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Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University
No full textSummmer 2021 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University.REMEMBERING DR. SMITH
Page 11
CHESS GRANDMASTER
Page 21
CORE CURRICULUM
Page 24
NEW HOSPITAL
Page 26
SEE WHAT GOES ON INSIDE THE NEW INTERDISCIPLINARY
SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING BUILDING
Page 14
PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
VOLUME 47, ISSUE 2
EDITOR
Laura Geiser
{A&S ’90, Grad ’92}
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Amy Garland {A&S ’97}
ART DIRECTOR
Matt Krob
CONTRIBUTORS
Clayton Berry
Marie Dilg {Grad SW ’94}
Maggie Rotermund
Maria Tsikalas
ON CAMPUS NEWS STORIES
University Public Relations
Billiken Media Relations
ON THE COVER
The Interdisciplinary
Science and Engineering
Building
Photo by Steve Dolan
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: 129,296
© 2021, Saint Louis University
All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole
or in part without
permission is prohibited.
Features Departments
11
REMEMBERING A VISIONARY
Reflections on the life and legacy of
Dr. Jonathan Smith, SLU’s chief diversity
officer. — By Clayton Berry
14
DESIGNED FOR DISCOVERY
The new Interdisciplinary Science
and Engineering Building is a
research hub. — By Marie Dilg
21
CHESS QUEEN
Student Dorsa Derakhshani came from Iran
for a game and for a degree. — By Amy Garland
24
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE
SLU has mapped out its first University-wide
core curriculum. — By Marie Dilg
26
GRAND NEW
See the new SSM Health SLU Hospital
and Center for Specialized Medicine.
2
ON CAMPUS
Success amid the pandemic /// New provost
/// Commencement /// Jesuit Center ///
Campaign update /// Rankings news ///
Women’s soccer /// Ignatian Year
30
CLASS NOTES
31
HOW I GOT HERE
Erin Loos Cutraro {Grad A&S ’02}
32
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Dana J. Boente {CSB ’76, Grad CSB ’77, Law ’82}
34
IN MEMORIAM
36
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
37
THE LAST LOOK
The entry atrium of the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering building photographed from the
third floor. For more on the research that goes on inside the ISE, see the story on page 14. PHOTO BY DOUGLAS GARFIELD
Through relentless planning of our campus experts
and superb execution across our University, we
were able to continue to advance knowledge, edu-cate
students and serve patients with the excellence and
compassion for which we are known. I am sure that you,
like me, could not be prouder of how of the SLU faculty, staff
and students continued to serve our mission and advance
our vision amidst the severe disruption of the pandemic.
In this issue of Universitas, we feature a few of the many
successes of the past year, including the opening of the new
Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building (page
14). We also report on some of those new to the University
or moving into new positions, such as our provost, Dr.
Mike Lewis, who is working to take SLU to new heights in
academic success and as a preeminent research university
(page 4).
Sadly, days before this issue was going to press, we
learned the devastating news of the passing of our beloved
vice president for diversity and community engagement. Dr.
Jonathan Smith was always working to make things as they
We have had a remarkable year here at Saint Louis
University. Amidst one of the greatest challenges
in our lifetime — the COVID-19 pandemic — we
persevered and succeeded thanks to the adaptability,
hard work and compliance with COVID protocols
displayed by the staff, faculty and students of SLU.
PHOTO BY STEVE DOLAN
ought to be. The grieving SLU community came together
to host a memorial service that attracted Jonathan’s fam-ily,
friends and colleagues from across the country. One
consistent theme of the service was that Jonathan’s work is
far from finished. It is up to those of us who remain to con-tinue
to advance the initiatives to which he devoted his life.
As the summer begins to draw to a close and we prepare
to welcome one of the largest entering classes of students
in our 203-year history, I want to express my appreciation
to all of you who wrote and called in support of our efforts
and decisions to navigate the complexities and challenges
of the past year.
May God bless you and Saint Louis University.
Dr. Fred P. Pestello
President
2 UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y
ON CAMPUS
SUMMER 2021 3
SLU Successfully Completes Academic Year Amid Pandemic
Saint Louis University successfully wrapped up its 2020-21 academic
year — one that brought unprecedented challenges due to a global
pandemic — without having to suspend its commitment to mostly
in-person classes, entirely in-person labs and on-campus living.
“Every member of our Saint Louis University community should be
proud of all we have accomplished this past year, much of which many
thought impossible a year ago,” said University President Dr. Fred P.
Pestello. “The pandemic tested us, and we pulled together and rose to
the challenges as One SLU.”
Pestello continued: “I have heard from many students and parents
about how well SLU communicated with them and how positive it was
to them that we kept our campus open and taught primarily in person.”
But why was SLU able to keep its campus open at a time when other
colleges across the country were being forced to shelter in place, sus-pend
in-person classes or move completely online?
Among many other factors, University officials point to a decision
early in the crisis to engage SLU’s experts and solicit them to lead the
University’s response to COVID-19, including three uniquely qualified
faculty members:
Dr. Terri Rebmann (Grad VSN ’06), professor of
epidemiology and biostatistics, and director of SLU’s
Institute for Biosecurity, served as a special assis-tant
to the president with overarching authority on
all matters related to COVID-19. Rebmann has been
at the center of the University’s integrated COVID-prevention
team.
Dr. Rachel Charney, professor of pediatric emer-gency
medicine and director of disaster preparedness
for SLU’s School of Medicine and SLUCare, directed
the University’s contact tracing program. The team’s
quick work prevented extensive community spread
as approximately 40 percent of quarantined students
ultimately tested positive for COVID.
Deborah Horton (Grad VSN, PH ’09), assistant
professor of nursing and expert on disaster prepared-ness
in schools, directed SLU’s weekly asymptomatic
testing program, which conducted more than 22,000
COVID-19 tes t s . She a l so has over seen the
University’s state-authorized vaccine clinics, which
have vaccinated more than 13,300 people to date.
The three experts agree SLU was well positioned to succeed in the
fight against COVID-19 as a Jesuit research university with medical,
nursing, physician assistant, and public health schools and programs, as
well as its own physician practice.
“We have expertise at Saint Louis University that is just not avail-able
at other universities,” said Rebmann, who also coordinated weekly
meetings of area college officials and local health department leaders.
“And we worked together as a team to address what we needed,” added
Charney, who helped organize similar sessions among the region’s
health systems. “We used our own strengths to support each other,
which I think was awesome.”
And one of those strengths was the commitment of students to do
their part. Beyond complying with SLU’s stringent public health safe-guards,
students contributed in many other ways. Chief among them:
Students from SLU’s Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing conducted
weekly asymptomatic tests and staffed on-campus vaccination clinics.
Physician assistant students from SLU’s Doisy College of Health
Sciences also administered vaccinations.
Graduate students in the University’s College for Public Health and Social
Justice served as the primary members of SLU’s contact tracing team.
Students from many majors conducted audits for compliance with
campus safeguards and provided peer education as part of a Public
Health Ambassadors program unique to SLU.
Students volunteered to deliver meals to their fellow Billikens in iso-lation
and quarantine housing, while Campus Ministry interns made
them care packages.
“There were many students throughout the University who helped
provide whatever support we needed,” said Horton, who also helped
organized vaccine clinics for parishioners from area churches and local
refugees, among others.
RESPONDING AS ONESLU
In keeping with the OneSLU spirit, winning the battle against
COVID-19 required the hard work and dedication of every member
of the University community. Key efforts included:
Essential personnel reporting to work daily to keep the campus open;
faculty managing face-to-face and online instruction simultaneously;
and staff working remotely to help “de-densify” the campus.
Improving ventilation and filtration systems in buildings, installing
hundreds of touchless hand sanitizers in common areas, reconfig-uring
event spaces for use as classrooms and following enhanced
cleaning protocols recommended by the CDC.
Rapidly deploying new technologies to enable remote learning and
working, launching the symptom-checking app #CampusClear and
increasing on-site technical support.
Developing a detailed housing plan — approved by the city’s health
authorities — that allowed SLU to safely accommodate all students
who wanted to live on campus.
PREPARING FOR FALL 2021
Planning for as normal a fall semester as possible — operating
largely face to face with full classrooms and labs, on-campus liv-ing
and in-person events — SLU announced in June that it will require
COVID-19 vaccinations for all students, staff and faculty who are phys-ically
present on the St. Louis campus. The requirement also applies
to students from the St. Louis campus studying abroad, including
SLU-Madrid.
Recommended by a group of faculty, staff and students, SLU’s vac-cine
requirement aligns with the latest guidance issued by the CDC that
states that institutions of higher education where all faculty, staff and
students are fully vaccinated can return to normal, full-capacity opera-tions.
To date, nearly 600 U.S. colleges and universities have announced
vaccine requirements for their campuses. —By Clayton Berry
PHOTO BY STEVE DOLAN
SLU RESPONDS TO COVID-19
SLU’s first large-scale COVID-19 vaccination event
at Simon Recreation Center in March. Additional
clinics were held on campus throughout the spring.
Volunteers, including undergraduate students, from
the Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing and
SLU’s physician assistant program worked the clinics.
Non-clinical volunteers from departments across
campus staffed the registration tables and assisted
with scheduling second-dose appointments.
70-80%
Approximate percentage of SLU
classes this academic year that were
fully or primarily in person.
3,500+
Students who lived on campus — of SLU’s
12,000-person student body. SLU reduced
its housing occupancy by about 10% in a
plan approved by city health officials.
0
Documented cases of disease
transmission in SLU classrooms, lab
spaces or other educational settings.
40,000+
Doses of vaccine stored on campus for
the Missouri National Guard to support
mass vaccination efforts in the region.
150+
Updates sent to the SLU community
from University leaders since the crisis
began last year. Communication was
a priority during the pandemic.
By the Numbers
A member of the SLU community receives a COVID-19 vaccination from
nursing student Sarah Litzsinger (RIGHT) at Simon Recreation Center.
PHOTO BY STEVE DOLAN
4 UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGA ZINE OF SAINT LOUI S UNIVERS I T Y SUMMER 2021 5
ON CAMPUS
RANKINGS
ATHLETICS
SLU Graduate, Professional Programs Again
Among Nation’s Best in U.S. News Rankings
Saint Louis University has 25 graduate and professional programs ranked in
the top 100 in the 2022 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s
Best Graduate Schools” guide, which was released in March.
The School of Law’s health law program was named No. 2 in the country,
continuing a long tradition of holding a top spot since rankings for the discipline
were first published nearly 20 years ago. A dozen other SLU law programs were
ranked in the top 100 as well, including clinical training, which improved 30
spots to No. 56.
Several graduate programs at SLU rose in the U.S. News rankings this year,
including the Master of Science in Nursing program, which climbed 18 spots
into the nation’s top 50 among more than 500 nursing graduate programs.
Rankings for the School of Medicine also improved this year. Among the more
than 150 accredited M.D. programs in the United States, SLU ranked No. 46 for
primary care and No. 70 for research.
The data for the rankings came from statistical surveys of more than 2,125
programs and reputation surveys sent to more than 23,000 academics and
professionals, conducted in fall 2020 and early 2021.
SLU’s Top 50 U.S. News Graduate Rankings for 2022
BUSINESS
9 International
14 Entrepreneurship
16 Supply Chain
LAW
2 Health Care
31 Law - Part Time
HEALTH AND MEDICINE
46 Medical Schools -
Primary Care
48 Nursing Schools -
Master’s
NOTE: U.S. News & World Report does not re-rank all graduate programs every year;
some disciplines are ranked on four- or six-year cycles.
More Recent Rankings
Saint Louis University made The Princeton Review’s
list of Best Value Colleges for 2021 and was ranked No.
10 on its list of the Top 20 (Private) Schools for Making
an Impact — the only Jesuit university on that list.
SLU ranks No. 8 on The Wall Street Journal’s 2021 list
of the top 10 colleges in big Midwestern cities. The
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College
Rankings also put SLU No. 6 among the top 10 Catholic
universities in the country, a placement SLU has held
for multiple years.
Niche ranked the Trudy Busch Valentine School of
Nursing as the No. 8 best college in the country for
nursing.
College Consensus ranked SLU as the No. 9 best
Catholic college in the country with online degree
programs and No. 24 overall. The site called SLU “one of
the most respected Catholic universities in the nation.”
SLU ranks No. 22 on Intelligent.com’s list of the
top Project Management Degree programs for 2021.
SLU’s Bachelor of Science in Project Management was
recognized for Best Accelerated Program.
College Factual ranked the College for Public Health
and Social Justice as the No. 1 undergraduate public
health program in the Plains States region and 27th in
the nation. The site’s ranking analyzed 105 colleges and
universities that offer a bachelor’s degree in public health.
Best Health Degrees named SLU’s radiation therapy
program among the top 25 Best Radiation Science
programs, ranking No. 8 in the nation.
SLU’s Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business was
recognized by Poets&Quants for Undergrads on its
2021 list of the top 100 programs for undergraduate
business schools. SLU ranked No. 60 for outcomes
and No. 72 overall in the nation. The Chaifetz School
of Business was one of only two schools in Missouri to
make this national ranking.
Women’s Soccer Ends Winning
Season at NCAA Tournament
SLU’s women’s soccer team captured the A-10 Championship title in April,
becoming the first women’s soccer team in conference history to capture both
regular-season and tournament titles in three consecutive seasons.
The team secured an automatic bid and was the No. 15 seed in this year’s NCAA
Women’s Soccer Championship, marking its third consecutive appearance in the
championship and fifth in program history. SLU earned a first-round bye in the
NCAA Championship, which was reduced from the customary 64 teams to 48,
with the top 16 teams seeded into the second round. Unfortunately, the Billikens
were eliminated in penalty kicks following a 0-0 tie with the Washington Huskies.
The Billikens went into the national tournament on the heels of a 10-game winning
streak, having outscored its opponents 40-9 this season.
PHOTO BY BILL BARRETT
The women’s soccer team celebrates.
FROM LEFT: Karsen Kohl, Hannah Friedrich,
Abbie Miller, Emily Groark and
Hannah Larson
Lewis Named
Permanent Provost
In Feburary, Dr. Michael Lewis was appointed
permanent provost of Saint Louis University. The
appointment followed a national search that
began in August 2020.
The provost serves as the University’s chief
academic officer. In addition to academic
oversight, the divisions of Enrollment and
Retention Management, Research, and Student
Development, and the Office of Diversity and
Community Engagement all report to the
provost.
Lewis had been SLU’s interim provost since July 2020. Prior to that
appointment he served as interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
for the 2019-20 academic year, and as acting provost from August 2018 to
January 2019. In 2013, he began serving as associate provost, overseeing
the University’s Office of Faculty Affairs. He has been a member of the
chemistry faculty since 2004.
“I strongly believe Mike is the best person for the job. He is a trusted leader
and a person who can dive right in immediately, without the need for a
lengthy period of acclimation and trust-building with faculty, staff and
students,” said University President Dr. Fred P. Pestello. “He has a deep
commitment to our Catholic, Jesuit mission and will be a champion for
enhancing the diversity, equity and inclusion on our campuses and in our
community.”
“It is humbling to be named SLU’s permanent provost,” Lewis said. “I have
been a member of the community for nearly 17 years, and I know the
amazing capabilities of our faculty and staff.
“I understand the incredible talents of our students and the transformative
nature of a SLU education,” he continued. “I am thrilled to continue
working with this community, enhancing our educational experience,
expanding the impact of our research and scholarship, and leading with
fidelity to our Jesuit mission as we seek to embody equity and justice at SLU
and throughout the St. Louis region.”
Lewis said one of his top priorities will be working with the deans and
faculty on development of an academic strategic plan for the University.
He also is committed to continuing his leadership of pressing and complex
academic issues, including: unit resource disparities, recruitment and
retention of faculty of color, implementation of the new core curriculum,
faculty workload disparities, academic portfolio review, and minority
student success and retention throughout the University.
“We need to address diversity, equity and inclusion at SLU, and this will be a
long-term priority,” Lewis said.
In a message to the SLU community at the time of his appointment, Lewis
expanded on his goals. “Our new University core needs continued support,
and we must assure the success of this fall’s pilot,” he said. “The attention
to managing our resources more effectively and efficiently needs to remain
a constant. And we must become more flexible and nimble in developing
new ways to attract and enroll students.”
In 2009, Lewis received the College of Arts and Sciences’ William V.
Stauder, S.J., Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Natural Sciences.
And from 2016-19, he received funding from the National Institutes of
Health as a co-investigator on research to understand the thermodynamics
and structure of RNA secondary structure motifs.
Lewis
Celebrate the Ignatian Year
The International Association of Jesuit Universities
has invited Jesuit institutions across the world to
celebrate the Ignatian Year, which began on May 20 —
the 500-year anniversary of the wounding of St. Ignatius
Loyola during the Battle of Pamplona in 1521.
During Ignatius’ recovery from that wound, he
underwent a spiritual conversion and set out to
establish the Society of Jesus. The resulting Jesuit spir-ituality
and form of education have shaped millions of
people over the past five centuries.
“While this Ignatian Year encourages all of us to
reflect upon what we have received through the inspi-ration
of St. Ignatius, it also provides an opportunity
to look forward to consider how the Jesuit works of a
city or region like St. Louis might work together more
closely, how we might more effectively promote the
spirituality of St. Ignatius at Saint Louis University,”
said David Suwalsky, S.J. (Grad A&S ’89, ’10), SLU’s
vice president for mission and identity.
Throughout the Ignatian Year, SLU will offer
resources for alumni, students, faculty and staff to
reflect upon the life of St. Ignatius and deepen their
understanding of his spiritual legacy.
The celebratory year will conclude on the Feast Day
of St. Ignatius on July 31, 2022.
GeoSLU Awarded 5 million to train the
Department of Defense and National Geospatial-
Intelligence Agency (NGA) in geoinformatics and
geospatial data sciences.
