February 2022

Scranton Mayor Paige G. Cognetti announced the opening of applications for small business microgrants in the City of Scranton through an initiative for new businesses located in low-moderate-income demographic areas. The initiative includes educational programs and guidance offered by the Small Business Development Center at The University of Scranton.

These funds are awarded to the city through the Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program from the Housing and Urban Development Administration (HUD).

The CDBG Small Business Micro-Grant Program for new or early-stage businesses located in Scranton’s low-moderate-income demographic areas (LMA) will supply funds ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 per business through the 2022 year to assist with start-up costs, thus contributing to their initial success and continued revitalization of our community. New and newly established businesses are defined as businesses that opened within the last 12 months or are planning to open within nine months of application.

“We are pleased to be able to assist small businesses in the City of Scranton in partnership with the Small Business Development Center at The University of Scranton through the awarding of these microgrants. Small businesses are the heart and soul of our city, and the City of Scranton is grateful to be able to assist them,” said Mayor Cognetti at the news conference announcing opening for applications for the microgrants.

Final applications for the microgrants must include a referral form from the SBDC, available after completing the required educational program series and/or business consulting and demonstrating appropriate business planning in accordance with program guidelines.

Lisa Hall Zielinski, director of the SBDC at The University of Scranton, said the SBDC is pleased to be able to partner with the City of Scranton “on impactful programs like this one, focused on providing microgrants to newer small businesses in the low-moderate-income demographic areas of the City. … Furthermore, as part of our Catholic and Jesuit mission at the University, we devote ourselves to service to others and working with underserved populations is an important part of how we give back to the community, so this program is meaningful to us on many levels.”

The SBDC’s role in this microgrant program will be to walk entrepreneurs through all of the criteria as it pertains to their business, gather required documents, assemble financials, and prepare their applications for submission to the City. The SBDC will do this through a combination of one-on-one meetings and/or educational programming based on the individual’s needs.

The awarded grants can be used for inventory costs, procurement of machinery, furniture, fixtures, equipment, and Defined working/operating capital such as utilities, rent, business services (accounting, IT, website development).

Qualifying businesses can find an application on the City of Scranton website.

The SBDC at The University of Scranton is housed in the Kania School of Management.

On Saturday, Feb. 26 University of Scranton Occupational Therapy students are joining with staff from United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA (UNC) to conduct a block level assessment of the Pine Brook neighborhood. This block level assessment will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with University students and UNC staff going out in groups to gather data on the accessibility of the Pine Brook neighborhood to help identify the physical needs of the neighborhood, which will help inform UNCs Pine Brook neighborhood revitalization plan.  

For the accessibility survey, first-year Occupational Therapy (OT) students from Dr. Patricia A. Wisniewski Ed.D., OTRL’s OT121: Occupational Performance courses will be joined by third-year students from Dr. Deborah E. Budash Ph.D.’s OT 340, Promoting Health and Wellbeing courses that will serve as mentors and guides on this project. Through this assessment, University of Scranton OT students will have hands-on experience navigating the Pine Brook neighborhood and viewing the physical features of the neighborhood through an occupational therapy lens, which will allow students to in turn make recommendations on how the area can best meet the needs of all residents and visitors. Focus areas will include walkability, landscape, and accessibility for people of diverse abilities.  

"Working with future occupational therapists to conduct a street scaping survey is a great opportunity to get students to gain real-world perspectives in addition to their studies. Collecting and analyzing data is the foundation of creating community impact for positive change," said Holly Yorkonis, Pine Brook Elm Street Manager, UNC.  

This partnership is a part of The University of Scranton’s Community-Based Learning (CBL) initiative, which incorporates course content and student learning outcomes to help address community-defined needs. Formally organized in 2016, the Office of Community-Based Learning works to facilitate CBL partnerships across Scranton offering University students new ways to connect to the Scranton area and engage with course content while learning from community-partners and working with them to address the shared needs and challenges of our city.  

"This partnership will allow my first-year occupational therapy students the ability to apply knowledge and concepts learned in the classroom to address a societal need. In turn, the community will receive assessments results/suggestions through an occupational therapy perspective that supports occupational justice and anticipates the needs of all community residents," said Dr. Patricia A. Wisniewski Ed.D., OTRL. 

"The Pine Brrok community assessment is a unique opportunity for our occupational therapy students to explore their understanding of how environments and contexts impact how people live -- the things they do and how they do them.  I am grateful to UNC that we are able to help with this project," said Dr. Deborah E. Budash Ph.D. 

