On October 14, 2025, at 5:20 PM…. I sent the following message to Briarcliff College
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Dear Faculty and Students of Briarcliff.
My name is John Presco;
My grandmothers cousin, is Mother Dominica Wieneke the Founder of Briarcliff. I believe she is seen at the top of the stairs, with hat looks like an angel hovering over her. She may be with the children who have been stricken with polio.
A week ago I found Sister Francis Clare who was with the Poor Clares, She planted a tree in Oregon that became Bushnell Bible College, and PeacHealth. Pacific Source Health Insurance is tie to this Franciscan branch. I belong to Pacific Souse and was told they may pull out of the Medicaid program, leaving 100,000 fellow citizens in Lane County, uncovered. I suspect this goes against the wishes of Saint Francis, There is property up for sale, and a hospital been sold to make a place for training nurses. I went to Riverbend hospital this morning, There is a large cross on the exterior. I believe this is a Franciscan Cross, that is described in on your Values website.
I challenged Bushnell to a Biblical debate, One of the questions I put to you. What did Jesus mean by
“I have come for the sinner, not the righteous:
Second Question; Is that an angel above Dominica’s head?
Third question With the landing of 200 American troops in Israel, should the be a Franciscan Order and College of Peace in the Holy Land?
Fourth question: What are the eyes of the girl on the far right saying?
I suggest you form a committee to introduce these two colleges to one another. Formulate your own question. If you ask, you shall receive.
Can the girl on the right – be found?
John ‘The Nazarite;
Luke 5:32
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.
I did not come to call the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to repent], but sinners to repentance [to change their old way of thinking, to turn from sin and to seek God and His righteousness].”
I have not come to arouse and invite and call the righteous, but the erring ones (those not free from sin) to repentance [to change their minds for the better and heartily to amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins].
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Once Upon The Cliff
How did Briar Cliff University get here? A little dive into our University’s history.
In 1929, the 175-foot hill located on the western outskirts of Sioux City, Iowa was covered in only briar patches. But two people, Mother Mary Dominica Wieneke, Major Superior of the Sisters of Saint Francis, and Reverend Edmond Heelan, Bishop of the Sioux City Diocese, had a dream.
On March 9, 1929, Mother Dominica and Bishop Heelan met with members of the Sioux City community. Businessmen attending that meeting committed themselves to raise a total of $25,000 to support the establishment of the college in Sioux City.
After this showing of community support, significant events followed in rapid succession. On Sept. 18, 1930, the college, named Briar Cliff after the hill on which it is located, was dedicated. Four days later, 25 women started classes in Heelan Hall, the only building on campus.
Our Story
Over 90 years ago, we began as a private, liberal-arts, two-year college for women. Today, we are still a private, liberal-arts institution — but we have grown into a University that offers award-winning educational programs, with all levels of certifications and degrees, to any individual wanting to pursue higher education.
Briar Cliff was founded on September 18, 1930 by the Catholic Franciscan order known as the Sisters of St. Francis. While the order is based in Dubuque, Iowa, the Sisters went to the area of greatest need when they sought to establish a higher education institution focused on students and centered on values.
Originally a river town on the intersection of Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota, Sioux City is a natural hub for business and industry. Briar Cliff’s iconic 70-acre clifftop campus offers students a unique 360 degrees of inspiring views overlooking the Loess Hills’ protected prairies and the City of Sioux City. This location allows our students both big city opportunities and a safe, secure atmosphere in which to live and learn.
Throughout the years, Briar Cliff University has remained faithful to both our religious and intellectual traditions. This commitment remains as strong today as the day that we were founded. We are proud to be the only Catholic university in the Diocese of Sioux City.
Our logo serves as the key visual indicator of our identity and mission. Our logo visually depicts our mission as a Catholic college, in the Franciscan tradition of service and caring. Our current logo is a refresh but continues the use of the well-recognized original institutional logo. It’s a classic look that is both recognizable and eloquently formal.
The four points in the diamond between “Briar” and “Cliff” are meant to depict the following main characteristics of Briar Cliff University.
- Community – Connecting in joyful services, relationships bud.
- Faith – Symbolizing the institution Catholic Franciscan heritage.
- Location – Acknowledging the main campus, sprung out of a hill covered in briar patches.
- Education – Recognizing each student’s pursuit of higher academic success.
The goal is always to continue to make the Briar Cliff University logo strongly recognized, understood, and remembered by everyone who comes into contact with our brand. Common, recurring, consistent, and respectful use of the institution’s official logo directly impacts this goal.
There are several official Briar Cliff University logos for various branches of our services. For permission to use the Briar Cliff University logo and/or more information about what logo to use in what situation, please contact us.
When Saint Francis (1182-1226) was searching for the purpose of his life, he entered the church of San Damiano, a small church in disrepair outside Assisi, Italy. When Francis prayed before a crucifix painted on wood, he heard Christ telling him to rebuild His Church. He took fine cloth from his father’s store, sold it and used the money to restore the Church of San Damiano. He also begged for most of the materials needed to rebuild the church. From this point on, Francis devoted himself completely to God and continued to provide spiritual leadership and witness of service throughout his life. The Church of San Damiano later served as the home of Saint Clare. The San Damiano Crucifix, preserved in the Church of Santa Chiara, is a 12th- century icon representing the living God. The Crucifix, which reflects the death, resurrection and ascension into glory, expresses the total and universal Paschal Mystery of Christ. It invites us to a personal encounter with the sacred, transfigured Christ and to a life of faith and action in the manner of Saint Francis and Saint Clare.
The central figure of this icon is Christ, standing upright, not nailed, but alive with his eyes open. His arms are outstretched in a gesture of love and an invitation to faith as Savior of the world and eternal. Behind his outstretched arms is his empty tomb, represented as a black rectangle. The Ascension is portrayed within a circle of red at the top of the crucifix. Christ is holding a golden cross, his royal scepter, and wearing gold, a symbol of royalty and victory. The right hand of God the Father is extended, welcoming the Son into divine fullness. Below the arms of Jesus are witnesses to the Crucifixion. Mary, Jesus’ mother, John, the Apostle, Mary Magdalene, and Mary Clopas, mother of James, and a centurion. Also depicted are Longinus, the Roman soldier who pierced Jesus’ side, and Stephen, the soldier who offered Jesus a sponge soaked in vinegar wine. At the bottom of the icon are six unknown saints who some suggest are Saints Damian, Rufinus, Michael, John the Baptist, Peter and Paul, all patrons of Churches in the Assisi area. Saint Damian was the Patron of the Church in which Francis prayed before the Crucifix. Saint Rufinus was the Patron Saint of Assisi. Two groups of angels are also included. As he knelt before the Crucifix of San Damiano, Francis prayed: “Most High, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart, and give me true faith, certain hope, and perfect charity, sense and knowledge, Lord, that I may carry out Your holy and true command.”
The Briar Cliff University seal depicts values important to Briar Cliff University. The cross proclaims that we are a Christian university, dedicated to the love that Christ Jesus gave to all. The wavy lines indicate the location of the University in Siouxland, with the Missouri River as the western boundary. In the impressionistic eagle, the sign of the Sioux tribes who were a part of this area, we see strength and reaching for the heights. Mater Gratiae, Mother of Grace, proclaims Mary, Mother of the Savior, as patroness of Briar Cliff under her title of “Lady of Grace.” Caritas, love, is the Franciscan call to the two great commands: love God with all your power and love your neighbor as yourself. The star speaks of striving upward for knowledge and wisdom.
The Briar Cliff seal must not be revised in any way and you must have approval to use the seal. Contact us for more information.
Our Mission
Briar Cliff University is a community committed to higher education within liberal arts and Catholic perspective. In the Franciscan tradition of service, caring, and openness to all, Briar Cliff emphasizes quality education for its students, combining a broad intellectual background with career development. The University challenges its members to grow in self-awareness and in their relationship to others and to God.
