Fall 2017
Through Angel’s Eyes Kelly Gallagher’s The Superhero Project Inc. has made the NICU easier for new parents.
World Cultures H ol y Fam ily Unive rs ity Mag a z i ne
As lead announcer for Ring of Honor wrestling, Ian Riccaboni shares his triumphs and insights in the wrestling business with the students in his Sports Media classes.
Avid travelers, Matt Leszczynski ’10 and Michele Kennedy ’10 wed in 2015 and embarked two years later on a trip around the world.
Table of Contents
4 In the News
Short stories featuring people, events, and happenings from all facets of Holy Family University.
10 HFU Roundtable
12 In the Spotlight: World Cultures: Shock & Awe
14 In the Spotlight: Catherine Carr
16 Learning the ROHpes
22 Through Angel’s Eyes
26 10 Things to Know About…Being a Nursing Student
28 What’s on Your Desk?
Faculty and staff share their thoughts on a timely topic. This issue: What profession other than your own would you like to attempt and why? Matt Leszczynski ’10 and Michele Kennedy ’10 met as freshmen nursing students and eventually wed in 2015. Avid travelers, the duo paid off their debts, left their jobs, and decided to see the world. After a successful athletic career at Holy Family University, Carr signed to play for the Sevenoaks Suns, winning the WBBL Championship and named tournament MVP. As the lead announcer for Ring of Honor wrestling, Ian Riccaboni shares his forays and insights in sports media to his classes at Holy Family University. Kelly Gallagher’s The Superhero Project, Inc. has donated NICU webcams to hospitals across Philadelphia and its suburbs to help ease parent’s minds. An informative list to help students prepare for important college milestones at any school.
A closer look at all trinkets, do-dads, and thingamajigs that adorn the desks of Holy Family University faculty and staff.
Back Then & Now Cover Bringing Holy Family’s past into the present with a side-by-side photo comparison.
Photo credit here
HFU Meets Hobbiton While on a study abroad trip to Australia and New Zealand in May, students stopped at Hobbiton, the movie set used in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies. The group was able to
Photo credit here
tour The Shire in all its theatrical lore. Photograph by Louis Garcia
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Show your pride in Holy Family University with a gift to the Blue & White Fund! Donors to the Blue & White Fund, Holy Family University’s Annual Fund, help to foster the growth of well-rounded world citizens and make it possible for our students to realize their dream of being a teacher, scientist, entrepreneur, nurse, artist, or attorney. The Blue & White Fund is the primary source of individual support for Holy Family University with unrestricted gifts providing immediate impact on student success. Alumni, parents, friends, faculty, staff, and students demonstrate their belief in The Value of Family every year through their participation in the Blue & White Fund.
For more information or to make your gift to the Blue & White Fund, please visit holyfamily.edu/giving or contact Staci Altomari ’09, MBA ’16, at 267-341-5007 or saltomari@holyfamily.edu. Did you know the impact of your generosity may be doubled or possibly tripled by your employer? Some companies even match gifts made by retirees and/or spouses. Please visit holyfamily.edu/match or check with your HR department to find out if your gift to Holy Family can be matched!
Save The Date! Family 2018 Holy University
Scholarship Ball Saturday,
April 21, 2018 Sheraton Philadelphia Society Hill Hotel One Dock Street (2nd and Walnut Streets) Philadelphia, PA 19106
For more information, please contact Sister Maria Annette Mallen, CSFN, ’88 at 267-341-5014 or mmallen@holyfamily.edu.
President's Message Dear Holy Family University Community:
Illustration: Cayla Belser
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restling? Yes, wrestling. Higher education is known for its diversity of experience, and our students benefit greatly from our faculty and staff’s “other” lives. We have professional musicians and chefs; we have working counselors and consultants. This vast network of complementary work offers students practical professional vantages that add to their academic life. Ian Riccaboni’s career as a wrestling announcer only augments his work as a Sports Marketing-Management instructor. In fact, I’d posit that it is just this kind of breadth of experience that encourages our students and alumni to think out of the box. In the Fall 2016 issue of Values, you learned about a Counseling Psychology alumna who is tapping into her cooking and entrepreneurial skills to promote her pasta sauce business. In this issue, you’ll read about Kelly Gallagher, a Master’s of Education alumna, who is changing lives by fundraising to promote The Superhero Project, Inc.—an initiative to help families with children staying in hospital nicus. A strong liberal arts tradition and dedicated, talented faculty provide the foundation for broad success, both inside and outside—and sometimes in between—of academic fields.
Sister Maureen McGarrity, csfn, phd President
Editor David Pavlak
/HolyFamilyUniversity
@HolyFamilyU
Holy Family University
HolyFamilyU
Art Director Jay Soda Contributing Writers Heather G. Dotchel David Pavlak Greg Pellegrino SNAHP Students Contributing Feature Photographers BP Miller/Chorus Photography Graham Hodges Holy Redeemer Health System Matt Leszczynski '10 Sabina Louise Pierce All photos credited on page.
Illustrator Cayla Belser HFU_Official
President Sister Maureen McGarrity, CSFN, PhD Vice President of University Advancement James Garvey, EdD Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Heather G. Dotchel Values is published semiannually. Please address correspondence to: Editor, Values Magazine Marketing & Communications Department 9801 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19114 magazine@holyfamily.edu Letters to the Editor become property of the magazine. The opinions and views expressed in Values do not necessarily reflect the official policies of Holy Family University. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of published information. Holy Family University does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, gender, age (as defined in the relevant statutes), veteran status, religion, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other classification protected under federal, state, or local law. This policy extends to all educational, employment, and service programs at the University and complies with applicable federal laws. Holy Family University is committed to providing all qualified applicants and employees equal employment opportunities, not only because it is the law, but also because of our belief that adherence is morally correct. Holy Family University complies with Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in an institution's education programs and activities. For information regarding the University’s ADA/Section 504 for students and for Title IX information, contact Marianne Price at 267-341-3204, Campus Center Room 202. For inquiries regarding equal employment opportunity/non-discrimination, contact Human Resources at 267-341-3479.
Want to hold the magazine in your hands? Opt in for a printed version by visiting: /holyfamilyuniversity
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In the News Friends and Family Celebrate 60th Graduating Class at the Kimmel Center has always vowed to put people before politics. Kathryn Ott Lovell serves as the Commissioner of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, where she leads more than 700 employees and oversees the city’s parkland, playgrounds, recreation centers, trails, and thousands of programs and events. She is credited with the recent “Civic Commons” initiative, a program underway to re-imagine the city’s vast and beloved parks as destinations where residents can gather and connect with their community in a meaningful way. A pair of students were also bestowed honors. Sienna Rae Smith [3] was presented the Mother M. Neomisia Award, established by the Board of Trustees of Holy Family University to honor the foundress and first President of the University. This distinction is given annually to the senior whose qualities of service and loyalty to the University merit particular distinction. Additionally, Caroline Faia [4] was presented the Alumni Senior Award, which honors a graduating student who best represents the student body through campus involvement, community service, life experience, and academic achievements. The Alumni Senior Award is presented at Commencement by the President of the Alumni Association Board of Directors.
