaining six were challenged for claims of sexual content. Three of these were about characters of color. Addressing book challenges, intellectual freedom and the right to read by all are incorporated into Dominican’s SOIS curriculum, said Dr. Don Hamerly, SOIS director. “We have always taught awareness of book challenges and how to prepare for them, how to create policies to protect collections, and how to create a process to follow for anyone wishing to challenge something,” he said. Though not surprised by the current calls for censorship, Hamerly admits feeling frustration and anger. “Book challenges are not new here or in history,” he noted. “What’s disturbing lately is how well-organized and well-funded they are.” ‘THIS IS THE REALITY NOW’ For many Dominican alumnae/i, navigating the national wave of book challenges while preserving the right to read within their libraries is a significant part of their roles today. “This is the reality now for libraries in our country,” said Amy Grossman MLIS ’09. Grossman is head of youth and teen services at the Lincolnwood Public Library in Illinois, where, in the fall of 2022, police had to be called after a meeting of the library board devolved into angry protests among audience members seeking to ban an LGBTQ-themed picture book. “I started my master’s at Dominican in 2019 and it always seemed these challenges were happening in other states — they weren’t as close to home,” said Jessica Tarnowski MLIS ’21, youth services librarian at the Lincolnwood Library. “It’s surprising — but we talk about it and our director is doing everything to get factual information out while we still provide services and access to books.” Matthew Lawrence MLIS ’22 was interim director of Patmos Library in Jamestown Township, Michigan, when he fielded objections to book titles with LGBTQ content last year. Lawrence reviewed the challenges and made the recommendation to keep the books on the shelves. He relied on the library’s collection development policy, which sets guidelines for the selection of materials. According to Hamerly, strong, vetted policies are emphasized in Dominican courses. “I went back to our collection development policy that says we serve the public and serve a variety of different members of our community,” Lawrence explained. “These books were in keeping with our policy.” Lawrence’s recommendation, which was upheld by the elected library board, sparked anger among citizens, leading to an organized effort to defund the library. On the August 2022 ballot, 62 percent of voters said “no” to continued funding of the library with tax dollars, news service Bridge Michigan reported. “We are a public institution and if members of the public want to read those books, they’ve got the right to do so,” said Lawrence, who resigned from his position prior to the vote and now works at another Michigan library. “To say that other people shouldn’t is an affront to their rights as taxpayers.” PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY, NOT BANS Many librarians agree that there may be materials parents prefer their children not read in the library, but, they say, it is up to parents to monitor and set their own restrictions, not libraries. “Our main job as youth librarians is to provide access to materials,” said Grossman. “Parents can decide what is right for their families; that’s not our judgment call. We know every child and every family’s needs are different.” “We’re really just trying to be inclusive,” added Emily Compton MLIS ’07, director of the River Forest Public Library. “There’s no required reading in the library. If there’s something you don’t want to read or something you don’t want your child to see, you can absolutely ignore it. But someone else may want to read it, and that’s why we have it.” In courses on youth literature, Dominican’s SOIS students learn about choosing books for appropriate age levels, said Mariela Siegert, an adjunct professor at the university who teaches a graphic novel course and also works as a suburban high school librarian. Librarians often rely on their professional knowledge and also book reviews from reputable sources, like Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews and others, to select materials and place them within the proper areas of the library, explained Joanna Bertucci ’06, MLIS ‘09, executive director of the Park Ridge Public Library. In school libraries, parents have the right to ask that their child not be allowed to borrow a certain book and the librarians should respect that, even if they do not agree, Siegert added. “It’s when the parent tries to have that book removed from the library that you have to say, ‘hold on,’” she said. Last year, a small group of citizens approached Bertucci with a complaint about a series of LGBTQ-themed titles that were part of a teen book discussion called “Read the Rainbow.” Several other
10 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO READ Alumna Encourages Effective Library Policies for Growing Diverse Collections Dr. Andrea Jamison is an advocate of the right to read, but also of libraries taking meaningful steps for adding materials reflecting diverse characters to their collections. Jamison MLIS ’07, PhD ’20 is an assistant professor of school librarianship at Illinois State University. As part of her doctoral studies at Dominican, she researched representation in children’s and young adult books and how library collection development policies “manifested messages of diversity.” She found that few policies actively outlined specific processes for growing a library’s collection to better reflect the patron population and the greater world. “We have to be more thoughtful about how we are incorporating messages of diversity in our policies,” Jamison explained. “We don’t want statements that are benign and don’t mean anything.” To assist library leaders, Jamison has written a soon-to-be-published book providing guidance on developing effective policies. A majority of the book challenges tracked by the American Library Association are aimed at texts depicting marginalized groups, which poses grave concerns for diversity advocates, Jamison noted. “Given the fact that libraries have had an increased effort to increase diversity, I think this is a potential threat to our being able to truly diversify our libraries and represent everyone,” she said. residents attended a library board meeting to defend the materials and no formal challenge to remove them was made, Bertucci said. “A big part of addressing this is dialogue, so I’m open to those conversations with anyone and I encourage that,” she said. “We want people to understand why we have what we have and how important it is that we maintain materials for all people. “Once you start taking away even one book, you’ve opened this Pandora’s box,” Bertucci added. “If one book goes, then you can remove another. It’s a cascade effect. Once you start chipping away, you don’t have a public library anymore and that’s scary.” ‘LIKE A KNIFE TO THE HEART FOR LIBRARIANS’ In response to the uptick in book challenges occurring across the state of Michigan, Lisa Waskin MLIS ’05, director of the Superior District Library in Sault Ste. Marie, helped form Michigan Right to Read, a coalition providing resources to libraries navigating calls to remove books, as well as funding for training, education and legal fees. “It’s a small minority of people who want book bans, but they are very vocal, well-organized and well-funded,” she said. “We got caught off guard, so now we are being very proactive.” In Indiana, Portia Kapraun MLIS ’11, director of the Delphi Public Library, has warily watched as state elected officials attempted to pass legislation aimed at stripping schools and libraries of legal protections if they allow the distribution of “materials harmful to minors.” “Harmful” was not defined in the most recent bill introduced this year, the Tribune-Star of Terre Haute, Indiana reported. “It does seem like a way for them to get a foothold to start painting librarians as people who need to be taken to task through legal methods,” Kapraun said. “Once that door is opened, I doubt they would stop there.” While Kapraun doesn’t believe any legal action against a librarian would be successful, removing such protections could make libraries second-guess adding books with subjects some may consider controversial, resulting in “soft censorship,” she said. Last year, Kapraun, who serves on the communications committee of the Indiana Library Federation, helped write a formal statement advocating the freedom to read for all. It notes that books targeted for bans “often represent the experiences of our most vulnerable community members.” “Our community is just as varied as any other community,” she said of her rural library’s service area of just under 8,000. “You want every member of your community reflected in your materials and you also want to provide them with an opportunity to learn, grow and read about people who are not like them and the worldwide community.” Meanwhile, at Dominican, guiding future librarians to best prepare for censorship attempts while upholding the freedom to read continues and is a significant part of the library science program, Hamerly said. “Intellectual freedom is a fundamental core value in librarianship and is taught from the very beginning of the program,” he said. “We place a suitable, great deal of emphasis on it throughout the program.” “We believe free people read freely,” said Robinson, of the Illinois Library Association. “The notion of banning or censoring materials is like a knife to the heart for librarians.” NEW BEGINNINGS
SPRING 2023 | 11 The Cindy ’82 and Kevin ’79 Killips Welcome Center opens with dedication ceremony Anew chapter in Dominican University’s story was celebrated on April 20 with the formal dedication of the Cindy ’82 and Kevin ’79 Killips Welcome Center. The university community came together in Lewis Hall to thank Cindy and Kevin Killips, the center’s benefactors, and mark the completion of the space. Dozens gathered to admire the inviting space at the front of Lewis Hall. It was designed to be the university’s “living room” where prospective students and their families can feel at home on their first visit in the tradition of hospitality that the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters created. The space will serve as the starting point for prospective student tours and includes a presentation room that can accommodate group visits and events of varying sizes. NEW BEGINNINGS
12 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: KILLIPS WELCOME CENTER Kevin and Cindy Killips. Both spaces allow for an engaging experience. Families can immerse themselves in interactive displays and graphic elements that bring to life the distinctive qualities of a Dominican education, including academic programs and alumnae/i stories. A living picture wall rotates through images to bring Dominican’s campus to life. And in meeting rooms, students can pose at photo op walls to celebrate deciding to attend Dominican. The lobby was also updated and now includes an ADA lift for increased accessibility as well as a new welcome and information desk. The four Dominican pillars of study, prayer, service and community are also engraved into a display on the walls, solidifying their lasting presence. “I do think it’s a real investment in the university, and that is important to me as an alum — as somebody who reaped the benefits of this education — and as a board member to make Dominican better and sustainable as we go forward,” Kevin Killips told guests at the welcome center’s opening ceremony. Cindy Killips also spoke of Dominican as home, sharing her hope that the new center will make future students and families feel the same. “What a fitting word for this beautiful space: The Welcome Center,” she said. “Welcome is exactly how I felt the moment I walked through the doors of Rosary College, which is now Dominican University. There’s that special feeling. It’s about love and support, and it feels like home when you are here.” Anne Kohler '82, president of the Dominican University Board of Trustees, shared similar sentiments. “This welcome center will serve as the starting point on the journey for generations of Dominican students who have yet to walk through these doors, but who will forever be touched once they do. I know the first time I walked through those doors it felt like home.”
