Meet the President - Rockhurst University

Everyone loves a mystery,and the readers of Rockhurstmagazine are noexception. “Accordingto Rockhurst Lore” onpage 13 of the fall 2005issue — which told a story about astudent who traveled all the way fromGermany on a boat to attend Rockhurstand was, unbeknownst to theadministration, a woman — elicitednumerous reader responses.Many people knew that a studentfrom Germany, Friederun Behrens,did attend Rockhurst in the 1950s,and some swore her arrival was justas described. However, a little investigativework found Friederun, nowFriederun Boone, living not far fromKansas City and willing to set therecord straight.“I didn’t come over on a boat,”Boone said, “I came on a plane.”And, by the time she enrolledat Rockhurst, she already had beenliving in Kansas City for a while. Shecame to live with her great-uncle andhis wife and to improve her Englishwhile finishing high school at BishopHogan. Boone said she enrolled ina Rockhurst biology class in the summerof 1952 and was allowed to enterthe regular daytime division.“We started class at 6:30 or 7 a.m.during the summer and quit by noonto avoid the heat,” Boone recalls.She said she chose a double majorin chemistry and biology with theintention of becoming a doctor.Rockhurst faculty were helpfulwith her endeavors, Boone recalled.“Perhaps they considered it quitea challenge — here’s this female andshe’s not good at English. Maybe wecan help her be successful.”Being one of very few women onthe Rockhurst campus during thattime doesn’t seem to have causedany major problems for Boone. Sheremembers being allowed to takerefuge when necessary in a first-floorlounge used by the female stafferswho worked in the office of the Rev.Joseph Gough, S.J., dean of the college.She also recalls getting alongwell with her fellow students, enjoyingtypical activities such as pilingin someone’s car on a Friday for aWinstead’s grilled cheese that servedas an alternative to the cafeteria fish.Following her graduation fromRockhurst in 1956, she attendedCreighton Medical School for oneyear, but said she couldn’t afford tocontinue.When Friederun Booneattended Rockhurst,the chemistry labswere in Conway hall.Instead, she put her chemistrydegree to use at Colgate Palmolive,where she worked in the qualityassurance lab until her retirementin 1991.Today Boone makes her homewith her husband on a Turney, Mo.,farm, where she helps with the businessside of their small cattle operation.She said she enjoys workingin their large garden, quilting andvisiting with her three grown childrenand three grandchildren.But why did Rockhurst break therules and allow her to attend? Onealumnus writer to the magazinespeculated that her great-uncle knewFr. Gough and asked him to intercedeand allow the Jesuits to keep an eyeon her.“Probably, yes, the Jesuits did keepan eye on me,” said Boone, “but Idon’t know why Fr. Gough madean exception. I think they took thatsecret to the grave.”Some things will remain a mysteryafter all.16 RockhuRst4spRinG 2006