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Knjiga Fotografija | Podrinje Identifikacijski Projekat
No full textBook of Photographs | Podrinje Identification Project1Together, these two volumes contain approximately 4,800 photographs of clothing and personal belongings unearthed, along with skeletal remains, from mass graves in the eastern part of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The people who were buried in these graves were victims of the war and genocide perpetrated between 1992 and 1995.
Sometimes called the ‘Book of Belongings’, Knjiga Fotografija allowed family members to identify the remains of their loved ones before more accurate DNA testing was readily available. Photographs were prepared and arranged by the Institute for Missing Persons, and the printing of the book was funded and organized by the International Committee of the Red Cros (ICRC). Volumes might include original number, location of exhumation, identification mark, photograph number, case number, and photograph number in the book for each item.
The volumes now stand as a testament to the scope of the loss in Bosnia-Herzegovina and a reminder of the humanity of the victims.Volume 1 of 2; color illustration
Book of Photographs | Podrinje Identification Project
No full textIIFrom the title page:
Odjevnih i ličnih predmeta pronađenih uz prikupljene posmrtne ostatke tijela ekshumiranih iz masovnih grobnica Pilice - Zvornik, Lazete - Zvornik, Nova Kasaba - Vlasenica i Cerska - Vlasenica.
Namjenjena je porodicama osoba nestalih u ljeto 1995, u rejonu Srebrenice.
Translation:
Clothing and personal items recovered alongside the bodies exhumed from mass graves Pilice-Zvornik, Lazerte-Zvornik, Nova Kasaba-Vlasenica and Cerska-Vlasenica.
It is intended for the families of persons who disappeared in the summer of 1995, in the area of Srebrenica
Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University
No full textSpring 2024 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University.SPRING 2024
THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y
UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY President’s message
On March 21, 2014, I was intro-duced
to you as Saint Louis
University’s 33rd president. It
was one of the most thrilling
and humbling days of my life.
On the 10th anniversary of that joyful day,
I shared with the SLU community that I will
step down from the presidency at the end of
June 2025.
As I ref lect upon the past decade, I am
amazed at all we have endured and achieved
together in St. Louis and in Madrid. We faced
moments that tested us and revealed what
defines this Jesuit university community.
There were many times in the last 10 years
when the challenges we faced felt insur-mountable.
But together — grounded firmly
in our values and trusting in the wisdom of
this community — we found more than a way
through. We created a new future for Saint
Louis University.
We have become a more diverse and more
international community. Our research pro-file
has grown beyond what we could have
imagined. We have broken every institutional
fundraising and enrollment record. We built
state-of-the art campus facilities, and we
are leading the dramatic transformation of
Midtown St. Louis.
Through it all, we have never strayed from
our core focus: preparing our students to
become the compassionate, ethical leaders
our alumni are known to be. We have built on
the Jesuit tradition of rigorous education and
care for the whole person, advancing innova-tion
in academic programs and investing in
University-wide efforts to support student
well-being.
There is so much I will miss about this mag-nificent
job. But just as I knew 10 years ago
that SLU would be my home, I know that it is
time for a new leader to take the first step into
a new era.
Between now and June 2025, there will be
a robust national search for my successor and
some period of transition. At the conclusion of
my tenure as president, I plan to take a sabbat-ical.
Then I hope to continue teaching, writing,
and doing what I am asked to contribute to the
success of the next leader of this remarkable
university.
There has not been a single day in my presi-dency
when I did not thank God for the joy and
honor of working for and with the entire SLU
community.
From the bottom of my heart and on behalf
of Fran and my family, I thank you for the
strong support and generous goodwill you have
consistently shown us since March of 2014.
May God bless you and Saint Louis
University.
Dr. Fred P. Pestello
President
Reflecting on an Extraordinary Decade
2
ON CAMPUS
Pestello to Step Down
Women’s soccer Sweet 16
Topgolf
Historic enrollment
New rankings
Monsanto Hall renovation
Midyear commencement
Chess League title
30
CLASS NOTES
32 Alumni Merit Awards
35 Alumni Spotlight:
Dr. Marvin Langston
(Grad PH ’12)
— by Bridjes O’Neil
36 How I Got Here:
Lauren (Lobosky)
Sullivan (PC ’10)
— by Jacob Born
38
IN MEMORIAM
41
THE LAST LOOK
VOLUME 50, ISSUE 1
EDITOR
Laura Geiser
{A&S ’90, Grad ’92}
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Amy Garland {A&S ’97}
ART DIRECTOR
Matt Krob
CONTRIBUTORS
Clayton Berry
Jacob Born
Catherine Kraemer
Bridjes O’Neil
ON CAMPUS NEWS
STORIES
University Public Relations
Billiken Media Relations
ON THE COVER
The O’Loughlin Family
Champions Center
Photo by Sarah Conroy
Universitas is published by
Saint Louis University.
Opinions expressed in
Universitas are those of the
individual authors and not
necessarily those of the
University administration.
Unsolicited manuscripts and
photographs are welcome
but will be returned only if
accompanied by a stamped,
self-addressed envelope.
Letters to the editor must
be signed, and letters not
intended for publication
should indicate that fact.
The editor reserves the
right to edit all items.
Address all mail to:
Universitas
DuBourg Hall 39
1 N. Grand Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63103
We accept email at:
[email protected]
Website: slu.edu/universitas
Universitas is printed by
Cummings Printing
Worldwide circulation: 133,814
©2024, Saint Louis University
All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole
or in part without
permission is prohibited.
FEATURES
10
Championing
Student-
Athletes
Take a look inside
SLU’s O’Loughlin
Family Champions
Center for
student-athletes.
14
Ruined for Life
Alumni who
served as Jesuit
Volunteers share
their experiences.
— by Amy Garland
20
Becoming
Billikens
SLU welcomes new
students in the
summer and well
beyond move-in.
— by Amy Garland
26
Nontraditional
for 60 Years
The School for
Professional Studies
marks a major
milestone.
— by Catherine
Kraemer
Graduates celebrate at
midyear commencement on
Dec. 16 at Chaifetz Arena.
PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY
2 UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SPRING 2024 3
On campus
Af ter a decade of t ransformat ive
leadership, on March 21 , Saint
Louis University President Dr. Fred
P. Pestello announced that he has
decided to step down at the end of
June 2025. The announcement came
on the 10th anniversary of his intro-duction
as SLU’s 33rd president in 2014.
“There is so much I will miss about this magnificent
job,” Pestello wrote in an announcement to the SLU com-munity.
“But just as I knew 10 years ago that SLU would
be my home, I know that it is time for a new leader to take
the first step into a new era.”
Pestello’s era at SLU coincided with a particularly
turbulent time for higher education in the United States,
with colleges and universities across the country grap-pling
with declining enrollments, increasing financial
pressures, social upheaval and a global pandemic.
Under Pestello’s leadership, SLU has successfully nav-igated
these and other challenges, breaking institutional
records for enrollment, fundraising and research funding
along the way. Other noteworthy University accomplish-ments
during Pestello’s tenure include:
THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES,
including the 71 mil-lion
Grand Residence Hall, 16 million Jesuit
Center, and the recently completed donor-funded 550 mi l l ion SSM
Health Saint Louis University Hospital and Center for
Specialized Medicine in 2020, followed by a signifi-cant
investment in SLU’s School of Medicine to expand
research, training, and education as part of the 2022 inte-gration
of the SLUCare physician practice with SSM.
THE L AUNCH OF THE SAINT
LOUIS UNIVERSITY RESEARCH
INSTITUTE, which was estab-lished
following a historic 604 million
raised during
the Accelerating
Excellence
Campaign, the
University’s
most successful
fundraising
effort to date.
82.7 million
in annual
research
expenses in
2022, an 86%
increase since
2014.
