Your browser (Internet Explorer 7 or lower) is out of date. It has known security flaws and may not display all features of this and other websites. Learn how to update your browser.

X

Prison Break

Aaron Kinzel ’10 Uses Education to Be on the Right Side of the Criminal Justice System

If Aaron Kinzel ’10 was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, it was probably stolen.

At age 5, he was taught to pick locks and steal. Continually surrounded by bad people and bad influences at home, the angry, pot-smoking 15-year-old shoved a teacher at a basketball game one night, and then tangled with police who tried to arrest him. That landed him in the juvenile detention center. From there, he moved on to drugs and guns.

The tipping point for Kinzel came at age 18, when his violent confrontation with police led to a five-felony conviction. He served nearly 10 years in federal prison, but spent some of that time learning. He learned about the legal system. He learned about the cultural stigmas of being a convicted felon. And he learned that he didn’t have to be angry any more.

Turning to education, one prison correspondence class sparked an amazing educational journey that continues to unfold. Now a Siena Heights University graduate on his way to a doctorate, Kinzel is teaching others about the criminal justice system—from his own unique perspective.

Read more . . .

From the President:


Sister Peg Albert, OP, PhD, President
Sister Peg Albert, OP, PhD, President

“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”— Romans 3:23

When Paul wrote this, he didn’t make any exceptions (except for Jesus Christ, of course). In fact, before his conversion to Christianity, Paul was one of the biggest offenders, ruthlessly persecuting the followers of Jesus before his conversion on the road to Damascus.

But God found redemptive qualities in Paul, eventually choosing him to tirelessly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles before his eventual death at the hands of the Romans. What a transformation!

I believe God is still transforming people like Paul today. He certainly believes in redemption, and following His example, so do we here at Siena Heights. In fact, it’s embedded in our mission statement to “respect the dignity of all.”

In this issue, we highlight two alumni who were originally on the opposite ends of the criminal justice spectrum, but are now championing efforts to improve the system—and those in it—from the inside out.

Read more . . .

From the Editor:

Doug Goodnough, Reflections Editor
Doug Goodnough, Reflections Editor

Small Things

I work with such creative people.

By nature, I guess we have to be. As the office that handles many marketing and publications projects for the University, we are asked to come up with all sorts of “fun stuff.” Posters, postcards, brochures, fliers, videos, photos—even logos and a bus wrap from time to time—are part of our day-to-day duties. And, of course, the magazine you are reading.

So when our new dean, Matt Draud, asked me about improving a rather drab entrance-way to the back entrance of the Science Building, my answer was “Sure, let’s see what we can come up with.”

Now, usually with such spaces that have large, concrete block walls, our solution is a graphic printed on either a large poster board or durable PVC (plastic). So when I asked one of my team members, Angie Sieler, to head the project, that was my suggestion.

Read more . . .

From the Heights—Summer 2017 Campus News

SHU’s Online Program Ranked First in Michigan, Tied for 24th Nationally

SHU’s Online Learning Program was ranked as the first in Michigan among all institutions by the U.S. News and World Report. SHU also was ranked nationally for the fourth consecutive year, finishing tied for 24th among all public and private institutions. SHU has offered online bachelor’s degree completion programs in selected majors since 2004. U.S. News and World Report’s methodology included student engagement, faculty credentials and training, peer reputation and student services and technology to determine the rankings. The publication released its 2017 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs rankings Jan. 10.

Frost Publishes New Book

SHU Associate Professor of History Julieanna Frost, Ph.D., had her new book published, “Chemo Fashion Fridays: One Woman’s Breast Cancer Journey.” This work is a photo essay of her chemotherapy journey, and includes funny stories and poems to inspire hope for others fighting breast cancer. It is available on Amazon.

‘Finding Your Roots’ Event Part of Black History Month

The Ethnic and Gender Studies Institute and Black History Month at Siena Heights presented “Finding Your Roots: Tracing Family History” Feb. 20 at Cotton Brewing Co. in Adrian. Debra Middleton discussed how to use traditional research methods as well as cutting-edge technologies to uncover and preserve your family history, and will share inspirational stories from her own journey in African-American genealogy. She is a member of the Afro-American Historical Genealogical Society and is a staff member at the University of Toledo.

Read more . . .