Dominican Magazine — Spring 2026

CelebratingDominicanSPRING 2026 MAGAZINE

Candle and Rose on the Rosary College Quad, ca. 1955.PRESIDENTGlena G. TempleVICE PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENTAntonio Martinez, Jr. ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSITY MARKETING AND BRAND INTEGRATIONStephanie KubasMANAGING EDITORJennifer JohnsonCONTRIBUTING EDITORSMartin CarlinoConnie Deng Natalie RodriguezMAJOR PHOTOGRAPHYRyan PagelowDESIGN | ILLUSTRATIONFran GregoryRaul RamirezCONTRIBUTORSMark CarbonaraMary Beth FichtSteven SzegediDOMINICAN UNIVERSITY7900 W. Division StreetRiver Forest, [email protected] magazine is published twice yearly by Dominican University for its alumnae/i and friends. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.© 2026 Dominican UniversitySPRING 2026 MAGAZINEDominican

IN THIS ISSUECOVER STORYBUILDING A FOUNDATIONDominican University’s 125th anniversary is possible thanks to the generations of Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters whose contributions opened access to education and impacted the lives of students and the world around them.FEATURESDECADES OF DEFINING MOMENTSA look back at the milestones that took DU from humble college to premier institution. A PLACE OF PRAYER AND PEACEThe Grotto holds special meaning for many—especially those who have supported its restoration.ONE COMMUNITYNew and old, the traditions of Dominican University tie countless alumnae/i to campus, long after graduation. FOUR PILLARS IN PHOTOSA visual history shows how Dominican University has embraced prayer, study, community and service across the decades.DEPARTMENTSPresident’s Letter .............................................................. 2DUNews DU Joins CHARISM Alliance ................................... 3Students Write to Pope Leo XIV.............................. 4Dual-Degree Program Launched............................ 5Center Supports Black Student Success ........... 6Trading, Business and Data Center Opens......... 7Mayan Pyramid Exploration Begins ..................... 8New Dream Act Introduced at Chicago Campus.. 8Faculty Focus ..................................................................... 20Class News ........................................................................... 22In Sympathy ........................................................................ 32913141618

Each of these initiatives reflects something essential about who we are: a university that not only responds to the needs of its students, but also anticipates and meets them with creativity, compassion and an unwavering dedication to their success.“”125 Years of Meeting the MomentII’ve always believed that anniversaries offer us a rare blessing: a chance to look back with appreciation and forward with purpose. This year, as our Dominican community celebrates 125 years since our founding, I find myself filled with deep gratitude for the extraordinary vision of our founders, the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters.From the beginning, they grounded this university in values as relevant today as they were in 1901: a commitment to rigorous academics, a vibrant liberal arts education and a steadfast devotion to social justice. These principles were not bound strictly to the world as it was, but instead imagined with the foresight and wisdom that speaks to every generation that’s followed. The Sisters’ founding mission remains at the heart of everything we do, making this anniversary not only a moment of celebration, but a time to renew our commitment to the work entrusted to us.That commitment is shaped, in no small part, by the world our students are entering. And although it looks vastly different from the one that greeted Dominican’s earliest graduates, the challenges they are called to meet—around justice, truth and their responsibility to one another and to society—remain remarkably unchanged. You’ll find so much of this spirit reflected in the pages that follow. In this issue of Dominican Magazine, you’ll read about the innovative ways we are already laying the groundwork for the next 125 years—not as an abstract ambition, but as a living, active commitment to our students and the world they will shape.That commitment is already moving forward in meaningful ways. The launch of our CHARISM alliance is a bold new partnership that expands our reach and deepens our capacity to serve. Our new dual-degree program with Chicago Public Schools meets students where they are and opens doors that might otherwise remain closed. And the opening of the Bowman Center gives our Black students a dedicated space on campus built entirely around their support and success.Each of these initiatives reflects something essential about who we are: a university that not only responds to the needs of its students, but also anticipates and meets them with creativity, compassion and an unwavering dedication to their success. All of this is so rich in meaning because of you, our alumnae/i, whose lives and leadership are the living proof of what this mission makes possible. Your testament is precisely what gives me confidence that Dominican is ready for our next 125 years. This is a yearlong celebration and it is as much yours as it is ours. We hope you’ll join us on campus to be a part of this milestone—and in authoring the next chapter of Dominican’s story. Glena G. Temple, President From the President2 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: PRESIDENT’S LETTER

The leaders of CHARISM. Clockwise, from left: Gilberto J. Marxuach Torrós, president of Universidad del Sagrado Corazón; Dr. Thomas M. Evans, president of University of the Incarnate Word; Dr. Susan R. Burns, president of University of Mount Saint Vincent; and Dr. Glena G. Temple, president of Dominican University.SERVING STUDENTS TOGETHERNEW ALLIANCE BETWEEN DU AND OTHER CATHOLIC, HISPANIC-SERVING UNIVERSITIES WILL CREATE GREATER ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES, CONNECTIONSDominican University is carving out new and transformative pathways to educational opportunities, student experiences and faculty and staff collaboration through a unique alliance formed last fall with three other Catholic, Hispanic-Serving Institutions.The alliance is known as CHARISM (Catholic Higher Education Alliance of Rising Institutions in Service and Mission). The partnership, launched in December, brings Dominican together with University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas; University of Mount Saint Vincent in New York City; and Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Through shared resources, joint programs and expanded professional development among faculty and staff, all four institutions are working together to advance academic opportunities that are innovative, culturally responsive, mission-centered and future-focused. Though located in very different parts of the country, the four institutions share commonalities at their core: each was founded by Catholic Sisters and is rooted in Catholic social teaching; each is over a century old; and each serves a sizable population of Hispanic and first-generation students. Most of all, all four share a mission of identifying new paths forward to build strong academic foundations that will ensure student success in the workforce and beyond.“In forming CHARISM, we believe fundamentally that, like other systems or networks, the whole can be more than our individual parts,” said Dominican University President Dr. Glena G. Temple during the December launch. “As Catholic institutions with similar origin stories, values and priorities, we believe we can better serve our students and communities by collaborating, innovating and growing together.”In January, senior leaders from the four universities met at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón to begin moving the CHARISM initiative closer to implementation. Some planned opportunities include:◾ a new model for occupational therapy education with a potential satellite campus at Dominican led by UIW San Antonio faculty.◾ a new pathway for pre-physician assistant students allowing them to participate in an online program, develop a robust portfolio and enroll in a summer immersion experience using PA educational facilities at Dominican or Mount Saint Vincent.◾ a mission-centered, bilingual, study away immersion experience for nursing students to learn and practice clinical skills in Puerto Rico, Guatemala, or the U.S.-Mexico border region.◾ additional connections for business courses.Dr. Thomas M. Evans, president of UIW, credited Dominican University President Emerita Dr. Donna M. Carroll with “playing a significant role” in bringing the four institutions together, and noted that she, among others, had long suggested a UIW-Dominican working partnership. During a meeting in Chicago, he and Temple connected to begin conversations, which was followed by talks with the additional institutions, he noted.In a letter read by Evans during the CHARISM launch on Dec. 8, Carroll, now president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, called CHARISM a “model for other affinity groups networks.” She added that the recognized, innovative practices established by each university will, when combined, “promise impact at a scale that no one institution could establish by itself.”Evans agreed.“While each of our institutions has numerous opportunities for our students, in working together we are finding dynamic intersections where our academic work can meet,” he said.Dr. Eva Fernández, provost and vice president for academic affairs at UIW, said CHARISM allows the universities to “reimagine how Catholic institutions work.”“We are taking a bold step in forging an alliance that will allow us to chart new courses for academic exploration, for discovery and growth,” she said.DUNEWSSPRING 2026 | 3

Director of University Ministry Andrew Mercado shares letters from Dominican University students with Pope Leo XIV during a visit to Rome for the Jubilee of Migrants in October. (Vatican photo)Letters from Dominican Students Hand-Delivered to Pope Leo XIV in RomeWhen Director of University Ministry Andrew Mercado made a once-in-a-lifetime visit to the Vatican last October, he carried with him some precious cargo.In his hands were letters from 15 Dominican University students. Each shared deeply personal stories and concerns tied to current immigration enforcement policies affecting families around the Chicago area and beyond. The letters were addressed to Pope Leo XIV and, during an audience with the pontiff, Mercado was able to personally deliver them. “I said to Pope Leo, ‘I’m here on behalf of Dominican University, representing our undocumented community,’” Mercado said. “I thanked him for his consistent advocacy for migrants, and I asked him to pray for us at Dominican to continue to fulfill the mission that began with the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters of serving students from immigrant backgrounds.”Mercado, who focuses on culturally responsive ministry and creating supportive and inclusive spaces for Dominican students to engage in vocational discernment, was among 100 pilgrims from across the U.S. invited to Rome by the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry. The group took part in the Jubilee of Migrants, an event dedicated to celebrating and supporting migrants across the world. Mercado described the Holy Father as approachable and attentive to each of the pilgrims who met briefly with him. “For me, it was a moment of great joy to hand off those letters—those testimonies—to the pope, to share the realities we are seeing at Dominican and what students are experiencing in their neighborhoods,” Mercado said.A letter communicating Dominican University’s long history of serving and supporting immigrants and the children of immigrants, as well as the ongoing work taking place today, accompanied the students’ accounts.In January, a letter addressed to Dominican University President Dr. Glena G. Temple from Cardinal Christophe Pierre, ambassador to the Holy See, confirmed that Pope Leo had read the student testimonies. “Pope Leo XIV assures his prayers and encourages commitment to work for the dignity of every person, since we are all children of God,” Cardinal Pierre wrote.The pontiff has voiced concerns about the treatment of undocumented immigrants in the United States. In a November message, he called for respecting the dignity of all immigrants and encouraged Americans to listen to a statement from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops opposing indiscriminate mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.“My hope as a Catholic and as someone working with college students at a Catholic university is that Pope Leo continues to be very explicit about our duty to promote human dignity among the most marginalized and, in a similar context, our undocumented community,” Mercado said.A Dominican student who contributed one of the letters delivered to Pope Leo wrote of his concerns about the safety of family members living out of state and feeling helpless to protect them.“I’m hoping it helps the pope understand the situation a lot better,” the student said. “Our situation is hard to understand if you’re not living it. I hope it gives him that perspective.”For Mercado, his vision is for students to see themselves as protagonists for change in their communities, on campus and in society, tapping into Dominican’s rich tradition of advocating for social justice.“Our students have so much to give to this world and are a source of much hope,” he said. “With their Dominican education and the gifts they have, they are able to transform their communities and, by extension, the world.”4 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: NEWSDUNEWS

Shaina Warfield ’20, adjunct professor with Dominican University’s Chicago Campus, teaches a dual-degree English course to high school students at Farragut Career Academy in February.‘Meeting Students Where They Are’DU LAUNCHES NEW DUAL-DEGREE PROGRAM WITH CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS A group of high school students on Chicago’s Southwest Side got an early start this academic year on earning college credits toward an associate degree, thanks to a new and unique partnership between Dominican University and Chicago Public Schools.Through the new DU Dual Advantage program, 10 seniors at Farragut Career Academy in Little Village enrolled in courses allowing them to complete the first year of their college career while still in high school—and at no additional cost to them. These dual-credit courses in math, English, political science, history, sociology and Chicago ethnic art expression are taught by professors from Dominican University’s Chicago Campus in Pilsen, which offers a two-year associate degree program. After graduation, the students can enroll at the Chicago Campus to complete an Associate of Arts Degree with a concentration in certified nursing assistant, cybersecurity, legal studies, or translation and interpretation. “Students in the program can graduate with their high school diploma and with enough credits to move on to the second year of the associate degree program,” explained Dr. Gema Ortega, executive director of academic affairs at Dominican University’s Chicago Campus. “They can complete their associate degree within just one year, instead of the traditional two.”These students can then transition to Dominican’s River Forest campus to complete a bachelor’s degree in their chosen major. Through DU Dual Advantage, students embark on a clear, affordable and accessible path to ultimately obtaining a bachelor’s degree in less time than the traditional four-year journey. And in line with Dominican’s mission of meeting students where they are, Farragut students are introduced to the academic expectations they will encounter in college while receiving wraparound support, including tutoring coordinated by DU professors and Farragut teachers, one-on-one meetings with professors and access to additional student success services offered by both schools.The students represent a range of backgrounds and career interests. Some members of the first cohort are recent immigrants who are also learning English as they tackle their college-credit courses. “This partnership with CPS is very meaningful for us because one of Dominican University’s goals is to close equity gaps for Black and brown students by providing access to higher education,” said Dr. Barrington Price, Chicago Campus CEO. “Research has shown that students who gain access to meaningful, dual-credit opportunities do have a higher probability of persisting in college and graduating.”Connecting with high school students in this way gives the students confidence to pursue higher education, Ortega said.“Many of these students had not seen themselves at the college level,” she explained. “The first courses with the professors are really meant to show them they belong and they can succeed.”Emily, a DU Dual Advantage student, said the program’s classes challenge and motivate her, which she enjoys. She hopes to enter the nursing field when she completes college. “The program is an advantage because you are already one step ahead,” Emily said.Shaina Warfield ’20, a Chicago Campus adjunct instructor, taught two English courses to the students at Farragut this year. “The students are so excited to have the college experience,” she shared. The dual-credit program aligns with Dominican’s long history and mission of making higher education accessible.“The Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters envisioned our university offering opportunities to those who needed them,” Ortega said. “We are meeting students where they are, and we are coming to them. Our mission tells us to prepare students to create a more just and humane world, and through this initiative, we are doing exactly that.”SPRING 2026 | 5