2.02 billion
in completed
and planned
projects in SLU’s
redevelopment
area.
During his presidency, Pestello articulated a vision
for SLU to become a global Jesuit university that is
mission-focused, student and patient-centered, and
research-driven w one that is working with the people of
St. Louis to reimagine, transform and unify the city.
“President Pestello is a transformational leader who
has propelled our University forward in extraordinary
ways,” said Joseph Conran (A&S ’67, Law ’70), chairman
of SLU’s board of trustees. “The remarkable progress
we’ve achieved is a testament to his inspiring vision,
and on behalf of the Board, I want to thank him for his
leadership and his steadfast commitment to SLU’s Jesuit
mission and values.”
Collaboration, communication and transparency have
been hallmarks of Pestello’s leadership as well. Of note,
the University’s first strategic, academic and campus
master plans in many years — as well as a new core cur-riculum
— were developed through open and inclusive
processes involving hundreds of faculty, staff, students
and other key stakeholders.
“From President Pestello’s first days, he made a com-mitment
to listen to and elevate the voices of the faculty,”
said Christine E. Rollins (Law ’96), president of SLU’s
Faculty Senate and a member of the School of Law faculty
since 2002.
SLU will conduct a nat ional search to ident ify
Pestello’s successor. Following a sabbatical after he steps
down, Pestello said he plans to continue teaching, writ-ing
and supporting the University and its new president
as needed.
“There has not been a single day in my presidency when
I did not thank God for the joy and honor of working for
and with all of you — smart, compassionate, and ded-icated
Jesuits, faculty, staff, students, trustees, alumni,
donors, and partners,” Pestello wrote in his message to
the SLU community on March 21. “As I reflect upon the
past decade, I am amazed at all we have endured and
achieved together in St. Louis and in Madrid.”
Look for more on Pestello’s legacy in future issues of
Universitas.
Legacy of Visionary Leadership
SLU PRESIDENT DR. FRED P. PESTELLO
TO STEP DOWN IN 2025
By Clayton Berry
SARAH CONROY
Pestello in the lobby of the Interdisciplinary
Science and Engineering Building
4 UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SPRING 2024 5
On campus
Women’s
Soccer
Makes
History
For the first
time, the
Billikens made
it to the NCAA
Women’s Soccer
Championship’s
“Sweet 16.”
Sixth-seeded
SLU beat Indiana
in the first
round and then
held off a late
Georgetown
rally to defeat
the third-seeded
Hoyas
2-1 in an NCAA
Championship
second-round
game.
The team then
fell to Penn
State in a
heartbreaker
in the third
round of the
championship.
Second-seeded
Penn State
scored the
equalizer in the
87th minute,
then tallied
the eventual
game-winning
goal in the
first overtime
session,
defeating SLU
4-3.
The Billikens’
historic season
ended with a 19-
3-2 record.
PHOTO BY JOE ROKITA
A-10 CHAMPS YET AGAIN
Women’s soccer earned its
league’s automatic bid to the
NCAA Championship by capturing
its eighth A-10 Championship title in
SLU history and sixth in succession.
Tournament Most Outstanding
Player Caroline Kelly tallied two
goals and an assist to lead top-seeded
SLU to a 3-0 victory over
La Salle in the final. Goalkeeper Emily
Puricelli recorded her 39th career
shutout to claim the Billikens’ record
outright. The women also set school
single-season records for goals (74),
assists (70) and points (218).
ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
Nine women’s soccer players
merited 2023 Atlantic 10 All-
Conference honors.
Senior defender Lyndsey Heckel
was tabbed Defensive Player
of the Year, senior Puricelli was
named Goalkeeper of the Year,
and junior forward Emily Gaebe
claimed Offensive Player of the
Year accolades. Kelly and fifth-year
midfielder Abbie Miller also joined
the top unit.
Senior defenders Sophia Stram and
Katie Houck and redshirt-junior
midfielder/forward Hannah Larson
were selected to the All-Conference
second team. Freshman midfielder
Alyssa Bockius earned a spot on the
All-Rookie team.
Houck and Larson were voted
to the A-10’s 11-member All-
Academic team by the league’s
women’s soccer sports information
representatives. SLU has produced
55 All-Conference selections over
the past eight seasons, including 37
first-team choices.
HECKEL
PURICELLI
GAEBE
BILL BARRETT BILL BARRETT BILL BARRETT
BILL BARRETT
LARSON
The team celebrates their sixth consecutive A-10
Championship title on Nov. 5 at Hermann Stadium.
6 UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SPRING 2024 7
On campus
Surge in International Students Leads
to Historic SLU Enrollment
This academic year, Saint Louis University
enrolled more students than ever before,
thanks to an unprecedented surge in interna-tional
enrollment.
According to the University’s official fall
census, SLU’s total enrollment eclipsed 15,000
students for the first time in history. The num-ber
of international students also reached
record heights, more than doubling in a single
year.
“This is an impressive milestone in the his-tory
of our University,” SLU President Dr. Fred
P. Pestello said. “This achievement comes amid
an incredibly challenging climate for higher
education. I want to thank the students and
families who have chosen SLU and recognize
everyone at the University who made this
accomplishment possible.”
Contributing significantly to this record
enrollment is SLU’s Global Graduate initiative,
which launched in 2020 to attract interna-tional
students to select graduate programs in
technology, business and engineering.
In the fall, SLU enrolled 1,427 new inter-national
graduate students, a 325% increase
over last year. More than 75% of international
students at SLU are from India, where the ini-tiative
debuted three years ago.
“Our Global Graduate initiative has far
exceeded our initial hopes and projections,”
Pestello said. “The tremendous success of this
initiative is a testament to SLU’s growing repu-tation
for exceptional academics on the global
stage.”
To support the increasing number of Global
Billikens at SLU, the University hired 30 new
faculty and staff. SLU also invested millions
of dollars in student scholarships as well as
academic, language and career-readiness
resources and programs.
FALL 2023 ENROLLMENT AT SLU: BY THE NUMBERS
Students cheer
during a fashion
show that was part
of the International
Services
President’s
Reception in
September. The
event, organized
annually by
the Office of
International
Services,
encourages
international
students to
mingle with fellow
Billikens and
learn about other
cultures on campus.
New Center Focuses on Global Catholicism Saint Louis University’s new Center for Research on Global
Catholicism (CRGC) supports scholarship about Catholicism as a
global religion. World-class researchers and area archivists will
study the nexus of Catholicism and culture.
“Our ambition is to make SLU a destination for research on global
Catholicism,” said Dr. Mary Dunn, director of the CRGC and professor of
theological studies at SLU.
An interdisciplinary collective of researchers and scholars, the Center
for Research on Global Catholicism will:
Capitalize on scholarly expertise at SLU and in St. Louis to advance
knowledge and understanding of global Catholicism.
Facilitate connections between local archives and scholars.
Support scholars by providing resources, community and
opportunities for collaboration.
The newest Topgolf
location, situated between
Saint Louis University’s
north and south campuses,
opened in October.
Topgolf St. Louis-Midtown,
which is the second to serve
Greater St. Louis, has 102
outdoor climate-controlled
hitting bays spanning three
levels. Each bay has lounge-type
furniture or tables for
groups.
Jason Hall, chief executive
officer with Greater St. Louis
Inc., said the new venue is
estimated to draw 600,000
participants and generate
$2 million in annual sales tax.
Topgolf said the venue will
bring approximately 500
new jobs.
The land for the project
was acquired from SLU and
developed with oversight
from the St. Louis Midtown
Redevelopment Corp., a
partnership of SLU and SSM
Health.
SLU Ranks as a Best Value,
Top Catholic University Once again, Saint Louis University was
recognized as one of the nation’s best
values in higher education and one of the
leading Catholic universities in the country.
