2013 News Index

Local Legends

St. Catharine College golf coach Joan Rizer was recently featured in Golfweek's 12 edition of saluting Local Legends, in which they highlight accomplishments by players who may not receive deserved recognition beyond the local and state levels.

The following is the story that appeared in Golfweek, written by Cassie Stein. It is shown here with permission to republish.

Joan Rizer

Residence: Bardstown, Ky.

Occupation: Men's and women's golf coach at St. Catharine College

Club affiliation: Old Kentucky Home State Park

Handicap: 4.6

Accomplishments: Five-time Kentucky Women's Amateur champion (1988-91, 1994), two-time winner of the Lexington Marion Miley Invitational (1991, '99), six-time winner of the Women's South Central Championship (1971, 1974-'77, '86); 2005 Kentucky Golf Hall of Fame inductee

Starting up

In 1998, St. Catharine College President William Huston asked Rizer to start men's and women's golf programs at the school.

"I thought, 'Well, what do I (have) to lose?'" Rizer said. "I love the game. It's all I think about, and that's why I did it."

St. Catharine College is a four-year NAIA school that has competed in the Mid-South Conference since 2004.

Because of a limited budget for the two golf teams, Rizer gives lessons to children during the summer months then puts the money she earns toward the teams' budget.

It's something she enjoys doing for the programs and her players.

"It comes from what I've done and can do for the game," Rizer said. "These kids just love the game and they want an education, too. That's most important."

Hall of Fame foursome

Rizer says being elected into the Kentucky Hall of Fame was "totally awesome and one of the highlights of my life."

Starting golf at age 12, she always knew she wanted to win the Kentucky Women's Amateur. Her idols were Kentucky Women's Amateur champions Louise Wilson, Anne Combs and Marion Miley.

"I always wanted to be like them someday," Rizer said. "They are the only other women who have won five or more state ams."

Amateur for life

Rizer now limits her competition to amateur events within driving distance and only if her game is ready.

On April 29, 2013, the new Emily W. Hundley Library at St. Catharine College was officially dedicated. The date was also the feast day of St. Catherine of Siena, the patron saint for St. Catharine College.

Honored guests in attendance included Most Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, the archbishop of Louisville, Emily W. Hundley, former Congressman Ron Mazzoli, Congressman Brett Guthrie, Springfield Mayor John Cecconi, Washington County Judge-Executive John Settles, Lebanon Mayor Gary Crenshaw, Sister Maria Ciriello, Founded Ministry Board Director, the St. Catharine College Board of Trustees and other friends of the college.

Hundley spoke to those in attendance and said the completion of the library was a dream come true. She has been a long-time friend of the college, helping in many other areas, as well.

Archbishop Kurtz complimented the leadership of St. Catharine College President William D. Huston in his speech to those assembled. Kurtz also blessed the building.

All were thankful to Ciriello and the Dominican Sisters of Peace, who founded and have sponsored St. Catharine College since 1931.

After the dedication, the library was open for tours and the board of trustees met in the new board room.

It was a historic year for St. Catharine College, as 159 students received diplomas on May 11 during the 81st commencement ceremony at the college.

This year two pioneer groups crossed the stage. One was a group of 11 students from Washington County High School that received an Associate of Arts from the college before they received their high school diplomas the following weekend. The group was part of the inaugural Commander College class, which is a group of students who have been taking courses at St. Catharine.

The other pioneer group consisted of nine students who received a Master of Arts. They are the first group to be awarded a graduate degree at St. Catharine College.  

Dr. Dustan E. McCoy, chairman and chief executive officer of Brunswick Corporation, delivered the commencement address.

McCoy noted that the graduates were changing the upward trajectory of their lives by completing their degrees. However, having potential is one thing and achieving it is quite another, he said.

He listed several menial jobs that he had worked in his life, but added an important point.

"While I didn't like all of these jobs, I knew I was being productive and moving forward. Working creates confidence," he said.

He encouraged the graduates to determine what success means to them, make choices and live with them, act with civility, be around as many people as possible who are good at what they do, never burn a bridge and respect others. Those are all principles that have helped him in his life, he said.

Monnica Williams, instructor / degree coordinator for AS in diagnostic sonogrpahy, recently gave an overview of the vascular sonography program at St. Catharine College.

To learn more about the program, follow the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8yu2qNaTb0&feature=youtu.be

The Marion County Public Library is pleased to announce an upcoming author's visit.  Bambi Nancy Shen, author of The Uncrushable Rose: A Memoir from Concentration Camp to Becoming a Free Woman, will be visiting the library on Tuesday, May 21 for a short speaking engagement and book signing.  The event is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the library.


Bambi's life journey began in communist China.  Through her hard work and studies, she won a catholic scholarship to attend St. Catherine College and arrived in America (and St. Catharine) in 1958.  Following is the book-jacket write up:


WRONG.....WRONG.....WRONG....her mother's words sounded like a gong, over and over, tolling the doom of her destiny - a Chinese born the undesired gender.  These words permeated the youth of author Bambi Shen, who, like all Chinese women, has had to contend with the legacy of millennia of cultural subordination and oppression of women.


This moving memoir paints life in World War II Japanese concentration camps from Bambi's three-year-old eyes.  Near-death experiences there, as interpreted by her Buddhist nanny, formed the foundation of Ms. Shen's philosophy of living in gratitude and being of service to others.  In the darkest days of the internment, her diplomat father taught her to learn to thrive, in spite of any outer circumstances.


Still, surviving concentration camps and wars seemed easier than breaking free from her mother's criticisms and negative prophecies.  Bambi's escape from these took the form of academic success, enabling her to receive a Catholic scholarship and make her way to college in the United States.


Arriving with only $500 in her purse, Bambi learned to look for the gate in every wall.  With the help of the nuns of St. Catharine College and the teachings of Unity, Bambi found her voice and her strength and went on to build a thriving life over the next five decades.  Having endured and overcome racial discrimination and domestic violence, Bambi has become a teacher of cross-cultural understanding and an advocate for the empowerment of women everywhere.  

You may also find additional information on Bambi's website:   www.uncrushablerose.com

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists will bestow the status of Fellow on Dawn M. McNeil, M.S.M., R.T.(R)(M), RDMS, RVT, CRA, during the ASRT Annual Governance and House of Delegates Meeting in Albuquerque, N.M., June 14-16.

The ASRT established the honorary Fellow category in 1956 to recognize members like McNeil who have made outstanding contributions to the profession and to ASRT. Fellows have volunteered in leadership positions at the national and local levels, written articles for publication, presented at professional meetings and helped advance the radiologic science profession.

McNeil has been an ASRT member since 1994. She has served in every nationally elected officer position on the ASRT Board of Directors, as well as on many committees and projects. She is a former president of the Mississippi Society of Radiologic Technologists and has served as a Sonography Chapter delegate and Management Chapter delegate. McNeil also is a member of the ASRT Grass-roots Network. She is an assistant professor and chair of the radiography program at St. Catharine College in St. Catharine, Ky.

"Becoming a Fellow of the ASRT is probably my greatest professional achievement, and I plan to continue volunteering my time and resources," McNeil said. "It's been a pleasure being an active part of the ASRT. I've enjoyed meeting new people, forming professional bonds and learning more every day about my career."

The ASRT membership will honor McNeil and six other recipients at the Honors Evening Reception June 15 at the annual governance meeting at the Hyatt Regency Albuquerque.

For more information about the awards, the ASRT or the radiologic science profession, visit www.asrt.org.  

About ASRT

Washington County has a growing number of businesses based on local, sustainable resources. There are increasing numbers of small farms producing local foods for farmers' markets, a strong home-based honey industry and several producers of wool and alpaca fibers. To support and highlight these small agribusinesses, St. Catharine College's department of management has developed a "sustainable business series." These courses are built around partnerships with local agribusinesses with the college teaching the theories of successful niche business practices, while the community partner provides an in-depth hands-on experience in the specific agribusiness.

The pilot class paired the SCC students with Serano Alpaca and Yarns in Springfield to teach students the intricacies of the alpaca fiber business and how it is an environmentally-friendly, sustainable business on any scale. The students first completed a classroom session on small business startup and the nature of small-scale sustainable businesses. The class then moved to Serano Farm where Ron and Judi Allread discussed the operation of an alpaca farm, animal husbandry considerations and the variety of the alpaca industry (breeding, showing, commercial fiber production, artisan crafts, etc.).

The highlight of the class was shearing day. The students learned hands on every step of the process involved in moving the fleece from the alpaca to final product. They herded the alpacas into the holding area, assisted the shearing team, categorized and bundled the raw fiber and participated in preparing the fleeces for processing.

The students and the Allreads rated the class a resounding success and recommended more college-community partnerships be developed around local niche businesses. In response to the overwhelming positive evaluations, SCC's management department has scheduled a fiber production/processing class for the summer term.

President Barack Obama tweeted on April 22 in honor of Earth Day. The tweet containted a quote from friend of the college, Wendell Berry. The tweet also contained a picture of the Earth from space.

Berry is a Kentuckian and one of the members of The Berry Center, which has partnered with St. Catharine College to found the Berry Farming and Ecological Agrarianism program, which begins in fall 2013

Check out the winner's list of the 2013 Purple & Gold awards. Congratulations to all the winners.

