It has been a couple of exciting days here at SHU, and we have much to be thankful for. I want to take a moment to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving holiday. Let’s all take the opportunity to enjoy time with our family and friends and be grateful for our many blessings.
My thanks to those of you who so generously gave to our turkey and food drives so that those of our neighbors who are having a difficult time can enjoy a hot and delicious meal with their families. Thanks to all of you for your efforts, and particular thanks to Coach Basti and the men’s lacrosse team who, year after year, load up the truck with the food donations on the Monday before Thanksgiving and then show up at St. Charles on Tuesday to help with the distribution.
I wish safe journeys to those of you who are traveling and—however we all celebrate in the coming days—I wish time for peace and reflection as well as friendship and fun. I look forward to seeing you all after the break—rested and ready for the final push as we finish up a busy and exciting fall semester.
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November 2016
President Petillo's Blog: November 18, 2016
November is flying by, and soon we will all be eating leftover turkey and finalizing holiday shopping lists.
A fun week started Monday as we kicked off International Education Week. There was salsa on Monday, a staff reception on Tuesday, a Bollywood dance-off on Wednesday, karaoke on Thursday and a capoeira workshop today. Each day students, faculty and staff had the opportunity to get henna tattoos and indulge in some fantastic food. Thank you to everyone who made the week’s events and culturally themed affairs go so well.
For the past 15 years, our Office of Volunteer Programs & Service Learning has provided mentorships to local middle school students through the Jones-Zimmermann Academic Mentorship Program. SHU students dedicate three years to mentoring two students each at John Winthrop School in Bridgeport. Recently, the Daily Voice wrote a story on the program and our students. Great work everyone.
With Thanksgiving a week away, we held our Interfaith Thanksgiving Service on Wednesday. I was thrilled to see so many boxes of non-perishable food items on the altar in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. It was a beautiful service that incorporated many religions and gave us time to reflect on all that we’re grateful for. Thank you to those who donated food and came to the service.
Our equestrian team is trending right now. The women on the team participated in the “mannequin challenge,” a viral Internet trend that has people freezing in certain positions while being filmed to music. Not only did our students stay frozen, but so did the horses. You have to see it to believe it.
Our theater arts program is putting on another amazing show. This time they are taking on the Shakespeare classic, The Tempest. Tickets are on sale now and the show runs throughout this weekend at the Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts.
SHU’s Panhellenic Council was one of 28 councils selected nationwide to receive a College Panhellenic Excellence Award from the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC). On Tuesday, a representative from the NPC was on campus to present the women with their award. What a great honor for the students and everyone involved.
Professor Christel Manning’s book, Losing Our Religion, won this year’s Distinguished Book Award from the Society for Scientific Study of Religion. Hers was one of 29 nominations. Congrats on this achievement, Christel!
Professors Clotilde Dudley Smith and Lisa Smith presented their research on eating disorders on college campuses in Washington D.C. at the Teaching Professor Conference over the summer. It was great that they could share their expertise on this important topic.
Guest lecturers Gabrielle Earnshaw and Kevin Burns were on campus Thursday night for the Henri Nouwen Lecture Series. Entitled “Contemporary Spirituality,” the lecture focused on Nouwen’s personal letters chronicling his life. Nouwen was a priest, professor and writer. It was a great presentation.
We’re pleased to have actor Frank Whaley back on campus tonight. The School of Communications and Media Arts and the film and television master’s program are presenting “A Filmmaker’s Journey: An Evening with Frank Whaley.” Join the actor at 7:30 in the Martire Theater for a screening of his film Joe the King. A discussion and reception will follow.
Speaking of actors, parts of the Hallmark Channel movie Broadcasting Christmas were filmed in our studios here on campus. It features Melissa Joan Hart and Dean Cain and will premiere Wednesday, November 23 at 8 p.m. Be sure to tune in!
Looking for something to do this weekend? Our choir program, including 4 Heart Harmony, will join together for “Sing Out! A Concert against Bullying.” Please join the choirs on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit.
We’re excited to have our SHU Band and Dance Team perform in the UBS Parade Spectacular on Sunday at noon to kick off the holiday season. Both groups will perform among the many floats, balloons, dance troupes and musicians. Good luck, everyone, and have fun!
Let’s remember to cheer on our student-athletes this weekend. Our men’s ice hockey team plays Niagara at 7 at the Webster Bank Arena and again at 2 on Saturday. Women’s ice hockey battles Wesleyan tonight at 7 at the Sports Center in Shelton. On Saturday, our football team takes on Bryant at noon. Special congratulations to the women’s volleyball team on their regular-season championship. They will be hosting the conference championship in the Pitt Center all weekend. Good luck to all our Pioneers playing home and away.
Have a great weekend!
President Petillo's Blog: November 11, 2016
We’ve had a multi-cultural week beginning with our Diwali celebration on Saturday. Attended by hundreds of students, faculty and staff, the festivities included delicious Indian food, music and dance.
A great series of lectures started on Monday with our inaugural Dr. Thomas P. Melady Distinguished Lecture in Global Studies event. Austin Long spoke about the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The School of Communication and Media Arts hosted Jamere Jackson, chief financial officer of Nielsen, on Tuesday. Our annual Kristallnacht commemoration took place Wednesday afternoon with Holocaust survivor Edward Mosberg. We commend his courage and thank him for coming to SHU to talk about his experiences. The Hersher Institute for Applied Ethics hosted an ethics of discourse event with Todd May, a Clemson University philosophy professor, at the Schine Auditorium Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday evening, the Departments of History and Government, Politics & Global Studies hosted “Russia’s Global Probes” with Stephen Blank. Surely there was something for everyone this week.
Earlier this year, faculty from our College of Nursing went to Ghana to work with faculty of the Holy Family Nursing and Delivery Training College. SHU hopes to have clinical emersion experiences for undergraduate and graduates at their facilities. Please take a look at the video of their trip. Great work.
Our theater arts program put on an incredible production of Tick, Tick…Boom! this month. Read a review written by an alumna who shares our sentiments.
SHU became involved in the College Fed Challenge Competition several years ago. This year, with the guidance of Professor Gerald McClogh, faculty adviser, our student competitors have been extremely successful. The team, consisting of presenters, Lucia Melgar-Torres, Dan Cohen, Mike Lenard, Nicole Esposito, and Chris Tumio, and researchers, Sandie Samrin, Mike Losardo, Conor Wylie, James Chiavaro and Jacob Tomanelli, will advance to the semifinal stage of the competition on November 18. They will give a presentation on the economy to a panel of New York Fed economists and staff experts, as well as participate in a Q&A with the judges. They will play the role of monetary policy makers by analyzing economic conditions and recommending a course of action. The winning team will represent the NY Federal Reserve District in the National College Fed Challenge on December 1 at the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C. Good luck!
“Worlds Imagined: Correlations between Art & Poetry,” is the newest exhibit in the Art & Design Gallery. It features the work of our faculty. It also explores the symbiotic relationship between art and poetry. This is an international exhibition with a diverse selection of artists and poets from nine countries. On Thursday, there was an opening reception with poetry readings. You can visit the exhibit until December 16.
Our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive is underway. Drop off your non-perishable goods in a small, sturdy box on Wednesday, November 16, at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit by 2 p.m. or at the Office of Volunteer Programs and Service Learning before Friday, November 18. Give what you can and help those in need in our community. The 7th annual Turkey Drive continues until November 22. This year’s goal is to buy 500 turkeys for our needy neighbors. To donate visit, www.sacredheart.edu/turkeydrive.
Today is Veterans Day. Please be sure to thank the veterans who cross your path and think about the sacrifices our armed forces have made to keep us safe. Earlier today, members of our Veterans Club went to Darien High School to talk to students about their military experiences.
International Education Week is next week. A variety of interesting events are planned throughout the week, including salsa dancing in the Martire lobby, a Jamaican food demonstration at 63’s and an international karaoke night at Holy Grounds. I also encourage staff and faculty to attend the reception Tuesday, November 15, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Art & Design Gallery. World languages is the theme with tables distinguished by language. You will have a chance to practice what you already know or learn some new phrases. Hope to see you there.
This morning we held a risk management symposium and launched our Center for Applied Business Research at the Forum in the Frank and Marisa Martire Business & Communications Center. Erik Norland of the CME Group was the keynote speaker.
I look forward to meeting new families and potential Pioneers this Sunday at our Open House. As always, I know I can count on all of you to provide a warm welcome.
The Crosstown Classic against the Fairfield University Stags is tonight! Our women’s basketball team will battle Fairfield at 5, and the men take center court at 7. Both games will be played at the Webster Bank Arena. Women’s volleyball plays Bryant at 2 on Saturday and Central Connecticut State University on Sunday at 4. Our men’s ice hockey team is playing Robert Morris at 3 today at the Northford Ice Pavilion and will face them again on Sunday at 3 at the Webster Bank Arena. Good luck to all our student athletes playing home and away.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
President Petillo's Blog: November 4, 2016
As the temperatures drop and the days get shorter, we are keeping busy here on campus. My video blog this week highlights our latest events, celebrations and achievements including a successful open house last weekend, a fun Halloween, great work by our Veterans Club and a wonderful breakfast honoring our community partners. I hope everyone enjoys another beautiful autumn weekend.