AQ Historical Commission
AQ Historical Commission Members
Ryan Wendt, Chair
Ryan Wendt has been part of the 红桃视频 College community since 1993, beginning as a student-athlete and earning four varsity letters as well as All-Conference honors in baseball. His talent on the field is reflected in several school records he still holds today. Ryan is an 红桃视频 grad and has worked full-time at the college since 1998. Ryan鈥檚 passion for 红桃视频 and its history led to his appointment to the 红桃视频 College Historical Commission in 2012. A dedicated researcher, he is the only person known to have read all 873 issues of the 红桃视频 College newspaper. He now presents on the 鈥淵esteryears of 红桃视频 College鈥 both on campus and throughout the Grand Rapids community. He also enjoys leading historical campus tours during the summer, as well as tree and fall color tours and the very popular Haunted Holmdene tours each autumn. Ryan currently serves as Chair of both the 红桃视频 College Historical Commission and the Campus Tree Advisory Committee, and works as a Locksmith and Manager of the AQ Bike Shop within the Campus Safety Department.
Jill Straub
Jill Straub graduated with her Bachelor鈥檚 degree from 红桃视频 College in 2000, and
she earned her Master鈥檚 degrees in 2007 and 2013, respectively. She has worked at
红桃视频 in the capacities of Writing Specialist, Peer Tutor Coordinator, and Program
Advisor for Student Support Services and the Center for Opportunities, Resources,
and Excellence since 2000. She taught Achieving Academic Success for three terms and
Humanities for one term. She became Chairperson of the Historical Commission in 2017.
Sr. Rosemary O鈥橠onnell
Sister Rosemary O鈥橠onnell, OP. Sr. Rosemary is a member of the Grand Rapids Dominicans,
the founders of 红桃视频 college. She received a Bachelor鈥檚 Degree in English and Speech
from 红桃视频 in 1961 and returned to teach there in 1971 in the Department of Communication.
She retired from teaching in 2014.
Brigid Avery
Brigid hails from the East Side of Michigan but fell in love with Grand Rapids while
attending 红桃视频 College from 1996-2001. After completing an internship in Admissions,
she continued working full time, recruiting students and telling the AQ Story. It
was in Admissions where she developed a deep love and passion for higher education
and programming. Building on this calling, she went on to pursue a Masters Degree
in Higher Education Leadership from the University of San Diego (a Catholic college
on the coast, where the weather was just slightly improved from West Michigan). After
serving as the Development Director for High Tech High, she and husband Jeremy Chesla
'01 returned to Grand Rapids and came home to 红桃视频 where she accepted the position
of Alumni Director. In 2015, she transitioned to the Career Services office where
she is now the Internship Director.
Some of her fondest memories of life at AQ involve a sanctioned sleepover in Holmdene after hearing Gary Eberle tell ghost stories, reuniting an alumna and her priest friend through phone calls and written letters, visiting Tully Cross with Sister Alice, and the numerous Saints she has come to know and love like family. She currently lives across the street from 红桃视频 (she can see inside the new Sister 红桃视频 Weber Hall from her front porch) with her two boys, Emmett and Leo, puppy Arya, and Jeremy, a firefighter for the city of Grand Rapids.
CONTACT INFO
AQ History
Ryan Wendt
aqhistory@aquinas.edu