CANISIUS COLLEGE MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2011
International immersion experiences challenge students’ ideas about the world
president’sperspective
John J. Hurley
Canisius College Magazine SUMMER 2011 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 3
President John J. Hurley
July 1 has come and gone and I am officially into my second year as president of Canisius College. The past year has been an absolutely thrilling experience, with a long list of ‘firsts’ and highlights. The most important highlight was that our Board of Trustees approved a new plan for the college at its May meeting, a document we are calling A Transformational Education: The Strategic Plan for Canisius College. I invite you to visit the college’s website regularly (canisius.edu/planning) to view the plan and watch our progress. Another highlight was presiding at my first commencement in May. I received so many positive comments from parents and relatives about my message to our graduates that I thought I would share an excerpt here: We now turn you out into a very challenging world. As you make your way in this world, I urge you to use your Catholic, Jesuit education at Canisius as a foundation. We know that you are now smarter but we also hope that you are wiser about the world and your place in it. Your education at Canisius has taught you that things are not as simple as they seem and that life is full of nuances, gray areas, conflicts and difficult choices. Make Ignatian discernment a lifetime practice. Seek the highest and best truth. Carefully thought-out positions on the big issues of life can’t be expressed in 140 characters, no matter how well you abbreviate. Search for God in all things and in all people – in the beauty of the sunrises and the sunsets but also in the faces of the poor, the marginalized and the discriminated. Remain compassionate. Stay attuned to the needs of the least of God’s people. Nurture your friendships with your classmates and remain a part of their lives. Keep your college - our college - in your heart and in your life. Use Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, class reunions and whatever tools technology puts at your disposal. In my own life, my relationship with Canisius College has made all the difference.
Associate Vice President for Public Relations & Executive Editor Debra S. Park MS ’06 Managing Editor Audrey R. Browka Director of Creative Services & Layout Editor Andalyn Courtney Contributing Designers Shaun M. Maciejewski MS ’11 Contributing Writers Elizabeth M. Bohen ’74, MS ’76 Molly C. Cohen ’06 Kristin E. Etu ’91 Rachel Flammer Erin H. Hartnett MS ’11 Martin J. Haumesser Eileen C. Herbert ’04 Photography Eric Frick Shaun Maciejewski MS ’11 Tom Wolf ’86 To Contact Us We are eager to hear your comments about Canisius College Magazine. Please send correspondence to: Canisius College Magazine 2001 Main Street, Lyons Hall Room 209, Buffalo, NY 14208 Phone 716-888-2790 Fax 716-888-2778
With these challenges and in whatever other opportunities you pursue in life, may you have true success and happiness. Whether you graduated two months ago or 50 years ago, I hope that your Catholic, Jesuit education from Canisius remains the foundation of your life.
ON THE COVER Team Ecuador participates in a ‘minga,’ a South American tradition in which communities gather for a day to finish a home, repair roads, improve water systems or promote social and recreational programs. On this day, the Canisius team cleared an empty plot of land that will be used to build a new house for an Ecuadorian family. Pictured, Row 1 (l-r): Mary Mietlicki ’12, Liam Doherty ’14, Sandy Casey ’12; Row 2: Rachael Farley ’14, Katie Johnson ’14, Laura Knab ’12, Camille Blum ’11; Row 3: Jesse Fodero ’13
Canisius College Magazine is published four times a year (winter, spring, summer, fall) by Canisius College at: 2001 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14208 USPS 908-760 Periodical postage paid at Buffalo, NY and additional offices Postmaster send change of address to: Canisius College, 2001 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14208
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contents SPRING 2011
6 | Jesuit Profile
14 | Cover Story
Reading, Writing & Religion Rev. James M. Pribek, S.J., nurtures the intellectual and spiritual growth of students in his roles as a Jesuit priest and professor.
Living the Mission Campus ministry’s international immersion experiences challenge students’ ideas about the world and transform their hearts.
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33 departments 4 9 21 10 | Faculty Profile
33 | Alumni Profile
Peak Performer Chuck Pelitera ’80, MS ’90 helps people get and stay healthy.
Flower Power Mary Catherine Bukowski ’75, MBA ’79 cultivates pride by growing Buffalo in Bloom.
BLUE & GOLD BRIEFS C A MPUS NE WS A ND NOTE S faculty notes facult y NE WS A ND update s a legacy of leadership C A mpa ig n ne ws a nd update s
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C ANISIUS CONNECTIONs
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A S YOU WERE
A LUMNI NE WS A ND NOTE S
S TORIE S FROM THE PA S T
Subway is on the Menu at Canisius Five dollar foot-longs will be on the Canisius menu in fall 2011, when Subway opens its doors on campus. The national franchise is just one of several new dining options available to students this coming fall. The pizza and pasta-themed restaurant 2.mato will offer classic Italian favorites. Au Bon Pain will serve up healthy soup options. The new eateries are housed in the Old Main Snack Bar, which the college renovated and renamed Old Main Café. The Upper Deck eatery also underwent renovations this summer. Located on the second floor of the Palisano Pavilion, the modernized dining space, renamed Iggy’s for St. Ignatius Loyola, features booth seating, pendant lighting, hardwood floors and flatscreen TVs, along with a variety of healthy menu Rendering of the modernized dining space on the second floor of Palisano Pavilion options. for business and finance, and treasurer. “These renovations and menu additions are the result of students advocating Tim Hortons was the first national franchise to open on the Canisius for more dining options on campus,” says Patrick E. Richey, vice president campus in 2009.
JAA Confers Highest Honor Upon President Hurley
President’s Medal Conferred Upon Martin ’42, HON ’88
The Jesuit Advancement Administrators (JAA) conferred its highest honor upon Canisius President John J. Hurley at its national conference on July 11.
George M. Martin ’42, HON ’88, special counsel to the president of Canisius College, became the 44th recipient of the President’s Medal this summer. President John J. Hurley presented the medal on the occasion of Martin’s 90th birthday. The President’s Medal bears the phrase “for God and Country” and is bestowed periodically to individuals who distinguish themselves in public life through service to God and community.
The Rev. J. Barry McGannon, S.J., Award is presented biennially to an individual who has made a distinguished contribution to Jesuit higher education and to Jesuit advancement. It is reserved for individuals whose service to one or more Jesuit institutions of higher education is exemplary and who are acknowledged by colleagues, nationally, as meriting recognition. The McGannon Award is named for Rev. J. Barry McGannon, S.J., the longtime vice president for development and chancellor of Saint Louis University, who also provided leadership in founding JAA. The Jesuit Advancement Administrators is a professional association of advancement professionals who serve Jesuit higher education in the United States. President Hurley is past national chair of JAA. Pictured above with President John J. Hurley is Mary Kay McFadden, president of Jesuit Advancement Administrators and vice president of university advancement at Seattle University.
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Canisius College, St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, the Society of Jesus, the city of Buffalo and the State of New York are just a few of the major entities to benefit from Martin’s considerable generosity and wisdom. Past recipients of the President’s Medal include the late Seymour Knox Jr., philanthropist; the late Hon. Charles Stewart Desmond ’17, chief justice of the New York Court of Appeals; and Lech Walesa, former president of Poland. George M. Martin ’42, HON ’88
blue&goldbriefs Six New Members Join Board of Trustees The Canisius College Board of Trustees appointed six new members to fill outgoing positions. The Board of Trustees formulates and recommends policy to Canisius President John J. Hurley. The new Board of Trustees members, who began their three-year terms on July 1, are:
Rev. Michael Boughton, S.J. Director, Center for Ignatian Spirituality Boston College
Anthony B. Habib ’95 President Petri Baking Products Inc.
Rocco M. Maggiotto ’72, MBA ’79 Executive Vice President/Director of Customer Management Zurich Financial Services Group
Wall Appointed Interim VP for Academic Affairs Richard A. Wall, PhD, is now the interim vice president for academic affairs for the 2011-12 academic year. A professor of economics and finance, Wall is widely recognized for his work as an educator and a scholar. He played a key role in the design and implementation of the Canisius College Golden Griffin Fund (GGF), a studentrun investment fund. Wall developed Richard A. Wall, PhD coursework for the GGF, and advised and monitored the equity analysis of students’ potential stock selections. As a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), he created financial analyst preparation courses for undergraduate and graduate students. He also served as an advisor for many Canisius students throughout their CFA examination process. Wall earned his BS in mathematics, economics and physics, summa cum laude, from Canisius College in 1978. His master’s and doctorate degrees are in economics from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Wall replaces Scott A. Chadwick, PhD, who is the new provost and chief academic officer at Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH. A national serach is underway to identify a new academic affairs vice president.
Michael J. MOntante ’91 Vice President Uniland Development
Joseph D. McDonald President /CEO Catholic Health
Rev. Leo O’Donovan, S.J. Retired President Georgetown University
Kudos for Canisius Canisius is a great college to work for, according to a national survey by The Chronicle of Higher Education. The results are based on an academic workplace survey of nearly 44,000 employees at 310 colleges and universities. Canisius College is ranked among medium-sized institutions and won honors in the job satisfaction and work-life balance categories. This is the fourth consecutive year that The Chronicle of Higher Education recognized Canisius as a ‘Great College to Work For.’
Rev. Tunney Named Director of Mission & Identity Rev. Michael F. Tunney, S.J., is now the director of mission and identity. In this newly-created position, Father Tunney will help carry out the university’s Catholic and Jesuit mission. His primary responsibility is to ensure that opportunities are available for Canisius faculty, staff, alumni and trustees to learn about Rev. Michael F. Tunney, S.J. and deepen their understanding of the institution’s identity, its educational mission, and their part in its fulfillment. Father Tunney will also develop programs, activities and university-wide policy and procedures that promote the spiritual formation of the campus community, further Canisius’ Ignatian traditions, and advance the Jesuit mission, especially in the service of faith and the promotion of justice. Father Tunney is rector of the Jesuit community at Canisius and founding director of the college’s studio art program. He left his position as professor of fine arts to serve in his new role.
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reading, writing & religion story: KRISTIN E. ETU ’91 photos: ERIC FRICK
call to the priesthood comes in different ways for different men. Rev. James M. Pribek, S.J., was influenced by a man who rarely set foot in a church: his Uncle Lenard.
“Even though he wasn’t Catholic or explicitly a man of faith, my uncle was pastoral in his own way,” says Father Pribek, an associate professor of English. “He had a great knowledge of how life and the world work. He was the human being with the single greatest impact on my life.” Father Pribek spent his childhood summers on his Uncle Lenard’s dairy farm, near Green Bay, WI, and describes him as a faithful man even if he wasn’t a man of faith. Uncle Lenard never missed a milking from 1922 until his retirement in 1989. He was never in a hurry but managed to get much work done in the course of the day. And he always found joy and comfort in the simple things. “Uncle Lenard heard symphonies in the gentle patterns of raindrops as they hit the wooden shingles or the metal roof of the car,” recalls Father Pribek. “His work really did renew him.” Father Pribek didn’t recognize the pastoral influence his uncle had on him until years later. But he cherished the time spent on Uncle Lenard’s farm, so the study of agriculture and dairy farming at the University of Wisconsin-Madison seemed like a good fit for him. After college, he accepted an entry-level job in a milking parlor of a high-tech dairy farm. “A milking parlor is a nice way of saying ‘dark, depressing, manure-filled pit, where one stood at eye level with udders,’” laughs Father Pribek. “Something like that makes you think
long and hard about what you’re good at and what you really want out of life.” Father Pribek began to consider a religious vocation, an idea he “toyed with mentally” since high school. He knew he wanted to work with people and be with them during significant moments of their lives. But joining the priesthood meant he had to uproot himself from close family and friends. Father Pribek was at a crossroad until he saw a sign – literally. A graffiti message painted on the side of a bridge read: ‘It’s your life, do what you want with it.’ “It is ludicrous to think a decision like that – becoming a priest - is in your hands,” says Father Pribek. “It’s much bigger than that. You realize that someone else, God primarily, writes your life story.” Father Pribek entered the Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus in 1987 and started his novitiate, the first of the six stages of Jesuit training. His older sister, Molly, first introduced him to the religious order when she worked at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. “What struck me about the Jesuits then was that they are good preachers,” recalls Father Pribek. “They have good senses of humor but are quite serious about their religious lives.” To complete his first studies (the second stage), Father Pribek enrolled in the Jesuit Humanities Program at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. This stage is when the ‘S.J’. is placed after the Jesuit’s name, noting his place in the Society of Jesus.
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“ I want to witness a unity between students’ intellectual
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religious growth.” - Rev. James M. Pribek, S.J.
