Profiles of people engaged in the Society's work [Page 1]

Dr. Mary Ann Vinton

Professor of botany,
Creighton University, Omaha.
Time on the job: 4 years

Dr. Vinton (center) gets an assist from Creighton students Emily Kathol and Carissa Johnson in collecting the seeds of a prairie tallgrass. Dr. Vinton grew up on a Nebraska ranch; five of the twelve students at her two-room schoolhouse were her siblings. She holds the Clare Booth Luce Faculty Chair for Women in Science at Creighton; her specialty is grassland ecology.

Br. Wally Ryan, SJ

Store manager, athletic equipment manager
Bellarmine Prep, San Jose
Time on the job: 41 years

The smell of Br. Ryan's fresh-baked cookies will draw you to Bellarmine Prep's co-op store, where you can also get hats and T-shirts with the school's logo, bagels and other munchies, and a host of beverages. A former baseball coach at Bellarmine, his hobby is following the Bellarmine teams, "whatever sport is in season," he says. "I couldn't ask for anything more than getting to know a great group of kids every year. Working with the boys is the biggest joy of all."

Ms. Mary Ellen Whitcomb

Director of student retreats
Gonzaga College High School, Washington, D.C.
Time on the Job: 19 years

A single mom who raised three children, Ms. Whitcomb coordinates and runs the retreat program at Gonzaga College High. At Gonzaga, she is a friend and confidant to the students while she oversees a student support group. She has organized groups at five other area high schools as well.