Alumni Herald Fall/Winter 2016

alumni herald East Stroudsburg Universit y of pennsylvania

F a l l / w i nt er 2 016

anniversary

homecoming baseball-softball

The many facets of

successful alumnus

CampusSnap

Students and alumni enjoy the Homecoming Bonfire.

Read more on Homecoming Weekend 2016 on page 22.

Photo by Lance Soodeen

yourself back at East Stroudsburg University (or ESSC or ESSTC) and remember the beauty of the changing foliage, the chill of autumn in the air and the warmth found in the friendships you made. Recollections of times past are mirrored in the Homecoming and alumni events found on pages 22-23.

Our feature story is about Andrew Mueller ’69, who, while a student, became an entrepreneur long before it was thought imaginable. Andrew’s story is one of passion and inspiration that aligns perfectly with our University’s strategic plan (esu.edu/strategicplan), particularly Goal 3 which encourages our students, faculty and staff to work toward the development of a reputation for innovation and entrepreneurship. We all can learn so much about success from Andrew; his tenacity, commitment and passion certainly embody the Warrior spirit we encourage today.

This semester at East Stroudsburg University, we’ve had our share of celebrations, changes and challenges. For the third consecutive year, we’ve celebrated an enrollment increase, albeit modest, and we’ve also launched the first cohort in ESU’s doctoral program in Educational Leadership and Administration. Spirited alumni have joined me and other members of the campus community for homecoming, alumni events and the President’s Gala; with every celebration, I meet new friends who relate wonderful stories of their time on campus and care deeply about their continued connections to ESU. Our annual Economic Outlook Summit hit another historic milestone with attendance topping 260 and this year’s One Book, One Campus program featuring The Circle

by Dave Eggers piqued our interest and led to some lively discussions across campus, particularly during a lecture with Nicholas Carr, author and journalist who spoke about the intersection of technology and culture, both heavily relevant topics covered in The Circle.

The face of ESU is ever-changing with new alumni board members and college deans joining the ESU community this fall. Please be sure to read about them on pages 5 and 16, respectfully, and get to know those who represent you on campus. In this issue of the Alumni Herald, you’ll learn more about the most recent acquisition for the ESU Sterling Strauser Gallery and envision the immense learning opportunities for our students involved in our new Sports Performance Institute.

Beyond these celebrations and changes at ESU, we also face the challenges of fiscal reality. This semester, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education faced its first-ever strike by the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF). The growing costs of collective bargaining contracts, coupled with dwindling support from the Commonwealth, have become a tremendous obstacle. With little left to cut in our budgets, it is disappointing that the rising cost of a Pennsylvania public education will be on the backs of our students

and their families. On a more positive note, the ESU Foundation has launched its Warrior Fund and is continuing to make strides in the fundraising initiatives for the baseball/softball complex collaboration with Stroudsburg Little League.

As you take a moment to reflect on your alma mater and the education you’ve received, please consider giving back with your time, your talents, your treasures. Help us to keep the celebrations coming, to continue making positive change to our campus, and to keep higher education accessible to today’s students.

Thank you! Have a terrific holiday season.

Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D. President

Cover Story Entrepreneur Andrew Muller ’69 took a childhood hobby of coin collecting, his passion for trains, airplanes and wildlife, and created A.C. Muller Enterprises, the umbrella company for Muller Rare Coins, Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad, Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, and the Reading Jet Center. The Alumni Herald caught up with Muller between his many trips from Hamburg, Pa., to Moon Lake Ranch, Neb., to learn how this dynamic ESU graduate made it all come together.

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Cover photo by Phil Stein

University President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D. Design and Production Office of University Relations Ideal Design Solutions Photography Dave Coulter Michael Cuff Susie Forrester Leon John, Jr. Lance Soodeen Phil Stein Bob Weidner

Contributors DeSantis Contracting LLC Caryn S. Fogel ’12 Brenda E. Friday, Ph.D. Lori Gilio Leon John, Jr. Frank Johnson ’74 Greg Knowlden M’04 Margaret Peterson Elizabeth Richardson Jessica Schultz ’16 Beth Severson Shelley A. Speirs ’92 Caryn Wilkie

Features 14 ESU by the Numbers

One of three universities in the State System with an enrollment increase.

20 Alumni Spotlight

esualumni.org/herald

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is committed to equal opportunity for its students, employees and applicants.

The university is committed to providing equal educational and employment rights to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran’s status. Each member of the university community has a right to study and work in an environment free from any form of racial, ethnic, and sexual discrimination including sexual harassment, sexual violence and sexual assault. (Further information, including contact information, can be found on the university’s website at: esu.edu/titleix/.)

14 Campus News

Sports Complex

Community partnership leads to stadium enhancement project/campaign.

20 Alumni News 28 Warrior Spirit

and Stanley 33 Alumnus Cup champion

Patrick Steidle ’95 reaches the pinnacle of the National Hockey League.

Please address all correspondence to: Office of Alumni Engagement 200 Prospect Street East Stroudsburg, PA 18301

Fax: 570-422-3301

10 ESU Foundation

28 Baseball-Softball

Alumni Herald The Alumni Herald is the official publication for East Stroudsburg University’s alumni and is produced twice each year.

570-422-7000 800-775-8975

Departments

Domineque Scott ’08 M’09 changes young lives with United Through Sport.

34 Class Notes 36 In Memoriam

Stay connected with your alma mater @WarriorAlumni ESUAA

flickr.com/photos/esualumni

East Stroudsburg University Alumni

Mail Bag Have something to say about ESU? Let us know what you think! esualumni@esu.edu Office of Alumni Engagement Attn: Mail Bag Henry A. Ahnert Jr. Alumni Center 200 Prospect Street East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 Please include your name and contact information.

Submissions may be edited for clarity or space.

In accordance with federal and state laws, the university will not tolerate discrimination. This policy is placed in this document in accordance with state and federal laws including Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Civil Rights Act of 1991 as well as all applicable federal and state executive orders. esualumni . org

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alumni board

Alumni Association Corner

Greetings Fellow ESU Alumni,

It is both an honor and a privilege to address you as the recently elected president of the Board of Directors of the ESU Alumni Association. I am joined by fellow officers Vice President Dave Super ’80 and Secretary Ashley Puderbach Swartz ’09 M.Ed. ’10, as we embark on a new chapter. We truly appreciate the support of the board and their belief that we can continue the outstanding leadership of our previous executive members. Outgoing President Collette Ryder ’96, Vice President Chris Yeager ’74 M.Ed. ’81 and Secretary Joe Fite ’74 served the association well during their tenure. They were instrumental in leading us through some “turbulent times” by establishing the positive relationships and era of good feelings that exist today.

If the Board of Directors embodies the leadership of the Alumni Association, then the committee chairs are the backbone of our organization. The responsibilities that they assume to help provide us with goals, plans and direction to insure a smooth running, efficient group of alumni are evident in everything we are working towards. The mission of our board “is to engage, connect, support and celebrate alumni and friends of ESU.” The Committee Chairs – Strategic Plan, Bill Horvath ’70, M.Ed. ’79; By-Laws, Rick Vroman ’67; Awards, Chris Yeager ’74, M.Ed. ’81; Outreach, Maury Molin ’76; Communication, 4

the alumni herald

Joe Fite ’76 - work tirelessly, along with their committee members, to serve our alumni constituents to achieve our mission.

I would also like to acknowledge three leaders at the university who are among the association’s greatest supporters. Our President of ESU, Dr. Marcia Welsh, ESU Foundation Director Rich Santoro and Director of Alumni Engagement Leon John, Jr., along with the entire university advancement staff, are providing us with exceptional leadership and support for engaging alumni at any and every opportunity. The relationship among the university, the Foundation and the alumni Association has never been better!

The board will continue to reach out to all alumni to get involved with alumni gatherings, Homecoming, regional events and campus activities.

This is OUR university and showing pride in where we were, where we are, and where we are heading is everyone’s responsibility. I urge you to reach out to your Alumni Association with ideas, suggestions or simply to reconnect, to let us know what we can do for you and to continue our contribution to WARRIOR NATION! Frank Johnson ’74 President, ESU Alumni Association

ESU Alumni Association Board of Directors

2016-2017

Executive Members: Frank E. Johnson ’74 President David A. Super ’80 Vice President Ashley L. Puderbach Swartz ’09 M.Ed. ’10 Secretary Alumni Board Members: George Bennyhoff ’65 Jack P. Childs, III ’67 Edward J. Curvey ’63 Kelly E. Dries ’08 Kristin M. Schnell Ellis ’09 M.S. ’11 Joseph B. Fite, III ’76 Glenn Gottshalk ’72 Ernest R. Gromlich ’60 William J. Horvath ’70 M.Ed. ’79 Dawn Ketterman-Benner ’70 Deborah A. Kulick ’80 Demetrius Robert Lindsey ’12 Johanna Mazlo ’91 Maury J. Molin ’76 Michael R. Quick ’10 Ritchey J. Ricci ’65 M.Ed. ’72 Matthew Rosner ’08 Paul Scheuch, Jr. ’71 M.Ed. ’77 Kristin M. Hanahan Slipkowsky ’05 Shelley A. Speirs ’92 Ronald D. Steckel ’71 Richard D. Vroman ’67 Christopher S. Yeager ’74 M.Ed. ’81 Emeriti Eugenia S. Eden ’72 M.Ed. ’76 Bryan L. Hill ’71 Phyllis M. Kirschner ’63 Virginia M. Sten ‘71 John T. Lambert ’54 Frank Michael Pullo ’73 Faye D. Soderberg ’58 John E. Woodling ’68 M.Ed. ’76

ESU Alumni Association

new board members Meet your new members George Bennyhoff ’57 Bennyhoff is a retired vice president of Human Resources at West Pharmaceutical Services in the Philadelphia, Pa. area.

During his tenure there, he was also involved with various boards, including the Board of Trustees for the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and the Herman O. West Foundation where he still serves as chairman and trustee.

Bennyhoff graduated with a Bachelors of Science in biology. He attributes his time in the Sigma Pi Fraternity and as a Sigma Zeta Honorary Math and Science Society member for his success after attending ESU. As a newly appointed member of the ESU Alumni Association Board of Directors, he is serving on the administration sub-committee which advocates for resources to effectively carry out the mission and maintain the history of the association.

Matthew Rosner ’08 Rosner is from Middletown, N.J. He graduated from ESU with a degree in integrated elementary/special education. While a student he was an orientation leader, freshman/new student mentor, and a wrestler for four years.

After graduating, Rosner was hired at Keansburg School District in New Jersey as a replacement in-class resource teacher and the assistant coach for the Keansburg High School Wrestling Program.

While there, he held several positions at Thorne Middle School in the Middletown School District and was also the head wrestling coach for the Thorne wrestling program.

In 2011, Rosner was hired permanently in the Middletown School District as a multi-grade learning and language disabilities teacher in Middletown Village Elementary School where he stayed for five years.

Rosner now works as a multi-grade learning and language disabilities teacher at Thompson Middle School in Middletown School District and as head wrestling coach for the Thompson Lions wrestling program.

Rosner is involved with the Young Alumni Program and is working to engage alumni who graduated in the last 10 years.

officers selected at June meeting Three new officers of the East Stroudsburg University Alumni Association Executive Committee were appointed at the annual Board of Directors Retreat held on campus in June. Frank Johnson ’74 was appointed president, David Super ’80 was appointed vice president, and Ashley Puderbach Swartz ’09 M.Ed. ’10, was appointed secretary.

Johnson is a retired physical education teacher from the East Stroudsburg School District. Previously a director on the alumni board, Johnson has been instrumental in fundraising for the Third Floor Shawnee Hall Scholarship that benefits ESU students. He resides in East Stroudsburg, Pa. Super, also a former board director, is employed at the Defense Contract Management Agency as a deputy commander in Springfield, N.J. As a student at ESU, he was a member of the Liberal Arts Honor Society. He currently lives in Stroudsburg, Pa. Puderbach Swartz is a special education teacher at Triton High School in Runnemed, N.J. She is also a varsity track coach, assistant field hockey coach and a tutor at her school. Puderbach-Swartz was elected secretary while serving her first term on the alumni board. She resides in Sicklerville, N.J. “We have a really good team in place,” said Johnson. “We are hoping to do bigger and better things in the years to come as we continue to nurture the Alumni Association.”

The ESU Alumni Association Board of Directors meets quarterly.

To find out their next meeting date or to contact a member of the board, please email esualumni@esu.edu or call 570-422-3194.

esualumni . org

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In 1979, the epicenters of the rare coins and precious metals business on the East Coast were New York City (population 7 million), Gaithersburg, Md. (population 26,500) and Hamburg, Pa. (population 4,011).

The probe ended when investigators determined that Muller’s business was on the up and up.

“I turned lemons into lemonade there because I made friends with and became an expert witness for the postal service and the FBI,” Muller said. “I testified at many cases in Philadelphia on counterfeit coins.”

That struck federal authorities as odd and investigators were dispatched to the little Berks County borough to see how dealer Andrew Muller Jr. ‘69 could be doing $55 million a year worth of business buying and selling coins, silver and gold in a town of that size.

Turning lemons into lemonade could be the motto of A.C. Muller Enterprises, which is the umbrella company for Muller’s businesses, including Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad (known as Reading & Northern), Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, Muller Rare Coins and the Reading Jet Center at the Reading Regional Airport.

