Saint Joseph's College (Indiana), a Catholic college founded and sponsored by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, pledges itself to a tradition of excellence and to a liberal education that is a united endeavor of intelligence and faith.
Homecoming 2021 – Back Home
On Saturday, September 18th the Saint Joseph’s Alumni came back home! The Saint Joseph’s College Alumni Association in partnership with Saint Joseph’s College welcomed over 175 alumni back to campus for a Homecoming celebration. The reunion day began with a celebration Mass in the Chapel with Father Barry Fischer, C.PP.S. and Father Bill Stang, C.PP.S. with alumnus Mark Madison leading the congregation of about 40 alumni with song.
For the remainder of the day, alumni gathered at Lake Banet to meet their friends and former professors. The traditional beer and brats were served by the Alumni Association volunteers. Almost 200 alumni gathered on the beautiful fall day to reminisce about their days at Saint Joe and catch up on where they are now.
Many alumni participated in campus tours. Alumni were encouraged to join the tour and take a walk along memory lane. Young and old joined in the tours to received updates on the College’s progress over the last few years. During the tours a special event was planned. Bobby Kametas ‘17 and Harley Conn ‘19 were engaged by the fountain with friends, family and unsuspecting touring alumni present.
Saint Joseph’s College would like to thank the Alumni Association for their hard work and dedication to bring Homecoming back to campus. Their volunteers worked tirelessly to organize the day and make it special for the many alumni who made the trek back to Rensselaer. We are grateful for their continued efforts and support of our beautiful campus.
Where We Are Today
Radio advertisements, newsletters, interviews, campus tours, enhanced webpage, new academic center, open houses, alumni events, fliers—all from Saint Joseph’s College! What is happening? As the College set out on its ambitious task of reinventing itself in 2017, the Board promised to secure the debt and to come back as a liberal arts institution. What is happening on the Rensselaer campus is the realization of that promise of the College continuing its mission and providing state-of-the-art programming.
Saint Joseph's college is excited to announce for January three exciting new university/college partnerships including the University of Saint Thomas (Houston), Calumet College of Saint Joseph, and St. Mary of the Woods College. Programs to be offered to local at the College include cybersecurity, business, and a wide variety of health care programs. For more information contact Hali Chapman at (219) 866-6000 x2022.
Building on the success of the last year and the promise of career-oriented education in the “128 Plan,” the College will continue offering its health care certification programs including American Red Cross (CPR), Billing and Coding, EKG, Certified Nursing Assistant, Clinical Medical Assistant, and Phlebotomy. Students who have completed these programs have been very successful in attaining jobs in health care. Additional career certification programs are under development.
Looking to the future and responding to community needs, additional institutions will be invited to offer their programs on the Rensselaer campus. Saint Joseph College is offering state-of-the-art programs at affordable prices. To this end, the University of Saint Thomas and Calumet College of Saint Joseph's will offer their first courses for free. The ongoing tuition for these programs will be affordable. Scholarships will also be available moving forward.
What is happening at Saint Joseph's College and Rensselaer is truly remarkable. Throughout its 130-year history, it had to adapt. A theme developed in 2017 was that the College would be like the Phoenix rising from the ashes. What's going on now is a testament to the Phoenix beginning to rise. Saint Joseph's College looks forward to community support and partnership as we make this a state-of-the-art institution for the 21st century. As an alum said on a recent visit to the College, “we realize that our SJC is gone but it is encouraging that a re-envisioned 21st Century college will slowly emerge beginning with a few college-level classes this fall.”
GivingTuesday – How You Can Help!
The global generosity movement known as GivingTuesday is fast approaching! Now more than ever it is important to give back to our communities and charities we love. We encourage all of our alumni and friends to support your local communities not just on Tuesday, November 30th, but everyday! In the spirit of giving here are some ways you can give back to Saint Joseph’s College:
- Pray for us! Pray that we are guided by our mission to do the Lord’s work here in the Rensselaer Community.
- Share the good news! Tell fellow alumni, family and friends about the opportunities to learn at Saint Joe. You can find a lot of great information on our website – www.saintjoe.edu
- Give a gift! Your donations help Saint Joseph’s College continue to grow our programs to reach more students. You can make your donation online here: www.saintjoe.edu/give
How will you give back on GivingTuesday? For more information about how you can help, contact Beth Graf at 219-866-6000 x2014 or bgraf@saintjoe.edu. Gifts to Saint Joseph's College are tax deductible.