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Father Pribek taught English and religion at the Red Cloud Indian School in Pine Ridge, SD, for three years to complete the regency, or third stage of his training. This period requires a Jesuit to be fully involved in the community life of his province. Father Pribek’s “early love” for literature came from his late mother, Ruth, who was a teacher. Father Pribek transferred this interest into his educational pursuits. He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s degree in English. Master of divinity and master of theology degrees soon followed from the Weston Jesuit School of Theology to finish his theology studies (the fourth stage). Father Pribek was ordained a priest in 1999. He arrived at Canisius College in 2004 to fulfill his calling as a pastor and an educator.
Pribek as his rigorous but thorough senior thesis advisor. Perhaps more significant, Rowan says, was the patience and empathy he received from Father Pribek during Rowan’s own discernment of a religious vocation. “His support was a great consolation at a time when I needed it the most,” says Rowan. Outside the Canisius campus, Father Pribek is a renowned scholar on the ways in which Cardinal John Henry Newman influenced Irish novelist and poet James Joyce. He speaks nationally and internationally on the topic, and his expertise is requested annually at the Newman Association of America convention and the James Joyce Summer School in Dublin, Ireland; not far from the University College of Dublin,
“There is a richness and multi-dimensionality about Jim and he brings it to his classroom to share with his students.”
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“I want to witness a unity between students’ intellectual and religious growth,” says Father Pribek, who specializes in Irish literature. “Canisius students are very open-minded and are willing to share a variety of perspectives, including spiritual ones.” Father Pribek models his teaching style after that of his good friend, the late Melvin W. Schroeder, associate professor of English. Even though Schroeder wasn’t a priest, he approached the education of his students in a holistic way. “Mel expected students to not only know the material, but to integrate it into their own lives and respond to it with their heads and their hearts.” Father Pribek believes this attribute is key to his role as an educator. “A teacher who doesn’t care like a pastor, in some ways, will never teach well,” explains Father Pribek. “Likewise, a priest who conceives of himself solely as a presider at liturgy but doesn’t understand how he teaches, I think, is half a priest.” “As Jesuits, our words should communicate faith, humanity and thoughtful knowledge to a group of people,” adds Rev. Michael F. Tunney, S.J., rector of the Canisius College Jesuit Community and director of mission and identity. “Jim is very conscious of the role he fulfills. There is a richness and multidimensionality about him and he brings it to his classroom to share with his students.” Justin T. Rowan ’10 was one of those students. The All-College Honors graduate recalls Father
- Rev. Michael F. Tunney, S.J.
where Father Pribek earned his master’s and doctorate degrees in AngloIrish literature and drama. “Jim teaches us all many new things about these two great figures, including the spiritual exploration conducted by Joyce, who is too often described as an out and out secularist,” says Declan Kibard, PhD, the Keough Professor of Irish Studies and professor of English at the University of Notre Dame. Kibard is a mentor to Father Pribek. “He has a gift of explanation rather than simplification, and is a wonderful blend of sensitivity, clarity of mind, and a calm, comprehensive intelligence.” These qualities will serve Father Pribek well as he begins the tertianship or fifth stage of his Jesuit formation. Over the course of two summers, Father Pribek will study the foundational documents of the Society of Jesus, make a required 30-day retreat, take several weeks of classes, study the Spiritual Exercises and participate in an apostolic experiment chosen by a tertian master. “The experience is designed to revisit, in an abbreviated way, our novitiate,” adds Father Pribek. At the conclusion of his tertianship, Father Pribek will take his final vows in the Society of Jesus. “Jim is doing his tertianship at a rich time in his life when he’s already met with some great success,” says Father Tunney. “I look forward to the contributions he will make as a Jesuit priest and an educator, as a result of this wonderful experience.” Father Pribek gracefully combines these two roles into one vocation at Canisius College but it was under the tutelage and influence of his Uncle Lenard that the seeds for his life’s calling were planted – right there alongside the rows of corn and crops near Green Bay, WI.
facultynotes New Releases The expertise of several Canisius faculty is showcased in a series of new books they authored this summer. Margaret C. McCarthy, PhD, associate professor of graduate education and leadership, published History of American Higher Education. The book documents the evolution of American colleges and universities, from the colonial era through the early 21st century. Specifically, it details how higher education institutions evolved to prepare leaders with the intellectual and practical skills necessary to build a nation. Mary E. Shea, PhD, professor of graduate education and leadership, outlines approaches for children to practice and explore language in Parallel Learning of Reading and Writing in Early Childhood. Through analysis of writing samples, research and best practice principles, the director of the Canisius Literacy Program provides the essential ingredients for early language learning and a developmentally appropriate approach to language learning. Nicolas Lorgnier, PhD, assistant professor of graduate education and leadership (sport administration), explores the change theory behind organizational behaviors and strategies in Conatus and Complexity of the Organization. Originally published in French, the book examines the five models of an organization and how these models can evolve during an organization’s lifetime, particularly as it grows more complex. All three books are available at amazon.com. English Professor Sandra Cookson, PhD, authored her first book of poetry this summer. Two Loons Taken for Vultures is a collection of poems that examines the various manifestations of desire in nature, in love and in art. Cookson’s scholarship focuses on critical essays on 20th century American poets. Two Loons Taken for Vultures is available at finishinglinepress.com.
Michael J. Forest, PhD, traveled with students to the Fujian Province this summer to study the classics of Chinese philosophy. During their three-week stay, the associate professor immersed students in Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. The group visited the various temples of all the different traditions, and met with Buddhist and Daoist monks and priests.
Michael Forest poses with Canisius students and their hosts outside a Tong’an Daoist temple in the Fujian Province.
“This trip enabled students to witness and experience how the influences of these philosophical traditions permeate Chinese society,” explains Forest. A 2007 Fulbright scholar, Forest taught for 10 months at Xiamen University. He instructed such courses as introduction to philosophy, modern philosophy and American philosophy, and helped students understand American philosophical ideas and the major philosophers. Forest’s recent student trip to the Fujian Province was sponsored by the Institute for the Global Study of Religion. It is the first time a Canisius philosophy class has traveled to China.
Gansworth Debuts Two New Plays Audiences raved about Eric Gansworth’s two recently debuted plays. The English professor and Lowery Writer-in-Residence unveiled Rabbit Dance, a one-act play, at Ohio Northern University’s Freed Center for the Performing Arts. The play explores the long history of Native American treaty rights and attempted violations. The setting for the story is Niagara Falls State Park, where two white teenagers encounter Native Americans selling beadwork; a centuries-old tradition of Tuscarora women.
Eric Gansworth
Gansworth also debuted a staged reading of Patriot Act at the State University of New York (SUNY) College at Oneonta. Adapted from a short story by Gansworth, Patriot Act tells the story of the Jay Treaty, which allows Native Americans to cross between the United States and Canadian borders as they please. “The main character in the play, Bonnie Door, holds great value in the treaty and is somewhat crushed when she discovers that the events of September 11, 2001 changed the meaning of the treaty,” explains Gansworth. Grammy winner Joanne Shenandoah played the lead role of Bonnie Door. Gansworth is a nationally-recognized, award-winning writer, visual artist and playwright whose impressive works range from poetry and painting, to novels and collaborative multi-media theater performances.
Catherine Parker, "Love" (2009). Photo by Todd Treat
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Chuc ak es al k m o you made a promise to yourself that as soon as summer arrived you would jump-start the exercise routine that was your New Year’s resolution. You pledged to overhaul your daily diet and replace it with a healthy new menu. But before you knew it, your momentum fizzled out like a July 4th fireworks display. Sure, you can take solace in the fact that millions of Americans face the same struggles. Or, you can heed the healthy example set by Charles J. Pelitera ’80, MS ’90. “Chuck is a prime example of what it means to live healthy,” says Jeffrey R. Lindauer, PhD, chair of the Department of Kinesiology. “It’s a daily commitment for him to exercise, eat right and have balance in his life, and he makes his living doing what he loves, which is helping others get and stay healthy.”
concerns among baby boomers and skyrocketing healthcare costs.
To encourage more healthy behaviors, government agencies and corporations now hire allied health professionals to educate individuals, employees and communities. It’s more cost effective to teach people Pelitera is Canisius’ passionate but rigorous assistant how to prevent diseases, injuries and health problems professor of physical education, nutrition, and health than to treat them later. As a result, the Bureau of and wellness. He is also the college’s longtime strength Labor Statistics projects job prospects in this field and conditioning coordinator. During his nearly 20 to grow by 18 percent through 2018; faster than the years in the role, Pelitera designed and implemented average growth for all occupations. The college’s conditioning programs for Canisius’ NCAA Division new undergraduate major in health and wellness is I athletics teams. He continues to train college and designed to meet this demand, as is the graduate high school athletes in speed, flexibility, agility and program in health and human performance. Pelitera performance enhancement. Pelitera also maintains a is poised to educate the programs’ students, who refer to him as ‘Exacto Man.’ It’s a term of endearment full-time personal training business. for a professor “who is very particular about the “Sure there are days when I don’t want to exercise or particulars on class assignments and exams,” explains when I want to eat whatever I’d like,” says Pelitera. kinesiology instructor and Pelitera’s former student “But my job is to educate people about how to live a Clancy M. Seymour ’97, MSEd ’99. healthy lifestyle. I owe it to the students I teach, the athletes I train and the clients, with whom I work, to Pelitera maintains that it’s a necessity for students to know the material, inside and out. model healthy behavior.” Despite years of public health and wellness campaigns, “When people hear you’re in the health and wellness Pelitera explains that only 20 percent of Americans field, they assume you have working knowledge of exercise on a regular basis. Ten percent of people get all things related to proper nutrition, physical fitness, the minimum recommended amount of exercise, which even infectious and non-infectious diseases,” explains is 30 minutes, three times a week. These numbers are Pelitera. “I teach my students with this in mind.” compounded by rising obesity rates, increased health
Pelitera’s Advice Best form of cardiovascular exercise: Whichever you are most willing to do “Walking is the cheapest and tends to be most practical for people.” Best time of year to start working out: Winter “You can cover up while you transform yourself into the person you strive to be.”
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Best workout pace: Take the ‘talk test.’
Best diet: No such thing
“If you can’t carry on a conversation while working out, then your intensity is too high for a safe cardiovascular training zone.”
“Portion size is the problem. We, as a society, simply eat too much food. We could eat chicken wings for every meal if we only ate two.”
That passion prompted Pelitera to further his own education. He is preparing to defend his doctoral dissertation in health curriculum and instruction from Argosy University. Pelitera’s fervor for fitness also fuels his personal regimen, which includes four-mile runs three days a week. He lifts weights four days a week. Pelitera doesn’t consider himself a ‘nutrition nut’ (chocolate is his weakness) but he does stick to a diet of produce, protein, fish and meat. “The only foods you need in a grocery store are those found around the outside,” he says. Pelitera is in bed by 10:00 p.m. Outside the classroom, he develops strength and conditioning programs for athletes at Canisius High School, Holy Angels Academy and Mount St. Mary’s High School, to name a few. He also advances the physical endurance of crew members at the West Side Rowing Club. When the Starpoint Central School District constructed a new high school, Pelitera designed its weight and exercise rooms, and implemented a wellness program for students. Pelitera began customizing fitness routines for people nearly 30 years ago, when he opened his health club business in the basement of his Snyder home. Today, he operates Pelitera’s Fitness Consultants at the Women’s Wellness Center in Williamsville. His client list includes professional boxers such as Buffalo’s former undefeated heavyweight Baby Joe Mesi but most people who seek out Pelitera want to improve their overall wellbeing. For them, Pelitera has three universal pieces of advice. Chuck Pelitera trains Mitchell Maraschiello, a junior A hockey goalie.
He came to Canisius as a business student in 1976 from Whitesboro, NY but changed his major to physical education and athletic training. Pelitera pursued his master’s degree in physical education, with a concentration on strength and conditioning, while he worked full-time at UPS and started a family with his wife, Ann. It was also during this time that the college’s athletic coaches approached Pelitera to work with student-athletes to improve their core strengths, speed, agility and competitiveness. Pelitera devised workout regimens that incorporated the latest training techniques and equipment, as well as some old-school tools, such as medicine balls and weight vests. The part-time position evolved into full-time work.
“Be more conscious of sleep,” says Pelitera, who recommends seven hours a night. “Lack of sleep affects a person’s immune system. It becomes depressed and a better host for viruses.” Pelitera also says to do away with diets. “They are temporary fixes.” For safe and sustained results, set a goal to lose one pound a week. To do this, the average person needs to cut 500 calories a day out of his diet. This can be achieved - in part - by drinking more water and substituting simple carbohydrates with complex carbohydrates (i.e. brown rice, whole wheat bread and whole wheat pasta). Most important: reduce portion sizes. “The biggest problem we have in this country is that we consume more food in a day than we ever need.” Pelitera’s final piece of advice is to identify a form of physical activity that you enjoy and then get moving. “Tweak your workouts every so often to keep them interesting,” he adds.
