Dear Bellarmine Students, Faculty and Staff,

I'm delighted to announce a new graduate program at Bellarmine: the master of arts in communication. Launching this fall, the master’s in communication will be a 30-hour program designed to be completed in five semesters.

Bellarmine’s M.A. in communication is unique because it offers not only the foundational core of this advanced degree, but also opportunities for students to specialize in various disciplines, including healthcare communication, convergent new media, strategic communication, and more. And, of course, like all of Bellarmine’s programs, the new program is informed by the liberal arts throughout the curriculum. New forms of communication and new media are appearing at an astonishing rate, and we must have a workforce that is highly proficient -- and also attuned to ethical issues -- in its mastery and use of these tools.

We will implement the new degree in phases to serve distinctive niches. The first phase will address ethical communications and will focus on developing the knowledge, capacity and competencies to communicate ethically across contexts, to develop ethical communication programs in the private, nonprofit or public sector, and to utilize media critically. Future phases include concentrations in healthcare communication and integrated communication.

Dr. Gail Henson anticipates that about 25 students, hailing from a variety of backgrounds, will enroll in the new program. The creation of the M.A. in communication also brings us one step closer to elevating the department of communication to the School of Communication: Media Culture and Ethics, which is planned for the fall of 2009.

Faculty tenure and promotions

I am pleased to announce the following faculty tenure and promotion achievements this year. Please join me in congratulating these members of our faculty. I am impressed with their work in scholarship, teaching and service for their university, profession, and community. Considering the foundation of their work thus far, I look forward to their future endeavors at Bellarmine University.

Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty, Theology
Promotion to Associate Professor and awarded Tenure

David Boyce, Physical Therapy
Promotion to Associate Professor and awarded Tenure

Adam Renner, Education
Awarded Tenure

Joan Masters, Nursing
Promotion to Associate Professor

Joseph Sinski, Chemistry
Promotion to Professor

Mark Wiegand, Physical Therapy
Promotion to Professor

Congratulations to our colleagues on their well deserved achievements!

Cross Country Trio Named to All-Academic Team

Three Bellarmine student-athletes have been named to the United State Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association all-academic cross country team. Senior Katie Hickey, junior Sarah Bell and sophomore Ben Draper were all recognized. In order to earn the honor, cross country runners must finish among the top 30 percent of competitors at the regional meet and must have a 3.25 or higher grade point average.

Bundles of Joy

Congratulations to Bellarmine baseball coach Deron Spink and his wife, Andrea, upon the birth of Thomas Ryan Spink and to men’s tennis coach Todd Murphy and his wife Holly upon the birth of Grant Marshall Murphy.

Faculty news

Dr. Nelson López read a paper at the Louisville Conference on Literature and Culture since 1900 entitled: “The inherent thematic sarcasm present in Sergi Pàmies’ If life give you lemons… stop whining,” on February 23rd 2008. In June he will be part of the Advanced Placement Testing (AP Readers) Program, sponsored by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Later in June he will present a paper on Violence in Spanish Golden Age Theatre, at the International Congress in Stratford, Ontario (Canada), entitled: “The noble violent savage in The Brave Black in Flanders.” In July Dr. López will teach Civilization and Culture, in Segovia, Spain for the renowned Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS).

J. Milburn Thompson is the Cardinal Hume Visiting Scholar at the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology in Cambridge, England for the winter term. The mission of the Margaret Beaufort Institute is to offer education in Catholic theology to women. It is the only Catholic member of the Cambridge Theological Federation. Thompson's paper on "Catholic Social Teaching and the Ethics of Torture," presented at the Annual Meeting of the College Theology Society in June, 2007, has been accepted for publication in The Journal for Peace and Justice Studies. Thompson is researching and writing a book on Catholic social thought while on sabbatical leave.

Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty edited two books this year. Prayers for the New Social Awakening, co-edited with Christian Iosso and To Do Justice: Engaging Progressive Christians in Social Action, co-edited with Toddie Peters. Both are to be published by Westminster/John Knox Press in June 2008. Hinson-Hasty also served as keynote speaker at Women’s Weekend at Bethel United Church of Christ in Evansville, Indiana in February, and was a guest lecturer for Faith and Public Life Sunday at Second Presbyterian Church, Kansas City, Missouri in November.

In the academic year 2007-2008, Gabriele Bosley:

• was elected to the Association of International Education Administrators Executive Committee,
• was appointed to the Board of Trustees for the Ursuline Campus Schools,
• was appointed to the Board of Directors of Crane House/The Asia Institute,
• co-authored a chapter, “Dynamics of Cultural Contexts: Meta-level Intervention in the Study Abroad Experience,” in the book Developing Intercultural Competence and Transformation: Theory, Research and Application, publication scheduled by Stylus Publications for March 2008
• presented at the Annual AIEA Conference in Washington, D.C., on "Intercultural Competence and Transformation through Meta-level Intervention"
• was invited to present at the Forum on Education Abroad Conference in Boston: “Integrating Theory, Research, and Application for Program Design,” scheduled for 04/03/08.
• was invited to present at the National NAFSA Conference in Washington D.C. "Intercultural Growth: Theory, Research, and Application,” scheduled for 05/29/08

Julien Carriere has had two papers accepted for presentation in the spring: "A New Approach to Beckett’s Bilingualism: The Influence of the Mother Tongue on Gender and Language in 'All that Fall'" at the Louisville Conference on Literature & Culture since 1900, February 2008 and "Samuel Beckett and Music: The Influence of Franz Schubert’s Death and the Maiden on 'All that Fall'" at the 28th Cincinnati Conference on Romance Languages and Literatures, May 2008

Dr. Shifen Gong was awarded in December 2007 a 2007 Artist Enrichment grant from the Kentucky Foundation for Women to research and complete a historical book about the Battle of Hengyang in China during WWII.

David Domine made the following publications and appearances:

• Book review: "Emerald Isle in the Bluegrass" by Viki Pidgeon (Kentucky Monthly, January 2008)
• Book review: "The Pantry: Its History and Modern Uses" by Catherine Seiberling Pond (Kentucky Monthly, January 2008)
• Article: "A Taste of France in the Bluegrass" (Arts Across Kentucky, Winter 2008)
• Article: "American Fare with Italian Flair" (Kentucky Monthly, January 2008)
• Article: "The Bristol Celebrates 30 Years" (Kentucky Monthly, February 2008)
• Radio guest appearance: "Planning the Perfect Party" (NPR's State of Affairs, December 2007)
• Article: "Edible Art at the Brown Hotel" (Arts Across Kentucky, Fall 2007)
• Radio guest appearance: "Old Louisville" (NPR's State of Affairs, November 2007)
• TV appearance: "Louisville's Spookier Side" (Louisville Life on KET, November 2007)
• Book: "Adventures in New Kentucky Cooking with the Bluegrass Peasant" (McClanahan Publishing House, Fall 2007)

Celebration of Undergraduate Research

Please join us for the opening reception for Undergraduate Research Week. The opening reception is April 7 from 5 to 7 p.m in Frazier Hall. Students will be available to answer questions about their research and refreshments will be served. Posters will remain on display through April 10th. For more information see the Undergraduate Research website.