Thiel College President’s Newsletter Winter Weekend 75 College Avenue Greenville, PA 16125-2181
Congratulations Tomcats!
In one of the closest Presidents’ Athletic Conference Wrestling Championship finishes, the Tomcats claimed the 2012 team championship, outscoring two-time reigning champion Waynesburg University by just three points. Thiel secured its first conference team title since 2009 and ninth-year head coach Craig Thurber was named conference Coach of the Year. The championship was Thiel’s seventh under Thurber and the 11th over the past 13 seasons. Corey Brown led four individual Tomcat champions, claiming his fourth individual PAC title and taking his record to 99-24. The other Thiel champs were Patrick Morris, with his second individual conference title; Jacob Lowry, with his
first individual PAC title; and Stephen Ceremuga, winning his weight class. Thiel’s wrestlers scored academically during the last year as well with the team earning a Scholar Team Award from the National Wrestling Coaches Association for the second straight year—they posted the seventh-highest GPA in the country with a 3.4485—and Corey Brown and Matt Lowry being named Scholar All-Americans by the NWCA. Brown also was named Scholar-Athlete of the month for Dec. 2011 by the PAC. “Thiel is very proud of the wrestling team,” said Dr. Troy VanAken, Thiel president. “They are a great example of how academic achievement goes hand-in-hand with athletic success.”
Part of a college president’s job is to be a “cheerleader” for the institution. In my case, it’s been an incredibly easy and enjoyable facet of my job as so many things are happening at Thiel College about which we can all be excited. During the inaugural Winter Weekend last month, Thiel College’s new strategic plan was approved by the Board of Trustees. (You can read more about the events of Winter Weekend on the following pages.) The final plan has The Thiel Commitment, an initiative we began in 2009, at its heart, reflecting Thiel’s campus-wide commitment to a personalized, motivating, challenging and relevant education for every student and to the delivery of superior programs and services that respond to student needs. The new strategic plan is built on four pillars: 1) a commitment to academic excellence and relevance, 2) a commitment to a culture of caring and confidence, 3) a commitment to enhanced facilities and infrastructure and 4) a commitment to superior delivery of programs and services. With this vital foundation in place, we can move forward with an operational plan that will take us to the sesquicentennial in 2016. During the strategic plan discussions over the past year, an emphasis on “academic excellence” rose organically to the top of our priority list. Bill Dietrich, as a lifelong scholar and student, placed great emphasis on the value of learning—as evidenced by his generosity to Thiel and other colleges and universities. It was an easy decision to partner Bill’s gift of a $25-million fund to Thiel with this most vital aspect of Thiel’s new strategic plan. Therefore, during Winter Weekend, we announced the initial focus of the gift—the Kenneth and Marianna Brown Dietrich Honors Program, which is named in honor of Bill’s beloved parents. The Dietrich Honors Program will reinvigorate Thiel’s honors program and become an integral part of a strong academic experience for our students for generations to come. As another sign of our commitment to celebrating and supporting academic excellence, January saw our first “Students of the Month” named—seniors Amy Jane Matchett and Scott Hunkus. Each month during the academic year, two of our most academically gifted seniors will be chosen by a vote of the faculty for this new honor. (You can see who is chosen each month by visiting www.thiel.edu.) Congratulations to our inaugural pair! We are busy in all areas of the College of course. The College Advancement staff is working hard to reach our second $1 million year for The Thiel Fund. Lauren Oman Zuschlag, who has moved from Alumni Services to director of annual giving and parent relations, is leading The Thiel Fund effort, which stood at $657,501 in late February. This fund is an important source of support for Thiel’s students, so with only four short months until the end of the fiscal year on June 30, please consider a new or increased gift this year. Gifts to this fund help support academic programming, scholarships, annual operations and athletics. We also continue to work toward the realization of the Dr. James Pedas Communication Center and Alumni Stadium enhancement projects. If you’d like to learn more about any of these vital projects, please contact me at thepresident@thiel.edu or 724-589-2155. It really is a wonderful time to be part of the Tomcat family, and 2012 is already shaping up to be an historic one in the life of the College. I am glad that you can share in it with the entire Thiel College community.
