a magazine for Neumann University alumni, family and friends
Vol. 40, No. 2 • Summer 2012
Jobs
JobsJobs!
Save the Date Watch the Alumni Online Community (www.alumni. neumann.edu) for more information on alumni events and networking opportunities.
Sunday, August 12
Philadelphia Union Discounted tickets available 7:00 p.m. • $35 each ($40 face value) www.alumni.neumann.edu/ppl
Tuesday, September 25
Knight at the Phillies
5:00 p.m. • McFadden’s Restaurant, Citizens Bank Park For more information and tickets visit www.alumni.neumann.edu/phillies12 7:05 p.m. • Phillies vs. Washington Nationals Tickets based on availability order by 8/27/12, www.phillies.com/neumann • Promo Code: Neumann
Career Management Series (CMS) www.neumann.edu/cms
A series of professional workshops for students, parents, alumni and community members brought to you by the offices of Alumni Relations and Career Development, and the Division of Continuing Adult and Professional Studies. We bring active professionals to teach workshops on topics such as resume writing, interview techniques, personal branding, career transitions and presentational speaking. Take control of your future. Join us for the 2012-2013 series beginning in September. For more alumni news and events, visit www.alumni.neumann.edu.
October 16 – 21 Homecoming 2012 Thursday, October 18 King and Queen Homecoming Contest 8:00 p.m. • Fred P. Meagher Theatre, Thomas A. Bruder Life Center
Look for details in Homecoming brochure
Friday, October 19 President’s Scholarship Reception • 6:00 p.m. The Mirenda Center for Sport, Spirituality and Character, Development, Bayada Atrium Light the Knight Fireworks • 7:30 p.m. Have s’more fun with us. (best seating in front of The Mirenda Center for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development)
Saturday, October 20 NURSING ALUMNI EVENTS • Nursing Reunion Breakfast 8:30 a.m. • Bruder Life Center • Celebrating Classes of 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007 & 2012 • The Next Generation of Mentoring: E-mentoring and The Evidence 10:00 a.m. • Bruder Life Center, Meagher Theatre Guest Presenter: Theresa (Terri) Pietsch, PhD, RN, CRRN, assistant professor. Sponsored by the Philadelphia General Hospital (PGH) Alumni Association • Meet Ike, Treat Ike: “Hands-On” Nursing Event 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. • Open House, Bachmann Main Building, 2nd Floor Nursing Wing Meet Ike, the resident Sim Man, and explore the technological advancements in nursing education. Sponsored by the Student Nursing Association Pastoral Care & Counseling Reunion and Lecture 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. • Living and Learning Center I, Breakfast and Lecture 1:30 p.m.– 3:30 p.m. A panel of graduates will offer insights on preparing for careers in mental and spiritual health work. For details call 610-361-5225. Picnic & Taste of Neumann (Rain or Shine) 12 noon – 3:00 p.m. • Bachmann Lawn In the spirit of Oktoberfest, Neumann will celebrate Neumannfest with a lively picnic for students, alumni and parents. Live music, face painting, games, bounces and fun. Let us help you arrange your reunion with your classmates or cohort. Reserved Reunion VIP tables available by calling 610-558-5544. Host a table of 6 or more alumni and get the red carpet treatment. Mass • Alumni Awards and Hall of Fame Reception 4:00 p.m., Our Lady of Angels Convent, Chapel • 5:00 p.m., Mirenda Center, Community Hall
Sunday, October 21 S.I.F.E. Club Hosts The Janet Massey Breast Cancer Scholarship 5K Run/ 1K Fun walk 9:00 a.m., arrive at Ridley Creek State Park, Pavilion 17 • 10:00 a.m., Race begins Registration begins in September at www.alumni.neumann.edu/SIFE12 Piano Concert • 2:00 p.m. • Meagher Theatre International pianist Teresa Walters performs in a scholarship benefit, hosted by Pat Ciarrocchi.
Accent a magazine for Neumann University alumni, family and friends
Vol. 40, No. 2 • Summer 2012
f e a ture s
President
Rosalie M. Mirenda, Ph.D.
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Speakers Galore
From Irish ambassadors to baseball executives, speakers flocked to campus this spring
Vice President for Institutional Advancement and University Relations
Henry A. Sumner, M.A., CFRE Executive Director, Marketing and Communications
Stephen T. Bell
16 Commencement 2012
Local mom earns an EdD, inspired by her autistic son
Director of Publications
Carol DiAntonio Director, Alumni Relations and Special Programs
Judi Stanaitis ’07
18 Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!
Meet some of our students who have great internships . . . or even jobs ON THE COVER: Alicia Anglin ’11 works at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
22 A Gala Night for Scholarships
Photos from the Hotel du Pont soirée
D e p a rt m ent s
3 From the President 4 Around Campus 28 Class Notes
Contributors
Nick DiMarino Christina Farrell Stephanie Horst Carolyn Seagraves ’84 Photography
Kelly & Massa, Hunter Martin David Jackson Jerry Millevoi Accent Magazine is published two times annually by Neumann University, Office of Public Relations and Marketing, One Neumann Drive, Aston, PA 19014-1298. Tel: (610) 558-5549. Copyright by Neumann University. Accent Magazine is distributed free of charge to alumni and friends of Neumann University and is printed on recycled paper. Please send change-of-address correspondence to: Office of Institutional Advancement Neumann University One Neumann Drive Aston, PA 19014-1298 or to alumni@neumann.edu.
“I want to thank Sr. Pat for making it possible for me to attend college and to achieve my goal of becoming a nurse.” Michele L. Mick, Nursing Evening Student, Anna Marie Hutchison Nursing Scholarship recipient
The Anna Marie Hutchison Endowed Nursing Scholarship, established in August 2008 by Sr. Patricia Hutchison, OSF ’70 in memory of her mother, Anna Marie Hutchison, is awarded annually to a Neumann University junior or senior nursing student in good academic standing who embodies the values and mission of Neumann University and has financial need.
“My mother, a nurse, loved the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia who taught her in elementary and nursing school. Endowing a memorial scholarship for nursing students at Neumann is a wonderful way to honor her memory.”
Make Hi story Endow a Scholarship
Sr. Patricia Hutchison, OSF ’70
To learn more, contact the Office of Institutional Advancement and University Relations 610-558-5513.
Fro m the p re s ident
Letter from the President “ Classroom theories, applied through internships, provide the perfect match of learning and doing.”
C
olleges and universities across the country have been taking a beating recently. Pundits, bloggers and columnists have been questioning the value of higher education. Mainstream media have been reporting on rising tuition costs and the increasing debt faced by graduates. An economy that has caused older employees to postpone retirement and companies to delay hiring has not made people think more kindly about higher education as a guaranteed path to the American dream. No one can argue that a college education is inexpensive. It’s a serious financial hurdle that requires comparison shopping and long-term planning. What the critics are too quick to overlook, however, are the tens of thousands of success stories that colleges and universities generate every year. It’s not simply the credential that matters to young women and men although these degrees are important. More pivotal are the values and skills that students learn or reinforce in college, the knowledge that helps them enter the workforce, launch careers and become productive members of their communities. Critics certainly make valid points about the shortcomings of higher education. Champions of learning — from trade schools and community colleges to pre-professional and liberal arts institutions — seem surprisingly silent. Perhaps the time has come to begin making the case for higher education in the most persuasive way possible, by telling the stories of students who have benefitted in myriad ways because of their college experiences.
This cover story in this issue of Accent introduces you to a very few students (and there are many more) who have concrete, marketable skills because of the combination of theory and practice that Neumann University emphasizes. Classroom theories, applied through internships, clinical rotations, student teaching and field experiences, provide the perfect match of learning and doing. Some of the students profiled are young alumni who already have stepped into careers; others have completed internships that have solidified their paths and created real, resume-building experiences. I urge you to meet these students on pages 18-21. Learn about their jobs with the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the Delaware State Police, and their internships with the U.S. Department of Commerce, BEN-FM, the Greater Philadelphia Film Office, and the National Constitution Center. They are the persuasive champions of higher education. Meeting them is the best way to learn why a college education is still an extraordinarily worthwhile investment. Thank you for your ongoing support for Neumann University and its vision and commitment to bridging theory and practice with values and ethics.
Pace e Bene!
Rosalie M. Mirenda, Ph.D. President
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Haslett Leads Line-Up of Impressive Speakers Neumann’s campus was host to a steady stream of impressive speakers during the spring, none bringing more intellectual power to the stage than film-maker Julia Haslett, who shared and discussed her latest film, An Encounter with Simone Weil, with a small but very engaged audience. A self-described creator of “expressionistic documentaries” about contemporary and historical subjects, Haslett focused her most recent energies on telling the story of French philosopher, educator, and activist Simone Weil (1909-1943) who spent most of her brief life advocating for the rights of the socially and politically disadvantaged. Weil was always aware of the suffering of others and fighting to ameliorate it. She fought in the Spanish Civil War, worked as a machine operator and farm laborer, debated Trotsky, taught high school students and union members, and served in the French Resistance. A consummate outsider, Weil left behind a body of work that fills fifteen volumes and establishes her as a brilliant political, social, and spiritual thinker.
In the film, Haslett interweaves her own experience with the life and writings of Weil in order to raise a simple, and very current, question: How can we allow ourselves to be so distracted in a world so full of suffering? With the rise of the internet, the proliferation of personal digital devices and billions of text messages exchanged daily, we appear to have found “an infinite number of ways to avoid paying sustained attention to our fellow human beings,” according to Haslett. “So when I read Simone Weil’s line, ‘Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity,’ it resonated deeply,” says Haslett. “And when I discovered what an extraordinary person she was, and how relatively few people knew about her, I decided I had to make this film. Over the six years it took to make it, she became an inspiration and a source of strength. But at the same time she couldn’t be a role model. Her drive to self-destruction was not something I could romanticize. What she did though is help me grapple with the scope of my responsibility to others. And for that I will be forever grateful.” Weil’s ideas have influenced countless people, including Susan Sontag, Graham Greene, and T.S. Eliot. Her biggest advocate, however, was the existentialist philosopher Albert Camus who played a major role in getting her work published after her death. He even made a pilgrimage to her writing room before leaving for Stockholm to receive the Nobel Prize in 1957.
