USD Magazine, Winter 1998

DEPARTMENTS

ALCALA ALMANAC 2 What's Hot at USD ... A Walk in the Park ... In Concert ... Matters of the Heart, Mind & Spirit ... Alpine Engineer ... Industrial Problem Solvers ALUMNI GALLERY 18 Joan McMillan '81 believes in the power of poetry, page 20 ... Judith Groshek '89 says her career is in mint condition, page 22 ... Amie McMullin '96 developed street smarts while volunteering in 3 3 University of the Third Age ... USD Real Estate Conference ... Alcala Park Walking Tour ... Chamber Music Concert ... Founders Gallery Exhibit ... New York Preview ... School of Nursing Lectureship ... Music by Women Composers ... Author E. Hughes Career Achievement Awards Dinner ... University Community Choir Concert ... Commencement PARTING SHOT Back Caver Tanzania, page 24 KALEIDOSCOPE

i

USO MAGAZINE

EDITOR Trisha J. Ratledge CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Kate Callen Michael R. Haskins

PHOTOGRAPHERS Jim Coit Ken Jacques '78 Pablo Mason Gary Payne '86 Jonothan Woodward ILLUSTRATORS Charles Glaubitz Troy Viss

Jill Wagner '91 ART DIRECTOR Visual Asylum

UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO

PRESIDENT Alice Bourke Hayes VICE PRESIDENT FDR UNIVERSITY RELATIONS John G- McNamara DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Jack Cannon DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS John Trifiletti '78

ashions come and go ... and come and go.

~ But what's always in vogue are the

friendships that students form on campus. Exploring life after high school while experi– encing responsibility and freedom, perhaps for the first time, students engage in marathon debates, all-night study sessions and lively strolls through the heart of campus. These activities, and more, quickly bond one-time acquaintances into lifelong friends. And that never goes out of style.

USD Magazine is published quarterly by the University of San Diego for its alumni, parents and friends. Editorial offices: USD Magazine, Publications Office, University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110-2492. Third-class postage paid at San Diego, CA 92110. USD phone number: (619) 260-4600; emergency security: (619) 260-2222; disaster: (619) 260-4534. Postmaster: Send address changes to: USD Magazine, Publications Office, University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110-2492.

C Winier 1998 Volume 13 Numlier 2 ONTENTS Jealures

FAITHFUL FRIEND Monsignor I.B. Eagen was an accomplished figure in the San Diego Diocese, in the San Diego community and at Alcala Park. But he didn't measure success by the titles he held. He measured it instead by the people he served. When complications from pancreatic cancer took him suddenly in October, we lost a moral guidepost, a spiritual leader, a faithful friend. PAliE 7

THE PERFECT COMBINATION History professor Ray Brandes found a way to combine his two loves, teaching and baseball. And through a unique collaboration, he turned a class of students into historians. PAliE 5

REALITY BYTES: Students Conquer the World Wide Web The Internet is not housed on one giant computer or controlled by one group of people. It is thousands upon thousands of pages of information, photos and video created by and available to anyone. Some of those pages are created by USD students who taught themselves the ins and outs of Web site design. With a click of a mouse, you can see that their creations are just as diverse as they are.

USD INTRODUCES SILVER ANNIVERSARY SEAL

On the 25th anniversary of the merger between USD's predecessor institutions, the university unveils a seal that reflects all of its founding entities. PAliE 6

REFLECTIONS ON ANEW YEAR & THE RESOLUTIONS THAT INEVITABLY PRECEDE IT

From turn-of-the-century traditions tossed upon history's scrap heap, you can still find meaning in the rites of the

modern New Year. PAliE 12

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1. The Faculty. Undergraduates and gradu– ate students alike agreed that USD's professors are enthusiastic, approachable and dedicated. "The faculty are well-versed in theory yet grounded in real-world expe– rience. They are what makes USD stand out from other schools." 2 . The Campus. The ocean view, the grounds and the architecture are very hot among students. "There is no other place I know with such well-manicured gardens and landscaping." 3 . The People. One thing USD students have in common is the good feelings they share about each other, with many compar– ing the campus atmosphere to a family. "The people here are very positive and friendly. The emphasis is on getting along and working together, which is something that can't easily be duplicated elsewhere." 4 . Aromas. Students call the university's coffeehouse one of the best places on cam– pus for studying, socializing and getting that important caffeine rush. "It's a needed pick-me-up in many ways." 5. Living/ Hanging Out al the Beach. One of the top responses among undergraduates, who declined further comment on the sub– ject. If you have to ask why, you probably wouldn't get it anyway. &. The Cars. Volkswagen Jettas in particu– lar, although sport utility vehicles and BMWs made many lists. One student won– dered, however, "What time do these people get here to get a parking spot on Marian Way?" 7. Hanging out al Colachis Plaza/Shumway Fountain. The heart of Alcala Park and, according to many students, the best spot to be with friends . 8. Small Class Sizes. A source of pride for the university and a boon for students, who report feeling more comfortable and better able to learn in such an environ– ment. "The professors really have the opportunity to get to know the students. It makes for better questions and discussions." 9 . The Weather. Not much needs to be said. As one student put it, "Let's face it, the weather is unbeatable." 10. E-mail Despite complaints about occa– sional service lapses, e-mail is the preferred form of communication these days. "You don't have to spend money on phone calls, and your hands don't get tired from writing letters," said one student, while another added, "Don't call me; just e-mail me."