Troy D. VanAken, Ph.D. President
March 15, 2012 Vol. 2, No. 2
President Troy VanAken at the Black & White Ball with senior David Mossa (left) and senior Nick Gargaro (right).
w w w. t h i e l . e d u
Winter Weekend at Thiel College—A fun-filled celebration of the life of William Dietrich II Winter Weekend at Thiel College lived up to its name last month. The snow fell and the winter winds blew, but it didn’t freeze the high spirits of everyone on campus as the Thiel community gathered together for a weekend of fun and celebration of the life of William S. Dietrich II. The weekend began on Friday with a day of board meetings, during which the College’s new Strategic Plan, Thiel 2016, was unanimously approved by the board. “It’s [the new strategic plan] very ambitious for Thiel,” said Dr. Troy VanAken, Thiel president. “But I think we need to be ambitious right now.” The day was capped off with a faculty, staff and board reception in the Rissell-Schreyer Dome. While the warm weather leading up to the Winter Weekend prevented iceskating and snow tubing, the students enjoyed a variety of activities on campus, including hot tubs and a bonfire, among others. To add to the excitement of the weekend, the Thiel wrestling team ended their season on Friday night as the Presidents’ Athletic Conference champions for 2012! Saturday morning brought further board meetings, including the Alumni Board and Thiel Family Council. At a meeting of the combined Thiel College boards, something that had never occurred before in the College’s history, the strategic plan was unveiled and members of the Dietrich Foundation and family (Bill’s daughter, Anne Dietrich Diemer, and her husband, Michael) were introduced to the Thiel community. During the afternoon, the men’s and women’s basketball teams both lost nailbiter contests against PAC basketball rival Bethany College, but spirits on campus weren’t dampened. The Diemers and the Foundation members were presented plaques and a framed Thiel t-shirt signed by the entire Thiel student body during the half-time of the men’s game. That night at 6 p.m., more than 200 members of the Thiel and Greenville communities gathered in the Lutheran Heritage Room as President VanAken, Ed Bartko ’72, chair of the Thiel College Board of Trustees, and Ed Grefenstette of the Dietrich Foundation unveiled the initial use of William Dietrich II’s historic $25-million fund for Thiel College— the Kenneth and Marianna Brown Dietrich Honors Program. This honors program, which bears the names of Bill Dietrich’s parents who were both Thiel alumni, will enroll its first students in the next academic year and will expand Thiel’s current honors program, including more activities and offerings. Faculty, staff and students will work in the coming months to finalize the details of the program. After a delicious dinner, the highlight of the evening, the Black & White Ball, began. Students, alumni, faculty, staff,
Members of the Dietrich Foundation and family were present for the announcement of the Dietrich Honors Program on Saturday evening. Pictured (L to R) are Michael and Anne (Dietrich) Diemer; Ed Grefenstette and Rick Johnson of the Dietrich Foundation; Dr. Troy VanAken; Ed Bartko ’72 and Annette VanAken.
board members and others gathered in the LHR, which had been transformed into a shimmery black & white ballroom. Under the domed ceiling, which featured a slideshow of photos from the evening, the Thiel community danced the night away. The weekend ended the next morning with a worship service at the David Johnson Memorial Chapel. The inaugural Winter Weekend was a great success and illustrated the fact that Thiel has an exciting path in front of it while implementing the new strategic plan and thoughtfully nurturing Bill Dietrich’s legacy at Thiel College. Many thanks to all those who attended and mark your calendars for the second Winter Weekend next February! To watch a video of the announcement of the Dietrich Honors Program, view a gallery of many more photos of the weekend on Flickr or read more about Bill Dietrich, visit www.thiel.edu/dietrich.
(This page clockwise from right) Students enjoy the bonfire on Friday night; the dance floor never quit at the Black & White Ball; Tommy Tomcat leads the “Pink Out” at the women’s basketball game; and Dr. VanAken presents the new strategic plan at the all boards meeting.
Upcoming Events — Spring/Summer 2012 Check www.thiel.edu for more exciting happenings throughout the semester and year.
March 20 Westmoreland County Alumni Event
5:30-7:30 p.m. at J. Corks in Greensburg, Pa. Thiel alumni and friends from the Greensburg, Pa., area are invited to mix with special guest President Troy VanAken and others for cocktails and hors d’oeuvre. RSVP to alumni@thiel.edu.
March 22 Con Spirito Chamber Music Concert Series: the American Brass Quintet
7:30 p.m., David Johnson Memorial Chapel Free and open to the public, this series brings the best in chamber music toThiel. The American Brass Quintet has been internationally recognized as one of the premier chamber music ensembles and an icon in the brass world.
April 10-13 Earth Week
Thiel’s annual celebration and exploration of the Earth features a variety of activites and events.
April 11 Junior Visit Day
A campus preview day for high school juniors. Register at www.thiel.edu/visitday.
June 12 & July 10 Tuesdays @ Thiel
A low-key summer visit day for prospective students. Register at www.thiel.edu/visitday.
Aug. 27 Fall 2012 Semester Begins w w w. t h i e l . e d u
Winter Weekend at Thiel College—A fun-filled celebration of the life of William Dietrich II Winter Weekend at Thiel College lived up to its name last month. The snow fell and the winter winds blew, but it didn’t freeze the high spirits of everyone on campus as the Thiel community gathered together for a weekend of fun and celebration of the life of William S. Dietrich II. The weekend began on Friday with a day of board meetings, during which the College’s new Strategic Plan, Thiel 2016, was unanimously approved by the board. “It’s [the new strategic plan] very ambitious for Thiel,” said Dr. Troy VanAken, Thiel president. “But I think we need to be ambitious right now.” The day was capped off with a faculty, staff and board reception in the Rissell-Schreyer Dome. While the warm weather leading up to the Winter Weekend prevented iceskating and snow tubing, the students enjoyed a variety of activities on campus, including hot tubs and a bonfire, among others. To add to the excitement of the weekend, the Thiel wrestling team ended their season on Friday night as the Presidents’ Athletic Conference champions for 2012! Saturday morning brought further board meetings, including the Alumni Board and Thiel Family Council. At a meeting of the combined Thiel College boards, something that had never occurred before in the College’s history, the strategic plan was unveiled and members of the Dietrich Foundation and family (Bill’s daughter, Anne Dietrich Diemer, and her husband, Michael) were introduced to the Thiel community. During the afternoon, the men’s and women’s basketball teams both lost nailbiter contests against PAC basketball rival Bethany College, but spirits on campus weren’t dampened. The Diemers and the Foundation members were presented plaques and a framed Thiel t-shirt signed by the entire Thiel student body during the half-time of the men’s game. That night at 6 p.m., more than 200 members of the Thiel and Greenville communities gathered in the Lutheran Heritage Room as President VanAken, Ed Bartko ’72, chair of the Thiel College Board of Trustees, and Ed Grefenstette of the Dietrich Foundation unveiled the initial use of William Dietrich II’s historic $25-million fund for Thiel College— the Kenneth and Marianna Brown Dietrich Honors Program. This honors program, which bears the names of Bill Dietrich’s parents who were both Thiel alumni, will enroll its first students in the next academic year and will expand Thiel’s current honors program, including more activities and offerings. Faculty, staff and students will work in the coming months to finalize the details of the program. After a delicious dinner, the highlight of the evening, the Black & White Ball, began. Students, alumni, faculty, staff,
Members of the Dietrich Foundation and family were present for the announcement of the Dietrich Honors Program on Saturday evening. Pictured (L to R) are Michael and Anne (Dietrich) Diemer; Ed Grefenstette and Rick Johnson of the Dietrich Foundation; Dr. Troy VanAken; Ed Bartko ’72 and Annette VanAken.
board members and others gathered in the LHR, which had been transformed into a shimmery black & white ballroom. Under the domed ceiling, which featured a slideshow of photos from the evening, the Thiel community danced the night away. The weekend ended the next morning with a worship service at the David Johnson Memorial Chapel. The inaugural Winter Weekend was a great success and illustrated the fact that Thiel has an exciting path in front of it while implementing the new strategic plan and thoughtfully nurturing Bill Dietrich’s legacy at Thiel College. Many thanks to all those who attended and mark your calendars for the second Winter Weekend next February! To watch a video of the announcement of the Dietrich Honors Program, view a gallery of many more photos of the weekend on Flickr or read more about Bill Dietrich, visit www.thiel.edu/dietrich.
(This page clockwise from right) Students enjoy the bonfire on Friday night; the dance floor never quit at the Black & White Ball; Tommy Tomcat leads the “Pink Out” at the women’s basketball game; and Dr. VanAken presents the new strategic plan at the all boards meeting.
Upcoming Events — Spring/Summer 2012 Check www.thiel.edu for more exciting happenings throughout the semester and year.
March 20 Westmoreland County Alumni Event
5:30-7:30 p.m. at J. Corks in Greensburg, Pa. Thiel alumni and friends from the Greensburg, Pa., area are invited to mix with special guest President Troy VanAken and others for cocktails and hors d’oeuvre. RSVP to alumni@thiel.edu.
March 22 Con Spirito Chamber Music Concert Series: the American Brass Quintet
7:30 p.m., David Johnson Memorial Chapel Free and open to the public, this series brings the best in chamber music toThiel. The American Brass Quintet has been internationally recognized as one of the premier chamber music ensembles and an icon in the brass world.
April 10-13 Earth Week
Thiel’s annual celebration and exploration of the Earth features a variety of activites and events.
April 11 Junior Visit Day
A campus preview day for high school juniors. Register at www.thiel.edu/visitday.
June 12 & July 10 Tuesdays @ Thiel
A low-key summer visit day for prospective students. Register at www.thiel.edu/visitday.
Aug. 27 Fall 2012 Semester Begins w w w. t h i e l . e d u
Thiel College President’s Newsletter Winter Weekend 75 College Avenue Greenville, PA 16125-2181
Congratulations Tomcats!
In one of the closest Presidents’ Athletic Conference Wrestling Championship finishes, the Tomcats claimed the 2012 team championship, outscoring two-time reigning champion Waynesburg University by just three points. Thiel secured its first conference team title since 2009 and ninth-year head coach Craig Thurber was named conference Coach of the Year. The championship was Thiel’s seventh under Thurber and the 11th over the past 13 seasons. Corey Brown led four individual Tomcat champions, claiming his fourth individual PAC title and taking his record to 99-24. The other Thiel champs were Patrick Morris, with his second individual conference title; Jacob Lowry, with his
first individual PAC title; and Stephen Ceremuga, winning his weight class. Thiel’s wrestlers scored academically during the last year as well with the team earning a Scholar Team Award from the National Wrestling Coaches Association for the second straight year—they posted the seventh-highest GPA in the country with a 3.4485—and Corey Brown and Matt Lowry being named Scholar All-Americans by the NWCA. Brown also was named Scholar-Athlete of the month for Dec. 2011 by the PAC. “Thiel is very proud of the wrestling team,” said Dr. Troy VanAken, Thiel president. “They are a great example of how academic achievement goes hand-in-hand with athletic success.”
Part of a college president’s job is to be a “cheerleader” for the institution. In my case, it’s been an incredibly easy and enjoyable facet of my job as so many things are happening at Thiel College about which we can all be excited. During the inaugural Winter Weekend last month, Thiel College’s new strategic plan was approved by the Board of Trustees. (You can read more about the events of Winter Weekend on the following pages.) The final plan has The Thiel Commitment, an initiative we began in 2009, at its heart, reflecting Thiel’s campus-wide commitment to a personalized, motivating, challenging and relevant education for every student and to the delivery of superior programs and services that respond to student needs. The new strategic plan is built on four pillars: 1) a commitment to academic excellence and relevance, 2) a commitment to a culture of caring and confidence, 3) a commitment to enhanced facilities and infrastructure and 4) a commitment to superior delivery of programs and services. With this vital foundation in place, we can move forward with an operational plan that will take us to the sesquicentennial in 2016. During the strategic plan discussions over the past year, an emphasis on “academic excellence” rose organically to the top of our priority list. Bill Dietrich, as a lifelong scholar and student, placed great emphasis on the value of learning—as evidenced by his generosity to Thiel and other colleges and universities. It was an easy decision to partner Bill’s gift of a $25-million fund to Thiel with this most vital aspect of Thiel’s new strategic plan. Therefore, during Winter Weekend, we announced the initial focus of the gift—the Kenneth and Marianna Brown Dietrich Honors Program, which is named in honor of Bill’s beloved parents. The Dietrich Honors Program will reinvigorate Thiel’s honors program and become an integral part of a strong academic experience for our students for generations to come. As another sign of our commitment to celebrating and supporting academic excellence, January saw our first “Students of the Month” named—seniors Amy Jane Matchett and Scott Hunkus. Each month during the academic year, two of our most academically gifted seniors will be chosen by a vote of the faculty for this new honor. (You can see who is chosen each month by visiting www.thiel.edu.) Congratulations to our inaugural pair! We are busy in all areas of the College of course. The College Advancement staff is working hard to reach our second $1 million year for The Thiel Fund. Lauren Oman Zuschlag, who has moved from Alumni Services to director of annual giving and parent relations, is leading The Thiel Fund effort, which stood at $657,501 in late February. This fund is an important source of support for Thiel’s students, so with only four short months until the end of the fiscal year on June 30, please consider a new or increased gift this year. Gifts to this fund help support academic programming, scholarships, annual operations and athletics. We also continue to work toward the realization of the Dr. James Pedas Communication Center and Alumni Stadium enhancement projects. If you’d like to learn more about any of these vital projects, please contact me at thepresident@thiel.edu or 724-589-2155. It really is a wonderful time to be part of the Tomcat family, and 2012 is already shaping up to be an historic one in the life of the College. I am glad that you can share in it with the entire Thiel College community.
Troy D. VanAken, Ph.D. President
March 15, 2012 Vol. 2, No. 2
President Troy VanAken at the Black & White Ball with senior David Mossa (left) and senior Nick Gargaro (right).
w w w. t h i e l . e d u