St. Francis Pledge

Raintry Salk, chair of the Environmental Responsibility Committee, accepts the signed St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor from President Rick Artman at a ceremony in Assisi Courtyard on Campus Sustainability Day Oct. 24.

Director for Center for Marriage and Families to Present "Is There Any Such Thing as a 'Good' Divorce" Nov. 8

Elizabeth Marquardt, director of the Center for Marriage and Families at the Institute for American Values in New York City, will present “Is there any such thing as a ‘Good’ Divorce?” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8 in the Fine Arts Center Main Theatre.

Marquardt is the author of Between Two Worlds: The Inner Lives of Children of Divorce. Based on the first nationally-representative study of grown children of divorce in the U.S., Marquardt argues that while an amicable divorce is better than a bitter one, even amicable divorces profoundly shape the inner lives of children. She has made numerous television appearances, including on NBC’s Today Show, CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 and Talk Back Live, ABC’s World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, Fox News’ O’Reilly Factor, CBS’s Early Show, PBS’s Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, NPR’s All Things Considered Weekend Edition and Diane Rehm Show and The Michael Medved Show. She has been published in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer, Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, First Things, and Christian Century.

Marquardt is also the co-author of a ground-breaking study on college women’s attitudes about sex and dating on campus, titled Hooking Up, Hanging Out, and Hoping for Mr. Right: College Women on Dating and Mating Today, featured widely in the media and by columnists including Maureen Dowd and William Raspberry. She is also principal investigator of an internationally-released report titled The Revolution in Parenthood: The Emerging Global Clash Between Adult Rights and Children’s Needs. She has been a blogger at the Family Scholars Blog since 2003.

Holding an M.Div. and an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in history and women’s studies from Wake Forest University, Marquardt has spoken to college audiences and presented at conferences around the country. She lives near Chicago with her husband, Jim, a college professor, and their two young children.

This presentation is part of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership’s Fall Lecture Series and is co-sponsored by the Office of Marriage and Family Life, Diocese of La Crosse. It is free and open to the public.

Anything But Plain to Help Impoverished Women

Now available for purchase is Anything But Plain, a collection of chant-based piano pieces written by Mary Ellen Haupert. The original compositions are “contemplative, relaxing, and perfect for the end of a long day.”

Proceeds from the CD will be used toward efforts by Haupert and Julia Walsh, FSPA, to obtain a $25,000 matching grant from the Sierra Health Foundation to help Tubman House, a holistic program designed to help young, impoverished women.

Sr. Walsh teaches at Aquinas High School and was a former volunteer at Tubman House. She mentioned Tubman House’s loss of funding (forcing closure) to her students and inspired Louise Haupert to come home and ask her mom, Mary Ellen, for some help.

Contact Haupert via email at mehaupert@viterbo.edu to purchase Anything But Plain. Cost is $8 each or two for $10.

Pride and Prejudice Nov. 7

L.A. Theatre Works will present their adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel, Pride and Prejudice, at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7 in the Viterbo University Fine Arts Center Main Theatre.

Published in 1813, the 2012–13 season marks the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice, a classic romantic comedy and one of the most acclaimed and still modern works of literature in the world.

Pride and Prejudice is the story of the Bennets, a family blessed with five daughters and a mother desperate to see them married. The gentle satire of the novel explores manners and morals, relationships and disappointments, and parents and children.

This presentation is part of Viterbo’s Bright Star Season and stars Jane Carr (Two and a Half Men, The Closer, and Mary Poppins on Broadway) and Nicholas Hormann (Seinfeld, Parks and Recreation, Desperate Housewives, Bones, Frasier, and The West Wing.) It is sponsored in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board, with funds from the State of Wisconsin. Soft Rock 101.1 FM KHME is the media sponsor.

Tickets are $37 for main floor, $33 for lower balcony, and $28 for upper balcony seating. For more information or to order tickets, contact the box office at ext. 3100 or visit www.viterbo.edu/tickets. 

Meet Mary Ellen Stolder

Name: Mary Ellen Stolder

Position: Faculty, School of Nursing

Education background: University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Iowa and University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Previous employer and position/Past experience as related to current position: Former Associate Dean for Nursing, Western Technical College.

Hometown: La Crosse-born at the former St. Ann’s Hospital, down the street from the Viterbo campus.

Why did you choose Viterbo as your next employer? Viterbo provided me with an opportunity to use my graduate education in a way that supports generativity.

Of the five Viterbo values, which resonates with you most and why? 

Service, working for the common good in the spirit of humility and joy resonates the most for me because service begets self-respect as well as respect for others.

Hobbies: Travel, estate sales, home renovation, reading, and history in its many forms.

Unique fact about you: I earned a master’s degree in history in addition to a nursing master’s degree and taught world history and American history for two different University of Wisconsin campuses.

Anything about your family you would like to share: I have two grown daughters; my husband currently teaches for Aquinas High School.

Note: Newer employees will be introduced to the Viterbo community periodically in Connections.

