East Stroudsburg University of pennsylvania
alumni herald
Spring/Summer 2021
COO of Boston Market and Corner Bakery
Eric Wyatt ’85
on life, business, & relationship building
Honoring a friend and Warrior On March 21, 2021, students, faculty and staff came together at Eiler-Martin Stadium to celebrate the life of Ryan Smith, a member of the Warriors’ men’s basketball program who battled acute myeloid leukemia (AML) since August 2019. Smith passed away March 22, 2021. A scholarship in his name and memory has been established through the ESU Foundation. Photo by Bob Weidner
CampusSnap
Warriors,
Greetings from East Stroudsburg University’s beautiful campus this summer as we prepare for the arrival, and return, of so many students who are eager to safely return to academics and activities for the Fall 2021 semester. Much as I’m certain you are moving toward a full return to your prepandemic activities, our ESU students – the freshmen, sophomores and transfer students who may not have yet stepped foot on campus as well as our upperclass students who have missed their college home – are looking forward to reconnecting with in-person courses, student organizations, academic programming, intercollegiate, club and intramural athletics, service learning, academic placements (student teaching, clinicals and internships) and so many other opportunities that may have been limited or unavailable since March 2020. We acknowledge that there have been many challenges since the pandemic began, but we remain steadfast in our mission to deliver academic and social experiences that produce successful ESU graduates, who in turn are successful and proud ESU alumni. I would like to thank our ESU faculty and staff for their commitment to all of our students during these difficult times. In this edition of the Alumni Herald you’ll read about Eric Wyatt ’85, COO of Boston Market and Corner Bakery, on how his time at ESU shaped his professional career. We’re pleased to tell you about renovations to Koehler Fieldhouse that benefit our students and community, the work of art + design faculty and students who produced face shields during the pandemic, the return of the Inclusion Poster Project, and staff updates including the retirement of our provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, Joanne Z. Bruno, J.D., following six years of service to the university. In athletics, our women’s lacrosse team won the NCAA DII Atlantic Regional championship and advanced to the national semifinals for the second time in the last three seasons! And, the softball team finished as the Atlantic Region runner-up to highlight the return of our Warriors to competition after nearly a year on the sidelines. We also mourn the loss of a Warrior student-athlete, Ryan Smith of the men’s basketball team, to acute myeloid leukemia in March, a young man who made a big impact in his short time with us. We held in-person Commencement exercises on the first two weekends in May for our doctoral, graduate and undergraduate students who earned their degrees in spring 2020, winter 2020 and spring 2021 – and we look forward to holding Homecoming Weekend activities for all of our Warriors the weekend of October 8-10. Mark your calendars! 2 the alumni herald
You’ll note a number of past and upcoming Alumni events as our staff and alumni leaders strive to connect our Warriors. I’m hoping our virtual visits will soon turn into opportunities for you to come back to campus for some REAL “face time.” There are also opportunities for scholarship support and fundraising campaigns as we continue to build on the more than $1 million in scholarships that were awarded to ESU students in 2020-21. In closing, as you read this and all editions of the Alumni Herald, please take a moment to recognize how your alma mater continues to impact so many people in so many ways. We’re proud of your place in our ESU story, and we truly appreciate how our alumni shape our university, our region and the world around us. After a year that has brought innumerable abrupt changes, our sharp focus remains on our students, alumni, and the future of our institution - a place Where Warriors Belong. Sincerely, Kenneth Long, Interim ESU President
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Cover Story
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With a work history in high level positions at Panera Bread, Starbucks, Taco Bell, Bath and Body Works and Mobil Oil, Eric E. Wyatt ’85 now serves as COO of Boston Market and The Corner Bakery. Pretty impressive for the Warrior who floundered finding his way during his early semesters at ESU. Crediting quality professors for steering him in the right direction and on-the-job skills learned as an officer in Phi Sigma Kappa, Wyatt recognizes these factors, along with good old fashioned hard work, have played a role in his success.
Stay connected with your alma mater @WarriorAlumni ESUAA flickr.com/photos/esualumni INTERIM ESU PRESIDENT Kenneth Long Design and Production Office of University Advancement Office of University Relations Ideal Design Solutions Photography Susie Forrester Morgan Koerber ’18 Alyssa Maloof Bob Weidner
Contributors Nancy Boyer ’20 Brenda E. Friday, Ph.D. Christina Karl Sara Karnish Greg Knowlden M’04 Morgan Koerber ‘18 Ryan Long Stacey Marshall Margaret Peterson Elizabeth Richardson David Super ’80 Caryn Wilkie
Features 10 FALL 2021:
FULL STEAM AHEAD
Classes, campus activities to resume with guidelines.
16 YOUR SUPPORT AT WORK
Departments
21 GEAR UP FOR
16 ESU Foundation
Fundraising campaigns will impact academics, athletics.
HOMECOMING 2021
After a year hiatus, Warrior alumni will celebrate this fall.
SO SWEET 24 AESUVICTORY Lacrosse takes it all the way to NCAA DII Final Four
20 Alumni News 24 Warrior Spirit 28 Class Notes 30 In Memoriam
East Stroudsburg University Alumni
Alumni Herald The Alumni Herald is the official publication for East Stroudsburg University Warriors of all ages. We work to keep ESU alumni connected with their alma mater and each other. The print magazine is published twice each year (Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer). Alumni may update their mailing information by notifying the alumni office. Please address all correspondence to: ESU Office of Alumni Engagement Henry A. Ahnert, Jr. Alumni Center 200 Prospect Street East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 570-422-3333 Fax: 570-422-3301 esualumni@esu.edu
10 Campus News
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.) 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.
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alumni board
fellow ESU Alumni, As I write for this edition of the Alumni Herald, formal graduation ceremonies have been conducted. After an unprecedented academic year, where the large majority of ESU students learned completely from home, members from the Class of 2021, as well as those who graduated in 2020, have had the opportunity to share their achievements in formal ceremonies with family and friends. Although you did not have the traditional college experience, you met the challenge of completing your degrees in the midst of a global pandemic. Each of you are truly Warriors in every sense of the word. Welcome May graduates to the family of Warrior alumni!
In September, current and new incoming students will return to campus to what we all hope will be a normal college experience. But not all things on campus will be the same. Provost Joanne Bruno, J.D. and Interim Associate Provost and former Dean of the College of Education Terry Barry ’89 M’99 are retiring. Both of these individuals were tremendous advocates for the Association’s mission, and we wish them well in their retirement years. We also thank Interim President Kenneth Long for doing an outstanding job leading our university through a very difficult period. In June, your Alumni Association welcomed eight new members to the Board of Directors. We say goodbye to long-serving members Jack Childs ’67, Joe Fite ’76, Deborah Kulick ’80, Johanna Mazlo ’91, and Ron Steckel ’71, each who have made significant contributions during the last nine years. Two-term Board President Frank Johnson ’74 is also leaving after nine years of outstanding service, four of those years, July 2016 to July 2020, as Board President. During his tenure, Frank developed highly effective relationships with the university leadership. He also established a productive committee structure which resulted in greater support to the office of Alumni Engagement. Thank you, Frank! The Alumni Board completed elections for new directors. This year we had 14 openings, our largest number of vacancies ever. We are fortunate to welcome back the following individuals for another three-year term: Caitlin “Katie” Ord ’07 M’08, Board Secretary; Glenn Clark ’74, board liaison to the ESU Foundation; Keith Fisher ’91; Glenn Gottshalk ’72; and Kate Kirkwood ’95. I am pleased to announce and welcome the following new members to our board: Aalih Hussein ’15, Ashley Johnson ’08, Mary Mott ’06, Joseph Caviston ’09, Andre Myers ’00, Deborah Pride ’98, Mark Malfara ’98, and Robin Smith ’04. Reach out to them with your questions and ideas about how to make our Alumni Association more effective.
Alumni Association Corner In early March we said goodbye to Director of Alumni Engagement Leon John, Jr., Ph.D. Leon did an outstanding job during his tenure and was crucial to the board’s effort to grow the association. Nancy Boyer ’20 will expand her responsibilities as the Director of Annual Giving to become the director, Annual Giving and Alumni Engagement. Nancy will continue to oversee annual operating and other restricted gifts plus undertake alumni engagement responsibilities. Morgan Koerber ’18 has been promoted to the position of associate director, Alumni Engagement and Outreach. She will continue with all existing responsibilities, plus manage alumni events and affinity groups. Shelley Speirs ’92, director of Major and Planned Gifts, will move into the role of senior director of Development and Alumni Relations, with responsibility for providing leadership and oversight for all individual fundraising and alumni engagement activities. Another area of change is our Alumni Awards program. We have eliminated the single Distinguished Alumni Award, replacing it with four Distinguished Alumni Awards named after each of ESU’s four colleges. So many alumni have done incredible things with their lives and careers since graduating from ESU. The new awards will enable us to better recognize those achievements. Please go to esualumni.org/awards to view the awards. If you know an alumnus who you believe should be recognized for their life accomplishments, complete the online application. In my initial article, I asked you to reach out with your ideas and suggestions on how we can stay better connected, and what we as an association can do for you. I will end this article by asking all of our alumni for the same thing I asked our recent graduates – pay your ESU education forward to help current students. If requested, make a return visit to campus and share your career experiences. Offer to mentor students in your career field. Ask your employer to create an account with Handshake, an online site used specifically for hiring college students for internships and initial job placement. Handshake is used by our Career Development office – contact them for any questions. Our ESU students come to school with two interrelated goals in mind – graduate with a degree and obtain a job in their chosen career field. Our university is doing a great job on their first goal – we as alumni need to help with their second goal. Dave Super ’80 President ESU Alumni Association Board of Directors
ESU Alumni Association Board of Directors
2020-2021 Executive Members: David A. Super ’80 President Christine Rohr Thompson ’73 Vice President Caitlin Ord ’07 M’08 Secretary general Members Danica Boyd ’97 Glenn Clark ’74 Joseph Delchop ’10 Keith Fisher ’91 Joseph B. Fite, III ’76 Glenn Gottshalk ’72 Ernest R. Gromlich ’60 Frank E. Johnson ’74 Dawn Ketterman-Benner ’70 Kathleen Murphy Kirkwood ’95 Deborah Kulick ’80 Elizabeth Luchansky O’Brien ’01 Johanna Mazlo ’91 Carol Miller ’81 Thomas Petro ’72 Chasity Riddick ’04 M’07 Ashley L. Puderbach Swartz ’09 M’10 Paul Scheuch ’71 M’77 Ronald D. Steckel ’71 Lori Miller Weinstein ’77 Corey Wimmer ’03 Emeriti Eugenia S. Eden ’72 M’76 Bryan L. Hill ’71 Phyllis M. Kirschner ’63 Sandra “Pinky” O’Neill-Seiler ’57 Frank Michael Pullo ’73 Virginia M. Sten ’71 Faye D. Soderberg ’58 John E. Woodling ’68 M ’76
E VERY GIF T HELPS ESU STUDENTS
Enjoy a safe campus environment Learn from qualified professors
Participate in athletic events Graduate with hopeful futures
Your support helps every student, every day. Give online at www.esufoundation.org/ givenow, speak to a staff member by calling 570-422-3333, or mail a check payable to: ESU Foundation 200 Prospect Street East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
Gifts to the Warrior Fund are essential to ensure students experience the best in academics, athletics, faculty, and scholarship.
