CUA Welcomes Pope Francis - Amazon S3...Alumni Relations and University Advancement The Catholic...

Fall 2015

The Catholic University of AmericaM A G A Z I N E

CUA Welcomes Pope Francis¡Viva El Papa!

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During his historic apostolicjourney to the United States,Pope Francis received anenthusiastic welcome atCatholic University.

22 Working atAmerica’sLibraryAlumni of the Departmentof Library and InformationScience have found diversecareers at the Library ofCongress.

26 Answering theCall in LiberiaA biomedical engineer in theU.S. Public Health Servicedeployed to Liberia on amission to care for sickhealth care workers duringthe Ebola outbreak.

Departments

From Nugent Hall ..................................................................................2

Forum......................................................................................................3

News@CUA ............................................................................................4

Cardinal Athletics ..................................................................................14

Alumni News ........................................................................................28

Class Notes ............................................................................................32

Fall 2015, Vol. 28, No. 3

Editor in ChiefChristopher Lydon

Managing EditorEllen N. Woods

Associate EditorsKatie BahrLisa CarrollCarol Casey

Mary McCarthy HinesCatherine Lee

ContributorsRegina McFadden DiLuigi

Tom Haederle

Art DirectorDonna Hobson

Graphic DesignersLara FredricksonKristin Reavey

PhotographersDana Rene BowlerGreg Kendall-BallEd PfuellerKristin ReaveyJustin Walker

John GarveyPresident

Kyra LyonsAssistant Vice President forAlumni Relations andUniversity Advancement

The Catholic University of America Magazineis distributed three times annually by theOffice of Public Affairs. Correspondenceshould be sent to the magazine, Office ofPublic Affairs, The Catholic University ofAmerica, Washington, DC 20064.

(ISSN 1086-7473)

© 2015 by The Catholic University of America.

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The Catholic University of America Magazine OnlineWe invite you to go online to view our website at cuamagazine.cua.edu. That’s where you’llfind the digital edition of the magazine, photo galleries, web-only articles, and links to moreinformation. Tell us what you think of the magazine, offer an idea, or comment on an articleby sending an email to [email protected] or follow us through the Office of AlumniRelations on Twitter @CUAalumni or Facebook at facebook.com/CUAAlumni. You can callus at 202-319-5600.

The Catholic University of AmericaM A G A Z I N E

¡Viva El Papa!

Cover photo: All image rights and copyrights reserved to the Photographic Service of L'Osservatore Romano

2 The Catholic University of America Magazine

by President John Garvey

FROM NUGENT HALL

The Holy Father Comes to Campus

A MOMENT IN HISTORY

“Fratres caríssimi,” dear brothers, PopeFrancis addressed the crowd of30,000 gathered on our campus,

“let us lift up our prayers to God the FatherAlmighty through Jesus Christ.” This was thebeginning of the canonization rite for St.Junípero Serra at the Mass Pope Franciscelebrated from the East Portico of the Basilicaof the National Shrine of the ImmaculateConception on September 23. We began torecite the long litany of saints, invoking theirnames and asking for their prayers.It was a moment that stood out to me in

all the excitement of the day. The namessounded strange in their Latinized form. JohnPaul II became Joannes Paule Secunde.Mother Teresa was Beata Teresia Calcuttensis.But many of the names were also familiar:Katharine Drexel and John Neumann, FrancesXavier Cabrini and Elizabeth Ann Seton, IsaacJogues, Peter Claver, and Kateri Tekakwitha.These are American saints. They built hospitalsand schools here. They defended the dignity

of immigrants, American Indians, and AfricanAmericans. They brought the Gospel to thenew world. There was a sense of reverence aswe invoked their names, but also a sense ofpride and excitement. They are our saints.Their example shows that the Church in theUnited States has a distinctively Catholiccontribution to make to our country and adistinctively American contribution to maketo the Church. The American bishops believed this when

they founded The Catholic University ofAmerica. They wanted to build a universitythat was faithfully Catholic and thoroughlyAmerican, a university that would serve theChurch and the nation. This mission animatesthe work we do every day at CatholicUniversity, both in and out of the classroom.But there are occasions that manifest ouridentity and mission in a striking way.September 23 was one of those occasions.The CUA Chamber Choir and the

University Symphony Orchestra provided

beautiful music for the Mass. Students from ourSchool of Architecture and Planning designedthe magnificent altar furnishings. Among the1,251 priests, bishops, and cardinals whoconcelebrated the Mass were many CatholicUniversity alumni. More than 400 CatholicUniversity students worked as volunteers toensure that the day was a success. And allover campus I saw Catholic Universitystudents, staff, faculty, and alumni, allthrilled to welcome the Holy Father to theUnited States and our campus. The CatholicUniversity of America was not just thebackdrop for the canonization Mass ofJunípero Serra. Our community was a part ofthis moment in the history of the Church inthe United States. In his homily for the Mass Pope Francis

called the saints in that long litany a “chain ofwitnesses who have made it possible for thegood news of the Gospel to be, in every gene-ration, both ‘good’ and ‘news.’” It’s a chain ofwitnesses we seek to join.

Fall 2015 3

So proud to be an alumna of TheCatholic University of America.Was with Pope Francis today in

spirit! #CUAlovesThePope— @TaylorStoddard

I can’t believe I’m concelebrating w/#PopeFrancis tomorrow! It’s a privilege topray for you. Please share any intentions.#CUAlovesthePope— @frathermatt

(Friar Matt Foley)

Off to see @Pontifex at #CUA w/our oblate seminarians! #CUAlovesthePope#WalkwithFrancis— @newman_osfs

(Father Mike Newman, O.S.F.S.)

Proud Cardinal today as the Pope canonizesJunípero Serra on the same lawn where Igraduated from! #CUAlovesthePope— @thaisdlp

Dr. Nestor leading the CUA orchestra andchoir — sounded beautiful #PopeinDC#CUAlovesthePope #cuamusic— @KristenAnne25

I have the hottest ticket in town!Thanks @CUAAlumni!#PopeinDC #CUAlovesThePope

#CUAAlumni— @Tabauman86

CUA Knights are among the most excitedfor #PopeInUS! #PopeInDC #ShrineTime#CUALovesThePope — @CUAKnights

Putting the word “celebration” in “celebrationof the Mass” #cualovesthepope #popeindc— @ladderstotheskyy

Next best thing to a picture with the Pope#CUAlovesthepope #PopeinDC— @mallakate

FORUMComments from the CUA community

Join the conversation! Facebook.com/CUAAlumni • Twitter @CUAalumni • [email protected]

#CUAlovesThePope

Feedback on the Careers Issue

“Though I am a 75-year-old retiree and all that helpful info is too late for me, I thought theSummer 2015 issue on careers was very good. Congratulations!” — Janet M. Cuca, M.A. 1979, Ph.D. 1989

Wayne, Pa.

“As an alum of CUA and as a former director of CUA Career Services (1976–1981) let mecongratulate you on a very impressive undertaking. Not only was this a very interestingand worthwhile concept, but the comments from alumni are really spot-on thoughts forother alumni as well as for current students. My compliments to the editors, writers, andall the contributors.” — Eric Schlesinger, Ed.D. 1986

Silver Spring, Md.

$2 Million Grant toFund Nursing School-VA PartnershipAs part of a grant of up to $2 million, the School of Nursing hasentered an academic and clinical partnership with the U.S.Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enroll VA nurses in aprogram that will educate them as adult gerontology practitionerswith master’s and doctoral degrees.The selection of Catholic University’s nursing school — one of

just six schools nationwide chosen for the VA grant — “is a coup,”says Patricia McMullen, dean of nursing. “The grant selection processwas very competitive. We’re in a league with some very heavy hitters.”Starting with about eight students this fall semester, the nursing

school is partnering with the Washington DC VA Medical Center innorthwest D.C. The partnership represents “a win-win situation” forthe nursing school and the VA, notes McMullen.The arrangement — part of the VA Nursing Academic

Partnerships for Graduate Education program — helps to addressthe health care needs of an increasing number of elderly veterans aswell as the shortage of nurses with advanced degrees, saysMcMullen.She notes that nationwide only 13% of nurses have a graduate

degree in nursing and less than 1% have doctorates.In addition to educating VA nurses for advanced degrees, the

program enables Catholic University nursing school professors totrain other VA nurses who already have master’s degrees as adjunctfaculty. In turn, those adjunct faculty members will serve aspreceptors or mentors for students seeking advanced degrees. “This partnership addresses a bottleneck in the health care system

— the lack of faculty to teach in these roles and the lack of cliniciansto educate students in the field,” says McMullen. “The grant isbringing these two together, making it easier for the University toidentify and educate VA employees as adjunct faculty.”The nursing dean notes that securing the grant was the result

of a collaborative effort by herself, Research Coordinator TimothyMay, Associate Professor Petra Goodman, Clinical AssociateProfessor Elizabeth Hawkins-Walsh, Professor Emerita MaryPaterson, Assistant Professor Janet Selway, and Clinical AssistantProfessor Teresa Walsh. Goodman and Selway are serving asproject managers for the grant.“The School of Nursing is well suited to provide this service to

the VA,” says McMullen. “We are highly respected for our clinicalexpertise, in part, because so many of our faculty are activelyengaged in clinical practice.” — C.L.


NEWS@CUA

Catholic University Adopts NewTest-Optional Admissions PolicySubmission of standardized tests scores will now be optional for students applying forundergraduate admission at Catholic University. First-year and transfer applicants will receivefull consideration for admission and merit-based scholarships regardless of whether they submitthe results from the SAT or the ACT.Catholic University President JohnGarvey announced the new policy in September, noting, “This

policy implements the findings of our research: that a student’s academic program in high school andhis or her classroom performance are the best predictors of academic success. We recognize thatstandardized tests can sometimes present an impediment to students, especially those from under-represented backgrounds. We want to assure all potential applicants to the University that theirrecord of achievement in high school is the foundation of our review for admission.” Garvey added, “We have a deep-rooted mission to serve students from diverse backgrounds, and

this policy encourages students who have achieved success in high school to confidently considerCatholic University.”Despite efforts to communicate the importance of high school performance over standardized test

scores to prospective applicants, many students often believe their test scores rule out their chancesfor admission, said Christopher Lydon, vice president for enrollment management and marketing atCatholic University. Lydon said, “Our review of the predictors of success mirrors studies that have taken place at a

variety of institutions in recent years. Our study looked at student performance from the classes of2009 through 2013; academic rigor and classroom performance were by far the most predictivemeasures. “Our evaluation also considers each candidate’s extracurricular profile, the required essay, personal

recommendations, and other pertinent information to select a class with the academic talent andpersonal qualities that are the best fit for the University.”The decision to implement a test-optional

policy, under consideration for more than ayear, was endorsed by the UndergraduateBoard and approved by the Academic Senateat their first meeting of the academic year inmid-September.The test-optional policy at CUA will be

offered as a pilot program for the next fiveyears. First-year academic performance andretention and graduation rates for sub-mitters and nonsubmitters of test scoreswill be studied during the pilot programand evaluated before the policy is madepermanent. To support academic advise-ment and assist with the necessarystudies for assessment of the pilotprogram, students who choose toenroll will be required to submit theirtest scores after enrollment.

Fall 2015 5

STUDENTS

STUDENTS


Catholic University students reveled in the Sept. 23 papal visit. For CUA’sHispanic students, the celebration of a papal Mass in Spanish was likecoming home.“It was an unforgettable experience. I was surrounded by friends,

professors, colleagues, students, and many other people, and, in additionto that, the Pope was speaking in my language!” says Patricia Diaz Suzarte,a graduate student from Mexico City.“Catholic University has a significant, growing, and tight-knit Hispanic

community. We value their deep faith, their culture, and their manycontributions to the University,” says Christopher Lydon, vicepresident for enrollment management and marketing. This fall the University debuted a new Spanish-language section of the

website, sending a “message of welcome and inclusion, and allowing usto open our doors to an even larger Hispanic community,” says Lydon.

According to a recent study, people from Hispanic backgrounds makeup 40% of the U.S. Catholic population. “Catholic University seeks toreflect the landscape of Catholics in America, and a look at the incomingfreshman class indicates we are headed in the right direction,” says Lydon. Nearly 15% of the Class of 2019 students are Hispanic. That number

shows a steady increase from previous years. The Spanish-language section of the website mirrors much of what

is offered on the main CUA website. It features information about CUA’sacademic programs, student activities, residence life, safety and health, andadmissions; a welcome from University President John Garvey; and profilesof faculty, staff, and students from a wide array of Hispanic backgrounds.Most of the translation for this information took place in Special

Projects in AdvancedTranslation, a course offered through the Departmentof Modern Languages and Literatures.“The students in the course enthusiastically took on the challenge

posed by the project, which involved research, translation, and the creationof new content for the website,” says Margaret Ann Kassen, who taughtthe course and is associate professor and interim chair of the modernlanguages and literatures department. “I enjoyed being able to use my Spanish background in doing

something that is going to help the University,” says Julián A. Padrón, astudent in the translation course. “It was refreshing to work on somethingwhere you can see the results of your hard work almost immediately,and to see the impact it has so quickly.” Padrón, a senior, is an inter-0national business major with a minor in Spanish. “In working on this project, I thought about my own decision to come

to CUA,” says Diaz Suzarte. “Hispanic families are close knit, they make decisions together. My

mother and grandmother wanted to know about health and safety, wherewould I live, what are the values of the CUA community. How nice itwill now be for students to show their families the website where all ofthese questions are answered in their own language,” says Diaz Suzarte,who helped with translation for the website and is a teaching fellowworking toward a master’s degree in Hispanic literatures and cultures. “Yes, our Hispanic students speak English. But their families might

not,” she adds. “This says to them: ‘We thought about you.’ ‘We welcomeyou here.’ ‘We know it’s nice for you to read things in your nativelanguage.’”Enrique Pumar, professor and chair of the Department of Sociology,

had just that in mind when he hosted a welcome session for newHispanic students and their families during Orientation weekend.“This was something new this year,” said the Cuban-born professor.“And it was much appreciated. Families stayed long after the sessionwith questions. It was comforting to them to speak with someone intheir language, especially when it comes to their children. It was clearthey felt valued because this session was available to them.” — E.N.W.

¡La universidad le da labienvenida a los estudiantesHispanos!(University Welcomes Hispanic Students)

Fall 2015 7

STUDENTS

Year Beginning

New Students Welcomedto the CUA FamilyThe new academic year kicked off Aug. 27 as 976 new students cameto campus for the start of Orientation 2015 — a four-day programmeant to help incoming freshmen and transfer students become morecomfortable with college life before beginning classes. Eighty student volunteers — each dressed in a yellow shirt with the

Catholic University alma mater on the back — took turns greetingfamilies as they arrived on campus. Throughout the morning, thevolunteers unloaded cars and carried bedding, towels, suitcases,bicycles, and even guitars into the residence halls. “It gives me a sense of pride to be here helping them,” said volunteer

Carley Garttner, a senior accounting major from Garden City, N.Y. “Ithelps show that we are a family here at CUA.”For the next four days, the new students and their families had

opportunities to meet their academic advisors, get to know theirclassmates, and become more familiar with the campus andWashington, D.C. This year’s Orientation events included an addressfrom Catholic University President John Garvey, an informationsession for Spanish-speaking families, a “Letting Go” workshop for

parents, and an interactive Playfair program on the Edward J. PryzbylaUniversity Center’s West Lawn. On Sept. 3, students, faculty, and staff from CUA were encouraged

to walk with Pope Francis through their prayers and actions as part ofthe University’s annual Mass of the Holy Spirit, which took place inthe Great Upper Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of theImmaculate Conception. Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington and University

chancellor, encouraged students to prepare themselves spiritually for theupcoming papal visit by working to make a difference in their community.“Here at this University, in addition to preparing for a job and a

means to a paycheck, we should also accept that we have a deeper calling— to do our part to help make the world just a little better,” he said. In his remarks at the end of Mass, University President John Garvey

advised students to live the virtue of constancy in their academic,spiritual, and personal lives. He also encouraged students to participatein the Archdiocese of Washington’s #WalkwithFrancis initiative inconjunction with the papal visit by making concrete commitments topray, serve, and act. “If we call ourselves Christians, we must affirm that fact in our

actions,” Garvey said. — K.B.

30 Years @ CUAMonsignor Kevin IrwinResearch Professor

On Coming to Work at CUAAs a priest-professor, this was without a doubt in my mind the most important job I could have— to work with highly respected scholars and highly qualified graduate students.

On Why He Has Stayed As I was able to grow and develop as a scholar, it continued to be the aspirational place Ithought it to be. I’ve directed 18 dissertations and always find it academically challenging andspiritually enriching. I’m privileged to help students know more about a subject than Ido and support their research and career plans. I learn from them and help them teachin other institutions and carry on the theological tradition that I’ve been given.

What Sets CUA ApartThere are three prongs of CUA from its founding and to this day — the ecclesiastical schoolsof philosophy, theology, and canon law. Anybody else can do anything else, but no one elsein the United States can do those three things the way that we do.

Most Memorable Time on CampusIn 2005 I was invited to apply to be dean [of the School of Theology and Religious Studies]. Asdean, I was privileged to work on a committee that hired about half of our existing faculty. It wasan opportunity to shape the next generation of Catholic University by hiring those facultymembers.

I also enjoyed working very personally with [former president] Father [David M.] O’Connell [C.M.] —as a priest-friend first, then as a colleague when I was dean. He was committed to the school andquality faculty and education. He wanted nothing but the best. He knew from the inside (as agraduate of CUA) what Catholic University was and always kept that as a focus.

Favorite Place on CampusCaldwell Chapel. It is the center of the building I’ve been in for 30 years, therefore, very important —especially as a priest-professor. It’s the pulsating heart of what that building is about.

Biggest Change WitnessedThe shrinking number of priest-professors. The vocation of laity is flourishing here as it was unforeseen30 years ago. It’s a privilege to see the people working together. We are reflecting the vitality of theChurch and we’re all in this together.

What Makes His Job MeaningfulOn the weekends, I celebrate Mass at a parish. What sustains me is that I preside and preach and workwith people in their highs and their lows. If I did not walk down the aisle on Sunday morning tocelebrate Mass, this job wouldn’t mean anything to me. — M.M.H.


ONCAMPUS

Female StudentsFlourish in Schoolof EngineeringReagan McCloskey, B.B.E. 2015, has long hadan interest in engineering. Growing up, sheattended an all-girls school, where her favoritesubjects were math and science. She enteredthe biomedical engineering program atCatholic University because the curriculumcombined her favorite subjects to provide ameaningful impact within the health field.While at Catholic University, McCloskey

worked for two summers researching ortho-pedics at Drexel University and held an intern-ship in the biomedical department at Children’sNational Medical Center in D.C. As part ofher senior design class, she studied how motiontracking can be used for rehabilitation purposes.As a female graduate of CUA’s School of

Engineering, McCloskey is representative ofa shift in the world of engineering. Accordingto data from the Society of Women Engineers,only 5.8% of all employed engineers in 1983were female, but by 2004, that number hadrisen to 10.2%. The number of female engineering students

nationwide also has risen over the years. Datafrom the National Science Foundation showsthat in 1976 only 3.2% of those who earnedbachelor’s degrees in engineering were female.By 2010, that percentage had risen to 18.2%.At Catholic University, 26.6% of the newstudents who enrolled in engineering in the2014–2015 academic year were women. Peggy Bruce, director of student services and

academic support, has been working in theengineering school for 14 years and has noticedan increase in the number of female studentsduring that time. In biomedical engineering,female students make up approximately 50%of the population. Bruce believes the increase in women

interested in engineering has to do with theprevalence of science, technology, engineering,

and mathematics (STEM) programs in middleand high schools. “Years ago, I just don’t think girls were en-

couraged as much to go into science andmathematical fields,” she said. “The youngeryou can get girls involved in science and mathareas in a fun way, just like we do in the STEMareas, I think it definitely makes a big differ-ence in how they think about math and sciencein the future.” Senior Cristina Butrico, of South Plainfield,

N.J., is also a biomedical engineering major,with a minor in chemistry. She’s the newestin a long line of family engineers, including hermother, a former genetic engineer. “Having her help me kind of led me to

having a love for math and science,” Butricosaid. “I would say my mother is my personalrole model.”Butrico has enjoyed many of her courses at

CUA, but especially Introduction to Engi-neering, in which students used Lego sche-matics to build robots. For her junior designproject, Butrico designed a device to help theelderly take the correct dosages of pills. Watching driven students succeed is one of

the things Sahanna Kukke, assistant professorof biomedical engineering, says she enjoys mostabout her job. As one of three female professors

in the School of Engineering, Kukke said she’sbeen impressed equally by both her male andfemale students. “I feel to some extent that the female

students I’ve had the chance to teach have beenvery self-motivated,” she said. “I can’t say I’vebeen doing anything deliberately to encouragethem, but I hope that my presence as a womandoes have some effect.”In high school and at Northwestern

University in the 1990s, Kukke said she wassurrounded by male classmates and professors.During her graduate work at Case WesternReserve University and Stanford University,most of her mentors and role models were men. Kukke believes it’s important for female

engineers to have other women to look up to.A mother of three, Kukke had her first childwhen she was in her doctoral program. She saidthe advice she received from other women inacademia helped her understand how tobalance motherhood and career. “I think it’s so important to see the

possibilities of what you can do,” she said.“When it comes to negotiating careertransitions and moving forward in a clear,productive path, those moments of transitioncould really be easier with good guidancefrom female mentors.” — K.B.

ONCAMPUS

Fall 2015 9

FACULTY


Universe Detective

Tanja Horn, Department of Physics

Q: What new information might the neutral particle spectrometer yield about the fundamentalstructure of matter?

A: The overarching goal here is to study the fundamental particles of matter that make upmost or all of our visible universe. That’s predominantly the interactions and dynamics ofquarks and gluons, which are the building blocks of fundamental matter. How they combineto form the matter around us ultimately decides the properties of the nuclei that make starsshine and the materials that are available on earth. If you are trying to understand theuniverse, or build a house, you need to know how these particles come together. But tobuild this house we need to study microscopic effects at the femtometer scale (10-15 m)! TheNPS detector will contribute by measuring particles that do not carry electric charge andthus are invisible to other detector types.

Q: What brought you into the classroom, to CUA?A: I liked the idea of working with students, involving them in the research to give them the

opportunity to experience the science. It’s important in any field to pass along knowledge andinvolve the next generation. On projects, students work in teams so everything they do is doubleand triple checked to reduce and minimize room for error in these experiments. It’s a greatlearning tool. They learn also how to check their work, which is useful for any career.

Q. To the general public, nuclear physics can seem esoteric. What should people know about itscontributions to everyday life?

A: Basic research in nuclear science has grown over the last decade into an essential ingredientof any modern health care strategy for diagnosing and treating disease. Half of the U.S.cancer patients receive radiation treatment, most with external beam. Of these, protonbeam therapy centers — an alliance of applied nuclear science and medicine — are widelyrecognized as the most effective in the selective destruction of cancer cells. There are now18 in operation in clinical settings in the U.S., with 17 more in the construction or planningphase. Physics research has been very important in making progress in that field. That’soften forgotten because once a scientific discovery is developed into a product or techniqueor therapy and is available in the marketplace, that’s what people notice, mostly. But theseadvances would not have been possible without the fundamental science behind them.

Q: Where do you see the study of nuclear physics headed in the next decade?A: I think in the next 10 years there will be more progress in computational tools and

technology. With new technologies, we will be able to see not only the particles inside aproton, but also see how they move around at the speed of light inside the proton. Howdo they not collide? It’s always a puzzle. The nation has invested $340 million in a new machine for nuclear science research at

Jefferson Lab. Now is the time to reap the benefits of all this investment. Just imagine, inthe future, if you understood the building blocks of the universe that make up all visiblematter, then you would also have a pretty good sense of what makes up all matter. And thatis us! — T.H.

Tanja Horn, an associate professor of physics atCUA since 2009, is the author of more than 30scholarly and peer-reviewed articles. Her workhas earned nearly $2 million in researchfunding since she joined the faculty. She receivedCUA’s Young Faculty Scholar Award in 2011.Now, supported by a recent $750,000 grantfrom the National Science Foundation, she willlead a team of researchers in collaboration withthe Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facilityin Newport News, Va., in building a neutralparticle spectrometer (NPS), a first-of-its-kinddevice that will allow humans to peer ever deeperinto the mysterious nature of subatomic particlesthat move at the speed of light, constantly blinkingin and out of existence.

CelebratingPope Francis inthe Classroom“We are two days away from the Pope’s visit.Who has a ticket?” asks Paul Brazinski, a First-Year Experience teaching fellow and doctoralchurch history student, of the freshmen inhis Faith Seeking Understanding course.Many hands go up. “Nice!” says Brazinski.

“No homework on Wednesday, other than tosee the Pope.”First-Year Experience (FYE) is the found-

ational liberal education core of the first-yearcurriculum at CUA, bringing first-year studentstogether in small learning communities for ashared, yearlong experience. Within learningcommunities, students take a sequence of fourcore classes in philosophy, theology, and English.Brazinski is taking advantage of this class

on the Monday morning before the papal visitto lecture on the Holy Father’s life and histeachings.Outside his Caldwell Hall classroom is the

Campus Ministry garden featuring a smallstatue of St. Francis of Assisi. Referring to that,Brazinski asks his students why Pope Francistook on the name of this saint when he beganhis papacy.“St. Francis is the patron of animals and

the environment and he dedicated himself tothe poor,” says one student.“Bingo!” responds Brazinski as he reminds

students of the often-told story of the dramaticmoment so many centuries ago when St. Francisrenounced his inheritance and dedicated hislife to the poor and the environment. “WhenPope Francis chose his name that gave us thefirst idea that these would be the themes ofhis papacy,” he says.Brazinski tells the students what it was like

on campus on March 13, 2013, when it wasannounced that Cardinal Jorge MarioBergoglio of Argentina was elected to be the266th pope.

“Students chanted ‘Habemus Papam!’ ‘Wehave a pope!’ and I can still remember the bellsringing across campus.”The lecture focuses on Pope Francis’s early

life as a boy, as a chemical technician (who alsohad a job as a nightclub bouncer), as a scholar,and as a young priest. Brazinski’s PowerPointdetails important milestones in the Pope’slife. And the class ends with a lively discussionof Laudato Si’, the Pope’s encyclical on theenvironment. The students have read selectedexcerpts from the encyclical in which PopeFrancis appeals to ‘‘every person living on thisplanet” to play a role in “caring for our commonhome.”Pope Francis’s visit to Catholic University

provided a unique teaching moment for facultyand staff. In addition to the Pope’s teachingsbeing worked into the curriculum inanticipation of the Holy Father’s visit, CatholicUniversity’s Office of Campus Ministryinitiated a series of events with the theme“Walking with Francis: Joy of the Gospel.”CUA students, alumni, faculty, and staff

pledged to walk in solidarity with the HolyFather through prayer, learning, and service.More than 500 members of the CUAcommunity took part in the Serve with FrancisDay on Sept. 13.There were special Masses inSpanish to help students learn the assemblyresponses for a Spanish Mass. Learning eventsincluded a screening of the Salt + Light docu-mentary The Francis Effect, a pope trivianight, a panel discussion titled Follow Francis’sFootsteps: The Pope’s Guide to Modern Life,and a lecture on “Junípero Serra: An Apostle ofCalifornia,” who was canonized at the papalMass.On the Friday morning following the papal

visit, Brazinski’s FYE theology class begins at9:10, and as in many other classes meetingacross campus that day, the students are abuzzwith stories of papal encounters. “I’ve been alittle homesick since starting school. CelebratingMass in Spanish reminded me of home,” sharesfreshman theology major Rory Martinez, a

student of Hispanic heritage fromNewMexico.“The Mass was so beautiful. I especially lovedthe homily. Siempre adelante! Keep movingforward! That is such a wonderful message forany aspect of life.” — E.N.W.

INCLASS

Fall 2015 11

EXPERTS

Ask the Experts


Tips on Giving BackThis fall so many eagerly agreed to “Walk with Francis” in honor of the Holy Father’s visit tothe United States. Another way to help others and organizations working to make the world abetter place is through personal philanthropy. Here are some tips to help those who have madethe wonderful decision to “give back.”

• Decide what matters most to you. Giving is personal. Think about the impact you want tohave and the issues, causes, and organizations that interest you. Some of the most popularreasons people give are the desire to help those less fortunate, address an injustice, or cure adisease that has affected someone they care about. Beyond the types of causes/organizationsthat resonate, are you motivated to give because the organization has helped you in some way?Loyalty and reciprocity are popular motivators. Being part of a community that supports aparticular organization can be another.

• Give whatever you can. Sometimes people don’t make philanthropic gifts because they don’tbelieve the contribution they can make is large enough to make a difference. Every organizationrelies on donors at all levels. The number of donors from a variety of constituencies can oftenbe leveraged to help organizations attract additional support. This is especially true forcolleges and universities. If you are inclined to make a gift, do it, no matter the size.

• Consider the importance of good stewardship. Every donor (no matter the size of their gift)wants to know that their gift was used for its intended purpose and that it was appreciated. Theorganizations you support should communicate with you in a way that is meaningful to you.

• Be loyal. Once you find an organization that merits your support and you are pleased with thework they are doing, continue and, if possible, increase your support. Nonprofitinstitutions, like businesses and families, must plan ahead. Knowing that theycan count on your support at a particular level each year enables them to planprograms using a longer time horizon, thereby increasing the impact thatyour gift can have. On average, an organization will lose 20% of its annualdonors from year to year, so they are always playing catch up. Rememberto keep the causes and institutions that you support financially in yourdaily prayers. Spiritual gifts are of infinite value to them as well.

• Teach the next generation. Young people who learn the value ofphilanthropy early are more likely to make a habit of giving throughout theirlifetimes. Teaching your children to volunteer and give back will not only aidin their character development, it will help ensure that the good work ofnonprofit organizations can continue for generations to come.

Scott Rembold became the vice president forUniversity Advancement at Catholic Universityin June 2015. Prior to that he spent 13 years inthe development and alumni relations office atthe Johns Hopkins University, the past eight ofthose years as associate vice president.

Fall 2015 13

THEBIGPICTURE

Welcome, Class of 2019!During the First-year Convocation ceremony, held in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 976 members of the Classof 2019 were formally welcomed to the CUA community and received their University pins. Following the Sept. 16 ceremony, they stepped outsidefor a class photo.


