2005
NDAA Excellence in Teaching Conference
| Update:
Goal Accomplished!
Thanks
to a grant from the Assisi Foundation of Memphis
and donations from alums, we have raised enough money to fully
fund all 7 teachers! Our Club has never sent more than
one teacher in the past so this is a major accomplishment.
Thank you to those alums who donated, to the Assisi Foundation
and to Di Aur, principal of Holy Names School who is assisting
us in this endeavor.
Will Zoccola |
Club
Launches Joint Fund-Raising Campaign:
Goal
to Send 7 Local Teachers to Notre Dame Conference
The
University of Notre Dame Alumni Association's Excellence
In Teaching [EIT] Conference will be held October 7-9,
2005 at Notre Dame. The ND Club of Memphis is joining forces with
the Blue Streak Scholarship Fund, the Jubilee Schools and the Diocese
of Memphis in an ambitious effort to send a teacher from each of the
seven Jubilee Schools to the conference.
The
cost per teacher is estimated to be $1,000.00 which
includes registration, lodging, meals and transportation. If you would
like more information on the conference, click on the picture
below.
If
you would like more information on the Blue Streak Scholarship Fund
and the Jubilee Schools, contact Di
Aur,
Principal of Holy Names Catholic School [and identify yourself as
a ND Club member].
If
you would like to contribute to this fund-raising campaign, please
send an email to Will Zoccola
or send your check payable to the Notre Dame Club of Memphis, earmarked
for the EIT Conference to Will at the address below.
A
minimum donation of $100 is requested and will qualify for the minimum
contribution required to participate in the football lottery. What
a wonderful way for our Club to help strengthen the commitment of
these underpaid inner city school teachers [several are graduates
of Notre Dame].
1900 Exeter Rd., Suite 202
The
Fan-tastic ND Shopper: an ND Gift Guide
Some
of you are always looking for gift ideas, particularly for Notre Dame
stuff, whether it be for others or for self. Many don't know
where to shop nor what's available. Welcome to The
Fan-tastic ND Shopper, a peripatetic look at ND stuff.
If we find it, we link it. Scroll down for the links.
The
Fan-tastic ND Shopper will entertain future suggestions
to be included in this corner of ndmemphis.com.
Also, if you are looking for something specific and can't locate it,
drop us a line. One caveat, if you are looking for
football tickets or pictures of the poodle, forget it. Otherwise,
send an email to The
Fan-tastic ND Shopper.
Disclaimer:
The ND Club of Memphis does not endorse any of the products or sellers
of such merchandise or any of the sites referenced.
The
Chicken Soup Game [a children's book] 
The
Notre Dame Bookstore
The
ND Alumni Association's ND Marketplace
UND.com
Official Store
ND Music: The Band
of the Fighting Irish
ND Music: The Glee Club
The
ND Fan Shop
BlueandGold
Traditions ND Shop
Irish Eyes
[premium website subscription]
Blue and Gold [premium
website subscription]
Irish Illustrated
[premium website subscription]
Irish Sports Report
[premium website subscription]
Irish
Envy [premium website subscription]
Contributions
to Notre Dame [via credit card]
More to come ...
Clare
Charbonnet spotlighted in ND Scholarship Manual
The
March 2006 issue of the ND Scholarship and Fellowship Manual
spotlighted Clare Charbonnet. Clare is mentioned as holder
of the "J. & M. Dailey Memorial Scholarship."
The
text remarks: "Majoring in engineering is actually majoring
in problem solving and analytical thinking," says Clare Charbonnet,
a junior civil engineering major who utilizes those skills to tutor
freshman in math each week. In addition, Clare also plays interhall
soccer for Cavanaugh Hall and is an Eucharistic minister in both
her dorm and in the Basilica. Of Notre Dame, she says, "The
traditions that live from class to class throught the decades comprise
the essence of Notre Dame -- traditions such as academic excellence,
spiritual nourishment, and athletic achievement."
Clare
is the daughter of Ed [ND '71] and Michelle Charbonnet.
Phillip
Albonetti Spars in the 2006 Bengal Bouts
The
Bengal Bouts is one of Notre Dames's oldest and finest traditions
for more than 75 years. A brief history is provided at http://bengalbouts.nd.edu/historymain.html
.
