| July 12, 2006 | Vol 7. No. 17 |
Canisius Mourns the Loss of Father O’Connor
A wake will be held in the Community Chapel at Loyola Hall on Friday, July 14 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. for Rev. Thomas A. O’Connor, S.J., a pastoral minister at Canisius College and a Jesuit priest for nearly 60 years, who died on Sunday, July 9 after a brief illness. He was 75. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 15 in Christ the King Chapel. Burial services will be held in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Cheektowaga, NY, immediately following Mass.
A native of Niagara Falls, NY, Father O’Connor entered the Society of Jesus on July 30, 1949 and was ordained a priest in 1962 at the Canisius College Christ the King Chapel. He spent 40 of his 57 years as a Jesuit, educating and ministering at the college.
“Father O’Connor was always ready to share a meal with alumni, faculty or students; to listen; to impart his dry wit; to serve with students and staff in the community; and to share the spirit of God with everyone in his special and gentle way,” said Rev. John P. Bucki, S.J., director of campus ministry. “Canisius has been wonderfully blessed by Father O’Connor.”
Father O’Connor joined the Canisius staff in 1966 as an instructor in management. He later became an assistant professor in the college’s Department of Management-Marketing, where he taught commercial affairs and administration for nearly 20 years (1967-1986). During that tenure, Father O’Connor also served briefly as vice president for business and finance at Canisius.
In 1986, he retired from teaching to concentrate on campus ministry. Father O’Connor performed liturgical and sacristy services, organized marriage preparation programs and was active in service work throughout the Buffalo community. Each Wednesday afternoon, Father O’Connor accompanied eight to 10 Canisius students to the South Buffalo Community Table Soup Kitchen, where they carried out any number of necessary tasks, from serving food to washing dishes, and from cleaning to minor repairs.
A 1948 graduate of Canisius High School, Father O’Connor earned his BA and PhL degrees in philosophy from St. Louis University; an STB degree in theology from Woodstock College in Baltimore, MD; and an MBA from Harvard University.
In May 2006, the Canisius College Masters of Business Alumni Association bestowed on Father O’Connor the Rev. Thomas E. Fleming, S.J., Distinguished Service Award. Conferred only periodically, the award recognizes a person who has demonstrated outstanding service to the college’s graduate business program and its alumni association. Father O’Connor served as an ex-officio member of the MBA Alumni Board of Directors.
Father O’Connor also served, for nearly eight years, as moderator of the Alumni Sodality, a 110-year old organization of Canisius alumni and alumni from other local schools who meet once a month to attend Mass at Christ the King Chapel and have breakfast. As moderator, Father O’Connor hosted Mass each month and arranged for Jesuit speakers to speak at the breakfast.
“Father O’Connor was a very friendly, compassionate priest who especially loved to be with students, family and his fellow Jesuits,” said Rev. Patrick J. Lynch, S.J., associate professor and chair of religious studies and theology, and rector of the Jesuit community at Canisius. “Until his eyesight recently began to fail, he loved to play golf both locally and at professional tour courses. He will be sorely missed for his kindness and helping hand.”
Father O’Connor is survived by two sisters, Catherine (O’Connor) Kelly of Chevy Chase, MD and Vivian (O’Connor) Molloy of Huntington, NY, and many other relatives.
Anderson Named Associate Vice President of Student Affairs
Cary M. Anderson, EdD, became associate vice president of student affairs on July 1. The dean of students at Canisius College since 1999, Anderson has been responsible for the student life departments of Residence Life, Campus Programming and Leadership Development, International Student Programs, and Counseling, Health Services and Disability Support Services. In this role, he has established a campus atmosphere that allows for students to develop, mature and learn life skills. Anderson will retain his role as dean of students but will become more involved with divisional strategic planning and retention issues at the college, in his new role as associate vice president of student affairs.
“Cary has naturally evolved into this new position throughout his tenure at the college,” says Ellen O. Conley, PhD, vice president of student affairs who appointed Anderson to the new position. “His commitment to all areas of student affairs has made him an extremely respected and valuable member of the Canisius community and the community at-large.” For more information, click here.
Honeywell Extends Support for Chemistry Olympiad
(Far right) David Nalewajek, PhD, senior principal scientist at Honeywell presents Mariusz M. Kozik, PhD, chair and professor of chemistry and biochemistry, with a check for the company’s support of the WNY Chemistry Olympiad. John J. Hurley, vice president for college relations was on hand for the presentation.
The Honeywell Corporation recently awarded Chemistry Professor Mariusz M. Kozik, PhD, a $15,960 grant extension for continued support of the Western New York (WNY) Chemistry Olympiad. Kozik is the coordinator of the local Olympiad, which is sponsored by the American Chemical Society at Canisius and part of an international chemistry competition aimed at identifying the best high school chemistry students in the world.
Each year, approximately 60 local chemistry students begin their Olympiad competition at Canisius in a series of qualifying exams, laboratory tests and other activities. The top students then qualify for the International Chemistry Olympiad. In years past, local students have been named to the U.S. team, and earned gold, silver and bronze medals.
Since 2003, the Honeywell Corporation has awarded nearly $80,000 to Kozik, in support of the WNY Chemistry Olympiad. A significant portion of the grant is used to support summer research by the Chemistry Olympiad students at Canisius.
Class of 2010 Orientation
Parents and students check in for the Summer 2006 Orientation session on July 6.
Nearly 400 incoming freshman and their parents became familiar with the place “Where Leaders are Made” during the first three sessions of Canisius College’s Summer 2006 Orientation.
“Orientation is the first step in the student retention process, designed to aid in students’ future success,” says Thomas R. Hersey, director of student retention. “It puts in place the partnership of college, parent and student.”
Participants attend information sessions on topics which range from library services, academic integrity and financial aid to community standards and meal plans. In addition, various social activities enable students to get to know one another in an informal setting.
According to Hersey, 90 percent of students take advantage of the overnight option to get to know the Canisius campus during orientation. The remaining two 2006 sessions will be held July 13-14 and August 23-24.