As of August 2023, I will be retiring full-time after 45 years of service in education. The journey I began as a secondary educator which started in the public sector and then moved to 32 years in Catholic high school, 10 summers of directing theater arts programs and then to this university for the past 13 has truly been a fulfilling one with a lot of excitement and challenges along the way.
Being an educator isn’t just about being in the classroom, although this has been my favorite space to live out my ethical mission. I had the opportunity to serve as my city’s Poet Laureate and expand literacy to South Central Pennsylvania. Teaching abused women, expanding the Boy Scouts perspective of gender roles, assisting a DRC political refugee toward full U.S. citizenship and investing in marginalized populations have fulfilled my deepest longings.
Sundry field trips to museums and parks and performances flood my memory. Dozens of speeches, conferences, retreats and eulogies I’ve been called upon to share sit humbly beside a lifetime of encouraged student voices within research, presentations, portfolios and all sorts of student offerings.
I will always be grateful to the board for the opportunity to serve as the Director of the Institute for Leadership Ethics, Achievement and Development while teaching in three departments here How little did I know that being an adjunct with 62 advisees then would lead me to the growing and learning and traveling that has brought me such serenity. Here I must give thanks to former Provost Dr. Jennie Hunter-Cevera, Dr. Richard Buck, Dr. David McCarthy, Kathy Criasia, Jamie Everett, Andrea Haugh, Traci Hurley, Mary Lejeune, Lisa Reed and Maria Topper and Dr. Jack Trammell.
Without question, MSMU has the most extraordinary faculty members who gracefully took me in like a family member—so very many lovingly support me—Doctora Diana and Michael Hoover. Thank you, gardeners! Thank you Maintenance! Thank you Safety! Thank you servers!
Special thanks to VP Dr. Paula Whetsel-Ribeau, my advisory board, all exemplary graduate assistants from the Bolte School, work studies, my podcast tech crews, countless volunteers and NSLS leaders, along with the eternal support of Msgr. Andrew Baker, Fathers Brian Nolan, Jim Bohrs, Diego Ruiz, Martin Moran and seminarian Sean O’Connor taught me to teach and to live ethics.
Blessings, Dana Sauers.