December 10, 2025

A weekly look at Walsh University news and happenings.

The Walsh Wire is not intended to replace broadcast emails, but to aggregate information in order to increase the level of awareness and understanding about major happenings of the week.

Walsh University recently welcomed several key members of the Catholic University in Erbil (CUE) administration to campus as part of our growing partnership. Guests included Fr. Dr. Karam Shamasha, Provost, Mrs. Vida Hanna, Chief of Planning and Effectiveness, and Mr. Stephen Rasche, Director of the Institute for Catholic Humanitarian Service at FUS. Their visit included a series of meetings and conversations across campus aimed at strengthening academic collaboration and supporting future student and faculty engagement.

This visit builds on the partnership first formalized when Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda visited Walsh in November 2022 to sign a memorandum of understanding. In 2023, he returned as the University’s Commencement speaker and was presented with an honorary doctorate in recognition of his extraordinary lifetime achievements and dedication to serving Christian communities in Iraq. Most recently, during President Tim Collins’ visit to Iraq in August 2025, he and Archbishop Warda signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding, strengthening the partnership that enabled students Teresa Raad and Merna Mohanad to begin their studies in the United States this fall. The partnership also expanded to include Faculty Fellowships and employment opportunities for recent Walsh graduates, including Kael Shobel ’24, who now teaches PYP 2–5 Religion at Mar Qardakh International School. 

Walsh University welcomed Genelle Guzman-McMillan, the last survivor rescued alive from the World Trade Center rubble after 27 hours on September 11, 2001, as a special guest during this Year of Faith. More than 600 faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members gathered in the Cecchini Center Auxiliary Gym to hear the remarkable testimony of Guzman-McMillan, whose transformational story from living a secular life to a Christ-centered life has inspired so many. Her presence on campus embodied the season’s themes of faith, hope, and resilience, offering the community a profound example of courage and hope. | Read More | View Photos

In case you missed it earlier this week, we’re re-sharing this video message again. As we continue our five-year focus on core values, this Year of Faith invites us to reflect on how faith influences the way we think, speak, and act. In this video, President Tim Collins and members of our community offer their reflections on how faith shapes who we are and how we serve. Wishing you peace, hope, and renewal this Christmas and New Year. | Watch Video

Thank you to everyone who presented at the ACES (Academic Celebration of Excellence Symposium) presented by CAPE and to all who visited the Toot Global Learning Center to view the posters and engage with presenters. Through individual research, class projects, and service-learning presentations, our students and faculty showcased the academic excellence that enriches our campus and inspires continued discovery.

In this Year of Faith, we give thanks to our alumni, faculty, staff, and most importantly our students who shared their time and talents to make this year’s Breakfast with Santa a success. We welcomed more than 85 alumni families, and the event would not have been possible without your creativity, dedication, and spirit of service.

Thank you to everyone who came out for Late Night Breakfast! This finals-week tradition gave students a chance to relax, refuel, and enjoy some much-needed fellowship.

The Walsh University Chorale and Handbell Choir filled Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel with the spirit of Christmas during the annual Celebration of Lessons and Carols last weekend. Through Scripture, song, and prayer, the service invited all to pause amid the season’s bustle and reflect on the joy and hope of Christ’s birth.

Christmas on Hoover Farm continues to be a beloved, family-friendly destination for the Stark County community and beyond, welcoming over 400 guests this past weekend. With cozy horse-drawn wagon rides, a festive walk through the beautifully decorated Hoover Historical Center, and free photos with Santa, visitors enjoyed an afternoon filled with warmth and holiday spirit. Hosted on the Walsh University campus, this cherished community tradition once again brought families and friends together to celebrate the joy of the Christmas season.

A new AI publication, Collaborative AI for Assessment: Building Momentum Across Two Campuses, by Dr. Yan Cooksey (Southern Methodist University), Dr. Amy Heston, and Walsh graduate, Tatiana Tolson ’25. | Read More 

Dr. Philip Kim, Associate Professor of Business, was featured in WalletHub’s recent article about States Most Vulnerable to Identity Theft & Fraud. | Read More

Logan Adams

Allison Allen

Paige Bays

Annette Bernard

Marc Biss

Kimberly Blouir

Kurtis Bockoven

Noah Bott

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Emily Callan

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Molly  Durkin

Lauren  Festi

Teresa Fox

Isabella Genovese

Lori Geyer

Kim Graves

Kathie Gray

Grace  Haney

Keena Hurd

Alisha Khatri

Nicolette Krupp

Danielle Lude

Anthony Marino

Aidan Markey

Kyle Martin

Maggie McCarthy

Tim Montgomery

Joey Moorhead

Lauren  Murcko

Elizabeth O'Meara

Ed Osmund

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Annabelle Pitt

Agnes Rohan

Aubrey Ross

Clare Rothkopf

Emma Sanor

Rylee Schor

Davis Shelfer

Andrea Singarella

Anna  Smith

Meredith Soduk

Josh Steck

Christine Streb

Silas Strehle

Jonathan Stump

Grace Tabellion

Andrew Temelkoff

Sarah Thompson

Ellie  Thompson

Lexi Twaddle

Abby Walsh

M.E. Warren

Stephanie Wilder

Dia Young

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