October 2018

As part of the University's State of Scranton Seminar Series, we will be hosting a presentation and discussion on Monday, Nov. 12 from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. on the topic of "Homelessness: A National Issue; A Local Reality." 

While not as acute a community crisis as in cities like Boston — as shared by Dr. James O’Connell, the University’s 2018 Ignatian Values in Action lecture speaker — homelessness does exist in Scranton and the human reality has become more visible than in years past. As of 2018, 159 persons in Scranton/Lackawanna County are experiencing homelessness, whether living in a place not meant for habitation, emergency shelter, transitional housing, or exiting an institution where they temporarily resided. Needs for supportive housing, mental health services, and resources to overcome drug and alcohol addiction are integrally connected. As Scranton continues to make progress with economic revitalization efforts, how to respond with compassion and in ways that address root causes is critical. This seminar will provide perspectives from local service providers and also explore possibilities for further community-wide collaboration.

Our presenters for this discussion are:

• Rev. Darian Banks, Pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church
• Shannon Quinn-Sheeran, Consultant, Housing & Innovations to Scranton's Continuum of Care
• Krista Somers, Executive Director of the Catherine McAuley Center.

They will share their efforts and engage in interactive discussion. As Scranton continues to make progress with economic revitalization efforts, how to respond to homelessness and related issues with compassion and in ways that address root causes is critical. This seminar will explore possibilities for further community-wide collaboration.

This series is presented by Campus Ministries' Center for Service and Social Justice and the Office of Community & Government Relations in cooperation with the Office of Community-Based Learning, Jesuit Center, Faculty Senate, Staff Senate, and the Ellacuria Initiative. 

This seminar luncheon will take place in the Rose Room, on the 5th floor of Brennan Hall. Lunch will be provided. RSVP is requested to Jessica.durkin@scranton.edu or 570-941-4419.

The Asian Studies Program at The University of Scranton will present an authentic Asian shadow puppetry performance by the Yung Shing Le Theatre Troupe from Taiwan featuring live music, a question and answer session and a backstage visit, on Thursday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center.

The performance will include three different shadow plays: “The Sandbag Trilogy;” “The Mountain of Flames;” and “The Peach Boy.”  With an emphasis on preserving the traditional art form, this century-old family theatre group has handed down traditional practices and stories through five generations, while also infusing modern techniques and original stories to keep this art form relevant to today’s audiences.

“The Sandbag Trilogy” is a modern mime play in which the enchantment of puppeteering comes alive as a Monkey, Wrestler and Panda. Each encounter a sandbag that blocks its path. The play illustrates how each of them tackles the problem and how shadow theatre uses creative techniques to tell the story. 

“The Mountain of Flames” features scenes from the classic Chinese novel, “Journey to the West,” which has provided countless stories of fantasy and magic retold in opera and theatre repertoires. Monkey, a roguish hero full of mischief, goes on a hazardous quest to retrieve the Buddhist scriptures accompanied by the saintly monk, Tripitaka, and disciples Pigsy, Sandy and their endearing Horse.  Along the way, the troupe encounters demons and monsters, fairies and gods, in a fantastic story of adventure and allegory. 

Adopted from a popular Japanese folklore, The Peach Boy is about a child inside a giant peach floating down a river that was found by an old, childless woman. Years later, the peach boy left his parents to fight a band of demons on a distant island. In his journey, he befriended a talking dog, a monkey and a pheasant, who agreed to help him in his quest. The adventure then begins.

The performance is free and open to the public and is co-sponsored by the Asian Studies Program at the University and the Taipei Cultural Office in New York.

For additional information, call 570-941-7643 or email asianstudies@scranton.edu.

“Should We Embrace Protectionism? The Evidence Behind the Case for Free Trade” will be discussed at The University of Scranton’s 33rd Henry George Lecture on Friday, Nov. 2. The lecture, presented by Dave Donaldson, Ph.D., professor of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center.

The lecture is free of charge and open to the public.

Dr. Donaldson’s research examines the welfare and other effects of market integration, the impact of improvements in transportation infrastructure, how trade might mediate the effects of climate change, and how trade affects food security and famine. He received the 2017 John Bates Clark Medal, which is given by the American Economic Association to the U.S.-based economist “under the age of forty who is judged to have made the most significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge.”

His publications include: “Nonparametric Counterfactual Predictions in Neoclassical Models of International Trade” in the American Economic Review; “The View from Above: Applications of Satellite Data in Economics” in the Journal of Economic Perspectives; and “Evolving Comparative Advantage and the Impact of Climate Change in Agricultural Markets: Evidence from 1.7 Million Fields Around the World” in the Journal of Political Economy. His research has been supported by an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship and several grants from the National Science Foundation.

Dr. Donaldson serves as a co-editor at the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, as an editorial board member of the Journal of Economic Literature and the Journal of International Economics, and as a program director for trade at the International Growth Centre.

Dr. Donaldson earned his undergraduate degree in physics from Oxford University and his master’s and Ph.D. degrees in economics from the London School of Economics.

