Bellarmine University News

Kiwanis International, Bellarmine University host conference on early childhood development

webmaster@bellarmine.edu — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EST

Kiwanis International and Bellarmine University will host a conference on early childhood development to raise awareness about the importance of the first 2,000 days of life and quality early childhood education.

The conference takes place Monday, April 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Hilary's at Horrigan Hall on Bellarmine University's campus (building #1 on this map).

Tom DeJulio

"As Kiwanis launches its second century of community service, its tradition of improving the lives of children and young adults must be re-tooled and re-focused on creating new ways to engage parents, business and government leaders, and all concerned citizens in a revitalized movement to protect the youngest and most vulnerable children in their formative years," said Kiwanis International President Tom DeJulio.

The Kiwanis Conference on Early Childhood Development is a collaborative effort between Kiwanis International and Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. The conference will provide information and inspiration about the health, safety and future success of young children. The conference will include panel discussions, plenary sessions, networking and sharing of best practices. Featured speakers include Past Kiwanis International President Will Blechman, M.D., Bellarmine professor Dr. Robert Cooter and Sarah Watson, director of Ready Nation and executive vice president of America’s Promise Alliance.

Dr. Robert Cooter

"The economic future of our region, indeed our country, is tied in many ways to our investments now in our smallest citizens," said Cooter, dean of Bellarmine's Annsley Frazier Thornton School of Education. "Bellarmine University is partnering with Kiwanis to inform businesses and citizens about the importance of early childhood education economically as well as in the pursuit of equitable opportunities for all citizens."

About Kiwanis
Founded in 1915, Kiwanis International is a global organization of clubs and members dedicated to serving the children of the world. Kiwanis and its family of clubs, including Circle K International for university students, Key Club for students age 14–18, Builders Club for students age 11–14, Kiwanis Kids for students age 6–12 and Aktion Club for adults living with disabilities, dedicate annually more than 18 million service hours to strengthen communities and serve children. The Kiwanis International family comprises nearly 600,000 adult and youth members in 80 countries and geographic areas. For more information about Kiwanis International.

Bellarmine Magazine: new research shows that college is awesome

webmaster@bellarmine.edu — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EST

Note: This is the editor's letter in the Spring 2013 issue of Bellarmine Magazine, available online. What's your take on the awesomeness of college, in terms of value, affordability or character development? Send us a letter to the editor.

by Jim Welp, '81
Editor-in-chief, Bellarmine Magazine

There's been a lot of debate in the media lately about the value of a college education. It's no secret that jobs are hard to come by for young people and that college is expensive. Some pundits have even gone so far as to claim that a college degree might be less than totally awesome. A new study shows, however, that these pundits are "idiots." What's more, the study goes on to show that college is both awesome and aMAZing.

Before I get into the hard data, it's important to step back and look at some of the negative claims about higher education being tossed around in the media, often by people who have actual college degrees themselves and, frankly, should know better.

Some naysayers are citing the weak job market as evidence that a college education is a bad investment. The cost of education and the debt incurred by many students is often a tough mountain to climb when high-paying jobs aren't readily available.

Countering that argument is an even higher mountain of evidence, including a recent study by the Pew Charitable Trusts showing that for young Americans, the drop in employment and income during the recession was much harder on people who lacked a college degree. Those with a bachelor's degree weathered the downturn better than those with an associate's degree.

Those with a high-school diploma fared even worse, with a staggering 53 percent unemployment rate. (To read about the study in an article not written by a biased smart aleck, read "Benefits of College Degree in Recession are Outlined" in The New York Times.) The bottom line: The key to opportunity and social mobility is still a college degree.

So I decided to do some scientific research of my own, which consisted of walking up to random students on campus and asking them if they thought college was A) a risky investment amid a tough job market, or B) awesome. The results are in, and 100 percent said college was B) awesome. Full disclosure: Some also said, C) Do you know anybody who's hiring?

Obviously, it's no laughing matter when young people can't find jobs. And taking on a lot of debt is also a tough way to start a career. But college students from Allen Hall to Timbuktu know what the pundits don't: Better, more rewarding jobs at better pay go to people with college degrees. What surprised me was that not a single student thought money was the point. I think one young man I spoke with put it best: "When I came to Bellarmine, I was a kid. Bellarmine is where I grew up. College is the link between being a kid and being an adult. I wouldn't trade it for anything." He thinks he and his parents made an awesome investment, and so do I.

Bellarmine entrance to feature 3 1/2-story St. Robert Gate

webmaster@bellarmine.edu — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 EST

click to enlarge

LIVECAM: watch the gate being constructed
Visitors to Bellarmine University’s campus will soon pass through St. Robert Gate, a new 3 1/2-story entry arch at the university’s Newburg Road entrance.

The concrete gate is being donated by Bellarmine alumni Nick and Gincy Carosi, along with Arban & Carosi, an architectural precast concrete firm in Virginia. It will rise 36 feet near the bottom of Bellarmine Boulevard. It honors the university’s namesake, St. Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), a Jesuit Cardinal who was canonized in 1930.