Cardinal Athletics

In 1990, Joe Fisher, B.A. 1975, knocked on approximately 300 doorsin a low-income housing community in Laurel, Md. His message wassimple and direct. “I am here to help your kids get into college,” he told those who

answered the door. Many were skeptical.“They thought I was a minister or they wouldn’t answer the door,”

Fisher says. “Some people told me their kids weren’t ready yet forcollege. I told them, ‘That’s okay, I’ll be back.’”Twenty-five years later, his determination has paid off. Fisher, who

is the head women’s cross country and track and field coach atCatholic University, is celebrating a milestone with his nonprofitorganization First Generation College Bound. With his help, morethan 2,000 low- to moderate-income students from Prince George’sCounty, Md., have gone to college. More than 500 have graduatedand over 600 are currently enrolled.In recognition of his work with First Generation College Bound,

Fisher was presented with the Smathers Award during Athletics’ annualGolf Classic on Oct. 23. The award honors a former or current CUAstudent-athlete who has distinguished themselves in service to theircommunity, university, profession, or country.Fisher understands the students he mentors. Growing up in a

housing project in Southeast Washington, Fisher says he originallyhated school and never considered college as an option. His motherand father just wanted their eight children to complete high school,something his parents never did. (His mother did complete her GEDat the age of 52.) It wasn’t until he started running track that he realizedhis athleticism could pave the way to a spot on a college track team.Fisher’s high school track coach, Hubert Gates, introduced him to

Jerry McGee, Catholic University’s track and field head coach.

COACHINGin the Community

By Lisa Carroll

Fall 2015 15

“When I came to visit Catholic University,met the team, and saw the campus, I was like,‘Wow!’” Fisher recalls. “I wanted to comehere. Catholic University felt like home.”Fisher was able to enroll at Catholic

University with the help of the PartnershipProgram, a minority scholarship programfounded by Thaddeus Aubry and LeonLeBuffe that began in 1969 to benefit prom-ising young students from the Washington,D.C., area. Fisher was one of 30 students toattend Catholic University. The PartnershipProgram provided academic support andstudent services to those enrolled in theprogram.“If it wasn’t for the Partnership Program,

I wouldn’t have been given the opportunityto go to Catholic University,” Fisher says.“I’ll be indebted to CUA the rest of my life.” As a student-athlete at CUA, Fisher

excelled. He was an NCAA All-American in1973 and 1975 and he earned his bachelor’sdegree in education in 1975. He went on toearn a master’s degree in urban educationfrom Morgan State University.After graduation, he became a middle

school teacher in Howard County, Md. Therehe saw a need he thought he could fill basedon his own life experiences. “I learned there wasn’t a long-term com-

mitment in the public school system to reallyhelp low-income students go to college,” heexplains. “Low-income kids wanted to go to college. It was just that they lacked theencouragement and resources to find outhow they could go to college.”Fisher’s help comes in multiple ways. First

of all, he says he focuses on what he calls“attitude management.” He wants to makesure the students in his program have amindset that college is an opportunity that isopen to them if they work for it. “I wanted to find a way to plant that seed

for education in their minds,” he says. “Now,when I walk into the community, everyoneknows Mr. Fisher is all about education.Whenever I go, people know we’re going totalk about education.”Students who have completed his program

have gone on to become dentists, ministers,business leaders, lawyers, and a state delegate. When the program started, Fisher ran it

out of his house. Today, thanks to donationsand grants, Fisher and his small staff run FirstGeneration College Bound out of an office inLaurel and operate in five high schools inPrince George’s County. The program targetslow- to moderate-income students whoseparents did not attend college and providesthem with guidance on when to takestandardized tests, how to apply for collegeand financial aid, and how to prepare forcollege once they’re accepted. First Generation College Bound also runs

a homework club in Kimberly Gardens, alow-income housing complex in PrinceGeorge’s County that is open to students ingrades 1 through 12. The program is staffedby certified teachers who provide homeworkassistance and other academic support. More recently, First Generation College

Bound has partnered with the UniversitySystem of Maryland’s Way2GoMarylandcampaign to help more underrepresentedstudents excel. As part of this partnership,First Generation College Bound works withthree middle schools in Prince George’sCounty to inspire students and their familiesto begin planning for college at an early stage.Fisher, who has coached CUA’s women’s

cross country and track and field teams for36 years, says there are parallels betweencoaching athletes and coaching students toget into college.“You’re always problem solving,” he says.

“You’re trying to keep kids on track to achievetheir goals. You’re trying to manage attitudesto stay the course. It’s definitely coaching inboth senses. I feel ongoing encouragementand support is needed in high school and incollege for students to achieve their goals.”After 25 years of helping kids plan for

college, Fisher says it’s only now that theemotional aspect of his work has caught upto him.“I knew I had to stay the course and stay

focused on the goal,” he says. “Now it’s reallystarting to hit me. Everything is coming fullcircle from what I started 25 years ago. I justgot word that a student I’ve worked withsince first grade in the homework club hasmatriculated into college. To see these kidsfinish college, get jobs, and achieve theirgoals is exciting and wonderful.”

Football Team to JoinNEWMAC in 2017Starting in 2017, the Cardinals foot-ball team will join the New EnglandWomen’s & Men’s Athletic Conference(NEWMAC) and become the eighthschool in its newly formed footballconference. Catholic University PresidentJohn Garvey and Associate Vice Presidentand Director of Athletics Sean Sullivanannounced Sept. 29 that CUA will jointhe United States Coast Guard Academy,Maine Maritime Academy, the UnitedStates Merchant Marine Academy,Massachusetts Institute of Technology,Norwich University, Springfield College,and Worcester Polytechnic Institute inthe new league. CUA has competed inthe Old Dominion Athletic Conferencesince 1999 and will end its 18-year stintin the league following the 2016 season.

Tennis Courts Namedfor Dowd FamilyOn Oct. 3, the CUA tennis courts werenamed in honor of longtime athletic staffmembers Jone and Martin Dowd, B.A.1960. The Dowds have been associ-ated with CUA for more than 50 years. Jone initiated the first athletic programsfor women during the rise of Title IX.She began and coached many of CUA’steams, including women’s basketball andtennis. Marty retired in spring 2015 after53 years as coach of the men’s tennisprogram.

SPORT SHORTS

Fall 2015 17

¡Viva El Papa!On the first full day of his historic apostolic journey to the United States, Pope Francis

celebrated an outdoor Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate

Conception with 30,000 faithful gathered on Catholic University’s campus. CUA students

lined the parade route as the popemobile made its way along the University Mall prior to

Mass. They cheered wildly for the man known as the “people’s pope,” and he returned their

enthusiasm with a smile as bright as the day.

By Ellen N. Woods

Officer Larry Fogg, a 30-year veteran of Catholic University’s Department ofPublic Safety, was stationed on the walkway behind the Edward M. CroughCenter for Architectural Studies on Wednesday, Sept. 23. He was there all day

keeping watch with a security team that included police officers from surrounding areas. Fogg had no view of the University Mall or the Basilica of the National Shrine of

the Immaculate Conception; no view of the Jumbotrons set up on campus.Yet at 3:50 p.m., he knew Pope Francis had arrived on campus.“There was a rumbling that got louder and louder turning into a roar,” he said.

“I couldn’t see anything, but I could feel the excitement. Just by the sound of the crowd,I had an image of what it might have been like when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on adonkey.”On Monroe Street at one of four security checkpoints run by the United States Secret

Service, sophomore David Antol, an architecture major, was at his volunteer post. Therehad been long lines at this particular checkpoint through most of the day, keeping himso busy that he lost track of time. Then he heard the cheering. “It took me by surprise.The crowd was so loud. I felt like I was standing outside the Super Bowl,” said Antol.The picture-perfect first day of fall began for the pontiff with a visit to the White

House, followed by a public parade along the Ellipse, and a prayer service at theCathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle with the U.S. bishops. On large screens set up oncampus, the congregation watched the Holy Father take the nation’s capital by stormon his first full day in the United States while they awaited his arrival to celebrateMass on the East Portico of the Basilica at 4:15.

The Pope in Our PresenceThe carillon bells in the Knights’ Tower of the Basilica rang out across campus as thepopemobile exited the driveway of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops(USCCB) and turned onto 4th Street toward the Basilica. “Hearing the bells reminded me of those same bells ringing across campus in March

2013 the day the papal conclave elected Pope Francis,” said Amanda Sheffer, clinicalassistant professor of German and faculty-in-residence at Reardon House. “I was teachingin Shahan Hall. The bells were so loud and there was so much joy and excitement,it was impossible to finish class. And now, two and a half years later, here he was.” Sheffer was a volunteer stationed on Harewood Road, which was closed to public

traffic, on the west side of the Basilica. She and four other volunteers were on a “direc-tions” detail for VIP guests who parked in the Basilica lot across the street.

“I saw multiple Supreme Courtjustices, senators, representatives,and a presidential candidate,” saidSheffer. “But nothing compared tothe excitement when the bells rangout.” From her post on HarewoodRoad, Sheffer caught sight of thepopemobile pulling into the circlein front of the Basilica.It then turned toward Gibbons

Hall and traveled along the southend of the University Mall, wherethe crowds standing on both sidesof the road behind bike rack fencingerupted in cheers. Many chanted¡Viva El Papa!, not only to honor thePope from Argentina, but because somany Hispanic Americans had cometo participate in this papal Massduring which a Spanish missionarywould be canonized. The motorcade turned at McGivney Hall onto Senior Walk, the

sidewalk where seniors line up before processing to their Commencementceremonies each May. From a rooftop on Father O’Connell Hall, NBC News had a perfect

view of the motorcade and the sea of thousands on the University Mall.Nightly News anchor Lester Holt broke into regular programming with aspecial report tracking the Pope’s arrival on campus for viewers nation-wide. ABC News had a spot at the other end of the O’Connell roof. A10-level bleacher-style media riser set up between McGivney and Shahanhalls held more than 350 local, national, and international journalistsall vying for photos, video, and live shots of the Catholic Church’s 266thpope, arguably the world’s most popular figure. He had only been in theU.S. for 24 hours and Americans couldn’t get enough of him. Inside McGivney Hall, approximately 100 deacons who would

be giving communion weregathered with student volun-teers, their escorts when it cametime to head to their assignedlocations later in the Mass.“We all crowded around the

small windows on the first floorof McGivney in hopes that wemight get to see Pope Francisdrive by. As I stood at the windowwith about 15 people, all waycloser together than humanlycomfortable, something pro-found happened within our littlegroup,” said student volunteerBrooke Paris, a senior theologymajor. “As we waited for Pope

Francis to pass by, we all put ourphones away. We decided that wewanted to simply be in this moment,and fully take it in.”Section D, a standing-room area

outsideMcGivney and right next tothe media riser, was packed withCUA students.“There was not a quiet soul in

the crowd. At first we were allfollowing the Pope’s path on thebig screen. Then it was as if a wavecarried over Section D. The sheerexcitement was heartwarming. Forall of us to have such love for thisone person is amazing,” said ClaudiaSeckinger, a junior psychology major. Even with police cars and black

SUVs leading and following thewhite Jeep Wrangler popemobile,the presence of Pope Francis as

pastor was the main focus of attention as he turned from side to sidewaving to and blessing the crowds, and smiling as he looked upon hisflock. “From my seat at the back of the popemobile, I could see both the

joy on the face of the Pope every time he turned and … the affectionfor the Pope written across the faces of thousands of students,” saidCardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington and chancellor ofCatholic University. “CUA did itself proud.”As the popemobile approached McMahon Hall and turned left, the

plan was to keep going down to Harewood Road and head back to theBasilica. At McMahon Hall, he was cheered by volunteers assembled on the

steps who had been working inside the building all day at “commandcentral.” The motorcade headed in the direction of Mary’s Garden at the

Basilica. Then this Pope, whohas been charting his own coursesince he became the successorto St. Peter in 2013, had a sur-prise. He signaled to his securitydetail that he wanted to go backfor onemore lap through campus.Senior architecture major

Megan Ross, a volunteer on thesteps, may have been one of thefew who was not surprised. “Ispent the spring 2015 semesterstudying at CUA’s Rome Centerand was lucky to see the Popetwice, and I had actually seen himdo that in St. Peter’s Square,”said Ross.


¡Viva El

Even though this was not herfirst time seeing Pope Francis, Rosssaid, “There is definitely some-thing special about seeing him onour campus. I had the oppor-tunity to help with a lot of thevolunteer planning process, andit was a very satisfying feeling tosee all of our hard work pay off asthe entire day went so smoothly.”

“Rejoice in the Lord Always”Pope Francis’s visit to the United States — during which he alsotraveled to New York City and then to Philadelphia for the WorldMeeting of Families — was a visit of firsts. It was his first visit to theUnited States, the first time a pope addressed a joint session of Congress,the first canonization on U.S. soil, and the first time an Americanuniversity had hosted three popes. Pope John Paul II visited in 1979,and Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.Those three visits to CUA, said University President John Garvey,

“are a reminder of The Catholic University of America’s unique relation-ship to the Holy See as the national university of the Catholic Churchin the United States.”Throughout the day, the campus had taken on a festival-like atmo-

sphere as Catholics from across the country mingled, bought food andsouvenirs, watched the Pope on large screens, and basked in a sunny fallday. But when the celebration of Mass was just minutes away and theprelude music filled the air, the campus took on a reverent silence andthe University’s 3.6-acre mall suddenly became a sacred space ofworship.“As Pope Francis began the

first blessing and we heard himspeak for the first time, my friendsand I felt the rush of the windconsume the congregation. It hadbeen stagnant with only smallgusts of wind earlier that day. Itruly felt like the presence of theHoly Spirit was with all of us,”said Seckinger. The historic canonization of

Blessed Junípero Serra came rightafter the introductory rites. TheSpanish missionary was beatifiedby Pope John Paul II in 1988. Hewas an 18th-century Franciscanfriar born in Mallorca off the coastof Spain in 1713. After joining thepriesthood, he became a professorof philosophy. He left Spain in1749 to begin his life as a mis-sionary in Mexico, and was then

sent by Spain’s King Carlos III toestablish missions in what is nowthe state of California. “Serra is somewhat unique in

being regarded not only as areligious figure, but also as the‘founder of California.’ A pioneerof pioneers,” said Rev. John Ford,a CUA theology professor andexpert in Hispanic theology. “Serra’scanonization is a recognition of

the centuries-long contribution of Hispanics to the Catholic faith in theUnited States.”Large groups from California, many of them of Hispanic descent,

attended the Mass to witness the canonization of Saint Junípero Serra.The celebration of Mass primarily in Spanish was a source of pride formany in the congregation. “When I learned that the Pope’s Mass would be in Spanish, I literally

jumped for joy. It seemed so appropriate for our Latin-American Pope tocome to America, to canonize a Spanish-speaking missionary who workedto spread the Gospel, and to do it in Spanish,” said Maria DanielaThurber, a junior, who is president of CUA’s Spanish Club.“My love of Pope Francis is beyond measure. He is the first Latin-

American Pope and he has instilled in the entire Hispanic community asentiment of renewal of our faith. He has encouraged in us the vocationto serve others by promoting selfless love,” said Thurber.The Mass also included readings in English and the Native American

Chochenyo language. Following the homily, a universal prayer includedlines read in Korean, American Sign Language, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Creole,

and Igbo.Pope Francis’s homily was

delivered in Spanish with Englishtranslation on the large screens.He began with the simple verse,“Rejoice in the Lord always!” Hesaid, “This command resonateswith the desire we all have for afulfilling life, a meaningful life, ajoyful life.”He ended his homily with the

words of the saint he had just can-onized. “‘Siempre adelante! Keepmoving forward!’ To him, this wasthe way to continue experiencingthe joy of the Gospel, to keep hisheart from growing numb…”The celebration of the Mass

was a joint effort by the Basilica, theArchdiocese of Washington, theUSCCB, and Catholic University.The University community put aunique stamp on several elements.

