SXU to honor James and Patricia Morris with the Shield of Saint Xavier at 27th Annual President's Scholarship Ball

SXU will bestow its highest honor on two of the University's most generous donors on Sat., March 24

Chicago (Oct. 28, 2011) James A. and Patricia A. Morris '83, Ph.D., will receive the Shield of Saint Xavier at the 27th Annual Saint Xavier University President’s Scholarship Ball on Saturday, March 24, 2012, at the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave. The Shield is awarded annually to individuals nominated by the University community and chosen by its Board of Trustees.

“The Shield of Saint Xavier is our University’s highest honor, awarded to recognize outstanding people for their enduring support of Saint Xavier’s mission of academic excellence and social concern,” said President Christine M. Wiseman, J.D.”Jim and Trish Morris are among the most fervent supporters and generous donors in University history, and we are deeply pleased to bestow this honor upon them."

The Morrises have a long and distinguished history with SXU. The Smith-Morris Quadrangle in the Chicago campus is named in their honor. They have made significant annual monetary gifts to underwrite and sponsor the Shield of Saint Xavier for the past eight years, given generously to the annual fund, and created a culture of giving among students through their matching support of the annual Class Gift program for the last 11 years. They have also created a legacy gift to Saint Xavier University.

Additionally, the Morrises have chaired the President’s Club and the President’s Scholarship Ball in the past. Patricia served on the Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2010 and was vice chair from 2007 to 2010.

The President’s Scholarship Ball has raised millions of dollars for the Presidential Scholarship Program, which provides financial support to Saint Xavier’s most deserving students. This gala event is open to the public and will be co-chaired by SXU Board of Trustees Chairman John T. Costello and Sally Clair. For more information or to make a reservation, please contact (773) 298-3748 or visit www.sxu.edu, keyword: ball.

Media interested in attending the Ball should contact Karla Thomas at (773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu.


-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

Video Alert - SXU and WGN-TV partner to honor outstanding Chicago-area teachers with Teacher of the Month program

Watch video of Michael Low of Little Village Lawndale High School



Chicago (Oct. 27, 2011) Saint Xavier University has partnered with WGN-TV Chicago to highlight the Teacher of the Month program, which honors educators who make a difference in their communities. Watch video of English literature and Japanese teacher Michael Low of Little Village Lawndale High School, 3120 S. Kostner Ave., Chicago, being honored as the second Teacher of the Month. Teachers of the Month also will appear on the SXU and WGN-TV websites.

The program recognizes outstanding kindergarten, elementary, junior high, high school, vocational, and special education teachers in Chicagoland and northwest Indiana. One teacher will be selected each month through June 2012 for a total of 10 honorees. Teachers of the Month are chosen based on educational achievements in the classroom, community contributions and innovativeness of the program/techniques used by the teacher. Each Teacher of the Month is featured on the WGN-TV news and will receive a certificate of recognition. Additionally, each Teacher of the Month will receive a $1,000 donation from SXU to purchase school supplies for his or her classroom.

Read more information about the Teacher of the Month program here. Nominate a teacher on WGN-TV's website here.

-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

Obama adviser Robert Gibbs speaks to nearly 1,000 at SXU

Former White House press secretary discussed major issues such as economic crisis and Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Chicago (Oct. 26, 2011) Nearly 1,000 people listened to longtime adviser to President Barack Obama and former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs' inside perspective on the economic crisis, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the changing media landscape, and the 2012 presidential race at Saint Xavier University's Voices and Visions Speaker Series on Oct. 20.

Gibbs has been an adviser and strategist to the President since the early days of Obama's 2004 Senate race and most recently served as White House press secretary. He participated in an exclusive classroom question and answer session with SXU students before his lecture, in which he discussed the many challenges he and the rest of the White House staff members faced.

Gibbs predicted Obama will face a close race in 2012, but will win a second term. He did not name his pick for a Republican candidate, but said the president is in "a good position politically." He recalled dealing with some of the most notable public relations challenges during his time at the White House, such as the fallout from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, unflattering comments made by a top general about Obama in a Rolling Stone magazine article, and the media's focus on the politics of health care reform rather than what was in the legislation.

Gibbs also discussed America's recent foreign policy successes, offering special insight on the Arab Spring on the very day former Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi was killed.

