Reflections Magazine Issue #54 - Fall 2000

Campus Ministrythe a team approach From takes Heights iena Heights introduced a new team this fall. They’re not tallying wins and losses but they do want to rally the spirit. And their season runs all year long! This is the new Campus Ministry Team— athletes of a different sort—made up of Thomas J. Puszczewicz, Barbara Blesse, OP, and Lorraine Reaume, OP. The team approach to campus ministry was made possible this year with generous support from the Adrian Dominican Sisters. The team has been busy providing spiritual guidance and retreat opportunities for persons of all religious faiths; expanding community service and social justice activity; and building a stronger student presence at Sunday Mass and other weekly events. Blesse, OP is a member of the Springﬁeld (IL) Dominican Sisters. Previously, she taught and ministered at the high school level and served as part-time campus minister at Northwestern University. She comes to Siena from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago where she earned her M.Div. degree. Associate campus minister Lorraine Reaume, OP, is an Adrian Dominican who made her ﬁrst profession in August. A native of Canada, she previously taught elementary and secondary school, worked as a lay missionary in Bolivia, and coordinated a lay mission program i n Canada. She holds two bachelor’s degrees and a graduate certiﬁcate in pastoral studies. From the Heights 5 Campus Ministry Team Members Barbara Blesse, OP, Tom Puszczewicz and Lorraine Reaume, OP Tom “Push” Puszczewicz is the new director of campus ministry. He came to Siena Heights from Corpus Christi University Parish in Toledo, where he was pastoral associate for six years. A graduate of the University of Toledo with a Master of Divinity degree from Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary, he has worked with Catholic youth since 1981. Associate campus minister Barbara Summer renovations The Adrian campus saw lots of “home improvements” this past summer. Siena goes wireless! Siena Heights has another reason to brag. The University is one of the ﬁrst colleges in the nation to have a completely wireless campus. Students and faculty now have wireless Internet and network connection capabilities throughout the campus. “plugging in” to a telephone modem or a network outlet. Infrared cards in users’ computers pick up a signal from antennas located around campus. “It is much like how cellular phones work,” said Metz, “except there are no roaming charges!” The wireless project began last spring, when nearly half of the campus was made available to the wireless system. Over the summer, additional broadcasting stations were added, giving the whole campus wireless capabilities. With the wireless capabilities, students can work outside on their laptops, athletic teams can provide up-to-the-minute sports scores on the web, and teachers can use the Internet in new ways. “We looked at how computers would be used in the classroom in the future and decided wireless would be the best way to go,” said Metz. “Some colleges and universities have wireless capabilities in their residence halls or in selected buildings on campus,” said Bob Metz, director of computer systems and services at Siena Heights, “but we are among the ﬁrst to provide coverage for our entire campus.” The wireless system enables students, faculty and staff to access the Internet and the Siena Heights computer network wherever they are on campus without • Renovations to the Science Building included replacing the windows; upgrading the heating, air conditioning and ventilation system; refurbishing classrooms, ofﬁces and hallways; and purchasing new laboratory and computer equipment. The $1.9 million renovation of the Science Building is a priority of the upcoming capital campaign and is made possible with the generous support of friends and alumni. • The electrical grid across the campus was replaced, re

Reflections Magazine Issue #54 - Fall 2000 | Page 5