SXU 2008-09 film series continues with “Dark City”

Sci-fi film noir is part of SXU’s “Film and the City” series

Chicago (Jan. 30, 2009) Saint Xavier University will screen the 1998 film “Dark City” at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10 in SXU’s McGuire Hall, Warde Academic Center, 3700 W. 103rd St., Chicago.

The screening is free and open to the public and is the fourth in SXU’s 2008-09 film series, “Film and the City.

Directed by Alex Proyas, “Dark City” tells the story of John Murdoch, a man who awakens in a hotel room with no memories. He quickly discovers he is being pursued by the local police, who suspect he is a serial killer, and a group of strange men with psychokinetic powers. All the while, Murdoch gradually realizes something unusual is happening with time, memory and identity in the city.

The film includes performances from Rufus Sewell, William Hurt, Kiefer Sutherland and Jennifer Connelly. Famed film critic Roger Ebert cited Dark City as the best film of 1998.
“Dark City” is 100 minutes long. This year’s film series is partially supported by a grant for the Illinois Arts Council, Saint Xavier’s College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Art and Design.

For more information, please contact Film Series Director Alison Fraunhar, Ph.D., at fraunhar@sxu.edu or (773)298-3083.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Rick Ducat
773-298-3325 or ducat@sxu.edu

SXU Bookstore announces winner of “Free Book Contest”

Freshman wins $620.65 to cover book expenses

Chicago (Jan. 30, 2009) The Saint Xavier University Campus Bookstore has announced the winner of its semi-annual “Free Book Contest.”

Freshman nursing student Alison Wasik, of Rolling Meadows, Ill., won $620.65 to cover her textbook expenses, and was chosen from thousands of in-store and online entries.

Please keep watching for the Bookstore’s next contest for Fall 2009. Congratulations to Alison from the Campus Bookstore!


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FOR MORE INFORMATION:Contact: Rick Ducat
773-298-3325 or ducat@sxu.edu

Saint Xavier Students have conversation with French Ambassador Pierre Vimont

Visit the French Embassy Web site and click on “Q/A with Ambassador: session with the Washington Center Interns” to see a conversation between Saint Xavier University students and French Ambassador Pierre Vimont. Students featured are Mark Piper, Amanda Holmes and Lindsey Herzog.

Nine Saint Xavier Students travelled with SXU faculty member Larry Sondler to Washington to spend the week at the Washington Center attending public affairs seminars before going to the Presidential Inauguration.

Baltimore Sun Blog features Saint Xavier University Professors contribution to book on Beer, Sports and Why Men Love Them

Read about the contribution of Saint Xavier University Professor’s Jim Walker and Nelson Hathcock to the recently published book Sport, Beer, and Gender: Promotional Culture and Contemporary Social Life in the Baltimore Sun blog “Kasper on Tap.”

SXU Gallery hosts photographer Seonaid Valiant

“Pilsen: A Portrait” exhibit runs Feb. 11 – Mar. 11

Chicago (Jan. 29, 2009) Photographer, historian and cultural critic Seonaid Valiant will showcase her photos of Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood beginning Wednesday, Feb. 11 at Saint Xavier University’s SXU Gallery, 3700 W. 103rd St., Chicago.

Valiant will give a lecture and discuss her exhibit “Pilsen: A Portrait,” at an artist’s reception at 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 at the SXU Gallery.

“Pilsen: A Portrait” is part of an ongoing series of documentary photographs detailing life in Chicago’s largely Hispanic Pilsen neighborhood. The series examines everyday life, religion, and ways residents work, play and express themselves.

“My primary focus is on portraits of the children in the community, many of whom are first- and second-generation immigrants,” she said. “Rather than taking photographs from a distance or trying to capture my subjects in unselfconscious poses or unguarded moments, I wanted them to directly address the camera and challenge the viewer’s gaze.”

The SXU Gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, please contact the SXU Gallery at (773) 298-3081.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Rick Ducat
773-298-3325 or ducat@sxu.edu

SXU prof. co-authors article in Nephrology Nursing Journal

Mary Haras’ article offers advice on end-of-life issues

Chicago (Jan. 28, 2009) Saint Xavier University professor Mary S. Haras, MS, MBA, APN, NP-C, CNN, recently co-authored an article about nurses’ level of involvement with kidney disease patients in Nephrology Nursing Journal.

Haras, an assistant professorial lecturer at Saint Xavier’s School of Nursing, co-authored the article “Advance Care Planning for Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease – Why Aren’t Nurses More Involved?” in the November-December 2008 edition of the journal.

Haras and her co-authors (Christine M. Ceccarelli, MSN, RN, MBA, CNN; and Debra Castner, MSN, RN, APNC-BC, CN) examine the reasons why 65 percent of dialysis patients do not have end-of-life care plans in place and explore the nurse’s role in ensuring optimum planning in this area.

The article cites several studies that indicate nurses fear patient/family reactions to the topic, lack confidence in starting end-of-life conversations, feel uncertain their supervisors will support their efforts and are unsure how to handle patients' religious and cultural beliefs

Haras previously published an article in the September-October 2008 edition of Nephrology Nursing Journal. She was the sole author of “Planning for a Good Death: A Neglected but Essential part of ESRD Care.” This article reviews the need for practice improvement in end-of-life care and a review of the current literature.

To read Haras’ most recent article, please click here.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Rick Ducat
773-298-3325 or ducat@sxu.edu

Saint Xavier University alumnus awarded

Jason J. Crean receives 2009 DCAT Making a Difference Award

Chicago (Jan. 28, 2009) Saint Xavier University alumnus Jason J. Crean has been awarded a 2009 Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association Making a Difference award in recognition of leading an “excellence in science” program at Lyons Township High School. The National Science Teachers Association co-sponsored the award.

Crean and his principal will be honored at the Teachers Award Banquet during the NSTA National Conference on Science Education from March 19 to March 22 in New Orleans.
Crean teaches biology at Lyons Township. He also works in the zoological community as a college-level educator and consultant and aids in research and service work in the Genetics Lab of the Conservation Biology Department at Brookfield Zoo. Crean has received numerous awards for excellence in teaching and has published and lectured in his field of expertise.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:Contact: Rick Ducat
773-298-3325 or ducat@sxu.edu

SXU hosts childhood development conference on March 4

Conference targets five areas of early development

Chicago (Jan. 28, 2009) Saint Xavier University will host a childhood development conference for parents, caregivers and professionals from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4 at Saint Xavier’s Orland Park Campus, 18230 Orland Parkway.

“Early Childhood Today: Nurturing Futures and Building Foundations” will host several sessions for parents, caregivers and professionals who shape the lives of children ages birth to eight.

The sessions focus on several themes, including speech and language; social and emotional; early literacy accommodations and developmental supports; and health and wellness.

Scheduled sessions include “Language and the Brain,” “Wee Read!” “Fitness Activities for Little Ones,” “A Day Without Don’ts,” and “Munchkins in Techland.”

“It is a pleasure to offer this conference to our early childhood community,” STAR NET Region VI Project Director Marlene Christ said. “Working with Saint Xavier University and Tinley Park Community School District 146 gave us a great opportunity to utilize the talent and expertise in south suburban Cook County for finding informative presenters and interesting topics.”

Other co-sponsors include: SSAEYC, Speed Cooperative, Good Shepherd Center and Early Intervention Training Program.

STAR NET is an approved provider for Continuing Professional Development Units through the Illinois State Board of Education and continuing education for speech-language pathologists, social workers, occupational therapists and physical therapists through the Department of Financial and Professional Regulations.

All participants must register online at www.sxu.edu, keyword: StarNet. On-site and phone registration is not allowed, and seating is limited. Childcare is not available at the conference. Registration costs $35 and includes session materials, continental breakfast and lunch. Sign-in begins at 8 a.m. the day of the conference.

Families with special needs children up to eight years old may apply for a reimbursement stipend by visiting STAR NET’s Web site at www.swcccase.org/starnet or calling (708) 342-5370.

For more information about the conference, please contact Christ at (708) 342-5370. For session descriptions and registration, please visit www.sxu.edu, keyword: StarNet.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Rick Ducat
773-298-3325 or ducat@sxu.edu

Dead Symphony no. 6 listed on WDRV 97.1 event calendar

Saint Xavier University's upcoming performance of Dead Symphony no. 6, an orchestral tribute to the music of the Grateful Dead, is now listed on WDRV 97.1's events calendar for March 10.

To view the calendar, please click here.

For more information about the Dead Symphony no. 6 performance or to order tickets, please call (773) 298-3421 or (773) 298-3422 or visit www.sxu.edu/music/programs.asp or www.deadsymphony.com.

