GriffinShare @ Fontbonne University

Students in the Disney Leaders Institute program at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.https://griffinshare.fontbonne.edu/uasc-photos/7848/thumbnail.jp

University Archives Photos: 6849

Students in the Disney Leaders Institute program at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.https://griffinshare.fontbonne.edu/uasc-photos/7847/thumbnail.jp

University Archives Photos: 6848

Students in the Disney Leaders Institute program at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.https://griffinshare.fontbonne.edu/uasc-photos/7853/thumbnail.jp

University Archives Photos: 6854

Members of UP, University Programming, smile together in the Library.https://griffinshare.fontbonne.edu/uasc-photos/7869/thumbnail.jp

University Archives Photos: 6870

Fontbonne University

�Celebrating Centennial: February Edition 
Fontbonne University <thecall@fontbonne.edu> 
Wed 2/1/2023 10:00 AM
To: Shuman, Brady <BShuman@Fontbonne.edu> 
Message from the President 
On January 26, the spring faculty lecture series kicked off as members of the 
audience were invited to take a stroll down memory lane. Four former faculty 
members-Dr. Mary Abkemeier, Sr. Mary Carol Anth, Dr. Donald Burgo, and Dr. 
Susan Lenihan-entertained the audience with stories and memories of their 
time on the Fontbonne University campus. Reminders of the 40 CSJs who lived 
on the third floors of the former Fine Arts and Science buildings, memories of 
the faculty/staff dining room, and tributes to former faculty, staff and 
administrators delighted those in attendance. The evening concluded with one 
of the panelists quoting Daniel Webster who was speaking of another liberal 
arts institution when he said, "It is a small school, but there are those of us who 
love it." The love of Fontbonne was clearly evident both in the panelists' 
reminiscences and the audience's responses. For those who were unable to 
attend the presentation and would like to hear a recording, please contact 
Wendi Valenti in the Alumni Office. The lecture series will continue on February 
28 with Ben Moore, March 30 with Kelly Lane de-Graaf and April 20 with 
Corinne Mason; all of these will be held in the Lewis Room at 7 p.m. I hope 
you'll join me in supporting our colleagues and learning about the interesting 
research that conducted! 
This semester the CSJs are graciously opening the Motherhouse for two 
additional tours on April 20 at 10:30 a.m. with lunch following and on April 26 at 
4 p.m. with dinner to follow. The deadline to RSVP to Yvonne Farmer for either 
date is March 20. Please consider signing up for one of these tours to learn 
more about the women who founded Fontbonne 100 years ago. 
Preparations are well underway for our gala, one of the culminating events of 
our centennial year, which will be held on May 13 at the Ritz-Carlton in 
Clayton. The evening promises to be festive with a lovely reception and dinner, 
followed by a student presentation, a tribute to current and former faculty and 
staff, and a surprise reveal. The evening will conclude with dancing to the 
music of Mirage. Tickets are already going fast! If you plan to join us, please 
contact Wendi in our alumni office soon to secure yours. Faculty and staff may 
buy tickets for the reduced price of $150 and use payroll deduction for the 
purchase. I hope to see you at the Ritz as we recap highlights of this 
1 oath anniversary year and announce plans for the future! 
- Dr. Nancy H. Blattner, President
FEBRUARY 
28: Dr. Ben Moore. "Feeding the Great War's Workers: St. Louis's First 
Neighborhood Kitchen" 
For a full list of events, click on the below buttons: 
Student Activities & Events 
Centennial Info & Events 
Athletics Schedule 
New traditions have begun in recent 
years. Casino Night is a popular event 
with Fontbonne students, and even went 
on with some modifications in 2020! See 
more of Fontbonne's history and traditions 
at GriffinShare's Rhoto collection 
Centennial Collections 
Share Y.OUr Memories with Archives 
The Saint John's Bible: 
Understanding the Illustrations 
Baptism of Jesus 
MARK 1:1 -29 
"And just as he was 
coming up out of the 
water, he saw the 
heavens torn apart and 
the Spirit descending 
like a dove on him." 
Where do you see the 
markers of humanity 
and divinity, the two 
worlds of heaven and 
earth, and how do they 
come together in this 
illumination? 
"John the Baptist is the patron of Saint John's Abbey, and so it was important to 
give him a strong place in the illuminations. Mark's gospel is the one account 
that states John actually baptizes Jesus. Although Luke's gospel covers the 
ministry of John the Baptist more extensively, this account gives the fullest story 
of the baptism. As the gospel that focuses most exclusively on Jesus' ministry, 
Mark opens with not his birth but his baptism. This passage gave Donald 
Jackson the basis for a complex and exuberant illumination. 
At the front of the frame is the Baptist. The fact that it is John the Baptist and 
not Jesus who is the focus of the illumination is itself unusual. Notice his hands 
and feet. He moves forward, and he gestures in invitation, even as he looks 
back. He is not contained by the frame of the image. He is the Forerunner, 
placed before the image depicting the main event. His gaze backward is not to 
the past but to the scene of the baptism itself, the story he sent to proclaim. In 
the scene are many figures: a crowd on shore, others in the water, and Jesus 
truly rising up, almost indistinguishable from the gold swatches surrounding 
him. 
The sky is open and angels, much like those in the illumination of Jacob's 
ladder, descend and ascend. More angels- or are they birds?- circle the 
heavens in blue. Remember the special properties of birds we've seen from 
Creation through Wisdom Books and Prophets, metaphorically linking the 
divine and human worlds. 
The image is not without darkness. Red eyes peer out from the left-hand side, 
along with two large spiders. These images introduce the temptation awaiting 
Jesus in the desert. According to the text, after the baptism Jesus heads 
immediately into the desert where he is tempted for forty days and nights. John 
the Baptist is not a celebratory figure in this scene but a somber one, as though 
he sees more deeply into the revelation of Jesus' divinity. Above John is also 
the stamped figure of the arches of Compostela we've seen so many times. 
They could be a reflection of the larger ministry and the role of baptism as 
initiation in the church." 
Extracted from "The Art of the Saint John's Bible" by Susan Sink 
Reserve the Saint John's Bible 
Please use this form to reserve the Heritage edition of Gospels & Acts for your class 
or event. For questions, email rvankniest@fontbonne.edu or call 314-719-8046. 


English

Celebrating Centennial: February Edition

The Call: February 6, 2023

Students in the Disney Leaders program smile together at the Disney Trivia fundraiser in 2022.https://griffinshare.fontbonne.edu/uasc-photos/7890/thumbnail.jp

University Archives Photos: 6891

Members of ODK (Omicron Delta Kappa) smile together at the Rake Run in 2022.https://griffinshare.fontbonne.edu/uasc-photos/7894/thumbnail.jp

University Archives Photos: 6895

Alumni sit on a panel at  Owning Your G.R.I.T. , a professional development event put on by the Alumni Board and the Career Development Center on February 15, 2023.https://griffinshare.fontbonne.edu/uasc-photos/7913/thumbnail.jp

University Archives Photos: 6914

Roberta Moore speaks at  Owning Your G.R.I.T. , a professional development event put on by the Alumni Board and the Career Development Center on February 15, 2023.https://griffinshare.fontbonne.edu/uasc-photos/7921/thumbnail.jp