Reflections Magazine Issue #54 - Fall 2000

President’s Message 2 Election year conﬁdence: no debate about it! December 2000 Issue n this election season, as candidates lobbied for endorsements and negative ads abounded, I am pleased to report several positive developments that offer ringing endorsements of Siena Heights. of 21.2 (compared to 20.6 last year) and a cumulative high school GPA of 3.29 (compared to 3.16 last year). Across the state, our degree completion centers are reporting undergraduate enrollments about 4% ahead of budget expectations. And graduate enrollments are close to projections. This is good news, indeed! Feature Section: Studio Angelico, Yesterday and Today ........................ 8-16 New National Classiﬁcation Class Notes..................................... 39-47 Campaign Commitment Foremost among the positive indicators is the commitment of the Board of Trustees to the mission of Siena Heights University. By committing themselves individually and collectively to a signiﬁcant capital campaign (about which you’ll hear lots in the coming months), our Trustees have made the strongest possible statement about the importance of education that is competent, purposeful and ethical. Their willingness to invest time, energy and personal resources in the campaign signals ﬁrm conﬁdence in the future of Siena Heights. Spectacular Support Alumni gave Siena Heights a “thumbs up” with their ﬁnancial support in 1999-2000: alumni participation in the Annual Fund increased 27%. Among many wonderful gifts, I want to highlight three particularly stunning acts of generosity. With his Annual Fund challenge, Trustee Bob Price generated $49,000 in new alumni support, and then gave that much himself. Connie Farver ’83 and her husband, Herb, donated $500,000 to the Siena Heights Library. The late Barbara Wojtyszewski ‘47 provided $777, 678 by naming Siena Heights in her will. Read about these and other gifts in the 1999-2000 Giving Report included in this magazine. As we had hoped, the Carnegie Foundation, widely accepted as the arbiter of college and university classification, reclassified Siena Heights this fall as part of the “comprehensive colleges and universities I” category. The change was made in recognition of our growth and the increasing importance of graduate study at Siena Heights. Previously, we were in the “liberal arts II” category. Our new category includes institutions offering three or more graduate degrees and awarding at least 40 master’s degrees per year. Siena Heights now offers ﬁve master’s level programs. Our undergraduate programs will continue to have a strong commitment to the liberal arts as we prepare students for various professions and careers. I hope you are as excited about these developments as I am. As alumni and friends, you provide daily endorsements of the University in your homes, your careers, your churches and your communities. Be proud of Siena Heights and share that pride with the world whenever you can! Joan joins me in wishing you a joyous holiday season and a happy, healthy New Year. Enrollment Excitement Students voted with their feet this fall, electing to attend Siena Heights in record numbers. On the Adrian campus, our full-time freshman class of 209 is the largest since 1989 and total full-time enrollment (748) is the largest since 1991. Equally important, academic quality is up: This year’s freshmen have an average ACT composite score Richard B. Artman Table of Contents President’s Message .............................. 2 From the Heights................................ 3-7 1999-2000 Giving Report .............. 17-32 Scores and More ............................ 33-34 Alumni News ................................. 35-37 Your Board in Action .......................... 38 Cover: Art Professor John Wittersheim created Plumb Bob 535 found on this issue’s cover. From Professor Wittersheim’s artist’s statement: “The idea of the plumb bob as a personal theme has revealed itself to be complex. The plumb bob, in its simplicity, belies its importance to history, mathematics, sciences, architecture and art. Its silent vigil seems mystical, assuring us that all is plumb and on the level, as it strains to touch the earth.” John’s thoughts probably echo many of the thoughts Studio Angelico students have had over the years. Reﬂections Staff Editor: Jennifer Hamlin Church, Associate Vice President for Advancement Graphic Designer: Rik Mertens, Communications Contributors: Lois Hueneman Chazaud ‘49 Helen Duggan, OP ‘41, Archives Mary Jo Stolpmann Fleming ‘47 Lynne Redman Hill, Alumni Relations Molly Mason ‘01 Steve Ott, Communications Sarah Baker Korth ‘82, ‘97/MA, Alumni Relations Amanda Young ‘01

Reflections Magazine Issue #54 - Fall 2000 | Page 2