Winter 2006 Magazine
Funding the Search for Knowledge Duratz Scholarship Funds Research
Editor’sInklings I will always remember 2005 as a tumultuous, almost chaotic year for the world, full of natural disasters and countless terrorist attacks. We also saw the passing away of world leaders such Pope John Paul II, political figures such as William Rehnquist and Sen. Eugene McCarthy, and celebrities such as Richard Pryor and Terri Schiavo, who was unfortunately made famous by her controversial death. These types of events are not particularly new to humankind, but the sheer number of tragedies in 2005 seems shocking, as does the fact that many of these occurrences—especially those caused by wind, waves, rain, and flood—were out of our control. Whenever these disasters strike, I often think of our alumni who have dispersed themselves to many parts of the world. When Hurricane Katrina flooded Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, all of Gannon prayed for the safety of those who resided there—especially our 94 alumni. Later in October, I received four destroyed magazine covers from the post office, none of which had reached the recipient. As I looked at the addresses, I was startled to find that three were from the Virgin Islands and one was from the panhandle of Florida. Had these alumni also been affected by the unruly hurricane season? Were they still alive and well? With no working phone numbers, I was not able to reach them to find out. Just one month later, as I was reading the New York Times on November 11, my thoughts fell on Zaid Al-Khas ’04 (page 14), who lives and plays basketball in his hometown of Amman, Jordan—a city that was very unexpectedly jolted by suicide bombers who destroyed three prominent hotels. Once again, I prayed that an alumnus was safe from harm. I also think often about the hope that our current students have and what challenges they will face after they graduate. What controversies will Michelle Heid, Mark Peterson, Julie Young, John Evankovich, and many other students (page 8) face as they continue their scientific research? How many lives will our premed students and our nurses eventually save? What software, hardware, and machinery will our student engineers go on to design and improve? Will Demondi Johnson (page 21) go on in his basketball career overseas? And if he does, will he eventually play in a more peaceful world? Will these students eventually look back on their experiences at Gannon as favorably as does Harry Hairston ’77 (page 18)? Gannon University is a place of transition and transformation, and although we can’t change the world, we can and do encourage our students to become leaders, like many of our alumni, who make their communities and the world a better place. May 2006 be a reprieve from disasters, and may the December ’05 graduates (page 3) be safe in the next stages of their lives.
Catherine Carlson, Editor carlson010@gannon.edu (814) 871.5817
Students receive funding for primary scientific research.
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Passport To Play
Gannon alumni continue their basketball careers overseas.
As the Winds Blow
After Hurricane Katrina, Gannon welcomes a displaced student.
contents
Features 8 Funding the Search for Knowledge
Departments 2 18 19 20 22 29
NewsNotes AlumniFocus FacultyFocus SportsScan AlumNotes EndNotes
Antoine M. Garibaldi, Ph.D. President Jennifer A. Mailey ’95, ’05M Director of Marketing Communications Catherine E. Carlson ’05M Publications Officer and Editor Advisory Committee: Britt Dyer Daehnke ’98, ’05M Chris Dubbs Harry R. (Rick) Diz, Ph.D., P.E. Catherine Oakley Cathy Fresch Laura E. Rutland, Ph.D. Lisa A. Wenner Melanie Kernick Rev. Nicholas J. Rouch, S.T.D., ’83
Contributors: Paul DeSante, Ph.D. Julie Groenendaal ’98 Jana Hunt Jeannie Kloecker Nick Pronko Dan Teliski ’97 Photography: Ed Bernik Tim Rohrbach Rick Klein Design: Tungsten Creative Group
On the Cover: Junior John Evankovich begins the process of separating and identifying proteins using the Western Blotting technique. Photo right: An early snowfall adorns a lamp outside of Gannon’s Waldron Campus Center.
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Garibaldi’s Contract Extended
Last July, Most Reverend Bishop Donald W. Trautman S.T.D., S.S.L., Chairperson of Gannon’s Board of Trustees, announced an early renewal of President Antoine M. Garibaldi’s, Ph.D., five-year contract. This renewal extends Dr. Garibaldi in his position as president through May 2009. “Dr. Garibaldi’s original contract would have taken him through May 2006, but in 2004, based on his first three years of exceptional leadership and sustained superior performance, the Board voted on a five-year early renewal covering the period May 2004-May 2009,” Bishop Trautman said. Dr. Garibaldi’s tenure to date has been marked by growth and progress in all key areas, including improved quality of academic programs, increased undergraduate and
graduate enrollment, sound fiscal management and fundraising, enhanced educational technologies, campus upgrades to improve student quality of life, and extensive community and regional involvement. Additionally, Dr. Garibaldi was instrumental in securing Gannon’s largest grant ever—a $1.8 million Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education. “I appreciate the Board’s decision as well as their continuing support,” Garibaldi said. “There is still much more to be done to raise Gannon University’s stature even higher and to continue to fulfill the obligations of our Mission Statement, and I look forward to working with the Board to do that,” he added.
A Great School at a Great Price
U.S. News & World Report selected Gannon as one of its “Great Schools, Great Prices.” The University ranked ninth as a best value in its annual college guide, America’s Best Colleges 2006. Additionally, the University also rose eight places in its overall ranking, from 45th in last year’s guide to 37th (out of 165) in the current edition, maintaining its status as a Tier I university in its classification.
University Receives $1 Million Gift This past August, Gannon received one of the largest gifts in its history when Robert H. Morosky ’63 and his wife, Dianne, currently of Columbus, Ohio, and Key Largo, Florida, contributed $1 million to Gannon to establish a unique endowed scholarship fund. The Robert H. and Dianne Morosky Scholarship, by the Moroskys’ choice, will be restricted to academically and financially deserving students who are graduates of one of Erie’s six city high schools or who are City of Erie employees enrolled as Gannon students. While at Gannon, Morosky had paid for his education by working as a garbage collector for the City of Erie. He graduated with a degree in accounting and went on to receive an MBA from the University of Cincinnati.
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or those City of Erie employees who may be working their way through Gannon like I did. We also hope that our gift will motivate other Gannon alumni and friends to do the same and be as generous as they can be,” Morosky added. “We are very thankful for this generous gift from Bob and Dianne, who want to ensure that talented and hardworking local students will have opportunities for a quality education and future,” Garibaldi said. Attorney Joseph T. Messina, Vice Chairman of Gannon’s Board of Trustees and a 1963 classmate of Morosky, echoed Garibaldi’s appreciation for the gift.
Gannon recognized Morosky as a Distinguished Alumnus in 1984 and awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1992. Morosky has had a long and dignified career that “My wife and I believe that higher education is essential, has included working as a CPA and consultant for Arthur but we know from experience that it doesn’t come easily Anderson Company, as vice chairman of The Limited in for some students and their parents,” said Morosky from Columbus, and as chairman of Allied/Federated Department his home in Columbus, where he is now president of the Stores in New York City. For more than 20 years the MoRobert H. Morosky Investment Company. “This gift is our roskys have also been active leaders in the Roman Catholic way of giving back to Gannon and investing in the future Diocese of Columbus. of deserving young Erie city high school graduates like us
Scholarship Celebration
Stanley J. Zagorski, Professor Emeritus, and James J. Duratz, Chairman of the BarcoDuratz Foundation and member of Gannon’s Board of Trustees, were presented the Archbishop Gannon Medal of Distinction at this year’s 18th Annual Scholarship Celebration in October. The medal is given annually to individuals who have been instrumental in promoting the cause of Catholic higher education.
Ambassador Edward M. Gabriel Speaks at Winter Commencement
Former U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco Edward M. Gabriel ’72 gave the keynote address to the graduating class of 233 students at December Commencement. Gabriel was previously recognized with a Gannon University Distinguished Alumnus Award (in Business) in April 1998. Also in ’98, Gabriel’s classmate and friend, Dick McGlinchey ’72, established a scholarship, naming it the Wilbur J. Johnson and Edward M. Gabriel International Studies Scholarship. During the Commencement, the University awarded Ambassador Gabriel an honorary doctorate of laws. Within the graduating class, Gannon awarded one doctoral degree, 150 master’s degrees, 77 bachelor’s degrees, and 5 associate’s degrees. Seven students graduated summa cum laude, nine magna cum laude, six cum laude, and two received academic honors.
Identifying Our Brand
The University contracted STAMATS, an Iowa-based marketing research firm, to assist in a marketing analysis of Gannon’s current image as seen by current and prospective students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff, and city leaders. The STAMATS team and the University’s own Marketing Research Committee recently completed an analysis and plan for Gannon’s brand promise, and the results from that part of the study will lead to further developing Gannon’s image.
Gannon Builds Relationships with Distant Institutions
Over the past year, the University has signed agreements for academic exchange and admissions partnerships with three distant institutions. The furthest away, Presten University, is in Pakistan. The two schools have agreed to build opportunities for academic exchange in regards to engineering programs.
The University welcomed a freshman class of 635 students at the Opening Mass and Convocation on August 21—the largest Gannon class since 1993. The class included 28 high school valedictorians, 164 members of the National Honor Society, and students from 20 states and six foreign countries.
For students interested in pursuing degrees in medicine, the University has signed four affiliation agreements with Ross University, two with the Ross University School of Medicine and two with the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. The Ross University School of Medicine is located on the island of Dominica in the Caribbean.
William Eilola, Dean of Enrollment Services, commented, “We’re very excited to have these outstanding students join us at Gannon. They are part of a motivated group of students who recognize the combination of high-quality academics and a caring community that make Gannon University such a unique, learning-centered institution.”
Gannon has also signed two affiliation agreements with The University of Charleston School of Pharmacy, Charleston, West Virginia. Per the agreements, the University of Charleston (UC) will reserve a total of 10 seats for Gannon undergraduates, five in each of its programs. Both programs lead to a clinical Doctor of Pharmacy Degree (Pharm D).
Gannon Welcomes Large Freshman Class
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NewsNotes
Schuster Events Schuster Art Gallery
Gannon’s Student/Faculty Art Show February 10 – March 16, 2006 Millcreek Township School District Art Department April 3 – May 12, 2006 Various Mediums
Erie Chamber Orchestra
Guess the Composer Concert February 17, 2006 at 7:30 pm Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel, Gannon Soloist: Bruce Gingrich, Organ March 24, 2006 at 7:30 pm First United Methodist Church, 707 Sassafras St. Soloist: Elizabeth Etter, Harpsichord April 21, 2006 at 7:30 pm Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel, Gannon Tribute to George Gershwin June 9, 2006 at 7:30 pm St. Patrick’s Church, 130 East 4th St.
