Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University

Abstract

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