Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University

Summer 2025 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University.President Pestello looks back on 11 years of leadership PAGE 10 THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y SUMMER 2025 UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY Message from the First Lady Beginnings and endings are filled with anticipation and a sense of adventure. What is next is unknown and ready to be created. Eleven years ago, Fred and I drove into St. Louis ready to begin his tenure as SLU’s first lay president and my role as the first first lady. We are now approach-ing the day when we step out of our roles and begin a new chapter of our lives in this great city. As we move toward this momentous transition, it is gratifying to take stock of the accomplishments we have marked and the challenges we have faced together. As Fred notes in his interview (page 10), SLU and Midtown have grown and transformed in remarkable ways — strengthened and sus-tained by SLU’s Jesuit mission and values. I had the joy of creating the role of first lady at this historic institution, bringing my own experience as a scholar of sociology and a former department chair to the work. It was a privilege to join the SLU community as we celebrated the milestones and responded to the challenges of the last decade. In one of my favorite events during our time at SLU, we honored the University’s bicenten-nial with a moving Mass under the Gateway Arch. On numerous occasions, we were warmly welcomed to the Madrid campus, and we have cherished getting to know the people and the city that make SLU-Madrid so special. I had the opportunity to help the St. Louis Literary Award, one of the first initiatives I was invited to support, become more embedded in the life of the Saint Louis University campuses. We responded to the unprecedented chal-lenges of the COVID-19 pandemic — with me teaching, virtually and then in person, and Fred leading the University in those early days of lockdown from the third floor of our house. In 2017, we began a new tradition, joining students, faculty, staff and alumni to bless and light the tree each December at Christmas on the Quad. We also hosted an annual Christmas dinner for the Jesuits who call our campus and our city home. And at the end of every semester, Fred and I have wished students luck on their final exams with cookies, pretzels, ice cream or other study day treats. We know there are many things we will miss as we leave our daily engagement with campus, but we are looking forward to engag-ing with St. Louis and campus in new ways in the years ahead. I wish President-Elect Ed Feser and incom-ing First Lady Kathy Feser many blessings as they assume these roles, which Fred and I have loved and treasured. I thank you, Billikens, for filling the past 11 years with grace, joy and countless memorable moments. Dr. Frances G. Pestello First Lady 10 Selfie-Reflection In a candid Q&A, outgoing President Dr. Fred P. Pestello looks back on his time at SLU. — by Laura Geiser 18 Reaching Research 1 SLU’s new R1 classification affirms its place among elite U.S. research universities. — by Clayton Berry 22 Moments and Milestones Recapping the events, achievements and challenges SLU faced during the last 11 years. — by Amy Garland FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 2 ON CAMPUS Introducing Dr. Edward Feser Commencement Center for Bosnian Studies MLA honor 10 million gift Softball history 30 CLASS NOTES 33 How I Got Here: Dr. Tiffany (Brown) Anderson (Ed ’94, Grad Ed ’01) — By Amy Garland 34 Alumni Merit Awards 35 Alumni Spotlight: Andy Hahn (A&S ’97) — by Debbie Dugan 37 IN MEMORIAM 41 THE L AST LOOK VOLUME 51, ISSUE 2 EDITOR Laura Geiser {A&S ’90, Grad ’92} ASSOCIATE EDITOR Amy Garland {A&S ’97} ART DIRECTOR Matt Krob ON CAMPUS NEWS STORIES University Public Relations Billiken Media Relations ON THE COVER SLU President Dr. Fred P. Pestello takes a selfie as confetti falls during his final commencement as president on May 17. Photo by Sarah Conroy Universitas is published by Saint Louis University. Opinions expressed in Universitas are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the University administration. Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs are welcome but will be returned only if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Letters to the editor must be signed, and letters not intended for publication should indicate that fact. The editor reserves the right to edit all items. Address: Universitas DuBourg Hall 39 1 N. Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63103 Email address: [email protected] Website: slu.edu/universitas Universitas is printed by Progress Printing Plus Worldwide circulation: 103,000 ©2025, Saint Louis University All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. President Dr. Fred P. Pestello and First Lady Dr. Fran Pestello exit SLU’s commencement ceremony for the last time on May 17. PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY SARAH CONROY 2 UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SUMMER 2025 On campus Dr. Edward J. Feser, a Roman Catholic, Jesuit-educated leader in higher education, will become Saint Louis University’s 34th president on July 1. “Saint Louis University is a remarkable institution with an impressive history of impact, and it will be both exciting and a privilege to lead it,” Feser said. “I am thrilled at the prospect of joining the SLU community and contributing to the University’s outstanding legacy.” Feser grew up in the Pacific Northwest and attended a Catholic high school in Red Bluff, California. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of San Francisco, a fellow Jesuit institution, before graduate school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He comes to SLU after eight years as provost and exec-utive vice president at Oregon State University (OSU), a land-grant institution with more than 38,000 students, a 1.8 billion budget and $480 million annually in exter-nally funded research. “Dr. Feser’s leadership journey has been defined by a steadfast belief in the power of education to transform the lives of individuals and contribute to flourishing communities,” said Eric Engler, chair of SLU’s board of trustees. The board of trustees voted to approve Feser’s appointment during its December 2024 meeting. He and his wife, Kathy Feser, kicked off SLU’s spring semes-ter with a visit to campus in mid-January. Nearly 1,000 members of the SLU community attended events to wel-come them in person. “Throughout these interactions, Kathy and I heard your love for Saint Louis University and your commit-ment to its Jesuit mission,” Feser said in a message to the SLU community. “We are — more than ever — thrilled to become Billikens.” ADVANCING EXCELLENCE IN ALL THINGS Feser’s time at Oregon State has been defined by initiatives that reshaped OSU’s trajectory, including: Strategic Vision: Leading the development and imple-mentation of strategic plans focused on student success, research and institutional innovation. Research Leadership: Championing a$213 million Collaborative Innovation Complex — now under con-struction — to foster interdisciplinary research, powered by artificial intelligence and accelerated computing, and expanding arts and humanities programs. Inclusive Excellence: Achieving record-setting diversity in student enrollment while working to diversify the faculty and embed equity and inclusion across OSU’s operations. Budgetary Innovation: Implementing a new shared responsibility budget model to advance transparency and financial stability. GUIDED BY SERVICE, COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY Throughout his career, Feser’s leadership has been rooted in the Jesuit ideals of promoting justice, nurturing the whole person and contributing to the greater good. “I am deeply grateful to Dr. Feser for his willingness to serve in such an important role. His experience as a scholar and administrator makes him uniquely qualified to lead a place as complex as SLU,” said Thomas P. Greene, S.J., the provincial superior of the Jesuits USA Central and Southern Province. “But even more, I was heartened to hear of his desire to use education to engender hope in the young, his commitment to the University being leaven for the city and his dedication to the University’s Jesuit, Catholic identity.” “The rigorous and holistic Jesuit education I received at the University of San Francisco — grounded in experiential learning in the city itself and the principle that one should lead an active life of service to oth-ers, especially the least among us — shaped my values in ways too many to count,” Feser said. A scholar of city and regional economic growth and development, Feser strongly believes that all universities must be partners in serving and improving the well-being of the communities they call home. At OSU, his community-focused efforts included: Downtown Hub: Opening the OSU Portland Center in downtown Portland, which anchors the university’s strategy in the city, including programs to support expanded pathways to OSU for students from diverse backgrounds. Community Partnerships: Growing the OSU-Cascades campus in Bend, Oregon, and collaborating with local leaders to launch the development of a campus-based innovation district to support regional economic develop-ment goals. Economic Development Leadership: Serving on boards and commissions to address economic development, workforce strategies and public policy challenges. SLU’s President-Elect at a Glance PERSONAL DETAILS Dr. Edward J. Feser 57 years old Married to Kathy Feser, a school district environmental sustainability coordinator Two adult children, Jack and Mary EDUCATION Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1997 M.R.P., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1994 B.A., University of San Francisco, 1989 ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP HISTORY 2017-2025 Provost and Executive Vice President, Oregon State University 2015-2017 Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 2012-2015 Dean, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 2011-2012 Division Head, Innovation, Management and Policy, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, United Kingdom 2007-2011 Department Head, Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign FACULTY APPOINTMENTS 2017-2025 Professor, School of Public Policy, Oregon State University 2007-2017 Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 2008-2017 Professor, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 2011-2012 Professor and Eddie Davies Chair of Entrepreneurship, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, United Kingdom 2004-2007 Associate Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 2003 Associate Professor, Department of City and Regional Planning, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 1997-2002 Assistant Professor, Department of City and Regional Planning, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Introducing SLU’s Next President BUILDING ON PAST PROGRESS AND CHARTING A PATH FORWARD Feser’s appointment follows an extensive national search led by a committee of SLU trustees, faculty, staff, students and members of the Society of Jesus. The University’s board of trustees voted to approve his appointment during its Dec. 6 meeting. Feser will succeed Dr. Fred P. Pestello, who announced in March 2024 that he would step down at the end of June 2025. “President Pestello’s vision and outstanding leadership are evident in the success of SLU students, its excellent faculty and staff, its impressive growth in research scale and impact, the depth and quality of its partnerships and impact in St. Louis, and the achievements of Billiken student-athletes and teams,” Feser said. “I’m excited to work with the SLU community to build on Dr. Pestello’s accomplishments and advance Saint Louis University as one of the finest urban research universities in the country.” “Dr. Feser has the knowledge, experience, skill and values to serve as the next steward of Saint Louis University’s noble mission — working for and with the campus and the region to create new possibilities for a thriving, hope-filled future,” Pestello said. Look for more on Dr. Edward Feser in the next issue of Universitas. 3 SARAH CONROY 5 Class of 2025 Celebrated at Spring Commencement – photos by Sarah Conroy Accounting Prof Honored with Ring Award Neil Jansen (Grad CSB ’98), an associate professor of account-ing, won the 2024 Nancy McNeir Ring Award for Excellence in Teaching. He was recognized during the 202 4 m idyea r commencement ceremony at Chaifetz A rena in December, during which he gave the commencement address. After starting his career in the financial services industry, Jansen joined SLU in 2008. He has been the d i rec tor of the Master of Accounting program since 2010 and an associate professor since 2024, winning several faculty and teaching excellence awards along the way. The Nancy McNeir Ring Award, named for the University’s first dean of women, was established in 1966 by SLU’s chapter of Alpha Sigma Nu, the national Jesuit honor society. Jansen at the 2024 midyear commencement SARAH CONROY SARAH CONROY MED SCHOOL RECEIVES $10 MILLION Saint Louis University’s School of Medicine has received a transformational$10 million gift, one of the largest contributions in the school’s history. The gift came from a patient who wishes to remain anonymous in honor of Dr. Gerald A. Maguire (Med ’91), a psychiatrist who also pledged $100,000 to support his alma mater. The$10 million gift will enhance medical education and research at SLU: $3 million to establish the Gerald A. Maguire, M.D., and Joanne S. Maguire School of Medicine Cura Personalis Endowed Deanship$2 million to fund the Gerald A. Maguire, M.D., and Joanne S. Maguire Endowed Chair in Neuropsychiatry Research and Education $5 million directed toward a future state-of-the-art health education center Maguire is the director of residency training in psychiatry at College Medical Center, a teaching hospital in Long Beach, California, and the faculty director of graduate medical education at Oroville Hospital, which serves his rural home community in Northern California. Co-author of Without Hesitation: Speaking the Silence and Science of Stuttering, Maguire is considered the world’s leading authority on the pharmacologic treatment of stuttering. He founded the first clinic dedicated to the scientific study and medical treatment of the condition. Pestellos Gift New Sculpture to SLU Before stepping down as Saint Louis University’s president this summer, Dr. Fred P. Pestello and First Lady Dr. Fran Pestello offered a gift to SLU. During a reception in Pius XII Memorial Library in April, the Pestellos helped unveil a new sculpture they donated to the University: “Land, Labor, Legacy” by Kyle and Kelly Phelps. The sculpture is about 20 inches tall and features four adult figures, one holding a child. The figures represent enslaved persons of African descent and members of the Osage Nation. “We know the importance of art to inspire, to provoke, to deepen understanding,” Fred Pestello said. “This work speaks to us, and it speaks to the mission of this institution.” The Pestellos met the Phelps brothers more than two decades ago, when Fred Pestello hired them to teach at the University of Dayton. Their work is in the NAACP National Headquarters as well as in the permanent col-lections of art museums in Racine, Wisconsin; Asheville, North Carolina; Canton, Ohio; and San Angelo, Texas. FROM LEFT: Edward Ibur, executive director of the St. Louis Literary Award, Dr. Cathleen Fleck, chair of the visual and performing arts department, and Pestello discuss the sculpture at its unveiling in April. SLU Joins Center for Research Libraries Last August, Saint Louis University Libraries joined the Center for Research Libraries (CRL), an interna-tional consortium of more than 200 university, college and independent research libraries. Jennifer Nutefall, dean of libraries and museums, said the CRL gives the SLU community access to the resources of the other consortium members. She sees membership in CRL as recognition of the quality of work throughout SLU’s libraries. CRL member institutions include Harvard University, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Notre Dame and the University of California system. On campus UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE O 4 F SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y FROM TOP: Doisy College of Health Sciences graduates Kirti Madhu (left) and Emma Pearl Capulong embrace during commencement; Pestello (back, center) and First Lady Dr. Fran Pestello (left) take a selfie with graduates after the ceremony; Sam Deeljore, a SLU employee and new graduate of the School for Professional Studies, hugs his daughters, Agni Deeljore (left), graduating from the School of Social Work, and Jaya Deeljore, graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences, before the ceremony. SUMMER 2025 Saint Louis University’s commencement ceremony on May 17 at Chaifetz Arena featured outgoing President Dr. Fred P. Pestello as the speaker. In an address that highlighted his career from radio host to university administrator, he advised students: “Here is what matters, Billikens — wherever your path takes you: Continue to lead with love and mercy. And never vary from the quest to make ‘things the way they ought to be.’ I wish each of you as magnificent a journey as I have had.” The ceremony also included remarks from Emma Lercher, a student graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences, who encouraged the Class of 2025 to share their gifts. SLU also conferred honorary degrees upon three individuals. This year’s honorees were former trustee Patrick (CSB ’77) and Peggy Sly, who were honored for their community support, and Tom Smolich, S.J., who was recognized for his leadership of the Jesuit Refugee Service. UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SUMMER 2025 On campus ATHLETICS Literary Award Brings Renowned Writers to Campus Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead received the 2025 St. Louis Literary Award from Saint Louis University on April 9. “Read, read, read to find out what kind of writer you want to be. Write, write, write to find out what kind of a writer you are,” Whitehead told audiences. His novel The Underground Railroad won the National Book Award and the Carnegie Medal for Fiction. The Nickel Boys won the Pulitzer Prize, the Kirkus Prize and the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction. Next year, Jhumpa Lahiri will come to St. Louis to accept the 2026 St. Louis Literary Award. Lahiri has written short stories, nonfiction, poetry and several novels, including The Namesake. Her Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of short stories, Interpreter of Maladies, will be the featured title for the 2026 Campus Read program. She will receive the award on April 8, 2026, and will offer a craft talk the following day; both events are open to the public. Whitehead speaks at the Sheldon Concert Hall in April after receiving the 2025 St. Louis Literary Award. Alum’s Biopic in Theaters This Fall This October, Saint Louis University alumni will get the chance to see the life of a fellow Billiken depicted on the big screen. John O’Leary (CSB ’99) came back to campus in 2023 for the filming of Soul on Fire, a major motion picture based on his 2016 bestseller On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life. The film depicts how O’Leary nearly burned to death in an accident when he was 9 years old — and how his recovery shaped his life. The movie was filmed in St. Louis, including several locations on SLU’s campus. Members of the SLU commu-nity served as extras and shadowed the director and crew. Soul on Fire is scheduled to debut in theaters across the country on Oct. 10, 2025. ENGLISH PROFESSOR WINS PRESTIGIOUS MLA PRIZE Dr. Jonathan Sawday received the James Russell Lowell Prize for the most outstanding book published in 2023, for Blanks, Print, Space, and Void in English Renaissance Literature: An Archaeology of Absence. The prize is the Modern Language Association’s top honor. Sawday, who joined SLU in 2009 and holds the Walter J. Ong, S.J., Chair in Humanities in the English department, is the 55th recipient of the award and the first from SLU to receive the honor. SLU CELEBRATES TRUMAN SCHOLAR Sam Aitchison is the sixth student in Saint Louis University history to be honored with the prestigious Truman Scholarship. Aitchison, a junior majoring in finance, leadership and human resource management, and Catholic studies, is one of 54 college students from 49 U.S. colleges and universities selected as 2025 Truman Scholars. The award is the premier graduate scholarship for aspiring public service leaders in the United States. He plans to pursue a master’s degree in secondary or higher education with the goal of teaching and, eventually, working in administration. STUDENT EARNS PRESTIGIOUS GOLDWATER SCHOLARSHIP Pascal Sikorski, a junior majoring in computer science, earned a Goldwater Scholarship, a national undergraduate award for students in STEM who intend to pursue a career in STEM research after graduation. Sikorski wants to earn his doctorate in computer science and become a professor. Last summer, he was a researcher at California Institute of Technology as a WAVE Fellow in the Advanced Mechanical Bipedal Experimental Robotics Lab. This year, he will conduct research at Oregon State University on robotic manipulation workflow alongside humans in the environmental sector. Sawday Provost Dr. Mike Lewis (left) and President Dr. Fred Pestello (right) congratu

Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University

Spring 2024 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University.SPRING 2024 THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY President’s message On March 21, 2014, I was intro-duced to you as Saint Louis University’s 33rd president. It was one of the most thrilling and humbling days of my life. On the 10th anniversary of that joyful day, I shared with the SLU community that I will step down from the presidency at the end of June 2025. As I ref lect upon the past decade, I am amazed at all we have endured and achieved together in St. Louis and in Madrid. We faced moments that tested us and revealed what defines this Jesuit university community. There were many times in the last 10 years when the challenges we faced felt insur-mountable. But together — grounded firmly in our values and trusting in the wisdom of this community — we found more than a way through. We created a new future for Saint Louis University. We have become a more diverse and more international community. Our research pro-file has grown beyond what we could have imagined. We have broken every institutional fundraising and enrollment record. We built state-of-the art campus facilities, and we are leading the dramatic transformation of Midtown St. Louis. Through it all, we have never strayed from our core focus: preparing our students to become the compassionate, ethical leaders our alumni are known to be. We have built on the Jesuit tradition of rigorous education and care for the whole person, advancing innova-tion in academic programs and investing in University-wide efforts to support student well-being. There is so much I will miss about this mag-nificent job. But just as I knew 10 years ago that SLU would be my home, I know that it is time for a new leader to take the first step into a new era. Between now and June 2025, there will be a robust national search for my successor and some period of transition. At the conclusion of my tenure as president, I plan to take a sabbat-ical. Then I hope to continue teaching, writing, and doing what I am asked to contribute to the success of the next leader of this remarkable university. There has not been a single day in my presi-dency when I did not thank God for the joy and honor of working for and with the entire SLU community. From the bottom of my heart and on behalf of Fran and my family, I thank you for the strong support and generous goodwill you have consistently shown us since March of 2014. May God bless you and Saint Louis University. Dr. Fred P. Pestello President Reflecting on an Extraordinary Decade 2 ON CAMPUS Pestello to Step Down Women’s soccer Sweet 16 Topgolf Historic enrollment New rankings Monsanto Hall renovation Midyear commencement Chess League title 30 CLASS NOTES 32 Alumni Merit Awards 35 Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Marvin Langston (Grad PH ’12) — by Bridjes O’Neil 36 How I Got Here: Lauren (Lobosky) Sullivan (PC ’10) — by Jacob Born 38 IN MEMORIAM 41 THE LAST LOOK VOLUME 50, ISSUE 1 EDITOR Laura Geiser {A&S ’90, Grad ’92} ASSOCIATE EDITOR Amy Garland {A&S ’97} ART DIRECTOR Matt Krob CONTRIBUTORS Clayton Berry Jacob Born Catherine Kraemer Bridjes O’Neil ON CAMPUS NEWS STORIES University Public Relations Billiken Media Relations ON THE COVER The O’Loughlin Family Champions Center Photo by Sarah Conroy Universitas is published by Saint Louis University. Opinions expressed in Universitas are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the University administration. Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs are welcome but will be returned only if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Letters to the editor must be signed, and letters not intended for publication should indicate that fact. The editor reserves the right to edit all items. Address all mail to: Universitas DuBourg Hall 39 1 N. Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63103 We accept email at: [email protected] Website: slu.edu/universitas Universitas is printed by Cummings Printing Worldwide circulation: 133,814 ©2024, Saint Louis University All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. FEATURES 10 Championing Student- Athletes Take a look inside SLU’s O’Loughlin Family Champions Center for student-athletes. 14 Ruined for Life Alumni who served as Jesuit Volunteers share their experiences. — by Amy Garland 20 Becoming Billikens SLU welcomes new students in the summer and well beyond move-in. — by Amy Garland 26 Nontraditional for 60 Years The School for Professional Studies marks a major milestone. — by Catherine Kraemer Graduates celebrate at midyear commencement on Dec. 16 at Chaifetz Arena. PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY 2 UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SPRING 2024 3 On campus Af ter a decade of t ransformat ive leadership, on March 21 , Saint Louis University President Dr. Fred P. Pestello announced that he has decided to step down at the end of June 2025. The announcement came on the 10th anniversary of his intro-duction as SLU’s 33rd president in 2014. “There is so much I will miss about this magnificent job,” Pestello wrote in an announcement to the SLU com-munity. “But just as I knew 10 years ago that SLU would be my home, I know that it is time for a new leader to take the first step into a new era.” Pestello’s era at SLU coincided with a particularly turbulent time for higher education in the United States, with colleges and universities across the country grap-pling with declining enrollments, increasing financial pressures, social upheaval and a global pandemic. Under Pestello’s leadership, SLU has successfully nav-igated these and other challenges, breaking institutional records for enrollment, fundraising and research funding along the way. Other noteworthy University accomplish-ments during Pestello’s tenure include: THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES, including the $43 million Spring Residence Hall,$71 mil-lion Grand Residence Hall, $50 million Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building,$16 million Jesuit Center, and the recently completed donor-funded $20 million O’Loughlin Family Champions Center. A TRANSFORMATIVE NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH SSM HEALTH that led to the opening of the$550 mi l l ion SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital and Center for Specialized Medicine in 2020, followed by a signifi-cant investment in SLU’s School of Medicine to expand research, training, and education as part of the 2022 inte-gration of the SLUCare physician practice with SSM. THE L AUNCH OF THE SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, which was estab-lished following a historic $50 million gift from Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield (CSB ’67) to accelerate research growth at the University and place SLU on the path to becoming a pre-eminent research university. THE FORMATION OF THE TAYLOR GEOSPATIAL INSTITUTE, a con-sortium of eight research and academic institutions led by Saint Louis University, which was made possible by a legacy investment from Andrew C. Taylor, executive chairman of Enterprise Holdings. THE CREATION OF THE MIDTOWN ST. LOUIS REDEVELOPMENT CORP., which has elevated SLU’s role as a catalyst for major devel-opment projects in Midtown St. Louis and advanced the University’s significant eco-nomic impact on the city and region. THE CONT INUE D GROWTH OF S LU MADRID — t he University’s campus in Spain — with record enrollments, ongoing expansion of classroom and lab spaces, addi-tional academic offerings, and new partnerships with education and cultural associations. Pestello began his tenure as the University’s first per-manent lay president on July 1, 2014. Just three months into his presidency, protesters peacefully occupied the SLU campus following officer-involved shootings of two Black young men in the St. Louis region. Pestello’s handling of the weeklong encampment was praised by then-U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. Pestello also successfully led the University through the COVID-19 pandemic. While other colleges and uni-versities struggled to remain open during the fall 2020 semester and beyond, SLU continued with in-person learning and on-campus living without interruption. The University managed the health of the SLU community and administered more than 20,000 vaccine doses to the campus and region. PESTELLO’S ERA BY THE NUMBERS 15,204 total students enrolled in fall 2023, an all-time high for the University. 3,183 international students enrolled in fall 2023, by far the most in SLU history.$604 million raised during the Accelerating Excellence Campaign, the University’s most successful fundraising effort to date. $1.8 billion endowment, an 88.3over the last decade.$82.7 million in annual research expenses in 2022, an 86% increase since 2014. $289.1 million in institutional aid in fall 2023, a 77.3over the last decade.$2.02 billion in completed and planned projects in SLU’s redevelopment area. During his presidency, Pestello articulated a vision for SLU to become a global Jesuit university that is mission-focused, student and patient-centered, and research-driven w one that is working with the people of St. Louis to reimagine, transform and unify the city. “President Pestello is a transformational leader who has propelled our University forward in extraordinary ways,” said Joseph Conran (A&S ’67, Law ’70), chairman of SLU’s board of trustees. “The remarkable progress we’ve achieved is a testament to his inspiring vision, and on behalf of the Board, I want to thank him for his leadership and his steadfast commitment to SLU’s Jesuit mission and values.” Collaboration, communication and transparency have been hallmarks of Pestello’s leadership as well. Of note, the University’s first strategic, academic and campus master plans in many years — as well as a new core cur-riculum — were developed through open and inclusive processes involving hundreds of faculty, staff, students and other key stakeholders. “From President Pestello’s first days, he made a com-mitment to listen to and elevate the voices of the faculty,” said Christine E. Rollins (Law ’96), president of SLU’s Faculty Senate and a member of the School of Law faculty since 2002. SLU will conduct a nat ional search to ident ify Pestello’s successor. Following a sabbatical after he steps down, Pestello said he plans to continue teaching, writ-ing and supporting the University and its new president as needed. “There has not been a single day in my presidency when I did not thank God for the joy and honor of working for and with all of you — smart, compassionate, and ded-icated Jesuits, faculty, staff, students, trustees, alumni, donors, and partners,” Pestello wrote in his message to the SLU community on March 21. “As I reflect upon the past decade, I am amazed at all we have endured and achieved together in St. Louis and in Madrid.” Look for more on Pestello’s legacy in future issues of Universitas. Legacy of Visionary Leadership SLU PRESIDENT DR. FRED P. PESTELLO TO STEP DOWN IN 2025 By Clayton Berry SARAH CONROY Pestello in the lobby of the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building 4 UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SPRING 2024 5 On campus Women’s Soccer Makes History For the first time, the Billikens made it to the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship’s “Sweet 16.” Sixth-seeded SLU beat Indiana in the first round and then held off a late Georgetown rally to defeat the third-seeded Hoyas 2-1 in an NCAA Championship second-round game. The team then fell to Penn State in a heartbreaker in the third round of the championship. Second-seeded Penn State scored the equalizer in the 87th minute, then tallied the eventual game-winning goal in the first overtime session, defeating SLU 4-3. The Billikens’ historic season ended with a 19- 3-2 record. PHOTO BY JOE ROKITA A-10 CHAMPS YET AGAIN Women’s soccer earned its league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship by capturing its eighth A-10 Championship title in SLU history and sixth in succession. Tournament Most Outstanding Player Caroline Kelly tallied two goals and an assist to lead top-seeded SLU to a 3-0 victory over La Salle in the final. Goalkeeper Emily Puricelli recorded her 39th career shutout to claim the Billikens’ record outright. The women also set school single-season records for goals (74), assists (70) and points (218). ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS Nine women’s soccer players merited 2023 Atlantic 10 All- Conference honors. Senior defender Lyndsey Heckel was tabbed Defensive Player of the Year, senior Puricelli was named Goalkeeper of the Year, and junior forward Emily Gaebe claimed Offensive Player of the Year accolades. Kelly and fifth-year midfielder Abbie Miller also joined the top unit. Senior defenders Sophia Stram and Katie Houck and redshirt-junior midfielder/forward Hannah Larson were selected to the All-Conference second team. Freshman midfielder Alyssa Bockius earned a spot on the All-Rookie team. Houck and Larson were voted to the A-10’s 11-member All- Academic team by the league’s women’s soccer sports information representatives. SLU has produced 55 All-Conference selections over the past eight seasons, including 37 first-team choices. HECKEL PURICELLI GAEBE BILL BARRETT BILL BARRETT BILL BARRETT BILL BARRETT LARSON The team celebrates their sixth consecutive A-10 Championship title on Nov. 5 at Hermann Stadium. 6 UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SPRING 2024 7 On campus Surge in International Students Leads to Historic SLU Enrollment This academic year, Saint Louis University enrolled more students than ever before, thanks to an unprecedented surge in interna-tional enrollment. According to the University’s official fall census, SLU’s total enrollment eclipsed 15,000 students for the first time in history. The num-ber of international students also reached record heights, more than doubling in a single year. “This is an impressive milestone in the his-tory of our University,” SLU President Dr. Fred P. Pestello said. “This achievement comes amid an incredibly challenging climate for higher education. I want to thank the students and families who have chosen SLU and recognize everyone at the University who made this accomplishment possible.” Contributing significantly to this record enrollment is SLU’s Global Graduate initiative, which launched in 2020 to attract interna-tional students to select graduate programs in technology, business and engineering. In the fall, SLU enrolled 1,427 new inter-national graduate students, a 325% increase over last year. More than 75% of international students at SLU are from India, where the ini-tiative debuted three years ago. “Our Global Graduate initiative has far exceeded our initial hopes and projections,” Pestello said. “The tremendous success of this initiative is a testament to SLU’s growing repu-tation for exceptional academics on the global stage.” To support the increasing number of Global Billikens at SLU, the University hired 30 new faculty and staff. SLU also invested millions of dollars in student scholarships as well as academic, language and career-readiness resources and programs. FALL 2023 ENROLLMENT AT SLU: BY THE NUMBERS Students cheer during a fashion show that was part of the International Services President’s Reception in September. The event, organized annually by the Office of International Services, encourages international students to mingle with fellow Billikens and learn about other cultures on campus. New Center Focuses on Global Catholicism Saint Louis University’s new Center for Research on Global Catholicism (CRGC) supports scholarship about Catholicism as a global religion. World-class researchers and area archivists will study the nexus of Catholicism and culture. “Our ambition is to make SLU a destination for research on global Catholicism,” said Dr. Mary Dunn, director of the CRGC and professor of theological studies at SLU. An interdisciplinary collective of researchers and scholars, the Center for Research on Global Catholicism will: Capitalize on scholarly expertise at SLU and in St. Louis to advance knowledge and understanding of global Catholicism. Facilitate connections between local archives and scholars. Support scholars by providing resources, community and opportunities for collaboration. The newest Topgolf location, situated between Saint Louis University’s north and south campuses, opened in October. Topgolf St. Louis-Midtown, which is the second to serve Greater St. Louis, has 102 outdoor climate-controlled hitting bays spanning three levels. Each bay has lounge-type furniture or tables for groups. Jason Hall, chief executive officer with Greater St. Louis Inc., said the new venue is estimated to draw 600,000 participants and generate $2 million in annual sales tax. Topgolf said the venue will bring approximately 500 new jobs. The land for the project was acquired from SLU and developed with oversight from the St. Louis Midtown Redevelopment Corp., a partnership of SLU and SSM Health. SLU Ranks as a Best Value, Top Catholic University Once again, Saint Louis University was recognized as one of the nation’s best values in higher education and one of the leading Catholic universities in the country. The University was named a “Best Value School” for the eighth consecutive year by U.S. News in its 2024 Best Colleges rankings for undergraduate education, released in September. SLU ranked No. 52 among 211 schools on the list, which the publication calculates by comparing a school’s academic quality and its net cost of attendance. Overall, SLU ranked No. 105 among more than 430 national universities that offer a range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doc-toral programs, and emphasize faculty research or award professional practice doctorates. Among the 523 business schools accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, SLU’s Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business had three undergraduate programs in the top 20 nationally: international business (No. 15), entrepreneurship (No. 16) and finance (No. 17). The Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing ranked No. 67 out of 656 nursing schools with master’s or doctoral programs accredited by either the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. SLU also ranked No. 22 among the best ser-vice- learning programs in the country. POLL: How Do You Say ‘Missouri’? Politicians have crisscrossed the state for years, sharing their vision for Missour-ee or Missour-uh, depending on where they spoke. Now, Missourians have spoken about how they say their state’s name. In 2023, the SLU/YouGov Poll interviewed 900 likely Missouri voters, asking how they pronounced the name of the state in which they reside. The poll found that only 9.5% of Missourians say Missour-uh. More than 90% of those polled say Missour-ee. “After growing up in Missouri, I was surprised so few Missouri voters used the Missour-uh pronunciation,” said Dr. Steven Rogers, SLU/YouGov Poll director and associate professor of political science at SLU. “Using Missour-uh appears to be partly generational. Sixteen percent of voters who are 65 years old or older said Missour-uh, but only 3% of voters below the age of 29 said Missour-uh.” Pestello tees off at the new Topgolf St. Louis-Midtown after the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Fore! Topgolf Opens Near SLU PRINCETON REVIEW In August, SLU was profiled in Princeton Review’s Best 389 Colleges, which includes only 15% of America’s four-year colleges. SLU ranked No. 9 on the Top 20 Best Private Schools for Making an Impact list and No. 25 in the Students Most Engaged in Community Service category. NICHE In August, the rankings and reviews website Niche.com ranked SLU No. 111 among the 936 Top Private Universities in America and No. 10 among the 160 Best Catholic Colleges in America. -ee90% -uh 9.5% SARAH CONROY SARAH CONROY 6,702 GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SPRING 2024 9 Academic Tech Commons Opens New Space In September, the third and final phase of Saint Louis University’s Academic Technology Commons in Pius XII Memorial Library opened. The lower level of the library, once a repository for collections, now includes an active-learning classroom and four tech-enabled spaces with digital white-board functionality. A Zoom room allows for a more integrated experience for those attending hybrid meetings. A recording studio is also in the works. Martha Allen, special assistant to the dean of libraries and museums and director of academic integrity, said the new space will house some of the 300-plus classes taught in the library. It will also be available for supplemental learning labs, study groups and professional development. Geospatial Gets New Director, Faculty The Taylor Geospatial Institute (TGI), a consortium of eight research insti-tutions led by Saint Louis University, selected Dr. Nadine Alameh as its inaugu-ral executive director. A world-renowned geospatial expert, Alameh previously was the CEO and pres-ident of the Open Geospatial Consortium. She is a lso an appointed member of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Geospatial Advisory Committee and a board member of the United Nations Geospatial Global Information Management Private Sector Network. In addition, SLU will hire 20 new fac-ulty members in core geospatial science and related fields. The new positions, to be filled over a three-year span, will be hired in collaboration with TGI. The effort will bring new faculty to SLU who apply geospatial tools, technologies and resea rch methodologies to specialt ies across a diverse range of fields from cli-mate science and agriculture to health care and nati

Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University

Fall 2024 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University.FA LL 2024THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITYFALL 22 Three of a Klein Billiken men’s soccer has relied on the Klein family for generations. — by Joe Barker 24 SLU Goes Hollywood A movie based on alum John O’Leary’s life brought a film crew to campus. — by Joe Barker, photos by Sarah Conroy 28 Under One Roof The Catholic Studies Program offers more than a major; it offers community. — by Catherine Kraemer ’ - 6 Paralympic Mettle Dr. Sarah Adam won silver as the first woman on the U.S. Paralympic wheelchair rugby team. — by Bridjes O’Neil 10 Lost and Found Dr. Douglas Boin’s discovery of an ancient Roman temple is making headlines. — by Marie Dilg 14 Join the Club SLU’s sport clubs go beyond traditional collegiate athletics. — by Amy Garland, photos by Sarah Conroy 18 Lighting the Spark Ignite Seminars allow faculty to share their passions with students. — by Amy Garland Members of SLU's rowing club practice on Creve Coeur Lake. PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY FEATURES DEPARTMENT S 2 ON CAMPUS Jon Hamm speaks at commencement Literary Award Campus dog New men s basketball coach Billiken Hall of Fame 31 CLASS NOTES 33 Alumni Spotlight: Sharee (Brown) Silerio (A&S ’09) — by Amy Garland 34 Alumni Merit Awards 37 IN MEMORIAM 41 THE LAST LOOK VOLUME 51, ISSUE 1 EDITOR Laura Geiser {A&S ’90, Grad ’92} ASSOCIATE EDITOR Amy Garland {A&S ’97} ART DIRECTOR Matt Krob ON CAMPUS NEWS STORIES University Public Relations Billiken Media Relations ON THE COVER Dr. Sarah Adam, SLU assistant professor and Paralympic silver medalist Photo by Sarah Conroy Universitas is published by Saint Louis University. Opinions expressed in Universitas are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the University administration. Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs are welcome but will be returned only if accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. Letters to the editor must be signed, and letters not intended for publication should indicate that fact. The editor reserves the right to edit all items. Address: Universitas DuBourg Hall 39 1 N. Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63103 Email address: [email protected] Website: slu.edu/universitas Universitas is printed by Cummings Printing Worldwide circulation: 127,000 ©2024, Saint Louis University All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. President’s message Stories that reveal the heart of SLU ASLU faculty member in occu-pational therapy is the first woman in history to compete on the U.S. Paralympic wheel-chair rugby team (page 6). A history professor has made a major dis-covery of an ancient Roman temple (page 10). Numerous faculty members have created new courses designed to ignite a lifelong pro-cess of curiosity and learning in the Ignatian tradition (page 18). And our club sports program offers every student a path to continue — or to discover — an engagement with athletics that supports their well-being, sense of community and con-nection to the natural world (page 14). When I talk to students about why they love Saint Louis University, they often tell me that it is because our commitment to mission is real — that “higher purpose, greater good” is more than a tagline. This issue of Universitas highlights many of the ways that we are delivering on our com-mitment to pursue truth, to re-imagine what is possible and to foster communities where all people thrive. SLU’s Catholic Studies Program is one distinctive example of our Catholic, Jesuit identity in action (page 28). It is a place where students are centered in their spiritual lives, integrating insights from across academic domains as they seek the presence of God in all things. Through numerous gatherings, dis-cussions and events, students can experience what it means to be part of a community that is expressly committed to seeking wholeness. As Billiken alumni, you know well: A SLU education expands our students’ worldviews, the opportunities they will find after gradu-ation and the sense of purpose they will bring to all aspects of their lives. Indeed, our University’s talented alumni continue to tell powerful stories that reflect t he exper iences and t he exper t ise they acquired in their years at SLU. Graduate Sharee (Brown) Silerio (A&S ’09), who worked on the Academy Award-winning documentary short film The Last Repair Shop, is dedicated to creating films that expand representation of Black women and girls (page 33). And alum John O’Leary’s (CSB ’99) story will soon be released asa motion picture filmed in part on our St. Louis campus (page 24). Not all of us will make movies, but we all have an essential role in the Billiken story. In the multiple ways that you contribute to your families, communities and professions — each one of your stories reflects the profound potential of our University’s noble mission. Thank you for continuing to bring SLU’s story to life. Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D. President - - On campus SARAH CONROY CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A graduate prepares for commencement; graduates celebrate after the ceremony; a group selfe before the ceremony begins in Chaifetz Arena; and the 2024 honorary degree recipients (from left) William and Susan Klepper, Hamm and Christie. SARAH CONROY SARAH CONROY FROM TOP: Hamm (center) receives his honorary degree from Board of Trustees Chair Joseph Conran (left) and SLU He reminded the graduates that they are now for the Society of Jesus; Dr. Susan E. Klepper part of a shared community. (DCHS ’66), emeritus professor at Columbia President Dr. Fred P. Pestello; Hamm poses for a selfe with student speaker Sky Carroll. University; and Dr. William M. Klepper (A&S ’66), academic director at Columbia University. SARAH CONROY 2 UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y FALL 2024 3 SARAH CONROY KABANCE PHOTO ‘Resilient’ Class of 2024 Celebrated at Commencement For many of Saint Louis University’s newest “Be proud sons and daughters of St Louis,” he alumni — who started college during the said. “Be proud of where you’re from, knowing COVID 19 pandemic — the 2024 spring that it made you. Be at peace with where you commencement was their frst chance to are, knowing it’s transitory and is leading experience a proper graduation. to something else on the path. But most importantly, be excited f St. Louis native and Emmy award-winning or where you’re going actor Jon Hamm congratulated the nearly — the future is endless, it is ripe with possibility, 1,600 students on their ability to thrive. and it is all yours to make of what you wish.” “Your resilience in the face of continued In addition to delivering the main address, discomfort and distraction is impressive,” Hamm joined three SLU alumni in receiving Hamm said. honorary degrees: P. Maria Joseph Christie, S.J. (CSB ’99), secretary of higher education 4 UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY On campus ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ - - - - - - - - - ATHLETICS SARAH CONROY DISTINCTION Class of 2024 University Names New Leadership William Johnson RECTOR AND VICE PRESIDENT, SLU-MADRID Johnson was dean of the SLU School of Law for more than seven years. He served over four years as the director of both the law school’s Center for International and Comparative Law and its Summer Law Program in Madrid. Dr. Twinette Johnson (A&S ’96, GRAD ’19) DEAN, SCHOOL OF LAW Johnson began her academic career as an associate professor at the SLU School of Law over 20 years ago. Most recently, she was dean and professor of law at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law. Dr. Jackson Nickerson EDWARD JONES DEAN, RICHARD A. CHAIFETZ SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Nickerson was a professor of organization and strategy at the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis, where he’d been since 2007. JOE BARKER WYLIE AGENCY Hot Diggity! SLU Welcomes Campus Facility Dog The SLU community welcomed a new member to campus this spring: Duo Facility Dog Woody. Unlike a service dog, a facility dog is trained to work with multiple handlers in homes, clinics or organizations and carry out specific,skilled taskswith multiple cli-ents. Facility dogs do not have public access rights and are authorized to work within the assigned facility only. The first Duo Facility Dog to ever go to college, Woody is a two-year-old English Labrador retriever who has been training his entire life for his role: decreasing stress, improving moods and promoting well-be-ing through interactions with students, faculty and staff. KINCAID RECEIVES LITERARY AWARD; WHITEHEAD TAPPED FOR 2025 HONOR Renowned Antigua- Pulitzer Prize-winning author CHRIS CLOSE born author Jamaica Colson Whitehead will come to Kincaid received St. Louis next April to accept the the 2024 St. Louis 2025 St. Louis Literary Award. SLU EARNS NATIONAL FOR ENGAGEMENT The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching announced that Saint Louis University earned the 2024 Community Engagement Classifcation. The elective designation is awarded by Carnegie and the American Council on Education. SLU is one of Billiken Hall of Fame CAMERON NEISLER COMMUNITY The Department of Athletics inducted new members into the Billiken Hall of Fame in February. BILLIKEN GREAT: CONTEMPORARY Honoring student-athletes who competed in the past 30 years Aspen Cervin Ryan McCoy (CSB 17), tennis (CSB 18), swimming Miller Hogan, Alex Nickel (PH 17), baseball softball Jackie Kemph Tim Ream (CSB 10), (CSB ’17, GRAD CSB ’18), basketball soccer Rick Majerus, Jenny (Kehl) men’s basketball Wallace (A&S ’03), head coach soccer head coach for Bi l l iken men’s basketball. S che r t z c ame f rom Indiana State, where he finished his third season with the Sycamores last spring and led them to a 32 7 record and a run to the NIT championship game. Prior to ISU, he spent 13 seasons at Lincoln Memorial, where he led the Railsplitters to 10 NCAA Division II national tournaments, including an appearance in the 2016 NCAA Division II national championship game. Schertz is 403 109 in 16 seasons as a collegiate head coach. His .787 winning percentage ranks in the top 10 among all active coaches in the NCAA. Schertz was named the 2024 MVC Coach of the Year and the Hugh Durham Schertz Heads Up Men’s Basketball J osh Schertz has started his first season as the National Coach of the Year, which is presented annually to the top mid major head coach in college basketball. Literary Award on Whitehead is the author of many 368 campuses DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD nationwide holding novels, including The Underground the classifcation. Honoring former student-athletes for April 25. Soccer’s Schulte Makes Olympic Team Former Saint Louis University men’s soccer standout Patrick Schulte (CSB ’24) made it to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games as a member of the U.S. Olympic men’s Kincaid’s work Railroad, The Nickel Boys and their contributions to SLU athletics and explores themes of colonialism, Harlem Shufe. In addition to the Pulitzer, he The report distinguished careers gender and sexuality, racism, class won the National Book Award and the Carnegie highlighted SLU’s and family. She wrote the novels Medal for Fiction, among other awards. He work on issues like Tom Strunk (CSB 89), soccer, is chief Annie John, Lucy and See Now Then, has received a MacArthur Fellowship and a food insecurity fnancial ofcer of World Wide and several other books. Guggenheim Fellowship. through Campus Technology Inc. He was instrumental in soccer team. The team advanced to the quarterfinals, Kitchen and bringing Major League Soccer to and Schulte made five appearancesduring the Olympic The new Target store is located along Grand Boulevard between Gratiot and Papin streets. Time for a Target Run TARGET’S NEWEST ST. LOUIS STORE, located near the Saint Louis University campus, opened on July 21. The approximately 72,000-square-foot store includes a CVS Pharmacy, Starbucks Café, and Ulta Beauty at Target. The store flls a void of anchor retail tenants along the Grand corridor and is part of the retailer’s eforts to open more stores that meet community needs for urban centers, dense suburban cities and college campuses. The project is located within the 400-acre redevelopment area that’s guided by the St. Louis Midtown Redevelopment Corp., a joint efort of SLU and SSM Health. Billiken Bounty and community improvement through initiatives like Habitat for Neighborhood Business, SLU Legal Clinics, and the engagement eforts of the St. Louis Midtown Redevelopment Corp. The classifcation has been the leading framework for institutional assessment and recognition of community engagement in U.S. higher education for the past 19 years. FALL 2024 St. Louis and has an ownership stake in St. Louis CITY SC. BAUMAN SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD Honoring individuals who made outstanding contributions to Billiken athletics Joe Conran (A&S ’67, LAW 70) is a retired partner and former chair at Husch Blackwell LLP, where he is of counsel. He chaired the SLU board of trustees for the past 10 years. BOB BURNES AWARD Honoring teams that brought recognition to SLU 2006 women’s soccer team, led by head coach Tim Champion 2011 12 men’s basketball team, led by head coach Rick Majerus tournament. As a Billiken from 2019 to 2021, he was the Atlantic 10 Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2020 and was a first team All Conference pick in 2021. In 2021, he helped the Billikens to a 16 1 4 record and an NCAA quarterfinal appearance. Noted as one of the best young goalkeepers in the country, Schulte was drafted by the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer in 2022 and helped the team win the MLS Cup in 2023. He was the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro Goalkeeper of the Year in 2022 with Columbus Crew 2. Schulte is one of several Billikens who have been members of the U.S. Olympic men’s soccer team through the qualifying stages, and he joins a select few former Billikens who have represented their coun try in the finals. Brian McBride (Ed ’96) was on the most recent U.S. team to make the finals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Matt McKeon (A&S ’97) was on the U.S. squad at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Joe Hamm (A&S ’73), Mike Seerey (CSB ’73) and Al Trost (A&S ’71) played on the United States’ 1972 squad at the Munich Olympics. 5 FA LL 2024 7UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY 6 SARAH CONROY DR. SARAH ADAM is an assistant professor of occupational science and occupational ther-apy at Saint Louis University, but her recent achievement is more about making history than teaching health science. Adam became the first woman named to the U.S. Paralympic wheelchair rugby team earlier this year. And in September, that team took silver in the 2024 Paris Paralympic games.Eight teams — including France, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain and Japan — competed at the 2024 Paralympics. Adam played a key role for Team USA. She was in the starting lineup when the team kicked off its campaign on Aug. 29 with a 51-48 win against Canada, scoring six times in the victory. In the final match, she and co-captain Chuck Aoki led Team USA with 14 tries. (Tries are worth one point each.) However, Japan won 48-41, claiming gold.USA Wheelchair Rugby (USAWR) announced in May that Adam would be one of 12 athletes to represent the United States at the 2024 Paralympic Games. She was selected from an elite 16-person national training squad competing to earn a spot on the roster.“It’s an honor to be named to a Paralympic team and repre-sent Team USA at the elite level of our sport,” Adam said. “To be the first female to do it, during a time where women in sports is exploding in popularity, just elevates that honor.”PARALYMPICMETTLE– by Bridjes O’NeilA SLU PROFESSOR IS THE FIRST WOMAN TO MAKE THE U.S. PARALYMPIC WHEELCHAIR RUGBY TEAM. Adam’s students and colleagues surprise her with a sign at the Disabled Athlete Sports Association SLU community members cheer for Adam (DASA) Ability Awareness Demonstration in during a watch party for her Paralympic debut April at the Simon Recreation Center. on Aug. 29 in the Allied Health Building. SARAH CONROY SARAH CONROY SARAH CONROY Adam (right) teaches students about wheelchair rugby during the DASA event in April. Although wheelchair rugby has been a mixed-gender sport (with men and women competing together) since it debuted at the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney, the sport has been dominated by men. At the Paralympics in 2021, only four of the 96 athletes were female. That number doubled to eight in Paris. “To be able to compete amongst the best of the best in our sport, par-ticularly as a female playing against mostly men, I have focused a lot on being in peak physical shape,” Adam said. “I spent many hours at the Simon Rec Center getting ready.” Adam had a unique introduction to the sport as an “able-bodied volunteer” for the Disabled Athlete Sports Association (DASA) in 2013, when she was a graduate student. DASA offers the biggest selection of disabled competitive team sports and Parasport opportunities in the SARAH CONROY Adam (center) makes history as the frst woman to compete on the U.S. Paralympic wheelchair rugby team versus Canada in Paris on Aug. 29. Midwest. Adam connected with the community and attended develop-ment events — as both a coach-in-training and a referee. A year later, after noticing difficulty walking, gripping items, numb-ness in her hands and bouts of fatigue, Adam was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She began playing wheelchair rugby recreationally in 2017 and competitively in 2019. Adam describes her style of play as “cerebral,” viewing wheelchair rugby as a large chess match, aiming to always be three moves ahead of her opponents. She hopes a documentary about her team’s journey to Paris in 2024 will inspire others and shed light on the adaptive sports movement. Adam (right) shows her Paralympic silver medal to colleague Emma Edwards on her frst day back to campus on Sept. 9. Adam’s medal SARAH CONROY AP PHOTO / MICHEL EULER “I was initially drawn to the combination of physicality and strategy involved in wheelchair rugby,” Adam said. “I’ve found that there is also a great community of athletes in Parasport who support each other not just on the court but off the court. I’ve seen Parasport truly help trans-form people’s lives by connecting them back to some sense of normalcy and a community of like-minded individuals. It’s a great community to be a part of.” Adam made her international debut at the Americas Championship in 2022, where the team won gold, and later that year won a silver medal at the world championships. In 2023, she was part of the gold medal-winning Parapan American Games team that secured USA Wheelchair Rugby a spot for Paris 2024. She also became the first American woman to win Parapan American Games gold in wheelchair rugby. USAWR is the most decorated Paralympic wheelchair rugby program in history and the only one to be awarded at all Paralympic Games since the sport was added to the event roster in Sydney. The United States has won silver medals at the past three Paralympic Games: Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. 8 UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y FALL 2024 9 FALL 2024 Spello is a picturesque village in Italy where the meandering cob-blestone streets are lined with baskets of flowers. Enclosed in a circuit of medieval stone walls and nestled in the verdant rolling hills of the central region of Umbria, Spello is considered one of the country’s most beautiful villages. The scenery, however, is not what attracted Dr. Douglas Boin to Spello. An expert in the religious transformation of the Roman Empire in the fourth cen-tury, the Saint Louis University history professor was drawn to the village by a piece of stone sitting in a room under a frescoed ceiling and dramatic lighting. The stone contains a rescript, a message from Emperor Constantine giving villagers permission to build a temple in Spello to celebrate a religious festival in their own town rather than making the long journey to another. The only condition was that the temple be dedicated to worshipping Constantine’s imperial ancestors. This rescript was produced at a time when the Roman Empire was straddling the lines between pagan and Christian religions. Over his many years of research into fourth-century antiquities, Boin came across articles and footnotes that mentioned the rescript, which was discov-ered in the 1700s near Villa Fidelia, a resplendent Renaissance home built outside Spello’s walls. “It’s a trophy piece and by far the most famous piece of antiquity to come from Spello,” he said. “It sparked my interest because anytime you can see something written, whether on paper or stone, it can bridge a gap in time and help us make sense of history. So, my colleagues and I decided to take a road trip to see it.” The Latin inscription on the rescript references a temple of opere magnifico, roughly translated as “splendid endeavor.” After seeing the rescript, Boin and colleagues stopped for a glass of wine and began to muse. Where was this splendid temple erected? What did it look like? How did it impress itself on the village at that time? L O S T F O U N D 11 DOUGLAS BOIN The medieval hilltop town of Spello, Italy A SLU history A N D professor's discovery sheds light on the Roman Empire’s transition from pagan worship to Christianity. – by Mar ie Di lg The dig site in Spello, Italy PHOTO BY LUCA PRIMAVESI 10 UNIVERSITAS / THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y PAGA N I SM A N D P LU R A L I SM Boin said the temple is significant because it can offer insights into the social change from pagan gods to Christianity within the Roman Empire. Although Emper

Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University

Summer 2023 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University.S U M ME R 2 0 2 3 24 HOURS AT SLU ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY Page 6 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE VOLUME 49, ISSUE 2 EDITOR Laura Geiser {A&S ’90, Grad ’92} ASSOCIATE EDITOR Amy Garland {A&S ’97} ART DIRECTOR Matt Krob CONTRIBUTORS Marie Dilg {Grad SW ’94} Bridjes O’Neil ON CAMPUS NEWS STORIES University Public Relations Billiken Media Relations ON THE COVER Photographs from “24 Hours at SLU” Universitas is published by Saint Louis University. Opinions expressed in Universitas are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the University administration. Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs are welcome but will be returned only if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Letters to the editor must be signed, and letters not intended for publication should indicate that fact. The editor reserves the right to edit all items. Address all mail to: Universitas DuBourg Hall 39 1 N. Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63103 We accept email at: [email protected] Website: slu.edu/universitas Universitas is printed by Breese Printing and Publishing Worldwide circulation: 132,438 ©2023, Saint Louis University All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. SLU’S SPRING COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY WAS ESPECIALLY JOYFUL. Graduates filled the floor of Chaifetz Arena, extending into several rows of overflow seating. Mortarboards were adorned with creative embellishments. Student speaker Zahva Naeem (A&S ’23) eloquently urged her colleagues to “live kindly, love freely and learn adamantly.” And we were brought to collective tears by the powerful address of commence-ment speaker and Chaifetz School of Business alumnus John O’Leary (’99). As the graduates joined me in a jubi-lant shout — they are indeed members of the SLU family FOREVER! — the emo-tion was as palpable as the confetti and streamers that fell from the rafters. After the ceremony, our newest alumni rejoined their loved ones on the grounds surrounding the arena and lingered in the sunshine of a beautiful spring day. I think I took photos with a line of graduates and families that didn’t slow for a solid hour. It’s possible I have never smiled so much — and every grin was from my heart. Our end-of-year celebrations condense years of challenge, triumph and transformation into a handful of poignant moments, each dense with memories and meaning. SLU’s 2023 graduates — who navigated some of the most difficult years of any of our lifetimes — earned every exuberant minute of their graduation day. This issue of Universitas is similarly filled with images and stories that speak to the heart of the SLU experience. Photos that beautifully capture a few of the countless ways that SLU faculty, staff and students live our mis-sion on any given day (page 6). Profiles of students who crossed the globe to make SLU their home (page 15). Stories that illuminate the potential of Jesuit education to create community, expand intellectual horizons, and cultivate wholeness within the confines of a correctional facility (page 18). As alumni of Saint Louis University, you know well the power and poten-tial of Jesuit education. You carry your own collection of Billiken memories. You might recall the moment you conquered an equation that you were certain was outside of your abilities. Perhaps you can picture the work of art that irrevocably shifted your perspective. Maybe you continue to repeat words from a text or professor or classmate that resonated far beyond the day you moved your tassel to the left side of your mortarboard. PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY As members of the SLU family (forever), you extend the impact of these moments in each of your lives and communities. You rely on the wisdom you have earned, during your days at SLU and in the years since, to make unique and transformative contributions to the greater good. In moments of joy and times of difficulty, you remember what it means to be a Billiken. And you commence. May God’s blessings be with you this summer, and always. Dr. Fred P. Pestello President Features Departments 6 24 HOURS AT SLU A photo essay covers one day in the life of Saint Louis University. 15 GLOBAL REACH An increase in international graduate students expands SLU’s worldwide impact. – By Marie Dilg 18 MINDS UNCONFINED SLU’s Prison Education Program opens minds and changes lives. – By Amy Garland 2 ON CAMPUS Women’s basketball postseason /// Commencement recap /// New deans /// Public health grants /// Ring Award winner /// Student honors /// Neil Gaiman visit 23 CLASS NOTES 25 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Katey (Marcinkowski) Howes {DCHS ’99, Grad DCHS ’01} – By Bridjes O’Neil 26 HOW I GOT HERE Tim Bantle {A&S ’00} – By Amy Garland 29 IN MEMORIAM 33 THE LAST LOOK A runner at dawn at the Medical C SLU President Dr. Fred P. Pestello (right) poses for a photo with a enter Stadium on April 11 graduate after the spring commencement ceremony. 2 UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y SUMMER 2023 3 ON CAMPUS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL MAKES HISTORY Women’s basketball secured the first NCAA Tournament bid in program history with a 91-85 overtime victory over top-seeded Massachusetts in the Atlantic 10 Championship final in March. The game was also the first time the Billikens played in an A-10 Championship title game. The team members, who ended their first season under Coach Rebecca Tillett at 17-18, started the year by finding their footing together and finished strong with 11 wins in their final 13 games. Working together brought conference honors, including All- Atlantic 10 second-team selections for senior forward/center Brooke Flowers and senior guard Kyla McMakin. Flowers was selected as the A-10’s co-Defensive Player of the Year and as a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award. She was joined on the league’s All-Defensive team by senior guard Julia Martinez, who also earned Most Outstanding Player honors at the A-10 Championship. In the NCAA first-round game, Flowers scored a team-high 17 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. McMakin and guard Camree Clegg also scored in double figures in the team’s 95-50 loss to the Tennessee Lady Volunteers. University Names Two New Deans Dr. Donna LaVoie DEAN, COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES LaVoie served as interim dean since 2020, overseeing the Arts and Sciences reorganization, where some programs moved to the new School of Science and Engineering. Before that, she was associate dean in the college for 12 years. A professor of psychology, she has been at SLU since 1995. Dr. Gregory E. Triplett Jr. DEAN, SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING The inaugural dean for Science and Engineering, Triplett most recently was senior associate dean for academic affairs at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Engineering. He joined VCU in 2016 as a professor and associate dean for graduate studies. He began his academic career in 2011 at the University of Missouri in Columbia, where he was an associate professor, lab director and associate director of Mizzou’s honors college. SLU Partners With Jesuit Organization to Educate Refugees Saint Louis University is partnering with Jesuit Worldwide Learning (JWL) to offer a bachelor’s degree to international students displaced by conflict, lack of opportunity and poverty. The first cohort of students will start in October and are presently in refugee camps in Kenya and Malawi. Based in Switzerland, JWL is an international higher education program that serves students in war zones, refugee camps and impoverished coun-tries. Partnering with academic institutions, JWL operates more than 50 learning centers in 20 countries across Asia, Africa and South America. JWL students will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in general studies through SLU’s School for Professional Studies. The program offers a bachelor’s degree free of charge to interested refu-gees in the camps who meet eligibility requirements. The students will begin their time at SLU with 30 credits already completed through either Creighton University or Xavier Institute of Management in India’s one-year certificate program. Once enrolled, they will be full-time students with access to all forms of SLU support. FROM LEFT: SLU Provost Dr. Michael Lewis; Dr. Martha Habash, USA JWL academic director and Creighton University professor; University President Fred P. Pestello; and Dr. John Buerck (Grad Ed ’93), interim dean of SLU’s School for Professional Studies PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY Gaiman Receives the 2023 St. Louis Literary Award Neil Gaiman, the 2023 St. Louis Literary Award honoree, summed up his life’s work: “The job of a writer is to leave the world more interesting.” Gaiman accepted the award from the Saint Louis University Libraries at a sold-out event in April at the Sheldon Concert Hall. The same day, he was named one of Time magazine’s Most Influential People of 2023. Best known as a novelist, Gaiman writes in a variety of forms. His work includes Coraline, American Gods, The Graveyard Book and The Sandman. To close out the ceremony, Edward Ibur, executive director of the St. Louis Literary Award, announced that Jamaica Kincaid will come to St. Louis next year to accept the 2024 award. Kincaid explores themes of colonialism, gender and sexuality, racism, class and family in her work. A professor in African and African American studies and the Department of English at Harvard University, Kincaid wrote the novels Annie John, Gaiman accepts the 2023 St. Louis Literary Award. Lucy and See Now Then. PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY The women’s basketball team and coaching staff celebrate their victory in the Atlantic 10 Championship final in Wilmington, Delaware. PHOTO BY MITCHELL LEFF/ATLANTIC 10 4 UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y SUMMER 2023 5 ON CAMPUS SLU HONORS CLASS OF 2023 The Saint Louis University spring graduation celebration culminated with the commencement ceremony May 20 at Chaifetz Arena. New York Times best-selling author and motivational speaker John O’Leary (CSB ’99) delivered the 2023 spring commencement address. As a child, O’Leary was so badly burned in an accident that doctors gave him less than a 1% chance of survival. He detailed his recovery in the 2016 bestseller On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life. His second book, In Awe: Rediscover Your Childlike Wonder to Unleash Inspiration, Meaning and Joy, was also a bestseller. O’Leary joined former St. Louis Alderwoman Marlene Davis and veteran actress Marianne Muellerleile (A&S ’71) in receiving honorary doctoral degrees. Davis was alderwoman of the City’s 19th Ward for 16 years before retiring in April. She helped facilitate the transformation of SLU’s Midtown neighborhood. During Muellerleile’s 50-year career, she has appeared in more than 180 television series, including the soap opera Passions, and more than 100 national commercials, including Geico’s “Aunt Infestation” ad. Her movie credits include The Terminator and Memento. New graduates are encouraged to keep up with SLU events and activities from coast to coast by updating their contact information at alumni.slu. edu/stayconnected. PHOTOS A, G AND I BY STEVE DOLAN / PHOTOS B-F AND H BY SARAH CONROY Researcher Gets NIH Grants to Help Prevent HIV and HPV Dr. Juliet Iwelunmor, professor of global health and behavioral science and health education at the College for Public Health and Social Justice, received a grant in 2018 to develop and implement a crowdsourcing framework for at-risk youth in Nigeria. Now she is using the framework to identify young people in the United States who could become the next generation of HIV researchers, leaders and innovators in the field. She was awarded a five-year, 1.76 mil-lion grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to create NIAID STAR (Stimulating Training and Access to HIV Research Experiences). A partnership across four universities — SLU, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Georgia State University and Texas A&M University — STAR focuses on bottom-up strategies for youth engagement in HIV pre-vention research, involving young people as leaders of HIV prevention interventions. Iwelunmor also recently received a five-year, 2.83 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to enhance the understanding of HPV prevention in resource-constrained settings. Using the crowdsourcing framework, she aims to increase essential human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and screening to lower incidents of cervical cancer among girls and women in Nigeria. Iwelunmor HONORS & AWARDS HISTORY PROFESSOR WINS 2022 RING AWARD Dr. Mark Edward Ruff received the 2022 Nancy McNeir Ring Award in December and, in keep-ing with Saint Louis University tradition, delivered the midyear commencement address. The award — SLU’s highest honor for teaching — was established in 1966 to acknowledge faculty who display special dedication to students. It is named for the University’s first dean of women. A SLU history professor since 2004, Ruff was a unanimous selection for the award. SLU COMMENDS ANOTHER TRUMAN SCHOLAR Gabby Chiodo is the most recent — and fifth-ever — SLU student to receive the prestigious Truman Scholarship. (See the photo on page 10.) Truman Scholars demonstrate leadership potential, a commitment to a career in government or the nonprofit sector, and academic excellence. Chiodo is one of 62 scholars selected this year from a pool of 705 candidates nominated by 275 colleges and universities. Chiodo is a political science and communication double major with minors in political journalism and women’s and gender studies. She is a SLU Presidential Scholar and a member of the University Honors Program, as well as a managing editor of The University News. ALUMNI EARN 2023 FULBRIGHT AWARDS Three members of the SLU community were selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, designed to expand perspectives through academic and professional advancement and cross-cultural dialogue. In partnership with more than 140 countries, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers opportunities to graduating college seniors, graduate stu-dents and young professionals. Participants pursue graduate study, conduct research or teach English abroad. Adam Ryan (A&S ’22, CSB ’23) received a Fulbright Combined Award to Austria. He will conduct political science research at the University of Vienna while serving as an English teaching assistant at a secondary school. Sierra Zima (CSB ’20) received a Binational Business Program to Mexico award. She will participate in an internship while pursuing an MBA. Krysta Couzi (PH ’23) received an English Teaching Assistantship to Ghana. STUDENT WINS AWARD FOR CANCER RESEARCH Kavya Harish is one of 10 recipients of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Award, joining students from other prestigious univer-sities such as Yale, Harvard and Cornell. The award is available to college juniors and includes all-expenses-paid trips to AACR conferences for two years and funding to continue cancer research. Harish has been researching the regulation of the ribosomal machinery in cells and attempting to inhibit protein production. By doing so, she’s shown that previously unrelenting cell growth can be controlled, which can help regulate certain cancers. PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY Ruff PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY A. Honorary degree recipients (FROM LEFT) Muellerleile, O’Leary and Davis B. School of Education graduates (FROM LEFT) Vicky Casazza, Riley Hercules and Grace Hoover C. Student speaker Zahva Naeem (LEFT) and O’Leary D. Dr. Manisha Ford-Thomas, director of housing and residence life, celebrates earning her doctorate. E. Confetti and streamers shower the graduates following the main commencement ceremony. F. School of Medicine graduates Tiffany Ju (LEFT) and Stephanie Chen G. SLU President Dr. Fred P. Pestello addresses the graduates. H. School for Professional Studies graduate Sai Rohith Thatla celebrates. I. O’Leary delivers the commencement address. A D G B E H C F I 6 UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y SUMMER 2023 7 A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN ONE DAY. THIS APRIL, UNIVERSITAS ATTEMPTED TO CAPTURE IT ALL. 24 HOURS AT SLU THERE WAS NOTHING PARTICULARLY EXTRAORDINARY about Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at Saint Louis University. It wasn’t commencement day or homecoming or the first day of classes. But that very ordinariness made it perfect. For years, the Universitas staff has wanted to share with readers all that happens in one day at Saint Louis University — from midnight to midnight in both St. Louis and Madrid. It was a tall order that required multiple photographers on two continents. And, of course, what they captured just scratches the surface. Though this photo essay captures only a few fleeting moments from a day in the University’s life, it illustrates the vibrance of campus and the depth of SLU’s impact. Follow the photos from the wee hours to late night and see what a difference a day makes. 12:07 A.M. 12:07 A.M. All is quiet along Grand Boulevard. From left, foreground: Grand Hall, DuBourg Hall and St. Francis Xavier College Church PHOTO BY STEVE DOLAN MIDNIGHT - 1 A.M. 1:01 A.M. Anita Hardin (left) and Alexandria Wilson monitor campus from the Department of Public Safety communications center. PHOTO BY STEVE DOLAN While St. Louis (mostly) sleeps, the Madrid Campus starts its day. Students Abigail Amane (left) and Claire Elah Doua talk in the San Ignacio Hall library. PHOTO BY ÁNGEL GARCÍA LÓPEZ Instructor Yolanda Granado (far right) leads SLU-Madrid students in a flamenco class. PHOTO BY ÁNGEL GARCÍA LÓPEZ 11:22 A.M. (MADRID TIME) SLU-Madrid students enjoy the patio behind Padre Rubio Hall. PHOTO BY ÁNGEL GARCÍA LÓPEZ 1 - 2 A.M. 2 - 3 A.M. 3 - 4 A.M. 9:32 A.M. (MADRID TIME) 10:22 A.M. (MADRID TIME) 4 - 5 A.M. 8 UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y SUMMER 2023 9 5 - 6 A.M. 6 - 7 A.M. 8 - 9 A.M. 9 - 10 A.M. 5:44 A.M. 9:57 A.M. 6:58 A.M. Back in St. Louis, 8:16 A.M. student workers fold towels at the Simon Recreation Center front desk before the facility opens. Student Susan Rippee finishes a test during her “General Chemistry II” lab period. The sun rises over early-morning runners at the Medical Center Stadium. Research assistant Keith Blomenkamp works in Dr. Jeffrey Teckman’s lab in the Doisy Research Center, investigating pediatric liver disease. PHOTO BY STEVE DOLAN PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY 7:15 - 7:42 A.M. Students Suzanne Tran (top right), Tran Quach (bottom left) and Carolina Cifuentes Milla (bottom right) prepare breakfast at the student-run Fresh Gatherings Café in the Allied Health Building. PHOTOS BY SARAH CONROY 7 - 8 A.M. 10:53 A.M. Students cross Grand Boulevard during a busy class-change period. PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY 10 - 11 A.M. 10 UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y SUMMER 2023 11 Pestello has lunch with students in Grand Dining Hall. Pestello joins a campus tour and talks with prospective students and their families. 11 A.M. - NOON University President Dr. Fred Pestello (right) and Provost Dr. Michael Lewis (left) surprise Gabby Chiodo during her class in Morrissey Hall to share the news that Chiodo had been named a 2023 Truman Scholar. Chiodo, the fifth Truman Scholar in SLU history, was selected for demonstrating outstanding leadership potential, her commitment to a career in government or the nonprofit sector, and academic excellence. Dr. Barnali Gupta, Edward Jones Dean of the Chaifetz School of Business, greets a student during an “Office Hours with the Dean” event in the Shanahan Atrium of Cook Hall. Prof. Molly Wilson, associate dean for research and engagement at the School of Law, teaches a contracts class in the Pruellage Courtroom in Scott Hall. PHOTOS BY SARAH CONROY PHOTO BY CRISTINA FLETES PHOTO BY STEVE DOLAN 11:16 A.M. 12:15 P.M. 1:02 P.M. NOON - 1 P.M. 1 - 2 P.M. 2:34 P.M. Dr. Vithya Murugan, assistant professor of social work, instructs students in her “Intro to Social Work” class in Tegeler Hall. PHOTO BY CRISTINA FLETES 2 - 3 P.M. 3:34 - 3:59 P.M. The Billiken softball team practices at the Billiken Sports Center. Clockwise from top left: Head Coach Christy Connoyer (center) talks to the team; Chloe Rhine throws the ball while Kendall Johnson (right) gets ready to field; Abby Mallo bats from a tee; Kaili Hanner winds up to pitch. PHOTOS BY CRISTINA FLETES 3 - 4 P.M. 11:59 A.M. 11:25 A.M. 12 UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y SUMMER 2023 13 4:01 P.M. Campus Kitchen student volunteers (from left) Elise Hallstoos, Nhu Nguyen, Sarah Sargent, Hao Huang and Alicia Avellaneda-Cruz walk meals across Grand Boulevard to deliver to residents of the nearby Council Towers Senior Living Apartments. PHOTO BY STEVE DOLAN 4 - 5 P.M. 5:25 - 6 P.M. Students take advantage of a warm spring day to be outside. Clockwise from top left: Riya Patel (right) and friends on a hammock near DuBourg Hall; Madi Baylor (left), Ella Bolling and Joe Feder (right) at the Cupples House bridge; (from left) Andrew Kowalski, Claire Robinson, DeAndre Westbrook and Andrew Siemer at the Dr. Jonathan C. Smith Amphitheater; and Elizabeth Monzu at a table overlooking Lipic Clock Tower Plaza. PHOTOS BY SARAH CONROY 5 - 6 P.M. 6:27 P.M. The cast of Clue the Musical — from left, students Makaina Woods, Marshall Self, Allie Thornton (seated), Jake Allen Olson, Sophie Smith, Aadi Kadam and London Kimble — rehearses in the Main Stage Theatre in Xavier Hall. PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY 6 - 7 P.M. Tan France, host of Netflix shows Next in Fashion and Queer Eye, speaks to students in the Wool Ballrooms in Bu