Students gather in the Bowman Center for a January meeting of the Black Student Union.‘You Belong Here’ BOWMAN CENTER OFFERS SPACE DEDICATED TO BLACK STUDENT SUCCESS A new addition to Dominican University’s River Forest campus this year serves both as a welcoming student space and a tribute to an influential Catholic Sister who championed racial and social justice. The Bowman Center, a space dedicated to Black student success, opened during the Fall 2025 semester in the lower level of Lewis Hall. A branch of the Center for Cultural Liberation, it is named in recognition of Sr. Thea Bowman, a teacher, scholar and musician who was the first African American woman to take vows with the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. The center is a place for quiet study, community and conversation, while ensuring all students see themselves as belonging within the university, said Ana KelseyPowell, associate director for Black Student Initiatives at Dominican University.“The Bowman Center really exists as a space for Black and African American students to gather—not just in what we traditionally call a ‘safe space,’ but in a space to talk about issues of identity and culture,” she noted. “It also allows them to see themselves as integral to our campus.”In a message to the community, President Dr. Glena G. Temple called the center a “critical institutional investment.”“A Black student success center provides dedicated space that says clearly: ‘You belong here. Your identity, culture and brilliance are central—not an afterthought,’” Temple said. “This institutional gesture is essential for combatting racial isolation and creating conditions where students feel seen, valued and supported.”The Bowman Center is the realization of students who, through the last few years, have advocated for a place where Black students can gather in community, Kelsey-Powell said.One of these students was Jada Coleman ’20, MCR ’22, now an adjunct professor at Dominican and a member of a service-based professional organization advocating for social, health and economic justice. Coleman joined members of the organization’s local chapter in donating books, wall art, puzzles, games and other items to help launch the center.“Having a space that is specifically for Black students in 2026 is huge,” said Coleman, who, as a student, created the Phenomenal Women Chapter of the National Association of Colored Women’s Club at DU. “For Black students, the Bowman Center is their sense of community, their safe space, and I love that Ana and her team have made it a possibility for them.”In addition to a study and gathering space, the center is used for meetings among student groups like The Village leadership development program, Beloved Community faith formation fellowship, and Pillars Scholars. Members of the Pillars Scholars program and The Village selected the center’s name.The granddaughter of enslaved people, Sr. Thea Bowman was born in Mississippi in 1937 and converted to Catholicism at a young age. As a Franciscan Sister, she taught at several Catholic colleges before being named a consultant on intercultural issues for the diocese of Jackson, Mississippi. A founding member of the National Black Sisters’ Conference, Sr. Thea is remembered for her activism aimed at racial and social justice and for bringing Catholic ministry to Black communities. There is an active movement to see Sr. Thea canonized as a saint.George Adawan, a Pillars Scholar and a member of the Black Student Union at Dominican, said Bowman is an influential figure for students. “For me, Sr. Thea Bowman reminds me of my mom, a strong Black woman,” Adawan said. “I have a lot of female friends, and I know it’s important for them to have a role model and representation.”DUNEWS6 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: NEWS

Financial Trading, Business Analytics, and Data Science Center Prepares Students for Dynamic CareersWith publicly traded stock symbols scrolling above the heads of students, it’s clear that Dominican University’s new Financial Trading, Business Analytics, and Data Science Center is more than a classroom.The real-time stock ticker introduces students to what they may see on a financial trading floor—but their learning extends beyond finance. Created to prepare students for an increasingly dynamic global environment and for careers across many fields and industries, the center is interdisciplinary and bridges theory with practice, said Dr. Roberto Curci, dean of the College of Business, Information Studies, and Technology.“The center helps students use data and analysis to extract meaningful insights, evaluate risk and make informed decisions—the essential skills for success in today’s complex business environment,” Curci explained.The classroom portion of the center, which opened at the start of the fall semester on the second floor of Rebecca Crown Library, contains high-speed computers with data analytics and financial software, and is capable of supporting hybrid and flexible learning. The adjoining space is a trading room equipped with a Bloomberg Terminal, a computer system that provides access to real-time financial data, news analytics, market overviews and trading tools. This allows students to engage in realistic trading simulations. “Our primary academic goal is to immerse students in experiential learning using industry-standard platforms,” Curci noted. The center’s technology is also used by the Brennan Investment Club. In the spring, two personal investing seminars hosted by wealth management firm BBR Partners were also held there.Dr. Anne Drougas, associate dean of the College of Business, Information Studies, and Technology, said the Financial Trading, Business Analytics, and Data Science Center has quickly become a dynamic hub where analytics, finance and technology intersect. It also symbolizes the university’s commitment to forming thoughtful and ethical leaders, she added.“The center’s mission is to equip students and faculty with the skills and values needed to address important challenges facing society today,” Drougas said.SPRING 2026 | 7

Physics Professor Dr. Joe Sagerer (back right) stands behind the muon detector installed in the tunnel of El Castillo, a 1,000-year-old Mayan pyramid. Joining Sagerer were representatives of the five institutions that partnered with Dominican University on the construction of the device that will aid in archaeology. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin visited the Chicago Campus in December to announce the bipartisan Dream Act of 2025.Exploration of Pyramid Begins for DU-Led ProjectUnder an ancient Mayan pyramid, a cosmic-ray-catching device with origins at Dominican University is making history.Known as a muon detector, the device was installed Jan. 28 inside a tunnel in El Castillo (also known as the Temple of Kukulkan), a 1,000-year-old pyramid in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Through the detection of muons—particles from space that are similar to electrons—the device acts like an X-ray machine, creating images that can help scientists and archeologists examine beyond the pyramid’s interior stone walls and identify any voids. This could lead to the discovery of previously unexplored spaces and structures inside the historical site.This is the first time a muon detector is being used at the pyramid for research and data collection. It’s the culmination of years of planning, prep work and testing undertaken by DU students, Physics Professor Dr. Joe Sagerer, and five partner institutions. “I would love to find something the archeologists don’t know about,” said Sagerer, who joined the January installation. “But we just don’t know. And that’s the exciting part. You don’t know until you look.”It will be a few months before any images will be created by the detector, he noted. New Legislation Creating Citizenship Pathways for Young Immigrants Introduced at DU’s Chicago CampusWith a history built on making higher education a possibility for all, regardless of immigration status, Dominican University was the host site for an announcement of new legislation aimed at establishing pathways to citizenship for young arrivals to the United States.U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin on Dec. 5 joined DU leaders, students and Chicago-area immigration advocates at the Chicago Campus to introduce the bipartisan Dream Act of 2025. The proposed bill, which was introduced by Durbin and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, would allow Dreamers—noncitizens without lawful status who were brought to the United States as children—to earn lawful permanent residence by meeting certain education, military service or work requirements. Durbin, who is retiring from the senate later this year, first introduced the Dream Act in 2001 to give young undocumented immigrants the chance to earn U.S. citizenship. Through the years, Dominican students have joined Durbin on Capitol Hill to speak of their personal journeys and to urge lawmakers to give Dreamers a pathway to citizenship. Dominican University has welcomed a growing number of undocumented students and has established support systems to ensure their academic success. “For 125 years, rooted in our Catholic Sinsinawa Dominican tradition, Dominican University has served the children of immigrants,” President Dr. Glena G. Temple said during the Dec. 5 event. “Now more than ever, we continue to stand firm in this mission as we accompany Dreamers from across the nation in their pursuit of education and vocation.” The Non-Invasive Archaeometry Using Muons (NAUM) project is a collaboration between Dominican University, Chicago State University, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia in Mexico, the University of Virginia and Fermilab. A National Science Foundation Grant secured by Dominican and Chicago State University helped fund the project.“When students have a chance to do research, it introduces them to how things work in the real world,” Sagerer said.DUNEWS8 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: NEWS

‘THE BEDROCK OF A FLOURISHING COMMUNITY’Achieving 125 years of excellence in education happens only with a firm foundation, an enduring mission and the leaders and educators who carry that mission forward.Dominican University can celebrate this milestone anniversary today thanks to the generations of Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters who prioritized access to education—first for women, and later to all—and empowered students to serve meaningfully in an ever-changing world. These are the Sisters who, using their own unique gifts, stepped up to lead, to teach and to walk beside the students in their care. Dominican’s founding would not be possible without the four “Cornerstone Sisters,” as the first Sisters of the Sinsinawa Order became known: Sr. Clara Conway, OP; Sr. Josephine Cahill, OP; Sr. Ignatia Fitzpatrick, OP; and Sr. Rachel Conway, OP. These are the Sisters who, guided by Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli, OP, established the community’s longstanding vision and values.“This is the DNA of the Sinsinawa Dominicans,” said Sr. Priscilla Wood, OP, the current director of arts and cultural heritage for the congregation. That DNA was passed down to other leaders who would cultivate the Sinsinawa Dominican roots in Catholic education.Expansion came under the leadership of Mother Emily Power, OP, who oversaw the 1901 transition from St. Clara Academy—already known for its rigorous curriculum in arts and science—to St. Clara College, which met a need for women seeking higher education and opportunities. The college’s exceptional reputation, established by Mother Emily, would be upheld over the next century. And it would serve to grow the college, leading Mother Samuel Coughlin, OP, to push forward in establishing the newly named Rosary College in River Forest in 1922. Mother Emily and Mother Samuel were extensions of the vision of Fr. Samuel and his Catholic social teaching principles, which made them successful leaders, Wood believes. “These two women were in leadership for 82 years combined; they became the bedrock of a flourishing community,” Wood said. The Sisters who accompanied and later followed these “bedrock” leaders are many. In marking Dominican University’s 125th anniversary, Dominican Magazine highlights three unique Sisters whose impact on students—and society as a whole—profoundly connects to the present day. These Sisters led the way in social justice work to transform harmful beliefs about race, build a robust library program based on the pursuit of truth and become a legacy for the liberal arts for years to come.The contributions of the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters have made an indelible impact at Dominican University for 125 yearsSPRING 2026 | 9

Sr. Mary Ellen O’Hanlon: Committing to Social and Racial JusticeAsabbatical year in mid-1930s Europe led to a life-changing, self-described “awakening” for Sr. Mary Ellen O’Hanlon, OP.“I was ready to say that I liked nearly everything in Europe excepting one,” Sr. Mary Ellen wrote in her autobiography, Three Careers. “I had the temerity to say that I did not like the caste system in European countries—their distinctions between the peasantry and the upper classes.”On the heels of this admission, came a striking realization: Wasn’t this the same way Black Americans were treated in the United States?This moment would shift the focus of Sr. Mary Ellen’s life and become a touchstone for future social and racial justice work at Dominican University.A professor of botany at Rosary College, Sr. Mary Ellen would combine science and Catholic teaching to confront misinformation about race and encourage a message of unity over prejudice born of perceived differences.In 1946, Sr. Mary Ellen published Racial Myths, a booklet dispelling common-held beliefs of biological differences and inferiority among Black populations, and calling race itself a myth, noting that all human beings “are descendants from a common ancestry.” She noted the “superficial traits and characteristics which seem to differentiate the ‘races’ of man have little significance scientifically so far as fundamental differences are concerned.”Such a declaration would come years before advancements in DNA analysis would further prove her correct. The Heresy of Race, Sr. Mary Ellen’s 1950 follow-up to Racial Myths, called racial prejudice a “poison” and examined humanity through a faith-based lens. The soul, she wrote, “has neither race nor color.”Her writings led to invitations to address and educate students and groups around the country, including the segregated south. She was named a consultant to the intercultural committee of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and spoke out against antisemitism as well.In 2013, Sr. Diane Kennedy, OP, inaugural vice president for Mission and Ministry at Dominican University, credited Sr. Mary Ellen’s advocacy and writing for helping to “lay the moral and intellectual foundation for the civil rights movement.”Dr. Precious Porras, Dominican University’s vice president for Justice, Equity and Inclusion, calls Sr. Mary Ellen’s work “groundbreaking” for a time when eugenics, with its racist ideology of white superiority, was a global movement. “Sr. Mary Ellen’s work was crucial because it used real science to prove eugenics was using false science to tell us Black folks were inferior,” Porras said. “She was saying, ‘Actually, no. The science doesn’t support that at all.’”Today, social and racial justice work is imbedded in the fabric of Dominican University and is a continuation of Sr. Mary Ellen’s far-reaching conversation of unity and belonging. This modern work focuses on harm reduction and removing barriers to education and social mobility for historically marginalized populations, which represent a majority of Dominican’s current student body, Porras explained. Sr. Mary Ellen’s willingness to openly talk about race is also notable and inspirational today because there remains push-back against such discussions in the United States, Porras said.“Sr. Mary Ellen was very brave to stand up and use both science and faith to address racism,” she added. “In 2026, I would hope we understand the immorality of racism, too.”10 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: BEDROCK

