Reflections Magazine Issue #48 - Spring 1998 | Page 9

9 Values in Action: Service to Others Serving others is part of the Catholic tradition and Siena students sustain the tradition in various ways. Last spring, a delegation of nine students, all members of SAVE (Siena Against Violent Environments), spent their spring break in Appalachia with SAVE faculty advisor Dom Scibilia as volunteers assisting with construction projects, housing assistance and health care. This spring, Pat Schnapp of the English faculty plans to lead another volunteer group to Jamaica to work at a school for orphaned and delinquent boys. Closer to home, Siena Heights students are involved in a range of service projects, from Make a Difference Day and the annual CROP walk to Red Cross blood drives and philanthropic fund raising. Siena Heights graduates continue to serve in many ways long after they leave the campus. Of special note in this regard is the recent election of Janet Capone, OP ‘80 as Prioress of the Adrian Dominican Congregation, effective July 1. Siena Heights Archives: Preserving our Past for the Future “Who is there left among you that saw this temple in its former glory? And how does it look to you now?” (Haggai 2:3-4) With those words, Helen Duggan, OP ’41 (formerly Sister Ann Charles) (at right in photo) and Marie Irene Miller, OP ’36 began their 1987 report on the history of Siena Heights’ buildings and the rooms within them. That report--which documents the evolution, for example, of Sacred Heart Hall 102, from home economics lab to storage area, art studio, admissions office, development office, and now communications and alumni relations office--marked the start of an ongoing historical research project and the beginning of the Siena Heights Archives. Sister Marie Irene now offers encouragement from the sidelines as Sister Helen leads the effort to gather, organize and catalogue the papers, pictures, publications and memorabilia that give shape and meaning to the history of Siena Heights. Official records and Adrian Dominican documents, school yearbooks and student scrapbooks, and tapes of 120 oral interviews with faculty, staff and graduates of many eras are among the pieces of this historical puzzle. First housed in a former janitor’s closet, the Archives (established officially by President Artman in 1996) now have a permanent home in the Library, where Sister Helen is centralizing records and establishing a consistent filing system. A 1996 grant from the Michigan State Historical Records Advisory Board enabled Helen to engage a professional consultant, hire student assistants and purchase proper storage materials. A 1997 gift from an anonymous friend of the college will support necessary renovations in the Archives office. “I am not writing a history of the college. I am just preserving its history,” Sister Helen says modestly. Those who see her at work, week after week, know that’s a big “just.” And thanks to her work, those who build this Catholic college’s future, now and tomorrow, will have a better record of “this temple in its former glory.” Add Your Piece to the Puzzle When cleaning closets or emptying attics, remember: Your discards may be an archivist’s treasures. Instead of throwing them away, send yearbooks, pictures and event programs to the Siena Heights College Archives, c/o Helen Duggan, OP, or call Sister Helen at (517) 264-7648. When packaging information, always indicate dates and names, and include your own name, address and telephone number in case questions arise.