Over the next five years, SLU faculty will teach a
variety of subjects, including GIS mapping, remote
sensing, data science, geospatial analytics, coding,
artificial intelligence/machine learning and cyber-security,
as a part of the NGA’s GEOINT Learning
through Academic Programs.
The agreement allows the existing workforce to be
trained in these new technologies and methodologies.
It also reaffirms GeoSLU’s role as a leader in geospatial
training and continues to build St. Louis’
Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University
No full textWinter 2020 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University.Back to Campus:
COVID-19 Edition
STORIES FROM SLU’S
SUCCESSFUL SEMESTER
How SLU Responded: Page 10
Resident Expert: Page 26
CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER
Page 18
REIMAGINING JUSTICE
Page 24
ALUMNUS DR. ALEX GARZA
Page 31
PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
In this issue, you will hear the stories of seven members of our campus commu-nity
who share their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, navigating
challenges and finding opportunities to thrive and serve. You will read about the
remarkable work happening at Saint Louis University to address racial injustice on
our campus, in the greater community and beyond. And you will meet some remark-able
people along the way — people who live the mission of our resilient University.
I am filled with pride about SLU when I read their stories, which reflect the every-day
work and sacrifice of our faculty, clinicians, staff and students under current
COVID-19 restrictions.
It is important that each of us seek the things that bring us peace, joy and happiness
amid the suffering and isolation caused by this raging pandemic. I can best explain
what I try to do by sharing a tale that goes straight to the essence of our University.
One of the best-known stories about the Jesuits is the story of the cannonball and the
conversion of Iñigo Lopez de Loyola, better remembered as St. Ignatius Loyola.
In 1521 during the Battle of Pamplona, Ignatius — a dashing soldier — was gravely
wounded by a cannonball. This was devastating for the vain man from a wealthy
family who lived the good life and would be called a playboy in today’s language.
Bedridden for months, a bored Ignatius read the only two books around. One was
a life of Christ and the other was a collection of stories about the saints. As Ignatius
read, he came to admire the saints, yet, he continued to dream of returning to the life
of fame and luxury. Over time he found, however, that he felt more satisfied and at
peace when he contemplated the lives of the saints. His values began to change, and he
was converted to a spiritual life dedicated to serving Christ — a simple life this man of
privilege found to be more meaningful.
This special issue of Universitas reminds us of how blessed
we are to be part of a community of men and women who
are truly for and with others.
PHOTO BY DOUGLAS GARFIELD Pestello with his spouse, Dr. Fran Pestello, on campus in August
This virus-imposed isolation has found many of us,
me included, cut off from many routine pleasures —
attending celebrations with family, dining out with
friends, conversing with co-workers in person and
traveling to faraway cities.
My COVID-19-restricted life has led me to recon-sider
what gives me the greatest pleasure and reflect
upon what truly matters. I find joy in the much simpler
pleasures of life — the beauty in nature and architec-ture
in my Central West End neighborhood, nearby
Forest Park and on our beautiful, urban campus; a
glass of wine on the back patio; and meaningful con-versations
with my spouse, Fran, and our family.
As a person accustomed to working long days out of
the house, rushing from one meeting or event to the
next one, on and off campus, I have surprised myself
by finding happiness in the slowing down and the
rediscovery of the spiritual dimension of my life and
work. I pray that you and your families have found and
continue to find peace and joy during this time of sub-stantial
social contraction.
May God bless you, and may God continue to bless
Saint Louis University.
Dr. Fred P. Pestello
President
VOLUME 47, ISSUE 1
EDITOR
Laura Geiser {A&S ’90, Grad ’92}
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Amy Garland {A&S ’97}
ART DIRECTOR
Matt Krob
CONTRIBUTOR
Marie Dilg {Grad SW ’94}
ON CAMPUS NEWS STORIES
University Public Relations
Billiken Media Relations
ON THE COVER
Students near Lipic Clock
Tower Plaza on the first day
of classes, Aug. 17, 2020
Photo by Douglas Garfield
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: 125,736
© 2021, Saint Louis University
All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part
without permission is prohibited.
Dr. Amber Johnson with a Justice Fleet truck.
For more, see the story on page 24.
Features Departments
10
HOW SLU RESPONDED
Seven perspectives on success from
SLU’s fall semester — By Laura Geiser
18
WORK IN PROGRESS
A Q&A with SLU’s chief diversity officer,
Dr. Jonathan Smith — By Amy Garland
24
REIMAGINING JUSTICE
SLU social justice advocates work for
change and equity. — By Marie Dilg
26
RESIDENT EXPERT
SLU’s infectious disease specialist focuses
on campus safety. — By Marie Dilg
2
ON CAMPUS
ISE Building dedicated /// Vaccine trials ///
Campaign milestone /// SSM SLU Hospital ///
Rankings news /// E-transcripts /// Prospect
Yards update
28
CLASS NOTES
31
HOW I GOT HERE
Dr. Alexander G. Garza (Grad PH ’03)
34
IN MEMORIAM
36
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
37
THE LAST LOOK
PHOTO BY STEPHEN DOLAN
2 | UNIVERSITAS | THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y
ON CAMPUS
PHOTO BY KEVIN LOWDER
At the ribbon-cutting for the ISE Building on Sept. 26: (from
left) Jim Shaughnessy (CSB ’89) of BSI Constructors Inc.;
Dr. Michael Lewis, interim provost; Chris Chivetta, president
of Hastings+Chivetta architects; Paul Shaughnessy of BSI; Joseph
Shaughnessy (IT ’57), co-founder of BSI; David Suwalsky, S.J, vice
president for mission and identity; Joe Conran (A&S ’67, Law ’70), chairman
of SLU’s board of trustees; Dr. Fred P. Pestello, SLU president; Dr. Michael
Goldwasser, chair of the Department of Computer Science; Dr. Terra
Edwards, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology; and Sophia
Izhar, a biology major and member of the Student Government Association.
WINTER 2021 | 3
PHOTO BY GARRETT CANDUCCI
SLU Dedicates
Interdisciplinary
Science and
Engineering
Building
Saint Louis University
dedicated its newest
academic building,
the 50 million
Interdisciplinary
Science and
Engineering (ISE)
Building, during a
virtual ceremony
in September. The
90,000-square-foot,
three-story structure
opened in July.
University President
Dr. Fred P. Pestello said
the building furthers
SLU’s vision of being a
global, Jesuit university
— one that is mission-focused,
student- and
patient-centered,
and research-driven;
one that works with
citizens in the region to
reimagine, transform
and unify St. Louis.
The ISE Building
features innovative
teaching lab spaces
for bioinformatics,
biology, biomedical
engineering,
chemistry,
neuroscience and
computer science
courses that
support all science,
engineering, nursing
and health science
majors.
Pestello and others
praised everyone
involved in ensuring
the building opened
on time despite the
COVID-19 pandemic,
including designers
Hastings+Chivetta,
general contractor
BSI Constructors Inc.
and SLU’s Division of
Facilities Services.
4 | UNIVERSITAS | THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y
ON CAMPUS
RANKINGS
SLU Honored with
Top Rankings
Each fall, college rankings are released
by organizations from U.S. News & World
Report to Niche to the Princeton Review.
Here are some of the latest rankings earned
by Saint Louis University.
U.S. News Best Colleges 2021
103 of all national universities, schools that
“offer a full range of undergraduate
majors, plus master’s and doctoral
programs, and emphasize faculty
research or award professional
practice doctorates”
15 in INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
(UNDERGRADUATE)
36 in ENTREPRENEURSHIP
(UNDERGRADUATE)
48 in “BEST VALUE SCHOOLS”
68 in “BEST COLLEGES FOR VETERANS”
The Princeton Review Best 386
Colleges 2021 Edition
2 among the universities MOST
ENGAGED IN COMMUNITY
SERVICE
4 in “IMPACT SCHOOLS,” based on
student responses about service
opportunities, student government,
sustainability efforts and on-campus
student engagement
17 in “BEST COUNSELING SERVICES,”
based on student assessments of
campus services
34 in UNDERGRADUATE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Niche 2021 Best Colleges
8 among 164 CATHOLIC COLLEGES
8 in NURSING
10 in KINESIOLOGY AND
PHYSICAL THERAPY
29 in PUBLIC HEALTH
39 in CRIMINAL JUSTICE
42 in SPORTS MANAGEMENT
45 in ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE
SLU Conducts Two COVID-19 Vaccine Trials
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a toll worldwide, researchers at
Saint Louis University’s Center for Vaccine Development enrolled participants
in two different phase 3 clinical trials. The trials studied the effectiveness, safety and
immune response generated by vaccines co-developed by scientists at Moderna and
the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Vaccine Research
Center and by Janssen Pharmaceutical Cos. of Johnson & Johnson.
In August, SLU’s vaccine center enrolled participants in the first study as part
of a larger Moderna trial that involved 30,000 participants across the country.
Participants received two injections, 28 days apart.
The vaccine center began enrolling participants in the Janssen trial in December.
This trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of a single vaccine dose of the Janssen
investigational COVID-19 vaccine candidate.
“Scientists around the country have been working tirelessly to develop a vaccine that
is safe and protects against COVID-19,” said Dr. Sharon Frey, clinical director of SLU’s
Center for Vaccine Development and principal investigator of both trials at SLU.
“St. Louisans will play a key role in the historic effort to develop a COVID-19 vac-cine,”
Frey said. “It’s important that we study the vaccine for all people, including
healthy people, those with underlying conditions, people over 60, as well as those who
are younger and people of all races and ethnicities.”
For both trials, researchers evaluated the vaccines in adults 18 years and older who
were randomly assigned to receive the vaccines or placebos.
SLU’s Center for Vaccine Development is part of the NIAID-supported COVID-19
Prevention Network (CoVPN). The CoVPN is composed of existing NIAID-supported
clinical research networks with infectious disease expertise and is designed for rapid
and thorough evaluation of vaccine candidates and monoclonal antibodies for the
prevention of COVID-19.
Frey
SLU Noted for COVID-19 Community Outreach
SLU ranked No. 7 in the nation on Great Value Colleges’ list of the 30 U.S. col-leges
excelling in community outreach. The ranking specifically highlighted
the University’s continued commitment to service since the start of the COVID-19
pandemic.
The ranking methodology reflects how colleges and universities have adapted their
community support during the pandemic.
PHOTO BY ELLEN HUTTI
WINTER 2021 | 5
NEW DEANS AND
ADMINISTRATORS
Dr. Sarah
Cunningham
VICE PRESIDENT FOR
STUDENT DEVELOPMENT
Cunningham, who
joined SLU on Feb. 15, came to SLU from
Johns Hopkins University, where she was
the assistant vice provost for student
life strategy and policy. Previously, she
served in student affairs leadership roles
at the University of Chicago, University
of Florida and George Mason University.
Cunningham succeeded Dr. Debra Lohe,
director of SLU’s Reinert Center for
Transformative Teaching and Learning,
who had served as interim vice president
since December 2019.
Dr. Barnali Gupta
EDWARD JONES DEAN FOR
THE RICHARD A. CHAIFETZ
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Before joining SLU
in January, Gupta was associate dean
for curriculum in the Farmer School of
Business at Miami University of Ohio,
where she was also the first female faculty
member to hold the rank of full professor
in Miami’s Department of Economics.
She is an economist with a specialization
in industrial organization and applied
game theory. Gupta succeeded Dr. Scott
Duellman, Alfred V. Dunkin Professor of
Accounting and associate professor, who
had served as interim dean since fall 2019.
David Suwalsky, S.J.
(Grad A&S ’89, ’10)
VICE PRESIDENT FOR
MISSION AND IDENTITY
Suwalsky began his
term in July 2020. Just prior to this
appointment, he was chair of SLU’s
Department of Theological Studies. He
also previously served at SLU as the
director of academic initiatives in the
Office of Mission and Identity and as
director of museums and galleries. He
also was president of Jesuit High School
in Sacramento, California, from 2011-2017.
Suwalsky succeeded Chris Collins, S.J.
(Grad A&S ’01).
ACCELERATING EXCELLENCE
FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN
REACHES MILESTONE
Two years into its public phase, the University’s Accelerating
Excellence fundraising campaign has reached another mile-stone,
raising more than 400 million of the historic effort’s
422,053,714
ACADEMIC
EXCELLENCE
81,530,385
HEALTH
SCIENCES
31,850,466
ATHLETICS
1 MILLION+
GIFTS
INCREASE IN
UNIVERSITY’S
ENDOWMENT
SINCE THE
BEGINNING OF
THE CAMPAIGN
(AS OF JUNE 30, 2020)
ENDOWED CHAIRS,
PROFESSORSHIPS
AND FACULTY
ACADEMIC
PROGRAM FUNDS
CREATED SINCE
THE BEGINNING
OF THE CAMPAIGN
150M
50M
6 | UNIVERSITAS | THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y
SLUMA
Offers
Online
Exhibits
Looking for a cultural
fix from the comfort
of your home? Visit
the Saint Louis
University Museum
of Art virtually and
tour immersive
exhibits ranging
from the role rising
temperatures play
in affecting insect
song to the Civil War.
The University’s
museums and
galleries remain
closed to the public
until further notice.
Learn more and
plan a virtual visit
at slu.edu/sluma.
ARTS
SLU Partners with
Neighborhood
Association for
Housing
Saint Louis University and
the Gate Di s t r ic t Wes t
Neighborhood Association held
a groundbreaking ceremony in
September to celebrate nearly 50
new homes and condos coming to
the Midtown neighborhood near
the University’s medical center.
While SLU owned the par-cels
and was closely involved in
the redevelopment process, the
neighborhood association took
the lead in issuing requests for
proposals and selecting developers.
“You can do a development to a neighborhood or you
can do a development with a neighborhood. This devel-opment
was done with the neighborhood,” said Lewis
Reed, president of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen.
Marlene Davis, alderwoman of the 19th Ward, gave
kudos to Brooks Goedeker (MSW ’04), director of the St.
Louis Midtown Redevelopment Corp. This joint effort
between SLU and SSM Health oversees development in
a 400-acre area that includes Gate District West.
The neighborhood association selected four develop-ment
firms to acquire the SLU properties: Simone’s LLC,
Black Lab Development, Prime Property Investments
and UIC Homes. Their plans call for a total of 35 sin-gle-
family homes and 12 condos with prices ranging
from the 300,000s.
The association also selected a proposal from Habitat
for Humanity Saint Louis, which plans to build seven
new affordable homes in the neighborhood. SLU
sold the parcels at a below-market price and used the
proceeds for a home-repair program for current neigh-borhood
residents.
The new housing is expected to be finished in the next
two years.
A bulldozer breaks ground on one of the parcels in the Gate District West
neighborhood that are being redeveloped for new housing.
New SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital Opens
Saint Louis University and SLUCare Physician Group
joined SSM Health in a celebration of the new SSM
Health Saint Louis University Hospital and outpatient
care facility. The new hospital opened Sept. 1.
University President Dr. Fred P. Pestello ref lected
on the decision to partner with SSM Health, a decision
made early in his tenure at SLU.
“It became clear to us that SSM Health was the partner
for us, sharing our Catholic values and mission,” he said.
“These two organizations always put patients first. So
our patients will continue to get cutting-edge medical
care by compassionate clinicians in a state-of-the-art
facility.”
The 1 Million Gifts
Support Campaign
THE BIONDI CHAN SCHOLARSHIP
SLU trustee Dr. Winston Chan
(A&S ’81, ’83) made a 1 million
gift to the University to create the
Biondi Chan Scholars Fund, which
supports students from rural areas
of China who require financial
assistance to study at SLU.
The new scholarship is named in
honor of SLU President Emeritus Lawrence Biondi,
S.J., whom Chan has worked with extensively on stu-dent
recruitment and alumni engagement in Asia, and
Chan’s father, Frank L. Chan, whom he credits with
giving him the opportunities that led to his success.
“Father Biondi’s global mindset has done good
things for the University,” Chan said. “I think every-body
should have a chance, and with this funding,
we’ll be able to get really top-notch but underprivi-leged
students to SLU.”
Raised in Hong Kong, Chan is the chief executive
officer of Corvusys Inc., a financial services company
headquartered in Virginia. A long-standing SLU sup-porter,
Chan received the College of Arts and Sciences
Alumni Merit Award in 1998 and became a University
trustee in 2007.
THE WHEELER
ENDOWED
ONTOSSCIENCE
RESEARCH FUND
Former SLU fac-ulty
member Dr.
Rober t Wheeler Sr.
(Grad A&S ’78) gave 1
million in support of
the psychology department.
The gift creates the Wheeler Endowed OntosScience
Research Fund. Inspired by the Greek word “ontos,”
which translates to “meaning of existence,” the fund
will advance research about basic human motivation
and will include graduate psychology research, assis-tantships,
seminars, courses and more.
“The psychology department at SLU has great poten-tial
for pursuing this line of research and really helping
humanity,” Wheeler said. “I have become convinced
that the secret to further advancement of humanity
is for people to get back to their basic motivation, the
basic thing that we are driven by. And that’s to under-stand
what’s going on, to try to contribute and advance
the cause of civilization, society, humanity.”
Wheeler earned his doctorate in psychology at SLU
after 20 years in the military. He had a 20-year career
at the University and held various positions, including
the director of health promotion research and adjunct
associate professor of psychology.
Chan
Wheeler
Teaching Award Honors
Nursing Professor
Dr. Geralyn Meyer (VSN ’79,
Grad VSN ’83), a professor in
the Trudy Busch Valentine School
of Nursing, was selected as the win-ner
of the 2020 Nancy McNeir Ring
Award for Excellence
Divo Francisco Borgiæ è Duce Gandiæ tertio, Soc. Jesu generali, à Clemente X Pont. Max. sanctorum cœlitum fastis ad scripto, Encomia emblemate, prosa, versu in œde salvatoris Soc. Iesv ad S. Clementem, publice affixa in perpetuum amoris monumentum œre ac typis incidi fecerunt, dum philosophum eius auspicys cœptam primâ laureâ coronarent physici
No full textUniversity News - Volume 100[a], Issue 004 (December 9, 2021)
No full text24 pages.VOL. C No. 4 / December 9th, 2021
photo by Abby Campbelll
cover design by grace dunlavy
FEATURED ON PAGES 12 & 13
christmas
on the quad
02 NEWS
s children, Amy and
Phil Le spent most
days after school at
their mother’s Chinese
restaurant. Greeting
customers, helping out
with the dishes and
doing their homework
in between, the siblings grew up im-mersed
in this warm, local mom and
pop food environment. Years after pur-suing
their own paths, the siblings will
soon open a restaurant together in the
very place where their love for food
first began.