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Photos: Julia Lehman-McTigue/Susan Beard Design
Holy Family University’s Class of 2017 walked the stage of the Kimmel Center on Tuesday, May 9, celebrating the University’s 60th commencement ceremony. A total of 612 graduates filled the seats in the packed performance venue, as friends and families celebrated the momentous occasion. Holy Family University presented two honorary degrees—one each during the undergraduate and graduate ceremony. The Honorable Michael G. Fitzpatrick [1] , former Congressman of Pennsylvania’s 8th District was honored during the graduate ceremony, while Kathryn Ott Lovell [2] , Commissioner of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, was presented her honorary degree during the undergraduate ceremony. The Honorable Michael G. Fitzpatrick was elected to Congress from the eighth district of Pennsylvania and served from 2005-2007 and 20112017. During his time in Washington, DC, he was known as one of the most bipartisan members of Congress. As a lifelong, loyal public servant, he
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School of Business Administration Launches Online Doctor of Business Administration Degree The School of Business Administration announced its latest program offering— an 18-course, fully online Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree. Set to launch in Fall 2018, the program will feature eight-week terms with a three-year anticipated completion period. The DBA will initially offer both a general and accounting concentration and will require an MBA or other business related graduate degree but will not require a residency. The DBA is a terminal degree for business majors and is an alternative to a PhD. The DBA focuses on applied learning and is designed for individuals with an MBA who want to differentiate themselves in the workplace, who want to teach in higher education without the heavy research requirements of the PhD, or for business executives who have a desire for more education. “We chose this program for several reasons,” said Dr. Barry Dickinson, Dean of the School of Business
Administration. “One of the University’s strategic goals is to add academic programs to its portfolio and encourage a culture of scholarship. This degree brings students to the School of Business Administration who will be conducting primary research. Faculty members will be working with them, either in the class or on dissertation committees, and will actively be involved with research. I also feel it is important to have online degree granting programs so we can reach markets that are unreachable by traditional classroom modalities, thereby diversifying the student population.” The DBA integrates the theory and practice of business within the context of current issues in the business world, including increasingly global, complicated, and turbulent challenges and opportunities. The DBA provides business leaders with not only the modern strategies to compete in business, but
a deep and comprehensive understanding of why these strategies will be successful. “The first year is dedicated to establishing a strong footing in research methodology and statistics,” Dickinson said. “This prepares the student well for their dissertation, for which they will be collecting data. The second year of the program is focused on the business coursework. The cutting-edge courses cover a variety of topics including supply chain management, technology, marketing, and organizational theory. The second year concludes with a comprehensive examination that evaluates the student’s understanding of key business concepts.” The final year of the program is devoted to developing and writing a dissertation, in close partnership with a dissertation chair.
Photos: Bob Scott (top), Villanova University (Liss), Anastasia Altomari (Rempfer)
New Faces for New Outreach Led by James Garvey, EdD, who was brought on board as Vice President of University Advancement in February 2017, the Division formerly known as Development now encompasses alumni, development, and marketing and communications and is looking to serve and build relationships with our alumni and community. To this end, the division has added new faces to serve the University with their talent and enthusiasm. In June 2017, Joshua Liss joined the division as Assistant Vice President for Development. Reporting directly to Dr. Garvey, Liss’s focus is strategic oversight for the annual giving program, corporate and foundation relations, as well as development operations. He brings more than 20 years of fundraising leadership experience to Holy Family University having served at Villanova University, Philadelphia University, University of Pennsylvania and Ursinus College.
“It is an exciting time for Holy Family, and I am pleased to join the University as it strives to increase private support from alumni, parents, and friends,” stated Liss. “Holy Family is on an impressive trajectory, and philanthropy will help fuel the University’s continued success.” Julie Ivers Rempfer ’10 joined the team in June 2017 as Assistant Director of Alumni and Parent Relations after Kathy Warchol announced her retirement after 24 years. Ivers Rempfer is not only an alumna of Holy Family University, but she also served as President of the Alumni Board, where she gained hands on experience coordinating events, driving alumni participation, and connecting alumni to their alma mater. During her tenure, she introduced two new fundraising events that garnered four new scholarships for current students. Additionally, she worked for Wolters Kluwer as a publisher and advertising coordinator for nearly six years.
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In the News Holy Family University Honored as Best College in 2017-18 Holy Family University was named the 196th Best College by Money ® in 2017-18. Money ranked the top 711 colleges and universities across the United States based on educational quality, affordability, and alumni success. Holy Family University was also named the 27th best Pennsylvania college for Earning Potential by the United States Department of Education’s College Scorecard. “Holy Family University continuously strives to provide students with the highest quality education across our three locations,” said President Sister Maureen McGarrity, CSFN, PhD. “We’re thankful to be recognized by Money ® magazine for the fruits of our labor as we enter a new academic year, filled with fresh opportunities for our students, faculty, and staff.”
For the Department of Education’s College Scorecard, Holy Family University reported an average starting salary of $48,500 after graduation. The results are calculated by the median earnings of former students who received federal financial aid 10 years after entering the school. Ninety-two total institutions in Pennsylvania were ranked on the scorecard. “In my view, Holy Family University's ongoing success stems from its unwavering commitment to the comprehensive education of its students,” said Michael Markowitz, Vice President of Academic Affairs. “Our academic programs are dynamic, led by faculty who are constantly seeking new and more effective ways of actively engaging students in the learning experience. The result is an education that is both academically challenging and professionally relevant.”
The 2007-08 Holy Family University women's basketball team has been elected to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Hall of Fame as announced by Commissioner Dan Mara on August 31. Holy Family's 200708 women's basketball team becomes the second team inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining the 2007 Felician College men's cross country team that was inducted last year. "I am delighted the CACC has selected the 2007-08 women's basketball team into the Hall of Fame," said Sandra Michael, Assistant Vice President of Athletics. "That particular team was a very special group of women who had the desire and ability to consistently find success. They not only accomplished a lot but they set a new standard of greatness for the program. It was my pleasure and privilege to witness their success first hand and to make that historic run to the NCAA Regional Final." In just the program's fifth year competing at the NCAA Division II level, the Tigers already had four straight trips to the NCAA Tournament on their résumé. Led by head coach Mike McLaughlin, the team scorched
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the competition on their way to an undefeated season in the CACC and throughout regular season play. Holy Family outscored its opponents by an average of 18.9 points and held teams to a .329 shooting percentage. The Tigers finished the regular season 28-0 overall and 18-0 in conference play as the only team in the Northeast Region (now known as the East Region) to finish undefeated prior to the start of the postseason. The Tigers went on to win their sixth CACC Tournament title, and as a result, became the first team in the CACC to earn the number one seed and host the NCAA Northeast Regional. As a team, Holy Family recorded
a region-best 32-game winning streak that year and finished the season ranked fourth nationally. The 18-0 mark in conference play was also part of the NCAA Division II record for most consecutive regular season conference victories of 110 (2005-2011). The Tigers swept the CACC major awards in 2007-08 as senior Kelly Killion was named the CACC Player of the Year and freshman Catherine Carr was selected the CACC Rookie of the Year. Killion (1st team) and Carr (2nd team) also picked up All-CACC honors as well as sophomore Christine McCollum (3rd team). Furthermore, McLaughlin was voted the CACC Coach of the Year by his peers.