In addition to supporting UNC’s block level assessment, another Occupational Therapy CBL course, Dr. Chandra Ann Nealon’s OT 231 Neuroanatomy of Function course, is partnering with the Pine Brook Revitalization project at the first-ever Pine Brook Community Arts Festival. This event will take place on Saturday, Apr. 30 from 12 – 4 p.m. At this inaugural community event, sophomores from Dr. Nealon’s course will host sensory art activities for kids as a part of the festival’s many offerings, including additional interactive arts projects, food vendors, and more. 

"Being able to partner with UNC for their 1st ever community Arts Festival is an amazing opportunity for our sophomore OT students to utilize their studies of the neurological system and apply that knowledge to design and implement activities for the children and their families in the community.  We are hoping this is the beginning of an annual project between UNC, The University of Scranton OT department and the Pine Brook community members," said Dr. Chandra Ann Nealon.  

Community-based learning is an important way that University of Scranton students can forge strong relationships and collaborations within the community while enhancing their learning experiences through real-world applications of course content.  

“Seeing our students become involved in and learning from the greater Scranton community while also utilizing the skills and knowledge from their courses here at The University of Scranton truly shows the importance of community-based learning. Through these experiences, I hope that our students feel that they are a part of our Scranton community,” said Carolyn M. Bonacci, community and civic engagement coordinator at The University of Scranton.  

To learn more about UNC’s Pine Brook Revitalization Project and to get involved, please visit the Pine Brook Neighborhood Plan Facebook @pinebrookscranton.  

To learn more about The University of Scranton’s Office of Community-Based Learning, please visit scranton.edu/CBL or email cbl@scranton.edu.  

The University of Scranton’s University of Success, a four-year pre-college mentorship program, is now accepting applications for the upcoming 2022 academic year that begins this summer.

The University of Success is an academic and enrichment program funded entirely by corporate and foundations grants, so there is no charge to students and their families. The program's goal is to assist first generation bound students to successfully complete high school and gain entrance into a college or university.

Students who are currently in the eighth grade are eligible to apply.

Accepted students will begin the program with a two-week residential summer academy which will be held on the campus of The University of Scranton from July 10, to July 22. Upon completion of the summer program, the students will continue to meet for enrichment sessions during their high school career.

The deadline for submission of applications is Friday, April 1, 2022.

Applications may be obtained by emailing Margaret Loughney, University of Success program director, at margaret.loughney@scranton.edu. Applications may also be obtained online the University of Success web site.

Forty local law enforcement officers participated in a free workshop on de-escalation strategies presented by The University of Scranton Police Department and supported by an innovative impact grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation.

The half-day workshop was developed and presented by trained University of Scranton Police officers, who shared their knowledge and expertise on de-escalation strategies with local college police and security personnel and municipal officers.

Many of the situations encountered by police officers, especially those who work in a college setting or in small municipalities, are emergency or personal crisis situations that require a specific set of interpersonal skills. Police officers are expected to be able to recognize the characteristics of individuals in crisis and respond appropriately, employing strategies that can defuse and de-escalate a tense situation to provide an effective and helpful resolution, while reducing liability and risk of injury.

The workshop presented techniques to safely and effectively recognize and respond to situations involving persons in crisis including training in effective communication and active listening skills which can reduce injury and the need for using physical force.

David Kostiak, policy and compliance manager and crime prevention coordinator, University of Scranton Police, and Joe Laguzzi, sergeant and de-escalation trainer, University of Scranton Police, developed and presented the de-escalation strategies workshop.

This March, a pair of community events in the “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project’s second theme, “The U.S. Citizen and the American Founding” will focus on the concept of freedom – both for our founders and for us today. These events, hosted by The University of Scranton along with community partners, will engage with the larger questions and concerns surrounding the topic of freedom and our shared democracy as our nation approaches its 250th anniversary.  

On Tuesday, Mar. 1 at 5 p.m. a Humanities Lecture with Q&A, “Freedom and Our Founding: What do they mean for us today?" with feature two authors and distinguished scholars, Annelien de Dijn, Professor of Modern Political History and section chair of the Political History Department, Utrecht University, and author of Freedom: An Unruly History and Aziz F. Rana, Richard and Lois Cole Professor of Law, Cornell Law School, and author of The Two Faces of American Freedom. Speakers di Dijn and Rana will focus on the evolution of the concept of freedom in Western political thought, including how it has been understood and interpreted by the founders of our nation, and how we can re-engage with our own notions of “freedom” and what this means for our democracy today.  

