The magazine of Villa Maria College
Fall / Winter 2015
VISTAS
The Magazine of Villa Maria College | Fall / Winter 2015 President
Sister Marcella Marie Garus, CSSF
Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Matthew Giordano
Vice President for Development Thomas P. Honan
Vice President for Enrollment Management & Student Services Brian Emerson
Vice President for Business Affairs Michael J. Eadie
Mission Leader
Sister Mary Louis Rustowicz, CSSF
Editors
Brian J. Emerson, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services Nancy Cardillo Joseph DiDomizio
Designer
Jesse Stoddard, Coordinator of Creative Services and Marketing
Writers
Elizabeth Battaglia Joseph DiDomizio Joyce Kessel Phillip Lee ‘17 Sabrina Pisano ‘08 Mary Robinson Lauren Weber ‘16 Tyler Welker
Proofreaders
Sister Mary Mark Janik, CSSF Blythe Kaczmarczyk Mary Robinson
Photography
Lloyd Mitchell ‘15 Gina O’Neil Tyler Welker Tom Wolf Imaging
Printed by
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Board of Trustees 2015-16 Catherine Grantier Cooley (Chairperson) Rev. Mark J. Wolski (Vice Chairperson) Sister Mary Francesca Buczkowski, CSSF, ’68 (Secretary) David M. Gelia (Treasurer) Msgr. Angelo Caligiuri John F. Daly, P.E. Erik P. DeGlopper Andrew Golebiowski David F. Granville Sister Suzanne Marie Kush, CSSF ‘70 James L. Lawicki II Honorable Ann T. Mikoll Sister Mary Geralyn Mroczkowski, CSSF James G. Pappas Lawrence F. Pignataro, Sr. ‘74 Joan M. Priebe Timothy Rider Terry Schweizer
CONTENTS
5
8
10
12
14
SECTIONS
FEATURES
4
A Message from the President
5
Campus News
8
14
Commencement 2015
16
Recent Grads
18
Internships
19
From the Alumni Office
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Arrives on Campus By Joseph DiDomizio
10
A Transformative Trip Abroad
2015 Spring study abroad program.
By Phillip Lee
12
Mike Andrzejewski
By Joseph DiDomizio
Villa students travel to London and Paris as part of the
Villa grad cooks up successful career.
FALL / WINTER 2015 | 3
a message from
our president FALL
is always an exciting time on campus
as students and faculty return for a new semester and a new beginning. This fall is especially exhilarating with new academic programs and new athletic teams. As such, we’ve put together one of our most exciting issues, beginning with our spotlight on Mike Andrzejewski ‘81 and looking at the various ways many of our students and alumni have taken what they learned at Villa Maria College into the real world. Our vision of becoming the premier student-centered educational institution in Western New York, revealed last year in the visionary plan, has never been closer to reality. Many of the proposed transformations on campus have been initiated, including the redeveloped Student Success Center, the creation of the Achieve Program for students with learning differences, and the addition of academic programs such as the recently added Occupational Therapy Assistant program. Outside of the classroom, the fall 2015 semester will bring the first men’s and women’s inter-collegiate basketball and soccer games to Villa in many years. In preparation for the new activities, renovations and updates have been made to Villa’s athletic center including new lighting and scoreboards for the gym, and a completely redeveloped weight room which will be available for use by all students.
We haven’t only been renovating our inside spaces; the grounds of the College have become a beautiful highlight of the campus. We have recently completed the repair of the front entrance of the main building and even added our own little Niagara Falls in the form of a fountain placed at the foot of the College seal. Our enrollment numbers increased in the fall 2014 semester, as those for other institutions across the region fell. Currently the enrollment for the start of the fall 2015 semester is strong. While that is not the only indicator of success, it certainly suggests Villa’s evolution is growing in the right direction. As our focus shifts toward the core values of Justice and Peace this year, I am just as energized to see how the service learning components for new students will deepen our relationships in the community and help us, as a college, focus on promoting the common good on campus and in the world. Come join us on campus soon – at a basketball game, music performance or a gallery opening – and see where our students, faculty, staff and alumni are taking Villa in the 21st century. I wish you peace and God’s blessings in the fall season and hope to see you soon!
