Connections
A Newsletter for theViterbo University Community
Vol. 14 No. 25 March 12, 2001
Pope John XXIII Award to Honor Three on April 3
Larry Long, singer and songwriter; Tom Rand, best known for his work at Bethany-St. Joseph (BSJ); and Sheila Garrity of the La Crosse Community Foundation; will receive the Pope John XXIII Award for Distinguished Service on April 3 at Viterbo University
The ceremony and banquet, to be held in the FAC, is set for 6:30 p.m.
Larry Long has a profound voice in music. Whether it’s performing in the inner cities of Washington D.C., developing a folk school in Nogales, Mexico, or singing for Mrs. Rosa Parks on the 45th anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Larry Long is a different kind of artist. He has celebrated the lives of working people in the almost 1,000 ballads he has written. His songs champion the bravery of the family farmer, Lakota warriors, civil rights workers, and school cooks.
Long’s work goes well beyond a simple song or melody. He was hired to bring elders into classrooms throughout rural Alabama to develop an intergenerational process that mixes oral history, songwriting, and education to help children learn the history of their town. From this project, emerged Community Celebration, an organization that brings children, elders, and the people of different backgrounds together to celebrate the similarities and differences within our communities.
Tom Rand has served as executive director of BSJ for the past 23 years where he has overall responsibility for four nursing homes, eight senior housing facilities and five adult community service programs. Rand is also co-founder of the La Crosse Community Thanksgiving Dinner, an annual event that had its beginnings in 1981 at the Roncalli Newman Center. Over the years, the dinner has grown to an area-wide event serving thousands of people and involving hundreds of volunteers. Rand has also served as president of the Wisconsin Association of Homes and Services for the Aging and chairperson of the Wisconsin Medical Assistance Advisory Committee and as a Wisconsin delegate to the 1995 White House Council on Aging.
Sheila Garrity has also been very active in her community. Besides directing the activities of the La Crosse Foundation for the past 10 years, her other initiatives include: the School Lunch Fund; the Community Liaison Program; Hunger Task Force efforts; the Foundation Women’s Fund; the Bridge Builders Fund; the Youth Initiative and Skate Park; and the La Crosse County Board Jail Study Committee.
Garrity is a member of the La Crosse County Board and the Franciscan Spirituality Center Board. In 1998, following the death of her husband, she established Jim’s (Gokey) Grocery Bag, a memorial that provides funding for an elementary school food pantry.
Call ext. 3070 for information regarding the Pope John XXIII Awards and ticket availability.
Nominations Due Friday
Nominations for the Sr. Helen Elsbernd, Fr. Finucan, Pax et Bonum, and Servant Leader awards are due in the Office of the President and nominations for the Teacher of the Year, Alec Chiu, and Outstanding Academic Advisor awards are due in the Academic Vice President’s Office this Friday, March 16.
For more information, go to www.viterbo.edu and select “academics” and “awards.”
Getting Onboard with Online
Students enrolled in Dick Ruppel’s “The Literature of Work,” will be in for a new experience. That’s because Ruppel is taking the course online for the 19 students who are taking his seven-week Fast Track class starting March 13.
The class will constitute one of the first fully-blended offerings ever provided by Viterbo. Most participants are non-traditional, off-campus students who will earn much of their grade via threaded discussion, a posted online journal and other efforts that will gauge the quality of response and level of engagement. Ruppel’s lecture notes will also be posted online for his class to read.
Students will meet March 13 to cover ground rules for the course and again on April 3 and 24. The students will also get the opportunity to do coursework the good-old-fashioned way. Due at the end of the course is a 10- to 15-page paper.
For Ruppel, the experience offers one more opportunity to challenge himself while at the same time, presenting his students with another way to learn. “I’ve been using the web since 1995, but this is very different. I’m really nervous, but at the same time excited about the opportunity.”
Last summer, faculty received training in the use of Blackboard, which is the software Ruppel is using to teach his online class.
Faculty Contracts Due This Week
Faculty Contracts are due in the President’s Office no later than Thursday, March 15.
Seventh Day Talks
Join Ward Jones, biology, in a discussion entitled “Genetic Engineering: The Possibilities, The Implications” this Wednesday in MC 419C.
Next Thursday, March 22, Debra Daehn-Zellmer talks about “My Africa Experience” at noon in MC 406.
Becoming Notable Nurses
If you’re a nursing major who wants to stand out in the crowd of job applicants, plan to attend three Thursday events sponsored by Viterbo University’s Career Planning & Placement.
