CARLOW UNIVERSITY ALUMNI NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 01
2
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.
MESSAGE from THE PRESIDENT DR. KATHY HUMPHREY
Happy New Year Alumni!
What a joy it is to meet so many of you as I travel about the city and the country.
One of our many goals is to create systems that will afford us the opportunity to engage with you more and to help you stay connected with one another. So we begin the year by sharing this first volume of “Celtic Connection,” the new Carlow University alumni newsletter. In this edition you will find information about our Alumni Council, faculty updates, event recaps, and news about future events.
Alumni are an essential part of our community. You serve as inspiration to our current students, and our greatest pride lies in your achievements. Your support of the Carlow community, in every capacity, is essential to our growth and future success. I hope you will continue the tradition of alumni giving that has helped generations of Carlow students become the people they want to become.
We invite all alumni to share your stories, and hope that you make a visit to campus in the coming year.
All of us at Carlow University wish you an exciting, enlightening and rewarding 2023.
Warm regards,
Kathy W. Humphrey, PhD
3
FOR A JUST AND MERCIFUL WORLD
Carlow has many initiatives to support
If you’d like to learn more or are interested in supporting in a specific way, please contact the Office of Advancement & Alumni Engagement by calling 412-578-6120, by email at giving@carlow.edu or by visiting our website carlow.edu/give
Commitment to Mercy Service
At Carlow, our tradition and dedication to building a more just and merciful world brought together hundreds of students, faculty, and staff for our 2022 Mercy Service Day. This special event takes place at the beginning of each academic year. This past year, Carlow connected with eleven different community organizations around southwestern Pennsylvania to clean, serve food, sort donations, garden and work on a new community playground. Mercy Service Day is designed to help all first-year students immerse themselves in Carlow’s long tradition of service. As an alumnus of Carlow University, we encourage you to join us for this long-standing tradition.
If you are interested in volunteering for our 2023 Mercy Day of Service, please email our office at alumni@carlow.edu.
Your Gift Makes an Impact
Every dollar counts towards improving our students’ experiences throughout the educational journey. As a university, the majority of our students are first-generation college students. Your support helps them have access to an education, a degree, and a better future. By supporting student scholarships, the endowment and student emergency funding you are truly making a difference in the lives of Carlow students.
4
A NOTE FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVANCEMENT & ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT
Dear Carlow Alumni,
I am very excited to be sharing with all of you the new “Celtic Connection” alumni newsletter. I hope that you will enjoy reading about Carlow University and your fellow alumni. Equally, I think you will be incredibly proud of your alma mater to see its growth, continued commitment to students and education and also the successes celebrated among the alumni community.
The support you give Carlow means so much to our current student body and will have lasting impact on our future generations. We appreciate your continued investment into Carlow University. I invite each of you, no matter where you live, to engage with us at Carlow. Share your story, champion an alumni chapter/group in your area, mentor a student, contribute to Carlow Scholarships or endowment, or simply reach out to tell us how you are doing. It is our goal to engage as many alumni as we can.
Thank you all for being a part of the Carlow alumni community. We thank you, we celebrate you and we always appreciate hearing from you. I look forward to your continued support for your alma mater in time, talent and treasure. Cheers to a wonderful 2023!
With Gratitude, Cara Kassabov Vice President University Advancement & Alumni Engagement
5
MEET the ALUMNI COUNCIL
LETTER FROM OUR ALUMNI CO-CHAIRS
Dear Carlow Community,
We are thrilled to be coming to you as Co-Chairs of our Alumni Council, serving as an extension of Carlow’s mission and values through cultivating and nurturing relationships with current and future alumni, and their respective communities.
The Carlow experience is different for all of us. Maybe you graduated from Mount Mercy or Carlow College. Perhaps you are a graduate of the world-class nursing program, or you’re a Madwoman in the Attic. Regardless of how individual our memories may be, there is one thing that unites us: our time at Carlow helped shape who we are today.