University News - Volume 101, Issue 005 (March 31, 2023)

24 pages.VOL. CI No. 5 / March 31st, 2023 UTHE UNIVERSITY NEWS Highlighting Women Writers p. 06 Lana Del Rey Album Review p. 09 Women in Sports [Photo Feature] p. 12-13 Women’s Basketball Makes History p. 16 New Women’s Basketball Coach p. 17 Women’s history month cover design by diana jakovcevic 02 News T onight, the Saint Louis University pep band starts small. Micro crescendos dot their pieces, lifting the audience up and setting them back down in anticipation of something big. Then the real rise comes with the baritones setting a steady foundation, leading into the saxophones, trumpets and electric basses, each building the classic rock and pop tunes to a pinnacle moment. Silence reigns and the audience is left swaying at the top. The only sound comes from the thump of the basketball across the court. The ball rolls around the hoop, and just as it falls into the net, the horns and trumpets cut through the tension with their final note. The crowd roars as SLU wins the game. The pep band at SLU is an ever-entertaining group, always providing upbeat energy to elicit cheers and inspire the crowd. However, there seems to be a cord of tension surrounding the pep band students recently. On Dec. 31, 2022, Austin Turner, the director of SLU’s pep band for the last eight years, resigned in protest of “heavy strain” placed on the group. In his resignation letter, Turner provided context about the relationship between the Athletics Department and pep band over the past several years. He spoke directly to the current students and alumni in pep band, apologizing for the burden placed on them. Turner could not be reached for further comment. “Over the past several years the relationship between Athletics and the Band has been tenuous at best and communication has been poorer than usual this season,” he wrote in the letter. Specifically, Turner said there have been increased demands for the pep band to perform at pep rallies, parades, volleyball games and more with little time to prepare the students and alumni for the spontaneous events. Amy Mosmon, a SLU alumni who has been playing with the pep band since 2008, said there had been no major issues until the last few years. Originally, she said pep band was a mental health reprieve for students to play their beloved instrument while getting advice from other students and alumni. But with stricter schedules, pep band was given less playing times and the Athletics Department increasingly dictated what they could and could not play, Mosmon said. “In fact, if the Athletics Department did not like what we were playing, they would play prerecorded music over us. Sometimes, they would not even mic us,” Mosmon said. Mosmon claims that in the event of a poor basketball game, the Athletics Department would seek someone to hold accountable, often directing the blame towards them, citing that they failed to make the game enjoyable enough. This accusation, as per Mosmon, was also leveled at Cheer and Dance, although their directors were unavailable for comment. Mosmon said she has always “bled blue.” Unfortunately, the workload of pep band is just too much, she said. “It takes a lot of sacrifice to be part of pep band now. Especially with work and family, and then to be asked to just stand there…it is not worth the effort and I do not trust how long current changes will last,” Mosmon said. In an email chain to the Athletics Department following Turner’s resignation, other alumni expressed sentiments similar to Mosmon’s. One such alumnus listed several grievances against the Athletics Department such as budget cuts, short notices and lack of respect, before saying they could no longer volunteer with a department that “willfully disregards the mental well-being of students.” The University News spoke with students in the pep band who confirmed the changes that the Athletics Department was pushing the former director, Turner, to make. Steven Lum, a junior three-semester pep band member, said the band directors are perpetually under a lot of stress since there is a lack of advertising. Compared to cheer and dance, pep band’s social media accounts have a much smaller reach. Moreover, it is not mandatory for students to go to basketball games and attendance is often small. This made getting together a group of students to play for spontaneous requests even harder, Lum said. “The pep band director got a lot of last minute requests within 48 hours. This was just not possible as students have exams. The requests were too short notice,” Lum said. Another alumnus, who did not wish to speak with The University News, wrote in the email thread that they quit volunteering with the pep band and questioned the Athletics Department’s judgements and lack of effort in fostering a secure and constructive environment for the students of pep band. Janet Oberle, Deputy Director of SLU Athletics, said there are mental health resources given to pep band students through Athletics. “There is someone from the University Counseling Center who physically has hours in Chaifetz twice a week. This is UCC’s way of helping athletes specifically,” Oberle said. Oberle declined to comment on the other concerns or resignations. The Athletic Department’s unresponsive behavior and attitude may have contributed to the strain that resulted in a wave of resignations. However, it might also be a symptom of an underlying issue – a lack of funding, faculty and overall interest in Saint Louis University’s music department. Margaret Cotner, a junior who has been playing with the pep band since SLU pep band director resigns due to ‘heavy strain,’ points to decline of Music Department By KAVYA HARISH Staff Writer (Photo courtesy of Anna Rogers) her freshman year, spoke about her experience coming from a high school where over a third of the graduating class was involved in some kind of music group to a college where there is only one band with less than 40 people. “My high school had a lot of funding and support for music. Everyone knew everyone in music. In fact, if you were not part of a musical group, it was like what are you doing? How are you enriching yourself if not with music and arts?” Cotner states. Today, the pep band has approximately 40 members made up of alumni and students, with some sections having no instruments. “There is one trumpet, one french horn…something is missing here. These are fairly common instruments and we are begging students who play them to join,” Cotner said. There is something amiss about the music department’s low audition turnout for certain instruments typically played in pep bands. The heart of the issue comes down to the fact that there is no incentive for students to join the pep band, and since most students in the band are pre-med or pre-health, they are not likely to adjust their schedules without one. In December 2022, SLU revoked the MUSC-3470 Pep Band course. In other words, the pep band exists outside of Athletics, but students cannot enroll in the course for the Fine Art credit requirement. Seemingly, the only incentive students now have to join pep band is their own love for music, Cotner said. Yet, for the majority of the student body who are at SLU to enrich their professional background, they will devote their time to clubs and classes that fill that role. Revoking course credit is not the first time incentives to the band have been stripped. There used to be a $250 dollar scholarship that Athletics gave each pep band student. “I mean it’s not even that much but Athletics has been very stubborn to reinstate it,” Cotner states.$250 is little compared to other college’s pep and marching bands. In 2019, through private funding, every member of the Ohio State marching band received at least a 3,000 scholarship. The scant funding Athletics has given to the band combined with a zero-credit class speaks to SLU’s underappreciation of music and arts enrichment, Cotner said. “It makes me want to pull my hair out that there is no advertising, no push, no scholarship to get students to join pep band. All these schools have advertising because it is healthy for students to do music. But SLU is giving money to other departments and letting the music department slip away,” Cotner states. It appears that the decline of the pep band is indicative of SLU’s apathy toward their music and arts programs. The pep band is supposed to provide a sense of community and inclusivity, Mosmon said. Previously, it served as a safe haven for students who may have previously felt like outsiders and allowed them to embrace their love for music. In other words, it lets students be “fun nerds.” However, with fewer members it becomes difficult to maintain this environment and meet these expectations, Mosmon said. According to Cotner, under the new interim pep band director, Sarah Silverberg, pep band students have been given a new sense of hope after a tumultuous winter. She said Silverberg has spent the beginning of the spring semester attempting to make connections between Athletics and students so they can be better supported. Additionally, Cotner said, Silverberg has been able to initiate talks with Athletics to address if the band can update equipment, merchandise and music. Mosmon stated that Sarah is a lively and enthusiastic person. However, Mosmon expresses concerns that the Athletics Department may cause her some stress. “I hope that the Athletics Department does not burn her out,” Mosmon said. The University News reached out to Silverberg but she did not wish to comment. It is clear, however, that new jackets, set music and easier accessibility to counselors will not solve the pep bands problems that are indicative of a larger issue at hand. According to Cotner, SLU’s music program is crumbling and the only way to address the concern is to incentivize students to not only join pep band, but also enroll in other music classes. Musical enrichment is key to alleviating students’ mental health stress and emphasis desperately needs to be placed on it, said Cotner. Perhaps by doing so, the pep band can once again become a sanctuary for students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ews 03 EXCERPT FROM AUSTIN TURNER’S RESIGNATION LETTER: 04 NEWS arquis Govan is not new to politics. Born and raised in St. Louis, he became involved in activism in his early teens after witnessing inequity and unfair policing practices in his community. As the 2023- 24 Student Government Association President-elect, he hopes to bring his experiences and passions to the Saint Louis University campus. A sophomore social work and sociology student, Govan is SGA’s current VP of Diversity and Inclusion. SGA strives to create a space for students to participate in representative student government by providing an open forum to student opinions concerning the affairs of the University. Presidential elections for SGA were held on March 1 and 2 between Junior Brooke Kenworthy and Sophomore Marquis Govan. sga president-elect Marquis Govan talks plans for slu “At SLU, you feel either really connected or really disconnected. I felt very disconnected when I first started at SLU. What helped combat this was people making an effort to include me and grant me the experience that I deserved. With my new position as SGA President, I hope to do the same,” Govan said. The SGA President is responsible for overseeing student activity events and planning, policy support from faculty and students, allocation of funding and resources, serving as a bridge for communication between University staff and the student body, and most importantly, responding to issues that are posed to members of the SLU community. The main driving factor for running for this position, Govan said, was his vision of organizing students on the fundamentals of accessibility and inclusion. “Seeing people not have any resources, including myself at times, made me realize how many students don’t understand people like myself exist. I want to give a voice to those who are marginalized and ignored,” Govan said. Throughout his campaign, Govan prioritized a concept he referred to as “radical love, community and inclusion.” “What does radical love even mean? Radical love to me means that people’s spirits are being comforted. It means that people with dietary restrictions have sufficient food to eat on campus. It means transgender and non-binary students feel comfortable being their true selves on campus. It means students with disabilities are able to navigate around campus. It means Black and Brown students feel safe,” he said. “When you talk about living in a radical community, it needs to be built on these fundamentals of love. Students must feel as if they are being invested in, not just surviving. Not everyone is in a ‘Roll Bills’ mentality here, because of the inequities they experience daily.” To help students feel more at home at SLU, Govan said he believes a culture shift is beyond necessary, as it will create a more inclusive environment. “A lot of people from marginalized communities come here and feel like they don’t fit in. Breaking barriers is key here,” Govan said. “I do believe a good place to start is by providing students with livable dorms, though. Especially for students with disabilities, dietary restrictions or those who are trans.” The importance for breaking barriers, he noted, is that it requires the holistic embracement of people as individuals. What is stopping SLU from achieving this, he said, is a missing piece of compassion and understanding from students and faculty. “We have lots of potential to build a culture that is inclusive and accepting. We already have resources, but sometimes people don’t feel like they are real. At times, they appear almost forced and performative. In order to shift this, there needs to be more sincerity, but I cannot be the only one implementing it. This needs to be a collective shift,” Govan said. Govan emphasized that everything is interconnected and different issues that people may exhibit have more overlap than one would expect. “Everything is multifaceted, which is why I approach things the way that I do. When I am talking about one issue, I am talking about multiple. This is why I will prioritize partnerships with RAs, RHA, Rainbow Alliance and Disability Services.” He said he intends to encourage conversations about these topics by organizing his SGA presidency outside of the conventional view. “By making the dialogue about both me and you, we are both taking responsibility. My primary goal is to discuss those who aren’t physically present at the [presidential] meetings, and while I am outside of these meetings, I intend to include people in the dialogue who weren’t a part of them,” Govan said. As he steps into his new role, he said his most important message for our community was his promise to listen. M By STASIA HANONICK Copy Editor “Seeing people not have any resources, including myself at times, made me realize how many students don’t understand people like myself exist. I want to give a voice to those who are marginalized and ignored.” “I exist to serve the SLU population. I am accessible. If anyone has a problem, please reach out to me.” (Photo courtesy of AAMC ) News 05 F or over 25 years at various institutions, Rochelle D. Smith strived to utilize diversity, equity and inclusion work to help the most marginalized achieve the dream versions of themselves. Now as Saint Louis University’s second Vice President of the Division of Diversity and Innovative Community Engagement (DICE), she aims to do the same . “Students are at the very core of why I come to work every day, of why I do the work I do…So everything that I do is tethered really to the belonging and the advancement of students who entrust us as an institution with their young lives [and] their young minds,” Smith said. During her time in college, opportunities were not as accessible to her as they are today. Popularly given to Black women during their youth, she was given choices to be a teacher or a nurse. “I really [didn’t] want to be a nurse. I went to what was supposed to be an academic advising office, or the precursor to that because we really didn’t have anything like that, and nobody was there,” Smith said. Despite feeling upset, she realized her passion and calling was to ensure that other students don’t get the same shut door on their faces. “If ever I have a chance to help a student or anybody really feel more confident or figure out their vocation or their career, especially in medicine I’m going to do it somehow, some way in my life, I’m going to do that,” she decided that day. Her pivotal professional milestone was when she witnessed data discrepancies during her initial years working as an administrator at the Student Educational Services at Washington University in St. Louis. The department worked to help students from low-income, first-generation backgrounds pursue their desired careers. As Smith observed data on students pursuing fields in STEM, she discovered that a majority of those students were struggling to pass the gatekeeping courses of chemistry, biology, physics and calculus. It did not sit right with her to know this information and do nothing, primarily because she saw herself in the shoes of these students. Upon getting in contact with those who were addressing the issue,committees and grants started to take place as proactive measures striving to turn the statistics around.Fast forward three years, the percentage of incoming freshmen wanting to go into medicine went from four to 40 percent, as per Smith. As a diversity practitioner, she was passionate about changing the landscape of STEM from being “woefully underrepresented”, to getting the underrepresented students to the front of the classroom. With experience working with marginalized students trying to make it in the STEM fields, Smith saw a pattern in their applications. She advised students applying for college, graduate or professional programs to not “just talk about what the school can do for you, but talk about what you’ll bring to the school.” She adds that a lot of students don’t do that because they think, “oh, the school wants to hear about how great the school is,” when in reality, schools want to know how great applicants are. “We want students to feel celebrated and feel as if somebody cared enough to know them by name and by story,” she says, quoting her mentor at WashU, Dr. Jim Macleod. “We want to know students by name and by story, and that’s ultimately at the end of the day at the core of what we do.” At SLU, Smith is passionate about addressing the needs of students from underrepresented backgrounds in the United States and overseas. When asked about the DICE’s diversity plan of ensuring students from different racial, ethnic, religious and national backgrounds feel included on SLU’s campus, Smith commented that her unit defines diversity broadly and acknowledges that everybody has a story. DICE wants to base its work on the different cultures and backgrounds that “adds to the fabric of our institution.” DICE is working on a project called Home Plate with Dr. Frances Pestello as its ambassador. The program aims at inviting students from all historically excluded backgrounds, of which include low-income, first-generation, Black students, brown students, international students, and share a meal with faculty and staff in their homes so that there is an exchange of “culture, mores, stories and backgrounds [to] sort of cross-pollinate.” The program will be launched Fall of 2023, representing SLU and DICE’s addressing of the marginalization of existence in a pretty large campus. Smith’s nomination to the job, she said, was a moment of honor for her. Her late husband, Jonathan C. Smith, was SLU’s first vice president for this position. She succeeds professor Amber Johnson of the Department of Communication, who served as the interim Vice President of DICE since August 2021. “I was just happy to be considered for the role,” reveals Smith. She adds that President Pestello and Provost Lewis were gracious and offered her all the resources she needed as part of the onboarding process. She has years of personal and professional experience in making it into influential spaces and jobs with her Master’s degree even when at times she said she felt intimidated by those who held advanced degrees. She wants young women of color to have courage, dream and act on it. She asks them to “do it and don’t care… because the thing that you’re a master of is being you… a

Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University

Winter 2023 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University.W I N T E R 2 0 2 3 RECORD-SETTING CAMPAIGN Page 19 ALUMNI EXPLORE SPACE Page 22 STUDENT INVESTORS Page 28 JESUIT CENTER Page 32 SLU prioritizes well-being Page 12 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE VOLUME 49, ISSUE 1 EDITOR Laura Geiser {A&S ’90, Grad ’92} ASSOCIATE EDITOR Amy Garland {A&S ’97} ART DIRECTOR Matt Krob CONTRIBUTORS Paul Brinkmann {A&S ’89} Joe Barker Marie Dilg {Grad SW ’94} Bridjes O’Neil Maggie Rotermund ON CAMPUS NEWS STORIES University Public Relations Billiken Media Relations ON THE COVER Photograph by Sarah Conroy Universitas is published by Saint Louis University. Opinions expressed in Universitas are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the University administration. Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs are welcome but will be returned only if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Letters to the editor must be signed, and letters not intended for publication should indicate that fact. The editor reserves the right to edit all items. Address all mail to: Universitas DuBourg Hall 39 1 N. Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63103 We accept email at: [email protected] Website: slu.edu/universitas Universitas is printed by Breese Printing and Publishing Worldwide circulation: 132,265 ©2023, Saint Louis University All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. AS WE WELCOME THE NEW YEAR, I HAVE BEEN REFLECTING ON THE VALUE OF TRADITION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF INNOVATION. These forces can appear to be at cross purposes — with “tradition” stuck insis-tently in the past and “innovation” dismissing time’s hard-earned wisdom. Fortunately, at a Jesuit university, we are blessed with a tradition of transformation. Saint Louis University’s deep roots in the Jesuit tradition fuel our commitment to ask new questions, to envision new possibilities and to advance new solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges. This issue of Universitas highlights just a few of the extraordinary things that become possi-ble when tradition and innovation meet: The foundational Jesuit principle of cura personalis — care for the whole person — is motivating a transformation of SLU’s campus culture to support student well-being (page 12). Because of SLU’s tradition of academic excellence, an impressive number of alumni have been at the forefront of scientific and technological advancements, playing pivotal roles in decades of space exploration (page 22). Experiential education — for centuries, a key element of Ignatian teaching and learning — is creating a new generation of leaders in the financial professions (page 28). SLU’s community of Jesuits, foundational to our history, continues to shape our present and future. These dedicated men are integral to advancing the University’s mission as teachers, scholars, ministers and leaders — and they now have a new home that reflects their central role in campus life (page 32). And generations of SLU alumni and supporters recently contributed to the historic conclusion of our Accelerating Excellence campaign — raising 604 million that will fuel a future of new possibilities for Saint Louis University (page 19). SLU is encountering a world of change. We responded effectively to the upheaval of a global pandemic by relying on the guidance of our experts and a firm commitment to our Jesuit values. We are navigating a challeng-ing environment for higher education, growing our enrollment and raising our research profile despite considerable headwinds. Our exceptional fac-ulty, staff and students do not shy away from challenge or from change. As stewards of this Jesuit institution, they adapt, they advance new initiatives, and they innovate to serve the greater good. PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY SLU’s remarkable story continues with each of you. As alumni and friends of Saint Louis University, you are an essential part of our past, present and future. You exemplify the potential of Billikens around the world to transform your communities in the spirit of the Gospels. Each day, in your families, professions, faith commu-nities and civic lives, you show the potential of Jesuit values to shape the world as it ought to be. May we continue this remarkable tradition, together. Dr. Fred P. Pestello President Features Departments 12 A CULTURE OF CURA PERSONALIS SLU cares for the whole person with a focus on well-being. — By Amy Garland 19 EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS SLU’s Accelerating Excellence campaign soared past its ambitious goal. — By Joe Barker 22 REACHING FOR THE STARS Several SLU alumni are making their mark on modern space exploration. — By Paul Brinkmann 28 DEEPLY INVESTED Finance students learn real-world lessons through a special class. — By Marie Dilg 32 CENTERED IN THE HEART OF CAMPUS The new Jesuit Center welcomes the campus community. — By Maggie Rotermund 2 ON CAMPUS Soccer success /// SLUCare update /// Taylor Geospatial Institute /// Athletics construction /// Chess championship /// St. Louis Literary Award /// Madrid expansion 34 CLASS NOTES 36 Alumni Merit Awardees 41 Billiken Hall of Fame Inductees 35 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Bryan Beasley {CSB ’11} — By Bridjes O’Neil 38 HOW I GOT HERE Dr. Jody Sowell {Grad A&S ’11} — By Laura Geiser 43 IN MEMORIAM 49 THE LAST LOOK Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski (left) pours chrism to consecrate the altar in the Jesuit Center Chapel. Also pictured are Timothy McMahon, S.J., rector of the Jesuit community of Saint Louis University; David Suwalsky, S.J., vice president for mission and identity at SLU; and Thomas Greene, S.J., provincial superior of the Jesuits USA Central and Southern Province. For more about the Jesuit Center, see page 32. Pestello at December’s midyear commencement at Chaifetz Arena 2 UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y WINTER 2023 3 ON CAMPUS SOCCER TEAMS FINISH STRONG The 2022 season was another successful one for Billiken soccer. The women’s team, which achieved a unanimous top-10 national ranking this season, is a five-time defending A-10 champion and returned to the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship for the fifth straight season. The women posted a 10-0 record in winning the A-10 regular-season crown and carried a school-record 18-game winning streak — also the longest active streak in NCAA Division I women’s soccer — into the national tournament. SLU was awarded a No. 2 seed for the 2022 NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship but lost to former Conference USA rival Memphis in a first-round game. The men’s team captured the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship in dramatic fashion, advancing past Loyola Chicago in penalty kicks. It was the second straight season that SLU was the A-10 regular-season and tournament champs. The Billikens went on to their 50th appearance in the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship, the most of all time. The team defeated Memphis in the first round and fell to Indiana in the second round. The men’s team reached the Elite Eight in 2021. A The men’s soccer team celebrates its back-to-back A-10 Tournament Championships. B Senior midfielder and A-10 co-offensive player of the year John Klein takes on Memphis in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship. C Members of the men’s soccer team hoist the A-10 Tournament Championship trophy. D Hannah Larson and Hannah Friedrich celebrate after the A-10 Tournament win against Dayton. E Junior defender Lyndsey Heckel was named the Most Outstanding Player of the A-10 Championship. F The women’s soccer team celebrates its fifth consecutive A-10 Tournament Championship. A D E B C F PHOTOS BY BILL BARRETT 4 UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y WINTER 2023 5 ON CAMPUS SLUCare Becomes Part of SSM Health Saint Louis University and SSM Health entered into an agree-ment to bring together the academic medical expertise of SLUCare Physician Group with SSM Health’s community-based care model to create an integrated health care network. Ownership of SLUCare Physician Group transitioned to SSM Health when the transaction closed last summer. For decades, SLUCare Physician Group and SLU School of Medicine partnered with SSM Health at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital and, more recently, at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital. Integrating SLUCare Physician Group into SSM Health gives the community improved, seamless access to all levels of care. SLU Celebrates Launch of Taylor Geospatial Institute Saint Louis University President Dr. Fred P. Pestello announced the launch of the Taylor Geospatial Institute in April 2022 during an event at SLU’s Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building. Led by Saint Louis University, the Taylor Geospatial Institute (TGI) is a first-of-its-kind institution that brings together eight leading institutions to collaborate on research into geospatial technology. The other collaborating institutions are: The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Harris-Stowe State University, Missouri University of Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Missouri-Columbia, University of Missouri-St. Louis and Washington University in St. Louis. The TGI is funded by a legacy investment by Andrew C. Taylor, executive chairman of Enterprise Holdings Inc. and founding chair of Greater St. Louis Inc., with supporting investments from each of the eight member institu-tions. The institute builds on St. Louis’ significant geospatial assets and positions the region as the global center of geospatial innovation, impact and excellence. Taylor said the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s construction of a new campus in North St. Louis combined with a visit to their current St. Louis office led him to believe geospatial would play a big role in the city going forward. He wanted to get involved and knew a regional collaboration made the most sense. The institute will be a hub for access to and development of technology powered by big data analytics and computing resources to support research and training. Pestello speaks with Taylor after the launch of the Taylor Geospatial Institute. INSTITUTE SECURES 1 MILLION GRANT In October, the TGI received a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to create the Taylor Geospatial Institute Regional AI Learning System. The three-year grant was awarded to Dr. Vasit Sagan, associate professor of geospatial science at SLU and acting director of the TGI, along with Dr. William T.C. Kramer and Dr. Shaowen Wang, both from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The high-performance computing and data analysis system, known as TGI RAILS, will be housed at the National Petascale Computing Facility at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “The integration of SLUCare into SSM Health-St. Louis creates one of the most comprehensive, fully integrated academic and community-based physician groups in the region, with more than 1,200 providers,” SLU President Dr. Fred P. Pestello said. “This partnership bolsters our collective goal to improve the quality of life across generations and cultures while addressing the social determinants of health that prevent our neighbors from living life to the fullest. It will further serve to strengthen the academic and research missions of the School of Medicine.” SSM Health and SLUCare Physician Group committed to a seamless transition, so patients experienced no disruption in health care providers or location of services. “Both SSM Health and Saint Louis University School of Medicine have a rich legacy of providing hope and healing to those in need across the St. Louis community,” Laura S. Kaiser (Grad CSB ’85, Grad PH ’85), president and CEO of SSM Health, said. “SSM Health’s founding congregation, the Franciscan Sisters of Mary, first arrived in St. Louis 150 years ago. As stew-ards of the healing ministry they began in 1872, we are thrilled to be taking this next step in our shared mission to ensure every patient gets the best care possible while keeping that care affordable for the individuals and families we serve.” The agreement also represents a significant investment in the School of Medicine. “Saint Louis University School of Medicine has a long tradi-tion of excellence in academic leadership, educating the doctors and scientists of the future, while advancing cutting-edge clin-ical research and patient care,” Dr. Christine Jacobs, dean of the School of Medicine and vice president of medical affairs, said. “This partnership will expand the scope of our primary and spe-cialty health care, allowing greater access to clinical trials for our patients, while we educate diverse and committed future physicians for our region, and grow our research in the School of Medicine.” SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital and parking garage, viewed from Grand Boulevard PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY PHOTOS BY STEVE DOLAN Longtime VPs Kauffman, Fowler Retire June marked the official retirements of two long-serving Saint Louis University vice presidents, Bill Kauffman and Jeff Fowler. Kauffman, who was interim president of SLU for the 2013-14 academic year, served as SLU’s vice president, general counsel and secretary of the University for more than 26 years. In the year before his retirement, he continued to serve as senior legal counsel and secretary of the University. “We have all benefited from Bill’s selfless ded-ication and wise leadership,” said SLU President Dr. Fred P. Pestello. “As an attorney, Bill has served SLU with distinction. As a colleague, his generosity and mentorship will leave a lasting impact on the University and those with whom he has worked.” In honor of his retirement, contributions can be made to the William R. Kauffman Student Higher Education Law Legal Writing Competition. Fowler, who most recently served as vice pres-ident for marketing and communications, was at SLU for more than two decades. Following a career in broadcast journalism, he joined SLU in 2000 as director of media rela-tions. Fowler was promoted to associate vice president for marketing and communications in 2003. After six years, he was tapped to serve as vice president for advancement. In 2014 he became vice president of the new Marketing and Communications Division. “I have valued our collaboration, and I have deep respect for Jeff’s integrity, loyalty and love for Saint Louis University,” Pestello said. “We are a better University for his contributions.” Gifts in honor of Fowler’s retirement are being directed to SLU’s Student Mental Health Support Fund. Kauffman Fowler New Institute Will Advance Neuroscience Research In November, Saint Louis University announced the launch of the Institute for Translational Neuroscience (ITN). The institute brings together experts in biochemistry, chemistry, pharmacology, social justice and community outreach to study the physiology and diseases of the brain and central nervous system, and thereby ease human suffering. Under the direction of Dr. Daniela Salvemini, SLU’s William Beaumont professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, and growing out of the Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience, ITN aims to improve human health through the work of pre-clinical and clinical researchers in areas that include cognition, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic neuropathic pain, opioids, metabolism and traumatic brain injury. Comprising more than 100 members across six schools and colleges from 23 departments at SLU, the institute offers students the opportunity to develop skills in neuroscience fields, beginning at the undergraduate level. Salvemini speaks during the fourth annual “NeuroDay,” the Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience Research Symposium, in November. PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY PHOTO BY SARAH CONROY ON CAMPUS 6 UNIVERSITAS THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y WINTER 2023 7 SLU Reaches Largest Enrollment in a Decade This fall, Saint Louis University enrolled the most students since 2012. Consistent with its mission, the University is continuing efforts — including test-optional admissions — to make a SLU education more accessible. SLU also has been reimagining ways to introduce master’s programs to international students and recruit them to join the campus community. BY THE NUMBERS FALL 2022 ENROLLMENT 13,546 students total 8,437 undergraduates 5,109 graduate and professional students 1,658 first-time, full-time freshmen 999 students at SLU-Madrid 28.6% increase in new graduate student enrollment 18% of first-years who are also first-generation college students 24% of first-year students are eligible for Federal Pell grants 3.9 average high school GPA of this year’s freshman class Class of 2022 Honored at Commencement During the annual commencement ceremony in May, the newest members of the Billiken alumni family were praised for rising to the occasion during a uniquely challenging time. The ceremony for the Class of 2022 marked the first in-person spring commencement since 2019. The commencement speaker was Andrés Gallegos (Law ’93), the chair of the National Council on Disability, who spoke about his own history of tackling challenges. After a 1996 car accident resulted in his quadriplegia, he began fighting for disability rights as a lawyer. “The education that I received here is the foundation for my ability to pro-tect the rights of people with disabilities throughout the country,” he said to the graduates. “My hope for you is that you utilize the foundation of your education at Saint Louis University to achieve all of your dreams, and to enhance the communities where you are.” HONORARY DEGREES Gallegos and four others received honorary degrees at commencement. Other honorees are listed below. Dr. Isiaah Crawford (A&S ’82) is president of the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. Patrick P. Lee (PC ’59) started the Patrick P. Lee Foundation, which provides funding to improve the lives of those affected by mental illness. John Vatterott (A&S ’65) established Vatterott College in 1969. He and his wife Joan do charitable work through the Joan and John Vatterott Foundation. CELEBRATING IN SPAIN SLU-Madrid’s spring commencement ceremony returned to the Reina Sofía Museum Auditorium for the first time since 2019. SLU President Dr. Fred P. Pestello was there to congratulate the 44 graduates from 11 countries and 11 U.S. states. During the ceremony, Jessie J. Knight Jr. (A&S ’72) received an honorary degree and spoke about how his time at SLU-Madrid shaped his business career. Knight was executive vice president of external affairs for Sempra Energy, a Fortune 500 company. He now is managing director at Knight Angels Consulting, a philanthropic organization. Graduate Colleen Corcoran, who studied electrical engineering, waves to the audience before the May 2022 commencement at Chaifetz Arena. Students cross Grand Boulevard under a SLU archway. O’LOUGHLIN FAMILY CHAMPIONS CENTER CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY In May, Saint Louis University dignitaries gathered outside Chaifetz Arena to officially break ground on a new facility that will make a positive impact on all Billiken student-athletes. The O’Loughlin Family Champions Center will deliver program-ming related to academic advising, spiritual development, sports performance, nutrition, wellness and sports psychology. The 25,000-square-foot building will feature leading-edge technology to help deliver on the athletic department’s strategic objectives: to educate, compete and build community. The facility is scheduled to be completed in fall 2023. BILLIKEN SOCCER LEGACY CENTER OPENS Another new ath-letic facility — this one specifically for the Bi l l iken soccer pro-grams — opened in spring 2022. Robert R. Hermann Stadium, home to the men’s and women’s soccer teams, received an upgrade with the construction of a new locker room and athletic training cen-ter, the Billiken Soccer Legacy Center. The 5,000-square-foot facility houses two locker rooms; a state-of-the- art sports medicine facility; and a conference room overlooking the pitch to be used for, among other things, meetings with prospec-tive student-athletes. ATHLETICS TILLETT IS HEAD WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACH In April, Rebecca Tillett became the eighth head coach in Billiken women’s basketball history. Tillett spent the last four years reinvigorating the women’s team at Longwood University, a tenure that culminated with a conference championship, the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance and the Lancers’ first NCAA Tournament victory. Prior to Longwood, Tillett began to climb the ranks on Navy’s bench in 2014-15. In her four seasons, Navy went 81-47. The Steve N. Frank men’s locker room in the Billiken Soccer Legacy Center New Center Focuses on Global Catholicism Launched this fall, the Center for Research on Global Catholicism (CRGC) brings together three key components of SLU’s Jesuit history and mission: a legacy of global engagement, a commitment to rigorous academic inquiry and a focus on social justice. The CRGC is the only research center of its kind to focus on Catholicism in a global context. “Our ambition is to make SLU a destination for research on global Catholicism,” CRGC Director Dr. Mary Dunn said. “We are building a center here at SLU that will be a hub for scholarship, connecting our own faculty and students with local archivists, national research centers and the rich network of scholars around the world.” Topgolf Under Construction Near Campus Sports entertainment company Topgolf will bring its technology-enabled experience to Midtown St. Louis with a new venue, expected to open in late 2023. The facility will be south of SLU’s campus at the intersection of Chouteau and Compton avenues. The open-air, three-level venue

University News - Volume 101, Issue 004 (February 24, 2023)

