John Carroll University

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Hallmarks and Quirks

Things I'm Good At:

Community service. Collectively, my students work with over seventy-five partners in the Cleveland area, clock over 100,000 hours of service per year, and make a $2.5 million economic impact on the Cleveland area. Let's just say that my students don't call themselves "men and women for others" for nothing. You're welcome, Cleveland.
The Boler School of Business means business. Like collegiate celebrities Harvard and Yale, The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business accredits the Boler School of Business at Carroll. Only eleven percent of business schools in the United States hold that honor.
Jesuit values—which, by the way, are: Be kind, be open, and be hardworking. You'll be reminded of them all the time—at orientations, at important campus functions, and, even on your class syllabi during syllabus week every semester. It's not as scary as it sounds, though. You don't have to be a follower of Jesus to be a follower of Jesuit values here.
Bias reporting. I take diversity super seriously. You mess with one of my students, you'll get a bias report. In 2012, the Stop Bias reporting website was created for anonymous tipping for those who overhear, are victims of, or witness acts of discrimination towards others on campus. Think of it as having the power to be secret super heroes.

My Top 5 Must-Haves:

Hunter rain boots. The weather here is more fickle than the contestants on The Bachelor, so it's always good to be prepared in preppy style.
Coffee. Between helping others and passing your classes, an extra boost of caffeine will be a welcome relief. And, occasionally, the only thing keeping you going.
A cell phone. While you can't use them in class, you'll be texting all your friends as soon as you're out of your seat.
A Carroll Card. One swipe gets you library books, dining dollars, and access to your dorm. Guard it with your life.
The shuttle's "The Loop" schedule. If you don't have a car on campus, this is crucial. Be there on time and it will take you to all the places you want to go, including the mall, the two-story Target, and Legacy Village. If you miss it, face waiting an extra awkward forty-five minutes at the stop.

Why You Might Have Heard of Me:

Tim Russert, class of 1972, the former moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. My Department of Communications is named for him, and so is my unique "Meet the Press" fellowship for graduating seniors who want to jump-start a career in political journalism.
NFL stars. Don Shula went here and his name remains in lights at Don Shula Stadium. As the former coach of the Miami Dolphins from 1970 to 1995, he led the Dolphins to the only perfect season in the history of the NFL. Other big names in the NFL include Greg Roman, London Fletcher, and Nick Cesario. Despite the Cleveland area's less-than-stellar reputation in the NFL, John Carroll University continues to prove the haters wrong with all of our hall of famers. Take that, Pittsburgh.
Cleveland, Ohio. From the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival to the Cleveland Clinic to several major league sports teams, there is a little something for everyone in Cleveland. Who needs New York City or Los Angeles when you could live in Cleveland? Cleveland rocks.

On a regular Saturday night, you can find me...

While I love a good party, and have plenty of choices, sometimes I just don't feel like drinking and being jammed in a sweaty basement. That's when my Student Union Programming Board steps in. Every weekend, they can be counted on to provide an event where food is available and the event swag flows freely.

Of all the events, my personal favorite is Carrollfest, which is held during one of the last weekends of April to celebrate the beginning of the end of the school year. I bring in bands you've never heard of, food trucks where you can eat away stress, and corn hole games where you don't have to feel embarrassed about not scoring a single point.

Favorite Hangouts:

Einstein Bros. Bagels. Even if you just failed a biology exam or your car got ticketed by the John Carroll Police, there's no way you can leave Einstein's with a frown. In addition to enjoying the best bagels and coffee on campus, the friendly workers there will be sure to cheer you up.
Grasselli Library. On the first floor, there's a coffee shop called The Den that sells Starbucks. You can study with your friends for that group presentation and also get a pumpkin spice latte at the same time. It's a win-win so long as you don't forget that it's a library and people are trying to study.
Schott Dining Hall. It's more than a place to gain that infamous Freshman Fifteen—it's a break in the middle of your busy day when you can talk to your friends about that sick party the previous night or complain about the professor who took off points for being late.

Quirks:

My name was originally St. Ignatius College, after St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. Then I went through a bit of a phase in the 1920s and had everyone call me Cleveland University...but after a while I got bored with that and changed my name again. Now I'm John Carroll, named after the first American bishop. I think it's a keeper.
At the beginning of the Carroll experience, there's a week called Streak Week and no, it is not what the name implies. It is a week of orientation that forces freshmen into icebreakers and activities where they say their name, intended major, and hometown on repeat. It's also when freshmen meet that first group of friends in college outside of their roommates.
The Integrative Core. My new core curriculum focuses on bringing two unlikely classes together by teaching the same topic from different perspectives and different subject areas. In simpler terms, this means that instead of studying for two separate tests, you can be studying the same topic in two different classes. Now, that's what I call time management.

Famous Alumni:

Don Shula, former coach of the Miami Dolphins
Jack Kahl, the creator of Duck Tape
Tim Russert, former NBC News Washington Bureau Chief and host and moderator of Meet the Press
Sara Bloomfield, director of the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.
Diane Munz, Olympic Swimming champion and gold medalist
Dominique Moceanu, Olympic Gymnastics champion and a member of the Magnificent Seven on the 1996 gold medalist Women's gymnastics team