Chapel unveils refurbishment

By Emma Stenzel

Managing & Advertising Editor

Saint Mary’s University’s Saint Thomas More Chapel is now open for prayer and liturgical services after the completion of its interior refurbishment.

During the past two months, construction crews and maintenance staff have been cleaning, painting and reconstructing the chapel in accordance with the designs of Father James Notebaart, architect of the refurbishing and the liturgical consultant.

On Tuesday, March 13, the SMU community celebrated the refurbished chapel’s Rite of Dedication, where Bishop John Quinn consecrated the new stone altar. Along with nearly 200 attendants, special guests Notebaart, artist Alec Smith, local contractors and members of the maintenance staff were also invited to the event.

Dean for University Affairs Sister Judy Schaefer said that the refurbishment was necessary since the Saint Thomas More Chapel is a place of importance at the SMU Winona campus and needed updates. In addition, she said that the changes were made in preparation for the university’s upcoming centennial celebration.

Notebaart said that he wanted to create a different character for the chapel, giving it a “quieter” façade while incorporating the nature in the Winona area.

“We wanted to restore the material that was here,” said Notebaart. He explained that the tapestry stone used for the 7,000-pound altar was cut from the earth only a few miles away from the Winona campus. The altar also reflects the four seasons of the area, depicting different images of nature in four square medallions.

Notebaart also added lattice screens to the front of the chapel, which he said act as a gate that invites the congregation within. “The screens are placed in front of the tabernacle, and to me they say that something special lies beyond,” said Notebaart.

Though there is not yet a crucifix in the refurbished chapel, Notebaart said that a bronze crucifix will be installed in May or June.

“It’s so nice to have a beautiful space to pray in,” said Schaefer. “Several people made a comment to me that they feel more comfortable and more drawn to pray in the chapel. And that was our goal: to make it more welcoming and prayerful for everyone.”

The chapel now resumes its daily liturgy at 12:10 p.m. Monday through Friday and its weekend liturgy at 10:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Date set for SMU lockdown drill

By Julianne Bartosz

Editor-in-chief

The lockdown drill at Saint Mary’s University will be held during an academic day within the coming weeks of April, said Vice President for Student Life Chris Kendall.

Kendall said that only a few faculty members will be informed of when the drill will occur.

“The community will not know when it will be because you cannot be prepared,” said Kendall. He said that this allows the SMU community to get the most effective practice out of the drill.

The drill is a part of SMU’s updated emergency response plan, said Kendall. This plan includes the use of Blackboard Connect to send an emergency alert via email, phone call and text message.

SMU community members are encouraged to update their personal emergency contact information on WebTools to ensure that they receive emergency notifications.

More information about the lockdown drill and SMU’s emergency response plan can be found in February’s “SMU to practice lockdown drill” article on the Cardinal blog, cardinal-smumn.blogspot.com.

Lockdown drill procedure:

1. Stay in room or classroom meeting space

2. Keep calm

3. Immediately secure doors

4. Turn off lights

5. If possible, stay out of sight of windows and doors

6. Silence all electronic devices and limit use

7. Faculty/staff take attendance

8. Stay put until you hear “All clear”

Plans for Nordic Ski Center in new residence hall

By Julianne Bartosz

Editor-in-chief

Saint Mary’s University has partnered with the Winona Nordic Ski Club to develop the Brother Jerome Rademacher Nordic Ski Center in SMU’s new residence hall.

The Winona Nordic Ski Club is helping fund the Nordic Ski Center which will be housed in the basement of the new residence hall’s north wing, said Vice President for Student Life Chris Kendall.

“It will bring together several key pieces of campus life,” said Kendall.

The Nordic Ski Center will house the Outdoor Leadership Office and the Environmental Awareness Center. Kendall said it will also include a large open room that will be available for a multitude of events, including events through SMU’s Office of Residence Life and Athletic Department.

In addition to campus life, the Nordic Ski Center will also allow campus to connect more with the Winona community. For example, Kendall said that the Nordic Ski Center will also be headquarters for the Winona Senior High School’s Nordic ski team.

Relay for Life raises money, fights back

By Kassondra Burtis

News Editor

Saint Mary’s University’s Relay for Life event was held Friday, March 16, through the early morning hours of Saturday, March 17, and raised more than it ever has before, easily surpassing its donation goal.

Relay for Life is an overnight event where participants join to remember everyone who has suffered from cancer, both those who have won the fight and those who have lost it. It is a way for people affected by the disease to create awareness and raise money to help fight back against cancer.

Senior Laura Larson, co-president of SMU’s Colleges Against Cancer, said the university’s goal for this year’s event was to have 30 teams, 300 participants, and raise $30,000. The event consisted of 28 teams, 275 participants, and raised just over $36,000, though donations are still accepted until August 2012 and will likely raise even more.

“The amount we’ve raised is more than double what we raised last year and is at least $10,000 more than SMU has ever raised before with this event,” Larson said. “I am very proud of how well we did as a community this year.”

Relay does not only rely on the money raised by donations before the event, but also on activities during the event.

“Since this is a fundraising event, there is also food and games at the event to raise money,” Larson said. “Mr. Relay is one event that I see people getting into. This is an event where males dress up in women’s clothing and we have a pageant. For about the next half hour, the guys walk around the [facility] and try to get as many donations as they can. The guy that raises the most money wins.”

Along with the fundraising efforts, there are many ceremonial aspects. The night begins by introducing and celebrating cancer survivors. There is also a “Remember Speech” given by someone who has been affected by cancer and a luminaria ceremony where all luminaries are lit and everyone at the event takes a few laps around the track together.

“The part that I get into the most is the Remember Speech and the luminaria ceremony,” Larson said. “It is a time to remember those we have lost and to keep in our hearts those who are fighting. The room just becomes a place with everyone caring for one another, and it is really great to see that we have someone to lean on.”

Larson encourages those who have never been to a Relay for Life event to try one out and also encourages those who have gone to get others involved.

“In the four years that I have been here, the event has grown so much, and I hope to see it grow more in the future,” Larson said. “Let others know how great it was. Start a team next year!

“Cancer affects each and every one of us one way or another. Relay for Life is a great way to feel like you can do something about it.”

More information can be found at www.relayforlife.org/smu and any questions can be directed to collegesagainstcancer@smumn.edu.

SMU students to take Alcohol and Other Drug Survey

By Julianne Bartosz

Editor-in-chief

Saint Mary’s University’s Jay Johnson Wellness Center’s biannual CORE Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) survey will be sent out to undergraduate students around the third week in April.

SMU students will receive the AOD survey via email from the CORE Institute. It is a brief voluntary survey.

“It is important that students fill out the survey,” said Director of Counseling Services Dr. Ruth Mathews. “We use the data a lot within the Wellness Center and other parts of campus life.”

The AOD survey is used by the Wellness Center “to better understand alcohol related issues and programming needs of our students,” said Mathews. She said that psychology research students also use the data.

The 2010 AOD data showed that alcohol and other drug use was associated with lower grades and experiences of harassment and violence.

To encourage students to complete the survey, Mathews said that students will have the opportunity to win prizes. Survey participants will be entered into a drawing for prizes and the residence hall with the greatest participation will win a pizza party.

SMU student publishes book

By Marissa Johnson

Cardinal Staff

Saint Mary’s University junior Brian Thomas has recently published his first book, The College Life 101, a transitional guide to assist college freshmen.

The book covers a wide range of topics including financial aid, choosing a major, involvement in extra-curricular activities and saving money on textbooks.

“I saw high school students who weren’t prepared for college,” Thomas said. “I thought, what better way to help than by writing a guide?”

His book stresses the importance of balancing students’ lives both inside and outside the classroom, especially since it is the first time many of these students are living on their own.

Thomas, an English major, is involved with the First Generation Initiative program at SMU and plans on spending the summer working on the Countdown to College program, which is designed to help prepare high school students for college.

Thomas said that his book is “not as much about monetary gain as it is about helping students.” He believes that if students are prepared for college during high school, they are more likely to succeed in college and beyond.

The College Life Guide 101 will be in print by the end of March. In the meantime, it is available as an eBook on his website www.collegelifeguide101.com.

Hop on the SOUL Train!

By Marissa Johnson

Cardinal Staff

Saint Mary’s University’s Serving Others United in Love (SOUL) program was once again on the road, as ten different student-led groups, each with a faculty advisor, visited many different locations over this year’s spring break.

A few of the destinations for this year’s trips included New York, Rhode Island, Arizona, Iowa and Montana. The students involved helped in various ministries such as education, social work and construction.

Chris McClead, the faculty advisor of SOUL, participated in the St. Louis, Miss., trip. He described the sense of awe he felt when he saw how “sixteen people who didn’t know each other were put in a very uncomfortable position for anyone, woke up each morning and asked how to serve the community they came with and the community they were entering.”

SOUL has two purposes. The first is to provide as many students as possible with the chance to serve others; and the second is to enable the SMU community to connect with diverse communities throughout the nation and world while enriching the lives of those individuals.

Although every trip has different people and perspectives, each decision and course of action is based on the four pillars of SOUL: faith, service, community and transformation.

Every student encounters SOUL differently. Depending on the ministry of the trip and the experience of the participant, one could walk away from a trip with new friendships, greater humility, or even a simple understanding of what life is like on the other side of the spectrum.

SMU sophomore Bill Van Wagner participated in the trip that visited a Blackfeet Indian reservation in Browning, Mont. The students on this trip spent the week helping in the eighth grade classroom of a San Miguel school. The focus of his trip was primarily on helping to motivate the students to work hard in school and strive to attend college so that they can break the cycle of poverty in their community. Van Wagner described his experience as “a reminder to be grateful for the many blessings I have in life as well as to appreciate the joy of a life of simplicity.”

Although it is not possible for a group of college students to completely fix the problems in the communities they visit through SOUL, the trips allow them to become more aware of the issues in the world and, if the students serve with the Lasallian spirit, they are able to make a lasting impression on the people they serve.

Library extends Friday hours

By Kassondra Burtis

News Editor

Saint Mary’s University’s Fitzgerald Library has extended its hours on Fridays by an hour and a half and is now open until 6 p.m.

Library Director Laura Oanes said the idea of extending the library’s hours came from student input and she is hopeful that students will use those extra hours and prove that the decision was a good one.

“We are really hoping that students will take advantage of it,” Oanes said. “We are here to serve [the students] and what their needs are.”

The reasoning behind the hours being extended as they were, Oanes said, is to give students a little extra time after classes get done on Fridays to do any homework, group work, or printing they need to finish before the weekend.

The extended hours are, for the remainder of the semester, on a sort of trial run. The decision was put into place just after spring break to give the staff a chance to use the end of the year to see if people would get used to the hours and use them.

Oanes said that the library staff would love to hear students’ feedback on the extended hours. Any feedback or suggestions helps with looking at long term decisions and if the new hours are helpful to students. Feedback may be directed to the library’s email,

wlibrary@smumn.edu.

Kendall’s career continues at SMU

By Julianne Bartosz

Editor-in-chief

When Chris Kendall graduated from Saint Mary’s College in 1979, he never would have imagined he would continue his career at SMU for 27 years.

Kendall majored in language arts and minored in philosophy. He later earned his Master’s degree from Saint Mary’s in human development with an emphasis on outdoor leadership.

“I was an average student,” said Kendall. “I also benefited a lot from the number of Christian Brothers here.”

His best memory from Saint Mary’s was taking a statistics class with Brother Leo Northam. Kendall said that the class did not advance to the next chapter until everyone earned a perfect score on the quiz.

“I was living what it meant to be Lasallian in this learning community without realizing it,” said Kendall.

Kendall lived in Saint Edward’s and Saint Joe’s residence halls before moving off campus. He said he enjoyed living in Saint Joe’s because the current art department was a gym where he spent a lot of time.

He also spent his time playing Frisbee, competing in intramurals and hang gliding. In addition, Kendall played baseball all four of his collegiate years.

He currently holds four all-time rankings: 4th in most hits (137), 4th for most triples (8), 6th for most total bases (196), and 9th for most at bats (389). His athletic success was honored as he earned All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors in both his junior and senior seasons. He was also selected as an NAIA All-District outfielder in 1979.

Kendall continued his involvement in Saint Mary’s athletics as both assistant and head baseball coach and later as the athletic director.

In addition to these titles, Kendall was also the student activities director and the dean of students before gaining his current position as vice president of student life.

He said his experiences as a student gave him a unique perspective.

“I became the dean of students with an idea of sitting on both sides of the desk,” said Kendall.

Kendall said he is amazed with his decision to attend Saint Mary’s and the impact it has had on his life. It was the only college he applied to and he didn’t visit campus, he said.

“I didn’t know it then, but it was the most significant decision of my life,” said Kendall. “It has been an interesting journey, and I still learn a lot every day.”

University alum Leibundguth ‘Back in the Day’

By Jenna Capelle

Cardinal Newspaper Staff

Admission Counselor Neil Leibundguth didn’t always spend hours talking on the phone with parents, attend college fairs and visit high schools throughout Wisconsin.

Leibundguth recently graduated from Saint Mary’s University with the Class of 2009. In college, he was involved with the campus radio station, KSMR. He hosted a radio show on KSMR and served as the Technology Director for a period of time. Leibundguth also installed the sound board that’s currently in the KSMR broadcasting room today.

With the Office of Admission at SMU, Leibundguth works with prospective high school students from the greater Wisconsin area along with the St. Paul area. He helps students through the admission process by meeting with students when they visit. Also, he talks to students and parents on the phone to figure out necessary paperwork for transcripts and financial aid.

Becoming an admission counselor was an easy choice for Leibundguth because he had such a great college experience.

“When you love your school so much it’s easy to tell students about it,” said Leibundguth.

“I loved seeing students adding the online feed of KSMR,” said Leibundguth. “It’s great to see the station get bigger and more popular.”

Three years out of school, Leibundguth continues to be included with the men’s music fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha, in which he was a member during his undergraduate days. Since graduating, the fraternity has occasionally asked for his assistance onstage and offstage in preparation for the Blue Angel music variety show on campus.

“Being on campus still allows me to stay a part of the fraternity when they need me,” said Leibundguth.

Leibundguth suggests that students in college should get as involved in college as possible. However, it’s important that students learn to prioritize their time with school and activities so they don’t overstretch themselves.

“You’re not going to remember every paper you wrote about, but you will remember all the great things you did with your friends,” said Leibundguth.

Fisher hopes to ...

By Kassondra Burtis

News Editor

Hundreds of students graduate from Saint Mary’s University every year, yet few decide to come back and work at the place where they received their education. Bob Fisher is one of those few.

Fisher is a Dec. 1997 SMU graduate with a history major and business minor. He also completed his master’s degree in philanthropy and development from SMU in 2006. He has been working for Saint Mary’s since June 2000, first as director of the annual fund, and just last year switched to associate director for young alumni and student relations.

“One of the reasons that I decided to come back and work here is because Saint Mary’s did so much for me, academically and personally,” Fisher said. “It made me who I am today. I want to help provide those same opportunities that I had and actually create better opportunities for the future students of Saint Mary’s.”

As a student Fisher had a love for music, as he participated in jazz ensemble, jazz combo, concert band, liturgical choir and the musical fraternity Phi Mu Alpha. He also participated in cross country running, cross country skiing, the history club and the SMU historical society.

One of the greatest experiences Fisher was able to be a part of at SMU, he said, was the chance to study abroad in Italy.

“I would say that experience was truly rewarding; and educationally it was rewarding and refreshing,” Fisher said. “The opportunity to travel around with some of your greatest friends, travel around some of the countries in central Europe, to really grow as a person and see other cultures was so important.”

Another highlight of Fisher’s years as a student was doing the Gaslight and Blue Angel shows.

“I’m a performer by hobby and getting up on stage and performing for the student body was always a lot of fun,” Fisher said. “What is awesome for me now is I get to continue that but see it from a different side – see how students grow through those experiences and helping them get more comfortable on stage as one of the advisors of the show.”

Other aspects of Fisher’s SMU experience that helped him to excel included the chance to do three internships – at the history museum in Winona, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the SMU Development Office – as well as the close attention that professors give to students.

“I wasn’t an honors student by any means, but I worked hard, and I learned to really write well as a student here,” Fisher said. “I came in here with fairly poor writing skills, so the attention that the Saint Mary’s faculty and staff gave me was extraordinary.”

One of the things Fisher says hasn’t changed from his time as a student until now is his character.

“I’m always smiling,” Fisher said. “I think the nice guy, smiley Bob is what a lot of people would remember about me.”

Another thing about Fisher that has remained constant is his love of music. He is still active in Phi Mu Alpha, as he is now the faculty advisor of the fraternity.

One piece of advice Fisher has for students as they leave Saint Mary’s students is to stay in touch with the university.

“Stay involved, stay connected and continue embracing our great community because it’s not just a community for four years, it’s a community for life.”

Miller’s career at SMU

Samantha Borawski

Cardinal Staff

Saint Mary’s University alumnus and current head fastpitch softball Coach Jen Miller recalls her memories of attending SMU and the differences and similarities between the university then and now.

While attending SMU, Miller played four years on the fastpitch softball team, leading her to her favorite and best memory of college as winning a National Division III Championship in 2000.

Aside from a national championship, Miller also remembers significant moments such as winning regionals and just being able to continue to enjoy playing softball.

As a student, Miller majored in elementary education. She said to her knowledge, classes are still similar to when she attended SMU. Her favorite class she took at SMU for her major was Social and Science Methods, which was a class where the student practiced writing lesson plans for elementary school students.

“Students tend to be more inquisitive [now] and want to know why things should be done one way rather than another,” said Miller. Students tended to have a more “just do it” mentality when Miller was a student, she said.

When not being a full-time student or being an active member of the softball team, Miller recalls enjoying all campus parties in the quad which offered things such as live bands for students to listen to.

Two things Miller wished she SMU had when she was a student were the ropes course and the soccer field. Students are still able to enjoy these aspects of Saint Mary’s today.

Lastly, Coach Miller did not plan on staying at SMU to coach. She always imagined herself in a classroom setting, teaching children.

While working at SMU is not what Coach Miller thought would happen in her life, she is glad that she chose this university as her place of employment. She initially chose SMU because of the great softball program, and that is why she is still here today.

Gaslight variety show to celebrate 50-year anniversary

By Jenna Capelle

Cardinal Staff

Gaslight, a music variety show that serves as a fundraiser for the senior class at Saint Mary’s University, will celebrate its 50-year anniversary with an exclusive alumni show.

Associate Director of Young Alumni and Student Relations, Bob Fisher, is responsible for coordinating the alumni show, which will feature various performances from former SMU students throughout the decades.

“The original Oldie Moldie All-Stars from the ‘70s will be performing with Chris Kendall and Mike Charron as emcees,” said Fisher.

The Gaslight alumni show is the first collaboration between the Alumni Relations office and the senior class officers. A reception will be held for alumni one hour before the 7 p.m. alumni show on Saturday night in the Toner Center Dining Room.

“Gaslight is a wonderful tradition for this university,” said Fisher. “It’s a memorable experience for students from every generation.”

Senior class officers, Tina Swanberg and Danielle Strebel, will stay busy over the next few weeks preparing for the Gaslight fundraiser by running auditions, publicity, advertisements and ticket sales.

“Since I have never performed in it and have only been on the audience side, I am really excited to be a ‘behind-the-scenes’ person and make it all happen,” said Strebel.

The senior class officers and Fisher encourage students to audition for Gaslight from March 30 to April 1. In honor of the 50th anniversary, the top two acts that score the highest ranking in auditions have the privilege of performing in the alumni show.

“It’s a variety show, so we make an effort in auditions to enter all different types of music,” said Swanberg. “Every person watching the show can find something they like.”

There will be two student shows at 7 and 10 p.m. on Friday, April 20. The alumni show will be at 7 p.m. and the student show at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 21. Tickets can be purchased during lunches the week prior to the show in the Toner Building or at the door. The shows will take place in the Toner Center Dining Room.

For more information about Gaslight, look for campus emails, posters and the Facebook page. The senior class officers can be contacted at tswan08@smumn.edu and dmstre08@smumn.edu.

Jazz Combo I travels to Germany

By Trisha Stachowski

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Saint Mary’s University’s Jazz Combo I traveled to Cologne, Germany, to perform during spring break.

The 12-piece band was able to experience German culture and share American jazz with the German citizens. The band also had to opportunity to sightsee. The Combo was able to tour both a German cathedral and palace.

The band also had the opportunity to participate in several musical experiences. Under the direction of Dr. John Paulson, the band was able to partake in one rehearsal and play at two different events.

According to junior Jazz Combo I member Allen Mekash, the band had the chance to play at an open rehearsal with a local community band.

In addition to the rehearsal, the group also got to perform at a sold-out show where they teamed up with magician Stefan Gusgen to put on a memorable performance, playing in front of a crowd of over 400 people.

Jazz Combo I concluded their German experience by performing once last concert at the Community Evangelical Church in Wesseling, Germany.

Mekash said the concert was mainly for the host families that housed the students throughout their trip to Germany.

Jazz Combo I will perform at the Page Theatre at SMU on April 13. Tickets for the event are $10 for adults and $5 for students. For more information, contact the Page Theatre.

Jazz Combo I performs homecoming concert

By Trisha Stachowski

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Saint Mary’s University’s Jazz Combo I performed a homecoming concert on Friday, March 16, celebrating their return from Germany in the Figliulo Recital Hall.

The homecoming concert marked the first concert that the 12-piece Combo put on in the United States following their return from their German tour. For the concert, the Combo played 12 songs, including a song arranged by SMU faculty member and Jazz Combo I member A. Eric Heukeshoven. The performance included songs such as “Comin’ Home Baby” and “I’ll Take Romance.” The Combo performed under the direction of Dr. John Paulson.

Paulson said, “I asked each of the students to introduce one of the selections we played, as well as talk about their favorite aspect of the tour.” The Combo stayed consistent with their typical style. When asked about the trip to Germany and the homecoming concert, Paulson stated, “both Eric (Heukeshoven] and I were very proud of the way the students conducted themselves. they were very polite and responsible”.

Jazz Combo I will perform again in the Page Theatre on April 13 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. They can be purchased through the Page Theatre.

Successful spring trip leads to hopeful season

Samantha Borawski

Cardinal Staff

Despite losing two games in Rochester at the beginning of the season, the Saint Mary’s University fastpitch softball team went 6-2 on its spring break trip to Clermont, Fla.

By the end of the trip, the Cardinals walked away feeling victorious, hopefully giving the rest of SMU a preview of how the season will go.

Coach Jen Miller said one of the most beneficial things she learned about her team was the depth of players at each position. She said the amount of versatility and willingness to work has given her and the coaching staff confidence in each player at each position.

Miller said she also discovered the team’s determination, since the players never gave up during their games and worked hard for their victories.

With conference games beginning March 28 against Augsburg College at home, the team is ready to begin playing, especially since the weather has been unnaturally warm lately.

Miller said that “defense, hitting and pitching” will be important for the team to have a successful season this year. She said those three aspects will determine if the team will have as much success as they did on their spring break trip.

Cardinal baseball off to a strong start

Nick Bravos

Sports Editor

The Saint Mary’s University baseball team once again started the season off with a spring break trip, this year traveling to Arizona to take on teams from around the country. The team ended the trip winning six out of the ten games, providing a very solid start to the season.

In the final game of the ten-game trip the team came back from a 10-5 deficit to Oregon Lewis and Clarke College. After tying the game in the bottom of the ninth, the score was dead-locked at 13-13 in the bottom half of the tenth. With the Cardinals at the plate, senior Curt Swanson hit an RBI-single to score sophomore Zach Wolfe to win the game 14-13.

Since returning from Arizona, the team has continued to play well, winning two of its three games. After splitting a doubleheader with Cornell College on March 17, the Cardinals outlasted University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh 1-0 in a 14 inning pitchers’ duel on March 25. The Cardinals won after Andy Edholm hit the game winning single in the bottom of the 14th inning to score Matt Tessmer.

The Cardinals have their first home game of the season Saturday, March 31 when they host a doubleheader against Bethel University starting at 1:00 p.m.

El Otro Lado

By Jill Spitzmueller and Kelsi Addabbo

Guest Writers

Ricardo came to the United States with his parents when he was just 10 years old. Now at the age of 34, he is eating beans and tortillas in Nogales, Sonora, a border town in Mexico. He hadn’t been to his native country in 24 years and had no family to turn to or a place to call home. Back in California, Ricardo had an established carpentry business, a wife and two young children. One day, he was pulled over for a burnt-out tail light. The officer asked for his papers and when he failed to produce documentation, he found himself deported to Nogales.

During spring break, we heard many stories like Ricardo’s while on our SOUL trip to Tucson, Arizona. We took part in the San Miguel High School immersion program, El Otro Lado (The Other Side). Throughout the week, we not only saw what life was like on both sides of the border, but we were also challenged to consider many different perspectives on the issue of immigration. We invite you to be open to the many viewpoints we are going to share with you.

Day One: The Wall

Seeing the wall for the first time was shocking. The “wall” is more like a fence in that you can see through the posts to el otro lado. As we walked along the wall, we began to see how arbitrary it was. We walked past a border patrol agent sitting in his vehicle to deter people from jumping the wall.

We then went downtown to the border crossing station where a bus full of recently deported migrants was being unloaded. As we stood there, watching in disbelief, residents walked by as if nothing out of the ordinary was taking place. We were almost ashamed to be watching.

Day Two: The Government Perspective

We began our day with a visit to the Tucson Sector Border Patrol Station where we were given a tour and an informational presentation. The agent told us that the mission of Border Patrol is to prevent terrorism in the United States. Interestingly, they have caught a total of zero terrorists trying to enter from Mexico. We also learned that only 12-14% of migrants are carrying drugs into the United States. One agent shared that the most difficult part of his job is hearing the stories of the migrants, knowing that the current solution is not the best fix, but being unable to think of a better solution.

Later that afternoon, as we sat in a courtroom full of 70 shackled migrants, we watched them approach the bench in groups of five to seven to have their “trial.” Operation Streamline is a federal program used to process undocumented migrants caught in the United States. Again, we felt ashamed as we watched them being herded like cattle through the American Justice System. At a debriefing session with a federal defense attorney, we learned that most of the people involved in Operation Streamline have the same feelings toward it and are seeking a better, more dignified solution.

Day Three: The Environmental Perspective

In the morning, a cattle rancher who lives on the border invited us to his home to give his perspective on immigration. He shared some of the challenges he faces with migrants coming through his property, including cutting his barbed wire fences and leaving the water tanks open. Although he is sympathetic towards the migrants, he worries about his safety and the safety of his family. This concern came to light after a close friend and fellow rancher was killed by a migrant when he was trying to offer assistance to a distressed group of migrants.

Later we met with No More Deaths, a humanitarian group that works along the border. We hiked to a shrine built by migrants along a well-traveled migrant trial, leaving gallons of water along the way. It is impossible for migrants to carry the necessary amount of water with them as they cross through the desert, causing many of them to die of heat stroke.

Day Four: The Humanitarian Perspective

We spent the day with the Green Valley Samaritans who are a group of mostly retired people working to maintain the dignity of the migrants. We drove to a “nest” on the rancher’s property, a place where migrants rest and abandon their unnecessary belongings before making their next move. We proceeded to pick up backpacks, clothes, toothbrushes, food cans, and more personal items, checking for identification along the way.

Afterwards, we took part in a memorial walk in the desert to remember those who lost their lives on their journey. We visited three sites where human remains were found. Unable to be identified, their families have no closure and likely don’t know where their loved ones are.

Day Five: The Migrant Perspective

It was on this day, at the Kino Border Initiative, that we met people like Ricardo who shared their stories with us. Talking with the migrants, we learned that some of the them had been living in the United States for 20 or more years while others did not want to stay in the United States, but only wanted to work for a year or two to make enough money to support their families. Meeting the migrants themselves was a fitting end to our week.

You likely have your notions about immigration. You may have thought Ricardo was deserving of his deportation, or you may have thought it was wrong of the government to deport him. After hearing the many different sides of this issue, we hope you have realized that immigration is a complex issue and have reevaluated your own ideas. We also hope that you will take the time to look further into immigration to become better informed about this prevalent topic. For more information about our trip, visit our blog at www.cbmidwest.org/districtnews.

SMU mourns loss of Br. Jerome

By Julianne Bartosz

Editor-in-chief

Brother Jerome Rademacher, FSC ’58, Ph.D., passed away on Feb. 15 at Saint Anne Extended Health Care at the age of 75.

A De La Salle Christian Brother for 57 years, Brother Jerome had a great impact on the Saint Mary’s University community.

Brother Jerome received his Bachelor of Arts from Saint Mary’s College in 1958. He returned to Saint Mary’s from 1965 to 1969 and again in 1974 until his retirement in 2008.

Brother Jerome spent the majority of his 40 years of teaching in the Physics Department. Nevertheless, he was also one of the first people to teach computer science at SMU.

In addition to teaching, Brother Jerome also impacted the SMU community by sharing his love for the outdoors. He and Brother John Grover, FSC ’65, founded SMU’s trail system, which is used for skiing, running, hiking and playing disc golf.

For years, Brother Jerome groomed the trails himself with his homemade grooming machinery, and this continued involvement with the trails earned him the Heffron Service Award in 2002 from SMU.

Many members of the SMU community attended Brother Jerome’s funeral arrangements, including visitation and Mass of Christian Burial, which were held at SMU on Feb. 20.

Everyone is invited to share personal photos, memories and messages about Brother Jerome on a community Facebook page “In Memory of Brother Jerome.”