ST. ROBERT GATE
Height: 36 feet (3 1/2 stories)
Width: 45 feet
Depth: 8 feet, 8 inches at the top; 6 feet at ground level
Weight: approximately 200 tons

Features:
St. Robert Gate is made of precast concrete with a brick finish. It bears the university’s name and seal. The gate will be illuminated, and has an interior ladder system for electrical maintenance. The arch is large enough to accommodate tractor-trailers and oversized loads.

Design & Fabrication: Arban & Carosi
Structural Engineer: Tom Hanson Associates
Architectural Design: H. Carleton Godsey, Godsey Associates Architects

"Grand entrance arches are a major feature of the beautiful hill towns in Italy's Tuscany region, including St. Robert Bellarmine’s home town of Montepulciano," said Dr. Joseph J. McGowan, Bellarmine's president. "Hospitality -- in its deepest sense -- is an exceptionally important value at Bellarmine University, as we regularly welcome new ideas, new perspectives and new people. A grand entrance arch is a compelling symbol of such hospitality. I'm so grateful to the Carosis for sharing my passion for this project, and for making St. Robert Gate a reality."

Installation of St. Robert Gate will take place beginning May 6, with the Newburg Road entrance to Bellarmine’s campus closed for much of the week. Traffic along Newburg Road will be unaffected. During installation, all traffic will enter and exit the campus on Norris Place.[campus map]

Once installation is complete, finishing work and landscaping will continue for about a month.

The Carosis met and fell in love at Bellarmine – Nick graduated in 1969, Gincy in 1970. Nick Carosi is President of Arban & Carosi. The company’s roots date back nearly 100 years, as a partnership between two Italian sculptors and plaster artisans, one of whom was Nick’s grandfather. The firm’s artisanship appears throughout Washington, D.C., in buildings such as the Library of Congress, U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Union Station, Jefferson Memorial and the National Gallery of Art.

"Bellarmine University is one of the best-kept secrets in the country,” said Nick Carosi. “The gate, which I must say is a vast engineering feat, will provide some visibility and a welcoming feel for the campus, creating the feeling that you're entering a special place. I think it will be beautiful."

"We hope that, as generations of Bellarmine students pass through this gate in search of knowledge and friendship, they will find in their respective journeys not only these things but even more to assure happiness, joy and fulfillment throughout their lives," said Gincy Carosi.

McGowan noted the significant role the gate will play in key events for Bellarmine’s students. “Prospective students will first pass through the gate during their tour of our campus,” he said. “They will cross under the gate as they matriculate into the university and begin their studies, their loved ones will enter through the gate when they arrive to celebrate graduation, and graduates will return through the gate as alumni as they visit campus to celebrate reunions, attend basketball games and mentor future students.”

Construction progress, before installation of keystone and signage.

Bellarmine to award 568 degrees on Saturday, May 11

webmaster@bellarmine.edu — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 EST

Bellarmine University will award 568 undergraduate and graduate degrees at its spring commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 11, at noon in Knights Hall.

The university's 60th annual spring commencement will feature a commencement address by Lt. Col. Kenny Lynn Harryman, a Bellarmine alumna who received a Bronze Star for meritorious service in Afghanistan.

Lt. Col. Harryman

Harryman graduated from Bellarmine in 1993, and joined the Army to practice nursing. “The plan was just to do my time, get the kids through school and go from there,” she said. “But I wound up liking it, and I stayed.”

She transferred to the Air Force in 2008, where she was chief nurse for a forward operating base in Afghanistan, near the border with Pakistan. At that base, she ran a team of nearly 40 nurses and support staff, operating on a mix of wounded U.S. soldiers, Afghan police, and civilians caught in combat, achieving a 98 percent survival rate.

After Afghanistan, she was put in charge of Germany's Landstuhl hospital, overseeing a staff of 245 people. She is currently commander of an Air Force base in the Azores Islands.

In addition to delivering the commencement address, Harryman will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. Joe and Carol Ferguson -- two Louisville residents who gave meaning to their family motto, "Learning is power,” by creating education trusts for their six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren -- will also receive honorary doctor of humane letters degrees.

Two ambitious students, MaryAnn Mullins and Arielle Weber will celebrate a rare accomplishment when they walk across the Knights Hall stage to collect their diplomas on Saturday. Both are graduating with four majors. Mullins will earn bachelor's degrees in actuarial science, economics, business administration and psychology, while Weber will earn bachelor's degrees in psychology, theatre, philosophy, and foreign languages and international studies.

At Saturday's commencement, Bellarmine will award 470 undergraduate and 98 graduate degrees. For the full 2012-13 academic year, Bellarmine has awarded 785 total degrees.

Bellarmine's website wins national design award

webmaster@bellarmine.edu — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 EST

credit: placeit.breezi.com

The main page of Bellarmine University's website, www.bellarmine.edu, earned national recognition from Graphic Design USA, through its annual American Web Design Awards.

Bellarmine's new mobile-friendly homepage — launched in January 2013 — was among more than 1,400 entrants in the competition. As a winning design, it was recognized alongside winning web entries from companies including Adobe, Dell, Lowe's, Microsoft and Southwest Airlines.

Bellarmine's creative team has earned prior recognition through Graphic Design USA's annual awards for in-house designers, but this is the University's first award in a category that includes work by creative agencies.

The new homepage redesign was implemented by Brad Craig, director of creative and strategic communication, and Ernesto Ramos, developer.