Irish Ambassador
Film-maker Julia Haslett chats with Dr. Gerard O’Sullivan, vice president for academic affairs, before showing her latest film, An Encounter with Simone Weil.
Students had the opportunity for an intimate conversation with Irish Ambassador Michael Collins. 4 Accent Magazine
Michael Collins, Ireland’s ambassador to the United States, visited campus in March and told a group of Neumann University international business and political science students that the Irish economy was on the rebound after the financial upheaval that shook the country in 2007 and 2008. “Our economy has stabilized,” he told 17 students who sat with him in the Bevilacqua Board Room. “It grew slightly, less than one percent, in 2011, and we expect the same slow growth in 2012.” “Ireland is a high-tech country,” said Collins. “Our most significant areas of economic growth are in biopharmaceuticals, information technology, and financial services.” He urged students interested in those fields to look to Ireland for career opportunities. He added that “the European Union is an integral part of Ireland’s future,” noting that the Irish had “opened our gates to immigrants from all 27 EU countries” during the economic boom that preceded the 2007 turmoil. As a result, he said, Ireland now has a much more diverse society than it did in the mid-1990s. He acknowledged the longstanding positive relationship that Ireland has with the United States, where “40 million people claim some connection with Ireland.” Collins became ambassador to the U.S. in 2007. He has spoken throughout America on Irish economic development and the Northern Ireland peace process. As second secretary general in the Department of the Taioseach (Prime Minister of Ireland), he worked closely with political leaders on the Northern Ireland peace negotiations, which culminated with the St. Andrews agreement of 2006.
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Before his presentation on evangelization, Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes met several of Neumann’s presidential ambassadors: Freddy Mitsdarfer, Lauren Prettyman, Maria Sotomayor, and Jeremy Apelian.
Pennsylvania State Senator Dominic F. Pileggi spoke on public sector leadership as part of speaker series hosted by the Center for Community Leadership Development and Entrepreneurship.
Cardinal, Senator and More Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, came to the Mirenda Center for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development in May to present a talk entitled The New Evangelization – “Whom Do I Send (IS 6:8).” A German Cardinal, for 30 years he was first vice-president of the Council for the Laity and then director of Caritas Department Cor Unum. He is co-founder of World Youth Day and co-authored the first encyclical of Benedict XVI, “Deus Caritas Est.” Cardinal Cordes has traveled regularly to the trouble spots and disaster sites in the world. He visited Darfur, Kosovo, Rwanda, and coordinated church assistance for the tsunami in South Asia and other disasters. He has gone to refugee camps, where he met and assisted survivors and relatives of the victims. State Senator Dominic Pileggi visited campus in March to lend his expertise to the Center for Community Leadership Development and Entrepreneurship. The Center is committed to being a resource where beginning and mid-level community, corporate and non-profit emerging leaders have the opportunity to learn about leadership roles. Senator Pileggi spoke about Public Sector Leadership, sharing his insights into the necessity for exemplary ethical standards, strong organizational skills, and the ability to articulate a vision. He was elected to the State Senate in 2002 and has been Majority Leader since 2006. Other speakers included Bill Giles, chairman of the Philadelphia Phillies; Fr. Murray Bodo, OFM, author, poet and scholar; Tim McDermott, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the Philadelphia Eagles; and Joyce Evans, Fox News weekend anchor.
Bill Giles, chairman of the Philadelphia Phillies, spoke to students about leadership in the Bayada Atrium.
Dr. Andrea Pent’s sport and entertainment management class hosted an event which featured Tim McDermott, senior VP and chief marketing officer for the Philadelphia Eagles, and other guests in the sports and communication fields.
Fr. Murray Bodo, OFM shared his insights about Clare of Assisi with faculty and staff in a May presentation, closing the yearlong Clare-fest celebration on campus.
Participating in the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) awards, held on campus, were (from left) Brad Nau, NATAS president; Joyce Evans, FOX News weekend anchor; and Tim Furlong, NBC 10 reporter.
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Honor Societies Induct New Members
Sigma Tau Delta, English Honor Society Sigma Tau Delta officers are Michael Hrisko, treasurer; Jessica Zappasodi, historian; Alyssa Pegram, president; Jessica Clement, secretary; Jenna Piacentino, vice president; and Dr. Gerard O’Sullivan, advisor.
Delta Mu Delta, Business Honor Society Front Row: Sean Crozier, Melissa Hood, Victoria De Cristoforo, Rebecca Howe, Kathryn McKenna, Ryan Weatherford. Back Row: Dean Janet Massey, David Morris, Michael Rosenthal, Alexander Dickinson, Timothy Moyer, Alex Crofoot, Michael Savidge, Advisor Bob Till. 6  Accent Magazine
It was a busy season of inductions this year with honor societies inducting new members for the spring semester. Psi Chi International Psychology Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society, and Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society welcomed new students, and the crop of nursing students pinned in May was one of the largest in recent years. The Corporation for National and Community Service and the U.S. Department of Education recently recognized Neumann University for its work in four urban areas: Philadelphia and Chester, PA, Wilmington, DE, and Camden, NJ. Neumann students are engaged in service programs to help rebuild communities, serve the poor, and learn from their experiences. There were 1,418 students engaged in general community service, totaling 4.029 hours and 144 students engaged in service with a special focus area, the Drexel Neumann Academy, totaling 624 hours of service.
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Nurses at Pinning Ceremony The May 2012 graduating nurses gather on the Bachmann steps before the pinning ceremony.
Psi Chi, Psychology Honor Society Dana Francks, Laura Sarcione, Christina Brown, Christian Haley, Angela Elkins, Stephanie Price, Danielle Moritz, Danielle Morrison, Megan Feliceangeli, Sami Borcky. Not pictured: Stephanie Ferro, Susan Staiber, Jessica Zahner.
President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll recognizes higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities. Inspired by the thousands of college students who traveled across the country to support relief efforts along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, the initiative celebrates the transformative power and volunteer spirit that exists within the higher education community.
Kathleen McCauley, coordinator of experiential education; Sr. Mary Ann McCarthy, OSF ’85; Dr. Rosalie Mirenda, president of Neumann University; and Sr. Pat Hutchison, OSF ’70, director of the Neumann Institute for Franciscan Studies, announce Neumann’s selection to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll at a recent awards ceremony on campus.
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Jay Devine: Unparalleled Leadership for 14 Years Jay Devine has served the University board of trustees for 14 years, the last ten as chairperson.
After devoting 14 years to Neumann University and its board of trustees, Jay Devine has completed his term as chairperson, effective June 30, 2012. Devine has been a member of the board of trustees since 1998 and has been chairperson of the group for the last ten years. “With his keen intelligence, moral values and business acumen, Jay has led this University through some of the most significant transitions in its history. With his hand on the helm, Neumann has completed a successful, multimillion dollar campaign (Grow to Inspire), opened the Mirenda Center for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development, and attained university status,” explains Dr. Rosalie Mirenda, Neumann University president. “He has provided energy, vision and leadership,” she continues. “We will certainly do our best to keep the Devines, Jay and his wife Bridget, involved in the life of the University.” In addition to his duties as chairperson of the board of trustees, Devine chaired the trustee committee and served on the audit committee. As chairperson, he presided over all board meetings, appointed trustees to various committees, and executed all contacts authorized by the board.
The President’s Hospitality Suite in the Mirenda Center for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development was blessed and dedicated as the Devine Hospitality Suite in early June in honor of Jay and Bridget Devine and their parents. Pictured are Jay and Bridget Devine, Dr. Rosalie Mirenda, and James Delaney, the incoming chairperson of the board of trustees.
A founding partner of Devine + Partners, Devine is an expert communications counselor with 25 years of experience advising international, national and Washington, D.C. clients. Until cofounding the firm in 2003, he was the general manager of Tierney Communications, where he had management responsibilities for Philadelphia’s largest public relations agency. He joined Tierney in 1989 as one of its founding members. Devine is a graduate of Georgetown University. He is a former president of the National Adoption Center, and a board member of the Philadelphia Charity Ball and the Brent Celek Take Flight Foundation. He resides with his wife, Bridget, and their two children in Strafford, Pennsylvania.
50th Sourin Award The Catholic Philopatrian Literary Institute presented the 50th Sourin Award to Dr. Rosalie Mirenda, Neumann’s president. The award recognizes those who devote their lives to implementation of their Catholic faith in their businesses, family lives and social activities. Pictured at the ceremony are Pat Gubicza, Philopatrian president; Dr. Mirenda and her husband Tony; Harrisburg Bishop Joseph P. McFadden, and Philopatrian members Lou Mahlman and Margie McFall.
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Commissioner Ramsey Awarded Honorary Degree Neumann University presented an honorary degree to Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey on April 27. Dr. Rosalie Mirenda, Neumann’s president, cited “his exemplary devotion to law enforcement and public safety, and his selfless dedication to serving others” as reasons for the award. The degree was conferred at the university’s Academic Awards Convocation. Commissioner Ramsey addressed the academic award recipients and their families after the presentation.
Valedictory Medal to Baumgartel Dr. Gerard O’Sullivan presented the valedictory medal to Britney Ann Baumgartel ’12 at the April 27 Academic Awards Convocation. The medal goes to the undergraduate student who has earned the highest GPA and who consistently demonstrates leadership in service.
