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T eaching at Regis At the core of the Regis experience over the first ninety years has been the faculty, both Jesuit and lay people. The brilliance and dedication of these educators, some legendary fi gures, have left their mark on the lives of thousands of Regians. Many of the names – Duffy, Quintavalle, Connelly, Egan, Kelly, Clancy, Tricamo - are vividly recalled in conversations with alumni. Today, twenty-two members of the faculty have taught at Regis for more than twenty years; twenty-six have taught less than ten years. Seventeen members of the faculty are women. And, while there is only one Jesuit teaching full-time, the Regis faculty remains committed to the mission and traditions of Regis and Jesuit education. Four members of the faculty were asked to share their thoughts on their profession and teaching at Regis today. Arthur C. Bender, S.J., Regis ‘67 Teaching at Regis since 1991 Education: AB, Fordham University MA, University of Toronto STL, Regis College, Toronto Courses American History, American Studies The Cold War, Greek What excites you or has “life-giving” qualities about teaching here at Regis? There are too many to enumerate, but I would single out the enthusiasm and willingness to learn that so many of the students bring to class, their cheerful willingness to be of assistance to one another, the dedication of the faculty, and the fact that teaching such bright students forces me to keep on learning myself. What challenges are unique to your discipline? Our understanding of historical events great and small is always growing and changing. I teach a course on the Cold War, and the information that is being released from Soviet and other archives in recent years is greatly expanding our understanding of the events of this period. I find it a challenge to keep up with all this. Do you think Regis is less “Jesuit” or less “Ignatian” today than it was 30 years ago, especially with only 1 full-time Jesuit teacher? No. The fact that there are fewer Jesuits at Regis now than there were a generation ago did not come as a surprise to us. Much good work has been done in the past two or three decades to communicate to the lay faculty and staff the principles and spirit of Jesuit education. They are doing a fine job carrying on the educational and formational work at Regis in the Jesuit tradition. How has teaching changed over the years you have been a teacher? One of the greatest changes over the past ten years has been in the expanded role of technology. In teaching history I find that there are now an enormous number of very good resources (and some not so good ones) available both to me and to students. My expectations regarding the quality of research that students can now do has risen accordingly. How does teaching at Regis compare with other teaching jobs you have held? I have also taught at Canisius High in Buffalo and at St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City. While my experience in each of these Jesuit schools has been for the most part similar and enjoyable, I have found the Regis students to be especially fast and eager learners and I have been able to maintain very high expectations concerning how they perform. What would you like your legacy as a teacher to be? While I am not sure I am quite ready to start thinking in terms of a legacy yet, I think that, apart from what I believe all our faculty would like—that our graduates be men of competence, conscience and compassion—I would be quite pleased if my students in the years ahead would occasionally read a book or an article in history for the sheer pleasure of expanding their understanding. William Carew, Ph.D. Teaching at Regis since 2001 Education: BS, University Witwatrsand, South Africa HED, University of South Africa MS, Fordham University Ph.D., Fordham University Courses Biology TALK Freshman Biology What excites you or has “life-giving” qualities about teaching here at Regis? At the risk of sounding clichéd, it is definitely the quality of the students. And by quality I don’t only mean academic, but behavioral as well. I have, quite frankly, never encountered students of this caliber in my 28 years or so of teaching. Not that I intend on retiring any time soon but this is the greatest way to end my teaching career! What challenges are unique to your discipline? The biological sciences involve quite a bit of chemistry. Also, molecular biology is a forever changing field and it is a challenge both to keep abreast of the most recent information and to convey it to the students in a logical, “easy to understand” way. In spite of this, many students are well read on some topics and continually challenge me with questions I have never thought about. Do you think Regis is less “Jesuit” or less “Ignatian” today than it was 30 years ago, especially with only 1 full-time Jesuit teacher? Definitely more Ignatian. When I started here in 2001 I