It is the feeling and sense of connection that the council wishes to leverage by seeking new members and by engaging with all Carlow alumni. We want to be a partner to our communities, embodying Carlow’s commitment to accelerating growth; optimizing learning; creating collaborative environments; and building financial health. In addition to our general alumni outreach, we seek engagement of all alumni through events that serve a purpose.
We cannot plan meaningful opportunities for connection and engagement without knowing what matters to our alumni - which is where you come in! There are still spots available on our council, and we’re looking for dedicated individuals who want to make a difference – and have fun while doing so! To apply, please visit carlow.edu/alumni-council
Here’s to a New Year and the future of you,
Stephanie (Krasinski) Laurenza, ‘11
Co-Chair
Carlow University Alumni Council stephanie.laurenza@gmail.com
Amy (Johnston) Allen, ‘00, ‘20 & ‘21 Co-Chair Carlow University Alumni Council allen.amy1214@gmail.com
6
Amy Johnston Allen, Esquire (Alumni Council Co-chair) graduated from Carlow University in 2000 with a B.A in Philosophy, in 2020 with an MBA and a Fraud and Forensics Graduate Certificate in 2021. She earned her Juris Doctor from Duquesne University School of Law in 2005. Amy serves as lead counsel, litigation at FedEx Ground.
“As a member of the Alumni Council, we are afforded the opportunity to amplify the University’s core Mercy values through philanthropic giving of our time and talents toward university initiatives. We also get to partner with and advise the University’s Advancement and Alumni Engagement team. This level of direct connection to the University helps us to work towards ensuring that all current and future alumni maintain a positive and ongoing relationship with Carlow.”
Stephanie (Krasinski) Laurenza (Alumni Council Co-chair) graduated from Carlow University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media Communications and a minor in Business Management. She earned her MBA and MA in Communications from Point Park University in 2019. Stephanie is manager of Communications for ATI, a global producer of high-performance materials and solutions for the aerospace and defense markets, and critical applications in electronics, medical and specialty energy. She credits Carlow with helping her become the woman she is today and is proud to be Co-Chair of the Alumni Council, helping to drive engagement with our past, present, and future alumni and the broader Carlow community.
Kaira Cooper, MBA graduated from Carlow in 2008 with a degree in Biology. She now works in Clinical Research Finance for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Kaira is elated to be a part of the Alumni Council to elevate Carlow’s on- and off-campus social dynamic, to match its world-class education, and because representation matters!
graduate with a BA in Corporate Communications. She currently works at Kennametal Inc. as a Communications Manager. Emily’s experience at Carlow - both inside and outside of the classroom - is the reason she serves on the Council today. Emily wants to ensure that students today have that same outstanding experience she once hadone way she can offer her ‘thanks’ to the university that served her well.
Abigail Hodnick graduated from Carlow in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in Biology and certification in secondary education. She is now in her tenth year as a physical therapist at the Western PA School for Blind Children in Pittsburgh.
“Being part of the alumni council is important to me because of the impact that the Carlow community had on me as a student. The scholarship support, personal connections, and opportunities for involvement and leadership gave me space to grow and excel that I could not have found anywhere else. I want to see those opportunities continue to grow
and thrive for current and prospective students, the future of our Carlow community”.
Renada Washington graduated from Carlow in 2003 with a BS in Business Management. She currently serves as Market Director for Dignity Memorial (SCI).
“Carlow is a big contributor to who I am today, and I want to give back to the institution that supported my career goals. I hope to be instrumental in someone else’s growth and development”.
Carly Rowe (not pictured) graduated from Carlow University in 2011 with her BS in Nursing and from the MSN/MBA program in 2017.
She has worked in a variety of nursing roles, with a focus on nursing leadership. During the covid pandemic in 2020 she worked in intensive care and now works in case management, where she assists patients transition out of the hospital and back into the community.
“Carlow has laid the foundation for me to have an impactful career and as a council member, I feel that I am able to give back to the university that gave me so much.”
