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Jan. 19, 2006

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Bonaventure community to reach out with service trip to Biloxi on midterm break

Alumni and members of the surrounding community are invited to join St. Bonaventure University students, faculty and staff as they mount a community-wide service effort to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Led by Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), the Finance Club, Alpha Phi Omega, and University Ministries, the trip will take place over the spring mid-term break, March 4-12.

Dr. James Mahar Jr., assistant professor of finance and Finance Club adviser, and club president Cassandra Pirdy sent out an invitation to alumni outlining the framework for the trip, which will involve working with various relief organizations including Hands On USA, Disaster Corps, The Lutheran Disaster Response and others to provide assistance in south Mississippi and the New Orleans area.

“Ground Zero for Hurricane Katrina was actually on the Mississippi coast where the destruction is catastrophic and largely indescribable,” Mahar’s message said. “To gauge this destruction and to arrange contacts in the area, a group of us went during the fall mid-term break and a smaller group went again over Christmas break.”

Alumni and others are invited to participate in one of two ways: Those in the Western New York area may join the bus from St. Bonaventure at a cost of $250 for the week, which includes food, bus transportation and a place to sleep and shower for the week. Others may choose to meet the group in Mississippi for either the whole week or a part of it. Transportation to and from the airport will be provided.

“There is plenty of work for people of all walks of life,” Mahar emphasized. “We will be gutting houses, cleaning homes, cutting trees and unloading trucks, but we will also be cooking, distributing food, meeting with victims, and helping out at animal shelters. While the work is hard, it is also rewarding and fun! The victims are remarkably thankful for the help and the feeling of accomplishment is something that money cannot buy.”

Mahar believes that the organizers can accommodate 250 people for the trip; to date, some 180 have expressed interest, including 130 students, 20 alumni, 20 faculty and staff members and 10 people from the surrounding community.

The cost is $150 for students, who are also asked to pay $7 to purchase a hammer and pry bar.

Students will be prepared for the trip by attending a lecture on post-traumatic stress disorder by Dr. Craig Zuckerman, associate professor of counselor education, who will also be taking part in the trip.

There will also be nightly reflection periods at each of the various base camps that the trip participants will be operating from in four cities across the region, Mahar said.

From casual conversations with community members, a new opportunity to help has just arisen: Mahar is working with softball coach Mike Threehouse and sports writer Jim Melaro of The Times Herald to publicize the need for sports equipment for community teams in Hancock County.

Mahar spoke with the commissioner of local softball/Little League teams in that region, who told him that they had lost everything. Threehouse has volunteered the softball team to help coordinate the collection of gloves, balls and bats for the Little League and softball teams in Hancock County, which Melaro will help to publicize.

Mahar encouraged everyone to consider taking part in the trip to help with the recovery, which has been a life milestone for him.

“The two weeks I have spent there have each been absolutely amazing and two of the best weeks of my life,” the professor said. “I have spoken with hundreds of other volunteers and have yet to hear anyone say they wish they had not gone. Indeed, almost without exception, it has been, ‘gee, I wish I could be there now … or I wish I could have stayed longer.’”

He emphasized that those who cannot attend may support the trip and the recovery effort through donations of funds, food or baseball or softball equipment.

Additional information, including pictures and video from the earlier trips, is available at FinanceProfessor.com, http://www.financeprofessor.com/ and brochures, fliers and a DVD can be mailed to those interested upon request.

Those interested in more information or reserving a place on the trip may contact Mahar at jmahar@sbu.edu or (716) 375-2359 or Pirdy at pirdycl@sbu.edu.

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SBU sees strong gains in diversity; committee continues range of initiatives

Five years ago, the St. Bonaventure University community identified the need for increased diversity as a priority for the campus.

The University’s Strategic Plan includes as part of Goal No. 1, which is “Enhance and Sustain a Community that supports Franciscan Values,” a subgoal which calls for members to “increase and support ethnic and social diversity throughout our community.”

Toward that goal, the University has launched a number of initiatives ranging from funding workshops on diversity for professors and other members of the campus community, to admissions recruiting at high schools with high percentages of students of color, to extensive study of means to increase hiring a more diverse faculty and staff.

These efforts appear to be paying off this year, as St. Bonaventure has recorded the most diverse freshman class in recent history. Statistics for freshmen who responded to a question on ethnic background (a response is optional) show that the freshman class includes 58 students of color, or nearly 12 percent of the class. The largest gain was in the number of Latino students, which grew from 5 in 2004 to 18 in 2005.

“As a member of the Commission for the Future I enthusiastically supported the development of the goal to increase diversity at SBU. Now I am pleased to see the progress made and aware that we have ‘miles to go’ to become more inclusive,” said University president Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F., S.T.D. “I applaud numerous colleagues who are tireless in their advocacy for continuing change in our campus culture.”