This event will take place on Tuesday, Mar. 1 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. via Zoom and participants will have the opportunity to submit questions for the speakers during the live Zoom event. Registration is required at: surveymonkey.com/r/FreedomToday 

On Tuesday, Mar. 22 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. members from both the University of Scranton and greater Scranton area communities are invited to join a public dialogue on “Freedom and Our Founding: What do they mean for us today?". This dialogue will be held on The University of Scranton campus and will involve facilitated small-group structured dialogues that allow participants to reflect on freedom and the founding and our role as citizens in a democracy. Participants will have a chance to consider brief excerpts from founding related readings, share their own experience and perspectives on issues that relate to freedom and equality today, listen to others’ views and engage in conversation.  

The University has organized similar discussions on campus since 2017 as part of an ongoing Dialogue Across Differences Initiative, which blends the reflective, structured dialogue methods of national non-profit Essential Partners with St. Ignatius of Loyola’s teachings of discernment and reflection. For tips on how to have your own constructive dialogue that involves both listening to and learning from others, click here. 

Registration for this public dialogue is required at: surveymonkey.com/r/FreedomDialogue2022 

Theme 2 events began with a Book Discussion on Freedom: An Unruly History on Thursday, Feb. 3 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Participants reflected on excerpted readings of the book, “Freedom: An Unruly History,” by scholar Annelien de Dijn and shared their own views on the concept of freedom in a discussion led by Dr. Matt Meyer, University of Scranton Philosophy faculty member. Discussion themes included the origin of the concept of freedom along with the relationship between freedom and government, the common good, and rules. This hybrid event was hosted by the Scranton Public Library. 

Please visit the “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project website for further details, including event updates, community partners and humanities resources, at scranton.edu/scrantonstory and contact community@scranton.edu with questions.  

Follow “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” on Facebook and Instagram @ourscrantonstory and on Twitter @scrantonstory. 

This project has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in these events do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

The University of Scranton Players will present “A Good Farmer” by Sharyn Rothstein, directed by West Scranton native Bob E. Gasper. A timely drama that deftly approaches multiple perspectives of issues regarding immigration and social justice in America, the play will run February 25-27 and March 4-6 in the Royal Theatre of the McDade Center for the Literary and Performing Arts on the University’s campus. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 8 p.m., and the Sunday performances begin at 2 p.m.

“A Good Farmer” is the story of two women – a farm owner and her unlikely best friend, an undocumented Mexican immigrant – fighting to survive in a small town divided by America’s immigration battle. The play “brings the much-needed sense of humanity to the issue of immigration and addresses many of the moral questions we face …This is an important piece of theatre,” according to a 2018 review by Broadway World. The play, laced with humor, is about love, friendship and finding the power to face what divides us.

The cast features: Seraphina Stager, Lincoln, Rhode Island; Ariana Flores, Springfield, New Jersey; Nick Baranosky, Stevensville, Maryland; Keenan Beveridge, Warminster; Samantha Gurn, Brackney; and Olivia Raineri, Shirley, New York; in addition to Bridget Fry, Allentown, New Jersey; and Matt Valunas, Scranton; who are also assistant stage managers for the production. Also assisting with the production are Samantha Burton, Jamesville, New York, stage manager; Zainab Shah, Hellertown, assistant stage manager; Gillian Williams-Mayers, Scranton, assistant director and props coordinator; Kelsey Bennet, Orangeville, costume coordinator; Kit Karpiak, Scranton, sound counsel operator; and Isabelle Oister, Pottstown, lighting console operator.

The University’s production of “A Good Farmer” is being co-produced by The Jesuit Center.

For tickets, contact the University Players box office at 570-941-4318 or visit thescrantonplayers.com. (or did you want to use 570-941-4353 or email players@scranton.edu) 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 students at the University.

Audience members are required to follow the University’s health and safety guidelines, which currently include wearing higher-grade masks (N95, KN95, KF94 or double masking) indoors. The University’s health and safety information will be updated throughout the semester and can be seen on the Royals Back Together webpage.

On Sunday, Feb. 20, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a recital by nationally acclaimed solo and orchestral concert pianist and Peckville native John Wilson. The recital will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue.

Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis. All audience members are required to wear a higher-grade mask (N95, KN95, KF94 or double masking) at all times. Please check Performance Music’s website, scranton.edu/music, within 24 hours of the recital for the most current information on additional required audience COVID-19 mitigation measures (e.g., masking, vaccination, distancing, etc.).

Wilson, a graduate of Valley View High School who holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, will perform Aaron Copland’s Piano Sonata, Upon Further Reflection by Michael Tilson Thomas and Seven Virtuoso Études after Gershwin.

According to Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga, “it has been an amazing experience to have a front row seat to the artistic development and achievement of this young man from his middle school and high school years performing at local schools and music festivals to his current command of national and international stages as a soloist and with major orchestras.”

Proclaimed a “marvelous musical mad scientist” by the Music Critics Association of North America, Wilson has distinguished himself with a deep repertoire ranging from baroque to contemporary. He has performed extensively throughout North America at high-profile venues such as New York City’s Merkin Hall, Miami’s New World Symphony Center and San Francisco’s Louis M. Davies Hall. As a soloist, he has performed with the New World Symphony, Napa Valley Symphony Orchestra and both the New Amsterdam Symphony and Orchestra Camerata Notturn in New York.

Meanwhile, Wilson has become a sought-after collaborator for some of the world’s most prolific composers, performing on the U.S and world premieres of solo piano works by Michael Tilson Thomas, duo works by Timo Andres and Judith Lang Zaimont, and ensemble works by Steve Reich, Reinbert de Leeuw, HK Gruber and Bernd Deutsch.

The top prize winner in a number of international piano competitions, Wilson took first prize in the 2019 International Respighi Competition, resulting in an invitation to perform as soloist with the Chamber Orchestra of New York. In addition, he won first place in the American Prize Foundation 2019 Competition and Best Performance of an American Work at the 2017 Liszt-Garrison International Piano Competition.

Wilson also is an in-demand chamber musician and collaborator, appearing in chamber ensembles with musicians from the San Francisco Symphony, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and San Diego Symphony. In addition, he has performed recitals with violinist Joshua Bell, cellist Johannes Moser, violinist Anthony Marwood and soprano Audra McDonald. He has recorded for MSR Classics, and his performances can be heard on Medici.tv and WQXR.

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

In the fall of 2022, the Office of Community-Based Learning (CBL) welcomed a new CBL Faculty Coordinator, Debra L. Fetherman, Ph.D., MCHES. Dr. Fetherman is an associate professor of Health and Human Performance and is the director of the Health Promotion Program. Since joining the University in 2005, she has demonstrated her deep passion for engaging with the Scranton area community and interest in pedagogy, assessment and supporting her fellow faculty members.  

In her CBL role, Dr. Fetherman follows Meghan Ashlin Rich, Ph.D., associate professor of Sociology/Criminal Justice and Women’s Studies who served as the inaugural CBL faculty coordinator from 2017-2020. Under the leadership of Dr. Ashlin Rich, the CBL Office and faculty coordinator role was established and grew, including new faculty resources such as the annual CBL faculty workshop and other training and networking opportunities.  

Engaging in CBL since 2006, Dr. Fetherman has incorporated several multi-year projects addressing partner needs in the community. Her first CBL project at the University was The Growing Stronger Project, a strength training and nutrition education program targeting older adults in the community. With community-partner, the Lackawanna County PA State Cooperative Extension, this program was offered at multiple senior centers in the county.   

Dr. Fetherman has cultivated strong relationships with community partners including St. Joseph’s Center and the Autism Collaborative Centers of Excellence, Executive Hub at The University of Scranton.  Despite the challenges during the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Fetherman has continued to support community-partners organizations by adapting presentations to virtual formats and working with her students on community-based research projects. In her new role, Dr. Fetherman hopes to support her fellow faculty members as they incorporate CBL into their courses. In her first year, Dr. Fetherman and the CBL Board are creating new opportunities, including a new CBL Faculty Fellows program as well as workshops and resources related to reflection and assessment.  
   
“Community-based learning represents Jesuit values in action and is a best practice of Ignatian pedagogy.  CBL creates an exceptional teaching and learning experience where all involved (faculty, students, and community members) embody being men and women for and with others,” said Dr. Fetherman.  

