A YEAR IN REVIEW 2021

July

Father Paul Taylor, President, appoints Dr. Elaine Bennett, Associate Professor of Anthropology and the Chair of the College’s Anthropology, Public Health, and Global Engagement Departments, the Dean of the College’s School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (AHSS). Having joined the College in 2011, Dr. Bennett now serves the College in a new way and looks forward to leading the AHSS in the coming years.

Dr. Michelle Duennes, Assistant Professor of Biology in the Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Computing, took a group of Saint Vincent College biology students to complete research in California’s Sequoia National Park. Taking with her Taylor Hatchet, C’21, and Class of 2022 graduates Mary Andreola, Lauren Galibraith, Adam Meneses, Casey Moyer, Yariana Pino-Sanchez, and Kelsey Tobin, the group spent a week of their summer vacation conducting field research, which included studying bumblebees.

September

U.S. News & World Report has ranked Saint Vincent College in its top tier of national liberal arts colleges for the 12th consecutive year. With rankings based on factors such as graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, and social mobility, the College ranked in a tie for 146 alongside a number of other national liberal arts colleges.

November

Saint Vincent College officially dedicates the Verostko Center for the Arts on Wednesday, November 17, to celebrate the accomplishments of Roman Verostko (C’55, S’59, D'21). The Center exists as a modern exhibition space dedicated to the fine arts of Saint Vincent College, alongside the College’s archives and rare book collection.

October

The Saint Vincent College Players presents three performances of the play “Clue! On Stage” between October 29 and October 31. Directed by Mr. Greggory Brandt, Assistant Professor of Theater and Producing Artistic Director for Saint Vincent Summer Theatre, every member, from the student cast to the assisting staff, remains thrilled to perform live theatre again and put on performances that the college will remember.

December

Saint Vincent College’s Activities Programming Board (APB) wins four awards from the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA) for the mid-Atlantic region. Student leaders Shelby Stoner (C 23), Gabby Bricker (C 23) and Emily Fultz (C 24) attended the ceremony along with co-advisors Deanna Wicks, C'09, G'11, Director of Campus Life, and Veronica Philip, G'22. ABP received group honors for Program Board of the Year, Outstanding Community Impact, and the Mid-Atlantic Spirit Award, while Stoner was recognized with the Unsung Hero Award.

The Saint Vincent College Center for Catholic Thought and Culture, under Endowed Director Dr. Jerome Foss, Professor of Politcal Science im the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics, and Government, publishes its first academic journal, Conversatio: A Journal in the Tradition of Catholic, Benedictine, and Liberal Education. Inspired by the Benedictine Hallmark of conversatio, or the way of transformation in community, the Journal is dedicated to developing scholarly dialogue in support of the College’s mission and liberal arts education.

January

U.S. News & World Report recognizes SVC’s Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence (MSMOE) among the Best Online Master’s in Business (non-MBA) programs. Out of 193 ranked schools and programs nationwide, Saint Vincent’s program ranks 78 and was ranked in the top 10 programs in the state of Pennsylvania, coming in at number 9. SVC’s MSMOE program offers students a curriculum focused on preparing future and current managers for major challenges that they will face in today’s competitive environment.

February

Saint Vincent College and the Fred Rogers Institute (formerly the Fred Rogers Center) launch a new community programming series in conjunction with the Latrobe Art Center called “Won’t You Be My Neighbor, Again?” Based on the life and legacy of Fred Rogers, the program consists of a series of community events and exhibits and aims to increase public access to and awareness of the important cultural and intellectual legacy of one of the most beloved American spokespersons for children and humanity.

March

Saint Vincent College hosts 15th Annual Pasta Bridge Engineering Contest for local high school students in the Fred M. Rogers Center. Miniature bridges constructed from uncooked pasta and hot glue are put to the test, loaded with increasing weights until they collapse. The competition, hosted by the Boyer School, aims to increase the awareness among high school students of the role engineering plays in their lives while providing an opportunity to collaborate on the construction of bridges.

As the world reacts to the devastating attacks on the sovereign country of Ukraine, the Saint Vincent College Education Department offers a way for Western Pennsylvanians to help. In partnership with Tekina Strapping Systems, Inc., a San Francisco-based distribution company, and Interpack Systems, Inc. of Mechanicsburg, donations of clothing, non-perishable foods, and hygiene items collected at the Rogers Center were loaded and shipped to Poland, where an estimated two million refugees have arrived from Ukraine.

April

Renowned author Zena Hitz delivers the keynote address at Saint Vincent College’s Philosophy Department Spring Colloquium. The lecture, entitled "What is Work?” explores the cultural devaluing of true leisure and the misunderstanding that work is essentially for money, power, and status. Hitz is the author of Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life. The Colloquium is part of the 2022 Associate for Core Texts and Courses Undergraduate Conference, exploring the theme “Work, Leisure, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

The Saint Vincent campus is now home to a bat box, thanks to a partnership between the College, CNX Resources Corporation, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Dr. Jim Kellam, Associate Professor of Biology in the Boyer School, led the installation of the bat box near the wetlands located by the Saint Vincent Gristmill. Bat boxes create a roosting place away from buildings and a safe shelter from diseases that can affect hibernating bats.

JUNE

Dr. Michael J. Urick, C'04, is appointed Dean of the McKenna School. Urick has been a member of the SVC faculty since 2012 and has directed the Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence program for nearly 10 years. During that time, the program consistently ranked as a Top 50 Best Value Master’s in Management program by Value Colleges and as a Top Online Non-MBA Business Graduate Degree by U.S. News & World Report.

Sydney Green and Cris White, both 2022 graduates, are honored at the annual Presidents’ Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year Banquet in recognition of excellence in the classroom, athletic achievement, and community service efforts. Green enjoyed a stellar running career with the Bearcats and is one of the top middle-distance runners in the region, while White excelled as a two-way midfielder for the SVC Men’s Soccer Team for four seasons. They graduated with bachelor’s degrees in engineering and management, respectively.

MAY Dr. Stephen Jodis, dean of the Boyer School, receives the 2022 Education Leadership Award for Post-Secondary Education from the Young Men and Women in Charge (WMWIC) Foundation, Inc. The prestigious honor is awarded to an individual who displays leadership at the postsecondary level and in the community while upholding a commitment to academic excellence.