Eric Wyatt ’85 COO of Boston Market and Corner Bakery, on life, business, and perhaps most important, relationship building.
6 the alumni herald
launch this Warrior on a notable career path College is about finding yourself, both personally and professionally. The path to professional fulfillment is rarely straight and narrow—there are often unexpected curves, detours, and roadblocks along the way. Eric Wyatt ’85, currently the COO of Boston Market and Corner Bakery, can attest to this. His journey began at ESU and has led to positions of increased responsibility at some of the U.S.’ most recognized companies. Growing up in Berwyn, Pa., on Philadelphia’s Main Line, Wyatt wasn’t sure he wanted to attend college. “When I look back at it, college was not something I thought I needed or was necessary,” he explains. “My brother was going to college—attending ESU. I took the opportunity when my dad said to me, ‘I want you to go to college and give it a try.’” Wyatt submitted a late application to ESU and started his freshman year in the June/Jan program a few days after graduating from high school. “It was a big shift,” he admits, adding his first year was a “learning curve”: “My freshman year was very rough. I was not disciplined. It took me some time to find my way, and yes, it took me 4.5 years to graduate.
It was difficult to adjust to the academic side. I had a 1.5 GPA after my freshman year and was on academic probation. Eventually I achieved a 3.6 in my major and a 3.1 overall, so I got it together. I joined a fraternity [Phi Sigma Kappa] and those were some of the best parts of my college years.” The fraternity gave Wyatt his first taste of running a business. “I was an officer, president, vice president and inductor, and it was my first time really being responsible for a budgets, P&L [profit and loss], and people. The fraternity helped shape my early learning of business. While it was a brotherhood, it was a business, too. We had rent, bills, taxes, and all the things you need to understand in business and a general ledger. Fraternity life was more instrumental than any college course I ever took.” Wyatt initially majored in media technology with the goal of going into TV broadcasting. “I had classes like photography and videotaping, and I wasn’t doing well in them,” he recalls. He switched his major to speech communication. Classes with instructors like Professor Reeder and Professor Leland kept him motivated to stay in the program.
Brotherhood comes with lessons in life and business.
From 1983-1985, Wyatt, top row, wearing the bandana, was a member of the three-time Intramural Club Soccer Champions team, The Bankers Club of Phi Sigma Kappa.
The fraternity Phi Sigma Kappa had a profound impact on forging Wyatt’s business acumen and early skill set. Here, brothers gather in 1984 for a summer picnic. Wyatt is top row, second from the right, wearing Phi Sig letters.
Wyatt enjoys a moment with former college roommate Retired Col. James R. DeVere ’86 at the Phi Sigma Kappa 50th Anniversary luncheon.
esualumni.org 7
Value people, listen, and always explore your possibilities.
During his time at Panera Bread, Wyatt worked with founder and then CEO Ron Shaich. The two attend a national meeting in 2016 in St. Louis, Missouri.
While working for Starbucks Coffee Company, Wyatt considers himself fortunate to have worked alongside and shared the stage with iconic leaders such as Howard Shultz, CEO of the company from 1986 to 2000, and then again from 2008 to 2017.
“One of them said, ‘You cannot not communicate’. You can use communication everywhere you go. I spend a lot of my time speaking and communicating to people in business.” He refers to clarity and effective two-way communication as his “North Star.” Following graduation, Wyatt still hadn’t found a clear professional direction. He interned with Philadelphia’s second-largest ad agency and gained firsthand sales experience by selling ads in the Yellow Pages. “A gentleman by the name of Pat Flanagan, who was responsible for the Yellow Pages at Spiro & Associates, got me an interview with Donnelly Directory (sales agent for Bell Atlantic), and I started in Yellow Pages advertising sales. I was literally cold calling non-advertisers like doctors, dentists and lawyers and trying to sell ads.” Wyatt had a talent for selling ad space and was promoted after a year. His new position brought perks like a company car and a welcome increase in salary. After two years with Donnelly Directory, Wyatt was looking for a new opportunity. He accepted a position with Mobil Oil Corp. and has never looked back. Subsequent positions at Yum Brands! (Taco Bell) and other major corporations provided Wyatt with an invaluable business education. His early jobs were important learning experiences and helped lay the foundation for bigger and better opportunities. “My job at Mobil Oil Corp. is really what got me started in business,” he recalls. “It’s a huge corporation with lots of upstream business. Within my first year I got promoted and I moved to Fairfax, Va., and later San Diego. One big advantage in my favor—I was relocatable. I’ve moved 13 times in 35 years, and all over the country. I think that’s played a big part in my career progression.” Wyatt learned invaluable skills early in his career that he has applied at every job since. “I learned about the importance of building relationships. How critical it is to maintain effective communication and develop business acumen.” Executive-level positions with Starbucks, Bath & Body Works, Taco Bell Corp., and Panera Bread round out his professional career. Wyatt has been with Boston Market for three years, starting as COO and being named CEO in early 2020. Wyatt says he follows a simple philosophy: put people first. 8 the alumni herald
“People are the foundation of everything you do in life. Keeping people first in your prioritization, whether running a store, region, or company, is key,” he says. It’s a concept he says he didn’t take quite as seriously in his early career, but was a lesson he learned while working for Starbucks. “Whenever anything happened [i.e., natural disaster or other emergency], the first question we’d ask is ‘How are your people?’” Wyatt has faced challenges in business, and says he’s overcome them by always putting people first. “In 2008 when the economic crisis hit, we had to close about 20 restaurants and put people out of work. Rather than just put a note on the door or calling each location, I personally went to every location and met with folks face to face to deliver the news. As a regional director, I could’ve taken the short cut and sent an email, but I went to meet with them.” He adds, “How you work with, communicate, and treat people is important. Something like crisis management…how you handle it is important.” Success doesn’t happen overnight, he points out. “You have to be patient and put in your time—you have to learn and grow. You might have to make some sacrifices, and you won’t make $1 million right out of college. But that patience is part of the challenge. If you accept where you’re at, and that you’ll develop and grow, you’ll get there. Were there times when I thought I should’ve gotten promoted? Sure. But when I didn’t, that made me work harder. I coach a lot of business folks, and I encourage them to take risks. You might make a mistake or fail, but that’s how you learn. Don’t be afraid to do that.” Salary and a prestigious job title are not everything when it comes to looking for a job, or even accepting an offer. Recognizing your value and what it brings to an employer is also critical for long-term job success and satisfaction. Wyatt points out there are several factors to consider when interviewing for a job and researching employers. “It’s not just about the job or the work—it’s about the fit. You want to ask yourself, ‘Does this company take care of its people?’, ‘Are they doing what they should do environmentally?’” he advises.
Wyatt encourages undergraduates to embrace the time they have to learn. “Don’t necessarily worry about that first or even second job out of school. Get some experience. Find out what you’re interested in and not interested in, then go try it. My dad had the same job for 35 years. I’ve had five or six jobs. I don’t encourage job hopping every six months, but explore opportunities.” He points out that ESU alumni should give back, as well: “You have an obligation to coach and develop others in whatever it is you do,” he says. Looking back on his 35+ years in business, Wyatt owes much of his success to a strong work ethic and willingness to listen. “It’s amazing when I look back on my career. I didn’t know about many different functions—HR, IT, finance—but because of my ability to listen and learn during broader meetings, I know enough to be dangerous in any of these categories.” He jokes that he’s close to retirement but has no plans to stop working: “I don’t think I can retire. I love to work. I love people. As long as people value what I do and think I bring value to an organization, I’ll keep working.” From a company perspective, he and his team are brainstorming and considering what’s next for Boston Market and Corner Bakery. “We’re looking at a lot of different ideas. There are so many possibilities,” he says.
Building a life together. Wyatt ’85 met wife Bonnie (Kitzmiller) ’86 at ESU and have built a life together.
The Wyatt’s first date at the Phi Sigma Kappa house.
Fraternity formal, circa 1983.
The couple was engaged in 1989.
Eric ’85 and Bonnie ’86 Wyatt recently in Philadelphia, Pa.
He remembers his time at ESU fondly. In many ways, his college years set the course for the rest of his life. He met his wife, Bonita Kitzmiller ’86, at ESU. They have two grown children, Danielle and Eric. If he could change anything about his time at ESU, he says simply, “I would have liked to stay longer. They were some of the best years of my life. I didn’t realize how much it would influence me later in life.” He remains an active member of the ESU Foundation Board of Directors and comes back to campus whenever he can. Wyatt acknowledges the challenges today’s students have faced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ever-changing learning environment. The ability to adapt and change course quickly is an asset to any job. Wyatt advises current students about to enter the workforce: “Make the best of it. It will evolve and change. Look for opportunities you’re passionate about in the future to help guide you in what you do. If you’re not passionate about it…that makes it difficult to stay in the game.” – By Sara Karnish
Wyatt with his son Eric in Amsterdam.
Wyatt with daughter Danielle in Paris, France.
esualumni.org 9
CAMPUS NEWS
ESU remains on track for
fall 2021 re-opening of campus Plans remain firmly in place for students, faculty and staff to return to ESU’s campus for fall 2021, according to Interim President Kenneth Long. Course registration and room selection took place starting in April. New scholarship awards are in place for first generation and transfer students and classroom spaces are being continuously reviewed to ensure appropriate COVID-19 guidelines and technological advancements are in place. “There’s a great surge of excitement and energy about the fall 2021 semester,” said Long. “For those of us who have been working from campus throughout the pandemic, we are eager to see and interact with more students. Others, particularly faculty who have been teaching most of their classes online, want to be back in our academic spaces and are planning for more face-to-face instruction. We’ve been working toward a safe re-opening of our campus since we initially announced our plans last fall.” In spring 2021, ESU welcomed back nearly 300 students who opted to live in on-campus housing. Approximately 100 classes took place via face-to-face instruction. ESU’s plan for fall 2021 is to have the majority of classes be face-to-face through both traditional face-to-face where classrooms can accommodate social distancing protocols and hybrid delivery. Hybrid instruction is a combination of face-to-face classroom learning and online learning in which students are expected to attend synchronous instruction in-person alternating with online/virtual attendance.
both on and off-campus. This semester, we expanded the number of students living on-campus to gauge how the campus community will handle the responsibilities of personal safety, as well as the safety of one another, and make necessary adjustments for our fall 2021. We were pleasantly surprised by the responsible actions taken by many of our students.” ESU also understands that the COVID pandemic has heightened financial hardships for students and their families. New for fall 2021 are ESU’s Gen One Scholarships for students who are the first in their family to attend college, and a series of Platinum/Gold/Silver Transfer Scholarships for transfer students from select regional community colleges. “We know this has been an extremely difficult year for many students who have had to face many personal challenges that have caused them to take a closer look at their financial viability to go to college,” said Karen Lucas, vice president for enrollment management. “That’s why we want to place such an emphasis on providing these students with affordable and accessible academic opportunities.”
Long announced that part of the readiness to return ESU to a “new normal” is based on the swift distribution of a COVID vaccine nationwide as well as the declining spread of the virus in Pennsylvania, particularly Monroe County. “We still understand that the threat of COVID is real,” says Long. “All members of the campus community (and visitors) will continue to be required to follow all CDC and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidelines. Wearing masks will be required. We will also administer regular COVID testing. The safety of our campus and local community members remains a top priority.” “We are very aware that our current and prospective students are eager to exchange their current remote learning for in-person experiences in the classroom, the residence halls and in other facilities across campus. A successful return to ESU will require all of us to be committed to doing our part in order to maintain the safety of the entire campus community, 10 the alumni herald
About 300 students returned to campus to live in residence halls in January 2021. This fall, ESU is preparing for a full re-opening with a mix of traditional face to face and hybrid classes. Photo by Susie Forrester
Art + Design faculty, students work together to make better face shields So over the summer, three students became paid researchers working on their own PPE prototypes to improve face shields. A $2,500 Out of the Box grant from ESU’s Office of the Provost paid for the purchase of materials and each student was paid $600 through an ESU Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (S.U.R.E.) grant.
Students and faculty in the art + design department worked to enhance personal protective equipment using ESU’s 3D printing Stratasys Super Lab. Courtesy Photo
In the midst of the pandemic that left so many people feeling isolated, two East Stroudsburg University professors and three students collaborated on designing face shields that can make human contact safer and communications easier. The collaboration started late last March when art + design professor and department chair Darlene Farris-LaBar and assistant professor Xue (Stella) Dong got the idea to create headbands that attach to transparent face shields, making them lighter and less bulky. Working in ESU’s 3D printing Stratasys Super Lab, they designed the model and then got help from Joe Sinclair, founder of the Verde Mantis 3D printing company at the ESU Innovation Center, to mass produce the personal protective equipment (PPE). To make sure the multitudes could benefit from their work, the professors posted the instructions for how to make the face shields and headbands online, giving permission for all to use the formula. “ESU put the file on its website and we just said ‘Take it for free,’” FarrisLaBar said. “We had places in Seattle, in France, Innovation in Easton, GoggleWorks in Bethlehem, they were all 3D printing our work. I had a family in my neighborhood who had two old 3D printers and he was just mass producing these.” “People have been willing to volunteer and give their time unselfishly to help the supply chain,” she said. ESU’s Office of Accessible Services Individualized for Students – OASIS – reached out to Dong and Farris-LaBar because they had hearing impaired students and faculty on campus who found it difficult to communicate when everyone was wearing masks.
Senior Katrina Stenger worked on making a mask that was clear so when a person is in a conversation, other people can better read their facial expressions. “It was a very fun, creative process,” said Stenger, from Stroudsburg, who is majoring in integrated art + design with a double concentration in product design and graphic design. “It’s an inspiration for students. We’re the future, we’re the young minds at work, and we’re trying to contribute.” Madina Khan, a senior from Copenhagen, Denmark majoring in business management, fashioned a face shield that enhanced voice amplification to make it easier for people to talk and be understood while wearing it. “It was genius what she came up with,” Stenger said. Jadelyn Cardenales, a sophomore from Perth Amboy, N.J., studying integrated art + design, created clips so face shields could be clipped onto ball caps. In addition, Cardenales got an idea for making the pandemic experience and PPE less frightening for kids. “She was also creating little tiny [face shields] for stuffed animals so they could go to children’s hospitals and it would make the experiences of seeing the doctors wearing them friendlier and fun for the kids,” FarrisLaBar said. The students received feedback on their designs from 3D printing expert Robert “Chuck” Stewart, president of Computer Techies, and Laura Walker, the clinical safety programs manager at the Occupational Safety Management Department at Lehigh Valley Health Network. The project gave the team valuable experience in collaborating remotely, Dong said, and it was especially gratifying that the students were recognized for their achievements. ESU’s PPE design project was featured at the “Masks and Makers” exhibit of the College of Central Florida that ran through September and at the 2020 Pennsylvania Art Education Association Conference in October. The project also resulted in Stenger getting job opportunities.
“We’re trying to solve other problems,” Dong said. “Like when you’re wearing a mask, it’s really hard for other people to see your expressions and it’s hard to project the sound outside.”
Plus, there were rewards that were less tangible, but no less real, according to Farris-LaBar. The professors and students were able to use their talents and knowledge for the greater good.
The next step was to engage ESU students in the endeavor.
“This opportunity was wonderful in that we were able to give to the planet, to the world, at a time when there’s not much hope,” she said.
“We really wanted to involve students to remind them of their social responsibilities and also put them in a creative mindset,” Dong said.
– By Margie Peterson esualumni.org 11
CAMPUS NEWS
Koehler Fieldhouse renovation benefits students and community After extensive renovations, ESU’s Koehler Fieldhouse is ready for the best of times – graduations, basketball games, concerts – and the worst of times, including 2012 when Koehler was used as a megashelter for people in the region who needed temporary housing following Hurricane Sandy, or more recently in 2020 when the facility was setup to serve as a COVID-19 field hospital. That’s what the Monroe County Commissioners had in mind when they earmarked $1.3 million of the $15.4 million the county received from the federal CARES Act to pay for an air conditioning system at Koehler Fieldhouse that will enable ESU students and the greater community to have clean, fresh, cool air when necessary – especially during warm spring and summer months, when the facility is used on excessively hot days for athletic practices, to welcome large groups for commencement ceremonies and other community events, and in regional emergency situations. The new air conditioning unit adds additional value in light of the pandemic; it has the capability of increasing the rate of air change, reducing air recirculation and increasing the amount of outdoor air to thwart the spread of COVID-19. A new 550-kilowatt generator, funded by a $360,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), ensures the Fieldhouse will retain electricity during power outages like the one that left Monroe County residents without power for three days in March 2017. “The addition of a generator and air conditioning system to Koehler Fieldhouse maximizes the functionality of the building, not only for the campus but for the community,” said Mary Frances Postupack, ESU vice president of economic development and entrepreneurship, who spearheaded the effort to obtain funding for both initiatives.
Sharon Laverdure, chair of the Monroe County Commissioners, agreed, saying Koehler’s location, size and facilities make it a logical shelter for large emergencies, in part due to its proximity to Lehigh Valley HospitalPocono, the downtown, bus routes and major thoroughfares, such as I-80. “In case of an emergency, Koehler Fieldhouse can impact virtually every citizen in Monroe County,” Laverdure said. “If something terrible happens, it is there for the community as an emergency shelter.” Early in the coronavirus pandemic, the nearly 85,000-square-foot fieldhouse built in 1966 was designated as an “alternate-care site” that could accept 200 patients recovering from COVID if the region’s hospitals became overwhelmed. Because air conditioning was not available, temporary units were rented and installed. Fortunately, Koehler wasn’t needed but having the permanent COVIDfiltering air conditioning and ventilation system, plus the generator, will ensure its readiness for future emergencies. Thomas Hughes, PEMA state hazard mitigation officer, said “the PEMA investment in a generator in Koehler Fieldhouse expands the functionality and reliability of the fieldhouse for potential emergency situations. It is important to maintain a statewide inventory of state-affiliated and supported locations.” The renovation of the 46,000-square-foot arena includes a new foursided scoreboard with high-definition video screens, flooring and a fresh painting of the ESU Warrior. NCAA college basketball now requires arenas to have scoreboards that are more technologically sophisticated than Koehler’s previous 1994 scoreboard with its analog technology.
The new four-sided scoreboard with high-definition video was part of the project.
Interim President Kenneth Long interviewed by local media in April about the renovations at Koehler Fieldhouse.
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Photos by Bob Weidner
“The scoreboard upgrade was a must,” said Dr. Gary R. Gray, ESU director of athletics. “It was a heavy financial lift for the university, but we anticipate recouping the cost through scoreboard advertisements, sponsorships and facility rentals. Restoration of the arena floor became necessary after the COVID field hospital was on site.”
COMMENCEMENT
ESU Interim President Kenneth Long stated that the upgrades will benefit not just university students and teams but also members of the public who use the fieldhouse for activities ranging from voting poll stations to basketball tournaments to fitness testing for law enforcement.
Graduating Warriors celebrate the culmination of a memorable year
“There are various first responder and military agencies, not just in our county but in surrounding counties, that do their fitness testing at ESU,” he said. “The indoor track in January is indispensable when there are 10 inches of snow outside.”
returns
Six Commencement ceremonies were held for ESU Warriors over two weekends. Following guidelines for social distancing, ESU assembled the ceremonies by college and held five in Eiler-Martin Stadium on May 1, 7 and 8. The Doctoral Ceremony was held April 30 in the Abeloff Center for the Performing Arts.
Popular community events regularly held at Koehler include the Perryman Keglovits Foundation’s annual basketball game for all-stars from area high schools. Event proceeds go to the Dale and Frances Hughes Cancer Center at Lehigh Valley Hospital – Pocono. There are also long-standing camp contracts with organizations that use ESU’s facilities for youth programs and other community events. – By Margie Peterson
What’s still to come for Koehler? Additional updates to Koehler are in the works, including the installation of a new sound system that will improve the quality of sound throughout the arena for important events like graduation, and will also aid in providing effective communication with large groups in the course of an emergency. Also planned is a life-cycle renovation and upgrade of the football locker room, which is the focus of a fundraising campaign led by head coach Jimmy Terwilliger and a committee of current and former coaches and athletes, with help from the ESU Foundation. The locker room project is expected to be completed before the 2021 season begins.
