1. SBU welcomes home BonaResponds!
2. Just quotes ... Here's what some of the BonaResponds volunteers had to say
3. Collection drive equips young ball players in Mississippi
4. Meet the provost candidates
5. Update on vice president search
6. St. Bonaventure University announces spring 2006 college fair tour
7. SBU Seneca Battalion Army ROTC announces 2006 Hall of Fame inductees
8. SBU welcomes three-star general to campus as guest speaker for military ball
9. Michael Cooper's one-man extravaganza to come alive at the Quick Center
10. St. Bonaventure to participate in CIC's 'Teachers for the 21st Century' program
11. Painting by St. Bonaventure University professor, friar commissioned for Syracuse building
12. Free art workshop to be offered to St. Bonaventure faculty and staff
13. Career Center News ...
14. Newsmakers ...
15. Friday Forum

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SBU welcomes home BonaResponds!

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y., March 14, 2006 — As images of their efforts rotated across a large screen in the University Chapel, participants in the massive BonaResponds service trip greeted one another with hugs, smiles and high-fives Monday afternoon.

The slide show offered the St. Bonaventure University community a glimpse into the week-long effort in which more than 280 volunteers went to the Gulf Coast to provide free labor, hard work and oftentimes reassurance to residents of the region whose homes remain uninhabitable.

The BonaResponds group left campus after classes Friday, March 3. They were divided into five relief camps — Biloxi, Long Beach and Bay St. Louis in Mississippi and St. Bernard Parish and New Orleans in Louisiana. Led by Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), the Finance Club, Alpha Phi Omega, and University Ministries, the community-wide service effort to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina took place over the spring mid-term break, March 4-11.

Br. Ed Coughlin, vice president for Franciscan Mission who also went on the service trip, welcomed the group home during a prayer service Monday.

“Because of your efforts, a bright light has shown in the darkness,” he said.

Several of the 200-plus students who went to the Gulf Coast shared their experiences, from gutting homes and removing mold to praying with homeowners. Michael Damiano, who worked in the St. Bernard Parish area, said, “the gratitude from each and every person was amazing. These people would stop us on the street (to offer thanks).”

Student Matt Lundgren, who worked with a group of 21 people in Bay St. Louis, wouldn’t “trade that week for anything. I’m graduating in May and I’m going back down there.”

University president Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F., S.T.D., noted that the Bonaventure group is proof “the community of faith goes on generation after generation.

“You are the living proof St. Francis of Assisi got it right. God has something for us to do,” she said.

Also during the service, the Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus recognized 20 members of BonaResponds by awarding them the Francis Medal in honor of their leadership.

Established by Holy Name Province in 1998, the Francis Medal is awarded through the friars of the Province to “recognize and express its deep appreciation to women and men who have advanced the values and ideals of St. Francis and/or generously assisted the friars in living and proclaiming the Gospel after the example of St. Francis of Assisi.”

Medals were presented to St. Bonaventure faculty members Dr. C. Joseph Coate, associate professor of accounting; Michael Kasperski, lecturer in accounting; Dr. James Mahar, assistant professor of finance; Terrence Moran, assistant professor of management sciences; and Dr. Todd Palmer, assistant professor of management sciences.

Medals were presented to the following St. Bonaventure students: Meghan Backus, Matthew DeSantis, Anthony DiMario, Christine Francis, Andrew Hartnett, Ryan Hasper, Carrie Jackling, Rebecca Kessler, Joshua Koszuta, Matthew Lundgren, Sean Lynch, Emily Meehan, Greg Moss, Anne Werner and Karen Wolfe.

Mahar, who helped spearhead the spring break effort after two previous trips to the Gulf, looked forward to each evening when the volunteers gathered for reflection. He loved to hear what other groups did and how the time there affected others.

“On my second trip, a volunteer said something that I remember almost every day. He said that he was a better person when he was here and that he challenged us all to be that better person when we go home,” he said. Mahar offers the same challenge to members of BonaResponds.

“We did not put this trip together for the week. It is a learning experience. The time you spend here should have an impact long after we leave the region. Of course the people you have helped will be eternally grateful, but the impact is greater than that. The impact should also be felt back at home.”

“… Be that person you wish you could be: help others, care for your neighbors, volunteer at the local humane society, help out at the soup kitchen in your town, or just take the time to listen to those in need,” Mahar said. “If you do that, this trip will really be a success.”

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Just quotes ... here's a quick look at what some of the volunteers said about their trip to the Gulf

“I think it’s worse than I expected, because it looks like the hurricane just happened yesterday. No one has touched these woods and it’s obvious because there are clothes still in the trees, bathtubs, cabinets … pretty much everything that is in a house is in the woods.”