A WALK IN THE PARK T he public always has been welcome on USD's campus, and now there's an easier way to introduce - or reintro– duce - yourself to Alcala Park. Free, guided walking tours of campus are now available to any interested individ– uals or groups at 9 a.m. on the third Saturday of every month (reservations required). The Alcala Park Walking Tour showcases USD's history and architecture. Tour highlights include Shiley Theatre, site of the final 1996 presidential debate; Copley Library, featuring the Mother Rosalie Hill Reading Room; the Pardee Legal Research Center; the award-winning Shumway Fountain and Colachis Plaza; The lmmaculata Church; and the Pacific Ocean/Mission Bay vista from the campus's west point. While patterned after tours currently offered by the admissions office to prospec– tive students and their families, the Alcala Park Walking Tour emphasizes traditions and design themes dating back to the 1949 founding of USD's two predecessor institu– tions. Special tours can be arranged for community groups, church and civic groups and other interested organizations. For reservations and group tour infor– mation, call Anna Cain in the public rela– tions office, (619) 260-4659.

WHAT'S HOT AT USD A ssociate professor of marketing Seth Ellis has made a habit of asking stu– dents each semester about what's hot and what's not at USD. The assignment started as an informal way to acquaint students with handing in homework via e-mail, but the No. 10 item on this list indicates that lesson probably is no longer necessary. Still, Ellis says the responses reveal much about student attitudes, desires and, of course, complaints. As a marketing expert, Ellis has a keen interest in the opinions of others. Before coming to USD in 1989, Ellis was a market analyst and product manager in the electronic test and measurement industry, where he developed business strategies and generated worldwide sales forecasts. A longtime marketing consultant to start-up companies as well as Fortune 500 firms, Ellis teaches marketing research, consumer behavior, marketing strategy, new product development and product management. He holds a B.S. in physics and an M.B.A. from Idaho State University, and a Ph.D. in business administration from the University of Arizona. For this edition of the USD Top 10, Ellis asked undergraduates in his Funda– mentals of Marketing class and graduate students in the New Product Marketing and Development course to add comments to their rankings of what's hot at USD. Selected observations from the students follow each item.

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repertoire, while her master's and doctorate are in the field of contemporary music performance. Sublett has great confidence in the Choral Scholars, a performance choir of students on music scholarships, and the uni– versity choir, a non-auditioned choir that is open to USD students, staff, faculty and alumni. That confidence is reflected in the ambitious programs she is producing this year. In December, the university choir presented a concert of seasonal music by French composers, including "Quatre Motets Pour le Temps de Noel" by Francis Poulenc and "Messe de Minuit" by Marc– Antoine Charpentier. In the spring, they will perform Handel's "Dettingen Te Deum," at 8 p.m., May 8, and 2 p.m., May 10, in Founders Chapel. The Choral Scholars, in addition to

Virginia Sublett

W hether she is singing or directing a choir, Virginia Sublett uses a simple gauge to determine how a concert is going: She listens for coughing. "Coughing in the theater is a comment," notes the new director of the USD Choral Scholars and the University Community Choir. "In a concert, the audience and the performers enter into a compact. There's a bond that's palpable with a good performance." When she hears coughing, she knows that bond is weak. Far from being a passive component of a concert, Sublett believes an audience is essential to the musical connec– tion being made, participating just as much from the seats as the performers on the stage. Sublett came to the USD conducting position in September with keen knowledge as a performer. She is a professional opera and concert singer, and held principal solo roles with the New York City Opera, the Los Angeles Baroque Opera and the opera company of Nice, France. She performs with symphony orchestras and chamber presenting numerous concerts throughout the year for university events and choral competitions, are producing a fully staged Baroque opera, which will be held at 8 p.m., March 6, and 2 p.m., March 8, in Shiley Theatre. The opera is a first for the choral group, but Sublett is sure they are up to the task. In fact, they already have been invited to perform the opera in New York City as part of the fifth annual music festi– val, "Early Music at St. Peter's," scheduled for March 15 at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Manhattan. The Choral Scholars will perform the opera with members of the USD orchestra, directed by Angela Yeung, USD assistant professor of music. Matters of the Heart, Mind 6 Spirit S tudents at USD are familiar with the rigorous academic criteria to make the dean's list. But how does an institu– The university won praise for its Ethics Across the Curriculum initiative, the list of character-building opportunities that earned USD a spot on the honor roll. A description of the music ensembles across the country, most recently with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Illinois Symphony Orchestra. The Kansas City, Kan., native has lived in San Diego for 17 years. She stepped in front of a choir for the first time five years ago as the assistant conductor for choral activities at UCSD. While conducting and singing have similar performance qualities, Sublett says the contrasting requirements make each role satisfying. "In singing, I'm responsible only for myself," she explains. "Someone tells me what music to sing, and I do it. In choral conducting, I choose the music myself, trying to decide what makes a good program and what's appealing to the audience and the performance." Not only does Sublett love working with the young voices in choral conducting, she relishes the repertoire of centuries-old music. Much of Sublett's solo performance activity has been in 17th and 18th century

which was established to introduce the discussion of moral values into a wide spec– trum of academic courses. University ministry programs that encourage an active spir– itual life and foster leadership opportunities also impressed the six-member panel of judges. And USD's well– known community service– learning program topped off

university in the foundation guidebook reads, "Integrity, spiritual and religious val– ues, and a commitment to family and a better society are the character mandates of a USD education." The book will be distributed to public libraries, high school counselors and students across the nation.

tion get named to such a list?

It's not through grades, but instead by an assessment of campus programs, that USD earned a place on the 1997-98 Honor Roll for Character-Building Colleges. The John Templeton Foundation, established in 1987 to promote the character development of young people, compiles the list every two years. USD is one of 135 schools from 42 states to earn the distinction.

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.ALCALA

~Alpine ENGINEER i

hen engineering professor Ernie Kim returned to USD this semes– ter after a one-year sabbatical, it

system for cable television and construc– tion of a fiber optic receiver for Swiss Telecom, the country's phone company - and then left him alone. "Management in that country is very hands off. They expect people to work autonomously," says Kim, who also functioned as an information resource and sounding board for new engineering ideas. "I would send out proposals worth millions of dollars on my own. There's a lot of trust involved." Back at USD, Kim's students can trust that their professor is on the cutting edge of the engineering field. His work overseas landed the professor a contract with a local cable television equipment manufacturer, where he will test new technologies and act as a liaison between the engineering and sales departments. When Kim brings his experiences - and frequently, hands-on research problems and projects - into the classroom, stu– dents gain firsthand knowledge about state-of-the-art engineering. "This field is typically marked by just-in-time engineering," Kim explains. "The customers want improvements, the marketing people come up with ideas and the engineers usually have about two weeks to make them happen."

•

took a few days for him to get reoriented to Alcala Park. After all, when you look out your office window and see the Pacific Ocean instead of the Alps, it can be a little disconcerting. Kim, who began his engineering career in private industry before coming to USD in 1990, revisited the business world for a year as a senior systems engineer for the ASCOM Corp. in Bern, Switzerland. The position wasn't in Kim's original sab– batical plans - he expected to stick close to San Diego and continue his research - but a former colleague called with an offer he couldn't refuse. "It was a rare opportunity to pursue interesting work and become immersed in another culture," says Kim, who was accompanied on the year-long adventure by his wife and two daughters. "We got a really good dose of what it's like to live in Europe, the kind of experience you can't get from short trips." Kim also experienced the Swiss way of doing business. ASCOM immediately handed him several high-profile projects - improving wireless networks, development of an improved fiber optic data transport I t seems simple enough. A second win– dow in the drive-through lane of a fast food restaurant. Pay at the first window, pick up food at the seco your way. But how many car lengths ap should each window be? How efficient is · to staff both windows all day? Should one window be closed at certain times? These are questions answered by trained problem solvers, known in the professional world as industrial and systems engineers. USD's engineering program now includes an ISE major, and students may soon be working with local businesses on projects similar to the drive-through dilemma. The goal of the ISE program, explains assistant professor Rick Olson, is to have the students' senior projects driven by indus– try. He envisions that over the course of one I nCJLJSTRI -A-L

Emie Kim and his lamily explored most ol Switzerland, including lhe Alps, during their slay.

Kim chuckles and shakes his head after this last remark, as if thinking that whether the backdrop is snowy peaks or sandy beaches, in the life of an engineer some things never change.

PRCl-E3L-Ertl

SCJLV-ERS

Olson sees opportunities to work with other programs on campus. Computer science, math, purchasing, management and psychology are a few areas in which students can enhance their training as industrial engineers. Olson and Jose Macedo, a professor specializing in the manufacturing side of SE h ve been called on to develop a pro– gram a voids being too theoretical and concentrates on educating a well-rounded engineer. "I want our graduates to be the kind of people Andersen Consulting is looking for," says Olson, noting that companies increasingly hire consulting firms rather -~,1t...._an,...in-house engineers. "Andersen Corr !ting hires really flexible people. They can't afford to hire someone who only knows one industry."

semester, ISE students will complete work for large companies that are too busy to tackle a particular project, or for small companies that can benefit from the free labor. ntil the first

ISE professionals ana yz the efficiency

ti

of systems ranging from dnv

h win-

dows to hospital pharmacies to a t

o-

duction lines. Quality control departme t are often designed by industrial engineers, Olson says. Because problems cannot be solved without looking at the entire system - the technical and human aspects -