Mirenda Center Receives Silver LEED Certification The Mirenda Center for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development has been awarded LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings. The building achieved LEED certification for energy use, lighting, and water and material use, as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. By using less energy and water, LEED certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers, and the larger community. “As a Catholic Franciscan institution, Neumann University is committed to stewardship of its resources and decision-making that supports a healthy environment,” explained Dr. Rosalie Mirenda. “This certification is evidence that Neumann has integrated a care-for-creation approach into its management strategies.” LEED certification of the Mirenda Center was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. These features include low flow plumbing fixtures to limit hot water use and energy; high efficiency lighting systems with flexible controls; event scheduling to limit lighting energy use in unoccupied spaces; and building materials containing 10% post consumer recycled material. The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction, and operation of green buildings. More than 100,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED rating systems, comprising more than 8 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries.
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University Honors Archbishop Chaput on Charter Day The Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput, OFM Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia, received an honorary degree from Neumann University on March 14. The university presented the award during an academic convocation to celebrate Charter Day, the 47th anniversary of its founding. “I hope to be an agent of good change in your life,” Chaput told the crowd of more than 200 during remarks delivered after the degree had been conferred. It was the first honorary degree presented to Chaput since his appointment as archbishop by Pope Benedict XVI in July 2011. The first Native American archbishop, Chaput was installed in September 2011. He has served on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (2003-06), on the board of directors for The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. (1994-2009) and the National Catholic Bioethics Center (1993-2006). In a homily delivered during Charter
Archbishop Charles Chaput displays the honorary degree he received from Jay Devine (left), chairperson of the board of trustees, and Dr. Rosalie Mirenda (right), president of Neumann University.
Day Mass, Chaput complimented Neumann for having “an extraordinary reputation in terms of its Catholic identity and its relationship with the broader church.” After the awarding of the degree, Edel Bhreathnach, PhD, presented the Dr.
Dorothy A.P. Leunissen Presidential Lecture, Imitatio Christi: Saint Clare and Medieval Holy Women. Bhreathnach is deputy director of the Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Institute for the Study of Irish History and Civilisation, University College, Dublin.
Colorwalk for Cancer Research Approximately 100 people participated in Neumann’s first Colorwalk on April 23 to raise money for research into all types of cancer.
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Symphony a la Mode A concert entitled French Connection closed the Delaware County Symphony’s 2011-12 season at Neumann. Pictured are Jeremy Gill, DCS music director; Kristin Bray, DCS board president; Michael Scullin, honorary consul of France in Philadelphia and Wilmington; Amy Semes, winner of the DCS Youth Concerto Competition; Barbara Cohen, recipient of the DCS Lifetime Achievement Award; Dr. Rosalie Mirenda, president of Neumann; and Frank Janton, University trustee and founder of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Evening in Dublin with Synge Vicki Giunta and Ed Milliner performed in John Millington Synge’s A Shadow in the Glen as part of the 2012 Evening in Dublin celebration. The event raises funds to support the arts at Neumann. Next year’s Evening in Dublin will be on Friday, January 4, 2013.
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Emotional Performances Mark Spring Season The spring 2012 arts season at Neumann brought the return of Dr. Yukiko Ishida to the stage. The Life for Tomorrow breast cancer benefit concert was inspired by Ishida’s own battle with the disease. She completed her last treatment August 13, 2011. After a blood transfusion, she lost interest in singing, but the volunteers at the hospital helped lift her spirits. “There was always something like gifts or cards to cheer patients up at the cancer treatment center — things like cookies, hats or caps for those who had lost their hair, notes of cheer and get well cards. Some were from patients who completed their treatments,” she said. “I promised myself that I would do something to encourage and cheer cancer victims just like others had cheered me during my trials,” she said. Ishida reached out to Dr. Janet Massey, interim dean of business and a breast cancer survivor. She asked
The cast of Working reenacts every commuter’s nightmare, dancing to James Taylor’s Traffic Jam in the NU Players’ spring production.
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Massey to be part of a breast cancer awareness fundraising concert and Massey accepted as the mistress of ceremonies. Ishida also asked several other performers who had been affected by cancer to perform with her, including survivors and those who had lost relatives to the disease. The concert was held in April and Ishida returned to a standing ovation as the crowd celebrated her return before she even began to sing. “This brought me to tears, I had to turn around and compose myself and then started to sing my aria. The warm sound of applause from students, friends, and the Neumann family will remain in my heart forever,” she said. All proceeds from the event went to breastcancer.org. Dr. Marisa Weiss, Ishida’s radiologist oncologist at Lankenau Hospital, is the founder and president of the organization. “Dr. Weiss treats
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her patients with sincere and heartfelt care, because she is also a breast cancer survivor,” Ishida said. Ishida hopes to have another breast cancer awareness concert next year, with the funds going to an already established breast cancer scholarship. Other highlights from this spring’s arts season include the NU Players production of Working, a play about the hopes, dreams, joys, and concerns of the average working American. The play paints a vivid portrait of men and women the world so often takes for granted: the schoolteacher, the parking lot attendant, the waitress, the millworker, and the trucker just to name a few. Betsy Ross impersonator Carol Spacht came to campus to tell The Story of Our Flag. She discussed how the American flag evolved and the symbolism of its stars, stripes and colors. Ms. Ross also discussed her visits from George Washington and shared her secret for making a five point star. The Christina Brame Gospel Choir invited local choirs from colleges and universities in southeastern Pennsylvania to campus as part of Celebrate the King. The NU Praise Dancers were also on hand for the performance. The Cultural Arts Forum held a High Tea at the Austin Room featuring entertainment by Janet Witman and Mindy Cutcher from the Brandywine Harp Orchestra, the nation’s only continuously playing harp orchestra. The spring arts season came to an end with Ishida returning to the stage in May for the Concert Chorale’s performance of Faure’s Requiem in D Minor Op. 48. David Antony Lofton stepped in as guest conductor and Ishida served as artistic director. “I thought it was a great performance by the Concert Chorale, perfect way to end the season,” said Ishida.
Members of the Brandywine Harp Orchestra performed at the annual high tea, sponsored by the Cultural Arts Forum.
Dr. Yukiko Ishida is overcome with emotion as the crowd welcomes her back from her bout with breast cancer with a standing ovation. Ishida returned to the stage in April.
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Lots of Post-Season Play for the Knights Women’s Basketball Neumann qualified for the first round of the 2011-12 post-season play with an overall record of 11-15. The Knights have a 10-year post-season streak with two NCAA and an ECAC appearance. Bethany Humenik and Erica Marvel were each named honorable mention. Humenik led the team with 102 assists and 49 steals. Marvel led the team, averaging 10.6 points per game and 51 three-pointers.
Men’s Basketball The Knights went 13-14 overall this season and 9-9 in conference action to qualify for the post season. They defeated Rosemont in the first round 73-59 before falling to Keystone 98-75. Sophomore Mark Blount received second-team, All-Conference honors. Blount set the career record for blocks as well as broke the record he set last year for blocks in a season. He finished the 2011-12 season with 79 blocks and has 148 after just two seasons.
Men’s Ice Hockey Neumann finished the season 15-8-3 overall and was the runner-up in the ECAC West. William Lacasse led the team, as he earned first-team honors in the ECAC West. Ross MacKinnon was named to
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second team All-ECAC West. MacKinnon was 9-4-3 overall with a .913 save percentage and a 2.82 goals-against average. Chris Bournazos was named to the All-Rookie team. Cory Park was named to the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Men’s At-Large Team. After the 2011-12 campaign, LaCasse signed amateur tryouts with the Reading Royals (ECHL) and Matt Tendler signed with the Hershey Bears (AHL). The Knights finished the season ranked No. 15 in the country.
Women’s Ice Hockey Neumann finished 9-13-2 overall, 8-8-2 in the conference to earn a first-round ECAC West game as the No. 5 seed. The Knights were led by Kayla Dubowski, named to the ECAC West first team. Shannon Donnelly capped off her season logging 1,212 minutes in net and allowed a 2.53 goals-against average.
Men’s Track & Field Neumann track & field had two athletes earn All-Conference performances in the Mason-Dixon Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Domenic Pileggi finished fourth in the Mason-Dixon Conference Indoor Championships and Jeffrey Best finished in sixth place in the long jump event.
Both Pileggi and Andrew Smith qualified for the Mason-Dixon Conference Outdoor Championships.
Women’s Track & Field Women’s track and field had a successful season qualifying athletes to the Mason– Dixon Conference and the ECAC Division III Championships for both indoor and outdoor seasons. The Knights celebrated 11 AllConference performers in the MasonDixon Conference Indoor Championships. Ciara Heath led the Knights finishing third in the 60 meter dash, fourth in the 200 meter dash and fourth in the 4x400 relay. Kathleen McMullin finished third in the 800 meter run and fourth in the 4x400 relay. Mia Hicks finished sixth in the 200 meter dash and fourth in the 4x400 relay. Bethany Lang finished fourth in the 4x400 relay, while Jayee Wright finished fifth in the 60 meter dash. In outdoor track and field, the Knights finished ninth out of nine teams. The Knights were led by Adrienne Tingba qualifying in three events for the ECAC Outdoor Championships. The 4x400 relay team (comprised of Tingba, McMullin, Lang and Brittany Wood) qualified for the ECAC championships. Hicks qualified in the 200 meter and 400 meter dash.
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Men’s Golf Neumann’s golf team won its first CSAC Championship in 2012 and made its first NCAA appearance in Howie-in-the-Hills, Fla. The Knights (649) won by two strokes against Keystone College (651). The Knights No. 1 golfer, Chris Donohue, settled the score on the 18th hole dropping the ball on the par 3 green and putting out to victory. Donohue was named to the CSAC first team, along with fellow teammate Ryan Dreger. Bruce Bandos was selected second team All-Conference, shooting a 77 in the second day of the CSAC championships.
