David J. Livingston, PhD, Vice President for Advancement at Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA, has been appointed as the 9th President of Lourdes University. After conducting a search which garnered candidates from 24 states and Canada, Dr. Livingston was selected unanimously by Lourdes University, its sponsor The Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, and the institution’s Board of Trustees. He will begin his role as President on July 1, with an inauguration planned during the 2013-2014 academic year.

Dr. Livingston has been in his current position with Mercyhurst University since 2008, and has served the institution in various capacities since 1997. Prior to joining the Mercyhurst community, he taught religious studies at both the high school and college level in Illinois and Tennessee.

“Though we had a talented group of candidates in our presidential search, Dr. Livingston’s experience in education truly resonated with our community,” shares Sr. Mary Jon Wagoner, Congregational Minister for the Sisters of St. Francis. “His understanding of both the traditional and non-traditional student population, and accomplishments in institutional growth are what ultimately made him the best fit as Lourdes’ new President.”

Understanding the student
One of Dr. Livingston’s greatest gifts is his deep understanding of the needs of various student populations. As an adult learner in a doctoral program while also raising a young family, Dr. Livingston lived the life of a non-traditional student, and recognizes their needs and the strong demand on their time. Like Lourdes University, Mercyhurst’s student population is similar in both size and breadth. In 2012, Mercyhurst welcomed approximately 795 new undergraduates, including 680 traditional-age freshmen as well as 145 new adult undergraduates and 170 graduate students. On an undergraduate level, as Department Chair of Mercyhurst’s Department of Religious Studies, Dr. Livingston worked to develop a study abroad program and took students on 4 trips to England, Ireland, and Italy. The program was such a great success, that today it sees more than 100 students a year studying abroad and has resulted in Mercyhurst opening an international campus in Dungarvan, Ireland.

Growing an institution
Dr. Livingston also possesses a keen understanding of what it takes to expand an institution, in a caring and strategic way. As an academic leader, he implemented a program which reduced the required number of faculty teaching assignments for those engaged in research. Additionally, he developed a program for faculty student research and student research assistants. In his role as Vice President for Advancement, Dr. Livingston raised funds for Mercyhurst’s new $10.5 million dollar academic building, and oversaw the building’s construction from inception to conclusion last summer. He has managed the institution’s current capital campaign, and raised more the $33 million (2-years ahead of schedule) of the $50 million goal. Dr. Livingston also successfully increased alumni giving from 15% to 23% and increased average yearly contributions to the University by more than 80%.

Education and accomplishments
Dr. Livingston holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Augustana College, a master’s degree in theology from Loyola University, and a PhD in theology from Vanderbilt University. He serves on the Board of Corporators at Hamot Hospital and on the Board of Directors as Advancement Committee Chair for the Asbury Woods Nature Center.

A nature and sports enthusiast, Dr. Livingston enjoys spending his free time outdoors - either gardening, kayaking, or running. Joining him as part of the Lourdes community, will be his wife Joan who works as a family therapist, and their children Matt, who is finishing his final year of law school at Columbia University, and Sara, who will graduate from Dennison this spring and will join Chicago’s Teach for America.  

Rooted in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, Lourdes University offers baccalaureate degrees in more than 30 academic majors as well as graduate degrees in business, education, liberal arts, nursing, organizational leadership and theology. Community outreach programs include the Appold Planetarium, the Center for Science Education & the Environment, Lifelong Learning, and Theater Vision. A member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, Lourdes students can also compete in a variety of men and women’s sports. Named a “Best in the Midwest” college by the Princeton Review, Lourdes University is a nationally accredited, veteran and transfer-friendly institution offering a variety of student scholarships. Discover us online at www.lourdes.edu or by phone at 419-885-3211.

Last fall, Lourdes University announced its first ever endowed chair. Sponsored by The Sisters of St. Francis, the $500,000 Endowed Chair in Franciscan Integration aimed to strengthen and grow the institution’s Franciscan heritage and values. This winter, Lourdes will add a second endowed chair program to its growing list – The Joseph M. Magliochetti Endowed Chair of Business & Finance.

“As Lourdes continues to grow, so too must our academics,” expresses Keith Schlender, PhD, Provost. “Establishing endowed chairs assists Lourdes in attracting and retaining exceptional scholars, and also provides the institution with a means of honoring current faculty members for their past and future work.”

Named in honor of the late Joseph M. Magliochetti, former President and CEO of Dana Corporation, the $500,000 Endowed Chair of Business & Finance will be used to provide the following transformational opportunities:

• The appointment of a Professor of Finance with the highest level of credentials, experience, and proven track record for delivering outstanding instruction and who would provide faculty leadership in teaching and research related to finance and financial issues.
• The creation of a new cutting-edge Finance major that would open new career opportunities for Lourdes’ business students.
• A media display on campus noting real-time movements in the stock market.
• The pursuit of corporate funding for trading room technology to provide students with the latest real-world learning experiences related to finance.
• The creation of the annual Joseph M. Magliochetti Leadership Summit, inviting guest speakers on financial issues of interest to our students and the broader community.