“I did so much business I got investigated by the organized crime strike force, the postal inspectors, the FBI,” Muller recalls. “I was subpoenaed numerous times. They said nobody can do this much business legally in this small town.”

Each business Muller built from next to nothing. Along the way, he learned to pilot a jet plane and he flies frequently to his 17,000-acre ranch in Nebraska that has become a sanctuary for bison, big-horn sheep and other prairie wildlife.

The Reading Jet Center located in Reading, Pa.

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the alumni herald

andrew muller A.C. Muller Enterprises

Muller with his wife, Carol, on their Nebraska ranch, Moon Lake.

esualumni . org

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Therman Madeira, executive vice president of special projects for A.C. Muller Enterprises who has known Muller since childhood, recalls the early days of Reading & Northern. It started with 14 miles of track in 1983 and now carries millions of dollars in commodities on 400 miles of rail lines in Pennsylvania.

“When he got the railroad, his expertise lay in the fact that he had a small train set in his basement,” Madeira said.

But Muller has the vision and passion of an entrepreneur and an understanding of how to get the best out of his workers. That means treating them fairly.

“I scheduled my classes at East Stroudsburg so I was done at 12 o’clock” he said. “I would drive to Hamburg, pick up my inventory, run to Hometown, be there from 5-8 p.m., run back to Hamburg, drop my coins off and drive back to East Stroudsburg at midnight. I was a worker.”

His nickname in college was “Coins.”

So, for example, all his workers – from janitors to executives -- get the same comprehensive health insurance.

“When I went to East Stroudsburg, some of the guys made fun of me until they realized I was making money at it,” he says.

“He’s very driven,” Madeira said. “He knows what he wants, and he wants what he wants when he wants it. But he’s more than fair and charitable to every one of his employees. That generates loyalty.”

Running a business and going to college full time was no easy feat, especially because the classes were rigorous.

Muller is also disarmingly honest and straight-forward, including about growing up in Hamburg with his mother, a registered nurse, and his grandparents.

“My grandpa used to say we didn’t have a pot to p*** in or a window to throw it out of,” he recalls, chuckling.

At age 10, he started collecting coins when the hobby was mostly for “screwballs and rich people,” he says. As a teenager, he began buying and selling rare coins at the Hometown Farmers & Flea Market in Schuylkill County.

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After graduating from Hamburg High School in 1965, he enrolled in what was then East Stroudsburg State College. He majored in history and political science but his coin business left little time for a social life or extracurricular activities.

the alumni herald

“I was always very thankful for the college experience,” he said. “It certainly changed me. I grew up there. I learned a lot there.”

After graduating, he took a job teaching fifth grade in Fleetwood, Pa. and married his wife, Carol. He loved working with kids but didn’t like the administrative part of the job.

“Quite frankly, when they began demanding lesson plans, I quit,” he said. “I’m an entrepreneur. I don’t fit into systems.”

Still, he has fond memories of the students.

“I drove a ’47 jeep to work,” he said. “The first year I taught, a kid laid 50 cents on my seat with a note: ‘To the best teacher I ever

had.’ I cried over that. Since then I’ve made hundreds of millions of dollars but that has been more meaningful to me than all the deals I’ve done.”

In 2005, he started Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, which runs passenger trains from Jim Thorpe through the beautiful Lehigh Gorge. Last year it served 100,000 passengers.

In 1973, with the full support of his wife, Muller left teaching to concentrate on his coins and precious metals business.

Muller says he hires smart, quality employees and does so based “100 percent” on their attitudes.

Operating on the principle that you need to be fair with customers, he kept his profit margin low so he could buy large quantities of silver coins and take them to a refinery in New York where they would be made into silver bars that he’d sell.

“There’s only one thing that matters in life: attitude,” he says. “To some people everything’s a setback, to some people nothing is.”

“I made a bare living but nobody could compete with me,” he recalls. “I started buying it all. I became one of three largest dealers on the whole East Coast.”

In 1979, the biggest silver dealer in the country, the Hunt brothers, ran up the price of silver, and silver coins became worth 27 times their face value. Muller’s business skyrocketed.

“I was making a $100,000 a day in Hamburg,” Muller said.

By 1981, he was a multi-millionaire at age 32. He put his money in treasury bonds and “retired.”

One night he was out drinking with friends and a guy at the end of the bar hollered to him that he should buy the railroad in Hamburg because Conrail was ending freight service there.

Muller had always liked trains and model trains and in 1983 bought 14 miles of track from the Penn Central Corporation. Over the next several years he struggled to make a go of it and by 1989, he was nearly broke. But he kept at it and started to pick up customers, learning as he went, including becoming a licensed engineer.

He expects a lot of his workers but also wants them to have good family lives.

“I want people that want to be at home at the end of the day,” he said. “When you put people in the job and you work ’em and work ’em and work ’em because they’re willing to do it, they can make a lot of money but they end up hating the company.”

His children live close by and help him run his businesses. His son Aaron now operates the rare coins business and daughter Christina manages the Reading Jet Center and is involved in the railroad.

Rails-to-Trails advocates have worked with Reading & Northern to obtain access for hiking trails along the tracks. The company also gives substantial support to Red Creek Wildlife Center in Schuylkill Haven, Pa. As part of that commitment to wildlife and conservation, the Mullers bought their ranch in northern Nebraska next to one owned by Ted Turner, one of Muller’s heroes. Bison, big-horn sheep and other native species roam the ranch they named Moon Lake for its 450-acre body of water.

When Muller is there he spends time trying to establish underground towns for prairie dogs, which were wiped out by farmers who considered them pests. Now badgers are the biggest threat to his prairie dog colonies, which Muller has had difficulty creating.

“You can sit on my porch at the lodge and you can see prairie dogs hugging and kissing and running around right in front of you.

They’re the neatest animals,” he said. “We haven’t had a great deal of success with this.

My wife says, ‘I can’t believe you haven’t given up.’ I’m never giving up.”

Muller scoffs at the “Greed is good” ethos of the 1980s. He says he never set out to be rich; he followed his passion and wanted to make sure he could pay the bills.

On the other hand, he doesn’t do things halfway. When a friend suggested they take flying lessons, Muller bought a twin engine Piper Navajo, which he learned to fly in the 1980s. Now he pilots his Cessna Citation Excel jet to fly to the ranch he and Carol own in Nebraska.

In his 20s, Muller gave up hunting and became passionate about conservation and saving wildlife. He drives a Tesla and the signs along the Reading & Northern driveway say: “This railroad is a wildlife sanctuary. Drive respectfully. Speed limit – 10.”

– By Margie Peterson

esualumni . org

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esu foundation

1

This list is effective through June 30, 2016.

The 1893 Legacy Society recognizes the generosity of alumni and friends who have included the ESU Foundation in their estate plans. All planned gifts to the ESU Foundation qualify for recognition in the 1893 Legacy Society.

The 893 Legacy Society

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Mary Bachofer Neil ‘96 and Gladys Baksh James ‘05 and Kathryn Barchiesi James Borger ‘59 Richard ‘60 and Jean ‘89 Brewer Susan Brink ‘72 M’87 Robert Brunet Jone Bush Trudi ‘70 and Bruce Denlinger Jean DeSchriver Eugenia Eden ’72 M’76 Robert ‘55 and Louise ‘56 Fabel Sue Falvello ‘60 Bernice Franchino ‘43 James ‘52 and Barbara Frawley Donna Gray’63 Donald ‘56 and Marge ‘59 Griffith George ‘58 and Harriet ‘56 Hall Noretta Herman ‘59 Sandra Hoeffner Richard and Montae Johnson Stephen and Gail Kalman Robert ‘71 and Sandra Kelley Edward Kimes and Dr. Faith Waters Constance Krick ‘60 Hamilton and Jean Lee James and Judith ‘76 M’86 Leiding Randy ‘78 and Valerie ‘79 Maugle Ann ‘82 and Kenton McGinnis Maury Molin ‘76 Frank Montano ‘69 Clarence and Elizabeth Murphy Patricia Neidorf Sandra O’Neil-Seiler ‘57 Patricia Ori ‘61 Trudy Piatt Frank ‘73 M ’76 and Nancy Pullo Sara Rand ‘61 Deborah Raykovitz ’75 Rosina Richards ‘59 Michael J. Romano ‘74 M‘83 Ernest and Sandra Rydell Larry ‘58 and Barbara Rymon Arthur ‘62 and Fannie ‘62 Schisler Glenn E. Schultz Scott ‘90 and Patricia Simonds Barry ‘62 and Norma Slemmer Grace Smith Patricia Snyder Irving ‘50 and Joan Sommer Ray Starner ‘69 Kathryn Waltz ‘70 Diana Weaver ‘57 Evelyn ‘44 Werkheiser Mollie Whalen ‘78 Carol Wolf ‘68 Richard ‘60 and Sandra Zimmer ‘60 the alumni herald

new scholarships

2015-2016

APSCURF ESU Chapter Annual Scholarship Robert C. Bello Memorial Annual Scholarship Bertucci/Turner Baseball Annual Scholarship Blum Family Field Hockey Annual Scholarship Eric Bryan ‘14 Memorial Annual Scholarship Eric Bryan ‘14 The Unstoppable Warrior Annual Scholarship Burke and Schaller Business Annual Scholarship Nancy Decker Women’s Basketball Annual Scholarship Easton Coach Company Annual Scholarship ESU Alumni Association Board of Directors Annual Scholarship Dr. Robert Fleischman Annual Scholarship Colleen Fleming Annual Scholarship Richard B. Koch ‘69 Annual Scholarship Richard B. Koch ‘69 Endowed Scholarship Joshua and Jenna Looney Annual Scholarship Dr. Rose Mattioli Annual Scholarship John McKeon Men’s Soccer Endowed Scholarship Dr. Irene Mitchel Theatre Endowed Scholarship Dr. Clarence Murphy WESS Annual Scholarship Dr. Angelo and Mrs. Kathleen Ortenzi Men’s Basketball Annual Scholarship Dr. Angelo and Mrs. Kathleen Ortenzi Women’s Basketball Annual Scholarship Alyssa Oxenford Memorial Annual Scholarship PPL Men’s Basketball Annual Scholarship Sara Moore Rand ‘61 Endowed Scholarship Ritchey J. Ricci ‘65 M ‘72 Biological Science Educator’s Annual Scholarship Kevin P. and Candace A. Ruddy Football Endowed Scholarship Adam and Erin Stauffer Endowed Scholarship Student Athlete Advisory Committee Annual Scholarship Tait Family Women’s Soccer Annual Scholarship The Older Adult Learning Center Annual Scholarship Tobin Family Annual Scholarship Jeanne M. Turtzo ‘38 Elementary Education Endowed Scholarship Dr. Carol Underwood ‘54 Field Hockey Annual Scholarship Vermillion Family Football Annual Scholarship Robert and Julieann Willever Football Annual Scholarship Mary Jane Wolbers Annual Scholarship Dr. Mildred L. Wood ‘42 Health Sciences Endowed Scholarship

President’s Gala 2016

President Welsh, esu foundation honor President’s Circle donors at annual gala

East Stroudsburg University’s most generous and loyal supporters of fiscal year 2015-2016 were thanked for their support at the Annual President’s Gala held on September 16, 2016, at Great Bear Golf Club in East Stroudsburg.

ESU President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., and the ESU Foundation hosted the event for donors who had given at the President’s Circle level of $1,500 or more over the last fiscal year or are members of the 1893 Legacy Society. The evening was highlighted by remarks from Kristina Arvelo, class of 2016, and recipient of the Sanofi Pasteur Community Annual Scholarship. A senior majoring in biology with a concentration in pre-physician assistant, Arvelo spoke for all scholarship recipients, expressing thanks for the financial burden taken off students’ shoulders as they pursue their college education.

“It is a blessing being able to sit in class every day knowing that I can be here and not have to worry about money,” said Arvelo. “Because of your donations, you are not just impacting one student’s life, but multiple people’s lives. You are helping to make a person’s dream become a reality and by doing that, you are helping to create a future where we can all benefit.”

ESU Foundation Executive Director Rich Santoro shared the fundraising milestones of the fiscal year, noting the Foundation raised a total of nearly $2.8 million in support of ESU and its students. In other highlights: • The ESU Foundation’s Annual Fund met its $160,000 goal in 20152016, peaking at $169,299, a 39 percent increase from 2014-2015.

• Steady growth continues in the Foundation’s scholarship program.

The number of endowed scholarships awarded by the Foundation grew by more than 11 percent with 291 students receiving awards totaling $402,503 in 2015-2016.

• Two hundred and seventy three annual scholarships were awarded last fiscal year totaling $322,506. The number of available annual

President’s Circle Members Millennium Circle

Enjoying the Annual President’s Gala on September 16, 2016, are, from left, Judy Schuchman, Ilene Wood, Paul Schuchman, and R. Jay Starner.

$50,000+ Anonymous Estate of Jeanne M. Turtzo Estate of Lester G. Abeloff Estate of Mildred L. Wood Estate of Roger and E. Ruth Dunning Hoeffner Foundation Mrs. Sandra J. Hoeffner Mr. and Mrs. Richard B. Koch Mrs. Sara M. Rand R. Dale and Frances Hughes Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Kevin P. Ruddy Sanofi Pasteur

Julia Circle

Cheryl and Bruno Klaus at the Annual President’s Gala. Klaus is a member of the ESU Council of Trustees.

LaCuchina entertains guests at the Annual President’s Gala.