Our Vision
The lifelong learning place preparing ethical world changers.
Our Values
These values are not just the values of the Franciscan order that founded Briar Cliff University over 90 years ago, they are the foundation of everything we do and believe here at Briar Cliff University. We ensure that every single academic program and activity is centered on these ideals to help instill these Franciscan values in our community.
Building a Caring Community
- We nurture healthy relationships.
- We value and respect the uniqueness of each person.
- We treat others with care, compassion, and kindness.
- We are welcoming and open to all we meet.
Peacemaking
- We promote peace and non-violence, and work for justice.
- We encourage open dialogue.
- We accept and value differences.
- We resolve conflicts through respectful listening and negotiating.
Reverencing Creation
- We see all life as sacred and relate to all of creation with a sense of reverence.
- We honor the goodness of God’s presence in all of creation.
- We strive to live in harmony as sister and brother.
- We conserve and preserve our natural resources for future generations.
Connection with Joyful Service
- We are open to gratefully receiving the gifts of others.
- We give as we have received and joyfully share our gifts with others, locally and globally.
- We recognize that every person can make a difference in another’s life.
- We seek to serve those most in need.
Significant Standards and Symbols
While our students, employees, and graduates are the most prominent indicators of our mission and values, there are many other significant standards and symbols that can be seen throughout Briar Cliff University.
History Of St. Francis in the Holy Land
- Home
- History Of St. Francis in the Holy Land
- September 29, 2016
The Holy Land… have you ever wondered why St. Francis of Assisi has such a tie to this holy and sacred place?
The Custody of the Holy Land is usually traced back to the year 1217, when the first General Chapter of the Friars Minor was celebrated at St. Mary of the Angels, near Assisi. In an act of inspiration, St. Francis of Assisi decided to send his Friars to all nations.
St. Francis and his friars divided the world at that time into 11 Mother Provinces. The Province of the Holy Land at that time included the Empire of Constantinople, Greece and the Greek Isles, Asia Minor, Antioch, Syria, Palestine, Cyprus, Egypt, and the rest of the Orient. It was a very important province, not just because of its size, but also due to the presence of the holy sites. St. Francis passed through part of the Holy Land in 1219 and 1220, demonstrating the humility and love needed to minister to the population of the land as well as living out the devotion and veneration of the holy sites that have been exemplified by the Franciscans in the Holy Land up to the present moment.
Though the presence of the Franciscans proved to be a marked contrast to the actions of the Crusaders, though the intent of the protection of the Holy Sites was a goal of both groups. Throughout the centuries, conflict and conquest have interrupted the settlement of the Franciscans, though the desire to live there never left, and visitations for worship and veneration continued. The Muslims did allow Franciscans custody of the Holy Sepulcher as early as the beginning of the 1300s, and the Holy See recognized the custody in 1342 and allowed for the permanent settlement of the Franciscans in the Holy Land.
In 1223, St. Francis created the first Nativity scene in Greccio, Italy. After preaching on the birth of Christ near a tableau of live animals and an empty manger filled with straw, St. Francis looked in the manger and picked up the Baby Jesus who had miraculously appeared there during his preaching. Due to this devotion to the Child Jesus and the birth of Our Savior, it is not surprising that the Franciscans settled permanently in Bethlehem near the Basilica of the Nativity of our Lord in 1347, and have been caring for the site ever since.
From The Cliff to Colonel: Tricia Van Den Top’s Journey of Service and Leadership
By Eli Meschko
Media & Communications Coordinator
Only about 15% of officers who commission in the U.S. Air Force ever reach the rank of colonel. For Tricia Van Den Top (‘94), the journey to that achievement began not with a military dream, but with a nursing degree from Briar Cliff University.
In 2016, after two decades of service, Van Den Top was promoted to colonel — a milestone in a career she never expected to pursue.
Finding Her Path at The Cliff
Before considering the Air Force, Van Den Top worked as a nursing assistant in her hometown. She originally planned to enlist, but a high school counselor encouraged her to pursue nursing instead. That advice brought her to Briar Cliff.
She already knew the campus from attending the All-State summer music camps, but what drew her most was the sense of belonging and community.
“Being introduced to the Sisters and the Franciscan way of things made it feel like home to me,” Van Den Top said. “It ended up being a really good decision. Looking back, the personal approach to academic advising with a liberal arts education and the emphasis on critical thinking were very important to my professional life.”
After graduation, she remained connected to the Sisters of St. Francis and learned the story of Sister Mary Hargrafen, a nurse who had carried Franciscan values into the Air Force. Inspired by Sr. Hargrafen’s example, Van Den Top realized she could do the same.
From Nursing to Leadership
Van Den Top’s Air Force career began as a staff nurse at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. She trained in battlefield nursing, combat casualty care and operating room nursing in Texas and later managed surgical services in Mississippi.
Although she valued her early nursing work, she felt drawn to something different. “Nursing was good, but it wasn’t what really spoke to my soul,” she said. “While working in medical response readiness, I was granted the opportunity to retrain as an Air Force Logistics Readiness Officer.”
That transition proved pivotal. She quickly found her niche, serving in logistics leadership roles at bases in the U.S., Qatar, and the United Kingdom, and deploying to Afghanistan as a logistics commander. Over the next decade, she steadily rose through the ranks, completing advanced training and earning a Masters in Air Transportation Management at Embry-Riddle and a Master’s in logistics at the Air Force Institute of Technology.
Her assignments took her from being a flight commander to an Executive Assistant for the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency, Chief of Logistics Plans for the Combined Forces Special Operations Command-Central, to the Pentagon and then on to Commanding a Supply Chain Management Squadron. She also deployed for Operation Inherent Resolve to reopen a Gulf War-era air base in Kuwait as the Base Operations Support Integrator. There she worked alongside international partners as deputy commander of the 332nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group.
“Being able to interact with foreign militaries and work together on multinational planning helped me realize that we all want the same things in life,” she said. “We may come from different traditions and cultures, but we all share the same hope — a world where our military skills are not needed and our families and friends can live peacefully as part of the global human mosaic.”
Colonel and Beyond
On August 1, 2016, while serving as deputy commander of the 28th Mission Support Group at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, Van Den Top was promoted to colonel. She later commanded the 90th Mission Support Group at F.E. Warren Air Force Base — returning to the place where her career began.
Throughout her service, Franciscan values guided her approach. Her units regularly volunteered in the communities surrounding their bases, serving in food pantries and supporting local families.
Service After Service
Retirement didn’t slow Van Den Top’s commitment to service. She has helped prepare thousands of meals for schools and meal-on-wheels programs, supported a Cuban family adjusting to life in the U.S., and volunteers with a charity thrift shop that funds scholarships for underprivileged students.
She also serves on her parish Green Team and sits on the advisory board of the nation’s first faith-based inner-city urban farm, which supplies fresh produce to a Catholic grade school and surrounding underserved neighborhoods. In addition, she co-founded Junking for Joy with other Franciscan Way of Life members — a network that supports social service programs by redistributing household goods, clothing, and furniture to those in need, while promoting reuse and keeping materials out of landfills.
In 2022, she was commissioned as a Franciscan Associate with the Sisters of St. Francis and pledged to live the way of life modeled by St. Francis and St. Clare.
Looking back, Van Den Top sees a common thread running from her time at The Cliff through her military career and into her retirement: servant leadership.
“What began as a simple desire to be a nurse grew into a 23-year career in an armed service where it is possible to live out servant leadership by leading, building, and caring for communities wherever planted,” she said.
If she could give her younger self advice, it would be simple: “Don’t be so focused on graduation and moving on to your professional career. Enjoy the college journey. Savor friendships and relationships. Those are the things you’ll look back on fondly later in life.”
About
We are the Catholic, Franciscan learning place. Here, each person’s dignity is appreciated and celebrated, providing a powerful sense of community and a place to pursue a private, liberal arts education that shapes more than your résumé — it shapes your character.
Additional Courses Suggested (6 semester hrs.):
| THEO 116: Church in the World |
| THEO 260: Francis, Clare and Franciscan Spirituality |
| SWRK 33IS: |
| SWRK: 310: Trauma Informed Practice |
| SWRK 325: Mental Health and Mental Illness |
| SWRK 461: |
| * Select one course must be from Theology and the other must be from Social Work. |
90th Mission Support Group welcomes new commander
- Published June 16, 2017
- By Lt. Col. Glenn Robertson
- 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. —
Colonel Tricia Van Den Top took command of the 90th Mission Support Group during a change-of-command ceremony on the Argonne Parade Field here June 16, 2017.
Colonel Stephen Kravitsky, 90th Missile Wing commander, served as the presiding officer and gave his thoughts on the value Verdugo brought to the command, then stated why Van Den Top is up to the challenge.
“Frank Verdugo is a phenomenal leader who made the impossible happen,” said Kravitsky. “But as we say goodbye to one member of the family, we are lucky to welcome another. Col. Tricia Van Den Top is a highly experienced officer with a diverse background in both the medical community and the mission support group. We are proud to have her.”
Col. Frank Verdugo, outgoing commander, will continue his Air Force career at the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
Van Den Top began her career in the 90th Medical Operations Squadron at F.E. Warren Air Force Base as a staff and clinical nurse. She is returning to F. E. Warren after a tour of duty as the 28th Mission Support Group deputy commander at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota.
She noted that she has big shoes to fill, but is excited to take command of the 90 MSG.
“I have observed a well-run, highly-effective organization which is a testament to Col. Verdugo’s leadership and a group filled with professionals and the best sons and daughters America has to offer,” she said. “This is the assignment of a lifetime, and I am very pleased to return to where my career started. I look forward to building on the 90th Mission Support Group’s already outstanding accomplishments.”
A change-of-command ceremony is a tradition that represents a formal transfer of authority and responsibility from the outgoing commander to the incoming commander.
Hegseth says he fired the top military lawyers because they weren’t well suited for the jobs
By LOLITA C. BALDORUpdated 4:40 PM PDT, February 24, 2025
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that he was replacing the top lawyers for the military services because he didn’t think they were “well-suited” to provide recommendations when lawful orders are given.
Speaking at the start of a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s defense minister, Hegseth refused to answer a question about why the Trump administration has selected a retired general to be the next Joint Chiefs chairman, when he doesn’t meet the legal qualifications for the job.
President Donald Trump on Friday abruptly fired the chairman, Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr., and Hegseth followed that by firing Navy Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the chief of naval operations, and Air Force Gen. James Slife, the vice chief of the Air Force. He also said he was “requesting nominations” for the jobs of judge advocate general, or JAG, for the Army, Navy and Air Force.
He did not identify the lawyers by name. The Navy JAG, Vice Adm. Christopher French, retired about two months ago, and there was already an ongoing effort to seek a replacement. The Army JAG, Lt. Gen. Joseph B. Berger III, and Air Force JAG, Lt. Gen. Charles Plummer, were fired.
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The removals — which came without any specified reasons in terms of their conduct — sent a new wave of apprehension through the Pentagon. And they added to the broader confusion over the changing parameters of Elon Musk’s demand that federal employees provide recent job accomplishments by the end of Monday or risk getting fired, even though government officials later said the edict is voluntary.
Throughout the Pentagon on Monday, military and civilian workers juggled their routine national security duties with a growing unease that anyone could be next on the firing block.
Hegseth has defended Trump’s firing of Brown, saying it was not unusual and the president deserves to pick his own team. The defense chief argued that other presidents made changes in military personnel.
Trump’s choice of retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine is unusual. Caine would have to come back onto active duty, but he does not meet the legal requirements for the top post. According to law, a chairman must have served as a combatant commander or service chief.