Photo: Holy Family University Athletics
2007-08 Women’s Basketball Team Elected to CACC Hall of Fame
Student-Athletes Recognized with 2017 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar Awards
Cristian Cepeda Graduate, Criminal Justice Men’s Soccer, Male Semifinalist for the Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar Award
2016-17 Team Awards Samantha Klem Sophomore, Digital Forensics Softball, Fourth Team, 3.36 GPA Mariano Cepeda Junior, Finance Men’s Soccer, First Team, 3.87 GPA Taurai Augustin Junior, Biology/Pre-Med Men’s Track & Field, First Team, 3.97 GPA Victoria Hernandez, Junior Criminal Justice Softball, First Team, 3.96 GPA Corey Williams, Senior, Accounting Men’s Track & Field, First Team, 3.68 GPA Brianna Scotto Senior, Accounting Softball, First Team, 3.85 GPA Christina Little Senior, Art Therapy Women’s Tennis, Third Team, 3.28 GPA Kianna Tidball-Beckford Senior, Criminal Justice Women’s Track & Field, Fifth Team, 3.43 GPA Emerald Adams Senior, Management Marketing Women’s Tennis, Second Team, 3.57 GPA
Photos: Stephen Pellegrino Photography
Ten Holy Family University student-athletes have been recognized with the 2017 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar Award in the April issue of Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. Graduate student Cristian Cepeda was named a male semifinalist for the award. Cepeda is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Holy Family University and was a member of the men’s soccer team. Additionally, nine other HFU student-athletes were recognized for their commitment to their craft and the classroom with team awards. “The Athletics Department is extremely proud of all of our studentathletes who were recognized as 2017 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholars,” said Robin Arnold, Associate Director of Athletics. “They each represent the highest ideals of excellence in the classroom, in athletics, and in service to the community.” According to their website, “Diverse: Issues in Higher Education sponsors the Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar Awards to honor undergraduate students who have excelled in the classroom as well as on the athletic field. Inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe, Jr.’s commitment to education as well as his love for the game of tennis, U.S. colleges and universities are invited to participate in this annual awards program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability and academic performance, Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholars demonstrate a commitment to community service and student leadership.” To qualify for the designation, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher through the spring 2016 term, must have completed one full academic year at the institution, must be currently enrolled in the nominating institution, must have been an active member of an intercollegiate athletic team during the 2015-16 academic year, must have demonstrated a record of service to the campus or community, and must be a minority student-athlete.
2016-17 Individual Awards
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In the News
Dr. Elizabeth Rielly-Carroll, Assistant Professor of Biology in the School of Arts and Sciences, received a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to help purchase the necessary equipment to study the local ecology surrounding Holy Family University with her students. The grant is worth $2,870 and will be used for environmental sampling equipment like nets, seines, water testing probes, a set of waders for students, field guides, and soil testing kits. “The goal of the grant is to have students learn environmental science by doing rather than by lecture,” Rielly-Carroll said. “We partner with Friends of the Poquessing, a citizens’ science group that monitors the Poquessing Creek, which runs right behind Holy Family University. This equipment will also facilitate future student research.” Dr. Madigan Fichter was the recipient of a $4,000 grant from the Holocaust Educational Foundation of Northwestern University. The grant will be used to take her special topics history class and the honors program to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC. “I felt it was important to visit the Museum with the class because I want us to have a more visceral understanding of what the Holocaust was than what you can get from the pages of a book,” Fichter said. “I worry that when you're talking about something like genocide, the sheer scale of victims almost makes it difficult to think of in human terms— it easily becomes a kind of abstract number. While our
class will be full of discussions about battles, politics, and diplomacy, I think it's important that the Holocaust Memorial Museum will give us the space to remember and not just to learn on an academic level.” Sister Marcella Louise Wallowicz, CSFN, PhD, Assistant Dean in the School of Arts and Sciences and Associate Professor of Mathematics, was the recipient of a competitive grant for summer research facilitated through the generosity of the Clare Boothe Luce (CBL) Program of The Henry Luce Foundation, which supports women majoring in the physical sciences, mathematics, computer science, and engineering fields. Mathematics major Melissa Cahill ’20 partnered with Sister Marcella Louise on a research project focusing on the application of sabermetrics to study employee productivity, employee termination, rehire, salary, and promotion decisions based on performance measures. Sabermetrics is the application of mathematical and statistical analysis to baseball records and was popularized in the movie Moneyball. “There is a pressing need to increase the number of women and other underrepresented groups in STEM fields,” Wallowicz said. “Working with a faculty member on a project enables the student researcher to develop critical thinking skills, gain first-hand experience of what is involved in research, and make connections between classroom learning and real-world applications. This grant provided Melissa the opportunity to engage in meaningful summer research without worrying about finding and working a summer job to help pay for tuition.”
Holy Family University Launches Newest Tradition: Homecoming Holy Family University has launched its newest fall tradition: Homecoming. Held on Saturday, Sept. 30, Homecoming features a food truck festival, student-run carnival games, an alumni beer garden, and a double-header soccer slate against cacc rival, Concordia College. Organized by the Alumni and Development Departments, Homecoming is a way for alumni to return to their alma matter, learn about what's new on campus, and reconnect with the institu-
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tion that they once called home. “We decided to bring Homecoming back in 2017 as a way to build on the unparalleled success of the 2015 and 2016 Food Truck Festivals,” said Julie Rempfer, Assistant Director of Alumni and Parent Relations. "Both events brought a record number of alumni back to campus and, by expanding the Festival to Homecoming, there would be even more for our alumni and campus community to look forward to this year.”
Photos: Julie Lehman-McTigue (Rielly-Carroll), Remarkable Photos (Fichter) Clix Portrait Studios (Wallowicz), Anastasia Altomari (bottom)
Three School of Arts and Sciences Faculty Receive Grants
Second Annual
Nativity & Christmas Tree Lighting
Monday, November 27, 2017 7-8 pm Holy Family Hall
HFU Roundtable Each issue, the HFU Roundtable will pose a question for faculty and staff to reflect upon. Our favorites are printed below. Want to contribute to the Roundtable? Send in your response to the question below to magazine@holyfamily.edu. Illustrations by Cayla Belser.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt and why? Angela Cutchineal Director, Experiential Learning
I would most likely be involved in the Health and Wellness arena. In the past few years, I have become more and more interested in all-natural, organic ways to promote my own personal wellness. I enjoy researching and then removing the products from my life that contain unnecessary and often harmful chemicals and toxins. This has included making my own all-natural skin care and hygiene products, as well as researching/being mindful about the ingredients I use to prepare my meals. A profession in this field could include becoming a Licensed Nutritionist or even something a little more creative like owning a Wellness Skin Care/ Hygiene company where I teach folks how to become more self-sufficient by making their own healthier product.
Dr. Robert Ficociello Assistant Professor of Writing, School of Arts and Sciences
I would love to apply my passion for helping others by buying a building downtown and turning it into several spaces: • An organic, sustainable, farm-to-table cafe that donates extra food to food kitchens and other people hungry for healthy meals. • A used book and record store to give employment to my oldest daughter who loves to read, discuss literature, and meet new people. • A small venue that hosts local musical groups, screens independent and vintage films, and occasionally hosts comedy nights. • Art studios and a gallery to provide low-cost opportunities for talented new artists. I have the name already picked out, but it takes a little explaining. Although I was born at the end of the 60s and therefore missed most of that decade, in high school and early college I was a bit of a neo-hippie. Add to that the fact that the first letter of each of my children’s names, from youngest to oldest is: Delaine, Aidan, Molloy, Niall, and the overarching name just has to be “d.a.m.n. Hippie Enterprises.” The individual parts of the business would be d.a.m.n. Hippie Books & Records.
Entrepreneur, chemist, professor. Next: brewer. As a person who has oscillated between science and art, brewing has it all. After a decade of working as a biologist and analytical chemist, art got its teeth into me. I switched genres and went to get an mfa in fiction writing in New Orleans (birthplace of jazz!) to figure out this conundrum. Underfunded, smarter, and thirsty, I pursued a PhD in Albany, NY. My homebrewing hobby began with a fellow grad student. I found a satisfying amalgamation of science, art, and results. After graduation, I continued to brew, won a few brewing awards, and kept in touch with my brew bro. I even had an investor at one point, but I had just accepted my first tenure-track job in Nebraska (birthplace of the Reuben?). Pennsylvania is currently a hotbed of nano and micro brewing, and I have a brewery in walking distance of my house. At this point, however, it is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there. My brewing will stay in the garage, easy walking distance to my son, daughter, and wife.
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Dr. Janet McNellis Associate Dean, School of Education
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Dr. Donald Goeltz Associate Professor, School of Business Administration
If I could, I would pursue being a writer. In the days of yore—before personal computers—I got a degree in English and Math. I enjoy writing; I am an OK writer and pursuing this new profession would make me a better writer. The writing focus would be about ideas and values that are important to college students, such as responsibility, humility, respect, steadfastness, perseverance, and risk-taking. I try to bring these concepts and values to the classroom, but the messages are often lost as students grapple with the concepts of marketing, entrepreneurship, and strategy. Plus, I fear that that no one is listening.