• This Thursday, from noon to 2 p.m. in BNC 122, learn about typical interview procedures and questions from area nurse managers and a human resources panel. Mock interviews will also be available to a limited number of students.
• On March 22, attend a Nursing Career Fair in the FAC Lobby from noon to 4 p.m.
• On April 5, get the inside scoop from a Leadership Management Panel, 10 a.m. to noon in BNC 122.
Career Fairs ? Should I Go? What to Bring?
Career Planning & Placement will present “Five Things to Take to a Career Fair” on Thursday, March 22 at 3:30 p.m. in MC 501.
This is a great way to prepare for the Dahl School of Business Career Fair on Tuesday, March 27. Students at all class levels are invited to attend that fair from 11-3 p.m. in the FAC Lobby.
Lucky Leprechauns for Chileda Children
Stop by the MC lobby on Friday, March 16 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and purchase a leprechaun or shamrock cut-out cookie in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.
These uniquely decorated cookies will be sold for 50 cents each with all proceeds donated to Chileda.
The event is sponsored by the Viterbo University Circle K Service Organization.
Rake, Dig, or Pain Your Way to Being a Good Neighbor
Finding the time and energy for spring-cleaning and yard work can be challenging. It’s more challenging for some of our neighbors. Neighbors Day offers a way to help.
La Crosse’s fifth annual Neighbors Day is Saturday, April 28, from 8 a.m. to noon. The day is a community clean-up event, linking community volunteers with residents in need.
In the next few weeks, Neighbors Day planners will be matching volunteers with requests for assistance from La Crosse senior citizens and individuals with disabilities. Typically, these requests ask for assistance with yard work, garden preparation, window washing, and other small fix-it or clean-up tasks. Event organizers assign jobs and supply the volunteers with the necessary tools and materials. After the morning’s work is completed, organizers host a picnic for all volunteers.
Obviously, an adequate number of volunteers is crucial to Neighbors Day’s success. Organizers have identified several groups for volunteer recruitment, including college students and staff members at Viterbo, WWTC, and UWL. The three institutions have the potential to provide a lot of manpower. Organizers are discussing and planning ways to make the volunteering easier for students. Student assignments will be in the neighborhoods surrounding their institutions. Arrangements for on-site tool distribution are in the works.
Neighbors Day offers an opportunity to get to know and help residents in adjacent neighborhoods. The day also offers an opportunity to create more positive community images and attitudes about college students. Local television and newspapers have committed to spotlighting the involvement of college students in Neighbors Day, in part to counteract the bad press related to noise and vandalism that dominated the media earlier this year. This is an ideal service project for campus clubs and teams.
Organizations or individuals interested in volunteering for Neighbors Day may sign-up at the Student Union front desk or contact Sue Ernster, FSPA at ext. 3709 or by email at smernster. She will need the volunteer’s name, phone number, e-mail address, and whether or not the the volunteer has access to transportation. The deadline is April 4.
Calling All Leaders--O'Leaders, That Is! by Anne Ellefson, Student Development Center
Twenty-five to 30 students are needed to serve as student leaders for Orientation 2001. Faculty members, work-study supervisors, and club advisors are asked to encourage students to consider volunteering as an O’Leader. It’s an excellent leadership experience that provides demonstrated skills and experiences in group facilitation and program planning.
O’Leaders have been instrumental in the success of recent orientations. The position involves the following responsibilities:
• Attending six-hours of training related to communication skills and group process, on Saturday, April 21, or on Thursday evenings, April 19 and 26.
• Returning to campus on Aug. 22.
• Befriending and assisting new students and their families on move-in day, Aug. 24.
• Leading assigned groups of new students, “O’ Families,” through structured, educational, and recreational activities on Aug. 24 and 25.
• Offering support and advice to new students.
• Serving as a role model/mentor.
• Coordinating optional recreational activities for incoming students on Aug. 26.
Interested students may call Anne Ellefson at ext. 3807 for an O’Leader application or may pick one up at the Student Development Center or the display booth in the Union.
The application deadline is March 21. An informational meeting is scheduled for Thursday evening, March 15, at 8 p.m. in the Union.
Helping at Alcohol Awareness Week? Let Us Know by Anne Ellefson, Student Development Center
Organizations planning to sponsor activities during Alcohol Awareness Week must return activity forms by March 14.
