Friday, September 28, 2007

Saint Xavier University’s School of Nursing designated Center of Excellence


Chicago– Saint Xavier University’s School of Nursing has been recognized as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing.

At a ceremony in Phoenix, Ariz., this morning, the NLN announced that Saint Xavier will carry the designation for the next three years. During that time, Saint Xavier will be available to other schools seeking to move their own programs toward distinction.

“This is a tremendous honor for the Saint Xavier School of Nursing,” said interim dean Kay Thurn. “The School itself is an intensely values-driven environment at all levels of discourse, decision making and action. This designation is further evidence of the faculty’s outstanding innovation, flexibility and commitment to nursing education. These superb teachers demonstrate extraordinary commitment to the future of nursing education. Our graduates are confident, compassionate, curious, flexible and wise nursing professionals. ”

Recognition as a Center of Excellence is designed to distinguish schools that show innovation in all programs, conduct ongoing research to document the effectiveness of such innovation, set high standards for themselves, and are committed to continuous quality improvement.

The NLN chose Saint Xavier as a Center of Excellence for “creating an environment that enhances student learning and professional development.” Strengths noted during the application process include the school’s history of strategic planning and its Sisters of Mercy heritage. In 1935, Saint Xavier and the Mercy Hospital Training School of Mercy Hospital joined forces to create the first integrated baccalaureate nursing program in Illinois. The school has grown from four graduates in June 1939 to 120 for the 2006-2007 academic year.

Grounded in the Mercy tradition and experience in nursing education, the school links innovation and concern for community to provide baccalaureate degrees in nursing (BSN) to pre-licensure, licensed practical nurse and registered nurse students.

The undergraduate nursing curriculum is founded on a strong liberal arts and sciences orientation, with a focus on caring and developing leadership and management abilities. It graduates the highest percentage of African-American and Hispanic nurses of any school of nursing in Illinois.

The graduate program was one of the first in the nation to offer the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) track. Other options in the graduate program include the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) track, an MSN-MBA option, post-master’s certificates in FNP and Nurse Educator, and a unique opportunity to transition from the MSN to Rush University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program.

Saint Xavier’s School of Nursing promotes a “culture of intentional caring” that is based on a collective vision of a supportive, trusting and collegial environment that supports student learning and professional development. The school provides unique, evidence-based initiatives that support undergraduate student learning and professional development.

More information about the Saint Xavier School of Nursing can be found at http://www.sxu.edu/son/default.asp.

The mission of the National League for Nursing is to promote excellence in nursing education to build a strong and diverse nursing workforce. NLN members include nurse educators, education agencies, healthcare agencies, and interested members of the public.

The NLN offers faculty development programs, networking opportunities, testing and assessment, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to its 23,000 individual and 1,100 institutional members.

More information about the Center for Excellence designation can be found at http://www.nln.org/excellence/index.htm.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact Joe Moore
773-298-3937 or jmoore@sxu.edu

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Saint Xavier University Provost Dominick Hart announces retirement for end of academic year

Chicago (Sept. 25, 2007) – Saint Xavier University Provost Dominick Hart has announced that he will retire at the end of the current academic year.

Hart joined Saint Xavier in 2003 as dean for the School of Arts and Sciences, now the College of Arts and Sciences. In 2004, he was appointed interim vice president for Academic Affairs and was appointed provost in fall 2005. Under Hart’s direction, the University has benefited greatly in terms of academic planning, program development, and the advancement of scholarship and pedagogy.

“Dr. Hart has been an integral part of the successes at Saint Xavier University, and his record of service speaks for itself,” said SXU President Judith A. Dwyer, Ph.D. “The Saint Xavier University community wishes him all the best in his retirement.”

During Hart’s tenure as provost, the university implemented an extensive reassignment policy in support of faculty initiatives. The faculty developed, approved and is implementing a far-reaching revision of the general education program. Opportunities for travel and study abroad also have been enhanced under his tenure. Successful accreditation reviews have been completed for the School of Education and for the master’s program in speech-language pathology, and a self-study report has been prepared for the Higher Learning Commission’s accreditation review.