One aspect of the push for diversity was the formation of the Diversity Action Committee in 2001. The committee has pursued change in a number of areas including changing curriculum to recognize power and diversity issues, providing workshops emphasizing tolerance and respect for diversity for all University staff, and even helping to provide community services and products that a more ethnically diverse population needs.

DAC’s Subcommittee on Student Life organizes the University’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Week, celebrated this year from Jan. 16-20.

The celebration, which recognized the contributions of the late Rosa Parks and focused on the theme “In the Steps of a Pioneer,” has provided a full week of events including a prayer service and formal dinner Monday in Hickey Dining Hall; prayer at the Peace Pole and a blues concert Tuesday; and delivery of care packages assembled by community members for guests of The Warming House on Wednesday.

The celebration continues tonight with:

Thursday, Jan. 19
• 4-6 p.m., Student Showcase in Doyle Hall
o 4 p.m., performances by SBU Steppers and Last Second, Doyle Dining Room
o 4:30 p.m., SBU student oratory competition, Robert R. Jones Board of Trustees Room
o 5:30 p.m., recognition of middle school essay competition winners, Board of Trustees Room
o 5:45 p.m., dessert reception, Doyle Dining Room

Friday, Jan. 20
• 12:30 p.m., Friday Forum with the Rev. Cheryl Parris and students who studied the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama during Christmas break (Jan. 12-16) as presenters.
• 3:30 p.m., prayer service in the Thomas Merton Center

Also during the week, movies are being shown on SBU-TV Channel 9 including “Martin Luther King Jr.: The Man and the Dream,” “Crash,” “Mississippi Burning,” “Amistad,” and “Remember the Titans.”

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Gift to Franciscan Institute to provide continued education for Third Order Regular

An anonymous gift to the Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University will create an endowment that will offer opportunities for women and men in the Franciscan family to learn about their own tradition and bring those values into their local communities, cities and ministries.

The Endowment for the Celebration of The Third Order Regular of St. Francis will provide funding for a variety of purposes that support the continued Franciscan education of members of the Third Order Regular (TOR), including:
• scholarships for members of the TOR, especially the sisters, to attend the Franciscan Institute;
• financial support of programs, workshops, projects and/or publications offered by the Franciscan Institute that present particular benefit to members of the TOR;
• salary support for faculty members in the Franciscan Institute who teach courses pertaining to topics of interest of members of the TOR; and
• financial support of the general needs of the Franciscan Institute as it serves the members of the TOR.

“This new endowment will especially provide scholarship assistance to enable our North American Third Order sisters to attend our School of Franciscan Studies. And, it will support other educational opportunities like workshops and other kinds of programs that will benefit the Third Order sisters,” said Fr. Michael F. Cusato, O.F.M., director of the Franciscan Institute and dean of the School of Franciscan Studies.

Fr. Michael said many female religious communities now allocate enormous financial resources to support their aging populations who had in years past dedicated their lives in service to others.

“Because of this, it has become increasingly difficult for them to send their sisters on for further study. The scholarships awarded through this endowment and the opportunities now made available for continuing education through workshops and special lectures will help such communities reach their goal of educating the next generation of sisters in the spiritual and intellectual traditions of Francis, Clare and their followers,” he said.

The origin of The Third Order Regular sisters comes from the 13th century, Fr. Michael explained, when St. Francis’ vision and message touched many men and women who had their own families and jobs, and yet wanted to follow in some manner the ideals of Francis and his brothers. This group of men and women, living in their homes, constituted what came to be called the Third Order Secular, or Secular Franciscans. By the end of the 13th century, however, a certain number of women had begun living and praying together in single-gendered communities, dedicated to a particular ministry or work of mercy and using their own personal resources to help build that ministry.

Different from the male followers of St. Francis, who gave up their possessions to live in total poverty, these women pooled their goods together to help fund a much-needed ministry in their towns and villages. Such communities of women who professed vows and followed a rule came to be called the Third Order Regular – “regular” because they were religious sisters who followed an approved rule (in Latin, a regula). It was in the 15th and 16th centuries that communities of Third Order Regular men, dedicated to ministries similar to those being done by the Third Order Regular sisters, began to blossom. Similarly, such men did not profess a vow of total poverty as did the First Order followers of St. Francis. Hence, today, there are communities of Third Order Regular women (sisters) and Third Order Regular men (priests and brothers) dedicated to specific ministries such as hospital care, teaching and missionary work.

“We are tremendously grateful to our anonymous donor whose generosity and vision will enable the Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University to especially assist our Franciscan sisters of North America to expand their understanding of the transforming vision of Franciscan life and ministry,” said Fr. Michael.

