Sister Patricia Cruise, S.C.

As an advocate for the poor, the disenfranchised and the homeless, Sister of Charity Patricia Cruise walks the talk of her religious congregation and gives voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. She is known as Sister Tricia to homeless children and runaways at Covenant House International; to families living on one of America’s poorest reservations; and to students she taught and ministered to at the College of Mount St. Joseph

   
As president and CEO of Covenant House International since 2004, Sister Tricia works on behalf of over 65,000 homeless youth sheltered in one of 21 facilities in the United States, Canada and Latin America. The organization’s mission is to serve the suffering children of the street, and Sister Tricia raises funds and awareness so that these children can have hope for a better future.
   
Sister Tricia entered the Sisters of Charity in 1981 after earning her education degree and teaching for several years in Cleveland. While in formation as a sister, she became campus minister at the Mount and taught in the Religious and Pastoral Studies Department. She completed her master’s degree in theological studies at Berkeley then returned to Cincinnati to teach and work for the Archdiocese. It was then that the call came from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, one of the nation’s poorest counties.

She left the world of academics and went out west where she became the executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Red Cloud Indian School on the reservation. From 1995 to 2004, she worked side-by-side with the children and families in three schools and 16 Catholic parishes on the reservation. She raised funds and awareness of their needs. Every summer she welcomed Mount students who traveled to Pine Ridge as part of their cultural immersion studies. Students say that this experience was life-changing for them and a valuable part of their Mount education.

The College of Mount St. Joseph honored Sister Patricia Cruise for her vocation of service and leadership that brings hope and dignity to those in need.

Nick Clooney

Nick Clooney is the quintessential communicator. He is a journalist, actor, news reporter, anchor, and advocate. A man who calls Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite his heroes. A man who throughout his distinguished career has remained steadfast to the truth – always.

Nick and his sisters grew up in their hometown of Maysville, Kentucky, listening to radio broadcasts from Cincinnati and other radio stations. In their teenage years, Betty and Rosemary left home to pursue singing careers while Nick landed a job at WFTM radio station in Maysville at the age of 17.

His career as a news anchor began at a station in Lexington, Kentucky, which led to an offer to host his own television show, the “Nick Clooney Show,” first in Columbus and then Cincinnati. In the early 1970s, Nick was hired by Channel 12 as news anchor and he immediately established a wonderful rapport with the viewers. People trusted Nick to report the truth each night.

In 1989 Nick started a column for the Cincinnati Post and Kentucky Post, writing about current events, politics, travel, history, and the arts three times a week. Always a movie buff, Nick was a writer and on-air personality for “American Movie Classics,” as well as a writer, producer and host for American Life channel. He has published three books including “The Movies That Changed Us.”

In 2006 Nick traveled with his Oscar-winning son, George, to the region of Darfur to document the suffering there and to bring home to the American people the truth about the violence in the country. Father and son call the situation the “first genocide of the 21st century.”

Over the years Nick has served as a speaker, emcee and panel member for over 3,000 events coast-to-coast, including several events at the Mount. His honors include an Emmy, an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Northern Kentucky University and the President’s Medal from Thomas More College.

The College of Mount St. Joseph honored Nick Clooney for his contributions to the field of communications, dedication to preserving the truth and serving as an advocate for the people of Darfur.
 
Both speakers were awarded honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees.

Three students selected as MSJ Distinguished Students delivered addresses at each ceremony. The MSJ Distinguished Student Awards are presented to graduates who have demonstrated superior academic performance and participation in community service reflective of the mission of the College. The 2008 MSJ Distinguished Students are: 

• Cathy Meyer, psychology major (adult student).
• Daniel Sutton, MSOL major (graduate student). 
• Alexandra Hamilton, communication studies major (traditional student).

Commencement Weekend began at the Mount on Friday evening, May 9, with the Baccalaureate Mass in Mater Dei Chapel at 6:00 p.m. for all graduates and their families.

The College of Mount St. Joseph is an undergraduate and graduate Catholic college of 2,300 students that provides an interdisciplinary liberal arts and professional curriculum emphasizing values, service and social responsibility.

Click here to hear Nick's speech (mp3)