SPRING 2023 | 13
14 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: A MISSION OF JUSTICE JEI on Campus Portia A. Anderson ’12, honored last year with Dominican’s Graduate of the Last Decade Award, serves as assistant dean for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging at the University of Utah College of Architecture and Planning. Anderson, who graduated from Dominican University with bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and political science, describes the field as one that addresses “inequities in current practices, policies, and systems within an organization and society” and works to combat them. The work Anderson helps drive at the university focuses on ensuring students feel their needs are recognized and met. This means providing mentoring and internship opportunities for underrepresented students, ensuring access for students with disabilities, and providing multi- or cross-cultural centers and LGBTQ+ resource centers. In 2019, she worked with student leaders to co-found the university’s Black Cultural Center to create a social and academic hub for Black faculty, staff and students. The work started in response to anti-Black incidents on campus. “The Black Cultural Center uses a Pan-African lens as it seeks to holistically enrich, support, and advocate for students, staff, and faculty through Blackcentered research, culturally affirming educational initiatives, and service,” Anderson explained. Anderson is also leading the College of Architecture and Planning in implementing a toolkit called the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Self-Study. It provides a guide and framework for examining and ending inequities within institutions of higher learning, she said. “The purpose of conducting a self-study is to provide the college community with a final report summarizing the experiences of students, staff and faculty within the culture and climate of the college,” Anderson explained. “This information will help me collaborate with the dean and build the strategic initiatives and plan that will move the college forward in our EDI efforts.” “We want to make people feel like they belong and are included,” she added. Sister Mary Ellen O’Hanlon, O.P. called it her “awakening.” While on sabbatical in Europe in 1935, a time of rising antisemitism and fascism, the Rosary College professor of botany was critical of what she termed the “caste system” around her. Her experience opened her eyes to the racism within her own country — and she vowed to confront it and educate others. Her 1946 booklet Racial Myths challenged Catholics to recognize and disrupt racist assumptions. O’Hanlon, who was profiled in a U.S. Catholic Historian piece last summer, is one of many Sinsinawa Sisters who advocate for equity. They are joined in their calling by our students and graduates who use the skills they acquire at Dominican to empower underrepresented individuals and communities to positively transform society. Meet three Dominican University alumni who specialize professionally in this work of justice, equity and inclusion — commonly known as JEI. Justice, Equity and Inclusion Work Guides Grads
SPRING 2023 | 15 JEI in Leadership Roberto Sepúlveda ’10, has led justice, equity and inclusion initiatives at various corporations, including SC Johnson, Sara Lee and United Stationers. “In my work, I have conducted many training sessions around cultural competency, bias (implicit and unconscious), and harassment,” Sepúlveda said. “I have traveled all over the United States and internationally to start up and develop the leadership of affinity groups.” Affinity groups create community among employees who share a common characteristic or identity. The goal is to enhance culture and bolster retention among underrepresented employees. Recruiting is another important part of JEI work because it supports underrepresented job candidates and assists companies in building diverse teams, Sepúlveda said. He has done this work by attracting new talent at college career fairs and diversity conferences. A member of Dominican’s Board of Trustees, Sepúlveda also has shared these skills on Dominican’s campus by participating in student events such as the Senior Showcase, where students display their e-portfolios, network with prospective employers, and explore potential job offers. Sepúlveda is well-versed when it comes to discussing social inequality and racism. He was a podcast panelist supporting the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation project (TRHT) for which Dominican was selected as a host campus. TRHT is a nationally recognized, communitybased initiative for racial justice. Sepúlveda currently works in local politics, where he believes JEI work is key because communicating empathically with voters can field positive outcomes for candidates, he said. JEI, Sepúlveda notes, “is a core component of leadership” because it enables leaders to cultivate empathy. “Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, understanding their experiences and environment ensures that you are being inclusive and creating a culture where people know they can be innovative and collaborative,” Sepúlveda said. “This creates a competitive edge by making sure you bring all ideas and perspectives to the table before making a decision. Inclusive leaders are more effective.” JEI in Law Courtenay Boron Joseph ’13, who earned a Master of Social Work degree from Dominican, recognizes the systems-based framework she learned in graduate school as central to her approach as a culture and equity, diversity and inclusion specialist at Much Shelist law firm in Chicago. “One of the things that helps me progress EDI in my current space is thinking about how it plays into every factor of the employee lifecycle,” Joseph explained. This includes ensuring that job posts are available to a wide audience, interviews are fair and unbiased, and that employee onboarding clearly outlines expectations, positioning employees to thrive in their new environment. Joseph said she finds herself routinely asking, “How do we create patterns and practices that are promoting equity and allowing anyone who walks through the door to be able to be successful?” To answer that question requires using an equity and inclusion lens to inform functions like recruiting, reviewing language in company communications and trainings, planning events and creating flexible workplace policies, Joseph says. “We’re making sure that people, no matter what level they’re in, no matter what their background, have the same structure, system and support to be successful, to be safe, to live the values that we say we have," she explained. Her work requires care and precision that comes from Joseph’s learned rather than her lived experience. “It’s important for me to acknowledge that, as a white woman, I’m by no means an expert in EDI,” she said. “A lot of what we’re doing is trying to dismantle systems that have marginalized people throughout history, and I don’t have that lived experience. I do my work based around my clinical social work background.” Inspired by the Dominican mission, Joseph’s experience and education continue to fuel her work, she said. “I want to see people succeed,” Joseph explained. “That’s really why I went into social work – just to be an advocate for people, and that’s at the heart of EDI work … everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed.”
16 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: HEAD OF THE CLASS I n a social studies classroom he once cleaned, Keith Reardon is showing seventh-graders film footage of the unrest that erupted during the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. “Does this remind you of anything that happened recently?” Reardon asks after clashes between police and anti-war demonstrators flash across the screen. A student notes that some of the footage looks similar to the nationwide unrest experienced during the summer of 2020. “There were a lot of groups there who felt their voices weren’t being heard,” Reardon says of the 1968 demonstrators, drawing a parallel between that chaotic, uncertain time and today. “They went to the streets and made their voices heard. Remember: History can repeat itself.” While the classroom itself may be a familiar place for Reardon, taking a place at the head of it is a switch. This spring, Reardon, 34, traded his day job as a custodian at Julian Middle School in Oak Park for a student teacher role ahead of completing his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Dominican University. He’s stepping into a family tradition: Two of his grandparents were teachers, as is his sister. “I love that I will be a student for life — I will constantly be learning along with my students,” Reardon said. Reardon’s road to the head of the class didn’t take a straight path. He enrolled in a state university after high school with an intention to major in education, but left after three years without completing his degree. “I wasn’t ready for college,” he says. “It was a big university and it was easy to get lost there.” FROM CUSTODIAN HEAD CLASS to of the WITH SUPPORT FROM DOMINICAN, KEITH REARDON DISCOVERS A NEW CAREER
SPRING 2023 | 17 Instead, Reardon went to work, taking a full-time job as a custodian with Oak Park Elementary School District 97, where his father worked as an electrician. His job initially involved heavy cleaning of an entire school floor at night, but over the years, he took on new, skilled responsibilities, like repairing HVAC systems or fixing plumbing problems across district schools. He enjoyed his job — especially the student interactions that came with it. “Everyone was telling me, ‘You have to get back into college, you have to be a teacher,’” Reardon said. Former Julian Middle School Principal Dr. Todd Fitzgerald was one of Reardon’s most prominent supporters, even helping him obtain much-needed classroom observation time in the district where Fitzgerald is now superintendent. “Keith always had ambition and he and I spoke of his desire to become a firefighter or a teacher,” Fitzgerald said. “I am pleased he chose to pursue a career in education, as I know he has the qualities and characteristics that will make him a successful teacher.” Reardon enrolled in community college in 2017 and transferred to Dominican two years later. The university’s “Go First” motto — which he saw displayed whenever he came to campus — stuck with him as he took his own first steps toward completing his education, he said. A father of two young children, Reardon attended classes part-time around his custodial schedule and welcomed the support and guidance offered by his academic advisor Dr. Josephine Tabet Sarvis and other professors within the School of Education. “Everyone’s been understanding and is extremely intelligent within their field,” he said. “I’ve learned so much from them and I felt very confident going into my student teaching. I thought I was going to be a strict teacher, but after learning at Dominican about different classroom-management skills, teaching styles and the many methods that go into a lesson, my whole philosophy changed.” Penny Silver, one of Reardon’s professors, said his sensitivity and empathy will be strengths in his new profession. “As an educator, he will make sure his students have structure in their classroom so they know what the rules are, but they will also know they can take learning risks with a teacher who is compassionate and kind,” she said. A self-professed “history buff,” Reardon hopes to keep teaching middle school social studies and aims to be a role model to the students who enter his classroom, as well as his own children. “I want them to look up to me,” Reardon said. “They’re going to hear about all the hard work it takes to go to college and get a degree. It’s not easy and it’s not for everyone, but if you really work hard, you can do it.” HEAD CLASS
18 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE BENEFIT A Star-Worthy Encore Broadway legend Audra McDonald headlined the 2023 Trustee Benefit Concert, performing before an audience of more than 800 alumnae/i and friends supporting student scholarships at Dominican.
FACULTYFOCUS SPRING 2023 | 19 Dominican faculty help build awareness and boost the reputation of the university. We’re pleased to highlight some of their recent accomplishments. For more information about faculty and their achievements, visit dom.edu/faculty-focus. Brennan School of Business Associate Professor of Marketing Dr. Brooke Reavey was chosen for the Teaching Innovation Award from the Association of Collegiate Marketing Educators. The award honors educators for developing teaching practices and innovations that enhance student learning. Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Economics Dr. Kathleen Odell and Dr. Sergio Salas, Brennan’s inaugural Norm Carroll Chair of Economics and Business, co-authored “Why are CreditDriven Crises Deep and Long-lasting?” for Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance (2022), and “Illiquid Investments and the Non-Monotone Relationship between Credit and Growth,” for Journal of Macroeconomics (2022). Odell and Dr. Elizabeth Collier and Professor Emeritus Dr. Al Rosenbloom also co-authored “Teaching Sustainable Development: An Approach to Rapidly Introducing the UN Sustainable Development Goals into an Undergraduate Business Curriculum,” for Journal of Global Responsibility (2022). John Vail, clinical professor of business law, authored the article “The Need for a Sustainability Pledge: Fighting Planned Obsolescence,” published in The George Washington Journal of Energy and Environmental Law. Dr. Dick Walstra, assistant professor of accounting, published “Inclusion of Disability Within the Spectrum of Diversity and the Implications for Accounting Education,” in the September 2022 edition of Issues in Accounting Education. Rosary College of Arts and Science Dr. José Blanco F., associate professor of fashion merchandising and design, completed the fifth edition of his book The Meanings of Dress. Blanco enhanced previous editions by incorporating intersectionality and diversity into the text, adding chapters on social justice and decolonizing fashion, and infusing ethical discussions into each chapter, inviting Dominican students to contribute. Dr. Robert Calin-Jageman, professor of psychology, and Dr. T. J. Krafnick, associate professor of psychology, were among the authors of “In COVID-19 Health Messaging, Loss Framing Increases Anxiety with Littleto-No Concomitant Benefits: Experimental Evidence from 84 Countries,” based on an international study and published in September 2022. Dr. Jeffrey Carlson, professor of theology, presented the paper “The Conversation Book: Relationship-centeredness in the Context of COVID,” at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Nov. 19-22, 2022 in Denver. Dr. Sophia Duffy, associate professor of psychology, co-authored the paper, “Development of a Differential Assessment Guide to Improve Engagement with Youths & Families Living with Chronic Trauma,” as guidance for clinicians in Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma. Dr. Jennifer C. Dunn, professor of communication arts and sciences, coauthored “Why are You Just Watching? Polyvalent Korean Spectatorship and Critical Western Spectatorship in Squid Game,” in Communication, Culture, and Critique, October 2022. Dr. Claudia Herrera-Montero, assistant professor of theology, is the author of “Participatory Action Research in Lo Cotidiano (‘the Everyday’): A Practical Theological Exploration on the Religious Identity of College-Age Latinas in the United States,” published in Spanish in Revista de Educación Religiosa, 2022. Dr. John Jenks, professor of communication arts and sciences, presented his research paper, “Working Their Cover: The CIA’s Forum World Features and the Political Economy of Covert Propaganda, 1966–1975,” on Sept. 27, 2022 at the conference “A History of Media Tactics” at Lund University, in Lund, Sweden. Dr. Tonia Bernardi Triggiano, professor of Italian and director of the Mazzuchelli Scholars Honors Program, authored the article “Dream, Distortion, and Double Take: Dante’s Poetics of Redirection,” published in Italian Studies Journal of Northeast Modern Language Association, August 2022. School of Information Studies Dr. Don Hamerly was named director of the School of Information Studies on Jan. 1, succeeding Dr. Kate Marek, who is continuing as a faculty member. Hamerly joined Dominican in 2009 as an assistant professor and has served as program director of the Informatics program and the School Library Media program within the School of Information Studies. Dr. Cecilia Salvatore, a professor in the School of Information Studies and coordinator of Dominican’s Archives and Cultural Heritage Program, is featured in the Field Museum’s Regenstein Halls of the Pacific, an exhibit exploring the history and culture of the Pacific Islands through artifacts and personal stories. In videos that are part of the exhibit, Salvatore discusses growing up in Saipan and her family roots in that culture. Associate Professor Dr. Hassan Zamir was featured in the television news report, “Guilty of ‘Sharenting’? Here are Some Tips from Cybersecurity Experts to Protect Your Children,” which aired on ABC affiliates, including Denver 7 and WXYZ in Detroit.