Conference Champs

Members of the volleyball team celebrate after clinching at least a share of the Midwest Collegiate Conference championship with their victory Oct. 25. The V-Hawks, who are currently ranked 23rd in the nation, will play for the outright championship Wednesday against 17th-ranked Grand View University.

President's Column

St. Francis Pledge

I’m grateful to members of the Environmental Responsibility Committee and others who planned activities for Campus Sustainability Day Oct. 24. During a summer planning retreat, the cabinet and deans endorsed the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor. Our Franciscan tradition teaches that all of creation is a gift from the Creator, and thus we are obliged to be responsible stewards of the gifts in our trust. The FSPA have been outstanding stewardship role models for us and our community. Viterbo is pleased to make this visible commitment to pray, learn, assess, act and advocate. Thank you to all who have advanced the university’s sustainability efforts. Though we can and will do more as individuals and as a community, our progress has been substantial.

United Way 

Thank you for your generosity and support for the United Way campaign. If you haven’t made a gift or completed a pledge form, please do so before Thursday, Nov. 1. Our participation rate and campaign giving will be announced thereafter.

University Forum 

Mark your calendar for the next University Forum Thursday, Nov. 8 at 3:30 p.m.  Details to follow.

Rick Artman

President

Campus Ministry

By Emilio Alvarez

November as a Month of Thanksgiving and Remembrance 

As our natural world continues its change of the seasons, it is the perfect time to reflect on the changes we have experienced in our own lifetimes. These external changes in our lives, such as the birth of a new child or the loss of a loved one, are there to inspire and provoke change within ourselves. At times these changes my cause joy and gladness, or they may cause grief and sorrow. Ultimately, these experiences cause an effect on our very selves, but we must remember to allow God to be the guide of this change.

Through the month of November, campus ministry will provide opportunities for thanksgiving, reflection, and prayer. We will begin with All Saints Day Mass Thursday, Nov. 1 at 11:30 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. in San Damiano Chapel. The following day, Friday, Nov. 2, we will celebrate All Souls Day in remembrance of all of our deceased family and friends.

There will also be an opportunity to display pictures in San Damiano Chapel of loved ones who have passed away. You may bring pictures you would like displayed in the chapel to the campus ministry office (Murphy Center 340) or drop them off in San Damiano Chapel.

Plan to celebrate Thanksgiving Day Mass with the Viterbo community at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Contact Emilio Alvarez with any questions.

Campus Ministry Service Trips 

Campus ministry is looking for faculty and staff chaperones for Spring Break Mission Trips Sunday, March 3–Saturday, March 9). Contact Emilio Alvarez for more information.

Follow our Blog at www.viterbosandalprints.wordpress.com 

The schedule of Mass times at San Damiano Chapel can be found at www.viterbo.edu/ministry.

November Remembrance

As part of an annual Viterbo tradition, Viterbo community members are invited to participate in the November Remembrance Program. 

Visit the alumni tab on the Viterbo website and on the left side of the page click on “November Remembrance” for more information and to list your deceased loved ones. 

The names will be placed in San Damiano Chapel on Friday, Nov. 2 and will be prayed for the entire month.

Hospitality Committee Halloween Treat Oct. 30

Viterbo employees are invited to enjoy trail mix and apple cider Tuesday, Oct. 30 from 2–3:30 p.m. in Murphy Center Lobby.

The snack will be hosted by the members of the hospitality committee.

Speed Mock Interview Event Nov. 6

The alumni association and career services are sponsoring a Speed Mock Interview event from 5:30–8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6 in the Fine Arts Center Lobby. 

The event offers students interviewing activities conducted in a speed-dating format with alumni and area human resource professionals. It is an opportunity for students to improve professional interview skills and expand their professional networks. 

Students may register for the event by visiting the career services office in Murphy Center 374 or by emailing careers@viterbo.edu by Thursday, Nov. 1. Free hors d’oeuvres will be available at the event and business casual or interview dress is required.

Host an International Student for Thanksgiving

Global Education is seeking volunteers to host an international student (or two) for Thanksgiving dinner. You would be responsible for the meal and round trip transportation. 

Email Caitlin Browdie at cmbrowdie@viterbo.edu if you are able to host a student or if you have any questions.

Kudos to...

Rhonda Rabbitt and Susie Hughes, education, who gave the presentation “Lean Classroom: Action Research for Continuous Improvement” at the Lean Educator’s Conference in Norfolk, Va., Sept. 29.

Students Rehman Eon, Matthew Homstad, and Andrew Santoso, who participated in the fourth annual Wisconsin Mathematical Modeling Challenge Oct. 20–21 at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The event brought together several teams of undergraduate students from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois. Students worked in teams of three and were given 24 hours to develop and test a mathematical model used to solve a real-life problem, after which they presented results to the other teams and a panel of judges. The team was charged with making a mathematical model to describe the future U.S. population, taking into account trends in land usage and availability; and to provide a way of determining an optimal balance of agricultural and non-agricultural land for use in the U.S.