Quite a statement for an alumni of UST. Before you track me down and tell me to pay up, please consider what I stole.<\/p>\n
From Father (Vincent) Guinan, I took encouragement and example. If he could build a successful university with a goal to know, love and serve God, then I, the thief, could steal his encouragement and example to build a small unit, the family, in the same way. I took his patience, organization and love of God and molded the same ideas into a family that, today, has had some measure of success.<\/p>\n
From Father (Alfred) Caird, who suffered me through a case of scruples with kindness, listening and guidance, I stole those virtues to apply to my own children and all those who came to me with feelings of unlovedness. I also took his concern for all his students in to my CCD classes to become a listener and teacher.<\/p>\n
From Father (Edward) Sullivan, whose lively, exuberant teaching methods brought reason, logic and faith into clear form, I stole this method to teach my children as well as all classes outside the home.<\/p>\n
From Dr. (Margaret) Shay, I stole dignity and poise from a woman who was proud to possess such characteristics. I took them to the PTA, the Ladies Society and the Homebuilder Auxiliary and all organizations where I gave, as did Dr. Shay, the best I could be.<\/p>\n
From Father (Joseph) Meyers, I stole the understanding that professors are people too, who must do mundane things like painting a lab. His examples helped me to accept the myriad of tasks given a wife, a mother, teacher or friend.<\/p>\n
From Dr. (Raymond) Kelly, I learned to love the person, not the actions. When I failed American History, and I knew I was a failure, he showed me this great difference\u2014I just did not pass the course.<\/p>\n
From Mrs. (Myrtle) Kiley, I stole the ability to care and give independence at the same time. This is an art, and one that takes years of practice, but from her beginning, I am still learning.<\/p>\n
From all the teachers, students and friends who peopled my life at UST, I stole laughter, learning and love. With these I sprinkled my life each day, so that whoever came into my life would have a gift from me, or like me, could steal any part they needed.<\/p>\n
I am a thief.<\/p>\n
Editor\u2019s Note: The essay above won first place in UST\u2019s 40th Anniversary Essay Contest. The winner, Marge Thielepape Gibbens (deceased), was a member of the UST class of 1955.<\/em><\/p>\n What did you “steal” from UST?<\/strong> Quite a statement for an alumni of UST. Before you track me down and tell me to pay up, please consider what I stole.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":56,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[13,26,16,11],"class_list":["post-55","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","tag-13","tag-i-am-a-thief","tag-summer-2018-issue","tag-summer-issue"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nWe want to know what you value most about your years at UST. Find us online and use the hashtag #USTThief to share with us what you \u201cstole\u201d from UST.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"