1 SPRING 2008 WWW.SAINTJOE.EDU SPRING 2008 Winter 2008, Volume 66, Number 3 4 PUMA PHONATHON 2008 The numbers are in from the 2008 Puma Phonathon, and it’s packed with success. Over 9,000 SJC alumni, parents, and friends were called during this year’s event. Turn to page 4 to see just how we did. 4 7 THE PRIEST AND THE BLACKSMITH Freelance writer Linda Kush takes readers on a tour of the history of the College through the eyes of one of Saint Joseph’s fi rst alumni – Joseph Abel, Class of 1896. 7 13 SJC FEATURED BY COMMONWEAL MAGAZINE The nationally-renowned Core Curriculum at Saint Joseph’s College was recently honored as the cover article of the esteemed lay-Catholic independent journal Commonweal. With permission, we’ve reprinted the article in its entirety for your enjoyment, beginning on page 15. 13 18 ROBINSON MEMORIAL LIBRARY RENOVATIONS The Saint Joseph’s College Keith and Kate Robinson Memorial Library has recently undergone a dramatic transformation from a dark, crowded, and oftentimes stifl ing environment to a comfortable, airy, and engaging space that invites 18 Pumas into the welcoming academic atmosphere. 27 PUMAS DRESS TO IMPRESS AT CAREERFEST SJC held its 12th annual CareerFest in February, representing over thirty local, state, and national companies. 27 3 Alumni Association Board of Directors Offi cers I recently had the opportunity to sit in on a Steve Ligda ‘62 meeting of President Mills and a number of the President faculty. The occasion was an invitation from Dr. Louis B. Offer’69 Mills to all faculty members to offer their com- VP of Alumni Relations ments regarding the selection of a new Michael Bauman ‘79 Vice President of Academic Affairs. VP Administration In January, Dr. David Chattin announced that Kris Costa Sakelaris ‘82 he intended to resign as the College’s VPAA and VP of Academics, Recruitment, return to his fi rst-love of classroom instruction. and Placement Since I was already scheduled to be on the Terra (Schafer) Maienbrook ‘97 campus for an Alumni Board meeting, I asked VP of Campus Relations if I could attend Dr. Mills’ meeting to hear what Kendra Illingworth ‘93 the faculty had to offer concerning the qualities Executive Director they hoped for in the individual to whom they Directors would be accountable. Mary Louise Ames ‘72 I was already familiar with some of the faculty Ed Balas ‘96 who attended from my visits to various College events. Others I knew of only by their names or Derek Dabrowiak ‘01 photos in College publications. James Deegan ‘59 To say that I was impressed would not do justice to what I observed as I sat and lis- Ed Feicht ‘71 tened. Ed Habrowski ‘71 I met men and women who, similar to Dr. Chattin, have a fi rst-love of teaching - who Blaire Henley ‘02 have the students’ successes foremost in their minds and have an abiding love of Joseph Janusonis ‘95 Saint Joseph’s and her Catholic, liberal arts mission. Beth Jerzyk ‘02 I didn’t hear one word that “sugar-coated” the diffi culties that our alma mater faces in George Liggett ‘80 the competitive world of small, liberal arts institutions. Each of them acknowledged that they weren’t armed with a cadre of graduate assistants who would teach, grade, Kelli (Costa) Lucito ‘90 and tutor students. They spoke of limited resources, knowing full well that if they Bree (Ma’Ayteh) Dunscombe ‘02 were going to “make-do,” they were going to have to do it themselves. Georgia McKim ‘89 To a person, each of them wanted to be held accountable for their efforts and accom- Kara (Costa) Meyer ‘93 plishments. Not a one wanted classroom requirements or standards to be loosened or Donna (Zimmerman) Moran ‘73 relaxed. It was very apparent that they know the College - and the students she gradu- ates - are quickly immersed in a competitive world that allows little margin for failure. Brian Studebaker ‘92 They know that today’s high school graduate has many options for college and that Julie Suhr ‘89 Saint Joseph’s has to continually attract young men and women who will succeed in Jackie (Leonard) Tackett ‘95 her classrooms, laboratories, and campus activities. Michael Vallone ‘60 I urge you, whenever you have the occasion to meet or make contact with a Saint Jo- seph’s faculty member, thank them for their unwavering standards and their untiring efforts. I know that I will! Student Director Joe Stewart ‘10 Director Emeritus Philip J. Wilhelm ‘63 Stephen M. Ligda ’62 Alumni Association Board President Pictured from left to right are: (back row) Lauralee Mullikin ‘01, Jessika (Henry) Zimmer ‘98, Lisa (Baciu) Sheridan ‘93, Jennifer Radosevic ‘91, Tia (Glass) Ghattas ‘93, Lori (Hissong) Knoblauch ‘95, Kelly (Fink) Lafoon ‘99, (front row) Mindy (Laffoon) Beier ‘96, Patty Offer ‘93, Beth Dean ‘85, and Paula (Kline) Weill ‘92. Supporting from the stands were Head Women’s Golf Coach Marian