There’s a tale about Sr. Mary Reparata Murray, OP, that has become part of Dominican University lore.Praying that one day soon Rosary College would have the financial means to build the grand library that had been envisioned since the college settled in River Forest, Sr. Mary Reparata, Rosary’s first librarian, set about burying a medallion of St. Joseph in an open campus field.Decades later, as the story goes, construction crews found it. “They were breaking ground for the current Rebecca Crown Library when they recovered the medallion—exactly in the spot where the library was to be built,” said Steven Szegedi, Dominican University’s archivist and special collections librarian.And though Sr. Reparata would not see her prayer realized during her lifetime, her role in establishing Rosary College’s first library and first department of library science lives on today in Dominican University’s robust graduate program, which has educated countless librarians, library directors and researchers across not only the Chicago area, but the country as well.The Rosary College Library was established in 1922 as a continuation of the St. Clara College Library. It was housed in what is now known as the Noonan Reading Room until the completion of Rebecca Crown Library in 1972.There had been courses offered in library science since the opening of Rosary College, but in 1930, Sr. Mary Reparata formally established the Department of Library Science and a 30-credit program to train undergraduate students to become high school and college librarians. The master’s degree program would be launched in 1949, bringing the college’s first male students to campus.Writing of Sr. Mary Reparata following her death in 1954, William A. Fitzgerald, director of the library school at the Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, Tennessee, called Rosary’s library school “a living memorial to Sr. Reparata in its reputation and in its alumnae.”Dr. Don Hamerly, a professor of library and information studies at DU, credited Sr. Mary Reparata for leadership that was based in “serious intellect and moral clarity.”“From the beginning, she taught librarianship as a vocation in the sense of a calling,” Hamerly added. “She understood that librarianship is fundamentally about stewardship, knowledge, communities and memory. When she proposed the first graduate program at Rosary College, she grounded professional education in librarianship as rigorous, values-based and forward-looking. Our faculty today follow that example closely.”Sr. Mary Reparata’s transformative work was not limited to Rosary College. In July of 1938, a letter from Mother Samuel led to an extraordinary opportunity: An invitation to spend a year at the Vatican Library, assisting in cataloging of library collections. “I am going to ask you to do something that is hard and, at the same time, delightful,” the letter began.Upon completion of her duties, she was lauded by Anselmo M. Albareda, Vatican Library Prefect, in a letter that praised her “intelligent work” and service. This letter would be framed and displayed for many years at Rosary College. Beyond the Vatican, Sr. Mary Reparata was a founder of the Catholic Library Association, a professional development and support organization that is still active today, and she served as its first female president from 1949 to 1951.Today, Sr. Mary Reparata is most remembered for founding one of the earliest graduate library programs in the country and establishing the reputation that continues to empower its students.“While the name of the school has changed, the mission has not,” Hamerly said. “We remain committed to the compassionate pursuit of truth.”Sr. Mary Reparata Murray: Shaping a Forward - Looking Library SchoolSPRING 2026 | 11

Sr. Gregory Duffy: Staging a Legacy in Liberal Arts EducationIf Sr. Gregory Duffy, OP, kept a list of her favorite things, it’s a safe bet that the live theater world would be on it.A professor of theater at Rosary College from 1942 to 1982, Sr. Gregory’s influence lives on in the script of The Sound of Music, the 1959 Broadway musical on which she consulted.It’s the kind of contribution that exemplifies the unique backgrounds and keen subject knowledge that each Sinsinawa Sister has imparted on students over the last 12-plus decades. Stacks of letters, preserved in Dominican University’s archives, tell a story of Sr. Gregory’s friendship with stage actress Mary Martin and her husband, producer Richard Halliday. Sr. Gregory met Martin, who debuted the role of Maria in The Sound of Music, through her New York theater connections.The archives also include Sr. Gregory’s correspondence with the musical’s composer, Richard Rodgers, and lyricist, Oscar Hammerstein. Some of these letters are also held by the Library of Congress in its Hammerstein collection. It was Martin who connected Gregory with the renowned theater-writing duo, as they were seeking guidance and perspective on Catholic religious life for some of their new musical’s scenes, said Szegedi. Sr. Gregory’s early reviews of the scripts are noteworthy. In one correspondence she is critical of the way Captain Georg von Trapp’s character is written, calling him “cold” and suggesting audiences may react negatively to him. “I want to see him when his guard is down because none of us can keep it up 24 hours a day,” Sr. Gregory wrote.In a separate letter to Martin and Halliday, Sr. Gregory enthusiastically praised the portrayal of the nuns in the script, calling the characters “honest, human and almost completely believable.” But to add to the authenticity, she offered suggestions, including, but not limited to, thoughts on how Maria, as a postulate, might speak to God as she prayed; the nuance of praying the Rosary or addressing the Reverend Mother; guidance on how characters interact and the tenderness that the Abbess might show Maria in a particular scene; and a light admonishment against scene direction calling for the Sisters to “giggle.” (“When laughter wells up, we are inclined to either smile or go all the way and laugh wholeheartedly,” she wrote).Sr. Gregory even suggested a new scene that would depict the relationship of the Captain and Maria moving forward.“I want to see something happening between these two that is unrelated to what they feel for the children,” Sr. Gregory noted. Dominican University’s educational foundation is formed on the bedrock of the liberal arts, and Sr. Gregory’s critiques, even 70 years on, are still important examples for student writers, said Assistant Professor of English and author Dr. Maggie Andersen.“Sr. Gregory’s contributions have much to teach us about the collaborative nature of writing,” noted Andersen, who teaches a course in playwriting. “We often think of writing as a solitary practice, and it is—until we need to solicit and integrate notes from editors, producers, actors and others.”Sr. Gregory also exemplifies how skills students develop in their writing workshops can be used in life after college, she said. “In workshop, we learn how to offer critiques just as Sr. Gregory did,” Andersen said. “Her notes demonstrate the emotional intelligence we’re working on when we read each other’s stories and offer feedback in the hopes of improving them. I wish she could see the students in the workshop now. They give incredibly insightful craft notes, and my hope is that that emotional intelligence will prepare them well to make the world a better place.”The Sound of Music remains a beloved musical today, further connecting Sr. Gregory to the present. A Broadway production is currently touring the U.S. this year.Sr. Gregory Duffy, left, with actress Mary Martin in 1977.12 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: BEDROCK

1901St. Clara Academy in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin, becomes St. Clara College.1922St. Clara College relocates to River Forest and becomes Rosary College, opening on Oct. 6.1930Undergraduate study in library science becomes a full degree program and is accredited by the American Library Association. 125 YEARS of MOMENTSthat DEFINED DOMINICANIncluded here are just some of Dominican’s defining moments over the last 125 years.1932Lewis Hall, Rosary College’s newest building, is dedicated in June. It is named for the Lewis family of Oak Park.1964Sr. Candida Lund, OP ’42, becomes Rosary College’s second longest-serving president. Over the next 17 years, she will lead the college through a notable period of curricular change and modernization.1970Students begin Time Out, an initiative to consider the future curricular and extracurricular structure of the college. Meetings result in a recommendation to admit male students as undergraduates the following year.1971Rosary College becomes co-ed, with 22 men enrolled at the start of the academic year. The number will grow to 100 just two years later.1972Rebecca Crown Library opens, becoming the embodiment of knowledge and truth on campus.1994Dr. Donna M. Carroll becomes Rosary College’s first lay president and longest-serving president with 27 years of service. 1997After 75 years, Rosary College becomes Dominican University to reflect its Catholic Sinsinawa Dominican foundation. 2007Parmer Hall, named for John C. and Carolyn Parmer ’52, is the first new academic building since Crown Library. It features state-ofthe-art labs for expanding science, health science and psychology education. 2011Dominican University becomes a nationally designated HispanicServing Institution.2021Dr. Glena G. Temple becomes the university’s 11th president and second lay president. 2024Dominican University launches a new associate degree program and opens the Chicago Campus in the Pilsen community.The milestones of Dominican University’s rich history are many. Each are etched deeply into the path that took the university from humble, rural beginnings to the premier urban Catholic institution it is today. SPRING 2026 | 13

The Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto was established in 1929 as a place for prayer, reflection and gathering.The Grotto: A Place of Prayer and Peace for Nearly a CenturyNestled in the northwest corner of Dominican University’s River Forest campus, the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto carries meaning for those who find solace there.Since 1929, the Grotto has been a place of prayer, reflection, adoration and peace for the Rosary College and Dominican University community, as well as the greater neighborhood. Residents often take a moment out of their day to sit quietly on a bench, pause in short prayer while walking a dog or leave flowers for the Virgin Mary.“Just spending time in that peaceful, contemplative area helps me ground myself after a busy or long day at school,” said student Esteban Muñoz, a theology and Italian major. “It’s a place to wind down, think, pray and spend time in what is one of the most beautiful areas on campus.”A gift from the Rosary College Class of 1928, the Grotto was modeled after the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. The design celebrates the site where faithful believe the Virgin Mary appeared to a 14-year-old girl, Bernadette Soubirous, in 1858. Water from Lourdes, believed to have miraculous healing powers, was brought to River Forest in 1929 and added to the Grotto’s reflecting pool.Last fall, a rededication of the Grotto was held after aesthetic improvements were spearheaded by Nancy Menis DeLetto ’81 and Ralph DeLetto ’81. A crowd turned out for the afternoon ceremony, which included a blessing of the Grotto by Fr. Brendan Curran, OP, a Dominican University trustee, and the placement of roses along the steps by those gathered.A COMFORTING PLACEA spring day one year after their graduation would forever connect Nancy and Ralph to this spiritual place.“I remember us walking to the Grotto, and I was holding onto his left arm, and I could feel his heart beating really strongly,” Nancy recalled. “When we got to the Grotto, he got down on one knee and on this beautiful, sunny, ordinary day, under Mother Mary’s mantel, he asked me for my hand.”The couple’s strong Catholic faith made the Grotto particularly special, Nancy explained, and they often spent time together there while attending Rosary. Their engagement at this sacred spot “reinforced that together, we could do anything,” she said. When the couple created the DeLetto Family Foundation 14 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: GROTTO

Nancy Menis DeLetto ’81 watches as her granddaughter adds water from the sacred spring in Lourdes, France, to the pool in Dominican University’s Grotto. Fr. Brendan Curran, OP, blesses the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto during a rededication on Oct. 7, 2025.to give back to others and support projects meaningful to them, they decided to fund a revitalization of the Grotto. New flowers and landscaping were added, the retaining wall was rebuilt, stepping stones were cleaned, and a new brick platform was created for benches. A replacement statue of a praying St. Bernadette—which had been missing from the Grotto for years—was donated by McAdam Landscape Professionals, the company that performed the renovations.Scott McAdam, the company’s president, also brought water from Lourdes, which Nancy and her 4-year-old twin granddaughters added to the reflecting pool following the ceremony.Sadly, Ralph DeLetto passed away just days before the Oct. 7 rededication. Nancy urged Dominican to hold the ceremony as scheduled, calling it a “closing.”“We will always be tied to the Grotto because that is where we began our story,” she said.FAMILIAL CONNECTIONSOther families with strong ties to the Grotto and Dominican University have supported restoration efforts through the years as well.In 1988, Ruth McGrath O’Keefe ’35 and her daughters—Maureen O’Keefe ’65, Cathie O’Keefe Anderson ’67 and Mary Eileen O’Keefe Bateman ’68—donated new, flowering trees for the lawn and an “evergreen wall” along the back. New flowers were also planted.The restoration was in memory of Sr. Benita Newhouse, OP, Ruth O’Keefe’s aunt, who served as bursar general of Rosary College and was a force behind the Grotto’s creation, leading the initial fundraising effort. “Back in 1929 when the Grotto was first dedicated, Sr. Benita said she hoped that the trees planted there would intertwine with each other, their branches reaching out in the beauty of nature and the beauty of friendship,” said Dr. Clodagh Weldon, vice president for Mission and Ministry at Dominican University. “I love that image. It reminds us that so many years later this is still a beautiful and sacred place.”Mary Eileen said the 1988 renovation effort was driven by her family’s deep connection to Rosary College through Sr. Benita and their shared love of their alma mater. She recalled childhood Sundays spent at the Grotto when the family visited with Sr. Benita. “The Grotto had water coming down over rocks and at the bottom was a pond with goldfish,” Mary Eileen recalled. “I remember we would throw pennies in and make wishes.”When she became a Rosary College student in the 1960s, the Grotto retained its pull. “If I had a worry or a test, I’d go out and say prayers at the Grotto, saying, ‘please get me through this.’” Mary Eileen said. “A lot of praying went on out there!”‘A MOTHER TO ALL OF US’In 2014, Dr. Eugene and Clare “Sistie” McEnery ’58 added their mark on the Grotto. Four stones from Sinsinawa, Wisconsin were added: three for seating along the pathway encircling the Grotto and the fourth for offerings at the base of Mary. Additional masonry and brickwork were completed, plants were added, and the water feature and pool—filled in years earlier—were reintroduced. Sistie said she and her husband wanted to help return the Grotto to its earlier glory because, as Oak Park residents and long-time supporters of the university, they have always felt its connection. When driving by Dominican, Sistie would often turn into campus, park near the Grotto and say a short prayer from her car. “When you take a moment to stand before it, it’s a wonderful scene to take in,” she said.Over the last 97 years, the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto has been a place for not only private prayer, but for communal worship and gathering—from Rosary Sunday, a long-standing tradition observed on the first Sunday in October, to the candlelight Día de los Muertos procession last fall. “I’m excited to see what it’s going to be like as it moves forward,” said Nancy Menis DeLetto. “I can only hope and pray that Mary will touch everyone who goes there because she’s a mother to all of us.”SPRING 2026 | 15

