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From the Alumni Office:


Can We Talk?

Jennifer Hamlin Church, Associate VP for Advancement & Director of Alumni Relations
Jennifer Hamlin Church, Associate VP for Advancement & Director of Alumni Relations

Yes, in so many different ways!

For almost a year, the Alumni Board of Directors has been discussing networking as a way for alumni to connect with Siena Heights. Early conversation focused on how alumni might assist current students—offering mentoring or job shadowing opportunities, welcoming student interns, or simply sharing the wisdom of experience. In a pilot effort, a few alumni did some wisdom-sharing at Homecoming last year, discussing careers with students over Saturday morning coffee.

The talk since then has gone in many directions: How do we bring students and alumni together? What programs or activities might work? And, at our February Board meeting, this question: What are the benefits of connecting undergrads and graduates? Does it make a difference?

Katie Hatch ’07, vice president of the Alumni Board, recalled the impact of a now-nameless art alumna who spoke in a long ago class in Studio Angelico: “She was a woman who worked, had a husband and children, and did her own art, too,” Katie said (attending this Board meeting by Skype from her snowbound home near Akron). “I thought, ‘Wow. If she can teach, have a family, and also do art—I can, too.’ After that, I was ready to major in art. It was a pivotal moment.”

Read more . . .

All in the Family

Three members of the Marowelli family—father Koby, daughter Tayleen and mother Donna, seen with daughter Tenille—received degrees May 3 from Siena Heights University. Photo courtesy of Lad Strayer—Adrian Daily Telegram.
Three members of the Marowelli family—father Koby, daughter Tayleen and mother Donna, seen with daughter Tenille—received degrees May 3 from Siena Heights University. Photo courtesy of Lad Strayer—Adrian Daily Telegram.

Marowellis Share in the Commencement Experience at SHU

By Dan Cherry—Daily Telegram Staff Writer

Editor’s Note: This is an edited version of a feature that ran in the Adrian Daily Telegram on Sunday, May 4, 2014. It is reprinted with permission.

Three members of the same family received degrees from Siena Heights University May 3.

Koby Marowelli; his wife, Donna; and daughter Tayleen participated in the University’s commencement ceremonies. Koby earned a bachelor’s degree in occupational studies with a minor in professional communication, Donna received a master’s degree in community counseling, and Tayleen a bachelor’s degree in fine arts with a minor in psychology.

Koby and Donna’s other daughter, Tenille—Tayleen’s twin sister—is scheduled to graduate from Spring Arbor University in December with a degree in elementary education.

Donna said when they each started pursuing their degrees, they did not realize they would be participating in commencement ceremonies at the same time.

Read more . . .

One on One With . . . Bill Blackerby

Editor’s Note: This is a regular Reflections article series, and this issue features longtime Siena Heights business faculty member Bill Blackerby, who retired as a full-time instructor after more than 30 years and still teaches part-time. Reflections recently sat down with Bill to reflect on his time at Siena Heights.

1. First impressions of Siena Heights?

When I first came to Siena Heights, it was interesting for me because on the one hand I had attended private colleges as an undergraduate, so I wasn’t really shocked by the size of the place. But it was a very interesting experience because we were clearly a school that was in transition. We hadn’t really been coed that long, and the post-Vatican II Adrian Dominican faculty members were also interesting. I remember Jen Horninga asking me, ‘How do you tell which ones are Adrian Dominicans?’ I said, ‘Why don’t you just treat all of them well and you don’t have to worry about it.’ When asked by my sister when she came down to walk (she was a graduate of Southfield), she asked me, ‘What is the biggest change at Siena since you started?’ I said right away, ‘The students’ cars are much nicer now than when I came to Siena.’ We were really resource-poor. The school was what I would call a ‘bumblebee.’ On paper, it wasn’t supposed to fly, when you just looked at the financial resources. Yet it worked. And it worked well.

Read more . . .