What's Happening

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.