BY RYAN BRISCOE
Copy Editor
The annual celebration of Founder’s Day was marked by individual honors, a Mass, an academic convocation and a reception.
Seniors David Dahlstrom and Mariana Sanchez were selected by the Class of 2010, faculty and staff as the Outstanding Male and Female Seniors.
Dahlstrom, a decorated Saint Mary’s University athlete, mentioned in his remarks after receiving his award how much he had enjoyed being a student-athlete. “It is possible to give 100 percent as a student and 100 percent as an athlete,” Dahlstrom said. Among other thanks that he offered, Dahlstrom was especially grateful because of the student-teacher relationships he was able to have here at SMU.
Sanchez, an international student from Mexico, is also an accomplished student-athlete in her own right. She has played numerous sports here at SMU but said in her comments that she was extremely fond of our SMU community. She admitted it was hard to leave her family to begin her first year in Winona. “It will be harder to say goodbye to Saint Mary’s this spring,” she said. “I cannot come back to this community. There will be alumni weekends, but those aren’t the same.”
Brother Stephen Rusyn was honored with this year’s Distinguished Lasallian Educator Award. Brother Stephen was selected for this award because of his dedication to his students and dedication to his position as professor of English. Not known for particularly enjoying this kind of public honor, Brother Stephen graciously accepted the award and shared several amusing stories about his own educational career.
Explaining his own decision to become a Christian Brother, Brother Stephen said, “I knew in my junior year of high school that I wanted to be a teacher, and that I wanted to do it as a Christian Brother.” He concluded his remarks by thanking all the men who were his teachers.
Mary Becker, administrative assistant to the president, has served in the Office of the President since 1993. She was the recipient of the university’s Bishop Patrick Heffron Service Award. Known for her kindness, Becker conveyed that one of the greatest perks of her job is to meet people from many different parts of SMU. She concluded by saying, “I may not be able to define what being Lasallian is, but at Saint Mary’s, I feel it.”
Dr. Carmelita Quebengco was given an honorary doctorate in educational leadership during the convocation in honor of her contribution to Lasallian education. Regarding her reception of the award, she said, “I am overwhelmed by joy at being recognized by my fellow Lasallians halfway across the globe.” Quebengco is currently executive vice president and chief operating officer of De La Salle Philippines and chancellor emeritus of De La Salle University in Manila, Philippines. Charging all members of the university to engage their Lasallian heritage, Quebengco said, “The Lasallian mission is not just for the brothers, it is our shared mission.” Brother
William Mann, president of the university, said Quebengco is known for her “faith, wisdom and leadership” and that he could not think of a better way to celebrate the 40th anniversary of female students here at SMU than by awarding her the first honorary doctorate of his presidency. Bishop John Quinn, bishop of Winona, celebrated the Mass held in Saint Thomas More Chapel. During his homily, he announced his desire to become a more involved member of the SMU community. He will do so by teaching a class next fall. Because of our membership in the Saint Mary’s community, Bishop Quinn said, we are all sons and daughters of Saint John Baptist de la Salle. Bishop concluded by saying, “he (St. de la Salle) would be proud.” Founder’s Day commemorates the establishment of SMU by Winona Bishop Heffron in 1912, and it is the central event during De La Salle Week, which honors Saint John Baptist de la Salle, founder of the Christian Brothers. De La Salle Week celebrates SMU’s unique heritage as a Lasallian institution.
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