“Chuck was pretty honest with me that I needed to get in better shape,” recalls Joseph R. Mamott MSEd ’07, a former Golden Griffin pitcher (1993-1994) who teaches in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department at Erie Community College. “He encouraged me to workout and start eating healthier. I lost about 35 pounds, became a more conditioned athlete and a better baseball prospect,” adds Mamott, who was a sixth-round draft pick by the Boston Red Sox, where he played for three seasons. “He is very personal, approachable and down-to-earth.”
And for those who want to start more slowly, Pelitera offers some less structured options: walk the dog, rake the leaves, garden, park farther away at the store, ride your bike, and take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Pelitera employs the same strategies in the classroom.
It’s food for thought from someone who makes it his life’s work to help others get healthy.
“I think what makes Chuck such a dynamic professor is that he balances the coursework with personal experiences he’s had throughout his profession,” says Gregory T. Goldin ’11, a physical and health education alumnus. “Everything he teaches is applicable in real life situations.” Pelitera’s tenure as an educator came about somewhat unexpectedly when the college asked him to fill in for another professor. He agreed to do it and “discovered I have a real passion for being in the classroom.”
“It really all comes down to quality of life,” says Pelitera who adds, simply, that regular exercise prolongs optimal health. “People live longer nowadays but the question we all need to ask ourselves is ‘Do we really want to live longer if we don’t have the quality of life to enjoy it.”
Canisius Scholars make the world their classroom Two Canisius alumnae and a current student will get a global perspective on their studies as recipients of nationally-prominent scholarships.
Natalie J. Photiadis ’10 is a J. William Fulbright Scholar. Named for Senator J. William Fulbright, it is the U.S. government’s premier scholarship program designed to foster mutual understanding among nations through educational and cultural exchanges. The scholarship program provides recipients with tuition, fees, travel and research funds for a full year. Photiadis will use her Fulbright to study how the European Union’s (EU) asylum policy can be influenced by Sweden and Italy, to ensure human rights and protect national interests. Italy and Sweden receive higher-than-average requests for asylum. In recent years, Italy’s influx of asylum applications put severe pressure on the country’s system. Sweden, however, developed an institutional structure for handling asylum applications. Photiadis will conduct her research at Sapienza University in Rome and at the University of Malmö in Sweden. A former member of the All-College Honors Program, Photiadis holds degrees in international relations and communication studies. Following her term as a Fulbright Scholar, she plans to attend New York University School of Law as a participant in its Institute for International Law and Justice Scholars Program. Photiadis is the 35th member of the Canisius community to receive a coveted Fulbright award in nearly a quarter century.
Candace B. Lukasik ’11 is in Oman, this summer, to study Arabic language and culture on a Critical Language Scholarship (CLS). Awarded
by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational Affairs, the CLS Scholarship is part of a government effort to expand the number of Americans who study and master critical languages. Lukasik is using her scholarship to study at the World Learning Center in Muscat, the capital city of Oman. A political science and international relations dual major, Lukasik participated in the AFS (American Field Service) Summer Language Institute in Cairo, Egypt freshman year and the CLS program in Amman, Jordan sophomore year. She returned to Cairo junior year as a recipient of a prestigious David L. Boren Scholarship. Lukasik will continue her Arabic language and culture studies in graduate school and pursue work with the U.S. State Department. Canisius sophomore Sean Santiago ’13 is a recipient of a Boren Scholarship. Funded by the National Security Education Program, Boren Scholarships are awarded to undergraduate students who want to study in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests abroad. Santiago will receive up to $20,000 to support a full year of study in the Intensive Arabic Language and Cultural Studies Program in Ibrid, Jordan. He will also study Middle Eastern politics, religion and history. An international relations and Spanish dual major, Santiago is a member of the All-College Honors Program. He studied Spanish at La Universidad Pontifica Comilas in Madrid last semester and also participated in the National Council on U.S. Arab Relations summer internship program. Photos (l-r): Natalie J. Photiadis ’10, Candace B. Lukasik ’11 and Sean Santiago ’13 C ANI SIUS COLLEGE M AGA ZINE • SUMMER 2011 |
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LiVING STORY BY: AUDREY R . BROWK A
MISSION
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International service-immersion experiences challenge students’ ideas about the world and transform their hearts. Alicia Monaco ’11 spent most of her young life in Buffalo, NY so when an opportunity arose for her to travel to Chennai, India, she didn’t hesitate to make the trip. Unlike most travelers who stay in Chennai just long enough to book a ticket to somewhere else, Monaco committed to spend two weeks in the rural, southeast corner of the country to serve the region’s most vulnerable people: the Dalits (India’s ‘untouchables’). This was going to be the trip of a lifetime for Monaco. It was – but in ways she never expected. “I went there to help the people and ended up feeling completely helpless,” says the English alumna. “There was very little I could do to change the poverty, the discrimination and dehumanization of these people. Instead, they changed me.”
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Monaco is among a legion of Canisius College students who participate in Campus Ministry’s international service-immersion program. What began more than a decade ago with a single service trip to Mother Teresa’s Mission of Charity Center in Mexico City is now a burgeoning cultural service and immersion program that challenges students’ ideas about the world and transforms their hearts. “The trips all respond to a call from the Jesuit leadership,” says Luanne Firestone, associate campus minister and coordinator of Campus Ministry’s international service-immersion program. “They urge Jesuit universities to develop students whose hearts are touched by direct, personal involvement with innocent suffering.”
“We always monitor the countries that we go to,” says Rev. John P. Bucki, S.J., director of Campus Ministry. “We look at what the government recommends for U.S. citizens. We speak with other Jesuit universities who travel to the same places. We talk to our hosts about what it’s like on the ground. At the end of the day, we do what is most safe.” Danger of a different kind may also threaten the trips. Students need to be careful not to – consciously or unconsciously – flaunt American ideals of democracy, equal opportunity or free enterprise to people who have little hope of achieving the same. A lot of time is spent deconstructing American tendencies in the months that lead up to the trips. Students attend weekend workshops and regular team meetings. There are required readings. Students are assigned books about social justice, spirituality, and the economic and sociological conditions in their respective countries.
licia Monaco ’11 befriends two young Indian girls whom she taught English to at A Loyola College in Chennai.
Canisius students receive that involvement on any of Campus Ministry’s five yearly international trips, which take place on four continents and one island nation. In Chennai, India, they partner with the Jesuits at Loyola College to educate young Dalit children. At the Working Boys Center in Quito, Ecuador, Canisius students help train shoeshine boys to become skilled laborers so they may climb out of poverty. Otherwise these working children, some as young as six years old, are made to forgo their educations to ply their trade on the streets to support their families. In El Salvador (see page 18), students work to rebuild some of the country’s most oppressed communities, which remain ravaged 20 years after its brutal civil war. Canisius teams build homes and help grow food for the impoverished in Kingston, Jamaica. They serve as full-time caretakers to at-risk, orphaned and foster children in Zmiaça, Poland. Such direct, hands-on actions provide help where it is needed. But they are just a Band Aid on a bullet wound if the complexities and causes of injustices aren’t considered and questioned. This requires the much harder ministry of immersion, which is to live with, listen to and learn from the impoverished. “Former Superior General Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J., believed that students’ contact with the gritty reality of the world will cause them to feel it, to think about it critically, to respond to its suffering and to engage it constructively,” adds Firestone. “In order for us to successfully respond to Father Kolvenbach’s call, we must open our hearts and minds to spirituality, social justice, solidarity and simplicity, which is why these values serve as the cornerstones for all Campus Ministry trips.” Make no mistake - these international experiences are far from vacations. Safety concerns are always an issue when students travel abroad. Escalating violence related to drug cartels and gangs in Jamaica prompted Campus Ministry to cancel its 2010 trip to the Caribbean island. Similar circumstances in Mexico City led to the indefinite cancellation of Campus Ministry’s popular trip to Mother Teresa’s Mission of Charity Center. group of young Dalit children prepare to perform a dance in celebration of Pongal, A an Indian festival to commemorate the new harvest.
They go, knowing they will forfeit the comfort of their homes and residence halls to live primitively, at best. They eat foreign foods, sleep in tight quarters and are routinely at the whim of someone else’s schedule. What’s more, Canisius students are essentially out of touch with the modern society. Prior to his Jamaica trip, T.J. Rogers ’11 admits he was constantly connected to his virtual world. The communications alumnus blogs, tweets and posts status updates on Facebook. Rogers couldn’t imagine life without his Blackberry but good things happened when he disconnected. “I centered less on things and more on people and relationships,” he says. Rogers experienced the richness of this with two Jamaican boys, Roman and Romaine, while on a farm, near Kingston, Jamaica. The boys told Rogers the Canisius team was their favorite group to visit. “They explained that a lot of people who come to the farm don’t take the time to get to know their names, let alone anything about them or their interests,” recalls Rogers. “We were different, they said, and .J. Rogers ’11 poses with nine-year old Antoine in Kingston, Jamaica, where the T Canisius team worked alongside community residents to build a house for a local family.
manda Nugent ’11 gives a young orphan girl a sense of love, A well-being and family.
eam Ecuador poses outside the home of an Ecuadorian ‘mama,’ who welcomed T the Canisius students into her home for a traditional ethnic meal.
they’ll always remember us for that.” And Rogers will always remember them. “That experience taught me that if you don’t take the time to talk to the less fortunate or the marginalized, then you indirectly deprive them of their dignity.”
This realization provokes students to dig deeper to understand why justice has yet to work its way toward equality in the developing countries they visit. T.J. Rogers still struggles with why Jamaica is a country of such extremes.
Relationship-building is vital to the service-immersion experience. Students are expected to be open and honest. They are always mindful to show respect, compassion and tolerance; to demonstrate that they are companions to the people on their road to justice. And although language barriers can present significant obstacles, students aren’t required to be fluent.
Tourists are most familiar with the island’s northern coast. Known for its beautiful white-sand beaches, resorts and shopping centers, this part of Jamaica is also home to the island’s wealthy natives who live in first-rate housing and send their children to private schools. On the southeastern coast of Jamaica is Kingston. Families here live in one-room shanties made of tin scraps. They exist on limited food supplies and have inadequate “There is a lot that can be communicated without knowing the language,” access to clean water, quality healthcare and education. Children walk barefoot along the dirt roads littered with broken glass, rusty nails and explains Alicia Monaco. rocks. She recalls the vulnerability she felt upon her arrival in India. Monaco didn’t speak the language, didn’t look like anyone else, and was unsure “There is so much money coming into the country on one side of the how she might be received by the Dalit families. Although discrimination island but somehow it never reaches the people who need it most,” says against India’s lowest caste is illegal, the Dalits face violent reprisals if Rogers. “Where’s the justice in that?” they forget their place in society. Monaco relied on “eye contact, body Mary Mietlicki ’12 asked a similar question following her trip to Quito, language and a lot of head-nodding” to communicate and soon realized Ecuador in May. Upon arriving, she and her Canisius group drove up into these basic human connections serve as a universal language. the mountains to visit the homes of the shoeshine boys. “We connected just by sharing that friendly touch and smiling back and forth,” explains Monaco who gives the example of a young Indian girl who demonstrated the art of Henna painting on Monaco’s hand. (Henna is an ancient Indian plant used to create ornate, temporary skin art.) “I realized that simply being with the people is as important as any relationship we can have with them because when we create relationships with one another, we grow in solidarity.”
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“These boys earn 85 percent of their households’ income,” says Mietlicki. She explains that the shoeshine boys travel two hours by bus to the Working Boys Center, everyday. They arrive at 6:00 a.m. for breakfast, attend school from 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., and then work on the streets until nightfall. “Despite their earnings, they and their families are often malnourished. None have medical or dental care. And they live – crammed – in two-room, dirt-floor homes with no electricity or running water.”
“I really didn’t think I would be going this year,” says Amanda Nugent ’11. The psychology and sociology dual major traveled to the Dzielo Pomacy Dzieciom Orphanage in Poland her sophomore and junior years. She hoped to return one last time before graduation but couldn’t afford the $2,100 expense. Nugent was determined, however, to see “her children.” She asked her parish priest if she could address the congregation about her ministry. He agreed and Nugent received enough donations to make the Poland trip this summer. “These students see and experience real-world issues that no textbook can clearly convey yet they rarely, if ever, receive academic credit and they incur a significant amount of the travel expenses,” explains Luanne Firestone. “They do it because they are committed to serving others, just as their Jesuit education encourages them to do.” In return, students’ international service-immersion experiences color their lives.
ary Mietlicki ’12 helps Shirley make fabric picture frames to sell to American M volunteers at the Working Boys Center and people on the streets of Ecuador.
