Only at Franciscan

Spend some time on campus and you’ve probably had one: an “only at Franciscan” experience. Whether it was spotting a well-known Catholic speaker eating in the dining hall, planning a marriage proposal in the Portiuncula Chapel, or having another unexpected moment—ranging from the hilarious to the profound—our alumni share memorable stories that could have happened only at Franciscan University.

Many have witnessed a marriage proposal at the Port, but I’m here to tell you what one is like from the other side. Imagine being at least 86 percent certain you have met and courted the love of your life and finally discerned it was time to pop the question. A plan forms: You’re going to drive to the jewelry shop and buy a ring. Then, on the way back, you’ll ask your soon-to-be fiancée to meet you at the Port.

The shop doesn’t have the ring in her size, but you can get a loaner. You rehearse your proposal on the car ride. You’re at the Port five minutes before your bride-to-be. As you open the heavy doors to the chapel, you realize one flaw in your plan: Three holy, young women praying before the Lord. Your spot in the front pew is taken. How are you going to ask someone to marry you now?

“Excuse me,” you say to the dark, holy room. Three heads swivel in your direction. “I’m going to propose to my girlfriend here in about five minutes. If it’s OK with you, could we have a little privacy?”

They immediately smile and nod. As they head out the door and walk up the path, your future spouse strides toward you, noticing three identical, knowing grins on the women’s faces. She walks with you into the now-empty chapel on August 20, 2005, and the rest, as they say, is history.

—Richard Sealy MA ’06

I transferred to the College of Steubenville from a community college in California. I had never attended a college graduation, so the baccalaureate Mass and graduation were amazing. I was in awe the whole weekend. The graduation speaker in 1976 was Mother Teresa. After the ceremony, a friend and I spoke with her and received hugs. What a blessing to meet and speak with such a humble woman, who is now a saint.

—Dr. Patricia Ellis ’77

Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR

One morning at breakfast, I saw a friar in a grey robe with white hair and a pointy beard. It was Father Benedict Groeschel, CFR! I invited him to join us for breakfast. As I sat across from him, I saw him pouring coffee into his bowl of Grape-Nuts. I asked him, “Father, coffee on your Grape-Nuts?” He replied in his gentle, gruff tone, “Yes. It’s actually quite good. You should try it sometime!”

—Shilo Stigen ’03

As I walked out of Christ the King Chapel after noon Mass on Halloween, I passed by a group of students and noticed they had name tags. I read a couple of the tags: “baptism” on a girl with a white dress and “holy orders” on a guy with a fake clerical collar. I couldn’t help but notice the huge, paper monstrance around one of the girls’ heads. I kept walking and then realized what I had just witnessed. This group of students was dressed up as the seven sacraments! I literally said to myself, “Only at Franciscan!”

—Sister Joan Paule Portenlanger, TOR ’90

Only at Franciscan would you find St. Thomas More’s lobby full of students competing in a Dutch Blitz tournament at top speed with Father Gregory Plow, TOR MSA ’11, in the thick of them, the wide sleeves of his habit rolled up and rubber-banded to allow optimal freedom of movement.

—Sarah Negri ’18

Fr. Gregory Plow, TOR MSA ’11

I was leaving the caf when I overheard some guys say, “We’ll meet in the J.C. Williams Center. Or the Jesus Christ Williams Center. We’re the only school in the world that knows Jesus’ last name.”

—Felicity Moran ’20

I was waiting in a very long line for confession. I made it to the front of the line—right at the cut off time. The usher told me he was sorry, but I would have to come back another night. I was disappointed but understood the friars had other commitments. I went to the side chapel to pray.

Shortly after, I saw a wall of black plowing through the chapel looking for me! It happened to be Father Gregory Plow, TOR MSA ’11, who came and very generously heard my confession. As a Canadian, I also refer to this as one of the many beautiful “America moments” I experienced while studying in the USA.

—Sister Marie Therese Slade, SOLI ’17

My parents took me to Franciscan for a visit, hoping to dissuade me since it was so far from Texas. However, their plans backfired when God was allowed into the weekend to show his will! It was a Friday, and we were walking up the sidewalk past the library. We heard one guy shout to another, “Hey, man, what are you doing tonight?” And the other replied, “Going to Mass and then going to grab some dinner. Want to join?”

My dad said, “Wow, are they joking?! Only at Franciscan would you hear such a conversation on a Friday evening.” Needless to say, this completely changed my parents’ minds.

—Shelby (Hecker ’16) Iskandar

Franciscan University accepted me as a commuter and widow with two young daughters. We had survived a difficult few years, and I felt the world was a hard, greedy place where I must fight to survive. One day, I arrived early to class in a downpour. I made it to one building before the strong winds and driving rain hit. I hesitated before starting for the building where my class was.

Suddenly, a tall man in a black suit with a large umbrella was beside me. He asked what direction I was headed and swept me into the storm before I could protest. He was soaked by the time we reached the building because he had made certain I was protected with the umbrella. I stammered “thank you” before he disappeared back into the swirling storm. He had inconvenienced himself and performed a service to me without solicitation or reward. Tears of gratitude for his godly kindness sprang into my eyes and reached my hardened heart. It was the first step of my conversion to Catholicism at Franciscan University.

—Sonya Jean (Tarsoly ’95) Bartolovich

Dr. Regis Martin released us early from class on the feast of St. Blaise so that we could “pour something nice down our throats.”

—Regina (Timmes ’15 MA ’20) Deighan

Dr. Regis Martin

Rosary Circle

Only at Franciscan did we respond to the COVID crisis by not shutting down and instead gathering every single night to pray the Rosary while walking around campus. I think that’s my favorite campus memory—every single night praying with other students, even in the rain and snow. I remember feeling so blessed we still had in-person classes and responded with prayer rather than fear!

—Theresa Balick ’22

Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George were residents in St. Thomas More dorm at the time. One Saturday morning, I headed to the dorm bathroom to get ready for prayers with my robe and my veil. I was walking in as some girls (who hadn’t gone to bed yet) were walking out. They looked at me, looked at each other, and busted out laughing. I guess only at Franciscan would you see a religious sister in the dorm bathrooms, getting ready for morning prayers at 4:40 a.m. on a Saturday.

—Sister M. Maris Stella Villars, FSGM ’05

With the Daughters of Zion Household, one of our weekly commitments was to sing the Divine Mercy Chaplet together in Christ the King Chapel. It was here, praying together as young college women, where the Lord shattered the lies of comparison, brokenness, and vanity. He gave me a purity of heart in his mercy to experience the joy of true friendship! Only at Franciscan would something like this be a common daily experience for so many young people. Now, as a wife and mother of three young children, I can teach them about the joyfilled ways I encountered true friendship at Franciscan University.

—Nicole (Maldonado ’16) Ranalli

“Only at Franciscan” were my experiences the most intense and sometimes the most difficult of my life.

However, leaving home for the first time, I developed an independence and confidence that allowed me to follow my dreams to travel the world to over 100 countries. The study habits I developed at Franciscan allowed me to succeed at Ohio State Law School and solve complex tasks at work. My spiritual growth started at Franciscan and continued throughout my life. . . Learning these lessons allowed me to make choices so that, at the end of my life, I can reflect back with satisfaction that my life has been well lived.

—Robert “Bob” Martinez ’74

I can remember how Tom Monaghan came to campus. He was on the Board of Trustees at the time. His big white helicopter would land on campus with the Domino’s Pizza and the Detroit Tigers logos.

—Michael Archibald ’93

I clearly remember the great dances in the J.C. Williams Center, all to Christian music, and the concerts and talent shows as well. What a blessing! I also remember going skating at the roller-skating rink on the hill. Is it still there? [Editor’s Note: Yes, but the skates are gone. It’s now the St. Joseph Center!]

It was awesome being part of the Right-to-Life movement, going from household to household on campus to educate about pro-life in all its stages. It was also powerful to be there when the Portiuncula was built and the Tomb of the Unborn Child was consecrated! These were things you could only find at Franciscan, and I am humbled and grateful to have been a part of it.

—Sister Stacie Marie Gagnon, FMIHM ’88

Matt Maher

I worked in the Marketing and Communications Department my junior year and went along with an employee to pick up a guest from the airport. We pull up to the air – port and, lo and behold, Father Michael Gaitley, MIC, gets into the backseat! We chatted on the way back to campus, and he was an incredibly humble and genuine guy.