Candle and RoseOne of the longest and most beloved traditions at Dominican University, Candle and Rose was held for the very first time in 1928. The ceremony symbolizes the light of truth (the candle), carried by the graduating senior, and love (the rose) presented by their selected partner—a best friend, a mentor, a supportive family member. “It’s a true mission moment,” said Lupe Tiscareño ’18, ’22, coordinator of the Candle and Rose organizing committee.The procession from the upper cloister walk to the Quad, the flickering of candles in the twilight, and the symbolic exchange of Caritas et Veritasis the heart of the tradition, staying with graduates long after they leave campus. “At Dominican, we embrace accompaniment,” said Dr. Mark Carbonara ’07, who serves on the Candle and Rose committee. “We don’t complete college on our own. Candle and Rose is a way to honor and thank at least one person who is instrumental in the journey.”ReunionAs a small, tight-knit university, Dominican celebrates class reunions to the fullest. Throughout its history, alumnae/i from classes large and small have gathered—in many iterations—to commemorate milestone anniversaries, reconnect with classmates and reflect on the Caritas of community.Today, Reunion encourages alumnae/i to “come home” for special class anniversaries marked by luncheons, private receptions with the president and a return of Casino Night, another student tradition for more than 20 years. Jean Rasmussen ’70 helped organize the 55th reunion for her class in 2025. Deeply nostalgic, she has been involved in past Reunions as well.“I want to help us rediscover each other and animate some wonderful memories,” she said. “When I’m on campus, I am at peace there. I’m swept away in wonderful memories of people, my extraordinary classmates, my gifted professors and the classroom experiences they gave me.”Caritas Veritas SymposiumThe vision of Sr. Diane Kennedy, OP, the first Caritas Veritas Symposium was held in 2010 as a day for reflection, community, contemplation and inquiry. Through a series of missionintegrated sessions that inform and inspire, the day has become a muchanticipated fall event for students, faculty and staff alike. This year’s symposium touched on theology, creative expression, culturally responsive education, climate leadership, innovation and much more. On this day, “all of us are one community,” said Dr. Rachel Hart Winter, director of St. Catherine of Siena Center and a Caritas Veritas Symposium organizer. “It is a day where love and truth are embedded in our collaboration, our shared knowledge, our moments of prayer and our affirmation of the mission and charism of the Dominican Sinsinawa Sisters,” she noted. New and old, the traditions of Dominican University form a tapestry of values and touchpoints for all alumnae/i. SO PROUDLY16 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: TRADITIONS

Scholarship and Ideas ExpoIt has taken on different names since its inception in 2009, but the (SI) Scholarship and Ideas Expo, as it is now known, has become an annual tradition of showcasing and celebrating student achievement. Created by Dr. Rebecca Pliske, professor emerita of psychology, and led by Dr. Irina Calin-Jageman, professor of biological sciences, this day-long, spring event invites students to share their research and outcomes from course projects and internships across disciplines. They do so through poster presentations, panel discussions and small group talks.“It really is a celebratory event,” Calin-Jageman said. “It’s exciting for students to talk about their work and see it to fruition in this nice way.”Founder’s DayA day commemorating the birth of Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli on Nov. 4, 1806, Founder’s Day also honors Fr. Samuel’s legacy and the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa who carry that legacy forward. Whether it was a special Mass, lectures or birthday cupcakes in the Social Hall, celebrating this day (or week, as it later became) is a long tradition at Dominican. In 1935, Rosary College celebrated the 100th anniversary of Fr. Samuel’s arrival to the IllinoisWisconsin-Iowa area in a big way, even inviting the governors of the three states to take part. Since 2007, Founders’ Court outside Parmer Hall has stood as a tribute to Fr. Samuel and the Sisters—a reminder that DU’s connection to its founders is not confined to a single event on a calendar.Benefit GalaThe annual Benefit Gala for Scholarships was formally launched in 1981 by Sr. Candida Lund, OP ’42, in her role as chancellor of Rosary College.In the 45 years since that first benefit, millions of dollars have been raised for scholarships benefiting thousands of students. May CrowningA devotion to the Virgin Mary, this ceremony, practiced for many years, featured a student procession and the placement of a crown of flowers on the statue of Mary in Rosary Chapel.Rosary SundayThis annual event on the first Sunday of October was a day of joy started by the Rosary College Auxiliary and later featured a procession to the Grotto. The Blessing of Rosary College on Oct. 1, 1922, by the Rev. George W. Mundelein, archbishop of Chicago, was held on Rosary Sunday. College DayAssociated with commencement, College Day recognized the year’s graduating class with varied events through the years, including a Mass, luncheon, presentations and outdoor activities—even horse rides and archery and fencing competitions. Past TraditionsSPRING 2026 | 17

A HISTORY OF PRAYER, STUDY, COMMUNITY AND SERVICE Help a new generation of students build a mission-focused future by supporting the Dominican Fund. Give $250 or more to receive a limited-edition, 100-page hardcover photo book commemorating 125 years of our storied legacy. Learn more at dom.edu/125-photo-book

A HISTORY OF PRAYER, STUDY, COMMUNITY AND SERVICE

Borra College of Health SciencesDr. Dylan Bellisle, assistant professor in the School of Social Work, co-authored the article “Child Tax Credit Utilization in Immigrant Households: A Focus on Child Investment and College Funds,” in SN Business & Economics.Dr. Kevin Miller, assistant professor in the School of Social Work, presented research on “Youth Perspectives on Identity and Internalization in Outof-School Programs” at the 11th International Congress of Clinical and Health Psychology in Children and Adolescents in Málaga, Spain. Dr. Julia Sonnichsen, program director of Physician Assistant Studies, and Dr. Cheng Hsieh, lecturer, presented “Hiring a Retention Specialist to Improve Student and Program Outcomes” during the 2025 Physician Assistant Education Association annual conference. College of Business, Information Studies, and TechnologyDr. David Aron, professor of marketing, presented “You Own Your Origin Story: Creating Identity and Coaching Confidence Through Narrative,” at the London Arts-Based Research Centre conference.Dr. Bill Crowley, professor in the School of Information Studies, authored “Library Censorship as a Health and Safety Issue” in The Political Librarian, December 2025.Dr. Jennifer Dunn, professor of communication arts and sciences, presented the paper “Love is Blind: A Case for Applying Ethical Research Standards to Social Experiment Reality Television,” at the National Communication Association’s annual convention in Denver, Colorado, in November 2025.Dr. Sujin Huggins, professor in the School of Information Studies, served as jury chair of the 2026 Coretta Scott King Book Awards, which honor African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults.Dr. Keerti Banweer, assistant professor of computer science, presented two research papers at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Frontiers in Education Conference, held in November 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee: “A Qualitative Study of How Computer Science Students Develop Debugging Skills in a Curriculum” and “Code Insight: Evaluating an Active Learning Framework for Novice Programmers to Promote the Development of Code Review Skills.”Dr. Elvira Kizilova, assistant professor of marketing and international business, presented her co-authored research, “Impact of Reproductive Health Legislation on Women’s Perceived Access to Health Services,” at the Marketing and Public Policy Conference in Washington, D.C.Dr. Sakthi Mahenthiran, associate professor of accounting, co-authored the paper “Culture, Trust, and Procedural Justice on Sustainable Organizational Information Sharing in Cloud Computing Adoption,” which was honored with a Best Paper Award at the 2025 Insight 360 International Conflux of Business, Law and Sustainable Futures Conference.Dr. Kara Malenfant, assistant professor in the School of Information Studies, co-authored the chapter “Digital Equity in Higher Education” in the 2025 book Legislative Advocacy and Public Policy Work for Academic and Research Library Workers: Perspectives and Strategies.Dr. Brooke Reavey, professor of marketing and the John and Jeanne Rowe Distinguished Professor in the Brennan School of Business, earned second place in the 2025 Fox School of Business International Case Study Competition (AI, Automation and Analytics track), for her peer-reviewed case, “Albertsons: Customer Insights to Increase Adoption of a New mHEALTH App,” which she coauthored.Dr. Cecilia Salvatore, professor in the School of Information Studies and coordinator of DU’s Archives and Cultural Heritage Program, was the recipient of the Spirit of Uplift Award from the Maywoodbased nonprofit Uplift, Inc. The award 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.recognized the work of Salvatore and SOIS students in helping to preserve and archive the collection held by the West Town Museum of Cultural History in Maywood.Rosary College of Arts, Education, and Sciences Dr. Daniela Andrei, professor of chemistry, was selected to join the 2026 U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) coaching program, which helps prepare high school students for the 2026 USNCO local and national exams. Dr. Jodi Cressman, professor of English, participated in a summer writing fellowship at the prestigious Bread Loaf Writers Conference in Middlebury, Vermont. The conference was founded in 1926 by Robert Frost to bring emerging and contemporary writers together for writing and mentorship.Dr. Aly Dramé, associate professor of history, published the book The Institutionalization of Islam in Southern Senegal: Intermarriage, Qur’anic Education, and Jihad (University of Michigan Press, 2025).Dr. Claudia Herrera-Montero, assistant professor of theology, presented the peerreviewed paper “Participando: Imagining Mujerista Theology through Participatory Action Research (PAR) with College-Age Latinas” at the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States Annual Colloquium in 2025.Dr. Jane Hseu, professor of English, was named president of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Board. Dr. Clodagh Weldon, vice president for Mission and Ministry and professor of theology, was the recipient of the Emerging Colleague Award from the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities and the Catholic Higher Education Mission Officers Network. The award recognized her work in promoting and facilitating mission integration at Dominican University.20 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: FACULTY FOCUSFACULTYFOCUS

The book sheds light on the life and work of Fr. Samuel, the restoration of the Dominican Order following suppression under the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte, and Fr. Samuel’s religious formation in Italian priories. Triggiano also wrote a new introduction to the book, highlighting Fr. Samuel as a “reformer of religious life.”“Because it was Sr. Diane Kennedy, we really put our hearts and souls into the translation,” Triggiano said.The translated edition was published in 2024 by Chicagobased New Priory Press. Sr. Diane was able to see the translation completed before her death the following year, Carlson said.Years of working with the text gave the professors new insights into Fr. Samuel. “It was lovely to see how he integrated himself into everyday life in North America,” Carlson said. “He took the time to not only learn English but learn the native language of the Indigenous communities he interacted with.”His study of art and architecture while traveling in Italy and France also inspired the churches and schools he designed in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin—despite having no formal training as an architect, Carlson noted.“He really built communities wherever he went,” she said. For Triggiano, the book shaped her understanding of Dominican Order reform and how Fr. Samuel approached it with an “open, modern, liberal mind” a world away from Europe.“I think Veena and I came away with a beautiful appreciation for the Order, not just Fr. Samuel,” she said.Professors Put ‘Hearts and Souls’ into English Translation of Book on the Mission of Fr. Samuel MazzuchelliA book exploring Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli’s life, missionary work and the Dominican Order in the mid-19th Century is now accessible to English readers, thanks to the work of two Dominican University professors.Dr. Veena Carlson and Dr. Tonia Bernardi Triggiano ’84, professors of Italian studies, are translators of the book From Milan to the Mississippi: Samuel Mazzuchelli, OP (1806-1864): Between Mission and Reform in the Dominican Order. The text was first authored by Massimo Mancini, OP, an Italian friar and now postulator general for the Order of Preachers.Originally published in Italian as a doctoral dissertation, the book was introduced to Carlson and Triggiano back in 2014 when Sr. Diane Kennedy, OP—promoter of the cause for sainthood for Fr. Samuel—inquired about receiving help with an English translation of the text.By spring of 2015, a project was developed, and over the next several years Carlson and Triggiano used their knowledge of the Italian language and their academic background in Italian culture, literature and history to effectively translate the three main sections of the book and an appendix of 19th-Century letters painting a picture of religious life within the Dominican Order.Dr. Veena Carlson, left, and Dr. Tonia Bernardi Triggiano.FACULTYFOCUSSPRING 2026 | 21

Undergraduate Alumnae/i Class News 1958Marilyn Bongiorno DohertyClass AgentHave you noticed that the 1958 news has been blank for a while? The reason is that I haven’t heard from anybody. As for me, I have the usual aches and pains that come with our age, but nothing terminal. I continue to live in a great retirement village in Naples, Florida. Send news!1963Susan M. Flynn MALS ’78Class AgentDebbie Heer writes, “I have been traveling more than I ever imagined! In 2025, I was in Scandinavia and the U.K. and doing genealogy research in Wales and Ireland. This year, I visited Panama with four friends on a caravan tour. In February, I accompanied a Chilean friend back to visit her family in La Serena, Chile. I am delighted to hear people’s comments that I don’t look like I am 84! I enjoy these opportunities to speak Spanish as I have become completely bilingual.”1964Jeanette Nelson FisherClass AgentJean Bonnie Lessner Hoshalnoted she was able to get out of cold/snowy Minnesota to the cold/snowy panhandle of Florida over the winter.Ann Elliott Holmes informed us that her husband, Peter, passed away in November under hospice care that gave him wonderful end-of-life care. Silvia Hajek Jorgensen and her daughter flew in from Oregon just in time to say goodbye to Peter and blessed Ann with five days of company. Ann was saddened to learn about the deaths of Nancy Jones Eppolitoand Patty Keefe Smith. Heard from Sherry Balow Kelley’s family after the class letter that their mother had passed away recently on Jan. 14.Mary Lou Campbell Hartmansent me a wonderful article about the Dominican Sisters from Sinsinawa. Sr. Margaret McGuirk ’69 and three others were on the front line in Minneapolis supporting immigrants by bringing food to those who were hiding in their apartments. They also helped with legal aid, giving rides to Latino teachers as well as monetary assistance for bills. Joanne Colgan Gill escaped the cold Illinois weather and spent an extended time in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, with her husband, Gene. Joanne and I connected by phone at Thanksgiving time when she was in Cincinnati to visit her daughter. We tried to have coffee together but had to postpone it until the next visit since we both had lots of family obligations. Pat Connery Koko writes about her Viking Cruise with her daughter from Barcelona to Morocco where she dared to get up on a camel. After this adventure, she took an Amtrak from Chicago to Las Vegas to see The Wizard of Oz in the Sphere. Her husband was supposed to go on the train trip but ended up in the hospital instead. So glad to hear some of us are still up to adventures. Judy Schenk Fierke posted that her grandson Luke Fierke committed to Western Illinois University to play football where his dad also played football, keeping up the family tradition. Jeanette Nelson Fisher reports, “Expecting two new greatgrandchildren: A girl in late March and a boy in July. This makes five greats! One of my grandsons is graduating from Notre Dame in May. We escaped the winter Bomb Cyclone by being in Florida for three months. My husband, Greg, is now using a walker, so our outings are geared toward accessibility. It certainly is tough getting old, but better than the alternative. Keep in touch!”1965Mary ‘Mar’ Poelking SclawyClass AgentMaureen McMahon Hibbott writes, “2025, best forgotten, passed in a queue of replacement medical events. For me, a right shoulder joint and for Richard, a cornea and a heart valve. This year, 2026, looks brighter with trips planned to Spain this spring and an autumn trip to Boston and Colorado. We managed some trips to the U.K. last year, most notably a stay with 26 family and friends in an old, unchanged country house. Imagine Downton Abbey with the gentry and staff just moved out and us moving in. Delightfully surreal!”Maria Tsinonis Stavrakosreports, “I spent a couple freezing weeks in New York this spring, visiting my sister, Diane, and hosting some lifelong friends at her place. Both her son and husband were heli-skiing in Canada where it was much warmer than New York. I visited my son John and family in Charlotte in midFebruary. Both our kids are moving; John and Joanna are building in Charlotte, and Tim and Evonne moved outside Tampa. Can’t wait to spend some time with them in their new environments.”Kim Regan states, “After Dan retired, we cruised the Indian Ocean for three-plus weeks in January and February. Nice to be near the equator in late winter.”Marifred Broucek Cilella writes, “One of the best things about retirement is that I no longer need to get up at 5 a.m. every morning to get to school in time to greet students. Another benefit is the time I have to work with several charities that are doing important work aiding children. I guess you could say I ‘retired to’ these organizations. This is my first year as a trustee on the board of the Archdiocesan elementary school at the Cathedral. I’m also assisting Youth Villages, a residential mental health campus in Atlanta for 6 to 18-year-olds, and I’m helping Skyland Trail, another mental health resource with an adolescent campus, as well as an adult campus. The Cilella family is busy and doing well, feeling very lucky and blessed. Good health and happiness to all!”Carol Andrews Burger reports, “In September, Jim and I moved from our 36-acre ‘farm’ on the outskirts of Blacksburg, Virginia, into town and a larger house with much less land. This winter in Virginia felt like I was back in Chicago. We had some zero-degree nights and more snow than usual. We welcomed great-granddaughter, Camille (my mother’s name), last June with another ‘great’ on the way. Family growing; all well and active. I heard from Carole Coppoletti Carbone, who moved to a town close to Tampa, Florida, after being in Rockford almost her whole life.” Mar Poelking Sclawy reports, “As for the Sclawys, bi-weekly I’m still collecting baked goods from Whole Foods to deliver to a homeless shelter and subbing as a Meals on Wheels driver—no small feat for directionally challenged me. We’re in the process of finding You Always Belong to DominicanClass 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 Feb. 13, 2026; 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!22 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: CLASS NEWSCLASSNEWS

an assisted living facility, as our independent living place is more independent than we are. Email still works. Write and let me know what’s up with you.”1966Judy Purvin ScullyClass AgentDonna Freehil Land reports that she and her husband, Ed, have moved to San Diego and are building an ADU (accessory dwelling unit) on their daughter’s property. “In the months until it is ready, we are residing in our granddaughter’s room while she is at college and being good roommates with Nora’s family. We are grateful for the thoughtfulness and welcome they have given us. While we wait for our furniture to arrive, I’m taking classes in the adult school to strengthen my writing and computer skills, including forays into AI. Ed has found two historic blacksmith groups to continue practicing his art. Life is sweet indeed.”Janet Smrtnik Vitacco shared that she and her husband have been dealing with cancer for a number of years. Their medical treatment is keeping their cancer under control. “We’re still able to live normal lives. We get together with friends and family. We attended our grandson’s baseball games and our granddaughters’ field hockey and soccer games before they left for college. We have a granddaughter who’s a junior at the University of Michigan and another granddaughter who’s a freshman at Indiana University. Our grandson is a junior in high school. Our daughter, son-inlaw and the three grandchildren live in Glenview, 10 minutes from us, and our son lives in River Forest, so we see them often. I’ve been serving as the board secretary of our HOA. I participated in a book club with a high school friend and her former work colleagues. I get together for lunch every month or two with local friends from our Class of ’66. I particularly would like to say hello to Beverly Doherty, who will always be ‘Chickie’ to me.”Beverly Doherty reported, “Over the last year, our son Matt has been navigating a difficult medical journey, from surgery to long months of truly heroic management of the side effects of chemotherapy. Through it all, Matt has kept a sense of humor, optimism and gratefulness. Matt’s wife, Gretchen, has been his greatest support. She teaches blind and visually impaired children in Milwaukee Public Schools while taking the greater burden of housekeeping, indoors and out. Our weekly visits have helped our family stay optimistic by focusing on positive things that we can do. The past few years, our daughter-in-law Jenny has taught us a way to escape sadness and anger by creating a beautiful memorial for her sister, Melinda, who was an early casualty of the COVID pandemic. The Melinda Vaughn School Pollinator Fund brings pollinator gardens and resources to Minnesota K-12 schools. Tom and I are happy to be in Florida for the winter, taking care of our physical and mental health in this warm, comfortable place. We are trying another language (this time, Italian), traveling, reading, staying active with the Unitarian Fellowship, and most importantly, trying to do better at keeping in touch with family and friends over Zoom.”Mary Celine Rutsche wrote, “Our lives are more moored in close vicinity. We occasionally go to little towns in Germany for lunch, about one hour away. It’s shocking to travel an hour, cross the Rhine and be in Germany where there was war. Up to 1945, life here must have been less about a new car, watch and vacations than considering paths of escape in case of need. We enjoy going into the mountains for the day or even visiting some of the medieval towns in Switzerland. I like the feel of having done a ‘trip’ and then being home again in the evening. Life here is quite different from the USA because of the short distances from one place of interest to another. Paul and I are very much a part of our granddaughters’ lives. We see them several times a week and even know some of their friends. Amy is 11 and Aileen is 8. It’s been a privilege to help and watch them develop from babies to nice, little girls. We had a great snowfall and so the girls did a lot of sledding.” Eva McCarty left, and Teresa Tighe. (Dominican University photos)Eva McCarty and Teresa Tighe: Going FirstSince 1901, generations of students have been the first in their families to attend college, thanks to the institution established by the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters.But two young women who benefited can claim a unique kind of “first.” Eva McCarty 1904 and Teresa Tighe 1904 received the first college-level degree conferred by St. Clara College. It was a two-year degree, the college’s highest academic offering at the time.Beyond their joint studies and graduation year, they retained another type of connection: Both professed vows with the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters for a lifetime of service in education.Eva became Sr. Mary Eva McCarty, OP, teaching at St. Clara College before transitioning to Rosary College to lead the history department from 1922 to 1947. Following this, Sr. Mary Eva was appointed sub prioress of the Sinsinawa Dominicans. Sr. Mary Eva is known for writing the first scholarly, narrative account documenting the origins of Rosary College in The Sinsinawa Dominicans: Outline of 20th Century Development 1901-1949. She served for 61 years as a Sinsinawa Sister.“What stands out for readers today is both the depth of her knowledge and the value of the original sources she cites throughout her work,” said Steven Szegedi, Dominican University archivist. “And as the first graduate of St. Clara College, Sr. Eva McCarty was a primary source herself.”Sr. Alexia Tighe, OP, as Teresa became known, made her first profession to Mother Emily Power, OP, in December 1905. She taught English and served in administrator roles at schools in Illinois, Wisconsin and Nebraska. Alumnae Through the Decades 1901-1909SPRING 2026 | 23

Kaye Cassato Grabbe shared her news: “Doing well, no COVID, no measles, no flu; vaccinated for all. My friends (the Rosary Beads), who meet once a month except for the months of January, February and March, are doing fine, suffering through the usual cold and snowy months. And, as Kathy (Sittler McCabe) said, looking forward to complaining about the heat and humidity of July and August. My twin grandkids, Owen and McKenna, turned 13 just before Christmas. They are, of course, great kids. Owen is into swimming after getting his Black Belt in martial arts, and McKenna still loves dance. The competitions start in March. It’s a joy to see them often and attend their various programs. Our son, Max, is always willing to help if we need something. My husband, Ted, and I are happily retired and living at The Moorings in Arlington Heights, close to Max and his family and my brother Brad and sister-in-law, Sheila, (who has taken over the holiday dinners). My nephew Chris and his wife, are in Palatine. Our nephew Kevin is an attorney in Chicago, and my other nephew Alex is a junior in college. My sister, Mickie, is in Foster City, California. They come to Chicago once a year, sometimes for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Plus, Mickie and I schedule monthly talks, so we’re able to talk for a long time.”Terry Wilkinson Pawlik’sdaughters are planning to bring her to Reunion in June. Terry said they are all excited.Donna Kungis O’Donnellshared that she and her husband, Bob, were looking forward to their annual trip to Cabo San Lucas in February. Both are planning to attend our 60th Reunion in June. While other areas of the country were experiencing freezing weather, Maddie McGrath Gallagher reported the weather was in the 60s, but they had 30 small earthquakes between 6:30 and 9:15 a.m. in San Ramon, California, on Feb. 1. These were very small quakes, but so many at once are unusual. Since last November, they have had earthquake swarms every few weeks or so. Nancy King Murray reported, “I’m happy to say I got to the Palazzo Barberini Caravaggio exhibit in Rome in June and the Vatican for the Jubilee Year. It was 100 degrees during the Vatican visit. I also saw the Dolce and Gabbana fabulous fashion exhibit which has now moved to Miami. I will be in Paris with my son in March for a total ‘Napoleon Immersion,’ so I look forward to that. There are the usual grandkid activities, lunch with my best friends from Regina High School, exercise, board meetings, book club and chess. When I get motivated, I will digitize all the letters back and forth, to and from me in Fribourg. My best wishes to all and I look forward to the reunion.”Barbara Barry is traveling as well. “I took a magnificent cruise to the ancient ruins of Turkey and Greece and spent time with long-time friends in Naples, Florida, ending the winter with three warm and sunny weeks in Marco Island. These lovely experiences followed a sixmonth recovery from severe injuries sustained when my foot was caught under a train track after exiting a local train.”Ann Canale shared, “I have continued my regular training in yoga and in two styles of karate, along with ongoing learning about gardening and home repair, and best times with my daughter and her family nearby. A major life enhancement has been volunteering in Ferguson, Missouri, at Earth Dance Organic Farm and School, which emphasizes a ‘pay what you can’ farm stand for the community. Our RC/DU motto of Caritas Veritasrings differently for me now as I participate in marches, write to representatives, and strengthen community ties, hoping for the enlivening of those qualities.”Suzy Wills Kessler wrote, “There continue to be so many ways to keep learning and to stay involved. However, there is an idea that is consuming my immediate reality: How to declutter! Everything I see, hear or touch around me goes from tchotchkes to treasures! Where to start, right?”Mariann Leahy wrote, “My whole family was here for New Florence Bettray Kelly: Composing a Legacy Florence Bettray Kelly 1910 is remembered for her prolific work as a musician, composer and educator, as well as her guiding role in famed pianist Liberace’s early career. Florence received her earliest musical instruction at St. Catherine’s Female Academy in Racine, Wisconsin, before entering St. Clara College in 1905. She studied violin and piano, emerging as an upcoming talent during her college years. Her skill with composition was clear, even early in her career. In 1911, the St. Clara Choir sang her offertory, Ava Maria, and in 1915, her composition Marche Symphoniquewas played by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. After completing her post-graduate studies at the Chicago Musical College, Florence became a piano teacher, first as part of the Chicago Musical College’s faculty and then later in her home state of Wisconsin. Her most noteworthy student was Wladziu Valentino Liberace, better known as Liberace or “Mr. Showmanship,” one of the most famous pianists of the 20th century. Florence recognized Liberace’s talent for piano early, taking a leading role in his classical training in 1933 and serving as his teacher and mentor for more than a decade, well into his rising fame.Although frequently remembered for her guiding role in Liberace’s life, Florence had a distinguished career herself. She performed her own compositions and classical works for local concerts and notable partners, including the Milwaukee Journal radio station, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Alhambra Orchestra in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Even as her career carried her far beyond St. Clara College, Florence remained connected to the campus. She composed Bells of St. Clara, a piano solo in memory of her days at college. Her journey, rooted in St. Clara’s emphasis on disciplined education and mentorship, stood as a lasting tribute to the institution that helped shape her path.Florence Bettray Kelly, right, with Liberace in 1954. (Photo from the collection of Neil Parker)Alumnae Through the Decades 1910 -1919CLASSNEWS24 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: CLASS NEWS