Gannon University Schuster Theater CATS Thurs.-Sat., February 9-11, 16-18, at 8 pm Sun., February 12, 2005 at 3 pm Words and Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Special Performance: Alex Clemente Fundraiser Sun., February 19th, 3 p.m. Fool For Love By Sam Shepard Wed.-Sat., April 26-29 at 8 pm
The Cast for CATS
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Gannon University’s Schuster Theatre has been granted one of the very first licenses in the nation for amateur performances for CATS. This innovative and entertaining hit by Andrew Lloyd Webber was based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. The cast for the show will be made up of students, including Alaina Manchester as Grisabella, Bryan Rall as Old Deuteronomy, Mark Fiscus as Bustopher Jones, and Hilary Petersen as Jennyanydots. Ed Helenski will direct the show with Shawn Clerkin providing vocal direction and two students, Lacey Johnson and Renae Pryjmak, leading choreography. Performances will be held February 9-12 & 16-19.
Catholic Speakers Visit Campus
Gannon hosted a three-part lecture series on the Eucharist this past fall for students, faculty, staff, and the Erie community. The series began with Reverend J-Glenn Murray, S.J., director of the Office for Pastoral Liturgy for the Diocese of Cleveland, speaking about the celebration of the Eucharist as a passionately engaging and powerfully transforming experience. The series continued with Sister Margaret Carney, O.S.F., S.T.D., president of St. Bonaventure University, presenting her lecture “Jesus Christ and the Fast Food Nation,” which discussed the meaning of food and table fellowship in the New Testament as compared to our current styles of food consumption. Completing the series, Reverend Scott Detisch, Ph.D. ’82, a faculty member at Christ the King Seminary, presented “Matters of the Eucharist,” which addressed reasons that the Eucharist matters to college students. The University also hosted Father Paul Murray, O.P., Vice Rector and Professor of Spiritual Theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas (“The Angelicum”), for the annual Washabaugh Lecture. The Pontifical University of St. Thomas, located in Rome, is operated by the Dominican order. Murray’s lectures there are frequently over-subscribed by an international student body. Father Murray presented his lecture “Is There a Case for Poetry?” Gannon’s annual Washabaugh Lecture focuses on a topic related to language and literature. The lectures are endowed by the late Honorable and Mrs. William B. Washabaugh, Jr., in memory of their son.
NewsNotes
Gannon Hosts High School Poetry Contest
Dr. Rafael Campo, an award-winning poet and essayist and a physician, will be the guest speaker for the 29th annual English Awards Night, scheduled for April 27, 2006. Campo is the author of several books of poetry, including The Healing Art: A Doctor’s Black Bag of Poetry (2003); Diva (1999), a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award; What the Body Told (1996), winner of a Lambda Literary Award; and many other works.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebrations Begin Attorney Cornell L. Moore joined the University on November 30 in the beginning celebrations of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Moore delivered a lecture titled “Dr. King’s Legacy:Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow… Maybe,” to a room filled with Gannon students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the Erie community. Moore also led a question-and-answer seminar and joined students from Gannon and other local colleges for dinner prior to his speech.
The annual English Awards Night is a celebration in honor of the winners of the High School Poetry Contest and several contests for Gannon University students. Berwyn Moore, Associate Professor of English, is accepting submissions for the contest, and all high school students across the nation are welcome to submit up to three poems. All entries should be typed on plain, white paper and should include the student’s name, grade, address of high school, and teacher’s name. The deadline for submissions is February 1, 2006. Cash prizes will be awarded, including a $100 first prize.
University Adds Technical Sales Major
In the fall 2006 semester, Gannon will begin offering a new bachelor’s degree program in scientific and technical sales. The program will combine business and science courses and is designed to prepare students for sales-related careers in a number of fields, including pharmaceutical, biomedical, chemical, environmental, and other technology-related fields. Students will take, among other courses, principles of macroeconomics, business statistics, financial accounting, and financial management as well as molecular/cellular biology, environmental science, physics, and chemistry. “The interdisciplinary aspect of the program is especially important,” said Hamid Torab, Ph.D., Dean of Gannon’s College of Sciences, Engineering, and Health Sciences. “During our research and planning, we realized the inherent value of a program that would give students more than just a cursory overview of both business and science. Only a small minority of graduates nationwide have extensive training in both areas. We believe the program will fill a void while preparing graduates who are highly sought after for these types of specialized sales careers,” he added.
Villa Maria School of Nursing Receives Funding
The University recently received an endowment of $50,000 for The Nancianne Galardo Williams Scholarship, which will benefit academically deserving students with financial need who enroll in the Villa Maria School of Nursing. The Villa Maria School of Nursing, which saw 100 percent placement of its graduating students this past year, was also awarded a $17,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Foundation. This Nursing Education Grant will provide scholarship funds for bachelor’s and master’s degree nursing students, thereby helping the Villa Maria School of Nursing strengthen retention and recruitment initiatives. A portion of the grant also will be used toward curriculum review.
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NewsNotes
Faculty and Staff News
Dawna T. Mughal, Ph.D., Director of the Dietetics Program, recently presented a paper at the annual International Conference on Developmental and Learning Disabilities in New York City and co-presented a paper and served as a moderator at the Asia-Pacific Regional Congress of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities, held in Taipei, Taiwan. Mughal has also been selected as a program reviewer by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association. Patricia Pollifrone, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Education, presented a paper titled “Student Success in Reading Through the Use of Technology and Mentoring” at the Oxford Round Table, Oxford University, Oxford, England. Pollifrone also chaired a panel discussion on “The Impact of Methamphetamine on Children in the Rural West” as part of the roundtable presentations. Scott Miller, C.P.A.,’93, Assistant Professor of Accounting, presented a paper at the International Conference Promoting Business Ethics held at St. John’s University’s Manhattan campus. The presentation, titled “Ethics as a Component of Accounting Education and Continuing Professional Education in Accounting,” also was accepted for publication in the conference proceedings. Three Gannon faculty members were named Distinguished Educators by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE): Francis Grandinetti, Ed.D., Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Graduate Education, and Assistant Professor of Graduate Outreach Education; Richard L. Pysch, Ph.D., Adjunct Lecturer of Graduate Outreach Education; and Douglas Hazlett, Ph.D., Adjunct Lecturer of Educational Outreach Program. Distinguished Educators are recognized for their work on furthering student achievement for struggling districts and schools.
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Student News A Lassoed Crowd for “Homecoming Hoedown”
Despite rain and cold, students strapped on their boots and celebrated their own “Homecoming Hoedown” this year on October 22. The festivities began early Saturday morning with a parade followed by the Gannon-Findlay football game that the team ended with an amazing fourth quarter drive leading to a 50-45 win for the Knights. That night, the ecstatic crowd continued to celebrate at the homecoming dance, held at a Tullio Arena decorated with a barn, farm animals, hay, and checkered table cloths. In competition, Zeta Beta Tau and Alpha Sigma Tau took first place for their banner, and Alpha Sigma Alpha and Delta Chi won first for their float. Out of the 34 candidates vying for the crowns, Drew Rogers and Brandy Brensinger won the honor of Homecoming King and Queen. Activities Programming Board (APB) Homecoming Chairs Chaz Meabon and Aleah Karsonovich planned the theme of the event because a country-western homecoming theme wasn’t something the current student body had done before. Meabon commented, “We thought the organizations would have a lot of fun and be creative with their floats and banners.” Next autumn’s student and alumni homecoming are scheduled together for October 6-8, 2006.
NewsNotes
Helping Hands Reach Out
Students spent many hours during fall reaching out to the community through programs such as GIVE (Gannon’s Invitation to Volunteer Everywhere) Day, Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, and the Social Work Christmas Dinner. During GIVE Day, more than 750 students offered service at more than 25 community agencies. Prior to Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, students organized the Golden Harvest Food Drive that collected 8,662 lbs. of food for the Second Harvest Food Bank. During the Awareness Week, students sat in the “Box City” they set up in A.J.’s Way. Closing out the semester, the Social Work Club, advised by Assistant Professor of Social Work Parris Baker ’92, invited impoverished families to the annual Social Work Club Christmas Dinner for a hot meal and a day of Christmas activities, including opening presents with Santa Claus in the Yehl Room. These community service activities were above and beyond the service learning opportunities that students also fulfill for many of their classes.
Dressed in Hogwarts Style
The Yehl Room and all who entered were transformed to the characters of the famous Harry Potter series on Thursday, November 3 as students from the Program for Students with Learning Disabilities, the Honors Program, the Schuster Theatre, and the Environmental Club recreated Hogwarts on campus so that 100 local fourth- and fifth-grade students could experience a daylong, hands-on learning extravaganza. Gannon professors also spent the day in costume, teaching children “Harry Potter lessons” in astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, and theatre—renamed as classes from the literature series such as charms, potions, and the care of magical creatures. Matthew Thomas, an Honors student, played the part of Harry Potter, giving the younger students a chance to interact directly with a hero that they know and love. The program was funded by a $3,500 grant from the Erie Community Foundation that enables the University to teach children the value of children’s literature through experiential/hands-on learning.
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Funding the Search
for Knowledge
“Knowledge must come through action; you can have no test which is not fanciful, save by trial.” –Sophocles Gannon University has long practiced the belief that the best way for students to learn science is to do science. As the complexity of student research projects grows, however, so does the cost of doing research. To continue learning, students must compete for funding from a wide variety of local, state, and national foundations. Due to the generosity of Mr. James Duratz, member of the Gannon Board of Trustees, students striving to raise money for research now have one more place to turn—their own University. The James J. Duratz Student Research Fund has benefited a dozen students since its establishment on July 13, 2003. Topics these research projects have investigated range from how hormones affect the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) to materials that could be used in developing new vaccines to mass spectrographic patterns of forensic dyes. Most importantly, students have been able to participate in, and in some cases, develop hands-on research projects that are working towards answers for the scientific questions of our time.
Saving Athletes’ Knees
According to Dr. Elisa Konieczko, Associate Professor of Biology and Director of Pre-Pharmacy Programs and LECOM Programs, “Female athletes have up to six times higher incidence of knee injuries involving the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) than do male athletes.” Because of this ratio, Dr. John Lubahn and Mr. Tim Cooney from Hamot Medical Center and Dr. Konieczko have collaboratively researched the possible causes of injuries to the ACL in women. They originated a project titled “Growth of Fibroblasts from Anterior Cruciate
and Palmer Beak Ligaments” in which several students have been involved. The purpose of the project is to develop a reliable and reproducible protocol for the culture of fibroblasts, which are the cells from which connective tissue forms. Junior biology major Michelle Heid currently grows and maintains the cell culture for the project, checks for contamination in the culture, and conducts immunocytochemical experiments. She does this so that she and Dr. Konieczko can identify the binding sites of relaxin—a hormone proven to affect the laxity of the ACL. It is hypothesized that relaxin binds to receptors on or within the fibroblasts. “When I signed up for the project, I hoped to learn the proper procedure for conducting an experiment, how to culture cells using sterile technique, and how to present research results,” Michelle said. She has learned this, and much more. “I have also learned countless techniques involved in cell culture and staining,” she added, “and the learning process is still continuing.” This learning process would not be as possible without the help of the James J. Duratz Student Research Fund, as it helped to fund the antibodies used in the research. “Michelle’s entire projects costs approximately $6,000,” said Dr. Konieczko. “We are very glad that the new James J. Duratz Student Research Fund can contribute to that cost; it’s one more source to which we can turn.” For some students, the James J. Duratz Student Research Fund was the only source.