He has been a member of the President’s Cabinet since 2004, a member of Deans’ Council since 2003 and has served on the Task Force for Review on General Education from 2003 to 2004.
Hart has been in higher education for 37 years, serving as an administrator, faculty member, consultant and student and faculty advisor. He has led numerous workshops on topics ranging from faculty governance to teaching. His scholarly contributions have furthered the study of Shakespearean literature and addressed an array of issues in higher education.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact Joe Moore
773-298-3937 or jmoore@sxu.edu

Monday, September 24, 2007

SXU hosts Identity Theft Conference

Chicago (Sept. 24, 2007) - Saint Xavier University’s Graham School of Management hosted an all-day comprehensive training seminar on identity theft crime for more than 75 members of federal, state and local law enforcement, congressional representatives and corporate security officials. The event took place Wednesday, Sept. 19 in the SXU Warde Academic Center.

After a welcome from Graham School Dean James Brodzinski, attendees learned about identity theft from representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Trade Commission, United States Department of Justice’s Fraud Section, United States Postal Service, United States Secret Service, Chicago Police Department, and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. The American Hotel Register, Harris Bank and The Home Depot were sponsors of the seminar.

“The breadth of organizations represented at this identity crime conference was world class. Saint Xavier is proud to be on the frontlines of the war against identity theft and fraud,” said SXU assistant professor William J. Kresse, director and architect of the financial fraud examination and management graduate program at Saint Xavier’s Graham School of Management in Chicago. It is currently the only classroom-based MBA program in financial fraud and identity theft in the country.

Identity theft victimizes millions of Americans every year. Crossing jurisdictional boundaries and frequently difficult to prove, identity crime is one of the biggest challenges facing law enforcement today. In the fight against this crime, it is important that law enforcement officers have all available resources at their command to protect their communities and respond to victims.

The SXU financial fraud examination and management program combines elements of law enforcement, law, accounting and general business education. In January, Saint Xavier began offering graduate classes in Financial Fraud Examination and Management in the Chicago Bar Association building in Chicago’s Loop. The U.S. Air Force and Chicago Police Department have both chosen the program to train agents and officers in identity theft and financial and procurement fraud.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:Contact Joe Moore773-298-3937 or jmoore@sxu.edu

-SXU-

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Gen. Colin L. Powell (Ret.) draws record crowd of 2,200 for SXU Voices and Visions Speaker Series


Chicago (Sept. 20, 2007) – Gen. Colin L. Powell (Ret.) drew a standing-room-only crowd of 2,200 to Saint Xavier University’s Shannon Center Wednesday night for the second lecture in the SXU Voices and Visions Speaker Series.

In honor of his visit to Saint Xavier, the Chicago City Council recently approved a resolution presented by Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th) declaring Sept. 19 “Colin L. Powell Day.” Prior to his lecture, Powell was presented with a Doctor of Public Service, honoris causa, in recognition of his long and distinguished career of public service.

“This event without a doubt solidifies the SXU Voices and Visions Speaker Series as one of the preeminent speaking engagements in the city of Chicago,” said Robert Tenczar, vice president for University Relations at Saint Xavier. “We are very grateful to Gen. Powell and the many people who worked so hard to make this a tremendous success.”

Gen. Powell regaled delighted audience members with stories from his long military career, leading up to serving as a chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1989 to 1993 and later as Secretary of State under President George W. Bush.

He noted that Saint Xavier University was formed in 1846, just a year earlier than his own alma mater, the City College of New York, and that they served similar purposes.

“The Sisters of Mercy came here, and shortly after they arrived, they set about creating an institution to educate young women at a time when it might not have been the most popular thing to do,” Powell said. “But they did it because they felt that in this great city of Chicago there was a need for a place like that…and 160 years later both of these wonderful institutions are doing what they were supposed to do from the beginning: serving the community, growing with the community, changing with the community, and making sure to always give back to the community.”

Earlier in the day, Gen. Powell led a classroom discussion with a select group of Saint Xavier University students, after which he sat down for a one-on-one interview with Nick Kerr, editor of Saint Xavier’s weekly student newspaper, The Xavierite.

The event was co-sponsored by the Office of University Relations and the Student Activities Board. A limited number of tickets were also available for priority seating and admission to an exclusive post-lecture wine and cheese reception with Powell.

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Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Political pundit Paul Green speaks at Saint Xavier University


Chicago (Sept. 19, 2007) – Political pundit Paul Green will discuss the history of governing Chicago from a moral perspective at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3, as part of Saint Xavier University’s 2007-08 Squeaky Weal lecture series at Saint Xavier’s Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St.

The lecture is free and open to the public and will be held in the Butler Reception Room, located in the Warde Academic Center.

