holy names university hnu today

FALL 2010

VOL. XXVII No. 2

President William J. Hynes reflects on his first 45 days

P r e s i d e n t ’ s M e s s ag e

Every fall, new Holy Names University students assemble for the “Rite of Passage” in the Corrigan Courtyard. The name of each new student is written in colored chalk on the two staircases. With family members, faculty, and staff lin-ing the two sides of the south staircase, the new students climb the 105 steps to the top where they are greeted, welcomed, and blessed by the President.What is a rite of passage? It is a ritual that enables people to move from one state in life to another. Rites of passage help both individuals, who move through these changes, and the communities, in which these changes happen, absorb the significance of these changes. On March 16, 2011, Holy Names University community will experience another rite of passage, the inauguration of the 17th President of Holy Names University. On that day our Board of Trustees will formally invest me with the title, symbols and seal of the University.I am thrilled to add my energy, talents, and skills to help Holy Names Univer-sity continue to fulfill its mission. I am honored to succeed Sr. Rosemarie Nas-sif SSND, President Emerita, who transformed Holy Names University into the major force that it is today. From the first time I stepped on this campus in the 1990s until now, I have been tremendously impressed by this community’s commitment to diversity, social jus-tice, and radical hospitality. This past spring, I felt the depth of this commitment when I met the search committee. This deepened when I came to campus as a finalist. As one who has tried to live these same values as a teacher and adminis-trator, being here feels like coming home.With God’s blessing and your support, I know that together we can take Holy Names University to its next level of excellence.

William J. Hynes, Ph.D. – President

William J. Hynes, Ph.D. President

Holy Names University is a private, four-year, co-ed,

Catholic university located on 60 wooded acres in

the hills of Oakland, California. An academic com-

munity committed to the full development of each

student, HNU offers a liberal education rooted in the

Catholic tradition, empowering a diverse student

body for leadership and service

in a diverse world.

HNU Today strengthens the shared connection

between alumni, the University and the commu-

nity. The magazine is published two times a year

for the University’s alumni and friends by the Office

of Institutional Advancement. The diverse opinions

expressed in HNU Today do not necessarily repre-

sent the views of the editors nor polices of Holy

Names University.

Comments for the editor may be sent via email to:

[email protected]

Or in writing to:

Holy Names UniversityAttn: Alumni Relations3500 Mountain BoulevardOakland, CA 94619

Update your contact information online at:

www.hnu.edu/alumni/alumniUpdateForm.html

University Officers

Dr. William J. Hynes, President

Dav Cvitkovic, Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Stuart Koop, Vice President for Finance and Administration

Lizbeth Martin, Vice President for Academic Affairs

Michael Miller, Vice President for Student Affairs

Sr. Carol Sellman, Vice President for Mission Effectiveness

AlUmni execUtive BOArd President

Julie N. Echaniz ’75

Past Presidents Board President

Eileen M. Weston ’62

HnU tOdAy stAff

This issue of HNU Today is directed and published by

the Office of Institutional Advancement:

execUtive editOr

Dav Cvitkovic, Vice President for Institutional Advancement

editOr

John R. McCoy, Director of Alumni Relations

cOntriBUting Writers

Jennell Jimenez ‘11

John R. McCoy

Michael Mosby ’88

Lesley Sims, Director of Marketing/PR

design And PrOdUctiOn

Maria Theren, Graphic Designer

VOL. XXV No. 1

Fall 2010 Volume XXVII No. 2

Contents2 President Hynes Leads

“Rite of Passage” Ceremony

In his first public appearance, President Hynes leads HNU’s annual orientation weekend ceremony.

8 President Hynes First 45 Days

Dr. William J. Hynes reflects on his first 45 days in office and the priorities of his presidency.

10 Golf Team Best in History

The Hawks completed their most impressive season to date, garnering a 5th place NAIA ranking and two All American honors.

12 Alumni Spotlight: Reflections on life after graduation

The journey to the top began at HNU for veteran video game designer, Mike Stout ’01.

17 In Memoriam: Neil W. McDaniel, Trustee Emeritus

The HNU community bids farewell to one of its greatest ambassadors.

2 Campus News

4 Student News

7 Faculty News

8 Main Feature

10 Hawk Sports Center

12 Alumni News

16 Fundraising News

18 SNJM News

19 Class Notes

20 In Memoriam

21Last Word

On the CoverPresident Hynes with Anitra McCain, President of the Associated Students of Holy Names, and Riley Tang, Men’s Volleyball Graduate Assistant.

Cover photo by: Stephen Woo, husband of Theresa Rush Woo ’85 www.swoo.com

8

FALL 2010 | HNU TODAY 1

In his first public appearance as President of Holy Names University, Dr. William J. Hynes led incoming students through “The Rite of Passage” cer-emony on Saturday, August 21. The Rite of Passage Cer-emony, an annual orientation activity, symbolizes the beginning of entering students’ educational journey by climbing HNU’s iconic steps from the bottom of cam-pus to the top.

The 105 stairs at the center of the campus are at the heart of this traditional ceremony. The day before, up-per classmen inscribe each entering students’ names in pastel chalk on the iconic HNU steps. When the official

“Rite of Passage” begins, the parents, family and friends of the incoming students along with HNU faculty and staff, gather on both sides of the steps. The entering stu-dents begin at the bottom of the stairs and with each step along their journey to the top they see their names written on the steps and are welcomed to HNU with cheers and applause from family, friends and staff.

In his official welcome to the entering students,

President Hynes pointed out that students of HNU will experience “radical hospital-ity.” He explained that in HNU’s eyes each student is the most important person in the world. This perspec-tive comes from the rich Catholic tradition and the founding spirit of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.

President Hynes implored the students to embrace this time in their lives by asking questions in the pursuit of knowl-edge and advised each student who may be embarrassed to ask questions to say, “I have the President’s permission.”

In his closing remarks, President Hynes challenged stu-dents, after they graduate, to help others set their sights beyond narrow horizons, stating “You are being empow-ered to make it a better and more just world during your journey at Holy Names University.”

Ashley Bruce ’12, Jillian Godfrey ’11 and Anjelica Zeno ‘12 prepare for the “Rite of Passage” ceremony by inscribing the names of entering students’ on the iconic HNU steps. (Below) President Hynes talks with new and returning students during orientation festivities.

C a M P u s n e w s

President Hynes Leads “Rite of Passage” Ceremony

2 LIBERATING MINDS • TRANSFORMING LIVES • SINCE 1868

Summer 2010 welcomed the return of two HNU traditions: The 42nd Annual Kodály Summer Institute and the 14th Annual Sophia Center Summer Institute. Participants from across the country and from as far as Poland and Japan converged upon the HNU campus to embrace the learning opportunities offered by each of the institutes.

The Kodály Center for Music Education offers training and resources for teachers, conductors, parents, and oth-ers interested in the musical development of children. Held from July 12–13, The Kodály Summer Institute attracted over 45 teachers and musicians.

Judit Hartyányi, Associate Professor of Choral Conduct-ing at the Liszt Academy in Budapest, Hungary returned once again to conduct the HNU Kodály Institute Choir and teach the advanced levels of musicianship and con-ducting. One of the highlights of this year’s institute was the preparation and performance of compositions by HNU Music Faculty members for the concert on July 30th. Pieces performed by the larger Institute Choir in-cluded “Hark all ye lovely saints” by Thomas Weelkes, “For true love” by Péter Tóth, “The Three Kings” by Heal-ey Willan and “A Christmas Carol” by Zoltán Kodály.

From July 15–20th, participants in the Sophia Center’s Summer Institute engaged in interactive workshops and dialogues that explored the work of Thomas Berry, the preeminent ecological thinker, across such areas as the relationship between social justice and the new cosmol-ogy. The Sophia Center’s spirituality program is intended to integrate a variety of elements, including social justice, ecological awareness and one’s spiritual expression.

“I was delighted by the level of participation from the at-tendees and excited by the multiple conversations about social justice, peace and the environment that the Insti-tute helped to initiate. It is a joy to know that our center is helping to fuel enlightenment and peace through our programming” stated Jim Conlon, Director of the So-phia Center.

The work from the 2010 summer institutes will continue into the current academic year. Both institutes have al-ready established dates for their 2011 summer programs. The 2011 Sophia Summer Institute will be held from July 14–17, 2011(visit www.hnu.edu/sophia for more in-formation). The 2011 Kodály Summer Institute will be held from July 11–19 (visit www.hnu.edu/kodaly for more information).

HNU Summer InstitutesOver 45 teachers and musicians participated in the 2010 Kodály Summer Institute.


s t u d e n t n e w s

With each passing day the world becomes a little bit smaller due to advances in communication and the growing globalization of commerce. In response, university officials from across the country, including right here at HNU, are increasingly encouraging stu-dents to pursue international study opportunities.

The annual winter Global Immersion Trip to either Oaxaca, Mexico or El Salvador is one of the most popu-lar study abroad experiences at HNU. The 10-day im-mersion trip provides students with an invaluable cross-cultural adventure that prepares them for the global marketplace. The program is linked to HNU’s Religious Studies and Latin American Studies program as a means to integrate substantive academic material that explores

the history, culture and religious perspective of the cho-sen destination.

According to Martivon Gallindo, Professor of Latin American Studies, “the January study trips are very popular because they don’t have the commitment for an entire semester. But I really encourage the students to go for a semester because then they have the full experience of being on their own and knowing another culture, get-ting to know another way of life to compare their lives in the United States.”

After traveling to Oaxaca, Mexico with the HNU Glob-al Immersion program in January 2010, Jennell Maria Jimenez ’11, an HNU senior majoring in Business Mar-keting and Management, was inspired to pursue study-

An HNU Student’s Summer Abroad

International Summer Adventure:


ing abroad on her own. Jennell spent this past summer abroad at the Uni-versity of Guadalajara, in Guadalaja-ra, Mexico. “The immersion class at HNU sparked within me a passion, love and desire to learn and embrace my Hispanic culture. When I went to Oaxaca in January, I went with an open mind and experienced first-hand how rich the Latin American culture and communities are.”

While in Guadalajara, Jennell par-ticipated in a five week long pro-gram with students from all over the world. “I had the opportunity to explore the city of Guadalajara, its amazing architecture, Cathedrals, museums, and art galleries. I was to-tally immersed in the culture which helped to improve my Spanish vo-cabulary and pronunciation; I got a jump start on learning Spanish for the years to come.”

The benefits students receive from studying abroad are endless. In a globalized world, studying abroad is a valuable experience for future em-ployment and is a wonderful oppor-tunity for students to receive expo-sure to a wide diversity of cultures,

thoughts and opinions. After spend-ing time abroad, Jennell has become a strong advocate for encouraging all students to take advantage of study abroad opportunities offered at HNU. “Overall my study abroad experience was absolutely amazing,” shared Jennell “No matter where a student goes, I highly recommend doing it. It allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and find out things about myself and others that I would have never known. I learned a lot about Latin-American culture, the Spanish language, and made new life long bonds. I am thankful to attend a University that truly em-powers you to pursue your passion and provides the necessary tools for you to explore the world.”

Clockwise from top: Jennell at the ancient ruins at Guachimontones; La Minerva monu-ment; Guadalajara Cathedral; Jose Clemente Orozco’s Mural of Hidalgo; the University of Guadalajara.

Opposite page: Guadalajara Plaza, Zapopan Plaza; Jennell at her Abulita’s (Grand-mother) house in Mexico.

“I am thankful to attend a University that truly empowers you to pursue your passion and provides the necessary tools for you to explore the world.”


s t u d e n t n e w s

An HNU student gives blood during the first blood drive of the academic year.