Pack ‘94, Diane (Poulson) Miller ‘95, and Carmen (Skoog) Knowles ‘95. The Offi ce of Alumni and Parent Relations sponsored the third annual Alumni Day on January 26 in the Richard F. Scharf Alumni Fieldhouse. Alumni, stu- WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ALUMNAE GAME dents, parents, friends, and community members gathered to join in the fun at the Fieldhouse and showed their Puma pride. The men’s basketball team treated the crowd to a dominant performance, defeating Rockhurst University 83-59 for its fourth consecutive victory and moving up to third place in the GLVC East Division standings with the win. The women’s basketball team gave Rockhurst’s Lady Hawks all they could muster but were defeated 73-34. This year’s event also fea- tured a women’s basketball alumnae game preceding the Pumas on the court. The Alumni Association presented their annual Scholar Athlete Awards during halftime of the women’s game, honoring thirty senior varsity-letter winners who have compiled a 3.5 GPA or higher during their four years at SJC. During halftime of the men’s game, the Alumni Association inducted the 1952-53 men’s varsity basketball team to the Wall of Honor, the 4 newly-established award to recognize the accomplishments of athletic teams. The team set both season and career scor- ing records, as well as brought home the Indiana Collegiate Conference co-championship – the fi rst basketball title in Saint Joseph’s College history. WALL OF HONOR INDUCTEES Pictured from left to right are: Jen O’Rourke, accepting on behalf of her father Ed O’Rourke ’56; Jack Dwyer ’52; Marvin Hackman ’56; William Elbert ’53; Rev. Bernard Boff ’54; and Stephen Scharf ‘69 and Maureen (Scharf) Jungblut, accepting on behalf of their late father Richard F. Scharf ’38, the coach of the esteemed team. Not pic- tured are William Gehring ’53, Tim O’Brien ’56, Chester Pilat ’56, and Willard Kellogg ’55. Deceased team mem- bers are Don Merki ‘55 and Boyd Reutebuch ‘53. Did you answer the call? Over 9,000 SJC alumni, par- ents, and friends were called during this year’s annual Puma Phonathon. Great faculty and staff volunteers, enthusiastic student callers, and a Board Challenge of $20,300+ were instrumental to surpassing our 2008 Phonathon goal of $110,000. Currently, the Puma Phonathon has raised, $144,000+ in gifts and pledges -- exceeding this year’s goal by over $34,000+. There were 300 student and employee volunteers and 11 different teams and clubs that participated. Employ- ees who volunteered or prepared food this year include: David Bokhart; Maureen Egan ’90; Michele Gunkel- man; Sheila Hanewich; Maureen Healey; Br. Tim Hemm, C.PP.S. ’70; Marge McIlwain; Sheryl Miller; Cathy Salyers; Todd Samra; Jill Schopieray; and Karen Venditti. The teams and clubs represented included: Baseball, Football, Softball, Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Women’s Tennis, Habitat for Humanity, Measure, Sci- ence Club, and Alpha Lambda Delta. This year, any new and increased gifts to the Phonathon in support of the College Fund will be used to help SJC meet the $750,000 Kresge Challenge if paid by June 30, 2008. To date, the Phonathon raised $53,437+ from new and increased gifts and pledges. Thank you for your support of Saint Joseph’s College. If we missed you this year and you would like to make a gift to the College Fund, you can call (800) 227-1898, visit our Web site at www.saintjoe.edu, or send a gift to the address below. For more information, please contact Jake Chapman ’96 at [email protected]. Offi ce of Institutional Advancement and Marketing -- PO Box 870, Rensselaer, IN 47978 5 This summer, SJC is celebrating the history of Puma foot- ball and the recent renovations to Alumni Stadium. Slated for Saturday, July 26, all members of the Puma squad are invited back to campus for a family-friendly day of fun in the sun. Beginning at 10:30 a.m. CDT, alumni can enjoy a day of golf at the newly-renovated Sandy Pines Golf Club in DeMotte, Indiana, complete with complimentary Puma Bus transportation from SJC to the venue. Registration is required, and the cost is $50 per person. Those not inter- ested in golfi ng can spend the afternoon at Lake Banet, where a shelter has been reserved, grills are available, and coolers are welcome. A cookout at the Lake is sched- uled for 6 p.m. at which former coaches, players, and staff are invited to partake in Chef Eric Braun’s delectable Bill Jennings (left), retired SJC head football coach, and Fred Mariani ’74 menu of grilled steak and chicken. The cost per person (right) smile for the camera at the Football Reunion of Champions in July 2006. for this family-friendly gathering is $37, and an open bar is Join Jennings and Mariani for this summer’s Puma Football Alumni Reunion. provided. For more information regarding the Puma Football