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St. Bonaventure collects gifts for alumni soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan

St. Bonaventure University is collecting gifts for alumni who are currently deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan to demonstrate its appreciation for their service and to send some cheer from their alma mater. Gifts will be collected until the end of January, and the packages will be sent in early February, arriving around Valentine’s Day.

Mary Jane Telford, who is helping to coordinate the effort, said items can be dropped off in the “treasure chest” located in the lobby of The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Suggested items include:

- Vitamins
- Batteries (AA&AAA)
- Lotion (unscented)
- Anti-fungal foot powder
- Toothbrushes and toothpaste
- Shaving cream and razors
- Toiletries, deodorant
- Suntan lotion
- Soap and shampoo
- Flip flops and shower shoes
- Athletic socks
- Baby wipes/wet ones
- Lip balm
- Baby powder
- Magazines and paperback books
- Stationary, greeting cards, pens and pencils
- Commercially wrapped trail mix or beef jerky
- Tuna lunch packets
- Ground coffee in bags
- Meals in a bowl
- Canned chicken, beef, tuna, etc.
- Crackers
- Ramen noodles, cups/cans of soup
- Gum and hard candy (no chocolate)
- Peanuts, pistachios, almonds, sunflower seeds, etc.
- Snacks (chips, pretzels, cookies, etc.)
- Dried fruit
- Gatorade or Powerade packets, powder fruit juice packets
- Breakfast bars, Pop-tarts

St. Bonaventure alumni currently deployed include Lt. Michael Frank, ’04; Capt. George Cowles III, ’98; Maj. Jeremy McGuire, ’91; Lt. Hubert Haaga, ’04; Lt. Adam Wehrle, ’04; Lt. Matthew Podolak, ’04; Lt. Urban M. Picard Jr., ’04; Capt. Kirsten Svendsen, ’02; Lt. Christian Drennen, ’04; Capt. Jason Yanda, ’97; and Maj. Brian Delaplane, ’96, ’99, assistant professor of military science at SBU.

To add someone to this list, please contact MJ Telford at (716) 375-2333 or at mtelford@sbu.edu.

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Longtime SBU employee donates friar collection to University library

Katie Kreydt came to work for St. Bonaventure only one week out of high school in 1969, and although she retired from the University last fall, she is still very connected to Bona’s. Kreydt recently donated a sizable number of friar collectables to SBU’s Friedsam Memorial Library and plans to volunteer there in the University Archives.

Kreydt’s most recent position at SBU was switchboard operator and receptionist for University Relations.

“I started collecting friar figurines and memorabilia when I began working at Bona’s,” said Kreydt. “All along I knew I wanted to donate my collection to Archives because I thought that’s where it belonged – for others to enjoy.”

Kreydt’s collection includes Hummel friar figurines, friar salt shakers, friar bookends, a glass Nativity scene with friars kneeling at the cradle, a book featuring cartoon friar Brother Juniper and much more. She also has donated Bonaventure memorabilia, including a postcard showing an aerial view of the campus, a matchbox with the ’73-’74 basketball schedule on the cover and a 1964 yearbook of St. Bona’s basketball.

Kreydt also donated a brass globe that was found when the Sandra A. and William L. Richter Center was being constructed. The globe was part of a post at the end of a pew in the original St. Bonaventure church on campus which burned down in 1930.

Her favorite item in the entire collection – which is currently on loan since Kreydt can’t yet part with it – is a personalized cartoon drawing that Fred McCarthy, author of the Brother Juniper comics, created for her after speaking with her only once on the phone.

“It’s the one thing I couldn’t give away at this point,” said Kreydt. “But someday it will be joining the rest of the collection.”

McCarthy’s gift to Kreydt praises the enthusiasm she brought to her switchboard job. She kept the cartoon framed and in her office, the most prized piece in her collection.

St. Bonaventure archivist Dennis Frank was excited to receive such an extensive collection from Kreydt.

“The primary purpose of Archives is to preserve the historical documents and articles of the University. We had a large collection of friar memorabilia, but Katie’s collection was very different from what we had. It’s a very nice addition,” said Frank.

“Katie’s Bonaventure memorabilia represents the experience of someone who has had a long history with Bona’s. It’s a visually attractive way of showing the life of someone who always loved working here and considered Bona’s a second home,” he said.

Kreydt first worked for Richard E. Vossler, vice president for Business Affairs and Treasurer at the time, Robert J. Brill, then comptroller, and Bernice Kinnear, financial aid officer. After her first four years of service at St. Bonaventure, Kreydt left work to start her family of two children, Aaron and Molly.

Kreydt returned to work at the University in 1980, where she worked in the Business Office. In 1983, she moved to the Purchasing Department, where she worked for 19 years. She worked closely with Fr. Alphonsus Connors, O.F.M., then director of purchasing; Fr. Gregory Brennan, O.F.M., who took over for Fr. Alphonsus, and Millie Kaluza.