For this target audience, social media would be the primary channel, both for marketing and for the writing. Keeping the messages short is essential—students don’t like to read. Hmmm. Perhaps I would look into illustrated animations. Wry humor seems to help. Cat videos? Nothing is off limits.
Dr. Dian He Assistant Professor of Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences
I probably would have been a computer scientist. Ever since a very young age, I have shown a great deal of interest in computer algorithms. I still vividly remember when I first learned programing in basic language, which nobody uses anymore. At that moment, I was presented with a choice: to study computer science or chemistry. Looking back, I regret that I underestimated the power of computers back in the 1980s. I thought by the time I started working as a professional, computers would be so ubiquitous that understanding computers will no longer be a profession, but a required skill set for any workers. I was right and wrong at the same time. Even though my background is synthetic organic chemistry, I took courses in programming languages in college, computational chemistry in graduate school, and started running Molecular Dynamics simulations on computer workstations as my primary research work.
Dr. Margaret Harkins Assistant Professor, BSN Fast Track Program Coordinator, School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions
I am so very lucky to have the best of both worlds with teaching nursing and providing home care to patients as a nurse practitioner. As I spend time reflecting on another career, I think I would love to become involved in a line of work that would allow me to take fun ideas that people have in their minds and develop them, making them a reality. Working as an event planner on a cruise ship would be one way of fulfilling this dream job! The pulsation felt by others on a cruise ship is like no other. Cruise guests are so excited to be away from their stress-filled lives and relax, enjoying the wonders of a vacation. I love the idea of visiting other islands and countries and getting to know the various cultures associated with these places. In the end, seeing people happy and enjoying life when life can be so difficult at times is a very satisfying and rewarding career.
In the Spotlight World Cultures: Shock & Awe
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hen Matt Leszczynski ’10 and Michele Kennedy ’10 met at Freshmen Experience, the pair formed a connection that would last throughout their tenure at Holy Family University. As Nursing majors in their junior year, Matt and Michele ended up having the same schedule—from classes to clinicals—and even worked in the same hospital. As fate would have it, they ended up dating and eventually married in 2015. Avid travelers, the duo paid off their debts, left their jobs, and decided to see the world. Michele sat down with Holy Family University to discuss their unique adventures and outlook on life. What interests the two of you in traveling, and when was the moment you both decided to quit your jobs and travel full time?
“I think we both have different reasons for why we love to travel. My husband Matt loves culture-shock. It is something that one should experience at least once. He enjoys arriving at a different country that is so unlike our own, looking around and saying, ‘Where am I?’ He is also a true
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adrenaline junkie. He is an avid rock climber and skier, so to experience these activities in another country is something he loves. Whether it is bungee jumping in New Zealand to caving in Vietnam, he always seeks out thrilling activities for us to do on the road. I love to travel to discover what each country has to offer as we explore them. Whether it is their food, a beautiful sight, or just the people themselves, I love to engage every sense in the experience. I also love the feeling of accomplishment, especially while traveling a more difficult location. For example, we spent almost a month in Laos in the beginning of the year. I was quite nervous for our time there and it can be a challenging place to backpack. However, I absolutely loved it and felt so happy that we traveled there.” “It was not a quick decision to quit our jobs and travel full-time. We debated about pursuing different paths of travel for years, whether just taking longer trips while working or looking up travel nursing. We always knew that we shared such a passion for traveling, yet we always found ourselves limited by our work schedules and vacation time. Matt made his decision long before me, but I am always the cautious one in our marriage. We had been working as
Matt and Michele have done everything from cave exploring to mountain climbing.
nurses for the past six years, paid off our student loans, and started saving to buy a house. When we realized that we just were not quite ready to purchase a home, we made the final decision in the summer of 2016.” What have been some of your favorite locations and what destinations are on the horizon?
Photos: Matt Leszczynski, FreeVectorMaps.com (map)
“A lot of people ask us what our favorite countries have been during our travels. I would have to say that I would never be able to pick just one location because I have loved certain countries for various reasons. Honestly, Turkey was one of my favorite places that we visited. Turkish people are some of the friendliest and most genuine people we have ever encountered in our travels. I loved Greece for their gorgeous beaches, food, and just simply the relaxing feeling of being in the country. Matt’s favorite places depend on the specific interest he is looking for. For history, the ancient sites of Egypt, Jordan, and Italy are best. For food, he loves Turkey and Japan. For the people, the Netherlands and Turkey. It all depends on what you want. One of his favorite places was Japan because of the towering medieval castles, beautiful gardens, the surprising variety of food (it is not just sushi and hibachi), and the unique discipline and politeness that can only be found in Japanese society.” “Some experiences that are on the radar for us are searching for Komodo Dragons in the Indonesian wild, a one-week whitewater rafting trip in Nepal, as well as two hikes around the Himalayas that will take several weeks, cage-diving with Great White Sharks in Australia, exploring the Great Barrier Reef, and camping in the Outback."
from our family and friends really was important to us, and continues to be while we are on the road. It is not just traveling that fuels our fire, but we thrive on their positivity for us on this journey.” Are there times you ever miss being home or are you and Matthew happy to be out exploring the world?
“Matthew and I are beyond thrilled to have this opportunity to explore the world. We know this is a once in a lifetime chance and we feel so lucky to be able to pursue this dream of ours. We have seen so many amazing things and have had so many incredible experiences. It has also helped our relationship in so many ways. With that being said, it does not mean we do not get home sick. There are certain moments that tend to tug at our emotions. We knew we would miss parties, birthdays, family dinners, holidays, and gatherings with friends, and we both would be lying if we said we were okay with not being present for them. However, we know that life is about balancing time. Unfortunately, we knew we could not realize our dream and simultaneously spend the same amount of time with family and friends. We enjoy and appreciate this opportunity, and in the same light, we will enjoy and appreciate making a home for ourselves and spending time back at home when we have completed our adventure.”
What was the reaction from your family and friends when you told them you would be traveling the world?
“We knew it was not going to be easy to announce to our family and friends that we were planning to travel the world for two years. We understood their initial reaction of sadness because we are so close to our families and spend so much time with them. We understood their feelings of concern and worry because they wanted to make sure we were financially sound for the trip and there are risks while traveling. In the end, through so many emotions, we were left with their loving support for our decision to travel. Having this support
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In the Spotlight
Carr celebrates the team's WBBL Championship win with her teammates.