Considered the preeminent public lecture series on economics in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Henry George Lecture Series is presented by the University’s Economics and Finance Department and the campus chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, an international honor society for economics. Among the distinguished list of speakers who have spoken at previous lectures are 10 winners of the Nobel Prize in Economics: Paul Romer (2018), Robert Shiller (2013), Tom Sargent (2011), Peter Diamond (2010), Paul Krugman (2008), Joseph Stiglitz (2001), George Akerlof (2001), Amartya Sen (1998), Robert Lucas (1995) and Robert Solow (1987). The lecture series is named in honor of the 19th century American economist and social reformer and is supported financially by a grant from the Robert Schalkenbach Foundation.

For more information about the Henry George Lecture, call 570-941-4048 or email janice.mecadon@scranton.edu.

 

The University of Scranton’s Hope Horn Gallery will feature the work of photographer Niko J. Kallianiotis in the exhibit “America in a Trance,” which explores American values and hope in post-industrial regions of Pennsylvania. The exhibit runs through Friday, Nov. 16.

A panel discussion about the exhibit with Kallianiotis and two essayists will be held on Friday, Nov 2, in the Pearn Auditorium in Brennan Hall at 5 p.m. The discussion, which will be followed by a reception in the Hope Horn Gallery on the 4^th floor of Hyland Hall, is part of Scranton’s First Friday events. Both the exhibit and lecture are free and open to the public.

Kallianiotis, who is teaching a photography course at the University during the fall semester, will be joined by essayists Luke Wynne and Seamus McGraw for the November panel discussion.

The photography collection attempts to capture American values and struggles in regions of Pennsylvania facing economic and industrial decline. Darlene Miller-Lanning, Ph.D., director of the Hope Horn Gallery, said the exhibit explores “scenes of communities where economies have shifted, maybe where a factory has moved out, and what comes after that shift.” The photographs have no titles, and each acts as a study of Pennsylvania and of America as a whole.

Kallianiotis writes on his website, “I search for images that reflect, question, and interpret life in the towns and cities across the Keystone State, and the yearning for survival.”

Although the collection focuses on economic decline, the prevailing emotion in the collection is hope. In many photographs, the American flag is celebrated while other shots suggest the flag in the scene’s colors. Small town-values captured in the shots reflect on how American values survive in a changing economy.

For Scranton locals, Kallianiotis’ work will present familiar places in a new light. Mansour’s Market and Mesko Glass Co. are among the Scranton buildings captured in the collection. “I am not interested in how things look,” Kallianiotis writes, “but mostly on how things feel, with the hues and light playing the role of a constituent of hope.”

Regular Gallery hours are: Sunday through Friday, noon to 4 p.m. and Wednesdays, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

For more information on Kallianiotis’s work, visit www.nikokallianiotis.com. Copies of Kallianiotis’ book “America in a Trance” are also available online.

For more information about the gallery exhibit and discussion, contact Dr. Miller-Lanning at 570-941-4214 or darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu, or visit the Hope Horn Gallery website at scranton.edu/gallery.

The University of Scranton’s Weinberg Judaic Studies Institute will present a lecture by Rabbi Chaim Rapoport on “Homosexuality: A New, Yet Traditional, Perspective.” The lecture, which is free of charge and open to the public, will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 6, in the PNC Auditorium of the Loyola Science Center on campus. The lecture will be followed by comments by Charles Pinches, Ph.D., professor of theology/religious studies at Scranton, who will be presenting a Christian perspective.

Rabbi Rapoport attended the Yeshivot of Manchester, Gateshead, Torat Emet, Jerusalem, and the central Lubavitch Yeshivah, New York. After receiving his rabbinic diploma, he joined the Kollel community in Melbourne, Australia, where he pursued post-graduate studies, officiated and lectured. In 1989, Rabbi Rapoport returned to England, where he held several posts, including head of the Leeds Kollel, minister in Birmingham and head of the Birmingham Rabbinic Board. Rabbi Rapoport was appointed as a member of the Chief Rabbi’s Cabinet and Advisor to the Chief Rabbi on matters of Jewish Medical Ethics in 1998.

Dr. Pinches joined the faculty at Scranton in 1990. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College and his master’s and doctorate from the University of Notre Dame.

The Weinberg Judaic Studies Institute was created in 1979 through an endowment funded by the local Jewish community. The Institute fosters a better understanding and appreciation of Judaism, Israel and their histories. It supports visits to the University by Jewish scholars and writers and supports library acquisitions, publications, faculty research, travel and other scholarly endeavors. The work of the Institute was further enhanced by a $1 million gift from Harry Weinberg in 1990.

For further information, contact Marc Shapiro, Ph.D., professor of theology/religious studies and the Weinberg Char of Judaic Studies at The University of Scranton, at 570-941-7956 or marc.shapiro@scranton.edu.

Hundreds of University students volunteered to clean-up streets near campus, in downtown Scranton, at Nay Aug Park and at two community gardens during the fall Street Sweep on Oct. 14.

Student Government officers who helped to organize the Street Sweep are, from left: Matthew Coughlin, president, a political science and philosophy double major from Jenkintown; John (Jack) Prendergast, director of technology, a computer science major from Malvern; Fahad Ashraf, vice president, a biology and philosophy double major from Clarks Summit; Madalyne Sunday, director of communications, a biology major from South Abington Township; Paige Nonnenmacher, executive treasurer, an exercise science major from Avenel, New Jersey; Marlene Geerinck, executive secretary, an international studies major from Riverdale, New Jersey; and Kimberly Barr, chief of staff, a biology and philosophy double major from Nazareth.

The University of Scranton named a residence plaza in honor of St. Oscar Romero, the martyred Archbishop of San Salvador who was canonized by Pope Francis on Oct. 14.  St. Romero, who was murdered in 1980 while saying Mass in San Salvador, is well known for his commitment to social justice and service to the marginalized and oppressed.

The University’s connection to El Salvador and the work of St. Romero through international service trips and pilgrimages dates back nearly two decades. In 1999, the University began the Bridges to El Salvador program for students, faculty and staff to foster a greater commitment to justice issues. This effort continues through experiences led by the University’s Jesuit Center to El Salvador and other countries.

Speaking at the naming ceremony, University of Scranton President Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., said his life and understanding of the work of this University “were never the same” after his pilgrimage to El Salvador with Scranton students.

“I remember visiting the church where St. Oscar Romero was assassinated and being profoundly moved by the witness of his life,” said Father Pilarz. “I wrote in the journal I kept at that time after that visit this quote from Ernest Hemingway, ‘The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong in the broken places.’ The government of El Salvador thought they broke Oscar Romero, but they did not at all. They gave us, all of us – the Church and especially the people of El Salvador – tremendous strength to continue to work for justice, to work for solidarity, to work for reconciliation.”

Also speaking at the ceremony were Rev. Richard Malloy, S.J., University chaplain; Karla Rodriguez ’20, a biology major at the University from Franklin Square, New York, who participated in a summer study-abroad trip to El Salvador; and Marie Karam, former director of the University’s Language Learning Center, who also served as chaperone for student international service trips to El Salvador.

The University’s Romero Plaza, formerly called Mulberry Plaza, is a residence facility constructed in 2000 that consists of four townhouse units, accommodating 141 junior and senior students. Each three-story, 1,000-square-foot townhouse provides a mix of duplex and flat-style apartments with from one to six bedrooms. The plaza is located on the corner of Mulberry Street and Madison Avenue on the University’s campus.

Acclaimed trumpeter Joseph Boga will serve as guest soloist at The University of Scranton Jazz Ensemble’s upcoming concert set for Saturday, Oct. 27.

The concert, presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton, will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the University’s Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

Boga will also lead a free brass masterclass at 4 p.m. that afternoon. The class is open to local amateur and professional brass players, ages 16 and older. Those interested in participating should email music@scranton.edu to pre-register and obtain more information.

Boga, the son of Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga, is a longtime Performance Music collaborator, both as a performer and a teacher.

“It’s been a number of years since he’s been here as a featured soloist with our jazz band and the kids are excited about it; they love him,” Cheryl Boga said.

A 2014 graduate of The Juilliard School, Joseph Boga is equally comfortable in both jazz and classical settings and has performed on four continents with a diverse array of musicians. His trumpet teachers include greats like Mark Gould, Wynton Marsalis, Chris Gekker, Joe Magnarelli and Chris Jaudes.

On the jazz side, Boga leads his own quintet and nonet, and regularly performs with James Langton and the New York All-Star Big Band, Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, Ron Wasserman's NYJazzharmonic Trad Jazz Sextet and the Kyle Athayde Dance Party. He has also performed with Wycliffe Gordon, Loren Schoenberg, Gordon Webster, Chris Norton, Danny Lipsitz, Tatiana Eva-Marie, Phil Woods, Michael Feinstein and many others.

In the classical realm, Boga has soloed with numerous ensembles, including locally with The Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, Bucknell University Wind Ensemble and The Scranton Brass Orchestra. He is also a member of the legendary New York Trumpet Ensemble led by Mark Gould.

His versatility has been recognized in other genres, leading to collaborations with rock, pop, avant-garde and experimental music groups and performers.

A talented composer and arranger who also plays piano and bass, Boga has written for brass orchestra, big band, string orchestra, choir and various sized jazz ensembles. He has given masterclasses and clinics in seven states, and has served on the faculty of the Scranton Brass Seminar, the Juilliard Jazz Camp in Atlanta, the Sitka Jazz Festival in Alaska, and the Generations in Jazz Lafayette Summer Music Camp. Additionally, he maintains a small private trumpet studio enrollment.

The University of Scranton Jazz Ensemble is a 25-member big band-style collective, made up of student musicians from majors spanning the curriculum. The band performs five or more times per year, with the majority of its performances free and open to the public. Often, those concerts feature a nationally or internationally known guest soloist.

For further information on the concert, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more information on Boga, visit josephboga.com.

What’s inside the Black Box Café? Come find out and grab a cup of coffee while you solve the mystery. The Black Box Café, located inside the Ritz Building on 222 Wyoming Avenue, offers delicious coffee, breakfast, lunch, and free Wi-Fi, served Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The café offers $5 fresh lunch specials every day, as well as affordable food and movie ticket combos for movie times at the Ritz Theater. Students can buy movie tickets for just $2 and enjoy Black Box Café’s delicious food and drinks while watching their favorite movies.

The Black Box Café participates in Scranton’s First Friday events and has hosted art in the past. Check in for any new pieces!

Find the Black Box Café’s daily specials on Facebook, via email at blackboxcafe11@gmail.com, or by calling 570-252-4156.

The University of Scranton will host two Open House events for prospective students and their families on Sunday, Oct. 21, and Sunday, Nov. 4.

At the Open House, participants can learn about Scranton’s 68 undergraduate majors, meet with faculty, students, admissions counselors and financial aid representatives. Student-led campus tours will be conducted throughout the day and will include residence halls, dining halls, computer labs, science labs and academic facilities.

In addition, representatives of student organizations, athletic teams and Scranton’s programs of excellence, such as the Honors Program, Faculty-Student Research Program, Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program, Business Honors Program and Business Leadership Honors Program, will also be available. Open house includes a complimentary brunch for prospective students and their families. Registration and campus tours begin at 9 a.m.

For 25 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Scranton among the 10 top Master’s Universities in the North and as a “Best Value” school for four consecutive years. The Princeton Review included Scranton in its list “Best Colleges” for 17 consecutive years and in its ranking of the nation’s “Best Science Labs” (No. 16) and “Best Campus Food” (No. 15) for four consecutive years, among other rankings.

For additional information, contact Scranton’s Admissions Office at 1-888-SCRANTON or visit www.scranton.edu/admissions.

The University of Scranton has established a Task Force on Healing, Reconciliation and Hope to lead the University’s response “together with the people of the Diocese and Catholics everywhere to address the difficult but necessary questions that arise from the grand jury report,” which was released to the public in August and details sexual abuse by Catholic priests in Pennsylvania.

“As they begin their task, I charge them to chart the path toward healing and hope, ever mindful of the gifts of the Holy Spirit – Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear the Lord. Each of these gifts will be essential to the success of our collective efforts to address the sensitive, complex and daunting challenge that lies ahead,” wrote University of Scranton President Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., in an announcement to the University community about the establishment of the task force.

 “The task force will help us harness the full range of resources that The University of Scranton, as a Catholic and Jesuit university can offer the church in this painful but pivotal moment,” wrote Father Pilarz. “Their work will imagine and plan how we can respond, in ways both simple and sophisticated, to the needs of God’s people.”

The efforts of the task force will be supported by endowed funds which were approved by the University’s Board of Trustees in August. In addition to the funding support, the University’s Board of Trustees also approved the renaming various campus buildings and revoking honorary degrees in response to the report.

The University’s Task Force on Healing, Reconciliation and Hope will be co-chaired by Patricia Tetreault, vice president for human resources, and Christian Krokus, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Theology and Religious Studies Department, and includes faculty, administrators, staff and students. Members of the task force are: Gerianne Barber, director of the Counseling Training Center; Julie Schumacher Cohen, director of community and government relations; Debra Pellegrino, Ed.D, dean of the Panuska College of Professional Studies; Lauren Rivera, J.D., assistant vice president for Student Life and dean of students; James Roberts, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice and Criminology; Rev. Patrick Rogers, S.J., executive director of the Jesuit Center; Rose Sebastianelli, Ph.D, professor of operations and information management; Patrick Tully, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy; Helen Wolf, Ph.D., executive director of Campus Ministries; Steven Browning ’18, graduate student representative who is in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program; and Julia Betti ’21,  undergraduate student representative who is majoring in marketing.

“There is good work to be done today and together, and the work undertaken by this Task Force will remind us all never to be distracted from the fear and pain of our sisters and brothers who suffered because of the church and its leaders,” wrote Father Pilarz in the University community announcement.

On Friday, Oct. 19, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a recital by pianist Jeremy Ajani Jordan and clarinetist Mark Dover.

The recital will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the University’s Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

There will be a free woodwind masterclass at 4:30 that afternoon. The class is open to local amateur and professional woodwind players, ages 16 and up. Those interested in taking part should email music@scranton.edu to pre-register and receive further information.

Recital attendees can expect a unique program from these talented young musicians, said Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga.

“Jeremy is one of the most amazing young pianists in the United States,” Boga said. “He played here a few years ago, and we had pianists come in from New York and Philadelphia to hear him perform. Not only is he incredibly good, but he’s also kind of outside of the box in his approach. While he is a classical concert pianist who is extremely well trained and has performed everywhere to great acclaim, he also works hard to fuse his classical training with gospel, jazz and other music, and improvises brilliantly.”

Jordan has appeared as soloist and chamber musician at notable venues throughout the United States and Europe, including Carnegie Hall, Orchestra Hall in Chicago, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Rudolfinum in Prague. He has won several prestigious piano competitions, including the Steinway Competition, and received awards from the National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc., and the Gluck Community Service Fellowship.

Jordan received his master’s degree from The Juilliard School, where he received the Van Cliburn and Irene Diamond scholarships and studied with Matti Raekallio, Regina Syrkin, Andre Watts, Yoshie Akimoto, Jerome Lowenthal and Eteri Andjaparidze.

Dover, meanwhile, brings his own significant credentials to the recital.

Lauded by Opera News for his “exemplary clarinet playing,” Dover has been a member of Grammy-nominated wind quintet Imani Winds since 2016, and his playing with the acclaimed American funk band Vulfpeck can be heard on the album, “Thrill of the Arts.” He has also collaborated with pianists Gil Kalish, Fabio Bidini and Jon Nakamatsu, violinists Caroline Goulding and Francesca de Pasquale, and cellist Brook Speltz of the Escher String Quartet.

Dover has conducted masterclasses at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance, as well as the Manhattan School of Music and Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts. He’s performed with the Detroit Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra and the New World Symphony.

In 2015, Dover performed the world premiere of Michael Thurber’s “Quadruple Concerto, Three Musketeers,” on NPR with the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra and soloists Kris Bowers, Charles Yang and Michael Thurber. Last year, Dover and Jordan gave the world premiere performance of Jonathan Ragonese’s “Non-Poem 4” live on Chicago’s WFMT and New York City’s WKCR as part of the “Live at National Sawdust” series.

“Together,” Boga said, “these two guys share an unusual passion for innovative music that crosses genres.”

For further information on the recital, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more on Jordan and Dover, visit www.jeremyajanijordan.com and markdovermusic.com.

The Weinberg Memorial Library at The University of Scranton will host an exhibit on the career of Charles Paxton Zaner, penman extraordinaire and founder of the Zaner-Bloser Penmanship Co. The exhibit, titled “The World’s Best Penman: The Artistic and Business Career of 1864-1918,” will be on display in the fifth floor of the Heritage Room through to Friday, Dec. 14, during normal library hours.

The library will also host a reception and lecture by Special Collections Librarian Michael Knies on Zaner’s career and the profession of penmanship during his lifetime on Wednesday, Oct. 24, at 6 p.m. in the Heritage Room. The reception is free and open to the public.

The Weinberg Memorial Library has been the home of the Zaner-Bloser Collection since 2010, and the collection has been used in a number of exhibits. Zaner-Bloser, which is still in business, has been a leading publisher of penmanship instruction materials since 1888. However, 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of C. P.  Zaner's tragic death in an automobile collision with a train at the age of 54.

The exhibit will focus on Zaner's career and feature calligraphic alphabets, flourished birds, other artistic work and penmanship exercises. Zaner was more than a penman. He was a businessman, a publisher, an essayist and author of penmanship manuals. The exhibit will also display manuscript copies of his essays, copies of manuals he authored, accompanied at times by the original penwork and printing blocks, and material from the company he created.

For further information, call the University’s special collections librarian at 570-941-6341.

University of Scranton President, Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., will present “The Humanities: Now More Than Ever” on Thursday, Oct. 18, at 5:30 p.m. in the Pearn Auditorium of Brennan Hall. Reservations are required to attend the free event.  A reception will follow the presentation.

Father Pilarz will discuss the importance of broadening our understanding of others in today’s globalized world in order to better know the history and culture of those we will encounter in our personal and professional lives, as well as the role the humanities play gaining this understanding.

The talk is presented by the University’s Schemel Forum in collaboration with the Office of the President.

To register, contact Alicen Morrison, Schemel Forum assistant, at 570-941-6206 or alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

“There was a little boy who caught my eye. He reminded me very much of my son, Paul, when he was an infant. This little one was strapped to his crib with an IV in one arm, and he was crying his heart out. Unfortunately, his body was so dehydrated, he couldn’t shed a single tear. I went to unstrap him to pick him up, but the nurse waved me away. She was afraid that I would dislodge the needle,” writes JoAnne Kuehner of her first impressions of Haiti as a volunteer at the general hospital in Port-Au-Prince.

“… I no sooner turned around that I noticed several children over in the corner stacked up on the cold floor under a sink, so I ran over to see if I could comfort them. But the same nurse said, ‘Don’t worry about them. They’re dead,’” Kuehner continues. Later that day “… as I walked a short distance from where the bus parked to the hotel, a young girl about twelve tugged on my skirt, and, through a translator, said that she would like to go to school and asked if I would pay the fee so she could attend. With a flashback to the baby in the crib and the dead children on the hospital floor, I quickly answered ‘yes.’ … What I didn’t know at the time was that this was the beginning of a love affair for me with a country I hardly knew.”

Kuehner writes about her experiences during her 30-years of service to “the poorest of the poor” in her book “Oh, for the Love of Haiti.” She will read excerpts from her book at a “Meet the Author and Book Signing” reception hosted by The University of Scranton’s Panuska College of Professional Studies. The event, which is free of charge and open to the public, will take place Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Kane Forum of Leahy Hall on Jefferson Avenue.

Kuehner is founder of “Hope for Haiti,” an international charity that provides assistance to Haitians, particularly the children, in the areas of education, nutrition and healthcare. She is a Dame of the Order of Malta, one of the oldest Catholic lay orders, whose mission is to care for the poor and sick of the world.

A resident of Lake Ariel and Naples, Florida, Kuehner received an honorary degree from The University of Scranton in 2001 and the University’s Kuehner Hall of the Loyola Science Center is named in honor of her and her husband, Carl Kuehner ’62, a former chair of the University’s Board of Trustees.

Copies of Kuehner’s book, “Oh, for the Love of Haiti,” will be available for purchase at the reception. Proceeds from the sale benefit Hope for Haiti.

For additional information, call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

During a visit to a clinic operated by the Brothers of the Missionaries of Charities, JoAnne Kuehner, who had no medical experience, was asked to hook up I.V.s to an overflowing crowd of dehydrated patients. After watching another volunteer hook up I.V.s a few times, Kuehner writes “I decided that I didn’t have any time to waste, as these men needed fluid in their bodies. I double-gloved my hands

(as most of these men have HIV) and got to work. I didn’t have any oranges to practice on; just men in dire need. They were so dehydrated it was difficult to find their vein … The Lord had pity on them, knowing I had no experience, and allowed me to find the veins on my first try. It was like a production line, putting in I.V.s until everyone received one.”

The University of Scranton will host a Meet the Author and Book Signing reception with JoAnne Kuehner, author of “Oh, for the Love of Haiti” on Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Kane Forum of Leahy Hall. The reception is free of charge and open to the public. Copies of Kuehner’s book will be available for sale at the reception. Proceeds from the book sale benefit Hope for Haiti.

 

 

A lecture on “Global Migration: Shared Responsibility and Solidarity” by the Most Reverend Bernardito C. Auza, Apostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the Organization of American States and Titular Archbishop of Suacia, will be held at The University of Scranton Tuesday, Oct. 23. The lecture, which is free of charge and open to the public, will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center on the University’s campus.

Archbishop Auza’s talk will draw on the United Nation’s work on behalf of migrants through the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, which is expected to be the first, intergovernmental negotiated agreement, prepared under the auspices of the United Nations, to cover all dimensions of international migration in a holistic and comprehensive manner.

 “Pope Francis encapsulates these shared responsibilities and solidarity in four verbs: to welcome, to protect, to promote and to integrate” said Archbishop Auza in statement at the concluding session of the United Nation’s intergovernmental negotiations on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. “My Delegation firmly believes there has been an honest effort on the part of all to build the edifice of the Global Compact on the firm foundations of these principles that guarantee respect for the human dignity of all migrants.”

The 2018 concluding session of intergovernmental negotiations on migration was the culmination of a nearly two-year process. The agreement details 23 international objectives, including the eradication of human trafficking and “use of migration detention only as a measure of last resort.”

In his statement, Archbishop Auza also said the Global Compact is the “first-ever comprehensive framework on migration will serve as the international reference point for best practices and international cooperation in the global management of migration, not only for Governments, but also for non-governmental entities among which are the faith-based organizations, who are truly the hands and feet on the ground to assist migrants in difficulty. This Global Compact will make it more difficult for anyone – states, civil society or anyone of us – to be unaware of the challenges that people on the move face and to fail to meet our shared responsibilities towards them, in particular toward those most in need of our solidarity.”

Born in the Republic of the Philippines, Archbishop Auza was ordained a priest in 1985. He earned a doctorate in theology and entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1990. He served at the Apostolic Nunciature in Madagascar, Bulgaria and Albania, and in the Secretariat of State in the Vatican. In 2008, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti and that same year was ordained Titular Archbishop of Suacia. He was appointed Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the Organization of American States in 2014.

The Holy See holds the status of Permanent Observer at the United Nations, rather than of a full member status due primarily to the desire of the Holy See to maintain absolute neutrality in specific political problems, according to the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations website.

For more information about the lecture at the University, contact the University’s Office of Government and Community Relations at 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu. 

On Friday, Oct. 12, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a recital by acclaimed organist Greg Zelek. The recital will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the University’s Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

The recital was originally to be performed by Australian organist Alessandro Pittorino, but international travel complications interfered with his scheduled appearance.

Zelek will perform on the University’s fully restored Austin Opus 301 organ. Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga said she’s very impressed with the 27-year-old organist, who played at Scranton a few years ago as a student of Paul Jacobs at The Juilliard School.

“We’re very fortunate to have him return,” said Boga, noting she first met Zelek through her friendship with acclaimed organist David Ball. “Greg is one of the most accomplished young organists around.”

Praised as “extraordinary in the classical music world” (Jon Hornbacher, PBS Wisconsin Life), Zelek is the principal organist of the Madison Symphony Orchestra and curator of the Overture Concert Organ Series. Since September 2017, he has held the Wayne Curtis and Maybelle Slavens Hall and Francis Vincent and Lettie von Kalweit Dunnebacke Curatorship, which is endowed by anonymous friends of the Symphony.

Zelek concertizes with the Madison Symphony Orchestra and throughout the United States. In addition, he regularly performs with orchestras as both a soloist and professional ensemble member. Highlights of the upcoming 2018–2019 season include recitals at the Abingdon Arts Series in Virginia and Wingate University in North Carolina, as well as performances at venues in Fort Lauderdale, San Diego, Houston, and New York City. Zelek will also be the featured organist with the Jacksonville Symphony in October. In 2017, he performed with the Florida Orchestra and was the featured guest soloist with the Ridgewood Symphony in 2016. He was the organist in the Metropolitan Opera’s 2014 production of Faust. He also performed twice that year with the New World Symphony, including in a performance of Lukas Foss’s Phorion conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. In 2012, Zelek played Strauss’s Alpine Symphony with the MET Orchestra in Carnegie Hall conducted by Semyon Bychkov and performed Poulenc’s Organ Concerto with the Miami Symphony Orchestra in 2011.

In 2016, Zelek was chosen by The Diapason magazine as one of the top “20 Under 30” organists, a feature which selects the most successful young artists in the field. He was the First Prize winner in the 2012 Rodgers North American Classical Organ Competition, the 2012 West Chester University Organ Competition and the 2010 East Carolina University Organ Competition (where he was also awarded the “Bach Prize”). He was selected as a 2010 NFAA YoungArts Silver Medal Winner and was a prize winner in the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival. Most recently, he was the Audience Prize winner and finalist in the 2016 Longwood Gardens International Organ Competition.

A recipient of the inaugural Kovner Fellowship, Zelek received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as an artist diploma, from the Juilliard School as a student of Paul Jacobs. Before moving to Madison, Zelek was most recently the music director and organist at the Episcopal Church of St. Matthew and St. Timothy in New York City. A Cuban-American and native Spanish speaker from Miami, Florida, Zelek became the music director and organist of Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Miami at age 15, and has served as the summer organist for San Pedro Apostol Church in Ramales de la Victoria, Spain.

Built in 1910, the University’s 3,178-pipe Austin Opus 301 organ is one of very few authentic examples of a fully restored early 20^th-century American symphonic organ. Since the organ's restoration and re-dedication in 2006, Performance Music has hosted numerous recitals by internationally renowned organists, student ensemble performances of significant instrumental and choral works with organ accompaniment, and even a national radio broadcast featuring the instrument.

For further information on the recital, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more information on Zelek, visit gregzelek.com.

The University of Scranton Players will present “The Laramie Project” by Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project, directed by Bob E. Gasper, on Fridays through Sundays, Oct. 12-14 and 19-21. Performances will take place in the Royal Theatre in the Joseph M. McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 8 p.m., and Sunday shows begin at 2 p.m.

“The Laramie Project” recalls the aftermath of the brutal murder of 21-year-old college student Matthew Shepard through interviews of the residents of Laramie, Wyoming, conducted by the Tectonic Theatre Project. Shepard was beaten to death for being gay in the outskirts of Laramie. His death sparked outrage in communities across the nation and led to landmark hate crime legislation named in his honor.

This year marks twenty years since Shepard’s murder. The Players plan to honor his memory by opening their production on the day of his death. Additionally, the Players will host post-show discussions after both Saturday performances to offer an open space where people can explore and process Shepard’s story.

Kaufman’s play premiered at the Ricketson Theatre in Denver in February 2000. The play was later turned into an Emmy-nominated HBO film. “The Laramie Project” remains a groundbreaking piece of theatre that continually invites us to interrogate who we are as a community.

The production features Ali Basalyga of Scranton; Shaye Santos of Wrightstown, New Jersey; Holly Ferrence of Harding; Samantha Gurn of Brackney; Catherine Karpiak of Scranton; Jim Shygelski of Scranton; Peter Sims of Yardley; Nicholas Yanni of Scranton; Matthew Valunas of Dunmore; and Dalton Gorden of Taylor. The cast features graduates from local schools including West Scranton High School, Scranton Preparatory School, Wyoming Area Secondary Center, Dunmore High School, Montrose High School, and Wyoming Seminary. Director Bob Gasper is also a graduate of West Scranton High School.

Tickets may be purchased or reserved by calling the box office inside the McDade Center, 570-941-4318, or online at thescrantonplayers.com. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for senior citizens, students, and University of Scranton faculty and staff. Second weekend performances are free for first-year University students.

For more information, contact players@scranton.edu or follow the University Players on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

A taste of Paris awaits customers at Lola Dessert Shoppe. Located at 350 Adams Avenue, less than two blocks from the Leahy Center, Lola Dessert Shoppe provides customers with fresh macarons Monday through Friday.

Macaron flavors change weekly, with 15-20 flavors usually available. Customers can also enjoy homemade ice cream in seasonal flavors, bubble tea and ice cream sandwiches made from macarons.

Kallista, the owner of Lola Dessert Shoppe, named the store for her grandmother, who inspired her to attend culinary school. Kallista bakes every macaron herself, by hand. She loves the simple yet challenging nature of baking macarons.

Customers can place orders with Kallista via phone or email and must do so at least two weeks in advance to give the busy baker time to prepare their delicate desserts. Contact 570-951-0813 or loladessertshoppe@gmail.com for further information. You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram @lolafrenchmacarons! 

Technology that is accessible to everyone can provide individuals with disabilities greater opportunities throughout their communities. “Everyday Tools: Technology for Accessing Education, Employment and Life” will be the focus of The University of Scranton’s 17th Annual U.S. Conference on disAbility on Thursday, Oct. 11.

Presenters will include Brett Humphrey, senior test lead at Microsoft, who has been working to develop software that is usable for those who are blind and have low vision, and Mike Marotta, president, Inclusive Technology Solutions, L.L.C., who has been providing direct services to individuals with disabilities for nearly 30 years and was named the 2017 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Inclusive Learning Network Outstanding Educator. Also, Susan Tachau, co-founder and chief executive officer of the non-profit, Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation, will present “Possible Solutions for Funding Assistive Technology.”

Nationally known for her innovative strategies for creating practical solutions in minutes to help individuals with disabilities, Therese Willkomm, Ph.D., director of New Hampshire’s State Assistive Technology Program with the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire will present “Rapid Assistive Technology Solutions for Employment.” The author of “Assistive Technology Solutions in Minutes – Book 2 – Ordinary Items, Extraordinary Solutions,” Dr. Willcomm has designed and fabricated more than two thousand solutions for individuals with disabilities including her patented A.T. Pad Stand, a multiuse assistive technology mounting device.

The daylong conference is free of charge to the general public. There is a $25 fee for those wishing to earn continuing education unit (CEU) credit hours. Up to seven CEU hours can be earned at the conference. Registration is required to attend the day-long conference.

The conference will close with the evening keynote presentation “Working Through the System” by Bern Gavlick, an eighth-grade guidance counselor at F.D.R. Middle School in Bristol Township, and Bill Ziegler, assistive technology consultant with Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22 in Doylestown and an Apple Distinguished Educator. The evening presentation is also open to the public, free of charge, but does not require reservations to attend. Allied Services is the corporate sponsor of this year’s Evening Keynote Presentation.

The annual Conference on disAbility brings together national, state, and regional experts to discuss a multifaceted approach to improving employment, independent living and transition for all people with disabilities. The conference is hosted by the University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies with the support of the Edward R. Leahy Jr. Endowment and Honorary Conference Co-Chairs Edward R. and Patricia Leahy.

Additional information about the 17th Annual U.S. Conference on disAbility is available online or by contacting the conference co-chairs Rebecca Spirito Dalgin, Ph.D., director of the rehabilitation counseling program, at rebecca.dalgin@scranton.edu, or Lori Bruch, Ed.D., chair of the Counseling and Human Services Department, at lori.bruch@scranton.edu.

The leadership of AllOne Foundation, along with The University of Scranton and representatives of numerous health care, education and philanthropic entities, today announced a major, regional initiative to significantly enhance the service delivery system and minimize the service gaps for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families living in Northeastern and North Central Pennsylvania.

The Autism Collaborative Centers of Excellence (ACCE) was formed to deliver a full array of services and supports for individuals with ASD, from early intervention to adult services. The University will serve as the executive hub of the five family-friendly centers.

“The Autism Collaborative Centers of Excellence represents an opportunity for our region to develop a sustainable framework to address existing service gaps,” saidJohn P. Moses, Esq., chairman of the Board at AllOne Foundation, at the announcement. “Working collaboratively, we seek to create a national model for scientifically-sound innovation at the cutting edge of ASD care.”

ACCE includes regional leaders and ASD experts from Geisinger Autism & Developmental Medicine Institute (ADMI), Misericordia University, The University of Scranton, Friendship House, Children’s Service Center, Wyoming Valley Children’s Association (WVCA), Allied Services, Goodwill Industries of NEPA, Hope Enterprises, Inc., Luzerne County ARC and NEPA Center for Independent Living.

ACCE will directly benefit preschool children through adults with ASD in the 13-county area of Northeastern and North Central Pennsylvania. Specific services will vary by age but will be available to families regardless of gender, race, or socioeconomic status. Based on combined county census data and a presumed ASD prevalence of 1 in 68, the estimated number of individuals in the region living with ASD is over 17,500, making this a high-impact initiative.

ASD is a behaviorally-defined condition with diagnosable genetic disorders being the most common known causes. Developmental behavioral evaluation and genetic testing are recommended as part of the comprehensive diagnostic work-up of individuals with ASD. Because of long waiting lists for evaluation and a lack of adequately-trained clinicians, many with ASD in Northeastern and North Central Pennsylvania experience delayed or inaccurate diagnosis, and relatively few undergo recommended medical and genetic testing.

“ACCE represents a sustainable framework to address existing service gaps, while creating a national model for scientifically-sound innovation at the cutting edge of ADS care,” Debra Pellegrino, Ed.D., dean of The University of Scranton’s Panuska College of Professional Studies, said at the announcement.

The Autism Collaborative Centers of Excellence (ACCE) will:

* Create Family-Friendly ASD Community Hubs to assist individuals and families in identifying and navigating services throughout the region.

* Establish a coordinated network of qualified ASD providers to facilitate regional access to evidence-based care.

* Deliver a full array of services and supports for individuals with ASD, from Early Intervention to Adult Services.

* Provide a coordinated, comprehensive approach to the identification and treatment of ASD for children, adults, and families.

* Promote evidence-based practices as the standard for ASD treatment in the region.

* Enhance undergraduate and graduate training opportunities in ASD-related fields to create a highly skilled talent pool for the region.

* Expand opportunities for respite care for families.

* Ensure a consistent, seamless approach that allows for tracking service delivery transitions across multiple agencies.

* Implement an ongoing process for data collection, analysis, and the reporting of outcomes and recommendations from the coordinated network of qualified ASD providers to enhance the delivery of evidence-based care across Northeastern and North Central Pennsylvania for individuals with ASD and their families.

ACCE is supported by AllOne Foundation, The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Margaret Briggs Foundation, Northeast PA Health Care Foundation, Highmark Foundation, Geisinger Foundation and Moses Taylor Foundation. This multi-year, multi-million dollar commitment represents the largest private philanthropic investment in a single health issue in Northeastern and North Central Pennsylvania.

Those interested in more information about the Autism Collaborative Centers of Excellence may call 570-208-1200 or visit AllOneforAutism.org.