April 19, 2005

Fr. Cavanagh to comment about the new Pope on Fox 2 Detroit
German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has been elected Pope, taking the name Benedict XVI. The announcement was made Tuesday afternoon. Tune into this evening’s newscast at 5,6 and 10 p.m. on Fox 2 Detroit to hear comments about the election from Gerald F. Cavanagh, S.J., professor of Business Administration and Charles T. Fisher Chair of Business Ethics.

Town Hall Meeting
University of Detroit Mercy President Gerard L. Stockhausen, S.J., will hold the fourth in an ongoing series of Town Hall Meetings on Monday, April 25 in the Ford Life Sciences Building, Room 113 from 10-10:50 a.m.

2005 Mission Leadership Awards
Brad Kinsman, director of Athletics and Liz Roberts-Kirchhoff, associate professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, are recipients of the 2005 Mission Leadership Awards.

Kinsman has served the University for more than 30 years in critical roles as educator, ambassador, administrative leader, and for the past 15 years as director of Athletics. Among alumni, staff and students, “Kinsman is an example of the best of who we are at UDM,” says his nominator in the letter of nomination sent to the Mission Effectiveness Committee. As one of his colleagues stated in his nomination letter, Kinsman is a “man for others” in the best Ignatian tradition and his advocacy of Woman’s Athletics puts him in good stead with the tradition of Catherine McAuley as well. UDM’s athletes are recognized for their academic excellence, and Kinsman consistently forms our athletes in a style of leadership based not on power but on collaboration through a shared spirit of service.

Roberts-Kirchhoff has been at the University since 1997 and during that time has made a lasting impression on her faculty colleagues and her students – not only in the academic field but in her service to them and the community. In addition to her day-to-day teaching responsibilities, Roberts-Kirchhoff has been instrumental in advising graduate students in chemistry and developing new programs such as the new B.S. /M.S degree, as well as developing opportunities for young women exploring careers in the sciences, such as the Girl Scout chemistry merit badge and an alumnae role-model program for women students. Roberts-Kirchhoff also instituted a service-learning component in her biochemistry class. She also finds time to be a “woman for others,” whether that is for a family in need of home repair in order to keep their children, a homebound senior citizen who longs for company, or a seriously ill family member.

Video increases awareness of Kennedy amendment
The Kennedy amendment allocates $5.4 billion to increasing Pell grants and supporting critical programs in higher education. To learn more about the amendment, visit the Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee (DSOC) website to view a short video filmed by The Student Aid Alliance in conjunction with supporters of the Kennedy amendment.

Thumbs Up!
James Graves, associate professor of Biology, attended the State Microbiology meeting on infectious diseases that follow natural disasters recently held in Saginaw. His research topics, which relate to flooding and pollution, are coliform and pseudomonad bacteria.