The University was named a “Best Value School”
for the eighth consecutive year by U.S. News in its
2024 Best Colleges rankings for undergraduate
education, released in September. SLU ranked
No. 52 among 211 schools on the list, which the
publication calculates by comparing a school’s
academic quality and its net cost of attendance.
Overall, SLU ranked No. 105 among more
than 430 national universities that offer a range
of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doc-toral
programs, and emphasize faculty research or
award professional practice doctorates.
Among the 523 business schools accredited
by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools
of Business, SLU’s Richard A. Chaifetz School of
Business had three undergraduate programs in
the top 20 nationally: international business (No. 15),
entrepreneurship (No. 16) and finance (No. 17).
The Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing
ranked No. 67 out of 656 nursing schools with
master’s or doctoral programs accredited by either
the Accreditation Commission for Education in
Nursing or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing
Education.
SLU also ranked No. 22 among the best ser-vice-
learning programs in the country.
POLL:
How Do
You Say
‘Missouri’?
Politicians have crisscrossed
the state for years, sharing their
vision for Missour-ee or Missour-uh, depending on where they
spoke. Now, Missourians have spoken about how they say their state’s
name.
In 2023, the SLU/YouGov Poll interviewed 900 likely Missouri voters,
asking how they pronounced the name of the state in which they reside.
The poll found that only 9.5% of Missourians say Missour-uh. More than
90% of those polled say Missour-ee.
“After growing up in Missouri, I was surprised so few Missouri voters used
the Missour-uh pronunciation,” said Dr. Steven Rogers, SLU/YouGov
Poll director and associate professor of political science at SLU. “Using
Missour-uh appears to be partly generational. Sixteen percent of voters
who are 65 years old or older said Missour-uh, but only 3% of voters
below the age of 29 said Missour-uh.”
Pestello tees off at the new
Topgolf St. Louis-Midtown after
the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Fore!
Topgolf
Opens
Near SLU
PRINCETON REVIEW
In August, SLU was
profiled in Princeton
Review’s Best 389
Colleges, which
includes only 15%
of America’s four-year
colleges. SLU
ranked No. 9 on the
Top 20 Best Private
Schools for Making
an Impact list and No.
25 in the Students
Most Engaged in
Community Service
category.
NICHE
In August, the
rankings and reviews
website Niche.com
ranked SLU No. 111
among the 936 Top
Private Universities
in America and No. 10
among the 160 Best
Catholic Colleges in
America.
-ee90%
-uh
9.5%
SARAH CONROY
SARAH CONROY
6,702
GRADUATE AND
PROFESSIONAL
STUDENTS
UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SPRING 2024 9
Academic Tech
Commons Opens
New Space
In September, the third and final
phase of Saint Louis University’s
Academic Technology Commons in
Pius XII Memorial Library opened.
The lower level of the library, once a
repository for collections, now includes
an active-learning classroom and four
tech-enabled spaces with digital white-board
functionality. A Zoom room
allows for a more integrated experience
for those attending hybrid meetings. A
recording studio is also in the works.
Martha Allen, special assistant to
the dean of libraries and museums
and director of academic integrity,
said the new space will house some
of the 300-plus classes taught in the
library. It will also be available for
supplemental learning labs, study
groups and professional development.
Geospatial Gets New Director, Faculty
The Taylor Geospatial Institute (TGI),
a consortium of eight research insti-tutions
led by Saint Louis University,
selected Dr. Nadine Alameh as its inaugu-ral
executive director.
A world-renowned geospatial expert,
Alameh previously was the CEO and pres-ident
of the Open Geospatial Consortium.
She is a lso an appointed member of
the U.S. Department of the Interior’s
National Geospatial Advisory Committee
and a board member of the United
Nations Geospatial Global Information
Management Private Sector Network.
In addition, SLU will hire 20 new fac-ulty
members in core geospatial science
and related fields. The new positions, to be
filled over a three-year span, will be hired
in collaboration with TGI.
The effort will bring new faculty to SLU
who apply geospatial tools, technologies
and resea rch
methodologies
to specialt ies
across a diverse range of fields from cli-mate
science and agriculture to health
care and nati
Sunrise
No full textScannedIII146SabaH is a Bosnian-language weekly newspaper that was published in the United States between December 1997 and October 2014. It was founded in Astoria, NY. In 2006, publishing was relocated to St. Louis, MO, but the newspaper continued its national distribution. A typical issue contains about 50 pages and features bold headlines and many photos, with articles from both Bosnia- and US-based contributors. SabaH was established to help Bosnian immigrants deal with life in their new home and keep them informed of events in their war-torn country. Its name translates to 'sunrise', symbolizing the arrival of a new generation of Bosnian immigrants in the US.Click on the blue Maximize button in the top right corner of each image to browse the pages of an issue. This project was made possible by a generous donation from Susan Powers of St. Louis, MO. Digitization is ongoing
Sunrise
No full textScannedXI471SabaH is a Bosnian-language weekly newspaper that was published in the United States between December 1997 and October 2014. It was founded in Astoria, NY. In 2006, publishing was relocated to St. Louis, MO, but the newspaper continued its national distribution. A typical issue contains about 50 pages and features bold headlines and many photos, with articles from both Bosnia- and US-based contributors. SabaH was established to help Bosnian immigrants deal with life in their new home and keep them informed of events in their war-torn country. Its name translates to 'sunrise', symbolizing the arrival of a new generation of Bosnian immigrants in the US.Click on the blue Maximize button in the top right corner of each image to browse the pages of an issue. This project was made possible by a generous donation from Susan Powers of St. Louis, MO. Digitization is ongoing
Sunrise
No full textScannedIV158SabaH is a Bosnian-language weekly newspaper that was published in the United States between December 1997 and October 2014. It was founded in Astoria, NY. In 2006, publishing was relocated to St. Louis, MO, but the newspaper continued its national distribution. A typical issue contains about 50 pages and features bold headlines and many photos, with articles from both Bosnia- and US-based contributors. SabaH was established to help Bosnian immigrants deal with life in their new home and keep them informed of events in their war-torn country. Its name translates to 'sunrise', symbolizing the arrival of a new generation of Bosnian immigrants in the US.Click on the blue Maximize button in the top right corner of each image to browse the pages of an issue. This project was made possible by a generous donation from Susan Powers of St. Louis, MO. Digitization is ongoing
Sunrise
No full textScannedIII141SabaH is a Bosnian-language weekly newspaper that was published in the United States between December 1997 and October 2014. It was founded in Astoria, NY. In 2006, publishing was relocated to St. Louis, MO, but the newspaper continued its national distribution. A typical issue contains about 50 pages and features bold headlines and many photos, with articles from both Bosnia- and US-based contributors. SabaH was established to help Bosnian immigrants deal with life in their new home and keep them informed of events in their war-torn country. Its name translates to 'sunrise', symbolizing the arrival of a new generation of Bosnian immigrants in the US.Click on the blue Maximize button in the top right corner of each image to browse the pages of an issue. This project was made possible by a generous donation from Susan Powers of St. Louis, MO. Digitization is ongoing
Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University
No full textWinter 2023 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University.W I N T E R
2 0 2 3
RECORD-SETTING
CAMPAIGN
Page 19
ALUMNI EXPLORE
SPACE
Page 22
STUDENT
INVESTORS
Page 28
JESUIT
CENTER
Page 32
SLU prioritizes
well-being
Page 12
PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
VOLUME 49, ISSUE 1
EDITOR
Laura Geiser
{A&S ’90, Grad ’92}
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Amy Garland {A&S ’97}
ART DIRECTOR
Matt Krob
CONTRIBUTORS
Paul Brinkmann {A&S ’89}
Joe Barker
Marie Dilg {Grad SW ’94}
Bridjes O’Neil
Maggie Rotermund
ON CAMPUS NEWS
STORIES
University Public
Relations
Billiken Media Relations
ON THE COVER
Photograph by
Sarah Conroy
Universitas is published by
Saint Louis University.
