Commemorative Issue Spring 2003 Benedictine beauty of their dreams.” —Eleanor Roosevelt...

A Salute to Benedictine Hall

The News From Benedictine University

BenedictineSpring 2003Commemorative Issue

1 • Time Capsule Renewed William J. Carroll, President

2 • Letter To The Community

3 • Monastic Perspective

Contents

black history month review

25 • Great Speakers Inspire At Annual King Day Breakfast

26 • Tavis Smiley Motivates Crowd

• Benedictine Hosts Civil Rights Exhibition

university news

27 • Benedictine Accepted As AQIP Institution

• Alumnus Jim Ryan Named FirstDistinguished Fellow At Benedictine

28 • ACCA Bioterrorism Seminar Generates Community Interest

• Master of Exercise Physiology Program Is Back at Benedictine

29 • Springfield College Partnership

class/faculty notes

29 • Class Notes

32 • Faculty/Staff Notes

33 • Benedictine Honors Ralph Meeker

• Campus Community Loses One Of Its Biggest Fans: Fr. Stanley Vesely, O.S.B.

34 • Sabbaticals: Helping Professors Enrich Students and Themselves

eaglescenter

35 • Sports Complex Plans In The Works

• Lynn O’Linski Heads University’sAthletic Department

• Coach Ostrowski Inducted Into Hall Of Fame

36 • Time Out: Eagle Basketball Achieves Program Milestone, Lady Eagles Finish Tied For Second In The League, Ryan Lands On Academic All-American Team

annual fundraiser

36 • President’s Golf Outing

St. Benedict’s Rule for Monks begins with a powerful imperative: Listen. And atBenedictine University, we believe in theimportance of listening to one another. We therefore have named our magazineBenedictine Voices. We pledge that withinthese pages, members of the Benedictinecommunity will speak with candor aboutissues facing our University and our world.We cordially invite you to enter intodialogue with us.

Spring 2003 | Volume 31 | Number 3

Director of Public RelationsMercy Robb, M.B.A. ’02

EditorLinda A. Hale

WritersPhil Brozynski Julie MilamWilliam J. Carroll Fr. David Turner, O.S.B.Linda A. Hale Elizabeth Summers, C00

ContributorsPina Arnone Jill RedmondNadia Darwish Debbie SmithFr. James Flint, O.S.B. Donald TaylorBarbara Grabowski Matt WestJulie Nelligan Allison Wilson

PhotographersNadia DarwishJake HerrleMatt West

Art DirectorMary Kay Wolf, Wolf Design

Editor’s Note: The Benedictine memories supplied byfaculty and alumni have been edited for space and content in some cases. To see the complete content, go to www.ben.edu/alumni.

Benedictine Voices is published three times a year bythe Office of Public Relations. Reproduction in wholeor in part without written permission is prohibited.Distributed free to alumni, students and friends of the University.

Opinions expressed in Benedictine Voices are notnecessarily those of Benedictine University, itsadministrators, faculty or students.

Letters to the Editor must be signed, and letters not intended for publication should be so indicated.

Please address all mail to:Benedictine VoicesBenedictine University5700 College RoadLisle, IL 60532

Benedictine


Values “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men . . .”— Galatians 6:10 (NIV)

Vitality “Success is never final.”— Winston Churchill

Vision “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

philanthropy

21 • Benedictine Hall Lithograph

• Abbot Honors Martha Duda

alumni news

22 • Alumni Briefs

• Benedictine Alumna Gives From The Heart

23 • Q & A With Coach Cally

24 • Come On Safari With Steve

• New Officer Trio To Lead Alumni Association

o n t h e c o v e r Benedictine community members salute Benedictine Hall. See page 20 for photo identification. Cover photo by Jake Herrle.

S P E C I A L F E A T U R E

5 - 20 • A Salute To Benedictine Hall

• The Historical Development ofBenedictine Hall

• If These Walls Could Talk

• Test Your Benedictine Hall Knowledge

• 100 Year-Old Time Capsule Re-dedicated

5700 College RoadLisle, Illinois 60532(630) 829-6000

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAIDLisle, IL

Permit No. 18

Change Service Requested

www.ben.edu

In this issueS P E C I A L F E A T U R E


May 10 Undergraduate Commencement

May 31 Graduate Commencement

July 21 President’s Golf OutingCress Creek Country Club

October 18 Homecoming

November 1 EducareScholarship Ball

2003 Upcoming events

1 • Time Capsule Renewed William J. Carroll, President

2 • Letter To The Community

3 • Monastic Perspective

Contents

black history month review

25 • Great Speakers Inspire At Annual King Day Breakfast

26 • Tavis Smiley Motivates Crowd

• Benedictine Hosts Civil Rights Exhibition

university news

27 • Benedictine Accepted As AQIP Institution

• Alumnus Jim Ryan Named FirstDistinguished Fellow At Benedictine

28 • ACCA Bioterrorism Seminar Generates Community Interest

• Master of Exercise Physiology Program Is Back at Benedictine

29 • Springfield College Partnership

class/faculty notes

29 • Class Notes

32 • Faculty/Staff Notes

33 • Benedictine Honors Ralph Meeker

• Campus Community Loses One Of Its Biggest Fans: Fr. Stanley Vesely, O.S.B.

34 • Sabbaticals: Helping Professors Enrich Students and Themselves

eaglescenter

35 • Sports Complex Plans In The Works

• Lynn O’Linski Heads University’sAthletic Department

• Coach Ostrowski Inducted Into Hall Of Fame

36 • Time Out: Eagle Basketball Achieves Program Milestone, Lady Eagles Finish Tied For Second In The League, Ryan Lands On Academic All-American Team

annual fundraiser

36 • President’s Golf Outing

St. Benedict’s Rule for Monks begins with a powerful imperative: Listen. And atBenedictine University, we believe in theimportance of listening to one another. We therefore have named our magazineBenedictine Voices. We pledge that withinthese pages, members of the Benedictinecommunity will speak with candor aboutissues facing our University and our world.We cordially invite you to enter intodialogue with us.

Spring 2003 | Volume 31 | Number 3

Director of Public RelationsMercy Robb, M.B.A. ’02

EditorLinda A. Hale

WritersPhil Brozynski Julie MilamWilliam J. Carroll Fr. David Turner, O.S.B.Linda A. Hale Elizabeth Summers, C00

ContributorsPina Arnone Jill RedmondNadia Darwish Debbie SmithFr. James Flint, O.S.B. Donald TaylorBarbara Grabowski Matt WestJulie Nelligan Allison Wilson

PhotographersNadia DarwishJake HerrleMatt West

Art DirectorMary Kay Wolf, Wolf Design

Editor’s Note: The Benedictine memories supplied byfaculty and alumni have been edited for space and content in some cases. To see the complete content, go to www.ben.edu/alumni.

Benedictine Voices is published three times a year bythe Office of Public Relations. Reproduction in wholeor in part without written permission is prohibited.Distributed free to alumni, students and friends of the University.

Opinions expressed in Benedictine Voices are notnecessarily those of Benedictine University, itsadministrators, faculty or students.

Letters to the Editor must be signed, and letters not intended for publication should be so indicated.

Please address all mail to:Benedictine VoicesBenedictine University5700 College RoadLisle, IL 60532

Benedictine


Values “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men . . .”— Galatians 6:10 (NIV)

Vitality “Success is never final.”— Winston Churchill

Vision “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

philanthropy

21 • Benedictine Hall Lithograph

• Abbot Honors Martha Duda

alumni news

22 • Alumni Briefs

• Benedictine Alumna Gives From The Heart

23 • Q & A With Coach Cally

24 • Come On Safari With Steve

• New Officer Trio To Lead Alumni Association

o n t h e c o v e r Benedictine community members salute Benedictine Hall. See page 20 for photo identification. Cover photo by Jake Herrle.

S P E C I A L F E A T U R E

5 - 20 • A Salute To Benedictine Hall

• The Historical Development ofBenedictine Hall

• If These Walls Could Talk

• Test Your Benedictine Hall Knowledge

• 100 Year-Old Time Capsule Re-dedicated

5700 College RoadLisle, Illinois 60532(630) 829-6000

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAIDLisle, IL

Permit No. 18

Change Service Requested

www.ben.edu

In this issueS P E C I A L F E A T U R E


May 10 Undergraduate Commencement

May 31 Graduate Commencement

July 21 President’s Golf OutingCress Creek Country Club

October 18 Homecoming

November 1 EducareScholarship Ball

2003 Upcoming events

Visio

nV

Visio

nWe are proud of

Benedictine’shistory andcontinue to feelthe persistence,

vision and values of thehandful of monks who arrivedin the middle of a cornfield.

Three years ago, when thecornerstone was removedfrom Benedictine Hall andplaced in an outside columnof Kindlon Hall, it was 100 years to the day since the original cornerstone wasinserted in the brick andmortar of Benedictine Hall.The time capsule did notwithstand the rigors of time, and everything in itdisintegrated. But an account tells us that it held a photograph of AbbotNepomuk Jaeger, O.S.B.,founder and first abbot of St. Procopius; and copies ofthe Czech newspapers Narodand Katolik, printed by themonks and published forCzech and Slovak immigrantsin Chicago. There was a scriptheaded with I.O.G.D., whichis Latin for St. Benedict’smotto: “That in All ThingsGod May Be Glorified.”Before the first shovel of dirtwas scooped from the earth,Abbot Jaeger knelt and wrotethe motto in the dust. Thosewords continue to be thebanner cry of this University.

The script tucked into thatoriginal time capsule was anhistorical account that beganin the same format as theChristmas Gospel — “In the

year six thousand sixty-fivesince the creation of theworld, one thousand ninehundred since the nativity ofOur Lord Jesus Christ, onethousand and six since theconversion of the Bohemiansto Christ the Lord; fivehundred and fifty-two yearssince the foundation of theUniversity of Prague; onehundred and twenty-foursince the beginning of theRepublic of the United Statesof North America; thirteensince the establishment of St. Procopius Monastery ascanonical priory, and againthirteen years since thebeginning of St. ProcopiusCollege; six years since theelevation of St. ProcopiusPriory to the dignity of anAbbey; while the bark of Peter is happily governed bythe Supreme Pontiff, LeoXIII; while Patrick AugustineFeehan is Archbishop ofChicago; and Hildebrand deHemptine is Abbot Primate

of the entire order of St. Benedict; John NepomukJaeger is the Abbot of St. Procopius Abbey; WilliamMcKinley is president of therepublic; and as the wholeCatholic world is rejoicing inthe year of the great jubilee:

This cornerstone was placedon July 2, AD, 1900, on the feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, by the Most Reverend andHonorable Leo Haid, D.D.,O.S.B., apostolic vicar ofNorth Carolina, in thepresence of innumerablefaithful, both lay and clergy,who prayed for success ofwhat was begun here. May the great and best God blessthis beginning.”

A new cornerstone for theyear 2000 was placed in oneof the outside Kindlon Hallcolumns. Among the items itcontains: Baccalaureate andCommencement programs; aBenedictine football helmet; ➤

Time Capsule Renewed

William J. Carroll,President

Spring 2003 1

Set into a Kindlon column is arough, reddish “sazava” stone,sent to the first monks fromthe ruins of St. ProcopiusMonastery (Sazava) in thepresent day Czech Republic.

Visionb e n e d i c t i n e

Vision b e n e d i c t i n e

Dear Benedictine University Alumni and Friends,

I wanted to share with you exciting events that have recently taken place at Benedictine University.

• In early December, Benedictine University took Springfield College in Illinois (SCI) under its wing in astrategic partnership. SCI is a two-year Catholic institution in the state capital. Benedictine plans todevelop junior-senior year programs at the College, as well as adult and graduate programs. This is asignificant step toward becoming a major player in Catholic higher education for Benedictine University.In my articles for Voices, I have spoken of new models of cooperation between colleges that will make usstronger. I trust that as you watch the Benedictine/Springfield partnership unfold, you will see such amodel in action. (See story on page 29.)

• St. Procopius Abbey held an Abbatial Election on December 29-30, and Fr. Dismas Kalcic, O.S.B. waselected the new abbot. The Bible tells us that Dismas was the good thief who was crucified on a cross nextto Jesus. Born in Joliet, Abbot Dismas graduated from Joliet Catholic High School and served in both theArmy and Air Force before studying at St. Procopius College. He joined the monastery in 1954 andprofessed vows in 1955. After ordination in 1961, he completed his master’s degree in economics fromthe University of Notre Dame, continued graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University and earned aPh.D. from Washington University. He taught at Benedictine and was the executive vice president in1973-74. He began service at Benet Academy as business manager, then director of finance and electroniclearning systems. He then served as pastor of three different parishes in Wisconsin. In 2001, he returnedto the Abbey, and taught economics at both Benedictine University and Benet Academy. By election,Abbot Dismas becomes the ex-officio Chancellor of both Benedictine University and Benet Academy.Former Abbot Hugh Anderson, O.S.B., is on sabbatical in St. Louis studying spiritual direction.(Abbot Dismas is pictured on the front cover of this issue.)

• Since the opening of Birck and Kindlon Halls, we have been focusing on renovating Scholl and LownikHalls to accommodate those faculty and staff remaining in Benedictine Hall. Benedictine Hall has beenthe hallmark of this campus for more than 100 years, but it would be cost prohibitive ($15-28 million) to try to refurbish it. I am interested in ideas on how to ‘celebrate’ Benedictine Hall’s importance on this campus before it is closed forever. We welcome your ideas. (This issue of Voices is dedicated to thisgreat building.)

• At the end of January, the University announced that Jim Ryan, C68, former Illinois Attorney Generaland gubernatorial candidate, was appointed the first Benedictine University Distinguished Fellow. Ryanwill work with faculty and students and will represent the University to public and private institutions,government agencies and the community. (See story on page 27.)

Clearly, much is happening on campus. Please know that your ideas and input are always welcome.

Sincerely,

William J. CarrollPresident

baseball cap and basketballjersey; a copy of my inauguraladdress; undergraduate andgraduate catalogs; copies ofthe school paper The Candor;a collection of photoscommemorating manyoccasions; Great Issues–GreatIdeas programs; Voicesmagazines; Founders’ Walk

information and a BenedictineUniversity Campus Services T-shirt.

Also set into a Kindlon columnis a rough, reddish “sazava”stone, sent to the first monksfrom the ruins of St. ProcopiusMonastery (Sazava) in thepresent day Czech Republic.

As Benedictine Hall was built,that stone was set into theoutside wall below the secondfloor windows. It has two dates on it — 1785 — the year that the Abbey wassuppressed in Czechoslovakia,and — 1885 — the year St. Procopius Abbey in Lislewas founded.

Place your hands on thoseKindlon columns and recallmany pieces of Benedictinehistory. It is impressive. Theoriginal time capsule —disintegrated as it is — is ondisplay for you to enjoy andto remember. (See story onpage 20.) ✝

2

Spring 2003 3

mon

asti

cperspective

THE

Individual Benedictinemonasteries usually look to a ‘foundingcommunity’ that gave it

its beginning, started a lifethat grew and moved into itsown future. St. ProcopiusAbbey is a foundation (in1885) from St. VincentArchabbey in Latrobe,Pennsylvania. Abbot BonifaceWimmer, O.S.B., the monkwho first brought Benedictinelife to America in 1846, hadthe vision for some of his men to be missionaries toCzech immigrants, just as the St. Vincent communityhad been missionaries toGerman immigrants.

St. Procopius Abbey engagedin this same life-giving actionby founding St. Andrew’sAbbey in Cleveland, Ohio,and Holy Trinity Monasteryin Butler, Pennsylvania. Bothcommunities began with aneye to missionary work amongSlavic peoples: people ofSlovak ancestry in the case of the Cleveland community,and people belonging to theByzantine-Ruthenian Rite of the Catholic Church.

Anyone entering the St. Vincent Archabbey basilicatoday would notice a varietyof ‘coats of arms’ decoratingthe walls of the Archabbey

church, symbols representingthe independent communitiesthat had their origin at St. Vincent. St. ProcopiusAbbey was ArchabbotBoniface Winner’s eighthindependent foundation, so quite naturally, the arms of St. Procopius Abbey isfound there. Included amongthe various designs is thesymbol of the Archabbey ofMontecassino: a centuries-oldoak tree stump with newshoots coming from its side.The motto “Succisa Virescit”surrounds the symbol: cut itdown and it will grow.

Most of what we know about the beginnings of Montecassino and St. Benedict has come downto us through the Book of theDialogues written by PopeGregory the Great some 50 years after Benedict’sdeath. The traditional yeargiven for the birth of Benedictand his twin sister Scholasticahas been the year 480 of ourcommon era. In 1980,Benedictines around theworld celebrated the 1500thanniversary of St. Benedict’sbirth, just as in 1947Benedictines celebrated the1400th anniversary of hisdeath. On that occasion, PopePius XII issued an encyclicalletter ‘Fulgens Radiator’ ➤

SuccisaVirescit Cut It Down andIt Will Grow!

by Fr. David Turner, O.S.B.

Visionb e n e d i c t i n e

4 Benedictine Voices

have ussee Benedict

changing theseareas into places

for Christian use.Benedict’s practical sensechanged the existing templeinto an oratory for hiscommunity, while using someof the other existing buildingsas living space for hiscommunity and their work.

About the year 577, only 30 years after Benedict’sdeath, Zotone and hisLombard hordes destroyedMontecassino for the firsttime. Some monks did fleeand settle elsewhere, though itwas not until the early eighthcentury that Pope Gregory IIcommissioned Petronace, anarchitect/builder from Bresciato rebuild the monastery.Many flocked to newly builtMontecassino and it is evenrecorded that Charlemagnevisited there in 787 andgranted many privileges to the abbot and his monks.

In 883, with the monkshaving lived there in peace fora little more than one hundredyears, the second destructionof the monastery took place,this time by Saracen hordesthat invaded and sacked theentire area and burned themonastery to the ground.

actually in the monastery,though once the bombingtook place the Germans had astrategic position and it tooksome months for the AlliedForces to break through andmarch on to free Rome.

On a personal note, I visitedMontecassino in 1980, afterits reconstruction anddecoration that took morethan 10 years, and spoke toFather Agostino Saccomano,O.S.B., a monk who livedthrough the bombings. Hehad planned to die, alongwith the abbot, as thebuilding was being destroyed.However, the place wherethey stayed — the cell of St. Benedict — was the onlyspot not destroyed by thebombs and both monk andabbot lived to tell the story.

Succisa Virescit — cut it downand it will grow — has been aBenedictine watchword forthese many centuries. We haveseen how the destruction ofthis one building has alwaysled to new life. The choppeddown, broken, old oak stumpalways becomes the source fornew growth, always green andalive. In all instances, we alsosee life that is stronger thanever — life that truly movesinto the future. ✝

extollingthe work ofBenedictine monksover the centuries.

Between the year 500, apossible date given forBenedict’s leaving the villageof his birth (the present-dayNorcia [Perugia], Italy) and529, the traditional date forhis founding of Montecassino,Benedict had a variety ofexperiences: as a hermit, atemporary superior of a groupof monks who early on triedto poison him, and finally asthe founder of 12 smallmonasteries at Subiaco.

Benedict left Subiaco aboutthe year 529 because of thedifficulties being caused by a local priest, and he traveled to the ruins of a preexistingRoman fortification high on a mountain, the ‘municipiumcasinum.’ There is a theorythat he settled there because a patrician benefactor gave the property to him. WhenBenedict arrived on themountain, he found a templededicated to the pagan godApollo along with a holygrove for sacrifices to thisgod. The accounts given bySt. Gregory the Great would

Monks again fled andmanaged to settle elsewherethough monastic life was notresumed on the mountainuntil the middle of the 10thcentury. A number of greatchurchmen were involved in restoring Montecassino,including Frederick ofLorraine, who later becamePope Stephen IX. Manychurchmen and civil rulers helped to restoreMontecassino, culminatingwith Abbot Desiderius whorebuilt the basilica enrichingit with great art and mosaics.

An earthquake caused thethird destruction in 1349,leaving nothing but a fewwalls. The Archabbey wasreconstructed over the years and remained inveritable peace — the PaxBenedictina — until February15, 1944, when Allied bombsleveled the building to theground. This was during some of thefinal stages of World War II,as Montecassino, and itsposition high on a mountain,was on the firing line betweenGerman and Allied forces.Many have written about theevent, including U.S. GeneralMark Clark in his celebratedbook Calculated Risks. It hasgenerally been admitted thatthere were no German forces

Anyone entering the St. Vincent Archabbey basilica today would notice a variety of

‘coats of arms’ decorating the walls of the Archabbey church, symbols representing

the independent communities that had their origin at St. Vincent. St. Procopius

Abbey was Archabbot Boniface Winner’s eighth independent foundation so quite

naturally, the arms of St. Procopius Abbey is found there. Included among the

various designs is the symbol of the Archabbey of Montecassino: a centuries-old

oak tree stump with new shoots coming from its side.The motto “Succisa

Virescit” surrounds the symbol: cut it down and it will grow.

Vision b e n e d i c t i n e

Spring 2003 5

In 1900 the cornerstone

of what would become

Benedictine Hall was

set in place. Then

St. Procopius College, the

building would live through

more than 100 years of monks,

professors and students —

all whose lives would be

touched, not just by a

building constructed by the

men of the Benedictine order,

but by a University whose

founding beliefs were, and

are, to nurture the whole

person, to live life in balance

and to instill the belief

‘that God may be glorified

in all things.’

Here is a “Salute to

Benedictine Hall.”As its

service to a growing

University is almost over, we

honor all the memories it

holds and all the moments it

has experienced. As we look

toward the future, let us

also remember that the

Benedictine traditions are

not housed in any particular

building, but live in the

hearts and minds of the

community. ✝

A salute to

BenedictineHall

There are so many wonderful memoriesin the ‘Ad Building,’ as we knew it. It wasdown in the dining hall that I met my lifelong friends my first day of freshman yearduring my orientation. I will alwaysremember that first day, as well asParadise, all the talent shows held in thesocial center, the SGA meetings, themidnight breakfasts, The Pub, theAdmissions Office, where most of usworked, not to mention endless classesand study nights, and the stairway rightoutside the Chapel that holds a specialspot for my husband, Jim and me.Olga (Garnica) Bond, C84

Benedictine Hall

by Bernard Toussaint, C55, Professor

Benedictine Hall is

“Just bricks and mortar,” they say.

They do not see the shadows spirits cast upon the stones.

Benedictine Hall is

Abbot Ambrose presiding over Sunday Vespers

Chanted by rows of monks in choir.

Benedictine Hall is

Father Tom welcoming freshmen

Showing them the meaning of hospitality.

Benedictine Hall is

Father Hilary greeting his “Senators” as they filed

Into the lab surrounded by mounted animals.

Benedictine Hall is

Father Mathias pushing students to shed their inhibitions,

To speak from their hearts loud and clear.

Benedictine Hall is

Father Leo making Byron, Keats and Shelly sing,

Bringing Shakespeare back to life.

Benedictine Hall is

Father Luke, always with his camera,

Snapping the daily life of the monks and students.

Benedictine Hall is

Father Alban writing music up in the north tower,

Coaxing shy young men to sing.

Benedictine Hall is

Father Basil in Latin class re-living

Cicero’s expose of Catiline’s evil conspiracy.

Benedictine Hall is

Father Valentine explaining natural law

Rooting politics in morality.

Benedictine Hall is

Father Richard with his gentle humor

Trying to ease freshmen into algebra.

Benedictine Hall is

Father John burying his can of beer to keep it cold

While he tended his marigolds along the South wall.

Benedictine Hall is

The long line of altars under the eaves in the West wing

Where pious monks greeted the dawn with Holy Sacrifice.

Benedictine Hall is

Where boys became men

And men lived out the rule, “Ora et Labora.”

St. Procopius Collegewas dedicated on

September 2, 1901. Thissolemn dedication

was the crowning ofmore than 20 years of

labor to build aCzech abbey and

college. Thestreamers wouldhave been red and

white, the Bohemiannational colors.

6

I just loved the “creak of the floor,” tin ceilings, marble stairs and the warmth

of the Chapel. When former professor, Jim Hazdra, passed away, his wake

was in Ben Hall. It was just so touching to listen to the monks sing/pray in

the Gregorian chant.

I enjoy all the pictures of the Abbots, the religious statues and paintings

and the definite feel of this school being a Catholic/Benedictine Institution.

Alice Sima, C83, M.B.A. ’87, Professor

Black-robed

monks a

s teachers a

nd friend

sTin ceilings

Spring 2003 7

1901 The first section ofBenedictine Hall was ready foroccupancy in 1901. This was an‘L’ shaped building, the northsection (going east and west)joined to the front section(facing east) and ending at whatis now the “first tower.” Movingfrom Chicago, the student bodyconsisted of 11 students and sixfaculty members as the schoolyear started. Fr. IldephonseWittmann, O.S.B., was therector and taught English, Latin,German, bookkeeping andreligion. Fr. Cyril Zenisek,O.S.B., was business managerand taught mathematics,geography, history, composition,bookkeeping and naturalsciences. Br. John NepomuceneChval was the prefect ofdiscipline and taught drawing,penmanship and singing. Thesethree monks resided on the Lislecampus and were joined by three“commuting monks” (from theChicago priory): Frs. MethodVones, Joseph Chvatal andAloysius Keclik, O.S.B.

1904 The first year that all fouryears of high school were taught.

1905 The first year collegecourses were taught.

1908 The 40’ by 30’ additionwas built. This addition wentfrom the ‘tower’ to what is nowthe center door of Benedictine ➤


With contributions from

Fr. James Flint, O.S.B.

Benedictine Hall, 1926.

The HistoricalDevelopmentof BenedictineHall

North ➢

When I first came here, Ben Hall housed the abbey, the high school and the college. Almost all my

college classes were in Ben Hall, I made my novitiate to the abbey in what is now the music

department on the fourth floor. I lived in the abbey section until we moved to our present location.

I taught economics for seven years in Ben Hall and my office was [in room 266], I prayed many

hours in the student chapel, which is now [the Ben Hall Theater}. I took all my vows there and

was ordained deacon in that same chapel, and I could go on and on. I’ve said enough to let you

know that Ben Hall had major significance in my life. Abbot Dismas, O.S.B., C57

A S a l u t E T o B e n e d i c t i n e H a l l


I first came to then St. Procopius College in 1957 on an altar boypicnic. We were eating down by the slough as it wascalled and I asked someone to direct me to a washroom.They sent me up to Ben Hall, but somehow I took awrong turn and wound up lost in the monks’ privatecloister. I still remember being met by an angry monkon the south stairs — the ones that are too deep and tooshallow — and being ushered out the door by the scruffof my neck. Not the most auspicious beginning, but Ireturned as a student in 1963 and a faculty member in1975 so I have many memories of the building.I remember:On a warm summer evening walking by the building andhearing trumpet, drums or piano music drifting from theupper floors.Trudging up and down those stairs, grabbing the ball on theiron railing and wondering how many thousands andthousands of other hands had touched that same spot.The handles on the chapel door.Looking at the paintings of the abbots and wondering whatthey would think of how we have changed.In the sixties the ground level area directly across from thepowerhouse was converted from an old cannery (yes, we had afarm, slaughter house and cannery) to the chemistry glassresearch lab. Distilled water was somehow made in the lower level probablyfrom condensed steam. We would have to carry big bottles of distilled waterover to the science building for our labs — what a way to get students not towaste distilled water.When given a chance, wandering through the many back stairways, tunnels,tiny rooms and storage areas.Cleaning out the old attic over the biology “bugs lab” with John Mickus.Being amazed and sometimes shocked at what we found. Riding the elevator that always takes forever.In the sixties, folding walls joined all the classrooms on the second floor. Someof my philosophy classes filled three rooms. One teacher took roll every day andbeing a “W” I could come 10 minutes late and still make the roll.Sitting on a bench by the glass lab and sharing part of my lunch and awonderful conversation with Brother Andrew about our history. He likedstrawberries and we grew a lot at home.Walking to the cemetery, then turning back to see Ben Hall and thinking it was home.

Wayne Wesolowski, C67, Professor

Benedictine Hall provided me with a variety of environments from 1954 when I

arrived as a first-year student to the present day. Benedictine Hall has provided

me with classrooms where I interacted with an almost all-monk faculty; a variety

of dining rooms where I was well fed by the Benedictine Sisters or the laity who

followed them; a small three room area for my novitiate year as a Benedictine

monk; a Chapel where I pronounced my first vows and made my life

commitment three years later; the same Chapel where I was ordained a

subdeacon on the way to eventual ordination as a priest; a “Clericate” that gave

me a study hall, a recreation room, as well as a common dormitory/bunk room

from which my confreres would move my bed (with me sleeping in it!) out into

the corridor to stop my snoring from disturbing their sleep; my first private

room as a priest (now a professor’s office — and I frequently stop to ask her if

the walls talk!); offices from which I could be a professor, a department head

and a dean; space where I could offer Mass and be a campus minister; and now

an office from which I can work and worry about the Catholic and Benedictine

identity of our University. St. Benedict himself, according to a legend, had a

vision of his Order’s future, showing him the great work the monks would do

over the centuries. We can, with his spirit of faith, move into the future

knowing that the best is yet to come.

Fr. David Turner, O.S.B., C58, Assistant to the Provost

Bugs Lab 1925:Looking north.

This second floorroom is where

Employee Servicesis now located.

Sisters Chapel:The convent for the Sisters who livedon campus was the wing that now has HealthServices in the basement and the InternationalCenter on the second floor. The second floor,north end, contained the Sisters Chapel.

Kitchen Sisters: From the basement,where the Sisters cooked from 1901 until

around 1957. This picture is from 1953.

The bugs lab

Spring 2003 9


Hall. This allowed for theadding of the ‘center section.’

The ‘Quinta’ class — the firstBachelor of Arts candidates,containing eight students.Interestingly, intramural baseballteam pictures have students with‘K.S.P.’ on their uniforms, thefirst letters of the Czech phrase“Kolej Svatého Prokopa”indicating St. Procopius College.This was also the first year thatnon-Benedictine students wereadmitted to the developingschool of theology (seminary).One reason for bishops sendingtheir men to the Benedictineswas to have them perfect theirlanguage facility in Czech.

In the first brochure describingthe college the followingstatement was found: “St. Procopius College has no invested funds or studentendowments; on the contrary it still has many debts. It istherefore completely dependentfor support coming from thefees paid by the individualstudents.” The fees for the yearamounted to $160 for tuition,lodging and laundry, $30 specialfee for piano lessons and the useof instruments and $20 forlessons on other instruments.

1913 The ‘center section’ wasopened, holding the chapel onthe third floor, the dormitory onthe second floor (present dayclassrooms), the Sisters’ convent,the ‘Chapel of Altars,’ biologyrooms, the student dining roomand the laundry area. In the1950s some of the collegestudents were convinced that inthe laundry was a BenedictineSister whose job it was to smashbuttons on dress shirts.

1914 The Abbey formallytransferred from St. ProcopiusParish in Chicago to the Lislecamps, leading to the eventualcompletion of the south wing. ➤

I remember when I was on the third

floor of Ben Hall for Halloween. Wetook a tour and found out aboutthe history of when Ben Hall wasthe dormitory. I also spent timethere for choir practice and voicelessons. That time is the mostmemorable for me.Donna Jones, C98

Benedictine Hallby Debra A. Skipper, C02

The old matriarch is coming down,

Quietly, without a sound

Stoic in the shadow of her young successor.

Her structure, like an old woman,

Crumbling, beyond repair

Roof leaking and losing heat,

Seasons eating at her rattling windows and red brick.

Some rooms hot, some cold,

Unpredictable and frustrating.

