June 2018

Fifteen members of The University of Scranton’s class of 2018 committed to post-graduation long-term service projects with nonprofit organizations and underserved populations throughout the country and internationally. Their service begins this summer and includes programs run by the Jesuit Volunteer Corps.

Members of the University’s class of 2018 who committed to long-term service projects and their places of service are:

Samantha Austin of Bethany, Connecticut, Jesuit Volunteer Corps as a case worker at Women Against Abuse & Amaya’s Place, Philadelphia;

Catherine Bruno of Westfield, New Jersey, Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Tacna, Peru;

Kathryn Cantafio of Scranton, Americorps at Keep Houston Housed, Houston, Texas;

Timothy Dodds of Suffield, Connecticut, Jesuit Volunteer Corps;

William Giuliano of Verona, New Jersey, Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) at St. Joseph’s University as a teacher at Bonner-Prendergast High School, Philadelphia;

Harry Helbock of Cohasset, Massachusetts, Amate House, Chicago, Illinois;

Adrian Laudani of Valley Stream, New York, Jesuit Volunteer Corps as a refugee settlement specialist in Atlanta, Georgia

Luis Melgar of Simpson, Jesuit Volunteer Corps as a pastoral minister, Andahualillas, Peru;

Aileen Moore of Yonkers, New York, Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) at St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia;

Monica O’Malley of Scranton, Operation TEACH, as a middle school language arts teacher, Baltimore, Maryland;

Amy O’Neill of Wilmington, Delaware, Maggie’s Place, Phoenix, Arizona;

Daniel O’Reilly of Flushing, New York, Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) Notre Dame University as a history teacher at Bonner-Prendy High School, Fort Worth, Texas;

Emily Paparazzo of Paupack, Jesuit Volunteer Corps as a physical education teacher at Delores Mission School, Los Angeles, California;

Natalie Rossi of Canton, Massachusetts, St. Joseph Worker Program as an assistant case manager at Homeboy Industries, Los Angeles, California;

Raquel Wasserman of Pound Ridge, New York, Covenant House, St. Louis, Missouri.

Nationally recognized for its commitment to service, The University of Scranton was among just 361 colleges in the nation to earn the highly-respected Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Community Engagement Classification and was among the higher education institutions named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. Each year, more than 2,800 Scranton students volunteer for more than 175,000 hours of service.

The Fall Club Fair will be held on Friday, Aug. 31 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on the Dionne Green. The rain location is the DeNaples ballroom.

Clubs, Organizations & Offices can register a table by going to this link.

The following students were added to The University of Scranton Dean’s List for the fall 2017 semester after publication of the list in January of 2018.

The Dean’s List recognizes students for academic excellence during the 2017 fall semester. A student must have a grade point average of 3.5 or better with a minimum number of credit hours to make the Dean’s List. The list includes students from the Jesuit university’s College of Arts and Sciences, the Kania School of Management and the Panuska College of Professional Studies.

Students added to the fall 2017 Dean’s List are:

Charles E. Kratz, dean of the library and information fluency at The University of Scranton, awarded the 2018 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Upper-level Category to Maura C. Burns of Jessup, a senior history major with minors in biology and biochemistry; the 2018 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Foundational Category to first-year accounting major Nicole Cavanaugh of Dallas; and the 2018 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Graduate Category to occupational therapy student Emily Dineen of Bethel, Connecticut.

The Weinberg Memorial Library at the University inaugurated the prize in 2011 to recognize excellence in research projects that show evidence of significant knowledge of the methods of research and the information gathering process, and use of library resources, tools and services. In 2017, the prize was named for Professor Emerita Bonnie W. Oldham, who founded the prize at the University in 2011.

