ust today

Spring 2014

Global Impact UST board member tells storyof the new Pope to the world

Applied LearningBusiness class project bringsclean water to the Philippines

Center for ScienceGenerous local foundationmakes gift for new building

New BeginningReopened School of Nursing

to graduate its first class

Faith and Science: T he Way Forward

e recently welcomed one of the Texas Medical Center’s brightest minds to our campus, Dr. Mauro Ferrari, a pioneer in nanoscience and president of Houston Methodist Research Institute. A devout Catholic and renowned researcher, Dr. Ferrari presented the annual Miller Lecture, and it was fascinating to hear his insights on the parallels between faith and science.

Listening to this brilliant scientist, I felt a great sense of validation about UST’s role in developing the “Dr. Ferraris” of the future. The demand for ethical, expertly trained professionals in the STEM fields has never been greater – particularly in Houston and throughout Texas.

In this issue of UST Today, we spotlight our School of Nursing. This acclaimed program graduates its first class this spring – a cohort of 27 women and men who are well prepared to serve with skill and compassion on the front lines of health care. We also introduce some of the generous benefactors who helped bring the new nursing program to fruition, as well as a contributor who supports the planned Center for Science and Health Professions.

This issue also highlights an aspect of UST of which I am especially proud: our Catholic intellectual tradition. UST is uniquely qualified to serve as the ethical and moral compass for our area, and our leaders and advocates are doing just that.

The future of science relies on the ability of institutions of higher learning to develop the STEM leaders of tomorrow. UST, with our close proximity to the Texas Medical Center and other stellar health and science facilities, is well-positioned to meet this challenge. Our path is clear, and we will continue to serve our community by providing a faith-based education that is second to none. Thank you for your support of the University of St. Thomas.

With faith in our future,

Robert IvanyPresident

W

Dr. Mauro Ferrari, a highly respected

world leader in nanotechnology,

receives a plaque from Dr. Robert Ivany

thanking him for presenting the 2014

Archbishop J. Michael Miller Lecture.

from the president

4inside

U S T T O D AY | Spring 2014

UST TODAY is published biannually for alumni, friends,

students, faculty and staff of the University of St. Thomas.

EDITORS

Cynthia Colbert Riley, MLA ’95Jessica Rush

CREATIVE SERVICES

Dr. Michelle Morris GideonStone, LLC

Greg Golden Goldengraphix

Troy Fields Photography

CONTRIBUTORS

Vivian Cabrera Brenda B. Cooper ’05, MBA ’09Marion Fernandez-Cueto ’05

Lauren LaGrappe ’10Carolyn Lepre

Darnell Miller ’10Marie Parks, Owl Eyes Creative

Bill PetticrewRonnie Piper, MLA ’11

Salt+Light Catholic Media Foundation

Heather Saucier ’95Tommy Schultz Photography

Sandra Soliz, MLA ’01Kia J. Wissmiller ’99

Copyright 2014University of St. Thomas

3800 Montrose Blvd.Houston, Texas 77006

713-942-5937www.stthom.edu/usttoday

UST is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support

of Education (CASE).

Spring 2014

2 Promises FulfilledFor 27 students graduating in May, the new School of Nursing has made their dreams come true.

10 Faith and HopePope Francis has energized Catholics around the world, and one UST board member is helping tell the story.

16 The Sporting LifeWhether on the air, interviewing celebrities or teaching class, Dr. Keith Strudler, M.Ed. ’94 is all about sports.

22 Global InsightStudents meet Taiwan’s president and explore contemporary Taiwan in a life-changing study abroad experience.

ON THE COVER: Corey Cowart will graduate in May as a member of the inaugural class of students completing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in the re-established

School of Nursing.

9 Lyons Foundation Makes Record Gift to UST

14 Local Artist Bridges Chasm Between Reality and Abstraction

16 Men’s Soccer Team Has Best Year Ever

20 Class Project Sparks Business in Philippines

24 Alumna Sees World Through a Different Lens

26 News & Notables

32 Alumni Highlights

36 The Tipping Point by Vince Pettinelli ’67

37 Honor Roll of Donors

Dreams

2 U S T T O D AY | Spring 2014

The first cohort of UST nursing students will graduate May 17.

&

Promises or 26 years, University of St. Thomas nursing alumni nurtured hope that their beloved alma mater would once again educate caring, competent nurses.

Their optimism was so powerful that they maintained an endowment fund, waiting for the day the school would reopen after closing during the mid-’80s economic bust. When former UST nursing faculty member Carol Peavy and her husband Odis, founder of PV Rentals, contributed $2.5 million in 2008, the flickering hope was fanned into flame. That gift provided planning funds and the first faculty chair, and UST was able to hire its director for nursing program development, now dean, Dr. Poldi Tschirch – a crucial step in the smooth, rapid development of the nursing program. Even more important, that gift served as both catalyst and motivator for many more vital contributions and a $3.25 million federal grant. Just six years since that first major gift was received, UST has hired the dean, implemented the curriculum, received Texas Board of Nursing approval, established valuable partnerships, funded five endowed faculty chairs, equipped nursing classrooms and two simulation labs, recruited nursing majors and quality faculty and – in February – received a positive report from the site visit team from the prestigious nursing school accrediting body, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

A New Beginning “It is very unusual to start a nursing school so rapidly,” said Dr. Angelina N. Chambers, a registered nurse who came to UST as associate dean and professor of nursing from her faculty role at Yale University. “I attribute the success in doing so to Dr. Tschirch’s work ethic and overwhelming support from the UST administration, other academic departments and the nursing alumni.”

For Tschirch, the ultimate measure of success will occur May 17, 2014, when the first cohort of 27 men and women graduate with Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees. “This was the biggest challenge of my professional life, and it has gone extremely well,” Tschirch said. “UST is very supportive, and people believe in working together.” While the economy was struggling once again when the School of Nursing was in its fledgling stage, Tschirch said the conditions were much different than in the 1980s. “Nursing demand is very high now, and there is a strong community interest in nursing,” she said. “Our success so far is a mark of UST’s fine reputation and the community regard for nursing as a profession.”

Our Past and Present At the time of the school’s closing, many people were heartbroken, but perhaps none more so than Sister Mary Martina Casey, who was dean of the nursing school when it moved to UST from Sacred Heart Dominican College.

U S T T O D AY | Spring 2014 3

F

Information technology plays an important role in nursing education and practice.

FULFILLED

First Class of New School of Nursing to Graduate in May&

Sister Mary Martina Casey

www.stthom.edu/nursing


In 1986, when the former dean was near death, she called Carol Peavy to her bedside and told her insistently that, someday, she must reopen the school. She wasn’t alone in that desire. In the 14 years the nursing program was located at UST, it educated more than 400 nurses. Those nurses, combined with the alumni of the predecessor programs at St. Joseph Medical Center and Sacred Heart Dominican College, formed the united Associated Nursing Alumni, and they never stopped raising money for and awarding nursing scholarships. Their hope was to someday award them to UST nursing students once again. When the school officially launched in May 2012, every nursing major received a significant scholarship – funded primarily by the nursing alumni and key donors including Harriet and Joe Foster, the John M. O’Quinn Foundation, Ruth and Clarence Metzger and the Strake Foundation.

A Ministry. A Career. Emphasizing the care of the whole person – body, mind and spirit – the School of Nursing focuses on patient-centered nursing using a newly-developed curriculum based on a construct of healing and holistic care. The program received initial approval and accreditation in 2011 from the Texas Board of Nursing and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Tschirch expects the CCNE board decision on accreditation this fall. If the vote is affirmative, the

prestigious national nursing accreditation will be retroactive to the time of the site visit, which means the first class will be graduates of a nursing school with the highest possible accreditation. Teresa Ryan ’83 is a registered nurse, system director of clinical risk management for Memorial Hermann and president of the Associated Nursing Alumni. She said she is proud that graduates from Houston’s Catholic nursing program will once again be represented in the community. “Nurses make a profound impact on patients, and a nurse’s work truly matters in the lives of people they serve,” Tschirch said. “At UST, we help students experience nursing as a challenging profession, a call to service and a healing ministry.” When the CCNE site visit concluded in February, the site visitors expressed admiration for the students’ ability to articulate the meaning of the program’s holistic/healing philosophy. They said students readily provided examples of how that philosophy is manifest in their learning and explained what it will mean for their practice. Dr. Robert Ivany, UST president and an instrumental figure in restarting the nursing school, wrote in a letter to the campus: “I agree with Dr. Tschirch, who said, ‘I don’t think any school could receive a higher compliment than this.’ ” Beth Papasakelariou ’80, a Houston attorney who earned her nursing degree from UST, was a driver in helping bring the school back. “To me, this is a dream come true,” she said. g

Professor Pamela Hodges oversees

junior nursing students practicing newborn

care skills.


Senior nursing student Kory Gressett assesses a “patient” under the supervision of Professor Kristina Leyden.


“ Nurses make a profound impact on patients.” – Dr. Poldi Tschirch Dean, UST School of Nursing

UST’s School of Nursing became

a reality because of generous contributions from hundreds of individuals, foundations and businesses.

To honor that commitment and to encourage ongoing involvement with nursing, UST has created the Founders Nursing Society (FNS). Its purpose is to honor nursing benefactors of $5,000 and more, and to continue to encourage financial support for the School of Nursing and nursing scholarships. Beth Papasakelariou ’80 and her husband Dr. Cristo Papasakelariou are inaugural members of the society and encourage others to join them. “I have been highly involved as co-chair with my husband Cristo in the Nursing Advisory Council from the beginning, and the Founders Nursing Society is the logical evolution of that wonderful group,” she said. A gift of $5,000 (cumulative) qualifies an individual or organization to become a member of the FNS, and gifts received on behalf of the School of Nursing in previous years will be taken into account. Higher giving levels accrue additional benefits. Generous contributors have supported nursing by funding endowed chairs and scholarships, participating in the Founders Nursing Benefit, and contributing to the

planned Center for Science and Health Professions, as well as the Nursing Success Center. Members of the Founders Nursing Society will be inducted at the Nursing Scholarship Luncheon on April 22 in the Jerabeck Athletic Center. Each member will receive a newly designed Founders Nursing Society pin in commemoration. Members are also invited to attend the first Nursing Pinning Ceremony and Mass on May 14 at 6 p.m. in the Jerabeck Athletic Center. Other benefits of membership in the FNS include recognition on the Founders Wall to be located in the new Center for Science and Health Professions, and invitations to an annual School of Nursing Scholarship Luncheon and annual pinning ceremony. In addition to the FNS, the School of Nursing is launching the Student Services Circle, a student-encouragement organization that will involve volunteers in the lives of nursing students in ways that support their success in school. For more information on the Founders Nursing Society, contact Debbye Crofoot-Morley at 713-525-3109 or by email at [email protected]. g

New Founders Nursing Society ProvidesFinancial Support for UST Nursing Program

Professor Lucindra Campbell-Law engages nursing students in classroom instruction at the Nursing Simulation Lab.

The School of Nursing is a promise fulfilled for former UST nursing faculty member Carol Peavy and a welcomed achievement for the 423 nurses who earned UST nursing degrees between 1972 and 1986 – the year the ’80s recession forced the school’s closure.

“I made a promise to Sister Mary Martina Casey, former dean of the School of Nursing, that I would not give up until UST was educating nurses again,” said Carol, wife of PV Rentals founder Odis Peavy. And she was true to her word. Carol’s enthusiasm and persistence were obvious to Dr. Robert Ivany when he began as UST’s president in 2004, and she asked for a meeting his very first week. He readily agreed. “Carol looked me right in the eye and told me thatI must reopen the nursing school,” Ivany recalled. “Once I looked into it, I realized the time was right to bring the program back.”

The Catalyst With a transformational $2 million pledge from Odis and Carol Peavy and recognition of the serious nursing shortage facing the nation, a nursing consultant was hired to determine the feasibility of reopening the school. The consultant, after a year-long study, reported, “There could be no better time for UST to reinvest in nursing education.” With this affirmation and the initial pledge in hand, the board gave its approval to pursue the concept but challenged President Ivany to raise funds for five more $2 million endowed chairs. Undaunted, Ivany, Carol Peavy, the UST Advancement team and supportive nursing alumni began to talk to key people about helping fund the nursing school. The Peavys, in a leap of faith, contributed $500,000 in operating funds, which allowed UST to hire experienced nursing administrator Dr. Poldi Tschirch as director for nursing program development and to take other steps to create a quality program. With Tschirch’s diligent program development and the growing excitement of the alumni, staff and community,

four more endowed chairs were established – funded by the Associated Nursing Alumni, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Reckling, the Founders Nursing Benefit, generous individuals and foundations, and both The Cullen Trust for Health Care and The Cullen Trust for Higher Education. A $3.25 million government grant, combined with the endowed chairs and committed hospital support, advanced the School of Nursing from a vision to reality in a miraculously short time. “So many things came together to make restarting the nursing school possible,” Ivany said.

A Permanent Homefor Nursing andSTEM Programs The university’s vision doesn’t end with reestablishing the nursing program. As part of Faith in Our Future: The Campaign for the University of St. Thomas, UST plans to build a Center for Science and Health Professions to accommodate the high student demand for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs. “This new facility will impact our students dramatically and will increase STEM capacity for the entire region,” Ivany said. Learn more about this vital initiative at www.stthom.edu/FIOF. g


Odis and Carol Peavy’s Generous Gift is Catalyst for New UST Nursing School

Junior students practice nursing skills on a mannequin in the Basic Skills Lab.

Nursing students have the opportunity to learn in a hospital-like setting, guided by experienced faculty.