Alumni Reunion, contact Director of Alumni and Parent Relations Kendra Illingworth at (800) 227-1898. To register for this or any other SJC alumni event, log on to the alumni Web site Connections at http://alumni.saintjoe.edu. Join the Alumni On-Line Community We’re rounding up alumni, parents, and friends for a (mid)western themed Homecoming Celebration, September 5-7, 2008. Log on to Connections to get event details and other updates. Find friends (cid:391) Share news (cid:391) Register for events (cid:391) Permanent e-mail forwarding http://alumni.saintjoe.edu Rev. Dominic Gerlach, C.PP.S. ‘42, then archivist at Saint vote his life to the priesthood if he got away. Joseph’s, opened my letter and immediately recognized He arrived in Indiana penniless at 22, and in nine years the name of the former student I was researching, my made little headway toward making good on his vow, fi nd- great-great uncle Joseph Abel. He was in the school’s fi rst ing it impossible to scrape up the money for his education. graduating class in 1896 and delivered the German address But when Saint Joseph’s opened, Abel saw his chance. The at Commencement. Pouring through records, Gerlach dis- school’s founders had German roots, and perhaps that covered that Abel, a classics student, made the honor roll connection opened the door for him. every semester for four years. Abel was fi nally ordained at age 40 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Abel was 31 when he enrolled at Saint Joseph’s, making in June of 1901, two months before his sister in Germany him twice the age of his classmates and older than most had her fi rst child, Elisabeth, my grandmother. For the next of his teachers. Today, people of all ages attend college, 34 years, he fulfi lled his old promise, serving as pastor in but in the 1890s, an adult student was unheard of, espe- Walkerton, Indiana, and then chaplain at a Catholic nursing cially at Saint Joseph’s, which then resembled a combina- home in Avilla, Indiana. tion prep school and junior college. Most students entered 6 after eighth grade and took a six-year course to prepare In 1925, an aging Father Abel received a letter from home. for seminary. Why Abel was admitted at his age remains He had never met the writer, Wilhelm Altenkamp, a black- a mystery, but at that time, the Catholic Church needed smith and husband of Abel’s niece Elisabeth. Altenkamp, German-speaking priests in Indiana to serve an infl ux of my grandfather, described a chaotic post-war Germany. immigrants. As a bilingual, native German with a fervent Political violence erupted in the streets, the French army vocation for the priesthood, he was a strong candidate. marched in and imposed martial law, and in the face of food shortages, the elderly were committing suicide to But he also harbored a dark secret. When he sailed to Amer- leave more for the young. Money lost its value so fast that ica from Dorsten, Germany, in 1883, he was running from Altenkamp’s employer paid him twice a day in cash, which the law. My grandmother portrayed young “Onkel Abel” as he pushed home in a wheelbarrow. Elisabeth waited for a hooligan who stole a horse and narrowly escaped arrest. him in the street and dashed to the store with it, hoping As he fl ed the police, he promised God that he would de- she could still buy a loaf of bread before prices went up. Altenkamp asked Abel to help him bring his family to America. He would come alone, fi nd work, and live with a relative in Chicago until he could afford his own place and passage for his wife and two children. But he had no money for the fare, and no one in Germany had any to lend him. The letter rekindled Abel’s memories of his own desperate emigration. His sister, a little girl when he left home, was now a grandmother. At age 64, perhaps he longed for fam- ily. He replied to Altenkamp’s letter with a short note and a steamship ticket to New York. For Willi Altenkamp, the ticket was a miracle. Bursting with hope, he boarded the SS George Washington in Bremen, Germany, in late June. But when the ship arrived in New York, he heard explosions outside and feared that the tur- moil in Germany had spread to America. He peered out and saw colored sparks raining on the harbor. Fireworks! The Americans were welcoming the ship. Re- lieved and overjoyed, he cheered and threw his arms around the man beside him. The passengers leapt and Joseph Abel in 1896, the year of his graduation from Saint Joseph’s. 7 Left: Joseph Abel’s sister Johanna with her children, Herman and Elisabeth, and husband Heinrich Westerkamp, in Osterfeld, Germany, 1925. Joseph Abel sponsored Elisabeth’s husband to come to America. Below: The Altenkamps, Christmas, 1931, Chicago. Wilhelm, smoking a pipe, came to America on a steamship ticket sent to him by Joseph Abel. Pictured left to