Burns won in the Undergraduate Upper-level Category for the winning project completed in a 200- to 400-level course. She submitted to the competition her paper “Medicine in the American Revolution,” completed in the course Senior Seminar on the American Revolution (HIST 490) taught by David Dzurec III, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the History Department. Researching and writing on a topic that combined her love for medicine and her passion for history, Burns utilized many of the Library’s resources and services to complete the research for this project, including the databases, the Library catalog and print collection, the eBook collection, EBSCOhost’s digital archives, the online research guide for History, the Circulation Services desk and the printing and scanning stations throughout the Library. Through the websites curated on the Library’s History research guide, she discovered digital archival resources relevant to her inquiry that are housed outside of the University. In her application essay, she stated, “I learned that The University of Scranton website connects to a network of libraries and resources that helped me form the backbone of my paper.” Burns also noted that “just like history, research is unpredictable” and that “research is a learning experience in and of itself.”

Honorable Mention awards in the Undergraduate Upper-level Category were presented to Catherine McManus of Brookfield, Connecticut, a junior biology major with a minor in political science, who submitted her paper “Exploring the Interaction of Climate Change and Rapid Evolution Through the Expansion of Invasive Weed Ranges” that was completed in the course Evolution (BIOL 375); and to group partners Luis Melgar of Simpson, a senior exercise science major with minors in Spanish and theology, and Julianne Burrill of New City, New York, a junior exercise science major, for their project “The Effects of Dynamic and Static Stretching on Acute Lower Extremity Flexibility,” completed in the course Research Methods (EXSC 448).

Cavanaugh, winner in the Undergraduate Foundational Category for projects completed at the 100-level, submitted to the competition her paper “There’s No Gain in the Globalization Game,” completed in the Composition course (WRTG 107), taught by Dawn D’Aries Zera, adjunct professor of English and theatre. To complete her research, Cavanaugh took advantage of the Library’s Research Services, made available to students at the Research Services desk on the second floor of the Library. By visiting the Research Services desk and consulting with the faculty Librarian working there, she learned the vast amount of information available to students through the University’s Library resources. As Cavanaugh states in her application essay, “A few clicks from the university homepage and I was connected to thousands of media sources, books, magazines, articles, journals and more.” She also describes as part of her research process the importance of organizing the information she found into the main points of her paper’s outline through the combined use of a research log, the citation generators in the Library’s databases and folders on her computer, all of which she used to organize and cite the sources she found.

Honorable Mention awards in the Undergraduate Foundational Category were presented to group partners James P. McKane Jr. of Archbald, a history major, and Alana Siock of Jefferson Township, a French major, for their Digital History (HIST 190) course project “The Jesuit Takeover of the University of Scranton;” and to physiology major Sydney Vanvourellis of Hillsborough, New Jersey, for her essay “Is Stress just in your Head?,” completed in her Composition course (WRTG 107).

Dineen, winner in the Graduate Category, submitted to the competition her project “Historical Analysis,” completed in the course Leadership in Occupational Therapy (OT 501), taught by Marlene Joy Morgan, Ed.D., associate professor of occupational therapy. In this project students were asked to research a topic by reading the occupational therapy literature dating back to 1917 when the field was founded. Dineen researched sensory integration intervention in pediatric occupational therapy. She accessed the occupational therapy literature through use of the Library’s resources including microfilm, indexes, databases and print journals. Dineen shared in her description of research that her process included both “careful planning” to locate articles relevant to her topic, as well as “serendipitous” discovery of articles that contributed to her understanding, and that she “learned not to be afraid to ask for help.” Of her research process for the project she said, “I was able to literally see the progression of the sensory integration approach and of the profession itself,” calling it a “historical immersive experience.”

Prize winners were honored at reception in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library.

For more information about the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize, contact Donna Witek, information literacy coordinator at the University’s Weinberg Memorial Library, at 570-941-4000 or donna.witek@scranton.edu.

 (Above photo) From left: Donna Witek, information literacy coordinator; Brian Conniff, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Nicole Cavanaugh, recipient of the 2018 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Foundational Category; and Charles Kratz, dean of the library and information fluency.

(Above photo) From left: Donna Witek, information literacy coordinator; Emily Dineen, recipient of the 2018 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Graduate Category; Charles Kratz, dean of the library and information fluency; Marlene Joy Morgan, Ed.D., associate professor of occupational therapy; and Victoria Castellanos, Ph.D., associate dean of the Panuska College of Professional Studies.