Kreydt then worked at Technology Services as switchboard operator for two years, when she was transferred to University Relations. St. Bonaventure is the only place Kreydt has ever worked.

Kreydt lives in Olean, where she was born and raised, with her husband Gerald.

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SBU welcomes alumni for 2006 Homecoming Weekend

St. Bonaventure alumni will return home to their alma mater Jan. 27-29 for Homecoming Weekend.

Joe Flanagan, director of Alumni Services, said Homecoming events begin Friday with a senior/alumni social in the Rathskeller from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., where recent grads will share their post-Bona career experiences with students. At 7 p.m. a film screening of “Amadeus” will be shown in The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.

On Saturday, all alumni are welcome to head over to O’Dea’s Recreation Center on River Road in Allegany for a day of snow tubing; they can mention St. Bonaventure University for a discounted admission ticket.

From noon to 5 p.m. Saturday in the Quick Center, guests can tour SBU’s world class permanent collection and six rotating exhibitions on view. The Sandra A. and William L. Richter Center will also be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for self-guided tours.

At 4 p.m. Saturday, guests can head over to the Reilly Center Arena to watch the men’s basketball team face off against Duquesne. For tickets, call (716) 375-2500. Following the game, a reception will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Rathskeller. Admission is free; music and food will be provided.

At 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29, Mass will be celebrated in the University Chapel in Doyle Hall. At 1 p.m. Sunday, there will be a basketball game — Bona women vs. Duquesne — in the Reilly Center Arena. Also at 1 p.m., a birthday cake contest celebrating Mozart’s 250th birthday will be held in the Quick Center, followed by a film screening of “The Magic Flute” at 2:30 p.m.

For more information on Homecoming events, call or e-mail the Alumni Office: (716) 375-2302 or alumni@sbu.edu. Alumni Homecoming Weekend is sponsored by the St. Bonaventure Alumni Association, the Class of 2006 and The Campus Activities Board.

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Seven study abroad, in Washington through SBU's Office of International Studies

Seven St. Bonaventure University students are studying abroad in Ireland and Australia and interning in Washington, D.C., with the help of scholarships awarded through the University’s International Studies program.

Alice Sayegh, director of International Studies, said scholarships were awarded to Kathleen Cullinane, Christopher Fotiadis, Lindsay Krug and Bridget Hurley. Additional awards were made to Joseph Tavares, Matthew J. Post and Jessica Ansuini for the Spring 2006 internship program at American University in Washington, D.C.

Cullinane, a sophomore psychology major from Beltsville, Md., received the F. Donald Kenney International Scholars Award in the amount of $3,000 for spring 2006 study at National University of Ireland at Galway.

The Kenney awards are given each semester to students participating in semester programs at any of the three SBU-sponsored sites: NUI Galway, University of Limerick, and National University of Ireland at Maynooth. Awards are based on academic achievement, campus or community service, and financial need (loss of SBU aid). Scholarships are awarded for fall and spring study abroad. The Kenney awards are also available for summer study at Oxford University.

Bond University tuition grants were awarded to Christopher Fotiadis, Lindsay Krug and Bridget Hurley. Each student will receive approximately $2,900 toward tuition costs for the spring 2006 semester at Bond University, Australia.

Fotiadis, a junior marketing major, is from Port Murray, N.J. Krug is a sophomore business student majoring in management/marketing. Hurley is a sophomore finance major from Horseheads, N.Y.

The Bond scholarships, previously awarded only for fall study, are for the first time available to SBU students studying at Bond for the spring terms as well.

Tavares, a junior from East Greenwich, R.I., and Ansuini, also a junior from Marion, N.Y., are both journalism/mass communication majors and will be able to complete most of the required internship hours required for their majors during that semester. Post, a sophomore from Durham, Conn., is a history major.

Through the University’s affiliation with American University’s Washington Semester program, SBU students can apply for competitive Dean’s Scholarships to use for the academic/practicum semester. The internship program is open to students of all majors.

More information about SBU study abroad or internship programs and scholarships is available on the Web at <http://www.sbu.edu/intstudies> or by calling Alice Sayegh, director of international studies, at (716) 375-2574.

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Career Center News ...

For information on how to utilize a career fair, on-campus recruiting, resumé due dates, registration for job quest deadline and day-of-event details, visit the Career Center Events Web page.

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Friday Forum

All SBU faculty, staff and administrators are welcome to all the Friday Forums.

Date: Friday, Jan. 20, 2006 (this Friday)
Speaker: The Rev. Cheryl Parris
Time: Lunch starts at noon, Forum goes from 12:35 to 1:30 p.m., including Q&A
Place: University Club - Above Hickey
Title: "The Struggle for Civil Rights, yesterday and today"

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