Green’s lecture is titled “Governing Chicago: Its History from a Moral Perspective.” After the lecture, Green will answer questions from the audience and sign copies of his latest book, co-authored with Mel Holli, titled World War II Chicago. Other books he has co-authored with Holli are The Mayors: The Chicago Political Tradition, 3rd edition, and From Mid-Century to the Millennium: A View from City Hall – a Pictorial History of Chicago.

“My lecture will center on the many untold truths of Chicago politics and the morality behind those truths,” Green said.

Green is director of the Institute for Politics and Arthur Rubloff professor of policy studies at Roosevelt University in Chicago. He is also political analyst for WGN Radio 720 (AM). His program “Paul and the Pauliticians” is heard every Wednesday starting at 7:11 a.m. He is frequently quoted and interviewed by national news organizations for his views on the American political scene. His name appears frequently as an expert in news stories in the New York Times, Washington Post, Time and Newsweek. He has also lectured at universities in Europe, Asia and Africa and was one of a few American academic/journalists to travel with the candidates for British Prime Minister in 1997.

“I arrange my breakfast around Paul Green’s political commentary on WGN-AM,” said Sister Susan Sanders, R.S.M., vice president for University Mission and Heritage at Saint Xavier. “His insights are wonderfully apt and always thought-provoking.”

Green is also a former elected official, serving as Monee Township Supervisor from 1977 to 1983. He received his B.A. in history and political science at the University of Illinois and his M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Chicago.

Saint Xavier’s Squeaky Weal lecture series explores the role of religion in civic life and the importance of being involved in civic and political issues. The series is sponsored by the Center for Religion and Public Discourse.

For more information about the lecture, please contact Kathy Mareska at (773) 298-3981 or mareska@sxu.edu, or visit www.sxu.edu.

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Saint Xavier University Media Relations: 773-298-3937
3700 West 103rd Street, Chicago Ill. 60655 * 18230 Orland Parkway, Orland Park, Ill. 60467
online faculty expert guide: www.sxu.edu/relations/faculty_experts.asp
www.sxu.edu

Rev. Francis S. Tebbe, O.F.M., elected to Saint Meinrad Seminary Alumni Board of Directors


And will receive a Papal Title in the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem

Chicago (Sept. 19, 2007) – Rev. Francis Tebbe, O.F.M., D.Min., executive assistant to the president and secretary to the corporation at Saint Xavier University, was elected to the Saint Meinrad Seminary Alumni Board of Directors for 2007 through 2010. Fr. Tebbe is a graduate of Saint Meinrad Seminary, located in St. Meinrad, Ind. Sponsored by the Benedictine monks who came to the Midwest in 1854 from the Swiss Abbey of Einsiedeln, the seminary is the sixth largest school of theology in the United States with 120 monks living in the Archabbey. Two priest-uncles of Father Tebbe were also alumni of the seminary.

Its School of Theology offers graduate-level degrees in theology, and priesthood candidates work toward a Master of Divinity. Lay degree students can earn a Master of Arts or a Master of Theological Studies.

In a separate honor approved by Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., the Grand Prior of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem of the North Central Lieutenancy, and forwarded to the Holy Father, Father Tebbe will also receive the Papal title and be invested as a Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem during the century old ceremony at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of the University of Notre Dame on Oct. 7. The ceremony will be held during the annual meeting of the Order’s North Central Lieutenancy Oct. 5 to 8.

The Equestrian Order is a Roman Catholic chivalric order of knighthood that traces its roots to Godfrey of Bouillon in 1099. It began as a mixed clerical and lay association of pilgrims which gradually grew around the most central of the Christian holy places in the Middle East, the Holy Sepulchre or the tomb of Jesus Christ.

Today, the Order seeks to help preserve an active Christian presence in the Holy Land, equality and justice for all, and peace in the Holy Land so that Christian, Jew and Muslim may live side by side in love of God and each other.

“I am very pleased to be elected to serve my alma mater, St. Meinrad, and I am honored to receive the Papal title nomination as a Knight in the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem,” Father Tebbe said.

Since 1996, Father Tebbe has served as president and chair of the national Catholic Coalition on Preaching, a national association of 26 organizations, institutes, theological schools, lay and religious congregations. He has been a member and served in a variety of other national leadership roles in the National Organization of Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy (NOCERCC) from 1992 and 2001. Between 1992 and 2001, he also served as a priest-consultant for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Priestly Life and Ministry.