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“Without the James J. Duratz Student Research Fund, Mark’s project probably wouldn’t have happened.” – Steve Ropski, Ph.D.
A Search for the Endangered
Senior biology major Mark Peterson participated in a Bioblitz on the Erie Bluffs State Park during the summer of 2004 for the purpose of counting as many species of flora and fauna as possible on the property during a 24-hour period. While there, he saw a wildlife biologist running Kirkland Pitfall Array traps to capture shrews for the one night, and he knew what he wanted his senior research project to be—identifying shrews and ensuring that none were endangered species. He also saw the project as an opportunity to learn what habitats shrews prefer to live in by looking at tree species and ground type. “I have had an interest in wildlife since I took biology in high school,” Mark said. This interest is what led him to study biology in college, and he hopes to continue doing so in graduate school. He instigated his project after participating in the Bioblitz, and since then, Mark has written the proposal for the project, applied for and received a permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), ordered the necessary equipment, set up trap lines in three different areas of the park, and checked and emptied the traps of shrews. Currently, he is compiling the data from the project and creating a presentation for several different events in the spring. Mark’s project was completely funded by the James J. Duratz Student Research Fund and was overseen by Dr. Steven Ropski, Associate Professor of Biology and Director of the Science Program. “Without the James J. Duratz Student Research Fund, Mark’s project probably wouldn’t have happened,” Ropski said. Mark is appreciative of Dr. Ropski’s involvement with his project, as Ropski helped him with each step of the process. “The most important thing Dr. Ropski did was believe in me,” Mark said. “He encouraged me to complete this project, and without him, it wouldn’t have been a success.” While Mark’s project was of his own creation, other students have been invited by professors to join them in conducting research in which the faculty member is already engaged.
The Color of Crime
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“I have always been interested in forensic science—not what’s shown in the TV dramas, but the actual science behind it,” said junior chemistry major Julie Young. Julie currently conducts research along with Dr. Michael Bucholtz, Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Chemistry, that involves compiling a library of coumarin dye spectrums that are common to such items as ropes, nets, and fishing line. The library could be used to link a rope at a crime scene to a manufacturer and then possibly to the person who purchased it. “A compilation of coumarin spectrums is not something that has been done before, and the thought of setting precedents is very exciting,” Julie said.
The Life of a Philanthropist
Dr. Bucholtz and Julie perform the work for this project on a device called a mass spectrometer that helps them to gather and process data. “When Dr. Bucholtz invited me to conduct research with Gannon’s new mass spectrometer, I jumped at the opportunity,” Julie said. “I have the privilege of choosing the dyes to study, preparing the dyes, injecting them into the mass spectrometer, and operating the computer that controls the system,” she added. Julie and Dr. Bucholtz have written a paper titled “The Electrospray-Mass Spectral Analysis of Coumarin Dyes,” and they are currently waiting for it to be published in The Journal of Undergraduate Chemistry Research. Julie hopes to enter the workforce after graduation, and she feels strongly that her experiences at Gannon have prepared her for this. “All of my teachers have been extremely helpful,” Julie said. “I know that they want students to succeed. Dr. Bucholtz in particular has been a large part of my experiences here, as he has opened numerous doors of opportunity for me. He’s guided me through research, helped me secure an internship at the University of Virginia, and he’s helped me to develop life skills that aren’t necessarily taught in the classroom.” All of the students who have benefited from the James J. Duratz Student Research Fund have worked closely with professors in the process of learning to conduct applied research. Junior biology major John Evankovich, who plans to attend medical school after graduation, has worked with Dr. Richard Schauer, Associate Professor of Biology, on the effects of estrogen on glucose uptake in the small intestines of rats. Nikki Abel ’05 worked closely with Dr. Gregory Andraso, Associate Professor of Biology and Director of Pre-Medical and Related Programs, to investigate the mating habits of round gobies in Lake Erie. Junior biotechnology major Christopher Gehly, while working with Assistant Professor of Biology Susan Sapone, discovered that Interleukin 4 does have adjuvant properties in mice, meaning that it could possibly be an effective additive in new vaccines that would help activate the body’s immune system safely. Many other students have and will continue to benefit from these types of hands-on learning experiences that the James J. Duratz Student Research Fund has made possible.
Gannon Board of Trustee member James J. Duratz began his life as a philanthropist through the influence of his late wife, Helene Barco, and her father, Atty. George Barco, who believed strongly in giving back after gaining success. “George grew up on a farm and worked very hard his whole life,” Mr. Duratz said. “He believed in helping those in the middle class who worked hard but who needed some financial help.” Mr. Duratz married into the Barco family after he graduated from Allegheny College with a degree in economics. After working for a short time at Westinghouse, he became part of the family’s cable business and subsequently became very close to the Barco family and soon shared in Atty. Barco’s passion for giving.
“Every Sunday, George, Helene, Yolanda (Helene’s sister), and I would go to mass at 7:30 and then to breakfast where we would discuss our work and the family’s philanthropic goals,” Mr. Duratz said. “When my wife unexpectedly passed away, everything came into my estate. Since then, it’s been my goal to distribute the money in the Barco-Duratz Foundation how we had planned to during those Sunday morning meetings,” he added. Mr. Duratz is the last member of the Barco-Duratz family, whose Foundation has given to many educational and religious institutions, including University of Pittsburgh, Meadville School District, and of course Gannon University. Mr. Duratz has served on Gannon’s Board of Trustees since 2001, spoke to students as the Executive on Campus in 2002, and endowed a general scholarship to the University in 2003. Gannon conferred an Honorary Degree on him in 2000, and most recently honored him with the Archbishop Gannon Medal of Distinction at the 2005 Scholarship Celebration, at which he was able to meet several of the students who have benefited from the James J. Duratz Student Research Fund. “These students were devoted young people doing something that they really wanted to do,” Mr. Duratz said. “I know if my family could have met them, they would have been pleased at the help the Fund offered and impressed by their work as well.”
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Passport To Play By David Hein
Throughout the past, fourteen members of Gannon’s basketball family have advanced to the professional level after their time at the University. Four of them currently play ball across borders, taking their skills beyond the country of their schooling. Two in particular are Troy Nesmith ’98 and Zaid Al-Khas ’04. Currently, Nesmith is playing a waiting game. The former Division II Player of the Year from Gannon University is putting in his fifth season of professional basketball in France. And now he’s anxiously awaiting his French passport.
Association. He eventually landed in France the following season after a call from former Delaware University star Mark Murray, who had seen Nesmith play at Gannon. “Murray had played in France a long time ago and called me to ask if I wanted to come,” Nesmith remembered. After initially hesitating, Nesmith accepted the offer at fourth division club St. Vallier. He led the team to the league championship his second season there—which meant moving up a division. But Nesmith decided against staying with the team because he felt he might find better opportunities elsewhere. In search of those opportunities, he moved onto another fourth division team for one season and then on to Blois last season. Again Nesmith paced his team with more than 20 points per game for the fourth straight season.
The Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, native has seen his share of success since leaving Gannon’s campus. It didn’t start easy for Nesmith, who ranks 16th all-time in scoring at Gannon despite playing just two seasons. The NBA had its lockout after Nesmith graduated in 1998, limiting the guard’s chances of impressing a team during workouts and making a roster. He ended up playing with the LaCrosse Bobcats of the Continental Basketball Association. Nesmith returned to Gannon in 1999-2000 to get his Leadership and African Studies degree and then played the following year with the Saskatchewan Hawks of the International Basketball
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“A lot of teams know about me,” Nesmith said. “Because I don’t have an agent, though, it’s more difficult to land the better jobs with the bigger teams in the higher leagues. Right now, there aren’t a lot of people in France who know the
Troy Nesmith ’98 reaches for a goal in Blois, France. photo courtesy of Tuan Nguyen
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photo courtesy of Fadi Sabbah
Zaid Al-Khas pushed through a foul for two points in Amman, Jordan.
“My life and my game totally changed when I came to Gannon. I got to play a lot and work on things I couldn’t in Buffalo.” —Zaid Al-Khas ’04
Division II in the U.S., so I have to wait for an opportunity to play at the higher levels that I know I could.” That chance may come this summer when Nesmith is eligible to apply for a French passport. Having a passport would pave the way for him because he would no longer count as a foreign player on a team’s roster. Teams are allowed to have only a limited number of foreign players, causing the competition for foreigners to be high. Basketball is where Nesmith’s heart is, but he has considered working towards becoming a college professor after his basketball career. “Being in France has opened my eyes a lot to how people from Africa express themselves in regard to their heritage. Their culture is much more pronounced here than it is in the States,” he said. “I would really love to study my heritage and to pass on that knowledge.” Across the Mediterranean Sea, another Gannon alumnus is playing basketball in Jordan.
Zaid Al-Khas played as Gannon’s starting center in 1998-99 and 1999-2000. He said it was the individual workouts he received from Coach Slocum in Erie that helped him develop into the player he is today—not his two years of hardly playing at the University of Buffalo. “I was a little down at Buffalo. I wasn’t getting much playing time. But my life and my game totally changed when I came to Gannon. I got to play a lot and work on things I couldn’t in Buffalo,” said Al-Khas, who is in the middle of his third
Former Golden Knights in the Pros Basketball is the heart of Gannon athletics, and has been since the 1960s. Our alumni, students, friends, and faculty all enjoy gathering for the winter games, and the game is truly a passion for our team members—so much so that fourteen of our previous coaches and players have taken their careers to the pros. Cal Graham ’67 and Jim Harding were the pioneers, and both were involved with the Pittsburgh Pipers of the American Basketball Association. Harding, the Golden Knight head coach from 1963 to ’67, served as the head coach of the Pipers, while Graham was a member of the Pipers after playing at Gannon from 1965-67.
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Former assistant coach Bill Kalbaugh, a Gannon aide in 1989-90, also coached professionally, guiding the Erie Wave of the World Basketball League. Two former Knights remained in Erie and suited up for the Wave, Chris Hollan ’90 and Darryl Freeman ’91.