"The president deserves an enormous amount of credit for the way we've gone about executing the operations in Libya," he said. "We proved that the United States does not have to put tens of thousands of boots on the ground, that we can build coalitions that spread ... across a group of allies, yet still keep up the pressure on bad people like Gadhafi."

“We were thrilled to see so many people in attendance at this year’s Voices and Visions Speaker Series,” said Robert Tenczar, Vice President of University Relations for Saint Xavier University. "We believe the wide range of interest in this program is due to the diverse political, ideological, historical, and gender-based experiences of our many speakers. This vital program is a valuable learning experience for students outside of the classroom and is in keeping with many of the Universities core values including respect, excellence, compassion, hospitality and learning for life.”

Gibbs joined Obama's 2004 U.S. Senate campaign as communications director in 2004 and held the same title at the onset of the 2008 presidential campaign until becoming Senior Strategist for Communications and Message during the general election. During the four years of intense campaigning and close contact, Gibbs became an integral part of Obama's team. According to The New York Times, Gibbs advised Obama on politics, strategy and messaging, and spent more time with him than any other adviser. Gibbs assumed the role of the Obama administration’s press secretary on January 20, 2009.

Gibbs also served as press secretary of John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign and previously specialized in Senate campaigns, having served as communications director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and for four individual Senate campaigns. Gibbs also was the press secretary of Representative Bob Etheridge.

The SXU Voices and Visions Speaker Series is sponsored by University Relations and in part by the Student Government Association. Past speakers include the Hon. Madeleine Albright, Gen. Colin Powell, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, and Cokie Roberts. For more information about the event, please contact the Office of Special Events at (773) 298-3748 or specialevents@sxu.edu.

-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

Seminar to offer professional, personal and spiritual resources for families dealing with autism on Nov. 5

“Faith Renewed: Studying Autism, Finding Humility” with autism expert Prof. Sandra Burkhardt

Chicago (Oct. 26, 2011) Autism expert and Saint Xavier University Professor of Psychology Sandra Burkhardt, Ph.D., ABPP, will lead a seminar geared toward families of people with autism from 9:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. on Sat., Nov. 5 at the Mercy Convent/Cramer Room at 3659 W. 99th St., just east of Mother McAuley High School. The event is free and open to the public.

Burkhardt will lead the discussion titled “Faith Renewed: Studying Autism, Finding Humility." The event will give an overview of “Project Respect,” a Mercy-inspired community outreach program for families of persons with autism spectrum disorders, as well as professional, personal and spiritual resources to help families address the condition.

Burkhardt is a Fellow of the Academy of Clinical Psychology and was the first woman in Illinois to receive national specialty board certification in clinical child and adolescent psychology. Burkhardt received the Mary Pottery Humanitarian Award in 2007 for her work on behalf of families of persons with autism spectrum disorders.

This event is part of the "Growing in Wisdom, Age and Grace: Monthly Experiences in Spiritual Growth" spiritual ministry outreach series, put forth by the Sisters of Mercy and Mercy Associates. The program is motivated by the desire to seek fullness of life at every age, to develop a wide and spiritually grounded perspective animated by the Gospel of Jesus and the passionate, practical spirituality of Sisters of Mercy founder Catherine McAuley. The next event is "Catherine McAuley's Christian Beliefs and Motivations" with Sr. Mary C. Sullivan, dean emerita of the College of Liberal Arts at the Rochester Institute of Technology on Sat., Dec. 3.

For more information, please contact Avis Clendenen at clendenen@sxu.edu.

-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

SXU hosts Alumnae Voice Recital and book signing on Oct. 29

~Michelle Gliottoni-Rodriguez '02 will sing and sign copies of her first novel "Opera Macabre"~

Chicago (Oct. 24, 2011) Saint Xavier University's Department of Music will host "An Alumnae Voice Recital" at 7:30 p.m. on Sat., Oct. 29 in McGuire Hall, located in the Warde Academic Center at the Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St. The recital will include performances by soprano Gliottoni-Rodriguez, soprano Kojelyte Johnson '02, accompanist Monica Kropidlowski, and clarinetist Lara Ochoa-Regan '99. They will perform works by Mozart, Schubert, Verdi and other composers. Michelle Gliottoni-Rodriguez '02 also will host a signing of her first book, a Gothic romance titled Opera Macabre, in the lobby immediately following her performance.

Gliottoni-Rodriguez earned a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from SXU in 2002. She has appeared in numerous musical theatre works and has won various musical awards, including Semi-Finalist at the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition and third place in the Josephine Lipuma Vocal Scholarship Competition. She also is an avid writer and published her first novel, Opera Macabre, earlier this year.

Johnson received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Indiana University – South Bend in 2009 and is currently an SXU student. She has sung with the Saint Xavier University Orchestra, the Southwest Symphony Orchestra, the Saint Xavier University Women of Distinction chorus, the Saint Xavier University Chorale, and currently sings as a member of Saint Xavier’s Alumni Opera in an Hour productions. She studied opera in the Czech Republic and her vocal studies took her to France, Austria, and Italy.

For more information, contact (773) 298-3421 or visit www.sxu.edu, keyword: music.

-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

Explore the ethical issues in end-of-life care with nationally recognized bioethicist Daniel Sulmasy at SXU on Nov. 2

“Beyond Death Panels: Ethical Issues in Care at the End of Life" is part of SXU's Squeaky Weal Lecture Series

Chicago (Oct. 24, 2011) Physician and nationally recognized bioethicist Dr. Daniel Sulmasy will address the complicated and controversial topic of end-of-life health care as part of Saint Xavier University's Squeaky Weal Lecture Series. Sulmasy's lecture, titled “Beyond Death Panels: Ethical Issues in Care at the End of Life," is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Wed., Nov. 2 in the Butler Reception Room, located in the Warde Academic Center at the Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St. The event is free and open to the public.

Sulmasy is a practicing physician, a bioethicist, and a Franciscan friar. He is the associate director of the MacLean School of Clinical Medical Ethics at the University of Chicago and was selected by President Obama to be on the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues. He holds a Ph.D. in philosophy and authored a book titled A Balm for Gilead: Meditations on Spirituality and the Healing Arts.

The Squeaky Weal Lecture Series is a series of discussions on religion’s role in civic decision making, designed to promote thought and discourse for religious and ethical decision making on public issues. The series is sponsored by SXU's Center for Religion and Public Discourse and this lecture is co-sponsored by the School of Nursing.

For more information, please contact the Center for Religion and Public Discourse at (773) 298-3981 or mareska@sxu.edu, or visit www.sxu.edu, keyword: squeaky weal.

-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

Congresswoman Judy Biggert tours SXU's new state-of-the-art learning center

STEM Learning Center aims to improve area teachers' knowledge of science, technology, engineering and mathematics

Chicago (Oct. 19, 2011) Congresswoman Judy Biggert (IL-13) recently toured Saint Xavier University's new state-of-the-art learning center designed to improve south suburban teachers' knowledge in science and math at SXU's Orland Park campus, 18230 Orland Parkway.

In 2009, Biggert helped to secure federal support for the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Learning Center and for partnerships between SXU and schools in Chicago's south suburbs. The STEM Center provides hands-on science, math and technology programs designed to increase teachers' knowledge and skills in these areas. SXU School of Education staff will conduct site visits to schools in order to assess current and future progress and needs, and provide support and programming to teachers and administrators throughout the region.

“Our high-tech economy demands that our students have superior math and science skills,” said Biggert, a senior member on the House Education and the Workforce Committee as well as the Space, Science and Technology Committee. “Saint Xavier’s STEM Education Center meets a critical need in our community to ensure that public and private schools in suburban Chicago have trained, well-qualified STEM teachers, and that our students have the resources and the inspiration to pursue careers in these fields."

A $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education covered 100 percent of the cost of developing the STEM Center and operating it for its first two years.

For more information about SXU's STEM Learning Center, please contact the School of Education at (773) 298-3200 or visit www.sxu.edu, keyword: stem.

-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

Congresswoman Judy Biggert tours SXU's new state-of-the-art learning center

STEM Learning Center aims to improve area teachers' knowledge of science, technology, engineering and mathematics

Congresswoman Judy Biggert (left) watches a demonstration of an experiment using an iPad at SXU's STEM Learning Center.

Chicago (Oct. 19, 2011) Congresswoman Judy Biggert (IL-13) recently toured Saint Xavier University's new state-of-the-art learning center designed to improve south suburban teachers' knowledge in science and math at SXU's Orland Park campus, 18230 Orland Parkway.

In 2009, Biggert helped to secure federal support for the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Learning Center and for partnerships between SXU and schools in Chicago's south suburbs. The STEM Center provides hands-on science, math and technology programs designed to increase teachers' knowledge and skills in these areas. SXU School of Education staff will conduct site visits to schools in order to assess current and future progress and needs, and provide support and programming to teachers and administrators throughout the region.

“Our high-tech economy demands that our students have superior math and science skills,” said Biggert, a senior member on the House Education and the Workforce Committee as well as the Space, Science and Technology Committee. “Saint Xavier’s STEM Education Center meets a critical need in our community to ensure that public and private schools in suburban Chicago have trained, well-qualified STEM teachers, and that our students have the resources and the inspiration to pursue careers in these fields."

A $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education covered 100 percent of the cost of developing the STEM Center and operating it for its first two years.

For more information about SXU's STEM Learning Center, please contact the School of Education at (773) 298-3200 or visit www.sxu.edu, keyword: stem.

-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

SXU dedicates new nursing lab and endowed scholarship named for alumna

Mary Kay '44 and Charles E. Schmidt Lifespan Learning Lab made possible by generous donation

(L to R) President Christine M. Wiseman, J.D., Charles E. Schmidt and School of Nursing Dean Gloria Jacobson, R.N., Ph.D., outside the newly dedicated Schmidt Lifespan Learning Lab.

Chicago (Oct. 18, 2011) The Saint Xavier University community recently celebrated the dedication of the Mary Kay ’44 and Charles E. Schmidt Lifespan Learning Lab in the School of Nursing. More than 150 of Charles and Mary Kay Schmidt’s family and friends gathered at McDonough Chapel for a liturgy in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt on Oct. 9. Following the liturgy, nursing students escorted guests to the School of Nursing for the special dedication and blessing of the new Lifespan Learning Lab.

President Christine M. Wiseman, J.D. was delighted to accept a $100,000 gift in March, 2011 from Charles E. Schmidt, widower of Mary Kay Millea Schmidt ’44, for the naming of the lab. This important addition to SXU's Nursing Resource Center will help students develop and refine their skills in a controlled environment. It features special equipment to simulate caring for infants, children and adults, as well as rooms to support gerontology coursework and prepare students for community health clinical experiences. The gift also provides for an endowed scholarship in memory of Mary Kay.

Mary Kay, a proud nursing alumna, died in 2010. Mr. Schmidt was pleased to honor the memory of his beloved Mary Kay with this generous gift to the University.

For more information about the School of Nursing, please contact (773) 298-3701 or visit www.sxu.edu, keyword: nursing.


-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

See the restored version of German sci-fi classic film "Metropolis" at SXU

6:30 p.m. on Thurs., Nov. 10 in McGuire Hall

Chicago (Oct. 14, 2011) Saint Xavier University will host a screening of the restored version of the German classic sci-fi film Metropolis from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thurs., Nov. 10 in McGuire Hall, located in the Warde Academic Center at the Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St.

Directed by Fritz Lang, the 1927 classic film about a futuristic urban dystopia is widely regarded as one of the greatest movies ever made. It was the most expensive silent film ever made and the special effects are still spectacular more than eighty years later. Metropolis was cut substantially after its German premiere, and much footage was lost as time passed. In 2008, about thirty minutes of lost footage was found in Argentina. The F. W. Murnau Foundation spent two years completely restoring the film, putting the scenes in the proper order with the correct soundtrack and at the right speed. The restored Metropolis was first shown in Berlin in February 2010, and Roger Ebert called it "the film event of the year." The Music Box Theater hosted the Chicago premiere later that year.

This event is sponsored by SXU's Robert and Mary Rita Murphy Stump Library. For more information, visit www.sxu.edu, keyword: library or contact Library Director Mark Vargas at (773) 298-3352.


-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

Get info about Medicare, social security and more at Senior Fair on Oct. 17 at SXU

Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-3) will address attendees

Chicago (Oct. 14, 2011) Senior citizens can get assistance from government agencies and area businesses about a variety of issues at Congressman Dan Lipinski's (IL-3) Senior Fair from 10 a.m. to noon on Mon., Oct. 17 at Saint Xavier University's Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St. More than 300 people are expected to attend this event.

