Holy Family University Magazine - Winter 2021 by Holy Family University

LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP:

President Sister Maureen McGarrity, CSFN, PhD Heroes of COVID holyfamily.edu/magazine

Healing Through Art1

WINTER 2021

Contents Insight Message from President Sister McGarrity

News

University updates

Around the Academy

Academic updates and faculty briefs

Heroes of COVID-19

How the Holy Family University community responded to the pandemic

The Value of a President

Celebrating Sister Maureen McGarrity, CSFN, PhD

Alumni Profile: Rita (Seeger) Jablonski ’86

Pioneering discoveries in dementia

The Arts

Art therapy paints a vibrant picture for mental health

Alumni Profile: Bernadette Laukaitis ’00

Coach Laukaitis on guiding her team through a diﬃcult year

Advancing Holy Family University

Advancement updates, 31 Annual Golf Classic st

Athletics

Message from the AD, Hall of Fame nominations

Class Notes

Alumni news

Family Spotlight

Three generations of Tigers

In Service

Coat and Book Drive holyfamily.edu/magazine

Test Your Knowledge ! Test your knowledge the Holy Family University way

481

2021 ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Call for Nominations

The Alumni Achievement Awards are given to graduates who have displayed great accomplishment(s) in one or more of the following areas: • Professional achievement, • Community volunteer service, and • Humanitarian efforts. Through these accomplishments, these alumni bring recognition to themselves and to Holy Family University. To nominate yourself or a fellow graduate, please complete the form at holyfamily.edu/alumniaward. Nominations must be submitted by February 15, 2021. Those selected to be honored will receive two complimentary tickets to attend Reunion 20/21 on May 22, 2021, where they will be formally recognized by their fellow alumni and the University community. To view the list of past recipients, please visit holyfamily.edu/alumniaward. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact the Alumni Office at 267-341-5017 or alumni@holyfamily.edu.

Letters to the Editor may be sent to: Editor, Holy Family University Magazine, Marketing & Communications, Holy Family Hall, Room 216, 9801 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19114 or via email to: magazine@holyfamily.edu. Holy Family University Magazine is published by Holy Family University’s Office of Marketing & Communications. EDITOR Christopher McKittrick DESIGN Feldman, Easo & Associates CONTRIBUTORS Debbie Lewis Greg Pellegrino Julie Rempfer ’10 ADMINISTRATION Sister Maureen McGarrity, CSFN, ’70, PhD, President James C. Garvey, EdD, Vice President, University Advancement Sherrie A. Madia, PhD, Associate Vice President, Marketing & Communications Holy Family University Magazine is published biannually. 2

Class Notes and changes of address may be sent to: Office of Alumni and Parent Relations, Holy Family University, Marian Hall, 9801 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19114 or via email to: alumni@holyfamily.edu. Find Us on Social Media: HolyFamilyUniversity HolyFamilyU Holy Family University HolyFamilyU HolyFamilyUniversity For Holy Family University’s nondiscrimination policy, visit www.holyfamily.edu/ndstatement

WINTER 2021

Insight This fall, I announced my resignation as president of Holy Family University, effective June 30, 2021. Throughout my rich and rewarding tenure, perhaps the greatest gift that the University has provided to me is a deeper understanding and appreciation for the Mission which is truly the hallmark of a Holy Family University education. Having served in various roles within the University across four decades, I have seen our University community evolve in spectacular ways — from curricular offerings that continue to meet students’ needs and prepare them for the jobs of today and the future, to the many resources designed to ensure student success. One area that has remained a constant has been a collective commitment to the charism of family. It is this unique characteristic that distinguishes Holy Family University from other institutions. Not only do we say the words “the value of family” as a point of pride in telling our story, but we live these words every day, from how we welcome students and their families, to the ways we demonstrate respect for one another and the dignity of the human person as we fulfill the business of operating a University. This was never more apparent than in this past year, as the entire community pulled together to transition in-person classes to online, to ensure continuity across all operations, and to care for one another throughout unprecedented circumstances. We innovated. We created. We made thoughtful decisions based on our priority of keeping the campus community safe and well. And we emerged a stronger, more connected University family. I am forever grateful to the countless individuals who believe as I do that Holy Family University is a place that not only educates students, but transforms lives. I am confident that the groundwork we have laid will continue to pave the way for an enduring future. May God bless each of you, and may God continue to shine His light on the Holy Family University community. Sincerely, Sister Maureen McGarrity, CSFN ’70, PhD President holyfamily.edu/magazine

News

RealMom Simulations Offer Enhanced Training for Nursing Students RealMom mother and baby manikins from Real Operative have been added to the core of resources available to Holy Family University Nursing students. Featuring lifelike skin and tissue and an all-natural active birth canal, RealMom delivers a realistic birthing experience, providing learners and practitioners at Holy Family University with a truePictured (left to right) are members of the Newtown faculty, Simulation Laboratory to-life learning environment Coordinator Joeann Hall ’86, MSN, RN; to train and prepare for any Jinsy Mathew DNP, MSN, RN; Monica eventuality or emergency in the Drayton MSN, RN, CRNP; and Gina labor and delivery room. The Gordon ’10, MSN, RN. manikins were made possible through an $80,000 grant from the George I. Alden Trust and funding from the CARES Act. University Receives Additional Multimodal Grant from PennDOT for Transportation Improvements Holy Family University received a second multimodal grant to support pedestrian and vehicle safety around the perimeter of the Philadelphia campus. The grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) for $559,448 will be combined with an earlier grant for $868,000 from the Multimodal Transportation Fund Program. “We are grateful to both State Representative Michael Driscoll and State Senator John Sabatina for their ongoing support,” said University President Sister Maureen McGarrity, CSFN, PhD. “They both understand what these two grants mean to the Holy Family community and beyond.” The University was the only non-profit in the state and one of only two private institutions to receive the grant from PennDOT. “It’s crucial for us to work with our community partners, like Holy Family University,

WINTER 2021

News

to help them achieve their goals,” said Senator Sabatina. “The new entrance, pedestrian setbacks and sidewalks, bike lanes and the rest of the improvements not only make students and staff safer, they make the community safer. This is what can happen when we work together. I can’t wait to see what the project will look like.” Bestselling Author R.O. Kwon Joins Distinguished Writers Series

R.O. Kwon, bestselling author of the nationally acclaimed 2018 novel The Incendiaries was the second speaker in the 2020 Holy Family University Distinguished Writers Series. Born in South Korea, Kwon’s family emigrated to Los Angeles when she was three years old. Raised in a Christian household, she experienced a selfdescribed “crisis of faith” at age 17, and stopped believing in God, the event that inspired her debut novel. Named one of the best books of the year by Buzzfeed, The Today Show, NPR, The Atlantic, PBS Books, Entertainment Weekly, Real Simple, BBC, and Newsweek, the novel’s popularity has resulted in numerous translations around the world. Even before the book’s release, Kwon was called one of “four writers to watch” by The New York Times.

holyfamily.edu/magazine

News

School of Education and Alpha House Receive PAC-TE Award The partnership between the School of Education and Alpha House has been recognized as the 2020 recipient of the Exemplary Service/ Partnership Award from the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators (PAC-TE).

This award recognizes the development of partnership programs that connect institutions of higher learning with basic education and community partners and recognizes activities that provide service to the field of education. The partnership is led by Mary Becker M ’11, Director of Alpha House, and School of Education faculty member, Maria Agnew ’90, PhD. With input from the entire Partnership Committee, Trish Joergensen, EdD led the effort to write and submit the application for the award, which was recognized prominently during the virtual PAC-TE annual conference in October. Members of the Partnership Committee that plans and oversees joint activities between the School of Education and Alpha House include Becker, Agnew, Joergensen, Claire Sullivan, EdD, Kim Heuschkel, EdD, Janet McNellis, PhD, and Geralyn Arango, EdD (retired). In addition to the Exemplary Service/Partnership Award, PAC-TE also bestows an annual Distinguished Research Award and Outstanding Dissertation Award. The 2020 Exemplary Service/Partnership Award marks the second consecutive year that School of Education faculty and staff have been recognized for their outstanding work. Joergensen and Jennifer Fisler (Messiah College) were the co-recipients of PAC-TE’s 2019 Distinguished Research Award for their study, “Realistic vs. Effective: An Analysis of Traditional and Co-Teaching Models of Student Teaching.” 6

WINTER 2021

News

School of Education Receives Grant The School of Education received a grant from the Public Health Management Corporation for $52,350 to support its work in creating articulation agreements with regional community colleges and developing degree and certification completion programs for community college transfer students. Center for Teaching and Learning Opens New Center As a result of a $2 million Title III Strengthening Institutions Grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the University began construction of a Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) in the midst of the pandemic, which has now been completed. As a campus hub, located on the second floor of the Library, the CTL partners with faculty and staff from across the campus to enhance student support with the goal of increasing student success in all its myriad forms. The CTL works collaboratively with other offices to provide Mission-centered student services, combining tutoring with student success counseling and career coaching. The Center will also augment co-mentoring opportunities for faculty and staff.

holyfamily.edu/magazine

News

Advancing Knowledge ~ Transforming Lives: The 2021-2026 Strategic Plan Following a year-long process, the University unveiled its new five-year strategic plan. Developed by the Strategic Planning Steering Committee and informed by the broader University community, this ambitious plan, approved by the Board of Trustees in Fall 2020, sets forth a road map designed to elevate the University’s Mission-driven approach, and advance key areas of priority to position Holy Family University for a transformational future. To read the full plan, visit: holyfamily.edu/strategic-plan.

Independence Blue Cross Foundation Increases Grant Funding for Holy Family Nursing Program The Independence Blue Cross Foundation Nurses for Tomorrow Grant Program awards grants to nursing schools in southeastern Pennsylvania to fund scholarships for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral nursing students. This year saw a 70 percent increase in nursing students who received financial support. “Over the years, the monies received for nursing scholarships from the Independence Blue Cross Foundation’s Nurses for Tomorrow Grant Program have been instrumental in supporting students entering the profession of nursing and in advancing their education at Holy Family University,” said Cynthia A. Russell, PhD, RN, FAAN, ACC, Dean of the School of Nursing & Allied Health Professionals at the University. “This year the scholarship program assisted 47 individuals at all levels including Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice students in meeting the cost of their tuition. The impact of the Foundation’s work cannot be overstated in supporting the development of nursing students throughout the region.”

Vice President for Academic Affairs Invited to Serve on Distinguished Council of Independent Colleges Committee Michael Markowitz, PhD, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Holy Family University, has been invited to serve on the Chief Academic Officers Task Force for the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC). The CIC is an association of nonprofit independent colleges and universities that has worked to support college and university leadership, advance institutional excellence, and enhance public understanding of private higher education’s contributions to society. His three-year term began in January and will run through December 2023. The Task Force is made up of nine chief academic officers who help develop plans for the Institute and provide advice on other key initiatives at CIC, including the Workshop for Department and Division Chairs. Markowitz is the first Chief Academic Officer from one of the eight Southeastern Pennsylvania Consortium for Higher Education institutions to be invited to serve on this Task Force.

WINTER 2021

Tigers on the Loose

University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology Thursday, June 3, 2021 Join us at one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier museums of archaeology and anthropology for a scholarship celebration to raise critical funds for student financial aid. To purchase your tickets or for more information, please visit holyfamily.edu/tigersloose. Special discount available for recent Holy Family graduates.

Consider being a sponsor! Your sponsorship includes tickets and other benefits. For more information, please contact Joshua Liss at 267-341-3100 or jliss@holyfamily.edu

holyfamily.edu/magazine

Around the Academy

Holy Family Makes Extraordinary Transition to Remote Learning

Around the Academy

In March 2020, the University managed the incredible task of migrating faculty, staff, and students to a virtual environment. Each school and department rose to the occasion to ensure that course completions, certifications and graduations were achieved on time. Over the past year, Academic Affairs has been at the heart of a number of key initiatives, including the unprecedented undertaking of ensuring that the educational experience for students would remain robust and seamless amidst the global pandemic. A total of 349 courses in the School of Arts and Sciences shifted from face-to-face format a to fully remote format over the course of five days. The 38 full-time faculty joined to work with 110 adjuncts to assist with course transition, and when the University reopened to a fully virtual format in March, all sections were operational. Students with internships were evaluated individually by faculty supervisors and the dean. A detailed plan was made for each student to assure they could finish their internship experience, meet licensing requirements (Counseling and PsyD) and fulfill all learning outcomes. For students graduating in May, individual plans were made to assure that those students could meet course requirements and achieve graduation as planned. The School of Business Administration successfully converted nearly 50 sections of courses from face-to-face to online, allowing 51 students to complete their degree requirements and graduate in May 2020. The School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions successfully transitioned to online delivery of all courses and all clinical activities. This shift was notable, with approximately 1,000 students in clinical settings along with clinical instructors. The faculty mobilized quickly to provide alternative virtual assignments to foster critical thinking and clinical judgment. All Graduate and Professional Studies student meetings, events and recruitment activities effectively moved to the virtual space beginning in March 2020. From April through June, Graduate and Professional Studies held 97 online, synchronous information sessions for Rapid Degree and Graduate programs, meeting virtually with more than 350 attendees.

WINTER 2021

Around the Academy

Middle States Commission on Higher Education Reaffirmation Holy Family University is accredited by the regional accreditation agency, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), generally referred to as Middle States. To maintain accreditation, the University must periodically apply for reaffirmation of accreditation. For Holy Family University, this has been occurring during the 2020-2021 academic year. In preparation for this reaffirmation, the University has been engaged in an indepth Self-Study, following MSCHE’s Requirements of Affiliation and the Standards of Accreditation. To direct the University in this Self-Study, University President Sister Maureen McGarrity, PhD, CSFN appointed a Steering Committee to lead the MSCHE Self-Study process in Spring 2019. As a result of the tremendous efforts of this committee of stakeholders, in Fall 2020, the University completed its Self-Study. The next step in the process is a Self-Study Evaluation Visit from the MSCHE Committee, scheduled for Spring 2021.

Meet the Author: Keith Kopka Keith Kopka, PhD, assistant professor and Writing Services Coordinator, discussed his Tampa Review Prize-winning book, Count Four, at a November Meet the Author event, hosted by the Holy Family University Library. The event, conducted virtually, offered participants an opportunity to hear Kopka read from his book and ask questions. Count Four is a collection of poetry based on the author’s personal experiences. Kopka’s poetry and criticism have recently appeared in Best New Poets, Mid-American Review, New Ohio Review, Berfrois, Ninth Letter, the International Journal of the Book, and many others. Learn more about Keith Kopka and Count Four at keithkopka.net

holyfamily.edu/magazine

Around the Academy

Bonacquisti and McElwaine Publish Teaching Resource for Counseling Skills Alexa Bonacquisti, PhD and Patrick McElwaine â&#x20AC;&#x2122;00, M â&#x20AC;&#x2122;04, PsyD, LPC, assistant professors of Counseling Psychology, have published a teaching resource for the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, Division Two of the American Psychological Association. The new resource, An Experiential Approach to Teaching Counseling Skills: Instructional Modules for Undergraduate and Graduate Students in Psychology, includes experiential and evidence-based strategies, using role plays, video recordings, and other innovative applications. This project was funded by a 2019 Instructional Resource Award grant.

Rosen Publishes New Findings on Crime in Latin America Jonathan D. Rosen, PhD, assistant professor of Criminal Justice at Holy Family University, continues to explore organized crime in Latin America with the publication of two new books and an article in the Journal of Criminal Justice. Corruption in the Americas, edited by Rosen and Hanna S. Kassab, PhD, takes a fresh, comprehensive look at corruption in Latin America. Given the volatility of this region, this book offers a timely assessment to provide students with a deeper understanding of this complex topic. In the book, Crime, Violence and the State in Latin America, co-authors Rosen and Kassab explore the linkages between weak institutions and government policies designed to combat drug trafficking, organized crime, and violence in Latin America.

WINTER 2021

Around the Academy

Griffin Promotes Mental Health Prescription for Criminal Justice Reform Patricia Griffin, PhD, assistant professor of Criminal Justice and director of the Graduate Criminal Justice program at Holy Family University, has contributed to four new chapters in Changing Times: Transforming the Culture and Behaviors for Law Enforcement. “Leaders in law enforcement today face unprecedented challenges,” said Griffin. “Among them is the appropriate interaction with the mentally ill. Mishandling results in unwanted headlines, unnecessary expenditures of taxpayer money, and heightened public safety risks. This book provides a pathway to change by providing evidencebased strategies and improved opportunities for engagement with agencies beyond the police that address mental and behavioral health in the community.”

Professor and Students Experiment with Spotted Lanternfly Trap The spotted lanternfly, an invasive species, has been infesting eastern Pennsylvania after first being discovered in the state in 2014. Elizabeth Carroll, PhD, assistant professor of Biology, designed a circle style trap that is tied to a tree and uses the natural instinct of the spotted lanternflies to climb up. Once they climb up, they are trapped in the top of the trap. This type of trap is not a sticky trap, so there is no by-catch of other insects or small birds or mammals. Five Holy Family University students have been building traps with Carroll during the Fall 2020 semester, with the intention of distributing them to those interested in participating in the experiment. Carroll and her students are experimenting with adding spearmint oil as a bait inside the traps as there is some evidence that spotted lanternflies are attracted to spearmint oil, which may enhance the efficacy of the trap.

holyfamily.edu/magazine

Around the Academy

FACULTY BRIEFS Conference Presentations Luanne Amato, MBA, EdD presented “Implementing Universal Design for Learning in Higher Ed using the LEVEL Model” at the Conference on Teaching & Learning in Higher Ed (November 2019), Improving Diversity in STEM. Publications Luanne Amato, MBA, EdD published the chapter “Barriers to a STEM Career: Math Anxiety and the Adult Female” in the Handbook of Research on Social Inequality and Education (June 2019) and “Social Fury: A Superpower for the Dissatisfied Consumer” on the Holy Family University Blog (September 2019). Marina Boykova, PhD published Roadmap on Human Resource Strategies to Improve Newborn Care in Health Facilities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries for the World Health Organization on behalf of the committee members (2020). Donald Goeltz, DPS, MBA, MS published the paper “Flying fish brewing company” in the Journal of Business Cases and Applications (November 2020) with four Holy Family University students: Andrew Franchino, Richard Crocker, Megan Campbell, and Alexis Daubert. Helen Hoffner, EdD co-wrote “Online Certification Programs: Questions to Ask Before Enrolling” with Holy Family doctoral candidate Jack Mills, MEd, which has been accepted for publication in The New Teacher Advocate, a journal published by Kappa Delta Pi. Elizabeth Jones, PhD published the paper “Comprehension monitoring and college math placement testing” in the Journal of College Literacy and Learning (Volume 46) with co-authors Dianna Sand, EdD ’17 (Holy Family University adjunct professor) and Diane Elliot (former Holy Family University professor). Gina Masucci MacKenzie, PhD published the book Maternal Representations in Twenty-First Century Broadway Musicals: Stage Mothers (Pivotal Studies in the Global American Literary Imagination) (November 2019). Karl Malaszczyk, Esq published the paper “Socioeconomic impact of healthcare” in the Journal of Business, Economics, and Technology (2020) with Janet Malaszczyk. Janet McNellis, PhD co-edited the book Pathways into the Political Arena: The Perspectives of Global Women Leaders and co-authored a chapter for the book, Transformational Aspects of Political Leadership (May 2020). Bernice Purcell ’85, DBA published the paper “GDPR: The importance of consent and data protection” in the Journal of Technology Research (May 2019) with Holy Family University student Nicole Zluky.

WINTER 2021

Around the Academy

Kevin Zook, PhD published the paper, “Scholarship Re-reconsidered: An alternative approach to scholarship for professors of education and applied disciplines” in the Journal of the Professoriate (Spring 2020) with co-authors from Temple University, Clarion University, and Lycoming College. The same group co-presented “Transitioning from ‘Scholarship’ to ‘Professional Achievement’: Organizational Opportunities and Impediments” at the 2020 Association for the Study of Higher Education (November 2020). Grants Bernice Purcell ’85, DBA, Donald Goeltz, DPS, MBA, MS, Luanne Amato, MBA, EdD, and J. Barry Dickinson, PhD received the Ray & Mildred Taylor Grant for Research on the strategic planning process in business schools and programs. Other Vicki Brzoza, PhD, MSN, MBA, RN, CCRN was awarded the New Jersey State Nurses Association Region 4, Dr. Barbara Wright Scholarship (November 2020). Helen Hoffner, EdD appeared on EWTN TV’s “At Home with Jim and Joy” on December 23 and 24 to discuss Catholic traditions and her book Catholic Treasures and Traditions: An Illustrated Encyclopedia (Sophia Institute Press). Bernice Purcell ’85, DBA was featured on “The ABC’s of Preparing for ACBSP Business Accreditation with Taskstream” Roundtable at the Watermark Engage 2019 Conference (June 2019).

Save the Date 2020/2021 Celebrating 2020 and 2021 Reunion Classes

dîner en bleu and

gala

Alumni Achievement Awards presentation

Saturday, May 22, 2021

Holy Family University Campus and River’s Edge at Pen Ryn Estate, Bensalem, PA holyfamily.edu/magazine

holyfamily.edu/reunion

HEROES OF COVID-19

Rising to Meet Pandemic Challenges

nformed by the Mission and Core Values of Holy Family University, many members of the University community have met the challenges that have resulted from the pandemic to help others in need. Utilizing what they have learned from their experiences at the University, these individuals have answered the call of service represented by the University’s motto, teneor votis (“I am bound by my responsibilities”) to support their communities during these incredibly difficult times.

New Ways to Serve Communities in Need Before the pandemic, Feast of Justice in Mayfair was already one of Philadelphia’s largest food pantries. But since March 2020, the organization has faced the upsurge in demand for food head on, increasing the number of people it serves across 10 Northeast Philadelphia ZIP codes by 275 percent with the assistance of 138 volunteers, including 96 who had started volunteering after the start of the pandemic. By early December, Feast of Justice had distributed over a million pounds of food in response to COVID-19 food shortages. Mike McNulty-Bobholz, MEd ’11, associate vice president of Student Life, is the current president of the Feast of Justice Board of Directors and is in his fourth year on the Board. Over the past several months, he has seen the distribution operations of Feast of Justice radically change in response to strict safety precautions. “Before COVID, our guests would come into our pantry and they would select the food items as if they were shopping,” McNulty-Bobholz explains. “Once COVID happened, we had to convert to a touchless protocol.” The organization has adopted a system in which guests now pick up boxes of food items from the building with minimal contact.

WINTER 2021

While the methods in which Feast of Justice serves the community have changed, its mission has not. McNulty-Bobholz continues, “We partnered with many non-profit organizations within the Philadelphia area, including Philabundance, and became available distribution sites for food. As we matured in that program, we wanted to make sure that we were still serving our guests with healthy options, choices, and information and alternative services that are available through our program, such as counseling.” The shift to new protocols was assisted by many new volunteers to support the efforts of Feast of Justice. “I think people are really trying to find ways to give back to their communities,” McNulty-Bobholz remarks. “I’ve had a few people at the University ask how they can get involved. If they can’t volunteer, donations have always been another way to help, and we have been a benefactor to many donations from new donors.”

Safely Supplying Groceries Junior Psychology major Matt Shiber ’22 is a member of the Student Government Association and a Resident Advisor at Holy Family. In addition, for almost two years he has worked at Martin’s Food & Drugstore in Rising Sun, MD as he also continues his studies virtually at Holy Family University. With grocery stores serving as one of the main sources of food, cleaning supplies, and pharmaceutical necessities for the public throughout the pandemic, Shiber has seen many aspects of his job significantly change. For example, local ordinance and company

holyfamily.edu/magazine

policies substantially altered the safety guidelines for store employees to protect the health and safety of their coworkers and customers.

While working, Shiber is required to adhere to the standard safety precautions — wear a mask at all times, stay six feet apart from coworkers and customers, and undergo temperature screenings. “The whole dynamic has changed. Usually when you go to work in a grocery store setting, it’s very social — people are always talking as you run into people you regularly see,” Shiber explains. “It’s been heavily impacted by the virus,” he adds. Shiber began working at Martin’s as a cashier and remained in that role during the initial stage of the pandemic that resulted in panic buying at supermarkets across the nation. In June, he became a Produce Associate and typically works afternoons and evenings stocking the shelves and cleaning that department. He realizes that his role is to “get people the supplies that they need,” though customer interactions can sometimes become stressful. Still, other customers have helped to relieve the added stress. Shiber says, “Recently on a day that I

was a little behind, a customer took a second to say, ‘Merry Christmas. I know that everyone in the store is very busy, but thank you for all that you continue to do,’” Shiber shares. “Many customers have expressed thanks and have been generous with compliments. Taking the time to say ‘Thank you for everything’ to a college student makes it all worthwhile.”

Extraordinary Leadership on the COVID Floor The jobs of countless nurses and health professionals with degrees from Holy Family University have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with many directly caring for patients who contracted the virus. Among the many University students and alumni who have been on the front lines of caring for patients with COVID-19 is Marissa Pietrolungo, MSN ’18, who works as a cardiac intensive care nurse at Temple University Hospital. During the initial surge of the pandemic, Pietrolungo volunteered to work on the COVID floor of the hospital’s Boyer Building to relieve the constant demand on her fellow nurses. Her exhaustive efforts to care for her patients resulted in the American Academy of Nursing honoring her with its COVID-19 Courage Award. She is only one of four nurses in the United States to receive the prestigious honor. Holy Family University has played a significant role in Pietrolungo’s nursing education. After graduating with a BSN from Widener University, Pietrolungo graduated summa cum laude from Holy Family University with an MSN degree. She will be graduating from the University once again with a Doctor of Nurse Practice, Family Nurse Practitioner degree in February 2021. She also teaches as an adjunct professor in the Nursing program.

WINTER 2021

The Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine profiled Pietrolungo in June and detailed her work as a full-time volunteer in the COVID-19 ICU at Temple University Hospital. She began volunteering in March to help alleviate the patient load and continued until July 2020, when the COVID floor closed and she returned to the cardiac intensive care unit. Pietrolungo faced challenges daily on the COVID floor, including having to complete tasks above and beyond her regular duties as a nurse because of restriction rules for who was allowed in the COVID ICU because of infection concerns. In particular was a moving story about Pietrolungo comforting a dying patient while trying to care for the needs of two other patients at the same time all while sweating under multiple layers of protective equipment to ensure her own health and safety during her long hours on the COVID floor.

Pietrolungo encouraged her nursing colleagues to volunteer with her and reassured them that health and safety precautions were being taken to enable them to do their jobs. “As a graduate of Holy Family University’s Master of Nursing Science Program and current student in the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, Marissa Pietrolungo embodies the true Core Values of the University through her work on the front lines addressing the needs of patients and peers alike,” said Dr. Cynthia Russell, Dean of the School of Nursing and Allied Health Professionals. “The COVID-19 Courage Award in Leadership from the American Academy of Nursing represents the highest honor for her service during these challenging times.”

After reading the profile of Pietrolungo, Dr. Karen Huss, a program director in the National Institutes of Health, submitted a letter to the American Academy of Nursing, a national organization made up of over 2700 nurses who have been recognized for extraordinary achievements in healthcare, to nominate Pietrolungo for the COVID-19 Courage Awards. The special award was created by the organization to honor the “courageous, compassionate, and creative contributions of nurses” during the pandemic. In the letter, Huss praised Pietrolungo’s “strength and firmness of mind in the face of danger,” and held up her “strong dedication and industriousness” as strong criteria for her candidacy for the honor. In October, the Academy announced that Pietrolungo was one of four recipients nationwide for the COVID-19 Courage Awards, with Pietrolungo receiving hers in the category of Leadership. As an example of Pietrolungo’s leadership, Huss’ letter cited how holyfamily.edu/magazine

Reflecting on the time she spent volunteering on the COVID floor, Pietrolungo recalls the challenge of balancing her life as a full-time student and full-time volunteer. “On some days I had to stop and think, ‘Today I’ll be writing a paper, tomorrow I’ll be volunteering on the COVID floor.’” Even with the recognition of her leadership, Pietrolungo still feels she could have done more. “Truthfully, what stands out is that I feel I wasn’t doing enough,” she recalls. She credits her colleagues in her cohort, Asia Kemp, MSN ’18 and Lindsey Mickens, MSN ’18, with whom she will be graduating in February, for helping her stay grounded. Regarding the stress of the last several months, Pietrolungo says, “It feels like you’re never going to get through it, but you find your core group to help pull you through.”

Resiliency of Our Students, Faculty and Staff To our first-year students who never stepped foot on campus to experience our vibrant campus life, to our seniors whose graduation march at the Kimmel Center was unceremoniously halted, and to our faculty and staff who worked tirelessly and graciously to build technologies, teaching skills, and resources to ensure that every University operation functioned optimally in a new, remote way: You are our heroes. Your tremendous efforts in the face of unprecedented challenges are our proudest collective achievement. We applaud your stamina, your perseverance, and your belief that the Holy Family University family is worth it.

WINTER 2021

holyfamily.edu/magazine

WINTER 2021

The Value of a President: Sister Maureen McGarrity and Holy Family University

hen Sister Maureen McGarrity, CSFN, ’70, PhD, attended the thenHoly Family College in the 1960s, she was already impressed with what the still-new institution offered to her and her fellow students.

“It was a small women’s college with a very streamlined curriculum, yet I think that my impression coincides with some of the graduates who went here even earlier than me. We felt like we had nothing to apologize for,” she remembers. “If anything, I think that we were overeducated because Holy Family was trying to compensate for its newness. It provided a good, strong curriculum that you could build on. Some of our earliest graduates have reinforced that with me. In those early days, they received a very strong education that provided them with a foundation for life.” Holy Family University established a powerful foundation for Sister Maureen, who will be stepping down from the Presidency of the University this summer after serving in the role since July 2014. Of course, as the Holy Family community knows, Sister Maureen’s time serving the University community extends far holyfamily.edu/magazine

beyond her recent years as President. Her earlier positions at Holy Family include Associate Professor, Department Chair, Division Head, Dean, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Associate Provost for Academic Services, and Provost. There are virtually no departments of the University that have not benefited from the invaluable wisdom and leadership of Sister Maureen over the last few decades. “We took it apart and put it together in a whole new way.” Even in her years as a student, Sister Maureen’s decisions were informed by her intention to make Holy Family a better place. Not only did she pursue her PhD in microbiology out of a genuine interest in the subject, but because she also believed that educating herself in that discipline would fill a future need for Holy Family. She recalls, “I wanted to major in an area of biology that had a lot of human application. Between what I had been doing when I went away to do my doctoral degree and what I saw for the future of Holy Family in terms of health care and the biology department, microbiology seemed like an obvious choice. I made sure to go to a school where microbiology was housed in the medical school to get the orientation that I wanted.”

The Value of a President

Sister Maureen returned to Holy Family after earning her PhD at Saint Louis University. Teaching was one of her favorite roles at the University, primarily because it enabled her to connect with many students and become part of both their education and their lives. She says, “My conversations with students, aside from imparting content, were my favorite part of teaching — learning about them, their families, what they wanted to do, and how we might be able to help them. I’ve always said that labs were my favorite part of teaching because during that you have some downtime enabling you to talk to the students, and you get to know them.” Even at that time, Sister Maureen was thinking of bold ways to help improve Holy Family. “When I first came back from graduate school, one of my earliest wins was revamping the biology curriculum,” she recalls. “We took it apart and put it together in a whole new way.” It was the first of many instances where Sister Maureen would help improve critical aspects of Holy Family. As an instructor, she received the University’s Ray L. Taylor Award for Faculty Development three times (1995, 1998, 2001). During her tenure as President alone, Holy Family underwent many substantial improvements, including the renovation and expansion of Marian Hall and Alpha House, enhancements to the biology and chemistry labs, the creation of the Center for Teaching and Learning, the introduction of two new doctoral programs, and full accreditation to offer online courses, among other key accomplishments. In addition to her long record of service at Holy Family, Sister Maureen also served in various other leadership roles as well, including

serving on the Board of Directors for the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce for six years (with one term as its Chair), the Strategic Planning Committee of the Board at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary for four years, as Chair of the Research Committee for the Board of Directors of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities for two years. One value that has been woven throughout Sister Maureen’s many roles at Holy Family University is leadership. While she feels that some might see her as “a top-downer, too much in the weeds,” when it comes to making decisions for Holy Family’s future, Sister Maureen points to her invaluable support team. “I think group process is extremely important so that people can own decisions by getting everything out on the table,” she explains. “Sometimes when I get into the details, I tell the vice presidents that I don’t want to know these details to impede progress, I want to get into these details so I can embrace progress by completely understanding both where we are and what impact our decisions will have now and into the future so we don’t overlook anything. It’s impossible to overlook the unforeseen consequences of your decisions, but I think the more input you have, the better the decisions will be.” Of course, as President, Sister Maureen has had the final say on major decisions for the University. She adds with a laugh, “But there comes a point sometimes when I say, ‘This is the decision.’ The buck stops here!”

WINTER 2021

“We knew we had to get our students home.” One of those instances was a challenge that Sister Maureen faced this past year as President that no other Holy Family University president had previously faced — the swift impact that COVID-19 had on all operations of the University. Reflecting on the University’s first response to the pandemic, Sister Maureen says, “Initially we had some sessions in what I called the ‘War Room’ when everyone came together to decide what we were going to do. It was a gradual evolution of our consciousness and realization that we had to take certain steps.” As with many other decisions that she had made as President, Sister Maureen sought the counsel of leadership at the University. She continues, “Most of our students are commuters and we only had a few hundred students in residence on campus, but what do we do with them? The Director of the Health Center came into our meeting and one of her phrases sealed my decision to close the residence halls immediately. She said, ‘If you keep the residence halls open, you’re creating a cruise ship.’ When she used that analogy, we knew we had to get our students home so they’re in a familiar environment with their healthcare providers. It was a gradual realization of all the information that was coming through that this was holyfamily.edu/magazine

really a serious situation and we had to make fast decisions. Luckily, we made the right decisions.” Like most institutions, one of the significant changes that Holy Family University underwent in response to the pandemic was in technology. While so many aspects of campus life had to be distanced, Sister Maureen points to how technology also has the potential to bring the Holy Family community together using the example of the most recent iteration of Christmas Rose. “Christmas Rose is one of our oldest and most sustained traditions. I remarked to someone that you’d have to be as old as me to realize what it looked like in the day when the majority of the students were resident students!” she explains. Regarding the virtual Mass and variety show that made up this year’s event, Sister Maureen adds, “It was difficult to try to organize and execute the Christmas Rose but essential so it didn’t become a lost tradition. One important element that surfaced from this effort was the fact that because we have the capacity now to stream this event, some of our older graduates who can’t come back to campus, can now be part of this event in the future.” 25

The Value of a President

“I hope this culture of family endures.” Close to Sister Maureen’s heart and her philosophy of leadership are the words of the Mission of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, which is devoted to celebrating the oneness of the human family. As President, she has endeavored that the ministry of the University reflects those values. She explains, “I want very much for our ministry to understand the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth and what they mean by ‘family,’ specifically what that means in our educational ministry. So even if there were no sisters available to staff Holy Family, that spirit would still pervade in what we do here.”

“If any one of those pieces is missing, the picture is not complete.” As a key member of the Holy Family community for decades, Sister Maureen recognizes the pivotal role the University President plays in shaping the future of the institution and the extraordinary challenges that come with it. “I feel like I will be handing the next President some clay and saying, ‘You have a good number of resources to shape this clay for the future,’” she explains. ‘“The clay is what the campus could look like — the Strategic Plan, and the alignment with the Congregation’s mission. What do you see yourself doing with it?’”

Sister Maureen sees that essence as what defines Holy Family University and sets it apart from peer institutions. “If you look at our curricula, our distinctive feature is that we want to serve families by allowing each person to develop to their fullest potential,” she explains. “That applies to our students, many of whom are first-generation who don’t realize how smart they are or all the opportunities that are available to them in today’s world. But, it also applies to our staff, faculty, and administrators to help them to reach their fullest potential. This sounds strange, but sometimes in helping people reach their fullest potential, they see that they need to go somewhere else to reach that potential.”

Similarly, she has advice for the next President that has served her very well in her administrative roles at Holy Family. “Spend a good amount of time just listening to people. Understand who they are and how the pieces of the mosaic fit together. If any one of those pieces is missing, the picture is not complete. It’s flawed in some way. See how these people are fitting together, and give them a chance. Be open to them. Some people present as very strong, some people don’t want to talk, and some people are afraid of this, that, or the other thing. Try to encourage them to get to know you. Get to know the campus community because there’s a treasure trove of folks here at all levels.”

Looking forward for Holy Family beyond her presidency, Sister Maureen hopes to see the University remain committed to family. She points to the University’s 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, which calls for the Family Center to expand its scope as “a source of significant outreach and service to the community with participation from students, faculty, and staff, and alumni.” She says, “That could have a massive impact on all the schools and services if we took it to its fullest potential. If there is one type of center that fits Holy Family as an institution that is affordable for anybody, it’s that idea of a Family Center. My greatest hope is that this comes to fruition in the years to come.”

“I would hope that I have helped people in some way.” For recent alumni, faculty, and administrators, it is likely difficult — perhaps impossible — to envision the University without Sister Maureen in a key leadership role. For her part, Sister Maureen says what she’ll miss most about her role as President are her daily interactions with all of those members of the Holy Family community. “I think I’ll miss more than anything the interaction with such a broad swath of the University,” she says. “I can interact with every bit of it and people interact with me.”

Yet the importance of family extends beyond the Family Center — to Sister Maureen, it’s part of the lifeblood of the University. “The one part of the Strategic Plan that really speaks to me is to fully understand, embrace, live, and perpetuate the culture of family,” she continues. “I enjoyed a really supportive and strong family, and I realize that’s not the case with many of our students. But in our culture, we can give that. If we had that in society, it would be a very different world… I hope this culture of family endures, no matter how the profile of the University changes and develops in the future.”

As for her more immediate future, Sister Maureen would like to return to teaching. Beyond that, she jokes about spending some time at the seashore. “A perfect day for me would be someplace close to the ocean, moderately warm, with a book that I just always wanted to read,” she describes. While reflecting on her tenure as University President, Sister Maureen can think of all of the people — students, administrators, faculty, staff, and alumni — who have looked up to her for her contributions to the University to the benefit of their own lives. The way others express their gratitude to her takes her by surprise. “Sometimes you’re amazed when people share their perception of you!” she admits. “For the most part, I would hope that I have helped people in some way and have not been a hindrance. That’s what we’re all here for — to help each other.” WINTER 2021

holyfamily.edu/magazine

Alumni Profile

Finding Direction at Holy Family University

Alumni Profile

Earlier this year, Dr. Rita (Seeger) Jablonski ’86, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, FGSA was honored by Geriatric Nursing, a peer-reviewed healthcare journal, by being named as a Leader and Innovator in the field. She has also been named a Fellow of both the Gerontological Society of America and the American Academy of Nursing, among other awards and honors. While she is currently based at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing, the native of Fox Chase, Philadelphia began her journey as a nursing student at Holy Family. “Holy Family had a really good reputation,” Jablonski says, “And that was important to me because I was the first person in my family to go to college.” But Jablonski’s interest in elder care did not just result from her schoolwork. As she was pursuing her degree, she was also working as a nursing assistant in a nursing home.

Photo Credit: UAB School of Nursing

“It was one of the best jobs I ever had,” she recalls. “I really liked working with people who had dementia. I found the whole disease fascinating, and we knew very little about it in the 1980s.”

After graduating from Holy Family University, Jablonski earned her MSN degree from La Salle University and her Post-Master’s Certificate Adult Primary Care Nurse Practitioner from the University of Pennsylvania. During that period, she returned to Holy Family University as an instructor. Her current role is Director of

WINTER 2021

Alumni Profile

Research and Scholarship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In addition to assisting others at her institution, she has received grants for her own research, including a $1.6 million grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide oral hygiene training to caregivers in local nursing homes to improve the quality of care for residents with dementia. Jablonski is particularly proud of her work in this area. “That was a gamechanger. I demonstrated with two studies that you can deliver mouth care for people with dementia who refuse care by modifying the approach. You don’t need to give them drugs or be forceful. Those strategies that I used in nursing homes then became strategies that I adapted in the outpatient setting in my role as a nurse practitioner.”

Photo Credit: UAB School of Nursing

For new students in the Holy Family University nursing program, Jablonski advises taking time to decide what direction to take one’s career. I thought as a nursing student I would go to four years of nursing school, work in ICU for a year or two, and then become a nurse anesthetist. Well, the joke was on me — what anesthetists do is extremely important, but it was not the right fit for me. I never thought I would enjoy psych, but I loved it — especially geriatrics psych.”

Dr. Rita Jablonski with the UAB School of Nursing leading a dementia bootcamp holyfamily.edu/magazine

The Arts

Art Therapy Paints a Vibrant Picture of Mental Health Creating art can play an integral and illuminating role in an integrated counseling approach. By helping clients to articulate that which cannot always be spoken through their artwork, art therapy can help bring personal stories to light. Art therapy is an integrated mental health profession that promotes mental health and well-being through artmaking such as drawing, painting, and clay sculpting. This fast-growing field has found a welcoming home at Holy Family University, one of the few area universities to offer both an undergraduate and graduate course of study, including a Master of Science (MS) degree in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Art Therapy. Katrina Carroll-Haskins ’10, director of Art Therapy for the Graduate Counseling Psychology Department, has come full circle from earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Pre-Art Therapy to currently leading the Art Therapy program at Holy Family University. “There’s a misconception that art therapy is only for children,” says Carroll-Haskins. “I’ve worked with people across the lifespan from kids as young as three to geriatric populations with dementia. There’s research now that demonstrates how working with the arts and creative things can be greatly beneficial in reducing stress and improving mood.” Carroll-Haskins is a full-time faculty member at Holy Family University, teaching both undergraduate and graduate Art Therapy courses, while she pursues her doctorate and research on the topic of “Supervision for Early Professional Art Therapists.”

Katrina Carroll-Haskins ‘10, Director of Art Therapy 30

WINTER 2021

The Arts

“What is the bravest thing you’ve ever done?” (2018). Altered book, mixed media. Altered book art offers the opportunity to explore a range of art materials without the pressure to fill a blank piece of paper or canvas. These altered pages include cut-paper and magazine collage images and quotes, textured paper, and a small mandala (circular design) with colored pencils.

“We need more research in the field,” she says. “Our students are dually trained in Counseling Psychology and the Art Therapy program — eligible to be licensed as LPCs and registered and board-certified art therapists. We are currently in process of working to achieve the highest standards of accreditation through the Commission of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) to pave the strongest path for our students.” The benefits of accreditation include continuous evaluation and improvement of Holy Family’s art therapy program. CAAHEPaccredited programs are recognized by the Art Therapy Credentials Board through which art therapists become registered and boardcertified professionals.

holyfamily.edu/magazine

Alumni Profile

Grateful to be a Tiger Bernadette Laukaitis ’00 already had a long history with Holy Family University before becoming the sixth head coach of the women’s basketball team in May 2019. She was a three-year team captain of the women’s basketball team, and her time as a studentathlete was followed by eight seasons as part of the coaching staff for the Tigers under the University’s head coach Mike McLaughlin ’91, the same coach she played for as a Tiger. After a year as head coach for Cabrini University and then continuing her career as an assistant coach under McLaughlin at the University of Pennsylvania, Laukaitis returned to Holy Family University to serve as head coach, a job that she calls “a dream come true.” Her first season was full of incredible highs for Laukaitis and the women’s basketball team. But shortly after the women’s basketball team finished its 2019-2020 season after advancing to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Championship game on March 8, 2020, the Tigers — and all of the Holy Family University community — were faced with unexpected challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic significantly affecting the immediate future of Holy Family University Athletics. Laukaitis soon shifted her coaching mindset to lead her team under very different circumstances. She explains, “I asked myself, ‘What are the things that we can do right now as coaches?’ Because Xs and Os are off the table now. It’s more about the mental health of everyone.”

Coach Bernadette Laukitias during the Tigers’ game against Thomas Jefferson University on December 21, 2019. 32

WINTER 2021

Alumni Profile

One of those activities that the student-athletes realized that they could do is service to others in the community. As an advisor to the Holy Family University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Laukaitis has seen participation increase in the community service program since the start of the pandemic and it has served as a way for athletes to unite for off-field and off-court for service projects like toy, book, and coat drives and adopting a family. To help motivate her team after the announcement that the 20202021 basketball season was canceled in December, Laukaitis delivered bracelets inscribed with “Above It All” as part of care packages to each member of her team that included items that also they could use to help with their workouts. Laukaitis has also been there for her athletes to help them process the emotional challenges that have come with this tumultuous year. She reflects, “The big thing for me is that I’m allowing them to feel and to communicate that to me, not to hold it in and be ashamed of it. My challenge is to continue to have them focus on what they can do it. Whether it is balancing online learning to home stuff going on, they’re going through their own struggles. I’m unbelievably proud of them. They’re definitely persevering through them all.” Though many Holy Family student-athletes look up to Laukaitis for her leadership, she is quick to give credit to the assistance she receives from Director of Athletics Tim Hamill ’04, M’08 and the entire Athletic Department. She says, “I am grateful for Jami Hughes doing all of the Daily Operations, Greg Pellegrino our Director of Sports Information and social media guru, Erin Goodman our Compliance Officer and problem solver, Robin Arnold who has helped these student-athletes with all of their academic needs, our amazing training staff Sara Miraglia, Janet Panek M’11, and John Gary for treating these athletes and their injuries each day, and the wonderful coaches that I work alongside. We are truly so lucky to have them leading us all.”

holyfamily.edu/magazine

Advancing Holy Family University

Leadership Gifts to Blue & White Fund Two recent leadership gifts to the Blue & White Fund, Holy Family University’s Annual Fund, have provided a critical infusion of support for student financial aid. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Holy Family has experienced an unprecedented increase in the financial aid need of our students. Holy Family University is grateful to trustee Albert Tantala, Sr. H ’18 and his wife, Jean, and former chair of the Board of Trustees, Anthony Szuszczewicz H ’11 and his wife, Mary Ann. Tantala is president of Tantala Associates, LLC, Engineers and Architects, a family business he founded in Philadelphia in 1966. Szuszczewicz is the former president and CEO of Polonia Bank. They have both served Holy Family and its students faithfully. According to James C. Garvey, EdD, vice president for University Advancement, “With these leadership gifts, our students and their families will be able to rely on the University more than ever before to help them continue their education.”

Recent Grants of Note Independence Blue Cross Foundation — $95,034 in support of nursing scholarships at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Pennsylvania Department of Education Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund — $102,000 in support of Holy Family University’s coronavirus pandemic response. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Multimodal Transportation Fund — $560,000 to improve pedestrian and vehicular safety and circulation on the streets surrounding the Holy Family University campus.

CARES Act Expands Tax Deductions for Charitable Giving If you do not itemize deductions, you may nonetheless take an “above-the-line” deduction for up to $300 in cash gifts you make to Holy Family in 2021. As first enacted as part of the CARES Act in March 2020, this opportunity applied only to contributions made during 2020, and was limited to $300 even on joint returns. But with the further round of COVID relief enacted in December, it has been extended through 2021. Also, for contributions made on or after January 1, 2021, joint filers will be able to claim up to $600 “above the line.” For more information, please consult your tax or financial advisor.

WINTER 2021

Advancing Holy Family University

Now, more than ever, we need you. You have the ability to transform lives, and make an everlasting impact. Donors to the Blue & White Fund, Holy Family University’s Annual Fund, directly support current student financial aid. Your generosity is needed now, more than ever to give the gift of a Holy Family education. With your participation in the Blue & White Fund, you will provide an immediate, everlasting impact on student success. To make your gift to the Blue & White Fund today or for more information, please visit holyfamily.edu/give or call 267-341-5007. “My Holy Family education allowed me to excel in my career while developing valuable relationships. These difference makers are the reason I remain connected to the university through a close-knit group of alumni and friends who I consider my family. These experiences are the reasons why I remain committed to giving back as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors and as a donor to the Blue & White Fund. I give every year because I love Holy Family and I want to support our current students, who I believe will become our next generation of leaders.” Roshan Pulimkalayil, ’16, M’18

How to Make

Your Permanent Mark on the Future

Now is the time to make a mark on the future. More and more alumni and friends of Holy Family University are choosing to leave a lasting legacy by making a gift through their will or estate. You can give (“bequeath”) many different kinds of assets—in whole or in part—in your will, including: • A paid-up life insurance policy • CDs • Cash • U.S. Savings Bonds • Securities • Artwork • Real estate • A percentage of your estate’s value • The remainder after all debts are paid and your loved ones are cared for If you believe in Holy Family University’s mission and want to help carry it forward to the future, please contact us. We would be honored to work with you and your advisor(s) to determine the gift that best suits your situation and interests. We will be pleased to welcome you into our Teneor Votis Society, which recognizes and honors the generosity and foresight of Holy Family’s planned giving donors. You will receive invitations to special events and other exclusive benefits as a Teneor Votis Society member. For more information or to let us know you have included Holy Family University in your will, please visit holyfamily.edu/bequest or contact Joshua E. Liss, Assistant Vice President for Development, at 267-341-3100 or jliss@holyfamily.edu. holyfamily.edu/magazine

Advancing Holy Family University

31st Annual Golf Classic Holy Family University alumni and friends enjoyed a wonderful day on the links to raise critical funds for student financial aid on September 23 at The Union League Golf Club at Torresdale. Special thanks to Joe Connelly of Landscaping Maintenance & Snow Plowing, Inc. for his leadership support as the Grand Sponsor of the 31st Annual Golf Classic. Please save the date of September 13, 2021 for the 32nd Annual Golf Classic at a new course, the Philmont Country Club in Huntingdon Valley, PA. Philmont is rich in golf history and has been touched by many world-renowned designers and players alike. The result is a course that provides a welcomed challenge, yet is accessible to players of all abilities. For more information, please visit holyfamily.edu/golf.

Trustee Bruce Miller Foursome: Dan Hosier, Eric Miller, Jake Sokalsky, and Caelean Butler

WINTER 2021

Advancing Holy Family University

Sister Maureen McGarrity, CSFN, ’70, PhD with the Landscaping Maintenance & Snow Plowing, Inc. Foursome: Joe Connelly, Dylan Connelly, Brian Connelly, and Lisa Connelly

Crown Holdings, Inc. Foursome: Fred Leh ’03, Doug McLaughlin, Andrew Grezlak, and Michael Colonnello

Matt Whitworth, Trustee Dan Kilcoyne ’04, Trustee Matt Topley ’94, and Rob Style holyfamily.edu/magazine

Athletics

Athletics A Message from Holy Family University Director of Athletics Tim Hamill Dear Holy Family University Tiger Fans, I hope that you and your loved ones have remained happy, healthy and safe throughout this pandemic. These past few months have been extremely challenging and not without disappointment for everyone. The scoreboards have remained dark and the court and fields have been silent as our student-athletes wonder what the future will hold. With a new year and recent developments, there is a sense of hope as we cautiously plan for a return to sports in February. The Holy Family University Athletics Department is extremely grateful for the consistent support of our alumni, families and friends whose efforts have helped sustain the work of our student-athletes and our programs. Our student-athletes have remained strong, united, and committed to their craft. They have focused on their schoolwork, they have been training and fine tuning their skills in preparation for a return to play. Most importantly, they have been leaning on each other for support and seeking ways to outreach and give back to the community through service. I am extremely proud of our student-athletes, coaches and staff whose dedication has helped us to persevere and strive as we await a return to intercollegiate athletics. Go Tigers, 38

Tim Hamill â&#x20AC;&#x2122;04, M â&#x20AC;&#x2122;08 Director of Athletics

WINTER 2021

Athletics

holyfamily.edu/magazine

Athletics

Athletics Hall of Fame Nominations are now being accepted for the Class of 2021 Holy Family University Athletics Hall of Fame. To make a nomination, visit athletics.holyfamily.edu/honors/hall-of-fame To be considered, nominations must be submitted by April 1, 2021. Questions: Contact Greg Pellegrino, Sports Information Director (gpellegrino@holyfamily.edu)

Women’s Lacrosse Donates Toys to the Center for Autism In December, the Holy Family University women’s lacrosse team once again collected toys for the Center for Autism to donate to their Holiday Giving Program. The women’s lacrosse team has been collecting toys for the Center for Autism for the past four years. Each holiday season, the Center gives each child in its program a present. The Creating Opportunities for Relating & Engaging Program consists of 136 children ranging from the ages of two years old to six years old. “I’m very proud of our team to still be able to come together, especially during these difficult times, to help the Center for Autism with their annual Holiday Giving Program,” said head coach Marisa DeAngelis. “The Center does amazing work with these children and I’m glad we’re able to help them make their holiday a little more special.” The Center for Autism is an outpatient treatment facility and has two treatment locations in Philadelphia. 40

WINTER 2021

Dockery Named CACC Woman of the Year Holy Family University senior Dana Dockery ’20 was selected as the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Woman of the Year as announced by Commissioner Dan Mara. Dockery is the first Holy Family student-athlete to be named CACC Woman of the Year since women’s basketball Hall of Famer Catherine Carr ’11 earned the award in 2011. “This is a tremendous accomplishment especially with the positive impact Dana has had here at Holy Family University during her career not only on the court but in the classroom and community as well,” said head coach Bernadette Laukaitis ’00. “On behalf of the coaching staff, players and the Holy Family Women’s Basketball Family, we are very proud of Dana and can’t think of anyone more deserving of this award.” Dockery was a four-year member of the women’s basketball team and finished her career with 245 points and 143 rebounds. Dockery also competed on the women’s tennis team during her sophomore season and joined the women’s lacrosse team as a senior. This past May, Dockery graduated from Holy Family University with a degree in Sports MarketingManagement and a minor in Business Administration. She earned Dean’s List status five of eight semesters and was inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the National Honor Society for student-athletes. Furthermore, Dockery received the Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar Award three times (2018, 2019 & 2020) and is a two-time CACC All-Academic selection in women’s basketball (2019 & 2020) as well as a one-time honoree in women’s lacrosse (2020) In August, Dockery joined the Sports Information office led by Derek Crudele at Goldey-Beacom College as the Graduate Assistant Sports Information Director. Dana Dockery (Photo by Stephen Pellegrino Photography) holyfamily.edu/magazine

Class Notes

Margie McGlynn-Haugh ’75 recently retired after teaching 48 years in Archdiocese of Philadelphia, where she also served as a member of Early Childhood Curriculum Committee. She works parttime for Wells Fargo Center and is planning her daughter’s wedding.

Class Notes

Lorraine Evans ’79 is a retired school teacher from the Neshaminy School District. She lives in New Holland, PA.

1960s

1970s

Bernadatte (Kilty) Martin ’62 is the Director of Faith Formation and Evangelization at St. Dorothy Parish in Glendora, CA.

Ginny (Boyd) Ciocci ’70 has retired after working as a librarian for 38 years in South Jersey. She now has an online business selling vintage books and kitchenware on Etsy and eBay.

Trudy (Burt) Menne ’67 is a retired Area Supervisor at Rancocas Valley Regional High School. She lives in Burlington, NJ. Martha (Morris) Naas ’68 and husband, Mike, have owned Alta Vista Dental Lab in Bethesda, MD for 40 years. They have 3 children and 5 grandchildren. Diane (Procopio) Voghel ’69 moved to an independent community and sold her house of 45 years. Her grandson is about to graduate from Drexel University and her granddaughter is about to graduate from high school.

Elizabeth Vollmer ’70, a retired case management supervisor, serves on multiple Boards advocating for homeless women and children and developmentally disabled adults. She lives in Kensington, CA. Agnes (Busanovich) Dunn ’74 and her husband, Joe, celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary by taking a cruise to the Scandinavian countries and Russia. Her son, Joseph, got engaged to his girlfriend, Leanne, on Valentine’s Day weekend 2020. They will get married in 2022.

1990s Sherri (Arabia) Meyers ’92 is an Administrator in School District of Philadelphia. She is the mother of three sons and has been married for 28 years. Heather (MacCorkle) Edick ’93 launched We Learn to Change, a blog about learning, teaching, school, and education.

1980s

Stephen Krawczyk ’93 is the Director of Instructional Technology, MTSS and ESO at Spartanburg County School District Six in Roebuck, SC

Adrienne (Zarzatian) Juskalian ’80 is a Senior Administrative Assistant for Olympus Corporation of the Americas.

Viviann (Olmedo) Schorle ’97 has been appointed as Program Officer of Phoenixville Community Health Foundation.

Carina (Panzera) Sundstrom ’80 is the Administrative Director of Graduate Medical Education at Mercy Catholic Medical Center. with their four children and their dog, Jedi. Maria Osvald ’84 retired in June 2020 after many years as a Project Manager of contracts with the Federal Government. She lives in Williamsport, MD. Mike Koestler ’85 works as a recruiter for Terumo, a medical device company. Sam Tancredi ’89 teaches Business & Multimedia at Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster, PA.

2000s Pat McElwaine ’00 M’04 PsyD recently added Psychology Today columnist to his extensive resume. Pat is an Assistant Professor in Counseling Psychology Department at Holy Family University. Christopher Tait ’00 selfpublished his 4th novel, Take the Long Way, on Amazon.com. Chris is married to Freda Terrell-Tait ’99. Patricia Leupold M’01 is a Vocational Evaluator & Special Education Teacher at Woods Services in Langhorne, PA.

JoAnn (Stecher) Tier ’68 was recently recognized by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M for her dedication to Catholic education. JoAnn served the Diocese of Trenton for 34 years including 11 years as Diocesan Schools Superintendent.

WINTER 2021

Class Notes

Chris Veitz ’01 M’08 recently started a new position as Registrar at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Chris formerly worked at Holy Family University as associate director of Admissions. Bernadette HannahBarone M’02 was promoted to Assistant Principal of Armstrong Middle School in Bristol Township School District. Pat (Bell) Indelicato ’02 works as a substitute teacher and lives in Bensalem with husband, Philip. Kathleen (Johnson) Burkhart ’04 works as a Data Manager for Bristol MyersSquibb. She and husband, Walter, live in Levittown, PA. Agnieszka Salamon ’05 M’07 wrote LinkedIn article, “A Way to Empower Female Talent and Change the Way We Lead”. Agnieszka is a Talent Acquisition Sr. Advisor for Dell Technologies. Bill Fitzgerald ’06 recently purchased Elite Water Damage Restoration, which provides cleanup and restoration services for property damages caused by water, fire, smoke, mold and sewage. He is married to Cindy (Ziegler) Fitzgerald ’07 M’12. Jed Henderson ‘06 wrote an article for Times Pub Newspapers (Langhorne Ledger and Lower Southampton Spirit) about Spina Bifida Awareness Month. He reminds everyone to ‘Never Give Up’. Jeanmarie McGinley M’07 has been appointed as Acting Administrator of Afton Elementary School within Pennsbury School District. McGinley, an ISTE certified educator and 2017 KTI STAR award recipient, serves on the PA State Content Committee for Science and Technology.

holyfamily.edu/magazine

Marie (Burkitt) Dennis ’08 and husband, Drew, are proud parents of newborn son, Alexander, who was born on September 22, 2020.

Katie (Hornback) Glenn ’12, PA-C and husband, Bobby, have been married for a little over two years. Katie will be the primary practitioner of Owensboro Dermatology Associates’ new office in Newburgh, IN.

Kurt Geiger M’08 launched his consulting firm, Kompendium, for strategic Human Resources services for small and growing businesses. Caroline (Humphery) Sletten M’08 is the Owner and Founder of CJS Interiors, LLC in Wentzville, MO. Jen Buongiorno ’10 M’12 has been promoted to Strategic Planning Specialist within the Defense Logistics Agency.

Caitlin (Bramble) George ’13 is the Assistant Athletic Director at Calvary Christian Academy in Philadelphia, PA. She and husband, Richard, have a daughter together.

Eddie Gallagher III M’10 EdD currently serves as Interim Head of School at AIM Academy in Conshohocken, PA. He and wife, Rachel, announced the birth of their first child, Edward Joseph Gallagher IV, in October 2020. Andrea Mantilla ’11 was hired as Director of Residence Life at Mt. Aloysius College in Cresson, PA. Matt Uhler M’11 has been selected as the new Executive Director of the United Way of Blair County. Karissa Steer ’12 and Adam Trinh ’13 became engaged in January 2019. They met at Holy Family in 2008 and have been dating since the Fall of 2011. Due to Covid restrictions, their wedding has been rescheduled for the summer of 2021. Kelly Brady Channick ’13 published her third book, Asbury High and the MisTaken Identities, in September 2020. Sandra Nixon-Fisher ’13 works as a Payroll Supervisor at Delaware Park Casino in Wilmington, DE. Jamie (Wright) Romanowicz ’13 M’20 has been promoted to Assistant Nurse Manager of the Labor & Delivery Unit at Temple University Hospital. Krista Zerkow ’13 is an Account Manager for Ferrandino & Son, Inc., a National Construction and Facility Services company.

Brittany Nugent ’14 works as an Executive Assistant & Guest Contributor for Ever Widening Circles, a positive media company. Capt. Tim Linneman ’15 has been promoted to Commander of the 8th Police District in Northeast Philadelphia. Marissa Pietrolungo M’18 was selected by the American Academy of Nursing as the recipient of the COVID-19 Courage Award in Leadership, which was awarded at their annual conference in October 2020. Cayla Belser M’19 was hired by Cairn University in Langhorne, PA, as an art instructor, teaching courses in foundational drawing and graphic design. Dawn Martesi M’19 is new assistant principal of Truman High School Bob Toeppner M’19 was recently hired as Director of Information Technology for global fashion retailer, Brandy Millville. He previously worked as a Web Specialist & Adjunct Professor at Holy Family University. Bob is married to Domenica Hogan ’11. Claudette Allman ’20 is a Trauma Nurse at Cooper University Hospital.

Cait Connelly ’19, an advocate for cerebral palsy and dystonia awareness, reviews books and movies on disability through her website and blog, caitlynconnelly.com. Heather Ward ’20 is a 2nd Grade Teacher at Prodigy Learning Academy.

In Memoriam Sister M. Lauretta Matusik, CSFN, ’58 Carol (Borowski) Furlow ’62 Paulette (Punzavitz) Hellings ’62 Sister Roselita Bradley, CSFN, ’64 Sister Martin Duffy, CSFN, ’64 Sister Eleanor Woods, CSFN ’64 Sister Madeline Kanich, CSFN, ’69 Barbara Weber ’70 Father Wayne Killian ’73 Margaret (Hawthorne) Hasher ’79 Nelly Greco ’88 Joanne (Bona) Boxwell ’89 Elaine Bailey ’96 Emma Cordek, Secretary to the Treasurer Leticia Diaz PhD, Assistant Professor John McCann, PhD, Professor Ronald McShane, Maintenance Trade Associate Patricia Michael, PhD, Professor Sister Regis Wesolowski, CSFN, Friend

Family Spotlight

Three Generations of Tigers

Family Spotlight

The family tradition of attending Holy Family University began with Joan (Zaharfy) Jones ’73, who was followed by her mother, Barbara (Devers) Zacharczuk ’82. Both graduated with degrees in Education. Years later, Kristina (Jones) Stauffacher ’15 attended Holy Family, graduating with a degree in Nursing.

Barbara (Devers) Zacharczuk ’82, Kristina (Jones) Stauffacher ’15, and Joan (Zaharfy) Jones ’73 at Kristina’s 2015 graduation.

Holy Family University Alumni Benefits Program Did you know that the Holy Family University Alumni Association sponsors an Alumni Benefits Program as a service to our alumni? The program offers a variety of attractively-priced products, most of which are available to alumni, students, faculty, and staff, as well as their spouses, domestic partners, children, parents, and siblings.

life insurance

real estate benefits

travel insurance

pet insurance

medicare exchange

advisory services

id theft coverage

telehealth

long term disability insurance

long term care insurance

auto/home insurance

small business insurance

For more information visit HFU.MeyerAndAssoc.com or contact our program administrator (Meyer and Associates) at 800-635-7801.

WINTER 2021

Family Spotlight

As the first member of the family to attend the then-Holy Family College, Joan remembers that the school’s strong reputation appealed to her. “I was teaching in South Philadelphia at a small Catholic school,” she explains. “I had heard good things about Holy Family, which is very well known for the education program. Joan’s mother Barbara, also a teacher, enrolled in Holy Family a few years later. She recalls a special bond the two shared, adding, “She actually walked for graduation in the same cap and gown that I wore.” Attending Barbara’s graduation was five-year-old Kristina, long before she herself would walk the halls of Holy Family University. Joan is now retired after a 32-year career teaching aviation and business at Mercy County Community College. Kristina works as a nurse at Jefferson Torresdale Hospital. Barbara passed away several years ago at 88 years old after many years as an elementary school teacher. The three women celebrated their Holy Family bond when both Barbara and Joan attended Kristina’s graduation at the Kimmel Center in 2015. “The three generations of us were there together,” Joan says. “That was exciting.”

Save

the

Date

32 ndAnnual G O L F C L A S S IC

Providing financial support to Holy Family University students

Monday, September 13, 2021 Philmont Country Club Huntingdon Valley, PA

One of Philadelphia’s premier golf courses. To register, be a sponsor, or for more information, please visit holyfamily.edu/golf or contact Christina Bender at 267-341-3017 or cbender@holyfamily.edu. holyfamily.edu/magazine

In Service

Coat and Book Drive

In Service

Holy Family University and the Frankford-Northeast Philadelphia Rotary Club teamed up for a Coat and Book Drive that was held on the campus of Holy Family on Monday, November 23. Volunteers collected 634 coats and 3,817 books that benefited many families in the local community. The books were donated to Feast of Justice, Thomas Holme Elementary School, and Project HOME. The coats were also donated to Feast of Justice, an organization that serves families in Northeast Philadelphia.

3,817 books donated

WINTER 2021

In Service

634 coats donated

holyfamily.edu/magazine

Test Your Knowledge! Test your knowledge the Holy Family University way! Readers who answer all questions correctly will be entered into a random drawing to receive Holy Family University swag*. 1. In what year did the Holy Family University Glee Club hold its first performance? 2. How many men’s and women’s sports teams does Holy Family University Athletics Division II program have? 3. In what year did the University enroll its first full-time male students? 4. In how many provinces do the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth reside? 5. What circular pathway outside of the Education and Technology Center contains the phrase, “An invitation to walk the sacred space”? Please email your answers to magazine@holyfamily.edu. Please include your name, address, email and phone number along with your responses. Good luck!

*Mask in style and show your Holy Family University pride! The first 25 randomly selected entrants will receive this item.

WINTER 2021

Though our campus has been still, Christmas came to Holy Family University. We hung the lights and decorations. We sang carols in our minds through the empty halls and holyfamily.edu/magazine classrooms. And we thought of the future, when we will all be together once again.

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. Postage

PAID

Philadelphia, PA Permit No. 2378

9801 Frankford Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19114

2021 Upcoming Events Feb

Jun Great Day to be a Tiger & Day of Giving holyfamily.edu/greatday

Mar

Alumni Virtual Networking Event

Easter Break Begins (through April 5)

holyfamily.edu/alumni-calendar

May

18 22

Commencement

holyfamily.edu/commencement

Reunion 20/21 & Alumni Achievement Awards Presentation holyfamily.edu/reunion

Tigers on the Loose

holyfamily.edu/tigersloose

Alumni & Parents Bingo

Aug

Fall Semester Begins

Sep

Golf Classic

holyfamily.edu/golf

Oct

Homecoming

holyfamily.edu/homecoming

WINTER 2021

Holy Family University Magazine - Winter 2021

Articles inside

In Service

Class Notes

Athletics

Advancing Holy Family University

Alumni Profile: Bernadette Laukaitis ’00

The Value of a President

The Arts

Heroes of COVID-19

Alumni Profile: Rita (Seeger) Jablonski ’86

Insight

News