Graduates of the College of Health Sciences participate in Commencement in Eiler-Martin Stadium on May 8, 2021. Photo by Susie Forrester
The Recessional during ESU’s Doctoral Ceremony held in the Abeloff Center for the Performing Arts. Photo by Mary Ellen Valenti
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CAMPUS NEWS
Inclusion Poster Project returns in virtual, 3D exhibit The COVID-19 pandemic and primarily remote learning upset student life in 2020 as never before. But so did national unrest surrounding racial injustice, along with the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. Both disruptions were the focus of the 2020 Inclusion Poster Project, a collaboration between philosophy and graphic design students at ESU, In its third year, the goal of the project was for students from different disciplines to work together, come up with a message and design that encourage ESU’s commitment to create a welcoming environment for a diverse community. “Students designed images and messages that reflected specific strategies of inclusion,” says T Storm Heter, Ph.D., the philosophy professor whose Race, Gender and Culture class came up with concepts for the project this year. “I feel that since we — students and professors alike — were all undergoing many of the same stressors together, and not being in the same physical location, this enabled us to have much more intimate conversations than in the past,” says art + design professor David Mazure, whose Graphic Design students created the posters. In past years, the inclusion posters were carefully placed in critical gathering spots around campus. But the events of 2020, in addition to focusing the themes of the designs, meant the project resulted in an online-only display for the first time. This year’s inclusion posters — 19 in all — are mounted in a virtual exhibit through the Madelon Powers Gallery which allows visitors to navigate through and examine the art in a 3D experience that includes detailed looks and descriptions. Many of the posters depict computer screens and the now-familiar look of an online meeting, and address the frustration, confusion, depression, sleeplessness and anxiety a “virtual” education can cause. Other posters feature images from the Black Lives Matter protests and inequities experienced by people of different races, backgrounds and gender types. Charlie Skeet, a junior art + design student, created a striking poster in collaboration with philosophy students Zebulon Kleintop and Desiree Felts. The piece features a quote from writer James Baldwin about facing the need for change and a collection of hateful words targeted at Black people. 14 the alumni herald
One of the submitted pieces of art for the 2020 ESU Inclusion Poster Project. The artist is Katie Ruffino.
No Matter Who You Are
“We all thought that the Black Lives Matter movement was something that should be brought to attention,” Skeet says. “While the other designers chose to focus on a more positive message, I felt there were other things that needed to be addressed before coming to a peaceful conclusion.” “I’m a Black American, so waking up to see injustice day after day was not only alarming because I was scared for myself and my family, but it was heartbreaking to see all the innocent lives that were lost because of the police brutality, the treatment of Black LGBTQIA+ community, outright racism, and a number of other incidents.” “From microaggressions and slurs to stereotypes and prejudices, we face them all,” Skeet says. Demarese Burley, a senior counseling psychology major, worked on posters with two design students, Christian Borrero and Dominique Marrillo. “I threw the idea out to my group that we should consider the mental health issues students are facing in the world of Zoom and COVID-19,” says Burley, who is looking for a career as a high school guidance counselor. Both of the posters she contributed to address challenges student face with the working world. Borrero’s poster depicts the stress facing students who work full-time jobs while pursuing a college degree, with the message “Work for eight hours/Study for eight more.” Marrillo’s poster confronts the generational divide. “Meaning, the older generations who have already established their careers telling younger generations everything will be OK, yet how can we be sure of that when we can’t even get internships?,” Burley says. Joanne Bruno, J.D., ESU’s provost and vice president for academic affairs, says the project was designed to use students’ own experiences to stimulate discussion about social acceptance and challenges. “Many of the posters deal with difficult issues, but they are educational in focus,” Bruno says, noting how the project was an opportunity for students to exercise their freedom of speech while creating courageous and intelligent dialogue about diversity and inclusion on campus. “The collaboration was excellent,” Heter says. “The philosophers learned how to think visually and the design students benefited from the philosophers’ work in feminist and critical race studies.” After an initial large group meeting online, the students were paired up. Philosophy students suggested a theme and their concerns about exclusion. The designers sketched ideas, both digitally and in traditional media, and they went back and forth until both students were satisfied with the final poster.
Don’t Be Afraid To Speak Your Mind
View the 2020 ESU Inclusion Poster Project in the online Madelon Powers Gallery: esu.edu/madelon-powers/exhibitions/inclusion-poster-project/index.cfm
Public history, data science added to certificate programs Two new certificate programs in the College of Arts and Sciences have been announced. A post-baccalaureate graduate certificate in public history and a certificate in data science will both be offered beginning the fall 2021 semester. Both will be offered face-to-face. To learn more about the certificates, and all the offerings in ESU’s College of Arts and Sciences, contact Dr. Basu at 570-422-3449 or email abasu1@esu.edu.
STAFF UPDATES Joanne Zakartha Bruno, J.D. After six years of leading the academic arm of ESU, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs Joanne Zakartha Bruno, J.D., announced her retirement effective late summer 2021. Provost Bruno began her role as provost at ESU in March 2015. She has been involved in championing a significant number of academic initiatives at the University during her tenure including; leading the creation and implementation of several academic programs including ESU’s first two doctoral programs (education and health sciences), as well as two master’s, four bachelor’s degrees and 18 certificate programs and launching ESU’s Provost’s Colloquium series. Under Bruno’s leadership and in collaboration with the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, ESU has increased its efforts and results by hiring faculty of color and other diverse faculty in an effort to ensure a diverse and inclusive learning environment. “I have had the pleasure to work with Provost Bruno as both a vice president and now as interim president,” said Kenneth Long, ESU’s interim president. “As vice president of administration and finance I always admired her ability to handle the enormous task of managing the academic environment on a daily basis coupled with her ability to envision the future of education for students at ESU and within the State System. More personally, as interim president, I have witnessed Jo’s deep compassion for her colleagues and the students she serves, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will miss her.” Prior to her work at ESU, Bruno worked in the office of academic affairs at New Jersey City University for close to 20 years, including roles as the vice president for Academic Affairs and the vice president of Academic Initiatives and Services. She earned her J.D. from Rutgers University Law School in Newark, N.J. in 1987, practicing in N.J. for 9 years. Christopher T. Brooks, Dr. phil. Appointed by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to the Pennsylvania Advisory Committee. Brooks will be one of 15 Pennsylvanians selected to work in that advisory role. His term began in December 2020 and will run for four years. Brooks earned a dual bachelor’s degree in history and philosophy and master’s degree in American history, both from ESU. He completed extensive academic work at Edinburgh University in Scotland and completed his doctoral work at the University of Kassel in Germany, focusing on legal and constitutional history, in 2006. Christopher H. Dubbs, Ph.D. Published a book titled “Mathematics Education Atlas: Mapping the Field of Mathematics Education Research,” published through Crave Press. This research book examines mathematics research with a humanities approach. Dubbs follows in the genealogical tradition of Michael Foucault by looking back at the emergence of the field called mathematics education research and tracing the foci of study across time. Dubbs is a graduate of Michigan State University where He received a Ph.D. in mathematics education and a master’s in industrial mathematics. He received a bachelor’s in mathematics from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania.
Kimberly S. Adams, Ph.D. Elected to the board of directors for the National Organization for Women (NOW) in Washington, D.C. She was elected to serve the Northern district which includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Adams earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science at the University of Southern Mississippi and earned her doctorate in political science at the University of Mississippi. At ESU, Dr. Adams’ classes focus on racial and ethnic politics, campaigns and elections, women and politics, political communication, and American Government. She serves as ESU campus liaison to the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics and the Osgood Center for International Studies. She is also the advisor to the Political Science Club. Dr. Claire Lu Selected as ESU’s first Fulbright Scholar-In-Residence for 2021-2022 academic school year. She is the director and chair of the department and graduate school of tourism management for the business school at the Chinese Culture University in Taiwan. Lu earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the National Cheng-Chi University, a master’s degree in education and human development from George Washington University, a doctorate from Rutgers University and a second doctorate from the School of International Business Management at the Chinese Culture University in Taiwan. Lu will teach courses in Perspectives of International Tourism and Meeting and Convention Planning and Management at ESU, based on her expertise in the field of travel and tourism management.
Martin Luther King, Jr., celebration goes virtual in 2021 The ESU community connected virtually on Jan. 18, 2021, for the 24th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Celebration, honoring the legacy of King and recognizing this year’s award winners. Begun in 1997 by former President Robert Dillman, the event is one of the most significant and symbolic for the entire Pocono Region. Marcus Narcisse ’20, who majored in special education and rehabilitative services from Orange, N.J., received the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Award. R. Samantha Williams, a counselor/instructor in ESU’s Counseling and Psychological Services department from Mt. Pocono, Pa., was the recipient of the 2021 Staff Award, and Christa Caceres, president and political action committee chair of the Monroe County Branch of the NAACP from Bushkill, Pa., received the Community Award. Sarah Batool Khan ’15, senior curriculum training developer at an anti-sexual violence organization based in Washington, D.C., gave the keynote address, speaking to the event theme: “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” To view the virtual event, visit esu.edu/mlk/index.cfm. esualumni.org 15
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CAMPAIGN Fundraising for academic programs, athletic facilities and increasing available scholarship funds for students has been a focus for the ESU Foundation over the past year. Partnering with multiple university departments in its efforts, the Foundation has hit or surpassed goals in several fundraising campaigns with exciting projects that benefit students soon to be realized. Below is an update to several fundraising campaigns and their respective projects:
You Win in the Locker Room First Campaign The $750,000 fundraising campaign to build a new Warrior football locker room in Koehler Fieldhouse has crossed $874,000. Demolition of the space began in April with expectations of completion of the new locker room by the fall football season. The locker room will be built in the current visiting team locker room footprint, a space larger than the current locker room. Within the new space, the 18-inch metal lockers will be replaced by 30-inch-wide, open, state-of-the-art, cherry-wood lockers. The inefficient drying room will be replaced with a pad drying system on top of each locker. The closed, row system of lockers will be replaced by an open concept to enhance student-athlete interaction, coach communication, and team engagement.
Esports Lab The ESU Foundation has raised $225,000 to purchase equipment and construct ESU’s emerging electronic sports (Esports) program. The Esports lab will create an innovative game-based learning environment that develops new models of learning, specifically in emerging digital media technology fields where science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) principles can be shared. ESU will purchase state-of-the-art computers, software, gaming furniture and equipment for the lab space that will be located on the first floor of Rosenkrans East.
Community Health Education and Simulation Center
To date, more than $138,000 in cash, verbal and written commitments have been received for the project. When complete, the $2.5 million facility will attract top talent to ESU, it will aid in admissions for student-athletes, and provide a home facility where alumni, family and fans can attend games and events. Its features will include a new NCAA regulation turf soccer field, perimeter fencing, spectator seating, field lighting, a press box, scoreboard and sound system.
More than 1,100 square feet in the DeNike Center for Human Services has been earmarked for the Community Health Education & Simulation Center. The center will offer simulation training for nursing, athletic training, and other health science students, regional healthcare professionals, and community members. This environment will complement traditional academic offerings. Once the simulation lab is functional, the lab will be regarded as an attractive feature to complement health studies at ESU. It will also be available for use by many stakeholders in the region.
For more information on how to support these projects, please contact the ESU Foundation at esufoundation@esufoundation.org or 570-422-3333.
More than $850,000 has been raised for the project, which had an original target amount of $750,000.