FACULTYFOCUS 20 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE FACULTY FOCUS “The work I do, I do for the love of my community and for the profession of nursing. I never thought it would be something I expected to be honored for,” she says, crediting colleagues across the university whose work has made these awards possible. Some of the nursing program’s justice, equity and inclusionfocused efforts under Bland’s leadership have included targeted recruitment of African American nursing students through direct high school visits; a curriculum review to ensure patients and scholars of color are represented in materials and instruction; providing students with community-based learning experiences and allowing them to choose their preferred facility and focus area; and raising awareness of healthcare disparities within Black and brown communities through expert and first-hand accounts. The latter was done in partnership with other university departments during symposiums held in 2021 and 2022. “I am proud to say I was part of that because it brought awareness to not only the Dominican community, but to the external stakeholders who were a part of those discussions,” Bland said. Increased African American representation within healthcare is vital for addressing these disparities, which range from a lack of medical facilities within predominantly Black communities to quality of care, Bland says. “Diversifying the healthcare workforce provides an opportunity for Black children, men and women to see themselves in the profession and stop the destruction that is created by systemic biases and racial inequities that persist throughout healthcare,” she said. Bland believes effective nursing education must be collaborative with other disciplines. "None of the work can get done if we’re not doing it together,” she said. “I don’t think we give enough credit to those who walk the journey in collaboration with us and then let our hand go when we are ready to walk alone.” Achieving Her Grandmother’s Dream: ‘Nurse Influencer’ Dr. Tamara Bland Honored for Work Addressing Healthcare Disparities When Dr. Tamara Bland received her nursing degree, it was the realization of a dream that began two generations earlier. Growing up in Jim Crow-era Georgia, Bland’s grandmother hoped to become a nurse, but stark realities of the time limited her opportunities. “The barriers that came with being a young Black woman in the South and the lack of open positions and schools of nursing accepting Black students made becoming a nurse a challenge for her,” Bland said of her grandmother, who found work as a certified nursing assistant instead. “Having had those conversations about the challenges she faced and the stories she told always resonated with me. They planted the seed and propelled me toward working for inclusiveness for all, especially in healthcare.” For her focus on diversity and equity within nursing higher education, Bland, dean of Dominican University’s Borra College of Health Sciences and associate professor of nursing, was awarded the 2022 Nurse Influencer Award from the American Nurses Association of Illinois. She also authored the university’s application for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s 2022 Lectureship Award for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Sustainability in Nursing Education, which Dominican received. “Dr. Bland is a fantastic leader who uses her influence as a nurse to change higher education and decrease health disparities,” said Susan Y. Swart, executive director of ANA-Illinois. Admitting a reluctance to stand in the spotlight, Bland is humble about the recognition.
CLASSNEWS SPRING 2023 | 21 You Always Belong to Dominican Class News items are submitted by alumnae/i and do not represent positions, policies, or opinions of Dominican University. Items have been edited for length and content. Class News published in this issue was collected before January 2023; news submitted after that date will appear in the Fall issue. If you have news or questions, please contact the Office of Alumnae/i Relations at [email protected] or (708) 524-6286. For up-to-date information about alumnae/i, go to dom.edu/alumni. Thank you for sharing your news! Undergraduate Alumnae/i Class News 1957 Ellen Bendry Class Agent Karen Siewers Hoefs and her husband, Bill, stayed with a classmate’s son in Washington, D.C. on a recent visit. He took them to a beautiful dinner and a tour of the sights. 1960 Jo Scaccia Maday Class Agent In October 2022, a sculpture of Saint Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants, was dedicated in the north garden of Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. Elizabeth Banas Cella attended the dedication, the mass that preceded the dedication, and the reception that followed. Her son, Lou Cella, and his colleague, Jessica Lo Presti, were commissioned to do the sculpture. This past January, Lou and his wife, as well as Carol Christensen, who commissioned the sculpture, presented Pope Francis with a miniature copy of the statue. 1963 Susan M. Flynn Ph.D., MALS ’78 Class Agent This year, in June 2023, we will celebrate the 60th anniversary of our graduation. Hope to see everyone on campus for lunch and mass. We always have a good time with lots of memories and conversation. Bring your yearbook, camera, old photos and whatever walking aid you may now be using. 1964 Jeanette Nelson Fisher Class Agent Jeanette Nelson Fisher writes “I had my 80th birthday this November and celebrated in Cincinnati with my family. They had a party at the house with some of our friends on Friday and on Saturday night had a catered sit-down dinner at the house, with our five children and spouses and some of the grandchildren. Some of my friends are sad about turning 80; however, I am glad I made it to 80! My husband, Greg, and I are off to Jensen Beach, Florida for three months at the beginning of 2023 to get away from snow and ice in Ohio! I also had a total knee replacement at the beginning of October 2022 and had a great result and I'm so glad I had this procedure.” Mary Lou Campbell Hartman is getting ready for the new year with a total knee replacement and is wondering who else has become a bionic person? I am sure a lot of you also have stories to relate to this. Barbara Riley Rygiel lives in Naples, Florida. She went through Hurricane Ian and was lucky to get out of it barely affected. Celebrated her 80th this year with 30 women from her high school class in Wausau, Wisconsin gifting her Barbie dolls, which she in return gave to a charity. She is keeping busy as a volunteer at the Naples Sugden Theatre, as well as her local parish. She and her husband, Joe, have a busy social life in Florida with their children and grandchildren, who are their pride and joy. Marge Melun writes, “Many of us celebrated our 80th birthday in 2022. I celebrated mine on Sept. 15 with Bonnie (Jean) Lessner Hoshal, whose 80th was on Sept. 16. Bonnie came to Sarasota from Minnesota for a fabulous reunion. As Bonnie’s husband, Wayne, a knowledgeable wine lover, used to say, “1942 was a very good year for girls.” Bonnie (Jean) Lessner Hoshal is very active in her local AAUW/American Association of University Women in her small town of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Speaking of western Minnesota, Bonnie is spending two months in Panama City, Florida this winter to escape the snow blizzards and the bears that come into her yard. Bonnie said she had a great talk with Bunny Rice Bott who lives in Coral Gables, Florida with her husband, Paul, and grown kids and grandkids live nearby. Ann Heidenreich noted she had “just returned from California where I spent the afternoon with Anne Higgins. As always, it was great to see her. I have just resigned as chair of our local sustainability committee. I enjoy cooking, playing piano, gardening and quilting. All is good!” Silvia Hajek Jorgensen writes, “This is the year most of us turn 80. For my 80th in November, my daughter, Lisa, planned a trip to Paris, Vienna, Linz and Salzburg for me and her family. Breakfast in Paris, dinner in Vienna — what a wonderful celebration.” Judy Schenk Fierke wrote about her Christmas travels when she drove from her cold home in Champaign, Illinois to her son’s colder home in Fort Dodge, Iowa for Christmas 2022, then to the coldest to be with her daughter, Diana, in Minneapolis. They drove to the arctic of Duluth, Minnesota to see a grandson’s hockey game. What a wonderful frozen mother/ grandmother. Pat Connery Koko was on a cruise going to Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand in January 2018 and booked another cruise, but COVID interrupted those plans. In November 2022, they went on an Amtrak trip to the National Parks, from Moab to Grand Canyon. In November, Pat took a cruise from Naples to Jerusalem and did a tour of the Holy Land and on to Athens — even with a walker and transit chair. Kate Coulihan Ficke ’75, MBA ’83, a DU alum, is her wonderful travel agent. Keep on traveling! Pat had a part-time job as an assistant to Friends of her local library in Oak Park, helping with the Annual Book Fair. She was given an award by the Oak Park/ River Forest Chamber of Commerce for her volunteering. Pat was also named Volunteer of the Year in Illinois and was given the award in Springfield at a banquet this September. Congratulations Pat! Pat had updates on Judy Colohan Blatherwick, whose husband died several years ago. When Judy’s sister also became a widow, she moved in with Judy in her house in Oak Park. Both just recently moved into a condo in the same neighborhood after Judy sold the house. Judy is still in the choir at St. Clement Church.
