Alvernia Magazine | Winter 2018

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MAKING OF A MASCOT

CHOOSING A NICKNAME THAT IS FIERCE, FUN, FRIENDLY AND ALIGNED WITH ALVERNIA’S VALUES IS NO EASY TASK.

Winter 2018

INSIDE On Campus

Mapping mobility A visit from Bishop Schlert

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Periscope

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Features

Making of a mascot Fostering a future Building lives after addiction Knowledge joined with love A force of reckoning Measuring success on the spectrum

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Alumni Class Notes

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THEO ANDERSON

Each year, new students move into residence halls with the help of volunteer students, alumni, faculty and staff.

What it means to be Franciscan Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

Thomas F. Flynn, Ph.D. President

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Giovanni di Pietro Bernardone was born in 1181 as the wealthy heir to a silk merchant. His father, hoping his son would share his fascination with France, was angry with his wife for baptizing his son after John the Baptist. So Giovanni was renamed Francesco (Latin for Frenchman).

It would not be the last time his name changed.

Twenty-five years later, after wild parties, battlefield experience, and even imprisonment in a dungeon, this favorite son found himself in gold-decorated armor on a road to the Fourth Crusade, when a vision of God turned his life upside down! He soon rejected his father’s plea that he join the family business and gave away all that he owned to become a humble man who lived the Christian Gospel, embraced God’s creation (and all of its creatures!), and founded the Franciscan Movement — along with his equally countercultural contemporary, the future St. Clare. Today, he is one of the most universally loved individuals the world has ever known: St. Francis of Assisi.

To be Franciscan, as we say in the Preamble to our Mission and Vision Statements, “is to respect the dignity of each human person and all creation; to be open to the world and its diversity of cultures, faiths, traditions, races and peoples; to honor ‘right relationships’; and to seek peace through action for justice.”

Alvernia’s identity as Franciscan is guided by the core values bequeathed to us by our beloved Bernardine Sisters, one of the many groups of Catholic religious women who have contributed significantly to the education and healthcare of

generations of Americans. Our students discover that their Alvernia experience will be shaped by the values of peacemaking, humility, contemplation, collegiality and service and the challenge embodied in our longstanding motto — To Learn, To Love, To Serve.

The deep commitment to being Franciscan is a principal reason I was drawn to Alvernia 13 years ago. The generous gift of the sisters that sent Helen and me on a memorable pilgrimage to Assisi changed my presidency as well as my life. But so too did the experience of getting to know longtime devoted lay women and men of many faiths serving on our staff and our faculty as well as iconic figures like Sisters Florence, Jacinta and Pacelli.

Together, members of the Alvernia community from many backgrounds ensure that our heritage is vital and vibrant — nine centuries after Francis and Clare changed the world. This commitment guided our collective decision to change the university’s nickname. The change was a direct response to the spirit of peace, harmony and inclusiveness that Franciscans aspire to — and that Pope Francis embodies.

Of course, there are many ways that Alvernians of all ages respond to our Franciscan call. It is no

LEFT: ED KOPICKI, RIGHT: THEO ANDERSON

longer news that our students complete more than 30,000 hours of community service each year. But given the complexity of our lives after we leave college, it is even more impressive that overwhelming numbers of them respond to this call long after graduation. These graduates lead fulfilling lives, spending evenings and weekends volunteering with the youth and elderly, while working in human services fields like healthcare, social work, counseling and criminal justice. Be sure to read the reflection by alumna Camille Otruba ’09 on page 44.

Camille inspired me when she was a student, and now as a proud alumna she continues to model what it means to be an “ethical leader with moral courage.”

From St. Francis’s embrace of lepers to Pope Francis’s outreach to the poor, to immigrants, to all who lack the advantages so many Americans take for granted, we are reminded that being Franciscan always involves service to those without privilege, those often overlooked or dismissed as unworthy of the opportunities that help others readily succeed.

The Reading Collegiate Scholars Program was created in 2013 with this in mind. Both innovative and ambitious, it provides talented inner-city students the support necessary for them to realize their dream of a college education and a career of high achievement.

Recently, we established a Veterans Center to expand services to those who have served us all. And this year, we launched initiatives to increase access to an Alvernia education for those in recovery from addiction.

Expanding educational opportunity for those who might otherwise not benefit from a values-based, private education is a hallmark of Alvernia and our sisters. Now sporting a spectacular new roof and other improvements, historic Francis Hall has for almost a century been an educational home to orphans, working adults and single mothers, the children of immigrants, and others who — like most of our Reading Collegiate Scholars — are the first in their families to attain college degrees.

A common-sense challenge, often attributed to St. Francis, comes to mind: “Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” Inspired by our legendary patron, Alvernia today serves students of all ages and backgrounds, from New England to Florida and from here in Reading and Berks County.

They are students with big dreams and big hearts determined to do well and to do good.

Peace and all good,

Go to alvernia.edu/realworldlearning for more.

MAY COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER NAMED

On Campus

John Hope Bryant has been named Alvernia’s May 2018 commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient. An entrepreneur, author and philanthropist, Bryant founded Operation HOPE — a group of both for-profit and nonprofit organizations that focus on “doing well and doing good.” Operation HOPE manages on-the-ground partnerships in more than 400 cities in the U.S., and several countries around the world.

A prominent thought leader on financial inclusion, economic empowerment and financial dignity, Bryant has been an advisor to U.S. presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and directly inspired financial literacy as U.S. federal government policy during the George W. Bush administration.

He is responsible for more than $2 billion of private capital supporting low-wealth home ownership, small businesses, entrepreneurship and community development investments in underserved communities across the U.S.

ASSISI PILGRIMS Each year, Alvernia offers members of the campus community opportunities to participate in Franciscan Leadership Pilgrimages. Participation is open to those who share in the ministry of education, and funding is provided through the university’s Assisi Fund.

Because the university is dedicated to deepening its identity as a distinctive Franciscan university, the opportunity to make the Assisi pilgrimage is spirituality of those applying.

Students from many disciplines and more than a dozen faculty and staff members have already made the trip. Four students — health sciences major Cesar Avila, biology major Ross Cosby, nursing major Kaitlin Didinger and occupational therapy major Emily Foster — will set out on a pilgrimage this winter.

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Left to right, President Flynn, Joanne Judge and Rick Oppenheimer.

LEFT: ED KOPICKI, ABOVE: THEO ANDERSON

offered without regard to the faith and

For more news, visit alvernia.edu/news

LARGEST-EVER LEADERSHIP BERKS CLASS Thirty-nine professionals began their united journey in September as the largest ever Leadership Berks class at Alvernia University. Before graduating in June, class members will be addressing service-learning projects benefiting six

Bridging the Gap

community organizations, including Berks Opera Company, Safe Berks and the Berks County Workforce Investment.

“Our record enrollment speaks to

Pictured with President Flynn, freshmen Johan Corona (left) and Datnilza Metz (right) join over two dozen high-achieving sophomore to senior-level students receiving full scholarships through Alvernia’s Reading Collegiate Scholars Program. The program is dedicated to developing academic and leadership potential in students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds in the City of Reading. One component of the program is a weeklong summer session for incoming cohorts that bridges the gap between high school and college with student support and mentor pairing, computer orientation and financial literacy education.

the strength of the Leadership Berks brand, the reputation among employers that regularly sponsor employees, and the community organizations that have entrusted our participants to serve as consultants on service-learning projects with their organizations,” said Director Toni Eckert.

TURKEY DRIVE TURNS 30 Led by faculty member Polly Mathys, Alvernia’s first Turkey Drive fed 25 families in 1987. Now 30 years later, the drive has grown 4,000 percent — meeting the needs of more than 1,100 families.

Still organized by Mathys, the drive feeds patrons of Kennedy House, Olivet Boys and Girls Club, the Red Cross, YMCA, Safe Berks, the USO and area churches.

President’s Dinner awards Several Alvernia community members were honored at the annual President’s Dinner in October.

Joanne Judge and Rick Oppenheimer received the Franciscan Award — Alvernia’s top honor for individuals who selflessly give their time, talents and resources for the betterment of others. The award is presented for exceptional service to the university, the community and an individual’s profession.

As co-chair of Stevens & Lee’s Health Care Department, Judge is one of the highest-profile women in the field, with 30 years of healthcare and financial industry

expertise. A longtime Alvernia trustee, she has been instrumental in university and community initiatives throughout the years.

Oppenheimer, Judge’s husband, is both an Army veteran and an industrial engineer who founded Management Consulting Services, Inc., in 1966. He too has served on an impressive number of boards and is especially known for mentoring entrepreneurs.

“These honorees embody the university’s Franciscan core values and the personal characteristics that we at Alvernia seek to embody when we are at our best,” said President Tom Flynn. “They are wonderful

role models of engaged citizenship for our students and alumni, as well as inspirational examples of the civic leadership to which Alvernia is committed as a university.”

Other 2017 President’s Dinner awardees included Alumni Council member Julie Angstadt, M’05, Ellen Frei Gruber Award; entrepreneur Cheryl Callahan ’79, Distinguished Alumni Award; and Opportunity House, Pro Urbe Award. For 33 years, Opportunity House has been a beacon of hope for the region’s homeless people. Just last year, the organization offered emergency shelter to nearly 500 people and served 96,547 meals.

