DAVENPORT — Trustee Emeritus Bernard “Bernie” Hardiek and Dr. Thomas and Mary Ann Stoffel will be presented the McMullen Award following a 10:30 a.m. Mass in celebration of the Feast of Saint Ambrose at Christ the King Chapel on Sunday, Dec. 4.
Named in honor of university founder Bishop John McMullen, the McMullen Awards are presented annually to individuals who embody St. Ambrose University's mission of enriching the lives of others.
The public is invited to attend the Mass and award ceremony.
Also on Dec. 4, the Academy for the Study of Ambrose of Milan will host its annual lecture to celebrate the feast that honors the university’s patron saint at 4 p.m. in the chapel. This year, Sr. Maria M. Kiely, OSB, a Benedictine nun from the Congregation of Solesmes, will deliver the lecture, "The Apotheosis of Valentinian II: Ambrose of Milan's Funeral Oration."
Bernie Hardiek served 20 years after joining the St. Ambrose Board of Trustees in 1996. He served on the Governance and Nominating Committee, as well as the Academic and Student Affairs Committee. As a senior executive of Deere and Company, he brought a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the university. In 1999, he furthered his service by chairing the Vision 2020 Strategic Planning Initiative and becoming a Vision Team Leader for Graduate, Adult and Professional Programs. These efforts set the stage for the “Our Challenge and Promise: To Give, To Guide, To Grow” campaign, which raised more than $88 million in 11 years.
Dr. Thomas and Mary Ann Stoffel are ardent supports of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education. The Stoffels worked with SAU faculty to start the Summer Science Research Institute to encourage research activity at the undergraduate level. Their gift allowed first year students to work with an upper class student and a STEM faculty member to develop and execute a research project.
In 2015, the Stoffel Fund for Excellence in Scientific Inquiry was created to assist St. Ambrose faculty research in the biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering and physical science, and mathematics departments. The program includes an undergraduate research component, providing a rare regional opportunity for research experience for undergraduate students.
The Stoffels’ support also has helped fund summer annual camps that introduce local children to the STEM subjects.: Kids in Chemistry, The Race into Engineering camp and Health Careers Adventure camp.