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lrl'rl• wo of the most heartfelt passions in history professor Ray ,...l!;-1 Brandes' life are teaching and baseball. During his 31- =a year career at USD, Brandes searched for the perfect way to combine his two loves. When he hit upon the right formula, the results were spectacular. Brandes recently completed the first two volumes in a trilogy about the San Diego Padres baseball club of the Pacific Coast League, a minor league that brought professional baseball teams to the West Coast long before major league clubs like the Dodgers and the Giants arrived. All three books in the series are published by the Padres organization, with the third due out in early 1998. The history professor worked with several USD student researchers on the first two books, thick volumes filled with pic– tures, statistics and player interviews that chronicle the team from 1936 to 1957. But the third book in the series was written through the unique collaboration Brandes long wanted to create. "I believe in stimulating students to do the best work they can," says Brandes, who designed and produced the books himself, and has authored more than 20 other books about the American West during his career. "What better way than to offer them the chance to have a book credited to their work?" Thus in the spring of 1996, Brandes brought his research and writing seminar, a core course in the graduate public history program, to San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium, since renamed Qualcomm Stadium. The 22 students interviewed former Padres players, researched statistics and game summaries, and wrote papers on the team's his– tory from 1958 to 1968. The project attracted the attention of Padres owner John Moores, who decided that the team should publish the books in limited edition hardbound sets. Each student will be listed as a con– tributing author when the third volume, The Pacific Coast League San Diego Padres: The Westgate Years, 1958-1968, is published.

"The students soaked up the atmosphere of the ballpark and had the chance to participate firsthand in the field of public, or applied, history," says Brandes. "No matter what career they choose, this book will be proof of their ability as historians capable of research– ing, writing and working in the public sector." Brandes knows how important that proof is in the competitive market for teaching and history-related jobs. A professor at USD since 1966, Brandes shaped the university's public history program and served as graduate dean for 18 years, always putting the empha– sis on helping students find careers. When he retired from USD this year, his efforts were recognized at the annual faculty convoca– tion with the Medal of San Diego de Alcala, the university's highest honor and one that has been presented only three other times in the school's history. Brandes was grateful for the honor, and reflects that his ongoing reward is the success of his students. "I still hear from many of the students I taught, people who are now college professors, high school teachers, filmmakers, museum directors, curators and archivists. There are many historians who came out of our program," says Brandes, who in the past few years also developed the university archives. "I knew that to be successful they needed more than classroom instruction." Brandes spent much of his time at USD finding opportunities for students to work outside the classroom. Although the Padres book series is only the most recent in a long line of collaborations with his students, it is to Brandes one of the most satisfying proj– ects of his career. "Because we worked so closely with the Padres on these books, I wanted the students to come up with a first-class product," he says. "They can be proud that as historians they helped memori– alize and honor the baseball legends of this region."

- Michael R. Haskins

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USD IntroduceJ Silver AnniverJary Seal 0 n Founders Day, Nov. 12, the USD community commem– orated the 25-year anniversary of the merger between USD's predecessor institutions with the introduction of the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit; and education of the whole person - mind, body and soul. This symbol challenges the university to produce a learning environment that supports the complete development of its students.

the silver anniversary seal. The new seal honors USD's founding by the Diocese of San Diego and the Religious of the Sacred Heart, and draws elements from all the seals that have represented the university at various stages in its development - the San Diego College for Women, the University of San Diego College for Men and School of Law, and the Diocese of San Diego. The previous seal, originally developed to represent the College for Men and the School of Law, was adopted as the university's seal following the 1972 merger. Its use was long a concern for uni– versity officials and alumni because it does not contain elements from the College for Women. "The silver anniversary seal features a coat of

The three naili represent Christ on the cross, and are a sym– bol of the Diocese of San Diego, expressing the Christian character of the university. They were on the diocesan seal and the most recent university seal.

The remaining element,/ are .1ymholi of the wiiver.1ity'.J mi.J.1ion:

The dove represents the Holy Spirit, the source of truth and wisdom. USD's motto is Emitte Spiritum Tuum, Send Forth Thy Spirit, which is taken from the 103rd Psalm, verse 30: "Thou shalt send forth thy spirit, and they shall be created: and thou shalt renew the face of the earth." The Celtic croM expresses USD's

arms in the shape of a shield to remind us that the seal's elements protect our identity

Catholic identity. The Celtic cross is a Latin cross with a central ring sym– bolizing eternity, or the immor– tality of truth. This version of the cross is frequently used by academic institutions

and support us in our efforts to go forward with our mission, even in the face of adversity," says USD President Alice B. Hayes, who

headed the final stage of the seal's 10-year development. Others closely involved in the research and design of the new seal were Therese (Truitt) Whitcomb '53, USD professor emerita of fine arts and retired director of institutional design; Ed Starkey, uni– versity librarian; Ray Brandes, professor emeri– tus of history and retired university archivist; and the Associated Students.

because learning was kept alive in the dark ages by Celtic monks. This cross symbolizes both love of God and love of learning. The styl– ized ornamentation of the ends of the arms was featured in the College for Women seal and rep– resents fleur-de-lis, in honor of the founding

of the Religious of the Sacred Heart by Madeleine Sophie Barat in France. The lamp comes from the most recent university seal and expresses the role of the scholar to bring light in the darkness

Each ofthe .1eal'.J elemenl:.J ho&.1 particular .1ignificance to the univer.1ihJd hi.Jtory amJ mi,Mion. Three .1ymholi repruent the hi.Jtory of USD amJ recall the fowiderd of the univer.1ity:

of ignorance. The laurel wreath, which was part of the College for Women seal, challenges everyone at USD to excellence. In ancient times, poets, heroes and victors in athletic contests were recognized with the laurel for excellence, honor, justice and truth. The cauuJron, or the Spanish olla, is the usual symbol of San Diego. It was widely used in Spanish heraldry to symbolize serving and feeding the hungry. It reminds the university community that knowledge should be used to serve humanity.

The rope running horizontally below the dove represents the belt worn in the religious garb of

Franciscans. San Diego, the person, was a Franciscan lay brother. When the university was founded, Bishop Charles F. Buddy named the university for its city and its patron. San Diego died in the Spanish city of Alcala de Henares, which gave the name of Alcala Park to USD's campus. The University of Alcala in Spain is the architectural model for USD. The three go&en ri11!Jd are from the College for Women seal. They represent reverence for God in the Holy Trinity - God

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Monsignor J.B. Eagen

was an accomplished

figure in the San Diego

Diocese, in the San

Diego community and

at Alcala Park. But he

didn't measure success

by the titles he held.

He measured it instead

by the people he served.

When complications

from pancreatic cancer

took him suddenly in

October, we lost

a moral guidepost,

a spiritual leader,

a faithful friend.

. ' .

M onsignor Isaac Brent Eagen was first a priest. Though he was a spiritual leader who served all four bishops of San Diego in high-ranking religious, educational and civic roles, he didn't focus on his many accomplishments. His focus and concern went instead to the people he served. Of all his pastoral duties, Monsignor Eagen cherished minis– tering to people. In doing so, he developed a network of friends that reached around the world. His address file comprised 1,300 names, but it wasn't volume that interested him. It was individuals. He took great care to remember each person's name from the first meeting. He gave his full attention to every conversation, whether it was with the bishop, a student or a family friend. He truly lis– tened and cared earnestly about others, remembering details about their families and lives. "He had a great gift of friendship," says USO President Alice B. Hayes. "I think that of the thousand people at his funeral, every one of them thought he was their best friend." Monsignor Eagen died Oct. 14 at Mercy Hospital in San Diego of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 6 7. A prayer vigil was held Oct. 18 in Founders Chapel and his funeral Mass took place on Oct. 19 at The Immaculata Church.

As in his life, Monsignor Eagen wouldn't have seen a crowd in The Immaculata, where members of the USO and San Diego community gathered to celebrate his life. He would have seen individuals. There was the priest who as a fifth-grader was inspired by Monsignor Eagen to enter the religious life. There was the USO communications student who counted Monsignor Eagen as one of the biggest supporters of her journalism studies. There was the nun with whom Monsignor Eagen shared count– less conversations about life in the church and the university's educational mission, and with whom he shared the emotion of poignant student encounters. "He was intensely human and humane," says Father Barry Vinyard '68, who worked closely with Monsignor Eagen in uni– versity ministry. "His kindness was his hallmark." For the People That kindness and humanity permeated Monsignor Eagen's life. Born Dec. 14, 1929, in San Bernardino, Calif., he graduated from St. Francis Seminary, where he earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy, and Loyola University, where he earned a master's degree in English and education. He was ordained in 1956 by Bishop Charles Francis Buddy, San Diego's first bishop and one of USD's founders. After a short assignment as assistant pastor at St. Joseph Cathedral in San Diego, Father Eagen returned to San Bernardino to serve as associate pastor at his parents' parish, Holy Rosary. "His example of priestly ministry, and the enthusiasm and joy which he brought to the priesthood, first inspired me to think about becoming a priest myself," remembered Monsignor Richard F. Duncanson '68 in his homily at the Founders Chapel prayer vigil. Monsignor Duncanson was in grade school at Holy Rosary during Father Eagen's tenure. "Everyone could tell that he loved people and really loved being a parish priest." In 1960, Father Eagen joined the faculty of the San Diego College for Men, where he taught theology, speech, English and American literature. In 1964, he was named the director of school relations for the college, with responsibilities for public relations and fund-raising. In 1968, Father Eagen was named secretary of the university's board of trustees and chancellor of the Diocese of San Diego, positions he held for more than 20 years. On behalf of the board of trustees, Monsignor Eagen played an integral role in the 1972 merger of the College for Men and the College for Women into the University of San Diego. "If you look at the documents of the merger between the colleges, there are two names on those documents: (President Emeritus) Author Hughes and I.B. Eagen," says Hayes. "He was deeply involved in the history of the university." While Monsignor Eagen was chancellor of the diocese and serving USD's board, he also was assigned the pastorship of the Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala, a post he accepted with joy and anticipation of ministering to a parish once again. He took on several special projects on behalf of the mission, most notably the fund-raising for and long-needed renovation of the mission - California's oldest - founded in 1769 by Father Junipero Serra. When Monsignor Eagen left the mission on the last day of 1992 to become the vice president for mission and ministry at

Prayer vigil for Monsignor Eagan in Founders Chapa), Oct. 18.

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He wa.1 a derrant of God, of the church and of the people. He brought a deflde ofgoodnedd, compa.1dion, faith and Lore to the community.

Tha annual All-Faith Sarvica raprasanls tha many raligiaus traditions al USD students, faculty, staff and administrators.

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USD, he was filled with emotion. A San Diego Union-Tribune reporter asked what he would miss most after 22 years as pastor at the mission. "Most of all, the people," Monsignor Eagen responded as tears trickled down his cheeks. "I'll really miss the people." Spiritual Guardian But in no time, Monsignor Eagen was ministering to a new flock, this time the USD community. The new post of vice president for mission and ministry was his to create, and he took that responsi– bility very seriously. "He brought to that position a fullness that justified the title," says Hayes. "In addition to ministering to students, he saw his role as involving faculty, people in the community, alumni and friends of the university. He visualized his spiritual guardianship as extending to all of the people, not just to the students." Monsignor Eagen's work reflected this tenet. With the School of Business Administration, he initiated a business certifi– cation program for administrators of religious institutions. He had the university's mission statement translated into several languages so everyone on campus can read and understand it. He put together a prayer book for the university, and the first printing quickly sold out at the bookstore. He developed a spiritual mentor pro– gram in which faculty and staff of faiths other than Catholic serve as religious contacts for students of their faiths. Long a believer in civic involvement, the monsignor's work was not restricted to campus. Outside of his daily responsibilities, Monsignor Eagen held more than a dozen professional and civic roles and was a member

Monsignor Eagen and William Dayle, 1979.

"The All-Faith Service isn't just another program," says Sister Irene Cullen, associate minister in university ministry. "It is symbolic of what he believed in personally - the importance of respect and quality conversation among the different faiths. It was his understanding that a Catholic university should be a place where

other religions and faiths would sit down to the table together and talk about our common values and our com– mon concerns for the sake of the world." Rabbi Wayne Dosick, who affectionately called his friend of 22 years Brother Isaac, was privileged to participate in the All-Faith

of another dozen organi– zations over the last three decades. A favorite for the sports fan was his role as chaplain to the San Diego Chargers, a position he held for nearly 20 years.

Ifju.1t a .1ingle legacy were attributed to

Mon.1ignor Eagen - and ,nany have been noted .1ince hu pa.1.1ing - it wouLJ be the .1pirit of

ecunienu,n that he brought to the canipw.

Monsignor Eagen

believed strongly in reaching out to all faiths.

Service and was appreciative of his friend's efforts to reach out to all people. Rabbi Dosick points out as a typical example a booklet produced by Monsignor Eagen's office that lists a variety of faith services in San Diego. "That booklet is testimony to his great concern for students of all faiths," notes Rabbi Dosick, adjunct lecturer in USD's theo– logical and religious studies department. "He was a servant of God, of the church and of the people. He brought a sense of goodness, compassion, faith and love to the community." Simply Father As a servant of the people who referred to himself simply as Father Eagen, he cherished the personal relationships he built through his work and ministry. Monsignor Eagen especially loved getting to know the students. Sister Cullen recalls a conversation she had with the monsignor shortly after he returned to the uni-

If just a single legacy were attributed to Monsignor Eagen - and many have been noted since his passing - it would be the spirit of ecumenism that he brought to the campus. "He accepted people, whoever they were: male, female, black, white, Protestant, Jew, Catholic," says President Emeritus Author E. Hughes, who turned to Monsignor Eagen frequently as a mentor during his 24 years as president. "A basic spirit of ecu– menism was just a part of him. It was very unusual to see some– one so totally accepting of people." Not only did he accept, Monsignor Eagen reached out. With a long history of collaborating with religious administrators of other faiths in San Diego, Monsignor Eagen wanted to provide a venue for the many faiths at USD to pray together. First held nearly five years ago, the annual All-Faith Service launches the spring semester with a corporate prayer, represented by the many religious tradi– tions of USD students, faculty, staff and administrators.

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ficult time during Monsignor Eagen's tenure at the Mission San Diego de Alcala, when construction workers unearthed an ancient Indian burial site where a new mission pastoral center was going to be built. After an agreement was reached between the diocese and the local Indian bands - and the burial site was preserved - Monsignor Eagen held a Mass of reconciliation with the Indians. "I was honored to have watched the Indians come back to the mission," says Whitcomb, who worked closely with Monsignor Eagen on the mission's renovation. "He brought great love and compassion to the situation." Planting Seedd Through all of the accolades, Monsignor Eagen's colleagues and friends remember a man who was unfailingly polite and gracious, who always wanted those around him to feel included and who treasured family and friends. But of all his qualities, the one people found most endearing was his sense of humor. And he exhibited that quality to his last day. "Mother Teresa and Father Junipero Serra need a miracle in order to be canonized," Monsignor Eagen said to President Hayes during his final days in the hospital. "I'm available." It's this easy manner combined with a tenacious dedication to his vocation and to the university that makes Monsignor Eagen sorely missed at Alcala Park and in the San Diego community. He made his mark on the community, one person at a time. And while many didn't have an opportunity to say farewell - his illness wasn't diagnosed until shortly before his death - all can take comfort in the fact that he led a fulfilled life, and was content in his last days. "He died loving his work, loving his ministry, loving the peo– ple he worked with and feeling he was really contributing," Sister Cullen says. "Something that captured his energy was that he was helping plant seeds and supporting the young people who would be building the future church, the future world." Memorial donations may be made to the James and Stella Eagen Endowed Scholarship Fund (University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110-2492), which Monsignor Eagen established in 1989 in honor of his parents. Special thanks to the following individuals who provided background information and invaluable assistance in preparing this article: Sister Irene Cullen, Monsignor Daniel J. Dillabough '70, Father Larry Dolan '68, Rabbi

versity as a vice president. He had just attended a meeting in which a group of students addressed the board of trustees. "He was so taken with what the students had shared about the importance of USD in their lives, how it helped them shape their futures, their faith values, their hopes and their dreams," Sister Cullen says. "He had tears in his eyes. He was deeply touched by what he heard from the students and I also think it touched into his own commitment and belief of how the university could support young people." Monsignor Eagen provided his own support when he could. He served many individuals on campus as a person to turn to for guidance on spiritual and worldly matters. "He was our voice of morality on campus," Rabbi Dosick says. "If there ever were a question of right or wrong, he was the one everyone turned to. He was in many ways the pastor of the university community in terms of setting the moral tone for us." Senior Elizabeth Himchak considered Monsignor Eagen a per– sonal campus advocate of her mass media and communications studies and of her work on the Vista student newspaper. She often stopped in his office for an impromptu chat and always was wel– comed in despite the piles of work that Monsignor Eagen regularly faced. She called the monsignor her good friend, a term she reserves for less than a handful of people. Though Himchak is not on the staff of the Vista this year, she volunteered to write an arti– cle about her friend as soon as she learned of his death. "He was so supportive of me in journalism," Himchak says. "That was our special connection. I couldn't think of a more appropriate way to say goodbye." Mur1wn Acco,npLuhed In addition to ministry, Monsignor Eagen saw another important role for himself at USD - ensuring that the university's mission is carried out. Most recently, he worked tirelessly on the Ethics Across the Campus project, which is directed by a committee he put together of faculty members, administrators, staff and students. The committee is evaluating how well the university adheres to its mission and goals, and to help it do so, distributed a survey to the entire campus community in October. In the hospital shortly before his death, Monsignor Eagen's thoughts stayed close to this and his many other responsibilities. He assured President Hayes during a visit that the survey would be completed. Anne Hendershott, professor of sociology and a member of the survey committee, is ensuring the survey is completed, consid– ering this a tribute to her role model. "Working on this survey has never been a burden, even though it's been a lot of work," Hendershott says. "Nothing that people did with or for Monsignor was ever a burden because he worked just as hard as you did. He shared the load. He appreciated what you did." Those qualities, combined with Monsignor Eagen's gentle nature and practice of looking for common bonds, enabled him to bring people together during contentious times. Hendershott remembers his habit of starting every meeting with a prayer, a simple act that reminded each person to come to the table with an open heart and mind. Therese (Truitt) Whitcomb '53 , professor emerita of fine arts and retired director of institutional design, recalls an especially dif-

Wayne Dosick, Alice B. Hayes, Anne Hendershott, Elizabeth Himchak, Author E. Hughes, Cathy Joseph, Eric Karakis, Jean (Hicks) Miller '59, Sister Virginia Rodee, Father Barry Vinyard '68, Diane West and Therese (Truitt) Whitcomb '53.

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Setlectio:rJ..s O:rJ. a N

~ e~ ~ear &. the Re.solll.tio:ri..S th.at

l:ri.e~ita..bly ?~eced.e It

BY MICHAEL R. HASKINS

here once was a tradition, now largely forgotten, of opening your house on New Year's Day. At the turn of the century, in cities such as New York and Philadelphia, men custom– arily strolled from home to home on the first day of the year, often introducing themselves to eligible young ladies with the presentation of a calling card, each one a unique collaboration of paper, type and symbols reflective of the gentleman who carried it. This ritual of visitation and celebration was so ingrained in the culture of the late 18th and early 19th centuries that families found it necessary to publish in the newspaper the hours they would be at home to receive guests, and the listings filled column after column of print. Over time, the ritual passed from city to countryside, where perhaps in some tiny burgs it still carries on to this day. One can– not imagine such a tradition in large cities now, and indeed it was not long before the practice of New Year's calling moved from the celebratory to the unmanageable. With so many houses open to callers, all of them offering food and drink, it was inevitable that problems would arise. As the years progressed, bold groups of bounders took it upon themselves to recklessly charge from home to home, draining the punch bowl and scrambling out the door, anxious to empty as many liquor cabinets as possible. In the face of such bawdy behavior, it was not long before another quaint custom was tossed upon history's scrap heap. Of course, direct descendants of these devil-may-care revelers can be found at almost any New Year's Eve party today. They rep– resent one of the few die-hard remnants of those New Year's celebrations that once were. To be sure, the lampshade-wearing contingent can be found at any gathering any time of year, but ringing in the New Year seems to encourage a particular boldness in those who like to party with a vengeance. It would be folly to expect or even desire a return to the more formal celebrations of the distant past; they are artifacts of what was then known as high society. But there are rites of the New Year that might benefit from a dose of renewed civility and social consciousness. Take, for example, New Year's resolutions. Each year, the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion surveys American atti–

increase family time, be kinder to others or volunteer. From which the conclusion can be drawn that we either live in a society in which everyone already works for charity, spends ample time at home and is nice to one another, or we live in a society that doesn't always place as much emphasis on these virtues as it should. I am not being smug, in fact exactly the opposite. Last year, I would have placed squarely with the majority. At the cusp of the New Year, I resolved to lose weight, manage my finances better and exercise on a regular basis. It was shocking, at least to me, when I managed to keep all the vows I made. I joined a gym, created a

tudes about New Year's resolutions. Always vying for the top spots on the

financial plan for myself and dropped 15 pounds. They were the very first New Year's resolutions I ever made, and they worked. It can be done. So who am I to criticize New Year's resolutions that concen– trate on the self? I cannot. While studying up on the traditions of New Year's past, however, I realized that self-improvement is only half the battle. Just as we kept alive the ritual of making merry on New Year's Eve while casting aside the custom of opening our homes on New Year's Day, many of us use the ritual of resolutions to focus only on improving ourselves, often neglecting our duty to improve the world around us. Perhaps it is no longer practical to open our doors on New Year's Day, but it is still possible to open our hearts throughout the year. I approach the coming year with a great deal of hope. If I kept my resolutions this year as a rookie, certainly I can turn in an even better performance as a sophomore. I have done better for myself, now I pledge to do better for others. Maybe late next year, my phone will ring and the folks from Marist will want to know about my resolutions. I hope to be able to inform them that my contract this year was not with myself, but with others who need my help.

countdown are pledges to lose weight, stop smoking and spend less money. Interestingly, the pollsters found that of those who made resolutions in 1996 - and about one-third of all Americans did - more than half said they kept them. If so many people are keep– ing their resolutions, one wonders, then why are these three items perennially at the top of the list? Are we a nation that chronically creates more smokers, overeaters and negligent spenders, who then see the light and vow to reform? With such consistency in the reports, we should be a nation of skinnies without credit card debt who never light up. We aren't. Self-improvement aside, items at the bottom of the list may tell us more about ourselves than those at the top. The Marist poll reported that only 3 percent of those surveyed resolved to

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Students Conquer the World Wide Web

BY }ILL WAGNER '91

The Internet is not housed on one giant

eySa Ely '97 is neither a computer science major nor a historian, but people from around the globe are logging onto her World Wide Web site seeking information about the island of Alcatraz. Equipped with some familiarity of the Internet and no experience in creating Web sites, Ely spent her final semester at USD working as a programmer, historian and graphic designer on Web pages that serve as a research paper and much more. Rather than writing the standard paper, binding it in a nice folder and handing it over to her professor - who essentially would be the only person to learn from her hours of research about the historic island - Ely published the work on the Internet. The vast computer network makes the facts, photos and interesting tidbits Ely uncovered about the famous "rock" jutting out of San Francisco Bay available to anyone with a computer and a modem. A grammar school student doing her own report on the famous Alcatraz prison might use Ely's site for background infor– mation. A Swiss couple planning to visit San Francisco may search out the site for a sneak preview of what they will encounter when taking a tour of Alcatraz. Or a fellow history buff may compare notes with what he knows about the prison where Al Capone was once incarcerated. Ely's work will live far beyond the life of the ordinary research paper, which after being graded is usually thrown in a box of college keepsakes and relegated to a dark corner of the garage. Her decision to turn in her final project for the 20th Century American History course via computer is one that pro– fessors across USD's campus are increasingly offering their students. It wasn't an easy decision for Ely, who had to teach herself the computer language used to create Web sites, conduct the historic research and design a look for her Internet pages. But it was a decision she's glad she made. "I'd rather do something creative," says Ely, a psychology undergraduate major now studying for her Ph.D. at Pacific Graduate School of Psychology. "I learned HTML through a lot of trial and error." Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) is more of a code system than a programming language, and is straightforward enough that someone comfortable working on computers can learn it with little difficulty. Ely went to the Internet itself to find pages devoted to teaching HTML and also looked at the codes behind Web sites she thought attractive. Only months after diving into the project, Ely rattles off cyberspace jargon like an expert - she preferred not to use an

computer or controlled by one group of

people. It is thousands upon thousands

of pages of information .. photos and

uideo created by and auailable to anyone.

Some of those pages are created by USO

students who taught themselues the ins

and outs of Web site design. With a

click of amouse .. you can see that their

creations are just as diuerse as they are.

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