Academics at AMU

This blog is dedicated to highlighting Academic Affairs at Ave Maria University.

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[WATCH]: AMU’s Dr. Michael New appears on EWTN News Nightly to speak about the progress and strategies of the pro-life movement on June 29, 2017--the 25th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Planned Parenthood v. Casey decision. [Segment begins at 16:54]. 

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Casey at 25: Pro-Life Progress Despite a Judicial Setback

The Supreme Court’s Casey decision has enabled pro-lifers to take an incremental approach toward reducing abortion ...

“Using the legal openings in the ruling, the pro-life movement has succeeded in reducing abortions.”

On the 25th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Planned Parenthood v. Casey decision, Dr. Michael New, Associate Professor of Economics at AMU, writes for National Review on how pro-lifers have taken an “incremental strategy” toward reducing abortions in America. 

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Announcing New Course On Principled Entrepreneurship

A new course on Principled Entrepreneurship will be launched in 2017-2018. The course, which is intended for students from all majors who are interested in the entrepreneurial spirit and the creation of small businesses, was designed by AMU professors Mary Hunt and Gabriel Martinez and is made possible by a grant from the Charles Koch Foundation.

“What is particularly exciting about this course is that it is truly designed for students from any major,” says Mary Hunt, Assistant Professor of Business and Psychology. “People of all backgrounds and educational interests end up pursuing businesses in their lives. … This course will help them to understand the essential structures of a business to better prepare them to contribute, regardless of their academic interest.” Hunt, who will be teaching the new course, has taught entrepreneurship in the past and currently focuses her research on entrepreneurial motivations, namely, why people start and grow businesses.

Principled Entrepreneurship is offered as an elective for students in a business major, as well as a practical general elective for students of any major who seek to use their talents by creating a new venture. The course will cover the fundamental theories, history and practice of entrepreneurship, focusing on ethical principles and the meeting of human needs. The social teachings of the Catholic Church, Hunt explains, will provide the “foundational lens” for the “principled entrepreneur.” The social teachings that form the foundation for principled entrepreneurship include: work and human dignity, subsidiarity, co-creation, ownership and private property, and morality and the economy.

“[T]here are a growing number of students who state that they want to start their own businesses some day,” Hunt explains. “Others who actually have launched their own enterprises in college, and still others who want to work in small family businesses.  All of these students can benefit greatly from learning both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills that will be taught in the Principled Entrepreneurship course.”

The course on Principled Entrepreneurship will give students the opportunity to interview a “real life” entrepreneur, assess and identify their own potential as an entrepreneur, create a viable business model, and, more generally, inspire students to launch new business ventures. The course is the result of a discussion that began back in Fall 2016, following on the heels of a partnership between the Charles Koch Foundation and Ave Maria University, with Dr. Seana Sugrue serving as the faculty liaison, on a project to promote an appreciation of civics and liberty. After this project, the Charles Koch Foundation reached out to Dr. Sugrue about ways to deepen its partnership with AMU. From this conversation, the course on Principled Entrepreneurship emerged as an area where the missions of AMU and the Charles Koch Foundation may overlap.

“The Charles Koch Foundation is concerned with fostering responsible leadership in both the economic and political realms for the sake of preserving liberty,” explains Dr. Seana Sugrue, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of Faculty and Associate Professor of Politics. “Ave Maria University seeks to educate students to be joyful, intentional followers of Christ, who use their education to serve others. Such service may be in positions of leadership in business or politics. Hence, the aims of Ave Maria University and the Charles Koch Foundation complement each other when it comes to preparing the next generation of responsible leaders, who are prepared to create value and to serve others.”

The Principled Entrepreneurship course is introduced amidst an increase in the numbers of students seeking majors in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, and more recently, Marketing. As a Catholic university, AMU is committed to providing a moral framework rooted in faith to guide its students who are interested in the practice of business.

“[O]ften musicians or writers work independently and essentially run their own businesses to provide their talents,” Hunt shares. “Also, there are an increasing number of ‘social entrepreneurs’ who use their entrepreneurial skills in enterprises designed to help society in some way. In addition, those who major in the sciences or liberal arts are likely to work in some type of organization in their lives. …I can see many Ave Maria students from across all disciplines benefiting from what they will learn in [the] Principled Entrepreneurship course.”

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Another Year Comes to a Close

On Friday, May 5th, events began which marked the closure of yet another momentous academic year at AMU. This past year saw AMU professors publishing books and articles in peer-reviewed journals, student groups traveling to conferences at other colleges and universities, academic departments and student clubs hosting panels, conferences and symposiums, faculty being honored at home and abroad, and prestigious guest lecturers visiting campus.

Academic Year Round Up 

Among the notable faculty publications of the past year, there was the release of Dr. Denise McNulty’s innovative nursing textbook, the publication of Dr. Travis Curtright’s latest book on Shakespeare, and the appearance of Dr. Michael Breidenbach’s essay, “Conciliarism and the American Founding,” in The William and Mary Quarterly. Not to mention the collection of essays, Wisdom and the Renewal of Catholic Theology, written in honor of Fr. Matthew Lamb, who founded AMU’s graduate programs in Theology. The essays were co-edited by AMU professor Dr. Roger Nutt, and multiple other AMU professors and graduates contributed to the work.

This past year also saw groups of students traveling to conferences and events at other universities, such as the Anscombe Society’s trip to the Love and Fidelity Network’s annual conference at Princeton, the Michael Novak Diplomacy Club’s participation in Harvard’s National Model United Nations, the group of students who received a grant to attend the Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame’s 17th annual conference, and the Thomas More Debate Club’s invitation to compete in the 2017 Values & Capitalism National Parliamentary Debate Association at Colorado Christian University. On a similar note, a group of twelve music majors had the opportunity to perform with Opera Naples in a semi-staged production of Puccini’s Turandot.