22 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE CLASS NEWS CLASSNEWS Capturing the Essence of Dominican Small business owner Susi Brucato ’01, MBA ’09 tapped into her memories of Dominican University for a special order last fall. Brucato, who owns and operates a custom candle company in Geneva, Illinois with her husband, Rob, created a candle mixing rose and English ivy scents for last fall’s President’s Circle Dinner. A total of 225 candles were distributed to university supporters. “When I think of Dominican and my time there, I think of the Candle and Rose Ceremony,” Brucato shared. “That’s why I picked the rose. It’s part of the tradition behind Dominican and it stands for truth and charity. And the ivy growing on the school is something I fell in love with the moment I stepped on campus.” Lisa Parisi, director of donor relations for Dominican University, said the candle had “just the right scent to capture the essence of Dominican University” and was wellreceived by the guests. Returning to Dominican as a small business owner was a “full circle” moment for Brucato, who studied accounting as an undergrad and got a behind-the-scenes look at how businesses operate during a study abroad trip to Argentina. “Everything I learned at Dominican, every aspect has helped build me into what I am today,” she said. Photo courtesy of Susi Brucato Judy Alberts Finley just returned from a solo cruise through the Panama Canal and Central America since her husband died two years ago. She has a winter home in Myrtle Beach, where she connects with her mother’s ancestry that goes back to 1716 in the backcountry of South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. Judy summers in Whidbey Island off Seattle. Vicki O’Hara Swaney is living in the Georgetown area near D.C. with her husband. Joanne Knotek lives in Brookfield near the zoo and is in an investment club with Pat and has survived breast cancer again. Aural Vladick Umhoefer, who was in Fribourg, was dean of the University of Wisconsin– Platteville Baraboo Sauk County for 20 years and is still on their foundation board. Pat keeps in touch with her as well. On a sad note. Two of our classmates have passed on: Karen Krueger from Hayward, Michigan, passed away on Dec. 10, 2021, after a period of time in hospice. We lost Lois Marek Deitschel on Jan. 6, 2023, who suffered from MS for over 30 years, but died from cancer in Cincinnati, Ohio. 1967 Elizabeth McGrath Class Agent Margaret Stapleton writes, “I continue to revel in not having deadlines; I’m now a retired lawyer. I’ve been doing a lot of reading on the myriad issues surrounding race and class and am very thankful for all the smart scholars who are publishing so much on slavery and its aftermath. I am humbled by how clueless I have been for way too many decades.” Andrea Nagode writes, “My ‘post-retirement’ move from Chicago to St. Louis has been very rewarding. I’ve been collaborating on transitioning Lindell Study Center and its related youth programs and camps to full-fledged Missouri nonprofit status and increasing its interchange with other programs for women of all ages whose spiritual aspects are under the auspices of the Opus Dei Prelature. My prior experience practicing architecture and nonprofit management in New York, Texas and Chicago has proved useful. COVID-19 has challenged me to hone my communication skills to keep the dialogue flowing in cyberspace. I am happy to have been part of the team navigating the past two years, ensuring lively hybrid and inperson programs.” Mary Lynne Yancey Crowley writes, “I have been instructed to share more than my original response of ‘wild and wacky,’ which is a true description of these past years. I have had the privilege and luxury to share these years with my birth children, my adopted interracial children, and their families. I have shared these cultures and shared their journeys as people of color. I am now retired from my most interesting job as a physical therapist. We enjoy my daughter’s farm, my son’s restaurants, my grandkids’ school activities and hopefully more time for my art. Life is never dull and always filled with more learning opportunities.” Jane Duggan writes, “Greetings to you and all our classmates! I just returned from 15 days in Chile where I stayed with young friends and joined their families for Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. I flew to Santiago, which is a very rich place full of both colonial era and very modern buildings. I spent New Year’s week in the beach town of Maitencillo right on the Pacific. We traveled from there to Valparaiso, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s colorful and bustling and reminded me in some ways of Lisbon. I also went to Zapallar for a long walk on a rocky path with a spectacular view of the ocean and other seaside communities. This is my first major travel since the pandemic. I am so lucky to have had close ties to several younger people during the COVID era and have developed more than one “curated family.” I can’t begin to say how grateful I am for these small circles of people who could be my kids (or almost grandkids). Not having children of my own, I am especially appreciative of these special relationships. I do look forward to a time of being together again on the Dominican campus. Hopefully, we don’t have to wait for 2027! All the best and warmest wishes for a year of dreams to come true for one and all in 2023.” Madelyn Pavin Catanese writes, “My husband and I moved to Mundelein almost 50 years ago so he could take a teaching and coaching job at Carmel H.S. and I taught in Mundelein elementary schools. Though we both moved on to different careers, we stayed in Mundelein to raise our three children. I went back to school and became a licensed acupuncturist. It was an enjoyable and fulfilling career from which I am now retired so I can fully enjoy my six amazing grandchildren. This July is our 50th wedding
SPRING 2023 | 23 CLASSNEWS Transforming Youth into ‘Gentlemen’ Jermaine Lawrence Anderson ’04 launched his first business in the fourth grade: Custom-designed business cards, T-shirts and mugs that he peddled to classmates and teachers. This gift for entrepreneurship led Anderson, a graphic design major, to establish I Am A Gentleman, an organization that aims to prepare Chicago youth and young men of color for careers, positive relationships, and productive lives. “We teach the youth that a gentleman is three things: One who gives back, takes responsibility, and makes life better for others,” Anderson said. These lessons are accomplished through in-school programs and the Male Mentoring Academy, a 14-week program where selected young men between the ages of 13 and 21 take part in classroom instruction, recreational and cultural activities, and community service projects. The academy is staffed by professional life coaches who serve as role models and introduce students to working class professionals in Chicago. “We try to make sure that when young men participate in the academy, we, as adult mentors and life coaches, are a good representation of what they themselves can be,” Anderson said. His time at Dominican helped shape the world view that he hopes to pass on to the students. “Dominican helped me understand the world is larger than the neighborhood where you are from,” Anderson explained. “The world is much more diverse than your myopic sphere of influence.” Photo courtesy of I Am A Gentleman, Inc. anniversary and we are hoping to celebrate it in Paris.” Ellen O’Connor Nick writes, “Our news is that our son, our daughter-in-law, and our 2-year-old granddaughter have been able to stay with us in Wheaton while they worked remotely for the past few months. Due to an increase in COVID cases, they left Paris in early December. Although they will soon go back to France, we’ve been blessed to have them here and following a toddler all day has kept us active! Wishing you many blessings.” Kathleen O’Keefe Anderson writes, “Still can’t believe I’m 77 years old, married 56 years and our oldest just turned 50. Where did the time go? Memories of my Rosary life are always bright. This is a lovely time of our life. This last spring Dave and I said goodbye to climbing 32 stairs to the bedroom. We now have a grand view from our 16th-floor windows overlooking the dome of the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica. The view reminds me of Florence and the bells are glorious. This is my tenth year working part-time at our parish church on the campus of St. Louis University. I have great flexibility with this job, giving me the freedom to join Dave when he’s teaching watercolor on a cruise. Picking up his paint brushes 10 years ago to become a full-time artist and teacher has added so much dimension to our lives. Along with our busy days and making plans for the year ahead, I find we do our share of reminiscing. Last fall we took a three-week road trip through upstate New York and parts of New England visiting places we’d lived during our early Navy years. Rosary/Dominican holds some of my fondest memories. Four generations of my family have been connected to the university. I read the Dominican Magazine with amazement and awe at the extraordinary growth and the people who carry forward the Dominican vision.” Nancy Collins Rodriguez writes, “After a lifetime in the Chicago area, my husband, Victor Rodriguez ’76, and I relocated to beautiful Colorado in 2022. We loved living close to the city of Chicago and we enjoyed everything it offered: Parks, concerts, sports, restaurants, Holy Name Cathedral, extraordinary views and neighborhoods. Yet, the tumult of the city and personal safety concerns led us to rethink our future. We moved to a beautiful area with views of the high country and 265 days of blue sky and sunshine. 2022 was the year of “new everything” — parish, neighbors, friends, deer in our front yard, stores, gardening in the high desert, etc. We are closer to our children, our grandchildren and my siblings — a wonderful benefit of moving west. Not all was roses though. Leaving our Oak Park home of 46 years, a beautiful four-seasons garden, Ascension Parish and our friends has been hard. The familiar landscape has been replaced by mountain towns to explore and a more casual lifestyle. Adventures aplenty await. Wishes for a prosperous and peace-filled 2023 for all.” Mary Ellen Boyle Callow writes, “Aging is a challenge, but retirement is wonderful. The pandemic changed my world and my view of the rest of my life. I spend winters in Arizona and the remainder of the year in Illinois. Book clubs, fitness classes, working as an election judge, seeing longtime friends and my daughters and grandchildren help me to stay healthy, happy and hopeful. I like to hear from any of my classmates.” Terry Beeson Sheahan writes, “After completing a doctorate in history, I moved to Washington, D.C. to work as a writer for the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. The responsibilities utilized both my writing skills and knowledge of history. I edited numerous books during my years at the NPM, wrote exhibits and helped create the museum’s online site. After retiring, I moved back to Chicago, where I spend part of the year, but South Dakota will always be home. Since retirement, I have enjoyed many cruises and road trips, my favorite being to St. Petersburg, Russia. My children are all grown up, of course, and have successful careers. I have two wonderful grandchildren, Murren and Owen.”
CLASSNEWS 24 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE CLASS NEWS Photo courtesy of Kristin Peterson At the Intersection of Faith, Activism and Media Exploring the inner world of a Pentecostal church in London while a Dominican University journalism student set the groundwork for Kristin Peterson’s professional career. An assistant professor in Boston College’s Department of Communication, Peterson ’07 teaches courses that examine ways media and religion intersect. In 2022, she published the book Unruly Souls, an examination of the commonalities that Muslim activists and Evangelical Christian feminists share online as they find themselves marginalized within their faith communities due to their sexuality, gender or race. During a Dominican study abroad program, Peterson’s independent research project explored the Pentecostal faithful, many Caribbean immigrants, navigating life in London. This, she says, sparked her interest in religion as an academic pursuit. “Just having this different experience of religion from what I had grown up with as a Catholic, and talking to people who were passionate about their faith, made this something I was particularly interested in,” Peterson explained. Peterson earned a master’s degree in religious studies and a PhD in media studies. Her research of digital activism by youth impacted by the expectations of their faith — and the resulting trauma many experienced —led to the writing of Unruly Souls. The Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters’ emphasis on faith and justice also inspired Peterson’s career path, she noted. “That influenced me in the work I do, to find ways to do research seeking a better world and helping the marginalized,” Peterson said. 1968 Suzanne Engle MALS ’76 Class Agent Thanks to everyone tuning in for our class Zoom gettogethers! In September, Mary Ann Gately Jensen, Donna Renn and Pat Fitts Jacobson described their dramatic experiences working in the justice system. In January, Suzanne Engle MALS ’76 kicked off a lively conversation sharing stories about how our liberal arts degrees took us on amazing adventures in life and our careers. The ’68 Posse continues to meet weekly via Zoom to plan our quarterly class Zooms, learn more about what’s happening at DU and prepare for Reunion 2023. We enjoyed presentations from President Dr. Glena Temple about DU today, VP of Advancement Sara Acosta about a proposed Women’s Leadership Institute, and VP of Student Success Barrington Price about DU support for students. We have big plans for our 55th Reunion June 10, 2023, including a private lunch, comedy entertainment, ’68 alum recognitions, a block of rooms at the Oak Park Carleton Hotel in downtown Oak Park and more! Look forward to seeing you there! We honor Sr. Ann Henkel, OP, who this year is celebrating 50 years of religious service as a Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa. Sr. Ann and three other 50-year Jubilarians were recognized at a Jubilee Mass at Sinsinawa Mound in October. Ann has ministered in Wisconsin and Alabama, where she now lives. Her ministry has been dedicated to teaching music and spiritual guidance. She served the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa congregation as provincial for the Southern Province in the 2000s. She also served as a campus minister at Rosary College in the 1970s. Congratulations to Ann for living Caritas et Veritas throughout her long service! ’68 was well represented at the 2022 President’s Circle Dinner in September. Attending were Sharon Fleege McNamara, Carol Anderson Kunze, Donna Renn, Pat Stephens Mitchell and Marilyn Freehill Jancewicz. They met and mingled with DU administrative staff, the Board of Trustees, students and supporters. The highlight of the evening was hearing from student Faith Echeverria ’23, who shared how grateful she and her family are for her opportunities at DU on scholarship. It was a heartwarming and joyful event! Mary Duncan Gemkow writes, “Ron and I went to Cooperstown this past June to see our grandson Christopher play at the All-Star Village. It was such a fun time going to all the games and seeing the enthusiasm of the 12-yearolds. It was our first time in that part of New York state. What a beautiful part of the country! We now have 11 grandchildren and are so fortunate that they all live within about 10 miles of us. I have been keeping busy with the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Hinsdale Embroiderers Guild. Hope to see many of you at our reunion in June!” The ’68 posse attended the Scholarship Luncheon on campus in April. It is one of our favorite events, a wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know the scholars who were selected to receive our scholarships. Suzanne Cosimano Awalt writes, “January brought historic and muchneeded rain to Northern California. It also brought a visit from DU President Dr. Glena Temple and traveling companion Melanie Dykstra from the Office of University Advancement. These two fine women honored me with dinner and a wonderful conversation about Dominican’s mission, vision and commitment to first-generation college students. Glena is so personally accessible and shares a passion for equity and social justice — something I was raised on during my years at Rosary College. Thank you, Glena and Melanie, for launching my new year with friendship and shared purpose!” Kudos to Marilyn Freehill Jancewicz, who has been working to support DU Feeds, a student-run (and initiated) program for Dominican students who have identified as food insecure. Finally, students have found a permanent home for DU Feeds on campus, acquired administrative support and structure, and expanded their market days to three a week. One student leader, Anna Martucci (a junior nutrition and dietetics major) and 50 student volunteers keep the program running.