Elizabeth Alcorn ~ Outstanding Academic Achievement in the Associate of Arts in Business Award

Dante Anderson ~ the Darrel W. Richardson Psychiatric Nursing Excellence Award

Matthew Bloom ~ Distinguished Management Student Award

Crystal Brady ~ Outstanding Achievement in the Associate of Arts in Business Award

Daniel Byrd ~ Graduate School Pioneer Class Award

Lauren "Brooke" Caldwell ~ Shirley Middleton Clinical Excellence in Associate of Science in Radiography Award

James Carroll ~ Outstanding Student in Criminal Justice Award

Sarah Castillo ~ Best Practice in Pharmacy Technology Award

Amanda Chesser ~ Graduate School Pioneer Class Award

Tim Churchill ~ Graduate School Pioneer Class Award

Porshia Clark ~ Outstanding Student in Philosophy & Religious Studies Award

Amanda Conrad ~ Outstanding Student in Honors Program

Terry Davis ~ Outstanding Student in the Bachelor of Science in Sports Leadership Program Award

Hans Desir ~ Graduate School Pioneer Class Award

Dr. Tom Dodge ~ Graduate School Pioneer Class Award

Kelsey Downs ~ D.U.S.K. Professionalism Award in the Associate of Science in Sonography

Margaret Mary Duvall ~ Dr. Sarah Jane Montgomery Excellence in Nursing Award

Pilar Espinosa ~ Student Ambassador of the Year

Joan Gardner ~ Outstanding Student in the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts/Social Sciences Award

Austin Gibson ~ Excellence in Creative Writing Award

Hagan Goldey ~ Outstanding Student in the Bachelor of Science in Biology

Paige Hassman ~ Student Envoy of the Year and Outstanding Student in the Community & Regional Studies Department

David S. Haydon ~ Outstanding Student in the Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts

Megan Hazelip ~ Work Study Student of the Year

Carlos Hernandez ~ Male Athlete of the Year

Diane
Hopper ~ Graduate School Pioneer Class Award

Sylvia Horlander ~ Graduate School Pioneer Class Award

Janae Howard ~ Female Athlete of the Year

Sarah Hutchins ~ Clinical Excellence in Surgical Technology Award

Drew Ison ~ Resident Assistant of the Year

Marlene Kasama ~ Distinguished Management Graduate Award

Kristen Kelty ~ Outstanding Student in the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts/Humanities Award

Amanda Knopp ~ Student of the Year

Jillian Leake ~ Prescription for Success in Pharmacy Technology Award

Candace Littlejohn ~ Most Promising Education in Field Work Award

Billy Lundy ~ Outstanding Contribution to r…l³ Program Award

Stuart Mattingly ~ Academic Achievement in Associate of Arts in Radiography Award

Donovan McCutheon ~ Resident Student of the Year

Ariel Meyers ~ Excellence in Surgical Technology

Alicia Hale O'Cull ~ Graduate School Pioneer Class Award

Lindsay Pace ~  D.U.S.K. Professionalism Award in the Associate of Science in Sonography

Reilly Poirier ~ Outstanding Student in the Department of Natural Sciences Award

Starrisha Roberts ~ Most Promising Education in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education Award

Jessica Shelton ~ Excellence in English Award

Kaitlyn Smith ~ Saint Martin de Porres Award for Psychology & Social Justice

Adam Smith ~ Most Well-Rounded Student in Criminal Justice Award

Jaclyn ~ Most Promising Educator in Elementary School Education Award

Stephanie Testa ~ Graduate School Pioneer Class Award

Laura Turner ~ Outstanding Student in Studio Arts Award

Stephanie Wilcheck ~ Wilhelm Wundt Award for Scientific Contribution in Psychology

Dr. Harry Toder ~ Faculty Member of the Year

Mrs. Carlotta Brussell ~ Staff Member of the Year

The SCC Drama club proudly invites you to its production of Ron Bernas's "A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody," a comedy murder mystery sure to have you laughing in the aisles. Here is a description from Samuel French:

"Winner! Community Theatre Association of Michigan New Plays Competition. This six-character comedy is a spoof of and love letter to the screwball comedies of the 1930s and to stage mysteries in general. It is a one-set, two-act piece featuring witty dialogue and slapstick comedy. The play opens with the rich, bored Matthew promising to kill his rich, bored wife Julia so he can become a jet setter like his friend who recently lost his wife. Julia, who's always about three steps ahead of him, plays along. And so the game begins - a hilarious year-long match of wits and the witless.

During the year the play takes place, there are several mysterious deaths that occur on the grounds of the family estate, a butler who is not what he seems, a detective who can't buy a clue, and two innocents (sort of) caught in the hilarity as they plan their wedding. While Julia cleverly dodges Matthew's devious murder attempts, the Perry friends and staff are dying off mysteriously. It seems Matthew is successful in murdering everyone but Julia.

As the bodies fall, dim-witted daughter Bunny contemplates calling off her wedding to unwitting Donald since all the intended gift-bearing guests are dying. Enter Detective Plotnik - a Sam Spade reincarnation who suspects everyone, but hasn't a clue. That is, not until Donald stumbles upon Julia and gentlemanly butler Buttram in what Donald mistakenly perceives as a compromising situation. Donald jumps to the conclusion that Julia is the murderer - trying to murder Matthew!  It ends in a nice bang and with a bit of a message about the importance of love." -- Samuel French

"A delightful surprise...an evening of fun just on the proper side of slapstick." - Lansing State Journal

"Comedy packs laughs...a delightful play...a medley of laughs...the play has charm, and is really funny." - News-Herald, Southgate, MI This play won the Michigan Playwriting Competition and was first performed in 1991 by Grosse Pointe Theatre, Michigan's premiere community theater.

Shows will be Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27 at 7 p.m., with a matinee showing on Sunday, April 28, at 2 p.m. All shows will be in Angelic Hall in Centre Square in Lebanon. Tickets are $10, and are available at the door.

The cast is as follows:

Matthew Perry: Will Phillips

Julia Perry: Jenna Niece

Bunny Perry: Tana Hatton

Donald: Deward Straub

Buttram: Bob Akin

Detective Plotnik: Dr. David Wallace

Stage Manager: Kaitlyn Smith

David Thompson was the first male and first overall finisher of the second-annual St. Catharine College military appreciation day 5K run / walk.

Thompson finished the race in 21 minutes and 42 seconds. Roberta Meyer was the second overall finisher and the first female to cross the finish line. She finished in 23:14.

In the female 12-and-under group, Laurel Brahm finished first in 26:27. Brianna Mattingly finished second in 39:06.6. Jasmine Benningfield finished third in 39:06.7.

In the female 18-to-24 category, Carly Terrell finished first in 54:34.

In the female 25-to-29 category, Jana Abell finished first in 28:33. Sheena Hager finished second in 32:00 and Sara Cannon finished third in 34:14.

In the female 30-to-34 category, Amanda Mattingly finished first in 28:40. Heather Marksbury finished second in 29:00 and Jessie Weis finished third in 29:44.

In the female 35-to-39 category, Jennifer Sievert finished first in 28:34, while Corie Followell finished second in 40:23 and Jamie Mattingly came in third in 47:50.

In the female 40-to-44 category, Sharon Bach finished first in 25:41. Catherine Marks finished second in 37:47 and Melissa Smith finished third in 41:08.

In the female 45-to-49 category, Karen Scout finished first in 40:50. Myra Knopp finished second in 43:58 and Ann Thompson finished third in 45:28.

In the female 50-to-60 category, Karen Wilson finished first in 33:34. Charlene Dodson finished second in 35:46 and Rita Rust finished third in 46:23.

In the female 61-and-over category, Brenda Mattingly finished first in 52:30.

In the male 12-and-under category, Dalyn Mattingly finished first in 33:14.

In the male 13-to-17 category, Ben Dekle finished first in 30:25.

In the male 25-to-29 category, Macon Smith finished first in 26:16. Clinton Pence finished second in 39:29 and Neil Payne finished third in 51:51.

In the male 30-to-34 category, Josh Riggs finished first in 23:23. Bobbie Mattingly finished second in 24:00 and Mike Medley finished third in 26:18.

In the male 35-to-39 category, Jeremy Mattingly finished first in 25:05. Charles Ramey finished second in 25:54 and Jake Ackers finished third in 28:05.

In the male 40-to-44 category, Brett Martin finished first in 24:30. John Kaufield finished second in 27:31 and Chad Hood finished third in 28:06.

In the male 45-to-49 category, Robert Hillerich finished first in 24:32. Phil Chatigny finished second in 34:56.

In the male 50-to-60 category, Harper Smith finished first in 23:42. Martin McDonald finished second in 25:20 and Timothy Mattingly finished third in 26:37.

In the male 61-and-over category, Otha Allen finished first in 27:11. Ambrose Wilson finished second in 30:12 and Gordon Webb finished third in 50:40.

In the team competition, Team Hatton finished first in 27:26. Team Golden Girls finished second in 46:06 and Team LEB Group finished third in 55:18.

      WHAS Channel 11 broadcast meteorologist Kristin Walls will be coming to St. Catharine College on April 29 at 4 p.m. to give a one-hour presentation to students in Pettus Auditorium focusing on her lifelong interest in weather, her academic career, how she found her way to a career in broadcast meteorology, and some personal advice on pursuing one's  degree, dreams and career.

      All are invited to attend; however, students will be given preference for seats (students, you may want to arrive a little early!).

      The dedication of the new Emily W. Hundley Library at 5 p.m. will immediately follow Ms. Walls' presentation.

      The following is Kristin's bio on the WHAS 11 website:

      Kristin Walls joined the WHAS11 First Alert Storm Team in June 2011 as the weekend meteorologist. Before coming to WHAS11 News, Kristin was the weekend meteorologist and a weekday reporter at WTOV in Steubenville, Ohio.

      While at WTOV, she covered the fourth biggest snowstorm on record in the Ohio Valley. The storm accumulated up to 20 inches of snow over a span of two days.

      Kristin grew up in McDonald, Ohio. She received her bachelor's degree from Kent State University and her master's degree in atmospheric science from the Ohio State University. Kristin's thesis focused on how tornadoes and derechos formed in the Ohio Valley since 1950.

She enjoys running, hiking, shopping, traveling, theater and spending time with family and friends. Kristin loves the city of Louisville and is excited to meet a bunch of wonderful new faces.

Reporters from The Courier-Journal visited St. Catharine to learn about how the Dominican Sisters of Peace promote sustainability through farming. Check out this short video clip about the St. Catharine Farm and the Berry Farming Program's collaboration with the Dominicans:

http://www.courier-journal.com/VideoNetwork/2217733603001/Dominican-Sisters-of-Peace-promote-earth-friendly-land-use?nclick_check=1

At 8 a.m. on April 13, a Civil War-era cannon will be fired on campus to start the  5K Fun Walk/Run, the kick off event for the college's 8^th- annual military appreciation day. This will be the first of about five times the cannon will be fired during the day.

The activities on campus include:

A. the 2nd-annual 5K Run/Walk at 8 a.m.

B. the Kentucky HistoryMobile from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

C. Lunch will be available starting at 11 a.m. Calvary Elementary School will be selling lunch and baked goods as a fund raiser for their Girls on the Run program in Parking Lot 7 (next to Hamilton Health Science Bldg)

D. Bouncy houses for the kids from about 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on the soccer field (weather permitting).

