Bishop DiNardo Scholars attend luncheon at Central Catholic Offices

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
February 19, 2004

The Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo scholars recently took time out of their college schedules to visit the Central Catholic Offices in Sioux City and have lunch with the bishop.

The scholarship recipients are invited each year to have lunch with the bishop and take a tour of the Central Catholic Offices.

"This annual luncheon provides an opportunity for Bishop DiNardo to communicate with the students on a more personal level," said Royce Ranniger, operations director of the diocese. "It also provides the students an opportunity to acquaint themselves with the departments within the Central Catholic Offices."

The scholarship is awarded to students from parishes within the Diocese of Sioux City attending Briar Cliff University. The university is the only Catholic institution of higher learning in the diocese.

"I decided to apply for the scholarship because I already had an idea that I wanted to attend Briar Cliff," said Jackie Sporrer, Briar Cliff freshman from Dedham and Kuemper graduate. "I also knew that I would need some assistance on my tuition, so I found out about this scholarship through my parish and my school and applied for it. This scholarship has helped me to cut the cost of my tuition, but it has also helped me to achieve my dream of attending college."

The other freshman recipient of the scholarship is Logan Eliason from St. Joseph Parish in Salix. The other scholars include seniors Julie (Roder) Lohr and Jessica Lenz, juniors Rachel Albrecht and Chris Miller and sophomores Karla Thole and Erin Youngers.

"I decided to apply for the DiNardo scholarship because I knew that it was up to me to fund my college education. My mom is a single mother, and there are five children in my family," said Lohr, a biology major, chemistry minor at BCU. "I did not want to take out thousands of dollars in loans. The scholarship has helped me so much. It has enabled me to attend Briar Cliff and has prepared me for my future."

During the luncheon, the students were able to talk to Bishop DiNardo as well as other employees of the Central Catholic Offices.

"The scholarship luncheon was a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the bishop and his job in the diocese," said Lohr, a Bishop Heelan graduate. "It was interesting to see how the people at the Central Catholic Offices and at Briar Cliff have collaborated in order to provide some deserving students with scholarships to go to college."

Bishop DiNardo discussed with the students his new position as coadjutor bishop of the Galveston-Houston Diocese and how things will change for him and the Diocese of Sioux City. The students were able to ask the bishop and the other employees questions.

The bishop commented to the students that he is glad that they are attending Briar Cliff and that he is going to miss the Diocese of Sioux City.

"The fact that Bishop DiNardo and his staff were so personable allowed us, the scholarship recipients, to interact and learn more about the Sioux City Diocese," said Youngers, parishioner at St. Patrick's in Sheldon, who added that the luncheon was offered in a relaxed setting.

Ranniger commented that the luncheon is an opportunity for the students to understand what goes on at the Central Catholic Offices. "This is an opportunity for us to build more relationships with more people," he said.

The scholarship is awarded to the recipients for four years of their college career at Briar Cliff as long as they meet the academic requirements by maintaining a 3.25 grade point average. Freshmen are awarded $5,000, sophomores $5,500, juniors $6,500 and seniors $8,000.

"The scholarship seemed like a wonderful opportunity, especially since my first choice in schooling was Briar Cliff University," said Erin Youngers, a sophomore secondary education major. "The scholarship has encouraged me to stay involved and to work hard on everything I do."

Scholarship recipients for the next academic year have not been chosen but applications are being accepted until the deadline on March 5.