Reflections Magazine Issue #70 - Fall 2009 | Page 18

Anniversary Feature

64

67

70

Cindy Schutze Kinney

Juan Sierra

Sister Ann Joachim

Cindy Schutze Kinney ’91 has been the director
of the Mainstage Theatre on the campus of Lake
Michigan College since 1997. She graduated from
Siena Heights’ Lake Michigan College campus with
a degree in business administration in 1991. During her time as director of the Mainstage Theatre,
acts that have played there include Bill Cosby, The
Russian National Ballet, national Broadway touring
companies of Chicago and “Hairspray.” She also
works with many non-profit organizations, assisting
with planning and organizing community events.

Current student Juan Sierra, a native of Colombia,
took an indirect path to SHU after originally falling
victim to a volleyball scholarship scam. However, after Saints coach Mike Watkins discovered Sierra playing club volleyball at Grand Valley, he recruited the
setter to Siena, where he became a key contributor to
the Saints’ first-year program that finished 27-8. He
led Siena in assists and service aces, while recording
the fourth most kills. He symbolizes the new focus on
international students on the Siena Heights campus.

Sister Ann Joachim was an educator and attorney
who gained national prominence by becoming the
first nun admitted to practice law before the U.S.
Supreme Court in 1936. A powerful presence on
campus, Sister “AJ” was an accomplished tennis player
and Siena’s early basketball coach. As an educator, she
was known for her demanding oral exams. Later in
life, she led a campaign to save the Wabash Cannonball railroad line. In fact, Siena’s athletic teams were
known briefly as the “Cannonballers.” She also served
on the Adrian City Commission from 1971-75.

Phil Abele

65

Phil Abele ’79 completed his degree as a nontraditional student at Siena’s Southfield campus,
graduating with a bachelor of applied science degree
in electronic engineering technology. He carved
out a successful career in the Metal Fabricating
Division at General Motors and was honored with
SHU’s Recent Alumni Award in 1992. He has served
on Southfield center advisory committees and was
the first off-campus president of the Siena Heights
Alumni Association.

66

Scott Hephner

Scott Hephner ’07 began his college career at the
age of 43, and nearly five years later, will complete his
master’s degree with Siena Heights. He received his
bachelor’s degree from SHU’s Jackson center, and
last spring was honored as one of the top students
in SHU’s Graduate College. A 22-year member of
the Hillsdale Police Department, Hephner is a field
training officer for HPD who will be one of the first
graduates of Siena’s new master’s concentration in
Homeland Security.

18

Reflections Fall ’09

68

Claude LeBlanc

Claude LeBlanc ’09 was the 2009 CAHEN (Capitol
Area Higher Education Network) Outstanding
Adult Student Award winner. Leblanc, also the 2009
outstanding adult learner from Siena’s off-campus
program in Lansing, graduated last spring with a
Bachelor of Arts degree in multidisciplinary studies,
finishing with a 4.0 GPA.

69

Sister Anthonita Porta, OP
Sister Anthonita Porta, OP ’63 is a nationally recognized name in education, having founded the Adrian
Dominican Montessori Teacher Education Institute.
She started in Montessori education in 1969, before
that serving 18 years as an elementary teacher. She
founde