Odis and Carol Peavy

Elizabeth CioccoSenior Nursing Major

Elizabeth Ciocco started her freshman year at UST as a pre-medical/biology major, but while shadowing doctors as part of those programs, she realized she was drawn more to the nurse’s role. She changed her major to pre-nursing halfway through her sophomore year and worked to earn her certification as a nursing assistant. She found she was particularly interested in the bedside care of patients and the specialty of pediatric oncology. “What calls me to this specialty is not the happy recoveries but the opportunity to bring joy to a patient’s last moments on earth. I believe it is in these moments that healing is needed most.” The 2009 Alief Elsik High School graduate has deep gratitude for the faculty and staff at UST. “They are our personal cheerleaders, and it is obvious that our dreams are their dreams, too.” Because the nursing students take all their classes together, they come to share common struggles. Ciocco calls the Nursing Success Center, a favorite gathering spot for nursing students, her home away from home. “We study together, and we support each other,” she said. “That makes a real difference in our success.” g

Corey CowartSenior Nursing Major

Growing up, many of the positive role models in Corey Cowart’s life were nurses, particularly his grandmother. “The selflessness, strong work ethic and passion for nursing I witnessed in them had an impact on me,” he said. Cowart did not attend college immediately after high school but worked for several years in the airline industry. Still, the desire to try nursing continued, and Cowart credits his grandmother with influencing him to seek a career in health care. In fall 2011, he entered UST as a transfer student in the pre-nursing program, then joined the first nursing cohort when the program launched in May 2012. His goal is to practice nursing in a critical care setting and to pursue an advanced degree in nurse anesthesia. He finds trauma care particularly intriguing and has had the opportunity to spend significant time in the perioperative area of local hospitals, adding that most students have no exposure to this area while still in school. “That experience has broadened my view of other practice areas in nursing,” he said. Cowart has enjoyed the experience of learning alongside the cohort of 26 others, and said he has developed positive relationships with the faculty. “They have promoted my growth and success throughout the program,” he said. g



Jonathan Newsome, UST biology lab coordinator, shares information with students preparing to conduct experiments.

The Lyons Foundation MakesRecord Gift for UST Centerfor Science & Health Professions

Seale, a friend and supporter of UST, was instrumental in securing the gift, and he believes Lyons Foundation creators – the late Dick and Sammie Lyons –

would be pleased with the board’s decision. “We had 130 requests before us, and I asked the board to save the UST request until last,” Seale said. “We discussed how this new facility would address major needs in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), in addition to nursing – not just for the university, but for the entire region’s medical, oil and gas, and engineering industries. The trustees made this decision with great conviction, and without a doubt, the support was unanimous.” Seale has been closely following developments at UST since Dr. Robert Ivany became president, and he has visited the campus on several occasions. “I am very impressed with him, as is everyone in Houston, and impressed with the excellence of the university,” said Seale, a law partner with Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP. Seale explained that Mr. and Mrs. Lyons supported Catholic charities during their lifetimes, including the University of St. Thomas. Having no

children, they left their estates to the foundation, which provided the initial endowment. Since Seale first became board president in 1979, he has seen the foundation’s capacity increase tremendously. Its holdings have grown to more than $14 million over time. Watching this growth, he realized it was time to do something significant and meaningful for UST. “I hope the community and potential donors view this grant as a strong statement of support for the overall building project,” Seale said. The Lyons Foundation has a long heritage of supporting the university, Seale said, in large part because of the advocacy of the late trustee Frank Guthrie, who also served on the Scanlan Foundation board. “We are excited to both honor the Lyons’ passion for Catholic causes in Houston and to enhance STEM capacity in a significant way,” Seale said. “We hope other foundations and individuals will follow suit because this facility – and this university – are of great importance to our region. If potential donors want to talk to us, we’re happy to tell our story.” g

At a historic meeting of The

Lyons Foundation board in

December, the four trustees

made the unprecedented

decision to award $750,000

to UST for its planned Center

for Science and Health Professions – a grant 7.5

times larger than any ever made by the foundation,

according to Board President R.A. “Pete” Seale.

R.A. “Pete” Seale


Papal Mass is celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica, a renowned work of Renaissance architecture and one of the largest churches in the world.

“UST is a Jewel in the Crown of Catholic Education and in the Heart of the Basilian Fathers.”

– Fr. Thomas Rosica

In addition to being the first Pope of the Americas and the first Jesuit Pope, the world was stunned to hear that Cardinal Bergoglio would call himself Francis after St. Francis of Assisi – the first Holy Father to take the name of Italy’s patron saint. St. Francis was known for renouncing wealth and living simply, and these qualities were also hallmarks of Bergoglio’s pastoral ministry in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for many years. When all eyes turned to Rome to learn about Pope Francis, Fr. Rosica was there, serving as the Vatican’s spokesperson to 6,500 English- and French-speaking journalists from around the globe during the historic papal transition of 2013. “In 2008, I had served as the English-language media attaché for the Synod of Bishops on the Word of God, and I was appointed in 2012 to a similar role for the Synod of Bishops for the New Evangelization,” said Fr. Rosica, CEO of Canada’s Salt and Light Catholic Television Network. So when 85-year-old Pope Benedict XVI unexpectedly resigned in February 2013, and the papal conclave convened to select his successor, the Vatican called

upon Fr. Rosica’s polished media relations skills to help manage the onslaught of international media attention focused on Rome. He led daily press briefings for five weeks and provided more than 165 interviews to major English language media networks and outlets from every corner of the globe. Now months after the papal transition, between 5 and 6 a.m. each day, he continues to send Vatican messages to roughly 550 people, including Cardinals, bishops, Church leaders and scores of media professionals. On behalf of Salt and Light, he also sends daily messages on Twitter. Fr. Rosica’s road to serving as a global media liaison was not typical. He didn’t

study communication in college. He studied French and Italian literature at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y., as an undergraduate, preparing to be a teacher. In 1986 he was ordained a priest in the Congregation of St. Basil. His advanced studies of Scripture took him to Rome for three years and Jerusalem for four more. He speaks many languages: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Latin and Hebrew. He also has a good understanding of Arabic. Rosica has been delighted that his studies and his media expertise have given him the opportunity to experience major events in the Catholic Church close-up and personally. “We may not have had Pope Francis without Pope Benedict’s resignation,”


ev. Thomas Rosica, CSB, a Basilian priest and UST board member, will never forget the night of March 13, 2013, in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, when the trembling voice of French Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran announced Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the new Pope.

Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB, meets Pope Francis with Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli during Pontifical Council for Social Communications meetings last September.

UST Board Member Serves as International Media Liaison for the Vatican, Pope Francis


hen Time magazine named Pope Francis its Person of the Year in December, the announcement sent a ripple effect of joy through the Catholic community. Not only has the new pontiff instilled a sense of renewal in many of the world’s 1.5 billion Catholics, his words and actions – underscoring compassion, inclusion and forgiveness – have caught the attention of the world at large. “When journalists at Time magazine, not known for admiring Catholic leaders, are impressed enough to name Pope Francis as Person of the Year, this indicates that the pope’s witness to the Gospel has been powerfully inspiring hearts, even outside the church,” said the Rev. Joseph Pilsner, dean of Arts and Sciences at UST. “Pope Francis clearly has his own gifts: an unassuming personality, a love for the poor, an ability to preach the Gospel simply and straightforwardly, and plenty of charisma.” Many say the former cardinal and archbishop of Buenos Aires is breathing new life into the Church, starting with his first public appearance at St. Peter’s Square last March when he broke tradition and asked a crowd of roughly 150,000 to pray for him before blessing them.

The 77-year-old, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, also has called for Catholics to withhold judgment of others and to reach out to the poor, the disabled and those whose beliefs are contradictory to their own faith. He chose the namesake of St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th-century patron saint of the poor and founder of the Franciscan Order. “He took the name of a humble saint and then called for a church of healing,” Time wrote in its announcement. “The septuagenarian superstar is poised to transform a place that measures change by the century.” Pope Francis follows in the footsteps of the late Pope John Paul II, who was named Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1994. g

Catholic Community Jubilant:Pope Francis Named Time Person of the Year

Fr. Rosica said. “Because of the suddenness of the transition, and the fact that there was no papal death or funeral hovering over them, the Cardinals had the privilege of being creative in their thinking and planning for the future.” Fr. Rosica explained that during the 10 days of pre-conclave meetings, the Cardinals “determined what the needs were for the church, and who could possibly respond to those needs and challenges. Bergoglio’s heart for the poor, passion for the Gospel and love of the people brought him to the forefront.”

Fr. Rosica, who lives in Canada, regularly spends time at UST and believes it has an important role to play in the New Evangelization promoted by today’s Catholic Church. “UST is a jewel in the crown of Catholic education and in the heart of the Basilian Fathers,” Fr. Rosica said. “It educates leaders of faith and character who care about what happens in the world. Just as it was the hour for Pope Francis, it is UST’s time to shine. I know great things are in store for St. Thomas and its graduates.” g

TIME

PERSONOF THEYEAR

TIMEPOPE FRANCISPERSONOF THEYEAR

Light streams from the cupola of St. Peter’s Basilica.

St. Peter’s Square is viewed from the terrace of the

Convent of Maria Bambina.

* Artist’s rendition of Time cover


Cardinal DiNardoElected VP of U.S. Conference of Bishops His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and a member of the UST Board of Directors, was elected vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in the fall. Pope Benedict XVI named DiNardo a cardinal in 2007, making him the first cardinal from Texas. He shepherds an archdiocese serving 1.3 million Catholics. g

Center for Faith and Culture Celebrates 20th AnniversaryFr. Donald S. Nesti, CSSp, founded the Center for Faith and Culture in 1994 in response to Pope John Paul II’s 1982 creation of the Pontifical Council for Culture. The CFC seeks to understand and affect the relationship between the worldview of Catholic faith and culture. It provides a Master of Arts in Faith and Culture and a Certificate of Faith and Culture as core programs. g

Newman GuideRecognizes USTUST was once again named among 22 U.S. and 28 worldwide Catholic colleges and universities recommended by the Cardinal Newman Society. The 2014 edition of The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College featured UST for the fourth time, acknowledging its strong Catholic identity influenced by the Basilian Fathers, the core curriculum focused on theology and philosophy, and Catholicism promoted through lecture series. g

H.E. Daniel Cardinal DiNardo

Dominic A. Aquila, D. Litt et Phil.UST provost and vice president for Academic Affairs

he indelible mark of Pope Francis’s young papacy is its contagious joy. His recent extended meditation on the New Evangelization explains the cause of this joy: “the joy of the gospel,” Evangelli Gaudium. Pope Francis’s joyfulness resonates with the students, faculty and staff at UST whose lives and practice of their faith led the Cardinal Newman Society to label St. Thomas “joyfully Catholic.” St. Thomas has always celebrated its Catholic identity, acknowledging with great gratitude its roots in the heart of the Church. Inspired by Pope Francis’s call for Christians “to embark on a new chapter of evangelization,” UST has made the New Evangelization central to its strategic vision. UST Worldview, produced collaboratively with Salt and Light Catholic Television Network, is an important part of this initiative. The UST Parish Ambassador program, which connects Houston area parishes to the intellectual and cultural life of UST, is another example of our commitment to the New Evangelization. In addition to these programs, the New Evangelization requires something more fundamentally important for UST and all Catholic universities: what Pope Francis calls “missionary discipleship.”

Rigorously demanding academic curricula are crucial for students to flourish personally and professionally, but more important is the encouragement toward exemplary lives of discipleship that advance the mission and values of the Church. This encouragement is achieved through the person-to-person encounter between teacher and student, and the Catholic university is a place where the witness of men and women committed to a love of learning, a desire for God, and a moral life makes a lifelong impression on developing minds and hearts. Pope Francis, like Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II before him, underscores the unique and irreplaceable role of Catholic universities in the evangelization of culture. They systematically demonstrate the concordance of faith and reason, science and religion. UST core curriculum courses that synthesize theology, philosophy and other academic disciplines exemplify this effort to harmonize faith and reason. Pope Francis calls Catholic universities to remember their origins in the heart of the Church, ex corde ecclesiae, and in the vision and charism of their founders. His reminder directs us with gratitude and profound appreciation to the Basilian Fathers, who founded UST and provided the exemplary lives of witness that formed the heart of this university. Faithful to our founding, we therefore embrace the Basilian Fathers’ motto, “teach us discipline, goodness and knowledge,” and pray that we remain good stewards of their great legacy. g

The Place of the University in Pope Francis’s New Evangelization

Light streams into St. Peter’s Basilica (left) and Michaelangelo’s Pietà (right) is located inside.

Vatican, Rome and Pope Francis pictures courtesy of Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation.


Creating His Own Path Ron Hartgrove’s Art Bridges the Chasm Between Reality and Abstraction

His art is never described as ordinary. “His works let us feel grounded while exploring the past, experiencing the present and moving into another dimension,” explained a physician who was one of 11 friends asked to respond to his fall 2013 one-man show, “Black and White: Blind Sight.” In his artist statement for that show, Hartgrove said that all the paintings in the show “contain questions not answers.”

The most common question Hartgrove receives about his work is, “What does it mean?” When asked this, he may share some art history, reference a poet or quote his favorite authors, but he never gives simple answers. Hartgrove expresses himself visually, and he sees words as limiting. Instead of names for his pieces, he simply numbers them. Instead of complex artist’s notes hung near each painting, he hangs

riends and colleagues of Ron Hartgrove ’74 have described his art as unsettling, brilliant, visionary, magnificent, surprising and larger than life – work that attempts to “cross the chasm between an unknowable truth and our everyday reality.”