This matriarch has held in her bowels

Laughter of many children, teens, men, and women,

Both young and old.

The admiration of her time,

She has cuddled, and sheltered

Many years of wisdom,

Religious belief, academics, and controversy.

She has mentored many doctors, psychologist, lawyers,

Scientists, sociologists, dancers, artists, and musicians.

Her walls adorned with hopes, dreams, paintings and posters.

She has embraced us in warmth in times of crisis and need,

And celebrated our laughter and accomplishments.

Through her windows she has watched as we walked,

Shrouded in her colors, towards our destinies,

Looking over our shoulders at this structure,

Who had been our home, our shelter and our guide?

Many memories she has within her walls.

Memories, of each and everyone who entered her halls.

She will go down,

In history, in memory, and in admiration.

I will miss her copper roof, red brick, iron hand rails, and oak doors.

I will miss Benedictine Hall.

As a relatively new biologist onthe faculty, I was called over totrap out the bat that was“terrorizing” faculty andstudents on the fourth floor ofBen Hall — this would havebeen in the early 80’s.

Almost all of the importantmeetings held during the 80’swere in what is now the BenHall Theater. The college-widemasses, the honors daycelebrations, all of the guestlectures were held there.

I had the best office during myfirst two years as the dean — itwas on the third floor and wasoriginally the theologydepartment library/classroom.The old monks would come inand point out exactly wheretheir desk was for their theologyclasses. The office had lovelybuilt-in bookcases with very nicestained glass doors.

I remember serving dinner tothe residents at the Thanksgivingand Christmas dinners. PhilBean, a retired history professor,and I were usually the principalcarvers for the meals and wehad a polite competition as towho would carve the mostturkeys. We ended one dinnerwith a tie — each of us hadcarved 13 turkeys.

We converted the old Chapel [of Altars] room into a Scholarslounge, which was prettyactively used by the Scholars for a number of years. Presently,it is the room where thesoundproof music cubicles arefound. Originally, this room hadmany altars. This was the roomwhere monks would say theirdaily masses.

John Mickus, Dean

The fourth floor attic space once housed

the dormitories (before walls were put in)

and is now home to themusic department.


Slough 1914:Once there was enough moisture to make ice!

Note the pool and the handball court.You can see the Neff stone farmhouse between the groups

of youths, and behind the figure with the fur hat(probably the monk-prefect) on the far right, you can see

the "old barn" across the road — it was built by the monksaround 1897, and taken down in the early 1940s.

Ben Hall was the center of our

college life. We ate our farm-

raised food there, went to Mass,

matriculated, and had ‘mixers’

in the cafeteria. Mixers were

parties where ladies from all-

female colleges were invited to

our, then all-male, social events.

Virtually every day-to-day school

activity was done at Ben Hall.

None of my classmates or

teachers ever dreamed that this

building would be destroyed.

It was so substantial. Its

destruction reminds us that

everyone and everything has

a limited life on this earth.Gerald Angermeier, C62

Part of what attracted me to

Benedictine was Ben Hall.

Despite its age, Ben Hall always

had a very warm, welcoming

feeling.You could sense the

richness of its history as you

walked through the halls.

I’m very glad I had the

opportunity to become a little

part of that history.

Pam Nielson, C00

[I remember] Benedictine Hall’s excellent heating system.

Even in the coldest days of winter, that boiler kept the

place so very nice and warm. I wore glasses even then,

and I recall many winter days when I would come in the

northeast doorway and my glasses would fog over. I

would dump my backpack on one of the windowsills in

the hallway there and hold my glasses waiting a couple

minutes until the lenses warmed up and I could see again.

This memory of the high-output boiler in Benedictine

Hall also brings to mind a memory of its legendary

caretaker, Art DeNardo. It had been snowing for several

days, and the first 15-20 yards of cozy warm hallways just

inside that northeast entrance were constantly full of dirty

slush from people’s boots. Art never quit working at

drying that floor. I came through there during times

when you’d think he’d be on coffee break or at lunch,

but there was Art, cleaning and drying that floor. After

the third day, I stopped him for a moment and thanked

him. He quit swabbing for a moment, looked at me,

and said:

“It’s nice of you to thank me, but what if one of you

slipped and got hurt?” He turned away and resumed

mopping. I never thought of Art the same way after that.

I had assumed he’d kept the floor clean just to satisfy his

boss, but it turned out he felt he had a duty to keep

people from getting hurt.

David Fischer, C76

Twisting stairways

Spring 2003 11


1916 The completion of thesouth wing of Benedictine Hall,usually referred to as the ‘abbeyside.’ This section providedliving quarters, the ‘ChoirChapel’ and other facilities for the monastic community.The ground floor was anauditorium/gymnasium for allthree schools now functioning:academy, college and school of theology (seminary). Thededication took place on June 18, 1916.

1917 Thirty-one students wereenrolled in the seminary.

1925 The back (and final)section of the building wasadded, containing the Bugs Laband Paradise. Also, with thebuilding of the new gymnasium,the old auditorium/gymnasiumwas converted into the collegelibrary. The stage area was closed to form the librarians’workroom. Frs. Adolph Hrdlickaand Vitus Buresh, O.S.B.,processed many a book there.

1926 St. Procopius Seminarybecomes bi-ritual. Eastern Riteseminarians for the RuthenianBishop Basil Takach begin toattend. The seminary continuedto educate these students for thepriesthood until 1951 when theyestablished a seminary inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Late 1930s A science buildingwas erected on the spot wherethe Krasa Center now stands.This building was erected almosttotally by the monks and studentworkers, led by the mastermason Br. Procopius Koukal,O.S.B. For most of its life it wascalled simply ‘The Science Hall.’The building housed offices forthe science faculty, chemistryand physics laboratories and oneresidence room occupied bysenior students in physics.

1951 With the completion of Jaeger Hall, college studentsmoved out of Benedictine Hallas well as out of the ButlerBuilding (a prefabricated tin ➤

I remember touring, thenIBC, as a senior in highschool with my mom.During the tour, she sharedher memories with me ofrunning through the hallsand playing as a childwhile my grandfatherwas picking the Sistersup to drive them backand forth to the churches inChicago. Since my mompassed away, I have takengraduate classes atBenedictine and have foundcomfort in walking the samehalls that she walked.

Nicole (Brongiel) LaughridgeC93, M.P.H. ’00

I will always remember Ben Hall as the building where

I made a lot of great friends and memories. Whether it

was a hot sunny day or it was snowing outside, the

atmosphere at Ben Hall was always comforting. I’m still

friends with many of the students I met while in classes

at Ben Hall. Thank you to all of the professors who made

learning at Benedictine a great experience!

Dan Guastella, C99

Choir Chapel:Located on the

first floor,the walls have

changed drasticallyover the years, so you

have to orientyourself by the

windows. Around1970, this room was

transformed into theSt. Benedict Chapel.

This first floor sacristy,located in the St. Benedict

Chapel, was used to holdsupplies for campus masses.

I am very sad to see [Ben Hall] go. I graduated in 1995 so I spent most of

my time in that building. When I was a student the basement was still a

‘lounge’ with a large room of tables with vending machines. It was an

alternative to the library for studying and great for commuters like me to

hang out and meet other students.My favorite part of the building though was the fourth floor. I have heard

so many stories from long ago and always found myself going down the

halls after a voice class to just take it all in and picture it back then. The tiny

rehearsal rooms were great and there was a wonderful view of the campus

from up there.The creaky floors and the old rooms are something I loved about the

school. My father went to school here when it was St. Procopius and

I love being part of that history. It will be missed.

Jenny Jacobs-Latham, C95

I gained a great sense of self while studying at Benedictine, and Bell Hall issymbolic of Benedictine. Because I had such a rich experience here, the loss ofBen Hall saddens me. I spent years inside of it in my classes, walked by thebuilding thousands of times and I have always admired it. I know that thetransformation of the campus is for the best, though, and new memories willcontinue to be made as students grow and learn as I did.

Kristin Deanne Hough, C02

The trunk room

The scholarslounge

When Fr. MichaelKomechak, O.S.B.,founded the studioart program in 1978,he was given thesouth end of thetop floor inBenedictine Hallfor studios,offices andstorerooms.They had beenused by thenon-ordainedmonks asliving

quarters from1916, when the south

section was completed, until 1970when the monks moved into their newlycompleted abbey building across College Road.

[At my] class reunion in 1986, I noticed many changes had occurred to the building since 1956, but I could still tell where the second floor dormitories had been and the third floor chapel where theauditorium is now, and the basement refectory where we ate ‘family style’ at long tables. Aparticular interest was seeking out the former Chapel of Altars behind the auditorium/chapel whereI served Mass many early mornings for priest-monks; each of the now-private music practice boothswas formerly an individual altar, and I noted that many of the original wood vestment tablesremain in place extending from the walls. I found that the second and third floor ‘jakes’ remain inplace, albeit converted from exclusive male use.

The gravity water closets up by the ceiling, where we cooled quarts of beer on weekends when we out-of-state students remained on campus, were gone — but the memory lingers. It was interestingto walk through the North end of the building, which was the cloistered monastery, and I’m not sureI had ever set foot in that section until this visit. I looked into first and second floor rooms where Irecall classes in Fr. Demetrius’ Algebra I, Al Rychtarik’s Plane Geometry, Solid Geometry andTrigonometry, Fr. Gilbert’s Latin I, Fr. Brendan’s Latin II, Fr. Paschal’s and Fr. Christian’sReligion, etc. I saw the outside fire escape stairs leading down, then back up to ‘Paradise’ where Fr. Roman (before he was ordained) lived and conducted the infirmary. I recalled a missing metal building in that same area, which was a chapel where the Eastern Rite monks, Frs. Chrysostom, Athanasius, Demetrius, as I recall, celebrated Mass amid lots of incenseand chanting in [Slavonic]; some of us attended periodically and gained an appreciationof another culture’s approach to our common Catholicism. After a good building tour, Iwalked over by the ‘slough’ and on to the cemetery where I walked among the graves of somany familiar names of priests and brothers from those years long ago; I prayed for them,but also I requested them to remember and pray for me — one of the ‘kids from Kansas.’After that, I stopped at the Abbey to see if Fr. Roman might be in and available to chat(he was my Freshman prefect, and later was president of a Catholic college in Wichita).

He was and we reminisced at length.

It was a great afternoon and I am glad I detoured North from I-80 on my way to Indiana. Happy Days, those

were in the Fifties… It was enjoyable to return to them for a few hours.

Lawrence A. (Larry)Tholen, C56

I remember these rooms asmonastic quarters during mynovitiate year, especially room468, the Brother’s Chapel. Myown office today, on the fourthfloor, was once the novicemaster’s combination bedroom

and study.An artist friend recommendedthat insulated fiber panels beattached to all the walls to serveas backing for framed artwork.The window at the south end of the corridor was covered toprevent sunlight from fading the artwork.

Fr. Michael Komechak, O.S.B.,C54, Art Curator

12

Dormitories,

classrooms,

life experiences

Spring 2003 13


building that stood in what isnow the parking area adjacent to the west entrance door at theground level, near BenedictineCentral). The ‘big move’ intoJaeger Hall excited the collegemen who now had the benefitsof ‘high living’ in semi-privaterooms.

1956 With the transfer of the academy to the former St. Joseph’s Orphanage propertynorth of Maple Avenue (nowBenet Academy), the secondfloor, east-west section, wasconverted into classrooms.

1957 The Benedictine Sistersdiscontinued running thekitchen/food service. Marie-Antoinette Haot-Denissoffbecame the kitchen manageraided by area women.

1960 During the summer, the kitchen area (now Sodexho’sCampus Services office space) was totally rehabilitated withnew steam plumbing, hot andcold water lines, stoves and foodservice preparation areas. Thebakery remained in operation,though the homemade breadrecipe of the Benedictine Sistersdid not seem to be duplicated.The former convent area wasused by the Benedictine Brotherswho until this time slept indormitory/bunk rooms.

1963 The new library opened.First-year students spent muchof their “Hell Week” timetransferring books fromBenedictine Hall to the newfacility. The library was named to honor the first lay chairmanof the Board of Trustees,Theodore Lownik, who wasassociated with Tallman FederalSavings and Loan Association on Chicago’s south side.

1966 The abbey decided to close the farm operation. This eliminated the fresh eggsbrought in daily by Brs. GeorgeRooney and Matthew Netreba,O.S.B. It also eliminated thedairy herd, as well as the steers. ➤

I was leaving home for the first time, going away tocollege. I’ll never forget that cold January day in 1966. Itook the Greyhound Bus from Detroit to Chicago, the trainfrom Chicago to Lisle, and a cab from the Lisle train stationto the administration building of St. Procopius College(Benedictine Hall).

It was between semesters so the campus was pretty muchdesolate. Here I stood in this circular drive in front of theimpressive building. My mind was racing with thoughts andquestions as I trekked up the stairs lugging my military-typeduffel bag and a suitcase.

I entered the building and looked down the hallway, whichseemed endless and saw no one. I left my stuff at the doorand went off looking for someone to assist me. Whilestrolling the halls and gazing at the high ceilings I couldn’thelp but be impressed with this building. It had a certainaura about it.

After about 10 minutes of meandering a priest noticed me and asked if he could help. He said to wait about 15 minutes and he would take me to Jaeger Hall where I would be staying.

This was my introduction to St. Procopius College. Thebuilding was my first impression and many memories weremade from that building in the following three years.As for that priest, it was Father Hugh Anderson. Go figure.

Allen Goll, C69

I had a wonderful class, Intro

to Comm. Arts, in Ben Hall.

I enjoyed giving speeches in

class because there was an echo.

I liked the aura and “antique”

look [of the building].

Salman Choudhry, C02

Fourth floor

music serenades

I worked under Fr. Kevin’s

direction in the old bookstore

in Benedictine Hall in 1965-67.

There weren’t many places to

hang out on campus in those

years, and we had a regular

after-dinner-before-the-library

crowd. Along with a number of

student regulars, Fr. David and

Fr. Dismas often dropped in, as

did Mr. Smith. Fr. Christian

occasionally stopped by too,

and we had a couple of

conversations that helped me

to change my major to history.

The building holds many

memories: reading Fr. David’s

press releases on a first-floor

bulletin board, chatting with

Br. Columban in the business

office, exchanging misplaced

mail with the other “Bill

Murphy” also in the business

office, that funny pair of doors

that opened on to each other in

the back of the hall, the art work

in the upstairs classroom where

Mr. Meehan taught Rhetoric and

American Lit at night.

Bill Murphy, C67


I remember . . . Working nights at themain switchboard with the ‘AlexanderGraham Bell’ era pull out cords,I frequently, accidentally,disconnected calls or connected calls to the wrong party.

Walking in the hall late at night afterstudying alone in a classroom.Hearing the creaking, groaningfloors and heating plant rattlingthe steam pipes and then suddenlyrunning into a monk who seemedto come out of the shadows.

All those stuffed specimens fromthe Jurica Brothers in their classroom.

Bob Knetl, C70

1946 Election: At this election, strictly speaking to select acoadjutor abbot for the dying Abbot Procopius Neuzil,Father Ambrose Ondrak was chosen (the election was held onNovember 7, Abbot Procopius died December 1). The window, onthe central entrance, means “God, Church and Country.”

I remember two

things about Benedictine

Hall that will always hold a special place for

me. First, I was introduced to the first ‘love of

my life’… coffee, while studying with the late

night crowd.

Additionally, I was introduced to the second

‘love of my life’…my wife…on the first day

of my sophomore year, in 1980. To this day,

23 years, two beautiful kids and a home within

rock throwing distance of Ben Hall, I still look at

that building being there, at that place, at that

time. It may be hidden now and soon come

down, as history steps aside for progress, but

I will always have the memories which

progress can’t destroy.

Ben Hall has been my ‘home’ at Benedictine for two years. I’m grateful for

having been assigned an office in this building. Somehow, I’ve felt more

closely connected to the University’s history than I believe I would have

felt had my office been located elsewhere on campus.