CLASSNEWS SPRING 2023 | 25 Photo courtesy of Louise Rider When Library Science Meets Music Louise Rider MLIS ’13 is proving that a master’s degree in library and information science can help advance a career beyond the walls of a traditional library. Rider enrolled in Dominican University’s MLIS program with a goal of becoming a music producer at Another Country, a sound design studio, where she started as an audio assistant in 2008. So where does library science fit in at Another Country’s postproduction sound work on Superbowl commercials and independent films? “A lot of what the producers deal with is library-based,” Rider said. “At the time, I was very interested in the music libraries we work with. I went to Dominican knowing I wanted a corporate library job.” When a commercial or film makes its way to Another County, the company may be tasked with finding the right music for it. That music is selected from large, digitized music libraries from around the world. One library alone consists of over 800,000 tracks, so knowing how to best utilize the databases to find the right sound is crucial. Rider said her Dominican courses helped with that skill. In 2022, she was named executive producer of Another Country, fulfilling a career goal. “When people think of MLIS degrees and librarianship, they might not think of this part of it,” Rider noted. “Public and school libraries are very popular, but there is this whole other work you can really get into.” The last time Marilyn checked, they had served 240 students within a 15-day period. Impressive! Marilyn is their alumnae advocate and cheerleader. She is sobered by the need, impressed by the students’ professionalism and in awe of their achievements. Marilyn Dobes Placek had a great time sailing the high seas again! This time out of the port of Lisbon, Portugal through the straits of Gibraltar, and to ports of call in Spain and some of the Balearic Islands. She says it felt great to get back to something she really loves: Sailing and visiting ports and mingling with the locals. Also, got all her Christmas gifts purchased on the trip! Donna Renn escaped to SoCal to avoid another Chicago winter and reconnected with Marilyn Dobes Placek and Gail Rihacek Daniels in Palm Desert. Donna also attended several alum events at DU and enjoyed presentations by faculty and conversations with students. Congrats to Susan Bakel Cohn on receiving the top honor, the “Wisdom of the Elders” award, from the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education. At a symposium in Charlottesville, Virginia, Susan was recognized for her lifelong dedication and hard work in Montessori teacher education. Susan plans to move to Ft. Collins, Colorado in March 2023 to participate in establishing an Intergenerational Wellness Center there. The center will house a Montessori preschool and a residential care center for elders 60 and above. She’s working with Colorado State University Public Health Department professors who will direct graduate students to work on various aspects of the Wellness Center project. An interesting note from Susan: Nancy McCormick Rambusch, who attended Rosary College in the 1950s, was the first person to open a Montessori school in the U.S. She went on to become the founder of the American Montessori Society. Pat Fitts Jacobson writes, 2022 was a bucket-list travel year for me. Frustrated by airline cancellations and the high cost of renting a car for anticipated travels to see family, friends, and Rosary classmates in Arizona and California, I decided to DRIVE my own car from Ohio to the West Coast and back. Since it was mid-February, I drove the southern route. Spent a lovely time with my daughter’s family (three granddaughters!) and friends in Phoenix and San Juan Capistrano before journeying to the Rosary ’68 event in Palm Desert. I managed to miss every snowstorm on my 5,000+ mile trip. In June I drove to the beach in North Carolina with my son’s family (the other two granddaughters!), then flew to a friend’s wedding in New Orleans. Got COVID at the wedding, luckily a mild case. In October, I took a threeweek trip to Italy. Gorgeous! Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, Rome (the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and the Pieta!), Orvieto (stunning medieval village up on a bluff), Florence and Venice. Couldn’t get enough of that; hope to go back. 2023 will hopefully involve more travel — and the beginning of my first novel!” Carol Anderson Kunze writes, “This past October, Jack and I took a trip to Italy and France, which was our first international trip since early 2020. We decided we were travel-rusty, as we significantly overpacked, but had a blast. We enjoyed visits with my relatives in the Lucca, Italy area, and with Jack’s relatives in Strasbourg and Provence in France. We appreciate having relatives whose company we enjoy and the opportunity to be with ‘locals,’ A small world highlight was a visit and delightful lunch in Paris with my freshman-year roommate Kathleen Foley Hickey and her husband, Joe. Kathy and I had learned in the spring that our paths would cross in Paris and I’m so pleased we were all able to get together. Jack and I also enjoyed a river cruise in France from Lyon to Avignon. Being boaters, we love to ‘float.’ Although I’ve been a Michigander for 10 years, I enjoy getting to Chicago regularly. Since the summer, I have seen Marilyn Freehill Jancewicz, Pat Stephens Mitchell, Joanne Moore Kiewicz, Eleanor Seitter ’69, Suzanne Engle MALS ’76, Marita Hoy Fenley, Mary Duncan Gemkow, Donna Renn and Sharon Fleege McNamara. It’s such a treat to gather in person! One of my volunteer activities is grant writing for a local nonprofit, which has been an interesting and rewarding challenge. I also enjoy meeting regularly with the Posse to plan our periodic class Zoom sessions and now our upcoming 55th reunion.
CLASSNEWS 26 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE CLASS NEWS Photo Courtesy of Angelica Flores Creative Writing Ignites a Career Angelica Flores ’17 entered Dominican University as a psychology major with a dream of also stepping into the world of live theater. But a childhood passion for writing ultimately steered her in another direction. Today, Flores works for the Chicago-based Poetry Foundation as an education programs assistant. “I’m really loving my role at the Poetry Foundation because I get to work with different students, teachers and schools,” Flores explained. This work has included administrative support for schools and students participating in Poetry Out Loud, a national poetry recitation competition for high school students. Flores also worked with colleagues to organize the Poetry Foundation’s Summer Poetry Teachers Institute, which featured panels, performances and discussions of poetry-related events of interest to teachers. Finding solace in writing while a student at Dominican, Flores changed her major to English during her sophomore year, joined the Honors Program and jumped into creative writing, producing her first collection of poems for her distinction project. These poems centered around Flores’ identity as a Mexican-American woman, family relationships, travel experiences and mental health. Flores also served as assistant poetry editor of the university’s literary magazine, Stella Veritatis, and as president of the Creative Writing Club. “I think I got a really good introduction to the poetry world,” Flores said. “When it came to writing, I also got a lot of guidance, especially for the draft of my first poetry collection.” It promises to be special. Hope to see you there!” We heard the following from Mary Langlois Tyler: “Tom and I enjoy the urban/ lakeside mix of our condo in Kenosha, Wisconsin. It is close enough to walk on the Lake Michigan shoreline when the weather permits. Our children and their spouses can drive here in about an hour. For the first time in many years, we didn’t host Christmas festivities. A niece hosted a lovely Christmas Eve dinner and Dani treated us to a delicious Christmas breakfast. Life is good!” Gail Rihacek Daniels sends “greetings from somewhat sunny California. This past year found my husband, Jim, and myself on several trips, FINALLY! We love to cruise on boats and ships that give us not only relaxation but history and new things to try. In April we cruised on a small boat (90 passengers) on the Chesapeake River for a week, starting in downtown Baltimore with stops in D.C., Annapolis, Williamsburg and other small places. In July we took a short trip to Paso Robles, California (three hours north of us) to research wineries and restaurants to take a group of (20) friends in October. August found us on another vessel in Alaska to cruise the inside passage. Well, that ‘vessel’ just happened to be a brand-new ship which was an icebreaker. There was no ice to break, but there were Zodiacs to climb in and out of. Great trip visiting the small islands of our largest state! In September we visited the Midwest, originally to attend Jim’s Fenwick High School 62nd anniversary of his football team’s winning the Illinois State Championship. Since we were staying in Oak Park, I was able to see our President Dr. Glena Temple and then have an enjoyable lunch with some of the Posse! Besides traveling, I give tours and talks on the history of the Irvine Ranch, raise funds for our Performing Arts Center and play lousy golf in our beautiful Palm Desert. We’re sad to let you know about these recent deaths in our class family. We know you join us in offering condolences to the families of those who have passed away. Maureen Conlan Reddy’s husband, Martin died on Nov. 21, 2022. She told us, “I was touched by the many lovely messages I received, including from my freshmanyear roommate Mary Clark Ormond MALS ’69. I have had lovely visits from Michèle Longino and Lynn Troy. This outreach has been a big help to me. God bless you all.” Mary Bolger Anderson Porter died on March 14, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida after a long fight with cancer. 1969 Susan Kreuz McCoyd Class Agent Nancy Schumacher Piedlow writes, “Dale and I are fine here in Historic Crestview, Florida. We keep plodding along here in Northwest Florida where the weather is temperate and the folks are friendly. We had a visit last summer from the grandkids. Ben (8), Steven (7), and William (just turned 6). They are all doing fine up in East Lansing, Michigan with their mom and dad. The boys and Ryan enjoyed the beach and swimming pools here while they stayed at our condo in Destin. We have since sold the condo. Dale works out and chats with friends at the local health club every morning while I sit on my bum and waste time on the computer. I sew a bit. We adopted a dog in December at the local shelter. We already have a dog named Gracie whom we adopted about eight years ago. Come down and see us!” Anne Wilson writes, “Sorry, nothing exciting here. Just enjoying retirement, the snow on the mountains from all the rain, the mild winter climate, senior bingo, dry bar comedy, networking to help lost or rescued dogs/cats. Terry Korbecki Daniello, Eleanor Seitter, Michelin Paterno Lentino and Susan Kreuz McCoyd met recently for lunch at Hampton Social in Skokie, Illinois and a Florence, Italy connection was revealed. Michelin’s granddaughter Elizabeth Lentino will be attending Florence University of the Arts for a semester at the same time Susan’s granddaughter Mia McCoyd will be attending Lorenzo de Medici in Florence for a semester AND Terry will be attending Istituto
