Nov. 23, 2009

 

The Mind, Heart and Spirit Awards, presented on Sunday, Nov. 22, by Duquesne University Alumni Association and the Office of Alumni Relations, recognizes Duquesne alumni who live the University’s mission in a variety of ways.

 

The 2009 award winners are: Kate Fletcher for exemplifying all five pillars of the mission; Dr. Cynthia F. Muehlbauer, academic excellence; Attorney Jon R. Perry, moral and spiritual values; Dr. Marie Martin, ecumenism; Attorney Barbara M. Carlin, service; and Dr. Yvonne E. Keairns, world concerns.

 

Fletcher of Kenya was recognized for exemplifying all five aspects of the Duquesne mission. After her husband’s death in 2001, she began volunteering for several years with orphans in Nairobi, Kenya, and sold her home and possessions to establish Hekima Place, which houses, feeds, clothes and educates orphaned girls, many of whom have lost their parents to HIV and AIDS. Fletcher’s work provides opportunities in an impoverished nation where just 65 percent of girls attend elementary school and fewer than 30 percent of girls enroll in high school.

 

Muehlbauer of Pittsburgh, an administrator with Pittsburgh Public Schools, was recognized for dramatically improving students’ academic performance in her schools. She served as principal at a school in Hazelwood for four years and while there, test scores rose from among the lowest passage rates in the state (6 to 8 percent) to the 80 percent range with many students reaching advanced levels in reading and math. She shares her passion for education with Duquesne student teachers, serving as a guide and mentor to aspiring educators.

 

Perry of Pittsburgh and wife Joni founded the Pennies from Heaven Keeping Families Together Fund, a charity that financially helps parents whose children require prolonged hospital stays. In eight years, the charity has raised nearly $1 million and has helped more than 6,000 families. Perry, a partner in the law firm of Rosen Louik and Perry, is a four-time honoree as a Pennsylvania “Super Lawyer” and was listed in the 2008 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

 

Martin of Northern Ireland is an educational consultant to Classroom 2000, the body responsible for educational technology infrastructure throughout Northern Ireland’s 1,200 schools. Her work in distance learning has transcended the historic divide between Catholics and Protestants in the war-torn nation, and has exposed Northern Irish students to cultures around the world, most notably through online exchanges between young victims of the 1998 Omagh bombing and the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. Martin initiated a joint master’s degree in distance education that was offered by Duquesne and the University of Ulster in 2001 and 2002.

 

Carlin of Virginia is the resident legal advisor to the U.S. Embassy in Bosnia-Herzegovina. A former federal prosecutor, she trains judges and attorneys in writing and enforcing criminal laws and procedures, and is responsible for programs combating human trafficking. She is a recognized expert on establishing and improving legal systems in emerging democracies and has presented more than 1,000 workshops and seminars on topics including war crimes, cyber crime, tax evasion, crime scene investigation, plea bargaining and trial advocacy.

 

Keairns of Pittsburgh has been associated with the Arsenal Family and Children’s Center in Pittsburgh since 1980 and currently serves as the center’s emeritus executive director. She has devoted her career to promoting the healthy development of young people. Her international work includes service as chief researcher for The Voices of Girl Soldiers, a two-year project conducted by the Quaker United Nations. Her research examined the experience of young girls forced into service as soldiers in such places as Angola, Colombia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Her research not only exposed this little-known practice, but helped victims to reintegrate themselves into society.

 

The Mind, Heart and Spirit Awards are given annually to outstanding alumni who live the University’s mission beyond their years at Duquesne.

 

Duquesne is a private, coeducational university with more than 10,000 students. An extensive selection of undergraduate and graduate degree programs is offered across 10 schools of study. Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation's top Catholic universities for its award-winning faculty and 131-year tradition of academic excellence.

 

###

 

Karen Ferrick-Roman

Assistant Director of Media Relations

Duquesne University

600 Forbes Ave.

Pittsburgh, PA  15282

 

Office: 412.396.1154

Cell:412.736.1877

Fax: 412.396.5799

Email: ferrickromank@duq.edu

 

PITTSBURGH, PA –Local residents are in for another gourmet treat when Genoa native Lucia Facco takes to the kitchen to create an authentic Italian feast on November 7 at the St. Thomas More Parish Center in Bethel Park. This time she’s cooking for a great cause – helping the orphaned girls at Hekima Place in Kenya.

            Lucia, an Upper St. Clair resident, gained local fame last spring for her Lenten pasta meals at the parish. Now she’s dishing up a scrumptious specialty sure to please everyone and created to raise funds for building a permanent home for AIDS orphans in Kenya.

            Hekima Place, which was founded in 2005 by former Mt. Lebanon resident Kate Fletcher, provides a loving home for orphaned girls who have lost parents, primarily to HIV/AIDS.  The girls receive an education, spiritual guidance, health care and loving support. With the purchase of land in Kenya earlier this year, the U.S. board of directors plans to construct a new set of cottages, replacing the current rental property and ensuring a permanent home for the 54 girls now in residence as well as for girls who will need shelter in the future. Funds raised at the dinner go to support this project.

 

            Dinners will be served on November 7 between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. Priced family-friendly, the meals are just $12 for adults, and $6 for children (age 12 and under) and include an appetizer, main course, salad and dessert. Beer and wine can be purchased with the meal.

            The event won't change nationalities completely - there will be an African touch to the evening as well. Founder Kate Fletcher returns from Kenya to join the festivities. In addition, local college students who recently volunteered at Hekima Place will greet guests and share their experiences. Video and photo displays highlight the good things happening at Hekima Place, and authentic Kenyan arts and crafts are available for purchase. A 50/50 raffle and a silent auction for an autographed Hines Ward Steeler jersey round out the evening.

            Tickets are available at the St. Thomas More Parish Office. Advance ticket purchase is recommended since serving is limited to 1,000 people. The St. Thomas More Parish Center is adjacent to the Church, located at 126 Ft. Couch Road in Bethel Park, directly across from the South Hills Village Mall.

 

Hekima Place is a home in Kenya for girls who have been orphaned, primarily by HIV/AIDS. Founded in 2005 by former Pittsburgh resident Kate Fletcher, Hekima Place has grown from initially serving 10 girls to serving nearly 60 girls in 2009. Hekima Place provides access to education and empowers the Kenyan girl child by creating a loving home which supports excellence in scholarship through primary and secondary education. Hekima Place is a 501c3 non-profit organization registered in Pennsylvania.

Visit www.hekimaplace.org for additional information.