I’ll admit that from a physical standpoint, Ben Hall has certain

deficiencies, however, the overall physical attributes of the building —

the large offices with high ceilings and expansive windows, the rich wood

doors and trim, to name just a few — are what I love most about Ben Hall.

Together, these attributes impart a certain comfort and warmth that I

believe will be very difficult, if not impossible, to duplicate.

I’ll truly miss Ben Hall.

Nona Jones, Professor

Stained glass windows

The barber chair

Ode to Ben Hallby Ingrida (Latoza) Korsakas, C97

A true Ben Hall pleasure was hiding from everyone on the topfloor in order to gather my thoughts for a tough exam orassignment. Looking at campus in the evening from the tinywindow while listening to someone practice a piano piece alwaysproved to be enjoyable, romantic, and even spiritual. All worriesand fears disappeared as my mind was set at ease by the peacefulscenery and beautiful music. Campus in sight, no fear or fright;Chopin at night, always a delight.

Ben Hall may claim rights as the birthplace of my collegeeducation. Administration offices with plenty of paperwork livedhere but the magnificent beauty of the old hallways andstaircases also showed me a path to higher intelligence. As anelementary education major, most of my classes and professorswere in Ben Hall. So, to me, the middle of this building existedas the core of my studies at Benedictine University. Ideasexchanged, theories discovered, stories shared, languageslearned. It developed the skillful, knowledgeable and diverseperson that I am today. A sense of place, a sense of time, a sense ofgrace in your heart and mine.

To celebrate our academic successes, my friends and I wouldgather in the company of each other. We really enjoyed The Pubparties in the basement of Ben Hall as we danced the nightaway. We didn’t want the evening to end. The Pub wasn’t much,but all we needed was some loud music, a dance floor and eachother. “Oh what a night” echoed loudly through the room andwe lived in the moment, knowing it to be one of the best timeswe’d be sharing at Benedictine University. Music set us free. Dancetenderly. We let it be, just you, just me.

Spring 2003 15


1967 The school of theology(seminary) discontinuedoperation. This opened uprooms on the third floor forfaculty offices. Until the openingof Kindlon Hall, most of thelanguage, communications and literature faculty memberswere housed in this area.

1970 The monks moved to thenew St. Procopius Abbey on theeast side of College Road. Thisopened up the entire ‘abbeyside’ of Benedictine Hall. A fewmonks remained behind andlived in the building (thepresident and academic dean) in areas formerly occupied by the monastery superiors. The old ‘Bishop’s Room’ and the‘Chapter Room’ become spacefor campus ministry, with theformer ‘choir chapel’ being thespace for daily liturgy. The old‘college chapel’ on the thirdfloor continues to be used forSunday Masses, though thespace became known as the‘Social Center’ and was used for a variety of other events.

This was also when Fr. AlbanHrebic, O.S.B., began todevelop the north end of the fourth floor into musicclassrooms and studios for music lessons. The south end,especially the areas formerlyoccupied by the BenedictineBrothers (chapel, recreationroom, dormitory andclassroom), were developed into rooms for art lectures and classes.

1976 While the building of the‘Physical Education LearningCenter’ (later to be named tohonor Dan and Ada Rice) didnot affect Benedictine Halldirectly, it did close the old gym.Because the ‘PELC’ (as it wasaffectionately called by those who are dedicated to acronyms)was erected with some federalmoney, the old gym had to betaken “off line” and could notbe used by the campuscommunity. ➤

A student infirmary room,similar to a ‘cell,’

as they were called,that served as a monk’s

quarters. Note the lighthanging over the desk

(probably a 10-watt bulb).

One of my biggest memories of Benedictine Hall is a lesson taught to me bythe late Dean, Thomas Dyba, in that building in November 1972. It wasmy freshman first-semester and I was an “undeclared” major. [I washaving trouble with a class.]

Dyba explained to me [what I would need to do] in order to pass the course.He added that he would allow me to withdraw from the course, but it wouldshow up as “WF” on my transcript. He asked me what I wanted to do.

I thought hard and I told him: “I’m 17 and I know I’m in lots of troublehere. Maybe in college I’m supposed to make my own decisions, but I’m kindof lost. What do you think I should do?”

Dean Dyba stood up and gazed out of one of Benedictine Hall’s big windowsfor a couple of minutes. He finally turned around and spoke. “All right, sinceyou’re asking, here’s what I’d do. You’ve been struggling with this course sinceLabor Day. We just observed Veteran’s Day and Christmas Break is rightaround the corner. All you need is to pass this course, and you and the MathDepartment are finished with one another the rest of your college career. FatherTsi says you have been attending class and trying hard. I wouldn’t waste asemester-long investment in time, effort and tuition money. I’d study like madfor those last two tests, pass them and move along with the new major. You’d becrazy to fight this far and this hard and quit on this course now.”

Well, I took Dean Dyba’s advice, studied like a maniac, and passed the course.As each semester passed, my grades rose. I would look at Dean Dyba’s Benedictine Hallwindow and think of the day he taught me to act towards an acceptable result in atight spot rather than throw an investment away in panic. This lesson served me wellmany times during the years that followed and I have told this story to my children.

I loved Benedictine Hall in the winter, starkly red against the snow. I loved it in highsummer, backed up by the lush greenery, but I think I loved it best in late autumn, setamidst the last splashes of red and golden leaves and the first of thebarren trees. I think this is because the school looked likethis the day Dean Dyba taught me neverto give up easily.

David Fischer, C76

I have many memories of

Benedictine Hall from my

days as a student (1963-

1967). At that time, what is

now the third floor

“Benedictine Hall Theater”

was the chapel; the entire

biology department,

including many of the

specimens now in the Jurica

Museum, was located in the

west wing of the building,

and most of the south section

of the building was part of

the monastic cloister. In fact,

the office I now occupy was

originally a bedroom for one

of the monks. Administrative

offices, classrooms, and even a

very small bookstore were all

located in the building. The

cafeteria was in the ground

floor section of the building

now known as The Pub.

When I first came to campus

for the fall semester of 1963,

Lownik Library was just ready

to open. In fact, many of the

books had not yet been

moved from the old library

that was in the lower level of

Benedictine Hall where

Benedictine Central is now

located. During the first two

weeks of classes, a steady

stream of freshmen moved

books from the old library to

the new during their physical

education classes (physical

education was required of all

freshmen at that time).

Ralph Meeker, C67, Professor


For me, Ben Hall is a symbol ofthe “caring community spirit”which is so prevalent on ourcampus. The old motto of IBCwas a place where “people makea difference.” When I think ofBen Hall I see the faces of thedifference makers. So manycaring people (administrators,faculty and staff) who helpedcreate the spirit, which is thelifeblood of what BenedictineUniversity is all about.

Coach John Ostrowski

I entered as a freshman into IBC in the fall of 1990. My firstweek was both exciting andfrightening. Starting college wasan important step in both mineand my family’s lives, you see, I was the first in my family toattend college.

I attended the SOAR orientationprogram that first summer,staying in Neuzil Hall. I was so impressed by the faculty andstudent volunteers that for thenext three years I volunteered tolead new students through thesame program. Sitting up in thethird floor classrooms mentoringthe new students through theirfirst couple days of collegeallowed me to share in the samespirit those before me felt.Knowing that I was there makinga difference to the incomingstudents made being a SOARvolunteer so rewarding. I mademany friends over the years justby listening; Cheryl, Pat, Jon and Doug just to name a few.Listening to Father David talkabout the Benedictine Spiritbrought us closer together as aclass. I still wear the St. Benedictmedal I received as a gift fromhim, it’s a little tarnished fromthe years of wearing it but mymemories are as shiny and new as that first day back inSeptember 1990.

Mark Daimid, C94

My very first memory of Ben Hall surfaces from a blustery fall day in 1989 —

the day my father brought me to Lisle for a campus visit. There were no

leaves on the trees and very few people shared the sidewalks with us — and

yet something about the place touched me. The red brick of Benedictine Hall

spoke to me of history and tradition — and looked like the Ivy League

schools of the East Coast. As we toured the maze of hallways and uneven

staircases from the basement pub to the fourth floor art museum, I almost

expected to find a classroom full of seminary students and one of the

Benedictine brothers drilling them in Latin verbs.

[I remember] many hours spent on the hard, slippery floors of The Pub

rehearsing for “You Can’t Take It With You” or the “The Crucible.” Many

anxious moments wondering if the whole production would be shut down

due to fire code violations. Late nights, building sets, running lines, always

behind schedule.

Memories from the fourth floor of Ben Hall are heard, not seen. I would

leave other students lingering over dinner and hasten to the fourth floor for

band practice-one night for concert band, another for “big band.” As one

of a handful of non-music majors, I sometimes felt like I was entering

unauthorized territory. While the other floors of Ben Hall often had a sleepy,

somber feeling, the fourth floor was filled with an energy and sound that the

thin carpeting did nothing to dampen.

It is true that Benedictine University is not the sum of its brick and mortar —

it is much more. Benedictine University is the faculty, the students, the monks

and the community of learning and fellowship they have built. It lives in the

friendships we share with our former classmates and professors, and in the

values we learned as part of this special community: hospitality, charity,

moderation. But, I will miss Ben Hall. She was part of the reason I became

a member of that community and will remain a cherished memory.

Holly Wehmeyer, C94

Student Refectory:The Pub of recent years was once the student dining room.

First Student Chapel:this would have been the chapel

before the “west wing” wasconstructed in 1912-13.

This is now the classroom acrossfrom the student theater.

Sacred Heart was a largestudent study hall on the third floor, north of the Student Chapel entrance.

It was later partitioned into semi-private seminary rooms

and after 1967, became offices.

Bell towers

Chapel Masses

Close bonds,

lasting impressions

Spring 2003 17


1988 The opening of the KrasaCenter with its state-of-the-artcafeteria, ‘Eagle’s Nest,’ bookstoreand offices, brought the kitchenand food service activities to anend in Benedictine Hall. Formany years the old studentdining room (there on theground level since 1913)continued to be used under thename ‘The Pub’. This designationcame when the State of Illinoischanged the legal age for drinkingto 19, and beer was availableevery weekday afternoon. Thepopular ‘Friday Afternoon Club’(F.A.C.) brought many facultyand students together forexciting interactions.

As the State of Illinois changedits law back to 21 as the legalage for drinking, ‘The Pub’continued to be a space for avariety of social events (PubParties) at which those of legalage were allowed to purchasealcohol.

2001 The opening of theJoseph and Bess Kindlon Hall of Learning and the Michael andKay Birck Hall of Science madefor more changes in BenedictineHall and other buildings oncampus, such as Lownik andScholl. Many offices andclassrooms were moved to thesespacious, state-of-the-artbuildings, including all thescience laboratories, classroomsand office spaces, the departmentsof math, nursing, nutrition,communications and the Schoolof Education. The new buildingsalso contain the Jurica NatureMuseum, computer labs,television studios, a four-storylibrary, the registrar’s office and much more.

2003 With the renovation ofLownik (the old library building),more offices moved fromBenedictine Hall, including the admissions office. Scholl wasalso recently renovated and theremainder of the BenedictineHall offices and classes will bemoved to these two buildingsvery soon. ➤

I remember my first days in graduate

school running down the hallway after

getting out of work only to find that the

door I tried to get in was not only a small

door, but it was locked and on the wrong

side of the building.I remember how Benedictine Hall

reminded me of a good, sound

institution and how it was my home

for the four and a half years it took

me to finish my degree.Andrea M. Ahlsen, M.S.M.O.B. ’96

Student Dormitory:this is the second floor of

the west wing, it waspartitioned into classrooms

after Jaeger Hall was built in 1950-51.

Student Chapel:this is in the west wing,

on the third floor,the present social

center/theater. The murals in front were painted by

Br. Joseph Pondelicek in 1930.

When asked to share some of my memories of

Benedictine Hall, one of the thoughts that came to my

mind was the St. Procopius Abbey Chapel of Altars.

This small “chapel” was located behind the third floor

Student Chapel, now called the assembly room, I

believe. The Chapel of Altars is now the space that

the music department uses as practice rooms.

In the old days, for example, the 1960s, students of

St. Procopius College were invited to become members

of St. Wenceslaus Servers Society. The student

members would serve the early morning masses (at

6:00 a.m.) of the priest-monks. These were the days

before Vatican Council II when each priest would say

“his own private Mass”.

So, after the abbey Lauds, Prime and Terce (the

morning prayers of the Abbey) the priests would make

their way to the Chapel for their Mass and the students

would serve Mass.

Being so early, the students were making a sacrifice,

which the monks appreciated. But as students, we

could not help but “fight” for those priests that would

say Mass in a short amount of time, versus a priest who

would be more prayerful and meditative in his liturgy.

The sooner back to bed, the better for us students —

we did our “good deed” for the day and the Good

Lord would in turn help us with our studies (we

hoped). Usually a favorite priest of the servers was

Fr. Edmund Jurica — he was noted for his efficient

use of time.

Fr. Theodore Suchy, O.S.B., C63, Museum Curator


Since the laying of its cornerstone in 1900 and the opening of its

doors to students in 1901, the building now called Benedictine Hall

has changed many of its spaces.

B e n e d ic t i n e C e n t r a l . . . O n e R o o m , M a n y U s e s

The once “CollegeChapel” where somany events tookplace such as the

professions of the monks,ordinations of seminarians tovarious sacred orders (e.g.,deacons and priests), hasserved in past years as atheater and lecture room, and also as a place for Sunday Mass in the dayswhere more than 300students wouldparticipate.

There is one space,though, that probablyhas had more “lives”than any other inBenedictine Hall, and thatis the area on the groundfloor now housingBenedictine Central. Withthe completion of themonastery section in 1916,the ground floor area at thesouth end was designed to bean auditorium/gymnasium.The archives have a number ofpictures showing a stage andstairs to that stage on the eastand west walls. Unfortunately,us “older folks” depend uponhumorous stories told bythose who were the “youngmonks” at the time, claimingthat to score a basket during aball game one had to bouncethe basketball off the ceiling!

When the new gymnasiumbuilding opened in 1925(now no longer extant) at thesouth end of the football field,the area became the collegelibrary, with the stage boarded

up for the librarians’workroom. Many an hour wasspent back there catalogingand preparing new books andperiodicals for library use.Fathers Adolph and Vituswalked up and down thosestairs many a time.

In 1963, with the big move to the new

library, named inhonor of Theodore Lownik,the first lay chairman of theBoard of Trustees, the roomonce again was rehabilitatedto create a larger monasteryrefectory, or dining room.The stage area became theplace for the community’stelevision set, and a wall wasalso erected to form a‘Chapter Room,’ to give moreroom for people duringmeetings than was possible inthe room near the Choir Chapelon the first floor (now theUniversity College offices).

In 1970, the new monasteryand church was completedacross College Road and themonks moved out of

BenedictineHallcompletely.With thefoodservicespeople

looking formore room to accommodate

a growing student population,the area was converted into astudent dining room, with thecafeteria line in what was theBrothers’ ‘Shoe Room,’ nowan art laboratory for printmaking. A highlight was thefact that the old stage wasopened up and becamesomething of a “veranda”where the faculty could eatlunch together and discussmatters of mutual interest.

With the 1988 opening of thenew Krasa Center (namedafter longtime friend of theUniversity, John Krasa) and itsstate-of-the-art cafeteria anddining room, the spacebecame a 24-hour studylounge for both residents and

commuters. Fr. MichaelKomechak, O.S.B., tried tomake this a hospitable placewith art pieces on the walls.Some were original worksdone by students in the oilpainting class who wanted tomake a contribution to theiralma mater.

With the growing studentpopulation and the desire toprovide a “one stopshopping” approach forregistration, financial aid andother services, “BenedictineCentral” was created — aplace well-known to all whohave registered for classes,

If The Walls Could Talk


Spring 2003 1Spring 2003 19

A Look At The Past andInto The Future.