Year’s week. My grandson Jamie is now a sophomore at the University of Missouri and Dan is a sophomore at Lyons Township. Both are great students. I still am doing my artwork and am still a gallery artist at the Sedona Arts Center. My painting Ravens: Circle of Life was juried into the 45th Juried Member’s Show.”Judy Purvin Scully wrote, “Once we get to Hawaii and see the frigid temperatures and snowstorms in the Midwest, we know we’ve made the right decision! We enjoy the warm weather, time on the beach, tai chi at the local YMCA and beautiful sunsets as we sit at the table eating dinner, oftentimes made with local produce from the farmers’ market. I’m looking forward to seeing many of you as we celebrate our 60th reunion!”1967Jean Krbec states, “This has been a very traumatic year for our family. My husband had many health issues for months. He was finally recovering and we were planning a trip to visit our son and his family, who live in Brussels, Belgium. He had a routine blood test before his annual physical. We received a phone call from the hospital that I needed to bring him there. He was diagnosed with leukemia and died three weeks later. We thought we had more time. We celebrated our 59th anniversary at Mayo Clinic. On a happier note, our granddaughter, Chayanon, became a U.S. citizen on Aug. 14. Our son and daughter-in-law adopted her from Thailand and had been trying to get her citizenship for five years. She will celebrate her 16th birthday this year. She is an absolutely wonderful addition to our family.” 1968Suzanne M. Engle, MALS ’76Class AgentSuzanne reports, “Thanks to all who joined us on Jan. 21 for a fascinating class Zoom discussion on “The Promise and Peril of Artificial Intelligence” with two DU professors. Our next class get-together will be in person at our June 2026 reunion. I had an unforgettable family trip to Italy with my husband, Steve Nelson, and daughter, Ellie Nelson. It was a three-week Smithsonian tour with a small group. Our fellow travelers (from all over the U.S.) were friendly and interesting. A professor of ancient history traveled with us and lectured throughout the trip. We started at the Amalfi Coast, with a side trip to Pompeii, then to Rome (with people from all over the world celebrating the Church’s Jubilee Year), Umbria, Tuscany, and ending in Venice. We loved the hill towns (got lots of exercise!). Many special events along the way, like a farm-to-table dinner at a beautiful vineyard. The food was wonderful throughout the trip (even, to our surprise, at rest stops on the highway). Our tour director was gracious and accommodating and kept up a lively narrative about all the places we visited. The art, food, scenery—a wonderful, once-ina-lifetime trip.”Donna Renn writes, “DU approached me with a proposal for a Women’s Leadership Initiative. The plan is to identify students with leadership potential, award them academic scholarships, and establish a cohort to develop leadership skills. The first annual Leadership Symposium in November, open to all DU students, received rave reviews! Other alums and I have provided start-up funding for the first four years. If you can, help us sustain this exciting program. The WLI scholars are exceptional and will lead us to create a better world.”Suzanne Cosimano Awalt writes, “Recently I had the opportunity to travel to northern Honduras with staff members and fellow donors of Heifer International. Heifer has partnered with small-scale farmers in Honduras for over 40 years and currently supports 70 to 100 technical staff in five offices throughout the country. Heifer employs strategies that promote sustainable, ecologically-sound agricultural practices for improved nutrition and income for resource-poor farmers. Our visit focused on several ‘demonstration’ farms highlighting improved livestock grazing methods and installation of solar-powered electric fencing. Heifer supports the entrepreneurial efforts of farmers, such as the construction of an electric milk-chilling collection station. By cooperatively combining daily milk yields, the farmers can get a much better price for their milk sold directly in bulk to the processor. Heifer is actively empowering communities to incubate small businesses showcasing their organic, artisanal products that compete well in the marketplace. I can attest that the honey, coffee and chocolate are quite tasty. Most inspiring is that thirdgeneration women farmers are embracing leadership opportunities (in a strongly machismo culture) that in the long-term bring prosperity to family and community.” Sr. Ann Henkel and Ann Sauershare, “Sr. Sigrid Simlik, OP, died Jan. 23 at St. Dominic Villa, Hazel Green, Wisconsin. Sr. Sigrid taught Russian and other foreign languages at Dominican in the 1980s. In the 1960s, she taught Latin and French at Aquin High School in Freeport. She is remembered fondly by our classmates who are Aquin alums—Ann Sauer, Mary Langlois Tylerand Suzanne Engle—and of course by Sr. Ann Henkel. Sr. Sigrid professed vows with the Sinsinawa Dominicans in 1949. Her funeral took place Feb. 12 at St. Dominic Villa.”Judy Kaiser McCormick shares “Just a relocation update. My husband, Riley, and I have moved to an independent senior living apartment in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, in the eastern Minneapolis metro area. I am interested in getting in touch with any of our class alumni in the area.”Sr. Sarah Naughton, OP, writes, “On Jan. 27, I moved from Madison, Wisconsin, to the Siena Dominican Community on the shore of Lake Michigan. There is a group of about 20 of us Sinsinawa Dominicans sharing space and beauty with our Racine Dominican Sisters.”Connie Kearns McCarthywrites, “I was able to spend a lovely, warm Christmas in Atlanta with my brother Tom and wife, Pat. Daughter Kathleen and boyfriend, Jose, joined us from NYC. A highlight was when Pat and I joined Kathy Toberg Cook and her husband, Bob, for a delightful lunch. So good to connect. With a new knee in August, I’m ready to travel for my 80th!” Marilyn Freehill Jancewiczwrites, “I would like our classmates to know about Marita Hoy Fenley’s hard work for the Suits Up initiative at Dominican University. This closet on the second floor of Lewis is a treasure trove for students in need of business or business casual attire (at no cost to students). There is also a photo booth to take a LinkedIn photo. Marita Hoy Fenley keeps it full with clothing she finds at the best resale shops, then drives to campus with her finds to keep the closet well-stocked. The Class of ’68’s generosity is well represented, thanks to alums like Marita. Caritas to all.”Jeanne-marie Smith, MM ’70 had a wonderful meetup in December with Carol Anderson, Marilyn Jancewiczand Marita Fenley in Chicago for a holiday celebration, a day that originated in a casual conversation during Class Reunion last June. She shared, “The day began at the Art Institute of Chicago where we had the opportunity to view the spectacular 18th Century Neapolitan crèche. This crèche contains more than 200 painted terracotta figures staged in an elaborate environment. Due to the fragility of the original silk costumes and exquisite embroidery, it is only on view for a few weeks every year. We were so lucky to see it. After lunching together, we went on to the key event of the day: a mesmerizing concert by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, led by its Music Director Designate Klaus Makela and featuring the astonishing pianist Yunchan Lim, the youngest-ever winner of the Van Cliburn Competition (he was 18). It was a beautiful day, made more wonderful by sharing it with classmates.”Carol Anderson Kunze writes, “My husband, Jack, and I are planning next summer’s cruise on Lake Michigan. I previously SPRING 2026 | 25

mentioned my fundraising activities last year. I’m glad to report work has begun on installation of the elevatorstyle lift in the 1893 Scott Club building in South Haven, a Michigan historic site. It will make the building, which is a center for arts and culture programs, truly accessible to all. I always enjoy keeping in touch with Rosary friends. After a serendipitous conversation with Jeanne-marie Smith during Reunion last year, in December I joined Jeanne-marie, Marita Hoy Fenley, Marilyn Freehill Jancewicz and Marita’s sister for a visit to the Art Institute and afternoon at the Symphony. This will be a year of milestone birthdays for many in our class. I hope it will be a special year for all and for Dominican’s 125th!”Pat Fitts Jacobson shares, “The biggest news is that I took two plunges. First, I moved from my lovely home in Vermilion, Ohio, to a smaller home very close to my son and his family in Oberlin, Ohio. For Thanksgiving dinner, they walked the eight blocks to my new house! My kids grew up in Oberlin, so for me it was like moving back home after 20 years away. Second, within two weeks of my move, I reconnected with an old friend, now widowed, and we have been dating ever since. A completely unexpected dividend of moving back to Oberlin! The week before Christmas, my daughter Berit and her husband, Andy, and their three munchkins (Lily, Maren and Katie) came to stay in my new Oberlin house. They loved it! In 2026, I’ll be traveling on a river cruise in France with friends and may return to Italy with my San Diego travel buddy.”Mary I O’Keefe shares, “I have a huge change coming up. I am moving after 26 years from a vintage 1891 house in the Gold Coast with large rooms, high ceilings and a fireplace to a building only four blocks away. This is a great building with a swimming pool, big barbecue area, fire pit area with couches around and huge exercise room. At first, I was upset that the building was sold. Now I’m OK. It may take a little adjusting moving to 750 square feet. And it even has a dishwasher in the kitchen! Vintage life does not have dishwashers. And I will enjoy an elevator after being on the second floor of a walkup. Onward and upward to new beginnings!”Marilyn Dobes Placek writes, “Everything about our trip to Rome in October was great! We stayed in a small hotel in an area called Borgo Pio on a pedestrian street about a 10-minute walk to the Vatican. It was amazing to see all the people flooding into St. Peter’s every day, especially the young people making their pilgrimage for the Jubilee Year, as well as young families. Inspiring! We had tickets for the Wednesday Audience. Pope Leo’s address to the massive audience was exciting. Every time he would mention a certain area of the U.S. or Europe or any part of the world, the crowds went wild! Many great experiences.” 1970Karen SteinClass AgentKaren reports, “I hope everyone survived the wild winter weather! Life doesn’t seem to slow down as we share our joys and sorrows with family and friends. Our 55th reunion at Dominican in early June was very special. Jean Rasmussendid a beyond excellent job of organizing the event. Jean was joined on her committee by Diane Miller Daly and other classmates, many of whom also organized our 50th. Diane shared that while planning the reunion activities, she became friends with the women she didn’t know during her time at Rosary which has added much to her life. The reunions offer all of us the chance to make new friendships from our shared experiences at Rosary. Why not put Reunion 2030 on your bucket list? Joe and I celebrated our 55th anniversary with an August cruise on the Rhine which was absolutely beautiful. Followed by days of driving through Germany and France visiting towns where his ancestors lived. We traveled the mountains by train, departing Basel for Zermatt (Matterhorn) and Luzerne. Indescribably gorgeous! We managed to miss the worst of the winter in central New York by coming south for Christmas. We extended our visit with our daughter’s family in Jacksonville. It’s been a Sr. Cyrille Gill. (Dominican University photo)Sr. Cyrille Gill: Forming Lasting Bonds An avid lover of literature and a dedicated scholar, Sr. Cyrille Gill, OP, 1922, brought a remarkable passion for English education to every classroom she entered. Her devotion and enthusiasm molded her into a steadfast teacher who was a lifelong mentor and cherished friend to generations of students. Sr. Cyrille joined the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters at age 16 and went on to study at St. Clara College, majoring in English, drama, speech and French. Outside of her studies, she was an active member of the St. Clara community, often found reading in the refectory, producing plays for the college and serving as a student monitor in the dorm.Her academic journey took an exciting turn in 1930, when she journeyed to Oxford University. There, Sr. Cyrille studied under C.S. Lewis and had tea with J.R.R. Tolkien, who offered details about his new character, the “hobbit.” Even after her time at Oxford came to an end, Sr. Cyrille retained her connection to the Tolkien family. A letter to Sr. Cyrille from Tolkien’s daughter, Priscilla, donated by Carole Herzog Walton ’59, now resides in Dominican’s special collection archives.Sr. Cyrille would bring these experiences back to the classroom after joining the Rosary College faculty in 1932. Known for her dynamic and occasionally unconventional teaching style, Sr. Cyrille was beloved by her students for her energy and enthusiasm. After retiring in 1992, Sr. Cyrille remained a vibrant presence in the Rosary community, serving as a guest lecturer, reading at Sunday liturgy and attending family dinners with past students. In honor of her accomplishments and lifelong dedication to education, the endowed Lund-Gill Chair was established in 2003, carrying on her legacy of thoughtful dialogue and liberal arts inquiry. Alumnae Through the Decades 1920 -1929CLASSNEWS26 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: CLASS NEWS