Beer and Sports and why Men love them; Saint Xavier University Professors analyze American “holy trinity”

Chicago (Jan. 26, 2009) Men like talking beer and sports. Even if they don’t, forces have been at work since the 1940s to convince them that they do. Saint Xavier University professors James R. Walker and Nelson Hathcock are helping to explain how. They co-authored a chapter in the recently released book, “Sport, Beer, and Gender: Promotional Culture and Contemporary Social Life.”

The book explores the “holy trinity” of men, sports and beer, and ways in which advertisers have targeted men with promotional strategies to ensure a “culture of consumption.”

Walker and Hathcock’s chapter, “Domesticating the Brew: Gender and Sport in Postwar Magazine Advertising for Beer,” recounts how beer advertisers adapted to the suburbanization of America after The Great Depression and World War II. One of the largest challenges facing advertisers was changing a frugal, self-sacrificing culture into mass consumers.

Advertisers began portraying people drinking in new ways. The image of the suburban family relaxing and socializing with neighbors, beers in hand, replaced neighborhood taverns or clubs.
“Mass-circulation magazines and sports publications clearly reflected a different world,” Walker said.

However, advertisers in the 1970s once more returned to focusing on males and traditionally male activities, such as sports and the outdoors.

“Although magazine advertising domesticated the brew … the ancient link between men, sport and beer would prove too strong for one lasting reconversion,” Walker said.

Walker recently co-authored the book, “Center Field Shot: A History of Baseball on Television,” which explores the effect of television on major league baseball.

For more information or to interview Walker or Hathcock, please contact (773) 298-3937 or (cell) (773) 298-3937 or e-mail at jmoore@sxu.edu.

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

Beer

Saint Xavier hosts orchestral tribute to Grateful on Dead March 10

Dead Symphony no. 6 performed just once before in United States



Chicago (Jan. 23, 2009) Deadheads and classical music fans unite! Saint Xavier University will host a performance of Dead Symphony no. 6, an orchestral tribute to the music of iconic San Francisco rock band, The Grateful Dead. The performance will be at 7:30 on Tuesday, March 10, in the Ensemble Performance Space at SXU’s Chicago Campus, 3700 W. 103rd St.

The performance will be just the second time this groundbreaking composition will have been performed in the United States. Lee Johnson, who wrote the piece, will personally conduct the performance with SXU’s University Symphonic Orchestra.

Marian Catholic High School student Pat O’Hara and several musicians from VanderCook College of Music will perform alongside SXU’s musicians.

“We think this unique interpretation of the Grateful Dead’s music performed by local musicians will give everyone something to enjoy,” said SXU music professor Margaret Young-Weitzel, who organized the event. “We’re also excited to once again host concerts here in SXU’s Ensemble Performance Space for our university community.”

For additional information or tickets, please call (773) 298-3421 or (773) 298-3422 or visit www.sxu.edu/music/programs.asp or www.deadsymphony.com.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Rick Ducat
773-298-3325 or ducat@sxu.edu

SXU’s 2009 Theology South lecture series begins

Retired Chicago Archdiocese priest to discuss Church’s future on Feb. 5

Chicago (Jan, 22, 2009) Fr. Bill Kenneally will kick off Saint Xavier University’s 2009 Theology South lecture series with a discussion of the future of the Chicago Archdiocese at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5 in SXU’s Butler Reception Room, 3700 W. 103rd St., Chicago.

Kenneally’s lecture is titled “1909, The Burnham Plan for Chicago: A Vision Sustained for 100 Years. 2009: A Visionary Plan for the Church in Chicago?” It will examine the Burnham Plan, an urban development proposal for the city of Chicago and how its principles can be applied to the Chicago Archdiocese.

Kenneally is a retired priest from the Chicago Archdiocese and has worked in various parishes for 44 years. He now lives in St. Barnabas Parish.

The program begins at 9:30 a.m. and runs until 11 a.m. It is open to the public; admission is $6. Coffee will be available beginning at 9 a.m.

For more information, please contact Donatta Yates at (708) 422-1635.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Rick Ducat
773-298-3325 or ducat@sxu.edu

SXU launches new peer-mentoring project for students

Encore! project to help younger students acclimate to campus life

Chicago (Jan. 22, 2009) Saint Xavier University recently launched a new peer-mentoring project designed to help younger students adjust to campus life.