F

www.stthom.edu/finearts

quotes… from John Wayne and the Bible, from literature and music, from philosophy and his own poetry. Coach and art historian Beau Biron ’68 said, “This man’s work is extraordinary…. Don’t look for apples, hayfields or cans of tomato soup; these artistic works are chock full of archetypal symbolism in an ‘in your face’ form.” In recent years, Hartgrove’s whole approach to art might be considered by

some to be “in your face.” He thinks little about the “art world” but he cares deeply about the “world of art.” Because of his work in the jewelry business and ORBIS – his trademarked line of interchangeable stone jewelry – Hartgrove feels free to explore his creative vision without concern for the rules and standards of the established art world of museums, galleries, curators, art critics and collectors. He has sold several hundred paintings, but selling his art is not his motivation. He is driven, almost compulsive, about painting, but his drive is calm, focused and thoughtful. Regular meditation and prayer feed his well-spring of creativity – along with hot

tea and time with his wife and business partner Kathleen, his six children and his seven grandchildren. His earliest childhood memories begin with art – crayons, colored pencils and reams of manila paper. His mother was a voracious reader, a primitive painter and a seamstress. His father made watches and worked in the jewelry business. Hartgrove was working alongside

his dad by age 8, and he painted his first oil, of Frankenstein, at age 9. He still has the painting, stacked chronologically in his studio with other early works. He also became a voracious reader like his mom. For 31 years, Hartgrove raised his family, built his businesses and focused on jewelry. But in 2008, he passionately refocused on painting. Since that time, the prolific artist has completed more than 3,000 paintings – 621 of them in 2013. He uses all mediums and tends toward abstraction. He ignores what’s trendy; he paints what he wants to paint. Since 2009, he has had seven major one-man shows in addition to other special showings. His jewelry was recently

displayed in Forbes Gallery in New York City as part of the 25-year retrospective of Jewelry-as-Art from The American Jewelry Design Council, for which he is a founding member and past president. Hartgrove has won art awards over a 50-year span and has exhibited his works since 1963, starting at what was then the Enchanted Cup Gallery in Houston. He has four paintings in The Menil Collection, and a regional contemporary arts museum recently purchased one painting and is seeking board approval to purchase a second, larger one. In the 1970s, he chose to study art history and studio painting at the University of St. Thomas because

he sensed a seriousness there – “an acknowledgement that God exists. I wanted to be in a spiritual environment that was structured. St. Thomas tightened me up, gave me a strong purpose and a strong direction. It was a transformational experience.” Over his lifetime, Hartgrove has built on his UST experience, his world travels, his faith and his love of science and art to create his own unique niche – not necessarily in the art world, but most definitely in the world of art. “I keep pushing the boundaries,” he said. “I’m generating catalysts for viewers to react to, and I can’t wait to get up each morning to create the next one.” g


Paintings by prolific artist Ron Hartgrove, including those shown here, are regularly displayed in Hartgrove Galleries in Houston.

Creating His Own Path Ron Hartgrove’s Art Bridges the Chasm Between Reality and Abstraction

“The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.” – Francis Bacon Sr.

he UST men’s soccer team is gearing up for an exciting 2014 season after finishing last fall with its best record ever (13-4-2), winning the Red River Athletic Conference Championship and competing in the NAIA National Tournament as the No. 24 seed. Though the team was bested 0-1 in the national tournament by the No. 8 seeded team, Head Coach Aaron Champenoy (RRAC Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year) said it was an “absolutely amazing season.” “This is a great group of young men who show character on and off the field,” Champenoy said. “They worked hard to accomplish their success. The home games this past season were played in an amazing environment – cheering crowds of students, staff and alumni. I couldn’t be more proud of this team.” The team placed six members on the RRAC All-Conference teams, including senior midfielder Jack Brett, who was also named RRAC Offensive Player of the Year, NSCAA All-Region and NAIA All-American. The team graduated only four seniors from the 2013 roster and will start the

fall season with the majority of last year’s starters. “Add to that some talented redshirts and a handful of promising recruits, and we could have the best group yet,” Champenoy said.

Strong international,local interest in UST The coach said UST has much to offer from a recruiting standpoint: a great educational opportunity, a nationally competitive soccer program and access to all the arts, athletics and culture of the fourth largest city in the nation. The roster is quite a mix of local-area and international students. The team has included players from Mexico, Honduras, Peru, Venezuela, Panama, Guatemala, Brazil, Trinidad, Jamaica, Germany, England, Scotland, Morocco and Nigeria. He said the international students are major contributors to the team’s success. For example, freshman Kelvin “Manny” Iloba from Lagos, Nigeria, earned First Team All Conference honors for his 2013 season. The soccer program is also well connected locally.

“We recruit students from all walks of life from the Houston area,” said Champenoy. UST soccer teams practice and play home games at the Houston Amateur Sports Park (HASP), a Houston city park managed by the Houston Dynamo. “Our vision for HASP is to create one of the premier small-college facilities in the region,” Champenoy said. He is seeking funds to add bleachers to seat 500 spectators, a state-of-the-art soccer scoreboard, a sound system, and player shelters and benches. Eventually, he would also like to add a facility that includes lockers and a training room. g


UST SoccerMen’s Team Has Best Year Ever in 2013

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The men’s soccer team celebrates after winning the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament Championship.

Irving Escobedo, senior midfielder, makes an impressive kick during the RRAC

Championship vs. UT-Brownsville.

Beginning its third year in the fall, the men’s golf team had a positive start and is hoping to compete well in the conference and national championships this spring, said new men’s and women’s golf Head Coach Philip Tate. Last year, the men’s team won the 2013 Red River Athletic Conference Championship and finished 12th at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics tournament. “We went into this season ranked 19th in the country,” Tate said. “I think the players have high expectations. I do, too.” Athletics Director Todd Smith believes Tate brings positive leadership to UST golf. “Coach Tate fits in well at St. Thomas and in our athletic department,” Smith said. “He is energetic and is taking the men’s program to the next level while building a solid women’s team.” Playing since he was 9, Tate was two-time Academic All American, All Big 12, and All Academic Southwest Conference while at Texas Tech. He had several top five finishes in 32

events during his college career and was on the 1996 Southwest Conference Championship Team. Most of the nine players on the men’s team are from Texas, but recruits from Canada, Venezuela and Australia have made a positive impact as well. “We have a strong pool of male golfers to

pull from – both across the Houston region and in other

nations,” Smith said. St. Thomas currently has two women on its golf roster: former basketball player and

senior Lauren Kinney and Nicki Oesch, freshman from

George Ranch who has already shown great promise by winning a tournament and by placing second against an NCAA Division I school. “I believe the men’s team can make it to the NAIA nationals again in 2014,” Tate said. “On the women’s side, I am actively seeking strong players who also have solid academics so we can build on our talented core group. Golf is going strong at UST, and I’m thrilled to be here.” g


By early February, Head Coach Nikola Barjaktarevic had recruited 10 student-athletes for UST’s first-ever women’s soccer team – nine from the greater Houston region and one from Venezuela. His first recruit, Guadalupe Rodriguez from Sugar Land, signed last fall. Rodriguez chose to join this program because “St. Thomas is giving me the opportunity to be able to play soccer in college while also receiving an extraordinary education in the nursing field.” Five of the student-athletes were signed on National Signing Day in February. “We are incredibly excited to welcome this talented group that will be the foundation of our soccer program,”

Barjaktarevic said. “They are all passionate about soccer, and we are extremely happy with the talent level, athleticism and character of our team so far.” Barjaktaravic, who was hired last spring to start the program, has been named Red River Athletic Conference Coach of the Year three times. “What an exciting time for UST women’s soccer,” said Barjaktarevic. “We can’t wait to start our fall season. Our goals are to build a solid foundation for the future and to compete for the RRAC Tournament Championship our very first year.” g

Women’s Soccer Recruiting on Track for Fall 2014 Start

Guadalupe Rodriguez of Sugar Land is welcomed by Coach Nikola Barjaktarevic as the first recruit for women’s soccer.

More Accolades for UST Athletics

The UST Athletics Department was honored with the 2012-13 Red River Athletic Conference Sportsmanship Award, an honor voted on by RRAC athletic directors. LSU Shreveport Athletic Director Chad McDowell said Athletic Director Todd Smith and the UST athletics programs “epitomize the core value of sportsmanship.” “Beginning at the top and funneling down through Coach Smith’s staff and ultimately down to the student-athletes who compete, they represent their university with class regardless of the outcome of the competition. They truly deserve this honor,” McDowell said. g

The Champions ClubSupporters of the UST athletics program can become members of the Champions Club, earning a variety of benefits based on giving level. To learn more, visit www.stthom.edu/championsclub g

UST Golf Programs Build Momentum

www.ustcelts.com


Love of Sports hen Dr. Keith Strudler, M.Ed. ’94, arrived at the University of Florida to begin work on his doctorate, a professor asked him what he wanted to study for the rest of his life. “Sports,” he declared, without hesitation.

“Growing up, all we did was sports,” Strudler said. “We went to dozens of Rockets games a year and played every sport you can imagine; it was a central part of our family dynamic. As I got older, I realized that sports represent the essence of humanity and society; they touch on race and government and politics. All these things are embodied in the games people watch.” Strudler completed his Ph.D. in mass communication and wrote one of the nation’s first dissertations on sports and media. His timing was perfect. In 2000, Marist College in New York was planning to start a program in sports communication – a rarity nationwide – and they believed Strudler was the man for the job. He was hired as an assistant professor of communication and, within two years, launched a sports communication degree program there.

Leads to Career Educating Next Generation of Ethical Sports Journalists

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Dr. Keith Strudler (pictured here during his ESPN 1220

program with co-host Geoff Brault) offers weekly radio

commentary on sports and society for WAMC/Northeast

Public Radio.

With Strudler’s leadership, this specialization at Marist has grown into one of the largest sports communication programs in the nation – with more than 160 majors and numerous minors enrolled – and the second largest communication concentration at Marist. Beyond spending six years as chair of the Communication Department and teaching a variety of sports communication courses as an associate professor of communication, Strudler founded and is the director for the Marist College Center for Sports Communication. Among its activities, the center partners with the Marist Poll for sports-themed research and hosts a speaker series that features notable sports broadcasters and journalists, such as former Major League Baseball player and manager Bobby Valentine, HBO Real Sports host Bryant Gumbel and ESPN’s play-by-play NBA sports broadcaster Mike Breen. Also through the center, Strudler co-hosts and is executive producer of “The Classroom,” a weekly radio program

broadcast on the Hudson Valley’s ESPN affiliate. “My work with the media and the community feeds my teaching and mentoring, and vice versa,” Strudler said. “I have 10 interns each semester who work for the Saturday morning weekly sports-talk radio show that airs on the ESPN station. I love seeing them grow professionally through that experience.” He also offers weekly radio commentary on sport and society for WAMC, a public radio station in Albany, N.Y. He has published several scholarly articles and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Sports Media. Strudler’s educational path and his role at Marist are natural extensions of his family heritage. His dad, the late Lennar Homes chairman Bob Strudler, helped instill in Strudler a love of sports and an understanding of building something great from the ground up. His mom, former UST Dean of the School of Education Dr. Ruth Strudler, taught him to love learning as well as teaching. Two weeks after completing his bachelor’s degree in English from Cornell University, Strudler returned to Houston to enroll in a classroom management master’s course at UST. “I grew up around UST,” Strudler said. “I took a Shakespeare course in the summer there between Cornell semesters, and it was one of the best classes I had throughout college. When I moved back to Houston, with a teaching job at a junior high, I knew I wanted to learn more about how to be an educator. UST was my first choice for that.” Strudler, who is Jewish, said he gained a deep ethical and moral foundation through his studies at UST, which he conveys to his students. “We work in media, where honesty, integrity and truth-telling are essential,”

he said. “Sports media can be cut-throat, and we see abuses and scandals that prompt discussions about ethics. Having strong values helps me remember that this is not just a business; there are human beings involved. I am grateful to my family and to UST for providing me that solid foundation upon which to build my life and my career.” g


“My work with media and communityfeeds my teaching, and vice versa.”

– Dr. Keith Strudler

Leads to Career Educating Next Generation of Ethical Sports Journalists

Dr. Keith Strudler with HBO Real Sports host Bryant Gumbel (top) and CBS Sports Radio’s Brandon Tierney (bottom).

Each semester, 10 interns at Marist College, led by Dr. Keith Strudler (seated, center) coordinate a weekly sports-talk radio show that airs on the ESPN affiliate in the New York Hudson Valley.

hen a UST business professor challenged Andres Cuellar and his classmates to design a product to improve the lives of people in third-world countries, they rose to the challenge – and the water filter design they adapted will soon impact people across the Philippines. Aware that roughly 60 percent of the world does not have access to potable water, Cuellar, 23, and five others taking UST’s graduate Operations Management class developed a water filter that does not rely on electricity or water pressure to function. It can be constructed from locally sourced materials and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. Cuellar and his classmates developed the idea during the spring 2013 semester. When the course ended, Cuellar decided to take the project beyond the classroom, and his team members supported his efforts.

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“We sometimes forget how much of the world lives in poverty.” – Andres Cuellar


Inspired Innovation Villages in the Philippines are surrounded by water yet struggle to have sufficient clean, safe water to drink.


He will graduate in May with dual bachelor’s and master’s degrees in international business and finance. Cuellar is currently juggling school and a full-time internship at Total, a leading multinational energy company, while working to transform the class project into a business. An investor, inspired by the class presentation, partnered with Cuellar and, together, they have already purchased land in a rural area on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines, and are building a factory to manufacture the water filters from clay, plastic and a bit of sawdust. The product, which resembles a flower pot with multiple layers of clay, uses gravity to filter water into a five-gallon receptacle. When the factory is completed in May, Cuellar will travel to the Philippines to oversee the manufacturing of the filters and to develop a sales distribution plan. “Providing these filters to the Philippines as well as to other developing

countries would generate employment locally while also providing a better standard of living,” Cuellar said. “Also, all the components for building the filters are sourced locally with no need to import.” Cuellar said he hopes to reach roughly 200,000 people in the Philippines in the first year, and eventually expand

the business into countries such as Laos, Myanmar and perhaps his native Colombia. “This reflects very well on UST’s Cameron School of Business and what is possible to be achieved,” said Dr. Beena George, dean. “The class is aboutapplying business principles but being mindful of the need to serve society. It’s a values-based, compassionate approach to business.” Initially targeting Haiti, Cuellar turned toward the Philippines when a visiting friend of the professor, Eric Yeager, saw him and his team present their product, which can be made for an estimated $8 per filter. Impressed, Yeager offered to become an investor, funding approximately 80 percent of the costs to launch the business. Yeager, who divides his time between the United States and the Philippines, understood firsthand the need for clean water. After last

year’s typhoon devastated the country, the need increased exponentially. This led Cuellar to a government agency in the Philippines that has a national campaign to provide potable water for the country’s population. He hopes to become the wholesale

manufacturer of the filters for the agency. “The storm awoke a real need for a product like ours,” Cuellar said. The idea came from hours of research that led Cuellar and his team to an online dissertation written by Martin Bolton, a South African professor, discussing methods for improving ceramic water filters. Cuellar is currently raising funds to pay for a consultant to train locals to work in the factory and to pay for travel expenses. “We sometimes forget how much of the world lives in poverty,” Cuellar said. “Dr. George’s class taught us that when focusing on populations that aren’t as fortunate, we can still create an ethical and profitable business model to provide them with a great product.” g

Water Filter Invented forClass Project Sparks Launchof Business in the Philippines

UST students adapted a model for a simple, inexpensive water filter that will soon be built at a plant in the Philippines.