Sister Marcella Marie Garus, CSSF President, Villa Maria College
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CAMPUS news Animation at the AlbrightKnox Villa Maria College Animation students screened their short film, “Obe” and roused the crowd at the Albright Knox Art Gallery with their presentation at Animotion on Friday, June 19. Students revealed to the audience how they made their film using the app, 123D Catch to scan willing participants’ heads to generate 3-D images. The digitized gala served to open the gallery’s new exhibit, Screenplay: Life in an Animated World, paying homage to the integral role animation has played in media over the past 25 years. DJs from Kiss 98.5 spun tunes from 1980s video games as attendees danced the night away, played arcade games and enjoyed food inspired by games such as Donkey Kong, Duck Hunt and Super Mario Brothers.
2015 Decorators’ Show House Using their talents to give back to the community, students, faculty and alumni of Villa Maria College participated in the 2015 Decorators’ Show House, sponsored by the Junior League of Buffalo.
Every two years, the Junior League selects a house and invites local interior designers to bid on rooms to redecorate. When finished, the house was open to the public for tours, with proceeds donated to a specified organization. The Edward H. Webster House at 164 Lincoln Parkway was chosen as the 2015 Decorators’ Show House.
Villa Maria College was an event sponsor this year for the first time. Current faculty members sold books and artwork in the College-sponsored boutique.
The Fresh Angles Art Studio, created by students, faculty and alumni of Villa’s Interior Design program for the 2015 Show House.
The Achieve Program provides specialized services to students with learning differences to support each individual in the transition to college. The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation supports community programming that results in children, adolescents, and young adults affected by substance abuse, learning disabilities, mental illness, and intellectual disabilities achieving their full potential. Need to do some historical research? Villa Maria College has a substantial collection of Buffalo Morning Express issues, from January 15, 1846 through August 2, 1882, on microfilm, covering an important period in Western New York and national history. Library Director Lucy Bungo arranged for a $7,000 Digital
Students in the Interior Design program have been successful participants in the event in the past, working alongside Buffalo’s best designers—many of whom are Villa alumni—to transform rooms into beautiful new spaces. This year, the Interior Design program undertook its most ambitious project: transforming an artist’s studio on the top floor. The room was a highlight of the house. The Junior League of Buffalo has sponsored the Decorators’ Show House since 1981 as a fund-raiser for local cultural and human service programs throughout Buffalo and Erie County.
Generous Grants A recent grant from The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation will support Villa’s Achieve Program for students with learning differences – a program offered by just two percent of colleges and universities nationwide. The $136,252 award will help support the program during the first three years of operation.
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CAMPUS news Preservation Grant provided through the Western New York Library Resource Council’s Regional Bibliographic Data Bases and Interlibrary Resources Sharing Program that will assist with the digitization and preservation of the majority of this collection, allowing researchers to access a wealth of local historical information on such topics as the Erie Canal, the assassinations of Presidents Abraham Lincoln and James Garfield, the election of Grover Cleveland to the mayoral office of Buffalo, as well as information on local business, politics and people. Grant funds totaling $18,050 from the Garman Family Foundation will be used toward equipping a new instructional lab for hands-on learning. The lab will provide a setting for Occupational Therapy Assistant students to learn how to care for patients who need help to overcome their limitations or impairments so they can function in everyday life.
One World Fashion Show
trimmed in the classic, the contemporary, the chic and the practical.
College Mourns Passing Benefactor The Villa Maria College community joins the Wick family in mourning the passing of Henry S. Wick on Wednesday, July 15, after a long illness. A practicing attorney and decorated Army veteran, Mr. Wick died in Buffalo’s VA Medical Center. He was 91.
From left to right: Lisa Scherrer, Yaryna Zhuk, Teeanna Taschetta, Sarah Bond. Not pictured: Walter Wallace.
Bond and Taschetta wowed the audience with their lines, Beautiful Liberty and The Expressionist, respectively, while Walter Wallace ‘15 brought fire with his Elements collection. Zhuk ‘15 closed out the event with her Best in Show award winning Pray for Ukraine line, inspired by her homeland.