The Encore! project was developed to help freshmen and sophomores experience optimal adjustment to college life—academically, socially and personally.

Ten academically successful juniors and seniors will each be assigned three protégés whom they will personally assist throughout the semester. The mentors will have weekly one-on-one interactions with their protégés and occasional group meetings with all three of their protégés together. Additionally, there will be five community-wide meetings with all participants.

Encore! was created by SXU professors Earl Thomas and Elijah Ward.

“Encore! is an organized community of learners committed to mutually serving one another’s needs for academic and social as well as personal and spiritual growth,” Thomas and Ward said. “It is a community deeply rooted in a faith in continuous learning and growth, and it fosters a culture of diversity, high expectations and inspiration.”

Encore! is sponsored by Student Affairs, Records and Advising, and the Diversity Action Team. For more information about Encore!, please contact encore@sxu.edu.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Rick Ducat
773-298-3325 or ducat@sxu.edu

Saint Xavier University Students interviewed from Inauguration; Listen to WBBM 780 AM Chicago interviews here

Nine Saint Xavier University students stayed the last week and a half in Washington D.C. in anticipation of the Presidential Inauguration. The students spent the days leading up to the ceremony attending public affairs seminars at the Washington Center and touring the nation’s capital.

Listen here to two WBBM 780 AM Chicago interviews conducted from Washington.

Barack and Back Again

Above from right to left: SXU Student Erin Slifka and SXU Professor Larry Sondler.

"Can we go home now?," Erin Slifka, of Oak Lawn, laughed. "We love each other, but we've been together for twelve days."

A tired but thrilled group of Saint Xavier students and one professor climbed off their airport shuttle today after spending the last week and a half in Washington, D.C. for the Presidential Inauguration.

The nine students spent the week at the Washington Center attending public affairs seminars before slowly making their way onto the National Mall. Look for additional photos and video of their trip in the days ahead. Click here for a text version of a WBBM 780 AM story quoting our students that ran this morning.

SXU kicks off 2009 Breakfast with the Experts lecture series

Laurence Msall to discuss the national financial crisis’ effects on Illinois

Chicago (Jan. 22, 2009) Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation, will discuss America’s financial crisis and its potential effects on Illinois at 2009’s first Breakfast with the Experts event, sponsored by Saint Xavier University and the Beverly Area Planning Association.

The breakfast will take place at 7:45 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 19, in the Butler Reception Room of the Warde Academic Center on SXU’s Chicago Campus, 3700 W. 103rd St.

Msall’s lecture, titled “Will the Financial Meltdown Lead to Higher Taxes or Unprecedented Reform in Illinois? A Government Watchdog’s Perspective,” will review the financial challenges facing Cook County, the City of Chicago, and the state from an independent perspective. Topics include public employee pensions, deficits and opportunities for reform. Msall will also discuss Illinois’ prospects under President Obama’s economic stimulus plan.

Msall is president of The Civic Foundation, an independent, non-partisan tax policy and government research organization founded in 1894.

Msall also serves on the advisory board of the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce and is a member of Lambda Alpha, an international land economic society; the Economic Club of Chicago; the Chicago Civic Consulting Alliance; and the Blue Ribbon Commission on the future of public pensions in Illinois. He previously worked as senior advisor for Economic Development to former Illinois Gov. George Ryan.

Breakfast with the Experts brings notable business, community and civic leaders to the south side to share insights, experience and industry knowledge with local business people. The breakfasts are interactive and designed to engage all participants through networking, keynote address, and a question-and-answer period.

Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart will speak at the next breakfast on Thursday, March 12.

Tickets are $20 for the general public and $15 for BAPA Members. Space is limited and reservations are required. For more information or to buy tickets, please contact Marcia Walsh at (773) 233-3100 or mwalsh@bapa.org, or visit www.bapa.org.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Contact: Rick Ducat

773-298-3325 or ducat@sxu.edu

SXU Green Construction featured in MAPPA Newsletter

Saint Xavier University was featured in the Winter MAPPA Newsletter. MAPPA, the Midwest Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers, is dedicated to maintaining, protecting and promoting the quality of educational facilities.

Page 5 of the newsletter features an article submitted by the Saint Xavier University Facilities Management on the cost effectiveness of green construction.

SouthtownStar covers SXU students attending Inauguration

Read the Jan. 18 SouthtownStar story by Duaa Eldeib about the nine Saint Xavier University Students attending the Obama Inauguration.

SXU students attend Washington Center in week leading up to Inauguration

Listen to WBBM 780 AM interview

(From L to R) Mark Piper, Stoughton, WI; Jeff Otway, Frankfort; Brittne Martin, Chicago; Lindsey Herzog, Eder Prairie, MN; CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Bob Schieffer; Eric Gomez, Oak Forest; and Erin Slifka, Oak Lawn at the Washington Center in Washington, D.C.

Chicago (Jan. 16, 2009) Nine Saint Xavier University students glimpsed American politics in action this week, including the appointment of U.S. Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) and the U.S. Senate vote on the $350 billion stimulus package.

The students are attending seminars at the Washington Center in Washington, D.C. before seeing the historic inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama. Please CTRL + click here to listen to WBBM 780 AM news coverage of the trip.

The students have seen several high-profile figures in America’s political sphere, including White House Press Secretary Dana Perino, C-SPAN Founder and CEO Brian Lamb, Pakistan Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani, National Public Radio/British Broadcasting Corporation Senior News Analyst Ted Koppel and Chicago Tribune Senior Editorial Board Member/Columnist Clarence Page.

During a C-SPAN panel discussion, Saint Xavier student Amanda Holmes posed a question to C-SPAN Founder and CEO Brian Lamb. The interview will air at 7 p.m. EST on Friday, Jan. 16 on C-SPAN.

The students spent the next day in the U.S. Senate and witnessed several historic events. They first saw Vice President Dick Cheney swear in Roland Burris, recently impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s controversial choice to fill Obama’s vacant Senate seat.

Student Jeff Otway said seeing Burris sworn-in was a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience.
“How many times do constituents get the opportunity to see their senator sworn in?” he said.

After, they watched the vote on the Troubled Assets Relief Program, more commonly known as the $350 billion economic stimulus package.

Student Lindsey Herzog said seeing the Senators in action helped her think of them as people instead of distant figures on television.

“It allowed me to see their personalities,” she said. “It was also exciting to know I was witnessing a vote on an important bill that will hopefully help resolve our economic problems."

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Rick Ducat
773-298-3325 or ducat@sxu.edu

WBBM Radio 780 AM to interview SXU Students in Washington for Inauguration

Tune in Friday morning to WBBM 780 AM to catch an interview with Saint Xavier University students who are in Washington DC for the Presidential Inauguration. Nine SXU students accompanied by SXU Professor Larry Sondler are spending the week at the Washington Center attending public affairs seminars. Students also plan to attend one of the many presidential balls.

SXU's Identity theft and fraud expert to appear on "You and The Law"

Photo: SXU Prof. William Kresse (left); Ruth Kaufman, Chicago Bar Association member and host and producer of You and the Law (center); Assistant Attorney General Christine Nielsen, Consumer Fraud Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General's Office, (right).

Chicago (Jan. 15. 2009) – Saint Xavier Professor William Kresse will appear on an episode of You and the Law, produced by CBA Television Productions, Inc. a not-for-profit affiliate of the Chicago Bar Association.

The episode will air on CAN-TV21 (Chicago Access Network Channel 21) in Chicago this coming Monday evening at 10 PM.

Kresse took part in the taping of the episode titled “Credit Card Hacking” alongside fellow guest Assistant Attorney General Christine Nielsen and show host Ruth Kaufman.

He discussed the various ways a consumer’s credit information can be stolen, what a consumer can do if this happens, and what measures a consumer can take to prevent this from occurring.
The discussion also included the specific case of credit card information theft from millions of TJ Maxx and Marshall’s customers.

You and the Law is a topical, panel-format talk show, emphasizing the public service aspects of the law. The show explains issues, discusses the impact of public policy changes and court decisions, and stresses the role of lawyers and judges in making and influencing those decisions. The show is cablecast to more than 500,000 households throughout the Chicago area on cable channel 19, in three 12-week seasons per year.

Kresse is the director and architect of the financial fraud examination and management graduate program at Saint Xavier University’s Graham School of Management in Chicago, currently the only classroom-based MBA program in financial fraud and identity theft in the country.

The program combines elements of law enforcement, law, accounting and general business education. Saint Xavier recently 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 better train agents and officers in identity theft and financial and procurement fraud.

