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February 6, 2026, Adrian, Michigan – Siena Heights University students and Adrian Dominican Sisters celebrated the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, January 28, 2026, in part by gathering at the school’s cafeteria for “legacy lunch,” the first in a monthly series of legacy events during the spring semester.
This second semester of the 2025-2026 academic year is the final semester for Siena Heights University, founded by the Adrian Dominican Sisters in 1919 as St. Joseph College. In July 2025, the University announced its closure at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year.
“The idea is to connect our current students with the legacy of the Adrian Dominican Sisters so they can take a piece of the Sisters with them,” explained Nathan Rankins, Campus Minister. “Nothing ever ends. So [we are giving] the legacy of Siena Heights and the legacy of the Adrian Dominican Sisters to our students.”
Even as they discussed their plans for what’s next for them, the students spoke of the legacy they have received from their experience at Siena Heights University. Katie Stewart, a sophomore, transferred to Siena Heights this year but already has been affected. “Everyone is so friendly and kind, and I feel the positivity,” she said. “The instructors are understanding and will work around schedules if you’re having problems.”
Katie is majoring in psychology but hopes to change her major to physical education next year at Eastern Michigan University or Grand Valley State University. She said she appreciates the personal feel at Siena Heights University and the opportunity to attend weekday Mass.
Iris Millies, a sophomore majoring in Environmental Science, has already learned much in that field from her participation in the 2025 Environmental Leadership Experience (ELE), a weeklong, hands-on experience for Siena Heights and Barry University students at the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ permaculture garden. She said she appreciates the “focus on the environment and the opportunities I’ve had here – the mixture of the Sisters and the school.” She said she will probably attend Grand Valley State University.
Caden Rogers, a senior, said he is “blessed” to be able to graduate from Siena Heights University this year with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He hopes to become an electrician and is applying for an apprenticeship. His study of business, he said, will benefit him in his work as an electrician, giving him skills he might need to manage his own electrical business or advance as an electrician.
Caden benefited from his years at Siena Heights University in other ways. The faculty and staff “leave an impact on you,” he said. He was also surprised by the diversity that he found in such a small university. “There are people I met from Brazil and the Dominican Republic,” he said. “I got to meet people from all walks of life.”
Gabriel Iott, who has been studying science and will begin his major in physical therapy at Grand Valley State University, has been especially moved by the sense of community that he found at Siena Heights University. Its smaller size helps the students to be more connected, he said. “I’m very involved in campus,” he said. “You get to know a lot of people and it’s a very tight group.”
Gabriel said that the faculty, staff, and administration at Siena Heights University are involved in campus life in many ways, including the Late Night Breakfast program, in which they serve night-time breakfast to students before the start of final exams week. “I’m in a research program and we have to have a faculty mentor,” Gabriel explained. He was never in a class with his mentor, who still dedicates a lot of time to Gabriel. Many other faculty members also show this dedication to the students. “I think that’s very impactful.”
Sister Eunice Drazba, OP, said she attended Siena Heights College when it was much smaller. She is impressed by the current students. “Somehow our legacy has affected them,” she said. In addition, the university has been very inviting to the Sisters on the Motherhouse Campus. “They let us know what’s happening,” she said. “We feel very welcome by the students.”
Nate said that the Legacy Lunch was the first in a series of planned monthly events to help students connect with Sisters and to experience the Sisters’ legacy. The next event is a Legacy Mass, to be held in February during the regularly scheduled 7:00 p.m. Sunday Mass and followed by a reception. The legacy events for March and April are still in the planning stages.
“I see the legacy of the Sisters as the signs of the times,” Nate said. “The Adrian Dominican Sisters, in my opinion, have always been able to discern the signs of the times and how to respond. It would be our hope that our students will be able to go out into the world and discern what they need to do.”
Caption for above feature photo: Enjoying lunch together during Siena Heights University’s Legacy Lunch are, from left, Gabriel Iott, Sisters Corinne Florek, OP, and Barbara Quincey, OP, and Caden Rogers.
September 14, 2021, Adrian, Michigan – As people of faith throughout the world celebrate the Season of Creation – September 1 through October 4, 2021 – Adrian Dominican Sisters and Associates listened to a Sustainability Update that focused on various projects on the Motherhouse Campus and on the call for the Congregation and individuals to become involved in Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ Action Platform.
Offering the September 7, 2021, presentation were Sister Corinne Sanders, OP, Director of the Office of Sustainability; Joel Henricks, Director of Facilities and Grounds; Jared Aslakson, Permaculture Specialist; and Sister Kathleen Nolan, OP, Director of the Office of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation.
Jared spoke of projects undertaken during this summer at the Permaculture site: from the loan of 20 goats for five days to stop the spread of invasive plants to the success of one of two hives of bees, which produced 12 pints of honey. Jared went on to speak of the success of the perennial trees, which are bearing fruit, and of the pollinator garden.
Jared noted that his intentional care of the fruit trees this season has been successful. “A lot of the perennial trees are yielding fruit, and we should expect the yield to steadily increase,” he said.
Joel offered an update on sustainability projects such as restoration of the storm water retention pond. “All the storm water is collected around the Siena Heights football field,” he explained, adding that the project is designed to control erosion and to bring clean water into the pond. In addition, wildlife that scattered when the project began is returning.
Work is starting in the Regina building parking lot in preparation for installation of a new carport, which will both support solar panels and include six charging stations for electric vehicles. Other work includes the installation of a new water main, which will be operational at the beginning of 2022, and removal of dead or dying trees throughout the campus. Also in the works is a solar array in a field at the north end of the Motherhouse Campus.
Much of the presentation focused on the Congregation’s involvement in Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ Action Platform. “The pope invited the Catholic community worldwide to join in a movement that we came to know as Laudato Si’ Action Platform, working at total sustainability,” Sister Kathleen explained.
Laudato Si’ is the 2015 encyclical by Pope Francis, in which he calls for action from the worldwide community to save and restore Earth, our common home. “The encyclical is really calling us to care for our planet and to look at how we can incorporate and engage in the vision of ecology that was outlined in Laudato Si’,” Sister Kathleen said. “Pope Francis issued an urgent challenge to the entire world to protect our common home, cultivating a deep relationship with all creatures.”
Sisters Kathleen and Corinne, along with the Congregation’s Justice Promoters, have been attending webinars to learn about the Action Plan: a seven-year plan and a public commitment to work toward a number of goals. The goals are: response to the cry of the Earth; response to the cry of the poor; ecological economics; adoption of simple lifestyles; ecological education; ecological spirituality; and emphasis on community involvement and participatory action.
“Things are falling into place for to make a significant response,” Sister Kathleen said. “The goals will help to guide our actions and they redefine and rebuild our relationship with each other and with our common home.” The Congregation’s involvement is a matter for the 2022 General Chapter in February, during which the Adrian Dominican Sisters set the direction for the next six years and elect new leadership.
In the meantime, Sister Corinne suggested some actions that Sisters, Associates, Co-workers, and other Partners in Mission can take personally, especially during the Season of Creation: read or re-read Laudato Si’; explore the Action Platform website; re-examine your carbon footprint; and sit and walk contemplatively with Earth.
Watch the entire recording of the Sustainability Update below.
Feature photo: Artist’s conceptions of two of the sustainability projects for the Motherhouse Campus of the Adrian Dominican Sisters: a solar array in one of the fields (left) and a carport, which will support more solar panels.