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June 16, 2025, Adrian, Michigan – The Adrian Dominican Sisters and Co-workers celebrated the milestone years of the employment of 35 Co-workers, who represent a combined 465 years of service. The carnival-themed celebration, held June 13, 2025, at the Motherhouse Campus, included a picnic lunch for all Co-workers and a recognition ceremony.

Two Co-workers shared the honor of working with the Adrian Dominican Sisters 40 years. Rowena Heck, of Food Service, and Teresa Horn, currently in the Office of Information, recently shared their experiences.

Rowena began working part-time for the Sisters when she was a high school senior, starting out in Food Service – washing dishes, sweeping, mopping, and performing other kitchen tasks. Over the years, she has been involved in nearly every element of Food Service. “Right now, I do everything in the kitchen except [serving as] the main cook,” she said. 

But for Rowena, her work for the Adrian Dominican Sisters has become like her home. “This place really helped me through life,” she said. Married at 25, she had two sons, Michael and Jared. She at first took them to after-school care, but the Sisters encouraged her to bring them to work. “The Sisters would help them with their homework,” she recalled. “They enjoyed teaching them spelling and writing.” One Sister took Jared with her when she fed apples to the deer. “It’s like their home, because they always came here before school started and after.” 

The late Sister Anthonita Porta, OP, who brought the Montessori education system to St. Joseph Academy, helped get Rowena’s sons into the Academy. In addition, Rowena said, the Human Resources Department worked with her when she needed time off when her mother was dying. “There aren’t many places that work with you when you go through crises,” she said. “When I had to take [time] off because of my mom, they were there for me.”

Rowena said her biggest challenge over the years was during the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the Congregation to close the dining room for Madden Hall, the administrative building. She was transferred to the dining room in the Dominican Life Center, serving the Sisters who were residents there rather than Co-workers. “Now I’m getting closer more and more with the Sisters in the area,” she said.

Overall, Rowena said, “It’s been an awesome ride, and I’m hoping to put in more years.” 

Teresa Horn, who began working for the Adrian Dominican Sisters as “a struggling college student” at Siena Heights College (now University), has worked in a variety of positions over the past 40 years: secretary in the Ministry/Personnel and Retirement Offices; Campus Administration; Technology; Communications and Technology; and finally the Office of Information, where she currently works with the Congregation’s database. 

Teresa has fond memories of the past 40 years, particularly of her years as administrative assistant for Campus Administration. Her responsibilities ran the gamut, from working with Sisters moving into the Motherhouse and working with policies and procedures to planning special events and responding to the needs of the Sisters and Co-workers during storms and power outages. Finally, Teresa worked on the telecommunications project, working with consultants to install an updated telecommunications system on the Motherhouse Campus. “I absolutely loved that job,” Teresa said. “Our office was the hub. We oversaw everything.”

She also likes the balance of prayer time, Church, and work time, including permission to attend the funeral of a Sister who impacted her. The Sisters and Co-workers at the Motherhouse often celebrate special feast days, such as the Feast of St. Dominic, “where we can all be together and sing and share Scriptures together. It’s nice to have that kind of environment.”

Teresa also emphasized the team spirit she encountered during her work. “Everything that I have done over the 40-plus years has always been accomplished because of others that I worked with,” she said. “We always did things together as a team and I am so appreciative of the support that was given to accomplish the end goals.”

Service has also been an important component of her time with the Adrian Dominican Sisters. “I always loved helping others with their needs – whether they were staff, resident, vendor, or visiting guest,” she said. “I believe helping others makes their day just a little lighter.”

Other Co-workers recognized during the recognition event included:

•    35 Years: Jan Perry, Dominican Life Center (DLC) Administration, and Marilyn Paus, Weber Retreat and Conference Center.

•    25 Years: Melissa Comfort, Nursing, and Diane Keefer, Resident Services.

•    20 Years: Barb Watson, Environmental Services, and Sister Sandy Exley, OP, Resident Services.

•    15 Years: Michelle Kadrovach, Finance Office, and Amanda Johns, Nursing.

•    10 Years: Joel Henricks, Campus Administration; Amy Palmer, Development Office; Sandra Place, DLC Administration; Kathi Serrato, Environmental Services; Lacey Bales, Facilities and Grounds; Beckie DuShane, Finance Office; Jeanette Desgrange, General Council Administration; Stacy Colley, Devin Horstman, Heather Ruskowsky, and Amanda Wilt, Nursing; Robyn Wellman, Office Support Services; and Heather Warren and Frreya Willnow, Resident Services.

•    5 Years: Keith Gordon, Eleta Moll, and Ashley Serrato, Environmental Services; Levi Pike, Food Service; Stephanie Garcia, Gwi Jeong Jung, Madison Morgret, Lisa Paulette, Louann Pursifull, and Alison Tripp, Nursing; and Russ Amo, Transportation.

The Adrian Dominican Sisters, an equal-opportunity employer, always seek Co-workers in a variety of fields, willing to serve as partners in mission with the Sisters. See our employment page at https://adriandominicans.org/Employment for more information on the culture of the workplace and current job openings.

 

Feature photos at top - Left: Rowena Heck, left, receives her Service Award for 40 years with the Adrian Dominican Sisters from Jason Wilkins, Director of Food Service. He was dressed as a ring master in keeping with the celebration’s theme, Carnival. Right: Teresa Horn, left, recognized for 40 years of service with the Adrian Dominican Sisters, stands next to Sister Joy Finfera, OP, Director of the Office of Information.

Adrian, Michigan, May 30, 2025 – Seven students from Siena Heights University in Adrian and eight students from Barry University in Miami, Florida, extended their learning beyond the spring semester, but not in classrooms or lecture halls. They were participating in the 2025 Environmental Leadership Experience (ELE) at the Adrian Dominican Sisters Motherhouse Campus. Both universities were founded and are sponsored by the Adrian Dominican Sisters.

Students in the ELE program learn about environmental sustainability practices and offer a significant service to the Adrian Dominican Sisters and the Congregation’s permaculture area.

During the week, May 12-17, 2025, the students planted 170 trees, cleared areas of the permaculture site of invasive plants, and took samples of pondwater to analyzed. The students also had time to study the vernal pool at nearby Heritage Park, tour the Motherhouse grounds and the nearby ProMedica Gardens, meet and speak with the Sisters formally and informally, experience the new Canopy Walk at Hidden Lake Gardens, and generally come to know one another through meals and other shared time.

The students came to the ELE with multiple levels of knowledge and experience in working the land, and with diverse majors: from environmental sciences and biology to child psychology, art, and nursing.
  
During the week, several students took time to discuss the highlights of their experience, what they had learned, and their hopes for applying what they learned to their future work or everyday lives.

“I’m becoming more environmentally conscious about how everything I do has an impact,” said Kaiden Moss-Moultrie, a Barry University student majoring in clinical laboratory science. “I hope to take this information back home to my friends and family so they can learn how they can affect the environment.” Kaiden also enjoyed the opportunity to get to know some of the Sisters and hopes to start a garden at home, using the techniques she learned at the ELE.

Many students were emotionally affected by their work in planting trees. “My highlight has been planting the trees, knowing that such a small plant can grow to be something bigger and that each of us are contributing to something greater for the Earth,” said Neissa Rousseau, a biology major at Barry University.

Zoe Ornelas, an art and biology major at Siena Heights University, was also struck by the impact of planting trees. “I feel like every time I plant a tree, a piece of me is with it,” she said. She was surprised to learn that tree roots slow down the erosion of the land around them.

As with past ELE participants, this year’s students met during the week with their university group to discuss the sustainability project they would bring back to their campus in the fall. 

The 2025 ELE program was organized and facilitated by Brad Frank, Director of the Office of Sustainability and Mike Walters and Brandon Howard from Permaculture. Sister Corinne Sanders, OP, General Council liaison to the Office of Sustainability, also facilitated the program and participated in every aspect during the week.  

Sister Corinne said the Environmental Leadership Experience began in 2017 when, during a sponsorship meeting, faculty members from Siena Heights University and Barry University brainstormed the idea of bringing students from their universities to the permaculture area of the Motherhouse for service and learning. This is the third year since the pause in the program during the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. “It’s both a learning experience and, to be honest, a great service project to us.” 

 

Caption for above feature photo: As part of the 2025 Environmental Leadership Experience, students from Barry University in Miami and Siena Heights University in Adrian clear the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ permaculture site of invasive plants and weeds.