Those requirements can be waived by the president. Historically, Pentagon leaders have deliberately shifted top admirals and generals into a job as service chief for even a brief period of time in order to qualify them for the chairman’s post.
In recent decades, a number of three-star and four-star officers have been fired, but Pentagon leaders have routinely made clear why they were ousted. Those reasons included disagreements over the conduct of the Iraq or Afghanistan wars, problems with the oversight of America’s nuclear arsenal and public statements critical of the president and other leaders.
Brown, a history-making fighter pilot and only the second Black general to serve as chairman, is the first in that post to be fired in recent history. Hegseth made it clear before he took the secretary’s job that he thought Brown should be fired, and he questioned whether Brown got the job because he was Black.
Hegseth has also repeatedly argued that military officers would be reviewed “based on meritocracy.” It’s unclear, however, how Franchetti, Slife and the lawyers were evaluated and what meritocracy they were found to lack.
As a result, Pentagon workers are left to decipher whether the officers were fired due to political reasons or because of their race or gender. Hegseth has laid out a campaign to rid the military of leaders who support diversity and equity in the ranks. And there have been persistent threats from the Trump administration that military officers advocating diversity and equity — or so-called “wokeism” — could be targeted.
Hegseth has said that efforts to expand diversity and equity have eroded the military’s readiness.
Major media outlets, including Hegseth’s former employer Fox News, decline to sign new Pentagon reporting rules
The former employer of the Secretary of Defense joined CNN, ABC and NBC in refusing to sign the agreement.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks as President Donald Trump holds a cabinet meeting at the White House, Oct. 9, 2025, in Washington. | Evan Vucci/AP
By Cheyanne M. Daniels10/14/2025 04:55 PM EDT
Fox News, which previously employed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, joined most major news organizations on Tuesday in refusing to agree to new rules around reporting at the Pentagon.
The company signed a joint statement with ABC News, CBS News, CNN and NBC News saying the new requirements “would restrict journalists’ ability to keep the nation and the world informed of important national security issues.”00:28Top Stories from POLITICOSkip in 4s
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“The policy is without precedent and threatens core journalistic protections,” the organizations said.
The move is a blow to Hegseth, a former host of “Fox & Friends Weekend.” Hegseth announced the new rules last month, threatening journalists’ access to the Pentagon if they did not sign on to rules that would punish them for either soliciting or publishing information that the Pentagon did not want released.
An initial memo to reporters read that “information must be approved for public release by an appropriate authorizing official before it is released, even if it is unclassified.” Reporters that did not sign on to the agreement would not be issued press passes.
News organizations have until Tuesday to agree to the new rules, but so far only — the Trump-friendly One America News Network — has said publicly that it has done so.
POLITICO has also declined to agree to the Pentagon’s new rules. In a statement, the company said the new policy “infringes on First Amendment protections and limits the ability to produce rigorous and transparent reporting.”
The company added that POLITICO will continue to cover the military “fairly and independently.”
The new rules follow multiple controversial moves by the Department. Earlier this year, the Department took away workspaces from several media organizations — including POLITICO, The Washington Post and The New York Times.
President Donald Trump told reporters Tuesday that Hegseth “finds the press to be very disruptive in terms of world peace, and maybe security for our nation.”
“The press is very dishonest,” Trump added.
Hegseth has been largely dismissive of media outlets’ refusals. He has responded to statements from the Washington Post, The New York Times and The Atlantic — all of which also refused to agree to the new rules — with the handwaving emoji.
Hegseth said on Tuesday that the new rules are “commonsense.”
“It used to be, Mr. President, the press could go pretty much anywhere in the Pentagon, the most classified area in the world,” Hegseth said. “Also, if they sign onto the credentialing, they’re not going to try to get soldiers to break the law by giving them classified information. So it’s commonsense stuff, Mr. President, we’re trying to make sure national security is respected and we’re proud of the policy.”
Rosamond Press 
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