Associated Press story includes SXU's efforts to preserve its mission and heritage

Read the Associated Press story noting Saint Xavier University’s efforts to preserve its Sisters of Mercy mission and heritage. The story has appeared in several venues both within the United States and internationally, including San Diego, The Chicago Sun-Times, The Chicago Tribune, London and Canada.

Saint GreenBike Program in New York Times

Saint Xavier University’s GreenBike program was featured in the Oct. 20, edition of the New York Times. Read the article by Katie Zezima featuring SXU's unique bike share program here.

SXU dedicates new green residence hall

Mother Agatha O’Brien Hall named after founding Mercy Sister

Chicago (Oct. 17, 2008) Saint Xavier University dedicated its newest resident hall, Mother Agatha O’Brien Hall, on Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 4:45 p.m. on SXU’s Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St.

"With the dedication today of the new residence hall, named as a tribute to Mother Mary Agatha O’Brien, R.S.M., one of the six founders of the Sisters of Mercy of Chicago, another important event of the campus master plan unfolds," said SXU President Judith A. Dwyer, Ph.D. "Through this legacy name, we celebrate Mother Agatha’s pioneering achievements and the continued ministry of the Sisters of Mercy."

The 36,664 square-foot residence hall is the sixth co-ed residence hall on the Chicago campus. In the ceremony, the University officially named the building after Mother Mary Agatha O’Brien, R.S.M., in recognition of her founding role as one of the original Chicago Sisters of Mercy. O’Brien was the first superior of the Sisters of Mercy who originally came to Chicago from Ireland in 1846. She was 24 at the time.

The hall was built to LEED Gold Environmental Standards as set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council. Last year, SXU’s Arthur Rubloff Hall became the first university building in the state of Illinois to receive the coveted LEED Gold designation from the U.S. Green Building Council for environmentally friendly design elements.

The new 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.

Photo L to R: SXU Board of Trustees President Thomas Chomicz; Vice President for Mission and Heritage Sister Susan Sanders, R.S.M., Ph.D.; SXU President Judith A. Dwyer, Ph.D.; SXU student Amanda Modelski, Assistant Vice President for Physical Facilities Paul Matthews.

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 architectural firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz and Associates provided designs for the building. The firm designed three previous residence halls for Saint Xavier, including Rubloff. The construction management firm is Henry Bros. Co. Civil engineering was conducted by Terra Civil Engineering. Environmental Systems Design, Inc. provided a mechanical engineering design.
Last spring, ASHRAE presented Saint Xavier University and Environmental Systems Design, Inc. with Chapter and Regional Engineering Technology Awards for Rubloff Hall. The awards recognized achievements in the design of new heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

A leader in green practices, Saint Xavier is a member of the Illinois Sustainable University Compact, which has pledged to accomplish multiple environmentally sound goals by Dec. 31, 2010. These goals include energy purchases from renewable sources, reduced carbon emissions, and requiring green building practices for all new construction. More recently, SXU became the first Chicago university to sign the Presidents Climate Commitment, joining 557 other schools nationwide in a pledge to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions.

-SXU-

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Joe Moore at 773-298-3937

SXU hosts Legislative Breakfast

More than 100 area business people meet with elected officials

Photo from left to right: State Representative Kevin Joyce (D- 35), State Representative Jim Brosnahan (D-36), SXU President Judith A. Dwyer, Ph.D., Cook County Commissioner John Daley (D-11), State Senator Ed Maloney (D-18).

Chicago (Oct. 16, 2008) In a partnership with the Beverly Area Planning Association and the Evergreen Park Chamber of Commerce, Saint Xavier University hosted the third annual "Breakfast with Your Legislators." Approximately 100 area business people attended the event on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008.

The day began with registration and networking as SXU President Judith A. Dwyer, Ph.D., welcomed guests and legislators. Elected officials taking part included, State Senator Ed Maloney, D-18, State Representative Kevin Joyce, D-35, State Representative Jim Brosnahan, D-36, and Cook County Commissioner John P. Daley D-11.

Some of the topics legislators discussed included the impact of the current financial crisis on state and local government, the pros and cons of a constitutional convention, passage of a capital bill, and a Cook County sales tax increase.

“Our third 'Breakfast with Your Legislators' hosted by Saint Xavier University was a terrific success,” said SXU Director of Community and Government Relations Maureen Connor Kelly. “More than 100 area business people were able to meet and interact with our elected officials about a variety of topics.”

The event was sponsored by AT& T.

SXU Professor James Walker available for expert comment on significance of 60th TV broadcast of World Series

First World Series telecast in Chicago used retrofitted WWII Bomber to bridge networks

Chicago (Oct. 16, 2008) This year marks the 60th nationally televised World Series, now a technical marvel of graceful camera work, slow motion replay, and stunning graphics telecast in high definition with more than 17 million live viewers in the U.S. and millions more around the world.

It was not always so.

In 1948, radio still dominated the airwaves, and there was no global cable/satellite network connecting television stations across the country. America instead had Eastern and Midwestern television networks with no physical link between them for a live connection. Faced with a world series between the Cleveland Indians and the Boston Braves, technicians retrofitted a World War II-era B-29 bomber with television equipment.

The plan: bridge the networks by flying the bomber at 20,000 feet up and down western Pennsylvania, receiving baseball coverage and forwarding the signal another 250 miles. Results of the relay were less than seamless, but many delighted Ohioans and Pennsylvanians received clear signals on their televisions directly from the plane.

“This networking experiment failed to produce a reliable link, but demonstrated just how important televising the World Series was to the fledgling TV industry,” said Saint Xavier University Professor James R. Walker, Ph.D. “By linking the east coast and the Midwest, it began the nationalizing of television that culminated in the first live, coast to coast telecasts in 1951.”

Walker recently co-authored the book “Center Field Shot: A History of Baseball on Television.”

Since few Americans owned a television in 1948, they often gathered with other fans to watch the country’s premier sports event. RCA set up 100 televisions in Boston Commons, allowing an estimated 10,000 people to view the game. In Chicago, WGN positioned five projection televisions for a crowd at the Nathan Hale Court outside the Tribune Tower.

Walker and his co-author, Duquesne Professor Rob Bellamy, examine in their book how baseball helped nurture the new medium of television and how television in turn changed baseball, motivating MLB owners to create more teams, increase the number of post-season games and move the World Series and All-Star Game to prime time.

“In the past, the owners saw television as equal parts threat and savior,” Walk said. “The TV game threatened to keep fans from the park, but when free agency forced salaries dramatically higher, the medium provided more revenue to meet the game’s expanding payroll. In the modern era, Major League Baseball embraced the promotional power of television and aggressively used the Internet to expand its distribution of the televised game.”

To learn more about the exciting path of televised baseball or to interview Walker, please call (773) 298-3937 or (cell) (773) 203-6671. To see more information about his book “Center Field Shot,” please visit http://www.centerfieldshot.com/.



-SXU-

SXU senior Alyson Kelley to be Student Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois

Education major to receive student achievement award

Chicago (Oct. 14, 2008) Saint Xavier University has selected senior Alyson Kelley, of Aurora, to receive The Lincoln Academy of Illinois 2008 Student Laureate Award. The award is granted every year to an outstanding senior from each four-year, degree-granting institution of higher learning in Illinois.

Kelley is being recognized for her overall excellence in curricular and co- curricular involvement. She is an elementary education major with a concentration in communication who maintains a 3.66 grade point average. She is working on her middle school endorsement and is currently student teaching social studies and reading for fifth and sixth grades at Mount Greenwood School in Chicago.

Kelley also has excelled on the softball field and served as team captain in 2007 and 2008. She has received numerous awards and honors for her athletic abilities. Some of her on campus work includes becoming a Resident Assistant, Quest Retreat Leader, FOCUS (Freshman Orientation Centered on University Services) orientation leader, Peer Mentor for the Transitions course and being part of the Peer Ministry program.

Kelley also received the McGuire Award from the School of Education in 2007. The award recognizes an undergraduate student who exemplifies the qualities of the late Dr. George McGuire, who was known as a caring and humane person, a thoughtful speaker, a focused listener, and a generous teacher.

“Alyson embodies the spirit of a Saint Xavier University student and lives the Core Values of excellence, integrity and hospitality in her daily work,” said Carrie Schade, assistant vice president for Student Affairs. “Her academic accomplishments, leadership and personal values demonstrate clearly the qualities of the Lincoln Academy Student Laureate Award.”

Kelley will be presented with the Student Laureate Medallion and a certificate of achievement at an October 18 award ceremony in the Hall of Representatives of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill.