If you could have up to $4,000 for an international research grant, where would you go?

For Leonora Simonovis, Kevin Guerrieri and Amanda Petersen (pictured, left to right), all professors in the University of San Diego’s Department of Languages and Literature, the answer was the same: the Latin American Society Association’s XXVII International Congress Conference June 11-14, 2009, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

They were among five USD representatives who, through a successful International Opportunity Grant application, received the critical funding to attend an event that takes place once every 18 months. Their attendance enabled them to present or enhance their respective research topics and to network with international colleagues.

“It’s the premier conference in our field,” Petersen said. “There are panels and dialogues and contacts there that we would have missed out on no matter where you are in the United States.”

Guerrieri’s grant afforded him the chance to travel to both Colombia, where his book project is focused, and to Brazil to present a book chapter at the conference. “Without the grant it would have been very expensive,” he said.

The experience also provided a chance to learn more about themselves.

“It was my first time in Brazil,” Simonovis said. “I struggled with Portuguese, but that was good because it taught me to be a beginner and helped in teaching my students in Spanish classes. It’s good to remember that you’re a beginner in other things.”

The three professors were among USD grant recipients attending a special presentation Thursday during International Education Week in the Hahn University Center’s Exhibition Hall. Each presenter gave a brief synopsis of where they went and what they did. Travel encompassed such diverse places as Lithuania, Guatemala, Grenada, Galapagos Islands, Kenya, Palestine and Israel, New Zealand, Sierra Leone, South Africa and South Korea.

Carl Jubran, associate provost for international affairs, and his office took charge of the IOG program in 2006 when internationalization became a strategic initiative at USD. He said 118 faculty and staff have been awarded grants; the average amount awarded this past year was $1,850.

“The grants are usually able to fund a project fully,” he said. Most USD departments provide faculty with a yearly amount designated for domestic and international travel combined, Jubran added, but it’s often not enough. Jubran likes providing opportunities for international intellectual enhancement as well as the benefits that come back to USD.

“Faculty often, when they go abroad, ultimately come back to our office and want to propose a faculty-led program in that country or they’ll think about teaching a course abroad,” Jubran said.

A 2008 grant awarded to Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice Deputy Director Dee Aker actually led to an impromptu introduction to Milburn Line, then working with an NGO in Colombia where Aker was doing research. They met, talked and when the IPJ recently sought a permanent director, Aker mentioned Line as a potential candidate. He applied, interviewed and in August was hired.

Aker’s most recent IOG was also noteworthy. She partnered with Major Jason Ruedi, a Naval Science officer instructor in the San Diego NROTC program, “to conduct an on-the-ground assessment to analyze changing security priorities in Nepal,” according to Aker’s project description.

“It was a terrific opportunity, not just to participate, but to participate across departmental boundaries at USD. Together we were able to model a whole community approach to security,” Ruedi said.

— Ryan T. Blystone

Thursday, Nov. 19

Greening Borders Conference: The Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies is sponsoring this conference, which is designed to bring global insights to controversies related to water justice and hydro-diplomacy in the San Diego-Tijuana border region. The conference opened Wednesday; on Friday, the conference shifts to the Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center in Imperial Beach.

ELDA Spotlight on Education Series: The Educational Leadership Development Academy presents Marc Prensky speaking on the topic, “Engage or Enrage Me: Educating Today’s ‘Digital Native’ Learners.” Cost is $85. Registration/reception from 4-5 p.m., Prensky’s lecture and post-lecture discussion runs from 5-7 p.m. in Mother Rosalie Hill Hall’s Warren Auditorium, Room 116.

Experiment with an Air Pump: The Shelagh Stephenson production begins a six-day run tonight at USD’s Black Box Theatre in Camino Hall, Room 131. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19-21 and 23-24. A 2 p.m. show takes place on Sunday. Tickets are $11 general admission, $8 (students, seniors).

Moonlight Canoe: The Experiential Learning and Adventure Center is sponsoring a canoe trip around San Diego Bay. Meet at the Hahn University Center, Room 136, at 7 p.m. Participants will return to USD by 10 p.m. Cost is $20 with USD ID card (students, faculty, staff, alumni), $25 for general public.

Associated Students Keynote Speaker: Tim Wise, a prominent U.S. anti-racist writer and activist, speaks on the topic of “Challenging Racism in the Age of Obama.” Wise (pictured) will be speaking at Maher Hall’s Soloman Lecture Hall from 7-9 p.m. Admission is free.

Women’s Volleyball: Portland at USD, Jenny Craig Pavilion, 7 p.m. General admission tickets are $5.

Women’s Swimming: USD at Toshiba Classic, Belmont Plaza Olympic pool, Long Beach, Calif., all day. Meet runs through Saturday.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona: The Shakespeare play, featuring students from USD’s Master of Fine Arts program, concludes its run this weekend, beginning with tonight 8 o’clock show at the Old Globe Arena Stage at the James C. Copley Auditorium in Balboa Park. Tickets are $19 general admission, $16 for students, seniors and active military, $12 for groups of 15 or more and $8 for USD students. Performances are also on Friday (8 p.m.), Saturday (2 and 8 p.m.) and Sunday (2 and 7 p.m.).

Friday, Nov. 20

Women’s Basketball: Maggie Dixon Classic — USD vs. Tennessee State, 3:30 p.m., at DePaul University, Chicago. USD plays a second game on Saturday, time TBA, against DePaul or Cornell.

Light the Night Walk: Join several members of the USD community who will participate in a two-mile walk in Mission Valley. The event benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and many at USD are participating to honor former Toreros men’s tennis coach Tom Hagedorn who passed away on March 21, 2009 after a valiant 18-month battle with leukemia. Tonight’s event takes place at Qualcomm Stadium. Check-in is at 5 p.m., followed by an opening ceremony at 6 p.m. and the walk at 6:30 p.m. Donations can be made at the Light the Night Walk web site.

Symphony Concert: The USD Symphony will perform the first of two weekend concerts at Camino Hall’s Shiley Theatre. Tonight’s show is at 8 with a repeat show Sunday at 2 p.m. The concert honors the work of Franz Joseph Haydn, known as the “Father of Symphony” in the history of classical music. Program features Gypsy Rondo and the “London” Symphony by Haydn and more. Tickets available at the door only are $5 (students with ID card), $8 (seniors, USD faculty, staff and alumni) and $10 for general admission.

Friday Movie Night: Associated Students offers a free screening of the movie “The Soloist” at 9 p.m. in the Student Life Pavilion’s Plaza Mayor. The screening is part of USD’s Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week.

Saturday, Nov. 21

Mud Caving: The Experiential Learning and Adventure Center is sponsoring a trip to discover the mud caves in Anza Borrego. Meet at the UC, Room 136 at 7 a.m. Participants will return to USD by 7 p.m. Lunch is covered, but bring money for dinner stop on the way back to USD. Cost is $40 with USD ID card (students, faculty, staff, alumni) and $50 for general public.

Men’s Rowing: USD at Wires to Poles Competition, Mission Bay, all day.

San Diego Lost Boys Festival: USD’s Center for Community Service-Learning, USD’s chapter of STAND (student-led division of the Genocide Intervention Network) and the Catholic Diocese of San Diego are supporting this on-campus event. The festival runs from 1-4 p.m. at the third level courtyard of the Student Life Pavilion. It will feature a Lost Boys (Sudanese refugees) panel sharing their stories, a drum circle led by Sundiata Kata, food and networking opportunities.

Women’s Volleyball: Gonzaga at USD, Jenny Craig Pavilion, 1 p.m. General Admission tickets are $5.

Football: Southern Utah at USD, Torero Stadium, 6 p.m. Tickets are $12 for reserved seating, $10 general admission adults, $8 general admission children (ages 4-12).

United Front Multicultural Center Showcase: Student organizations represented in the UFMC present their annual talent showcase about diversity through song, dance, spoken word and more. This year’s theme is “Where’s Waldo.” Food from various cultures will also be available. The free event runs 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Hahn University Center, Forums A and B.

Sunday, Nov. 22

Men’s Soccer: NCAA Division I Playoffs, Second Round: UC Santa Barbara vs. USD, Torero Stadium, 5 p.m. Tickets are $5 (children, students and seniors) and $10 adults.

Mass: Founders Chapel offers services at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

“It just sort of made sense,” said Chapel (pictured, far right), who likes solving problems using math and science. Thomashow (pictured, center) recalls seeing a college engineering textbook and thinking ”this fits my personality and what I want to do to a ’t.’”