24 pages.VOL. CI No. 4 / February 24th, 2023 UTHE UNIVERSITY NEWS FEBRUARY: ROMANCE BLACK HISTORY & MARDI GRAS THE MONTH OF COVER DESIGN BY DIANA JAKOVCEVIC 02 News S Refugee students at a graduation ceremony in Kakuma, Kenya. (Photo courtesy of Jesuit Worldwide Learning) SLU PARTNERS WITH JESUIT WORLDWIDE LEARNING IN KENYA AND MALAWI aint Louis University is offering refugees at two African camps the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree at no cost through a new partnership with Jesuit Worldwide Learning (JWL). The initiative, which begins in October 2023, allows refugees to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies through SLU’s School for Professional Studies (SPS), designed for adult learners. The program will initially be open for up to 25 students at two refugee camps, Kakuma in Kenya and Dzaleka in Malawi. It may take on another 25 students in the spring, including prospective students from other camps. “We’re really excited to be involved with this program, because it is so mission-focused,” SPS director of general studies Kyle Crews, PhD, said. “It really allows us to use our own skills and training as educators for the benefit of others.” Students will first take a year of online study, or 30 academic hours, through Creighton University in Omaha or the Xavier Institute of Management University (XIMU) in Bhubaneswar, India. SLU will then provide the next three years of study, or 90 hours, through asynchronous virtual learning using software such as Canvas. Students will take two eight-week classes at a time from the refugee camps and will meet together at least once a week for shared support time. “We recognize the benefits of online education, but we also recognize the benefit of learning and working in a community. This program has a bit of the best of both of those worlds,” associate provost Steve Sanchez said. SLU’s partnership with the JWL was arranged over the last year, initially at the proposal of Martha Habash, JWL USA’s academic director and a professor of classics at Creighton University. Provost Mike Lewis was supportive of the idea and identified the SPS as a good fit over its longtime use of virtual learning and its familiarity with flexibility. Habash first requested that SLU chip in a 30-hour program, like Creighton’s or XIMU’s, but SLU offered to take on 90 hours instead. The students will be taught in independent cohorts. Professors may come from SLU, the JWL, or the Jesuit-affiliated Ignatian Volunteer Corps, consisting primarily of retired professors. A JWL employee will be on-site at both refugee camps to provide tech support and academic coaching. SLU is also undergoing a candidate search for two new positions, Crews said, ideally to be filled by October 2023: an academic director and a support coordinator for the program. Refugees face unique barriers to education, Sanchez said, such as reduced internet access and increased personal responsibilities, and differences in time zones make instant communication with professors difficult. “It is a population and a program that is harder to arrange for many reasons, and harder to reach and harder to serve because of the challenges that these students, by no fault of their own, have to face,” Sanchez said. Founded in Geneva, Switzerland in 2010, JWL provides support for refu-gees with the goal of “higher educa-tion at the margins.” JWL operates 60 community centers in 20 countries, and has been recognized by the UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees and Jesuit Superior General Arturo Sosa. “[The program] is really transform-ing lives and transforming commu-nities because, in good pedagogical fashion, we teach the students that they shouldn’t just be living for them-selves but really helping their com-munities as well,” Habash said. By ALEX ROZAR Staff Writer “We recognize the benefits of online education, but we also recognize the benefit of learning and working in a community. This program has a bit of the best of both of those worlds,” associate provost Steve Sanchez said. NEWS 03 wo former Saint Louis University faculty members — one who taught at the university as recently as July 2021 — were added to the list of Jesuits and former Jesuits who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors or vulnerable adults. The Jesuits of the U.S. Central and Southern Province added the late Daniel Campbell and David Meconi to the list on Wednesday, Feb. 8. Campbell was a faculty member at SLU in the 1950s, during the time of the alleged abuse. David Meconi, whose estimated time of abuse was between 2015-2016, was a former Jesuit priest, theology professor and founding director of the Catholic Studies Center. He worked at SLU up until July 2021 when the university said he was placed on leave for matters unrelated to the allegation. According to the province list, there are a total of six Jesuit priests with assignments at SLU who have credible allegations of abuse. The province informed the university that investigations were opened in February 2022 and concluded with “a high degree of probability” last week that the allegations took place, and “that the possibility they did not occur is highly unlikely,” according to an email sent to the university community by President Fred Pestello on Feb. 9. “Our hearts are with those who have suffered from abuse, and we are committed to supporting efforts to prevent abuse from happening to anyone else,” Pestello said in the statement. Father David Suwalsky, VP for the Office of Mission and Identity, said the university was not asked for participation in conducting the investigation and was not aware of any legal actions or complaints against Meconi during his time at SLU. Suwalsky also said the university does not know the identity of the victim or the location of the abuse. “In this case, there was very little that was shared by the province with the university because my guess has been— it’s only my guess—is whatever that TWO FORMER SLU JESUITS CREDIBLY ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ABUSE OF MINORS OR VULNERABLE ADULTS By GABBY CHIODO & Managing Editor ULAA KUZIEZ News Writer matter was, didn’t intersect with the university,” Suwalsky said. Many students, now upperclassmen, said they interacted with Meconi and viewed him as a mentor and teacher both in the classroom and in the Catholic Church. “I knew Father Meconi, well I guess not father anymore, David Meconi really well,” senior Paul Gillam said. Meconi taught Gillam’s first-year theology class and said he served as a guide during his transition into college. “He helped me find my place here at SLU and helped share the faith with me in a deep and authentic way,” Gillam said. He said the news came as a shock to him and other SLU students. “I was in the chapel after I found out, praying, and one of my friends was there just crying. She was heartbroken. We’re all heartbroken,” Gillam said. Gillam said he and his peers are drawing close to both each other and their faith during this tragic time. “We just have to be there for one another,” he said. The provincial joined Jesuits of SLU at the Jesuit Center for dinner on Feb. 8 and had a meeting afterward where the province told them that the finding of the investigations was culpability. “To put it mildly, it was disappointing, it’s embarrassing, it’s mind-boggling that anyone would do such a thing, period end of story,” Suwalsky said. The time of abuse for the majority of Jesuits on the USC Province list ranges between 1950-80s, making Meconi’s recent case especially surprising, Suwalsky said. “But this is, of course, somebody that many of us knew and have worked with, which was quite unexpected. There are some faculty members who are more directly impacted who worked in his department and you know, so they saw him as a colleague, a professional, as a theologian. So this is not how you typically think your coworker is going to be,” Suwalsky said. Theological Studies Department Chair Daniel Smith said the news has “shaken” his department. “[I] voice my support for the victims/ survivors of sexual abuse, and to urge folks to learn more about what we can do to stop abuse and help those impacted by it,” Smith said in an email to the University News. Campus Ministry hosted an event the following day for “healing and lament,” with an attendance of approximately 10 people. “Campus didn’t seem to be turned upside down or anything, which was a little bit unexpected. I thought there would be a lot more shock among the general student body,” Gillam said. The muted reaction may be in part due to the news breaking right before SLU’s mental wellness day. Still, much of the SLU community is struggling to process the news. “My heart hurts a lot for everyone impacted,” Gillam said. Suwalsky said he addressed the news at Mass Thursday night. There is also a concern for young alumni who knew Meconi, he said, as it is harder to assess their reactions or support them collectively. “For Catholic Studies, we were concerned about how much would fall on them,” Suawlsky said. “He had a pretty robust fundraising program to support Catholic Studies. How some of those donors might respond, we’re keeping an eye on that.” Accusations of priests in the Catholic Church molesting minors and vulnerable adults date back to the 1950s. A Church-commissioned report in 2004 found that 4,000 Roman Catholic priests face sexual abuse allegations in the last 50 years. Pope Francis, who was appointed pope in 2013, has taken several steps to combat the sex abuse crisis. In March, he released his reform program of the Holy See bureaucracy and one of the changes included bringing the pope’s advisory committee on the prevention of sexual abuse into the Vatican’s powerful doctrine office which oversees the Church’s investigations of abuse cases. This shift establishes the committee as a more permanent and powerful entity. Its members who include abuse survivors can exert influence on the decisions taken by the prelates who weigh whether predator priests are sanctioned and how The Society of Jesus is accredited by Praesidium, Inc., a national organization that establishes and maintains rigorous standards for protecting children from religious and other institutions. Every five years, the province is audited and evaluated, in order to maintain accreditation. Jesuits undergo annual training on proper behavior and protection of children and vulnerable adults. Additionally, Suawlsky said any Jesuit, especially a priest, has to present a letter of Good Standing to the archbishop in order to be able to celebrate the sacraments at SLU. “When I was first ordained, this was not required. It’s much stricter today. The training is pretty sophisticated today. So it’s a little surprising. It’s not like you could do something and not know that it was inappropriate,” Suwalsky said. Carol Zarinelli Brescia, USC Province Coordinator of Pastoral Support and Outreach wrote in an email statement to the University News that sexual abuse violates trust and causes physical, psychological and spiritual pain for the victims as well as their families and communities. “In my role… I receive reports of sexual abuse by Jesuits. I listen compassionately to individuals’ experiences of sexual abuse and respond pastorally, helping them find counseling and other resources to assist in their healing,” Brescia said. As the university continues to assess reactions and respond to the community’s needs, Suwalsky said he feels a “sense of betrayal” like everyone else but urges students not to assign guilt on SLU’s other Jesuit employees. “There’s plenty of reasons for us to see one another as sinners and worthy of redemption, the offer of redemption, but this is a whole different level,” Suawlsky said. Moving forward, Gillam hopes that both the global Church and SLU’s Jesuit community continue to deal with allegations of abuse in an urgent and transparent manner. “You have to pray for the victims. We can’t just look at our own image as a church and say, what are people going to think of us?” Gillam said. “Because when the church becomes self-centered, when the church only just stands and looks in a mirror, that’s poison.” *The Province urges anyone who has experienced sexual abuse by a Jesuit to report the offense to law enforcement. Survivors are also encouraged to call Carol Zarinelli Brescia at 314-915-7168. T n Saturday, Feb. 11, Iran celebrated the 44th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. The 1978 uprising toppled the existing Iranian monarchy and created the Islamic Republic. Iranian citizens marched through the streets carrying flags and posters with slogans of religious and revolutionary statements. The anniversary echoes the recent political unrest the country has experienced since early Sept. Protests erupted following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, an Iranian- Kurdish woman who was detained by the country’s morality police. Protests lasted for months and human rights groups have estimated that nearly 20,000 protestors have been jailed and 527 have been killed during the government’s attempts to silence the protests. Matthew Nanes, a professor of political science at SLU, explained that it would be difficult for permanent change to take place unless Iranian allies were to step up and publicly back the protests in Iran. “A failed protest emboldens the government,” Nanes said, emphasizing that the time to take action is now. He suggests that in order to make a difference, community members must speak out, while keeping the protests in Iran dominating the media cycle. Nanes says that “the people who are protesting are just like us” – they want everyday freedoms that people in the United States have. This is especially true for women who are held to very strict standards under Iranian law, requiring them to wear hijabs at all times in public. Nanes says that finding a way to support those around you is as key for students as it is likely everyone on campus knows someone who has been affected by the protests. Overall, the reaction to the ongoing crisis on SLU’s campus has been relatively mild. “I’m concerned that there isn’t more discussion about this on campus and in the international media. The coverage on Iran is basically zero at this point,” Nanes said. Some students, though, feel the impact of these events every day. Roseanne Germani, a senior at SLU, says that learning of the events through the media has been difficult. Initially, the news of the protests felt bittersweet. “As an Iranian-American, my feelings were a mix of hope and sadness. The news of continual protest brings me hope that the current regime will fall and the people will be free after over 40 years of oppression,” Germani said. As the protests continued, though, Germani felt the events on a personal level. “On the other hand, watching children as young as nine years old being murdered at the hands of the government breaks my heart,” Germani said. Additionally, the SLU community must educate themselves on the crisis, whether they are directly impacted or not, Germani said. “I wish SLU students understood that the people of Iran are fighting for basic human rights and to get their country back. It’s important to understand that the people are separate from the fundamentalist government currently in power,” Germani said. Germani is not the only student speaking out for Iranian citizens and students. Last semester, students gathered at the clocktower to show their support for students protesting the Iranian government’s regime. The event was hosted in conjunction with a call-in advocacy day in support of House Concurrent 110 and Senate Concurrent Resolution 47. These bills are official acts “commending the bravery, courage and resolve of the women and men of Iran demonstrating in more than 80 cities and risking their safety to speak out against the Iranian government’s human rights abuses.” According to Nanes, other countries supporting the protests and revolutions could turn the tides in favor of the citizens. On a local level, however, there are ways SLU students can help. HOW SLU STUDENTS CAN SHOW SOLIDARITY TO THE IRAN CRISIS O 04 NEWS By GABBY CHIODO Managing Editor & MADELYN KEIB Staff Writer (Ariana Magafas/The University News) “Educating ourselves on what is happening in Iran is key. The Iranian government needs to be held accountable by the international community, and we can do this by spreading the news about the terrible things that they are doing,” Germani said. Nanes echoes a similar sentiment and says the protestors differ in their exact goals but share a common theme of freedom. Germani and other students continue to watch as the events unfold across the globe with hope that permanent change can come from the revolution. “Iran is a highly educated country with a beautiful history and culture. My hope is that the outcome of this revolution is such that the hundreds of innocent lives lost were not for nothing” Germani concludes. “I wish SLU students understood that the people of Iran are fighting for basic human rights and to get their country back,” Roseanne Germani said. NEWS 05 aint Louis University has been taking measures towards creating a campus that participates in numerous sustainable practices. Starting in 2009, campus-wide initiatives were made when SLU introduced single-stream recycling. In 2014, two important energy and water consumption goals were introduced. Although the Office of Sustainability disbanded in 2016 due to reported budget issues, SLU’s methods to decrease waste through recycling and composting have created an overall positive change. But, the university has struggled to ensures that these things are being practiced properly. Jeff Macko, Director of Grounds and Custodial Services, said that his staff ensure the bathrooms remain clean, the trash and recycling is emptied, the lawn is taken care of, and as of recently, other roles related to sustainability. SLU has done a lot to decrease energy usage by changing its energy sources through LED lighting, daylight harvesting, solar panels, and LEED certification,” Macko said. Macko is also a contact point for Green Billikens, said Lia Basden, who is president of the organization. Macko said that due to his role, he found himself suddenly affiliated with this particular group and SLU’s Sustainability Committee. Basden said she is particularly disappointed by the decision to do away with the Sustainability Office because it leaves her feeling as though the university is not prioritizing necessary sustainable practices. “I just feel like the fact that we do not have an Office of Sustainability anymore is very telling, because although I totally understand sacrifices have to be made, I don’t think I would believe it if someone told me we don’t have the budget,” Basden said. The SLU website continues to provide information about the Office of Sustainability despite its hiatus. SLU SUSTAINABLITY EFFORTS ARE THEY ENOUGH? By ASHLEIGH RYBSKI Staff Writer Macko explains that since the disbanding SLU has had to operationalize sustainability into what the Department of Facilities does. “We have definitely had to take on some of the responsibilities as a result,” Macko said. Subsequently, SLU is attempting to make do with the limited resources it has available. Basden said she believes the university could be doing more if there are more resources. It is evident that the disassembly of the Sustainability Division has left other key contributors feeling the pressure to uphold SLU’s sustainability efforts, including its student organizations. “Trying to get student policy initiatives approved is too much of an uphill battle,” Basden said. “It’s hard for us to focus on creating actual systemic, sustainable changes because we don’t have that Sustainability Office connection that we used to.” In comparison, at Washington University in St. Louis, there are several green groups focused on a particular aspect of sustainability. The groups have access to address the intricateness of its various practices due to the provided institutional resources. “That’s why I do think that we [Green Billikens] try to put more energy into community engagement rather than policy because changing the overall atmosphere and culture of the campus is going to be more immediately beneficial,” Basden said. “The hope is to create a community of people who care about sustainability.” Arguably, however, the rising student populations can encourage university involvement with the cause, professor and researcher for the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Benjamin de Foy said. “That’s the job of the current student groups, who make sure there’s continuity as seniors graduate, by finding new people to keep what they’re doing going,” de Foy said. One action that SLU has taken that de Foy is optimistic about is its signing up to be a Laudato Si’ University. The Laudato Si’ Action Plan, “is a worldwide plan led in Rome by the Vatican to get universities to sign up and do things for sustainability,” de Foy said. When a university signs on to be a part of this organization, it is promising to make a commitment to form a group of students, faculty, and administrators to be more conscious and aware of their actions. “All of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents”, Pope Francis said in his encyclical, Laudato Si’. In the recorded session, Apostolic Preference: Working Together to Care for the Earth, our Common Home, SLU faculty met on April 1, 2022 to discuss what this action plan looks like for the university. The plan was created in May 2022 and is expected to be completed by May of this year. “We are trying to come up with a plan to send to the provost. We ideally would like to h

University News - Volume 102, Issue 003 (December, 2023)

