Jordan Hohenstein
Staff Reporter

 A sea of blue swarmed Sister M. Arnold Staudt and Sister Michaela Galles as they led the charge around campus on a path that is all too familiar to Arnold.

 A large crowd of students, faculty and even some alumni joined Arnold, O.S.F., assistant professor of music, and Galles O.S.F., Associate Professor of Theology, as they embarked on a walk that will never be forgotten.

 “It’s great to have all these people here,” said Arnold, who was skeptic of the idea at first. But her mind was changed when her and Galles stepped outside to the warm sunshine and smiling faces.

 “I love the idea of the shirts, they are just beautiful,” said Galles.

 Those who participated in the walk wore blue t-shirts as a way to remember the event. The t-shirt read, “A Walk with the Sisters.” The shirts were merely a symbol of something much greater.

 Throughout the crowd several people talked about how they had seen Arnold on her walk before and always wanted to join in, and now they finally had the opportunity.

 “She always makes everything fun and it’s an honor to be apart of a legacy,” said Jeana Pick, freshman music major.

 Arnold has been a part of the Briar Cliff Community for 31 years and has been exercising every morning since she first came. Galles, who has been at BCU for 28 years pointed out how years ago Arnold rode her bike in the mornings before she started walking.

 Arnold said she still walks for a number of different reasons.

 “I walk for exercise, and I walk to clear my head in the morning.” Said Arnold. “Sometimes I do lesson planning and sometimes I pray when I’m walking.”

 She continued to stress the importance of staying healthy; clearing your mind and just enjoying the surroundings God has given us.

 “I don’t walk as fast as I used to walk,” said Arnold with a laugh. “They all might lap me once or twice.”

 Afterwards Arnold said she walked the route the fasted she had in years with a time of 30 minutes. She was not just excited about sharing this experience with so many people, but also hoped that someone else would walk in her footsteps after she leaves BCU.

 “Maybe somebody else will catch on and realize they should walk around this hill once and a while,” said Arnold. She said it isn’t too time consuming and it’s kind of like life.

 “There’s only one thing to do once you get to the bottom of the hill, and that’s come back up,” said Arnold.

 Galles said, “She sometimes comes into mass in the morning huffing and puffing.” Arnold will finish her walk and go right into morning mass.

 “It’ll be good for the rest of us to walk with Arnold and enjoy the moment,” said Galles.

 While walking with Arnold and Galles, participants had time to reflect on the memories they made with the two sisters and talked about how Briar Cliff would suffer with the loss of these individuals.

 “Every sister we lose is a definite loss to the Briar Cliff community because they are a direct representation for what Briar Cliff stands for,” said Jon Konz, senior theology major. Konz has taken classes with each of the sisters.

 Jacob Trierweiler, a sophomore-nursing student who is taking music appreciation with Arnold this term, agreed with Konz.

 “Sister Arnold is one of the best teachers I’ve had at Briar Cliff because she teaches music appreciation with passion,” said Trierweiler.

 “Its so sad. Music at Briar Cliff will never be the same,” said senior psychology major Tricia Rogers.

 “I feel sad for future generations that won’t have the experience of these two sisters,” said Mollie O’Mara, a senior English major.

 However, students also understood her wanting to move on to somewhere else she is needed.

 “We’re sad to see her go, but we wish her well,” said Mallory Buck, a sophomore nursing major.

 The walk and t-shirts was co-sponsored by Briar Cliff Student Government and Student Development. The groups came up with the idea when they realized that it would be that last year for Galles and Arnold to be here together.

 The walk started outside the chapel and continued West through campus, down University Drive south, then along the road to the north and back up University Drive north to the top of the Cliff where a reception immediately followed the event.

 “We wanted it to be send off for the sisters as a token of our appreciation for all they have done, and thank God the weather cooperated,” said Rosemary Bernth, senior English and writing major.