Vol. 6 Issue 1 San Marcos, Carazo, Nicaragua • www.avemaria.edu.ni September 2008

B

Last year, I was winding up my affairs as a faculty member of the School of Business. Today, I am writing to you as your Provost, a former professor, and a business professional of many years

working in Mexico, El Salvador, the United States, and Nicaragua. I share this bit of history with you because I remember what my dreams were when I was a freshman. I remember wanting to be an Ambassador. But I learned later that this was not to be. I discovered I had not linked realizing my dream with my having a strong academic performance. It took me a number of years to understand how one achieves one’s dreams in life. It has everything to do with understanding that you must apply yourself to making this happen. In college, this has everything to do with your a�itude: defining what you want and going for it for yourself. This means being curious and excited about discovering how you handle learning situations that you find uninteresting or consider valueless. If you can meet this personal challenge, this means you have decided to have a mature a�itude. The question you have to ask yourself is “Do I have a winning a�itude?”Ave Maria offers a special academic and student life environment that can be special to you. We are a Roman Catholic University and you will have many opportunities to grow in your relationship with Our Lord. I cannot imagine how each of you can achieve your dreams without prayer, involving the angel that has been assigned to help you, talking things over with Our Blessed Lady, and inviting Our Lord Jesus Christ into your life. Both academics and your prayer life bring balance to your studies, life challenges, and the realizing of your dreams. The other choice is to walk alone and sadly discover how difficulty and lonely this can be. All of us here at Ave Maria invite you to make a commitment to yourself, your family, and God. May the peace of Our Lord be with you always.

Harvey LeachProvost

UILDING

COMMUNITY

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The Newsle�er is a publication of Ave Maria

University - Latin American Campus and is produced by the Office of External Affairs.

Mary Helen Espinosa Executive Director of

External Affairs

Sara VélezExecutive Assistant of Public Relations

Ellen R. MooneyCopy-editor

Francisco MartínezGraphic Designer and

Photographer

Rocío ChávezKarla González

Assistant Photographers

Correspondence and submissions

should be addressed to: AMULAC Newsle�er Ave Maria University

Latin American Campus San Marcos, Nicaragua.e-mail: external.affairs@

avemaria.edu.ni phone (505) 535-2312

Jeff Lambert is the new counselor and comes to Ave Maria from Tampa, Florida where he was working in a community mental health center. Prior to that, Jeff received his B.A. in philosophy from Ave Maria College in Michigan

and his M.A. in counseling from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. He is “a music ‘aficionado’ – I love listening to, playing, recording music.” When asked why he chose to work here, he says it is because of his adherence and allegiance to the genuine Catholic values that Ave Maria espouses.

NEW FACES ON CAMPUS

Maria Elena Humphrey is the new psychology professor from Florida. She received her Master’s degree at the University of Nairobi in Kenya and her Doctorate from Universidad Mariano

Galvez in Guatemala. When asked about her reasons for coming, she says “I see my work at Ave Maria University as an adventure and a challenge. My dream had always been to interact with students and be able to share my enthusiasm for life and to leave them more prepared to be professionals in the workforce and pursuing their ideals.”

Thomas Kryst comes to Ave Maria a�er recently receiving his Doctorate in Systematic Theology from Catholic University of America. He holds a Master’s degree in Theology and Christian Ministry from Franciscan University.

“I’m thrilled to be on the faculty of one of the top Catholic universities in the Americas, one where I see so much potential! I thoroughly enjoyed my interview visit earlier this summer, and was impressed with the quality of the faculty and staff here at San Marcos. I pray that God will abundantly bless our efforts together during this coming year and all the classes ahead.”

RETURNING FACESHarvey LeachProvost

Lindsay HeierDean of Students

Fr. Joseph MedioFPO Guardian

Cathy BlandonAssistant to CAE Director

Edith CarballoAdmissions Assistant and Counselor

Arelia SánchezExecutive Assistant to Library Director

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The Rocky Mountain Mathematica Courses were a�ended this summer by Dr. Aburto in Frisco, Colorado. The use and creation of Mathematica codes for a variety of symbolic, numerical, and graphical computations relevant to calculus and other mathematical applications was the focus. In addition, there was the creation of instructive and robust presentations and demonstrations using the new features and capabilities of Mathematica Version 6.03, all aimed at users and teachers of mathematics and others who wish to enhance their presentations, projects, teaching, and research. The Science, Mathematics and Technology Department use the Mathematica system in the pre-engineering program.

MATHEMATICA IN FOCUSJOHN W. GRIMES

Carlos Estrada M.

