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By Marcus Smith '27, Student Correspondent

Students at The University of Scranton can look forward to quality-of-life improvements in their dining for the 2026-27 school season, thanks to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), which recently announced Scranton as a recipient of its PA Hunger-Free Campus grant funding.

Adrianna Smith '22 G'23, student life special projects coordinator for The University of Scranton, outlined how the University plans to use its grant allocation. 

“We can increase the availability of grab-and-go meals, meal ingredient kits and emergency dining support while also piloting a micro-pantry and expanding access to hygiene products,” she explained. “Additional funding will allow for expanded grocery shuttle services, cooking workshops and SNAP education and application support to connect eligible students with crucial resources.”

Smith said the grant represents a new ability for campus-wide collaboration among several departments.

“This funding will support a collaborative initiative between the Division of Student Life and Center for Service and Social Justice, enhancing both immediate access to food and long-term resources for students,” Smith said. 

Smith also discussed the grant’s ability to help the University ensure that it lives up to its Jesuit ideals by recognizing and assisting with students’ physical, not just academic, needs. 

“By prioritizing dignity, we will continue to foster an environment where all students are supported and thriving both inside and outside the classroom,” Smith said.

PDE awarded $1 million worth of PA Hunger-Free Campus grants to 30 colleges and universities across the state of Pennsylvania.

The University of Scranton received $40,000 in grant funds from PDE to help improve the dining experience on campus.

PA Hunger-Free Campus grants are awarded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to help schools address food insecurity on campus, including expanding access to food options, creating awareness initiatives and upgrading facilities.

A group of students from The University of Scranton is once again organizing SoccerFest, a community-focused soccer tournament designed to bring together local youth athletes for a day of competition, teamwork and community engagement.

SoccerFest will take place on Saturday, May 9, at Fitzpatrick Field on the University's campus, featuring a fast-paced 6-v-6 tournament format. Teams of up to 10 players will compete in multiple divisions: U10 coed, U12 coed, U12 male, U14 girls, U14 male, high school male and high school female.

The event is entirely planned and executed by students as part of a sports event management course, giving them hands-on experience in organizing a large-scale athletic event — from marketing and registration to scheduling and game operations.

The tournament is open to players of all skill levels, offering each team a guaranteed set of games throughout the day. Participants will also receive event T-shirts. Registration is available through the SoccerFest website.

The goal of the event is to grow the community and bring people together for a fun day. In addition to providing a competitive outlet for young athletes, all SoccerFest proceeds support the charitable initiative of Friends of the Poor.

Student organizers are actively promoting the event across local community spaces, emphasizing the importance of teamwork, inclusivity and community connection.

Registration for SoccerFest 2026 is currently open, with early registration pricing available through April 17 and final registration closing May 3.

For more information, to register a team or to volunteer, visit the SoccerFest website.

The University of Scranton Jazz Band will take the stage Saturday, April 18, with acclaimed trombonist Jennifer Krupa joining them as the evening’s featured guest artist. Presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton, the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton. Admission is free and the concert is open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis.

“Our students are excited to work with Jen again after a very successful week last year of preparing and performing premieres of the works she and Wycliffe Gordon composed for them," said Performance Music Executive Director and conductor Janelle Decker.

“Krupa is truly a part of our Performance Music program here at Scranton — her musical and technical mastery and collaborative, respectful and intuitive teaching style have consistently had a strong positive impact on the musical experiences of our student musicians, staff and audiences throughout her many years of visits," said Cheryl Y. Boga, Artistic Director of Performance Music and conductor.

An acclaimed trombonist, musician, music educator, conductor, composer and arranger, Krupa has written original works and arrangements for a wide variety of ensembles that have been featured in recordings and performances across the globe. Her extensive discography spans nearly 40 recordings. She performs with many of the most highly regarded jazz artists of our time, serves as lead trombonist with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, co-leads the Krupa/Pilzer Quartet, is an in-demand soloist throughout the U.S., and maintains a very active career as a player, guest conductor, composer/arranger and teacher in the New York City and Washington/Maryland areas.

Krupa leads clinics, masterclasses and adjudications and guest conducts nationwide; conducts the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Combos; and has presented at the Jazz Educators Network, Midwest Clinic and the International Trombone Festival. Recently retired from her two-decade tenure with the United States Navy Band Commodores Jazz Ensemble, Krupa held multiple key roles with that ensemble, including Music Director, arranger, tour manager, operations and personnel manager and trombonist. She is currently on the faculty of The Juilliard School where she directs the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra.

The University of Scranton Jazz Band is a 25-member ensemble of big band style instrumentation, made up of University of Scranton student musicians from majors spanning the curriculum. They perform five or more times per year. The majority of their performances are open to the public, free of admission charge, and often feature a nationally or internationally renowned guest soloist.

Krupa received her first critic’s review as a professional in “The Scranton Tribune” for a performance in the University’s Houlihan McLean Center in 2000, performing with The Wycliffe Gordon Quintet.

For further information on the concert, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit the University's website. For more info on Krupa, visit jenkrupa.com.