Seeing this harsh reality influenced the remainder of Team Ecuador’s trip. “We can feed the hungry, visit the sick or shelter the homeless but what’s the purpose if it doesn’t fix anything,” asks Mietlicki. “We need to understand why people are hungry, why they are sick or why they are homeless.” The answers to these complicated questions are considered during evening reflections. This spiritual component enables students to process the good, the bad and the ugly about what they did and saw during the day. “If you don’t process and put it through a filter to help better understand the injustice, then it’s really a futile effort,” explains Marie Schuster ’11, who traveled to El Salvador in May. It helped, notes the international relations and German alumna, that President John J. Hurley - or El Hefe (Spanish for ‘The Boss’) – made the trip. “He is very in tune with his spirituality and was very open with us during reflection. This made everyone more comfortable and really brought the discussions up a level.” It is also through reflection that students discern the root causes of injustice and determine what they can do to help break the cycle. “We promise not to let the stories of the impoverished die once we return home,” says Monaco. “We need to be their voices. We need to tell our families, our friends and members of our church and community about their struggles to create awareness because their stories are the inspiration for social change.” This was Monaco’s second international service-immersion experience, as well as Mietlicki’s. It was Schuster’s third. They are among several Canisius students who make return trips whenever financially possible. The trips average between $1,500 and $2,000 dollars. Students pay the majority of the expenses out-of-pocket, aside from any money they raise through a silent auction, a spaghetti dinner and a letter writing campaign.
T.J. Rogers’ time in Jamaica convinced him that he wanted to further his commitment to social justice. He is currently serving one year at a refugee center in Detroit, MI as part of a Jesuit Volunteer Corps initiative. Mary Mietlicki’s international service-immersion experiences helped the childhood and special education major realize she wants to work with high-needs students at an inner-city Catholic school. Andrea Nugent began a year of service work at Maggie’s Place in Phoenix, AZ, where she helps homeless, single mothers stay sober and find employment. Alicia Monaco “learned what it means to live simply, to value relationships, to engage her spirituality and to dig for the truth behind injustices.” No matter where they ultimately land, Canisius students leave the college having gained new perspectives, and insight into their personal values and their expectations. “They learn something on a particularly profound level and carry that with them in their heads and hearts, and let that serve as their guiding voice to live more just lives,” says Father Bucki.
wo Dalit children, known as ‘The Music Man’ and his MC (master of ceremonies), T strike a pose just prior to a performance.
El SAlvAdoR: STORY BY: JOHN J. HURLEY
A r eF Lec t ioN
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“What you cannot do… is to consider yourselves…‘We, the people of the United States,’ and then live the good life of manipulated, unconcerned people in suburbia who grant honorary degrees to people from the Third World, and then refuse to join them in the fight for justice and liberty for the poor of this world.” - Canisius College Commencement Address of Rev. Cesar Jerez, S.J., May 20, 1978
I suppose the words of Father Jerez had haunted me long enough. A Guatemalan Jesuit who was the provincial for the Central American Province of the Society of Jesus, Father Jerez received an honorary degree and delivered the commencement address at Canisius College graduation in 1978. At that time, he was under constant death threats in Central America because of his identification with the needs of the poor and the marginalized. I went searching for a copy of Father Jerez’s commencement address a few days before I departed for an immersion trip to El Salvador sponsored by Canisius College Campus Ministry. In preparation for the trip, I learned that Father Jerez had been a confidant of Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was assassinated in 1980 while celebrating Mass in a small chapel in San Salvador. I traveled with seven Canisius students, as well as Associate Campus Minister Sarah Signorino ’04, MS ’08, and Rev. Frank LaRocca, S.J., assistant professor of management and marketing. Over 10 profoundly moving days, our delegation heard stories of the civil war, which raged in El Salvador from 1980-1992. Seventy-five thousand innocent people were slain in the conflict that pitted leftist guerillas against the U.S-backed right-wing government. Today, the country continues to rebuild from that horror as it battles a series of environmental, economic and social challenges.
he would join thousands of campesinos (farmers), who left their homes to work the coffee, sugar cane and cotton harvests on the estates of the handful of families who control most of the wealth in El Salvador. The workers had little water to drink, food infested with rodents and no facilities to bathe. On payday, they were often cheated. Pablo became a pastoral worker and helped to form the grassroots Christian communities that flourished in the time of Archbishop Romero. Like others who did that work, he was persecuted. Pablo was arrested three times during the war. At one point, he was tortured for 27 days. Four of his children were killed in the war; a fifth child survived but, crippled by his war wounds, committed suicide shortly after the peace accords were signed. There was the story of Rogelio who, as a nine-year old resident of Copapayo, watched the Salvadorian military kill his parents, sisters and other relatives during one of the indiscriminate massacres of innocent people in villages known to have produced resistance fighters. Today, as the survivors of that massacre attempt to rebuild their lives in a new village, Rogelio continues to struggle with the horror of what he witnessed as a young boy.
On the trip, we met Pablo, a poor farmer whose tiny plot of rented land did not produce enough food on which to live. Each year,
El Salvador is a pilgrimage site for students in Jesuit schools because the Jesuits’ identification with El Salvador’s poor and marginalized landed them in the middle of critical events of the civil war.
A mural of Archbishop Oscar Romero on the Wall of the Disappeared in San Salvador. The wall lists the names of all the (known) people killed during El Salvador’s civil war.
P resident John J. Hurley holds one of the children he visited with at the Oscar Romero Community just outside San Salvador.
eam El Salvador meets with children at a school in El Sitio. T The children are descendents of family members whose village was raided and whose people were massacred during the civil war. ( l-r) Kristin Hill ‘14, Lacey Schmitt ’12 and Allison Braun ’12 work outside Centro Arte para la Paz (Center of Arts for Peace) in Suchitoto, where they planted climbing vines.
To hear more about President John J. Hurley’s experiences in El Salvador, watch the video at canisius.edu/elsalvador.
Late one evening in November 1989, six Jesuits at the University of Central America in San Salvador were slaughtered in the garden outside their residence. Their cook and her daughter, who slept in a nearby guest room, were also killed. We visited the site where the Jesuits maintain photo albums with graphic pictures of the carnage of that night. We saw the museum where the priests’ blood-stained and bullet-riddled clothes are preserved. We stood in silence in the garden where the cook’s husband planted eight rosebushes to commemorate the martyrs: six red for the Jesuits, two white for his wife and daughter.
hardscrabble San Salvador where two rival gangs are active. He flashed a wide smile and conveyed an infectious hopefulness as he urged us all to work for la paz, the peace. As we said goodbye, he and Father Frank embraced, and each gave the other his blessing in a simple but beautifully moving moment.
Healthcare for the poor exists in theory only: We learn that it is not unusual for two in three persons to be denied access. On a visit to a San Salvador public hospital, we saw an example of this. As we stood in an open-air hallway speaking with a physician, a gurney was wheeled by us. On the gurney was the body of a campesino, who appeared to arrive too late. His dirty, bare toe stuck out of the sheet that covered his body. The doctor paused in mid-sentence, made the Sign of the Cross, and then continued to speak with us.
our hearts? What does all of this tell me about my life and where I am going?” Our students readily shared their thoughts. Their spirituality still in formation, they sometimes struggled with the language to describe their thoughts and feelings. But, separated from their cellphones and Facebook, they allowed the stories of El Salvador to touch them at their cores.
We met people who give their lives to the people of El Salvador. Our host in Suchitoto was Sister Peggy O’Neill, a Sister of Charity who is among those who developed the Centro Arte para la Paz, a cultural center for peace. A New Jersey native, she is a warm, loving person with a great spirituality. She came here in the middle of the civil war and has devoted The trip was not simply a reconstruction of this extremely painful time her life to promoting peace. During our group session the first night, she in El Salvador’s history. Unfortunately, the horror continues today. The reflected on Christ’s descent from the cross and her own efforts to take poor are still poor and job opportunities are extremely limited. Hundreds people down from their crosses. She asked us to think about what we can of people line the streets of San Salvador to eke out a living. They sell do to remove crosses from peoples’ lives. The challenge takes on new “stuff,” - small quantities of candy, produce or personal care accessories. meaning in this modern day Golgotha. An entire generation of young men has been enticed to immigrate I came to look forward to our daily reflection sessions, when we sat with illegally to the United States where even minimum wage jobs enable the students and processed the day’s events. It is an Ignatian moment them to send money back home. when we asked each other “Where did we see God today? What troubled
The troubling realization is that while this is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere (after Haiti), it is still considered a Second World rather than a Third World country. From this bleak mosaic of violence and misery, however, the indomitable human spirit of the Salvadorans emerges and shines. They are people characterized by their perseverance, hope, forgiveness and love. They touched my heart with their warmth and their emotion. We met Father Luis, the pastor of a poor church in the middle of a
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They began to discover how the Spirit can work in their lives. I urge our Canisius students to use this experience as an awakening, as an event that will shape how they will live their lives. I urge them to never forget the emotions they experienced on this trip - the feelings of outrage at man’s inhumanity toward man and the overwhelming feelings of sadness at so much suffering. The Rev. Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, former Superior General of the Society of Jesus, spoke of the need for our direct personal involvement with innocent suffering and the need of Jesuit-educated men and women to feel it, think about it critically, respond to it, and engage it constructively. This is my hope for our students and for our world.
Elizabeth N. Kolber ’72 MSEd Invests in the future of students Elizabeth N. Kolber ’72 MSEd served as dean of students at Medaille College for more than a decade when she decided on a career change. A friend recommended her for a position as a financial consultant at Merrill Lynch. Such a move may seem drastic but Kolber notes a common thread between the two positions – helping people prepare for their futures.
some reason,” she explains. “I wanted to start a scholarship that enables an adult to come back to college; typically a student who might also be supporting a family, which can add to the financial strain.”
Kolber’s past experiences as dean and her current roles as first vice president and wealth management advisor at Merrill Lynch, give her a distinct perspective on the demands college students face, particularly the financial challenges. She also has a clear understanding of what it is like to be an adult student. Kolber earned her master’s degree at Canisius College while she worked full-time and attended classes at night and during the summer.
The scholarship is just one of the many ways in which Kolber supports Canisius. Currently a member of the Board of Trustees, she also served on the Board of Regents and has participated in numerous other volunteer activities at the college. In addition, Kolber is a longstanding member of the Scholarship Associates and Leadership Society. She has been honored by alma mater with the Distinguished Alumni Award; the LaSalle Medal, which is the highest honor accorded to a Canisius graduate for service to alma mater; and with membership in the DiGamma Honor Society.
All these influences played a part in her decision to establish the Elizabeth N. Kolber Scholarship Fund at Canisius, which is designed to provide financial assistance to non-traditional students. “Not everyone has the opportunity to attend college when they are 18 years old or sometimes a person starts but their studies get interrupted for
When Kolber reflects on the advice she might give recipients of her scholarship, she says “As they go through their lives, if they have an opportunity to help somebody, they should do it,” she concludes. “The Jesuit education really inspires you to become all that you can be. Life is pretty exciting if you let it happen and get involved in it.”
Campaign Update As of August 3, Canisius College has secured $82.4 million in commitments toward its $90 million goal for A Legacy of Leadership: The Campaign for Canisius College. To learn more about our campaign, visit canisius.edu/campaign.
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The Impact of Planned Gifts at Canisius College Brandon R. Fetzer ’12 is like many college students. He works part-time to help finance his education. He aspires to become a lawyer and is well on his way thanks to a Frank G. Raichle HON ’68 Pre-Law Scholarship. The tuition assistance provided by the scholarship means Fetzer can work less and devote more hours to the study of Constitutional law and contracts.
A nationally-recognized Buffalo trial attorney, Raichle established the scholarship through a planned gift to the college. The scholarship is an ideal example of how gifts, made through estate plans, can have a long impact at Canisius. Planned gifts play an especially important role in the current Legacy of Leadership campaign for Canisius College. To date, more than $15 million in bequests and other planned gifts have been pledged or realized. These commitments support a wide variety of campaign priorities, including endowed scholarships and programs, as well as Science Hall and the Library Learning Commons. “I realize that I will not always be here to provide my annual support, so to ensure my continuing investment and to leave an indelible imprint on the institution I care so deeply about, I have provided for Canisius in my estate plans,” says Joseph (“Jerry”) Castiglia ’55, HON ’94, honorary chair of the Rev. James M. Demske ’47, S.J., Society, which recognizes planned giving donors. Castiglia’s estate plans include support to the Canisius College Accounting Department and the Joseph J. Castiglia ’55 Accounting Endowed Scholarship Fund. “I am proud to include alma mater as part of my legacy and I invite all alumni and friends to make Canisius part of their legacies, as well,” adds Castiglia.