Benedictine Hall has had a

variety of lives. From the

four-story ‘L’ shaped building

that greeted the students in

1901, through its additions

that completed its final shape

in 1925, through the various

changes when walls went up and

walls came down. Many people

will be able to tell stories and

many memories will be shared.

The one important element in

it all is the driving spirit that

continues to remain irrespective

of the location. Whether one

looks at the original auditorium/

gymnasium or the old gym or

the Rice Center, we continue to

see students developing their

athletic skills. Whether we think

of the old chemistry laboratory

at the west end of the first floor

of the east-west wing or of a

laboratory in Procopius Hall or

in the Scholl Science Center or

in the Birck Hall of Science, we

continue to develop the minds

of future scientists, health

professionals and teachers.

The spirit continues.

The old college motto of ‘Virtue

and Knowledge,’ found on the

covers of the old catalogs, is

lived in the hearts of the

students of the 21st century as

it did in the hearts of those who

first occupied Benedictine Hall

in 1901. We move into the

future with our one desire

“that God may be glorified

in all things.” ✝

My favorite memories

are hanging out in The Pub every

day for lunch and on Fridays for

the Friday Afternoon Club. I also

remember going up to the fourth

floor where not too many people

knew that there was a barber chair.

A couple of my friends tried, one

time, to get up on the roof and ring

the bell.

Richard Warner, C83

No one from the mid to late 70’s will ever forget The

Pub. It was a special place that held many special

moments for scores of, then IBC, students, families,

friends, faculty and visitors. If walls and windows

could only talk…

Ken Carruthers, C76

processed Add-Dropforms, or paid tuitionand fee bills. Many have commented how good and pleasantit is to not have to run around from office to office atregistration time.

One room, but sixdifferent lives in less than 100 years. Just

as the monks of theBenedictine Order adjustedas times and societieschanged, one room on thiscampus has changed withthe needs of the times andthe growth of the studentbody. As BenedictineUniversity moves into itsfuture, other changes willtake place as well. Thewalls may carry manystories, but the Universitywill carry its importantwork of educating all thosewho come here by makingadjustments to provide thebest education and facilitiesthat are possible. ✝

The Pub, shown here in the 1970s,became the place wherememories were made.

I remember the Chapel and daily noon Mass.

I remember the back parking lot entrance that

always seemed a little rickety. I remember

Fr. Michael’s art classes in the attic andwondering how we would ever get out of

the building if it were on fire. I also remember

the third floor performances as well as the

commuter lounge that had 1970’s furniture. The most memorable part of Benedictine Hall

has to be The Pub. I don’t think it still exists,

however, if they ever converted it to office

space, how did they ever get rid of the nasty

stale beer smell for all the Pub parties? Iremember walking through there on Monday

mornings after Saturday night Pub parties and

still having your feet stick to the floor. There

are some great memories from all of those

parties and fun times that were had by all. I’m

sorry to hear that Benedictine Hall will be torn

down, but I will have to make a point ofvisiting campus soon to see what new and

exciting things have been happening there.Carmela Corsini, C86, M.B.A. ’90

Great friends, Great memories


Do you watch for ‘strangethings’ hanging fromceilings? Do you ever askabout little doorways thatseem to appear (and maynow be screwed shut)? Thisis fundamentally a test for the curious!

1 The Music Departmenthas soundproof practicerooms on the third floornorth of the west end of thetheater (accessible only bythe back stairs). What wasthe function of the longtables with individual drawerslocated in that area?

2 On the fourth floor,extreme north end ofBenedictine Hall, is a smalldoor with a padlock on it.One can easily peek inthrough the screen on thisdoor. In the past (prior to1950) what was the functionof this room?

3 There is still a water tankin Benedictine Hall. Can youidentify its location?

4 If you stood at theentrance to Health Services(north door) and looked upto your left, you would see a small “shed” attached toBenedictine Hall. Whatis/was the function of thisaddition to the building?

5 While you are standinglooking at the entrance tothe Health Service, can youexplain the reason for thebeautiful stonework at thisdoorway? You need to thinkback to the 1950s.

6 Where did college mensleep prior to the opening of Jaeger Hall?

7 In the 1950s, where did the “rector” of bothcollege and high school have his office?

8 Where was the originalProcopian News room, theplace where the newspapereditors and writers producedthe paper that covered bothcollege and high school newsprior to 1956?

9 What was the original use of what is now known asBen Central?

10 At one time there werethree bells on the roof ofBenedictine Hall. Can youidentify where the bell ropes were available for thebell-ringer?

*Prizes to top winners willbe distributed through thealumni office.

Send your answers [email protected]. Answerswill be published in the next issue.

Quiz compiled byFr. David Turner, O.S.B.

A time capsule, placed in thecornerstone of BenedictineHall more than 100 years ago,was re-dedicated March 21,2003 in a solemn ceremony inthe Kindlon Hall of Learning,attended by more than 40members of the BenedictineUniversity community.

During the dedicationceremony, President WilliamCarroll read aloud an Englishtranslation of a script whichhad been placed inside thecapsule. He then consecratedthe case with incense whilefaculty member Alicia CordobaTait performed sacred musicon the oboe. Abbot DismasKalcic, O.S.B., concluded theceremony by leading those inattendance in prayer.

“Time has worn this capsule,”Carroll said. “It has changedthrough 100 years ofdeterioration. But what hasn’tchanged is the vision of thisinstitution – to provide aCatholic, liberal arts educationto our students.”

The capsule has been placed ina plastic case in the ceramicmural area of the Jim andMary Ryan Lounge. ✝

1. Coach John Ostrowski, M.S.,Head Baseball Coach

2. Wayne Wesolowski, C67, Ph.D.,Professor of Chemistry

3. Alice Sima, C83, M.B.A., ’87,M.S.N.,R.A., Director of Pre-Professional Health Programs

4. Fr. David Turner, O.S.B., C58,Assistant to the Provost

5. Nona Jones, M.B.A., M.A.T.,Ph.D., Assistant Professor ofMarketing

6. John Mickus, Ph.D.; Dean,College of Arts and Sciences

7. Abbot Dismas Kalcic, O.S.B., C57,Chancellor of BenedictineUniversity

8. Bernard Toussaint, C55, Ph.D.,Professor of Philosophy

9. Alicia Tait, D.M.A., AssociateProfessor, Chair, Department ofFine and Performing Arts

10. Coach David Swanson, C76, M.S.,Assistant Athletic Director,Baseball Coach

11. Fr. Michael Komechak, O.S.B.,C54, Curator, BenedictineUniversity Art Collection

100 year oldTime Capsule Re-dedicatedby Phil Brozynski

Test Your Benedictine Hall Knowledge and Win A Prize!

20


Benedictine Community Members Salute Benedictine Hall

Cover Photo

(From topto bottom)

Valuesp h i l a n t h r o p y

Get a piece of Benedictine HallHistory: “Centennial” LithographA limited number of copies of the “Centennial” lithograph, bycelebrated artist Franklin McMahon, are available through thealumni office for $300.

This beautiful, colored 32” x 24” lithograph depicts BenedictineHall on its 100th birthday. Also pictured are the Krasa Centerand the Neff Farmhouse. There were only 300 printed and eachone is numbered.

To purchase this lithograph of the building that holds so manymemories for so many people, contact the alumni office at (630) 829-6080 or [email protected]. ✝

Abbot Honors Martha DudaChancellor of Benedictine University, Abbot Dismas Kalcic, O.S.B.,presents a recognition plaque to Martha Duda.The plaque will beplaced at a new walkway at the Ave Maria Shrine.Thanks togenerous donations and pledges totaling $35,000 from Duda, theShrine was refurbished and a new walkway and landscaping willbe made possible.The gifts were made by Duda, in honor of hersister, Mary Duda. Duda’s nephew Dr. Ralph Duda, is an alumnusof Benedictine and a practicing physician in Springfield, Missouri.(Voices had incorrectly acknowledged Ms. Duda as “Ms. Duba” inthe previous issue. We regret the error.) ✝

• philanthropy• alumni news

If everyone made a gift, it wouldreally add up to something.

Working together, we can achieve the goal of keepingthe Benedictine Experience alive and prospering.

Your financial donations are deeply valued, as are yourgifts of time and talent. To learn more, contact the

Office of Advancement, (630) 829-6366.

Giving Makes the Difference.

Give others a chance to

’Experience the Benedictine Difference’

21

Values a l u m n i n e w s


Wickert is living in theBenedictine spirit of givingback and finding great joy in her endeavors. ✝

Bridget Wickert, C97, withRomanian children in Tutova,Romania.

Alumni Board of DirectorsThe Alumni Board ofDirectors meets quarterly andworks to keep Benedictinealumni connected to theirschool. Currently, there areopen positions on the Board.Excited, positive alumni arewanted to fill these positions.This is not a large timecommitment and is anexcellent way to stay involvedwith your alma mater.Interested and want moreinformation? Call JulieNelligan at (630) 829-6077.

Alumni Discount for CybercampsCybercamps offer cutting-edge technology programs

for 7-16 year olds at leadinguniversity campuses eachsummer, and will once againhost their weeklong camps forfive consecutive weeks atBenedictine University. Bothday and residential programsare being offered. As part oftheir community outreach,Cybercamps is offering a $50 discount for alumnichildren and grandchildren to attend the program atBenedictine, or any of their47 other university locationsacross the country. Visitwww.cybercamps.com to learn more, or call toll-free(888) 904-2267 and speakwith one of their knowledgeablecamp consultants. Don’tdelay; summer registration isnow open and classes arefilling quickly.

E-Mail AddressesThe alumni office would liketo utilize e-mail to keep youinformed of Benedictinehappenings. Please forwardyour preferred e-mail addressto [email protected] and lookfor our informative messages.

President’s InvitationalGolf OutingThe 9th Annual President’sInvitational Golf Outing isapproaching — Monday, July 21. We are looking for all alumni — golfers or not. Ifyou are a golfer — get a teamtogether and compete for thecoveted Alumni Cup proudlydisplayed at the University.Don’t wait too long to getyour foursome registered, this

event sells out fast. If youaren’t a golfer — we still needyou to volunteer the day ofthe event. You could be a holewatcher chatting with thegolfers and the first to see thehole-in-one winner, or man abeverage station keeping thegolfers hydrated and happy.The possibilities are endless. If you are interested inspending a lovely summer day at Cress Creek CountryClub in Naperville, phone the alumni office today.

For information on any of these alumni matters, pleasecontact Debbie Smith, assistant alumni relationsdirector, at (630) 829-6080 or [email protected]. ✝

a l u m n i b r i e f s

Benedictine Alumna Gives From The Heart by Elizabeth Summers, C00

When asked to give acharitable donation,the immediate

thought is to pull out acheckbook. When alumnaBridget Wickert, C97,computer science, donates,she gives from her generousheart as well. Wickert, acomputer consultant withSoftLink, Inc., has traveled to rural Romania two times in the last year through theorganization GlobalVolunteers.

Her visits bring care andcompassion to at-risk infantsand toddlers at a small, underfunded hospital in theRomanian village of Tutova.The children live in a ‘failureto thrive’ clinic, andvolunteers work with

approximately 10 childrenfrom 11 to 18 months of age.

“There is always a desire tohelp those less fortunate thanoneself,” Wickert reflects. She credits her thinking to her family influence andexperiences at BenedictineUniversity. “The experience,at Global Volunteers, helpedme realize that we [thosefrom other cultures andcountries] are more alike thanwe are different,” she avows.

Although Wickert’s volunteerexperiences are only threeweeks in length at each visit,she feels that she truly makesa difference in the lives of thechildren. She is anxious to goback to Romania and will doso as soon as she can save thenecessary funding.

Valuesa l u m n i n e w s

Spring 2003 23

VOICES:Tell us a little about yourSuper Bowl experiences. How did it feel to be there?

COACH CALLY:This was truly an experience of a lifetime, seeing how manyof my goals and life dreamscame true. I always wanted tolead a team and be responsiblefor a group of men. I had thisopportunity and was proud ofthe fact that I could do this forthe first time in 20 years. Mostpeople who watched the gameon television can understandthat there is a great deal of“surrounding activities” and a head coach has to keephis mind on all his players and maintaining a focus on the game.

One element that people do notsee or experience, although itwould be great if they could, isthe enormity of the media. Ihad to be highly focused as Ifaced more than 250 membersof the media at daily pressconferences. The internationalpool of reporters is a challengeas they come from all over theworld — for example Japan,Mexico, European countries —and they all want “scoops” fortheir papers. This was intense as they all kept asking questionsand one had to think rapidlyand give correct answers.Keeping in mind anything said would be quoted!

VOICES:Did your time at Benedictinehelp you get to where you are now?

COACH CALLY:Coach Marvin Carlson gaveme the model of a competentand caring coach. Fr. DavidTurner challenged meeducationally and helped medevelop the strong analyticalapproach that I bring to thegame. I was always encouragedto do the best job I could do,and this has carried me thoughthe many experiences I havehad on a high school, universityand now professional level as afootball coach. My “playbooks”and other “notebooks” seem tobe a focus when sportswritersdescribe my work. All this hadits start at IBC [nowBenedictine] along with theopportunities I had to watchfilms of other teams and doanalysis of their approaches tothe game.

VOICES:Your alma mater is very proudof your accomplishments andhow well you hold yourself inthe public eye. Do you haveany advice for students todayon how to follow in yourfootsteps in terms ofsuccessfully reaching theirgoals and holding themselveswell?

COACH CALLY:My first bit of advice is “Beyour BEST self.” Develop anattitude of respect for otherpeople, even for people who mayact in such a way as not todeserve respect. But moreimportantly, always have astrong spirit of gratitude. WhileI may have worked very hardalong the way, there werealways teachers, mentors – andnow – owners, who make itpossible for a person to seedreams become realities.

VOICES:What is your most vividmemory of your time atBenedictine?

COACH CALLY:We had a spirit of makingthe very best out of theexperiences we had. Myfriends and I never seemedto fall into having “pityparties” as some might callthe activity. Yes, we wereDivision III, but that didnot prevent us from playingthe best games we could play,setting the records that wecould set. The college hadthat great spirit andattitude of providing goodexperiences for us. I will beforever grateful. ✝

Raiders CoachCallahan (above)watches a playduring the 2003Super Bowl in SanDiego, California.(Left) Playing forBenedictine’sfootball team asnumber 10,Callahan setrecords.

Q & A With Coach CallyVoices recently contacted Bill Callahan, C78, to get

his perspectives as the first-year head coach of the

Oakland Raiders and his experiences with taking his

team to the Super Bowl. ‘Coach Cally,’ as his team

calls him, had some interesting insights.

al

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ma

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Values a l u m n i n e w s


The newest slate ofofficers for theBenedictine University

Alumni Board of Directors isnow in place for 2003-2005:President is Susan(Udelhofen) Ross, C79; Vice President is JoanHenehan, C91; andSecretary/Treasurer is PatriceKucia, C91/96. The newexecutive team, leading aboard of 24 members, wouldlike to bring the AlumniAssociation in closer alliancewith entities of the Universityto support common goals.

Starting with the new term,the Board of Directors will beutilizing its recently updatedby-laws. In that guidingdocument, the purpose ofAlumni Association has beendefined as follows: “Tosupport the University’sobjectives by collaborating on projects and activities that involve our collective and individual financialcontributions, our talents and skills and our time and presence.”

The officers envision Boardmembers connecting withareas of the University where

they can make a positive andmeaningful differenceinfluencing students,partnering with faculty andstaff and carrying theBenedictine identity into theexternal community, all whileyielding benefits for alumnithemselves. “The Board isplanning to focus onopportunities for alumnirepresentatives to participatein causes that support theUniversity, which in turnenable them to network witheach other for their ownpersonal and professionalfulfillment,” Ross said. “Whatwe’re working toward is an

energized Board of Directorsto lead the way for anexpanded presence of theAlumni Association on and off campus.”