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On Campus ALVERNIA TURNS 60 Founded in 1958 to educate young aspiring teachers of the Bernardine Franciscan congregation, Alvernia has grown into an inclusive university that offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and minors, eight master’s programs and three distinct doctoral degrees. And while early students recall doing most of their learning, exercising, eating and sleeping in Francis Hall, today’s students benefit from more than 25 state-of-the-art facilities at the Reading campus and through off-site locations.

Though Alvernia has grown in both size and scope over the last 60 years, its Franciscan values and dedication to knowledge joined with love remain central. Classroom ratios remain 12:1, and faculty members continue to be recognized as both accomplished scholars and supportive mentors.

Mapping mobility A new barrier-free route map has been added to key travel locations around campus, as well as the university website. Designed by landscape architecture consultants Derck & Edson at the direction of the university’s cross-department accessibility team, the map shows how to travel the Reading campus without encountering any barriers along the way.

It is one of several proactive accessibility projects underway at the university.

“The Alvernia Advantage is the way we combine all of the best features of the small college with many of the opportunities of the large university,” explained President Tom Flynn. “Our appealing location, strong Franciscan culture, and classes taught exclusively by faculty are more relevant today than ever. And a value-added price that makes a private education possible for deserving students of all backgrounds prepares our graduates well for both life and work.”

PREVIEW: A COMMON HEART is Feb. 17 at the McGlinn Conference and Spirituality Center. The program is a collaborative effort of three area congregations: Reform Congregation Oheb Sholom, St. Benedict’s Roman Catholic Church, and the Islamic Center of Reading. The congregations partner to foster mutual respect within the interfaith community and are committed to celebrating similarities and respecting differences while working together to increase tolerance and understanding.

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ALVERNIA STADIUM UPDATE

ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME

The newly renovated Alvernia Stadium, including grandstand seating, a press box and a hospitality suite, opened for Homecoming and Family Weekend in October. An annex adjacent to the turf field is nearing completion. The annex will accommodate athletes from both Alvernia and visiting athletic teams in a pair of 60-athlete locker rooms, a 72-athlete locker room, and two uniform storage rooms.

Five new members were inducted into Alvernia University’s Athletics Hall of Fame during Homecoming and Family Weekend in October. The Class of 2017 inductees included baseball players Jason Alcott ’04 and Jason Zeigler ’07, field hockey teammates Megan (Novogratz) Kraft ’07 and Rebecca (Macchione) Reed ’07, and former Athletic Director Dr. Richard Flannery.

FAR LEFT: THEO ANDERSON, LEFT: JON KING

The annual “A Common Heart” lecture

For more news, visit alvernia.edu/news

COMMUNITY & POLICE DISCUSS PARTNERSHIPS More than 50 local police and community members gathered for a forum at Alvernia University in September to talk about ways to move forward together.

Reading Police Department leaders, members of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Officers (NOBLE), and the HispanicAmerican Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA) sat together during the event with Reading Citadel students, Alvernia criminal justice students, faculty leaders and alumni. In addition to perceptions of law enforcement officers, attendants discussed ongoing police-to-community outreach efforts as well as new ideas to bridge gaps between the two groups.

The three-hour session was sponsored by Alvernia’s Criminal Justice Department and University Life, as well as the George S. Rice Sr. Scholarship Fund. Criminal Justice Chair Barry Harvey moderated the

Don’t sit on the bench!

discussion and Mayor Wally Scott offered a midday address on community relations.

THINK YOUR CHILD WILL GO PRO?

SURF SCHOLARS

Only 2 percent of high school players earn college athletic scholarships — and only 2 percent of college athletes go pro. And yet, 480,000 college students (25 percent of all NCAA students) take to the fields and courts each year, and most depend on academics to prepare them for life after college. That’s why the NCAA says, “There are nearly half a million NCAA student-athletes, and most of them will go pro in something other than sports.”

Seven Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) students paired with faculty scholars to research biochemistry, chemistry and psychology projects at Alvernia University during the summer of

source: ncaa.org

2017.

Number of NCAA student athletes by division

Percentage of students who participate in sports

Number of NCAA institutions by division

100k

0%

0

DI

150k

200k

176k

DI

10%

20%

4%

DI

250

500

346

Projects included measuring the impact of varying concentrations of ethanol on muscle cell fusion, testing stress in undergraduate students, and investigating the effects of DNA structure interaction with gold

DII 119k

DII

10%

DII

307

nanoparticle surfaces. SURF funding includes a summer stipend and free

DIII

188k

DIII

21%

DIII

439

campus housing during the 10-week program.

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On Campus REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE AWARDS Launched in 2016, Alvernia’s Real World Experience Award program is geared to expand students’ access to experiential learning opportunities in all academic areas. So far, more than 50 Alvernia students have earned the competitive awards to explore unique real world learning experiences such as distance internships, study abroad and alternative breaks.

Psychology major Arielle Phillips used her grant to take part in a trip to China that culminated in a partnership with Beifang University. “I feel that I have contributed to the future of Alvernia University by helping create new connections to other students across the world, but I have also learned about myself and about what kind of person I want to be in this world,” said Phillips.

“The Real World Experience Award helped to offset most of the costs so that my focus was more on the valuable experience rather than the expenses.”

For more news, visit alvernia.edu/news

Bishop Visits Campus Bishop Alfred A. Schlert made his first visit to Alvernia University and the Bernardine Sisters in October. After a morning spent at the St. Joseph Villa and Motherhouse, he took time to meet personally with a group of Alvernia students and staff who are involved in Campus Ministry or have taken part in Alvernia-sponsored Assisi pilgrimages.

Psychology major Alyssa Keifer discusses Alvernia’s The Bishop toured campus ministry program with Bishop Schlert.

Alvernia’s new stadium facility with university athletes and coaches before speaking to faculty and students in the nursing simulation laboratory. He later conducted Mass in Sacred Heart Chapel.

EXPANDING SERVICELEARNING INTO BRAZIL Theology professor Kevin Godfrey and Julianne Wallace, director of Campus Ministry, are offering a unique team-taught, travel-study course and immersion experience with a Bernardine Franciscan Sister mission stationed in Curitiba, Brazil.

Titled “Franciscan Leadership, Justice and Service,” the theology course will pair Alvernia students with Brazilian university students from Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná this spring for various cultural, educational and service-learning projects. Experiential learning and relationship building represent significant goals of the course, which is expected to be offered annually.

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Restoring a 91-year-old roof Francis Hall’s roof tiles — damaged in an unprecedented 2014 hailstorm — were carefully replaced over the summer.

Interestingly, the new clay tiles were made

by Ludowici Celadon Co., the exact same Chicago company that produced them for the Francis Hall Orphanage in 1924.

Periscope Alvernia’s faculty making a difference

Bongrae Seok, Ph.D. Professor of Philosophy

Karen S. Thacker, Ph.D., RN, CNE Dean, College of Professional Programs Associate Professor of Nursing Nominated by Reading Health System, Thacker won the Nursing Education Nightingale Award of Pennsylvania for 2017. A gala celebrating winners and finalists is held in Harrisburg each November. More than 100 nominations were received for this year’s Nightingale Awards.

Caroline Fitzpatrick, Ph.D. Associate Professor of English and Communication

LEFT: CAREY MANZOLILLO, RIGHT: THEO ANDERSON (3)

Sue Guay, M.Ed. Instructor of English and Communication The John Updike Society has named Sue Guay director of the John Updike Childhood Home in Shillington, Pa. Since the author’s death, Guay has been instrumental in building relationships between Updike enthusiasts and Alvernia University. “We hope this will not just be a museum, but a place alive with people and featuring a site for speakers and book clubs to meet and hold discussions,” said Guay.

Fitzpatrick presented a paper, “An Online Project Case Study: Writing Digital Profile Summaries,” at the World Conference on Educational Media & Technology (EdMedia) in Washington, D.C. The paper was selected for publication in the peer-reviewed conference proceedings. In addition, she served as a judge for finalists of the highly selective Penguin Group Publishing (USA) Internship Program co-sponsored by the International English Honor Society. The paid, undergraduate internship opportunity is available from Penguin Random House to provide experience in the publishing industry.

Seok presented “Early Confucian Philosophy and Embodied Moral Cognition” at the Institute for European Global Studies, University of Basel, Switzerland. In addition, he published an article, “Moral Agency, Autonomy and Heteronomy in Early Confucian Philosophy” in the Philosophy Compass journal. The article discusses the Confucian notion of moral agency (i.e., communal agency), which is different from Western notions of autonomy and heteronomy.

A. Janae Sholtz, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Philosophy Sholtz was invited to be an international speaker at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur.

The course “Technology, Urban Space and Culture: Emerging Paradigms for the Global India” will delve into spiritualizing the densely overlapping forces of technology and urbanity that have transformed human cultures beyond familiar recognition.

Diane Kraft, MS, RDN, LDN Instructor of Nutrition Kraft was awarded an American Library Association Outstanding Academic Title Award for 2016. Out of approximately 485 academic titles published last year, Kraft’s “A–Z Guide to Food as Medicine” was the only nutrition book to receive an award from American Library Association.

Ann Kriebel-Gasparro, DNP, FNP-BC, GNP-BC Assistant Professor and Director, DNP Program Kriebel-Gasparro was named president of the Liberty (Pa.) Chapter of the Gerontological Advanced Nurses Association (GAPNA), a select group of APNs advancing the practice of gerontological nursing.

The mission is to promote excellence in advanced practice nursing that enhances the well-being of older adults.

Mark Kaufman, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of English Kaufman presented a paper titled “Where No Book Has Gone Before: James Joyce, Star Trek, and the Future of Letters” at the North American James Joyce Conference at the University of Toronto. In addition, his paper “Woolf and Whistleblowing: From World War I to WikiLeaks,” was published in the Virginia Woolf Miscellany (issue #91).

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THEO ANDERSON

Rising to the challenge of an unprecedented task, 22 people representing every corner of the university community took on an inclusive, whirlwind process of choosing a new Franciscan nickname for Alvernia University. Fortunately, one name — the Golden Wolves — continued to rise to the surface.

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For nearly four decades, thousands of Alvernia athletes have played under the Crusaders name or stood in the stands cheering on Crusaders teams. The nickname had become part of Alvernia’s identity and history. So it’s no surprise that some within the Alvernia community initially resisted the idea of a name change.

But once they heard that the university’s founding Bernardine Franciscan Sisters proposed the change, community members sought to better understand the reasoning behind the request. And not so slowly, many students, faculty and alumni embraced the need for a new university nickname.

SISTERS

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THEO ANDERSON

MASCOT

“The idea of changing the name has been brewing for quite some time because there was a lot of prejudice and persecution associated with the Crusades, and that’s not what Alvernia stands for,” explained Sr. Madonna Marie Harvath, a member of the Bernardine Sisters leadership team. “Alvernia’s patron, St. Francis of Assisi, marked a major transition in his spiritual journey when he turned away from the Crusades and pursued a path of peacemaking.

“Almost all of the sisters felt strongly that the name should be changed. We want the nickname to be something that we’re proud of that really speaks of our values more than something that was oppressive,” Sr. Madonna said.

“Although I’m not Roman Catholic, I have the utmost respect for the sisters who founded this university,” said Tom Porrazzo, Ph.D., program director and longtime associate professor of athletic training at Alvernia. “It’s a small thing we could do for these extraordinary women who have done so much for others.”

Fiercely Franciscan Once the decision to change the nickname was made, Alvernia was determined to give everyone a voice in the process of choosing a new Franciscan name. A 22-member task force with representation from every possible constituent group — students, faculty, athletic and other staff, Bernardine Sisters, alumni, trustees, board members and parents — was appointed to create an open process with ample opportunities for input from others.

Community members suggesting potential nicknames were asked to explain how their ideas melded with four important principles. Plausible nicknames would connect to Alvernia’s Franciscan heritage and values, enhance the university’s visibility and institutional image, be gender neutral, and expand enthusiasm for Alvernia athletics.

The idea of changing the name has been brewing for quite some time because there was a lot of prejudice and persecution associated with the Crusades, and that s not what Alvernia stands for.

— Sr. Madonna Marie Harvath

But even with more than 250 submissions, one suggestion seemed to stand out early: 58 percent of the 145 unique nicknames suggested some variation of “wolves.”

Over and over, submitters recounted the story of St. Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio.

“I learned of this story in my FYS class last year and it really hit me and made me look at life in a different way,” read one student submission. “Alvernia has the mission of facilitating ethical leaders with moral courage — and St. Francis exhibited these traits when he took the initiative of connecting with the wolf and making peace with it and the people,” read another.

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ALVER N IA

UN IVER SITY

All members of the task force individually graded each unique name based on the four guiding principles before culling the list down to 5-8 nicknames as a group. Determined not to make such an important decision in a vacuum, the task force facilitated focus groups that — like the task force — represented members of the entire university community. In-depth research and vetting of the remaining names were conducted simultaneously.

With feedback and research in hand, task force co-chairs Porrazzo and Anthony DeMarco, vice president for institutional advancement, engaged the team in a passionate debate about each remaining name.

“Trying to choose something fierce enough for a sports team that also aligned with Alvernia’s values and the four criteria was one of the biggest challenges,” said Cameron Coons ’17, who represented student-athletes on the task force as a

senior baseball player and president of the Student Athlete Advisory Council.

“No athletic team wants to be the ‘Purple Butterflies’ or something like that.”

The top three selections were presented to Alvernia President Tom Flynn, who announced the final “Golden Wolves” decision in early June.

Former basketball player and coach Christopher Davis ’16, a task force member representing graduate students, said that looking at nicknames through so many different perspectives added greatly to the experience. “It’ll take some getting used to, but I think it’s a good direction moving forward for the university and for athletics,” he said.

President Flynn expressed gratitude for the task force’s thoroughness. “For me, the final decision was easy because of the inclusiveness of the process and the overwhelming consensus by all groups.”

No athletic team wants to be the Purple Butterflies or something like that.

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— Cameron Coons ’17

CONNECTING OUR HERITAGE

It s always hard when you re making a change...

THEO ANDERSON

— Victoria Williams, Ph.D.

According to the Wolf of Gubbio legend, St. Francis of Assisi negotiated peace in the early 13th century between the townspeople of Gubbio and a wolf that had been terrorizing the town.

Francis proposed that the town could feed the wolf and, in return, the wolf would stop killing the people and their livestock. “Remember, our Savior taught forgiveness,” said Francis. “He taught us to love our enemies.” The townspeople agreed, and brother wolf peacefully lived out his last years in Gubbio.

“I really like the new name because wolves relates to the Franciscan story and speaks of peace,” said Sr. Madonna.

“It’s a very well known story in the Franciscan history. We thought it was a very good choice, as it connects with the Franciscan value and can be used with the sports teams.”

“The story of St. Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio presents countless opportunities for us to emphasize our Franciscan heritage,” agreed Flynn. “And the word ‘golden’ not only touches on our school colors but also signifies excellence.”

Serendipitously, AU is the scientific symbol for gold.

“It’s always hard when you’re making a change to your identity,” said Victoria Williams, Ph.D., associate professor of political science and director of the honors program. “But from my perspective, it’s been pretty enthusiastically received. I expect to hear a lot of howling at our sporting events.”

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Fostering a Future

By Elizabeth Shimer-Bowers Growing up as a foster child on Long Island, New York, Regina Calcaterra never thought about her future. She just tried to survive the day.

Along with her brother and three sisters, Calcaterra lived behind supermarkets, in cars, and in homeless shelters. “My mother was alcohol and drug addicted and mentally ill, and she would abuse, neglect and abandon us,” Calcaterra explains. “There were many days we had to steal food to eat.”

When they weren’t with their mother, the five siblings lived in foster homes. Some of the homes were wonderful. In others, Calcaterra was physically, emotionally — even sexually abused.

Determined not to repeat history and become like her mother, Calcaterra took the one path she knew might lead her out of poverty and despair: education.

One small step at a time, she climbed her way out. She went on to become a successful partner in a New York City law firm and bestselling author of “Etched in Sand,” her memoir about life growing up in the foster care system, and “Girl Unbroken,” her younger sister Rosie’s tale.

Calcaterra admits she beat the odds. During a fall visit to Alvernia’s campus, she told first-year students that when she was a child, less than 2 percent of foster kids went on to college.

“Today, the statistics aren’t much better: less than 3 percent,” says Calcaterra. “I want to spread the word about how many children are still suffering and in need, and I want to make students aware there are probably a lot of their classmates who grew up in less than ideal situations who don’t speak about it.”

At the same time, Calcaterra wants to show students that no matter what their background, they can succeed. “You just have to believe in yourself and keep moving forward,” she says.

It was fitting that Calcaterra made her remarks at Alvernia. The university’s Francis Hall, which first opened its doors in 1926, served as an orphanage and educational facility for young women before college students walked its halls.

Safety in the stacks In the midst of the chaos of her childhood, Calcaterra says her two safety nets were the public school system and the public library.

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“My mother was alcohol and drug addicted and mentally ill, and she would abuse, neglect and abandon us,” Calcaterra explains. “There were many days we had to steal food to eat.”

“You just have to believe in yourself and keep moving forward.”

—Regina Calcaterra

Regina Calcaterra’s memoir, “Etched in Sand,” recounts her childhood in foster care and on the streets — and how she and her savvy crew of homeless siblings managed to survive.

In libraries, she found a set of nonfiction books called the Landmark Series. Published in the 1950s, the books highlighted historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Betsy Ross and Pocahontas.

“The message I took away from all of the stories was that these were people who grew up under challenging circumstances and faced tremendous odds and not only overcame those odds, but prevailed and did something to give back,” she says. “I enjoyed reading these stories, and they inspired me.”

The stories also instilled a love of history, which motivated her to study political science in college. “In all my jobs after I graduated from college, I dealt with public policy and the law. This gave me the confidence to consider law school. So, I applied and got into a night program at Seton Hall.”

Once again, Calcaterra’s path was tougher than most. “I worked in politics all day and went to law school at night in my late 20s.” But she made it work and now spends every day fighting for justice and showing a new generation of foster kids that they can do it, too.