blessing to build deeper bonds with our four grandchildren, ages 2 to 14. The simple joy of sharing many meals, tons of energy and crazies!”In June, Sarah Keane Davy and Diane Miller Daly organized a Fribourg reunion of their ’68 to ’69 classmates. Folks came from the Chicago area and from all over the country as well to attend the reunion. They started the party on a Friday evening at O’Sullivan’s Pub in Forest Park—a huge success! Many hadn’t seen each other in a very long time, and it was such a pleasure to catch up on their lives. On Saturday, Sarah and Diane hosted a dinner party at Diane’s home in River Forest. Sarah (premier cook) made homemade lasagna.Before winter arrived, Linda Corcilius Eckelson and her husband, Jerry, traveled the Christmas Market cruise on the Rhine and the Moselle Rivers in December. They followed this delight with four days in Paris, with one of the highlights being a visit to the Notre Dame Cathedral after the reopening following the fire. Brigitte DePue spent her winter awed by the glow of the Holy Spirit in the sweet faces of her students. She became a facilitator at SPRED (Special Religious Education) at church, instructing a group for special needs persons ages 12 to 21. She joyfully witnessed eight students making their First Communions on Feb.15. She’s energized by this rewarding endeavor. Mary Pat Rice Berry and Chris Berry spent another winter in Scottsdale, Arizona, enjoying warmer weather than their permanent residence in Madison, Wisconsin. She had the opportunity to reconnect with classmate Karen Hausing Brown. What fun, after all these years! If any other alums come this direction, do let her know. Mary Pat has enjoyed her involvement as a trustee, especially during this 125th anniversary of the university’s founding. She hopes to see other classmates attend the celebration Gala and/or honor someone special in their college years with a gift on this 125th anniversary.Mary Hayes and Mary Beth Manning didn’t shy away from winter. They conquered the sunny slopes of the Italian Alps (Madonna di Campiglio) with a Chicago ski club. Mary sent a beautiful photo of them on the mountain verifying, yes, they are still skiing! What an added thrill to be there when the Olympic torch came through this mountain town on its way to Cortina. They continued their travels with a preCarnevale visit to rainy wintry Venice. No crowds!1971Kathy Klem LargeClass AgentMoira Donahue Murray sent news that both she and her husband are double graduates of Rosary. Married 55 years this June, they love to travel and watch their grandsons. She has been a member of the American Association of University Women (Elmhurst Branch) and recently completed four years as president and is now on the board of directors. Mary Anne Saal Chevalieris an associate member of the editorial board for the Springfield Dominican magazine, Just Words, and partners with the Sisters in a memory care program, Opening Minds Through Art. She continues to work with the Civic Garden Club, matching high school students and designers to help at the Frank Lloyd Wright Dana Thomas House. “I’m still learning to use the wood lathe to make vases,” she says.Continuing to travel the country in their camper, Martha Yancey Hellar and Don visited Mammoth Cave and beautiful Glacier National Park. Their grandkids love any excuse to come to the farm and are often with them. This fall, they will be “hitting the high seas” on a cruise in the Mediterranean.In her past life, Pat Harnett Farrell completed the spiritual director program at Catholic Theological Union and worked primarily in a K-8 parish school. Pat describes the job as a very “gentle process” as she accompanies those delving deeper into their own sense of God’s call within. She is hopeful to work out of a parish again, saying, “It is needed in this world now more than ever.”Congratulations to Sue Koroski Bielawski on the wedding of her son, Michael, at a beautiful Colorado mountain setting.Sending news from California, Kathy Schwall Boley writes that after the loss of her dear Paul in August 2023, she joined a program entitled Grief Share. It takes a Christian approach to grieving and after completing a full session, she continues to co-lead meetings in Visalia, California. As she heals, it is extremely fulfilling for her to help others navigate their own grief, too.Kathy Klem Large adds, “On behalf of all of us, I extend condolences to Peg Kramer Sprague upon the death of her brother, Chuck, in January. Lastly, I hope that many of you are planning to attend our 55th Reunion on June 6. Our Class of ’71 Committee has worked hard to contact as many of you as possible. It will be so good to spend time catching up and reliving our days as ‘Beads.’”1972Christine L. Kukla Class AgentJoan Hopkins MALS ’73 writes, “I have retired from Benedictine University where I served as librarian for almost 50 years. For 27 of those years, I also had the pleasure of offering courses in French language and literature as a member of the teaching faculty. It was a wonderful place to spend my career.”1973Laura Stewart HutchinsonClass AgentLaura Stewart Hutchinsonwrites, “After retiring four years ago, Ray and I moved from the Chicago area to southern Colorado. We have adjusted to a rural lifestyle and enjoy the beautiful views of the Rocky Mountains. Ray stays very busy tending to his vegetable and herb garden that is a quarter acre. I sit on the board of trustees for our local library district and am working on their expansion project.”Barbara Riberto Siemienascomments, “I will host a luncheon for classmates in May at The Bakester Cafe, 13 W. Davis in Arlington Heights. For more information, please contact the Office of Alumnae/i Relations for my contact information.”From Mary Fran McHugh: “Joe and I are aging in place, taking a break from a decade of travel since retiring in 2016. We’ve traveled 100,000 miles in our RV and visited Europe seven times, but this year brought some health challenges that led us to pass on Big Blue to another family. We also lost our beloved beagle, Duke, on New Year’s Eve. Our kids, Joseph and Erin, are nearby—Joseph in Mt. Shasta and Erin in Bozeman, Montana. We’re healthy, busy and planning to travel differently in the future. This year, I downsized and revisited letters from my senior year at Rosary, feeling the love and support from my friends. Blessings to you all.”Anne Shiel Daly writes, “In September, I met Nancy Rey Tomb, Theresa Lennon Conroyand Karen Hollahan Bryanfor our annual destination gettogether. We met in Indianapolis and stayed at the Stone Soup Inn, which happens to be my father’s boyhood family home. So much fun catching up, full of laughs and visited local spots.”Leslie Johnston Normanstates, “My husband, Jeff, and I are spending our retirement operating the orchard where he grew up north of Pittsburgh. We started operating it in 2012, traveling from our home in Arizona each June through October, so customers can pick their own sweet and tart cherries, blueberries, pears, grapes and 34 varieties of apples.”From Theresa Lennon Conroy: “Bill and I have been fortunate to be able and willing to visit our children and their families in recent months. Our two daughters and their husbands live in New York City (Manhattan and Queens), and our son and his wife live in Virginia (recently relocated from San Antonio). In 2025, we welcomed two beautiful granddaughters, and we are beyond thrilled! Otherwise, I keep busy with friends, exercise and a few SPRING 2026 | 27

minutes every day with French Duolingo (just in case).”1975Deborah Wielgot Schmalholzand Anna Maria Fiorese Kostecki Class AgentsVicky Ploplis will be retiring at the end of the academic year (June 2026) from the University of Notre Dame. At that point, she will retain an emeritus status at the university, which means she will still have access to ND football tickets!Diane Costello Williams and husband, Dave, enjoyed a January trip to Albania and Greece. Albania was a revelation with many layers of history, centuries of religious tolerance and lovely people. The major Greek ruins, plus the dynamism of Athens, amazed them. Diane continues her annual volunteer work with Chicago Metro History Day and has regular get-togethers with several classmates. Kate Coulihan Ficke attended the American Society of Travel Advisors River Cruise Expo in Amsterdam this spring. Participation in over 20 educational sessions and tours of 16 different river cruise ships, along with one-on-one meetings with cruise line executives, were invigorating. Afterwards, she and classmate Sherri Burke (coming from a Paris trip) enjoyed a Rhine River cruise from Amsterdam to Basel.Lois Henricks was honored to attend her son-in-law Daniel Christman-Crook’s MLIS graduation from Dominican at the 2025 winter commencement. Her 6-week-old grandson also attended. She felt wonderful to be on campus again and loved the opportunity to stand up at the ceremony as an alumna and welcome the new grads into the alumni association. Ruth Ann Metzger reports that Minnesotans are a determined people who love their multiple cultures.Deb Wielgot Schmalholz was featured in an article, along with her Nigerian student, PJ, that appeared in multiple suburban newspapers in January, highlighting the work of the Dominican Literacy Center in Aurora, which is teaching women English. As a result of the article, the center gained over 30 more volunteers.Mary A. Griesinger has happier news since last year. Her orthopedic doctor has cleared her to drive after she spent most of 2025 in the passenger seat. After a fall last year on her replaced knee, she has made much progress with great physical therapy. She is hoping to go on vacation this year.Terry Jirasek is ever grateful that “no news is good news” and sends love and blessings to all.Diane Di Vita lives in New York City with husband, Jim, not yet retired because she loves what she does as a production stage manager on and off Broadway, regionally and touring the world. She recently completed the London transfer of KYOTO at Lincoln Center Theatre. Also, she has taught in the MFA graduate programs, the Yale School of Drama and Columbia University.Anna Maria Fiorese Kosteckiand husband, Tim, embarked upon a Viking cruise along the Danube after celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. They went from Budapest to Vienna, Passau, Göttweig Abbey and ultimately Regensburg, Germany. After docking there, they headed to Prague in the Czech Republic where they spent an additional four days. This trip was a highlight of their year 2025.Nancy Spartz reports, “Jim and I celebrated our 50th Anniversary on Nov. 29 with a Mass and marriage blessing. We have treasured memories of our wedding reception in the beautiful Social Hall. We had a snow and ice storm and lost power during the party. Our delicious dinners had to be heated over Bunsen burners from the science lab! It was still lovely as we danced to our first song, ‘We’ve Only Just Begun.’ Our daughter, Corinne Colleen (CoCo) is 37 and the joy of our lives. I always enjoy visiting the campus when in town and sharing laughter with my Fox (FFAKS) Friends: Flannery, Flannery, Arnold, Kropidlowski and Spartz. So grateful for the Hazel Chou and Louise Chou at Rosary College. (Dominican University photo)Louise Chou Ching and Hazel Chou Li: Making Global Connections In the early 1930s, Rosary College welcomed two remarkable sisters: Louise Chou Ching ’34 and Hazel Chou Li ’35. The sisters came to River Forest from Beijing, becoming the first Chinese students to attend Rosary, an early reflection of the school’s commitment to diversity, international perspectives and spirit of hospitality. Louise and Hazel thrived on campus, immersing themselves within Rosary’s culture while forming lifelong bonds. Their years at Rosary were marked by academic engagement, art and music, deep friendships and an enduring affection for the community they found far from home. Louise was voted class treasurer in 1933, a role she served with enthusiasm. Both sisters converted to Catholicism during their time at Rosary, a testament to the spiritual impact of their college experience and their connection to Dominican values.After graduation, their paths took them around the world. Hazel and her husband, Dr. Norman Li, moved around the United States while Louise and her husband, Dr. Renald Ching, raised their family in Hong Kong. Louise would later settle in Australia. Yet no matter where they were, both sisters nurtured their connections to Rosary. Louise faithfully maintained correspondence with Sr. Barbara Beyenka, OP, ’33, building a friendship that spanned continents and decades.When they returned for Rosary College’s Silver Anniversary Reunion in 1948, Louise and Hazel presented the college with a silk wall hanging and two Chinese scrolls. The silk hanging depicts peaches and a unicorn, symbolizing good luck and birthday wishes to the school. The scrolls celebrate the ideal of global connection, declaring that “the culture and learning enjoyed by Rosary’s modern students are like music taught by the sages from the ancient mountains.” These gifts remain in Dominican’s collections.Alumnae Through the Decades 1930 -1939CLASSNEWS28 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: CLASS NEWS

Sr. Jeanne Crapo on campus. (Dominican University photo)Sr. Jeanne Crapo: Documenting HistorySr. Jeanne Crapo, OP, ’46 approached the writing of Rosary College’s history in a new way.As an alumna, professor and university archivist, Sr. Jeanne was attuned to the events of the past and saw the college’s students front and center in its myriad of stories.“The other histories were more academic; she felt they didn’t pay enough attention to student life,” said Rose Olszewski Powers ’77, MALS ’78. “She wanted to write more about things that affected the students—the activities, the events going on in the world.”Sr. Jeanne was unable to complete her book before her death in 2018, but Rose has continued her mentor’s work, hoping to one day see it through to publication. The book explores Rosary College up until 1997, when it transitioned to Dominican University. Despite a degree in chemistry, it was English that Sr. Jeanne taught students in schools around the Midwest in the years following her graduation.In 1961, then known as Sr. Anna, she returned to Rosary as the college’s first director of admission. Other roles followed, including academic dean, professor of English, director of the Rosary in London program, and, finally archivist, before her retirement in 2009.“Because her aunt, Sr. Rosemary Crepeau, was a Sinsinawa Dominican and a French teacher at Rosary, the college became a big part of her life,” Rose said. “There was also a big love for it, too. She loved the traditions, and I think that comes out in her book. She wanted to share that love with everybody.”wonderful Dominican Sisters and professors who gave me such a great education. All my best to y’all (my Texan is showing)!” 1976Mary BanaszakClass AgentMary writes, “Each of us has special memories of Dominican University and how it impacted our lives. I am forever grateful for Rosary back in the early 1970s, having the vision to expand their student body to include males and women with families to be able to complete their goal of a B.A. degree. It is wonderful to see the Dominican mission of Caritas Veritas expand to its new career options at the main campus and the new Chicago Campus in the Pilsen neighborhood. Thus, I am excited to attend the Class of 1976’s reunion on Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6. It will be nice to reconnect with classmates and reminisce with each other. Looking forward to seeing you there.” 1978During International Volunteer Day, Elizabeth Eccher was featured in EngenderHealth’s fundraising campaign. She says, “Recently I fulfilled a longtime dream of a safari trip to Africa. Little did I know when planning my trip that visiting a medical dispensary supported by EngenderHealth would be a highlight. I was honored to visit this medical dispensary as well as a local school in Tanzania in October—and so pleased that they wanted to use my story for their International Volunteer Day fundraising email. Trying to do my bit near and far.”1979Hilary Ward SchnadtClass AgentCaroline Sanchez Crozierreceived a Community Hero Award on Sept. 13 from the Foundation of the Ridgewood Community High School in Norridge for her work as founder and CEO of Digital Leaders Now. Marybeth Cvengros retired in fall of 2025 after a 42-year stint as a federal prosecutor. She hopes to join local 79ers at our next get-together.Denise Gareau wrote, “It’s my 29th year running EOL Multibreed Dog Rescue. We have placed nearly 8,000 dogs in that timespan. We offer low-cost training for owners to help them resolve issues that might otherwise land dogs in shelters, and low-cost grooming and boarding services for dogs others won’t handle. We are the official Dog Rescue of the Connecticut Renaissance Faire Circuit, resulting last year in nearly 100 adoptions!”Jeanne (Sullivan) Goss, MALIS ’82 is a first-time grandma. “Hudson is 5 months old, has a hilarious personality, and made the move to Green Bay 100% worthwhile,” she says. “I love seeing our daughter as a mother.” Jeanne also adopted a rescue dog and set a 2026 goal of reading 60 books.Nancy Greco was scheduled to sing for Handel Week in March and appear as an understudy in Admissions at the Citadel Theatre. She’s also directing Judgment at Nuremburg for Grove Players, and just finished shooting Women of a Certain Age, a documentary about older actresses.Helen Hollerich wrote, “I was reelected in late 2025 for another two-year term as neighborhood rep at the Del Webb community I moved to upon my return to Illinois after retirement. This role has helped me meet a lot of neighbors as well as plan social events I enjoy.” In October of 2025, Helen organized a RoCo lunch that included, besides the two of us, Lynette Cabell, Teresa Shultz, Gus Simpson-Archet, Hugh Toner, MBA ’87, MCR ’19 (and his wife and daughter), Rick Wilk, and our friends from 1980, Mike Hattie and Delmor “D.D.” Thurman.Although Sue Junkroski has been retired for a few years, in September she was the first faculty member interviewed on “WeGo Places,” the West Chicago High School Alumni Podcast, about her nearly 40-year teaching career.Alumnae Through the Decades 1940 -1949SPRING 2026 | 29