Both are juniors in industrial engineering, looking forward to working in the field that involves creating and improving systems to move around materials, equipment, energy or even information or people.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, four of the 30 fastest-growing occupations through 2014 will be in engineering-related fields. Having more women in the profession could help alleviate the shortage of engineers needed to meet the technological and economic challenges of the 21st  century.

But there has long been a perception that women who begin a major in engineering are less likely to stick with it and graduate with that major. However, a study by two USD professors finds that, in fact, women who major in engineering graduate at rates comparable of those to men.

“This belief that women are more likely to drop out of engineering is the academic equivalent of an ‘urban myth,’” said Michelle Madsen Camacho, associate professor of sociology.

Contrary to the popular notion that engineering “is a ’weed-out’ major, there are fewer dropouts in engineering than other majors and women do as well as men,” said Susan M. Lord, professor of engineering.

Their study, published this fall in the “Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering,” looked at more than 79,000 students who majored in engineering at nine public universities in the southeast over a 17-year period between 1987 and 2004. Overall, the study, funded by a $500,000 National Science Foundation grant, found that women persist in engineering through four years at the rate of 54 percent, compared to 55 percent for men and that this pattern largely continues when broken down by ethnic groups.

Researchers from Purdue University and the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology also contributed to the study, suggesting that the real problem is that fewer women begin majoring in engineering. Greater efforts to interest and recruit young women into the profession could play a signficant role in combating the shortage of engineers.

Indeed, both Chapel and Thomashow were made aware early of the possibilities in engineering. Chapel’s high school offered presentations in science class and she has a family member in the field. Thomashow’s high school advisor helped her decide on engineering.

Only 22 percent of engineering majors are female. The problem “is not rates of attrition but simply getting them through the door in the first place,” Camacho said.

Efforts to attract young women to the field should be pursued, not only to keep the United States competitive but also to make strides in social justice, gender equity and diversity in the workplace, the two professors said. “Engineers play a critical role in shaping our society,” Lord said. “It is imperative that all of the best minds be involved in this endeavor.”

— Liz Harman

The inaugural Founders Gala, the signature event of the University of San Diego’s yearlong 60th anniversary celebration, provided 350 guests with a festive evening of dinner, entertainment and live and silent auctions on Saturday, Nov. 14. Most importantly, the biggest winners were USD students.

The fundraising event raised more than $500,000 for USD’s Founders’ Endowed Scholarship Fund, according to gala coordinator Renda Quinn ’86.

“Our goal was $250,000 and we more than doubled that,” said Quinn, who spent the past year planning the event held in the newly renovated Hahn University Center’s La Gran Terraza and the Student Life Pavilion.

“The event was very well done and it was a collaborative effort,” said Quinn, who worked closely with a large gala committee which included honorary co-chairs  Darlene Marcos Shiley and her husband, Donald, as well as 23 USD alumni, USD staff and friends of the university.

“We had such a positive response from the event,” Quinn said. “To have people enjoy it and for it to be so successful made it really satisfying for everyone who worked hard to bring it all together.”

Among those in attendance were three USD presidents — current president Mary E. Lyons, Alice Hayes and Author Hughes — Jenny Craig, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, Sister Sally Furay, Gala emcee Lara Spencer (host of syndicated TV show “The Insider”), members of the USD Board of Trustees, community members, numerous alumni and current students.

Guests dined on a menu specially selected and prepared by chefs from the Culinary Institute of America, Greystone in Napa Valley. The USD Choral Scholars sang the blessing “Hear My Prayer” and Haute Chile provided the post-dinner musical entertainment for dancing.

The live and silent auctions provided a wide array of items. Dozens of unique experiences and items for bid included special USD-related items such as a 12-course tasting dinner with wine matching for four at La Gran Terraza; a dining party for 10 on the rooftop of the Student Life Pavilion; a tour of Founders Chapel and tea with Sister Virginia Rodee RSCJ, ’54, ’74; an architectural tour with USD history professor Iris Engstrand; a private Christmas party performance by the USD Choral Scholars with a catered dinner for 25; and special sports packages for fans of the USD football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball volleyball and rowing teams.

Quinn said two of the highest-bidded items were airfare and a one-week guest home stay in both Bordeaux and Carry Le Rouet, France; and two bidders each won a one-week stay in the Tuscany, Italy home of Laura and Reza ’87 Arabnia.

