St. Ambrose University recently honored three outstanding alumni with the prestigious McMullen Award during a Mass in Christ the King Chapel on April 13.
The award recipients are:
- Chris and Kristen Mandle, volunteer leaders whose commitment to the annual Wine Festival has helped raise millions in critical scholarship funds for SAU students.
- The Rev. Charles Adam, also known as Father, who served his alma mater between 1996 and 2017 in various Campus Ministry roles, including university chaplain, and is remembered fondly by many of his students as the heart and soul of campus.
Named in honor of the founder of St. Ambrose College, the Rev. John J. McMullen, the McMullen Awards are presented annually to individuals who embody St. Ambrose University’s mission, according to an SAU news release.
The distinguished award was established on Sept. 4, 2006. as St. Ambrose University began its celebration of 125 years of educational excellence in Davenport and the surrounding communities and continues today as the university’s second highest honor.
Fashioned from crosses that once hung in the sanctuary of Christ the King Chapel, the cross with the seal of the university recognizes the heritage of St. Ambrose and the relationship of each recipient with all who have come before, those who are with us now and those who will come in the future.
SAU also offered biographies of the honorees that included the following information:
Rev. Charles “Chuck” Adam
He attended St. Ambrose as a seminarian and a history and philosophy major. After his ordination and assignments at parishes in Davenport, Iowa City, and Oskaloosa, he returned to his alma mater as the chaplain and director of Campus Ministry.
He commented in a Catholic Messenger article: “I loved my time working with students. They get involved, not just in campus ministry but in service to the poor and in the community. I hope that I have helped students take ownership of their faith. Working with them has been very satisfying.”
At St. Ambrose, Father Chuck also served as diocesan vocation director and rector of the former college-level seminary at St. Ambrose. His personal experience of being a “regular” college student while attending the seminary helped him to connect with thousands of students, regardless of their faith tradition.
Because of his nature, compassion and consistent enthusiasm, scores of alumni returned to campus to be married and later have their children baptized in Christ the King Chapel. His name to many is synonymous with being an Ambrosian.
This type of student-staff relationship is not forged by all faculty and staff. Instead, it speaks to an unending and unwavering devotion to engage the students on this campus in faith, social justice and a lifelong relationship with God.
Christopher and Kristen Mandle
Chris Mandle has served on the St. Ambrose University Wine Festival Committee for over 20 years, starting as a student, eventually became the longstanding Event Management Chair. They served as chairs of the event in the 2017-19 seasons, and are integral to the success of the events, helping to raise over $1.7 million for student scholarships, SAU said.
Mr. Mandle was an active student while attending St. Ambrose and has remained active with local community and church organizations since he graduated, serving on numerous boards and commissions including Seton Catholic School, Rock Island Community Foundation, Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Heritage Documentaries, and Arrowhead Youth and Family Services.
Both Chris and Kristen are very active in practicing their faith at Sacred Heart Parish in Rock Island, as they model what it means to serve others for their children: Blake, Grant, Jude, Stella and Quinn.
Ms. Mandle recently co-coordinated the Christmas Gifts program and special needs sacraments at the parish. In addition to being a mother of five, Ms. Mandle also serves others through her role as a pediatric occupational therapist at Genesis Health Systems.
Chris and Kristen continue to see the impact St. Ambrose has had and continues to have on their lives. As Chris described, he “feels that in most cases, the work he is involved in, personally, professionally, and spiritually, ties back to his connection with the university.”