There were many conferences held on campus as well, including two in honor of the “Year for Mother”—a yearlong celebration of Mother Teresa’s canonization—namely, the Aquinas Center’s conference on “Mother Teresa and the Mystics,” and the Mother Teresa Project’s conference on adoption and foster care. Instructor of Modern Language, Dayami Abella, organized a conference on Cuban Science Fiction and Fantasy, which involved creative writing workshops, attendance at a poetry recitation and a field trip to the International Book Fair in Miami. The History Department hosted a mini-symposium on medieval charters, the student club Genuine Feminine held its seventh annual conference on synergy between man and woman, and the ISI Society, the James Madison Institute, and the Henkels Lecture Fund jointly sponsored a panel (featuring Catholic University of America’s Dr. Catherine Pakaluk, the Acton Institute’s Dr. Samuel Gregg, and AMU’s own Drs. Michael Breidenbach and Gabriel Martinez) on the late Ambassador Michael Novak’s contribution to Western thought.

Some of the notable speakers that came to campus for lectures and addresses include Dr. Jeremy Bailey from the University of Houston, who delivered the Constitution Day address, Fr. Patrick Madigan, editor of the Heythrop Journal in London, England, who was the fall semester Honors Colloquium Speaker, and the spring Honors Colloquium speaker, Danielle Pletka, Senior Vice President for Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). Over the course of the academic year, students also had the opportunity to hear from renowned theologian Dr. Scott Hahn, clinical neuropsychologist Dr. Paul Nussbaum, Holocaust survivor Peiter Kohnstram, Dr. J. Budziszewski, Professor of Government and Philosophy at the University of Texas in Austin, Stefan Gehrold, Head of the European Office of the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation, and retired U.S. Army colonel H. Donald Capps—to name just a few. The year opened with a Convocation Address from speaker Dr. Robert Kennedy, Professor and Chair of the Department of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas, and the year closed with a Commencement Address from Mr. Daniel A. D’Aniello, co-founder and Chairman of The Carlyle Group.

This past academic year was also one of individual achievement among the faculty and students. Four professors (Drs. Baxa, Nutt, Scheck and Trabbic) were honored at the AMU Christmas party for ten years of dedication to teaching and guiding AMU students. Dr. Steven Long (Theology) was appointed to the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas, while Dr. Travis Curtright (Humanities and Literature) was named Editor of the journal Moreana. To pick out some remarkable achievements from among the students, music major Eileen Plunkett won the Southwest Florida Symphony Society Scholarship, while Kathleen Kelly was one of two individuals across the country to earn a perfect score for the advanced level of the Classical Association of the Middle West and South (CAMWS) Latin translation contest.

Things wound up before they wound down

The year was packed full with academic events, but as is so often the case, things came to a climax before they wound down to a close. As the University community entered the last week of classes, the Shakespeare in Performance troupe was still going strong with its 2017 production of Love’s Labours Lost. Music majors were giving their senior recitals, the Chamber Music class held its end-of-the-year concert, Rhetoric students offered the public orations marking the end of their course, theology graduate students were defending their Master’s theses, while graduating seniors were delivering their own required thesis presentations. Some students took a break for “Art in the Park” outside the library, but even more students were inside the library, glued to their books, making last preparations for their final exams.

The President’s Dinner

The whirlwind continued through finals week, culminating in graduation weekend. On Friday, May 5th, Bishop Frank Dewane celebrated the Baccalaureate Mass in Ave Maria Catholic Church. Following Mass, graduating seniors with their friends and families headed down the academic mall for the President’s Dinner, where they heard from the 2017 Faculty Speaker, Dr. Travis Curtright. As the seniors prepared to begin life after college, Dr. Curtright challenged them with the question of how they will, like actors, take on new roles throughout their life while remaining the same self. Looking to the example of St. Thomas More, Curtright suggested:

As an Ave Maria graduate, like the Man for All Seasons, you will become something of a character actor… Character actors are those who specialize in performing what are considered to be unusual or unique traits. And perhaps, as young men and women of charity, conscience and integrity, you will strike [many] as rare indeed. For such rarity, I thank you.

During the President’s Dinner, the five senior finalists (Victoria Antram, Clare Eckard, Josephine Hartney, Michael O’Donnell, Hanna Sternhagen) for the President’s Award were invited on stage and recognized for their academic accomplishments, involvement in the life of the University, service to others, and exemplification of AMU’s highest Catholic ideals. The honor was awarded to Mike O’Donnell, who goes on to teach at nearby Donahue Academy next year.

Alumni Reunion Weekend

After the President’s Dinner, many seniors headed over to the local Oil Well Craft Beer, where they joined AMU alumni kicking off the 2017 Alumni Reunion Weekend. Many of the alumni present had younger siblings graduating. The next morning, AMU alumni continued to celebrate and reconnect over brunch while graduating seniors began lining up in the Golisano Field House for Commencement Exercises.

Commencement 2017

Saturday, May 6, was a typical morning in Southwest Florida: sunny and bright with a light breeze. Inside the Golisano Field House, the members of the graduating Class of 2017 gathered to receive their diplomas.

Once all were assembled, Dr. Seana Sugrue, Vice President for Academic Affairs, offered a welcome address. She was followed by Fr. Matthew Lamb, who said the opening prayer. Graduating senior and music major Anna Kunza sang the National Anthem before President Towey introduced the 2017 commencement speaker, Mr. Daniel D’Aniello.

Daniel D’Aniello, Co-founder and Chairman of The Carlyle Group, a global alternative asset management firm, began his address to the graduating seniors by remarking on how proud they must be “to be graduating from one of the finest Catholic universities in the country, and maybe in the world.” Going on, he drew an analogy based on his experience in the investment world: The graduates had, he said, spent the last four years “investing” in themselves. Now, they must face the “hard work” of closing the deal of their college education.