B
asketball has always been a part of Catherine Carr’s life. Her final collegiate game in a Holy Family University uniform was March 13, 2011 in the ncaa Division ii East Region semifinal. The Tigers' season came to an end that day, but it wouldn’t be the final chapter in Carr’s remarkable basketball career. Since then, her story has taken off to new heights and punctuated with an mvp performance during a championship title run. After graduating, the All-American standout spent a couple years playing overseas in England before traveling back to England to play for the Sevenoaks Suns in a suburb of London. “It has really been a dream come true being able to play past college,” said Carr. “I knew from a young age that basketball was what I wanted to do, what I wanted to excel in,
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what I wanted to base my life around. When I was presented with the opportunity to continue to play after college, it was something that I couldn’t pass up.” During her time back home between playing for Team Northumbria and the Suns, Carr was almost ready to shift gears and head into coaching, but received a call to come back and play. She couldn’t pass on another opportunity. Carr, a 2011 Sports Marketing-Management graduate, has been playing with the Suns for the past four years and will be returning for her fifth season later this fall. The 2016-17 season was a memorable one for Carr and her Suns’ teammates. The Suns won the wbbl Championship and the wbbl Trophy. In the league, teams have the chance to win four different titles, with the Suns walking away with two championship victories. Carr was named the Most Valuable
Photos: Graham Hodges
Pedal to the Metal—Carr Named WBBL Championship MVP By Greg Pellegrino
Player of the wbbl Championship. “It was truly an overwhelming and awesome feeling being able to win the wbbl Championship,” said Carr. “We were most definitely looked at as the underdog, so for us to be able to come out on top was amazing.” The Suns defeated the Nottingham Wildcats, 70-61, to claim the wbbl Championship. Carr finished with 20 points and a wbbl record 14 rebounds to record a doubledouble. She also dished out six assists on her way to an mvp performance. “Being named the mvp was an honor as well. It’s nice to be recognized for your hard work and dedication to a team. We had such a special bond this year on our team, that made the journey throughout the year my best year yet.” After the Suns championship run, Carr announced that she would return for a fifth season in 2017-18—an easy decision based on her success and relationships she developed over the years with the organization. “The Suns are a great organization to play for in England,” said Carr. “They have allowed me to develop as a person, player, and teammate. The club has come a long way since I started playing there as they look to continue to strengthen women’s basketball and the youth in the country.” Carr will leave in the middle of September to start the 2017-18 season with the Suns and begin their quest to defend the title. While overseas, Carr has been able to explore different countries that she would not have been able to if she weren’t playing basketball. Despite being far away from her hometown, she has made the transition seamless. “London is a great city to be in, it is so diverse and fun,” said Carr. “The ability to travel over there from county to country is so easy and affordable. I haven’t had many challenges being far away from family and friends luckily. I’ve been very fortunate enough to go home for Christmas every year and have had some visitors each season to bring me that feeling of home. Also, with the way technology is now you don’t have to miss out on much.” Carr’s career has come full circle. During a stretch run from 2005-11, Holy Family women’s basketball was one of the best Division ii programs not only in the region, but the nation. The Tigers amassed an overall record of 170-21 and had only one blemish (119-1) on their conference record in that span; not to mention an ncaa Division ii-record run of 110-consecutive regular season conference wins. Carr became the program’s first-ever ncaa Division ii
Carr was named MVP for the Sevenoaks Suns during their WBBL Championship run.
All-American her senior year. In her four-year career, Carr averaged 16 points and 6 rebounds per game and is the program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,995 career points. During her four years at Holy Family (2007-11), Carr accumulated a number of honors, as she was a four-time All-Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (cacc) honoree, cacc Rookie of the Year (2007-08) and cacc Player of the Year (2008-09). She even received All-Region honors three times and capped her career with Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (wbca) All-America accolades as a senior. Holy Family appeared in the cacc Tournament all four years of Carr’s career and raised the championship banner in 2008. The Tigers advanced to the ncaa Division II tournament all four years and were East Region finalists in 2008 and 2010. “Holy Family University will forever have a special place in my heart,” said Carr. “I have some of my best memories in life from there, not to mention all the wonderful people who I have been blessed to have as teammates and friends. Holy Family has shown me how a group of people can come together for a greater purpose, something that is bigger than one individual.”
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As the lead announcer for Ring of Honor wrestling, Ian Riccaboni calls the night’s events with a decisive punch, leading the audience on a free-flowing ride through the world of professional wrestling. Away from the ring, Riccaboni shares his forays and insights in sports media to his classes at Holy Family University—his latest venture in an already action-packed schedule. Through a series of fortunate life events, Riccaboni imparts the knowledge he’s accumulated to students looking for their first big break. By David Pavlak • Photography by Sabina Louise Pierce
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I
t’s Sunday, May 14, 2017—Mother’s Day. As the clock strikes 2:00 pm, there are four hours until show time. Ian Riccaboni, fresh off a flight from New Orleans, moves about the backstage area of 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, jumping from meeting to meeting. He won’t be with his mother today, though Riccaboni would be the first to tell you that she deserves all the praise and attention in the world. Instead, he is preparing for the night’s broadcast, a television taping featuring the best wrestlers from Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Riccaboni heads towards the entrance ramp. There’s no music or pyro as he makes his way ringside—just cheers from the Ring of Honor faithful who appreciate the work he puts in. It’s 6 pm. The crowd has filled the fold-out seats in the jampacked arena. Standing-room only patrons take their place along the back wall. The countdown begins. 10…9…8…7… Riccaboni checks his mic a final time to make sure the sound is right—that he’s coming through loud-and-clear to the production team across the way and his broadcast partners. 6…5…4… The crowd rises to their feet, banging on the metal guard rails, forming a synchronized rumble. 3…2…1… The bell tolls thrice. It’s show time. As the music blares and the ring announcer introduces the first contest of the night, it’s a realization for Riccaboni about how far he’s come in this industry. For the 30 -year-old lifelong wrestling fan, it’s a childhood dream realized.
Setting the Stage As he walks through the black curtain that separates backstage from main stage, lighting is being tested, music is blasting through the stereos, and camera operators are balancing their shots. The night’s talent comes and goes, turning the ring into an amorphous practice area, where space is tough to come by. The wrestlers greet Riccaboni as they pass. Tonight’s a special night. It’s the second of four legs of the War of the Worlds tour—a five-hour night that will be cut into multiple packages to be purchased by Ring of Honor fans, some of whom are already lining up outside the building, hours before doors open. Ring of Honor is back home at 2300 Arena, the original home of Extreme Championship Wrestling before the company went bankrupt in 2001. In its place, just one year later, Ring of Honor was born. It’s 4 pm—two hours to show time. Riccaboni has already discussed the night’s rundown with his broadcast partners Kevin Kelly and Colt Cabana. Kelly, a former wwf/wwe announcer, and Cabana, a well-traveled indie wrestler, now follow Riccaboni’s lead on the headset after he accepted the head announcer role after Kelly decided to scale back his work schedule in March 2017. It’s 5 pm—one hour to show time. Tucked away in a dark corner next to the bar, Riccaboni greets some of his friends who made the drive to see the show. Ditching his gray sports coat for the time being, Riccaboni, in a blue patterned shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbow, and tie thickly-knotted, shares travel stories as his friends await the big punch line ending. He never gets a chance to finish his story; instead, he is whisked away to fulfill other duties prior to opening bell. In the fastpaced world of television production, time moves quickly. An hour seemingly passes in minutes. Retrieving his jacket,
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Ian, the youngest of the Riccaboni family, grew up in a trailer park outside Allentown, PA until the age of three. Raised in a hard-working blue collar family, his parents worked early mornings, late nights, and multiple jobs to ensure that he and his siblings had what they needed to get by. Nothing fancy, but enough. With his parent’s extensive work schedule, Riccaboni spent most days with the neighbors, Pat and Bob Spadt. Bob, a wrestling fan himself in the late 80 s, seemed to always have it on the TV, according to Riccaboni. It was his earliest memories of the squared circle, and while the stories portrayed by the wrestlers were entertaining in their own right, it was the commentary that really captivated his attention. “I loved the Ultimate Warrior and Bret Hart, but the thing that stood out for me were guys like Vince McMahon and Tony Schiavone, who were presenting the show and doing the commentary,” said Riccaboni, sitting outside his gate at Philadelphia International Airport before a flight to West Virginia. “The larger than life guys like Demolition, Brian Pillman, Sting—they jumped out. But I thought the coolest guys in the world were the ones who talked about it.”
Riccaboni now leads the announcing team with Colt Cabana (right) after the depature of longtime ROH voice, Kevin Kelly (left).
Prior to the opening bell, Riccaboni prepares for the night by testing out equipment and announcing a dark match.