CLASSNEWS SPRING 2023 | 27 Michelangelo in Florence for the month of March for an Italian language and cultural immersion program. What are the odds? And what are the chances of them possibly “running into each other” during their time in Florence? Ciao! On another note, please keep Michelin’s daughter Kaylee and her family in your prayers. Kaylee is undergoing chemo treatments following her cancer diagnosis. Lou-Anne Fauteck Makes Marks writes that she is almost done writing a book with co-author Stephen D. James titled Stars on Earth: Transpacific Navigation and Settlement of the Americas. Their book presents new evidence as proof of early South Indian/Australasian/ Polynesian settlements in the Americas. Ruth Oswood reports that she continues her counseling career at Tewa Roots Society Clinical Services Center in Nambe Pueblo, New Mexico. Designed to give preference to Native American individuals, groups, and families, Tewa Roots clinicians help individuals, couples, families, and groups enhance coping skills, resolve trauma, overcome addiction, and increase life satisfaction. Priority of services is provided first to Nambé Pueblo Tribal members, second to Indigenous community members and finally to all community members. Jo Lapetina Swanson writes, “I recently attended a rededication of the College of Human Ecology at Cornell’s building. My graduate studies and career focused on the college’s emphasis on people and their well-being.” Our Class of 1969 Endowed Scholarship recipients – there are three! Louis G. is a senior majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology. A first-generation college student, Louis plans to be a clinical psychologist and will be applying to clinical and counseling psychology PhD programs. Janet K., a science major interested in anatomy and biology was born in Bulgaria. Seeking better opportunities for their children, her parents immigrated to the USA with her and her siblings. She states, “This scholarship was a tremendous help to me and especially to my parents.” Steve P., whose family is from Mexico, is a junior majoring in mathematics and secondary education. His career aspiration is to become a high school math teacher. In his words, “There are many students who struggle in math and I would like to help them understand the concepts of mathematics and show them why it is important because out there in the real-world math is found everywhere.” Our Class of 1969 Endowed Scholarship Fund was established by our class as a gift to DU for our 50th Anniversary Reunion. The fund continues since first established with additional contributions from classmates. Contributions to our Endowed Scholarship Fund are always welcomed and much appreciated. Thank you! On a sad note. Two of our classmates have passed on: Margaret Pakus Goossens suffered a major heart attack on Nov. 16. She was preceded in death by her husband, Greg. Their daughter Amanda Goossens, who was home-schooled by Margaret, is currently the visitor services information specialist at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, Illinois. Ruth (Ruthie Mae) Kessler Dallas remembers Margaret as “a gentle soul, always kind to everyone.” Rest in peace, Margaret. Pamela Kirk Rappaport, retired professor of theology and religious studies at St. John’s University, died Sept. 16 from complications of ALS. In addition to her BA from Rosary, she earned an MA in comparative literature from Indiana University and a Ph.D. in theology from Ludwig Maximillian in Munich, Germany. During her academic career, Pam also held positions as an adjunct professor at several colleges and a full-time professor at St. Anselm’s in Manchester, New Hampshire. Pamela’s early writings focused on systematic theology as developed by modern scholars. Later she became interested in faith as a force for social change and in the history of women in the Christian tradition. She published two books on Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, a 17thcentury Mexican writer, poet, playwright, philosopher and nun. Some consider Sor Juana the first published feminist of the New World (the Americas). Shortly before her death, Pamela completed the draft of a literary biography on Sor Juana’s hidden Jewish heritage (converso) in her works. This work is currently with a publisher. Pam’s survivors include her husband, Ed, and three siblings. Mary Dailey remembers Pam as “a very accomplished woman with such grace.” Cami Jarasek McNamee says, “My favorite intellectual tidbit is the fact that Pam read all the volumes of Proust’s A la recherche du temps perdu en francais!” Mary, Cami and Pam were in Fribourg for the 1967-68 year abroad. Rest in peace, Pam. Whatever it is we do in life — large accomplishments, small gestures, exciting travel, taking a walk, reading a book, writing a book, welcoming new life, mourning a loss — living the Gospel message and a life of Caritas et Veritas is all worthy and good. 1971 Kathy Klem Large Class Agent Happy New Year, Class of 1971! Time to share the news that you sent! Starting in Sparks, Nevada, Anne Vonderhaar wrote to say that she enjoyed a nice family Christmas. “I told everyone that it was someone else’s turn to cook since I‘ve been doing this since 1971.” So, others stepped up to cook! As always, the “white elephant” gift exchange was a big hit! Her daughter Beth had flown in from California, but had to borrow a car to drive back as the Southwest flights had been canceled. After the holiday, the Sparks/Reno area had several unseasonable heavy snowstorms with extensive damage. So Anne decided to “hunker down until the spring thaw!” Linda Grzesiakowski Hanrath MALS ’74 experienced the “blizzard” also, but luckily her daughter, Emily, was able to make it to the Chicago area from Wisconsin and celebrate with the family. Also, Linda included news of her trip at the end of July with her husband, Dick, to Alaska. They were fortunate to see Denali, the tallest mountain in North America and are members of the “30 Percent Club!” During their tour of Denali National Park, they saw the Big Five: Moose, bears, caribou, Dali sheep and wolves. Very few groups see all five on a tour! Good weather followed them during their cruise on the Inner Passage. They experienced amazing scenery with glaciers, eagles, whales and learned about the indigenous Alaskan natives. She ended by saying that the “trip to our 49th state was well worth the wait, having been postponed due to COVID.” Marty Kahler Van Ness wrote that “we live a pretty quiet time here in LaGrange, Illinois. We plan to move in a year or two.” Speaking of moving, Jacque LaSalle Bolger Buffo sent word that she and Morrie have moved into a newly built duplex. “No more taxes or worries about upkeep. If an appliance fails, we call
CLASSNEWS 28 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE CLASS NEWS Photo Courtesy of Gabriel Avalos Guiding Youth to the Right Path Gabriel Avalos ’17 is helping teens find their future. Avalos is the coordinator of post-secondary options, career resources and scholarship at Chicago’s Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, a therapeutic residential program for children who have experienced abuse, neglect or violence in their homes. Avalos helps teenage residents form their post-Mercy Home life goals — putting them on the path to college, trade school, job training or military service. “My hope is to make sure kids understand the different pathways they have in life,” Avalos says. An English major at Dominican, Avalos considered teaching before receiving what he describes as a “calling” to social service. “The most fulfilling part of my job is when I check in with the youth every week and I ask them how their week is going,” he shared. “I make sure they have someone to talk to if it’s not going well.” Avalos gets to know each of the youth to help them identify personal goals — even when motivation is a challenge. “Sometimes there’s the youth who don’t want to do anything, so I tell them, ‘This is your path. This is what’s going to happen,’” Avalos said. “Sometimes they don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, but they’re still kids and they are still growing. That’s the most important part.” the landlord. We don’t worry about the lawn, landscaping, or snow removal!” Her old house remains in the family as her son Christopher and his fiancée purchased the home at the end of November. “They have literally redone the interior; the house is officially theirs — their own style and their own mortgage.” From Colorado, Sue Koroski Bielawski shared that she and her husband went on a rafting trip on the Rio Grande River near Big Bend National Park in Texas. “It was a fabulous, once-in-a-lifetime trip!” Jane Heinen Schlotman and Larry made it to Venice, Florida in midJanuary. Their home had sustained some siding and gutter damage from Hurricane Ian, but their son was able to make the repairs. During their winter break, they will have been able to visit Kathy Riley Ketterhagen and her husband, Don in Punta Gorda. Kathy had written earlier saying that they lost a couple of trees, but otherwise no major damage to their property. Belated congratulations are in order to Jane and Larry as they celebrated their 50th anniversary in January 2022! “Well, hurrah, I have some news for you!” Colleen Colgan began her note to me with those exact words. I loved her enthusiasm! Dr. Glena Temple, Dominican’s President, was in San Francisco recently and hosted a cocktail hour for the Bay Area alums. It was an intimate gathering with only five grads, three from the years 2014 to 2016. Colleen described a lovely evening filled with connecting old and new stories of Rosary/ Dominican. But it was a surprise reunion for Mary Engle and Colleen, who had lost touch and hadn’t seen each other in probably the entire 52 years since graduation. They reminisced about their Eastern European 1970 spring vacation trip in a VW through Greece, Turkey, Czechoslovakia, East and West Germany, then back to Fribourg. Dr. Temple reported that the freshman class is twice the size of ours and that the French major has been done away with. (How fortunate were those French majors who went to Fribourg in 1969!) Ruthmarie Hamburge Mitsch sent her news about Hurricane Ian. They were in Ohio when it hit Florida. Their home is in Estero, which is sandwiched between Bonita Springs and Fort Myers. Her husband is a wetlands scientist and had chosen their property because it was buffeted by wetlands, vegetation and a higher elevation. She commented, “We had a few things working for us, but Mother Nature inflicted incredible winds.” They lost some branches and trees, but were able to return to a “normal” home a few weeks later. Continuing, she added that many friends were not so lucky. She sent her news to me in mid-January that a friend in Old Naples was just getting internet service back due to the various wires of the many internet companies that needed to be untangled. Others lost everything and are considering moving to avoid future water issues. In Naples, her husband’s wetland lab survived and his boats were full of water, which anchored them. She ended by saying that many restaurants and small businesses throughout the coastal region are totally wiped out. Their prayers are that they will never experience this again. Despite losing her husband, Jerry, last March, Pat Harnett Farrell MALS ’81 wrote that she pulled off the best Christmas dinner in years! Her son Patrick was the chef and prepared a delicious chicken dinner in his new air fryer! Pat said that she didn’t think he minded as “I am not known as a great culinary mind.” At the end of the evening, she managed to trip over the dog bed, flip over the coffee table and injure her rotator cuff. As of this writing, she was awaiting news on surgery or no surgery! She and Jerry celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2021. “I married the best guy forever,” she said. In turn, she sends a special thank you to our classmates who sent cards, notes and extended their sympathies to her personally at our June Reunion.