Baseball Neumann baseball team advanced to the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Championship game before losing to Keystone College. The Knights were awarded an at-large bid to their first NCAA tournament. The Knights were honored with 10 players selected to the All-Conference team. Russ Gilliam received many awards, including being named to the D3baseball. com and the ABCA All-America teams with a resounding 11-1 record, pitching 88.1 innings, 102 strike-outs and a 1.12 ERA. Coach John Fleming was selected D3 baseball All Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year. Fleming reached his 100th win and helped lead the team to a program best with 32 wins in a season during the 2012 campaign.
Neumann finished the season 32-15, 12-6 in the CSAC. The Knights went 2-2 in the NCAA tournament and fell to Ramapo College 6-5 to end their season.
Softball Neumann softball team finished the 2012 season 30-18 and was the runner-up in the CSAC and the ECAC South Region. The Knights were second in the country in the NCAA Division III statistical leaders category for batting average, as they mustered a .374 batting average. The Knights were led by freshman Becca Reinhart, who was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III All-Region first team and CSAC first team. Megan Williams was selected to the NFCA Division III AllRegion third team and CSAC second team. Allie White was named the CSAC Rookie of the Year and earned first-team honors.
Men’s Lacrosse Neumann men’s lacrosse team just missed out on reaching post-season play with a 6-10 overall record, 2-5 in the CSAC. Mike Pantalone and Ryan O’Kane earned CSAC honorable mention. Pantelone started in all 16 games and led the team with 41 points. He was first in goals with 37. O’Kane started all 16 games, finishing the season in points with 30 goals and 10 assists for 40 points. He led the team in ground balls with 76 and scored three game-winning goals.
Andrew Neubauer made 213 saves and faced 618 shots in the 16 games he played. Patrick Rose led the team in assists with 19.
Women’s Lacrosse Neumann women’s lacrosse team went 10-7 overall, 5-3 CSAC in Coach Christy Malone’s first year at the helm. The Knights were led by CSAC’s First Team Alexandra Bohen with 60 goals and 13 assists in 16 games. Bohen scored her 200th career goal against Immaculata. Meghan Garsey (34 goals, 21 assists) and Erica Crabtree (33 goals, 12 assists) received CSAC honorable mention. The Knights advanced to the first round of the CSAC playoffs. The Knights cashed in on an ECAC Mid-Atlantic Region Tournament bid. The Knights No. 5 seed were upended by No. 4 seeded Alvernia University.
Men’s Tennis Neumann men’s tennis team finished the season 5-9 overall, 4-3 in the CSAC to earn a No. 4 and final seed in CSAC playoffs. The Knights lost in the semifinals to Marywood University. Bryan Bodine received honorable mention in both singles and doubles play. Bodine went 5-1 in singles play and Bodine/ Dustin Broom posted a 4-1 conference record at first doubles. Summer 2012 15
Around c a m p u s
25-Year Journey Ends at May 12th Graduation the demanding research and writing required for the dissertation. Of course, Samuel was involved, too, providing inspiration for her work. She was among approximately 630 students who graduated during Neumann’s 46th commencement. More than 450 students received bachelor’s degrees, approximately 150 earned master’s degrees, and 30 completed doctoral degrees.
Giving Back
Samuel and Stephen congratulated Kimberly LaCoste as the family celebrated Kimberly’s doctorate.
For one of the more than 600 students who graduated from Neumann University on Saturday, May 12, the commencement ceremony was the culmination of a 25-year journey. Kimberly LaCoste, who first set foot on Neumann’s campus as a freshman in 1987, received her doctor of education degree. In the intervening two-and-a-half decades, LaCoste earned a bachelor’s degree from Neumann, completed master’s degrees in reading from St. Joseph’s University and special education from Cabrini College, and taught in the Upper Darby School District for 22 years. With her EdD from Neumann, she has achieved a terminal degree in her field and the title of “Dr. LaCoste.” She entered Neumann’s doctoral program in 2006, three years after her son Samuel was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Not coincidentally, her doctoral dissertation is titled “Teacher Perceptions of the Appropriateness of Inclusion for Students on the Autism Spectrum.” A resident of Drexel Hill, LaCoste taught at Stonehurst Hills Elementary School for 15 16 Accent Magazine
years and at Walter M. Senkow Elementary School for three years before becoming a coordinator of special education for the Upper Darby School District. In addition to teaching reading and third grade, she has worked as an instructional support teacher and a literacy coach.
Savitz First and Last
In an odd quirk of circumstance, her 25 years as a student were framed by Dr. Fred Savitz, a professor in Neumann’s Division of Education and Human Services. LaCoste first met Dr. Savitz during her campus tour when she was a senior at Upper Darby High School, and he recently served as a member of her dissertation committee on the final stretch of the journey toward her doctorate. LaCoste emphasizes that her accomplishment is a family affair. “I could not have done this without the support of my husband Stephen,” she offers, explaining that he altered his work schedule as a Broomall optician for the last year to help care for Samuel during
Another graduate student also provided a lesson for the Class of 2012. When the time came to choose a master’s degree capstone project, Dr. Sam Lemon advised his Organizational and Strategic Leadership students to think of something that embodied the university’s Franciscan tradition, and Judith Crampton knew exactly what she wanted to do. The Wilmington, Delaware, resident works at Crozer Chester Hospital as a coordinator for the radiology program. “I had a student who had passed away suddenly, and I wanted to establish a scholarship in his honor,” said Crampton.
Graduation was a milestone for more than 630 students, who expressed joy in various ways throughout the ceremony.
Around c a m p u s
As always, Commencement 2012 was a family affair.
Helen M. Alvaré, Esq., professor at George Mason University School of Law, and Martha Wolfington Gillen, founder of Aids Alive, Inc., and SpeakUp! received honorary degrees and addressed the graduates.
She set her sights on establishing a small scholarship with specific criteria and a screening committee. Crampton explained that there are not many financial aid options available for those in the radiology program. “I wanted to ease the burden on students so they can focus on their studies and not have to worry about money . . . and every little bit counts,” she said. She talked to Dr. Joseph Stock, who showed her how to fill out a grant proposal. Crampton then created a power point presentation to make her case. Stock took it to the board of radiologists, and they decided to fund the scholarship on a yearly basis. Crampton teamed up with the assistant vice president at the Crozer Chester Foundation, and the Kevin Tighe Memorial Scholarship Fund was born. The scholarship is awarded to one newly accepted student in January and July to assist with textbooks during the two-year radiology program. The committee will award its first scholarship in July 2012.
Powerful Speakers The ceremony also included honorary degree presentations to Helen M. Alvaré, Esq., professor at George Mason University School of Law, and Martha Wolfington Gillin, founder of Aids Alive, Inc. and SpeakUp! Jay Devine, chairperson of the
university board of trustees, and Dr. Rosalie Mirenda, university president, conferred the degrees. Professor Alvaré previously worked for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB), first drafting amicus briefs in leading U.S. Supreme Court cases concerning abortion and euthanasia. Later she worked with the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities at the NCCB where she lobbied, testified before federal congressional committees, addressed university audiences, and appeared on hundreds of television and radio programs on behalf of the U.S. Catholic bishops. She told the graduates that she had been transformed during her work to defend the sanctity of life. In the early days of her adulthood, she admitted that she had forged a “reputation as a witch.” She was preaching the love of truth but needed, she explained, to learn the truth of love. “My prayer for you,” she concluded “is that you, too, may be transformed by God choosing you.” Gillin, a nationally known speaker and youth advocate, began an AIDS awareness campaign in 1994 to continue her son’s mission of bringing hope to those with HIV/AIDS and to raise awareness about the disease through education and prevention programs for schools and organizations. Gillen, whose eldest son contracted
HIV/AIDS at age 28 and died at 30, urged the graduates not to run away from difficulties “Live your life according to your values,” she said, “suffering the consequences and accepting the joys that follow.” She suggested that the students look at the Tau crosses they received before the ceremony and “see the four parts of the cross as God, family, work and play.” Her advice was to keep these four elements in balance during life.
Valedictory Address Britney Ann Baumgartel, valedictorian of the Class of 2012, described the last four years as “a time for accomplishments and learning lessons but mostly a time for finding ourselves.” She compared college to “a road map without street names or routes — just blank roads that could lead us anywhere.” Professors served as GPS systems for the journey, she explained, noting that “they helped guide and shape what kind of teacher I want to be, but also help shape what kind of person I want to be perceived as.” She encouraged her classmates to “write your name in concrete and show someone ‘I was here and I will make a difference’ because that is what Neumann has taught me, has taught us, to make a difference in the lives of others.” Summer 2012 17
Jobs
JobsJobs! National Study:
Neumann Students Involved in Career Preparation According to the 2011 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), more Neumann University first-year students reported conversations about their career plans with faculty members and more seniors experienced off-campus learning opportunities than students at similar colleges and universities across America. The study asked first-year and senior college students a battery of questions in five categories: level of academic challenge, active and collaborative learning, studentfaculty interaction, enriching educational experiences, and supportive campus environment. The survey was sent to more than 400,000 students at 673 U.S. colleges and universities. For Neumann, the comparison group consisted of 72 schools, categorized as small “comprehensive master’s degree institutions,” according to the Carnegie Classification standard. Forty-eight percent of Neumann first-year students reported “talking about career plans with a faculty member or advisor” compared to 35% of first-year students in the group of 72 schools. Thirty-one percent of Neumann freshmen also reported “working with faculty members on activity other than coursework” compared to 17% of freshmen in the national sampling.