David Morris (1985-88) and Mo Jamison (1987-88) both played professional ball in Portugal. Morris played from 1988-91 while Jamison played during the 1986-87 and ’87-88 seasons. John Bowen (1987-88) was a member of the Washington Generals, the Harlem Globetrotters’ travel team. Javar Cheatham (2000-01) also played one season as a professional in 2002 for the Dodge City Legend of the United States Basketball League (USBL). Currently, Tony Lyons ’02 and Steve Moyer ’99 are playing in Germany, Troy Nesmith ’98 is playing in France, and Zaid Al-Khas ’04 is playing in Jordan. Geoff Husted ’05 had signed on with a team in Portugal this past summer, but he was unfortunately forced back home by a bulging disc in his back. He has now recovered and signed a professional contract to play with the Dakota Wizards of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA).
season with Jordanian club Al Riyadi/Aramex Amman. Last season he ranked fifth in the Jordanian league with 20 points and 11.5 rebounds per game.
of Lebanon’s greatest basketball players of all time, Ghounwa Kabbani. The two were married this past May after they met while Kabbani was playing in Beirut.
After leaving Gannon, Al-Khas had a series of tryouts with European teams in Bulgaria, Spain, and France. But after five years in the United States (including one red-shirt season at Division I University of Buffalo), he was looking to move closer to his native Amman, Jordan’s capital.
“Lebanon is really not that far from here. It’s only 300 miles away, so my family can all come and watch me there as well,” Al-Khas said.
Al-Khas ended up playing one season in Lebanon, which he praised for its very high level of competition. Al-Khas then spent the next season in Egypt, where he was the team’s one non-Egyptian—a spot most often reserved for Americans. “It was a big honor to be the only non-Egyptian as a pro,” he said. After his time in Egypt, though, Al-Khas grew tired of traveling and playing in so many different parts of the world. At this point, he joined the Al Riyadi club in his hometown of Amman, where he had last played club ball seven years ago. “It was pretty strange and cool to play in front of the home fans again. I had played in front of them with the national team, and as a club member it was a different feeling. But I still love it,” Al-Khas said. “Basketball in Jordan is much better than a lot of the world knows. There are a lot of great names playing here already, and ex-NBA players are coming to our league,” he said, referring to former New Jersey Nets and Utah Jazz forward Chris Morris as well as Mario Bennett and Anthony Miller.
In addition to marrying Kabbani this summer, the former Golden Knight also spent his time playing for his home nation at the Asian Championships in Qatar that could have led to a trip to next year’s World Championships. The Jordanians —with the Al-Khas as captain—impressively finished seventh of 16 teams despite having a young team. Al-Khas was the veteran player with 10 years of experience. “Zaid is a role model for many young players,” said Fadi Sabbah, Al Riyadi/Aramex’s secretary general. “Many aspiring basketball players dream of repeating what Zaid has achieved—playing in the World Championships for Junior Men, playing college basketball in the United States, and playing professional basketball abroad and at home.” Al-Khas averaged 22 points and 9 rebounds per game this past season as Jordan played against Lebanon, India, Hong Kong, and Qatar. Although he did face South Korea’s 7-foot4-inch center Ha Jin Seung (of the Portland Trail Blazers), Al-Khas said he was thankful he didn’t have to play against China and Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets. What Al-Khas is looking forward to is playing another five or six seasons. As a center, he says that’s definitely possible—as long as he stays in good condition.
He added, “There’s a misconception that Jordan is a third-world country with no basketball. But there’s really good competition here, and the money is pretty good. The sport has grown to become a business, and some big companies and corporations are standing behind teams.”
He said, “I’ve been around and seen a lot of countries, and I think Lebanon is the best option for me in the future. It’s a beautiful country and the people love basketball there.” He also mentioned that he’s looking forward one day to returning to Erie, which he misses.
Still, the 29-year-old said he will likely finish off his contract with Al Riyadi and maybe look for a spot in Lebanon. That’s the home country of his wife, who also happens to be one
Nesmith scored an impressive 1,286 career points when he played at Gannon, and he is recorded as having the second and third highest single season point totals during the two seasons he played at the University.
photo courtesy of Tuan Nguyen
15
As the Winds Blow
Gannon welcomes a student whose life was changed unexpectedly by the winds of a tragic hurricane season. By Deb Carlson nee Rouleau
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From the old friends left behind to the new faces; from the hallways of a small town high school to the campus of a large university; from the bittersweet nostalgia to the adventurous future…the mix of anxiety and excitement that freshman experience is one of the most memorable times for incoming students—an experience that was no different for freshman marketing major Tamrah Swartzfager of Mercer, Pennsylvania. Until the storm came. Wanting to familiarize herself with her new surroundings, Tamrah had arrived at Loyola University in New Orleans sooner than most incoming students. “The city was breathtaking. I could feel the history,” Tamrah said. “There is a certain spirit about New Orleans, and Loyola, within the city, has a feel of its own. Everything I walked by—the trees, the gardens—are historic in themselves.” Unfortunately, Tamrah’s days of studying and mingling with students in this historic setting were cut short by the wrath of Hurricane Katrina and the devastation that she left behind. It was a tragedy that swept the Gulf Coast, causing massive destruction in several southern states and scattering residents to shelters and to temporarily reside with distant family and friends. Although Loyola’s campus was nearly unscathed by the flood waters, the hurricane shelter on campus was unusable and the university could not house nor support students without everyday necessities such as sewage and electricity functioning. Loyola was able to provide some students shelter in Baton Rouge, but they could not promise hot meals, and the Red Cross Shelter that students were at experienced problems with plumbing. With no hope of classes restarting before the New Year, Tamrah had no other choice but to begin her freshman experience for the second time in as many weeks, this time at Gannon University. In the week after Hurricane Katrina, Tamrah researched other colleges and universities and found she would have to pay tuition and other costs in addition to Loyola University’s fees that she had already paid. Then on September 2, 2005, President Antoine Garibaldi, Ph.D., a native of New Orleans, made an official announcement that Gannon would offer free tuition and accommodations for regional students displaced by Hurricane Katrina. “In keeping with Gannon’s mission…we will offer our resources to help in whatever way we possibly can,” Dr. Garibaldi said during the announcement. Knowing she had been previously accepted to Gannon and had
friends who attended the school, Tamrah quickly contacted the University. Gannon paid her tuition and accommodations. Metz Food Services paid for her board. Nebraska Book Company, the new operator of the Gannon Bookstore, paid for her books. “All of the other schools that I looked at expected me to pay tuition and books on top of what I had already paid to Loyola that I wasn’t going to get back,” Tamrah said. It was a financial expense neither she nor her family wanted to contemplate. “I’m very thankful that I didn’t lose a semester of education—and that’s really because of Gannon’s outreach to those affected by the storm,” she added. The financial issues of starting over again were settled when Tamrah decided to come to Gannon, but the difficulty of starting those first few college days over was still ahead. Tamrah remembered, “The other students were helpful. They made me feel very welcome.” Even though she arrived two weeks after everyone else, Tamrah quickly became involved around campus by joining the Advertising Club and participating in an organizational fundraiser during her second weekend at Gannon. “I’ve had the opportunity to travel to New York with the Advertising Club, and being part of the organization has really helped me to make some new friends whom I will never forget,” she said. “My experiences at Gannon are the only college experiences I’ve had, and they’ve really been wonderful. I enjoy the classes and the professors here, and I will miss everyone when I leave.” Tamrah returned earlier this month to Loyola when the university reopened for classes. Hurricane Katrina changed many lives and taught us many lessons both as a country and as individuals. For Tamrah, she learned that she couldn’t always depend on the future and that sometimes plans change without notice. She commented, “It is refreshing to know there are still people willing to help when plans change unexpectedly. Gannon’s outreach was really an example of this.”
Danielle Houston, Tamrah Swartzfager, Jenevieve Orr, and Christina Morelli (from left to right) hang out together in Beyer Hall Cafeteria.
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AlumniFocus Harry Hairston ’77 Having a successful career in broadcast journalism, like in Hollywood, takes both talent and a lucky break. However, according to Harry Hairston ’77, Investigative Reporter/Anchor, NBC 10 Philadelphia, a strong work ethic, motivation, and dedication and loyalty to a person’s true self are even more important. Hairston decided to pursue a career in journalism not long after he began his education at Gannon. He came to school with the intention of studying pre-law; however, after a few upperclassmen introduced him to Father Tom McSweeney, he decided to change his major to communications. He then began his career with WICU in Erie as a silent reporter shortly after graduation. In this position, he naturally gravitated toward hard news and the police blotter, leading him into a career of investigative reporting that also gave WICU an edge over other local stations at the time. So much of an edge that WTOG in Tampa, Florida, called him in 1987 to see if he would be interested in relocating and doing hard news reporting for them. He took the job, and as he did so, the recognition continued to grow. He later received an offer from WKDB, a Fox affiliate in Detroit, that brought him back North. Hairston’s career track kept him in Detroit for 16 years with various Fox and Viacom affiliates, and today, he’s back in Pennsylvania, his home state, with NBC 10 Philadelphia. “I’ve been honored to work with so many great stations,” Hairston said, “but I really enjoy working for NBC (which is owned by GE) because of its particular style of management. It is a motivational style that rewards workers for being as creative as they can be. Each individual feels that they have that latitude to take chances and to try different things to improve their performance and how they fulfill their responsibilities.” As he thrives in this motivational setting, Hairston also offers his talents as a public speaker, passing on his wisdom of how to turn motivation into success. His favorite story to tell his audiences is one that he experienced early in his career with WICU in Erie. “I was assigned to a story that I really felt was beneath me at the time—it was about a shopping spree for Nestlé Crunch,” Hairston said. “While talking with the videographer on the way over, though, I realized that if I was going to do this story, I was going to do it right.” Hairston covered the story, encouraging the cameraman to take a variety of shots from different perspectives, which he subsequently took back to the studio for creative editing. When the story aired that night, the station was inundated with calls about how much they enjoyed it, and so WICU sent it to NBC, which then aired it nationally. After he tells this story in his motivational speeches, Hairston points out, “When I adjusted my attitude and applied the right work ethic—the result was great. Success is about being able to change your perspective and always dedicating yourself to excellence in your career.” Hairston developed the ability to adjust his attitude while at Gannon, where he learned how many different perspectives exist in the world. “Gannon gave me the well-rounded education that I needed—not just academically,” he said. “The diversity of students and faculty at Gannon was a microscopic view of what the country was like at that time. I learned the politics of the world there. People from Iran, Iraq, Ethiopia, New York City, and Detroit all had different trials and tribulations than I had, and meeting people from all different areas at Gannon taught me what diversity means to the world and how important it is.”
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“Success is about being able to change your perspective and always dedicating yourself to excellence in your career.” Name Harry Hairston
Hometown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Current Position
Investigative Reporter/Anchor, NBC 10 Philadelphia
Family
Wife, Ruth Hairston, Financial Manager for General Motors in the Northeast Region
Best Advice to Students
Don’t get caught up in the cosmetics and mechanics of the job or the industry—get caught up in your work ethic. If you have a strong work ethic—you will do what needs to be done and you will do the right thing. Sheer dedication to the profession is what will help budding journalists make it.