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SXU Nursing student travels to Washington for Inauguration

Read the Willow Springs Suburban Life article about Saint Xavier University nursing student Lisa Grisafe, of La Grange Park, going to Washington D.C. with eight other SXU students to study at the Washington Center in the week leading up to the Presidential Inauguration ceremonies.

CNN Expert cites Nursing and Education as two areas of growth in current economy

A CNN expert noted the two major areas of job growth in the current economy are health care and education. Almost half of the 30 fastest growing occupations are concentrated in health care, and historically education has been reasonably "recession proof," according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

We're glad he mentioned it! Here's why:

The Saint Xavier University School of Nursing is Illinois' first nursing program, and it is one of only 15 nationwide designated a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education.

The Saint Xavier University School of Education is renown for producing dedicated teachers, counselors and inspired school administrators. It is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) – the standard of excellence in teacher preparation.

Learn more about Saint Xavier's top-flight nursing and education undergraduate and graduate programs.

Day 2 of Week in Washington

Tuesday morning's session of the Presidential Inauguration Seminars attended by nine Saint Xavier Students this week at The Washington Center in Washington, D.C., will be broadcast on C-SPAN sometime between 8 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. this morning, Jan. 13. Look for our students during the question and answer period. The students are being escorted by SXU Professor Larry Sondler. Lincoln Memorial below.

The students will be in Washington all week leading up to the presidential inauguration.
Students attending are Rebecca Anderson, Eric Gomez, Lisa Grisafe, Lindsey Herzog, Amanda Holmes, Brittne Martin, Jeff Otway, Mark Piper, and Erin Slifka.

At the FDR Memorial standing in line with bronzes of a Depression-era unemployment line.

Saint Xavier students leave for inauguration

Braving the Chicago winter weather, nine Saint Xavier students climbed aboard a shuttle and left the SXU campus at 5:30 this morning to catch a flight to Washington, D.C., where they will spend the week at the Washington Center before attending to the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.

Escorted by Saint Xavier University Professor Larry Sondler, the students will spend the week attending seminars at the Washington Center and meeting such public affairs notables as CBS News' Bob Schieffer.

For media inquiries, please contact Joe Moore at (773) 298-3937 or (cell) (773) 203-6671.

SXU Gallery hosts visual artist/jazz singer Roberta Miles

“The Alchemy Series” exhibit runs Jan. 18-Feb. 5

Chicago (Jan. 9, 2009) Visual artist and jazz singer Roberta Miles’ artwork will be showcased beginning Jan. 18 at Saint Xavier University’s SXU Gallery, 3700 W. 103rd St., Chicago.

Miles also will give a jazz vocal performance and discuss her exhibit, “The Alchemy
Series,” at an artist’s reception at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 21 at the SXU Gallery.

“The Alchemy Series” is a continuation of a series Miles has been working on for the past four years, combining ground metals with pigments and building up many layers. Her work has been described as “ethereal, atmospheric and dreamlike.”

“Who I am as an artist is the possibility of beauty and self-expression,” she said. “This is the life of my unconscious. It is the unconscious transformed into color and texture.”
The exhibit runs through Feb. 3. It is free and open to the public.

The SXU Gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, please contact the SXU Gallery at (773) 298-3081.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Rick Ducat
773-298-3325 or ducat@sxu.edu

Chicago Sun-Times features Brittany Jones

View the Chicago Sun-Times article on the SXU student athlete Brittany Jones donation of her end of the semester Cougar Card surplus to the hungry, as well as a mention of junior forward Erin Hannemann earning CCAC Player of the Wee honors for the fourth time this season.

Broadcaster and A&E documentary host Bill Kurtis to speak at Saint Xavier Feb. 19th, 2009

Click here to view video of 2008 Squeaky Weal lecture series highlights

Chicago (Jan. 8, 2009) Acclaimed documentary host and producer, news anchor and rancher Bill Kurtis will discuss “The Case against America’s Diet” on Thursday, Feb. 19, as Saint Xavier University continues its 2008-09 Squeaky Weal Lecture Series. Kurtis will be in the Butler Reception Room in the Warde Academic Center at 6:30 p.m. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Kurtis will address the nation’s increasing obesity and health problems. As a rancher, active conservationist and supporter of small-town America, Kurtis founded Tallgrass Beef Company in 2005 to champion the environmental and health benefits of grass-fed cattle ranching.