Midtown Manhattan met Pine Ridge Road as Villa Maria College played host to the One World Fashion Show on Friday, May 1. The talents of Villa’s Fashion Design and Merchandising students shined in the impeccably decorated Social Hall in the campus Athletic Center.
Attendees received swag bags compliments of Total Tan, and posed for photos at the press wall before the show. Midnight Run Winery and Sublime Sweets provided complimentary refreshments.
Organized by Sarah Bond ‘15, Teeanna Taschetta ‘15 and Yaryna Zhuk ‘15 with instructor Lisa Scherrer, the show featured a number of student designs, with models walking the runway
The Fashion Design and Merchandising program has hosted a fashion show for five years which has grown in scope and size annually. The One World show is its largest production to date.
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Henry Wick was born in Buffalo in 1924, and attended the University at Buffalo where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in 1949 and his law degree in 1951. Mr. Wick practiced law until 2014. In the 1970s, Mr. Wick became an active benefactor and friend of the college, receiving the Founder’s Medal in 2012. He and his family donated the stained glass window installed on the east-facing wall of the college library, as well as many other generous gifts. This past spring, Mr. Wick was given the President’s Award by the Board of Trustees during the annual dinner and auction.
Ride For Roswell As cyclists battled chilly rain and whipping winds during the 2015 Ride For Roswell on June 27, Villa Maria College’s Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) students provided post-ride care for the riders, assisting with stretching, massages and aftercare education to participants who had cycled up to 45 miles in the downpour. The Ride for Roswell began in 1995 as an effort to raise money for research at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and is comprised of a series of cycling courses that span
Western New York and Southern Ontario. Dr. Kim Kotz, Professor & Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education at Villa, explained that cancer has touched a number of people’s lives on campus, including faculty and students. “For us, it’s personal,” said Dr. Kotz. “Students weren’t doing this because it’s a requirement. They were doing it because they wanted to make that difference...which is the best kind of service there is.” Villa PTA students were part of a group that provided a total of 60 volunteers for the race.
Skald Wins National Award for Design
production process helps create a vibrant and differentiated publication each year. Award recipients will be formally announced in an upcoming autumn issue of the Writer’s Chronicle, a national magazine published six times each academic year by AWP. The winning journal receives a $1,000 cash award for its institution. Previous award winners in design include Totem from Gannon University, 12th Street from The New School, and Quatro from Columbia University.
Professor Joyce Kessel, who has advised the magazine since 1978, also praised the efforts students put into the magazine, while graphic design instructor and fellow advisor, Julie Zack, noted that the collaborative
Brian Emerson, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services, said, “We used this process to engage the campus and the community in re-imagining the Villa athletics brand and mascot.”
Earlier this year, the 2014 issue of Skald received a Gold ADDY Award from the Ad Club of Buffalo, the Western New York affiliate of the American Advertising Federation.
In 2015, for the first time in its 38-year history, Villa Maria College’s annual literary and arts magazine, Skald, was awarded the National Program Directors’ Prize in the Design category from the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP). The judge praised the publication for its large format and utilization of grid, hierarchy and white space, allowing the reader to deeply engage with each piece of content. “We are honored to receive such a prestigious award,” said Bob Grizanti, graphic design professor and one of three faculty advisors of Skald.
Villa reached out to students, faculty, alumni and friends in January for suggestions as to what the new team mascot and name should be. By February, the field was narrowed to 32 possibilities. In a show of school spirit, the campus voted round and after round before arriving at a Final Four in early March.
The re-branding of Villa’s Viking mascot marks a new era in the college’s athletic history. Go to VILLAVIKINGS.COM to see more.
The three “runner-up” names – the Vanguards, Valkyries and Saints – each garnered 20% of the popular vote; however, the Vikings triumphed, as a proud tradition returned to Villa Maria College.
The cover of Skald 2014. Print designed by Nathaniel Miller (‘14)
Vikings Return to Villa As a new era gets underway with the return of intercollegiate athletics, Villa introduced a new and modern Viking mascot.