Brandon Fetzer ’12 (fourth from right) poses with fellow scholarship recipients at the Frank G. Raichle Pre-law Scholarship Dinner. Pictured (l-r) are Bryce Hopkins ’12, Christina Gullo ’12, David Roberts ’13, Steven Schrader ’12, Mitchell Wilcosky ’12, Brandon Fetzer, Danielle DelMonte ’12, Vincent E. Doyle III, Esq., guest speaker, and Michelle Hempel ’12.
To learn more about how you can make a difference at Canisius College through planned giving, contact the Division of Institutional Advancement at 716-888-8200 or visit canisius.edu/support/ demskeForm.asp.
45th Annual Regents Scholarship Ball: An Evening in Support of Canisius Students The Regents Scholarship Ball drew nearly 600 Canisius alumni and friends to the annual gala on May 7. Their support helped raise $110,000 in scholarship funds for the college. Vincent J. ’68, MBA ’77 and Patricia A. Mancuso served as co-chairs of the event for the second consecutive year. Independent Health was the presenting sponsor. The highlight of the evening is the presentation of the Board of Regents Distinguished Citizen Achievement Award. The award recognizes an individual’s contributions to the economic, civic and cultural well-being of Western New York. This year’s recipient was Angelo M. Fatta ’66, PhD. Fatta is president of the ANSECO Group, an international consulting firm that provides regulatory guidance and expertise in consumer product safety, particularly toys.
He was one of the founding members of BuffLink Inc., a private-sector initiative that promoted the creation of a regional life sciences economy in Western New York. During his tenure as chair of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO), Fatta led a team from the board to undertake a successful $30 million capital campaign, which secured the orchestra’s financial future and preserved its rich tradition in Buffalo. Photo, left: The 2011 Distinguished Citizen Achievement Award-winner, Angelo M. Fatta ’66, PhD (right), poses with Ariana Incao ’13 (left), the recipient of the Angelo M. ’66 and Carol A. Fatta Family Scholarship, at this year’s Regents Scholarship Ball. Photo, above: Ashley Johnson ’09, Shannon Callahan ’09, Neil Donhauser ’09, Jessica Aliotta ’09 and Emily Buehrle ’09 were among a growing number of young alumni to attend the Regents Scholarship Ball.
To view more pictures from the Regents Scholarship Ball, visit canisius.edu/regentsball.
All-College Honors Alumni: Always Ready for a Challenge Alumni of the Canisius All-College Honors Program are no strangers to a challenge. So it is no surprise that these graduates generously rose to the occasion and committed a combined $11,000 in support of the Honors Program, in year one of a three-year fundraising challenge set forth by Matthew E. Raiff ’91, PhD. “I benefited significantly from the hands-on learning experiences of the Honors Program and I am very pleased to be able to help today’s honors students be enriched by similar opportunities,” says Matthew J. Klaben ’91. The Amherst Women’s Interclub Council recently recognized Irene E. Adamski ’81 for her leadership with the Canisius College Scholarship Associates. Adamski is the founder and chair of the Scholarship Associates, which was established in 1963 for the sole purpose of raising scholarship support for Canisius students. To date, the Canisius College Scholarship Associates have raised more than $1 million for the college.
Continued support of the Honors Program is needed to meet a three-year goal of $30,000, which will propel the program to even higher levels of excellence in research, programming and vibrant learning opportunities in and out of the classroom. To make a gift to the All-College Honors Program, contact the Canisius Fund Office at 1-800-201-4952 or visit canisius.edu/gift (click on “Canisius Fund” and then type “Honors Program” in the special instructions section).
Cieslica ’91 Named New Director of Canisius Fund Jeanmarie O. Cieslica ’91 is the new director of the Canisius Fund. Responsible for the college’s annual fundraising appeal, she directs fundraising efforts in eight divisions and develops the college’s annual giving plan.
Many thanks to the faithful Canisius Fund cabinet members, volunteers and donors who helped raise $2.584 million in gifts and pledges for the college during its 2010-2011 campaign. Canisius revamped the yearly fundraising initiative last year to give donors the option of designating their gifts to the programs, departments or initiatives of their choice. Photo: Nancy Ware ’78, MBA ’85, chair of the 2010-2011 Canisius Fund cabinet presents a check to Canisius College President John J. Hurley
“We are very excited that Jeanmarie has chosen to return to alma mater,” said Craig T. Chimdemi, vice president for institutional advancement. “A consummate professional with more than 20 years in advancement, she brings great organizational skills to the department. I have no doubt that volunteers and staff will be influenced by Jeanmarie’s enthuJeanmarie O. Cieslica ’91 siasm and leadership.”
Prior to Canisius, Cieslica served 15 years as director of corporate and annual giving for the Hospice Foundation of Western New York. She is a member of the Western New York Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Board of Directors, and holds a bachelor’s degree in communication studies.
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Kevin M. Degnan ’92: Born to Run
K
evin M. Degnan ’92 was born to run but his journey has not been easy.
The former cross country star was forced to put his career on hold after he was hit by a car freshman year at Canisius. Degnan suffered two decades of long-standing injuries until he opted to have his left leg amputated last year. Ironically, that surgery put Degnan back on his feet. With the aid of an artificial limb, Degnan is running again. He choose the Canisius College-sponsored Shoes for Shelter 5K race for his comeback. “To run again, let alone to be associated once more with Canisius College, really put my drive into high gear,” he relates. “I finished in 29 minutes, 30 seconds – that is a personal victory for me.” Degnan was a high school cross country star who earned a four-year scholarship to run at Canisius.
“From the get-go, Kevin had a distinct passion and was a tenacious runner,” recalls W. Daniel McNaughton MS ’80, former Canisius cross country coach. “That year the team finished second in the Mid-American Conference finals and I believe if Kevin had not been injured, we would have taken first place.” Degnan was struck and nearly killed by a car while training at home in West Seneca. He was in a coma for more than a month and had to learn how to walk again. One year later, McNaughton invited Degnan to run with the cross country team during practice. “I knew I would not be able to run as I once did but that day gave me the confidence to run in some way,” Degnan explains. “I felt I was part of the team and that gave me more energy to move forward.” Returning to classes was also a challenge and Degnan credits the late Melvin Schroeder, associate professor of English, and Candalene J. McCombs, PhD, associate professor of sociology, anthropology and criminal justice, with helping him through. “Professor Schroeder helped me develop a sense of humor and Dr. McCombs took me under her wing, with a lot of guidance,” says Degnan. He earned a bachelor's degree in communications. Today, Degnan works for a market research firm and plans to keep running. He leads an effort to create an amputee support group with the help of Kenmore Mercy Hospital's AthletiCare, where he underwent rehabilitation. “I want to set an example and help others surpass their challenges,” he concludes. “My Jesuit education at Canisius taught me that even after losing a leg, I can still be a leader.”
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S P O T L I G H T
canisiusconnections Capitol Voice Silenced: James T. Molloy ’58, HON ’95 James T. Molloy ’58, HON ’95, the former doorkeeper of the House of Representatives, died on July 19, 2011. He was 75 years old. During Molloy’s two decades of service in the House, he oversaw a staff of nearly 400, controlled access to the chamber, and managed the page program, the cloakrooms and the press galleries. Molloy’s most familiar duty was to announce the president at the State of the Union address. He served through six presidential administrations, from Richard Nixon to Bill Clinton, until the 215-year old post was eliminated in 1994. Congress honored Molloy’s esteemed service in 2006, when it renamed the South Side Buffalo U.S. Post Office the James T. Molloy U.S. Post Office. Molloy held a bachelor’s degree in economics from Canisius and a juris doctor from St. John’s University. In 1995, the college conferred an honorary degree upon Molloy. He is survived by his wife, Roseann, and daughter, Amy.
James T. Molloy ’58, HON ’95
Help Make Canisius “A Home Away From Home” While there’s no place like home, the Canisius Nochajski, who are friends of the college, serve as her Community Family Program does help out-of-town host family. They introduced Dias to the Western students feel more comfortable in their new Main New York area and gave her greater exposure to American culture. Dias also spent Street surroundings. The program Thanksgiving and Easter Sunday is comprised of Canisius alumni, with the Nochajski family. faculty, staff and friends, who host students throughout their four years. “My parents came to Buffalo for Students do not live with their hosts the holidays at Christmas and but are invited to dinner or family they felt reassured after meeting outings every so often. the Nochajskis, knowing that I had someone to turn to if needed,” “The program helps students tranadds Dias, whose friendship with sition to their lives in a new city, the Nochajskis will continue while it promotes the benefits of when she starts her second year of Canisius and the Western New York studies at Canisius. area,” explains Kathleen M. Farley ’07, MS ’09, assistant director of The Canisius Community Family residence life and coordinator of Program enhances the experiences the Office of International Student of students from more than 27 Programs. different countries and 21 states throughout the U.S. Its success “It is a great experience and we Maria Teresa Dias ’12 depends on participation from the enjoy all kinds of activities together, from dinners in Buffalo to snow-tubing in the country,” college community. adds Maria Teresa Dias ’12. To learn more about the program or to become a host Dias came to Canisius from Brazil to study in the family, contact Kathleen M. Farley at (716) 888-2784 or graduate sport administration program. Gary and Gayle farleyk@canisius.edu.
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hether you wanted to relive a favorite Canisius tradition, revisit with your former college professors or renew your wedding vows, Alumni Weekend 2011 included something for everyone. The classes of 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006 celebrated their milestone reunions on Friday, June 3 with individual class gatherings around town. Saturday’s events included a series of faculty lectures and presentations from a wide range of departments; campus tours; an ice cream social; and a special Mass, at which alumni couples renewed their wedding vows. President John J. Hurley also led a panel discussion on the college’s Catholic, Jesuit identity. An Alumni Quad Party capped off the two-day weekend. Complete with food, drinks and live music, the evening event recalled a time-honored Canisius tradition.
SAVE THE DATE! ALUMNI WEEKEND 2012 | JUNE 1 & 2 Photo, above: Young alumni turnout was high at Quad Party 2011!
PHOTOS (Clockwise from top, right) (l-r) Leo J. Flanagan ’77, Erik L. Brady ’76 (former Griffin mascot), Peter F. Brady ’76, Stephen R. Brady ’78 and Thomas P. Coyne ’77; Future Golden Griffins Emily Grandstaff (daughter of Shana Higbie-Grandstaff ’96) and Matthew Monsalve (son of Pilar Blanck-Monslave ’96) at the ice cream social; Dennis Wilson ’97, John Saltos ’97, Wilson Molina and Stanley Purdie II ’97 play in a pick-up basketball game at the Koessler Athletic Center; Alumni attend a faculty lecture with Melissa Wanzer, EdD, professor of communication studies; Dr. DW (Daniel B. Wopperer) ’76 gets down on the dance floor; Kimberly J. Ruppel ’06, Nina Maria Barone ’06 and Nicholas D. Barone ’06 celebrate their five-year reunion
Visit the Canisius Facebook page to see more photos and video from Alumni Weekend 2011 facebook.com/canisiuscollegealumni C ANI SIUS COLLEGE M AGA ZINE • SUMMER 2011 |
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he Canisius classes of 1951, 1956 and 1961 marked milestone reunions in May, during the college’s commencement weekend. The festivities kicked off on Friday, May 20 with campus tours and a social, followed by Saturday’s undergraduate commencement ceremonies at which alumni from the classes of 1951 and 1961 processed with the Class of 2011. Later that evening, the Jubilarians gathered for class dinners at Sonoma Grille, The Pierce Arrow Transportation Museum and the Country Club of Buffalo. The milestone reunion weekend concluded on Sunday with the traditional Golden Plus Mass, celebrated for all alumni who graduated more than 50 years ago.
PHOTOS (Clockwise from top, left) (l-r) R. Carlos Carballada ’56, HON ’81, Norman F. Corde ’56, Leo A. Bradley ’56, John W. Sheele ’56; Thomas J. DiPasquale ’51 and Robert J. Burton ’51; William L. Holcomb ’56; Hon. John J. LaFalce ’61, HON ’90, Bonnie Strauss, John L. Strauss ’61, HON ’96; Leonard J. Jarmusz ’61 and Francis J. Seymour ’61
class notes 1940s ’46 BS, HON ’78 John T. Curtin, district judge for the United States Federal Government, was re-certified as a senior, part-time federal judge. He is one of the longest continuously serving judges in the history of Western New York.
1950s ’51 BS Carmelo A. Scaccia, retired senior vice president and chief financial officer of AM&A’s, was inducted into the Canisius High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Honor for his outstanding dedication to Jesuit education. ’52 BS Robert D. Wischerath, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of ACI Controls, was inducted into the Canisius High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Honor for his outstanding contributions to business. ’54 BA, MS ’62 Thomas J. Caulfield, PhD, professor emeritus of counselor education at Canisius College, presented on a panel at the 2011 HIRE Education Conference. His presentation was entitled “Preparing for Your Future Career in Education.”