Among seniors at Neumann, 74% said that they had completed “a practicum, internship, field experience or clinical assignment” compared to 48% in the larger group. In addition, 40% of Neumann seniors reported that they had participated in a “community-based project as part of a regular course” double the 20% response of the national sampling. The results come as no surprise to Dr. Rosalie Mirenda, Neumann’s president. “Our faculty members engage with students in and out of the classroom,” she said. “They want students to be successful, and they know that career planning and real-world experiences are essential to success after graduation.” According to the NSSE, its survey “provides diagnostic, comparative information about the prevalence of effective educational practices” to give university administrators and faculty “guidance on where to invest time, effort and resources to improve student learning and other critical outcomes.” The NSSE is administered by the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research and is sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 18 Accent Magazine
It’s virtually impossible these days to read any news outlet without seeing stories about the high cost of higher education. Nationally, student debt continues to rise, and a recovering economy isn’t generating enough jobs for new graduates. These are serious issues. Lost in the discussion, however, are the success stories. Every year, despite the state of the economy or the unemployment rate, hundreds of thousands of young men and women graduate from colleges and universities across the country with skills — and career prospects — that they wouldn’t have had without a college experience. Neumann contributes to these student success stories in several ways. It offers many majors, from nursing and biology to business and education, that emphasize career preparation. In addition, Neumann stresses the importance of internships, clinical and field experiences, and cooperative education placements to help students build their resumes and exhibit their skills to potential employers.
Here are just a few of these stories . . .
m Alicia Anglin ’11
Stephanie
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Alicia Anglin ’11 is a graduate of the clinical laboratory science (CLS) program at Neumann. She holds a degree in biology with a focus in the CLS track and a minor in chemistry and natural science. She had a job lined up a month before she graduated. She works at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) in the toxicology lab after starting in the microbiology lab. “I was encouraged to apply to jobs towards the middle of my final semester. I knew that the application process would be difficult,” she admits. Anglin applied at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and was asked to come in for an interview. “I made sure to focus on my clinical experience as well as speaking about my willingness to learn,” she explains. As part of her curriculum at Neumann, Anglin did clinical rotations through the CLS program in conjunction with the Crozer health system for her last semester. “I was ready to enter the job world after my time at Neumann. I wasn’t nervous or hesitant because I knew I was prepared. I had learned to balance my activities while still being successful in my classes,” she said. She plans to continue working in the medical field gaining experience and learning as much as possible in the labs before entering medical school. Anglin recently switched to the toxicology lab. “I was interested in working in another lab that focused on concepts that I learned doing the CLS courses at school. Microbiology was only one section of the CLS division. I studied many CLS areas and it’s a nice chance to get more experience at HUP,” she said. Anglin still keeps in touch with Dr. Patti Strobl, one of her professors. “She taught me to be kind and passionate about my dreams and career goals. Dr. Strobl expected me to reach all of my career goals as long as I was willing to work hard to achieve them.”
Alicia
m Stephanie Fronczak U.S. Department of Commerce A double major in international business and business administration, Stephanie Fronczak has an internship that she considers a perfect match with her career plans. The junior at Neumann is an international trade associate with the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC) office in Philadelphia. Fronczak spends most of her 16 hours per week at the USDOC doing market research on countries across the globe. Clients of the Department of Commerce continually need updates on the economic situation in countries with which they trade. Using special government websites and databases, she is among a host of people who make sure that the status reports on those countries are as accurate and objective as possible. She has also been involved in a project to promote a series of Department of Commerce seminars to businesses in the region. She matches seminar topics with profiles of local businesses, calls the business offices to assess interest, and follows up to offer assistance when needed. Dr. Mehdi Hojjat, who teaches international business and marketing at Neumann, was pivotal in helping Fronczak land her internship. “He told me about it, gave me the background I needed, and showed me how to apply,” she explains. “He’s a great advisor, and he believes in me.” A graduate of Triton High School in New Jersey, Fronczak first heard about Neumann University at a college fair. “When my mom and I visited campus, I got a great vibe. I like small classes, and I saw lots of opportunities here. That day, on the way home, I told my mom that this is where I wanted to go to college.” After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in international trade or corporate management. Summer 2012 19
Jobs Jobs Jobs . . . m Athena Thompson ’12 Greater Philadelphia Film Office
Nick m Nick Martin ’12 National Constitution Center As a new college graduate, Nick Martin ’12 isn’t anybody’s boss yet, but he did get the chance to research The Boss during his Neumann internship. Martin is an intern at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, where he helped research the Bruce Springsteen exhibit that runs at the Center through September 3. Martin is a political science major and a history minor, so conducting research on an American music icon played right into his skill set. For Martin, who lives in Pittsgrove, NJ, his love of history is a family affair. His dad is a history buff, and his brother is a history teacher. “My father got my brother and me interested in it by watching documentaries and movies with us,” says Martin. “We always talk history at the dinner table, and try to outsmart one another.” Last summer, Martin parlayed his love of history into an internship with a savvy strategy. After seeing no internship positions available at the Constitution 20 Accent Magazine
Center, he applied for a volunteer position. Eventually an internship slot opened, and Martin got the job. His duties included doing research for upcoming events, like the one on Springsteen. “I also did floor exhibits on Saturdays, and presented powerpoints for membership days and scout days,” Martin said.
In the fall of her senior year, Athena Thompson ’12 began looking for a graphic design internship and discovered the Philadelphia Film Office in her search. She interviewed for the internship in January and began shortly afterward. “This internship was more marketing focused,” explains Thompson. She worked on updating the website and handling social media, with some graphic design thrown in. “I designed covers for the survival guide to filming in Philadelphia. I made six samples and they liked them and ended up using all of them,” she said. “Dr. LoMonaco’s class really benefited me during this internship. He taught us advertising and marketing, which helped me with the media releases and how to reach certain people or a certain demographic,” said Thompson. Thompson’s favorite thing to work on was the graphic design projects. After graduation, she would like to go to graduate school as a double major in film and graphic design or freelance for a bit. “This internship has definitely benefited me with knowing the right people. I didn’t realize there was a large film base in Philadelphia, and now I have connections to that,” she said.
Athena
. . . Through Career Preparation making sure you succeed. Everything that they taught me helped me a lot with the testing. Neumann not only gave me my education but they were a family to me, too. It was my home away from home.”
m Christine Venuto BEN-FM
Demi m Demi Moore ’11 Delaware State Police When Demi Moore ’11 transferred to Neumann as a sophomore, she decided to pursue a double major in criminal justice and psychology. Her goal was a career in law enforcement. After completing an internship with the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office in the Criminal Investigations Division, Moore was eager to work in her field. “When I was actually out doing the work in the field, then I knew it was what I wanted to do. My dad is a police officer in Lower Chichester (Delaware County, PA) and I always knew I wanted to be a police officer,” she said. Moore entered the Delaware State Police Academy in the spring of 2012 for an intensive 22-week training program. She is one of 1,000 individuals who applied, and one of the 22 who were selected. She is one of three women who will be in the academy’s training class. The guidance that she received from her Neumann professors was instrumental in her success. “The professors at Neumann were always proactive in helping you and
“I’ve always been interested in broadcasting,” admits Christine Venuto, a junior liberal arts major, “and I wanted an internship in that field to gain experience, to get my foot in the door.” In January 2012, Christine hit the jackpot. She landed an internship at BEN-FM, one of Philadelphia’s major radio stations. She works behind the scenes, assisting Andrea Duffy, the production director for the station. According to Duffy, “Christine has been an amazing intern. I was surprised at the skills she already had before she started here; she was really able to hit the ground running.” Venuto’s duties include dubbing and
connecting MP3s of advertisements to Wide Orbit, the station’s program scheduling system. She is also being mentored by Duffy on the procedure to create 10-second, 30-second and 60-second ads ordered by clients. Her spots haven’t aired yet, but she’s gaining confidence in her ability to produce broadcast-worthy, commercial radio. She also talks to winners of contests sponsored by BEN to collect the pertinent information that the station requires. On campus, the South Philadelphia native sets aside her production expertise to work as on-air talent. She has her own show, “Gossip Girls,” on Neumann Radio every Thursday from 6-7 p.m. She and three friends talk about celebrity gossip and discuss campus events with Venuto as the lead personality. “I went to a large school in the city and transferred here after my sophomore year,” she explains. “Neumann really is uniquely personal. I feel like I’m getting the help I need here.”
Christine
Summer 2012 21
D eve l o p m ent
13th Gala Raises Scholarship Funds with Sophisticated Style
Development Committee Chairperson Frank Janton and his wife Marie, a member of the Gala Committee, greet last year’s Presidential Humanitarian Award winner, Pennsylvania State Senator Dominic F. Pileggi. Janton later welcomed the crowd and thanked Gala chairperson Aurora O’Brien for her work and sponsors for their generosity.
An air of sophisticated style and elegance enveloped the more than 300 friends of Neumann as they gathered at the 13th Annual Scholarship Gala held on Saturday, March 31 at the Hotel du Pont, a landmark Wilmington, Delaware hotel. Through the generosity of our friends, the event succeeded in generating more than $113,000 to help worthy students enjoy “A Uniquely Personal Experience” at Neumann. At the event, the University presented its Presidential Humanitarian Award to both Kerry Fraser, a hockey analyst and former senior referee in the National Hockey League (NJL), and to The Ministry of Caring Inc., a Wilmington, Delaware organization of volunteers, donors and supporters. Fraser, a deeply religious family man, is a spokesperson and mentor for young athletes and students (amateur to professional). He shares his experiences, love of the Catholic faith and leads by example. The Ministry of Caring
Students are the reason for the Scholarship Gala. Neumann’s Presidential Ambassadors represent the students who benefit from the generosity of those sponsors who support this event. 22 Accent Magazine
D eve l o p m ent
(L to R) Master of Ceremonies Bill Baldini, WCAU-TV news reporter and previous Humanitarian award winner, congratulates the 2012 Presidential Humanitarian Awardees Kerry Fraser and Brother Ronald Giannone, OFM Cap. (representing The Ministry of Caring Inc.), along with Dr. Rosalie and Tony Mirenda and chairperson of the Board of Trustees Jay Devine.
