September 2005
Volume 14, Number 1
The official news publication of Fairfield University
Index for September 1, 2005
By Nina M. Riccio, Publications writer
Lisamarie Screedio '09 and her mother, Joanne, access StagWeb from the John A. Barone Campus Center during a summer trip to Fairfield University. |
When conducting her college search, Wisconsin native Kate Hebl '09 knew she wanted to attend a school on the East or West Coast. She was initially attracted to Fairfield's academic program, and fell in love with the campus when she visited. Hebl solidified her decision, however, after trying out for the dance team. "I absolutely clicked with the others and felt right at home," she says, noting that this year, the team will try out for a chance to compete in national competition. Hebl and her classmates entering the main gates this week - along with their comforters, suitcases, lamps, and photographs of family and friends - are part of the second largest class in Fairfield's history: 948 students, plus 43 in the General Studies program at University College. Two students, Aldo Hope of Trinidad and Kerr McLeod of Canada, who both play soccer, are among the noteworthy athletes recruited by Fairfield this year to play for the Stags.
The Class of 2009 hails from more than 500 high schools in 28 states, plus Puerto Rico; five are international citizens.
Approximately 8.7 percent of the freshman class is AHANA, while 14 percent are merit scholars. Nearly 75 percent took part in community service while in high school; 72 were leaders in their student governments.
This class is one of the largest to enroll in the schools of business and nursing. Forty-five transfer students come primarily from four-year colleges.
The University increased its financial aid budget this year to provide assistance to 55 percent of students. A total of 71 percent of undergraduates receive some form of financial aid, including government monies.
Fairfield University also welcomed 450 new graduate and continuing studies students this week, including 19 who are full-time in the second-degree nursing program. Students like Kathleen MacArthur, a financial advisor who has several years of work and life experience. Returning to school to complete an undergraduate degree begun years ago, she represents a large number of those enrolled in University College. "I work 50 hours a week and juggle my schedule so I can get up to Fairfield from Greenwich for class two or three nights a week," she says.
Certain programs in Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions are growing quickly, notes Judy Dobai, associate vice president for enrollment management. "We've seen greater numbers in the programs of School Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, which follows a trend that's noticeable around the country." The master's program in American Studies is another program that's mushroomed, she says, perhaps because there are only two such programs in Connecticut.
One of these programs may be just what Hebl is looking for in a few years, after earning her undergraduate degree from Fairfield University. But today, she's getting to know the picturesque campus she now calls home.
Registration 101
More than 300 new and returning graduate and part-time students took advantage of Fairfield University's Back to Campus Day in the John A. Barone Campus Center on Aug. 23. While some adult students (pictured above) registered for courses, others purchased books, registered their vehicles, obtained a StagCard, toured campus, and learned all about what Fairfield has to offer.
Photos by Jean Santopatre
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By Alejandra Nacarro, Publications Writer
 Sr. Helen Prejean, C.S.J., whose best-selling book, Dead Man Walking, became an Academy Award-winning film of the same title, will return to campus to speak at the annual Convocation ceremony on Sept. 9 at 2 p.m. on the Bellarmine Lawn (rain location: Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts).
The Convocation will introduce the incoming Class of 2009 to the University's dialogue on the death penalty that began last spring with panel discussions and Sr. Prejean's delivery of the 3rd annual Ignatian Residential College Lecture, presented by Open VISIONS Forum.
Dr. Debnam Chappell, dean of freshmen, heard Sr. Prejean speak last spring, and decided to invite her to address the freshman class at Convocation. Sr. Prejean will introduce the Class of 2009 to a topic that was discussed in depth the previous year, she says, creating a link between the incoming class and upper classmen.
The incoming freshmen received a copy of Sr. Prejean's book at Orientation in June to read during the summer; the reading program has been part of Orientation since 1998. "We want students to have something intellectual to ponder prior to their arrival on campus and their participation in classes," she explains. Faculty will lead discussion groups before the Convocation address to give students an opportunity to voice their opinions in an intimate setting.
Presenting the death penalty from the perspective of Sr. Prejean provides students with insight into a sensitive societal issue. "All I am is a witness, a storyteller," Sr. Prejean has said "The death penalty isn't an issue that affects most of us personally, thank God, so someone's got to take you there to discuss it."
Born in Baton Rouge, La., Sr. Prejean joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Medaille in 1957 and began working with poor populations shortly thereafter. She is most known for her ministry to death row inmates, what she calls a moving, "accidental" ministry. She is also the founder of Survive, a victim's advocacy group, and counsels inmates on death row and families of murder victims.
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By Nina M. Riccio, Publications writer
The International Organization for Migration estimates that there are 185 million migrants throughout the world. Approximately two-thirds are voluntary, traveling to another place, often illegally, to find work. The rest are displaced by war, extreme poverty, or political unrest. The Society of Jesus has identified migration as one of its primary apostolic priorities.
In June, Fairfield University coordinated and held a three-day symposium, "Migration Studies & Jesuit Identity: Forging a Path Forward." Attendees from 20 Jesuit universities, the Jesuit Refugee Service, the United States Jesuit Conference and the Association of American Jesuit Colleges and Universities explored ways to collaborate in migration studies and research, and to consider methods of alleviating the injustices experienced by migrants.
The symposium was a part of Fairfield University's new Center for the Study of Faith, Civic Engagement, and Public Policy, which will be formally launched this fall. The Center is directed by the Rev. Rick Ryscavage, S.J., professor of sociology and anthropology.
Four members of the Fairfield University community - Dr. Mark LeClair, associate professor of economics; Dr. Katherine Kidd, then-director of international studies; the Rev. Jim Bowler, director of Jesuit Mission and Identity; and Fr. Ryscavage - spearheaded the symposium.
The Rev. Hans Kolvenbach, S.J., the Jesuit General in Rome, opened the symposium by reading a letter that congratulated the schools for collectively exploring ways to address the complex phenomenon of migration.
Luca Dall'Oglio, permanent observer to the United Nations from the International Organization for Migration, spoke on issues of forced and voluntary international migration. "Migrants must not be allowed to become the scapegoats of global social change in the 21st century," said Dall'Oglio, adding that it was important to move beyond the "it's-a-problem" stage, to how to handle the issue.
Lois Lorentzen, professor of religious studies at the University of San Francisco, stressed the importance of religious groups as providers of social services and social capital. Migrants tend to be wary of social and governmental services, she said, so they often turn to religious groups for help, which provide a buffer between a home culture and their new lives in a sometimes hostile society.
Professors from several universities outlined the ways in which migration studies were incorporated into their curricula. Susan Forbes Martin, director of the Institute for the Study of International Migration at Georgetown University, suggested that researchers use an interdisciplinary approach, and cited a number of agencies and organizations in which Georgetown graduates worked and were able to make a difference in policy - agencies such as the World Bank, the U.S. Foreign Service, the U.S. Department of Defense, and various NGOs (non-governmental organizations). At Jesuit schools, social justice is the key to these programs, she said, more so than at secular institutions with similar programs. "Clearly, social justice is the framework in which we think about the issues."
Now that the conference is over, participants have pooled resources and submitted ideas about the issue of global migration to form a Steering Committee. The Committee will oversee a network of the schools that will facilitate joint work on future migration projects in the areas of research, curriculum, and advocacy. Three national projects, one from each area, will be chosen this fall.