Lourdes will host the inaugural Joseph M. Magliochetti Leadership Summit at the Toledo Club on April 11 at 11:30 a.m. Speakers will include members of the Anderson and Sauder families.

 “September will mark the 10^th anniversary of Joe’s death,” offers his loving wife Kathleen. “Our family has chosen to honor Joe, his life and his legacy, by establishing the Joseph M. Magliochetti Endowed Chair in Business & Finance at Lourdes University.  Lourdes is an outstanding institution whose values and teaching philosophy reflect the honor and integrity with which Joe lived his life.”

Lourdes is pleased to announce the launch of a new Educational Leadership concentration known as the “Principal Academy” in its Master of Education (MEd) program, beginning spring semester of 2013. The Principal Academy at Lourdes is designed to help school districts identify and develop future educational leaders. Graduates of this program will help fill a growing need for school administrators who can provide effective and visionary leadership in the challenging climate of education today.

“The Master of Education in Educational Leadership will round out our programs in graduate education,” shares Michael Smith, PhD, Dean of the School of Education & Human Services. “We already offer MEd concentrations in Teaching and Curriculum and P-12 Reading, as well as graduate endorsements in Early Childhood, P-12 Reading, and Teacher Leader.  The Principal Academy will provide those teachers seeking principal licensure in Ohio a pathway to doing so.”

Another unique component of Lourdes’ Principal Academy is the partnerships that will be developed between Lourdes and area schools and school districts including Anthony Wayne, Perrysburg, Sylvania, and the Catholic Diocese of Toledo.  Together they will work to support quality field-based learning and clinical experiences for future leaders. The program also includes an ongoing mentorship in which students are paired with area school administrators who will support and provide guidance throughout the curriculum and into the first year principal experience.  Upon completion, graduates will have the credit hours and courses required to sit for the Praxis II Exam for Educational Leadership. 

Click here to learn more about Lourdes' MEd in Educational Leadership. 

Lourdes is pleased to announce that its College of Nursing was recently granted nearly $2 million in funding (over 4 academic years) through the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA). Funding from the HRSA grant will financially support disadvantaged undergraduate nursing students through a new scholarship program. The Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) program promotes diversity among health profession students and practitioners by providing scholarships to full-time students with financial need from disadvantaged backgrounds, enrolled in health professions and nursing programs.

Students enrolled in Lourdes’ Bachelor of Science in Nursing program are a diverse group:
- 43% are low income
- 20% are underrepresented minorities
- 18% are educationally disadvantaged
- 28% are first-generation college students

In order to better financially assist these populations in achieving their degree, Lourdes Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students grant will award up to 53 eligible nursing students scholarships equal to 50% of their full time tuition each academic year. In order to be eligible for the scholarship, the student must be admitted to Lourdes as a full time student, qualify as low income, either be a member of an underrepresented racial or ethnic minority or be educationally disadvantaged and have the potential to succeed academically.

In the last 5 years, Lourdes University’s College of Nursing has received more than $6 million in funding from HRSA and other federal, state and private funders. “Our College of Nursing has been successful at acquiring grant funding because it has a terrific reputation throughout the country,” shares Manda Rice, Director of Corporate, Foundation & Government Relations. “Additionally, the grants that Lourdes’ College of Nursing has received have proven to be successful in recruiting and retaining a diverse population of students.”

In 2011, Lourdes received a similar HRSA grant, of which 100% of the students served have remained in school, and some are currently preparing for their NCLEX state boards. Similarly, a HRSA Nursing Workforce Diversity grant, also awarded to Lourdes in 2010, has provided over $80,000 in scholarships and more than $168,000 in stipends. This financial support directly contributed to increasing the College of Nursing’s retention rate of underrepresented and disadvantaged students.

First established in 1982, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is the primary Federal agency aimed at improving health and health equity through access to quality services, a skilled health workforce and innovative programs.

The College of Nursing at Lourdes offers a variety of programs including the Operating Room First Assistant, Nurse-Aid to BSN, Pre-Nursing to BSN, Licensed Practical Nurse to BSN, Registered Nurse (RN) to BSN and the RN to MSN with a Nurse Leader, Nurse Educator or Nurse Anesthetist concentration. For more information about the School of Nursing contact visit http://nursing.lourdes.edu.