Opinions expressed in
Universitas are those of the
individual authors and not
necessarily those of the
University administration.
Unsolicited manuscripts and
photographs are welcome
but will be returned only if
accompanied by a stamped,
self-addressed envelope.
Letters to the editor must
be signed, and letters not
intended for publication
should indicate that fact.
The editor reserves the
right to edit all items.
Address all mail to:
Universitas
DuBourg Hall 39
1 N. Grand Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63103
We accept email at:
[email protected]
Website: slu.edu/universitas
Universitas is printed
by Breese Printing
and Publishing
Worldwide circulation:
132,265
©2023, Saint Louis University
All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole
or in part without
permission is prohibited.
AS WE WELCOME THE NEW YEAR, I HAVE
BEEN REFLECTING ON THE VALUE OF
TRADITION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF
INNOVATION. These forces can appear to be at
cross purposes — with “tradition” stuck insis-tently
in the past and “innovation” dismissing
time’s hard-earned wisdom.
Fortunately, at a Jesuit university, we are
blessed with a tradition of transformation.
Saint Louis University’s deep roots in the Jesuit
tradition fuel our commitment to ask new
questions, to envision new possibilities and
to advance new solutions to the world’s most
urgent challenges.
This issue of Universitas highlights just a few
of the extraordinary things that become possi-ble
when tradition and innovation meet:
The foundational Jesuit principle of cura
personalis — care for the whole person —
is motivating a transformation of SLU’s
campus culture to support student well-being
(page 12).
Because of SLU’s tradition of academic excellence, an impressive
number of alumni have been at the forefront of scientific and
technological advancements, playing pivotal roles in decades of
space exploration (page 22).
Experiential education — for centuries, a key element of Ignatian
teaching and learning — is creating a new generation of leaders in
the financial professions (page 28).
SLU’s community of Jesuits, foundational to our history, continues
to shape our present and future. These dedicated men are integral
to advancing the University’s mission as teachers, scholars, ministers
and leaders — and they now have a new home that reflects their
central role in campus life (page 32).
And generations of SLU alumni and supporters recently contributed
to the historic conclusion of our Accelerating Excellence campaign
— raising 604 million that will fuel a future of new possibilities for
Saint Louis University (page 19).
SLU is encountering a world of change. We responded effectively to the
upheaval of a global pandemic by relying on the guidance of our experts
and a firm commitment to our Jesuit values. We are navigating a challeng-ing
environment for higher education, growing our enrollment and raising
our research profile despite considerable headwinds. Our exceptional fac-ulty,
staff and students do not shy away from challenge or from change. As
stewards of this Jesuit institution, they adapt, they advance new initiatives,
and they innovate to serve the greater good.
PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY
PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY
SLU’s remarkable story continues with each
of you. As alumni and friends of Saint Louis
University, you are an essential part of our past,
present and future. You exemplify the potential
of Billikens around the world to transform your
communities in the spirit of the Gospels. Each
day, in your families, professions, faith commu-nities
and civic lives, you show the potential of
Jesuit values to shape the world as it ought to be.
May we continue this remarkable tradition,
together.
Dr. Fred P. Pestello
President
Features Departments
12
A CULTURE OF CURA PERSONALIS
SLU cares for the whole person with a
focus on well-being. — By Amy Garland
19
EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
SLU’s Accelerating Excellence campaign soared
past its ambitious goal. — By Joe Barker
22
REACHING FOR THE STARS
Several SLU alumni are making their mark on
modern space exploration. — By Paul Brinkmann
28
DEEPLY INVESTED
Finance students learn real-world lessons
through a special class. — By Marie Dilg
32
CENTERED IN THE HEART OF CAMPUS
The new Jesuit Center welcomes the campus
community. — By Maggie Rotermund
2
ON CAMPUS
Soccer success /// SLUCare update
/// Taylor Geospatial Institute ///
Athletics construction /// Chess
championship /// St. Louis Literary
Award /// Madrid expansion
34
CLASS NOTES
36 Alumni Merit Awardees
41 Billiken Hall of Fame Inductees
35
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Bryan Beasley {CSB ’11}
— By Bridjes O’Neil
38
HOW I GOT HERE
Dr. Jody Sowell {Grad A&S ’11}
— By Laura Geiser
43
IN MEMORIAM
49
THE LAST LOOK
Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski (left) pours chrism to consecrate the altar in the Jesuit Center Chapel. Also
pictured are Timothy McMahon, S.J., rector of the Jesuit community of Saint Louis University; David
Suwalsky, S.J., vice president for mission and identity at SLU; and Thomas Greene, S.J., provincial superior
of the Jesuits USA Central and Southern Province. For more about the Jesuit Center, see page 32.
Pestello at December’s midyear commencement at Chaifetz Arena
2 UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y WINTER 2023 3
ON CAMPUS
SOCCER TEAMS
FINISH STRONG
The 2022 season was another successful one for
Billiken soccer.
The women’s team, which achieved a unanimous
top-10 national ranking this season, is a five-time
defending A-10 champion and returned to
the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship for
the fifth straight season.
The women posted a 10-0 record in winning
the A-10 regular-season crown and carried a
school-record 18-game winning streak — also
the longest active streak in NCAA Division I
women’s soccer — into the national tournament.
SLU was awarded a No. 2 seed for the 2022
NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship but lost
to former Conference USA rival Memphis in a
first-round game.
The men’s team captured the Atlantic 10
Conference Championship in dramatic fashion,
advancing past Loyola Chicago in penalty kicks. It
was the second straight season that SLU was the
A-10 regular-season and tournament champs.
The Billikens went on to their 50th appearance in
the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship, the most
of all time. The team defeated Memphis in the
first round and fell to Indiana in the second round.
The men’s team reached the Elite Eight in 2021.
A The men’s soccer team
celebrates its back-to-back A-10
Tournament Championships.
B Senior midfielder and A-10
co-offensive player of the year
John Klein takes on Memphis
in the first round of the NCAA
Men’s Soccer Championship.
C Members of the
men’s soccer team hoist
the A-10 Tournament
Championship trophy.
D Hannah Larson and
Hannah Friedrich celebrate
after the A-10 Tournament
win against Dayton.
E Junior defender Lyndsey
Heckel was named the
Most Outstanding Player of
the A-10 Championship.
F The women’s soccer team
celebrates its fifth consecutive
A-10 Tournament Championship.
A D E
B
C
F
PHOTOS BY BILL BARRETT
4 UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y WINTER 2023 5
ON CAMPUS
SLUCare Becomes Part of SSM Health
Saint Louis University and SSM Health entered into an agree-ment
to bring together the academic medical expertise of
SLUCare Physician Group with SSM Health’s community-based
care model to create an integrated health care network.
Ownership of SLUCare Physician Group transitioned to SSM
Health when the transaction closed last summer.
For decades, SLUCare Physician Group and SLU School of
Medicine partnered with SSM Health at SSM Health Cardinal
Glennon Children’s Hospital, SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital
and, more recently, at SSM Health Saint Louis University
Hospital. Integrating SLUCare Physician Group into SSM Health
gives the community improved, seamless access to all levels of
care.
SLU Celebrates Launch of Taylor Geospatial Institute
Saint Louis University President Dr. Fred P. Pestello announced the
launch of the Taylor Geospatial Institute in April 2022 during an event
at SLU’s Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building.
Led by Saint Louis University, the Taylor Geospatial Institute (TGI) is a
first-of-its-kind institution that brings together eight leading institutions to
collaborate on research into geospatial technology. The other collaborating
institutions are: The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Harris-Stowe
State University, Missouri University of Science and Technology, University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Missouri-Columbia,
University of Missouri-St. Louis and Washington University in St. Louis.