24 pages.Vol. CII No. 3 DEC. 2023 SLU’s Pet Portraits! Full Story on Page 13 Body Images: How Society Changes What’s in the Mirror Full Story on Page 22 300 Protesters Gather for Palestine Protest Story on Page 2 Photos on Page 3 Some Jewish Students at SLU Feel Isolated Full Story on Page 4 AI Art is No Evil Boogeyman, But a Tool Full Story on Page 20 News 02 OWEN HERDRICK, LAUREN HUTCHENS & ULAA KUZIEZ Senior Writer, News Editors Around 300 protestors gathered at the Saint Louis University Clock Tower in support of Palestine, demanding the university call for a ceasefire and cut ties with Boeing, a local manufacturer of weapons used by Israel against the Gaza Strip. Speakers’ comments on Wednesday ranged from the condemnation of Israel’s military campaign to criticism of SLU’s “complacency.” Ahead of the protest, seven student groups from SLU, WashU, SIUE and UMSL sent a joint letter to each university’s respective leader, urging them to publicly condemn Israel’s actions and calling on them to hold “students and employees accountable for Islamaphobic and racist actions.” “As institutions of higher education, our universities must act as a pillar of truth for the communities they serve, providing nuanced and informed perspectives,” their letter read. The protest was organized by Occupy SLU, a new student organization that reclaims the name and the legacy of the 2014 Occupy SLU movement, organizers said. “We’re gonna continue to protest, we’re gonna continue to fight this institution that claims to be pro-life,” said Mexican-American student Julian Garcia, one of the organization’s founders. With hate crimes on the rise across the country, junior Nadia Abusoud said the SLU administration should prioritize the safety of Palestinian students. She pointed to the shooting of three Palestinian college students in Vermont this month, saying neutral university stances do little to combat tense political climates. “We want more universities in the St. Louis region to take responsibility and release messages regarding their Palestinian and their Muslim students,” Abusoud said. Abusoud, who co-organized the protest, added that she welcomes a statement that condemns antisemitism while emphasizing that pro- Palestinian speech is not hateful. Two students who spoke with the University News said they have tried to directly reach SLU president Dr. Fred Pestello to urge him to take a “humanitarian stance.” Gabriel De Castilhos, a Brazilian graduate student, emailed Pestello about his “passive, problem-avoidant” stance. Castilhos did not receive a response. “I urge SLU to take the humanitarian stance and avoid the easy way out of only ‘against Hamas.’ Take a true stance and stand WITH Palestine,” De Castilhos’ email read. Ahlam Jaber, a Lebanese Ph.D. student in the English department, attempted to meet with the president but instead had a conversation with his representative, Kasi Williamson. “I told the president’s office this, and I’ll say it again: while I understand the desire to be as politically and socially conscientious, and he’s in a certain position where he needs to think about various relationships that he has, that email, in particular, was essentially a nothing email,” Jaber said, referencing an email Pestello sent to the campus community on Oct. 13. Williamson encouraged Jaber to use campus resources as safe spaces, but Jaber said the university’s neutral public stance prevents students from feeling safe and supported. “How are students going to feel safe to even go to those spaces? Your Muslim students, your Jewish students or Arab students, how are they going to feel safe going into those spaces at the university that has not set the precedent of truth?” Jaber said. Jaber acknowledged how multiple buildings and pieces of land align with SLU’s historical tendency to be complacent and reside on the wrong side of history. She made references to the origin of Pius Library’s name and the enslaved people who built the campus. “How many times do we want to take a stance that doesn’t do right by the people that are oppressed, how many times?” said Jaber. Students marched on Laclede and West Pine, stopping briefly outside Pius Library for speeches that mentioned the University’s academic partnership with Boeing. Emma Hukeljic, a junior at the Richard A. Chaifetz Business School, told the University News that if SLU does not cut ties with Boeing, the students should. “It’s important for us to be educated on the topic and for those students to make a decision for themselves not to go for their internships, or work in the Boeing Institute in the school,” Hukeljic said. The joint student letter cited Boeing’s role in the rising death toll in Gaza. “While Boeing manufactures instruments of genocide in our backyards, our universities hold Boeing recruitment events on our campuses, invest our endowments in Boeing, and encourage Boeing to take advantage of our students’ and faculty’s research,” the letter said. Controversy arose when a student, self-describing as Indian, took the podium during an open-mic period of the protest and falsely mistranslated verses from the Quran. He was kicked off the mic by organizers and promptly ushered away by DPS. Later, Palestinian students claimed he and others yelled “terrorist” at them, and was again guided away by DPS officers. While officers say counter-protests are lawful, agitation is not. Lieutenant Joshua Johnson said there is “likely no crime violation,” but the student will be reported to the Office of Student Responsibility and Community Standards. About a dozen officers were present Wednesday night, blocking entrances to buildings like Pius Library. Melinda Heikkinen, Assistant Vice President of the Department of Public Safety, told protest organizers she supports their right of free speech, but requested that they not enter and disrupt any buildings. Heikkinen also told organizers that anyone wearing “military-style” clothing and “head coverings” would be asked to change or leave. She said this is to ensure other students don’t feel “fearful.” Protest organizers like Abusoud said this is a “double standard.” “ROTC kids wear that, we’re not removing them. It’s so incredibly angering,” Abusoud said. Some passersby flipped off protesters as they marched down West Pine. DPS intervened immediately after the protesters returned it. Conversely, as protesters marched along Grand Ave., some cars honked in support. Student organizers like Garcia, said they hope to meet with the President’s office in the coming weeks. Students promised a week of action at college campuses in the St. Louis area starting Monday, Dec. 4. “We will keep fighting until every one of us is free,” students wrote in the letter. Hundreds Gather to Support Palestine Demanding University Action news 03 (Own Herdrick/ The University News) Ahmad Saleh, a student at the University of Missou-ri- St. Louis, holds a sign as he marches in support of “We wanna end this occupation,” Saleh said. “We wanna end the genocide that is happening in Palestine.” (Shah Shamsipour/ The University News) Sophomore Nader Badwan holds a Palestinian flag as he leads a group of protestors onto the sidewalk of Laclede Ave. on Nov. 29. (Sana’a Abouantoun/ The University News) (Sana’a Abouantoun/ The University News) (Shah Shamsipour/ The University News) News Some Jewish Students 04 at SLU Feel Isolated, Unwelcome Following Hamas’ attack on Israel and the ensuing war on the Gaza Strip, Jewish and Palestinian students alike continue to mourn those they have lost. The war has devastated not only Gaza, but also the lives of many of those with ties to the region. On American college campuses, the conflict may feel far away, but the discourse has come home. Some SLU Jewish students report that they feel increasingly isolated from the community that is meant to support them. In interviews with the University News, Jewish students at SLU reported items being thrown at them as well as frequent exclamations about the war being directed at those who are visually identifiable as Jewish. All students who spoke to the University News called for a statement from the University that explicitly condemns antisemitism and acknowledges the fear that Jewish students have been feeling. An undergraduate student in the Doisy College of Health Sciences, who requested to remain anonymous citing safety concerns, reflected upon their experiences as a practicing and visually identifiable Jewish person on campus. They said that while their immediate community has been understanding and supportive, they felt as though the university has been failing, citing a lack of direct communication from faculty and staff. “I think that the school as a whole does not support us. I think that the people who actually interact with Jews do, but there are so few Jews here that it’s become diluted,” the student said. “The school does not care about us.” Anthony Chaboude, a Jewish SLU undergraduate student, said he feels those in his immediate community have largely abandoned him as a result of the war, explaining that many around him do not see discrimination against Jewish people as a serious problem. “If I’m being honest, personally, I feel very drained. I feel like people I thought I knew, my friends, don’t support me. They talk down to me, like I’m the ignorant one. Like the Jewish experiences, being discriminated against as a Jew, does not matter right now, because of the whole Israel-Palestine conflict,” Chaboude said. As hate crimes rise across the United States, including antisemitic threats at Cornell University and attacks at Tulane, as well as Islamophobic attacks in Vermont, some Jewish students are concerned about their safety As of Nov. 29, there have been no reported hate crimes reported on campus, according to Melinda Heikkinen, Assistant Vice President of the Department of Public Safety. “We have increased the visibility of DPS staff and are always on the lookout for anything that could be considered a bias incident or a hate crime,” Heikkinen said. “I also stay in close contact with local, state and federal officials to stay abreast of any activity that could impact our campus. All of us in DPS are very aware of the impact current world events having on our campus community and are always prepared to support those who may need us.” President Fred Pestello sent an email on Oct. 13 reflecting on the violence and extending sympathy to both Israeli and Palestinian students. Jewish students the University News spoke with said they felt this was not enough. A senior Jewish student in the Chaifetz Business School said that the delay between the attacks on Israel and the President’s comments left them feeling lost and ignored. They explained that, in the days following the attack, their peers felt betrayed by a faculty that was silent on the issue. “The timing is pretty questionable. I think students probably deserve an explanation as to why [President] Pestello waited some five or six days after the attack to make a comment,” the senior said. “Students, many of whom felt afraid for their own safety, probably would have really needed some more dialogue earlier.” In regards to these concerns, a university statement sent to the University News by SLU spokesman Clayton Berry referenced the explanation contained in the Oct. 13 email, which said that Pestello had “paused and reflected at length to discern what [he] might offer in a message to you.” The statement went on to condemn hate and prejudice on SLU’s campus and provide recommendations for resources that are available to students. “Antisemitism, Islamophobia or any form of religious bigotry have no place at SLU. The University strongly condemns discrimination or harassment that targets religious, ethnic or other identities. If a student has experienced or witnessed bias, discrimination or harassment, we urge them to immediately contact the University’s Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity. SLU has a clear and supportive process to investigate and respond to any incident that’s reported,” Berry wrote in the statement. The only group for Jewish students at SLU, the Jewish Student Association, has recently undergone a political schism that is primarily centered on political disagreements and differences on the appropriateness of dialogues about the war. A graduate student who is involved in JSA said that the schism has eclipsed a much-needed support system. A smaller, informal community within the JSA has formed to provide support for those mourning and encourage discussion. “[Students feel] isolated. Students feel really let down; students feel like they don’t have any access to support,” the graduate student said. In the midst of turmoil in the student group, some Jewish students also feel disconnected from the university avenues that they say are supposed to be available to support them. Susanne Chawszczewski, Director of Campus Ministries, said that the Campus Ministry staff are available as resources to students who need support and are also there to direct students toward other university resources such as the Counseling Center. She said, “In times of crisis, both individual and global, we are always available to listen to, support and be available to students.” Chawszczewski also reports that Campus Ministries has met with “individual and small groups of Jewish students” to provide support in the past several weeks. They also provided logistical support for the prayer vigil that was held on Oct.18 to mourn the victims of the conflict, both Israeli and Palestinian. However, some Jewish students feel as though the university could, and should be doing more. Students say that subtle and blatant antisemitism and ignorance of Jewish students on campus did not begin with the war, but instead has constituted an ongoing experience. A Jewish graduate student in the College of Arts & Sciences explained that SLU Academic Calendar does not mark some Jewish holidays correctly and that this, in the past, has caused issues communicating with some of their professors about time off and extensions. Further, they explained that the lack of Kosher dining options on campus, which they noted are present at smaller schools like Maryville University, presents a large deterrent for Jewish students considering applying to SLU. The graduate student also remarked upon previous, more direct, antisemitism they said they faced before Oct. 7.They claimed that, during a conversation on the Israel- Palestine conflict that another student initiated, they were asked, “Why do you care about their lives? Are you a Jew?” As the war nears its third month and tensions continue to rise, Jewish students say the University as a whole must reflect upon its attitude toward its Jewish population. An undergraduate student in the Chaifetz Business School said that antisemitism should concern everyone, not just Jewish people. Citing an understanding of the history of prejudice against people of the Jewish diaspora, they explained that antisemitism is also the first step toward a larger swelling of hate. “The thing about antisemitism is that it starts with Jewish people, but it never ends with Jewish people. When Jewish people are the victims of hate or prejudice, it’s often the first step before other minorities and vulnerable populations are targeted themselves,” the Chaifetz student said. Students acknowledge that the university has a commitment to remaining impartial, and do not expect the university to align with their political beliefs. The Chaifetz student expressed a sentiment shared by their peers: “There should be nothing controversial or political about condemning anti-semitism or prejudice.” If you or someone you know has been a victim of a hate crime, reach out to DPS at 314-977-3000. The University also provides limited, complimentary counseling. To contact, call 314-977-8255. GRANT BELLCHAMBER Senior Writer news 05 Latine Community Members Claim they Feel Underrepresented Post Hispanic Heritage Month After Hispanic Heritage Month, which ran from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, many students have criticized Saint Louis University’s lack of recognition and effort. There were only two events celebrating the month, none of which the University or DICE directly organized. Latino students and faculty say the lack of school-sponsored celebratory events is disappointing. Latinos make up 10% of the undergraduate student body. They stand as the second largest minority group at SLU according to the 2023 SLU profile, which is around 1,300 students. According to Katherine Knuckles from the Office of Institutional Research, if you remove the students from the Madrid campus from the percentage, it drops down to 8.7% for undergraduates. On Sept. 15, OASIS hosted the Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month Kick-Off event, with funding provided by the Cross Cultural Center, in the Center for Global Citizenship (CGC). The event had a variety of foods, a presentation discussing Hispanic and Latinx cultures and games. The event drew 54 attendees. The School of Medicine was the only other group to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month. On Sept. 15, they hosted a brief event at the Learning Resource Center Auditorium with a few panelists and food sampling. Puerto Rican student Markos Wester-Rivera, a senior majoring in Political Science, vocalized his disappointment in the lack of acknowledgment by emailing the Division of Diversity and Innovative Community Engagement (DICE). The email included four other students who felt similarly. In the email, Wester-Rivera wrote that “as a Latino student”, he “hoped with a new VP of DICE there would be more of an effort to acknowledge the presence and achievement of the Latino community.” He also said that he found it difficult to be a Latino on campus due to the lack of acknowledgment and efforts by staff. “I will note that the folks over at the CCC have done an amazing job on their part, however, that has been more of a background role supporting groups like Oasis or hosting events like ATLAS week,” Wester-River wrote in the email. To conclude his message, he pointed out how there wasn’t an email or event on SLU’s part regarding Hispanic Heritage Month as a whole. He has since received no response from DICE. Wester-Rivera said that the lack of recognition made him feel, “ignored, like SLU doesn’t care.” “It’s frustrating when any sort of community or sense of belonging on campus has to be made by ourselves. Yet, that is DICE’s entire campaign and what they say they do,” Wester-Rivera said. Wester-Rivera is the Senior Advisor for OASIS and said that as a student group, they can only do so much. He said he would like to see at least an email and a SLU organized event acknowledging Hispanic Heritage Month that isn’t faculty or student-led. “There was one event MLK scholars put on last year, it was a panel of Latine leaders on campus, but guess who put that on? Me,” Wester-Rivera said. “You want us to thrive, but don’t even acknowledge our existence.” Senior Pedro Valadez, a Mexican-American, a Political Science major and Spanish minor, said he typically only sees discussions hosted by Spanish professors in the Spanish department. “I mean, it makes you feel invisible. There’s already not a lot of us on campus,” said Valadez. Valadez said he wishes SLU reached out to the Latino community more, checked in on them and made sure they are adjusting properly. He also said the Latino community would benefit more from more representation on campus, similar to how they put up signs for Black Jesuits for Black Catholic History Month. According to Valadez, there was only one instance that he remembered in which signs of famous Latinos were put up, which was in McGannon Hall. “No one goes in that building. It’s an old decrepit building and it’s literally in a random hallway. No one’s gonna see that,” said Valadez. “Maybe try to put it more out there where people can read it.” Valadez suggested West Pine as a good place to put up signs since many sororities, fraternities, and other informative messages sponsored by groups go along West Pine to allow for maximum viewing. “I feel like they try so hard to get you here and then after your first year, they’re like ‘oh, we’re here for you’, and then just disappear,” said Valadez. “I got no help. This is why I feel some people drop out, because you feel like you have your whole support system freshman year and then next thing you know, it’s gone.” A 2023 graduation and retention report found that SLU’s dropout rate is at 30%, or 802 students who did not complete their degree. Valadez said that he wants SLU to be a place for his younger siblings, but that he worries that if they came, they would have no support and nowhere to go where they feel accepted. “I want my siblings to be able to go here and not feel like they have no place to go,” said Valadez. According to the research provided by Knuckles, in 2023, only 3% of faculty members identified as Latino, or around 81 faculty members. SLU has lost four Latino faculty members since last year, but have held a steady 3% for the past four years. This number includes, but is not limited to, instructional faculty, adjunct faculty, clinical faculty and both full-time and part-time faculty. As one of a handful of Latino faculty members at SLU, Dr. Onésimo (Ness) Sándoval, a Mexican-American and sociology professor, believes that Latino events should not only be led by student groups like Oasis. “It shouldn’t just be Oasis, right, it’s not their responsibility,” Sándoval said. “They should be invited to the table to have a say in setting the agenda, but the university should be intentional saying this is an important month for our students, many of our students.” Sándoval said he did not receive

University News - Volume 102, Issue 001 (September, 2023)

24 pages.Graduate Students bound for SLU Denied Entry, Barred for Five Years Full Story on Page 2 and 3 (Photo Courtesy of Sarah Conroy) “The Culture:” A Resounding Tribute to Hip-Hop and its Artistic Ephemera Page 7 Student Tenants Raise Concerns about the Coronado Page 5 Vol. CII No. 1 SepT. 2023 News 02 Graduate Students bound for SLU Denied Entry, Barred for Five Years LAUREN HUTCHENS News Editor Twenty-one graduate students from India – approximately 15 meant to attend Saint Louis University – were denied entry after being stopped by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for visa-related issues despite completing all of the regular visa formalities. The students are now barred from traveling outside the country for five years, their visas are canceled, they have lost nearly $10,000 and experienced what they say is insurmountable trauma. Two students admitted to SLU, Manisha Ramakrishna and Balaji Srinivas, a couple from Bangalore, India, claimed they traveled together for 28 hours before being held at the Hartsfield- Jackson Atlanta International Airport along with the 19 other students, all bound for schools in Missouri and South Dakota. After a long interrogation process, the couple was sent back to India with a myriad of loose ends. Without documents to appeal their barrement and visa cancellations, they are left with few options. The couple, now jobless, say that they put their house up for a mortgage and sold their motorbike in order to attend SLU. Among other complications and poor conditions, they were threatened by their interviewers, went without food and water for 26 hours and had their luggage delayed by five or six days upon their return to India. According to Rebecca Bahan, director of SLU’s Office of International Services, only eight students have reached out to them so far about the situation at hand, but they are unsure of how many were bound for SLU. Unless the students reach out to them directly, they said that they cannot know how many students were SLU bound. During the couple’s separate interviews, they reported that the immigration officers accused the students of coming to the U.S. illegally under the guise of being students, despite their abundance of documents and proof. The Arrival When they first landed in Atlanta, the couple’s first stop was the immigration security check, where their passports were reviewed and they were asked standard arrival questions. Afterward, they were abruptly escorted to the immigration office by police, where they waited for their names to be called. After about half an hour, Ramakrishna was called to the office. “The first thing they asked me was, what is the purpose of this [travel]?” said Ramakrishna. She explained that she was going to pursue her master’s in mechanical engineering at SLU. She was then asked if she had paid her tuition fees. When she answered with an honest no, the interrogation continued. “I said no, I have not paid tuition fees,” said Ramakrishna. “The university itself told us in the pre-departure/arrival to come here and pay the fees.” Tuition fees are often paid a few weeks after the start of the school term, which is why the couple found this line of questioning odd. Srinivas said he had even emailed SLU the day before their flight wanting to pay the fees early, but was told to wait. According to Bahan, “1,200 students who have made it in, or 1,000 plus, and none of them paid their tuition [student fees] before coming here.” Ramakrishna even showed the officers her loan disbursement of around$16,000. The officer did not believe her. He questioned whether she was truly going to St. Louis as a student or to illegally work. They examined her I-20 form, which proves legal enrollment in a program of study in the U.S., and they continued to ask her more questions about why she chose SLU. As she continued to answer his questions, officers accused her of lying. Finally, she was asked to return to the waiting room. “After the entire conversation they had told us ‘you people come here to just work, not study’,” said Ramakrishna. “Even though we had the entire proof… like our admit letter, our I-20’s, we had even bought a house to scale up for accommodation and showed the lease agreement stating that we will be staying here and paying money for it.” Still, the officer continued to insist she and the other students were coming to illegally work. Shortly after, Srinivas was called into the office and asked the same questions. Srinivas also talked about the scholarship he had received of $5,500 and an on-campus job paying$1,000. He shared his dreams of becoming a pilot and how SLU has a good aviation program. “He’s like, ‘So you’re telling me that St. Louis is the only university in the entire universe which offers this service?’” said Srinivas. He continued to explain that no, he had applied to other schools as well, but this was his top choice. This was when the officer asked for his phone. “I was just shocked at this moment. Like a phone, why would he ask for my phone?” said Srinivas. He was asked to unlock the phone and login to his WhatsApp, Instagram and other communication apps. The officer told him that he must only communicate the truth, and any lies would be used against him. Srinivas was handed a slip of paper stating officers were permitted to check his phone, laptop and any documents they have – and that they have to comply. Afterward, he was asked to wait in a different room as they searched his phone. He said that inside this room he could see out into the original waiting room but they could not see into his room. The same things were happening to other students who were there too – they were called in, sent out and had their phones taken away as well, Srinivas said. After waiting for about half an hour to an hour, he was called back in. “While sitting there,” said Srinivas, “He was staring at me. Like whenever I would look at him randomly he was always staring at me. You know? Like these big intimidating stares.” Srinivas said he felt hope for a moment, despite the intimidation, as he had noticed other students getting their passports handed back to them with a white piece of paper. “He puts a sheet of paper in front of me, which states that they feel I am not a legitimate student trying to enter the U.S. and that they feel the (Photo courtesy of Manisha Ramakrishna) news 03 LAUREN HUTCHENS News Editor the documents I have are not legal proof,” he said. The Formal Interrogation He then faced an interrogation interview. “When I saw that, I was fully and completely shocked, like I’m literally not able to feel anything in my body. I’m like what? Is this even real?” said Srinivas after seeing that he may be barred for five years. When he asked what was happening, the officer told him that he was the one asking questions, not Srinivas. Srinivas was asked to raise his right hand and repeat, “Whatever I speak shall be the truth, and only be the truth. I shall not lie with any sort of forms.” In addition to questions about his personal life, the officer then began to ask about a consultancy group chat they have on their WhatsApp called Educates IDP. IDP is an education consultancy group in India that guides students with their studies abroad, including admission and visa process. The officer began to ask about the group chat, specifically about a document shared in the chat of possible questions that could be asked during a visa interview. Srinivas explained to The University News that he wanted to be well-prepared. “And then he’s like, ‘Do you know it’s against immigration law to be coached for any interviews?’” said Srinivas. Except, the questions provided by IDP were available on many other platforms such as Google, Quora, YouTube or articles published by students sharing their experiences. Bahan confirmed they provide similar questions for their international students as well before they come. They began to question him again as to why he hadn’t paid the university fees. He told the officer that he paid a $200 installment deposit, but the officer stated that he could not accept this. Then the officer asked him to leave the room, but when Srinivas pleaded to talk with them more, they began to threaten him with force or a citation. The couple believes that the officers did not find their interview and documents satisfactory enough. Ramakrishna pulled out a large file of documents during a virtual interview. “We have this entire file,” she said. “All of these are documents which we had carried to the U.S., though he didn’t even care to check one of these documents and he stated that we are not just students.” After he returned to the waiting room, they waited for about four or five hours more before Ramakrishna was called back into the office. Ramakrishna stated her experience was similar. She had to raise her right hand and pledge to not lie. Her questions were the same as Srinivas, but something different happened – they ruined her bachelor’s degree certificate. She said that the officer was curious to see what the certificate looked like in her country.. Once he gave it back to her, upon request, it was folded in half. This can ruin the credibility of the document. Later in the interview, the officer asked for her I-20, again. “I told him I already gave him my I-20,” said Ramakrishna. “He said, ‘I lost it, give me another one’, so that’s how careless they were.” Luckily, she came prepared and had another photo copy in her file, but the officer lost the signed original she had. She said the officer also questioned why she had a LinkedIn account. “I was literally surprised, why was he linking my LinkedIn account to my immigration?” said Ramakrishna. Before sending her back to the waiting room, Ramakrishna asked if he planned on sending them back to India – he replied yes. She asked the officer to inform her parents, since he had confiscated her phone. Ramakrishna said it had been a long time since she had contacted her parents, and felt that her parents should know what was happening. She even asked for a single phone call with them, to which the officer replied, ‘no’. She said the officer told her he would message her mom for her on WhatsApp, but she later found that he never did. She went back to sit with Srinivas, and they waited for about three hours before being called again. This time, with even worse news – their visas had been canceled and they were barred from the country for five years. “We were literally so shocked. We started sobbing so badly,” said Ramakrishna. “It was, I guess, a nightmare for us.” After they heard the news, they went back to the waiting room. Later, Ramakrishna was called back alone. Her body and belongings were searched before being moved to a small cubicle cell where she would be held with one other roommate, still without a phone. In the cell, there was an open toilet with no handle to flush. If she wanted to flush, she would have to ask a guard from the outside to do so for her. Above the toilet was a camera as well, she said. “We had to sleep on the floor with a very small thin mattress, like a baby-sized mattress, and they had given a very thin aluminum foil type like paper-thin, to cover us in the cold,” said Ramakrishna. With minimal resources, she explained they had no access to food or water until much later. “You are not provided with any food or water, or any kind of basic human needs,” said Ramakrishna. Later on, Srinivas was the last to be called back to the office. He noted that the time at this point was about 3:30 a.m. The officers took his biometrics and DNA with a swab of his cheek. When the officers explained the situation to Srinivas, he pleaded with them to make a change. “Then I requested to him to please reduce it, like I begged them, because it was the last hope I had to change their mindset.” The officers told him to save his energy and not waste their time. He was then asked to sign off on three statements. The statements: one declaring he spoke the truth, the second to admit he broke the immigration law and the last was an agreement to a five-year ban. According to Srinivas, the officer then said, “I should give you a lifetime ban for being coached for an interview. Be happy that I’m not giving you a lifetime ban.” He was then given five seconds to sign, and if he didn’t, the officer would give him a lifetime ban. “He forced me to sign it basically,” said Srinivas. “We didn’t want to sign. We only wanted to sign for the first one.” Once he had signed, the officer led him down a narrow hallway where he could see all the cells. That is when he saw Manisha’s bag, and realized she wasn’t sent on a flight back to India right away. He was taken to a room where eight men were. Before he was allowed into the room, the officer frisked his body and removed some laces, jewelry and anything potentially sharp. The men in the room were all eating food when he entered the room. He asked the officer for food, and this was the first time he had eaten or drank anything in about 26 hours. In the room, there were only five beds, a table, chair and a sofa. “So I had no other option but to sleep on the cold floor and I had to cover myself with like a manufactured or thin aluminum foil. It is as thin as a gift wrapping paper that when I rotated it with my hand or just if I poke it there will be a hole in it.” For Ramakrishna, after she had been in her cell for many hours, she reached out to one of the officers outside the cell. She asked the officer if she could speak to their senior officer. Around 1 a.m. during their shift change, the senior officer followed up and came to her cell. “I literally went on my knees, like I kneeled down in front of him, saying ‘could you please rethink this case’,” said Ramakrishna. “Because it is literally our dream. The officer told her to get an immigration lawyer to challenge the barment in court. He also said that he would re-check their papers the following day before he signed them, but the following day they heard no updates on their case. READ MORE... News Student Political 04 Groups Gear Up for 2024 Election GRANT BELLCHAMBER Staff Writer University in Washington DC. Diaz asked the candidates how they plan to calm fears that the Republican Party does not care about the threat of climate change and was, in quick succession, rephrased by the moderators and almost unilaterally ignored and avoided by the candidates. Vivek Ramaswamy, a right-wing upstart who jettisoned his closest horses (Doug Burgum and Tim Scott) with a flurry of jabs and sentiment-loaded statements during the debate, did answer, however, and provided an outright refusal of the merit of these fears. This almost certainly constituted an appeal to the larger Republican base, but it raises an important question for politically-minded college students on both sides of the aisle. What role will students play in the 2024 elections? While this singular question may not provide any real insight into the campaign strategies of these candidates, its significance lies in the fact that college students and recent graduates possess major potential for vote-activation. According to the Washington Post, college students voted at record rates in the 2020 election. Yet, this time around, Democrats are struggling to rally excitement around an incumbent nicknamed Sleepy, and Republicans have entrenched themselves in increasingly unpopular issues, especially among the younger demographic. Alexandra Leung, the President of the SLU College Republicans, was in attendance at the GOP debate in Milwaukee. She was impressed by the rhetoric of candidates such as Ramaswamy and Haley, but she feels as though many of the primary candidates are currently lacking a strategy for engaging young voters. “The Republican party, they have to try to connect to us [students] more, because there’s a large gap… While the Democrats do a great job at dominating social media platforms and relating to younger audiences, the Republican Party does not at all,” Leung saidWhile it may seem that there is little ground to be gained for Republicans in the college-aged demographic, the recent “Monitoring the Future” study, a survey on the political alignment of young people conducted since the 70s, found that 12th grade boys are now almost twice as likely to identify themselves as conservative-leaning. Furthermore, the SLU College Republicans’ membership doubled with the induction of the Class of 2027, Leung said. Although she was initially surprised by the turnout, she began asking what had brought them into the organization. “What they told me is that they came to St. Louis University looking for a Catholic, Jesuit education, and a lot of conservative Republican values follow… Roman Catholic values.” On the other hand, the SLU College Democrats briefly went defunct during the last academic year. While Leung attributes this increase to an alignment of interest with incoming students from Catholic high schools, Charles Preiss, Vice President of the College Democrats, explains it differently. As a multi-year observer of the two organizations, Priess has seen sharp decreases in engagement through the pandemic and believes the disparity between the organizations’ rebounding periods comes down to a matter of function. “The College Republicans do better than us because they primarily function as a social club for conservatives on campus to talk about politics without being ostracized,” Preiss said. “So they just sort of provide that outlet” Whatever the underlying reason is, the tides of direct partisan involvement on campus have been shifting, and, with the looming election, these phenomena could possibly serve as indicators of a larger shift in the politics of the college-aged demographic. Both organizations have events in the works to increase membership and voter engagement. Gavin Bena, Secretary of the College Democrats, has been actively communicating with politicians for potential events. He described the College Democrats’ focus on political action. “There’s a signature gathering for abortion [policies] going around right now. The main way any sort of progressive policy gets passed through Missouri… it’s not through the legislature. So [we’re] just supporting the party in its efforts to stop the extreme rightward tilt in Missouri that’s been happening for the past decade.” Alexandra Leung, on the College Republicans’ future plans, said, “Coming up, we have watch parties for the election where we’re going to watch the debate, and then talk about it afterwards. And then during our meetings, we also talk about… presidential candidates, what we think of them, how they’re doing so far, [etc.]” Additionally, The College Democrats have plans to canvas possible swing districts within St. Louis, with a focus on West County, while the College Republicans plan to continue their weekly meetings with a focus on discussing the happenings of the primary. Preiss, when prompted to envision an ideal SLU political ecosystem, said he hopes for more productive political conversations. “I want more dialogue between the College Dems and Republicans… I just want more discussion between us that’s not vitriol,” Priess said. The run-up to the 2024 presidential election is well underway, and SLU political organizations are busy preparing themselves for an anticipated tumultuous election cycle. Halfway through the first GOP debate on Aug. 23, moderators Brett Baier and Martha MacCallum, both long-standing Fox News pundits, invited Alexander Diaz, a student at Catholic (Andrea Porter / The University News) newsStudent Tenants Raise 05 Concerns about the CoronadoW MARIYA YASINOVSKA Copy Editor The Coronado Place and Towers website claims to be “SLU ‘s best source for attractive apartment homes” but current student residents have a different story to tell, as does the inside of the building. The Coronado is one of the cheapest and closest housing options near Saint Louis University’s campus. According to current and former residents, the building has serious safety and sanitation concerns. The University News spoke to six students residing in the Coronado who relayed their poor living conditions. The students’ names are not identified due to their ongoing issues with Coronado management and staff. The University News also spoke to three former residents who all had serious complaints about their time renting. “Living here in the summer felt like literal hell,” a current SLU tenant said about the Coronado’s unreliable AC. From the outside, the Coronado looks grand, with tall columns and intricate designs. The building used to be a hotel, and the exterior looks incredibly impressive. However, the inside tells a different story. Trash and odor problems The building residents have had to deal with a slew of maintenance and safety-related issues in recent years. Coronado’s trash disposal system requires residents to leave their waste in the hallways to be picked up. This has led to a heavy trash smell lingering in the hallways. SLU junior Sarah Fatzinger, 20, lived in the Coronado during her sophomore year, from August 2022 to July 2023. During this time, she experienced various issues with management related to the trash smell, mold and heating and cooling that were left unresolved. “There would constantly be trash spilled all up and down the hallways,” Fatzinger said.“They never cleaned the hallways or entryways, so the floors were disgusting and if people spilled anything, it would be there for weeks.” The carpets are filled with mysterious stains, and sometimes trash is left in the hallways for days at a time, causing not only a foul stench but insect infestations. A current tenant, who requested to stay anonymous, said that over the summer she saw a trash bag containing mag