E. Senior day for the baseball team begins with the first pitch of a double-header against the University of the Cumberlands at noon. Senior players will be recognized between games (about 2:30).

We encourage you to take part in the activities and support Calvary Elementary School's fundraising lunch!

On Saturday, April 6, Dr. Harry Toder at St. Catharine College participated in a panel discussion pertaining to the teaching of criminal justice and sociology. This was part of the conference of the Anthropologists and Sociologists of Kentucky professional organization.  On the panel were also representatives from Lindsey Wilson College, Thomas More College and Georgetown College. The conference was held at Bellarmine University. There were several other panel discussions also taking place on that day, dealing with such topics as race, ethnicity, gender and social class. Toder estimated that 100-150 people were in attendance at this conference.

Major figures came to St. Catharine College on Saturday, April 6 to discuss environmental issues, farming, finance and what it will take to resettle America.

The Berry Center, a non-profit organization established in 2011 to preserve and institutionalize the work of John M. Berry, Jr., John M. Berry, Sr., and Wendell Berry, organized the conference titled "From Unsettling to Resettling: What Will It Take to Resettle America?"

The conference served as a celebration of the 35^th anniversary of Wendell Berry's work, "The Unsettling of America: Culture & Agriculture."

Notable authors, community activists, farmers, sociologists and agricultural economists gathered in Louisville at The Brown Hotel and at St. Catharine College to "return to the book's principles and respond to the chapters in light of their knowledge and current understanding," according to The Berry Center program for the conference.

"Our goal is that the discussion and lessons resulting from this thinking will hasten a cultural shift toward sustainability as we envision and create our future," according to conference program.

While Friday's activities took place in Louisville, St. Catharine College President William D. Huston welcomed over 300 guests to the campus on Saturday morning to begin the second day of the conference.

Guests filled St. Catharine Hall to listen in on a filmed interview between acclaimed broadcast journalist Bill Moyers and Wendell Berry. Moyers talked at length with Berry about his beliefs and practices involving land use and agricultural tasks.

Following the interview, visitors packed the Spalding Student & Community Center for a lunch of local fare, including items from St. Catharine Farm.

Bill McKibben, who Time Magazine once called "the planet's best green journalist," spoke at lunch about climate change and large agricultural operations, as well and protests his organization, 350.org, has helped orchestrate.

McKibben also pointed out that there's hardly a place a person can go in the country without finding a farmer's market somewhere nearby, something aided by the words and work of Wendell Berry.

Following lunch, key figures assembled for a panel titled, "What will it take to resettle America?"

Alan Guebert, an award-winning agricultural journalist who writes the syndicated column "The Farm and Food File," presented a list of 12 things that would resettle America. The list amended Wendell Berry's list from "The Unsettling of America."

Among the items he listed, Guebert mentioned that all humans could stand to work more in a physical sense.

Guebert said his most-read columns are about the satisfaction that comes from hard labor on the farm.

"When I write about that, those are my best-read columns, everybody says it's romantic and it's poetic," Guebert said. "Well, of course it is. That's why you liked it. That's why I liked it. That's why I didn't forget it. It's not sentimental. I don't want to romanticize it because it's hard work. Everybody can do that."

Woody Tasch, founder and chairman of Slow Money, a non-profit formed "to catalyze the flow of investment capital to small food enterprises," among other things, posed a challenge to the audience.

"What is stopping us from taking one percent of our money and committing it to investing locally?" Tasch asked. "What is stopping us? No politicians are stopping us."

Conference-goers also heard from Wendell Berry, John M. Berry, Jr., Mary Berry and Wes Jackson.

The day concluded with a guided tour of parts of St. Catharine Farm.

The following story originally appeared in the April 2013 edition of The Highlander Neighborhood Monthly (http://thehighlanderonline.com/print-articles/features/624-the-many-lives-of-nini?limitstart=0). It is published here with permission from the publication.

Written by Michael L. Jones

Photography by Brian Bohannon / brianbohannon.com

"The Many Lives of Nini" is the second in The Highlander Neighborhood Monthly's three-part series "The United Nations of Louisville."

Abdikadir Mohammed, known as "Nini," is a junior at St. Catharine College, a small Dominican Catholic school near Springfield, Ky. He is a psychology major with scholarships in soccer and track. After graduation, Nini plans to get a master's degree in social work from the University of Louisville. His ultimate goal is to work for the United Nations.

When he is not attending classes, playing sports or plotting his future, Nini is working on his memoirs. This may sound presumptuous for a 21-year-old, but Nini's goals are small compared to what he has already accomplished. He was born in war-torn Somalia. When he was 8 months old, his family moved to the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, home to thousands of refugees from Sudan, Uganda and other African hot spots. Life at Kakuma was tough. Malnutrition and communicable disease were rampant. Nini remembers many days when his family had only enough food for one meal.

In 2006, Kentucky Refugee Ministries brought Nini and his family to Louisville. His still-untitled memoir tells about his journey from 15-year-old non-English speaking freshman to ambitious college student. "I started from nowhere," he says. "My daddy never thought I was going to graduate. My mom don't know anything about school and all of that. She didn't really know what was going on. My dad knew about school, but when I was in Africa I never studied much because it was horrible there for me. When I came here is when I focused more. That's when I got all my strength."

During track practice, Nini runs next to Nicole Peterson, 28, a sports leadership major. The students from St. Catharine College train at Bardstown High School's Garnis Martin Field, about 15 miles away, because the college does not have an on-site track. (Photo: brianbohannon.com)

In addition to the usual communication hurdles, Nini grew up speaking Maay Maay, an Afro-Asiatic language that has no writing system. "I would love for us to have a written language but we don't have one," Nini says. "I've never seen written Maay Maay. The only language they write is Somalian. They say Maay Maay can go along with Somalian language, but I did not know how to write it.

"Going to school was very difficult. I was dressing up crazy, my writing wasn't good, my English wasn't good. Nothing was good, except I could say, 'Hey.'"

Nini was a freshman at Shawnee High School when a teacher had trouble pronouncing his full given name. When the teacher asked if there was something shorter to call him, he suggested "Nini," which was the name of his soccer team in Kenya. It is a Swahili word that means "what." The nickname remains with him to this day. If you were to visit St. Catharine and ask for Abdikadir Mohammed, no one would know who you were talking about.

Nini's family was originally settled in the Americana Apartments in the Beechmont neighborhood, but the rent proved too expensive. Nini's father relocated them to a housing project in the crime-ridden Park Hill neighborhood. They are Muslim, and in Africa Nini's father had two wives. The United States does not recognize polygamous families, so the family entered the country as separate households. But Nini makes a point of explaining that he considers all of his father's children his brothers and sisters.

Nini is his father's oldest child. The urge to help his father deal with family business was the main motivator for Nini to succeed in school. "When I came to the United States, the one thing that made me mad, the thing that got me to really study, was when I see my dad," he remembers. "They would send him mail paper and he'd go to someone else to read it for him. It got me really angry about that. I say to myself, 'You the oldest at your house, you can't read paper. That's embarrassing to your family.' I start focusing. 'Till I can read paper for my dad I'm not going to give up."

Nini moved to Waggener High School for his sophomore year. By then, thanks to after-school tutoring and ESL (English as a Second Language) classes at the Americana Community Center, he had a rudimentary understanding of written and spoken English. For a short time, a tutor came to Nini's house, but the workbooks, with their giant pictures of puppies and other child-related imagery, embarrassed him. Eventually, he asked only to be tutored at school.

"Any Bantu kid or other ESL student would feel the same way if they had tutoring at their house," he relates. "They would feel embarrassed that their family or friend might come home and see this little thing you are studying. They don't feel comfortable. That's why it was hard for me to have tutoring at home."

In one of his classes at St. Catharine, Nini is working on ideas for better ways of teaching English to ESL students. One of his ideas is not letting students who speak the same language sit next to each other. Nini says he learned more when he was in classrooms where he was forced to work with refugee students from other parts of Africa or elsewhere in the world. In those situations, the children are forced to communicate with each other in English because it is the only common language.

During his sophomore and junior years in high school, Nini worked hard on his studies but had no idea where it was leading. But in the summer before his senior year, another Somali student told him about college. Nini asked: What is that? What do they do there? His friend told him that you study what you want and then get a job.

Nini did know about one college, the University of Kentucky, but up until then he thought it was just a basketball team. "My plan was UK, because UK was always showing up in my head," he confesses. "People were always talking about UK, so I say I'm going to go to school there. I never thought about (University of Louisville) at all. It was UK, UK."

But Nini had a big problem. His ACT (American College Testing) score was not high enough for admission to UK. Mostly, it was the English part that was hampering him. The first time he took the test, he scored a 12. In all, he took it four times and his highest score was a 16. Frustrated, he considered giving up on college because he had to pay every time he took the ACT. But then another refugee student told him about St. Catharine, which allows international students to submit the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) as a compliment to other tests. Nini scored well enough to be accepted to the school. In September 2012, he was the school's Student of the Month.

"It is just a small school," Nini says. "The people are different from Louisville. They don't interact with you the way people interact with you in Louisville. Everybody knows everybody. You can't hide."

When he is back in Louisville during the summer, Nini helps refugee students with their English. He has also formed a Bantu soccer team with other Somalian refugees. They play against another Bantu team as well as a local team made up of Mexican immigrants. Nini always tells the people he meets about St. Catharine.

"They see me wearing a St. Catharine shirt and they ask, 'What is that?'" Nini explains. "I tell them about the school. I think when they see you going to school, they get the impression 'If that guy can do that, I can do that.' I want them to think that way about college. That is also why I write my story. Hopefully, it will inspire other refugees to do what I do."

Contact the writer at Blueshound2000@gmail.com

The Challenges I Had In High School Excerpts from the writings of Abdikadir Mohammed, also known as "Nini"

After coming to Louisville, I waited almost a month to go to school. I couldn't wait. I was really in a hurry to start school because I wanted to learn and speak English. While waiting, I was in ESL classes at Kentucky refugee ministries. They prepared me for school by teaching me a few things that I could use at school. For example: How to say my name. The first school I went to was Shawnee High School. The first day I attended school I was really scared because everybody was taller and bigger than me and I didn't know anybody there. I wondered why I was in school with these big people who look liked my dad and had the same body weight as my dad. I thought they sent me to the wrong school.
When I got back from school, I told my dad that everybody in school was bigger than me. He told me the only important thing was for me to go to school and learn and not to worry who is in school with you. However, my dad never believed me I would learn anything at school. He thought I was going to be dumb and start to hangout with some students who skip school. I couldn't read and write when I was a freshman in high school. Every time my dad tells me to read a paper for him I couldn't read it. He had to call somebody else to read it for him. I was so frustrated when that happened and didn't know what to do, but to step up for my family. After that I didn't do anything else, not even soccer, for my first year in high school. Every day I came home from school and did my homework and read books. However, I went to ACC (Americana Community Center) to get help with reading and writing skills. I didn't know anything about ACC. My friend Magan and his brother Noor were the people who introduced me to ACC. They went there before I came to America. And I started going there every day when I was freshman in high school. I was one of the best ESL (English as a Second Language) students they had at Americana Community Center. Some of the people there enjoyed helping me and I always behaved well. In two months I was better in my writing and reading skills. I was the number one student that had improved in two months that year. The ESL classes I had at school really helped me.
Shawnee High had students from many different countries but we didn't speak the same languages, therefore, it was difficult for us to talk to each other and work together. However, we had to speak English to work together. I had teachers who really helped me during my first year of school. That year of school was wonderful. I loved the subjects we had. The teachers were organized and taught us many things. I liked my teachers and I will never forget them. The teachers respected me for who I was and I respected them. I also respected my classmates. 
At the end of the school year, I thought I was going to stay in the same school but they told me I had to attend another school because that was just to prepare me for a higher level. A week later they told me I would go to Waggener High School. I didn't really know where Waggener was, but I was happy to go there.

The St. Catharine College capstone management class invites everyone to visit St. Catharine College on Saturday, April 13 to celebrate both SCC's eighth-annual military appreciation and senior baseball day. Join us in a day honoring our service members and stay to watch SCC's senior baseball players play their last home game.

This year's military appreciation day will start with a 5K run/walk. On the starting gun - a Civil War cannon - runners will begin their race from the starting/finishing line in front of the college's Hamilton Science Building, travel 2.5 kilometers toward Springfield on old Hwy 150 and then return to the finish line on the SCC campus. To commemorate the sesquicentennial (150^th) anniversary of John Hunt Morgan's cavalry raid through the county in the summer of 1863, this year's run will include a John Hunt Morgan Trophy for the winning military and non-military running teams. State Senator Jimmy Higdon will present awards for the 5K.

Included in the campus activities will be a Civil War cannon displayed and crewed by the 12^th US Colored Heavy Artillery from Camp Nelson, who preserve the history of Kentucky's African-American service and sacrifice during the Civil War. The 12^th Regiment will participate in St. Catharine College's observance of the 150^th anniversary of Confederate General John Hunt Morgan's cavalry raid through Lebanon and Springfield during the summer of 1863.

The Kentucky Historical Society's History Mobile will also be on campus. The traveling display illustrates Kentucky's role in the Civil War and covers many aspects of what it was like to be in a border state during a time that divided families and determined the future of America.

Visitors to the college are encouraged to stay for a hamburger/hotdog lunch catered by Calvary Elementary School parents, staff and students. The management class and Cavalry Elementary School have partnered to raise funds for Calvary Elementary's Girls on the Run program to establish a nationally recognized program which helps foster positive self-confidence and an appreciation of health and fitness.

It promises to be a day full of activities, learning, bouncy-houses and baseball.

The Resettling of America Conference (April 4-6) celebrates the 35^th anniversary of Wendell Berry's germinal text The Unsettling of America. Roundtable discussions will be held in Louisville and at St. Catharine College and will feature many of the leading figures in ecological agriculture and sustainable community development.

DIRECT FEED: The conference venues can only accommodate 300 people, and tickets are sold out.  However, The Berry Center and St. Catharine College invite students, staff, faculty, and community members to watch the proceedings via video direct feed in the third floor classrooms of SCC's new Emily W. Hundley Library. Check out the action on Friday, April 5th (9:00am - 5:00 pm) and Saturday, April 6th (10:00am - 2:45 pm). 

SIGN UP: Admission is free, but space is limited. Sign up here: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4EA9AB2FA02-resettling. Indicate which times you plan to attend.  Sign-up is open first to St. Catharine College affiliates and the Springfield community but will be announced to the broader public on Monday, March 25^th.

VOLUNTEERS: We'll need quite a bit of help on campus for the conference--registration tabling, fielding questions, directing traffic, and the like. Willing to lend a hand? Sign up here ASAP (or by Wednesday, March 27^th):  www.SignUpGenius.com/go/20F0D4EA9AB2FA02-berry. I'll be in touch with volunteers about assignments and logistics.

LUNCH NOTE: On Friday, guests are welcome to take lunch at the St. Catharine College cafeteria in the Spalding Student Center. However, on Saturday, the cafeteria will be fully occupied by conference participants, so guests will need either to pack a lunch or to take lunch in Springfield.

 HELPFUL LINKS:

• Resettling of America schedule:       http://www.berrycenter.org/The%20Resettling%20of%20America%20-%20Web.pdf
• The Berry Center website:       http://www.berrycenter.org/
• St. Catharine College website:       http://www.sccky.edu/
• Directions to SCC:  http://www.sccky.edu/aboutus/map.php

HIGHLIGHTS:  Saturday, April 6^th will feature a live interview of Wendell Berry by PBS commentator Bill Moyers, as well as a roundtable discussion including renowned sustainability advocates Vandana Shiva of the Navdanya Organization in India, Bill McKibben of 350.org, and Mary Berry of The Berry Center in New Castle, Kentucky.

St. Catharine College has made some opening moves in what could well become ongoing opportunities with partners in the Caribbean nation of Belize.   In 2012, Candice Littlejohn, a teacher candidate in the elementary school program, did field teaching and her senior capstone project at St. Joseph Primary School in Belize City (www.stjoseph.edu.bz) . From the faculty, Sr. Angela Shaughnessy, dean of the Graduate School and director of the International School Law institute, provides professional training to principals from the nation's Catholic schools. It may well be the case that these contacts are growing; at least that is the hope of Sr. Angie and Dr. David Arnold, dean of the School for Professional Studies.

This March, Sr. Angie returned to Belize City to offer another professional development session and this time Dr. Arnold went along on the trip to explore possible academic partnerships. While there,  Arnold met with several key people.  In four crowded days he met with the manager of the national Catholic School system, the  dean and assistant academic dean of St. John's College, an associate-level college, and the director for secondary education from the Ministry of Education and then traveled to meet with the  director of the University of Belize Research Farm. Possibilities explored in wide-ranging discussions included future teacher education placements, a partnership with St. John's College for work on bachelor-level teacher education and partnerships between SCC's new farming and ecological agrarianism degree and the University of Belize research farm.

The possibility of developing and funding short-term student course and internship exchanges in education, agriculture, and community leadership is exciting. 

"It is a marvelous country for this.  There is so much to be done and also so much to be learned there," Arnold said. 

Littlejohn agrees.  

"My teaching residency in Belize was a life-changing experience. It will have a profound effect on my career in education," she said.

"And some of the barriers you worry about in foreign partnerships are low," Arnold pointed out.  "Belize isn't that far away. It's a beautiful place, it's relatively inexpensive, the major language is English and the people - the people--they are just so amazingly open and cheerful." 

Nick Houlehan, a recent graduate of St. Catharine College, has carried his success on campus to the workforce.

Houlehan, who graduated with a degree in criminal justice, landed a job with the police department in Florence, Ky., just two months after commencement.

Florence is a city of around 75,000 residents, Houlehan told Dr. Harry Toder's class recently. There are 62 officers in the Florence police department.

"You started out in a pretty important position," Toder said. "You might think that somebody that just graduates with a degree that they would start out in a very small police department. A lot of times that's the case. But you broke the mold, so to speak."

Toder asked Houlehan to what degree participating in extracurricular activities helped Houlehan land a job.

"Being a baseball player my whole life, being on a team, in criminal justice everything is a team," Houlehan said. "When you're on a police department, as your agency, you will all work together. You have to learn how to communicate with each other."

Being a part of team means working together even if you don't like everyone on your team, Houlehan said.

"You might not get along with them, but you have to learn to respect them, you have to learn how to get along with them and be able to work efficiently and effectively," he said.

Toder also asked Houlehan if grades were the first thing potential employers looked at.

"Grades will get you in the door," Houlehan said. "If you don't make good grades, you're pretty much not going to get looked at. If you don't graduate with some kind of accolades, you are in the middle of the line starting out."

As a police officer, Houlehan added that potential recruits have to prove themselves to be in top physical condition and have good interpersonal skills.

The graduate emphasized that the college experience was more than just going through the motions, making passing grades, shaking a few hands at graduation and then receiving a diploma.

"Come to class on time. Do your homework, make sure it gets turned in on time," he said. "Just be prepared every day. It doesn't just help you in school; it helps you prepare for life. Because when you go to work, you don't just go into work and not be prepared."

For police work and in the workforce in general, Houlehan emphasized maintaining personal integrity.

"You've got to look the part; you've got to be the part. You've got to be professional and you have to have your integrity with you to make sure you're doing things the right way," he said. "Integrity is something that you have to have, especially if you want to be in law enforcement."

Houlehan said having a criminal justice degree helped him out, but knowing how to conduct himself also helped.

"When you walk into an interview, you don't have your phone out, you don't chew gum," he said. "If you're a man, you clean shave. If you're a woman, you have your hair fixed in a professional manner. Stand straight up. When I shook everybody's hand, I looked them in the eye and I said, 'Hi, how are you doing? It's nice to meet you. Thank you for having me.'"

Another point that Houlehan added was that education doesn't stop with a college degree.

"If you stop learning in college, you're kind of hurting yourself," he said. "You're really hurting yourself if you don't educate yourself."

The first STAR Orientation of 2013 is set for March 23.

For this one-day session, student check-in takes place from 8:30 a.m.-9 a.m. The program will begin promptly at 9 a.m. There are many fun activities and information sessions throughout the day. Students will have lunch and then advising and official registration will begin around 1:30 p.m.

Here's a list of what you will need:

• to be officially accepted to SCC
• you must RSVP by the deadline for the date you would like to attend
• submit Official transcripts from graduating high school or GED with scores to the Office of Admissions prior to RSVPing for a STAR date.
• submit ACT or COMPASS scores must be submitted to the Admissions Office PRIOR to the selected STAR date
• Driver's license
• STAR Orientation fee: $50 in advance, $65 the day of the event

All students must meet the requirements and submit their RSVP by the deadline date. If all processes are not followed then those students will not able to register for classes.

Participants are asked to RSVP a week prior to the event. If you didn't register in time for this STAR Orientation, there are upcoming dates.

To view upcoming dates and for more information about STAR Orientation, follow the link below.

http://www.sccky.edu/admissions/star_orientation.php

Students at St. Catharine College know her as Dr. Becky Meadows, but they'll soon get a glimpse of her alter-ego: FOXX.

As FOXX, Meadows and her band perform a mix of country, southern rock and classic rock.

The group will perform from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. on March 22 at the American Legion in Bardstown. Proceeds will benefit the Dominican Young Adults recent trip to New York for the United Nations commission on the status of women.

Tickets can be purchased on campus through Dr. Tara Tuttle, Dr. Meadows or any of the participating students (Jessica Shelton, Starr Roberts, Chelsea Shanahan, Randi Jo Fields, Kaitlyn Smith or Jonathan Engstrom.

FOXX's concert is one of many women's history month events at St. Catharine College this month.

March 21 - 2:30 pm, Pettus, DYA Presentation on Trip to the United Nations 57^th Commission on the Status of Women

March 22, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. American Legion in Bardstown:  Women Rock!  Foxx in concert! Fundraiser for the Dominican Young Adults

March 26, Noon - 1 p.m., Pettus, "Feminized Cultivations:  A Conversation about              Women in Sustainable Agriculture," Dr. Leah Bayens, Coordinator of the Berry Farming Program, Julie Hurley of River Run Farm, and Eileen O'Donohue of Kentucky Lamb

March 26, 2:30-3:30 p.m., Pettus, "Secret City, Secret Curse," presentation and discussion on the women in the Manhattan Project, Dr. Nancye McCrary

March 28, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m., Pettus, Film: Dolores Claiborne, Dr. Meadows

April 11,  7-9 p.m., Pettus, Buena Vista, a short play and discussion by award-winning playwright Toni Wiley

March 12, 2:30 pm, Pettus, Unmasking Domestic Violence, FCCLA        members Nicholas Sneed and Beth Purdom with Kerrie Sneed

March 14, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m., Pettus, Film: Half the Sky, Dr.  Tuttle

March 18, Noon, Pettus, Haiti Trip Discussion, Prof. Nora Hatton

March 19, 11 a.m., Pettus, "Women in Educational Leadership Roles," Dr. Jan Lantz

March 21, 2:30 p.m., Pettus, DYA Presentation on trip to the United        Nations 57th Commission on the Status of Women

March 22, 8 - 10 p.m. American Legion in Bardstown: Women Rock!  Foxx in concert! Fundraiser for the Dominican Young Adults

March 26, Noon - 1 p.m., Pettus, "Feminized Cultivations:  A       Conversation about Women in Sustainable Agriculture," Dr. Leah            Bayens, Coordinator of the Berry Farming Program, Julie Hurley of River Run Farm and Eileen O'Donohue of Kentucky Lamb

March 26, 2:30-3:30 p.m., Pettus, "Secret City, Secret Curse," presentation and discussion on the women in the Manhattan Project, Dr. Nancye McCrary

March 28, 6 -8 p.m., Pettus, Film: Dolores Claiborne, Dr. Meadows

April 11,  7-9 p.m., Pettus, Buena Vista, a short play and discussion by award-winning playwright Toni Wiley

Dr. Rob Slocum, _, recently described the mission of St. Catharine College.

He talked about igniting the fire of creativity and curiousity in St. Catharine College students.

Click the link to watch a video of Dr. Slocum describe the St. Catharine College mission.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZku-EHc9oc&feature=youtu.be

The St. Catharine College Residence Hall Council recently announced the St. Patrick's Day tailgate event.

Come enjoy music, corn hole, an egg toss, snacks and drinks outside the Residence Life office in the grass on March 19 from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.

The event will take place in the student center if it is raining.

The Residence Hall Council recently announced that campus clean-up will take place from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. on March 25.

Anyone interested in helping can meet in the Siena Hall lobby at 5 p.m.

Students are encouraged to join in an effort to make the campus look nicer through this service project.

If you plan to participate, please wear appropriate footwear. Gloves and trash bags will be provided.

Our special guests will be the classes of 1963 from both St. Catharine College and the St. Catharine Academy. Please make plans to attend and reconnect with your classmates. Members of classes both before and after 1963 are also invited to come and share your memories and tour the campus. Things certainly do look different! 

      What:

Welcome reception

      When:

Friday, July 12, 2013 from

      Where:

Emily W. Hundley Library & Center for Graduate Studies café and court yard

      Enjoy hors d'oeuvres, spirits and good cheer with your classmates before taking a tour of the recently opened Library. Tours of the Richard S. Hamilton Health & Science Building will also be available.

      What:

Mass, motor coach trip and the 32nd-annual Berea Crafts Festival

      When:

Saturday, July 13, 2013 from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.

We will begin the day with Mass, (campus location TBD), followed by a continental breakfast and motor coach trip to Berea, Kentucky. Lunch will be on your own as you take in the sights and sounds of the various artists featured at this year's festival.

Yes, I want to do it all!           $50 per person X ______ = $__________

I can only attend on Friday.    $20 per person X ______ = $__________

I can only attend on Saturday.$40 per person X ______ = $__________

                                                           Totals ______     $__________

Join St. Catharine College friends and alumni when they depart for an 11-day trip to Italy and Greece on Sept. 26.

Click the link to find out more and book your excursion today.

http://stcatharinecollege.grouptoursite.com/#travel-guide

Here's a schedule of CAAP testing, beginning on March 15.

March 15^th: Early College Students only.

Health Science Students: Saturday, March 16^th from 8:30-3:00 in the Health Science Building. Students will need to meet in Pettus Auditorium upon arrival.

Arts & Sciences & Professional Studies: Participants will be divided and tested in two separate groups. The first will be March 18^th and March 19^th from 8-12. The second will be March 20^th and March 21^st, also from 8-12. These groups will be testing in the new Hundley Library, room 301.

There will be make up sessions on Friday, March 22^nd from 8:00-2:00 (roughly), also in HL-301, and also on Monday, March 25^th & Tuesday, March 26^th (two day session) from 8-12 each day.

For any questions or more information, contact Carissa Coslow at carissacoslow@sccky.edu or (859) 336-5082 ext. 1384.

I'm pleased to announce that the St. Catharine College Board of Trustees approved the Berry Farming Program's undergraduate degree proposals!  Beginning Fall 2013, SCC will offer Bachelors of Arts and Bachelors of Science degrees and a minor in Farming and Ecological Agrarianism.

Students can focus on one of four areas of study: (1) agroecology, (2) plant and soil stewardship, (3) environmental arts and humanities, or (4) community leadership. Drawing on the work of noted farmer and writer Wendell Berry, this sustainable agriculture-oriented curriculum merges the arts and sciences of cultivation and provides numerous opportunities for experience-based learning. To learn more:

• Check out      the program's website (http://www.sccky.edu/academics/arts-sciences/earth-studies/sustainablefarming_ba.php).
• Like the      BFP Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/SCCBerryFarmingProgram).      
• Peruse out      the attached brochure.

SCC faculty and staff as well as our community partners helped expedite the process of developing the curriculum and guiding it through the proper channels. For this, I am boundlessly grateful.

St. Catharine College President William D. Huston recently announced that Dustan E. McCoy will be the commencement speaker for 2013. McCoy is currently the chairman and chief executive officer of Brunswick Corporation in Chicago. He has held these positions since 2005.

Previously he was president of Brunswick Boat Group since 2000.

Prior to his arrival at Brunswick in 1999, he was executive vice president for Witco Corporation, with operating responsibility for a variety of global businesses and functions. He also served as general counsel and corporate secretary.

Prior to that, he spent 15 years with Ashland, Inc., where he worked as general counsel, with responsibility for the corporate law department and major litigation.

"We are very happy to have Mr. McCoy join us for our 2013 commencement ceremonies," Huston said. 

Commencement is set for May 11 at 11 a.m.

A recent update from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education and Kentucky Partnership Academies indicate that the partnership between St. Catharine College and Washington County Schools is successful.

In 2011, St. Catharine College partnered with Washington County Schools (WCS) and Elizabethtown Community and Technical College (ECTC) to establish an early college program for Washington County High School students.

Initially 25 juniors from student populations that are typically under-represented at Kentucky's postsecondary institutions participated at the start of the program known as the Washington County Commander College.

The program

The first cohort of this two-year initiative slowly moved juniors from dual credit classes scheduled and taught at WCHS to full exposure and scheduling at the St. Catharine College campus by the completion of their senior year.

Initially, the juniors moved as a cohort, but the seniors are slowly branching out with their electives as they work to attain an associate degree in liberal arts.

The first cohort participated in a summer bridge program in math at St. Catharine College to prepare them for college math (their weakest area as a group). In addition, two one-credit classes have been offered in college readiness during their senior year.

The results

Participants in Commander College are scoring significant ACT gains in English, math, science and reading. However, it's not the only area that Commander College students are excelling.

Commander College participants are achieving higher grade point averages than non-participants.

In school year 2010-11, Commander College students held an average 3.33 GPA versus an average of 2.5 GPA of their fellow students. In 2011-12, the difference was 2.96 to 2.34.

Additionally, Commander College students miss fewer days of school.

In 2010-11, Commander College students were in school an average of 164.3 days while non-participants were in school 163.6 days. In 2011-12, the gap increased to 164 versus 162.

The future

Twelve students are on track to receive their degrees in May 2013. The remaining students in the cohort have greatly increased the number of college credits they have earned and all are planning on a college career.

A second cohort of juniors has started and includes students enrolled in an associate degree in early childhood education in addition to the liberal arts offering.

Data provided by Washington County Schools. For more information about Washington County Commander College, contact Dr. Jan Lantz at St. Catharine College (janlantz@sccky.edu).

On April 4th, 5th and 6th, The Berry Center of New Castle, Kentucky will host a conference celebrating the ideas and vision of Wendell Berry and the 35^th anniversary of the publication of his 1977 book, The Unsettling of America: Culture & Agriculture. The Berry Center, a non-profit organization, was established in May 2011 to institutionalize the work of farmer and lawyer John M. Berry, Sr., former state senator, John M. Berry, Jr., and farmer and author Wendell Berry, remarkable Kentuckians who have worked tirelessly toward a prosperous, healthy countryside and sustainable local food and farm economies for Kentucky and the nation.

For three days notable authors, community activists, farmers, sociologists and agricultural economists will revisit and respond to the book's principles in light of their knowledge and current understanding. The goal is that the insights resulting from these conversations will hasten a cultural shift toward land stewardship, the protection of valuable ecosystems, and the local production and distribution of goods and services - a shift toward a future that will endure and a vibrant and healthy rural - urban connectedness all over the state.

The Berry Center conference, "From Unsettling to Resettling: What Will It Take to Resettle America?" will take place at The Brown Hotel in Louisville and at St. Catharine College near Springfield, Kentucky.

A concert of choral music based on Wendell Berry's poetry will begin the conference. This will be a premier of music by composer Andrew Maxfield and will include as well music by composer Harry Pickens, performed by the Louisville choral group, Voces Novae directed by Frank Heller. The concert will be at 7 p.m. Thursday evening at The Cathedral of the Assumption in Louisville.

The conference on Friday, April 5^th at the Brown Hotel in Louisville will commence with an address by Mary Berry, executive director of The Berry Center and will feature a presentation by Wes Jackson, president of The Land Institute in Salina, Kansas. Dr. Vandana Shiva of the Navdanya Research Foundation is the luncheon keynote speaker. Wendell Berry will introduce her.  In addition there will be three panel discussions that will take up the issues of cultural change, real accounting, and land use. These panel discussions will be moderated by Dr. Norman Wirzba of Duke University, Woody Tasch, of Slow Money, and Fred Kirschenmann of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, respectively.

The beautiful St. Catharine Hall at St. Catharine College in Springfield, Kentucky will be the site of Saturday's events, beginning with an interview of Wendell Berry by journalist and commentator Bill Moyers. In the afternoon a panel discussion will bring the conversation back to the initial question: What will it take to resettle America? Jack Shoemaker, Counterpoint Press, will moderate the panel. Panel members will include Fred Kirschenmann, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Mark Bittman (invited), Bill McKibben, Michael Pollan (invited), Woody Tasch, and Mary Berry.  

The conference will conclude with presentations by Mary Berry about the work of The Berry Center and Dr. Leah Bayens, St. Catharine College, "Coming Home - A Place on Earth".          St. Catharine College, a liberal arts college near Springfield, Kentucky is the home of the Berry Farming and Ecological Agrarianism Program, a program offering a bachelor's degree as well as a minor in farming and ecological agrarianism, with concentrations in agricultural ecology, plant and soil stewardship, community leadership and environmental arts and humanities.

For additional information about the conference and tickets please visit The Berry Center's website, http://www.berrycenter.org.

Catie Breeze, a 2009 graduate of St. Catharine College, was recently spotlighted in a campaign sponsored by the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU).

"We began planning this campaign as a way to reinforce to legislators and the general public the tremendous value that a private college education provides, both for graduates and for Kentucky communities," Mason Dyer, __ with AIKCU, said.

The campaign included posters with a graduate from each of the 20 AIKCU schools. The posters were hanging in the tunnel between the Annex and Capitol in Frankfort.

The theme of the campaign was 'Prepared.'

"We can talk forever about the ways private colleges prepare students for life and for careers -- by providing a broad liberal arts and sciences education that helps students develop the critical thinking and communications skills that employers repeatedly say they need; by offering more than 150 majors that build upon that liberal arts base; by providing opportunities for students to gain valuable experience through research, internships, and experiential learning opportunities; by providing career counseling and assistance in making the transition from college to the workforce; by fostering a sense of social responsibility -- but all that's hard to fit on a poster," Dyer said. "So we settled on the word 'Prepared' as the theme of the campaign to encapsulate all these ideas."

The campaign focused on recent alumni from each school.

"We deliberately focused on recent alumni to underscore the fact that, even in the tough recent economy, our graduates have not only been getting jobs, but they've been excelling in fields ranging from sonography to art, from education to banking." Dyer said. "These are people from all over Kentucky who will be making a difference in their communities and in the Commonwealth at large for many years to come."

One of those people is Catie Breeze, who came to St. Catharine College for the ultrasound program, found a job before she graduated and is now working towards medical school.

Breeze is originally from Covington. She became a Patriot because St. Catharine College is the only school in Kentucky that is accredited in all three modalities of ultrasound.

"When I went for my college visit, I felt right at home," she said.

St. Catharine College prepared her for the workplace through clinical rotations at several different sites. She did her first rotation at Baptist Health Louisville (formerly known as Baptist Hospital East).

"I fell in love with the atmosphere, the intensity, the heavy work load, and the responsibility," Breeze said. "Luckily for me, they fell in love with me, as well."

Breeze said she kept in touch with some of the sonographers at Baptist Health Louisville.

"In December of 2008, one of the sonographers emailed me to inform me of a job position that had opened but had not yet been posted," Breeze said. "I immediately called the supervisor to talk with her about possibly interviewing as a student and she hired me on the spot as a student sonographer until I graduated in May."

Four years later, she's still at Baptist Health Louisville.

Her goal, she said, is to attend medical school and become a specialized practitioner.

"My goal is to become more specialized and go into maybe oncology, pathology, or infectious disease," she said. "I'm leaving my mind open though."

Her time at St. Catharine, she said, definitely prepared her for her career.

"I definitely feel like SCC prepared me for my career because it gave me not only the job specific skills I required, but also personal interactive skills that are necessary to function in the work environment and with patients," she said. "I felt comfortable networking upon leaving because of a multitude of experiences from St. Catharine. "

Some of those activities included involvement with Residence Life, winning Miss St. Catharine, Phi Theta Kappa and more.

The St. Catharine College Board of Trustees met for the first time ever in the board room of the Emily W. Hundley Library on Feb. 25.

Board members gave a round of applause when asked how they liked the new location.

The grand opening for the library is April 29 at 5 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

St. Catharine College in Springfield has been approved by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology to award the post-baccalaureate certificate in radiation therapy, beginning in the fall semester of 2013.

St. Catharine College's radiation therapy program is the only such program in Kentucky and one of approximately 80 in the nation.

Individuals accepted into this program will already possess a bachelor degree and have completed prerequisites in the areas of human anatomy and physiology, mathematics, physics and chemistry. Those pre-requisites that were not a part of an applicant's bachelor degree must be completed prior to beginning the two year professional component of the program. Prerequisites may be completed at St. Catharine College or, with college approval, at another regionally-accredited institution. The more traditional approach for completing a Bachelor of Science in Radiation Therapy is already a part of the college's growing number of programs in the health sciences. 

Radiation therapists use advanced computer systems to operate sophisticated equipment, such as linear accelerators, in the treatment of cancer patients. Working with radiation oncologists, medical physicists and others, they effectively interpret the prescription and develop the plan of treatment for the patient. Once the final plan is approved by the specialized radiation dosimetrists, the therapist delivers the treatment regimen.

The presence of this Kentucky-based radiation therapy program decreases costs to students seeking this academic credential, employers who are competing within a national labor pool and ultimately to the patient/ insurance carrier because of  it increases 'local' applicant pool.

The primary employment opportunity for graduates of the program is in hospital or specialty health care facilities focusing on the treatment of cancers.      

Additional information about the radiation therapy program is available by contacting Carol Scherbak, director:  carolscherbak@sccky.edu  or (859) 336-5082, ext. 1399.

St. Catharine College is Kentucky's only Dominican college and offers certificate, associate, baccalaureate and master degree programs through the Schools of Liberal Arts, Health and Human Sciences, Professional Studies and the Graduate School. The college is regionally accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. While a Catholic tradition institution, individuals of all religious traditions are embraced. For additional information go to www.sccky.edu

Founded in the Dominican tradition in 1931 and sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Peace, St. Catharine College, a Catholic, Dominican College inspired by its founders, welcomes all to the challenging pursuit of truth, preparing them to become critical thinkers, ethical leaders and engaged citizens.

St. Catharine College in Springfield has been approved by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology to award the post-baccalaureate certificate in radiation therapy, beginning in the fall semester of 2013.

St. Catharine College's radiation therapy program is the only such program in Kentucky and one of approximately 80 in the nation.

Individuals accepted into this program will already possess a bachelor degree and have completed prerequisites in the areas of human anatomy and physiology, mathematics, physics and chemistry. Those pre-requisites that were not a part of an applicant's bachelor degree must be completed prior to beginning the two year professional component of the program. Prerequisites may be completed at St. Catharine College or, with college approval, at another regionally-accredited institution. The more traditional approach for completing a Bachelor of Science in Radiation Therapy is already a part of the college's growing number of programs in the health sciences. 

Radiation therapists use advanced computer systems to operate sophisticated equipment, such as linear accelerators, in the treatment of cancer patients. Working with radiation oncologists, medical physicists and others, they effectively interpret the prescription and develop the plan of treatment for the patient. Once the final plan is approved by the specialized radiation dosimetrists, the therapist delivers the treatment regimen.

The presence of this Kentucky-based radiation therapy program decreases costs to students seeking this academic credential, employers who are competing within a national labor pool and ultimately to the patient/ insurance carrier because of  it increases 'local' applicant pool.  The primary employment opportunity for graduates of the program is in hospital or specialty health care facilities focusing on the treatment of cancers.      

Additional information about the radiation therapy program is available by contacting Carol Scherbak, director:  carolscherbak@sccky.edu  or (859) 336-5082, ext. 1399.

St. Catharine College is Kentucky's only Dominican college and offers certificate, associate, baccalaureate and master degree programs through the Schools of Liberal Arts, Health and Human Sciences, Professional Studies and the Graduate School. The college is regionally accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. While a Catholic tradition institution, individuals of all religious traditions are embraced. For additional information go to www.sccky.edu

On Feb. 16, a group of eight St. Catharine College students attended the Kentucky Collegiate Leadership Conference at Northern Kentucky University. 

