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March 6, 2017, Adrian, Michigan – Are you living with low vision and trying to find ways to cope? Are you the care-giver of someone with low vision?

If so, please join the Adrian Dominican Sisters for a presentation, “Living Well with Low Vision,” at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 21. The talk will take place in the Rose Room of the Dominican Life Center on the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ Motherhouse Campus.

Stacey Butts, Executive Director of the Sight Center of Northwest Ohio, and Jill Hunt, certified social worker and case manager at the Sight Center of Northwest Ohio, will offer the presentation. They will speak on ways to tackle the challenges of living with low vision and will share stories of people who have successfully negotiated those challenges.

The event is free and open to all. Come to the Dominican Life Center through the eastern driveway at 1277 E. Siena Heights Drive. Parking is on the left. The receptionist at the front desk will direct you to the Rose Room.

For information, call Sister Margaret Urban at 517-266-4209.

By Aidan Reedy
Regina Dominican High School Communications Coordinator

March 3, 2017, Wilmette, Illinois – Regina Dominican High School’s Leadership Institute recently hosted a panel discussion on “Executive Orders and the Travel Ban: Separating Fact from Fiction.”

Panel members were Professor Ann M. Lousin, a constitutional law expert from The John Marshall Law School; Regina Dominican chaplain Father Peter Wojcik; and Noor Abdelfattah ’15, a Loyola University psychology major researching anxiety in youth. Dr. Linda A. Liang, Director of the Leadership Institute, moderated the discussion.

Father Peter Wojcik serves on the panel. Photo by Aidan Reedy

Professor Lousin explained constitutional law and details of the recent travel ban as well as similar bans in U.S. history. Father Wojcik spoke about Catholic Charities’ work in resettling a large number of refugees, adding that he prays a ban like this current one is not necessary. Dr. Liang mentioned strategies for civil discourse and Noor spoke to the students about handling stress and anxiety through writing and meditation. Students were then able to ask questions.

Dr. Liang provided a handout to students with a simple "LEARN" model that they could follow when anticipating a difficult conversation, or one in which emotions can run high:

Listen to the other's point of view without judgment.

Empathize with the other person.

Ask questions. Get the facts.

Reach understanding.

Neutralize feelings and emotions, or agree to disagree.

Grounded in the Dominican value of veritas (truth) and caritas (love), Regina Dominican’s Leadership Institute focuses on the students’ strengths to listen, inspire, and empower others to be the best that they can be and to make a difference in the world. Students initiated this panel in response to recent political events. It provided a unique educational opportunity to apply the lessons from textbooks on history and contemporary issues to life.

Feature photo: Panelists Noor Abdelfattah (left) and Professor Ann M. Lousin discuss the travel ban. Photo by Aidan Reedy

Reprinted with permission from the February 26, 2017, Panther Parent e-newsletter.