SXU opens 2009-10 Catholic Colloquium lecture series

Bishop Robert F. Morneau to speak on humanity’s hunger for meaning

Chicago (Sept. 15, 2009) Bishop Robert F. Morneau, author, poet, and popular speaker on spirituality, will explore “Hungers of the Human Heart: A Catholic Poetic Perspective” when he speaks at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 24 in the Butler Reception Room at Saint Xavier University's Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St.

Bishop Morneau’s presentation, which is free and open to the public, will open Saint Xavier University’s 2009-10 Catholic Colloquium Lecture Series. Drawing on the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins, Jessica Powers and others, Bishop Morneau will address human longings such as the hungers for intimacy, meaning and commitment. His lecture is part of Saint Xavier’s annual Mercy Day celebration and the University’s 2009 Homecoming Week festivities.

“We are pleased to welcome Bishop Morneau to the Saint Xavier campus and to make his spiritual insights available to our campus and neighboring communities,” said Sister Susan Sanders, R.S.M., Ph.D., vice president for University Mission and Heritage, which sponsors the Catholic Colloquium series. “His presence adds special depth to this week’s Homecoming and Mercy Day events here at the University.”

For more information, please contact the Office for University Mission and Heritage at (773) 298-3981 or mareska@sxu.edu.

-SXU-

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Jay Foot

Executive Director of Media Relations

(773) 298-3937 or foot@sxu.edu

SXU holds 2nd annual Campus Safety Day during FEMA National Preparedness Month

Sept. 28 event is open to University community, public

Chicago (Sept. 15, 2009) Saint Xavier University students, faculty, staff and the public are invited to experience Campus Safety Day during FEMA’s National Preparedness Month on Monday, Sept. 28 at the Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St.

Visitors will learn about the latest emergency response and management equipment, technology, and safety procedures in place for a variety of disasters ranging from winter storms and fires to campus violence. There also will be lectures on preparedness, educational displays from various agencies such as the American Red Cross and the Chicago Police Department and an emergency response vehicle display tour.

Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to view the video Shots fired on Campus: When Lightning Strikes, which provides guidance for surviving a campus violence situation. A complete schedule of events is listed at the end of this release.

“The objective of Campus Safety Day is to educate the Saint Xavier community on the basics of individual disaster preparedness where fire, behavioral and weather emergencies are concerned, said Paul Kolessar, Chief of Police and Director for the Department of Public Safety. "We expect these efforts to increase awareness among the campus community and surrounding neighborhood, and boost confidence in federal, state and local response capabilities, operating under FEMA’s incident command system.”

Informational displays will be featured from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Butler Reception Room in the Warde Academic Center. Presenters include the American Red Cross, the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago Fire Department, the Evergreen Park Police Department, the Oak Lawn Police Department, the Orland Park Police Department, Pillars Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services, the SXU Counseling and Career Services, the SXU Health Center and SXU Public Safety

Lectures and Presentations:

American Red Cross: “Be Red Cross Ready and Winter Safety”
9 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.
Butler Reception Room, Warde Academic Center

Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communication: “Emergency Management Preparedness”
10 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. and noon to 12:50 p.m.
Butler Reception Room, Warde Academic Center

”Disaster Planning and Recovery: Where Plans Fail or Succeed” presented by John Watson, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. – Insurance Brokerage and Risk Management
Noon to 12:50 p.m.
McGuire hall

”Students in Distress” presented by John Watson, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. – Insurance Brokerage and Risk Management
2 p.m. to 2:50 p.m.
McGuire hall

”Communications During and After Disasters” presented by John Watson, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. – Insurance Brokerage and Risk Management
3 p.m. to 3:50 p.m.
Butler reception Room, Warde Academic Center

Video presentation: Shots Fired on Campus: When Lightning Strikes
8 a.m. to 8:40 a.m., 9 a.m. to 9:40 a.m., 10 a.m. to 10:40 a.m., 11 a.m. to 11:40 a.m., 1 p.m. to 1:40 p.m., 3 p.m. to 3:40 p.m., 4 p.m. to 4:40 p.m.
McGuire hall

Emergency Response Vehicle Display and Tour: Featuring Illinois National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction – Civil Support Team and American Red Cross Communications Response Vehicle
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Parking lot 2, between Shannon Center and Pacelli Hall

-SXU-

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Jay Foot
Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or foot@sxu.edu

SXU celebrates 2009 Homecoming and Family Week

Includes Saturday Night Lights Homecoming football game, Cougar 5k Run/Walk and 50th Anniversary of Ludden Speech and Language Clinic

Chicago (Sept. 14, 2009) Alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends are invited to Saint Xavier University’s 2009 Homecoming and Family Week celebration beginning Sept. 21 at the Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St. View additional information about Saint Xavier’s 2009 Homecoming Week for ticket prices or to R.S.V.P. for an event.