Inc., founded by Brother Ronald Giannone, OFM Cap. provides 19 quality programs that serve the poor, homeless and/or disadvantaged of Wilmington, Delaware. The Award was established anonymously in 2002 in honor of University president Dr. Rosalie M. Mirenda, and her husband Tony, Neumann’s ambassador-at-large. The Award is given to those whose lives reflect the special qualities that the Mirendas embody: commitment to serve humanity and empower the underserved; devotion to religious and family values; appreciation for philanthropy and giving back; willingness to take risks in the pursuit of vision; and a demonstrated respect for education and positive intellectual life. A special highlight of the evening was a visit from U.S. Senator for Delaware Tom Carper. Bill Baldini, longtime WCAU-TV (NBC 10) news reporter who served as master of ceremonies for the award, hailed the Senator as a “dedicated public servant.” Under the leadership of Gala Chairperson Aurora C. O’Brien, the Gala committee selected the historic hotel which opened in 1913 and is one of the finest examples of European craftsmanship in North America, to add a grandness to the event. Be sure to save the date for next year’s gala on April 6 at the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts.
Dr. Rosalie and Mr. Tony Mirenda extend their gratitude to United States Senator Tom Carper for his visit and kind words.
Summer 2012 23
ALu m ni ne w s
Dear Alumni,
NU at the Blue Rocks May 18 was Neumann University night at the Blue Rocks. The Frawley Stadium crowd cheered as the team posted a win against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. The weather cooperated and provided a beautiful backdrop to minor league baseball, while alumni and friends enjoyed a delicious picnic and family fun for all.
One of the best parts of working in the alumni office is hearing about all the achievements and accomplishments of our successful alumni. Our alumni association is an ever-growing network of professionals achieving wonderful things on a daily basis both in their professional lives and within their communities. We share these great stories in our class notes section in Accent, on our Alumni Online Community and on our social networks so that we can recognize and applaud graduates. During Homecoming we have the chance to celebrate a select few to receive alumni awards. These are all great moments! They inspire Neumann pride in students, alumni and families. What’s more, they become a source of confidence when a potential student sees these successes published. So tell us your story! Share them at www.alumni.neumann.edu/classnotes. Sincerely, Judi Stanaitis ’07
Bethany ’10 and Samuel ’11 Sheldon enjoyed a bite to eat at the Blue Rocks game.
Debbie Mantegna ’85 with her husband Ven and daughters Natalie, 12, and Jessica, 7, cheered on the Blue Rocks at the game.
P.S. Please join me in welcoming Stephanie Fortunato ’13 as the new assistant director of Alumni Relations and Special Programs. Stephanie is a graduate of Drexel University with a degree in design and merchandising. In August, she will become a Neumann University graduate with a master’s degree in Organizational and Strategic Leadership. Welcome Stephanie!
Brendan P. Kelly ’87 Weekend Neumann Alumni were welcomed back to the court for the 23rd Annual Brendan P. Kelly ’87 Weekend on January 28 and 29. This year the entire event was held in the Mirenda Center for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development with a “Taste of Philly” lunch in the Bayada Atrium and children’s activities in Community Hall. More than $300,000 has been raised for Neumann student scholarships through this annual event. Pictured are Amanda Rodriguez ’08, Mary Kate Devine ’07, Lauren Johanson, Nellie Mixon ’06, and Kim Hinkle ’07.
24 Accent Magazine
ALu m ni N E WS
Celebrity Golf Classic Even rain clouds on the horizon couldn’t dampen the spirits of the golfers who came out to Springhaven Country Club for the Annual Brendan P. Kelly ’87 Neumann University Celebrity Golf Classic on June 4. The day finished with a fabulous dinner, silent auction, and golf ball drop from high atop a fire truck. All proceeds from the event go to Neumann University student scholarships. Pictured are Karen Thomas, Tracey Diserafino, Carolyn Seagraves ’84, and Kristen Spencer.
Meet Three of Your Alumni Executive Board The Alumni Executive Board has 12 members. Others have been profiled in past editions of Accent. Here are three more. Giancarlo G. Riotto ’04, ’10, BS, MS, lives in Stewartsville, New Jersey, and is the president and founder of Talent Stock & Triumph Fitness LLC. “In the past I have served Neumann University in many ways. I was a student athlete for the men’s soccer, ice hockey and roller hockey teams. I was a Eucharistic minister and served as a mentor for students in the Division of Business & Information Management programs. I also provide paid internships to Neumann students through my company, Talent Stock. “I wanted to serve on the board to make a positive impact on the alumni community and to stay actively involved with Neumann University. My future with Neumann will be to continue to serve on the Alumni Executive Board, continue to offer students and alumni paid internships and job opportunities through my company, and continue to promote the core values of the University to everyone I meet.”
MaryAnn Wallen ’04 has a B.A. in early childhood and
elementary education and is a teacher. “I have served on the Alumni Executive Board (AEB) for the past couple years. While at Neumann, I worked with student government, student activities, mission and ministry,
and safety and security as well as residence life. I have always enjoyed giving back. My great experiences at Neumann encouraged me to continue as an alumna. I think it is a great way to give back to the University especially if I am able to encourage others to do the same! I would like to do more with the university, but for now feel as though the best thing to do is to be more active with the AEB and to get more graduates to do the same.”
Kristine Segich-Morgan ’99, BS, is currently the vice
president in Global Business Service at Deutsche Bank. “While attending Neumann, I sat on the student government association in various roles, participated in the business club and was a member of the women’s softball team. I’ve been on Neumann’s Alumni Association Executive Board since 2008. From the day I left Neumann, I have searched for an inspiring and caring community that was so evident at Neumann. In time, I decided it was time to go back and give back. Upon completion of my commitment to the Alumni Executive Board, I would love to become more involved with business related associations, such as the business advisory board. I’d love to become more involved with the students.”
Summer 2012 25
A l u m ni Pro f i l e
One Pair of Hands Helps Hundreds in Haiti What possesses a suburban housewife and school nurse to leave the comforts of her home and travel to Haiti to help victims of a massive 7.0 earthquake? If you ask Marian (Schwab) Byrnes ’76, it was the work of the Holy Spirit that encouraged
her to take that leap of faith in the summer of 2010. Byrnes joined the BAYADA Nurses for Haiti volunteer campaign which went to the ravaged county through a nongovernmental organization (NGO) called
Byrnes in Port au Prince with the ruins of the town’s cathedral behind her. The earthquake’s devastation was overwhelming.
26 Accent Magazine
Heart to Heart International. Heart to Heart arrived in Haiti a few days after the January 2010 quake struck and established several clinics in and around the country’s capital, Port au Prince. More than 300,000 Haitians died in the earthquake. Byrnes, who works at the Vanguard School in Chester County, knew her nursing skills would be useful to the victims of the earthquake. “Because I had the summer off from my job, I wanted to spend it in a worthwhile way. I was really moved by the tragedy. I was very affected by that and thought I could do something but I wasn’t sure what,” Byrnes recalled. All it took was a Google search of “volunteering in Haiti” and Byrnes was immediately directed to the Bayada webpage. Originally the Bayada organization was sending its own nurses but, because the need for care in Haiti was so great, the company extended the offer to outside nurses. Byrnes was accepted very quickly by the Bayada program — perhaps another sign that she was meant to take this journey. “Things fell into place so quickly and I thought, ‘Well, gosh, there’s no reason to say no.’ My family was all shocked,” she said. Traveling by herself was another leap of faith for Byrnes. She was not quite sure what to expect when she landed in Port au Prince. Initially she was shocked. Although it was six months after the quake, Byrnes was amazed by how little had been done to clear the wreckage. “I was overwhelmed when I first got there. It was almost as if it had just happened. The people were traumatized,” Byrnes said. Heart to Heart had set up a make-shift clinic in a Nazarene Church located in Port au Prince. The church was virtually undamaged by the quake due to its sound construction. It was called the Bel Aire Clinic, and while the name may sound chic, the clinic was far from being upscale.
A l u m ni Pro f i l e
“We had no running water or toilets in the church. It was very basic. It was quite an adventure. I got more out of it than I’m sure I gave,” said Byrnes. In the clinic, Byrnes worked closely with Haitian nurses and learned that the earthquake completely destroyed a nursing school killing hundreds of their nurses. “The people were traumatized. The women were unsafe in the tent cities. I saw a lot of women who were abused. We prayed a lot. We were in a church and that was a blessing,” said Byrnes. Heart to Heart had the volunteers stay in a home an hour away from the clinic. Each day Byrnes and the other medical volunteers would drive in a flat-bed truck to the clinic. They nicknamed the truck “the cage” as they traveled on rough roads back and forth to Port au Prince. Byrnes explained that most of the medical issues that she dealt with involved acute care and chronic health issues. “I did basic stuff like wound care. We had a donation of hundreds of cases of tetanus shots that we gave out. I had to take my instruments back to the house each day to sterilize them. We did a lot of shots, injections, antibiotics and pain medication,” she said. One of the barriers that Byrnes experienced was the ability to communicate with the Haitian people. Most of the locals speak Haitian Creole so she needed to have a translator with her most of the time. Some spoke French but very few spoke English. Byrne’s return to the states was difficult because she had a hard time leaving the Haitian people and the volunteer staff that she had work so closely with. Physically, she was wiped out but exhilarated too. “It was truly an opportunity of a lifetime for experiencing personal, physical, and professional challenges, and most importantly, spiritual growth. I am so glad that the Holy Spirit guided me in this journey and that I was open to it,” Byrnes said.
Marian Byrnes ’76 attending to a patient at the Bellaire Clinic in Port au Prince with the assistance of a Haitian nurse.
Byrnes working at a mountaintop clinic in the town of Fondwa, Haiti, one of the other clinics she visited during her stay.