Photos by Susie Forrester

scholarship funds grew by more than 19 percent, now totaling 182 annual scholarship funds that are available to ESU students.

“The ESU Foundation is celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 20162017, something we can all be proud of,” said Robert Willever ’75, chairman of the ESU Foundation Board of Directors.

“During the last 30 years of fundraising excellence, I am thrilled to share that the ESU Foundation has provided $49.9 million in support to ESU,” said Willever. “For three decades, it has been our honor to impact the lives of those we serve.”

To learn more more about becoming a member of the President’s Circle or the 1893 Legacy Society, visit the ESU Foundation at www.esufoundation.org or call 570-422-3333.

$10,000 - $49,999 Anonymous Donated on behalf of Daniel W. Boddie ESSA Bank & Trust Charitable Foundation Mr. and Mrs. James G. Franklin Hughes Foundation, Inc. Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Mattioli Foundation Dr. Irene Mitchel Mountain Valley Orthopedics, P.C. Dr. and Mrs. R. Sam Niedbala Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union Pocono Medical Center Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Shebelsky Sunoco, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Duane K. VanFleet Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D. and Louis Terracio, Ph.D William T. Morris Foundation

Founder’s Circle

$5,000 - $9,999 ARAMARK Services, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. David B. Barkman Brigadier General J. Timothy Boddie, Jr. USAF (Ret) Dr. Shala E. Davis and Mr. John F. Kochmansky Easton Coach Company Mrs. Ann R. Edinger Enterprise Holdings Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Donald L. Griffith Haverford Trust Company Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Looney MacElree Harvey, Ltd. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick L. Masenheimer Mr. and Mrs. Doug McNamee New Material Culture, INC

New York Football Giants, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Barth Rubin Mrs. Phyllis F. Rubin Mr. and Mrs. Arthur R. Schisler Ms. Deborah Newlin Smith Mr. Robert T. Sweeney Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey A. Weber WSBG/WVPO

President’s Circle

$1,500 - $4,999 Mr. and Mrs. Edward P. Abraham Adams Outdoor Advertising Alliance Cancer Specialists Mr. and Mrs. Rodney W. Applegate Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth A. Benner Mr. and Mrs. William S. Benoit Mrs. Gina J. Bertucci and Mr. Mark S. Turner Besko Outdoor Media Dr. and Mrs. Donald R. Bortz Mr. Angelo F. Borzio, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. William B. Cramer Mr. Olin A. Cramer Dr. Patricia M. Crotty and Dr. David W. Crotty Dr. and Mrs. Vincent DeFranco Ms. Patricia A. Desmond Mr. Stephen M. Domovich Coach and Mrs. Dennis C. Douds Estate of Lura E. Evans Dr. Robert P. Fleischman, J.D. Mrs. Bernice W. Franchino Dr. Deborah L. Gebhardt, Ph.D. Mr. Ernest R. Gromlich Mr. and Mrs. George D. Hall Mrs. Lois Hargreaves * Patricia G. ‘62 and William C. Hibschman Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Howerter Mr. Robert Hulbert Wendy Jankoski ‘82 and Paul Lapinski Mr. and Mrs. James G. Kaiser Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Kearn Mrs. Kathie W. Kirkpatrick Dr. and Mrs. James H. Leiding Mr. and Mrs. Douglas S. Leonzi Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Lewis Mr. and Mrs. William J. Lewis Dr. Sharon C. Lyter and Dr. Lloyd L. Lyter Mr. Kenneth E. Maclary Dr. Eugene L. Martin Martz Trailways Ms. Mary-Carol Mason Mr. William R. McFadden Mr. and Mrs. Kenton R. McGinnis, Jr. Ms. Marilouise R. McNally Mr. Maury J. Molin Mr. Robert M. Moses

2015-2016 Dr. and Mrs. James E. Moyer Mr. and Mrs. Frank T. Newby Mr. and Mrs. Gary S. Olson Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Orodenker PA Foot And Ankle Associates Mr. and Mrs. Trevin J. Panaia Pennoni Associates Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Mark A. Plousis Pocono Cup Soccer LLC Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Shovlin Ms. Mary Frances Postupack PPL Electric Utilities Dr. Deborah E. Prince Dr. and Mrs. Frank M. Pullo Quality Dining, Inc. Quality Inn of the Poconos, Stroudsburg Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Rawson Mr. and Mrs. Glenn F. Reibman Mr. Robert M. Richey Mr. and Mrs. Walter P. Rogers, III Mr. and Mrs. L. Patrick Ross Mr. and Mrs. William A. Ruddy Mr. and Mrs. Richard D. Santoro Sarah Street Grill Mr. and Mrs. Gary G. Schoenberger Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schuchman Mr. John J. Sickler, Jr. Neal Simpson and Joyce Simpson Mrs. Louise C. Sims Mr. Howard L. Soloway Mr. and Mrs. Adam S. Stauffer Stony Acres Stroudsmoor Country Inn Dr. and Mrs. Robert G. Sutton Mr. and Mrs. John R. Thatcher The Auxiliary of the Pocono Medical Center The College of Saint Rose Theta Chi Fraternity Dr. Doreen M. Tobin and Mr. John C. Tobin Mr. William G. Tobin Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Tonkin Mr. Robert W. Veneziale Mr. Ryan L. Vermillion Mr. George Viener Mr. and Mrs. William D. Walker Mr. and Mrs. Mark N. Walp Kathryn McLaughlin Waltz Ms. Diana E. Weaver Dr. Nancy L. Weaver Weiler Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Willever Mr. and Mrs. Phillip A. Williams Mr. Jeffrey I. Wilson Dr. Wenjie Yan Mr. Trevin Panaia and Mrs. Kari Yodice-Panaia esualumni . org

11

esu foundation East Stroudsburg University Foundation

2016-2017

Board of Directors Robert Willever ’75, Chairman Dr. Frank M. Pullo ’73 M’76 Vice Chairman Chris Yeager ’74 M’81, Secretary Pro Tem, Alumni Association Liaison Robert A. Shebelsky, Treasurer William B. Cramer, Esq. MaryEllen Dickey ’80 James Evans ’07 Raymond Hamlin ’86, Esq. Harry F. Lee, Esq., Council of Trustees Liaison Marilouise McNally Gary S. Olson ’76 Anthony Pasqua ’00 Dr. Elizabeth Leigh Smith, Faculty Liaison Adam S. Stauffer ’00 M’02 Louie Wein, ESU Student Liaison Members Emeriti William B. Cramer, Esq. Past chair, served 1987-2001 John T. Lambert ’54 Served 1989-2000 Rosemary Driebe Olofsson Past chair, served 1987-1999

appoints new members

The East Stroudsburg University Foundation welcomed three new members to its Board of Directors. East Stroudsburg University alumni MaryEllen Dickey ’80 of Bethlehem, Raymond L. Hamlin, Esq. ’86 of West Orange, N.J., and Anthony Pasqua ’00 of Scotch Plains, N.J., were appointed on May 19, 2016. The announcement was made by ESU Foundation Board Chair and Alumnus Robert Willever ’75. Their terms began on July 1, 2016.

MaryEllen Dickey

Raymond L. Hamlin, Esq.

Dickey serves as the senior vice president of advancement for Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries in Allentown, Pa. She has more than 15 years of trust and estate planning experience, including generational wealth and foundation development, and 21 years of not-for-profit development and leadership in higher education, health care and social services.

Hamlin is a founding partner of the Newark, N.J., based law firm of Hunt, Anthony Pasqua Hamlin & Ridley, specializing in education, criminal, civil rights, labor and other areas of litigation. Hamlin earned his Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers University Law School in 1990. He was the ESU Alumni Association’s Young Alumni Achievement Award winner in 1999 and the Dr. George Thompson, Jr. Award winner in 2015.

Pasqua is chief operating officer and chief financial officer at Snow Park Capital Partners, LP, in New York City. After earning his business management degree from ESU in 2000, he received his M.B.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2007. He is a former member of the ESU Alumni Association Board of Directors.

supports ESU’s essential programs

Starting in the fiscal year 2016-2017, alumni, parents and friends have the opportunity to partner with the East Stroudsburg University Foundation by giving to the Warrior Fund.

Formerly the Annual Fund, the Warrior Fund supports the essential programs that make ESU a place where students can succeed.

The Warrior Fund provides unrestricted support for student needs and programs. It helps cover necessary expenses that enrich the college experience, but are not fully covered by tuition. Unlike the endowment, the Warrior Fund must be replenished every year. Loyal donors who give to this fund are committed to the success of ESU’s current students. The revised name will truly capture their spirit of giving, according to Rich Santoro, executive director of the ESU Foundation.

Gifts to the Warrior Fund primarily help to provide scholarships, fund groundbreaking 12 the alumni herald

faculty/student research and support athletic programs.

“These important programs enhance the ESU experience, making it possible for students to earn their degree in an environment that fosters creativity, encourages teamwork and pushes them to think outside the box, ultimately shaping strong leaders who can make a positive difference in our communities,” said Lori Gilio, director of annual giving and special campaigns.

“Last year, more than 1,200 donors gave $170,000 in unrestricted support to the Foundation. This year, we are counting on our alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends to help raise over $200,000,” said Santoro.

The Warrior Fund also supports student philanthropy programs, which serve the dual purpose of enhancing the student experience by educating them about the importance of giving back and securing new and renewed gifts for the Warrior Fund. Programs include opportunities

to volunteer at alumni events, fundraising activities, and educational programs.

A portion of the Warrior Fund also helps support Phonathon, the ESU Foundation’s student calling program. Phonathon engages alumni to acquire new and renewed gifts for the Warrior Fund, scholarships, athletics and department programs, and is designed to give students a real-life learning opportunity outside of the classroom.

“Our Phonathon students are excited to engage you in conversations about ESU and the importance of philanthropy, share their experiences and tell you about new initiatives on campus.

Having the opportunity to speak with alumni, parents and friends helps them strengthen their communication and marketing skills. Through conversations with our students, you can hear how your gifts are making a difference, so I hope we can count on you to answer the phone when you see ESU on your caller ID,” said Nancy Boyer, annual giving coordinator.

Make your gift today to the Warrior Fund. Call 570-422-3333 or go to www.esufoundation.org/givenow

Warriors Head Football Coach Denny Douds, right, and James Franklin ’95, head football coach at Pennsylvania State University, enjoy each other’s company during Douds’ 50 Years a Warrior celebration in June.

in fall 2016 (1974-present), which will be his 51st season overall with the Warriors, following eight seasons as an assistant coach (1966-73).

Special guest speakers included James Franklin ’95, head football coach at Pennsylvania State University, and John Glenn ’05, assistant linebackers coach for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks. Both played for Douds while attending ESU. East Stroudsburg University recognized the 50 years (and counting) of service of football coach Denny Douds on June 10, 2016, welcoming more than 360 alumni, colleagues and friends of the program to the Stroudsmoor Country Inn, Stroudsburg, for an evening of celebration.

Longtime friend and colleague Quentin Currie, a college teammate of Douds at Slippery Rock and later coach at ESU, served as the master of ceremonies while fellow coaches and players Mike Terwilliger ’78 and Jimmy Terwilliger ’07 presented Coach Douds and Mrs. Judy Douds with framed photos as a gift of thanks.

The fundraising event, 50 Years a Warrior, drew alumni and coaching staff from the past six decades to reminisce and convey the impact Douds has made in the lives of thousands of young men who have played Warrior football under his leadership. Douds entered his 43rd season as head coach

Coordinated by the ESU Foundation, the Office of University Advancement, and a committee of coaches, longtime friends and alumni, the fundraising celebration raised more than $130,000 to benefit the football program and athletic scholarships.

Gifts of support in honor of Coach Douds 50th anniversary celebration can be made through the ESU Foundation at www.esufoundation.org/givenow, or by calling 570-422-3333. esualumni . org

13

campus news

ESU’s

2016

Enrollment at ESU has

increased

third consecutive year. for the

While the final enrollment number, 6,830, is only two students more than last year, ESU is one of three universities in the State System that saw an increase in enrollment in 2016.

ESU’s total Fall 2016 enrollment includes 660 transfer students, 302 new graduate students and 1,356 freshmen. Members of ESU’s class of 2020 represent the largest entering freshman class in five years. Twenty-two percent of new and continuing students are out-of-state residents with the majority from New Jersey and New York.

“ESU is becoming an attractive college choice for students due to the quality and relevance of our academic programs, the continuing efforts to minimize cost increases and the personalized attention available to students from faculty and staff,” said President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D. “Without a doubt, ESU is one of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s most affordable and best values in higher education.”

In addition to enrollment growth, ESU’s Honors Program welcomed its largest group of new members since the program’s inception in 1988 according to Professor Paul Creamer, co-director of the Honors Program. ESU also proudly launched its first doctoral program for the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration. The first cohort includes 18 students.

ESU’s most heavily enrolled majors reflect growing demand in specific job markets, among them business, biology, criminal justice and psychology as well as programs in the health sciences – exercise science, athletic training and nursing.

President Welsh lends a hand to Travis Hines and his family on move-in day for the fall semester.

Pictured from left: Aunt Michelle (Brice), Travis, a freshman from Stroudsburg, his brother, Trevor and, his mother, Selena, administrative assistant in the ESU Office of University Relations. Travis Hines is one of 1,307 freshmen that started classes at ESU this fall. Photo by Susie Forrester

14

the alumni herald

“ESU’s enrollment growth reflects the regional need to prepare well trained professionals. One specific example is the aging U.S. population and the emphasis on preventative care. The majors within ESU’s College of Health Sciences are well suited to provide varied productive career opportunities,” said Shala Davis, Ph.D., interim dean, college of health sciences.