Dr. LeClair anticipates grant-writing to secure funding for faculty grants, migration projects, and course development. Fairfield is also seeking grants to fund a half-time coordinator who would be the administrator and contact person for the network of schools.
The ripple effects from the conference have already begun, notes Dr. Kidd, citing two Fairfield professors who have begun researching ways to incorporate issues of migration into their courses.
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The Rev. Charles Allen, S.J., executive assistant to the president, led the invocation at the town of Fairfield's Memorial Day celebrations. The event appeared in a Fairfield Minuteman article on May 26.
Dr. Beth Boquet, professor of English and Writing Center director, was one of 10 leaders directing the International Writing Centers Association Summer Institute, held at Kansas University in Lawrence, Kan., in July. Fifty writing center directors participated in workshops on topics ranging from staff education and development to assessment, management, and research.
Dr. Kim Bridgford, professor of English in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), has published a new book of poetry, Instead of Maps: Poems by Kim Bridgford (David Robert Books, 2005). Her first poetry book, Undone, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.
Dr. Elia Chepaitis, associate professor of information technology and operations management in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business (DSB), published the article, "The Limited But Invaluable Legacy of the Y2K Crisis for Post 9/11 Emergency Preparedness" in the Journal of Information Technology Theory and Application (JITTA), 2004. Her paper, "An SME Security Imperative: Robust Social Networks to Support Security Regimes," was included in the fourth annual Security Conference Proceedings in March 2005 in Las Vegas, and "Whatever Happened to Y2K? Using a Premier Crisis Management Prototype to Study Post 9/11 Preparedness" was included in ISECON (Information Systems Education) Conference proceedings in Newport, R.I., in November 2004. Her book chapter, "Business Identity, Credibility, and Strategies in Russia: The Limits of Impression Management Through Information and Communication Technologies in a Low Trust Environment," was published in Managing Impressions with Information Technology: Individual, Organizational, and Strategic Effect, edited by Jon Beard (Praeger, 2004).
By June 2007, Connecticut's total jobs figure should be at 1.7 million, where it stood at its peak in July 2000, said Dr. Edward Deak, professor of economics in CAS, in a Connecticut Post article on June 6. Dr. Deak commented on the effects of the state's slow population growth on job creation in a June 29 Hartford Courant article that also appeared on Hibernia.com. The Hartford Courant also quoted Dr. Deak in a June 2 article about job growth. In an article that appeared in the Stamford Advocate and the Greenwich Time on June 16, he said that a toll on Interstate 95 would change driving behavior. In July 14's Hartford Courant , he discussed changing consumer behavior in an article on high gas prices increasing sales of hybrid cars. On July 16, the Connecticut Post talked to Dr. Deak about the growing popularity of companies that give customer's employee discounts, a trend that began with car dealerships. He commented on the possibility of losing the Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton for the July issue of Boston's Connections magazine.
Dr. Ed Dew, professor of politics in CAS, chaired a panel on ethnic politics at the 30th meeting of the Caribbean Studies Association in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from May 29 to June 4. Dr. Dew also presented "Politicians in Plural Societies: Representatives, Trouble-makers, or Bridge-builders."
The North American Association for the Study of Obesity has elected Dr. Faith-Anne Dohm, associate professor of psychology and special education in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions, to "Fellow" status. The Association is the leading scientific society dedicated to the study of obesity. A fellow must have conducted original research related to obesity and must be a senior author on at least five published, peer-reviewed scientific articles.
Athletics Director Gene Doris was quoted in a July 9 Connecticut Post article announcing the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) decision to have Fairfield University host the first- and second-round games for the 2008 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport. Fairfield is hosting the NCAA East Regional Women's Championship in March 2006.
Dr. Robert Fedorchek, professor emeritus of modern languages and literatures in CAS, has written an article for the June/July 2005 issue of the Spanish journal El Paseo about his translations of short stories and novels by the 19th-century Spanish author Juan Valera. Juanita la Larga, another novel by Valera that he translated, will be published in March 2006 by The Catholic University of America Press, supported by a publication subvention grant recently awarded by the Program for Cultural Cooperation of Spain's Ministry of Culture. The municipal government of Cabra, Juan Valera's birthplace in southern Spain, has passed a resolution and issued a commendation to Dr. Fedorchek in recognition of his translation work on Valera. A frequent contributor to Marvels & Tales: Journal of Fairy-Tale Studies, Dr. Fedorchek has been invited to write biographical sketches and entries on eight Spanish authors for the planned three-volume Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairy Tales to be published by Greenwood Press.
Dr. Benjamin Fine, professor of mathematics in CAS, gave several lectures at the joint Mathematical Society-German Mathematical Society in Mainz, Germany. He presented a talk in the Group Theory Special Session, "Tame Automorphisms and Surface Groups." In the Special Session on Algebraic Cryptography, he presented "Cryptosystems Using Reidemeister-Schreier Rewriting." At the University of Dortmund in Germany, he presented "On Surface Groups," and he served as an outside evaluator for the Ph.D. thesis defense of Dr. Peter Ackermann, a former visiting professor at Fairfield.
In a June 26 Stamford Advocate article on the growing number of cameras used to monitor public spaces, Dr. Donald Greenberg, chair of politics in CAS, said, ""There's no constitutional issue here, as long as it's all done in public. The question is, will the good outweigh the potential for abuse?"
The Southwest Community Health Center's board of directors elected Dr. Phil Greiner, associate professor in the School of Nursing (SON), to be its chairman for a one-year term. The Center serves an area that includes the south and west sections of Bridgeport. Dr. Greiner has been a member of the board for five years and received the 15th Annual Margaret Gray Award for his outstanding leadership and significant contributions as a member of the board. Dr. Greiner also commented in a June 6 article on public health nurses in Nursing Spectrum.
Students at Palm Desert Campus of California State University, San Bernardino, praised Dr. David Gudelunas, assistant professor of communication in CAS, and his father, Dr. William Gudelunas, in a July 12 profile by The Desert Sun (Calif.). The story highlighted the college's rare fortune of having a father and son teaching on the same campus. The younger Dr. Gudelunas returned to Palm Desert, where he attended high school, to teach summer courses.
Ramona Islam, senior reference and educational technology librarian, co-published the ARL SPEC Kit, "Collaboration for Distance Learning Information Literacy Instruction," with members of the Association of College and Research Libraries Distance Learning Section Instruction Committee. As chairperson of the committee, she facilitated the multi-author project using technologies similar to those used for distance learning. In addition, Islam published a review of the video "A Decent Factory" for Educational Media Reviews Online.
On May 22, the Connecticut Post profiled Dr. Paul Lakeland, the Rev. Aloysius P. Kelly Professor of Catholic Studies, for receiving Alpha Sigma Nu's Teacher of the Year award and 22 smiley faces (from 23 responses) on www.RateMyProfessor.com. On June 3, the Fairfield Citizen-News also featured Dr. Lakeland for receiving the Teacher of the Year Award from students in Alpha Sigma Nu. In a July 15 article, The Catholic Telegraph, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, reported Dr. Lakeland's participation in Voice of the Faithful's conference on accountability of the laity in Indianapolis. At the conference, Dr. Lakeland noted that the structure of lay life "brings us face to face much more concretely with the shape of our accountability (than the clergy may experience). In everything we do, we lay people are accountable... But more importantly, in our personal lives, most of us are accountable to partners, spouses, children and extended family." The sum of the lay experience, he explained, is a lifelong schooling in genuinely reciprocal accountability. The Herald News (Mass.) and The Standard-Times (Mass.) also wrote about the conference on July 27 and July 30, respectively.
Dr. Mark LeClair, associate professor of economics in CAS, commented for a Connecticut Post article about the new Center for the Study of Faith, Civic Engagement, and Public Policy and the conference, "Migration Studies & Jesuit Identity: Forging a Path Forward" held at Fairfield in June.
Dr. Keith Martin, professor emeritus of information technology and operations management in DSB, presented "Imagination and Strategy: Are They Compatible?" at the Information Resources Management Association's International Conference in San Diego in May.
Dr. Carole Ann Maxwell, director of the Glee Club, conducted the Verdi Requiem at the Fairfield County Summer Sings at Trinity Church in Southport on Aug. 8.
Inside Higher Ed interviewed the Rev. James Mayzik, S.J., the Rev. Mark McGregor, S.J., and the Rev. Mark Scalese, S.J., for a June 29 story on the New Media Film, Television, and Radio major.
Dr. Laura Nash, music instructor in CAS, commented for a July 17 Connecticut Post feature on "Music for an Urban District: Curricular Innovation," a collaborative program between Fairfield and Bridgeport School System to broaden the repertoire of Bridgeport music teachers and help them use music to strengthen student skills. On July 25, the Fairfield County Business Journal also published an article about the program's grants.
Carrie Picardi Newman, human resources coordinator, has published two articles: "Ditch the Hype, Keep the Idea" in the February issue of Training magazine, and "Maximizing Value at Training Expo Vendor Booths," which appeared in the May issue of Learning Circuits (www.learningcircuits.org ), the online magazine of the American Society for Training and Development.
In a June 23 article in the Waterbury Republican-American, Dr. Lisa Newton, professor of philosophy in CAS, discussed the ethics of embryonic stem cells in medical research.
In a July 2 Record-Journal (Meriden) story,on the possibility of a Constitutional amendment to prohibit flag burning, Dr. John Orman, professor of politics in CAS, said there are many Supreme Court decisions upholding flag burning as an accepted form of free speech. "What people are trying to do is make a protected symbol. In my opinion, you don't need to tinker with the Constitution for that," he said. On July 11, Newsday reported the fundraising efforts of Dr. Orman in his bid for a seat on the U.S. Senate. He has raised approximately $1,000 and his opponent, Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., has raised $3.8 million. "This just highlights the unfair advantage that incumbents have," said Dr. Orman. "Joe is a millionaire, he raises millions. I'm a thousandaire, I raise thousands." The July 12 New Haven Register also wrote about their fundraising.
In a July 24 New Haven Register article on college-bound students, Karen Pellegrino, director of undergraduate admissions, cautioned that admissions officers factor in high school activities, and not those before the ninth grade, in their decision-making process.
The News-Times (Danbury) announced the installation of Dr. Patricia Poli, associate professor of accounting in DSB, as the president of the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants, in a June 2 column.
Dr. Judy Primavera, professor of psychology in CAS, talked to the Connecticut Post on July 15 about the appeal of the Harry Potter series to children and adults.
The Tribune (Portland, Ore.) profiled Dr. Nicholas Rinaldi, professor of English in CAS, on how his end-of-century novel was transformed by Sept. 11 attacks. The result was a well-received book, Between Two Rivers, in which he incorporated the events of 2001 into the experiences of his characters.
In a July 4 New Haven Register article on the long road to citizenship for many immigrants, the Rev. Richard Ryscavage, S.J., professor of sociology in CAS and director of the Center for the Study of Faith, Civic Engagement, and Public Policy, explained how the high level of immigration was tied to economic growth in the 1990s and the early part of the following decade. "These jobs needed to be filled," Fr. Ryscavage said. "This (current) large-scale immigration did exactly what it did in the late 19th century. It was immigration that provided the kind of engine that drove the economy."
A photograph of Bridgeport City Hall taken by Jean Santopatre, University photojournalist, has been bought by Getty Images for its stock photo archive. The photograph first appeared in Connecticut 24/7.
Dr. David Schmidt, associate professor and chair of the Management Department in DSB, presented "Casuistry Approach" at the fourth annual Conference on Ethics and Social Responsibility in Engineering held in Los Angeles in June.
Dr. Timothy Law Snyder, dean of CAS, was one of three authors of the article, "Breaking the AIDS Chain," which appeared in the New York Times on July 17.
In a May 29 Connecticut Post article, the Rev. Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J., University President, said the dismissal of Tom Reese as editor of the Jesuit magazine, America, would not stifle campus dialogue on controversial topics. "Clearly, at a Catholic university like Fairfield, the position of the church deserves a respectful hearing and an effective presentation," Fr. von Arx said. "But different points of view obviously are going to be expressed." Fr. von Arx also appeared in the June issue of Fairfield County Catholic, which printed a photo from the University's Commencement.
The School of Nursing's Dr. Meredith Wallace, associate professor; Dr. Jean Lange, associate professor; and Dr. Sheila Grossman, professor, published "Isolation Followed by Integration: A Model for Development of a Separate Geriatric Course" in the June issue of the Journal of Nursing Education.
Dr. Kathleen M. Weiden, assistant professor of accounting in DSB, explained the value of the Dolan School's new M.S. in taxation program in an article in Business New Haven on June 27. The Fairfield County Business Journal also quoted Dr. Weiden in an Aug. 8 article.
Dr. Kathleen Wheeler, professor of nursing, participated in the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium for Graduate Nursing Faculty in Pasadena, Calif., in June. She also presented at the Annual Conference of the Connecticut Hospital Association/Connecticut Holistic Health Association, "Psychosocial Management of Pain," held in Waterbury on June 20.
On Aug. 4, News Channel 8 was one of several news outlets to feature Fairfield's Computer Technology Day Camp for Girls. "It's a matter of giving girls the chance to learn about technology, to experience it, and to look ahead to high school and beyond," said Dr. Mike Zabinski, professor of Engineering, and the camp's director.
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August Service Anniversaries
5 years
James Chesbro
Kim Gallagher
Kevin Johnson
Jason Kiska
Jane O'Reilly
Mary Ann Palazzi
Mark Reed
Deirdre Schoenster
Charles Stine
Kimberly Szabo
10 years
Michael Cusato
Jean Daniele
Charles DeAngelis
Peter Morris
15 years
Diane Lawler
Benedetta Maguire
Evelyn Pond
20 years
Sharon Wilcox
September Service Anniversaries
5 years
Sharon Abbott
Mousumi Bhattacharya
Eileen Bossone
Keith Bradley
Gerard Campbell
Suzanne Campbell
Louise Carcusa
Jodie Fitzpatrick
James He
Michela Knight
Matthew Kubasik
Danke Li
Mark Ligas
Nelson Lopez
Suzanne Petersen
Elizabeth Petrino
Marice Rose
Glenn Sauer
10 years
Leighton Haight
Elise Harrison
Patrick Lee
Curtis Naser
Lynne Porter
Marie-Agnes Sourieau
Edward Spencer
Cynthia Swift
15 years
Cecelia Bucki
J. Michael Cavanaugh
Patricia Covino
Ronald Davidson
Sandra Ducoffe
David McFadden
Joann Nicholson
Milo Peck
Judith Primavera
Susan Rakowitz
David Schmidt
20 years
William Abbott
Charles Allen, S.J.
Elia Chepaitis
Victor D'Ascenzo
Geraldine Knapik
Brian Merry
Irene Mulvey
Elizabeth Renzulli
Peter Spoerri
Joan Weiss
25 years
Catherine Alberti
Thomas Conine
Lois Csedrik
Ellen Everard
Colleen Keltos
Doris Lippman
Carole Ann Maxwell
Clare Schimpf
Barry Wallace
Thomas Zingarelli
30 years
James Buss
George Diffley
Philip Eliasoph
Edward Giegengack
Orin Grossman
Diane Menagh
35 years
Ed Deak
Alan Katz
George Lang
Martin Lang
40 years
Leo O'Connor
Richard Regan
Vincent Rosivach
W. Ronald Salafia
Condolences
Dr. Fred Lisman '60, a member of the Chemistry Department for 19 years, died in June after battling cancer for nearly three years. After graduating from Fairfield, he earned a doctorate in nuclear physical chemistry at Purdue and returned to his alma mater as a faculty member in 1970. He resigned this position in 1989 to run for mayor of Milford and was elected to his first of six consecutive two-year terms. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Barbara, and their three children.
The Rev. Joseph MacDonnell, S.J., professor of mathematics emeritus, died in June of kidney disease. Affectionately known as "Fr. Mac," he taught at Fairfield from 1969 until illness forced his retirement in 2004. While at Fairfield, he lived in Regis and Kostka Halls, and wrote several books on topics including Jesuit mathematicians, Jesuits for whom buildings on campus were named, and the Jesuit mission in Baghdad. He also crafted acrylic mathematical models called ruled surfaces, each demonstrating a mathematical principle. A series of these models hangs from the Joseph MacDonnell Atrium in the Rudolph F. Bannow Science Center, named in 2002 when the building's new wing was dedicated.
Stephen J. O'Brien, associate professor of business law emeritus, in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, died in June. A graduate of Yale Law School, he was a practicing attorney who taught at Fairfield from 1949 until his retirement in 1985. He is survived by his wife, Virginia, and six adult children.
Dr. Victor Newton, professor of physics, died July 14 after a courageous battle with cancer. He earned his undergraduate and master's degrees from Spring Hill College and a doctorate in physics from M.I.T. A faculty member at Fairfield for 36 years, he specialized in the theoretical underpinnings of nuclear physics. His greatest satisfaction, however, was instructing his students. "On a regular basis, I would see Victor in his office working on a physics problem, one-on-one with a student," recalls his colleague and friend, Dr. Donald Ross, professor of biology emeritus. "Victor was the sweetest guy you would ever want to meet," says Dr. Evangelos Hadjimichael, dean of the School of Engineering and co-author of several papers with Dr. Newton. "He was steady and loyal, had good judgment, and attended to his professional duties to the best of his abilities, which were considerable." Dr. Newton is survived by his wife of 33 years, Dr. Lisa Newton, professor of philosophy and director of the program in applied ethics, and five adult children.
Dr. Margaret Deignan, dean of the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions, died July 26. Dr. Deignan came to Fairfield University's Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions in 1966 to initiate a new program in Special Education, which she oversaw for a number of years. She chaired the combined Department of Psychology and Special Education from 1993 to 1997. After serving for a year as interim dean and after a national search, she was appointed dean in 1998. Under her direction, the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions become a model of excellence. Dr. Deignan was honored with a Shining Star Award in 2003 from the Connecticut Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities. During her tenure, the Graduate School continued to be acknowledged by the Connecticut State Department of Education for meeting state accreditation standards with distinction.
Jeannette Lederer, mother of Therese Lederer and mother-in-law to Joseph DeFeo of the Ignatian Residential College, died July 26.
Mary Drew Pinckney, mother of Clare Kirk of Computing and Network Services, died July 29.
Donna M. O'Reilly, former operations assistant in the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies Admission, died Aug. 10.
Josephine Giordano, mother-in-law of Mary Jo Giordano of the Bursar's Office and mother of retired employee Ann Mari of Human Resources, died Aug. 12.
Anne Marie Butterworth, sister of Barbara Guenette, operations assistant in the Office of Alumni Relations, and sister-in-law to Patricia Newall of the Registrar's Office, died in August.
New Employees
Kim DeVoursney - Area Coordinator, Office of Residential Life
Francis Ervin - Officer, Public Safety
Ronnie Garrett - Storeroom/delivery Assistant, Printing and Graphic Services
Allison Iancale - Assistant Athletic Trainer/Director of Sports Medicine
Joseph Lombard - Assistant Director of Financial Aid
Maureen Magarity - Assistant Women's Basketball Coach
Desmond Morris - Student Computer Services Coordinator, Computer and Network Services
Rachel Murphy - Dispatcher, Public Safety
Timothy O'Connell - Academic Instructor, Upward Bound
Monica Orban - Academic Instructor, Upward Bound
Kristen Pierce - Area Coordinator, Residential Life
John Primavera - Department Coordinator, Visual and Performing Arts
Erin Reeves - Assistant Men's/Women's Tennis Coach
Stephanie Switter - Student Support Specialist, Computing and Network Services
To the Fairfield University community...
Family members of the late Imtiaz Khan deeply value your kind expression of sympathy in their great loss. Your thoughts and efforts were greatly appreciated. The Khan family finds healing in God's tender embrace and in knowing others remembered and cared. Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. Campus Ministry will offer a Mass for the remembrance of Imtiaz Khan on Jan. 25, 2006, at the Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola, at 10 p.m.
Sincerely, The family of Imtiaz Khan
Editor's note: Imtiaz Khan, food service manager for board operations with Sodexho, died in March.
I thank everyone at Fairfield for their prayers and well wishes during this time. I am very grateful because we all know that prayers really work, especially if you believe and trust the man above. I am doing very well! Surgery was a success and I'm presently on a new chemotherapy, which I claim will work this time. Look forward to seeing you soon! May God bless you all.
Love, Sonia Little
Editor's note: Sonia Little is a receptionist in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions.
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By Dana Ambrosini, Assistant Director of Media Relations
Two Fairfield University graduates have been chosen to receive Fulbright Scholarships for the 2005-2006 academic year.
The Fulbright Grant, which is administered by the Institute of International Education National Screening Committee, is the most prestigious scholarship awarded by the U.S. government. The grant funds students to go abroad for one year after graduation to engage in independent research, study, or teaching. A primary goal of the scholarship is to increase mutual understanding between peoples of the United States and other countries.
Since 1993, 35 Fairfield University graduates have been awarded Fulbrights. This year, four students had been recommended by the U.S. Fulbright Commission to receive the awards. One student was deemed an alternate, and two were awarded the scholarships.
 Aaron Baker '04 will go to Israel this fall to conduct research on post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children. He plans to catalogue some of the symptoms undergone by children who have witnessed violent events. Much of the existing research in this area focuses on adults.
"I wanted to work with children who had dealt with severe problems," he says. "A lot of research tends to overlook children in some areas."
Baker majored in psychology and held minors in Religious Studies, Judaic Studies, and Classical Studies. After graduation, worked as a psychophysiology researcher for the Yale University Psychiatry Department at the West Haven Veterans Affairs Hospital, where he measures body readings, such as heart rate and breathing, to determine anxiety levels.
In Israel, Baker will work with child victims of terrorism who are being treated at Hadassah University Hospital. He hopes his findings may be used for an article or book on the topic. Baker will conduct his research with Arieh Shalev, a top PTSD researcher.
During his time at Fairfield, Baker was chairman of the Board of Governors of the Fairfield University Student Association, a resident assistant for two years, and president in his senior year of KADIMA, the Jewish student organization. Baker was also a member of Phi Beta Kappa; Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit Honor Society; and Psi Chi, the psychology honor society.
 Jessica Lynn Dolan '05 will spend next year in South Korea as an English Teaching Assistant. Dolan spent a semester of her junior year doing similar work in Chile with Inglés Abre Puertas (English Opens Doors), a program through which she taught English as a second language to Chilean high school students. "It was a great experience," Dolan says. "The students were very responsive to me." Dolan majored in international studies and Spanish and has minors in economics and Latin and Caribbean Studies. She also knew that South Korea currently has a high demand for English instructors.
"I wanted to branch out," she says. "Asia is a fascinating region with a lot to offer and is becoming increasingly more globally important. This allows me the opportunity to explore a different part of the world while also contributing something."
Dolan was involved in several community service initiatives at Fairfield, spending three years on the Fairfield University Community Service Board and four years as the student coordinator of Bridgeport Rescue Mission. She also worked for three years as a tour guide and a facilitator for the Freshman Year Experience program. She is a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit Honor Society, and Sigma Iota Rho, the international studies honor society.
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By Barbara Kiernan, Director of University Publications
Fairfield University's chapter of Phi Beta Kappa (Zeta of Connecticut) celebrates its 10th anniversary this year in a style suited to the scholarly interests of its members and the academic standards they have achieved. Founded in 1776, Phi Beta Kappa is the nation's oldest and most prestigious academic honor society. When granted its chapter in 1995, Fairfield University became the "youngest" institution ever to earn this distinction.
The daylong celebration on Sept. 10 will begin with a talk by University President Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J., himself a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Princeton, in which he will discuss the value of the liberal arts and of their integration within both core and major studies. As it happens, the achievement - with excellence - of this integration is one of three goals set by Fr. von Arx in his Inaugural address last year and is a major component of the strategic plan now being drafted. Following Fr. von Arx's talk, attendees will break into small groups for discussion.
The afternoon session will feature a panel of alumni PBK members, who will speak on "Life After Fairfield, With the Liberal Arts in Mind." Panelists will include Mark Reed '96, dean of students; Edward Smith '98 of NewMil Bank in Bethel, Conn.; Kristen Ann Record '99, a physics instructor at Frank Scott Bunnell High School in Stratford; and Haley Marie Sofiane '00 of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. After the panel discussion, participants will again have breakout sessions to delve further into the ideas presented.
Dr. Kim Bridgford, professor of English, and Dr. Marti LoMonaco, professor of theatre, have assembled a group of distinguished artists to write and perform original poetry and prose in celebration of the Zeta chapter's 10th anniversary. The performance will include dramatic readings, music, and movement by Phi Beta Kappa graduates as well as Brian Torff, associate professor of music, and Brad Roth, dance and movement instructor.
The day concludes with a 7:30 p.m. event open to the public - "An Evening for the Arts" - featuring the music of Aztec Two Step and dance by the Lee Lund Studio Teen Company. The program, which will take place at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts, will benefit the many scholarships awarded through the Jamie A. Hulley Fund for the Arts, a fund established in the name of the late daughter of psychology professor Dr. Judy Primavera.
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By Nina M. Riccio, Publications writer
Founded in 1970, the School of Nursing today serves more than 300 graduate and undergraduate students. Now in its 35th year, the School welcomed its largest-ever freshmen class this week. "The need for more nurses nationwide continues to expand," says Dean Jeanne Novotny. "The School of Nursing has established an aggressive four-year plan to meet that demand."
Strategic planning to ensure the School's continued growth is essential, says Dr. Novotny, who, with her staff, has ushered in the 35th anniversary year with an ambitious plan. A four-year, half-million dollar project will update the School's Learning Resource Center and equip it with wireless classrooms, multimedia features, and enhanced computer capabilities to provide students and faculty with access to more information. Also established is an ongoing lecture series, which will kick off in October with neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks, author of Awakenings. In addition, the School has plans to create an endowment to support an endowed chair in palliative care.
These are all part of the School's plan to meet the challenges facing the nursing profession in general: a severe shortage of both nurses and of nursing faculty. In fact, The American Association of Colleges of Nursing estimates that 32,000 qualified nursing candidates have been turned away from nursing programs over the years because of a critical shortage of nursing faculty, a bitter pill to swallow because the need for nurses is so great.
Fortunately, the School will have some expert help in meeting these goals, with the establishment of a new Advisory Board chaired by veteran fundraiser Nancy P. Lynch. The Board, which has already secured nine members, will eventually consist of twice that number. "There has been tremendous growth in the School since its inception 35 years ago," Lynch said. "(The creation of the Advisory Board) is only going to enhance it and make it stronger." The McKeen Fund, under the direction of longtime Fairfield University friend James Daly, awarded the School $14,000 for the development of the Advisory Board and launched a $37,000 challenge grant toward the $74,000 three-year budget for the lecture series.
The School of Nursing is not alone in establishing a board of professionals to guide it, says Noel Appel, director of foundation relations. She has been charged with serving as the advancement liaison, assisting the deans in launching the School of Nursing's Advisory Board and a Board of Advisors for the College of Arts and Sciences. "For a school the size of Fairfield University, we're cultivating some new ground by engaging alumni, parents, and friends of Fairfield as a group of leaders who will assist in strategic planning for the schools as well as assisting in their development efforts for priority projects," she says.
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By Nina M. Riccio, Publications writer
There was a time when Fairfield University used bleach, acid-based cleansers, and other harsh products to disinfect its administrative buildings and residence halls.
Not anymore, says Eddie Rivera, contract administrator for custodial services. "Bill Lucas sent us to a couple of conferences where environmentally safe products were discussed, and we became convinced that they were the way to go," he says. "In fact, we're one of the first universities in the state to 'go green' ".
Rivera and his custodial crew began phasing out cleaning chemicals at the end of 2004, replacing them with earth-friendly products made from ingredients that don't burn the skin, sting the eyes, or destroy the foliage as the other products sometimes did. "When we used to powerwash the buildings using chemicals, we'd sometimes inadvertently kill the grass or even the bushes. And sometimes the cleaning crews would avoid using products inside because they were so harsh," Rivera says. So far, the switch has resulted in a win-win situation. "Now, the cleaning staff is happy because these products work just as well without being so hard on the skin, and we've cut our cost for product in half." Even the students have noticed, he adds, commenting on how much better the bathrooms and hallways smell.
The other part of the "green" challenge - that of wasting less and recycling more - has been a bit more difficult, says University Fire Marshall Joe Bouchard, who is also in charge of waste management around campus. Although the recycling coordinator for the town of Fairfield spent a day on campus and commended the University for its recycling efforts, Bouchard acknowledges that there is still much room for improvement. "Overall, we recycle about 11 to 13 percent of our overall waste tonnage, but we'd like to get that up to 20 percent." It's not all altruistic, he admits. The state sets the 20-percent goal and many institutions struggle to come close to meeting it. The "We Recycle" trucks on campus pick up old computer parts, batteries, fluorescent light tubes and ballast, and cell phones. The University also recycles mercury thermometers and motor vehicle oil, and makes every effort to cut down on its use of hazardous materials. "We've switched from oil-based to water-based paints and polyurethanes, and are looking at more environmentally safe ceiling tiles," he says. "We monitor the amount of chemicals a department orders, since toxic products used today create disposal issues later."
When it comes to office waste, we could do better. The blue bins that are in many offices are often used as garbage cans, he says. Some offices lack the bins altogether. "We need to increase awareness of the need to recycle, but we also need to make it convenient for people to do so," says Bouchard.
This month, curbside recycling will begin outside the townhouses. There's still a long way to go, however. "The University's waste tonnage soars to more than 250,000 pounds in September when the students move in," he says. "Normal tonnage hovers at roughly 200,000 pounds." The biggest challenge with students is contamination, he adds. "Often, we'll have a bin full of cans and bottles, and someone will throw food waste on top. At that point, the recycling truck can't pick it up because the waste contaminates the whole load."
The good news, he adds, is that in the past year or two students have shown an interest in recycling.
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Conor Ryan, a 2005 graduate of the University of Limerick in Ireland, has won the coveted Father John Conlisk Scholarship, receiving full tuition and room and board while he completes his M.S. in finance at Fairfield University.
Ryan, who is from Castleisland, County Kerry, says he was surprised to learn such a scholarship existed, let alone that he was this year's recipient. "I heard about the scholarship through a careers presentation at the college," he says. "At first I didn't give much thought to it because it just seemed too good to be true."
Instituted in 1990, the Conlisk Scholarship is awarded every year to an MBA or M.S. in finance candidate from Ireland. In addition to tuition and room and board, it pays medical insurance expenses for the time it takes to complete the degree, usually about three semesters since the students are attending full-time. The total grant generally amounts to between $40,000 and $50,000.
"It means an awful lot to my family. They're very proud," says Ryan, the youngest of four brothers. "The local newspaper did a cover story on it as well and the whole town saw it!"
This is the fifth consecutive year that the Conlisk Scholarship has been awarded to a UL graduate, though it is open to business students across Ireland. Donal Dineen, dean of UL's Kemmy Business School, said the school promotes it heavily to worthy students. "Going to Fairfield gives students an extra stripe. It's great for them," Dineen says.
Having so many Conlisk winners is helping to internationalize the University of Limerick, which has the largest undergraduate business school in Ireland, he continues. He also hopes to develop a study abroad program with Fairfield.
Kevin Conlisk, one of the principal owners of the Alinabal Co. of Milford, is part of a group that instituted the Conlisk Scholarship at Fairfield University. The scholarship is named for Conlisk's late brother, a 1954 Fairfield Prep graduate who served the Diocese of Bridgeport. Approximately 20 local residents of Irish heritage comprise the committee that awards the scholarship each year.
"The scholarship adds a new dimension of exposure to the American system and, ultimately, American employment," says Conlisk.
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Students help fund a well for an Afghan community
 International Studies majors Mikaela Conley '05 and Aamina Awan '06, along with other Fairfield University students who are part of Students for Social Justice, recently raised $3,000 for a well for villagers northwest of Kabul City, Afghanistan.
A dedication ceremony took place in June. A plaque on the well reads: "A gift to Afghan Children from Fairfield University, United States of America. Peace Brings All Good Things." Mullah Gulam Mohudin, an elder of the village, said "Peace Brings All Good Things" is an Islamic proverb about God's plan for mankind, and is a fitting expression about the new well.
Lt. Col. Christopher Conley, Mikaela's father, an army officer with the medical service corps, is an embedded trainer working with the Afghan National Army (ANA) Central Corp command. When Mikaela contacted her father about the work of Student for Social Justice, Lt. Conley asked the village elders about the needs of the 200 families who live in the area. "The elders told me there is a serious shortage of drinking water, and families spend many hours every week bringing water to their homes," he said, adding there is a shortage of 17,000 wells in Afghanistan.
This project, "reflects the Jesuit commitment to social justice and young people getting involved with world events," expressed Lt. Conley. The village elders asked him to extend thanks to Fairfield University and the Students for Social Justice.
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Clark awarded McGowan Scholarship
Finance major Brennan Clark '06 is the 2005 recipient of the prestigious William G. McGowan scholarship of $18,000 to be used toward his senior year tuition at the Charles F. Dolan School of Business. Clark holds a 4.0 grade point average in his major and a 3.98 grade point average overall.
The scholarship, which is open to students enrolled in AACSB-accredited U.S. business schools, is awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership skills, entrepreneurial potential, and dedication to community service. Clark was a Presidential Scholar and has been on the Dean's List every semester since he arrived at Fairfield. He is also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the national business honor society, and Alpha Mu Gamma, the foreign language honor society.
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Fairfield to host tournaments and championships
By Jack Jones, Director of Sports Information
Fairfield University will host the elite of college athletics during the next six years, as the NCAA announced three more championship events will take place at the Arena at Harbor Yard. The events begin this year with NCAA Women's Basketball Championship Tournament regionals.
The 2008 Women's Basketball Championship first and second rounds, as well as the 2009 and 2011 Men's Ice Hockey Regional, will be added to the championship docket, which already also includes the 2007 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments.
The sites were approved by the administrative committee of the NCAA Division I Championship/Competitions Cabinet. Specific dates for these tournaments will be made available one year prior to the events.
"I am happy that Fairfield University has been chosen to host these NCAA events," says Gene Doris, director of athletics. "Fairfield University continues its commitment to the City of Bridgeport and surrounding communities by bringing national tournaments to the area. We appreciate the confidence that the NCAA has shown in Fairfield University."
Yale University will co-host the ice hockey regional in 2009 and 2011. This will be the first time that an NCAA ice hockey tournament game is played in the state of Connecticut.
"Co-hosting this event with Yale University will further strengthen our relationship," Doris says. "The intimacy of the Arena at Harbor Yard makes it a perfect venue for the ice hockey regionals."
Fairfield University will partner with the Coastal Fairfield Country Sports Commission to help plan the event. The Commission is a program of the region's Convention and Visitors Bureau, and represents 13 communities of southwestern Connecticut.
"We know sports fans will love the opportunity to see championship college hockey and basketball in our backyard," Commission Vice President Bob Mazzone says. The Arena at Harbor Yard has become one of the premier college athletic facilities in the Northeast.
"As always, our focus will be on providing the finest possible experience for the student-athletes, NCAA, and of course the legions of fans throughout our area," Lynn Carlotto, Arena general manager says.
A sold-out crowd of more than 9,000 fans watched the University of Connecticut win a pair of games in the 2004 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship first and second rounds, as the Huskies defeated the University of Pennsylvania and Auburn University to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. Nearly 5,000 watched the open practice session.
Tickets for the 2006 NCAA Women's Basketball Regionals will be at premium, especially with a berth to the Final Four on the line. All-session packages for the 2006 tournament will be available for $55 per ticket, and are expected to go on sale in December. Fairfield University men's and women's basketball season ticket holders will have an option to purchase tickets for the 2006 Regionals before the general public.
For general and ticket information, call the Fairfield University athletic ticket office at (203) 254-4103 or e-mail NCAAtickets@mail.fairfield.edu .
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Sports Shorts
By Jack Jones, Director of Sports Information
Three Stags win U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship
Three members of the Fairfield University women's soccer team, Brett Maron, Janna Breitenwischer, and Alex Caram, led the Stars of Massachusetts U19 team to the Ross Stewart Cup Under-19 Girls Title at the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships. For her efforts in goal, Maron was also given the Adidas Golden Glove award as the keeper in her division that had the greatest competitive impact at the National Championship.
Fans get closer to the action in the Arena
Stags basketball fans will be greeted with a new look when they walk into the Arena at Harbor Yard this season. A reconfigured arena that promises a more intimate experience will be unveiled for the 2005-06 campaign.
"Our primary goal is to provide our fans the best experience possible each game," says Gene Doris, director of athletics. "We believe the Arena configuration will help us accomplish that goal. It will create an atmosphere that will benefit everyone and bring back the famed Red Sea."
Several changes will come forth from the configuration, beginning with moving the court 30 feet toward the lobby end of the building. Fairfield University students will sit behind the basket, placing them closer to the floor and the action. New seating opportunities will also be available this year, including seats behind the Fairfield University bench.
Decorate your desktop with the Stags
Now it's easier than ever to show your Stags pride.
Featured on www.fairfieldstags.com are downloadable images of your favorite Stags team, the Stag mascot, and campus panoramas. Just visit www.fairfieldstags.com and click on "wallpaper" in the left column. Directions for PC and Mac users are posted.
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Honoring commitment and dedication
At the 13th annual Service Recognition Luncheon in June, University President Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J., and the Office of Human Resources honored 139 employees and 22 retirees (including those pictured above with Fr. von Arx). Retirees included Arthur Anderson, Patricia Barker, Robert Bolger, Eleanor Coletta, Janet Diaz, Robert Fedorchek, Barbara Fitzpatrick, Maureen Foley, Ibrahim Hefzallah, Mona Hefzallah, Nick Hill, Martin Lang, Hugette LaPierre, Suzanne Lyngaas, John MacDonald, Anna Mari, Keith Martin, Walter Petry, Howard Quimby, Antonio Simoes, Lik Kuen Tong, and Richard Tyler.
Photo by Bob Winkler
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Mission Volunteer Program is renamed
Based on feedback from leaders and students, Campus Ministry's Global Outreach and Mission Volunteer programs are now together known as the Arrupe Volunteer Program, named after the Rev. Pedro Arrupe, S.J. The decision was made in late spring.
"The overall opinion was that 'Mission Volunteers' turned some people off," says the Rev. Paul Carrier, S.J., University Chaplain. "To our off-campus audiences who may not be familiar with our program, the name suggests we proselytize." The new name, which will apply to both of Campus Ministry's international programs, better reflects the true meaning of the experiences, he says.
Spanish-born Fr. Arrupe (1907-1991) served as the Jesuit's Superior General of the Society of Jesus from 1965 until 1983. During his life, he focused on serving the poor of the Third World, as well as migrants and refugees.
Fr. Arrupe was ordained in 1936 and then was sent as a missionary to Japan, where he was appointed Jesuit superior and the master of novices. He headed a rescue party in Hiroshima after the atomic bomb hit in 1945. A former medical student, he used his skills to serve the wounded and dying. Although he carried the horror of the experience with him throughout his entire life, he was also known as a warm and sensitive man of the Gospel, whose faith enlivened incredible optimism.
Accounting professors raise funds for students
To help graduate accounting students continue their education, three Charles F. Dolan School of Business professors have established the Graduate Accounting Program Endowed Scholarship Fund. Dr. Paul Caster, associate professor and director of the graduate accounting program; Dr. Roselie McDevitt, assistant professor and department chair; and Suzanne Lyngaas, assistant professor emerita, have contributed almost half of the $50,000 required.
Dr. McDevitt said there are few financial aid and tuition-payment options for graduate students in accounting. Many students and their parents plan for four years of education, and now they are struggling to pay for a fifth year, says Professor Lyngaas.
To keep up with the growing body of knowledge accountants must master, Connecticut now requires CPA candidates to complete 150 credit hours to sit for the examination; New York will have the same requirements by 2009. Accountants do not need CPA licensure to practice. However without it, they are limited in professional duties, responsibilities, and salary potential.
To support the Graduate Accounting Program Endowed Scholarship Fund, visit www.fairfield.edu/giving or call ext. 4404.
Guidebooks rank Fairfield among the best
Among the college guides for 2006, Fairfield University continues to place high in academics and overall quality of education. The latest guide to include Fairfield is The Best 361 Colleges, published by The Princeton Review.
Endorsed by CNN, the guide relies heavily on input from students. Quotes describe Fairfield as "a challenging environment where a serious student can feel comfortable," adding that it achieves the Jesuit ideal of "educating the whole person" through a "strong core curriculum." Extracurricular programs, the students say, "put the focus on finding balance in life."
The 2006 Fiske Guide to Colleges, endorsed by USA Today, lists Fairfield among its "Small Colleges and Universities Strong in Business." It describes the University as "moving into the same class as older, more revered East Coast Jesuit institutions."
The Guide lists Fairfield's strongest programs as art history, communication, religious studies, accounting and finance, management, and marketing. And "Fairfield's academic climate is not cutthroat, but challenging nevertheless."
The recent U.S. News & World Report's 2006 edition of America's Best Colleges has Fairfield University tied for fourth among the Best Universities-Master's in the North. This is the 15th year in a row that Fairfield has ranked among the top four in this category, through the years moving among the number two, three, and four positions.
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2,800 miles closer to a cure
Neither hill nor headwind could exhaust Michael Kreuzer's determination to finish.
By Alejandra Navarro, Publications writer
On July 22, Michael Kreuzer, director of planned giving, pedaled into Astoria, Ore., and ended a bike ride that began more than 2,800 miles ago in summer 2004. But more than a physical challenge, the goal of his journey was to raise awareness and money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig disease. In early 2002, the disease took hold of his son, Michael Kreuzer Jr. With the support of several hundred people, the senior Kreuzer's ride raised $23,000 for ALS research.
Inspired by Lewis and Clark's expedition, he followed the same route they followed from St. Louis, Mo., to the Pacific Coast exactly 200 years ago. Like those early explorers, Kreuzer undertook his trip with hope for a better future, which in his case would include a cure for ALS, or at least a medical advancement that would give his son more time.
"It was bittersweet," Kreuzer says, who became teary-eyed when he saw his finish line in Oregon, which was a stream of family, friends, representatives from the ALS Society, and Michael Jr., who flew in despite the difficulty he has traveling. ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, has limited the use of his arms and legs, making it difficult for him to walk, and is now beginning to affect his voice. Michael Jr. had hoped to be able to ride for a short time on a modified bike, but he had become too weak.
Seeing his son's strength in facing adversity made it easier for Kreuzer to endure the difficulties of riding on the winding Rocky Mountain roads, sometimes with grades of six percent, and often with 30- to 40-m.p.h. winds. Last summer he rode from St. Louis to Bismarck, N.D., where he began the second leg of the journey this summer. One of his granddaughters and several friends joined him at different stages of the journey. It's a great way to see the country, Kreuzer says, describing the beautiful vistas; the wildlife, such as the deer that briefly ran alongside him; and the people, who were eager to hear his family's story. "You can't imagine it until you experience it."
Although Kreuzer would have liked his son to participate in the ride, Michael Jr. spent the summer with his wife, Joanne, and his children, Benjamin, 4, and Emma Louise, 2. Although he is no longer able to teach at Idaho State University, Michael Jr. remains upbeat and hasn't lost his wry sense of humor. When the senior Kreuzer recently told his son that a lot of people were praying for him, Michael Jr. responded with a smile, saying, "Tell them it's not working." Perhaps one day soon, the Kreuzer family hopes, it will.
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September 19, 8 p.m.
Tim Russert
 Political analyst and NBC's Meet the Press moderator Tim Russert kicks off the series. Russert is also a political analyst for NBC Nightly News and Today, the anchor of CNBC's The Tim Russert Show, and a contributing anchor for MSNBC.
In 2001, Washingtonian Magazine named Russert the best and most influential journalist in Washington, D.C., while Reader's Digest dubbed him America's best interviewer in 2004.
September 28, 8 p.m.
Leonard Fein
Jacoby-Lunin Humanitarian Lecture
Leonard Fein, a writer and educator known for his insightful commentary on contemporary Jewish life, is a former director of the Commission on Social Action of the Reform Jewish movement and the founder of Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger, a widely recognized campaign against world hunger.
Fein wrote Where are We? The Inner Life of America's Jews and Israel: Politics and People, and has taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brandeis University. His more than 800 articles and essays have appeared in such publications as The New York Times, Commonweal, and Moment, the magazine on Jewish affairs he founded in 1974.
The lecture is presented in affiliation with the University's Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic Studies.
October 11, 8 p.m.
Isabel Allende
Celebrated Chilean-born writer Isabel Allende is the author of The House of the Spirits, Daughter of Fortune, Portrait in Sepia, and others, as well as young adult fiction. Her award-winning books have been translated into 27 languages and have been on bestseller lists throughout the world.
Open VISIONS Forum will present Allende's lecture in collaboration with the Pequot Library.
October 26, 8 p.m.
Oliver Sacks
Oliver Sacks is a world-renowned neurologist and best-selling author of Awakenings and The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. Born in London, Sacks came to the United States in the 1960s, working for a time at Beth Abraham Hospital in New York City, where he encountered patients locked in odd frozen states. His trying to release them through radical doses of medication led to Awakenings, which was later made into a popular film. He received a Guggenheim Fellowship for his continuing innovative work in neurology.
Sacks' appearance is sponsored in part by Fairfield University's School of Nursing.
January 22, 3 p.m.
Glenn D. Lowry
Glenn D. Lowry is the sixth director of the Museum of Modern Art, taking the helm in 1995. A leading advocate for contemporary art, the Harvard-educated director oversaw one of MoMA's most exciting eras: the reopening of the Manhattan museum in November 2004 after a $425 million renovation and expansion and a highly successful capital campaign to ensure its healthy future. Fairfield University's Art History Department co-sponsors this lecture.
Open VISIONS Forum is an art, culture, and public affairs lecture series designed to challenge the life of the mind. The 2005-06 season is partially sponsored by Bank of America and Moffly Publications. All lectures take place in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. For tickets, call the Box Office at ext. 4010.
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University wins multiple prestigious awards
Congratulations to Fairfield University's talented employees, whose creativity and innovation have earned them several prestigious awards in recent competitions.
The multiple efforts of several departments in the Advancement Division have resulted in the following:
- APEX (Awards for Publications Excellence) Grand Award from Communications Concepts for the University's new website in the Web and Intranet category.
- APEX Award of Excellence for the 2003-2004 Annual Report in the Annual Report category.
- APEX Award of Excellence for "An Architectural Overview of Bellarmine Hall," created for inauguration in the One-time Publication category.
- Jesuit Advancement Administrators Award of Excellence for "An Architectural Overview of Bellarmine Hall," created for inauguration.
- Jesuit Advancement Administrators Award of Merit in the Special Events category for Fairfield Inauguration activities.
- Association for Graphic Communications Award of Excellence for the inauguration package.
The Media Center has won honors in the Videographer Awards and the Communicator Awards categories:
- 2005 Videographer Award of Excellence for two videos: The Dr. Dhil Show, a parody of the Dr. Phil Show, produced for the Dean of Freshmen to address the issue of plagiarism; and TFL - Total Fairfield Live, made for the Department of New Student Programs and shown during freshman orientation, to illustrate Fairfield's vibrant campus life.
- 2005 Videographer Award of Distinction for "Mission Fulfilled," shown to major contributors and friends at the President's Dinner in New York City in September 2004.
- Award of Distinction at the Communicator Awards 2005 Print Competition for "Living the Possibilities," a mid-grant report focused on Ignatian Residential College.
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Indian painting exhibition to open at Thomas J. Walsh Art Gallery
"Indian Paintings of the New Millennium: Collection of Sunanda and Umesh Gaur" will be on exhibit from Sept. 17 through Dec. 4 at the Thomas J. Walsh Art Gallery. An opening reception will be held Sept. 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Gallery.
The exhibition includes a selection of modern and contemporary paintings from post-independence India. The Gaurs, who live in New Jersey, have collected paintings for 15 years. Their collection totals approximately 200 pieces and focuses on the vintage work of senior artists of post-independence India. For more information, call the Gallery at ext. 2969.
St. Catherine of Siena will take the stage Oct. 5
Sister Nancy Murray, OP, an Adrian Dominican nun who is also the sister of actor Bill Murray, will present her acclaimed one-woman show, "A Visit from Catherine of Siena," on Oct. 5 at 3:30 p.m. in the Oak Room of the John A. Barone Campus Center. The engaging performance considers the life and times of the saint, highlighting, among other things, her sense of humor.
Sr. Murray entered the Dominicans in Adrian, Mich., in 1966. She received her bachelor's degree in theater from Barry University in Miami, and a master's degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University of Chicago.
Born in 1347 in Siena, Italy, St. Catherine was a Dominican lay woman who influenced the lives of popes, pastors, and peasants. She ministered to the sick and the poor despite personal illness.
For more information, call Dr. Paul Lakeland at ext. 2492.
Staff Association plans for 2005-06
Elected by its members in the spring, this year's Staff Association officers are (l-r) T.J. Murphy, vice president, Sharon Jones, treasurer, Linda White, president, and Sylvia Hurlburt, secretary. The foursome caught up in the Jazzman's Cafe during the summer to prepare for another exciting year filled with activities and events. The first luncheon is slated for Sept. 29 in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business Dining Room.
Photo by Jean Santopatre
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Campus Currents is the official news publication of the Fairfield University community. It is published monthly. The editorial office is located in Bellarmine Hall, Room 203. Telephone: 254-4000, ext. 2556. Fax: 254-4167. E-mail: jcaseria@mail.fairfield.edu.
Editor
Jill Kasiewicz Caseria
Assistant Director of University Publications
Editorial Board
Martha Milcarek
Assistant Vice President for Public Relations
Barbara Kiernan
Director of University Publications
Jean Santopatre
University Photojournalist
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