Saucy Porka, the new restaurant
coming to Midtown (3900 Laclede Ave)
in the old Kaldi’s storefront in Janu-ary
2022, is often misconceived as a
pork-centered restaurant. The restau-rant’s
name, though, is a reflection of
the cuisine and the chef’s unique per-sonalities.
Saucy refers to the marinat-ed
meats and specialty sauces, while
porka is the Puerto Rican slang term
for a fiery or sassy woman. Combined,
these words encompass the restau-rant’s
essence: saucy food, created with
love and so much attitude.
Prior to developing the restaurant,
Amy Le worked for the new start-up,
GrubHub, as a social media content
creator. As part of her job, she was
constantly interacting with restaurant
owners. On the side, she was also cook-ing
for her friends’ birthdays and other
events. That’s when she knew it was
time for a change.
“I just realized I missed this whole
thing,” Amy said. “I missed the cama-raderie,
I missed the cooking, I missed
the speed, the stress. I just missed it
all.”
Amy decided to join the food truck
movement in Chicago and opened her
own contemporary Vietnamese banh
mi truck, her entry point back into the
food industry world. But her culinary
career would soon take a dramatic turn
when she met former executive chef
Rafael Lopez. At the time, he was also
operating a food truck near Amy, and
after cooking together for events, they
decided to develop something new: an
Asian/Latin fusion menu.
Amy and her husband, along with
Lopez, opened the first Saucy Porka lo-cation
in downtown Chicago in 2013,
with a second location in Hyde Park in
2018. Now, after 20 years, the Le sib-lings
will reunite in St. Louis for a third
location.
“It was always my dream and my
passion,” Amy said. “Especially for my
mom, because she wanted to see us
come back together and work again.
And I think everything was in the right
moment at the right time for this to
happen.”
The Chicago location served many
University of Chicago students, so Amy
says she feels prepared to serve the
various needs of SLU students, as well.
“No matter how much we grow, at
the heart of it we’re a family restaurant,
and I want to continue that,” Amy said.
“I want to not only expand this grow-ing
ethnic cuisine in various communi-ties,
but also to be…[a restaurant] that
has a local feel that understands the
neighborhood and the people.”
While Saucy Porka is a fast service
restaurant, Amy deeply values the con-nection
that food can create between
people. She still cherishes how her
mother interacted with her customers
and tries to incorporate that care in her
own restaurant model as well.
“When we talk about fusion, people
think you can throw kimchi on a taco,
and suddenly, it’s fusion,” Amy said.
“But we wanted to try to [create] some-thing
that incorporated the ingredients
of both cultures in a way that’s authen-tic.
I hope people enjoy it. It is unique
and different, and I think St. Louis is
definitely ready for it.”
A
saucy porka opens in old kaldi’s location
january 2022
By ULAA KUZIEZ
Staff Writer
(Photo Courtesy of Amy Le)
News 03
By ABHINAV VAYYETI
Staff Writer
On Wednesday,
Nov. 24, the Nation-al
Football League
reached a 100 million.
In addition, the settlement of
550
million which Los Angeles Rams
owner Stan Kreonke paid to other
NFL owners in order to carry out
the relocation process, which the
county, city and RSC allege was
something wrongfully paid and
something they should have re-ceived.
After taking into account 514.5
million by Christmastime. One of
the three plaintiffs is the Regional
Convention and Sports Complex
Authority (RSA) which currently
owns The Dome at America’s Cen-ter,
the St. Louis stadium the Rams
used to play in.
It has not been decided how the
money will be divided between
these three plaintiffs, however, at-torneys
are currently working on it.
Rita Days, a St. Louis County chair-woman,
suggests that the money
should be put toward developing a
North County recreation center.
In addition, she feels that all
three plaintiffs should work together
to put their money toward one larger
project. One possibility that St. Louis
Post Dispatch columnist Tony Messen-ger
suggested is Michigan’s Kalamazoo
Promise.
If St. Louis modeled its own ver-sion,
the project would promise to pay
for the in-state university tuition of
graduates of a school district in the
area. Money gained through other
sources such as the Infrastructure Bill,
Build Back Better Bill and the Ameri-can
Rescue Plan is already being put
toward prominent issues in St. Louis,
such as rebuilding downtown, invest-ing
in both northside and southside
housing and rebuilding the Conven-tion
Center.
As a result, Messenger feels that the
money would be best spent on a larger
project that affects the lives of many
St. Louis residents for generations to
come, along the lines of promising
every St. Louisan downpayment on a
house or money to go to college.
Because the lawsuit sought more
than 60 million
Target development in late October of
this year.
With SLU being eligible for tax abate-ments
and incentives, some wonder if
they will be granted for this project.
These elements would lower the cost
of the building and potentially allow
the construction to proceed faster
than normal.
Marelene Davis, Alderwoman for
Ward 19, the district in which this land
resides, states that no incentives have
been asked for by SLU, nor are they ex-pected.
An official announcement has yet to
be made by either SLU or Topgolf.
Photo Courtesy of Topgolf
(Grace Dunlavy/ The University News)
T
04 NEWS
Photo he student-run anon-ymous
sexual assault
hotline SAM, now in its
second semester, has
seen rapid growth in both
volunteers and callers as
pandemic restrictions
ease. Now, SAM is looking to ramp up its
efforts at SLU and add chapters to other
colleges across the country.
“It makes me happy to see that peo-ple
are interested in SAM,” vice-chair-man
Mia Filipe said. “I think a lot of
people are passionate about the cause.”
The group, now a nonprofit, has net-worked
with other established organiza-tions,
such as a similar group at Wash-ington
University in St. Louis (WashU).
SAM also met with the team behind the
mobile app Unmasked, which is aimed at
providing college students with mental
health resources. Filipe said SAM, which
was founded by SLU students, plans to
expand to other universities in the next
couple of years.
“We wanted to focus on first making
sure we were really established at SLU
and that people knew about us and that
everything was going smoothly until we
started branching out, but that is some-thing
we’re in the process of right now,”
Filipe said.
SAM, which was officially founded
NOW INDEPENDENT, STUDENT RUN SEXUAL ASSAULT
HOTLINE LOOKS TO EXPAND
By ALEX ROZAR
Staff Writer
in 2015, began running the hotline in
the spring 2021 semester. The group,
at first, was not a chartered student or-ganization
(CSO), but affiliated them-selves
with the university last year af-ter
a run-in with administrators over
whether they could post flyers on cam-pus,
Filipe said. Initially, SLU said only
CSOs could advertise on campus, and
SAM went through the process of being
such a group to comply with this rule.
Following further conflicts with
SLU administrators, SAM retained the
counsel of an attorney and SLU Law
professor John Ammann, who offered
to work for the group pro bono. Am-mann
helped the group register as a
501(c)(3) nonprofit with the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS).
“Just by SLU itself, we were defi-nitely
a lot more well-respected once
he was on board,” Filipe said.
SAM then signed a memorandum
of understanding (MOU) with SLU, al-lowing
them to advertise the hotline
on campus, Filipe said. Their funding
comes from state and federal grants
and tax-deductible donations and prof-it-
sharing events from corporations.
“It’s definitely been really reward-ing,
seeing how SAM has grown and
seeing how we’ve grown to be respect-ed,”
Filipe said.
Being a nonprofit group and having
a lawyer on standby has allowed the
hotline greater freedom, Filipe said.
“It’s a lot of sensitive work, and
there’s a lot of legal things surround-ing
that because for liability purposes,
people don’t want to get in trouble,”
Filipe said. “That’s why we have our
own insurance, we have our own ev-erything.”
Still, they have run into some sna-fus.
Filipe recalled a recent incident
where an officer of the Department of
Public Safety (DPS) demanded SAM
give them information the group had
collected, seemingly unaware of the
hotline’s independent status.
“It was just nice to be able to say,
‘Talk to our lawyer about this, because
you clearly do not know what you are
talking about,’” Filipe said.
According to mandatory disclo-sures
made by the university under
the Clery Act, there have been 18 inci-dents
reported to SLU’s Title IX office
this semester, including seven report-ed
rapes. SAM has received far more
calls than that, Filipe said, adding that
SAM operators are trained to present
all available options to callers without
preference toward any option in par-ticular.
“We’re first here to listen to what
that person is looking for,” Filipe said.
“It’s really going to be dependent
on what the survivor is looking for,
and we kind of just go step-by-step
through there.”
Given the nature of their work and
concerns over the possibility of outside
pressure from university or government
officials, SAM does not collect personal
information from callers, Filipe said. All
callers remain anonymous, and when
a person dials the hotline, their phone
number is obscured from the other end.
The call is then taken up by one of
the multiple volunteers via the program
Google Voice. Operators also remain
anonymous by group policy, identifying
themselves to callers as only “Sam”. The
only information taken down by hotline
operators relates to the case specifically,
information such as whether the caller
was planning to seek counseling, Filipe
said.
Operators are required to take 40
hours of training, completed through the
video-conferencing application Zoom.
In those sessions, operators are trained
on identity-related factors, Filipe said,
teaching them how specific issues may
relate to people of color, members of the
LGBT community, or male victims, for
example.
“A really core principle and value
to SAM is empathy,” Filipe said. “That’s
really trying to take yourself out of
your shoes and put yourself in some-one
else’s, no matter what that person is
going through. And a big part of that is
recognizing, ‘I may not understand what
you’re going through, but I hear you and
I’m going to try to help you to the best of
my ability.’”
The hotline is active on Thursdays,
Fridays, and Saturdays beginning at 10
p.m. and going to 4 a.m. the next day,
and is active from noon to 4 p.m. on Sat-urdays
and Sundays.
News 05
unior SLU student
and Labre co-presi-dent
Hannah Nodge
remembers meeting
Brian her freshman
year. She was volun-teering
with St. Ben-edict
Joseph Labre Ministry with the
Homeless (Labre), an organization
with a focus on developing friendships
and extending compassion to the im-poverished.
While on an outreach trip,
Nodge met Brian, a unhoused man
who was living in downtown St. Louis.
Nodge was carrying her Labre quote
book, full of snippets of conversation
that she wanted to remember from
her time volunteering.
Founded at SLU in 2010, Labre at-tempts
to use food as a bridge to foster
conversation and relationships with
people experiencing homelessness.
“We had this conversation where we
were talking a lot about handwriting,”
Nodge said. “We were talking about
next week, how we’re gonna come
back and we’re gonna have a cursive
writing competition. And [Brian] said,
‘This right here, what you’re doing is
ground zero...What you guys are do-ing
is important.’”
Nodge returned the next week as
promised, but Brian was nowhere to
be found. It would be over a year until
Hannah saw him again.
“I didn’t see him again until one day
randomly last year at a different spot,”
Nodge said. “And he was the one who
recognized me and he remembered
my name. I saw him continually the
next few weeks after that, but that re-lationship
I’ve shared with him is re-ally
special.”
The issues of homelessness and
food insecurity are of critical impor-tance
in the St. Louis region. A core
part of SLU’s Jesuit identity involves
compassionate service for others
and the practice of good works. With
these ideals in mind, a number of
By BRIAN GUERIN
Staff Writer
Student organizations fight
homelessness and food insecurity
student service organizations at SLU
have made a significant difference in
the fight against food insecurity and
homelessness.
Dr. Tim Huffman studies home-lessness,
nonprofit organizing and
community collaboration, including
the architectural, social and financial
structures that contribute to urban
poverty and homelessness. An asso-ciate
professor in the Department of
Communication, Huffman said that
some of the national issues contribut-ing
to homelessness are often reflect-ed
at the local level in St. Louis.
“St. Louis has a relatively inexpen-sive
housing market, and part of that
is because we have a shrinking popu-lation,”
Huffman said. “Our homeless-ness
isn’t shaped like New York or Los
Angeles where nobody can afford to
live even if they have a full time job.
In St. Louis, the problem is that peo-ple
are unlikely to find housing that’s
affordable, but also safe and quality.
It’s not just a housing affordability
problem, it’s the intersection between
safety, affordability and quality.”
Several student organizations have
taken initiative and developed out-reach
efforts to help those who are
unhouse and food insecure. Founded
in 2001, student volunteers in Cam-pus
Kitchen use kitchen space and do-nated
food from their cafeterias, local
grocery stores, food banks and restau-rants
to prepare and deliver meals to
those in need.
SLU senior Denise Gomez started
volunteering at Campus Kitchen her
freshman year. Serving as a shift lead-er
and executive board member, Go-mez
eventually became president of
Campus Kitchen this past year.
“I always like to start off by telling
people that 40 percent of food in the
U.S. goes to waste every single year,”
Gomez said. “And 40 million peo-ple
in the U.S. are also food insecure
across the country. We take that extra
food and we repurpose it into about
400 meals every week and have that
served out to our community partners
throughout the local area.”
Gomez said she was drawn to the
idea of connecting and forming rela-tionships
with individuals in need on
delivery shifts, and that it was import-ant
for SLU students to reach out and
witness firsthand the positive impact
they can have.
“I think it’s really important to un-derstand
the issues that face the peo-ple
that permanently live here, not
just people that spend four years here
and then move on and graduate,” Go-mez
said. “ It’s a really gratifying ex-perience,
trying out every step of the
volunteer process, from picking up
the food, to cooking it, to packaging it
to handing it to the people directly.”
A similar organization, Billiken Boun-ty,
is partnered with Campus Kitchen.
Billiken Bounty is an on-campus food
pantry that serves SLU students. The
food pantry also looks to destigmatize
food insecurity and educate SLU stu-dents
on the issue.
“We have a client exit survey, and
reading people’s responses really em-phasizes
how important a resource
[the food pantry] can be,” said Maxine
Taylor, the junior co-chair of Billiken
Bounty.
“People have explained how, due to
Billiken Bounty, they are able to de-vote
more time to school, or devote
finances to other resources that they
need, whether that’s paying tuition
or paying rent,” Taylor said. “It’s re-ally
nice to know that by having this
service, we’re able to alleviate a lot of
stress for those clients.”
Taylor said that the food pantry is a
valuable way to give back to the com-munity
while improving the lives of
fellow SLU students. “Food insecurity
is a really pervasive problem that can
really affect anyone at any point in
their lives,” Taylor said. “A lot of peo-ple
do have to face the issue of food
insecurity at one point or another,
whether it’s themselves or someone
they know.”
Junior SLU student and Labre
co-president Mia Filipe said the deep-er
mission of Labre initially drew her
to start volunteering for the organiza-tion,
and that it was inspiring to see
the gratitude that volunteers are met
with when delivering simple assis-tance
in the form of blankets and hot
food on outreach trips.
“I just love how relationship-focused
the work here is, because it doesn’t
seem like it is just service,” Filipe said.
“I love how the focus is developing
friendships and how the whole point
is to step out of your comfort zone,
meet some new people and then con-tinually
visit them to show that you
care and to reaffirm their humanity.”
Nodge said that her experiences in
Labre shape the way she thinks about
the role of the SLU community.
“The second you walk off SLU’s cam-pus,
if you go one block in any direc-tion,
the immense poverty is clear,”
Nodge said. “When you walk on this
campus, you don’t recognize it any-more,
because you’re at a billion-dol-lar
institution,” Nodge said. “So I’ve
just been thinking a lot about privi-lege
and how we can change the nar-rative
by focusing on the personhood
of one another.”
As part of Labre’s mission to help the
homeless and food insecure, the orga-nization
is currently holding a winter
supply drive. Donations of blankets,
socks, gloves, hats, scarves and other
winter items are
University News - Volume 100[a], Issue 001 (September 30, 2021)
No full text24 pages.VOL. C No. 1 / September 3oth, 2021 UTHE UNIVERSITY NEWS
Photo By Andrea Porter COver design by Grace Dunlavy
Saint Louis University:
A community in Mourning
n Sept. 23, a crowd gath-ered
at the clocktower in
the middle of SLU’s cam-pus.
A passerby asked a
student, “What’s going
on?” The student re-sponded
quickly: “mental health town
hall.” The passerby nodded knowingly.
The town hall was held as an
emergency response from administra-tion
after two SLU students, a fresh-man
and an upperclassman, passed
away within nine days of each other.
Both deaths were cases of suicide.
At the mental health town hall,
many students shared their experi-ences
struggling with different men-tal
illnesses. Most felt they had not
been supported by members of SLU’s
faculty and staff. The most alarming
reports were the ones that came from
students who had poor experiences
with the University Counseling Center
on campus. There were reports of long
wait times, insensitive comments and
insufficient resources.
Some of these testimonials
came from the days following the two
suicides, but many were from months
or even years ago. Senior Alyssa Cook
said she has not felt supported by her
University in her mental health jour-ney
for years. In an interview with The
University News, Cook disclosed that
beginning in the fall of her freshman
year, she had been feeling depressed
and anxious, so she decided to take
advantage of the ten free counseling
sessions at the University Counseling
Center.
“Basically what I was told was that
the counseling center didn’t have the
tools needed to help me,” Cook said.
Suggesting she seek psychiatric help,
Cook attempted to make an appoint-ment
at the Student Health Center. She
was informed that the waitlist for the
University’s psychiatrist was extreme-ly
long and she was not able to get an
appointment until December.
Following the first tragic death at
Saint Louis University, students re-ceived
an email from Sarah Cunning-ham,
Ph.D., the Vice President of Stu-dent
Development, informing the SLU
student body of a death on campus.
Many students, however, criticized the
administration for a lack of transpar-ency
and communication. Members
of Active Minds, the mental health
awareness group at Saint Louis Univer-sity,
felt the community hurting and
asking for answers.
“I definitely feel like the way that
we’ve had a delay in communication
has been difficult,” Julia Lansfreick,
president of Active Minds, said. On the
administrative side, Cunningham re-sponded
to the difficulty of offering the
student body transparency and closure
while respecting the wishes of the fam-ily.
“It’s not uncommon for an institu-tion
to work really close with a family
and they are really going to drive how
and when and what we share,” Cun-ningham
said.
Administrators, though, say that
mental health has and will continue to
be at the top of their priority list. SLU
President, Fred Pestello, Ph.D., echoed
this sentiment in a recent interview.
“Mental health is a tremendous
concern, and there’s been a concern
that that has been increasingly an is-sue
for our students and on our cam-puses,”
Pestello said.
Cunningham corroborated this state-ment
and shared several different av-enues
the University is pursuing. One
new effort she recently announced was
SLU’s partnership with Medical Fami-ly
Therapy, housed in SLU’s School of
Medicine, to add capacity to the Uni-versity
Counseling Center. Cunning-ham
also noted that she has been try-ing
to assess the wellness of students
on campus and allocating different
mental wellness resources to the Uni-versity
since she began her job in Feb-
SLU: A COMMUNIT Y IN MOURNING
O
02 NEWS
By GABBY CHIODO
Associate News Editor
(Andrea Porter/The University News)
ruary 2021.
After the second student suicide
on Sept. 20, a petition began circulat-ing
among students, family members
and the community at large. Signed by
over eight thousand people, the petition
called for fourteen free counseling ses-sions,
more highly trained counselors
and an extension of Counseling Center
hours to allow additional accessibility
for students.
SLU’s student body also vocalized
through social media and emails the
need to have time away from class to
mourn the loss of the two Billikens. The
University’s Provost, Michael Lewis,
Ph.D., canceled all undergraduate class-es
on Friday, Sept. 24.
“I spoke with students and listened
and had my mind changed, to be frank,”
Lewis said. “That’s why you listen. You
don’t listen to stand your ground. You
listen to evolve.”
The decision to cancel class was ini-tially
met with criticism from some in
the SLU community. According to Lewis,
parents complained that a lack of struc-ture
would make students feel more iso-lated
and anxious. To try and combat
this, the SLU administration worked to
schedule all-day wellness programming,
providing a space for students to grieve
with each other.
Lewis stated “I’d say the intention
and thought that went into continuing
classes on Wednesday and Thursday
was the idea of programming. And what
could we do to not just have it be an
empty day for students.”
The Friday classes were cancelled,
students had the opportunity to attend
various events, including trauma-in-formed
yoga and spending time with
therapy dogs.
“It was clear from what we saw on
Friday that many, many students did not
want an empty day and they appreciat-ed
what happened [the programming],”
Lewis said.
Still, the SLU community is and will
continue to grieve the devastating loss
of two young students. Students and ad-ministrators
alike emphasized resources
for those struggling to cope, both with
these tragedies and in general.
“This is the time to raise your hand
and ask questions if you see your friends
acting in a different way, or maybe show-ing
up in a different way,” Cunningham
said. “This is the time to be intrusive
and get in someone’s busy and ask how
they’re doing.”
News 03
By ULAA KUZIEZ
Staff Writer
fter nearly three
years of planning,
the University is
piloting its new-ly
developed Core
Curriculum to ap-proximately
270
freshmen students this semester.
Previously, there was no cohesive
curriculum that connected the dif-ferent
schools, leading to difficulty
in transferring across programs and
a lack of shared experience between
students.
The Core, which is a minimum
32 credit hour experience, aims to
foster collaboration and reflection
to transform student learning. As-sociate
Professor of English Ellen
Crowell, Ph.D was appointed the
Director of the University Core in
May 2018 and has been working
alongside a committee of other fac-ulty,
staff and students to develop
the curriculum.
“The most exciting thing about
this job was the ability to ask teach-ers
to put aside what they have
been doing and think creatively,”
Crowell said. “In those early stag-es
[we were] dreaming big and we
built a lot of enthusiasm.”
This semester, two out of eight
sections of the Core were launched:
Ignite First Year Seminar, which
uses a small-group approach to
inquiry, and the first sequence of
Cura Personalis, Self in Communi-ty,
which focuses on self-discovery
and questions of history or identi-ty.
Director of the Applied Behavior
Analysis Program, Natalie Parks,
Ph.D, is teaching the Behavior
Analysis of Social Justice course for
the Ignite Seminar requirement of
the Core.
“My hope is that I will ignite
some passion inside my students in
whatever social justice topic that
they’re interested in and give them
a set of tools for how to start ap-proaching
that,” Parks said. “I [also]
saw this as a great opportunity to
introduce students to behavior sci-ence
before their junior or senior
year.”
Senior Antron Reid applied to be-come
an Undergraduate Core Fellow
last semester and began in his role in
August. As a student representative for
Cura Personalis 2: Self in Contempla-tion,
he attends faculty meetings and
helps approve, deny or edit course sub-missions
for that section.
“In light of recent events that oc-curred
on campus, I think this new
Core is a way of integrating the idea
of building up the whole person,” Reid
said. “It will help us relate to each oth-er
a lot better and it’s going to rein-force
[a] sense of community.”
Unlike other universities, Crowell
explains that SLU is unique in involv-ing
students in the creation and review
of core classes. This decision to create
the University Undergraduate Core
Committee (UUCC) came in large part
out of the 2020 Scholar Strike, in which
some students demanded they have a
say in the development of courses.
“It makes you think, ‘Why haven’t
we done this sooner?’” Reid said. “This
education will be a lot more beneficial
to students [when] they feel like they
have a say in what they get to learn.”
Freshman Marquis Govan opted
into the pilot program this semester to
experience this new academic endeav-or.
He is taking two pilot courses, The
Power of Communication and Cura
Personalis 1.
“I haven’t had much homework
in either of these classes so far because
the emphasis is on developing the per-son
and character,” Govan said. “The
[Power of Communication] class I am
taking has made me more well rounded
in just a couple of weeks about how I
can support and be more inclusive to
people with disabilities.”
Crowell is looking forward to the
implementation of the full Core next
year and the impact it will have on in-dividual
students and on the campus
as a whole.
“When we were creating the Core,
we doubled down on student wellness,”
Crowell said. “Cura Personalis, or care
for the whole person, is the hallmark
of Jesuit education. We said let’s make
sure the Core lives SLU’s mission by
making our Cura Personalis sequence
both required for all students and cred-it-
bearing.”
s of Fall 2021, most of
SLU’s study abroad pro-grams
have officially re-opened
after travel was
suspended for multiple
semesters due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. During the se-mester
prior, in Spring 2021, around
45 students were able to study at SLU
Madrid with restricted access to trav-el
after a full year of suspended study
abroad programs.
Margaret Kessler is a study abroad
counselor at SLU who works primarily
with students interested in non-Ma-drid
programs, as well as faculty and
staff who are looking to lead short-term
programs. She shared that out
of the more than 40 abroad programs
SLU offers, only two are still suspend-ed
this semester: Australia and Viet-nam.
“The Australian borders are closed,
so students wouldn’t be allowed into
Australia. There are also some pro-grams
that we work with where the
host institution is no longer support-ing
students going,” Kessler said.
One of these institutions is Loyola
University Chicago, who has sus-pended
their program in Vietnam for
the Spring 2022 semester due to the
pandemic. Though these programs
remain temporarily suspended, many
others are becoming increasingly re-laxed
on COVID-19 restrictions.
Mia McGrath is a junior who
is currently studying on SLU Madrid’s
campus, something she’s been hoping
to do since beginning college. While
she originally wanted to go during
the Spring of 2021, she’s grateful she
waited an extra semester for the city
to open up more.
“When I decided to go, I thought
even if COVID is still bad, I’ll either
be in lockdown in Missouri or Madrid,
and I’ve already done it once in Mis-souri,
so I might as well go,” McGrath
said. “I set my expectations super low
because I thought I might not be able
to travel at all.”
So far, though, McGrath has been
able to travel every weekend she’s
been there, which she credits to her
being vaccinated.
“It’s strange because other than
the masks, it pretty much feels nor-mal,”
McGrath said. “For most coun-tries
you just have to show your vac-cination
card.”
According to Kessler, SLU has
an international travel advisory com-mittee,
which has been in place since
before the coronavirus pandemic, to
assess proposals made by students
or faculty wanting to travel to coun-tries
that the U.S. Department of
State (DOS) or the Centers for Dis-ease
Control and Prevention (CDC)
has deemed a restricted region. The
committee is composed of members
across the University, including fac-ulty
for the Dean of Students’ Office,
members of the public health sector
on the medical campus, the general
counsel and risk management
“Before COVID-19, it was most-ly
about safety and security,” Kessler
said. “So, if there was crime or an ep-idemic
within that country.”
Although travelling is still not
guaranteed due to the ever-changing
nature of COVID-19, Europe’s travel
restrictions have relaxed significant-ly
since the Spring 2021 semester,
which McGrath hopes to take advan-tage
of.
Currently, she’s looking forward to
weekend trips to Switzerland, Germa-ny,
Austria, Paris and London. During
the week, McGrath looks forward to
hearing about other students’ travels
during her Latin Rhythms class.
“You dance with all the guys,
and you rotate partners,” McGrath
said. “So in Tuesday’s class, you’re
like ‘How was your trip last weekend?
Where did you go?’” McGrath said.
“And in Thursday’s class, you’re like
‘So, where are you going this week-end?’”
While McGrath loves the aspect
of being able to travel relatively
freely throughout Europe, she’s also
grateful for the time to practice her
Spanish and learn about the culture
of Madrid.
“It just totally changes your per-spective
on everything, just being
around people of different cultures
every day,” McGrath said. “I think
that’s like the coolest part so far is
constantly being reminded that the
world is bigger than you, and there’s
so much to learn from everyone.”
By ZOË BUTLER
News Editor
CORE CURRICULUM PILOT
LAUNCHES
A
SLU STUDY ABROAD CAUTIOUSLY
RESUMES
A
ith twenty dif-ferent
places for
students to eat
across campus and
six separate meal
plans, DineSLU
residential and
retail locations are committed to
serving thousands of students ev-ery
day. Students with food aller-gies
or dietary restrictions are wel-comed
as part of that population.
The feedback from students with
dietary needs is a valuable way to
assess and improve an essential
part of the experience at SLU.
Lia Basden, a sophomore com-munications
student, shared her
thoughts on DineSLU and eating
with dietary restrictions. “My ju-nior
year of high school I was di-agnosed
with celiac disease, which
is an autoimmune disease in which
your body can’t digest gluten,” said
Basden.
Basden is also lactose intoler-ant
and vegetarian and said that
the reputation of the dietary ac-commodations
at SLU was a major
part of her college decision. Basden
struggled to find dining options
last year and explained that the
Simple Servings station was often
the only place she was able to eat,
due to cross-contamination and
allergens. “They didn’t even serve
breakfast at Simple Servings. Last
year I was all on my own for break-fast,
and I was paying for an unlim-ited
meal plan but I can only use
two swipes a day.”
Basden said she would have also
liked to see more vegetarian op-tions,
especially protein-rich veg-etables.
Sophomore Drew Gibson,
who has Crohn’s disease, echoed
the sentiment. “DineSLU has a lot
of options for students and makes
sure students have enough options
each day.
However, they don’t always have
the best options for those with di-etary
restrictions or don’t give
enough food, which makes it tough
on certain students.” Gibson said
that while he feels DineSLU service
is always exceptional, delivering
consistent options for these stu-dents
should be a priority.
Another area for potential im-provement
was flexibility with meal
plans and disability accommoda-tions
for residential students, as
Basden said it took multiple tries
to get accommodation without an
apartment.
“I think the most frustrating part
is the fact that these other colleges
would have been worse. And I know,
again, part of it was COVID because
when I met with the dietician be-fore
[the pandemic] she showed me
the dining hall they had all kinds of
prepackaged gluten-free meals. The
most important part is that I never
got sick from the food, so obvious-ly
they do a good job training the
workers and it was safe. However, I
always felt like it could’ve been bet-ter.”
DineSLU Director of Operations
Myron Bridges has supervised col-legiate
dining in nine separate uni-versities
across five states and said
that his experience of nearly two
decades in the industry has given
him perspective.
“As time evolves, the allergies
become more complex. So you can’t
just say a person with a gluten-free
04 News
By BRIAN GUERIN
Contributer
allergy or gluten-free need is in the
same basket with everyone” Bridges said.
DineSLU has been steadily increasing the
variety and availability of its offerings,
with the goal of communicating with stu-dents
and prioritizing safety measures.
DineSLU has a wide range of aller-gen-
free foods and employs stringent
food delivery, meal preparation, and
utensil cleaning measures to avoid
cross-contamination. “We build meals
before they even touch population in a
secluded area in the kitchen, so it’s not
over where everybody’s cooking every-thing
else,” Bridges said. “Everything is
color-coded as a measure because we’ve
got thousands of people going through
daily.” Currently, DineSlu is working to
increase vegan and vegetarian options by
loading plant-based foods into retail lo-cations.
Bridges said that the DineSLU team
is actively working on establishing re-lationships
and lines of communication
with students who have dietary needs. An
important part of the process for these
students is meeting with the dietician
Donna Foy and himself to create custom
meal planning. Meeting with parents and
students gives DineSLU the ability to
make meals on request weekly for stu-dents
with dietary needs or food allergies.
DineSLU offers flexible weekly sched-ules
for these students to pick up meals
in between classes. Bridges often shops
for the ingredients himself, buying gro-ceries
or ordering foods to fit any food
allergy or dietary restriction. “When I’m
in the dining hall, I want to feel like I’m
at home. We probably have about 14 stu-dents,
who all have menus built and we
build the meanings for them” Bridges
said. “We have a couple of students that
will text me and give me a list of things
for dinner and then our culinary team
puts it together for them to pick it up at
the Simple Servings counter.”
COVID-19 was an added challenge to
serving students with dietary restrictions.
DineSLU’s supply chain and staffing re-quirements
were put to the test during
the height of the pandemic. Bridges said
multi-state shipments and acquiring de-livery
drivers were difficult at times, but
these were tests DineSLU was determined
to overcome - particularly when it con-cerned
students with dietary needs. “One
of the last things I want is for dining ser-vices
to be a negative experience as a part
of the college experience,” Bridges said.
“I want students to feel free to reach out
by text, in person, or virtually. We’re hap-py
to meet and make sure that we’re aid-ing
and assisting our students.”
W
While students with
food allergies
struggle to find a
variety of on-campus
dining
options, DineSLU
works to build
communication to
accommodate
student needs.
(Abby Campbell/ The University News)
Students with
dietary
restrictions
Share their
Experiences
at SLU
hen over a thou-sand
Black Lives
Matter protest-ers
assembled
on Saint Lou-is
University’s
campus in Octo-ber
2014, many
of them expected to be met with
tear gas and riot shields, like had
happened just weeks before in near-by
Ferguson, Mo.
Jonathan Smith, Ph.D came armed
with cups of coffee, and, seeing it
was raining, umbrellas.
Smith, the late Vice President
for Diversity and Community En-gagement
and Professor in African
American Studies, passed on June
19, 2021 at the age of 61. He was a ti-tan
for change both on and off-cam-pus,
according to those who knew
him, including SLU President Fred
Pestello, Ph.D.
“He was warm, gentle and kind,”
Pestello said. “He was smart and
effective. He loved the work. He
moved us forward.”
Smith kept a delicate balance in
a difficult climate, maintaining mu-tual
respect among activists and ad-ministrators
alike. But he also held
on to other lifelong passions.
As the son of a minister, Smith’s
faith was very important to him. He
wrote poetry. He played the piano.
As an adult, Smith ran marathons.
He loved literature, frequently quot-ing
from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,
James Baldwin and W.E.B. Du Bois.
Smith’s father had been arrest-ed
with Dr. King during protests in
Selma, Alabama—a fact Smith took
great pride in, Pestello said.
“His orientation with music and
with art intensified his sense of
empathy, and I think that’s why he
connected so well with people and
could listen to people,” Gerald Ear-ly,
Ph.D, the Merle Kling Professor
of Modern Letters in African and
African American Studies at Wash-ington
University in St. Louis, said.
Early taught Smith as he was study-ing
for his Master of Fine Arts and
later served as his doctoral advisor.
Smith’s interests manifested in
the world around him. He served as
the Board President of the St. Louis
Black Repertory Company and as his
church’s music director. He helped
establish a photo gallery depicting
the Ferguson protests, which are
currently displayed in the Busch
Student Center. And Smith, a former
literature student who had taken up
poetry in college, kept writing as an
adult, finding inspiration in reli-gion,
family and music.
“He was devoted,” Pestello said.
“His faith was a part of his blood.
He was a poet at heart, and he was
a true humanist. All of these things
informed his worldview.”
Most of all, Smith was remem-bered
by friends for his ability to
bring people together, even in times
of struggle. Now, following his
death, the many communities he
affected are coming together again.
“I considered him a close personal
friend, as many did,” Peste
University News - Volume 099, Issue 009 (February 6, 2020)
No full textMislabeled as Volume XCVIV. 24 pages.VOL. XCVIV No. 9 / February 6, 2020
COVER Design by Rebecca LiVigni
SLU Students Prepare for
Upcoming Democratic Primaries UTHE UNIVERSITY NEWS
O
02 NEWS
Photo Courtesy of Riley Tovornik
n Monday night, over 150
SLU students gathered
at the CGC for the watch
party of an Iowa Caucus
that announced no offi-cial
winner. The app used
by the Iowa Democratic
Party to relay numbers
from precinct chairs malfunctioned, with
none of the vote reported throughout the
night. The app was coded by a tech firm
run by former members of Hillary Clin-ton’s
2016 presidential campaign, known
as Shadow Inc.