Yet with enrollment growth there are also challenges. ESU currently houses 3,110 students on its campus, some in overflow housing due

FALL 2016

BY THE NUMBERS

6,830

students enrolled

302

new graduate students

6,830 students enrolled One of three schools in the PASSHE system to show increases in fall enrollment

1,356

302 new graduate students Includes ESU’s first cohort of 18 Ed.D. students

welcomed as the Class of 2020

1,356 freshmen (Class of 2020) • Our freshmen come from 492 high schools in 10 states – 335 out-of-state freshmen comprise 25.6 percent of the class • 45.8 percent of the freshmen are first generation college students The annual Club Fair held in September provided ESU’s 4,598 returning graduate and undergraduate students the opportunity to join clubs and organizations for the year. Photo by Susie Forrester

to increased demand. ESU sees this as an opportunity and is tackling the obstacle by moving forward with Phase II of its suite-style housing construction, now underway. The new 495-bed residence hall, which complements the design of the University’s Hemlock and Hawthorn suites, is expected to be ready by August 2017.

“Once the new suite-style facility is online, we’ll be taking some of the traditional residence halls offline, in rotation, for life cycle renovation and technology upgrades,” said Bob Moses, director of residence life and housing.

“This is all part of becoming a vibrant and well respected institution of higher education,” said President Welsh. “We have to be methodical and persistent in planning for the future while keeping the welfare of our students foremost in our minds.”

• 42.1 percent of the freshmen class are minority students

freshmen

660

transfer students

• 583 freshmen are receiving Pell Grants 660 transfer students • 0.7 percent of the transfer students are first generation college students • 33 percent of the transfer students are minority students • 265 transfer students are receiving Pell Grants

“One third of our students are new to ESU, new to our campus, new to our classrooms, and new to our faculty and staff. From conversations with many, I know they had been admitted to other fine colleges and universities. However, they selected ESU because they felt this university would meet their high expectations: for a quality education, caring instructors, an active and engaging campus community and an expectation that students will be challenged academically and personally to learn, grow and achieve.”

ESU President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D. esualumni . org

15

campus news

Jingfeng Xia

Trib Puri

Terry Barry

campus briefs

Three deans appointed

Joanne Bruno, J.D., provost and vice president for academic affairs, announced the appointment of three new deans: Terry Barry, Ed.D., College of Education, Trib Puri, Ph.D., College of Business and Management, and Jingfeng Xia, Ph.D., library and university collections.

Barry was interim dean of the College of Education since 2014. Prior to that, he served as the associate dean of the college from 2012-2014. Barry has served in leadership roles on a number of committees in his time at the university, including serving as the chairperson on the Teacher Education Council, the PAC-TE PDE 430 Student Teacher Evaluation Development Committee, the PDE Field Experience Competency Mapping Committee, the Student Teacher Supervisors’ Committee, the Assessment Accreditation Specialist Hiring Committee, the Teacher Education Unit and the East Stroudsburg University Strategic Planning Committee- Community Relations. Under Dr. Barry’s leadership, the first doctoral program in ESU’s history has been approved by the State System. Prior to his time at ESU, Dr. Barry served as the principal of Wind Gap Middle School in Wind Gap, Pa., from 2001-2012.

Prior to accepting a position at ESU, Puri has been on the faculty of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Temple University, and Scranton University. He has also been a visiting professor of finance at Drexel University. As a veteran teacher, Puri has developed and taught many undergraduate, MBA, and doctoral level finance courses.

He also has supervised doctoral dissertations. Puri has contributed to the theory and practice of finance and his research papers are published in leading peer-reviewed journals of finance. He received a Ph.D. in Finance and an M.A. in Economics from The University of Tennessee Knoxville, a master’s in Mechanical Engineering for Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India, and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from G.B. Pant University, India.

Bajor named director of graduate and extended studies William J. Bajor, Ph.D., has been named the director of graduate and extended studies of ESU. Bajor comes to ESU from New Jersey City University where he most recently served as the acting director of the division of professional and lifelong learning. As director of graduate and extended studies, Bajor will provide leadership within graduate and professional studies in order to establish and maintain excellent academic programs. He will plan and implement educational policies and curricula, provide leadership in creating, developing, and implementing programs and initiatives which serve the educational and training needs for Pennsylvania’s industry leaders and public agencies and identify the programs and courses that will best serve the needs and interests of students and faculty. He will also oversee the Lehigh Valley Center, located in Bethlehem, Pa., which offers accelerated undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Cohen receives ESyou Employee of the Year award Seven ESU employees were selected by faculty, staff and students to be recognized throughout the 2015-2016 academic year as an “ESyoU” honoree for demonstrating student-centered service. From left: Linda VanMeter, Ph.D., director and chair of counseling and psychological services; Nancy Weaver, Ph.D., assistant to the vice president for student affairs; Bob Cohen, Ph.D., professor and chair of physics; President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., Peter Pruim, Ph.D., professor of philosophy and co-director of the honors program; Lourdes O’Kane, recently appointed executive assistant to the vice president for student affairs; and Margaret Ball, D.M.A., professor and chair of theatre.

President Welsh presented Dr. Cohen with the ESyoU Employee of the Year award as a result of a poll conducted via social media.

(Not pictured: Erica Brilhart, assistant to the vice president for enrollment management.)

Xia served as Director of the Library and Learning Resources Center for the State University of New York at Rockland prior to accepting a position with ESU. In his role, he articulated a strategic vision and served as advocate for the library within the college and larger community. He successfully secured several grants to support the development of library services and collections, including a renovation project to convert existing collection areas into multifunctional information commons for individual and group learning and study. Throughout his career, Xia also served as an associate professor in the School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University, a reference and instruction librarian at Rutgers University, and a digital projects librarian at the University of Florida.

16

the alumni herald

Photo by Susie Forrester

PUBLISHED BOOKS by administrator, retired faculty Jingfeng Xia, Ph.D., dean of library services and university collections and Lawrence Squeri, Ph.D., professor emeritus of history, have each recently published books.

Xia’s book is titled “Scholarly Communication at the Crossroads in China.” Published by Elsevier in Amsterdam as the Chandos Information Professional Series, the book explores scholarly communication traditions in China as well as their recent developments, focusing on both achievements and challenges at every step of the process. The book became available online this month and will be available in print January 2017. It can be purchased in the Elsevier Store, store.elsevier.com.

Squeri’s book is “Waiting for Contact, The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.” The book tells the story of the people and goals behind the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) movement, which emerged in 1959 as astronomers began using technological developments to listen for messages from space. “Waiting for Contact” was published

by University Press of Florida and is available to purchase on its website, upf.com.

Richardson joins University Relations Elizabeth Richardson stepped into the role of public relations and social media manager in July. Richardson, a native of Scranton earned a B.A. in Journalism from Temple University and an M.A. in Communications Management from Marywood University. Prior to joining the team in University Relations, Richardson was the public relations manager for the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau.

First-Ever Faculty Strike, Contract Settled in Three Days Midway through the Fall 2016 semester, ESU students, faculty and staff saw an unprecedented strike by APSCUF, the bargaining unit representing the faculty at the 14 universities in the State System of Higher Education.

On October 18, the State System negotiation team presented APSCUF with its best and final offer after two years of negotiations. At 5 a.m. on October 19, the faculty union signaled that it would not accept the offer and called a strike.

Members of the faculty union picketed at the 14 universities and at the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg, while university staff and administrators continued to provide necessary services for students in the library, dining services, residence halls, the tutoring center, rec center, and academic and administrative offices. Students were encouraged to attend classes every day as some faculty did not strike, and in the event any faculty members returned to the classroom. Students were also urged to take advantage of the time to work ahead on class projects and assignments. Alternate academic and social initiatives were in place for students who were interested.

University staff worked with Computing and Communication Services to develop an online tool that enabled students to determine if specific faculty members were on strike, which was extremely effective for commuter students. Specific staff members also responded to inquiries from students and family members who shared questions or concerns about the strike via a call center and e-mail address.

The State System and APSCUF reached a tentative agreement after three days, and some professors and students returned to the classroom for scheduled classes on Saturday, October 22. Once ratified by the full APSCUF membership and approved by the State System’s Board of Governors, the new contract is expected to run through June 30, 2018.

In a statement released on October 27, Board of Governors’ Chairwoman Cynthia D. Shapira and Chancellor Frank T. Brogan said to students, faculty, staff and friends of the State System and its member universities, “As we look to the days and months ahead, let us remember that the State System and our universities are stronger when we stand together. Let us harness the intellect, the will, and the energy of all who know how powerfully important higher education can be, and—together—work toward a solid future for the State System.”

Strauser Gallery receives rare painting The Sterling Strauser Gallery at ESU acquired “Jill on her Tricycle,” a rare large-scale painting of the artist’s daughter by the late acclaimed, self-taught artist Sterling Boyd Strauser (1907-1995). Though he created thousands of paintings in his lifetime, this oil on Masonite painting is one of only a few that is signed with the artist’s full name.

“Jill on her Tricycle” is the latest addition to the Sterling Strauser Gallery at ESU. Photo by David Coulter

“Jill on her Tricycle” joins other significant works of Strauser including “Grandparents” (1940), and “Creveling Homestead: Landscape with House,” (1926), in the ESU collection. Funding of this acquisition was generated from the proceeds of a series of Strauser events held at ESU’s Innovation

Center from 2012 to 2015. Plans are underway for a future event, that will feature “Jill on her Tricycle” and other Strauser works, to supplement the gallery’s funds to address future needs of the collection.

Since its opening in May 2012, the Strauser Gallery has welcomed hundreds of guests through its doors to be inspired by Strauser’s unique style that displays a chronology of what was happening in the art world from the 1920s through his death in 1995. The gallery is located on the third floor of ESU’s Innovation Center. esualumni . org

17

campus news

New Sports Performance Institute at ESU

ESU recently established the Sports Performance Institute, a collaboration between athletics and exercise science, with Assistant Professor Matthew Miltenberger ’03 M’04, Ph.D., ATC, CSCS as coordinator.

The Institute provides student-athletes with increased access to state-ofthe-art equipment and science-based training experts while enhancing research opportunities at the university. Miltenberger and his staff design, conduct and supervise all strength and conditioning sessions for ESU’s 20 varsity sports.

“This partnership demonstrates why ESU is leading the way,” said Shala E. Davis, Ph.D., FACSM, interim dean of the college of health sciences.

“Offering sport-specific performance training to our student-athletes provides exceptional hands-on experience for our exercise science undergraduate and graduate students.”

“As part of our certificates in Sport Performance Coaching and Nutrition,” Davis added, “students garner experience educating and training athletes under the guidance of expert faculty. We are proud to be part of this innovative collaboration.”

“ESU is uniquely positioned to help student-athletes reach their potential,” said Director of Athletics Josh Looney. “This partnership will be groundbreaking for our athletes and place ESU at the forefront of best

practices in campus collaboration related to Division II health, safety and sports performance.”

The Sports Performance Institute incurs no additional personnel costs, aligns with ESU’s strategic plan, and exceeds new Division II legislative responsibilities for certified strength and conditioning services. This collaboration aims to increase student success, build a stronger sense of community and further develop the culture of research and scholarship at ESU. This professional-in-training platform will benefit both undergraduate and graduate students interested in pursuing a career in sport performance.

The sports performance staff will work with the exercise science and athletics departments and coaches to schedule shared facility space and team work out times, ensure proper maintenance of the weight room and equipment, and will assist in the dietary education of student-athletes as requested. In addition, athletics and exercise science will produce collaborative research to be approved by the chair of exercise science, the director of athletics and internal ESU processes, including IRB approval.

Miltenberger holds a B.S. in athletic training and an M.S. in exercise science from ESU, and earned his Ph.D. in health sciences from Seton Hall University. He has served on ESU’s faculty since 2004, first in athletic

President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D. cordially invites you to attend the

20th Anniversary

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Breakfast Featuring Keynote Speaker

Carey Casey

Chief Executive Officer of the National Center for Fathering

Monday, January 16, 2017 8 a.m.– 10 a.m.

2016 Julianna V. Bolt Art Award Winner, Kirsten McCorquodale, Stroudsburg High School

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”

—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

E U

FOUNDATION

Mattioli Recreation Center East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania Seats: $40 per person, $15 per student, $300 for table of 8 (paid in full)

Checks should be made payable to ESU Foundation.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Gertrude Mary Smith Boddie Endowed Scholarship for students of diverse backgrounds.

Register at www.esufoundation.org/mlk2017 For further information, please call 570-422-3156 or email ebrennan8@esu.edu

A Special Announcement

Dr. Matt Miltenberger ’03 M’04 and field hockey student-athlete Sydney McCarthy work together as part of the ESU Sports Performance Institute, a collaboration between the athletics and exercise science departments. Photo by Susie Forrester

training, and now in exercise science. He is also the program coordinator of ESU’s Therapeutic Science Program and holds professional certifications from the National Athletic Trainers Association and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

“I am excited for this opportunity,” Miltenberger said. “It has been rewarding to provide strength and conditioning services for many athletic programs. Our exercise science students will continue to put their classroom knowledge into action by working with athletes and preparing students to pursue professional opportunities in strength and conditioning.”