Becoming enamored with sports entertainment at a young age, Riccaboni consumed everything he could get his hands on. He started watching as many TV shows as possible, dressed like his favorite on-screen heroes, and read the latest copy of wwf Magazine, including one particularly influential issue—July 1991, featuring Jake “The Snake” Roberts on the cover. “I was a very early reader and I remember pointing out two words that I didn’t know to my mother and they were ‘broadcast journalist’ in Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan’s column. I kind of gravitated to that, as Bobby was also a host of one of the shows. As I read through the magazine, I asked her what that meant. From there, once I knew those two words, I was really interested in becoming a broadcaster myself.” After attending and graduating from Salisbury High School, Riccaboni, never losing sight of his early goal, put the wheels in motion, gaining admission to New York University as a Media and Communications major with the goal of a career in broadcast journalism. But not without a few hiccups along the way. “In high school, they used to make you do a graduation project where you had to describe your future career and plan it out over three years. For my project, I wanted to be an anchor—whether that was on espn’s SportsCenter or a wwf announcer. They wanted to steer me towards computer engineering,” Riccaboni recalled with a laugh.
With fellow teachers urging him to pursue his dreams, Riccaboni worked hard for four years, graduating from nyu in 2009. His attempt to break into the television world didn’t translate as well as he hoped. “I did a TV special with Bill Gates and an mtvu commercial—little things here and there but nothing that made me stand out. By the time I graduated from nyu, I had actually been working in Residential Life as a peer educator. I really enjoyed working with students. I thought I would keep going down that path.” With his dreams and ambitions changing, Riccaboni remained engaged with professional sports by writing for PhilliesNation, a blog that covered the Philadelphia Phillies— at the time one of the hottest teams in the National League. Working alongside Pat Gallen, current cbs-3 and Emmy Award Winning Sports Anchor, the duo began to create vlogs where Riccaboni interviewed local Philadelphia celebrities about their Phillies fandom. The video series, which began with Nickelodeon and Food Network star Marc Summers, was such a hit that Service Electric, a local cable company
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serving parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, agreed to broadcast the series as a show. As the quality improved, so did their exposure. The show moved to Comcast SportsNet, where PhilliesNationTV ran slightly more than 100 episodes before ending in September 2015. “This was my first paid gig on television outside of college. I got to give credit to Pat. He was the one with the experience and really took charge of the format. I learned a lot about television formatting from his writing and preparation. I learned a lot about production in passing that knowledge down, which has since helped me in Ring of Honor to stay current with a lot of things we do.”
Foray into Wrestling Wanting to improve his body of work, Riccaboni reached out to the next celebrity that came to his mind—though the choice might not have been as obvious to others. Riccaboni contacted The Blue Meanie, an ecw original wrestler, who at the time was a trainer at the Monster Factory in Paulsboro, NJ. The meeting would prove pivotal for his future career in wrestling. “I went to the Monster Factory, filmed the segment, and Meanie introduced me to Danny Cage, who runs the Monster Factory. I asked Danny, ‘if my friend wanted to get involved in becoming a ring announcer, how would he go about doing that?’ He told me that if ‘your friend’ really wants to do this, to show up on these dates and times, and learn how to put the
ring up, how to get the building ready for an event, and then eventually how to become an announcer.” Riccaboni showed up on those dates at those times, unaccompanied by any friend, paying his dues to earn the respect of those around him. He began to tape commentary over the Monster Factory matches, looking for feedback from anyone who would take the time to listen. During his time at the Monster Factory, Riccaboni met “Brutal” Bob Evans, a Ring of Honor trainer, who decided to introduce him to Kevin Kelly, then the voice of Ring of Honor. Kelly immediately put Riccaboni on the spot. “It was primarily a tryout for Kevin to get a sense of who was at the Monster Factory. I wore my suit that day, and he said ‘guy in the suit, sell me some tickets.’ I got up, hit my 60 -second time cue, ran down the night’s events, and I thought I did ok. Everything happened really fast. That was less than a year after I went to the Monster Factory for the first time.” Riccaboni’s quick thinking secured him an invite to his first Ring of Honor event. Continuing to display the same work ethic and dedication he displayed at the Monster Factory, Riccaboni, given only an hour to prepare, was rewarded with his first opportunity to commentate a match on January 3, 2015. “What a lot of people don’t know is that when I went to Nashville, which I did that January to call my first match, or when I went to San Antonio that April or Las Vegas that February, I was doing that on my own dime. I was paying to get there myself because I knew if I could get in front of Kevin
Riccaboni and his commentary partner, Colt Cabana, call the action from 2300 Arena.
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Riccaboni accepted. “I received a call very shortly before the news broke, about a day after Kevin had connected with me. The offer was made and I happily accepted.”
Tag Teaming with HFU
Ring of Honor returned to 2300 Arena in May for War of the Worlds, featuring top ROH and New Japan Pro Wrestling talent.
and the producers and make myself useful and have some value, that hopefully one day I would get a shot. That wasn’t overconfidence, it was because Kevin stepped up and was a really big mentor and would give me advice and different ways of framing things. I was excited to use those things that Kevin taught me.” Riccaboni’s work made some within Ring of Honor believe that he had the “stuff” to call matches full time. Ring of Honor was in the middle of creating two new sub-brands, Women of Honor—the women’s professional wrestling arm of roh—and Future of Honor—a chance for up-and-coming talent to try out in front of the roh scouts. “I was asked by one of our producers to stop by the roh Dojo and I remember they had this idea, branding, and a logo and they wanted to do weekly women’s matches. Myself and a guy named Matt Ryan called the relaunch of Women of Honor between Mandy Leon and Deonna Purrazzo. I was a little more confident heading into that one, ready to attack the match and lay the groundwork for what we were about to do.” Happy with his new role as the voice of Women of Honor and granted an opportunity to call quality matches on a regular basis, Riccaboni’s talent shined. The YouTube views on the Women of Honor matches started creeping near the million mark—the product was strong, the commentary was crisp, and the audience was engaged. But Riccaboni would soon receive a phone call he wasn’t expecting. Wanting to pursue other opportunities, Kelly was moving on from Ring of Honor after a seven-year stint. In his place, he recommended Riccaboni take his spot. “He had kind of let me know a few days before Ring of Honor called me. He didn’t tell me that he was leaving. He said to not be surprised if I received a call and not be surprised if I hear something that he wasn’t telling me. It was very bittersweet because I enjoyed working with Kevin. I always really appreciated working with him because he was always able to convey feedback in a constructive way that kept my eagerness and fire going to show my improvement.” When the call did come from the Ring of Honor brass,
With an already hectic schedule that has him travel across the country on a weekly basis, the last thing Riccaboni thought he might add to his slate was teaching. But when Riccaboni’s friend, Brian Michael, the Sports Marketing-Management Program Coordinator in Holy Family’s School of Business Administration called, he answered. Michael encouraged Riccaboni to apply for the open Sports Management position, knowing that he always had an interest in higher education and teaching. It was true. If his communications career didn’t launch the way he hoped, Riccaboni was going to try to enter the higher education realm, already securing a secondary degree in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania. Sensing a real opportunity, Riccaboni jumped at the chance. He submitted the necessary documents and eagerly waited to hear back. “I always loved education and I always saw it as a way to lift people up, empower people—especially younger folks that start as a blank canvas and have their whole lives ahead of them. I was so fortunate to have people invest a lot of time in me. People around me have paid it forward, so when the opportunity came, I was ready to do the same.” Riccaboni currently teaches Introduction to Sports Media in the School of Business Administration. Not only is he able to share the intricacies of sports entertainment with his students, but he also has a few famous friends to call upon to guest lecture, including Gallen, Kelly, and Ring of Honor producers. “It’s been amazing. I take my role at Holy Family maybe the most serious out of all the jobs I have right now. It’s a whole other experience with some great expectations. This is a service that students are paying for—they expect the best and a quality instructor that will teach the class, but also help them find their career path.” Though his days can be long, the nights on the road lonely, and he spends more time on a plane than on the ground, Riccaboni wouldn’t change his situation for anything. He knows that his wife supports his goals and his newborn son will grow up knowing that his father did everything in his power to make sure he has the best life possible—reminiscent of Riccaboni’s own upbringing. “A lot of this I do for my family. When I was growing up, my dad worked three jobs. My mom worked overtime as a McDonald’s manager. A lot of this built-in work ethic I learned from my parents. My work is something that brings a lot of color and joy to my wife and I. It’s a childhood dream that’s realized. The balancing act is worth it. Seeing students in the same position I was in not too long ago, and being able to help shape them and give them advice from situations I’ve recently been in has been neat for me. That’s something I hold near and dear to my heart.”
