Foundations Fall 2014

Foundations ROBERT

MORRIS

UNIVERSITY

MAGAZINE

>

FALL

2014

Wealth Takes Work MONEY EXPERT

PU SP LL EC OU IA TI L NS ID E

TIPS FROM

JOHN WALDRON ‘82

& ING N M O S C E HOMS REUNIO CLAS

DEAR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS,

The newest member of the RMU family doesn’t have much to say, but he sure is a great listener, and can always be found outdoors, no matter the weather.

Perhaps you’ve met him already: We call him “Bronze Bob”, and he’s a statue of our namesake, Robert Morris, seated for all to see and enjoy outside Hale Center. A gift of the Class of 2013 and the Zonn family, Bronze Bob holds a scroll representing the three founding documents of the United States signed by Morris. He patiently poses on his bench for photographs with students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The #BronzeBob selfie has become an instant Robert Morris tradition.

Robert Morris, the university, has an interesting relationship to Robert Morris, the man. The university has no tangible connection to the Founding Father known as “The Financier of the American Revolution”: it was a simply the name picked by one of my predecessors, nearly 80 years ago, when it became clear our original name, the Pittsburgh School of Accountancy, was no longer adequate to describe our growing variety of degree offerings.

And yet Morris’s life has informed our values. He was a self-made man who gave of his fortune to help the American colonies win their independence from Britain, and then later gave President George Washington his home in Philadelphia to use as the executive mansion. Our students and alumni have adopted this ethos of service and success.

As in 1935, when we adopted the name Robert Morris, the university has undergone a transformation: We were once a commuter school, but now a majority of our undergraduate students are residential.

We have new facilities, new degree programs, and new traditions — including Bronze Bob. We also face many new challenges. The economic recovery has been slow and uneven, and many students struggle to pay for their education. Prospective students and their parents demand to know that what they learn and experience in college will allow them to launch and sustain a career. Students want value, and many otherwise excellent colleges and universities are going to struggle to provide it. Some won’t survive.

How do we make sure that Robert Morris not only survives but also prospers? I’d like to think we have a 93-year head start. Our focus since our inception has been on preparing students for meaningful careers, and this mission has guided our transformation. And while change comes slowly to higher education, RMU has demonstrated its ability to adapt quickly.

That said, we take nothing for granted. A major focus of our next five-year strategic plan, soon to be unveiled, will be to provide students with experiences inside and outside the classroom that will allow them to demonstrate to employers they can apply what they know to achieve results their organizations demand. We will do so in a way that is true to our heritage, true to our values, and true to ourselves.

Sincerely,

G R E G O R Y G . D E L L’ O M O , P H . D .

PRESIDENT

FALL} 14

Foundations Making Connections for Kids ... p. 18

CREDITS

FOUNDATIONS ONLINE VIDEO EXCLUSIVES

Nonprofit leader Kara Mostowy ‘91 M’06 is an advocate for special needs children.

EDITOR Mark Houser CONTRIBUTORS Valentine J. Brkich, David Brown, Alan Buehler ‘13, Charlotte Latvala, Jonathan Potts M’11, Mike Prisuta ART DIRECTOR Amy Joy PHOTOGRAPHY/ILLUSTRATIONS Front Cover: Getty Images Other Photos/Illustrations: Joe Appel, Paul Bereswill, Jason Cohn, James Knox, iStockphoto, Mitch Kramer ‘08, Jim Rosvold, Michael Will ‘08 PRINTING Heeter Direct

Taking America’s Pulse. . . . . . . 6 How men and women feel about pay inequity, what employers think about technology, and whether we are due for a new governor. The latest polls from the RMU Polling Institute powered by Trib Total Media.

Really Using Their Heads. . . . 12 Visit the lab of professor Ben Campbell, where students are working with neural interfaces to turn lights on and off with their minds, and other marvels of bioengineering.

FOUNDATIONS ONLINE RMU.EDU/FOUNDATIONS Scot Rutledge ‘09 Foundations (ISSN 1934-5690) is published three times a year by the Office of Public Relations and Marketing in conjunction with the Office of Institutional Advancement and mailed free of charge to alumni, donors, trustees, faculty, staff, and friends of Robert Morris University. The opinions expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect the official policies of Robert Morris University.

Contributions to Class Notes and address changes may be sent to: Office of Alumni Relations Robert Morris University 6001 University Boulevard Moon Township, PA 15108-1189 Phone: (412) 397-6464 Fax: (412) 397-5871 Email: rmualum@rmu.edu It is the policy of Robert Morris University to provide equal opportunity in all educational programs and activities, admission of students, and conditions of employment for all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, sex, religion, age, disability, national origin, and/or sexual preference.

#BronzeBob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The original Financier of the American Revolution unfortunately did not have an Instagram account. The new statue of Robert Morris tries to make up for that with some selfie buzz on social media.

Homecoming 2014 Tear out this four-page special section to see what’s happening and what’s new for this year. Circle Sat., Oct. 4, on your calendar and register for free online.

10 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Lorraine Bock D’14 is using the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree she earned this spring to advocate for nurse practitioners in Harrisburg.

CAMPUS REPORT Based on their outstanding performances as Salieri and Mozart in Colonial Theatre’s winter production of “Amadeus,” the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival selected junior Robert Kowalewski and grad student Logan Williams ‘12 M’14 to compete next January for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship. Sixteen regional awards and two national scholarships are presented annually. A scene from the show, directed by professor Barbara Burgess-Lefebvre, M.F.A., will be performed at the festival, one of only 10 scenes selected from more hundreds of plays in the region.

At this year’s festival, senior Becca Noal won the Certificate of Merit in Set Design.

Noal won for her set design for the fall show “Picasso at the Lapin Agile.”

> Bright Ideas Three senior engineering majors won the 2013 international Utility of Tomorrow Contest, sponsored by the software corporation SAP. The team of Shane Rybka, Raymond Roy, and Adam Nusairat proposed a smart WiFi circuit breaker system and app to make energy conservation easier for consumers.

As one of the five winning teams chosen from 62 finalists, students received an all-expenses-paid trip to Palo Alto, Calif., to work with experts to build prototypes of their winning ideas.

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> SEE THIS MAGAZINE AND EXTRA FEATURES AT RMU.EDU/FOUNDATIONS.

> Break a Leg, Guys

> Giving Thanks The School of Business received a $400,000 grant from the PNC Foundation to fund educational technology and student engagement activities. In honor of PNC’s generosity, Robert Morris rebranded the food court in the Nicholson Center as the PNC Colonial Café. The PNC Colonial Café seats nearly 400 and is the largest of RMU’s five dining facilities.

Previous gifts from PNC to Robert Morris include $520,000 for the School of Business’s PNC Trading Center, with Bloomberg stations and a real-time digital stock ticker. The business school will use the latest gift from PNC to leverage the trading center’s technology. Approximately 200 Robert Morris graduates work for PNC, one of the largest employers of RMU alumni.

> Seal of Approval

> This Honor Is No Secret The prestigious Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, which offers programs in the nation’s capital for students at nearly 500 universities, named Robert Morris University its 2014 Academic Seminar University of the Year.

Thirty-two RMU students majoring in cyber forensics and information security have participated in the center’s National Security Academic Seminar the past two years, under the guidance of professor Karen Paullet, D.Sc. During the two-week program, students and faculty advisors meet with the nation’s leading national security experts.

The center cited several factors awarding RMU the honor: the student-organized “Top Secret Colonials” fundraiser to pay for their trip, the hours of preparation they and Paullet devoted in advance of the seminar, and the recognition given to Paullet and her students by the RMU Board of Trustees. The center also praised RMU for giving its own award to students who participate in the seminar; this year that award went to seniors Nicholas Fetcho and Nicole Ambrogio.

> Two Are Better Than One Robert Morris University and the Community College of Allegheny County have launched the Reverse Degree Program, allowing CCAC transfer students to earn both a bachelor’s degree and an associate degree.

The program is the first such partnership between the community college and a four-year institution. It fixes an issue many transfer students face: having too few credits to complete their associate degree program when they transfer. Now students with at least 30 credits from CCAC and 12 from RMU will be able to apply them toward a bachelor’s degree at Robert Morris and an associate degree in the same major at CCAC.

RMU retained one of its most prestigious credentials when it recently came up for renewal.

AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business this spring renewed its accreditation of the School of Business for an additional five years. Only five percent of business schools worldwide have AACSB accreditation.

The AACSB's peer review team cited the university's increasing emphasis on research publications, the high caliber of M.B.A. applicants, an expanding global focus, and greatly upgraded learning technology, among other improvements.

> Co-authors Students, alumni, and faculty in the School of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science published an article in the inaugural issue of 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing. The article, “3D Printing (Rapid Prototyping) Photopolymers: An Emerging Source of Antimony to the Environment,” was co-authored by environmental science major Daniel Volk, grad student Phil Salerno ‘13 M’14, alum Jason Melzer ‘13 M’13, and faculty members Daniel Short, Ph.D., Paul Badger, Ph.D., and Arif Sirinterlikci, Ph.D.

