November 10, 2008

Briar Cliff University Announces New Board of Trustees Member

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Briar Cliff University announces that Sister Carol Besch, O.S.F., has joined the Briar Cliff University Board of Trustees.

Sister Besch holds a Master of Arts in counseling from Loyola University in Chicago and a Master of Arts in theology from St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.  She completed her undergraduate studies at Clarke College in Dubuque, Iowa, where she majored in biology and education.

An educational professional, Sister Besch has held numerous leadership positions, including director of religious education at Sacred Heart Parish in Monticello, Iowa, and St. Mary’s Parish in Pueblo, Col. She also held junior high teaching positions for many years at Catholic schools in Dubuque, Farley and Waterloo, Iowa.

Sister Besch has done extensive outreach through mission work in El Salvador, where she helped with the formation of catechists and preparation of teachers in 14 rural schools, and in Hispanic communities in North Central, Iowa, where she offered counseling services in Spanish.

A licensed mental health counselor, Sister Besch has served on the State Commission of Community Action Agencies and as a vocation and formation director for the Sisters of Saint Francis. Presently, Sister Besch resides in Dubuque and serves on the Leadership Team for the Sisters of Saint Francis.

Briar Cliff University is a Catholic institution with an enrollment of more than 1,100 students from 24 states and four countries. Students are educated in the Franciscan tradition of excellence in the liberal arts and career preparation in an environment of care and compassion. For more information, please visit briarcliff.edu.