As the Class of 2017 navigates the difficult task of managing their investment in their education to a fruitful outcome, D’Aniello offered them some advice:

Be not afraid. “[F]rom time to time, you’ll be challenged for your beliefs. And that’s when your Christian formation will give you the most strength—the courage of your convictions to be an unwavering defender of the faith. Of course these occasions won’t be easy, nor comfortable. But always remember that you have a course of saints behind you.”

Follow your conscience. “Your moral compass…is all-important as you negotiate and navigate unchartered waters of building your personal and professional career in the secular world. We live in an age of moral ambiguity and relativism, where we’re rarely called upon to make stark choices between right and wrong. Rather, we constantly and covertly are pressured to give in to what is popular, socially trendy, or politically correct. This is particularly true when the compromises seem trivial or inconsequential. So remember what St. Teresa of Calcutta told us: ‘Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.’”

…But also depend upon good advice. “Keep in mind that the world makes it easy to talk yourself into decisions that you know may not be right. So, listen to your conscience. Yes, listen to it, but don’t let it play tricks on you. Stay close to the safe harbor of trusted friends, family, mentors, for advice you can depend on when confronted with the really hard choices and the close calls in life.”

Foster a spirit of gratitude. “I ask that each of you take time to reflect with love and appreciation on those in your life you have supported you, who have been there for you in good times and bad, and whose dreams are being fulfilled today by your great achievement.”

Let gratitude inspire you to give back. “If you leave with one thought on this graduation day, it would be this: I hope that you will find a way to turn your appreciation for what has been given to you into the inspiration toward helping others, including your family and friends, your communities of faith, the poor in corporal needs, the poor in spirit. In the end our personal relationships are the most important thing we have in this world. And none more important than our relationship with Jesus Christ.”

Real success is in striving for holiness. “The focus on materialism perpetrates the myth that success means career success… Yes, it’s great to have a fulfilling professional life. And yes, we can all prosper together. But success in life might best be defined in non-economic terms. Having a loving family, a wonderful marriage, trusted friends. Definitions of success are as unique as each person in this room today. St. Francis de Sales said it best when he said, ‘Be who you are, and strive to be that perfectly.’ And in doing so, be guided by the words of Leon Bloy: ‘The only real failure in life is not to become a saint.’”

D’Aniello concluded his address by urging the Class of 2017 to use their talents in pursuing their dreams, but to do so with humility and faith. That is the formula for true success as witnesses to the truth and beacons of light. “We need you,” he said, “and we know you’re up to the challenge. [T]rust that you’re not alone.”

Valedictorian Address

The privilege of valedictorian was shared ex aequo by Linwood Richard Schwartz (Philosophy) and Kathryn S. Van de Loo (Classics and Early Christian Literature). Dr. Bradley Ritter introduced Kate, who was honored to give the 2017 Valedictorian Address. “I have personally noticed in her an intense curiosity of the best intellectual kind, a strict clarity of thought, and the tenacity which can produce research of real merit,” Dr. Ritter said. “But if I may add on another personal note, she balances that intellectual seriousness with kindness, charity, and tremendous warmth.”

Kate, who earned the Classics Departmental Award and goes on to a Master’s program in Classical Studies at the University of Notre Dame, recalled in her address the many experiences of the past four years—enjoying the natural beauty of Florida, theatrical student performances, spontaneous game nights, late nights studying, and serious discussions among friends—experiences that, although simple, were meaningful because of the people with which they were shared. “Of all the gifts that have filled my life during the last few years, it’s the people I’ll remember the most,” Kate said. “So as I set out from here, it is my goal to be attentive to the people I encounter and to grow in gratitude for them—not just after the fact, but even as I share moments with them, that I might learn from St. Teresa of Calcutta to recognize Christ in each one, and to love Christ in each one.” With these thoughts echoing in their hearts and minds, the graduating seniors exited the Field House and went on to celebrate in gratitude with family and friends.

Saturday, May 6, 2017 marked Ave Maria University’s thirteenth commencement, and it was a milestone in this Catholic institution’s history. In the tenth year on its permanent campus, which also coincided with Founder Tom Monaghan’s 80th birthday, Ave Maria University saw its first graduating class of nursing students, and the largest class of total graduates (232 diplomas were bestowed: 217 undergraduate, 13 master’s, and 2 doctorate).

It was a momentous year at AMU, and, as Fr. Robert Garrity prayed in the benediction: 

May the Lord guide us and direct our journey in safety. May the Lord be our companion along the way. May the Lord grant that the journey we begin, relying on him, will end happily through his protection.  Amen

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Commencement Opening Prayer

By Fr. Matthew Lamb, Cardinal Maida Chair in Theology, Ave Maria University

Oh Lord God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you have loved each and every one of us here into existence.  From the first moment of our conception in our mother’s womb, our natural commencement, you have called us to an eternal friendship with You, the Creator and Redeemer of the entire universe. Now, thanks to our parents and other friends here, You are with us in our educational commencement into the next stages of our pilgrimage toward that eternal life and love with You.  

It was for that glorious life in heaven that Mr. Thomas Monaghan founded Ave Maria University.  The administration, faculty, and staff have assisted us as students to realize how the wisdom of our religious faith heals and heightens our reason to explore the intelligibility discovered by philosophy with its metaphysics and ethics, and by the natural and human sciences; to relish the endless forms of beauty in the liberal arts with their great literatures, music, dance, and theatre; to ponder the achievements and debates throughout the annals of historical and political scholarship; to make our own the practical skills and virtues needed in professional life.  

Love of truth engenders love of genuine friendship.  May the friendships we have experienced at Ave Maria in the many conversations, sports, assisting the poor – whether with the Missionaries of Charity or others in Africa, Latin America and Immokalee – may all of these friendships be taken up in our friendship with you, Jesus Christ, whom we adore in your real presence in the Eucharist.

