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Taking a Walk Down Memory Lane to Remember Bill Kellagher and His Namesake
William “Bill” Kellagher ’90 was a Holy Family student unlike many others. Before officially enrolling in the University, Kellagher became a popular figure on campus, attending all of the Philosophy and English classes, studying in the library or outside during nice weather, and treating students to lunch or coffee. His rich connection to the campus community encouraged him to register for classes in his golden years, after retiring from a career in manufacturing and serving in the US Marines during World War II.
Both he and his wife, Helen Kellagher, attended Holy Family University together from
Steve “Schmitty” Schmidt ’90 1970 to 1974. After Helen passed, Kellagher became a perpetual student. In 1987, he began working on his second degree as a Humanities major—50 years after graduating from La Salle University in 1937 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Philosophy. Unfortunately, he passed away the summer before graduation, and he was posthumously awarded his Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities in 1990.
Given that he was a friend to everyone who knew him, the Class of 1990 raised money to provide benches, signs, and a memorial plaque. They dedicated the Kellagher Walk, marked today by a stone plaque with his image and a flowerbed on the walkway on Stevenson Lane between Shepherd’s Fold and the entrance to the Nurse Education Building. The Kellagher Walk celebrated its 30-year anniversary on April 30, 2020 and the Class of 1990 will celebrate its 30-year reunion on October 2, 2020 during Alumni Weekend.
“The Class of 1990 went all out to remember Bill Kellagher, because he was truly someone we could never forget,” said Class President Steve Schmidt ’90 (fondly known Two Holy Family School of Education alumni, Terese Gallen M’11 and Christine Jordan M’09, have been named recipients of the 2020 Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award. The awards are presented annually by the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation to honor 60 outstanding teachers from Philadelphia public schools who demonstrate excellence in promoting learning at the highest levels
Pamela Flynn, MFA, Professor of Art and Coordinator of Fine Arts, was bestowed the Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award, presented once every three years by the University to one faculty member for demonstrated excellence in teaching students.
William “Bill” Kellagher ’90
as Schmitty), who spearheaded the Kellagher Walk initiative.
Kellagher was such a revered member of the community, the 1990 yearbook was dedicated to him and it also named him an Outstanding Senior for Extraordinary Perseverance. The first Bill Kellagher Scholarship was created and awarded in 1991.
“We’re so proud that Dad’s memory lives on as part of the campus community,” said Fran (Kellagher) Horn ’65. “Nothing would have made him prouder than to help bright minds thrive and shine at Holy Family University.”
Fran’s siblings, Mary Ellen Haisfield-Wolfe, Kathy Kellagher and William (Bill) Kellagher, are proud to pay tribute to their father’s
Alumni Educators and HFU Faculty Earn Lindback Awards
memory and his eternal pursuit of education.
From left to right: Christine Jordan M’09, Terese Gallen M’11, and Pamela Flynn, MFA
Holy Family students outside of the Bucks County Men’s Community Corrections Center
Learning Together from the “Inside Out” Creates Powerful Perspectives
Eight “Outside” students from Holy Family University and nine “Inside” students from the Bucks County Men’s Community Corrections Center had the opportunity to learn together–and from each other–in a course titled, “American Criminal Justice through the Lens of Alcohol and Drugs.”
The course was developed by Patricia Griffin, PhD, Assistant Professor and Director of the Graduate Criminal Justice Program at Holy Family. In a May 27 letter to Dr. Griffin, Bucks County Commissioner and Chair Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, CSW, wrote:
“I was brought to tears by the effect the class had on the inside and outside students; but, even more, on the impact it had on the corrections officers and administration. It is my hope that you, and Holy Family University, can understand how impactful this series of classes was in changing the opinions and dogma entrenched in the Bucks County Correctional System.”
HFU Joins With St. James School to Support PostSecondary Student Success
Holy Family University and St. James School have launched a first-of-its-kind program in Philadelphia to ensure post-secondary education success for low-income African American students, who are often first-generation college students and under-represented on college campuses.
The two schools will develop programs that enable St. James students to learn about postsecondary educational opportunities at Holy Family and gain access to those opportunities, including overcoming financial obstacles to attend the University.
“This is the first time we’ve teamed with a middle school to pave an earlier path to college graduation,” said Michael W. Markowitz, PhD, Vice President of Academic Affairs for Holy Family University. “We look forward to having our students get involved with mentoring and tutoring, and we’ll embrace St. James students from the time they arrive here on campus until they walk across the stage at commencement.”
St. James School is a tuition-free, middle school located in North Philadelphia. The school is committed to educating traditionally under-resourced students in a nurturing environment and makes a lifelong commitment to every student served. Through its Graduate Support Program, students are continually mentored and prepared for future success in high school, college, careers, and beyond. “Our shared values of providing holistic support for student success make this an ideal partnership,” said University President Sister Maureen McGarrity, CSFN, ’70, PhD.