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When her twin sons were delivered at 32 weeks, Kelly Gallagher, MEd ’07, knew her role as a NICU mom was about to begin. Born eight weeks premature and without much more than a glance, her newborns were rushed out of the delivery room. Gallagher was unable to hold them, kiss them, love them. Instead, they were outfitted with ventilator tubes and heart monitors and laid inside incubator units for further monitoring.
by David P avlak
E
ach day, Gallagher would perform the same routine. She arrived at the hospital by 9:00 am, and by 9:00 pm, she had to force herself out of the room, unable to come to terms that she had to leave without her children for another night. Three weeks after being delivered, Curran had overcome his breathing difficulties and was officially discharged. Connor joined him the following week. This past June, the twins celebrated their third birthday—happy and healthy.
Photos courtesy of Holy Redeemer Health System. Gallagher photo by BP Miller/Chorus Photography. holyfamily.edu/magazine
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The Angel Eye webcam is connected to the baby's incubation unit, allowing parents to see the child while away from the hospital.
“I have two crazy, rambunctious three year olds right now. From the moment they came home I knew that our family was complete. Since then it’s been milestone after milestone. They’re doing wonderful.” With her family of six reunited, Gallagher, a 2007 Master of Education graduate in special education, began reflecting on the agony of having to leave the hospital room each night. Whether they were able to secure a babysitter dictated if her husband could join her in the evenings. With her experience in mind, Gallagher began searching for ideas to make a more innovative nicu unit. “In the back of my mind, I was looking for what could fill the void that I felt. The care was wonderful, but I really felt a disconnect because I had to come home every day without them. From nine at night to nine in the morning, it was 12 hours of being at home, wondering what was going on. Were they crying? Did they need me? Did I pump enough milk? It was a constant feeling of anxiety. When the Angel Eye popped up on Google, this innovative nicu technology, I literally said out loud, ‘Oh my God, this is it.’” Angel Eye is a webcam situated above the baby’s incubation unit. While Gallagher herself wouldn’t be the beneficiary of the device, millions of families across the globe could be. The Superhero Project, Inc., Gallagher’s 501c3 non-profit initiative, was officially born. “When I talked to more families, I realized everyone was in the same
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boat. Whether your kid is there for a month or four days, it’s that feeling that something is not right. Visiting your newborn that was just taken out of your stomach in the hospital is the most unnatural thing I could ever explain to somebody. It’s like walking around with your heart outside your body. Your baby is spending all this time with strangers. I quickly knew when I stumbled upon [the Angel Eye] that it was the one thing I was really going to set my goals towards with developing my non-profit.” Gallagher began fundraising to purchase and donate the Angel Eye system to local hospitals. Now in its second year, The Superhero Project, Inc. has donated cameras to Holy Redeemer Hospital, St. Mary Medical Center, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She plans to donate to Doylestown Hospital
Gallagher admits the response to the cameras has reaffirmed her belief in the non-profit's mission and goals.
by October, bringing her total donations to $50,000, to help enhance nicu units across Philadelphia and its suburbs. “When you think about getting something into a hospital, it’s a lot of red tape. I think naively I didn’t realize how much red tape there was so I jumped right into it. The cameras allow that
Gallagher's first donation was presented to Holy Redeemer Hospital in December 2015.
It 's like walking around with
your heart outside your body.
connection that is missing right now. If you have a family member out of state, you can share the password and they can see the baby. If you have siblings at home, they’re able to open up an iPad and see their little brother or sister. It goes so far beyond mom and dad. It really hones in on the family network of bonding and connecting with the new baby.” Realizing the impact she’s made on nicu parents, Gallagher’s bosses and best friend submitted a letter of endorsement to kyw Newsradio for their 2017 Women’s Achievement
Awards Rising Star Honoree. Nominees were voted on by the public. After the polls closed, Gallagher finished atop the list and attended a banquet with five other honorees at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel on June 28. The Superhero Project, Inc. will also be hosting its second annual Black Tie Gala on January 19 at the Crystal Tea Room. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.superheroprojectinc.org. “I was shocked that I was nominated in the first place. I struggle often with
juggling because I’m a teacher—this is not my full-time job. I try to put 100% into everything I do and sometimes you fall short because you just can’t with four kids. Being recognized by my bosses and best friend, who believe I’m able to successfully juggle teaching and doing this, meant a lot to me.” As Gallagher implements the technology into more hospitals, she continues to receive thank you emails and cards from grateful families who express how the cameras have changed their experience. The messages are humbling, reaffirming her belief in the mission and goals of The Superhero Project, Inc. “Even if you don’t have a premature baby, people are able to connect on the notion that having to leave your baby behind at the hospital is just one of the worst things ever. When I go to these hospitals, I’m not selling you anything, I’m not a rep, I’m just a mom telling my story about how we can make the experience better.”
Gallagher has donated Angel Eye cameras to three hospitals so far, including Holy Redeemer, CHOP, and St. Mary's.
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10 Things to Know About… Being a Nursing Student Getting in to college is tough. Sorting through the seeming millions of checklists of things you need to know before you arrive is even more daunting. Our 10 Things to Know About... series is here to make your college prep experience a little less challenging. This edition's topic focuses on what you should know about being a nursing student. Compiled by SNAHF Officers JoAnne Mamie, Cailin McGuire, Marcel Smith, and Jenna Brenner
Prepare
There is nothing worse than not being ready for lecture, lab, or clinical. Weekly material is assigned and items must be brought. If you are prepared at all times, your instructors will notice. Preparing will not only help you to stay engaged while learning, but also make studying much easier for exams and skills check-offs.
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Every answer will seem correct
One of the most common phrases you will hear as a nursing student is that every answer seems correct, but which one is the most correct. Picking the most correct may seem impossible, but the more you practice nclex (National Council Licensure Examination) style questions, the easier these questions will become. In previous classes, it was all about memorizing the year that the quadratic equation was signed or how many bones are in the human body. Now, you have to take everything you learned in class and piece it together like a puzzle and the bigger picture will appear, which will lead you to the most correct answer.
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Never second guess yourself
Go with your gut instinct, imagine yourself in that clinical, and always put patient safety first. You’re taught when taking tests to never second guess yourself on answers, but take that lesson outside of the classroom. You entered this program, and you are strong enough to get through it.
other subjects. You will need to know information that you simply cannot cram into one night of studying. It sounds scary, but it's completely doable if you put in the hard work. You might end up missing a Saturday hangout, but you can spend those Saturdays with your brand-new nursing buddies in your new study group.
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Nursing school will challenge you to apply yourself. Your professors want to make you into the best nurse possible. Do not let this discourage your growth. You must adapt to this task by understanding your limits. Once you understand how much you can handle, you can learn to improve and push past those limits. Remember to remain willing to constantly learn and improve yourself.