May our Blessed Mother Mary smile down on us today as each graduate receives the diploma, may she accompany them as they commence the next stages of their journey as their Alma Mater.  There will be many joys and laughter in the months and years ahead, as well as many sorrows and tears.  Both the joys and the sorrows make up the mosaic of our pilgrim life until, as each of us will pass through the portals of death, we meet our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ, who by His grace will embrace us in love, along with our families and friends, wiping away all our tears, as we enter into that beatific commencement when Christ presents us all to Our Father in the Holy Spirit. Amen, Alleluia!

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Senior Spotlight: Michael O’Donnell

After his dad learned about AMU on Relevant Radio, Michael O’Donnell flew down to the University’s Southwest Florida campus for a visit. As a senior in high school, he tried out with the soccer team and received a scholarship. “I had to choose between getting a degree in freezing Iowa or sunny Florida,” he recalls. “It wasn't a hard decision.” At the end of the summer, Michael packed up his bags and declared himself a Gyrene.

When Michael commits, he commits with a passion. It’s no wonder that at the annual Athletics Awards Banquet held last week, Michael won the 2017 Gyrene Award—the highest athletics award given each year to the male and female who excel in academics and athletics, have a strong spiritual life, are leaders among their peers, and who encompass what it is to be a student-athlete at AMU. While at Ave Maria University, Michael played four years of varsity soccer, two years of JV basketball, two years of varsity basketball, and one year as a punter for the JV football team. He was an Academic All-American for three years. And, at the annual Senior Award Night, hosted by Student Life, Michael also won the 2017 Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Sportsmanship Award.

But Michael’s achievements weren’t limited to the playing field. He had the opportunity to go on the Calcutta Mission Trip through the Mother Teresa Project, where he and fellow AMU students served the poor alongside the Missionaries of Charity. He worked with the FOCUS team on campus for three years, and was involved with the Campus Ministries Outreach team.

“Ave Maria has allowed me to express my love for Jesus and the Catholic Church not just through participating in the sacraments,” Michael says. “Mathematics and athletics are also gifts by which I can glorify God.”

At Commencement Exercises on Saturday, Michael will graduate with a B.A. in Mathematics and a minor in Education. This isn’t what he planned to study at the start, he recalls, but he enjoyed his first math course freshman year so much that he decided to continue taking them until he failed one. By his junior year, that still hadn’t happened. “I knew I had enough to call it my major!” he says. “My love for math increased with every class, and I wanted to spread this love to other people.” That’s why he chose to minor in Education. “I dreamed about being a teacher one day,” Michael shares.

After he graduates, Michael’s dream of teaching will come true. “Ave Maria's close knit community and standard for excellence in the Math Department allowed me to volunteer at Donahue Academy, the local K-12 Catholic school, as a teachers aid and substitute.” After a semester of experience volunteering, Michael was asked to join the staff part-time and to teach his own high school math class. This opportunity for professional development that Michael seized upon during his time at AMU has ensured that he graduates with a teaching job lined up. Starting in August, he will return to Donahue Academy as a full-time teacher.

We congratulate Michael on his outstanding achievements at AMU over the last four years, and for earning yet another honor by being named a President’s Award finalist. Best of luck as you prepare for graduation! 

The President’s Award is the highest honor bestowed upon a graduating senior of Ave Maria University in recognition of academic accomplishments, involvement in the life of the University, service to others, and exemplification of AMU’s highest Catholic ideals.  

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Senior Spotlight: Josie Hartney

Josie Hartney arrived at AMU four years ago as a freshman interested in working in the medical field—she just didn’t know exactly where. “Science has always interested me,” she explains. “I like problem-solving and understanding what is going on in the world around me and also in my own body.” Not sure where her interests would lead her down the road, Josie decided to major in Biology; it would help get her where she wanted to go, while still keeping her options open.

For the spring semester of her sophomore year, Josie had the opportunity to travel to Rome with AMU’s study abroad program. At one point, the program’s chaplain asked if anyone wanted to volunteer for the Pontifical Academy for Life's 2015 General Assembly Workshop, "Assisting the Elderly and Palliative Care.” As someone interested in healthcare, and particularly in this topic, Josie shot her hand in the air. “This turned into a way bigger opportunity than I anticipated,” she recalls, “allowing me to work inside the Vatican and participate in one of its operations with renowned scholars from around the world!” Josie was privileged to attend a private papal audience that Pope Francis held with the Academy members, and she even had the chance to greet the pontiff in person at the end. “It was an experience I will treasure for the rest of my life, and it never would have happened without the opportunity to participate in the study abroad program that AMU provided me.”

While at AMU, Josie has had a couple of opportunities to travel abroad. Through the Mother Teresa Project, she served on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic last year. And immediately after graduation, she will take off once again to volunteer on a final mission trip to Calcutta, India. Opportunities such as these are part of what attracted Josie to AMU in the first place. “I wanted to get involved in the university and immersed in the community in a place that would challenge me to be a better person but not force it. I decided to come to AMU because I felt it was where God was calling me to grow towards the best version of myself throughout my four years of college.”

Over the last four years, Josie has certainly found ways to grow into the best version of herself. She not only balanced outstanding academic work with her passion to serve, but she also was involved in a multitude of student organizations and activities. On the academic side, she made the Dean’s List every single semester here. She was also in the Honors Program, a member of the Tri Beta Biological Honors Society, and a Mother Teresa Scholar. But the list of Josie’s engagement with the university community doesn’t stop there. She served on Student Government, and was a member of the Student Activities Board. She played intramural sports throughout her four years, and also joined the Students for Life, Life Runners, and AMU Biology clubs. Josie was a member of the Asteria Tis Marias Women's Faith Household, which won Household of the Year in 2016, and she worked as a Resident Assistant. “I can tell that I have greatly matured and gained many life experiences during my time here,” she shares. “AMU has shaped me by challenging me to be a critical thinker—both in and outside of the classroom, and to approach things with the whole picture in mind.” She continues: “I have learned how to be a professional while here. I have discovered my own spirituality by making my faith my own, which AMU enabled me to do by providing a variety of prayer and formation opportunities that I could take and explore.”