Summer 2012 27
c l ASS N O T E S
1970s Dr. Gayle Eversole, B.S., ’74, just
introduced her unique health system, Health Forensics (including Health Detective and ASK). Maureen Monaghan, B.A., ’74, is an
associate director of training at Per Scholas Institute of Technology, Bronx, NY, and an adjunct professor in the Information Technology Department at Monroe College in the Bronx. Maryanne (Valentine) Lieb, B.S., ’76, was on the program for the 2011 National League for Nursing (NLN) Education Summit held in Florida last year. She presented, “Promoting Leadership Development in Individuals Underrepresented in Nursing.” Maryanne is a clinical professor for Villanova University College of Nursing. Joanne (Burkley) Houch, B.S., ’77, recently
retired from Sunoco. She was employed there for 33 years, most recently as the manager of product stewardship and toxicology. Joanne has now embarked on her second career as the manager of product safety at Cray Valley USA, a specialty chemical company located in Exton, PA. Joanne’s daughter Casey just finished her freshman year at Neumann.
John Harper, B.S., ’77, presented his
research study, “Evaluation of Learning after a Clinical Observation Experience in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab — A Pilot Study” at the SePA Chapter, American Association of Critical Care Nurses’ Research Dinner Meeting in April 2012.
Barbara Heinhold, B.S., ’79, moved to Maryland from State College, Pennsylvania, and now lives 1 ½ miles from her four grandchildren. She volunteers at her parish, a nursing home and a free medical clinic for the uninsured, much the same volunteer work she did in State College.
Catherine (Taffy) Walmsley, B.S., ’79, a former president of the Neumann Alumni Association, was honored at a 25th Anniversary Mass for The St. John Neumann Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order as one of the founding members. The mass was held at the Mother House adjacent to the Neumann University campus.
Patricia Kaeser, B.A., ’87, was recently named the principal of St. James Regional Catholic School in Ridley Park, PA.
1980s
Michael Sullivann, B.S., ’89, was
Debra (Schmidt) DeMasi, B.S., ’80, was
inducted in March 2011 into Beta Gamma Sigma, which is the international business society. In August 2011, she received her MBA in health care management with high honors. Debra credited some of her fortitude to attempt this academic adventure to the values and knowledge gained by her education at Neumann so many years ago.
Robin (MacAuley-Helpa) Lindemuth, B.S., ’82, and her husband Don, celebrated their
20th wedding anniversary on March 17, 2012. Barbara Marvel, B.S., ’83, passed away on
January 24, 2012. Barbara was a technical writer at DuPont Merck for 13 years, retiring in 1998 and prior to that she worked at Smith Kline and the DuPont Company. Mary Anne Dorner, B.A., ’84, is now an
adjunct professor in theology/church history for Barry University in Florida. Frances (Malone) Cook, B.A, ’84, is enjoying
life with her nine grandchildren and anxiously awaiting the arrival of her tenth.
Thomas Imburgia, B.S., ’85, received a 2012
Excellence in Teaching Award presented at the Partners in Learning Celebration in April. The award recognizes exceptional, innovative teachers whose dedication has left a lasting influence on their students.
Dolores Ann Macklin, M.S., OSF, ’86, (formerly Sister Catherine Agnes) died at the Assisi House on January 8, 2012. She was 83 years old and had been a professed member
of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia for 61 years. She ministered primarily in education, AIDS ministry, senior services, and counseling.
appointed vice president of sales and marketing for Avion Pharmaceuticals, LLC, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on women’s health.
1990s Margaret (Lafferty) DeGrassa, B.A., ’90,
reports that her daughter, Marguerite, is now a sophomore at Neumann. Marguerite is the youngest of her four children.
Angela Smedley, B.A., ’90, is the on-air
personality for the apparel line Quacker Factory on QVC. Angela was recently awarded the Q Star Award for Guest Excellence for her hard work in 2011. Out of nine categories, eight awards are given to companies. Angela was the only individual to win an award.
Kelly (Robinson) Stenger, B.S., ’90,
married Frederick Stenger on November 12, 21011. Kelly is a senior operations manager for JP Morgan Chase.
Stephen Agostini, B.S., ’91, retired from
Consolidated Rail Corporation and the former Penn Central Railroad after 38 years in the railroad industry. He is now looking forward to traveling the United States in his motor home with his wife.
Where are you and what are you doing? Let us know of any changes in your life that you would like to share at
www.alumni.neumann.edu/classnotes. 28 Accent Magazine
C LASS N O T E S Paul “Chuk” Valcukas, B.S., ’93, works in
the outdoors. The grant will fund “Women in the Water,” an idea Snyder developed to reconnect youth to America’s natural and cultural heritage.
Philadelphia for the Rock-Tenn Company as the plant controller. He also works with kids with disabilities in the Challenger Sport Leagues sponsored by the Pocono Mountain East Youth Association. Margaret (Roch) Richards, B.S., ’95, is
Audrie Porter, B.A., ’09, married Paul
Titchenell in November 2011.
having her book, Inspiring Butterflies: A 27-Day Course Discovery, published and it is available for pre-ordering from Amazon. She continues her affiliation with the Sisters of St. Francis by serving on the advisory board of the Franciscan Spiritual Center.
Samuel Commale, B.S., ’03, married Tricia Arnold last July at Sacred Heart Church in Havertown, PA.
Kaitlin McLaughlin, B.S., ’10, is now working at the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union.
John Camero, M.S., ’04, was recently
Frances Giannini, B.S., ’97, earned a master’s degree in nursing from Villanova University College of Nursing.
MaryAnn Wallen, B.A., ’04, completed
Amanda Houck, B.S., ’10, serves as the business manager for Houck’s Menswear in Centreville, Md. The business, established by Amanda and her father, opened in March and carries only products that are made in the USA.
Sue Williamson, B.A., ’97, is an elementary
Kristen Gallagher, B.S., ’05, was recently hired as the assistant director of alumni relations at Harvard University School of Government in Cambridge, MA. She will be overseeing and planning alumni events both internationally and locally.
on ABC’s Shark Tank television show in March 2012. Keith and his brothers filmed the show last July which focused on their business Nardo’s Natural — an organic skin care product company.
William Pezzotti, B.S., ’05, co-authored
education teacher for grades kindergarten through fifth at Manoa Elementary School in Havertown, PA, received the 2012 Excellence in Teaching Awards presented at the Partners in Learning Celebration in April. She has been a teacher for six years.
school teacher at Media School and the president of the education association for the Rose Tree Media School District teachers.
Susan Kendra, B.A., ’99, was recently
promoted to chief financial officer of Beaumont Retirement Services, a continuing care retirement community. Sandra Feather, M.S., PT, ’99, has been promoted to the director of enrollment management at Penn State Worthington, Scranton. She resides in South Abington Township with her husband, Jeff, and their two daughters.
2000s Michael Criscuolo, B.A., ’00, has accepted the position of executive director of the Lakeland Regional Health System Foundation in Lakeland, Florida. Dawn (Markel) McClellan, M.S., ’00,
is a licensed physical therapist and a certified Pilates instructor and runs Evolution Physical Therapy and Wellness Studio. This year she will be the chairperson of WE-LEAD, Women Encouraging Leadership, Education, and Development for the Blair Chamber of Commerce in Blair County, PA.
appointed to the Bethel Township Board of Supervisors in Garnet Valley, PA. her master’s in theology and ministry at LaSalle University.
the article “Using Anticoagulants” for the February 2012 issue of Nursing.
Meaghan (Crawford) O’Gara, B.A., ’05, married
Ryan O’Gara in November 2011.
Keith Mastronardo, B.S., ’10, was featured
Michelle May, B.A., ’11, a special
Sherae Dinkins, B.A., ’11, is now working
for Clear Channel Communications, Inc. in Rockville, MD.
David Woldy, B.S., ’07, has been promoted to CNII from CNI at The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
Elizabeth (Spivak) Melfi, B.S., ’12, recently wrote an article for Examiner.com titled “Welcome to Holland; Coming to Terms with a Child with Disabilities.” She is a behavior therapist for children ages 3-5 who have autism or spectrum related disorders.
Magogodi Makhene, B.S., ’08, wrote an
Class of 2011
award-winning essay for Elie Wiesel’s book, Ethical Compass: Coming of Age in the 21st Century, which was published by Yale University Press. Jessica Snyder, B.A., ’09, was awarded an
activation grant from Outdoor Nation, a national initiative that reconnects youth to
You’ll be receiving in the mail a chance to participate in a class survey. If you prefer to take the survey online, visit www.alumni.neumann.edu/survey11. Each respondent gets an NU tote and one lucky winner will be chosen to receive a Kindle Fire! Your opinion counts! Summer 2012 29
ALu m ni ne w s
Sr. Nora M. Nash, OSF ’74 Taking the Crusades to the Corporate World By Kenn Stark, Town Talk Reporter With all the feistiness that one might expect from a native of Ireland, Sister Nora Nash of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia (OSF) has been bringing the religious order’s quest for human harmony to corporate board rooms. Her mission to interject greater morality into the business world is far from over, but off to an impressive start. “The Sisters of St. Francis have a very serious commitment to bringing our message of peace, reconciliation, and justice to our world,” notes Nash. A list of the Fortune 500 companies that Sr. Nora and her associates have met with to present grievances and seek solutions includes Ford, Goldman Sachs investment bank, Kroger’s, McDonald’s, J P Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Mellon, CitiGroup, Wells Fargo, Disney, Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, BP Oil, Walmart, Nestles’ and Hershey. Nash’s parlay with General Electric CEO Jack Welch in 1992 left such an impression that the chief executive pulled the company out of the nuclear arms business. On other fronts, a number of financial institutions have agreed to amend lending practices; Kroger’s has addressed farm workers’ rights; McDonald’s is more sensitive to child obesity; Walmart has raised their minimum wage; more generic pharmaceuticals are available; and violent video games are now rated and restricted from sale to minors. As OSF Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Sr. Nora monitors the investment portfolio that ensures future funding to support the order’s retired sisters. Nash’s base of operations since 2001 has been an office in Our Lady of Angels Convent in Aston Township. She also serves as professor for a few Neumann classes each year, teaching morality classes to criminal justice majors. Nash and the OSFs are just one branch of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR). The group was founded 40 years ago by multi-denominational clergy to address shrinking investment returns, but has grown to be the spearhead of a campaign for change, working with non-governmental organizations around the globe. The methodology used to convince corporations to conduct business with more humanity and environmental sensitivity has moved away from the public shaming and boycotts employed by corporate activists in the 1980s. “We’re not here to put corporations down, we’re here to improve their sense of responsibility,” Nash clarifies. “We don’t want to destroy 30 Accent Magazine
Sr. Nora Nash poses with a statue of St. Francis of Assisi in Our Lady of Angels Convent.