Monday, Sept. 21

Networking 101: Make the SXU Connection, 6:30 p.m., Butler Reception Room. Counseling and Career Services invites Saint Xavier students and alumni to a special program designed to help participants learn and practice effective networking skills.
Wednesday, Sept. 23

A Celebration of Poetic Expressions, 6:30 p.m., Gilhooley’s Grande Saloon.
An open mic forum/reception with live music and local poetic talent.

Thursday, Sept. 24 – Mercy Day

Liturgy commemorating the traditional Feast of Our Lady of Mercy, noon, McDonough Chapel.

Commissioning of Campus Leaders, 3:30 p.m., Academy Bell.
This annual ceremony celebrates campus leaders who exemplify respect, compassion, integrity and service.

Dedication of the 49th Street Gateway Arch, 3:50 p.m., Smith-Morris Quad.
A ceremony for the new arch at the Chicago campus, which commemorates the alumnae of Saint Xavier’s old campus at 49th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue.

Golden Graduate Society Tea, 4 p.m., Fourth Floor Board Room.
A special afternoon tea for alumnae of Saint Xavier’s 49th Street and Cottage Grove Ave. campus to honor the University’s rich history and exciting future.

Catholic Colloquium Lecture Series: Bishop Robert F. Morneau, 7 p.m., Butler Reception Room.
Auxiliary Bishop of Green Bay Robert F. Morneau will lead a public discourse on the topic “Hungers of the Human Heart: A Catholic Poetic Perspective.” This lecture, which is free and open to the public, reflects on the hunger for meaning, commitment, quality, integration and intimacy.

Friday, Sept. 25

Academic Distinguished Alumni Awards, 6:30 p.m., Butler Reception Room.
A ceremony recognizing the achievements of five Saint Xavier alumni.

Saturday, Sept. 26

Ninth Annual Cougar 5k Run/Walk, 9 a.m., Shannon Center.
Saint Xavier’s annual 5k race begins and ends on campus and travels through Evergreen Park. All participants receive an SXU shirt, refreshments and a ticket to the Homecoming football game upon request.

Cougar Brunch, 10 a.m., Gilhooley’s Grande Saloon.
A post-Cougar 5k brunch.

Ludden Speech and Language Clinic’s 50th Anniversary Luncheon, noon, Butler Reception Room.
A luncheon commemorating the 50th Anniversary of both the Ludden Clinic and the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Guest speaker Catherine Gottfred, Ph.D., CCC/SLP, founder and president of Leap Learning Systems, will discuss the development and direction of the profession.

Pre-game Family Festival, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Smith-Morris Quad.
A tailgate with activities for kids, including inflatables, face painting, games, activities and the Scales & Tales Traveling Zoo. Food and beverage tickets will be available for purchase.

Class of ’69 Chicago Campus Shuttle Bus Tour, 2 p.m., Mercy Ministry Center.
A narrated bus tour of Saint Xavier’s Chicago campus, showcasing its amazing transformations over the years.

Class of ’69 Reunion Reception, 3 p.m., O’Malley Quad.
A 40th reunion celebration for alumni. The reception will include hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine and live entertainment.

Pre-game Tailgate & Reunion Celebration, 3 to 6 p.m., Deaton Field.
All alumni are invited to a celebration with the reunion classes of ’79, ’84, ’89, ’99 and ’04. This year’s celebration includes the Gilhooley’s Alumni Reunion Tent (guests must be 21 and older), bean bag competitions, a caricature artist, live entertainment and food and beverage tickets for purchase.