[Photo credit: Patricia Nicole V. Baguinon]

Josie was accepted into her top pick for graduate school. After graduating on Saturday, she will fly with President Towey and a group of fellow AMU students to serve the poor in Calcutta. Upon her return to the States, she will spend some time back in her hometown of Augusta, Georgia, working at the Dolphin Academy Swim School. Come the fall, Josie begins pursuing her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at Augusta University in Augusta, Georgia.

Best of luck to Josie as she finishes up her classes and prepares for the adventure of life after college! And congratulations on being named a President’s Award finalist!

The President’s Award is the highest honor bestowed upon a graduating senior of Ave Maria University in recognition of academic accomplishments, involvement in the life of the University, service to others, and exemplification of AMU’s highest Catholic ideals.  

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Senior Spotlight: Victoria Antram

Four-year-old Victoria Antram began her career in politics by campaigning in a wagon around her town of Chandler, Arizona, on her father’s behalf, who was running for state legislature at the time. “Ever since then,” she shares, “I've defiantly declared I want to be a faithful Catholic policy maker.” After she graduates next week with a double major in Theology and in Political Economy and Government (PEG), Victoria will begin making that childhood declaration a reality. She will intern with the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) in Washington, D.C. over the summer, and come the fall, she will begin her Masters in Politics at Hillsdale College in Michigan.

[Victoria greets Cardinal Dolan at last year’s Scholarship Dinner.]

Integrating her Catholic faith with her daily life has been an important concern for Victoria, and one that has directed many of her life decisions. In fact, it was because she didn’t want to give up the integration of faith in daily life that Victoria made the last-minute decision to apply to AMU. She was attending Orientation at the University of Arizona when she realized how important it was to be “surrounded by others oriented by the same values and faith.” She applied to Ave Maria University, was accepted a week later, discovered that tuition at AMU was less than staying in-state for college, and broke the news to her parents. “They fully supported my decision to attend this small, unheard-of Catholic university on the other side of the country,” she recalls.

During her four years at AMU, Victoria has led a life balanced by faith and studies, leadership and service, community and personal development. She led the women’s household, Daughters of God. She served as President of Students for Life and as Junior Class Representative for Student Government Council. She was a member of the women’s cheerleading team, and the President’s Council. Victoria worked as a Resident Assistant, in the mail room, for Student Life, and in a dance studio in town. Academically, she excelled as an Honors Student, a Mother Teresa Scholar, and as the chairwoman of the American Enterprise Institute chapter on campus. Besides all these, she has one further accomplishment to brag about: convincing her younger sister, Brianna, to come to Ave. “Apart from being an honors student and a Mother Teresa Scholar, I consider my greatest achievement to be persuading my little sister to join me here in sunny Florida,” Victoria says. “These past two years would not have been the same without her.”

Victoria is well aware of the saying that religion and politics are the two subjects one should never discuss at a dinner party. That didn’t stop her from majoring in these two disciplines. Recently, she came across another saying, one that she finds much more appropriate: "Religion and politics remind us that we need each other." That, more than anything, she says, sums up her decision.

“Through my studies and serving my immediate community and abroad, Ave Maria has given me a more profound and comprehensive understanding of human nature. This understanding has helped me mature into a more faithful Catholic, foster Christ-centered relationships, and will be fundamental to my professional goals in academia.” So Victoria reflects on how her experience over the last four years at AMU has shaped her.

When asked to name a highlight from her college years at AMU, Victoria says it was the chance to attend the Canonization of St. Teresa of Calcutta in Rome this past September. She says it was a great way to begin her senior year. “Seeing the grandeur of the man-made churches reminded me of the grandeur of the human person, and how St. Teresa upheld that beauty and preserved the dignity of every person she encountered.”

With this sense of the grandeur of the human person, and a firm determination to keep her faith fully integrated with her daily life, Victoria heads to D.C. for the summer, and then on to graduate school. Looking to the future, she hopes to teach to her students the lessons she herself has learned. “Someday, I hope to pass on to my students some of the knowledge given to me during my time here. The service-oriented professors who genuinely cared about each student greatly challenged my mind and helped me discern my professional vocation.”

We wish Victoria the best of luck as she heads to graduate school, and we congratulate her on being nominated as a President’s Award finalist!

The President’s Award is the highest honor bestowed upon a graduating senior of Ave Maria University in recognition of academic accomplishments, involvement in the life of the University, service to others, and exemplification of AMU’s highest Catholic ideals.  

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Accounting Students Offer Free Tax Services in Immokalee

This tax season, AMU accounting students prepared tax returns for low-income families in Immokalee through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Assistant Professor of Accounting Dorothy Thompson, CPA, spearheaded the initiative after being approached by the Legal Aid division in Collier County about the possibility of getting AMU accounting students involved in the volunteer program.

About ten students, through the Accounting Club (which Professor Thompson advises), volunteered with VITA for the 2017 tax season. Christian Sanchez described the experience as “exciting to the highest degree” and came away feeling thankful. He shares: “Getting to help out those individuals in a low-income community with their taxes was so humbling. It made me feel a lot more grateful for the opportunities and things that I have.”

VITA offers free tax assistance to taxpayers making $54,000 a year or less, persons with disabilities, and taxpayers with limited speaking English. Through the program, IRS-certified volunteers provide free, basic income tax return preparation to qualifying taxpayers.

“This initiative provides AMU students with the opportunity to work with the underprivileged,” Professor Dorothy Thompson shares, “while also learning how to complete an IRS tax return.” Going on, she explains: “The VITA program trains students on their proprietary software, provided by the IRS, and expands students’ knowledge in the subject of taxation.”

Junior accounting major Valentina Forero was grateful for the opportunity to get hands-on experience and use her skills for good. “The VITA program gave me the opportunity to apply the skills and concepts I had learned in class to the real world by helping those in need. There is nothing more gratifying than using one’s skills to give back to the community.”