Cultural“It’s very good for students to understand the country

and the people . . . Taiwan is a free country just like the United States.”– Don Wang, UST Board Member

Dr. Hans Stockton meets Taiwan’s president, Ma Ying-jeou.

Fourteen UST students meet Ma Ying-jeou, the president of Taiwan (front row, second from the left).

Exchange


For 14 students from UST’s Center for International Studies, meeting the president of Taiwan, Ma Ying-jeou, was the summit of a life-changing study abroad experience.

“The opportunity to be greeted by a sitting head of state and have an hour of his time was a great honor for my students and wonderful recognition for UST,” said Dr. Hans Stockton, director and chair of the Center for International Studies. Stockton delivered greetings from UST’s president, Dr. Robert Ivany, and from Houston Mayor Annise Parker. In his remarks to the president, he said, “Your government has generously supported my efforts to bring American university students to this beautiful island…. They have all fallen in love with this beautiful place and gracious people.” Since 2007, four groups of UST students have visited Taiwan with Stockton, an East Asia expert and long-time Taiwan specialist. The trip is part of a course he teaches on contemporary Taiwan and has received generous scholarship support from the Taiwanese-American community in Houston. Stockton arranges visits with various ministries, think tanks, political parties and cultural sites. Joining the UST students for the presidential photo opportunity and reception were 35 Taiwanese young people – about half of the 77 students who have been sent to UST by the Taiwan government since 2011 as part of an educational and cultural exchange. Houstonian and UST board member Don Wang made it possible for the students to meet the president. When the president’s general secretary was serving in a previous post, he lived in Houston and became friends with Wang. That strong connection, and the active exchange program occurring between Houston and Taiwan, opened the door for the special international meet-and-greet. “For the past three years, Taiwan has sent 20-30 students each summer to study at St. Thomas,” Wang said. “The president wanted young people in Taiwan to get to know the real America and not the one they see on TV. He hoped the U.S. and Taiwanese students would build relationships and gain understandings that could change our future.” Wang, who recently retired as chairman of Metro Bank, has a strong connection to UST and has been impressed that UST students study abroad in Taiwan. The Taiwanese students who come to study at UST are part of the American and Global Studies Colloquium (AGSC) program. Established by Stockton in 2011, the AGSC is a partnership between UST’s Center for International Studies and the Overseas Community Affairs Commission in Taipei.

The exchange students have enjoyed the opportunity to spend time at the home – and swimming pool – of Drs. Michael and Amy Coburn during their time in Houston. Michael is chair of the Urology Department at Baylor College of Medicine and Amy is an associate professor of Opthamology for Houston Methodist and BCM. “We became involved with the AGSC through our son Jeff, who traveled with UST delegations to Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China,” said Amy Coburn. “The Taiwanese students are friendly, accomplished, intellectually curious and motivated to get the most out of their time in Texas.” Two of UST’s 15 sister universities are located in Taiwan, National Cheng Chi University (Taipei) and Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages (Kaohsiung) represent two of the university’s most active exchange programs. The future is bright for continued and even expanded exchange opportunities between the nations. Ivany recently met with Wang, and the two are planning to travel to Taiwan;in 2014 to discuss more opportunities for exchange programs with sister universities. “President Ma was very happy with the program and with the students,” Wang said. “UST just needs to keep building on this wonderful friendship.” g

UST Students Meet Taiwan’s President; Taiwan Sends Students to Study at UST

Study abroad participants explore historic sites while in Taiwan.

Students from Taiwan enjoy time with family and friends of Drs. Michael and Amy Coburn at the Coburn home.Exchange

www.stthom.edu/CIS


The mission is part of the Catholic Worker movement founded by Dorothy Day. “My family wasn’t Catholic, but my dad had known Dorothy Day in New York and was impressed with her writings and her concern for the poor,” Fernandez-Cueto said. During her senior year of high school, after writing to Casa Juan Diego’s founders, Louise and Mark Zwick, Fernandez-Cueto arranged to serve as a volunteer there and to live at the mission. She moved to Houston with $70 and a desire to do something meaningful with her life.

“It was quite an experience living in impoverished, inner-city Houston for the next three years,” she said. “To see the world through the eyes of the poor, to eat the same meals and live together – that experience has shaped the rest of my life.” Fernandez-Cueto said her parents taught their children to live for others and to seek meaning beyond themselves. She was the ninth of 10 children, and her parents encouraged her to follow her heart, even if it meant leaving the community. “I feel called to serve within the context of the world’s suffering, to enter into humanity’s search for

healing and hope and love,” she explained. While volunteering at Casa Juan Diego, Fernandez-Cueto met some of the monks from the Community of St. John in Laredo, Texas. Fascinated by their committed study of philosophy and theology, she wrote to ask permission to come and learn from them. “It was extraordinary,” she said. “I was 20. I was not Catholic or a nun, yet they were so welcoming and open-hearted. I told them I was searching for truth – something I could stake my life on. Eighteen months later, I was baptized and

welcomed into the Catholic faith.” While at the monastery, thededicated student decided she wanted a formal education. She enrolled at the University of St. Thomas, where she received the prestigious V.J. Guinan Presidential Scholarship. “I could not have attended the university without scholarships,” she said. “I sometimes worked four part-time jobs just for daily living during college, but tuition was beyond my reach.” First drawn to the reputation of the philosophy program, Fernandez-

Cueto quickly became a joint major in philosophy and communication, with a focus on print journalism. She worked at the student newspaper all through school, eventually becoming editor of The Cauldron. “At their best, both philosophy and journalism are concerned with the pursuit of truth,” Fernandez-Cueto said. “I’m so grateful for all I learned – for the values those professors passed on to me and for the ways they helped me discover my own gifts and talents.” She was especially close to communication professor and former faculty newspaper adviser Nicole Casarez, J.D., who had “an absolute dedication to the integrity of our work and our precise adherence to professional standards.” Graduating summa cum laude in 2005 with a joint bachelor’s degree, Fernandez-Cueto married Andres Fernandez-Cueto, an architect from Mexico City, and began pursuing a freelance writing career while he continued his education in Washington, D.C.

They now live in Houston once again and have children ages 7, 5and 1. After writing grants fortwo and a half years for St. DominicVillage, Fernandez-Cueto recentlyreturned to freelance writing and is working toward a master’s degree in UST’s Center for Faith and Culture. “Now I live a comfortable life with my family in the suburbs,” she said. “It’s easy to pretend the poorest segment of society doesn’t exist, but my life experiences and the values reinforced at UST won’t allow me to do that.” g

At age 18, Marion Fernandez-Cueto ’05 left her home in an enclosed Anabaptist community in Connecticut and moved into Casa Juan Diego – a humanitarian mission in Houston that focuses on the poorest of the poor.

UST Alumna Sees the World Through a Different Lens Truth

In Pursuit of


UST Alumna Sees the World Through a Different Lens“To see the world through the eyes of the poor, to eat the same meals and live together – that experience has shaped the rest of my life.” – Marion Fernandez-Cueto


As participants in UST’s Social Entrepreneurship Program (SEP), students put in practice the theories and techniques on development and poverty alleviation that they learn in the classroom. “It really opened our eyes,” said Jacqueline Ali DeLeon, senior international development major. “We saw the conditions in which people live, how much they suffer and how hard they

have to work to sustain their family. At the same time, it was incredibly beautiful to see how far these women have advanced because of the microloans we made to them.” For the Yucatan Project, SEP partnered with a local nonprofit, Ayuda para Ayudar, which works with 53 Mayan communities on the Yucatan peninsula.

With a revolving fund of $23,000, the SEP student-led microloan program supports women and families through their production of honey, handicrafts and small-scale agriculture. Local women grow habanero peppers and make salsa at a processing plant built with the help of the Mexican government and the local field partner. On the fall trip to Yucatan, the

students and two UST faculty leaders visited the plant, talked to loan recipients, and checked out the products’ store placement and marketing. Fellow traveler and junior international development major Elena Petre said, “I learn theory

from my Center for International Studies professors in the classroom and apply what I learn in the real world. Even better, I help people while doing it.” Through the SEP, Petre said she has learned about business models, nonprofit logistics, public speaking, fundraising, international relations and conflicts, negotiation, marketing and public relations. “And I’ve had a blast along the way,” she added.

Esther James, junior international development major, said she learned that “you

can’t fix everything in a community, but you can work with what you have been given and do it with all your might.” Through SEP, students identify underprivileged communities around the world, establish partnerships with local-area organizations, identify areas of potential collaboration, design development projects and create ways to assess the impact of the projects. Dr. Rogelio Garcia-Contreras, CIS associate professor, said students accomplish these tasks by transferring know-how and, when necessary, raising funds and distributing them through microloans or by the creation of infrastructure. SEP students work with communities as distant and diverse as Lilongwe, Malawi; Santiago, Chile; Chitral, Pakistan; and Medellin, Colombia. Students are becoming adept at using online fundraising techniques to support SEP projects, recently crowdsourcing funding for a project related to honey production in Pakistan. The students believe strongly in the program’s motto: “United, we can overcome poverty with dignity.” One family, one bottle of honey and one salsa plant at a time, they are doing just that. g

Students’ Trip to Yucatan Affirms Outcomes of SEP Microloans

“We saw the conditions in which people live, how much they suffer and how hard

they have to work to sustain their family.”– Jacqueline Ali DeLeon

Traveling to Yucatan to better understand the impoverished conditions among the Mayan communities made a life-changing impact on four UST students.

In a processing plant in Yucatan, Mexico, women helped by microloans from UST’s Social Entrepreneurship Program produce this tasty salsa.

news&notables

Pictured in Yucatan (left to right) are Elena Petre, Dr. Rogelio Garcia-Contreras, Jacqueline DeLeon, Dr. Linda Pett-Conklin, Esther James and Juana Martinez.


Making Beautiful MusicGarrido Conducts Orchestra of Blind Musicians

“The concert was successful – just beautiful – and the reviews were excellent,” said. Dr. Glenn Garrido, when asked to describe his recent experience conducting a symphonic band composed entirely of blind musicians. Garrido, chair of UST’s Music Department, made Argentine history last fall when he served as the first guest conductor for the Argentina National Symphony of Blinds. “It was fascinating and challenging,” Garrido said. “To conduct a group of blind players, you must memorize the score so you can concentrate on gestures needed to help them with entrances and tempos. This includes tapping the music stand with the baton, clicking fingers, loud breathing and soft verbal instructions.” The musicians memorize all the music as well, and they do it amazingly fast – memorizing a four-minute piece

in about an hour and a half. Garrido was impressed with their talent and their ability to rapidly and effectively

learn complex pieces. Garrido conducted the orchestra in two concert performances, and selections included Libertango by Piazzolla and Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin. “I learned so much from the experience,” Garrido said. “It was amazing.” g

Dr. Robert LeBlanc, dean of UST’s School of Education, and five UST professors had the opportunity to present their philosophy of service-learning at an international conference in Cape Town, South Africa. LeBlanc and UST’s academic leaders share an unwavering commitment to integrating service-learning components across many academic disciplines. The team presented a paper titled “Not Just in My Neighborhood: Service-Learning in Higher Education on a Local and Global Scale” at the Fifth International Service-Learning Symposium at Stellenbosch University. “There is an international interest in encouraging university students to take what they’ve learned into their

communities,” LeBlanc said. “At St. Thomas, we have courses across many disciplines that connect service and learning.” For example, students in UST’s School of Education work with elementary school children, teaching them basic principles of economics by setting up lemonade stands. Biology students volunteer at local clinics to publicize the risk of communicable diseases and ways to avoid them. Taking advantage of his 8,600-miletrip, after the conference LeBlanc visited a wildlife preserve for white rhinoceroses and white lions near Cape Town. “International travel, even for a conference, changes your worldview,” he said.

Jean-Philippe Faletta of the Political Science Department, who serves as director of Service-Learning at UST, coordinated the group’s presentation. g

Presenting at the international conference were (left to right) Dr. Randy Soffer, Dr. Jean-Phillippe Faletta, Dr. Rosie Rosell, Dr. Maia Larios-Sanz, Dr. Robert LeBlanc and Dr. Ana-Lisa Gonzalez.

UST Professors Present at International Conference

UST Student Research Ranked First in Nation Seven UST undergraduate students were named first in the nation for their research and presentation at the Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting. The students studied the lethal concentration of toluene on fruit flies and the effects of toluene exposure on fly offspring. Toluene, a volatile organic compound found in crude oil, paint and as a by-product of petroleum refining, causes irregular fetal development along with neurological and liver defects in humans. To study the effects on fruit flies, the students developed their own unique systemto deliver concentrations of toluene vapor and studied the effects on survivors’ larvae. Their research triumphed over 42 poster presentations from undergraduate students from across the nation. The group will present their research at UST’s annual Research Symposium, scheduled April 10-12. g

Dr. Glenn Garrido conducts the Argentina National Symphony of Blinds.

news&notables


on the MoveThree of UST’s most dedicated advocates – Marianne Ivany, Michele Malloy and Dr. Beena George – have received well-deserved recognition and visibility in recent months. “These women wholeheartedly embrace UST’s mission and use their resources and influence to inspire creativity, service and leadership,” said Cynthia Colbert Riley, UST’s vice president for Institutional Advancement.

