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Center for Catholic Education at UD

Faith, Mission, Gratitude -- A Reflection by Susan Ferguson

"Marianists who teach witness to a life enriched with both human and Christian values. They fulfill their mission by the professional quality and Christian character of all their teaching."     --Marianist Rule of Life

On Thursday January 16th, a group of faculty, staff, students, and vowed religious gathered for the Marianist Founders Dinner in the Kennedy Union Ballroom. In addition to sharing a meal together, a group of panelists shared their insight on what Marianist education meant to them, coinciding with this year’s theme “200 Years of Marianist Education”. Included within this panel was UD Center for Catholic Education director, Susan Ferguson.

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Having worked at the University for 30 years in addition to her being a graduate of the University itself, the Marianist charism surely has had a significant influence upon Susan’s life, especially in the values and principles she has adopted through her role as a teacher. Drawing upon her own educational experience at UD, Susan first discussed the significant impact her teachers had upon the development of teaching and learning for the whole person: mind, heart, and soul. Included within this list of impactful and formative educators was Dr. Audrey Grobe, Sister Loretta Petit, and Sister Elizabeth Waters, all of whom instilled an awe, respect for, and confidence in the beauty of the whole person, greatly informing how Susan was to live her vocation as an educator in her own classroom.

Building upon this concept of caring for the whole person, Susan continued to describe how Marianist Education inclined her to the notion of a prudent tendency towards leniency. Although simply interpreted as allowing a greater number of chances to make things right in relation to assignments or other tasks, Susan stated that this prudence goes beyond this to include a consideration of the many forces at work upon a student. As she stated, “I suppose I have interpreted a prudent tendency to leniency to mean don’t give up on a student if they have an achievable dream. Withhold judgement until the context is more fully understood.”

Because, ultimately, the role of an educator is to cultivate a sense of vocation, a sense of purpose and calling, in each of their students. This is another fruit Susan has gained from her time with the Marianists: a deeper sense of vocation. After serving on a vocation team with the Marianists and later while co-teaching with Katie Kinnucan-Welsch, Susan worked to instill this sense of vocational reflection within the curriculum of first-year students, a skill that not only imbued a sense of purpose in her students, but also skills of resiliency and self-care as they continue to discover their calling throughout the rest of their lives.  

In addition to this vocational presence that resonates for years to come, is the impact that community has had upon Susan as a Marianist educator. This integration of learning, regarding students as whole persons, withholding judgement, and incorporating vocational exploration, often results in a connection with students individually and as a community of learners. As Susan stated, “I sometimes have had senior level student say, ‘The other students I met in your first year class have remained my friends.’ I love those words.” And, so do I. For as a previous student of Susan myself, I can proclaim that these very same words are true for me and my own experience.

Susan concluded with a word on relationships, not only their importance, but in gratitude. It is these relationships with God, others, students, and colleagues, that Susan learned from the invitational spirit and model of the Marianist community. She concluded saying, “These may seem to be heavy, deep, concepts, but the influences of Marianist education are in my blood and in my soul. I am ever grateful for having received and hopefully returned these gifts for life and love.”  

Written by Emily Niese, CCE Student Assistant

Edited by Barb Miller.

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