Annual Report of the President 2005

Gannon University Annual Report of the President

connections

Gannon is a Catholic, Diocesan, student-centered University which provides for the holistic development of undergraduate and graduate students in the Judeo-Christian tradition. As such, it offers each student outstanding teaching and a value-centered education in both liberal arts and professional specializations, in order to prepare students for leadership roles in their careers, society and church. The University faculty and staff are committed to excellence and continuous improvement in teaching, learning, scholarship, research and service. The University’s environment is to be one of inclusiveness and cultural diversity.

table of contents 1

message from the president ........................................... 2 connecting students and success ..................................... 4 connecting faith and reason ......................................... 10 connecting Gannon and the world .............................. 14 connecting leadership and service ............................... 19 connecting scholarship and research .......................... 23 ďŹ nancials ....................................................................... 29 year in review ............................................................... 31

message from the president The Gannon community has been and continues to be a place where we are all “connected” to each other through our experiences, our beliefs, and our willingness to communicate with and serve those around us. As a teaching University, Gannon strives to help its students make the connections that will help them to learn, to serve, and to succeed in their lives as leaders in their careers, society, and churches. This includes helping them to connect ideas with other perspectives so that they fully understand their own views, to connect to people so that they may live in harmony with one another, and to connect what they learn in the classroom with the other activities in which they engage in all aspects of their lives. For these reasons, “Connections” is a fitting theme for this year’s Annual Report of the President.

The word “connections” also aptly describes how the University has made major improvements in seven critical areas of the Gannon University Strategic Plan 2002-2007.

First and most notably, we have succeeded in advancing the academic excellence of the University (Goal I) by establishing the University’s Center for Excellence in

Teaching and Learning and collocating the Academic Advising Center, the Writing Center, and the Math Center. These accomplishments were made possible by a record $1.824 million Title III grant, which the University received from the federal government. The Title III grant also made it possible for us to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our information technology services (Goal VII) by increasing the number of classrooms equipped with digital daises and ceilingmounted projectors to 40, or 53 percent, of our classrooms. Take a few moments and read more about the noteworthy accomplishments related to this grant on pages 4-5.

We have also moved forward in promoting our Catholic identity (Goal II) by completing a revised edition of On Catholic Identity, a brochure distributed to our students, faculty, and staff that helps them connect the importance of the University’s identity as a Catholic institution of higher learning with their experiences here. As we made new connections and strengthened relationships among our more than 31,000 alumni and as we generated support from other

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“A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects.”

Herman Melville (1819-1891)

sources of revenue (Goal III), the University’s Endowment grew to a value of $25,224,000, an increase of five percent from the previous year. To support the faculty in their teaching and scholarly development (Goal IV), Gannon awarded more than 50 faculty members with the necessary resources to attend

professional development seminars, workshops, and annual conferences where they made connections with their peers in the academic community. Our students logged more than 26,000 services hours, exemplifying Gannon’s commitment to expanding our relationship with the community (Goal V). Another notable achievement was that Gannon directly connected with prospective students, effectively increasing enrollment and the quality of students attending the University (Goal VI). As a result of those connections, we recently welcomed a freshman class of 622 students, the largest class of freshmen since 1993.These are just a few in a long list of accomplishments the University achieved this past year.

The thousands of fibers that connect us with each other have provided the strength and ability to further our efforts in reaching these seven goals. And as an entire group, Gannon has connected with the community, the nation, and the world. As you read the following pages of this report, you will see the many ways in which we unite and ultimately guide our students to the connections that will help them succeed in their professions and as leaders in a changing world.

3 Students Edward Motea, Lindsey Smail, Jeanine Drayton, and Dr. Antoine M. Garibaldi, President.

connecting students and success 4

“The connections that students make while at Gannon change every year, just as the world around us and we ourselves change,” said Dick Sukitsch, Director of Institutional Research. “As a University, we strive to help students make practical connections with departments and people who will help them succeed, and we also help them make the connections necessary to understand what it is they want to do with their lives,” he added. Helping students to connect with people, with their surrounding, and with ideas is at the heart of the University’s mission, and it’s how we help students learn to succeed.

Virginia Arp, ’02M, Dick Sukitsch, and Valerie Bacik ’88

During this past year, the University has made great strides in keeping itself connected to the ever-changing issues of higher education so that it can continue helping students succeed. Most significantly, the University instituted a Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) and implemented improvements to the Academic Advising Center with money awarded from a federal grant of $1.824 million through the Title III program.

Sukitsch serves as the project coordinator for the grant, which began disbursement this year and will continue during the next four years. But Sukitsch’s passion for

helping students does not stop at the institutional level. “I often help students connect with the people they need to make their college education possible, and I advocate for them when unusual circumstances arise. Sometimes, they just need to find the right person to talk to in order to solve their problem, and that’s how I can help,” Sukitsch said.

Advising, whether it is an academically oriented or mentoring activity, happens formally and informally all over campus. The Academic Advising Center works directly with the students using a new tool called the College Student Inventory (made possible by Title III), an assessment that helps students to identify their strengths and needs. The Academic Advising Center also works to make sure that the faculty has all the necessary support to serve as academic advisors to students.

Valerie Bacik ’88, Director of the Academic Advising Center, stated, “There are three main elements of advising that we focus on: we work with students and their registration concerns, we refer students to helpful resources once

“Our whole goal is to help the students— that’s why we’re here!”

Marion Gallivan ’81M, Director of Nash Library

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they’ve identified their needs, and we make sure that the faculty advisors have the resources they need in order help students find the success that they seek.”

In addition to offering the students advising opportunities, the University also strives to connect students with the most up-to-date technological and pedagogical practices through CETL. “Students have so many different learning styles,” said Virginia Arp ’02M, Director of the CETL, “and they come with a variety of backgrounds. I work to make sure that the faculty members have the resources they need in order to accommodate the variety of learning styles that they encounter. Teaching is not just lecturing anymore.” The grand opening of the CETL last March was met with a warm welcome of a standing-room-only crowd, and since then, it has developed into a place where faculty members can meet, learn, and exchange ideas on how to most help students succeed with technology and their classroom studies.

