Two Students Named Spirits of Creighton Creighton University Arts and Sciences graduates Elizabeth Fairbairn of Plymouth, Minn., and Patrick O’Malley of Mobile, Ala., received the prestigious Spirit of Creighton Award at the University's commencement on May 14. The Spirit of Creighton Award is given annually to the students who exemplify the best qualities of the University's founders. Recipients are honored for their initiative, enterprise, academic achievement and outstanding character traits. Read more about these two exceptional graduates.
Students Union Honors Professor Blanchard Shirley Blanchard, Ph. D., associate professor in the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions, received the Creighton Students Union Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Award for Teaching Achievement at commencement. Blanchard, a member of the faculty for more than 14 years, also holds an appointment as associate professor in the School of Medicine. She is known for her ability to bring real-life circumstances to the classroom, exposing students to situations that stimulate maximum learning. Read more about this dedicated professor.
Campus Bids Farewell to Fr. Schlegel On April 26, students, faculty and staff joined together in the Kiewit Fitness Center on campus to wish the University’s 23rd president a fond farewell. The Rev. John P. Schlegel, S.J., is retiring from the office at the end of June after 11 years in the post. Several dignitaries joined in the festivities, and a proclamation from the governor declared it Father Schlegel Day in Nebraska. But the show-stopper was a tongue-in-cheek song written and performed by May graduate Dan Tracy. Watch a Video of the Tribute Song Leave a Farewell Message for Fr. Schlegel
Reminders from Student Health Services Creighton's Student Health Services reminds parents that any updated immunizations students receive this summer should be updated online via NEST. Also, if your student is planning to travel or study abroad in the future, full vaccination records need to be faxed to Student Health Services at 402.280.1859. In preparation for fall 2011 term, parents will need to again determine their student's health insurance status. The online waiver process will be available July 1 via NEST. This is an annual requirement by the University. Students also should have their own personal insurance cards. If you have any questions, contact Student Health Services at 402.280.2735.
Pell Grant Spared Cuts for 2011-2012 While Congress eyes cuts to federal student aid, the largest federal program, the Pell Grant, will be unaffected for the 2011-2012 academic year, with the maximum grant remaining at $5,550 and the minimum award at $555. Two relatively new federal programs, however, were not funded by Congress for 2011-12 -- the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) and the Science and Math Access to Retain Talent Grant (SMART). In addition, a federal grant program that provided funds to states to encourage in-state enrollment was cut. While Creighton is expected to see a reduction in state grant funds, at this time, the amount was uncertain. To help offset these decreases, Creighton continues to increase its financial commitment to both merit- and need-based financial aid. In addition, the University continues to increase its grant/scholarship budget. For more information, contact the Financial Aid Office, 800.282.5835 or ugfinaid@creighton.edu.
Nationally Known Jesuit Author Speaks on Campus Jesuit Brother Rick Curry, S.J., actor, baker, teacher and cookbook author, shared his story of being called to serve the disabled. Curry, who was born with one arm, founded the National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped. He also established the Wounded Warriors Academy for veterans of the Iraq war, and has worked with military chaplains to help address the issues of post traumatic stress and post traumatic stress disorder for military veterans and their families. He has been honored by the president of the United States with a Distinguished Service Award and has been awarded two grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. Curry is the author of The Secrets of Jesuit Soupmaking and The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking. Watch the video.
Career Center Offers Many Services Whether your student graduated in May or will be returning to campus in the fall, Creighton's John P. Fahey Career Center can assist her or him with career planning, internship possibilities, resume writing, networking, or part-time employment. For more information on Career Center offerings, visit the website, e-mail careercenter@creighton.edu or call 402.280.2722. According to the Career Center, the job outlook for Creighton graduates is strong, with 90 percent of Creighton graduates employed, volunteering or furthering their education a year after graduation; the national average is 63.7 percent. Read more.
Programs Celebrate First Graduates Creighton's new master's degree programs in Health Care Ethics and Research Design and Analysis (RDA) graduated their first students in May. Creighton's online Health Care Ethics program is attracting students nationwide, preparing them to become more effective in addressing complex issues related to health care ethics. Creighton’s program in RDA is funded by a grant from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and focuses on "hard" analytical methods and rigorous approaches to research design. Graduates are prepared for jobs in business and government, including the intelligence community.
Campus Event Highlights Research Creighton University celebrated its campus-wide commitment to research with its annual St. Albert’s Day event on April 29. Research topics ranged from genetics to allergies, cancer, Parkinson’s Disease, bariatric surgery, adoption, the elderly, atmospheric sciences, tooth mineralization, the role of cholesterol and more. Watch the video.
Students, Faculty Named Fulbrights Two May graduates and two faculty members have received Fulbright awards for 2011. Anya Burkart, a physics and German double major from Monument, Colo., has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study and work in Leipzig, Germany, while Jessica Gaulter, a biology and Spanish major from Urbandale, Iowa, will carry out her Fulbright project in the fall in the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador. More. Meanwhile, Creighton’s Jackie Font-Guzman, assistant professor and associate director of the Werner Institute, and Ravi Nath, chair of the Department of Business Intelligence and Analytics in the College of Business, have both received Fulbright fellowships for 2012. More.
Creighton Inaugurates Chair in Jesuit Education Creighton University inaugurated the Anna and Donald Waite Endowed Chair in Jesuit Education on April 7. The endowed chair, which is funded by 1954 graduate Donald Waite and his wife, Anna, will bring Jesuit scholars and researchers to Creighton to support the University’s vibrant Jesuit heritage. Read more.
Faculty Authors Honored, Release New Book Creative writing professor Mary Helen Stefaniak has been awarded a 2011 Anisfield Wolf Book Award for Fiction for her recently published novel, The Cailiffs of Baghdad, Georgia, while sociology and anthropology professor Roger Bergman recently released his book Catholic Social Learning: Educating the Faith That Does Justice, which examines the importance of Catholic social learning and teaching.
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