In the beginning of June, I went on an international service trip to El Salvador. Prior to leaving, my mind was full of expectations. I desperately wanted to be a part of the groups that return from their trips and claim that they have been changed for life. However, I was placed on an immersion trip. This meant I would not be providing the Salvadorans with anything tangible. I would not build a house or feed a village; rather, I would have to allow myself to be served. I remember asking myself, what is going to change me if I am not the one serving? What could I possibly learn from being served?

CRISPAZ, Christians for Peace in El Salvador, stresses service through accompaniment. Dean Brackley speaks on the idea of “downward mobility” or lowering your social status to live in solidarity “with”. Sometimes service takes on a lens in which the higher class serves the lower, but there is maybe something more valuable in practicing Dean Brackley’s downward mobility. It takes work, and it is something that my group and I developed all week, but I believe that we succeeded.

During our nightly reflections, Francisco, the executive director of CRISPAZ, recited this quote from Dean Brackley: “Have the courage to let your heart be broken. Have the courage to feel with these folks. Have the courage to fall in love. Have the courage to get ruined for life.” I can honestly say that no words better embody my experiences in El Salvador than these words.

The Breaking Heart

I found developing courage very difficult. I kept measuring everything by these expectations that I had created. These expectations kept me from experiencing anything for a little while. Only when one experience did not fit my preconceptions was I able to finally able exercise my courage. 

One morning our group headed into the heart of San Salvador for a school visit to the Santa Luisa School, which Scranton has a close connection to. Our alumni assist in paying students’ tuition at $50 a year. Father Lally raised funds to put a roof over the recess/courtyard area so the students can still have recess during the 5-month-long rainy season. As we were entering the school, Fr. Ron told us that these students would see our group as rock stars. I thought that there would maybe be 50 kids waiting to greet us inside the walls, but I was wrong. When we walked into the courtyard, nearly 300 students erupted in applause. I had tears in my eyes, but all I could do was hold a smile, which was the only thing that had kept me from crying. Personally, I had not done anything for these students, but they connected me with the good that Scranton had done for them.

The students performed elaborate dances and songs. One of my favorites was a rendition of “Stand by Me.” A group of six students began singing along with Ben E. King’s track. As the song progressed all of us and the 300 students were singing too. We made a sung promise to stand by each other and love one another. As I think about this moment today all I can do is smile, but still in an effort not to cry.

The day at the Santa Luisa School warmed my heart and created great anguish. I learned that some students travel more than hours by bus, car, and sometimes foot to get to school in the morning. One young boy in 4^th grade said that he wakes up at 2:30 a.m. every day in order to arrive to school on time. This particular school ends at 9^th grade, then the students go to college, but only those who can afford it. For the majority of the students in the Santa Luisa School education stops at 9^th grade. My heart broke knowing that I had access to an education that sometimes I took for granted. At that moment I was fully aware and accompanying these children with compassion that only came from having the courage to let my heart be broken.

The Loving Heart

Experiencing love started with an overnight visit to a village in the Salvadoran compo, El Papaturro. We took a bumpy bus ride down a stone-paved road into the center of town. We divided into groups of two and stayed with a host family for the night. I saw such poverty, but the extreme happiness of the people in the village overshadowed it. We assisted in constructing a park for the children in Papaturro. They collected many tires, which would become just about everything in the park. When the availability of tools hindered our assistance, we played with the children. Now is a good time to mention that I do not speak any Spanish. I thought that I would have great difficulty communicating during this trip, but a smile and lots of laughter are universal forms of communication.

A little girl named Sochi stayed by my side most of the day. First, she brought me a fresh mango that her friend had thrown to her from a tree. My group, Sochi, and her friends played lots of games with the spare tires. I did not realize how versatile tires were until the children taught us. The tires were trampolines, a tunnel, seats, a train, rolled to play catch with, an obstacle course, and a game of hopscotch. By American standards, this may seem very minimal, a park of tires. I am 20 years old, and I loved Papaturro’s tire park. I had not had that much technology-free fun in years.

