By Caitlin Dwyer, M.T.S. and John D. Rudnick, Jr., Ed.D.
Thomas More University
Part 77 of our series, “Retrospect and Vista II”: Thomas More College/University, 1971-2021
The turn of the millennium saw Catholic Higher Education Institutions (CHEIs) re-evaluate their commitment to their Catholic heritage and culture. While Catholicity had for a time become a facet of institutional identity to be downplayed in an effort to attract more students and faculty, some schools have now sought to deepen commitment to Catholic identity in an effort to provide the best possible education of the whole person and to stand out from other institutions of higher education. Thomas More’s reflection upon and attention to its own Catholic identity and mission parallel these trends.
As mentioned in the previous segment, the end of the 20th century was marked by tumultuous change for the Catholic Church catalyzed by Vatican II and compounded by the negative effects of sex abuse scandals. Despair and frustration for many intermingled with a hope for fruitful future adjustments in the delivery of Catholic Higher Education in the modern era.
Sr. Margaret Stallmeyer, CDP (TMU Archives)
In 1990, Pope John Paul II introduced Ex Corde Ecclesiae, an Apostolic Constitution promulgated to illuminate a positive vision of the mission of Catholic universities in the modern era and to give parameters regarding the fundamental elements of faithful CHEIs, including guidelines for faculty member hiring and engagement. On the one hand, Ex Corde inspired controversy regarding the perceived tension between academic freedom and fidelity to the teachings of Christ. On the other hand, it stimulated deeper reflection on how CHEIs could renew their commitment to their Catholic identity in order to offer unique educational and research opportunities informed by both faith and reason that respond to the contemporary needs of humanity.
The Association for Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) participated in research in response to the questions raised by Ex Corde and the drift from orthodoxy that occurred in the post-Vatican II era. Melanie Morey and John Piderit published their findings in Catholic Higher Education: A Culture in Crisis (2006).
One of the outcomes was a labeling of different types of CHEIs to identify areas of focus and commitment. Criteria included percentage of Catholic faculty, students who identified as Catholic, and coursework requirements. Immersion, Invitational (Persuasion), Diaspora, and Cohort models emerged as four types that reflected the student population targeted and the communities served by CHEIs.
“Immersion” describes the most committed CHEIs to Catholic higher education, offering the most theology and philosophy courses in their core curriculum requirements. There is the presupposition that students choose an immersion school for the added emphasis on a Catholic culture.
Panoramic view of the Chapel interior (TMU Archives)
“Invitational/Persuasion” universities seek student exposure to the tenets and teachings of the Catholic faith but required fewer theology and philosophy courses and invite students to learn and cultivate a curiosity about faith. “Diaspora” (Greek for “scattered”) serve largely urban populations with a minority of faculty members and students identifying as Catholic. “Cohort” models seek to attract high-performing students and faculty committed to research, while pursuing teaching with a balance of strong theology and education aimed at diverse and broad population segments.
At the end of the 20th century, Thomas More College could be best described as a persuasion CHEI. As discussed in the previous segment, Thomas More’s roots are deeply Catholic, but a growing number of faculty, staff, and students were coming from different backgrounds with varying degrees of interest in the faith. In the wake of these changes, Thomas More desired to establish a deep and meaningful commitment to its Catholic identity, but in a way that was accessible to a more diverse community. What follows is a collection of noteworthy efforts to advance Catholic identity and mission by Thomas More community members over the course of the past three presidencies.
The presidency of Sr. Margaret Stallmeyer, C.D.P., ushered in a return to fundamental Catholicity with a renewed emphasis on artifacts and symbols as visible witness to the faith. Sr. Margaret was struck by the absence of Christian art and architecture when she took up her post, noting that a person could spend a good amount of time walking around campus without ever knowing that it was Catholic. She was firmly convinced that the school’s Catholic identity was an asset for all students, regardless of their background, that should be highlighted rather than hidden. She spearheaded the effort to place a crucifix in every classroom on campus and to build the new Mary Seat of Wisdom Chapel in the center of campus. These efforts met with very minimal pushback, demonstrating the perhaps under-appreciated openness and commitment of the Thomas More community to its uniquely Catholic heritage.
President David Armstrong (TMU Archives)
In addition, President Stallmeyer commenced an initiative to revise the school’s long mission statement to make it more focused and easier for every member of the community to recall and thus integrate into their work. The final product (completed after her presidency) emphasized the specificity of the school’s Catholic commitment, as well as the universality of the institution’s Catholic values. She also convened a university committee on Catholic identity with the charge of finding practical ways to elevate the Catholic identity of the university within the university and within the larger community. Lastly, she heartily supported the Hillenmeyer lectures, the college’s longtime speaker series designed to foster dialogue on Catholicism and university life, and hosted Catholic speaker Immaculée Ilibagiza, a Rwandan-American author and speaker, to talk about how faith helped her survive and find meaning in her persecution during the Rwandan holocaust.
Thomas More’s next president, David A. Armstrong strengthened the Catholic culture and identity of the campus through Board of Trustees engagement and commitment. President Armstrong fostered relationships with local and national Catholic entities and started the Bishop Roger J. Foys Ministry & Service Scholarship to bolster the campus ministry program by attracting engaged Catholic students. An effort was made to align Catholic business professionals with students to establish mentorship consistent with Thomas More’s Catholic virtues/values. President Armstrong also hosted Sr. Helen Prejean, a renowned advocate for death row inmates, and oversaw the foundation of the William T. Robinson III Institute for Religious Liberty. Inspired by Thomas More’s patron, the institute seeks to advance the American concept of religious freedom as an unalienable right and the protection of this right for all people.
Monsignor Gerald Twaddell (Courtesy of the Diocese of Covington)
The late 1990s to present has also been a time of grassroots innovation on the part of faculty, staff, board members, and even students in the realm of Catholic identity. Accounting professor Dr. Tom Gilday initiated a recurring service trip to Jamaica, as well the Vita program which connects students with underserved members of the surrounding community in need of tax help. Drs. Stephen Holler (Philosophy and Theology), James Camp (Sociology), and Paul Tenkotte (History & International Studies) responded to student interest in the exploitation of workers and immigration and pioneered a service-learning course on the U.S.-Mexico border that integrates direct service with theological and sociological reflection. Over 250 students have participated in this program, which continues today.
Professor Caitlin Dwyer (Theology) used a Presidential Innovation Grant to develop the Mission Minute program designed to deepen community understanding of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition (CIT) by working with thirty faculty and staff members to make short profiles of important figures in the history of Catholic thought from all disciplines. She also led discussions on Ex Corde and Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and helped integrate education on Thomas More’s patron, the CIT, and CST into the new First Year Experience course. Aware of the future challenges of maintaining Catholicity in the wake of perpetual technological innovation, Dr. Julian Young conducted the first national Thomas More Summit in 2022 to foster excellence in online teaching at CHEIs.
Athletic Director, Terry Connor, started the annual Rosary Rally, which brings together all student-athletes and any Thomas More community members who desire to pray for blessings on the coming school year and sports seasons through the intercession of the Blessed Mother.
Alumnus and Board of Trustee chair Marc Neltner was pivotal in the design and support of programs aimed to engage students in authentic Catholic teaching, forging relationships with both Ruah Woods, a Theology of the Body apostolate in Cincinnati, and FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students), a national collegiate outreach whose mission is to share the hope and joy of the gospel with college and university students. Neltner also spearheaded the efforts to bring Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, the founder and CEO of Mary’s Meals, to campus under Acting President Dr. Kathleen Jagger. Mary’s Meals is an international organization that seeks to alleviate hunger by providing meals for children in places of education.
Students revitalized Thomas More’s pro-life efforts, reinstating the Saints for Life student group. This group continues to provide community education, advocacy, and service opportunities on a range of pro-life issues under the auspices of Campus Ministry.
President Joseph Chillo (TMU Archives)
Campus Ministry (CM) piloted new programs for students as well as faculty and staff. Agape Latte seeks to welcome people of all backgrounds by providing faculty and staff opportunities to share and discuss powerful life stories with students. CM houses the Foys Scholars program, which gives students the leadership skills and support they need to offer retreats, Bible studies, and other opportunities for worship, prayer, fellowship, and service for their fellow students on campus. Director of Campus Ministry, Andrew Cole, has intentionally sought to create a culture which promotes student leadership and initiative to develop new programs that meet the changing needs of the student body. Ecumenical and interfaith opportunities, such as weekly Gospel reflection groups, Advent and Lenten prayer groups, and Discuss More (a program focused on the values and virtues of Thomas More), have been offered by faculty such as Sr. Fidelis Tracy, C.D.P. and Dr. John Rudnick. Long-time Chaplain Monsignor Gerald Twaddell has faithfully offered Mass daily, as well as opportunities for Confession and Adoration.
While the interpretation of Thomas More’s Catholic identity and mission remains a lively topic, current president Joseph C. Chillo has voiced strong support for the university to maintain fidelity to its Catholic identity and mission in a way that is accessible to all members of the Thomas More community. In the strategic plan, “Lighting the Way,” he has committed to making Thomas More “the premier regional Catholic University” and launching a Center for Faith, Mission, and Catholic Education devoted to cultivating an authentic Catholic culture throughout the university by serving as a catalyst for transformative faith experiences, intentional mission integration, and creative Catholic educational programs on campus and in the wider community.
President Chillo has also inaugurated a new tradition of an annual campus-wide day of service to the community, Saints Serve, and supported the institution of an annual Saints Sustainability Day rooted in the Catholic social teaching principle of Care for God’s Creation and the 2015 papal encyclical, Laudato Si, which emphasizes the need for care of the environment. In addition, he and his staff have taken steps to strengthen hiring for mission efforts, integrate education on mission into the new faculty and staff extended orientation program, and maintain a strong commitment to theology and philosophy courses in the newly approved core curriculum. This commitment will enable Thomas More to fulfill its mission as the Catholic liberal arts university of the Diocese of Covington far into the next millennium: “Inspired by the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, we challenge students of all faiths to examine the ultimate meaning of life, their place in the world, and their responsibility to others.”
Caitlin Dwyer has been teaching at Thomas More University since 2015. She also works as a freelance editor and writer. Projects include work for Ruah Woods, a Theology of the Body apostolate in Cincinnati, OH, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Humanum, and FaithND. She has lectured on John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and other theological topics at the University of Notre Dame, Ave Maria University and various schools and parishes.
Dr. Jack Rudnick, Jr. is a Professor at Thomas More University in the Department of Business Administration and Accountancy. He served as a healthcare administrator in the United States Navy Medical Service Corps in Charleston, SC and as a Physician/Medical Programs Recruiter Philadelphia, PA. A Boston native and Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, Dr. Rudnick has served as a practitioner for healthcare organizations in Ohio, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Kentucky.
We want to learn more about the history of your business, church, school, or organization in our region (Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and along the Ohio River). If you would like to share your rich history with others, please contact the editor of “Our Rich History,” Paul A. Tenkotte, at tenkottep@nku.edu. Paul A. Tenkotte, PhD is Professor of History and Gender Studies at Northern Kentucky University (NKU) and the author of many books and articles.