The TGI is funded by a legacy investment by Andrew C. Taylor, executive
chairman of Enterprise Holdings Inc. and founding chair of Greater St. Louis
Inc., with supporting investments from each of the eight member institu-tions.
The institute builds on St. Louis’ significant geospatial assets and
positions the region as the global center of geospatial innovation, impact
and excellence.
Taylor said the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s construction
of a new campus in North St. Louis combined with a visit to their current
St. Louis office led him to believe geospatial would play a big role in the city
going forward. He wanted to get involved and knew a regional collaboration
made the most sense.
The institute will be a hub for access to and development of technology
powered by big data analytics and computing resources to support research
and training.
Pestello speaks with Taylor after the launch of the Taylor Geospatial Institute.
INSTITUTE SECURES 1 MILLION GRANT
In October, the TGI received a $1 million grant from the National Science
Foundation to create the Taylor Geospatial Institute Regional AI Learning
System.
The three-year grant was awarded to Dr. Vasit Sagan, associate professor
of geospatial science at SLU and acting director of the TGI, along with Dr.
William T.C. Kramer and Dr. Shaowen Wang, both from the University of
Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
The high-performance computing and data analysis system, known as
TGI RAILS, will be housed at the National Petascale Computing Facility at
the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
“The integration of SLUCare into SSM Health-St. Louis creates
one of the most comprehensive, fully integrated academic and
community-based physician groups in the region, with more
than 1,200 providers,” SLU President Dr. Fred P. Pestello said.
“This partnership bolsters our collective goal to improve the
quality of life across generations and cultures while addressing
the social determinants of health that prevent our neighbors
from living life to the fullest. It will further serve to strengthen
the academic and research missions of the School of Medicine.”
SSM Health and SLUCare Physician Group committed to a
seamless transition, so patients experienced no disruption in
health care providers or location of services.
“Both SSM Health and Saint Louis University School of
Medicine have a rich legacy of providing hope and healing to
those in need across the St. Louis community,” Laura S. Kaiser
(Grad CSB ’85, Grad PH ’85), president and CEO of SSM Health,
said. “SSM Health’s founding congregation, the Franciscan
Sisters of Mary, first arrived in St. Louis 150 years ago. As stew-ards
of the healing ministry they began in 1872, we are thrilled
to be taking this next step in our shared mission to ensure
every patient gets the best care possible while keeping that care
affordable for the individuals and families we serve.”
The agreement also represents a significant investment in the
School of Medicine.
“Saint Louis University School of Medicine has a long tradi-tion
of excellence in academic leadership, educating the doctors
and scientists of the future, while advancing cutting-edge clin-ical
research and patient care,” Dr. Christine Jacobs, dean of the
School of Medicine and vice president of medical affairs, said.
“This partnership will expand the scope of our primary and spe-cialty
health care, allowing greater access to clinical trials for
our patients, while we educate diverse and committed future
physicians for our region, and grow our research in the School
of Medicine.”
SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital and parking
garage, viewed from Grand Boulevard
PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY
PHOTOS BY STEVE DOLAN
Longtime VPs Kauffman,
Fowler Retire
June marked the official retirements of two
long-serving Saint Louis University vice
presidents, Bill Kauffman and Jeff Fowler.
Kauffman, who was interim president of SLU
for the 2013-14 academic year, served as SLU’s
vice president, general counsel and secretary of
the University for more than 26 years. In the year
before his retirement, he continued to serve as
senior legal counsel and secretary of the University.
“We have all benefited from Bill’s selfless ded-ication
and wise leadership,” said SLU President
Dr. Fred P. Pestello. “As an attorney, Bill has served
SLU with distinction. As a colleague, his generosity
and mentorship will leave a lasting impact on the
University and those with whom he has worked.”
In honor of his retirement, contributions can be
made to the William R. Kauffman Student Higher
Education Law Legal Writing Competition.
Fowler, who most recently served as vice pres-ident
for marketing and communications, was at
SLU for more than two decades.
Following a career in broadcast journalism,
he joined SLU in 2000 as director of media rela-tions.
Fowler was promoted to associate vice
president for marketing and communications
in 2003. After six years, he was tapped to serve
as vice president for advancement. In 2014 he
became vice president of the new Marketing and
Communications Division.
“I have valued our collaboration, and I have
deep respect for Jeff’s integrity, loyalty and love
for Saint Louis University,” Pestello said. “We
are a better University for his contributions.”
Gifts in honor of Fowler’s retirement are
being directed to SLU’s Student Mental Health
Support Fund.
Kauffman Fowler
New Institute Will Advance Neuroscience Research
In November, Saint Louis University announced the launch of the
Institute for Translational Neuroscience (ITN). The institute brings
together experts in biochemistry, chemistry, pharmacology, social justice
and community outreach to study the physiology and diseases of the brain
and central nervous system, and thereby ease human suffering.
Under the direction of Dr. Daniela Salvemini, SLU’s William Beaumont
professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, and
growing out of the Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience,
ITN aims to improve human health through the work of pre-clinical and
clinical researchers in areas that include cognition, Alzheimer’s disease,
chronic neuropathic pain, opioids, metabolism and traumatic brain injury.
Comprising more than 100 members across six schools and colleges from
23 departments at SLU, the institute offers students the opportunity to
develop skills in neuroscience fields, beginning at the undergraduate level.
Salvemini speaks during the fourth annual “NeuroDay,”
the Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for
Neuroscience Research Symposium, in November.
PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY
PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY
ON CAMPUS
6 UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y WINTER 2023 7
SLU Reaches Largest
Enrollment in a Decade
This fall, Saint Louis University enrolled the
most students since 2012.
Consistent with its mission, the University
is continuing efforts — including test-optional
admissions — to make a SLU education more
accessible. SLU also has been reimagining ways
to introduce master’s programs to international
students and recruit them to join the campus
community.
BY THE NUMBERS
FALL 2022 ENROLLMENT
13,546
students total
8,437
undergraduates
5,109
graduate and
professional students
1,658
first-time, full-time
freshmen
999
students at SLU-Madrid
28.6%
increase in new
graduate student
enrollment
18%
of first-years who are
also first-generation
college students
24%
of first-year students
are eligible for
Federal Pell grants
3.9
average high school
GPA of this year’s
freshman class
Class of 2022 Honored at Commencement
During the annual commencement ceremony in May, the newest
members of the Billiken alumni family were praised for rising to the
occasion during a uniquely challenging time. The ceremony for the Class of
2022 marked the first in-person spring commencement since 2019.
The commencement speaker was Andrés Gallegos (Law ’93), the chair
of the National Council on Disability, who spoke about his own history of
tackling challenges. After a 1996 car accident resulted in his quadriplegia, he
began fighting for disability rights as a lawyer.
“The education that I received here is the foundation for my ability to pro-tect
the rights of people with disabilities throughout the country,” he said
to the graduates. “My hope for you is that you utilize the foundation of your
education at Saint Louis University to achieve all of your dreams, and to
enhance the communities where you are.”
HONORARY DEGREES
Gallegos and four others
received honorary degrees at
commencement. Other honorees
are listed below.
Dr. Isiaah Crawford (A&S ’82)
is president of the University
of Puget Sound in Tacoma,
Washington.
Patrick P. Lee (PC ’59) started the
Patrick P. Lee Foundation, which
provides funding to improve the
lives of those affected by mental
illness.
John Vatterott (A&S ’65)
established Vatterott College
in 1969. He and his wife Joan do
charitable work through the Joan
and John Vatterott Foundation.