Final Newsletter of the Year
For the past couple of years, we have been sending you monthly newsletters to keep you updated on our progress. This November newsletter will be the final one of the year. Watch in January for a special announcement in regards to our communication with all of you!
Contact Us
Saint Joseph’s College
PO Box 300
Rensselaer, IN 47978
www.saintjoe.edu/
Beth Graf
Director of Communications and Development
Email: bgraf@saintjoe.edu
Phone: 219-866-6000 ext. 2014
Fr. Philip Gilbert Beloved Mathematics Professor
Fr. Philip Gilbert, C.PP.S., 90, died at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 15, 2020 in the infirmary at St. Charles Center in Carthagena, Ohio. He had been in failing health.
Fr. Gilbert was born on February 17, 1930, in Chicago, to Philip and Elizabeth (Buffa) Gilbert. He entered the Missionaries of the Precious Blood in 1949 and was ordained on May 28, 1960.
In 1961, Fr. Gilbert was appointed to education ministry at Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Ind., which is sponsored by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. There he spent nearly five decades in ministry as a math professor at the college. During his career there, he served as chairman of the math department and was also on the college’s faculty athletic committee. He retired from teaching in 2016 and moved to St. Charles in 2017.
Preceded in death by his brother and sister-in-law, Hilary and Carol Gilbert, Fr. Gilbert was the last surviving member of his immediate family.
Fr. Gilbert loved his life as a priest, and he also loved Saint Joseph’s College. In fact, it was love at first sight, he once said. His older brother attended the college as well as some of his friends. When he went to visit, “as soon as I saw it, I fell in love.”
His parents, Italian immigrants who changed the family name from Gilberti to Gilbert, wanted both their sons to get a college education. They were in favor when Fr. Gilbert enrolled at the college that was to become his home for most of his adult life.
While there, he served with compassion and commitment. “I wasn’t brilliant at mathematics, but I was good at it,” said the priest, always self-deprecating. His students describe him as a man devoted to both of his vocations, the priesthood and education.
He was a favorite among the faculty and staff as well, presiding at a daily midday mass in a chapel on campus for as long as he was able—even when he had to proclaim the Gospel through a large magnifying glass.
Fr. Gilbert also helped out at parishes in the Gary Diocese and, for his Community, served several terms as district chair and the local C.PP.S. director at the college. For many years, he was the chaplain of Knights of Columbus Council 1881 in Rensselaer.
He also loved baseball, rooting for the White Sox as a boy; later in life he committed the apostasy of switching his allegiance at least in part to the Cubs. He played baseball in high school and was an excellent point guard on the school’s basketball team. “I was a hustler,” he said. “I had a knack of seeing who was open and feeding them the ball.” A teacher could be said to be a point guard too: seeing who is open and feeding them what they need. A priest, too.
Certified Clinical Medical Assistant Program Starts Two New Classes
The next two cohorts of CCMA classes began on Tuesday October 20th and Tuesday November 10th. That class is filling up quickly! Saint Joe was blessed with a great start to our certified medical programs. This class is 11-weeks and meets twice a week, four hours a day. There are eight students in the October class and seven in the November class.
The CCMA program qualifies for a Next Level Jobs grant from the state of Indiana. The Next Level Jobs program provides an opportunity for eligible Indiana residents to receive tuition-free training for careers in high-demand, high-paying jobs in areas that are in high demand. Next Level Jobs will cover the cost of tuition and required fees associated with earning the industry-recognized credentials/certificate. Many of our students have qualified for this grant.
For more information about the program, please visit www.saintjoe.edu.
Thanksgiving Blessings
Giving Thanks
For the hay and the corn and the wheat that is reaped,
For the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped,
For the sun and the dew and the sweet honeycomb,
For the rose and the song and the harvest brought home -
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!
For the trade and the skill and the wealth in our land,
For the cunning and strength of the workingman's hand,
For the good that our artists and poets have taught,
For the friendship that hope and affection have brought -
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!
For the homes that with purest affection are blest,
For the season of plenty and well-deserved rest,
For our country extending from sea unto sea;
The land that is known as the "Land of the Free" -
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!
--- Author Unknown
We are thankful for all of you! Happy Thanksgiving from the Saint Joseph’s College Staff and Board of Trustees.
Contact Us
Saint Joseph’s College
PO Box 300
Rensselaer, IN 47978
saintjoe.edu
Email: bgraf@saintjoe.edu
Phone: 219-866-6000 ext. 2014