The benefits of starting this program at AMU, Professor Thompson says, are twofold: the Immokalee community benefits through free tax assistance and the strengthening of the bond between itself and the University community, while students studying Accounting at AMU gain experience in filing taxes—something that will prove an advantage as they graduate and go on to pursue careers. She plans to continue organizing the VITA program at AMU for future tax seasons.

As junior accounting major Elizabeth Pride points out, there aren’t many obvious ways for accounting majors to use their expertise to serve.  “Other majors have so many ways they can reach out and volunteer using their expertise, but as an accounting major those opportunities are not as accessible, so it was really cool to be able to use our knowledge to help people who needed it.” Her favorite part of participating in VITA was seeing people’s reactions when they were finished with their taxes. “Being able to make a difference in people's lives and to see and hear how excited they were after finishing their taxes was incredible. I really enjoyed the time we spent volunteering, and I cannot wait to do it again next year!”

As part of the Accounting Club’s volunteer initiative, the students also offered a day of free tax help on campus on March 29th for AMU students, faculty, and staff. 

To learn more about Accounting at AMU, visit the Department webpage!

[amuacademics]

Senior Spotlight: Clare Eckard

Iowa native Clare Eckard wanted to forge her own path after her two older sisters both went to Ave Maria University, but once she sat down with her dad and wrote out the pros and cons, she realized that “everything pointed to Ave Maria.”

Once here, she found a wealth of opportunities to grow in knowledge, faith, athletics, and service. Clare volunteered with the Mother Teresa Project, joined FOCUS Bible Studies, and was a member of the Ti Voglio Bene Sisterhood. She was also involved with the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) and the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) chapters on campus. “I can hardly imagine a better education than Ave’s to help form a person professionally,” she reflects. “Through the opportunities here, I have had the blessing of attending conferences at places including Yale and Harvard, and have enjoyed many philosophical and theological discussions with new Ivy League friends.”

Like her two sisters before her (Mary, ’15, and Cecilia, ’13), Clare was also a Lady Gyrene athlete; she played for women’s cross country and received the Women’s Conference Champion of Character award her sophomore year. She was captain of the student club, LIFE Runners, and a board member of the Students for Life club. “Before I came to AMU, I was merely nominally ‘pro-life,’” Clare shares. “Ave, however, has pushed me to act on my conviction foremost by introducing me to many peers fervently working to defend the gift of life. With these peers, I have had the opportunity to pray outside local abortion mills, bus up with friends to the March for Life, serve as a LIFE Runners leader, volunteer at local pregnancy centers, and attend conferences engaging in apologetics and addressing contemporary ethical questions concerning the sanctity of life.”

Her freshman year, Clare learned about Biking for Babies from a classmate. Through the non-profit organization, young athletes participate in biking events in order to raise money and awareness for America’s pregnancy resource centers. Since her freshman year, Clare has completed two bike rides with the organization involving treks that often ranged from 90-186 miles per day. “Through these rides, I have met the most incredible friends and experienced, in a surreal way, the joy of relying almost entirely on God in body, mind, and soul.”

During her time at AMU, Clare greeted incoming students as a member of the Orientation Team, and she served the community as Sophomore Class Representative on the Student Government Council. She also found time to work as tutor in Politics. “I decided to study Politics after being involved with debate in high school and forming a desire to seek truth and avoid indifference in regards to the problems facing our world,” she explains.

When asked to reflect on how her time at AMU has impacted her life, Clare answers: 

“It is hard to put to words how much Ave has changed and formed me. So much of who I am today is because of Ave. Among the things I am most grateful for, Ave has taught me the importance of devotion to our blessed Mother Mary, moved me to floods of tears of love at retreat adorations, opened my eyes to the realization that I am living in Plato’s cave and has helped me strive to get out into the light, and, ultimately taught me the meaning of life: ‘…man, who is the only creature on earth which God willed for itself, cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself’ (Gaudium et Spes 24:3).”

Clare’s plans after graduation are still up in the air. She was discerning the religious life but was recently advised to just “be.” She has found immense peace in resting in God’s generous love and is looking forward to the adventure of finding out what just “being” looks like in her life. In the meantime, she will be working as a camp counselor at St. John's Summer Program and will embark on two mission trips this summer.

Congratulations on being nominated as a President’s Award finalist, Clare, and best of luck as you pursue life after graduation!

The President’s Award is the highest honor bestowed upon a graduating senior of Ave Maria University in recognition of academic accomplishments, involvement in the life of the University, service to others, and exemplification of AMU’s highest Catholic ideals.  

[amuacademics]

Only Two Weeks Left to View the Woodcuts and Monoprints of Gordon Hartshorne!

The Canizaro Exhibit Gallery is currently featuring an exhibit of the woodcuts and monoprints of artist Gordon Hartshorne (1926-2004). The exhibit, which is located on the second floor of the AMU Canizaro Library, features 45 pieces--not only prints, but also examples of the boards, tools, and notebooks which the artist used to create them. Hartshorne’s work is largely inspired by the beauty of the natural world--particularly the North Woods and Florida Gulf Coast regions. 

Gordon Hartshorne grew up in Joliet, Illinois. He took art lessons in high school and, after serving in the Navy and attending college, spent a summer at the Ox-Bow School of Art as a scholarship student. Hartshorne had a successful career as art director for book, map and atlas design at Rand McNally and Company. He retired in the late 1980s to spend more time focusing on the creation of his own art. 

Exhibition catalogs are on display for visitors to look through, and copies are available for purchase at the campus store (located on the Ave Maria piazza). All proceeds from the sale of the catalogs benefit the University.

EXHIBIT INFORMATION

“Gordon Hartshorne: Woodcuts & Monoprints” March 30 - May 7, 2017 AMU Canizaro Library, Second Floor Exhibit Gallery Hours: 8-5 Monday-Friday; 10-5 Saturday; 1-5 Sunday For more information, visit the library’s webpage. 

[amuacademics]

Sneak Peek: Essay by Dr. Diana West in AMU Magazine Spring Issue

Here’s a preview of what’s in store in the Spring 2017 issue of the AMU Magazine: a collaborative essay between AMU Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Diana West, and Project Rachel Founder, Vicki Thorn, on the biological effects of hormonal birth control. 

Is History Repeating Itself?

In 1936, Dr. Elizabeth Hunt published a medical editorial raising concerns over using natural estrogens to treat human skin disorders. Knowing that estrogens induced tumors in laboratory animals, Hunt asked, “…should not a woman be informed of the possible risk to which she is exposed[?]”

Read the full essay at https://www.avemaria.edu/ishistoryrepeatingitself/, and look out for more exciting reads in the Spring 2017 Ave Maria University Magazine! 

[amuacademics]

Drs. Janice and Michael Breidenbach Receive Visiting Positions at Oxford This Summer

Congratulations to Drs. Janice and Michael Breidenbach, who received visiting academic positions at the University of Oxford for the summer of 2017!

This summer, Janice Chik Breidenbach, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor of Philosophy at AMU), will be a Visiting Research Scholar at Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford. Over the course of the summer, Dr. Janice Breidenbach will be working in collaboration with Oxford philosophers on a research project at Blackfriars Hall's Las Casas and Aquinas Institutes entitled, "Human Nature and Dignity: Resources for the Twenty First Century." She will also be working on several articles comprising a book, The Unity of Action, on human and animal agency and the philosophy of biology. She has plans to present papers at Blackfriars Hall, Oxford, and collaborate with the Oxford Students for Life.

Michael Breidenbach, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor of History at AMU), will be joining his wife Janice as Visiting Research Fellow at the Rothermere American Institute, University of Oxford. Over the summer, he will be working on his book, The Pope's Republic, which looks at the history of political, religious, and legal thought in the eighteenth-century Atlantic World. Dr. Michael Breidenbach will present papers at the University of London, University of Notre Dame, and Oxford Brookes University. He plans to visit archives in Oxford and London, and he has received a Peter R. D’Agostino Research Travel Grant from the University of Notre Dame to conduct archival research in Rome.

[amuacademics]

3rd Annual History Undergrad Mini Conference

The History Department hosted its third annual Undergraduate Mini Conference this weekend. At the event, junior history majors gave presentations laying out the groundwork and direction of what will become, next year, their senior thesis projects.

The conference on Saturday April 8th began with a keynote address from AMU Assistant Professor of History, Dr. Michael Breidenbach, on one of his research specialties, the role of Catholicism in the American founding. Dr. Breidenbach’s paper, “‘This Damnable Doctrine’: Lord Baltimore and Catholic Loyalty in Seventeenth-Century Maryland,” both set the conference tone as one of serious academic inquiry and offered to the hopeful historians an example of historical research to which they can aspire.

Over the course of the morning and early afternoon, twelve juniors presented on topics as diverse as a history of medicine in the Middle Ages, the creation of the mythical gangster in the 20th century, diplomacy between the Confederate States of America and the Vatican, and Communism’s role in the decay of Russian mystical culture.

These presentations are projects stemming from the Historiography course (HIST 401), in which AMU history majors learn the philosophy of history and the methods and instruments used in the conduction of historical research. Next year, these research projects will be further developed into senior theses, which culminate in an oral presentation and defense. The Mini Conference affords the junior history majors valuable preparation in presenting on and fielding questions about their research.

Interested in learning more about AMU’s Major in History? Visit their webpage or follow them on Facebook! 

[amuacademics]

The Michael Novak Diplomacy Club: Teaching Charity and Diplomacy on Campus

A trip to Harvard’s National Model United Nations Conference and an inspiration from a mentor led AMU’s Model UN Club to rename themselves and reorient their mission. 

Johanna Duncan, a junior majoring in History with a minor in Economics, has been doing Model United Nations since middle school. From her years of experience, she has learned many things. One thing that’s become clear to her is how vital the UN is to nations such as her native country of Colombia. “[I]t is the only way in which they can afford to form diplomatic relationships with a wider range of nations,” she says. “The majority of countries in the world can't afford embassies everywhere, so they carry out their diplomatic endeavors through the UN.”

This sort of exposure to the needs and considerations of other countries is what motivated Johanna to join the Model UN club when she arrived at Ave Maria University her freshman year. Although she doesn’t have plans to go on to work for the UN after graduation, she sees it as an important component of her college education. The club’s mission on campus is to expose students to matters of diplomacy and prepare them to work with different cultures. Many on campus may not agree with all the UN does, Johanna explains, “But we all see the importance of diplomacy and learning to negotiate with people from different cultures.”  

“Ambassador Novak was a great example of how to treat others with Christian charity, making them always feel loved, even in political environments. That is what we want to bring to campus.” 

In February, AMU’s club was selected to represent the Vatican/Holy See at Harvard National Model United Nations (HNMUN). In preparation for the conference, one of the club’s members joked that they should give the Holy See a call. “I don't take jokes lightly,” Johanna says. Immediately, she looked up the contact information of the Holy See Mission—and was astonished when they responded to her inquiry. "Let's do Wednesday at 9,” they replied.

That Wednesday, the club members gathered together in front of the computer and waited for the call. “Fr. Roger Landry answered every question we had sent and then proceeded to give us some basic recommendations,” Johanna recalls. “Their closing remarks were very encouraging. They told us that the world is not perfect, but it is God's creation and a gift to humanity, and we must take care of every aspect of it.”

At the HNMUN Conference, Johanna was on the Special Summit for Sustainable Development, addressing the issue of healthcare in Africa. She worked closely with delegates from Italy, Thailand, Iran, and more, and the college students themselves were from institutions around the world (Netherlands, India, and Venezuela, to name a few). HNMUN is the oldest and largest simulation of the United Nations of its kind, and it attracts participation from schools in over 70 different countries. “It is supposed to be a simulation of diplomacy, but this factor makes it a very real experience,” Johanna says. “We do actually negotiate and interact with people from different cultures and systems of meaning.”

