The magazine of Villa Maria College
VISTAS
The Magazine of Villa Maria College | Spring 2015 President
Sister Marcella Marie Garus, CSSF
Executive Assistant to the President Sister Mary Raymond Kasprzak, CSSF
Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Matthew Giordano
Vice President for Development
Board of Trustees 2014-15 John F. Daly (Chairperson) Catherine Grantier Cooley (Vice Chairperson) Sister Mary Francesca Buczkowski, CSSF, ’68 (Secretary) David M. Gelia (Treasurer) Erik P. DeGlopper
Thomas P. Honan
Sister Sharon Marie Dombrowski, CSSF
Vice President for Enrollment Management & Student Services
Andrew Golebiowski
Brian Emerson
Vice President for Business Affairs
David F. Granville Sister Nancy Marie Jamroz, CSSF
Michael J. Eadie
Sister Suzanne Marie Kush, CSSF, ‘70
Mission Leader
Sister Mary Geralyn Mroczkowski, CSSF
Sister Mary Louis Rustowicz, CSSF
James G. Pappas
Editor
Lawrence F. Pignataro, Sr. ‘74
Joseph DiDomizio, Director of College Communications
Designer
Jesse Stoddard, Graphic Design Specialist
Writers
Joseph DiDomizio Deborah Handzlik David Hill Donald Monnin Sara Palmer
Proofreader
Sister Mary Mark Janik
Photography
Joseph DiDomizio Valerie Kasinski Gail O’Neil Jesse Stoddard Tom Wolf Imaging
Printed by
Print2Web, Inc.
2 | VISTAS THE MAGAZINE OF VILLA MARIA COLLEGE
Timothy M. Rider Terry Schweizer Rev. Mark J. Wolski
Advisor for One Year Msgr. Angelo M. Caligiuri Honorable Ann T. Mikoll Joan M. Priebe
CONTENTS
5
10
14
12 SECTIONS 4
A Message from the President
5
16 FEATURES Back in The Game:
Campus News
10
16
Campus Gallery
some talented coaches .
Take a look at the covers of Skald through
By Joseph DiDomizio
the years.
12
Feeding The Soul:
The Sister Mary Josette Food Pantry teaches
students the true meaning of Solidarity with the Poor.
By Sara Palmer
14
Practical Animators:
Industry professionals provide hands-on expertise to
Villa’s growing animation program.
By David J. Hill
18
Villa’s Scholars:
19
From the Alumni Office
Villa re-starts its Athletics Program and brings on
Student Rachel Curtis Participates in Interreligious Seminar.
By Professor Donald Monnin
SPRING 2015 | 3
a message from
our president always thought Villa was a wonderful place to work. The faculty, staff and administrators have continued working hard on behalf of our students and have earned Villa the honor of becoming a finalist for the 2015 Best Places to Work award in Western New York, and proving me right.
I’VE
As more organizations and businesses invest in Western New York,Villa continues to invest in its future as well. With your support, Villa Maria College can continue growing as an institution dedicated to helping those in need, dedicated to its students, and dedicated to truth, charity and unity.
This honor that belongs to the Villa community whose dedication is making the college’s vision of being the premiere student-centered institution in the region a reality. This spring, more and more of the ambitious plans we set down last summer have sprouted. New academic programs, even more student support initiatives, and the renewal of our athletics department are just some of the pieces covered in this issue of Vistas.
I invite you to pay a visit to the Villa campus and see what growth has sprung up since you have been here. Whether it has been nine months or nine years or longer, there is much growth to see on campus. So chase away any of those remaining winter blues and visit campus during one of our student shows or signature events, or for Commencement.
Our focus on Solidarity with the Poor this year encouraged us to take a look at how we as students, staff and faculty help the neediest in our communities. You’ll find articles on the Sister Mary Josette Food Pantry and the role of volunteerism and respect throughout this issue, as well as our long history of providing support for our closest neighbors and the region. 4 | VISTAS THE MAGAZINE OF VILLA MARIA COLLEGE
May the Easter season bring you joy and peace, and I hope to see you on campus soon! Many blessings,
Sister Marcella Marie Garus, CSSF President, Villa Maria College
CAMPUS news Music Instructors Win Reader’s Poll Awards Three Villa Music instructors were winners in the 2014 Reader’s Poll presented by jazzbuffalo.org. Dr. John Bacon won for best Jazz Drummer, while Kelly Bucheger won as part of “What would Mingus do?” for best Classic BeBop/Hard Bop Group, and Jerry Livingston won for best Jazz Electric Bass. All were nominated by the community in late December 2014, and then selected by the 1,091 voters in the poll as winners when voting closed in January 2015.
Villa. He leads “What would Mingus do?” playing tenor sax and functioning as composer and arranger for the group.
Kasinski’s photographs in this exhibit seek to establish a link between the figure and the environment.
Described as the “gentle giant of electric bass in Buffalo” by the blog, Jerry Livingston teaches bass at the college.
Winner of the Blessed Mary Angela Student Award for 2014, Kasinski has also contributed to Vistas and other college publications and projects while at Villa. She was awarded the show last year for her work in the members exhibition along with two other artists.
Alumna Exhibits Solo Show at CEPA Gallery Villa Maria College Photography alumna Valerie Kasinski ‘14 presented her solo show “Together We Are” at Buffalo’s CEPA Gallery from January 30 through the end of February in the FLUX Gallery on the first floor.
Tony Zambito, founder of jazzbuffalo. org, wrote on the organization’s page that the poll is “an exceptional demonstration of the audiences in Buffalo knowing their jazz!” According to the site, Bacon is “a major presence in the jazz community.” He is described as a versatile performer on the drums and vibraphone as well as an accomplished composer, arranger, and educator. At Villa he teaches Jazz Theory, Jazz History, History of American Popular Music, and Jazz Ensemble. Kelly Bucheger teaches saxophone and last semester the improvisation lab at
Kasinski’s “Together We Are” exhibition was featured at Buffalo’s CEPA Gallery.
Named for the photograph in the 2014 CEPA/Big Orbit member’s show that won her this solo exhibition, “Together We Are” is a collection of photographs stemming from connections with an international network of photographers, and the places those connections were made. According to the gallery,
Villa Maria College Receives Bishop’s medal Villa Maria College received the Bishop’s Medal at “Gala 22:6” Catholic Education Dinner held at the Buffalo Convention Center on January 29, 2015. The annual celebration of Catholic schools dinner is a fundraiser to provide needbased tuition assistance for families across Western New York seeking to enroll their children in Catholic schools. The event honors organizations, individuals, foundations, and colleges and universities within the Buffalo Diocese that live the Catholic education mission. Sister Marcella Marie Garus, President of Villa Maria College, was among the eight Catholic College presidents receiving the Bishop’s Medal from Bishop Richard J. Malone.
SPRING | 5
CAMPUS news “Catholic education has always been a strong commitment in my life and ministry,” the bishop said. “Through my time as a teacher, a priest, and a bishop, I have valued the importance of passing along our faith traditions through wellrounded and excellent education in Catholic schools.” More than 1,100 people attended the celebration at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center. The medal will be on display in the first floor showcase across from the President’s Office.
Creative Writing Professor Publishes Third Book of Poetry
Interior Design Student Awards ASID Student Design Competition 2015 Interior Design student Tara Clack ‘15 took home first and second place awards in the 2015 ASID Student Design competition held annually by the American Society of Interior Designers. Clack submitted designs to the competition for a bar and medical center to the local New York upstate and Canada east chapter of the organization.
Director of the Creative Writing and Literature Program, Professor Joyce Kessel has published her third book of poetry “Classroom Quixote.”
Kessel will be at the Small Press Book Fair in the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum on April 18 and 19 with copies of her book at the Villa table. She will also hold additional readings and book signings in the spring.
Jessica Harris ’15 AAS, was awarded Freshman Best of Show as well. “Cargotecture” Homes at the Buffalo Home Show The Interior Design Association of Western New York (IDA) sponsored a student competition entitled ‘Cargotecture’, challenging students of both interior design as well as architecture to explore the potential of using cargo containers as residential space. Separate awards were presented for the interior design and the exterior design. Interior Design Student Kristine Perry ’15 won both the juried award as well as the popular vote for her ‘Less is More’ design. Kristine has won a $500 cash prize as well as award certificates.
The book is a new collection of poems inspired by Kessel’s four decades in the classroom, celebrating the joys and struggles she and her students face in dealing with writing. As a professor at Villa, she has taught thousands of students, affecting and being affected by the exchange of ideas in the classroom. Gary Earl Ross, a fellow instructor at Villa, who manages The Writer’s Den press, has published a number of books by local authors, and edited “Classroom Quixote.”
Family Art Gallery on campus. Kirsten Smith ’15 was awarded second place, and Kaeli Bigelow ’15 won third place in the show.
Students from left: Kaeli Bigelow ’15, Tara Clack ’15, Kirsten Smith ’15 at the Interior Design program student show.
Villa is Named one of Buffalo’s Best Places to Work
She will receive awards totaling $225, and will be an honored guest at the Design Awards held in the fall.
Villa Maria College has been named a finalist in the 2015 Business First’s Best Places to Work.
Distinguished Student Awards
“This is a great opportunity to showcase the achievements we’ve made as an institution, and to celebrate an ever-increasing list of awards and recognitions for the college with the Greater Buffalo community,” Sister
Clack also took home first place in the Distinguished Student Award at the opening of the Interior Design Program exhibit in the Paul William Beltz
6 | VISTAS THE MAGAZINE OF VILLA MARIA COLLEGE
Marcella Marie Garus, president of the college, wrote in an email. The college is among a select group of Western New York organizations who will be honored and featured in an upcoming Business First Issue.
Start-Up NY Approves Villa Maria College for Program Villa Maria College has had its application approved for the Start-Up NY program, the state organization announced recently. The college will now begin the process of receiving applications from businesses looking to locate on the college campus without having to pay taxes. Created in 2013, Start-Up NY is a state program that gives companies 10 years without taxes when they open operations on eligible campuses across the state. Once the college is approved and space is designated, businesses whose focus aligns with the institution’s academic goals and want to invest in the local economy can submit an application for the on-campus tax-free zone. Applicants for Villa’s over 2,300 square feet of space will be considered from a number of industries including advertising firms, animation, digital media, fashion industry and design, film-production companies, graphic and web design, interior design, music industry, public relations and communications, and recording studios. “This is the beginning of a great opportunity not only for the college, but also for our students and the
surrounding community to receive additional investment from businesses,” Dr. Ryan Hartnett, assistant vice president of academic affairs, said. Interested businesses can reach out to Dr. Hartnett at rhartnett@villa.edu or by calling 716-961-1832.
Villa Wins Six Awards at 2015 ADDYs Villa Maria College took home six awards in the 2015 Western New York ADDY Awards organized by the Advertising Club of Buffalo during an event at the Tralf Music Hall on Main Street. Graphic Design students took home five student awards, while SKALD, the college’s student magazine, won a professional Gold ADDY. “It was rewarding to see many of our former students at the event associated with major agencies and design studios in the area,” Julie Zack, associate professor of graphic design wrote in a statement. “Quite a number won awards as well.”
• Samantha Lonczak ’17 – Silver • Lucy Norton ’15- Gold • Rachel Rising ’15 – Gold The ADDY Awards is the world’s largest advertising competition with over 5,000,000 entries annually. Unique among other advertising creative competitions, the ADDYs is the only competition that includes local, regional, and national levels. The Advertising Club of Buffalo administers the Western New York awards.
College receives funding for online classes Villa Maria College has received a grant for online classes from the St. Francis Fund of Felician Services Inc. The $35,000 award will be used to secure a vendor for a learning management system which can offer traditional and online course management, giving Villa Maria the capability to offer online courses and to partner with other colleges. In the first year, Villa will collaborate with Felician College to provide online courses, with a goal of expanding collaborations with other institutions in the future. Eventually the college will develop its own online course offerings.
Carl Hunley won a Silver Student Addy Award for his branding design for Jesse Ray Miller.
The list of Villa’s student winners is as follows: • Joseph Carney ’16 – Silver • Carl Hunley ’15- Silver
“Getting a system on campus makes Villa more competitive locally and nationally,” Brian Emerson, vice president for enrollment management and student services, said. “It will help provide even more options for our current and prospective students.” The Villa Maria After School Program also received a grant from the Fund to continue and expand that program.
SPRING | 7
NEW FACES
Villa launches new
Spring 2015
Terry Schweizer, Trustee
ACHIEVE PROGRAM
The Board of Trustees at its February 2015
for students with learning differences.
meeting, approved new member Terry Schweizer. Felician Services, Inc. hired Terry and appointed him as the new Trustee Designee for Villa Maria
Left: Achieve Program Director, Melissa Zgliczynski
College. He will serve on the Finance Committee and the Development Committee. Terry transitioned into the post upon the resignation of former trustee designee, James Lubawski.
Below is a list of regular employees hired in the Spring 2015 semester. Michael Ertel - Head Men’s Soccer Coach Amanda Janosky - Head Women’s Soccer Coach Ashley Kuczmanski - Administrative Assistant, Student Success Center Allan Monaco - Head Women’s Basketball Coach Russell Mortellaro - Maintenance Worker Don Silveri - Director of Athletics and Head Men’s Basketball Coach
ANOTHER
element of the Villa Maria College Visionary Plan will be realized with the launch of a new program to support students with learning differences. Starting in Fall 2015, the Achieve Program for Students with Learning Differences will provide students resources to help them transition smoothly into college and find their path to success. The Achieve Program provides a feebased set of services that go beyond basic accommodations available to every student. With personalized one-on-one support from tutors and advisors, students will develop goal setting and self-advocacy skills, while receiving benefits such as priority registration, expanded use of adaptive equipment, and specialized career and internship support, making this the most comprehensive program of its type in Western New York.
Melissa Zgliczynski, who currently leads the Office of Students with Disabilities on campus, will lead this new initiative, and will supervise the staff of professional tutors. “The Achieve Program is an excellent opportunity for Villa to continue building on its commitment to student success by delivering the specialized tools and assistance that students with learning differences may need to earn a college degree,” Melissa Zgliczynski, director of the Achieve Program, said. Students can apply to the Achieve Program now and begin utilizing services in the fall 2015 semester. Applicants must meet the admission criteria of the college prior to acceptance into the program.
SISTER MARY RAYMOND RETIRING Sister Mary Raymond Kasprzak, CSSF, PhD, has announced her retirement as of June 30, 2015, after over twenty years of service to Villa Maria College. Sister Raymond served in numerous capacities at the college, including Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, and currently as Executive Assistant to the President. During her terms on the leadership team of the former Buffalo province of the Felician Sisters, she also served as ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees. Sister Raymond asks God to continue to bless Villa Maria College as it meets the needs of a new generation of students. She was invited by Villa president, Sister Marcella Marie Garus, to deliver the commencement speech at the 2015 graduation, where Sister Raymond will receive the Founders’ Medal.
CAMPUS news Villa grads have some of the lowest debt levels after graduation. VILLA
Maria College grads have some of the lowest debt levels upon graduation of all private, non-profit four-year institutions in the region, according to a report released in November of 2014 from The Project on Student Debt at The Institute for College Access & Success. Student borrowers across the country owed an average of $28,400 in 2013 as claimed by the report, while the average Villa student left with $22,658 of debt, which is the second lowest in the region by category. Daemen College had the third lowest student debt level at $30,079, while Hilbert College came in with the lowest at $19,319. “Right now, we’re awarding the most institutional financial aid in the college’s history to help students succeed,” Brian Emerson, vice president for enrollment management and student services, said. With one of the lowest private tuition rates in the area, Villa continues to prove it is committed to making college affordable for its students. Even so, the percent of graduates with debt is at the highest in the region
based on 2013 report
$28,400
$22,658
National Average Villa Average at 91 percent. Director of Financial Aid Aimee Murch explains that the percentage is a little misleading. Villa’s student body has the highest number of PELL Grant eligible students out of all the four-year private, non-profit institutions, she explained. “We accept students with a higher need; therefore, they are more likely to need a federal loan,” Murch said. “My team and I work very hard to keep our cost to educate students low by working with students and families to find ways to make Villa affordable.” It seems to be working as 2013-14 saw the college’s default rate drop by four percent, while 98 percent of Villa graduates afford their tuition with a mix of aid from the college and federal loans. In comparison, the other institutions in the category require 10
to 35 percent of their students needing private loans to close the gap on tuition, which are one of the riskier ways to pay for college, according to the report. The commitment to student success does not end with financial aid at Villa either. The development of the Student Success Center this past year is designed to boost retention and give the necessary support to students who enter college underprepared by their high school for the transition to college. Increased access to tutors in all subjects, new campus-wide mentorship programs, and specialized advising has resulted in a higher freshman to sophomore retention rate. In addition, efforts to foster professional skills through the Career Services Office and mandatory internship opportunities have contributed to increased level of preparation Villa students have for the world of work after graduation. SPRING | 9
Villa Re-starts its Athletics Program and brings on some talented coaches. By Joseph DiDomizio
VILLA
Maria College has
gotten back into the college sports game by re-launching the athletics program. Beginning in fall 2015, students will be able to compete in inter-collegiate men’s and women’s soccer and basketball. Additional sports including tennis, golf, bowling, volleyball, and eventually lacrosse and rugby are part of the near future plans. Villa athletes will begin competing against local colleges at the inter-collegiate club level, and the college plans to apply for NCAA Division III membership and join a regional conference to compete against other local Division III schools such as Medaille College, Hilbert College, and D’Youville College soon. Heading up the revitalized program is Director of Athletics and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Don Silveri who brings 38 years of experience as an administrator and coach.
His career began at Villa nearly 40 years ago, and Silveri said the soft spot in his heart for the college is one of the reasons for his return.
“Having athletics will not only bring energy and excitement to campus, but it will also help to attract students to our outstanding academic programs.” “It’s an exciting challenge to move into NCAA Division III, and I’m looking forward to meeting that challenge,” he said.
10 | VISTAS THE MAGAZINE OF VILLA MARIA COLLEGE
Silveri is one of Western New York’s winningest coaches with 584 career collegiate victories, served as head coach for men’s basketball at Daemen College for 25 years, while spending 12 of those years as Director of Athletics. He wasted little time putting together a team of coaches, filling the open positions within weeks of his own hiring. Allan Monaco who recently served as the Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach for SUNY Fredonia will become the Head Women’s Basketball Coach. He has over 30 years of high school and college coaching experience. 24 of those years were spent as Head Basketball Coach at Williamsville South High School. While Amanda Janosky brings over ten years of professional soccer experience on the field and behind the bench, will coach Villa’s women’s soccer. Her experience includes playing for the Professional League Women’s soccer franchise, the Rochester Rhinos, as well
as for Canisius College’s women’s team, while working as a coach and educator at a number of regional institutions.
outstanding academic programs,” he said. One of the ways the college has already built student excitement on campus before the fall semester, is through a contest for the student body and the community to help determine the new identity of the teams. Voting took place through February and March, narrowing a wide field of suggestions down to a final four, which included the Saints, Vortex, Vanguards and the Vikings. The official winner of the contest will be revealed in an event later this spring.
Her counterpart for men’s soccer will be Michael Ertel, who has nearly eight years of soccer coaching experience. He previously was an Assistant Coach for FC Buffalo, and was Boys Varsity Soccer Coach for West Seneca Schools. Currently he works with a number of local athletic organizations including serving as Director of Coaching at Grand Island Soccer Club. “They’re all strong, well respected coaches,” Don Silveri said. “I’m definitely excited to be working with such a talented team as we keep this program going forward.”
“Sports can really bring a community together, and opening this up to not only the students but our neighbors and friends in Cheektowaga and on Buffalo’s East Side shows our respect and commitment to the region,” Emerson said.
Emerson is careful to point out that the Athletics program is only part of the visionary plan, stressing that the college is moving forward with a program that values academic excellence. A number of other pieces have been implemented since the plan’s announcement in June as well. “Having athletics will not only bring energy and excitement to campus, but it will also help to attract students to our
Villa’s current athletic facilities will be used by the Athletics Department, which includes a full-size gymnasium, pool, training and locker rooms. The department plans to upgrade these facilities, while also making use of neighboring Schiller Park. Above: Photos from Villa Maria College’s Vikon publications featuring photos from original athletics department that ran from 1979-1985.
SPRING | 11
FEEDING the The Sister Mary Josette Food Pantry teaches students the true meaning of Solidarity with the Poor By Sara Palmer
IT’S
early morning, and piles of snow cake the ground as people are already lining up long before the doors are supposed to open. Both young and old, they stand, sit and pace, anxious and excited, waiting to hear a voice call out “Next.”
community among us all, we show that no one is in this alone.”
It is not the ticket line for a soon-tobe sold out concert, or the release of a new iPhone. It’s a line for something much more important – the Sister Mary Josette Food Pantry at Villa Maria College.
“Solidarity means unity,” said Joan Mullin, Villa Maria’s director of campus ministry. “We’ve become such a divided society, but by becoming one unified source we can make more of a difference in the world.”
“When you help one, you help everyone,” said Sister Michaelanne, the food pantry’s supervisor. “Poverty is on our doorstep. Food insecurity is a growing problem. By building a
That, more than anything, is what Solidarity with the Poor is all about. It’s not reaching across a counter to hand someone a jar of peanut butter; it’s standing beside them, praying next to
The food pantry opened up in 1986 and in nearly 30 years has grown to become the pinnacle of one of the College’s core values – Solidarity with the Poor.
12 | VISTAS THE MAGAZINE OF VILLA MARIA COLLEGE
them, and experiencing life with them. That’s the exact kind of culture Sister Michaelanne creates in the food pantry. “We emphasize client choice,” she said. “In fact, we were one of the first in the area to offer that and now the Food Bank is working toward making it mandatory.”
“Food insecurity is a growing problem. By building a community among us all, we show that no one is in this alone” At other food pantries, clients were given a paper bag of provisions, regardless of whether or not their families would eat the contents. Client choice allows them to pick from
food options, receiving their assistance with dignity. The Food Bank of Western New York is one of the major suppliers of the Sister Mary Josette Food Pantry. However, grants and individual donors also contribute to the stock. “Through the goodness of our donors and volunteers we’re even able to sometimes provide paper products and knitted mittens,” Sister Michaelanne said. However, she acknowledged that the pantry could always use more food, paper goods, personal hygiene products and more hands. Many of the food pantry’s volunteers are students. Some are completing their service learning requirements and some are here through a work-study program. Sometimes, they are even recipients. “Our goal is that the students leave Villa Maria with the goal of being good citizens,” said Sister Mary Louis, Villa’s mission leader. “We’re building a community for the future.” Solidarity with the Poor is more than just feeding the hungry, Sister Louis explains, it’s also about feeding the soul, and allowing students to grow into compassionate, caring citizens of the world through their work with the pantry. “God has provided an abundance but we don’t share. As humans we tend to hoard what we have and not share,” Mullin said. That doesn’t apply to the students, faculty and staff at Villa Maria. The true meaning of sharing is a concept as important as algebra, composition and chemistry.
More than 5,000 pounds of food move through the pantry, feeding nearly 13,000 individuals in three adjacent zip codes. The clients come from all walks of life – some are professionals still reeling from unemployment, while others are elderly or disabled on fixed incomes. They are so appreciative of this supplemental food source that many try to find ways to give back. One woman even brought in clothes she no longer needed for others to use. Through the food pantry, the concept of Solidarity with the Poor goes beyond the campus, uniting an entire community. “They discover ways to promote a more just society and empower themselves and others,” Mullin said. “Academics gives you the knowledge, service gives you experience and both together empower you to make a difference.” On a frozen February morning, four women navigate the pantry’s six-by-six foot front space as agilely as a troupe of ballerinas. Claire, Helen and Barbara work along side Sister Michaelanne to provide fresh meats, whole grains, fruit and vegetables. They even provide vegetarian options. “Don’t forget to take some Valentine’s Day candy,” Sister Michaelanne reminds a woman holding the arm of her elderly neighbor. They rummage through the candy and smile.
Proposal Reimagines Service Learning at Villa Service learning has always been an important part of a student’s education at Villa Maria College. Last fall, a group of faculty were tasked to refocus the college’s program to make the service learning more enriching for the students. Professor Kim Kotz, Professor Don Monnin, Associate Professor Julie Zack, Campus Minister Joan Mullen, and Judy Piskun, the current coordinator of service learning and director of internships, began researching best practices for inspiration. About six months later, the task force presented a series of recommendations for updating service learning for the students. “We think the document we came up with will allow that to happen and students will be able to immerse themselves much more in the experience,” Don Monnin, assistant professor and chair of the task force, said. Their recommendations connect service learning projects to a specific program or a liberal arts course, with students responsible for researching their chosen community partner, and presenting on their experiences after they’ve completed their hours. “This is a very clear way to uphold all of our core values in a very concrete and relevant way,” Monnin said. “That’s what we hope the students get out of it, and what the wider region sees us doing as we go out into the community.” The proposal is currently under review for implementation possibly in the fall. -Joseph DiDomizio
Waiting outside the door, the food pantry clients talked and laughed as if they were old friends, though some were meeting for the first time. “There are no strangers here,” Sister Michaelanne said. Campus minister Joan Mullin volunteering with student Jasmine Reed at St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy.
SPRING | 13
Industry professionals provide hands-on expertise to Villa’s growing animation program. By David J. Hill
BRYAN
Matthews
might just have one of the most high profile jobs in Western New York. You’ve probably never heard his name, but you’ve definitely seen his work. In fact, you can see it on display every Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium during the fall, and on various promotional materials throughout the year.
Matthews serves as the Buffalo Bills’ creative director. In addition to generating excitement among Bills fans through his work, Matthews is sharing his expertise as an adjunct in the animation program at Villa.
Villa Maria launched its animation program in 2008. Hanson and Natalie Moudgil, then the vice president for academic affairs, began developing the bachelor’s in fine arts curriculum two years prior.
“I choose to teach at Villa because of the strong real-life experience foundation that has been built into the animation curriculum,” he says.
Coincidentally, Matthews arrived in Buffalo shortly after the program launched. The Bills hired him to build their Creative Services Department from the ground up. Before that, he was a motion designer at Chicago’s United Center, animating all the scoreboard and arena content for the NHL’s Blackhawks and NBA’s Bulls. His portfolio also includes projects for major corporations such as Sears, Coors Light, Disney and Sharpie.
Teaching those skills is essential to helping students gain a competitive advantage when they begin their job search, adds Sarah Hanson, Villa’s animation program director and an assistant professor. “It’s crucial to prepare students with industry-relevant technical skills and artistic skills, as well as communication skills,” she says. “If any one of these is lacking, students will struggle to get past the initial interview stage. We also strive not to lose sight of the fact that animation is an art form.” 14 | VISTAS THE MAGAZINE OF VILLA MARIA COLLEGE
“One of the best parts of my job is that it varies day to day, season by season,” says Matthews. Between January and May, he helps create the Bills’ marketing campaigns, designs season tickets and directs photo shoots with players. When June arrives, that’s when Matthews
begins creating all the scoreboard and digital signage graphics that fans see at The Ralph. This academic year, Matthews began teaching an independent study course—geared mostly toward juniors and seniors—that focuses on broadcast motion design. He’s no stranger to the Villa campus, though, having given guest lectures and mentoring animation students through internships with the Bills for a few years before joining the faculty.
you can have a BFA in animation and never animate,” says Hanson. “There are dozens of specialized jobs out there. Students can also choose to focus on a particular sector of the industry. The door is wide open. They just need to bring the passion and dedication.”
“Animation students are fortunate in that not only are they creating exciting work, but these industries are constantly growing.”
Matthews’ line of work is one of numerous careers animation graduates can consider. But it’s by no means the only one. Students learn a range of skills, including traditional techniques, character design, storyboarding, 3D modeling, rigging and texturing, as well as animation, compositing and final editing.
The toughest decision animation students will have is narrowing down the path that most intrigues them, Matthews says.
“One of the first things I say, even during our recruiting events, is that
“Animation students are fortunate in that not only are they creating exciting
work, but these industries are constantly growing,” he adds. “Entertainment will exist in the tried and true mediums such as film, gaming and broadcast TV, but it’s expanding to Internet TV, social media platforms and to all the virtual and augmented reality that is just around the corner.” Villa’s student-centered approach and small class sizes make the program especially attractive, Hanson points out. The two newest faculty additions—Tyler Welker and Rodrigo Gomez—are both established in the field. In addition, Sony Pictures’ Imageworks Professional Academic Excellence (IPAX) program, which serves as a pipeline to jobs in the industry, placed the college on its approved programs list. As the program continues to grow, aspirations are high, Hanson says, adding: “We’ve grown into a big fish in a little pond. We feel confident that we are ready to jump into a bigger pond.” SPRING | 15
VILLA
Maria College’s annual student magazine, Skald is produced in-house by students, faculty, and staff, and is fully-funded through student fees.
SKALD Art and Literary Publication Villa Maria College
DEVELOPED
in 1977, the publication features work from every academic discipline on campus including graphic design, creative writing, fine arts, animation, and photography.
SKALD
Art and Literary Publication | Villa Maria College
2 013
For the second year in a row, Skald, Villa Maria College’s annual student magazine, was awarded a 2014 Silver Crown in the College Magazine category by The Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Awards were announced during the College Media Convention on Friday, March 13, in New York City. There were ten finalists competing for either a Silver or Gold Crown Award, the highest recognition given by the association for overall excellence. The Columbia Scholastic Press Association is an international student press association owned and operated by Columbia University since 1925. Skald was first developed in 1977 and features poetry, animation, drawings, paintings and other works contributed by the students of Villa Maria College. Faculty advisers for the magazine are Graphic Design professors Robert Grizanti and Julie Zack, and Creative Writing and Liberal Arts professor Joyce Kessel.
Villa’s
SCHOLARS Student Rachel Curtis Participates in Interreligious Seminar By Professor Donald Monnin
ONE
of the goals of a Villa Education is to develop serious scholars by exposing students to speakers and faculty from other institutions to enrich the experience on campus. With limited resources, partnering with other institutions can be beneficial to this end for both the student and the institutions involved. Villa Animation student Rachel Curtis ’15 took advantage of one of these scholarly opportunities by participating in a two-week seminar on interreligious dialogue from June 22 to July 5, 2014 at Saint Bonaventure University. A joint venture between the university and the Chautauqua Institution, the intensive course provides students opportunities for thinking through a spectrum of ideas and activities from a Catholic Franciscan perspective. Students learn skills that will help them engage in theoretical and dialogical debates on religious, cultural and political topics. Unable to afford the full cost of attending, Curtis- who was the first Villa student to attend this course- received a grant from the college to bring the price down to a level that she could manage. “It was an amazing seminar and well worth every cent,” she wrote in an email. During her final presentation at the end of the seminar Curtis noted that as a future content creator and contributor to the mass media, she and her colleagues have a heavy responsibility. The media, she explained, can distort
18 | VISTAS THE MAGAZINE OF VILLA MARIA COLLEGE
“Clarity, respect and love will completely change how you view another human being. Those are the lessons we can take from interreligious dialogue and the thought processes that go into it.” and promote stereotypes that can have a strong influence on the public. Using clarity, respect and love in their discourse was essential to combating those issues and really understanding their subject. “Clarity, respect and love will completely change how you view another human being. Those are the lessons we can take from interreligious dialogue and the thought processes that go into it. The media will be better for it and so will our world,” she said. In addition to working in the classroom, seminar participants made daily visits to the Chautauqua Institution to hear a number of prominent speakers, some of which they were able to engage with one-on-one after their presentations. The speakers included John Shelby Spong, the retired Episcopal Bishop of Newark, New Jersey, John Hope Bryant, an expert in financial literacy, poverty, and economic development, and talk show host Tavis Smiley. The course was taught by Dr. Susan Abraham, an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Loyola Marymount University, and Fr. Kyle Haden, OFM, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies in the Franciscan School of Theology at Saint Bonaventure.
ALUMNI BOARD Members The Villa Alumni Association is pleased to announce that the following alumni are serving as Alumni Board members:
PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT ALUMNI NIGHT CELEBRATES 15 YEARS OF THE PROGRAM
Elizabeth Chadwick Business Management – ‘07
THE
Lucy Drabczyk Music – ‘00
Villa Maria College Alumni Association hosted a Physical Therapist Assistant Alumni Night in February to commemorate 15 years of the program at Villa. Over 40 alumni of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program returned to the college to celebrate. Sylvia Ernst ‘00 was a graduate of the very first class in the program, and is still employed in the field. She shared her fond memories of Villa and is giving back to the college by being a clinical supervisor for current students. Other attendees were able to reminisce, visit with old friends, share success stories, while for some it was the first time they visited the new PTA facilities in Felician Hall.
Lisa Colangelo Interior Design – ‘03
Rachel Ecklund Music Industry – ‘13 Sara Gleason Interior Design BFA –‘10 Valerie Kasinski Photography BFA – ‘14
Newer graduates of the program enjoyed sitting in the classrooms and visiting the labs where they spent so much time.
Alexandra Piotrowski Photography – ‘10
Professor Kim Kotz and Associate Professor James Kelley were recognized by two Alumni Board members, Sabrina Pisano ‘08 and Marc Muroff ‘14, graduates of the PTA Program, for their dedication to the college and their students.
Sabrina Pisano Physical Therapist Assistant – ‘08
Please make sure your contact information is updated in the Alumni Office so we will be able to contact you for future Alumni Nights. To update your information or if you are not currently a member and would like to join the Alumni Association, contact Deborah Handzlik at dhandzlik@villa.edu.
Samantha Tagliarino Graphic Design – ’09
SPRING | 19
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID
Buffalo, NY Permit No. 16
240 PINE RIDGE ROAD | BUFFALO, NY 14225
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Upcoming Events
april 9
Senior Recital: Eric DeJesus, Guitar
25
Decorator’s Show House Opening
16
Animation Student Screening
Photography Student Exhibit Opening Reception
28
2015 Board of Trustees Dinner
17
Commencement
m ay
21
Accepted Student Day
22
21st Annual High School Juried Photography Exhibition Opening
Recital Hall, Villa Maria College 11:30 AM-12:30 PM
10
Paul William Beltz Family Art Gallery 5:00 PM-7:00 PM
16
Senior Recital: Ralph DeMarco, Saxaphone Recital Hall, Villa Maria College 7:00 PM-8:00 PM
18-19
Buffalo Small Press Book Fair
Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, Porter Hall 453 Porter Avenue | Buffalo, NY 14201 9:00 AM-6:00 PM
23
Honors Convocation
24
Graphic Design Senior Show
Recital Hall, Villa Maria College 7:00 PM-9:00 PM Buffalo Arts Studio, Tri-Main Center 2495 Main St #200 | Buffalo, NY 14214 6:00 PM-9:00 PM
The Edward H. Webster House 164 Lincoln Parkway | Buffalo, NY 14222 All Day Salvatore’s Italian Gardens 6461 Transit Road | Depew, NY 14043 6:00 PM
1
One World Fashion Show
1
Graphic Design Student Exhibit Opening Reception
Student Center, Villa Maria College 8:00 PM
15
Senior Recital: Jeffrey Fischer, Piano Recital Hall, Villa Maria College 4:00 PM-5:00 PM
Sophomore Short Animated Film Screening
Auditorium, Villa Maria College 6:00 PM-9:30 PM
Villa Maria College All Day
Main Building, Villa Maria College 12:00 PM-3:00 PM
Paul William Beltz Family Art Gallery 5:00 PM-7:00 PM
june
Paul William Beltz Family Art Gallery 5:00 PM-8:00 PM
9
North Park Theater 1428 Hertel Ave | Buffalo, NY 14216 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
12
27th Annual Villa Maria College Scholarship Golf Outing
Chestnut Hills Country Club 1330 Broadway | Darien Center, NY 14040 11:00 AM