Sheska Stadium Campaign To be named after Jerry Sheska ’68, ESU’s men’s soccer coach for 29 years (1982-2010) and women’s coach for three (1992-1994), Sheska Soccer Stadium will be built in the heart of campus adjacent to Eiler-Martin Stadium where the baseball field was once located.
Artist’s rendering of Sheska Soccer Stadium
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Illustration of the type of work in the Community Health Education & Simulation Center.
Women’s Acrobatics and Tumbling Campaign The $500,000 fundraising campaign to support ESU Women’s Acrobatics and Tumbling has raised more than $115,600 in cash and pledges to date. The committee, chaired by Bruno Klaus and Alumni Vice Chairs Sue Bateman Walton ’90 and Anthony “Tony” Gehman ’78, are busy planning additional outreach efforts in the coming months to request alumni and corporate support for the program. Funds raised will be used to support recruitment costs, equipment needs, travel and athletic scholarships.
East Stroudsburg University Foundation
2020-2021 Board of Directors Robert Willever ’75, Chairman President, Willever Wealth Management
Douglas Leonzi ’94 Financial Advisor Trust Investment Services, Inc.
Scholarship Funds
MaryEllen Dickey ’80, Vice Chairman Chief Philanthropy Officer Da Vinci Science Center
Robert Moses Retired Director of Residence Life & Housing, ESU
Scholarship support is often what makes it possible for students to pursue their education at ESU and remains a steadfast focus among the Foundation’s priorities. In fiscal year 20202021, the Foundation provided 674 awards totaling $1,037,728. Generous donors have also created 14 annual and seven endowed new scholarships this year.
Chris Yeager ’74 M’81, Secretary Retired Principal and School Superintendent
The fundraising committee is comprised of alumni from various generations of the former ESU Men’s and Women’s gymnastics teams and friends of ESU athletics, all working closely with the ESU Foundation, Warrior Athletics Department and head coach Miles Avery. ESU Women’s Acrobatics and Tumbling is one of 39 teams established under NCAA emerging sports status. Competition is slated for the 2021-2022 academic year.
For more information on these campaigns and other ways to support ESU and its students, visit www.esufoundation.org or call 570-422-3333. Given the past year, the statement rings truer than ever and the East Stroudsburg University Foundation embraced the theme for its 12th Annual Scholarship Celebration, A Virtual Experience. Presented by The Haverford Trust Company and PSECU, the virtual event premiered April 21, 2021, and celebrated the hundreds of scholarship donors in 2020-2021 who provided support to ESU Warriors through the gift of scholarship. “Because of the generosity of our donors, the ESU Foundation has awarded 674 scholarships totaling more than $1 million to our students in 2020-2021. I’m also happy to share that 21 new scholarships were created by donors this year. These contributions are especially meaningful in a year with so much financial uncertainty,” said Rich Santoro, executive director of the ESU Foundation. “Where is the impact of this generosity felt? It’s in the daily lives of the ESU students who are navigating their academic journey during very difficult times and discovering they can achieve their dreams thanks to the generosity of people they don’t even know.” Interim President Kenneth Long also thanked donors for their continued support during such an uncertain year, stressing that while, at times, we might have felt distant from one another, we continue to come together as a community and Warrior family. The Foundation’s 2020 scholarship dinner was cancelled due to the pandemic but hopes are high the event will return – in person – in spring 2022. To watch Always Better Together, A Virtual Experience, visit esufoundation.org/2021-always-better-together. To view the 2020-2021 scholarship donor and student recipient list, visit esufoundation.org/2021-always-better-together-scholarship-donors.
Robert A. Shebelsky, Treasurer Chairman, Deputy Real Estate Holdings LLC Glenn W. Clark ’74, ESU Alumni Association Liaison President, Rockwood Programs, Inc. Alfredo Garcia ’03, Senior Partner, Managing Director Snowden Lane Partners Raymond Hamlin ’86, Esq. Founding Partner, Hunt, Hamlin & Ridley Wendy Jankoski ’82 President and CIO Wealth Architects, LLC Emily Jimenez, ESU Student Liaison Class of 2022
John J. Pekarovsky III, ’07, Council of Trustees Liaison Vice President, Community Bank NA Elizabeth Leigh Smith, Ph.D., Faculty Liaison Professor of English, ESU Stephen Somers Owner and President Vigon International, Inc. Adam S. Stauffer ’00 M’02 Assistant Vice President Development & College Relations, Lafayette College Leslie L. Wilson, ’74 Senior Vice President Workplace Initiatives Disability:IN Eric Wyatt ’85 Chief Operating Officer Boston Market Corporation and Corner Bakery Cafe Co. Rory Yanchek ’84 President, MTI
Members Emeriti William B. Cramer, Esq. Legal Counsel and Emerita Attorney, Cramer, Swetz, McManus & Jordan, P.C. Past chair, served 1987-2001 and 2014-2019 Rosemary Driebe Olofsson Executive Vice President Pocono Pro Foods Past chair, served 1987-1999
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milestone anniversary
The Educational Scholarship Golf Classic benefitting the Prince Hall Endowed Scholarship Fund at the East Stroudsburg University Foundation returns in 2021, this year celebrating its 30th Anniversary. Themed “30 Years of Impact: Where are they now?” the legendary golf fundraiser will once again attract golfers from the region and beyond. Set for Aug. 2, 2021, at the Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort, the golf outing celebrates and benefits student scholarship awarded to ESU students who were named Prince Hall Scholars at the Prince Hall School in Philadelphia, Pa. Eighteen Prince Hall Scholars have graduated from ESU since the program began in 1988, thanks to the generosity of donors and supporters of the program. This year, the event will highlight alumni who have benefitted from the scholarship and where their ESU degree has taken them in their careers since graduation. Golf begins at 12:30 p.m. and the awards dinner at 5 p.m. Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort is located in Shawnee On Delaware, Pa. Golf and sponsorship opportunities are available for the event. Visit esufoundation.org/princehall2021 or call the ESU Foundation at 570-422-3333 for more information. 18 the alumni herald
alumni news
Warriors still learning and growing…
Larry Santana ’06 looks forward to returning to Los Angeles, Calif., in August to continue working under the Universal Studios Writing Program, an honor he received last fall. Courtesy photo
Prestigious Universal Studios film-writing training program takes alumnus back to West Coast It’s been a wild ride that has taken writer Larry Santana ’06 from daily journalism to television production and from the East Coast to the West Coast and back a couple of times. But now that he’s settling into a prestigious film-writing training program, he couldn’t be happier. Santana is one of just four writers selected from 1,500 applicants for the Universal Studios Writing Program, designed to empower voices that usually go unheard. “Historically, there’s been a real dearth of opportunities for writers and directors of color, Hispanics like myself, women, the LGBTQ community, and a number of other underrepresented groups,” Santana says. “This program is a major ally in helping to break down those barriers, so that more diverse stories are told and shared with a global audience.” It’s a full-time paid work experience that gives Santana access to studio executives and producers as he gets a thorough education in the movie production process. The program began in Fall 2020, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Santana is still on the East Coast, working from home in East Stroudsburg and meeting with program advisers via Zoom. He expects to head to California in August. “I’m learning so much every day … it’s a sort of fast-tracked education,” he said. “I’m also learning more about myself. Why I write the things I write, and why I write them in this particular style.” He is expected to write two brand-new scripts for the studio over the next year. “Some days are purely writing days, where I’m locked away in my ‘Batcave,’ cooking up new ideas that I think an audience — including myself — will go crazy over.” His enthusiasm for writing stems from ESU, where English department professors shared what he calls “a genuine love of story.” “Professors like Fred Misurella, Alan Benn, Kathleen Duguay, Elizabeth Leigh Smith, Sandy Eckard, Victor Walker, Lawrence Squeri, Scott Landis and Charles Warner, just to name a few,” he says. “These wonderful people helped me grow as a writer and storyteller.” He worked as a reporter at the Pocono Record in Stroudsburg while still earning his degree. After graduation in 2006, he headed west for the first time to pursue a master’s in journalism at University of California, Berkeley, where he took a TV production class and fell in love with television. In 2009 he earned a spot back east in the NBC News Associates Program, working at 30 Rockefeller Center in New York City. And although the plan was to rotate to different shows, he started at MSNBC and that’s where he stayed, landing a full-time job after just three months, writing news copy, cutting sound bites, packaging graphics and video, and doing everything else a segment producer does. “Writing for live television can be insanely stressful, but I developed a knack for it,” he says, and he stayed at MSNBC until 2012, when a deep-seated urge got the best of him. 20 the alumni herald
“There was this voice in the back of my head that kept getting louder and louder every time I walked into a movie theater. ‘THIS is what you should be doing with your life. You have to at least give it a shot. Or you’ll regret it forever.’” So, shocking his friends and family, “I quit my job, I emptied my 401(k), and plotted my move to L.A.” Once out west again, he became a writer/researcher for a TV production company, working with the Discovery channel on true crime shows. That work started to dry up in 2017, plus “I was starting to get seriously burned out from interviewing convicted killers and sex offenders as a day job.” By then married with a toddler son, Santana saw that moving back east to live near supportive parents would be practical — the family’s cost of living would be dramatically reduced as he took on new TV work that meant a lot of time on the road. Relocating back to Pennsylvania also freed up time for Santana to write new screenplays and a novel, and work on some independent films. “I adore California, but I promised myself I wouldn’t go back until I was invited back,” he said. Then came the opportunity with the Universal writing program, where his journalism experience helps. “I think being beholden to actual facts about real people, and knowing the importance of accuracy and narrative truth for so long, gives my fiction a real sense of authenticity that people seem to respond to. I think that’s part of the reason why I was chosen for the program.” The studio told him that when they read the script he submitted, they saw he had a distinct point-of-view as a storyteller. “Right now, I’m hammering out the story ‘beats’ for my first script,” Santana says. “I can’t go into detail about what exactly I’m writing, but I can say that I’m getting guidance from a studio executive adviser and a producer adviser to develop two original ideas for Universal.” – by Kim de Bourbon
HOMECOMING WEEKEND October 8-10, 2021
Warriors, we’re planning for a return of festivities in fall 2021. East Stroudsburg University’s Homecoming Weekend is set for October 8-10, 2021. We’ll be in person and better than ever! After a long year of waiting, the Class of 1970 will be celebrating their 50th reunion. The celebration will continue with the Class of 1971 as they join the ranks of ESU Golden Grads. Both classes will be honored at the Annual Alumni Awards and Reunion Banquet on Friday, October 8, 2021, at The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort. Registration information will be available soon. The ESU Alumni Association will also honor its most esteemed alumni at the awards celebration. Look for announcements of award winners and details of the event in the coming months. The festivities will continue Saturday, October 9, 2021, when the Warriors take on Millersville in the Homecoming football game. Celebrate prior to the game at the All-Alumni Tailgate, featuring live music, activities, and fun for everyone. The theme for this year will be announced soon along with tailgate parking registration information. The weekend concludes with a champagne brunch on Sunday, October 10, 2021. Details to come. As of the Alumni Herald’s publish date, scheduling is under way for Homecoming Weekend, but for the most up-to-date information, please visit esualumni.org/homecoming2021 or contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at 570-422-3613 or alumni@esufoundation.org. Please be assured, any events planned for Homecoming Weekend will strictly follow CDC safety guidelines.
alumni news
warriors connecting ALUMNI EVENT ROUND UP Virtual or not, Warriors found a way to gather and connect over the past several months! GOLD Fitness Group
Virtual Trivia Nights
In February and March 2021, a group of GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) alumni participated in virtual fitness classes led by Asia Wright ’16. Designed to relax mind and body with 45 minutes of full body blast, lower body and core, these Gentle Yoga classes included principles from Hatha, Vinyasa, and Yin styles.