The Alumni Association’shistory of dedicated servicesets the stage for a continuingbut renewed role. The newofficers hope to bring theBoard in sync with theevolving needs and interests of various aspects of theUniversity’s extended family,so that the AlumniAssociation brings relevantvalue to the school and to its own members. ✝

Come on Safari with Steveby Julie Milam

New Officer Trio to Lead Alumni Association

Steve Grobl, C81, is analumnus with many closeconnections to his alma

mater. He is a President’sAssociate and contributed tothe Benedictine 2000 CapitalCampaign, naming a studyroom in the library. Inaddition, he employs an alum,Patti (Kiss) Marchese, C83.Now, he wants to connectclients from his real estatebusiness, Steve Grobl RealEstate, with the University.

Steve hosted a brunch eventfor more than 200 real estateclients on Sunday, March 16,in the Jurica Nature Museum.‘Safari with Steve’ benefitedBenedictine University withincreased exposure to thecommunity while providingclients to a very uniqueexperience that builds loyalty to his business. Inappreciation for use of Jurica,Grobl made a donation to

Fr. Theodore Suchy, O.S.B., to help him frame 21 sketches made by the Jurica brothers that will hang around the outsideof the Museum.

The number one purpose ofthe brunch is customerappreciation. Grobl’sphilosophy of doing businessis to invest in his clients andshow his appreciation for theirbusiness in a unique way. Thevenue of the Jurica Museumappeals to the variety of clientshe has, empty nesters, couplesnew to the area and familieswith children. All found thebrunch event educational andentertaining.

“Coming up with a novel ideaand carrying that idea throughto reality shows a level ofcommitment and perseverancethat mirrors what we doduring a buy or selltransaction with our clients,”commented Grobl.

He credits his education atBenedictine with giving himsuccess in his professional life.This pride in his alma mater iswhy he wanted to share the

Jurica Museum with hisclients. “The Universityallowed me to be creative and to try things out. Thesmall class size and the closecontact with professorsexpand your horizons, whileencouraging adaptation andexperimentation. In real estateyou must be flexible, be ableto adapt, to think on yourown and on the spot.” ✝

Alum Steve Grobl is a big fan of the JuricaNature Museum and its curator, Fr.TheodoreSuchy, O.S.B.

Arlander Keys,United Statespresidingmagistrate judgefor the Northern

district of Illinois, told severalhundred people gathered inthe main dining room of theKrasa Center on January 20about growing up in racially-divided Mississippi during the 1950s and how he wasprofoundly influenced by the civil rights movement.

Keys and Brigadier GeneralSherian Grace Cadoria (U.S.Army, Retired) were thekeynote speakers for theeighth annual Rev. Dr. MartinLuther King, Jr. Breakfastsponsored by BenedictineUniversity, the College ofDuPage, NICOR,TECHSERV and TheNorthern Trust Company.

Keys talked about the murderof 14-year-old Emmet Till,who was dragged from hisbed and killed and whosebody was dumped in a riverafter he allegedly whistled at a white man’s wife in Money,Mississippi, during thesummer of 1955. Till’sattackers were later acquittedby an all-white jury.

“Imagine what a profoundimpact this terrible eventwould have on a 12-year-oldAfrican-American boy only

two years younger thanEmmet,” said Keys, who grew up about 40 miles fromwhere Till was murdered. “Iremember the fear and ragethrough the African-Americancommunity.”

Keys, who lived with hisgrandparents in Mississippi,was later sent to a boardingschool in Alabama for his own safety. He recalledparticipating in sit-ins and other civil rightsdemonstrations and that he admired King’s courage to fight the injustices andinequalities facing the black community.

Keys was joined by Cadoria,the highest ranking femaleofficer in the United StatesArmed Forces when sheretired from the Army in1990. Cadoria is a muchsought after keynote andmotivational speaker becauseof her sense of humor andlong list of personalachievements. She holds anhonorary doctorate fromBenedictine University.

The breakfast also featuredentertainment provided by theCollege of DuPage ChamberSingers and a presentation ofscholarships and recognitionof King Day poetry contestwinners. ✝

Vitalityb l a c k h i s t o r y m o n t h r e v i e w

Spring 2003 25

university news

class notes

faculty/staffnotes

black historymonth review

eaglescenter

golf outing

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Great Speakers Inspire at Annual King Day Breakfast

by Phil Brozynski

(Ret.) Brigadier GeneralSherian Grace Cadoria, thehighest ranking female officerin the U.S. Armed Forces,relates her life experiences tothe audience.

Arlander Keys shares his Civil Rights experiences.

Vitality b l a c k h i s t o r y m o n t h r e v i e w


Political Commentator and Author

Tavis Smiley Motivates Crowd by Phil Brozynski

Tavis Smiley said the goal of an advocate is simple…“The goal of an advocate is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable.”

Smiley — author, former talkshow host and current radiopolitical commentator —appeared at BenedictineUniversity on February 22 as part of the University’scelebration of Black HistoryMonth. Nicor sponsored his visit.

Smiley spoke to about 40 students, faculty andcommunity members in theKrasa Center PresentationRoom prior to his speech inthe Dan and Ada Rice Centerin front of about 400 people.

He told the small gathering ofstudents that college was notall about committing algebra,physics and other informationto memory.

“About half of what you learnyou will never use again,” hesaid. “College is aboutlearning to think critically,about learning how to

navigate life. That will alwayscome in handy.”

Later in his presentation,Smiley said that each personcan be great and thatgreatness is not about being served or being held in high esteem.

“Martin Luther King said thatany of us can be great becauseall of us can serve,” Smileysaid. “We think the way to begreat is to be served. The wayto be great is by being ofservice to others.” ✝

An exhibit featuring photographs of the Civil Rights Movementby Ernest C. Withers was displayed February 21-23 in theKindlon Hall of Learning at Benedictine University as part of the school’s celebration of Black History Month.

The display, sponsored by the Northern Trust Company, is partof a national traveling exhibition.

Withers has been a photographer for more than 60 years andstill maintains a studio on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee.He documented the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and1960s, as well as the southern entertainment and social scenes.

Well known and trusted by civil rights activists such as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Medgar Evers and JamesMeredith, Withers gained a unique view of the people andevents that altered the course of American history. Because of

his intimacy with his subjects, Witherswas often the first and sometimes onlyphotographer to capture raremoments as they unfolded.

Withers also published a booklet ofthe infamous Emmet Till murder trial, “Complete Photo History of the Till Murder Case,” whichmobilized interest in the southernCivil Rights movement throughoutthe United States. ✝

Audience members listen intently to TavisSmiley; the St. John AMEA.M.E. SanctuaryChoir & Sign Singers entertain quests.

Benedictine Hosts Civil Rights Photo Exhibition

Benedictine University has been formally accepted as an Academic QualityImprovement Project (AQIP)Institution as of February 10.This is a new and exciting wayfor the University to set andmeet goals for improvement.

By joining AQIP, BenedictineUniversity demonstrates awillingness to identifyconcrete targets for continuousimprovement and to holditself accountable for re-engineering processes and operations to improve the results and activities foritself and its students.

Benedictine President William Carroll has signed theagreement for participation in the Academic QualityImprovement Project, whichformalizes the relationship and provides continuing NCA accreditation for theUniversity over the next seven years until the nextreaffirmation of accreditationin 2009-10. As an AQIPinstitution, Benedictine willcontinue to be involved in the quality improvementefforts that began in the fall.Presently, the University hasfive action project committeesin place that include membersof the University Council.

Vitalityu n i v e r s i t y n e w s

Spring 2003 27

Each committee is charged with addressing the following action projects:

• Maximize margins while maintaining a Benedictine balance.

• Improve the graduation rate of all student groups.

• Create a collaborative community through systems of shared governance.

• Implement: Benedictine University — a Catholic University in Benedictine tradition.

• Implement: Values-centered Liberal Arts Education enriched by our excellence in the sciences.

Moving beyond theboundaries of traditionalaccreditation, the AQIPmodel is designed to alignaccreditation with aninstitution’s program

of continuous qualityimprovement in order to meetthe rapidly shifting needs ofeducational institutions in the 21st century. ✝

F ormer Illinois

Attorney General

Jim Ryan, C68, has

been named a Distinguished

Fellow at his alma mater.

As a Distinguished Fellow,

Ryan will interact with

students, faculty, public

and private institutions,

government agencies and

ordinary citizens on behalf

of the University.

“The professors at

Benedictine University

stimulated my interest in

politics and government,”

Ryan said. “I had a great

experience at Benedictine and

want to give something back

to the school that has done so

much for me.”

“I would like to use the

experience I have gained

during my 30-year career in

law, politics and government

to assist the University in

preparing students to be

responsible citizens and

leaders,” he added.

Distinguished Fellows are top-level

public service or government

professionals who utilize the practical

experience gained from their public

service to assist the University in

fulfilling its mission.

They work with faculty and

students as resource persons in

the delivery of educational

programs, and serve as

liaisons between the

University and other

institutions and agencies.

“We are very honored to have

Jim in the classroom at

Benedictine,” Carroll said.

“He will share his vast

knowledge through

programs that will benefit

the University and the

community at large.”

Ryan was elected Attorney

General in 1994 after

gaining attention as one

of Illinois’ most successful

prosecutors during his

10-year tenure as DuPage

County state’s attorney.

He won re-election as

Attorney General in

1998 by more than

2 million votes.

Ryan and his wife, Marie,

live in Elmhurst. ✝

AlumnusJim RyanNamed FirstDistinguishedFellow atBenedictine

Continuous Quality Improvement Is Key

Benedictine Accepted as AQIP Institution

Vitality u n i v e r s i t y n e w s


fter a year hiatus, theMaster of ExercisePhysiology programhas returned in a

new form to BenedictineUniversity. The new programreflects the need for a moreclinical approach to exercisephysiology. The new name ofthe program, Master ofClinical Exercise Physiology(M.C.E.P.) is indicative of thischange. The revisions weremade with the help of anadvisory committee composedof members of the exercisephysiology community, manyof them practicing graduatesof the former program. Thistwo-year, part-time program is designed in accordance with

the American College ofSports Medicine (ACSM) forcertification as a RegisteredClinical Exercise Physiologist.Graduates of this programwill be qualified to work in the prevention ofcardiovascular disease and in the rehabilitation of thosewho have experiencedcardiovascular problems.

The M.C.E.P. programrequires coursework in thebiological bases ofcardiovascular and respiratorydisease. It uses a case studyapproach in combination withlaboratories to better integrateacademic information withpractical application. It also

he biology section ofthe AssociatedColleges of theChicago Area (ACCA)

hosted a 10-week seminarseries at BenedictineUniversity this spring onBioterrorism. The subject wasespecially timely as it startedthe week of the national“orange level” alert forterrorism in February.Margaret O’Leary (M.B.A.Programs and Task ForceChair of the SuburbanEmergency Management

Project) started off the serieswith a historical perspective ofbioterrorism leading to adiscussion of the currentsituation today. Other topicscovered were the biologicaleffects of several biologicaland chemical agents that areconsidered to be most likelyto be used by terrorists,detection of these agents, thetypes of basic researchcurrently being done on theseagents, concerns of the foodindustry and the agriculturalcommunity, the epidemiologyand investigation of abioterrorism incident, and thelocal, statewide and nationalresponse plans for such anincident. Speakers includedlocal microbiologists,researchers from ArgonneNational Laboratory and

University of Illinois ChicagoBiodefense Center andofficials from the IllinoisDepartment of Public Health.

The ACCA consortium iscomposed of 15 of the smallerliberal arts institutions in theChicago area, which cooperatetogether to present courses,seminars and symposia thatcould not be offered asindividual curricula. It wasformed 37 years ago incooperation with ArgonneNational Laboratory topromote college-leveleducation and training inbiology, chemistry, computerscience, mathematics andphysics. A major activity ofACCA is an annual studentresearch symposium, a forumfor undergraduate research.

Students from all of theACCA schools can take theseseminars for biology credit.Typically, the fall seminarseries is ecologically orenvironmentally oriented andthe spring series is more cellbiology in nature. Theseminars are designed toexpose students to the currentthinking presented by expertsin the field on topics such asinvasive species, biorhythms,the Chicago watershed, special topics in virology,immunology and microbiology and current issues in biomedical ethics.

These seminar series are open to the public. For more information, visit the ACCA Web site atwww.ben.edu/acca/acca_biology.html. ✝

requires two internships forfurther application of learnedconcepts in the workplacesetting. Students are exposedto the latest information fromthe natural sciences throughgraduate-level courses inphysiology, pathophysiology,biochemistry, pharmacologyand nutrition. Specializedintergenerational needs areaddressed. The mind andspirit are addressed in courses such as behavioralmodification and stressmanagement. Other coursesassist the students in programdevelopment and administrationand expose students tocomplementary health careoptions. The ethics of health

care administration andresearch are also addressed.

Master’s program graduatesare found in leadership rolesin a variety of professionalsettings including hospitals,independent rehabilitationprograms, agencies, schools,corporations and health clubs.The program also provides aneducational background forthose who wish to pursuefurther study at the Ph.D. or M.D. level. For furtherinformation, visithttp://www.ben.edu/Academics/CAS/parch/index.html or contact AllisonWilson at (630) 829-6520. ✝

Master of Exercise Physiology Program Is Back At Benedictine & Better Than Ever

f a s t f a c t s

t

a

ACCA BioterrorismSeminar GeneratesCommunityInterest

Benedictine University hasformed a partnership withSpringfield College in Illinois(SCI), located in the state’scapital. The partnership wasformed to take SCI underBenedictine’s wing and tooffer programs and services tothe Springfield area. It willalso move the two institutionstoward a merger, followingthe guidelines of the IllinoisBoard of Higher Educationand the U.S. Department of Education.

“This strategic alliancebetween SCI and BenedictineUniversity transformsBenedictine University into a regional university,” saidWilliam Carroll, Benedictinepresident. “I am firmlyconvinced that alliances suchas ours, which make each ofus a stronger and more viableinstitution and will ensure oursuccess and longevity, is the future of highereducation.”

Upon approval by theappropriate governingagencies, junior and seniorlevel adult acceleratedprograms and graduateprograms will be offered atSCI. Junior and senior levelprograms for traditionalundergraduate students willbe developed for coursesleading to a bachelor’s degreeon the campus as well.

Meanwhile, SCI will continueto operate as a two-yearcollege. The campus will

maintain its Catholic identityas well as its liberal artsheritage and traditions. The College will remain amember of the NationalJunior College AthleticAssociation Division II and continue to offer its full athletic program of seven sports.

SCI is a two-year liberal artscollege founded in 1929 byCatholic Ursuline Sisters andthe first institution of higherlearning in Springfield. ✝

Vitalityu n i v e r s i t y n e w s

Spring 2003 29

AlumniGet Together In NaplesAn alumni reception was held on January 4 in Naples, Florida

for area alumni. Fr. David Turner, O.S.B, and Vice President of

Advancement, Mike Wall, went to the event, along with 20

alumni. Pictured (from left) are: Leo Ochs, C77; Deborah Ochs;

Fr. David Turner, O.S.B.; LaVerne Iaffaldano and Richard

Iaffaldano, C55.

Class of ’59Jaroslav K. Richter, Biology, is the chief of the Department ofUrology at the Guam MemorialHospital, regional navy hospital.Richter resides in Tamuning,Guam.

Class of ’63Dominic Castino, Literature,produces and performs inproductions at GoodshowProductions in Minnesota.

Class of ’65Terrence M. Burns, Social Science,continued his education andearned a Master in Social Workdegree in 2001 and a Master inPublic Administration degree in2002 from Grand Valley StateUniversity in Grand Rapids, MI.He is currently enrolled in theirMaster of Criminal Justiceprogram. He is working for Multi-Cultural Counseling Services as atherapist/program counselor.Burns resides in Saugatuck, MI.

Class of ’67Thomas G. Ebel, Philosophy, hasrecently retired after more than

21 years as a trial judge of the 10thJudicial Circuit of Illinois. Duringhis tenure, he presided in criminal,civil, equity, juvenile, family andtraffic courts. Ebel resides in Peoriawith his wife, Sandra, and their son, Dominic.