Marianne Ivany

news&notables

Marianne Ivany UST First Lady Marianne Ivany is an enthusiastic supporter of the arts and of UST’s Performing Arts Society, working diligently to raise scholarship support for students of the arts. Named one of Houston Woman Magazine’s 50 Most Influential Women of 2013, Ivany’s passion for the arts community is recognized throughout the city. At the Houston Symphony, she occupies seats on the board of trustees and education committee. “We are an awesome city for the arts,” Ivany said. “I think that is why St. Thomas is so well positioned. Our campus resides in the heart of the Museum District, giving our students unbelievable access to all the great cultural activities this city has to offer.” In addition to advocating for the arts, Ivany is also a participant. As a UST Master of Liberal Arts student, she has written poetry, plays and short stories, performed in children’s theater productions and given flute recitals. Even for those who are not performers, Ivany said, “We can all be audience members whose lives are enriched through the beauty of the arts.” g

Michele Malloy Appointed by Texas Executive Women to the class of 2013 Women on the Move, Michele Malloy has an impressive history of service at UST and beyond. She has served on the board of directors for 11 years and spent three as its chair. A practicing attorney since 1977, Malloy says, “What I’ve learned in life is that service is joy. I agree with the motto of Frances Hesselbein: ‘To serve is to live.’ Listen to where you’re called to serve, because you will be.” Malloy has taken these words to heart and volunteers throughout the community in a variety of roles. She has served on the Houston Grand Opera board of trustees, volunteered with the Cullen Trust for Higher Education, worked as a volunteer patient advocate at MD Anderson Cancer Center and offered her assistance for the Catholic Chaplain Corps at St. Luke’s Hospital. She is also active in her parish and two Catholic orders, the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre and the Order of Malta. g

Dr. Beena George Featured in 2013 by Houston Woman Magazine, Dr. Beena George is the UST Cameron School of Business’ fourth dean and the first woman to hold the title. She is deeply involved in student success as a UST business faculty member for 10 years and continues to conduct award-winning classes on business strategy and the use and management of information technology resources in organizations. George encourages her students to gain global perspective by studying abroad and has led several groups to her native country of India. Her expertise in outsourcing and marketing to underprivileged customers are integral to her work, and through her knowledge she helps students understand these unique markets. Her mission for her students is clear: “We are developing leaders with critical thinking skills who will address challenges in an informed and thoughtful manner. As a business school in a Catholic liberal arts university, we want to prepare students to make meaningful contributions to business and society.” g

Michele Malloy

Dr. Beena George

WomenWomen


UST by thenumbers

UST Welcomes Catholic Health Initiatives to HoustonDavid Harvey (left), chair of UST’s Faith in Our Future campaign, Michele Malloy, UST board chair, and Kevin Lofton, president and CEO of Catholic Health Initiatives, attend a reception hosted on the UST campus to welcome key leaders involved in a joint agreement between Catholic Health Initiatives St. Luke’s Health, Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Heart Institute.

CHI, the nation’s second-largest faith-based health care system, plans to invest more than $1 billion in the region’s health care infrastructure over the next five years.

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6,388

from UST – the most ever – joined half a million people in Washington, D.C. for the annual March for Life.

of incoming undergraduates are pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) majors.

of UST pre-med students who apply are accepted into medical school.

Catholic school students – a record number – from 50 schools wrote essays for the 10th annual UST/Archdiocesan Essay Contest. The winners were selected from 664 finalists and honored in January with a Mass and awards ceremony at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.

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The Off-Campus Master of Education Program is a resounding hit for students pursuing higher education in a city no stranger to heavy traffic. Rather than travel to the UST campus for courses after a full day of work, students can drive to one of 15 satellite centers in the Greater Houston area to earn a professional certificate and/or a master’s degree in education. “This gives us a much larger impact in the Houston area,” said Dr. Robert LeBlanc, dean of the School of Education. Currently, approximately 1,000 students – most of whom are teachers – participate in the program, which was launched four years ago. Nearly 75 UST professors travel to locations as far as Alvin and The Woodlands to offer programs in bilingual dual language, counselor education, curriculum and instruction, educational diagnostics, educational leadership, reading and special education, said Eduardo Torres, director of Graduate Studies for the School of Education at UST. “We offer options so our students can be successful,” Torres said. “We take the university to the students.”

Students can earn a master’s degree in six semesters, attending blended, three-hour classes once a week for seven weeks. They earn two course credits per semester, Torres explained. All must have a bachelor’s degree, a minimum 3.0 grade point average, and two years of teaching experience. Summer classes are required as well. The program was started with assistance from the K-12 Teachers Alliance, a national professional development organization established to improve student performance and achievement in science and mathematics. g

University Offers Classes at 15 Sites

UST offers courses at 15 satellite campuses across the greater Houston region.

www.stthom.edu/SOE


Ferrari has published six books and more than 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, and has more than 30 issued patents for his inventions in the field. His contributions have garnered numerous national and international accolades. His lecture, titled “Five

Prayers: A Testimonial on Faith and Science,” offered reflections on sources of inspiration including the Universal Prayer attributed to Pope Clement XI; the example of Simon of Cyrene, who helped Christ carry His cross; and the life and thoughts of St. Bonaventure. An internationally recognized pioneer in biomedical nanotechnology, Ferrari explained that even though science and religion are two “completely distinct” domains, it is possible to “look at science and get inspired for worship, and through worship, be inspired to tackle the difficult problems in science.”

The parallels between faith and research, Ferrari explained, include “recognizing the signature of the Lord in what you observe,” and approaching both prayer and science with a fundamental attitude of humility. “The first thing I do when I pray is say, ‘Lord, how great you are and how little I am’; and in science, I begin by saying, ‘Look at this, how wonderful it is! And how little I am,’” Ferrari said. “Unless you do that, it is difficult to pray. And you cannot study nature with hubris; you have to have humility.” During the lecture, Ferrari praised St. Bonaventure for his “reckless abandonment to the Lord,” adding that “when you can mimic that in scientific discovery, that’s when the greatest achievements are made.” The Miller Lecture Series features experts who have overcome the dichotomy of faith and reason and risen to greatness by embodying the values of the Catholic intellectual tradition in professional practice. The lecture is named in honor of UST President Emeritus Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, and made possible through the generosity of the John W. and Alida M. Considine Foundation. g

Renowned Nanotechnology Expert Presents Lecture on Faith, Science

news&notables

Donna Fujimoto Cole, UST President’s Advisory Board member and president/CEO of Cole Chemical & Distributing, helped introduce a very special Congressional Gold Medal to Houston in January. She presented the keynote lecture, “A Unique American Story and the Congressional Gold Medal,” at the Holocaust Museum Houston, discussing the medal awarded in 2011 to Japanese American, or Nisei, World War II veterans in recognition of their extraordinary accomplishments. More than 19,000 Japanese American soldiers served in units during World War II. Cole, along with the National Veterans Network, was instrumental in helping the Japanese American veterans receive the Gold Medal, which represents Congress’s highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements.

The traveling exhibit and educational curriculum were partly sponsored by Cole Chemical, and Holocaust Museum Houston was one of seven museums on a national tour of the medal. Cole and the National Veterans Network are now working on a permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. She founded Cole Chemical more than 30 years ago, providing chemicals and chemical supply chain management. The company is ranked among the top 100 chemical distributors in the nation. g

Friend of UST Discusses HeroicJapanese American WWII Vets

Medical research and prayer “share many fundamental characteristics,” said Dr. Mauro Ferrari, president, CEO, and distinguished endowed chair of Houston Methodist Research Institute, when delivering UST’s annual Archbishop J. Michael Miller Lecture in late February.

Dr. Mauro Ferrari discusses the parallels between faith and research during UST’s Miller Lecture.

Donna Fujimoto Cole

University NamesNew Board OfficersUST has appointed new officers for the Board of Directors. Dr. Herbert “Bert” Edmundson ’69 is the first UST alumnus to be named chairman of the UST Board of Directors, and his two-year term begins July 1. He is a physician and president of the Memorial Neurological Association. Curtis Huff, board vice chair, is president and CEO of Freebird Partners, LP. His term also begins July 1. Andrius Kontrimas has been named to a new office, board secretary, and his term began Jan. 25. He serves as head of the global tax department for Norton Rose Fulbright law firm. g


news&notables

DiNardo serves as vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and is pastor to the region’s 1.3 million Catholics, 440 priests, 146 parishes and 60 schools spread over 8,880 square miles. He also serves on the UST board of directors. “We are so grateful for the opportunity to honor Cardinal DiNardo for his many achievements and for his continual support of the University of St. Thomas,” said Dr. Robert Ivany, UST president. This annual event, which serves as the major fundraiser for student scholarships, was hosted by Ginny ’79 and Dennis Malloy. The scholarships enable current and future students to benefit from an education rooted in the Basilian tradition and Catholic values.

The scholarship fund is the cornerstone of UST’s financial aid program. Annually, St. Thomas awards more than $13 million in institutional aid to deserving students. “We are very grateful to our generous friends across the community who make it possible for thousands of students to choose UST each year,” Ivany said. “These scholarships are often the deciding factor between a student choosing St. Thomas or going elsewhere.” Mardi Gras King and Queen this year were seniors Cody “C.J.” Miller, political

science major with plans for law school, and Meredith Smith, education major with a certification in early childhood through sixth grade. g

Mardi Gras Event Raises More than $850,000 for Scholarships; Honors H.E. Daniel Cardinal DiNardo

In celebration of its 10th year, the UST William J. Flynn Center for Irish Studies held its annual Irish Gala last fall at The Houstonian Hotel. The gala honored Belfast’s Rev. and Mrs. Harold Good. Rev. Good contributed greatly to world peace efforts as president of the Methodist Church in Ireland. He and his wife support UST through their mentorship of Flynn Center students studying abroad in Northern Ireland. Guests enjoyed traditional Irish music performed by The Flying Fish Sailors and a sing-along of Irish tunes. Among the gala’s auction items were trips to Ireland, an evening at the Houston Ballet and an antique map of Ireland. With 375 guests in attendance, the gala raised $242,000. Proceeds benefited the Flynn Center and a study abroad exchange program between UST, Ireland and Northern Ireland. More than $55,000 was raised for UST scholarships and student support.

Event chairs were Janet and Randy Gilmore and Laura and Rev. Charles Millikan. Honorary Chairs were His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, and Bishop Janice Riggle Huie of The Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. The lead underwriter for the event was Houston Methodist Hospital. The William J. Flynn Center is ranked among the top 10 Irish studies programs in the nation and is the only Irish studies academic and cultural program in the southwestern United States. Its interdisciplinary curricula include courses on Irish history, politics, law,

culture, theology, literature, art, music, language, government and more. The Flynn Center also offers regular cultural programming. g

Irish Gala Honors Peace Advocates; Raises Funds

Celebrating at the 2014 Mardi Gras event are (left to right) Dennis and Ginny Malloy, event co-chairs; Meredith Smith and C.J. Miller, Mardi Gras Queen and King; Marianne Ivany; Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, honoree; and Dr. Robert Ivany, president.

On Fat Tuesday, 400 people attended Mardi Gras 2014, UST’s black-tie event raising funds for The St. Thomas Fund and honoring His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

Attending the Irish Gala are (left to right) Rev. Charles and Laura Milliken, gala co-chairs; Dr. Robert Ivany; Bill Flynn; Marianne Ivany; Janet and Randy Gilmore, gala co-chairs.


Two Saints and a Taco Tasting to Raise Funds for ScholarshipsThe University of St. Thomas Alumni Association will host the third annual Two Saints and a Taco Tasting scholarship fundraiser April 24 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Saint Arnold Brewing Co., 2000 Lyons Ave. Last year, more than 350 people attended the event, and in the fall, the Alumni Association awarded more than $35,000 in student scholarships as a direct result. This year, the goal is to raise $40,000 for scholarships, with alumni support. Restaurants El Tiempo, Escalantes, Tacos A-Go-Go, Maria Selma, St. Arnold, Otilia’s Mexican Restaurant, La Tapatia and and others will offer samples of their best tacos. Guests will vote for their favorites. Another Houston favorite, The Chocolate Bar, owned by alumnus Tino Ramirez, will provide delicious and decadent desserts. Alumni and friends are invited to enjoy the taco entries, live entertainment by Walter Suhr ’89 and Mango Punch! and samples of the full lineup from Texas’ oldest craft brewery. Guests must be age 21 or older. The event will also feature a silent

auction. Proceeds benefit the Alumni Association Annual Scholarship Fund. General tickets are $45 and sponsorship opportunities begin at $250. To purchase tickets, donate items or become a sponsoring restaurant, contact Monica E. Clem, at 713-942-3498 or [email protected]. g

Event Logo Created Pro-Bono by Local, Independent DesignerChris Hawley of Hawley Design, husband of alumna Anna Hawley ’96, designed the Two Saints and a Taco Tasting logo pro-bono in recognition of the family’s connection to UST and to Alumni Association President Jennifer Bowlin Mengis ’83, MLA ’11. Chris is an independent designer and illustrator who teams up with clients and agencies working in all areas of design, creative, marketing and

campaigns. Anna is the chief operating officer for The Health Museum. In creating the design, Chris said he combined vintage religious drawings, a playing card – and tacos, of course. “We attend this event every year,” Chris said. “I donated my design time to create this logo to do my part in helping raise more money for UST scholarships. It has been a pleasure working with the Alumni Association.” g

The logo for the annual Two Saints and a Taco Tasting scholarship fundraiser combines vintage religious drawings, a playing card and a taco.

upcomingalumnievents

April 24 Two Saints and a Taco Tasting

May 16 Graduation Reception and Mass, Crooker Patio Mass, Co-Cathedral, 7 p.m.

May 17 Commencement, Reliant Arena, 10 a.m.

