Our new issue delivers word on a $30 million gift to the college’s endowment fund, video of the making of a stunning bronze landmark on campus, and much more.

Unprecedented Gift Headlines Your Magazine Online

St. Norbert College Magazine editor Susan Allen shares some of the web-exclusive content featured in the Fall/Winter 2017 issue of St. Norbert College Magazine, available online.

With the inauguration of one of our own as the college’s eighth president, the centenary of one of the campus’ oldest landmarks and the installation of one of its newest, our Fall/Winter 2017 issue promised to be a packed and compelling one. But then, with press time nearing, the college learned it would be receiving an unprecedented gift to honor Donald J. Schneider’s legacy of serving the community and advancing Catholic education. The topic for the “big news” page that opens our magazine was clear.

“We are honored and humbled by the remarkably generous gift from the Donald J. and Patricia A. Schneider Family and by their enduring devotion to helping others throughout our community,” says President Brian Bruess ’90. “Their gift will help St. Norbert College students for generations to come by providing a rigorous educational experience that engages them in community service and developmental experiences working with local organizations.” Learn more about the Schneider gift.

News of the gift came as celebrations continued following the inauguration of Bruess as the eighth president, and second alumnus president, of St. Norbert College. The same week, we celebrated Heritage Week and Homecoming, too. It’s all in our highlight reel, where you’ll find the president making a big splash both in the ceremonial and in the cannonball contest in our new pool.

There was more to come in a packed and festive week on campus as we celebrated the dedication of our new landmark in bronze, the “The Conversion” sculpture depicting the singular event in the life of Norbert of Xanten that would ultimately make waves throughout the church. Our video shows how the sculpture was created in Utah, shipped to campus and, ultimately, installed at the northwest corner of campus.

Meanwhile, one of our more venerable landmarks in bricks and mortar, Boyle Hall, celebrated its centenary. Every one of our living alumni has taken classes in this building – and, if you are among their numbers, you’ll enjoy these Boyle Hall memories. In fact, we hope you’ll add to them! It’s a growing list – send remembrances of Boyle Hall larks and learning to magazine@snc.edu and we’ll add them to the list.

And there’s more! Take a peek at the faculty art triennial, learn scholarship search tactics from Nick Surprise ’20 who looked far beyond financial aid to pay for college, and read more about our 2017 Alumni Award winners and their tireless work for the common good.

As always, enjoy the issue – and let us know what you think!

Our online magazine features much of the material from our thrice-yearly print issue as well as a slate of web exclusives; new content is added weekly.

Nov. 7, 2017

Also in Print

Not every nugget from the print issue makes its way online. Here’s one such item to enjoy.

When two education majors who met at Summer Orientation in 2011 became roommates, they could have had no idea the pattern would repeat in their professional lives.

Alexandra Sommers ’15 and Samantha Lensmire ’15 became fast friends at St. Norbert, rooming together in Mad/Lor their first year. They made plans to room together the following year in Michels Hall with six other friends, but when Sommers was selected to be an RA in Victor McCormick Hall (VMC) – an opportunity too good to pass up – she became an “honorary roommate” of the Michels Hall group. She retained her honorary roommate status and her resident assistantship at VMC in her junior year, and finally reunited with Lensmire their senior year in a service house on Fourth Street.

Fast-forward past graduation and the two women found themselves both working as ELL (English Language Learner) teachers at Edison Middle School in Green Bay. Without a curriculum to work from, they drew on their St. Norbert education and their friendship to create one, and teamed up to teach some of their students together. When the administration saw how well they worked together, they were asked to pilot team-teach the largest section of ELL students in Fall 2016. Knowing each other’s personalities and teaching styles so well, they found it easy to divide who was going to teach what.

Sommers says they still both share the same classroom: “We just teach opposite hours, but love being able to brainstorm and decompress together.”