Before we left the next day, I asked Sochi if she would take a picture with me. I lifted her up off of the ground and she giggled with a bright smile on her face. Sochi knew that I didn’t speak Spanish, as I had informed her of that fact in my terrible Spanish, but she did her absolute best to communicate with me through gestures. I did not realize until now how valuable our games of communication charades were. It is not always needed to use words. Love has a way of communicating all its own. Those two days I fell in love. I loved that in Papaturro every single person used all that they have and all that they are to love one another.

The Aching Heart

Here I am now, ruined for life. 

My first day back in America I sat and told my parents my stories, those of the Salvadorans. I thought of every smiling and crying face that I had encountered. I thought of the heartbreaks and the love just the same, but I was no longer immersed in the environment in which I found it. During the car ride home from Newark Airport, I sat with a tear-stained face as I told my dad how for the first time since my grandmother’s death, I was able to find God. I had to leave my comfort zone. I had to drop all expectations. I had to be vulnerable. Most importantly, I had to live “with.” I still carry this vulnerability with me. While I sit at work I think about El Salvador. I think about how some Americans generalize and categorize El Salvador as a crime-ridden and gang-run country when that is not the reality. A Salvadoran woman told us that even though many Americans tend to think these horrible things about her country, her home, she still loves us. The fact that someone could love a person despite hatred ruined me even more.

At the end of our trip, we visited the church where Monsignor Romero was murdered; I prayed. I cannot write it as eloquently as I had prayed it, but I vowed to never remain silent to injustice. It is truly an injustice to believe these lies about El Salvador. The Salvadorans are wonderful, warm, loving people. El Salvador is a beautiful country with a rich history. If you’re curious, I urge you to look into it or ask me about it. I know that I left a piece of heart in El Salvador and although I could not claim this on my customs form, I brought a piece of El Salvador home with me in my mind and soul. It took courage, but I must thank the Salvadorans who served me, broke my heart, and showed me love, you have done more for me than I could ever repay you for in my lifetime.

A new affiliation between The University of Scranton and Duquesne University School of Law, Pittsburgh, gives Scranton students the option of automatic admission to the law school after completion of three years at Scranton and a minimum scholarship of $25,000 per year while at Duquesne for students who meet program requirements.

The agreement, which will take effect beginning with the 2018-19 academic year, will allow Scranton students to earn a bachelor’s degree from Scranton and juris doctor (JD) degree from Duquesne in six, rather than seven years. Through what is commonly referred to as a “3-3 program,” the agreement allows eligible Scranton students to complete their senior year bachelor’s degree requirements during the first year of law school at Duquesne. Approved courses would count toward both the student’s law degree at Duquesne and his or her bachelor’s degree at Scranton. The program is not compatible with all undergraduate majors at Scranton.

To be eligible for guaranteed admission through this program, students must have completed three-years of required coursework for a bachelor’s degree program with a minimum of 63 credits completed at Scranton. Eligible students must also have a grade-point-average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher and a LSAT score of 154 or higher, in addition to meeting other character and fitness requirements.

Scranton has a similar agreement with Villanova School of Law.

Beginning in the fall semester, the University will offer a new concentration in legal studies for students preparing for law school, as well as those interested in studying law at the undergraduate level. The flexible curriculum allows students to both advance their understanding of the law and develop skills necessary for success in law school.

In addition, Scranton has a Pre-Law Advisory Program that helps students navigate the law school application process throughout their undergraduate years. The program also offers assistance to Scranton alumni who wish to apply to law school.

In the past four years, more than 130 Scranton graduates have received acceptance into more than 50 law schools throughout the United States, including to some of the country’s most prestigious law schools.

For more information, visit scranton.edu/academics/cas/pre-law/, or contact Matthew Meyer, Ph.D., pre-law advisor and associate professor of philosophy at The University of Scranton, at 570-941-5814 or matthew.meyer@scranton.edu.

When I was told my ISP experience would involve building a home in the Dominican Republic, I didn’t know what to expect. I could have never imagined the warm welcome my group and I would receive, the community that would come to touch our lives or the beautiful lessons we would learn along the way. In one week with Cambiando Vidas, the organization the runs the project, we were able to build a family in San Juan not only a house but a home. In return, the family and members of the entire San Juan community helped to give us an experience that we will never forget.