right are: an unknown friend, Johanna Altenkamp, Wilhelm, Herman Westerkamp (Abel’s nephew), Elisabeth Westerkamp Altenkamp (Abel’s niece), Heinrich Altenkamp. The photo under the tree is of Abel’s sister and her husband in Germany. hugged and headed eagerly to the exit to begin life in the greatest country on earth. The date was July 3. Altenkamp learned soon enough about Independence Day celebrations. “I thought it was for me,” he would laugh when describing the fi reworks on his fi rst night in America. In Chicago, it took him less than a year to open his own blacksmith shop, set up housekeeping, and send for his family. Elisabeth, her brother Herman, son Henry, and daughter Johanna - my mother - arrived in 1926. For the fi rst time in 45 years, Joseph Abel could visit family. He spent summer vacations in Chicago with the Altenkamps, playing cards, taking walks, sipping beer, and telling old sto- ries. My mother remembers tiptoeing around the house each morning while Onkel Abel said his devotionals. Father Abel died in 1935 and left small legacies to Elisabeth and Herman. My grandparents used theirs for a down pay- ment on their fi rst home, and Herman bought an engage- ment ring for his girl. The Altenkamps were forever grateful to Onkel Abel, and they followed his example, sponsoring friends and relatives to come to America. Today, more than 60 descendents of Elisabeth and Herman live across the country, owing their very existence to the priest who sent a steamship ticket to the blacksmith in 1925. Linda Kush is a freelance writer and family history buff in Boston, Massachusetts. Wilhelm Altenkamp, Chicago, 1925. The back of the photo says, “Your Willi, in America.” Joseph Abel paid his passage. 115 The Administration Building, completed in 1893, was an impressive structure for those days, YEARS AGO both in size and beauty. It correctly boasted of being the largest building in all of northwest Indiana, for the city of Gary did not yet exist. The enrollment had jumped from 54 in 1891 to 98 in 1893. The building cost a total of $61,000 - $38,000 for the original part and $23,000 to complete it. From 1893 to 1897, the Administration Building was the entire College. It housed a student body that soon reached 133 together with the necessary facilities such 8 as dining rooms, dormitories, chapel, and auditorium. In addition, it housed over a half dozen priest-professors and at least twice that many Precious Blood sisters, who operated the kitchen and laundry. The building was at fi rst simply called “the College.” When other buildings were added after 1897, it was called “the Main Building.” Only in later years, perhaps as early as the 1940s, has it been referred to as “the Ad [Administration] Building.” Early in the morning of February 4, 1973, a fi re broke out at the south 35 end of the Ad Building on one of the upper fl oors, a fi re that could not be stopped. Several fi re departments came out to try to control the blaze, but it was a suffi cient challenge for them just to protect the YEARS AGO Chapel. Luckily, no one was living in the building at the time. However, it was still being used during the day, for it housed nearly all of the College’s administrative offi ces, faculty offi ces, and several classrooms. Perhaps if the building had been inhabited, the fi re might have been detected earlier and extinguished promptly, as occurred on at least two previous occasions. The Ad Building fi re came as a great shock for everyone. It was still the nerve center of the College. Many pitched in where possible to help remove contents of the burning building. Here, students are seen removing record fi les. Lucky, few records were lost. The professors who had their offi ces in the Ad Building, and that included most of them, were less fortunate. Entire libraries, notes, typewriters, et cetera, were lost. The two towers were the sturdiest parts of the building. All the inside, except for a walk- in safe at the north end, was completely consumed. It was hoped that the St. Joseph statue might be removed [from its home in the niche of one tower], but it crumbled when the workmen tried to lift it off its pedestal with a crane. The Virgin Mary statue, which occupied the niche in the north tower, was saved, and now stands on the lawn east of McHale-Xavier Hall as a reminder of the former Ad Building. All text originally appeared in Saint Joseph’s College: A Centennial Pictorial History by Rev. Dominic B. Gerlach, C.PP.S. ’46. 9 The Robinson Memorial Library on the fi rst fl oor and lower level The Study Hall on the fi rst fl oor of the Administration Building. of the Arts and Science Building. e m i T y d u t S This photograph shows the Study Hall as it was in 1943 when Today, students do the majority of their studying in the it was still used by the high school [academy] students. It newly-renovated Robinson Memorial Library. Quiet, col- had changed very little since the beginning, except for the laborative study spaces now prevail in this peaceful set- addition of electric lights. A brother was still assigned to ting, complete with comfortable chairs and sturdy tables. oversee the Study Hall from an elevated desk in the back For more information about the Robinson Memorial Li- of the room in order to ensure total silence, a condition brary, turn to page 12. considered necessary for study in those days. The Student Dining Room in the basement of the Ad Building. The Dining Hall on the lower lever of the Halleck Student Center. e m i T al This Dining Room seems to have been lit by only one Today, more than simply a place to have a meal, the Dining e M kerosene lamp, which may have been a blessing at Hall is regarded as a place to meet and socialize. Student times. The Study Hall was illuminated more brightly with clubs and organizations routinely hold meetings at “the acetylene lamps. Caf” during the lunch and dinner hours, and students and professors alike enjoy the time to sit back and get to know each other in a friendly and sociable environment. The cast of Tartuffe, presented by the Columbian Players earlier this The stage on the third fl oor of the Ad Building. year, accept their applause and take a curtain call. e m i T e c n a m r The area above the chapel [on the second fl oor] constituted Today, the Theatre is located on the second fl oor of the o f the auditorium or assembly hall. Here, concerts [band Arts and Science Building and is home to many of SJC’s r e and orchestra] were held, and, above all, plays. Each performing arts groups. The Concert Choir and Chamber P photograph of the stage seems to have had a different Singers share the newly-renovated space with the painted backdrop according to the need of the play to be Columbian Players, who present three shows annually, produced. including a musical in the spring. Students studying Accounting and Business Administration at Saint Joseph’s College have long valued the preparation they receive for their careers. They now have one more feather for their graduation mortarboards: they will receive their degrees from a nationally-accredited program. The Board of Commissioners of the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE) formally granted specialized accreditation to SJC this winter, capping a fi ve-year process for one of the 10 largest academic divisions at the College. “The nature of long-term goals is that it is sometimes hard to see exactly how things will play out,” said Students and alumni chat with Art West ’62, General Manager of the Chicago Linda McFarland, Associate Professor of Management Board of Trade, on January 23 at the annual Chicago Business Network event, and Marketing. “But if the goal is right, you push on, hosted by SJC’s Business Administration Department. Pictured from left to right are: senior Accounting major Danielle Stockmaster, senior Business accomplish tasks, and make changes. That’s how Administration major Jenna Helton, Scott Smolek ’05, Brandon Deardorff ’05, and West. organizations today progress and survive.” Only just over one-fourth of the undergraduate business programs in the United States have received specialized accreditation. Many of those consist of the larger research universities with nationally-known business schools. Such accreditation commonly involves an extended self-study of program strengths and weaknesses, assessment of student learning, and measurement of program benchmarks against other institutions. SJC’s business programs were formally commended for “integration of outcomes assessment and strategic planning,” two processes that are naturally interconnected but, until now, were treated as separate tasks by most self-studies. Michael Oakes, Associate Professor of Economics and Finance, pointed out that the road to accreditation brought important changes to the curriculum. “The process forced us to look outside ourselves much more than had been done in previous years.” “We discovered, for example, that we needed more coverage in business law, quantitative skills, and information systems,” he continued. “We also evaluated faculty strengths, student profi les, and employer interests and refocused on providing students with a valuable set of cross-functional business skills.” Accreditation also locks in a continuous quality improvement process. “We have an excellent faculty and curriculum. But we didn’t conclude we were perfect,” Oakes said. “It would be hard not to be suspicious of any assessment that concluded that nothing needed improvement.” Oakes continued, “Accreditation means we are now formally accountable to addressing weaknesses and making real changes to constantly enhance student learning.”