Director of Athletics and Men’s Basketball Coach, Don Silveri, said of the new logo, “I think it is one of the best logos I’ve seen in a while. The color scheme is great, and it jumps out at you, which is what you want in an athletics design.” Student athletes will be hitting the field and the court with the inauguration of men’s and women’s soccer and basketball this fall. Villa became a full member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association in June.
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NEW FACES
Fall 2015
James Lawicki II, Trustee The newest Villa Maria College Board of Trustees member, James Lawicki II, is actively involved in a number of organizations, including the Polish American Congress; vice chair of the Permanent Chair of Polish Culture at Canisius College; board member of Erie County Medical Center and member of the admission committee for the Buffalo Club. For his work promoting Polish culture throughout Western New York, Lawicki was named the Am-Pol Eagle Citizen of the Year in Culture for 2014.
OCCUPATIONAL
Other new faces include: Damone Brown - Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach Michael Hicks - Women’s Basketball Assistant Coach Michael McDowell - Academic Coach and Student Success Coordinator Alfred Parker - Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach Sr. Maria Pares - Women’s Basketball Assistant Coach Shantell Reid - Fashion Design and Merchandising Instructor Donald “DJ” Schier - Director of Student Life
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THERAPY ASSISTANT program arrives on campus.
WITH
the introduction of its Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program, Villa Maria College becomes the first private institution in Western New York to offer this area of study. The New York State Education Department approved the program on Thursday, June 4. According to the United States Department of Labor, Occupational Therapy is one of the top 20 growing occupations in the nation, with a 41% projected growth rate between 2012 and 2022. This translates into additional opportunities for students entering a job market hungry for their skills or to continue on with their studies. Students validated these trends by expressing significant interest throughout the summer in this new program. The program’s enrollment total at press time was tracking above projections for the inaugural fall semester.
Occupational Therapy Assistants help patients develop, recover and improve the skills needed for daily living and working, and are directly involved in providing therapy to patients under the direction of registered occupational therapists. According to the America Occupational Therapy Association, Inc., practitioners in the field are concerned with what skills and activities matter most to patients, and help them develop – or redevelop – those skills to continue doing meaningful activities. Professor Paula Velarde was hired to direct the program, and brings years of occupational therapy experience, including directing of training and education programs, and a specialization in pediatric occupational therapy. “The program at Villa will be hands on in its approach, and give students more
By Joseph DiDomizio
accommodate the program, including a shared multi-functional lab space with the Physical Therapist Assistant program, kitchen, simulated hospital rooms and a pediatric lab.
Professor Paula Velarde, Program Coordinator of Occupational Therapy Assistant Program.
of a focus on current trends in the field,” she said. Emerging areas the program will explore include working with Longevity Centers for seniors, as well as neonatal and mental health applications. Felician Hall has been remodeled to
“This is the type of program incoming students look to Villa for,” said Kevin Donovan, Director of Enrollment Management, “programs that are based on marketplace demand with a high growth potential and also fit into a wide range of our traditional course offerings.” Villa’s popular Physical Therapist Assistant program, which generates high amounts of interest each semester, will work well with the new Occupational Therapy Assistant program. Other programs, such as the recently developed Psychology program with its arts and music therapy minors, allow students to apply their skills in sciences and the arts toward similar therapeutic goals.
This is the type of program incoming students look to Villa for... ...Programs that are based on marketplace demand with a high growth potential and also fit into a wide range of our traditional course offerings.” -Kevin Donovan, Director of Enrollment Management
FALL / WINTER 2015 | 9
transformative trip abroad
Villa students travel to London and Paris as part of the 2015 Spring study abroad program.