CLASSNEWS SPRING 2023 | 29 Vicki Woodward managed to dodge the Chicago weather with trips to Costa Rica, Mexico, Kauai, Hawaii (with Fribourg friend Mark Haesloop and his wife), and Christmas in D.C. with her children and grandchildren. Their Utah building project is proceeding at a controlled pace. Plans are complete, but supply chain delays are through the roof and costs remain challenging. She and John hope to break ground soon! Vicki enjoyed hosting 1st-floor Coughlin friends in her home for the Reunion and added that “we are indebted to the Advancement team for a wonderful success!” From Corpus Christi, Texas, Peg Rohr Duran wrote that she and Jose traveled to Bali and followed that with a scuba diving trip in Raja Ampat and Misool, Indonesia to celebrate his 75th birthday! What a spectacular setting in which to blow out one’s candles! A special “welcome home” greeting goes out to Leslye Kalnes Madden and her husband who are now living in Oak Park after three years in Washington. Alicia Merlady Bonnet sends “alohas” from Hawaii. She, too, remembered walking to the wake at Peg White’s home after losing her to cancer. Alicia also wrote that she was so glad that she made the trip to Reunion and reconnected after so many years. It was great fun to see her! Moira Donahue Murray MBA ’82 writes, “In July 2021, I began a two-year term as president of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Elmhurst Area Branch NFP. The mission of AAUW is to advance gender equity for women and girls through research, education and advocacy. Our branch raises money through fundraisers such as a very successful used book sale. We use these funds to donate to our national organization as well as to provide scholarships to local women who are returning to an institution of higher education. Besides fundraisers, we get involved in action projects and special interest groups.” On a personal note, Al and I spent almost three weeks in Switzerland, Germany and Paris in September. Seeing the Matterhorn in Zermatt at early dawn was breathtaking. In October, we took a trip to The Mound in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin to see the motherhouse of our beloved nuns. It is a beautiful setting in the “driftless” area of southwest Wisconsin. The chapel, with its stained-glass windows, is stunning. There are exhibits on the history of the sisters and another devoted to Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli, the founder of the order of Dominican sisters. A walk through the cemetery brought back familiar names and faces and I am so glad that we made the trek. As always, many thanks for your news and keep those cards and letters coming! 1972 Christine Lapetina Kukla Class Agent The Class of 1972 celebrated our fifty-year Reunion at Dominican on June 11, 2022, with a luncheon and other events. Around 16 alumnae/i from our class attended and we enjoyed catching up with everyone. Most of us are now retired from various careers and are enjoying our retirement by volunteering, traveling, spending time with family, etc. Health and happiness to everyone in 2023! 1974 Susan Schwarting Class Agent Susan Schwarting, RMT/CMI, is a certified meditation instructor and Reiki master teacher and practitioner. Susan received her meditation and Reiki training from the MSI in Evanston, Illinois where she studied with Billie Topa Tate. Ms. Schwarting has presented numerous workshops at NAMI in Oak Park, The Wellness Center in LaGrange, Oak Leyden Developmental Center and Kids Above All. She has completed training in well-being that focuses on positive psychology based on mindfulness practices. This training is the foundation for their Building Blocks program. Ms. Schwarting is also certified in Mental Health First Aid for Teens and Young Adults. 1979 Hilary Ward Schnadt Class Agent When I sent out my call to the class for “news, wisdom, or recollections about our time together,” I received some of each. I am sorry to share the sad news that Julie Lunkenheimer Jette lost her father, Robert Lunkenheimer, on Sept. 10, 2022, but pleased to add that her oldest son is now a first officer with United. Condolences also to Lauren McCormack, whose father, Robert, passed away on Jan. 5, 2023. Bernadette Stepnowski Freeman, known in the art world as Deco, is still working at Beatlefest. Nan Silva was sorry that they missed seeing each other there in August of 2022. Deco’s Beatlefest contributions were many: “In addition to running the Art Room and contest, I led the Beatles Poetry Jam, presented a multimedia show of Psychedelic Art & the Beatles with artist Marlene Weismann, wrote and produced Beatles & Bedlam: Race to the Rooftop (a new roleplaying game), co-led the Memories panel and presented the Art Awards at the end.” She labels that her “fun” work and is glad also to have fine art news to share. The state of New Mexico purchased her collage “Hear the Echoes” and installed it in a building in Albuquerque. It is both a landscape of red cliffs and an homage to poets, including the names of 39 poets. It was previously used in a poster promoting a state-wide poetry contest for high school students. Nan later had better luck reconnecting with a classmate. She and her son Gareth closed out 2022 with a trip to serene Sedona, Arizona. While there, they connected with Bill and Suellen Dicker for a laughter-and hugfilled reunion in Jerome, Arizona, complete with kaleidoscopes, haunted hotels and “whoa, dude” vistas. Nancy Greco played not one, but two roles in It Runs in the Family at the Citadel Theatre in November/ December. Teresa Anderson Shultz was happy to see her in the show. Nancy will return to Bible Bingo at the Greenhouse in 2023 and will sing during Handel Week in Oak Park in February. I saw many ’79ers on campus at an October 2022 gathering arranged by Helen Hollerich, who brought a yearbook trivia quiz that asked us to identify photos of faculty and staff by name and department and asked for the names of the 1976-79 yearbooks. The group included Lynette Cabell, Joy Davy, Marg Doss, Michelle Jackson, Sue Junkroski, Maureen Russell, Teresa Anderson Shultz, Hugh Toner MBA ’87, MCR ’19 (accompanied by wife Nancy Higgins), and our friends Mike Hattie ’80 and Russina Rusev Grady ’81. Jeanne Sullivan Goss MALIS ’82 wrote, “I retired after 18 years with Grainger! Sept. 23 was my last day as manager, corporate strategy. But since it’s only been a few months, I’m still relaxing and doing a lot of reading for fun, instead of reading corporate-related research and trends.
CLASSNEWS 30 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE CLASS NEWS Grainger is a great company that treats employees very well. I was blessed to be there for that long.” Here’s Robin Nystrom’s 2022 knitting output: 63 hats (54 for Hats for Sailors), three cowls, three pairs of fingerless mitts, one lacy shawl, one pair of mittens and one pair of baby booties. Woo-hoo for someone who only started knitting in 2021! Ann Van Hoomissen Bixby and her husband, Stu, took their first trip to Italy last October on Rick Steves’ Best of Rome tour. Noted Ann, “Besides the history, architecture and amazing food, we also enjoyed Pope Francis’ general audience in St. Peter’s Square and attended mass in many churches, including St. Peter’s.” Rick Steves made a surprise visit to the group at the Colosseum. “Some of you might remember that Helen Hollerich and I saw Rick in Westport, Ireland in June 2017. What are the odds that I would get to meet him a second time in another country?” She’s aiming for a third, after a changed work schedule. “I will be retiring from the diocese in the summer of 2023, but will stay on part-time to design and coordinate all the other print projects. Looking forward to this latest career shift!” And to a Fall 2023 Rick Steves’ Best of London tour, prefaced by a jaunt through Ireland and Scotland. Washington State Supreme Court Justice Hon. Mary Yu started her second full term on Jan. 9, 2023. She was first appointed to the Court in 2014 and was elected for her first full six-year term in 2016. She was re-elected in an unopposed run in 2022. Congratulations! Barb Bowers shared news and recollections: “In November, my husband and I returned to Fribourg, happy to see that the Villa (now Club Migros) and surrounding Rue Fries were there as I remembered. Fribourg, however, has greatly expanded to include a super mall, which you see from the large train station as you arrive. The cathedral and the historic old town have been wonderfully restored and Café du Midi still has the best fondue. The old train station, which welcomed us in 1977, still stands with a historical marker, ‘ancienne gare,’ a reminder of great memories of the past. Surrounding towns of Gruyeres and Murten gave us the mountain scenery, as well as the Cailler chocolate binge tour.” And, finally, Hugh Toner MBA ’87, MCR ’19 shared recollections, news and wisdom: “I am thinking about numbers and how the time has flown: 50, 40, 30. It was 50 years ago on Labor Day that I was sent away to boarding school in Campion, Wisconsin. Forty years ago, I became a lawyer, and 30 years ago started my own practice. During this past year, my wife and I have celebrated our two daughters being promoted and our son, Hugh Toner IV ’17, being sworn in as a lawyer. Where does the time go? “As we approach the 45th anniversary of our graduation and then the 50th anniversary of starting in ’75, here are three thoughts: There are very few things that I have accomplished that can’t be traced back to the Rosary/DU friends I have made and kept over the years. For this, I want to say ‘thank you,’ especially to those whom I haven’t seen in a while. I encourage those who may not have much direct contact with Dominican to reconnect. The school is still doing tremendous things. Finally, consider what you may be able to do to support the DU Community, in any way you can.” Wise thoughts, Hugh. 1990 Nicola Germann and Juan Rodriguez Class Agents Jamie Headley MBA ’96 was appointed director of business development at Seraph. She has over 30 years of experience in manufacturing and operations leading turnarounds, recoveries, and start-ups. 1996 Jennifer Davis Class Agent Antonette Taylor writes, “I would like to share an update on myself and my daughter, Lauryn Taylor ’22. We launched an inspirationalbased online apparel shop along with my son. Always Love Being is an apparel brand that cares deeply about inspiring others with empowering messages one T-shirt at a time. We are also committed to raising funds and awareness for pediatric cancer and mental health. 2001 Alison Hecimovich MSPED ’05 Class Agent In June 2022, T.J. Tyrrell was promoted to president of The Cary Company in Addison. T.J., a 26-year veteran of The Cary Company, has served as vice president of marketing and operations since 2012. He helped oversee the success of The Cary Company through its recent acquisitions in California, Utah and Pennsylvania. 2005 Tory Kathrein Theodossopoulos Class Agent Tim Radway MBA ’14 was promoted to chief operating officer at W. Capra Consulting, an IT consultancy focusing on the retail industry. Tim has nearly two decades of professional experience, with expertise across finance and operations, sales and accounting. 2006 Annie Hughes Halsema and Diane Schultz Meske Class Agents McHenry County College hosted an exhibit titled re | process by artist Julie Weber in its art galleries on the Crystal Lake campus. Julie is a Chicago-based visual artist and educator working conceptually within the framework of photography. 2008 Eileen Terrien and Catherine Calixto Class Agents Taylor Barlow Adams MAT ’11, MSPED ’12 married her husband, Bryan, in December 2017 on Treasure Island. They moved to Tampa Bay, Florida and bought their first home in November 2018. Taylor is currently working as a middle school special education coordinator and was recently nominated for Teacher of the Year. She previously worked as an autism specialist for eight years. Her husband, Bryan, is a deputy and hostage/ crisis negotiator. Taylor and Bryan collaborated to develop a core vocabulary board and trained deputies on how to utilize the board to facilitate communication with nonverbal individuals. 2013 Karla Bayas, Marco Rodriguez and Molly Brauer Class Agents Aarika Miller MSW ’16 was named the head coach of Maine West High School’s competitive dance team. She is also a licensed clinical social worker with a background focusing on interpersonal and community violence.