Phillip
Albonetti, a first year graduate student from Memphis, entered the
fray in the 2006 rendition of College Boxing's best scenario. Phillip
won his first bout in a split decision but, alas, lost in his second
fight. Fortunately, Phillip is pursuing a PhD in English Literature
which will allow him several years to mature as a championship contender.
[l
to r] Phillip Albonetti along with two "gladiators" of
an earlier era
The
ND Club was prepared to support Phillip's venture with a small ad
in the Bengal Bouts' program but this effort was usurped when an anonymous
benefactor [Pat Arnoult, '60, a Bengal Bouts champion
himself, currently the club's senior alumni coordinator] subscribed
for a full-page ad. A win-win situation for all parties involved.
Click here to see the ad.
A
Semester in Spain: A Report by Sebastian Lara '07
I
just spent a wonderful semester studying at Notre Dame's study abroad
program in Toledo, Spain. We had 26 ND students in our group
and all lived with Spanish host families for our three months, what
an experience!
Click
on the photo to view more
Sebastian
with his host family
My
Spanish is up to snuff because when you sit down for dinner with
your Spanish family, you've got to participate. My family
was amazing, we still email each other back and forth. For
those three months, I had a little 9 year old brother David, and
we became great friends as he helped me with my Spanish.
As
a biology major, I thought for sure I would not have the time to
study abroad, but Notre Dame encourages it so highly that they work
with you to organize your schedule and make it work. In Toledo,
I took a break from the sciences and had classes in history, culture,
literature, and art.
Studying
abroad offers amazing opportunities in and out of the classroom.
For instance, in my art class, we would study a painting during
our morning class, then leave to go home for lunch and a siesta
(wow do I miss those), and then return to school, and get on a bus
to go see the actual painting in the Prado Museum in Madrid.
ND
students in Spain take 5 courses from an offering of about 12 classes
that range from European economics and Spanish business practices
to art culture and Spanish literature. The program has its
own facilities with classrooms a cafeteria and dorm rooms for those
that choose not to live with host families (although home-stay is
highly highly encouraged). Faculty are all local teachers but the
director there comes to ND once a year for meetings with our abroad-program
director.
With
no classes on Fridays, we had long weekends to catch a train or
plane and visit cities all over Spain and Europe. A bullfight
in Seville one weekend, the Al Hambra in Granada the next, and the
Guggenheim museum in Bilbao after that. I visited 10 cities
in Spain, and because Notre Dame has programs all over the world,
I had friends to visit in London, Dublin, Rome, and Paris.
I
am so glad that I studied abroad and am so lucky that Notre Dame
makes it so easy to do. It is something I would recommend
to anybody!
[Sebastian says that he would love to answer any questions
about
ND's semester abroad program. His email address is provided
below].
Go Irish!
Adios!
Sebastian
Lara '07
A
Note from the webmaster: the website welcomes all student
accounts of their Notre Dame learning experiences -- academic, cultural,
or service oriented. Contact Steve
Zeber or any of the club officers or board members listed on the
Contact page.
Death
in the Family: Joseph S. Signaigo
JOSEPH
S. SIGNAIGO, 83, of Memphis died at St. Francis Hospital, January
16, 2007. He was a graduate of Catholic High School and a graduate
of Notre Dame. He was known for his athletic abilities receiving numerous
awards not only during his high school and college years but also
with the Nation Football League.
He
served with the U.S . Marine Corp during WW II and the Korean Conflict,
and upon his return he worked for Tennessee Brewery and later started
his own company, Premium Brands, Inc. Joe was a communicate of The
Church of the Holy Spirit and selected as the outstanding Italian
American by the Memphis Chapter of the U.N.I.CO in 1983, where he
continued to be an active member.
He
was past president of the Liberty Bowl Festival Association, and served
also on the Board of Directors and team selection committee; President
of the Memphis Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall
of Fame; received the Distinguished American Award from the Memphis
Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame in 1984;
Distinguished Alumni Award from Memphis State University in 1986;
inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 1985; Life Service
Award from the National Beer Wholesalers Association; Past Director
for the Mid South Fair, Better Business Bureau, the Boy Scouts of
America; past-president of the Memphis and Tennessee Malt Beverage
Association; and member of the Colonial Country Club and Summit Club.
Joe leaves his wife of 58 years, Thelma P. Signaigo, daughters, Sharon
Thompson, Janet M. Signaigo; son Stephen J. Signaigo; sister Clara
Crone; brother, Albert Devoto, nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Elena Signaigo Deming.
Visitation
will be 5-8 Friday, January 19, with a rosary at 7:30, at Memorial
Park Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be said at 11:00 a.m., Saturday,
January 20, the Church of the Holy Spirit with burial to follow at
Memorial Park Cemetery.Memorials may be sent to the charity of the
donor's choice. Memorial Park Funeral Home 901-767-8930.
Published in The Commercial Appeal on 1/18/2007.
Bud
Dudley and Joe Signaigo show off their ND Club of Memphis lifetime
achievement awards at the 2006 Notre Dame Night.
'Everyone
knew' Fighting Joe
By Phil Stukenborg
January 18, 2007
Joseph Signaigo played many successful roles during his lifetime.
He was a respected businessman and community leader. He was a decorated
Memphis high school athlete. He was a professional football all-star.
But all had to compete with the passion he displayed for his alma
mater, Notre Dame. Mr. Signaigo died Tuesday of complications
resulting from a Christmas Day fall. He was 83.
After a successful prep career at Catholic High, Mr. Signaigo was
awarded a football scholarship to Notre Dame. He started on the offensive
line and played on national championship teams in 1943, '46 and '47.
"The fact he was most proud of was his college career at Notre
Dame and playing on those national championship teams,'' said his
daughter, Janet Signaigo. Among his many civic roles was serving as
president of the Liberty Bowl Festival Association.
"He was a huge supporter of the Liberty Bowl and went to cities
to help select the teams," she said. "
Bill McElroy, also a past president of the Liberty Bowl Festival Association,
said Mr. Signaigo accompanied him on his first trip to Notre Dame.
"When we got on campus we couldn't move 10 feet without someone
coming up to Joe and saying 'hello.' There was a reunion of some of
the teams that weekend and everyone knew Joe."
During World War II, Mr. Signaigo served three years in the Marine
Corps then resumed his football career at Notre Dame, graduating in
1948.
Mr. Signaigo played three years of professional football -- beginning
with the New York Yankees of the All-American Conference. In 1950,
the All-America Conference and the National Football League merged
and Mr. Signaigo earned All-Pro honors.
He was recalled to active duty with the Marines during the Korean
War. When he returned from military service, he began a business career
in the beer industry. He later formed his own company -- Premium Brands,
Inc. -- in Memphis after working in Wisconsin and Georgia.
Mr. Signaigo, the husband of 58 years of Thelma Pieroni Signaigo,
also leaves another daughter, Sharon Thompson, and a son, Stephen
Signaigo, nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Church of the Holy
Spirit.
Published in The Commercial Appeal on 1/18/2007.
ND
Club of Memphis Archives: 52 Years Ago
Hesburgh
Jubilee School Project Updates
How
many ND alumni/friends does it take to paint a statue of Our Lady?
Saturday,
July 21
St.
Augustine Jubilee School
8:30AM
to 11:30 AM
St.
Augustine's Principal Latonya Rayford says the statue of Our Lady
at the front entrance of the school needs to be painted.
Scraping & priming will be accomplished . painting may have to
wait for another day.
Depending
on the number of volunteers we receive, we may also be able to steam
clean the nearby marble statue of St. Joseph.
With
even more volunteers, we will be able to start prepping the window
behind the statue for a fresh paint job as well.
Anybody
have a green (Irish!) thumb? We could even plant some flowers/shrubs
around the statue!
Rick
Duerr says, "Donuts will be provided, provided you don't tell your
cardiologist (or his)!"
Please
contact David Wade if you wish to participate.
Phone
(901) 761-7794
Email david.wade@nmfn.com
DIRECTIONS
to St. Augustine School:
Take
the I-240 loop West past Millbranch Exit, past Airways Exit, and then
veer NORTH, staying on the 240 loop.
Take
Exit 28A onto South Parkway heading EAST (i.e., turn right onto South
Parkway). Pass the old Coletta's restaurant, and turn right on Greenwood
(2nd street on your right).
Drive South on Greenwood for approximately two blocks, at which point
you will see St. Augustine School directly in front of you!
1169
Kerr Avenue
Memphis, TN 38106-5922
Principal: Ms. LaTonya Rayford
(901) 942-8002
FAX (901) 942-4560
Web: www.staugustinememphis.org/school
David Wade,
Jr.