’68 BA Joseph W. Keefe, private practice attorney, was appointed director of the Lancaster Area Chamber of Commerce for 2011-2012. ’68 BA, MS ’81 John J. O’Connor, a Vietnam War veteran and retiree of the Erie County Department of Social Services, received the Liberty Bell Award from the Bar Association of Erie County for his work as mentor and coordinator of the Buffalo City Court’s Veterans Treatment Court. ’68 BA Denise E. (Beiter) O’Donnell, former United States attorney, was appointed director of the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance by President Obama. ’69 BS, MBA ’72 Anthony N. Diina, president of Metrodata Services Inc. and Insight Associates Inc., received an honorary degree of doctor of humane letters at Trocaire College’s 50th annual commencement ceremony on May 15, 2011. ’69 BA, HON ’09 Norman S. Paolini Jr., co-founder of St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy, was inducted into the Canisius High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Honor for his outstanding contributions and selfless service to Buffalo’s poor.
1960s
1970s
’61 BS Frederick G. Attea, partner at Phillips Lytle LLP, was appointed to a three-year term on the NativityMiguel Middle School Board of Trustees.
’70 BA James L. Budny, MD, a neurosurgeon at Millard Fillmore Hospital, was named to Business First’s “Top 50 Doctors in Western New York” list.
’62 BA Stanley J. Nowak, chief pilot for the Niagara Frontier Flying Club at Prior Aviation, was re-elected president of the Aero Club of Buffalo.
’72 BA Victor C. Laudisio, a customer relations manager at the U.S. Postal Service, serves on the Buffalo/Niagara Postal Customer Council Board of Directors.
’63 BS Charles L. LaChiusa, a retired teacher and a trustee for Preservation Buffalo Niagara, received the Augspurger Award from the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society for his outstanding service to the cause of local history through his website, Buffalo Architecture and History.
’72 BA Ronald H. Luczak, vice president of business development for The Travel Team/American Express, was elected to a five-year term on the Shaw Festival Board of Governors.
’63 BA James N. Schmit is the new special counsel in the Labor and Employment Practice Group of Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel LLP. He previously served as special counsel at Damon & Morey LLP. ’66 BA Paul B. Hurley Jr., PhD, president of Trocaire College, was named to the 2011 Irish 100 list. The list honors 100 education leaders in the United States who are of Irish descent and display a commitment to excellence. ’66 BA Hon. William M. Skretny, United States chief federal judge, was named an honorary director of the General Pulaski Association. ’68 BA Paul G. Hashem served as interim superintendent of the SpringvilleGriffith Institute School District. He previously served as superintendent of the Lackawanna City School District until his retirement in 2008.
’73 BA Raymond K. McGurn, a building inspector for the city of Buffalo, was honored by the Judge John D. Hillery Memorial Scholarship Foundation for his humanitarian efforts.
’76 BS Peter J. Harrington, PhD, founder of Better Pharma Processes LLC, authored the book Pharmaceutical Process Chemistry for Synthesis: Rethinking the Routes to Scale-Up, which was published by John Wiley & Sons Inc.
’80 BS Thomas R. Wach, president and chief executive officer of EGW Personnel Staffing, received the Charles Campbell Sr. Outstanding Service Award from the Buffalo-area Engineering Awareness for Minorities (BEAM) organization.
’76 BS Michael J. Sammarco, chief financial officer at ECMC, was elected to the ECMC Lifeline Foundation Board of Directors. He was also elected assistant treasurer of the Erie County Medical Center Corporation Board of Directors.
’81 BS William M. Prohn, managing director for Dopkins System Consultants, earned the designation of Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control.
’78 BA Timothy G. DeZastro, MD, chief of radiology at ECMC and managing partner of Saturn Radiology PLLC, was elected to the ECMC Lifeline Foundation Board of Directors. ’78 MBA James W. Ingham is the new chief financial officer of Meals on Wheels for Western New York. He previously served as vice president of finance and administration at Mentholatum. ’78 BA, MBA ’85 Nancy (Wutz) Ware, owner of EduKids, was awarded a Buffalo Niagara Business Ethics Association Award in the large business category at the 2011 Awards Luncheon. ’79 BA Paula R. Dhanda, MD, a gynecologist and surgeon at her own practice, received the Physician of the Year Mission Award from Adventist Health for her contributions to women’s health locally and internationally. ’79 MBA Robert J. Klein is the new associate broker at Hunt Real Estate ERA. He previously served as vice president and chief financial officer for Delta Sonic until his retirement. ’79 BS James S. Smyczynski, chief auditor at National Fuel Gas Corporation, was appointed to the Western New York Chapter of The Institute of Internal Auditors Board. He was also re-elected to serve as vice president of administration on the Greater Niagara Frontier Council of the Boy Scouts of America Executive Board. ’79 BS Lee C. Wortham, partner at Barrantys LLC, was appointed to a two-year term on the Evans Bancorp Board of Directors.
’82 BA Kevin E. Cichocki, DC, chief executive officer for Palladium Health Care, was elected vice chair of the Erie County Medical Center Corporation Board of Directors. ’82 BA Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker, president and chief executive officer of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, was elected to the Foundation Center Board of Trustees. ’82 BS Patrick M. Gallivan, New York State Senator, was appointed chair of the Senate Social Services Committee and chair of the Senate’s Children and Families Committee. He was also named a member of the Energy, Labor, Tourism, Banks, Insurance and Investigations committees in the New York State Senate. ’82 BA John T. Kolaga was named a partner in the Environmental Law Practice Group at Damon Morey LLP. He previously served as special counsel. ’82 BA James R. McHugh, president of Personal Touch Food Service Inc., was appointed to a three-year term on the Gilda’s Club Western New York Board of Directors. ’83 BS Mark A. Aquino was promoted to regional manager of the Risk Management Department at Utica National Insurance Group. He previously served as district loss control manager at Utica National’s Amherst District Claims Office. ’83 MBA Nancy M. Blaschak, executive director of the Greater Buffalo Chapter of the American Red Cross, was appointed to a three-year term on the Gilda’s Club Western New York Board of Directors.
1980s
’83 BS, MBA ’94 James F. Dentinger, president of McGuire Development Company LLC, was elected vice chair of the Erie County Medical Center Lifeline Foundation Board of Directors.
’80 BS, MBA ’89 Neil J. Farrell, a registered representative at Carter Financial Management LLC, was honored by the Judge John D. Hillery Memorial Scholarship Foundation for his humanitarian efforts.
’83 BA Cindy A. (Carlisle) Eller, vice president for development at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, was named board member-at-large of the Western New York Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Board of Directors.
’75 MS Lynn (Weissman) Klein retired from her position as a fourth grade teacher after 33 years with the Buffalo School District.
’80 BS Peter D. Farstad, chief administrative officer of LifeSource, was elected to serve a two-year term as treasurer of the national Organ Procurement and Transportation Network Board of Directors.
’83 BA MaryLynn Ryan, bureau chief of the Southeast region and director of Weather Unit at CNN, received a Peabody Award for her team’s comprehensive coverage of the Gulf Coast oil spill.
’76 MS, MS ’83 James C. Bodziak is the new superintendent of the Frontier Central School District. He previously served as superintendent of the East Aurora School District.
’80 MBA Marsha (Spence) Henderson, consultant to the president at the University at Buffalo, was elected to a three-year term on the Evans Bancorp Board of Directors.
’83 BS Margaret M. (Stanton) Steffan, vice president for finance and treasury operations at Independent Health, was elected secretary of the Southeast Works of Depew Board of Directors.
’73 MS Edward J. Reska, a retired teacher, serves as treasurer of the General Pulaski Association. ’74 BS Stephen T. LoVullo, CPA, partner at Lumsden & McCormick LLP, was recognized as the Outstanding Accountant in Western New York at the 55th annual Canisius College Accounting Society Banquet.
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class notes ’83 BS Jill M. (Maloney) Syracuse was promoted to executive president, chief service officer at Independent Health. She previously served as senior vice president of member services. ’84 BA Linda M. DiPasquale, attorney at her own law firm, serves as a board member on the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission. ’84 BS Anne (Schneggenburger) Lavigne, director of system configuration at Independent Health, was elected vice president of the Southeast Works of Depew Board of Directors. ’84 BS, MBA ’92 William J. Maggio Jr., president and chief executive officer of Immco Diagnostics, was a speaker and honored guest at Canisius College’s Wehle School of Business Beta Gamma Sigma Honors Banquet. ’84 BA Frank J. Sava was promoted to vice president of public relations at Independent Health. He previously served as director of corporate communications. ’85 BS Gerald F. Pullano, CPA, partner at Chiampou Travis Besaw & Kershner LLP, earned his Chartered Merger and Acquisition Professional (CMAP) designation. This certification acknowledges professionalism, expertise, objectivity and integrity in the field of mergers and acquisitions. ’86 BS Maureen M. (Courtney) Lehsten, chief financial officer of the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care, serves as treasurer of the Gilda’s Club Western New York Board of Directors. ’86 BS Bernadette (DiMaggio) Lynch, director of TRiO Student Support Services at the Rochester Institute of Technology, was honored as a Million Dollar Principal Investigator for writing and receiving a grant of more than one million dollars from the Department of Education. ’86 BS Mark J. Mendel was promoted to senior vice president at M&T Bank. He joined the bank in 1991. ’88 BS, MBA ’92 Jeffrey A. Folckemer, chief executive officer of Local Edge, donated five automatic heart defibrillators to the city of Lockport after he worked with a volunteer firefighter to save the life of a man who had a heart attack in a local gym. ’88 BS Brian D. Russ was appointed superintendent of the East Aurora School District. He previously served as director of instructional technology and chief information officer. ’89 BA Elizabeth A. (Bauer) Donovan, director of public relations and special events for Baker Victory Services Inc., received the Canisius College Marilyn G.S. Watt Alumni Award. ’89 BA Michelle M. (Wynne) Parker, partner at Anspach Meeks Ellenberger LLP, was elected president of the Evans-Brant Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. ’89 BS Salvatore Rizzo is the new senior manager in the Tax Advisory Group at
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Dopkins & Company LLP. He previously served as principal in the Tax Division at the Bonadio Group.
1990s ’90 MBA Christopher C. Kempton, director of group benefits at Walsh Duffield Company Inc., was named treasurer of the Clarence Industrial Development Agency. ’90 BA Nicholas J. Ligammari III, a police officer in the Niagara Falls Police Department, was a member of the Leadership Niagara 2010 graduating class. ’91 MS Steven A. Achramovitch is the new superintendent of the Hamburg School District. He previously served as the superintendent of the Greece Central School District. ’91 BA Peter W. Ahrens is the new president of Five Star Investment Services. He previously served as vice president and head of financial planning for HSBC securities. ’91 BA Anne W. Burrell, television host of the Food Network’s ”Secrets of a Restaurant Chef” and ”Worst Cooks in America,” signed a book deal with Clarkson Potter to write two books. The first book will be published in November 2011. ’91 BA Jeanmarie (O’Rourke) Cieslica, is the new director of the Canisius Fund at Canisius College, and was named vice president for membership of the Western New York Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Board of Directors. ’91 BA Kristin E. (Greismann) Etu was promoted to assistant director of public relations at Canisius College. She previously served as a public relations specialist. ’91 BS Ronald J. Yoviene, senior partner at Lincoln Financial Group, serves on the Financial Planning Counselors of Western New York Board of Directors. ’92 BS Julie A. (Siebert) Edmonds is the new corporate recruiter at Inergex. She previously served as an employee relations consultant at HSBC. ’92 BS David T. Karb, the perishable operations manager at Tops Markets, serves on the Lancaster Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
on the ECMC Lifeline Foundation Board of Directors. ’93 BS Erin M. (Colvin) Collins, co-owner and director of marketing and client services at David Collins Productions, was appointed to a three-year term on the Gilda’s Club Western New York Board of Directors. ’93 BA James V. D’Anza, principal law clerk in the New York State Court of Claims, received the “Forty Under 40” Award from the Rochester Business Journal, in recognition of his professional success and community involvement. ’93 MBA Deborah Q. Gondek, director of sustainability at Rich Products, was elected president of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western New York Board of Directors. ’93 BA, MBA ’95 Benjamin J. Harp, chief operating officer of Polymer Conversions, was named to the MedTech Board of Directors. ’94 BS Carolyn M. (Hoch) Powell, business development manager at Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, was a member of the Leadership Niagara 2010 graduating class. ’94 BS Ian M. Sullivan was promoted to deputy chief of the Community Integration Group at the National Counterterrorism Center in Washington, DC. He previously served as branch chief in the International Terrorism Group. ’94 BA Michael A. Whipple, vice president of the Business Banking Division at M&T Bank, was elected to the Amherst Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. ’95 MBA Mark C. Cieslinski is the new senior vice president of sales at Help Remedies. He previously served as vice president of U.S. marketing and sales at Mentholatum. ’96 BA Therese J. (Angilella) Hickok, senior marketing manager at Uniland Development, was elected to the Amherst Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. ’96 BA Judith A. Perez, a participant in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s Graduate Fellowship Program, obtained her PhD in sociology from Fordham University.
’92 MBA Maureen Millane, PhD, is the new director of career services at Daemen College. She previously served as associate dean at Canisius College.
’96 BA, MS ’00 Tava Shanchuk is the new director of marketing at Damon Morey LLP. She previously served as director of public relations for the HauptmanWoodward Medical Research Institute.
’92 BS Glenn W. Osswald, information systems specialist at Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara, was a member of the Leadership Niagara 2010 graduating class.
’97 BS John A. Alessi was promoted to partner at Hodgson Russ LLP. He previously served as senior associate.
’92 BA Michael J. Pietkiewicz, assistant vice president of government relations at the University at Buffalo, was elected to the Amherst Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
’97 BA David C. Greenman, director of mission advancement at Mercy Flight of Western New York, was named a board member-at-large for the Western New York Chapter Association of Fundraising Professionals Board of Directors.
’92 BA Michael C. Straeck, president and chief executive officer of Buffalo Ultrasound, was re-elected to a one-year term as regional director of the National Association of Portable X-Ray Providers. He also serves
’97 BS David R. Stromecki, vice president of Brown and Stromecki Agency Inc., was elected to a three-year term on the National Society of Financial Services Professionals Board of Directors.
COLLEGE M AGA ZINE • SUMMER 2011
’97 BS Mark C. Zawodzinski, vice president at Five Star Bank, was named chair of the Taste of Buffalo Board of Directors. ’98 MPA Gian P. Giandomenico, a claims supervisor at First Niagara Risk Management Inc., was a member of the Leadership Niagara 2010 graduating class. ’98 MBA Jeffrey Kerl was promoted to credit officer in the Credit Administration Division at Middlesex Savings Bank. He previously served as credit analyst. ’98 BS, MBA ’02 Jason B. Krempa, business banker at KeyBank, was named co-chair of the Ken-Ton YMCA Strong Kids Campaign. ’98 BS Kyle F. Mauro was promoted to manager of the Due Diligence Field Examination Group at Dopkins ABL Consulting Services. He joined the firm in 2009. ’98 BA Andrea C. (Weiss) Mount was promoted to vice president, director of enrollment at the Institute for Professional Development. She previously served as director of enrollment. ’99 BS Jessica J. Burgasser, senior associate at Brown and Kelly LLP, was appointed substantive liaison for the Asbestos Medicine Committee of the Defense Research Institute for 2010-2011. ’99 BA Heather A. (McKinney) Filipowicz, senior director of advancement at the Greater Buffalo Chapter of the American Red Cross, was elected president of the Western New York Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Board of Directors. ’99 BA Karrie L. Rose, a student at the Chicago School for Professional Psychology, made the dean’s list for the past five quarters.
2000s ’00 BS Sarah A. (Smolinski) Bell successfully passed the February 2011 Florida Bar Exam. She attended Florida Coastal School of Law and graduated in 2010. ’00 BA, MSED ’01, MS ’05 Robert I. Haley, a teacher at Cleveland Hill High School, was recognized as a national “Innovative Educator” by Visa Inc. ’00 BA Jarod T. Haslinger was promoted to administrative vice president at M&T Bank. He joined the bank in 2000. ’00 BS Susan M. (Mugas) Mineo, DVM, a veterinarian at Blue Cross Animal Hospital, was elected to a two-year term on the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society Board of Directors. ’00 BS, MBA ‘07 Michael J. Petri was promoted to principal at Summer Street Capital Partners LLC. He previously served as vice president. ’01 BS Amanda L. Antonik, PharmD, was promoted to pharmacy district manager for Rite Aid Pharmacy in Buffalo. She previously served as supervising pharmacist in Orchard Park.
’01 BS Jonathan S. Bialek was promoted to director of Agency Integration at Digital Insurance. He previously served as manager of quality assurance and will continue to oversee the Quality Assurance Department. ’01 MS Lori E. Miller, president and owner of Developing Professionals, serves on the Lancaster Area Chamber of Commerce for 2011-12. ’01 MS Lisa M. (Eichner) Roy, a senior director at the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, was named a board member-at-large for the Western New York Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Board of Directors. ’02 BS Erin L. Cody is a new associate at Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham & Coppola LLC. She focuses her practice in the areas of insurance defense litigation, business litigation and general corporate matters. ’02 BS, MSED ’07 Kristy M. Grossman is the new head coach of the girls’ varsity lacrosse team at Amherst High School. She also serves as a physical education teacher at Smallwood Drive and Windermere Boulevard Elementary schools. ’02 BA David J. Hill is the new community relations associate in the Communications Department at the University at Buffalo. He previously served as a reporter for the Tonawanda News. ’02 BS Joy E. (Giolando) Reese was promoted to district pharmacy supervisor for Walgreens in San Diego, CA. She previously served as pharmacy manager for Walgreens in Phoenix, AZ.
’03 BS Susan M. Osborne is the new director of sales and marketing for Ashton Place, a senior living community, in Clifton Springs, NY. She previously served as rooms’ division manager of the Ramada Geneva Lakefront. ’03 BA Joshua J. Russell, a student in the environmental studies PhD program at York University, was awarded a research fellowship at the Animals and Society Institute for his dissertation work, entitled “On Lifetimes: Children’s Experiences of Animal Death.” ’04 BS James E. Hornung Jr., president of Elbers Landscape Service, was elected vice president of the Snow and Ice Management Association Board of Directors. ’04 MS Peter A. Petrella is the new director of business development for the Buffalo Sabres. He previously served as vice president of business development for the Buffalo Bills. ’04 MBA Danielle M. (Clarke) Robertson, financial representative at Benefit Concepts, was certified in long-term care by the Corporation for Long-Term Care Certification. ’04 BA Garrett J. Smith was promoted to chief marketing officer at VoIP Supply. He previously served as director of marketing and business development. ’05 BS Andrew P. Devine, law student and publications editor for the Buffalo Law Review at the University at Buffalo Law School, served as law clerk for the Honorable John T. Curtin ’46 in Buffalo’s Federal District Court in summer 2011.
I n M emoriam James H. Batt ’39 February 15, 2011
George P. Schillinger ’49 January 27, 2011
Gerard J. Metz ’40 March 27, 2011
Arthur J. Donley ’50, MS ’55 John J. Mattimore ’52, February 7, 2011 MS ’61 April 28, 2011 Otto H. Lambrix Jr. ’50
Bruno J. Zwolinski ’41, PhD October 25, 2010 John J. Szymanski ’43 November 29, 2010 James P. McDonald ’44 April 2, 2011 Eligius A. Wolicki ’46, PhD February 18, 2011 Richard J. Kubiak ’47 February 4, 2011 John J. Bodkin ’48 March 26, 2011 Catherine E. Crocuston MS ’49 February 7, 2011 Girard E. Georger ’49 February 20, 2011 John Rudich ’49 March 12, 2011
February 27, 2011 Joseph F. Badame ’51, MS ’58 February 9, 2011
William J. Gavin ’52 April 9, 2011
Walter F. Spara ’52, MA ’62 March 12, 2011 Robert W. Bartels ’53 February 4, 2011
Leo A. Bauman Jr. ’51 March 21, 2011
Thomas A. Smith ’53 February 16, 2011
Roland J. Carr ’51 December 12, 2010
Carl A. Vizzi ’53, MS ’61 April 8, 2011
Rev. William E. Foley ’51, DD William J. Morrissey ’54 September 17, 2010 March 2, 2011 William J. Murray ’51 April 15, 2011 William F. Schabel ’51 April 13, 2011 Sister Noreen Sturm ’51, MA ’58 March 5, 2011 Martin B. Breen ’52 April 13, 2011
Richard A. Pytak Sr. ’54, MS ’77 March 4, 2011 Donald F. Lisowski ’55 February 14, 2011 John R. Tuck ’55 April 13, 2011 Theresa M. Lawrence ’56 January 17, 2011
’06 BA, MBA ’08 Dana M. (Tintner) Bennett was promoted to marketing manager at Hodgson Russ LLP. She previously served as business development coordinator. ’06 BA Robert F. Dimmer is the new marketing manager at Biel’s Document Management. He previously served as marketing manager at The Colad Group. ’06 BS Kara B. Hejmowski was promoted to manager of the Fairfield Inn & Suites by the Marriot hotel in Clearwater, FL. She previously served as front office manager of the Sleep Inn Amherst. ’06 BS, MSED ’09 Stephen F. Ola is the new head coach of the boys’ varsity lacrosse team at Williamsville North High School. He was a member of the Canisius College men’s lacrosse team from 2003-2006. ’06 MS Debra S. Park, associate vice president for public relations at Canisius College, is chair of the Board of Trustees at NativityMiguel Middle School of Buffalo. ’07 BA Joseph P. Heins, associate at Phillips Lytle LLC, was admitted to the New York State Bar Association. ’07 BA David M. Marsh is a new associate professor of English at Robeson Community College in Lumberton, NC. He previously served as an adjunct professor at SUNY Oswego and Onondaga Community College. ’08 BS Kyle B. Schneider is the new infrastructure support analyst at Curbell Inc. He previously served as systems network administrator at PCI.
Dorothy (Rowe) McGowan MS ’56 March 26, 2011 Timothy E. Sheehan ’56 April 25, 2011
’08 BA Christian A. Willmott, owner of The Nines Catering Company, featured a dish in the 2011 Lewiston Tour of Kitchens. ’09 BS, MBA ’10 Caitlin L. Hamric is a new staff accountant in the Accounting and Auditing Department at Tronconi Segarra and Associates LLP. She previously served as an intern in the Accounting Department at Moog Inc. ’09 BS Andrew J. Ziolo is a new staff accountant in the Buffalo Tax Department at Freed Maxick and Battaglia PC. He previously served as a tax auditor trainee II with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.
2010s ’10 BS Katie D. Bauman, a specialist in the U.S. Army, completed basic training at Fort Sill in Lawton, OK. ’10 MBA Matthew S. Burwick is the new licensed financial advisor at L&M Financial Services. He previously served as a licensed relationship banker at HSBC. ’10 MBA Daniel A. Spada is a new staff accountant in the Accounting and Auditing Department at Tronconi Segarra and Associates LLP. ’11 BS Brian S. Weinzler is a new staff accountant in the Tax Department at Lumsden & McCormick LLP. He previously was responsible for vendor relationships at Ingram Micro.