had to attend workshops on Ignatian education. All aspects of my work center around it. We are lucky enough to have a Jesuit priest (Father Ken Caufield) who leads us in discussion (one-on-one or in groups) about Jesuit education, life processes, and spirituality. At last I have found a great way to link Ignatian education with evolution! How has teaching changed over the years you have been a teacher? Teaching has definitely progressed from the days when children were made to learn and regurgitate facts. Now it is far more important that children be able to relate facts to a variety of situations. For example, it is important to relate your knowledge of DNA to fingerprints and forensics. Of course new technology has made our teaching a lot more pleasant! How does teaching at Regis compare with other teaching jobs you have held? There is absolutely no comparison between Regis and the other institutions at which I have taught. While I am very grateful for what the other four institutions have given me, I never encountered such joy in teaching as I have here at Regis. “Challenge and be challenged” is my motto. I can do that at Regis; I am very happy to be here. What would you like your legacy as a teacher to be? I would like to be remembered for making a difference, even if it is to only one student. It has always been my goal to enhance in my students the love of Biology. There is no sound sweeter to my ears than to hear from a student or a parent that “ I (my child) have learned to love science”. 12 <strong>REGIS</strong> ALUMNI NEWS
Christian Talbot, Regis ‘93 Teaching at Regis since 1998 Education: BA, Georgetown University Courses Junior English Madness in Literature Man’s Search for Meaning The Philosophical Novel The Sopranos Carol Weatherall Teaching at Regis since 2000 Education: MA, St. Peter’s College Courses Calculus Geometry Junior Advanced Math Junior Precalculus What excites you or has “life-giving” qualities about teaching here at Regis? Magis’, ‘Cura Personalis’, the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm of ‘Context, Experience, Reflection, Action’ - all of these excite me about teaching here at Regis. The one I find most life-giving is the ‘Cura Personalis’, the care and concern for the individual. The students, the parents, the faculty and administration all want what’s in the best interest of the individual student. What challenges are unique to your discipline? From what I can see, many (if not most) Regians like to read and write. Mathematics is not always their strongest subject and while many would be above average in mathematics in another school, they struggle here at Regis and they get frustrated because they want to do well. Fortunately, for the most part, they will persevere, seek extra help and find the study skills they need to achieve their own personal goal. Do you think Regis is less “Jesuit” or less “Ignatian” today than it was 30 years ago, especially with only 1 full-time Jesuit teacher? I’m not sure what Regis was like 30 years ago, but from what I understand there were enough Jesuits on staff to take care of the spiritual formation of the students. I hope that involving the lay faculty in this process has enhanced the Ignatian identity. Today faculty members help to plan and attend the day of reflection for freshman and the retreats for upper classmen, they act as mentors to seniors involved in the Christian Service program, they moderate clubs such as Amnesty International, Amate Vitam, Habitat for Humanity and the Schola. In the classroom, many teachers have their students write reflection papers at the end of a unit or trimester. By including the lay faculty members in helping our students ‘to find God in all things’, I think the Ignatian identity of the school has been enriched over the past few years. How has teaching changed over the years you have been a teacher? Technology, technology, technology! Texas Instruments Calculators, Geometer’s Sketchpad, Smart Boards - all of these have enhanced my ability to explore and answer questions in the classroom I would not have had the time to consider in my first few years of teaching. How does teaching at Regis compare with other teaching jobs you have held? Here at Regis, everybody cares. While we may not always agree, we all care. For the most part, I find Regians to be enthusiastic, eager, and very entertaining! I truly enjoy teaching here at Regis, more so than any of the three other teaching jobs I’ve held. What would you like your legacy as a teacher to be? I would like my legacy to be two-fold. First and foremost that the Regis Walkathon will forever surpass its goal! And, also, that my students will be independent learners - they will have the courage to question why and the confidence to find the answer(s). What excites you or has “life-giving” qualities about teaching here at Regis? I think the bottom line is that I get very excited by ideas, but two specific things come to mind. First, being with students of such a high caliber means that I am constantly learning as I teach, and for me that is a very exciting prospect. It ensures that I never get bored in the classroom. Second, Regis is a community of people who are very passionate about their interests. For example, when I was his student I may have thought of John Murphy as amazingly obsessed with the siege engines of the Ancient Greeks--it’s hard to explain the scale model of a flaming pitch catapult that he has aimed at Andre Anselme. Now that I’m his colleague, however, I can engage him in a cross-disciplinary discussion about Archimedes’ contributions to war. I never cease to be amazed at the extent of my colleagues’ passions and knowledge. What challenges are unique to your discipline? I don’t think of teaching English Literature as particularly challenging, but that may be because I love it so much that I have no trouble talking about it or getting others to talk about it. I must admit that I do find the teaching of writing to be a challenge. While there are plenty of technical rules that one ought to obey always, “quality” good writing is either subjectively defined, or impossible to categorize. In fact, just yesterday I checked out of our library Stephen King’s book “On Writing,” and he comments in a Foreward that writers often don’t understand why something works or doesn’t work. (It may surprise those who think of King as a schlock artist, but he goes on to state that one notable exception can be found in Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style.) I would add that it is also a challenge to explain to my students the fixation that John Tricamo has with dogs, especially Vizslas. They can’t understand why such a well-respected English teacher would love the canine equivalent of Mr. Bigglesworth. Do you think Regis is less “Jesuit” or less “Ignatian” today than it was 30 years ago, especially with only 1 full-time Jesuit teacher? Yes and no. When someone asks me what it has been like to be a student at a “Jesuit” school, I always highlight two things: the liberal arts education and the emphasis on service. There is no doubt that Regis is as strong as ever in these two categories, especially with the advent of the REACH Program. On the other hand, one cannot help but feel that fewer Jesuits are a real loss for Regis. But, as with any change, we can use it as an opportunity to evolve. In that sense, I believe that Regis is becoming a more “Ignatian” place. For example, many teachers have participated JSEA (Jesuit Secondary Education Association) development programs, in which Ignatian pedagogy is emphasized--for example, the process of prelection and reflection as ways to aid the teacher in forming the entire student, not just his cognitive faculties. I think it also helps that we have Ken Caufield, SJ, who works full-time as a spiritual director for any interested faculty members. How has teaching changed over the years you have been a teacher? I don’t feel teaching has changed in any essential way. Teaching for me is, at its core, about the interaction among learners. Anyone who is a serious teacher on some level loves being with students--not just to aid in their development, but also to grow from the experience of being with them. I imagine that some people might argue that technology will fundamentally change teaching, but at the moment I see it as a tool that helps me do what I’ve always hoped to do as a teacher. How does teaching at Regis compare with other teaching jobs you have held? Ever since my Christian Service project here at Regis, I have been involved in teaching. During summers I taught middle school students, and later I tutored and taught a class at a DC public high school while I was in college. After college, I taught for one year at a Catholic high school in Long Island. I’ve always loved my students in these various places, but none can compare with Regis. I love Regis more than any other institution, and I look at the opportunity to come back as a faculty member as a true blessing. What would you like your legacy as a teacher to be? At each stage of my education, my best teachers have enabled me to “learn how to learn” and to think for myself, and they also inspired in me a hunger to learn more. I would like to be that kind of teacher for my students. WINTER 2003 13
Page 1 and 2: REGIS ALUMNI NEWS T aching at Regis
Page 3 and 4: P resident’s R eport Dear Regians
Page 5 and 6: individuals. Kieran serves on the A
Page 7 and 8: that they begin to lose their meani
Page 9 and 10: Oktoberfest with German Cabaret A Y
Page 11: Errors & Corrections The 2003 Annua
Page 15 and 16: New York City. George is President
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Page 19 and 20: mid-Fifties before his family moved
Page 21 and 22: Research Leader for 2003, for his w
Page 23 and 24: class of 94. They’ve done a coupl

REGIS

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