Dr. Fetherman also partnered with St. Joseph’s Center to assist with the development and implementation of The CareStrong Wellness Program, an employee wellness program. Dr. Fetherman’s recent projects include a spring 2021 partnership with St. Joseph’s to develop physical activity interventions for employees. Students in her HPRO 413: Worksite Health Promotion created a “Pop-Up Wellness Facilitator Guide” for the center to implement brief wellness breaks throughout the workday. In the same semester, her HPRO 320: Health Promotion Program Planning students developed employee physical activity interventions for Saint Joseph's Center.  

This spring her HPRO 340 “Health Literacy” course is continuing the CBL partnership with Erin Dunleavy, Ph.D., the director of The Autism Collaborative Centers of Excellence, Executive Hub at The University of Scranton to help identify the health literacy needs of the center, its partners, and priority populations. This collaboration began in the fall semester of 2021 with Health Promotion students in the HPRO 410 “Health Communication” course completing the first CBL project focused on the Center’s needs related to health literacy. Dr. Fetherman’s students learned about the community context of this project by hearing from a guest speaker from hub, onsite orientation at the center, attendance at one parent support group meeting via Zoom with pre- and post-reflection writing activities, class written reflection activity on autism personal stories, and autism myth quiz. A summary of the course’s findings was shared with Dr. Dunleavy.  

“Dr. Fetherman brings long experience in how to create and sustain community partnerships in ways that benefit student learning goals and prioritize and respond to the needs of the community. We are excited to build on the good work of the last few years to also create new support opportunities for faculty looking to improve their current CBL courses or create new community-engaged activities.” Said Julie Schumacher Cohen, Chair of the CBL Board and Assistant Vice President for Community Engagement and Government Affairs.   

The Office of Community-Based Learning was created in 2017 to strengthen and expand CBL across the University, reflecting the commitment to reciprocal relationships that support both student learning and the greater Scranton community. For more information, please visit scranton.edu/CBL or contact cbl@scranton.edu.  

During the spring semester, the Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Seminars at The University of Scranton will explore insightful topics with timely perspectives and historical undertones.

Six experts in their fields will lead discussions via a remote format as well as in-person when luncheons return to the campus. Each event will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m. Admission is free for University students, faculty and staff and Schemel Forum members. For non-members, the luncheons $25 in person and $10 remotely.

The series opens on Thursday, Feb. 10, with “Our Common Home: Vatican and Multifaith Engagement on Environment and Climate Justice,” presented by Rabbi Daniel Swartz of Temple Hesed in Scranton. He also serves as the executive director of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL), based in Washington, D.C. Rabbi Swartz joined 40 global religious leaders, 10 scientists and social scientists, and Pope Francis at the Vatican in October 2021 to take part in an ongoing multi-faith effort to address climate change. He will share highlights of that work and discuss the role of faith traditions to protect the environment and promote the common good.

“The science of climate change has been clear for a while, but a combination of denial and disinformation, especially in the U.S., has delayed an appropriate response to the looming global crisis,” said Rabbi Swartz, who was invited because of his efforts to articulate the moral urgency of climate change and because those efforts are “on the ground” rather than administrative. One of only five participants from the U.S., he played a prominent role in writing the document presented a few weeks later at the 2021 U.N. Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland.

“At the Vatican, in the interest of social justice, we prepared a shared vision of how wealthy countries can come together to mitigate the even-harsher effects of climate change on poorer regions,” said Rabbi Swartz. “Hope is the belief that if you work hard enough, any situation can improve; and that’s something all faiths have carried since the origin of religion. This initiative is different from previous planning, because we made a commitment to continue the discussion locally and reconvene periodically to assess our progress and plan action steps based on those assessments.” The seminar will take place in remote format only.  A remote link will be emailed to those registered.

On Friday, Feb. 18, Elzbieta Matynia, Ph.D., professor of sociology and liberal studies and director of the Transregional Center for Democratic Studies at the New School for Social Research, will present “Is Liberal Democracy Already History?” Dr. Matynia will explore the state of democracy today, at home and abroad and the evolution of illiberal democracies, particularly in eastern European countries. She will discuss the factors that made possible the societal hope that took root, the factors that facilitated unprecedented setbacks, and the factors that now sustain the promise of reclaiming democracy while addressing the issues of broader social justice. The seminar will take place in the Kane Forum of Edward Leahy Hall, and a remote link will be emailed to those registered.

 “Linneaus’ Legacy: Corrupting Color to Serve Discrimination and Exploitation” will be presented on Thursday, March 3 by Kathy Johnson Bowles, executive director of Scranton’s Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science and Art. Swedish botanist, zoologist and taxonomist Carl Linneaus (1707-1778) formalized a system of naming organisms still used today.