Completed forms should be returned to Anne Ellefson at the Student Development Center in order for activities to be included on the publicity materials for the week.
Individuals with questions about the forms or the week may contact Ellefson at ext. 3807 or Molly Cowden, student chairperson, at ext. 3351.
Kudos to…
Joyce Heil, assistant professor of nursing, who presented a workshop, “Moving into Successful Aging,” at the 5th Annual Geriatric Symposium on March 1. The symposium was sponsored by Franciscan Skemp Healthcare and took place at the Radisson Hotel in La Crosse.
Larry Long to Perform Benefit Concert for Place of Grace
While singer and songwriter Larry Long is in La Crosse to receive Viterbo’s Pope John XXIII Award for Distinguished Service, he’ll be putting in an appearance to do good work benefiting one of many causes he has supported.
So, when Long was contacted by his friend Tom Thibodeau, from Viterbo’s philosophy and religious studies department and a volunteer from Place of Grace, he agreed to perform a benefit concert at the San Damiano Chapel with the proceeds to go to the La Crosse-based Catholic Worker House.
Price of admission for the 7 p.m. concert on Monday, April 2, will be a free-will offering.
Place of Grace, located at 919 Hood, was started several years ago by a group of individuals who wanted to provide hospitality, companionship, and meals in a home-like environment. While many in need benefit from what Place of Grace offers, anyone is welcome to stop by to visit or share a meal.
Larry Long will be joined on stage by Minneapolis guitarist George Parrish and local musicians Earl Madary and Larry Dalton.
“This is typical of Larry,” said Thibodeau. “He will be at Viterbo to receive an award, yet he turns this honor into an opportunity to raise awareness and money for Place of Grace. His music and commitment to advocacy are both gifts.”
Long has been to La Crosse on several occasions to perform concerts at Viterbo and to work with students in the graduate program.
Dr. Scholl Scholarship Winner Announced
A high school senior from Maple Plain, Minn. is the winner of the Dr. Scholl Scholarship, Viterbo University’s most competitive and lucrative scholarship.
Chad Gonczy, son of Judy Dunbar of Maple Grove and Randy Gonczy of Maple Plain, was selected Friday, Feb. 23 at the end of a day of testing and campus interviews provided to the 24 finalists competing for the scholarship. All scholarship candidates expressed an interest in pursing careers in healthcare or science.
The Scholl Scholarship, which is renewable annually, covers complete tuition costs for up to four years and is valued in excess of $53,000. Gonczy, who is interested in a career in the medical field, has a 3.7 grade point average.
The scholarship is named in honor of Dr. William Scholl who died in 1968. He left the bulk of the estate to a foundation named in his honor.
Works of Visiting Authors Hot Topics at Breakfast Book Chats
Are our schools in trouble because they’ve lowered their standards and strayed too far?
Join the Breakfast Book Chat discussion on Wednesday, April 25, and talk about it. John Schroeder, graduate studies in education, and Grant Smith, English, will lead a discussion of Alfie Kohn’s book, The Schools Our Children Deserve: Moving Beyond Traditional Classrooms and “Tougher Standards.” This is one of three Faculty Development Committee-sponsored book discussions.
The book chat will be held in MC 402A from 7:30-8:30 a.m. A second, follow-up discussion session will be held at a later date. Kohn will address the Viterbo community on July 13 during the summer session of the Graduate Program in Education.
On April 18, Grant Smith will lead a book discussion of I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This by Jacqueline Woodson. And, on April 19, Phyllis Blackstone will lead a discussion on Miracle’s Boys by the same author. Both chats will be in MC 402A from 7:30-8:30 a.m. Woodson is a Coretta Scott King Award winner and will speak at Viterbo on April 27.
Breakfast will be provided for all book discussions. A few places are still available for all three of the book chats. Any Viterbo community member who would like to participate in any of the book chats should contact Smith at ext. 3485 or email him at gtsmith.
Earl Madary, philosophy and religious studies will lead a luncheon discussion on the “Catholic Identity” of Viterbo University on Tuesday, April 24. The luncheon will be held in the MC Conference Room from noon to 1 p.m.
Faculty Development
Congratulations to Mike Smuksta and Earl Madary who were invited to present “Blending Technology with the Art of Teaching: Using Blackboard CourseInfo v4.0 to Improve the Undergraduate Survey Course” at the Ameritech Faculty Technology Program Best Practices State Conference in Milwaukee, May 21.
