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Editor:
Tom McFadden
Managing Editor: Niall O'Donnell
Contributing Editors: Tom O'Connor,
Jack Anderson (Sports Center)
Contributing Photographers: Tom O'Connor
Issue: May 9, 2008
Name: Adam Gardner
Age: 20
Year: Sophomore
From: Dover, AR
Major: Political Science
Any Hobbies? Snow boarding, climbing
What's your favorite class or professor? First, Dr. Way. He is very enthusiastic about what he teaches and has a great desire for his students to learn about the politics of today.
Second, Prof. Brown. He keeps class fun and entertaining, while imbedding Philosophical Knowledge in his students.
What is your favorite thing about Christendom College? I really like the atmosphere Christendom College created. I have made many good friends in my past two years here, with whom I share common interests and beliefs. Everyone is so friendly and gets along, creating a great community.
Why did you choose Christendom College? A major deciding factor for my choosing Christendom College was the Rome Program. I am currently enrolled in the upcoming Fall Rome Semester and am really looking forward to this chance to study abroad.
What do you plan to do after graduation? I'm still keeping my options open for after graduation. One possibility, though, is grad school for a business degree. I find business and economics very interesting.
Cards and Missionaries
A group of students, faculty, staff and friends gathered in the Chapel Crypt for a fundraising Poker Tournament.
Students Tim Lanahan, JP Minick, Brian Gallagher, Kieran DuFrain and Alyssa Tappe helped in the organization of the event. These students will be dedicating two months of their summer vacation to missionary work in the Dominican Republic.
“The event was a great success,” Lanahan said. “We raised $500 which will be dedicated to our work in the D.R.”
Philosophy Prof. Mike Brown organizes missionary trips every year, which take place during the spring and/or summer breaks. Students assist those in need, not only in the Dominican Republic, but also, New York City, Mexico, and more.
A Bluegrass Break
Students were able to relax a bit last weekend when The Old Dominion String Band came to Kilian's Cafe.
The band features two Christendom Alumni, Paul Almeter and Zach Akers ('05), and their friend, Shannon Murray. The band described themselves as, "Purveyors of fine old-time, mountain, folk, hillbilly, redneck, and bluegrass music," and jokingly added, "and death-metal, only upon request."
Students enjoyed the fine music and mirth—a great way to spend time away from the books.
Dancing Under the Stars
Finals week is always a stressful time as the semester comes to an end, but students had a chance to take a break from studying Saturday night and attend “Flannery’s Dance Under the Stars.”
The senior class president hosts a dance at the end of the year and this semester Flannery O’Connor chose to have the dance located outside, under the stars, of the St. John the Evangelist Library. The dance-floor was lit by tiki-torches and moonlight, and dancers could enjoy refreshments set up around the courtyard of Our Lady.
“It was really nice to be able to forget about finals for the night and just have fun outside at the dance,” commented freshman Brian Dennehy. “It was a great study break!”
The Dance Under the Stars is the last student-organized dance before graduation, and the last event planned by Flannery O’Connor who will graduate this year.
The Speech of Angels
Scottish author Thomas Carlyle once said, "Music is well said to be the speech of angels."
This is what inspired a group of faculty, staff, and students to gather at the home of Dr. Cuddeback, Director of the Philosophy Department for the final Schubertiad of the year at his home in Front Royal last Sunday.
The idea of a Schubertiad comes from Franz Schubert, a composer of the German Romantic Era of the early 1800s. Schubert would informally gather with his friends who would sing his melodies or play his instrumental pieces accompanied by Schubert himself at the piano. These sociable evenings of songs, chamber music, and piano, came to be known as Schubertiads. The Schubertiad has become a unique concert style of its own.
Following the musical performances, those who attended moved to the barn for some dancing. The style of dancing was contra, where couples in facing lines perform a number of traditional folk dances.
Dr. Clark, a Classics professor, has hosted a Schubertiad at his home several times this year.
Crowning Our Queen
After Mass last Sunday students gathered for a rosary procession and May Crowning. The Senior Ladies were each given a rose to present to Our Lady. Senior Class President Flannery O’Connor carried a gorgeous crown made of petite roses, which was placed on the head of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima.
“It was so nice,” Senior Colleen Mead said. “I felt so proud to be honoring Our Lady in this way and to be a senior girl at Christendom.”
Take a look below:
In
honor of the 30th Anniversary of Christendom College
the Chronicler Online takes a peek into the past
of the college each week.
Many Blessings Waiting for You
The following is the a student reflection from 1979 by Christendom Student Anita Songeo:
There is an ideal vision, which constantly presents itself in people's minds. It is the vision of like-minded, like-hearted individuals working together toward the betterment of the world in which we live. The world becomes a safer and saner place of peace, harmony and beauty where men demonstrate by their actions their love of God and total commitment to all of humanity.
Although it is unrealistic to assume that 100% perfection would ever be achieved, especially in today's secular society, men must nevertheless continue striving for the highest goals on the recognition that they are the highest goals. Christendom College is an important stepping-stone toward this end. It is a training ground-a workshop in which one can learn to perfect his own limited opinions by assenting to the Truth, which has been revealed by God Himself.
Through his discovery of Catholic ideals, one gains a deeper awareness of life that most people cannot comprehend. He is then able to honestly confront the negative aspects of his life and transform them into positive outlooks. He can progress through a maze of complexity into a realm where everything falls into place.
So if you are a student who thinks that Christendom has no more to offer than curfews, dress codes, and visitation rules, you are mistaken. I can only pray that misconceptions won't overpower the need for God's Truth. He has too many blessings waiting for you here.
Christendom Sports: A Year in Review
Christendom athletics enjoyed a tremendous semester of sports in spring 2008. It was a semester in which the men and women’s basketball teams brought home several trophies, that had the rugby team record its first ever victory in just its second full season, and a semester of competitive, fun filled intramural events.
Christendom basketball enjoyed the presence of Freshman Matt Rensch as he banked home a game winning reverse layup to give the Crusaders a victory for third place in a tournament earlier this year. He was mentored by senior Pate Quest who made his mark as terrific leader. The team really came around the last several weeks and they will look to build on that next year.
Meanwhile the girls played well in their tournament appearance led by Kathleen McKinnon, Abby Hill and Allison Kavanaugh. Nancy Bauer provided solid coaching and the girls played well even though they were missing several key players who went to Rome. With their return the girls should have a lot of firepower and will contend for supremacy in the conference.
The rugby team jumped headlong into their second season as they trained hard with grueling practices throughout the semester. The work paid off as they notched their first victory against the Winchester Cannons and played very competitively in most of their other games. They have a lot of young talent with freshmen like Matt Dennehy and Johnny Hambleton while they have some older players who are very experienced such as Kieran DuFrain and Tom McGuire. With continued coaching from Mike Miller, the team will only improve as they have the passion and desire to be one of the finest athletic programs Christendom has to offer.
Matt Rensch and Noah Morey spearheaded the intramural program this semester as they offered Racquetball, Indoor Soccer, and Basketball. It was very well organized and everyone who participated thoroughly enjoyed himself or herself. Basketball ended with a fantastic game between Pate Quest’s team and Dr. Clark’s team. Philosophy professor Mike Brown nailed five of six three pointers, but his efforts were for naught as Morey drained a three ball to win it, thus ending the intramural season. Overall, it was a great job done by Morey and Rensch and many thanks go to them for taking the time to organize it.
So with another year in the books it’s time for summer, but next semester the students will return to find that Christendom will feature several new sports in Golf and Swimming while a Crew team might be waiting in the wings. Special thanks to AD Coach Vander Woude for all he did this semester and look forward to seeing him again next year.
Q: Is it possible to graduate from Christendom in 3 years?
– T.A. Sugarland, TX
A: It is written that anything is possible, with God’s grace. But, normally, it could only happen if the individual were extremely dedicated, motivated, and somewhat over-achieving. And then, on top of that, they would have to have no life other than the academic one. I am not sure, but I do not think that anyone has made it through here from start to finish in anything less than 3 ½ years. Christendom requires 44 classes in order for someone to graduate with a B.A. If someone took 7 classes each semester of freshman year (normal is 6), and then 7 each semester of sophomore year (normal is 6), and then 6 each semester during junior year (normal is 5 – and the student would be unable to attend the semester in Rome), then 3 classes and a thesis for one more semester, well, they could graduate a semester early.
Although we understand that part of the attraction to finishing early is that you save all that money for the semester, we highly recommend not opting out of the Semester in Rome program. This is the capstone to our core curriculum and it changes the lives of everyone who attends. Now, if someone had a number of classes to transfer in, then, maybe 3 years would not be such a stretch. We are able to look at your college transcripts and determine what will and what won’t transfer.
I hope this helps.
If
anyone has questions about applying, visiting, scholarships,
financial aid, campus life, rules and regulations, majors,
core curriculum, transfer credits, or even about the food
here at Christendom, please do not hesitate to contact me
at any time: 800.877.5456 ext 1290 or tmcfadden@christendom.edu.
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