Dear Bellarmine University students, faculty and staff,
Given the
enormity and seriousness of the recent tragedy on our campus, I
recommend now that we turn our attention to four things:
- Let us continue to storm the heavens with prayer for
Katie McCoy, her deceased infant daughter, Katie’s family, friends and
roommates – and indeed all of us touched by the tragedy.
- Let us be sure as members of the Bellarmine
community not to keep whatever pain, emotion and confusion the tragedy
may have engendered bottled up inside us. Rather, let us be sure to
talk with one another about what has occurred and about our experience
of it – with friends, and if you wish, with professionals in our
community.
- Let us also use the tragedy to remind ourselves and
one another that no man or woman among us is or needs to feel like an
island, lonely, isolated and cut off from others – either consciously
or unconsciously. As individuals, we are born into society, into
personal contact and relationships with other human beings. We should
always remember that nothing in our experience on this earth is so
painful that we cannot reach out and discuss the situation with trusted
others. And this is a very important point from my perspective – we
must always remember that reaching out and getting help, actively and
aggressively seeking support and direction from others, personally and
professionally, when we need it, is absolutely and in no way whatsoever
an act of weakness. Rather reaching out and getting help when we need
it is a powerful, loving action that evidences enormous personal
strength.
- Finally, let us be sure now to get on with our lives
as individuals and as an academic community. Without in any way
diminishing the sadness or enormity of the recent tragedy, it is
important for us now to return our attention to full participation in
the life of our great University. We owe that to ourselves and to one
another. Peace.
Here’s This Month’s Update
Nominations open for "The Bellarmines"
It's not too late to make a nomination for the faculty and
staff awards. We are still accepting nominations on our website for
our 2007-2008 faculty and staff awards. The awards recognize the
distinguished achievements of faculty and staff in living the core
values of the Bellarmine campus community. To nominate a faculty or
staff member for one of these prestigious awards, please visit the
nomination page. The page includes descriptions of the awards, along
with a form you can use to make a nomination. Just enter the name of
the nominee, your name (optional), choose the appropriate award, and
include a brief description of why your nominee is deserving. Award
winners will receive a beautiful stoneware "Bellarmine jug."
New Multi-Use Recreational Path Project
If you haven't been across the street to Joe Creason Park
lately, check it out. Walkers, joggers and cyclists have a new
recreational destination, thanks to a new paved multi-use path system
that was dedicated on Friday, Oct. 5 by Mayor Jerry Abramson. The
project includes a new pedestrian bridge over Beargrass Creek, 4,500
feet of new asphalt, and a new pedestrian entrance to the park at
Newburg Road and Trevilian Way. The path connects Joe Creason Park
property with Bellarmine property to create four possible walking
routes, ranging from a half-mile to 1.5 miles.
Stephen A. Williams "Knighted" By Bellarmine
Bellarmine “knighted” Stephen A. Williams at the
university’s annual Knight of Knights black-tie dinner and dance
celebration on Saturday, Oct. 13. The honor has been bestowed upon an
individual since 1998 in recognition of outstanding support and service
to the university.
Sir Williams, president and chief executive officer for
Norton Healthcare, has been with Norton since 1977 and has served as
president/CEO since 1993. A native of Lola, in western Kentucky,
Williams has the unique distinction of having served as CEO of
Kentucky's smallest hospital at the time (Livingston County, 26 beds,
1972-77, at age 22) and now serving as CEO of Kentucky's largest health
care system.
Heyward To Speak, Serve As Fellow
Retired President of CBS News Andrew Heyward will serve as
a Fellow at Bellarmine’s Institute for Media, Culture and Ethics this
fall. He will visit the Institute Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, and his
activities will include meeting with students in communications
classes, speaking to the Student Government Association about broadcast
network coverage of Presidential elections, and a public lecture on
November 1. The lecture will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Frazier Hall, and
Mr. Heyward is expected to speak about his experiences at CBS News and
the state of network news.
Recently, Heyward was in the news when former CBS anchor
Dan Rather sued the network and three executives for $70 million.
Rather asserts that the network violated his contract by giving him
insufficient airtime on "60 Minutes" after forcing him to step down as
anchor of the CBS Evening News in March 2005. As part of his public
lecture and within the limits prescribed by CBS attorneys, Heyward will
discuss the lawsuit and circumstances regarding Rather’s departure
from CBS.
Study Rates Bellarmine’s Website As Nation's Fifth Best
The National Research Center for College & University
Admissions (NRCCUA) ranked our admissions Web site as the best in the
South and fifth among all 3,087 schools in the nation. The 9th annual
"Enrollment Power Index," a research-based analysis, rates how well the
functionality and design of college and university Web sites provide
information to potential students to take them from prospect to
applicant.
This rating by students is especially gratifying because
we recently redesigned the site to provide better service to our
students and prospective students and all of the work was accomplished
in-house, by staff members who are all Bellarmine graduates.”
Welcome Dr. Louis Heuser
Dr. Louis Heuser has joined the faculty of the Lansing
School as Asst. Professor and has joined the University as Executive in
Residence. His work will revolve around Health and Wellness for the
campus. Dr. Heuser in collaboration with Dr. Mark Wiegand are planning a
Personal Wellness elective course for Spring 2008. In addition, the
program planning and curriculum development is well underway for a
major in Exercise Science. The pilot first course for the Exercise
Science major is being planned also for Spring 2008.
Congratulations Drs. Boyce and Golemboski
Congratulations to Dr. David Boyce and Dr. Karen
Golemboski who have been awarded grant funding from the Kentucky
Physical Therapy Association. The research topic is "The Relationship
between the Application of Monochromatic Infrared Photo Energy (MIRE)
and the Liberation of Nitric Oxide".
"Innovative Learning Activity"
Congratulations to Professor Joan Masters on the
publication of her article, "Innovative Learning Activity", in the
Journal of Nursing Education, August 2007.
Wellness Wednesdays
Senior Nursing Students in Nursing 415, Community Health
Nursing with their Instructor, Karen McCoy are have been recognized in
the Courier Journal for the "Wellness Wednesdays" at Wayside Christian
Mission. Students are presenting an interactive educational
experience for the women at the shelter. Seniors with Dr. Beverley
Holland are conducting basic health checks and providing information
about health-related topics at the Senior Wellness Center on Burnett
Street.
Nursing Majors Publish
Congratulations to Dania Ng, Janice Morgan and Monica Key,
nursing majors, on the acceptance of their research article for
publication in Kentucky Nurse.
President's Update suggestions
If you have a suggestion for an item for the President's
Update, please send it to Jim Welp in the Office of Communications and Public
Affairs.