As of the end of February, 32 Viterbo faculty have received Faculty Development (FD) grants totaling $20,674.21. Recent recipients include:
• Pam Maykut, psychology, received $450 to present her research of adolescent Tibetan girls at Michigan State as part of a doctoral seminar, “Risk and Resilience in Children” directed by Tom Luster, MSU Department of Family and Child Ecology professor.
• Bill Reese, philosophy and religious studies, received $247 to attend a workshop/seminar at UW-Eau Claire on Hmong religion and values presented by Houa Vue Moua, UW-Eau Claire’s Hmong Education Programs director.
• Eric Manchester, philosophy and religious studies, received $500 to present three papers at two conferences. He will present “Why is Evangelism Important if People Can Be Saved Without the Gospel?” at the Wesleyan Theological Society at Marion, Ind., and two papers on Ex Corde Ecclesiae at the Society of Christian Philosophers Midwest Regional Conference in Dubuque, Iowa, March 16-17.
• David Schulz, business, will present “A Faculty Development Approach to Implementing Course Management Software: The Plan, the Decision, the Process” at the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education 2001 Conference. He was awarded $500.
• Rich Maresh, math, received $500 to attend the Teachers Teaching with Technology Conference in Columbus, Ohio, March 16-18.
• Bob Richgels, history, received $229.71 to attend “Austria in the Heart of Europe Conference” sponsored by the Center for Austrian Studies at the University of Minnesota.
• Bonnie Nesbitt, nursing, received $500 to present her research, “Instilling Research Skills Across Multiple Courses in a New MSN Program” at the Chicago Institute for Nursing Education Conference June 21. She worked with former Viterbo Professor of Nursing Vicki Moss on the project.
• Larry Harwood, philosophy and religious studies, received $500 to present “Intersections of the Sacred and Profane” at the Union League Club of Chicago, March 23-24.
• Carol Klitzke, nutrition and dietetics, received $500 to attend the Conference of Foodservice Systems Management Education Council Feb. 23-25.
• Peter Fletcher, art, received $1,000 to research recent developments in art, architecture, and design in England and to observe student and teacher work and strategies in English art classes.
News You'll Notice by Kenna Christians, Institutional Advancement
Parent Phonathon Update
Each year parents of past and current students are asked to contribute to a campus project. Last year parents were asked to buy a brick for V-Hawk Court. This year parents were asked to support the purchase of multi-media podiums for two classrooms. To date 270 parents have given or pledged more than $14,000.
Viterbo University Center for Ethics, Science, & Technology
The senior class gift campaign will kick off on March 15. Brian Konkol, a criminal justice major, is chairperson for the class of 2001. The goal is to raise $25,000 and the money will go toward the new Ethics, Science and Technology building. About 40 seniors will be asking their classmates to support the project.
The primary focus for the staff of the Institutional Advancement office is raising money to support the construction of the new Ethics, Science and Technology building. Approximately $5,000,000 toward the project goal of $9,000,000 has been committed.
Scholarship Luncheon
The annual Scholarship Luncheon will occur on Thursday, March 15 from noon-1 p.m. in the FAC lobby. The purpose of the luncheon is to provide an opportunity for the scholarship donors to meet the scholarship recipients. The luncheon is also important because it helps strengthen our relationships with the various donors and businesses. As a result of this luncheon, several donors have become closer to our institution and have increased their support. We encourage all student scholarship recipients to attend this luncheon.
Viterbo Seniors Display Works
See things from a new perspective as seniors in the Viterbo art department present a Graphic Design Show this Wednesday, March 14 through Wednesday, April 4. The opening reception, which is free and open to the public, begins at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The show features the work of Jay Haskell, Onalaska; Kasey Frahm, Iron Ridge; Luke Feuerhelm, Prairie du Chien; Rachel Ziese, Stevens Point; Jay Christianson, Waukon, Iowa; Samantha Staskal, Maquoketa, Iowa; Jeremy Hart, La Crosse; and Andy Benzing, Brookfield.
The Viterbo Art Department Gallery is open during regular school hours or at other times by request. For more information, contact Ed Rushton at ext. 3752.
Campus Ministry by Fr. Tom O'Neill
Lent 2001: One important way to grow in the Lord is to observe the penitential practices of Lent that strengthen us for resisting temptation, allow us to express our sorrow for the sins we have committed, and help to repair the tear caused by our sinning. Penitential practices take many forms: apologizing to an injured party, healing divisions within our families, fasting during the Lenten season, or graciously accepting the menial tasks of life. The purpose of penance is not to diminish life but to enrich life.