Holy Family University’s Alexa Bonacquisti, PhD, Assistant Professor, Graduate Counseling Psychology Department, was recently published in the Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology. Her paper describes a study of the psychological experiences of mothers with infants in the NICU. It was co-authored by Dr. Pamela A. Geller from Drexel University and Dr. Chavis A. Patterson from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Alden Trust Grant To Aid Maternity Care Education
A recent $80,000 grant from the George I. Alden Trust will enable the School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions to purchase manikins for simulated maternity training and education. The mother and baby manikins will allow nursing students to practice maternity care, including how to deliver a baby, while meeting their clinical hour requirements.
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Twelve Holy Family University professors are recipients of the 2020 Ray and Mildred Taylor Awards to fund seven important research and publication initiatives, according to Michael Markowitz, PhD, Vice President of Academic Affairs. The awards were presented before Holy Family faculty and staff at the January Opening Meeting to kick-off Spring Semester. This year’s honorees will pursue research initiatives in the areas of cancer, women’s mental health related to pregnancy loss, emotional changes over a lifespan, and radiologic examination advances, among others.
The award program was established through an endowment created by Carol Taylor ’75, RN, PhD, a former School of Nursing faculty member. She created the award to honor her parents, Ray and Mildred Taylor. Taylor was honored by the School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions in October 2012 with its highest award,
Taylor Award Recipients Document the Moment – Standing (left to right): Samantha Cepparulo ’12, ’13, Dr. Jennifer DiCicco, Dr. Shana Narita, Dr. Jenai Grigg, Dr. Stacey McDonald, and Dr. Kimberly Dasch-Yee; Seated (left to right): Dr. Christopher Carbone, Dr. Daniel Bassi, Mark Ness, and Dr. Madigan Fichter
the Distinguished Nursing Alumni Award.
The 2020 Taylor Awards include The Seed and the Soil: Contribution of the Microenvironment to Cancer Progression, Dr. Daniel Bassi; Cross Disciplinary Proposal to Secure Funding for a Tissue CultureIncubator, Dr. Chris Carbone and Professor Mark Ness; Breaking the Silence: Understanding Women’s Perspectives on Involuntary Pregnancy Loss, Drs. Kimberly Dasch-Yee, Jenai Grigg, and Stacy McDonald; Evaluating Adaptive Emotion Regulation Across the Lifespan Using Neurophysiological Markers, Dr. Jennifer DeCicco; Photo permissions to complete the book manuscript for Strange Forest, Counterculture and Youth Opposition in the Socialist Balkans, Dr. Madigan Fichter; and Radiologic Research,
Mark Ness, Samantha Cepparulo
’12 ’13, and Dr. Shana Narita.
Office of Student Success Opens for Business
The Office of Student Success (OSS) opened in January. Four new Student Success Counselors came on board to help Holy Family students develop proactive strategies to reach for their goals and make continuous progress towards graduation. The OSS was made possible by a $2 million Title III Strengthening Institutions Grant that Holy Family received from the US Department of Education in October 2019.
“We’re here to help students thrive,” said Amanda Mouser, Director of the Office of Student Success. “Holy Family students are so committed. They are gritty and resilient, and they juggle so many different responsibilities in addition to being college students. We have a variety of programs and individualized capabilities to help students overcome any challenges they may face in keeping all their balls in the air.”
The OSS is a centralized resource available to all students. The Title III Grant has enabled more one-on-one meetings where students can identify their strengths and their challenges in order to develop a strategic success plan with a Student Success Counselor. In addition to one-on-one meetings, the OSS also conducts group sessions to help tackle common barriers to success. The new counselors are doctoral-level students pursuing degrees in Psychology, and include T’Ana Carpenter, MA; Anthony Lewis MS ’11; Laura Prader MS’ 19; and Morgan Fisher, MS.
2020 Hindsight Casts a Fresh Eye on the Future
This year has been one for self-reflection, extensive evaluation, and thoughtful recommendations, as the University simultaneously embarked on a strategic planning initiative and the Middle States reaccreditation process. Both initiatives established task forces, working with University President Sister Maureen McGarrity, CSFN, ’70, PhD, and the executive leadership team to invite cooperative input and collaboration from key stakeholders.
For strategic planning, James C. Garvey, EdD, Vice President of University Advancement, and Michael W. Markowitz, PhD, Vice President of Academic Affairs, are leading a task force comprising members of the Board of Trustees, alumni, faculty, and staff advisors to better align the University’s capabilities to meet evolving educational requirements.
“We’ve had the benefit of learning fast on our feet from the challenges and lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Markowitz. “We determined very quickly that we needed to enable even more and better online learning capabilities to enhance our blended, in-person, and online approach. A decision was made to purchase new technology to enhance synchronous online learning, which we see as essential to delivering state-of-the-art learning for college students in any environment.”
Every eight years, the University conducts a rigorous process for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study and reaccreditation.