“Linneaus’ theories have been expanded upon by several influential thinkers over the years,” said Bowles. “Reinforcing the notion that skin color, head shape and other physical characteristics determine the value of a group or individual is clearly discriminatory and racist.” Bowles will raise eyebrows by connecting those dots to the seemingly innocent naming of crayon colors and other ways that we inadvertently further these antiquated and harmful notions. The seminar will take place in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall, and a remote link will be emailed to those registered.

Two prominent scholars from Los Angeles will team up on Monday, March 14 to present “Remarkable Tale of Law, Politics, and Religion: The Making of Kiryas Joel, a Hasidic town in Upstate New York.” David N. Myers, Ph.D., a Scranton native, is the Sady and Ludwig Kahn Professor of Jewish History at UCLA, where he serves as the director of the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy. He will join his wife and co-author Nomi Stolzenberg, founder and co-director of the USC Center for Law, History and Culture. This talk will explore the fascinating story of Kiryas Joel, a legally recognized municipality in New York made up entirely of strictly Orthodox Hasidic Jews. The seminar will take place in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall, and a remote link will be emailed to those registered. Copies of the book by Dr. Stolzenberg and Dr. Myers, “American Shtetl: The Making of Kiryas Joel, a Hasidic Village in Upstate New York,” will be on sale.

On Thursday, March 24, Fredrik Logevall, Ph.D., Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs at Harvard University, will present “Window Into the Presidency: The White House Tapes and Their Meaning.” For a brief eleven-year period, from 1962 to 1973, three American presidents secretly recorded high-level White House deliberations concerning top policy issues. Dr. Logevall will play some of these extraordinary recordings and discuss what they reveal about the affairs of state during a tumultuous period of American history. The seminar will take place in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall, and a remote link will be emailed to those registered.

The series will conclude on Friday, April 22. “Russia and the Post-Truth Society” will be presented by Jill Dougherty, who formerly served as CNN’s Moscow Bureau Chief for almost a decade. An expert on Russia, she is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and a CNN on-air contributor.

“During the Cold War, the USSR tried to convince the world that communism was the future of humankind,” said Dougherty. “The U.S. tried to convince the world that democracy and capitalism gave people a better life. Today, propagandists still try to convince but, more and more, try to confuse and to overwhelm their target audiences with a firehose of mis- and dis-information.”

Dougherty, who is currently teaching a course titled “Information Wars” at Georgetown University, will explore the new paradigm, what it means for Russia, and what it could mean for America. The semiar will take place in the Kane Forum of Edward Leahy Hall; and a remote link will be emailed to those registered.

To register for the seminars, contact Alicen Morrison, Schemel Forum assistant, at 570-941-6206 or alicen.morrison@scranton.edu. To pay by credit card over the phone, contact Kym Fetsko at 570-941-7816, or to pay online, visit: www.scranton.edu/schemelforum.

For more information on Schemel Forum programs and memberships, contact Sondra Myers, Schemel Forum director, at 570-941-4089 or sondra.myers@scranton.edu.

Roosevelt Montás, Ph.D., author and senior lecturer in American studies and English at Columbia University, will present “Liberal Education for Human Freedom” at the Sondra and Morey Myers Distinguished Visiting Fellowship in the Humanities and Civic Engagement Lecture on Thursday, Feb. 10, at The University of Scranton. The lecture, sponsored by The Gail and Francis Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities, will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Moskovitz Theater DeNaples Center.

At Columbia University, Dr. Montás teaches “Introduction to Contemporary Civilization in the West,” a year-long course on primary texts in moral and political thought, as well as seminars in American Studies including “Freedom and Citizenship in the United States.” He served as the director of the Center for the Core Curriculum at Columbia College from 2008 to 2018. He is also the director of the Center for American Studies’ Freedom and Citizenship Program in collaboration with the Double Discovery Center.

Dr. Montás speaks and writes on the history, meaning and future of liberal education and is the author of “Rescuing Socrates: How the Great Books Changed My Life and Why They Matter for a New Generation” (Princeton University Press, 2021).