The classroom isn’t the only place where students use technology, though. They use it in almost every aspect of their lives, including the research they do in the library. Marion Gallivan ’81M, Director of Nash Library, spends her time making sure that everything is in order and that students have as much access as possible to the information they need. “I often spend time researching new tools that are available and writing grants so that our students can have access to those tools right here on campus, tools such as online databases of journals and EZ borrow, an interlibrary loan program,” Gallivan said.

“We also work very hard to help the students feel connected to the library so that they are comfortable using it. Our whole goal is to help the students—that’s why we’re here!” she added.

While the administration and staff have been busy ensuring the institution has the necessary resources to help students become academically successful, many other members of the community have been working with students to make the personal connections that makes such a difference. Robert Wallace ’68, ’72M, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Finance, begins all of his classes each semester by telling a story, usually about his biking trips throughout the States.

“I often tell my biking stories to the students so that we can connect on a personal level—outside of academia.

I want them to be able to use everything they learn in my class, to apply it to their lives and their jobs, and I have to be connected with them in order to help them do that,” Wallace said. He added,

“It’s not about just teaching finance, it’s about teaching and developing the whole student.”

Cleve Wright, Head Coach of Women’s Basketball, feels the same way. “With everyone I coach, I really try to find out who they are and what their goals are so I can help them reach those goals.Yes, we play basketball, but we learn a lot about life skills in this sport, too. I really strive to train my players for the court and also for making good decisions in life,” Wright said. When the team is not on the court, coaching staff and players participate in activities such as the Social Work Christmas Dinner, food drives, and blood drives for the American Red Cross.

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Robert Wallace, Ph.D.

Cleve Wright and Melanie Duncan

“Basketball has taught me to work to be the best and settle for nothing less in everything I do.”

Melanie Duncan, Elementary Education senior

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“Coach treats us like we are his daughters. He wants more than anything for us to be successful on the court and in the classroom and will do anything in his power to make this happen,” said senior forward and Elementary Education major Melanie Duncan. “I’ve learned many skills through basketball that directly connect to the classroom—skills such as hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Basketball has taught me to work to be the best and settle for nothing less in everything I do,” she added.

Within and outside of the academic and athletics programs, students face a series of life challenges

while at college, and Ward McCracken ’72, ’74M, Dean of Student Development, works to make sure that they have everything possible to help them succeed in all aspects of their lives. “In Student Development, we are always working to challenge students to be what they want to be and to succeed at doing so. We set high expectations and help students to meet them by offering as many opportunities for leadership as possible, encouraging them to be selfreflective through the LifeCore Program, and ensuring they have the support they need from resident directors, resident assistants, commuter assistants, and all of the Student Development offices,” McCracken said. “Outside of the programs we offer, we also make sure to connect with the students on a personal basis as often as possible. Sometimes a few of us get together and play cards with students during the lunch hour, for fun and to keep in touch with them,” he added.

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Colleen Connolly and Ward McCracken ’72, ’74M

Each autumn, Ward also invites students and staff to his house for a hayride and a bonfire. “Ward is very supportive of all of the Student Development offices,” said Resident Director Colleen Connolly ’03M. She added, “He helps us to find ways to make new initiatives possible, and he makes sure that we have the support we need from the University so that we can be there for the students,” she added. The resident director position recently became a full-time position to ensure that the resident assistants and students living on campus had the support they needed. “A lot of learning takes place in the residence halls,” Connolly said, “and that learning is a major part of the college experience. Gannon places a strong emphasis on holistic development, and our job in the residence halls is to help students build a community with each other so that they can be successful here and get some experience that they can apply to life after college.”

“Many of my professors don’t place emphasis on test-taking—they focus on the hands-on application of what we learn, and for me, it’s really the best way to learn.”

Michael Todd, Computer Engineering senior

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Michael Todd, Computer Engineering senior, came to Gannon because it was a small, Catholic school that had a high acceptance and high graduation rate, and because it focused on students. Since he’s been here, he’s found that the holistic development that the University strives to achieve opened up several unexpected opportunities for him. “I’m not what I would consider a star student,” Todd said. “But many of my professors don’t place emphasis on test-taking—they focus on the hands-on application of what we learn, and for me, it’s really the best way to learn.” This led Todd to an opportunity to research artificial intelligence outside of the classroom with Sreela Sasi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Computer and Information Sciences. The independent study was

not for credit, but it gave Todd the opportunity to conduct research in an area where a good deal of new work can be done. “I was very grateful to work on such an interesting project,” Todd said.

Beyond his academic successes, Todd also felt that his experience of connecting with people at Gannon— ranging from those involved in the Campus Ministry to international students in his classes—has helped him become the person he is today.

connecting faith and reason 10

This year saw the release of Gannon’s revised On Catholic Identity brochure to the faculty, staff, and students. The statement, originally published in 1999, outlined five ways in which the institution and its members reinforce Gannon as a Catholic university—through respect, sacramentality, service, community, and the dialogue between faith and reason. As an institution of higher education, the most pronounced of these is the dialogue between faith and reason, a dialogue between two terms Reverend Nicholas Rouch ’83

that, to many, seem contradictory. At Gannon, though, these two terms find harmony as students learn about themselves, their faith, their scholarship, and life in general.

“The missing component in the phrase ‘faith and reason’ is truth,” said Reverend Nicholas Rouch ’83, STD,Vice President for Mission and Ministry. “The ultimate goal of both faith and reason is the eternal truth established by God. We want our students to be able to strive for that truth using both paths.” He added, “Our vision in creating a dialogue between faith and reason is to keep people together in a community and talking about the topics on which they might disagree.

We work to establish and maintain an environment where all religious values are respected, thought about, and discussed openly.”

“The missing component in the phrase ‘faith and reason’ is truth.”

Reverend Nicholas Rouch ’83, S.T.D.,Vice President for Mission and Ministry Jason Fowler ’98 and Reverend Joseph C. Gregorek, Ph.D.

Father Rouch has served as Gannon’s Vice President for Mission and Ministry since 2001, but he has been part of the University in different capacities since being assigned to Gannon in 1983. In his current position, he acts as an agent within the community to stimulate reflection and support initiatives related to Gannon’s mission. He connects with students through campus ministry and various student-led organizations, and he also serves as an adjunct lecturer in the Theology department, allowing him to connect with students on scholarly, professional, and personal levels. “The clearer that Gannon is about our own Catholic mission,” Father Rouch said, “the easier it is for students and other members of the community to compare their own experiences of faith to Catholicism. This creates fertile soil for mature religious commitment.”