Class of ’71Dennis Motyka, Political Science,was recently named senior vicepresident and director of bankingcenters for Cole Taylor Banks.

Class of ’72Mary Gubbe Lee, Sociology, was featured in the October 10,2002, issue of the RockfordRegister Star. Readers learned ofLee’s many accomplishments in the “Get to Know Me” column of the newspaper.

Class of ’76David Fischer, Psychology, wasinvited to speak at a trainingsession for the Chicago PoliceDepartment’s Organized CrimeDivision. Fischer is in his 18th yearof service in the Cook CountyState’s Attorney’s Office and is ➤

Benedictine University Welcomes Partnership With Springfield College in Illinois

Vitality c l a s s n o t e s


‘rat pack’ alumni identified

assigned to the Narcotics NuisanceAbatement Unit. He and his wife,Linda, along with their fivechildren, reside in Chicago.

Class of ’80Terry K. Cahill, Sociology, waspromoted to Colonel, UnitedStates Marine Corps Reserve, inDecember 2002. Cahill also is asergeant in the Dallas PoliceDepartment. He and his wife,Diane, reside in Garland, TX.

Bill Gleeson, Physical Education, is a history/physical educationteacher and head track coach atBrother Rice High School in Oak Lawn. He is also the footballcoach for St. Xavier University. Heand his wife, Mary Joan, have ason, Thomas John, and a baby duein August. The family resides inOak Lawn.

James J. Kocal, Physical Education,is a senior professional health carerepresentative with Pfizer. Kocaland his wife, Julia, have threechildren and live in Valparaiso, IN.

Class of ’81Petra V. Contreras, Political Science,currently is serving as the deputyinspector general for the 49thArmored Division in the TexasNational Guard. He is also a seniorspecial investigator for LibertyMutual Insurance Co.

Class of ’84Ann S. Barker, Psychology, receivedthe 2001 June Bucy Award for

Excellence in Leadership of YouthService Agency from the TexasNetwork of Youth Services. Barker is the executive director of the Montgomery County YouthServices. She and her husband,Lynn, reside in Conroe, TX withtheir children, Kara and Kevin.

Class of ’88Jeff McShane, Business &Economics, was recently promotedto director of sales for Kaltron-Pettibone, a Chicago basedspecialty chemical distributor.McShane is a member of theChicago Drug and ChemicalAssociation, The Institute of FoodTechnologists and the AmericanChemical Society. He resides inCarol Stream with his wife and their two children.

Paul Toussaint, M.D., Mathematics,was recently named chairman of the Department of Pediatrics atResurrection Medical Center. Heand his wife, Veronica, reside inGlenview, IL.

Class of ’90Brian Butler, International Business& Economics, is currently workingfor the Chamberlain Group. He andhis wife, Ana, reside in HoffmanEstates with their soon to be, two children.

Class of ’91Ursula Bielski, History, wasrecently featured in the ChicagoTribune Magazine. The article was entitled “Telling Moments” about

five Chicagoans recalling somelesser-known people and places thathelped to define Chicago. Bielski’sbook “Chicago Haunts” discussedthe inhabitants of RosehillCemetery.

Class of ’93Andreas Papakostas, PhysicalEducation, works as the clinicaldirector of West Suburban HealthPark. He and his wife, Lauren,have two boys, Mateo and Marcos,and reside in Plainfield.

Ed Romero, International Business,recently made President’s Club(2002) in his job as sales managerfor Comark. He and his wife,Kristina, have a daughter, Karley, and a baby born this spring. Thefamily resides in Barlett.

Anthony Schultz, M.D., HealthScience, successfully completed hisboard certification in EmergencyMedicine in 2001. He recentlyreturned from a six-month tour as an emergency physician in theMiddle East. He is an emergencymedicine physician for the U.S.Army stationed in Ft. Riley, KS, at Irwin Army Hospital.

Class of ’96Andrea Ahlsen, M.S.M.O.B., hasrecently accepted a position asmanager of Distance Learning forWaubonsee Community College.Additionally, she earned a master ofarts degree from National-Louis University in Adult Education. Sheresides in Batavia with Frank Mall.

John J. Cabral, History, is currentlythe assistant principal at BenjaminA. Friedman Middle School. Heearned a master of educationdegree from Cambridge College in 2000 and is completing aCertificate of Advanced GraduateStudies (CAGS) in EducationalLeadership and Management fromFitchburg State College thisSpring. He and his wife, Cristina,reside in Fall River, MA.

Michael McCarthy, M.D.,

Biochemistry, is currently a surgicalresident at Midwestern University.He resides in Schererville, IN.

Class of ’98David E. Do, Health Science, earnedhis J.D. in 2001 and is currentlyfinishing his M.B.A. Do works as amanaging attorney for Edward F.Diedrich & Associates, PC. Heresides in St. Charles, IL.

Class of ’99Chris Murphy, Accounting, works as a financial auditor/consultant for McGladrey & Pullen, LLP. He resides in Chicago.

Class of ‘00Nancy Cobb, M.O.B., publishedher first book with McGraw-Hillentitled, “The Project ManagementWorkbook: Field-Proven Strategies for Managing Your GreatestAssets.”

“There’s a picture in the AnnualReport [Voices, Winter 2003]that you are asking be identified.There’s a great looking guy inthe middle of the picture, so itcaught my attention!”

From left to right: PhilHorvath, C69, Mike Gormley,C69, Bob Enderle, C69, RonGreco (glasses), C69 and RussBulsis, C69 [now deceased].

“In fact, right over my head isMike’s wife, Karen (dark outfit)and to her right is the profile ofmy wife, Barbara, (I believe).” ✝

Submitted by: Bob Enderle, C69

Golf Trip ToScotland

An alumni golf trip is being

planned to Scotland, in

conjunction with the British

Open, for the summer of 2004!

More details will follow.

Call the Office of Alumni

Relations at (630) 829-6077

for more information.

Vitalityc l a s s n o t e s

Keep In Touch

What’s new in your life? A marriage or a child? A new job or promotion?Have you been published or honored? Let us know!

First Name Middle/Maiden Last Name Major Class Year

Address City State Zip

Home Phone E-mail Address

Your Title/Company Name Work Phone

Job Description

Spouse’s Name Major Class Year

Tell my classmates that . . .

Please clip and mail to: Debbie SmithBenedictine UniversityAlumni Office5700 College RoadLisle, Illinois 60532

or fax to (630) 829-6313 or e-mail [email protected]

missing alumni

If you know where any of the following alumni are, please contact thealumni office at (630) 829-6080 or [email protected].

Can you name any of these ’happy alumni?’ Contact [email protected].

let us know . . .

Class of 1999

Mr. Mohamed S. AlsalahiMr. Peter L. Cosme Mr. Joel P. EllisonMs. Jamie L. Fornek Ms. Heidi FreyMr. Wasay Humayun Ms. Elaine M. (Miller) Johnsrud Mr. Rudolph W. Kellerman Mr. K. Todd Keylock Ms. Tamara A. Kowalski Ms. Jennifer L. Lopez Mr. Phil E. McGee Mr. Michael P. McKenna

Mr. Christopher M. Murphy Ms. Lorene A. (Husa) O’Connell Ms. Susan M. (Koppenhaver) PasakarnisMs. Gloria Pavlovic Mr. John J. Perron Ms. Sara J. Polaski Mr. Walter R. Pynas Ms. Donna J. (Seplak) RistoffMs. Stephanie M. SabinMr. Marc Schuett Ms. Sanjay K. SrivastavaMs. Isabell Stephan Ms. Melissa A. Wojtecki

Class of ’01Catherine (Rhodes) Jaeger,

Language/Literature, is working as a high school English teacher in District 94. She is pursing aMaster of Library Science degree at Dominican University. Jaegerand her husband, William, residein Naperville.

Monika Maciag, Biology, was one of two Benedictine students whoreceived the Chicago HealthExecutives Forum (CHEF) FutureLeader Student Award. She alsovolunteers at Good SamaritanHospital and is president of theMPH Academic Club atBenedictine University whileworking on her graduate degree.The other recipient was Meena

Veluri, M.D., current M.P.H.student. Veluri currently volunteersat Medical College of Wisconsin and has worked as an extern atKatherine Shaw Bethea Hospital.She is also a member of theM.P.H. Academic Club ofBenedictine University. This wasthe first time Benedictine studentshave received this award.

MarriagesSally (Lundgren) Jensen,

M.S.M.O.B. ’99, was recentlymarried to Jeffrey Jensen. They areat home in Aurora, CO.

Amy Noel (Klodzinski) Levy,

Elementary Education ’95, wasmarried in July 2002 to JacobLevy. She also earned her Master

of Education degree in SpecialEducation from Loyola inDecember 1999. The Levys reside in Hattiesburg, MS.

Jennifer M. (Damratowski)

Lubinski, Social Science ’99,was married to Art Lubinski inNovember 2002. They reside inOrland Park where she is a socialworker at Palos CommunityHospital.

Jennifer Schindl, M.C.P. ’98, wasmarried in November 2002 inNassau, Bahamas to John Hanson.They reside in Chicago.

BirthsHeather (Matusiak) Baranivsky,

Marketing ’96, and Gregory

Baranivsky, Finance ’94, announcethe birth of their daughter,Anastasia Maria, in September2002. The family is at home inMinneapolis where he works for U.S. Bancorp Asset Managementas managing director of theProduct Group and she is a buyer for Target Corporation.

Eileen (Cibula) Curry, ElementaryEducation ’82, and her husband,Ken, announce the birth of a babygirl in August of 2002. They are athome in LaGrange Park.

Deana (Kozak) Gelino, Business &Economics ’93, and David Gelino,

Accounting ’90, announce thebirth of triplet boys: Nicholas,Jeremy and Trevor. Theywelcomed the boys in November ➤

Spring 2003 31


2002 and are at home in Norridge, IL.

Lisa Natalie Hauser, Accounting’89, and her husband, Richard,announce the birth of their twinboys, Anthony and Richard, inApril 2002. Big sister, Elena,welcomed the boys to their Darien home.

Kimberly (Pisaneschi) Johnson,

M.C.P. ’99, and her husband,Rudy, announce the birth of theirfirst son, Griffin Patrick, on NewYears Day 2003. The family is athome in West Chicago.

Jim Norris, Psychology ’81, and hiswife, Eileen, announce the birth oftheir daughter, Katherine, inNovember of 2002. Her siblingsMichelle, Christian and Benjamin,welcomed her home to their HalfMoon Bay, CA, home. Norris isthe head of the Sea Crest School in Half Moon Bay.

Sharon (Daniels) Novack, Business& Economics ’93, and her husband,Mike, announce the birth of theirfirst daughter, Jordyn Elizabeth, onNew Years Eve 2002. The family isat home in Oswego, IL.

Elizabeth (Pelletier) Schwarz,

Philosophy ’91, and her husband,Dave, announce the birth of theirdaughter, Rachel Renee, inFebruary 2002. Big sister, Claire,welcomed home her sister to theirDavenport, IA home.

Dr. Germaine (Rodeo) Yang, Biology’95, and her husband, Patrick,announce the birth of StephanieAnn in November 2002. Thefamily resides in Elmhurst.

William P. Bartishell, ‘81, passedaway in February 2003.

Mary Patricia “Mary Pat” Lappe,

Sociology ‘90, passed away onMarch 7, 2003.

Natalie Anne Ragusa, Sociology’98, passed away on March 4,2003.

Don Stuprich, ’50 St. ProcopiusAcademy, passed away onDecember 28, 2002. ✝

✝ in memory

Vitality f a c u l t y / s t a f f n o t e s

Jane Boumgarden (Psychologyand Sociology) and Thomas

Wangler (Mathematics andPhysical Sciences) have beenrecognized for educationalexcellence in Who’s Who AmongAmerica’s Teachers 2002.

Jane Crabtree, Ph.D. (Business)presented the paper “You Can’tGo Home Again: RepatriationFailures and Successes” at theInstitute of Behavioral and AppliedManagement conference inDenver, CO, November 12-15.

Mark Djordjevic (Music) presenteda recital on the viola on February28 in the Benedictine HallTheater.

Kevin Doyle (Computer Science)has been approved for candidacy on the J. William Fulbright SeniorSpecialists Roster. The roster is a list of all approved candidates whoare eligible to be matched withincoming program requests fromoverseas academic institutions forFulbright Senior Specialists.

Fr. James Flint, O.S.B. (History,Philosophy and Religious Studies)will soon have his dissertation,“Great Britain and the Holy See:The Diplomatic RelationsQuestion, 1946-1852” publishedin book form. Fr. James, who isalso the University archivist andhistorian, examines the political,economic and religious problemsthat prevented the establishmentof relations between Great Britain and Pope Pius IX.

Mardelle Fortier, Ph.D. (Literature)has been selected as the newpresident of the Illinois StatePoetry Society. She will start herposition in June 2003. Fortierserved as president of this societyfor a two-year term in 1999-2001.

Beth House (Fine Arts) exhibitedtwo works at “Exploration,” the17th annual juried exhibition ofthe Chicago Calligraphy Collectiveheld at the Newberry Library. Theexhibition ran from January 22 toMarch 8.

Jim Iaccino, Ph.D. (Psychologyand Sociology) wrote an article,“The Shadow Trickster in ItalianHorror Cinema: Mario Bava’sBaron Blood (1972) and Lisa andthe Devil (1972),” that waspublished in November in Kinoeye:

A Fortnightly Journal of Film inthe New Europe. The article is alsoup at the Web site www.kinoeye.org.

Larry Kamin (Biology) recentlyearned a master’s degree in Economics from RooseveltUniversity.

John Kloos (Religious Studies)presented “Chicago, Hub of theWorld’s Religions” on January 3,2003 to the American Society ofChurch History, the AmericanCatholic Historical Association andthe American Historical Associationmeeting jointly at the PalmerHouse.

Fr. Michael Komechak, O.S.B.(Fine Arts) gave an illustratedlecture on the spiritual meaning ofmodern art at the RubloffAuditorium of the Art Institute ofChicago. Fr. Michael also presentedan hour-long photographic slidepresentation on the Annunciationon February 26 at St. JosephChurch in Downers Grove. Fr. Michael revealed the religiousmeanings of the figures, objectsand settings in five famouspaintings commemorating theconception of Christ in the wombof the Virgin Mary as described inthe first chapter of the Gospel ofSt. Luke.

Alfred Martin (Biology) was theguest speaker at a luncheon onFebruary 6 at Knox PresbyterianChurch. Martin spoke on thetopic, “Should a Christian Believein Evolution?”

Diane Moran (Psychology)and Amy Warpinski, a seniorpsychology student, presented a poster entitled “StopProcrastination… It’s Time forChange: A Cooperative Approachto Behavior Modification” at theMid-America Conference forTeachers of Psychology(MACTOP) October 11-12 at theUniversity of Southern Indiana inEvansville. The poster was awardedfirst place and is automaticallyaccepted for the AmericanPsychological Association’sNational Conference in 2003.

Dr. Pete Nelson, Ph.D.

(Mathematical and PhysicalSciences) was published in theDecember 22 issue of the Journal of Chemical Physics. His article,

entitled “A permeation theory for single-file ion channels:Corresponding occupancy statesproduce Michaelis–Mentenbehavior,” proposes a simplifiedtheory for the basic functioning of biological ion channels. Ionchannels are the electrical enzymesthat run the nervous system. Theseenzymes are the targets of roughly a third of all drugs. This topic wasdiscussed in BIOL/PHYS 323,which Nelson taught this spring.This research was funded by aNational Institutes of Healthfellowship and a grant from theHoward Hughes Medical Institute.The article is available online athttp://link.aip.org/link/?jcp/117/11396.