Author speaks to ESU students about

social media and technology Photo by Susie Forrester

Our NEW Planned Giving Website.

The East Stroudsburg University Foundation Planned Giving website includes valuable personal, financial and estate planning resources. We are here to assist you in creating a plan that is right for you and your family.

www.esufoundationlegacy.org

Monroe County

Economic Summit

ESU, community partners gather for Monroe County Economic Summit In collaboration with ESU, business representatives of Monroe County, Pa., met at ESU’s Mattioli Recreation Center for the fourth annual Economic Outlook Summit on September 9, 2016. The event included an update on Monroe 2030 and three panel discussions on the topics of community collaboration, workforce development and small business and entrepreneurship. For the third year in a row, Monroe County’s economic scorecard was presented and discussed. The Economic Outlook Summit is part of ESU’s continued commitment to the economic growth of the community, and will continue to aid in the success of Monroe County.

Nicholas Carr was the keynote speaker for East Stroudsburg University’s One Book, One Campus lecture held on campus Wednesday, October 26. Carr is a compelling writer and speaker whose work focuses on the intersection of technology and culture. A journalist by trade, he is the author of the acclaimed book “The Glass Cage: How Our Computers Are Changing Us” (2014) and “The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains” (2010), and “Utopia Is Creepy: And Other Provocations” (2016). Carr’s writings focus on the topic of this year’s theme of the impact of social media on today’s society.

On the Left: Hundreds of community members met for the annual Monroe County Economic Summit held at ESU on September 9, 2016. Photo by Susie Forrester On the Right: Jonathan Weber, founder of Marathon Studios, Inc., and TickCheck, LLC, answers questions at the Economic Outlook Summit about small business start-up in Monroe County, Pa. esualumni . org

19

alumni news

Alumna reflects on career with United Through Sport Domineque Scott ’08 M’09, East Stroudsburg University alumna, went to South Africa to work with the nonprofit group United Through Sport in an effort to change the lives of disadvantaged children there — what she found changed her life.

Scott, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2008 and a master’s degree in 2009, both in sport management, had been coaching field hockey at a private college when she decided she needed to look for new horizons.

“I wanted to go abroad, I wanted to make an impact and I wanted to give back to those who need it,” she said.

Scott discovered United Through Sport, which works with underprivileged children in countries such as South Africa, Ghana, Thailand, St. Lucia and Argentina. The group recruits volunteer coaches to travel for 5-12 weeks to work with students from middle school through high school in athletics, life skills and some academics. A four-year field hockey player at ESU, she signed on to spend 12 weeks in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, starting in January 2014.

“I went over for three months and I actually ended up staying for two years,” Scott said. At the end of her three-month volunteer stint, she was offered a job as mass participation program manager in South Africa. United Through Sport volunteers coach children in soccer, tennis, field hockey, rugby, cricket and a game popular in South Africa called netball. Scott coached the kids in field hockey and tennis and tutored them in English and math.

The organization in South Africa works with thousands of children each year and it changes schools every six months in order to reach more kids.

“We are coaching sports with them and also practicing life skills,” Scott said. That included lessons about HIV prevention and the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as soft skills, such as leadership, communication, teamwork and decision-making.

She was moved by the gratitude of the students, as well as the kinship she found in each village 20

the alumni herald

Domineque Scott ’08 M’09 when she played field hockey at ESU.

and town. It was the first time Scott had been abroad and the experience was eye opening.

“Africa is a magical place,” Scott said. “They have such a sense of community over there, such love, they’re family people.

Everybody knows each other.”

She worked with children who came from extreme poverty who really wanted to be in school.

“The kids appreciate what you’re doing so much,” she said. The schools typically don’t offer physical education so the programs provided time for the children to run around and play sports.

She recalled one student, Lindiwe, who played netball and eventually lived with United Through Sport volunteers because her home life at her sister’s place wasn’t conducive to studying.

“The volunteers were helping her out with her academics in the evening,” Scott said. Lindiwe did so well she went on to a university, where she is in her second year with plans to become a lawyer. That’s especially impressive since she comes from a community where only 3 percent of the population goes to college.

“It was life changing for her to be a part of the program,” Scott said.

The 29-year-old Scott came back to the U.S. a few weeks ago and is currently living in Milton, Del. and working to start an American branch of United Through Sport. She is fundraising and recruiting volunteers for coaching children

abroad and hoping to organize an internship program for college students to coach in local disadvantaged communities.

“I want to open United Through Sport USA to give other people opportunities to have these experiences,” she said.

Volunteers in South Africa were based in Port Elizabeth, a city by the Indian Ocean, and worked with children Monday through Friday. On weekends, the volunteers could take excursions such as safaris, bungee jumping and diving in shark cages. Scott made close friends among the volunteers who came from countries that included Great Britain, Switzerland, New Zealand, Canada and Germany.

During her visit to ESU in April, Scott spoke to a sport management class about her experience and was the guest speaker at the induction ceremony of Eta Sigma Delta, an honor society for hospitality and tourism students, which includes those in sport management.

Scott visited with her mentor, former faculty member, Paula Parker, Ed.D., associate professor and chair of the ESU sport management department, with whom Scott has kept in touch and looked to for guidance on career choices.

Dr. Parker said that Scott has become a great ambassador for United Through Sport.

“Domineque’s engaging personality and passion for education through sport make her an ideal advocate for United Through Sport,” Parker said. “She shares her volunteer experiences in South Africa in such a way that everyone she comes into contact with will want to explore opportunities to volunteer.”

– By Margie Peterson Scott, left, worked with children in South Africa as part of United Through Sport.

East Stroudsburg University alumni in the Philadelphia region can expect more activities and events being placed on the calendar as chapter organizers build on momentum gained from the group’s recently held wine tasting.

Office of Alumni Engagement is a Philadelphia Flyers game. This year, the game chosen is the Philadelphia Flyers versus the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday April, 8, 2017. Alumni who attend the game will also be invited to a pre-game event at the Wells Fargo Arena.

The Philadelphia Chapter hosted a wine tasting on July 21, 2016, for all alumni and friends. On November 16, 2016, the chapter followed up with a College of Business and Management affinity group reunion.

With more than 2,000 ESU alumni in the Philadelphia area, volunteers Scott Higgins ’06 and Ashley Johnson ’09 are continuing their outreach by email and phone to grow attendance and build the chapter.

Other plans include a happy hour networking event in summer 2017 and other sporting events that include a Philadelphia 76ers game, and events in the downtown area.

One of the annual traditions hosted by the

“We are hoping to mirror the other chapters that have started strong and start building as much momentum as possible by offering a variety of opportunities for alumni.” Higgins said. “The more events and opportunities that we have to be visible in the Philadelphia area, the more momentum we will gain.”

For more information on the Philadelphia Chapter or to register for the upcoming Philadelphia Flyers game, please go to www.esualumni.org or contact Leon John, Jr. at ljohn2@esu.edu.

From left, Jack Childs, III ’67, Anne Childs, Natalie Weingartner McCrea ’05 and Scott Higgins ’06 at the Philadelphia Chapter wine tasting held in July.

Gardner receives

Jessica Schultz ’16 was appointed alumni coordinator for the Office of Alumni Engagement in July. Some of her responsibilities include engaging young alumni and maintaining alumni relationships, contributing to the creation of new chapters, supporting current chapters and alumni events.

Schultz graduated from East Stroudsburg University in May with a bachelor of science degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management.

Schultz was also an active Phonathon caller, student office worker and alumni event support specialist intern at the ESU Foundation during her time as a student.

“It is an honor to continue my life at ESU and to live it and breathe it every day. I can honestly say that I love where I work,”

said Schultz. “This university will always be home to me, especially because of the lifelong friendships that were created over the years. Now I look forward to developing professional relationships with alumni and colleagues. We have several events, new chapters and affinities underway, so I am proud of the direction that we are taking in the Office of Alumni Engagement.”

Schultz plans to coordinate events with several alumni chapters and affinities.

She is excited to help kick off a new young alumni group, “ESU GOLD – Graduates of the Last Decade.” As a young alumna she will use her experiences and likemindedness, to engage these recent graduates and develop successful programs to support them.

Reach out to Schultz by email at jschultz@esufoundation.org or (570) 422-3878.

lifetime achievement award Mary Pakenas Gardner ’74, a 1982 inductee to the ESU Athletic Hall of Fame as a national champion swimmer, received the D2 Athletic Directors Association Lifetime Achievement Award in June.

Gardner was selected for her contributions as Director of Athletics at Bloomsburg University, where she coached and was a long-time administrator following a record-setting swimming career for the Warriors.

The Warriors’ Senior Female Athlete of the Year in 1974, she was a three-time national champion, winning titles and setting national records in the 50-yard and 100yard breaststroke in 1971 and the 50-yard breaststroke in 1972. She held numerous pool and team records throughout her collegiate career and was a four-time EAIAW champion, and also lettered in field hockey. esualumni . org

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alumni news

Warriors return to campus October 14-16, 2016 Homecoming Weekend 2016 offered a little something for Warriors and friends of all ages! More than 1,500 alumni, their families and friends returned to ESU for the weekend festivities. Events included the 50-year reunion of the Class of 1966, the All Alumni Awards Banquet, a bonfire, all alumni tailgate, carnival, athletic affinity reunions and events, campus tours, plus an all alumni brunch that ended with a tour of the Schisler Museum of Natural History and a planetarium show.

To see more photos from the weekend, visit www.flickr.com/photos/esualumni

ESU students at the carnival held behind Koehler Fieldhouse. Photo by Susie Forrester

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Members of Phi Sigma Sigma and Alpha Sigma Alpha sororities pose with the alumni tailgate award. Phi Sigma Sigma won the “Best Tailgate� award for a second year in a row. Photo by Bob Weidner

Soccer alumni at the Soccer Affinity Reunion held between the men’s and women’s soccer games at Eiler-Martin Stadium.

An aerial view of alumni setting up for the All Alumni Tailgate in the parking lot in front of Zimbar-Liljenstein Hall. Photo by Lance Soodeen

Alumni and friends at the Annual Alumni Awards and Class of 1966 Reunion Banquet held in the Keystone Room. Photo by Susie Forrester Young alumni at the All Alumni Tailgate held in the parking lot in front of Zimbar-Liljenstein Hall.

Photo by Bob Weidner

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Members of East Stroudsburg State College’s Class of 1966 reconnected during Homecoming Weekend for their ‘Golden Grad’ reunion. Reunion committee chairs Mike Miller ’66 and his fellow committee members, Marcia Seymour Romaine ’66, Gilbert Romaine ’66, James Lennox ’66, Richard Westervelt ’66, Karen Houser Huggins ’66 and Kathryn Ortman ’66, led weekend activities that included the annual Alumni Awards and Class of 1966 Reunion Banquet, a class tailgate party, campus tours, and a brunch with ESU President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., at her home.

Throughout the weekend, the class welcomed over 50 of their classmates back to campus.

During the Annual Alumni Awards and Class of 1966 Reunion Banquet on October 14, 2016, the committee presented the ESU Foundation with a check for $10,520 to create the Class of 1966 Endowed Scholarship.

“Even though we are not yet at our goal of $25,000, this is a great start in working toward that goal,” said Miller. Class members plan to continue their fundraising efforts until their goal of $25,000 is met.

The next day, the Class of 1966 celebrated

Members of the Class of 1966 gather during their class tailgate party held prior to the ESU football game. Photo by Michael Cuff

To see more photos from the weekend, visit www.flickr.com/photos/esualumni

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their reunion at the president’s house during a special brunch with Dr. Welsh and ESU student leaders. Prior to the football game, members of the class enjoyed their class party in Zimbar-Lilijenstein Hall. They capped off a festive day of memorable story-telling and rekindled friendships at the ESU versus Kutztown University football game in EilerMartin Stadium.

“We have been hard at work for this weekend since February,” Miller said “It’s great to see so many people come back and we are already looking forward to the 55th.”

Mike Miller ’66, John Seidenstricker ’66, and Gilbert “Gibby” Romaine ’66 at the Class of 1966 brunch held at the home of President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D. Photo by Susie Forrester

Members of the Class of 1966 can make their class reunion gift online at www.esufoundation.org/givenow Designate your gift to the Class of 1966 Endowed Scholarship Fund.

For personal assistance, call 570-422-3333.

ESU Alumni Association recognizes alumni The East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania 2016 Alumni Awards and Reunion Banquet was held on Friday, October 14, 2016, in the Keystone Room. The event, hosted by the ESU Alumni Association and coordinated by Office of Alumni Engagement, honored alumni who have achieved excellence in their field.

The late Enzo Cafarelli, Ph.D., ’69 M’70 previously of Bolton, Ontario, and Justice Christine Donohue ’74 of Pittsburgh, Pa., received the Distinguished Alumni Award.

This award is given to graduates whose achievements in their field have distinguished them on a national or international level.

Cafarelli was recognized across Canada and throughout the world as an expert in kinesiology and health science. Justice Donohue serves on the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the highest state court in Pennsylvania. While in her practice, she was listed in Best Lawyers in America.

Bernard “Bud” Cole ’66 of Northampton, Pa., received the Helen G. Brown Honor Award.

This award is given to a graduate whose accomplishments honor the university. Cole is a retired educator of the Northampton Area School District and taught fourth, fifth, and sixth grades.

Louie Wein ’18 of Schwenksville, Pa., received the George Ockershausen Student Service Award.