Prior to coming to Saint Xavier in 2004, he served as a special assistant for mission and planning in the Office of the Provost and associate professor of theology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Lewis University in Romeoville. He also previously served as vice president for enrollment management at Lewis University (1999-2002); vice president for planning and mission effectiveness at Madonna University in Livonia, Mich. (1993-1999); associate director of the Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame (1990-1993); faculty member and first director of continuing education at Catholic Theological Union (1985-1990); and the first director of adult education for the Archdiocese of Boston (1980-1985).

Father Tebbe served parishes in Michigan, Illinois and New Mexico from 1975-1980. He was a missionary in Leyte, Philippines, from 1974-1975.

Father Tebbe earned a B.A. from Duns Scotus College in Southfield, Mich; an M.Div. from Saint Leonard School of Theology in Centerville, Ohio; an M.Ed. from Boston College and a Doctor of Ministry from Andover Newton Theological School in Newton Center (Boston), Mass. He did postgraduate study at Marygrove College in Detroit, Mich., and at Providence College. He has also received certifications in adult education and theological field education. Father Tebbe is an ordained Presbyter in the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans) of the Province of Saint John the Baptist.

Father Tebbe was the recipient of a 1998 “Finalist” Telly Award, executive producer and general editor of Priestly Relationships: Freedom through Boundaries, the 1997 NOCERCC print and video resource. He was editor of three books and has authored multiple reviews and articles. In May 2007, the Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Mo., awarded Father Tebbe the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Media Advisory: Gen. Colin Powell (Ret.) at Saint Xavier

Reporters who plan to cover the Gen. Colin Powell lecture at Saint Xavier University in Chicago at 7 p.m. Sept. 19 or take advantage of an interview opportunity with Gen. Powell earlier that day should contact Joe Moore at (773) 298-3937 or cell (773) 203-6671. We are expecting a strong media attendance and would appreciate advance notice of plans to attend and/or cover this event so that we can best accommodate you.

The following is a brief quote from a phone interview this morning with General Powell on the Iraqi government and America’s evolving role in the region.

“The real surge we have not seen is that the Iraqis now have to step forward,” Gen. Powell said. “You now have the freedom to choose and decide. You have to decide how you are going to deal with these sectarian differences. My concern right now, which is the concern of most Americans and the president, is that the (Iraqi) government has not started to do the surge that is needed.”

The pre-lecture media opportunity will take place at 5:20 p.m. (Please plan to be there by 5:10 p.m.) the day of the lecture in the Bishop Quarter Room of Saint Xavier’s Byrne Memorial Library in the Warde Academic Center, 3700 W. 103rd St. Gen. Powell will finish a classroom lecture with students and will be available for a media interview at that time.

Media are also welcome to attend the 7 p.m. lecture, where there will be a mult box provided for broadcast journalists for the first part.

B-roll of Saint Xavier’s Chicago campus will also be available in beta format.

Monday, September 17, 2007

SXU alumni model professional networking skills

Chicago (Sept. 17, 2007) – Saint Xavier University alumni, students and community members are invited to brush up on their business networking skills at a workshop at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 2, at Saint Xavier’s Chicago campus at 3700 W. 103rd St.

Titled “Networking 101: Making the SXU Connection,” the workshop will feature the expertise of Saint Xavier alumni from the fields of business, accounting, human resources, information technology, speech pathology, education and nursing.

The workshop is part of the numerous activities slated for Homecoming and Family Week Oct. 1 to 7 at Saint Xavier. The event is sponsored by Counseling and Career Services and will be held in the Butler Reception Room, located in Warde Academic Center.

“Staying competitive in today’s fast-changing job market requires more than credentials,” said Jean Riordan, associate director for Counseling and Career Services at Saint Xavier.

“Your ability to network with professionals in your field of interest and present your skills and experience in an effective manner is the tool that will give you an advantage in today’s job market,” Riordan said. “Attending the Networking 101 program, which is aimed at helping participants learn and practice those skills, is a step in the right direction to ensure that competitive edge.”

Admission is free and open to SXU students, alumni and members of the community. Business casual attire is suggested and space is limited. To reserve a seat, please contact Riordan at (773) 298-3131.