The Senior Fair offers a one-stop shop for area residents to get information on issues such as Medicare, cell phone programs for seniors, public transportation, Secretary of State services, social security and more. Lipinski also will attend the fair and give a speech.

The following vendors are scheduled to attend the fair: the Regional Transportation Authority, Walgreen's, Archer Pharmacy, State Treasurer's Office, Secretary of State's Office, the Illinois Attorney General's Office, Reverse Mortgage, A Touch of Grace Hospice, Senior Suites of Garfield Ridge, Humana, Cook County Clerk's Office, Cook County Sherriff's Office, Wellcare Health Plans, Mutual of Omaha, American Cancer Society, Home Instead, Walden and Reed, Comfort Keepers, Citizens Utility Board, Patient Circle of Care, Illinois Health Connect, Shaklee, Spring Leaf, and The British Home.

For more information, please contact the Shannon Center at (773) 298-3101.


-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

Financial Planning Association of Illinois – South Suburban Council donates more than $1,000 to SXU student scholarship

Scholarship named in honor of beloved former business instructor Jim McCabe

(L to R) Financial Planning Association of Illinois – South Suburban Council President Lori Barone, CFP, SXU President Christine M. Wiseman, J.D., and SXU Senior Associate Director for Leadership Giving Jill Roggeveen with a generous donation from the FPA to the Jim McCabe Scholarship.

Chicago (Oct. 13, 2011) Saint Xavier University is pleased to announce a recent $1,096 donation from the Financial Planning Association of Illinois – South Suburban Council (FPA) to a scholarship for business students.

President Christine M. Wiseman, J.D. personally accepted the check for the Jim McCabe Scholarship, created in honor of beloved former Graham School of Management professor Jim McCabe, during a recent FPA meeting. The group made another $1,000 gift to the fund in August. To date, SXU has raised nearly $19,000 of the $20,000 minimum endowment goal. Once endowed, the Jim McCabe Scholarship will become the second endowed scholarship available for business students.

McCabe worked at SXU for more than 25 years before passing away from cancer in 2010. He dedicated himself to serving students as an instructor in the management and financial fraud examination programs, and served as assistant director of graduate and registered programs. He also was active in the FPA and founded its South Suburban Council.

"We appreciate Financial Planning Association of Illinois' generous support of this worthy cause, which honors Jim McCabe's memory and lays the foundation for future generations of business students," said Vice President for University Advancement Steven Murphy, Ed.D.

For more information or to donate to the McCabe Scholarship, please contact Jill Roggeveen in the Office for University Advancement at (773) 298-3317.


-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

Explore the connection between ancient Roman gladiators and NASCAR at SXU on Nov. 3

"Bread and Circuses: Truth and Fiction in the Ancient Gladiator and Chariot Arena" with Western Illinois University Professor Lee Brice

Chicago (Oct. 13, 2011) What do ancient Roman gladiators and NASCAR have in common? Find out at "Bread and Circuses: Truth and Fiction in the Ancient Gladiator and Chariot Arena" with Western Illinois University (WIU) Associate Professor of History Lee L. Brice from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thurs., Nov. 3 in the Bishop Quarter Room.

Gladiators fighting to the death in the Coliseum remains one of our most prevalent images associated with ancient Rome. Like many modern sports, the ancient arena drew huge crowds. Yet critics dismissed these events as “bread and circuses” created to distract the masses, and similar criticisms are leveled against TV and modern entertainment such as professional wrestling and NASCAR. This illustrated presentation considers the reality of gladiators and chariot-racing and the value of drawing connections to modern entertainment.

Brice holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His primary area of research concerns mutinies in the Roman army, but he also maintains a study of the coins of Greek Corinth. He was a Tytus Fellow at the University of Cincinnati, and received WIU's "Outstanding First-Year Experience Teacher" award. His publications include articles on the Roman army as a peace-keeping force, the treatment of the Roman army in the HBO/BBC TV series Rome, Octavian Caesar and the Roman army, and a forthcoming article examining the Athenian invasion of Sicily in 415 BCE. In addition to his articles, Brice is co-editor of Recent Directions in the Military History of the Ancient World.

This program is made possible in part by an award from the Illinois Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Illinois General Assembly. For more information, contact SXU's Robert and Mary Rita Murphy Stump Library at (773) 298-3350 or visit www.sxu.edu, keyword: library.


-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

Celebrate creative broadcasting by listening to WXAV 88.3FM today on College Radio Day

WXAV Station Manager Peter Kreten co-founded international event recognizing this unique form of media

Celebrate creative broadcasting by listening to Saint Xavier University's student-run radio station WXAV 88.3FM on the first College Radio Day, Tues., Oct. 11.

The event aims to raise greater awareness of North America's many college radio stations, said WXAV Station Manager and event co-founder Peter Kreten. More than 300 stations from 44 states and three countries have signed up to participate in the event, including Northwestern University, Southern Illinois University, DePaul University, Loyola University and North Central College.

WXAV's theme for the day is "Past, Present and Future." Scott Lucas, of the groups Local H and Scott Lucas & The Married Men, will give a special in-studio interview and acoustic performance. The station will feature a day of music from college radio giants such as R.E.M., The Pixies, Talking Heads, Arcade Fire, The Shins, The Libertines, Shayfer James, Murder by Death, NewVillagers, and William Elliott Whitmore. Additionally, WXAV will air a three-part documentary called "College Radio: Its Past, Present and Future" as well as a documentary about the founding of WXAV and its history.

"College radio is one of the last remaining bastions of creative programming that's free from the restrictions of commercial viability," Kreten said. "It offers unique, fearless programming that play unsigned, local and independent artists on a regular basis."

For more information, visit the College Radio Day website or contact WXAV at (773) 298-3375.

-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

Learn fun and helpful fitness facts at SXU's first 2011-12 John T. Farrell, Sr. Forum on Tues., Oct. 18

Join fitness expert Nancy Norkiewicz for "Fitness Facts, Fallacies and Fit-tastic Foods"

Chicago (Oct. 11, 2011) Learn fun and helpful fitness facts on Tues., Oct. 18 at the first lecture in the 2011-12 John T. Farrell, Sr. Forum series, hosted by Saint Xavier University's Renaissance Academy.

Fitness expert Nancy Norkiewicz will present "Fitness Facts, Fallacies and Fit-tastic Foods" from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Butler Reception Room, located in the Warde Academic Center at SXU's Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St. This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

Norkiewicz said the easy-to-understand presentation will explore simple exercises, how to use exercise equipment and nutrition issues in a non-intimidating manner.

"It's fun, easy, affordable things people can do to make a difference in their health and fitness," Norkiewicz said.

A physical fitness instructor at Moraine Valley Community College, Norkiewicz previously served as a coach, personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and corporate fitness programmer. She also was a columnist for the Southtown Star for almost ten years.

The forum is named in honor of John T. Farrell Sr., a senior economic research analyst and deputy branch chief for the Central Intelligence Agency from 1952 to 1979. Farrell and his wife, Lucille, were facilitators at the Renaissance Academy, teaching a class called “Inside Washington” and a writing workshop. After his death in 1994, Lucille gave a contribution to fund the speaker’s bureau in his name.

The Renaissance Academy is designed with the goal of providing intellectual growth, enrichment and fellowship. This collegial association encourages development of new interests and is part of the Saint Xavier University's community outreach program. The courses are interactive and are enriched by the active participation and fellowship of the participants. Members consist of retired and semi-retired men and women interested in pursuing life-long learning opportunities.

For more information, please contact Kathleen Fassl at (773) 233-3770.


-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

SXU celebrates grand re-opening of Robert and Mary Rita Murphy Stump Library

Area elected officials attended ribbon-cutting ceremony at state-of-the-art facility

(L to R) State Sen. Edward Maloney (D-18th), Mary Rita Stump, Robert Stump, President Christine M. Wiseman, J.D., State Rep. Kelly Burke (D-36th), and Chicago Ald. Matt O'Shea (19th) at the grand re-opening of SXU's Robert and Mary Rita Murphy Stump Library.

Chicago (Oct. 10, 2011) Saint Xavier University celebrated the grand re-opening of its newly renovated Robert and Mary Rita Murphy Stump Library on Mon., Oct. 3 at its Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St.

Library staff and student workers offered guided tours of the new state-of-the art learning facility. Renovations include a remodeled reading room with new furniture, lighting, millwork, improved wireless connectivity, windows to the group study rooms, a raised ADA-compatible floor with power outlets every ten feet and additional computers. The lobby has a new help desk, lighting and millwork. Other renovations include a new entranceway to the group study rooms, new touchscreen scanners, copiers and printers, and enhanced lighting in the compact shelving area.