7
Emily Kolek is a 2011 Carlow
Allen
Laurenza
Cooper
Kolek
Hodnick
Washington
CARLOW UNIVERSITY NEWS
Carlow University & Westmoreland Community College Partnership
On Tuesday, Oct. 4, Carlow University and Westmoreland County Community College held a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark a new chapter in an ongoing partnership. The event recognized the signing of a new dual agreement between the two institutions that will increase opportunities to meet the future workforce needs of the county and allow community college students a more seamless transfer to Carlow University.
Thanks to this agreement, Westmoreland County Community College students will be able to take advantage of a physical Carlow University location on the Westmoreland campus. This satellite location will allow students a direct pathway to a Carlow bachelor’s degree without having to travel to the University’s Oakland campus.
8
Carlow University Receives Single Largest Grant in its History
President Humphrey has announced the receipt of the University’s single largest grant in its history!
An anonymous benefactor has contributed $12 million to endow the Western Pennsylvania Early Childhood Apprenticeship Hub at Carlow for the benefit of future generations. The apprenticeship model was designed to address and eliminate barriers to degree completion while advancing the professionalism of early childhood education.
Launched in 2018, The Apprenticeship Hub at Carlow was approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor as the state’s first four-year early childhood apprenticeship program. The Hub provides a supportive degree pathway for underserved or harder-to-reach students and addresses one of the primary obstacles to building a high-quality early childhood education system: a well-trained workforce.
The Apprenticeship Hub has been named after; and inspired by, the leadership of Dr. Rae Ann Hirsch, the long-time Program Director for Early Childhood at Carlow University
Read more about this grant, why the Apprenticeship Hub is important and how it works by visiting carlow.edu/largest-grant
Carlow University Celebrates Grand Opening of New Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy Teaching & Learning Lab
Located on the top floor of the Antonian building of the Oakland campus, the state-of-the-art Carlow University Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy Teaching & Learning Laboratory was made possible through private grants and a $1 million Regional Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) award from the state of Pennsylvania. The opening of the Teaching & Learning Lab was also a special occasion as the University celebrated National Physical Therapy Month.
More information at carlow.edu/lab-opening
Faculty News
COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Rhonda Maneval was inducted as a fellow of the Academy of Nursing Education – and the American Academy of Nursing
Susan Mihaljevic was appointed as a member of national I-Human Advisory Board with educators across the US for development of simulation software for nursing students in Spring of 2022.
COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCE
Val Piccini and Dr. Keely Baronak successfully achieved International Dyslexia Association (IDA) accreditation for our reading specialist MEd program, 2022.
Dr. Mary Burke edited and published the third edition of Human Trafficking: Interdisciplinary Perspectives (Routledge), which included chapters by Carlow faculty Susan O’Rourke, Terri Collin-Dilmore, Sandi DiMola and Carlow PsyD students
SLP ACCREDITATION
Carlow University was awarded candidacy accreditation by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) in March 2021. The graduate program was officially launched in August 2021 with 22 students in our inaugural cohort. This past August, we welcomed another 24 students into our 2nd cohort.
Please save the date for a virtual meet and greet with Founding Program Director Samantha Dalessio, CScD, CCC-SLP and Dean of the College of Health and Wellness Rhonda Maneval, DEd, RN, ANEF, FANN for all Carlow Speech Pathology alumni on March 1, 2023.
$12 MILLION
Maneval
Mihaljevic
Piccini
Baronak
9
Burke
Homecoming 2022
October 7 through October 8, Carlow’s Advancement & Alumni Engagement team worked hard to enhance the homecoming experience for alumni, faculty, staff and students. Starting with a young alumni graduate happy hour to CU on the Green, our Rosie Luncheon benefiting Rose Marie Hauber, RSM endowed Scholarship to a Celtic’s tailgate at Highmark Stadium. Over four hundred people participated in our Homecoming festivities this year. This celebration has only set the stage to build a robust foundation for bigger homecomings in the future. Stay connected with us via our website for the release of Homecoming 2023 dates and a schedule of events!