Hosted by Scott Higgins ’06 and Ashley Johnson ’08, ESU trivia nights have drawn a mix of alumni and friends. Participants tested their ESU knowledge during laugh-filled, themed trivia challenges.
ESU Alumni Virtual Book Club Andrea McClanahan, Ph.D., professor of communication, led live Zoom conversations around popular books including Where the Crawdads Sing, The Midnight Library, and The Invisible Life of Addie Larue. The featured book is announced a month in advance, and all are welcome to participate.
ESU Florida Alumni go Virtual In February, alumni from all over Florida met virtually for a fun evening of conversation and ESU memories. Organized by chapter leaders, David ’76 and Moira ’77 Porteous Hair, Dick ’57 and Joan ’67 Merring, Debbie Adcock Brady ’92, and Sandra “Pinky” O’Neill ‘57, the alumni were joined by ESU Interim President Ken Long who updated them on campus activities.
Social media also provided a backdrop for Warriors to show spirit for their alma mater. Warrior Sweethearts
Pets with Warrior Spirit
Couples who met at ESU submitted their stories and photos for a chance to be named Warrior Sweethearts. The 2021 ESU Alumni Sweetheart Couple is Matthew Phelan ’02 and Jacqueline Ventriglia Phelan ’02 who met in Shawnee Hall when he spilled a cup of fruit punch on a white carpet.
Not everyone with Warrior spirit graduated from ESU. Alumni shared photos of their furry friends showing off their ESU gear via social media. Jessica Curtis ’03 and her pets Finn, Gus, and Chester were the winners of this month-long competition.
Go to www.esualumni.org to see photos and event updates.
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Upcoming Gold Fitness Group
Warrior Sweethearts
Events ESU Alumni Philadelphia Phillies Day August 7, 2021 Join ESU alumni and friends as the Philadelphia Phillies take on the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park. Pre-game with the group at Pass and Stow. Go to www.esufoundation.org/phillies2021 to purchase tickets. Limited tickets available.
ESU Alumni Virtual Book Club
Northeast PA ESU Alumni Annual Summer ‘Fun-Raiser’ August 13, 2021 Spend a fun day on the greens with your fellow Warriors at Mountain Laurel Golf Club in White Haven, Pa. Cost is $75 per person, $300 for a foursome. The cost includes green fees, cart, light lunch, outdoor steak dinner, prizes, beer at the turn. Registration deadline is August 6, 2021. For more information and to register, visit esualumni.org/nepagolf or contact Frank Johnson ’74 at essc308@ptd.net or Paul Scheuch ’71 at skipat718@aol.com.
ESU Legacy Family Brunch SEPTEMBER 18, 2021 The annual Legacy Family Brunch will be held during Family Weekend, September 18, 2021. Families that have multiple generations and family members are invited to campus to be honored for their ESU family spirit. If you have a parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew who also graduated from ESU, notify the Office of Alumni Engagement at 570-422-3613 or alumni@esufoundation.org or to be included in this annual celebration.
Check www.esualumni.org for information on these and other Warrior alumni events. Pets with Warrior Spirit
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athletic updates Hana Cicerelle and Tatyana Petteway
Women’s Lacrosse reaches NCAA DII Semifinals for 2nd time in three seasons The Warriors, under head coach Xeni Barakos-Yoder ’11, won its secondever Atlantic Region championship and finished No. 4 in the IWLCA DII poll, its highest ranking in program history. ESU avenged three losses earlier in the season to defeat West Chester, 13-9, on May 16 at Eiler-Martin Stadium to add the 2021 regional title to its 2018 crown. The Warriors advanced to the NCAA DII Final Four in Salem, Va., falling to Queens (N.C.), 17-14, to finish with a 12-4 record. Graduate students Hana Cicerelle ’20 and Tatyana Petteway ’20 rewrote the ESU record book throughout their final seasons. Cicerelle became ESU’s all-time points leader (270 points) and ranks second in both goals (180) and assists (90). Petteway is ESU’s all-time saves leader (764), ranking sixth all-time in Division II in the category. She also became the all-time DII goalkeeper minutes played leader. Freshman Emily Mitarotonda posted one of the best debut seasons in school history, ranking second among freshmen (to her sister, Krista) in both goals (48) and points (60). She led ESU with six goals in the NCAA semifinals. Petteway earned IWLCA All-America honors for the third time in her career, and was joined by Cicerelle and Mitarotonda on the All-America team. Also named to the IWLCA All-Atlantic Region team were seniors Kayleigh Pokrivka (1st team), Kristen Andreychak (1st team) and Gianna LeDuc (2nd team). Barakos-Yoder has led the Warriors to a 75-22 record in six seasons, guiding ESU to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments (the first in program history), along with two regional titles and the 2017 PSAC championship.
ESU Lacrosse team members at Eiler-Martin Stadium.
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ESU Lacrosse at NCAA Semifinals held in Salem, Va.
Records shattered in softball’s Atlantic Region runner-up campaign ESU earned its third-ever NCAA Tournament bid and first since 2007, and had a tremendous run in the NCAA DII Atlantic Regional, played at Kutztown. After being no-hit by West Liberty in the opening round, the Warriors stayed alive with wins over Claflin (5-1), Kutztown (6-2) and reached the regional championship game with a victory over West Liberty (4-2). The season came to a heartbreaking end with a 2-1 loss to West Chester on May 22. Led by head coach Jaime Wohlbach in her sixth season, the Warriors dominated in their first season at Creekview Park, posting a programrecord 20 wins in just 24 home games played. ESU did not lose a PSAC East series and had a school-record 17 conference wins. The Warriors tied their best-ever win total with 29 victories overall.
SUMMER 2021
WARRIOR GOLF ALUMNI AND FRIENDS — Connect at the course and support ESU’s athletic and academic programs!
Soccer Friday, June 25 • Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort, Shawnee On Delaware, Pa.
The Bill Bergen Memorial Golf Tournament Benefitting Football • Friday, July 2 • Skytop Lodge, Skytop, Pa.
The Jeff Dailey Memorial Golf Tournament Benefitting Men’s Basketball Friday, July 23 • Great Bear Golf Club, East Stroudsburg, Pa.
Men’s and Women’s Wrestling Saturday, August 14 • Green Pond Country Club, Bethlehem, Pa.
Senior Marah Range was ESU’s first-ever PSAC East Pitcher of the Year and was first team D2CCA All-Atlantic Region. She finished her final season with a 15-7 record, 2.96 ERA and PSAC-best 114 strikeouts.
Softball
Freshman 3B Reilly Vicendese posted an impressive debut season, setting freshman records in hits (61), runs (38), and RBI (31), and tying the freshman mark for stolen bases (25). She was All-PSAC East second team, and a second team All-Region selection.
Baseball
As a team, ESU set a record for stolen bases (133), ranking second in DII among over 250 schools.
Saturday, August 28 • Bethlehem Golf Club, Bethlehem, Pa.
ESU College of Business and Management Friday, September 24 • Skytop Lodge, Skytop, Pa. Saturday, October 1 • Great Bear Golf Club, East Stroudsburg, Pa.
Visit esufoundation.org/warriorgolfoutings for more information and to register.
Baseball earns two All-PSAC selections; Nowak throws no-hitter
Germani appointed head coach; Men’s Track & Field second at PSAC Championships
Freshman Tim Haverstick and redshirt senior Connor Johnson were named All-PSAC East second team, and sophomore Chase Nowak fired ESU’s ninth no-hitter in program history.
ESU was runner-up at the PSAC Outdoor Championships for the first time since 2014 and had four PSAC champions – senior Dan Amari (pole vault), freshman Raul Esteves (100m), sophomore Carlos Pepin (high jump) and junior Dominic Walton (shot put).
Haverstick started 27 games behind the plate and became ESU’s fifth freshman to earn all-conference honors. He hit .333 with three home runs, 14 RBI and 15 runs. Johnson was 3-1 with a 3.41 ERA in 31.2 innings, struck out 29 and held hitters to a .231 average. Nowak blanked Kutztown, 11-0, with 11 strikeouts on April 16 for ESU’s first no-hitter since 2019, and was named NCBWA DII Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Week.
Amari cleared 15-10, the second-best mark in program history, for ESU’s first pole vault title since Matt Gallup in 2009. Esteves is the first 100m champion since Asher Ashfield in 2011, and set the freshman record with ESU’s third-fastest time overall (10.64) in April. Pepin’s high jump title is ESU’s first since William Berry won three straight from 2014-16, winning with a mark of 6-7 1/2. In the shot put, Walton’s title was the first since Paul Wagner in 2010, posting a mark of 54-5 1/2. Walton and Amari both had NCAA provisional marks. Sophomore Sean Roberts was named PSAC Champion Scholar for the second straight year. He has a 4.0 GPA as a double major in political science and criminal justice. Justin Germani, ESU’s interim coach, was officially appointed head coach shortly after the season. He is just the program’s third head coach since 1969, following Dick DeSchriver (1970-89) and Joe Koch (1990-2020).
ESU Softball Team
Dominic Walton Justin Germani
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Ellis PSAC runner-up in Men’s Cross Country Senior Casey Ellis was second at the PSAC Championships, ESU’s first runner-up since 2012 and one of just four runners to finish in the conference’s top two in program history. Junior Teddy Mostellar was 23rd to earn All-PSAC honors. Three athletes earned All-PSAC in women’s cross country – senior Mandy Fine was 19th, freshman Keely Arndt 24th and senior Brittany Carratura 25th. Arndt was ESU’s first freshman since Tina Vosper in 1995 to earn allconference honors. Senior Lauren Reightneour, a health and physical education major with a 4.0 GPA, was the PSAC Champion Scholar.