This past summer, Pat-rick Turner, HNU Junior and Men’s Basketball guard, traveled to Washington D.C. to partici-pate in two weeks of leadership training at the Red Cross Nation-al Headquarters. The experience provided Patrick and 12 other NAIA student athletes, with a rare opportunity to acquire pro-fessional leadership training from Senior Red Cross leaders on how to successfully imple-ment campus-wide blood drives.

“The leadership training impressed upon me, and the other student-athletes, the ability we have as campus leaders to effectively reach our peers and help them to understand the importance of blood donations” said Patrick.

Upon returning to HNU in the fall, Patrick immedi-ately began planning multiple campus blood drives for

Student-Athlete Leads Campus Blood Drive Campaign

the academic year. “The Bay Area is in need of donations and for us to be able to give back to local hospitals is great,” Patrick emphasized during the first blood drive of the academic year on September 7th. “70 members of the Holy Names community par-ticipated in offering to give back; the largest amount we’ve ever had before” reported Patrick. “The amount of units collected is still unknown at this

point, but just seeing our community come together for this first drive was amazing.”

Patrick is currently working in conjunction with other HNU community members to plan three additional drives for the year. He is hopeful that each subsequent drive will be as successful as the first, stating “I think we can still get more members of our community to give. I am excited to see what happens.”

“The amount of units collected is still unknown at this point, but just seeing our community come together for this first drive was amazing.”

Patrick Turner ’12 participated in the 2010 Red Cross/NAIA Leadership Program in Washington D.C.


FaC u lt y n e w s

Achieving New Heights: Updates from HNU Faculty

On May 24th, the Board of Trustees af-firmed the recommendation of the Rank and Tenure Committee to promote Marion Marshall, MS, BCET to the rank of Associate Professor. Marion is Director of the Educational Therapy Pro-gram, which, due to her leadership, has gained national recognition. The commit-tee praised Marion, stating “we are grateful for all that she has helped achieve at Holy Names in her 15-year tenure and look for-ward to many more years to come.”

New HNU Faculty Dr. Tze Tsang, HNU’s new

A s s i s t a n t Professor of Chemistry, received his Ph.D. from UC Davis. For the past 10 years he worked in research as

a Senior Scientist at Exelixis, a bio-technology company. His area of ex-pertise is medicinal chemistry with a focus on discovering new drugs to treat cancer. At HNU, he looks forward to dedicating his complete attention to pursuing his passion for teaching.

Dr. Fay L. Bower, Chairperson and Professor of the Department of Nursing spearheaded the University’s launch of a new degree completion program for adult learners, HNU’s License Vocational Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The new program is the first in the Bay Area to provide LVN’s a path to advance their career within the health industry by earning a BSN.

Gail Needleman, Lecturer in Music, has been awarded a residency at The Mesa Refuge, a writers’ retreat located in Point Reyes Station, CA that encourages writings about nature, economics and social equity. During her retreat, Gail will be working on a book about music, nature and the human spirit.

Dr. Ian Sammis earned his Ph.D. in mathemat-ics from UC Berke-ley in 2009, and holds an MA in mathemat-ics from SFSU and

an MS in physics from Caltech. As the new Assistant Professor of Math-ematics, he is focusing on reviving the mathematics minor, and hopes that HNU will graduate a student with the minor at the end of the aca-demic year.


F e at u r e s t o r y

President William J. Hynes, Ph.D. reached the 45-day mark as Holy Names University’s 17th Presi-dent on September 14th. Since he assumed office on Au-gust 1st, his time has been filled with high energy, new ideas and substantive community dialogue.

A Warm Reception As soon as he arrived on campus, President Hynes im-mersed himself into listening, learning and planning strategic priorities for the year ahead. He has been highly visible at a large number of events, including Orientation Weekend’s Rite of Passage Ceremony, Convocation and the Faculty Senate. He has met with members of the Sisters of the Holy Names, Board of Trustees, Regents, alumni, and donors. He held meetings with faculty and staff, participated in a three-day strategic planning re-treat with senior university administrators, and met with a wide cross-section of student groups and organizations. He said, “I am thoroughly enjoying getting to know the community. I feel extremely welcomed and feel people’s excitement about what we can do together.”

The opportunity to explore the hopes, needs and chal-lenges of each of the University’s stakeholders, affirmed for President Hynes the academic and administrative strengths of the University community. “I am impressed

with the density of human talent at all levels,” he shared. “I have learned that the heft of the institution, the feel of the institution, is double what it looks like on paper. There is a tremendous alignment of talent both within the institution, and in support of the institution; Holy Names University is well loved, well respected and in-creasingly well supported.”

Becoming VisibleSharing the Holy Names University ethos with the greater community, the Oakland Bay Area region, and the world, is a priority for the new President. “We have an excellent mission that is distinct and vital. The chal-lenge is that our ethos or mission is not as widely known as it deserves to be,” said President Hynes. “Today, we tend to call this ‘our brand’. Growing up I thought a brand was a hot instrument applied to the hind end of an animal. Now I see brand as the essence that arises from an institution; it is who we are. In terms of Holy Names, we are a community dedicated to the success of every one of our students. For 142 years we have been transforming human beings into leaders for tomorrow.”

President Hynes advocates that strengthening the Uni-versity’s existing relationship with the Oakland Bay Area community and forming new relationships is inextricably

A Bright Future Ahead: President Hynes’ First 45 DaysPhotos by Stephen Woo, husband of Theresa Rush Woo ’85


tied to greater visibility to the University and its brand. As he sees it, “the University’s deep commitment and consis-tency to its core values attracts a diverse array of people

who resonate with our core values. Our students want to be part of our community because they find that when they embrace our core values, they are empowered for suc-cess and for contributing to the common good.” Towards that end, President Hynes looks forward to telling the his-toric Holy Names story of civic engagement to the wider community and helping to deepen the depth and breadth of that engagement in the future.

