Instead, today I will talk about two people whose lives were altered by the institution from which we are graduating. One was an award winning journalist from a working class family in a working class town. The second person has little in common with the first, except for a degree from John Carroll and a desire to effect change as a journalist. That person is me.

I had the opportunity to intern at NBC studios two summers ago and I was invited to a taping of Tim Russert’s Meet the Press. After the taping, I sat in a circle with the twenty other interns while Mr. Russert answered our questions about the world of journalism and the power that it wields. He told us about his interview with former Vice President Cheney the day after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He told us about his meeting with the Pope and about his upcoming interviews with each presidential candidate running for office that summer.

“You have to ask the tough questions,” he said. “That is the only way you get the truth; the only way to make a difference.”

He then asked us each to go around the circle and tell him our names and where we were attending college. As my fellow interns rattled off Ivy League schools, Mr. Russert simply smiled and nodded. When it was my turn, I proudly said, “I go to John Carroll University.” Mr. Russert threw his hands in the air, then clapped them together by his heart and said “Go Blue Streaks!”

“Do you know, I am a Blue Streak?” he asked me.

After the taping, I continued to think about Mr. Russert’s statement, “I am a Blue Streak.” The word that resonated with me most was the word “am,” suggesting that, although he had graduated from JCU decades before, Mr. Russert still considered himself an active member of its community. He still considered himself a Blue Streak.

These words carried me back to the day I first entered this University as a student four years ago. I stood at the steps of the DJ Lombardo student center and scanned the green quad and the violet flowers on its periphery. I looked at the statue of St. Ignatius, bold and symbolic of the Jesuit mission, grasping a sword. And finally, I looked at the bell tower, the most recognizable feature of this University.

After taking in this scene, I felt as if I belonged; as if I had all the answers. Then I stopped and asked myself a question to which I did not have an answer: “What in the world is a Blue Streak?”

In order to answer that question, I want to share with you my experience of mentoring inner city school children, starting with this sentence: “My friend is poor because she got nothing in her house” Daisha, a third grade student who had failed the Ohio Proficiency exam in previous years and struggled to read a first grade level story book, read this sentence to me when asked to construct one using the vocabulary word “poor.”

After each session, my classmates and I would drive twenty minutes down the road from Diasha’s school to John Carroll University in University Heights. After taking this route several times, I realized the striking change in scenery. In less than twenty minutes, we traveled from rundown duplexes surrounded by grassless front yards and rickety fences to a multimillion-dollar college campus, encircled by elegant family homes and churches. After considering the noticeable differences between Daisha’s school and neighborhood and mine, I began to question why this was so.

For Daisha, whose mother worked several jobs and had no time to aide her children with homework, higher education may not be an option. For the children in University Heights, however, the choice of where to attend college exists as a difficult decision.

Why had Daisha been ignored? What allowed this ignorance to persist? These are the tough questions that have to be asked in order to get the truth and to make a difference.

At my last visit to the inner city school, I asked Daisha to create a sentence with the vocabulary word “wisdom.” After much deliberation, she wrote in her notebook: “If I study hard, I will get wisdom.”

Despite its grammatical errors, Daisha’s sentence reflects the crux of the Jesuit mission. This wisdom emphasized through our training allows us to ask the difficult questions necessary to effect change. Our Jesuit education equips us not only with the knowledge but the resources to highlight Daisha’s conditions and make people care about and invest in children like her. It challenges us to engage the world.

After my four years here, I know why Mr. Russert valued his experience at John Carroll. I see how he was able to channel his skill set, developed through this University, to tell the stories of the voiceless like Daisha, and how he has inspired me to do the same.

So let us return to the question of “What is a Blue Streak?” Does it mean being an award-winning journalist whose passion for and commitment to the truth produced some of the most effective dialogue in this country’s recent history? Does it mean being the winningest coach in the history of the NFL? Does it mean becoming the CEO of a fortune 500 company? A neurosurgeon? An Entrepreneur?

Sure, it means all this, but it means much more.

To say “I am a Blue Streak” is to say that while you sit atop your bunk-bed in your heated dorm room, looking at the snow covered Quad outside your window, you are troubled by the fact that just down the street, an old woman sits atop a heated grate.

To say, “I am a Blue Streak” is to say that while you stand on the steps of the student center, overlooking the manicured lawn and the purple flowers thriving on its border, you are concerned that five miles down the road, a child in a tattered t-shirt stands on the crumbling steps of his house, overlooking potholes in the road and police cars on the corner.

To say “I am a Blue Streak” is to say that while you wait in a doctor’s office with your insurance card in hand, you find it problematic that the person next to you has skipped meals to pay to see the same doctor.

To say “I am a Blue Streak” is to say that while you plant flowers outside a deteriorating elementary school, place books on the shelf in its library and play hoops with its students on a crumbling basketball court, you know you are only making a dent in solving problems of social injustice, but you sign up to do it every year because you believe a few dents will eventually make a hole.

It is traveling to New Orleans, or Louisville, or Chicago, or Guatemala, or Nicaragua on your spring break to recognize that poverty and injustice penetrate every community.

It is being the catalyst for social change and identifying situations that need to be examined further with a more critical lens.

It is to know all the opportunities you have earned and have been given and to share them with others.

To be a Blue Streak means that when you meet another person from John Carroll University, you can clap your hands, close to your heart, and say, “I AM a Blue Streak.” And that person will know, immediately, who you are.

The construction of the playfield is intended to attract potential students to JCU, the only school in the Ohio Athletic Conference in which several varsity sports have to share field time and space, said Dora Pruce, director of government and community relations.

Before students living in the University-owned homes signed their lease this year, the Office of Residence Life told them that there was the possibility that their home would be part of the Master Plan for expansion.

There was a clause in the lease stating the University had the right to give the tenants 60 days notice before they would terminate their lease to effect the master plan.

In December, the University told the tenants they would need to move out by June 30, 2009, but gave them other housing options.
Junior Maura McCool currently lives in one of the Milford homes and finds the move frustrating, even though she accepted it in her housing lease.

“Although I definitely support JCU’s expansion, I feel that it would be a shame to have these houses just sit here [waiting] until the city gives JCU permission to change them into practice fields,” said McCool.
JCU officials submitted a list of requests to City Council regarding the demolition of the Milford homes and expect a response from the council by March 31.

However, this is only the first step in beginning the construction process.

According to Pruce, the University must have City Council’s approval for the demolition of the homes and the building of the fields. After this is approved, the construction depends on the city’s guidelines and the University having the resources to begin construction. There is not yet a finite timeline for this project.

University Heights residents are hesitant, however, to approve the project because most of them see these five Milford homes as contributors to property and income tax for the city.

Pruce said residents are concerned that taking away these neighborhood homes will also take away revenue potential, which will spiral into less homes in the city and therefore less residents, ultimately leading to less tax dollars recycled back into the community.

In response to this concern, Pruce cites the bigger economic loss to the University, and therefore the neighborhood, if it loses students to other schools with better athletic facilities.

“If we don’t take action and create a playfield and respond to the demands of our student recruits, the University’s economic growth potential is severally hindered.”

In her December proposal to City Council, Pruce noted that over the past five years, the University has let go of 70 full-time employees as a direct result of lower enrollment.

The University estimated these 70 employees roughly equals $4.2 million in annual payroll, meaning $105,000 in University Heights taxes each year, according to Pruce.

JCU student enrollment and tax revenue for the city are therefore inextricably linked.

If the University loses students, it will also have to let go of employees whose annual salaries contribute to a large amount of the city’s income and property tax.

Pruce also said, while enrollment was up this past academic year, it is difficult to predict this increase as a trend in the future, especially in light of a dwindling economy.

The bigger picture here is that we cannot afford to stand by and wait to see what our enrollment projections are from year to year,” said Pruce.

“We know that students are choosing colleges with athletic amenities, and we know that John Carroll University’s offerings are inadequate and uncompetitive.”

The University told City Council in its December proposal that the field would be stocked with amenities, such as turf, seating and a fence, so as to maintain the high value of the neighborhood.

The Gates Mills Fire Department was called to the scene after several people said they felt ill. The GMFD closed the facility after determining that there was a high level of carbon monoxide in the building.

According to Jenny Popis, communications manager for the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, three factors caused the situation.

First, the ice grooming equipment was not functioning properly. Second, the ventilation system did not provide sufficient outside air.

Finally, team buses were parked and running in close proximity to the fresh air intake of the arena.

Games on Saturday featuring Kent State, Oklahoma, Lindewood and Penn State were cancelled.

The GMFD worked through the night Saturday and into the morning on Sunday to test the building against further threats.

After the GMFD determined that there were no elevated levels of carbon monoxide and deemed the facility safe for patrons, the ice rink was reopened and tournaments games resumed on Sunday.

According to Popis, the scare was an unprecedented incident that she does not foresee occurring again.

The GMFD has continued to monitor the situation over the past few days.

The current rule states that, along with full-time student status and a 2.5 grade point average, “a year of experience is required” for a student to run for president.

These terms were considered too broad by some Student Union members.

Senior Greg Lucsko, vice president for programming, proposed the bill.

He requested that a student must have served on the executive board or any of the four divisions of the Student Union in order to run for the position of president.

This proposal was tabled for two weeks, and denied by a 16 to 1 vote among the Student Union senators present at Tuesday’s weekly meeting.

Doug Walton, class of 2009 senator, said that the proposed amendment is designed to ensure a well-qualified president.

“It significantly decreases the pool of candidates and the ability of new voices to be heard in the Student Union,” Walton said.

He added, “Even well-qualified people would not be able to run for president under this amendment.”

Fellow junior class senator Alex Lendrum agreed, saying, “I do not think it is right to tell anyone that he or she cannot run for president. We should ensure quality, but also fairness.”

Justin Joseph, class of 2008 senator, proposed a separate amendment on Tuesday to clarify the one year of experience requirement.

His suggestion called for the presidential candidate to have completed at least two semesters of course work at JCU.
This bill will sit on the table for one week.

According to the bylaws of the Student Union, all proposed amendments to the constitution must be tabled for at least one week in order to ensure proper discussion about the bill.

President Andy Costigan reminded the senators that all amendments regarding the qualifications for Student Union president must be voted on by next Tuesday, October 16.

Presidential nominations will begin the following Tuesday.

All students are always invited to voice their opinions at student union meetings. The meetings are held every Tuesday at 5 p.m. in the Rodman Hall A conference room.

The annual fund is used for direct monetary release to the university’s operating expenses, or that for which tuition alone can not accommodate. Traditionally, alumni, trustees, parents, faculty, staff and friends of the university comprise those who contribute to this annual fund.

The office of University Advancement, primarily responsible for fundraising, marketing and alumni communication, established the paid student calling program, in which current John Carroll students place phone calls to alumni to ask for donations to the university’s annual fund. The program has generated an 85 percent success rate, according to Doreen Riley, Vice President for University advancement. Riley attributes such success to the fact that the university employs actual John Carroll students, rather than outsource the job.

Dart, who assumed this title on September 19th after the position had been vacant for about six months, brings tremendous international experience to the John Carroll community. He served in the Peace Corps in Tunisia, where he met his wife of 26 years.

He then taught History and English at international schools in Greece and Germany for five years. He served as a director of development of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) for 13 years and spent five of those years as a CRS representative in Rwanda, Burkina Faso and The Gambia.

Dart was the regional director of major gifts for the University of Chicago for two years. He comes to John Carroll after six years as Senior Director for Campaign Leadership Gifts and Executive Director of Development at Dominican University.

“I love it here” said Dart after his fourth day on the job. “I feel so blessed to be at JCU and to have the opportunity to be associated with such a strong university.” He first visited John Carroll five years ago when his son was looking at schools. Dart is the father of five children, and his daughter is now a sophomore at the University.

Dart envisions the success of several initiatives in developing the university. “Right now, I want to learn as much as I can about John Carroll, the alumni and the Jesuit mission.”
Riley says she can not imagine anyone more fit for the job: “He blew all the competition away.”

However, despite the thousands of dollars endowed in JCU’s financial aid grants and loans, many students tend to overlook such offers.

The university offers 11 merit- based scholarships, three loan programs, six federal and state grants and work study programs.

Students must be accepted for admission in order to earn these scholarships, and a minimal GPA is required and must be maintained.

Academic departments also offer financial awards to students in their major. The recent trend of eligible students not applying for such awards suggests that they are not even aware of these opportunities.

Sr. Mary Ann Flannery, chair of the Communication and Theatre Arts Department, said that once a student declares Communications as a major, the department sends him or her a pamphlet listing the 15 financial awards and three acknowledgement awards available.

This financial aid comes from sources such as The Plain Dealer, General Electric or from memorial scholarships, all starting at $1,000.

“Many of the students do not pay attention to that,” Flannery said. “The faculty encourages students to apply, but the students don’t take it as seriously as they should.”

Chris Roark, chair of the English Department, said, “The number of students applying for the awards is usually not that many, so it would be good if more students knew about the awards and applied.”

Aside from John Carroll sponsored financial aid, Cleveland Scholarship Programs Inc., known as CSP, serves as a major resource for students in Northeast Ohio.

CSP awards about $3.3 million in scholarships to more than 2,100 students each year averaging over $1,600 per student.

They also provide free and public services such as college and career counseling, motivation for students and college retention programs.

“Many college students don’t know where to start looking for scholarship opportunities” said Cortney Kilbury, head of Public Relations and Marketing for CSP. “Choosing a school and raising the money can sometimes be a little overwhelming. And that’s where we come in.”

CSP can be reached at 216-241-5587 and more information is available on their website, www.cspohio.org.

The undergraduate bulletin states that this award, given annually since 1969, is the highest honor that the University can present to a faculty member.

At the end of the fall semester, Academic Vice President David LaGuardia called for nominations for this honor from both faculty and students. The award committee selects the distinguished faculty member based on excellence in classroom teaching, scholarship, leadership of students and community activism.

Lauritzen graduated from The University of Virginia cum laude, with a degree in Government and Foreign Affairs and Religious Studies. He also earned his master’s degree is Religious Studies from UVA and completed his doctorate entitled “Western Religious Thought: Ethics; Philosophy of Religion” at Brown University.

Lauritzen came to teach at John Carroll in 1985, with a keen interest in Ethics. He was attracted to Cleveland’s first rate medical facilities and the many people involved in the bio-ethical field.

He found John Carroll’s Jesuit tradition and suburban Cleveland location to be the best place to share bio-ethical field.

He found John Carroll’s Jesuit tradition and suburban Cleveland location to be the best place to share and develop his knowledge of ethics, particularly bio-ethics, reproduction technology, stem cell research and cloning. His predecessor at JCU left the department to establish a bio-ethics program at the Cleveland Clinic.

In 2003, President Bush’s Council on Bioethics commissioned a report on the ethics of stem cell research from Lauritzen. He was also the holder of the McKeever Chair in Moral Theology at St. John’s University last year.

“This is a wonderful award because it is chosen by a committee of my peers who have been identified as accomplished individuals among many very talented people,” Lauritzen said.
Matt Berg of the History Department nominated Lauritzen for this honor. “He is an outstanding colleague and pleasure to work with,” said Berg.

“He is a widely recognized scholar who always takes a public stand and he cares passionately about his teaching.”

Last year’s award winner and Economics professor Andrew Welki said that the award is inspiring for many people, because Distinguished Faculty Members “are colleagues that you respect for their contributions to JCU and elsewhere.”

Over 18 months since Hurricane Katrina devastated the gulf coast, many homes and neighborhoods remain in shambles.

Increasing crime rates, education and the environment have become major concerns.

Smaller groups of JCU students have visited disaster sights five times since the Hurricane hit, working with other Catholic charity organizations to restore and rebuild homes. Volunteers mainly gut the homes, removing drywall and ceilings covered with mold, appliances, furniture and remaining debris.

Among the charities that participate in the restoration is Hope Worldwide, an organization responsible for gutting and restoring homes.

Hope Worldwide is an international volunteer organization that works to bring community-based service programs to the poor throughout the world.

Volunteers of Hope Worldwide visit some of the world’s poorest and most needy areas. They provide the people of these areas with assistance in the form of health efforts, education and other programs.

Much of this organization’s efforts are concentrated on relief work for places that have seen natural disasters, including the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in which JCU students will participate.

Volunteers will stay at Camp Hope, an elementary school close to St. Bernard Parish where the most significant destructions occurred.

JCU’s Campus Ministry and the Center for Community services are sponsoring the sixth trip to the ninth ward of New Orleans.

Veterans of the project sophomore Chester Banaszak and senior Pete Aubry have been organizing the May trip, originally planned for spring break.

This trip will allow for more time and for more students to volunteer. Banasnak, who has visited the site five times already, said that though much progress has been made, “we are planning a trip right now for May, which shows how much more work needs to be done.”

Banasnak remembers the first time he visited the ninth ward, four months after the hurricane, when he and other volunteers could not even get into the neighborhood because of the disastrous conditions. “Neighborhoods that used to exist are now just grass. We are hoping to help restore those houses, so there is plenty to do for newcomers.”

Aubry will make his fourth visit to the ninth ward. He noted that the people of New Orleans are optimistic.

“They have so much hope for their city. They know the feeling of New Orleans will be back. Anything we can do to help is necessary and so much appreciated.”