CLASSNEWS SPRING 2023 | 31 Photo courtesy of Dominican University In Memory: Mary Catherine “Cathie” Ryan Mary Catherine “Cathie” Ryan ’61, trustee emerita and a champion of Dominican University for 60 years, died Jan. 30. She was 83. Ryan is remembered as a philanthropist and a female trailblazer within Chicago banking, spending 47 years with Bank of America until her retirement as senior vice president. During her years in the banking industry, Ryan managed trusts and endowments, and matched philanthropists with meaningful causes. Ryan served on the Dominican University Board of Trustees from 2003 to 2013 and was involved in many leadership roles in support of the university through the years. She helped create the Rosary College Women’s Board, served as vice chair of Dominican’s Heart and Mind campaign in the early 2000s, was an advisory board member of the Sinsinawa Dominicans, and served on many grant-making foundation boards. Ryan also helped to establish the Mabel and Joseph Crowley Scholarship Fund, named in memory of her parents. “Cathie was tirelessly devoted to the university over the years,” Sara M. Acosta, vice president for University Advancement, wrote in a community message following Ryan’s death. “Her impact on this institution and the greater community cannot be underestimated.” Graduate School News School of Information Studies Martha Farley Berninger MALS ’79 writes, “I recently retired from a long career in library services. I graduated from the Rosary College School of Library and Information Sciences in 1979. I was fortunate to have worked in public, academic, and special libraries and the library vendor community (Lexis-Nexis). I worked for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) from 2006 until my retirement in December 2022. I thank the Dominican faculty, staff and my peers for their contributions to my success.” Congratulations to Joyce Shaw MLIS ’94, head librarian at Gunter Library, for being the 2022 recipient of the Mississippi Library Association’s Peggy May Award. Dana Revilla MLIS ’01 is the deputy director at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library. She previously served the Chicago Public Library as the district chief for the Northeast Region, overseeing 13 locations and over 120 staff. Eugene Giudice MLIS ’07 was named a fellow of the Special Libraries Association, a nonprofit global organization providing support and career development for information professionals. Joslyn Bowling Dixon MLIS ’09 was named the executive director of the Oak Park Public Library. She has a 20-year career in libraries, a career that began in Hazel Crest. Eric Bailey MLIS ’09 is the director of the Waupaca Public Library. He grew up in Waupaca, Wisconsin and previously was the director of the public library in Lake Bluff, Illinois. Julia Nephew MLIS ’10 writes, “I am thrilled and honored to announce that I am a member of the 2023 Caldecott Award Committee.” The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. Julia is a Children’s Services Specialist at Addison Public Library. She has served on state and national intellectual freedom committees, supporting librarians and the freedom to read during this time of unprecedented censorship and book banning. Vicki Rakowski MLIS ’10 joined the Forest Park Public Library as its executive director. Rakowski was the executive director of the Barrington Area Library District. She began her library career at the Forest Park Public Library 14 years ago as a youth services reference assistant. Jennifer Hovanec MLIS ’11 was named the executive director of the La Grange Public Library in January 2023. She is also a trustee for the Villa Park Public Library. Louise Rider MLIS ’13 was promoted to executive producer at noted audio post-production company Another Country. She has been an integral team member at Another Country since landing as an assistant engineer back in 2008. Alena Rivers MLIS ’17 was named executive director of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association. Alena joined the American Library Association in 2017 as deputy director and began serving as interim executive director of ALSC in September 2021. Brennan School of Business Brian Fredericks MBA ’10 recently joined La Rabida Children’s Hospital as chief financial officer and vice president of administration. He joins the South Side hospital with more than 20 years of experience in health care, managed care organizations, finance and operations. Before La Rabida, Brian was the chief operating officer and vice president of finance for Medical Home Network in Chicago. School of Education Vito DeFrisco MAEA ’06, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Rockford, announced plans to retire on June 30. He is concluding a long and successful career in Catholic education. Vito’s education work also included service as an adjunct faculty member at Dominican. Laura Bityou Beriau MAEA ’13 writes, “I’m excited to announce that I wrote a children’s book, You and Me! It is about the great love between a parent and child.”
32 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE IN SYMPATHY THE LORD IS CLOSE TO THE BROKENHEARTED AND SAVES THOSE WHO ARE CRUSHED IN SPIRIT PSALM 34:18 + Former Trustee (T) Current Trustee * Staff/Faculty member ** Student ^ Friend (FS) Founding Sister (MHS) Mazzuchelli Heritage Society (NGA) Non-graduating Alumna ALUMNAE/I 1930’s Marion Waldron McCready ’38 1940’s Sr. Amy Spahn, OSF ’41 Mary Hogan Knight ’44 Gloria Sartore Accorsi ’46 Grace Wright Mayer ’48 Mary Feeley Ostrem ’48 Mary Jane Bevers Van Lieshout ’48 Mary Ann Brockmeyer Devine ’49 Ethel McElroy Herring ’49 Jean Hebel Killelea ’49 1950’s Patricia Cella Dennis ’50 Gertrude Pinion Greey ’50 Mary O’Connor Cobb ’52 Marie Tierney Croft ’52 Patricia Mastro ’52 Vivian Kunka Striebel ’52 Kathleen Niland Casey ’55 Sr. Rita Stalzer CSJ, MALS ’55 Virginia Long Hagerty ’56 Marjorie MacCartney Simmerling ’57 Suzanne Rutherford Wilson ’57 Barbara Rogers Purcell ’58 Ursula Walsh ’58 1960’s Sheila Cullen Erlach ’60 Anna Norscia Polizzotto ’60 Barbara Shannon Saunders ’60 M. Catherine Crowley Ryan ’61 + Patricia Shaw Hamill Stokes ’61 Paula Butler Dore ’63 Lois Marek Deitschel ’64 (MHS) Karen Krueger ’64 Mary Ann Cicero ’68 Denise Tabet ’68 Victoria Peluso Fischer ’69 Margaret Pakus Goossens ’69 Anne Skroko Keenan ’69 Pamela Kirk Rappaport ’69 1970’s Joni Adams MALS ’70 Barbara Kotula Kraus ’70 Leslie Sipovic Panegasser ’70 Grace Finnegan Tilford MALS ’70 Sr. Rosemary Cina, OP, MALS ’73 Elizabeth Peterson Clausen MALS ’74 Marsha Brumleve Wagner ’74 Gwen Kastel Packard MALS ’75 Diane Cohen MALS ’76 Patricia Giglio Menconi ’78 1980’s Ella Copeland MALS ’80 Ann Maffiola Nabor ’82 Diane Eggers MBA ’83 Lois Chambers Murphy MALIS ’83 Patricia Carman McEldowney MALIS ’87 Sr. Mary Louis Russley, OP MBA ’87 (FS) Sr. Cecilia Davis, OP, MSPED ’88 1990’s Belle Shim MBA ’90 Carol Lutz Hall MALIS ’93 Charles Malone MALIS ’93 Leila Philipps Harring MLIS ’94 Helga Wenzel Humes ’94 Millie Klopp Lorbeck ’95 Gloria DeMarco ’98 2000’s Brian Sedlak ’02 Michael Pavic ’03 Judith Williamson Brannigan MLIS ’06 2010’s Charles Kite ’16, MS ’21 FAMILY MEMBER OF Wendy Arteaga * Jeff Bell * Maureen Kelly Bransfield ’58 Tracy Quinn Brooker ’91 Ann Kremer Buslee ’70 Elizabeth Cavanagh ’09 Margaret Cavanagh ’82 Elizabeth Banas Cella ’60 Mary Prendergast Cella ’62, MALIS ’84 Mildred Adam Cogan MALIS ’83 Ginny Gaul Cullen ’64 John DeCostanza * Kathleen Coulihan Ficke ’75, MBA ’83 Margaret Graham ’70 Thomas Graham ’78, MBA ’82 Jeanne Grossman-Cavanagh ’82 Maria Jefferson-Walker * Mary Ann Gately Jensen ’68 Siobhan Keefe Juett ’89 Anne Walsh Kelly ’65 Sr. Diane Kennedy, OP ’55 + Linda Harvey Knight ’71, MBA ’81 Sister Mary Kremer, OP ’62 Josephine Scaccia Maday ’60 Wendy Shields Miervaldis ’76, MBA ’81 Carolyn Harry Muchow MALIS ’87 Kathleen Cavanagh Niekrasz ’72 Jean Cella Pereda ’97 Joseph Piatkiewicz ’10 Stefanie Piatkiewicz ’07 Kathleen Dreyer Tobin ’52 Sharon Shields Walker ’63 Maureen Weldon MBA ’95 Mary Weldon Woitas ’72 Laurie Zack * GRANDPARENT OF Katherine Simmerling Poppa ’09 PARENT OF Jill Albin Hill MBA ’06 Diana Canello Aranyi ’78 Genaro Balcazar * Anna Beadleston ** Evan Beadleston ’19 Deborah Stewart Carollo ’02 Elizabeth Cavanagh ’09 Margaret Cavanagh ’82 Patricia Chow * Anicia Fye ’09 Don Harmon ^ Mary Greey Hickman ’75 Julie Lunkenheimer Jette ’79 Anne Siska Kohler ’81 (T) Lauren McCormack ’79 Susan Bryant O’Brien ’74 Jennie Polizzotto ’85 Laurie Riggin ’05 * R. Matthew Simon + Clodagh Weldon * Diamond Whaley * SIBLING OF Donald Brennan ^ Edward J. Brennan ^ Rita Walsh Cavanagh ’52, MALS ’72 Christine Godsil Cooper ’69 Susan M. Flynn ’63, MALS ’78 Patricia Hogan ^ Corrinne Marek Keefe ’59 Anne Walsh Kelly ’65 Sharon Brennan Lisnow ^ Joanne Crowley McAdams ’65 Sandra Pavic ’91 Agnes Tierney Prindiville ’50 Cindy Brennan Walls + SPOUSE OF Elizabeth Dreyer Bennett ’67 (MHS) Jean M. Brennan + Marianne Reeb Brooker ’51 Ann Prete Campagna ’54 Rita Walsh Cavanagh ’52, MALS ’72 Marilyn Bongiorno Doherty ’58 Melanie Dykstra * Elaine Dvorak Jaun ’58 Diane Shields Kegley ’66 Gertrude Koh ^ Mary Claire Lynch-Spevacek ’70 Leslye Kalnes Madden ’71 Mercedes Schmieder Meyers ’74 Victoria Czepiel Nunamaker ’69 Maureen Conlan Reddy ’68 Nancy Harvey Stewart ’72 UNIVERSITY FRIENDS Barbara Ballinger Dirk Beadleston John L. Brennan Charles V. Doherty John Eckenroad Sr. Susan Hahn, OP John Killigrew John Rowe ^ Fr. Donald Senior, CP Raymond F. Simon Eugene Wesolowski Fr. Richard Woods, OP INSYMPATHY AT THE EDGE: Runway Experience
Dominican University’s annual spring fashion show puts a spotlight on student creativity, inspiration and experimentation — and this year was no exception. AT THE EDGE: Runway Experience featured designs produced by students in the Event Planning and Fashion Show Production course and included a presentation on the history of fashion education at Dominican — from its earliest incarnation within the home economics discipline to the exciting stand-alone program it is today. “Senior fashion design majors have a storehouse of creativity,” said lecturer McKinley Johnson, who teaches the Fashion Show Production course. “From basic to advanced-level courses, a senior fashion design major spends her/ his last year conceptualizing, patterning, shopping, ripping apart, sewing back together again, crying, hating, loving, tearing out their heart to develop their first ever collection. And why do all that? Because their collection will be spotlighted in the annual fashion show.” Pictured above are gowns from the “Full of Grace” collection designed by senior Rhiannon Cassata. The designs, Cassata explains, take inspiration from aspects of the Blessed Mother and represent beauty and femininity. “Mary has been depicted through art, and this collection will also serve as another art form to capture her essence,” said Cassata, who will now be teaching clothing design to high school students. AT THE EDGE: Runway Experience
OUR MISSION As a Sinsinawa Dominican–sponsored institution, Dominican University prepares students to pursue truth, to give compassionate service and to participate in the creation of a more just and humane world. events.dom.edu Bring a blanket or a chair, a picnic and some friends. July 5 The Dooley Band July 12 The Street Jaxkson Band July 19 Raíces Latin Jazz July 26 Cheap Talking Wine June 14 The Anne Thompson Band June 21 The Redmonds June 28 The Box Band August 2 Los Gallos August 9 The Bear Williams Trio August 16 R-Three DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER PRESENTS Wednesdays at 7:00 PM from June 14–August 16 FREE SUMMER CONCERTS IN THE QUAD 7900 W. Division Street River Forest, Illinois 60305 dom.edu 06/23