Attention alumnae/i: What is your fondest memory of Rosary College / Dominican University? Share it—in 50 words or less—to [email protected]. Please include your name and graduation year.Diane (Hrachovec) Lofinkwas certified by Bedside Harp as a therapeutic harpist in July. Harp Therapy is a specialized practice of using the harp to minister to people of all ages through mindful cradles of sound to calm and heal body, mind and spirit.Sharon Pikul has volunteered with Mario Murillo Ministries for three years. After one service, a wheelchair user confided that she thought Jesus had told her to rise and walk. Sharon recalls, “I said, ‘would you like to try?’ She did. So, with her brace on her left leg, her hands in mine, she started to walk, one step at a time, from the front of the tent to the back. We both started to cry.”Hugh Toner, MBA ’87, MCR ’19 wrote, “I’m still working (and that won’t change soon). Nancy is much the same. It’s hard to believe that you have been in my life for more than 50 years, and for that I’m grateful beyond belief. Happy to see you whenever we can. God bless you, all.”Rick Wilk shared, “While staying busy working part-time in public health, I volunteer at a residence hospice, a homeless shelter and a non-profit board, and teach children tennis through Acing Autism. I’m traveling today to Roatan and Cozumel to remember what warm weather feels like.”Mary Yu reports, “I am retired as of Dec. 31 after serving as a judge for 25 years. I will remain active in our community but have no intentions of taking on another job!” Mary received the Shero Award from NOW Seattle, as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Filipino Lawyers of Washington, a Certificate of Appreciation from Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and a 2025 President’s Award from the Asian Bar Association. Hilary Ward Schnadtwrites, “First, let me extend condolences on our behalf to Augusta Simpson-Archet, who lost her beloved sister Karen in early 2026. As we share in our classmates’ sorrows, let us also share in their joys. My own news is that in November, the Illinois State Beekeepers Association, for whom I produce a quarterly newsletter, surprised me with the 2025 Steve Chard Award for Outstanding Contributions to Beekeeping (by a nonbeekeeper). And that’s the buzz from ’79.”1986Kim Yokom Santaniello reports the passing of her father. 1987Joe Tassone is a 30-year insurance industry veteran recently named State Marketing Manager for Iowa by the Warrior Insurance Network, where he’ll support agency partners and lead the expansion of its member companies’ presence in the state.1988Ted Matula reports the death of his mother, Lottie Matula. 1989Garett AuriemmaClass AgentLaura Boisselier Clerkin reports, “I moved to New Hampshire in 2005 for my husband’s job. We’ve raised a boy and a girl, and have three grandchildren. I earned an MSLS from Clarion University and am the library director in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, for the past 15 years. We also homestead, garden and raise chickens.”Margaret Whalen Stec, MLIS ’16 writes, “I was so sorry to hear about our dear Sr. Melissa. We were able to attend the beautiful memorial mass and see Sr. Marci and Sr. Janet. It’s always so meaningful to be back on campus. What wonderful memories we will always have of that amazing woman, shining hope and joy. We are loving condo living right by the river and bike path in Batavia after selling our Oak Park home of 27 years. Michael Stec ’88, MBA ’92 is enjoying retirement and teaching two courses at Dominican. He is really enjoying it. I am retired from my children’s services librarian position. I was at La Grange Park Library for 14 years and loved every minute of it. Our son Max is doing great, working at Fermilab for 2.5 years now.”Laura Brown Schmuck MAT ’07 states, “Our daughter Hannah and her boyfriend bought a house in the suburbs of Milwaukee. I’m in my 15th year at Sandburg High School in Orland Park and I just earned my CompTIA Security+ cybersecurity certification.”Mark Crosbie writes, “Living in Minneapolis. Please help immigrants in need wherever you are.”Jeffrey Deyoung writes, “I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary with my beautiful wife, Katie, with a trip to London. Our first trip to Europe. We also now are both retired and enjoying every minute of it. I hope all my classmates are healthy and happy!”1991Cheryl Carron has been recognized in the recent “Top 50 Women Leaders of Milwaukee for 2025” list from the publication Women We Admire. Cheryl is the Americas’ chief operating officer for JLL Work Dynamics, a global professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. 1998Ella Dick writes, “I am so delighted to announce I am engaged to James Kelher. We will be married in June 2026.”1999Christina ‘Christa’ Lee writes, “I am a director of clinical operations at AbbVie. I have been with the company for 27 years this May and work in neuroscience supporting drug development in the areas of Alzheimer’s disease, major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, spinal cord injury, schizophrenia, psychosis in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia of Lewy body. On a personal note, I have 14-yearold twins who are freshmen at Warren Township High School, and I will be celebrating my 18th wedding anniversary this August.” Jolinda Cappelloreports, “Sadly, the only news I have to report is that my mother passed away last March.” To celebrate the full breadth of accomplishments and milestones within our community, Class News for 2000-2025 and graduate school alumnae/i will be shared on online, where there is space to honor our graduates and their news. Please visit dom.edu/alumni/class-newsor scan the QR code below.30 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: CLASS NEWSCLASSNEWS

Sr. Melissa Waters: Embodying Caritas, Leading with Joy“Look at your lives, dear ones.”That simple directive began the farewell message of Sr. Melissa Waters, OP, ’59 to her beloved students upon her 2018 retirement from Dominican University. The message was read again during a January mass of remembrance for Sr. Melissa in Rosary Chapel. The service looked at Sr. Melissa’s own life, reflecting on—and celebrating—her enduring compassion, warmth, optimism and, most of all, Caritas.Sr. Melissa passed away on Dec. 21 at the age of 95. She spent 38 years at Dominican University serving students in various roles, including assistant professor of English, administrator of the Rosary in London program and associate dean for advising. “For many of us, for so many years, Melissa was the heart of Dominican University, that one individual who set the tone for the campus community with a smile and a hug,” shared Dr. Donna M. Carroll, president emerita of Dominican University, in remarks read by Sr. Peggy Ryan, OP, ’79 during the service. “Whether in the classrooms, in the bleachers or gliding down Lewis Hall, there was a joyfulness about her that bubbled from within and manifested as enormous capacity for empathy.”For countless students, Sr. Melissa was a caring guide, walking alongside with the right advice and direction to help them navigate college, the future and life itself. “It’s not just a metaphor; literally she would take students by the hand and lead them to where they needed to be—in their lives, but also to this or that office at Dominican,” said Dr. Jeff Carlson, professor of theology.And when students left Dominican, they never forgot Sr. Melissa, Carlson noted.“Alums would come back regularly. Melissa was a pilgrimage site for alums,” he said with a smile. For her nephew Michael Waters ‘84, MBA ‘86, experiencing Sr. Melissa’s mission work up close was a special joy during his time as a student. “There is no question regarding Sr. Melissa’s ability to leave everyone in a better spirit than she found them,” Michael said. “She had a way of being present that made me feel like the most important person in the room.”Sr. Melissa’s greatest gifts were her capacity to carefully listen and to be a “personal cheerleader, consoler and confidant” to everyone who met her, noted Sr. Janet Welsh, OP.“Melissa gave us a sense of purpose and fortitude to do justice, to be a people of love and truth, to go forward with hope,” she said. “When we left Melissa’s presence there was much less darkness and much more light, peace and hope in our lives.” Sr. Melissa Waters, OP, in 2019. (Dominican University photo)Alumnae Through the Decades 1950 -1959SPRING 2026 | 31

INSYMPATHY + Former Trustee(T) Current Trustee* Staff/Faculty member** Student^ Friend(FS) Founding Sister(MHS) Mazzuchelli Heritage Society (NGA) Non-graduating Alumna32 | DOMINICAN MAGAZINE: IN SYMPATHYTHE LORD IS CLOSE TO THE BROKENHEARTED AND SAVES THOSE WHO ARE CRUSHED IN SPIRIT PSALM 34:18ALUMNAE/I1940’sEleanor Skemp Sullivan ’42 (MHS)Mary Lescher Mayer ’45Mary McKenzie Pownall ’471950’sOttie Secker Cullinane ’50Barbara Aird Jordan ’50Virginia Cagney Madden ’50Sr. Catherine Meyering, OP ’50Mary Dempsey Sullivan ’50Marianne Reeb Brooker ’51Marilyn Maier Evans ’52Mary Mills Kraychy ’52Joyce Madden Tasch Lennon ’52Bernardine Mazon Scheid ’53Sr. Marina Gibbons, OP, MALS ’55Jane Stirniman ’55Elizabeth Klenda Navrat ’56Marguerite Hester ’57Elizabeth Fischer Monastero MFA ’57Margaret Doran Bregenzer ’58Sr. Sigrid Simlik, OP ’58Anna Giachetti Tonelli ’58, MFA ’60Sr. Melissa Waters, OP ’591960’sMarie Angelesco Canale ’60Rosemary Fiduccia Gaudreault ’60 (MHS)Margaret Franson Pruter ’61Patricia Egan-Turner ’62Suzanne Meyer Hubbard ’62Mary Lynn McGough Eckl ’63Adrienne Georgandas Karanios ’63Elaine Loeffler Libovicz ’63, MALS ’73Sherry Balow Kelley ’64Rosemary O’Donnell Lynch MALS ’64Patricia Butler MALS ’65 (MHS)Sr. Mary Rathert, OP ’65 +Karen Kasallis Lamping ’66 (MHS)Judith Conway Naughton ’66Linda Becker Madura ’67Sr. Michael Ellen Carling, OP, MALS ’68Shirley Kowell Williams ’68Mildred Matesich Edwards ’69Lynn Marco Giunta ’69Sr. Claire Vandborg, CJ ’691970’sSr. Duchesne Maxwell, OP, MALS ’70 +Marilynn Foley MALS ’71Jacqueline Zemaitis Whinihan MALS ’71Margaret Hamilton MALS ’72Mary K. Deeley ’73Rita Kotlarz Koziol ’73Barbara Serwer Levin MALS ’74Catherine Derrig ’771980’sDonald Straub MBA ’80Ralph DeLetto ’81Karen Lechowich MBA ’81 (MHS)Mitchell Babiarz ’82Sr. Marian Sweeney ’82, MBA ’84Judith Milewski ’83Delacy Sarantos MBA ’84Rosemary Balazs MBA ’86Geraldine Bobula ’89Alan Leopold MALIS ’891990’s Margaret McNally Monzani MSA ’91Harry Bryan MBA ’92Carol Matkin Martinez MALIS ’92Christine Van Acker Beldowicz ’93Laura Huyssen Krack MALIS ’93Sr. Barbara Kwiatkowski, OSF, MAEA ’96Shirley Zipf MLIS ’982000’sCrysella Setterberg Mitchell MLIS ’00Nancy Corday Ashbrook MSMIS ’01Dianna Walsh Selep MSPED ’03Fred Spear MLIS ’062010’sMorgan Lewis MLIS ’12FAMILY MEMBER OFKeisha Brokaw *Tracy Quinn Brooker ’91Anjali Chaudhry *Dorothy Shields De Spain ’52Gabrielle Frigo MLIS ’25 *Debra Pacini Grieco ’84, MBA ’12, MLIS ’15Kathleen Odell *Julia Orozco ’21Lisa Valicento Parisi ’90, MBA ’93Ervin Perez *Orelle Doris Pinto ’70Lisa Pucci ’95Nicholas Santaniello ’15Mary Jo Schuler +PARENT OFCristina Cipriano Alfano ’11Darryl Blackmon *Jolinda Cappello ’99Thomas Cappello ’95Concetta Cipriano Gacka ’07James Grieco *Tracy Howery *Francesca Cipriano Macias ’00Oscar Macz *Margaret Straub Manoni ’85Theodore Matula ’88Susan Persons ^Robin Pruter MLIS ’11Kimberly Yokom Santaniello ’86Stephen Schuler ^Michelle Scott ’05Karen Madura Sheeman ’92Karen Snow *Ann Swiech ’90Tracy S. Williams ’10SIBLING OFMargy Egan Barker ’73Loretto Lescher Carr ’57Susan Sobey Druffel ’63Mary Lou Lechowich Juster MALS ’70Kathleen Klenda Kaiser ’67Joseph Marco ’78Elizabeth Lescher Pucci ’55Stephen Schuler ^Augusta Simpson-Archer ’79Margaret Kramer Sprague ’71Marjorie Stephan ^Sharon Kowell Whitehorn ’68SPOUSE OFGloria McCormick Baird ’94Sandra Kern Cyr ’66Nancy Menis DeLetto ’81Ann Elliott-Holmes ’64Daryl Lynne Doris Etzbach ’64Yvonne Amar Frey MALS ’81Bev Dulude Jasinski ’61Deborah Kaczmarek *Jean Ulm Krbec ’67Robert Pruter MLIS ’00Susan Roman MALS ’76Nancie Edwards Stewart ’65Margery Swint ’51Janet Thonn MSPED ’83UNIVERSITY FRIENDSCharles Bidwill II +Joseph BuckleySr. Elizabeth Dunn, OPJames Haugh +Elizabeth HuntoonSr. Colleen Nolan, OP

Honoring Stars OURAs the university’s premier fundraising event, the Benefit Gala directly supports scholarships for new generations of students. This year’s festivities also recognize the impactful contributions of those who have played vital roles in helping the university reach its milestone 125th anniversary.To learn more about the 2026 Benefit Gala and how you can support DU students, please visit dom.edu/benefit-gala. Heart of Dominican AwardPresident Emerita Dr. Donna M. Carroll is awarded this year for her visionary leadership, devoted service and enduring impact on the university and broader community. Pillars AwardThis award honors the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa for their steadfast commitment to truth, justice and compassion, and for continuing to guide and inspire Dominican University’s mission.

OUR MISSIONAs 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.A Moment in DesignAn early rendering of Rosary College, prepared in 1918 by its famed architect Ralph Adams Cram, envisioned a soaring tower as the college’s centerpiece. The aftermath of World War I, labor strikes and other challenges of the period led to adjustments in design by the time the college was constructed in 1922. What did not change, however, was the distinctive, collegiate Gothic architecture that has welcomed generations of students for more than 100 years.7900 W. Division Street, River Forest, Illinois 60305dom.edu4/26