Saturday Night Lights Homecoming Football Game, 6 p.m., Deaton Field.
Cheer the Cougars to victory over Quincy University. A post-game fireworks display, hosted by the Alumni Association, will follow the game.

Sunday, Sept. 27

Alumni Mass, 10 a.m., McDonough Chapel.

Alumni Association Awards Ceremony and brunch, 11:30 a.m., Butler Reception Room.
A ceremony honoring three remarkable Saint Xavier graduates.

-SXU-

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Jay Foot
Executive Director of Media Relations (773) 298-3937 or foot@sxu.edu

SXU begins 2009-10 Film Series with Meet Me in St. Louis

First in “Children on Screen: Film and Childhood” series

Chicago (Sept. 10, 2009) Saint Xavier University will screen the 1944 film Meet Me in St. Louis at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17 in McGuire Hall, Warde Academic Center, 3700 W. 103rd St., Chicago.

Admission is free and open to the public.

Starring Judy Garland and Margaret O’Brian, Meet Me in St. Louis tells the story of four sisters in St. Louis at the turn of the 20th century. Director Vincent Minnelli masterfully incorporates the newly available Technicolor in this film and ultimately transforms appreciation for the American musical. Featured songs are classics in American popular music and include “The Trolley Song” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

Meet Me in St. Louis is the first of six movies in Saint Xavier’s 2009-10 film series, “Children on Screen: Film and Childhood.” This year’s film series offers an array of screenings that show the world through a child’s eyes and perception. Upcoming films include Red Balloon, The 400 Blows, My Life as a Dog, Color of Paradise, Valentin and Pan’s Labyrinth.

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

-SXU-

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Jay Foot
Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or foot@sxu.edu

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley honors SXU for environmental sustainability efforts

City resolution commends University, President Dwyer for “serious and significant commitment” to green building

Chicago (Sept. 9, 2009) Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and the city council honored Saint Xavier University and its president, Judith A. Dwyer, Ph.D., with a resolution commending the University’s efforts toward environmental sustainability during a ceremony today at Chicago City Hall.

The resolution congratulates the University for its “serious and significant commitment to the principle that higher education must be at the forefront of sustainable, ‘green’ building practices,” and outlines several of Saint Xavier’s sustainability accomplishments, including:

• Saint Xavier being the first University in Illinois to have two Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certified buildings, and one of only 11 universities in the country to accomplish this feat.
• The GreenBike Share program, which allows University community members to borrow bikes from docking stations across the Chicago campus.
• Saint Xavier being the first higher education institution in Chicago to sign the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, a pledge by more than 650 colleges and universities across the nation to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and become climate neutral.

“On behalf of the Saint Xavier Community, I wish to thank Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and the City Council for this honor,” said Dwyer. “We are proud to see Saint Xavier’s sustainability efforts recognized by the City of Chicago under the leadership of Mayor Daley, who is clearly one of our nation’s foremost leaders in sustainability initiatives.”

To view the full text of the City Council resolution, please click here. For more information about Saint Xavier’s sustainability efforts, please visit http://greencampus.sxu.edu/.

SXU president appears in Crain’s annual “Who’s Who in Chicago Business” list

Judith A. Dwyer, Ph.D., named for second consecutive year

Chicago (Sept. 8, 2009) Saint Xavier University President Judith A. Dwyer, Ph.D., is included in the 20th annual Crain’s “Who’s Who in Chicago Business” list. This year marks Dwyer’s second consecutive appearance on the list.

Saint Xavier University ranks 34 among 146 institutions in U.S. News & World Report’s 2010 ranking of Best Colleges in the Midwest offering undergraduate and master’s degrees. Saint Xavier’s overall rank has advanced 12 places since Dwyer became president in October of 2003.

"We are delighted to see Saint Xavier University receive recognition for its excellence as a leading comprehensive Catholic university in the Midwest," Dwyer said.

The Crain’s Who’s Who list contains more than 750 of Chicago’s civic, professional and cultural leaders, including some of the biggest names in architecture, banking, business organizations, business services, chemicals and agribusiness, construction services, consumer services, cultural institutions, education, financial services, food, government, health care, insurance, law, manufacturing, media/marketing, non-profits, real estate, retail, technology, transportation and utilities.

-SXU-

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Jay Foot
Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or foot@sxu.edu