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Studying will devour your social life
Your friends who are not nursing majors will have trouble understanding why you study so often. Nursing classes will test your mental capabilities in ways that are different from
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Treat yourself
After many hours of studying and hard work, you deserve a reward. If you don’t reward your extremely hard efforts, you will go crazy. Even small breaks while studying will allow you to work more effectively. Rewarding yourself every five minutes will not benefit you. However, taking a break every hour or two will. So, take your breaks, get yourself a bowl of ice cream, or have a fiveminute jam session with your nursing friends, you will need it.
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Avoid “Just Getting By…”
There is no specific timeline
Every student is different, and that’s not a bad thing. Everybody learns at different paces with different methods. Nursing school doesn’t have to be completed in exactly four years. You should never feel ashamed of yourself if it takes longer to get there, because we are all going to end up at the same place—graduation.
Illustrations: iStock by Getty Images (Nurse, Stethoscope); Vecteezy (Ice cream)
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Get your feet wet as soon as possible
Volunteer at a hospital or as an emt, apply for a nursing externship, or get a job in a hospital. Some subjects may seem vague or ambiguous after learning them in class, but witnessing or experiencing the topics in real life may help you to understand the topic better and even help you with related questions on the exam. Also, getting involved will start to teach you how the health care system works and maybe even give you an idea of what kind of setting you'll want to work in one day.
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J oin SNAHF (or your school's nursing association)
other specialties to give you a look into the nursing community. SNAHF also provides a mentoring program, where incoming student will be placed with upper level students for assistance with entering the program.
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o matter how hard it is, N it’s completely worth it
There will be multiple times you feel like giving up, but remember how amazing and rewarding it will feel to touch the lives of your patients when you receive your degree. You will feel overwhelmed, and you’ll want to give up, but don’t do it—continue to push forward and trust in yourself.
snahf or The Student Nurses Association of Holy Family is the best way to start getting involved at Holy Family. snahf offers many opportunities to network with nurses in all different types of fields, gain volunteer experience, and become friends with other nursing students. snahf brings in nurses to speak about the nicu, pediatrics, and
Do you have advice about being a nursing student that the HFU community just needs to know? Send us an email at magazine@holyfamily.edu.
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 “leftovers” 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 pleased 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.
What's on Your Desk? As the Dean of the School of Education, Dr. Kevin Zook has led a program revival during his four-year tenure, transforming the school’s curriculum into modern course offerings. With a dedicated faculty and staff, the School of Education’s growth has included a revised doctoral program, invigorated interest in the master’s of education, and a continuous stream of first-year education students. We sat down with Dr. Zook to discuss his love of education, his advice for those entering the field, and the many interesting items he has lining his desk.
“As a youngster, I fell in love with school and learning and from the earliest I can remember, I wanted to be a teacher and spend my life helping other people learn. In college, I was inspired and influenced by the professor I had for a class in educational psychology. Through this professor’s personal inspiration and modeling, I began to aspire to higher education and a PhD in Educational Psychology.” What advice do you have for those wanting enter the education field?
“Follow your heart. Job markets change. Salaries and benefits vary from place to place. If teaching is your calling and you are good at it, you will find a job and you will find teaching to be enormously rewarding— exhausting—but rewarding.” What have been some of the most rewarding moments you’ve experienced as the Dean?
“Some top moments include the opportunity to work every day with outstanding, dedicated faculty and staff in the School of Education, calling the names of the first graduates of the School’s Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership at the May 2015 commencement, and working with School faculty members to restructure our PK-4 and Special Education programs, master’s degree programs, and the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership. Each of these accomplishments required a great amount of effort, collaboration, and perseverance.”
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MEA NI NG O F MEMENTO S: Sea Glass When I was in Erie, a friend introduced me to sea glass. You could walk along the beaches of Lake Erie and find bits of glass from bottles that had been thrown into the lake, broken, and then ground smooth over time. At first, it was hard to spot it, but then I got pretty good at it and enjoyed walking the beaches looking—very therapeutic. In only a couple years, I found enough to fill the container. White, green, and amber are the most abundant colors. I did manage to find some blues (rare) and reds (very rare).
Zook’s Buggies Ruler Zook, of course, is an Amish name. My grandfather, David D. Zook, was raised Amish and then left the Amish church when he married a Mennonite girl. To my knowledge, I am not directly related to the Henry S. Zook from Chester County who gave out these rulers, but I am probably indirectly related because there were only seven original Zooks who immigrated to America in the 1700’s. I also get a kick out of the “up-to-date buggies” line. It reminds me that no matter how sophisticated our technology gets, eventually what impresses us today will someday be obsolete.
Pittsburgh Pirates Pennant I’ve been a Pirates fan since about the age of 10, when my dad took us to see a game at Three Rivers Stadium. I spent many nights listening to the great Bob Prince broadcast Pirate games. If I placed the little transistor radio in just the right spot and turned it just so, I could pick up games on KDKA radio out of Pittsburgh. I was glued to the TV when the Bucs won the 1971 World Series. I don’t have a pennant from that World Series win, but I do have one from the next win in 1979.
Dog Statue As a kid, we had three Brittany Spaniels because my Uncle John, who lived in Missouri, raised them. Almost 13 years ago, my wife agreed to having a dog in the house and, of course, it had to be a Brittany. Our dog, Maddie, hunts grouse with me and follows me wherever I go. Although not modeled after her, the Brittany replica on my desk looks exactly like Maddie and reminds me of her every time I look at it.
Photos: Clix Portrait Studios (top); David Pavlak (bottom)
Was there a moment in particular that made you want to pursue a career in education?
Call for Class Notes Update your info for a chance to win! Have you recently moved? Changed employment? Gotten married? Have personal or professional news you would like to share? Be one of the first fifty alumni to submit an update to be published in the Class Notes section of the Spring 2018 Holy Family University Values Magazine for a chance to win a $50 Bookstore/Barnes & Noble Gift Card! Contest runs through October 31, 2017. The winner will be announced in the Alumni eNews! Entries received during the August/September 2017 contest are not eligible for this prize. Tell us your news by completing our Alumni Update Form holyfamily.edu/alumni-update-form
Mark Your
CALENDAR
Saturday, September 30 Homecoming 2017 Holy Family University
Saturday, September 30 Holy Family University Basketball Reunion Chickie’s & Pete’s Roosevelt Blvd.
Wednesday, October 4 29th Annual Golf Classic The Union League Golf Club at Torresdale
Wednesday, November 1 7th Annual Nursing Alumni Reunion and Distinguished Lecture Program ETC Auditorium
Friday, November 3 3rd Annual Alumni Quizzo Cannstatter Volksfest-Verein
Wednesday, November 15 Golden Alumni Anniversary Luncheon President’s Dining Room, CC 113
Monday, November 27 Christmas Tree Lighting Holy Family Hall
December 8 Christmas Rose Campus Center All events and links to more information are listed on the Alumni Event Calendar at holyfamily.edu/alumni
Then & Now
“My high school counselor called my mother to say that there was a scholarship being given by Holy Family College for public high students and graduates and that he was submitting my name for it,” Betsy said. “Rooming with Terri and developing a friendship with her gave me the support I needed at a difficult time in my life. When I enrolled at Holy Family, I was one of the few non-Catholic students on campus. Oh my goodness, a Presbyterian had arrived. My classmates were interested in what I believed and vice versa. My spiritual life enlarged and improved. I will always be happy that I was able to take the ‘road less taken.’ A kind high school counselor, a generous scholarship from a small independent Catholic college, and a welcoming roommate changed my life’s direction. I am so grateful. Holy Family College was the correct choice for me.”
Photos: Betsy Ulmer (top); Anastasia Altomari (bottom)
On campus to attend the Golden Anniversary Luncheon that celebrates the 50th anniversary class prior to Commencement, Terri Wontrobski ’67 (left) and Betsy Ulmer ’66 got together to share stories and relive the memories of their time on campus. Dormmates during their time at then Holy Family College, Betsy and Terri formed a friendship that was important to both of them as they navigated life in college.