ND Club Community Service Coordinator
VIRTUS
Training
Attemtion:
All Irish Fans with Hearts of Gold (aka: club members planning to
participate in volunteer tutoring this year at our adopted Jubilee
School: St. Augustine):
All
volunteers, ages 18 and over, must complete VIRTUS training!
The next training opportunity is Saturday, July 14,
9
AM to 12 Noon at Resurrection School, taught by Dr. Rafael
Rondon, Principal of Resurrection School.
What
is VIRTUS Training? VIRTUS training is part of
the US Catholic Bishops' "Protecting God's Children" program designed
to increase awareness and decrease occurrence of sexual abuse of minors.
This three hour VIRTUS program includes video presentation and group
discussion of the harm and very real threat that sexual abuse of minors
poses in contemporary society.
Directions:
Drive South on Ridgeway Road. Ridgeway becomes Hickory Hill. Continue
on Hickory Hill to Winchester Road. Turn right (West) on Winchester
Road. Continue 0.8 miles to Emerald Street. Turn Right (North) on
Emerald Street. Continue 0.2 miles. You will see Resurrection Church/School
on your left. Pull into parking lot and enter front door. The VIRTUS
classroom is inside, through the foyer, to the left.
5475
Newberry
Memphis, TN 38115-3651
Principal: Dr. Rafael Rondon
(901) 546-9926
Rainchecks: There will be other VIRTUS
training opportunities through the summer. Click on the following
link from time to time for dates & locations of upcoming VIRTUS
course opportunities in Memphis: http://www.cdom.org/protectgodschildren/safeenvironment.htm
We
need ALL VOLUNTEERS to complete the course this summer so that we
will be able to hit the ground tutoring in full force once school
commences in August!
Please contact David Wade to RSVP for the July 14
VIRTUS session or if you have any questions about the Hesburgh Jubilee
School Project:
David
Wade
Community Service Coordinator
ND
Club of Memphis
Phone:
(901) 761-7794
Email: david.wade@nmfn.com
The
Hesburgh Jubilee School Project is the newest major community
service project of the Notre Dame Club of Memphis. The project
is intended to be a continuing long-term service opportunity.
The project title honors Fr. Theodore M. Hesburgh, former president
of the University of Notre Dame, on his 90th birthday, May 2007.
The focus of the service project to aid the Jubilee Schools"
of the Memphis Diocese [St. Augustine School being one of the seven]
by volunteer tutoring and other associated opportunities to serve.
ND
Club of Memphis: "Club of the Year"
[L
to R] Gene Bastedo, David McManus, and Paul Christman
[Paul
is the current eleced Region 14 representative]
at
the May, 2007 NDAA Senate awards ceremony
The
Nore Dame Alumni Association has recognized the ND Club of Memphis
as the Oustanding Club of the Year in its category. The Memphis
club is categorized as a "C" club in the national alumni
association based on the number of alumni resident within the club's
geographical boundaries.
New Notre Dame Students for Fall, 2008
Seven
freshmen from the Memphis area will be
attending the University of Notre Dame. The ND Club of Memphis
congratulates them and bids them welcome to the Notre Dame family.
They are:
Lauren Aristorenus
Adamsville High School
Adamsville, Tn
lauren_Aristorenus@hotmail.com
Megan Bastedo
Saint Benedict at Auburndale
Germantown, Tn
mstedo66@gmail.com
Conor Bolich
Memphis University School
Memphis, Tn
conor.bolich@gmail.com
Max Gabreski
St. George’s High School
Southaven, Ms
mrg6290@gmail.com
Keith Nord
University School of Jackson
Jackson, Tn
keith.nord@yahoo.com
Kerry Olinger
Collierville High School
Collierville, Tn
Kerry.napoli@gmail.com
Elizabeth Walsh
Saint Agnes Academy
Memphis, Tn
eawalsh@saa-sds.org
2007-08
Roster of Local ND Students
GRADUATE
Students
Albonetti,
Phillip (English)
Haffey,
Bryan
Higginbotham,
Robert (Physics)
Latina,
John
Lyttle,
Sean
Shelton,
Matt
Taylor,
Scheroi
Tullis,
Jonathan
Zikoski,
Zachary (Engineering)
Law Students
Paul Krog
SENIOR
Duffy,
Cindy
Murphy,
Joe
Sullivan,
Allison
Thompson,
Amelia
Wetzel,
Rebecca
JUNIOR
Bugnitz,
Marie
Gibson,
Dan
Whalen,
Andrew
SOPHOMORE
Amido,
Angela
Clarke,
William
Duffy,
Bailey
McMahon,
Meghan
FRESHMAN
Joseph Choi
Joseph Evetts
Brigitte Githinji
Kelly Hunt
Karen Krog
Grace Orians
Kevin Ritt
2008 Summer Service Interns
Sara Johnson will be this year's intern at Missionary of Charity Mission. Sara is a sophomore from Detroit. She is a student in Liberal Studies and resides at Lyons Hall. She will be in Memphis for eight weeks, commencing May 18.