By Phillip Lee, ‘17
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IN
May, 10 anxious and excited students, along with guests and faculty members, arrived exhausted and exhilarated at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris for this year’s study abroad trip. And, for the first time in the decade these trips have been offered, this year’s ten-day trip, split between England and France, was credit bearing. Students receive three credit hours as a general elective when registering for the class, making it possible to be incorporated into any of the programs available on campus. “You don’t experience life just by reading things that other people experienced,” said Sandra Reicis, Professor of Interior Design and coordinator of the trip. “It’s your own eyes, your own feelings. That’s what gives you that wealth of stuff inside of you that you’re going to draw upon.” Villa students made sketches at the fountains of Luxembourg Gardens and
other locations throughout the trip, and Melanie Bruning ‘17 plans to use some of the architectural and artistic characteristics she studied in her future designs. “You’re seeing so much and getting so much information that it felt like the trip was longer than it really was,” said Bruning, who experienced a level of connectedness she had not often realized stateside. For example, she noticed people in London and Paris were not isolated by wide avenues and many vehicles. Walking the streets of these cities made them feel more human, and the change in scale altered her and other students’ perspectives. Nicholas Johnston ‘15 recalled that, after having a conversation with a hotel employee in London close to his age who had immigrated to Britain from a war-torn state, he felt “the warm wash of humility, empathy and compassion for humanity.”
You don’t experience life just by reading things that other people experienced... It’s your own eyes, your own feelings. That’s what gives you that wealth of stuff inside of you that you’re going to draw upon. - Sandra Reicis, Professor of Interior Design
All students who have taken this trip, according to Reicis, experience a transformative moment by the journey’s end. She refers to this as “the more quiet kind of lessons that underlie the experience. It’s getting a sense of how you’re the same and how you’re different from other cultures and feeling it.” The next trip is set for May 2017 and will bring students through Italy, including stops in Venice, the Vatican and Rome. Students will be able to sign up this fall.
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Mike Andrzejewski
Villa grad cooks up a successful career.
IT
should come as no surprise that Chef Mike Andrzejewski ’81 loves to eat. As the owner of four Buffalo restaurants, he is one of the most respected chefs the city has produced, and his passion for food is evident at each location. With a very full plate managing Seabar with his wife Sherri, as well as Tappo with Rocco Termini, Cantina Loco and Bourbon and Butter, Andrzejewski still finds time to give back to his community. A member of the James Beard Foundation, he was the first chef from Buffalo to be chosen as a semi-finalist for Best Chef in the Northeast by the prestigious culinary organization, and still works on the line in his kitchens, pulling 12- to 16-hour days producing some of the most delicious food and best dining experiences in the city. “Ever since I was a kid, I just loved food. I like seeing it grow, I like the process of taking it and transforming it, I like what it does to people, you know, it’s such a part of life,” he said. Growing up in Lancaster, NY, Andrzejewski was enticed by the excitement and glamor of restaurants, and began his career at 16 years old, bussing tables at Salvatore’s Italian Gardens in the late ‘70s. He quickly transitioned to his true calling, in the kitchen, and has worked in restaurants ever since.
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By Joseph DiDomizio
After a stint at Erie Community College, Andrzejewski enrolled in Villa Maria College’s former Hospitality Services Management program. What drew him to Villa was the campus culture. Instead of a diploma factory, he explained that there was an open culture of learning, which exposed him to new perspectives and let him learn from more disciplines outside of his program. “I really enjoyed it, I felt like I really fit into the program. There were a lot of diverse types of people there, a lot of arts people, music people, design people, and it made for a better college experience,” he said. While taking classes at and after graduating from Villa, Andrzejewski worked at the upscale Pierce Arrow in Williamsville. From there he cooked at a number of Western New York restaurants, including Warren’s in North Tonawanda, Rue Franklin downtown, and Oliver’s in North Buffalo, before opening Tsunami in 2001 with Sherri. Critically lauded, the Asian-fusion Kenmore restaurant was a bright spot on a not yet energized culinary scene.
In August of 2005, Andrzejewski was in a devastating motorcycle crash that resulted in the amputation of his left leg above his knee. After two months in the hospital and several more recovering, he was back in his kitchen, but the restaurant closed the next year. After a short hiatus, Mike and his wife opened Seabar on Main Street in 2007, moving it to its current Ellicott Street location in 2010. The move downtown began a working relationship with developer Rocco Termini, owner of the Hotel Lafayette, where Bourbon and Butter is located. Termini also owns the buildings that house Seabar and Tappo, and runs the business side of the latter. Andrzejewski opened another restaurant, Cantina Loco on Allen Street, with partner with Kyle Mackewicz.
to Seychew, the chefs who compete say they’re nervous about cooking live, but she thinks it’s cooking in front of Andrzejewski that shakes them up more.