—Katie (Metzger ’16) Blum

I had a job with the event staff in the Athletics Department. One evening, we were having a meeting in Finnegan Fieldhouse, and I noticed Matt Maher and his band rehearsing for a concert later that night. I also noticed my Biblical Foundations professor, Dr. Scott Hahn, up there with a guitar, rehearsing with them for a special cameo.

I thought that was pretty cool as I left the fieldhouse to go home. However, I had forgotten my car keys inside. On my way to grab my keys, I saw Matt and Dr. Hahn standing in the lobby chatting. I said hello and, after introducing myself to Matt, I congratulated Dr. Hahn on his nice “Hahn Solo.” Dr. Hahn and Matt ended up using the joke at the concert later.

—Thomas Clements Jr. MA ’14

One Saturday afternoon, several guys from different households squared off with the friars for an epic battle of touch football. During an end-around play, I was the lead blocker for the running back and Father Mike Scanlan, TOR, was in my way. I didn’t realize how hard I hit him.

He had total fright on his face as he jettisoned back – ward into a row of shrubs. Then, the shrubs snapped back, catapulting Father Mike into a somersault over them. He landed flat on his belly. After we scored the touchdown, I ran over to Father Mike and helped him get up, apologizing for hitting him so hard. He laughed it off, and said, “Danny Luke, you need to take it easy on me.”

Tomb of Unborn

After the game, I went to the cafeteria to eat, and three nuns came up to me, laughing hysterically. I asked what was so funny. They recounted how they were watching the touch football game between the students and friars from the top floor of St. Thomas More Hall. They howled with laughter as they watched Father Mike sail through the air. The four of us enjoyed a hearty laugh together.

—Dan Fioramonti ’84

Only at Franciscan—Additional Content

 “Only at Franciscan” were my experiences the most intense and sometimes the most difficult of my life. However, leaving home for the first time, I developed an independence and confidence that allowed me to follow my dreams to travel the world to over 100 countries. The study habits I developed at Franciscan allowed me to succeed at Ohio State Law School and solve complex tasks at work. My parents’ $20 allowance taught me fiscal responsibility and how to manage money.

My spiritual growth started at Franciscan and continued throughout my life. This belief was an important foundation to face future challenges with alacrity and confidence. I also discovered the most intense feeling of falling in love for the first time and the equally intense feeling of heartbreak. I learned time does not necessarily heal all wounds but can last a lifetime.

Everyone’s path in life can be different from others. For some, the experiences at Franciscan can be difficult and intense, especially living away for the first time. But there are many important lessons to be learned while studying at Franciscan that will make the rest of your life much easier and less intense. Learning these lessons allowed me to make choices so that, at the end of my life, I can reflect back with satisfaction my life has been well lived. This opportunity may occur only once in your life, “Only at Franciscan.”

—Robert “Bob” Martinez ’74

On February 1, 2004, my future husband and I met at the caf and then met up again in St. Francis Hall to view the Super Bowl with friends. During the halftime show, there was a famous wardrobe malfunction with Janet Jackson. The whole lobby was scandalized beyond words; the amount of eye covering and shocked responses would never have happened at another college. By the way, we have been married 15 years and still host a Super Bowl party every year to remember how we met Super Bowl Sunday.

—Megan (Gorbett ’07) Thomas

We sang “Let It Rain” during a Festival of Praise, and the flood gates were opened: The fieldhouse flooded, the J.C. Williams Center flooded, and people were swimming in the drainage ditch outside the J.C., which was a temporary lake.

—Lacy (Rogers ’15) Hand

In the mid-1960s, Father Theophane (Father Michael Scanlan, TOR) introduced me to The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. He read this novella to the sisters of Delta Zeta Sorority on two evenings. Father Theophane took the time to read us a significant life story and share a part of himself with us.

—Mary (Jagus ’68) Wooley

One of my favorite memories was when some friends and I decided to play Quelf board game in the Louis-Liz elevator. Every time the elevator moved, we knew we were set up for an interesting conversation in the near future.

—Kelsey Tuning ’20 MA ’21

I attended the College of Steubenville from 1961-63. Received a degree in education 1963. Basketball team member 1961-63. Inducted into Franciscan University’s Hall of Fame in 2014. Named to Catholic Small College All-American 1st team 1963 and NAIA All-American 3rd team 1963. Loved the teachers and coaches there!

—Charles Zerger ’63

As I was leaving the Port one night, I spotted a buck standing on the lawn. I paused so I would not disturb it, but it seemed to be waiting for me to move. I started toward my car, and the buck walked parallel to me on the way. When I stopped at my car, I waited for the buck to leave, but it did not. It looked at me like, “Will you get in?” I got in the car, and the buck was still waiting for me. After I started my engine and began to back out of the spot, the deer turned to leave. It seems to me, on our Franciscan campus, animals know they are safe, and we are created to live with one another. That buck reminded me of that and made sure I made it safely to my car, too.

—Carole Scheerbaum ’97 MA ’02

During my semester in Austria, I helped plan a trip to go to San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy, the home of Padre Pio. The plan was to fly down to Rome, take a bus to the town, and take the bus back to make it in time to meet up with the rest of the school for dinner. This trip went from four girls to 12 girls in a matter of hours; one girl bought her plane and bus tickets the night before. Not only did we enjoy a private bus ride there, we walked in on Mass being said in English completely on accident, right next to Padre Pio’s confessional. The best part is, on the way back, a few of us girls became bus friends with a few Italians sitting next to us. Truly everything was so beautiful, and we had a great time exploring and learning more about Padre Pio.

—Kaitlyn Baker ’22

While working on building and grounds, I would walk around campus with my boss, Dale, and give insight on jobs that needed done from a student’s perspective. Back then, there were only woods near Christ the King Chapel. I made the comment, “This is a nice flat area. Let’s clear it out and put picnic tables or benches so students could sit outside, eat lunch, do homework, or just hang out with friends.” Little did I know, it would evolve into the sacred space of the Portiuncula Chapel, Marian Grotto, the Creche, Stations of the Cross, and the Tomb of the Unborn Child!

—Anita L. (Galownia ’87) King

It was four wonderful years of amazing grace. I was a Catholic from birth but took a detour until I was 18 years old, having my regeneration in Christ on January 21, 1973. I subsequently was accepted to the College of Steubenville in 1975 on a “trial basis,” arriving a week after classes began. I was accepted into the Heart of Jesus Household located at the Renewal Center.

I couldn’t have asked for any better sequence of God movement. The following four years were filled with the gifts of meeting wonderful sisters and brothers with whom I continue to be in contact. Being a student was a challenge, but one that was made doable thanks to the super professors, too many to name. I actually had some classes and meals at professors’ rural farms and in-town homes.

Supporting the events of the campus through the ministries of the Renewal Center was an unimaginable blessing for service and growth. I was at the Pittsburgh Airport picking up dignitaries when Mother Teresa came in; you could barely make her out due to the taller people around her.

Two years on campus and two years living in the La Belle neighborhood, the latter two years married to the love of my life, Carol. We got married in Maine in the summer of ’77 and had the blessings of having the College’s music ministry play music and sing and two friars concelebrate our charismatic, hour and a half wedding with three priests. Numerous “out of staters” had never seen the Atlantic Ocean nor eaten Maine lobster or Maine steamed clams. The joy, love, and grace that was born from the Heart of Jesus (we actually lived at an apartment located above the Steubenville Greek Orthodox Church in the summer of 1976), and the Heart of Mary and the Magnificat Households and non-households, among so many others, was fabulous. Fellowship was rich and precious. Friendships lasted forever.

Eucharistic celebrations, household gatherings, prayer meetings, Father Oliver’s Orthodox Mass incense filling the St. Thomas More halls, one-on-one prayer, common room moments, seeing and hearing St. Mother Teresa in ’76, Father Ange, Father David, Father Phil, Sister Ann, Sister Betsy, Sister Lottie, Father Mike, Father Gerry, Father Dennis, and so many others, summer conferences—all such amazing blessings! And to top it all off, I actually got a degree—amazing for a less-than-average high school student.

There are way too many “Only at Franciscan” stories to go on. Ever thankful for every moment while at the then-College of Steubenville.

—Tom Legare ’79