> > FIND US ON FACEBOOK Page: RMU Alumni URL: facebook.com/RMUalumni

R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 3

> Hotel as

Classroom Associate professor of hospitality and tourism management Ersem Karadag, Ph.D., wrapped up his spring executive development class by taking his six students on a two-week study trip to his hometown of Istanbul. Students toured two of the city’s grandest hotels — Ciragan Palace and Hilton Istanbul Bomonti — and also spent a week in Northern Cyprus, where they met with tourism ministry officials.

> A Taxing Question Zhou Yang, Ph.D., received a second grant from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy to fund her research on land value taxation. Her new research project, “The Spillover Effects of the Two-Rate Property Taxes in Pennsylvania: A Zero-Sum Game or a Win-Win Game?”, is the first to empirically investigate the spillover effects of split-rate property taxation on economic activity in surrounding jurisdictions in Pennsylvania.

An assistant professor of economics, Yang expects her findings will have important policy implications and facilitate decision making by local governments. She has used the funding to get more students involved in her research, hiring several to construct a key database for her research.

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> Artist of the Year The Pittsburgh Center for the Arts named Hyla Willis, M.F.A., its 2014 Artist of the Year. Originating in 1949, the center’s Artist of the Year award recognizes “those making significant creative contributions to Southwestern Pennsylvania and beyond.”

Willis’s solo exhibition, “America’s Least Livable City, and Other Works,” was displayed at the center this summer. In it, Willis, an associate professor of media arts, explored “the struggles of everyday life and the community cohesion that still occurs when the outside world disregards you.” In 1985, when Rand McNally first selected Pittsburgh as “America’s Most Livable City,” Willis’ hometown of Yuba City, Calif., was ranked dead last.

> Individuals Matter Yasmin Purohit, Ph.D., professor of human resource management, has been named chief diversity and inclusion officer, reporting directly to President Dell’Omo and guiding the university’s diversity and inclusion efforts.

Purohit also is the university’s Title IX coordinator, overseeing compliance with the federal laws that prohibit gender-based discrimination.

Purohit joined the RMU faculty in 2006. Before that, she was a management professor at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. She earned her doctorate in business administration from Drexel University; her master’s and bachelor’s degrees, which she completed in India, are both in psychology. Her fields of expertise are human resource management, organizational diversity and crosscultural differences, and work-family conflicts. > PUROHIT

> Called to Serve

Nursing professor Valerie Howard, Ed.D., is the new dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, a post she has held on an interim basis since last September. As an internationally recognized expert in medical simulation, Howard has positioned Robert Morris as a leader in this field, providing training to health care workers throughout the region. She is immediate past president of the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning.

Howard replaces Lynda Davidson, Ph.D., the school’s founding dean, who has returned to the faculty. Both women came to RMU from the University of Pittsburgh in 2004. When RMU first offered a nursing program in 2003, 18 students enrolled. In the fall of 2013, enrollment stood at 792.

Highlights of Davidson’s tenure as dean also include the accreditation of all nursing degree programs by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the launch of the first state Board of Nursing certified doctor of nursing practice degree program. Davidson served as interim provost in 2007, a critical time when RMU was implementing its first strategic plan.

> “In Flanders Fields” Professor Connie Ruzich, Ph.D., has received a Fulbright Scholarship from the U.S. Department of State to study the poetry of World War I and develop lesson plans comparing the literature of The Great War to that of other conflicts. Ruzich, a university professor of English, will travel in September to the University of Exeter in southwest England as the United Kingdom marks the 100th anniversary of World War I. Previous Fulbright scholars from Robert Morris University are Stephen Foreman, Ph.D., who studied health care in Ukraine, and Philip Harold, Ph.D., who studied political values in Germany.

> FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @RMU FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE NEWS.

> A Smooth Transition

David Bennett, associate professor of learning resources and systems librarian, has received a 2013 Jefferson Award for Public Service for his work with Venture Outdoors. Bennett has led and assisted the Pittsburgh organization’s Hungarian Heritage Ride, Cultural District Walk and Cello Concert, Burgh Bees Walk, and other outings for six years, engaging over 2,500 participants.

> The Envelope,

Please...

Michael DiLauro, M.F.A., director of the Academic Media Center and associate professor of media arts, won the Silver Reel Award for his film “La Mia Strada - My Road” at the 45th MCA-I Media Festival.

The documentary gives a personal perspective on ethnicity and culture.

recycle this magazine Give it to a neighbor who’s in high school and help spread the word about RMU.

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TAKING AMERICA’S PULSE Highlights of the latest surveys by the Robert Morris University Polling Institute Powered by Trib Total Media:

22% OF PA VOTERS THINK GOV. CORBETT WILL WIN IN THE FALL

18

%

OF WOMEN THINK THEY ARE PAID THE SAME AS MEN FOR THE SAME WORK

70

%

THINK SMART PHONES IMPAIR YOUNGER PEOPLE’S SOCIAL SKILLS

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HARRISBURG HEADACHE Education is one of the biggest obstacles standing between Tom Corbett and reelection; it’s the most commonly cited issue (29%) among Pennsylvania voters who view the governor unfavorably. And that’s a lot of voters, with only 31% giving Corbett a favorable rating. He appeared to steer away from controversy recently by declining to appeal legalized same-sex marriage, which 50% of state residents polled support and 41% oppose.

HIS PAY VS. HER PAY Men are more than twice as likely (42%) to say they believe the sexes are paid equally, but majorities of women (69%) and men (53%) both say employers don’t think women need the same pay as men for doing the same jobs. And both sexes say employers hide salaries to avoid pay comparisons between men and women.

This RMU poll was reported locally and in national media including the Washington Post after President Obama signed an executive order to examine wage inequality.

PUT THE PHONE DOWN Almost half (45%) of respondents nationwide say technology makes it difficult to balance personal and work life because it offers quick access to work files and email while they are off the clock. When the shoe is on the other foot, plenty of employers expect workers to keep the two worlds separate while they’re on the clock, with just over half (52%) of those polled saying their boss limits social media like Facebook at work. But one-third of respondents do use social media during work hours.

ABOUT THE ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY POLLING INSTITUTE POWERED

BY TRIB TOTAL MEDIA The polling institute conducts national and regional opinion polls on current affairs in areas of interest and expertise to RMU faculty. It provides nonpartisan polling on a range of issues, including health care policy, the environment, health and wellness, economic policy, higher education, and gender equity. The institute works under the direction of the faculty through an advisory board including representatives from each of the five academic schools.

Polls are typically conducted using an online survey measuring the opinions of 1,000 U.S. adults, and have a +/- 3.0 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level on a composite basis.

(The Harrisburg item was from a May poll of 500 Pennsylvania voters and has a +/- 4.5 percent margin of error.)

Percentages shown here are rounded.

To see all the survey questions and learn more about the Robert Morris University Polling Institute Powered by Trib Total Media, go to RMU.EDU/POLLINGINSTITUTE.

R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 7

WYDO MAKES HOCKEY HISTORY Cody Wydo didn’t know much about Robert Morris initially, but he knew a guy who knew a guy. The rest is Colonials hockey history.

The guy was Terry Olson, a friend of the Wydo family in Southgate, Mich. Olson knew Colonials men’s ice hockey coach Derek Schooley from the time the two spent together playing hockey at Western Michigan University. Olson also knew that, like Wydo, Schooley had attended Anderson High School in Southgate while playing junior hockey.

In the 2010-11 season, Wydo was a force in junior hockey with the Motor City Metal Jackets, winning the North American Hockey League 2010-11 scoring title with 91 points and 40 goals. He drew some interest from Division I hockey schools in his home state, but at 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, Wydo also drew a degree of skepticism. “People questioned his size and his skating,” Schooley says. “We saw a kid who was dynamic and scored goals.”

“I only knew a little bit about the program,” Wydo confesses of his first impression of RMU. “I knew it was a new program, but that was about it.” Wydo was much more certain about where he wanted to play his college hockey. “Wherever they were going to give me the best opportunity,” he says. “I felt like I could help a team out right away, play right off the bat. I wanted to play as soon as possible.”

So Wydo chose RMU in 2011.

This past season, in his third year in a Colonials sweater, Wydo completed a campaign unlike any other in the team’s 10-year history. His 31 goals trailed only Johnny Gaudreau’s 36 for Boston College, a total that earned Gaudreau the Hobey Baker Award — college hockey’s Heisman Trophy — and a roster spot with the Calgary Flames.

Wydo’s 54 points in 2013-14 ranked fourth in the NCAA, and put him a mere 31 points shy of the Colonials’ career scoring record. He is still just 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, but such relatively humble measurables no longer seem to matter. “When you’re around him day in and day out, you see that he’s deceptively fast,” Schooley says. “And he competes to where his lack of size isn’t an issue.”

Not just historic, but for RMU, euphoric — this year Wydo led the Colonials to their first conference championship and first visit to the NCAA Tournament. He was voted MVP of the Atlantic Hockey Association Championship in Rochester, N.Y., in March, scoring a goal in a 5-4 semifinal win over Niagara and then racking up three more, along with an assist, in the Colonials’ NCAA bid-clinching 7-4 triumph over Canisius.

