Established in 2011, URSA was created to expand opportunities for undergraduates to lead or collaborate on research projects alongside faculty mentors. Now in its fifteenth year, the event has grown into a cornerstone of BenU’s academic calendar, and the 2026 symposium proved to be one of the most vibrant yet.

From noon-4:30 p.m., Goodwin Hall hosted a packed schedule of oral presentations across three rooms (211, 212, and 213), with three concurrent time blocks running from noon until the late afternoon. Topics ranged from police perceptions of community-oriented policing and the role of music in Native American identity to existentialist analyses of eating disorders, echo chambers on social media, CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors, and the racialized lens of medical illustration. The presentations reminded all in attendance that URSA interprets “scholarship” in the broadest possible sense.

Meanwhile, the first-floor lobby transformed into a bustling gallery of discovery during the poster session, held from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Poster topics ranged from Wolbachia bacteria in arthropods and the neurotoxic effects of microplastics on the brain to AI-driven goose deterrent systems for Lake St. Benedict, the relationship between personality traits and social deduction games, and a winter clothing drive supporting survivors of domestic violence.

Students from the natural sciences presented research findings on large-format posters, while peers from the humanities and arts displayed original creative work, including visual art installations and descriptions of original musical compositions.

Faculty, staff, and students filled the hallways and session rooms, offering thoughtful questions and enthusiastic support. For many presenters, URSA served as a vital “dry-run” for larger regional conferences later this spring. But for all involved, the event was a celebration of what happens when BenU students are given a stage to share their curiosity.

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Gus and Alice is a new comedy that follows a married couple of more than 50 years. Gus and Alice have a comfortable routine built on togetherness and good-natured bickering. Their dynamic changes unexpectedly one night at dinner when Alice suggests they sell their house and move into a retirement community. What follows includes game nights, tea dates between longtime friends, conversations about gluten and cats, some bad singing, and debates over the merits of wearing pants.

Rago, a Chicago native, said he and the cast are excited to bring the show home. BenU is proud to see continued success from one of our alumni, and we celebrate Mike’s creative achievements on stage. When asked what advice he would give to current Benedictine students and alumni interested in creative writing or theater, Rago emphasized persistence and passion.

“Never stop writing,” he said. “Write about anything and everything. And when inspiration hits, write right then and there. 2am, 7am, 4pm, on the train, out for a walk, whatever and wherever. Sometimes it’s like lightning striking and you have to capture it in the moment.”

He also encouraged those pursuing theater to keep acting in all kinds of roles and settings, from community theatre to New York.

“Persistence pays off,” Rago added. “Like anything else, hard work and consistency during the ups and downs are key. And always give yourself grace. There will be good days and hard days. Give yourself grace, take a breath, then go back at it.”

To purchase tickets, visit the Greenhouse Theater box office .

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For students preparing for Commencement, the Grad Fair offered a one-stop experience to get ready for the big day. Students were able to order their regalia, confirm their diploma mailing address, and pick up their Commencement tickets with ease. Several campus departments were on hand to assist, including Alumni and Career Services, Campus Ministry, Graduate Admissions, Ben Central, and the Registrar. Students also had the opportunity to take graduation photos with Grad Images and connect with Herff Jones for class rings, announcements, and diploma frames.

At the same time, students took full advantage of Job-A-Palooza, where a diverse lineup of employers was ready to connect. Students explored opportunities with a wide range of organizations, from corporate partners to public service agencies. The featured employers included Chicagoland Automotive Group, Carmody Construction, GreenState Credit Union, and Sherwin-Williams. Also in attendance were three regional health and hospital systems, 11 area police departments, Argonne National Laboratory, and many more.

The combination of graduation services and career connections made the day a valuable one for students across all class levels. Soon to be graduates left with their commencement details in order, while students from every major walked away with new professional contacts and a clearer picture of the opportunities available to them.

A sincere thank you goes to the premium sponsors who supported this event: Chicagoland Automotive Group, Carmody Construction, GreenState Credit Union, and Sherwin-Williams. Their partnership helped make this engaging and productive experience possible for our students.

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President Scott has served as the 12th permanent president of Chicago State University since July 1, 2018, guiding the institution through a period of historic renewal and strategic growth. As the only four-year U.S. Department of Education-designated Predominantly Black Institution (PBI) in Illinois, CSU has flourished under her leadership, embracing a bold new direction as a regional public university powerhouse. A national voice for equity in higher education, President Scott co-founded the National Coalition of Predominantly Black Institutions of Higher Education and helped launch the first-ever Congressional PBI Caucus.

During her visit, President Scott shared insights from her own leadership journey, offering a candid look at the experiences that shaped her approach to guiding an institution through transformation and advocating for equity. Her distinguished legal career has earned her national recognition, and she has been named one of Crain’s Chicago Business’ Most Powerful Women in Chicago Business. The discussion provided attendees with a unique opportunity to learn from a leader whose career spans law, public service, and higher education.

A central theme of the talk was practical advice for students looking to excel in their studies and achieve their goals. President Scott emphasized the importance of resilience, intentionality, and building strong support networks. She encouraged students to remain focused on their purpose, to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth, and to actively seek mentorship throughout their academic and professional careers.

The event underscored ����TV’s commitment to fostering leadership development and providing students with access to diverse perspectives. President Scott’s visit left a lasting impression on the audience, offering valuable takeaways for all who attended.

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The reception provided a meaningful opportunity for University leadership, including President Joseph J. Foy, PhD, to personally express gratitude and share the collective vision for Benedictine’s future. The evening underscored the profound connection between donor generosity and student success, highlighting how this partnership directly fuels opportunity and innovation across campus.

In reflecting on the event, Vice President for University Advancement Mark McHorney emphasized the essential role these partners play.

“The strength and commitment of our ����TV family was on full display,” said McHorney. “Our President’s Circle donors are the architects of opportunity here. Their partnership does more than support the University. It actively builds the future for our students and energizes our entire community.”

The President’s Circle recognizes those whose leadership-giving provides the critical resources that advance scholarships, academic programs, and campus facilities. The holiday reception serves as a touchstone each year to celebrate this shared commitment and the tangible impact that resonates across the University every day.

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Over the years, he has maintained research collaborations and visiting faculty appointments with those two institutions, as well as the Synchrotron Radiation Center associated with the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Dr. Marin maintains a vibrant research agenda, with over 50 peer-reviewed publications. As a spectroscopist truly working at the boundary between physics and chemistry, Dr. Marin’s work has ranged from ultrafast photophysics to radiation-induced fast kinetics, radiation- and photo-induced radical chemistry, and vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy. He has served on various committees and in many roles for the American Chemical Society (ACS), both at the local and national level, including Chair of the Chicago Section and member of the National ACS Council.

A strong supporter of the liberal arts tradition in Catholic higher education, Dr. Marin enjoys exploring the “great questions” that lie at the interface of science, theology, and philosophy. To that end, he also serves as Vice President and founder of the Chicago area chapter of the Society of Catholic Scientists. In his spare time, Dr. Marin is busy is a semi-professional musician, and serves as musical director, arranger, and bassist for the Nite Hawks jazz combo, the Tim Marin Orchestra, and the Chi-Town Showstoppers R&B/soul band.

“I am honored to be elected to this role. The Lilly Network has been a true friend to ����TV, generously supporting programs that bring our Catholic and Benedictine mission to life,” said Dr. Marin. “Serving on their National Board is a meaningful way for me to give back and to express my gratitude for the remarkable generosity they have shown both to the University and to my own professional journey.”

Dr. Marin’s appointment as a Lilly Faculty Fellow is a point of great pride for BenU. His selection reflects the very integration of rigorous scholarship, faithful exploration, and dedicated service that we strive to embody as a Catholic and Benedictine institution. Dr. Marin’s work in advancing scientific discovery and in thoughtfully engaging the dialogue between science and faith exemplifies our commitment to educating the whole person and contributing to the greater good. We are confident he will bring valuable insight to the Lilly Network and are delighted to see his exceptional contributions recognized in this national forum.

Founded in 1991, the Lilly Network (formerly the Lilly Fellows Program) seeks to strengthen the quality and shape the character of church-related institutions of higher learning through a variety of fellowships and regranting efforts. The Lilly Network is based at Christ College, the interdisciplinary honors college of Valparaiso University in Northwest Indiana, and is sustained by the generous support of Lilly Endowment Inc. ����TV joined the Lilly Network in 1999.

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The gathering began on Thursday, Nov. 13, with a the Gold Mass in St. Benedict Chapel. Celebrated by Fr. Eddie Haule, the Mass honored the vocations of scientists, researchers, and science students, blessing their pursuit of knowledge as a sacred calling. The Chapel, filled with a congregation of students, faculty, staff, and community members, provided a serene start to an evening dedicated to the harmony of belief and inquiry.

The celebration continued with a dinner and keynote lecture in the Kindlon Hall. The event featured Ilia Delio, OSF, PhD, a renowned theologian and scientist who holds the Connelly Chair in Theology at Villanova University. In her lecture, “Christianity and Evolution,” Sr. Delio wove together insights from her dual doctorates in Pharmacology and Theology. She presented a compelling vision of an evolving universe charged with divine presence, challenging the audience to see evolution not as a challenge to faith, but as the mechanism through which God continues to create.

The conversation deepened on Friday, Nov. 14, with the Faith and Reason Symposium, centered on the theme “Faith and Evolution” – held in the Daniel L. Goodwin Hall of Business’s Sorensen Hall of Leaders.

The morning was packed with engaging panels featuring ����TV’s own experts. Panel I, moderated by Ellen Ziliak, PhD, featured insights from Preston Aldrich, PhD, Robert McCarthy, PhD, and Tim Marin, PhD, ’96.

“The ����TV Faith and Reason Symposium gives our academic community a rare chance to have honest, intellectually serious conversations about big questions, especially those at the often-avoided crossroads of science and religion,” said Dr. Marin. “It reminds us that genuine learning happens when we are willing to bring our diverse convictions, doubts, and disciplines into the same room and engage one another with openness, respect, and joyful curiosity.”

This was followed by Panel II, moderated by Joy Matteson, MLS, which included discussions by Blair Nelson, PhD, Peter Huff, PhD, and Phil Hardy, PhD.

A standout Interfaith Student Panel moderated by Jayashree Sarathy, PhD, gave voice to BenU students Katie Brill, Khushi Joshi, and Osman Khan, who shared their unique perspectives on navigating their faith in their academic and personal lives.

The symposium culminated in a capstone presentation by Alfred Martin, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Biological Sciences, titled “How Science and Religion Fit Together to Explain Reality.” Dr. Martin’s talk served as a powerful synthesis of the two days, offering a coherent framework for understanding scientific and religious truths as complementary, rather than conflicting, ways of understanding our world.

These events underscored ����TV’s unique role as a place where the life of the mind and the life of the spirit are not only welcomed but are seen as essential partners in the pursuit of truth.

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She most recently served as the Associate Chief Nursing Officer at The Christ Hospital Health Network in Cincinnati, overseeing a 555-bed hospital and multiple outpatient sites. Her career is marked by a focus on advancing patient outcomes, building workforce engagement, and developing innovative care models. Dr. Conyers is also a frequent speaker on nursing excellence and is passionate about creating strong cultures of care.

It came as no surprise that Dr. Conyers moved into the CNO role at UPMC,” said Alison Ridge, DNP, RN, CNE, BenU Professor and Graduate Program Director for Nursing. “Her clinical expertise, extensive leadership experience, and the advanced knowledge and systems-level perspective cultivated through doctoral education exemplify the qualities of an exceptional executive nurse leader.”

Congratulations, Dr. Conyers!

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The official notification arrived confirming that the program has been granted the maximum five-year initial accreditation, a significant achievement that reflects the program’s high quality and rigorous standards.

“Receiving the news that the DNP in Executive Leadership program received its initial CCNE accreditation is a testament to all the nursing faculty, staff, and administrators who collaborated to launch ����TV’s first doctoral nursing program,” said BenU Professor and Graduate Program Director for Nursing Alison Ridge, DNP, RN, CNE. “I am incredibly proud of the work our doctoral students and recent alumnae (cohort 1 graduated in August) are doing to improve patient and population health. They are exceptional leaders who are well positioned to advance nursing and shape healthcare now and into the future.”

The accreditation process is a comprehensive review of a program’s curriculum, academic support, faculty, and student and program outcomes.

Receiving accreditation demonstrates that BenU’s DNP program meets the highest national standards for nursing education and provides students with exceptional preparation to become transformation leaders of nursing practice and healthcare.

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The schedule commenced on Wednesday with Journeys in Leadership with BenU alum Kelly Carlson, MBA, ’91, and continued on Friday with the Alumni Achievement Awards. Saturday, Oct. 4, featured both academic and traditional activities. The morning began with the return of the Organizational Developlment (OD) Lecture Series featuring David Jamieson, PhD, a nationally-recognized thought leader in OD, who led a session on building adaptive organizations and leading change with clarity.

Following the lecture, the focus shifted to the annual Homecoming Tailgate in the Rice Center Parking Lot. Alumni from various classes, including the honored Golden Eagles from the Class of 1975, gathered at tents hosted by the Goodwin College of Business and Liberal Arts, the College of Science and Health, the Black Alumni Network, the Eagle Club, and BenU Library and Archives. The Homecoming football game against Rockford began at 1 p.m., where the Eagles secured a decisive 42-9 victory.

In addition to the tailgate and football game, there was also a dedicated evening event for the Golden Eagles. Classmates and guests gathered in The Pub at Coal Ben for music, dinner, and camaraderie. The class of 1965 had a similar event on the fifth floor of Kindlon Hall as well.

The weekend served as a successful occasion for the ����TV community to celebrate tradition and reinforce connections between the University and its alumni.

To view photos from this year’s Homecoming, click on the link

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