The connection between faith and reason happens in every part of life that students experience, but it is reinforced by classroom studies and the relationships that they form with the faculty.

Like Father Rouch, Very Reverend Joseph C. Gregorek, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, has

connected with many students on a scholarly level, and he has also connected with them on a personal level by helping his students apply to different graduate and medical schools. Oftentimes he has joined them in marriage and baptized their children. Jason Fowler ’98, commented, “Father Gregorek has had a profound impact on who I am today. He helped me to see what it was that I wanted to do, he helped me make the connections that I needed to reach my goals, and he’s been involved with my life on a religious and personal level ever since. He can be very demanding of his students, but anyone who has ever had him for class has really appreciated the challenges that he set for them.”

After Fowler graduated in 1998 with a bachelor of science degree, he worked for the University of Pittsburgh as a pathology assistant, often teaching classes in the school of medicine. He had originally planned to attend medical school after graduating from Gannon, but Father Gregorek had instilled a love of pathology, a thirst for knowledge, and a love of teaching in him, and so he became highly involved in research and education. He served on the faculty of West Virginia University’s Medical School for one year and has recently returned to Erie, as his wife’s career led them back here. He will attend

Gannon again as a graduate student in the Physician Assistant program so that he can become more involved with patients, but he plans to continue research in pathology as opportunities arise. Like his mentor, Fowler has succeeded in publishing on several topics. His most recent publications have appeared in medical books and deal with head and neck pathology.

Father Gregorek’s publications have included more controversial topics such as reproductive technologies, cloning, and stem-cell research. He feels that perceived conflicts between faith and reason stem from a failure to fully understand one or the other. “Truth is one, and we can use both faith and reason to reach it. As a scientist, I use empirical evidence and experimentation. As a priest, I use theology, scripture, and tradition in my journey towards truth,” he commented. He added, “Many great scientists have also been individuals of deep faith.”

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Like Father Gregorek, Mary Anne Rivera, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Theology and Director of the Graduate Program in Pastoral Studies, relies on both faith and reason to lead her and her students to truth. “Faith meets reason in the scientific study of Theology,” Rivera said; “Theology is the study of God and the study of humanity’s experience of God.” She added, “Culturally, American’s believe in a deist god—in a god who created the world and left it to fend for itself. This Mary Anne Rivera, Ph.D.

“When we come to understand God as personal, active, living, and conscious, we come to discover the fact that God’s presence is truly real in the world.”

Mary Anne Rivera, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Theology

Michael Polinek

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deist theology is the source of America’s strong sense of radical independence and individualism. However, when we connect Christian faith with secular reason, we introduce belief in a God who is the center of human life and an essential part of the community. When we come to understand this God as personal, active, living, and conscious, we come to discover the fact that God’s presence is truly real in the world. Moreover, in dialogue with faith and reason, together we are ‘transformed by the renewing of our minds’ (Rom 12:2).”

Senior seminarian Michael Polinek experienced the connection between faith and reason before he decided to come to college, and that experience is what led him to Gannon, where the dialogue between faith and reason could be reaffirmed.

“I wasn’t the best student in high school, and I took a few years off from school after I graduated. I knew six years later, though, that God was calling me to the seminary. My reasonable side kept telling me that I couldn’t do that because joining the seminary meant going to college, and I knew that I wasn’t cut out for college. When my faith intervened, though, I knew I had to try, and as it turns out, I’ve been able to make it through,” Polinek said. His relationship with faith and his abilities to use reason have both grown while here at the University, and after he graduates, he plans to attend a major seminary.

connecting Gannon and the world 14

As the world increasingly becomes a smaller place, each international connection that Gannon makes gives the members of our community one more resource to tap into, one more story to experience, and one more opportunity to learn about something foreign to them. Members of the Gannon community have connected the University to places all over the world through music, scholarship, heritage, and service, making a difference in their individual lives, in the University’s ability to give our students all that we can, and in the lives that we’ve touched across borders.

Bruce Morton Wright ’69, ’00M, Music Director and Conductor of Gannon’s Erie Chamber Orchestra, has brought to Gannon a wealth of experience from various countries. Wright grew up in Erie and began attending Gannon a few years after high school, so he was used to being close to home.

Today, though, as Gannon’s one and only graduate whose studies focused on music, he has traveled and performed around the world.

Because Gannon never had a formal music program, Wright did most of his college work here on campus and then traveled across town to Mercyhurst for his music classes. After he graduated, he found that he wanted to take his music and travel much further. He continued his schooling by attending graduate school in Vienna, Austria, on scholarship. It was his first time away from home, and he quickly had to learn German in order to stay afloat, which he did.

Wright found that he enjoyed living in Europe, and so when he was done with his studies, he stayed in the country for another few years as an assistant conductor for an orchestra. He performed his first public concert in Finland in the mid-1970s. “It was an emergency situation for the head conductor, so I

“I truly believe that music should be, and can be, enjoyed by everyone.”

Bruce Morton Wright ’69, ’00M, Music Director and Conductor of Gannon’s Erie Chamber Orchestra Program

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wasn’t expecting to perform that day and was quite nervous,” Wright said. He added, “I was mortified at the end of the concert when no one applauded. After a few moments, though, I realized that, in that culture, it wasn’t appropriate to applaud in a church, which is where we were! It was a relief to discover that, and as it turned out, many of the audience thoroughly enjoyed the concert.” Wright had actually attracted the interest of the then Ambassador of Columbia, a member of that audience, who later invited him to lead an orchestra in Bogota, Colombia.

“I enjoyed living in South America,” Wright said, “but the culture was a little harsh for my wife and my daughters—there was a machismo there that I didn’t like. So, I was actually looking to move to Italy when I happened to run into former Gannon University President Dr. Scottino during a visit to Erie. He offered me a position at Gannon, and I decided to come home.” Wright didn’t start at Gannon right away. Instead, he worked as the Cultural Director for the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, where he began putting together an orchestra that later became the Erie Chamber Orchestra.

“The purpose of the Orchestra is to make music free and available to the public.

I truly believe that music should be, and can be, enjoyed by everyone,” Wright commented. Today, both Wright, with all of his experiences, and the Chamber Orchestra are supported by Gannon, and Wright continues to offer the community free access to music.