University News - Volume 102, Issue 002 (November, 2023)

24 pages.Topgolf St. Louis Officially Opens in Midtown Page 3 Four Books Every Woman Should Read in Her Twenties Page 8 Vol. CII No. 2 Nov. 2023 President Govan Impeached Full Story on Page 2 News 02 President Govan Impeached SOPHIA BRUMMOND Copy Editor During a three-hour long closed Senate session, the Student Government Association impeached former President Marquis Govan in a landslide vote of 22-4 on Wednesday night. The vote on Nov. 1 follows allegations made by former vice president of international affairs, Nikolay Remizov, against Govan last month. This event marks the first ever documented successful impeachment of a SLU SGA student body president. The impeachment bill stated that “the President has shown a consistent overreach of power in the role,” citing specific occurrences. After the closed senate vote, vice president of communications & international affairs, Ryan Tisdale, was immediately sworn in as interim president. Tisdale led the Internal Affairs Committee and headed the investigation into the charges against Govan. Tisdale refused to comment on the investigation and vote. Other senators and executive members stated that the situation was sensitive and they were unsure what they could share. The timeline for a new presidential election is unclear. According to Article 6.3.G of SGA’s bylaws, all nominees are supposed to be presented within two weeks of vacancy. Senator Reueline Arulanandam confirmed the vote will be made by senators, not the student body. The voting was anonymous and closed to the public. Each senator wrote their vote on a slip of paper and placed it into a wooden box. The executive board was not allowed to vote. Govan was not present during the vote of impeachment and was told privately the vote results by SGA faculty advisor, Bill Boxdorfer and speaker of the Senate, Luke Busboom. After the closed session commenced, Busboom informed the public and Facebook live viewers that the motion to impeach was passed. After accusations made by Remizov on Oct. 11, internal affairs began their investigation. Remizov claimed that Govan had threatened to impeach him in a private meeting after Remizov had sent a story Govan had posted on his personal Instagram account to the Jewish Student Association group chat. While the initial conflict between Remizov and Govan surrounded Govan’s pro-Palestine social media activity, Senator Arulanandam confirmed the impeachment had nothing to do with alleged anti-semitic concerns. Govan addressed the allegations made against him at the SGA meeting on Oct. 18, stating that he had in fact gone into a meeting angry but had never threatened the impeachment or expulsion of Remizov. Govan was given the chance to talk to the Senate before the vote and fielded questions and concerns from senators. Senators interviewed by the University News stated that the environment was kept civil, but did not comment on what questions were raised and what was debated. All other bills on Wednesday’s agenda were rescheduled leaving only Senate Bill 012-23 to impeach Govan on the docket. According to the Nov. 1 meeting agenda, the bill was proposed and written by senator for the college of public health and sciences, Reueline Arulanandam, speaker of the Senate, Luke Busboom, senator for the college of arts and sciences, Liliana Cisneros, senator for the school of social work, Sam Hall and first-year student senator, Camille Smith. The bill stated that Govan had directly violated the SGA Constitution and could be voted to be removed from office. The bill further stated that Govan had not upheld the ideals and values of the Jesuit Catholic Tradition when he “suggested that former VP Remizov could formally resume his position within a week’s time.” Senators reviewed screenshots of texts presumably between Remizov and Govan but did not comment on the details of the evidence. The presented Senate bill stated, “Whereas various text messages show President Govan putting pressure on Former VP Remizov to submit his resignation.” Further, the bill states that Govan unlawfully forced Remizov to resign. “Whereas, once a VP has resigned, they are no longer part of Senate in any capacity, making it unconstitutional for the President to appoint them back into their role in the future. Whereas, President Govan pushed VP Remizov to resignation under false pretenses,” according to SB 012-23. The atmosphere during the closed session was tense and focused, according to Senator Arulanandam. “I think nobody in the room was interested in making history with this. This isn’t an easy decision that any of us wanted to make,” Arulanandam said. “Nobody wanted to be in this position in the first place, and again I don’t think that anybody is happy that this is like that.” In an email statement sent late Wednesday night addressing the impeachment, SGA wrote that they were committed to transparency. “We want to assure you that this decision was made after a fair and unbiased evaluation of the situation,” the email read. “I believe that it was handled by our internal affairs committee quite well, I believe that the vice president of internal affairs and now acting president, Ryan Tisdale, did a great job at keeping a non-bias and keeping it contained within the internal affairs committee,” said Allie Thornton, senator for the Chaifetz school of business. Govan and other senators exited the chambers clearly distraught, others could be heard laughing during the closed session. Other senators felt the impeachment was not a reflection on Govan’s character. “I am heartbroken about the situation as a whole … I want to reiterate that this was not at all a case of judgment of him as a person, and ultimately we are all a part of the SLU community to work together and work towards a greater good and this had to occur,” said Brett Sharp, senator for the college of arts and sciences. Many factors contributed to the final vote. A packet of evidence was provided to members of the Senate including tweets, texts and personal statements made by Remizov and Govan. “It was probably the personal statements that were most compelling to hear from both sides, it was very enlightening, and I think it’s extremely important to take all perspectives when considering a matter so important as the one at stake,” Thornton said. SGA members are now hoping to move forward and learn lessons from these events in order to best serve the SLU community. “Now that it has happened we will learn and grow as a community to figure out the steps we can take from here,” said Hikmat Roumany, senator for residence hall association. “There isn’t any hate or discretion to any party of any affiliation. We all came from understanding perspectives and came to a vote at the end, and that’s what it came to.” It remains unclear if the impeachment would affect any of Govan’s potential or current scholarships. The vote for a new president will take place by the Senate, based upon recommendations made by the Senate and executive board. The formal election for SGA president of the 2024-2025 school year will take place as planned in Feb. 2024. SGA encourages student feedback about the future of the Student Government. Additional reporting from Owen Herdrick. news 03 Topgolf St. Louis Officially Opens in Midtown (Owen Herdrick / The University News) OWEN HERDRICK Contributor Topgolf St. Louis Midtown held its grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 20. The brand-new facility features 102 hitting bays, the largest bay Topgolf has constructed. It is a three-floor venue, home to a full bar and restaurant, over 200 HDTVs, a 28-foot video wall and multiple patios. The ceremony featured many guest speakers, including SLU President Fred Pestello, Alderwoman Laura Keys, Greater St. Louis CEO Jason Hall and Mayor’s Office Chief of Staff Jared Boyd. The speakers said this event space will act as yet another attraction to build up the increasingly developing Midtown community. “I think it’s one more thing for our students to do. So, I think back when I started nine and a half years ago, the city foundry wasn’t there. The armory wasn’t there. We didn’t have a lot of this development,” Pestello said. “From what I hear from students, they really love what’s happening at City Foundry. I’m very excited that they’ve got one more thing for those who might be interested in coming out here and having some fun hitting golf balls.” In a city as much a victim of urban sprawl as any other, Midtown is working hard to draw people back with the grand opening of the City Foundry, with Fresh Thyme, The Armory, the Alamo Drafthouse and now Topgolf in the last two years. Boyd mentioned in his speech at the ceremony that there is an increase in traffic coming in from the suburbs rather than the reverse as it has often been. “They’re going to be a lot of people who when they’re looking for a date night, when they’re looking for family night, are not going to be getting on highway 64. They’re going to be coming right here,” Boyd said. Topgolf will not only bring fun to SLU students but also employment to the region. Andy Najjar, director of operations at Top Golf said nearly four dozen students are employed at the facility. Topgolf seeks to enrich the community further by partnering with local businesses and working with SLU, Najjar added. “We’re excited to be part of the St. Louis Redevelopment Corporation here, which is associated with St. Louis University here in Midtown. We have a strong partnership with Saint Louis University, and we’re looking forward to being a part of this renaissance here in Midtown,” Najjar said. “We want golf to be open and accessible to everyone, and Topgolf is a great way to do that. It’s a great place to start. You know, we do have lessons we do in the summer, we’ll have kids academies. We want everyone to participate. We want golf to be for everybody,” Najjar said. The price per bay per hour ranges significantly, from as little as 15 an hour to as much as 58. For a cheaper cost, look to visit on Tuesdays, which feature half-off admission from open to close. Prices increase the later in the day you visit, and Friday to Sunday are 5-7 dollars more expensive than their weekday counterparts. There are not currently any discounts for students. When asked how much the facility cost to construct, Najjar declined to comment. A similar 102-bay facility in El Paso cost 15.7 million to build in 2017. Given the recent trends of inflation, this venue may have cost even more. Likewise, where this money came from was not disclosed. As for events, the facility will be easing into things for the first few weeks. However, Najjar confirmed some to-be-announced events with local partners are coming down the road. Topgolf is now open to the public seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., except Friday and Saturday, where it is open until midnight. The ceremony’s speakers say they expect it to become a premier attraction in the Midtown community for everyone. News Local Groups Hold 04 ‘Emergency Rally’ in Support of Guatemalan Democracy An emergency rally was held in Tower Grove Park by various local organizations in support of Guatema-lan Democracy on Tuesday, Oct. 17. The rally was in support of President-Elect Bernardo Arévalo, an an-ti- corruption politician, and to call on the international community to support democracy in Guatemala at a precarious time for the country. Protests have sprung up across the country demand-ing the incumbent government respect the results and demand a smooth peaceful transition of power. The rally in St. Louis was organized in solidarity with the ongoing protests in the country. Protests rose after Arévalo won the runoff in Guate-mala’s presidential election in a landslide, capturing 60% of the vote in August. Even though his margin of victory was large, he has faced repeated attempts to thwart his assumption of the office by the country’s attorney gen-eral Maria Consuelo Porras and other actors opposed to his presidency. The same actors have sought to weaken Arévalo’s political party, Movimiento Semilla. Multiple groups were in attendance at the rally, includ-ing the St. Louis Interfaith Committee on Latin America (IFCLA), Mutual Aid Overland, the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) and the Green Party. Angel Flores Fontánez, a 34-year-old Ph.D. history student at Saint Louis University is a community orga-nizer with the IFCLA. When asked why he was attending the rally, he re-sponded that he wanted to “put his actions where his mouth is” and show solidarity with the pro-democracy movement in Guatemala. Fontánez, who is originally from Puerto Rico, said his deep involvement with local Latin American communi-ties compelled him to take action. Fontánez said he sees parallels between what is hap-pening in Guatemala to the riots on Jan. 6. “This is extremely similar to the Jan. 6, [2021], event here, it is extremely [similar]. They are backed by big interests and big money and ultra-right politicians,” Fontánez said. Fontánez said he wants the international community to respond. “The U.N. has already condemned the actions of the current government in Guatemala and has asked to respect the will [of the people]. We definitely want to continue to have that international pressure in Guate-mala and support the will of the people and support the protestors,” Fontánez said. Fontánez noted that because of U.S. intervention in Guatemala during the Cold War, they have a duty to support democracy in the present. “The United States has responsibility on this, not only in the past but in the present to push forward what the people want, which is the Semillas Party to take power,” Fontánez said. Haley Milner, a 31-year-old local immigration lawyer who was at the rally with the PSL said she attended be-cause she wanted to “stand in solidarity” with her clients and the local Latin American community. “The UN and the U.S. should stop interfering and let the Guatemalan people speak for themselves and allow this candidate to hold office as the people have voiced their opinion as wanting him to do,” Milner said. The U.S., for its part, has condemned the actions of the incumbent government and has floated the idea of put-ting sanctions on Guatemala if the incumbent govern-ment does not relent its efforts to block Arévalo from becoming president. Attorney General Porras in 2021 was put on a list of undemocratic and corrupt actors by the State Department. Milner is skeptical of direct intervention by the U.S. if the incumbent government does not cease its efforts to block Arévalo from seeking office. “Based on the U.S.’s track record of meddling in Latin American elections to the detriment of the people of Latin America, I would prefer if the U.S. would stay out of it,” Milner said. CHARLIE PREISS Contributor (Charlie Preiss / The University News) newsSpice Market Offers 05 ‘taste of home’ for Indian International Students ULAA KUZIEZ News Editor Shreya Akula thought Indian food occasionally served on campus often lacked authentic taste. As a graduate student and part-time food service worker, she had an idea: a pop-up at Grand Dining Hall with Indian students as chefs. The one-time pop-up turned into a weekly occurrence last spring, with long lines and a large following among international students. Its success prompted the student team to plan for a permanent Indian eatery on campus. This fall, Spice Market opened up, a student-run Indian restaurant at Saint Louis University. Akula, who now manages Spice Market, worked closely with DineSLU to establish the restaurant. From the start, she said authenticity was at the heart of the vision. “We really wanted to have that authenticity so students can feel like they are back at home like they’re in their mom’s kitchen,” Akula said. SLU has seen a significant increase in international students in the past few years. There are more than 1,400 international graduate students this year, 85% of whom are from India. Indian students like Karthik Mogiliburam say it is comforting to have a meal on campus that reminds them of home. “We are far away, far away from home, and the one thing we miss a lot is our Indian food,” Mogiliburam said. “This semester we are very much lucky to get the Spice Market opened up for us.” While Spice Market caters to Indian students, the cuisine shares commonalities with the culinary traditions of other South Asian countries like Nepal and Pakistan and appeals to a range of students. Madeline Erdman, DineSLU’s marketing coordinator, has been working closely with the student team running the restaurant. When Spice Market first opened up, Erdman said she was worried the spice level might be too bold, but she’s been surprised with the positive feedback. “The reaction was honestly really incredible to hear because there were so many students who just loved it. They absolutely loved it,” Erdman said. “And people actually liked that it was a little spicy.” Abdul Rahman Shaik, a graduate student and chef supervisor at Spice Market, said it is not always easy to accept people from different countries or appreciate their cultural foods. He said he is proud students are willing to try and enjoy Indian cuisine. “If [I] cook something and the people like the food, then it’s gonna give me the most happiness. I’m feeling so excited and feeling so happy to be part of it,” Shaik said. From its inception as a pop-up to its growth now as a restaurant, this has been a student-run operation. Sourcing authentic ingredients like black cardamom and chickpea flour is important to the team, but campus production chef Brian Horrocks said that has been harder than expected. “Sourcing some of these products in St. Louis -– we’re not New York or Miami — we’re trying to get authentic items from far away places to the middle of Midwest, so we’re doing what we can,” Horrocks said. Horrocks, who has a background in Indian cuisine, has been guiding the student team with inventory and ordering. He said since the restaurant opened in August, they have all been learning from each other as they overcome sourcing and cooking challenges. “It’s something new, and it’s exciting to be student-run. The students are really excited about what they’re doing,” Horrocks said. The menu lineup includes a range of classic Indian dishes including basmati rice, daal (lentils), chicken curry and naan bread. There are also a few vegetarian items like chickpea salad and pakora, a vegetable fritter coated with chickpea flour and fried till golden brown. “Pakora is one of the favorite snacks for every Indian and that’s going to be very famous on the campus,” said Yash Yegurula, who works as a cashier at Spice Market. Curating and managing a new restaurant was not in Akula’s post-graduation plans. Through food, Spice Market helps to “fill a gap” for international students on campus, she said. “Spice Market is more than a dining experience,” Akula said. “It’s a cultural bridge that brings peoplefrom all corners of the world together through the universal language of food.” Spice Market offers a range of classic Indian dishes. Pictured is paneer curry, lentils, basmatic rice, chickpea salad and coriander chuttney. (Ulaa Kuziez / The University News) (Ulaa Kuziez / The University News) SLU alumna Shreya Akula helped establish Spice Market, a new student run Indian restaurant located in Fusz Hall. ARTS & LIFE 06 Are Long Movies the New Blockbuster Norm? GRANT BELLCHAMBER Senior Writer “Killers of the Flower Moon” serves as the latest installment in a growing trend. With the release of Martin Scorsese’s potential swan song, viewers flocked to the theaters for an abnormally long adventure into a world depicting the inflicted pain and suffering of the Osage Tribe in 1920s Oklahoma. With the advent of digital film and the rising costs of movie tickets, films with a runtime of well over three hours are becoming increasingly common, and viewers are beginning to enter theaters prepared for a lengthy and, at times, grueling viewing experience. Although “Killers of the Flower Moon” is the most recent installment in this growing trend, it is by no means the most prominent example from recent years. 2023 saw the blockbuster “Oppenheimer,” which only ran over the three hour mark by a mere nine seconds. Placing this in a double screening with Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” (thus creating the infamous “Barbenheimmer” trend) resulted in a trip to the cinema that took almost six hours, or the time it would take an average person to read just under half of “Moby Dick.” The blockbuster of 2022, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” ran for three hours and 12 minutes, and “Babylon,” although it was not received well critically, ran for three hours and nine minutes. Even “RRR,” which won the oscar for “Best Original Song,” came with a runtime of three hours and seven minutes. So, what’s happening? Luxury cinemas, such as The Alamo Drafthouse, provide viewing experiences with reclining seats and options to have food and drink catered to your spot in the theater, removing the necessity for intermissions and increasing the comfort of the viewer. Additionally, with “Avengers: Endgame,” studios saw that the bloated costs of filming a three-hour movie could be outweighed by the appeal that actors and marketing provide. These movies are not a new phenomenon, but discourse on shrinking attention spans aside, viewers are becoming increasingly prepared, and even excited, for these prolonged excursions as a result of many factors, including the rise in popularity of the cinema experience post-COVID. There are, evidently, some benefits to these runtimes. Scorsese, in multiple interviews, has made it clear that “Killers of the Flower Moon” is a story he’s passionate about telling. The film explores the systematic murder and b