Jesus, in Matthew’s Gospel, calls us to pray, to fast, and to give alms: “when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,” “when you fast, do not look gloomy,” “when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing” (Mt 6:5, 16, 3, respectively). In a most profound way, these three spiritual exercises are directed toward the nurturing of relationships. Next issue: Prayer
Operation Rice Bowl: Please support Catholic Relief Services and our Diocesan Orphanage in Peru through your contributions to the Rice Bowl. Collection containers are available in San Damiano Chapel and are to be returned at Easter. Thanks to those who sacrifice and share.
Caring for the Caregiver: A free seminar with Doug Manning, counselor, lecturer, and author of When Love Gets Tough and Don't Take My Grief Away From Me will be held Tuesday, March 20, 7-9 p.m. at the Gundersen Lutheran Rasmus Center. This program is for anyone involved in caring for loved ones who are aged or ill, for those who work with families involved with long-term care, and for healthcare providers working with families dealing with serious illness.
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Out & About
Lenten organ concerts are held Sundays at 3:30 p.m. Free-will contributions are appreciated. All proceeds benefit the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra.
• March 4: Thomas Haag, First Congregational Church, 2503 Main Street
• March 11: Jennifer Kieffer, St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral, 530 Main Street
• March 18: Dean Whiteway and Louise Temte, Wesley United Methodist Church, 721 King Street
• March 25: Randy Lyden and Sue Fortney Walby, First Church of Christ, 724 Cass Street
• April 1: Dr. Frances Nobert, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 420 West Avenue.
Jeans Days:
Mar. 16 Food Pantry Day
Mar. 23 WAFER
Mar. 30 La Crosse Tribune Jeans Day (Logan Band Boosters, Don Hegy Benefit)
From the Library
Some of La Crosse’s local authors are Viterbo’s very own faculty. Their writings range from a fictionalized commentary on the information processing industry, to poetry, an edition of an essay by Edgar Allan Poe previously unpublished, and a study aid for the New Testament.
Our most recent author, John T. Benton, business, has published a book called 30 Years with Computers (and other narrow opinions), which discusses what really happens in corporate headquarters. William Stobb, English, recently published For Better Night Vision: Poems. Roland Nelson, admission office, edited a previously unpublished essay of Edgar Allen Poe’s Eureka, and published it in a collection of Poe’s works entitled Poetry and Tales. He has also written an article about Eureka, “Apparatus for a Definitive Edition,” published in Studies in the American Renaissance. Earl Madary and William Reese, both from the philosophy and religious studies department, published These Things Are Written, an introductory study aid to the New Testament.
The inspirations of these books are as varied as the authors. Madary and Reese wrote their book to meet a need for an introduction to the New Testament for undergraduates. Nelson wanted to complete and follow up on his dissertation. Benton’s evolved from work and consulting experience.
Poetry and Tales and These Things are Written are in Todd Wehr Memorial Library’s collection. Benton’s book 30 Years with Computers (and other narrow opinions), is for sale at the Bookstore and is available on reserve in the library. Check out these writings. If you or anyone you know has published something, let the library know so we can preserve a copy.
Literature's Heidi Climbs the Alps on the Viterbo Stage
Viterbo’s Arts for Young America presents the timeless classic Heidi on the FAC Main Stage, Sunday, March 18, at 3 p.m.
True to the original story by Johanna Spyri, this heartwarming adaptation by Linda Daugherty is set in the 1890’s and tells the tale of a spirited orphan sent to live with her reclusive grandfather high in the Alps. Later, snatched ruthlessly away from her carefree mountain life, she becomes a companion to the invalid daughter of a wealthy German family. Though desperate to return home to her grandfather, young Heidi develops an enduring friendship with the invalid Clara and helps her to find hope and happiness.
Heidi, presented by the Dallas Children’s Theater, is sponsored by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Wisconsin and supported, in part, by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin. This is a Heartland Arts Fund program. The Heartland Arts Fund is a collaborative venture of Mid-America Arts Alliance, Arts Midwest, their member state arts agencies (Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin) with primary funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, and support from private contributors.
Founded in 1984, the Dallas Children’s Theater has become a national cultural resource for family- and youth-oriented theater.
Ticket prices are $11 for adults and $9 for children 12 and under. For more information, contact the Box Office at ext. 3100.
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