A week later, at the NCAA Tournament, in front of a national TV audience and a boisterous home crowd in St. Paul pulling for top-seeded Minnesota, Wydo didn’t let a roster full of NHL draft picks intimidate him, scoring another goal and an assist as the Colonials lost 7-3 to the Golden Gophers.

The senior accounting and finance major has a 3.63 GPA — the better to manage those NHL dollars Wydo hopes to eventually earn — and is already looking forward to leading the Colonials back to the NCAA Tournament. Only four players who suited up against Minnesota will be gone from the Colonials roster when next season opens.

“We gotta bring it back next year,” he says. “And we should be able to bring it back.

We have pretty much the whole team coming back.”

WRITTEN BY MIKE PRISUTA | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM ROSVOLD

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THE

BIGG AME

We pick some of the big games this season. And we give you the inside skinny.

So while you’re cheering for the Colonials, you also can show off your sports smarts to your friends and family in the stands. Make an afternoon of it!

FOOTBALL HOMECOMING VS. MONMOUTH SAT., OCT. 4, 3 P.M.

SOCCER MEN VS. PITT TUES., SEPT. 30 3:30 P.M. WOMEN VS. WAGNER SUN., OCT. 5, NOON

VOLLEYB ALL VS. ST. FRANCIS U.

SAT., NOV. 8, 3 P.M.

FOOTBALL John Banaszak steps into the head coach role after a decade on the staff of founding coach Joe Walton. The former Marine and tough-as-nails defensive lineman earned three Super Bowl rings with the Steelers under the late Chuck “The Emperor” Noll. Now he looks to set the same standard of excellence for the Colonials.

Defense was a strong suit last year for the Colonials. Now the offense needs a jolt of energy. Expect to see more of senior wide receiver Duane Mitchell, whose 79 yards per game and seven touchdowns made him one of the league’s top threats.

THE BIG GAME OCT. 4 VS. MONMOUTH The Colonials are hungry for Homecoming revenge against the Hawks after Monmouth won decisively in last season's matchup.

If you're hungry too, watch the game from the Alumni Zone right on the field, with a hospitality tent stocked with plenty of food, pop, and beer. Details at rmu.edu/homecoming.

SHUTTING THEM DOWN The Colonials were tops in the NEC last year in forcing their opponents to send in the punter. Three times out of four, the other guys’ third-down attempts failed.

TEAM

MEN’S BASKETBALL

ROBERT MORRIS ...............................24.5% WAGNER.............................................25.6% BRYANT ..............................................34.3% OPPONENT’S 3RD DOWN CONVERSION

VS. LAFAYETTE

FRI., NOV. 14, 7 P.M. Watch the home opener before the Colonials go on the road against powerhouses North Carolina and Georgetown.

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SEASON TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW Call (412) 397-4949 to get the best deal on season tickets for RMU football. Be there in the stands for all the action as John Banaszak leads the Colonials on their quest for another title.

STARS TO WATCH

Goalie Becky Schoenecker returns for her senior season after leading the Northeast Conference in saves per game; second goalie Chelsea de Jager did nearly as well when she was between the posts.

This year the team will look for downfield pressure to give the other goalie more to worry about, and Kristie Hamilton (see Stars to Watch) should be a big part of those plans.

KEEPING BUSY Last season saw lots of action in front of the Colonials’ net, but both goalkeepers held up well under the pressure, ranking at or near the top of the NEC. PLAYER

SAVES/GAME

SCHOENECKER, RMU .......................5.40 MARCY, WAGNER ..............................5.38 VIVERITO, BRYANT ...........................5.14 DE JAGER, RMU ................................5.00

THE BIG GAME OCT. 5 VS. WAGNER The best goalkeepers in the Northeast Conference go head to head. Can either side score?

VOLLEYBALL The Colonials’ playoff run was cut short last year by LIU Brooklyn, the eventual champions and winners of eight titles in a decade. This season RMU will look to extend its NEC record to 16 straight winning seasons and tournament appearances. With all 12 players from last year returning, the odds look good.

> CHECK RMUCOLONIALS.COM FOR THE LATEST ON GAME TIMES, VENUES, AND SCORES.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

#7 ARDEN FISHER VOLLEYBALL After being named allstate her senior year at Riverview, Fisher made All-NEC 2nd Team as a freshman while leading the Colonials with 318.5 points, 25 aces, and 271 kills.

#6 ANTWAN EDDIE FOOTBALL An explosive player on both defense and special teams, Eddie led the NEC with a 15-yard punt return average, including a touchdown, and added three interceptions at cornerback.

#9 KRISTIE HAMILTON SOCCER She led the team in scoring as a sophomore last season with 13 points, including four goals. With two of the team’s other key scoring threats having graduated, Hamilton is likely to be front and center in the offense.

THE BIG GAME NOV. 8 VS. ST. FRANCIS U. Western Pennsylvania rivals meet for the annual Dig Pink match, part of a league-wide initiative promoting breast cancer awareness.

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Engineering professor Benjamin R. Campbell, Ph.D., looks up invitingly as I walk into the lab where he is working with some students. “Come on in,” he says. “We’re doing some circuit debugging.”

I’m a bit disappointed. I was hoping to talk to him about something exciting, like his work with lasers. Campbell once etched the Gettysburg Address onto a penny. But I try to sound interested. “Oh, yeah? What kind of circuit, exactly?”

HEADS

“It’s a neural interface project,” says Campbell. He gets up, goes over to the shelf, and pulls down a flashy box labeled “Star Wars Science Force Trainer.” I’m thinking, now this is more like it.

R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 1 3

The retail toy features a plastic headset that senses electrical activity in the brain and uses it to control a fan that makes a ping-pong ball rise in a tube. “We’re altering the circuitry so that you can operate other devices with just your thoughts,” he says. “We already made a musical instrument that changes pitch according to your thoughts.”

Lasers schmazers. It’s this type of innovative research that is attracting students to RMU’s engineering programs in droves, making it the university’s fastest-growing program, with over 600 students enrolled. The university offers a bachelor of science degree in engineering with concentrations in biomedical, industrial, mechanical, and software engineering, a bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering, and a master’s degree in engineering management.

onward & upward These new engineering graduates are building on their research in exciting ways: Sarah Robb ‘13 M’14 was awarded a $100,000 research fellowship from the National Science Foundation, and will enter Carnegie Mellon University’s biomedical engineering Ph.D. program in the fall. Her research will focus on medical applications of single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Robb recently won a scholarship from the RMU 20 Year Club to make her second trip to Nicaragua with nursing professor Carl Ross, Ph.D., and his students. She was part of a team of student engineers who developed a prototype for a low-cost, battery-operated otoscope for doing ear exams in clinics without electrical power.

Alicia Ericson ‘14 will pursue a master’s in biomedical engineering at the University of Pittsburgh, focusing on prosthetics and orthotics. Her goal is to become a clinician for the VA or in a pediatric hospital.

Justin Cosgrove M’14 received a dean’s scholarship to attend law school at the University of Pittsburgh in the fall. He hopes to work in intellectual property and patent law, or in the oil and gas industry.

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“We expect to have over 700 engineering students on campus next year,” says Arif Sirinterlikci, Ph.D., head of the engineering department. “The word is getting out. In companies where we’ve placed engineers, their employees are sending their kids to RMU now. Recently we had several participants of our animatronics camp enroll here, along with students from other high schools we mentor for robotics. It’s an exciting time for us.”

When they first developed the curriculum, the engineering department worked closely with leading companies to design pioneering yet practical programs that would produce graduates who were proficient in the latest technologies and able to jump right into the workforce and excel. The school’s mandatory internship requirement is helping students get real-world experience and land jobs with NASA, Boeing, Westinghouse, U.S. Steel, Siemens, Bayer, General Electric, Rockwell Software, Smith Micro Systems, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Mitsubishi Electric, and McKesson Automation.

“Engineering is a highly competitive field,” says school Dean Maria V. Kalevitch, Ph.D. “From hands-on work in our Learning Factory to mandatory internships, we’re graduating confident engineers who can hit the ground running.”

Students also travel to conferences to present their projects, exposing them to research opportunities for graduate school.

The department has also made an effort to attract young, pioneering faculty like Campbell, whom Pittsburgh Magazine

picked for its “40 under 40” last year after he led a fundraising drive to reopen the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences. The summer program for talented high school students had been a casualty of state budget cuts.

“Researchers have been detecting brain waves for 90 years,” says Campbell. “Only now are we learning how to use them to create mind-machine interfaces.” This is in part, he says, because technology has driven down the price of an EEG machine from tens of thousands of dollars to under $100, making it more accessible. “The work our students are doing is a simplified version of that being done by top researchers.”

Allyson Copeman, a junior majoring in biomedical engineering, is focusing her honors thesis on the brain wave activity of people as they solve sudoku puzzles or word searches or play Candy Crush, looking for differences between genders and other factors. Josh Leipheimer, a sophomore double majoring in biomedical and mechanical engineering, has built a circuit he can command to switch a light on and off by channeling his thoughts. “The number of applications for this type of technology is endless,” he says.

While I’m still trying to wrap my head around this mind-control stuff, Campbell leads me downstairs to the engineering lab, where three biomedical engineering majors — freshman Devin Kiska and juniors Abel Azanaw and Jeremiah Heasley — are working with a prosthetic hand.

Another honors student, junior software engineering major Andrew Trapp, has developed an app to test it. Their goal is to design something that can be applied to a prosthetic fingertip to make it able to operate a touch screen. Kiska, who’s planning a career in genetic engineering, says this type of undergraduate research has exposed her to the types of problems that engineers encounter on a daily basis. “Research can be difficult,” she says, “but the idea of creating a product to help someone keeps me going. And Dr. Campbell always challenges us to learn more.”

Campbell’s Ph.D. is from Robert Morris, but he earned his bachelor’s in physics at Penn State University, with minors in business, mathematics, astronomy, and astrophysics; he also earned a master’s in electrical engineering there. He spent eight years as a laser engineer in Penn State’s Electro-Optics Center, doing research with ultra-short pulse lasers, which operate in tiny fractions of time measured in femtoseconds, or quadrillionths of a second.

“It allows you to do very clean manufacturing,” he says.

“There’s less melt and damage. You can cut things diamond drill bits can’t cut.” Like the Gettysburg Address onto a penny, which led to a $300,000 research grant from the National Science Foundation.

Campbell is hoping to bring more laser work to RMU in the near future. But in the meantime he’s working to continue to expand the biomedical engineering program through such things as the creation of an engineering club. “Students get so focused on the path to graduation that they lose sight of the bigger picture,” he says. “They are here to expand their understanding of the world and develop skills that will aid them in their career. These projects are just an introduction to a larger world of research that awaits them down the road.”

WRITTEN BY VALENTINE J. BRKICH PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL WILL ‘08

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1 6 • R M U . E D U / F O U N D AT I O N S

#BRONZEBOB Whatever the hour, whatever the reason, students at RMU can take heart that Robert Morris will always be there for them.

Literally. He’s not going anywhere. He’s made of bronze.

“Bronze Bob,” a life-size statue of the “Financier of the American Revolution” and the university’s namesake, was unveiled in an April ceremony in the middle of campus. The figure clasps a rolled document in his right hand, symbolizing Morris’s status as one of only two Americans who signed all three of the country’s founding documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution.

A gift of the Class of 2013 and of the Zonn family, Bronze Bob is not a traditional statue of a historical figure standing on a plinth or riding a horse. Instead, Bronze Bob is portrayed relaxing on a park bench, and visitors are invited to join him.

“When we were thinking about what kind of statue Bronze Bob should be, we decided he should be welcoming,” said President Greg Dell’Omo, Ph.D., at the statue’s unveiling. “He shouldn’t be some giant towering over the entrance to campus. We wanted our new tradition to be something that invites everyone in the RMU family to be a part of it.”

Students, faculty, alumni, and visitors alike are invited to take a selfie and post it with the hashtag #BronzeBob. Since the statue’s unveiling, a growing number of #BronzeBob selfies can be found on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media.

Bronze Bob is modeled after the statue of Robert Morris near Independence Hall in Philadelphia by Paul Wayland Bartlett. The sculptor also created the main pediment above the House of Representatives wing of the U.S. Capitol, as well as bronzes of Columbus and Michelangelo at the Library of Congress and of Lafayette in Paris.

Among his contemporaries, the wealthy Philadelphia financier was held in high esteem for his dedication, funding support, and government service during the Revolutionary War. He is one of the few people of that time who is included in the great fresco of Washington in the Capitol Dome.

The university has a display in Nicholson Center of the original plaster bust Bartlett used to cast the Morris statue. Now with a full sculpture in a more casual setting outside the classroom buildings of Hale and Franklin centers, more students and visitors will have a chance to get acquainted with Bronze Bob. WRITTEN BY MARK HOUSER PHOTOGRAPHY BY MITCH KRAMER ‘08

R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 1 7

S N O I T C E N N CO FOR KIDS

MAKING

Maybe it’s a coincidence that Kara Mostowy’s last name means “bridge” in Polish. Then again, maybe it’s not.

“My name is actually perfect for what I do,” laughs Mostowy ‘91 M’06, executive director at The Early Learning Institute. “I see myself as a bridge. The most rewarding part of my job is matching the needs of families with the generosity of individuals, corporations, and organizations who want to make a difference.”

Mostowy, of Upper St. Clair, came to the Green Tree-based nonprofit in 2005 as director of development, and was named executive director in 2008. The Early Learning Institute, which provides therapeutic services to 1,200 children with special needs in Allegheny and Washington counties, turned out to be the perfect match for her — albeit in a way she never expected.

“When I was an undergrad at Robert Morris, I wanted to be an attorney,” she says. “But I’m a big believer in the fact that we are led where we are meant to be.”

18 • RMU.EDU/FOUNDATIONS

What Mostowy calls her “circuitous route” to the nonprofit world began in Butler, where she grew up on a farm.

“My parents instilled the values of giving back at a very young age,” she says. “Even though they didn’t have much to give financially, they donated their time, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables, to local nursing homes. They taught me not to stand on the sidelines and complain about what’s wrong, but to get in and help solve problems.”

Dreaming of a career in law, Mostowy majored in English at RMU. “I knew I’d need good writing skills to be an attorney,” she says. “I had wonderful communications classes as an undergrad; because I fine-tuned my skills there, I’m now able to write grants and proposals in a compelling way.”

After graduation, she worked for six years as a paralegal at a small Butler law firm. “More than anything else, I loved the client interaction,” she says. “I realized that I needed a career working with people.” She felt increasingly drawn to the nonprofit sector and eventually landed a job as director of development for

Glade Run Lutheran Services in Zelienople. After a ten-year stint there, she moved to The Early Learning Institute, while pursuing a master’s degree in nonprofit management at RMU. During her graduate work, Mostowy was excited to see a direct application between her coursework and the day-to-day challenges she faced on the job. Her classmates were diverse in employment history and background, which made for thought-provoking and lively discussion. “We had a cohort with 11 of us, and everyone saw things through a different lens,” she says. “Over the years, I’ve kept in touch with many of them. Staying connected has been really valuable.”

When the executive director position at The Early Learning Institute became available in 2008, Mostowy was ready to make the leap. “It was a good transition,” she says. “I liked the idea of finding better, more efficient ways to meet the needs of our families. I love the opportunity to intervene and make a dramatic impact with kids. There is so much going on in the first three years of life.”

In 2011, Mostowy’s passion for nonprofits led her to co-found the Women’s Nonprofit CEO Leadership Forum with Bobbi Watt Gear M’05 of the United Way of Westmoreland County.

“I felt there should be an informal way to share ideas and problem-solve with like-minded individuals,” she says. “There were existing CEO groups, but I couldn’t find one geared to nonprofits or those run by women.” The 30-member organization meets quarterly for networking and teambuilding. “We pick each other’s brains about training, budgeting, etc.,” says Mostowy. “It’s always good to have another set of eyes on a problem.” For her efforts, Mostowy was awarded the 2012 Outstanding Fundraising Executive award from the Western Pennsylvania/Maryland chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, a nod to her mentoring of others within the profession.

In her spare time, Mostowy can usually be found hiking, running, or attending RMU lacrosse games with her 13-year-old son, Ethan. She considers her colleagues part of her extended family too. “Last night I got an e-mail from one of my staff, about a family that’s dealing with financial difficulties and a special needs child. Because of the generosity of donors, we can buy them groceries and help in a very tangible way. People are just amazing in what they’ll do to help, and I’m never afraid to show donors exactly where the money goes. I just love that part of my job.”

WRITTEN BY CHARLOTTE LATVALA PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL WILL ‘08

ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY FOUNDATIONS • 19

WEALTH TAKES WORK The homespun advice that money can’t buy you happiness is probably as true as any other adage that’s been tested down through the ages. On the other hand, John Waldron ‘82 says, money can help acquire something similar to happiness: peace of mind. But that takes comprehensive planning, which he can help you with.

2 0 • R M U . E D U / F O U N D AT I O N S

Waldron parlayed his business acumen and a knack for they need to do,” he says. “We identify risks and opportunities numbers into establishment of one of the most highly that creep into their financial lives without them knowing.” regarded financial advice firms in the nation. Waldron Financial Management, the company he founded in 1995, Waldron grew up in Pittsburgh’s Westwood neighborhood and has racked up impressive credentials. As CEO, Waldron decided during his senior year at Bishop Canevin High School himself has been ranked by Barron’s among the top 25 to major in accounting in college. “I was always good with independent financial advisors in the country since 2007, numbers,” he says. “If I knew the numbers and could read and the No. 1 independent financial financial statements, it would be a good advisor in Pennsylvania since 2010. Also, foundation for whatever I ultimately for four years in a row the Bridgeville decided I wanted to do in business. It 5 TIPS FOR ASPIRING firm has been named by the Pittsburgh turned out to be a pretty good plan.”