After the trip, the club changed its name to the Michael Novak Diplomacy Club. The idea came to Johanna while the club was attending Mass at St. Paul’s in Harvard Square. “The priest said that the Mass was offered for Michael Novak,” she explains. Michael Novak, longtime friend and patron of Ave Maria University, passed away on February 17, 2017. “The club is very grateful to him; he actually helped us pay for the trip and hosted us in his house [beforehand] to converse about diplomacy.”

This experience also served as an opportunity for reorientation. The club plans to continue attending HNMUN, but they want to focus their work on activities through which students can learn to work and interact with people from different cultures. “That is extremely valuable for our education. Ambassador Novak was a great example of how to treat others with Christian charity, making them always feel loved, even in political environments. That is what we want to bring to campus.”

[amuacademics]

Harmony and the Scriptures: Lenten Reflections on Harnoncourt and Bach | Michael Maria Waldstein

I became aware of the clash between Harnoncourt and Richter, right around the time when my own musical taste became more mature and critical, at age fifteen or sixteen. I was a Richterian; Harnoncourt struck me as harsh and uncouth.

Dr. Michael Waldstein, Max Seckler Professor of Theology at AMU, reflects on the rivalry between two classical conductors, their separate recordings of Bach’s St. John Passion, and how--particularly relevant in this season of Lent--this masterwork of Bach “performed in any style leads a good Christian heart to the person of Christ.” 

[amuacademics]

Rookie Debate Team Competes in Tournament

Against all odds, members of AMU’s St. Thomas More Debate Club were able to hold their heads high with pride as they traveled home from Colorado in early February after participating in an invitational parliamentary-style debate tournament. This was the first debate experience for the student-run club, which was founded in Fall 2016 and is entirely self-coached.

Augustine Payne, captain of the team, reported back after the event: “Many teams and coaches were excited to see us when they heard it was the first tournament for our team and that we were a student-run team.” Payne is a junior majoring in Economics. “It was a great experience for me and the rest of the team,” he went on. “We learned lots of new things and, as one judge put it, these little things will take us from being in the novice round to being junior debaters.”

[The four members of the St. Thomas More Debate Club who participated in the tournament at CCU, from left to right, Ambrose Bean, John Paul Harper, Gabriel Hogan, and Augustine Payne.]

Gabriel Hogan, one of the four students who participated in the tournament, likewise found the tournament environment supportive of their efforts: “Once people found out we were a coach-less club team with almost no training, they would give us some quick tips or advice of some kind.” Hogan is a freshman at AMU, and interested in majoring in Exercise Science or Health Science. “This kind of made me the odd ball at the tournament,” Hogan said, referring to his academic interests. He essentially “fell into” the club—agreeing to sit as a judge for one of the club’s debates when his friend, Payne, asked him. “Turns out that the day I went they were also short a few speakers, so I got to participate in a debate.” When the club needed another student so they could go to the tournament as two teams of two, they called on Hogan again. “I figured it would be a learning experience, useful, and a chance to get off campus and see Colorado, so I agreed.”

The four AMU students who participated in the 2017 Values & Capitalism National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA) Invitational Tournament from February 3-4 divided into two teams and competed in the Novice Division, which was limited to students in their first year of debate. The topics of debate were drawn from policy issues related to the American Enterprise Institute’s (AEI) Values & Capitalism project, such as anti-poverty policy, education policy, and financial policy. The event was jointly sponsored by AEI and Colorado Christian University.

Since this was the team’s first debate experience (previously, they had only debated against themselves), they were met with many challenges going into the tournament—from facing students from other universities who had much more training, to simply familiarizing themselves with the many technicalities involved. “After the first round, everyone started to get in the groove…and I feel like our game really improved from then on out,” Hogan said. “That was probably my favorite part—knowing that we came in as complete rookies, but we left with a much better sense of how we could improve in the future.”

Hogan—himself a complete rookie—managed to win an award for top speaker in the Novice Round. He received a standing ovation at the awards ceremony. “Among all four of us that went to Colorado,” freshman John Paul Harper said, “no one was expecting to bring home any hardware. So it was that much more of a joy to see a fellow teammate get recognized for his success.”

[Below, Gabriel Hogan holds his award for First Place Speaker in the Novice Division.]

Harper, who always wanted to join a debate team in high school but never found the time, has found in AMU’s debate club a perfect supplement to his college education. “The ability to think critically and present an argument that is clear is so vital to many of the courses that one will take at AMU—or even to life in general,” he remarked. “Being a part of a debate team helps develop these skills, which is why I greatly value the opportunity to participate in AMU’s St. Thomas More Debate Club.”

Ambrose Bean, a freshman majoring in Politics, came away from the tournament experience with the realization that debate is an art. “Even if you are 100% wrong, you can use the power of good rhetoric and eloquent speech to sound like you're right, convince those in the room you are right, and essentially win the argument. Unfortunately, I discovered this on the receiving end for the most part. … It was annoying, but ultimately, all it did was hook me.” Bean is eager to continue working with the club and hone his public speaking skills. He, like the other members of the debate club, sees his involvement as going hand-in-hand with his AMU college education. “I think Ave is somewhat at the forefront of educating the Catholic religious freedom warriors of tomorrow. The students graduating from here will no doubt face a whole slew of challenges in regard to their faith's compatibility with American politics. Debate club is preparing me for that battle.”

The club is still in its first year, but they have big plans for the future. They will continue to practice, train, and grow as a team, and seek out tournaments where they can gain more experience. “Our mission as the debate team,” club captain, Payne, explains, “is for the students to become better communicators, a skill they will use in everyday life. It is our goal to learn what is a sound argument and be able to convey it in a persuasive way.”