Marian University’s 18th President
April 22, 2024
The Marian University Board of Trustees and Marian University’s sponsor, the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes, are pleased to announce that Aaron Sadoff has been appointed the 18th president of Marian University. He will succeed Dr. Michelle Majewski, who retired after 37 years of service to the university, including four years as president.
President-elect Sadoff comes from the Fond du Lac Area Foundation, where he was executive director since 2022, supporting community growth and philanthropy through managing 540 funds with over $68 million in assets. Sadoff, a native of Fond du Lac, is excited to expand his role at Marian. He served as a Marian Board of Trustees member and he is a two-time alumnus. He received his Master’s in Educational Leadership from Marian in 2001 and his Superintendent Licensure Certificate through Marian’s Educational Doctoral program in 2011. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Education and History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“I love Marian University, its core mission to serve, and the Fond du Lac community,” said Sadoff. “There are significant challenges in higher education and incredible opportunities. Working together, I believe we can transform Fond du Lac into a university town, where Marian University not only continues to provide a world-class education, but is a thriving hub of culture and entertainment, providing a community environment based on Catholic ideals focused on service, community, and learning.”
Some highlights of Sadoff’s career include:
- Superintendent of the North Fond du Lac School District for 13 years, with over 1,500 students, 200 employees. He helped lead three successful referendums, which included over $48 million in facility improvements. He was the 2019 Wisconsin State Superintendent of the Year.
- Principal and Educator in Wisconsin for 12 years, including three years as principal at Bessie Allen Middle School in North Fond du Lac, and nine years teaching everything from World Geography and Civics to Intro to Psychology and AP Psychology at Fond du Lac High School, Woodworth Middle School in Fond du Lac, and Lincoln High School in Manitowoc.
- Past Board Member of Envision Greater Fond du Lac, the Children’s Museum, the Volunteer Center, and a Wisconsin representative to the Governing Board of the Association of American School Administrators.
- Professional presenter and TEDx speaker on Happiness and the Power of Positive Psychology.
Sadoff is an Army Gulf War veteran, who served as a Cavalry Scout from 1990-92. He and his wife of 29 years, Kelly, have three adult children, Paige, Lilly, and Ethan.
“Aaron Sadoff is a leader with a proven track record of helping students, as well as faculty and staff grow professionally and personally,” said David Klumpyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Marian University. “In addition, he brings valuable connections from his involvement on many boards and in civic organizations that will contribute to the economic prosperity of both Marian University and the Fond du Lac community.”
Dr. Majewski will continue with Marian University in a transitionary role until the start date for Mr. Sadoff on June 1, 2024. Dr. Majewski, who has a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, had retired in 2018, but was recruited to return as acting president in April of 2020 and then named Marian’s 17th president 7 months later. Throughout her Marian career, she has been a full-time faculty member, chairperson, dean, and professor emerita.
“President Majewski has led Marian with grit and determination, in the spirit of Marian’s founders, the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes. She leaves Marian on a solid financial foundation, raising over $15 million in major financial gifts for the university, including $12 million in funding retirement of all university debt, several gifts of $500,000 – $1 million, and a recent $1.049 million in Congressionally-directed spending for equipment for STEM-related majors,” said Klumpyan.
Marian University is sponsored by the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes, a group of pioneering sisters who founded the university in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin in 1936. The university has a rich tradition of dedication to the education of the whole person and offers a variety of undergraduate, master’s, and adult learning degrees at its main campus and online.
Marian Academic Symposium
April 19, 2024
Each spring, Marian University spends a day inviting faculty, staff, students, and the community at large to explore a single theme at their Academic Symposium. This year, the symposium focused on the concept of work. “It can be a calling, or it can be punishment, not life-giving. The magnitude of this simple four-letter word helps create identity and self-worth, assists in establishing societal norms and expectations, design laws to regulate workplace fairness and safety, and throughout history has shaped human culture.”
The planning team for the event included Sister Donna Innes, Associate Cathy Mathweg, and Professors Cheryl Ayala (emerita), and James Gray. The team brought together speakers and panelists from various walks of life to offer a keynote address and 31 sessions over the course of the day. Two sisters and two associates were among the many session presenters and panelists.
Associate Jen Farvour presented “The Role of Empowerment, Leadership, and Innovation in the Workplace: The Relevance of the Challenges Facing Higher Education.” Sister Mary Christine (pictured above) was one of three panelists speaking on “Who/What Am I When I am No Longer a …”. Associate Tracy Abler presented “The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers: A Catholic Social Teaching Theme.” Sister Sue Seeby joined four other panelists for “Stories of How We Choose Our Life’s Work.”
Those in attendance remarked on how they were given greater insights in the current state of higher education, how they left feeling more hopeful about retired life, and that their eyes had been opened about human trafficking in our region. One attendee remarked, “I loved to hear the stories of how each individual ended up where they are today, and that people’s lives ended up different than what they intended.” Another echoed that the sessions had brought them comfort in the ambiguity of the future, “It was helpful to hear that you don’t have to know what you want to do!”