A Community in TransitionOne needs only to hear of President Hynes’ record of academic and business achievements to know that his talents are a good recip-rocal fit to the current needs of Holy Names University. A veteran administrator in Catholic higher education, Hynes speaks glowingly of his predecessor, Sr. Rosema-rie Nassif, SSND: “She has left an amazing legacy. Holy Names University will be forever in her debt.” Hynes eagerly accepts the not in-significant challenge to harness the momentum of his predecessor and to achieve new levels of academic, fi-

nancial and fundraising success. A firm partnership with the University community, alumni, donors, faculty, and staff is key and Hynes implores each constituency to contribute by reconnecting with the HNU of today and sharing what they believe makes HNU unique.

When asked how community members can contribute, Hynes said “open your hearts, open your minds and come for a visit. Come see what we are doing today, come see our students and come to tell the ones who educated you how critically important that was. Tell us your most important memories about your times at Holy Names. Tell us about the one thing this President should never ever change. Tell us about the moral moments you remember, moments such as when the Sisters, faculty and staff stood up for social justices and human dignity, and made a difference in the community.”

A Bright Future AheadNo one is more excited about the future of Holy Names University than Dr. Hynes. An avid wine connoisseur, he evokes a favored viticulturist expression, “the vines that have had to overcome the greatest challenges often give the best wine”, to describe Holy Names University. “Hu-man faith in our mission, resilient acts of altruism, and

courage to succeed in the face of formidable challenges, has produced a powerfully fo-cused, nimble, and creative University.”

After just 45 days on the job, the President’s interaction with the community frames his vision for an auspicious future. “The community’s radical commitment to di-versity, hospitality, and social justice is phenomenal; it is one of the major advantages

of Holy Names University.” He continued, “right now, where we stand, there’s no better and no more important place for an educational institution to be. Because we are part of an inspiring, energizing, empowering organiza-tion, with God’s help we can produce inspiring, energiz-ing, and powerful results.”

President Hynes meets with his Cabinet: (left to right) Lizbeth Martin, Dav Cvitkovic, Michael Miller, President Hynes, Stuart Koop, Sr. Carol Sellman, SNJM, BA ‘69, MA ‘78.

The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees (left to right) Alan Hyman, President William Hynes, The Honorable Carol A. Corrigan ’70, JD, Ronald Rosequist, JD, Chair of the Board, Cynthia Canning, SNJM ’68, MA and Mary Pat LeRoy, SNJM ’68. Absent: James P. Kelly, MBA, Vice Chair of the Board and Barbara E. Hood ’70, MPA.


H aw k s P o r t s C e n t e r

For the first time in HNU’s history, two HNU Hawks made the 2010 Men’s Golf All-American Team. Senior, Garrett True, and Junior, Ste-phen Edman, became the 2nd and 3rd HNU golfers to be added to the list of All-Americans.

“This is a great day for the program,” said Greg Hutton, former Men’s Golf Coach, upon hearing the news on May 24th. “At the end of May, when the 2010 NAIA Men’s Golf National Championship wrapped up, HNU finished in fifth place. Following the NAIA announcement of the fifth place ranking, the team was recognized by the Holy Names University’s Board of Trustees. True, a 2010 graduate from Corona, CA earned first-team All-American honors capping off the most successful year for an individual in HNU golf

history. He finished the year with a stroke average of just above 73 and earned medalist honors at the CBU Spring Break Intercollegiate. “Gar-rett really deserves this,” said Coach Hutton. “His work ethic, determina-tion and self-belief are the reason he had such a great year. Garrett has set an example to follow for other mem-bers of the team.”

Edman, a junior from Canyon Lakes, CA earned second-team All-American honors after battling back from a mid-season injury that side-

lined him for more than a month. Edman had a stroke average of just less than 73 and earned medalist honors in multiple events.

Coach Hutton emphasized, “I’m very proud of every member of the team who contributed to our achieve-

“I’m very proud of every member of the team who contributed to our achievements this season. It has been a great year and the NAIA All-American announcement validates what this team is all about.”

Golf Team Best in History

HNU’s 2nd and 3rd golfers to be added to the Men’s Golf All American Team, Stephan Edman (right) and Garrett True (left).


ments this season. It has been a great year and the NAIA All-American announcement validates what this team is all about.”

After four successful years with the HNU Hawks, Coach Hutton bid farewell to the Golf Team at the end of July, “I will never forget the last four years at HNU. The success of the program was great, but the kids that I got to coach and the relation-ship that I created was what this was all about.”

Coach Eric Stone, Coach Hutton’s right-hand man throughout the golf program’s journey of success, as-sumed the Head Golf Coach posi-tion on August 1. “Eric has been a vi-tal part of Men’s Golf, he has worked closely with Coach Hutton to build one of the best golf programs in the country. This was a natural transi-tion and one that will allow Men’s Golf to continue along the path of academic and athletic success that we have come to expect,” said Ath-letic Director Dennis Jones.

A few of Coach Stone’s personal goals for the 2010-2011 season in-clude: “finishing better than 5th at Nationals next year, and to make sure student-athletes maintain good grades.”

Three HNU Teams Honored as NAIA Scholar TeamsOn July 27th, the National Association of Intercollegiate

Athletics (NAIA) released its Annual list of NAIA Scholar

Teams. 857 teams made the list and three belong to HNU.

To be considered for the Scholar Team list, the student ath-

letes from each team must have a combined average GPA of

3.0 or higher based on a 4.0 scale.

Congratulations to our 2010 NAIA Scholar Teams on their

remarkable achievement

Women’s Basketball 3.03 GPA

Women’s Soccer 3.05 GPA

Men’s Golf 3.28 GPA

For a complete listing of athletic events visit www.hnu.edu

Senior Garrett True (left) and Junior Stephen Edman (right) were Named NAIA All-Americans.


a l u M n i n e w s

Alumni Spotlight:

Reflections on life after graduation

Since graduating in 2001, Michael Stout has been making waves within the Video Game Industry. Mike recently authored a featured article for Gamasutra.com, the online version of Game Developer Magazine and is frequently referenced across the blog-sphere as a “veteran video game designer”. Because Mike’s experi-ence truly epitomizes the amazing opportunities alumni embrace upon leaving HNU, we invited Mike to share with us his career in a brief interview.