Buffalo Spree Senior Editor Christa Glennie Seychew asked Andrzejewski to be a commentator for Nickel City Chef, a live cooking competition between area chefs. “I needed a chef no one could argue with, was an authority and who wanted to be involved in what is essentially a very collaborative series of projects,” she explained in an email.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a chef who has this many things to worry about get into the sauté line and really cook, “ Parra said. “It was awesome to know that even though he’s got this tremendous success, he still enjoys the day-to-day cooking. I think that’s where he’s most happy.”
Andrzejewski quickly became an integral part of the popular event. The audience loves him and, according
“Food is his soul, his drive, and he’s so passionate about it,” said Chris Daigler, the Chef at Bourbon and Butter. When Daigler was getting into the industry, he wanted to work for Andrzejewski because he was the best chef in the city. In 2000 he got the call to work at Oliver’s. “I’ve never really experienced, after leaving Oliver’s, that same passion,” he said. Victor Parra, Chef at Jaguar at the Bistro in Youngstown, NY, came to Western New York five years ago and had heard about Andrzejewski.
“Ever since I was a kid, I just loved food. I like seeing it grow, I like the process of taking it and transforming it, I like what it does to people, you know, it’s such a part of life.” -Mike Andrzejewski, ‘81
Andrzejewski doesn’t have any plans for another one. “I want to make sure people can continue to enjoy the ones we have so they have a good experience and can come back,” he said. With his passion and dedication, that seems to be a safe bet.
Even for one of the hardest-working men in Buffalo, with partners and a support team, maintaining four restaurants is not easy. So for now
SPRING | 13
2015 Special awards and ceremonies mark Villa’s 51st annual commencement.
CLOSE
to 100 students received their degree during Villa Maria College’s 51st Commencement on May 17, 2015. The graduates were recognized and honored with a full day of exercises, beginning with a Hooding Ceremony and liturgy in the Villa Maria Convent Chapel and ending with a reception for graduates and their families on the campus lawn. Commencement exercises were held in the Auditorium. Sister Mary Raymond Kasprzak, CSSF Ph.D., was awarded the Founder’s Medal for her exemplary service not only to the college, but the local, national and international communities.
Tara Clack ‘15 was awarded the Blessed Mary Angela Mission Award, which is given annually at Commencement to the most outstanding graduate of Villa Maria College. The award is selected by the President of the college and her cabinet, and based on nominations from faculty and staff. The Martin Wanamaker Spirit Award was given to Joe Tronolone ‘15 for his distinguished work in promoting spirit on campus. The Villa Maria College mace, which was designed and fashioned by renowned artist and Assistant Professor Jesse Walp, was officially presented to the college at Convocation, where it was displayed for the first time. The mace is the symbol of the college’s unity and represents the college culture through its values, ideals and history.
RECENT GRADS
chris erckert
& james sacchi
Villa’s animated relationship with Fisher-Price.
VILLA
By Tyler Welker
Pictured above (left to right): James Sacchi (‘13); Chris Erckert (‘15); Tyler Welker, Assistant Professor of Animation
Maria College has had a long-standing connection with East Aurora-based toymaker, Fisher-Price, through its Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation program. Animation Professors Sarah Hanson and Rodrigo Gomez have a combined 20 years of experience in design visualization at Fisher-Price. In addition, veteran animation program adjunct instructors, Matt Quest and Scott Mawhiney ‘13, currently work in design visualization at Fisher-Price.
“We were primarily responsible for creating virtual demonstrations and sizzle animations of yet-to-be-released toys,” Welker said. The products range from newborn to pre-school items and are expected to be on the shelves within the next year.
This summer, Tyler Welker, Assistant Professor of Animation, Chris Erckert ‘15 and James Sacchi ‘13 received temporary contracts as 3D artists working in design visualization at FisherPrice’s Viz Lab, which is made up of digital media artists and animators who create the various digital media assets of FisherPrice products, including computer-generated visualizations to aid in marketing and advertising.
“They’re local, and they’re a great company,” Welker said. “It gives our students and graduates an opportunity to do what they love, continue to build their skills and have a bit of fun. It’s a win-win.”
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Animation students at Villa receive a broad range of skills, most of which can be utilized in practical ways with companies like Fisher-Price.
lloyd mitchell A Grad With a Fire in His Belly.
RECENT GRADS
By Joyce Kessel
FLAMES
engulfing houses, firefighters consoling each other and water main breaks flooding streets are just a few of the images Lloyd Mitchell ’15, a graduate of Villa’s Creative Writing and Literature program, has captured during his tenure as a freelance photojournalist with the Canarsie Courier newspaper in Brooklyn, NY. Working for a community newspaper affords Mitchell the opportunity to cover a variety of subjects, from a colorful Chinese New Year in Marine Park to political speakers at a new hospital clinic in East New York. However, his favorite task is photographing firefighters in action. In 2009, Mitchell became fascinated by firefighting culture and how firefighters operated. He decided to photograph them from a tactical standpoint, especially focusing on Engine Companies, Truck Companies, and Special Operations Units. In 2013 a member of a truck company was searching in the basement for victims in a hoarding fire, and Mitchell was in the right place to snap a photo that would become one of his favorites.
Above: Lloyd Mitchell (‘15) Below: Photograph by Lloyd Mitchell (‘15)
“It was one of those lucky shots,” he said. “Thankfully, no one was found in the area he was searching.” Mitchell was awarded his first cover with Fire Engineering Magazine in July 2015 and has seven future covers lined up with the publication. He attributes this early success to the “fundamentals for the real world” he learned at Villa, including critical thinking skills, written communication skills and time management strategies. Working hard at his craft while at Villa prepared him for this opportunity to do what he loves. “Life after Villa is all about being in the right place at the right time,” Mitchell said. “Make sure you do what you love for your job or career.”
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INTERNSHIPS
In their own
WORDS Villa student reflects on Spring internship experience. By Lauren Weber ‘16 Pictured: Lauren Weber (‘16)
FOR
my Spring 2015 internship, I found a great match in Holly Henderson, the founder and owner of a fashion line called Simply Natural Clothing, which operates with the mantra of “sustainability, no waste and made in America.” Holly uses primarily Alpaca yarn to make her products, which include cold weather accessories, dresses, cardigans and other sweaters and home décor. I was introduced to Holly by Yaryna Zhuk ‘15 and Walter Wallace ‘15, who now work for Holly. She was in need of a merchandiser and, after seeing my portfolio of work, was impressed with my design skills and wanted to utilize them. My experience at Simply Natural Clothing was very hands on. Holly designs her own garments, inputting the type of stitch and sizing using an in-depth computer program, and then uploads digital files of her pieces to one of her two giant knitting machines. As her business grows, she hopes to acquire more technology, with a goal of becoming a manufacturer for other designers and boutique owners.
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I could not have asked for a better internship, as I gained valuable knowledge as to how a business works, while building on what I learned in the Fashion Design and Merchandising program at Villa. I believe I am better prepared for the working world, and look forward to growing in the field.”
Thanks to my experience with Holly, I built up my portfolio while applying my working knowledge of industry tools. On top of practical skills I already had, she taught me how to do so much more. She also allowed me to sit in on business meetings and phone conferences, and she valued my opinion, often taking my suggestions seriously. I could not have asked for a better internship, as I gained valuable knowledge as to how a business works, while building on what I learned in the Fashion Design and Merchandising program at Villa. I believe I am better prepared for the working world, and look forward to growing in the field.
ALUMNI BOARD Members The Villa Alumni Association is pleased to announce that the following alumni are serving as Alumni Board members:
THE
2014-2015 academic year was very busy and exciting for the Villa Maria College Alumni Association, as it was heavily involved both with the student body and the Buffalo community as well. Here’s a snapshot of some of the Association’s accomplishments: • Graduates of the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program had a chance to get together and reminisce in September at a Reunion Night put together by the Association to celebrate 15 years of the PTA program. • The Association sponsored the annual Mass of Remembrance in March, providing volunteers to do readings, carry gifts and greet families attending the Mass. • Graduating students were able to interact with recent Villa graduates, now successfully employed in the local community, at a panel discussion in November. The students were able to ask questions, receive advice and benefit from the experiences of graduates from many of Villa’s programs. • In May, the Association partnered with the Student Life office to host a party at the Millennium Hotel for the graduating class of 2015 – a great way for them to “let loose” before starting their new lives as Villa Maria College grads! • The Association’s biggest and most popular event was Vera Bradley Bingo, which helps fund the Alumni Association Scholarship. Participants throughout the community vied for the chance to win one of these highly sought after bags. The Alumni Association looks forward to planning more exciting and fun events for the upcoming year, such as the Alumni Night at Lancaster Opera House Dinner Theater on November 21st, “Murder at the Wedding Reception.” (See upcoming events.)
Heather Bellini Photography – ‘00 Liz Bukowski Photography – ‘14 LaShawn Chinn Business – ‘03 Mary Lucy Drabczyk Music – ‘03 Rachel Ecklund Music Industry – ‘12 Sara Gleason Interior Design – ‘10 Valerie Kasinski Photography – ‘14 Marc Muroff Physical Therapist Assistant – ‘14 Sabrina Pisano Physical Therapist Assistant – ‘08 Samantha Tagliarino Graphic Design – ‘09
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID
Buffalo, NY Permit No. 16
Development Office
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Felician Hall 240 Pine Ridge Road Buffalo, NY 14225 www.villa.edu
Upcoming Events september Sep.18Oct. 16
29
Journey Inward/Journey Outward: Selected Works by Gary L. Wolfe Paul William Beltz Family Art Gallery “Give Yourself an Opportunity”: A talk by Daniel Seddiqui Recital Hall, Main Building 11:00 AM-12:00 PM
o c to b e r
1-9
Heritage Days Campus wide, Villa Maria College
6
Felician Hall Open House Felician Hall, Villa Maria College 5:00 PM-7:00 PM
7
Health Sciences Program Night Main Building 5:30 PM-7:30 PM
8
M&T Concert Series: Zhongbei Wu Recital Hall, Main Building 11:00 AM-12:00 PM
21 30-31
Art Program Information Night Main Building 5:30 PM-7:30 PM Tip Off Tournament – Women’s and Men’s Basketball Gymnasium, Athletic Center Women’s Basketball: 6:00 PM / 8:00 PM Men’s Basketball: 2:00 PM / 4:00 PM
n ov e m b e r
4
Women’s and Men’s Basketball vs. Genesee CC Gymnasium, Athletic Center 6:00 PM / 8:00 PM
7
Men’s Basketball vs. Concordia University Gymnasium, Athletic Center 3:00 PM
8
11 15
Villa Maria College Circle of Friends Holiday Luncheon and Basket Raffle Millennium Hotel – Presidential Ballroom 10:30 AM
n ov e m b e r
21
Alumni Night: Dinner Theater “Murder at the Wedding Reception” Eddie Ryan’s, Lancaster, NY 7:00 PM
december
1
Men’s Basketball vs. Point Park Gymnasium, Athletic Center 7:30 PM
2
Men’s Basketball vs. Maine Fort Kent Gymnasium, Athletic Center 7:30 PM
Fall Open House Campus Wide 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
10
Women’s Basketball vs. Fisher College Gymnasium, Athletic Center Time: TBA
M&T Concert Series: Kevin Doyle’s “Why Not?” Recital Hall, Main Building 11:00 AM-12:00 PM
21
Women’s and Men’s Basketball vs. Sheridan Gymnasium, Athletic Center 2:00 PM / 4:00 PM
23
Women’s and Men’s Basketball vs. Pitt Titusville Gymnasium, Athletic Center 8:00 PM / 6:00 PM
12
M&T Concert Series: Joe Ford Recital Hall, Main Building 11:00 AM-12:00 PM
Nov. 20- Fashion Design & Merchandising and Dec.11 Animation Programs Student Exhibit Paul William Beltz Family Art Gallery, Main Building
Fore more details and to see a full list of calendar events, go to: VILLA.EDU/CALENDAR