Fall 2015 19

Papa!

More than 1,000 priests, bishops,and cardinals concelebrated. Amongthem were many alumni andfaculty. It took 1,012 volunteers tomake the day happen, 429 ofwhom were CUA students.Music for the Mass was

provided by the CUA SymphonyOrchestra and five choirs,including the University ChamberChoir. The orchestra performedunder the direction of SimeoneTartaglione, the orchestra’s musicdirector, while the chamber choirwas conducted by Leo Nestor,Justine Bayard Ward Professorand director of choral studies andCUA’s Institute of Sacred Music.Several alumni and faculty

members composed original worksfor the visit, including Nestor. His compositions for the Mass includedthe introit, the communion antiphon, and an original work, “I am theLiving Bread,” which was performed during the Communion rite.The altar, ambo, and papal chair were designed by CUA students

from the School of Architecture and Planning. The Archdiocese ofWashington and the Basilica sponsored a design competition at theschool that encouraged architecture students to submit designs for thepapal furniture. A similar design competition took place at the arch-itecture school for the 2008 visit of Pope Benedict. A six-member jury selected the first-place design, which featured arches

that mimic the architecture of the Romanesque-Byzantine style of theBasilica, where it is now studentsAriadne Cerritelli, Matthew Hoffman, and Joseph Taylor made up thewinning design team. Thethree young designers wereseated up front, not far fromthe altar, with their families.“Seeing Pope Francis use the

furniture that our team designedwas an incredible experience,”said Taylor. “When Pope Franciskissed our altar during theMass, the significance of what thethree of us had designed reallyhit. I am truly blessed for thisonce-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Papal PreparationGetting ready to host a pope,not to mention 30,000 people,took planning. There weremeetings with the Secret Service,

volunteer coordination andcredentialing, and construction.Parking meters, light poles, andbenches had to be removed. Bannerswere hung. Staging for the outdoorsanctuary and musicians was built.Fencing was erected. McMahonparking lot closed down daysbefore the event to accommodate20 satellite trucks, tents, andequipment. The Edward J. PryzbylaUniversity Center was converted to amedia filing center for hundreds ofjournalists.There were countless to-do lists.

But the most important advancework came in the form of spiritualpreparation. At the start of thesemester, the Office of CampusMinistry launched a series of

events with the theme “Walk with Francis: Joy of the Gospel.” Theevents were tied to the Archdiocese of Washington’s #WalkwithFranciscampaign, which encouraged parishioners to take a pledge to followPope Francis’s example by serving in their communities.CUA sponsored a day of service, which enlisted more than 500

members of the CUA community, who spread out to volunteer in localneighborhoods. Other events included a Pope trivia night, a filmscreening, a theater presentation, Masses offered in Spanish to helpstudents prepare their responses, and lectures and panel discussions.Cut-out footprints lined the Pryzbyla Center allowing students to sharehow they were walking with Francis. The University Orchestra per-formed their papal Mass repertoire for clients at SOME (So Others MightEat), which serves poor and homeless people in Washington, D.C.

Lasting ImpressionsEvents and initiatives honoringPope Francis have continuedthroughout the semester. Amajor conference on Laudato Si’,his encyclical on the environ-ment, was held in late October.The welcome banners are stillup, and people are still sharingtheir stories and lasting im-pressions. It seems everyone hasa story or a special momentfrom Sept. 23. David Antol, the student

volunteer on Monroe Streetwho never saw the Pope or theMass, has this highlight fromthe day: “There was an elderly


¡Viva El

Many alumni returned to campus for the papal Mass. Some received tickets through theirparishes or other means. Many got a ticket through a lottery held by the Office of AlumniRelations.

Kevin Ryan, B.A. 1989, who “walks with Francis” every day as president and CEO of CovenantHouse, was one of them. “I have never been prouder to be a CUA alumnus. The Masscelebrated by Pope Francis on this campus I love was heart-opening, inspiring, and joy-filled.”

Victor David, B.A. 2014, a current master of ceremonies at the Basilica, was asked to fulfill similarduties for the papal Mass. “Being able to play even a small role in making that day go so wellwill always be one of the greatest honors of my life.”

It was a reunion for many alumni who arrived hours before the Mass. Lisa Geis, B.A. 1988, andTracey McCormack, B.A. 1988, were catching up when they realized this would be the firsttime they were attending Mass together since their Baccalaureate Mass. “It’s pretty cool to sharethis experience with old friends,” said Geis.

For some alumni, it was not their first papal experience at CUA.“I transferred to CUA at the moment of three popes in three months: the August passing ofPaul VI, the September installation and passing of John Paul I, and the October election ofJohn Paul II,” said Carmen Nanko-Fernández, B.A. 1980, M.A. 1984, D.Min. 1991,professor of Hispanic theology and ministry at Catholic Theological Union at Chicago. In1979, she entered the student lottery and won a ticket to witness John Paul II’s address tofaculty in higher education.

“In what seems like a lifetime later, in the semester of my promotion to full professor ofHispanic theology and ministry, I entered another lottery, as an alum, and was gifted with therare opportunity to see up close and hear yet another pope at my alma mater.”

Later on the evening of Sept. 23, Nanko-Fernández was walking down North Capitol Street atdusk. “A motorcade approached with its distinctive Fiat 500L. Six strangers, African Americansand Latinas, we started jumping up and down, all inhibition gone, waving at the driver-sidetinted window, excited just to know Francisco was passing by. Suddenly above the roof of thecar from the passenger side a white-sleeved arm emerged and a hand waved in our direction.We had been seen by the Pope! In a flash he was gone, leaving six strangers stunned by a blessingthat made us, in that moment, a community celebrating a touch of the sacred.”

Fall 2015 21

woman sitting on a brick wall. She arrived withno ticket, but she somehow hoped to see thePope. A man came up to me with an extraticket and he told me he wanted me to be theone to give it to her. Her reaction was amazing.She was so happy and so grateful. That mademy day.”Amanda Sheffer’s highlight includes a

papal encounter. After the Mass she was stillstationed on Harewood Road when thePope’s small Fiat left the Basilica and turnedright for an unscheduled visit to the LittleSisters of the Poor. “Since it was a securedzone, there were just the five of us there andhe waved to our small group as he went by. Iam still amazed that after such a long day, hewould have his windows down and acknow-ledge a little group of volunteers. I am veryhumbled by the example he set to see every-one as important.”Later that night, Sheffer cooked dinner for

the students in Reardon House, where she isa faculty-in-residence. The students comparedall the pictures they took, examined socialmedia accounts to see what their friends saw,and reflected on their day, she said. “We keptthe news on and there was a CUA facultymember from the business school, AndreasWidmer, on CNN. The students could seehow important their university is and itsmajor honor in hosting Pope Francis. It wasapparent the day would be something theywould always talk about when they reflectedon their years at CUA,” said Sheffer.Claudia Seckinger, the resident assistant at

Reardon, was there with Sheffer that night.She says weeks after the visit they were stillsharing stories. “The presence of the HolyFather is still affecting each and every personon this campus. The strength in his homilyreminds me to ‘keep moving forward.’ Thispast year has personally been difficult for meand my family. We have faced some obstacles.Pope Francis reminds all of us to have joy inour lives, and keep moving forward.”

Visit popeindc.cua.edu to read more aboutthe papal visit and to view videos.

Papa!

Coming Soon: A Keepsake of the Papal Visit!A commemorative booklet on Pope Francis’s visit to CUA will be mailed to allreaders of CUA Magazine in the new year. It will also be distributed to students,faculty, and staff. It’s full of pages of photos and stories about the Mass, thealtar design, the music, the media coverage, the “Walk with Francis” program,and more. The Holy Father’s full homily in both English and Spanish and anhonor roll of donors who helped make the day possible also will be included.

Alumni Share in the Day


Alumni of the Department of Library andInformation Science have found unique anddiverse careers at the Library of Congress.

AMERICA’S LIBWorking at

Fall 2015 23

Five days a week for the past eight years, Candice Townsend, M.L.I.S.2000, has walked through the majestic halls and by the marble pillars ofthe Library of Congress Jefferson Building — a building some think of asthe most beautiful in all of Washington, D.C. As the head of the library’sReference and Collections Support Section, Townsend has an officelocated only steps from such national treasures as Thomas Jefferson’spersonal library, and the more than 500-year-old Gutenberg Bible.Before she came to the Library of Congress in 2006, Townsend worked

in computer science and at a legal lobbying firm. After earning her master’sdegree in library and information science from Catholic University, shespent several years as a branch manager for D.C. Public Libraries atFrancis A. Gregory Library in Washington, D.C.At the Library of Congress, Townsend and her team handle up to 300

daily requests for interlibrary loans to libraries all over the world. She alsomaintains a private collection exclusively for members of Congress. Shekeeps that collection stocked with travel and language guides, popularreading, and legal and reference books to help them more successfully fill their roles. In one day, she estimates her team will process between100 and 150 requests from Congress.“I understand that the politics and the laws made in this area affect the

entire United States and if I can have a small role in that, that to me isvery exciting,” Townsend said. “As a librarian, I’m just honored to be here.Whenever people ask me about it, I’m so happy. I have my dream job.”Townsend is just one of many graduates from the CUA Department

of Library and Information Science who have gone on to work at theLibrary of Congress. According to John Convey, professor and interimco-chair of the department, approximately 60 graduates from theprogram are now employed in all aspects of the library, from acquisitions,to preservation, to the highest levels of leadership. Alumni from theprogram have also found jobs at the Smithsonian Institution and othergovernment libraries in the area.“This is a good town for librarians and, of course, the Library of

Congress is the center of the library system,” he said. “Libraries now arereally information centers and every agency has an information centerand an archive. All the federal agencies have those, churches have those,the archdiocese, so they need archivists, they need information specialists,and that’s what our program prepares people to do.”

Education for a Changing FieldOccupying three buildings on Capitol Hill, the Library of Congress isthe largest library in the world, welcoming more than 1.6 million peopleper year. The library is home to millions of books and media items as wellas the papers of 23 presidents, including George Washington, and rarebooks dating back to the 15th century. Though the Library of Congress was established in 1800 by President

John Adams, it is by no means stuck in history. In recent years, thelibrary has been working to provide digital resources, including e-booksand podcasts. The library’s website itself is a vast resource, with thousandsof pages of articles, maps, recordings, and art that is accessible to anyonefor no cost. The high-tech changes seen at the Library of Congress are reflective of

changes seen in libraries in general.

BRARYBy Katie Bahr

“Part of the training (for librarians) hasbecome how to use technology to organizeinformation and facilitate retrieval of thatinformation,” Convey said. “A librarian knowswhere things are and they’re a facilitator. Someof them are specialists in different areas likerare books or special collections. We’ll alwaysneed people to do that and they need to havemore and more technical training to keep up.”The students in the Catholic University

program vary widely in age, background, andinterest, Convey said. He sees the number ofalumni who have found jobs at the Library ofCongress as evidence that the departmentattracts high-quality, ambitious students. “They didn’t get there only because they

have a degree in library and informationscience,” he said. “They got there because of their own personal initiatives, their ownpersonal expertise. That’s the kind of studentwe enroll.”

A Diverse Career PathConvey doesn’t give much credence to thestereotypes surrounding librarians. Librariansare not always bookish, he knows. Their livesinvolve much more than shushing people. “I would say the one thing most librarians

share is an interest in organization and an eyefor detail,” he said. “Other than that, theycan’t really be classified.”The diversity of the field can be seen clearly

when talking with senior instructor TimCarlton, M.L.I.S. 1989, who has worked atthe Library of Congress for 38 years.

Growing up, Carlton never would haveanticipated becoming a librarian. When hewas an undergraduate at the University ofWisconsin-Madison, he remembers taking aclass on the history of Southeast Asia that wasfilled with library students. “I thought, ‘Man, these people are nerds,’”

he laughed. “That might have said more aboutme than them.” After moving to D.C. and landing a job

working in the stacks at the Library ofCongress, Carlton eventually moved on tobecome a cataloger and editor. Now, he has a job he loves — providing job-relatedtraining, including lessons on technologiesand cataloging, to Library of Congress staff.He said he now realizes how talented andcritical those supposed “nerds” are.“I like seeing that I’ve taught people

something they didn’t know before,” he said.“I enjoy trying to come up with innovativeways of teaching.” Similar is the story of Mark Sweeney,

M.L.I.S. 1991, who began working at theLibrary of Congress in 1987, soon afterearning his bachelor’s in history and politicalscience from McGill University in Montreal.His first job was in the stacks as a technician. “I thought this would give me time to look

for the ‘real job’ we all look for when we getout of college,” Sweeney said. “I got a practicaleducation about what libraries are really aboutand what the Library of Congress represents.It’s a unique institution with a special cultureand I wanted to be a part of that.”

It wasn’t long before Sweeney decided topursue a career at the Library of Congress.He enrolled in the M.L.I.S. program and got a part-time job working in circulation and loans at the John K. Mullen of DenverMemorial Library. Since graduating, Sweeneyhas worked in a wide variety of areas at theLibrary of Congress, including preservation,the newspaper division, and his current postas head of Library Services. One of his favorite projects over the

years has been working with newspapers. In2002, Sweeney became involved with theUnited States Newspaper Program, a nation-wide project intended to locate, catalog, andpreserve microfilmed newspapers publishedin the United States since the 18th century. “It was a 20-year project and I came in

toward the tail end to help identify 140,000newspapers that had been published in theUnited States,” Sweeney said. “That resultedin the creation of 900,000 holdings recordsnationwide, and more than 70 million pagespreserved on microfilm.“Now we’re applying emerging digital

technology to that by scanning the film,making it accessible online,” Sweeney said.“It’s gratifying to be able to see the thousandsof newspaper titles, with 10 million pages ofnewspapers from around the country, avail-able for free without any restrictions.” Sweeney thinks of the library as “a

storehouse of the world’s knowledge andcreativity.” “What people are going to be able to do

in the future will depend on what we’reacquiring and caring for today,” he said. “It’sabout legacy in that way, and keeping upwith history.”

A Place for PassionSome alumni were drawn to the Library ofCongress as a place where they could pursuetheir individual passions. Angela Kinney,


Alumni who work at the Library of Congress (fromleft) Mark Sweeney, Marybeth Wise, Abby Yochelson,David Mao, Susan Reyburn, Peter Goodman, NicoleMarcou, Adrija Henley, Tim Carlton, and HeatherWiggins are seen in Madison Hall during an Octoberalumni event hosted by the Department of Libraryand Information Science.

Fall 2015 25

M.L.I.S. 1993, who is now the chief ofthe African, Latin American, and WesternEuropean Division, started working at theLibrary of Congress in 1981. She earned herbachelor’s degree in foreign languages fromGeorgetown University. Her first job was inthe library gift shop. “They hired me because of the languages,”

Kinney said. “I could speak Spanish veryfluently and had a good grasp of Italian andFrench. We have lots of visitors from overseas,including dignitaries, and the first or last placethey often visit is the gift shop.” Kinney worked in the gift shop for two

years and learned a lot about the library’scollections and what they had to offer.When her position expired, she found a jobas a cataloging technician and later as acataloger, working with monographs from allover Latin America and Western Europe. Sheheld that job for the next 16 years, expandinginto other languages as she got promoted. Since completing her degree in 1993,

Kinney has continued to rise in the libraryranks. Now she works daily with vendors that purchase materials from Sub-SaharanAfrica, Latin America, and Western Europe.She also works as a liaison with the library’soverseas offices in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, andNairobi, Kenya. “We feel a huge responsibility to ensure

that members of Congress have what theyneed to be able to do their job and that ourother customers — the American community— have the materials necessary to do theirwork and complete their studies,” she said.Since Oct. 1, David Mao, M.L.I.S. 1999,

has served as acting Librarian of Congress.Prior to that, he was second-in-command asthe deputy librarian since January 2015. Hefirst developed an interest in becoming a

librarian while pursuing his law degree atGeorgetown University. While there, heparticipated in a work-study program in thelaw library. After graduating, Mao worked for a few

years practicing law in New Jersey beforelanding a position in the law library ofGeorgetown University in 1996. At the sametime, he began the master’s program at CUA. “I had to quit my job and move back to

Washington in one summer,” Mao said. “Iremember my parents thought I was crazy.” While at CUA, Mao met longtime Library

of Congress staffer Roberta Shaffer, who wasteaching a class. She helped him find a job as legislative librarian for the law firm ofCovington & Burling, where he worked foreight years before coming to the Library ofCongress in 2005.Mao worked for several years in the library’s

Congressional Research Service (CRS), anoffice that provides policy and legal analysis tocommittees and members of both the Houseof Representatives and the U.S. Senate. He was promoted to deputy law librarian in 2010,law librarian in 2012, and deputy librarian inJanuary 2015.As deputy librarian, Mao managed all the

offices at the Library of Congress, includingthe Copyright office, CRS, and the LawLibrary. He also managed events, like theNational Book Festival, and the awarding ofthe Killjoy Prize and the Gershwin Prize —this year, the prize went to Willie Nelson. “One of the things that is interesting about

the Library of Congress is the staff — you haveforeign lawyers in the Law Library, attor-neys from around the world, subject matter

specialists in all fields in our reading room,and scientists who are studying preservation,”he said. “When you think about it, the caliberof people here is amazing.”Kim Caulder, M.L.I.S. 2012, also loves

working at the cultural institution. As acataloging technician in the Literature Section,she catalogs and processes books that areassigned to the library’s general collection. “I find it personally gratifying to get books

on the shelf so patrons can access them,”Caulder said. “It drives me crazy to see bookson backlogs.” She began working at the Library of

Congress in 2002 soon after graduating withher bachelor’s in history from the Universityof Maryland. After spending a few years work-ing at the library, she decided to study at CUAsimply because she wanted to know moreabout the world of libraries. “Getting my master’s was one of the

best decisions I ever made,” Caulder said.“Ultimately, it wasn’t about earningpromotions. I just had this absolute desire to get a degree. I think, because it’s a lot of work, you have to have that desire.” As part of her job, Caulder has access to

the stacks, which are closed to the generalpublic, and looks forward to any opportunityto explore the collections. One of the manybenefits of working at the Library of Congress,according to Caulder, is the opportunity toattend cultural events, concerts, or lectures,which she tries to do whenever possible. “I’ve always been extremely happy and

content with what I do,” she said. “I’m justsurrounded by things that make me happy. Itfeels like home.”

About the ProgramCatholic University’s Department of Library and Information Science, which has beenin existence in various forms since 1939, allows students to earn master’s degrees inseveral areas, including cultural heritage, digital libraries, health sciences, informationarchitecture, law librarianship, organization of information, school library media,and user services. According to Convey, there are approximately 100 students enrolled in the

department. Since many students attend school while also working full time, classesare available in-person, online, and during the weekends. For more information, visit lis.cua.edu.

David Mao, M.L.I.S. 1999, has been serving asacting Librarian of Congress since Oct. 1.

Abby B

rack Lewis


On May 9, 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared thatthe outbreak of the Ebola virus in Liberia was over. Lt. Cristina Ortega, B.B.E. 2008, a member of the U.S. Public

Health Service (USPHS) commissioned corps, recalls hearing thatnews. “It was humbling in every sense of the word.” Ortega was deployed to Liberia for 47 days in February and March

of 2015 as a logistics officer at the Monrovia Medical Unit (MMU), a25-bed field hospital that was the only Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU)in Liberia specifically designed to treat infected health care workersand responders. The deployment of the USPHS was part of the U.S.government’s overall Ebola Response Mission in West Africa. “Our mission was to provide optimized care to local and

international workers who were taking this great risk in such a selflessway. It was reassuring to them that the United States government wasputting its best resources on the ground to take care of those whobecame infected while caring for the sick,” says Ortega. During the peak of the outbreak in August and September of 2014,

Liberia was reporting 300 to 400 new cases every week. Altogetherduring the outbreak in Liberia, 375 health care workers were infectedand 189 lost their lives. “We absolutely made a difference. I heard firsthand from international

health care workers that the reason they came to Liberia was because therewas an ETU specifically for them,” says Ortega. “And it was encouragingto the nationals to know that we were there for them.”The USPHS commissioned corps deployed the first team of 74 officers

in October 2014 to staff the MMU. Ortega served on the third of four overlapping teams. She deployed

for 47 days in country, in addition to seven days of training in Alabama.“The training was intense. We learned about the virus, including allthe safety protocols and how to put on protective equipment to ensurethere would be no breach. Two masks, two sets of gloves, boots withouter coverings. By the time you were done, your colleagues could notrecognize you. It was important to have our names on our suits,” saysOrtega, whose job as a logistics officer responsible for the facility didnot require her to go into the “hot zone” for direct patient care. Still,all officers at the MMU had to be trained. Because of the risks involved in traveling to West Africa during the

outbreak, let alone living in an ETU, the deployment was optional.Ortega admits, “I thought about it for a few minutes. I was cautious.By that time, we had seen cases of American health care workers whohad become infected. So it was real.“But the reason I accepted the deployment came down to the reason

By Ellen N. Woods

Answering the Call in LiberiaA biomedical engineer with the U.S. Public Health Service deployed to Liberia

on a special mission to care for sick health care workers during the Ebola outbreak.

Fall 2015 27

I joined the commissioned corps to begin with — my desire to helpothers. I had to answer the call to serve.”Ortega was resolute in her decision to head to Liberia, but her large

and protective family took some convincing. Her parents and siblingsworried about her safety. “In order to convince them all that I wouldbe safe during the deployment, I had to Skype with them dailywhile I was in Alabama and update them on everything we werelearning to protect ourselves while at the MMU,” says Ortega. “Theywere worried, but also proud.”Ortega deployed with her fiancé, Lt. David Dar, also a logistics

officer with the USPHS. “We were fortunate to both be assigned toteam three,” she says.Their responsibilities included procuring and managing all of the

equipment needed to run the MMU. In addition to medicalequipment, this included everything from shower heads to lights.

“We lived in a camp made up of various large tents where thereonce was nothing. Everything was community driven. I slept in a tentthat had 10 double bunks. We all got up at the same time. Lights wenton at the same time. We went to chow at the same time. For ourprotection, we seldom left the camp grounds. “We were focused on minimizing risk factors. We all adhered to the

very strict protocols that we learned in training. We didn’t even shakehands. We did a lot of elbow bumps,” says Ortega. Following her deployment and a period of isolation, Ortega

returned to her position with the Food and Drug Administration’sCenter for Devices and Radiological Health, where she is responsiblefor the evaluation of medical device importation programs and thedevelopment of new importation policies for all of the medical devicesbeing imported to the U.S., such as heart valves and contact lenses. “Itis very rewarding to have a direct role in ensuring the safety andeffectiveness of products that improve people’s health,” she says. She credits an internship she had at the FDA while an engineering

student at CUA with introducing her to the USPHS. “It was there thatI met officers in the commissioned corps and became interested intheir work. I liked the idea of using my degree to serve public health,”she says. Ortega’s internship led to a postgraduation fellowship and acareer with the FDA and USPHS.Ortega grew up in El Salvador until she was 12. Before she was

born, her family had to flee their home and town because of civil war,starting over in another part of the country. Her oldest siblings cameto the United States in search of a better life through an asylumprocess. Years later, Ortega, with her parents and her younger siblings,joined them. Most members of the family now live in the Washington,D.C., area. “I’ve always known I wanted a career that allowed me to help

people. I thought about being a nurse or medical doctor, but I alsoloved the kind of science and math involved in engineering,” saysOrtega. “It wasn’t until I came to an orientation program at CUA’sSchool of Engineering as a high school student that I learned aboutbiomedical engineering. They showed us the labs and explained theprogram. And that was it. I knew in my heart this was for me.”About her time at CUA, she says, “The access to professors was

amazing. Those relationships made a big difference in my education.My experience was more than I envisioned. I made lifelong friends andgrew in my spiritual life.”She says that positive experience as a student is why she is involved

with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. “I want students toknow about this field at an early age. Especially girls and minorities —they need to experience science and math in an exciting and interactiveway and to know about the available career options,” she says.“I can honestly say I have my dream job. The end result of my

work improves the quality of life for others. As a young student Ididn’t even know this career existed. But now I am right where I wasmeant to be.”

Above: Lt. Ortega during onsite training for decontamination of officers coming outof the hot zone (known as doffing). They each personalized their aprons to add levityto the serious process.

Left: Team three of the Monrovia Medical Unit stands in formation in Liberia. Lt.Ortega is third from right.

Photos:CDR Jialynn Wang


A L U M N I N E W S

Reun

ions

Cardinal Weekend

To all my former students back to campus,welcome back!!! We miss you! #astrocua#CardWknd15 @CUAalumniDuilia DeMello @dudemello

It wouldn't be homecoming if I didn’t losemy voice at Kelly Irish Times #CardWknd15Jacqueline Vesce @j_vesce

A great #CardWknd15 hug exchanged between Mariah Kellyand Kevin Brunelli, both 2015 alumni.

The Class of 1985 at the Black Rooster Pub. Submitted viaFacebook by Kathleen McIlvaine Flood with Michael Radice,Peter Mladinich, Carl Korz, Kathy Lane, Peter Hom, WalterD’Agostino, and more!

Fall 2015 29

Want to see more?Check out the rest of the photos — submitted by classmates and friends —online at www.cuatoday.com, and keep your photos coming on Instagram,Facebook, and Twitter. Don’t forget to post with the tag #CardWknd15! Does your class year end in a “1” or a “6”? If so, your class is celebrating

a reunion next year during Cardinal Weekend 2016, Oct. 14–16. If you areinterested in being a member of the #CardWknd16 reunion committee foryour class, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 800-288-ALUM.

@AustinLipari: 2013 #CUAsweethearts +three kids at #CardWknd15.

I hugged so many people at #CardWknd15but I took no pictures. Whoops. #iWasThereCaitlin Porter @CaitlinPorter4

Is it #CardWknd16 yet? #CUA #HOCO#CardWknd15 #CUAalumniGregory Matz @GregoryDMatz

Katie Lally, Class of 2017, was crowned home-coming princess in time for her mom and dad,Mike and Maria (Moran) Lally, to celebrate their25th reunion with the Class of 1990.

@Laurenscharmer: I mean… I can’t not share thisphoto, too! Seeing yourfriends become exactlywho God created them tobe is such a privilege —I’m especially grateful thatthe surprise engagementweekend lined up with#CardWknd15! Congrats@maryclarespence#CUA2014!

@stephanie.calhoun: A wholemess of CUA 2010 #CUAalumni#CardWknd15 #doitall

@claireaniela: Homecomingsquad #CardWknd15

@megfhcom_rn: Missing these guysalready! #CardWknd15 #cua #hoco

Thanks @CUAalumnifor an amazingreunion weekend.Loved being back!#CardWknd15Kristin Baty Watts@KristinBWatts

Shoutout toname tags#CardWknd15Dan O’Connell@Run_DOC_III

The Class of 1965 celebrates their 50th anniversary at Cardinal Weekend.


From Your NewAlumni PresidentIt is with pride and excitement that I write this letteras I begin my term as CUA Alumni Associationpresident. Before all else, I would like to extend my

gratitude to Father Frank Donio, whose leadership helped the associa-tion thrive over the last two years. I am inheriting the most enthusiasticand engaged alumni governors that a president could ever hope to lead.2015 marks the 120th anniversary of The Catholic University of

America Alumni Association, which was established in October 1895.At the heart of our founding principles was a commitment to commu-nity service and, more than a century later, I believe that spirit of servicelives on today in our current graduates.Indeed, Catholic University graduates are among the very best. We have

90,000 living alumni. Among them are top business owners; travelers into outer space and around the globe; teachers of our nation’s children;doctors, lawyers, and judges; and many more who make a difference inevery field — and still find time to serve their communities.My CUA education has afforded me an incredibly rewarding career

in social work, beyond what I ever expected. I am thrilled to give backto the institution that started my journey. As I look forward to mytenure as your president, I am inspired by the CUA graduates whocommit tens of thousands of hours of annual service. My goal over thenext two years is to ensure that our Alumni Association continues tooffer our time and talents — in new and creative ways — to our com-munities, parishes, and alma mater.In order to achieve this, I want to hear from you. Send your ideas

on how we can make our Alumni Association a stronger, more service-oriented organization. Email me any time at [email protected] you again for allowing me the opportunity to serve as your

president. I am excited about the next two years!

Carrie Grundmayer, B.A. 1996President, CUA Alumni Association

Save the Date for Alumni Christmas Parties •Wednesday, Dec. 2: Chicago• Thursday, Dec. 3: Pittsburgh•Wednesday, Dec. 9: Philadelphia• Thursday, Dec. 10: Boston• Tuesday, Dec. 15:Washington, D.C.•Wednesday, Dec. 16: New York City

To register, visit www.cuatoday.com or call 800-288-ALUM.

Alumni Travel Club Save the dates to see the sights with the Alumni Travel Club. For detailsand to register, visit www.cuatoday.com/AlumniTravel.

May 24–June 1, 2016 July 3–10, 2016 Exclusive CUA Tour of Provence Glacier Splendors of Alaska Cruise $3,295 (limited to 36 travelers)* $2,915** Airfare not included in pricing. Trip itineraries subject to change. Tours include an element of walking.

What other destinations would you like to explore? Let us know byemailing [email protected].

GoldenCARDINALS

2016 Hall of Fame InducteesCatholic University will recognize five alumni for their out-

standing athletic achievements at the Athletics Hall ofFame Inductions on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016, at

11:30 a.m. The Athletics Hall of Fame com-mittee, comprising alumni and athletics staff,completed its review of nominees in June2015 and selected the following alumniathletes for induction. For information on

attending, visit www.cuatoday.com or call800-288-ALUM.

JEFFERY CLAY JR., B.A. 1998, FootballJeff Clay fashioned one of the finest seasons ever for an NCAA receiverin 1997 when he led the nation in receptions (112), yards (1,625), andtouchdowns (20). In a 61-21 victory over Division 1-AA La Salle, hecaught 17 passes for 310 yards and four touchdowns. A unanimousfirst-team All-American that year and runner-up for the MelbergerAward, the Division III equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, Clay wasalso recognized with CUA quarterback Kevin Ricca as co-independentplayers of the year by the Pigskin Club of Washington. Clay also wasnamed to the Associated Press Little All-America first team. His 112receptions and 20 touchdowns that season remain atop the CUArecord book. He caught a school-best 269 passes to rank number onein program history. His receiving touchdown total (44) is also tops,and his 4,101 yards ranks second. Clay’s 15.2-yard average per recep-tion ranks sixth. His 266 points is third.