“When I’m overseas, I spend much of my time working in and with the German Federal Archives, the Prussian State Library, and the Archive of the German Protestant Churches.”

Barry Jackish, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of History

Claire Moree

Through the History Department, Gannon has a current connection to Germany, based in scholarship. Barry A. Jackish, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of History and the Director of the History Program, has traveled to Germany several times during the past few years to

organize and present at conferences and conduct research. His research focuses on extreme nationalism that was present in Germany during the post-WWI era and how it contributed to WWII. “When I’m overseas I spend much of my time working in and with the German Federal Archives, the Prussian State Library, and the Archive of the German Protestant Churches,” Jackish said. “Recently, I was fortunate to receive access to rather important documents that had been handed down in the family of Kuno von Westarp, a highly influential conservative politician during the time period. There was very limited access to these papers, and luckily, other scholars and I were able to view them and build a conference around them.” Jackish is also a member of two internationally recognized organizations, The German Studies Association and the American Historical Association.

Although the experiences that the faculty and staff bring to Gannon can be very valuable to the students, the students themselves also often bring a lot of interesting experiences from around the world to the University, through both study abroad programs and simply leaving their countries to attend Gannon. Each year, Claire Moree, Biology senior, leaves the warm tropical weather of the Bahamas to join the student body here in Erie.

“I hadn’t heard of Gannon before I started looking at where I wanted to go to school,” Moree said. “As it turned out, Gannon was one of six places where a scholarship was available for me. When I visited, I knew it was where God wanted me to be.” She added, “It was a little bit scary because I had no friends in the States before I first came here. Through being at Gannon, I’ve really been able to meet and connect with people, Diane Henneberry ’05

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and now I know that I have friends here whom I can rely on. The teachers here, too, have really been wonderful. They’ve helped me to see that I would like to go to medical school and become a doctor.” Last year, the University graduated 65 international students from twelve countries, a number that has been on a steady rise.

Students who are native to the United States also have opportunities to cross borders through study abroad and service learning programs. Recent Gannon graduate Diane Henneberry ’05 spent three months last fall in Kenya with the School of Field Studies through Boston University. “When I lived on the biology floor my freshman year,” Hennenberry said, “I noticed a binder near a bulletin board that had information about the School of Field Studies and how I could participate. It had always been my dream to go to Africa, so I was very

Mary Lisa Gustafson and her Afghani host daughter, Fazila

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happy to find this opportunity while I was a student at Gannon.” Henneberry took twenty credits towards her degree in environmental science while in Kenya, and she participated in two service projects—building a school and a kitchen hut for the community in which she stayed. Her group also traveled to Nairobi to help a school plant trees.

Another alumna, Mary Lisa Gustafson ’89, has used her love for travel and talent for foreign languages and education to expose her high school students to other areas on the globe. Most recently, she brought her own students from Johnsonburg High School, Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania, along with high school students from Kazakhstan to Gannon for a visit. “When I first moved to Johnsonburg,” Gustafson said, “I was amazed at how culturally deprived it was in

the sense of diversity. So, I began to look for ways to expose my students to other cultures and other parts of the world. I started bringing international students to the school whenever I could, and I began to look for programs in which the school could participate.”

“I began to look for ways to expose my students to other cultures and other parts of the world.”

Mary Lisa Gustafson ’89

She found and enrolled in the Secondary School Excellence Program (SSEP) through the U.S. Department of State and its sister program, Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX), both of which encourage and offer support to American students who travel abroad and foreign students who come here.

During this past summer, Gustafson and her students spent three weeks through SSEP visiting their partner school in Kazakhstan (north of Uzbeckistan and Kyrgyzstan, northeast of China, and south of Russia), a country that once was part of the Soviet Union. The students from Kazakhstan then came to the States for three weeks, during which they spent a few days touring Gannon’s campus.

“We all had a really wonderful time, and the students got to see what an American university was like,” Gustafson said.

This is just one of the connections that Gustafson has made with international programs, one that she was able to share with Gannon. In the past, Gustafson also traveled to Morocco as a Fulbright scholar; participated in “Hands Across the Water,” a teaching exchange program with the Netherlands; and this year, she and her husband are hosting a young girl from Afghanistan.

Many members of the Gannon community, from students to staff to alumni, have spent time connecting themselves and the University to the world in ways that can make a difference for individuals and for Gannon. Each time a connection is made, it’s a moment of living, loving, and learning.

connecting leadership and service Philip Kelly, D.A. Service is an integral part of living out Gannon’s mission, as is preparing our students for leadership in their careers, society, and churches. Members throughout the community have found that leadership and service are often inseparable.

“Leadership and service connect when someone is willing to take a stand when necessary,” said Philip Kelly, D.A., Professor of English, a man who has often served wherever needed in the University. Kelly feels that serving others and being a leader in and out of the classroom comes with his job as a professor. “I never thought of my job as service,” Kelly said; “I have a profession that puts me in the position of helping others.”

Kelly has certainly done his share of helping. When he first came to Gannon in 1970 he served as the Director of the Freshman English Program, the Acting Director of Upward Bound (1973), the Ombudsman for the College of Humanities (1975), and the Director of the Open University Program (1975).

These positions gave Kelly a chance to both lead and serve those around him.

Most recently Kelly served as Interim Provost from Oct. 15, 2004, to July 1, 2005.

His role was to provide members of the faculty with a broader perspective to refocus problems in different directions. “Almost anyone involved with leadership must be able to look at the big picture in all circumstances,” said Kelly, “and when we do that, ‘bad’ news is not as bad as it originally seems.”

While taking on a role that requires leadership, Kelly says that it is important to “remain calm and rational and be honest in everything.” He quoted Mark Twain,

“Leadership and service connect when someone is willing to take a stand when necessary.”

Philip Kelly, D.A., Professor of English

Bonita Booker ’76M

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who said, “If you always tell the truth, you don’t have to remember what you said.”

Teaching remains his favorite position at Gannon. “I hope I provide good service in both the classroom and with administrative work.” Kelly assumes he will be teaching for the rest of his time at Gannon but will most likely go wherever he is needed.

Kelly also commented, “When I’m surrounded by strong, smart, and capable people, leadership comes easily. Dr. Garibaldi and Dick Sukitsch are two people I really admire as hard workers who provide an atmosphere of leadership.”

On another part of the campus, Bonita Booker ’76M, Director of the Commonwealth Academic Achievement Program (CAAP), spends her days working for at-risk students who qualify for assistance from CAAP, and she advises Minority Cultures United, a student organization that strives to promote understanding and diversity through friendship and leadership. “My passion is my students,” Booker

said, “and really what I enjoy most about my job is the opportunity to work with students who have low self-esteem and low confidence in their ability to do college-level work, and to nurture them, mentor them, and watch them grow.” Her leadership in the program has reached more than 100 students per year during the past 32 years of her service.

The connection between leadership and service is something that many others in the Gannon community have found to be a strong one. Bill (Willie) Alford ’65, Gannon Trustee and former basketball player, used his athletic talents to coach Little League baseball and referee basketball for 28 years, during which time he was able to connect with kids in his community, offering them guidance and the opportunity to grow. “It was evident to me very early on that our future and the future of kids is all about mentoring and preparing them to become citizens,” Alford said. Although Alford retired following a long and successful career with IBM, he still works today for the Akron Summit Community Action, where he is the Executive Director of Head Start. “Head Start is a program that serves low-income families with children from the ages of six months to five years, and we have two missions: to give children a head start in life so that they are prepared for school, and to provide training to parents so that they can help their children grow and become successful citizens.” Alford

said. “I’m very proud to be able to lead my team and serve my community through Head Start,” he added.

Back on campus, students have many opportunities for service learning and also for learning about leadership.

Senior running back and Criminal Justice major Ron Bailey strives to incorporate both into his life. “It’s important to know how to lead because leadership means that people are following you,” Bailey said. “You can’t abuse your power because leading is all about taking people under your wing when they are in need. Leadership is service—it’s all about putting yourself before others and giving others all that you

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“I’m very proud to be able to lead my team and serve my community through Head Start.”

Bill (Willie) Alford ’65, Gannon Trustee

can.You have to be serving people in order to lead them.”

Bailey plays running back on the field, but off the field he has worked to form an organization called The Zone, a bible study group started with student athletes in mind, but that is meant for everyone. “The Zone helps us all to build a relationship with God while strengthening ourselves and working towards our goals,” Bailey said.

Sophomore Nursing major Megan Fisher, like Bailey, has found ways to both lead and serve those around her through bible study, service learning trips, and student organizations. Fisher currently serves as the president of Ichthi, a faith-based group that gathers for prayer, study, and speaker presentations, and she is also involved with the sophomore honors

“Leadership is service—it’s all about putting yourself before others and giving others all that you can.”

Ron Bailey, Criminal Justice senior

Megan Fisher

society Lambda Sigma; Adelphai, an all-female bible study; and The Ark, a non-denominational fellowship group.

During the past summer, Fisher spent a week in Kentucky through a campus ministry service trip where she, along with other students, visited residents in nursing homes, worked at an adult daycare facility, and helped build a house.

Fisher strives to lead in her faith and serve her community in all that she does. She said, “I’ve been blessed with so much that it really feels good to give back to people and the community.” She added, “Our trip to Kentucky was filled with hard work, but it was a wonderfully rewarding experience.”

connecting scholarship and research 23

As a student-centered, teaching University, one might not expect to find Gannon among the ranks of schools that think about scholarship and research. However, according to the late U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education Ernest Boyer’s Scholarship Reconsidered (1990), teaching is one of four models of scholarship, the other three being discovery, application, and integration. Teaching, as a model of scholarship, requires professors to take on the responsibility of transmitting the ability and desire to learn to their students. The “scholarship of teaching,” a phrase coined by Boyer, is and always has been at the heart of Gannon’s mission. Among our gifted, diverse, and loyal faculty, there are many who pride themselves in their abilities to continually learn and pass their knowledge and research experiences on to their students while encouraging students to develop their own scholarly abilities.

Kate Marsters, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of English, is one of these many individuals. “Scholarship keeps me curious,” she said, “and it also constantly makes me aware that literature doesn’t exist in a vacuum.” Marsters works to help her students understand how social, political, and economic forces are connected to literature, a theme that has been a large part of the research she has conducted throughout her career.

Much of Marsters’ research focuses on the book Mungo Park’s Travels and how it has been viewed throughout different eras. Most recently, she was awarded two grants, one from the Bibliographical Society of America and the other from the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, which allowed her to travel to Scotland in order to conduct archival

“The uncertainty of each day’s outcome helps to teach students how to tackle real problems by using insight and innovation.”

Rick Diz, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Environmental Science

Kate Marsters, Ph.D.

24

research on the many 19th-century editions of Mungo Park’s Travels, specifically those copies that were given as a reward for good attendance or for excellence in a particular subject in grammar schools, Sunday schools, and adult evening schools. The market for these types of books (reward books) between 1850 and 1900 was dominated by Scottish publishers, and Marsters hopes to use her research to aid in an examination of this market. She will also undoubtedly share her experiences with her students.

Whereas Marsters’ research is historical in nature, there is also research being done on campus that concerns the future. Rick Diz, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chairperson of Environmental Science and Engineering, has been working on a project that would develop a bioreactor and process to produce hydrogen safely and inexpensively using nonpathogenic bacteria. The study, funded by NanoLogix, Inc. (previously known as Infectech), a biotech company, could lead to technology that would produce and capture hydrogen that could be safely used as a source of fuel.

“This particular project holds a lot of promise because we are working to turn a waste product into an energy source. There are a lot of uncertainties involved in this study, and working through them to a successful conclusion will be quite

“This project, in particular, is of interest to many people in the community, as air pollution and the health problems that come with it are things that everyone can relate to.”

Weslene Tallmadge, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry

25

gratifying. So far, we are optimistic that our research and development efforts will be successful,” Diz said. “Our department’s philosophy is to help our students become scientists by doing science rather than by just reading about it. This is a great example of that since we have freshmen as well as upperclassmen involved.

For this particular project, there are four undergraduate students and one graduate student who participate in the research.” Diz commented, “I particularly enjoy the opportunity to explain how what we study in the classroom helps us to understand and predict what will happen in the laboratory. Plus, the uncertainty of each day’s outcome helps to teach students how to tackle real problems by using insight and innovation.”

In another area of the Department of Environmental Science, Michelle Homan, Ph.D., Associate Professor, has collaborated with Weslene Tallmadge, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry, in a research project that collects and analyzes the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a class of compounds, some of which are known to be carcinogenic, in the air and precipitation near Lake Erie. Homan and Tallmadge were awarded a $145,000 grant from the Great Lakes Commission to conduct this research between 2004-06. This past

year, they began collecting and analyzing the data with the help of two graduate students, Christopher Saber ’05 and Jay Dahl ’05.

“There are three collection sites that I visit several times per month,” Saber said; “I collect both rainwater and air samples from each site that have been captured in foam sponges and filters, and I bring the collection back to the lab for Dr. Tallmadge and Jay to measure and analyze.” The three sites are located both upwind and downwind of the City of Erie with the intent of quantifying the extent and characterizing the transport of the PAHs to the bay and lake.

“These chemicals are routinely emitted into the atmosphere from industry and automobiles, with their primary sources being

incomplete combustion of coal, wood, oil, and gasoline,” Homan said. “A lot of the pollution comes from vehicles and industry, and the PAHs tend to settle into the lake, which acts like a sink.” It is believed that the amount that is present in the air and the way that these chemicals travel have a direct impact on health issues associated with air quality around the Great Lakes.

Once the filters have captured the PAHs, Dahl uses an extractor to rinse the contaminants off the sponge, turning them into a liquid form. “After extraction,” Dahl said, “the liquid is put through a drying column into the concentrator apparatus.” According to Tallmadge, once the contaminants are concentrated, they are injected into a Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) that compiles the data into a form that can be analyzed.

26

Christopher Saber ’05, Michelle Homan, Ph.D., Weslene Tallmadge, Ph.D., and Jay Dahl ’05.

“Attending Vanderbilt over the summer was a great opportunity to meet people in my field, and to think about what I would like to focus on in future studies...”

Emily Cross, Biology senior

27

This is the first time that Tallmadge has worked with applied research, although she has conducted fundamental research throughout her career. “It’s easier to get the students involved when working with applied research,” she said, “and I think overall applied research is more interesting to students.” She added, “This project, in particular, is of interest to many people in the community, as air pollution and the health problems that come with it are things that everyone can relate to.”

Homan and Tallmadge plan to continue collaborating on similar projects as opportunities become available.

The Environmental Sciences Department is one of the main departments in which students can easily get involved in hands-on research. The Biology Department is another, and both departments encourage students to apply their research abilities that they gained at the University outside of Gannon, whether it is through working in a lab or continuing on to graduate school. One student, senior Biology major Emily Cross ’05, recently had the opportunity to share her research skills with students from all over the country during the Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy, where she excelled in her field, the molecular-cellular section of the program.

“Attending Vanderbilt over the summer was a great opportunity to meet people in my field, to think about what I would like to focus on in future studies, and to

28

actually start thinking about the application process for graduate school,” Cross said. Cross had been working with Robert Rawding, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology, on research projects for more than a year. He had been encouraging her to find a summer internship, and that’s what led Cross to the opportunity at Vanderbilt. “Dr. Rawding has been supportive of everything I’ve done,” Cross said. “He’s been a wonderful mentor. I’ve also really enjoyed working with Professor Gustafson and Dr. Ropski,” she added.

While at Vanderbilt, Cross conducted stem-cell research that focused on the effect nutrition has on ovarian tissue in fruit flies. “I grew flies in different media and watched the cells change according to the changes in nutrition. I learned a lot about growing and caring for the flies and how to use different equipment,”

Cross said. “We had a lot of opportunities for learning outside the lab, too. There were seminars that we attended throughout the week where we could learn how to create and present a poster and how to prepare for graduate school, including studying for the GREs.” At the end of the program, Cross was one of 12 students (out of a group of 80) who had earned the opportunity to give a presentation at the program’s symposium. The 12 students were chosen in a competitive judging of abstracts that they had written about their research. Cross will graduate in December ’05 and plans to attend graduate school shortly thereafter.

Gannon provides all of its students with opportunities and support for learning about scholarship and research, and we work to help our students connect those activities with the bigger picture of their life and long-term goals.

financials 29

Gannon completed the fiscal year with a strong financial performance and a balanced budget with the exception of one item, which was extraordinary depreciation.* Overall, revenues were positive with tuition and fees increasing by approximately $800,000 and auxiliary enterprises increasing by an additional $300,000. Other revenue decreased from last year with the majority of this decline due to lower returns on the Endowment and lower interest income. As of June 30, 2005, the Endowment totaled $25.2 million, and the investment return on the Endowment was 8.6 percent for the fiscal year.

Federal and state grants were stable from last year in total; however, Gannon received a $1.8 million Title III grant in October 2004, which will extend over the next five years. Gannon’s Annual Fund reached almost $1 million, and six new student scholarships and one endowed fund in support of the University Chaplain’s Office were created.

Expenses increased by only $2.0 million, with the majority of the increase due to salary and benefit costs that increased by $1.9 million. Operating expenses decreased by $200,000, and there were minimal increases in interest and auxiliary enterprise expenses.

Gannon continues to make strategic investments in state-of-the-art technology in order to ensure that students’ skills remain on the cutting edge. The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning was established through the Title III grant. The Center consists of a model classroom with eight workstations and new state-ofthe-art technology, a large open area to facilitate discussion and exchanges of ideas regarding teaching and learning, a small conference room, other individual work spaces, and a library. There are digital daises and ceiling-mounted projectors in 40 classrooms; new computers have been installed in the Power Technology Forum Room, the Cyber Cafe, and Zurn 121 and 122 computer labs.

2004-2005 Expenses by Function

2004-2005 Expenses

2004-2005 Revenue

60% 20% 16% 3% 1%

67% Tuition and Fees, Net of Scholarships 14% Auxiliary Enterprises 8% Federal, State and Private Grants 8% Other 3% Contributions

Compensation Operating Expenses Depreciation Auxiliary Enterprises Interest

49% 23% 13% 7% 6% 2%

Instruction and Research Institutional Support Student Services Auxiliary Enterprises Plant Operations Public Service

(All figures in millions of dollars)

Revenue Tuition and Fees, Net of Scholarships Federal, State and Private Grants Contributions Auxiliary Enterprises Other Total

2003-04

2004-05

$32.6

$33.4

4.0

4.0

2.0 6.4 5.6 $50.6

1.7 6.7 3.8 $49.6

Expenses Compensation Operating Expenses Interest Depreciation Auxiliary Enterprises Total

2003-04

2004-05

$30.4

$32.3

10.9

10.7

0.7 8.8

0.8 8.9

1.3 $52.1

1.4 $54.1

Expenses by Function Instruction and Research Public Service Student Services Institutional Support Plant Operations Auxiliary Enterprises Total

2003-04

2004-05

$25.5 1.0 6.5 12.2 3.4 3.5 $52.1

$26.8 0.9 6.9 12.2 3.6 3.7 $54.1

Use of Funds Student Scholarships Capital Spending Debt Retirement Endowment Additions Total

2003-04

2004-05

$14.6 2.2 1.2

$15.6 1.5 0.9

0.4 $18.4

0.4 $18.4

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The Math, Writing, and Academic Advising Centers were relocated to a newly renovated centralized location on the first floor of the Palumbo Academic Center.

An architectural study has been completed to define the scope and cost of the next phase of renovations to the Zurn Science Center.

Fire protection system updates, including a fire sprinkler system, have been completed in University Apartments. Upgrades to fire alarm systems in the Nash Library and the Hammermill Center have also been completed. Other improvements on campus include some stair and carpet replacement in the Palumbo Academic Center and the Schuster Theatre; and furniture upgrades in Palumbo Academic Center Classroom 3243, University Apartments, and Kenilworth Apartments. Two additional emergency call boxes have been installed, bringing the total to ten across campus, and four CCTV digital recorders have been installed to replace the outdated VHS system.

The University Bookstore has also been renovated. These renovations include new entrance doors, new lighting, new carpet and linoleum, new and relocated cash register counter, new customer service counter, new shelving units, the addition of a fitting room, the addition of 8 TVs and a sound system, the addition of a kiosk, and new exterior signs.

The University will continue to exercise prudent fiscal management and allocate financial resources to ensure that students receive the best possible experience at Gannon both in and out of the classroom. *The University had extraordinary depreciation expense of approximately $5.8 million on donated software that was gifted to the University in November 2000.The software is sophisticated engineering design software that is being used for teaching and research programs.The value of the software was estimated at $29 million and is being depreciated over five years.The University is not funding this depreciation, as the institution does not intend to replace this software in the future.

year in review 31

July 2004

• Brian J. Jackman ’63 and C. Christopher Cooney ’63 established the Cooney and Jackman Families Professorships, from which the University created an endowed professorship.

• The Photomedia Student Show displayed students’ digital photography and artwork in the Schuster Gallery.

August 2004

• Gannon was ranked in the top tier of 16 peer schools in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges.”

• The University introduced its second doctoral program—the Doctor of

Physical Therapy Program—as an enhancement to Gannon’s former masterlevel degree in physical therapy.

September 2004

• The U.S. Department of Education awarded the University a $1.824 million Title III grant, the largest in Gannon’s history. The University had applied for the grant with plans of strengthening faculty-staff development initiatives and enhancing student learning over five years.

• The University presented former longtime faculty member David R. Frew, Ph.D., and James W. Keim Jr. and his mother Patricia with the Archbishop Gannon Medal of Distinction at the 17th annual Scholarship Celebration. The medal is given annually to individuals who have been instrumental in promoting the cause of Catholic higher education.

October 2004

• Villa Maria alumnae and Gannon alumni gathered on campus for the fourth annual Homecoming/Reunion Weekend, with the classes of ’54, ’64, ’79, and ’94 celebrating landmark reunions.

• Members of the Erie community hopped to the Yehl Room for the LeapFrog!

Auction, where they could bid for full-size frog statues that had been decorating the streets of Erie and the surrounding areas for several months. The project raised more than $100,000 that was divided evenly between the Gannon University Scholarship Fund and the Erie Art Museum.

November 2004

• Gannon hosted a Juvenile Justice Symposium for the Erie community, at which faculty members joined individuals from the criminal justice system to discuss topics such as drug and alcohol abuse, juvenile prosecution, gangs, and violence.

• More than 300 Gannon students, staff, and faculty went door-to-door in the city and surrounding areas with the goal of collecting funds and approximately 15,000 pounds of nonperishable items for the Golden Harvest Food Drive for the Second Harvest Food Bank in Erie.

January 2005

• Men’s and Women’s basketball faced off against Mercyhurst for the first time during the season. Both teams won by more than 15 points.

• The Villa Maria School of Nursing hosted the Winter Tea Reception, where Villa Maria College alumnae could join together, reminisce, and celebrate the accomplishments of their fellow graduates.

February 2005

• At the Knight with Scholars event, Gannon welcomed to campus more than 100 high school seniors who had been accepted to the University and also awarded either academic or leadership scholarships.

• Members of the Gannon University Business Ambassadors, a select group of alumni and friends dedicated to a mutually rewarding association with students, faculty, staff, and administration, gathered on campus for breakfast and to hear a presentation offered by Lou Montefiori ’86 titled Overcoming the Status Quo:Examining Your Competition in 2005.

• Junior Semaj Y. Vanzant was awarded the Minority Cultures United Student Award at the Community Leadership Dinner Awards, held on Gannon’s campus and sponsored by Bayfront NATO, Inc. and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center Youth Department.

32

December 2004

• Gannon awarded 278 degrees at the Winter Commencement Ceremony, where Wilbert Bryant, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Higher Education, Programs with the U.S. Department of Education, joined the University as the commencement speaker.

• Dr. Garibaldi joined members of the Circle of Distinction as they enjoyed an evening at the Schuster Theatre with a reception and the student production of Episode 26. The Circle of Distinction is a group of alumni, friends, and parents whose loyalty to Gannon’s Annual Fund has helped the University to grow.

March 2005

• Colorful flags, dancing, and food from a variety of cultures filled the Yehl Room as students, faculty, and staff gathered for the 16th Annual International Night.

The food and entertainment were provided by international members of the Gannon community.

• The University opened the doors to its new Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, a resource that faculty can use to learn more about technology in the classroom and exchange pedagogical ideas with each other.

The Center was funded by the Title III grant awarded to the University in fall 2004.

• The University offered its first Gannon Shakes competition for local high school students. To participate in the competition, each student had to perform a Shakespeare monologue. The winner of the competition received an $800 scholarship to attend Gannon’s theater program.

• Father Malloy addressed the graduating class of 2005 and their families at the May Commencement Ceremony. The University awarded 871 degrees– 27 associate’s, 449 bachelor’s, 386 master’s, 2 post-master’s certificates, and 7 doctorates.

April 2005

• Honors Program students Karen Bellini, Leanne Borland, Melissa Bruckart, Chris Gehly, Dj Lapczynski, Ian McGinnity, Steve Srnka, Jonathan Taccone, and the Director of the Honors Program, Father Robert Susa, attended the Northeast Region of the National Collegiate Honors Council annual conference in Pine Barrens, New Jersey.

• The University honored nine alumni at the annual Distinguished Alumni dinner: Marie E. Knafele, M.D., Ph.D., ’74; Timothy L. Conlon ’73; Tiffany R. (Pryor) Collins, RNP, ’99; John F. Denslinger ’70; Ronald J.Volpe, Ph.D, ’67; Richard G. Orlando, M.D., F.A.C.S. ’76; Brian C. Fargo ’71; Bradley J. Collins, M.D., ’99; and James C. New ’74M.

• Fran Lunger ’68, CEO and President of Millipore Corporation, visited current students as part of the Executive on Campus program. While here, Lunger met with several biology classes and spoke with them about the trends in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

• The University held its 2nd Annual Graduate Research Conference at which students from all disciplines could present and discuss their work through oral and poster presentations. Students from Computer Information Sciences, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, the Physician Assistant Program, and Psychology presented their research.

June 2005

• Gannon students logged more than 26,000 service hours to various community service projects, both locally and nationally, during the 2004-05 academic year.

33

May 2005

• President Antoine M. Garibaldi welcomed Reverend Edward A. Malloy, CSC, Ph.D., President of Notre Dame University, when he first arrived at the Erie International Airport and then brought him to campus as an honored guest. During the commencement ceremony, Dr. Garibaldi presented Malloy with the Ut Diligatis Invicem award, an award that was inspired by the motto of the University’s Founder, Archbishop John Mark Gannon: “That you may love one another.”

• High school educators from Erie County participated in the Science in Motion chemistry and biology workshops offered through Gannon, one of 11 schools that participate in The Science in Motion Consortium in Pennsylvania. The Consortium makes the most up-to-date scientific equipment available to educators who can then work with their students and guide them to learn about science by doing science. This year, those who attended worked with such equipment as a spectrophotometer to measure rates of chemical reactions, an FT Infrared analyzer to analyze chemical structure of artificial sweeteners, pH meters to measure buffering properties of plasma, and the Environaut used for water testing.

• Gannon University signed an agreement with Preston University in Pakistan to establish academic exchange between the schools in regards to engineering programs.

Gannon University Board of Trustees 2004-200 Most Rev. Donald W. Trautman, STD, SSL* Chairperson Bishop of Erie

Mr. Daniel C. Carneval, D.O. ’51 Orthopedic Surgeon/Team Physician Gannon University

Mr. James W. Keim Jr. Senior Vice President Advest, Inc.

Very Rev. John M. Schultz ’78 Vicar for Education Diocese of Erie

Joseph T. Messina, Esquire ’63 Vice Chairperson Partner Elderkin, Martin, Kelly and Messina

Honorable Stephanie Domitrovich Judge Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania

Sister Mary Rita Kuhn, SSJ ’60 VMC, MA ’68 Vicar for Religious Diocese of Erie

Rev. Msgr. Robert J. Smith, JCL Vicar General Diocese of Erie

Mr. James J. Duratz Director Barco-Duratz Foundation Meadville, Pennsylvania

Mr. Urban J. LaRiccia ’59 President Datascript International Rancho Santa Fe, California

Rev. Msgr. Lawrence Speice ’55 Pastor St. Anthony Church

Mr. Russell J. Forquer ’71* President Gannon University National Alumni Association

Mr. Thomas J. Loftus MBA ’74 Retired Business Executive Cary, North Carolina

Mr. Thomas L. Doolin ’61 Secretary Wagner & Doolin Acquisition Group Antoine M. Garibaldi, Ph.D.* President Gannon University Mr. William I. Alford II ’66 Executive Director Head Start Akron, Ohio Mr. James A. Baldauf ’62 Retired Business Executive

Mr. James E. Gehrlein ’72 Area President National City Bank of Pennsylvania

Mrs. Anne D. McCallion ’74 Senior Managing Director, Operations Countrywide Home Loans Inc. Calabasas, California

Mr. Terry Giles, Ph.D. * President Gannon University Faculty Senate

Mr. John E. Paganie ’69 President, Pennsylvania Operations First Energy Services Corporation

Mr. William C. Springer ’63 Partner Dawar Associates Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Rev. Msgr. Richard J. Sullivan Pastor St. Andrew Church James F. Toohey, Esquire ’56 Partner Quinn, Buseck, Leemhuis, Toohey & Kroto Inc.

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Mr. L. Scott Barnard ’65 Managing Senior Partner Programmix, LLC Norwalk, Connecticut Mr. George J. Behringer III ’66 Managing Partner Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP Omaha, Nebraska Mr. Arnold E. Bergquist, CPA ’58 Partner Malin, Bergquist and Company Rev. Msgr. Robert L. Brugger Pastor St. Jude the Apostle Church

Mr. Thomas C. Guelcher ’62, MBA ’76 Treasurer Sisters of Mercy Mr. Brian J. Jackman ’63 Retired Business Executive Barrington Hills, Illinois Mr. Richard Julius President Gannon University Student Government Association Rev. Msgr. Andrew H. Karg Pastor St. Michael Church Greenville, Pennsylvania

Mr. Thomas F. Power Jr. ‘63 Retired President and C.E.O. Wisconsin Central Transportation Libertyville, Illinois

Sister Anastasia Valimont, SSJ ’50 VMC Consultant Saint Mary’s Home of Erie

Mr. James J. Rutkowski Jr. ’83 General Manager/Treasurer Industrial Sales and Manufacturing, Inc.

Sister Ricarda Vincent, SSJ ’64 VMC* President Sisters of Saint Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania

Mr. James A. Schaffner ’68 Managing Principal Schaffner, Knight, Minnaugh & Co., P.C.

Mr. Melvin Witherspoon ’68 Community Initiative Consultant Penelec

Mrs. Helen M. Schilling, M.D., D.D.S. ’77 Physician Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Houston, Texas

* Ex-officio Members

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