Danoski, Makar break historic records for Women’s Track & Field Graduate student Carly Danoski and freshman Elizabeth Makar broke a pair of historic records during the outdoor track and field season. In just her second meet at ESU, Makar smashed a 42-year-old record in the shot put with a mark of 45-3 3/4, surpassing the previous record set by Cheryl Baker in 1979 by two and a quarter inches. She set ESU freshman records in the shot put, discus (131-8) and hammer throw (150-7), and was PSAC runner-up in the shot put. Danoski broke the 800m record in her final race of the year, running 2:12.44 to break Jan Blake’s record of 2:12.94 by a half-second.
Muhamadou Kaba ’15 named head men’s basketball coach at Delaware Valley University Muhamadou Kaba ’15, ESU men’s basketball assistant coach since 201617, was named head coach at Delaware Valley in early May. As a coach or player, Kaba was a part of three of ESU’s four PSAC Championships (2012, 2014, 2018) and five of the program’s seven NCAA Tournament appearances (2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019) in program history under head coach Jeff Wilson ’86 M’92.
Casey Ellis
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Carly Danoski
In 2020, he was named as one of the top Division II men’s basketball assistant coaches in the country by the Minority Coaches Association (MCA) and was recognized as one the “50 impactful Division II Assistants” by Silver Waves Media. In spring 2018, he was one of just six Division II coaches to be recognized on the National Association of Basketball Coaches “30-Under-30” list.
Dr. Anthony Drago ’76 named PSAC’s nominee for NCAA DII Faculty Mentor Award Dr. Anthony L. Drago ’76, distinguished professor of psychology, was named the PSASC’s nominee for the 2020 Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award in January. ESU’s football academic faculty mentor, Dr. Drago has been a faculty member at ESU since 1992 and demonstrates a student-first approach. The award recognizes faculty members at NCAA Division II institutions for their dedication to supporting and mentoring student-athletes, as well as their commitment to Division II student-athletes’ lifelong learning, competition and well-being. The winner will be selected by the NCAA DII Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and will be honored during the 2022 NCAA Convention in Indianapolis.
ESU introduces Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in College Athletics: A Call to Action Webinar Series In March, the ESU athletic department introduced a 12-part monthly webinar series entitled Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in College Athletics: A Call to Action. The series, open to all both inside and outside the ESU community, features a guest speaker presentation on the topic of diversity, equity and inclusion along with an opportunity for viewers to ask questions via the chat function. Past guest speakers include former ESU men’s basketball assistant coach Muhamadou Kaba ’15, ESU swimming head coach Fan Yang and ESU acrobatics and tumbling head coach Miles Avery.
Elizabeth Makar
Muhamadou Kaba ’15 Dr. Anthony Drago ’76
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in College Athletics: A Call to Action series will continue with Zoom presentations monthly through February 2022. For more, visit esuwarriors.com/DEI.
Rece Bender named PSAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee co-chair Junior wide receiver Rece Bender will represent ESU, along with other PSAC institutions on the eastern half of the state, as co-chair of the PSAC’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Bender will serve on the PSAC Advisory Council, made up of athletic administrators and coaches among other executive personnel, to review proposals that are then passed along to the PSAC Presidents Council. He will also represent ESU and the eastern division at board of directors’ meetings and additional conference gatherings. A junior sport management major, Bender is a dean’s list student and serves as ESU’s SAAC vice president.
Freshman wrestler claims USA Junior National Championship
David Akinwande, a junior majoring in nursing from Bristol, Pa. and a member of the ESU football team, had a unique opportunity to administer a COVID-19 vaccine to one of ESU’s athletic trainers, Jayme Galdieri in March. Akinwande is participating in a clinical at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono as part of his academic program at ESU. Galdieri is one of three full-time athletic trainers who work with the Warriors’ 625 student-athletes.
ESU women’s wrestling freshman Mia Macaluso is a USA Junior national champion. Macaluso, from Otisville, N.Y., won a best-of-three championship series at the 59 kg weight class to earn the national championship in Irving, Texas on May 8. She will represent the United States in a newly created USA Junior World Team in freestyle that will compete in the 2021 Junior World Championships in Ufa, Russia in August. Macaluso previously represented the US at both the Cadet and Junior Pan-American Championships in June 2019. She won a bronze medal at the Junior Pan-American Championships, and claimed the gold medal at the Cadet Championships and was named the outstanding wrestler, earning the Golden Boot.
ESU Athletics welcomed two staff members to its sports information team, bringing Warrior news and updates from the courts and fields. Ryan Long was named the coordinator of athletic communications and Derek Skinner ’18 as athletic communications assistant. Long was most recently assistant director of media relations at Duquesne University, a position he held since August 2019. Previously, he was assistant director of athletic communications at the University of Maine for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years, and was media relations intern at Villanova University during the 2016-17 academic year. Long is a graduate of Pleasant Valley High School in Brodheadsville. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sport media from Ithaca College in Ithaca, N.Y., in 2016. Skinner returns to the Poconos after serving as an athletic communications assistant at Presbyterian College since August 2020. Prior to his time in Clinton, S.C., he held a graduate assistant role in the athletic communications office at Youngstown State. At ESU, Skinner was a student assistant for four years in the sports information office. As an undergraduate, he also interned with Lafayette College athletic communications and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
Rece Bender
Mia Macaluso
A native of Bethlehem, Pa., Skinner graduated with his bachelor’s degree in sports management at ESU in 2018 and a master’s degree in professional communication at Youngstown State in 2020. esualumni.org 27
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MaryEllen Dickey ’80 has recently joined the Da Vinci Science Center as their chief philanthropy officer. She previously served as the senior vice president of advancement at Diakon where she was responsible for development, government and community relations, and special events. She resides in Bethlehem, Pa. Rory Yanchek ’84 was recently appointed as the president of MTI. Yanchek joins MTI following 25 years at 3M. He earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree in political science from ESU. He is a veteran of the United States Army.
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Jim Shoopack ’96 M ’03 earned his doctorate from Drexel University in September 2020. He resides in Stroudsburg, Pa. Jenna Macciocco-Urban ’02 M ’04 and Bob Urban ’99 met during Homecoming Weekend at Rudy’s Tavern. She is teaching elementary computers for the Dunmore School District at the Dunmore Elementary Center. He is a CSO/PIO for Pennsylvania State Police Troop R and is the owner of Lawn & Order Landscaping. They have three children and reside in Dunmore, Pa. Linda Maldonado ’00 was appointed vice president, Biologics Chemistry and Manufacturing Controls at Codagenix Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing prophylactic vaccines and oncolytic virus therapies, including COVI-VAC™, a single-dose, intranasal, liveattenuated COVID-19 vaccine. During her more than 25-year career in biologics manufacturing, Maldonado held positions of increasing responsibility at vaccine and therapeutic manufacturers, including Catalent Cell and Gene Therapy, PharmAthene, Human Genome Sciences, Baxter Bioscience, Progenics and Sanofi Pasteur. She earned her master’s in biology and resides in Edgewater, Md.
2000s
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Syd Henry ‘68 became the deputy mayor of the Village of Elmsford, N.Y. He recently retired from Immaculate Heart of Mary School after teaching physical education and American history for 32 years. He is previously retired from a 20-year career in law enforcement and is actively involved in the Elmsford Volunteer Fire/EMS, serving as a deputy chief. Henry currently works part-time in security at the Rockefeller Estate in Tarrytown, N.Y.
1980s
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Chic Hess ’67 M ’72 was recently recognized for his exceptional service to Hawaii’s youth and athletes with a plaque signed by all members of the Hawaii State Representatives. He resides in Kailua, Hawaii.
Dr. Claudio V. Cerullo M ’95 recently released his new book, “Inside the Mind of a Bully: From Victim to Advocate.” He is the founder of TeachAntiBullying.org, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Havertown, Pa., which serves children and families who have been or are being affected by bullying. He resides in Media, Pa.
1990s
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1960s
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John P. Malarkey ’60, retired Marian Catholic High School principal in Tamaqua, Pa., was honored at a reception where it was announced the school’s gymnasium would be named in his honor. Malarkey spent 38 years at Marian before retiring in 1998. He resides in Tamaqua, Pa.
William E. Lewis ‘86 is an associate professor in the School of Education at the University of Delaware where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in content-area literacy, English language arts methods, writing, and young adult literature. His research interests focus on persuasive writing and argumentation, as well as secondary content-area reading and writing. His second book, “Literacy Instruction with Disciplinary Texts: Strategies for Grades 6-12,” was published by Guilford Press. This book is designed to help secondary teachers develop literacy-rich instructional units in English language arts, social studies, and science. Lewis resides in Strasburg, Pa.
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Latoya Edmond ’07 M ’08, vice president of Workforce Development & Economic Innovation at Philadelphia Opportunities Industrialization Center, Inc., was recently selected to serve a threeyear term on the PNC Community Development Banking Philadelphia Advisory Council. She earned her bachelor’s in business management and a master’s in management & leadership/ public administration from ESU. Matt Ericksen ’10 joined Griswold Home Care as director of sales and operations. He earned a bachelor’s degree in American history and has extensive experience in healthcare operations. He resides in Lansdale, Pa.
Jason Bolt ’99 was recently sworn in as the assistant police chief in Williamsport, Pa. Bolt earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from ESU. He resides in Williamsport, Pa. Justin Snyder ’01 was recently sworn in as the Williamsport, Pa., police chief. Snyder earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from ESU. He resides in Montoursville, Pa.
Read the story and see photos courtesy of the Sun Gazette at sungazette.com/uncategorized/2021/05/ changing-of-the-guard-at-the-williamsport-bureau-of-police/
2010s
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ESU grads sworn into Williamsport, Pa., police leadership roles
Alfredo E. Garcia ’03 joined Snowden Lane Partners based in New York City as senior partner, managing director. Alfredo earned his bachelor’s in economics at ESU and a Juris Doctor from Concord Law. He resides in Bethlehem, Pa.
Ryan Novitsky ’11 was named Director of Athletics at Keystone College in January 2021. Novitsky has been at Keystone since 2018. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sport management from ESU and earned a master’s in communications from Chatham University in 2019. He is a native of Weatherly, Pa., and resides in Factoryville, Pa. Kelsey Ann Paciotti ’12 received her doctorate degree in optometry from Salus University (formerly known as Pennsylvania College of Optometry) in Philadelphia, Pa. She is an optometrist at Lehigh Valley Center for Sight in Allentown, Pa. She announced her engagement to Andrew Dreisbach. The couple will exchange vows this fall.
send us your class notes fax 570-422-3213 phone 570-422-3613 email alumni@esufoundation.org online esualumni.org/classnotes NOTE: We publish alumni accomplishments and news of marriages and births, but not engagements or pregnancies. Please note the editorial staff makes every effort to publish the information submitted as it was received.