Oct. 17-18 Family Weekend, UST Campus

Support the STF Did you know 75 percent of students receive some type of financial assistance during their time at UST? Scholarships are vital for most students at UST, and friends and alumni can help change lives by supporting the St. Thomas Fund. The St. Thomas Fund is the annual giving program that largely supports student scholarships. Contributions help current and future UST students achieve their education goals. Give online at www.stthom.edu/stthomasfund. g

Throw BackThursdayCelebrate our history by participating in our Throw Back Thursday (#TBT) contest each week on the UST Alumni Facebook page. “Like” UST’s alumni page and check out a fun vintage photo of UST days past. Guess the year the photo was taken for a chance to win a UST Alumni prize package. g

alumnihighlights


Called to ServeUST Alumnus Impacts the City as Leader of Volunteer Houston

Cameron Waldner ’06, MLA ’08, recalls the exact day he decided to pursue a career in service. The International Studies and Political Science departments at UST were planning a Christmas party in 2005, and the students encouraged guests to bring unwrapped toys. Later, Waldner and his peers showed up unannounced on the front steps of Casa Juan Diego – a local charity founded in 1980 for immigrants and refugees – with two truckloads of toys. A staff member opened the door and burst into tears, as she had nothing to give the children who resided there. In fact, the night before, she confessed that she prayed for a miracle. “I felt that God had somehow worked through us to do this,” Waldner said. “By the time we left, we were all crying. That’s when I knew what I was doing for the rest of my life.” Today, Waldner, who studied political science at UST, serves as the chief executive officer of Volunteer Houston. He accepted the position last July, just in time for the organization’s 40th anniversary this year. Volunteer Houston was founded in 1974 to help a growing number of nonprofit organizations coordinate and engage volunteers. Waldner’s work with Volunteer Houston extends his family heritage of nonprofit leadership to a third generation. His grandfather, Paul Waldner II ran Catholic Charities for more than 20 years, and his father, Steve Waldner, served as director of Service Centers for the United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast for 17 years. His family also has a deep heritage with the University of St. Thomas. His grandfather was an adjunct professor of sociology at UST, his mother and father graduated from UST, and Waldner himself is a former adjunct professor of political science. Including his aunts, uncles and cousins, eight Waldners have either attended or taught at UST. “We’re three generations of Houstonians, and also three generations of social giving,” Waldner said. “Being connected to my grandfather through UST is very powerful.” He and his dad also were homecoming chairs for last year’s Celtic Corral Days. Waldner’s experiences at the university cemented his call to serve. Hitting the ground running at Volunteer Houston, he has begun two endeavors he hopes will reinvigorate the organization that has more than 800 active partners and roughly 32,000 volunteers.

While the organization benefits the community in countless ways – including providing numerous volunteer opportunities, disaster recovery, internships and corporate services – Waldner has been tackling logistical issues to make volunteering in Houston a seamless process. He launched a project to redesign the organization’s website, making it more user-friendly and intuitive. Waldner also created a partnership with Verified Volunteers to curtail the time-consuming background checks often required by nonprofits. He announced the new partnership in a live interview on Houston’s local Fox affiliate in January. Inspired by the night he and the other UST students delivered toys to the local nonprofit, Waldner now inspires other volunteers to help individuals and families in need. “If a few university students could impact all those children, imagine what hundreds of well-equipped volunteers could do forHouston,” Waldner said. “I love my job.” g

Cameron Waldner joinedVolunteer Houston just in time for its 40th anniversary. The organization provides volunteer opportunities, disaster preparedness and recovery, internships and corporate services.

alumnihighlights

1955Burney Hebinck ’55 was elected board chairman of The Men’s Center in June 2013. The Men’s Center helps predominantly homeless men recover from alcoholism and drug addiction to lead more productive lives.

1968Helen Catherine “Katy” Walter ’68 was appointed vice principal of Linacre College in Oxford for a two-year term in October 2013.

1972Patrick Mulvey ’72, vice president for Development at MD Anderson Cancer Center, received the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award from Fundraising Success Magazine.

1979Ricci Ivers Casserly ’79, published the children’s book “Kathy’s Adventures” and will have book signings at The Woodlands Children’s Museum from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. July 12 and Barnes & Noble in the Woodlands Mall and from 2-4 p.m. July 13. Her website is www.kathysadventures.tateauthor.com.

1997Sally Trimble ’97 married Steve Sanguedolce Oct. 24, 2013, in Lana’i, Hawaii.

Grace Follis ’97 married James Farquhar Oct. 18, 2013. She began a new job with the Southeast Texas

Regional Advisory Council as a clinical and operations specialist in July 2013.

1998Ronald Vilela, M.D. ’98 became assistant professor for the Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital.

2000Habeeb “Hobbs” I. Gnaim, MBA ’00, was named to the Texas Rising Stars list of top up-and-coming attorneys in Texas for 2013.

David T. Luke ’00 published two books: Reflections of Inspirations (2012) and Reflections of My Soul (2010).

Cody Patel ’00 and wife Kusum announce the birth of daughter Krishna Patel, born Oct. 31, 2013.

Paul Negrete ’00 and Deanna Carrasco ’01 were married Jan. 11, 2014, at St. Michael Catholic Church in Houston.

2003Sarah (Khan) Stuhldreher ’03 and husband Peter announce the birth of son Harry Ryan Stuhldreher on April 26, 2013.

Kelli Kickerillo ’03 and Todd Forester ’03 baptized their son Harrison Kickerillo Forester on Jan. 26 at UST’s Chapel of St. Basil.

2004Umar Suhail ’04 was accepted into the MBA program at the University of Texas McCombs School of Business. He recently accepted a position with UBS in their Mergers & Acquisitions Investment Banking Division in New York.

2005Jesse Bounds ’05 and Gloria Luna Bounds ’03, MBA ’06 announce the birth of son William Luna Bounds on Nov. 16, 2013.

2007Anabelle Dominguez ’07 and Joseph Ndu were married May 21, 2011, at Notre Dame Catholic Church. Marie Kendall ’08 served as maid of honor and Elizabeth Gonzalez ’11 was a bridesmaid. The couple’s son Joseph Alberto Arinze Ndu was born April 6, 2013.

Marilyn Harris, MBA ’07 was featured in a YouTube video series that celebrated the accomplishments of women veterans as Champions of Change. The video was published by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

2008Shavonnah Roberts Schreiber, MBA ’08, a senior marketing manager for IHS, Inc., was certified as a marketer of distinction by the American Marketing Association. She was also recently appointed to the Houston Clean City Commission.

Cristina Zea La Rochelle ’08 announces the birth of her daughter Donella Cristinne Donatti, born Nov. 27, 2013.

2010Vanessa Snodgrass ’10 and Casey Johnson were married Dec. 13, 2013, at UST’s Chapel of St. Basil.

2012Bradley Basker, MLA ’12 published “It’s Particular” in June 2013.

alumnotes


inmemoriamMary Ann Belinoski ’63, died Oct. 10, 2013.

Kenneth E. Bentsen, father of Kenneth E. Bentsen Jr. ’82, died Sept. 24, 2013.

James (Jim) Duffy ’60, died Dec. 5, 2013.

Sr. Mary Justin Farinella, O.P. ’77, died Dec. 28, 2013.

Sr. Mary Elizabeth Agnes Gabriel, CVI ’60, died Jan. 11, 2014.

William J. Gibbons ’58, died Nov. 1, 2013.

Catherine Hajovsky, mother of Judy Koch ’88 and Dolores Kelly ’94, died Jan. 9, 2014.

Brian Kloc ’67, husband of Carol Derden Kloc ’67, died Jan. 15, 2014.

Sr. Miriam Meskill, CVI, died March 6, 2013.

Marian Perilloux, grandmother of Ashley Hutto ’90, died Feb. 27, 2013.

Former student Heather Connolly Ruth, married to George Ruth III ’92, died Jan. 21, 2013.

Mary Suzanne Sechelski, wife of Jerry Sechelski ’68, died Dec. 27, 2013.

James Wesley Shepard Jr. ’05, died Nov. 7, 2013.

Harry William Simms Jr., father of Jack Simms, associate professor of accounting, died Jan. 14, 2014.

George Staight ’70, died Nov. 11, 2013.

Dr. Joyce Thorne, former assistant professor at the School of Education, died Oct. 22, 2013.

John Olney Whitney, named to the Cameron School of Business Hall of Fame in 2012 for exceptional teaching, died Dec. 9, 2013, at age 85. At UST, he held the Burnett Family Endowed Chair in Leadership and had formerly served as a faculty member and associate dean for Harvard University’s Business School. He published more than 100 articles and several books, was a cherished friend to many, and loved golf, deep sea fishing, classical music and travel. He is survived by his wife Carolyn and his children and grandchildren.

John Whitney

To make a contribution in memory of a friend or loved one, contact the Office of Advancement at 713-525-3100.

We Want to Feature You!We feature notes about UST alumni in each issue of the UST Today magazine, and we would love to hear from you! Tell us about your new address, marriage, job change or promotion, birth of a future Celt, death in your immediate family, awards, books published – and other important happenings in your life. Email this information to [email protected]. The next issue of UST Today will publish in fall 2014. Let us know how you’re shining for UST!

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Alumni Reconnect After Graduation; Marry in 2011 During their time at UST, Gloria Luna ’03, MBA ’06 and Jesse Bounds ’05 weren’t close, but they knew of each other. Gloria participated in the Program Council (now Student Activities Board) and the New Student Orientation design team. Jesse played baseball and went on two study abroad trips. They had mutual friends, including Gloria’s sister, Mandy Luna Snyder ’04, MBA ’08. A few years after graduating, Drew Wilson ’03, another UST alumnus and mutual friend, invited them to sit at his table for a UST Athletic Fundraising Luncheon. Jesse and Gloria sat next to each other and instantly connected. As UST alumni, they shared similar experiences and values, and they found it easy to relate. “It didn’t take us long to realize we had found something special,” said Gloria. On May 27, 2011, they married at UST’s Chapel of St. Basil. They welcomed a son, William Luna Bounds, on Nov. 16, 2013. He weighed 6 lb. 2 oz. and was 20.5 inches long. “We will support UST with our little one by our side!” Gloria said. “William will grow up knowing what a special place UST was for both of us. Perhaps we will have a class of 2036 fighting Celt!” g

Strouds Earn UST Bachelor’s, Master’s Degrees Anthony Stroud ’07, MBA ’11, and Maggie Gonzalez ’07, MBA ’11, met their freshmen year at the benches outside of Crooker Center. They socialized at the same places with the same people, and they had some classes together. During the summer of their fourth year, they started spending more time together and officially became a couple. They have been together ever since. Both earned bachelor’s degrees in business administration with concentrations in marketing and finance. He also earned a minor in philosophy. They married Jan. 8, 2011, and completed their MBAs at UST that spring – his in accounting and hers in international business and finance. Anthony works at Seimens Energy as a commercial sales business analyst, and Maggie works at USI as a senior account manager. Their son, Christopher Anthony Stroud, was born July 15, 2013, weighing 8 lb. 6 oz. and measuring 21 inches long. The new parents hope he will be a third-generation UST alumnus someday – joining a proud family tradition that includes a grandmother, uncles and an aunt. “His godparents call him Chubsters, and he is a true gift from God,” Maggie said. g

Educators Meet at Benefit Concert, Marry in 2010 Vida Daneshvar ’07, M.Ed. ’12, and Jason Spencer, M.Ed. ’13, met at UST when Vida was an undergraduate. Jason was performing a benefit concert in the Guinan courtyard in 2004, and they met that evening. They continued to bond over a shared love of the Dave Matthews Band. They dated six years and married at the Chapel of St. Basil in June 2010. Both completed master’s degrees in education – hers in curriculum and instruction and his in school administration with the principal certification. Vida is a math specialist at an elementary school in Alief Independent School District, and Jason is IB coordinator at Lamar High School in Houston Independent School District. Last October, they were blessed with the arrival of their son Michael Navid Spencer on Oct. 27, 2013. He weighed 8 lb. 5 oz. and was 21 inches long. Both Jason and Vida love UST and would be proud for Michael to one day be in the UST Class of 2036! g

Gloria and Jesse Bounds introduce future Celt William Luna Bounds.

To share your Campus Couples story and photo, email [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!

campuscouples: baby edition


Maggie and Anthony Stroud introduce future Celt Christopher Anthony Stroud.

Vida and Jason Spencer introduce future Celt Michael Navid Spencer.


oint

While studying English and philosophy at UST in the early 1960s, my favorite – and toughest – professor was Rev. Edward G. Lee, CSB, and I’ve never forgotten his words: “If you can’t clearly express your idea in writing, you never had the idea in the first place.” Through the years, I’ve had the opportunity to teach graduate students, and Fr. Lee’s tough standards became my own. Students have pleaded with me to give them credit for ideas they could not express in writing. I refused to acquiesce, making them struggle to articulate themselves clearly and succinctly. My demands created extra work for them, but most of them thanked me later for making them do it. In 1963, Fr. Lee did me the same favor when I was taking his English class as a lost freshman at UST. My parents were poor Italian immigrants with 10th-grade educations, but I had done well in high school and started college with a full-ride scholarship at New York University. At 17, I felt intimidated and out of my element at NYU, so I spent most of my time playing trumpet in a jazz band in Greenwich Village – and very little time attending college. I failed out, lost my scholarship and moved to my parents’ home in Houston. They encouraged me to look at UST, and despite my poor academic performance, the leaders there saw potential in me and admitted me conditionally. I signed up for classes, including Fr. Lee’s freshman English course, thinking, “This is going to be so easy.” In his class, we took a test and wrote a paper every week. I got my first paper back and my grade was minus six. I had never scored less than zero and was devastated. The next week, I scored minus four, and he wrote,

“Improvement Noted.” I talked to him that day, saying, “Fr. Lee, I’m going to fail your class!” He agreed with me, then asked me the question that changed everything: “Mr. Pettinelli, do you want to learn the English language?” Not wanting to fail college once again, I readily agreed. I met him at his office, where he had a little kitchen, and he cooked lunch for me and set the conditions. Every week, when our class wrote one paper, I would write two. Every week, we’d meet in his office, he’d make lunch, and he would grade my papers on the spot and discuss them with me. Those mentoring sessions were the tipping point of my life. I was an 18-year-old kid who, for the first time, realized it was OK not to know all the answers. I made a B in that course and was proud of it. My liberal arts education at UST became the foundation for my career as a businessman, author, lecturer, educator and consultant. It taught me to think clearly, to analyze effectively and to seek the root cause of problems. My UST education also taught me to see the needs of others and to address them. After 15 years in government work related to individuals with special needs, I built a company that provided services in community settings for people with disabilities – one of the first for-profit companies in the country to provide these services at a higher quality and lower cost than government agencies. I wrote a book, wrote numerous articles and have trained many teams using the knowledge and discipline I learned at St. Thomas. Every day of my career, I have used my liberal arts education. It’s been more than 50 years since I sat in Fr. Lee’s classroom, enjoyed his gourmet meals and listened to him critique my words. It feels like yesterday. g

n this age of texts, emails and tweets, the University of St. Thomas and other fine liberal arts institutions are the guardians of our language. We need these guardians because if we diminish our language standards, we diminish our society’s ability to grow and mature.