State and private colleges and universities from across the state sent delegations to the conference to engage in sessions on leadership development. 

This is the fourth consecutive year that SCC students have attended (since the inauguration of the conference in 2008). 

This year's group traveled together with Stephanie Pollittt, assistant director of residence life. 

You can read more about the conference from the attendees' perspective in the upcoming issue of the Patriot Pages student newspaper, to be out at the end of the month.

Art and ecology combine in the student video artworks entitled "Nature's Gifts."

Six works are a collaboration between St. Catharine College students and adjunct instructor Cynthia Norton. Six other works are created by St. Catharine students.

The works, a 30-minute program, will be shown at 6 p.m. at Dreamland Cinema in Louisville. Dreamland is located at 812 East Market, behind Decca Restaurant (formally Wayside Christian Mission).

Admission is $2. A film noir special will follow at 7.

The works will also be shown at 3 p.m. on Feb. 21 at Pettus Auditorium on the St. Catharine College campus.

The film "Wonder" will follow after "Nature's Gifts." The film is about Harlan Hubbard and features narration by Wendell Barry.

St. Catharine College and the Dominican Sisters of Peace were represented at the I Love Mountains day rally and march on Feb. 14 in Frankfort. Starrisha Roberts (student), Gary Tacey (student), Sr. Judy Morris (Dominican Sisters of Peace), Christie Tucker (executive assistant to the vice president for academic affairs), Dr. David Wallace (history department faculty) and Dr. Leah Bayens (Earth studies / English department faculty) made the trip to the state capital.

This week is sign-up week for intramural cornhole and billards.

To participate, you have to compete in pairs: two people per team.

Participants can sign up for one or both sports.

The intramural referees will be signing up students this week in the dining center from noon until 12:45 p.m.

The deadline to sign up is Friday, February 22. 

Game play will begin next week and there will be a "lunch league" for commuters who cannot play in the evenings. Games will be held in the student center.

Please contact Donnie McCutcheon at donovan.mccutchoen@sccky.edu or Nikki Peterson at Nicole.peterson@sccky.edu for more information.  

Also, congratulations to Team Soul Squad for winning the first-ever intramural dodgeball championships. Team members include Ronnie Twigg, Michael Vuick, Corey Elliot, Dylan Moore, Nick Brawner and Devin Riffe.

Back by popular demand, Security Director Craig Mattingly presents a self-defense class for women.

When you are on spring break, do you ever shop alone or at night? Attend events after dark? Come home to a dark and empty house? Just get creeped out sometimes? Would you like to have some help with how to defend yourself? If so, this class is for you.

Who?   

For women only! No men or boys will be allowed to participate or watch, so that the participants may relax and not be self-conscious. This class is open to female students, faculty, staff and their teenage daughters (female spouses of male students/faculty/staff may also attend.) 

 *Teens must be accompanied by parent or legal guardian. We will bediscussing rape, so if you do not want your child to hear this please do not bring the child.  

Sign up now for this free class ($250 value) offered exclusively for SCC female students, faculty, staff, their teenage daughters and the wives and daughters of male students/faculty/staff.

When?  

From 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 26.

Where? 

Family Karate Center Ky, 103 Guthrie Dr,Bardstown

Guthrie drive is located across from My Old Kentucky Home entrance, turn right onto Guthrie and look for the big red "Karate" sign on your right.

The student of the month is for November 2012 is a senior psychology major who lives in Springfield. She has already earned one degree from St. Catharine College--an associate's degree in interdisciplinary early childhood education. She put this degree to work, but stayed close to campus continuing her education on a part-time basis while she pursued coursework toward her bachelor's degree.

She has been on the dean's list multiple semesters and has also earned several semester gpas of 4.0. One of her faculty members remarked on her role as mother/mentor/role model to other psychology students and her peers like, admire, and respect her greatly.

In the words of her nominator, "As a single mother, she is determined to get her degree both for herself and as an example to her children. She also works many hours at the Washington County Library. She is a member of the psychology club. I am so impressed with her maturity, her commitment to her studies and her chosen field, and her ability to handle job, school, and most importantly family with grace and enthusiasm. She is a model for the non-traditional student."

Student of the month for November 2012 is Janey Doty.

The Residence Hall Council will be hosting a Valentine's Day Dance on Thursday, Feb. 14 from 10 p.m. until midnight in the student center.

This event is open to all students and free of charge.

Door prizes will be given and refreshments will be provided. Come out for this free and fun way to celebrate Valentine's Day after the Patriot basketball games.

A donation will be taken at the door for Relay for Life. Please see Stephanie Pollitt or Brent Cain to make a donation.

On Feb. 1, St. Catharine College's department of management hosted professional development training titled "Getting from 'Me' to 'We' - Leadership and Teambuilding."

Dr. Kristina Ricketts, a University of Kentucky Leadership Development Specialist, co-facilitated the training and presented a workshop and participant self-assessment on how personality traits and characteristics influence all facets of individual leadership and decision-making and led a group discussion on how organizational culture and leadership traits interact to promote positive teamwork.

Assisting with the training were management students Marlene Kasama and Amber Medley and graduate student Sylvia Horlander.

Following the in-class workshop, 18 trainees representing the entire campus' student government, staff and faculty moved to Lourdes Hall where they completed several hands-on training exercises designed to allow them to practice the "lessons learned" by completing a series of challenging tasks.

Graduates of the training included Marlene Kasama, Sylvia Horlander, Carlotta Brussell, Amy Riley, President William D. Huston, Peggy Tillman, Gary Whittle, Dr. Harry Toder, Laura Dean, Andrea Greenwell, Tyler Campbell, Sara Sexton, Ellis Blanton, Dr. Jianning Su, Dr. Vicki Guthrie, Tom Dodge, Huston Brown and Carissa Coslow.

Forty students recently took the rtl³ reading skills test and qualified for entry into a drawing for an iPad. 

These students had taken a parallel test during their first freshman semester at SCC.  The students are tested at critical points during their four-year degree program in order to collect data and assess the value of our rtl³ reading program cultural and academic activities that SCC has implemented to improve reading skills and habits across campus. The drawing was held at the halftime of the UVA-Wise/SCC basketball game.  

Nora Hatton of SCC's institutional research office conducted the drawing. 

The winner is Mariah Ballard, a SCC junior from Bardstown, Ky.  

Congratulations to Mariah! Watch your email inbox for more opportunities in the near future to win another iPad from the rtl³ testing program.

In January of 2012 St. Catharine College welcomes its first graduate students who would pursue a master's degree in leadership.  Nine members of the first group of students will receive their master's degrees at St. Catharine College's

May commencement and thus establish themselves as SCC pioneers.  As these students are doing, it is possible to complete the program in 18 months (three semesters). Students may also take fewer classes each semester--it is their choice.

Those who will be receiving degrees are:  Daniel Byrd (Bardstown),

Amanda Chesser (Springfield), Francis Tim Churchill (Springfield),

Hans Desir (Springfield), Tom Dodge (Bardstown), Diane Hopper (Bardstown), Sylvia Horlander (Bardtstown), Alicia O'Cull (Springfield) and Stephanie Testa

(Louisville). 

"Getting the master's degree is hard work, but it is definitely worth it," Chesser said.

St. Catharine College is now accepting applications for members of a new cohort of students.  Classes begin Wednesday evening, March 14 and will run for eight weeks.  Interested persons should call the Dean of the Graduate School, Sister

Angie Shaughnessy at (859) 336-5082, ext. 1321.

Troy Mattingly and Reilly Poirier were named Mr. and Miss St. Catharine on Feb. 9 at halftime of the men's basketball game against UPike.

Mattingly was unable to attend due to an away track meet.

Other members of the St. Catharine court were Craig Cox, Jimmy Carroll, Nick Brawner, AJ Middleton, Hope Couch, Drew Ison, Dallas Smith, Stephanie Wilcheck and Kelbie Spencer.

February is Black History Month

At noon on Tuesday, Feb. 12 in Pettus Auditorium,  Yvonne McNary will present the annual Black History Month program.

Scheduled to present are Romeo Lewis, Starrisha Roberts, Tyler Smothers, Kiara Thompson, Stephan McCray and Taron Franklin.

These students will represent great African Americans from all walks of life that have made contributions that may surprise you.

Come cheer these students on at noon on Feb. 12.

February is free application month at St. Catharine College.

All students who apply for admissions to St. Catharine during February will not be required to pay the $15 application fee.

So, if you're thinking of applying, don't let February pass you by. Apply today!

Patriot Craze week begins on Monday and there are many exciting events taking place.

Dodge ball, sponsored by SGA, will take place in the gym from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.

On Tuesday, the Dominican Young Adults will host a chili cook-off from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. in lower HHS. The cost is $4 and all proceeds go to the organization's Shepherd's Corner service project.

Also on Tuesday, gift wrapping for underprivileged kids, sponsored by KEA-SP, will take place from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

RHC Movie Night, featuring "Hunger Games," will take place from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. in the student center. Pizza will be available.

There will be a request art drawing from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. by W.Y.R.D. in Lourdes commons (lower level) on Wednesday.

Also on Wednesday, Zombie Apocalypse 101 will take place from 9 p.m. until 11 p.m. by W.Y.R.D. in HHS 102.

On Thursday, the Patriots men's and women's basketball teams will compete against UVA Wise in the gym starting at 6 p.m.

The Drama Club will host "Who's Line is it Anyway?" from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the dining center on Friday. PAC will host the Crazy Extreme Patriot Carnival from 8 p.m. until midnight in the gym, with a kid's hour from 7 p.m. until 8 p.m. There will be inflatables and food.

Craze week comes to an end on Saturday at the men's and women's basketball games against UPike, which take place at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Mr. and Miss St. Catharine and their court will be announced at the game.

Students, faculty and staff enjoyed music, dancing and casino-style games on Jan. 30 during the sixth-annual gala.

Mardi Gras was the theme and students arrived in semi-formal attire to socialize and try their luck in the casino. At the end of the night, students cashed in their chips for prizes.

The event was sponsored by the Student Government Association and the Patriot Activities Council.