Beginning January 2, 2013, students in the region will have an opportunity to complete a full semester course in just two weeks through Lourdes University’s J Session, which is unique to northwest Ohio. This accelerated January session runs from January 2 – 12, ending just before Spring Semester begins on Monday, January 14. 

One perk of the accelerated J Session is that it allows many students to take their required courses and finish their degree in four years.  A total of nine 3-credit hour courses are being offered, many of which feature unique curriculum designed specifically for the J Session, such as “hands-on history,” learning about fatherhood & attachment, understanding the trends in technology, exploring great religions of the West, rediscovering literary masterpieces, and more. Lourdes students are permitted to take one J session 3-credit hour course.

Click here to view the course list.

Registration is now open! To register, current Lourdes students should contact their Advisor. Non-Lourdes students should contact the Office of Admissions at 419-885-5291. 

Lourdes University is pleased to announce that it is a 9 time Best in the Midwest, 4 time Military Friendly and 2 time Great Colleges to Work For® award recipient!

The Princeton Review, nationally known for its test preparation and admissions services, has included Lourdes in its 2013 Best Colleges: Region by Region guide for the 9th consecutive year. Lourdes was one of the 153 colleges and universities honored in the Midwest Region. A total of 633 institutions were honored, representing an elite 25% of the nation's four-year colleges.

For the 4th consecutive year, Lourdes was named among the list of Military Friendly Schools® by GI Jobs Magazine, the premier publication for military transitioners. According to GI Jobs, Lourdes ranked “in the top 15% of all colleges, universities and trade schools nationwide.” As a Military Friendly campus, Lourdes participates in the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program and offers a Veterans Center and several scholarships for servicemen and women.

Lourdes was also named among the Chronicle of Education’s Great Colleges to Work For®. Lourdes was part of the 103 schools recognized, and was 1 of only 4 in Ohio who made the cut. Great Colleges to Work For® award recognizes institutions for best practices and policies in 26 categories such as Professional Development, which was the category in which Lourdes scored high marks.

Among the reasons Lourdes was named among The Great Colleges to Work For® was the institution’s free undergraduate tuition for employees and their families as well as opportunities provided to faculty for professional development.

“We are honored to continually be recognized by Princeton, GI Jobs Magazine and the Chronicle of Higher Education,” expresses Interim President Janet Robinson, PhD. “These distinctions are a testament to our mission of providing a values-centered education and a positive work environment with a strong focus on reverence and community.”

Lourdes University is 1 of only 40 institutions nationwide selected to host Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible, a traveling exhibition celebrating the 400th anniversary of the first printing of the King James Bible (KJV). Lourdes’ Duns Scotus Library will house the exhibition October 7 through 31.

Manifold Greatness shares the story behind the King James Bible, from the time of its creation to its influence in today’s modern world. The traveling exhibit walks visitors through the story behind the King James Bible, which today remains surprisingly unknown, despite the book's enormous fame. The exhibition also features the compelling story of the book’s afterlife—its reception in the centuries that followed its first printing and how it came to be so ever-present.

To provide a comprehensive and regional celebration, the Duns Scotus Library is partnering with the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library and the Toledo Museum of Art. Events associated with the exhibition include:

October 7 ~ 2 to 5 p.m.
Manifold Greatness opening
Lecture by Dr. Ralph Williams
When God (and Shakespeare) Speak Early Modern English
Franciscan Center (lecture/reception), Duns Scotus Library (exhibition)

October 19 ~ 10 a.m.
Lecture by Ed Hill from Toledo Museum of Art
Franciscan Center (a Lifelong Learning meeting, open to the public)

October 21 ~ 2 p.m.
Lecture by Dr. James Dumke
Against the Odds: The KJV and the Promises of God
Duns Scotus Library

Exhibition hours are Monday – Thursday: 8 a.m.–9 p.m. / Friday - Saturday: 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

For more information about Lourdes’ Duns Scotus Library or Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible, contact Library Director Sr. Sandra Rutkowski at
srutkowski@lourdes.edu.

The Manifold Greatness exhibition and related projects were developed by the Folger Shakespeare Library and the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, with assistance from the Harry Ransom Center of the University of Texas Austin. The traveling exhibition was also made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, or recommendations expressed in Manifold Greatness do not necessarily reflect those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This fall, Lourdes University’s Graduate School will offer the Master of Organizational Leadership (MOL) program on the campus of Owens Community College. The program is being offered to a group of Owens employees who hold leadership positions or have the potential to do so.

“We’re excited to collaborate with Owens on this new endeavor,” expresses Patrice McClellan, EdD, Director of the MOL. “Having the MOL on Owens’ campus gives these employees the opportunity to apply theory to practice and strengthen their organizational leadership skills.”

