2026 Caritas Veritas Symposium Program

Presenter: Peter Alonzi

Who was Father Samuel Mazzuchelli? We glimpse who he was as we trace his journey from his birth in the opulent, ancient city of Milan in 1806 to his ministry in the pristine wilds of the mid-1800’s Michigan Territory. Come see how this Dominican Friar’s life reveals the fruitful strength and lasting effect of service, study, prayer, and community as Peter Alonzi illustrates with pictures and narrates in words Fr. Samuel’s journey. Fr. Samuel was friend, listener, priest, pioneer, community builder, architect, scientist, educator, U.S. citizen, but more. He saw only God’s children and creation. He responded. Perhaps the question “Who was Father Samuel?” is better put as “Who is Father Samuel?” Even now he is God’s love in action. 

Presenters: Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle

Professor Bill Kerr and his wife Weeks Ringle have fostered nearly 100 sick cats and dogs. In 2026, after extensive training, their rescue poodle, Lucky became a certified therapy dog. Bill and Weeks have taken Lucky on therapy visits throughout Chicago. They have gone to schools, the 911 call center, shelters, and medical events. They will have Lucky with them during this session as they explain what goes into this work, why it is meaningful to them, how it connects the communities with which they work and how you can use your unique skills and interests to strengthen your own communities. Please note: This session will involve voluntary interaction with a dog.

Presenters: Roberta McMahon, Vanessa Jackson, Bronwyn McDaniel, Roberto Sepulveda

DU’s mission is constant but never stagnant. In this conversation, members of the Board of Trustees will reflect on their commitment to DU’s mission and how they have experienced that mission as members of the community. They will consider the ways in which relationship impacts their work, the challenges and successes of creating communities of belonging, and how they center justice in their lives and as a Board. Learn about some of our board members, their work, and how they animate caritas and veritas.

Presenter: Jariel Ramos

Rooted in Action: Buidling Sustainability as a Dominican Calling
From high school activism to receiving the Inaugural Sister Sheila Seeds of Change Award, this presentation explores how student-led organization building transforms personal environmental passion into a lifelong calling of community service. Join this inspiring discussion to discover how student leadership can mobilize peers around ecological stewardship, bridge personal passion with campus action, and empower you to spark lasting, positive change in your community!

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Presenter: William Zic

From Foundation to Flourishing: Mission, Relationships, and Transformative Change in Nursing Education
This presentation is designed for faculty and examines how nursing education is both grounded in an enduring mission (“roots”) and continually shaped through relationships (“bridges”) that foster meaningful and transformative change. Situated within the Dominican tradition, the session reflects on the integration of the four foundational pillars, including prayer, study, community, and service, which are essential frameworks that guide teaching, learning, and the development of professional identity. Drawing on experiences in undergraduate nursing education, including competency-based curriculum implementation and simulation-based learning, the presentation explores how educators remain anchored in values such as truth, justice, and human dignity as they respond to the evolving demands of healthcare and higher education. Emphasis is placed on cultivating relational connections among faculty, students, and clinical partners to promote student success, a sense of belonging, and professional transformation. Participants will engage in guided reflection and dialogue to examine how their own professional foundations inform their work, how intentional relationships enhance community impact, and how mission-driven approaches support the growth and flourishing of diverse learners and the populations they serve. This session invites participants to consider how faith-informed values and academic practice intersect to sustain an enduring story of mission, connection, and change.

Presenter: Sara Quinn

Join us for a virtual author visit from Abdi Nazemian, author of "Only This Beautiful Moment," the 2026 Dominican University First-Year Common Read. Abdi Nazemian is a screenwriter, producer, and novelist whose works have received multiple Lambda Literary Awards, a Stonewall Honor, and a Stonewall Book Award. This conversation will welcome Nazemian to Dominican University and address themes from Only This Beautiful Moment, including family history, immigration, identity, justice, and community.

Presenter: Debra Vinci-Minogue

Whether prayer has long been a part of your life, you are seeking to begin a regular prayer practice, or you are simply curious about what prayer can be - this session offers an invitation - not an expectation. Through mindfulness and gentle reflection, participants will explore accessible ways of becoming more present to themselves, to others, and to the sacred. Prayer is not simply something we do; it is a way of being present.

Please note: this session will be limited to 35 participants.

Presenters: Dr. Nkuzi Nnam and Andrea Leinweber with STA 240.01 - St. Simon's Island: G. Adawan, D. Bamiduro, K. Hobbs, S. Loera, E. Pacheco, M. Rendon, T. Simpson, E. Villasenor, C. Walkanoff

Hear from students that traveled to the first study away opportunity to Igbo landing in St. Simon’s Island this summer. They will focus their presentation on the enslaved Africans who jumped into the water and drowned as a protest against slavery.

Presenters: Sarah Jones and Students from NUTR 420: Introduction to Writing About Nutrition and Health

In our society, we are bombarded by nutrition information that is rapidly changing with new scientific findings and products being introduced. This only leads to confusion among consumers. Students in the course, NUTR 420: Introduction to Writing About Nutrition and Health, study and become experts around current “hot topics” related to nutrition, health, and sustainability. During this session, students will present academic posters about their topics, bridging science and health for the audience as a way to learn up-to-date and innovative science behind topics such as creatine supplements, chia water, regenerative farming, high caffeine energy drinks, melatonin, insect-derived protein powders, and many more.

Presenter: Ada Cheng

The Trouble with My Hair: Coloring, Cutting, and Coming into Who I Am 
The Trouble with My Hair, a theatrical solo performance by Dr. Ada Cheng, explores how our heteronormative upbringing and culture shapes the development of our sense of gender, sexual, and racial identities through hair. This piece examines the tension between individual autonomy and communal and societal expectations. Dr. Cheng playfully brings the audience on an emotional and thought-provoking journey of self-love, healing, and transformation.

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Presenter: Anthony W. Dunbar (Tony), Ph.D.

HATE - HOPE - HEAL: Examining Anti-Blackness in Faith Based Environments
Birthed from the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr quote, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. HATE cannot drive out HATE; only love can do that,” this facilitated discussion offers an unique perspective of how Anti-Blackness exists and operates as underdiscussed realities in unexpected places.

While various types and levels of Anti-Blackness lead to HATE-ful experiences, that does not mean there are no reasons for- and moments of HOPE toward more equitable and humane possibilities. In turn, HOPE can be the pathway to HEAL, restore, and make-whole those who have Anti-Blackness as part of their everyday lived experiences, which HOPE-fully (and eventually) leads to prevailing stories of Truth and Love, along with Compassion and Respect toward Blackness within faith based environments.

This session, anchored as well as inspired by the pursuit of truth and offered as a community engagement, is facilitated by internationally known information and critical race theory (CRT) scholar, Dr. Anthony W. Dunbar (Tony). Dr. Dunbar, who was the first scholar to publish a CRT article in an information studies peer-reviewed journal and is the creator of CRiTical Race information Theory (CRiT) presents this session from historical contexts, personal case study development (as part of a series), and viable information resources.

Presenters: Marwa Abdullah and Dr. Michael Raybourne

That Which Remains: Preserving Community Memory Through Sacred Spaces  
In this session, we will be drawing upon transitional sacred spaces across Chicago, seeking to answer a central question: what remains when a sacred space changes? Although symbols, congregations, and religious practices may shift over time, these sites often continue to serve as spaces for gathering, care, learning, advocacy, and belonging, their intertwined histories revealing both continuity and transformation, demonstrating how communities leave enduring traces within the spaces they inhabit. By examining these transitions, we consider how this form of digital storytelling can preserve space, sustain and community memory.

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Presenters: Marwa Abdullah and Dr. Aly Drame

Mary, Mother of Believers: Mary’s Significance in the Quran and Islamic Tradition
Among the many stories that emerge from the Abrahamic faiths, few figures have inspired as much devotion, reflection, and interpretation across communities of faith as the Virgin Mary. Within Islam, Maryam occupies a notable position as the only woman named in the Qur’an and one of the most revered figures in Islamic tradition. Yet despite her centrality to Muslim belief, her significance is often undercut and misunderstood. In this session, we will explore the Qur’anic narrative of Maryam, examining how her trials and steadfastness offer enduring lessons on faith, dignity, and resilience, and how a woman once met with doubt became a lasting testament to faith across traditions.

Presenter: Mark Carbonara
Panel: Trudi Goggin, Sue Kaszynski, Todd Kleine, Keli Wojchechowski

What do a young Spanish Priest, the rolling hills of southern France, and Dominican University all have in common? This panel presentation will highlight the story and journey of St. Dominic de Guzman, and his founding of the Order of Preachers (Dominican Order). Panelists have all been to the biennial Fanjeaux, France pilgrimage to walk the lands of St. Dominic and explore the origin place of the Dominican Order. Join us to learn more about St. Dominic and the origin story that shapes who we are today as Dominicans.

Presenters: Maggie Andersen, Robin DuFresne, Vero Flores, Diana Zargoza, Ivan Vega, and Jasminum McMullen

Join us to celebrate the newest issue of Dominican's literary magazine. You'll enjoy performances of creative writing from students and faculty, and the editors/designers will chat a bit about their curation process. There will be snacks, and you'll leave with a beautifully designed coffee table magazine. A magazine is nothing without its readers, and the best part is the conversation after the performance.

Presenters: Sandra Garcia Cruz, Paul Simpson, and legal counsel affiliated with Illinois Workers in Action

When members of our community are being subject to persecution, detention, and deportation, our University can actively work for love and truth by investigating what is happening more closely and sharing what laws, policies, and social practices can protect us.

In this panel, representatives working closely with our partner, Illinois Workers in Action, will share stories of how they became engaged in solidarity and service to our immigrant communities, discuss conditions in detention centers they have visited around the country, and describe legal actions that are challenging the practices of immigration and homeland security administration and personnel. This workshop will also provide a focused overview both of what immigration and customs enforcement personnel have the power to do and what rights we can assert in different settings (at work, in school, in public places, or in detention). This workshop is open to all Dominican University community members who seek to advocate for the safety and well-being of our families and community

Presenters: Rebekkah LaRue, Ben De Biasio, Kara Malenfant, Liam Guinan, and Harlow Brightheart

In summer 2026, the Rebecca Crown Library conducted a self-study in preparation for searching for a new University Librarian. No matter the department, conducting a self-study is a great way to analyze unit health, determine strategic priorities, and celebrate your wins. This presentation will provide an overview of RCL’s self-study process, present key findings, and offer actionable steps for how other non-degree granting units can conduct their own self-study.

Presenter: Jennifer Talarico

The presenter will introduce the basic framework of the type of meditation she practices and teaches. A brief educational video about the practice will be shown. The presenter will offer her own reflection on how the practice aligns with her Christian upbringing. Participants will then be led through a guided meditation, after which they will be encouraged to share what they experienced and their own reflections with the group.

Presenter: Angelica Guillen

Why is Social Work Always the Loudest? Rituals of Belonging at Dominican
At every commencement, the School of Social Work erupts in the loudest cheers of the day. This interactive workshop explores why that moment feels so inevitable and what it reveals about belonging, relationships, and the rituals that make a school a home.

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Presenter: Mohamed Askar

From Intent to Action: Strategy Execution as an Act of Institutional Integrity 
The Integrated Strategy Execution Framework (ISEF) is a structured methodology for translating strategic objectives into governed, measurable, and continuously monitored operational practice. It applies Balanced Scorecard principles to connect an institution's stated priorities to the data, decisions, and accountability structures that determine whether those priorities are realized. Its core argument is that execution is not a technical problem — it is a fidelity problem. The gap between intention and outcome is, ultimately, a gap between what an institution says it values and how it organizes its daily work.

Presenter: Habib Kadzai with moderator Dr. Samina Hadi-Tabassum

Research shows that a sense of belonging on a college campus helps a student do better when it comes to college completion. Habib Kadzai's informal research study for a NEBO Project focused on surveying current students at Dominican University from different areas on their sense of belonging. The presenter will discuss what led to the project, the survey development process and the results. Measuring a sense of belonging is a complicated construct, and the audience will be petitioned on their ideas as to how to measure such a construct. A panel of upperclassmen will reflect back upon their sense of belonging and how it changed across the years. 

Presenters: Nan Metzger, Danny Duda, Katie Ksiezak, Meghan Wilhite, Mackenzie Cuddihy, Alejandra Sierra Munoz, and Katie Magee

Dominican students reflect and share what they've learned, both academically & personally, through study abroad at Blackfriars in Oxford; at Maynooth University in Ireland and as current visiting international exchange students from the University of Ulster and University of Cordoba. How did pursuing their studies look different -- on a different campus? How did (or do) they participate in their local communities while studying abroad?

Presenters: Dan Condon and Members of the Graduating Class of 1973 from St. Thomas More Grammar School 

Dan Condon will moderate a panel discussion with members of the graduating class of 1973 from St. Thomas More grammar school. The panel will share memories of how the Dominicans Sisters who staffed St. Thomas More impacted the women they became.

Presenter: Michele L. Whitney, PhD

Sacred Bonds: Exploring Spiritual Meaning-Making in Human–Animal Relationships
Drawing from qualitative research on pet bereavement, this presentation explores an emerging interdisciplinary conversation at the intersection of the human–animal bond, spirituality, and chaplaincy. Participants will consider how companion animal relationships can deepen our understanding of community, compassion, and human flourishing.

Presenter: Gabrielle Frigo

The Transformative Effect of the Fanjeaux Pilgrimage includes documentary footage of the 2025 Fanjeaux Pilgrimage cohort. Weaved together with images and audio recordings, the program explores the unique characteristics of this historic Dominican tradition and its ability to cultivate community and connection between representatives of the nationwide Dominican family. This work is especially concerned with expressing the intimate motivations behind each person's call to this opportunity, the ways in which this gathering of seekers is a testimony to the endurance of our Caritas Veritas values.

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Presenter: Lizbeth Lopez

Catholic Social Teaching, Community Action, and Ecological Justice in West Virginia
Discover how faith, community action, and ecological stewardship intersect in rural Appalachia through a service immersion experience at Bethlehem Farm in West Virginia. Rooted in Catholic Social Teaching and the Dominican Charism, this presentation explores how hands-on service and reflection build true solidarity and drive ongoing social justice.

Presenters: Sarah Jones and Students from NUTR 420: Introduction to Writing About Nutrition and Health

In our society, we are bombarded by nutrition information that is rapidly changing with new scientific findings and products being introduced. This only leads to confusion among consumers. Students in the course, NUTR 420: Introduction to Writing About Nutrition and Health, study and become experts around current “hot topics” related to nutrition, health, and sustainability. During this session, students will present academic posters about their topics, bridging science and health for the audience as a way to learn up-to-date and innovative science behind topics such as creatine supplements, chia water, regenerative farming, high caffeine energy drinks, melatonin, insect-derived protein powders, and many more.