Throughout the week, we worked side by side with the founder of Cambiando Vidas, Jose “Pepo” Abreu, and the community of San Juan. Cambiando Vidas was established in 1997 by Jose as a way to give back to a community that gave so much to him and his family. In 1997, Jose’s mother’s home was destroyed by a fire while he was overseas. In an incredible act of kindness, his neighbors and community came together to build his mother a new home, even more beautiful than she had before. To this day, Jose does not know the names of all of the people who contributed to this incredible act of generosity. To pay forward this compassionate deed, Jose established an organization dedicated to building homes for deserving families in impoverished areas of the Dominican Republic. Since its inception, Cambiando Vidas has helped numerous families build new lives by helping to build them new homes; my group and I were fortunate enough to lend a hand in the 86^th.

During our first night in the DR, we were fortunate to meet the family we would be building with throughout the week: a young couple named Bladimir and Yosanny, and their four-year-old daughter, Josenni. We learned that they rented only half of a small house that was just big enough for their king size bed and a few other items. They did not have their own kitchen, bathroom or a space for their daughter to have her own bed. We were blessed to be able help build a home for them about four times larger than their current one, and it the first house Bladimir and his family could call their own.

Every morning when our bus would arrive at the build site, we were not entirely sure what our jobs would be. From forming lines to pass buckets of concrete into the house, shoveling rocks and moving cinderblocks, to pulling the nails out of planks of wood and painting the finished walls – each day presented new surprises and challenges. Yet, one thing always remained the same – the incredible kindness, patience and warmth of the strangers with whom we worked and interacted. Though many of us were unable to speak the same language and sometimes struggled to communicate at the site, those with whom we worked never became angry, exasperated or upset with us. Instead, they greeted us with open arms, minds and hearts.

The love we felt from the family, neighbors and entire community leaves me at a loss for words. Day in and day out, the people of the Dominican Republic inspired and motivated us to work hard as they continued to give everything they had at the site at all hours of the day. Individuals who had even less than the family showed up all week to aid their neighbors; even the smallest children wanted to lend a hand. What is more, the women of the community made all of us an amazing lunch each day. One neighbor even allowed our group –  13 strangers –  to leave our personal belongings in the bedroom of her home. They all taught us how to open our hearts to others, appreciate the value of living in the moment, and to find joy in the little things every day. The community’s willingness to accept us as extended members of one large family was incredible.

When we finished the home and presented the Bladimir and Yosanny with the keys, they told us that we would always have a home in the Dominican Republic. I cannot thank them, the community or Jose enough for making this experience unforgettable. Cambiando Vidas is Spanish for “changing lives” and, without a doubt, this experience changed ours.

No amount of words can truly express the transformative power of a service trip. However, the people at Bean’s Café in Anchorage, Alaska spoke words my group and I could not possibly forget. Immediately after finals week, nine students and I along with our two chaperones served meals to the homeless of Anchorage, Alaska. Nevertheless, the entire experience felt like we were the ones being served, cared for and looked after.

Bean’s Café can be described as home to many of the homeless and food-insecure of Anchorage. Bean’s is a day shelter that serves approximately 700 meals a day between breakfast and lunch. All are accepted at Bean’s. No one is required to prove that they fall below the poverty line or even prove that they’re homeless. They serve everyone from the homeless to the non-homeless, specifically the food-insecure people of Anchorage. To most of the destitute people of Alaska, this is a place of refuge, acceptance and community.

Across the parking lot from Bean’s Café stands Brother Francis Shelter where our group spent two nights serving dinner and cleaning up the campus. Brother Francis provides many services to aid the homeless community in transitioning out of homelessness. Most remarkably, they board approximately 300 people a night. Mattresses are lined up edge to edge in every single hallway and room of the facility. Brother Francis works under the umbrella of Catholic Social Services, where our group spent time cleaning the pantry and walking people through a grocery store they created.

CSS organized a room of pantry items into a grocery store for food-insecure people to shop and pick out food they want based on a point system. The people going through the grocery store held a card with the number of family members they had and on each shelf of food there was a chart that explained how many items each family could receive based on their number of family members. This allows Alaskans to spend money on bills rather than food shopping, helping them stay afloat in difficult times.

From our very first day when we pulled into the tiny parking lot scattered with people waiting to enter Bean’s, we were greeted with kindness. We piled out of our vans not knowing what to expect. A homeless woman sitting outside welcomed us with a smile and spoke the words, “Good morning, thank you for your service.” Suddenly a sense of peace and love flooded our hearts.

As we walked into Bean’s Café for the very first time, we were taught the usual routine of putting on hairnets, aprons and washing our hands before putting on gloves. The details were very well thought out. For example, the order in which we washed our hands and put aprons on was taken very seriously. There was no doubt in our minds the amount of care and respect every employee and volunteer had for Bean’s Café. Immediately we were put to work preparing food for the days and weeks to come. They carefully schedule every meal in advance as to never run short of supplies or food. Every day, a healthy breakfast and lunch is served to about 300 people.

However, Bean’s motto is “So much more than a meal.” Throughout the week, my group and I witnessed the ways Bean’s goes above and beyond to live up to their motto. Their founding documents of 1979 establish the premise that Bean’s Café was created to advance the inherent dignity of every person that enters their facility. Every calculated ingredient, technique and procedure did not go unnoticed. Chef Aaron, one of the head chefs at Bean’s Café accepted us as family just as he did to everyone that came to the counter for a meal. They know the names of almost every single person and share friendliness with everyone who enters. They treat everyone with equality and respect. When volunteers would come behind the counter for food,

Chef Aaron would make sure they get the same amount of food as the people on the other side of the counter. Whether they knew it or not, Bean’s Café was embodying what it means to be Men and Women for and with Others, just as we learn at the University of Scranton. While they were providing a service for many, many people, they were also there every step of the way with their customers. They understood what it means to be in their shoes and walk with them.

Chef Aaron proved his humility to me when I was cleaning lettuce. I was told to pull out any pieces that were gross or not suited for eating. He said, “My motto is, if you won’t eat it, we won’t serve it.” These words are the best example of everything that Bean’s Café exemplifies and why this trip was so incredibly transformative. This was nothing rehearsed by Aaron, he truly and humbly altered my experience by saying that to me. By that simple phrase, he broke down every single stereotype my group and I had held about homelessness.

Homeless is not a title given to people who have given up on life and are alcoholics and drug addicts with no motivation to get a job. While sometimes, that is the harsh reality of the matter, most times that is not the case. Chef Aaron reminded us all that they, like us, are human and they, like us, make mistakes, but they are no less of a person than anyone who walks into the kitchen to volunteer. Everything from telling us to not use the ends of bread while making sandwiches, to not slightly burning the scrambled eggs, Chef Aaron paid attention to his clients and took their opinions into account when preparing meals. The clients at Bean’s made the experience unforgettable.

As I stood behind the counter and handed trays of fresh and perfectly cooked food to clients, just about all said, “Thank you, God bless you.” Their display of faith was impressive to say the least and made our whole group very reflective. Their ability to keep their faith so strong in times of great hardship was inspiring and encouraged us to seek better relationships with God.

The atmosphere created at Bean’s Café is so hospitable, that when we took off our aprons for the last time, it felt like I was boxing up the last of my home’s possessions and moving out. As we were leaving for the last time, Chef Aaron said, “You HAVE to come back to Alaska.” Their inviting and community-oriented atmosphere was unwavering, from the second we stepped out of the van on day one, to the day we said our last goodbyes. I will never forget the generosity and love I was shown in Alaska. My hope is to model my attitude on the example of the hopeful and grateful people of Bean’s Café.

See more photos from the Alaska service trip on Facebook

Since last fall, a cross functional team has been working on developing a new version of the Scranton mobile app, built upon the foundation of the Ellucian Mobile platform.

Used by more than 900 colleges and universities around the globe, Ellucian Mobile is the most widely adopted mobile solution for higher education.

The new app will be rolled out as an update to existing users, starting on Monday, June 11, and will also be available for download from the App and Google Play stores.

For the full list of features visit Scranton.edu/mobile. 

During Intersession 2018, eight senior occupational therapy students participated in a level 1 fieldwork in physical disabilities course on Kauai, Hawaii. The purpose of Aloha Kauai is to help students understand how occupational therapy services can improve the health and quality of life of residents living in a  medically underserved, multicultural community. Students assisted residents with disabilities in traditional hospital settings and community-based programs, including adapted surfing and equine therapy programs. They also participated in community service activities such as gleaning fruit for church food banks and distributing personal hygiene items to the homeless population. As a result, these students were able to experience the powerful influence that culture can have on engaging people in meaningful occupations and in developing professional skills they will need as future leaders in a globalized world.

For University of Scranton Fulbright Student Lauren Coggins the case is clear: Mother knows best.

When Coggins was an eighth-grade student at Abington Heights Middle School, her mother Patricia told her to take Spanish for her foreign language choice of the classes offered at her school “because it’s the second most commonly-spoken language in the United States and it will help you in your future.”

Coggins earned her bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from the University in May as a double major in secondary education and Hispanic studies with a concentration in Latin American studies. She was awarded the University’s Prof. Joseph G. Brunner Award for Excellence in Foreign Languages (Hispanic Studies). She also won an award from what is widely considered to be the premier international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government. She was awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Mexico. She will be teaching English as a Second Language at a university in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, Mexico.

 “I’m delighted to see an exceptional local student chosen for this highly-selective national program,” said Susan Trussler, Ph.D., the University’s Fulbright Program Advisor and associate professor of economics and finance. “Lauren maintains a GPA above 3.9, is passionate about teaching and possesses a keen ability for language. She also holds a deep admiration for Hispanic culture. She embodies the qualities the Fulbright program was designed to cultivate.”

Coggins is one of over 1,900 U.S. citizens who will conduct research, teach English, and provide expertise abroad for the 2018-2019 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement as well as record of service and leadership potential in their respective fields.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to build lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide.

The 2018 award also continues Scranton’s decades of success with the Fulbright program.  Since 1972, a total of 124 University students have been awarded Fulbrights.

Coggins began her studies at Scranton as a biology major, but her experience as a tutor in the University’s Language Learning Center and the encouragement from the center’s former director, Marie Karam, and faculty members “redirected” her to teaching.

Coggins now refers to her career choice as a calling. “For me, teaching is something that comes from the heart,” she said.

She considers the Fulbright a “gift” that she intends to put to use in helping her future students.

“Being in Mexico, I will learn more about the culture by experiencing it firsthand. Because learning the language also involves learning the culture, I can bring that deeper understanding back to the United States to share with English speakers here who want to learn Spanish,” said Coggins.

As a community engagement project for the Fulbright, she intends to organize an afterschool program for young children to learn English along with their mothers prior to their starting to study the language in school.

“I think learning a language can be a bonding experience for the mothers and their children,” said Coggins.

During the Spring 2017 semester, Coggins studied abroad at Universidad Iberoamericana in Puebla, Mexico. In the spring 2018 semester, she completed her student teaching assignment at Mid Valley Secondary Center, where she taught Spanish I.

At the University, Coggins served as a Spanish and English as a Second Language (ESL) tutor at the Language Learning Center and as a mentor for the University of Success program. She was a member of the Spanish Club. She also volunteered with the University’s ESL Native Speaker Conversation Partners Program and as a Spanish tutor at various local high schools. A Dean’s List student, she was inducted into Alpha Mu Gamma, the national foreign language honor society, and participated in the University’s Faculty Student Teaching Mentorship Program.

Coggins is a cantor for Our Lady of Snows Parish in Clarks Summit. She also plays the violin and even taught a University professor to play the instrument – with some strings attached.

“I had to provide instruction in Spanish,” said Coggins.

Coggins resides in Clarks Summit with her parents, Patricia and John Coggins and her brother Matthew.

Upon completion of her Fulbright, Coggins plans to be a high school Spanish teacher and pursue a master’s degree in Hispanic literature or ESL education.