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Summer 2019PAGE 2A message fromthe PresidentPAGE 4GUIDED TO ANOTHERHISTORIC DECISIONPAGE 5ALL-ALUMNI REUNION 2019SCHEDULE & registration formPAGE 6Distinguished alumniaward winnersPAGE 8marygrove across the decadesMarygroveCollegeA GRADUATEL I V I N G LSCHOOLE G AC YA
A Message from the PresidentTo my fellow alumni and friends of Marygrove:This message brings with it great sadness and yet great promise. It is the last edition of Tower Times,a long-standing tradition of communicating with our treasured alumni. By e-mail and U.S. mail,our alumni were informed in June of the closure of our beloved Marygrove College, effectiveDecember 31st. The reasons for this historic decision are continuing enrollment declines andpersistent financial struggles. The complexities underlying those reasons are myriad and theCorporate Board agreed that they were insurmountable and voted unanimously to close.The news has brought tears and joyful memories, and concern for the beautiful campus wherethe majority of us learned, made friends and charted a life path.Assuredly, we’ve been assisting current students with teach-out and transfer options so that theycan complete their degrees and certificate programs. This has been a priority for us.This announcement has also brought up questions about the future of the Marygrove College AlumniAssociation and alumni records as well as how alumni can obtain their transcripts. We provide thisinformation on pages 10 and 12, and on our website. Many want to know about our wonderfulcommunity outreach programs, too, like the three-decade-old Contemporary American AuthorsLecture Series and the other outreach programs, including the Institute of Music and Dance, theInstitute for Detroit Studies, and the Institute for Arts-Infused Education. These will continuethrough December as the Center for Detroit Arts and Culture at Marygrove (CDAC@Marygrove).Please watch for further details by the end of the year.PresidentElizabeth A. Burns ’72, MD, MAHowever, the spirit and mission of our founders, the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart ofMary, will live on, certainly in us as alumni, in how we have lived out the Marygrove mission in ourwork and lives, and in what we have taught our children, grandchildren, and others. It will live on inthe continuation of the Marygrove campus as an educational campus for early childhood educationand K through 12 education. In past Tower Times editions, we reported on the Marygrove Conservancyand the important P-20 developments taking place on campus. A new Detroit public school namedThe School at Marygrove will open in September 2019, starting with the 9th grade. Significantphysical changes are now being made to the lobby and second floor of the Liberal Arts Buildingto comply with K-12 building codes. When you come for Alumni Reunion, which is Saturday,September 14, LA will look quite different.That weekend, we will celebrate the accomplishments of the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Awardrecipients: Shirley Hinnau ’56; Joan Garbarino ’58,’72; Sr. Barb Beesley ’64; Renée Ahee ’72; andAnthony White ’05. Since 2002, Marygrove and the Alumni Association have recognized thecontributions of alumni who live out the values of the college. This formal recognition of ouralumni may not continue but I want to personally recognize each and every alumnus who hasmade their alma mater proud. You are all “distinguished” to Marygrove!The impetus for the P-20 concept is rooted in Marygrove College, which has occupied thecorner of McNichols and Wyoming Roads since 1927. It was due to the stressors of the College’sfinancial situation and a search for possible solutions that the idea of the Marygrove Conservancyand the P-20 cradle-to-career concept was born. The goal in 2017 was to steward and to preservethe beautiful 53-acre campus grounds and historic buildings as an educational campus for thecommunity while continuing to operate the College as a graduate school. When the Collegeannounced its permanent closure, it did so with the sure knowledge that its nearly ten-decadelegacy of education in Detroit would continue. The memories of generations of students, thelessons taught and learned, and the friendships made and cherished will live on, all kept sacredby Our Lady of Marygrove.It’s been the honor of my career to serve Marygrove College these last fifteen years as board member,as interim provost, and as president. It’s been the saddest task of my career to say good-bye to her.Sincerely,2 SUMMER 2019
Message from the President. 2News from Alumni Association President. 3GUIDED TO ANOTHER HISTORIC DECISION BY Sr. Jane Herb, IHM, P h D. 4ALL-ALUMNI REUNION 2019 SCHEDULE & Registration form. 5Distinguished alumni award winners. . 6CON T E N T SMarygrove across the decades. . . 8YOUR GIFT WILL LIVE ON. 10online and pop-up logo items store/how to get your transcript. 10In Memoriam. 11Update your alumni record/ABOUT THE COVER. 12News from the Alumni Association PresidentMy fellow alumni, I was so excited to assumepresidency of the Marygrove Alumni Associationfrom Dr. Vanessa Ghant on July 1st, but wasdevastated to learn that my job would be totransition this great support organization into avery different future than I’d envisioned.So much about the future of the Alumni Associationis still in flux. We do know that alumni records willbe transferred to the IHM Motherhouse. We doknow that, through the end of the year, alumnican obtain their transcripts through the Registrar’soffice at registrar@marygrove.edu. We also knowthat the intent of our IHM sponsors is to stay incontact with our alumni from time to time.That’s why it’s important for Marygrove to haveyour current contact information, including yourpersonal e-mail address. As of September 15th,all alumni Marygrove.edu e-mail accounts thathave not been used in a year will be purged. As ofNovember 1st, ALL remaining alumni marygrove.edue-mail accounts will be purged. Please contact KariJenkins prior to September 15th to update youralumni records at krjenkins@marygrove.edu.But to help us determine the future of theMarygrove College Alumni Association, we needyour input. Please contact me at lorializ@gmail.comwith your ideas of new alumni activities or thoseyou’d like to see continue and your volunteerpreferences. Your board would like to hear fromyou before September 14th so we can representour alumni’s wishes accordingly. Maintaining aboard of directors means they would continueto plan events, raise money from alumni foralumni activities and operations (meeting space,mailings, events). I look for your replies to thefollowing questions:1. Should the Marygrove Alumni Association continuewith an officially elected Board? Why/why not?2. If the Alumni Board continues, how do you see themrepresenting Marygrove alums moving forward?3. In what ways would you be willing to stay connectedto other Marygrove alums and volunteer?With pride, we’ll welcome the December 2019graduating class into the alumni fold on commencement day, December 14th. I am hoping that ournew alumni and those of us who continue to beproud of our Marygrove education will take stepsto help the Marygrove Conservancy and our IHMSisters, who were our teachers and professors. Iencourage you to continue your support for thelegacy of education that Marygrove brought toDetroit to inspire future generations of young peoplewho will come through the new early childhoodeducation center and new Detroit public schoolthat are taking root on our beautiful campus. I alsoencourage you to stay together with your localMarygrove alumni to keep the spirit of Marygrove alive.Liz Poliuto Loria ’70It’s been my delight and my honor to serve on theAlumni Association board with dedicated alumni,many of whom have volunteered their time andtalents for years. My thanks to each and every oneof them listed below.To you who have supported Marygrove throughyour volunteer work or your donations, thankyou. To all our Marygrove alumni, we willcontinue to be united in our experiences andmemories of Marygrove, and the friendships andopportunities and Marygrove made possible forus. And to Marygrove, we say thank you. Here’sto great success with the next version of educationon this campus.Alumni Association Board MembersOFFICERSMembers at LargeElizabeth Poliuto Loria ‘70PresidentMark Bartnik ’79Rahjinah Johnson ’03, ’05Samual Blue III ‘93Sheila Wade Kneeshaw ’80, ’89Michelle A. May ‘85Vice PresidentGloria Brown-Banks ’11Sara Lawson ‘17Dominique Johnson ‘17SecretaryValerie Deering ’72Margo R. Lee ‘00LaToya Edwards ‘18Brigeda Nelson ‘85Vanessa Howell Ghant ‘92Sheila Robinson ’09, ‘12Tammy Pitts Green ’14, ’17Frances L. Brown Simmons ‘85Alisa Fergerson ‘02TreasurerAlumni Association rove CollegeTower Times is produced for alumni andfriends of Marygrove College through theAlumni Relations Office. Address changes orinformation requests should be directed to:Kari Jenkins, Alumni Relations DirectorMarygrove College8425 West McNichols RoadDetroit, MI 48221-2599Phone: (313) 927-1443 Fax: (313) 927-1345E-mail: krjenkins@marygrove.edu Summer 20193
Guided to AnotherHistoric DecisionBY JANE HERB, IHM, PhDInthe spirit of Mother Theresa MaxisDuchemin, Charlotte Schaaf and TheresaRenauld, the first members of a newreligious community dedicated to educationand who over 170 years ago welcomed thefirst frontier children into their modest hometo teach them, I want to tell you how difficult andhow arduous the decision to close MarygroveCollege has been. Yet, I am hopeful as to whatwill emerge on the Marygrove campus.To the generations of Marygrove alumni, theIHMs have had to face the harsh realities thatother small liberal arts colleges across thecountry are facing. We want you to understandhow intimately and intricately we have beeninvolved in this decision.Marygrove Conservancy President,and President of the Sisters, Servantsof the Immaculate Heart of MaryJANE HERB, IHM, PhD SUMMER 2019But for the IHM Leadership Council, it is adeath and resurrection story. There is new lifeemerging on campus, an important piece toconsider. The establishment of the MarygroveConservancy will enable partners to cometogether, meeting the educational needs of theneighborhood in new ways. Yes, it is a differentlife on this beautiful campus, but Marygrove’ssame legacy of education, now enhanced bythe work of our P-20 partners. While ourdecision was difficult, we are hopeful fornew life emerging.The bylaws of Marygrove College contain theprovision that one-third of the members of theBoard of Trustees comprise IHMs. Additionally,the IHM Leadership Council joins with the Boardof Trustees to form the Corporation Board. It wasthis combined body that voted unanimously toclose the undergraduate program in 2017 andvoted, again unanimously, to close the graduateschool in 2019.” Marygrove’s legacy willWe studied, we prayed, we discerned that wecould find no way to reverse the continuingdecline in enrollment or the persistent financialshortfalls. Two further developments madethe decision ultimately clear: the federalDepartment of Education placed Marygroveon Heightened Cash Management 2 status andthe National Council for State Authorization ofReciprocity Agreements informed Marygrovethat it would not renew our membership dueto our financial condition, limiting our abilityto market our graduate programs nationwide.The Corporation Board had no choice but tovote as it did. In a day-long May 10th meeting,the Corporation Board considered everypossible path forward in a prayerful andreflective manner. The unanimous votewas taken after that meeting occurred.city of Detroit will carrySr. Patricia McCluskey, vice chairperson ofthe Marygrove Board and member of the IHMLeadership Council, said, “There was a wholeconfluence of factors that came into play. Theboard considered different scenarios, includingwhich one would be the best for giving closure.We chose to remain open until the end of thefall semester to best assist our students, just aswe did in 2017.”4There was much pain associated with thisdecision; actually, it was the most painfuldecision we’ve ever made.live on in these children.Marygrove’s mission toserve as an anchor in theon in this new life.”A brand new Detroit public school, opening inSeptember for 9th graders on the second floorof the Liberal Arts Building, will eventually servekindergartners through 12th graders from ourNorthwest Detroit neighborhood. We will seethe renovation of the former Immaculata HighSchool to hold a high-quality public school.We will also see the return of preschoolersto campus with the new early childhoodeducation center opening in 2021. Marygrovestudent teachers and faculty used to providenursery school and kindergarten instructionto neighborhood children. Marygrove’s legacywill live on in these children. Marygrove’smission to serve as an anchor in the city ofDetroit will carry on in this new life.We mourn the loss, yet we believe in theemerging life.Thank you for traveling this road with us.God bless Marygrove.
All-Alumni Reunion 2019SEPTEMBER 14Schedule of EventsREGISTRATION AND CONTINENTAL BREAKFASTAND CLASS REACQUAINT8:00 – 9:30 a.m.Madame Cadillac Building, Main Dining50-YEAR INDUCTION9:30 – 10:30 a.m.Madame Cadillac Building, Denk ChapmanCLASS PHOTOS10:30 – 11:40 a.m.Front Steps of Madame Cadillac BuildingClass of ’59 . 10:30 a.m.Class of ’64 . 10:40 a.m.Class of ’69 . 10:50 a.m.Class of ’74 .11:00 a.m.Class of ’79 . 11:10 a.m.Class of ’84 .11:20 a.m.Class of ’89 . 11:30 a.m.Remaining Classes.11:40 a.m.As the last Marygrove College Alumni Reunion approaches, manyalumni have expressed interest in coming back to their alma materfor the last time on Saturday, September 14th. While we’ll especiallyrecognize the milestone classes ending in 9 and 4, ALL Marygrovealumni are cordially invited to join in the fun and the celebration of aday filled with memories. Take a look at the exciting schedule on the left!For your convenience, there are a couple ways to register:1) Go online to asier and preferred method) and register, or2) Cut this form out and mail it with full payment to:All-Alumni Reunion 2019, 8425 W. McNichols Rd., Detroit, MI 48221.**Deadline is September 3 – no walk-ins or on-site registrationPlease gather your classmates for a trip down memory lane and join us forthe last Distinguished Alumni Award Presentation, the last walk through themain gates of Marygrove College, the last Alumni Reunion Mass.ALL-ALUMNI REUNION 2019 REGISTRATIONS a t u r d ay, S e p t e m b e r 1 4Name: (As it should appear on name tag)Class:CONCURRENT ACTIVITIESXtreme Tour.Meet in Lobby of(Madame Cadillac Building)Guest Name: (As it should appear on name tag)Garden Tour. Meet in Keenan Courtyard(Madame Cadillac Building)Street Address:LUNCH / PRESIDENT BURNS ’72 ADDRESS /ALUMNI ASSOC. PRESIDENT LORIA ’70 ADDRESS /DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDS PRESENTATIONNoon – 2:00 p.m.Madame Cadillac Building, Alumnae HallBREAKOUTS2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Former Faculty and Staff ReacquaintLiberal Arts Building 1st Floor,Delahanty Welcome Center IMD Dance PerformanceLiberal Arts Building 2nd Floor Dance Studio, Alumni Art Exhibit and DessertLiberal Arts Building 4th Floor Gallery **1 – 4 p.m.FINAL PROCESSION THROUGH THE MAIN GATES3:30 – 4:00 p.m.Assemble in Front of Hartman HallALUMNI REUNION MASS4:00 – 5:00 p.m.Liberal Arts Building, Sacred Heart ChapelCity/State/ZIP:Home Phone (include area code):Business Phone (include area code):E-mail Address:I WILL BE ATTENDING THE FOLLOWING REUNION EVENTS:Program and Lunch @ 50 per person Non-Alumni Guest Lunch @ 25 per person Class Photo (5” x 7”) @ 15 each Contributionto Marygrove College Total amount enclosedI would like to volunteer for:ChoirEucharistic Minister Lector Summer 20195
2019 Distinguished Alumni Award recipientsServants of the Immaculate Heart ofMary. During this time, Shirley taughtat several Detroit elementary schoolswhile also serving as the social studiesconsultant for the Archdiocese ofDetroit School Office. She also earneda master’s degree in political scienceat the University of Detroit.Shirley Ostholm Hinnau ’56After earning her BA in historyfrom Marygrove College in 1956,Shirley Ostholm Hinnau followedin the footsteps of her mentors andjoined the Congregation of the Sisters,In 1970, she left the Congregation andpursued her PhD at Columbia University.Following this, she began a three anda half decade career at York College,where she served as coordinator ofthe political science discipline, pre-lawadviser, and internship director of theGovernment and Public Affairs program.As New York City edged towardsbankruptcy and looked for ways to cutto her alma mater, this time as a biologyinstructor. This would mark the beginningof a more than thirty-year career ineducation and community service.Joan Garbarino ’58, ’72Joan Ringlein Garbarino first passedthrough the gates of MarygroveCollege in 1954, earning her BS inbiology four years later and graduatingMagna Cum Laude. After graduationand a researching stint with Parke-Davispharmaceutical company, she returned6 SUMMER 2019In 1971, she joined Ferndale CommunitySchools as a volunteer reading tutor inadult education. Over the next sevenyears, she continued to serve the districtnot only as an educator, but also ascurriculum coordinator, reading consultant,and project director of adult education.She also taught reading at St. Jude inDetroit and picked up another degreefrom Marygrove – an MEd, which sheearned in 1972 –before signing on ascoordinator of adult education at L’AnseCreuse Public Schools in Macomb County.Between 1980 and 1999, Joan not onlybuilt L’Anse Creuse’s specialized adultspending, the future of York Collegebecame increasingly bleak. Despite York’slack of resources, Shirley recalls the earlydays – particularly her students – withgreat fondness. “We were like a miniUnited Nations,” she says, “joined togetherand determined to make a difference.”So in 1976, when York faced closure, thecommunity banded together. "In protest,we took buses to Albany and marchedto city hall and to local elected official’soffices to gain support for York.” Yorkremains fully operational today.Over the years, Shirley taught her fairshare of classes, but few know about thequiet, philanthropic work she carried outbehind the scenes. Shirley is reluctant totalk about these acts of kindness, but ifeducation program from the ground upand oversaw the recruitment of studentsand staff, she also coordinated dayschool programs and evening adulteducation classes, and managed all ofthe program’s finances. She can alsotake credit for boosting communitysupport for the district when it cameto voting for millage and bond issues.In tandem with these efforts, she alsofound the time and energy to earn herEdD from Western Michigan Universityin 1992.Dr. Garbarino’s nearly two decades ofservice on behalf of L’Anse Creuse
friends of Marygrove College through the Alumni Relations Office. Address changes or information requests should be directed to: Kari Jenkins, Alumni Relations Director. Marygrove College 8425 West McNichols Road Detroit, MI 48221-2599 (313) 927-1443 Fax: (313) 92
