SPRING 2017
Learning Communities Ignite Students’ Passions
Crossing the Pacific to/from Micronesia for an Education
Women’s Entrepreneurship Center Engages Many, Supports All
Alumna Advocates for the Nation’s Immigrant Youth
Inside: A Tribute to the Late Rev. J.A. Panuska, S.J., President Emeritus
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A Special Section in Honor of the Late Rev. J.A. Panuska, S.J., President Emeritus
Online Journal
PHOTOS
Departments
STORY
VIDEO
Commons Flag Terrace
SPRING 2017 • VOLUME 38, NUMBER 2
EDITOR
Laura Richards DESIGNERS
Bob Sanchuk Jason Thorne G’13
A Message
from the President
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Thomas Salitsky Randy Shemanski Stan M. Zygmunt ’84, G’95
Dear Faculty, Staff, Students, Alumni, Parents & Friends,
ASSOCIATE WRITERS
Joshua McAuliffe Trish Shea Sandra J. Snyder ’93 Sandy Stahl ASSISTANT CLASS NOTES EDITOR
Margery Gleason PHOTOGRAPHY
As many of you know, after six years as president of The University of Scranton, I will be stepping down at the end of this academic year. This past August, I informed the Board of Trustees of my decision to resign as Scranton’s 25th president, discerning that both for the University and for me the time was right for a change. What I said in August remains true for me today: “In making this decision, I am
Emma Black ’16 Chad Bonk Terry Connors Kathy Fallon Photography Sasha Gitin Elizabeth Loftus ’18 Jim O’Connor Chad Sebring ’93
filled with gratitude to the Scranton community — trustees, faculty, administrators,
PRESIDENT
question: “What does it mean to say that Scranton is a 21st-century Jesuit university
Kevin P. Quinn, S.J. VICE PROVOST FOR ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT & EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Gerald C. Zaboski ’87, G’95 VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT
Gary R. Olsen DIRECTOR OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
Lori J. Nidoh ’80, G’89 DIRECTOR OF PRINTING & MAILING SERVICES
Valarie J. Clark
staff, parents, friends, alumni and students — for all that we have accomplished to advance our mission as a Jesuit and Catholic institution of higher education in the 21st century.” When I arrived on campus in 2011, I invited everyone to consider a plain-spoken in North America?” And I intended my answer then to inspire a common work: “The University of Scranton — a Jesuit university — can and should excel in providing its students an education that is engaged, integrated and global.” Through campuswide collaboration and engagement, we developed The University of Scranton Plan: An Engaged, Integrated, Global Student Experience. Make no mistake: Our strategic plan is already yielding superior results. I still have important work to accomplish here, but as I prepare to leave Scranton, my sadness in departing is eased by my sure and certain hope that our University
The Scranton Journal is published by The University of Scranton for its alumni and friends.
community will continue to flourish. Thank you all for joining me on this amazing
External Affairs & Enrollment Management Office
journey as we have moved our beloved University forward, and for your support
The University of Scranton, Scranton, PA 18510-4615 570.941.7900
and friendship. May God continue to bless you all and may God continue to bless
Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement
The University of Scranton, Scranton, PA 18510-4624 570.941.7660. Email: alumni@scranton.edu Website: scranton.edu/alumni If this issue is addressed to a graduate who no longer maintains a residence at your home, please tear off the mailing panel and mail it, with the corrected address, to the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement. The University of Scranton is a Catholic, Jesuit educational institution serving men and women. © 2017 The University of Scranton
The University of Scranton!
Sincerely,
Kevin P. Quinn, S.J. President SPRING 2017
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On the Commons
Two of Gov. William L. Scranton and Mary L. Chamberlin Scranton’s children, William W. Scranton III (second from left) and Susan Scranton Dawson (right), along with William III’s wife, Maryla (left), presented University President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., with a $1.4 million gift.
University Receives Gift from Scranton Estate Seventy-five years after Worthington Scranton donated the Estate, the University received a $1.4 million gift from the estate of his son, Gov. William W. Scranton, who died on July 28, 2013, and his wife, Mary L. Chamberlin Scranton, who died on Dec. 26, 2015. University President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., called the gift, made in honor of the University’s 22nd president, J.A. Panuska, S.J., a milestone and one of the largest gifts in University history. Two of Gov. and Mrs. Scranton’s children, William W. Scranton III and Susan Scranton Dawson, along with William III’s wife, Maryla, joined Fr. Quinn at Scranton Hall to mark what he called “an important moment in our history.” He also noted Scranton Hall was a fitting place to recognize the continuing support from the city’s founding family. Scranton Hall was a carriage house until Worthington Scranton added a floor and converted it into an office building in 1928-29. The University acquired the building in 1958, and Fr. Panuska renamed it Scranton Hall in 1984 in honor of the family.
Congolese Cuisine and Culture Shared at Global Tastes Event
Area residents learned about the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) directly from members of Scranton’s Congolese refugee community at a “Global Tastes of Scranton” event at the Scranton Cultural Center in October. The University, Terra Preta restaurant, Catholic Social Services, the Scranton Cultural Center and other community partners organized the event. The event included music, dance, displays of traditional attire and presentations, and the menu included fufu (a cornmeal dish), pondu (a Congolese stew), rice, fried fish, plantains, beef kebabs and beans, all prepared by the Congolese “guest chefs” at Terra Preta in downtown Scranton. Recipe cards for pondu and beans were shared. “The Global Tastes events provide opportunities for connection and exchange with these new refugee populations, who bring rich traditions and culture to our region,” said Julie Schumacher Cohen, director of the Office of Community and Government Relations.
We Heard You! In the fall, we asked readers of The Scranton Journal to fill out a survey that would help us improve the magazine. We were thrilled to receive more than 800 entries! To learn the results of the survey, hosted by Qualtrics.com in conjunction with the Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), visit scranton.edu/scrantonjournal. We welcome your comments there too!
GET SOCIAL Meet the #universityofscranton Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure team! #GoRoyals #Royals4Others University of Scranton
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Ten Named Presidential Scholars The University has awarded 10 Class of 2020 members four-year, full-tuition Presidential Scholarships. Front row, from left: Joshua Toth, Daniel Tartaglione, Megan Dowd, Katherine Musto and University of Scranton President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J. Standing: Brian Kilner, Zoë Haggerty, Megan Fabian, Kathryn Donnelly, Brian Martin and Colleen Rohr.
9/17/16
9/24/16 Could we have asked for a better #Scranton FamilyWeekend Saturday?! Thank you SO much to our families, students, clubs, performance groups, vendors, staff… everyone involved in making this such a beautiful day! #UniversityofScranton #Royals4Others #OurScranton Elizabeth Geeza
9/26/16 ROTC students want you to come to the Dionne! Learn some of the exercises they do to keep Army strong! #universityofscranton #rotc #armystrong #bootcamp scrantonwellness
Nonprofit Leadership Program A new Nonprofit Leadership Certificate program, which began this spring, will develop future executives to guide charitable organizations. The program combines a rigorous academic component taught by Kania School of Management faculty, who have nonprofit expertise with mentorship and experiential learning through a capstone project and will consist of eight four-hour sessions on alternating Fridays.
On the Commons
PROGRAM NEWS
In-demand IT Major The Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library presented the 2016 Royden B. Davis, S.J., Distinguished Author Award to Scranton native Stephen Karam. From left: Charles Kratz, dean of the library and information fluency at the University; Sondra Myers, director of the University’s Schemel Forum; Karam; University of Scranton President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J.; and Joseph Dreisbach, Ph.D., interim provost and senior vice president of academic affairs.
Tony Award-winner and Native Scrantonian Receives Distinguished Author Award The Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library presented the 2016 Royden B. Davis, S.J., Distinguished Author Award to Scranton native Stephen Karam, best known for his Tony Award-winning play, The Humans, which centers on a Thanksgiving dinner in a New York City apartment hosted by a former Scrantonian for relatives who traveled from Northeastern Pennsylvania for the holiday. Karam, also a Pulitzer Prize for Drama finalist for his Sons of the Prophet, is a native Scrantonian whom University President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., called a “faithful advocate of the liberal arts” who “spent his career extolling the virtues of a liberal education.” The Distinguished Author Award series benefits the Friends of the Library Endowment Fund, which supports special gifts for the Weinberg Memorial Library collections and services. At the presentation, University benefactor and director of the Schemel Forum Sondra Myers introduced Karam, who shared a host of growing-up-in-Scranton memories with the packed house, ranging from enjoying Dime Night at Nay Aug Park and burgers at Chick’s Diner or The Glider Diner to being “the worst player in Green Ridge baseball history.” In addition to the positive memories, Karam paid special tribute to life’s “darker moments,” which he called crucial to the human condition. “My path to a career in the arts wasn’t easy or overnight, and the truth is that most artists’ work stems from their pain and adversity,” he said.
The University began offering a new bachelor’s degree in the in-demand field of information technology (IT) in the fall. Students earning the degree can pursue careers as cyber-security engineers, business-systems analysts, information management system administrators or network security analysts, among other highly sought positions, said Benjamin Bishop, Ph.D., professor of computing sciences.
Nursing Program Earns Elite Designation The University’s nursing program joined just 56 schools and organizations in the nation that have earned the National League of Nursing’s (NLN) prestigious designation as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education. The NLN named Scranton a Center of Excellence for 2016-20 in recognition of its sustained efforts in “Creating Environments That Enhance Student Learning and Professional Development.”
Graduate Family Nurse Practitioner Program Awarded Grant The graduate nursing program was awarded a federal traineeship grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health Professions, for $348,500 for the 2016-17 academic year. The funds support the educational preparation of graduate students in the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program. The majority of FNP students at Scranton will have approximately 90 percent of their tuition costs paid this academic year.
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To see the ceremony and a talk with Karam, visit scranton.edu/scrantonjournal. 10/3/16 Thanks to the hundreds of students who were out on Saturday, beautifying #OurScranton #ScrantonStreetSweep University of Scranton
10/13/16 A community garden, blessed. Yesterday, student and faculty volunteers attended the dedication of the University garden. Vegetables will eventually go to the Leahy Food Pantry. #Royals4Others University of Scranton
10/14/16 I’m so glad we get to live in a world where there are Octobers. #universityofscranton alexalayne95
SPRING 2017
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On the Commons
International Students Take Center Stage on Campus
From left: University students Mariah Ruther and Erica DeSanctis, peer educators at the University’s Center for Health Education and Wellness, joined center assistant director Cathy Mascelli, center director Stephanie Adamec, CVS regional manager Pat Girard, and CVS district sales manager Luis Marrero at the check presentation for a $15,000 CVS grant.
University Receives $15,000 CVS Health Community Grant A $15,000 CVS Health Community Grant will help the University begin a yearlong smoking-cessation program that will be run through the Center for Health Education and Wellness (CHEW). The University was selected through the CVS Health Community Grants 2016 application process. This year, grants were specifically awarded to smoking-cessation programs offered in a community setting, which are helping people lead tobacco-free lives and reducing the prevalence of smoking. “As a pharmacy innovation company, we are committed to building healthier communities, and we believe that providing smoking-cessation programs is one of the most effective ways to help people quit smoking and lead tobacco-free lives,” said Eileen Howard Boone, senior vice president of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy at CVS Health. “We are pleased to support the work that The University of Scranton does in the community, and we look forward to working with them in fulfilling their program’s mission.”
Several student-run events in November highlighted the many world cultures on campus. The United Colors Organization and the Asian Club hosted the sixth annual International Fashion Show to highlight contemporary, as well as traditional, attire from many of the 25 countries Scranton students represent. The Saudi Students Club hosted a celebration of Saudi Arabia National Day that included a Saudi heritage exhibition, Saudi music and dance, henna tattoos and traditional Saudi foods. Guests also tried on traditional Saudi clothing. In conjunction with International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, the University hosted nearly 100 elementary schoolers at an event introducing them to Japan. The program was led by Chie Fujikake, an MBA student from Japan and graduate assistant, and included presentations, hands-on activities and Japanese cuisine. Several Global Insights presentations, which teach the University community about different cultures from the perspective of a current international student, also took place last semester.
Chie Fujikake, an MBA student from Japan, demonstrates the art of origami to children from the Lutheran Academy as part of the University’s International Education Week event that highlighted Japanese culture to area elementary school students. From left are: Jonathan Bonebrake, Fujikake and Malia Graham.
Scranton Alumna and Professor Featured at Environmental Award Dinner The 26th Annual Environmental Partnership Awards and Dinner featured both a recent University alumna, who received the Environmental Initiative Award, and a University professor and chair of the Biology Department, who served as keynote speaker. During the ceremony, Margaret Capooci ’16 received the Emerging Environmental Leader Award for demonstrating leadership, initiation and dedication to protecting and promoting a healthy environment. A fullGET SOCIAL @univofscranton women’s and men’s crew won medals today; so #proud of #scranton crew team #Royals @uniwuud
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tuition Presidential Scholar, Capooci earned her bachelor’s degree from Scranton as a double major in environmental science and philosophy. The keynote speaker was Terrence E. Sweeney, Ph.D., professor and chair of biology at the University. He discussed Scranton’s new course, Extreme Physiology, NEPA Edition. Through exercise excursions, the course educates students on how they can further land conservation for the public and environmental good. 10/15/16
Celebrating the roots of Halloween in Celtic style at the historic Scranton Iron Furnaces! We love #OurScranton! @univofscranton
10/26/16 Congrats to our phonathon student callers who helped raise $100,000 for @univofscranton students! #Royals4Others @ScrantonAlumni
On the Commons
Focus on Career Success After Graduation Several events during the fall 2016 semester focused on career success after graduation, including a career fair and a talk by a New York Times best-selling author. In total, 106 organizations and 522 students participated in the University’s semi-annual Career Expo, organized by the University’s Gerard R. Roche Center for Career Development. New York Times best-selling author Jeff Selingo, a native of WilkesBarre, offered advice and insights to current and prospective college students and their families, including things to consider in selecting a college, strategies to make the most of the college experience and ways to leverage the experiences gained to impress potential employers. His tips were based on numerous interviews with executives who hire college graduates, which he conducted in preparation for his The New York Times best-selling book, There IS Life After College. Selingo is a Washington Post contributing writer and former editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education.
More than 500 students participated in The University of Scranton’s Career Expo, which was held on campus Sept. 22. From left are human resource studies majors Brianna Harding and Caroline Checca.
Class of 2020
(up from 10,049 last year)
(up from 924 last year)
10,114 422
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First-Year Class
2019 2020
Average SAT Score
1,127
1,130
High Schools Represented
439
458
Number of Legacies
88
111
21% from NEPA
The University has collected another impressive set of national accolades. Scranton was ranked among the BEST . . . • Science Labs • Campus Food • College Dorms • Business Schools • Also recognized for “Students Most Engaged in Community Service” — The Princeton Review • For General Service, Economic Opportunity, Education — The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll • Colleges (based on 15 indicators of student engagement, outcomes and educational resources) — The Wall Street Journal & Times Higher Education
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• Regional Universities in the North • Business Schools • Colleges for Veterans • Values in College Education (for regional universities of the North) — U.S. News & World Report • Master’s Universities (based on contribution to “social mobility, research & service”)
12 States Represented
• Colleges for “Bang for the Buck” — Washington Monthly
8 Countries Represented
11/4/16
10/28/16 Head down to the Dionne Green! Pet-APuppy is only one more hour! @UofSSOTA
CA
TUAL
Transfer Students (Total)
University Racks Up More Top Rankings
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Graduate Students
1,002
Students joined faculty and staff of the Panuska College of Professional Studies for a service to honor those who donated their bodies to further education in the health professions. In the summer and fall semesters, 264 undergraduate and graduate students studying nurse anesthesia, physical therapy, occupational therapy or exercise science and sport learned firsthand the intricacies of the human body in the gross anatomy lab thanks to the gifts these individuals bestowed. Each benefactor’s death was “transformed into a celebration of knowledge,” Alissa Zajac, a doctor of physical therapy candidate, said in her reflection, which she shared at a fall Celebration of Remembrance Ceremony. “Upon death, they became teachers to our students,” said Cheryil Demkosky, director of the Panuska College of Professional Studies laboratories, who organized the service.
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Class of 2020 Applicants
Ceremony Remembers Those Who ‘Upon Death Became Teachers’
PRACT
INCOMING CLASS: By the Numbers
Students listen as Professor Tara Fay (right) teaches in the anatomy lab.
“My parents are the only people since I came here that I think about every single day. They have always stressed to me the importance of an education and seeing what’s going on in the world and the importance of being educated and knowing what you’re talking about. . . “ uofshumans
11/5/16 WSOC: Stands are full and fans are 4-5 deep on the sidelines. @LandmarkConf @RoyalAthletics
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On the Commons
University Joins Marywood to Raise Diversity Awareness The University has teamed up with Marywood University to increase campus diversity awareness along with feelings of safety and inclusion. One initiative in the partnership was a workshop at Scranton titled, “Talking About Race in the Classroom and Campus.” The workshop was part of a grant program by the University and Marywood that fosters faculty communication and collaboration, and resulted from a joint proposal by Jessica Nolan, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Scranton; Samantha Christiansen, Ph.D., assistant professor of Asian history and director of women’s studies at Marywood; Justine Johnson, director of the Cross Cultural Centers at Scranton, and Lia Richards-Palmiter, Ph.D., director of the Office of Diversity Efforts at Marywood. Faculty from Marywood, Scranton and Lackawanna College participated. “I was delighted by the enthusiastic response from faculty and staff willing to come in, basically unpaid, over summer break to learn skills to make our campuses more inclusive,” said Dr. Christiansen, workshop co-organizer. “I think this is a testament to the dedication of our faculty and staff to proactively build a climate that respects and values diversity.”
