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    Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University

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    Spring 2017 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University.1 WWW.SLU.EDU IMPRESSIVE NEW CHESS TEAM Page 15 ALUM FILMMAKER JAMES GUNN Page 18 “SPECIAL TOPICS” COURSES Page 22 SOMALIAN SOCCER STAR Page 28 Page 10 This year has been filled with great accom-plishments as well as difficult decisions. Some of these decisions were painful as they directly impacted our community. It is understandable to be conflicted about the real-life impacts of our budget reductions while we talk of investing in the future of SLU. Yet, if we intend to make a difference, we must continue to build a university that continues to attract, educate and inspire young people with sharp minds and great hearts. Our mission is woven throughout each part of this magazine and as always, the motivation for all that we do. I’m confident that the SLU community is resilient, tightknit and blessed. Three years ago, I was entrusted with ensuring a bold future for the University — for the Billiken community. We must innovate, grow, elevate excellence, become a stronger community partner, keep tuition affordable and break down barriers that prevent worthy students from obtaining a SLU education. We do this knowing that nav-igating a rapidly changing higher education landscape is a complex, iterative process. Thankfully, I have the privilege of learning from SLU presidents who have come before me. They shared prescient writings on the challenges universities would likely face in the new millennium — challenges we are experiencing every day. They championed vigilance and remarkable fiscal management. They emphasized the importance of physical space through bold architectural development plans. Our past is an invaluable source of wisdom, encouragement and inspiration. As a student, you became a member of the Billiken community. For many years, SLU became a familiar place where assumptions were challenged, ideas were tested, values were debated and growth was fostered, but it was never intended to be a permanent home; to take the mis-sion of this University seriously is to discern that the home of a Billiken is the place in the world where your experience and heart are most needed. The most meaningful contributions to the world this University makes are those that are accomplished together. As we approach our bicentennial year, I hope that every-one participates in the celebration. Please return and share in the events and festivities. The University needs you. And I need you — each of you. It is my sincere hope that as you read this magazine you are content in the space you reside; surrounded by those who love you; doing the work you must do; knowing that your SLU community is forever proud of you as a child of Saint Louis University. May God bless you, Dr. Fred P. Pestello P R E S IDENT ’ S ME S S AG E In this issue of Universitas, you will find stories about some of the most important happenings at the University — initiatives that advance our strategic priorities; spotlights on our academic enterprise: researchers, students and classes; and our efforts to ensure that Midtown St. Louis flourishes well into the next century. 10 A Grand Plan An overview of SLU’s proposal to develop Midtown and connect campus 15 Chess to Impress A glimpse into SLU’s remarkable first year in collegiate chess — By Sarah Hilgendorf 18 Top Gunn A Q&A with alumnus and Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker James Gunn — By Laura Geiser 22 Changing the Subject A look at SLU’s “special topics” courses on everything from hip-hop to happiness — By Molly Daily 26 Food for Thought An introduction to SLU’s student-run Labre Ministry with the Homeless — By Amy Garland 28 From Somalia to SLU The story of Billiken soccer player and “reluctant hero” Saadiq Mohammed — By Maria Tsikalas 32 E for Entrepreneurship, E for Education The many ways that innovation thrives at Saint Louis University — By Elizabeth Krasnoff Holzer 36 Survey Says … The results of SLU’s first comprehensive alumni survey since 2010 VOLUME 4 3, ISSUE 2 EDITOR Laura Geiser (A&S ’90, Grad ’92) ASSOCIATE EDITOR Amy Garland (A&S ’97) ART DIRECTOR Matt Krob CONTRIBUTORS Molly Daily Marie Dilg (Grad SW ’94) Sarah Hilgendorf Elizabeth Krasnoff Holzer Maria Tsikalas ON CAMPUS NEWS STORIES University Public Relations Billiken Media Relations ON THE COVER Grand Hall, at the northwest corner of Grand Boulevard and Laclede Avenue, under construction. Photo by Steve Dolan Universitas is published by Saint Louis University. Opinions expressed in Universitas are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the University administration. Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs are welcome but will be returned only if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Letters to the editor must be signed, and letters not intended for publication should indicate that fact. The editor reserves the right to edit all items. Address all mail to Universitas, DuBourg Hall 39, One N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103. We accept email at [email protected]. Postmaster: Send address changes to Universitas, Saint Louis University, One N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103. Website: slu.edu/universitas Universitas is printed by Universal Printing Co. Worldwide circulation: 112,500 © 2017, Saint Louis University All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Student Carol Sperl cooks food for Labre Ministry with the Homeless. PHOTO BY DOUGLAS GARFIELD 2 On Campus New Billiken mascot /// Bicentennial kickoff /// May commencement honorees /// Diversity award /// Billiken Hall of Fame /// 2+SLU program /// Summer at SLU 38 Class Notes 43 Alumni Spotlight Mark Peterson (A&S ’86) 44 In Memoriam 47 Feedback 48 The Last Look F E ATU R E S D E PARTME NTS 3 WWW.SLU.EDU ON C AMPUS Meet the New Billiken Mascot The new Billiken mascot debuted at halftime during the Jan. 25 men’s basketball game. The costume reflects the feedback from the mascot poll that SLU conducted last fall, when 17,000 people voiced their opinions in an online survey. The results informed the decisions to make this Billiken all white with a sculpted tuft of hair, relatively closed mouth and open but intense eyes without heavy eyebrows. “People are clearly passionate about the Billiken,” University President Dr. Fred P. Pestello said. “This fall, members of our community asked for a platform to voice their opinions, and we listened. This new version of the mascot is the result of a collaborative process. It’s the way it ought to be.” ON C AMPUS PHOTO BY BILL BARRETT 5 WWW.SLU.EDU 4 UNIVERSI TAS SPRING 2017 ON C AMPUS Bicentennial Celebration to Begin with Mass under the Arch Saint Louis University will begin the celebration of its 200-year anniversary with a Mass under St. Louis’ Gateway Arch on Saturday, Sept. 23. The outdoor Mass will begin at 5:30 p.m. Attendees will be invited to stay on the Arch grounds following Mass to enjoy a special fireworks display and other family-friendly activities. St. Louis Archbishop Robert J. Carlson will be the presider and homilist. Ronald Mercier, S.J., provin-cial of the Jesuits’ Central and Southern Province, will be the principal concelebrant. The bicentennial Mass will be one of the first major events on the renovated Arch grounds. Originally known as Saint Louis Academy, SLU’s first location was in a small home located on what is now the Arch grounds. “This is a fitting place to launch our bicentennial events,” said Dr. Ellen Harshman (Grad Ed ’78, Law ’92), dean emerita and director of bicentennial plan-ning. “We are truly marking this milestone where it all began.” The Mass falls during SLU’s annual Homecoming and Family Weekend. It is open to alumni, their fam-ilies and the public. It is the first of numerous events that are planned for SLU’s 15-month bicentennial celebration. 22 fireplaces at Cupples House 36 fountains circling the clock tower 69 trees on the Madrid Campus 87 cardio machines in the Simon Recreation Center 114 steps in DuBourg Hall’s main staircase 121 flags around the roof of the Center for Global Citizenship 143 fume hoods and biosafety cabinets in the Doisy Research Center 238 air conditioner window units in Griesedieck Hall 7,020 mailboxes in Busch Student Center BY THE NUMBERS Around Campus Alumna and National Higher Education Leader will be the May Commencement Speaker SLU alumna and president of the University of Texas at El Paso, Dr. Diana Natalicio (A&S ’61), will return to Saint Louis University in May to deliver the commencement address to SLU’s 2017 spring graduates. The ceremony begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 20, in Chaifetz Arena. Included among Time magazine’s 2016 list of the 100 most influential people in the world, Natalicio has been president of the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) since 1988. During her tenure as president, UTEP’s enrollment has grown from nearly 15,000 to more than 23,000 students, who reflect the demographics of the Paso del Norte region from which 90 percent of them come. More than 80 percent are Mexican American, and another 5 percent commute to the campus from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Following her commencement address, Natalicio will receive an honorary doctor of science from the University. SLU will also bestow honorary doctorates on John Padberg, S.J., Rev. Starsky Wilson and Rich McClure. Padberg, also a SLU alumnus (A&S ’49, Grad ’54), most recently served as director of the Institute of Jesuit Sources, which publishes primary source materials and original works in Jesuit spirituality and history. He has strong ties to SLU; from 1964 to 1973, he was a professor of history and academic vice president. Padberg also was president of Weston School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. McClure and Wil son co-chai red the Ferguson Commission, which was appointed by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon in November 2014 to study and recommend actions to address the underlying causes of social unrest in the St. Louis region. McClure most recently was president of UniGroup, a 1.7 billion agent-owned specialized trans-portation and relocation company. He retired in 2014 and now runs Spero Advisors. Wilson is president and CEO of the Deaconess Foundation, a faith-based, grant-making organization devoted to making child well-being a civic priority in the St. Louis region. He also is pastor of Saint John’s Church. Celebrating SLU Couples and 175 Years of College Church Dr. Kevin A. Baumer (A&S ’86, Med ’90) and his wife, Mary (Marcolina) Baumer (Nurs ’87), came back to campus in February for the celebration of weddings held at St. Francis Xavier College Church as part of the church’s 175th anniversary year. Nearly 175 couples renewed their wedding vows during Mass and toasted each other at a gathering afterward. PHOTO BY JEREMY KELTNER ON C AMPUS Natalicio Padberg McClure Wilson SLU Program Seeks Efficiency and Effectiveness Saint Louis University’s strategic plan, “Magis,” calls for SLU to “foster a culture of excellence, effectiveness and efficiency deeply rooted in our institutional mission and Catholic, Jesuit values.” With this in mind, the University has launched a multi-year program known as Magis Operational Excellence. The most extensive review of administrative and academic operations in University history, the program seeks to transform SLU into a more efficient and effective organization. The program also will identify opportunities for cost savings and revenue growth that can be invested in strategic priorities, such as strengthening academic programs, enhancing research initiatives and keeping a SLU education within reach for all qualified students. Led by a steering committee that includes faculty, staff and student representa-tives, the effort has been open, inclusive and collaborative — involving thousands of members of the SLU community. Following a rigorous four-month review, the University identified 25 focus areas for improvement. These focus areas include academics, enrollment, fundraising, facilities, research and travel, among other areas. Teams of faculty and staff are being formed to develop options to enhance each area of improvement. One of the focus areas is a redesign of SLU’s organizational structure. University leaders were charged with streamlining their organizations and developing staffing plans for the future. As part of this restructuring, the positions of approximately 100 staff members — as well as 150 vacant staff positions — were eliminated in March. Departing employees were offered enhanced severance benefits and job placement assistance. Another focus area is a reinvention of SLU’s academic enterprise. The overarching goal of this initiative is to achieve cost savings in ways that also elevate the qual-ity of instruction at the University and enhance students’ experiences. Led by the University’s provost in collaboration with the academic deans, work on this major initiative will take place over a one- to three-year period. SLU’s focus on operational excellence comes at a time when the landscape of higher education in the United States is rapidly changing, and universities across the country are being called to make college more affordable, more accessible and more responsive to the needs of employers. The challenges are compounded in the Midwest, where the number of high school graduates is declining. While financially strong, SLU is not immune to these mounting pressures. Without significant changes, the University is predicting annual losses in the range of 10-20millionabout2percentoftheUniversitysoverallbudgetthrough2018andbeyond.Overtime,thisprogramisexpectedtogenerate20 million — about 2 percent of the University’s overall budget — through 2018 and beyond. Over time, this program is expected to generate 40-80 million in cost savings and new revenues. For the latest on the program, visit slu.edu/operational-excellence. Med Students Celebrate Match Into Residency Programs In March, fourth-year students from the School of Medicine learned of their assignments via the National Residency Match Program, which annually matches students with their choice for residency. This year’s class matched into pro-grams that included Yale, Harvard, Mayo Clinic, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Case Western Reserve, Stanford and UCLA, as well as programs at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital and SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. “We’re pleased with the excellent positions and programs our students obtained,” said Dr. L. James Willmore (A&S ’64, Med ’68), associate dean for admissions and student affairs at the School of Medicine. “Saint Louis University medical students typically get placements in strong residency programs, and this year is no different.” PHOTO BY RE-I CHIN FROM LEFT: Matthew Garrity, Courtney Kaar, Jessica Liu and Ambrose Campbell show the letters confirming their residency matches. 6 UNIVERSI TAS SPRING 2017 7 WWW.SLU.EDU ON C AMPUS SLU’s Highest Teaching Honor Goes to Paul Bracher Dr. Paul Bracher, assistant professor of chemistry, received the 2016 Nancy McNeir Ring Award for excellence in teaching. Established in 1966 and named for the University’s first dean of women, the award is presented by SLU’s chapter of Alpha Sigma Nu, the international Jesuit honor society, to a faculty member who displays special dedication to students in and out of the classroom. “Receiving a teaching award selected by students is particularly meaningful, because it suggests that you’ve had a really positive impact on at least one student — hopefully, more,” Bracher said. As part of the honor, Bracher delivered the University’s midyear commencement address in December. He talked about how his own college experience was altered after surgery to remove a spinal tumor left him unable to walk. “As you make goals and plans for the future, remember that every successful per-son faces continued challenges, and there is always room for improvement, no matter how talented or perfect things may seem,” he said. Margaret Atwood to Receive the 2017 St. Louis Literary Award The Saint Louis University Library Associates selected Margaret Atwood to receive the 2017 St. Louis Literary Award. For more than 50 years, Atwood has moved seam-lessly from genre to genre. She is best known for her fiction, including The Handmaid’s Tale, Cat’s Eye and Oryx and Crake. Her most recent novel, Hag-Seed, is a retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. The award ceremony will be Tuesday, Sept. 19, at the Sheldon Concert Hall. For more information, visit lib.slu.edu/about/associates. New Administrators and Deans Justin Daffron, S.J. SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT Daffron (Grad Ed ’00) works with vice presidents and academic leaders to focus on growth strategies for the University, while monitoring what other institutions are doing and the landscape for private higher education. Previously he served in leadership roles at Loyola University Chicago. William P. Johnson DEAN, SCHOOL OF LAW Johnson came to SLU in 2012. Before becoming dean, he was a law professor and director of the Center for International and Comparative Law. He also has served as director of the Summer Law Program at SLU Madrid. Dr. Jonathan Smith VICE PRESIDENT FOR DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT In 2015, Smith became SLU’s first special assistant to the president for diversity and community engagement. In addition to his current responsibilities, he now leads the University’s Cross Cultural Center and the Center for Global Citizenship. SLU Awarded National Honor for Diversity Saint Louis University is the first Jesuit university and the first private institu-tion of higher education in Missouri to be selected by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine for its Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award. Established five years ago, the HEED Award is the only national recognition honoring colleges and universities for outstanding efforts and successes in the area of diversity and inclusion throughout their campuses. INSIGHT works to further national discussion of issues of diversity and inclusion. “This recognition only encourages us to renew our efforts and strengthen our commitment to making SLU more diverse, more equitable and more inclusive,” said Dr. Jonathan Smith, vice president for diversity and community engagement. “This, I think, is what our mission calls us to do.” PHOTO BY STEVE DOLAN Awards and Honors Dr. Jonathan Lux (Grad A&S ’09, ’14), instructor of English as a second language, was the 2016 Matteo Ricci Faculty Fellow at the Beijing Center for Chinese Studies. Dr. Benjamin Looker, associate professor of American studies, received the American Studies Association’s John Hope Franklin Prize for his 2015 book, A Nation of Neighborhoods: Imagining Cities, Communities, and Democracy in Postwar America. The book has earned several other awards, including the Kenneth Jackson Award, which is given to the best book in U.S. urban history. Ted Mathys, a full-time instructor in the Department of English, received two fellowships for poetry writing: the National Endowment for the Arts 2017 Fellowship in Creative Writing, as well as a 2016 St. Louis Regional Arts Commission Artist Fellowship. During the St. Louis Regional Chamber’s Arcus Awards in February, Saint Louis University won the Arcus Award for Achievement in Educational Attainment for its Prison Program, which graduated its first class of students with associate’s degrees in 2015, and for the SLU Re-entry Program. The School of Law was awarded the BMO Harris Bank St. Louis Spirit Award, which it shared with the ArchCity Defenders. The Arcus Awards recognize companies and organizations that demonstrate exceptional commitment to leading the St. Louis region’s economic strengths and championing a better tomorrow for the region. Billiken Great: Contemporary (Honors student-athletes from 1980 to present) Brad Byars (Swimming and Diving, 2004-08) set school records in the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle. He was the first Billiken to win a conference title for the men’s team when he captured gold in the 100 free at the 2008 Atlantic 10 Championships. Brittney Cloudy (Track and Field, 2008- 12) holds five school records: indoor 60-meter dash, indoor long jump, outdoor long jump, indoor triple jump and outdoor triple jump. She won eight Atlantic 10 individual titles and competed in the USA Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Tommie Liddell III (Men’s Basketball, 2005-09) is eighth in SLU history in career points and career rebounds, and first in average minutes played. He was named the A-10 Rookie of the Year in 2005-06. Liddell set a SLU single-game record with eight 3-pointers in 2007. Whitney Roth Kramer (Volleyball, 2006-09) earned Atlantic 10 Conference Setter of the Year honors three times. She is SLU’s all-time assists leader and holds the top two single-season assist marks. During her career, she helped the Billikens to a 98-29 record and three NCAA Tournament appearances. Billiken Great: Pioneer (Honors student-athletes prior to 1980) Julie Bookmyer Murphy (Field Hockey, 1979-81) earned first-team Mitchell and Ness All-America honors in 1981. During her playing career, the Billikens posted a 48-12-6 record and held the No. 1 ranking in the country for six weeks in 1979. She was a member of the 1980 Under-21 USA National Team. Don Range (Men’s Soccer, 1959-60) was a key member of the Billikens’ 1959 and 1960 NCAA championship teams. Despite playing just two seasons, he is the 20th all-time leading scorer at SLU with 72 points. Range was named Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the 1960 NCAA Championship. Tammy Suyematsu (Field Hockey, 1978-80) is SLU’s all-time goals leader. She scored 20 goals her senior year in 1980, which is fourth in a single season in school history. During her career, the Billikens posted a 64-10-5 record, which included a school-record 28 wins in 1978. Distinguished Alumni Awa

    Praxis exercitiorum spiritualium P. N. S. Ignatii

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    P. Franz Neumayrs ... wahrer Begriff der ascetischen Theologie

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    Leonor K. Sullivan Collection

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    Photo album from the christening and launching of the new 210-ft. U.S. Coast Guard Cutter ACTIVE (WPC-618), at Christy Corporation, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, July 31, 1965. Sponsor: U.S. Representative Leonor K. Sullivan, Democrat from St. Louis, MO, widow of the late Representative John B. Sullivan of the Eleventh District of Missouri. The ACTIVE is the fourth of the new 210-ft. class of medium endurance cutters built for the U.S. Coast Guard. From: Public Information Division, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington DC 20226--65 pages. The photo album was compiled by Rear Admiral P.E. Trimble, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Coast Guard, and presented as a gift to Rep. Sullivan on August 18, 1965. Photos, newspaper clippings, and correspondence pertaining to other christenings from 1966 and 1969 are included in the back

    R.P. Cornelii Cornelii a Lapide e Societate Jesu ... Commentaria in Pentateuchum Mosis

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    Histoire des découvertes et conquestes des portugais dans le nouveau monde, avec des figures en taille-douce

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    Philosophia rationalis et experimentalis / hodiernis discentium studiis accomodata auctore Josepho Mangold

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    Date range: 1755-175

    Discours historiques, critiques, theologiques, et moraux, sur les evenemens les plus memorables du Vieux, et du Nouveau Testament

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    Date range: 1728-173

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