Share with us what you do?

I am a Game Design Specialist for Activision Blizzard, “a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distribu-tor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.” My job is to work with our first party (owned by Ac-tivision) and third party (non-owned independent company) game devel-opers, give feedback, and basically do whatever is needed to help bring up the quality of our games from a Game Design perspective. The ultimate goal is to make the game fun. By writing documents, making maps, doing il-lustrations, working with artists and programmers, we do all that we can to make sure the player’s experience of the game is a positive one.

What led you to your current career? Were there any significant moments along the way? How did you utilize those moments to get where you are now?

The year I graduated was also the year the dot-com bub-ble burst. For me, that meant that coming out of college

it took me more than 6 months to find a job (something that I’m sure graduates coming out into the current reces-

sion can sympathize with). I eventually ended up at Earthlink as a Phone Tech Support Agent for the graveyard shift. The job was awful. I started looking for another job, and I started thinking again of video games, a dream career I always wanted ever since I was a kid. I made a ton of applications to video game companies, but with no experi-ence it was impossible for me to get past the interview stage. Fortunately, it turned out a family friend had worked for a game developer named Insom-niac Games. Insomniac happened to be looking for testers at that point (a

position I didn’t even know existed) and so I applied for, interviewed for, and got the position of Lead Tester for Insomniac’s new in-house testing department. So in 2002, I left Earthlink after only a few months, took a huge salary cut, moved to Burbank from Fullerton, and started work right away.


I worked my butt off and quickly rose in the ranks. On each of the following projects I managed to move up. First from tester to Junior Designer, then a Designer, then a Senior Designer, and then I was a Lead Designer. Over those 5 years we made 5 very well-received games (four “Ratchet and Clank” games for the Playstation 2 and the Playstation 3 launch title “Resistance: Fall of Man”) and with each game I made I learned more and more. I was very fortunate to start my career at Insom-niac Games.

In 2007 I left Insomniac for a company called Obsid-ian Entertainment. About 9 months after I started at Obisidian, a friend of mine called me up to offer me a position at a start-up company called Bionic Games as their Creative Director. Even though I loved working at Obisidian, the offer was just too good to refuse.

I worked at Bionic Games on a game called “Spyborgs”, for the publisher Capcom. The project had a very trou-bled development. The hours on that project were brutal beyond belief. One time I spent 3 days straight at the office, sleeping on the couch or in a sleeping bag under my desk. We managed to get it out the door at a fairly decent quality in 2009, but pretty much everyone at the company was laid off afterwards because we could not get another project quickly enough to keep the money flowing.

Because of the recession, after being laid off at Bionic in the summer of 2009, I was out of work for months. I found myself out of work in an economy that had a glut of talent available and not enough jobs to give to them all. Once again, though, I got very lucky.

I applied for a position at Activision as a Game Design Specialist. They liked me very much as a candidate and so ended up hiring me as specialist in Character Action games. The job is very rewarding, and a lot of fun. I get to work with a lot of different game developers all over the place. I travel a lot and the hours are much more reason-able than they were on Spyborgs. I also get to work with a wide array of very talented people, which is a great thing for any professional. Further, I now have time for research

and writing, which is something I’ve always been passion-ate about. In mid-2010 I even managed to write and have a few articles published in industry publications.

People often ask me how to get a job as a game designer, and I have to tell them I don’t know. I tell them what I did, but as you can see from what I’ve written it’s been a long and winding road. I’ve had a lot of luck, good and bad, but the best advice I can give is to keep trying and work hard. It really does eventually pay off.

What advice would you give HNU students and com-munity members who are interested learning more about you, your career and the video game industry?

I have a blog at www.ongamedesign.net that I update occasionally. I also have a Wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Stout).

If you’d like to learn more about getting into the game industry, there’s a great website called www.gamecareer-guide.com as well as an industry website called www.gamasutra.com where I’ve got a few articles published. Check out the features on both sites, they’re awesome.

Young Alumni Awards:

Call for Nominations HNU is proud to announce the creation of the Young Alumni Awards. The Young Alumni Awards recognizes alumni who have graduated within the past 10 years and who have enhanced the prestige of the University by virtue of his or her character, integrity, professional accomplish-ments and volunteerism. We invite you join the HNU community in launching our first Annual Young Alumni Awards program by nominating a deserving alum today. Visit www.hnu.edu/alumni to complete a Young Alumni Awards nomination form or email [email protected] with your nomination.


Michael Mosby ’88, Vice Presi-dent of the HNU Alumni Association, deliv-ered an energetic speech about the importance of alumni support to the University during the 2010 Commencement Hooding Ceremonies. Below is an excerpt from his speech.

Celebrating Our Legacy

I join you this evening at the end of a 4 week business trip. I had the unique opportunity to visit the Mosby Heritage Reserve in Virginia where my ancestors toiled in slavery. As I stood on the same soil as my ancestors stood over 150 years ago, I was overcome! Here I stood, enjoying a legacy that they neither experienced nor visualized for themselves. However, they did have a faith in God. A faith that embodied hope of a future they could only imagine, but a future they believed would come to pass. I stood there in 2010, a product of their faith. I was humbled and imbued with a responsibility to continue their work.

I tell you this story as a reminder that you graduate from an institution steeped in 142 years of history and rich tradition. An institution built upon the foundation of service and the full spiritual development of the human person; an institution that continues to be faithfully dedicated to these ideals because they fuel purpose and action; an institution whose viability and further longevity are our sacred charge.

You see, as I stood there in that Virginia field, I became keenly aware that I stood upon the shoulders of those that came before me. Shoulders that I did not climb upon, but was lifted and placed there by selfless, calloused, blood-stained, loving hands to do things in this moment in history that they were unable to do, but believed could come to pass.