SLU’s Political Science Department
with help from the Political Round Table
and the Center for Service and Communi-ty
Engagement was in charge of organiz-ing
the watch party. Steven Rogers, Ph.D.,
was the lead organizer for the event and
has held that position since SLU’s first
watch party in 2016. Along with the Iowa
Caucus, SLU will be hosting watch parties
at the CGC for the New Hampshire prima-ry
on Feb. 11 and Super Tuesday on Mar.
3.
“Our events provide the SLU commu-nity
a central place to discuss politics and
learn about the American electoral pro-cess,”
said Rogers, in regard to the central
aim of the SLU watch parties. Rogers also
hoped that these events will spark more
interest in politics for many students and
inspire them to “become politically in-
IOWA CAUCUS DEBACLE CASTS SHADOW OVER
SLU WATCH PARTY
By COLIN THIERRY
Staff Writer
volved on-campus.”
The event ran smoothly with a live
feed of CNN’s election feed on the big
screen in the CGC along with tables and
bleachers for students to sit and watch
the night’s events unfold. There was a
food table in the back with free pizza,
snacks and drinks along with various ac-tivities
for students to participate in at
their tables as they watched the election
results. The event kicked off with Rogers
giving a presentation on theories about
elections and public opinion before
turning back to the CNN feed for the re-mainder
of the night.
SLU students with differing political
opinions and backgrounds all gathered
together on Monday night to watch the
events of the Iowa Caucus unfold. SLU’s
College Democrats and College Repub-licans
each set up tables to talk to stu-dents
and watch the election along with
various other university-based political
and advocacy organizations. There were
supporters in attendance for all of the
leading candidates in the field, including
Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete
Buttigieg, Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar.
David Miller, a sophomore Klobuchar
supporter, said that he looked for a can-didate
who “wouldn’t restrict markets”
and “allow for social welfare programs”
without having socially conservative po-sitions.
Klobuchar is the senior U.S. Sen-ator
from Minnesota who is a part of the
moderate wing of the Democratic field,
along with former former Vice President
Joe Biden and former South Bend, Indi-ana,
mayor Pete Buttigieg.
Sophomore voter Mccaully Bau-er
said she would support a candidate
who was “pro-immigration” and who
would establish “social and healthcare
reform.” While undecided, Bauer states
that what our country currently has in
place “should be radically different” and
explained that she leans towards candi-dates
Sanders and Warren.
Sanders and Warren comprise the
progressive wing of the Democratic field
and propose more expansive social and
economic policies. Sanders, senior Sen-ator
from Vermont, most differs from
Warren, senior Senator from Massachu-setts,
based on his entirely grassroots
campaign and his more comprehensive
policy positions on Medicare for All,
universal suffrage and free college/stu-dent
debt cancellation.
Senior Brett Jones, on the other
hand, said he supports Sanders mainly
for his policy positions. Jones asserted
that Sanders is the “only candidate that
supports Medicare for All unequivo-cally.”
Jones also agreed with Sanders’
position on universal suffrage (voting
rights for all), along with him being the
only candidate who supports Palestine
and does not take super PAC money. The
general sentiment among SLU students
in attendance was that they expected
Bernie, Biden or Warren to win in Iowa
that night.
As the night wore on without any
results coming in, the crowd of over 150
students progressively started to dwin-dle.
Many students started to grow im-patient
that nothing was happening
and left the watch party within a few
hours. By the time the clock hit 10, there
were only around 20 students scattered
around the CGC. The watch party ended
without anyone knowing the winner of
the Iowa Caucus.
SLU students will have a chance to
vote for their preferred Democratic can-didate
during the Missouri primary on
Mar. 10, a week after Super Tuesday.
Since the Missouri primary falls on SLU’s
spring break, any students registered in
Missouri and will be out of town must
vote early or with an absentee ballot.
Visit headcount.org to register to vote
and for more information on the Mis-souri
primary.
oting in the U.S. can
be complex due to
the variation in state
laws regarding regis-tration.
The process
can be further com-plicated
by voting
via absentee ballot, even more so for
submitting an absentee ballot from
outside the U.S.
The Federal Voting Assistance
Program (FVAP) reported that the
turnout amongst eligible voting
Americans abroad was only seven
percent, significantly lower than the
domestic 72 percent turnout. More-over,
only 30 percent of the gap was
accounted for by logistical difficul-ties
of voting while abroad.
According to SLU’s Office of In-ternational
Services, about 750-800
students participate in some kind
of international program each year,
with 159 students studying abroad
during the fall 2019 semester. Al-though
the Office of International
Services sends some information to
students studying abroad on how to
vote, the process can still be diffi-cult.
Senior Katie Ross, who studied
abroad at SLU Madrid in fall 2018,
stated, “It was slightly difficult to
make sure I was doing the process all
correctly and that I could complete
it in time.”
Registration
The first step to voting in any
election is registration. Voters can be
registered for primaries and gener-al
elections. Missouri holds “open”
primaries, meaning anyone who is
already a registered voter can partic-ipate,
regardless of party affiliation
or registration. However, some states
require that voters be registered as
Republicans or Democrats in order
to vote in their respective primaries.
If one is not registered to vote pri-or
to studying abroad, they can do so
in person at the local County Clerk’s
office or the DMV. Applications for
registration, which usually require
little more than basic personal info
such as a permanent address and so-
V
NEWS
By MIKHAIL FAULCONER
Staff Writer
Illustration Courtesy of Ashlee Kothenbeutel
cial security number, can also be re-quested
by mail or printed and sent
from home. Deadlines vary by state,
and it is important to leave time
both to confirm registration and to
request an absentee ballot.
Anyone can check their regis-tration
status at Vote.org, as well as a
number of other websites that work
to educate on registration processes
and generate greater awareness of
and participation in elections. The
Secretaries of State of Missouri, Illi-nois,
Nebraska, Wisconsin, Ohio and
Texas, also all feature websites that
allow residents to check their voter
registration and potentially change
their registered address.
Requesting an
Absentee Ballot Abroad
After registering to vote, one
must request an absentee ballot to
be sent to their abroad address or
to an email box. It is very important
to request the ballot early enough
to ensure that the ballot can be re-turned
either by email or mail before
the deadline.
SLU’s Madrid campus assists stu-dents
with questions regarding reg-istration
and absentee ballots. Ross
commented, “The school did a great
job making it known that we could
vote and providing resources on how
to register.” Additionally, large vot-er
mobilization organizations like
“Rock the Vote” have volunteers and
staff in Spain that can offer some di-rect
assistance to students. Finally,
the U.S. Department of State and the
FVAP answer FAQs, provide guides
and other information on a state-by-state
basis.
Despite the number of resources
available, many students, like their
colleagues at home in the U.S., chose
not to vote while abroad. Ross said,
“It was definitely easier to choose
not to vote.”
Senior Emily Chisholm, who was
also at SLU Madrid in the fall of 2018,
commented, “Those who chose not
to vote thought it seemed like a lot
of work and effort. Being so far from
home, they also did not feel informed
on the candidates ... the [Rock the
Vote] volunteers in the cafeteria also
did as much as they could to guide us
through the process, and to be hon-est,
guilt us into voting.”
Both Ross and Chisholm stated
that in spite of the confusion and red
tape that voting internationally can
entail, voting was and is important
and meaningful for students even
while abroad. Chisholm stated, “I
think for those of us who did vote, we
felt like it was our civic duty. I still
cared about the status of our country
even though I was temporarily away
from it.”
Similarly, Ross said, “All votes
matter and practicing this right is a
great way to stay connected to your
home country and state. It will help
give you a sense of accomplishment
and you will definitely not regret
casting your vote.”
HOW TO VOTE
WHILE
STUDYING
ABROAD
03
Studying abroad? Want to vote?
Here’s a guide to exercising your
civic duty internationally.
News
By CONOR DORN
Associate News Editor
ince 2018, the
University Un-d
e r g r a d u a t e
Core Committee
(UUCC) has been
working towards
a universi-ty-
wide common core that every
student, regardless of major or
college, will complete. On Friday,
Jan. 31, the UUCC released the fi-nal
iteration of the Core proposal
to the SLU community.
The final proposal is the cul-mination
of more than two years
of hard work from the UUCC.
After settling on nine Student
Learning Outcomes (SLOs) as the
foundation for the common core
curriculum, the committee began
the core design process, a pro-cess
that was multidimensional
and collaborative. They drew in-put
from the SLU community by
sponsoring Core Invention Work-shops
and inviting students, fac-ulty
and staff to submit their own
core designs. They also organized
roundtables, bringing in core cur-riculum
directors from Jesuit uni-versities
across the United States
and invited leaders in higher ed-ucation
to give presentations on
core trends at comparable under-graduate
universities.
Last August, the UUCC circu-lated
a draft of the Core proposal
to the SLU community, opening
the floor for feedback and ques-tions.
The reaction to the draft
was mixed, and several major
concerns were voiced at univer-sity-
wide open fora, faculty as-semblies,
and in the SGA senate
chamber.
Some students and faculty
took issue with a perceived lack of
emphasis on theology and philos-ophy,
and the lack of an explicit
foreign language requirement,
which for many represent import-ant
pillars of Jesuit education.
Another common concern
raised at open fora discussions
was a question of implementa-tion
and adequacy of resourc-es.
Many departments, some
of whom already struggle with
funding issues, felt that the im-plementation
of a new core would
introduce further financial strain,
strain that they did not have the
resources to cope with.
The proposal was also met
with a significant amount of sup-port
and encouragement. Faculty
from across a wide range of col-leges
applauded the UUCC’s de-votion
to the arduous process of
creating a university-wide core
curriculum from scratch and
praised the spirit of collaboration
that had characterized the en-deavor.
With the release of the final
core proposal last Friday, Jan. 31,
SLU’s colleges and schools now
have until Mar. 20 to hold a yes/
no vote on the question of adopt-ing
the proposed core curriculum.
In the interim, the question on
the minds of many is the degree
to which the UUCC acknowledged
and addressed the apprehensions
raised.
The most noticeable adjust-ment
between the final proposal
and the draft was a three hour
reduction in the total number of
credit hours constituting the core
curriculum, from 35 to 32 credit
hours. The difference was reached
by reducing the first year “Ignite
Seminar” from three down to two
credit hours, making the second
part of the...
S n Dec. 13, 2019,
Dr. Mona Hicks,
the Associate
Vice President
and Dean of
Students for the
Division of Student Development
at that time, ended her success-ful
career at SLU. Dr. Kent Por-terfield,
the Vice President at the
time, also stepped down soon af-ter.
Their leave left empty spaces
in the division, and the university
has since undertaken a search to
fill those seats. While the search
for an associate and permanent
vice president will continue, Dr.
Debra Rudder Lohe has taken on
the role of serving as the Interim
Vice President for the Division of
Student Development.
Lohe stepped into her new
role with a considerable amount
of experience. In her almost 25
years of serving higher educa-tion,
more than 10 of those have
been at SLU. While bringing along
the skills and experience she’s
attained from years in the field,
she’ll also have the support and
aid of the Interim Associate Vice
President and Dean of Students,
Donna Bess Myers. “Being able to
serve as that support to Dr. Debie
and moving things along—that’s
what we’re here for.” stated My-ers,
when speaking of her and
other staff members support for
Lohe.
“The full set of things that are
really focused on students, that
are not academic, that are not
faculty in classrooms, all of that is
under the umbrella of student de-velopment,”
said Lohe about the
function of the division.
While many were concerned
about the changes that a new
temporary leadership may bring
to the division, Lohe described
her and Myers’ role as only being
to progress things that are cur-rently
going on in the division.
“I think the way that [Myers] and
I think about the interim role is
we’re keeping things going, keep-ing
the ships in the water, [and]
allowing things that were already
in process to continue to move
forward,” said Lohe.
The Division for Student De-velopment
is of the utmost impor-tance
to many students and staff,
and both Lohe and Myers plan on
keeping it that way. With pressing
issues like student mental health
and preparation for next year’s
incoming class, the Division for
Student Development aims to en-sure
that staff members feel sup-ported
and have all the resources
they need to help students here at
SLU.
For the Division of Student
Development, student’s mental
health is at the forefront. “[Stu-dent
mental health and wellness],
that continues to be on the minds
of folks in student development,
and I think to the extent we can
continue to be good voices for
what are the kinds of programs
we need, what are the resources
we need, and how do we empower
you to be helpful to each other, so
I think student wellness is a big,
top of the list,” said Lohe.
Although Lohe is only serving
as the Vice President for Student
Development temporarily, she is
here to serve nonetheless with
the aid of Myers. “Anything for
students, that’s the cool thing
about our gigs, anything for stu-dents,”
said Myers, reflecting on
her and Lohe’s positions.
O
By KLAUDIA WACHNIK
Staff Writer
(Riley Tovornik / The University News) MEET
THE NEW
INTERIM VP OF
STUDENT
DEVELOPMENT
FINAL COMMON CORE
PROPOSAL RELEASED
04
To read more of this
article, please scan
the qr code below:
News 05
ne of SLU’s new-est
centers for
research, the
Sinquefield Cen-ter
for Applied
Economic Re-search,
began
making its mark on the St. Louis
community. The Sinquefield Cen-ter
was established in 2019 thanks
to a donation from Dr. Jeanne and
Rex Sinquefield, and conducts
research focused on “economic
growth and social welfare than
can inform public policy.”
Michael Podgursky, P.h.D., the
director of the Center said, “We
are gathering longitudinal data
on people. For example [the pipe-line
of] kids to school to work.”
Data collected by the Center will
range from jobs held by certain
people based on their education
levels, their gender and other
distinctive features down to com-muting
trends of neighborhoods.
Podgursky said that they were
working to obtain data on a large
number of topics, from many
different unique sources, such
as the Dese Department and the
Department of Higher Education.
The Center will use the data on a
number of projects, including the
current focus of workforce and
educational development. Ana-lyzing
and evaluating education
and employment data could help
to discover what ways the educa-tion
system can be improved to
help individuals and communi-ties
grow and sustain economic
development.
“We are interested in human
capital development,” said Pod-gursky.
“We want to know where
kids [in the education system] are
succeeding and failing. We want
to find out how we can make ed-ucation
work better in the area.”
Dr. Takako Nomi, who is an as-sociate
professor of educational
studies, also works with the Cen-ter
researching education data,
is focusing on the inequalities
in “high school-to-college out-comes”
from schools and districts
across the St. Louis region.
Another facet of the Sinque-field
Center’s research is directed
towards economic growth proj-ects
throughout the area. One of
the most exciting opportunities
that the Center has for determin-ing
if the economic growth is suc-cessful
is the brand-new National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
(NGA) project being built in North
St. Louis. Because the NGA proj-ect
is an initiative that aims to
bring employment and economic
stimulation to the communities
around it, the 1.7-billion-dollar
endeavor allows the Sinquefield
Center to have a unique “be-fore-
and-after” picture of the
projects impact.
“Imagine throwing a rock into
a still pond,” said Podgursky.
“That’s what we are doing. Look-ing
at ripple effects and impacts.”
The Sinquefield Center is also
creating opportunities for stu-dents
and faculty at SLU. The
Center is bringing together facul-ty
and graduate researchers from
across the University to work on a
number of different projects. For
example, Enbal Shacham, P.h.D.,
is using the big data collected by
the Center to research the dif-ferent
factors affecting health
outcomes in the area. Beyond
sponsoring faculty research, the
Center hopes to hire more stu-dents,
both undergraduate and
graduate, and get them involved
in the valuable work that they’re
doing.
O he saying ‘bad
things come in
threes’ has never
been more true.
Three of the sta-ple
college bars
around SLU have closed their
doors since 2017, leaving univer-sity
students without a tradition-al
college bar in sight.
The Library Annex, or “Lan-nex”
as deemed by students, the
vibrant late-night club and go-to
for students and locals alike,
joined two iconic establishments
of the Midtown neighborhood,
“Humphrey’s Restaurant & Tav-ern”
and “Mi Caribe” when it
closed its doors in the summer of
2019.
According to The Library An-nex’s
Facebook, the “last call”
occurred June 8, leaving students
without a familiar place to go
when the fall semester started.
Students of SLU knew these
bars rarely saw an empty night on
the weekends. If anything, they
were gaining exposure from host-ing
student events and serving as
the center of the social experi-ence
at SLU. Was this enough to
keep their doors open?
Megan Saksefski, a 2014 SLU
alumna, discusses the previous
student social life in Midtown. Al-though
she was more than excit-ed
to talk about her college dive
bar, Saksefski was disappointed to
hear it had closed since her grad-uation.
“Nearly every major celebra-tion
or night out began or end-ed
at Humphrey’s. I would dare
to say it was the social center of
campus,” Saksefski said during
our interview.
She was worried about the cur-rent
situation of students trav-eling
off-campus for night-life.
Saksefski mentioned, “Going any-where
at night carries some risk,
especially if drinking is involved.
One of the reasons Humphrey’s
was so great was because it was
so close and within a safe walking
distance. I worry for students that
constantly have to travel long
distances just to get together.”
The Executive Director of St.
Louis Midtown Redevelopment
Corp., Brooks Goedeker, led the
charge for “The Grove” neighbor-hood
development, taking it from
six businesses on the main strip
to now 86 parcels of development.
St. Louis developers would previ-ously
tell him, “Midtown is good
only about seven to eight months
out of the year when students are
there.”
This is how Midtown turned
into a waiting game. They are
waiting for that density to emerge
from locals moving to Midtown,
so they can attract new bars and
restaurants, but it is not that kind
of neighborhood, yet...
O
Graphic Courtesy of Jack Connaghan SINQUEFIELD
CENTER
ENGAGES
ST. LOUIS
COMMUNITY
By SAVANAN SEYER
Staff Writer By KLAUDIA WACHNIK
Staff Writer
LAST CALL FOR
SLU COLLEGE BARS
Photo Courtesy of Steve Dolan
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article, please scan
the qr code below:
06 Arts and life
y hand reaches for the black mouse pad on my laptop while my
brain screams “No!” One short tap and my life will delve into
drama, the drama that “The Bachelor” provides. My hand con-tinues
its procession forward toward my laptop as my brain pro-tests.
Finally, my fingers tap the mouse pad and “The Bachelor”
recap begins to play. Despite my suspicion of the show’s premise, I continue
to watch the Bachelor, just as so many others do, but why?
The Bachelor is supposed to be the story of one man finding love. This man
has 25 to 40 beautiful women competing for his hand in marriage. To stay on
the show, each woman must receive a rose a
Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University
No full textWinter 2020 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University.10 facts about SLU-Madrid
Page 14
RECORD-SETTING
CLASS
Page 20
NEW CAREER
CENTER
Page 24
ST. LOUIS JESUITS’
CONCERT
Page 26
FACULTY EXPERT ON
VICE PRESIDENCY
Page 30
WINTER 2020 | 1
VOLUME 46, ISSUE 1
EDITOR
Laura Geiser (A&S ’90, Grad ’92)
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Amy Garland (A&S ’97)
ART DIRECTOR
Matt Krob
CONTRIBUTORS
Jessica Ciccone
Marie Dilg (Grad SW ’94)
ON CAMPUS NEWS STORIES
University Public Relations
Billiken Media Relations
ON THE COVER
SLU-Madrid students in Plaza
Mayor in the heart of Madrid
Photo by Fernando Béjar
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].
Postmaster: Send address changes to
Universitas, Saint Louis University,
1 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103.
Website: slu.edu/universitas
Universitas is printed by Breese
Printing and Publishing
Worldwide circulation: 123,557
© 2020, Saint Louis University
All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part
without permission is prohibited.
New and returning students gather at the first 9 p.m. Mass of the school year in St. Francis Xavier College Church.
PHOTO BY STEVE DOLAN
F E ATU R E S
D E PARTME NTS
14
¿Sabías?
Ten facts about SLU-Madrid that might
surprise you. — By Laura Geiser
20
Top Class
The freshman class is the largest in
SLU’s history. — By Marie Dilg
24
Beyond Career Fairs
SLU’s Career Services focuses on preparing
students for life after SLU. — By Marie Dilg
26
Coming Home
The St. Louis Jesuits music group says farewell
with a sold-out concert. — By Amy Garland
30
Vice Presidential VIP
Law professor Joel K. Goldstein is the
nation’s top VP expert. — By Jessica Ciccone
2 On Campus
Women’s soccer A-10 championship ///
Record fundraising year /// Nursing school’s
new name /// Midtown development update
/// Rankings /// Opus Prize
34 Class Notes
35 Alumni Spotlight
Angela Lewis (A&S ’04, Grad A&S ’07)
36 How I Got Here
Jim Dean (CSB ’88)
40 Letters to the Editor
41 In Memoriam
44 By the Numbers
45 The Last Look
That is certainly what our campus in
Spain aims to achieve — and accom-plishes
with great success. From
signage to statutes, SLU-Madrid succeeds at
carrying out our branding. But much more
than that, it lives our mission. This campus
shares our vision for building a better world
with more Jesuit-educated graduates. To do
so on the global stage is a testament to the
power of a SLU education.
The stories I hear from our students, both when I visit SLU-Madrid
and those who come back to St. Louis after spending time
studying abroad, never cease to amaze me. Their stories and experi-ences
remind me why I was called to higher education.
As you will see in this issue, our students absorb culture through
their time with señoras, or host families, who help broaden their
perspective of Spanish culture. (Read more on page 16.) Learning
does not stop when our students leave class — and in this increas-ingly
connected world, it is more important than ever to lead them
to become informed global citizens.
The excitement we feel at SLU crosses international waters, and
I’m thrilled this issue brings you a flavor of the pride we feel for
our Madrid and St. Louis campuses. From regional development
to record-breaking enrollment and fundraising, we certainly look
forward to sharing our good news.
The start of our third century and SLU-Madrid’s 52nd year
brought a record-setting year for us at Saint Louis University.
Our freshman class in St. Louis broke all enrollment records with
1,900 students, surpassing our previous largest class by 200 students.
(Turn to page 22 to learn more.) SLU-Madrid continues to draw
hundreds of students from dozens of countries who learn and grow
together.
And thanks to our generous donors, we once again raised a record
amount in gifts for scholarships, academics, research and other ini-tiatives.
We are well on our way to our 550 million SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital and
Ambulatory Care Center. All will open this fall.
SLU is also proud to be involved in developments that lead the
resurgence taking place in the city’s central core, such as the redevel-opment
of homes in the Gate District West neighborhood near the
hospital, and the forthcoming City Foundry. (Read more on page
13.) As we share in the story about Gate District West, we are grate-ful
to our St. Louis community neighbors for sharing our vision for
and commitment to growing stronger together.
In closing, I ask that you remember how these stories and the
many initiatives behind them help fulfill our noble mission.
I also ask that you share our exciting news with those you know
who are young — or young at heart — who are seeking higher edu-cation.
Tell them about SLU and your experience. Our world always
benefits from more truth-seekers and servant leaders who are Jesuit
educated.
May God bless you and Saint Louis University.
Dr. Fred P. Pestello
President
I cannot tell you what it’s
like to step off of a plane
after an eight-hour flight
to Europe, only to walk
onto a campus that feels
just like home. Or perhaps
I don’t have to tell many
of you — those of you who
have studied at or visited
SLU-Madrid, or our
international students in
St. Louis.
PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
PHOTO BY FERNANDO BÉJAR
Pestello talks with students outside of
San Ignacio Hall at SLU-Madrid.
2 | UNIVERSITAS | THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y WINTER 2020 | 3
ON CAMPUS
Women’s Soccer Wins A-10 Again
The Billikens women’s soccer team defeated
George Washington 3-1 in the Atlantic 10
Conference Championship title game in November,
securing its second straight A-10 Championship
crown.
Senior Courtney Reimer was named the most
outstanding player of the championship. Senior
Emma Farley, sophomore Hannah Friedrich, senior
Alli Klug and graduate student Mary Niehaus joined
her on the All-Championship team.
Over the season, SLU extended its school-record
unbeaten streak to 16 games. Already the
winningest class in SLU women’s soccer history, the
Billiken seniors registered their 64th victory.
The team lost to Notre Dame in the first round of
the NCAA Championship.
Reimer
Celebrating with
the A-10 trophy
Reimer (center) hugs
Annabelle Copeland
(left) and Farley.
Farley
The team celebrates at Robert R. Hermann Stadium on campus.
PHOTOS BY BILL BARRETT
4 | UNIVERSITAS | THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y WINTER 2020 | 5
ON CAMPUS
University Offers New Academic Programs,
Begins Comprehensive Review Process
Saint Louis University began offering many new academic programs in the fall,
including:
UNDERGRADUATE
Bachelor of Arts
in Leadership and
Organizational
Behavior
Bachelor of Science
in Health Care Ethics
Minor in Dance
GRADUATE
Master of Science
in Biostatistics and
Health Analytics
Doctorate in
Education Policy and
Equity
GRADUATE CERTIFICATES
American Studies
Cybersecurity
Strategic Intelligence
Women’s and Gender
Studies
The University also started a formal review of its academic programs. In spring
2019, the provost established the Academic Portfolio Review Committee, tasked
with analyzing and making recommendations to the provost about the size
and academic scope of the University’s portfolio of offerings. This process will
eventually become a regular assessment tool for all graduate and undergraduate
programs.
Led by faculty, the committee has representatives from the student body and
administration. Dr. Mark Knuepfer, a professor in the School of Medicine, serves
as the committee chair.
Signature Beam: Students, faculty and staff signed their
names and good wishes on the beam that would complete the topping-out
of SLU's new Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building.
Saint Louis University leaders, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, trustees,
students, faculty and staff members marked the topping-out of the
University’s new 4 million in support of the
School of Nursing and Accelerating Excellence: The
Campaign for Saint Louis University.
In recognition of Valentine’s history of philan-thropic
support of SLU totaling nearly 3.75
million
Supported by a five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Dr.
John Morley, professor of internal medicine, and Dr. Marla Berg-Weger, executive director
of SLU’s Geriatric Education Center and professor of social work, will partner with multiple
educational, patient care and service organizations in educating, studying and caring for
older adults.
COMMUNICATION
WITH PARENTS OF
SICK CHILDREN
2.1 million
Addressing the need for better pain medications, Dr. Daniela Salvemini and her colleagues at
the Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience at SLU will investigate a promising
pain-signaling pathway in the hopes of opening up a new avenue for pain medication research.
CELLULAR
CHANGES WITH
HEART DISEASE,
DIABETES
1.8 million
Chemistry professor Dr. Jim Edwards (A&S ’99, Grad A&S ’01) received this National
Institutes of Health grant to understand cellular changes that could lead to better therapies
for diabetes and heart disease. Dr. Chris Arnatt, assistant professor of chemistry at SLU, is
also a principal investigator.
OBESITY, CANCER
IMMUNOTHERAPY 1.7 million Dr. Ryan Teague, associate professor of molecular microbiology and immunology, will study
how obesity influences outcomes for cancer patients being treated with immunotherapy.
ANTI-DIARRHEAL
DRUG 30 Million
in Bid to Better Manage Pain
In one of the biggest investments in research com-mercialization
in Saint Louis University’s history,
BioIntervene, a biopharmaceutical company founded
in 2014 by SLU pharmacologist Dr. Daniela Salvemini
has raised 8.3 billion by 2024.
Neuropathic pain affects between 15 and 20 million
people in the United States. Exceedingly difficult to treat,
this type of pain can occur after injuries to the nervous
system due to trauma, disease or exposure to neurotox-ins,
including after chemotherapy. There is a need for
new medications that do not cause side effects and addic-tion
the way narcotic pain killers do.
“Having the opportunity to translate one’s discover-ies
from the bench to the bedside is a dream come true,”
Salvemini said. “I am hopeful that our efforts will lead
to the alleviation of suffering while helping end the opi-oid
crisis.”
Salvemini discovered that alterations in signaling within the body contribute to
the development of chronic pain states and that compounds that target a key recep-tor
can “turn off” pain signals, providing relief from chronic pain of various types.
This discovery, she noted, provided the starting point of her collaboration with
Dr. Kenneth Jacobson, chief of the molecular recognition section, in the laboratory
of bioorganic chemistry at the National Institutes of Health.
Salvemini
SUBMITTED PHOTO
6 | UNIVERSITAS | THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y WINTER 2020 | 7
ON CAMPUS
SLU Research Institute Grants Second Round of Funding
The Saint Louis University Research Institute awarded its second round of
funding last summer: More than 1.8 million
going to 15 faculty members.
Among the 13 faculty who received grants in this second round are:
Miriam Cherry,
professor and co-director
of the William
C. Wefel Center for
Employment Law, who
will study methods
of online justice such
as amateur sleuths
gathering online
to collect clues in
cold cases, workers
sharing information
online about abusive
labor practices and
people using the
Internet to mount
harassment campaigns.
Dr. Terra Edwards,
assistant professor of
anthropology, who
will finish a book
manuscript, Going
Tactile: Life at the
Limits of Language.
Her research focuses
on the protactile
movement, which
advances the claim
that hearing and vision
are not necessary for
things like greeting
people or joining or
leaving a conversation.
Dr. David Ford (A&S
’80), professor of
biochemistry and
molecular biology and
director of the Center
for Cardiovascular
Research, who will use
new technology to
investigate endothelial
and epithelial barrier
dysfunction. This
technology will be
used in the planning
for a SLU Sepsis
Center and the SLU
Institute for Drug
and Biotherapeutic
Innovation.
Jesuits Reckon with the Legacy of Slavery
In late August, Jesuits of the USA Central and Southern (UCS)
Province began contacting individuals believed to be descen-dants
of people held in slavery by 19th century Jesuits, including at
Saint Louis University.
This is the latest work of the Slavery, History, Memory and
Reconciliation Project, which started in 2016 as a joint initiative
of the UCS Province and the University. The goal is to find a path
to reconciliation by illuminating the lives of the people who were
enslaved and connecting with their descendants.
Historians have long known that when Jesuits established mis-sions
in St. Louis, they relied on the labor of enslaved people to help
those missions survive. To reveal the stories of courage and resil-ience
among those who were enslaved and to trace their families
forward, researchers have combed through thousands of docu-ments,
including financial ledgers, Church records and personal
journals.
Dr. Jonathan Smith, SLU’s vice president for diversity and com-munity
engagement, is leading the project for the University. To
undertake a conversation about SLU’s next steps, Smith plans to
assemble a working group that will include students, faculty, staff,
alumni, trustees and descendants.
To learn more about the project and to read the stories about the
people who were enslaved, visit shmr.jesuits.org.
SLU Launches Geospatial Institute
Anew Geospatial Institute at Saint Louis University will support
research, training and innovation in the rapidly growing fields
of geospatial science and technology.
Also known as GeoSLU, the institute brings together faculty and
students from various disciplines to use geospatial research tools
to solve challenges and to enhance graduate and undergraduate
education.
The institute’s primary areas of research will include artificial
intelligence, machine learning and informatics.
In launching the Geospatial Institute, SLU seeks to strengthen
collaborations with other universities, including the University of
Missouri System schools, Washington University in St. Louis and
Harris-Stowe State University, as well as innovation partners in the
region, including Cortex and T-Rex.
GeoSLU also builds upon SLU’s existing relationship with the
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). In January 2019, the
University signed a partnership agreement with the NGA, and the
organizations partnered on the GeoResolution conference last April.
Dr. Vasit Sagan, associate professor of earth and atmospheric
sciences, is the institute’s faculty director. Robert Cardillo, former
director of the NGA, advises the institute as part of his work as a
distinguished geospatial fellow at SLU.
For more information, visit slu.edu/geoslu.
Nancy McNeir Ring Award
Presented for Excellence
in Teaching
Dr. Katie Kelting, assistant professor of mar-keting
in the Richard A. Chaifetz School of
Business, was selected as the recipient of SLU’s 2019
Nancy McNeir Ring Award for excellence in teach-ing.
Lauded by students for her emphasis on teaching
them the value of ethics in the business world, Kelting
joined the SLU faculty in July 2016 and is director of
the business school’s Behavioral Research Lab. On
a national level, she is a Women in the Marketing
Academy Fellow, among her many fellowships. She
addressed graduates during December’s midyear
commencement at Chaifetz Arena.
Kelting
PHOTO BY STEVE LONG
PHOTO BY STEVE DOLAN
Special
Guest Star:
The Stanley Cup makes
a stop on campus during
Homecoming and Family Weekend
2019, giving fans of the 2019 NHL
champion St. Louis Blues hockey team
the opportunity to make lasting memories.
SLU, Urban League Honor MLK’s Legacy
At their annual memorial tribute honoring civil rights leader the Rev. Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 16, Saint Louis University and the Urban
League of Metropolitan St. Louis honored those carrying forward King’s legacy of
activism and advocacy for racial equity and justice across the St. Louis region.
The keynote speaker, noted journalist and author Roland Martin, told the crowd
in SLU’s Busch Student Center that “leaders step up when it’s time to lead.” He chal-lenged
those attending the tribute to recall King not as a mascot, but for his radical
commitment to social justice a
Physiologia Kircheriana experimentalis : qua summa argumentorum multitudine & varietate naturalium rerum scientia per experimenta physica, mathematica, medica, chymica, musica, magnetica, mechanica comprobatur atque stabilitur / quam ex vastis operibus Adm. Revdi. P. Athanasii Kircheri extraxit, & in hunc ordinem per classes redegit Romae, anno M.DC.LXXV. Joannes Stephanus Kestlerus Alsata, authoris discipulus, & in re litterariâ assecla, & coadjutor
No full textUniversity News - Volume 099, Issue 011 (March 5, 2020)
No full textSpecial issue on the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mislabeled as Volume XCVIV. 24 pages.VOL. XCVIV No. 11 / March 05, 2020
COVER Design by Rebecca LiVigni
UTHE UNIVERSITY NEWS
Billikens abroad:
International programs cut short
amidst rising fear of virus
T
02 NEWS
Photo Courtesy of Riley Tovornik
he outbreak of the coro-navirus
variety COVID-19
that began in Wuhan,
China last year and has
since spread globally is
now affecting the ability
of study abroad programs
to run safely. Although
SLU has not cancelled its Madrid program,
Spring Hill College and Loyola University
in Chicago, through which 13 SLU stu-dents
were attending universities in Italy,
suspended their programs on Feb. 28.
Most cancelled programs have been
in Asian countries bordering China, such
as Japan and South Korea, but a grow-ing
number of universities have closed
campuses in Italy, where over 500 cases
of COVID-19 have been reported. These
include universities like Elon University,
New York University and Syracuse Univer-sity,
all of which cancelled their programs
in Florence despite only two recorded
cases of COVID-19 in all of Tuscany. Oth-er
universities have offered students the
ability to transfer their credits or com-plete
online courses upon returning.
The University News contacted the
President’s Office and Office of Interna-tional
Services about SLU’s response to
the spread of the virus and how it may
STUDENTS ABROAD SENT HOME DUE TO
CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
By MIKHAIL FAULCONER
Staff Writer
affect students abroad. Rebecca Bahan,
director of the Office of International
Services, commented that at the time
of publishing, 18 SLU students had their
programs delayed, suspended or can-celled.
Speaking on the SLU office’s ability
to decide which students are required to
return home, Bahan said, “SLU-Madrid is
the only study program that’s operated
by the University. Other study abroad
programs are operated by partner uni-versities
and organizations. None have
indicated that they plan to cancel classes
or close campuses, but we’re remaining
in close contact.”
Bahan also stated that the universi-ty
recommends receiving all necessary
immunizations before travelling, and it
has been continuously supplying health
information and tips for students in ad-dition
to the enrollment of all SLU stu-dents
abroad in an international health
insurance plan.
Three SLU students were affected by
the cancellation of a program in Beijing
on Jan. 28, including sophomore Jenni-fer
Cheun, who spoke with the Universi-ty
News. Commenting on the justifica-tion
of cancelling programs, she stated,
“I think that people being concerned is
fair. People should take precautions, of
course. But the flu has a higher mortality
rate … I think people’s biggest fear is the
unknown.”
Cheun was disappointed with SLU’s
response and lack of assistance. She
said, “I had to do everything. SLU did not
contact me whatsoever until I contact-ed
them first ... I felt as if they were not
much help. I understand that this was
a first time event, but I am not kidding
when I say that every other university
that was affiliated with the program was
more accommodating with their stu-dents
than SLU.”
Noah Elbert, a SLU sophomore who
was studying abroad at the John Felice
Rome Center through the Loyola Uni-versity
Chicago program, commented
on the effects the virus had on life in
the city: “The only way that we have re-ally
been affected here … is through the
temperature checks mandated by the
government, checking for fever condi-tions
... We also participated in a govern-ment-
mandated informational session
on the virus put on by Loyola.”
Anna Burton, a SLU sophomore also
studying at the John Felice Rome Cen-ter,
elaborated on the anxieties the virus
has caused, stating, “Everyone has been
tense and on edge, especially since we
get updates every hour about more pro-grams
sending their students back or ris-ing
numbers of cases.”
Both Burton and Elbert agree that the
virus seemed to have caused little con-cern
in the local Italian population, and
beyond temperature checks in some ter-minals
and several train cancellations,
there has been no major or evident in-terruption
in the city’s daily life.
“My personal opinion on the virus is
that it is very much overhyped by the
media, as many things are … I believe
that this is a complete overreaction by
universities whose members are not at
risk really,” Elbert said on the subject of
American universities’ reactions to the
spread of COVID-19 and the cancella-tion
of courses.
Burton expressed a similar skepti-cism
of universities’ decisions, com-menting,
“From my point of view, I
think it spreads panic and hurts the
tourism and economy of the Italian
communities to a stark degree. On the
other hand, this is a public health con-cern
and I understand wanting to put
students health and safety as a number
one concern.”
As of March 3, SLU also suspended all
university-sponsored travel to coun-tries
with a Center for Disease Control
Level 3 Health Notice, which includes
Italy, China, South Korea and Iran.
Additionally, the university asked all
students, faculty and staff members to
communicate their travel plans for the
next month via a Google Form, stating
that SLU will require any person who
travels to a CDC Level 3 Health Notice
country to be isolated at their home for
14 days before returning to campus.
CORONAVIRUS
BY THE NUMBERS
South Korea 5,766
ITALY 3.089
IRAN 2,922
JAPAN 331
FRANCE 285
WHILE CHINA HAS BY FAR THE MOST CONFIRMED CORONAVIRUS CASES TO DATE,
THE TOP 5 FOLLOWING COUNTRIES in confirmed cases are...
10k
20k
30k
40k
50k
60k
70k
80k
90k
JAN 20 JAN 24 FEB 1 FEB 5 FEB 9 FEB 13 FEB 17 FEB 21 FEB 29 MAR
confirmed cases
mainland china
total cases
recovered
confirmed cases
other locations
Confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide
While cases in china have risen dramatically since the virus began, the
amount of confirmed cases has been on the rise throuout the world as well.
Infographic By Emma Carmody, Rebecca LiVigni / The University News
Data from John Hopkins CSSE
News 03
t the beginning
of this semester,
Club Resilient
opened its doors
to the SLU com-munity
with a
mission to em-power
women through discus-sions
on mental health. The idea
was first brought forward this
past summer by Megan Tweedie, a
sophomore, and Audrey Williams,
a freshman, after they both no-ticed
a lack of community space
devoted expressly to the discus-sion
of mental health issues.
“There are Active Minds and
there’s other clubs that do a re-ally
good job at educating people
about mental health, but there
wasn’t anything for people who
were actually struggling with
mental health … There wasn’t
anything to bring those people
together,” Williams said.
The student-run organization
is led by Tweedie, Williams and
freshman Elle Flock. Echoing the
words of her colleagues, Flock
spoke on the importance and
uniqueness of Club Resilient’s
mission, stating: “There’s a dif-ference
between knowing in the-ory
that it exists and sitting down
with a group of people that are
all open about it, all not okay and
willing to work on it together.”
Club Resilient has a goal to
not only try to improve mental
health, but also to create a com-munity
of acceptance and support
through open conversation. Each
meeting begins with an introduc-tion
from each person in atten-dance
as a means of building trust
and familiarity with one another.
Introductions are followed by
a brief presentation of the week’s
theme, given by Tweedie, Wil-liams
and Flock. Some weeks, a
personal experience or testimony
related to that week’s theme is
shared by a Club Resilient mem-ber.
Testimonies are organized by
participants writing their names
next to the themes they’d like
to speak on, or they can email
Tweedie, Williams or Flock. On
the weeks where there is no tes-timony,
club members participate
in some sort of group activity.
The main mission of the club
is to give every member access to
a space where they can discuss
their mental health. To conclude
the meeting, each attendee is giv-en
a small quote or tip to carry
with them throughout the week.
Summarizing the overall im-pact
of Club Resilient, Tweedie
said: “It just makes people know
they’re not alone and that they
actually can meet people that
they can turn to [and] talk to.”
Williams added: “Overall, it’s
probably improved the SLU com-munity
by building relationships,
building conversation around
mental health and hopefully im-proving
people’s life in the reali-zation
that they are not alone.”
For any students interested in
joining, Club Resilient meets ev-ery
Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. in the
KSLU lounge in the BSC.
A
he Women’s
Foundation of
Greater St. Louis
rated Saint Louis
University one
of the best plac-es
in St. Louis for women to work.
The WFSTL sponsors several pre-mier
initiatives and programs to
bring awareness to issues facing
women and help to create solu-tions
and advance women’s ex-periences
and economic success-es
in the workplace. One of their
main programs is the Women
in the Workplace: Employment
Scorecard Initiative.
The Scorecard began in 2017,
and it “recognizes employers
who demonstrate a strong com-mitment
to women in the work-place.”
The criteria for recogni-tion
includes: leadership roles
for women, compensation, work
policies that are flexible and pro-vide
balance for employees, and
female employee recruitment and
retention initiatives.
When asked about SLU’s hon-or
as a top place for female em-ployees,
Sara Rutherford, SLU ju-nior
and Central Office Assistant
in the Housing and Residence Life
Department, said that she felt the
designation was an accurate one.
“These past three years work-ing
at SLU will make it very dif-ficult
to leave come graduation,”
said Rutherford. “In my depart-ment
especially, I have been fortu-nate
enough to be surrounded by
many accomplished, well-round-ed
women in executive positions.
With what they’ve taught me, I’m
excited to move into the business
world, and for those lessons I’m
forever grateful.”
This is the first time that SLU
has been honored on the list, and
the university will be officially
recognized at the Foundation’s
“Making a Difference” event lat-er
this year. According to an in-terview
with SLU Newslink, Lisa
Dorsey, Ph.D., the SLU Women’s
Commission 2016 Woman of the
Year, co-creator of SLU’s women’s
mentorship program and associ-ate
professor of physical thera-py,
“Being listed among the best
places in St. Louis for women to
work affords [SLU] an opportuni-ty
to tell our story about the good
things we are doing and highlight
ways to continue to support and
advance women.”
The mentorship program
Dorsey co-created is called Wom-en
Leading Women, and its goal
is to “support and advance the
career advancement of women at
SLU” by sponsoring a workshop
focused on the interests of wom-en
in higher education.
Other initiatives at SLU fo-cused
on gender equality in the
workplace include the univer-sity’s
family and medical leave
policies, university task forces
and an upcoming Faculty Fellow
for Equity Issues, a position that
will strive to “work closely with
multiple university divisions and
collaborate with faculty, staff and
students.”
The university also highlight-ed
several outreach efforts in-cluding
the “Get Her in the Game”
program, designed to support
female student athletes at SLU,
as well as the free Well Woman
clinic sponsored by the SLU Jesuit
Health Resource Center.
T
(Rebecca LiVigni / The University News)
SLU RECOGNIZED AS
TOP WORKPLACE FOR WOMEN
MENTAL HEALTH COMES FIRST:
CLUB RESILIENT
By SAVANAH SEYER
Staff Writer
By KLAUDIA WACHNIK
Staff Writer
(Jack Connaghan / The University News)
News
fter many weeks
on the campaign
trail, candidates
running for Stu-dent
Govern-ment
Associa-tion
positions
were elected by SLU students on
Feb. 25. The two contested races
were for the positions of Presi-dent
and Vice President of Aca-demic
Affairs. For the position of
President, Joseph Reznikov de-feated
fellow candidates Maggie
Kenney and Alhan Sayyed. For
the position of Vice President of
Academic Affairs, Sophia Izhar
emerged victorious against op-ponent
Faith Nixon. A majority
of the votes for the election were
submitted online through SLU
Groups by students and tallied by
the Election Commission.
Reznikov said that he first
heard the news of his victory on
the night of the election after re-ceiving
a call from current SGA
President Maleah Fallahi and
Election Commissioner Andrew
Wagner offering their congratu-lations.
The feeling Reznikov ini-tially
had upon hearing the news
was “complete honor” because
“this community and this place
means a lot to me,” he said.
Now officially elected as SGA
president, Reznikov’s main goal is
to sit down individually with all of
the vice presidents and talk about
the visions they have for their
roles. Stating that he sees the role
of SGA president as “a visionary,”
Reznikov said he wants to be able
to support the goals and ideas of
the Vice Presidents along with
giving the student body a voice.
When asked about his plan of
action next year when in office,
Reznikov said that he wants to
“make strides with our Mental
Health Task Force.” He pointed
to how there were many mental
health and wellness efforts hap-pening
in various places on cam-pus.
Reznikov’s plan would be to
A
04
dents who are not involved in it.”
Reznikov said he does not want
SGA to feel intimidating, but in-stead
to come across as an orga-nization
that welcomes unique
student experiences. Reznikov
said he believes his perspective as
an outsider of SGA, along with his
knowledge of the internal work-ings
of the organization, could
help improve the perception of
student government in the eyes
of the SLU community.
In regard to the recent adminis-trative
turnover at SLU, Reznikov
said that there are crucial con-versations
to be had within SGA
and the student body in general.
“I think it’s really important to
continue to be transparent with
the rest of the student body about
how SGA is handling some of
these situations and what it looks
like for us because students who
are not involved in SGA should be
SGA PRESIDENT-ELECT
OUTLINES PLAN FOR SCHOOL YEAR
By COLIN THIERRY
Staff Writer
just as involved in those process-es,”
he said.
For the most part, SLU’s SGA
Election Day occurred with little
controversy. There was a griev-ance
filed about an Instagram post
by Reznikov’s team which implied
an endorsement by a non-CSO
group. This broke an SGA Election
rule, and the grievance was ruled
on by Election Commissioner An-drew
Wagner and SGA Moderator
Jackie Weber. The Election Com-mission
determined that the post
should be taken down, and Weber,
on appeal, asked Reznikov’s cam-paign
to put forth an apology.
The total vote counts will be
released to the public, but not un-til
the Election Commission’s full
election debrief and report are
finished. This process will take at
least a couple more weeks, Wag-ner
stated.
centralize these mental health
efforts and to let SGA be “the
center” of those movements and
“to continue to emphasize to ad-ministrators
how much of a prior-ity
mental health resources are to
students.”
Another goal for Reznikov next
year as president is “to be very in-tentional
about the students we
put on university committees.”
Reznikov said he wants to make
sure that SGA is not picking the
same students from the same ra-cial
background, gender identity,
major or ability to these commit-tees.
Reznikov’s plan would be to
pick students to university com-mittees
who come with “unique
and varying experiences within
the student body” because a lot
of times these students’ voices go
unheard.
Another issue that is import-ant
to Reznikov’s platform as
president is the proposed new
core curriculum. With the way
that the core curriculum is cur-rently
crafted, Reznikov said he
wants SGA to continue “to priori-tize
student voices as the process
goes on.” Additionally, Reznikov
wants to make sure what is em-phasized
in the current core plan
continues to be emphasized once
it is actualized.
Reznikov’s approach to reach-ing
his goals within SGA is best
described as “very interpersonal.”
“I think the best thing to do when
stepping into a role like this is to
take it on a day-to-day level and a
person-to-person level,” he said.
Reznikov maintained that it is im-portant
to let people work on
what they are passionate
about, which would
lead to tangible
progress within
SGA.
One thing
that Reznikov
would want
to change
about SGA is
how it “feels
overwhelm-ing
for stu-
(Jack Connaghan / The University News)
News 05
n Feb. 26, SLU
students, faculty
and staff gath-ered
in the Saint
Louis room to
celebrate the
100th birthday
of one of SLU’s most extraordinary
alumni, Mary Bruemmer. Bruem-mer’s
centenary celebration was
well anticipated, with an exhibit
documenting her life and legacy in
Pius Library and a feature piece in
SLU’s own “Legends and Lore” se-ries.
Bruemmer’s legacy at SLU is
difficult to overstate. She has been
an inspiration to the SLU communi-ty
for generations and has demon-strated
the fruits that accompany a
life dedicated to service to others.
In an interview with the university,
Bruemmer said of her abiding love
for SLU and its mission: “There is a
body of research that’s been done
all over the world with all different
cultures that finds that the happi-est
people and those who live the
longest fall in love with something
and dedicate their lives, their time,
their money to this one thing.” For
Bruemmer, this “one thing” has
been Saint Louis University, and
she has certainly left her mark.
To number Bruemmer among
SLU’s most distinguished alumni is
already to do her a disservice, for
her connection and impact on SLU
goes far beyond her undergraduate
career. Born in 1920 in Madison,
Illinois, Bruemmer enrolled at SLU
in 1938. Her enrollment came at
a moment in SLU’s history when
women did not have access to the
same educational opportunities as
their male peers did.
The year Bruemmer began
her collegiate career, just five per-cent
of SLU’s student population
was female and women were not
allowed to enroll in the College of
Arts and Sciences. Entering instead
the School of Education and Social
Services, Bruemmer earned an A.B.
in education, history and English.
Despite obstacles, Bruemmer
put together an illustrious under-graduate
career, becoming the first
female editor-in-chief of the Uni-versity
News and earning straight
A’s. Commenting on her ability
to succeed in the face of daunt-ing
obstacles, Bruemmer said: “I
discovered that, in competing for
acceptance, grades or honors, the
secret was to act as if prejudice
and discrimination did not exist, to
presume that I would exceed and
excel.”
This mindset would continue to
serve Bruemmer and her endeavors
after SLU. Graduating in 1942 in
the midst of World War II, Bruem-mer
took a job with the Red Cross
offering vocational counseling to
veterans.
In 1956, Bruemmer returned to
SLU as the director of Marguerite
Hall, an all-female residence hall
at the time. In 1960, Bruemmer
earned a master’s degree in edu-cation
and would go on to serve as
Dean of Women and later as Dean
of Students.
Throughout her career, Brue-mmer
was at the forefront of initia-tives
aimed at the empowerment of
women, and her efforts directly or
indirectly led to many of the things
that SLU students today take for
granted. As Dean of Students, she
led efforts to open Oriflamme to
women, a reform long overdue that
strengthened the SLU communi-ty
and its welcome initiatives. She
founded the Women’s Commission
a year later, an organization which
“serves to promote the interests,
issues and concerns of the women
at the university” and to “educate,
enrich and empower the women of
Saint Louis University.”
Bruemmer officially retired
in 1990, but her impact and leg-acy
continued to grow. She was
awarded the university’s Fleur-de-
Lis Medal upon her retirement, an
honor bestowed on those individ-uals
“whose contributions to the
university reach far beyond the
normal call of duty.” She received
an honorary doctorate from SLU
in 2000 and, in 2016, was honored
with a papal knighthood, becoming
Dame Commander of the Order of
Saint Sylvester, Pope and Martyr.
As the SLU community gath-ered
to celebrate Bruemmer’s 100th
birthday, this litany of accomplish-ments
was honored alongside per-sonal
anecdotes and memories of
Bruemmer shared by alumni and
faculty. Above all, the celebration
reminded the SLU community that,
as President Fred Pestello put it,
“SLU will never be lacking for her
presence.”
O
(Rebecca LiVigni /
The University News)
At 1:11 a.m. on March 1, DPS
received a call from an RA of
Griesedieck Hall after an odor of
marijuana was detected from the
hallway. DPS officers arrived on
scene to find two smoke detectors
covered with plastic bags. The two
students present in the room ad-mitted
to smoking marijuana, and
all items were confiscated.
At 1:20 p.m. on March 3, DPS
responded to an auto accident in
the Laclede Garage, which esca-lated
into a physical altercation.
A DineSLU employee and a SLU
student were involved in a minor
car accident which became an ar-gument,
and DPS was called after
the employee allegedly tapped the
student on the head.
At 5:23 a.m., a student called
DPS because he was having an
asthma attack in his room in
Marchetti West. The student re-quested
to be transported to SLU
ER, and no Emergency Medical
Service was needed.
DPS REPORTS
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS:
THE LEGACY OF MARY BRUEMMER
By CONOR DORN
Associate News Editor
06 Arts and life
By JACK JOHNSTON
Staff Writer
ho will tell your story? Unless
you plan on writing down ev-ery
single detail of your life in
permanent ink, the facts, the
motives and the perceptions
of your life will probably be misconstrued.
Joan of Arc was just a teenager when she
was burned at the stake for being a witch,
among other crimes. Who’s telling her story
now?
Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University
No full textSummer 2020 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University. This is a special issue on SLU's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.SLU Responds to
COVID-19
Editor’s Note
Most of the content in this issue of Universitas
was written and designed in May and early
June 2020. It went to press on June 29. All
attempts were made to ensure the content
was accurate and as up-to-date as possible
at the time of publication. However, in light
of the COVID-19 pandemic, the status of
certain projects and initiatives may have
changed by the time the magazine arrives
in readers’ homes. For the latest Saint Louis
University news, please visit slu.edu.
VOLUME 46, ISSUE 2
EDITOR
Laura Geiser {A&S ’90, Grad ’92}
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Amy Garland {A&S ’97}
ART DIRECTOR
Matt Krob
CONTRIBUTORS
Jeff Ackels {A&S ’17, Grad A&S ’20}
Carrie Bebermeyer {Grad A&S ’06}
Marie Dilg {Grad SW ’94}
Amelia Flood {Grad A&S ’18}
Jeff Fowler
Sarah Hilgendorf
Maggie Rotermund
Michael Rozier, S.J. {A&S ’03}
Nancy Solomon
ON CAMPUS NEWS STORIES
University Public Relations
Billiken Media Relations
ON THE COVER
St. Francis Xavier College
Church and DuBourg Hall in the
foreground with Griesedieck
Hall’s windows lit in a cross
pattern in support of health care
providers and frontline workers
Photo by Justin Barr
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: 123,557
© 2020, Saint Louis University
All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part
without permission is prohibited.
Newspapers pile up in the lobby of San Ignacio Hall at the Madrid Campus during the COVID-19 pandemic.
PHOTO BY ÁNGEL GARCÍA LÓPEZ
Features Departments
6
HISTORY IN THE MAKING
SLU’s president discusses the University’s
response to the pandemic. — By Laura Geiser
10
VACCINE VISIONARIES
Two top SLU scientists are investigating
vaccines for COVID-19. — By Marie Dilg
14
FROM A DISTANCE
SLU students and faculty adjust to
distance learning. — By Amy Garland
18
HEALTH CARE FROM HOME
SLU physicians and nurses treat patients via
telemedicine. — By Maggie Rotermund
20
A GLOBAL RESPONSE
SLU-Madrid faces unique challenges due
to the pandemic. — By Laura Geiser
22
MISSION ACCEPTED
SLU steps up to help others affected by
the COVID-19 crisis. — By Staff Writers
26
THE BEST QUESTIONS
A public health professor invites readers to
think more deeply. — By Michael Rozier, S.J.
2
ON CAMPUS
Rankings /// Core curriculum /// New interim
provost /// Mary Bruemmer’s 100th /// Test-optional
decision /// Campaign news /// Faculty
Fulbright fellow /// Prospect Yards update
28
CLASS NOTES
31
IN MEMORIAM
33
THE LAST LOOK
When we first laid out this issue, I planned to talk to you
about the transformative development we are seeing in
every direction we look. Every plot of land adjacent to
campus is either being developed, about to be developed, or eyed
by developers for future opportunities. While some of the most
important projects are proceeding, the new SSM Health Saint Louis
University Hospital and our new Interdisciplinary Science and
Engineering Building first among them, much of the Midtown devel-opment
paused in mid-March, just as we decided to send most of our
residential students and the majority of our employees home and we
pivoted to remote learning, remote working and telemedicine.
At that point I planned to talk to you about the COVID-19
pandemic, the health and financial pain it has caused, how it has
impacted our operations, and our plans to move forward on both
the academic and medical sides.
As we were getting ready to go to press for the second time, George
Floyd was killed in Minneapolis. Once again, we pulled the issue back.
In an instant, his name has become a rallying cry for justice
and equality. The horrific scene of his death was livestreamed
into the palms of people throughout the world. The cruelty and
heartlessness we witnessed sparked
global outrage.
As I write, protests are taking
place in every single state in our
nation and in many cities through-out
the world. The crushing pain
felt by African Americans is once
again on display.
I have spoken to many who are
part of our SLU community or our
partners in the region. Our fam-ily
members are hurting. They are
angry, they are exhausted, they are
fearful for themselves and those
they love, and they want meaning-ful,
structural change.
We, non-African American
members of SLU, are again called
to stand with them as men and
women for and with others.
Like you, I have spent countless
hours reading, watching, talking,
ref lecting, and praying, looking
for reasons to believe there is hope,
that finally, this time will be dif-ferent.
I believe that it will be if we
do not lose the momentum of the
moment. The momentum we wit-ness
daily as neighbors across our
nation come together in peaceful
protest and advocate for long-over-due
change. The momentum in
which our Catholic, Jesuit univer-sity
must play its role.
As I look back over the past six
months, we have whipsawed from
celebrating the accelerating growth
and momentum of Midtown and SLU to a hard stop to development
and routine operations as a worldwide pandemic took hold. Then
from the distancing and isolation of the lockdown to mass protests on
an unprecedented scale in response to a crime documented on a ubiq-uitous
video of the slow extinguishing of the life of a man pleading
for relief and using his last breaths to call out to his deceased mother.
I have repeatedly asked myself, “What are we called to do in the
midst of these troubled times.” I keep coming back to one answer:
We can make a difference. We must make a difference. The injus-tices
and atrocities must end. Let us join together as OneSLU and do
God’s work. It is the Jesuit way. It is the only way.
Our next issue will report on what we are doing at SLU and what
some of you, our justice-focused alumni, have done to be part of the
solution.
May God bless you and Saint Louis University.
Dr. Fred P. Pestello
President
The publication of this alumni magazine has
been delayed. Like my opening message to you,
it has gone through three substantial changes in
direction. These shifts reflect the painful times
and unprecedented conditions under which we
are currently living.
PHOTO BY JAY FRAM
PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
2 | UNIVERSITAS | THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y SUMMER 2020 | 3
ON CAMPUS
SUMMER 2020 | 3
U.S. News Ranks Graduate Programs
at SLU Among the Best for 2021 More than 30 programs at Saint Louis University have been ranked
in the U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools for 2021,
including a No. 1 ranking for SLU’s health law program for the 16th
year. The rankings were released March 17.
The Center for Health Law Studies in the School of Law has been listed as a top
program since the rankings were first published.
Three graduate programs in the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business —
entrepreneurship, international business and supply chain management — were
ranked in the top 15.
Among SLU’s medical and health professions programs, occupational therapy
and physical therapy were ranked in the top 50, while medical primary care and
medical research ranked in the top 75.
In rankings for best education programs, SLU’s School of Education ranked No.
162 on a national list of 393 schools.
Below are SLU’s Top 50 U.S. News graduate rankings for 2021.
RANKINGS
Wall Street Journal Ranks SLU on
Top Midwestern College List
Saint Louis University ranks No. 8 on the 2020 Wall Street Journal’s list of the
top 10 colleges in big Midwestern cities.
Once again, the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education list also ranked SLU
No. 7 among the top 10 Catholic universities in the country in the annual ranking.
The assessments were based on student outcomes, which include debt burdens
and graduate salaries; academic resources for students; student engagement;
and diversity.
SLU Named Best Value College,
Best Impact School by Princeton Review
Saint Louis University was recognized by the Princeton Review as a 2020 Best
Value College in its top 200 list announced Feb. 4.
The Princeton Review chose the 200 schools based on its surveys of
administrators at 656 colleges in 2018–19. Survey topics covered academics, cost,
financial aid, career services, graduation rates, student debt and alumni support.
SLU was also ranked No. 4 on this year’s “Top 25 Best Schools for Making an
Impact” list. The ranking is based on student ratings and responses to survey
questions covering community service opportunities at their school, student
government, sustainability efforts and on-campus student engagement.
LAW
1 HEALTH LAW
37 PART-TIME LAW
HEALTH
34 PHYSICAL THERAPY
42 OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
BUSINESS
10 ENTREPRENEURSHIP
11 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
13 SUPPLY CHAIN
39 PART-TIME MBA
40 ACCOUNTING
Undergrad Core
Curriculum Approved
In March, faculty approved the first University-wide
core cur r iculum for undergraduate
programs. Rolling out to students starting fall 2022,
the core will offer a common intellectual experience
for undergraduates and faculty, regardless of college,
school or campus.
SLU’s University Undergraduate Core Committee
is working to implement the new approach to the
undergraduate experience. Chief among the goals is
to prepare “all students to be intellectually flexible,
creative and reflective critical thinkers in the spirit
of the Catholic, Jesuit tradition.” The committee
says the new curriculum also will “nourish students’
minds, hearts, souls and well-being, and guides them
in discerning how to use their talents for the good of
others and find God in all things.”
“We are not doing core reform, but core inven-tion,”
Dr. Ellen Crowell, director of the University
Core, said. “We worked together to build something
from scratch. [The fact that] we all came together
and adopted a shared structure is a testament to how
much the SLU community cares about undergradu-ate
education and the SLU student experience.”
Look for more details on the new core curriculum
in a future issue of Universitas.
Standardized Testing Now Optional
Saint Louis University has moved to a stan-dardized
test-optional admission process for
all undergraduate and most graduate programs
beginning with students applying for the 2021-22
academic year. Test-optional means that prospective
students may submit standardized test scores, but
those who choose not to will not be disadvantaged in
any way in the admission process.
For students applying for the fall 2021 term, SLU
will not require ACT or SAT scores for freshman
or transfer applicants, and will not require the
GRE or GMAT for most graduate programs. Due
to accreditation requirements, a few graduate and
professional programs, including law and medicine,
will still require pre-admission tests. English profi-ciency
tests will still be required for international
students.
Though the test-optional admissions option is
spurred by COVID-19 forcing many test date cancel-lations,
University leaders believe the decision will
serve as a catalyst to make a SLU education more
accessible and bolster diversity among students.
“Studies show that a prospective student’s high
school grade point average is a much better predictor
of college success than standardized test scores,” said
Kathleen Davis, vice president for enrollment and
retention management. “We also know that stan-dardized
tests have historically disadvantaged those
students with lower family incomes and less access to
expensive test preparations services.”
LEWIS NAMED
INTERIM
PROVOST
Dr. Michael Lewis
is the new interim
provost for Saint
Louis University. His
term began July 1.
It is a role Lewis is
familiar with, having
served as SLU’s acting
provost at the end of
2018. Previously he
was associate provost
for faculty affairs and
development, and an
associate professor
of chemistry.
He has been at
the University
since 2004.
During the 2019-20
academic year, Lewis
was interim dean of
the College of Arts
and Sciences. He
replaces Dr. Chet
Gillis, interim provost
since January 2019.
INTERIM DEAN
FOR A&S
Dr. Donna J. LaVoie,
associate dean
and professor of
psychology, is the
new interim dean
for the College of
Arts and Sciences.
She has been with
the University for
more than 20 years.
Spanish
Professor
Awarded
Fulbright
Fellowship
Dr. Julia R. Lieberman,
a professor of Spanish
in SLU’s Department of
Languages, Literatures
and Cultures, has been named a 2020-21 Fulbright
scholar. She will spend the first few months of 2021
in Portugal. Her project is a book-length work, Few
Wealthy and Many Poor: London’s Spanish-Portuguese
Jewish Community in the Eighteenth Century.
Lieberman, who has been at SLU since 1995, teaches
courses in Spanish language, and Renaissance and
Baroque Spanish literature, as well as courses about
London Spanish-Portuguese (Sephardic) Jewish life.
The Fulbright fellowship runs from January
to July 2021. Lieberman will be in residence at the
University of Lisbon Department of History from
February to the end of April.
SLU Celebrates Bruemmer’s
100th Birthday
Well-wishers including University leaders, stu-dents,
faculty and staff members, trustees,
alumni and family packed the St. Louis Room in
Busch Student Center on Feb. 26 to help Dame Mary
Bruemmer celebrate her centennial birthday.
Among those who came to celebrate Bruemmer
were the “Marguerite Girls,” guided by Bruemmer
during her years as SLU’s dean of women; members of
Oriflamme, the group of student leaders she advised
for many years; and University President Dr. Fred P.
Pestello.
“Mary, wherever you are in the world, you will
always reside within the hearts of those bold
enough to don the fleur de lis, share the gratitude
of Oriflamme and proudly proclaim, while winking,
that they are a Billiken,” Pestello said in his toast.
Bruemmer (A&S ’42, Grad Ed ’60), an administra-tor
and unmatched University supporter for decades,
received birthday wishes, exchanged stories with
friends, students and colleagues, and thanked those
gathered for their birthday wishes.
Just 18 months into
the public phase,
the University’s
comprehensive
fundraising
campaign,
Accelerating
Excellence: The Campaign for Saint Louis
University, is almost 80% to the 22 million demand on the
University’s resources, donors are encouraged to
support SLU’s Accelerating Access Fund, which
provides scholarship aid to the students most
in need, or the Student Emergency Relief Fund,
which provides support to students experiencing
unexpected financial need beyond tuition costs.
To support funds like these, please visit
giving.slu.edu/oneslu.
PHOTO BY LUKE YAMNITZ
4 | UNIVERSITAS | THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y SUMMER 2020 | 5
ON CAMPUS
As work continues in Prospect Yards near Saint Louis
University, a few locations have new completion dates as well
as updates about what to expect when construction is finished.
A. THE ELEMENT BY WESTIN HOTEL
The Element by Westin is set to open
in September. This extended-stay
facility, just a short walk from campus
on Forest Park Avenue, will cater to
travelers and families. It will feature a
Motion Fitness Center, an all-natural
saline pool, a bike borrowing program
and a rooftop bar.
Developed by Midas Hospitality, the
six-story hotel will not only include
some traditional hotel features, but
also allow groups to spend time
together in a private setting. The
Element by Westin’s 153 suites offer
spa-inspired bathrooms and the
Westin’s signature Heavenly Beds.
Each suite includes four guest rooms
that share a fully equipped kitchen
and a living room area.
The hotel will begin taking
reservations later this summer.
B. THE NICHOLAS BUILDING
At the corner of Park Avenue and
Grand Boulevard, the Nicholas
Building awaits consideration for
a spot on the National Register of
Historic Places. When the five-story
building was constructed in 1913, it
contained shops on the first floor
and offices on the upper levels. The
building also was home to the SLU
Doisy College of Health Professions
until 1998, when the new Allied
Health Building opened.
Although the Nicholas Building has
undergone renovations over time,
it has maintained historic plaster
ceilings, sills, casings and window
trim. The rehab will provide space
for a variety of tenants, including
restaurants, coffee shops, offices
and even apartments.
C. CITY FOUNDRY STL
One of the most anticipated developments near SLU, the City Foundry STL will
comprise a food hall and entertainment venues, such as Punch Bowl Social, as
well as office space. The development is located at Forest Park and Vandeventer
avenues.
Office tenants are anticipating moving in this summer, with entertainment and
food venues to follow. — By Jeff Ackels
PROSPECT YARDS DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES A
C
B
Rendering of the Element by Westin Hotel
City Foundry STL
The Nicholas Building
SLU men’s basketball
junior guard Jordan
Goodwin was named to
the National Association
of Basketball Coaches
(NABC) All-District 4
first team, as selected
and voted on by member
coaches of the NABC in
NCAA Division I. A first-team
All-Conference
and All-Defensive
team selection by the
Atlantic 10 Conference,
Goodwin led SLU with
15.5 points per game.
He also was one of the
top rebounding guards
in the country with 10.4
rebounds per game,
which ranked in the top
25 nationally. Goodwin
ranked 24th in the
country in steals with 64.
A total of 104 SLU
student-athletes were
recognized during
the annual Straight-A
Celebration, highlighting
the Billikens who
received straight A’s
in the spring 2019
semester and/or fall
2019 semester. This year,
the student-athletes
recorded video messages
expressing gratitude to
faculty members who
made an impact on their
academic pursuits.
Billiken
Briefs
SLU’s Argus-2 Satellite Launched
The Saint Louis University-built Argus-2 satel-lite
successfully launched into orbit from the
International Space Station (ISS) on Feb. 19. The satel-lite
was built by a team of faculty and students at Parks
College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology.
The campus community joined students and fac-ulty
in McDonnell Douglas Hall to watch the launch,
which was also a milestone for NASA. With the
deployment of satellites from the ISS, the agency
celebrated 100 CubeSat launches through NASA’s
Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa)
program.
A CubeSat is a small satellite that plays a valuable
role in NASA’s exploration, technology, educational,
and science investigations. The Argus-2 was the 99th
launch.
The team behind the Argus-2: (FROM LEFT) Dr. Michael
Swartwout, associate professor of aerospace and mechanical
engineering, and Parks students Connor Highlander, Sergio
Bernabeu Peñalba, Jeffrey Kelley and Andrew Wagner.
PHOTO BY MAGGIE ROTERMUND
SLUCare Facilities Update
SLUCare physicians and staff will move into
new and renovated facilities next to the new
SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, which
opens on Sept. 1. These include a new state-of-the-art
clinical practice facility and the renovated former
Imagine School Building at Chouteau Avenue and
Spring Street, which will house the academic offices
of SLUCare physicians.
The new clinical practice facility, named the
SLUCare Center for Specialized Medicine, is located
at 1225 S. Grand Blvd.
The renovated building for physician academic
offices is now the SLUCare Academic Pavilion.
The address is 1008 S. Spring Ave. There have been
extensive renovations to the building during the past
year in preparation for the move and opening of the
other facilities.
2020 Graduates ‘Honor the Day’
Though Saint Louis University’s May com-mencement
ceremony was postponed due to
the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the class of
2020 marked the original date of graduation with an
“Honor the Day” online event on May 16. As part of
the digital celebration, graduates could add special
frames to their social media profile images, dress
up their social media posts and stories with SLU-themed
stickers, participate in digital games, and
share memories while tagging friends.
In addition, more than 150 faculty and staff created
congratulatory videos that were
released on May 16.
Both the May and December
2020 ceremonies will be post-poned
until May 2021. Though
the details about exact dates are
still in the works, there will be
separate ceremonies for the dif-ferent
graduating classes.
SLU Creates Addiction
Medicine Fellowship
Saint Louis University School of Medicine is tack-ling
the country’s opioid abuse crisis by training
community physicians to recognize and trea