Dan Nohl (Computer Science) took four teams of BenedictineUniversity computer sciencestudents to the 16th AnnualAssociated Colleges of the ChicagoArea (ACCA) ProgrammingContest at Wheaton College. The advanced team of TomMacKenzie, Grace Nijm, LarryPollack and Colleen Powersfinished third. Eight teams fromfive ACCA schools competed in the advanced division and five teams competed in the novice division.

Margaret O’Leary, M.D., M.B.A.

(M.B.A. Programs) is one of 12faculty-level physician editors andone of 150 faculty and physicianauthors of the new publication“Emergency Medicine: Rules of the Road for Medical Students. The Guide for a Career inEmergency Medicine.” O’Learyserved as editor for the chapter“Women in Emergency Medicine”and co-authored “FormalManagement Training inEmergency Medicine.”

Peter Seely, M.A. (CommunicationArts) presented a paper entitled“Surrealistic Stooges: TheSupernatural and theExtraordinary in SlapstickComedy” on November 21 atLewis University as part of thatinstitution’s Arts and Ideas series.The paper represented the media literacy component of the series.

Alicia Cordoba Tait, D.M.A. (Music)performed with the DownersGrove Choral Society on

Vitalityf a c u l t y / s t a f f n o t e s

Spring 2003 33

November 3. She was the oboe d’amore soloist in theirperformance of Johann SebastianBach’s “Christmas Oratio” underthe direction of Robert Holst, a former conductor of theBenedictine University ConcertChorus. She performed with thetrio Arbitrio on January 11. Thegroup performed the InternationalGuest Artist Recital at the end ofBassoon Day at Ohio StateUniversity. She also performedwith the Mozart Wind Quintet atthe University of Illinois KrannertCenter for the Performing Arts in Urbana on January 26 at aChamber Music Concert withother principal players of theSinfonia da Camera, during afaculty recital with Arbitrio atBenedictine University on January31, and two concerts with Sinfoniada Camera on February 8 and 9 inthe Great Hall of the KrannertCenter for the Performing Arts at the University of Illinois –Champaign.

Donald B.Taylor, Ph.D. (MolecularBiology) presented “The PeptideLSARLAF Directly Induces aConformation Change in thePlatelet Integrin alphaIIbbeta3”at the annual meeting for theAmerican Society for Cell Biologyduring the week of December 14-19. Taylor’s research wassupported by grants from theHoward Hughes Medical Instituteand the Abbott Laboratory Fund.

Lisa Townsley,Tim Comar andManmohan Kaur (Mathematics)attended the Joint MathematicsMeetings in Baltimore, MD onJanuary 13-18. Townsley presented“Effective Student Presentations in a Liberal Arts Setting” at the MAAGeneral Contributed PaperSession; Comar presented“Increasing Student Participationvia Online Communication inCalculus Courses” at the MAASession on Innovative Use of theWorld Wide Web in TeachingMathematics, and “Visualizing theConstruction of HyperbolicSurfaces and Three-Manifoldsusing a CAS” at the MAA GeneralContributed Paper Session; andKaur presented “Ternary Rings ofOperators and C*-Algebras” at theAMS Special Session on FunctionalAnalysis, “Use of the ComputerAlgebra System DERIVE in a

The Benedictine Universitycommunity has suffered agreat loss. Fr. Stanley Vesely,O.S.B., the senior monk of St. Procopius Abbey, died of congestive heart failure on January 11, 2003.

Fr. Stan, as he wasaffectionately known, was a very visible fixture atBenedictine University for the past 76 years. He beganhis association at the school as a high school student atBenet Academy in 1927 andprofessed his monastic vows in 1934. His service to theBenedictine Universitycommunity included teachingreligion and Latin, serving asthe College’s athletic director

and most recently working in the alumni office. TheBenedictine Universitybaseball field was namedVesely Field in 1994 in honorof his contributions to theUniversity’s athletic programs.

Known on campus as the‘Super Fan,’ he was a constantsource of BenedictineUniversity sports history. One could also count on Fr. Stan to cheer up the daywith his enormous repertoireof jokes and puns.

Fr. Stan will be greatly missedby the many persons hetouched over the last sevendecades. ✝

Multivariable Calculus Course” atthe MAA Session on ClassroomDemonstrations and CourseProjects that Make a Difference,and “DERIVE Labs to AidVisualization in a MultivariableCalculus Course” at the MAASession on Creative VisualizationLabs. The latter talk was accepted,

but not presented due to a timeconflict. In addition, Comarattended workshops on “VisualLinear Algebra” and “GettingStudents Involved in UndergraduateResearch,” and Kaur attended“Project NExT Workshops.”Kaur also took a short course on“Public Key Cryptography.” ✝

This year Ralph Meeker,professor of computerscience, was the recipient of the Benedictine LifeAward, for fostering aspirit of community,creating an atmosphere of warmth and hospitalityand living the Benedictinevalues during his 33 yearsof service to theUniversity.This is the hightest honorBenedictine faculty/staffcan recieve. It waspresented as part ofEmployee RecognitionDay this past March. ✝

Benedictine University Honors Commitment and Service to Education

Campus Community Loses One Of Its Biggest Fansby Elizabeth Summers, C00

Fr. Stanley Vesely, O.S.B.

Vitality f a c u l t y / s t a f f n o t e s


Iam extremely grateful tothe University; the Collegeof Business, Technology

and Professional Programs;the Department of ComputerScience and InformationSystems (CS and IS); and my faculty colleagues for the opportunity for a sabbatical for the 2001-2002academic year.

I had served as director of theM.S.M.I.S. Program since1992 and chair of the CS andIS department since 1999. Inthese administrative roles, Itaught just a few courses. Ihad come to the realizationthat I wanted to do moreteaching.

To prepare to get back intothe classroom, I set two goals

for my sabbatical: first, to create Web-enhancedcourses, and second, to create a new course.

I created WebCT courses forComputer Organization andArchitecture, Knowledge-based Systems, ElectronicCommerce and ApplicationDevelopment Methodologies.I am still working on aWebCT course for StrategicInformation TechnologyManagement.

I also worked on a new coursetitled Ethics and Technologyand its WebCT companion.The first offering was duringspring quarter 2003 as part ofthe Management ofInformation TechnologyLecture Series.

I am very excited about Ethicsand Technology. TheM.S.M.I.S. Program hasalways been concerned abouteffectively and efficientlymanaging informationtechnology. Ethics andTechnology gives students anopportunity to grapple withsocial and ethical issues.Topics we examine includeprivacy and personalinformation, encryption, trust,freedom of speech, intellectualproperty and professionalethics and responsibilities. We also examine broaderissues of computers and thechanging nature of work and information haves andhave-nots. ✝

Much of molecularbiology and medicineis evolving efforts to

elucidate the structuralinformation encoded in theHuman Genome. One aspectof this growing area of studyis called Bioinformatics (arapidly evolving disciplinewhich combines computationalchemistry and structuralbiology in the post genomicsera). The National Institutesof Health (NIH) have deemedthis a significant priority inour attempt to use theinformation acquired from theHuman Genome Project toultimately provide a rationalefor molecular based therapeuticinterventions of humandisease. The necessity to havetechnologies to investigate thegenome evolved to the pointthat the NIH organized aninstitute called the NationalCenter for BiotechnologyInstitute (NCBI), which ishoused at NIH and is incharge of developing softwareand Web-based tools to studymolecular biology.

During my sabbatical leave I took a series of workshopsand short courses to betterenable me to integrate thesetechniques in my courses. Ihave implemented severaldatabase and software tools in Bioinformatics in my BIOL 371 Molecular Biologycourse. I now offer a one-hour weekly laboratory sessionin which the students learn to

explore genomes of organismsby using Web-based tutorials.Students are required tocomplete two researchprojects which usebioinformatics resources to see the potential for theirapplication in modern geneticanalyses. At the end of thelaboratory course, I sponsor a student symposium wherestudents give a posterpresentation of one of their

projects. Students are alsorequired to give an oralpresentation usingPowerPoint.

In addition to the professionaldevelopment work, Icontinued existing researchcollaborations with colleaguesfrom other institutions of ourwork characterizing themechanism of an integrinreceptor activating peptideand the development ofpeptides with cytokine activity.Finally, I made peer-reviewedpresentations at the 18thInternational Congress of theSociety for Thrombosis andHaemostasis in France, at theannual meetings of theBiochemistry and MolecularBiology Society, theExperimental Biology/FASEBsociety and the NationalCouncil on Undergraduate

Research conference. I alsoattended the annual programdirector’s meeting of theHoward Hughes MedicalInstitute.

Sabbatical leave offers thefaculty member a focusedopportunity to obtainadditional specialized trainingand career development thatthen allows them to bringthese experiences into theclassroom. In my case, thescholarly development thatresulted from my sabbaticalleave was a combination ofcompleting ongoing researchand initiating a project in anew area of investigation. Thesabbatical leave is also a wayto reinvigorate a facultymember. ✝

Sabbaticals: HelpingProfessors EnrichStudents and Themselves

Notes from Donald Taylor, professor, biological science

Notes from Barbara Grabowski, professor, computer science and information systems

Vitalitye a g l e s c e n t e r

Spring 2003 35

Benedictine Universitybaseball coach, JohnOstrowski, was inductedinto the Illinois High

School Baseball CoachesAssociation (IHSBCA) Hall ofFame as part of a ceremonyon February 1, 2003 at theHickory Ridge Marriott Hotelin Lisle.

Ostrowski earned his 698thcareer victory during the 2002season. He has a 30-yearcareer record of 698-545-6,

Lynn O’Linski has been named the newathletic director at BenedictineUniversity. O’Linski previously workedas athletic director and head softball

coach at St. Xavier University in Chicagoand director of operations-fastpitch softballat the Bulls/Sox Training Academy in Lisle.

“Lynn has a strong vision of what astudent-athlete’s experience at a DivisionIII school should be,” said Susan Yasecko,dean of administrative services. “It wasobvious to us that Lynn cares about thewhole student-athlete and believes in theimportance of developing a well-roundedperson. She has also demonstrated a long-standing commitment to education.”

O’Linski joined an elite group when she was named athletic director atBenedictine University. Fewer than 150 women nation-wide serve as the chief athletic administrator at an NCAA-member institution.

She served as athletic director at St. XavierUniversity from 1988 to 2000 where shesupervised a staff of 35 coaches andadministrators, monitored the academic

continued on page 36

Veteran Baseball Coach Ostrowski Inducted into Hall of Fame

Sports Complex Plan In The Works

Benedictine University willbe the envy of the suburbswhen a proposed sportscomplex comes to

fruition. The Village of Lisle isworking with the Universityto make a multi-purposesports complex a reality.

The plans are to create afootball, track and baseballfacility that would be used byBenedictine students, Lisle

High School and BenetAcademy. Lights would beadded to the football field, astadium would be built withoffices, locker rooms andseating for 5,750 people. TheUniversity baseball field wouldalso get lights and bleacherswith a capacity for 650 fans.

The plan calls for concessions,washrooms and more parking,

continued on page 36

Lynn O’LinskiHeads University’sAthletic Department

which places him 23rd amongall active NCAA collegecoaches and 10th amongDivision III coaches.

“This honor truly humblesme,” Ostrowski said. “Itmakes me reflect on all thegreat student-athletes I’ve hadthe pleasure to work with.”

The Eagles have finishedeither first or second in theNorthern Illinois-IowaConference (NIIC) 27 timesunder Ostrowski and have

made 12 post-season NCAAand NAIA tournamentappearances. Ostrowski hashad three players chosen inthe major league draft andhas coached four Division IIIAll-Americans and 42 all-region players.

“I really enjoy small collegeathletics,” Ostrowski said.“You put the individual firstand winning second in aDivision III situation likewe’re in.”

Several of Ostrowski’s formerplayers have gone intocoaching. Eight formerplayers and assistant coacheshave gone on to become headcollege coaches and manyother former players andassistants have gone into highschool coaching.

“It’s an unbelievable snowballeffect,” Ostrowski said. “Wehave had several kids whohave seen what coaches cando in the lives of others. Itcertainly is a labor of love.” ✝

Vitality e a g l e s c e n t e r


Benedictine University senior Pat Ryancontinues to make his mark in Benedictinefootball history, this time for hisperformance in the classroom. Ryan wasnamed to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-America College Division Football Team.Ryan was a first-team selection as adefensive lineman.

Ryan boasts a 3.63 G.P.A. as anaccounting major. He started all 10 gamesfor the Eagles on the defensive line andracked up 79 total tackles, 33 tackles fora loss (minus-138 yards), 11.5 sacks, one interception, five passes defended, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble.

The Benedictine University women’sbasketball team posted strongperformances in the Northern Illinois-IowaConference (NIIC), concluding the seasonwith an 8-4 conference record. The LadyEagles finished tied for second place with Rockford College in the NIIC finalstandings.

The Lady Eagles beat out Rockford for theNo. 2 seed in the NIIC Tournament, whichallowed them to host a first- and second-round game. They played their way into

the second round of the tournament with a 71-50 win over Concordia University.The Lady Eagles were upset at home by Rockford in second round action toconclude their season.

The Lady Eagles landed two players on theNIIC All-Conference team. Two juniors, ErinMcGunnigal and Julie Robinson, receivedAll-Conference recognition. McGunnigalaveraged 12.6 points and 5.8 reboundsper game, while Robinson averaged 12.4 points per game.

The Benedictine University men’sbasketball team accomplished somethingthis season that has never been done inthe 63-year history of the program. TheEagles, under the direction of head coachKeith Bunkenburg, recorded their seventhconsecutive winning season with a 14-13overall record.

The Eagles strung together six consecutivewinning seasons from 1976 to 1981 andfive consecutive winning seasons from1963 to 1967. Both streaks were underthe leadership of long-time head coachTony LaScala.

The Eagles went 6-6 in the NorthernIllinois-Iowa Conference (NIIC) for a fourth- place finish. Along the way, junior Bryan Uselding received NIIC Player of the Week recognition during the ninth week of the season.

Uselding, who led the Eagles with 13 points and 5.5 rebounds per game,was the only Eagle to receive NIIC All-Conference honors.

Freshman standout Chris Hebeler, whohanded out a team-high 72 assists andwas the Eagles second leading scorer with

Eagle Basketball Achieves Program Milestone

Lady Eagles Finish Tied For Second In The League

Ryan Lands On Academic All-America Team

10.5 points per game, received NIIC All-Conference honorable mention.Hebeler started all 27 games for the Eagles.

Highlights of the Eagles season included winning the Wisconsin Lutheran Tip-Off Tournament title the opening weekend of the season.The Eagles went 0-2 at the College of Wooster Tournament, but Hebelerwalked away with All-Tournamenthonors. ✝

academic status of 275student-athletes, oversaw the planning and constructionof a $12 million convocationand athletic center andimplemented the addition of three varsity sports.

A 1976 graduate of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College in Terra Haute, Indiana with a bachelor of arts degree injournalism and physicaleducation, O’Linski earned a master of arts degree ineducation from St. Xavier. ✝

Sports Complex continued from page 35

as well. (For more details, seerendering on page 35.)

Once the project receives thegreen light necessary toproceed, the complex wouldtake an estimated 12-18months to complete.

The facility would not onlyheighten University athleticsfor students and fans, it wouldalso be a prime host forregional and national sportsevents. ✝

With his 33 tackles for a loss, Ryan set a school record for the secondconsecutive season. Along with hisacademic accolade, Ryan was awardedthe Illini-Badger Football Conference(IBFC) Outstanding Defensive Linemanand named a first-team All-Conferenceselection. ✝

Sophomore Kristin Racine received NIIC All-Conference honorable mentionfor contributing 8.3 points and 6.4rebounds per game.

Highlights of the Lady Eagles’ seasonwere a third-place finish at theWisconsin Lutheran Tip-Off Tournamentand second-place finish at the OhioNorthern University Tournament. TheLady Eagles ended the season with a13-14 overall record. ✝

time out by Jill Redmond

Lynn O’Linski is the newathletic director at Benedictine University.

Athletic Directorcontinued from page 35

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