Annual Presidential Seminar
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Catholic universities have a special responsibility as stewards of the Catholic intellectual tradition.
As such, they seek to preserve, transmit and develop this 2,000-year-old tradition in the context of and in active dialogue with the contemporary cultures of the world and the signs of the times. The tasks of preserving, transmitting and developing the Catholic intellectual tradition enriches our pedagogical mission of preparing students for lives of continuous learning, leadership and service to others. Sacred Heart University has emerged as one of the leading Catholic universities in the United States in this important work at the beginning of the twenty-first century.
Members of the faculty have a unique role in fulfilling this aspect of the University’s mission. To assist those members of the faculty interested in developing this part of the University’s mission, an annual Presidential Seminar on the Catholic intellectual tradition was established. The program, now in its twentieth year, will begin with a new cohort in May 2026.
Members of the faculty have a unique role in fulfilling this aspect of the University’s mission.
Objectives
The Presidential Seminar is a year-long program for a group of ten members of full-time faculty. The Seminar has four objectives:
- To assist the participants to come to a better understanding of the Catholic intellectual tradition
- To articulate and explore the methodological and pedagogical implications of this tradition for the participants’ work as teachers seeking to engage students with the Catholic intellectual tradition
- To examine the research opportunities that engagement with the tradition creates for the participants
- To encourage the participants to work toward development of the Catholic intellectual tradition throughout their academic life
Phases of the Presidential Seminar
The first phase is a concentrated week-long immersion program of study on the Catholic intellectual tradition. The second phase consists of four half-day sessions scheduled during the academic year to continue to deepen the study that began in May and to explore the pedagogical and research issues that emerge during the Seminar. Upcoming dates for both phases will be determined soon.
Participants are expected to be active members of the Seminar for the whole year and participate in all sessions of the two phases. Participants must produce a tangible outcome connected to the Catholic intellectual tradition as a result of the Seminar. Such outcomes include a publishable paper or a new course that the professor would teach. A final meeting for presentations of projects will be scheduled soon.
Faculty members who are accepted will receive a $5,000 grant for their participation in the Seminar and completion of their projects. They will also be invited to ongoing programs and conversations in the years to come to strengthen and deepen insights resulting from the Seminar.
Apply
To apply for the program, fill out and submit the Presidential Seminar Application online.
Presidential Seminar Team
Ami Neville
Matthew Shields
2005-2006
June-Ann Greeley, Religious Studies
Mark Jareb, Biology
Steven Michels, Government & Politics
John Michniewicz, Music
Gerald Reid, Sociology
Michael Ventimiglia, Philosophy
2006-2007
Jeff Cain, English
Sue Deschenes, Biology
Charlotte Gradie, History
Andra Gumbus, Management
Kathy LaFontana, Psychology
Michelle Loris, English
Bridget Lyons, Economics & Finance
Brian Stiltner, Religious Studies
Sandra Young, English
2007-2008
Tom Curran, History
Richard Magee, English
Christel Manning, Religious Studies
James McCabe, Criminal Justice
Anca Micu, Marketing & Sports Management
Andrew Miller, Media Studies
Jason Molitierno, Mathematics
Barbara Pierce, Biology
John Roney, History
2008-2009
Mark Beekey, Biology
Jody Bortone, Occupational Therapy
Lesley DeNardis, Government & Politics
Peter Ferriby, Librarian
Dhia Habboush, Chemistry
Edward Papa, Philosophy
2009-2010
Kirk Bartholomew, Biology
Stephane Kiren, Criminal Justice
Joseph Nagy, English
Joan Pollack, Social Work
Sally Ross, Media Studies
Nicole Roy, Biology
Daniel Shim, Accounting
Joshua Shuart, Marketing & Sports Management
Thomas Terleph, Biology
2010-2011
Audrey Beauvais, Nursing
Susan Dinnocenti, Education
Jennie-Rebecca Falcetta, English
Alka Jauhari, Political Science
Khawaja Mamun, Finance
Peter Maresco, Marketing & Sports Management
Elissa Miller, Occupational Therapy
Patrick Morris, Criminal Justice
Rupendra Paliwal, Finance
Geffrey Stopper, Biology
Greg Viggiano, History
2011-2012
Patricia Conti, English
Kwamie Dunbar, Finance
Cara Erdheim, English
Jacqueline Kelleher, Education
Christopher Kelly, Religious Studies
Amanda Moras, Sociology
Eric Scibek, Athletic Training
Deirdre Yeater, Psychology
2012-2013
Bronwyn Cross-Denny, Social Work
Eleni Diakogeorgiou, Athletic Training
Coltilde Dudley-Smith, Health Science
Ono Ekeh, Religious Studies
Tanya Grant, Criminal Justice
Beau Greer, Exercise Science
Kenneth Knies, Philosophy
Andrew Lazowski, Mathematics
Nathan Lewis, Art
Anna Price, Exercise Science
Valerie Wherley, Exercise Science
Jonas Zdanys, English
2013-2014
Jesse Bailey, Philosophy
Lori Bindig, Media Studies
Wendy Bjerke, Exercise Science
Patricia Carl-Stannard, Social Work
Marie Hulme, English
Matthew Kaye, Volunteer Programs
Jennifer McLaughlin, History
Dawn Melzer, Psychology
Cima Sedigh, Education
LaTina Steele, Biology
2014-2015
Michael Barbour, Education
Colleen Butler-Sweet, Sociology
Michael Carriger, HR Management
Valerie Christian, Management
Nancy DelVecchio, Library
Michael Giarratano, Education
Sharon McCloskey, Occupational Therapy
Enda McGovern, Marketing
Kerry Milner, Nursing
Rhea Paul, Speech-Language Pathology
Andrew Pierce, Philosophy
Gordon Purves, Philosophy
Gail Samdperil, Athletic Training
2015-2016
Veronica Austen, English
Stephen Briner, Psychology
Andrea Canuel, Volunteer Programs
Susan Goncalves, Nursing
Ruth Grant, Psychology
Mary-Ellen Johnson, Occupational Therapy
Ralph Lim, Economics & Finance
Julie Mujic, History
Tuvana Rua, Management
Peter Sinclair, English
Raja Staggers-Hakim, Health Science Leadership
2016-2017
Charles Britton, Leadership Literacy
Moshe Cohen, Computer Science
Mary-Alice Donius, Nursing
Randall Glading, Leadership Literacy
Christina Gunther, Global Health Programs
Stephen Lilley, Sociology
Karl Lorenz, Student Teaching, MAT
Joel Quintong, Residential Life
Jessica Samuolis, Psychology
Pennie Sessler Branden, Nursing
2017-2018
Karen Bauce, Nursing
Jill Douglass, Speech-Language Pathology
Mary Ignagni, Psychology
Ciara Leydon, Speech-Language Pathology
Brent Little, Catholic Studies
Kristin Rainville, Literacy
Lauren Rapacki, Mathematics Education
Daniel Rober, Catholic Studies
Alicja Stannard, Exercise Science
2018-2019
Cenk Erdil, Computer Science
David Luesink, History
Eric Nemec, Physician Assistant
Chris Petrosino, Physical Therapy
Christine Susienka, Philosophy
Christopher Taber, Exercise Science
Sherylyn Watson, Nursing
Bill Yousman, Media Studies
2019-2020
Isil Akbulut-Gok, Government & Politics
Emily Bryan, Catholic Studies
Michelle Cole, Nursing
Elizabeth Johnson-Tyson, Social Work
Mahfuja Malik, Accounting
Sofia Pendley, Health Science
Darcy Ronan, Education
Kristen Savell, Biology
Samah Senbel, Computer Science
Anna Vaughn, Philosophy
2021-2022
Abby Bender, English
Felipe Cortes, Management
Kathy Dhanda, Management
LuAnn Etcher, Nursing
Charlie Gillespie, Catholic Studies
Chelsea King, Catholic Studies
Dave Loranger, Fashion Marketing
Matthew Moran, Exercise Science
Jason Ostrander, Social Work
Joseph Polizzi, Education Leadership
2022-2023
Ololade Afolabi, Communication Studies
Charles Jacob, Counseling
Suzanne Marmo, Social Work
Frank Martignetti, Music Education
Jonix Owino, Psychology
Susan Penque, Nursing
Jillian Plummer, Catholic Studies
Caitlin Ross, Speech-Language Pathology
Annie Wendell, Volunteer Programs
Nikki Wingate, Marketing
2023-2024
Mark Congdon, Communication Studies
Sally Drew, Teacher Education
Avinash Mishra, Communication Science & Disorders
Susan Ronan, Physical Therapy
Maureen Ruby, Educational & Literacy Leadership
Claudio Schapsis, Marketing
Nidhi Shrivastava, Languages & Literature
Jenny Strandberg, Philosophy
Callie Tabor, Catholic Studies
2024-2025
Rachel Bauer, Performing Arts
Ximeng Chen, Political Science & Global Affairs
Igor Khokhlov, Computer Science & Engineering
Bora Kwon, Management
Rui Liu, Health Science
Emily Mane, Chemistry
Kelly Marino, History
Todd Matthews, Sociology, Criminology, & Criminal Justice
Foluke Omosun, Communication & Media
Stefanie Seanor, Occupational Therapy