Dr. John Grimes has been a rehabilitation educator, practitioner, and vocational expert for thirty plus years. This summer he renewed

two professional licenses and was appointed to the editorial board of Estimating Earning Capacity - a Journal of Debate and Discussion. In this same publication he contributed an article on the topic of Earnings Capacity and Work Life Expectancy. These are critical issues in the forensic rehabilitation community.

Bruce Griffin

An odd sounding combination! Papyri are scraps made from the papyrus plant, pounded into a writing surface that was the ancient equivalent of paper. Palaeography is the study of ancient handwriting. My doctoral dissertation (in progress!) focuses on ancient papyri and the types of handwriting used to copy, for example, the Bible in the days of the Roman Empire.

So this summer, I was at the University of Oxford, working on both papyri and palaeography. The papyri are housed in the Ashmolean Museum and Sackler Library--the result of spectacularly successful excavations in the last century, which yielded more papyri than scholars have so far succeeded in publishing. Many of these scraps are ancient copies of the Old and New Testaments, and my dissertation is a comprehensive study of the transmission of the Bible in one of the regional capitals of the Roman Empire.

The photograph shows Lincoln College (one of the oldest parts of the University of Oxford) where a special summer school was held in the science of palaeography. I a�ended the keynote address given my former tutor, Mr. Nigel Wilson, on ancient handwriting and the transmission of ancient texts. Mr. Wilson was full of incisive ideas about the relationship between handwriting and texts, and enthusiastic about the fresh discoveries waiting to be uncovered by energetic young scholars.

PAPYRI AND PA�EOGRAPHY

Beth Garcia and Jane Mirande�e from the San Juan del Sur Mobile Library at the ALA (American Library Association) annual conference in Anaheim CA, June 26 to July 2.

New Orleans, Louisiana, was the se�ing for the 2008 Annual Conference and Exposition of NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers). Ave Maria’s first institutional participation included selection into the NACE Leadership Advancement Program and seven professional workshops. Global issues, technological advancements, immigration issues, partnerships and the virtual world were the top areas of focus.

Tony Pa�erson

This May I had the privilege of being invited to the Durrell School on the beautiful Greek island of Corfu to give a paper on on the sexual politics of late-Victorian society during a seminar entitled “An Investigation of Modern Love.” It was an impressive event. Predominantly, the school commemorates and researches the work of the novelist, Lawrence Durrell, but it also holds seminars based on the life of Lawrence’s more famous brother, the conservationist Gerald, who wrote “My Family and Other Animals,” the biographical account of the life of the Durrells on Corfu. The theme of the conference arose from Lawrence Durrell’s own exploration of modern love in The Alexandrian Quartet, which was published in the 1950s. The seminar also

included a boat trip to Lawrence Durrell’s stunning white house overlooking the beach at Kalami. Apart from enjoying the generosity of my hosts at the Durrell school, I was also overwhelmed by the wonderful hospitality of the Corfoits, the Island people, their fantastic food, and the spectacular beauty of the island.

Seminar in Greece

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Carlos J. Pérez

“I haven’t ever seen anything like this before on the Ave Maria campus,” were the words of the former Dean of Students, Michael Dean, regarding Metamorphoses dramatized recently by the Literary Club. It seems that Metamorphoses had been a shelved project since early Spring 2007. So it was quite an achievement for the play finally to see the light of day. This particular drama had been chosen not only because visually it was so beautiful, but also for the message and morals it portrays about outer and inner change in one’s life, as the title implies.

The modern version is based on one of the most popular works of mythology, Metamorphoses, originally consisting of fi�een books by the ancient Roman poet, Ovid, who depicted the creation of the world and the causes-and-effects of mankind’s goings on. Ave Maria selected for dramatization the well acclaimed Tony Award winning version by Mary Zimmerman, which comprises six to seven short

myths under the same title, and Club president, Carlos J Perez, the director of the play, adapted Zimmerman’s original English scripts to the spoken English of today.

This interpretation of events helped both the actors and the audience with a broader understanding of the theme and allowed for more versatility in the portrayal of the Metamorphoses characters who were numerous and varied.

The Ave Maria stage itself was mainly reminiscent of the original set designed by Zimmerman consisting of a representation of a pool, where most of the action takes place. The pool reflected the ever changing nature of water, which has the ability to transform itself into solid, liquid or gas and return to any of these states under certain circumstances. (This dramatic presentation was an unimaginable challenge given the fact that the performance took place in the Cultural Center which does not contain a pool! The stage hands and their helpers deserve an oscar for their ingenuity.)