Business Times as among the “Best Places MILLIONAIRES To Work” in the region, based on After graduating cum laude, Waldron JOHN WALDRON’S ADVICE independent surveys of employees. began his career in the Miami office of TO THOSE WHO WANT Price Waterhouse as a member of the tax FORTUNES OF THEIR OWN: “Our tagline is ‘simplifying life’,” department, and became a certified says Waldron, a soft-spoken Pittsburgh public accountant in 1983. In 1986, he 1. START SAVING native who is in his second term on the joined Deloitte Haskins & Sells in AND STOP SPENDING. RMU Board of Trustees. The phrase is not Pittsburgh, becoming part of a 14-person FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY BUILDS A just a catchy advertising slogan to him. national executive financial planning NEST EGG AND TURNS YOUR Simplifying life is what Waldron markets practice. Waldron left public accounting FOCUS TO INVESTMENT. to the firm’s wealthy clients, people who in 1990 to start a new career as a certified would seem to have nearly everything financial planner.

2. STICK TO YOUR STRATEGY. else. (The company’s newest client is LONG-TERM TRUMPS worth about $70 million.) A great fortune He credits the education he received at SHORT-TERM IN INVESTMENT creates complex management issues and STRATEGY. IGNORE THE Robert Morris for launching his career greatly ups the stakes involved with DAILY BUZZ. toward success. “When I moved to decision making, Waldron says. Typically, Miami to work with Price Waterhouse, I 3. DON’T GET EMOTIONAL. a very rich person relies on a number of was competing with students from some AS WARREN BUFFET SAYS, experts working independently of one of the top-tiered schools, and I was so BE FEARFUL WHEN OTHERS ARE another to handle various elements of well prepared,” he says. He considers his GREEDY AND GREEDY WHEN managing the money: a tax specialist for three-plus years of serving as an RMU OTHERS ARE FEARFUL. taxes, a stock broker for investments, an trustee as a way of giving back to some attorney for trust and estate planning, extent what he gained. Waldron ranks the 4. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. another advisor for philanthropic goals, board’s biggest accomplishment in recent ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS THE an accountant for control of cash flow years as “making sure [President Greg] TRUE WAY TO WEALTH, and the balance sheet, and so on.

Dell’Omo stays put and continues his SO IF YOUR INNER VOICE SAYS fine leadership of this university.”

GO YOUR OWN WAY, LISTEN TO IT. “They work all their lives to accumulate, with the goal and belief that wealth Maureen, Waldron’s wife of 26 years, 5. IT’S NEVER TOO LATE. becomes financial security and stability, says he keeps life on an even keel for the IT’S ALWAYS HARDER TO a sense of calm,” says Waldron, of family as well as the business. “He’s START THAN TO FINISH, Nevillewood. “But what happens is, as always very level-headed and calm,” BUT NO MATTER WHEN, IT they are in the day-to-day dogfight of she says. They have three sons, Shea, JUST TAKES DISCIPLINE. building that wealth, the issues become Bryan, and Michael. Shea is an voluminous, there are more issues that accounting major at Penn State, and his come into play, there are issues they have brothers are studying finance at Ohio never seen before, and the stakes for the issues are much University. The Waldrons own a vacation home on Grand greater, so they are kind of stuck in the middle trying to Cayman Island, where they enjoy scuba diving, boating, and deal with issues they are not trained to deal with and fishing, as well as tennis and golf. Waldron says one of his true they haven’t really reached that point of calm.” pleasures is mentoring young professionals. “I just love what I do. My sons want to come into this business, and I look Waldron says his firm, with its staff of 27, offers a team forward to training them as well.” approach that coordinates decisions to maximize the results.

“We can come in and give a comprehensive solution to what WRITTEN BY DAVID BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL WILL ‘08

R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 2 1

UP CLOSE FACULTY PROFILE Karen Paullet

“Never in a million years did I think I’d go from payroll to dead people,” says Karen Paullet ‘02 M’05 D’09. Back when she was on the HR staff for the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office while working on her master’s in communication and information systems, a prosecutor asked if she could help rethink how to present evidence in a difficult case involving the homicide of a student. With Paullet’s help, the prosecution won a conviction for first degree murder in the case, and the DA asked his overqualified secretary to start teaching his staff and other law enforcement officials how to use computers to present evidence to a jury. Paullet agreed, and resolved to stick around for her doctorate at RMU and go into full-time teaching.

Now a professor, Paullet helped to create RMU’s cyber forensics and information security degree, combining technology, business, organizational behavior, and law. She brings students to Washington, D.C., for a two-week seminar on national security each year, and the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, which conducts the program, named RMU its Academic Seminar University of the Year in recognition of the students’ work and the university’s support of their efforts.

This spring’s commencement saw RMU’s first graduating class of cyber forensics majors. “In four years there will be more job openings in computer security than there are students in training, so we’re excited to see our graduates take off with what they learned in our classes,” she says.

1 8 • R M U . E D U / F O U N D AT I O N S

AND PERSONAL STUDENT PROFILE

For her freshman seminar class, Al Ali was required to do at least three hours of community service. Since then she’s joyfully logged over 200 hours, and has set a goal of 400 before graduation. Al Ali has also gone on two alternative spring break trips with the university: one with Habitat for Humanity, where she helped build homes for impoverished people in Harrisburg, and the second at Hinton Rural Life Center in North Carolina, where she assisted elderly residents who couldn’t do their daily household chores. “It was the most awesome trip,” says Al Ali. “I sort of adopted a grandmother while I was there, and I stay in contact with her every week.”

rmu.edu/foundations

Al Ali hopes to earn her master’s degree before moving back home.

When she returns, she has an idea to try a new project, which occurred to her while she was volunteering in Coraopolis. “I already talked to my parents and asked if we could shift our garage into a food pantry when I come home,” she says.

Khulood Al Ali

It wasn’t until after she committed to RMU that Khulood Al Ali, now a senior biomedical engineering major from Saudi Arabia, found out she wasn’t the only Colonial in her family. Her great-uncle, Mohammed Saeed Al Ali, graduated from Robert Morris in 1964. “After I found that out, I got really excited,” says Ali. “I was like, OK, this is my uncle’s school, and I told him all about how campus transferred to Moon Township.”

23

R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 1 9

CLASS NOTES

>

1980s

JOHN PUNOLA ‘57 is

actively involved in writing about the outdoors, mostly fishing, and recently served

KEVIN PRYKULL M’82, senior vice president and credit executive with PNC Equipment Finance, received the Distinguished Service Award in October from the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association. He has been involved with the group for more than 20 years and most recently chaired the credit standing committee and the credit and collections conference. Kevin lives in Venetia.

two terms as president of the New York Metro Outdoor Press Association. John is also a Civil War historian. He lives in Madison, N.J.

ANTONIO DOSS ‘83 was named district director of the Washington metropolitan area district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration. He has been with the SBA for over 12 years.

MARA JACKSON DOSS ‘84 received a doctorate in education from Morgan State University. Mara has worked in higher education for over 20 years and is a senior academic administrator at Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Md. Antonio and Mara live in Crownsville, Md. DENA MANN HUSELTON ‘84, a business and economics teacher at Riverview High School in Oakmont, received the Sophia Zacharias Award in Excellence in Teaching Economics in December. The award is given

by EconomicsPennsylvania, a nonprofit that promotes financial literacy. Dana lives in Harmar.

CHESTER WADE M’84 was promoted to vice president of corporate communications at Dominion Resources. He is responsible for Dominion’s media relations, employee communications, digital communications, executive communications, and video and multimedia production. Chet lives in Glen Allen, Va.

Investment Management and Smart Divorce Institute, and is on the board of directors for the National Association of Women Business Owners. Diane, her husband, Alex, and sons ALEX and DAVID, both current RMU students, live in Franklin Park.

DEBORAH CUNNINGHAM M’86 was appointed to the Robert Morris University Board of Trustees. Deborah is executive vice president, chief investment officer for global money markets, and senior portfolio manager at Federated Investors.

WILLIAM TREACY M’86 is general manager of transit products for L.B. Foster Co. at the Suwanee, Ga., facility. Bill was previously with Tuthill Vacuum and Blower Systems.

JOHN KALOSKI M’87, executive vice president and operating officer at AK Steel, has retired after more than 40 years in the steel industry. He joined AK Steel in 2002 after holding senior management positions at National Steel and U.S. Steel. John is a member of the board of directors of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. He lives in Hamilton, Ohio.

DIANE LEONARD PEARSON ‘85, co-founder and shareholder

> CHANGING LIVES IN CLEVELAND COURTNEY WELLS ‘04 is a special education teacher for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades at Iowa-Maple School, a K-8 public school in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Each month the school focuses on a different college or university with a bulletin board display in the main entryway to foster awareness and interest among students. In April, Courtney chose her alma mater to be the featured university. Courtney lives in Oakwood Village, Ohio.