Kelly Marszalek will be the intern at St. Jude. She will be starting her assignment on this Thursday 5/22. She will be living with Mark and Linda Conger who are parents of an ND alum.
2007-2009
ACE Teachers
The
following is a list of the ACE teachers currently serving in Memphis.
The ACE teachers are Notre Dame graduate students who have
committed themselves to a two-year teaching tenure at one of the Memphis
Diocesan Jubilee Schools.
Hilda Aganga-Williams: Hilda.M.Aganga-Williams.1@nd.edu
Laura Farrell:
Laura.A.Farrell.64@nd.edu
Patrick Manning: Patrick.R.Manning.26@nd.edu
Robbie Rhinesmith: robbie.rhinesmith@gmail.com
Elizabeth Sabrio: Elizabeth.J.Sabrio.2@nd.edu
Letter to the Alumni from NDAA President
The following is a letter to the Notre Dame alumni clubs from
Richard A. Nussbaum, II, current President of the University of Notre Dame Alumni Association:
Many of you have expressed concerns over the recent news the Bishops conference to be held at Notre Dame has been moved off campus due to the possible performance of the play “Vagina Monologues” (VM).
As you all may recall the VM was shown on campus 2 years ago which resulted in an extended 10 week long dialogue between Father Jenkins and many constituencies in the Notre Dame community. Father Jenkins then provided a statement which set guidelines for the performance of this play and others like it. These guidelines are part of an April 5, 2006 common proposal of Chairs of the College of Arts and Letters and Father Jenkins. I will not detail the protocol but it is quite extensive and provides for the Catholic perspective to be part of any presentation. The intent was to balance open exchange of ideas in an academic setting with the Catholic identity, mission, and character of the University. I encourage all of you to review in greater detail the full account of the university’s position on our Catholic character as it applies to academic freedom.
Now to clarify the facts and circumstances of the most recent developments:
· Notre Dame’s Institute for Church Life (ICL), through theology professor John Cavidini organized a program for some select Bishops. The program ran from Monday, February 11 through Wednesday, February 13. My understanding is the program was well received. The program was entitled “The Eloquence of Teaching” and was jointly sponsored by the ICL and the Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine.
· It was learned by some of the Bishops the VM were likely to be presented on campus this year. (i.e., the request was in the pipeline, had departmental sponsorship, etc.). Many Bishops as a matter of principal object to the play and its performance on Catholic campuses.
· As a way of respecting and honoring this good faith belief of the Bishops it was agreed by Professor Cavidini and the University on the one hand and the Bishops on the other to move the conference off Campus. It was never intended to be made public or to be a symbol of protest or to punish Notre Dame in any way.
· The Bishops continue to view Notre Dame as an invaluable resource and a place “where the Church does its thinking.” (quote of Father Ted Hesburgh )
· To date the student organizers of the VM have not met the criteria to have the play performed on campus, but it is likely they will and a performance in conformance with the guidelines will take place late in March. Chief among the guidelines is that the play will be performed in an academic environment, not as a public performance to generate fundraising, and must include a panel presentation on Catholic teaching on human sexuality in conjunction with the performance.
I encourage each of you to carefully consider these facts and circumstances in the context of the hundreds of events at Notre Dame which are 100 % in lock step with our Catholic identity, character, and mission. Examples are the daily Hall masses, film series, respected Catholic speakers, Campus Ministry retreats, other ICL programming for ACE, the Satellite Theological Education Program and the ECHO Faith Formation program. There are many others which could be listed as well.
As an Alumni Association we have made a conscious effort to nurture our Catholic traditions through the many service initiatives by our Clubs, Masses organized around Club activities, and our pray.nd.edu site which has had over 85,000 visitors since its inception last Spring. The prayer opportunities have been a valuable resource for our Alumni and a source of comfort to many. It also allows our alumni to be united in prayer with the Green Candle at the Grotto, not to mention the opportunity to visit sacred spaces on campus each day and enjoy a reflection of the day and the gospel for the day.
I suggest this context shows the performance or the non-performance of the VM does little to add to or subtract from our Catholic identity, character and mission. In the event, the play is not performed this year I would argue it does not add to our Catholicity, just as the performance of it does not detract in any material way from it.
I am always impressed with the passion of our Alumni and the zeal with which we seek to protect the best our University has to offer. I have no problem with the dialogue about the VM and its place on our campus - I just don’t think it should be the litmus test for our Catholic identity, character and mission. I also have no doubt Father Jenkins, the Fellows, Trustees , and Officers of the University have, as a top priority, the preservation of our Catholic faith on campus.
As President [of our Alumni Association] I felt a responsibility to throw out to you these facts and my thoughts. I welcome any comment you might have. Remember you are the ambassadors for our University throughout the World. I ask that despite different viewpoints we remain one family and if those outside the family choose to criticize us we can provide the appropriate context, and can agree our Lady’s University represents the best University in the world where reason and truth coexist and where learning opportunities create graduates who know the right path for living faith filled lives.
God Bless you all !!!
Richard A. Nussbaum, II
President
University of Notre Dame Alumni Association
Notre Dame Task Force on Catholic Education
In 2005, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., appointed the Task Force on Catholic Education in response to an invitation from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to help revitalize America’s unique Catholic school system.
This task force’s response, released Dec. 8, 2006 and titled “Making God Known, Loved, and Served: The Future of Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in the United States,” identifies 12 areas in which the University can support Catholic schools, and five recommended steps for Church and civic leaders.
For more information, see Making
God Known, Loved, and Served or access the task force final report on .pdf, The
Future of Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools
in the United States.
The
Future of Catholic Primary and Secondary
Schools
in the United States
Basilica Sunday Mass on TV or Internet
Sunday Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of Notre Dame is available on cable television or on the Internet.
The Saturday 5pm Vigil Mass is televised on a tape delay Sunday mornings at 7am EST on the Hallmark Channel, or live via the Internet.
The 11:45am Sunday Mass is now available by video podcast on www.ndprayercast.org - which also hosts a weekly audio prayercast for download at your convenience.
Worship for an hour of prayer! More information is available by clicking Liturgy.
Hesburgh Lecture: Father Nuzzi
April 21: Father Ronald Nuzzi,
the Director of the ACE Program at Notre Dame, will be here
to talk about the importance of a Catholic education and the Catholic
identity issues that impact our Catholic schools.
This
lecture continues the tradition of lectures partnering with the Catholic
Schools of Memphis headed by Mary McDonald. Mary and Joe, her
husband, are members of the ND Club of Memphis and two of their children
are ND grads.
Mary
McDonald knows Fr. Nuzzi well and is very excited about his visit. The
ACE program is one of the most innovative and creative programs
in education. Besides the Hesburgh Lecture series, the ND
Club participates with the Catholicschool system on several initiatives
including
- Six teachers whom we sent to the annual
teacher's conference at Notre Dame
- Six teachers in the system this year under
the auspices of the innovative ACE program
- Volunteer work at the schools
Rev. Ronald J. Nuzzi, Ph.D.
Director, ACE Leadership Program
University of Notre Dame
Father Ron Nuzzi (He says NUH-zee, the Italians say NEWT-zee) is a priest of the Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio. Ordained in 1984, Fr. Ron has taught in Catholic schools, served as a high school administrator and currently is the Director of Catholic Leadership Programs in the Alliance for Catholic Education at The University of Notre Dame.
A nationally known speaker and author, he has written extensively about multiple intelligence theory in Catholic education, the spirituality of leadership, and inclusion in Catholic schools. His book, Gifts of the Spirit: Multiple Intelligences in Religious Education, published by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), is now in its second printing.