This award recognizes a former or current student that provides volunteer service to the Office of Alumni Engagement. Wein is president of the Warrior Elite student ambassador organization.

Wein is a junior majoring in communication studies with a dual concentration in public relations and media studies.

Monsignor John J. Bendik of Pittston, Pa., received the Dr. George Thompson, Jr. Award.

This award is given to an individual that demonstrates achievement in the areas of community and human relations and promoting the mission of ESU. Bendik has been an ordained priest for 49 years and is pastor to the Parish Community of Saint John the Evangelist in Pittston. Bendik established and is assigned to the Care and Concern Ministries which includes a free health clinic, food pantry, kid’s clothes closet, free pediatric health clinic, and a toy and book corner.

Robin Smith ’04 of East Stroudsburg, Pa., received the Young Alumni Achievement Award.

This award is given to a graduate that demonstrates exceptional ability and made significant strides in their chosen profession.

Smith is a singer and songwriter who has performed at the Pocono Raceway, Pocono Leadership Prayer Breakfast, and opened for country music star Kellie Pickler.

Smith is the main fundraiser for the non-profit, Labor of Love USA, and visits and performs at a second chance school, PA Treatment and Healing.

L. Patrick “Pat” Ross ’67 of Tannersville, Pa., was presented the Conrad “Skip” Idukas Service Award.

This award is given to a graduate who has made a significant contribution to ESU and/or the ESU Alumni Association. Ross has been chair of the ESU Council of Trustees for 20 years.

Carol Miller ’81 of Mt. Arlington, N.J. received the 2016 Great Teacher Award.

This award is given to a teacher that has demonstrated superior teaching ability and commitment to students. Miller is an associate professor of Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism Management at ESU.

Patricia Tross Danaher ’62 of Fairport, N.Y., received the Jim Barniak Award.

This award is given to a graduate who has achievements in athletics post-graduation. Danaher worked as a physical education teacher and coach in New York state and Texas for 33 years and then became assistant coach for the men’s and women’s tennis team at St. John College for five years.

The deadline for Alumni Award nominations is May 31 of each calendar year. To read more about past winners, or to nominate a Warrior or supporter of ESU for an award, visit www.esualumni.org. esualumni . org 25

alumni news

Rain doesn’t deter ESU race fans at Pennsylvania 400

Lehigh Valley alumni gather for First Friday

More than 40 ESU alumni and friends came together at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem on Main Street in Downtown Bethlehem on June 3, 2016, during the town’s First Friday celebration. The event, which is part of a series of gatherings planned by a dedicated group of ESU alumni, attracted Warriors from various class years. It was an opportunity for alumni in the Lehigh Valley to reconnect and engage with their peers and to gain new friendships.

Warrior Huddle kicks off first DELCO/CHESCO event

The Delaware and Chester counties (DELCO/CHESCO) Chapter hosted an event on June 16, 2016. Nineteen alumni from the DELCO/ CHESCO Chapter joined the “Warrior Huddle” for Happy Hour at Not Your Average Joe’s in Glen Mills, Pa. The DELCO/CHESCO event was planned by R. Griggs Levy ’87 and Cara Feehan Miller ’01 and was the first gathering for this chapter in a number of years. The chapter is planning its next event to be held in December.

Philly alumni connect at King of Prussia wine tasting

The Philadelphia Chapter hosted a wine tasting for its second event of the year with 15 ESU alumni attending. Held at the Hyatt House – King of Prussia on July 21, 2016, the wine tasting attracted Warriors from various graduating classes and attendees developed networking contacts, broadened social networks, and reconnected and engaged with their peers and alma mater. The event was by partially sponsored by the Hyatt House – King of Prussia and organized by Scott Higgins ’06 and Ashley Johnson ’09.

More than 35 alumni and friends of ESU attended the Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, July 31. Even though the weather was not cooperative and fans had to return for the race the following day, alumni enjoyed themselves in the Skybox courtesy of event sponsor SUNOCO, Inc. Attendees were also treated to a visit by NASCAR driver Ryan Newman who spoke about the challenges of racing and some of his experiences behind the wheel.

ESU Day at the IronPigs hits it out of the park

Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, Pa., welcomed more than 75 alumni and friends on Sunday, August 7, 2016, for ESU Day at the IronPigs.

ESU President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., threw out the first pitch along with Chapter Leader Ernest Kovacs ’65. Members of the Lehigh Valley Chapter hosted various tables with giveaways and shared information about ESU and the local chapter.

Summer golf ‘fun-raiser’ hosted by Alumni Association

The Annual Northeast PA ESU Alumni Summer “Fun-Raiser was held on Friday, August 12, 2016, at the Stonehedge Golf Club in Factoryville, Pa. More than 50 alumni, friends and family enjoyed a great day of golf followed by dinner. The annual event was planned by the ESU Alumni Association Board of Directors under the leadership of Frank Johnson ’74 and Paul Scheuch ’71.

Legacy families return to campus for annual lunch

The Annual Legacy Luncheon and Pinning Ceremony was held during ESU’s Family Weekend on Saturday, October 1, 2016. The event was held in a tent behind Koehler Fieldhouse. More than 65 alumni, family and friends attended the event. Twenty-one families were pinned and welcomed as Legacy families. Lauren Levy ’19, a second generation ESU student and legacy member, was the guest speaker.

1. Members of the ESU Alumni Association Board of Directors at the Annual NEPA ESU Alumni “Fun-Raiser.” From left, Frank Johnson ’74, Paul Scheuch ’71, William Horvath ’70 M.Ed. ’79, and Ron Steckel ’71. 2. Scott Higgins ’06, Robyn Chandler Atwood ’86, Kathleen Halasz ’87, and Ashley Johnson ’09 at the Philadelphia Wine Tasting at the Hyatt House - King of Prussia, Pa. 3. Shane Easterday and Caitlin Stripto ’13 enjoy the Skybox at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. 4. Classmates Amanda Buss ’00, Megan Augustine ’01, and Krista Morley ’00 at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem for the Lehigh Valley Happy Hour. 5. Alumni and friends gather at the DELCO/CHESCO Chapter Warrior Huddle Happy Hour. 6. Enjoying the annual Legacy 26 the alumni herald Luncheon and Pinning event are Betty Kruk ’91, ESU President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., and Kelsey Kruk, class of 2019.

Thursday, December 8, 2016 ESU Delco/Chesco Holiday Happy Hour Iron Hill Brewery Media, Pa. Time to be determined

Friday, December 9, 2016

ESU Holidays in Bethlehem Alumni Holiday Reception and explore Christmas Village in Bethlehem, Pa. 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Lehigh Valley Campus 60 West Broad Street Bethlehem, Pa.

“Fun-Raiser” Event1

Wine Tasting Event2

Pennsylvania 400 Event3

Saturday, January 14, 2017 3rd Floor Shawnee Residence Hall Reception Koehler Fieldhouse, ESU 1 p.m.

Saturday, February 4, 2017

First Friday Event4

DELCO/CHESCO Event5

Men’s and Women’s Basketball Alumni Games and Reception Koehler Fieldhouse, ESU Time to be determined Tuesday, February 21, 2017 Alumni Florida event Cypress Knoll Golf & Country Club 53 Easthampton Blvd.

Palm Coast, Fla. Time to be determined

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Alumni Florida event Orlando area Time and place to be determined

Friday, February 24, 2017 Alumni Florida event Englewood: Golf Outing and Luncheon Myakka Pines Golf Club 2550 South River Road Englewood, Fla. Golf: 8 a.m.; lunch 1 p.m.

For more information, contact Dick ’57 and Joan Stanley ’67 Merring at merringdj@yahoo.com or (941) 276-1548.

Friday, March 10, 2017 COBM and All Alumni Event Pre St. Patrick’s Day Parade Party Kildaires Restaurant Scranton, Pa. Time to be determined Wednesday, March 29, 2017 COBM Alumni Event Morton’s The Steakhouse (Midtown) 551 5th Avenue (on 45th, between 5th and Madison)

New York, N.Y. 12 noon – 2 p.m.

Sunday, April 2, 2017 Annual Cherry Blossom Brunch, Arlington, Va. Location and time to be determined Saturday, April 8, 2017 ESU Alumni Philadelphia Flyers Event Philadelphia Flyers vs.

Columbus Blue Jackets Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, Pa., 12:30 p.m.

Check www.esualumni.org and www.esu.edu frequently as events are added throughout the year.

For more information, or to host an alumni event, contact the ESU Office of Alumni Engagement at ljohn2@esu.edu or (570) 422-3194.

Legacy Lunch Event6

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The R. Dale and Frances M. Hughes Foundation gift lays the groundwork for fundraising campaign When the first home games are held in East Stroudsburg University’s 2018 baseball and softball seasons, the Warriors will host their competitors at the newly renovated Baseball/Softball Complex in Stroud Township.

Through a partnership between ESU, the ESU Foundation, the Stroudsburg Little League and Stroud Township, the fields will be upgraded to meet regulations for NCAA competitions. A shared usage agreement between ESU and the Stroudsburg Little League has 28

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been developed based on the team’s spring practice and competition schedules.

The plan’s scope includes renovations and improvements to the ESSA & Hughes Field Complex, located in Creekview Park on Route 191 in Stroudsburg.

The enhancements to the athletic complex will include the installation of artificial turf made with sand and organic infill, two sets of bullpen mounds for each field, construction of home and away dugouts at both fields, permanent and accessible bleacher seating for fans, designated hitting cages for each field, and overhead netting to protect fans from foul balls.

The rise of ESU’s baseball program to national prominence, and new leadership within the softball program, has given the Warriors momentum, but there is a clear need for facilities upgrades due to drainage, dugout, fencing and seating concerns at their existing facilities.

“ESU is very excited to be working with Stroud Township and the Stroudsburg Little League on this project that benefits both Little League players and the outstanding athletes within our Warriors baseball and softball programs. Athletes of all ages deserve a first class facility in which to play and through this initiative, we can make that happen,’ said ESU President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D. Thanks to a generous gift of $500,000 from the R. Dale and Frances M. Hughes Foundation, preliminary work on the project has begun and fundraising initiatives are in place through the ESU Foundation to raise the total $1.8 million needed to complete the upgrades to the complex. The Foundation has raised $800,000 to date and will look to alumni and friends of the baseball and softball programs and community partners to help fund the project.

Mitterling Field (baseball) and Zimbar

Field (softball) on campus have hosted the Warriors since the early 1960’s and 1975, respectively. Prior to their construction, baseball was played in Eiler-Martin Stadium.

“This is an exciting time for Warriors athletics and the transition into a new turf baseball/softball complex is just another example of the university’s commitment to creating a best-in-class experience for our student-athletes,” said Josh Looney, director of athletics.

“This project will expand the university’s brand in the community and immediately raise the level of our teams’ ability to recruit in the increasingly competitive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and the Atlantic Region.”

The new complex will give ESU a facility that reflects its success, said head baseball coach John Kochmansky.

“It will provide the backdrop to recruit the best student-athletes to study and compete at ESU. It will also provide a dynamic setting for our student athletes with an appropriate surface conducive for playing our spring schedule,” said Kochmansky.

ESU Head Softball Coach Jaime Wohlbach agreed.

“We are very excited about the new field and complex. It is a place we can call home, build traditions, and create championships on to better our overall student experience as a Warrior.”

To learn more and support the Baseball/Softball Athletic Complex, please contact the ESU Foundation at 570-422-3333 or visit www.esubaseballsoftball.com.

Artist’s rendering of the enhanced baseball field at the ESSA & Hughes Field Complex at Creekview Park.

Image is not to scale. Rendering by DeSantis Contracting LLC.

ESU’s Department of Athletics, the Stroudsburg Little League, Stroud Township, and the ESU Foundation held a press conference on June 9, 2016 to announce a partnership to enhance the Creekview Park fields.

From left, John Kochmansky, head coach for ESU Warriors Baseball; ESU President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D.; Jaime Wohlbach, head coach for ESU Warriors Softball; Josh Looney, ESU director of athletics; Rich Santoro, executive director of the ESU Foundation.

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Warrior Spirit

ESU’s women’s soccer team won its third straight PSAC championship to highlight the Warriors’ fall sports schedule.

Under the direction of head coach Rob Berkowitz, the Warriors became the second program in PSAC history and first since Lock Haven (1999-01) to win three straight conference titles, successfully defending their 2014 and 2015 crowns.

Junior goalkeeper Jules Harris was named PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Year and was one of six all-conference selections, including five on the first team - Harris, sophomore forward Alex Pickett, senior midfielder Shea Neal, junior midfielder Sammi Ortiz and senior back Hannah Gombos. Senior back Laurel Neira was named to the second team.

Neal was named PSAC Tournament MVP for the third straight year, scoring both goals in a 2-1 win vs. Kutztown as the Warrior rallied from a goal down. She previously scored the game’s only goal in a 1-0 win vs. Kutztown in 2014,

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The ESU Women’s Soccer Team celebrates its third PSAC championship on November 6, 2016.

and the game-winner in a 2-1 (OT) victory vs.

Edinboro in 2015.

Neal became the fourth ESU women’s soccer athlete to earn four All-PSAC honors and was named to the first team for the third time.

Senior back Andrea Polanco was named PSAC Champion Scholar as the studentathlete with the top grade-point average at the championship site. Polanco and Gombos were named Academic All-America, the first selections in program history.

