in memoriam We highlight these outstanding leaders on this page who gave unflagging service to thousands of students, both directly and indirectly, throughout their many years of commitment to the Marian University community. Institutions that have the capacity to go beyond transactional service to transformational service - in our case, to students and in our contributions to the common good - are only possible because of leaders like these. They led lives of prayerful discernment as to what God was calling them to do with their many gifts and talents, and then persisted in their calling to serve in transformational ways. I often refer to these long-serving and distinguished servants in the Marian community as “Three Times, I Love You,” leaders [taken from the Gospel of John 21:15-18 in which Jesus implores Peter three times to feed and tend to His sheep]. All of the leaders below certainly answered the call, feeding and tending to the Marian flock in transformational ways.
Please offer prayers of thanksgiving for all who served the Marian community and give prayerful reflection on how we are called to emulate these servants. We are blessed that Marian’s capacity to provide transformational education for our students and advance the common good, are endeavors made possible because of generous responses originating from God’s call to serve. We all have unique gifts and talents to offer, and all integral to Marian’s thriving—past, present, and future. In the coming months, I will be engaging with alumni and friends of Marian University to discern how we can better honor, remember, and celebrate the contributions of these stalwarts in the Marian community and many others like them who made the Marian Miracle possible. In the meantime, if you have ideas on how we can do this better, please know I am more than happy to receive your input. Thank God for these and so many other wonderful servants of Marian University and how they exemplified good stewardship of their time, talent, and treasure in service to the Marian community. Sincerely, Daniel J. Elsener
Father Francis Bryan, 1936- 2022 Beginning in 1974, Father Bryan began 34 years of ministry at Marian University
Leonard (Len) A.
Sister Marilynn Hofer ’60, 1933-2022 Upon entering the convent, Sr. Hofer began teaching in elementary schools, including St. Michael’s in Brookville, Indiana; Our Lady of Victory in Cincinnati, Ohio; Holy Name in Beech Grove, Indiana and Rex Mundy High School in Evansville, Indiana, before enrolling as a graduate student at the University of Notre Dame. For the next 26 years she served a long time professor at Marian University teaching Sociology and African Studies. She was a voracious reader devouring books and the Sunday NY Times completely. She was a lifelong Notre Dame fan as both of her brothers were graduates. She was generous with her time and volunteered many places including making significant writing and research contributions for the compilation of the history of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
as an Education Department Professor at Marian University . Following a year of sabbatical, Marilynn returned to Marian as the Assistant Director of Alumni for 14 years before coming home to Oldenburg in 2011, serving as the Sisters’ health insurance coordinator until the time of her passing.
Strom, ’68, 1945-2022 Len Strom earned a bachelor’s
degree in English in 1968
in Indianapolis. He served as a full-time instructor and later assistant professor of theology from 1974-2006. He also ministered as Marian’s chaplain from 1977-2008, at which time he retired from active ministry. Father Bryan became an archdiocesan seminarian and received priestly formation at the former Saint Meinrad High School and College, both in St. Meinrad.
from Marian University . As a freshman, in September 1964, he befriended Charles E. “Chuck” Welch. “We graduated together and were best men at each other’s weddings, and we talked once a month ever since we got out of college.” It would remain that way for the next 57 years. Len met and married alumna Sue Smith ’68 Strom and Charles met and married alumna Mary Leahy ’68 Welch. Len’s philanthropic interests included the Welch-Strom Endowed Scholarship, which both couples established in 1990 at Marian University , the Buser/Smith Scholarship in Louisville, Kentucky, and the Strom Family Scholarship in Baltimore. Mr. Strom received the Snyder-Watt Leadership Award and honorary doctorate, both from Marian University .
Mary McNulty Young ’47, 1925-2022 Mary attended Assumption Catholic School, St.
Agnes Academy, and Marian College , which forged her deep devotion to her Catholic faith. She built her home on a lot chosen specifically because St. Luke Catholic Church was to be built across the street. She attended Mass every day and all of her kids attended St. Luke Catholic School. Mary was one of two women in her graduating class at the IU School of law in 1951. Mary started the “Opportunities for Excellence Scholarship Dinner,” now known as the Marian University Gala.
Mary Therese Haugh ’50, 1929-2022 Mary earned her under- graduate degree in education from Marian College , a
masters degree from Butler University (Sociology), and her doctorate degree from Indiana University (Sociology and African Studies). She was
46 | Marian University President’s Report | July 1, 2021 — June 30, 2022
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