In addition to the typical benefits of Lourdes’ cohort-based graduate education (e.g., networking opportunities, academic support, and a guaranteed seat in required courses), the MOL at Owens includes reduced tuition rate and package deal on textbooks, as well as the ability to earn a master’s degree in 2 ½  years by attending class once per week on location. The program has been approved by the Ohio Board of Regents and the Higher Learning Commission, and Lourdes’ Graduate School intends to offer the MOL at a different off-site location each fall.

Launched in 2002, Lourdes’ Master of Organizational Leadership is a successful program with over 250 alumni that has helped professionals from many fields achieve their career goals. Designed for current and prospective leaders, the program prepares students to enhance the performance and culture of their respective organizations and make a positive difference in their communities. For more information on the MOL, visit gradschool.lourdes.edu or call 419-824-3517.

This month, Lourdes University Master of Business Administration (MBA) students got a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit London and get a behind the scenes look at the business of planning the 2012 summer Olympic games. Seventeen students took part in the trip which is part of Lourdes’ MBA curriculum. The program requires students to complete an international immersion experience.  

On May 26, a group of 17 Lourdes University Master of Business Administration (MBA) students will travel to London, where they will spend the week learning from businesses involved in planning the 2012 summer Olympics. The trip is one of two immersion experiences required for completion of Lourdes’ MBA program. The goal is to provide students with direct experience in an international business community.

• A tour by Blue Badge Tourist Guides of Olympic Park

(Largest owner/operator of theatres in the UK)

(A multi-generational family business displaced by Olympic construction that successfully lobbied for a new location close to the games)

• An address by McCann Worldgroup London Account Director, Sam Lewis

• A behind-the-scenes overview of Olympic Games planning by the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games & Paralympic Games Ltd. Director of Communications & Public Affairs, Jackie Brock-Doyle

In April, the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE) announced its newly elected Board of Directors and Board of Commissioners. Among the leaders is Dean Ludwig, PhD, Dean of Lourdes University’s College of Business & Leadership, who will serve as Secretary on the IACBE Board of Directors.

Ludwig commented, “With Recognition from the Council for Higher Education (CHEA), IACBE has become an important force in accreditation for mission driven business schools that are intent on assuring excellence in outcomes for their students. I am honored to be selected to serve on its board as IACBE continues to expand its influence in business education in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Saturday, May 19, marks another momentous occasion for Lourdes, as it celebrates its first Baccalaureate and Commencement ceremonies as a University. Baccalaureate will be held in the Queen of Peace Chapel on Lourdes’ campus at 10 a.m. Commencement will take place at the SeaGate Convention Centre located at 401 Jefferson Avenue, in downtown Toledo at 1 p.m.

Robert L. Maxwell, BS

At Lourdes University, Mr. Maxwell shares his business and philanthropic expertise with alumni, students and faculty, as a member of the Business & Leadership Advisory Council.

For additional information about Lourdes’ Baccalaureate and Commencement ceremonies, please visit www.lourdes.edu/commencement.

The Lourdes University Life Lab is getting a new look and function. Lourdes is transforming the Life Lab to more accurately reflect the institution’s growing science and education departments, and will reopen the facility in August 2012. Since fall 2003, the University has experienced an 86% enrollment increase in its biology & health sciences program, and a 260% increase in environmental science.

Some of the Life Lab’s most popular features such as the summer sciences camps, salt water aquarium, Monarch Waystation and outdoor Certified Wildlife Habitat™ will be part of the center as well. “We’re excited to keep many of the Life Lab features that people enjoy, while also adding new pieces geared toward environmental science,” adds Dr. Helmer. “We’ve also been able to partner with organizations like the Toledo MetroParks and area schools by providing them with some of the resources not being utilized. It’s been a win-win transformation and will be an exciting new feature on campus next fall.”

Lourdes University and the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania are pleased to announce that Janet H. Robinson, PhD, has been appointed Interim President of Lourdes University. Dr. Robinson will begin her duties at the start of the 2012-2013 academic year, while the institution conducts a nation-wide search.

Dr. Robinson has an exemplary resume with 25 years of experience in higher education and 20 years experience in administration. She joined the Lourdes Community as part of the nursing faculty in 1992 and served as Associate Professor of Nursing, Associate Director of Curriculum & Instruction for the School of Nursing, Vice President for Academic Affairs and most recently as Provost. Prior to Lourdes, she served at Medical College of Ohio (MCO) as a member of administration and taught nursing at the University of Tulsa; the University of Oklahoma; Mercy College of Detroit; and MCO.

On February 13, Robert C. Helmer, PhD, JD, announced that he will step down from the leadership of Lourdes University at the end of the 2011-2012 academic year. During the announcement, he remarked that the decision to leave was “not an easy one,” and shared that he has accepted a position to serve as President of Baldwin Wallace College.