Tonight, as a family member of the HNU Alumni Association for more than 20 years, I reach and lift you upon our shoul-ders to perform deeds of heroics that we cannot do or fathom, but have faith that you can! On behalf of the thousands of HNU alumni, I welcome you to the next chapter of your HNU journey. For your HNU story does not end this weekend. It continues. You emerge from your educational and spiritual incubation, strong, vibrant, sparkling, and full of promise and purpose. You are also saturated with the HNU Spirit. As such, just as I am the legacy of Virginia slaves, you are the legacy of HNU!

Michael Mosby ’88 at the 2010 Graduation Hooding Ceremony.

“For your HNU story does not end this weekend.

It continues. You emerge from your educational

and spiritual incubation, strong, vibrant,

sparkling, and full of promise and purpose.”

a l u M n i n e w s


Celebrating Our LegacyNew Alumni Executive Board Members

Thank you to our returning Alumni Executive Board members for their continued service to HNU.

Julie Nelson Echaniz ’75, President

Michael Mosby ’88, Vice President

Rebecca Hinkley ’97, Secretary

Megan Norwood ’01, Committee Member

To welcome the new Alumni Executive Board members, we invited each new member to reflect on HNU’s unique qualities and how they hope to contribute to the alumni community during their terms of service.

“Our community is

unique in a multitude

of ways. Though we

represent a wide diver-

sity of generations and

different backgrounds,

we all share the experi-

ence of learning and

growing within the Holy Names University

community. Through my recent involvement

as an undergraduate and now a graduate stu-

dent and employee at HNU, I look forward to

helping to strengthen the alumni community

by contributing my own unique perspective to

the Alumni Executive Board.”

Jennifer Perkins ’08, HNU Enrollment Counselor

““The alumni commu-

nity is unique, active

and vibrant! I made

this discovery last year

when I co-chair the

Class of 1964’s 45-year

reunion. I already knew

we were united as the

“Girls of 64”; however, I was stunned by the

2009 Alumni Awards Ceremony. That night, I

met alumni whose lives were changed by HNU.

I met a diversity of students and alumni from

what I only knew as an all-girls college. From

a women’s college to a truly diverse institu-

tion, our Holy Names has changed. During my

term on the Board, I will look to invigorate the

Alumni community to give back to the Univer-

sity that empowers them to become who they

are today.”

Melanie Melewicz Blaha ’64, International Activities Coordinator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

“Holy Names University

is a small school with a

big heart. Its intimate

atmosphere enhances

the opportunity to build

lifelong relationships

within the college com-

munity. My goal is to

help encourage a rekindling of friendships be-

tween alums and to cultivate their renewed

interest and commitment to their alma mater.”

Carol Braves ’75, Administrative Director, Architectural Foundation of San Francisco

“The Holy Names Uni-

versity community has

impacted my life in so

many ways. The Sisters

of the Holy Names are

amazing. As an alumna,

I appreciate the Sisters’

commitment to sharing

the mission of service with myself and the

University community. During my term, I hope

to empower the alumni community to become

actively engaged with the HNU community

and its mission.

Tiffany Ho ’08, Enrollment Counselor

“The Holy Names

community is rich and

diverse beyond imagina-

tion. I hope to tap into

the wide range of talent

of nurse alumni as a

way of garnering more

support and achieving

the goal of strengthening our bond to the

community. My goal is to illicit the support

and involvement of the large body of nurses in

the external sector, educating them regard-

ing the roles of alumni, and as a role model,

demonstrating the wealth of ideas they can

contribute. ”

Donna R. Ervin ’06 MSN/MBA, Psychiatric Charge Nurse, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center


“I am the first person to attend college in my family. My desire to attend a private university with small class sizes and good academic programs is what inspired me to choose Holy Names. I am so thankful that I was chosen for a scholarship. Words cannot express my gratitude, it has really been helpful.”

~Sherry Williams, Junior

“HNU actively helped to make my edu-cation financially possible. It has made it possible for me to chase and achieve not just my goals, but my dreams. I wholly and entirely appreciate the schol-arship that I received. Thank you!”

~Jessika Hines-Schroder, Junior

Pride in our Legacy, Passion for our Future

Ways to Give:• Make a gift over the phone by calling the Office of Annual Giving at

(510) 436-1014

• Give online via our secure giving website by visiting www.hnu.edu/donors

• Maximize your donation by participating in the Employer Matching Gift Program by visiting www.hnu.edu/donors

• Make a gift of securities (stock, bond or mutual funds) by calling (510)-436-1198

Renewed commitment to the Annual Fund guarantees that students receive the necessary sup-port to fully access the benefits of a 21 century HNU education, an edu-cation that fuels dreams, aspirations and civic engagement for all deserv-ing students.

Gifts to the Annual Fund inspire greatness in our students allowing them to pursue their dreams!

Striving Forward with Great Momentum

F u n d r a i s i n g n e w s


On Sunday, September 5th, the Holy Names Universi-ty community lost one of its greatest ambas-sadors, Neil W. Mc-Daniel, HNU Trustee Emeritus. Neil’s af-filiation with the Holy Names Sisters began when his daughters, Marianne and Joanne attended Holy Names High School.

Born and raised in Walla Walla, Washington, Neil grad-uated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1939. Neil spent much of his career working in the auto-motive after-market industries, becoming the President of the Motor and Equipment Manufacturer’s Associa-tion in 1969 and later President of the Automotive Presi-dents’ Council.

Neil became an HNU Regent in 1983 and later a Trustee and member of the Institutional Advancement Commit-tee of the Board of Trustees. He was vital in leveraging the University’s profile amongst the business commu-nity and was an instrumental fund-raiser. Neil provided leadership and strategic direction to the Valley Center

for the Performance Arts campaign, the Science Facili-ties Reconstruction Project, the campaign for the newly renovated Student Center in Brennan Hall, the 2006 Michael Feinstein Benefit Concert and the annual Red Rose Golf Tournament benefiting the Mission Scholar-ship Fund.

