Long revered as a foundational force behind Aquinas College, the Dominican Sisters have maintained a close relationship with the College throughout the years. Whether as students, professors, or administrators, the Sisters have impressed a legacy of prayerful service and activism upon the Aquinas community. Dominican Sister Barbara Hansen, an Aquinas alumna, former faculty member and Academic Vice President, will be on campus during St. Thomas Aquinas Week 2014 to present on Social Justice in the Dominican tradition.

Entering the Grand Rapids Dominicans in 1956, Hansen described her call to the religious life as a Divine whisper that, while initially unclear, became an easy decision for her in the end. “I think in the years in which I was growing up in Catholic Schools,” she recalled, “every child was told several times that they were to figure out what their vocation was, what was their calling -were they to get married, be single, a sister or be a priest. So it was very much in the forefront, and at some point in my junior or senior year of high school it became obvious that God was tugging at me. I entered somewhat hesitantly, thinking I would stay for ten days and prove I didn’t have a vocation, go home, and do what I wanted to do. But God got the upper hand,” she laughed.

At the time, all Grand Rapids Dominicans attended Aquinas for undergraduate education. Entering the College in 1956, Hansen soon came to appreciate the value of studies fostered there. “As a young sister,” she said, “coming to Aquinas and having a rigorous schedule of classes was probably what kept me going in the early days, because I was dreadfully homesick. I loved study, so that caught on and was a natural fit for me. Then I had extended years of study, and was very blessed in that way.”

Graduating from AQ in 1962, Hansen went on to earn her Ph.D. in analytical chemistry and returned to teach at Aquinas in 1970. “I was one of a crop of 12 new men and women on the faculty that year,” she explained, “the self-study had just ended, we were just starting with the new curriculum, so it was a very exciting time to be back here.” Five years after returning to her alma mater, Hansen was tapped by President Norbert Hruby for the position of Academic Vice President, a position now known as Provost. After taking a semester internship in Beloit, Wisconsin, Hansen accepted the position and served until 1983.

Throughout her time at Aquinas - as student, faculty, and staff - Hansen recognized the tangible presence of community, infused with a spirit of warmth and compassion. “Sr. Alice [Whittenbach] and I had a mutual student,” she said, “who is unfortunately now suffering with Lou Gehrig's Disease. Sr. Alice and I go to Traverse City to visit him, and his kids can’t imagine anybody from the institutions they went to making that kind of connection, caring for them as undergrads like that. So I think that’s an example. We still send Christmas cards with many students we taught, and we see them at Homecoming! As faculty, staff, and sisters, we walk with our students.”

Partnering with the Jane Hibbard Idema Women’s Studies Center, Hansen will be speaking at Aquinas on January 28, 2014 during St. Thomas Aquinas Week. Her lecture, titled “Dominican Values: Activism & Social Justice,” will discuss the Dominican tradition’s commitment to the Gospel call of service. “I’m going through who Dominic was, what the Dominicans were about, and then I’m picking characteristics from various centuries,” she said, “showing particular men and women who were very involved with social action on behalf of justice. Then we will move to more modern times, where the sisters here at Aquinas have been involved, and tying in a little bit of my own experience.”

“It’s very much rooted in the fact that activism without contemplation is not going to work! You need the prayer and the study to do the social action. I think with different individuals and personalities you may come from one end of the spectrum or another, but you need that balance in order to be at all effective. The examples I chose for the lecture, then, were men and women who clearly manifested that point.”

Reminiscing on her time at Aquinas, Hansen had this advice for those who, like her, must discern where they are called for an education. “Aquinas is a marvelous place to be in - an institution where you will be known,” she said. “Faculty will care about you, and you will have the support systems you need. It’s a place where you can enrich your faith, but also rub shoulders with people of very different religions and cultures. It’s a place where the liberal arts are appreciated, but we recognize you also need a career and that you will have many opportunities with service, internships, and many other experiences to get your feet wet.”