Father Ron has conducted two separate research tours at the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education and has provided original translation of church documents pertaining to the history of Catholic schooling. In 1997- 1998, he conducted an extensive research project on seminary education for the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops. He has been the guest of Pope John Paul II for a private Mass in the papal chapel on two separate occasions.
He serves as editor of the research journal, Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice, the only scholarly publication in the world dedicated exclusively to Catholic education. A prolific author and researcher, Fr. Ron has published dozen of articles on Catholic education for teachers on the subjects of cooperative learning, inclusion, spirituality, leadership, and multiple intelligences. As a presenter, he has an international reputation from doing a variety of workshops in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Italy.
Fr. Ron recently published a new volume with several colleagues entitled “A Handbook of Research on Catholic Education” published by Greenwood Press. In August 2002, the National Catholic Educational Association published an extensive summary of research on Catholic education 1990-2000, entitled, “Catholic Schools Still Make A Difference,” for which he served as editor and contributed a chapter on Catholic identity. This newest book was the subject of his presentations in 2003 at the annual conventions of the NCEA (National Catholic Educational Association) and the AERA (American Educational Research Association). His most recent book, Catholic Schools in the USA, is a 2-volume encyclopedia of Catholic education, the first ever of its kind, published by Greenwood Press in October 2004.
In January 2004, Fr. Ron was among a select group of educational leaders to be invited to the White House for special celebration of Catholic education with President Bush in the East Room. In April 2004, he opened a session of Congress, saying the opening prayer in the U.S. House of Representatives before meeting with a variety of House and Senate committees on educational policy.
Fr. Ron holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, and masters degrees in theology, philosophy, and education. From 1992 until 2000, he taught at The University of Dayton, and was instrumental in establishing its Center for Catholic Education. From 2000-2002, he was director of the Catholic Leadership Program at Saint Louis University, and since June 2002, it has been his privilege to call Notre Dame home. He hails from Niles, Ohio and is a graduate of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (1972) and John F. Kennedy High School (1976). A regular presenter at national conventions in the U.S. and Canada, he is in demand as a speaker, educational researcher, teacher, and retreat director.
Rev. Ronald J. Nuzzi, Ph.D.
Director, ACE Leadership Program
University of Notre Dame
153 I.E.I. Building-Institute for Educational Initiatives
Notre Dame, IN 46556-5682
Ph. 574-631-7730 Fax 574-631-7729
E-Mail: Ronald.J.Nuzzi.1@nd.edu
Catholic Schools Still Make a Difference!
The fourth Hesburgh Lecture in a series on
Catholic Education and Character
Rev. Ronald J. Nuzzi, Ph.D.
Director, ACE Leadership Program
University of Notre Dame
The Hesburgh Lecture Series on Catholic education continues at 7:00 PM on Monday, April 21, 2008 with a lecture by Rev. Ronald J. Nuzzi, Ph.D. on the importance of Catholic elementary and secondary schools. Dr. Nuzzi is an eminent man, accomplished as a university teacher, as a priest and as one of the nation’s leading experts on Catholic education and the development of teachers for Catholic schools. Dr. Nuzzi directs the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) at the University of Notre Dame. For more information on ACE, visit ACE at http://ace.nd.edu/.
Father Nuzzi presents ten specific reasons how Catholic schools still make a difference in our increasingly secular world. He presents a persuasive argument that Catholic schools deliver specific benefits that cannot be found anywhere else. He tells the story of how Notre Dame is actively engaged in K-12 Catholic schools throughout the country and how Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) programs are strengthening and helping to renew American Catholic education. Fr. Nuzzi describes how the uniqueness of a Catholic education affects the community, relationships, leadership, civic engagement, discipline, personal excellence and leadership.
Monday April 21, 2008
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Christian Brothers University
Buckman Hall
Spain Auditorium
650 E. Parkway South
Memphis, TN
Free and Open to the Public
Parking off Central Avenue |
Welcome by Tony Aretz, VP of Academics, CBU and
Mary McDonald, Catholic Schools of Memphis
Introduction by Dr. Charles T. Kenny, Notre Dame Club of Memphis
This Hesburgh Lecture is co-sponsored in Memphis by The Notre Dame Club of Memphis and the Catholic Diocese of Memphis in co-operation with Christian Brothers University. Dr. Nuzzi’s lecture is the four
[starring Sebastian Lara] 