Finally, the seven sets, portrayed with great skill by Ave Maria’s own aspiring actors for the entertainment of the spectators were: the humorous representation of ‘King Midas’; the wrong doings of ‘Erysichton’; the tenderness of the sizzling love stories, ‘Alcyone & Ceyx’, and ‘Orpheus & Eurydice’; and ‘Eros & Psyche’; the disobedience of ‘Phaeton’, and lastly, the incarnation of purity and humility in ‘Baucus & Philemon’. The Ave Maria Literary Club scored a success with Metamorphoses and its supporters look forward to their next coup.

Elia Arevalo

For me personally, I shall always be grateful for the knowledge, experience, skills, and ethical education which I gained at Ave Maria. Sharing with this community helped me to understand the importance of my faith life, in order, especially, to serve God in His people. I thank Him because I was able to develop my critical thinking skills; I improved my communication in two languages and I know the importance of living my beliefs.

Another blessing which occurred during my years at Ave Maria was the privilege of a�ending the exchange program in Austria. There, at the Kartause monastery, I was able to deepen my faith life and benefit from encounters with teachers and students from other cultures. To this day, that has been one of the most enriching experiences of my life.

Not long a�er graduation, in 2006, I began work at Colgate Palmolive Inc. Following that work experience, I was accepted at Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, in Chile, where I am currently studying for an MBA. This University has a good reputation for scholarship and practical job skills.

In Chile, thousands of kilometers away from my country, I was surprised recently by the visit to our university of a special guest from Nicaragua, Dr. Edwin Krüger who participated in a conference “Centro America en La cuyuntura actual.” His contributions included lectures on important issues such as the economic situation in the world and its relationship to Central America. I was impressed by the way he shared with us the connection between his faith and its impact in the business world. For example, he emphasized the importance of keeping our values and how a good negotiator not only needs persuasion skills, but he also needs to be honest in all business deals. Congratulations to the Ave Maria community for having a great faculty member such as Dr. Krüger.

Finally, I hope I can touch another person’s life the way Ave Maria has touched mine.

AMULAC Graduate Studies in Chile

I hope I can touch another person’s life the way Ave Maria has touched mine.

Big Hit from the Shelf to Center Stage

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AVE MARIA’S FASHION CLUB MEETS A CHALLENGECynthia Luna

A memorable day for the AMULAC campus was April 10th when one of our newest clubs, the Fashion Club, staged its first fashion show. The event featured designer clothes, models, lights and hors-d’oeuvres! It was long in preparation and was preceded by a competition involving try-outs for the modeling jobs required for a successful performance. Club meetings held ahead of time educated all participants in the challenges of bringing off fashions that were modest, a�ractive and fun to wear. The aspect of modesty was a departure from the usual fare one experiences at such events and, surprisingly enough, was appreciated by many of the onlookers.

Some of the highlights of the final event were displaying casual wear styles from such businesses as Bene�on, Lolita and Sands and meeting such successful designers in evening wear as Pamela Torres and Vincente Castellon from Honduras. He has participated in Miss Universe beauty pageants, and he showcased some of the actual a�ire worn by the international competitors.

Local talent featured such designers as Marina Capetillo, Marcela Berrios, Grethel Paven, and Magaly Martinez, whose first time contributions to the runway were strongly applauded by the spectators.

Sponsors for the Ave Maria campus fashion were: Extravaganza Canal 10, Imperios Management, Panaderia El Trigal, Beas Nails, Jeffrey’s Salon, Avon, Papa John’s, Mercos, S.A. and a faithful donor to AMULAC , Vivian Pellas.

Congratulations were in order for the Fashion Club and all the hard work it took to stage such an event. Hopes and plans are already on tap for a follow-up, perhaps in the Fall. “This was a rewarding and fun happening for all those, including organizers, models, and sponsors, who turned out and supported the Modesty Fashion Show,” exclained Cynthia Luna who covered the event.

“We were especially thrilled by the fact that we were able to raise about 15,000 cordobas, monies to be used for tuition for a number of orphans who are without funds for their education.”

6 | Newsletter

This one’s for you. We are continuing to build the Ave Maria community far and wide and want you to share with us your professional and personal accomplishments. Recent contributions:

Abigail Orellana and Jimmy Bolanos (class of 2006) were married on August, 2008 in Managua.

Ayack Montalvan (Class of 2005) with his brother Luis (incoming freshman) visiting the campus. Ayack is completing his MBA at Tsukuba University in Japan.

Ronald Garcia at his library staff send-off to study his Master’s degree in Engineering at Kun Shan University in Taiwan.

Alumni a�ended Steve Savage’s Seminar on “Building a Sales Empire” sponsored by the Ave Maria Development Department and AMCHAM (American Chamber of Commerce) on July 23, 2008.