corporations. We want to improve them for the common good, whether you live in Pennsylvania, Afghanistan, or London. Our impact is directed at the corporate mindset.” The approaches to gain access to the issues have been as varied as the injustices that have been tackled by Nash and her ICCR cohorts. Under Securities Exchange Commission law, any investor with at least a $2,000 stake in a company has the right to present opinions at the annual shareholders’ meeting. By putting up this minimal investment, the ICCR has managed to claim a seat and a voice as a shareholder advocate in many corporate board rooms. “It gives us the ability to have an impact on many nongovernment policies,” Nash notes. Nash can recall several successful efforts to inject Franciscan values into the corporate mindset, including helping to break the “glass ceiling” for women’s wages, and bringing about the end of apartheid in South Africa by boycotting Nestles’ for unequal hiring practices. “Over the years, corporations have learned to respect us, because we sit on the other side of the table, but we represent the interests of both the investor and the corporation. If you don’t do what is right and just, you’re damaging your reputation, your shareholders, or maybe the environment,” Nash asserts. “They know we’re speaking from a truth perspective.”
In Memoriam Many people with a connection to the University passed away in the last year. They include: Mr. David C. Bailey Msgr. Francis A. Barszczewski Mrs. Florence Bergbauer Ms. Joyce R. DiCecco ’77 Pasquale J. DiQuinzio, Esq. Dr. Ayshe Ergin Dr. Victoria A. Fisher Cardinal John P. Foley Mr. John A. Franzini Mrs. Lori A. Gannon ’83 Sr. Catherine E. Kearney, OSF Mr. Richard J. Kradjel Sr. Catherine Lawrence, OSF Sr. Dolores A. Macklin, OSF ’86 Ms. Barbara A. Marvel ’83 Sr. Clare Immaculate McDonnell, OSF Mr. John McNichol Mr. William M. Mirenda, Sr. Ms. Sandra J. Mizell ’01 Mr. Robert J. Murray, Sr. Dr. Gino Papola Dr. Mary Papola Mr. Anthony F. Pileggi Sr. Dorothy Ann Schmitt, OSF ’73 Mrs. Dorothea Shea Mrs. Elizabeth M. Stacy Mrs. Mary M. Tracy Mr. John D. Vairo Mr. Lawrence G. Weathers, Jr. Ms. Cathy D. Whittington ’05
Summer 2012 31
KUDOS
Faculty Publications, Conferences and Awards Scott Beadenkopf, director of academic technology, mounted a photographic exhibit titled Perspectives on Beauty in the Neumann University Art Gallery, August 24 – October 17, 2011. Scott Biely received his doctorate in rehabilitation Sciences at Drexel University on June 16. Kathleen Conn, Ph.D., J.D., associate professor of education, began her tenure in January 2012 as the president of the Pennsylvania Science Teachers Association (PSTA). In October 2012, she presented a paper in Darwin, Australia, at the meeting of the Australia-New Zealand Education Law Association (ANZELA). Jim Gallo, assistant director of student activities, recently won Campus Event Planner of the Year presented by the Power Performers Agency for his work planning events. Terence Gleeson, assistant professor of theater arts, appeared in two staged readings in Philadelphia in April 2012: the lead role of Flip in Last Year’s Man at the Painted Bride Arts Center, and the Player King in REV Theatre Company’s Hamlet at the Shubin Theatre. In March 2012, he also produced and served as master carpenter for the Neumann University Players production of the musical Working. In January, he directed, designed sound and lighting for, and played the part of Daniel Burke in The Shadow of the Glen for the Arts Guild at Neumann University’s “Evening in Dublin.” Melissa Hickey, director of campus ministry, presented the Heart of Camden service endeavor through Neumann University Campus Ministry to the Chester County CYO organization’s “Young Leaders of the Future” day in April 2012. Mehdi Hojjat, Ph.D., professor of finance and international business, presented “Global Education as a Community Service” at the July 2011 Global Business and Technology Conference, in Istanbul, Turkey. Jim Houck, Ph.D., assistant professor of pastoral studies, presented “Finding a Voice: Affirming Religious/Spiritual Coping as a Strength among Disenfranchised Appalachians” at the 35th Annual Appalachian Studies Conference at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in March 2012. 32 Accent Magazine
The following professors received promotions in 2012: John Mizzoni, Ph.D. to Professor from Associate Professor M. Catherine Wollman, DNP, CRNP to Associate Professor from Assistant Professor Philip Pegan, Ph.D. to Associate Professor from Assistant Professor Ellen S. Sloss, Ph.D. to Associate Professor from Assistant Professor Patricia Fallest-Strobl, Ph.D. to Associate Professor from Assistant Professor Scott Biely, PT, DPT, MS, OCS, MTC to Associate Professor from Assistant Professor Sr. Elizabeth McVeigh, SSJ, MA to Assistant Professor from Instructor
Yukiko Ishida, DMA, associate professor of music, performed with the Neumann University Concert Chorale at the Assisi House, Aston, PA, and at Union United Methodist Church, Havertown, PA. In addition, she performed in the Neumann University Faculty Concert for breast cancer awareness in April, 2012. Jim Kain, assistant professor of English, presented “Staying on Course to Academic Success: Using Universal Design in Assessment of Developmental Learners” at the 2012 On Course National Conference in Long Beach, CA, April, 2012. In addition, he had “Renascence Again” (poetry) published in the Delta Epsilon Sigma Journal, summer 2012, and Conversing with the Spirits, a book of poetry, published by Xlibris Press, 2011. Sam Lemon, director of degree completion programs, recently had an article published in the Caribbean Genealogy Library’s March 2012 newsletter entitled “Spirits of St. Croix: Unraveling the mystery of my great-grandmother’s West Indian past.” The article dealt with his genealogical research regarding his great-grandmother who was born on St. Croix in 1858, and the discoveries made with the help of the Caribbean Genealogy Library. Jason Mensinger, instructor of athletic training, published an article in the Elitefts. com E-Book Programs that Work: Over 30 PR Breaking Program. The article was entitled “Lower Body Agility/Power/Strength for a Collegiate Field Hockey Goalie.” All proceeds from the sale of the E-book went to the MakeA-Wish Foundation of Kentucky and Ohio. Marguerite O’Beirne, OSF ’70, vice president of mission and ministry, presented Neumann University’s process and procedures on hiring for mission at the 2012 annual meeting of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), January 2012, in Washington, DC.
Wendy Ostendorf, Ed.D., associate professor of nursing, and Nancy Laplante, Ph.D., assistant professor of nursing, presented “Heartbreakers, Handmaidens, and Heroes: Nurses in Cinema” at the League for Nursing Convention: 2012. Andrea Pent, Ph.D., associate professor, presented “I’m Here, Now What?: Mentoring Graduate Students in Sport Management” at the North American Society for Sport Management Annual Conference, Seattle, WA. She also published the following entries in the Encyclopedia of sports management and marketing (Sage Publications): charity sports events; managing tennis tournaments; positioning map for sports; recreation and leisure; social marketing; sponsorship negotiation; student athlete; Wimbledon tennis tournament; and U.S. Open tennis tournament. Linda Marie Sariego, OSF, Ph.D., assistant professor of Spanish, presented the paper “El humanismo ‘ensayado’ en la novela pastoril” at the South Atlantic Modern Language association Conference (SAMLA) November, 2011. Kathleen A. Swanik, Ph.D., assistant professor of athletic training, published the following articles in 2011 with her associates: “Humeral retroversion and its association with posterior capsule thickness in collegiate baseball players,” Journal of Shoulder Elbow Surgery; “Rotator-cuff muscle recruitment strategies during shoulder rehabilitation exercises,” Journal of Sport Rehabilitation; and “A bilateral comparison of posterior capsule thickness and its correlation with glenohumeral range of motion and scapular upward rotation in collegiate baseball players,” Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. Maria G. Traub, DML, associate professor of French and Italian, completed the following papers: “Deux Auteurs Nord-Africaines et Leurs Personages” on Feb. 24, 2012, at the WIF (Women in French) conference; and “The Chevalier/ Chevalière in Russia and England” on March 23, 2012, at a conference organized by the American Society for Eighteenth Century Studies.
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Homecoming 2012 October 16 – 21
r Put on you and lederhosen i, lumn celebrate A Parents ! Students &
Concert ✷ Fireworks ✷ Neumannfest Picnic Live music, games, bounces, funnel cakes, & more Taste of Neumann Pavilion featuring local vendors and their food specialties Hall of Fame and Alumni Awards ✷ Scholarship Reception NCAA & Alumni Sporting Events Janet Massey Breast Cancer Scholarship 5K Run (hosted by S.I.F.E.) Organizing your class reunion? Big or small, let the Alumni Office help; call Judi Stanaitis at 610-558-5544
All things Homecoming on www.alumni.neumann.edu/homecoming12