From left: economics faculty members Jinghan Cai, Ph.D.; Christos Pargianas, Ph.D.; Susan Trussler, Ph.D.; Iordanis Petsas, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Economics and Finance; Satyajit Ghosh, Ph.D.; Ioannis N. Kallianiotis, Ph.D.; Aram Balagyozyan, Ph.D.; Edward M. Scahill, Ph.D.; and Dr. Card.
Annual Henry George Lecture Topic is Economics of Immigration “The Economics of Immigration” was the topic of the 31st Henry George Lecture in November. Giving the talk was David Card, Ph.D., director of the Labor Studies Program at the National Bureau of Economic Research and Class of 1950 Professor of Economics at the University of California, Berkeley. The Henry George Lecture Series is the preeminent public lecture series in economics in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Among the distinguished speakers at previous lectures are 10 winners of the Nobel Prize in Economics. The Henry George Lecture Series is presented by the University’s Economics and Finance Department and the campus chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, an international honor society for economics. Funding is provided by a grant from the Robert Schalkenbach Foundation, established in 1925 to advance the ideas of 19th-century economist and social reformer Henry George.
Workshop co-organizers Jessica Nolan, Ph.D., left, and Samantha Christiansen, Ph.D., right, join workshop facilitators from Border Crossers Nayantara Sen and Lyudmila (“Luda”) Bryzzheva, center.
Read about other lectures at scranton.edu/ scrantonjournal and see videos on our YouTube channel.
AT&T Campaign to Stop Distracted Driving Visits Campus AT&T’s It Can Wait® virtual reality (VR) experience visited the University in September, giving students and staff a chance to safely experience the danger of taking their eyes off the road to look at smartphones. The company highlighted the “16 in ’16” text-message pledge competition, with a goal of reaching 16 million pledges by the end of 2016. Each text counted as one pledge, and at the end of the campaign, the organization or individual who generated the most pledgGET SOCIAL A great day to visit The University of Scranton! #FutureRoyals #Royals2021 @UofSAdmissions
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11/6/16
es won the opportunity to select an organization with a distracteddriving program to receive a $5,000 donation from AT&T or schedule a visit from the AT&T It Can Wait® VR simulator for a day. AT&T also challenged students and staff to take the 21-day challenge, encouraging those struggling with the dangerous habit of using smartphones while driving to stow their phones away while driving for 21 consecutive days.
11/17/16 The tree has arrived! See it in all its glory at the #universityofscranton tree lighting Dec. 4. #ScrantonChristmas @univofscranton
11/23/16 Mass in @YellowstoneNPS, experience of God unlike any other, says #Jesuit @FrMalloy: ow.ly/ooEg306sx2k @jesuitnews
The election season was active and interactive at the University, which hosted several events that gave students, faculty and staff, as well as the public, the opportunity to express their opinions and become more informed about the issues. Before the election, the University hosted the Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN)’s Election 2016 Town Hall meeting, in which panelists from the local media and academic community discussed the presidential and U.S. Senate races. C-SPAN’s Washington Journal interviewed University of Scranton political science professor Jean Wahl Harris, Ph.D., regarding Pennsylvania voters in the U.S. presidential and U.S senate races. The interview was conducted by Scranton alumnus and C-SPAN host Paul Orgel ‘86. The interview was conducted via Skype from the University’s TV studio under the watchful eyes of journalism students in the class of communication professor Kim Pavlick, Ph.D.
The C-SPAN Campaign 2016 Bus, an interactive multimedia learning center that travels across the country bringing election coverage to communities, visited the University on Nov. 4. Scranton was its last stop on a six-college tour of the East Coast that began in North Carolina. The bus offers free interactive political quizzes, HD-TVs, touchscreen computers, laptops and mobile devices to educate the public about the election and C-SPAN’s in-depth public affairs coverage. The College Democrats and College Republicans clubs jointly hosted watch parties for the presidential and vice presidential debates. On Election Day, a day that saw the campus awash in both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump gear, the clubs hosted an “Election Day Countdown” to watch the election-night results. “It is vital that everyone vote, specifically for the candidate who supports the manner they want to see the country approach economic, social and international issues,” said Carson Clabeaux, president of the College Republicans.
On the Commons
Election Season Brings a Flurry of Campus Political Activity
University Dedicates New Veterans and ROTC Resource Lounge The University of Scranton dedicated and blessed a new Veterans and ROTC Resource Lounge on campus as part of its Veterans Day events on Nov. 11. Thanking veterans for their service, U.S. Senator Bob Casey said in his remarks at the dedication ceremony that their selfless service and sacrifice “make it possible for us to continue as a country” and likened a military vocation to a Jesuit education. “Jesuits have always focused on being ‘men and women for others,’ which is a pretty good description of a veteran,” said Senator
Casey, who also noted veterans share the Jesuits’ commitment to excellence in all they do. In his remarks, Lt. Col. Lars Wendt, professor on military science and ROTC commander at Scranton, called the University community “military-friendly” and said what the University does for veterans and the ROTC is “immense.” “This resource lounge is just another example of that support,” said Lt. Col. Wendt.
See more photos and read the full versions of these news items at scranton.edu/scrantonjournal.. CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The new Veterans and ROTC Resource Lounge, located in Hyland Hall, is open to all student-veterans, as well as ROTC cadets and members of the University’s Veterans Advocacy Committee. It serves as a place on campus where student-veterans can connect with other veterans.; Several military service seals are etched into the glass walls of the lounge.; Front row, from left: Patricia Harrington, Ed.D., interim associate provost for academic affairs, U.S. Senator Bob Casey, who spoke at the opening of the opening of the Veterans and ROTC Resource Lounge, and University President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., who blessed the lounge on Nov. 11.
12/10/16
12/1/16 In loving memory of Fr. Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J. (1928-2016), who visited our campus in 1988. #tbt @UofSLibrary
That’s right, Royals, you can FINALLY kick your feet up and relax because FINALS ARE We hope you all had a great FINISHED. semester and have an even better break! #KSOMeansBusiness kaniaschoolofmanagement
12/20/16 @scrantonmade @uofscommunity #shopscranton amandamassar
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On the Commons
Campus UPDATE Green, Red, White and Blue (stones) The University community said goodbye to old Loyola this past summer to make way for a new campus green. As the final brick was cleared away in front of the Estate in early fall, a new stone archway was completed near the library, three flags were raised atop a terrace and bluestones replaced z-brick pavers on the Commons pathway.
“Foremost is our country’s flag. It symbolizes the freedom we celebrate daily and the obligation we have as citizens to nurture that freedom and pass it to future generations.” – University President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., at the flag-raising ceremony In addition to new flagpoles, the Commons Flag Terrace includes seating areas, lighting, landscaping and an archway. Consistent with landscaping elsewhere on campus, the project incorporates bluestone and granite pavers with intermittent, low limestone seating walls. The design also integrates into the seating walls the existing statue of Christ the Teacher. 10
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
On the Commons Up next?
THE COMMONS
Another phase of work to the Estate grounds and entrance, a second phase of work to the Commons and a $14 million renovation to the athletic fields and facilities known as the South Side Athletics Campus, which is owned by the University and continues to receive philanthropic support. THE ESTATE
The next phase of the Estate work, which begins this spring, includes a restored entrance to the building (the original door will stay!), a new bluestone terrace and a contemplation walkway from Monroe Avenue. The improvements are intended to make the Estate more visible to visitors, as well as historically accurate. FUN FACT: Contemplation walkways were common when the Estate was designed in 1864, but the original design did not include one.
Visit scranton.edu/ scrantonjournal for video, images and renderings of the University’s recent and upcoming campus improvements.
“The new facilities will dramatically improve the quality of life for each and every student on our campus.” — David L. Martin, director of Athletics at the University THE SOUTH SIDE ATHLETICS CAMPUS
Plans for the new South Side Athletics Campus include NCAA regulation baseball and softball fields and a multipurpose field that meets NCAA standards for soccer, lacrosse and field hockey. Plans also include a community basketball court, a children’s play area, field house, bleacher seating and parking.
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There are certain values or mantras that I repeat to myself, and they’re from The University of Scranton. Being a woman “for and with others.” Magis — always doing more, as much as I can. The biggest one is “going forth and setting the world on fire” . . . I am driven by it. All the time, I think, “This is what I have to do.” — Holly Pilcalvage ’12, founder, Project Wednesday, a weekly inspirational email that seeks to foster positive human development
My pursuit of an MBA, my military experience and my years of climbing the corporate ladder provided a diverse set of environments in which I came to more fully appreciate the value of a Jesuit education. — Bob Hickey ’67, partner, Newport Board Group, LLC
Why I am proud to be . . . #JESUITEDUCATED Several of our alumni reflect on what their Jesuit education has meant to them. What does it mean to you? Share your thoughts with us by tagging us and using #JesuitEducated. My Jesuit education laid a strong foundation for my personal and professional growth. Magis — a restless pursuit of excellence grounded in gratitude — is central to the Ignatian vision. I keep this concept front of mind . . . always. — Kate Madden ’01, co-owner, Fresh Start Careers, LLC, a career services provider for companies and job candidates
I feel, even by my small contribution each year to various charities or community service events, that if I can make someone’s day better . . . I can make an impact in a positive way on the people of my community. — Anonymous, engineering alumnus
The community I found in my Jesuit education gives me the courage to offer my whole self to others. — Sarah Neitz ’12, Ph.D. candidate in sociology, University of Notre Dame
The Jesuit way of liberating minds from preconceived notions and present culture, lighting the fire of critical thought and curiosity, and fomenting a passion to serve has helped me succeed in everything I have pursued. In a world of such powerful persuasion toward questionable values, the morals I gained in those four years have kept me focused on what is truly important in life. — Rob Montone ’87, account director, EarthLink Business, LLC 12
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
ONE-ON-ONE with Cheryl Boga,
Director of Performance Music
Cheryl Boga leading the alumni band during the Performance Music Reunion in October 2016. INSET: Boga stands with all five of World Premiere concert guest composers up through 1988. All returned for that year’s World Premiere concert in celebration of the University’s centennial. From left: Vaclav Nelhybel H ’85, J. Rex Mitchell, Boga, Rob Kapilow H ’09 and T. Terry James H ’88.
You’ve been at the University for 35 years. Why have you stayed?
They say, “You put this out there and let the people in the community come and hear it.”
Oh, because it’s where I belong.
Our students are doing this not only for their own musical expression and development, but also to serve the University and the community.
How did it all begin? Ultimately, it was John Gavigan and Father Bill Byron who hired me, with a little bit of involvement from Father Ed Gannon. My intention was to spend a year or two here doing just the band. Fr. Gannon came to the first band rehearsal and watched a little bit. He swung his coat on his way out with his cigarette in hand. I thought he was annoyed. The next day, I got the key to the cabinet with the choral music in it. His note said, “You’re doing the choir now, too.” I didn’t know him or where I could return the key, so I ended up doing the choir, too. It was fate. Did you always feel supported here? Yes. This was, from where I stood, never a patriarchy. At that time, women didn’t do university bands. None of these guys batted an eye. They said, “Yeah, you’re good at what you do. We want you. Go forth and build this.” How did your vision match the University’s vision back then? Looking back, the University and I were a perfect match at the perfect time because they wanted solid musical experiences for their students. They had no intention of it ever being a major. They knew that being able to make music was as important for musical kids as being able to make friends. We’ve always done it for the love of music.
You direct instrumental and choral music. This is pretty uncommon. Why do you do both? As it turned out — though I didn’t expect it — I love doing both. It’s really neat that I can do stuff like that here. I can do a concert piece that requires the band and choir performing together and not have a fight with the band director about it. Or the chorus director. Because if I do, I need a shrink. Do you think of yourself as an educator or a musician? Equal parts. It’s education through performance. To get to their end-performance result requires transformation. People say, “What do you do?” I say, “I do chaos. I create order from chaos. That’s what I do.” Do you ever take a break? I think I took off a week or two to have my daughter Maggie. I first brought my son Joseph to work at three days old. I had to take off three weeks for my cancer surgery . . . although, they apparently said three or more months, but I guess I didn’t hear that right. So I just came back. I don’t see myself getting sick of this. I love these kids, and I love the music. I don’t see an endgame. Nor am I planning for one. I’ll probably drop in my boots here. Turn to page 33 to read about the Performance Music Reunion.
Why are performances free? Many years ago, Father Al Panuska said, “You will not charge.” Every president since has said the same thing.
See additional photos and read more from Boga at scranton.edu/scrantonjournal.
SPRING 2017
13
Faculty News
Faculty Notes New Faculty The University of Scranton has appointed 16 new full-time faculty members for the 2016-17 academic year.
Rank and Tenure The University of Scranton granted promotions or tenure to 15 faculty members effective at the start of the 2016-17 academic year.
Drexel Conference Several faculty members recently participated in Drexel University’s Annual Conference on Teaching & Learning Assessment: “Academic Quality: Driving Assessment and Accreditation.”
Chair of Board
Collaborating Professors Continue to Study Quality, Win Outstanding Paper Award Operations and information management professors Rose Sebastianelli, Ph.D., and Nabil Tamimi, Ph.D., are collaborating on two studies that continue to thread a theme that runs through the bulk of their research: how businesses and organizations should seek to continuously improve by encouraging quality, excellence and social responsibility. “The quality movement gained momentum in the early 1990s,” Dr. Sebastianelli said. “Now, after a couple of decades, this is the way business is being done. And nearly all of our research can be linked back to quality.” This year, the professors published a study that evaluated how consumers perceive and evaluate e-tailer, or electronic retailer, quality. This study offers practical knowledge online retailers can use to “develop more effective, targeted strategies for enhancing the quality of their websites and increasing customer loyalty.”
University accounting professor Douglas M. Boyle, D.B.A., CPA, CMA was recently elected to serve as chair of the Allied Services Foundation Board of Directors. For more on all Faculty News and these notes, visit scranton.edu/scrantonjournal.
Scranton Students Complete Summer Research Fellowships with Faculty The University granted seven undergraduate students President’s Fellowships for Summer Research in 2016, offering each student the chance to partner with a faculty mentor. Individual projects were proposed and designed by the student and his or her mentor. Topics ranged from “natural task prioritization tendencies and their effects on gait during dual task walking” to “amoral psychological analysis of sexual desire in a hook-up culture.”
Another study co-authored by Dr. Sebastianelli and Dr. Tamimi, which examines whether corporate environmental performance positively affects stock-market value, won an Outstanding Paper award. The study, “Improving the quality of environmental management: impact on shareholder value,” was selected as an Outstanding Paper in the 2016 Emerald Literati Awards for Excellence. The awards, distributed by Emerald Group Publishing, were “established to celebrate and reward the outstanding contributions of authors to scholarly research.” 14
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
Kyle Rodgers (right) researched “Developing biochemical rationale for the anticancer mechanisms of dietary strategies” with Timothy Foley, Ph.D., professor of chemistry.
Social Sciences Professor, Students Partner with EOTC to Study Recidivism Recidivism, or criminal relapse, has long been part of a complex societal problem. Loreen Wolfer, Ph.D., professor of sociology and criminal justice, and her Research Methods for the Social Sciences and Statistics for the Social Sciences classes have teamed up on a multi-year project with the Employment Opportunity and Training Center (EOTC) of Northeastern Pennsylvania to study recidivism intervention at the Lackawanna County Prison.
Political science professor Leonard Champney, Ph.D., was honored with the John L. Earl III Award for service to the University, the faculty and the wider community. This award is presented annually to a member of the University community who demonstrates the spirit of generosity and dedication that the late Dr. John Earl, a distinguished professor of history, exemplified during his years at Scranton from 1964 to 1996.
Faculty News
Leonard Champney Receives Earl Award
At the presentation, University President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., described Dr. Champney, who joined the faculty at Scranton in 1979, as a “shining example of teaching as a vocation.” Previous Earl award recipient Susan Trussler, Ph.D., introduced Dr. Champney at the ceremony, calling him a “good humored and quietly altruistic colleague.” She described his service to the University as “remarkable for its range, depth and consistency.”
“You can tell a prisoner to do A, B and C, but if they don’t buy into it, it’s not going to mean anything,” Dr. Wolfer said, explaining that one solution is to offer programs prisoners request. That’s the basic idea behind the partnership, which is in the needs-assessment stage. Preliminary findings, Dr. Wolfer said, are that prisoners’ top concerns as they near release are finding a living-wage job; using drugs and alcohol; reconnecting with family and children and avoiding problematic friends. In years two and three, she said, the University team will assess EOTC’s most frequent programs and attendance. In years three through five, the team will look at recidivism and relate it to the fears expressed in year one, as well as program attendance or non-attendance that same year.
At the presentation of the John L. Earl III Award are, from left: University President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J.; Earl Award recipient Leonard Champney, Ph.D., professor of political science; Pauline Earl, wife of the late John Earl; Dr. Karen Earl Kolon ’85, daughter of the late John Earl; and previous Earl Award recipient Susan Trussler, Ph.D., Fulbright advisor and associate professor of economics/finance at Scranton.