The auction was followed by “Fund-A-Torero,” in which attendees gave a straight donation to the scholarship fund. According to Quinn, that portion of the evening brought in several generous donations.

In keeping with the 60th anniversary celebration, Quinn said the gala was also an opportunity to capture the spirit of USD’s founders, Bishop Charles Buddy and Mother Rosalie Hill. “I think they would have been so proud,” she said. “The 60th anniversary campaign focused on celebrating our past, present and future. We highlighted those aspects of the university. They were visionaries; the gala was all about providing for our future — the students. I think they would have been thrilled.”

— Ryan T. Blystone

The 2010 University of San Diego Founders’ Gala will take place on Saturday, Oct. 23.

Photo courtesy of Alan Decker

The University of San Diego on Tuesday announced a long-term partnership with San Diego-based AMSOLAR Corporation to create the eighth-largest solar energy facility on a U.S. college campus.

“This partnership represents a commitment to sustainability,” said USD President Mary E. Lyons outside the Student Life Pavilion at a news conference where she was joined by (pictured, left to right of Lyons) County Supervisor Ron Roberts, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and AMSOLAR Managing Partner Joshua Weinstein. “Creating a more sustainable campus environment is one of our strategic goals and consistent with Catholic Social Thought.”

Lyons said she hoped the new facility could serve an educational purpose across all disciplines while demonstrating USD’s commitment to creating a greener society. The solar power system is expected to reduce the university’s reliance on non-renewable energy by as much as 15 percent.

USD will pay nothing for the installation of 5,000 solar panels, to be placed throughout the campus, including academic and residential buildings, the West Parking Structure and Jenny Craig Pavilion. AMSOLAR is funding the installation of the 1.23-megawatt system through federal stimulus grant funds. AMSOLAR owns and operates the system through a 25-year power purchase agreement and will then sell the power back to USD at a reduced rate.

“The partnership between USD and AMSOLAR allows USD to embrace solar energy in a powerful way while looking forward to greater community sustainability,” Weinstein said.

USD is the first academic institution to partner with AMSOLAR, which has engineered 3,000 solar projects. Weinstein said this makes USD’s program the largest solar project nationally among private schools at any level.

Mayor Sanders called the announcement “a great statement for San Diego.” Sanders congratulated USD for “showing our region what’s possible.”

Roberts also praised USD’s partnership with AMSOLAR and its ability to produce new green jobs locally.

Construction is to begin in the next few months and completion is expected by spring 2010.

— Anthony Shallat ’10

To learn more about USD and its commitment to sustainability, check out the newest Sustainability Task Force newsletter.

The University of San Diego ranks second among national universities for its percentage of undergraduate students participating in study abroad programs, the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors 2009 Report on International Educational Exchange revealed on Monday.

The university had a 78.5 percent undergraduate student participation rate, up from last year’s 60 percent participation and No. 6 ranking. The current ranking, USD’s highest ever in the IIE report, continues a sharp increase for the university, which, as recently as 2006, was not ranked. In 2007, USD was ranked 26th among the top 40.

“We’re really excited about the ranking,” said Kira Espiritu (pictured), director of international study abroad programs. “I think it’s a result of the momentum since the International Center came online. It speaks volumes for our administration and the resources we’ve been allocated for international programs. President (Mary) Lyons and Provost (Julie) Sullivan are very supportive in allowing us to make this happen.”

The International Center, located in Serra Hall 315, opened as a one-stop destination in August 2007 for students to find information about study abroad programs. The Office of International Students and Scholars and Carl Jubran, associate provost for international affairs, are also located in the center.

“It’s a huge testament to the support we get and a lot of really hard work by our staff of 12 people. I think of other places where they might have more (staff), but we’re doing really great things with the people we have,” Espiritu said.

Pepperdine University was No. 1 in the rankings, which documents the 2007-08 school year and figures in the student participation percentage based on the 2008 graduating class. USD had 892 students out of 1,137 who earned an undergraduate degree in 2008 participate in a study abroad program. The University of Denver, Wake Forest University and University of Saint Thomas (Minn.) rounded out the top five.

Espiritu said her staff has been working to meet the increasing desire students have to study and travel abroad. “Younger students, especially, are coming to USD and they’re starting to expect that they’ll have a study-abroad experience.”

She said USD offers 80 programs in 35 different countries for everything from short-term visits, unique Intersession programs, the long-running Guadalajara, Mexico summer program to full semester offerings worldwide. Espiritu said her office also provides students a chance to participate by offering scholarships and financial aid package assistance. “We’re making a conscientious effort to make programs more accessible,” she said.

The demand has increased so much at USD that Jubran and his staff are testing a project called Second-Year Experience. The goal is for as many Class of 2013 students as possible to participate in a study abroad trip during 2011 Intersession to one of five international locations. The application deadline is Dec. 1, 2009.

Another way to stimulate student interest is on-campus events and programs with an international component. The International Center’s annual International Education Week begins today and runs through Friday with high-profile speakers, a one-day international bazaar with 50 booths lining Marian Way, faculty and graduate seminars and other special events showcasing USD’s wide range of international opportunities. “The caliber of speakers we have and the quality of the programming across the schools provides something for everyone,” Espiritu said.

— Ryan T. Blystone

Urban streams on both sides of the border have had incredibly high concentrations of contaminants that have flowed to wetlands and beaches in San Diego. Pollution poses immediate risks like raw sewage and polluted rainwater that flows across the international border.

There’s also concern that local groundwater quantity and dependence on imported water has declined, as well as increased erosion and flood dangers, air pollution, and a reduction in the amount of safe, open and green areas.

The Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego has convened environmental experts, policymakers, scientists and community leaders for the first bi-national conference to address these issues. “Greening Borders: Cooperation, Security and Diplomacy” is from Nov. 18-20 at the School and Tijuana River Estuary Visitor Center.

The goal of the conference is to:

• Explore trans-boundary water management approaches from around the world to inspire multi-level and interdisciplinary dialogue locally;

• Engage in interactive working sessions that improve conflict management/resolution skills;

• Welcome diverse perspectives from both sides of the border;

• Recognize and build on previous regional and local initiatives;

• Participate in consensus-building workshops to identify shared priorities;

• Strive towards securing political support and funding.

International negotiator and best-selling author William Ury, Ph.D. (pictured) is the keynote speaker for the conference. Ury is the co-founder of the Harvard University Negotiation Project and co-author of “Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In.” His address, entitled, “From the Boardroom to the Border: Negotiating for Sustainable Agreements,” is at 7 p.m., Nov. 18, at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice Theatre.

Ury has served as a negotiation adviser and mediator in conflicts ranging from corporate mergers to wildcat strikes in a Kentucky coal mine to ethnic wars in the Middle East, the Balkans, and the former Soviet Union. With former President Jimmy Carter, he co-founded the International Negotiation Network, a non-governmental body seeking to end civil wars around the world. He has taught negotiation to thousands of corporate executives, labor leaders, diplomats and military officers around the world. He helps organizations endeavor to reach mutually profitable agreements with customers, suppliers, unions and joint-venture partners.

– Denise T. Ward

For a complete list of speakers and panels, go to www.sandiego.edu/peacestudies. Students are welcome to attend the working sessions of the conference and should register by Monday, Nov. 16.

Even though Tracy McGrady has a multi-million dollar lifestyle, the Houston Rockets star player’s outlook on life changed for good in the summer of 2007 when he visited Darfuri refugee camps in Chad alongside Enough Project co-founder John Prendergast (pictured), a visiting peace scholar for the University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies.

McGrady’s visit, made into the one-hour documentary “3 Points” this fall, captured his reaction to the plight of some of the estimated three million refugees — approximately 250,000 of which are in Chad — as they struggle to survive and live in fear of a constant threat of violence from Sudanese government forces and their allies, the Janjaweed.

The film, shown Wednesday night at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice Theatre, provided a predominately USD student audience with a glimpse of what McGrady saw, heard and felt. It also introduced more people to the Darfur Dream Team Sister Schools project.

The project is a partnership of organizations and several NBA players, such as McGrady and Derek Fisher (L.A. Lakers) and Baron Davis (L.A. Clippers), working together on a Sister Schools program that matches U.S. middle schools, high schools and universities with schools in 12 Darfuri refugee camps in eastern Chad. The project’s two main goals are to provide quality education to every refugee child from Darfur and to develop a personal connection between students from Darfur and the U.S.

Prendergast, who began a two-week visit to campus on Wednesday, introduced the film. “It was a project involving three big things in my life — supporting kids in Africa, helping put an end to genocide and basketball,” he said. Prendergast’s appearance helped USD’s chapter of the national STAND organization, which is part of the Genocide Intervention Network, to promote awareness of the Dream Team project.

“The turnout is fabulous,” said Felicia Baldwin ’11, director of USD’s STAND chapter and a member of the organization’s chapter at her high school in New York. A double major in Theatre Arts and Accounting, Baldwin joined USD’s chapter when alumna Summer Buckley ’09 — who attended Wednesday’s film screening — started it in 2007. “This is our big event. We’re excited to have it (at the IPJ). We hope students will take something away from seeing the film.”

USD’s STAND chapter is raising funds to help build schools and rehabilitate existing ones and to help with teacher salaries. STAND has t-shirts for $12 and is seeking dollar amounts for specific needs — $6 buys a textbook, $20 buys a desk and bench and $50 pays for a teacher’s kit — as well as straightforward donations.

For those who missed Wednesday’s film screening but want to learn more about the project or about STAND, Baldwin said Prendergast will attend STAND’s 1 p.m. meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 17, in Serra Hall, room 101B.

— Ryan T. Blystone

To order $12 STAND t-shirts, e-mail standusd@gmail.com. John Prendergast is conducting public seminars and office hours (IPJ building, Suite 113) to hold discussions with USD students and other members of the campus community. He is in residence through Nov. 25.

Thursday, Nov. 12

Founders Day Mass: The annual celebration of the feast of St. Didicus of Alcalá will be celebrated during the daily 12:15 p.m. mass at Founders Chapel. It’s also a celebration of USD’s founders, Bishop Charles Buddy and Mother Rosalie Hill, and all who have been part of the university’s 60-year existence. Sister Mary Hotz, RSCJ, will provide a reflection.

Frank’s Lounge Pool Tournament: The monthly double-elimination pool tournament continues with pool play at 4 p.m. in Hahn University Center, room 279.

Mortar Board Lecture Series: Alumnus James McElroy ’77 (J.D.) will speak about his experiences working against hate crimes. He is a lawyer, teacher and advocate for human rights. McElroy will speak at 7 p.m. in the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice Theatre. For more information, contact Star Hughes at starhughes@sandiego.edu .

Francis of Assisi Lecture: The Center for Christian Spirituality’s Faces of Spirituality Series focuses on the 800th anniversary of the formal founding of the Franciscan order. Author, speaker and professor of Christian spirituality, William Short will deliver remarks. The event is from 7:30-9 p.m. in Maher Hall’s Salomon Lecture Hall. Pre-registration tickets are $10, $15 at the door. Faculty and staff, half price and students with valid ID card are admitted free.

Friday, Nov. 13

Friday Movie Night: Associated Students offers a free screening of the movie “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” at 9 p.m. in the Student Life Pavilion’s Plaza Mayor.

The Big Read Panel: The final event of the National Endowment of the Arts project, The Big Read, a project designed to encourage people to read more, is a panel discussion about the Ernest J. Gaines book “A Lesson Before Dying.” Panelists are John G. Cotsirilos, a criminal attorney and adjunct professor in USD School of Law; Tiffany Gill, assistant professor of History, African American and Women’s Studies at the University of Texas-Austin; and Emily Reimer-Barry, assistant professor of theology and religious studies at USD. The free event is from 3-5 p.m. in the Salomon Lecture Hall.

Cropper Writers Series: Paul Lisicky (pictured), author of “Lawnboy” and “Famous Builder” and the forthcoming novel, “Lumina Harbor,” is the featured speaker for the 7 p.m. event in the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice Theatre. Admission is free for this event, which is put on by the Lindsay J. Cropper Center for Creative Writing at USD.

Men’s Soccer: USD at Saint Mary’s, Moraga, Calif., 2 p.m.

Men’s Basketball: Stanford at USD, Jenny Craig Pavilion, 7 p.m. Premium game ticket prices are $30 for sideline, $25 for baseline.

Women’s Soccer: NCAA Playoffs, first round — USD vs. San Diego State, 8 p.m. at UCLA’s Drake Stadium.

Saturday, Nov. 14

Surf Instruction: The Experiential Education and Adventure Center is hosting a surf instruction event for beginners. Meet at the center in Hahn University Center room 136 at 8 a.m. Participants will return to the USD campus at 2 p.m. Cost is $30 for USD ID cardholders (students, faculty, staff, alumni) and $40 for the general public. The center provides surfboard rental, wetsuit, transportation guides and coaching.

Rock Climbing: The Experiential Education and Adventure Center offers rock climbers the chance to do this activity locally. Those interested will meet at the center in Hahn University Center room 136 at 8 a.m. Participants will return to USD at 4 p.m. The center provides all group and personal rock climbing equipment, guides, instruction and transportation. Cost is $35 for USD ID cardholders and $45 for the general public.

Football: USD at Morehead State, Morehead, Ky., 10 a.m. Listen to the game on San Diego’s 1700 AM.

Cross Country: Men’s and women’s teams at NCAA West Regional, Eugene, Ore., 11 a.m.

Women’s Volleyball: USD at Saint Mary’s, Moraga, Calif., 1 p.m.

Women’s Basketball: UC San Diego at USD, 5 p.m. General admission tickets are $5.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona: The Shakespeare play, featuring students from USD’s Masters of Fine Arts program, opens tonight at 8 at the Old Globe’s Arena Stage at the James C. Copley Auditorium in Balboa Park. Tickets are $19 general admission, $16 for students, seniors and active military, $12 for groups of 15 or more and $8 for USD students.

Sunday, Nov. 15

La Gran Terraza Grand Opening: The newest dining destination on the USD campus opens with brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. La Gran Terraza features three spaces: Grand Dining, O’Toole’s and The Terrace. Reservations for brunch are now being accepted.

Men’s Soccer: USD at Santa Clara, Santa Clara, Calif., noon.

Women’s Soccer: NCAA Playoffs (If USD won Friday): USD vs. Boise State/UCLA winner, 1 p.m. at UCLA’s Drake Stadium.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona: The Shakespeare play, featuring USD students from the Master of Fine Arts program, has two shows today — 2 and 7 p.m. — at The Old Globe Arena Stage at the James C. Copley Auditorium in Balboa Park. Tickets are $19 general admission, $16 for students, seniors and active military, $12 for groups of 15 or more and $8 for USD students. The play will also be performed Nov. 17-22.

Mass: Founders Chapel offers services at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Veterans Day was celebrated nationally on Wednesday, a day meant to honor all who have served in the U.S. military. To Father Owen Mullen, chaplain at the University of San Diego, it was a continuation.

“It’s not just one day to me,” he says.

Mullen has strong ties to the military, with whom he served in the Army National Guard, as a chaplain at West Point and retired as a full colonel. His University Ministry office space features photos, plaques, mementos and a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) cap.

He conducts the daily mass at Founders Chapel twice a week, offering support when presenting the prayers of the faithful to “let us remember those in the armed forces, particularly those in troubled spots in the world, for them and their families, and that they come home safely.”

Mullen, now 71, didn’t see any battle time during his military career, but it wasn’t by choice. “When I went into the seminary they put us in a different distinction and it got us out of the draft. But it always bothered me because I wanted to be like everybody else.”

When he was ordained, Mullen asked a bishop about the possibility of joining. “He said, ‘I can’t let you go right now. I need priests here.’ He let me sign up for the National Guard reserves, but in those days people were fighting for a spot. Today, they’re begging for chaplains. I thought it was my duty to our country and for all of those who had served in the past that I take their place.”

Mullen worked for several years at West Point welcoming and working with new cadets and seeing their potential as leaders. “Where else in the world do 22-year-olds have the responsibility of leading 11 or 12 people, and they’re responsible for their lives?,” Mullen asks. “It takes a pretty strong person to do it. That’s what I admire about the military, including our own NROTC graduates.”

Mullen’s commitment to young people is consistent. He is in his second stint at USD, first from 1981-89, now back on campus since 2004. He is the team chaplain for USD’s football, baseball and club lacrosse teams, works with the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity and delivers the invocation at the San Diego NROTC fall and spring commissioning ceremonies.

“I was here when the NROTC started on campus (1982) and I think it’s one of the greatest things in the world,” Mullen says. “I listen to our students and I have lunch with them pretty much every day. They’re very positive. Those I meet through my work with the different organizations think it’s great that (NROTC students) are here. I think it’s great for the university and it makes a statement.”

— Ryan T. Blystone

Read more about Father Mullen in the Summer 2006 issue of USD Magazine.