For more photos of the event, check out our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/stcatharine).

St. Catharine College junior Paige Hassman is spending three days a week in Frankfort this semester interning at the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.

The Cabinet for Economic Development is the primary state agency in Kentucky that encourages job creation, retention and new investment in the state.

The marketing major is no stranger to economic development, as she interned at the Springfield-Washington County Economic Development Authority (SWEDA) in the past while at St. Catharine.

"A few things that I did while at SWEDA was help organize the tour of Springfield, where we would feed local manufacturing companies a meal in appreciation for them being in Springfield-Washington County," Hassman said. "I was also working on the Facebook page to build the audience. We would send out weekly notes to the community to let them know what was going on and we would send out a quarterly newsletter." 

Though only on the job a few weeks now, she's already made an impression at the cabinet.

"Paige is proving to be a great asset to the Cabinet, already diving into several projects that are helping to promote the Commonwealth as an ideal place to do business," Mandy Lambert, the executive director of the office of research and public affairs for the Cabinet, said.

One such project was a luncheon at the Governor's Mansion to welcome groups from parts of the United States and India.

Hassman's academic major and past experience will be put to good use in her internship.

"As her internship progresses, Paige will have a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in marketing, communications, research and special events, all of which  are important components of our overall business development strategy," Lambert said.

Hassman said some of the things she will be working on are the social media aspects of the Cabinet, namely its Facebook, Twitter and Flickr pages.

"I will have the opportunity to work on various marketing material such as magazines, promotional handouts, brochures, press release, newsletters and editorials," she said.

The Louisville native said she chose marketing as a major because she likes the challenge of finding new ways to promote something. Hassman said she could see a future in economic development if a job was available, but she's keeping her options open for now.

She said she became interested in economic development after discussions with Jim Silliman, associate professor / chair of community and regional studies department at St. Catharine, about the nature of the industry.

Hassman added that she wanted to get hands-on experience to see if it was a field she would like to work in when she completed her degree.

She said she found out about this internship through Silliman and Margaret Hockensmith, director of student success programs at St. Catharine College.

"One of the qualities that make Paige an ideal intern for the Cabinet is her energy," Lambert said. "She is a highly motivated and driven individual who has brought creativity and talent to an already dynamic and fast-paced work environment."

Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to wear red to work or school on Monday, Feb. 4.

February is heart month and the Go Red for Women heart initiative by the American Heart Association. The program is in its 10^th year of educating and obtaining funding for heart disease research.

Jerri Passo will be presenting a forum about heart health at noon in Pettus Auditorium on Feb. 4. There will be red dress pins available, as well as door prizes and gift bags.

Don't forget to wear red!

St. Catharine College President William D. Huston, faculty and staff toured the Emily Hundley library on Jan. 23.

Those in attendance received a final look before the building opens later this year.

Check out photos of the tour below.

The first year radiography students are hosting a food drive as part of their stewardship requirement in RAD 330.  All donations are going to the St. Vincent de Paul food bank in Springfield.

They will be collecting canned and dry goods between Jan. 22 and Jan. 31 and appreciate any donations . 

Student Government Association (SGA) and Patriot
Activities Council (PAC) are hosting the sixth-annual Gala.

The theme this year is Mardi Gras, with a semi-formal attire dress code.

It will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 30 in the Student Center from 8 p.m. to midnight.

It is a ticketed event, at just $3 for one ticket. Tickets can be purchased from the Dean of Student's office (located in Lourdes Hall), the Student Government Association office (located in the Health Science Building Room #103), the Spirit Shoppe and the Residence Life office.

There will be music, a dance floor, food, and a casino. Music will be provided by SGA, food is provided by Ms. Raikes from Washington County High School and the
casino is provided by The Casino Guy and will be available from 8-11.

There will be several fantastic prizes to give away. Door prizes are available for those that just buy a ticket and come, and we will also have prizes for those who participate in the casino.

The financial aid staff, consisting of Melinda Lynch, Laura Dean and Andrea Greenwell, recently assisted students with the 2013-2014 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) in time to qualify for the maximum amount of state aid available next year for Kentucky students and for the Patriot tuition scholarship for all students.

The staff offered seven FAFSA workshops in the evenings from Jan. 7 through Jan. 15 that attracted 70 students.

"Since classes began, each day at 5 p.m., when many of their colleagues were leaving campus, they were heading down to Hamilton Health Sciences computer lab with plates of cookies and helpful attitudes to meet with awaiting students," Dr. Vicki Guthrie, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Dean of Students, said. "Several of the coaches sent entire teams, and many non-athletes took advantage, as well."

In addition to the students who attended the workshops and got direct assistance, talk about the workshops prompted other students to come by the office during office hours for assistance.

The following is a press release from Congressman Brett Guthrie's office. St. Catharine College is in Congressman Guthrie's Congressional district.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Brett Guthrie was recently named to two subcommittees for the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training and the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions.

"I am really looking forward to working with all of Kentucky's institutions for higher education to promote learning and working to better equip today's workforce," said Congressman Guthrie. "My manufacturing background will provide a solid foundation for my work on the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training. In addition, my work on the House Energy and Commerce Committee Health Subcommittee will be beneficial to the Help, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee's focus on health and labor issues. I am excited to get to work."

"We are so fortunate that with this appointment we have a businessman who truly understands education and workforce issues, particularly during this time of complex decision making as we work to turn the economy around," said William D. Huston, President, St. Catharine College in Springfield.

The Subcommittee on Education and Workforce Training has jurisdiction over all forms of education and training above the high school level. The Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions has jurisdiction over all employee-employer relations.

"As our economy continues to recover, the work of both these subcommittees will be very important and I am honored to represent Kentucky's education and workforce interests," added Congressman Guthrie.

Students at St. Catharine College now have several opportunities to apply for scholarships.

Bluegrass Alliance for Women

The Bluegrass Alliance for Women (BAW) is receiving applications for its Legacy of Leadership scholarship and its Lifelong Learning scholarship, both funded by AARP.

Scholarships are open to women carrying at least nine credit hours. Female residents living in the following counties are eligible to apply: Anderson, Boyle, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Franklin, Garrard, Harrison, Jessamine, Lincoln, Madison, Nicholas, Powell, Scott and Woodford.

Two Legacy of Leadership scholarships of $500 each will be awarded, one for a traditional and one for a non-traditional student. The Lifelong Learning scholarship is also for $500 and is for a female who will be 50 years old or older in 2013.

Application information and forms are available on the BAW website, www.bluegrassallianceforwomen.com.

Winners will be recognized at the Legacy awards luncheon in Lexington on March 19.

Ephraim McDowell Health

For all nursing, sonography and radiography students, Ephraim McDowell Health (EMH) in Danville announced it is accepting applications for health care scholarships for the 2013-2014 academic year.

Scholarships in selected 'hard-to-fill' health care positions are available to graduates of high schools in Washington, Mercer, Lincoln, Garrard, Casey and Boyle counties.

The deadline to apply is March 15.

Career fields on the EMH list as 'hard-to-fill' and that are available at St. Catharine College are nursing (both AD and BS), sonography and radiography.

Previous recipients of these scholarships have been enrolled in the identified majors at SC.

If you are a graduate of a high school in one of the above counties and have been accepted into or are currently pursuing any one of the above programs, you are eligible for a $2,000 EMH health care scholarship.

If you have not yet been accepted into one of the programs but are working on the general education courses with a declared intent of being accepted into one of the identified majors, you are eligible to apply for a $1,000 scholarship.

Academics, volunteerism and a 500-word essay are used in deciding on the scholarship awardees. Selected scholarships may be available for more than the initial year, contingent upon the recipient meeting the stated criteria.

All scholarships will require the minimum criteria:

-         High school graduation rank of the top 25 percent of their graduating class

-         ACT composite of 21 or an SAT score of 1000

-         Acceptance at a regionally-accredited college or university into one of the health care career programs announced by EMH

-         Completed healthcare scholarship application

-         Transcript of high school & college work completed

-         Letters of recommendation from at least two instructors and a school guidance counselor, or two faculty members and the student's academic advisor

-         Documentation of acceptance into college and/or professional health career program must be submitted prior to awarding the scholarship

The following are requirements for specific scholarships:

Sherry Colleen Durbin Memorial Scholarship

-         High school senior in Boyle County

-         Major:  any of the healthcare career programs as stated by EMH

-         Must attend a college or university in-state

-         Award:  minimum of $500 for one semester

Gayle Barnett Memorial Scholarship

-         High school senior in Boyle County

-         Major:  any of the healthcare career programs as stated by EMH

-         Must attend a college or university in-state

-         Award:  minimum of $500 for one semester

EMRMC Auxiliary Healthcare Scholarship

-         High school senior in Boyle County

-         Major:  any of the healthcare career programs as stated by EMH

-         Must attend a college or university in-state

-         Award:  $1000 1st semester, renewable for second semester if a GPA of 2.5 or higher is achieved.  Awards may be given to one Danville High School senior and one Boyle County High School senior.

EMH Health Care Scholarship

-         High school senior or college student from one of the following counties:  Boyle, Lincoln, Casey, Mercer, Garrard and Washington.

-         Major:  any of the healthcare career programs as stated by EMH

-         Award:  $1000 first semester, renewable for second semester if a GPA of 2.5 or higher is achieved.

-         For college students who have completed undergraduate educational requirements and who are accepted into a professional health career program the award is $2,000 for the first semester, renewable for the second semester if a GPA of 3.0 or higher is achieved.

FLH Auxiliary Healthcare Scholarship

-         Lincoln County High School senior

-         Major: any of the healthcare career programs as stated by EMH.

-         Must attend a college or university in-state.

-         Award: $1,000 for the first semester, renewable for second semester if a GPA of 2.5 or higher is achieved.

EMRMC Auxiliary Teen Scholarship

-         High school senior

-         Major: any of the healthcare career programs as stated by EMH

-         Must attend a college or university in-state

-         Must be an EMRMC teen volunteer program participant or must have participated in the program during high school.

-         Award: $500 for one semester

FLH Auxiliary Teen Scholarship

-         High school senior

-         Major: any of the healthcare career programs as stated by EMH

-         Must attend a college or university in-state

-         Must be a FLH teen volunteer program participant or must have participated in the program during high school

-         Award: $500 for one semester