Vincent D. “Vince” Pettinelli ’67 and his wife Judy have homes in Naples, Fla., Chicago, Ill., and Dublin, Ohio. Their son Matthew and his wife Kristi live in Chicago with Vince’s two grandchildren, Holden, 6, and Sonia, 4.

He continues to write and consult.

The

Tipping PImpact of aUST Mentor and a Liberal Arts Education

I

By Vincent Pettinelli ‘67

Rev. Edward G. Lee


Thank You!University of St. Thomas Honor Roll of Donors

e are so grateful to the many generous individuals, foundations, organization and companies that contribute to the University of St. Thomas. Following is a list of donors who contributed gifts and pledge payments of $1,000 or more in Fiscal Year 2013 (July 1, 2012- June 30, 2013). For a complete list of all benefactors, please visit www.stthom.edu/donorhonorroll. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of our Donor Honor Roll. We apologize for any errors or omissions and ask that you contact us at 713-942-3455 or [email protected] if you have corrections.

W$1 Million +AnonymousCarl Davis and Lois Davis Religious & Charitable TrustMr. and Mrs. Carl DavisMrs. Evelyn H. Griffin

$500,000 to $999,999The Cullen Trust for Higher EducationEstate of Walter DavisJohn S. Dunn FoundationMs. Trinidad MendenhallNewsbank Inc.Mrs. Raye G. White

$250,000 to $499,999The Cullen Trust for Health CareMr. and Mrs. Francis S. KalmanOdis L. Peavy and Carol Moreau PeavyMr. and Mrs. Thomas R. Reckling IIIScanlan Foundation

$100,000 to $249,999MD Anderson FoundationArchdiocese of Galveston-HoustonHarry S. and Isabel C. Cameron FoundationMr. and Mrs. Joe B. FosterMr. Joseph D. Jamail III ’78Ms. Michele MalloyMemorial Hermann Healthcare SystemMr. and Mrs. Keith MosingThe John M. O’Quinn FoundationMr. and Mrs. Stan Paur /’81Mr. and Mrs. George A. RizzoShiffick Charitable FoundationMrs. Alice P. Sullivan

$50,000 to $99,999AnonymousDepartment of Arts, Heritage and the GaeltachtMr. and Mrs. Bruce E. Earthman ’73Mr. C. Gregory Evans ’96ExxonMobil FoundationMr. David E. Harvey Jr. and Dr. Mikki HeblMs. Lori M. Gallagher and Mr. Curtis W. HuffDr. Mavis P. Kelsey Sr.=Madison Charitable Foundation, Inc.Ms. Beth MadisonJohn E. Marcellus, M.D. and Thomas Spiriti ’01Mr. Leonard MocekMr. and Mrs. William T. Slick Jr.Texas Children’s HospitalThe West Endowment

$25,000 to $49,999Anonymous to the Chapel of St. BasilMr. and Mrs. Stephen V. Arbogast ’09Mr. and Mrs. Philip BahrMr. and Mrs. David J. BeckMr. Charles Burnett IIIMr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Cleary Jr.John W. and Alida M. Considine FoundationThe Elkins FoundationMr. John E. and Mrs. Jes Hagale ’12The John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial FoundationDr. David LitowskyLewis & Joan Lowenstein FoundationMr. and Mrs. Harry E. MachMr. and Mrs. Michael F. Marcon ’13Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. McNairMr. and Mrs. William F. MurdyPalmetto Partners, Ltd.Susan and Jim PowerMr. and Mrs. John L. Russell

Mr. and Mrs. David RuthFayez Sarofim & Co.Mr. Barrett K. Sides ’00The William A. and Madeline Welder Smith FoundationMr. and Mrs. David Theis ’09Mr. and Mrs. Ignacio TorrasUnion Pacific FoundationThe Vale-Asche FoundationThe Iris and Lloyd Webre FoundationMr. and Mrs. Lloyd P. Webre Jr.The Robert A. Welch FoundationWestside Surgical HospitalMr. and Mrs. Bruce W. WilkinsonMr. Robert and Dr. Elizabeth Woolfolk

$15,000 to $24,999AnonymousDr. and Mrs. Devinder BhatiaThe Bank of America Charitable FoundationCenterPoint EnergyChevron HumankindChristus Foundation for Healthcare - HoustonDazzio-Gutierrez Family FoundationMr. and Mrs. Joe M. GutierrezCrawford and Hattie Jackson FoundationMr. and Mrs. Robert A. LongmireDr. Calvin J. and Pat LyonsMr. and Mrs. George B. McCulloughMr. James H. Metzger and Mrs. Jill Metzger ’92The Boyd and Evelyn Mullen FoundationThe Newman CircleMr. and Mrs. Reynaldo RezaMary P. Ricciardello and Douglas A. SandvigThe Pemmy Smith FoundationStrake FoundationMr. and Mrs. George W. Strake Jr.

= Deceased


$5,000 to $14,999Dr. J. Pat Herlihy and Ms. Katherine A. AbbaAnnunciation Catholic ChurchAnonymous (4)Associated Nursing AlumniMs. Louise C. AydamMr. and Mrs. Will BairdBaker Hughes FoundationBank of AmericaBasilian Fathers of USTMiss Marion M. BellMrs. Emelie Ann Elizabeth Black ’07Mr.= and Mrs. Jack S. Blanton Sr.Dr. Donna L. BreenThe Brown Foundation, Inc.Mr. and Mrs. Philip J. BurguieresMr. and Mrs. Howard B. ChapmanCharity Guild of Catholic WomenChrist the Redeemer ChurchDr. John W. Clark Jr. and Mrs. Betty Stovall “Kit” Clark ’76Mr. and Mrs. Albert W. Clay IIIMr. and Mrs. Robert F. DeBesseMr. William T. DeffebachDr. and Mrs. Ebrahim S. DelpassandMr. Ugo A. di PortanovaHis Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardoDonne Di DomaniMrs. Mary Elizabeth DonovanDYONYX, LPE & M Foundation, Inc.Bruce and Pamela Earthman FoundationMarjorie E. Evans FoundationMs. Marjorie E. EvansMs. Gloria M. Portela and Mr. Richard E. EvansRay C. Fish FoundationEstate of John C. FitzsimmonsMr. and Mrs. William J. FlynnFollett Higher Education GroupFrankel Family FoundationMr. and Mrs. Russell M. FrankelFulbright & Jaworski, L.L.P.Mrs. Marcia R. Galatas ’95Ms. Margo P. Geddie and Mr. William L. LaFuzeThe Gelb Family FoundationMr. and Mrs. Morris Gelb /’01Mr. and Mrs. Randy GilmoreMr. and Mrs. George F. GoolsbyGrand Finale CateringAssociation for Corporate GrowthMr. Lawrence A. Gruber Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Hafner Jr.William E. and Natoma Pyle Harvey Charitable TrustD. E. Harvey BuildersMr. and Mrs. Dave HoffmanMr. and Mrs. Clay H. HosterMrs. Margaret F. HotzeHouston Northwest Medical CenterThe Humphreys FoundationSt. Ignatius of Loyola Church

The Italian Cultural and Community Center of HoustonDr. and Mrs. Robert R. IvanyKaplanMr. and Mrs. Timothy P. KelleyDr. and Mrs. John Rains Kelly ’69Kickerillo CompaniesMrs. Kelli Kickerillo ’03 and Mr. Todd A. Forester ’03Mr. and Mrs. Vincent D. KickerilloL’Entasar Club of HoustonPenny and Paul LayneDorothy and Ray LeBlancMr. James and Dr. Sandra LemmingMr. and Mrs. Randy L. LimbacherMs. Mary C. Little ’61The Eugene and Felice Malloy FoundationMr. Dennis M. Malloy and Mrs. Ginny Malloy ’79Marek Brothers Systems, Inc.Mr. and Mrs. R. Stan Marek Jr.Ms. Carolyn Markesich ’94Ralph H. and Ruth J. McCullough FoundationTrini and O. C. Mendenhall FoundationHouston Methodist HospitalMs. Patricia S. MetzMetzger Construction CompanyThe Rev. Dr. Charles R. MillikanMr. George P. Mitchell=P. J. Moran FoundationW. T. and Louise J. Moran FoundationMr. Patrick J. MoranMr. Wiley L. Mossy Jr.Mutual of AmericaMr. and Mrs. John O. NiemannMr. and Mrs. John J. O’Brien ’61Oasis Petroleum, Inc.Kusum D. and Kautilya “Cody” Patel ’00Mr. and Mrs. Grier P. PattonPetrello Family FoundationMr. and Mrs. Anthony PetrelloMs. Priscilla M. PlumbPower Plumbing, L.P.Mr. and Mrs. J. Denis PowersProject GRADMr. and Mrs. Taylor L. ReidMr. and Mrs. Joseph G. Ridley ’69/’69Ms. Darra RobertsonDr. and Mrs. B. C. Robison III ’69Ms. Regina J. RogersDr. and Mrs. Richard S. RuizMr. and Mrs. Jerry M. Scroggins Jr. ’81SouthEast Texas Cardiovascular PAThe Shackouls Family FoundationMr. and Mrs. Bobby S. ShackoulsMr. and Mrs. Charles E. SheedyShell Oil Company FoundationMark and Jamie ShumberaSt. Anne Catholic ChurchSt. Charles Borromeo ChurchSt. Theresa Catholic ChurchMr. and Mrs. Thomas R. Standish ’84

Strike, LLCMr. and Mrs. Herman L. Stude ’90/’90Dr. Carol Eileen SullivanMr. and Mrs. Donald G. SweeneyMrs. Luanne Tierney=Ms. Mei Wan Tong and Mr. Jerry RobinsonMr. and Mrs. Stephen E. Toomey ’71Mr. and Mrs. Raymond L. TraberMr. and Mrs. Sean P. Tracey ’88Truth Entertainment, LLCMr. and Mrs. Lun TsaiDr. Poldi TschirchUnion Pacific CorporationUSAfrica Inc.Victory HealthcareMs. Tamara K. VogtMr. and Mrs. Don J. WangWells FargoWells Fargo FoundationMs. Deborah S. WernetProfessor= and Mrs. John O. WhitneyMr. and Mrs. Sidney B. WilliamsMr. and Mrs. Richard J. Wilson

$2,500 to $4,999Mr. Robert W. AndersonBank of HoustonMr. Michael John Branda ’76Mr. Joseph Brazzatti Jr.Ms. Lynn Gonzalez and Mr. Darrell BullardMr. and Mrs. Henry Lee Butler ’60Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. CahillCal-a-Vie Health SpaDr. and Mrs. Raymond T. Casserly Jr. ’70/’71Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Childs /’68Mrs. Stella CottrellMr. and Mrs. Jeffery J. Courville Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Ramon CreixellMr. Jeff CrossDr. Ellen Tharp de KanterDow Chemical Company FoundationMr. and Mrs. Peter G. Dsouza ’03/’04Mr. and Mrs. Juan C. EcheverriDr. Herbert P. Edmundson Jr. ’69Mr. and Mrs. John A. Elsner ’89Mrs. Najdia Elsner ’92Mr. Martin J. Fein and Dr. Kelli Cohen FeinMr. and Mrs. Robert M. FlavinMs. Cynthia Gdula ’96 and Mr. L. Charles WesterveltGreater Houston Business Ethics Roundtable, Inc.Mr. Robert J. Gibson Jr. ’96Julio and Ana Gomez FoundationMrs. Ana Maria GomezMr. and Mrs. Herbert I. GoodmanMr. and Mrs. John GooseyDr. and Mrs. Gerald L. Gries /’92Mr. and Mrs. John HavensHaynes Whaley Associates, Inc.Mr. Bernard L. Hebinck ’55

= Deceased


Mr. and Mrs. Melvin L. Hildebrandt /’71Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Horan Jr. ’66Ms. Joanne M. HouckMr. and Mrs. Thomas E. JamailMs. Jan KoehnMr. and Mrs. James P. LandersDrs. Robert and Rebecca LeBlanc ’69/’70Logistical Solutions International, Inc.Mr. and Mrs. Tony MandolaMandola’s RestaurantsMr. Alain MauryMr. and Mrs. Gary McCormackDr. and Mrs. Joseph M. McFaddenMrs. Elizabeth McGreevyMr. Ronald Mendez ’97Mr. and Mrs. Larry E. Miggins ’52Estate of John NewportMr. and Mrs. Ronan C. O’Malley ’00The Plaza GroupMr. John B. PoindexterPrince of Peace Catholic ChurchMr. and Mrs. Richard RayThe Hon. Carolyn Dineen King and The Hon. Thomas ReavleyThe Honorable Lee Rosenthal and Mr. Gary RosenthalRosetta Resources Operating LPMs. Mary Jane Rynd ’72Sacred Heart ChurchMs. Marisol Salazar ’95Mr. and Mrs. J. Darby SereMr. Danny Shebaclo ’12Mr. Timothy P. SingletarySt. Elizabeth Ann Seton ChurchSt. John the Evangelist ChurchSt. Thomas More ChurchMr. and Mrs. William B. StanfillMr. Myron F. Steves Sr.Ms. Doris Rodriguez and Mr. Michael D. StuartMs. Ann H. Thompson ’67Mr. and Mrs. Jesse B. TutorMr. and Mrs. Donald E. UllrichThe Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist ChurchUST ChapelleMr. and Mrs. Randy E. VelardeMr. and Mrs. John M. VerbaMr. Larry E. WhaleyWHR Architects, Inc.Dr. and Mrs. Barry J. WilbratteMr. Drew Wilson ’02Dr. Zita M. Witte ’82 and Dr. John MaxwellThe Woodlands Development CompanyWortham Insurance & Risk ManagementMr. and Mrs. James Wright