2 4 • R M U . E D U / F O U N D AT I O N S

of Legend Financial Advisors, received the Women of Achievement Award at the 9th annual Celebrate and Share fundraising dinner, which benefits the Cribs for Kids Infant Safe Sleep Initiative of Pittsburgh. She has founded two other companies that she runs, Emerging Wealth

1990s JANA BAXTER M’92 won the Mary C. Renner Achievement Award for outstanding contributions by a member of the Pennsylvania Association of Educational Communications and Technology. Jana is an instructional media services coordinator for the Allegheny

CLASS NOTES

THOMAS O’BRIEN ‘95 is a recruiter/HR generalist at Chester Engineers in Moon. He has over 18 years of business development and recruiting experience in the information technology and engineering services industries.

GLENN MILLER ‘85 was

>

JOSEPH SENKO M’83

>

CHRISTEN WISINSKI M’93 is tax manager at Grossman Yanak & Ford. Previously she was a senior tax analyst with Thermo Fisher Scientific. Christen lives in McCandless.

>

Intermediate Unit, and she created and maintains a database of videoconferencing resources available for teachers across the state. She lives in Cranberry.

MICHAEL GREGG ‘86

was appointed treasurer

promoted to chief financial

and his wife, Beatrix, are the

of Mt. Lebanon. The

officer for Alcoa’s global

proud parents of Alexander

municipality has more than

rolled products business.

William, born on September

33,000 residents, and Joseph

He manages all aspects of

17. Alexander is their fourth

and his staff are responsible

financial and information

son, joining Tommy, Daniel,

for the collection of over

technology for the unit,

and Maxwell. The Greggs

$85 million in annual tax

which has 14,500 employees

live in Middletown, Md.

revenues and fees.

in 11 countries.

PROMOTE YOURSELF AT YOUR CONVENIENCE.

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Fan travel packages for two, with transportation and one night at the Renaissance Washington DC Downtown – $300* Game tickets – $30 Reserve seats today at 412-397-5456 or athletics@rmu.edu. *Based on double occupancy and two game tickets.

Other rates available. Seats are limited.

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R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 2 5

CLASS NOTES WHAT YOU MISSED Here’s a look at a few of the alumni events we’ve featured since the last Foundations.

CARLA BROZICK ‘96, senior director of education and training for the American Rental Association, spoke on aerial work platform safety training at CONEXPO/CON-AGG in Las Vegas in March. Carla has worked for ARA for nine years and is responsible for member training and education programs, including risk management.

Carla lives in Moline, Ill.

LORI CARNVALE ‘96 M’10 joined the University of Pittsburgh employee benefits management team in February. She had been director of employee benefits and payroll at RMU. Lori and her family live in Moon.

MICHAEL CLOUGH ‘97 was promoted to vice president of ticket sales and services for the Minnesota Twins. He joined the Twins in 2009, and before that worked for the Tampa Bay

PARTY IN THE TROPICS

Dinner and a DJ in Phipps Conservatory.

> BUTLER

RMU NIGHT AT PNC PARK

Exciting extra-inning win over the Mets.

> TORAN

> CFOS OF THE YEAR The Pittsburgh Business Times honored two alumnae in their 2013 CFO of the Year Awards recognizing outstanding performance of corporate financial stewards.

NETWORKING LUNCHEONS

Meeting downtown and in the suburbs too.

These are just some of the highlights of what has been a very busy Alumni Events calendar in recent months. We see more and more of you each time, but plenty of alumni still haven’t experienced all the fellowship and fun.

Make sure you don’t miss the next big thing. Stay tuned to the alumni events calendar at RMU.EDU/ALUMNI.

2 6 • R M U . E D U / F O U N D AT I O N S

DENISE BUTLER ‘95 M’03 of Neville Chemical Co. was named CFO of the Year of a for-profit private company. After graduating from RMU, she took a temp job in the accounts payable department at Neville Chemical that turned into a permanent position. She moved up the ladder, from junior accountant to senior accountant to controller, and in 2008, chief financial officer and treasurer.

VERONICA TORAN ‘86 of Sci-Tek Consultants was named CFO of the Year of a for-profit company with fewer than 40 employees.

Prior to joining Sci-Tek in 2003, where she is now vice president of finance and administration, Veronica was an underwriter in the insurance, banking, and food manufacturing industries at several companies, including USF&G, PNC Bank, and Heinz.

CLASS NOTES

VICKI MARSH ‘98 is tax manager at Louis Plung & Co. She was formerly with Alpern Rosenthal.

Vicki lives in Monroeville.

LEO O’NEILL ‘98, was Employee of the Month for the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office in January.

Leo is a lieutenant, and received the honor for his work to ensure that 150 deputies completed recertification training for first aid, CPR, and first responder status under strict deadlines.

He lives in Collier.

ALISA FAULK ‘99 was elected 2014 chairwoman of the board of directors for the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce. It is her third year on the board. She has been general manager of the Courtyard by Marriott Pittsburgh

>

ROSE POLCHINSKI

JACQUELINE TRAVISANO

HILBERT ‘94 celebrated 15

‘90 received the Glass Ceiling

Making Movies Christian

years of service with Bayer

Award from the Florida

Film Festival in October. His

Business and Technology

Diversity Council at its

latest movie, “Seven Deadly

Services this year. She is a

annual Florida Women’s

Words,” has been picked up

contract/pricing analyst in

Conference in March. Jackie

for international distribution

business planning and

has been in higher education

this summer. Eric lives in

administration. She lives in

and nonprofits for more than

Cairo, W.V.

Upper St. Clair with Dan, her

two decades. She is executive

husband of 15 years, and

vice president and chief

their son, Nolan.

operating officer of Nova

Airport Settlers Ridge hotel since it opened in 2010.

JEFF GARNER ‘99 is the assistant athletic director, ticketing sales and services, at Penn State, overseeing all aspects of the ticket operation for the university’s 31 sports. Previously he worked with the State College Spikes and Altoona Curve baseball franchises. Jeff and his wife, KARLA ROBINSON GARNER ‘00, and their two children live in Hollidaysburg.

2000s JEREMY GILL ‘00 won the 2013 CIO of the Year Choice Award from the Pittsburgh Technology Council.

He also was inducted into the South Side Area School District’s Hall of Fame. Jeremy is CIO of Michael Baker Corp., and serves on the Pressley Ridge board of directors and the Western PA Friends of the Wounded Warrior project committee.

Southeastern University. She was formerly vice president MATTHEW McCOOL '00 is the vice president of technology risk management at PNC.

for business affairs and chief financial officer of St. John’s University in New York.

RANDALL CORNELIUS M’01 was named trustee to The Early Learning Institute and is a board member of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. He is the vice president and relationship manager at First Niagara Bank.

MATTHEW AMIGH M’02 became CFO of Bell-Carter Foods, a major olive producer, last summer after working in financial and operational roles for Mars, Del Monte Foods, and Heinz. He is a CPA and an Army Reserve National Guard veteran. Matt lives in San Ramon, Calif.

>

MICHAEL ALSTON ‘98 M’02, vice president of operations for Transportation Compliance & Assocs., was selected as an honored member of the National Association of Distinguished Professionals, recognizing his commitment to excellence in transportation and logistics.

He lives in Clinton.

ERIC BENSON ‘94 won

Best Director at the Churches

>

STEVE PASSIO M’97 was inducted into the Roxborough High School Sports Hall of Fame. He played football for the Philadelphia-area school and also excelled on the golf course. Steve is president of Shipley Energy, a commodities company. He lives in York County with his wife and four children.

>

Lightning and New York Islanders. Mike and his family live in Maple Grove, Minn.

DOUGLAS YAKICH ‘98

M’12 was appointed to the board of directors of United Ostomy Associations of America, where he is a director of social media. He

MARTIN DIGIOVINE ‘02, M’04 is senior counsel of the business services group at Cohen & Grigsby. Previously he was with Schneider Downs.

lives in Glendale, Calif.

R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 2 7

CLASS NOTES

KRISTEN FIENI PAYNE

>

MICHELE PERSANG

>

>

BRIAN BRINDLE M’05 is a software engineer lead at PNC. Previously he was a senior software engineer for ServiceLink.

Brian lives in Moon.

TASHA WILSON ‘04

MEEHLEIB ‘01 and her

‘02 ‘06 and her husband,

welcomed her son Jeremiah

husband, Jarrod, welcomed

Bradley, are the proud

Whiting on May 28, 2013.

son Maxwell Joseph to the

parents of Jackson James,

family on August 7, 2013.

born August 30, 2013. The

He joins brother Zachary and

Paynes live in Ambridge.

sister Liliana. Michele works as a category manager at Kellogg’s. The family lives

>

in Gibsonia.

ERIN ARNOLD

PATRICE SMITH MARTIN M’04 joined The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in February as a sponsored projects officer, managing a portfolio of research grants. Patrice is also pursuing a doctorate in business administration at Wilmington University in Delaware, where she is adjunct faculty for management concepts. Patrice and her husband, Travis, live in Mount Laurel, N.J.

TULADZIEK ‘02 M’07 was promoted to executive

>

director of the National MARY ANN STOOPS ‘01

Kidney Foundation in

M’04 is a survivor of both

Pittsburgh. She has been with

breast and thyroid cancer and

the foundation since 2007.

is now in remission. She recently obtained licenses to sell property, casualty, life, and health insurance and

assistant head football coach.

Scott is also a former defensive coordinator for the Colonials.

BEN RAIBLE ‘04 M’08 was promoted from director of youth development to associate executive director at the East Suburban Family YMCA in Plum, where he will focus on staff development. Ben, his wife, Stephanie, and their two children live in North Huntingdon.

opened her own Farmer’s Insurance Agency. Mary Ann lives in Pittsburgh.

SCOTT BENZEL M’03 was named head football coach at Westminster College in January.

He spent the last two seasons at St. Francis University as co-defensive coordinator and

2 8 • R M U . E D U / F O U N D AT I O N S

VALERIE JACOBS ‘04 M’06 and GEORGE PARILLO ‘04 were married on August 24, 2013. Valerie is an insurance agent with State Farm and George is a hotel manager with Hart Hotels.

The couple are making their home in Elma, N.Y.

JON AMELIO M’05 was named chief technology officer of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, which provides educational services to the county’s public schools. Previously he was director of information technology at Continuous Learning Group. Jon lives in Venetia.

KENYA BOSWELL M’06 was honored at the Harlem YMCA’s National Salute to Black Achievers in Industry, a March gala in New York celebrating corporate leadership and service to the community. Kenya is BNY Mellon’s charitable giving manager for southwestern Pennsylvania, and was honored for personal and professional accomplishments, as well as for championing diversity through her community work and through IMPACT, BNY Mellon’s business resource group for multicultural employees.

SARAH ARNOLD ‘07, D’12 was named director of finance and administration for Mainstay Life Services in Pittsburgh. She is the former director of administrative services for the Kingsley Association.

MARQUES DEXTER ‘07 was named NCAA Div. III Indoor Track and Field Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year, Atlantic Region, for the second year in a row by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Marques lives in Syracuse, N.Y., and is in his fifth year coaching jumps at SUNY Cortland, which is ranked No. 14 in the country.

ERIN MCDONOUGH ‘07 is a business solutions consultant at ADP. She lives in Canonsburg.

MICHAEL MENDIK M’07 is the general manager of U.S. technology for SMA America

CLASS NOTES

MICHAEL HENEGAN ‘08 and JACLYN ALDWORTH ‘09 moved from Illinois to Philadelphia, where Michael works for C&D Technologies and Jaclyn is a recruitment specialist for the University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences while working on post-master’s studies in education.

MICHAEL ROTH ‘08 is controller and CFO for RE 360, a leading buyer of single-family homes in the Pittsburgh area.

DAVID TOOLE ‘08 M’14 joined John Daniel Assocs. in Robinson as a business intelligence specialist.

David and his wife, KATHLENE QUEEN TOOLE ‘08 M’12 live in Ross and continue to perform in professional theater, most recently as Marius and Cosette in Pittsburgh Musical Theater’s production of “Les Misérables” at the Byham Theater.

MYRON WALKER ‘08 is a member of the 2013-2014 induction class of the Northeast Conference Hall of Fame. Myron is Robert Morris’s leading scorer in men’s basketball, and his 1,965 career points from 1990-1994 rank seventh in the NEC.

JEFFREY LAGANA M’09 and Lauren Breskovich were married on October 5.

Jeff is a security analyst for Reed Smith in Pittsburgh.

EVAN ASHTON ‘09 returned to the Fort Wayne TinCaps baseball team as a corporate partnerships manager after working with the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL.

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Production, the Denver manufacturing division of German solar equipment supplier SMA Solar Technology. He will oversee product technology for the company’s power plant solutions group in North America.

BEN CAMPBELL D’08 and

his wife, Kim, and daughter

ANASTASIA DIAMANTIS LOPEZ ‘08 and her husband, Fernando, moved back to the area, and Anastasia started a new job as career consultant at the University of Pittsburgh. She works with a diverse portfolio of students, including those who are interested in careers abroad.

Zoey welcomed Sydney May Campbell to their family on November 22. Ben is an assistant professor of

SHANNON SMOOT ‘09

and MORGAN BOSEMAN ‘09 were married on October 5.

The couple lives in Lorton, Va.

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engineering at RMU.

MIRANDA AGUGLIA

BAUER ‘08 M’08 started her own business, PittsburghPass, an activities package that

Sandcastle, the Pittsburgh

and CASSIE LEE ‘09 M’11 are

Zoo and PPG Aquarium,

engaged to be married and

Carnegie Science Center, and

planning a November

Children’s Museum. Miranda

wedding. The couple met

married Chris Jackson on

is also an adjunct faculty

playing volleyball at RMU.

November 9. The couple

member at RMU teaching

Ross is a marketing manager

business and professional

at Sonic Boom Wellness in

KRISTYN COLVIN ‘07

ROSS GENSLER ‘09 M’11

lives in London, Ontario,

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>

admission to Kennywood,

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includes discounted

where Kristyn is a third-

and SHANE SPIRIK ‘12 were

communications. Miranda

Carlsbad, Calif., and

grade French immersion

married on October 12 in

and her husband, Josh, are

Cassie is the administrative

teacher and Chris is a

Rogal Chapel on campus. The

the proud parents of two

coordinator at Questpoint, an

manager at Hockey World.

couple met at RMU in 2008.

young daughters.

online analytics company.

JEROME HERRING ‘09

R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 2 9

MICHAEL FUNFAR M’11,

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JEFFREY COX ‘11 and

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STEPHEN KOBERT ‘10

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CLASS NOTES

JENNIFER WALBORN ‘12

joined Ernst & Young in the

JACLYN BOSILJEVAC ‘13 were

a math teacher at Upper St.

and her boyfriend, Corey

advisory practice, focusing

married on November 30.

Clair High School, was

McPherson, are the proud

on the financial services

Jeff earned a master’s degree

named one of the 40 Most

parents of a daughter, Skyler Rae, born January 30.

sector. Steve is engaged to

from the University of

Influential Teachers Under

KRISTEN FRANKS, who is

Pennsylvania and is now

40 in the country by Veritas

enrolled in RMU’s Ph.D.

working at Inteva Products

Prep. The private company

program in instructional

in Dayton, Ohio, as a

helps students apply for

management and leadership.

mechanical engineer. Jaclyn

college and prepare for

works for Nationwide

entrance exams.

Financial in Columbus as an actuarial senior analyst. The couple lives in London, Ohio.

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2010s

TESSA MOONEY ‘11

and Josh Van Der Lee were

KELLY HILDERBRAND ‘10 married Samuel Robinson on December 14. Kelly is employed by Maher Duessel, and Samuel is employed

by ThermoFisher Scientific. The couple lives in Butler.

BRIAN JOHNS ‘11 is a financial services professional at MassMutual Pittsburgh.

CHRIS KUSHNERIUK ‘11 has made a comeback to the game of hockey after battling a rare form of testicular cancer. He joined the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL in March.

married on September 6 in Foxburg over the Allegheny River. Tessa is a computer tomography technologist at UPMC St. Margaret and Josh is a web applications engineer at Zoll.

JOSEPH PALERMO ‘09 and LAUREN RODGERS ‘10 were married on October 5. Lauren is a CPA at Schneider Downs in Pittsburgh and Joseph is employed by Autobody Products in Butler.

3 0 • R M U . E D U / F O U N D AT I O N S

BEN HUMBERT ‘10 is general manager of Landmark Aviation in Grand Rapids, Mich. He has over 10 years of experience in general aviation and formerly was a safety and training manager at Atlantic Aviation.

BRIAN GAYSO ‘11 and SAMANTHA KOCH ‘11, who started dating their freshmen year at RMU, are engaged. Brian works for the PGA Golf Tour in Jacksonville, Fla., and Samantha is a seventh grade English teacher. They are planning a July 2015 wedding.

MARY NEWMAN M’11 is president and co-founder of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, which she helped to launch in 2006. The organization aims to increase public use of automated external defibrillators and boost the number of bystanders who apply cardiopulmonary resuscitation to someone in cardiac arrest. Mary lives in Gibsonia.

at Parker University in Dallas, Texas. He will lead the institution’s new online bachelor of science program in computer and information systems.

KYLE BUCHANAN ‘12, forward for the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League, has joined the coaching staff of the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr.

He will coach the sixth grade and middle school lacrosse teams, and will work with the varsity program as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator, while helping to develop the overall program.

Class Notes would love to hear from you.

RICHMOND ADEBIAYE D’12 is director of the computer and information systems program

HANK FRALEY ‘12 joined the Minnesota Vikings coaching staff for the 2014 season as the assistant offensive line coach. This is his third season coaching, and his first in the NFL. Hank previously coached at University of San Diego and San Jose State. He played 11 seasons in the NFL with Philadelphia, Cleveland, and St. Louis.

CLASS NOTES MIKE GROSZ ‘12, former midfielder for the Colonials men’s lacrosse team, was named to the Israel national team in the 2014 Federation of International Lacrosse World Championships in Denver in July.

BROOKS OSTERGARD ‘12 joined the Wheeling Nailers as goaltender.