Le� to right: Gabby Castillo(04), Martha P. García(06), Cynthia Góngora(96), Edith Carballo(08), Katiana Roman(07), Maria Alejandra Medrano(07) and Yolanda Fletes(08).

Congratulations to Erick Castillo, Class of 2004, who received the Chevening Scholarship from Great Britian. He will a�end the University of Manchester in the UK and the program is called MSc Development Finance and Economics.

Congratulations to Maria Gilda Gutiérrez, (Class of 2004) who recently concluded her Master’s at ESIC Business and Marketing School in Madrid, Spain. Maria Gilda is currently doing an internship at Vodafone.

Carlos Herrera, Class of 2000, works at Global Development Gateway, a development, financial, commercial and trading services provider based in London, with offices in Greece, USA, Nicaragua and Honduras. He is a national and international stock broker at Inversiones de Nicaragua S.A., working side by side with the President of the Nicaraguan Stock Exchange Market, Dr. Raul Lacayo. Another endeavor is being the financial architect of the first securitization fund

in Nicaragua and second in Central America. He publishes economic and financial articles for DRACMA, a magazine that focuses on globalization and economic trends, directed by Dr. Erwin Krüger, AMULAC professor.Carlos earned his Master’s Degree in International Development (with academic honors) from the University of Manchester, England, which is ranked as the top school of economic development in Europe.

Recently a FACEBOOK account was opened and up to date more than 325 alumni have joined!!! Please write to us at alumni@avemaria.edu.ni to up date your alumni record in the database.

SAVE the DATE: Alumni Reunion in Miami, FL-October 2nd!!!!

Newsletter | 7

“Who are these unusually dressed men and why are they doing this?” O�en times, these are comments heard by newcomers to the campus and San Marcos, upon seeing the Franciscans of Primitive Observance (FPO) for the first time.

Simply put, they are friars (brothers) who are embracing the strict observance of the Rule of St. Francis. They are also responding to the call of the Second Vatican Council to go back to their “primitive inspiration... The spirit and aims of each founder should be faithfully accepted and retained.” (Perfectae Caritatis, 2). This FPO community is rooted in, and commi�ed to, a life of penance, evangelization, prayer, humility, brotherhood, charity, living the Gospel, solitude, and poverty in the spirit of the founder, St. Francis.

This new religious community was founded in 1995 by Bishop Sean O’Malley in Fall River, Massachuse�s, and permission was granted by then Archbishop of New York, Most Rev. John O’Connor. This permission was required for the original six brothers to leave the CFR community (Congregation of the Friars of the Renewal) and found a new community under Bishop Sean. The first FPO house called “Immaculate Conception Friary” was established in New Bedford, Massachuse�s and immediately inhabited by six friars, one of whom was a priest. One of their first undertakings was the construction of hermitages in Stamford, Vermont, for prayer and solitude.

In December of 1998, Fr. Peter Giroux and Fr. John Maria Sweeney, two of the original six friars, were ordained as FPO priests by Bishop O’Malley in Fall River. The following August, Fr. Joseph Paul Medio was ordained in New Bedford.

“Christ the King Hermitage,” a year-round novitiate, was opened in 1999 in Stamford. Two years later, “Mother of the Good Shepherd” friary was opened in

Emmitsburg, Maryland, near Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, where preparations for the priesthood are undertaken.

2004 was another eventful year for the FPO’s. First, all the friars took the Marian Vow of Total Consecration to Our Lady (the fourth FPO vow) with Archbishop Sean O’Malley in Boston. Second, the decision was made to go to San Marcos, Nicaragua, as Ave Maria University Latin American Campus had been chosen as a place of study for Theology, Philosophy and Spanish for some of the brothers. While there was great caution in making this decision, Cardinal O’Malley encouraged them with “Why wait?!”

Six FPO members, traveling in pairs, hitch-hiked down to San Marcos from Maryland. While residing initially in the Ave Maria faculty house, they built their new friary, “La Purisima,” on a nearby coffee plantation owned by Celina and Harvey Leach.

In 2005, the Franciscans of the Primitive Observance officially moved into the Archdiocese of Boston and were erected as a “public association of the faithful” (first step toward becoming a religious institute according to Church law). They opened a new friary in Lawrence, Massachuse�s called “Co-Redemptrix Friary.”

Brothers Benedict and Andrew were ordained as deacons in 2007, then as priests in May of 2008. Today there are a total of 16 FPO’s, including five priests and eleven brothers in final vows.* In San Marcos, Fr. Joseph is the Guardian of the Friary and there are three brothers: Seraphin, Felix, James and a postulant from Nicaragua named Nelson.

* A minimum of five years training is necessary to be a fully professed brother. The four FPO vows include: Chastity, Obedience, Poverty and Marian Consecration. Final professions: 1995 – Fr. John and Fr. Peter; 2002 – Fr. Joseph; 2004 – Brother Felix and Brother Seraphin; 2005 – Brother Sean Patrick and Brother Benedict; 2006 – Brother Pio, Fr. Andrew and Brother Patrick; 2008 – Brother Michael Francis and Brother James.

JOY IN THE FREEDOM OF PUTTING GOD FIRST

This FPO

community is

rooted in, and

commi�ed to, a

life of penance,

evangelization,

prayer, humility,

brotherhood,

charity, living

the Gospel,

solitude, and

poverty in the

spirit of the

founder, St.

Francis.

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SUMMER INTERNSHIPSCharmaine Bush (Class of 2009)

During the summer I had the privilege of doing my internship at the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre (CICC). It was a great experience that made me grow as a person and in the workforce environment. CICC is a safe shelter for ba�ered women and children; it provides support for women and children who are being abused physically, emotionally and psychologically. As a staff member, I lead group discussions, which enhanced awareness in preventing any sort of psychological and emotional abuse. I was also able to work in the office and

Carlos Estrada M. (Class of 2009)

Over the summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to do an internship in the Cumplimiento Area of BAC (Banco de America Central), a highly regarded multinational financial institution. A�er some psychographic test taking I began working in “Cumplimiento,” known as Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and/or Anti-Terrorist Financing (ATF) control areas in the U.S. This area is in charge of monitoring, detecting, and tracking any kind of money laundering, fraudulent, or mischievous activity (law infringements) of clients within the bank.

The area daily goes through tedious but heavily important activities, from insuring that every account form is complete, to filing thorough reports to the SIBOIF (Superintendencia de Bancos y de Otras Instituciones Financieras de Nicaragua); Cumplimiento was all about flawlessness.

There were seventeen great co-workers in this area. My internship became a journey of understanding real work experience and building toward the future.

“Cumplimiento” at BAC

answered crisis calls (about abused women and children or even suicidal calls on a regular basis. Initially, it was a bit nerve-racking but with practice I excelled!!!) I also had the opportunity of working in a young parenting program, where we worked on the HEILING WOUNDED HEART PROJECT. Most of these young ladies we worked with expressed their abuse or mishaps through art, whereas on other occasions they would barely talk about it. I definitely grew and realized that I would love to work towards women’s empowerment and eradicating child abuse.

Cynthia Luna R

This summer I worked with an American NGO called Building with Books. For two weeks, I traveled with a group of eighteen high school students and their trek co-coordinators who were all from Chicago and Philadelphia. We stayed up in the mountains in San Jose in a community called Nuevo Amanecer (New Dawn). To put it mildly, life there was very rustic. There was no running water, no electricity, no phone reception and our daily diet consisted mostly of rice and beans, and fruit and water, for those whole two weeks. While there, we helped to build a school for the community’s children. I served as their translator as well as their English/Spanish teacher. For me, it was an amazing and humbling experience. I saw a side of my country that I had never seen before, and I fell in love with Nicaragua even more on this trip.

Service to Others is Life Changing

“During this summer, I did an internship in Concentrados El Granjero, here in San Marcos. I created administrative so�ware that will be implemented very soon into the company’s operations. This so�ware integrates the flow of an order: its reception, production, billing, and delivery. Through this project I was able to put into practice much of the knowledge acquired in these years at AMULAC.”

Veralia Sánchez (Class of 2009)

Little Blue Bird’s ChildrenI worked at “Pajarito Azul” (Li�le Blue Bird) during the summer, and it was a gratifying experience, both personally and as a professional. This place is a house of protection for children with multiple disabilities who have been abandoned or mistreated. Working there not only allowed me to learn about psychology, but also about life itself. My work was not only to complete a requirement but it also was an inspiring adventure and a great opportunity. I worked directly with six children who presented the following problems: hyperactivity and squint; motor and visual problem; depression; medullar lesion and mental retardation; generalized epilepsy and anorexia; and mental retardation and blindness in the le� eye. Since these people have different capabilities from us, the treatment progress is much slower. However, I did have the opportunity to see some advances in some of them. I worked with Luz Patricia who is responsible for “Psycho-ballet” in Nicaragua, which is a type of therapy that combines dance and psychological help. The challenges at Pajarito Azul have inspired me to seek a future helping some of the most needy of God’s children.

Alicia Gongora (Class of 2009)

Chess and its Relationship to Child, Health, Education, and Supporting Services!

Edgar Largaespada

Transforming the lives of children, teachers, and parents in fi�een communities in Villa El Carmen, the CHESS Project is a private sector initiative here in Nicaragua. It is a twenty-eight month project with a total investment of $300,000 dollars. Three main partners are working together to make this project a reality: Gran Pacifica – a tourism investment company here in Nicaragua, the Pi�sburgh Rotary Club, and innerChange Associates International (iCHai) – a project management company in the United States. Together they applied for a matching grant from Programa Alianzas para la Educacion y la Salud (RTI-USAID), and the project began in March 2007.

The main objective of the CHESS Project is to empower the Villa El Carmen municipality through be�er education and health. We currently work with twelve schools and three health posts, but expect to expand to include more schools and health posts. However, new funding is required and with one year le� in the project’s current budget searching for more funds has become one of our top priorities. Examples of our work include: donations of brand new textbooks to the schools, offering the

teachers training in innovative teaching methodologies, donations of water filters, and building mini-libraries in several schools. Our latest work in the community was water safety training for children, since many children have to cross one or even two rivers daily in order to a�end school. And we complain about traffic!

This experience has been tremendously rewarding and truly fulfilling. Even when at times things do not fit into one’s “job description,” such as dressing up like a beaver in the middle of a hot and steamy day in order to talk to kids about water safety; or having to walk across a river with your friends from work in the middle of the night because it’s been five hours since your truck got stuck in the mud and no one has yet been able to find you to rescue you. It has all been worth while.

Edgar M. Largaespada (Class of 2008)CHESS NicargauaProgram Evaluator / Accounting Assistant

Our latest work in the community was water safety training for children, since many children have to cross one or even two rivers daily in order to a�end school. And we complain about traffic!

This summer’s journalism internship was a wonderful experience. With the support of the Alcaldia Municipal of Esteli, The Commerce Sector

and the inspiration of Mr. Teodoro Lorente from Casa Pellas, Jason Martinez and I worked on a li�le publication called Economic Impact of the Tobacco Companies in Esteli. We learned how to make an economic report and how to deal with different data and analyze it. We also had the support of three “muchachas” from UNAN-Esteli, who made the experience a lot of more important, since we shared some different points of view and learned to work in groups.

Greg Tyrone Bravo Centeno (Class of 2008)

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Carlos J Perez

A�er the long spring semester, I was ‘still in the woods’ about future plans when I was offered an opportunity to a�end a journalism camp in Aberdeen, South Dakota. It was about training interested students who share the same passion for writing and, who want to become part of a school newspaper or pursue journalism careers a�er they graduate. These students can also compete for the All-State Journalist merit awards. My former editor and teacher, Shanon Manley, organized the camp independently along with other colleagues of hers who work for The Public Opinion, a Watertown newspaper, and also members of the Sioux Falls’ Argus Leader, with the sponsorship of the South Dakota High School Activities Association.

I have been active in high school journalism since 2005, when I was the editor of our H.S.

paper, the Purple & Gold. This time around, I had the chance to work directly with Manley and other journalists. Most of the former members of the P&G a�ended. The main purpose of the journalism camp was to improve writing, editing and information gathering skills with a major focus on layout, features, reviews, news and sports

bits. We were given “hands on” occasions to try to meet deadlines by reading packets of feature articles over night, and at early morning risings, to make sure everything was edited and classified on time.

It was exciting to meet up with former Watertown middle school students again, who are high school sophomores now planning to produce the P&G

in the Fall. A lot of sacrifice was involved in coaching future high shool editors and reporters at this workshop, but it was all more than worthwhile.

Carlos Goes North Budding Journalists

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Nubia Granja Gutiérrez (Class of 2006)

In the heart of every member of our Student Life team remains the HOPE of a great mission to be fulfilled in AMULAC. As St. Catherine of Siena used to say, “To the servant of God... every place is the right place, and every time is the right time.” Our campus is the right place, and this new academic year is the right time to carry out the task of the Holy Spirit working within us. This year also brings our Blessed Mother’s touch a renewed a�itude of service, love and friendship. Our teams, goal is to serve one another as Christ did and become “links in an ever growing chain of Love.” Though we are weak and imperfect, we want to be His meek instruments to receive His grace and be witnesses of His power and mercy. Cardinal Newman reminds us that we have a part in a great work, and part of this work in Student Life is to remind YOU of that.

Student Life Reloaded

Student Life Dinner hosted by Heier Family - August 6th, 2008

Joint efforts between the Nicaraguan Ministry of Culture, Ave Maria University Latin American Campus, and Danish Philanthropist Peder Kollind, resident of Granada, have yielded surprising results in developing new information on the Ba�le of San Jacinto, September 14, 1856, the country’s most revered ba�leground.

In April of 2008, a team of archaeologists from the Nicaraguan Ministry of Culture found three graves about 300 meters from the main ba�lefield. Medico-legal analysis of the remains found are still continuing, but it was obvious that at least two of the skeletal remains provided evidence that some of the military died with their boots on and there also were indications that these war victims sustained serious injuries.

In order to pinpoint the exact location of the ba�le, Professor Pat Werner and Edgard Espinoza, Chief State Archaeologist, examined the walls of the main ranch house where wri�en accounts described the ba�le as it was occurring. The walls themselves are made of adobe three feet thick, and served to act like a sponge in retaining the bullets fired by the American filibusterers when they a�acked the ranch house early in the morning

Mysteries Surrounding San Jacintoof September 14, 1856. Using technology and archaeological techniques pioneered in reconstructing the Ba�les of Li�le Bighorn, fought in 1876, and Waterloo, fought on June 18, 1815, the pa�ern of bullets striking the walls of the ranch house, in some sense, defined how ba�les developed. With the use of delicate metal detectors, Werner and Espinoza were able to detect the presence of lead objects, i.e. bullets, within the adobe walls. The pa�ern and number of bullet strikes, and their detection, have yielded valuable new information on what really happened at the San Jacinto Ranch House in 1856.

With the onset of the rainy season in May of 2008, further exploration of the ba�lefield by the team has ended, and will resume when the dry season begins in January of 2009. Both Werner and Espinoza are interested in locating the common grave where the dozens of casualties were buried on the day of the ba�le to further define what really happened. Previous work has centered around accumulating all of the archival information that exists, including contemporary reports of both forces, and the identification of most of the firearms, and their projectiles, that were used in the ba�le.

New Ave Maria Scholars

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A VOLUNTEER SERVICE PILGRIMAGECarmen Lourdes López

In the midst of a hectic world, where the power of money tends to harden our hearts, there is a small town in Europe which I dare say is like a sweet taste of heaven. There, thousands of people meet from all around the world and there are no language barriers because the international language is a smile. There is no distinction between rich and poor, and the sick are treated in the most loving way. This place is Lourdes, France.

People with diff erent backgrounds are drawn to visit Lourdes to venerate Our

On July 21, the Center for Academic Excellence was granted certifi cation from the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA). Ave Maria is now the only certifi ed center in Central and Latin America!

Since 1989, the CRLA has granted recognition to over 1,000 college and university tutorial programs in the United States and Canada through CRLA’s International Tutor Program Certifi cation (ITPC). This program certifi cation provides recognition and positive reinforcement for tutors’ successful work from an international organization, CRLA and sets a standard of skills and training for tutors.

To become certifi ed, a center requires tutors to complete ten hours of training and twenty-fi ve hours of tutoring experience for each certifi cation level. Ave Maria currently has eighteen trained tutors and more began in August. CRLA certifi cation establishes credibility for tutoring programs and is endorsed by the National Association for Developmental Education and Commission XVI, Academic Support in Higher Education, of the American College Personnel Association, and the American Council of Developmental Education Associations.

INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATION

Le� to right: Dr. Carlos Sevilla, Academic Dean; Mrs. Elaine Johnson, Director; Mr. Harvey Leach, Provost, and Cathy Blandon, Assistant to the Director.

Lady who in 1948 appeared eighteen times to Bernade� e Soubirous, a poor peasant girl. In 2008, we commemorate the 150th anniversary of these apparitions. Pope Benedict XVI himself will be a� ending this celebration in Lourdes in September. I had the blessed opportunity to venerate Our Lady this summer in a special way, as a volunteer. Lourdes is probably the only place in the world where everyone involved there is a volunteer.. In the Lourdes Hospitalité, men help with the logistics of hosting pilgrims around town and at the basilica. And the women serve either in housekeeping at hospitals, shelters and cafeterias and the piscines, more commonly known as the baths.

I felt the call from Our Lady to serve at the baths which was a demanding but humble task. We began each day with the rosary, each mystery prayed in a diff erent language. Then, the piscine team, composed of sixty women and wearing white clothes, was divided into groups where about three languages were spoken in each group.

We began with the singing of the Salve Regina facing a small white statue of Our Lady atop each piscine fi lled with “Lourdes’s water”. ( This originated from a natural stream discovered by Bernade� e who had been instructed by Our Lady to dig into a special site. Since then, miraculous waters have kept on fl owing.) Once the Salve hymn was fi nished, persons of diff erent ages, ethnicity, social status, and health conditions came to be bathed in the piscine and to receive Our Lady’s blessings.

As volunteers, we helped women undress and bathe in the piscines, translated directions to these pilgrims in their own languages and then aided them to get dressed

once again. It might sound like a lot of simple tasks, but when you have to refl ect Our Lady’s love and compassion,

while you do of all this, it can be really hard. For many hours you cannot sit down, or sip some water or even go to the bathroom because you know someone might need your help while you are away and you mustn’t complain but keep on smiling and working with tenderness and humility.

I was a volunteer for a week, thanks to North American Volunteers of Lourdes, but many

others do what I did for a much longer time, teaching me that Our Lady grants the strength we need when we do things with love. You don’t have to travel half way around the world to serve Our Lady. Just follow her message of prayer, poverty, penance and participation in a church community. Here at AMULAC, every night

at 9:00p.m., we pray the rosary. You, too, can join our community to crown Our Lady with

that most precious prayer and sing that most universal and beautiful song in her honor, the

Ave Maria.

14 | Newsletter

Wilbert SalgadoStillman College professor and editor of Between the Waves Magazine, Steven Flanagan Jackson, paid a brief visit to AMLI students the second week of August. He talked to them about the role of journalism and English in this era of communication and technology. For him, journalism extends beyond newspaper reports; it also covers the production of information for specifi c readers and through diff erent media – weblogging about national and personal issues, research reports for certain communities and radio and TV talks for various audiences. He highlighted the importance of English in these times. “English has become the medium to make communication reach all communities and cultures.” A� endees le� his talk with a be� er grasp of what it means for them to know English and to be a journalist nowadays.

Barbara Mathes-Abaunza

Level VIII (last level) students have had some diff erent experiences lately to culminate their Academic English Program. Last month, the students chose to pack a lunch and enjoy the beauty of a majestic view in Catarina. A new lookout is being developed and nature lovers do not have to pay to park their vehicles or get into the grounds. There are plenty of gazebos being built for shade and some benches are already in place. A� er enjoying a fi nal, peaceful time together as a group, they bought a few souvenirs for friends at home and learned a li� le about po� ery making.

Two months ago, the graduating students chose to prepare a piñata with treats and juice for the children who have lunch daily at the Carmelita Nun’s Order soup kitchen. About eighty children were delighted to play action games and dance while breaking the piñata. The happy looks on those children’s faces will not soon be forgo� en by our AMLI students.

This month’s Level VIII students will be learning about dishes from other cultures, as the theme for this session is International Foods. They will visit the Holiday Inn where they will join the chef in the kitchen and learn how to make one Italian dish and one Spanish dish. A� er tasting these creations, they will go to the Galeria food court where they will each dine on the cuisine which suits their fancy chosen from the wide variety of eateries available there. “Thinking out of the box “ has provided an enriched learning experience. There have also been many memorable occasions as a group, for all AEP students and the feelings of having accomplished something very worthwhile in their language studies program.

Gabriel Areas

The Ave Maria Language Institute carried out its annual institutional planning in San Jorge, Rivas, August 1-4/08. Senior staff members from San Marcos, Managua, and El Salvador worked in the planning and revision for fi scal year 2008-2009 and they discussed future projects and more innovative programs.

This was the fi rst time the whole AMLI group was able to work together to evaluate and improve AMLI’s language training. Another welcome feature this year was the visit of a delegation of four instructors from El Salvador, who were able to spend four days working with their fellow educators from Nicaragua. Next year, AMLI is planning to open more new programs for teens and young adults in both San Marcos and El Salvador.

Gloria Tunnermann L.In order to celebrate July 4th, AEP students participated in a number of activities: an interesting talk on The Ba� le of Li� le Bighorn given by Mr. Douglas Arróliga (AMLI Executive Director), an exciting fun trivia competition

AMLI & AMILIJournalism Professor visits AMLI

THINKING OUT OF THE BOX

COMMEMORATION OF U.S. INDEPENDENCE DAY

Nicaragua and El Salvador

Team-Up

on relevant U.S. facts, and some sport competitions including a tug-of-war. Students and teaching staff also enjoyed a typical July 4th luncheon: hamburgers, barbecued chicken and watermelon! This proved to be a day students will never forget.

sport competitions including a tug-of-war. Students and

Newsletter | 15

CAMPUS CONSECRATIONTO THE

VIRGIN OF CUAPAMay 13th, 2009

SAVE THE DATEIN THE THIRD APARITION ON MAY 8,

1980, THE BLESSED MOTHER OF CUAPA

GAVE THIS MESSAGE TO BERNARD:

“LOVE ONE ANOTHER, ABIDE BY THE

RULES. FORGIVE EACH OTHER.

MAKE PEACE.

DON’T ASK FOR PEACE FROM THE

LORD, BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T MAKE IT,

THERE WILL BE NO PEACE.”

www.avemaria.edu.ni • admissions@avemaria.edu.ni