The plight of older foster youth In her spare time, Calcaterra serves on the board of a nonprofit called You Gotta Believe — an organization that helps find families for young adults, teens and preteens in the foster care system. It’s an age group she says is in particular need of support.

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“Each year, there are 400,000 kids in foster care and at least 25,000 of them age out at age 18 or 21 (depending on the state), meaning they lose their funding and are often kicked out of their foster homes,” she says.

One former foster child who knows this all too well is Elizabeth Fortuner ’13, a lifelong foster child who aged out of the system during her first year at Alvernia.

“I remember crying for the first week of my freshman year because of that feeling of detachment. I thought, ‘I’m on my own and this is it — there is no safety net,’” says Fortuner, whose story is chillingly similar to Calcaterra’s.

Fortuner and her four siblings went back and forth between a drug-addicted, criminal mother and 15 different foster homes.

Luckily, County Youth Services granted Fortuner independent living foster care until she was 21, and Alvernia allowed her to live on campus during the summer and holiday breaks.

She graduated with a degree in social work and became a caseworker helping foster children.

Unfortunately, many older foster kids’ stories don’t have similarly happy endings.

“When I was a little kid stealing food, people looked the other way,” Calcaterra says. “But when you are an 18-year-old stealing food to eat, what happens? You are much more likely to be arrested, which starts the journey into the criminal justice system. In fact, one-third of incarcerated adults are former foster kids.”

THEO ANDERSON

“I moved a lot, but I always managed to find teachers who would tell me how smart and talented I was,” she says.

Regina Calcaterra, second from right, reunites with siblings at a recent family gathering.

‘I’m on my own and this is it — there is no safety net.”

“I want to make people aware of what some kids actually go through,”

— Elizabeth Fortuner ’13

— Regina Calcaterra

The power of kindness Calcaterra’s main goal when talking to college students and community groups is to bring awareness. “I want to make people aware of what some kids actually go through,” she says.

And she also wants to inspire her audience — both those who are struggling and those who can help.

“I want to show kids who are asking themselves why they were dealt the hand that they were dealt that there are resources here in the U.S. — public schools, public libraries, and public college — that can pave their pathway out,” she says.

To the people surrounding these kids — teachers, librarians, parents of friends — Calcaterra says, be kind and caring.

“Even though I was a transient kid and moved around a lot, I still found people who encouraged me and built up my self-esteem,” she says. “We might not have control over a child’s destiny, but we have control over our interaction with them at the moment in time when they are before us.”

Having been a foster child, Fortuner says Calcaterra has real power to persuade.

“Many foster kids think this is it for them — this will be their life. But when they see success stories like Regina’s and mine, they are more likely to think they can be successful, too,” Fortuner says. “It’s really great that she takes the time to speak up for others.”

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Building Lives After Addiction

By Kristen Evans

“It hits every age group, every creed, color, income level,” Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf told a small crowd in July. Wolf had appeared in Western Pennsylvania to announce a new online certificate dedicated to addressing the state’s opioid crisis.

ADDICTION ADDICTION “It affects neighborhoods and communities and families all across Pennsylvania, all regions,” he continued. “And it has been incredibly damaging. In 2015, we know that 3,500 Pennsylvanians died from drug overdoses.”

A month later, in August, the American Journal of Preventive Medicine published a study that confirmed what many had long feared. Not only had states like Pennsylvania, Indiana and Louisiana underreported deaths caused by heroin or prescription-strength opioids like fentanyl, these states also had vastly underestimated the sizes of their public health crises.

According to the new calculations, Pennsylvania, previously ranked 32nd in the nation for opioid deaths in 2014, should, in fact, have ranked seventh.

Reported deaths from the Pennsylvania Drug Enforcement Agency for 2016 indicate that the crisis has since only increased.

As the state unrolls its multimillion-dollar plan to prevent addiction-related deaths, more than 700

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public and private treatment centers across Pennsylvania attend to the lives of addicts in recovery. Former addicts — no matter what their drug of choice — require a range of therapies to stay on the path to wellness, from cognitive behavioral treatment that counters addictive impulses to group and family therapy.

Recovering from any form of addictive behavior isn’t easy, said David Rotenberg, the chief clinical officer of Caron Treatment Centers in Wernersville, Pa. But because of access to drugs and alcohol, as well as social pressure to participate in activities where drugs and alcohol might be present, college students who want to stay sober face additional challenges.

“About 70 percent of kids that come to Caron — young adults and seniors in high school — are college-bound, or are already in college and have taken a medical leave of absence for treatment,” Rotenberg explained. “How do they safely resume

“About 70 percent of kids that come to Caron — young adults and seniors in high school — are college-bound, or are already in college and have taken a medical leave of absence for treatment.”

— David Rotenberg

HOPE studies, yet remain insulated in a sober living environment?”

For Rotenberg, the answer is straightforward: more online education options for students in treatment. Through a strategic partnership with nearby anchor institution Alvernia University, former Caron patients can participate in online courses at their own pace.

“The curriculum that Alvernia developed allowed us to start putting kids back in class without putting them in harm’s way,” said Rotenberg. “In a year’s time, we’ve been able to enroll upwards of 15 students. They’re completing college credits, making academic strides and becoming that much closer to proactive, prosocial members of society.”

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“Instead of being lonely and isolated in your recovery, all of a sudden you’re surrounded by peers who have recovery as an identity,” Rotenberg said. “The peers support and insulate each other and become friends and allow each other to grow within a sober identity.”

David Rotenberg

Success in online learning environments builds the self-esteem of students in recovery, said Rotenberg.

The hope is this success will ready them to return to traditional college campuses and pursue degrees that might have been abandoned because of addiction.

To this end, Alvernia University opened a sober living dormitory over the summer, staffed by a live-in house manager, who is also a joint Caron and Alvernia employee. The concept of campus recovery housing — or “sober dorms” — is about 15 years old and was pioneered by Augsburg College (Minnesota) and Rutgers University (New Jersey). Inspired by these models, the Collegiate Recovery House at Alvernia is now a dedicated living space for seven young men who have finished treatment and wish to live in a sober college environment.

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These students attend weekly meetings at Caron Treatment Center, keep curfew and host communitybuilding events like family dinners, said Joseph Cicala, Ph.D., vice president for University Life and dean of students at Alvernia.

“In a higher education environment, culture is what drives the good work we do,” Cicala said. “The building and sustaining of community is what makes higher education go, and the Collegiate Recovery House is a microcosm of the impact a positive, supportive, well-structured community can have on student learning.”

The communal aspect of recovery housing is one of the most important components to staying sober, confirmed Rotenberg.

“We want the people who enroll in this program — almost all of whom are here for a second, if not third, fresh start — to do two things. One, successfully earn the degrees they come here to earn, and two, leave here ethical leaders with moral courage.”

Joseph Cicala, Ph.D.

“Instead of being lonely and isolated in your recovery, all of a sudden you’re surrounded by peers who have recovery as an identity,” Rotenberg said. “The peers support and insulate each other, and become friends and allow each other to grow within a sober identity.”

He also pointed out that students in recovery housing often have higher GPAs than traditional students, simply because they have such a strong support system.

Family members are invited to become active members of this support system, too. Counselor David Rosenker, who consults for Alvernia, as well as other area colleges and universities, said family support is crucial to sobriety.

“If college-aged students don’t have family support, their chances of making it are pretty slim,” Rosenker said. “You need a family that not only supports treatment but that learns about — and is active in helping with — the process.”

Even at this early stage, both Caron and Alvernia are committed to the new program’s continued success, Cicala affirmed.

“We want the people who enroll in this program — almost all of whom are here for a second, if not third, fresh start — to do two things. One, successfully earn the degrees they come here to earn, and two, leave here ethical leaders with moral courage,” said Cicala, citing the university’s mission.

“It’s our hope that programs like this can be modeled at other higher education institutions and help recovering addicts across the state and the country to forge brighter futures.”

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K N O W L E D G E

— By Carey Manzolillo ’06, M’07 & Ryan Shannon ’16

The ideal of “knowledge joined with love” is at the core of Alvernia University’s mission. It is a concept developed by Saint Bonaventure that inspires members of the Franciscan community, regardless of their academic discipline or field of study, to use what they know and learn to transform the world and the lives of the people around them. Over time, students who are drawn to the idea are often drawn to each other, as well. Time and again, Alvernia alumni tell us they fell in love at the university. During the fall, several of them returned to campus to tell their stories for Alvernia Magazine.

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— Troy and Elizabeth Schlappich ’01 “I first noticed Troy when I was moving into the dorm my freshman year,” says Elizabeth Schlappich. A sophomore, Troy had his nickname, Slappy, written on the back of his orientation aide T-shirt. “He was adorable!” remembers Elizabeth. A day or two later, the competitive pair played volleyball at a freshmen orientation pool party and became fast friends. Quickly becoming inseparable, the two got engaged on Alvernia’s campus. “Troy asked me to marry him on a walk through the paths behind Francis Hall,” says Elizabeth. “We graduated together in December 2001 and were married in August 2002. We now have 9-yearold twins and celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary in August!”

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— Steve ‘96 and Diana Richards ’97 with Diana. “Kristen was one of my bridesmaids when we got married on June 23, 2001,” says Diana.

“Steve and I think about our time at Alvernia and know that it was the right school for us. We made many wonderful friends that we are still in touch with today, and we’re grateful for all the opportunities provided to us during our time at the Vern.”

LEFT: DAN JOHNSON, RIGHT: THEO ANDERSON (2)

“I came to Alvernia in 1993, and my husband and I crossed paths several times over the next three years,” says Diana Richards, pointing out a 1994 yearbook picture where the two are separated by only a

few people. “I don’t recall him being there that day, but we later discovered that picture.” Over the next few years, there were many other times when Diana and Steve had near misses — bus trips, school functions, club gatherings and others. “We could have met and definitely saw each other, but it wasn’t the right time just yet,” says Diana. “I was actually in attendance when he graduated in 1996, and a year later he was at my graduation, too.” The two went on a dinner and movie date on Halloween weekend 1996, when a mutual friend, Kristen, canceled plans to see “Romeo & Juliet”

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— Robyne ’88 and Robert Eisenhauer ’87 ∞ Ben ’13 and Emily (Bieber) Eisenhauer ’13

Robyne and Robert Eisenhauer met in Veronica Hall’s laundry room while pursuing associate degrees in nursing in the late 1980s. Though she remembers an immediate interest in Rob, “Things were a little different back then,” says Robyne. “We were studying constantly, and I, like many other girls, was raised to let the boys take the first step.” Promising that she’d iron her roommate’s uniform if the roommate would accompany Robyne to a campus movie night didn’t immediately make an impact. “Rob didn’t seem to notice me during the movie,” says Robyne. But as she ironed the uniform afterward, Rob appeared in the laundry room — and the rest is history. Robyne, who now runs Alvernia’s nursing simulation laboratory, says it was a special feeling to return to campus as a faculty member in 2008.

More than 20 years later, Robyne and Rob’s son Ben came to study at Alvernia. He too, met his significant other on campus. “Both Ben and Emily (Bieber) were studying nursing, too,” says Robyne. Though Ben began his college career as a Pittsburgh engineering major and Emily began hers as an occupational therapy major, the two found their way to nursing at the same time. They served as president and vice president of the Student Nursing Association and attended state and national conventions as friends before becoming a couple in their senior year. “In reality, their best man, Joe Zappulla ’13, played matchmaker for both Ben and Emily — and for himself. He married a Class of 2012 graduate, Lauren Mance,” laughs Robyne.

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— Rob ’82 and Theresa (Gillichbauer) McCormack ’83 Though they sat on opposite sides of the room, student-athletes Rob (a sophomore) and Theresa (a freshman) met in Sister Rosemary’s Literature of the Bible class. “I remember he was wearing a red Phillies jacket, as he was the groundskeeper for the Reading Phillies,” says Theresa. The pair got to know each other better as teammates, helping Beverly Chick establish Alvernia’s first tennis program. By the time Theresa and Rob graduated, they had both made names for themselves as the KAC men and women tennis champions, NAIA District 11 champions and National qualifiers.

THEO ANDERSON

But their year-long relationship was put on hold when Theresa seriously considered entering religious life. “I will never forget that Rob said to me, ‘I lost out to a better man’ — meaning Jesus,” she recalls. After much prayer and discernment, Theresa decided not to enter the convent and wrote Rob a letter to see if he still had feelings for her. “He told me he kept that letter for years because he was so grateful to have had another opportunity with us,” says Theresa. “The Bernardine Franciscan Sisters always told us that ‘God makes straight with crooked lines.’ How true that was!” The couple celebrated their marriage on October 13, 1984, with best man John Wanner ’82, maid of honor Kathy (Smith) Lynn ’86, matron of honor Liz (Mosca) Dowd ’82, bridesmaid Afsheen Shah ’84 and groomsmen John McCormack ’84 and Larry Zerbe ’88. “Whenever we return to Alvernia, we are connected to our college days and the beginning of a love that I truly believe was orchestrated by God,” says Theresa. “Alvernia has always been laced throughout our marriage.”

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Last summer, Dan Hartzman, M’06 counted more than a dozen Alvernia admissions alumni — most of them now couples — at a co-worker’s wedding.

Among them were Dwayne and Stephanie Walker, who met at Alvernia in 2006 as adults pursuing graduate degrees. At the time, Stephanie worked as a graduate assistant in the Admissions Department, where she regularly saw Dwayne — a fellow admissions team member and an assistant men’s basketball coach. While they didn’t start dating right away, both vividly remember getting to know one another at the second annual Margaritavern event in 2007. Though they initially started dating privately, the couple’s secret came out when attending the wedding of co-workers and fellow alumni Paul Sadaphal ’06 and Sonia (Topiaz) ’07. Years later, Dwayne and Stephanie returned to take their engagement photos in Francis Hall’s Miller Gallery and were married in 2012, in the university’s Sacred Heart Chapel.

They now live with their two toddlers in Warminster, Pa. Dwayne is associate vice president of enrollment management at Delaware Valley University and Stephanie is the director of admissions at Manor College. “Alvernia will always have a special place in our hearts,” says Dwayne. “Go Golden Wolves!”

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LEFT: VAL STOLTZFUS, ABOVE AND RIGHT: THEO ANDERSON

— Dwayne ’01, M’08 and Stephanie (Garcia) Walker ’07

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A Force of Reckoning BY

NANCY J. MCCANN

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Carl G. Anderson Jr., Alvernia University’s Business Executive in Residence

F

rom his comfortable perch in Sea Isle City, New Jersey, with Hurricane Jose churning the waters behind him, Carl G. Anderson Jr., Alvernia’s Business Executive in Residence, calmly discussed his successful career.

To those listening, it became apparent that no amount of driving rain, wind or rough seas was going to slow this business leader down.

Anderson spent decades in the business world. After earning his MBA from Lehigh University in 1972, he began his career at Procter & Gamble learning the ropes — and soaps — of business from the consumer products giant. As he deftly developed his business acumen, large companies recruited him for it — from Procter & Gamble to Nestlé to James River Corporation, ABC School Supply, Inc., and finally to Arrow

THEO ANDERSON

International, Inc., a medical devices manufacturer, where he led the company as chairman and CEO, retiring in 2007.

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Through the years he also served on a number of corporate boards and was a longtime trustee of Alvernia and Lafayette College. Not one to sail away into the sunset full time, Anderson remains on the boards of several companies and is a general partner of Cannondale Investments, a private investment company.

“That’s principle number one.

If you don’t do that, all the rest is a waste of time.”

For the 2017–18 academic year, he will be offering his encyclopedia share of business and leadership knowledge to Alvernia students as the Business Executive in Residence through public lectures, classes, mentorships, workshops and more.

This program is a partnership between the O’Pake Institute for Ethics, Leadership and Public Service and the university’s Business Department.

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“The source of all business success is figuring out what the customer really wants,” says Anderson, providing a peek at what he’ll share with Alvernia students. “This must be done in an analytical way. It involves collecting data and analyzing it, figuring out how to make that product well — and doing it consistently. Figuring out how to keep costs down and how best to market it are also important. In a nutshell: the product is what matters. That’s extremely important to understand.

Excellent products that meet the needs of the consumer.

When it comes to leadership advice, Anderson draws mostly on his service as an Army lieutenant stationed in Korea.

“I learned a lot about marketing and business from Procter & Gamble, and I learned a lot about investing from my partners in the private equity world. But when it comes to leadership I probably learned more from the U.S. Army than anywhere else,” says Anderson.

“The Army is about principles ... setting the example. You never ask your men to do anything that you wouldn’t do. If the enemy is up the hill, you don’t tell your men, ‘Go up the hill,’ you say, ‘Follow me.’”

Anderson believes that leading by example is just as crucial for business, too.

“If you want your people to put in long days and work hard, then the boss ought to be putting in long days and working hard. If you want your people to be ethical, then the boss has to be ethical. A leader must have high standards and high expectations,” says Anderson.

A Force of Reckoning Carl Anderson

“In a nutshell: the product is what matters.”

“You don’t tell your men, ‘Go up the hill,’ you say, ‘Follow me.’” — Carl Anderson

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42 YEARS

AT ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY

WITH PIETRO DISTRAVOLO Professor Pietro DiStravolo remembers the first time he stepped onto Alvernia’s campus. “The atmosphere was beautiful and peaceful, and the approach — the friendship and love that the sisters gave their students — was so special,” he recalls. “I decided (if the sisters would keep me) it would be my place for life.”

They decided to keep him, and DiStravolo went on to spend the next 42 years at Alvernia. In those four decades,

Working out of the same Francis Hall 226 office he’s been in since 1976, DiStravolo has taught Italian, Spanish for criminal justice majors and perhaps most importantly — a love of culture.

“Pietro is one of those kind souls who can see the good in every student,” says Sharon Blair, executive assistant in the Office of the Provost, who works down the hall from DiStravolo. “He goes way beyond to encourage students and connect with them one on one.”

Today, as he prepares for a gradual retirement, he reflects on his years on an ever-evolving campus.

A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Originally built as an orphanage in 1926, Francis Hall was a multipurpose hub by the time DiStravolo joined the fledgling college in the 1970s. “It housed everything — the registrar, the cafeteria, the classrooms, the faculty offices … even the sisters’ bedrooms,” he says.