CELEBRATING IN SPAIN
SLU-Madrid’s spring
commencement ceremony
returned to the Reina Sofía
Museum Auditorium for the first
time since 2019. SLU President
Dr. Fred P. Pestello was there to
congratulate the 44 graduates
from 11 countries and 11 U.S.
states.
During the ceremony, Jessie
J. Knight Jr. (A&S ’72) received
an honorary degree and spoke
about how his time at SLU-Madrid
shaped his business career. Knight
was executive vice president
of external affairs for Sempra
Energy, a Fortune 500 company.
He now is managing director
at Knight Angels Consulting, a
philanthropic organization.
Graduate Colleen Corcoran, who studied electrical engineering, waves to
the audience before the May 2022 commencement at Chaifetz Arena.
Students cross Grand Boulevard under a SLU archway.
O’LOUGHLIN FAMILY CHAMPIONS CENTER CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY
In May, Saint Louis University dignitaries gathered outside
Chaifetz Arena to officially break ground on a new facility that will
make a positive impact on all Billiken student-athletes.
The O’Loughlin Family Champions Center will deliver program-ming
related to academic advising, spiritual development, sports
performance, nutrition, wellness and sports psychology. The
25,000-square-foot building will feature leading-edge technology
to help deliver on the athletic department’s strategic objectives: to
educate, compete and build community.
The facility is scheduled to be completed in fall 2023.
BILLIKEN SOCCER
LEGACY CENTER OPENS
Another new ath-letic
facility — this
one specifically for the
Bi l l iken soccer pro-grams
— opened in
spring 2022. Robert
R. Hermann Stadium,
home to the men’s and
women’s soccer teams,
received an upgrade
with the construction of a new locker room and athletic training cen-ter,
the Billiken Soccer Legacy Center.
The 5,000-square-foot facility houses two locker rooms; a state-of-the-
art sports medicine facility; and a conference room overlooking
the pitch to be used for, among other things, meetings with prospec-tive
student-athletes.
ATHLETICS
TILLETT IS HEAD WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACH
In April, Rebecca Tillett became the eighth head
coach in Billiken women’s basketball history.
Tillett spent the last four years reinvigorating the
women’s team at Longwood University, a tenure
that culminated with a conference championship,
the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance
and the Lancers’ first NCAA Tournament victory. Prior to Longwood,
Tillett began to climb the ranks on Navy’s bench in 2014-15. In her
four seasons, Navy went 81-47.
The Steve N. Frank men’s locker room
in the Billiken Soccer Legacy Center
New Center Focuses on
Global Catholicism
Launched this fall, the Center for Research on
Global Catholicism (CRGC) brings together
three key components of SLU’s Jesuit history
and mission: a legacy of global engagement, a
commitment to rigorous academic inquiry and
a focus on social justice.
The CRGC is the only research center of its
kind to focus on Catholicism in a global context.
“Our ambition is to make SLU a destination for
research on global Catholicism,” CRGC Director
Dr. Mary Dunn said. “We are building a center
here at SLU that will be a hub for scholarship,
connecting our own faculty and students with
local archivists, national research centers and
the rich network of scholars around the world.”
Topgolf Under Construction
Near Campus
Sports entertainment company Topgolf will
bring its technology-enabled experience to
Midtown St. Louis with a new venue, expected
to open in late 2023. The facility will be south
of SLU’s campus at the intersection of Chouteau
and Compton avenues.
The open-air, three-level venue
University News - Volume 101, Issue 004 (February 24, 2023)
No full text24 pages.VOL. CI No. 4 / February 24th, 2023 UTHE UNIVERSITY NEWS FEBRUARY:
ROMANCE
BLACK HISTORY
& MARDI GRAS
THE MONTH OF
COVER DESIGN BY DIANA JAKOVCEVIC
02 News
S
Refugee students at a graduation ceremony in Kakuma, Kenya. (Photo courtesy of Jesuit Worldwide Learning)
SLU PARTNERS
WITH JESUIT
WORLDWIDE
LEARNING
IN KENYA
AND MALAWI
aint Louis University
is offering refugees at
two African camps the
opportunity to earn a
bachelor’s degree at
no cost through a new
partnership with Jesuit
Worldwide Learning (JWL).
The initiative, which begins in
October 2023, allows refugees to
obtain a Bachelor of Arts in General
Studies through SLU’s School for
Professional Studies (SPS), designed
for adult learners. The program will
initially be open for up to 25 students
at two refugee camps, Kakuma in
Kenya and Dzaleka in Malawi. It may
take on another 25 students in the
spring, including prospective students
from other camps.
“We’re really excited to be involved
with this program, because it is so
mission-focused,” SPS director of
general studies Kyle Crews, PhD, said.
“It really allows us to use our own
skills and training as educators for the
benefit of others.”
Students will first take a year of
online study, or 30 academic hours,
through Creighton University in
Omaha or the Xavier Institute of
Management University (XIMU) in
Bhubaneswar, India. SLU will then
provide the next three years of study,
or 90 hours, through asynchronous
virtual learning using software such
as Canvas. Students will take two
eight-week classes at a time from the
refugee camps and will meet together
at least once a week for shared support
time.
“We recognize the benefits of online
education, but we also recognize the
benefit of learning and working in a
community. This program has a bit
of the best of both of those worlds,”
associate provost Steve Sanchez said.
SLU’s partnership with the JWL was
arranged over the last year, initially
at the proposal of Martha Habash,
JWL USA’s academic director and a
professor of classics at Creighton
University. Provost Mike Lewis was
supportive of the idea and identified
the SPS as a good fit over its longtime
use of virtual learning and its
familiarity with
flexibility. Habash first requested
that SLU chip in a 30-hour program,
like Creighton’s or XIMU’s, but SLU
offered to take on 90 hours instead.
The students will be taught in
independent cohorts. Professors
may come from SLU, the JWL, or the
Jesuit-affiliated Ignatian Volunteer
Corps, consisting primarily of retired
professors. A JWL employee will be on-site
at both refugee camps to provide
tech support and academic coaching.
SLU is also undergoing a candidate
search for two new positions, Crews
said, ideally to be filled by October
2023: an academic director and a
support coordinator for the program.
Refugees face unique barriers
to education, Sanchez said, such
as reduced internet access and
increased personal responsibilities,
and differences in time zones
make instant communication with
professors difficult.
“It is a population and a program that
is harder to arrange for many reasons,
and harder to reach and harder to
serve because of the challenges that
these students, by no fault of their
own, have to face,” Sanchez said.
Founded in Geneva, Switzerland in
2010, JWL provides support for refu-gees
with the goal of “higher educa-tion
at the margins.” JWL operates 60
community centers in 20 countries,
and has been recognized by the UN’s
High Commissioner for Refugees and
Jesuit Superior General Arturo Sosa.
“[The program] is really transform-ing
lives and transforming commu-nities
because, in good pedagogical
fashion, we teach the students that
they shouldn’t just be living for them-selves
but really helping their com-munities
as well,” Habash said.
By ALEX ROZAR
Staff Writer
“We recognize the
benefits of online
education, but we also
recognize the benefit of
learning and working in a
community. This program
has a bit of the best of
both of those worlds,”
associate provost
Steve Sanchez said.
NEWS 03
wo former Saint Louis
University faculty
members — one who
taught at the university
as recently as July 2021 —
were added to the list of
Jesuits and former Jesuits
who have been credibly
accused of sexual abuse of minors or
vulnerable adults. The Jesuits of the U.S.
Central and Southern Province added
the late Daniel Campbell and David
Meconi to the list on Wednesday, Feb. 8.
Campbell was a faculty member at
SLU in the 1950s, during the time of
the alleged abuse. David Meconi, whose
estimated time of abuse was between
2015-2016, was a former Jesuit priest,
theology professor and founding
director of the Catholic Studies Center.