April 23 Film Screening of "Common Ground"
April 01, 2024
In celebration of Earth Day, you are invited to attend a free screening of the film, “Common Ground” on Tuesday, April 23, 6-8 PM in Founders Hall.
Common Ground is a new film about how regenerating the world's soils has the potential to rapidly stabilize Earth's climate, restore lost ecosystems, and create abundant food supplies. This film explains why transition to regenerative agriculture could be key in rehabilitating the planet while simultaneously invigorating a new sense of hope and inspiration in viewers.
People are calling Common Ground "The Most Important Film You'll Ever Watch" --which is a really big claim. But it just may be true. Watch the trailer.
Following the 90-minute film, join a short discussion about how our faith informs our response to food practices that support food justice and healthy soil in our community.
This invitation is open to the public, but seating is limited. Please register at the link below.
The Journey of Discerning Call
March 17, 2024
This article appears in the February Issue of Reflections and Connections
CSA Associate Kathy Koepsell was once on a path to becoming a vowed member of CSA. She felt a call that needed to be answered and religious life felt like the right response. She loved the aspirancy, where one hundred girls lived together and learned responsibility, independence, and how to manage time and studies with a scheduled prayer life. It was a different life than that of the average high school girl. As a postulant, she learned about the community, was involved in faith-sharing, and never felt she was giving up anything but rather looked at what she was gaining.
As a junior novice, Kathy questioned whether religious life was right for her. One day, while hearing the voices of children, she felt how much they filled her heart with joy. Was she being called to be a physical mother versus a spiritual one? She always had a desire to have children which would be hard to surrender. During a retreat, Kathy felt she was being called away from religious life. It was hard to embrace, yet she felt that message needed to be explored.
Her decision to leave religious life brought an inner peace that reassured her leaving was the right choice. However, the pull of religious life and Kathy’s love of community and praying together lingered. Why wasn't she being called to something for which she felt such love? “It was difficult to see classmates move on to something which I had wanted so strongly. Religious life is beautiful, and it was hard not to keep running after that.” The old vision she held for her life and God's plan for her life were not the same. Eventually Kathy discerned a call to associate relationship.
Why is one called in one direction but not another? Why do we sometimes feel drawn by that to which we’re not really called? While participating in retreats, finishing college, and praying with scripture daily, it became clear God was leading Kathy to a new direction. “I reached an actual letting go and acceptance that this is God's call, not mine. Whether we are lay people or vowed, we are called to live the mission of Jesus through our baptismal call.”
Taking a Stance Against Racism
March 01, 2024
This article appears in the February Issue of Reflections and Connections
Sisters of St. Agnes have been working to reduce the impacts of racism and bigotry in various ways for many years. As early as 1850, CSA Founder Father Rehrl opened schools to all children regardless of background or religion. In the 1960s, many sisters took part in fair housing marches in Chicago and Milwaukee. In 1983, CSA opened Unity House in inner-city Chicago as a haven for those seeking cross-cultural immersion through residential living. These are a few examples of activities that contributed to CSA receiving the MLK Spirit Award from Marian University in 2020. Today, CSA continues this long-standing culture of justice and call to action with their adoption of the CSA Corporate Stance on Anti-Racism.
During the last half of 2023, the sisters and associates spent time intentionally studying racism and how to be actively anti-racist on a day-to-day basis. Each month, sisters and associates spent time researching individually and in small groups focusing on topics of defining race and racism, how to be an anti-racist, recognizing personal bias and bias in media, racial inequities in housing, education, and criminal justice systems, exploring white privilege, white fragility, and public fear around critical race theory and white replacement theory, and finally delving into healing, repair, and justice. A small group also gathered for an intergenerational discussion with local high schoolers on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January.
In early February, the entire congregation voted to issue an official corporate stance on anti-racism. CSA has issued six corporate stances since 1987 with the following rationale:
“As CSA, our promise has, from the start, been to follow and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have done so through teaching, care of the sick, the aged, orphans, and wayfarers. As global realities have become increasingly apparent, so also has our awareness been heightened to issues regarding the dignity of persons, human rights, and justice; the need for structural change; efforts at ‘simplicity of life’ and a greater appreciation of the gifts of creation. The concerns that we pray about and the causes that we pray for have grown.
“That is not enough. We must use all the power we have, first in areas where we have direct impact, through the services we ourselves provide or through our sponsored ministries, then through wise use of our power as shareholders in significant corporations and membership in significant organizations with a social justice agenda. After appropriate study and discussion, we can make public statements of our convictions in areas of major or global importance and concern. These statements, our corporate stance, help create the positive pressure that can lead to a more just society.” - CSA Policy on Corporate Stances
CSA Corporate Stance on Anti-Racism
Reaffirming our commitment to those whose faith life or human dignity is threatened in any way, the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes (CSA) opposes racism in all forms, encourages education, and supports actions to eliminate racism, bringing understanding of our complicity, prejudice, bias, and privilege to the forefront.