The Robert and Mary Rita Murphy Stump Library is dedicated to providing access to information resources, facilitating their use in the learning process, and reinforcing the University values of academic integrity and lifelong learning. It was named in honor of Robert and Mary Rita Stump, whose philanthropic spirit and affection for Saint Xavier University include real estate for the Orland Park campus and financial gifts. Robert and Mary Rita Stump also were honored with Doctor of Public Service degrees, honoris causa, during the 2009 undergraduate commencement ceremony. They exemplify the mission and core values of Saint Xavier University, and the University is honored by their historic support.

For more information about The Robert and Mary Rita Murphy Stump Library, contact Library Director Mark Vargas at vargas@sxu.edu or (773) 298-3350.


-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

Prospective students: Learn about SXU at Fall Campus Visit Day

Get info about programs, campus life, scholarships, financial aid and more on Oct. 16

Chicago (Oct. 6, 2011) Are you considering attending college? If so, join us at the Fall Campus Visit Day to learn more about Saint Xavier University (SXU). Prospective students can learn about academic programs, campus life, scholarship opportunities, financial aid options and much more. SXU’s Fall Campus Visit Day will be held on Sunday, Oct. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon. Register online here.

Visitors will have the opportunity to speak with faculty, staff, and students to discover the many reasons why U.S. News and World Report ranks Saint Xavier University in the top 25 percent of Midwestern universities in its category. The day begins with a check-in and breakfast from 9 to 9:30 a.m. at the Shannon Center, and welcome remarks will follow from 9:30 to 10 a.m. Afterwards, visitors can enjoy several information sessions from 10 a.m. to noon, including:

• Foundations of Excellence: Quality Academic Programs
• Teaching and Learning: A Student-Centered Approach
• Getting Involved: Life Outside the Classroom
• Affordability and SXU: Understanding the Financial Aid Process

Please R.S.V.P. here by Tues., Oct. 11. For more information, contact the Office of Admission at (800) 462-9288 or admission@sxu.edu.

-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

Tickets still available for Obama adviser Robert Gibbs’ lecture at SXU

Former White House press secretary will speak on Thurs., Oct. 20

Chicago (Oct. 6, 2011) Tickets are still available to see longtime adviser to President Barack Obama and former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs at Saint Xavier University. Gibbs will speak at 7 p.m. on Thurs., Oct. 20 in the Shannon Center at the University’s Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St., as part of SXU's Voices and Visions Speaker Series.

General admission tickets are $20 plus service charge. A limited number of $200 priority tickets are available, which include priority seating and admission to an exclusive post-lecture wine and cheese reception with Gibbs. Tickets may be purchased online at www.sxu.edu,, keyword: voices or by calling (866) 468-3401.

Gibbs has been an adviser and strategist to the President since the early days of Obama's 2004 Senate race and most recently served as White House press secretary. Gibbs is one of Obama's masterminds and he can speak with great authority and accuracy from a White House insider's perspective on many issues that have crossed the President's desk. His leadership of Obama's campaigns makes him a valuable commentator on the upcoming 2012 elections.

Gibbs joined Obama's 2004 U.S. Senate campaign as communications director in 2004 and held the same title at the onset of the 2008 presidential campaign until becoming Senior Strategist for Communications and Message during the general election. During the four years of intense campaigning and close contact, Gibbs became an integral part of Obama's team. According to The New York Times, Gibbs advised Obama on politics, strategy and messaging, and spent more time with him than any other adviser. Gibbs assumed the role of the Obama administration’s press secretary on January 20, 2009.

Gibbs also served as press secretary of John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign and previously specialized in Senate campaigns, having served as communications director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and for four individual Senate campaigns. Gibbs also was the press secretary of Representative Bob Etheridge.

Prior to his lecture, Gibbs will participate in an exclusive classroom discussion with select SXU students.

The SXU Voices and Visions Speaker Series is sponsored by University Relations and in part by the Student Government Association. For more information about the event, please contact the Office of Special Events at (773) 298-3748 or specialevents@sxu.edu.

Media interested in interviewing Gibbs should contact Executive Director of Media Relations Karla Thomas at (773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu.