He worked at SLU up until July 2021
when the university said he was placed
on leave for matters unrelated to the
allegation. According to the province
list, there are a total of six Jesuit priests
with assignments at SLU who have
credible allegations of abuse.
The province informed the university
that investigations were opened in
February 2022 and concluded with “a
high degree of probability” last week that
the allegations took place, and “that the
possibility they did not occur is highly
unlikely,” according to an email sent to
the university community by President
Fred Pestello on Feb. 9.
“Our hearts are with those who
have suffered from abuse, and we are
committed to supporting efforts to
prevent abuse from happening to anyone
else,” Pestello said in the statement.
Father David Suwalsky, VP for the
Office of Mission and Identity, said the
university was not asked for participation
in conducting the investigation and
was not aware of any legal actions or
complaints against Meconi during his
time at SLU. Suwalsky also said the
university does not know the identity of
the victim or the location of the abuse.
“In this case, there was very little that
was shared by the province with the
university because my guess has been—
it’s only my guess—is whatever that
TWO FORMER SLU JESUITS CREDIBLY ACCUSED OF
SEXUAL ABUSE OF MINORS OR VULNERABLE ADULTS
By GABBY CHIODO &
Managing Editor
ULAA KUZIEZ
News Writer
matter was, didn’t intersect with the
university,” Suwalsky said.
Many students, now upperclassmen,
said they interacted with Meconi and
viewed him as a mentor and teacher
both in the classroom and in the
Catholic Church.
“I knew Father Meconi, well I guess
not father anymore, David Meconi
really well,” senior Paul Gillam said.
Meconi taught Gillam’s first-year
theology class and said he served as a
guide during his transition into college.
“He helped me find my place here at
SLU and helped share the faith with me
in a deep and authentic way,” Gillam
said.
He said the news came as a shock to
him and other SLU students. “I was in
the chapel after I found out, praying,
and one of my friends was there just
crying. She was heartbroken. We’re all
heartbroken,” Gillam said.
Gillam said he and his peers are
drawing close to both each other and
their faith during this tragic time. “We
just have to be there for one another,”
he said.
The provincial joined Jesuits of SLU
at the Jesuit Center for dinner on Feb. 8
and had a meeting afterward where the
province told them that the finding of
the investigations was culpability.
“To put it mildly, it was disappointing,
it’s embarrassing, it’s mind-boggling
that anyone would do such a thing,
period end of story,” Suwalsky said.
The time of abuse for the majority of
Jesuits on the USC Province list ranges
between 1950-80s, making Meconi’s
recent case especially surprising,
Suwalsky said.
“But this is, of course, somebody that
many of us knew and have worked with,
which was quite unexpected. There are
some faculty members who are more
directly impacted who worked in his
department and you know, so they saw
him as a colleague, a professional, as
a theologian. So this is not how you
typically think your coworker is going
to be,” Suwalsky said.
Theological Studies Department
Chair Daniel Smith said the news has
“shaken” his department.
“[I] voice my support for the victims/
survivors of sexual abuse, and to urge
folks to learn more about what we
can do to stop abuse and help those
impacted by it,” Smith said in an email
to the University News.
Campus Ministry hosted an event
the following day for “healing and
lament,” with an attendance of
approximately 10 people.
“Campus didn’t seem to be turned
upside down or anything, which was a
little bit unexpected. I thought there
would be a lot more shock among the
general student body,” Gillam said.
The muted reaction may be in part
due to the news breaking right before
SLU’s mental wellness day. Still, much
of the SLU community is struggling to
process the news.
“My heart hurts a lot for everyone
impacted,” Gillam said.
Suwalsky said he addressed the news
at Mass Thursday night. There is also
a concern for young alumni who knew
Meconi, he said, as it is harder to
assess their reactions or support them
collectively.
“For Catholic Studies, we were
concerned about how much would fall
on them,” Suawlsky said. “He had a
pretty robust fundraising program to
support Catholic Studies. How some
of those donors might respond, we’re
keeping an eye on that.”
Accusations of priests in the
Catholic Church molesting minors
and vulnerable adults date back to
the 1950s. A Church-commissioned
report in 2004 found that 4,000
Roman Catholic priests face sexual
abuse allegations in the last 50 years.
Pope Francis, who was appointed pope
in 2013, has taken several steps to
combat the sex abuse crisis. In March,
he released his reform program of the
Holy See bureaucracy and one of the
changes included bringing the pope’s
advisory committee on the prevention
of sexual abuse into the Vatican’s
powerful doctrine office which
oversees the Church’s investigations
of abuse cases.
This shift establishes the committee
as a more permanent and powerful
entity. Its members who include abuse
survivors can exert influence on the
decisions taken by the prelates who
weigh whether predator priests are
sanctioned and how
The Society of Jesus is accredited
by Praesidium, Inc., a national
organization that establishes and
maintains rigorous standards for
protecting children from religious and
other institutions. Every five years, the
province is audited and evaluated, in
order to maintain accreditation.
Jesuits undergo annual training
on proper behavior and protection
of children and vulnerable adults.
Additionally, Suawlsky said any Jesuit,
especially a priest, has to present a letter
of Good Standing to the archbishop
in order to be able to celebrate the
sacraments at SLU.
“When I was first ordained, this was not
required. It’s much stricter today. The
training is pretty sophisticated today.
So it’s a little surprising. It’s not like you
could do something and not know that it
was inappropriate,” Suwalsky said.
Carol Zarinelli Brescia, USC Province
Coordinator of Pastoral Support and
Outreach wrote in an email statement
to the University News that sexual
abuse violates trust and causes physical,
psychological and spiritual pain for the
victims as well as their families and
communities.
“In my role… I receive reports
of sexual abuse by Jesuits. I listen
compassionately to individuals’
experiences of sexual abuse and respond
pastorally, helping them find counseling
and other resources to assist in their
healing,” Brescia said.
As the university continues to
assess reactions and respond to the
community’s needs, Suwalsky said he
feels a “sense of betrayal” like everyone
else but urges students not to assign
guilt on SLU’s other Jesuit employees.
“There’s plenty of reasons for us to see
one another as sinners and worthy of
redemption, the offer of redemption, but
this is a whole different level,” Suawlsky
said.
Moving forward, Gillam hopes that
both the global Church and SLU’s
Jesuit community continue to deal with
allegations of abuse in an urgent and
transparent manner.
“You have to pray for the victims. We
can’t just look at our own image as a
church and say, what are people going to
think of us?” Gillam said. “Because when
the church becomes self-centered, when
the church only just stands and looks in
a mirror, that’s poison.”
*The Province urges anyone who has experienced
sexual abuse by a Jesuit to report the offense to law
enforcement. Survivors are also encouraged to call
Carol Zarinelli Brescia at 314-915-7168.
T
n Saturday, Feb. 11, Iran
celebrated the 44th
anniversary of the Islamic
Revolution. The 1978
uprising toppled the
existing Iranian monarchy
and created the Islamic
Republic. Iranian citizens marched
through the streets carrying flags and
posters with slogans of religious and
revolutionary statements.
The anniversary echoes the recent
political unrest the country has
experienced since early Sept. Protests
erupted following the death of
22-year-old Mahsa Amini, an Iranian-
Kurdish woman who was detained by
the country’s morality police. Protests
lasted for months and human rights
groups have estimated that nearly
20,000 protestors have been jailed
and 527 have been killed during the
government’s attempts to silence the
protests.
Matthew Nanes, a professor of
political science at SLU, explained
that it would be difficult for permanent
change to take place unless Iranian
allies were to step up and publicly back
the protests in Iran.
“A failed protest emboldens the
government,” Nanes said, emphasizing
that the time to take action is now.
He suggests that in order to make a
difference, community members must
speak out, while keeping the protests
in Iran dominating the media cycle.