ESU Field Hockey connections ESU’s Field Hockey Head Coach Sandra K. Miller M ’88, left, and Assistant Coach Caitlin L. Ord ’07 M ’08, right, connected with Patricia A. Zimmerman ’56, center, at the memorial service for Mary Jane (Zimmerman) Sattazahn ’53 in early June. Sattazahn passed away on January 25, 2021. Read more in the In Memoriam section on page 30.
births Joseph ’09 and Amanda Caviston ’09 welcomed their son Joey Caviston on October 21, 2019. The family resides in Camp Hill, Pa.
w e dd i n g s Kerrin Zuercher ’06 and Anthony DiSante were married on June 29, 2019. The ceremony was held at the Green Pond Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa. The couple resides in Wind Gap, Pa. Kelsey Lund ’16 and Michael Melnyk ’17 were married on September 26, 2020. They had a small intimate ceremony at Saints Simon and Jude Church in Bethlehem, Pa. The couple resides in Mount Pocono, Pa.
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M. Paul Beaty, Jr. September 15, 2020
Dr. Walter A. Feller January 3, 2021
Mary Louise Dempsey January 21, 2021
M. Paul Beaty Jr., 81, of Smithfield Township, was a librarian at ESU for 29 years (from 1968 to 1997) and served as the library faculty chairperson for 10 years and acting director during the 1992-93 academic year. Prior to his employment at ESU, Beaty served in the armed forces from 1956 through 1959. After his honorable naval service, Beaty received a bachelor’s from Indiana State College, now IUP. He additionally received an MLS from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s in history from ESU. He also taught high school in Huntington, Pa., and junior high in Albuquerque, N.M. Beaty was the son of the late Mahlon Paul Beaty, Sr., and Nellie Burns Beaty and was married for 56 years to Linda Gay Herbst Beaty. In addition to his wife, Paul is survived by daughter Heather Joelle, and son Sean Paul.
Dr. Walter A. Feller, 96, of Allentown, Pa., was a professor of professional and secondary education, joining the ESU community in 1970 and retiring in 1989. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago, his master’s degree from Syracuse University and a doctorate in education from Temple University. His wife, Judy (Miller) Feller was also a former member of the ESU campus community. Prior to his employment at ESU, Dr. Feller was a lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force. Dr. Feller was preceded in death by his wife, Judy (Miller) Feller, his parents and a brother, William V. Feller. He is survived by his brother, E. Michael Feller of Andreas.
Mary Louise Dempsey, 80, of East Stroudsburg, Pa., was a graduate of ESU’s hotel, restaurant and tourism management program. She worked as a member of the ESU family from 1985 until her retirement in 2007. Dempsey is survived by her husband of 45 years, Leonard J. Dempsey and her children; Kerry L. Dempsey, Patrick T. Dempsey, Kathy Dempsey, and Michael L. Dempsey, along with eight grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her children; Kelly Ann Dempsey and John Dempsey.
Mary Jane (Zimmerman) Sattazahn ’53 January 25, 2021
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Mary Jane (Zimmerman) Sattazahn, 89, or known by many as Coach, taught dancing, health and physical education, and coached field hockey, basketball and softball. She was an All-America selection as a goalkeeper for the Warriors in 1952 and 1953, and also played basketball and softball. She competed internationally on the national field hockey team and was inducted into the ESU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988. Sattazahn taught at Cornwall Lebanon High School (now known as Cedar Crest), Brandywine Heights High School, ESU, and Lebanon Junior High School. She was one of the first 35 women to attain the rank of International Official for Field Hockey. Sattazahn married later in life to the late Herbert E. Sattazahn. Born in Fredericksburg, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Warren E. and Luella Werner Zimmerman, and had four brothers and two sisters. She was preceded in death by her brothers Robert, James, and Edward Zimmerman, sister Thelma (Zimmerman) Shearer, and two great grandchildren: Joeli Grace Dougherty and Jason Asher Strangarity. Mary leaves behind a sister Patricia Zimmerman of Palm Coast, Fl., and a brother Frederick Zimmerman of Cleona, Pa.
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Donna Marie LaBar January 19, 2021
John C. Pooley, Ph.D. May 6, 2021
Ryan Smith March 22, 2021
Donna Marie LaBar, 70, of East Stroudsburg, Pa. was the office manager for ESU’s University Center from 1969 to 2004. She retired from the Student Activity Association after 35 years of service. Donna’s husband, Martin, was a member of ESU’s facilities management team until his retirement. The couple were married for 45 years. After retirement, Donna continued an active life of volunteerism with Pocono Medical Center, Monroe County Housing Authority and Monroe County Board of Elections; and she was an avid bowler. Donna was preceded in death by her parents, the late Richard C. Sr. and Kathryn (Keiper) Widdoss. In addition to her husband, Martin, Donna is survived by a son, Steve Widdoss and wife Tricia of Glen Mills.
John C. Pooley, Ph.D., 89, of East Stroudsburg, Pa., joined the ESU faculty in 1988 as a distinguished visiting professor. In 1989, he was named acting dean of health sciences and physical education for a year before becoming a tenured professor until his retirement in 2000. Dr. Pooley’s 40 years as a professor spanned five continents, teaching at 12 universities. A native of Crosby, Cumbria, England, Pooley earned distinction in teaching at Bede College in Durham, Leeds University. He later earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Wisconsin, where he met his wife, Carol. John was predeceased by his parents and his daughter Virginia Dinnell. He was survived by Carol, who passed away in July, as well as his sons Donald (Loralee) and William Knott, daughters Phyllis Kimpel (Lawrence) and Candace Washburn (Rob), sister Margaret Phillips (Anthony), son-in-law, Michael Dinnell, 25 grandchildren, and 43 great-grandchildren.
Ryan Smith, 21, of Willow Street, Pa., was a member of the Warriors’ men’s basketball program since 2019. A graduate of LampeterStrasburg High School, Smith was the 201819 PSAC East Freshman of the Year and a second team All-PSAC East selection in his only season of collegiate competition. He was an honorary member of the 2019-20 AllPSAC East team. Smith, who battled acute myeloid leukemia (AML) since August 2019, was an inspiration to his teammates, coaches and the surrounding community through his fight and determination. In turn, he was supported by his teammates and classmates, through a fundraiser by ESU’s StudentAthlete Advisory Committee of RelentlesS t-shirts (emphasizing ESU’s men’s basketball team motto and Ryan’s initials), and by his fellow competitors in the PSAC as several programs donated ticket receipts and other funds to Ryan and his family. Smith is survived by his father, Craig; mother, Kim; brother, Darren; and sister, Katelyn.
Memorial Gifts may be made through the ESU Foundation at esufoundation.org/givenow. For personal assistance, please call 570-422-3333.
esualumni.org 31
in memoriam alumni Daniel P. Abeloff ‘68
Mary Hill ‘56
Robert H. Payne ‘60
Linda Achenbach ‘67
Anne B. Hornkohl ‘81
Deirdre E. Pearson ‘53
Edith Maria L. Adelmann ‘71
Earl W. Hulihan ‘71 M’81
Kris L. Perfetti ‘96
John L. Albanese ‘77
Lester R. Jones ‘62
Rosemary C. Powell ‘61
Robert D. Austin ‘94
Mae Jubinsky ‘56
Jeffrey M. Ruch ‘95
Anthony N. Baratta ‘49
Sarah C. Karl ‘18
Dorothy Ruggiero ‘58
Robert M. Bessoir M’68
Jerome J. Lehman M’79
Bruce W. Samson ‘73
Dwight Bomberger ‘66 M’68
Karen Lloyd ‘66
Kay C. Sentz ‘51
John A. Brosious ‘49
John J. Lutz ‘60
Bruce D. Shellenberger ‘59
Rita P. Burkey ‘47
Jeannette L. Maddux ‘77
Robert E. Shoopack ‘98
Patricia C. Carter ‘60
Alberta C. Maltby ‘72
Patricia E. Singiser ‘63 M’67
James H. Collier ‘54
Brenda J. March ‘81
Francis J. Sladicka M’74
Michael P. Connor ‘10
Bernard J. Marchalonis ‘62
John B. Sloan ‘54
Gary W. Dean ‘15
David J. Marrington ‘51
Diane C. Smith ‘96
Anna M. DeSousa ‘54
Louise J. Mattes ‘82
Olive L. Stetler ‘67
Gary M. Dickens ‘78
Paul J. McGovern ‘51
Philip E. Stewart ‘57
Thomas M. Donan ‘80
Ryan A. McLaughlin ‘09
James K. Straub ‘78
Janine M. Donofry M’13
Sheree A. Mendick-Napoli ‘81
Dominick W. Stuccio ‘12
Mary Jane Eckhart ‘57
Ruth D. Meserve ‘46
Robert T. Sweeney ‘62
Lorraine Emma ‘65
Joan C. Miles ‘66
Jack V. Swineford ‘71
Richard “Dick” Ervin ‘58
Kathryn A. Mindler ‘51
Virginia L. Thomas ‘48
Paul L. Fierro ‘02
Charles R. Mitke ‘56
Sara J. Thomson M’90
Bernice W. Franchino ‘43
Jane A. Moran ‘74
Duane T. Toth ‘65
James P. Frawley ‘52
Michelle A. Morcom ‘87
Goldie G. Vass ‘75
Greg V. Garzio ‘94
Kyle H. Mueller ‘12
Samuel P. Wallace ‘66
Joseph C. Habakus ‘61
Charles P. Naradko ‘65
Scott G. Weaver ‘62
Allan H. Heller ‘69
William H. O’Connor ‘77
Donald H. Wieder ‘63 M’69
Roberta L. Henry ‘63
Mary E. Pappalardo ‘71
Mary K. Zevas M’96
FRIENDS Clare C. Berger
Harry A. Mullins
Nancy Vrooman Perretta
Robert W. Kinsley
Glenn E. Schultz
Ruth C. Wodock
Gerald F. Lambert
Ann Marie Toloczko
Faculty & Staff Marylyn H. Block
Sandra P. Luongo
Annette Miller
Richard B. Donnelly
Joan E. Mackin
Pauline Tallada
In Memoriam reflects alumni, faculty, staff and friends who passed away up to June 11, 2021.
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FLASHBACK Laurel Hall residents get into the spirit during Homecoming Weekend celebrations. The Stroud, 1975
Homecoming Weekend 2021 is set for Oct. 8-10. Turn to page 21 for details.
200 Prospect Street East Stroudsburg, PA 18301-2999
2020 GRADUATES GET THEIR DAY! Commencement for 2020 graduates was held May 1, 2021, at Eiler-Martin Stadium. A year later but still just as special, the ceremony featured Leila Bouchekouk ’20 and Dushan Chacon ’20 as speakers. ESU conferred 1,548 degrees during 2020. More than 280 Warriors returned to campus for the ceremony. See 2021 commencement coverage on page 13. Photo by Susie Forrester