JOHN B. DOUGLAS, B.A. 1995, M.A. 1997,Baseball and BasketballJohn Douglas was a four-year starting shortstop (1992–1995) for theCardinals and three-time All-Capital Athletic Conference selection(second team 1993 and first team in 1994–1995). He was a career .348hitter with 13 home runs, five triples, 32 doubles, 58 stolen bases, 90RBIs, and 129 runs. In 139 career games, he struck out just 52 times(vs. 85 walks). In 1994, he batted a career-high .395 with four homers,24 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases. The Toronto Blue Jays selected Douglasin the 31st round of the 1995 Major League draft. He was assigned toToronto’s rookie affiliate in Dunedin, Fla., the Gulf Coast Blue Jays,where he played third base, shortstop, and second base.Douglas was also a four-year starter in basketball, primarily at

small forward. He was a three-time basketball All-American for theCardinals, scoring 30 or more points seven times. He is the sixth all-time leading scorer (1,774 points) in school history. Named CUASenior Athlete of the Year in 1995–1996, he was the first person inschool history to play on two NCAA Tournament teams.

ANTHONY (TONY) GALLIS, B.A. 1986, FootballTony Gallis was a three-year starting quarterback who was named first-team All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference in 1983. He led CUA tothree victories over Georgetown, its biggest rival at the time. When

Gallis finished his career, he was number one in the Cardinal recordbook in career completions (361), yards (5,138), and touchdowns (40).His number would have been better had he not missed the final 10games of his senior year. In 1984, Gallis succeeded on 53.7% of his passes to become the first Cardinal at the Division III level to completemore than half of his pass attempts. His career-high 17 touchdownsstood as a school record until Kevin Ricca tied it in 1994 and broke ittwo years later. Gallis’s career ended in the 1985 season opener againstDickinson — the first game at DuFour Field — when he suffered a kneeinjury. Prior to his second-quarter injury, he and his brother Ed connect-ed for their final touchdown together. CUA won the game, 29-26.

CRISTINE (WATERHOUSE) KOSNIK, B.B.E. 1995,Volleyball and BasketballCristine (Waterhouse) Kosnik was named 1995 NCAA Woman ofthe Year for all divisions in Washington, D.C. Kosnik’s play in 1994 led the Cardinals to their first Capital Athletic Conference (CAC)championship in volleyball. Kosnik, a three-time first-team All-CAChonoree from Melbourne, Fla., had one of the best seasons in leaguehistory in 1994. She set the CAC season record for aces per game(1.17) and total attacks (1,807). She also established the conferencestandard for most attacks in a match when she recorded 90 againstGoucher on Oct. 5. 1994. She and Bridget Guetle were named tothe CAC Silver Anniversary Volleyball Team, and both players hadtheir numbers retired. Kosnik, who also played three years on thewomen’s basketball team, received the highest honor for a CUA femalestudent-athlete when she was presented the 1995 Donley Cup.

BRENT RAUE, B.S. 1996, SwimmingBrent Raue is one of just two men in Catholic University swimminghistory to qualify for three consecutive NCAA championships (1994–1996). In 1995, he turned in a record-setting performance to earn All-American honors. Raue was a three-time first-team All-CapitalAthletic Conference performer in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle, andhelped CUA win the 1994 and 1995 CAC championships. Includingthe 100 butterfly (1993) and 200 free (1995), he earned eight first-team All-CAC awards. The league named Raue 1995 men’s Swimmerof the Year. In 2014, he was one of six Cardinals recognized on theCAC Silver Anniversary Men’s Swimming Team. Raue placed 13th in the 100 free at the 1995 NCAA Division III

Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships in Oxford, Ohio, tobecome an All-American. His time of 46.54 seconds is a CUA record.He held the school mark in the 50 free (21.24) from 1996 until 2014.Raue was also part of the Cardinals’ 1996 record-setting 400 medleyrelay team. His school-best time in the 100 fly (51.95) has stood since 1993. Raue and two-time national champion Keats Baugher(1965–1967) are the only two CUA swimmers to qualify for threestraight NCAA championships, and Raue is the only one to do it atthe Division III level.

— Chris McManes To read longer versions of these bios, visit cuamagazine.cua.edu.

Fall 2015 31


Class Notes1959Michael J. Ryan, B.A. 1959 (A&S), iscelebrating 50 years as founder ofClemsonville Christmas Tree Farm in UnionBridge, Md., a 250-acre family-operated farmthat has been listed in the Guinness Book ofRecords for the world’s largest wreath. Hisson, Michael Ryan Jr., is a 1991 graduate ofthe Columbus School of Law.

1966M. Louise Fitzpatrick, B.S.N. 1966(NURS), the Connelly Endowed Dean andprofessor at Villanova University’s College ofNursing, received the degree of Doctor ofHumane Letters, honoris causa, at theuniversity’s commencement ceremony inMay. During her tenure, the College ofNursing has been recognized by the NationalLeague for Nursing as a Center of Excellencein Nursing Education.

Brian Larkin, B.A. 1966 (A&S), ofProvidence, R.I., appeared in the recentHBO documentary film Packed in a Trunk:The Lost Art of Edith Lake Wilkinson.

1967WilliamH. Clendenen Jr., J.D. 1967 (LAW),of Madison, Conn., is the 92nd president ofthe Connecticut Bar Association. A memberof Clendenen & Shea LLC in New Haven,he has been a lawyer for more than 40 years,arguing numerous appeals in theConnecticut Appellate and Supreme Courtsand in the United States Court of Appeals forthe Second Circuit. He is a special master forthe U.S. District Court in Connecticut, anattorney trial referee in the Connecticut

Superior Court, and has served as townattorney in Madison and Branford.

1970Vice Adm. Paul G. Gaffney II, USN,M.S.E. 1969 (ENGR), was recognized withthe 2015 Ocean Conservation Award atthe Blue Whale Gala, hosted by theAquarium of the Pacific. Gaffney, currentchair of the National Oceanic and AtmosphericAssociation’s Ocean Exploration AdvisoryBoard and former president of MonmouthUniversity, was appointed by the U.S.president to the United States Commissionon Ocean Policy in 2001, and became chairof the Ocean Research Advisory Councilin 2009.

Reginald ‘Buzz’ Stapczynski, B.A. 1970(A&S), retired as the town manager ofAndover, Mass., where he worked for 25 years.In his more than 40-year career he also servedFairfax County, Va., and the Commonwealthof Massachusetts, Wilmington, Mass. He joinshis wife, Sandy, in her consulting practice,Human Resources Services, Inc., the onlywoman-owned municipal consulting practicein Massachusetts. They are the parents of twosons, Steve and Niko. He is also councilpresident of Sts. Constantine and Helen GreekOrthodox Church.

1973Sister Marie Michael Hayden, O.S.U., M.A.1973 (A&S), of Maple Mount, Ky., celebrated60 years as an Ursuline Sister. Now retired,living at the Motherhouse, and active in thePowerhouse of Prayer, she has served as directorof religious education for the Diocese ofOwensboro, Ky., and as assistant director ofreligious education for the Diocese of Lincoln,

Neb.; taught in the Archdiocese of Louisville;and served in pastoral ministry and religiouseducation in Kentucky and Missouri.

Patrick Quinn, B.A. 1973, B.A. 1981 (A&S),of Williamstown, Mass., was elected presidentof the board of governors for the WilliamsCollege Faculty Club this spring. He presenteda series of clinical workshops at schools of socialwork in China and Hong Kong in the fall.

1974Michael L. Camarano, B.A. 1974 (A&S), hasbeen a cartographer at the AmericanAutomobile Association for 41 years. His mainachievements have been the design of the AAANorth American Road Atlas (1984), the ‘Howto Read a Map’ grade school teaching aid kit(1992), and the AAA Easy Read Road Atlas(2005). He was featured in a Wall Street Journalarticle on July 28 regarding AAA TripTiks. Helives in Winter Springs, Fla., with his wife of36 years, Lorraine. His three grown childrenalso live in Florida. His first grandchild,Michael J. Camarano, was born on March 7.

1976Thomas P. Di Chiara, M.Arch. 1976(ARCH), of Bedminster, N.J., was approved bythe New Jersey State Senate as a member of theNew Jersey State Board of ProfessionalPlanners, which oversees the conduct, licensing,and professional development of professionalplanners in the state of New Jersey. He also isdirector of environmental and planning servicesat Arora and Associates, PC, one of the state’sleading design engineering firms.

Sister Catherine Marie Lauterwasser,M.M. 1976 (MUSIC), of Maple Mount,Ky., celebrated 60 years as an Ursuline Sister.

Fall 2015 33

Now retired and living at the Motherhouse,where she has been treasurer since 2008, sheserved at Mount Saint Joseph Academy,Maple Mount, as music teacher and principal.She taught music in several other Kentucky,Nebraska, and Missouri schools.

Rev. Gary N. McCloskey, O.S.A., M.A.1976 (THEO), of Villanova, Pa., has beenappointed executive director of the Federationof Augustinians of North America, responsiblefor the collaborative initiatives among theNorth American Provinces of the Order ofSaint Augustine in their efforts to extend theexpressions of the Augustinian charism.

1977Keith Ann Stiverson, M.S.L.S. 1977 (LIS),director of the law library and senior lecturer atIIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, is presidentof the American Association of Law Libraries(AALL). She began her one-year term aspresident in July at the organization’s annualmeeting in Philadelphia. An active AALLmember throughout her career, she is especiallyinvolved in the association’s efforts to ensurepermanent public access to legal materials.

1981Barbara Coons, M.S.L.S. 1981 (LIS), ofAlexandria, Va., received Georgetown’sOutstanding Master’s in Professional StudiesFaculty Award. She is senior vice presidentof Edelman Berland’s Washington, D.C.,office and an adjunct faculty member atGeorgetown University.

1982Patricia Randell, M.F.A. 1982 (A&S), ofNew York, N.Y., received the Award of Merit,Best Supporting Actress for her work inwriter/director Paul Kelly’s short film LastWords, which screened at the Chain NYCFilm Festival this summer. She guest stars inEpisode 3 of the web series Happy HourFeminism, which is playing at eight festivals

Moving to a Larger Stage

Karen Berman, M.F.A. 1993, hasspent her entire career amongactors, stage designers, directors,playwrights, and producers; the listincludes Tony Award and PulitzerPrize winners. Now, she has anopportunity to help advanceAmerican theatre on all frontsthanks to being voted by her peersas dean-elect of The College ofFellows of the American Theatre,one of the highest honors within thenation’s theatre community. (FatherGilbert Hartke, founder of CUA’sDepartment of Speech and Drama,was also a fellow). “I’ve already helped to create a new

Advocacy and Profile Committee toraise funds for emerging [theatre]

scholars,” says Berman of her plans for the job. “This past year we also funded an awardfor an emerging actor in the name of actress and former chairman of the NationalEndowment for the Arts Jane Alexander that was presented by Jane herself.”Berman, who holds a doctoral degree, has served since 2008 as chair and artistic

director for the Georgia College Department of Theatre and Dance, a move thatcame after a long career in the D.C. theatre scene. Her first postgraduate positionwas artistic advisor to student theatre groups and adjunct faculty member atGeorgetown University. Over 15 years there, Berman branched out, starting her owntheatre company to honor new women playwrights and developing a passion forteaching the role of theatre as a tool for social change. Berman urges at-risk students to participate in the staging of scenes as a way to

arrive at solutions to societal problems. “As a result of these theatre techniques,at-risk students became empowered to think critically and to create their ownsolutions to community issues. It is extremely rewarding work to see a theatre stage,both literally and symbolically, serve to create social change,” she says. Berman has worked in issue-based community theatre before, at Ballou High School

in D.C. It continues today in Georgia. “The human condition is much the samewherever you go all over the world, giving theatre a common language,” she notes. For those called to a career in live theatre, Berman says a CUA degree remains an

excellent choice. “I received an outstanding education at Catholic University that hasgreatly assisted my career as a director, teacher, and administrator. CUA has alwayshad some of the best professors in the country. Also, the theatre scene in D.C. upongraduation is one of the most vibrant in the country. So, CUA is a great point ofentry into a career in D.C.” — T.H.


nationally and internationally and has beennominated for several awards. Randell alsocan be seen on an upcoming episode of theDebra Messing NBC series Mysteries OfLaura in the fall.

Thomas J. Van Lierde, B.A. 1982 (A&S),has joined Cardinal Bank as senior vicepresident, real estate lending. He will haveresponsibility for managing and growingrelationships with builders, developers, andreal estate investors, while actively seekingopportunities to expand Cardinal’s businesslines as part of its integrated market teams.

1983Magda El-Sherbini, M.S.L.S. 1983 (LIS),head of collection description and access atOhio State University, received the Associationfor Collections and Technical ServicesMargaret Mann Citation, an award forprofessional achievement in cataloging orclassification. The Online Community LibraryCenter donated a $1,000 scholarship on herbehalf to Catholic University’s library andinformation science program.

1984Richard Diefenbach, B.A. 1984 (A&S),earned a master of arts in teaching degreefrom the University of Southern California in2012, and started a full-time, tenure-trackposition this fall at the School of the HolyChild in Rye, N.Y., teaching AP UnitedStates history and European history. He andhis wife, Laura, live in Chappaqua, N.Y.,with their 11-year-old son.

1985Donna K. Bausch, M.S.L.S. 1985 (LIS),law librarian at the Norfolk Law Library inNorfolk, Va., received the AmericanAssociation of Law Libraries’ 2015 VolunteerService Award and was recognized at AALL’sannual meeting and conference held in Julyin Philadelphia.

A Pitch Perfect Ear for Inspiring Children’s Stories

Jeanne Pettenati, M.A. 1993, did notset out to become a successful author ofchildren’s books. But like the subjects shehas chosen to write about, her talentswere revealed over time and have steeredher life in new directions.The Bethesda, Md., resident’s second

book, Arturo Takes a Bow, introduces thelife of Italian composer Arturo Toscanini(1867–1957) to children ages 6–12 whoknow nothing of a man widely considereda 20th-century musical genius, renownedfor his perfectionism and orchestraldetail, as well as for his photographicmemory. Pettenati’s 17-year-old son, aformer cellist, is the model for the youngArturo on the book’s cover.

“He was a young boy, born on the wrong side of the tracks, who used his energy,talent, drive, and passion to be the best he could be,” says Pettenati. “I thinkToscanini's story is inspiring to young children, and when I visit schools, I alwayspoint out that they have things in common with these great subjects.”Earning her master’s degree in Italian literature from CUA had already whetted

Pettenati’s appreciation for Italy’s gifts to world culture and knowledge. When hertwo children were small, she worked as a children’s book reviewer and was an activemember of a local book club. One book the group read, Galileo’s Daughter, inspiredPettenati to write her own account of the great astronomer’s life, a home-producedeffort originally intended only for her kid’s eyes Her unique approach, telling the story of Galileo’s life as a first-person account in

a journal format, attracted the attention of a children’s book publisher, CharlesbridgePublishing, which found an Italian illustrator for Pettenati’s work and printed it toterrific reviews. That book’s success, buttressed by Pettenati’s visits to schools and libraries offering

an interactive presentation about her subject’s life, prompted her to focus next onToscanini, who although he never had music lessons, could replicate a song on thepiano after hearing it once or twice.Recognized early on as extraordinarily gifted, young Toscanini overcame his

hardscrabble past to make his debut conducting the opera Aida in Rio de Janeiro atage 19. “I love to tell children that someday, I might be reading articles about theirscientific discoveries or attending their musical performances,” Pettenati explains. Currently a lecturer at Live and Learn Bethesda, Pettenati has a third volume on deck.

“I am writing a book about female astronomers in the late 19th century. The text isalmost completed, and I am hoping that a publisher will be interested in my story!”

— T.H.

Fall 2015 35

1986Philip Cefaratti, B.A. 1986 (A&S), isrunning for city council in Alexandria, Va. Heis an independent business owner/operatoras the principal broker of Potomac River,Realtors serving Virginia, Maryland, and theDistrict of Columbia.

1988Joseph (Jay) F. Kline, M.F.A. 1988 (A&S),has been named president of Watkins Collegeof Art, Design and Film. He was the formerdean of fine arts at Eastern New MexicoUniversity. He brings nearly 20 years of highereducation administrative experience to hisrole at Watkins, with expertise in studentrecruitment, interdisciplinary programming,fund-raising, and strategic partnerships.

Shelly R. Pagac, J.D. 1988 (LAW), apartner in the Pittsburgh office of PietragalloGordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP,was named one of the Top 50 Lawyers inPittsburgh by the Pennsylvania Super Lawyer®

and one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers inPennsylvania.

1989Kevin Ryan, B.A. 1989 (A&S), wasappointed a member of the President’sAdvisory Council on Faith-Based andNeighborhood Partnerships. Ryan is CEO andpresident of Covenant House International.

1990George T. Dermody, M.Div. 1990 (THEO),has been named president and CEO of TheChildren’s Home in Binghamton, N.Y., a not-for-profit organization offering programs inresidential, educational, preventive, andtherapeutic care to help 400 children and theirfamilies. Dermody recently served as the vicepresident of Mission Programs for GoodwillIndustries of NEPA and regional executive

director for NHS Human Services inPennsylvania. He has worked providingassistance to at-risk youth and their families formore than 30 years.

Bernadette McNary-Zak, M.A. 1990(THEO), associate professor of religiousstudies at Rhodes College, Memphis, Tenn.,was presented the 2015 Jameson M. JonesAward for Outstanding Faculty Service at thecollege’s opening convocation in August.McNary-Zak joined the Department ofReligious Studies at Rhodes in 1999 and hasserved as chair of the Faculty ProfessionalInterest Committee, interim director ofRhodes’ Search Program, and faculty secretary.

Sven Schumacher, M.S.W. 1990 (SOCSV),of Indianapolis, was awarded the Cross of theOrder of Merit of the Federal Republic ofGermany at the consulate general in Chicagofor his long and spirited involvement in theGerman-American community and dedicationto fostering ties between Germany and theUnited States. Since 1998 Schumacher hasserved as executive director of Lutheran Childand Family Services, founded by Germanimmigrants to Indianapolis in 1883. He beganserving as honorary consul in 2008 andreceived dual American citizenship in 2012.

1992Melissa E. Darigan, J.D. 1992 (LAW), hasbeen named president of the Rhode Island BarAssociation. She is a partner in the business lawand litigation firm Partridge Snow & HahnLLP and co-chair of the firm’s litigationpractice group. A mentor in the firm, she co-founded and co-chairs the firm’s WomenAdVocates for Enterprise (WAVE) initiative tohelp women in business advance professionally.

William L. Morrow, B.Arch. 1992(ARCH), has joined Empower Energies,Inc., of Frederick, Md., as vice president,business development. He leads the company’scommercial and industrial businessdevelopment activities for the organization’sintegrated renewable energy offer.

Lt. Col. Thomas Repetti Sr., B.S.Arch.1992 (ARCH), of Lutz, Fla., retired in Julyafter serving 23 years in the Marine Corps. Forthe last 14 years Repetti has traveled to morethan half of 27 U.S. Central Command’scountries. He participated in the planning andexecution of the invasion of Iraq in 2002–2003and was instrumental in the stand-up andbase improvements for CJTF-Horn of Africain Djibouti. Deployed with the 2nd MarineExpeditionary Force in 2009 to Al AnbarProvince, Iraq, he also assisted in Afghanistan.

1993Celine Saulnier, B.A. 1993 (A&S), waspromoted to associate professor at EmoryUniversity School of Medicine, Departmentof Pediatrics. She is director of researchoperations at the Marcus Autism Center andlives with her family in Decatur, Ga.

1994Sharon Davis Gratto, D.M.A. 1994(MUSIC), professor and chair in theDepartment of Music at the University ofDayton in Ohio, received the College of Artsand Science’s Outstanding Faculty ServiceAward for her extensive work and volunteerservice in her field of choral music educationand multicultural music. She is a foundingtrustee of the newly organized DaytonPerforming Arts Alliance and a board memberof the Dayton Contemporary DanceCompany, one of only five African-Americandance companies in the United States.

Donald J. Mueller, B.A. 1994 (A&S), hasbeen named CEO of Children’s Hospital atErlanger in Chattanooga, Tenn. He comes toErlanger from Children’s Healthcare ofAtlanta, where he served as vice president ofoperations and head of the Marcus AutismCenter. Over the past 15 years, Mueller has provided strategic direction for thehuman, fiscal, and capital resources for bothclinical and nonclinical areas of Children’sHealthcare of Atlanta. He will take on asimilar building effort in Chattanooga.

1995Jose M. Serra, B.C.E. 1995 (ENGR), ofBethesda, Md., a certified aviation manager(CAM), is the recipient of a CAM scholarshipfrom the National Business AviationAssociation. The annual scholarships promoteprofessional development in business aviationby providing financial support for qualifiedCAM exam candidates. Serra is a captain withNII Holdings, Inc., and has top ratings inseveral aircraft, including the Falcon 7X,Global Express, and Boeing 737.

Heidi Zeich, B.A. 1995 (A&S), accepted anew position as the associate dean of students atCUA. For the past 10 years she has served as thedirector of housing services at the University.

1996Most Rev. James V. Johnston Jr., J.C.L.1996 (THEO), bishop of Springfield-CapeGirardeau since 2008, has been named bishopof Kansas City-St. Joseph by Pope Francis.

Kimberly Burke Sweetman, M.S.L.S. 1996(LIS), presented “Failure, Fear and Freedom:Unlocking Your Potential by Making Peacewith Failure,” one of the keynote addresses atthe 2015 MOBIUS conference in Columbia,Mo. MOBIUS is a Missouri not-for-profitcorporation and consortium with more than70 member libraries.

1997Michael Bergmann, B.A. 1997 (A&S),executive director of the Public Interest LawInitiative in Chicago, was named chair of theAmerican Bar Association Judicial Division.He is the first public interest attorney to holdthis position and only the third non-judge todo so in the division’s history.

Richard G. Poulson, J.D. 1997 (LAW), ofPhiladelphia, has been named a Best Lawyerin the 2016 edition of The Best Lawyers inAmerica®. Poulson, a partner with Willig,

Williams & Davidson, was recognized forhis work in the practice areas of employmentlaw — individuals, labor law — union, laborand employment litigation; and employeebenefits (ERISA) law.

Jenn Waters, B.A. 1997 (A&S), ofCambridge, Mass., was selected for the 5thannual Connect Magazine 40 Under 40, whichhighlights the talents and accomplishments ofsome of the meeting industry’s top youngprofessionals. For the past 14 years Waters hasbeen assistant publisher and digital mediamanager of CustomNEWS, Inc., a Bethesda-based conference newspaper publisher.

1999Matt Baehr, B.A. 1999 (A&S), DirectMarketing Association’s vice president ofmembership, has been recognized byAssociation Forum of Chicagoland andUSAE as a Forty Under 40 Award Recipient.The Forty Under 40 Awards recognizes 40up-and-coming association or nonprofitprofessionals who demonstrate high potentialfor success in leadership roles and exhibit astrong commitment to the associationmanagement profession.

2002Val Holley, M.S.L.S. 2002 (LIS), ofWashington, D.C., won the 2014 Utah BookAward for nonfiction for 25th StreetConfidential: Drama, Decadence, andDissipation along Ogden’s Rowdiest Road,(University of Utah Press, October 2013). Heis now writing a biography of Frank J. Cannon,a U.S. senator of the late 19th century, to bepublished by the University of Utah Press.

2003Patricia Cathleen McMullen, Ph.D. 2003(NURS), dean of CUA’s School of Nursing,was recognized as a 2015 fellow of theAmerican Academy of Nursing. The membersof the academy are nursing’s most accomplished

leaders in education, management, practice,and research, recognized for their extraordinarycontributions to nursing and health care.

Heather Rories, M.S.L.S. 2003 (LIS), ofBurke, Va., is a research librarian for CadenceGroup, working in the U.S. Department ofJustice Main Library after an 11-year careerin law firms.

2005Louis Abramovitz, M.S.L.S. 2005 (LIS), ofHerndon, Va., has joined the communicationscommittee of the Legal Marketing Association’sCapital Chapter. He recently contributed anarticle titled “The Latest Technology forCompetitive Intelligence Research” to thegroup’s online newsletter.

Sarah Elizabeth Insley, B.A. 2005 (A&S),is the new dean of Branford College of YaleUniversity. She has been employed at bothHarvard and Brown, where she has workedin academic administration and in graduateand undergraduate teaching.

2006Nicholas J. Bell, B.A. 2006 (A&S), wasnamed a Rising Star by Super Lawyers. He isan associate and member of Meyer,Unkovic & Scott’s Litigation and DisputeResolution Group. He represents clients incommercial and business disputes in stateand federal courts. He lives in the SquirrelHill area of Pittsburgh.

Richard Groves, M.S.L.S. 2006 (LIS), waselected president of the Tennessee LibraryAssociation. In July he began serving as vicepresident/president-elect and will becomepresident in July of 2016.

2007Mark Brzozowski, M.S.L.S. 2007 (LIS),served as a co-instructor for the CUA LISFederal Libraries Institute in June and has


Fall 2015 37

been helping with the Federal LibraryResources Institutes since 2007. He alsoassisted with the LIS Art and MuseumLibrarianship course this summer and onfour previous occasions. He is a member ofthe CUA Alumni Association Board ofGovernors, having served twice on itsAlumni Achievement Awards Committee.He is also a director on the CUA LIS AlumniBoard. Brzozowski runs a library at theEpiscopal Center for Children, a daytreatment facility for emotionally troubledchildren in northwest D.C.

Alison Shea, J.D./M.S.L.S. 2007 (LAW/LIS),has been awarded, with her co-editor RalphGaebler, the Thomas H. Reynolds andArturo A. Flores FCIL-SIS PublicationsAward by the American Association of LawLibraries (AALL) Foreign Comparative andInternational Law Special Interest Section.The award was for a book she co-edited,Sources of State Practice in International Law(Brill, 2014). She was also elected 2015–2016 vice chair/chair-elect of AALL’s ForeignComparative and International Law SpecialInterest Section. Shea is a reference librarianand foreign and international law specialist atFordham University School of Law.

2008Ray Gennawey, B.A. 2008 (A&S), was swornin as deputy district attorney for OrangeCounty, Calif. After graduating from CUA, hespent three years working in the U.S. House ofRepresentatives before moving back to hishometown of Laguna Niguel and earning a lawdegree from Chapman University in 2014.

2011Sebastian Carnazzo, Ph.D. 2011 (THEO), isteaching sacred scripture and biblical languagesat St. Patrick’s Seminary and University underthe auspices of the Diocese of San Francisco inMenlo Park, Calif. In August, he was ordaineda deacon for the Diocese of Newton Melkite-Greek Catholic Church.

A Lifetime of“Travel, Ideas, and Experiences”

When Ruth Owens Brantley Gordon,B.S.N. 1954, entered Catholic Universityin 1952 to earn a nursing degree, thelong, convulsive civil rights struggle todesegregate American education still layin the future. As one of just two African-American students in her graduatingclass, Gordon could have had a quitedifferent experience in the pursuit of herdegree than the one she did.Reflecting back 60 years later at the

age of 85, Gordon remains grateful thatshe enrolled at Catholic University. TheWashington, D.C., native says she wasnever treated differently on campus norfelt a moment’s alienation from her

classmates. “I was welcomed. I felt like I’d been there all my life,” says Gordon. “Allmy experiences were good.”The tone was set from day one, when, as she navigated her way across an

unfamiliar campus, a man wearing a cleric’s collar slowed down on the sidewalkahead to allow her to catch up. It turned out to be Bishop Patrick J. McCormick, theseventh rector of CUA. “He waited for me and we chatted,” Gordon recalls.Gordon was able to finish her nursing degree in two years and had limited time

to socialize after class. Yet some memories remain deeply imprinted six decadesremoved: the blazing yellow of campus trees, and the bright red cardinals thatfluttered seemingly everywhere.Gordon worked as a public health nurse in the District of Columbia and did private

duty nursing at several local hospitals. She was on the staff at D.C. General Hospital.Around the time her children were born, she switched gears, earning a master’s

degree in social work from Howard University in 1968 and adopting it as her full-time career. Later, near age 60, Gordon also completed her coursework in a doctoralstudies program at Howard University.Her respect for education was communicated to her four children, for whom she

set a high bar for education and the pursuit of excellence in their careers and in life.“She and my dad provided a wonderful life for us. Her watchword was ‘exposure to’travel, ideas, and experiences,” says her son, John.Today, Gordon maintains an active life in a retirement community in Silver

Spring, Md. She travels as frequently as possible and has logged trips to Paris, Egypt,and Africa, including a Kenyan safari.With a body that tires but a mind still razor sharp, Gordon remains firmly

engaged with life. For her, starting on the right track at CUA so many years agomade a tremendous difference.“I wanted a good education for myself and my children. I achieved both.” — T.H.


2012Christopher Mannino, M.A. 2012 (A&S),along with CUA’s Writing Center, offered acreative writing workshop at the MonroeStreet Market Barnes & Noble in September.Mannino teaches high school theatre inGreenbelt, Md., and has written two youngadult fantasy books, School of Deaths (TheScythe Wielder’s Secret) and Sword of Deaths(The Scythe Wielder’s Secret Book 2)(MuseItUp Publishing, 2015).

Molly Milgrom, M.S.W. 2012 (SOCSV),announces the opening of her privatepsychotherapy practice in the Dupont Circleneighborhood of Washington, D.C. She workswith adults, ages 19 and older, specializing incollege and graduate students, youngprofessionals, career-changers, expatriates, andadult third-culture kids. She is bilingual andoffers sessions in both Spanish and English.

2013Marcus Ladd, M.S.L.I.S. 2013 (LIS), worksat the Special Collections, Miami UniversityLibrary in Ohio. He recently wrote “Access andUse in the Digital Age: A Case Study of aDigital Postcard Collection,” published inNew Review of Academic Librarianship.

2015Rev. Jason Asselin, J.C.L. 2015 (CLAW),was installed as the new pastor of St. Helena’s,Ellendale, N.D., and St. Patrick’s, Fullerton,N.D.

WeddingsFlora Wallace, B.A. 2006 (A&S), marriedJacob Smith on April 18. Flora works as anassistant video editor for Half YardProductions in Bethesda, Md., and Jacobworks in data sales in Washington, D.C. Thecouple lives in Arlington, Va.

Katie Lowder, B.A. 2014 (A&S), marriedGene Maruca, B.E.E 2014 (ENGR), onMay 2. Katie works for Aerotek in theGovernment Center of Excellence and Geneworks for Santee Cooper as an electricalengineer. They live in Charleston, S.C.

ArrivalsJohn Coffey, B.A. 1990 (A&S), J.D. 1995(LAW), and Christopher Cirillo announce theadoption of Henry Michael Cirillo-Coffeyborn February 26, 2015. Henry was baptizedon June 13, 2015, by Father AnthonyAndreassi, B.A. 1990, at the Oratory Churchof St. Boniface in Brooklyn, New York.

Marianne (Nardone) Telenko, B.A. 1991(A&S), and Allan welcomed their first child,daughter Anna Michaela, on May 22. Thefamily lives in Hingham, Mass.

Lauren Kitzhoffer Mullen, B.S. 2003(A&S), and Greg welcomed their son, GavinJohn, on June 4, 2014. He joins sister Zoe attheir home in Medford, N.J.

Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ (Vincent) Frein, M.S.W.2011 (SOCSV), and Josef Frein, B.A.I.S.2012 (PS), announce the birth of their twinsons, Henry and Paul, on June 18. Thefamily lives in New Orleans. Lizzie is a fostercare social worker and Joe is an assistantproject manager for a large construction firm.

BooksRaymond H. Murphy, B.A. 1965 (A&S),of St. Petersburg, Fla., a retired Air Forceofficer, is co-author with Paul Farrimond ofThe Jamaican Encyclopedia of Philately,Volume IX, Military Mails, Censored Mail,and Patriotic Covers (The British West IndiesStudy Circle, July 2015). It covers the mail of

the major and minor wars the Caribbeanisland engaged in as a British colony.

Thomas T. Bellino, M.A. 1967, Ph.D. 1969,M.A. 1982 (A&S), of Hobart, Ind., brings hisexperience as a pediatric neuropsychologist andU.S. Navy psychologist during the VietnamWar to his debut novel, Bac Si: A Novel(Outskirts Press, Inc., March 2015). Bac Si isVietnamese for ‘doctor.’ The story is set inVietnam, Milwaukee, and Washington, D.C.

Gonzalo T. Palacios, Ph.D. 1970 (PHIL), ofKensington, Md., published his fifth book,Ama Y Haz Lo Que Quieras, O El Amor TeLibera Y Hace Feliz (Love and Do What YouWill or, Love Sets You Free and Makes YouHappy) (Palibrio, 2015). Palacios reiterates theChristian commandment to love one anotheras the only means of identifying ourselves withthe love of God. A copy was given to PopeFrancis during his visit to Havana.

Charles Semowich, M.F.A. 1973 (A&S), ofRensselaer, N.Y., wrote Carillon Music:Arrangements and Original Music (DeLaetsburg Press, 2014), featuring 44 pieces ofmusic for carillon.

Adelheid Fischer, B.A. 1977 (A&S), alongwith Chel Anderson, wrote NORTH SHORE:A Natural History of Minnesota’s Superior Coast(University of Minnesota Press, July 2015).

John Ferri, B.Arch. 1978, M.C.R.P. 1982(ARCH), of New Market, Md., wroteReflecting on the Morning E Mail (C&LPublishers House, July 2015), a collection ofinspirational emails sent to his two daughterswhile they attended college. Chapters areintroduced by a short story, many based on theauthor’s interactions with NASA scientistswhile he performed design and projectmanagement services for the NASAHeadquarters renovation in Washington, D.C.

Share Your News!Did you … start a new job? Receive an award? Get married? Celebrate amilestone in your life? Share your news with other Catholic Universityalumni by submitting a class note to [email protected].

Fall 2015 39

Patrick Dornan, B.A. 1983 (A&S), ofGlenwood, Md., has written his first novel,Give Me Liberty! (Tate Publishing, September2015). CUA is mentioned in this work offiction, as the antagonist just happened to gothere. The book reflects a general level ofdiscontent with our elected officials amongthe American electorate, and a small group ofpatriots, with the means and skills, who takematters into their own hands.

Ann K. Maloney, M.S.W. 1984 (SOCSV),of New York, N.Y., has written a book abouther late cousin titled A Priest Forever: The Lifeand Times of Father Robert F. McNamara(Lulu Publishing, October 2014).

Melinda Marie Jetté, B.A. 1991 (A&S),associate professor of history, Franklin PierceUniversity, Rindge, N.H., published At theHearth of the Crossed Races: A French-IndianCommunity in Nineteenth-Century Oregon,1812–1859 (Oregon State University Press,May 2015), a social history of the FrenchPrairie that provides a window into themultiracial history of the Pacific Northwest andan alternative vision of early Oregon biracialFrench-Indian families whose communitychallenged the notions of white supremacy,racial separation, and social exclusion.

Claire Noonan, B.A. 1992 (A&S), a mother,wife, and theologian serving as vice presidentof mission and ministry at DominicanUniversity, has written her first book, Full ofGrace: A New Year of Life for Your Baby —and for You! (Twenty-Third Publications,August 2015), offering motherly insight,hope, and trust in God.

Jennifer Adach, B.A. 1998 (A&S), withMichael Martin, wrote a new guidebook,AMC’s Best Day Hikes in the ShenandoahValley: Four-Season Guide to 50 of the BestTrails from Harpers Ferry to Jefferson NationalForest (Appalachian Mountain Club, 2015).Adach is a co-organizer of the DC ULBackpacking group. She has thru-hikedSweden’s Kungsleden trail and the John MuirTrail, and has logged several thousand mileson trails in the Mid-Atlantic area. She lives inAlexandria, Va.

In MemoriamCele H. Tristany Burke, B.S.N. 1944, ofBurbank, Calif., Jan. 6, 2015.

Laura C. Cifala, B.S.N. 1945, of Arlington,Va., March 22, 2015.

Alvin Marchigiani, B.C.E. 1946, B.Arch.E.1947, of Potomac, Md., May 30, 2015.

Emil T. Hofman, who attended the Universityfrom 1947 to 1948, of Notre Dame, Ind.,July 11, 2015.

Genevieve H. Lennon, M.A. 1948, of SaintLouis, April 9, 2015.

Sister M. Clarita Anneken, O.S.B., M.A.1949, of Villa Hills, Ky., Sept. 8, 2015.

Rev. Paul J. Zylla, M.A. 1949, of SaintCloud, Minn., Aug. 26, 2015.

Mary Colfer Cosgrove, B.A. 1950, ofCincinnati, July 22, 2015.

Ellen McNulty Feeley, B.S.N. 1950,M.S.N. 1968, Ph.D. 1977, of Washington,D.C., March 19, 2015.

Anthony F. Pelerossi, B.A. 1950, of Rome,N.Y., Aug. 27, 2015.

Francis Michael Piperno, B.A. 1951, ofPhiladelphia, April 28, 2015.

Edward F. Shott, B.A. 1951, of Harrisburg,Pa., Aug. 1, 2015.

James B. Vito, B.M.E. 1951, of Bethesda,Md., Nov. 5, 2014.

Daniel M. Mahoney, J.D. 1952, of MercerIsland, Wash., May 19, 2015.

Sister Teresa Wolking, O.S.B., M.A. 1952,of Villa Hills, Ky., Aug. 31, 2015.

Edwin S. Zolik, M.A. 1952, Ph.D. 1956, ofSarasota, Fla., Jan. 29, 2015.

Sister Mary Kathryn Gurren, M.S. 1953, ofDayton, Ohio, Oct. 31, 2014.

Ivan N. Dietrich, J.D. 1955, of Annandale,Va., May 4, 2015.

Mary M. Klein, M.S.L.S. 1955, of ElmGrove, Wis., Jan. 28, 2015.

Sister Ina Rose Stautzenbach, M.S.N. 1955,of North College Hill, Ohio, Oct. 15, 2014.

James T. Sullivan, Ph.D. 1955, ofMinneapolis, April 8, 2010.

Lt. Col. Arell E. Weaver, B.A. 1955, of LakeLure, N.C., Aug. 22, 2015.

Most Rev. Raphael M. Fliss, S.T.L. 1956,retired bishop of the Diocese of Superior,Wis., Sept. 21, 2015.

Stanley M. Halperson, B.M.E. 1956, M.S.E.1967, of Temple Hills, Md., Aug. 5, 2015.

Sister M. Anastasia Valimont, M.S.N.1956, of Erie, Pa., Aug. 31, 2014.

Rev. Daniel J. Menniti, M.A. 1957, Ph.D.1964, of Carlisle, Pa., April 9, 2015.

Sister Teresita M. Rivet, O.S.U., M.A.1957, of New Orleans, March 19, 2015.

John M. Jackman, B.Arch. 1958, of HollyLake Ranch, Texas, Oct. 24, 2014.

Eugene C. Kennedy, M.A. 1958, Ph.D. 1962,of Benton Harbor, Mich., June 3, 2015.

Germain LaRoche, M.S. 1958, of Topsham,Maine, July 31, 2015.

Sister Teresa Ann Sheehan, M.S.W. 1958,of West Hartford, Conn., Nov. 24, 2014.

William D. Bell, B.E.E. 1959, of Fairfield,Pa., May 30, 2015.

Monsignor Raymond B. Hain, who attendedthe University in 1959 and 1971, of Hastings,Neb., Aug. 2, 2015.

Sister Jeanne D’arc Osk Omilan, M.A.1959, of Milwaukee, June 11, 2014.

Alice Pattinson Sullivan, M.S. 1960, ofMinneapolis, May 19, 2015.

Sister M. Eleanor Joyce, P.B.V.M., M.A.1961, of Aberdeen, S.D., May 27, 2015.

Rev. John J. Sullivan, S.M., B.A. 1961, ofAtlanta, July 28, 2015.

Sister M. Ursula Bongiovanni, A.S.C.J., M.A.1962, of Hamden, Conn., May 29, 2015.

Most Rev. Leonard J. Olivier, S.V.D., M.A.1962, retired auxiliary bishop of theArchdiocese of Washington, Nov. 19, 2014.

Richard J. Ecock, B.A. 1963, of BonitaSprings, Fla., June 12, 2015.

Rev. Virgilio Bartolome, S.V.D., M.A.1965, of San Francisco, Aug. 5, 2015.

Rev. Robert M. Cameron, M.A. 1965, ofKansas City, Mo., June 26, 2015.


Brian J. Guidera, B.A. 1965, of Minneapolis,Jan. 15, 2015.

Louis Martin, M.A. 1965, of Arlington, Va.,Feb. 9, 2015.

Monsignor Pedro C. Say, M.S.L.S. 1965, ofVictoria, Texas, Aug. 4, 2015.

Anna S. Greenwood, M.S.L.S. 1966, ofColorado Springs, Colo., Dec. 16, 2014.

Vello Oinas, B.Arch. 1966, of Ashburn, Va.,March 13, 2015.

Philip M. Kuhn, M.S. 1967, of Severna Park,Md., Sept. 10, 2015.

Ronald J. Bombick, B.A. 1968, of Ashland,Ore., Dec. 5, 2014.

Sister Relinette Pochron, S.S.J.-T.O.S.F.,M.A. 1968, of Bartlett, Ill., Nov. 12, 2014.

Sister Helen C. Hart, C.S.J., M.A. 1969, ofWest Hartford, Conn., Aug. 13, 2014.

Thomas C. Fearon, B.A. 1970, of Brookeville,Md., June 7, 2015.

Sister Catherine Newell, S.S.J., M.A. 1970,of Philadelphia, Feb. 4, 2015.

Giulio Massano, M.A. 1971, Ph.D. 1974, ofNorth Dartmouth, Mass., April 10, 2014.

Barbara S. Mosher, M.S.W. 1975, of

Kingsville, Md., Jan. 3, 2015.

Monsignor William G. Charnoki, J.C.B.1976, of Greensburg, Pa., Aug. 15, 2015.

Most Rev. Marvil T. Shaw, M.A. 1976,Episcopal bishop of the Diocese ofMassachusetts, of West Newbury, Oct. 17,2014.

Elaine T. Sciolino, M.S.L.S. 1978, ofMalden on Hudson, N.Y., July 21, 2015.

Warren E. Kullberg, M.A. 1979, ofWoodbridge, Va., Jan. 19, 2015.

Marguerite Echaus, B.M. 1980, ofPhilippines, January 2010.

Quincy Gasque Butler, M.M. 1984, ofAlexandria, Va., Nov. 2, 2014.

Betty G. Edelson, M.S.W. 1985, ofWashington, D.C., Dec. 31, 2014.

Philip F. Jehle Jr., M.M. 1987, of OceanView, Del., June 22, 2015.

Allen Overland, M.S.L.S. 1993, of Arlington,Va., Jan. 23, 2015.

Daniel J. Philbin, M.A. 1996, of CathedralCity, Calif., Nov. 7, 2014.

Michael J. Schwarz, B.M.E. 2003, ofWashington, D.C., May 27, 2015.

Leah R. Williamson, who attended theUniversity from 2005 to 2007, of Forest Hill,Md., May 8, 2015.

Jessica Marie Inda, J.D. 2006, ofMinneapolis, Sept. 5, 2015.

Faculty/StaffEllwood J. Annaheim, M.M. 1981, lecturer,Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, from 1985to 2011, of Cheverly, Md., on June 21, 2015.

Gayle Campbell, former director, budgetadministration, Columbus School of Law,from 1973 to 2013, of Fruitland Park, Fla.,May 11, 2015.

Minerva Haller, administrative assistant forvarious departments, from 1979 to 2006, ofBerlin, Md., Aug. 29, 2015.

Brian Nowlin, assistant to the chair,Department of Psychology, from 2002 to2015, of Washington, D.C., on July 30, 2015.

Lisa (Larsson-Werthamer) Ulmer, M.S.W.1982, assistant professor, National CatholicSchool of Social Science, from 1988 to 1990,of Media, Pa., June 21, 2015.

Catherine Louise Wells, cashier of diningservices, June 29, 2015.

Alumnus Gives Endowed ProfessorshipIn an Oct. 20 ceremony, President John Garvey andProvost Andrew Abela accepted on behalf of theSchool of Business and Economics the CentesimusAnnus Della Ratta Family Endowed Professorship,named in honor of University benefactor Joe DellaRatta, B.A. 1953. The inaugural recipient isAssociate Professor Maximilian Torres. Left: Joe DellaRatta, center, with his family. Above: Provost AndrewAbela with Associate Professor Maximilian Torres.

For three generations of the Walton family, The Catholic Universityof America has been the place to learn, work, and grow.

The late Clarence C. Walton received his Ph.D. in 1951 from theUniversity and came back in 1969 to serve the next nine years asCatholic University’s first lay president. Son Thomas enrolled atthe University and met his wife, fellow student Kathleen. Kathleenheaded the engineering and architecture library and Thomas wason the faculty of architecture for 25 years. Son Tristan is a Schoolof Engineering graduate, and daughter Arden is an engineeringstudent. Callum, their third child, is also headed to CUA.

“CUA is in our DNA,” says Thomas. “It’s the place where wehave learned and found inspiration, the place where we havemade lifelong friends, the place touched by our fingerprints, ourwork, and our laughter, the place that has called us back. It’s notjust important to our family — it is part of our family.”

Gifts from alumni and friends to the CUA Fund enhance the lives of our students, creating an environment where they can find andpursue their vocation in life. To learn more about supporting theUniversity and making CUA students’ power of family a reality, visitgiving.cuatoday.com.

Power of Family

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OFAMERICA

FUNDCUA

The Walton FamilyAlumni, Current and Future University Park, Md.

Induction Ceremonyand Luncheon

Saturday, January 30, 2016, 11:30Heritage Hall, Father O’Connell Hall, Campus

Washington, D.C.

Tickets: $45 per personR.s.v.p. by January 22, 2016, to 800-288-ALUM

For more information, visit www.cuatoday.com

Alumni AssociationTHE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OFAMERICA

2016 Athletics Hall of Fame

The Catholic University of America

Office of Public Affairs620 Michigan Ave., N.E.Washington, DC 20064

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