As Lourdes University’s founder and sponsor, the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania have given so much to the institution over the years. Now, they have given another priceless gift – a $500,000 sponsorship that has given Lourdes the opportunity to establish an endowed chair and scholarship in Franciscan Integration.

The establishment of the Franciscan Integration chair and scholarship program seeks to deepen the understanding of Lourdes University as a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of St. Francis. As the University carries forward the mission and heritage of its sponsor, it is imperative that knowledge of and reflection on the traditional four core Franciscan values – contemplation, conversion, minority, poverty – and their current embodiment in the four core values of Lourdes – community, learning, reverence and service – be integrated into the curriculum and life of the University in meaningful ways.

Patricia O’Connell, PhD, Associate Professor of Business & Leadership has been named as the first endowed chair in Franciscan Integration. She began her post this semester and will continue through spring of 2014. 

“At Lourdes, we’ve always tried to infuse our Franciscan values into the educational process – and the establishment of the Franciscan Integration chair and scholarship program provides a formal way for us to do this,” offers Keith Schlender, PhD, Interim Provost. “We’re eternally grateful to our founders the Sisters of St. Francis, for instilling within us these Franciscan values and through their new sponsorship, granting us the opportunity to truly incorporate these values throughout our institution.”

The Sisters of St. Francis Endowed Chair in Franciscan Integration ($400,000):
Up to two faculty members from two different academic departments will be named to this Chair on a biannual rotation. Qualified faculty will demonstrate a deep commitment to integrating Franciscan thoughts and values into the University curriculum. These faculty will emphasize the Franciscan character of Lourdes University. The faculty members will present the annual “Sisters of St. Francis Endowed Lecture in Franciscan Integration,” (inaugural lecture planned to occur sometime in February 2013)

The Sisters of St. Francis Endowed Scholarship in Franciscan Integration ($100,000):
Five $1,000 scholarships will be awarded annually beginning in 2013 to students demonstrating a commitment to integrating Franciscan thought and values into their lives. Examples may include students who volunteer in care for the environment or who give of their time in community service to underserved populations.Recipients will be expected to continue to model the Franciscan values throughout their time at Lourdes.

Lourdes is pleased to announce that its College of Nursing was recently granted nearly $2 million in funding (over 4 academic years) through the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA). Funding from the HRSA grant will financially support disadvantaged undergraduate nursing students through a new scholarship program. The Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) program promotes diversity among health profession students and practitioners by providing scholarships to full-time students with financial need from disadvantaged backgrounds, enrolled in health professions and nursing programs.

Students enrolled in Lourdes’ Bachelor of Science in Nursing program are a diverse group:
- 43% are low income
- 20% are underrepresented minorities
- 18% are educationally disadvantaged
- 28% are first-generation college students

In order to better financially assist these populations in achieving their degree, Lourdes Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students grant will award up to 53 eligible nursing students scholarships equal to 50% of their full time tuition each academic year. In order to be eligible for the scholarship, the student must be admitted to Lourdes as a full time student, qualify as low income, either be a member of an underrepresented racial or ethnic minority or be educationally disadvantaged and have the potential to succeed academically.

In the last 5 years, Lourdes University’s College of Nursing has received more than $6 million in funding from HRSA and other federal, state and private funders. “Our College of Nursing has been successful at acquiring grant funding because it has a terrific reputation throughout the country,” shares Manda Rice, Director of Corporate, Foundation & Government Relations. “Additionally, the grants that Lourdes’ College of Nursing has received have proven to be successful in recruiting and retaining a diverse population of students.”

In 2011, Lourdes received a similar HRSA grant, of which 100% of the students served have remained in school, and some are currently preparing for their NCLEX state boards. Similarly, a HRSA Nursing Workforce Diversity grant, also awarded to Lourdes in 2010, has provided over $80,000 in scholarships and more than $168,000 in stipends. This financial support directly contributed to increasing the College of Nursing’s retention rate of underrepresented and disadvantaged students.

First established in 1982, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is the primary Federal agency aimed at improving health and health equity through access to quality services, a skilled health workforce and innovative programs.

The College of Nursing at Lourdes offers a variety of programs including the Operating Room First Assistant, Nurse-Aid to BSN, Pre-Nursing to BSN, Licensed Practical Nurse to BSN, Registered Nurse (RN) to BSN and the RN to MSN with a Nurse Leader, Nurse Educator or Nurse Anesthetist concentration. For more information about the School of Nursing contact visit http://nursing.lourdes.edu.

Last weekend, the Lourdes University Drama Society kicked-off its 2012-13 season with David Auburn’s Proof.  Following the Friday night opening performance, Drama Society Advisor Keith Ramsdell announced the establishment of the Roemer Insurance – Janice L. Ramsdell Endowed Scholarship for Theatre. Drama Society members Megan Carter, a senior majoring in Criminal Justice, and Tim Robinson, a junior majoring in Early Childhood Education, were named the first recipients of the scholarship and will receive $250 each for spring semester.

This month, Lourdes University Master of Business Administration (MBA) students got a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit London and get a behind the scenes look at the business of planning the 2012 summer Olympic games. Seventeen students took part in the trip which is part of Lourdes’ MBA curriculum. The program requires students to complete an international immersion experience.  

This summer, more than 50 students from Waite and Woodward High Schools will call Lourdes University home, as they participate in the institution’s Upward Bound program. Last spring, the U.S. Department of Education announced that Lourdes would receive 100% of the $250,000 requested in support of its program.       

Students at Lourdes University are now able to apply for interest-free loans through a $100,000 four-year grant provided by the Charles E. Schell Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee.  

Payable over four years, the award allows Lourdes University to provide interest-free educational assistance loans to qualified students. An added benefit of the grant is that it creates a self-funding student loan program within Lourdes University that continues to provide resources for future students, as previous loans are repaid. To apply, students must meet the following basic qualifications:

• Maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA
• Be a citizen of OH, IN, IL, KY, MI, MO, PA, TN, VA or WV

 “We are thrilled to receive the assistance from the Schell Foundation and Fifth Third Bank,” expresses Denise McCluskey, Director of Financial Aid. “This will allow us to make earning a degree at Lourdes University even more affordable for our students.”

On May 26, a group of 17 Lourdes University Master of Business Administration (MBA) students will travel to London, where they will spend the week learning from businesses involved in planning the 2012 summer Olympics. The trip is one of two immersion experiences required for completion of Lourdes’ MBA program. The goal is to provide students with direct experience in an international business community.

• A tour by Blue Badge Tourist Guides of Olympic Park

(Largest owner/operator of theatres in the UK)

(A multi-generational family business displaced by Olympic construction that successfully lobbied for a new location close to the games)

• An address by McCann Worldgroup London Account Director, Sam Lewis

• A behind-the-scenes overview of Olympic Games planning by the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games & Paralympic Games Ltd. Director of Communications & Public Affairs, Jackie Brock-Doyle

On May 21, a group of 14 representatives from Lourdes University and Siena Heights University will travel to Manchester Parish, Jamaica to volunteer with the St. John Bosco Home for Boys. Led by former Siena Heights FYE Director and current Lourdes University FYE Director Rachel Duff Anderson, the group is comprised of 10 students and 4 staff and who will be supervising recreational activities, tutoring students and making improvements to the grounds of St. John Bosco (damaged as a result of hurricane Ivan).

The program originated at Siena Heights University, through Sr. Pat Schnapp. “As a Sister of Mercy, I taught in Jamaica (Kingston) many years ago – Our Sisters have several schools on the Island, 1 of which was St. John Bosco,” shares Sr. Pat. “About fifteen years ago, I took a group of Siena Heights students to volunteer there. The trip was such a great success, that we've made several trips since.”

Founded in 1958, St. John Bosco is a residential child-care institution in Jamaica, owned and operated by the Sisters of Mercy. Home to approximately 150 boys between the ages of 3 and 16, the 32-acre residence includes a farm and school, which is approved by the Jamaican Ministry of Education. For additional information, please visit http://boscohome.tripod.com.

Saturday, May 19, marks another momentous occasion for Lourdes, as it celebrates its first Baccalaureate and Commencement ceremonies as a University. Baccalaureate will be held in the Queen of Peace Chapel on Lourdes’ campus at 10 a.m. Commencement will take place at the SeaGate Convention Centre located at 401 Jefferson Avenue, in downtown Toledo at 1 p.m.

Robert L. Maxwell, BS

At Lourdes University, Mr. Maxwell shares his business and philanthropic expertise with alumni, students and faculty, as a member of the Business & Leadership Advisory Council.

For additional information about Lourdes’ Baccalaureate and Commencement ceremonies, please visit www.lourdes.edu/commencement.

The Corporation for National and Community Service and the U.S. Department of Education recently honored an elite group of colleges and universities for their commitment to bettering their communities through service and service learning. Lourdes is among 642 institutions nationwide to be included in the 2012 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.
    
The Honor Roll selects institutions based on a series of factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service-learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school’s commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships, and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service. Lourdes University was selected based on three of its many community service and service learning initiatives:

Community Focused Clinicals:
Lourdes University’ College of Nursing offers community focused clinicals, providing professional experience for nursing students in settings such as area homeless shelters, community centers for the mentally ill and subsidized housing facilities for those with disabilities. Nursing students using both traditional and non-traditional methods for serving these populations – for example, students encouraged clients with mental illness to share their life experiences by sewing, gardening and performing other crafts together. More than 198 Lourdes students have participated in these clinicals, serving over 350 individuals.

Habitat for Humanity Alternative Spring Break:
For 16 years, L.I.N.K. (Lourdes’ Campus Ministry student organization) has organized, recruited members and raised funds for an alternative spring break project with Habitat for Humanity. To date, Lourdes Habitat for Humanity team has assisted homeowners in 7 states and 15 cities – rehabbing houses, building homes and bringing the spirit of volunteerism and Franciscan values to those in need.

Jones Middle School Partnership:
A group of 29 Lourdes students tutored more than 160 students in Jones Middle School – an inner-city school located in Toledo, OH. At Jones, only 33% of sixth graders meet minimum state acceptance rates in reading proficiency. As part of the partnership, Lourdes students worked with Jones students to improve their reading fluency and comprehension skills.
 
“This is a marvelous recognition of just some of the many service activities happening in and out of the classroom at Lourdes,” reflects Sister Ann Carmen Barone, OSF, Vice President for Mission & Ministry. “As Director of Campus Ministry & Service Learning, Sister Barbara Vano has worked tirelessly with Lourdes’ faculty and staff to shape and encourage the growth of these programs. We are extremely thankful for her and our entire Lourdes Community’s dedication to serving others.”
 
“Through service, these institutions are creating the next generation of leaders by challenging students to tackle tough issues and create positive impacts in the community,” said Robert Velasco, Acting CEO of CNCS. “We applaud Lourdes University for its commitment to making service a priority in and out of the classroom.Together, service and learning increase civic engagement while fostering social innovation among students, empowering them to solve challenges within their communities.”

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, and leads President Barack Obama’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov.  

 

Across the nation, colleges and universities grant students and faculty a week to enjoy the coming of spring. Often, this time is spent visiting out-of-town family and friends or vacationing in exotic destinations. For those at Lourdes University, spring break is a time of purpose. This March, 28 Lourdes students (and 2 staff members) will volunteer with Habitat for Humanity of Laredo-Webb County as part of the organization’s national alternative spring break Collegiate Challenge. 

“This is Lourdes’ 16^th year volunteering with Habitat for Humanity during spring break,” shares Sr. Barbara Vano, OSF, Director of Campus Ministry & Service Learning.  “Since 1996, Lourdes Habitat for Humanity teams have assisted homeowners in 7 states and 15 cities – rehabbing houses, building homes and bringing the spirit of volunteerism and Franciscan values to those in need.”

Lourdes’ Habitat team will travel to Laredo, TX on March 4 and return on March 10.  The group will be among more than 300 students working on nine new homes being constructed by the Habitat for Humanity of Laredo-Webb County this spring.

For the past 23 years, more than 194,000 students have spent their school breaks volunteering across the country through this Habitat for Humanity program. Habitat’s Collegiate Challenge is one of the many programs aimed at engaging youth ages 5 to 25 in the organization’s mission and work. For more information on Habitat for Humanity and the Collegiate Challenge, visit http://www.habitat.org/.