Rockhurst News

For 2020 senior men’s lacrosse players Jason Zabel (pictured) and Jake Bastien, life in early March 2020 was good. The seniors had helped the team to a No. 8 national ranking and they were two short months away from graduating.

Then the downward spiral began. Bastien tore his ACL in a game against Colorado Mesa, ending his season.

“Just the thought that I couldn’t finish my senior season with the guys that I have been playing with for the past four years was a hard pill to swallow,” Bastien said.

Rockhurst University Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) students were named Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Scholars recently, making them among the first in Missouri to participate in the nationally recognized program.

Rockhurst University leaders announced Monday the Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences and the College of Health and Human Services will be merging and renamed to The Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences. 

With the midway point of the spring semester in view, Rockhurst University is announcing plans for its summer and fall 2021.

COVID-19 has meant many changes to daily life on campus — since returning to campus in summer 2020, students, faculty and staff have adjusted to following guidelines such as mask-wearing, meetings conducted over Zoom, remote learning, and social distancing.

The process of giving the first building on the Rockhurst University campus another life has already begun, but on Thursday University leaders gave those performing that work a blessing as they proceed in their labor.

Rockhurst University awarded 217 degrees at its December commencement ceremony, held virtually Dec. 12, 2020.

The program featured student speaker Marc Kerby, who received a Master of Education, elementary education certification track.

Alad Aguirre

Mara Akers, honors program, magna cum laude

Akeem Akinola

Celeste Allen

Ana Amaya

Kristen Anderson

Anatali Aquino-Rodriguez

Sam Archer

Baylee Arcuri

Charity Arnold

Alexus Atchison

Corey Austen

Matt Baker

Peter Baker, summa cum laude

Rockhurst University has announced the dean’s list for the fall 2020 semester. This honor recognizes students who have achieved a grade-point average of 3.5 or above.

The following students were named to the dean’s list:

Lauryn Adams

Macee Adams

Nate Adamson

Peyton Aerni

Mara Akers

Shereen Al-Saoudi

Kassie Albers

Xenia Alegria Martinez

Alexandra Allen

Michael Allen

Jennifer Alonso

Anthony Altobella

Litzy Alvarado Islas

Joseph Alvey

Ashley Anderson

Of all the activities that have been curtailed as a result of the pandemic, live performances have continued to prove among the most vexing for many arts organizations.

Projecting one’s voice without a mask, through singing or as a stage actor, is unfortunately exactly the kind of activity that can put people at risk for contracting the virus. Add an audience indoors, and it’s a recipe for potential spread.

The beginning of December brings more than one milestone this year — it marks the end of the fall semester, but it also means Rockhurst University completed its fall semester with COVID-19 restrictions in place and without needing to shut down.

The work at every level that went into making that possible was recognized with a resolution passed by the University’s Board of Trustees during its December meeting, which thanked every member of the campus community for the sacrifices made to resume in-person classes:

Pain is a fact of life. It’s a lesson many of us learn early on, with tears the stimulus response accompanying a scrape or a bump on the head.

But for many, pain is not simply temporary but a chronic or constant reality. And whatever form it takes, managing pain with medications often carries its own risks in the form of addiction.