“‘The West’ as a category is, of course, itself problematic … the banners of “Western civilization” and “Western culture” have been used to give cover to imperialist, racist and colonialist agendas and to justify the subjugation and exploitation of “non-Western” people. But the term is also used to describe something more legitimate: a large and porous cultural configuration around the Mediterranean Sea, with strong Greco-Roman roots, that served as the historical seedbed for the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the Scientific Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and much of what is called ‘modernity,’” wrote Dr. Montás in an opinion piece published by The Chronicle of Higher Education on Nov. 16, 2021. “While the European continent figures prominently, the tradition incorporates defining elements from non-European sources like the Arab world, ancient Egypt and North Africa, and even the East. It is a tradition rife with fissures, where overturning the past is preferred to venerating it. Loose and fractured as this tradition of contest and debate is, key aspects of the modern world emerge from it. The tradition matters not because it is Western, but because of its contribution to human questions of the highest order.”

Dr. Montás earned his bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degrees from Columbia University. His research specializes in Antebellum American literature and culture, with a particular interest in American citizenship.

For the lecture, the University will follow current health and safety guidelines as outlined in the Royals Back Together plan, which include the wearing higher grade masks (e.g. N95, KN95 or KF94) or double masking (e.g. a cloth mask worn over a surgical mask) in indoor spaces on campus.

For more information about the lecture, contact Matthew Meyer, Ph.D, professor of philosophy and faculty director of the University’s Gail and Francis Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities, at matthew.meyer@scranton.edu.

This February, several events are scheduled to honor Black History Month with offerings that provide opportunities for celebration and learning for both the greater Scranton and University of Scranton communities.

The University is hosting a special diversity and inclusion event “Jesuits & Slavery: A History in Search of Understanding” featuring Rev. David Collins, S.J., Haub Director of Catholic Studies and Associate Professor of History at Georgetown University on Tuesday, Feb. 15 from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Fr. Collins is an internationally recognized expert in processes of historical truth and reconciliation and led Georgetown University’s Working Group on Slavery, Memory and Reconciliation, which has garnered national attention since 2015. This event will provide an overview of the participation by the Society of Jesus in slaveholding from the 16th to the 19th centuries and will explore what this legacy of racial injustice and anti-Black racism means for all U.S. Jesuit institutions, including The University of Scranton, today.

This presentation with Q&A and discussion will take place via Zoom and University of Scranton community members can join an in-person watch party. Registration is required here. This event is co-sponsored by the University’s Jesuit Center, Office of Equity and Diversity, Council on Diversity and Inclusion’s Institutional Black History subcommittee, Multicultural Center, and Office of Community Relations.

On Saturday, Feb. 5 the Black Scranton Project honors the start of Black History Month with the third annual Pan-African Flag Raising Ceremony at City Hall at 12:00 p.m. Members of the public are invited to meet at the steps of City Hall to reflect, honor, and celebrate the pivotal role Black Americans have played in shaping national identity and culture. For more information on the Black Scranton Project and other upcoming events, please visit this link. 

Also downtown, the Ritz Theatre is offering Black History month events, including a performance by Rebel Stages on Sat, Feb. 12 of the musical AIN'T MISBEHAVIN! Tickets are available here. On Sat, Feb 26, the Ritz is hosting "INCLUDED - A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY: A Night of Gospel Music.” This is a free event with donations benefiting their Scholarship Fund. For more information, including if you are interested in performing, contact Carole Mason at carole_mason217@yahoo.com.

The University of Scranton Multicultural Center is hosting several programs for university students during February. Events include a Dialogue on Race, Racism, and Identity: Gerrymandering & Voting Rights on Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 8 p.m. and a film screening of John Lewis: Good Trouble followed by a discussion will be held on Thursday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. in the PNC Auditorium in the Loyola Science Center. Additional events include awareness table sits, a trivia night and presentation on systemic racism and its effects. University students can visit the Multicultural Center’s website to view the complete list. 

Additional events may be added as the month continues. Check back here or on Facebook. 

Accounting students from The University of Scranton will follow an adjusted contactless process to assist local residents with filing their federal, state and local tax returns as part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. The process for this year has been adjusted to because of COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.

The free service is available to residents of Lackawanna and Wayne counties with household incomes of $57,000 or less for 2021. 

Qualified clients can provide the information needed to complete tax forms (see below) in a secure “drop-off box” located in the University Police Department, 820 Mulberry Street, beginning Feb. 7. Forms will be processed remotely by University student volunteers. Clients will be contacted by phone or email with any questions and when their tax forms have been filed electronically. The documents provided, or copies of documents if originals were needed for filing, will be then returned to participants.