FacultyFocus Julie Fitzpatrick, Ph.D. Socrates once said, “Things of value come only after hard work.” Dr. Julie Fitzpatrick, Assistant Professor and Director of the Finance Program, has lived by these words and has built her career into something with which she is very pleased. “I grew up in a family that was very involved with business—my father owned several. So, I knew that I wanted to study business when I first attended St. Bonaventure University,” Fitzpatrick said. While she was there, the enthusiasm of one of her professors, Dr. Jeffrey Peterson, played a big part in helping her decide how she wanted to use her degree in business. “My experiences at St. Bonaventure affected me in such positive ways that I knew I wanted to someday do the same for students by teaching,” she said. After graduation, Fitzpatrick immediately dedicated herself to her studies. At the end of her studies at SUNY Buffalo, Fitzpatrick managed to start and complete her dissertation within one year. She commented, “The program at SUNY at Buffalo was very rigorous, but it fit well with the schedule I had planned for myself. I’m very happy to have moved on to the next step in my career which is, obviously, teaching.” In addition, Fitzpatrick also is interested in continuing her research on the measurement and dynamics of financial distress. Her research interests also include capital structure, dividend policy, corporate diversification, and firm value. She said, “In a current working paper, I (along with a co-author) develop and test a novel approach to identify financially distressed firms. I also utilize cash flow variables to examine the dynamics of financial distress, or the interaction of operating and financing decisions made by managers of distressed firms (e.g., the issuance of debt) and distress resolution (e.g., bankruptcy).”
Name
Julie Fitzpatrick, Ph.D.
Education
Ph.D. and MBA in Corporate Finance from State University of New York at Buffalo B.B.A. in Finance from St. Bonaventure University.
Professional Memberships and Service Financial Management Association, Member Beta Gamma Sigma, Member University Academic Affairs Committee, Member Finance Curriculum Review Committee, Member Risk Management Curriculum Review Committee, Member “The Apprentice,” a locally televised MBA contest, Judge
Fitzpatrick passes some of her research ideas on to her students, but more importantly, she hopes they realize that finance is an all-encompassing field. “Finance touches every aspect of business,” Fitzpatrick said, “and it also can be intimidating as a subject. My goal is to catch and keep students’ interest and to help them have fun with the subject and realize that it is not as intimidating as it might have seemed at first. It is also an important subject for students to learn because they can use it to manage their personal finances whether or not they go into business.” Fitzpatrick values the personal attention and interaction that she is able to offer students, and that is the main reason that she sought out a school such as Gannon with which to continue her career. “I knew that I wanted to give my students the best that I could, and my opportunities to do that are much greater at a small school like Gannon,” Fitzpatrick said. She currently commutes everyday from Hamburg, New York, where she and her husband live. “My husband works north of Buffalo, so we both have long commutes. But having the type of job that I want,” she said, “makes this temporary commute worth it.”
“I knew that I wanted to give my students the best that I could, and my opportunities to do that are much greater at a small school like Gannon.”
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by Dan Teliski, Gannon Sports Information Director
A GLIAC Championship, five Academic All-District selections, and a strong soccer campaign highlighted Gannon’s fall season. In the process, Gannon remained a force to be reckoned with on the field and in the classroom.
Football
The Gannon football team finished 3-7 in the GLIAC for the second consecutive season. The Golden Knights opened the campaign with a thrilling 35-26 victory over rival Mercyhurst before a capacity crowd at Gannon University Field. The squad scored 28 points following the Lakers’ school-record eight turnovers.
Gannon completed a string of unbelievable finishes with a stunning 50-45 victory over Findlay on Senior Day. The Golden Knights scored 20 unanswered points in the final 5:57 of the fourth quarter en route to the victory. The play of the day came with eight seconds left in regulation. With Gannon trailMatt Butler ing 45-43, sophomore quarterback Matt Butler threw a ball into a crowd at the Findlay 25-yard line. The ball was tipped by two separate Findlay defenders in succession and came down into Chad Zyma’s hands at the 22-yard line. The junior took care of the final 22 yards and gave Gannon a 50-45 lead in the closing seconds. Several Golden Knights received post-season honors for their performances on the field and in the classroom. Senior Kevin Scott was named to the All-GLIAC second team. Jason Sibley, Ron Bailey, Joe Dipre, Rich Lee, and Greg Pullen earned All-GLIAC honorable-mention accolades. Meanwhile, junior kicker Brendan McNicholas was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II first team for the second consecutive season. Carlos Cardenas, Rich Lee, and Brad Hammond landed spots on the Academic All-District II second team.
Men’s Soccer The men’s soccer team finished one victory shy of its second GLIAC Championship in the last three years. The Golden Knights needed a victory on the final day of the regular season to win the GLIAC title, but the squad finished in a tie for second place after a 3-1 loss to Mercyhurst. The team finished 10-5-3 overall and 5-2-3 in conference play.
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It was a huge turnaround from a 6-12 record (1-4 GLIAC) in 2004. The Golden Knights were ranked regionally throughout the season and finished fifth in the Great Lakes region. Freshman forward Dan Howell, sophomore forward Adam Maduri, and sophomore midfielder Gareth Kolkenbeck-Ruh were each named GLIAC Player of the Week once during the season. Freshman goalkeeper Alex Scott earned back-to-back ECAC Goalkeeper of the Week honors in late October.
Women’s Soccer The women’s soccer program continued to improve under sixth-year head coach Colin Petersen. The Lady Knights improved their record for the second consecutive season, finishing 7-11-1 overall. It was a five-game improvement from a 2-16 record in 2003. A 3-2 victory at nationallyranked Indiana (Pennsylvania) highlighted the schedule. The Lady Knights ended 17thranked IUP’s school-record nine-match win streak with three unanswered goals in the final 24 minutes of regulation. Freshman Katy Lynn scored the game-winning goal with 5:22 to play. Gannon also showed how much it improved during a 3-2 loss against nationally-ranked Ashland. The Lady Courtney Knights dominated the perennial Rowan GLIAC powerhouse for 70 minutes and led 2-0 late in the second half. Unfortunately, the Eagles tallied three goals in the final 16 minutes and captured the victory. Ashland decided the contest on a goal with 55 seconds left in regulation.
Men’s Water Polo The men’s water polo team ended its first season under new head coach Kyle Witt with a 9-13 record. The Golden Knights finished fourth at the Division II Eastern Championships and seventh at the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Southern Division Championships. Gannon swam past two local rivals en route to its CWPA finish. The squad defeated Penn State Behrend (11-8) during pool play and defeated Mercyhurst (8-7) in the seventh-place match.
AthleteFocus Gannon remained nearly unbeatable against its local rivals. The Golden Knights were 3-0 against Penn State Behrend in 2005, moving to 18-0 all-time against the Lions. The squad went 3-1 against Mercyhurst and is 14-1 all-time against the Lakers.
Zach Dusckas
Men’s Golf The men’s golf team was Gannon’s biggest athletic success story of the fall season. Senior Dave Patronik became the first golfer in school history to win a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) golf championship, while the Golden Knights finished third in the team standings after a fervent final-round rally at the 2005 GLIAC Men’s Golf Championships. Patronik made school history by easily winning the individual title. The senior finished six under par with a threeround total of 210, finishing nine strokes ahead of four golfers who tied for second place. It was the largest margin of victory in a GLIAC Championship since Northwood’s Justin Holyszko won the 2002 event by 11 strokes. The 50 participants combined to record only seven rounds under par. Patronik posted three of those seven rounds, scoring under par during all three rounds. He opened the championship with rounds of 69 (-3) and 70 (-2) during the first day before finishing with a 71 (-1) during the final round. Meanwhile, the squad entered the final round in sixth place out of 10 teams, but staged a feverish rally and fell just shy of the team title. The Golden Knights combined to post a 293, the lowest round by a team in the 2005 GLIAC Championships. In the process, the squad jumped three spots and finished third. Individually, all five Gannon golfers shot in the 70s during the final round. Senior Tom Phalin jumped seven spots during the third round with a 74. He tied for 10th place with a three-round total of 227. Mike Garcia moved 11 spots on the final day with a 73. Garcia, also a senior, tied for 27th with a 233.
David Patronik
Senior point guard and team captain Demondi Johnson started his career in basketball with a bent hanger hung on his bedroom door when he was five years old. Up until last year, he has depended on basketball as the talent that would help him get the places that he wanted to be, including college. Toward the end of last season, though, Johnson was kept from the court and the workout room because of an enlarged heart. Luckily, improved health allowed him to return to the game over the summer. “When I watched from the sidelines last season, I didn’t know if I could ever play again,” Johnson said. He also mentioned that the experience helped him to grow as a person, though. “Not being allowed to play ball really helped me to realize how important the other aspects of my life are. I was really able to start living each day to the fullest because I never knew if today was going to be my last,” he commented. Right after returning to the court during the summer, Johnson’s world was shaken up again when a good friend of his, Miguel Repress, from his hometown of Niagara Falls, New York, passed out during a ball game and died. “I’ve dedicated this year to Miguel because he never gave up on the game that he loved. That’s why, even though the past year has been a little scary, I’m not giving up my game,” Johnson said. The strength that Johnson has shown in enduring these obstacles and tragedies also transfers to his job as team captain. “I really enjoy the trust and responsibility Coach Reilly has offered me,” Johnson said. “I work very hard to understand the comfort levels of my teammates, to strive for team unity, and to set an example for the younger players—just like I’ve always done at home with my younger brothers and sisters.” Johnson grew up in a house with his mother, grandmother, and six younger siblings for whom he was always trying to set a good example. He credits his mother and grandmother for his success so far. “My mom and grandma made me who I am today,” he said. Johnson hopes to continue playing basketball after graduation and would like to obtain an overseas contract. He also hopes to someday work as a high school guidance counselor and basketball coach. He feels his experiences at Gannon have offered him a lot toward attaining these goals. He said, “Gannon gave me the opportunity to play basketball and go to school, and my experiences here have really helped me to move away from home and see other areas.”
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1955
ROBERT J. LUCKEY “Joe” Luckey was honored as the 2005 Serra Club of Erie’s Lay Person of the Year. Joe was recognized in part for his more than 53 years of Catholic dedication to Gannon University.
1963
COLONEL DAVID R. FABIAN (USA, RET.)
is Assistant Director of the Army Historical Foundation in Arlington, Virginia.
JOANN (MAXWELL) MULLEN, M.S. SISTER CATHERINE was inducted into the MANNING, SSJ (VMC) ‘71M Pennsylvania Mathematics has been reappointed to Hall of Fame by her peers in Edinboro University of the Pennsylvania Council of Pennsylvania’s Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Trustees by Governor Ed Rendell. Sister Catherine has been a trustee since May 1999. JOHN M. FERRETTI, D.O. was honored with the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association MOST REV. THOMAS J. (POMA) Distinguished TOBIN, D.D. Service Award during is the newly appointed the POMA Annual State Roman Catholic Bishop of Banquet. the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island.
1967
1970 1972
BRIAN J. JACKMAN has been appointed to the board of directors for Keithley Instruments, Inc., a leader in solutions for emerging measurement needs in Cleveland.
1968
1964
JOHN M. CROWLEY has joined the International College’s staff as its development director. John is the former executive MELVIN WITHERSPOON director of Cornell has retired from Penelec after University and a founding 20 years and has accepted vice president of Florida the position of regional Gulf Coast University. director for the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor CARL F. MROZOWSKI General northwest and his wife, Lorraine, regional office. recently celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.
BEN J. SULKOWSKI was honored by Erie Insurance with the Branch Life Insurance Volume Award. Ben is the owner of East Lake Insurance Agency in Erie.
1965
JOSEPH A. AUTH, JR. has retired from State Farm Automobile Insurance Companies in Bloomington, Illinois, where he worked as an internal auditor since 1970.
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1966
NORBERT P. KACZMAREK has been elected as the new chairman of the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association Board of Directors. Norbert is also the president and chief executive officer of the Erie Federal Credit Union.
ALEX P. MARINI ‘76M has been appointed as president and chief operating officer of Jacuzzi Brands, Inc. Alex will also continue in his capacity as president of Zurn Industries, Inc.
1969
DANIEL B. KUJAWINSKI &MICHELE (KUTZING) KUJAWINSKI were both named to the Hamburg Natural History Society Inc.’s executive board. Dan is currently a teacher at North Collins School, and Michele is the director of the North Collins Memorial Library in North Collins, New York.
DEBORAH A. BIDWELLMANZI (VMC) ‘91M has published a book, Head Injury: The Acute Care Phase.
1974
RICHARD L. HANSON ‘74M has successfully completed the Certified Business Advisor (CBA) Program, sponsored by the Ohio Department of Development’s Small Business Development Centers. Richard is the director of strategic management services at EISC, Inc. in Toledo, Ohio.
1975
BERNARD P. MACKOWSKI, AIC has been recognized by the American Institute for CPCU and the Insurance Institute of America as an Outstanding Course Leader. Bernard is a professional development specialist for Erie Insurance Group. LEMOYNE T. ZACHERL joined Learning Tree International as its chief financial officer. LeMoyne will direct Learning Tree’s worldwide Finance and Accounting operations from its Reston, Virginia, offices. LEONARD ZAWISTOWSKI, JR. was honored by the FBI director for his role in post-September 11 investigations of terrorist financing. Len received his certificate of recognition from Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan on May 26, 2005.
1976
MARK E. MIODUSZEWSKI, ESQ. was one of the 5 percent of Pennsylvania attorneys who have been named Pennsylvania Super Lawyers for 2005. Mark is an attorney with the law firm of Knox, McLaughlin, Gornall & Sennett in Erie. GARY S. MOYER has been appointed president of Aston Martin Jaguar Land Rover Canada.
1977
STEPHEN R. HOOPER, AAP, CTP recently accepted a position as a senior vice president of product innovation for iPay Technologies, LLC, in Elizabethtown,
Kentucky. Stephen continues to reside in Pittsburgh with his wife, Sandy, and sons Brian and Paul.
1979
STEVEN W. VOLGSTADT has been appointed as the new manager of the Canoe Creek State Park Complex located in Blair County, Pennsylvania.
1982
RAYMOND M. FLYNT ‘82M Had his first mystery novel, Unforgiving Shadows, published by Five Star. GARY L. WARREN, CFA ‘82M has been named first vice president in charge of New York Life’s Advance Markets Network department in Leawood, Kansas. DONALD J. BENCZKOWSKI, JR. was honored by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for facilitating the cleanup of 42,363 pounds of waste material during the 2003 International Coastal Cleanup.
1983
VERY REV. JOHN J. DETISCH, V.F. has been appointed as the Dean of the Erie West Deanery for the Diocese of Erie by Bishop Donald Trautman.
1984
THOMAS A. DUNNING has been appointed as vice president of commercial lending with Citizens Bank. JEFFREY J. KAVENEY has been named as the market manager for Eriez Magnetics Company’s new processing group.
1985
AlumNotes
your Gannon family
WILLIAM A. MASI is a patrolman for the Erie Police Department and is also the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) officer and school officer at Central High School in Erie.
Like many of you, I enjoyed time spent with family and friends over the recent holidays. It is the one time of year when most of us take a break from the busyness of our lives to celebrate relationships with loved ones. And, in light of the natural disasters that struck our nation in 2005, I have an even stronger appreciation for those relationships.
ROBERT M. PILEWSKI, JR. and his wife, Laura, have worked as park rangers in Sequoia for the past 12 summers, and are also members of the ski patrol and avalanche control team at the Wolf Creek Ski Area in Colorado during the winter months.
The devastation of Hurricane Katrina prompted me to think of my even larger Gannon family. For many of us, myself included, our friends and “family” include people we met while we were students at Gannon or Villa Maria College—whether we graduated in 1935 or 2005. We celebrated Alumni Homecoming/Reunion Weekend this past October with a heightened sense of fellowship for our fellow alumni—many of whom traveled to Erie from across the country and even overseas, and we remembered fondly those unable to join us.
1986
Did you know that our 31,000 Gannon and Villa Maria alumni reside in all 50 states and in 44 countries? Have you thought about your Gannon or Villa family? Have you stayed in touch? Do you know where your college roommate lives now? Has your fraternity brother or sorority sister started a family? Is your trusted professor retiring and heading to a warmer climate? If you have lost touch, the University can help you reconnect.
CLIFFORD J. FAZZOLARI a six-time published author from Blasdell, New York, recently had his newest book, Counting on a Miracle, published by SterlingHouse. DAVID W. KEELAN has been named group manager of Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group’s Enterprise Sales and Solutions Centers and Affiliate Markets Team. PETER J. ZAPHIRIS was presented with the Branch Auto Application Award by Erie Insurance. Peter is president of Great Lakes Insurance Associates.
1987
GLYNN M. CHASE ‘87M has been appointed to the Children’s Steering Committee for the Pennsylvania Community Providers Association. Glynn is the Director of Business Development at the Dr. Getrude A. Barber National Institute.
• If you missed Reunion Weekend 2005, make
plans to attend Alumni Homecoming/Reunion Weekend 2006, October 6-8. This is a great opportunity to catch up with friends, meet new alumni, and experience the “global-ness” of the alumni community. • Visit the alumni online community at www.gannonalumni.org. The site boasts a variety of interactive components including a password-protected searchable alumni directory. And it’s free! • Attend an alumni event in your area. Gannon hosts regional alumni gatherings across the country, enabling alums to meet one another and establish new friendships.
• Call the Office of Alumni Services. The Alumni Office is here to
address your needs and help you maintain a relationship not only with the University but with your fellow alumni. I welcome your stories of reconnection. You can reach me at (814) 453-3366, ext. 23, or at sales@forquer.com. May your 2006 be a healthy and prosperous year.
Russell Forquer ’71, President, GU Alumni Association
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AlumNotes MICHAEL P. RICCI was appointed to the 2005 Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. THOMAS E. SELLENY was promoted to plant manager of the Avery Dennison Fasson plant in Ajax, Ontario. KARL J. SHEARER, JR. ‘96M has been appointed as vice president and department manager, business consulting, for Erie Insurance Group. CHARLES L. VAUGHN, D.D. is a member of the City of Anderson (Indiana) Mayor’s Commission for Unity Public Relations Committee.
1988
CAROL (HEALD) AMANN (VMC) has joined the Select Specialty Hospital—Erie
staff as the new clinical educator. KEVIN R. SEEKER has returned to Erie after serving for 15 years as the director of marketing for GUAMCELL Communications, a wireless, long distance and Internet company that services Guam and the Marianas Islands. GERALD VAN DE MERWE was recently honored by the National YMCA office as “CEO Child Care Champion,” at the YMCA of the USA’s National Child Care Conference. Gerry is the chief executive officer of the YMCA of Greater Erie.
1989
JACOB A. ROUCH was among those honored at the first-ever Young Erie Professionals Generation-E Leadership Awards.
marriages
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Craig D. Abelson ’94 mar- John Thomas Canavan, ried Michelle Simpson on Jr. ’94 married Aleisha May 22, 2005. Kathryn Lewis on February 17, 2005. Amy J. Alaksin ’03 married Richard “Chip” D. Alicia Marie Clement ’92 Gorzynski ’02 on July 10, married Stephen Matthew 2004. Pelkowski ’02M, ’03M on Donia M. Attieh ’98 mar- April 24, 2004. ried Arik Krause on April Colin L. Drabert Esq. ’02 30, 2005. married Sarah A. Rustowicz Jennifer L. Brady ’99 mar- on May 28, 2005. ried John P. Testa on July 16, Sandra Gladys Evans ’97 2005. married John William Obleman on October 4, 2003. Heidi A. Brieger ’95M married Craig A. Noyes on Steve E. Gianello ’95 marMay 29, 2004. ried Deborah Ann Wheeler Jennifer A. Bucceri ’03M, on August 5, 2005. ’03C married Scott Alan Megan L. Humphreys Bonam on July 3, 2004. ’02, ’03M married James M. Delsandro on July 10, 2004.
1990
DAVID C. MUDDIMAN, PH.D. was recently appointed as professor of chemistry at North Carolina State University. He is the founder and director of W.M. Keck FTICR Mass Spectrometry Laboratory.
1991
MARY J. ANDERLONISFULTON ‘91M has been named as CEO of Select Specialty Hospital—Erie. WILLIAM F. DENNISTON has joined the Meadville, Pennsylvania, office of A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. as a financial consultant. BRIAN R. DUSKA has been promoted to the position of manager, client services/desktop computing at Hamot Medical Center. Brian will be responsible
for the client/server team and all of the vendors that provide desktop computing services to Hamot.
1992
DAVID A. MCNEAL is an audit supervisor for M&T Mortgage Corp in Buffalo, New York.
1993
DAVID W. DINGES has been named as the director of clinical services for Select Specialty Hospital—Erie. SANDRA (POMICHTER) NICHOLS, MBA ‘99M is an online media specialist with Gelia Media Inc. in Clarence, New York, and is an adjunct professor at Bryant & Stratton College.
Sarah Danielle Karash ’01 married Douglas Shawn Parton on August 28, 2004.
David A. McNeal ’92 married Billie Jean Croker on August 20, 2005.
Kelly Gene Kaulis ’04 married Christopher Alan Erickson on May 14, 2005.
Sherry A. Papaj ’00 married Craig R. Hausrath on June 25, 2005.
Stephanie L. Moyer ’02 Sandra A. Pomichter, married Steven M. Keresz- M.B.A. ’93, ’99M married tes ’02, ’04M on May 29, Dale J. Nichols on July 9, 2005. 2004. Amy L. Reed, O.D. ’98 Jennifer A. Kirkpatrick married Larry L. Lauer in ’91 married Joseph Siciliano June 2005. on June 25, 2005. Jennifer J. Romanski ’97 Chelsea C. Linn ’00, ’01M married Richard Netro on married Thomas A. Saito July 16, 2005. ’98 on August 11, 2001. April M. Schultz ’02 marToni Marie Lucarelli ’99 ried Kenneth Jason Bober married Justin Q. Zona ’00 ’02 on May 8, 2004. on August 6, 2004. Elizabeth Ann Sul ’03M David Mariani, Jr. ’95 married Patrick Michael Celmarried Vicki L. Hill on line on May 29, 2004. September 9, 2005. Amy Elizabeth Tullio ’97 married Steven Michael Viera on June 17, 2005.
1994
SHERRI L. LEYSOCKWILLIAMS ‘94M is being enshrined in IUP’s Athletic Hall of Fame for her outstanding basketball career from 1987-91. Sherri is currently a physical therapist at Keystone Rehabilitation Systems in Homer City, Pennsylvania. CRAIG D. ABELSON is employed by In & Out Digital Printing in Tonawanda, New York. SCOTT M. BOYD has been hired as the dean of students at Girard High School. JOHN T. CANAVAN is a U.S. postal carrier in Erie. FR. RONALD L. CYKTOR, JR. conducted services at the Carmelite monastery in Erie during July 2004 as part of The Days of Prayer. Father Cyktor completed his education at University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary in Chicago and was ordained a priest for the Greensburg Diocese in 2000.
1995
HEIDI A. BRIEGER NOYES ‘95M is a wraparound specialist at Case Management Support Services in Erie. STEVE E. GIANELLO is a physician assistant with Buffalo Emergency Associates at Mercy Hospital. JANEL (NIEBAUER) KITCEY, CPA was recently awarded the certified fraud examiner designation by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Janel is a senior manager at Schaffner, Knight, Minnaugh & Company in Erie.
AlumNotes
alumni homecoming/ reunion weekend
Over the weekend of October 7-9, hundreds of Villa Marie alumnae and Gannon alumni came back to campus to enjoy the Fifth Annual Homecoming/Reunion Weekend with their old friends and classmates. Classes of 1955, ’65, ’80, and ’95 celebrated landmark reunions and, along with many others, enjoyed opportunities to attend classes with today’s students, ride on Trolley Tours, tour campus with Gannon legend Joe Luckey ’55, and rekindle relationships at many receptions, luncheons, dinners, and happy hours. Many of the events allowed alumni to see the vast changes that have been made to campus since they left, including one of the newest additions, the Gitnik Manse. A Special Reception and Open House was held at the Manse to display the new office for Admissions and to recognize Paul Gitnik for his generous gift to the University.
Mark October 6-8 on your calendar for next fall’s Alumni/ae Homecoming/ Reunion Weekend.
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AlumNotes
Lohse family reaches out through endowments and gift annuities by Jim Kelvington, Ph.D.
In 1996, Gannon was pleasantly surprised by the gift of a large scholarship by a brother and sister who had lived very modestly but invested well. Monsignor Walter Lohse and his sister Vera Betts established a $200,000 endowed scholarship and have enjoyed hearing from the many grateful student recipients they have benefited over the last nine years. Msgr. Lohse’s connection with Gannon goes back to 1933 and Dr. Wehrle’s establishment of Cathedral College. He had spent one year at St. Charles Minor Seminary in Baltimore. His mother had financed that year with an insurance policy, but there was no more money for the second. That summer, Lohse got a call from Joseph J. “Doc” Wehrle inviting him to continue his studies at the new Cathedral College. Dr. Wehrle remembered Walter because Walter had been in the first class at Cathedral Prep where he and Dr. Zipper had paid their way as janitors. Dr. Wehrle’s offer was a gift from heaven. Because of it, Msgr. Lohse was able to continue his studies, and the next year Archbishop Gannon accepted him as a seminarian, allowing him to complete his studies, and be ordained in 1940. He has been eternally grateful to Dr. Wehrle and Gannon for making his life goal of the priesthood possible. Msgr. Lohse’s first assignment was to St John’s Parish in his old 26th Street neighborhood, but he became interested in becoming an army chaplain and an uncle of his friend, Hugh Barber, recommended him for the position. In 1942, because of a plea from Cardinal Spellman for chaplains, Father John Gannon, Chancellor of the Diocese, asked Msgr. Lohse to volunteer as a chaplain. He was eventually assigned to the 96th Bombardment Group of the 8th Army Air Force. Msgr. Lohse spent two years at a base in Snetterton Heath, United Kingdom. The base was on the estate of the Earl of Albemarle, and Lady Albemarle attended Mass on the base. Eventually, she set up a chapel in her mansion, and he celebrated Mass there once a week. On his return to Erie, Msgr. Lohse was assigned to St. James Parish in Wesleyville. The parish was small, but Msgr. Lohse realized its potential with so many veterans returning. In 1947, the Archbishop assigned him to start a school, which had eight grades with two classes per grade. He built the parish to include more than 1,000 families during his 12 years there. He also served parishes in Titusville, Meadville, and Oil City, eventually finishing his active ministry at St. John’s Parish in Girard. Msgr.’s Lohse’s sister, Vera Betts, grew up with her brother on the corner of E. 26th Street and Brandes Avenue. Vera was interested in music and studied opera with Mrs. Reineke at the Campbell’s Studio on North Park Row. They produced an opera in 1930, and she had a major role. She sang at a number of concerts in Erie and surrounding cities and sang solos with the choirs at Holy Rosary and St. Andrew Parish. Vera was also a good typist and stenographer and worked for a number of offices including architect George Stickle, St. Vincent Hospital, the Erie School District, General Electric, and the Quinn Law Firm. She was also interested in archery and won many competitions as well as the 1973 Mid-Atlantic Championship in her class. After retiring, she was an active volunteer at the Salvation Army.
26
In 1996, when Msgr. Lohse and Vera were making estate plans, they decided to devote the bulk of their estate to a scholarship at Gannon. Their first step was the $200,000 scholarship. Since 1996, they have given Gannon a house worth more than $50,000 and established gift annuities of $45,000. With these gifts and their bequests, their scholarship will grow to more than $1.3 million helping to fund many future Gannon students.
JENNIFER A. MAILEY ‘05M has accepted the position as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Public Affairs and Marketing Communications at Gannon University. DAVID MARIANI, JR. is a corrections officer employed by the State Department of Corrections at Attica Correctional Facility in Attica, New York. SCOTT J. MIGLI has been named as the new executive director of the Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania. PAUL E. SHIELDS, D.O. has opened a new office, Your Family Doctor, in West Ridge Commons in Erie.
1996
RUBY S. BEIL, PH.D. has joined the faculty as a biology professor at Lorain Community College in Elyria, Ohio. Ruby Sue earned her master’s degree and doctorate in environmental horticulture at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
1997
SANDRA (EVANS) OBLEMAN, PHARM.D. received her doctor of pharmacy degree from Duquesne University and is a pharmacist at Oswego Hospital in Oswego, New York. HEATHER J. TAIT has had her book Making Your Purpose Your Business published by Lulu Publishing.
AlumNotes ANTHONY J. TURINI is the new head men’s and women’s soccer coach at the University of MaineMachias. Anthony will also serve as an admissions counselor at UMM.
Commission for Women. Rebecca is the vice president of the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, and an adjunct professor of English at Mercyhurst College.
AMY (TULLIO) VIERA is employed in the accounting department at Glenwood Beer Distributors in Erie.
BRIAN R. DAESCHNER ‘03M is a financial advisor for Morgan Stanley.
1998
KIMBERLY A. FABRIZIO ‘98M was among those honored at the first-ever Young Erie Professionals Generation-E Leadership Awards event.
1999
REBECCA L. MARTIN ‘99M has been appointed by Governor Edward G. Rendell to the Pennsylvania
births
JENNIFER (BRADY) TESTA earned her master’s degree in social work and special education at Roberts Wesleyan College. TONI (LUCARELLI) ZONA is a human resources associate with Medco Health Solutions of North Versailles in Pennsylvania.
2000
CHRISTINE (SCHRAEDER) DAESCHNER ‘01M is an occupational therapist
a daughter, Grace Marie, (August 1, 2005) to Michelle M. (Palermo) Hudak ’96 and her husband, Bradley.
a daughter, Rachel Margaret, September 30, 2004) to Elizabeth A. (Rectenwald) Byerley ’92, ’94M and her a son, Aiden Paul, ( June 10, 2005) to Rhonda J. husband, David. (Swope) Inzana ’02 and her a son, Joseph Brian, ( June 3, husband, Jason. 2005) to Christine Marie (Schraeder) ’00, ’01M and triplets Marcus, Morgan and Madison (October 30, 2003) Brian R. Daeschner ’99, to Kimberlee (Blaschke) ’03M. Jones ’97 and her husband, Jeffrey. a daughter, Peyton Elizabeth, (April 2, 2005) to a son, Nicholas, (May 26, Jennifer L. (Stablein) 2004) to Elizabeth A. DeForce ’95 and her hus(Reynolds) Lemmon, PAband, Murray DeForce. C ’97 and her husband, John. a son, Keagan James, a son, Spencer Robert, (Au(May 2005) to Theresa gust 11, 2005) to Maria G. Polito Edmondson ’99 (Letizio) Macko ’95M and and her husband, James her husband, Rob. Edmondson. a son, Gabriel, (February 10, a son, David Charles, 2005) to John M. Perlin ’86 (March 8, 2005) to Paulette (Kovalcik) Grant ’86 and his wife, Nadine. and her husband, Peter.
with Centers for Rehab Services in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. CARLO FUDA is an account manager for American International Relocation Solutions (AIReS), a full-service provider of global assignment management and relocation services. SHERRY (PAPAJ) HAUSRATH received a master’s degree in education from Buffalo State College and is an elementary education teacher in the Lake Shore Central School District in Angola, New York. SCOTT C. LINDSAY, D.O. was awarded the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM).
a daughter, Lauren, (December 11, 2004) to Rosemarie (Mankosky), CPA ’93 and Kiran K. Rajasenan, MD ’93. a son, Joseph Michael, (March 16, 2005) to Nicole M. (Gontkovic) Ryan ’93 and her husband, Todd. twins, Cade Thomas and Kali Linn, ( June 18, 2005) to Chelsea C. (Linn) ‘00, ‘01M and Thomas A. Saito ‘98. a daughter, Kylie Schreiner, (March 31, 2005) to Mark G. Schreiner ’00 and his wife. a son, Andrew John, (July 7, 2005) to Anne M. (Schmidt) ’86 and Thomas E. Selleny ’87. a daughter, Leah Grace, (November 11, 2004) to Corry L. (Walter) Wierzbowski ’00 and her husband, Christopher.
KAREN L. WORKMAN is an ultrasonographer and lab technician at Franklin Women’s Health Associates in Franklin, Pennsylvania.
2001
DANA M. ACCORDINO is currently working at NYPD’s Midtown North precinct and playing on the NYPD women’s soccer team. ADAM R. GRIFFITH, D.O. was awarded the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). SCOTT G. KRAVETZ ‘03M has accepted a position with HomeBanc Mortgage Company in Tampa Bay, Florida, as a mortgage consultant. REBECCA L. NICK-DART, PHARM.D. received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Shenandoah University’s Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy in Winchester, Virginia. Rebecca received numerous awards including the dean’s award for graduating first in her class. SARAH (KARASH) PARTON is an administrative clerk for North East Township in Pennsylvania.
2002
VIRGINIA P. ARP ‘02M has been named director of Gannon’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
27
AlumNotes STEPHEN M. PELKOWSKI ’02M ’03M is a manager of engineering at GE Transportation. JOHN P. SNYDER ’02M has been named manager of consulting services for Gannon University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC). APRIL (SCHULTZ) BOBER is a labor and delivery nurse at UHHS Geauga Regional Hospital in Chardon, Ohio. KENNETH J. BOBER is a cardio-thoracic ICU nurse at the Cleveland Clinic. MEGAN (HUMPHREYS) DELSANDRO ’03M is an occupational therapist at the Hand and Arthritis Rehabilitation Center in Erie. COLIN L. DRABERT, ESQ. graduated in May from the University of Richmond Law School. RICHARD D. GORZYNSKI is a fi refighter for the city of Erie and a senior accountant at Gorzynski, Uglow and Farrell in North East, Pennsylvania. DANIEL J. MASTRIAN is the co-owner of the recently opened Figgie’s restaurant in Fairview, Pennsylvania.
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BRIDGET M. RAGER was the co-advisor of the Gannon New Student Directory yearbook, for which she was recently honored by Taylor Publishing Co. of Dallas, Texas. Bridget has also joined the Admissions Office at Gannon University as an assistant director.
BRIAN K. YORKGITIS is attending the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is currently the director of Trauma Orthopedics at St. Agnes Hospital, and he formerly served as the associate director of the Curtis National Hand Center.
2003
JENNIFER (BUCCERI) BONAM ’03M ’03C is a reading specialist in the Erie School District. NICOLE L. BRUNO, M.S.W. is the new associate director of Catholic Social Services in Samoa. AMY (ALAKSIN) GORZYNSKI is the assistant controller for Regal Service in Ripley, New York. ADAM M. VERONA ‘03C has entered St. Paul Seminary in Pittsburgh, and is in his fi rst year of pre-theology at Duquesne University. He previously worked for two law fi rms and the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office.
2004
KELLY (KAULIS) ERICKSON is a sales and marketing consultant for Channel 35WSEE Television in Erie. KELLY R. IRWIN has joined the staff at The Culbertson Group, a full service advertising and public relations fi rm located in Cleveland. BRADLEY E. WHITMAN has accepted a teaching and coaching position in the Millcreek School District in Erie.
in memoriam Alumni
Donald F. Badowski ’59 William J. Bell ’93 James L. Billingsley ’68 Anita Bonaminio ’90M Carolyn L. Brinkle ’80, ’82M Atty. George Brugger ’63 Roman A. Byczko ’71 Charles W. Byron, Sr. ’48 Diane M. Campbell ’92 Chester W. Casconi ’51 Eugene C. Cross ’73M Ellry N. Davis ’59 John Davis ’70 Jean Kreikle Dayton ’64 VMC Patrick J. Dellario ’50 Anthony A. Desko ’77 Antoinette J. Dobrowolski ’94 James D. Donnelly ’48 Jason L. Dowdy ’95 Thomas A. Dubowski ’72 Shirley Cole Ebner ’63 VMC Richard T. Engel ’76M Diana Russell Fitzgerald ’45 VMC Allen E. Franz ’50 Francis T. Friedrichs ’56 Beatrice Mallon Gaulin ’33 VMC Anthony C. Gigliotti, M.D. ’53 Howard D. Hancox ’70 Janet L. Hansard ’77 Amy R. Hargenrader ’92 Francis J. Hasenhuettl ’52 Marilyn Tito Hawkins ’46 VMC Gary P. Haynes ’71 Mary Deptula Illig ’61 Mark W. Jancosko ’85 Joshua A. Johnson ’77 Sister Elaine Kecer, O.S.B. ’49 VMC Anne Herbstritt Kennedy ’61 VMC
2005
VALERIE M. DRABINA is attending the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee. MISTIE M. HOCKMAN has entered the Pennsylvania College of Optometry’s (PCO) Doctor of Optometry program.
James H. Konnerth ’64 Sister Aline Krasowski ’42 VMC Rev. Gerard H. Krebs ’58 William H. Lander, III ’54 John E. Lawson, Jr. ’52 Thomas O. McCormack ’56 Michael K. McGraw ’67 Joseph W. McLaughlin ’48 Edward B. Miller ’75 Matthew D. Niebauer ’02 Ida M. Notarianni ’32 VMC Christian Parker ’70 Robert J. Pfingstler ’69M Armand O. Pillitteri ’48 Kevin J. Quirk ’81 Vincent J. Rapp, D.O. ’48 Alfred R. Recchion ’68 Michael E. Richcrick ’81 Mildred Snyder Riley ’41 VMC Emma Diaz Rodriguez ’93 Patrick D. Sandonato ’68 John A. Seelinger ’55 Jane Keevey Sevachko ’65 VMC Kathryn North Spicer ’36 VMC Daniel J. Stephenson ’77 Angelo Tavani ’58 Rev. Alvin K. Thomas ’49 Marian L. Thomas ’63 VMC Dale P. Thompson ’58 Lee M. Thompson ’69, ’74M Conrad E. Thornbloom ’50 Edwin J. Wallen ’52 Sister M. Anne Weiss ’61 VMC Arthur J. Williams, Jr. ’76
Parents and Friends Mario S. Bagnoni Rev. John Bicsey C. Elberg Cooney Ruth Ehrler Charles Kennedy Nancy A. Lester Rev. Stephen H. Meko Andrew A. Washy
Please join us for the GU vs. Mercyhurst Alumni Pregame Party on Thursday, February 23 at 4:30 p.m. in the Baldauf Lounge in the Waldron Campus Center. Also, check out www.gannonalumni.org for information about March alumni events in New York, Florida, Pennsylvania and California. For more information contact Michele Potter at potter006@gannon. edu or 1-877-GU-Alums.
EndNotes
Reaching Out During Times of Disaster On Monday, August 29, 2005, Gannon was beginning the second week of a new semester already filled with the excitement from high national rankings by U.S. News and World Report and the largest class of first-year students in 12 years. But the attention of many on campus and around the world that morning turned to the Gulf Coast as Hurricane Katrina came ashore. As a native of New Orleans who knew that most of my family and friends had evacuated the day before, I was relieved that the city had missed a direct hit. But with no electricity and almost no cell phone service, trying to find out how much damage the city had incurred was impossible. My sister had left me a voice mail message telling me that her family and my 90-year old mother were safe in the hallway and room of a downtown hotel just as the storm was passing through the city. That message became my comforting response during the day as many on campus asked me what I knew about the impact of the storm. But, as we know all too painfully now, the tragedies that began after that Monday have personally affected many in this nation and in the world. Over the past holiday season, I saw and experienced the effects of the flood and the storm in this largely uninhabited city. The morning after the storm, I called the cell phone number of my longtime friend, Winston Brown, Dean of Admissions at Xavier University of Louisiana. To my surprise, the call went through, and we spoke for a few minutes then and throughout the week. Within hours of our morning conversation, a mutual colleague who is the Executive Director of the National Catholic College Admission Association called me because he wanted to contact Dean Brown. How providential that was. We exchanged phone numbers and I received about four similar calls within the next two days from friends and former colleagues who were interested in helping Xavier in New Orleans. As I made contact with and received calls from former colleagues and also staff members of organizations such as the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities and the Council of Independent Colleges, I was able to serve as a communication conduit for some of my many friends at Xavier, Loyola, Dillard, Tulane, and Our Lady of Holy Cross College in New Orleans. During this time, I was also able to evaluate how Gannon could best be of assistance to these schools. I discovered that we could best help by opening our doors to displaced students, as many institutions affected by the storm would not be able to reopen until 2006. I called a meeting of key staff members, and we developed a plan to provide free accommodations for up to 20 displaced students. One Loyola University student, Tamrah Swartzfager, accepted our offer. Tamrah received housing and tuition at no cost during the fall semester, and two of our contracted service providers, Metz Food Service, and Nebraska Book Company, donated board and paid for her books, respectively.
In addition to Gannon opening its doors, groups within the University, notably students, reached out in other ways that would contribute to the Hurricane Katrina Relief initiatives. On the morning of August 30, one of our students, Keith Demerest, who had relatives in Louisiana and Mississippi, sent me an e-mail describing how he would like to mobilize our student clubs and organizations to raise money for people affected by the hurricane. Within three weeks, he and our Student Government Association President, Semaj Vanzant, who is also from New Orleans, along with many other students, raised more than $3,000! This allowed students to make a direct impact on the lives of those in need in addition to the prayers that they offered during several services held for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The Faculty Senate also joined with the International Institute of Erie to organize a furniture drive for approximately 30 families who were relocated to Erie by Katrina and in need of basic furniture and appliances. Moreover, at the annual Gannon University Holiday Ball on the first Saturday of December, faculty and staff raised an additional $1,265 for the Office of Catholic Charities’ fund designated specifically for hurricane victims relocated to the Erie area. The assistance that the Gannon community offered has not halted, though, nor is it limited to assisting only those who have been affected by last year’s destructive hurricane season. During this upcoming spring break, groups of students will be participating in Habitat for Humanity in Hobe Sound, Florida, where they will rebuild a house for a family who was affected by Hurricane Wilma. In addition, another group will participate in the “Border Awareness Experience,” in Douglas, Arizona, and Aqua Prieta, Mexico, where they will experience and confront immigration issues of Latin Americans. A third group will experience life in New York City while facing many social justice issues and working with a community kitchen as part of “The Urban Challenge.” As a Catholic institution, it is our responsibility to reach out to those in need during the time of a disaster and also to reach out during all times of need, here and abroad. It has been wonderful seeing the entire Gannon community, which shows its care and concern for its students and colleagues daily, manifest even greater generosity in response to a national crisis. It is my hope that in 2006 we will be able to continue serving our communities as strongly as we did in the last three months of 2005.
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Gannon University 109 University Square Erie, PA 16541-0001 www.gannon.edu
The Final Touch
John Coleman, Gannon Security OfďŹ cer, and Mary Anne Rivera, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Theology, played the part of Mr. and Mrs. Claus during the annual Social Work Dinner, where they handed out toys to less fortunate children. The event was organized and hosted by the student-run Social Work Club, and it included a hot meal; clothing, food, and toy drives; and a Wellness Fair.