Neil’s dedication to active volunteerism led him to share his gift of leadership with other community organiza-tions, including the Clausen House, the Board of the Oakland Symphony, the Easter Seal Society of Alam-eda County and the East Bay Community Foundation. In addition, he was a generous benefactor of Northern Lights School and Next Step Learning Center in Oak-land. In recognition of his contributes to HNU and the betterment of society at-large through his talents and en-terprise, the University community bestowed upon Neil an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters in 2007.

Holy Names University is blessed to have been the ben-eficiary of Neil’s wisdom for so many years. A gener-ous, loving, and inspiring man who cared deeply for his family and friends, Neil was an inspiration to our com-munity and will be deeply missed. Neil is survived by his loving wife, Barbara (a 1996 alumna of the HNU Sophia Program), his two daughters and seven grand-children and great-grandchildren.

Pride in our Legacy, Passion for our Future

I N M E M O R I A M

Dr. Neil W. McDanielOctober 6, 1916 – September 5, 2010


This winter, Sr. Marcia Frideger, SNJM, Ph.D., will leave the HNU community to join the Province Leadership Team for the U.S. – Ontario Province of the Sis-ters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM).

Throughout her tenure at HNU, Sr. Marcia has been influential in the growth and development of the Department of Business. Under her leadership, the Department expe-rienced increased enrollment and developed new and innovative pro-grams such as HNU’s MBA con-centration in Energy and Environ-ment. When asked what she would miss most, Sr. Marcia chuckled, “the people; everybody from the students, faculty and staff. There is a lot that is unique and special to Holy Names University.”

Sr. Marcia’s reputation for being an effective leader, educator and an invaluable knowledge resource for Management and Organizational Behavior (her area of academic exper-tise) propelled her nomination to the Province Leadership Team on mul-tiple occasions. As she recalls, in the past, when her name was pushed for-ward as a possible candidate, “I was either about to start a degree or just finished a degree. But, each time, I always said someday I will be willing

to serve the community in this way; if the time seemed right.”

This year, the timing was perfect. All of the factors in Sr. Marcia’s life aligned, including her confidence in the well being of HNU. “I feel a commitment to the SNJM commu-nity and to sharing my gifts there at this time. For me, there is a sense that because the University is in a positive, healthy and growing state, it feels possible to carry my work forward in another arena.”

The term for Sr. Marcia’s new posi-tion is five years. As a member of the Province Leadership Team, Sr. Mar-cia will join four other SNJM lead-ers and work on an array of initiatives supporting the SNJM community. When asked which areas of the Prov-ince Leadership Team’s responsibili-ties she holds closest to her heart, Sr. Marcia responded “emphasizing the importance of our ministry in the world and that we keep promoting the social justice dimension of our community and its values, while at the same time, we make sure that we care for our aging Sisters.”

On behalf of the University com-munity, Lizbeth J. Martin, Vice President for Academic Affairs, com-municated HNU’s shared commu-nity-wide sentiment best, “This is a tremendous honor for Sr. Marcia and acknowledgement of her exceptional management skills. I am certain we will all count the days until Sr. Mar-cia’s return to our Holy Names Uni-versity community.”

“I feel a commitment to the

SNJM community and to sharing

my gifts there at this time. For

me, there is a sense that be-

cause the University is in a posi-

tive, healthy and growing state, it

feels possible to carry my work

forward.”

s n J M n e w s

sr. Marcia Frideger Joins SNJM Leadership Team


’09 Osprey Orielle Lake’s new book, Uprising for the Earth: Reconnecting Culture with Nature, has just been re-leased and can be ordered at amazon.com. Visit www.ospreyoriellelake.com for more information.

’06 Mimi Victoria Zobairi received her Juris Doctorate degree on May 16th, from UC Hastings College of Law.

’04 Ruth Flores and her husband, Steven Spencer ’12, had a baby girl, Bella, on May 23rd.

’99 Judy Simon Nguyen and husband, Pete, welcomed twins, Cabeb Charles and Madeline Elizabeth, on October 26th.

’98 Henry Gascon completed a Master’s in Public Administration from the Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service at New York University.

’95 Seana O’Shaughnessy and husband, Alex, gave birth to Quinn Karolyi on August 17th.

’90 Bill Ludtke was Musical Director for Contra Costa Christian Theater’s June production of “Godspell”.

’70 Joanne Hartensten Dickson and husband, Doug, are both enjoying retire-ment. Their youngest son is a Cardiac Care Nurse with Kaiser, their daughter lives in South Carolina with her husband and three kids and their oldest son lives in Virginia with his wife and two kids. The whole family participated in a family reunion in South Carolina in May.

’68 Kathleen Rebello Collins has a new great granddaughter, Maliyah Leilani, born February 10th and a new great grandson, Jaxon, born in March.

’66 Marianne Viani, SNJM retired in June after 20 years as an Associate Su-perintendent for Curriculum and School Improvement for the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

’65 Anne Dinneen, SNJM was honored with the Children’s Choice Award by Saint Vincent’s Day Home in Oakland, CA, an organization she has been connected with since 1970. She received the honor at a Mardi Gras-theme dinner on March 5, 2010.

’62, ’82 Mary Ondreyco, SNJM celebrated 20 years of service to Headstart in Watsonville, CA. The Headstart group recently celebrated Sr. Mary’s commitment to the children she serves. The legacy of ministry to children in labor camps is being carried on by volunteers trained by Sr. Mary and Sr. Inez Sherwood ’77.

’52 Mary Franck Starrs, a lay ecclesial minister, reports that her Holy Names training is still in use 50 years later.

’49 Joan Atkinson reflects on the impor-tance of Holy Names to her by comment-ing “after graduating from high school, I came in out of nowhere to Holy Names College and asked Sister Rose Emmanuella for a scholarship. Sister said ‘Yes.” For this reasons, I have resolved always to say ‘Yes’ to Holy Names.”

’43 Barbara Hester Benson spent three weeks visiting her twin sister, Sally Hester Wright ’43 in Santa Rosa, CA. In the fall, Sally will visit Barbara in Bethesda, Mary-land. Both Barbara and Sally enjoy visiting friends and familiar places.

Kappa Gamma Pi

National Catholic College Graduate Honor SocietyThe San Francisco/East Bay Chapter of Kappa Gamma Pi, the National Catholic College Graduate Honor Society, is cur-rently selling See’s Candies for their winter fundraiser. Multiple HNU Alumni are Kappa Gam-ma Pi members and actively em-brace the Honor Society’s motto of “Faith and Service” by serving within their communities and supporting initiatives to improve literacy and alleviate hunger.

The chapter is sponsoring a See’s candy sale to fund a Christmas project for St. Mary’s Center in Oakland and request your sup-port. To purchase a box of See’s Candies to support the 2010 Kap-pa Gamma Pi Winter Fundraiser, call Kathleen G. Dunlap ’60 at (510) 886-4046 or email [email protected]. For more information about the work of Kappa Gamma Pi, visit www.kappagammapi.org/

sr. Marcia Frideger Joins SNJM Leadership Team

Class Notes


elizabeth “Bettie” ann Violich ’46

On April 26, 2010, Elizabeth “Bettie” Ann Violich ’46 passed away at her home in Piedmont, California surrounded by loved ones. Bettie graduated from Holy Names College and went onto a success-ful 30 year career as an educator and Principal of the E. Morris Cox Elemen-tary School, receiving the Marcus A. Foster Educational Institute Award as an outstanding and distinguished educator.

Devoted to her community, Bettie spent an enormous amount of time in the ser-vice of others, including serving as Presi-dent of the Holy Names College Alumni Association from 1959 - 1961, board member of the Bellevue Club, the Ladies Home Society for the Matilda Browne Home, and multiple other organizations.

A recipient of the University’s highest alumni honor, the Alumni Recogni-tion Award, the University community recognized Bettie for her outstanding achievements and service to the church and community during the 1988 Alumni Awards Ceremony.

An elegant and gracious woman, Bettie was a great friend and advocate on behalf of the Holy Names community. Those who knew her will deeply miss her and always remember her.

MichaelWilson(Friend)May 5, 2009

C.JeanBigelow(Friend)June 24, 2009

RitaMcGinnisBoscacci(Friend)

October 17, 2009

LouiseMalloy(mother of Sheila Malloy ’67)

December 9, 2009

JoycePalmPedersen’91January 2, 2010

WalterE.Rex(Friend)January 22, 2010

RobertW.Theren(father of Maria Theren, Graphic Designer)

February 6, 2010

Proserpina‘Prose’Morosin(former staff)

March 13, 2010

ThelmaPfeifferTakacs’71March 24, 2010

RobertSchwartz(husband of Maureen O’Brien Schwartz ’69)

March 31, 2010

MaryConlon(sister of Rev. Jim Conlon, Chair of the

Sophia Program)

April 18, 2010

AnnaMayMartelon(sister of Marguerite Kirk, snjm, former staff)

April 23, 2010

LucyRahman’93April 24, 2010

SallyMcGettiganWyatt’44April 24, 2010

HaroldBerliner(father of Ruth Berliner ’77)

April 26, 2010

CormacMurphy(Noel Francis),FSC‘72April 26, 2010

ElizabethAnn‘Bettie’ErichsonViolich‘46April 26, 2010

CatherineMunsMcCormick‘49May 10, 2010

VeronicaHanlon,SM‘97May 10, 2010

H.JamesSchlader(father of Joel Schlader ’08, Lecturer)

May 8, 2010

PeterBatchelder(nephew of Pat Woertner, faculty)

May 12, 2010

MichaelMeyerSchneider(father of Karen Schneider, Librarian)

May 23, 2010

Ambrose‘Burt”Burton(husband of Pam Burton, ’78)

May 2010

MarySchmitt(SophiaFaculty)June 1, 2010

HelenJeanetteSoaresMariman‘57June 4, 2010

PatriciaKenny,SNJM’51June 9, 2010

GerardaMarieJoubert,SNJM,MA‘47June 21, 2010

Mrs.EleanorEstrella-Ruiz(mother of Paul Mancilla, student)

June 29, 2010

NicholasBailey(student ’07-’08)

July 4, 2010

M.SeraphicaMcLean,SNJM’70(former secretary of HNU Board of Directors)

July 9, 2010

Kristine‘Kris’Bowman‘99August 2, 2010

ElbaRosadelValle(Nena)DavidPurcell(mother of Edward Purcell, Educ. Dept.

student; former faculty-Spanish Dept.)

August 5, 2010

DanielA.Scannell(husband of Maureen O’Brien Scannell ’56)

August 19, 2010

MernaThomas’81(former Director of Prep. Music Program

and Music Dept.)

August 26, 2010

NormanJ.Brown(husband of Virginia Jurgens Brown ’55)

September 3, 2010

NeilMcDaniel(husband of Barbara Bonds McDaniel ’96,

Former Trustee)

September 5, 2010

CarolynDeMaria(mother of Keith Hansen ’04, English Dept

Faculty)

September 7, 2010

Sr.MaryPaulGerardGustafson’48September 24, 2010

I N M E M O R I A M

As President of the Alumni Association (1959-1961), Bettie Violich ’46 (far left) presented a plaque to

commemorate the Lake Merritt Kaiser Center as the original site of Holy Names University. 20 LIBERATING MINDS • TRANSFORMING LIVES • SINCE 1868

Moments in Time: Homecoming 2010Visit www.hnu.edu/alumni to view additional photos from Homecoming 2010

t H e l a s t w o r d

Office of Institutional Advancement3500 Mountain BoulevardOakland, CA 94619-1699510-436-1240

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PAIDHoly NamesUniversity

Save the datefor the Inauguration of

Dr. W illiam J. Hynesas the 17th President

of Holy Names University

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

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