Calumet College of St. Joseph (CCSJ) is in a period of noteworthy growth – with an expanding student population and new facilities such as the CCSJ Residence Hall being added to support student life. As a mission-driven institution that emphasizes affordability – with more than 90% of students receiving financial aid and all admitted students being automatically considered for internal scholarships and grants – they depend on support from the community to continue making education possible for many of their students.
On Friday night, CCSJ hosted their 58th Annual Board of Trustees Scholarship Gala with proceeds supporting the university’s scholarship programs. Over 350 community members took part in the celebration, hosted at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana. The evening also saw CCSJ present the St. Joseph the Worker Award, the Brother Gerard von Hagel Alumni Award, and the Corporate Leadership Award, each of which commends community members for contributions to the college and community at large through philanthropy and service.
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“Tonight is all about the students and making sure that college is as affordable and accessible for as many students as possible,” said Dr. Amy McCormack, president of Calumet College of St. Joseph. “This is the largest crowd we’ve had for many years. For me, this is a moment in time where we can celebrate all that we’ve accomplished, but really stretch and have a vision for the future.”
While CCSJ is open to all religious identities, their values are shaped by their founding religious community, the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. Love, justice, intellect, personal growth, and religious awareness are at the core of CCSJ’s mission. McCormack described each attendee’s gift of scholarship as a “bet” on their students’ success, made in confidence thanks to the university’s values.
“I think the turnout tonight is a testament to the college’s success in the past,” said the Very Reverend Jeffrey Kirch, provincial director of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. “I think it demonstrates what Cal College can do. It’s all about helping our students become successful, not only in their college career but in their overall lives. We hope that through their education, they’ll make the world a better place.”
The Brother Gerard von Hagel Alumni Award winner was a CCSJ alumna who did just that. Dr. Vanessa Allen-McCloud earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Organization Management from CCSJ in 1993, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership in 2013. She is currently the president and CEO of the Urban League of Northwest Indiana, an organization that offers a wide array of programs and services to improve the social, educational, and economic conditions of African Americans and other minorities within Northwest Indiana.
“You never know where your life may end up, but it’s those people who helped you along the way and Calumet College definitely provided opportunities for me to become who I am today,” she said. “I’m really honored and humbled by the opportunity to receive this award, and I stand on some of those shoulders of the other alumni that have been afforded the opportunity to go through Calumet College and receive their education. I’m sure they have grown, and if they haven’t, they need to call me!”
CCSJ’s Corporate Leadership Award winner, Peoples Bank, was the next honoree recognized. The university called attention to the bank’s commitment to public service, with their Community First employee charitable and social committee raising more than $70,000 to benefit local organizations in 2020 alone.
“Peoples Bank is its own philanthropic community,” said Larry Meyers, chair of the CCSJ Board of Trustees. “They’re generous not only with money, but with time. Their employees give so much to nonprofits and other organizations that service our communities.”
Monsignor Joseph Semancik received the final honor of the evening, the St. Joseph the Worker Award. It is given to those who embody the eponymous saint’s selflessness and commitment to service. Monsignor Semancik is CCSJ’s longest, consistently giving donor, spending his career working as a leader in Catholic charities both locally and worldwide. He is also one of the founders of the Hospice of the Calumet Area, served as the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, was a teacher, and an author.
“Peace and justice,” Semancik said. “If we could depoliticize social justice and peace, more people would see them for what they are – for the facts that they are, it would really revolutionize the world.”
McCormack announced that CCSJ is creating a scholarship endowment in Monsignor Semancik’s name, so that he will forever be a part of the lives of students seeking education.
She also announced the university’s next major capital campaign. Called Belonging and Becoming, the campaign looks to raise $7.5 million to fund further projects similar to their recent successes with the new residence hall, academics, and athletics. McCormack said that Belonging and Becoming has already raised $6 million during the campaign’s quiet phase.
“It is indeed an exciting and invigorating moment,” she said. “(This will) support the next transformational time in the history of Calumet College of St. Joseph. As a Catholic college in the tradition of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, we need to invest in scholarships to continue to make college affordable for years to come, relevant academic programs with a liberal arts foundation, new student centered spaces to enhance the collegiate experience, and our annual fund to sustain our daily operations.”To learn more about Calumet College of St. Joseph and how you can enroll or contribute to their mission, visit www.ccsj.edu.
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