He remembers nuns in bathrobes scurrying past his office on the way to the showers. “Actually, I think back then it was a tub,” he says.

At the time, he shared his office with two other professors.“ We sat at what I called ‘Mickey Mouse desks.’ They were tiny with little wooden chairs,” he says. Though he now has the office all to himself, DiStravolo still keeps one of those chairs as a memento.

he has embodied the mission the Bernardine Sisters hoped to instill when they taught the first classes in Francis Hall: a diversity of thought, faith and culture — knowledge joined with love.

As chair of Alvernia’s Foreign Language Department, Sr. Florence in particular made a special impact on DiStravolo.

“Sister Florence means everything to me,” he says. “I had three kids when I started here. She took me in and guided

THEO ANDERSON

me toward my master’s and my career at Alvernia. She was my inspiration and supported me in becoming chair.”

Sr. Florence and Pietro DiStravolo, circa 1976.

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Left to right: Spencer Stober, Haru Hirama, Jason Strong ’98, Sr. Florence, Jack McCloskey and Pietro DiStravolo, circa 1997.

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As he thinks of the building, DiStravolo also talks of the free spaghetti and meatball dinners in the basement cafeteria that brought the then 15 or so professors together to rub elbows and deepen relationships. The pay wasn’t great back then, and there were no benefits, no tenure and no promotion scale. But the atmosphere was rich.

DiStravolo contributed to that richness in many ways. For one, he brought cultural events to campus and to the Reading area as a whole. “I did a lot of activities to unite Alvernia with the surrounding community,” he says.

Having spent his first 27 years in Italy, he speaks proudly of the Italian Festival, which attracted thousands of people to campus in the 1980s to celebrate Italian culture with food, dancing, parachuting, fireworks and fancy Italian cars.

He was part of a small team that formed the Italian Heritage Council, which has given many scholarships to Alvernia students over the years and brought famous speakers to campus. Unsurprisingly, DiStravolo was elected as the council’s first president — a role he still fulfills today.

As part of his role in the International Club, DiStravolo served as the faculty advisor for students interested in studying abroad in Italy and Spain. He also chaperoned student groups to the Dominican Republic for spring break, where they taught English as a second language to children and adults. “The Dominican families and kids loved to interact with the American young people!” he says.

Back in Reading, to celebrate National Foreign Language Week, DiStravolo, Sr. Florence, and the foreign language department brought 450 students from high schools across Berks County to compete in foreign language tournaments.

In between classes and events, DiStravolo and a few students kicked the soccer ball around behind Francis Hall. “At the time, we didn’t care if the ball was oval or round,” he jokes. But that small, informal group turned into a full-fledged soccer program at Alvernia.

And for his fellow faculty members, DiStravolo served as the first vice president of the Faculty Council, working to establish the benefits, tenure and contracts his colleagues deserved.

“In the summers, I couldn’t wait for fall because I’d want to go back to campus and be with the students.”

ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END DiStravolo’s passion for Alvernia remains clear.

“I have loved my time here,” he says.

“In the summers, I couldn’t wait for fall because I’d want to go back to campus and be with the students.”

It’s a passion he passed on to other family members. One of his three daughters taught Spanish at Alvernia for a stint and joined her dad on an alternative spring break program to the Dominican Republic. And his wife of 54 years, Elisabetta, earned her education

degree from Alvernia in 1987, handdelivered by her husband.

“I will always be thankful to Sister Dolorey (Alvernia’s third president) for allowing me to get on stage to surprise my wife by presenting her with that degree,” he says.

When he looks at the Alvernia of today versus the place he joined 42 years ago, DiStravolo says, “Like anything else, everything has changed.”

The university has grown in students, academic programs — and thanks

in part to DiStravolo, cultural reach.

Much to the disappointment of many students and colleagues like Blair, it looks like DiStravolo’s time here is winding down.

His presence, however, will live forever, in the Italian room he helped create in the library, in the cultural outreach he shaped, and in the hearts and minds of the many students he’s made an impact on over the years. “I will never go away,” he laughs.

THEO ANDERSON

Ciao, Professor DiStravolo. E grazie.

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BY

KEVIN GRAY PHOTOS BY

THEO ANDERSON

“I realized that, with every person, there was always a way,” Thomas said. “If something isn’t working, it’s up to us, as clinicians or teachers, to find another way that does work.”

BY SUSAN SHELLY

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“Everyone has something that’s different. Most of us just make accommodations for ourselves without even thinking about it.”

— Amy Thomas, OTR, OTR/L

THEO ANDERSON

Dr. Amy Thomas

had been a mother for only 18 months when her daughter was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Though doctors advised her to prepare for the possibility that her daughter would never walk, speak or be able to eat on her own, Thomas refused to believe them. Instead, she spent the next two decades advocating for her daughter and watching her transform into a successful woman who earned a master’s degree and now works in an academic setting.

The experience taught Thomas that not everyone learns and succeeds in the same way — but that there is potential for every person to achieve. And to unlock a person’s potential, Thomas says it’s far more important to identify and focus on a person’s strengths instead of weaknesses, and to build on those strengths in order to maximize potential.

“I’ve learned so much from my daughter,” said Thomas.

“She taught me the world.

She showed me that there are many, many ways to view the world, and many different ways to accomplish your goals.”

As her daughter grew, Thomas’s career included years of working with children and young adults with autism spectrum and related disorders — as both a coach and an occupational therapist.

For more than 20 years as owner and operator of

Music-N-Motion, Thomas put her bachelor’s degree in music education to good use coaching children of all ages and varying abilities in acrobatic gymnastics. At the same time, she was learning about occupational therapy and autism spectrum disorder by observing and participating in her daughter’s care.

“Going through that journey with her, I learned an awful lot about working with kids on the spectrum,” said Thomas.

A desire to learn even more prompted her to enroll in Alvernia’s occupational therapy program. And immediately after graduating with her master’s degree, she dove into therapy work with 6- to 21-year-olds at a specialized school.

“It was working with those students that made me realize that we all learn differently,” Thomas explained.

“Everyone has something that’s different. Most of us just make accommodations for ourselves without even thinking about it.”

Her goals evolved as she began searching for the strengths of every child and figuring out how to build on them.

“I realized that, with every person, there was always a way,” Thomas said. “If something isn’t working, it’s up to us, as clinicians or teachers, to find another way that does work.”

While working at the specialized school, she decided to undertake a

Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree program at Chatham University. She joined Alvernia’s Occupational Therapy Department as an assistant professor in 2014, and is working to pass along the lessons she learned as a mother and a therapist to her students.

“It’s nice to be back at Alvernia,” Thomas reflected.

“And, it’s nice to teach in a university whose Franciscan motto, ‘To Learn, To Love, To Serve,’ aligns perfectly with the values of the OT profession. I feel that as educators and therapists, we have a responsibility to seek to find out how our students and clients learn best.”

Thomas acknowledges that she sometimes finds it hard to think of herself as a teacher instead of a therapist. “The roles are very connected,” she said. “And I think that once you’re a therapist, you’re always a therapist.”

Perhaps the most profound lesson Thomas hopes her students comprehend is that everyone learns differently, and as future occupational therapists, they must be prepared to really get to know clients and consider how they can best serve each of them.

Even if sometimes, others say there is no way to succeed — as some said about her daughter.

“She’s my success story,” Thomas said. “She’s my constant reminder that there is always a way.”

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REFLECTIONS

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RAISING AWARENESS TO NEW HEIGHTS — REFLECTION BY CAMILLE OTRUBA ’09

L

ife certainly has a way of being unpredictable. No matter how much we plan, no matter how many times we double- and triple-check the list, sometimes things play out differently than we had planned. Being a widow at 27 was never part of the plan. But that became my reality just two short years ago.

After graduating from Alvernia University, getting married to my college sweetheart, buying a house and settling down, our world got flipped upside down when my husband, Bryan Otruba, was diagnosed with leukemia.

After a hard-fought, four-year-long battle with the disease, he was gone, and I was left to pick up the pieces of my life. In his honor, I’ve been raising awareness and funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in memory of an active guy whose own life-adventure was cut short at the age of 28.

Life is a journey full of ups and downs, good times and bad, and plenty of choices to be made along the way. We may not always know why things happen, but it’s up to us how we move forward in the aftermath. Last September, I participated in The Nation’s Triathlon in Washington, D.C. It was my first experience with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training (TNT), and I knew it certainly wouldn’t be my last! Through TNT, I recently discovered an opportunity of a lifetime! They were climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa, and I could too!

I’m choosing to embark on this epic journey in memory of Bryan because he always wanted me to be happy, and I was happiest when we were adventuring together. Our golden doodle, Indiana Jones, would join us on many of these adventures.

So with that same adventurous spirit, I’m seeking new heights, figuratively and literally ... 19,341 feet, to be exact!

This effort will take a lot of training and a lot of support. My training officially began in October with a 16-week program to prepare me to hike to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in February. I will be learning plenty of new skills in preparation for this adventure. Hiking requires more than boots and a backpack, you know.

I will be learning and growing with my fellow climbers from states other than Pennsylvania. We are all coming on this trip from different walks of life. I love meeting people and learning their stories — where they’ve come from, where they’re going, and why they do what they do.

We will not even officially meet some of our fellow climbers until we arrive in Africa, but from the moment we signed up for this climb, we became part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society family. We are all coming together as a part of a team to work toward a greater purpose — something that is bigger than any of us as individuals. We, as active individuals who will fundraise in exchange for training to complete a climb, serve the

Life is a journey full of ups and downs, good times and bad, and plenty of choices to be made along the way. We may not always know why things happen, but it’s up to us how we move forward in the aftermath.

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REFLECTIONS

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OTRUBA

greater good of making this a world with less cancer and more survivors!

In life, I have always tried to look at the positive side of things. But it’s difficult to think of anything positive coming out of the loss of my best friend. I have chosen to keep moving — in the water, on a bike, on the road and now up a mountain! My efforts will hopefully aid in bringing about a cure for blood cancers, and maybe even all cancers someday. I pray that more people can not only survive cancer, but thrive in the aftermath of their battle.

My connection to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and the Team in Training Program, came on the heels of a great loss. It’s not always easy to keep moving forward or to look for the positive in a situation, but sometimes we must look at things in a different way, from a different vantage point.

Yes, I miss the times Bryan and I shared going places and being active together, but now I do those things as a way to remember and honor Bryan! I can’t help but think this may be his way of showing me a silver lining.

I can see that I’ve been given an opportunity to help others.

I have been linked with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through a series of unfortunate events. Yet I am fortunate enough to participate in an altogether different set of events that seem to bring me closer to my husband and keep the memory of the vibrant man I married alive.

It’s not always easy to keep moving forward or to look for the positive in a situation, but sometimes we must look at things in a different way, from a different vantage point.

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A different kind of

living

By Susan Shelly

I

t’s a work in progress, but so far it’s working well.

Josh Harmes ’18 and Eric Moran ’19 had barely settled into their apartment at the Highlands at Wyomissing, by late August. But immediately, residents of the Berks County retirement community couldn’t wait to meet them.

“We haven’t met the students yet, but we’re hoping to have dinner with them very soon,” said the Rev. Dr. Paul Hetrich, 82, who resides at the Highlands with his wife, Barbara. “We’ve heard very nice things about them, and everyone is glad they’re here.”

Hetrich was anxious to meet both students, but particularly Moran, who is pursuing a double major in theology and history at Alvernia, and hopes to follow that up with a master’s degree in secondary education.

“I’d love to talk to him about his theology classes and what he hopes to do after he graduates,” said Hetrich, a retired minister.

The student-senior residential program, which has been modeled in parts of Europe and a few areas in the United States, is intended to provide an exchange of learning and promote better understanding between different generations, explained Joseph Cicala, Ph.D., vice president for University Life and dean of students at Alvernia.

“It’s meant to bridge what people used to call the generation gap,” Cicala said.

Kevin P. DeAcosta, a 2000 Alvernia graduate who is president and CEO of the Highlands at Wyomissing, said that having Harmes, 23, and Moran, 21, at the retirement community benefits both residents and the students.

48 Alvernia University Magazine

‘senior’

“It’s a great idea for a community like the Highlands to participate in intergenerational opportunities,” DeAcosta said. “The residents are just excited about being with young people, and it’s a good opportunity for the students to learn about giving back.”

Moran and Harmes, who were selected for the program based on academic achievement, campus involvement and personal character, signed an agreement with the Highlands that, in exchange for room and some of their meals, they would share at least one meal a week with residents and provide 12 to 16 hours of service related to their majors each month.

Harmes, a fifth-year Master of Science in Occupational Therapy scholar, will work with seniors who need physical assistance and is considering forming a walking group. The pair might also assist residents with technology or just spend time playing cards or talking with residents.

“This is a brand new program, so we’re kind of figuring it out,” said Harmes. “But we know that our payment to the Highlands for letting us live here is to give back to residents.”

Just a couple of weeks after moving in, Harmes and Moran had already dined in some residents’ homes or apartments and were well on their way to forming friendships.

One resident, named Ernie, was looking forward to being invited to college parties.

“We don’t have parties, but I think we’ll invite Ernie over some night and get a bottle of his favorite wine,” Harmes said.

“But, only if it doesn’t interact with his meds,” he added.

Jodi Gibble, marketing director at the Highlands, said partnering with Alvernia on the project makes sense because the retirement community and the university know each other well.

“We already have a strong connection with Alvernia through the university’s Seniors College,” said Gibble. “That’s been a wonderful partnership for our residents, who can attend classes for free.

Many do, and some have even taught courses.”

Alvernia also offers continuing education opportunities for staff members at the Highlands.

While the program is new, the intent of both the Highlands and Alvernia is to have it continue.

“We fully intend to do it every year,” said DeAcosta. “This first year is a trial year, and we need to make sure that we get it right to get the most value for us, the students and the university.”

Cicala suggested that in the future, the program might be expanded to include additional students, even if they don’t live at the Highlands.

“There may be different ways to get our students involved,” he said.

Cicala said he is impressed with how the program is progressing so far and confident that Harms and Moran are the right fit for the trial year.

“Based on the caliber of the men I know Josh and Eric to be, and the degree to which Kevin

Eric Moran (left) and Joshua Harmes (center) talk with Highlands resident Byrle “Bunny” Boyer.

and Jodi have built the program at the Highlands, it certainly has all the ingredients for an

THEO ANDERSON (1)

ongoing partnership.”

— Joe Cicala

Alvernia University Magazine

49

Sustaining the great outdoors

THEO ANDERSON (4)

— By Susan Shelly

50 Alvernia University Magazine

Bethany Ayers-Fisher is deeply breathing in her second wind.

Growing up in a Cleveland suburb located along Lake Erie and spending vacations at her grandparents’ lake house in Western New York, Bethany Ayers-Fisher developed a great appreciation for the outdoors. But as a working mother raising three children, it was something she didn’t often have time to think about.

Now that her children are grown, that fresh air appreciation has come back into focus, leading to a feeling of responsibility for protecting and preserving the environment.

“Our air, our water and our land are shared resources that need to be protected and cared for,” said Ayers-Fisher. “We have creative minds and spirits, and I think we should use them to make the world better for everyone.”

It was concern for the environment and desire to work for good that prompted Ayers-Fisher, 44, to return to college and major in science. She expects that in 2018 she will be the first graduate of Alvernia’s new environmental

biochemistry major. In addition, she’s minoring in the university’s community and environmental sustainability program.

A Work Study environmental educator for the Holleran Center for Community and Global Engagement’s South Reading Youth Initiative, Ayers-Fisher is designing curriculum and teaching environmental science to third, fourth and fifth graders in the Reading School District. She also directs a weekly after-school environmental club for fourth

and fifth graders, leading them in projects and teaching about issues that affect the environment.

This year, she hopes to plan some field trips for students — perhaps taking them to a recycling plant or for stream exploration in Angelica Park, adjacent to Alvernia’s campus. She will also partner with Berks Nature, located within the park, for a required field experience class.

Before returning to college, Ayers-Fisher juggled family duties with work in the restaurant and catering business. But she discovered that the science courses at Reading Area Community College piqued her interest and made her want to learn more.

So when she learned about the new environmental biochemistry program being offered at Alvernia, Ayers-Fisher decided to apply and found that she was eligible for a transfer scholarship. Studying at Alvernia, she said, has been a special experience.

“I really like the Franciscan traditions of service and care for the environment,” explained AyersFisher. “And the belief that we need to be good stewards is kind of built right into the curriculum.”

After graduation, AyersFisher hopes to work in the areas of brownfield remediation and environmental disaster — transforming contaminated sites into rehabilitated ecosystems. Restoring and protecting the environment is a huge challenge, she said, but she is confident she can help.

“I can apply the knowledge and experience I’ve gained to a wide range of applications,” said AyersFisher. “I think sometimes it can be overwhelming when you think about what the needs are, but even if I can just do a little, it’s doing something.”

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51

away on Aug. 16, 2017.

Bill VanEtten ’88 passed an exam

passed away on July 26, 2017.

Lawrence Minutolo ’77 passed away on Oct. 6, 2015.

Dominic Murgido ’79 accepted a new

her husband, David, were featured in the June 21 issue of Berks Country, a special supplement of the Reading Eagle.

The article, titled “Pet dog rules the roost at Muhlenberg home,” spotlighted renovations the couple has made to their Muhlenberg Township home, some of which were made to accommodate their yellow Labrador Retriever, Rex.

Bernadette (Stephan) Fennimore ’69 opened a

new business with her husband called Common Space.

Located in Easton, the establishment is a shared production kitchen for 20 vendors to make, bake and produce products to sell. It houses a retail space and restaurant to be used by multiple chefs and events. The goal is to help vendors become independent and open their own businesses.

52 Alvernia University Magazine

job as an aging care manager for the Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging in Lebanon. As the primary information and referral person for the agency, Murgido handles calls and walk-in clients requesting information about agency services or referrals of service.

He also goes on home visits and completes paperwork, data entry and public education for the agency.