$1,000 to $2,499Mr. Chad AbramAdvanced Compliance Solutions, L.L.C.Mrs. Faith Tiller Bryan AlexanderMr. and Mrs. Thomas N. Amonett

Ms. Blake Anderson ’63Annunciation Orthodox SchoolAnonymous (5)Mr. and Mrs. Daniel C. ArnoldMr. Elias AtaAvadek Walkway Cover Systems and CanopiesAztec Events and TentsMr. and Mrs. Tom J. Baehr /’00Mr. and Mrs. John A. BarnesDr. Mary Jane T. Barth ’79Mr. and Mrs. A. Thomas Bender Jr. ’64Mrs. Julia P. BendyMs. Marlena J. Berger ’78 and Mr. William Toomey=Mr. and Mrs. Jack S. Blanton Jr.Bocados Restaurant and BarMs. Lucia Anne Bonno ’57Boston Harbor HotelDr. and Mrs. Albert H. Braden III ’71/’71Dr. and Mrs. David J. BradenDeacon and Mrs. Donald E. Bradley ’76Dr. and Mrs. John E. BradshawMr. Royce M. Branch II ’04Ms. Alexis J. BreedingMr. Conlin R. Brogan and Ms. Linda Morris-BroganMr. and Mrs. Peter M. BrohnMs. Sherri J. Bronikowski ’80Brookfield PropertiesMr. and Mrs. Thomas Joseph Brophy ’57/’57Mr. and Mrs. Albert A. BroussardMr. William A. Brown ’73Mr. and Mrs. Davey BurattiMr. Ralph B. BurchMr. and Mrs. J. Patrick Burk /’01Mr. and Mrs. John A. BurkeMr. and Mrs. William J. BurkeMrs. Lucy M. BurnsMr. and Mrs. Mark A. BushThe Reverend Brendan J. Cahill, S.T.D. ’85Dr. Dorothy E. F. CaramDr. and Mrs. Donald M. Carlton ’58Mr. Juan CarreonMr. Gabi N. Castillo ’06Ms. Sarah Celeste Clarke ’07Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Clay /’86Coastal Doors, Inc.Dr. William J. Coffey IIDrs. Charles L. and Rosemary M. ConlonMrs. Erin A. ConnallyMr. and Mrs. Kevin M. Connelly ’76Mr. Cecil C. Conner Jr.ConocoPhillipsMr. Thomas ConryCordúa Restaurants, LPMr. and Mrs. Michael J. Cordúa /’85Corpac Steel ProductsMr. and Mrs. Christopher S. CowlesMr. and Mrs. Roger Lacy CrainProfessor and Mrs. Thomas J. CrowMr. Carl R. Cunningham

Prof. William J. Cunningham and Ms. Patricia S. CunninghamD & L Electric Co., Ltd.Mr. and Mrs. Henri de Ybarrondo ’57/’57Ms. June Deadrick ’02Mr. Mario De La Garza and Mrs. Natasha De La Garza ’00DeMontrond Automotive Group, Inc.Mr. and Mrs. George A. DeMontrond IIIDr. and Mrs. Peter J. DempseyDr. Anna L. DewaldMr. and Mrs. Louis M. Ditta ’80/’81Mr. and Mrs. Todd A. DittmannMr. and Mrs. Jack N. DohertyMr. and Mrs. Michael DonohueTom and Mary Dooley ’59/’58Mr. and Mrs. John P. Duane Jr. ’72Mr. and Mrs. Barton L. DuckworthMr. and Mrs. Stephen Martin Dufilho ’66/’66Jim and Rachel DunlapMs. Susan Gallagher and Mr. Andy DurhamMr. and Mrs. Donald C. EarthmanEl Paso CorporationMr. and Mrs. Billie J. Ellis /’01Mr. Daniel M. Elustondo ’99Escalante’s Mexican GrilleMs. Frances Escriva ’78 and Mr. Joseph T. McKayMr. James R. Evans Jr. ’77Mr. and Mrs. Gregory T. Evans ’86Mr. and Mrs. Richard EverettMs. Carolyn FarbMr. and Mrs. George R. FarrisMr. and Mrs. Donald FaustNatalie and Michael P. Fleming ’85/’84Fire & Life Safety AmericaDr. Catherine Clubb Foley ’03The Honorable and Mrs. Charles C. FosterFranciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, Inc.Dr. Marsha Louise FrazierMs. Natalie Ann GallagherMr. and Mrs. Steve Gangelhoff Sr.Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gee Jr.GenslerMs. Geraldine GillMr. and Mrs. Charles E. Gilmer /’78Dr. and Mrs. Robert W. GilmerMrs. Clare Attwell GlassellGoldman, Sachs & Co.Mr. and Mrs. Refugio Gonzales Jr. ’67Daniel P. and Annette B. Gordon FoundationMr. W. Clarke GormleyMr. and Mrs. John E. GranahanMr. and Mrs. Keith E. Gresham ’63Ms. Donna GrundyGWS Services Inc.Ms. Madeline HaenggiMr. and Mrs. Charles W. HallHalliburton Energy ServicesHalliburton Political Action CommitteeMr. and Mrs. John P. Hansen

= Deceased


Haven RestaurantMr. and Mrs. Hubert F. Hawthorn Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Dick HayesThe John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes FoundationHearsay Gastro LoungeMr. and Mrs. James P. HennessyDrs. Hector and Gloria Michelle Herrera /’89Mr. Raymond Hertel ’05 and Ms. Pamela McVeighMr. and Mrs. David HesselMrs. Anne B. Heyburn ‘60, M.Ed. ‘88Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, LPMr. and Mrs. Robert Preston Hill ’06Mr. Bernard R. HollensheadHoly Family ParishMr. David H. Huang ’90Dr. Nora M. Hutto and Mr. Rodney HuttoIDS Engineering GroupMr. and Mrs. Robert J. IglesiasMrs. Christine F. ImberMr. and Mrs. Harry W. Isensee /’74Mrs. Joann JackovichMr. and Mrs. Michael JainMr. and Mrs. Arnold J. JohnsonMr. Walter E. JohnsonMr. and Mrs. Gregg H. Jones /’98Mr. and Mrs. John M. KafkaThe Honorable and Mrs. John B. KaneMrs. Katharine L. KearneyMr. and Mrs. George A. Kelt Jr.Mr. Donald KennedyMrs. Roxanne Ghobrial KharboutliMr. and Mrs. Granville C. Knight Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Jimmie W. KnowlesMr. and Mrs. Mark KobelanMr. Jeffrey K. KronkMs. Patricia C. Lamb ’57Ms. Catherine Marie Landry ’67Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. LandwermeyerLatham & Watkins LLPMr. and Mrs. Joseph Everett LeBlanc Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Ronald E. Lee Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Alain LeNôtreMr. and Mrs. Gary J. Lidiak ’67Dr. and Mrs. Phillip B. Liescheski III ’81Mr. and Mrs. Leo Linbeck IIILJA Engineering, Inc.Mr. and Mrs. Mike LongMr. and Mrs. Mark LovelandDr. Martha Ruth Lozano ’76Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. MachMama Lycha FoodsDr. Barbara S. ManonssoMr. and Mrs. Bruce MarekDr. Michael W. McDonald ’70 and Mrs. Rebecca GoodwinRichard E. McEvoy Living TrustMr. Richard McEvoyMr. and Mrs. Connelly T. McGreevyD.L. Meacham, L.P.Mediatrix Solutions

Mr. Michael W. Mengis ’82 and Mrs. Jennifer Mengis ’11Mr. and Mrs. William C. MerrittMr. John D. MetzgerMs. Lisa MetzgerMr. and Mrs. Rudy MidaniThe Most Reverend J. Michael Miller, CSBMLN CompanyMr. and Mrs. Michael E. MontgomeryMr. John MoozDr. and Mrs. Kevin M. MoranMr. and Mrs. Michael P. MorrisMr. Norman V. MunozMs. Emma P. MurilloMr. William J. MurphyMr. and Mrs. John L. Nau IIIMr. Murray L. NealMr. and Mrs. Joseph B. NemmerMr. Patrick R. Newport ’75Mr. and Mrs. Paul M. NickMr. and Mrs. Richard D. NijokaMr. and Mrs. Robert C. Nimon ’83Mr. Hector NoriegaMr. James R. O’Hara ’01Dr. Margaret OakanderMr. David P. OelmanMr. and Mrs. John F. OppieMr. and Mrs. Leo K. Paige ’74/’74Ms. Mary Rebecca Palkowetz ’00Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. ParsleyMr. and Mrs. Thomas PaulleyMr. and Mrs. Robert PeiserDr. Linda M. Pett-Conklin and Mr. Jack ConklinPhillips 66Mr. and Mrs. W. Norman Phillips ’87Mr. Bob PileggeThe Virginia G. Piper Charitable TrustMs. Dion PortillaMr. and Mrs. G. Edward PowellMr. and Mrs. Marty PowerMr. and Mrs. Scott M. ProchazkaMr. Daniel A. Pulido ’08Ms. Ann E. PurcellR & M Service Co., Inc.Mr. Albert RamosMr. Joseph ReesMr. James M. Riley and Mrs. Cynthia Colbert Riley, MLA ’95Mr. and Mrs. Spencer RippsteinMr. William E. Rodrigues ’07Mr. and Mrs. Roger W. Rolke /’90Mr. Glen A. RosenbaumMr. and Mrs. William F. RossT. Ragan Ryan FoundationMr. and Mrs. Thomas C. RyanMr. and Mrs. Joel A. SchrenkMr. and Mrs. Patrick E. Sculley /’76Scurlock FoundationMs. Teana C. Sechelski ’52Seismic Equipment SolutionsShadywood FoundationMr. Daniel F. Shank

Mr. Madambu G. ShettySilver Eagle DistributorsMr. and Mrs. H. Richard Sindelar IIISLM Construction Services, LLCRonnie Smith Plumbing Company, Inc.Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. SnyderMr. and Mrs. Paul D. Sofka ’60/’65Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Sommer /’74Mr. and Mrs. George SoosSt. Helen ChurchSt. John Vianney ChurchSt. Laurence ChurchSt. Martha ChurchSt. Vincent de Paul ChurchSteelco, Inc.Mr. and Mrs. H. Mark StoebnerMs. Anne Patricia Sullivan ’78Sysco CorporationT.A.S. Commercial Concrete Construction, LLCT.W. Robinson, Inc.Tacos A Go-Go100% TaquitoMr. Robert P. Teten Jr.Ms. Judith A. ThainThe Boeing CompanyMr. Anthony ThompsonMs. Marty Estelle Thompson ’99Thomson ReutersMrs. Mary Jo TorczonTQLA HoustonMr. and Mrs. Pete TrammellTrustmark BankTurner Duran Architects, LPMr. and Mrs. R. Gregory TurnerMr. John G. TurnerMr. and Mrs. Herman VaccaDr. Ravi Srinivas and Ms. Surekha Vankadari ’96Mr. Edward J. Walsh ’61Mr. David WardenWellnetDr. and Mrs. Kenneth D. WellsThe Westin St. FrancisMr. and Mrs. Edward L. WhalenMr. and Mrs. Gregory WilliamsMs. Daphne R. WingWilliam and Marie Wise Family FoundationMr. and Mrs. William A. WiseMr. and Mrs. Bernard WolfWoodlake Travel Services, Inc.Ms. Karen Yale ’05YMCA of Greater Houston AreaMr. and Mrs. Kent C. YoestingMr. and Mrs. John B. YoungMr. Robert J. YoungMr. and Mrs. Thomas A. ZabelDr. and Mrs. Stephen Zamora

= Deceased

Free Wills Month

UST’s Office of Gift Planning invites you to participate in Free Wills Month throughout the month of May. UST has joined with other respected local nonprofits to offer our friends and alumni, age 55 and older, the opportunity to have their simple wills written or updated free of charge. Call 713-942-5080 to learn more.

To learn more about simple and meaningful ways to give, including remembering UST in your estate plans, please visit

www.stthom.giftlegacy.com or call 713-942-5080.

Like a well-oiled machine, Sandra ’84 and John Pezzetta convey a sense of unity and mutual respect reflective of their 50 years of marriage. She is a proud UST alumna and retired nurse, and he is a former geologist and professor.

Together, they’ve traveled the world – living and working in exotic locales – and with each passing year, gaining a deeper appreciation for their many blessings. Retirement for the Pezzettas continues to breed new adventures, interesting hobbies and a desire to share their gifts and talents with others.

As an officer of The Associated Nursing Alumni, Sandra works tirelessly to raisescholarship funds for deserving nursing students who will one day

lead her former profession. John readily supports her efforts. The Basilian Fathers, who founded UST, have a rich heritage in the

Pezzetta’s native Canada, and John has a deep respect for their exceptional reputation in the education arena.

Giving is a deeply personal decision that can take many forms. Contributions can even continue after one’s lifetime, creating a legacy of support through estate

planning. If sharing your life’s gifts – now or in the future – is a priority for you like it is

for the Pezzettas, UST can guide you on ways to give that meet your unique interests,

circumstances and goals.

A Life Worth Giving

John and Sandra Pezzetta

The 19-square-block University of St. Thomas campus is just minutes from downtown Houston and serves as the northern gateway to the city’s dynamic Museum District. Beautifully nestled among stately oaks, the campus is a welcoming destination for those seeking anything from prayer and meditation to outstanding art and architecture. A self-guided walking tour leads visitors to notable landmarks including the historic Link-Lee Mansion, the Chapel of St. Basil and an outdoor meditation garden highlighted by a replica of the famous Chartres Cathedral labyrinth (pictured here). UST’s campus is adjoined to the west by The Menil Collection, where visitors can enjoy free of charge the extensive art collection of John and Dominique de Menil. We hope you’ll visit or return to our campus soon!

cometocampus!

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ust today - spring 2014

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