National First-Generation College Celebration Day at Carlow
Carlow celebrated First-generation Students on November 8 at the First-generation College Student Celebration in University Commons, sponsored by TRiO. TRiO helps eligible students (First-generation, lowincome students and students with a documented disability) thrive in their educational journey by offering academic and social support. President Humphrey and Carlow alumni shared their first-gen stories and encouraged students to make the most of their college experience through campus resources. Are you a Carlow First-gen alumni and want to join us for next year’s first gen event? Please stay connected with us via our website for First Generation Celebration Day 2023.
61%
GRADUATES WERE FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS
Carlow alumna, Ricquel Williams, ’20 shares her first-gen experience.
OF CARLOW
10
2022 Carlow Laureate Awards
Carlow Laureates are alumni whose work, thought, and action demonstrate the highest standards of professional accomplishment and leadership, whether it is in their chosen discipline, in academics, or through community service. They also represent the University ideals especially one or more of the Core Values of the University: Sacredness of Creation, Service, Mercy, Discovery and Hospitality.
We are proud to present to you, our 2022 Carlow Laureates! For more informationon Carlow’s 2022 Laureate Awardees visit carlow.edu/laureates.
Pictured from left to right:
Sabrina Saunders Mosby, ‘11
Jasmine M. Cho, ‘19
Charleeda Redman MSN, RN ‘95, ‘00
Morton D. Stanfield Jr., ‘14
Amy Johnston Allen, Esq., MBA ‘00, ‘20
President, Kathy W. Humphrey, PhD
Board of Trustees Chair, Bryan F. DiLucente, CPA
11
SAVE THE DATES + RECOGNITION
YOUR PRESENCE
MAKES A DIFFERENCE: COME HOME TO CARLOW
Carlow University is a small but mighty University that has been transforming lives for 93 years. You, our alumni are compassionate and responsible leaders in your respective communities, and we want to bring you back home to Carlow! Join us to reconnect, reminiscence and relive the fun feelings you had in college, connect with old friends, and make new ones, all while learning how Carlow remains committed to educating the whole person.
REUNION DATES
Friday April 21 and Saturday April 22, 2023 Visit carlow.edu/reunion-weekend for more details.
We will be celebrating years 2022, 2018, 2013, 2003, 1993, 1983, 1973, 1963.
CARLOW SCHOLARS DAY
Thursday March 20, 2023
CARLOW DAY OF GIVING Friday March 17, 2023
LEGACY DINNER
Thursday March 16, 2023
Dean Rhonda Maneval’s COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS ALUMNI UPDATE
January 31, 2023 from 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
2022 WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE HONOREES
Carlow University celebrates this prestigious recognition and the amazing accomplishments of African American women in our region. A special shout out goes out to the 2022 Carlow Alumnae Honorees, who exemplify Carlow’s passion for working to foster a just and merciful world.
Latrice Ebo, ‘01
Gail E. Jackson, ‘96
Dr. Maleea Johnson, G ‘03
Latara J. Jones, G ‘05
Yolanda J. Murphy, ‘08
Alicia L. Scott, MSN, RN ‘97 Deborah Starling, ‘05
BECOME A CLASS AMBASSADOR
If you are interested in serving as a class ambassador and working with the Alumni Engagement office to represent your class year, please send an email to alumni@carlow.edu or become a class rep online by visiting carlow.edu/class-ambassadors to learn more about this volunteer opportunity.
CLASS NOTES
Devoted to the future of you - at Carlow, we are committed to always staying connected. We always want to hear from alumni! Visit carlow.edu/alumni today to update your information and submit class notes.
12
NEW CARLOW 30-SECOND TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
We are excited about you joining in our efforts to increase awareness of Carlow University across the region and beyond. Over the past six months, we have listened and gotten feedback from our trustees, alumni, students, faculty, staff, and the community about what makes Carlow distinct, and we have created a new campaign with the aim of no longer being the best kept secret.