Political Science Professor Studies Civil War, Insurrection and Politics in Central America
Michael Allison, Ph.D., a political science professor at the University, studies Latin American insurgent groups and politics.
Michael Allison, Ph.D., a political science professor, has long been fascinated with Latin American insurgent groups and politics.
In September, Dr. Allison presented a paper at the American Political Science Association’s annual meeting in Philadelphia. There, he discussed the relations and interactions among the three major revolutionary groups in El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala from the 1960s up to their transition to political organizations. Their interactions and affiliations were instrumental in helping achieve revolutionary victory in Nicaragua and a military stalemate in El Salvador. Since his 1997 Fulbright trip to El Salvador, Dr. Allison has interviewed numerous participants in those countries’ civil wars. To acquire greater insight and context for the paper, he interviewed former guerrillas in Guatemala in 2013 and in El Salvador in 2015. SPRING 2017
15
RevJ . oseph Allan Panuska, S.J. July 3, 1927 ~ February 28, 2017
“Of all the greetings I have received as President, none sound so sweet as ‘Papa Bear.’”
— Feb. 12, 1997, letter to student body
Papa Bear,
Our Loving Steward
P “
apa Bear! Papa Bear! Papa Bear!” The University of Scranton crowd stood and chanted as Rev. J.A. Panuska, S.J., then University president, entered a New York City gym at halftime of a women’s Final Four basketball game. This was just the kind of enthusiasm Fr. Panuska inspired in the community. “Of all the greetings I have received as president, none sound so sweet as ‘Papa Bear,’” Fr. Panuska later wrote in a letter to the student body. Fr. Panuska, the longest-serving president in the history of the University and the institution’s first president emeritus, died on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, in Philadelphia. He was 89. Fr. Panuska became the University’s 22nd president on July 1, 1982. He succeeded Rev. William J. Byron, S.J., and served as Scranton’s president until July 1, 1998. His devotion to students was legendary, as was the University’s growth under his leadership. “The marks of Fr. Panuska’s tenure are indelibly left not just on the campus of the University he served so long and so well,” said University of Scranton President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., in a notice informing the campus community of Fr. Panuska’s passing, “but in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.” And love him they did.
Walking Among the Students “Fr. Panuska was president when I graduated from The University of Scranton in 1984, and he was still president when I was hired as a tenure-track professor in 1998,” said Matt Reavy ’84, G’92, associate professor of communication. “When I bumped into him in the hallway not long after my hire, he still greeted me by name and asked about my family (also by name). I remain forever in awe of this great man, who was such a loving steward of our dear community.” This “loving steward” propelled the University ever-forward during his 16-year tenure. He broke ground (on 15 new buildings). He raised money (quadrupling the Annual Fund). He raised the University’s profile (accolades poured in), and expanded its reach and appeal. He increased student applications and faculty head count. His list of achievements goes on. During and after his presidency, he had easy conversations with the pope, a future saint, a Saudi prince and a Pulitzerprize winning composer/musician, among others. But his smile was widest when he was among Scranton students. A man of many talents — a polymath — and many grand ideas, he did not sequester himself behind a desk in Scranton Hall. He was on the Commons and in the cafeteria, and supporting students at their games and plays.
“The marks of Fr. Panuska’s tenure are indelibly left not just on the campus of the University he served so long and so well, but in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.”
— University President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J. II
“I don’t believe presidents can stand apart from the people with whom they work, and especially for whom they work, and I consider my primary responsibility to be to the students.” — Fr. Panuska, 1997 “I don’t believe presidents can stand apart from the people with whom they work, and especially for whom they work, and I consider my primary responsibility to be to the students,” he said in 1997.
In the days following his death, Savarese and other members of the alumni community paid tribute to Fr. Panuska on Facebook. They remembered him as “a visionary” and “a people’s man,” who was “always smiling, always listening,” and described him as “compassionate,” “lovely,” “kind,” “brilliant,” “talented” and “humble.”
Wisdom and Grace
Fr. Panuska walks among Scranton students on the Commons for a 1997 photo shoot for The Scranton Journal.
During commencement ceremonies, he proudly shook the hands of more than 17,000 students, “citizens of the world,” as he called them. But it was often before they crossed the stage that he touched their lives. “I had a falling out with my parents after freshman year, and they withdrew their financial support for my college education. I was 19 and scared for my future,” remembered Deirdre Dana Savarese ’97, who went on to get her master’s at the University of Pennsylvania and then work in higher education. “My situation was brought to Fr. Panuska, and he had his staff work with me to ensure I could continue my education at Scranton. I am forever grateful for that because without his help, my life would have taken a different path.” III
It was clear from the start that Fr. Panuska would spread “wisdom and grace” during his presidency, a phrase he often used to inspire those around him. “Wisdom and grace, to me, represent what an institution should accomplish in its students,” said Fr. Panuska in an article from The Scranton Journal published in 1997. “To grow in wisdom and in grace implies not only intellectual and professional development, it implies an internal development. That’s the most difficult to achieve, but it has to happen if we are to accomplish our mission.” During his inauguration on Oct. 27, 1982, he spoke of “broadening the minds of these young people” so that they understand that they are “a small part, but an important part of a very broad world.” To aid him in this mission, he enlisted the faculty, reducing the student-to-faculty ratio by adding nearly 100 members to their ranks during his tenure. He also worked to ensure that they had the resources and freedom to do research and focused on preserving the University’s identity and sense of collegiality as faculty numbers grew. In addition, he helped start the faculty-student research program, now in its 26th year. Academic improvements paid off in the form of Fulbright Scholarships and other prestigious opportunities for students. Admissions applications continued to rise, as did average SAT scores of incoming students, and U.S. News & World Report ranked the school among the top 10 master’s universities in the North — a distinction that remains unbroken to this day. “It’s the growth in the intellectual life of the University that
gives me the greatest satisfaction because that’s what is really going to affect students as they move out into the world,” he said in an interview with The Scranton Journal in 1997.
Francis and Elizabeth Redington Hall, the University’s first suite-style residence built in 1985, was Fr. Panuska’s first major addition to campus. The building recognized his dear friend and former trustee, the late Elizabeth Redington H’92 and her husband, Frank, whose generosity also established the Redington Scholarship Fund. Redington Hall was quickly followed by the William J. Byron Recreation Complex in 1986. Many more buildings and campus improvements followed. Fr. Panuska also became known for buying and renovating local churches, including what would eventually become the Houlihan-McLean Center, Rock Hall (home of Madonna della Strada Chapel) and Smurfit Hall. He was proud of beautifying the campus in this unique way, and — as an artist — he was proud of the sculptures he commissioned on campus as well.
Fr. Panuska with Mother Teresa in 1987 during her visit to the Diocese of Scranton. She spoke on Scranton‘s campus in the John J. Long Center.
Breaking Ground Fr. Panuska had an educational background in the sciences, specifically physiology, biology and cryobiology. But he was also devoted to the arts. He seldom missed a concert, often telling the story from his youth of his once-ever appearance as an extra with a major opera company. He supported the founding of the World Premiere Composition Series, sketched plans for University structures and illustrated his own Christmas cards. In an interview with The Catholic Light, he said that his passion for environmental biology had always put him “in awe of the beauty of nature. . . . I really wanted this campus not just to have good teachers and good classrooms and good chapels,” he said, “I wanted it to be an environment that is inspirational.” Case in point: He was once caught weeding the flowerbed outside Scranton Hall. Not only was he a good gardener, he was a talented fundraiser. In 1989, the University received the largest private gift in its history from Harry Weinberg, which went to support the Judaic Studies Institute and to build The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Memorial Library, evidence of his commitment to both intellectual and campus growth.
A time capsule was added behind a wall of an exterior pillar of the newly constructed Weinberg Memorial Library. Pictured (from left) are Library director (now dean) Charles E. Kratz, Fr. Panuska and then-Provost Richard Passon, Ph.D.
“Putting the sculpture of St. Ignatius (Metanoia) right in the center of the campus is one of the best things I’ve been able to do,” he said in The Catholic Light interview. “People are always being reminded of the need for transformation.” Fr. Panuska also designed the crucifix atop Redington Hall. Continued on page VII
“No one guarded the legacy of the past or enriched it with more vision than Fr. J.A. Panuska .” — Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J. IV
The Boy from East Baltimore 1927
Joseph Allan Panuska is born on July 3 in Baltimore, where his ancestors settled after leaving Germany and Bohemia in the late 1880s. He is the middle child of Barbara and Joseph, manager of foundries in Baltimore, Maryland, and Newark, New Jersey. His parents constantly stress the importance of education. The family’s typical two-story, white-stepped row house, which sometimes has eight occupants, sits in a neighborhood of diverse ethnic origins. The dwelling includes a well-stocked library where young Al, as he is called, finds his imagination stirred and his appetite for knowledge whetted amidst leather-bound books and sets of the classics. When the bookish lad is challenged by a neighborhood bully, Al agrees, at the insistence of his brothers, to a backyard boxing match and bloodies the bully’s nose (self-proclaimed as the most marvelous triumph of his life). But pugilism is no match for reading and his other adolescent passion, tennis. Many hours on the local park’s clay courts prepare him for competition at the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. Many more hours in the library prepare him to achieve distinction as “chief justice” for student government and class valedictorian.
1948
The challenges of pre-med studies, varsity tennis, service as a class officer and editing the yearbook at Baltimore’s Jesuit-run Loyola College cannot overshadow a greater calling. Daily attendance at Mass and prayer for an answer finally provide the inner confirmation he has been seeking. In 1948, he joins the Society of Jesus.
1960
He receives advanced degrees from St. Louis University and Woodstock College. In 1960, he is ordained to the priesthood; a year of spiritual studies in Germany follows. Appointments for low-temperature biology research take him to the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta and Cambridge University in England.
1974
He teaches biology at Georgetown University for 10 years and also serves as rector of the Jesuit community there. After Georgetown, he receives an honorary degree (1974) from Scranton. Then he serves for six years as the Provincial of the seven-state Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. Next it’s on to Boston College for a three-year stint as academic vice president and dean of faculties.
1982
Two days before his 55th birthday, Rev. J.A. Panuska, S.J., becomes the 22nd president of The University of Scranton. During 16-year tenure, the longest of any president in the school’s history, the University reaches new plateaus in academic programs, facilities, community outreach and national recognition for quality. Actor and playwright Jason Miller, a 1961 graduate of the University, is pictured playing basketball with Fr. Panuska. V
1998
Father panuksa steps down from the presidency at the conclusion of the 1997-98 academic year.
Photo Courtesy The Times-Tribune
He Celebrates 50 Years A Jesuit, retires as president of Scranton and becomes rector of the Jesuit community at the St. Isaac Jogues Community, the motherhouse of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus, in Wernersville.
The First President Emeritus is so named by the Board of Trustees. One of the University’s colleges is renamed in his honor — the J.A. Panuska, S.J., College of Professional Studies.
2004
Father Panuska Returns to the University Campus Ministry Office (now Campus Ministries), devoting particular attention to providing spiritual direction and programming for University staff. He later takes up residence at health centers for older Jesuits, first at the St. Claude la Colombière community in Baltimore and then in Manresa Hall in Merion.
2017
His Death Comes on the last day of February in 2017.
Inaugural Remarks Oct. 27, 1982
"What we do here is like a pebble dropped in the sea; the effects spread, the waves grow. . . . I dream of the growth of the Scranton wave through the education of students who are not only fully qualified to succeed competitively, but who know that they have brothers and sisters all over the world. I dream of seeing our excellent faculty enabled to spend even more time with our students and with their research, of seeing our community spirit intensified so that alienation is truly alien to our life, of seeing Jesuit-lay collegiality as a full reality. . . . We can dream because we are the children of God, endowed with His power. Of course, dreams are not fulfilled by dreaming, but by planning and by hard work. I happily take up this tradition of our University."
VI
“I trust that my drawing manifests a view that is expansive, comprehensive and sympathetic to other perspectives of the world we experience in common.” — Fr. Panuska Fr. Panuska’s plan of the crucifix for Redington Hall.
Photo Courtesy The Times-Tribune/Butch Comegys, Staff Photographer
In recognition of his service, the Board of Trustees renamed the College of Health, Education and Human Resources, which was established during his tenure, the J.A. Panuska, S.J., College of Professional Studies. Fr. Panuska’s presidency ended at the close of the 1997-98 academic year. “We have been bold in aiming high,” said Fr. Panuska as he reflected on his presidency, which he called the highlight of his life. “I never saw The University of Scranton as being a school with limited ambition.” Thank you for aiming so high, Papa Bear.
Fr. Panuska walks on the grounds as the sculpture of Metanoia is being installed.
“This drawing has special meaning for me because it illustrated in a graphic way my understanding of life. I trust that my drawing manifests a view that is expansive, comprehensive and sympathetic to other perspectives of the world we experience in common. Most of all, it reflects personal discovery,” he wrote of the cross.
His Legacy “No one guarded the legacy of the past or enriched it with more vision than Fr. J.A. Panuska,” Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J., who succeeded Fr. Panuska as president, said in an article in The Scranton Journal in 1999. He consistently referred to Fr. Panuska the University’s “second founder.” VII
The Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., new president of The University of Scranton, receives the mace from outgoing president, Fr. Panuska, at his inauguration in the John J. Long Center, Friday, Oct. 2, 1998.
See more photos and read more about Fr. Panuska’s life after Scranton at scranton.edu/frpanuska.
Remembering Fr.Panuska “It is well known and surely evident that Fr. Panuska built so much of the magnificent campus of The University of Scranton. Beyond what is visible, he was a passionate and caring leader who enhanced the lives of so many people who participated in the educational experience at this outstanding Catholic institution.” — Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of Scranton (March 2017)
“He was a really rare combination because he was both a scientist and an artist, so he had this rare skill of seeing both what is and what could be. He had the gift to see both at the same time, and he had the grace to see that in people and things.” — Cheryl Boga, director of Performance Music (WNEP, March 2017)
As a freshman living in Jefferson Hall, I met Fr. Panuska for the first time while he was walking through the dorm. He knocked on my door and introduced himself. He said “I’m new here too. We’re both freshmen.” He certainly made a huge impact on The University of Scranton. — Ray Power ’86 May Fr. Panuska rest in peace. A true ‘man for others’ who lived a tremendous life of service & leadership. #PapaBear #AMDG — Andrew Lovell ’96
This man was the reason I decided I was going to The University of Scranton! What an incredibly humble and compassionate man! — Aimie Walker Shipley ’01 AJCU mourns former @univofscranton president, Fr. Joseph Panuska, SJ, who passed away in Philadelphia yesterday. — AJCU I am deeply saddened by this news. I was editor in chief of The Aquinas in 1983-84 and talked to Father Panuska often. He was an open, honest, friendly person, so easy to talk to and dedicated to the university and its students. He was a treasure. It was a privilege to attend the university during his tenure. — Tim O’Brien ’84 What a good and holy man. Fr. Panuska will be remembered for advancing the University both physically and spiritually during his time as president. — Joe Yale ’81 He was a great man and an inspiration when I was there in the late 80s. He was always visible on campus and very approachable. Fr. Panuska put the U on the map and blazed the trail for the incredible school it has become today! — John DiLull ’90
Post your remembrances of Fr. Panuska on social media using #FrPanuska or email them to us at socialmedia@scranton.edu. Tributes are being collected in Storify. See them at scranton.edu/frpanuska.
Papa Bear Fund
“If only every qualified and needy student could receive a scholarship!”
— Fr. Panuska
Fr. Panuska’s greatest priority was making a University of Scranton education possible to everyone, regardless of financial ability. To honor his commitment to affordability and opportunity, the University has established The Papa Bear Fund, which will provide current-use financial aid for students in need. To make your contribution online, visit scranton.edu/makeagift and select “The Papa Bear Fund” in the drop-down menu. You may also use the Royal Fund envelope at the center of this issue of The Scranton Journal to make your contribution by mail. Please be sure to include the name of the fund. A special thank you to The Weinberg Memorial Library and The Scranton Times-Tribune for providing photographs. VIII
Residential Learning Communities Make a Difference
Michael Friedman, Ph.D. (left), professor of English, and David Polhemus ’20, a student in Friedman’s first-year seminar, connect in and out of the classroom thanks to the Celebrate the Arts Living Learning Community. In class, they talked about the Midland Revolt and Occupy Wall Street and thought deeply about Jesuit values. In the student residence hall, Dr. Friedman held a dinner to teach the students about social injustice.
Students in Residential Learning Communities find support in one another, reinforcing the University’s overall sense of community. In August 2015, Nicholas Capobianco ’19 began his first year at Scranton. That first night in college, he and others from his Residential Learning Community (RLC) gathered for what they called a “family dinner.” They were not yet friends, but on their housing applications they had chosen to live in a community based on a common interest — in this case, their desire to “go forth and set the world on fire.” Officially, the FIRE RLC exists to help students “develop leadership potential, focus on academic success and achieve personal excellence.” “We immediately felt a sense of togetherness,” said Capobianco. “You might chalk it up to not wanting to eat alone. But I think it was because we had planned to engage in the college experience together. And that’s what we did.” The Office of Residence Life offers five optional Residential Learning Communities for first-year students: Celebrate the Arts, Cura Personalis, FIRE, “Helping Professions” in the Jesuit THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
Context, and Wellness. RLCs are classified as either Living Learning Communities (LLCs) or Themed Communities (TCs); all current first-year RLCs are LLCs, which have a linked course component, while upper class RLCs, offered to sophomores, juniors, and seniors, are TCs. “So much of what makes Nick’s experience, and those like him, so successful is that they are living with others who are interested in connecting and learning how to have seamless learning environments,” said Maria Marinucci, assistant director for residence education. “I think that’s what makes them so engaged. If they can feel that this is a special opportunity, that brings with it a real investment.” The program has grown, said Anitra McShea, Ph.D., vice provost for Student Formation & Campus Life, so much so that all students entering each of the three colleges now have an option to enter one of these communities. “Through the communities, they can explore possible passions and connect those passions with their vocational choice,” said Dr. McShea. “The program really reinforces our strategic plan: These students are engaged and integrated, and there is a global component, too, should they choose it.” In November 2015, Capobianco and other members of his
LLC sat in their common area watching news of the terrorist attacks in Beirut, Paris, and Baghdad, which occurred over one weekend. “We were speechless,” he said. “But, then we moved past speechless. We talked about what it meant, why it happened and asked ourselves, ‘Where do we go from here?’” Just a couple months into college, Capobianco felt comfortable enough to reach out to faculty and staff to take action, planning a prayer walk and vigil for the victims of the attacks. “He reached out to his RLC faculty member and me,” said Marinucci. “Together with other campus partners, the FIRE community made something happen. They brought the community together. It was pretty powerful to see.” Events, like the one Capobianco helped orchestrate, are driven by students; however, there is support and guidance from University faculty and staff. Students also have the opportunity to be matched with a sophomore mentor who participated in the LLC community as a first-year student, and likely has continued the experience as a sophomore. In this case, said Capobianco, everyone just came together. “In a short period of time we had a plan, a script,” he said. “It happened so quickly, which I think speaks not only to the LLCs, but to the Scranton community at large. I don’t know what would’ve happened if I wasn’t surrounded with people with such empathy.”
First-year Experience “Residential Learning Communities, which have grown tremendously over the years, benefit both students and faculty. They reinforce the sense of community that is already present at Scranton.” said University President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., who has made RLCs a priority since he joined the University in 2011.
DEFINING Residential Learning Communities (RLCs) Residential Learning Communities provide students with a distinctive experience that allows them to live, learn, and belong in and to a community of diverse peers with common interests and goals. LLC: Living Learning Communities Who? First-year students What? A theme, a shared residence hall and a linked firstyear seminar course TC: Themed Communities Who? Sophomores, juniors or seniors What? A theme and a shared residence hall Global Exchange TC: Who? Juniors or seniors What? Domestic and international students live together/ host events related to customs and cultures
Photo Courtesy The Times-Tribune/Butch Comegys, Staff Photographer
The University community attends the November 2015 vigil, planned in part by Nicholas Capobianco ’19, for the victims of the terrorist attacks in Beirut, Paris and Baghdad.
The current iteration of these communities, which began in 2005, was built on the University’s Jesuit mission and creating a positive first-year experience. “It all began with one student,” said Mary Anne Foley, Ph.D., associate professor of theology and religious studies, one of the first two professors who taught a seminar linked to the LLCs. “It was this student’s idea that there be a residential program around the Ignatian ideal of ‘care for the whole person.’” That student was Sarah Oles ’06, a resident assistant, who was passionate about working with first-year students. She wanted to help provide an experience that enabled the first-year students not only to understand the University’s mission, but also to live it. “I wanted to offer something that truly embodied Scranton’s mission and the benefits of living in a community,” she said. Before Oles graduated, she and her co-RAs, Bridget Lally ’06 and Adam Rosinski, S.J., ’07, had set up the Cura Personalis community, organizing it into areas (now, pillars) of faith, service and justice. Students who applied to live in the community decided on their “focus” at the start. Eventually, smaller communities formed within the larger one. “We hoped that mission would be integrated into [the first-year students’] everyday lives, and something they’d want to continue to deepen and further for the rest of their time at Scranton, and beyond,” said Rosinski, who is currently in Jesuit formation. A little less than 20 years prior, Gavigan College opened as a “residential college.” It was a place where students could live and learn in one space. Faculty members were encouraged to take part. A faculty coordinator for Gavigan
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College was Jean Harris, Ph.D., a professor in the political science department, who currently leads the student-faculty teaching mentorship program. “One of the biggest benefits, I think, was that faculty and students had the opportunity to see each other in a different venue,” she said. “Each group was able to see more of the whole person in different directions.” Although Gavigan College no longer exists, the current communities were built on what Dr. Harris described as one of Gavigan’s biggest benefits — care for the whole person.
The Academic Component The residential communities have multiplied since 2005, but there was not a course component for first-year students for several years. “I’m a big believer in Living Learning Communities,” said Brian Conniff, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, who proposed adding the academic component to the communities soon after he arrived at Scranton in 2010. “It’s a way of bringing the college experience down to a scale that first-year students feel connected, have a support system and help them engage in the life of the University in a very intimate way, which is very important to their success.” The data back up this statement. The largest relevant study to date is the National Study on Living Learning Programs (NSLLP), which began in 2001 and was completed in 2007 (Brower & Inkelas, 2010). Results confirmed and added to previous research that found students who lived in LLCs “applied more critical-thinking skills and took advantage of opportunities to apply knowledge to new settings, such as applying what they learned in one class to their work in another class and articulated a smoother transition to college, both academically and socially.” Dr. Conniff said he sees the benefits of the program. “Students show up more engaged in the classroom and you can get a lot of out of them,” said Dr. Conniff. “They’re ready to talk to each other; to talk to the faculty member. It really does make a difference.” David Polhemus, a first-year student in the Celebrate the Arts LLC, agreed. “Being a part of a living-learning community meant that from the onset of college life, we were already surrounded by others with similar likes and interests . . . allowing everyone to focus less energy on fretting about acceptance, and more energy on acclimating to the other demands of college life.” Michael Friedman, Ph.D., taught Polhemus’ first-year seminar, which is associated with the Celebrate the Arts LLC. The seminar focused on one Shakespeare play, Coriolanus. THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
During the fall 2016 semester, students memorized and acted out lines from the play, watched two film versions together and read critiques. They talked about the Midland Revolt and Occupy Wall Street and thought deeply about Jesuit values. It is a challenging course, admitted Dr. Friedman, but what struck him about the students was how comfortable they were with one another from the start, and their relationships continue to deepen. “They weren’t reticent about speaking up even in the beginning of the year,” he said. “And now? It’s like they’ve become a little family.”
Connecting to Future Family The “family” extends beyond just student relationships. Faculty members act as mentors as well, even to those who choose not to take the associated first-year seminar, ensuring that students learn to make connections both in and out of the classroom. Debra A. Pellegrino, Ed.D., dean of the Panuska College of Professional Studies, devotes time to promoting literacy in young children. Since she began her tenure at Scranton about a decade ago, she has organized a collection of books for children in need. The books are blessed during a ceremony and then sent to various schools and nonprofits. At the start of the fall 2016 semester, Dean Pellegrino challenged students in the “Helping Professions” firstyear seminar and LLC to reach out to doctors, faith-based institutions, nurses and health care organizations for the collection. In December, the students stood by beaming with pride as the books were blessed. They had organized the collection and ended up with more than 4,000 books for needy children. “So much learning happens outside of the classroom. Everyone has a different journey or a different lens,” said Dean Pellegrino. “I wanted to go into the residence halls to understand where students were coming from. Students in my seminar come from different places and have chosen all different majors: teacher education, biology, DPT, OT, exercise science, neuroscience. One is even undecided.” The diverse range of majors is exactly why Karlie Ashcroft ’20 is grateful to live in the “Helping Professions” LLC. “Being in the Living Learning Community is a good way to meet people outside of your program,” she said. “It opens doors to building relationships with people, people you might be working with in the future.” Read more about RLCs and see video from Capobianco’s prayer vigil at scranton.edu/scrantonjournal.
A 30-year Journey Students have been volunteering in Micronesia since the late ’80s, and, three decades later, the University has nine students from Micronesia and a long list of alumni. It was the first snow of the season, and while most Scranton students walked through campus unfazed, one student was quite literally jumping for joy. First-year student Bailechesel “OJ” Tumechub is from Palau, an island country of sunshine and palm trees, a place where the temperature averages from 76 degrees to 89 degrees throughout the year. “I was walking and the snow was hitting my face,” said Tumechub. “At first I thought it was rain. I thought, ‘What is this?’ When I realized it was snow, I started jumping. I put my tongue out to catch it.”
Crossing the Pacific Searching for quality higher education, many students have made the long journey from the lush scattered islands of Micronesia in the Pacific to the Electric City. Tumechub
traveled to Scranton last fall from Palau along with three other students. Four more were recently accepted from Yap Catholic High School (YCHS). They will soon decide whether to join Tumechub and eight other current students, as well as six alumni from Micronesia. Some 30 years ago, one Scranton student made the reverse voyage. Christopher Banks ’86 was encouraged by the late Edward Gannon, S.J., University professor and founder of Special Jesuit Liberal Arts (SJLA) honors program, to serve through what is now the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC). Banks chose Palau. “When I decided to volunteer, I got an encyclopedia and photocopied the pages on Micronesia,” said Banks. “I showed a map to my family over Thanksgiving break. It took two pages just to show the distance between California and Micronesia.”
First-year student Bailechesel “OJ” Tumechub, from Palau (an island of sunshine and palm trees), came to Scranton after hearing about it from a Jesuit priest in his country and his uncle, who is a University alumnus.
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Banks accepted a volunteer teaching position at Maris Stella Elementary School for two years. When Banks was still at Scranton, there was a national effort to recognize the 1-millionth Jesuit alumnus in the United States, with each school designating a symbolic graduate. That year, the senior class chose Banks as its Scranton graduate, and the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities ultimately chose him as the national alumnus. “When I got interviewed to be the 1-millionth alumnus, I naively thought I was going to conquer the world,” said Banks. “During those couple years in Palau, I learned so much about myself. I learned how much bigger the world is than I thought it was.” After a short stint in finance, Banks returned to the University to work for then-University President Joseph Panuska, S.J., as his assistant and was encouraged by him to join the board of the JVC (then the JIV). While employed at the University, he spoke to Scranton students about his volunteer work. Several made their way to Micronesia to volunteer in the early ’90s, strengthening the connection between Scranton and students on the islands. After World War II, Jesuits from the New York province began to serve in pastoral ministry in what were then the U.S. Trust Territories in the Pacific. The Jesuits also now staff two high schools, Xavier High School, on Chuuk, and YCHS, which was built in 2011. The islands gained sovereignty in 1986, and the Compact of Free Association (COFA) was signed by several independent states in Micronesia, eventually including
Michael Wiencek ’12 (center) stands with students from Yap Catholic High School who received acceptance letters from Scranton this year, for possible admission in fall 2017. From left: Blossom Moofal, Natasha Loochaz, Wiencek, Bryan Bomtam and Jalani Gootinmutnguy.
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Palau when Banks was volunteering there. This meant that the people of Micronesia could work and live in the United States without a visa.
A New Generation “The students have come in waves,” said William Burke, the University’s director of financial aid, who has maintained a close connection with students from Micronesia since the beginning, partly because of the financial intricacies involved with the COFA. “This is the next generation,” said Burke, proudly. Recently, he gathered the students for a Palauan lunch in his office to talk to them about why they came to Scranton. Most of the students said an uncle or cousin had graduated from Scranton, or a Jesuit volunteer or priest encouraged them to apply. Jersaleen “Jersy” Waayan, a graduate of YCHS, credited her principal and college counselor, Michael Wiencek ’12. “He shared his experiences from Scranton with us,” she said. “It made me want to come here. It made me feel like I knew Scranton already.” “Scranton is a supportive environment where we knew our students would be welcomed and cared for,” said Wiencek. “The community I grew to love at Scranton is the type of community that exists here in Yap — everyone watches out for each other.” An SJLA student, Wiencek worked through his college years in the Campus Ministries office. In his senior year, he was inspired by an email calling “adventurous” college graduates
Current students from Micronesia studying at Scranton, from left: Brandon Patris, Jersaleen “Jersy” Waayan, Delilah Deffmew, Ethan Techitong, April Laabrug, William R. Burke, University director of Financial Aid, Shunrang Chin, Marjorie Jasmine Carl, Bailechesel “OJ” Tumechub, Yasmin Timulch and Maryellen Burns, University Financial Aid counselor.
Principal and college counselor Michael Wiencek ’12 stands in front of Yap Catholic High School, built in 2011.
to help start up a school in Yap; he was encouraged by Patricia Vaccaro, director of Campus Ministries’ Center for Service & Social Justice, to apply. He got the job. Although he admits he urges “the best and brightest” to apply to his alma mater, this is not a main goal as principal. “Our major goal at YCHS is not just to have our students graduate high school, or even to get into college,” said Wiencek, “but we aim for them to get ‘to and through’ college to attain a bachelor’s degree and then return to Micronesia to help the islands develop further, especially with the impending effects of climate change and increased pressure from other countries in the region.”
The Return One person to make that return, when Wiencek was still a baby, was Judge Carl Q. Polloi ’93. Judge Polloi, a native of Palau, was sworn in as the senior judge of Palau’s Land Court in 2007. At 32 years old, he was the youngest person to become a judge in Palau. In his nearly seven years in this position, he has decided at least 1,000 land-dispute cases while also mediating cases in the trial division of the Supreme Court. “Being a lawyer and a judge means I have to do a lot of listening, reading and writing,” he said. “Thus, I think it is the academic training at Scranton that really helped, especially in terms of critical thinking, research and writing along with the
helpful feedback from the professors.” As a student of Banks and Matthew Brady ’84 at Maris Stella and the late Mike Toolan ’92 at Xavier High School, he knew he wanted to continue his Jesuit education and one day to return to Palau to make a difference. Also, like Tumechub, he looked forward to seeing the change of seasons in Scranton. Judge Polloi described a nearly identical experience of his first snow, 24 years earlier. In October 1993, “I came out of the Weinberg Memorial Library close to midnight,” wrote Judge Polloi in a recent email. “There were flurries coming down from the cold, dark sky, and they became visible by the light of the street lamp. I stood there in the middle of the brick pavement trying to catch the flakes on my tongue and open palms, but they promptly disappeared upon contact.” Both Judge Polloi and Tumechub described the same feeling of awe at Scranton but also spoke of a deep appreciation of Micronesia. “I tell my friends here about our language, how our society is matriarchal, how undeveloped my country is. It’s a good feeling. I feel like I’m teaching them something about my people,” said Tumechub. “But also, I’m reminding myself that I should be grateful for where I come from. I should embrace it.” For more from current students and extra photos, visit scranton.edu/scrantonjournal.
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Hand in Hand
Scranton’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Center helps female small-business owners get their start, and in turn supports the local economy and community. Patricia Dickert-Nieves was at a crossroads, working at a nonprofit and thinking about law school, when she heard about the Women’s Entrepreneurship Center (WEC) at The University of Scranton. The WEC, a partnership between the Kania School of Management (KSOM) and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), offers business startup information, guidance and encouragement to low-income women and
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women in transition. In 2012, Dickert-Nieves participated in the center’s six-week program, StartUP, which details the process of starting your own small business. “I came into the program with a passion to do something in my community that allowed me to be of service to the community, but I didn’t know what that looked like,” she said. She was considering opening a wellness center, café or restaurant.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Patricia Dickert-Nieves stands (at left, in green) at Terra Preta, the restaurant she started thanks in part to a class she took through the Women’s Entrepreneurship Center.; Representatives from The University of Scranton’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Center and Small Business Development Center (SBDC) meet with Ellen Burkey, financial advisor from Ameriprise Financial Services, to plan a session of Coffee and Confidence. From left are: Francene Pisano Dudziec, special projects coordinator at the SBDC, the University’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Center student interns Farishta Abdullahi ’17 and Olivia Levine ’16; guest Ellen Burkey and Donna Simpson, consultant manager at the SBDC.; Intern Denise Rizzo ’17 interacts with WEC clients. INSET, BELOW: Madam Salomey Oforiwa, the mother of Mike Mensah, Ph.D., dean of KSOM. He founded the Women’s Entrepreneurship Center in 2009 in part to honor his mother who was an entrepreneur in her native Ghana. She passed away in December 2016 at 92 years old.
The Right Business “The program helped me focus,” said Dickert-Nieves. “[The consultants] spoke about building a business plan, and within that, market research, financial planning, selfpromotion and brand value.” In 2014, Dickert-Nieves and her husband, Gregory, opened Terra Preta, a farm-to-table restaurant located in the historic Ritz Theater building in downtown Scranton. Just two years later, they won the 2016 Scranton Chamber of Commerce Sage Award for New and Emerging Business of the Year. Terra Preta is Portuguese for “rich earth,” which embodies the dishes on the menu. “It is ‘rich’ meaning nutrient rich; all of the food we serve is nutritionally dense and it’s good for you,” Dickert-Nieves said. The food is made from scratch using meat, dairy and produce purchased from local farmers, and the menu changes seasonally based on crops. Beyond the kitchen, Terra Preta hosted a “Global Tastes of Scranton” event, where refugees cook food from their native countries, sharing their culture with the community. “Terra Preta would be a different business venture if it weren’t for the Women’s Entrepreneurship Center,” said Dickert-Nieves. “I didn’t think I was going to be an entrepreneur or be my own boss, but when I took this class, I saw it was a possibility.” Besides StartUP, the WEC also hosts Coffee and Confidence sessions once a month, where local business owners are invited to share their stories and advice. Last September, Karen Graytock ’00 saw a newspaper ad for Coffee and Confidence and decided to attend. “I had recently been laid off from a job I’d held for more than 16 years, and I’d always thought about starting my own business, so everything seemed to be happening at the right time,” she said. Energized by that initial session, she enrolled in StartUP the next month and began making a business plan for her own health care consulting business, drawing on her background in critical care nursing and pharmaceutical sales. Just a few months after finishing the six-week class, Graytock is already building a client base for her company,
Consulting KG, LLC, which helps health care companies market products to physicians’ offices.
A Community Impact Lisa Hall Zielinski, director of the SBDC, estimates that the WEC serves 50-75 women annually. Their newest initiative is a financial literacy program, in partnership with Scranton’s nonprofit Women in Philanthropy organization, which enables women to qualify for small-business loans. “We all work together to make an impact as a community,” said Hall Zielinski. “To create a business creates more jobs.” Donna Simpson is the consultant manager at the SBDC and teaches the accounting portion of StartUP. The WEC events are full of “synergy,” she says. “Anytime you put a group of women together, great things happen.” One of the defining features of the WEC programs is that they are offered free of charge, thanks to funding provided through the KSOM partnership. Michael O. Mensah, Ph.D., dean of KSOM, founded the center in 2009. “We are committed to partnering with the local economy. That is part of the vision and strategic planning for the business school,” said Mensah. But he was also inspired by his mother, Madam Salomey Oforiwa, who was an entrepreneur in her native Ghana. She passed away in December 2016 at 92 years old. He created the program, in part, to honor her. “My mother was a serial entrepreneur,” he said proudly. “She did anything to keep her busy and provide the funds needed to help my father take care of their eight children. I thought, ‘What would have happened in her life if someone had offered her the kind of help we are offering in this program?’” To continue reading, turn to page 40. SPRING 2017
PROFILE: Anne Marie Mulcahy ’00
The Advocate A lawyer, inspired by her parents and Jesuit volunteer work, protects and defends the country’s immigrant youth.
Mulcahy and her sister, Geraldine Subba ’03, and their children. Back row, from left: Mulcahy and Subba. Front row, from left: Maya, Eleanor (Mulcahy’s children) and Liam (Subba’s son; Mulcahy’s godson).
Ignacio’s* story is one of thousands. A refugee child — abused and neglected by his family — appears unaccompanied before a U.S. immigration judge for his deportation proceeding, not understanding nor able to respond to a legal system that will determine his fate. He is traumatized, frightened and alone. And all that stands between Ignacio and deportation back to Guatemala is a pro bono attorney trying to work within a system that doesn’t always provide fair and appropriate treatment. Anne Marie Mulcahy ’00 had seen cases like Ignacio’s all too many times while working at Kids In Need of Defense (KIND). As a young lawyer, she was charged with creating a network of pro bono attorneys — recruited from law firms, corporations, nongovernmental organizations and universities — who could provide quality, compassionate legal counsel to children like Ignacio. Long hours, an overwhelming caseload, insufficient resources and emotional trauma were all part of the job. It was a daunting task even for a seasoned lawyer. But whether it was kismet or following in her family’s footTHE SCRANTON JOURN A L
steps, Mulcahy, now director of the Vera Institute of Justice’s Unaccompanied Children Program, knew she was destined to advocate for the marginalized and disadvantaged, especially children.
Altruism, Taught As a child, Mulcahy was inspired by her family’s altruism. She recalled how her parents volunteered for Project Children, a nonprofit founded in 1975 by her uncle Denis Mulcahy, which provides an opportunity for Protestant and Catholic children from troubled areas in Northern Ireland to spend the school holidays in a peaceful environment in the United States. “It was ingrained in me from a young age,” said Mulcahy. “For as long as I can remember, I believed that the best way to make the world a better place was to make a difference in the lives of children.” Mulcahy, the mother of two girls, grew up in Rockland County, New York, the eldest of four children. (Her sister,
PROFILE: Anne Marie Mulcahy ’00
Geraldine Subba, is Class of 2003.) When the time came to explore colleges, she had a simple requirement: a small, liberal-arts college close to home. Her high school counselor recommended Scranton. “I remember when I was reviewing the information about Scranton, I discovered it was a Jesuit university. I had no idea what a Jesuit was,” said Mulcahy. “I clearly know what a Jesuit is now.” During her junior year, Mulcahy participated in Scranton’s International Service Trip to Ecuador, which she credited with solidifying her career path to becoming an advocate for the “people whom society ignores or avoids.” Alexandra Abboud Miller ’00, a dear friend of Mulcahy’s, was always supportive of her friend’s career choice. “Anne Marie approaches her work as a lawyer, her love for her family and our friendship with optimism and passion,” said Abboud Miller. “She is always open to what’s next and not afraid to be vulnerable or love with her whole heart.” While her Scranton experience gave her direction, Mulcahy knew fulfilling her dream required a “tool,” and law school seemed the most logical path.
In Pursuit of Justice and Fairness Mulcahy earned her degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. During this time, she had her first realworld experience, as a legal intern assisting an American Bar Association attorney in drafting the standards for working with unaccompanied alien children. Within a short period of time, Mulcahy’s career found traction. She did a two-year Jesuit Refugee Fellowship in Miami, which involved providing services to forcibly displaced people from around the world, specifically focusing on asylum for those fleeing persecution in their native land. Mulcahy then returned to New York to work for the Administration for Children’s Services, representing the agency in
abuse and neglect cases. Within a year, overwhelmed by the emotional stress and extreme caseload, she took a position with the Westchester County Attorney’s office, but, there, she missed the direct interaction with immigrant youth. She moved on to a position at KIND, where she not only worked with unaccompanied youth but also collaborated with Vera, an independent, nonprofit national research and policy organization that seeks to promote justice and fairness for all people. This association proved serendipitous.
A Cooperative Spirit For the past five years, as the director of Vera’s Unaccompanied Children Program, Mulcahy has managed a network of more than 30 legal services organizations, which provide assistance to immigrant children in removal proceedings who are detained in, or have recently been released from, federal custody. Additionally, she coordinates with government agencies and plans for the changes that may occur as the number of children fluctuates. When she started in 2011, the program processed 7,000 to 8,000 children annually. Today, the number hovers around 60,000. Her secret to the program’s success: a cooperative spirit. “Advocating for children is only half of what I do,” said Mulcahy. “In order to make the system work, I have to know how to maintain strong relationships with judges, clerks and attorneys. It’s the best way to get things done for the children.” Mulcahy credited the Scranton community of Jesuits, professors and classmates for providing the guidance, support and resources for nurturing her cooperative spirit. “Scranton challenges you to do something meaningful and always look for the next opportunity to give back for the many privileges you enjoy,” said Mulcahy. “The supportive environment at Scranton is one of a kind. It’s not easy to find that again after graduation.” As for Ignacio, his story makes everything she does worthwhile. Years after she matched him with a pro bono attorney for his immigration case, Mulcahy received a package from that attorney containing a letter from Ignacio, a bottle of perfume and photo of him clad in a military uniform. He thanked her for helping him live his dream to be a U.S. Army soldier. “Not all stories are as happy as Ignacio’s,” Mulcahy admitted, “but I can’t imagine doing anything else.” *Name changed to protect the innocent.
Mulcahy, then a Scranton student, holding a boy who lived near the Rostro de Cristo (volunteer) house in Durán, Ecuador, during her International Service Trip in summer 1999.
See more photos at scranton.edu/scrantonjournal.
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PROFILE: Thomas E. Clarke Jr. ’73, G’75
Ground Control
An alumnus’s behind-the-scenes career at NASA yields big results.
Throughout his four decades at NASA, Thomas E. Clarke Jr. ’73, G’75 never donned a spacesuit nor gave commands from mission control. Nonetheless, the Scranton native was a vital cog in ensuring the success of the U.S. space program. Last year, Clarke retired from NASA after 40 years of service, the last 10 of which were spent as the COO to the CFO at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. There, he was tasked with the unheralded yet crucial responsibility of ensuring the financial viability of a long list of astronomically complex and expensive projects. Along the way, he witnessed plenty of changes, among them the agency’s recent shift toward collaborating with private companies such as SpaceX and Boeing to develop innovations in space flight, aeronautics, solar energy and other technologies. “It was great, because I got to see such a transition from where it was then to where it is now. The changes are just amazing,” said Clarke, a resident of Titusville, Florida. “People think NASA just launches rockets and that’s it. There are so many technology advancements that NASA participates in.”
Launch from Scranton Indeed, it’s been a pretty good ride for a guy who had little interest in space travel at the start of his career. After graduating from West Scranton High School in 1964, Clarke enrolled at The University of Scranton for what turned out to be an abbreviated stay. “Due to a lack of money, I took some time off,” he said. “Next thing I knew, I was drafted.” The Army sent him to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he worked as a medical laboratory specialist. During this time, he met members of Congress, high-ranking military personnel and foreign diplomats. He was on call when President Dwight D. Eisenhower attended appointments. When his service culminated in October 1967, Clarke returned to Scranton and married his high school sweetheart, Dawna. While working five-and-a-half day
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weeks at her family’s pickle business, William Kleinberger & Sons, he attended night school at Scranton in pursuit of his bachelor’s degree in business management/ administration. He went on to get his MBA with a concentration in accounting. As an adult student with a full-time job and a family — he and his wife have two sons — Clarke had little time for activities outside the classroom. He had one task in mind: to receive a first-rate education “in order to support my family and secure a future for myself.” The University, he said, more than proved up to the task. Plus, it only enhanced the discipline and drive he had developed in the military. As “a guy who has always been good with numbers,” he counted himself lucky to have been supported by several teachers at Scranton. “I had one accounting instructor, John P. McLean, whose courses I kept taking. He said to me one day, ‘Are you majoring in me?’” Clarke said with a laugh. Clarke briefly taught at Lackawanna Junior College before a civil service application landed him a job as a neophyte financial analyst at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, in March 1976. Until that point, his most significant space-related exposure was getting up in the middle of the night to feed his then-18day-old son and flipping on the TV to find Neil Armstrong stepping onto the moon.
Photo of the International Space Station, a project Thomas Clarke ’73 G’75 worked on for 10 years, taken from Orbiter Atlantis on the STS-135 flight. INSET: Clarke stands at Pad A in front of the Orbiter Atlantis.
PROFILE: Thomas E. Clarke Jr. ’73, G’75
Unlike the hundreds of millions eagerly anticipating the moon landing, Clarke hadn’t planned to watch, indicating just how far NASA and space travel were from his mind at that time in his life.
Experiencing Space History At Goddard, Clarke re-created the training program for newly hired accountants and financial analysts and served as a financial analyst on the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite project and the Delta Expendable Launch Vehicle Program. In September 1979, he and his family moved to Florida when he accepted a position as a financial analyst at Kennedy Space Center. Initially, he did everything from cost analysis to budgeting for the Space Shuttle Project, which was tasked with building the launch facilities and ground support equipment for the second launch facility, Pad B. From there, he did a lot of the financial heavy lifting on the International Space Station, from its first estimates and studies in the early 1980s to the construction of its Space Station Processing Facility at Kennedy in 1993. “Being at Kennedy, I could see all the preparing of flight hardware, supporting equipment and personnel. I dealt with project managers and technical people,” he said.
“People just don’t know all the processes and activities that are involved in preparing and launching hardware and personnel.” Throughout that period, he met a lot of interesting people — he chatted with Tom Hanks in an elevator when the actor was filming Apollo 13 — and worked closely with astronauts such as Ellison Onizuka, a crew member on the doomed Challenger shuttle, which exploded in 1986. That tragedy aside, the vast majority of what Clarke witnessed at the space center was magnificent. The stakes were high, and the hours were long, but the outcomes were awe-inspiring. “There has been nothing like seeing a shuttle orbiter up close while it is being processed in an orbiter processing facility; actually sitting in the orbiter crew seats; seeing International Space Station hardware components while they are processed for flight; watching live launches from less than four miles from the launch site; and watching astronauts come out of the crew quarters and get into a van to go to the launch pad and get into the shuttle vehicle,” said Clarke. “These are events that many only dream about, but I was fortunate to be a participant in these historical events.”
A Career, Blessed As the years passed, Clarke was given a succession of leadership positions at Kennedy, culminating with COO to the CFO for his final decade there. During that period, his accomplishments included improving career development opportunities for financial professionals like himself. Clarke left NASA for good on Jan. 1, 2016. He admitted his adjustment to retired life was a bit difficult at first. The reason for that was simple: “I just loved what I did,” he said. “To this day, I feel so much pride for what we’ve done, what we’re doing now and what we will be doing down the road. I was very, very fortunate. My career was blessed.”
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PROFILE: Ray McPartland ’97
Trained to Defend A criminal justice graduate, who began his career patrolling the streets of New York City, never could have anticipated that he would one day help set the standard for responding to active shooter incidents.
When Detective Ray McPartland ’97 chose criminal justice as his major, counterterrorism wasn’t even on the radar in the field, nor were active shooter incidents as rampant as they are now. Little did he know that he would spend 20 years training others for these situations. “If you told me as I was leaving Scranton, ‘You’re taking this job as a cop and then you’ll be doing this,’ I’d have said that you were nuts,” said McPartland. “Because, one, I didn’t even know this job existed, and two, in law enforcement and the criminal justice world, nobody was talking about counterterrorism then.”
The Shift McPartland, who originally thought he might work for the FBI, began working for the New York City Police Department in 1997 patrolling the streets. Then, he became an instructor at the police academy, first assigned to Recruit School and eventually moving to the Specialized Training section. In 2006, he was transferred to the newly formed Counterterrorism Bureau, where he began building and teaching counterterrorism-related material. In the wake of the Mumbai attacks in 2008, McPartland was part of an NYPD team that put together research and recommendations for active shooter response for both responders and private sector security, the first document of its kind. Their recommendations have since become the industry standard. “After Sept. 11, the department started to bolster the counter-
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terrorism efforts,” said McPartland. “On a local level, we were trying to do a lot for the incoming cops, as well as the cops that were on patrol, to train against terrorism.” He built his knowledge and expertise by attending counterterrorism trainings offered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Center for Biomedical Research and Training (NCBRT) at Louisiana State University, a program that offers trainings for emergency responders across the country.
Taking the Lead Around 2011, the NYPD counterterrorism bureau asked McPartland to take the lead on all of its counterterrorism training programs, a role he has held for the past 10 years. He is also currently the head of law enforcement trainings for NCBRT. “My job is to build the curriculum, make lesson plans, get the program out and running, and then move on to the next problem,” he said. “If something happens in the world of terrorism or active shooter, like recent events in Mumbai and Paris, my job is to look at that and say, ‘OK, what can we do in the training world to prepare?’” McPartland’s training sessions encompass lectures and handson tactical training, ranging from exercises with pieces on a map to computer simulations to virtual-reality situations. With an average of 16 to 17 active shooter situations occurring each year, this training is critical for law enforcement. Over the past decade, McPartland has become a top subject-
PROFILE: Ray McPartland ’97
McPartland trains NYPD officers how to respond to an active shooter.
BOTTOM, LEFT TO RIGHT: Ray McPartland ’97, at the television, explains
what is happening during a virtual reality training to, from left: William J. Bratton, former New York City police commissioner, and John Miller, NYPD’s deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism; Walking during a multijurisdictional counterterrorism drill are, from left: Bratton, James Waters, chief of NYPD’s counterterrorism operations, and McPartland; Anderson Cooper, “60 Minutes” correspondent and anchor of “Anderson Cooper 360°”, and McPartland in November 2015 at the taping of a “60 Minutes” segment about responding to an active shooter; Cooper (forefront) and McPartland stand to the side during an active shooter simulation drill.
Read more about McPartland’s trainings at scranton.edu/scrantonjournal.
matter expert on active shooter events and has been quoted in publications such as The New York Times and the New York Daily News. Jim Lehrer interviewed him for PBS’s “NewsHour.” In November 2015, Anderson Cooper interviewed him for a “60 Minutes” piece on responding to an active shooter. He is also a professor in the emergency and disaster management program at Metropolitan College of New York. He is published in three textbooks regarding emergency management, and is currently working on his own book on active shooter events, mitigation and preparation in the public and private sector.
The Training McPartland approaches trainings differently for his various audiences. With the police officers and first responders, the goal is to give them skills they can implement later that day or week in the field. In the academic world, McPartland emphasizes discussionbased classes, exploring the roots and causes of terrorism. But no matter which group is in the classroom, McPartland takes special care to prepare for training sessions, especially given the distressing nature of the topic. “You have to think about the unthinkable, which nobody wants to do,” he said. When he began doing trainings, he looked back to his college days for inspiration. “Being able to get in front of a room, I give a lot of credit to
Scranton for that," he said, noting his professors were “people who really had a love for their topic.” He appreciated the personal approach in the criminal justice department but also praised the breadth of experience among the faculty. “You got to meet folks who had done things on the operational side and on the theory side,” said McPartland. “It got me feeling that this is definitely what I want to do, now where do I go?” That’s where Betty Rozelle, the assistant director of the Center for Career Development, came in. “At the end of your college career, you’re in a panic, because the real world’s coming,” McPartland recalled. “And she was the person who said, ‘It’s all going to be good; the adventure just begins at this point. ” The two have kept in contact in the nearly 20 years since McPartland’s graduation. She has often asked him to mentor or advise current students interested in law enforcement. “Ray possessed a relentless drive for a career in law enforcement, and he met with success as he took on increasingly more responsibility in each career move he made,” said Rozelle. Rozelle even called McPartland’s mother on Sept. 11, 2001, to check on him and his family. And it is these types of relationships that keep McPartland connected to Scranton. “I always tell people who ask, ‘Why did you go to Scranton?’ . . . I say, ‘It is the feeling of being there and the people you meet.’ The community aspect is huge.”
SPRING 2017
Athletics
Women’s Soccer Landmark Conference Champions
Women’s Soccer Continues Its Winning Tradition Finishing with a 17-1-2 record and capturing its fifth Landmark Conference title and 21st conference title overall, the women’s soccer team enjoyed one of its best seasons in program history. The Royals won the crown by defeating Moravian, 2-0, a victory that also clinched the team’s 16th all-time appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament. The 17 victories are tied for the third-most in a single season in program history, and the team also had a 15game winning streak, its longest since 2003.
Head coach Colleen Pivirotto ’04 was named Landmark Conference Co-Coach of the Year, senior Carolyn Warner was named Defensive Player of the Year and sophomore Jamie Hreniuk was Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Warner, Hreniuk, senior Erin Casey, senior Krissy Welsh and sophomore Brittany Uricchio all earned first-team All-Conference honors, while sophomores Erica Licari and Taylor Stevens earned second-team accolades.
Men’s Soccer Landmark Conference Champions
Men’s Soccer Wins Second Straight Conference Title On a quest to win its second straight Landmark Conference title, the men’s soccer team defeated top-seeded Elizabethtown, 1-0, on the road in early November. They then won a match in the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second straight year, edging Penn State Behrend. Scranton’s season ended against Cortland State with a 2-1 loss, but the squad finished the season THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
with a 15-4-1 record, the most wins for the program since 2012. Head coach Matt Pivirotto was named Landmark Conference Coach of the Year, and six players earned all-conference honors: Seniors Henry Bonilla, Michael Bergen and Pat Codispoti were named to the first team, while seniors Matthew Busch, Tim DiBisceglie and Eric Hintz were voted to the second team.
Athletics
Casey, Busch Among the Best on – and off – the Field
Erin Casey
Senior Erin Casey of the women’s soccer team and senior Matthew Busch of the men’s soccer team were named second-team Academic All-Americans by the College Sports Information Directors of America. The Academic AllAmerican honor is the highest honor a student-athlete can achieve, which recognizes both athletic and academic ability. Casey helped the women’s soccer team go 17-1-2 and win the Landmark Conference title this season while pursuing her master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting. Busch led the men’s soccer team to a 15-4-1 record and a Landmark Conference title while pursuing a degree in neuroscience with a minor in math. They become the 33rd and 34th student-athletes in Scranton history to be named Academic All-American.
Kirwan Leads Women’s Volleyball to Strong Campaign It was another successful season for the women’s volleyball team, which won more than 20 games for the third straight season and reached the Landmark Conference playoffs for the seventh straight year. The Royals finished the season 22-16 and were led by sophomore outside hitter Kristin Kirwan, who set school and conference records for kills in a season (559). She also earned All-Landmark Conference second-team honors for her play during the year.
Trio Shines for Field Hockey Squad The field hockey team posted five wins on the season and could have increased that total significantly but for seven losses by a single goal. Three players earned All-Landmark Conference honors: Junior forward Meredith Campbell was a first-team choice, while senior midfielder Elizabeth Yorey and junior defender Jessica Kaplowitz were second-team selections. Campbell finished the season with a team-high 10 goals.
Kristin Kirwan
Jimmy Buckley
Matthew Busch
Meredith Campbell
Cross Country Places Three on All-Conference Teams The men’s and women’s cross country teams both landed runners on the All-Landmark Conference teams. On the men’s side, the Royals finished third in the Landmark Conference championship meet as senior Jimmy Buckley finished seventh to earn first-team honors, and junior David de Leon earned second-team accolades by finishing 10th. On the women’s side, the Royals finished fifth at the conference championship as senior Patricia Hoffman finished 13th to earn second-team AllConference accolades.
SPRING 2017
Athletics
LEFT: The 1916-17 Tommies RIGHT: The 2016-17 Royals
Men’s Basketball Tips off 100th Season The men’s basketball team tipped off the 100th season in team history when the Royals hosted the Hilton Scranton Invitational in the Long Center in November. The Royals captured the title in the event with wins over Sarah Lawrence and Bard to start the historic season on the right foot. The first game in Royals’ history took place in 1916-17, when the University was known as St. Thomas College and the team was called the Tommies. The team went 7-8 that season, playing a mix of local high schools and colleges. The basketball program has competed in every season since then, except for one — the men’s basketball program was suspended during the 1943-44 season due to World War II. For more information on this historic season, visit athletics.scranton.edu/sports/mbkb/index.
Women’s Golf Team Makes Its Debut The first women’s golf match in University history was played on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at Glenmaura National Golf Club with the Royals defeating Wilkes, 5-0, in match play format. The team finished the fall with a 4-1 record.
The first women's golf match in University of Scranton history was played on Tuesday, Sept. 13. Pictured, from left, are head coach Ed Karpovich ’76, Katie Allen, Brianna Stein, Julie Cranney, Maggie McDonough, Maura McDonough, director of athletics Dave Martin, and assistant coach Trevor Woodruff.
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
University Inducts Four Into Athletics Wall of Fame The four newest members of the University’s Athletics Wall of Fame were inducted on Saturday, Feb. 18, during a ceremony held between games of the men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader against Goucher in the Long Center. The Wall of Fame class of 2016 includes: Marta (DeLong) Cookson ’05 (women’s volleyball), Kelly Herlihy ’06 (women’s lacrosse), Phil Johnson ’78 (men’s basketball) and Erin (Michalisin) Beirne ’03 (women’s tennis). Their induction brings the total number of inductees to 248 since the Wall of Fame’s initial class in 1971. Read more about the Wall of Fame at athletics.scranton.edu.
Marta (DeLong) Cookson ’05 Women’s Volleyball
Kelly Herlihy ’06 Women’s Lacrosse
Phil Johnson ’78 Men’s Basketball
Erin (Michalisin) Beirne ’03 Women’s Tennis
University Advancement Performance Music Reunion More than 150 Performance Music alumni returned to campus for the Performance Music Reunion Oct. 15 and 16 to celebrate director of Performance Music Cheryl Boga’s 35th year at The University of Scranton. Boga was grateful to have alumni back in town. “They are the people that helped build the Performance Music program into what it is today,” she said. “Our alumni helped build this, think through this, establish this, grow this. It wasn’t ‘me, me, me.’ It was ‘us, us, us,’ all the way through.” The two-day event began with concert band, choir and string orchestra rehearsals, followed by a Mass at Madonna della Strada Chapel. Afterward, the entire reunion crowd sojourned to the Hilton for a celebratory dinner, followed by a reunion concert at the Houlihan-McLean Center featuring student and alumni musicians. After the concert, alumni gathered in The Rev. Bernard R. McIlhenny, S.J., Ballroom in the Patrick and Margaret DeNaples Center for a post-concert party featuring New York City-based big band Kyle Athayde Dance Party. On the second day of the festivities, acclaimed organist David Lao Ball gave a presentation on the fully restored Houlihan-McLean Center organ before demonstrating its capabilities with a partial recital. A “Battle of the Bands” between The University of Scranton Student Jazz Band and the All-Star Alumni Jazz Band closed out the weekend. “The kids were up against some of the ‘cream of the crop’ from 35 years of bands,” said Boga. “(They) did a really remarkable job, but the alumni band won on the non-existent ‘applause-o-meter’ probably because almost all of the people in the audience were alumni.” Throughout the weekend, attendees had the opportunity to support the Performance Music program (scranton.edu/ givemusic). All the money raised through the still-active campaign will replace older band and orchestra instruments, improving the quality of current and future Performance Music students’ experiences.
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Read the Q&A with Boga on page 13 of this magazine. FROM TOP: 1. Performance Music alumni surround Cheryl Boga, director of Performance Music at the Reunion dinner. 2. Alumni and students perform at the Performance Music Reunion concert in the Houlihan-McLean Center. 3-5. Alumni and students rehearse for the Performance Music Reunion concert. 6. Audience members pack the Houlihan-McLean Center.
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SPRING 2017
University Advancement
Maguire Scholars: A Second Family Scholars bond at Scranton. When first-year student Stas Postowski arrived on The University of Scranton’s campus this fall, he already had a built-in “second family” waiting for him. The Philadelphia native is one of eight students — four freshmen and four sophomores — who are navigating the academic year together as the University’s Maguire College Scholars. “I absolutely love the community here, in all honesty. I know it sounds like a cliché, but it’s like a second home,” said Postowski. “We are a family, and the Maguire Scholars are like a subset of that family. We have a great connection, and we all work really hard and appreciate that we are here.” The Maguire Foundation, founded by philanthropists James J. and Frances Maguire, provides chosen graduates from 41 Philadelphia-area high schools (many of which are Catholic schools) with “last-dollar” financial support for four years of college at one of its partner institutions. A graduate of then-Saint Joseph’s College (now University), James Maguire never forgot the impact of his Jesuit education. The chair emeritus and founder of Philadelphia Consolidated Holding Corporation credits Saint Joseph’s with instilling the values that have carried him through life. Ensuring that others have the same educational opportunities became one of his major philanthropic priorities. More than 350 Maguire Scholars have enrolled at 28 partner schools since its inception five years ago. This fall was the second time Scranton welcomed Maguire Scholars on cam-
Clockwise from back left, University of Scranton assistant dean for Programs and Assessment for the College of Arts and Sciences Rebecca Haggerty, who serves as the Maguire Scholars mentor, enjoys a moment with Maguire Scholars Brian Price, Daniel McNulty, Christiana CruzCouncil and Catherine Stapf. THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
pus. Postowski and the three other students who make up the first-year cohort were chosen from a competitive field of approximately 100 initial applicants, said Rebecca Haggerty, assistant dean for programs and assessment for the College of Arts and Sciences, who also serves as the Maguire Scholars mentor. “It was so hard to choose,” Haggerty said of the decisionmaking process. “I literally had a box of tissues nearby while reading the applicant essays. But once we narrow it down to four, from the moment they accept, I’m on them. I meet them, introduce them to the others, and establish that we’re going to be family.” In addition to keeping a high GPA and performing community service together, the scholars meet regularly with Haggerty, who provides any needed advice and support. “Mrs. Haggerty is a godsend,” Postowski said of his mentor, who also teaches at the University. “I tell all my friends about her — even the ones who aren’t Maguire Scholars — and they go visit her all the time.” Haggerty said the cohort’s bond improves the student experience. “One of the most powerful things about the Maguire Scholars is that they come as a group,” she said. “All of the students live in a Living Learning Community. The students are all connected. What’s nice is that a lot of them know each other from elementary or high school, or were in (extracurricular activities) together.” Amy Holdsman, executive director of the Maguire Foundation, said that Maguire Scholars not only demonstrate financial need but are academic and extracurricular standouts. “I think education is the great equalizer. The scholarship creates opportunities for those who might not otherwise have access,” said Holdsman. “Graduation is our goal, and beyond that, becoming a productive citizen who gives back to the community.” Holdsman said the organization will track its scholarship recipients over time and is confident that the students will make their mark after graduation. Meanwhile, Postowski sings the University’s praises, as well as the Maguire Scholars program’s praises, to anyone who will listen. “If someone is looking at Scranton, I tell them about the scholarship and try to tell people to consider it,” he said. “It’s hard to express how much I appreciate being a Maguire Scholar. Without this scholarship, I probably wouldn’t be here.”
University Advancement Donors, students and their parents enjoy a moment together at 2016’s Scholarship Brunch. Back row, from left: Henry Burke, Esq. ’64, Alyce Burke, Jack O’Malley, Ph.D. ’64, Helene O’Malley, Frank Homer, Ph.D. ’64 and Laura Fitzpatrick ’18 join, seated, from left, Bob O’Hora ’64 G’74, Samuel Soares ’18, Sandra Soares P’18, Joan Hrycow and Robert Burke ’64 G’80.
Celebrating Scholarship Noelle Niessen ’17 is thankful for the opportunity to study at The University of Scranton, and receiving the Every Family Scholarship helped make it possible. “The scholarship has truly made living on campus and receiving a meal plan an option for me throughout my years at the University,” she said. “I will forever be grateful to the donors who have funded a portion of my tuition and provided me the opportunity to spend four amazing years at this outstanding University.” Niessen says she would love to express her appreciation to the donor family who believed in her and helped her reach her goals. She, as well as more than 100 other scholarship recipients, will get the chance to do so in person at the annual Scholarship Brunch celebration. The event, set for April 2 in the Rev. Bernard R. McIlhenny, S.J., Ballroom in the Patrick & Margaret DeNaples Center after the 11 a.m. Mass, is expected to draw approximately
300 students, alumni, family members and friends of the University. At the brunch, donors who have established scholarships at the University see, in person, how students and alumni have benefited from their generosity, and students have the opportunity to meet a community of donors who support Scranton’s mission. “Inviting student scholarship recipients and our scholarship benefactors allows for a great opportunity for our students and donors to connect,” said Trish Krisiak, director of stewardship and donor relations. “Some are just meeting for the first time. Others have developed a relationship as a result of coming to this event through their years as a student.” The event features student entertainment, as well as remarks by University President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., and highlights a different donor and student speaker each year. For more information about the brunch, contact Krisiak by email at patricia. krisiak@scranton.edu or call 570.941.7724. SPRING 2017
University Advancement
The President's Business Council 15th Annual Award Dinner Honors Francis J. Dubas Jr. ’75 & Bernard R. McIlhenny, S.J., H’98 The President’s Business Council 15th Annual Award Dinner honored University Trustee Francis J. Dubas Jr. ’75, former global managing partner for Sovereign Financial Institutions at Deloitte, and University Dean of Admissions Emeritus the Rev. Bernard R. McIlhenny, S.J., H’98 with President’s Medals for excellence and compassion. The Oct. 6 black-tie gala at the Pierre Hotel in New York City drew more than 530 guests and raised more than $1.1 million for the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund. Over the past 15 years, the PBC has raised more than $13 million in support of student scholarships and programs. The PBC will honor Dennis J. McGonigle ’82, chief financial officer and executive vice president for SEI Investments, at this year’s 16th Annual Award Dinner Oct. 5. Based in Oaks, PA, SEI is a leading global provider of asset management and investment solutions for institutional and personal wealth management. To become involved with the PBC or support the 2017 dinner, please contact Timothy J. Pryle ’89, executive director, at 570.941.5837 or pbc@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/PBC. TOP: University of Scranton President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., right, and President’s Business Council Chair Patricia A. Byrnes Clarke ’86, P’17 P’19 present the President’s Medal to University of Scranton Dean Emeritus Bernard R. McIlhenny, S.J., H’98 at the President’s Business Council 15th Annual Award Dinner. BOTTOM: Francis J. Dubas Jr. ’75, third from right, enjoys a moment with family members. (From left) Christopher and Megan (Dubas) Lucas, Marigrace Dubas, Paul Dubas and Rob Dubas at the President’s Business Council 15th Annual Award Dinner honoring Dubas and McIlhenny.
2017 HONOREE
President’s Business Council Dennis J. McGonigle ’82 Chief Financial Officer & Executive Vice President SEI Investments Company
SAVE THE DATE October 5, 2017 44
T H E P R E S I D E N T ’ S B U S I N E SS CO U N C I L 16TH ANNUAL AWARD DINNER
University Advancement
Honoring the Past, Looking to the Future As one of his final acts, an alumnus honors his father with a new professorship. John J. Krafsig Jr., Esq. ’49 (seated) with his wife, Sandra.
“Learn as much as you can,” John J. Krafsig Jr., Esq. ’49 said when asked in August if he had any advice for University of Scranton students. “You only get a limited opportunity to do something meaningful.” Although those words would ring true at any point in time, they took on an additional layer of significance when Krafsig passed away in early January 2017 after a brief illness. As one of his final acts, Krafsig and his wife, Sandra, pledged an estate gift of $500,000 to honor his late father’s memory by naming The John J. Krafsig Sr. Endowed Professorship in History. When fully endowed, the fund will provide an annual income for a professor of history and will ensure that future generations of Scranton students continue to learn the lessons of the past, a practice that was near and dear to John’s heart. “Reality is something that students need to know more about, and American history is a true example of reality,” he said. John, a native of Harrisburg, learned early on how education could affect one’s reality. When he was growing up, his
father, John Sr., found his lack of formal education to be a major barrier to improving his station in life. “He had an appreciation for knowledge,” John explained. “It was his dream that I should go to college, and, since he was born in Scranton, he believed The University of Scranton would be the best place for me to get my education.” When he arrived at the University in 1945, John had little more to his name than the love of learning that his father instilled in him and a pink fuzzy blanket to comfort him. The University of the late ’40s was vastly different from the campus Scranton students enjoy today; many of its buildings were Army barracks, and John stayed with a private family due to its lack of dormitories. Still, the core values of religion, morals and culture were present, and he credits his Jesuit education at Scranton with laying the foundation for a remarkable career practicing law. “(Scranton) opened my eyes to the importance of knowledge and gave me the stimulation to learn as much as possible,” he said. After graduation, John studied law at Georgetown University and eventually opened his own practice in Harrisburg. Over the course of his legal career, he tried cases in several states and presented cases and arguments to every level of appellate court, including the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and the Supreme Court of the United States. “When I started out with my pink fuzzy blanket, I could never have imagined that my life would be so rewarding,” he said. John said he often drew inspiration from the Sermon on the Mount as he strived to fulfill the Jesuit ideal of magis. For more than 40 years, he supported a La Salette mission in Myanmar (formerly Burma), assisting its efforts to combat leprosy and spread the Gospel. “I’ve discovered in my travels there is no ‘least of them’ in the eyes of God,” he said. “If you’re fortunate and things are working out well for you, you don’t always realize how many people are in less fortunate circumstances.” Although he is gone, John’s spirit will live on at Scranton. “This professorship was a dream come true for John,” Sandra said. “This wonderful legacy really honors these two incredible men.” SPRING 2017
University Advancement
INSET: From left, Katia Loboda, James Loboda, Dima Loboda, Luis Loboda, Sergei Loboda, Higinio Loboda, Juan Loboda, Roma Loboda, John Loboda, Denis Loboda and Julia Loboda ’11 enjoy a moment together at Sergei’s wedding.
Keeping the Faith An alumni couple who adopt children from around the world relies on faith to get through.
Why do bad things happen to good people? It’s a question that has plagued mankind since our earliest days, and we have yet to find a satisfying answer. It’s a question that comes to mind when considering Gregg ’87 and Mary Jo ’87 Loboda, a couple who raised one biological child alongside 10 adopted children from around the world, who found their lives sent into a tailspin when Gregg began suffering from Lyme disease more than two years ago. “Lyme disease itself is terrible . . . but the toll it takes on a family — in getting doctors to believe it’s Lyme or insurance to be willing to cover treatments — doubles the hardship,” said Mary Jo. “That experience afforded us the opportunity to grow and deepen our faith in ways we didn’t anticipate. “(We’re) confident that our suffering has made us better people and has brought greater glory to God.” Gregg and Mary Jo began dating while they were resident advisers at Scranton. As one of the four founding members of the lacrosse team, Gregg made a lasting impact on the University that echoes to this day. The two became engaged their senior year and were married shortly after graduation by the Rev. John J. Begley, S.J., who had taught the couple a course on love and marriage at the University. “The University helped shape us as much as our parents did,” said Mary Jo. THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
After college, Gregg began working at Prudential, eventually rising to the level of vice president of Information Systems, while Mary Jo worked as a graphic designer. With the birth of their biological son, John, they became the embodiment of the nuclear family, but that soon changed. Over a span of several years, they adopted seven Russian children (Sergei, Dimitri, Julia ’11, Roma, Katia, Denis and James) and three Guatemalan siblings (Luis, Juan and Higinio) after extraordinary circumstances brought them into the Lobodas’ lives and hearts. Despite challenges, such as language barriers and cultural differences, life was good. “We never second-guessed our hearts, but we were always smart enough to think through the challenges,” said Gregg. “We just made things work.” Things took a turn for the worse when Gregg began experiencing frightening symptoms about two years ago. “Suicidal ideation. Brain inflammation. Arthritis. Kidney degradation. Severe depression,” he said. “(For) one day, I was paralyzed.” Gregg’s doctors, who believed the cause was neurological, began to treat his symptoms. After months of disappointment, they informed the family that he wasn’t making any progress. The Lobodas put their nine-bedroom, eight-
“My car got fixed — it was like new. The house got fixed with the insurance money and all the hardwood floors got refinished. “It was like I needed to see through the lens of faith and not the earthly lens I was used to using.” Around the same time, a family member noticed something curious about Gregg’s symptoms that his doctors had missed: They matched up with many of the symptoms of Lyme disease. Sure enough, Gregg tested positive and adjusted his treatment course. “That started us on a whole different path,” Mary Jo said. “It gave us a lot of hope.” Over time, Gregg’s symptoms improved dramatically. Today, he and his family continue to recover from the ordeal, taking comfort in their faith and the support they continue to receive from family and friends. “Hearing people tell you that you’re on a prayer chain — it sounds like something more powerful than any medical advancement,” said Gregg. “I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have faith,” said Mary Jo. “I think we’re going to come out of this on the other side much stronger than we ever would have been if things had just tooled along.”
University Advancement
bathroom home in Waverly, which Gregg had spent years restoring, on the market and moved to a smaller residence in Mary Jo’s hometown. “I cried every day for a year and a half,” said Mary Jo. “Although there was great support from family and friends, I truly felt alone.” One bad day served as the springboard for the renewal of Mary Jo’s faith. During a cold snap, she asked one of her sons to run water in the furnace of the Waverly residence to prevent it from freezing, and he accidentally flooded the house. While waiting for the insurance adjuster, Mary Jo received an email from her car insurance carrier informing her they were about to terminate her policy unless she installed a tracker in her vehicle. She asked the same son to install the equipment in her car and wondered how she was ever going to get through it all. Then, she hit a deer with her car. That evening, it occurred to her that, had the house not flooded, she would not have checked her email, would have lost her car insurance and would have had to pay for the accident’s damages out-of-pocket. For the first time in a long time, she felt the hand of God in her life. “From that day on, I was completely confident,” she said.
THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON
2017
Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner
COME HOME, CELEBRATE THE PAST & CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUTURE
SAVE THE DATE
JUNE 9-11, 2017 Where will you be June 9-11? Make plans to join your class back on campus for your reunion. June 19, 2017 Saucon Valley Country Club scranton.edu/carlesimoaward
Registration will open in March 2017.
THE OFFICE OF ALUMNI & PARENT ENGAGEMENT alumni@scranton.edu • scranton.edu/makeagift
SPRING 2017
Hand in Hand
continued from page 23
Experiential Learning In addition to supporting the aspiring business owners, one of the WEC’s chief goals is to offer experiential learning opportunities for KSOM students. Since the center opened in 2009, 34 students have worked as interns. “When we started this, I was thinking it was all about the women, but it turned out to be just as much about the students,” said Hall Zielinski. Denise Rizzo ’17 and Claire Marangelli ’16 work as interns at the WEC. Rizzo, a business administration/human resources major and varsity basketball player, does market research for the program participants, and also writes articles about successful StartUP graduates for the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal’s “Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs” column. “I am lucky enough to get real-life experience helping people pursue their dreams,” said Rizzo. “The type of skills you gain from working directly with people on their
businesses is something that cannot be taught in the classroom. I have definitely developed better communication skills, researching skills . . . [and a] sense of autonomy within my position, as the staff has gotten to know me and trust me with more projects.” Marangelli, who is pursuing her MBA at Scranton, has worked at the center since her sophomore year and assists participants with market research and business plans. Working at the WEC has shown her that there is power in asking for assistance. “I have seen that through the collaboration of clients and colleagues, brilliant outcomes can be obtained — much more than could have occurred through just one person,” said Marangelli. “Hearing the women’s stories evokes a sense of confidence that no matter where your path in life takes you, hard work and determination will allow you to get there.”
See footage from the Global Tastes event at scranton.edu/scrantonjournal.
Staff and interns of The University of Scranton’s Small Business Development Center are pictured here. From left: Lauren Pluchinsky ’17, intern; Danielle Guari ’17, intern; Donna Simpson, consultant manager; Lisa Hall Zielinski, director; Claire Marangelli ’16, intern; and Denise Rizzo ’17, intern. THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
Class notes included in this edition were submitted prior to Dec. 22. To submit your own news or see additional class notes, visit scranton.edu/classnotes.
Milestones
ClassNotes
Names in Gold indicate alumnus/alumna is celebrating his/her reunion year.
J. Patrick Killian ’70, Havertown, was named a
winner of the Veterans of Influence Award by the Philadelphia Business Journal. Killian serves as the director of commerce for Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and was honored in part for having been involved in more than $1 billion of investment in his professional capacity. Carl Solano ’73, Haverford, was appointed by Gov. Tom Wolf as a judge of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth’s frontline appellate court. Sean T. Hart ’75, New Britain, Connecticut, earned a doctoral degree in clinical psychology and works in forensic psychology. Sean Creegan ’76, Carlisle, was named the “2016 Government Lawyer of the Year” by the Pennsylvania Bar Association of Government Lawyers Committee. The award honors a government lawyer who has made a significant contribution or has dedicated his or her career to outstanding service to the profession for the benefit of the pubic or a government entity. Sharon Sporko Miller ’79, Falls Church, Virginia, was promoted to assistant principal of Corpus Christi School in Falls Church for the 2016-17 school year. John Zangardi, Ph.D. ’83, Potomac Falls, Virginia, has been named the new principal deputy to the Department of Defense Chief Information Officer (DoD CIO). Dr. Zangardi assists the DoD CIO as the principal adviser to the secretary of Defense for Information Management/Information Technology and Information Assurance, as well as non-intelligence space systems, critical satellite communications, navigation and timing programs, telecommunications and spectrum. Sylvia Shiner Fontes ’84, Auburn, California, has been promoted to director at Sacramento for Forensic Analytical Consulting Services. Thomas Grech ’84, Malverne, New York, has joined the board of trustees of the York College
Members of Scranton’s Class of 1988 (and others) organized a golf outing to celebrate their 50th birthdays in Ocean City, Maryland, from Sept. 23-26. Twenty alumni got together for three days of golf. Front row, from left: John Mallon ’88, Jeff Rossi ’88, Rich O’Brien ’88, Rich Tracchio ’88, Jack Giegrich ’88 and Scott Rush, who attended Scranton from 1984-86. Back row, from left: Matt O’ Reilly ’88, Mike O’Connor ’88, John Colella ’88, Sean Gallagher ’88, Dan Breen ’87, Steve Danna ’88, Derek Evans ’88, John Gold ’88, Tom Quinn ’88, Tom Lynch ’88, Joe Taylor ’88, Bob Griffin ’88, Bill O’Boyle ’88 and Jim Steele ’88.
Foundation, The City University of New York. Joseph M. English ’85, Marietta, Georgia, a
member of the firm Taylor English Duma LLP, was named among “The Best Lawyers in America” for 2017 by Best Lawyers, one of the oldest and most distinguished legal directories. Rita O’Hora Price ’85, Marlton, New Jersey, has been promoted to senior manager at accounting and advisory firm Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP. Karen Angelo Fortunati ’86, Milford, Connecticut, announced the debut of her young-adult novel, The Weight of Zero. The book has been
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chosen by the American Booksellers Association as a summer/fall “Indies Introduce” title, featured in Seventeen Magazine (September 2016), listed as a Barnes and Noble 2016 “Most Anticipated Debut” and listed among the Amazon Editors’ “Favorite Young Adult Books” for fall 2016. Scott Walsh ’86, Peckville, was honored during the annual Northeast Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony as the 2016 recipient of the Media/Service Award. Walsh is a sports writer for the Scranton TimesTribune, as well as an adjunct professor at The University of Scranton. Kathleen Bowe Mulderrig ’87, Apex, North Carolina, has completed her master’s degree in clinical research organization and management from Drexel University in Philadelphia. Mari Walsh Rush ’88, Endwell, New York, is the wife of Scott Rush (head coach) and mother of Conner Rush (third baseman/catcher) of the Little League World Series Championship team from Maine-Endwell, New York. This is the first United States team to win the World Series since 2011 and the first New York team to win the World Series since 1964.
SPRING 2017
Class Notes
Milestones continued Jeffrey N. Catalano ’90, West Roxbury,
Dawn Leas ’92, Kingston, had her first full-
Massachusetts, a partner at Todd & Weld LLP in Boston, has been elected president of the Massachusetts Bar Association for its 2016-17 year. Michael Ogrinz ’91, Easton, Connecticut, recently participated in a reality “hackathon” series sponsored by Qualcomm called the “Invent Off.” The challenge was to use “The Internet of Things” to save a life. Joseph Kampherstein ’92, Warrington, recently joined the litigation department of Capehart Scatchard as an associate in the Mt. Laurel office.
length poetry collection, Take Something When You Go, published in April 2016. She is also the author of a chapbook, I Know When to Keep Quiet, which was published in 2010. Kristin Maile ’92, Briarcliff Manor, New York, athletic director at Sarah Lawrence College, was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame-Northeast chapter. Lisa Wamsley Coyne, Ph.D. ’93, Melrose, Massachusetts, became a member of the faculty of Harvard Medical School in 2014.
Coyne is also the director of the McLean OCD Institute for Children and Adolescents as well as a research associate professor at Suffolk University in Boston. Christopher Williams ’94, New York, New York, is a candidate for doctor of educational learning in the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts. James E. Ferry, D.O. ’95, Philadelphia, matriculated at The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Ferry earned his MBA in 2011 from Lehigh University and served in the Peace Corps in Namibia from 2011-13.
Marriages Michael Faletto ’80 to Eileen Kumpf Peter Swift ’98 to Carolyn Filandro Michael Gahagan ’00 to Patricia Joyce Jessica Robinson ’01, G’04 to Michael Favorito Kara Armstrong ’04 to Michael McMorrow Jr. Peter Buechner ’06 to Ashley Ferguson ’07, G’09 Maggie Smith, Ph.D. ’08 to Evan Taylor Courtney Costanzo ’09 to J. Raymund Hamoy
Michael DeSarno ’09 to Emily Johnson ’14 Tara Hannon ’10 to Kevin Grunther ’10 Nicole Huth ’10 to Martin Lewis Sarah Bowers ’11 to Patrick Spero ’11 Matthew Hayward ’11 to Theresa Mizerak ’12 Cassandra Hoffman ’11, DPT ’14 to Joseph Amicucci ’11 Bryan Riviello ’11 to Alison Majikes
Peter Swift ’98 and Carolyn Filandro were married in Monmouth Beach, New Jersey, in April with the reception taking place at The Crystal Point Yacht Club in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. The couple resides in Ramsey, New Jersey.
Stephen Fernando ’12 to Sarah Phillips ’12 Jonathan Poorman ’12 to Jenna Segraves Vekaria Shivani ’12 to Shrut Patel ’12 Kimberly Esposito ’13 to John Walker Marissa Papula ’13 to Steven Corliss Jane Tomkinson G’15 to Matthew Sabetta
Jessica Robinson ’01, G’04 married Michael Favorito. Kara Armstrong ’04 married Michael McMorrow Jr. on Jan. 2, 2016. Pictured are some of the Scranton alumni who attended the wedding: Stacey Kearney ’04, Sara Robinson ’04, Katie Slattery Balsan ’02, Katie Corr Matthews ’04, Jim Bailey ’04, Liz Campbell ’04, Kristen Smith ’04, Jason Huffsmith ’04, Erin Sweeney Huffsmith ’03, Katie Redmond Mahon ’04, Bobbi Tumelty Kelly ’04 and Patrick Kelly ’07. Not pictured: Ben Persett ’04, Meredith Amole Dougherty ’04, Rachel Neabore ’14, May O’Donnell Neilis ’11 and Nadine Brosnan ’20.
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president-elect of the Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling, which has 1,100 members. Gallen will represent the needs and interests of students throughout Pennsylvania on a state and national level. His term begins in June 2017. Megan Diskin Monahan, Ph.D. ’01, Souderton, completed her first year as an assistant professor of history at Cedar Crest College in Allentown. Suzanne Messina Messer ’01, Cicero, New York, a member of the firm Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC, has been recognized in the 2016 Upstate New York Super Lawyers Rising Stars list in the field of general litigation. Attorneys were selected by
their peers from among the top up-and-coming lawyers, defined as 40 years of age and younger, or in the practice for less than 10 years. John Monahan ’02, Souderton, was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar. Monahan has accepted a position as a judicial law clerk in the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County and will be clerking in the family law division of the court for The Hon. Patricia E. Coonahan. Ariane Palmasani Conaboy, D.O. ’04, Waverly Twp., was named among the “Top 40 Under 40 Physicians” in the state of Pennsylvania based on quality of care, patient satisfaction and leadership in medicine and medical education. She also was named one of the “Top 20 Under
40 Young Business Leaders” by the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal in 2016. Conaboy practices traditional inpatient and outpatient internal medicine with Commonwealth Health, Physicians Health Alliance, Scranton, and serves on the medical executive committee of Moses Taylor Hospital and on the advisory board of Physicians Health Alliance. Matthew Youssef ’05, Baltimore, Maryland, an associate attorney at Niles, Barton & Wimmer, LLP, has been named to The Maryland Daily Record’s 2016 “Very Important Professionals” list, which recognizes Maryland’s leaders for their tremendous accomplishments achieved before, or by, age 40.
Class Notes
Timothy Gallen ’96, Hatfield, was voted in as
Ashley Ferguson ’07, G ’09 and Peter Buechner ’06 were married on June 11, 2016, in northern New Jersey, surrounded by friends and family. Front row, from left: Thomas D’Alessio III ’06, Louis Puopolo ’09, Melissa Taylor ’08, former University of Scranton head swim coach Paul DeAngelo, Ashley Ferguson Buechner ’07, G’09 and Peter Buechner ’06. Second row, from left: Alexander Tarnef ’06, Mary Sheehan Tarnef ’06, Stephanie Mallick McKenna ’07, Annie Bostwick Parker ’07, Gina Mediago Desch ’05, Sashua Valentin ’09 and Alfredo Lavalle ’08. Back row, from left: Dan Lavin ’08, Joe McKenna ’07, Matthew Rogers ’06, Billy Beyer ’07, Maggie Beyer ’12, Angela Buren ’07, Stephanie Marsicano ’07, Alex Lentini ’07, G’09, Erin O’Connor Lentini ’09 and Anthony Lentini ’07. Absent from photo: William Armstrong ’08.
On August 16, 2014, Emily Johnson ’14 married Michael DeSarno ’09.
Tara Hannon ’10 and Kevin Grunther ’10 were married on Sept. 26, 2015. Pictured are the groom’s stepfather, Tom Flatley ’66, the bride’s brother, Justin Hannon ’04, and the groom’s stepsister Danielle Flatley ’03, along with many other Scranton graduates.
SPRING 2017
Class Notes
Milestones continued Jeanine Albert ’07, Huntersville, North
Carolina, accepted a position with Physicians Eldercare in Charlotte, North Carolina, as a certified registered nurse practitioner. Kevin Byrne ’07, Mahopac, New York, was elected assemblyman representing Putnam County in the New York State Legislature. Richard Santosdiaz ’08 , London, England, a London-based expert in trade, investment, education and expat issues, has been featured this year in the media, especially with regards to Brexit in the United Kingdom. Santosdiaz works for a management
consulting firm, is an adjunct lecturer and runs a major North American expat group in London. The Rev. Mark Searles ’08, Allentown, was appointed the chaplain and director of campus ministry for Allentown Central Catholic High School with residence at St. Thomas More Parish in the Diocese of Allentown. Maggie Smith Taylor, Ph.D. ’08 , Schenectady, New York, completed her doctorate in sociology at the University of Buffalo. Her dissertation was titled, “Family Income Instability and Child Socioemo-
tional Development.” Meghan Hubert, D.O. ’10, Dunmore, was award-
ed a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in June 2016. Dr. Hubert is continuing her medical training in neurology at Ohio State University-Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. Krista Schult Jones ’10, New York,
New York, has been promoted to senior research analyst at Stribling Marketing Associates.
Marriages continued
Nicole Huth ’10 and Martin Lewis were married on July 29, 2016, in Hellertown. Scranton alumni celebrating with the couple were: Jonathan Soll ’10, Lindsay Loughery ’10, Laura Slattery ’09, Matthew Slattery ’10, Lauren Lefevre ’10, Danielle Soll ’10, G’12, and Stephanie Huth ’10.
Patrick Spero ’11 married Sarah Bowers ’11. Pictured, from left: Emily Curran ’11, Rebecca Williams ’11, Megan Tansits ’11, Elizabeth Ryan ’11, Lauren Piccione ’11, Kimberly Loyden ’11, Alexis Constantinopoulos ’11, Mia Messina ’11, Emily Gardner ’11, Laura Miller ’11, Luke Smyth ’11, Corey Goldberg ’11, Fred Padre ’11, Francis Concha ’11, Tom DeQuinzio ’11, Richard Wing ’11, Kevin Dishon ’11, Chris O’Neill ’11 and John Bowers ’18.
Matthew Hayward ’11 and Theresa Mizerak ’12 were married on Aug. 20, 2016.
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earned his doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biophysics from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Yarosh will be joining the American Chemical Society as a Science Policy fellow this fall. Colby Haggerty ’11, Horsham, earned his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Delaware in December 2016. His research focused on computational space plasma physics. Kelly Johnson, D.O. ’11, Warwick, New York, was awarded a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from The Philadelphia College
of Osteopathic Medicine in June 2016. Dr. Johnson will continue her medical training in general surgery at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre. Holly Pilcavage ’12, Dallas, received a nomination for Forbes’ 2017 “30 Under 30” list in the media category. Pilcavage is the founder of Project Wednesday, a forum for people to share life stories; a professional speaker for ForCollegeForLife, a Michigan-based organization that delivers impactful speeches to college students nationwide; and the director of business development for Coal Creative, a
Cassandra Hoffman ’11, DPT ’14 and Joe Amicucci ’11 were married on Aug. 6, 2016. Ron McKinney, S.J., presided at the ceremony. Forty members of the “Scranton family” were in attendance: Amanda DiAntonio ’11, Hilary Shinn ’11, Tara Connor ’11, G’12, Drew Cavanaugh ’11, DPT ’14 and Dianna Omensetter ’11, DPT ’14, Alicia Meyer ’11, DPT ’14 and Chris Velazquez ’11, Mark Grambo ’12, Steve Melly ’08, Kevin Johnson ’08, DPT ’11, Jesse Outhouse ’12, Michael George ’11, Maggie Tibbits ’11, Lauren Bottita ’11, Ashley Jacobi ’11, DPT ’14, Alex Fiorino ’11, DPT ’14, Courtney Fleuhr ’11, DPT ’14, Becky Bartley ’11, Tara Elnitski ’11, Diana Martin ’11, Kara Cruciani ’11, Stephanie Carter ’11, Emily Curran ’11, Abby Riley ’11, Jenna Simonetti ’11, Rob Mercatilli DPT ’13, Matt Deliberti ’11, Caroline Corasaniti ’11, DPT ’14, Ryan Omensetter ’11, Peter Potena ’11, DPT ’14, Andrew Wynne ’11, Peter Gomez ’11, Kaela Mahon ’12, Greg D’Alessandro ’11, Chris Stallone ’11, Mike Stallone ’11, Jeff Manahan ’11, Ryan Curtis ’11, Dave Giglio ’11 and Mike Yasson ’11, DPT ’15.
multimedia marketing firm in Wilkes-Barre.
Class Notes
Christopher Yarosh, Ph.D. ’10 , Philadelphia,
Maria Shiptoski, D.O. ’12, Berwick, was award-
ed a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in June 2016. Dr. Shiptoski is continuing medical training in internal medicine at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Sean Butler ’13, Eugene, Oregon, was hired
as the assistant director of marketing, social media for the University of Oregon Athletics Department.
Stephen Fernando ’12 married Sarah Phillips ’12 at the University’s Madonna della Strada Chapel. Alumni from the Class of 1961 to the Class of 2012 were present to celebrate, including: Mike Le ’12, Gillian Naro ’12, Kelly Zaccheo ’12, Emanuel Puglisi ’12, Shivani Vekaria ’12, Alex Zygmunt ’12, Kathleen Lavelle ’12, Shrut Patel ’12, Joe Bertino ’12, Michael Kipp ’04, April Phillips ’92, Christine Phillips, D.O. ’96, Michele Smigiel ’04, Frank Carito ’09, Joseph Phillips ’82, James VanBuskirk ’88, Robert Hedden ’61 and James Phillips ’65.
Many Scranton alumni attended the wedding of Jenna and Jonathan Poorman ’12. From left: Marc Dezii ’12, Joe Clifford ’12, Eddie Ocasio ’12, Dave Redding ’09, G’11, Jonathan Poorman ’12, groom, Jenna Poorman, Paul Luongo ’12, G’14, Kristin Leccese ’12, G’13, Justin Savitski ’11, Rich Guilfoyle ’08, G’11, Scott Cardoni ’10, G’12 and Mark McNally ’12.
S PRING 2017
Class Notes
Marriages continued
Shivani Vekaria ’12 and Shrut Patel ’12 celebrated their marriage on June 18, 2016. Many Scranton alumni joined their celebrations, including: Emanuel Puglisi ’12, Marissa DiMartino ’12, Samantha Mitchell ’12, Kelly Zaccheo ’12, Kathleen Lavelle ’12, Emily Sewell ’12, Jay Patel ’12, Harrison Wolff ’12, Dennis Mishko ’12, Stephen Fernando ’12, Sean Dempsey ’12, Daniel Byron ’12, Bridget Veglia ’12, Michael Le ’12, Michael Hall ’13 and Natalie Walls ’12.
Jane Tomkinson G’15 married Matthew Sabetta on July 19, 2014, at Irem Clubhouse, Dallas.
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Class Notes
Births A son, Theodore Daniel, to Daniel ’00 and Kelly Corcoran Walsh ’00, Alexandria, Virginia A daughter, Grace Ann (right), to Jim and Colleen Barksdale Tully ’01, Morton1R A son, Conor Timothy (left), to Tina and Christopher Barksdale ’02, Wilmington, Delaware1L A son, James Daniel, to Jim and Joy Oliver Herrick, Ph.D. ’02, Springfield, Virginia2 A son, George Patrick, to Amanda and Jeff Manganaro ’02, Hoboken, New Jersey3 A son, Jacob Warren, to Russel and Nicole Kosteczko Odell, Ph.D. ’03, Woodland, California4 A son, Nicholas Anthony, to Henry and Patricia Meli Pruzhansky ’03, Huntington Station, New York5 A son, Oisin Sahr-Patrick, to Keith ’03 and Finda Baryoh Coleman ’04, Upper Darby Twin daughters, Lillian Marie and Amelia Rose, to S. David ’05 and Erin McKee Curry ’06, Collegeville6 A son, Carter Joseph, to Jason and Gina Mediago Desch ’05, Caldwell, New Jersey A son, Luke Ryan, to Corry and Sarah Olsavsky Grimm ’05, Arlington, Virginia A son, Ryan Cassel, to Robert and Christina “Nina” Orokos Lifshey ’06, Stony Point, New York7 A son, Roman Franco, to Franco and Amanda Szewczyk Forgione ’07, Peckville8 A daughter, Charlotte Harper, to Ryan and Lauren McDonagh King ’08, Plainview, New York9 A son, Philip, to Michael ’09 and Emily Johnson DeSarno ’14, New York, New York10 A daughter, Bernadette Marie, to Kathryn and Matthew Suda ’10, Memphis, Tennessee A daughter, Layla Kelly, to CPT Brandon and CPT Danielle Mallard Camillo (Ret.) ’11, Warner Robins, Georgia A son, Vincent James, to Sean and Maribeth Castaldi Baress ’14, Scranton11
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SPRING 2017
Class Notes
“May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Eternal rest grant unto them, Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.”
In Memoriam Eugene R. May ’47, Merritt Island, Florida Henry S. Chapa ’49, Richmond, Virginia Adeeb A. Hazzouri ’49, Scranton John J. Krafsig, Esq. ’49, Camp Hill John A. Kunec ’49, Rockville, Maryland James E. Conway ’50, Aston Irwin M. Judd ’50, Allentown Robert J. Schemel ’50, Marco Island, Florida Chester E. Zahorsky ’50, Taylor William P. Badger ’51, Henderson, Nevada Thomas S. Corcoran Jr. ’51, Grafton,
Massachusetts
John E. Jeffrey, M.D. ’51, Potomac, Maryland Frank C. Andrukiewicz ’52, Plains Township Rev. Walter F. Skiba ’52, Scranton John R. Kugler ’54, Scranton Anthony L. Cianfichi ’55, Apalachin, New York Joseph P. Murnock ’55, Jefferson Township Myles Tierney ’55, Chatham, New Jersey Peter R. Tierno ’55, Endicott, New York Catherine Gilbride G’58, Ashburn, Virginia Daniel J. Kelleher ’58, Clarks Summit Robert E. Altier ’59, Freedom
Norman W. Hosey ’59, Pine City, New York Barry G. Mancini ’59, Etters Douglas E. Rowland Sr. ’59, Clarks Summit Henry Gilman ’60, Factoryville George R. Holmes, Ph.D. ’61, Irmo, South Carolina Joseph F. Watson ’61, Scranton Charles M. Wehler ’61, Holmdel, New Jersey Carl Grecco ’62, Bensalem Ronald P. Portanova, Ph.D. ’62, East Stroudsburg J. Brian Foley ’65, Scranton Joseph G. Redington Jr. ’65, Chambersburg Gerald E. Reilly ’65, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire William H. Wohkittel G’65, Tunkhannock Richard W. Burge ’67, Peckville Gaza Mika ’67, Old Forge Thomas J. O’Malia G’67, Calabasas, California Robert E. (Ozzie) Quinn ’67, Scranton David J. Kolb ’69, Moscow Michael M. Sheridan ’67, G’70,’72, Scranton David J. Wren ’68, G’70, Scranton Joseph J. Lapinski Jr. ’70, Moosic Philip D. DiFebo ’71, Allentown Frank M. Salva ’72, Blakely
Walter P. Orzolek ’73, Moosic Joseph T. Sherrock ’73, Columbia, Maryland Frank E. Rodia ’74, Pittsburgh Veronica Steadle Kisailus G’76, Laurel Run Allen F. Wyckoff ’76, Gouldsboro Frederick W. Jacques Jr. ’79, Scranton Patrick White ’82, Glen Rock, New Jersey Ellen Dragotto ’83, Washington, D.C. Charles J. Martini ’83, Scranton Sgt. Maj. John H. Wunder III ’84, Langhorne Kathleen Costello Bockol ’85, Newtown Square Keith S. Lane ’85, Oceanside, New York Brian J. Capparelli ’86, South Plainfield, New
Jersey
Brian D. Gallagher ’87, Saipan, Mariana Islands Ronald J. Tomko Jr. ’87, Dunmore Clifford C. Lutz, M.D. ’89, New Bern, North Carolina Laura S. Indriso ’93, Washington Township, New
Jersey
James L. Burne, III ’96, Lakewood Ranch, Florida James J. Lanahan ’97, Boynton Beach, Florida Michael R. Walko Jr. ’11, Clifford Township
In Memoriam Friends & Family Marie Barbarevech, mother of Christopher Barbarevech, M.D. ’88 and grandmother of Karissa Barbarevech ’17 and Kristiana Barbarevech ’14
Arthur Batten, father of Bradley Batten ’77 Alfred Cooke Jr., father of Alfred “Chip” Cooke III ’96
Paul Cooper, father of Paul Cooper Jr. ’82 and Thomas Cooper ’84
Anita DeCarli, mother of Raymond DeCarli ’65 Doreen Heffinger, mother of Lynn Heffinger Murphy ’76
Diane Jones, mother of Doug Jones ’10 Martin S. Nogales, husband of Lori Turner Nogales ’85, G’87
Leila Polintan, daughter-in-law of Robert L.
Richard J. Slatowski, husband of Maura Devlin Slatowski ’93
Charlotte Tomassoni, mother of Robert Tomassoni ’84
Helen Troynacki, mother of Jane Troynacki ’85 Sylvia Weintraub, mother of Richard Weintraub ’66
Bugno ’68, G’73
We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your class notes, photos, address changes and feedback. There are four easy ways to reach us: ONLINE: scranton.edu/BeEngaged E-MAIL: alumni@scranton.edu FAX: 570.941.4097 STANDARD MAIL: The Scranton Journal, 800 Linden Street, Scranton, PA 18510 Class Notes Publication Policy: The University of Scranton accepts submissions of news of professional achievements or personal milestones for inclusion in the Class Notes section of The Scranton Journal. Submissions can be submitted electronically to alumni@scranton.edu or by mail to Marge Gleason, Class Notes Editor, University of Scranton, 800 Linden Street, Scranton, PA 18510. Digital photos should be 300dpi, JPG or TIFF format and at least 3x5 inches. The University of Scranton reserves complete editorial rights to all content submitted for Class Notes, and posts and publishes listings in as timely a fashion as possible, as space permits. Reasonable steps are taken to verify the accuracy of the information submitted, but the University cannot guarantee the accuracy of all submissions. Publication of achievements or milestones does not constitute endorsement by The University of Scranton. The University of Scranton is committed to providing a safe and nondiscriminatory employment and educational environment. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other status protected by law. Sexual harassment, including sexual violence, is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational, extracurricular, athletic, or other programs or in the context of employment. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination and sexual harassment and sexual misconduct policies may be directed to Jennifer LaPorta, executive director and Title IX Coordinator, Office of Equity and Diversity, 570.941.6645. THE SCRANTON JOUR NA L
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The Estate Society
THE UNIV E R SI T Y O F SCR A N TO N For helpful planning tools, articles and spotlights on Estate Society members, please visit our website scranton.edu/plannedgiving. For personalized illustrations or options, contact Carol Maculloch, director of Planned Giving, at carol.maculloch@scranton.edu or 570.941.7799.
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Be engaged with your University Save the date and plan to join us for these upcoming events.
Day of Service Scholarship Brunch Grad Finale Boston PBC Event Graduate Counseling & Human Services CEU Event Rugby Reunion Kania Hall of Fame 30th Anniversary of Lacrosse 506 Weekend Celebration Alumni Board Meeting Class Night Graduate School Commencement Legacy Reception 50 Year Class Delegation Undergraduate Commencement/Alumni Coin Presentation Alumni Weekend Carlesimo Tournament
5.06.17
April 1 April 2 April 24-25 April 27 April 27 April 28 April 29 April 29 May 5-6 May 12-13 May 26 May 27 May 27 May 28 May 28 June 9-11 June 19
For more information, visit scranton.edu/alumni
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