“Saint Xavier is privileged to welcome Bill Kurtis to campus,” said Sister Joy Clough, R.S.M., of the University’s Office for Mission and Heritage. “His style of thoughtful, open inquiry into a topic that has implications for individual consumers and for the planet itself should make for a fascinating evening.”

A former CBS Morning News anchor, Kurtis also hosted the Peabody Award-winning series The New Explorers, which aired on A&E®. In 1990, he began producing programs for the A&E Network, including the long-running, award-winning Investigative Reports and Cold Case Files®, as well as Investigating History for The History Channel. Kurtis has also served as the host of A&E's American Justice – the longest running non-fiction justice series on cable. He is also known to some as the narrator in the Will Ferrell comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

SXU’s Squeaky Weal lecture series explores issues of public concern with an emphasis on their religious, moral or ethical implications for the common good. The series is sponsored by the Center for Religion and Public Discourse.

For more information, please contact the Center for Religion and Public Discourse at (773) 298-3981 ormailto:mareska@sxu.edu.

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Corporate rates available for Leadership Academy at SXU

Leadership Academy of the Southwest Suburbs sessions begin Feb. 6

Chicago (Jan. 8, 2009) Corporate rates are available for Leadership Academy of the Southwest Suburbs professional training seminars at Saint Xavier University’s Orland Park campus.

The program will be a series of eight half-day sessions led by certified instructors and regional business leaders who provide real-world experiences. Rates for two or more people from the same corporation are now $200 per person. Seminars begin Feb. 6, 2009.

LASS trains and motivates local business professionals who wish to advance their leadership capabilities and strengthen their businesses. Participants network and build relationships with current and future area leaders.

For more information about LASS, please contact Julie Casillas at (708) 633-4711 or casillas@sxu.edu, or visit www.sxu.edu/LASS.

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View SXU Associate Provost Dale Fast on CBS Chicago

View the Jan. 4 CBS Chicago story on financial aid and the economy featuring an interview with Associate Provost Dale Fast.

Prospective students can learn more about financial aid or enrollment at Saint Xavier University at http://www.sxu.edu/Administrative/Admission/gateway_future_student.asp.

SXU 2008-09 film series continues with “West Beirut”

Story set during Lebanese civil war is part of SXU’s “Film and the City” series

Chicago (Jan. 7, 2009) Saint Xavier University will screen the 1998 film “West Beirut” at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 13 in SXU’s McGuire Hall, Warde Academic Center, 3700 W. 103rd St., Chicago.

The screening is free and open to the public and is the third in SXU’s 2008-09 film series, “Film and the City.”

Directed by Ziad Doueiri, “West Beirut” is one of the most noteworthy films to come out of Lebanon’s protracted and devastating civil war. The film is a coming-of-age story tracking the lives of two friends as they negotiate the partition of their city during the civil war.

At first, the war is a lark: school has closed, the violence is fascinating and getting from West to East is a game. As the violence escalates, the film segues from adventure to tragedy.

“West Beirut” is 105 minutes long. This year’s film series is partially supported by a grant for the Illinois Arts Council, Saint Xavier’s College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Art and Design.

For more information, please contact Film Series Director Alison Fraunhar, Ph.D., at fraunhar@sxu.edu or (773)298-3083.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Rick Ducat
773-298-3325 or ducat@sxu.edu

SXU Students to travel to D.C. for Obama inauguration

Chicago (Jan. 7, 2009) Nine Saint Xavier University students will travel to Washington, D.C., to witness the historic inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, the nation’s first African-American president.

The students leave the morning of Saturday, Jan. 10 and will spend the week at the Washington Center. They will attend seminars conducted by public affairs notables, such as CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Bob Schieffer.

The students hail from across Chicagoland, including Chicago, Oak Forest, LaGrange Park, Frankfort and Oak Lawn, as well as Texas, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

If you would like to arrange an interview this week or capture video of these delighted students or their exciting departure on Saturday, please contact Joe Moore at (773) 298-3937 or (cell) (773) 203-6671.

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Saint Xavier University’s Jones Uses Meal Money to Feed the Homeless

CHICAGO – Brittany Jones (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew), a freshman forward on the Saint Xavier University women’s basketball team, knew she could not use up the $375 of excess funds on her meal card before the semester ended this past December. Since she knew the funds would not carry over to the next semester and did not want to use it to buy loads of unnecessary snacks and drinks, Jones figured out a better way to spend the excess money.

