Purdue Student Leaders attend ESTEEM Capstone Conference

 

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May 19, 2013 (New Haven) Purdue students enrolled in the Boiler ESTEEM program at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center at Purdue attended a national leadership conference at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

During a three-day weekend in April, the future leaders of the Catholic Church gathered to share ideas, learn new skills, network, develop professionally, grow spiritually, and create a shared vision for engaging in the Church as leaders now and forever. The event was the 2013 ESTEEM Capstone Conference, a three-day Catholic student leader gathering at the Saint Thomas More Center at Yale.

ESTEEM Capstone Conference is an annual opportunity for Catholic college student leaders who participate all year long in their campus ESTEEM programs to meet each other and reaffirm the vision of this innovative initiative. The three-day conference began with the students from each school presenting the highlights of their yearlong ESTEEM programs. This created an environment of sharing best practices that carried over into the evening.

On the second day, the conversation continued with two alumni from past ESTEEM programs sharing stories of their personal journeys of getting engaged as leaders in the church after graduation. Next, Kerry Robinson, the executive director of the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management shared the history and vision of ESTEEM. After an inspiring morning, the students participated in a participatory exercise of discovering their own gifts through taking and discussing the DiSC Evaluation.

The afternoon also included a keynote by author and Catholic TV commentator, Matt Weber. Matt Weber, through personal stories and humor, connected with the students and gave them strategies to stay excited and engaged in the issues and advancements of the Catholic Church. The rest of the afternoon allowed student leaders to meet in small groups to develop new ideas for the national ESTEEM initiative as well as the ESTEEM programs on their own campuses. The second day of the conference ended in celebration. Bishop Peter A. Rosazza led the delegation in Mass in the Saint Thomas More Chapel followed by formal dinner. Following dinner, most delegates took advantage of being on the Yale campus by attending a ballet performance. Networking and fellowship continued after the performance and into the evening.

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During the final morning of the conference on Sunday, the delegates participated in a lively brainstorming session on the key elements of the ESTEEM curriculum. By the end of the conference, the young Catholic leaders were even more equipped to strengthen their campus’ ESTEEM program and more confident to become true leaders in their Church. The ESTEEM advisory committee announced that there are plans to expand ESTEEM to more schools, to create a means for ESTEEM alumni to stay connected with each other and another Capstone Conference at Yale would be scheduled for next spring. A couple of examples that the conference was a success are students from Michigan State and Purdue have arranged to collaborate on a service project next year and the ESTEEM Facebook page exploded with posts shortly after the conference ended from conference delegates from the various schools.

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ESTEEM is a nationwide program to develop the leadership skills of young Catholic students at private, Catholic, and secular colleges and universities across the nation. An initiative of the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management and Saint Thomas More Catholic Chapel & Center at Yale, ESTEEM (Engaging Students to Enliven the Ecclesial Mission) focuses on the core competencies of spirituality, education, community and service. Employing a multifaceted approach, ESTEEM provides college students with the inspiration and tools for deeper engagement in the life and witness of the Church.

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The ESTEEM campuses are as follows:

• Michigan State University
• Ohio State University
• Purdue University
• Robert Morris University
• Stanford University
• Texas Technical University
• University of California at Berkeley
• University of California at Los Angeles
• Yale University

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These future leaders of the Church from St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center at Purdue were sent home from the ESTEEM Capstone Conference with renewed focus and determination that will surely have an impact on the Catholic world. They are not only committed to becoming Church leaders after graduation but also to sharing their experiences with Boiler ESTEEM with the current parishioners in hopes that the program will grow at Purdue.

The Boiler ESTEEM students are as follows:

• Maria Lina Andvik (graduate student in Psychology from Bergen, Norway)
• Tim Brown (senior in Computer Engineering from Kokomo, Indiana)
• Hannah R Burgess (senior in General Health Sciences/Pre-Medicine from Jasper, Indiana)
• Juan A. Crespo (senior in Atmospheric Science from South Bend, Indiana)
• Marie-Catherine Dube (junior in Industrial Design from Goose Creek, South Carolina)
• Mark Hiew (doctorate student in Veterinary medicine from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
• Benjamin J Horstman (senior in Nuclear Engineering from Lafayette, Indiana)
• Heather E Keegan (first-year Pharmacy doctorate student from Eldersburg, Maryland)
• Alexander Kosiak (junior in Biochemistry from Westfield, Indiana)
• Anne E Krasniak (first-year Pharmacy doctorate student from Owego, New York)

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Contacts:

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Fr. Patrick Baikauskas, OP
Pastor, Director of Campus Ministry
E-mail: fatherpatrick@boilercatholics.org
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center at Purdue
Tel: 765-743-0426
 

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Katie McKenna
E-mail: katie.mckenna@nlrcm.org
Communications and Development Officer & Program Coordinator for ESTEEM (Engaging Students to Enliven the Ecclesial Mission)

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Kerry Robinson
E-mail: kerry.robinson@nlrcm.org
Executive Director

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National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management
1350 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 825
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202-223-8962
Fax: 202-296-9295

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This post was recently published in current issue (May 19, 2013) of The Catholic Moment – Serving the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana.

To view a PDF of the article in The Catholic Moment, click HERE.

To view more photos of the Boiler ESTEEM students at the ESTEEM Capstone Conference, click HERE.

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Happy Mother’s Day – Appreciation, Celebration, and Special Love

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Happy Mother’s Day to my mom, Lucille; my wife, Kristin; my mother-in-law, Carol, as well as my sister, Marybeth; Nicole, sister-in-law; Kelly, my cousin, and my aunts, Ann Terese and Cindy. Reflect, Rest, Renew, and Rejoice on how much you have made this world a better place…because there are people like me who have noticed and appreciate all that you do.

Max and Zoe are taking their Mom to brunch, to walk dogs at the local shelter, and then to get a DQ Blizzard…and in between lots of hugs – love notes – smiles – laughs – and love. I hope your day is as special as ours is destined to be.

Happy Mother’s Day!

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Thank You!

Thank you for believing in me when I found it difficult to believe in myself…for saying what I’ve needed to hear sometimes, instead of what I’ve wanted to hear…for siding with me…and for giving me another side to consider.

Thank you for opening yourself up to me…for trusting me with your thoughts and disappointments and dreams…for knowing you can depend on me and for asking my help when you’ve needed it.

Thank you for putting so much thought and care and imagination into our friendship…for sharing so many nice times and making so many special memories with me.

Thank you for always being honest with me being kind to me…being there for me.

Thank you for being a friend to me in so many meaningful ways.

~Larry S. Chengges

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Today, we celebrate our Mothers for:

• Caring for us when we were helpless
• Comforting us when we were hurt
• Patience that seemed to have no end
• Their love and care we often took for granted

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Today we are thinking about and sending special love to:

• Those who are grieving the loss of their mother,
• Those who never knew their biological mother, and now yearn for her
• Those who have experienced the wonder of an adopted mother’s love
• New mothers, coming to terms with new responsibility
• Expectant mothers, wondering and waiting
• Mothers who are grieving the loss of a child
• Mothers who are tired, stressed or depressed
• Mothers who struggle to balance the tasks of work and family
• Mothers who are unable to feed their children due to poverty
• Mothers whose children have physical, mental or emotional disabilities
• The families separated by war or conflict
• Those who raise children on their own
• Those who care for the children of others
• Those whose children have left home
• Those whose desire to be a mother has not been fulfilled

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Whatever else is unsure in this stinking dunghill of a world a mother’s love is not.

~James Joyce

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Mama exhorted her children at every opportunity to ‘jump at de sun.’ We might not land on the sun, but at least we would get off the ground.

~Zora Neale Hurston

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I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.

~Abraham Lincoln

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A mother is a person who seeing there are only 4 pieces of pie for 5 people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.

~Tenneva Jordan

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New UConn Husky Dog Unveiled

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After months of rumors that the University of Connecticut was getting rid of the much loved husky dog image for a new ‘brand” today was the day that the new logo was leaked out in a blog post by the University’s marketing machine — “A New Husky for a New Era.”

Nike designed the new logo — was UConn paid to use this new logo by Nike? Is there an exclusive Nike deal tied to this new Husky dog logo? Does that change your opinion?

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Samoyed Husky Dog

UConn is not the only institution of higher education with a husky dog as a mascot. Others include University of Washington and Northeastern University. Somehow through the years, UConn adopted a Samoyed or Siberian/Samoyed mix “husky” dog which has had an all-white coat and often has had two different colored eyes (one blue; one brown). In the athletics world this was just fine because Washington and Northeastern’s husky dogs had the markings of an Alaskan or black and white Siberian “husky” dog. It was easy to tell the difference between UConn and the other two husky universities.

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UConn Mascot – Jonathan the Husky Dog

UConn student LOVE the UConn husky dog. As most in higher education know, if all goes well during a students’ undergraduate career, “institution bond” is strong — and a loyal alum has been developed. One common way in which students as well as fans connect to their beloved alma mater or state school is through the university’s mascot — in UConn’s case, the husky dog. UConn has three versions of their husky dog: the real canine (cared for by Alpha Phi Omega), the costumed cheerleader Husky Dog, and the image/logo created by the University used in marketing and on team uniforms. In all cases at UConn the husky dog has been an all-white, fluffy, mild mannered dog. UConn fans and alumni absolutely adore their mascot and have since the 1930′s.

Many universities have tried to change their mascot, colors, and logo — and have failed. Did UConn not learn from the disasters at other Universities like when Purdue introduced a new Purdue Pete who looked like the cousin of a Cabbage Patch Kid? The Cabbage Patch-Purdue Pete debuted in a spring football game never to be seen again because of the intense backlash from students, alumni, and fans. The new mascot was booed off the football field when it was introduced and continued to get harsh criticism until the University was compelled to completely abandon the new Purdue Pete — faster than the death of new Coke.

So…why is President Herbst so determined to change our mascot, making Jonathan more fierce? Why does the new logo look like a black & white husky dog — perhaps an Alaskan? Is President Herbst trying to leave a legacy?

University marketing and branding is serious business these days. But university marketing is much more complex than “real world” marketing. Universities have so many more stake holders than the corporate world. Not only should the university be concerned about what students, alumni and fans think and feel about the mascot and “brand” but they also must be concerned about other stake holders like parents, donors, legislators, community partners, corporate sponsors, and athletic conference officials. Branding, in cases like these, is often at direct odds with Tradition. Every real canine UConn husky dog except the first has been all-white. That is some strong tradition. How will this be overcome?

Northeastern University Huskies

University of Washington Huskies

• Even if UConn fans love the new brand and mascot — how will this impact Washington and Northeastern? — and the rest of UConn athletic conference?
• How will UConn distinguish itself from the other husky schools?
• Will the UConn administration replace the costumed mascot, retire the real canine, and remove or modify the husky statue outside of Gampel Pavilion?
• How much is this going to cost? Think about how many places the current image of the UConn husky dog is including merchandise, murals, business cards, signage, uniforms, garbage trucks, stadiums, Coke cans, and my $100 sweater.
• How will the UConn administration deal with the negative backlash which is inevitable?
• Nike designed the new logo — was UConn paid to use this new logo by Nike? Is there an exclusive Nike deal tied to this new Husky dog logo? Does that change your opinion?

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So, what are your thoughts?

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To help you formulate your opinion, here are a few more images for your reference:

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Siberian Husky Dog

Alaskan Husky Dog