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Saint Xavier University Media Relations: 773-298-3937
3700 West 103rd Street, Chicago Ill. 60655 * 18230 Orland Parkway, Orland Park, Ill. 60467
online faculty expert guide: www.sxu.edu/relations/faculty_experts.asp
http://www.sxu.edu/

Saint Xavier opens Figaro’s, a new nighttime dining option on campus

Chicago (Sept. 17, 2007) – Students were lined up out the door Friday afternoon to try a slice of pizza or a cup of coffee at the opening of Saint Xavier University’s newest nighttime dining option, Figaro’s.

Located on the first floor of Regina Hall, Figaro’s features Tomato Head Red Pizza and Grounds for Change Coffee.

The food shop is open daily from 6 p.m. to midnight and offers authentic thin-crust Tomato Head Red pizzas in nine- and 16-inch sizes. Baked pastas and bread sticks will also be featured. Grounds for Change Coffee offers fair-trade, organic and shade-grown coffee and espresso. Figaro’s also offers sandwiches, salads, desserts and drinks.

“Figaro’s fills a much-desired nighttime niche on Saint Xavier campus,” said Mohammed Nofal, senior director of Campus Dining Services. “We look forward to our students enjoying this fun new facility.”

More than 200 students turned out for the opening.

In keeping with Saint Xavier’s commitment to protect the environment, Grounds for Change serves organic coffee that is grown by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and is grown without the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizer. It is grown in the shade under a forest canopy, preserving the natural habitat needed for migratory songbirds and other animals. The coffee is also fair trade-certified by TransFair USA.

Students and staff are invited to visit Figaro’s during grand opening week Sept. 14 to 21 to get free samples of new products and a chance to win cool prizes.

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Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Saint Xavier research on Monk Parakeets featured in Chicago Tribune

Saint Xavier University professor Christopher Appelt and student Lorrie Ward were featured in a Sept. 9th Chicago Tribune story about ongoing research into the city’s invasive population of monk parakeets. Click here for the full story.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Annual Cougar 5K kicks off Homecoming weekend

Chicago (Sept. 10, 2007) – Help kick off Saint Xavier University’s Homecoming weekend with the 7th annual Cougar 5K Run/Walk at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6.

The race will start and finish at Saint Xavier’s Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St., and travel through the heart of Evergreen Park. All participants will receive a long-sleeved T-shirt and a free ticket to the homecoming football game against Ohio Dominican College.

“Since the inaugural race in 2001, this event has not only been a part of the SXU Homecoming Weekend, but also become a community tradition,” said Jennifer Kjos, facility manager of Saint Xavier’s Shannon Center.

Participants can register at Running for Kicks, 7158 W. 127th St., in Palos Heights, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 1 through Oct. 3, or online at www.signmeup.com/56920. Individual registration fees are $20 each for runners/walkers, $17.50 each for CARA members, and $15 each for SXU students. Purchase a pair of running or walking shoes at Running for Kicks and receive $10 off the Cougar 5K Run/Walk registration fee. For more information, call Running for Kicks at (708) 448-9200.

Day-of-race registration will be held from 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m., with fees of $25 each, ($22.50 each for CARA members) and $20 each for SXU students.

“The Cougar 5K Run/Walk caters to all age groups who enjoy running or walking. This event kicks off a fun-filled day for the entire SXU community,” Kjos said.

Complimentary refreshments will be provided before and after the race for all participants by Chartwells Dining Services, Cold Stone Creamery, Café Luna, and Aquafina. Race participants may also enjoy free services such as chair massages, blood pressure checks, and stretching.

Sponsors of the Run/Walk include Gilhooley’s Grande Saloon, Chartwells, Coldstone Creamery, OccuSport, Pepsi, Greenwood Chiropractic, SXU Alumni Association, Running for Kicks, Village of Evergreen Park, Chicago Area Race Association (CARA), Gallagher Investments, Core Fitness and Physical Therapy, Foot and Ankle Clinics of America, GO Promotions, Jimmy Johns, Machon and Machon, Café Luna, Shannon Center members, and South Division Credit Union.

For more information, please visit www.sxu.edu/athletics/cougar5k.asp or call the race hotline at (773) 298-3592.

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Donors give $100,000 for new nursing scholarship

Chicago (Sept. 10, 2007) – Saint Xavier University Trustee and alumna Judith E. Hicks, ’69, and her husband, Laurence, have donated $100,000 to fund a scholarship for nursing students at Saint Xavier University.

The scholarship will provide financial support for undergraduates who express interest in using technology to benefit patients. The scholarships will be awarded annually beginning this fall.

“More than 95 percent of Saint Xavier’s undergraduate nursing students receive some form of financial aid,” said Saint Xavier University President Judith A. Dwyer, Ph.D. “It is through the generosity of people such as Judith and Laurence Hicks that we are able to serve such an economically diverse student body.”

Saint Xavier University is ranked 16 out of 146 Midwest masters’ universities in terms of economic diversity according to the U.S. News and World Report rankings.

“Scholarship support for undergraduate nursing students is critical for successful completion of the program in a timely way,” said Kay E. Thurn, interim dean of the School of Nursing. “A very generous gift of $100,000 donated by Judith Hicks, a SXU School of Nursing alumna, will support the education of nursing students with a particular focus on application of technology to patient care.”

Hicks received her B.S. in nursing at Saint Xavier in 1969 and her master’s in nursing from the University of Illinois-Chicago in 1975. She worked as a nurse and manager at Mercy, Northwestern and Children’s Memorial hospitals until 1985.

She is the founder and former president of Focused Health Solutions, a Deerfield-based national provider of customized health services dedicated to reducing employers’ healthcare costs, improving the lives of employees and their families, and creating a healthier, productive workforce. FHS is one of the first companies to offer direct prevention services using nurses as coaches to counsel and monitor chronically ill employees as well as family members and retirees.

“My time at Saint Xavier was extremely positive, and I attribute that to the school’s uniquely caring professors and instructors,” Hicks said. “It is my hope that this scholarship will allow future nursing students the freedom to enjoy the same rewarding experience that I had.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION:Contact Joe Moore773-298-3937 or jmoore@sxu.edu

Friday, September 7, 2007

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend draws packed audience at SXU’s Shannon Center

Chicago (Sept. 7, 2007) – Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Maryland’s first woman lieutenant governor, wowed more than 600 people Thursday night at Saint Xavier University’s Shannon Center, mixing in details of growing up the daughter of Robert F. and Ethel Kennedy while sharing her own strong views on church and faith in today’s society.

Kicking off Saint Xavier University’s 2007-08 Squeaky Weal lecture series, Townsend’s lecture was titled “How American Churches Are Failing Our Faith, Our Politics, and Our Country.” Afterwards, Townsend answered questions from the audience and signed copies of her new book, Failing America’s Faithful: How Today’s Churches are Mixing God with Politics and Losing Their Way. Townsend’s lecture can be viewed online at http://www.sxu.edu/relations/townsend.asp

Townsend noted that people seem to be turning to God for superficial reasons. “Somehow, in the last 40 years, God has been turned into a person like a self-help guru,” she said. “People go to God to stop drinking, to get thinner, to get richer, to win a football match, to get a nicer house or a better job.”

Paraphrasing the indelible words of her uncle, President John F. Kennedy, she said, “It becomes almost like you ask not what you can do for God, but what God can do for you. And in that whole process, we’ve shrunk God to fit our needs rather than something larger than ourselves. This has been dangerous and sad and devastating for our nation, and I think it has to change.”
Saint Xavier’s Squeaky Weal lecture series explores the role of religion in civic life and the importance of being involved in civic and political issues. The series is sponsored by the Center for Religion and Public Discourse.

“The audience was treated to a rare opportunity that was both thought-provoking and timely,” said Sister Susan Sanders, R.S.M., vice president for University Mission and Heritage and director of the Center for Religion and Public Discourse at Saint Xavier. “Kathleen Kennedy Townsend’s exploration of the relationship between religion and politics was the perfect beginning to this year’s Squeaky Weak lecture series.”
Townsend is president of Operation Respect, a nationwide character education program that teaches right from wrong, and personal and social responsibility. She is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Public Policy.

Townsend has a long history of accomplishment in the public arena. In addition to being Maryland’s first woman lieutenant governor, she was deputy assistant attorney general of the United States. She also founded and directed the Maryland Student Service Alliance, leading the fight to make Maryland the first state in the nation to require all high school students to perform community service.

She currently serves on the boards of directors of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Civic Works, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, the Institute for Human Virology and the Character Education Partnership. An honors graduate of Harvard University, she received her law degree from the University of New Mexico, where she was a member of the law review.

The next Squeaky Weal lecture will feature political analyst Paul Green at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 3. For more information about the lecture series, please contact Kathy Mareska at (773) 298-3981 or mareska@sxu.edu, or visit http://www.sxu.edu/.

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