NICOLE NOCERA M’12 and Jason Thompson were married on October 11. Nicole is an eighthgrade English teacher at National Network of Digital Schools in Rochester, Pa. The couple lives in Butler.

HANNAH VEITH ‘12 joined the National Venture Capital Association as its director of business development. She is responsible for cultivating relationships with business partners and growing non-dues revenue for the association.

Hannah lives in Arlington, Va. FRANK VIEIRA ‘12 released his debut country album, “Three Little Words,” in January with a show at the Hard Rock Café in Pittsburgh. You can listen to it online at FrankVieira.com.

MICHAEL CURRAN D’13 received Strayer University’s Faculty Award of Excellence. A full-time faculty member at Strayer’s Warrendale campus in Marshall — and a part-time faculty member at RMU — Michael has recorded more than 5,000 teaching videos this year to interact with online college students and explain course materials.

BRANDON KARPY ‘13 is a senior application engineer for dbMotion in the population health division of Allscripts, a health care software company.

ABBEY LAPE ‘13 is the PR and events coordinator at The Limited, where she manages the event tool kit program for 263 stores.

ERIC LEVINE ‘13 joined the Peoria Rivermen of the Southern Professional Hockey League.

Levine played goalie for the Colonials.

JAMES “JIMMY” GIBB ‘59 died on January 7 at his home in The Villages, Fla. He retired from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, W.V., in 2006.

WILLIAM COYNE ‘65, the Democratic congressman who represented Pittsburgh for 22 years, died on November 3 at the age of 77.

RICHARD “BUTCH” LIGHTNER ‘66 of Altoona died on March 10 at the age of 74.

ANDREW BRUNETTE ‘88 of Hopewell died on March 11 at the age of 47. Andy was the

municipal manager in Hopewell and high school bowling and tennis coach.

JANICE MIKNEVICH ‘94 passed away on October 2 at the age of 66 after a two-year battle with breast cancer.

GARY HOLMES ‘00 of Wexford passed away on December 2 at the age of 67.

DENISE DOYLE M’01 passed away on March 12 at the age of 63.

RYAN STALLARD ‘10 of West Mifflin died tragically in an automobile crash on March 8 at the age of 25.

THE

ST LINEUP BE IN COLLEGE SPORTS

LINDSEY SOBOLOSKY ‘13 is the honors program assistant at RMU.

In Memoriam CORA “BETTY” MOSES MITOL ‘42 of Duncansville died on January 27 at the age of 90.

Email us at rmualum@rmu.edu.

LAURA WHITAKER M’12 is a relocation specialist with Champion International Moving in Pittsburgh.

CHRISTOPHER ARNDT ‘13 is a financial services professional at MassMutual Pittsburgh.

ALICE RYDBERG ‘47 of Clearfield died on October 25 at the age of 85.

VALENTINE “LARRY” NUNZIATO DEPACE ‘48 of Coraopolis died on March 10 at the age of 90.

SANDRA ELLIOT DELURY ‘58 of Folsom, Calif., died on October 9 at the age of 74.

DON’T MISS RMU’S LIVE COACH’S SHOWS FOOTBALL

BASKETBALL

HOCKEY

COACH BANASZAK

COACH TOOLE

COACH SCHOOLEY

RMU.EDU/COACH R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 3 1

10Questionswith

1

Lorraine W. Bock D’14

As president of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners, Lorraine Bock advocates with state legislators to remove barriers keeping health care providers like her from practicing to the full extent of their capabilities. Many of those legislators know her personally — Bock, who earned her D.N.P. at RMU this spring, is the director of health services for the General Assembly in Harrisburg. A native of Mechanicsburg, she has a B.S.N. from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and an M.S.N. in family primary care from the University of Pennsylvania.

5

How did you first become interested in nursing? Back in high school I had a close friend who was a volunteer EMT/firefighter, and he encouraged me to run ambulance calls with him.

Pretty soon I came to love emergency medicine. My mom was an ER nurse in the early 1970s, and she was a big influence too.

4

Why did you choose RMU’s D.N.P. program?

After talking to a colleague who was enrolled here, I transferred to RMU after a difficult experience in another D.N.P. program. I am so blessed to have found this program.

They welcomed me as a transfer student in a time when most other D.N.P. programs weren’t really interested.

And they accepted my previous work, so I didn’t have to start all over again to complete my degree.

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What do you like to do besides nursing? I love camping. We have a 29-foot travel trailer, and we go as many weekends as we can in the summer. I love sitting beside the campfire just watching it and thinking about nothing. I also play the chimes in our church. I’m not really that good at it, but it’s still a lot of fun.

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2

Why are nurse practitioners so important? With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, millions of people who have been marginalized from health care due to economics will finally have the opportunity to access primary care and other services. The current pool of physicians just can’t meet the need. NP’s are educated, proven health care providers. They can provide access to preventative care and manage chronic diseases as effectively as our physician colleagues, freeing them up to provide more complex care.

What was your experience in the program like? It was great. The faculty is made up of experienced nurse practitioners, which helps them understand the role and how my capstone project really benefits health care — something I struggled with in the other program. In RMU’s program I was challenged, motivated, praised, and encouraged to develop personally and professionally, both as an NP and as a woman.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

I love NASCAR racing. We actually have a Daytona 500 party every February, and I have been to about 20 or 30 races so far.

What’s the biggest challenge NP’s face moving forward?

Getting our physician colleagues to realize we don’t want to replace them. NP’s want to work alongside them to ensure that all Americans have access to high-quality health care in a timely fashion.

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Written By Valentine J. Brkich

9

3

What does your position with the General Assembly entail? I provide on-site medical care for our employees and the members of the General Assembly. We respond to all emergencies, and with 130,000 annual visitors we get quite a few. Our office does all the CPR training for employees, and we provide educational programs focusing on wellness to improve our employees’ health. My position also involves educating everyone here about the role of NP’s and serving as an ambassador for the profession.

6

How were you able to juggle all your responsibilities along with your D.N.P. studies? Having a supportive husband and two great kids who understand and are proud of their mom’s goals has been invaluable. I could not have finished my D.N.P. without their support and understanding, not to mention their willingness to eat lots of takeout.

8

What did you like best about RMU? The sense of pride that the faculty and students have about the nursing program. They make you believe that one nurse really can make a difference by reaching out and touching the world.

Upcoming Events >

AUGUST

>

28 Football opener vs.

E. Kentucky and Fireworks Night 7 p.m. >

SEPTEMBER

5 Dixie’s Tupperware Party

OCTOBER

>

NOVEMBER

3-4 Homecoming Weekend rmu.edu/homecoming for more

6 Fall Wine Tasting HYP Club, 6 p.m.

7 Career Expo

12 BNY Mellon Luncheon

Sewall Center, Noon-4 p.m.

The Carlton, Noon

8 Alan Alda,

14 Men’s basketball

CLO Cabaret, 6 p.m.

Pittsburgh Speakers Series Heinz Hall, 8 p.m.

13 Alumni Association

22 U.S. Steel Luncheon

14-15 Parents & Families Weekend

22 Australian Prime

19 FBI Dir. Robert Mueller, Pittsburgh Speakers Series Heinz Hall, 8 p.m.

Open Meeting, Wheatley Center, 9:30 a.m.

opener vs. Lafayette, 7 p.m.

Pittsburgh Grille, Noon

Minister Julia Gillard, Pittsburgh Speakers Series Heinz Hall, 8 p.m.

HOW ARE WE DOING? TELL US WHAT YOU LIKE AND WHAT YOU WISH FOUNDATIONS DID DIFFERENTLY. CLICK ON OUR READERSHIP SURVEY IN YOUR NEXT eFOUNDATIONS EMAIL.

IT'S YOUR MAGAZINE — HELP US MAKE IT BETTER!

FOR MORE INFORMATION on these and other upcoming events, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (412) 397-6464 or rmualum@rmu.edu.

2015 Alumni Tour

SPAIN MAY 10 - 19

Join Greg and Polly Dell’Omo and RMU alumni and friends as we discover the beauty and mystery of Spain.

Toledo, the mountaintop “Imperial City” of La Mancha. Madrid, with lively thoroughfares, world-class museums, and tapas. Andalusia, the legendary home of flamenco, with its fiery guitars and dancers.

The dazzling mosques and medieval cathedrals of Cordoba, Granada, and Seville.

To find out more, contact Jay Carson at (412) 397-6404 or carsonj@rmu.edu.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Pittsburgh, PA Permit No. 280 Robert Morris University 6001 University Boulevard Moon Township, PA 15108-1189 RMU.EDU

WHAT DO THESE ALUMNI HAVE IN COMMON? THEY ARE ALL LEAVING A LEGACY GIFT TO RMU. Think about how Robert Morris changed your life. Then consider how your legacy gift to Robert Morris can change the lives of future students.

Contact Vice President for Development KIM HAMMER at (412) 397-6413 or HAMMERK@RMU.EDU to learn how you can leave a legacy through your will or with a planned gift of retirement savings, life insurance, cash, stocks, or other assets.

RMU.EDU/LEGACYGIFT