Susan Ferguson
2009 Recipient of the Lackner Award
Acceptance Speech
Thank you Father Paul…
My dad was known to be a kind, thoughtful, honest, and quiet man who winked at people. He winked at my mom during Mass while walking back from the communion rail. He did get a date and the rest is history. Surely theirs was a blessed courtship and marriage. My dad often winked at me including the time I had to make a speech at high school graduation. Feeling like I would collapse from anxiety as I stood at the podium, one wink from my dad let me know everything would be alright. My father’s winks were signs of endearment for the receiver letting them know without words just how special you were to him. One night in December after learning that my husband, Dick Ferguson, would have to undergo surgery for cancer, I was struggling to fall asleep and I thought about the my dad and the Godwink book.
In the book, When God Winks at You, the author Squire Rushnell defines a Godwink as the means God uses to speak directly to us through the power of coincidence. It may be a surprising answer to a prayer at just the right moment and the way God shows you that He cares about the detail of your life. A Godwink may be considered a silent little miracle message of assurance that no matter what is happening in your life or how uncertain things may seem at the moment, God is with you and will help you move toward certainty.
Making the association between the Godwink book and my dad’s wink brought a sense of reassurance and despite worry about Dick’s surgery I found a sense of peace and was able to fall asleep. Shortly after that evening on the morning of December 23 God winked at me, once again. Father Paul Marshall called to ask if I would accept the nomination as a recipient of the Lackner award. Per usual I cried and after lots of sniffling and less than a sensible response, Father Paul said, “Is that a yes?” I realized God was sending me that reassurance because my Marianist family had said they would stand by us through the joys of life and those challenges it brings.
“Godwinks of reassurance, and all God’s gifts, have often been delivered through people in my life. First, through my family…”) My best friend, spouse of thirty-two years, and Lackner Award recipient, Dick Ferguson, joins me. Our sons and daughter-in-law, A.J., Dave, Mark and Amy are the fruit of our love. I am not sure a mom could be more proud of her children than I am of mine. Mark and Amy are both UD grads and truly understand the Marianist family spirit as they give so much to our family and have an incredible close knit community of UD alumni friends. Dave is my chief editor and gifted writer. Despite living in LA he too understands the importance of family spirit as we speak to each other just about every night and the physical distance does not quite seem so far away. AJ is a first year student at UD in the mechanical engineering program. He has already joined the UD family spirit and will be the student representative to help facilitate next year’s Convocation. I am joined by my mother, Charlotte Dobkowski, a woman who loves her family deeply and is always ready to help with our every need. My mother-in-law, Martha Ferguson also joins us and offers a model of faith for a very large Ferguson clan. Certainly my father, Mack Dobkowski, and my father-in-law, Will Ferguson, are winking and smiling and celebrating with us in heaven.
Some very special friends whom we have been connected with through our life at the University, through our parish life, through holiday seasons, as Marianist Educational Associates and in joy and sorrow of life are Sandy and Regis Lekan, Pete and Anita Zelek, Steve and Cindy Mueller, Jan and Myron Achbach, Rich and Dodi Munn, Chris and Laura Duncan, Maura Donahue and David Darrow, Pat and Jeanne Palermo and Steve and Liz Donaldson. I am an only child; you have to collect a lot of friends.
Having been to twenty-four of twenty-five Lackner Award evenings there were many “coincidences of reassurance” to consider in the messages delivered and the relationships fostered with those who have been recognized previously. The previous award recipients have been recognized for their noteworthy contribution to the Catholic and Marianist character of the University of Dayton. Many of these individuals are significant in my personal history with the Marianists and at UD. It is through the influence of many previous recipients that I came to understand the Marianist charism and have been given the opportunity to serve.
And so tonight, I’d like to first touch on the themes of hospitality, family spirit, integrated quality education, service, and staying at the table—all of which characterize the charism of the Marianists.
Hospitality and family spirit are characteristics often associated with the Marianists. Many previous Lackner recipients modeled this for me and for my family. Myron Achbach was the recruiter in the Parma, Ohio area in 1971 when I was a senior in high school. He shared the story of UD so that I knew this was my university destination. After having met Myron and taking a tour of UD I remember my dad commenting on what a nice guy, Mr. Achbach was. Because I am an only child I think Myron offered a Godwink to my mom and dad as letting me go to college away from Cleveland was very difficult
I missed one Lackner dinner in 2003 when I attended a Parker Palmer retreat in Oregon with Bill Losito. Sadly, I missed hearing Pat Palermo’s and Sandra Yokum’s remarks but I will tell you that Dick and I were greatly impacted by Pat and Jeanne. Jeanne and Pat Palermo are wonderful examples of being welcoming and hospitable. After a New Year’s Eve party at the Palermo’s house in 1978, we found out we were pregnant with our first child. The Palermos attended our New Year’s Ever party this year. As far as I know they are not pregnant.
As an educator, the Marianist attention to integrated and quality education is a particularly important theme for me. John Gieger assured that I understood what a quality education entailed. John was my professor for the course the philosophy of education. I received my one and only B for an education course, all the rest were C’s. Kidding…. all the rest were A’s. In a congratulatory e-mail from John this month, he requested a change of grade slip. Although tempted to send it to him, I admitted deserving the B for the course. I had fallen in love with Dick that semester and the text, Teacher as Stranger, was less enticing than holding hands and looking into my new boyfriend’s eyes.
Another characteristic of a Marianist education is to adapt and change as we read the signs of the times. Our lives often call for adaptation and change and previous recipients provided life journeys to admire and from which to learn. Joe Belle taught us how to love your gumbas and how to live when you are dying; Mike O’Hare taught us how to love when the one you love is dying. Adaptation and change call for taking risks. Roberta Weaver took a risk and allowed me to coordinate first year experiences for the Department of Teacher Education, an opportunity I will forever cherish and understand the privilege it provided.
Service is characteristic of a Marianist education and a Marianist university. When our son Mark needed assistance with his science fair project in high school, Joe Saliba volunteered to assist Mark with his experiment. Joe spent hours explaining variables in materials and their relationship to the structure of bridges. Despite a very busy schedule Joe showed Mark labs, shared materials and patiently explained very complex concepts so that Mark could learn from his experiment. Joe’s passion for this university, his dedication to students, his energy, and his experience of the Marianists are unsurpassed. To share this evening with Joe is an incredible honor. Like Brother Elmer Lackner, he is Mr. UD. I asked him to allow me to go first tonight as his stories of his life long relationship with the Marianists are the most heartwarming I have heard.
Although not the Lackner award recipient I have known longest, remember that is Myron, but the one most a part of my experience with the University of Dayton is my husband, the better half of the first Lackner couple. He is by far the greatest gift of my experiences. We have laughed together, birthed together, and cried together. God winked many times in our lives. I have been so blessed to share thirty two years of marriage with a man who so fully lives according the Marianist charisms and has given so much time, energy, thought and creativity to the University of Dayton, our alma mater, our extended family. Dick spoke of the vow of stability that calls the Marianists to “stay at the table”. As a loving spouse, friend, and university colleague he provides this example through creativity, insight and commitment in our personal and professional lives. He is the lay Marianist I most admire and continue to be amazed by each day I live…the picture of stability.
All of the past Lackner Award recipients shared their gifts and influenced the culture of our campus. They have provided personal, professional and spiritual examples, brought us closer to our mission as a Catholic Marianist university, and have helped us to see the signs of the time and adapt and change. Together they define the themes of hospitality, family spirit, service…and staying at the table—these are characteristics of a community of rich tradition set into motion by a priest, a teacher, a gardener, and a cook.
You may recall the video presentation that chronicles the history of UD and tells us of the founders who were a priest, a teacher, a gardener and a cook. Was it more than a Godwink that Father Leo Meyer, Brother Max Zehler, Brother Charles Schultz, and Brother Andrew Edel came to Dayton to serve those suffering from the cholera epidemic? They demonstrated that forming students in faith through academic excellence would provide leaders for the community that would reflect and make change to bring about the common good. Brother Lackner continued the tradition of our founders as Mr. UD working in multiple capacities at the University. I met Brother Lackner a few times and remember our longest encounter looking through the windows of the Boesch lounge after a basketball game. He was pleased with what he saw and looked forward to what UD was to become just as the founders did. I have been blessed to encounter many vowed Marianists in the thirty-seven years I have been associated with the University of Dayton. Several priests, a teacher, a cook and a gardener guided my faith formation, my notions about education, my culinary skill and my understanding of growing the Marianist spirit at the University and in the greater Dayton community.
The priests: Father Joe MacDonald, affectionately called Father Mac was one of the Marianists who guided a retreat program called C.A.R.E. while completing my undergraduate degree. His gentle manner, constant support for struggling university students, and example of patience with his own chronic illness brought many to seek the Lord and find ways to live our lives in service to God and humankind.
Father Norbert Burns: Dick and I learned everything we needed to know about married relationships first from our wonderful parents but secondly from Father Norbert Burns. We attended along with the 27,000+ other UD students his course on Christian Marriage. He taught us to love and respect each other and to talk to each other about this most important relationship of our lives in an open and honest way. We will also be forever grateful to Father Burns for his reminder of the mountaintops and valleys of life and how we are to share them. Sadly, last year brought more than its share of valleys but thanks to Father Burns and so many of our other vowed Marianist friends we weathered the storms and are stronger people for it more in love with each other than ever. Like Father Meyer, the first priest at UD, we are grateful to Norbert for helping to form our faith in God and each other. Father Gene Contadino, Father Pat Tonry, Father Joe Tedesco, Father Chris Conlon, and Father Paul Marshall and many others bless us, support us, befriend us, and lead us.
The teachers: Brother Jerry O’Neil served as my teacher while a graduate student in the school psychology program. I studied in depth Erikson’s theory of emotional development. Brother Jerry helped students understand caring for the whole person because he taught theory but lived as a teacher who cared for us as whole persons. When I first arrived on campus to teach EDT 207, Child and Adolescent Development, Brother Jerry offered a physical space outside his office in Chaminade 102 so I could offer office hours to the students for whom I quickly learned to embrace and care. He modeled teacher behavior that provided humor, warmth, a prudent tendency toward leniency, and an understanding about what is important for teacher education students to understand about effective teaching in the Marianist spirit. Each year an award in Brother Jerry’s name is given by the senior undergraduate students in the School of Education and Allied Professions to a professor who has been an inspired teacher, advisor and friend. Having received this award in 2003 was the greatest honor I could receive from students in the School of Education and Allied Professions as Brother Jerry was truly my hero and role model as teacher. Many of my colleagues from the Department of Teacher Education knew Brother Jerry as their teacher or colleague. Many have received the award given in his name. Patricia Hart, Beverly Tilllman, Shauna Adams, Connie Mathes, Judy Eggemeier, Katie Kinnucan-Welsch, Brenda Ponder, and Anita Middleton continue Brother Jerry’s plan to mentor outstanding teacher education candidates who form students in faith, provide an integrated, quality education, create classrooms with family spirit, encourage students to adapt and change while paying attention to the signs of the times to serve others and bring justice and peace to their communities of learners. Brother Tom Oldenski blesses those of us in the School of Education and Allied Professions and reminds us of the Marianist spirit in what we teach and how we teach it.
The cook: Father Matt Komesher was my cook! Yes, he taught me to cook. One summer, while an undergraduate student I learned that Father Matt’s house needed a cook and I really needed a job. The cook during the school year was a home economics major whose parents owned a restaurant and, to say the least, her culinary talents were impeccable. I am not sure Father Matt knew what he and his housemates were getting into when he decided to hire me. My past experience consisted of having used, rather illegally, a toaster oven, hot pot and electric skillet in Marycrest. Father Matt expected me to use a cook book, real pots and pans, and an oven. What a novel idea for someone who agreed to be a cook. Soon Father Matt understood what he had done. Instead of dismissing me, he met me each day and helped me plan the meal and prepare something quite edible. I’ve never become a gourmet but each Thanksgiving when I present something my family enjoys I think of Father Matt. It’s never fantastic but imagine what would have happened had I never met Father Matt.
The gardener: Brother Ray Fitz is the community gardener who has cultivated and stimulated change in Catholic Education in our community. When Brother Ed Brink was called to serve the province Brother Ray asked if I was interested in the director’s position for the Center for Catholic Education. He was the fifth and final person to ask before I realized God was winking at me. Brother Ed, Dick, Sister Angela Ann and Roberta Weaver had all suggested that I consider this position. When Brother Ray asked I finally realized the Lord was sending lots of messages and Brother Ray’s was the one I could not ignore and dismiss any longer. Brother Ray shepherded our University for twenty-three years and had been a trusted friend and advisor to our family for all those years. How could I possibly not remember Mary’s yes to the call to serve in a way she was most likely afraid of and felt incompetent about. Everyone else appeared as an angel’s voice; Brother Ray was God’s voice. Thanks to Brother Ray I have stretched and grown despite extreme misgivings, worry, and frequent waves of outright fear.
In the last year and a half I have been supported through those worries, misgivings, and waves of fear by the Center for Catholic Education staff. Many from the team from the Center for Catholic Education are here this evening. Barb Miller, Jacinta Mergler and Amy Delamer of the Lalanne Program, Linda Russell, Rhonda Mercs, Sandy Eisenhut, Jennifer Kline, Shari Zahn, Noelle Willey, Michelle Sherman of the Urban Child Development Resource Center, Debra Sanderman, Dr. Tom Hunt, George Lisjak, Gina Lloyd, Ashley Gayonski and Megan Hilleran have all worked to Collaborate with the Catholic Education Collaborative represented by Anne Battes and Toni Moore to cultivate, nurture and bring 21st century curriculum to our local Catholic schools. I am so proud of my university to be extending our hand. Dr. Tom Lasley, Dean of the School of Education and Allied Professions and Dr. Dan Curran, our president, have supported and encouraged leaders of elementary and secondary Catholic schools. Dr. Curran, as a student-oriented president, extended Marianist hospitality to eighth grade students from two urban Catholic schools while they visited campus. This student group, called the Peacemakers, is to offer service and bring change for the common good to their school communities. When Dr. Curran heard of this group, he visited their meeting and was immediately the students’ hero! The children insisted on a picture with him! This certainly was a Godwink!
To continue the work of out founders and Brother Lackner’s work, Joe and I are each given the privilege of distributing $5000.00 to projects that reflect the Marianist spirit.
In the Center for Catholic Education we hope our daily work is in the Lord’s service, particularly, for children in Catholic schools.
I would like to give $2000.00 to the Lalanne Program. Each Lalanne teacher will receive funds to purchase supplies or incentives that will encourage student learning in their classrooms.
$1000.00 will be given to the UCDRC for the Peacemakers.
$1000.00 will be given to the Struggling Readers Program at Mary Queen of Peace School where Connie Mathes and Judy Eggemeier work with the faculty to enhance reading methodology for better comprehension. The funds will be used to purchase books for classroom libraries.
The final $1000.00 will be given to The Rivers Institute, a Fitz Center Project that brings awareness of the gifts the rivers bring to the Miami Valley and of the need to be vigilant about maintaining this gift for ecological, aesthetic and recreational use.
I have mentioned many names this evening. There is great danger in doing that as you know you have left out very important people. If I did not mention your name, please know it is written on my heart.
Life working with the Marianists has been a series of Godwinks. The Marianist brothers, priests and sisters welcome lay persons in a community of equals. We are empowered, blessed, supported, challenged, and encouraged to see that God loves us and assures us that everything will be done according to God’s plan. That God reassures us if we look to our community of vowed religious and lay persons. We are in His work together.
Please know that being here with each of you tonight is not only a Godwink but God nodding that you are a sign of love to each other. Thank you for sharing your evening with Joe and me.
Wink!