“It’s an 18-month process, and 2020 will be a year of setting our sights on what’s next for the University to excel and achieve its mission,” said Bernice Purcell ’85, DBA, Associate Dean, Business Administration, Professor of Information Systems, and CoChair of the Middle States Steering Committee for Holy Family. It’s a time for reflection across the entire organization to gain understanding about what’s working well and what can be improved, while also reaffirming the standards for accreditation.”
The Strategic Planning Committee (from left to right): Dr. James Garvey, Mark Green, Eric Nelson, Kim Caulfield, Gene Kovalchick, Dr. Stacy McDonald, Dr. Barry Dickinson, Bernadette Laukaitus ’00, Jennifer Luling, Isabella Brandimarto ’21, Dr. Abigail Wernicki, Sister Maureen McGarrity, and Dr. Michael Markowitz Lisa Ratmansky Leads New Center for Teaching and Learning Holy Family University appointed Lisa A. Ratmansky as Executive Director of the new Center for Teaching and Learning, made possible by the $2 million Title III Strengthening Institutions Grant, received this past fall from the US Department of Education.
“It’s On Us PA” Grant to Deter Discrimination and Harassment
For the third consecutive year, Holy Family University has been awarded the “It’s On Us PA” grant, aimed at funding education, training, and the prevention of sexual assault and sex- and gender-based discrimination, harassment, and misconduct on college campuses. The University is among 36 postsecondary institutions to receive this grant.
Clearing the Air on Smoking
Holy Family received a $4,000 grant from the Clean Air Council and the Philadelphia Department of Health to evaluate our current smoking policy and create a smoking education program.
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The Holy Family Board of Trustees has named William (Bill) Strecker Chair and Bruce Miller Vice Chair, with terms beginning July 1. JoinBill Strecker ing the Board is James (Jim) Dever Bennett, Esq. ’82.
Strecker, of Jamison, PA, has been Vice Chair and has served on the Board since 2013. He is the former CEO of Kingsbury, Inc., the leading manufacturer of highly engineered bearing products primarily serving the global oil, gas and power generation industries. His leadership skills and extensive knowledge of financial and operational issues have made him an asset to the Board of Trustees. He has also served as Chair of the Holy Family Development Committee and the Scholarship Ball.
“I am pleased to turn over the reins of the chair’s role to my friend and colleague, Bill Strecker, who will work side by side with Bruce Miller. We’ve all devoted our time to the ongoing health of this fine University, and I know our mission will continue in the capable hands taking over,” said Anthony J. Szuszczewicz, outgoing Chair of the Holy Family University Board.
Miller, of Wilmington, DE, joined the Board in 2016. As owner of a chain of Open MRI centers, he brings his business acumen and knowledge of board service to the University. He also is Chair of the Board at Prudential Bank and a Board member of the Nazareth Health Care Foundation. Bruce Miller
Bennett, a resident of Berwyn, PA, serves as Senior Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel of Ellucian, the leading provider of software and services built to power higher education. After graduating from Holy Family cum laude with a BA in English, he went on to earn a JD from Villanova Law School in 1985. Jim Bennett ’82 Bennett has also served as Chair of Holy Family’s President’s Advisory Council and Co-Chair of this year’s Tigers on the Loose scholarship celebration.
“It’s been an honor to be asked to join the Board of Holy Family,” said Bennett. “I came to Holy Family on a full scholarship, and the connections I made here and the learning I gleaned during my tenure changed my life. Now it’s my time to pay it forward, and ensure that future generations will have the opportunity to be influenced like I was from studying here.”
“With the academic and professional pedigree from decades of work as an attorney focused on the software industry, we know Jim’s insights will be invaluable on the Board of Trustees,” said Szuszczewicz. “We have a best-in-class Board of highly invested individuals working to make our University better every day,” said Sister Maureen McGarrity, CSFN, ’70, PhD, University President. “Thanks to Tony’s stewardship, we are well-prepared and positioned to meet the challenges that lie ahead. I look forward to working with our new leaders at the helm and having Jim’s fresh perspective on higher education and the opportunities which abound.”
Inspiring the Next Generation of Women Leaders
Holy Family hosted its annual Women in Leadership Conference on March 6, bringing together female students from area Catholic high schools to hear inspiring professional life stories.
Kathryn Ott Lovell H’17, Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, City of Philadelphia, was the keynote speaker. Michele Farrell M’10, Warden, Philadelphia Prison System, led a panel discussion with representatives from the Philadelphia Prison System, including Deanna Pierce, Social Work Supervisor; Latasha McMillan, Regional Vice President of Operations; and Michelle Pote, Program Manager. Other distinguished speakers included Jayda Pugliese ’09, M’14, Principal, St. Mary Interparochial School; Jacqueline Giuffrida, Manager, Hospital Services, Gift of Life Donor Program; Elizabeth A. Ward, Associate Director, Annual and Special Gifts, University of Pennsylvania; and Martina White, Pennsylvania State Representative.
