THE CARROLL NEWS: Rombalski's farewell to be at Commencement

Rombalski's farewell to be at Commencement
================================================================================
Matt Mihalich on 29 April, 2008 09:00:00
 
Rombalski has accepted his same position at Boston College after 11 years at
JCU.
JCU President the Rev. Robert Niehoff selected Rombalski as the speaker for
this year. He and a committee received nominations for the annual speaker and
they decided on Rombalski.
“He [Rombalski] has been a friend and an asset to the University over his
eleven years, making deep connections with students, faculty and staff among
innumerable others,” said Niehoff in an all-student e-mail.
Niehoff’s assistant, Laurie Frantz, said, “Patrick has been a
tremendous asset to the University tying the Jesuit, Catholic mission to his
work in student affairs and also as the executive director of Rostro de
Cristo.” The Rostro De Cristo is a non profit Catholic program whose
mission is to provide spiritual and educational opportunities for young people
from the United States to live out the Gospel together with the people of
Ecuador.
Speakers for the Commencement ceremony do not receive monetary compensation;
however, Rombalski is not concerned.
“We do not pay our Commencement speakers but have had very high-quality
speakers honored to be a part of our Commencement here at JCU,” said
Frantz.
“It’s a significant, symbolic event and it’s quite an honor
to be selected,” said Rombalski.
“Our goal is to invite speakers whose lives are representative of the
Catholic, Jesuit mission of the school. Schedule conflicts seem to be more of an
issue when identifying Commencement speakers,” said Frantz.
Past speakers include Tim Russert, NBC Washington Bureau Chief and Host of Meet
the Press, the Rev. Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners, a Christian commentary on
faith, politics and culture, and the Rev. Greg Boyle, founder and director of
Jobs for a Future/Homeboy Industries. Also, Leslie Lenkowsky, CEO of the
Corporation for National and Community Service, has spoken at the Commencement
ceremony in the past.
Along with Rombalski, the Millor Orator will also present a speech. A committee
chooses a student to be the Millor Orator, the only student speaker at
graduation, based on speeches they submit that capture the Jesuit tradition and
the JCU tradition.
This year’s Millor Orator is senior Tom Haren. The Millor Orator is
judged by their involvement on and off campus, leadership and commitment to
learning, as well as knowledge and identification of the Jesuit mission.
Rombalski anticipates a Commencement speech that will also highlight the JCU
Jesuit traditions.
“You want the theme to be meaningful. At the end of the day, [I ask],
what are the main lessons I want to teach for their four years here,” he
said.
“The Commencement speaker has the responsibility to give them two or
three things to think about, and that’s it. You want to reinforce what
their four years at the Jesuit University means for them,” said Rombalski.
Rombalski also acknowledges the fact that the Commencement ceremony brings the
graduating class together – as a whole – for just the second time in
their tenure at JCU. He recognizes the Commencement ceremony as one of the few
times the entire community of 2008 will gather together with teachers,
administration and parents.
There are only two times the entire class meets, in Kulas, at the beginning of
freshman year, and at Commencement.
“It’s a great honor to give that address,” said Rombalski.
“It’s really for the students – the graduating seniors.”
Martin Schreiber, the Chair of the Department of Nephrology and Hypertension in
the Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, will
receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from John Carroll University at the
Commencement.
Schrieber and his wife are both JCU graduates. They are leaders in the greater
Cleveland community, said Niehoff.
This year’s commencement exercises will take place on May 18 on the JCU
quad pending weather conditions.