Francis J. Burg ’69 January 30, 2011
Edward H. Gabriel ’74 April 25, 2011
Joseph White ’69 April 21, 2011
Barbara E. (Driscoll) Hochreiter MS ’74 April 10, 2011
John E. Allen ’70 February 8, 2011
Michele M. Gimbrone MS ’75 Rita A. (Burke) Matuszak ’70 November 15, 2010 March 23, 2011 Beverly J. (Gast) Litz MS ’78 Richard J. Crino ’60 John F. Warren MS ’70 April 11, 2011 February 9, 2011 March 11, 2011 William R. Loncar ’81 Patrick F. O’Hanrahan Jr. ’60 Timothy O. Murrett ’71 April 3, 2011 February 8, 2011 February 16, 2011 Richard A. Kowalski ’84 Arthur L. Wortman ’62 Daniel A. Malachowski ’72 February 2, 2011 October 19, 2010 April 30, 2011 Emmett L. Reilly ’85 Louise H. (Sidorski) Rebecca J. (Wesson) February 7, 2011 Reisch MS ’63 Michalovic MS ’72, MS ’99 February 18, 2011 Christopher L. Payne ’95 April 1, 2011 March 28, 2011 Mary F. Crowley MS ’64 Robert M. McPartland January 25, 2011 MS ’73 March 9, 2011 Sister Marie Dorothy Clitheroe ’66 November 20, 2010 Erratum Janice L. Lemke MS ’67 The spring 2011 issue of Canisius College Magazine mistakenly March 29, 2011 listed Peter M. Palmisano ’71, MS ’77 in the “In Memoriam” Edward J. Wolf ’67 column. We are happy to report that Mr. Palmisano is alive March 10, 2011 and well, and living in Hamburg, NY. Canisius College Magazine extends its sincerest apologies. Daniel F. Mahoney ’59, MS ’62 March 18, 2011
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Betsy E. (Connelly) Bargmann ’02 and Karl F. Bargmann ’00, a son, Owen Karl, born October 24, 2010
Dean Ramirez ’98, MSED ’08 and Melissa Ramirez, a daughter, Molly Theresa, born March 7, 2011
Kyle L. (Brzezinski) Bourque ’03 and Dean A. Bourque ’05, a daughter, Layla Bernice, born August 28, 2010
Joy E. (Giolando) Reese ’02 and Scott H. Reese, a son, Aiden Scott, born December 1, 2010
Melissa (Steinwachs) Cox ’99 and Richard Cox, a daughter, Isabelle Margaret, born June 7, 2010 Kara A. (Mineo) Cutler ’99, MS ’03 and Lance Cutler, a son, Brennan Andrew, born December 31, 2010 Sherrida V. Davis MBA ’00, a daughter, Sierra Vonshae, adopted June 30, 2011 Tracy A. (Wessel) Gray ’94 and Richard Gray, a son, Jacob William, born November 26, 2010 Elizabeth A. (O'Neill) Halvorsen ’92 and John Halvorsen, a son, Colin Maximilian, born January 11, 2011 Julia M. (Fox) Hilliker ’02 and Raymond Hilliker, a daughter, Madison Marcelle, born June 10, 2010 Miranda J. (Thomas) Jolly ’02 and Zeb Jolly, a daughter, Evelyn Reese, born March 12, 2011 Stephen C. Lingle ’03 and Danielle Lingle, a son, Connor James, born April 7, 2011 Margaret E. (Beltrami) Moberg ’04 and Amos Moberg, a daughter, Caroline Elizabeth, born March, 29, 2011 Andrea C. (Weiss) Mount ’98 and Chad Mount, a son, Matthew Roger, born November 1, 2010 Samantha K. (Friedman) Olsen ’08 and Andrew T. Olsen ’07, a son, Oliver Samuel, born September 6, 2010 Colin D. Pratt ’07 and Laura Pratt, a son, Sydney Desmond, born July 29, 2010
Terrilyn R. (DiPasquale) Richards ’99, MS ’04 and Michael H. Richards MBA ’01, a daughter, Sophia Rose, born December 30, 2010 Colleen E. (Weld) Segarra ’97 and Andrew Segarra, a son, Jack Thomas, born February 15, 2011 Mary (Rowley) Sendlak ’05 and Jeffrey Sendlak ’04, a son, Liam Jeffrey, born March 7, 2011 Ann Marie (Caligiuri) Sobol ’94 and James J. Sobol ’93, PhD, a daughter, Claire Josephine, born December 24, 2010 Elizabeth M. (Priest) Spencer ’00 and Scott Spencer, a son, Jacob Wesley, born February 4, 2011 Lisa A. (Voigt) Stonebraker ’03 and Richard M. Stonebraker ’02, twin sons, Cal Mathew and Brett Richard, born December 28, 2010 Melissa S. (Pleban) Whitten ’01 and Daniel Whitten, a daughter, Madelyn Elizabeth, born December 22, 2010 Tricia A. (Oleksy) Winnicki ’00 and Jason R. Winnicki ’98, a daughter, Charlotte Claire, born January 5, 2011 Thomas A. Wolf ’86 and Tania Cervoni, a daughter, Quinn Audrey, born January 16, 2011 Erin L. (Grimaldi) Zablocki MSED ’08 and Paul A. Zablocki ’05, MS ’07 a daughter, Mia Allison, born July 16, 2010
Christopher F. Blersch ’01 and Angela L. Loccke on February 19, 2011
Paul F. Bove ’95 and Kellie Papatolicas on October 9, 2010 *Allison A. Kasperczyk ’07 and Andrew D. Leberer ’07 on June 25, 2011
Lyndsay A. Massare ’07 and 2nd Lt. Michael A. Kelly on June 19, 2010
Lisa M. Mendonza ’93, MD and David C. Mineo ’83 on April 30, 2011
*Lisa M. Pollak ’02 and Denis Hussainov on April 30, 2011
*Mark P. Rountree ’05 and Erin Esford on March 5, 2011
Christopher S. Ruminski ’98, MBA ’99 and Katherine E. Wild on October 23, 2010
Miranda J. Thomas ’02 and Zeb Jolly on May 1, 2010
T H I S I S S U E ’ S F E AT U R E D B A B Y G R I F F
Ian James born to Teresa K. (Boyer) ’03 and Derek Fleischmann March 15, 2011
Think your baby ought to be in pictures?
Send us a photo of your newborn with his/her name and date of birth. Each issue, we will draw from the entries. If your child’s picture is chosen, he/she will be featured as the next “Baby Griff.” Send photos to: Canisius College Magazine Baby Pictures; 2001 Main Street, Lyons Hall 209; Buffalo, NY 14208 or email a high resolution photo to alumnote@canisius.edu. ALL Baby Griff photos submitted can be viewed on the college’s alumni site at canisius.edu/alumni/ wedding_births.asp. Photos will be returned if a self-addressed, stamped envelope is provided.
New job? Newly married? New arrival to the family? Simply email your news and notes to alumnote@canisius.edu. The editors will share your accomplishments in a future issue of Canisius College Magazine. Just remember to indicate Alumni Note, Alumni Wedding or Baby Griff in the subject field of your email.
Keep Up with Canisius! Friend us on Facebook: facebook.com/canisiuscollegealumni Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/CanisiusCollege
*Indicates married at Christ the King Chapel.
Join us on Linkedin: linkedin.com/groups?gid=76807
To see what alumni events are happening in your area, visit the Alumni Calendar of Events at canisius.edu/alumni.
Fl
wer P wer
story by KRISTIN E. ETU ’91 Photos by Tom Wolf ’86
Mary Catherine Bukowski ’75, MBA ’79 cultivates pride by growing Buffalo in Bloom.
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Everything is coming up roses in Buffalo. The city is also awash in daisies, petunias and impatiens. This pictureperfect array of color and fragrance is the lush bounty of Buffalo in Bloom. The grassroots gardening initiative celebrates the efforts of city residents, businesses and institutions that adorn their streetscapes with flowers. Mary Catherine (‘Kate’) Bukowski ’75, MBA ’79 is the green-thumb behind the beautification project. “Our mission is to transform the entire city of Buffalo into the world’s largest flower arrangement,” says Bukowski, who is co-chair of the organization. “We want to improve the image and the appearance of the city, instill civic pride and make Buffalo a more attractive place to visitors.”
Sedita, who likens the scouting experience to that of the Publisher’s Clearing House Prize Patrol. “People never know when we’re coming and when we ring the doorbell they are thrilled to see us,” adds Bukowski. “They are always quick to point to the person responsible for all the hard work, whether it’s the husband, the wife, or a 12-year old.” Buffalo in Bloom posts pictures of the honorees’ yards on its website (buffaloinbloom.com). Recipients also receive a certificate from the mayor and discount vouchers from local nurseries.
With an estimated 15,800 city gardens recognized since 2004 (the inception of its recognition system), Buffalo Bukowski’s inspiration for the project came during a in Bloom is living proof of flower power. 1992 vacation to London. The city was in the midst of a “The best part of Buffalo is its heart and soul, and no competition called London in Bloom, which supports and where will you see that more prominently or proudly encourages gardening, horticulture and environmental displayed than Buffalo in Bloom,” says Anthony M. sustainability. Masiello ’69, HON ’96, who was mayor of the city of “I was really intrigued and wanted to gather as much Buffalo when Bukowski launched Buffalo in Bloom. “Kate’s energy and passion created the impetus to grow information as I could,” she recalls. this effort into a huge success for our neighborhoods.” Bukowski returned home with visions of growing similar Bukowski’s commitment to community is rooted in the gardens in Buffalo. family history of this third generation Canisius graduate. With the support of The Buffalo Green Fund, a non- Her late grandfather, James P. Cotter ’12, participated profit organization that promotes public beautification in projects to help missions. (Bukowski’s paternal grandprojects, and Buffalo’s Parks Department, Bukowski father, Bolesaw M. Bukowksi, MD, attended Canisius established Buffalo in Bloom as a gardening contest for two years but left for medical school.) Bukowski’s whereby city residents and businesses vied for cash late father, William M. Bukowski ’43, MD, was a prizes and horticultural honors in four categories. The beloved physician who spent his life helping people. annual competition sprouted in 1995 to overwhelming Bukowski’s mother, Marguerite (‘Bete’), volunteered success. at her children’s schools and activities, at local “There were nearly 600 participants,” recalls Bukowski. hospitals and with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Women’s Committee. Bukowski’s Bukowski says recognition became a far greater six siblings are also engaged in various motivator than a competition. People liked the bounty community initiatives. of praise they received from neighbors, friends and even strangers. “Community service was just something that was always around us growing “It’s not just about prettying up Niagara Square,” says up,” says Bukowski, who is a dedicated Robert J. Kresse ’50, HON ’00, a member of the Buffalo volunteer for many of the area’s non-profit Green Fund Board of Directors. “It’s about letting your organizations. neighbor know that you care about your house; from that comes imitation and emulation, and a groundswell of respect for public and private property.” Today, Buffalo in Bloom is a community-wide initiative that touches everywhere, from public spaces to forgotten neighborhoods on the East and West sides. Volunteer ‘scouts’ scour the city ready to plant one of the popular Buffalo in Bloom garden markers in front of homes, businesses and institutions that keep colorful, wellmaintained gardens. “We’re looking to see if the garden improves the overall look of the street,” explains Carol Sedita, a Buffalo in Bloom scout. “We take into consideration the neighborhood and the conditions, the flowers and the beds. If it looks like someone or someplace makes an effort to keep up their front yards, then we plant a Buffalo in Bloom garden marker in the garden,” says
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She served on the boards of directors for Western New York Public Broadcasting, the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, the Buffalo Green Fund and the Arts Council of Buffalo. Bukowski is also engaged at alma mater, where she earned her BA in art history and an MBA. She is a past volunteer for the Canisius Fund and the MBA Alumni Board, and served on her class reunion committee. Canisius recognized Bukowski’s service to the college when it inducted her into the DiGamma Honor Society. But Bukowski’s longest tenure of service is with the Junior League of Buffalo (JLB). Throughout her nearly three decades with the organization, she worked in various capacities to help the women’s group improve the community and promote volunteerism. Bukowski co-chaired
the JLB’s beautification effort for the World University Games when they came to Buffalo in 1993. Most recently, she helped procure the 2011 Decorator’s ShowHouse, the Bayliss-Oishei residence, which the JLB opened for visitors in April and May to help raise funds for several cultural and human services organizations throughout Buffalo. “Kate is the first one to say ‘yes’ when extra work needs to be done,” says Elizabeth Angelbeck, a fellow JLB member. “She has a real passion for the city of Buffalo and wants to do whatever she can to improve the city. It has almost become a vocation for her.” In many ways, it is. As a vice president and senior project analyst in the Community Reinvestment Department at M&T Bank, Bukowski monitors the bank to ensure it grants loans to a certain percentage of low to moderate income people, in accordance with federal banking regulations. She also administers an affordable housing program through the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York. “The whole idea is to get people, who are ‘un-bankable,’ loans at competitive interest rates so they can purchase a car or complete their educations,” explains Bukowski.
To help educate people and agencies about viable options, Bukowski serves on the Child and Family Services Ways to Work Loan Committee and the Wheels to Work Loan Review Committees, which assist individuals with bad credit. She also shares her financial expertise as a volunteer for the United Way CASH (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope) Program and VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance). Both agencies provide free and fast tax assistance for low and moderate income families. “Her persistence is remarkable,” says Sedita. “Kate has quietly worked in the background all these years and is reluctant to ever take any public credit.” “Kate doesn’t need any glory or reward,” adds Kresse. “The accomplishments are what are important to her.” She is, however, happy to reap the rewards of her own bountiful garden, which grows at her Buffalo home and blooms annuals, perennials, herbs and a few different varieties of vegetables. “My idea of a successful garden is to have a continuous bloom, from spring to fall,” says Bukowski. “Once one garden looks nice, everyone wants their gardens to look nice too. Pretty soon, the whole block looks better and an entire neighborhood is transformed.” Photos, above: Mary Catherine Bukowski ’75, MBA ’79 (upper left), plants new flowers in downtown Buffalo along with Buffalo in Bloom volunteers.
Canisius College Magazine 2001 Main Street | Buffalo, NY 14208 | canisius.edu
The nation will mark a somber anniversary on September 11, 2011, when it remembers the deadliest attacks ever to take place on U.S. soil. Nearly 3,000 lives were lost on that unimaginable day a decade ago. In the years since, Americans have balanced their resolve with vulnerability and a need to remember with a desire to move on. Pictured: Former Canisius College President Rev. Vincent M. Cooke HON ’10, S.J., gathers with students in the Quad for a candlelight vigil on the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks.