GERIATRIC CONFERENCE: The Saint Louis University division of geriatric medicine is sponsoring the ninth annual St. Louis Summer Geriatric Institute and the 17th annual GRECC Symposium, "Turning Silver into Gold: Keeping Seniors Productive." The conference will be Tuesday through Thursday, June 3 to 5, at the Margaret McCormick Doisy Learning Resources Center. Recognized experts in geriatrics and gerontology will update participants on clinical, theoretical, social and educational subjects that affect the function of older adults. The conference reflects the goal of geriatrics - to make the best of life and one's remaining years. Although the three-day, interdisciplinary conference is designed for clinicians and faculty in geriatrics and gerontology, the general public is welcome. For more information or a conference brochure, please call Sue Brooks at 577-8462.

SEMINAR FOR SENIORS: The University of the Third Age is offering a seminar with sessions for older adults conducted by older adults. The seminar will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 6, at the Margaret McCormick Doisy Learning Resources Center. The program will focus on "Creative Learning: Becoming More Human" and will feature Dr. Armand Brodeur, founder of the National Association of Physician Broadcasters and weekly medical adviser on KMOX-AM 1120 radio. Session topics are varied, including programs on theatre in St. Louis, tai chi, travel, writing your memoirs, yoga, campaign reform, Vitamin E, alternative medicine, 21st century poetry and the Dred Scott case. For more information or to register for the seminar, please call Nina Tumosa at 577-8462 or (800) 268-5880.

FINANCIAL AID AWARD: Sallie Mae Education Institute, a separate, non-profit entity supported by Sallie Mae, has named Saint Louis University, one of 10 winners in its awards program for financial aid administrators. The University will receive $5,000 to support need-based grants and financial aid training and was chosen for its program "Early Planning For College Workshop - The Why, How and When." The workshops are led jointly by the University and the American Express Financial Advisors Inc. and are held throughout the community to raise early awareness about the value and affordability of a college education. In addition to Saint Louis University, award winners include Bloomsburg (Pa.) University; Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, Chicago; New York University; Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine; The University of Texas - Pan American; University of Arkansas; University of Miami; University of Southern Colorado; and University of South Florida. Each winning school must divide the award so that 75 percent of the $5,000 is used for need-based grants or to pay down education loans for deserving students. The remaining 25 percent must be used to fund financial aid training or to improve debt counseling programs.

SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: Wanting to make prayer a part of your daily life? Looking for a way to pray? Contemplating a major life decision? Then consider making Bridges next fall. The Bridges program also is known as the Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life. Based on the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises written by St. Ignatius Loyola, it is a program of prayer and reflection for busy people. Attend an hour of exploration from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22, in the LRC Room 112. Former participants will speak on the benefits of the program, and an overview of Bridges will be presented. For more information, call Mary Flick at 977-2428.

GOOD GUIDE: The Billiken men's soccer guide publication again was rated best in its district and was rated fifth nationally in this year's College Sports Information Directors of America publications contest. The guide was produced by Doug McIlhagga, director of sports information, and the sports information staff.

LEADER LUNCH: Several members of the Saint Louis University community were honored at the YWCA Leader Lunch XVII in December at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The honorees were Dr. Faye Abram, associate professor in the School of Social Service; Patricia Gregory, librarian in the Pius XII Memorial Library; Kathy Humphrey, residence life director; Kathleen Brady, vice president for facility management and civic affairs; Brenda Rainey, administrative secretary in science and mathematics; Mary Kay Dorsey, nurse specialist in vascular surgery; Floyce Scherrer, assistant director surgical services; Mary Souris, director of finance at the Health Sciences Center; and Elsa Zayas, M.D., instructor in the department of psychiatry.

HELPING OUR OWN: Employees facing a financial emergency that requires assistance beyond their own resources can turn to Helping Our Own. Funded by employees for employees of the University, the Helping Our Own program provides a one-time monetary gift to any full-time or part-time employee experiencing a financial crisis. To request help or to refer a colleague, call 977-2428 for more information. The program is administered by campus ministry.

EARLY JOBS: Boeing is offering second-shift liaison engineer jobs to juniors and seniors at Parks College of Engineering and Aviation. The offers are being made to students majoring in aerospace engineering and aircraft maintenance engineering who are maintaining 3.0 grade-point averages or better. Wages run from $14 to $15 per hour plus medical, vacation and savings benefits. Participants must continue working toward their degrees, although maintaining a full course load is not required. The new hires will investigate non-conformances and design repairs on fighters at Boeing's St. Louis factory. Upon graduation, the engineers will be promoted to higher pay levels.

WOOLF AT THE DOOR: The Women's Studies Program will host the eighth annual conference on 20th century British author Virginia Woolf on the Frost campus June 4 to 7. The theme for the conference is "Virginia Woolf and Communities." Several noted speakers will discuss Woolf's work, and seven sets of simultaneous panels, a film and a poetry reading also will be offered. A reduced registration fee is available to Saint Louis University employees and students. For a conference brochure, call Georgia Johnston at 977-3619 or send an e-mail message to johnstgk@slu.edu.

CHEMISTRY AWARD: In April, James J. Haycraft received the 28th annual Leopold Marcus Award, which is given to a senior chemistry major doing undergraduate research at the University. The award was established by the late Jack and Gertrude Marcus in memory of his father, and it consists of a $200 cash award and a certificate of merit. In addition to Haycraft, Nhan C. Dang, Angela M. Hughes, and Kevin W. McConnell were finalists in the competition; they each received $100 and a certificate of merit. The Marcus Award is administered by the department of chemistry and the St. Louis Section of the American Chemical Society. Haycraft was chosen on the basis of his presentation, "Interactions of Dodecyl Sulfate Surfactants with Water-Soluble Polymers," carried out under the direction of Dr. Alexa Serfis. Dang, working with Dr. Bruce Kowert, discussed "Studies of the Translational Motion of Planar Nickel Complexes." Hughes' talk was titled, "Comparison of the Translational and Rotational Motions of a Molecular Propeller" and also was prepared in collaboration with Kowert. McConnell's talk, "The Octet Rule and Hypervalence in Period II and III Compounds," was prepared under the supervision of Dr. Ron See. Kowert was the 1998 Marcus Chair.

LISTEN UP: May was "Better Speech and Hearing Month." If you suspect that you, or someone you love, may have a speech, language and/or hearing problem, please call the department of communication disorders' Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic at 977-3365.

COLLEGE THEOLOGY: Saint Louis University welcomed hundreds of participants representing diverse religious backgrounds to the 44th annual convention of the College Theology Society, a predominantly Catholic organization. The convention, held in conjunction with the National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion, took place from May 28 to 31. The convention featured a variety of theological topics aimed at educators, including women and religion, world religions, scripture, ethics and the history of Christianity. This is the second year the convention has included a joint meeting with the National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion, uniting denominations for ecumenical discussions. The convention is open to the public. Registration is $75 for the four-day event. For more information, call Dan Finucane, local coordinator, at 977-2871.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: The department of preventive cardiology programs is looking for volunteers to participate in cholesterol studies. Patients are required to have one or more of the following symptoms to qualify for the studies: high cholesterol, diabetes and/or heart disease. Patients who qualify will receive approved medications for high cholesterol, blood tests, EKGs and exams at no charge. For more information or to enroll in the study, call 577-8770 or 577-6015.

HAY FEVER: Volunteers are needed for a research study evaluating an investigational antihistamine in the treatment of spring seasonal hay fever symptoms. If you are over 12 years of age with at least a two-year history of spring hay fever symptoms, you may be eligible to participate. Qualified volunteers will receive at no charge five study visits, limited skin testing, study medication and a stipend for participation. Volunteers cannot be using prescription nasal sprays, Hismanal, inhaled or oral steroids for asthma, or be pregnant or nursing. If you experience spring seasonal hay fever symptoms and would like more information about the study, please call 268-5880.

AQUINAS DEGREE: Kevin D. O'Rourke, OP, professor of health care ethics and director of the Center of Health Care Ethics at the School of Medicine, received the degree of doctor of humanities, honoris causa, from Aquinas Institute of Theology in commencement ceremonies on May 9. O'Rourke, who served as professor and president of Aquinas Institute of Theology between 1958 and 1972, is the author of dozens of books and articles, and his best-known book, Health Care Ethics: A Theological Analysis (co-authored with Benedict Ashley, OP), is in its fourth edition and is a standard textbook in colleges, medical schools and nursing schools. He founded the Center for Health Care Ethics in 1979, and was instrumental in integrating ethics education into the medical school curriculum. O'Rourke will retire from his position this summer.

SPIRITUALITY SOCIETY: The Society for Spirituality and Social Work will hold its fourth national meeting, "Spirituality and Human Diversity: Challenges and Opportunities for Social Work" June 27 to 30 at Saint Louis University. Through professional networking and the dissemination of innovative research theory and practice, the society advocates spirituallysensitive helping that honors the wide variety of religious and non-religious forms of spirituality. For more information, call Gary Behrman at 977-2752.

A&E FUND DRIVE: The University supports the 1998 Arts and Education Council fund drive, which helps ensure study, appreciation and training in all the arts at area schools. Contributions are key to many area arts organizations and will ensure the continuation of community outreach programs. For information about making a donation to the Arts and Education Council, call Sandra Voss at 977-2358 or e-mail her at vosssd@slu.edu.

Top