Working with SXU Dining Services, Jones used her remaining meal funds to purchase 60 pounds of turkey and ham, cheese, 26 loaves of bread, 150 apples, 150 bags of potato chips, boxes of snacks and 14 cases of pop and water. Along with the help of some of her Cougar teammates, Jones used the purchased food to create 150 sack lunches and distributed the lunches this past weekend to those in need using a group of volunteers based out of Robbins, Ill.

“Over the years, I have seen so many students use their extra money to stock up on snacks, drinks and even clothing at the University bookstore, but this is definitely a first,” said Saint Xavier University women’s basketball coach and athletics director Bob Hallberg. “This is such an act of pure unselfishness and captures the essence of what the holiday season is truly about. Not only did Brittany give up her extra money, but she also gave up her time during our holiday break to help take care of those who are less fortunate. Brittany is a very special type of person.”

Feeding the homeless was not her only act of goodwill during the holiday season. On Christmas Eve, Jones helped collect and distribute nearly 50 pairs of socks and shoes as well as individually wrapped Christmas gifts for homeless children around the Chicagoland area. Her mother, Pamela, also raised over $2000 this past Christmas season alone for families in need.

“My mother (Pamela) has always instilled in me a need to not be wasteful, because there is always someone who needs more than they have,” said Jones. “When I saw the amount of leftover money on my meal account, I knew I had to try and use it for a worthwhile purpose. I cannot thank Joseph Vetter (SXU’s Director of Dining Services) and Michael Smith (SXU Senior Executive Chef) enough for the help they provided in getting me the food for the sack lunches. My teammates were also a big help in dividing the food into individual lunches. This was definitely a team effort.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Rob Huizenga, SXU Sports Information

773-298-3110 (office)

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Saint Xavier University

Saint Xavier University’s Agatha O’Brien Hall receives LEED Gold designation

Illinois’ first LEED Gold University now first with two LEED Gold buildings

Chicago (Jan. 5, 2009) Saint Xavier University, the first Illinois school to receive the coveted Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold designation for one of its buildings, is now the first to have received two LEED Gold designations.

Agatha O’Brien Hall, the newest residence hall on Saint Xavier’s Chicago campus, has received the LEED Gold designation from the U.S. Green Building Council for sustainable building practices. The University previously received a LEED Gold designation in 2007 for Arthur Rubloff Hall. Just nine other universities in the country share the honor of having two LEED Gold buildings.

Learn more about SXU going green at http://greencampus.sxu.edu/.

Saint Xavier incorporated an exceptional number of strategies to protect the Earth’s natural resources into both buildings’ construction.

The energy-efficient 36,664 square-foot O’ Brien Hall was designed to use both natural and mechanical ventilation, and a 50-foot high circular glass stair tower draws tempered air to assist in summer night pre-cooling and winter heating. This concept improves building energy efficiency and occupant comfort.

The building uses 100 percent “Green-e” Power from mixed renewable energy products to carbon offset all electrical energy consumed in the residence. The roof features a solar reflection system, and the rain garden filters roof water runoff.

The indoor air quality in the student rooms is significantly above American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Inc. (ASHRAE) standards. All student rooms have windows that can be opened to promote natural ventilation air patterns, harvest natural daylight and allow beautiful views of the Saint Xavier campus, providing all students with a closer connection to nature.

The Illinois Chapter of ASHRAE recently presented Saint Xavier University with a 2008 Excellence in Engineering Award for O’Brien Hall. The award recognizes achievements in the design of new heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and retrofits. Rubloff Hall received the same award in 2007, and both halls were nominated for regional ASHRAE awards.


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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Rick Ducat
773-298-3325 or ducat@sxu.edu

green construction

Southtown Star features Saint Xavier's green efforts

Read the expansive SouthtownStar article on Saint Xavier University's groundbreaking efforts to go green.

SXU Assistant Vice President for Physical Facilities and Management Paul Mathews (pictured left) discusses Saint Xavier's pursuit of green power, its unique bike share program, and school's green construction which has led to receiving the first LEED Gold designation from the U.S. Green Building Council for a university in the state of Illinois.

Learn more about SXU going green at http://greencampus.sxu.edu/.

For more information contact:
Joe Moore
Director, Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or (cell) (773) 203-6671
jmoore@sxu.edu