— Jenny Ackers, a sophomore from Brant Beach, N.J., who worked in Bay St. Louis


“The people of Diamondhead said it was very important for us to be here just because they get discouraged sometimes and when they see someone else come and help them it helps to pick their spirits up and they’re ready to go again. So when we get done I’m sure they’ll be there to pick us up. They’ve been doing that already.”

— Fr. Peter Schneible, O.F.M.

“I went out to a site for the very first time today (March 7) and I loved it! I tore down sheetrock and pulled nails and shoveled. I’m going back out tomorrow and the next day and the next day … as long as my body lets me.”

— Ann Marie Hamilton, 67, of Ischua

“The people down here are absolutely so appreciative of what we are doing. Before I can even get a sentence in they are thanking me for helping. I’m having a great time, I’m helping people and making better relationships with my friends, not to mention I’m meeting so many new people.”
— Site leader Ferris Kelly

“I think for the most part, I’m learning the little things we complain about at home about our own homes and families are nothing compared to the troubles and problems of the people here. In fact, I can’t wait to get home and express that to my own family. To bring it all home and just remember that everything that we complain about everyday is so small.”

— Kara Gilhoolly, a junior from Hamburg

“Six months later it doesn’t look like much has been done; there are still piles and piles on the street of debris and rubble from inside the houses from three towns over. You go to the beach and you see nothing, there are only foundations and studs. It’s hard to put into the words the things you gain, even in a week … Being down here and seeing the gratitude people show from other towns and communities willing to help just emphasizes the caring nature of humans.”

— Nicole Yeo a sophomore from Wyoming, N.Y.

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Homerun! Students' collection drive equips young ball players

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y., March 15, 2006 — When senior Josh Koszuta began getting calls from those willing to donate softball and baseball equipment for some Mississippi Little Leaguers, he set out in his car to pick up the donations.

He quickly learned that the outpouring of support from individuals, businesses and organizations in the Southern Tier was far greater than the size of his Cavalier.

The equipment drive, part of the BonaResponds massive spring break relief effort in Mississippi and Louisiana, resulted in enough bats, balls, helmets, gloves and shin guards to fill a moving van, an RV and a trailer.

On March 5, Koszuta and others who spearheaded the collection effort, including students Carrie Jackling and Ryan Nicole Hasper, attended a picnic hosted by the president of the Hancock County, Miss., softball league, coaches and several players.

“They were really appreciative of it. They were shocked about the amount (of equipment) we gave them,” Koszuta said.

Herb Sires is the Hancock County Little League Softball director. “We had no idea how much stuff was coming down to us. When it finally came I was overwhelmed,” he said.

Initially the students wanted to be able to replace the equipment for a couple teams. The generosity of donors will help make this season a reality for several hundred children in Bay St. Louis, Miss., and Waveland, Miss.

Koszuta said that the 13 teams in the Hancock County softball league will share some of the donations with a neighboring county’s baseball league, which is providing the softball players with a field to use this season.

During the week of disaster relief (March 3-11), Koszuta saw how important that equipment — and the opportunity for the children and teens to get together — will be.

“I’ve got a picture of a gymnasium with a whole wall knocked out,” he said.

Sires said that most of the media’s attention has been focuses on New Orleans and Biloxi. “It was nice for the kids around here in Hancock County to know that someone cares about them,” he said.

Koszuta, a baseball coach and umpire, may get the opportunity to see the 852 balls, 55 softball helmets, 260 baseball helmets, 82 gloves and other equipment put to good use.

The softball league representatives have extended an open invitation for him to attend or possibly ump a game. “We’re definitely going back this summer,” he said.

“I look forward to reciprocating to everyone who came down here and helped us. I can’t wait to show them how much we appreciate it,” Sires added.

Koszuta, a physical education major, expressed his gratitude to the SBU softball team and the many alumni who aided in the collection and donations. An alumnus from Connecticut, Tom Lagasse, undertook his own donation drive to assist, as did the Police Athletic League of Buffalo.

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Provost candidates to visit campus

The Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs Search Committee has developed a short list of candidates who have been selected for campus visits.

The list of candidates and the dates they will be involved in campus interviews are listed below. Eachcandidate will be presenting prepared remarks and answering questions at an open meeting at 4 p.m. on the first day of his/her visit. The meetings willtake place in Dresser Auditorium.

Dr. Daniel Sheridan will interview March 20 and 21.
Dr. Michael Fischer will interview March 23 and 24.
Dr. Janet Reohr will interview March 27 and 28.

Candidate Dr. Fred Dobney was on campus earlier this week.

Members of the Search Committee will be seeking input from campusconstituencies after all meetings. Binders containing application packetsfrom each of the candidates are available across campus for review:

On reserve in Friedsam Memorial Library
Betty Harmon, B #17 Plassmann Annex
Sue Martin, 109 Plassmann Hall
Kathy Boser, 204 Murphy Hall
Patsy O'Brien, 114 DeLaRoche Hall
Irene Colomaio, 100 Doyle Hall
Betty Boardman, 210 Hopkins Hall
Jennifer Skroback at the Reception Desk, Quick Arts Center
Ann Hurlburt's Office, 203 Reilly Center

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Update on vice president search

The search committee tapped to recruit a successor to vice president for University Relations David Ferguson has been working since late January.

According to Brenda McGee Snow, vice president for Business and Finance and chair of the search committee, the executive search firm of Korn Ferry International is assisting the committee with the search.

The job description has been drafted and is posted on the University Web site. The title for this Cabinet-level position has been changed to vice president for Marketing and Communications. The functions of the Office of Communications, University Advancement and Enrollment Management will report to this vice president.

The position will be advertised in the Chronicle of Higher Education’s online and print editions and on the Web site of www.HigherEdJobs.com.

The timeframe for completing the search includes review of initial candidates and search committee interviews in late April, followed by finalist interviews on campus the first week of May, and a report from the search committee to University president Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F., S.T.D., immediately following the finalist interviews.

It is expected that this timeframe would translate to the new vice president beginning work at St. Bonaventure on or about July 1.

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St. Bonaventure University announces spring 2006 college fair tour

The Office of Admissions at St. Bonaventure University will hit the road this spring to attend eight National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) national college fairs and 18 smaller college fairs in the Northeast region.

Interested high school students are invited to meet a University representative at the following NACAC national college fairs:

Charlotte National College Fair – Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at the Charlotte Merchandise Mart in Charlotte, N.C.

Buffalo National College Fair – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center in Buffalo.

Rochester National College Fair – 9 a.m. to noon Friday, March 24, and noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center in Rochester.

Syracuse National College Fair – 9 a.m. to noon and 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, at the Onondaga County Convention Center in Syracuse.

Cleveland National College Fair – 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 9, at the Wolstein Center (formerly the Cleveland State University Convocation Center) in Cleveland, Ohio.

Montgomery County National College Fair – 9:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, and 9:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, April 27, at the Montgomery County Agricultural Center in Gaithersburg, Md.

New Jersey National College Fair – 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 3, and 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, May 4, at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison, N.J.

New York National College Fair – noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 7, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

Other college fairs in the Northeast that SBU representatives will attend include:

Curtis High School Annual College Fair – 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 16, in the school cafeteria of Curtis High School in Staten Island, N.Y.

Sixth Annual Greater Cincinnati Area Spring College Fair – 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 19, in the Cintas Center of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Robert E. Fitch High School Annual College Fair – 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 23, in the school cafeteria of Fitch High School in Groton, Conn.

Sixth Annual College Fair at Arkport Central School – 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Monday, March 27, at the Performing Arts Center of Arkport Central School in Arkport, N.Y.

Herkimer County Counselors’ Association “College Night” – 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, March 27, in the Robert McLaughlin College Center at Herkimer County Community College in Herkimer, N.Y.

Penn York College Night – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, in the Reilly Center Arena at St. Bonaventure University.

New Dorp High School College Fair – 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 29, at New Dorp High School in Staten Island, N.Y.

Washington Catholic High School’s College Day Program – 12:30 to 3 p.m. or 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, April 3, at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Wheaton, Md. (SBU will attend the evening portion of this program).

Spring College Night – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 6, at St. Mark’s High School in Wilmington, Del.

New Rochelle Catholic High School’s College Fair – 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 6, at Iona Preparatory School in New Rochelle, N.Y.

Northern Virginia College Fair – 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, in the Patriot Center Arena of George Mason University/Fairfax Campus in Fairfax, Va.

Trinity Catholic High School College – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, in the gymnasium of Trinity Catholic High School in Stamford, Conn.

Forty-Seventh Annual Hunterdon County College Fair – 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, May 1, at the HCRHS Fieldhouse at Hunterdon Central Regional High School in Flemington, N.J.

Mercer County Professional Counselors Association Spring College Fair – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 2, in the gymnasium of Mercer County Community College in West Windsor, N.J.

Main Line Regional Fair – 6:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 2, at the pavilion of Villanova University in Villanova, Pa.

Spencerport Lions Club Annual Spring College Night at the Mall – 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 2, at Greece Ridge Mall in Rochester, N.Y.

Monmouth County College Fair – 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 4, in the gymnasium of Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, N.J.

Tenth Annual Spring College Fair – 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 9, at Cathedral Preparatory School in Erie, Pa.

SBU alumni interested in representing St. Bonaventure University at future college fairs in their area can contact Sheila Green-Callen at 716-375-2304, or via email at sgreen@sbu.edu.

For more information, or to find out if SBU will attend additional college fairs throughout the spring, contact St. Bonaventure University’s Office of Admissions at 1-800-462-5050 or visit www.sbu.edu.

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SBU Seneca Battalion Army ROTC announces 2006 Hall of Fame inductees

The St. Bonaventure University Seneca Battalion will announce the induction of five new members into its Army ROTC Hall of Fame on Saturday, March 18.

The Hall of Fame honors distinguished graduates and individuals of the St. Bonaventure community who have served their country with the utmost duty and valor. This year’s distinguished inductees are:

Richard A. Alderman – A 1952 graduate of Houghton College, Alderman earned a direct commission in the United States Air Force. After completing basic officer training, he studied meteorology for a year at New York University and was assigned to the Strategic Air Command as liaison officer/weather briefer. He completed four years of service and left the Air Force to pursue his calling as an educator.

Remaining in the Air Force Reserve, he was called to active duty in 1961-62 during the political crises related to Berlin and Cuba. He continued his teaching career and became the Western New York liaison officer for the U. S. Air Force Academy, retiring as a lieutenant colonel with 28 years of service. Having taught at Starpoint for a number of years, Alderman took a position teaching math and science at Canisteo Central School, eventually becoming principal of the high school.

His ties to Houghton remained strong, and after serving as president of the Alumni Association in 1972, he joined the administration to organize a recruiting and admission program. Taking on additional administrative responsibilities as registrar and director of Alumni Affairs, Alderman was instrumental in developing a cross-enrollment and partnership agreement in 1981 that has allowed Houghton College students to take ROTC and earn commissions through the St. Bonaventure University program. Before and after his retirement from Houghton, his colleagues and students affectionately called him “Mr. ROTC.”

Col. Albert LaBarbera (Ret.) – A resident of Naples, Fla., LaBarbera was born in Cuba, N.Y. He graduated from St. Bonaventure in 1952 and received a Regular Army commission as a field artillery officer. After serving in a number of artillery assignments, he completed the Finance Basic Officer Course in 1958 and continued his career in that branch. After serving as the deputy finance officer at Fort Lee, Va., LaBarbera was assigned as adviser to the comptroller for the Turkish Ministry of National Defense.

He was an instructor at the Army Finance School at Fort Benjamin in Harrison, Ind., from 1964 to 1967 and returned to overseas duty when he joined the 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam as its finance officer from 1967-68. He served as the assistant chief of the Accounting Division of the Defense Supply Agency and was assistant chief of staff, and comptroller for VII Corps in Germany from 1971-74. He completed his active career as a colonel and director of centralized pay operations for the U. S. Army in 1976.

Actively engaged in a variety of community service projects since his retirement, he was president of the Lawrence Indiana Exchange Club and in 2005 earned the Outstanding Exchange Spirit Award for his contribution to a Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack memorial. His military awards include the Legion of Merit with One Oak Leaf Cluster, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal and National Defense Service Medal with One Service Star. In August 2002 he was named a Distinguished Member of the Finance Regiment.

Thomas A. Ryan – A resident of Vienna, Va., he is a 1952 alumnus of St. Bonaventure. Ryan graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English, and was named a Distinguished Military Graduate of the ROTC program, receiving a Regular Army commission. He was commissioned an Infantry second lieutenant and immediately entered active duty. His military service included more than two years in Japan and Okinawa during the Korean Conflict. He applied for and received an appointment to the Central Intelligence Agency in 1956 and thereupon began a career in that agency’s operational component that would span 35 years until his retirement in May 1991.

He returned to Asia twice for tours in Japan and Thailand, and also served in Brazil and Australia. His significant achievements during his assignment as the CIA station chief in Warsaw, Poland, from 1980 to 1982 are detailed in a new book, “A Secret Life,” in which Benjamin Weiser of The New York Times writes about Colonel Ryszard J. Kuklinski, a highly placed member of the Polish General Staff who waged a one-man war against the Soviet Communists as a source from whom the CIA received uniquely valuable intelligence about the intentions and plans of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact for more than nine years.

Ryan protected Kuklinski in November 1981 when Kuklinski was about to be exposed and arrested for being a spy. He and his wife, Lucille, placed themselves at considerable personal risk in order to pick up Kuklinski, his wife, and two grown sons on a remote street corner and smuggle them into the U.S. Embassy, from which another station team carried them out of Poland the same night. After his retirement, he continued to work with the agency as a contractor and in December 2005 was honored by St. Bonaventure University as a recipient of the University’s Gaudete Medal, honoring joyful service in the humble spirit of St. Francis of Assisi.

Dr. Frank “Skip” E. Saal – A resident of Olean, N.Y., he was born in 1947 in Jamaica, N.Y. Saal graduated from the University of Rochester in 1968. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in June 1968, and completed Basic and Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Dix, N.J. Selected to attend Infantry Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Ga., he was commissioned an Infantry second lieutenant in May 1969 and served several months as training and executive officer for a basic training company at Fort Bliss, Texas. He attended Jungle School at Fort Sherman in the Canal Zone (Panama) and reported for duty in Vietnam, where he commanded a Mobile Advisory Team and was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant.

Returning to the United States in 1971 and honorably discharged from military service, he earned a master’s of science degree in industrial psychology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1973 and a Ph.D. degree in industrial and organizational psychology from Pennsylvania State University in 1976. He earned successive academic appointments in the Department of Psychology at Kansas State University, and in 1989 was appointed head of the Psychology Department. In 1996, he accepted the position of dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of psychology at Mississippi State University, where he worked until 2001, when he returned to the Northeast as vice president for Academic Affairs and professor of psychology at St. Bonaventure.

In 2004, Saal was named provost at St. Bonaventure. He has authored a textbook in his field (two editions), numerous research articles in psychological journals and several chapters in edited volumes and is co-editor of an additional book. In addition to his military awards of the Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal with Two Service Stars, National Defense Service Medal and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Saal has been awarded the Department of the Army Commander’s Award for Public Service and numerous endorsements from ROTC programs at Mississippi State and St. Bonaventure universities.

Dr. Victor J. Tofany – A resident of Sarasota, Fla., Tofany was born in Rochester, N.Y. and enrolled as a freshman at St. Bonaventure College after graduating from the Aquinas Institute. A participant in the Army ROTC program, he was named the Ideal Bonaventure Man and received his commission as a second lieutenant of Field Artillery in May 1942. He was a pioneering member of airborne tactics as a member of the Field Artillery Test Battalion and deployed to Africa as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division. He participated in the Italian campaign and supported the unique Canadian-American First Special Service Force until the capture of Rome in June 1944.

After service in southern France he was ordered to Bastogne and was actively engaged in what became the Battle of the Bulge, where his battery destroyed several German tanks. Assigned to the 101st Airborne in 1945, he was honorably discharged as a captain and he began his pursuit of a career in medicine. A 1950 graduate of the University of Rochester Medical School, Tofany trained in anesthesiology and set up a practice in Rochester. He was the chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology at St. Mary’s Hospital and served in numerous local, regional and national medical positions. He served as president of the medical staff at St. Mary’s from 1966-69 and was chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Medical Society of the State of New York.

He published and presented extensively in his field of expertise and received numerous professional awards, including the American Medical Association Physician’s Recognition Award. He was the founder of St. Bonaventure’s Rochester Alumni Association Chapter and was integral to its development of annual giving programs. His military awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, European, African, Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Five Battle Stars and Bronze Arrowhead, Parachutist Badge with Combat Stars and the Presidential Unit Citation.

The St. Bonaventure University Army ROTC Department invites all community members to attend both the Cadet Spring Awards Ceremony and Hall of Fame inductions scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 18, in the Rigas Theater at The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.

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SBU welcomes three-star general to campus as guest speaker for military ball

St. Bonaventure University is pleased to welcome renowned three-star general and military consultant Lt. Gen. Claudia J. Kennedy to campus from March 17-18.

From 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Friday, March 17, in the Rigas Theater at The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts, Kennedy will speak on “The Role of the U.S. Military, post-Cold War,” for the Clare College Senior Forum, which is open to the public.

Earlier in the day, Kennedy will be a guest speaker for a women’s studies class, and on March 18, she will be a guest speaker at St. Bonaventure University’s 64th Annual Military Ball.

Kennedy is the first woman to achieve the rank of three-star general in the United States Army, taking her from the Women’s Army Corps in the late 1960s to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff for Army Intelligence from 1997 to 2000. She oversaw policies and operations affecting 45,000 people stationed worldwide with a budget of nearly $1 billion.

Following in her father’s footsteps, Kennedy joined the Army in 1968. In 1969, she was commissioned a second lieutenant. During her career, she commanded a company, an intelligence battalion, a recruiting battalion and an intelligence brigade.

As a general officer, she served as the senior intelligence officer for the U.S. Forces Command, Deputy Commanding General for the Army Intelligence Center and School, completing her career as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence.

Kennedy received numerous honors and awards during her military career, including the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, four Legions of Merits that are awarded for “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.”

Kennedy has been named to a list of “Best Women Role Models,” and Vanity Fair’s “Most Influential.” She was also named to the Ladies Home Journal’s “100 Most Important Women List.”

Kennedy has been honored for leadership and lifetime achievement by such organizations as Business and Professional Women (USA), Girl Scout Council of Hawaii, Women Executives and State Government, National Women’s Law Center, DAR, the National Center for Women and Policy, and the Volunteers of America. She holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Rhodes College.

Since completing her Army career, Kennedy has lived in Fairfax County, Va., and Hilton Head Island, S.C. She works to help children by chairing First Star, a non-profit corporation. Her book, “Generally Speaking,” was published in September 2001.
She is a trustee of Rhodes College and is associated with Essex Corporation, Opportunity International, The White House Project, Population Action International, The Third Way, NeuralStem, Inc., and with the International Spy Museum.

She has appeared as a military consultant for NBC and CNN and as a guest of Larry King, Aaron Brown, Wolf Blitzer and ABC’s “Good Morning America” among others. She is married to Harold S. Hadley, a Canadian businessman.

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Michael Cooper's one-man extravaganza to come alive at the Quick Center

Michael Cooper, an eye-popping visual artist, will dazzle the audience in his one-man virtuoso performance Masked Marvels and Wondertales at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 25, in The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at St. Bonaventure University.

Combining the mythical and the autobiographical, Cooper’s one-man extravaganza features his breathtaking handcrafted masks, and stories of courage and wonder derived from being the son of a traveling horse doctor. His masks and tales create a physical repertoire that ranges from the madcap to the sublime.

Taking up to 300 hours to produce a single mask, Cooper has advanced this theater craft to the level of fine art. His ability as a storyteller allows him to reel in the most discerning of crowds with the skill of a poet and the joy and timing of a first rate comedian. Whether he’s high kicking on giant legs, or animating one of his magical creations, the unending enthusiasm of this masked marvel captivates both young and old.

Masked Marvels and Wondertales has been seen around the world at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Hong Kong International Festival, the Dublin Theater Festival, the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and many others.

Cooper received his bachelor’s degree in peace studies from Goddard College and completed six years of theater training with Tony Montanaro in Maine and Etienne Decroux in Paris. For the past 30 years he has spent most of his time traveling throughout the world, performing more than 8,000 times for audiences of every age.

This performance is sponsored in part by the New York State Council on the Arts. For tickets and information, call the QCA at (716) 375-2494. The Quick Center will extend its gallery hours opening one hour before curtain, and remaining open through intermission. Regular gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 12 to 5 p.m. Museum admission is always free and open to the public year round. Visit us at www.sbu.edu.

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St. Bonaventure to participate in CIC's 'Teachers for the 21st Century' program

St. Bonaventure University is one of 20 schools – out of 58 that applied – selected to participate in the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) “Teachers for the 21st Century” program.

The program is a new initiative to strengthen teacher preparation programs, developed with the support of a $495,000 grant from the Microsoft Corporation.

CIC’s “Teachers for the 21st Century” program will, over a four-year period, assist faculty members in the integration of information and communication technologies, content, skills and literacies into courses taken by undergraduate prospective teachers. Each university will be represented by a team of faculty members involved in teacher preparation, from both the education department and the arts and sciences disciplines.

St. Bonaventure team members will include Nancy Casey, Ed.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Elementary Education; Leslie Chambers, lecturer in the Department of Elementary Education; Kelly Harper, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Education; Douglas Cashing, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics; and Diana Dunbar, adjunct professor in the Department of Mathematics and a teacher at Olean Middle School.

“We believe that curriculum must be dynamic; thus, we continually reflect on our practice and make adjustments to improve how we prepare teachers,” said Casey.

Harper added, “We have recently included a requirement for all candidates to engage in action research, an inquiry approach to learning about teaching, as one of the major initiatives in our field-based program. As students inquire into their own practice, they shift from thinking as students to thinking as teachers and become empowered to generate local knowledge and to contribute positively to social change.”

CIC president, Richard Ekman, said that the main goal of the project is to enable teacher education programs and associated disciplinary courses to improve the ways in which they prepare K-12 teachers.

“As the national service association for private colleges and universities, most with teacher education programs, CIC is working with its member institutions to strengthen the preparation of K-12 teachers,” said Ekman. “We expect that the ‘Teachers for the 21st Century’ program will offer educational improvements that will move our campuses to a new level of information and technology usage.”

“CIC member colleges and universities are highly motivated to integrate 21st century learning and assessment into their courses, since they graduate 20 percent of the nation’s new teachers each year,” said Ekman.

The CIC program is one component of a major Microsoft initiative known as “Partners in Learning,” which is collaborating with governments and educational institutions to improve K-12 education around the globe. It is a five-year, $35 million effort involving several state initiatives, the development of high-quality materials at the national level, and the diffusion of effective practices to other settings.

“This award puts us in the national limelight – in a position to help define new approaches to teacher education for the 21st century,” said Casey. “What we do at SBU is unique in many ways, and we believe that involvement in this consortium will help us refine our program and make it even more successful. In addition, we hope that we will be able to influence positively how other universities define their teacher education programs. We can be a model for others – but we will also learn from what others are doing and use that to improve what we do for SBU pre-service teachers.”

Other institutions participating in CIC’s “Teachers for the 21st Century” include Alverno College in Wisconsin; Benedictine University in Illinois; Catawba College in North Carolina; Chatham College in Pennsylvania; Clarke College in Iowa; College of Mount St. Joseph in Ohio; Ferrum College in Virginia; Gannon University in Pennsylvania; Lesley University in Massachusetts; Manchester College in Indiana; Marywood University in Pennsylvania; Mercy College in New York; Mount St. Mary’s College in California; Ottawa University in Kansas; Pace University in New York; Saint Leo University in Florida; Spring Hill College in Alabama; The Sage Colleges in New York; and Wheelock College in Massachusetts.

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Painting by St. Bonaventure professor, friar commissioned for Syracuse building

A curiosity about painting and a childhood surrounded by it led Dr. David Haack, O.F.M., assistant professor of visual arts at St. Bonaventure University, to his love for the art.

Haack’s mother and sister are both painters, so art was present in his everyday life as a child. But his father was a saxophone player, so he chose to study music. After graduating high school, Haack studied saxophone performance at Berklee School of Music in Boston, but later turned to art simply out of curiosity. He began painting seriously in 1966 at the Museum of Fine Arts School, also in Boston.

His love for painting and the decision to study art brought about positive effects for Haack. He was recently commissioned to paint a large work based on the theme “Assisi over Syracuse” for Assumption Ministries on North Salina Street in Syracuse. The ministry contacted him and asked him to paint it, and it was sold even before it was created.

The painting combines major Franciscan churches with the Assumption complex of buildings in Syracuse that surround 24 portrait images representing the various ethnic groups the friars serve.

“The subject matter is composed in such a way that pedestrians should be able to discover new things about the work every day,” Haack said.

In the distant background of the painting are representations of the Basilica of St. Francis, La Rocca and the Basilica of St. Clare. In front of the buildings are several imaginary portraits of the ethnic groups that live and pray in the vicinity of the Assumption Ministry Center. The bottom third of the painting portrays the nine Assumption Ministry buildings laid out in the same
way they appear on the street.

Currently the painting is in Syracuse being digitalized and enlarged from a 36-inch-by-96-inch painting to a 9-foot-by-22.5-foot format, and will be installed on the outside of the ministry center on Salina Street.
Haack said he is both nervous and excited about his work being displayed so prominently.
“Nervous because I don’t know what to expect when the work is enlarged so much; will the proportion and scale of the work ring true on such a grand scale?” Haack said. “Excited because you never know what people will make of it.”

Haack said that his favorite part of painting is the actual composition of the piece. He loves to put together all the different colors and all the different parts of a picture. When everything begins to come together into a whole work is when he said he begins to feel a sense of completeness.

He also said that creating a painting includes many different mental and emotional steps for him. First, he has to make sure the painting is technically correct, because he teaches art and wants to make sure there are no technical mistakes when he presents his work to his students. He said he then gets a sense of completeness as the painting comes together and “everything begins to gel.” Finally, he gets into a meditative mood that he said can last up to 2 1/2 hours before he breaks out of it.

“When I get into this meditative mood and begin to provide my own solutions to a problem I have or a mistake I’ve made, that is when spirituality enters. I feel like the art is coming from somewhere else, because many times I end up with a painting much different than the sketch I started out with,” Haack said.

Haack teaches art history courses as well as studio courses at St. Bonaventure. He also teaches a Clare College course, “Arts and Literature.” During the summer he teaches two Franciscan art history courses, “Franciscan Paintings: Part 1, from 1223 to 1517,” and “Part 2, from 1517 to the Present,” as well as a “Franciscan Studio Painting” course in the School of Graduate Studies of the Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University.

Haack holds a Ph.D. in humanities/art history and a master of philosophy from Syracuse University. He also holds a master of fine arts degree in painting/art history from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and a bachelor’s of science degree from St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y.

Haack has been commissioned for numerous works, including the Curia Generalizia dei Frati Minori in Rome, Italy; Mt. Alverna Novitiate in Asumbi, Kenya; St. Bonaventure Friary, N.Y.; Georgia Tech. University, Atlanta; and Holy Name Provincialate, New York City. He also has works in private collections in Dublin, Ireland; Palm Springs, Calif.; Montreal, Canada; Wanaque, N.J.; Green Bay, Port Washington and Fredonia, Wis.

His work was also displayed in a solo exhibition at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and in group exhibitions in the St. Bonaventure University Faculty Exhibit and at Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y.

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Free art workshop to be offered to St. Bonaventure faculty and staff

Free art workshops for St. Bonaventure faculty and staff sponsored by The Journey Project will be held from 5:30 to 7:40 p.m. on the following Thursdays: March 30, April 6, 13, 20, 27 and May 4, in The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts’ painting and drawing studio in Room 303.

These introductory workshops, “The Human Form Divine,” will concentrate on figure sketching from a live model. Art novices are especially welcome.

Constance Pierce, professor in SBU’s Department of Visual and Performing Arts, will lead the workshop.

“Throughout the centuries, artists such as Michelangelo, Raphael, Rembrandt and Blake have sought to communicate the spiritual depth of the human soul through expression of the human form,” said Pierce. “If you have ever wondered what it is like to sketch at an easel from a live model, join us for several sessions in this workshop designed for faculty and staff with little or no art experience.”

Guided explorations will be offered in sketching concepts such as gesture, contour and form through an array of art media including water-color pencils, charcoal, washes and pencil. The focus will be on the process, rather than on finished product.

“Sketching the human form teaches surrendered attention to the animating spirit within. There will be introductory sessions utilizing reference material to become familiar with working in new media. Everyone will leave the workshop with exciting figure sketches and an appreciation for art and their own creativity,” said Pierce.

All drawing supplies will be provided. Ten individuals will be able to participate. E-mail cpierce@sbu.edu or call her at (716) 375-2696 for more information or to reserve a place in the workshop.

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Career Center News ...

For more information on CareerFest '06 and ADVANCE registration, business dining etiquette dinner and on-campus recruiting, check out the Career Center Events Web page.

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Newsmakers ...

Chris Brown, Residence Director of Shay/Loughlen Hall attended the National Orientation Director’s Association Region IX Conference “Passing the Torch.” This conference was held in Lake Placid, N.Y. from March 3-5. Brown did a presentation at the conference about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues surrounding orientation and received the award for Best Program for Students.

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Marilyn Brutus, ’07, wrote “Faith in Action: A Student’s Perspective” in the March edition of Engage, a publication of Samford University’s Lilly Grant program, Samford in Mission. The article reflected on her civil rights immersion experience at the Faith in Action conference Jan. 12-15.

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Dr. Rodney Paul, assistant professor of economics in the Department of Finance, was interviewed on Tuesday, March 14, on the AM Atlanta Radio show on 640 WGST (Atlanta, Ga.) on the “Economics of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.”

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Dr. Ed. Simone, associate professor of theater and director of the theater program, has been invited to return to the Michigan Shakespeare Festival for a second season. He will play Claudius in “Hamlet” and Peter Quince in “A Midsummer Night's Dream” this July and August. Last summer, Simone played Shylock in “The Merchant of Venice” and Sir Toby Belch in “Twelfth Night.” Simone is also collaborating on the scripts and recording the host segments for his seventh season of “Music from Chautauqua,” which will air this summer over Classical 94.5/WNED and can be heard worldwide over Public Radio International affiliates and the Internet.

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Dr. K. R. Sundararajan, professor of theology, will present a paper on “Effortless action and Playful action – A Study of Taoism and Vedanta” at a special seminar on Taoist Philosophy organized in connection with the “9th Symposium on Field Being and the Non-substantialistic Turn” scheduled to take place at Brock University, St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada, from Aug. 21-26.

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Friday Forum

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

Date: March 17, 2006 (this Friday)
Speaker: Giles Boothway
Time: Lunch starts at noon, Forum goes from 12:35 to 1:30 p.m., including Q&A
Place: University Club - Above Hickey
Title: "Why the Gregorian calendar was very much a second best solution: a bit of Religion, a bit of Politics, a bit of Mathematics, and a bit of Astronomy"

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