Nanes says that “the people who are
protesting are just like us” – they want
everyday freedoms that people in the
United States have. This is especially
true for women who are held to very
strict standards under Iranian law,
requiring them to wear hijabs at all
times in public.
Nanes says that finding a way to
support those around you is as key
for students as it is likely everyone on
campus knows someone who has been
affected by the protests.
Overall, the reaction to the ongoing
crisis on SLU’s campus has been
relatively mild. “I’m concerned that
there isn’t more discussion about this
on campus and in the international
media. The coverage on Iran is basically
zero at this point,” Nanes said.
Some students, though, feel the
impact of these events every day.
Roseanne Germani, a senior at SLU,
says that learning of the events
through the media has been difficult.
Initially, the news of the protests felt
bittersweet. “As an Iranian-American,
my feelings were a mix of hope and
sadness. The news of continual protest
brings me hope that the current regime
will fall and the people will be free after
over 40 years of oppression,” Germani
said.
As the protests continued, though,
Germani felt the events on a personal
level.
“On the other hand, watching
children as young as nine years old
being murdered at the hands of the
government breaks my heart,” Germani
said.
Additionally, the SLU community
must educate themselves on the crisis,
whether they are directly impacted or
not, Germani said.
“I wish SLU students understood that
the people of Iran are fighting for basic
human rights and to get their country
back. It’s important to understand
that the people are separate from the
fundamentalist government currently
in power,” Germani said.
Germani is not the only student
speaking out for Iranian citizens and
students.
Last semester, students gathered at
the clocktower to show their support
for students protesting the Iranian
government’s regime. The event was
hosted in conjunction with a call-in
advocacy day in support of House
Concurrent 110 and Senate Concurrent
Resolution 47. These bills are official
acts “commending the bravery, courage
and resolve of the women and men of
Iran demonstrating in more than 80
cities and risking their safety to speak
out against the Iranian government’s
human rights abuses.”
According to Nanes, other countries
supporting the protests and revolutions
could turn the tides in favor of the
citizens.
On a local level, however, there are
ways SLU students can help.
HOW SLU STUDENTS CAN SHOW
SOLIDARITY TO THE IRAN CRISIS
O
04 NEWS
By GABBY CHIODO
Managing Editor
&
MADELYN KEIB
Staff Writer
(Ariana Magafas/The University News)
“Educating ourselves on what is
happening in Iran is key. The Iranian
government needs to be held accountable
by the international community, and we
can do this by spreading the news about
the terrible things that they are doing,”
Germani said.
Nanes echoes a similar sentiment and
says the protestors differ in their exact
goals but share a common theme of
freedom.
Germani and other students continue
to watch as the events unfold across the
globe with hope that permanent change
can come from the revolution.
“Iran is a highly educated country with
a beautiful history and culture. My hope
is that the outcome of this revolution
is such that the hundreds of innocent
lives lost were not for nothing” Germani
concludes.
“I wish SLU
students
understood that
the people of
Iran are fighting
for basic human
rights and to get
their country
back,” Roseanne
Germani said.
NEWS 05
aint Louis University has
been taking measures
towards creating a campus
that participates in numerous
sustainable practices.
Starting in 2009, campus-wide
initiatives were made
when SLU introduced single-stream
recycling. In 2014, two important energy
and water consumption goals were
introduced.
Although the Office of Sustainability
disbanded in 2016 due to reported
budget issues, SLU’s methods to
decrease waste through recycling and
composting have created an overall
positive change. But, the university has
struggled to ensures that these things
are being practiced properly.
Jeff Macko, Director of Grounds and
Custodial Services, said that his staff
ensure the bathrooms remain clean, the
trash and recycling is emptied, the lawn
is taken care of, and as of recently, other
roles related to sustainability.
SLU has done a lot to decrease
energy usage by changing its energy
sources through LED lighting, daylight
harvesting, solar panels, and LEED
certification,” Macko said.
Macko is also a contact point for
Green Billikens, said Lia Basden, who
is president of the organization. Macko
said that due to his role, he found
himself suddenly affiliated with this
particular group and SLU’s Sustainability
Committee.
Basden said she is particularly
disappointed by the decision to do away
with the Sustainability Office because
it leaves her feeling as though the
university is not prioritizing necessary
sustainable practices.
“I just feel like the fact that we do not
have an Office of Sustainability anymore
is very telling, because although I totally
understand sacrifices have to be made, I
don’t think I would believe it if someone
told me we don’t have the budget,”
Basden said.
The SLU website continues to provide
information about the Office of
Sustainability despite its hiatus.
SLU SUSTAINABLITY EFFORTS
ARE THEY ENOUGH?
By ASHLEIGH RYBSKI
Staff Writer
Macko explains that since
the disbanding SLU has had to
operationalize sustainability into what
the Department of Facilities does.
“We have definitely had to take on
some of the responsibilities as a result,”
Macko said.
Subsequently, SLU is attempting to
make do with the limited resources it
has available. Basden said she believes
the university could be doing more if
there are more resources.
It is evident that the disassembly of the
Sustainability Division has left other
key contributors feeling the pressure
to uphold SLU’s sustainability efforts,
including its student organizations.
“Trying to get student policy
initiatives approved is too much of an
uphill battle,” Basden said.
“It’s hard for us to focus on
creating actual systemic, sustainable
changes because we don’t have that
Sustainability Office connection that
we used to.”
In comparison, at Washington
University in St. Louis, there are several
green groups focused on a particular
aspect of sustainability. The groups
have access to address the intricateness
of its various practices due to the
provided institutional resources.
“That’s why I do think that we [Green
Billikens] try to put more energy into
community engagement rather than
policy because changing the overall
atmosphere and culture of the campus
is going to be more immediately
beneficial,” Basden said. “The hope is
to create a community of people who
care about sustainability.”
Arguably, however, the rising student
populations can encourage university
involvement with the cause, professor
and researcher for the Department
of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences,
Benjamin de Foy said.
“That’s the job of the current
student groups, who make sure there’s
continuity as seniors graduate, by
finding new people to keep what
they’re doing going,” de Foy said.
One action that SLU has taken that
de Foy is optimistic about is its signing
up to be a Laudato Si’ University. The
Laudato Si’ Action Plan, “is a worldwide
plan led in Rome by the Vatican to get
universities to sign up and do things
for sustainability,” de Foy said.
When a university signs on to
be a part of this organization, it is
promising to make a commitment to
form a group of students, faculty, and
administrators to be more conscious
and aware of their actions.
“All of us can cooperate as
instruments of God for the care of
creation, each according to his or her
own culture, experience, involvements
and talents”, Pope Francis said in his
encyclical, Laudato Si’.
In the recorded session, Apostolic
Preference: Working Together to Care
for the Earth, our Common Home, SLU
faculty met on April 1, 2022 to discuss
what this action plan looks like for
the university. The plan was created
in May 2022 and is expected to be
completed by May of this year.
“We are trying to come up with a
plan to send to the provost. We ideally
would like to h
Sunrise
No full textScannedV164SabaH is a Bosnian-language weekly newspaper that was published in the United States between December 1997 and October 2014. It was founded in Astoria, NY. In 2006, publishing was relocated to St. Louis, MO, but the newspaper continued its national distribution. A typical issue contains about 50 pages and features bold headlines and many photos, with articles from both Bosnia- and US-based contributors. SabaH was established to help Bosnian immigrants deal with life in their new home and keep them informed of events in their war-torn country. Its name translates to 'sunrise', symbolizing the arrival of a new generation of Bosnian immigrants in the US.Click on the blue Maximize button in the top right corner of each image to browse the pages of an issue. This project was made possible by a generous donation from Susan Powers of St. Louis, MO. Digitization is ongoing