1970s

Kathleen (Matt) DePoister ’67 and

Denise (Smith) Allen ’79 earned her doctorate in public policy and administration with a specialization in criminal justice, for which she completed a phenomenological qualitative study on justice-involved women titled, “Keeping the Children: Nonviolent Women Offenders in Two Michigan Residential Programs,” published in ProQuest. Within 30 days, ScholarWorks reported that her study was previewed in the U.S., Canada, France, Brazil and Malta.

Robin (Keeler) Long ’89 passed away on July 19, 2017.

Victor DeJesus ’98 passed away on Sept. 5, 2017. Victor’s passion was his career of helping people recover from drugs and alcohol through the Spanish American Civil Association.

Christopher Maryniak ’98 has joined Body Zone’s physical therapy staff as assistant to the director.

With degrees in physical therapy and psychology, Chris has spent more than 18 years in the treatment of all orthopedic and sports injuries, and manual/hands-on therapy techniques.

Dana (Borzellino) ’98 married Jeffrey Moscatello on Nov. 19, 2016, at the Sterling Mansion in Reading.

On May 8, 2017,

Wendy (Harst) Warchol ’98 was profiled by the Reading Eagle for her work as a Kindergarten teacher at Owatin Creek Elementary School in Exeter School District.

Karen Lineaweaver ’00 passed away on Oct. 21, 2013.

Jim Aloye ’01 was featured in the Reading Eagle on Oct. 20, for his work to create a revolutionary type of role-playing video game that includes both geolocation and date/ time/season-based content.

Mary M. Uhrig ’03

2000s

1980s

through the Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstructionists (ACTAR) to become one of approximately 1,500 internationally accredited crash reconstructionists. Bill also graduated from the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command.

1990s

Harold Frye Jr. ’77

1960s

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

Mary (Kubovsak) Loeb ’88 passed

Jennifer Potocki ’02 has been named 2017 Tactical Flight Officer of the Year by the Airborne Law Enforcement Association. The Dover Post reported that the criminal justice graduate turned an internship experience into a 14-year career with the State Police.

Mary Kay Bernosky, M’03 was featured in the October issue of Berks County Living magazine for her role as the executive director of Safe Berks.

David Brennan ’03 is the chief shop steward for both the Columbia Processing Center and Columbia County Assistance Office (CAO), where he is a member of the Safety Committee and has twice received certificates of appreciation for excellence in customer service. He also serves as the SEIU Local 668 Chapter 7 representative on the CAO rank and file committee and as a member of the training committee.

passed away on June 18, 2017, at the age of 95. In 2003, at the age of 82, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and communication, receiving special recognition for being Alvernia’s oldest graduate to date.

Cheryl Dunn ’05 passed away on Sept.

5, 2017.

Brian Eckroade ’05 was named shift supervisor at the Richmond LNG Plant for the Philadelphia Gas Works in July 2017.

Kevin Burns ’06 was elected president of the National Association of Scientific Materials Managers. His term extends from 2017 to 2019.

Darla (Mercer) Stout ’06, M’13 was featured in the Reading Eagle’s In Our Schools section for her work as a third-grade teacher at Franklin Elementary in the Pottstown School District.

Sandra Wummer ’06 passed away on Sept. 27, 2017.

Christopher Brown ’07 passed away on Aug. 24, 2017, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Allison (Blair) Snyder ’11

2010s

proud parents of Harper Mae Smith. Harper was born on May 22 at 8:52 a.m., weighing 8 pounds and 2 ounces.

She was 20 inches long.

received a promotion to project manager for Egan Signs.

Her prior responsibility was senior project coordinator. Allison has been with Egan Signs for two years.

Adam Waszkiewicz ’11 was featured in

Conor Delaney ’07, president of Good Life Companies, was a finalist for the 2017 Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Greater Philadelphia region. The award program recognizes entrepreneurs who are excelling in areas such as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to businesses and communities. Award winners were announced at a special gala on June 7 at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia.

Louis LaScala ’09 Margaret (Greevy) Hogentogler, M’07 passed away on March 14, 2016.

Susan (Gressley) Fields ’09 passed away on June 13, 2017.

Kelly (Steber) Gausch ’11 and Samson Gausch ’09 welcomed Helen Grace Gausch into the world on July 17, 2017. She was born at Lehigh Valley Hospital at 8:30 a.m., weighing 9 pounds and 2 ounces.

was recently promoted to principal scientist at Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories, Inc. He works in the BioPharmaceutical Finished Testing Department, and has been with the company for eight years.

John Hutta ’11 was ordained on May 20 by Bishop Emeritus Cullen as a transitional deacon on his vocational journey to the priesthood in the Diocese of Allentown.

A parishioner of Sacred Heart in Palmerton, he was accepted as a seminarian in 2011.

the Sept. 26 business section of the Reading Eagle, as part of an article on young professionals in Berks County. Adam works for Reinsel Kuntz Lesher, LLP.

Jennifer Wegman, M ’11 was featured in the Reading Eagle’s Business Weekly on Oct. 3, 2017. Jennifer founded a company called Insight Information Solutions LLC., and the article was a feature on networking.

Michael DeAntonio, Ph.D.’15 was recently named executive director of Buxmont Academy.

Michael has three decades of experience in the teaching and administrative fields of public education.

Most recently, he served as an instructor in the Department of Secondary Education at Kutztown University, and as an educational liaison for Buxmont Academy in the role of consultant. Prior to that, Michael was the principal of Fleetwood Area High School and assistant principal at Upper Merion Area High School. His experiences range from middle school science teacher to an instructor of graduate students preparing to enter the field of secondary school administration. Michael’s doctoral dissertation focused on the role that restorative practices play in Pennsylvania high schools.

Patrick Murray ’15 was one of three individuals who responded to a collapsed employee at one of Boeing’s manufacturing locations in Washington state. Assessing that the employee was non-responsive with no pulse, the group initiated an emergency plan that involved administering CPR and an AED. The response was successful and the affected individual recovered well.

Patrick and the other men were recognized by Boeing with a plaque that hangs next to the AED station.

Emily (Kelly) ’16 and Christian Bencie ’16 were married on July 15, 2017.

Lucine (Mackow) Sihelnik, M’13 has been selected as the Democratic candidate for Reading City Council seat in District 1. Lucine is director of the farmer’s market for Reading’s Downtown Improvement District.

Cassandra Colosimo ’15 graduated from Thomas Jefferson University’s physician assistant program. She is now a certified physician assistant and will begin working in family medicine.

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

Denise (Elliott) ’11, M’12 and Kyle Smith ’11 are the

Amy (Sikorski) Klatt ’08, M’09 gave birth to a son, Parker Edward Klatt, on Sept. 25. At 7 pounds, 14.5 ounces and 20.5 inches long, Parker joins mom, dad and big brother Nolan.

Alvernia University Magazine

53

MBA

for Healthcare Professionals Accelerated Program Focus: • • • • •

Leadership Skills Strategic & Risk Management Entrepreneurship Legal Aspects of Medical Environments Financial/Analytical Skills

Enroll Today! www.alvernia.edu/exechealthcareMBA | 610.796.5187 | gradandadult@alvernia.edu

Alvernia Magazine is published by Alvernia University twice per year in summer and winter to share news and information about the institution with alumni, friends and the community. Opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the university. Please share your feedback as we work to continuously enhance the publication: 400 Saint Bernardine St., Reading, PA 19607 or magazine@alvernia.edu.

Alvernia Magazine is a publication of Alvernia University. Copyright 2017.

All rights reserved.

54 Alvernia University Magazine

President Thomas F. Flynn, Ph.D. Vice President for Marketing and Communications Deidra Hill, Ed.D. Editor Carey Manzolillo ’06, M’07 Creative Designer Michael Percy Contributing Writers Elizabeth Shimer Bowers, Kristen Evans, Carey Manzolillo ’06, M’07, Nancy McCann, Camille Otruba ’09, Susan Shelly, Dawn Wivell Photography Theo Anderson, Dan Johnson, Jon King, Ed Kopicki

!

EW N

Executive Healthcare

A

lvernia will soon be home to a beautiful and consecrated Memorial Prayer Garden and Columbarium. Located just down the hill from historic Francis Hall, not far from the St. Joseph Villa, the tranquil location offers families a spiritual setting that may best fit their family plans.

The Franciscan ethos of inclusivity welcomes family members of all denominations to be interred in the Alvernia Columbarium.

Recently, the Vatican approved cremation as an appropriate direction for families mourning the loss of a loved one.

The Catholic Church strongly recommends that the resting place for these final ashes should be a sacred place such as a columbarium — a consecrated area reserved for the interment of cremated remains.

The Alvernia Columbarium provides a limited number of economical and environmentally friendly niches to help family members eternally rest in peace.

Each niche can hold up to two urns. Nearly 25 percent of the 108 niches have already been reserved.

The cost of a niche that can accommodate two urns at the Alvernia Columbarium is $5,000.

Memorial engraving/plaque inscription is not covered in the cost of the niche.

For more information, please contact Marlene Schutz in the Department of Institutional Advancement at marlene.schutz@alvernia.edu or 610.796.8259.

Alvernia University 400 Saint Bernardine St. Reading, PA 19607

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID

Burlington, VT Permit No. 155

alvernia.edu

CAMILLE OTRUBA ’09 is training to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro in support of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and in memory of her late husband, Bryan Otruba ’08, M’13.

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