Devoted to the Future of You
Since our founding by the Sisters of Mercy in 1929, we have been devoted to making the kind of positive impact for individuals that also would change generations to follow.
Nearly 100 years later, our mercy mission continues to empower a diverse community of learners to excel in their chosen work as compassionate, responsible leaders in the creation of a just and merciful world.
We are driven to help change people’s lives in ways that help our world to become an even better place. Our spirit of caring encourages opportunities for personal growth and the belief in what’s possible.
Our goal is to help people grow into the person they want to become and to stick with them every step of the way.
That’s why Carlow can say we are devoted to the future of you.
Please visit carlow.edu/TV to watch the new television commercial.
13
IN MEMORIAM
"Each day is a step we make towards eternity and we shall continue thus to step from day to day until we take the last step, which will bring us into the presence of God."
- Catherine McAuley.
14
Sister Genevra Baer, RSM ‘64
Colette Locke Brown ‘00
Emily A. Brunker, MBA ‘12
Gayle Carroll
Paula Humes Ciliberti, MA ‘68
Lynn M. Cole ‘84
Susan D. Craig
Shirley R. Cuban ‘94
Karen C. Cunningham ‘68
Peggy King Daugherty ‘49
Reeny Davison, EdD
Anna DiGaudio ‘67
Rhodora J. Donahue ‘47
Mary Lou Dunlay ‘53
Temujin Ekunfeo
Sister Marylouise Fennell, RSM, EdD
James P. Feudale
Deborah P. Fleming ‘67
Joan McElhinny Frank ‘70
Joanne Tiano Frank ‘64
Frank Fuhrer, Jr.
Audrey Turlick Fusco ‘51
Martha H. Garvey
Ruth M. Grant
Kimberly S. Hamilton
Patricia Bowser Hurwitz ‘60
Eleanor Kane ‘66
Nichole L. Leutenegger ‘21
Alice B. Loughney
Raymond W. Luczak
Patricia L. Maher ‘72
Anne C. McCafferty
Jennifer J. Milne, MEd
Janice L. Molinero, MSN ‘04
Sister Cecilia Murphy, RSM
Reverend Edmund B. Partridge
Julius Pegues
Leo M. Phillips ‘95, ‘99
Susan M. Ramsey ‘99
Georgine Scarpino, RSM
Carl Scott
Sister Leocadia Sevachko, OSBM ‘69
Ann Stockhausen Shally ‘81
Martin Silverman
Caroline T. Skonsky ‘98
Betty Smeltzer ‘02
Charles E. Stacey, PhD
Jacqueline McArdle Stromple ‘60
Jeanne M. Taufer RN, MSN ‘96
Rebecca J. Trimpey
Mary Pat VanTine ‘60
Tecla Kern Webber, MBA, BSN ‘67
If there is someone you would like us to acknowledge in a future issue, please contact our office at giving@carlow.edu
Seventh President of Carlow University and Sister passes away at age 83
Carlow University is saddened at the passing of Marylouise Fennell, RSM, EdD, the University’s seventh president, serving from 1982-1988. She was 83 years old.
As Carlow University president, Sister Marylouise (“Weezie”) expanded Carlow University offerings to align with the current and future needs of the professional community. In her work, she partnered with the American Management Association to offer courses directly on the Carlow campus. Cutting-edge degree programs in computer science, chemistry and journalism were added. She would later continue to serve professionally as a mentor, counselor, and search consultant.
“Sister Marylouise was a gracious and vibrant leader who made an immensely powerful impact as Carlow University’s President,” said President Kathy W. Humphrey, PhD. “Her influence touched lives nationally and internationally. Sister Marylouise never stopped giving back and advocating for the disadvantaged. She will be remembered as a model leader and pioneer for generations of Carlow University students to come. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family through this difficult time.”
In memory of alumni and friends of Carlow University we have lost from February 2022 through December 14, 2022.
15
University Advancement & Alumni Engagement 3333 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213
CARLOW UNIVERSITY ALUMNI NEWSLETTER