• Documents need for filing tax forms include: 
• name, email and phone number;
• a copy of the taxpayer’s driver’s license (and spouse’s if applicable);
• a copy of Social Security cards for the taxpayer, the spouse, and any dependents;
• all Wage and earning statements, including, but not limited to:
  • Form W-2 (employees);
  • W-2G (gambling winnings);
  • 1099-R (retirement withdrawals);
  • 1099-Misc, 1099-NEC(miscellaneous income) and any related expenses;
  • 1099-G (unemployment income);
  • 1099-SA (Social Security statement);
  • 1099-B (sales of stock);
• interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099-INT and 1099-DIV);
• a copy of last year’s federal and state returns, if available;
• a voided check for proof of bank account routing and account numbers for direct deposit;
• forms 1095-A, B and C, health coverage statements;
• any information pertinent to deductions and credits the taxpayer may be eligible for, such as:
  • 1098-T for anyone on the tax return who attended a higher education institution during 2020;
  • totals paid to daycare providers and the daycare provider's tax identifying number such as their Social Security number or business Employer Identification Number, name, and address;
• for those who qualify for a property tax or rent rebate (age 65 and older, a widow/widower, disabled, and within certain income limits), copies of property tax receipts for any property taxes paid during the 2020 tax year;
• list of charitable donations;
• also note if you received the economic impact payment? (late 2020 or early 2021) $600/ taxpayer-spouse and each qualifying child.

Residents can include information above in an envelope and place it in the “drop-off box” in the University Police Department, 820 Mulberry Street, weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., beginning Monday, Feb. 7. The program will end when the capacity to process tax forms received has been met.

Residents with questions may call the University at 570-941-4045.

University students have participated in the VITA program for more than 30 years.

On Sunday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m., Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a Valentine’s Day Eve Concert featuring The University of Scranton Jazz Band and special guest Arnt Arntzen. The 3 p.m. concert will take place in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue.

The concert is open to invited guests and all members of the University community. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis. All audience members are required to wear a higher-grade mask (N95, KN95, KF94 or double masking) at all times. University campus access and other health and safety information will be updated throughout the semester and can be seen on the Royals Back Together webpage. Please check Performance Music’s website, scranton.edu/music, within 24 hours of the recital for the most current information on audience COVID-19 mitigation measures (e.g., masking, vaccination, distancing, etc.).

The concert will feature a variety of songs about love and heartbreak, according to Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga. Arntzen and the band will combine to perform a number of songs together, there will be several solo pieces during the concert featuring only Arntzen, and two pieces will feature the band alone. 

A very talented banjoist, guitarist and singer, Arntzen plays regularly with Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, as well as the Louis Armstrong Eternity Band at Birdland. He is a traditional jazz specialist who has performed with the Three Generations of Jazz band with his grandfather Lloyd, parents Georgina and Tom, brother Evan and a number of other family members and has also co-led the Brothers Arntzen with his brother Evan.

In addition, Arntzen has collaborated with numerous other ensembles in New York and Vancouver, including Baby Soda Jazz Band, Gordon Webster Swing Band, Avalon Jazz Band and many more. Though mostly a sideman, he also leads small groups exploring obscure parts of the American jazz lexicon from the early part of the 20th century.

The primary focus of Performance Music at The University of Scranton is its student choral and instrumental performing ensembles. There is no music major at the University, and all enrolled Scranton students (undergraduate and graduate) from every major are eligible for membership in the University bands, choirs and string ensembles, with neither an audition nor enrollment fee required for membership. Hundreds of students participate in the ensembles each year, and a number of University faculty, staff and alumni perform with them.

Performance Music’s large ensembles include Concert/Symphonic Band, Concert Choir/Singers, String Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble (big band format). Smaller groups are made up of members from within the large ensembles, and include Steel Drum Band, Percussion Ensemble, Flute Ensemble, Trumpet Ensemble and Clarinet Ensemble, plus other small vocal and instrumental groups in various formats. Solo, duo and trio performance opportunities are available to members of the ensembles through the general recitals held each semester.

Other programs within the department, including guest artist concerts, World Premiere Composition Series, Nelhybel Collection and Scranton Brass Orchestra, closely coordinate programming with the student ensembles and offer unique opportunities for student musicians in the ensembles to hear, observe, interact and perform with numerous world-class musicians and artist-teachers.

High school juniors and seniors who are considering applying to Scranton are encouraged to contact Performance Music to arrange to sit in on a rehearsal, meet the staff, attend a concert or tour the building.  

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