Dominican Sisters of Peace: ‘Dominican Learning Center Celebrates 25 Years’

Council Member Emmanuel Remy presented staff and learners from the Dominican Learning Center with a celebratory resolution during a May 20 City Council meeting at Columbus City Hall. Shown before the meeting are, from left, back row, Sr. Mary Deane, OP, Instructor; Columbus Council Member Emmanuel Remy; Sr. Jeanne Conrad, OP, Instructor; Sr. Shawn Fitzpatrick, OP, Instructor; Marybeth Auletto, OPA, Board Member, Dominican Learning Center; Lisset Mendoza, Director, Dominican Learning Center. From left, Freweyni Gebru, learner; Sr. Robin Richard, OP, Instructor, Lina Santamaria, and Elsa Santamaria, learner.

Columbus, OH – The Dominican Learning Center, a ministry of the Dominican Sisters of Peace located in Columbus, OH, celebrated its 25th anniversary with several events in May.

The Center received a celebratory resolution from the Columbus City Council Resolution on Monday, May 20. Council Member Emmanuel Remy presented the resolution during a City Council meeting at Columbus City Hall. Dominican Learning Center learners Freweyni Gebru and Elsa Santamaria testified to the Council about their successful experiences at the Center before Director Lisset Mendoza was presented with the resolution.

Center staff, volunteers and learners celebrated the organization’s anniversary with a Silver Gala on Tuesday, May 21. The event was hosted by LifeCare Alliance, and highlighted the success of current and former learners at the Center by featuring entertainment by a local mariachi troupe that includes a DLC learner, and a special dessert by a former learner who now operates Barroluco Argentine Comfort Food, a local food truck business.

Sr. Shawn Fitzpatrick, former director; current director Lisset Mendoza, co-founder and former director Sr. Marialein Anzenberger, OP; and former director, Sr. Barbara Kane celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Dominican Learning Center.

The three living former directors of the Dominican Learning Center, co-founder Sr. Marialein Anzenberger, Sr. Shawn Fitzpatrick, and Sr. Barbara Kane, were honored.

From left, James and Shirley Williams Melody Johnson, Corrine Hughes, Dale Krummen, and Don and Nancy Kelley were presented with Educational Hero Awards for their service to the Dominican Learning Center.

Long-time volunteers and tutors Don and Nancy Kelley, James K. Williams, Dale Krummen, Melody Johnson, and Corrine Hughes were presented with Educational Hero Awards for their vital service and loyalty to the Center and its mission.

From left, James and Shirley Williams Melody Johnson, Corrine Hughes, Dale Krummen, and Don and Nancy Kelley were presented with Educational Hero Awards for their service to the Dominican Learning Center.

Founded by the Dominican Sisters of Peace, a Congregation of religious women headquartered on the East Side of Columbus, the Dominican Learning Center opened in 1994 with just one student and six religious Sisters.

Since then, more than 6000 adults have taken advantage of the services offered by the Center, which include Adult Basic Education, Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED) in English and Spanish, Math/Read/Writing refreshers, English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction and conversation opportunities, computer classes and citizenship test prep.

Classes are conducted at the Center’s location on East Stewart Avenue or at one of the Center’s parish-based satellite offices. English as a second language classes are taught by volunteer tutors at churches, libraries, or other public places that are convenient to both the tutor and the learner.