USA
Dominican Sisters of Peace Host Educational Sponsorship Meeting
Columbus, OH – Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, OH, was the site of the Dominican Sisters of Peace 2019 Education Sponsorship Meeting on October 24 and 25.
This annual gathering brings together presidents, board members, chairs, delegates, and other representatives of the Congregation’s sponsored educational ministries: Albertus Magnus College (New Haven, CT); Ohio Dominican University (Columbus, OH); Dominican Academy (New York, NY); Our Lady of the Elms School (Akron, OH); St. Agnes Academy-St. Dominic School (Memphis, TN); and St. Mary’s Dominican High School (New Orleans, LA).
The Dominican Sisters of Peace sponsor schools for students of all ages, from pre-school to post-graduate.
The Education Sponsorship meeting included opportunities for prayer, community building, and networking among our educational ministry leaders.
This year’s guest speaker was Dr. Kathy Lechman, Associate Director of the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race & Ethnicity at The Ohio State University. Dr. Lechman’s topic, Equity and Inclusion: The Missing Pieces, addressed issues around diversity, equity and implicit bias. The topic was particularly appropriate, given the Congregation’s 2017 and 2018 study of racism.
The group also celebrated outgoing Albertus Magnus Board Chair, Jeanne Dennison. Dennison was presented with an original painting depicting New Haven landmark East Rock by former Albertus professor Sr. Thoma Swanson, OP.
Director of Founded Ministries Mark Butler, who organized the meeting, said, “This annual gathering is an amazing opportunity for our sponsored educational ministries to not only network and explore important topics, but to celebrate the varied ways they are passing our Dominican Charism to the next generation.”
“This is the ninth year that the Dominican Sisters of Peace have held an Education Sponsorship Meeting,” said Sister Therese Leckert, OP, Leadership Liaison to the Education ministries. “This meeting provides our educational leaders the opportunity to share successes, learnings and challenges, as well as to find support and encouragement from their peers. Their study of diversity and its relationship to education were a great addition to the event. After the two days, everyone seemed to leave with renewed commitment to Dominican Catholic Education.”
In keeping with the Dominican charism of study, the Dominican Sisters of Peace also sponsor adult learning centers in New Haven, CT; New Britain, CT, and Columbus, OH.
Back row from left: Sr. Gemma Doll, OP, Leadership, Dominican Sisters of Peace; Deacon Rick Martin, Director of Dominican Catholic Identity, Upper School, St. Agnes/St. Dominic Schools; Anne Lythgoe, Leadership, Dominican Sisters of Peace; Olivia Wakeling, Director of Annual Giving, Our Lady of the Elms; Mary Sullivan, Chair, Board of Trustees, Dominican Academy; William Chauvin, Board of Trustees, St. Mary’s Academy; Paul J. Bonitatibus, OPA, New Orleans Peace Center Board of Trustees; Vincent Petrini, Rising Chair, Board of Trustees, Albertus Magnus College.
Middle row from left: Father Paul Colloton, OSFS, Director of Campus Ministry and University Chaplain, Ohio Dominican University; Sr. Therese Leckert, OP, Leadership, Dominican Sisters of Peace; Sr. Gene Poore, OP, Leadership, Dominican Sisters of Peace; Katie Hennessy, Associate Director of Development, Dominican Academy; Dr. Marc Camille, President, Albertus Magnus College; Dr. Robert Gervasi, President, Ohio Dominican University; Sr. Pat Twohill, OP, Prioress, Dominican Sisters of Peace; Dr. Cynthia Thomas, President, St. Mary’s Dominican High School; Tom Hood, President, St. Agnes/St Dominic Schools; Frank Lamanna, Vice-Chair, Board of Trustees, St. Agnes/St Dominic Schools.
Front row from left: Bethany Odom, Director of Dominican Catholic Identity, Lower School, St. Agnes/St. Dominic Schools; Sr. Anne Kilbride, OP, Assistant to the President for Dominican Mission, Albertus Magnus College; Sr. Margaret Ormond, OP, President, Dominican Academy; Jeanne Dennison, Outgoing Board Chair, Albertus Magnus College; John Stoner, Chair, Board of Trustees, Our Lady of the Elms; Deborah Farquhar Jones, President, Our Lady of the Elms; Sr. Valerie Shaul, OP, Board of Trustees, Our Lady of the Elms; Sr. Suzanne Brauer, OP, Board of Trustees, St. Mary’s Dominican High School; Susan Milne, Assistant Director of Founded Ministries, Dominican Sisters of Peace; Dr. Marlissa Stauffer, Chair of Education Division, Ohio Dominican University; Mark Butler, Director of Founded Ministries, Dominican Sisters of Peace.
