Clinton Franciscans
Transfer Sponsorship of
The Franciscan University to Bridgepoint Education
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Click to Enlarge Andrew Clark, President of Bridgepoint Education, Jan Cebula OSF, President of the Clinton Franciscans, and Dr. Michael Kaelke, President of Ashford University |
On March 14, 2005, in a ritual of transition in St. Clare Chapel, the Sisters of St. Francis, who founded Mount St. Clare College in Clinton 87 years ago, welcomed the new owners of the institution, Bridgepoint Education, Inc., of Poway, Calif.
Singing the “Blessing of St. Clare,” they prayed for the Bridgepoint officials and for the school, which has been renamed Ashford University.
Dr. Michael Kaelke, President of the University, and Janice Cebula OSF, President of the Sisters of St. Francis, led the procession of special guests into the chapel filled with students, faculty and staff as well as alumni and friends of the Sisters and the University.
“What unites us here today,” said Dr. Kaelke, “is our mutual commitment to providing quality education for our students. What remains constant in the midst of this change of ownership is that God is always present in this place.”
“We are gathered in gratefulness for what has been, what is and what will be,” said Sister Jan Cebula in responding to the testimonials.
“The Sisters founded and nurtured this place,” she said, “but Mount St. Clare has a life of its own. It is a dynamic, living reality thanks to all who contributed to it: its students, faculty, staff and the people of Clinton. We have learned that we were merely caretakers of this dynamic entity. Today we are handing on the traditions in the DNA of this living reality. What we pass on is joy and community, faith, love of our students and commitment to stewardship of the environment – the gifts of the past to carry into the future.”
“I am excited about the future that will be built on the heritage of this place,” said Andrew Clark, President of Bridgepoint Education. “I am grateful for the courage of the Sisters and of TFU in making this change. Higher education is changing and the Sisters recognize the future and the need for change. They have planted the seeds for our successful harvest.”
“Bridgepoint Education and the Sisters of St. Francis have much in common,” said Mr. Clark. “We believe in making higher education accessible—the very reason the Sisters founded this school. We believe in quality academic training and in service to others. We will keep the past in mind as we look to the future and to strengthening the goals we share.”
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EUGENE BELZ, ENGLISH FACULTY FOR FORTY YEARS, welcomed Bridgepoint by acknowledging their investment in the future of the University. Reviewing the transitions which his career in Clinton allowed him to witness, Belz noted several constants, namely “the unbelievable vision and courage to make changes necessary to meet the challenges of educating students for the future, and the compassion and care of all the Sisters for all the students and staff, a compassion materially manifest today.” “Ashford University will survive and grow,” said Belz, “with the resources and talents of its new owners, the dedication of its employees, and with that community of Sisters on the hill who will pray it to success.” |
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WAUNITA SULLIVAN, THE UNIVERSITY’S DIRECTOR OF ENROLLMENT and an MSC College alumna, greeted the honorees by saluting the “Sisters of energy and efficiency” whose dedicated service to the University had inspired love, joy, peace and respect among all with whom they taught and worked. “The Sisters were not only visionary leaders, they were mentors and friends,” she said. “They welcomed us into their ministry of education. |
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Click to Enlarge The Honorable LaMetta Wynn, Mayor of Clinton, Iowa |
Clinton Mayor LaMetta Wynn gives Clinton Mayor LaMetta Wynn closed the program with special greetings from the City. She expressed her gratitude to the Sisters for the generations of students they had prepared at so many levels. “You have taught not only Clinton students but students from around the world,” said the Mayor, recalling her eight years as a MSC College Trustee. She also spoke of the other ministries that the Sisters continue to sponsor in Clinton, namely The Alverno Health Care Facility and the MSC Speech and Hearing Center. And in gratitude, she presented the Sisters of St. Francis with the Key to the City of Clinton. “This is only the third time I have done this in my nine years as mayor,” she noted. “No one has helped our community more than the Sisters of St. Francis and The Franciscan University,” said Mayor Wynn. “We are all so proud of this wonderful University - Clinton's university.” |
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Click to Enlarge Sister William McCue beside the new University sign |
CLINTON FRANCISCAN SISTER WILLIAM MCCUE, a 42-year philosophy instructor at the University, reflected on the awesome responsibility of teaching when the heart of the campus is the student and the school maintains a continual commitment to providing a quality education. “When the student is the text, education is an opening into unforeseen learning,” she said. “Education in mind and morals fosters the art of building a full life. Quality education produces an unconscious awareness of the presence of God in all people and in all creation.” “Join me,” Sister William invited the community, “in embracing and celebrating this hope-filled gift; accept it with humility and welcome its life-giving reality. As I accepted the commission to teach at Mount St. Clare 42 years ago, I pledge to serve with you and for you at Ashford University.” |
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ASHFORD UNIVERSITY SENIOR ANNE FERGUSON, Cedar Rapids, used her laptop to share photos of her 2004 trip to the SOA prayer vigil at Fort Benning, Ga., with University Provost Dr. Liz Tice at the reception for students, faculty and staff that followed the transition ritual. Anne and other University students and staff have been attending the annual vigil for four years to pray that the infamous “School of the Americas” be closed. Dr. Tice, who worked on a humanitarian mission in Peru several years ago, joined Anne and other students and Ashford professor Dr. John Ivens at the 2005 SOA vigil. |
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UNIVERSITY TRANSFER - CORTONA GALLERY/LECTURE - MSC ED FOUNDATION
