Class Notes—Fall 2013

Notables:

Eric Walter ’05 set a couple of joggling Guinness world records at O’Laughlin Stadium in April 2013. Joggling is running while juggling. He ran 1,000 meters on the SHU track in a record time of 2:46.63. The time to beat was 3 minutes flat. In the 400 meter he ran a 56.47 (57.32 was the old record). Walter also won the 200, 400, 800 and the 4×100 relay at the 2011 World Joggling Championships in Rochester, Minn.

Sister Donna Kustusch, OP, ’63 a long-time faculty member at SHU, passed away in July 2013. “Donna’s determination came from her deep commitments—to her students and to the mission of Siena Heights; to her sisters and to the mission of the congregation; to the call of the gospel for a preferential option for the poor; and to her prayer relationship with God,” said SHU Vice President of Academic Affairs Sister Sharon Weber, OP, a former colleague. A faculty member in the Religious Studies program from 1975-92, she had the challenge of bringing the curriculum to a new generation of students. For her enthusiasm in the classroom and her concern for the growth of each of her students, she received the award for outstanding teaching in 1991.

She also established the Spirituality and Peacemaking Institute in 1988. The institute provided such offerings as a variety of lectures in collaboration with Weber Center, prayer opportunities for students and a conference “Dominican Education in Search of Peace.” Her commitment to the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ vision of acting on behalf of the poor drew her to her work on the U.S.-Mexico border. In fact, she received the Sister Ann Joachim Award in 2002 for her work serving impoverished women and children in Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas.

Double Duty

Bobby Hopewell ’96 Balances Full-Time Job, Mayor of Kalamazoo

By Doug Goodnough

If there was an award for the Busiest Person in Kalamazoo, Bobby Hopewell ’96 would be a shoo-in for it. In fact, there are a couple of Tigger plush animals sitting on a shelf in his office that friends gave him because “I bounce around” like the famous Disney animated character, he said.

The 49-year-old Siena Heights University graduate balances his full-time job as director of Hospitality Services at Kalamazoo’s Borgess Medical Center while also serving as mayor of the southwest Michigan city with a population of approximately 75,000 people.

Two jobs. One person. How does he do it?

“It takes a lot of time and energy and attention,” Hopewell said. “You’ve got both of these worlds that’s got (many) of the same things going on. They’re similar, but different, and they take a lot of time and energy. Both roles are a labor of love.”

First, a glimpse inside his hospital “world.” The former EMT and paramedic worked his way up the health care ladder, working first in an ambulance and later running ambulance operations at Gull Lake Ambulance and Life EMS. For the past nine years he has worked at Borgess, Kalamazoo’s main health care provider. He currently is responsible for approximately 250 staff members and supervises 15 managers in areas like food and nutrition, mail, switchboard and other connective services. He recently was also put in charge of emergency management, and next year will transition into a new position as of director of the new $26 million outpatient care facility currently under construction in Battle Creek.

A New Media Mix

Digital Communications Program To Take Full Advantage of Today’s Technology Innovations

By Doug Goodnough

In the age of user-generated content, a new program at Siena Heights University is tapping into the innovation of its students to drive the curriculum.

The Digital Communications program was approved in fall 2012 and will be offered as a new major and minor beginning in fall 2013. According to program director Dr. Davin Heckman, Digital Communications is a combination of old and new concepts. However, the ultimate outcome is to equip students to discover new approaches to communication in a digital age.

“The program is built around the strength of Siena’s fine arts curriculum,” said Heckman, who is a considered a leader in the emerging field of electronic literature. “There are many digital media programs built around studio arts, but this one is designed to basically draw its strength in the interests, energy and abilities that students bring to the major from their areas of concentration. If there is something uniquely Siena about the program, I’d say that it is built around the tradition of Studio Angel-ico (SHU’s art program) and much of the program is driven by the particular contributions
of the student as an individual.”