-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

Learn about the Daley family's rise to power at 6:30 p.m. on Thurs., Oct. 13 at SXU

"The Daleys of Chicago: An American Family" with Columbia College Professor Dominic Pacyga, Ph.D.


Chicago (Oct. 5, 2011) Learn more about the Daley family's rise to political power and their role in shaping Chicago from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thurs., Oct.13 at Saint Xavier University. Dominic Pacyga, Ph.D., of Columbia College will present "The Daleys of Chicago: An American Family" in the Bishop Quarter Room, located in the Warde Academic Center at SXU's Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St. This event is free and open to the public.

During the past 50 years, no other family has influenced an American city like the Daleys have in Chicago. Rising out of Chicago's intensely working-class, multi-ethnic Bridgeport neighborhood, the Daley’s came to national prominence. With the possible exceptions of the Kennedy, Clinton and Bush families, no other family has had as great an influence on the national political stage. Pacyga's presentation will examine the rise of the Daley family and explore how their Catholic working-class culture influenced them, as well as the four Daley brothers' roles as inheritors of the family's political fortunes.

Pacyga is a professor of history in the Department of Humanities, History, and Social Sciences at Columbia College in Chicago. He has worked on five books about Chicago's history and lectured widely on a variety of topics, including urban development, labor history, immigration, and racial and ethnic relations. He has worked with the Chicago History Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Field Museum in Chicago on a variety of public history projects and has appeared in both local and national media. Pacyga has also consulted with numerous neighborhood organizations, student groups, and ethnic, labor, and fraternal groups to preserve and exhibit their histories.


-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

Classical guitarist Peter Fletcher to play at SXU on Thurs., Oct. 6

Carnegie Hall performer will play works by Bach, Ravel and more

Chicago (Oct. 4, 2011) Classical guitarist Peter Fletcher will play a free concert from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thurs., Oct. 6 at Saint Xavier University's McGuire Hall, located in the Warde Academic Center at the Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St.

Fletcher has played Carnegie Hall four times and will display his astounding repertoire, which includes works by Pretorius, Ravel, Bach and Tarrega. Fletcher will give his fifth performance at Carnegie Hall later this season, where he will premiere a major work by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco titled “Divan of Moses-ibn-Ezra” with acclaimed tenor David Michael Schuster. In addition, Fletcher and Schuster will give the world premiere of a work they commissioned from New York-based composer Clarice Assad.

Fletcher began studying guitar when he was seven. He made his formal debut at age 15 with The Brasstown Concert Association in North Carolina in 1983. As a performer in the Christopher Parkening master class, Fletcher was chosen to play in the student recital for two consecutive years. The class was broadcast on National Public Radio in 1988. The Music Teacher’s National Association awarded Fletcher a prize at its National Level Competition in 1990. He earned a Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music under Nicholas Goluses in 1995 and has received the Eastman Graduate Award twice.

This event is sponsored by SXU's Robert and Mary Rita Murphy Stump Library.



-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu

SXU to host "Stop the Killing of Women in Juarez!" on Oct. 6

Marisela Ortiz Rivera of Bring Our Daughters Back Home will speak about the nearly 400 young women who were kidnapped and murdered

Chicago (Oct. 4, 2011) In response to the kidnapping and murder of hundreds of young women in Mexico, Saint Xavier University will host “Stop the Killing of Women in Juarez!” on Thurs., Oct. 6 at its Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St. The event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Fourth Floor Board Room, located in the Warde Academic Center. It is free and open to the public.

Marisela Ortiz Rivera, co-founder of the human rights group Bring Our Daughters Back Home/Nuestras Hijas de Regreso a Casa, will give a presentation about the nearly 400 young women who have been kidnapped, tortured and murdered in the border city of Juarez, Mexico during the past 20 years.

Ortiz Rivera co-founded the group after one of her students, 17-year-old Lilia Alejandra, joined the list of victims. Ortiz Rivera and Norma Andrade, Alejandra's mother, united to bring the world's attention to these murders and their grievous toll on the community. Ortiz Rivera has received numerous death threats for her work and her son-in-law Jesus Alfredo Portillo Santos, who also was a partner in the advocacy work, was murdered. Faced with what her group considers the indifference of local police, Ortiz Rivera is now seeking political asylum in the United States.

This event is sponsored by the Latino/Latin American Studies program.


-SXU-

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu