Students step up to the plate to defeat breast cancer
BRIAN HOBBINS
News Writer
When the Notre Dame baseball team takes on Big East rival St. John's this Sunday, it will be playing one of its biggest games of the season. Professor Charles Lennon's management class will also be squaring off with a formidable opponent. The two organizations have formed an alliance in the battle against breast cancer.
"Chuck Lennon's management 231 class is promoting and putting together this breast cancer awareness game to put information out in the community about this so young people and people in the community will become more aware," said sophomore Paul O'Toole. The game is especially sweet for O'Toole, who is a catcher for the baseball team.
"It is a huge rivalry with St. John's, so of course we are going to be tuned up for that, but with the crowd we are expecting, we are really going to be excited," he said. O'Toole was intimately involved with the project.
He organized off-field activities like the national anthem, first pitch and prize giveaways. He also acted as the class' link to team coaches and players.
"I'm actually the only one on the baseball team from the class and to be on the field and see it all come together is really special," he said.
"This is the third year he Lennon] has been doing this. His wife is a breast cancer survivor, I am assuming that is the reason," evaluation committee leader Heather Shannon said. Shannon's duties include campus promotion and surveying the crowd about breast cancer. Other committees include planning, organizing, leading and documentation groups.
"The very first day we were given our groups, it is definitely the main focus of the class," Shannon said.
"The management course is one where students sign a contract with me to apply management skills to an event," Lennon said. The course is a College of Business approved service learning class. Over the past five semesters, Lennon's classes have put on breast cancer awareness events at women's volleyball and basketball games in addition to baseball games.
"We are going to be honoring breast cancer survivors at the game," Shannon said. Honorees include Professor Lennon's wife, Joan. Professor Lennon was candid with the class about the reasons for the game; he brought breast cancer survivors in to share their stories.
"We had speakers every Wednesday throughout the whole semester. Some of the speakers were survivors, Mrs. Lennon came out too," O'Toole said.
Mrs. Lennon is a likely candidate for throwing the first pitch, narrowly beating out Regis Philbin, he continued.
Other honorees include a male alum who beat breast cancer. "He is doing the Avon three-day walk and we are going to help him raise money because he needs $1800 to walk in it," Shannon said. The walk is conducted in an effort to raise money for breast cancer research.
"We are going to do things between the innings and we have prizes to give away; Adidas equipment and plane tickets," said Shannon. The game promises to have a carnival atmosphere, but the greater message will focus on breast cancer.
"There will be people there handing out information packets from the hospitals nearby," O'Toole said. The packets will help inform a large audience about signs of breast cancer and how to help the day's cause.
This weekend's activities seek to promote not only breast cancer awareness, but Notre Dame baseball as well.
"It is good to get a lot of people involved, because not a lot of people come out to the baseball games. But with this event we are hoping for a big turnout," O'Toole said. "Last year we had terrible weather and still had over 2000 people come out to the baseball game."
On the other hand, Professor Lennon's management class has managed to promote itself. "This is a great experience, and everyone is talking about it," O'Toole said. Lennon's class was one of the first courses to close during last spring's pre-registration.
"I would say that the over the past five semesters that there is no doubt that this is a totally different experience," Lennon said. "It is a fun class to teach."
"It is definitely my most interesting class, I feel like I have more invested in it. It is a real-life experience and I will have more experiences like it later in life," Shannon said.
In addition to text readings, lectures and exams, Shannon's efforts include breakfast meetings and more work than she puts into her other classes at school. But she doesn't mind. "It doesn't feel like classwork," she said, "it just feels like planning a baseball game."
"I think that is the way most people learn, to get their hands dirty, do the actual work and see the end result," O'Toole said.
While tensions could be running high for the team at such an event, Lennon isn't concerned. "My motto is; high trust – high performance. You trust them [the students] and prepare them and you can expect the performance to be there. But the anxiety helps keep you on your toes."
Anxiety aside and after a semester of planning, Lennon's class will see the end results at noon this Sunday at Eck Stadium. Admission is free.
All News Stories for Friday, April 28, 2000