In the NCAA Division II Tournament, ESU reached the second round for the third straight year with a 2-0 win vs. Notre Dame (Ohio) on goals by Neal and senior forward Brielyn Hackett. The Warriors fell 2-1 at West Chester in the second round to finish a 16-5-2 season.

ESU was the defending Atlantic Region champion, winning its first-ever regional title in 2015. The Warriors’ senior class finished with 58 wins, a school record for a four-year stretch.

Jules Harris

Emily Howell

FIELD HOCKEY

ESU, the defending PSAC and NCAA Division II champions, completed a 15-3 regular season before dropping a pair of one-goal games in the postseason - 1-0 vs.

Millersville in the PSAC semifinals, and 2-1 vs. Shippensburg in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Warriors landed five All-PSAC selections led by senior back Emily Howell, who was named PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Year. Also recognized on the first team were senior forward Robin Stevenson, senior midfielder Desiraye Mack and senior back Morgan Firestine, with junior midfielder Sydney McCarthy on the second team.

ESU head coach Sandy Miller was named PSAC Coach of the Year as the Warriors replaced six starters from their 2015 championship team.

FOOTBALL

Redshirt senior tailback Robert Healy set school records for rushing yards (1,163) and rushing touchdowns (18) to highlight the fall on the gridiron.

Healy, limited to 8.5 games due to injury, finishes with a multitude of ESU career records, including rushing yards (3,993), yards from scrimmage and all-purpose yards (both 5,908). He set the career rushing record as a junior.

His career yards from scrimmage total ranks fifth in PSAC history.

Healy and redshirt junior defensive lineman Marc Ranaudo were named first team AllPSAC East. Healy is the 10th ESU player to earn four all-conference honors.

Second team All-PSAC East selections were junior wide receiver Tim Wilson (58 catches, 910 yards, 8 TD), sophomore offensive tackle Michael Fleming, redshirt junior offensive guard Norman Rogers III, redshirt senior defensive end Ahmad McFarland and redshirt junior linebacker Mike Wiand.

Redshirt junior offensive lineman Devon

Ackerman was named Academic All-District for the second straight season. A Biochemistry major with a 4.0 GPA through six semesters, Ackerman was first team Academic AllAmerica in his first year of eligibility last year and is a strong contender for repeat honors.

The Warriors completed their 43rd season under head coach Denny Douds with a 4-7 record, opening 4-2 before hitting a stretch of PSAC games, the last three which coincided with Healy’s season-ending injury.

Douds extended his PSAC record for career wins to 260, and his NCAA Division II record for games coached to 451. He ranks fourth in NCAA history in games coached at one school behind John Gagliardi (St. John’s Minn.), Eddie Robinson (Grambling) and Joe Paterno (Penn State).

MEN’S SOCCER

Junior midfielder Christian Bukowski was named first team All-PSAC and was ESU’s first D2CCA All-Region first team selection in seven years as the Warriors nearly gained their first PSAC Tournament berth since 2010.

Robert Healy

Bukowski, who was also named to the Academic All-District team, had nine goals and four assists to pace the Warriors (7-8-1, 5-5-1 PSAC).

CROSS COUNTRY

Junior Samantha Young earned All-Region honors and junior Kaylyn West was first team All-PSAC. Young was 23rd with West 27th, just missing All-Region status, at the final meet of the year.

ESU’s women were third in the PSAC after placing second, their best-ever conference finish, in 2015. West placed 12th, Young was 19th and senior Allison Decker was 27th to gain all-conference spots. The Warriors were seventh in the regional.

ESU’s men placed sixth in both the PSAC and Atlantic Region meets. Junior Jeremy Rapposelli (21st) and senior Alex Zubko (27th) were second team All-PSAC. Senior Alec Lederer and Zubko just missed AllRegion honors, placing 27th and 30th.

EDITOR’S NOTE - Many fall postseason honors, including All-America awards, have yet to be determined at the date of publication. For complete information on the Warriors, please visit esuwarriors.com and follow @ESUWarriors on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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1

Warrior Spirit 1. Inducted into the 39th Class of the ESU Athletics Hall of Fame are, from left, Jay Urie (brother of Ed Urie ‘95), Barry Krammes ‘04, Jerry Sheska ‘68 (head coach of 2000 men’s soccer team), Justina Woolf Kubat ‘02, Rachel Miller Smith ‘02, Frank Miriello ‘67, James Franklin ‘95, Mike Seip ‘79 and Curtis Bunch ‘91.

2. Members of the 2000 Men’s Soccer Team with former head coach Jerry Sheska ’68.

Photos by Susie Forrester

2

ESU inducted eight individuals and the 2000 men’s soccer team as the 39th class to enter the Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, October 15 as part of Homecoming Weekend.

Frank Miriello ’67 (football)

Miriello was a three-year letter winner at defensive back for the Warriors from 1964 through 1966. A member of the 1964 and 1965 Pennsylvania Conference championship teams, he was voted team captain, named Team MVP and was East Stroudsburg’s football scholar-athlete selection as a senior in 1966.

Miriello embarked on a coaching career of more than 40 years, including 17 as head coach at Washington & Lee from 1995 through 2011. He had a career record of 90-79-1 with a record of .500 or better in 12 of his 17 seasons. He was a five-time Old Dominion Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and led his team to two NCAA Division III tournaments. Miriello was named the 2006 AFCA Division III Regional Coach of the Year and the Sportex DIII Coach of the Year, and was the 2010 recipient of the Touchdown Club of Richmond’s DII/DIII Coach of the Year award.

Mike Seip ’79 (swimming)

Seip was a three-year team captain in the pool for the Warriors and an 11-time Pennsylvania Conference placewinner. He was a high school swimming coach for 22 years, including 19 at Emmaus - leading the boys to a 230-26-1 record, 16 league championships and 12 district championships, and the girls to a 235-10-1 record, 17 league championships and 12 district championships.

He coached 26 state champions, 78 All-Americans and the 1999-00 girls PIAA AAA championship. He served as PA State High School Swim Coaches Association president for two years and was inducted to the PA Swimming Hall of Fame in 2002.

graduating having broken or tied 23 school records in two seasons as a starter. He set single-season records for passing yards (2,586), total offense (3,128) and touchdown passes (19) in 1994, when he was a candidate for Division II’s player of the year award.

Franklin was named the 16th head coach in Penn State’s storied history in January 2014 and has guided the Nittany Lions to consecutive bowl appearances in his first two seasons.

Including three seasons at Vanderbilt (2011-13), Franklin entered the 2016 season with a career record of 38-27 and has directed all five of his teams to bowl games, including victories in three of the last four years.

He was among five national finalists for the Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year award in 2012 and has secured Top 25 recruiting classes in each of the last four seasons, including back-to-back Top 20 classes at Penn State. The 2015 Nittany Lions had five players selected in the NFL Draft, and returning sophomore running back Saquon Barkley was named the Big Ten Network’s Freshman of the Year.

Ed Urie ’95 (basketball)

Urie was an All-PSAC East forward as a senior on the Warriors’ 1990 PSAC championship team, the first in school history. He scored 1,329 career points, pulled down 597 rebounds and blocked 78 shots - ranking seventh in school history in scoring, sixth in rebounding and fourth in blocked shots at the conclusion of his career. He set a school record with 114 games played.

Urie averaged 13.5 points and 4.6 rebounds as a senior and scored 25 points in a 108-102 (2OT) win over Millersville in the PSAC championship game. He helped the Warriors from a 2-25 record during his freshman season to the PSAC Curtis Bunch ’91 (football) title and ESU’s first-ever NCAA Division II Tournament Bunch is one of six Warriors to earn AFCA All-America honors appearance as a senior. Urie was inducted posthumously in program history, earning recognition as a safety as a senior in 1991. A three-time All-PSAC East first team and two-time Rachel Miller Smith ’02 (field hockey) All-ECAC selection, Bunch’s 18 career interceptions are tied for Smith was a two-time first team All-America and first team the school record. He also holds ESU’s career record with 436 All-PSAC selection in field hockey for the Warriors and was a senior on the 2001 team which was the NCAA Division II interception yards.

Bunch had 70 tackles, eight interceptions and nine pass runner-up. A standout midfielder, she had three career goals breakups on the 1991 team that won the PSAC East and 10 assists while excelling as a two-way player. championship and played in the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Smith helped ESU reach the ECAC Tournament in her first He had 41 tackles and six interceptions in 1990 and 38 tackles two seasons at ESU in 1999 and 2000 after transferring to the and three interceptions in 1989, earning All-PSAC East first Warriors from Lock Haven. She is one of five multiple first team NFHCA All-America selections in program history. team recognition both years.

James Franklin ’95 (football)

Franklin, a Harlon Hill candidate at quarterback for the Warriors as a senior in 1994, enters his third season as head football coach at Penn State this fall. He was a two-time AllPSAC East selection for ESU and head coach Denny Douds,

Justina Woolf Kubat ’02 (soccer)

Woolf was a four-time All-PSAC first team selection, fourtime NSCAA All-Region selection (including three spots on the first team) and was the 2001 PSAC Women’s Soccer Athlete of the Year. She ranks second in school history in

career goals (59) and points (137) and ranked fourth in PSAC history in career goals upon graduation.

Woolf was PSAC Rookie of the Year in 1997, contributing 13 goals and nine assists to the Warriors’ PSAC championship team. She had 15 goals and six assists in 1998, scored one goal before missing the rest of the season in 1999, had 12 goals and two assists in 2000 and 18 goals and two assists as a senior in 2001. She was named first team All-Region in 1998, 2000 and 2001.

Barry Krammes ’04 (track & field)

Krammes was a two-time All-America in the javelin for the Warriors before a 10-year career of domestic and international competitions, including competing in the U.S. Track & Field Championships from 2006-15. He reached the finals of the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, placing sixth in 2008 and 10th in 2012. His mark of 259-1 in the prelims in 2008 ranks just outside the top 10 American marks at the trials since 1988.

Krammes, a high school social studies teacher and coach in the East Stroudsburg school district, placed seventh in Division II in the javelin in both 2002 and 2003 and was also a national qualifier in 2004. His PR of 213-0 in 2004 ranked second in school history upon graduation. He was a threetime PSAC scorer, placing third as a sophomore and senior and fourth as a junior.

The 2000 men’s soccer team

The Warriors, under head coach Jerry Sheska (ESU HOF inductee), posted an 18-3-2 record and became the first ESU team in any sport to make an NCAA Final Four. They finished No. 3 in the final NSCAA Division II poll, the highest finish in school history.

ESU won its fourth straight PSAC title and eighth in nine years by beating California, 2-0, in the championship game.

In the NCAA Tournament, ESU advanced at Dowling (1-1 - 3-2 on penalty kicks) in the first round, then beat New Hampshire College 4-2 in the quarterfinals at Eiler-Martin Stadium.

ESU fell at Barry, 2-1, in the semifinals to complete a record-setting season.

The Warriors outscored their opposition 79-17 and had 11 shutouts in 23 games.

Sheska retired following the 2010 season after leading ESU to 15 PSAC championships and 16 NCAA Tournament appearances in 29 years. The Warriors won seven straight and 11 of 12 titles midway through his career (1992-95, 972003). He holds the PSAC record for career victories with an overall mark of 424-156-32 (.719). He also coached ESU to the PSAC women’s soccer championship in 1994.

On Patrick Steidle’s first day with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, he knew nothing about ice hockey. In fact, he knew so little that during his first game with the American Hockey League (AHL), the minor league affiliate of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Pittsburgh Penguins, he waited for the opposing team’s athletic trainer to take his spot because he didn’t know where to stand. But it didn’t matter. Steidle earned a B.S. in physical education – athletic training/sports medicine from East Stroudsburg University, he knew he was ready for the job.

A lot has changed for Steidle since that night. A Stanley Cup for one, but his appreciation for his education from ESU has not.

In 1991 Steidle had his pick of colleges and chose ESU because of the nationally-recognized faculty. He learned from professors who were setting the standard for athletic trainers and gained hands-on experience working with the Warriors’ field hockey and soccer teams. He graduated in 1995 and was offered a job with a high school clinic. Steidle recalls he didn’t have to interview for that job. “They called me and said anyone who graduates from ESU is qualified to do this job,” he said. And for four years he did.

In 1999, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ inaugural season, he received a call to interview for the team’s athletic trainer position. They had already hired someone for the position, but it didn’t work out. By the second game of their first season, Steidle was on the roster. He found his stride, learned the sport and the needs of the players, and began to make a home for himself with the team.

Wanting to give students studying to become athletic trainers a hands-on experience, Steidle established an internship program with the team. Over the years he had several ESU students intern with him, beginning with his first intern in 2009, Kyle Moore. Moore recalled it was an ESU professor who helped them connect. He said Steidle’s willingness to teach gave him an invaluable internship experience. The two kept in touch after Moore graduated, and Steidle gave him career advice whenever asked.

Steidle’s life became a lot busier. The seasons are longer and the responsibilities are greater – he is responsible for the health of every player drafted by the team. There’s also a lot more paperwork. Steidle once again found himself looking back at his ESU days. He was always thankful for the knowledge he gained from classes such as an EMT course that taught him how to be prepared in emergency situations. Now he is just as happy to have taken business classes that helped with his organizational skills.

It was 21 years after he graduated from ESU and 17 years working in the Penguins organization when Steidle had the moment many working in professional sports only dream of. The team he watched grow from a group of excellent individual athletes into an unstoppable unit, the team he worked tirelessly to keep healthy and strong, his team, won one of the most coveted prizes in professional sports – the 2016 Pittsburgh Penguins were Stanley Cup champions.

As he stood on the ice with the team as the Stanley Cup was presented, a colleague told him to take in every moment. He did. As the cup made its way to him he looked at his wife in the crowd, knowing his late nights and long road trips were a sacrifice for her too, and smiled. “It took everything to win,” Steidle said. “The team made physical and emotional sacrifices to get to that night.”

Steidle attributes his professional success to ESU. “East Stroudsburg University prepared me for everything I’ve done in life.” His feelings about the university and the athletic training program have not wavered over the years. “I have just as much respect for ESU now as I did when I graduated,” Steidle said, noting his classmates are running the program now and continuing the tradition of excellence. “I’m honored to say I went to ESU.”

In the off-seasons Steidle worked at Olympic Training Centers with the rugby, BMX and gymnastics teams. He doesn’t have as much time to work with the Olympics teams nowadays, but he remembers those days fondly. “I got to travel all over the Unites States and Canada,” he said. “I also went to the Czech Republic. My education enabled me to travel the world working in a field that I love.”

In 2013, after over 1,000 games with the WBS Penguins, he got the call every minor leaguer hopes for. He was moving up. As he prepared to make the move to Pittsburgh and join the team of athletic trainers working for the NHL team, he wanted to be sure he left the Wilkes-Barre team in good hands. He recommended his former intern and fellow ESU alumnus, Kyle Moore, who interviewed with the Baby Penguins and got the job. “I would certainly not be where I am in my career if it weren’t for Patrick,” Moore said. “He is a mentor and, over the years, he’s become a great friend.”

Patrick Steidle ’95, left, shows off the 2016 Stanley Cup with fellow ESU alumnus Kyle Moore

esualumni . org

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Michelle Ficca, Ph.D., ’77 is the recipient of Bloomsburg University’s first endowed professorship, the Breiner Family Endowed Professorship for Nursing. The professorship supports an exceptional teacher, mentor and leader.

Ficca joined Bloomsburg University in 1999 and served as associate professor, assistant chairperson and graduate coordinator. Earlier in her career she taught at Lycoming College and worked in nursing and research positions at Hershey Medical Center, Pleasant Valley School District, Geisinger Medical Center and Williamsport Hospital. She earned a master’s degree from Penn State University and doctoral degree from Widener University.

the alumni herald

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Amy Agnesi ’83 a Health and Physical Education graduate has retired as district director of health, physical education and athletics for the Rocky Point School District in New York. Agnesi worked as educator for more than 32 years.

She received the Athletic Director of the Year Award for her section at the New York Athletic Administrators Association Conference in March 2016.

Miguel Biamon ’84 a graduate in Recreation Management has joined Blue Bell Private Wealth Management as senior investment advisor.

Biamon has worked in the financial services industry for 20 years. He recently spent 13 years at Bryn Mawr Trust Company holding the title of senior vice president, director of fixed income investments. Biamon currently holds a Series 7, 63, and 65 license from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Biamon, his wife Debbie, and daughter Margot live in Lower Gwynedd, Pa. Mike Perko, Ph.D., M.C.H.E.S., F.A.A.H.E., ’86 M’89 was recently promoted to full professor in the Department of Public Health Education at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, N.C. Previously, Perko was the chair of the Department of Health Science at the University of Alabama. Perko’s fourth children’s book, How to Eat, Leap, and Sleep Like a Superhero, also recently took home the 2016 Bronze Medal in the National Health Information Award Competition.

Christopher Schiffert ’93 M’05 has been appointed assistant to the superintendent of the Whitehall-Coplay School District and will be in charge of its student and operational services.

Schiffert served as principal at Whitall High School for the past six years. From 2005 through 2010 he

1990s

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Kurt Zwikl ’72 is the recipient of the Preservation Alliance’s highest honor, the James Biddle Lifetime Achievement Award. After graduating from ESU with a degree in education, he earned his master’s degree in history from Lehigh University. In 1973, he became the youngest member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. During his six year term, he sponsored legislation that resulted in the Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Act, the Pennsylvania History Grant Program and the State Capitol Preservation Act. In 1996 he was president of the Allentown Economic Development Corporation. He proposed the Arts Walk project in Allentown in which an urban arts campus would be created by linking key cultural institutions through programming and promotion. Allentown has now been named one of US News & World Reports’ Best Places to Live. As Executive Director of the Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area, he created the Schuylkill River Restoration Fund. He retired in 2015.

1970s

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1980s

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James Nemecek ’81 has been hired as Penn Community Bank’s senior vice president, compliance director. Nemecek previously served as the bank’s external compliance consultant.

He has more than 35 years experience in the audit and compliance industry. His career began in 1981 in the Compliance and Internal Audit Division of Doylestown Federal Savings & Loan Association. He then worked in the Consumer Compliance Division of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. He held other compliance related roles at Nazareth National Bank, Republic First Bank and Fox Chase Bank. Prior to joining Penn Community Bank, he served as director of compliance at Accume Partners. Nemecek earned a certificate from the American Bankers Association’s National Compliance School.

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Jessica Curtis ’03 a Communication Studies graduate has joined GOPAC as executive director.

Previously, Curtis was a producer of Special Events & Politics at Fox News Radio. Curtis has oversight on the management of GOPAC’s staff and implementation of its programs. In addition, she will direct the national expansion plan to strengthen the organization’s mission as the Republican Party’s premier center for educating and electing a new generation of leaders. Curtis is a NRA Certified Instructor in the fields of Pistol and Personal Protection. During her tenure at Fox News Radio, she produced live coverage that included broadcasts of presidential debates, primary elections, national conventions and presidential inaugurations. Prior to Fox News Radio, Curtis was associate producer at New York City’s 77 WABC Radio. Formerly, she was elected and served on the Port Jervis City Council in New York.

Regina Koilparampil ’03 M’14 of Porter & Sayles, a pop/folk duo, released an independent debut studio album which is available for purchase at porterandsayles.com and on iTunes. While recording the album Koilparampil performed as a

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solo musician, taught music to local area youths and held a position as an adjunct professor at ESU. Porter & Sayles have opened for Pat Benatar, and performed for the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and Samantha Power. As a solo artist, she appeared at the 2014 Firefly Festival headlined

by Foo Fighters and Imagine Dragons. She also shared bills with Gavin DeGraw, Jason Derulo, Avril Lavigne, Kelly Pickler, Ryan Cabrera, Tret Fure and Ani DiFranco.

Kyle R. Evans ’12 a Business Management graduate was promoted to senior associate at Boyer & Ritter. Evans is an accountant who has experience ranging from work with businesses and not-for-profits to personal income tax. He supports the firm’s Business Services, Internal Audit and Government Services groups.

He earned his Master of Accountancy from Bloomsburg University.

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Gary Liguori, Ph.D., F.A.C.S.M., M’94 was recently appointed the inaugural dean of the newly formed College of Health Sciences at the University of Rhode Island. He most recently spent four years as the head of the Department of Health and Human Performance at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Ligouri has 21 years of experience as university instructor, professor and researcher. In addition, Ligouri’s research on such topics as physical activity, nutrition, obesity, physical assessment and cardiac rehabilitation has been published in academic journals during the past 16 years. Ligouri will oversee seven departments or majors in the new college – Communicative Disorders, Health Studies, Human Development and Family Studies, Kinesiology, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Physical Therapy and Psychology.

He earned his Ph.D. in wellness from the College of Human Development and Education at North Dakota State University, his master’s degree in cardiac rehabilitation/exercise science from ESU and a bachelor’s degree in fitness and wellness from the University of Central Missouri.

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served as the principal and assistant principal at Easton Area High School. Schiffert received his bachelor’s degree in history from ESU and his teaching certification from DeSales University in May 1998. He earned his principal’s certification from ESU in 2005.

Nicole Miller ’14 a Public Health graduate, was named women’s lacrosse head coach at Shippensburg University. Miller was previously an assistant coach at York College, helping the Spartans win 27 games and qualify for the NCAA Division III tournament for the last two seasons.

While she was at ESU, Miller started 68 games in her career between midfield and attack, compiling 132 points on 107 goals and 25 assists. She is ranked 14th in goals during her career at ESU. She was ESU’s Team MVP as a senior, ranking second on the Warriors with 35 goals and third with 37 points.

Christopher S. Landino M’15 was named director of Academic Advising and Career Services at Pennsylvania State University Lehigh Valley. He previously served as director of Career Services at the Graduate School of Education and Human Development at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Landino earned a Master of Education degree from East Stroudsburg University and a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communications from Elon University.

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ALUMNI

Christelle Charles May 27, 2016 Christelle Charles, 20, of Philadelphia, Pa., was a junior majoring in psychology and a vibrant, enthusiastic member of the campus community.

Joseph Ashcroft, Ph.D. August 12, 2016 Distinguished Professor Emeritus Joseph Ashcroft, Ph.D., 68, was a member of the ESU family for 36 years. He began his work at ESU in 1977 in the Upward Bound program and later transferred to the department of communication studies where he reached full professor status in 1992, served as department chair for a number of years, and was named distinguished professor in 2001. Upon retirement in 2013 he was granted professor emeritus status.

Ashcroft is survived by his wife, ESU Distinguished Professor Emerita Mollie Whalen, Ph.D., and her daughters Erin Nicole and Kelly Peterson. He is also survived by his brother Pat Ashcroft of Bethlehem who was employed as an information technology technician at ESU until his retirement in 2006.

Other survivors include: his grandchildren Chelsea Varkonyi, Troy Verway, and Ty Verway, all living in Oregon, and Walter Malsch of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.; his brothers, Frank Ashcroft of Albuquerque, N.M., Richard Ashcroft of Palm Desert, Calif., and John Ashcroft of Atlanta, Ga.; his sisters Theresa Ashcroft of East Stroudsburg, Pa. and Maggie Green of Reno, Nev.; and scores of nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents Frank and Anne, his brother Ed Ashcroft, and his sister Maryanne Ashcroft Field.

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the alumni herald

Sebastian E.T. Perez August 29, 2016 Sebastian E.T. Perez, 19, of Tobyhanna, Pa., formerly of Queens, N.Y., transferred to ESU in spring 2016 and was majoring in art + design. Born in Queens, N.Y., on Sept. 18, 1996, he was a son of Jerry and Johanne (Daniels) Perez of Tobyhanna.

He graduated from Marta Valle High School, New York, N.Y. In addition to his parents, Perez is survived by his brother, Sergio Gregory Perez of Colorado Springs, Colo.; his sister, Shalimar Perez of Tobyhanna; his maternal grandparents, Edouard and Ketly Daniels of Queens, N.Y.; his paternal grandmother, Anna Perez of New City, N.Y.; and several aunts, uncles and cousins. Preceding Sebastian in death was his paternal grandfather, Sergio Perez.

June M. Parker October 15, 2016 June M. Parker, 52, of Gilbert, Pa. (formerly of Hopatcong, N.J.) earned her paramedic certification from Lehigh Carbon Community College, worked as a paramedic for the West End Ambulance Company in Effort, Pa. for the past 25 years, and was enrolled in the pre-med program at ESU. She is survived by her husband, Jason; her parents, William and Lois Byron of Hopatcong, N.J.; her mother-in-law, Mary Parker of Sparta, N.J.; her brother, Vincent Byron and wife Jennifer of Bangor, Pa., her sister, Lori Socha and husband Dan of Byram, N.J.; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Memorial Gifts

may be made through the ESU Foundation at esufoundation.org/givenow.

For personal assistance, please call 570-422-3333.

Jane E. Albert ’65 Margaret K. Anderson M’88 Ms. Annette M. Barbini ’62 M’67 Robert S. Barratt ’86 Christina L. Behrens ’79 Harold B. Boyer ’49 Darwin E. Brodt ’78 M’81 Carl D. Brown ’56 Albert F. Buchignani ’71 Frederick P. Catona ’69 Thomas H. Craige, III ’57 Jeffrey D. Drace ’83 Helene L. Eisemann ’46 Tana L. Erbe ’77 Barbara A. Farrell ’49 Stephen Ferraioli ’82 Debra L. Frable ’74 Jerrold E. Fritz ’55 Darcy L. Garruba ’76 Viola D. Ghigiarelli ’33 Shirley E. Gosztonyi ’69 William J. Guillorn ’47 Barbara J. Heitz ’64 Philip R. Hendren M’87 Joan A. Herbst ’53 Elizabeth L. Hines ’70 Michael Horon ’48 Anne W. Joyce ’43 Nathan E. Kelley ’93 Helen M. Knauf ’48 Michael O. Kordilla ’64 Florence H. Kunkel M’71 Henry E. Lee ’74 Genevieve L. Miller ’57 Douglas T. Morris M’71 Joan D. Mroz ’71 John D. Pappas M’83 Theresa J. Soldati ’85 John F. Stachura ’58 Elbur A. Techentin ’54 Richard C. Thornton ’67 John Vedomsky ’59 Dr. Melvin H. Williams ’62 Mrs. Regina L. Williams ’56 Mr. William H. Wohkittel, Sr. ’58

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East Stroudsburg University 200 Prospect Street East Stroudsburg, PA 18301-2999

Construction of Phase II of ESU’s suite-style housing is now underway.

Construction of Phase II of ESU’s suite-style housing is now underway.

The new 495-bed residence hall, which complements the design of the university’s Hemlock and Hawthorn suites, is expected to be online in August 2017. Photo by Lance Soodeen