IF YOU GO:

What: IN CONCERT: The University of Scranton Jazz Ensemble featuring guest soloist Jennifer Krupa, trombone, presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton

When: 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 18, 2026

Where: Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton

Admission: FREE

The University of Scranton has more than a dozen graduate programs ranked among the best in the nation, according to one of the leading authorities in assessing academic quality and reputation.

U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools” report, released April 7, features 14 University of Scranton master’s and doctoral offerings ranked in their respective categories.

Among Scranton’s highest-ranked and fastest-rising programs are the following:

• No. 43 (tied), Best Rehabilitation Counseling Programs — up six spots from No. 49 in 2025
• No. 59 (tied), Best Occupational Therapy Programs — up 20 spots from No. 79 in 2025
• No. 99 (tied), Best Nurse Anesthesia Programs — up 12 spots from No. 111 in 2025

In rehabilitation counseling, Scranton ranks first in Pennsylvania and shares the No. 43 ranking with the likes of Texas Tech and the University of Alabama.

Scranton also held strong in the Best Healthcare Management Programs category, ranking 53rd nationally, tied with Creighton University, Texas State University, the University of Memphis and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, among others.

Additionally, after not being ranked in 2025, the University placed in the following categories:

• No. 109 (tied), Best International Business Programs
• No. 139 (tied), Best Management Programs
• No. 154 (tied), Best Marketing Programs
• No. 166 (tied), Best Supply Chain Management Programs

The University also received recognition in multiple other categories: Best Part-Time MBA Programs, No. 105 (tied); Best Physical Therapy Programs, No. 115 (tied); Best Business Analytics Programs, No. 115 (tied); Best Nursing Schools: Doctor of Nursing Practice, No. 137; Best Accounting Programs, No. 148 (tied); and Best Finance Programs, No. 170 (tied).

The methodologies used by U.S. News to rank programs are constantly updated, refined and tailored to each category. Among the factors that go into U.S. News rankings are the results of surveys of educational and professional personnel, faculty student ratios and student test scores. In addition to U.S. News, The Wall Street Journal, Princeton Review and Forbes are among the other publications that have recently recognized the value of a Scranton education with noteworthy rankings.

The University of Scranton has more than 40 graduate programs covering specialties within the fields of business, health administration, health sciences, social sciences and STEM.

According to the most recent Roche Family Center for Career Development’s First Destination Survey, graduate students from the Class of 2024 reported a 100% success rate with 95% of them employed full-time. The graduates’ mean annual salary was $82,932, up 15% from just three years earlier.

For more information, visit The University of Scranton’s graduate admissions website — or visit in-person on Wednesday, April 22, for Graduate Open House. Online registration is now open for the event at the DeNaples Center.

The University of Scranton will host a three-day national interdisciplinary conference, bringing together educators, students and professionals to explore the wide-ranging implications of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence.

The conference, titled “Confronting the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence,” will be held Thursday, April 16, through Saturday, April 18, on the University’s campus. Registration is open with pricing ranging from $50 to $150. Included in the cost is unlimited access to the conference’s panels and workshops, as well as entry into a Thursday night mixer and Friday night dinner. Conference sponsors are the Diocese of Scranton and Geisinger.

Notable presenters include Ryan Struyk, director of AI innovation at CNN; Thursday’s keynote speaker Joe Vukov, Ph.D., associate director of Loyola University Chicago’s Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage and associate professor of philosophy; and Friday’s keynote speaker Paul Scherz, Ph.D., Our Lady of Guadalupe professor of theology at Notre Dame, program chair of the Notre Dame-IBM Technology Ethics Lab and member of the Vatican Centre for Digital Culture’s AI Research Group.

Thursday’s programming begins at 5 p.m. with a welcome by Tracy Stewart, Ph.D., The University of Scranton’s interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, along with conference co-planners George Aulisio, Ph.D., dean of the Weinberg Memorial Library; Dan Marenda, Ph.D., associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; and Megan Heeder, Ph.D., assistant professor of theology and religious studies.

On Friday, the conference will offer a staggering 28 breakout sessions across nine time slots, beginning in the 9 to 9:40 a.m. window and ending at 4:30 to 5:10 p.m.

Presenters are coming from across the U.S. to discuss topics including but not limited to arts and humanities; business; education; environmental impact; healthcare and medicine; law and policy; library and information science; philosophy; science; theology; social justice and equity; and social sciences.

A full conference schedule and list of presenters are now available on the University’s website.

As The University of Scranton’s programs that serve community members in need have expanded, so has the need for more space. The Center for Service and Social Justice’s many programs, previously held in the Arrupe House, have now moved to a larger, more modern space in Ciszek Hall on Mulberry Street.

A new kitchen and hall in the lower level will serve as a new space for the We Care Meal Program, through which students volunteer to prepare and package 50-100 meals weekly for community members in need. The meals include a main course, side, drink, snacks, dessert, utensils and a handmade card. The cards are made in the Crafts room on the first floor of Ciszek Hall. Meals have been donated to Community Intervention Center, Friends of the Poor and low-income housing developments such as Delaware Towers, Valley View, Bangor Heights, Hilltop and Jackson Terrace.

The first floor of Ciszek Hall includes the Royal Restore Food Pantry, which provides free, nutritious food and personal care products to University students and employees in need, and Teen Threads, a student-run program that offers clothing giveaways at area high schools and other programs for young adults. The hall also includes a meeting space for groups associated with the Center for Service and Social Justice.

The new space was showcased and blessed at an Open House in March. Participating in the event were Daniel Cosacchi, Ph.D., vice president for mission and ministry; Patricia Vaccaro, director of the Center for Service and Social Justice; and University students Patrick George, Endwell, New York; Bridgid Guarnuccio, Scotch Plains, New Jersey; Bradly Kaufman, Scranton; Christina Kennedy, Morristown, New Jersey; and Frank McCann, Glenside.

The University of Scranton will welcome Harvard University faculty member Brandon Terry, Ph.D., as the speaker at this year’s Sondra H’87 and Morey Myers H’12 Distinguished Visiting Fellowship in the Humanities and Civic Engagement Lecture.

Dr. Terry, Harvard’s John L. Loeb associate professor of the social sciences and co-director of the Institute on Policing, Incarceration and Public Safety at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, will speak at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23, at the Pearn Auditorium inside Brennan Hall. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Dr. Terry’s lecture is titled “Shattered Dreams, Infinite Hope,” the same title as his 546-page book released in October 2025.

The book was selected by The New York Times as one of “100 Notable Books of 2025.”

“The civil rights movement has been enshrined in American history as an exemplary model of transformative social action,” the newspaper wrote. “Terry, a Harvard scholar, upends the conventional wisdom, rejecting both romanticized versions of the past and pessimistic accounts of the present to offer a nuanced theory of the movement — and of social movements in general — predicated on a rigorous philosophical vision of what he calls ‘tragic hope.’”

Housed in The University of Scranton’s Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities, the Myers lecture was created to advance the University’s efforts in bringing renowned scholars, artists and thinkers to campus to share their work and enrich cultural and civic activity.

Sondra Myers was a longtime director of the University’s Schemel Forum whose career has focused on strengthening democracy and civic engagement through cultural programming, public policy work and humanities scholarship. Morey Myers, a civil rights activist and accomplished jurist, is a graduate of the Yale University School of Law and Syracuse University.

For more information, visit the Myers lecture’s webpage on the Slattery Center website.

News is happening all the time at The University of Scranton.

Look no further than March, when school is out of session for one week for spring break, but the announcements and events continue.

In case you missed it, here are some of the stories we've been working on:

Incoming Provost and Senior VP for Academic Affairs Announced

WeiDong Zhu, Ph.D., will serve the University as its next provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, beginning in July.

Read more about Dr. Zhu, who comes to Scranton by way of Jesuit sister institution Saint Peter's University, at this link.

KSOM's "Gold Standard" Accreditation Extended Through 2031

Only 6% of business schools in the world earn AACSB accreditation. The University's Kania School of Management is included in that group.

Click to read more about the accreditation review process and what the recognition means for KSOM.

Pope Francis Coauthor and Friend to Speak at the University

Rabbi Abraham Skorka, Ph.D., a renowned scholar, author and longtime friend of Pope Francis will soon visit the University.

Dr. Skorka will deliver the Judaic Studies Institute Lecture on Tuesday, May 12. Follow this link for more details about Dr. Skorka's upcoming lecture.

Lady Royals in the Final Four

The University of Scranton's women's basketball team completed a historic season in which it went 32-1.

Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, hailed the team as serving as a "powerful testament to what it means to be a student" at Scranton.

For additional coverage, please see WNEP and the Times-Tribune's live reporting from Salem, Virginia. WVIA also profiled the Lady Royals before they traveled to the Final Four.

Weiss Hall's IDEA Center Begins to Fulfill Its Promise

The 2025-26 academic year began with the opening of Robert S. '68 and Marilyn A. Weiss Hall.

One of Weiss Hall's signature facilities is the IDEA Center, where University of Scranton students and Greater Scranton community members and organizations are putting its cutting-edge facilities to use. Click to read more statistics and examples about how the IDEA Center is being used.

Additional Headlines:

University Library Book Sale Date, Details Announced | Click to Read More

Scranton Students and Professor Make Major Breakthrough in Nanoparticle Research | Click to Read More

Psychology Department Members Present Research at Conference | Click to Read More

Scranton Students Perform in 78th Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band Festival | Click to Read More

Speaker Announced, Date Set for Spring Henry George Seminar | Click to Read More

Continue reading Royal News all year round to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings at Scranton. 

The University of Scranton will host a Junior Open House on Saturday, April 25, welcoming high school juniors and their families to campus for a dynamic introduction to college life. Online registration is open for the event, which runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the DeNaples Center.

Admissions counselors and current students will help facilitate campus tours and interactive sessions with faculty and representatives from the College of Arts and Sciences, the Kania School of Management and the Leahy College of Health Sciences. The event is designed to answer questions and offer insight into the opportunities available in and beyond the classroom.

“Our Junior Open House is an exciting opportunity for prospective students to experience Scranton firsthand — connecting with our admissions team, hearing from current Royals and exploring our academic programs alongside our college deans," said Hugh Doyle '17, G'20, director of undergraduate admissions. "Families will also enjoy a tour of our beautiful campus, including our facilities and residence halls, and begin to picture what their future at Scranton could look like.”

Founded in 1888, The University of Scranton is a Catholic and Jesuit university with 70 majors across its three colleges. Recent graduates have exceeded national benchmarks in achieving successful, post-graduation outcomes, demonstrating the value of a Scranton education. The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review are among the publications that have recently touted Scranton as one of the nation’s best colleges.

The University of Scranton’s Graduate Open House is set for Wednesday, April 22, at the DeNaples Center, where attendees will gain insight into the University’s graduate academic offerings, learning formats and career outcomes. Online registration is now open.

Held on the DeNaples Center’s fourth floor, the Graduate Open House is open to individuals who are interested in exploring an advanced degree. Program directors and faculty members will be in attendance and able to answer questions about Scranton’s 40-plus graduate programs. Graduate admissions staff members will also be at the event to explain the application process and answer questions about next steps.

The evening begins with optional campus tours at approximately 4:30 p.m., followed by check-in and refreshments at 5:30 p.m. Attendees will then take part in an opening session at 6:15 p.m. before breaking into program-specific information sessions at 6:45 p.m.

“Our Graduate Open House is a great opportunity for prospective students to experience Scranton firsthand,” said Melissa Afshari ’10, G’16, director of graduate and international admissions. “On April 22, they can connect with program directors, faculty and current students, while learning more about their program of interest. It gives them a chance to see what makes Scranton such a special place.”

The University of Scranton was founded in 1888 and is a Catholic and Jesuit university. The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Princeton Review are among the publications that have recently touted Scranton as one of the nation’s best colleges.

Five of The University of Scranton’s graduate programs are ranked in the top 50 in the nation, according to the most recent U.S. News and World Report “Best Graduate Schools” rankings. The Roche Family Center for Career Development’s Class of 2024 First Destination Survey revealed a 100% success rate and mean annual salary of nearly $83,000 for alumni who completed their graduate studies from summer 2023 through spring 2024.

The University of Scranton recently marked the opening of Waymarks Toward Reunion, a yearlong pilot program in sacred art and theology, with an opening event, titled, “A Feast in the Wilderness.”

Directed by visiting assistant professor Patrick Beldio, MFA, Ph.D., the March 8 gathering featured a lecture, meal and concert at the DeNaples Center and an evening Mass at Madonna della Strada Chapel.

“What filled the day was love, intention and care,” Dr. Beldio said.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Beldio reflected on major spiritual milestones that have shaped his own formation. He pointed to the Council of Nicaea in 325, the death of St. Francis of Assisi in 1226, St. Ignatius of Loyola’s turning away from military life during his time in Manresa, the beginning of Meher Baba’s decades-long silence in 1925 and the founding of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in 1926 as helping frame the program as a meeting point of his work as an artist, scholar and teacher.

Following Dr. Beldio’s remarks, Rev. Paul Kollman, C.S.C., associate professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame, began the program by offering a profound keynote speech introducing the contemplative vision of the late Rev. John S. Dunne, C.S.C., a shared mentor of his and Dr. Beldio.

The day continued with a lunch prepared by catering chef Larry Mullally, an afternoon concert by a devotional folk music trio from California-based Sufism Reoriented and an evening Mass.

“Waymarks Toward Reunion” is supported by a $100,000 grant from the Creative Arts Collective for Christian Life and Faith (CAC). It is a Jesuit-Franciscan partnership between Scranton and Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, with the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in Washington, D.C., as artistic home.

The gold standard for business school accreditation has been reaccredited for the next six years at The University of Scranton.

Scranton’s undergraduate and master’s programs in business offered by the Kania School of Management (KSOM) have been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) since 1995. The accreditation process requires schools to submit a comprehensive, 360-degree review every six years to prove that the college continues to offer students an exceptional and relevant business education.

Approximately 6% of business colleges worldwide — 1,072 schools of business in 70 countries — hold the prestigious AACSB accreditation.

“When we meet with parents and students, they not only recognize the value of a Jesuit education but recognize that one with AACSB accreditation assures that their son or daughter will receive a high-quality business education grounded in the liberal arts,” said Mark Higgins, Ph.D., dean of the Kania School of Management.

The accreditation review is conducted by deans from other AACSB-accredited schools and includes a comprehensive written report along with an on-site visit. During the visit, the deans meet with faculty, staff, students, the provost, the president and members of the KSOM advisory board. The review examines a school’s course development or innovation, the delivery or engagement of faculty, staff, students and other stakeholders and the outcomes or assessment of learning, all the while gathering evidence that the college’s education remains relevant to current business needs.

“In various aspects of the report, the peer review team noted how the faculty and staff take a very student-centric approach,” Dr. Higgins said.

The peer review team also noted teaching effectiveness and research as clear strengths of the business school. The team also highlighted that the Accounting program ranked second nationally in education research over both six- and 12-year windows, according to Brigham Young University’s Accounting Research Rankings, with Douglas M. Boyle, DBA ’88, professor and chair of Scranton’s Accounting Department and director of the Ph.D. program, ranking among the top accounting education researchers in the country.

The report also highlighted that KSOM fulfills its Jesuit mission by incorporating a societal impact course into every major, noting that it is recommending this as a best practice for all schools to follow.

The peer review team said it was impressed with how the school incorporates career orientation, beginning with a student’s first year, and the outstanding placements the school has in the New York and Philadelphia region. The team also mentioned the Henry George Lecture Series, which, overseen by the Economics, Finance and International Business Department, has brought 13 Nobel Prize winners to campus. Finally, the team spoke highly of Scranton’s Small Business Development Center’s (SBDC) dynamic director, Lisa Hall Zielinski, and the integration of the SBDC and the Women’s Entrepreneurship Center with KSOM.

The SBDC program resides in the KSOM, leveraging University financial support to secure additional funding that facilitates student learning activity and community economic improvements.

Undergraduate Kania School of Management programs include bachelor’s degree programs in accounting, business administration, business analytics, economics, finance, international business, management, marketing and supply chain.

Graduate-level Kania School of Management programs include a master’s in accountancy; a master’s in finance; a master’s in business analytics; and a master of business administration (MBA) in general management or with a specialization in accounting, business analytics, finance, healthcare management, international business, marketing, and operations management. Combined bachelor’s and master’s level programs include accounting BS/MBA and finance BS/MBA, as well as accelerated programs in a number of areas.

One of the greatest teams of any sport to ever represent the purple and white of The University of Scranton, the 2025-26 Lady Royals women's basketball team ended its season on Saturday.

After stringing together seven consecutive postseason wins in the Landmark Conference and NCAA tournaments, the Lady Royals advanced to the national championship game. Denison University ended Scranton's perfect season, winning the title game, 55-41.

The trip to Salem, Virginia, was not without highlights, however, as Scranton defeated New York University, 60-52, in the Final Four, snapping NYU's historic 91-game winning streak.

Sandwiched between the NYU and Denison games on Thursday and Saturday, the Lady Royals (32-1) volunteered on Friday with Feeding Southwest Virginia. The organization annually distributes nearly 19 million pounds of food to those in need.

"In this, the Lady Royals gave witness to what it means, in the Jesuit tradition, to be women 'for and with others,'" University president Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., said in a community email honoring the team. "By choosing presence over convenience and service over self, the team embodied the University's ideals of placing human dignity at the heart of all we do." 

Across the two games, senior Kaci Kranson scored 15 points, surpassing 2,000 in her career. Senior Kaeli Romanowski scored 23 points with a staggering 33 rebounds.

Meghan Lamanna scored 28 points and Elizabeth Bennett added 19 points, while Katie Gorski, Sophia Talutto and senior Jenna Sloan also played key roles for head coach Ben O'Brien.

In reflecting upon the championship game at his postgame press conference, O'Brien described the final game as a roller-coaster. Denison led, 19-11, at halftime. Scranton came back and led, 34-33, at the end of the three quarters. Both teams struggled mightily from beyond the 3-point line.

The NYU game also tested Scranton's resolve, as the Lady Royals jumped out to a 17-5 lead before being outscored, 47-43, the rest of the way.

Yet, Scranton persevered far more often than not — winning an 11th consecutive conference championship and playing in the national title game for the first time in 41 years — a credit to the team's leadership.

"To see Kaci, Kaeli, Jenna and the team navigate their way through that the way that they do — it's inspiring," O'Brien said. "These are young women who are going to go on to unbelievable careers. To see them on this stage, in this kind of game, navigating through that — it's unbelievable to watch.

"It just makes you so proud to have been a part of their journey here."

In his email, Father Marina expressed gratitude to the players, coaches, fans, families and friends of the Lady Royals.

"Please join me in congratulating the Lady Royals on a historic season that will be remembered with pride and gratitude," Father Marina said. "They have left a lasting mark and serve as a powerful testament of what it means to be a student at The University of Scranton."

The University will honor the team with a celebration at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, inside the Long Center.

One of the Weinberg Memorial Library’s most popular events — and for good reason — is returning in April. 

The Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library announced it will host the 2026 Book Sale on Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26. Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. It is open to the public.

A special preview sale — open to current members of the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library, current members of the Schemel Forum and current University of Scranton students, faculty and staff — will be held from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 24. Current students, faculty and staff must bring their valid and unexpired Royal Card for entry.

The sale will offer a wide selection of paperback and hardcover titles, ranging from popular leisure reading to academic works with fiction, nonfiction, children’s, young adult, cookbooks and various other genres. A variety of CDs, DVDs and select vinyl records will also be on sale.

Sales benefit the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library Endowment.

Cash, check and credit card payments will be accepted.

Additionally, the library will accept donations of clean books in good condition now through Friday, April 10.

For more information, to volunteer or to schedule a donation appointment, please contact Melisa Gallo at 570-941-6195 or email melisa.gallo@scranton.edu.

Ready to work? The University of Scranton's Roche Family Center for Career Development is hosting the 2026 Spring Career Expo on March 26, from noon to 3 p.m. in the Byron Center.

Students and alumni in all majors and industries are invited to discover full-time jobs, internships, co-ops, part-time experience, or interact with representatives from graduate and professional schools. Over 65 organizations and graduate schools are expected at this free event. 

Don't miss this opportunity to find a full-time job, internship, co-op, part-time experience, or interact with representatives from graduate and professional schools.

All candidates should dress to impress and bring plenty of resumes to distribute to employers and graduate schools.

Those in need of professional attire for the event are invited to visit Royal Threads, the Roche Family Center for Career Development's free professional clothing closet at Loyola Science Center, room 235. Call 570-941-7630 or schedule an appointment in Handshake.

Need Tips to help prepare for the Expo?

The Roche Family Center for Career Development compiled the resources listed below to help attendees present their best professional image at upcoming events: 

What to Expect at a Career Expo


What to Wear—Dress to Impress! Consider utilizing Royal Threads, a professional clothing closet.


What to Say—The Introduction and Elevator Pitch


Resume Writing Tips

On Saturday, March 28, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a concert featuring the University’s Concert Choir and Symphonic Band. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton. Admission is free and the concert is open to the public, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

According to conductors Cheryl Y. Boga and Janelle Decker, the concert will feature a short program by each group, as well as three or four pieces by the combined groups.

“Usually the two groups only perform together at our Commencements, so it is unusual and special for our Houlihan-McLean audience to have the opportunity to hear them combine forces," Decker said.

“We are looking forward to having the groups perform together in our own concert hall, a decidedly more intimate venue acoustically than the Commencement arena they usually team up in," Boga added.

The University of Scranton Concert Choir and Symphonic Band are 50- and 70-plus member groups, respectively, comprised of members of the University community. Their majors and departments span the curriculum. The vast majority of them are undergraduate students, joined by a few graduate students and members of the faculty and staff, none of whom are music majors. They are all brought together by their mutual love of music-making and sharing their love of music with their audiences.

The primary focus of Performance Music at The University of Scranton is its student choral and instrumental performing ensembles. There is no major in music at the University, and all enrolled Scranton students (undergraduate and graduate) are eligible for membership in the University Bands, University Performance Choirs, University String Orchestra and Ensembles and Steel Drum Ensemble. A few members of the faculty and staff and alumni from the region also perform with the groups. Each year, hundreds of students participate in the ensembles.

For additional information on the concert, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit the Performance Music website.

IF YOU GO:

What: IN CONCERT: The University of Scranton Concert Choir and Symphonic Band, presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton

When: Saturday, March 28, 2026, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton

Admission: FREE

The University of Scranton Lady Royals departed from campus Tuesday afternoon.

Next stop: Salem, Virginia, home of the NCAA Division III women's basketball Final Four.

Having successfully defended their home court at the Long Center through four rounds of play — the first and second rounds, Sweet 16 and Elite 8 — the Lady Royals (31-0) will play New York University (29-0) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The winner advances to the national title game against the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (28-3) or Denison University (28-2).

In the Elite 8 win against Concordia-Moorhead, 67-42, senior Kaci Kranson, the D3Hoops.com Region 5 Player of the Year, scored a team-high 15 points. Katie Gorski, Meghan Lamanna and first team all-region selection Kaeli Romanowski also scored in double-figures. Jenna Sloan and Elizabeth Bennett added seven points each. Freshman Sophia Talutto, the D3Hoops.com Region 5 Rookie of the Year, added four points. The Lady Royals are led by head coach Ben O'Brien, the D3Hoops.com Region 5 Coach of the Year.

The Lady Royals have won 11 consecutive Landmark Conference championships. They're back in the Final Four for the first time since 2019. The team won a national title in 1985.

Continue reading to learn more about the matchup and how can you watch and follow:

University of Scranton Lady Royals (31-0) vs. NYU Violets (29-0)

What: NCAA Division III women's basketball national semifinal

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19

Where: Cregger Center in Salem, Virginia

Watch online: The game will be streamed live on ESPN+. ESPN+ is a premium streaming service with original online content, including live sporting events. For more information or to purchase an ESPN+ subscription, visit the ESPN+ website.

Watch in-person: Fans are invited to join fellow fans at the University's Watch Party, which will be held at the McIlhenny Ballroom on the fourth floor of the DeNaples Center. Doors open at 7 p.m. Light appetizers and refreshments will be served and the game will be shown on the big screen. RSVP at this link.

Follow: The Lady Royals' Instagram handle is @ScrantonLadyRoyals and Twitter/X is @ScrantonWBB. The University's athletic department is on Instagram @RoyalAthletics and Twitter/X @RoyalAthletics. Additionally, live stats during the game will be published by the NCAA.

Tickets: Available for purchase via HomeTown Ticketing.

Up next: The winner advances to play in the national championship game against the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (28-3) or Denison University (28-2). The national championship will also be streamed on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 21.

Throughout construction of Robert S. ’68 and Marilyn A. Weiss Hall, the 10,000 square-foot area on the first floor’s northwest wing always had a purpose.

The vision was that it would serve as a “makerspace” or “innovation hub,” two terms often used to describe the facility before it took on its official name: the IDEA Center — short for Innovation, Design, Education, Application — four things happening every day as it nears seven months of serving The University of Scranton and local communities.

"Whether you’re doing an in-class project and need to bring ideas to life, or just trying to find a creative outlet, the Center has so many resources available for students, faculty and the surrounding community,” said Allison Kipp ’29, an IDEA Center work study and business analytics major from Pittston.

The IDEA Center has assisted 185-plus students and counting with class or personal creative projects, using 3D design, CNC fabrication, graphic design or media production. The podcast studio alone has accommodated approximately 90 reservations.

Additionally, more than 400 community members have come through its doors, according to IDEA Center director Thomas Bryan, and it has served more than 200 of them with applied resources and programming.

"The Center has become a regional hub where educators, civic leaders, corporate teams and students collaborate through design-based learning, innovation and workforce-aligned experiences,” Bryan said.

Recent visitors have included several dozen attendees at Campaign School, a free workshop organized by the University's Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service. The event provided aspiring political candidates and staffers with opportunities to network and learn what it takes to run a political campaign. Using the IDEA Center’s large classroom space, the three current Lackawanna County Commissioners, former U.S. Sen. and current University of Scranton Leahy Distinguished Fellow in Public Service Bob Casey, and prominent marketing professionals offered guidance at the event.

Many school-age children have visited the IDEA Center as well, including students from the NEPA PAC After School Program who used the IDEA Center’s industry-level design and fabrication tools to create personal brand images that were engraved onto wooden plaques. Students also went home with custom NEPA PAC T-shirts that they personally hand-pressed.

The visit, which included five Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine students who volunteered to help, made for “an evening of creativity, innovation and hands-on learning,” Bryan said.

“Experiences like that embody the mission of the IDEA Center,” Bryan said. “Moving learners from consumers to creators and empowering young people across our region to see themselves as innovators, leaders and makers of their own future.”

Weiss Hall also serves as the headquarters for the Departments of Psychology and of Criminal Justice, Cybersecurity and Sociology; the Small Business Development Center; Student Health Services; the University of Success; and the Center for Health, Education and Wellness.

Together, these academic units, student-support offices and University programs fulfill the charge given years ago by one of the building’s benefactors.

"Get the idea, do basic research, apply the idea,” Robert S. Weiss '68 said at the 2024 naming announcement. “Then go out and ‘set the world on fire.’”

The University of Scranton will host Rabbi Abraham Skorka, Ph.D., a renowned scholar, author and longtime friend of Pope Francis, at the upcoming Judaic Studies Institute Lecture.

Dr. Skorka will deliver his lecture, titled, “The Pope and the Rabbi: My Story of Friendship and Dialogue with Pope Francis,” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, at the Pearn Auditorium inside Brennan Hall. Dr. Skorka’s presentation is open to the public and free to attend.

Dr. Skorka is the former rabbi of the Benei Tikva Congregation and Rector of the Seminario Rabínico Latinoamericano, both in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Like Pope Francis, Dr. Skorka was born in Buenos Aires.

In addition to being fellow Argentinians and friends, Dr. Skorka and Pope Francis cowrote the 2013 book, “On Heaven and Earth: Pope Francis on Faith, Family and the Church in the 21st Century.”

“As soon as he was elected Pope, Francis called me on the phone and gave me the email address we could use to keep in touch with each other,” Dr. Skorka wrote in a letter for Georgetown University, where he is a senior research fellow for Jewish Studies and Jewish-Christian Relations. “Our friendship began in the second half of the 1990s and has been characterized by mutual respect and sincere, direct dialogue ever since. Gradually, we revealed ourselves to one another, opening our hearts.”

For more information, please contact Marc B. Shapiro, Ph.D., professor and chair of theology and religious studies at the University at 570-941-7956 or email marc.shapiro@scranton.edu.

On Monday, March 30 from 6 - 7:30 p.m., The University of Scranton will host a program titled, “The High Cost of AI: How Data Centers Are Reshaping Pennsylvania’s Energy Landscape,” which discusses the impact AI and data centers have on their environments and utility and energy costs. This event will take place in the Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall (320 Madison Ave).

Featured speakers include Eleanor Breslin, the senior attorney for the Clean Air Council, Josephine Gingerich, the Health Advocacy Outreach Coordinator for Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania, and Eva Morgan, the Project Manager of the Clean Energy Group.

This event is free and open to the public. To register for this event, please click here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Data-Centers-Event

This event is co-sponsored by The University of Scranton (Laudato Si’ community engagement and ecological education subcommittees, Office of Community Relations, Environmental Studies Concentration and Ethics Across the Curriculum) together with Marywood University  Environmental Studies Program; Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary; the Clean Energy Group; Clean Air Council and Physicians for Social Responsibility PA.

Questions about this event, please contact Julie Schumacher Cohen at julie.cohen@scranton.edu

The University of Scranton is offering a series of pysanka workshops in advance of the Easter holiday to teach the art of decorating Ukrainian Easter eggs with traditional folk designs using a wax-resist method. One hundred percent of the workshop fee will be donated to humanitarian aid in Ukraine. Participants will be taught how to write pysanky or Ukrainian Easter eggs. All materials will be provided, and each participant will take home their own, blown-out pysanka. Anyone who attended a workshop last year is encouraged to return to develop their skills and learn more advanced folk designs. 

This workshop series was first offered in spring 2022. This year, the University is offering four workshops. Four pysanka workshops will be offered as follows: Sunday, March 22, from 1-3 p.m. and 3:30-5:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 29, from 1-3 p.m. and 3:30-5:30 p.m. 

All workshops will take place in the Smurfit Arts Center, Scranton, on the corners of Vine Street and Madison Avenue. Each workshop is limited to 15 people, and children must be accompanied by an adult. The workshop cost is $30, payable by cash or check. Registration is required.

The workshops will be led by Dr. Amelia Randich, assistant professor of biology at The University of Scranton. Dr. Randich is a fourth-generation Ukrainian-American, and this art has been passed down through the women in her family. She has been writing pysanky for over 30 years and teaches pysankarstvo (the art of writing pysanky) at various retreats in the U.S. 

“While we hope the Russian aggression on Ukraine will end soon, the country will be in turmoil for a long time yet. Please join us in writing pysanky and donating to humanitarian aid in Ukraine,” said Dr. Randich.  

Dr. Randich has a dedicated website, “Saving the World One Egg at Time,” to illustrate her work in Pysanka along with the meaning and importance of their creation. 

To learn more about Dr. Randich and her work creating and teaching the art of pysanka, please visit https://pysankypower.wordpress.com/  or read this profile in The Scranton Journal.  

View Dr. Randich’s work and follow her on social media on Facebook: @pysankypower and Instagram: @AmeliaRandich. 

These workshops are offered by The University of Scranton and are cosponsored by the Hope Horn Gallery and the Office of Community and Government Relations. For questions, please contact community@scranton.edu.

The Scranton Brain and Behavior Conference will return to The University of Scranton on Saturday, April 18, further highlighting the University’s role as an important hub for neuroscience and psychology education and research.

The undergraduate-focused conference will be held at the Loyola Science Center with registration beginning at 8 a.m. The conference begins at 9 a.m. and will feature panels, poster presentations and a keynote lecture.

While registration fees are $5 for college students and $15 for faculty/staff, the conference is free to attend for high school students and includes lunch.

“This is a good place to see undergraduate students, college students, showing their research and for high school students to see what that looks like and learn about what it involves,” said Robert Waldeck, Ph.D., director of the University’s neuroscience program.

Lisa Gabel, Ph.D., a neuroscience professor at Lafayette College, will deliver the keynote speech on the topic, “Decoding Dyslexia: Translating Neuroscience Through Multidisciplinary Collaboration.”

Faculty, staff and undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to participate in an abstract (talk/poster) submission. The submission form is live. The deadline to submit is Friday, March 27.

To attend the conference, please register by Monday, April 13. For more information, please visit the Brain and Behavior Conference website.

University of Scranton president Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., announced that WeiDong Zhu, Ph.D., has been named provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, effective July 2026.

Dr. Zhu was selected following a highly competitive national search and will join the president’s cabinet, providing academic and strategic leadership to advance the University’s mission. Working closely with deans and faculty, the provost helps guide the development of curricula and directs academic programming across the University’s three colleges. The provost is responsible for providing leadership and oversight for the academic division’s budget; undergraduate and graduate programs; teaching and research activities; the University’s library; and the faculty.

Dr. Zhu comes to Scranton from Saint Peter’s University, a Jesuit sister institution in New Jersey, where he has served in numerous academic leadership roles since being hired in 2007. He is currently the interim vice president for academic affairs at Saints Peter’s. Since assuming this role in August 2024, he has guided Saint Peter’s through a period of significant institutional evolution, creating its newest strategic plan, restructuring academic departments for mission-aligned relevance and infusing Ignatian values into faculty development, core revision and high-impact practices.

“Dr. Zhu brings a breadth of experience and mission-centered leadership to The University of Scranton,” Fr. Marina said in a community email announcing the hire. “He is a deeply accomplished academic leader and scholar whose record and achievements reflect both intellectual distinction and a deeply humanistic approach to higher education, especially in a Catholic and Jesuit setting.”

Beyond his recent work as chief academic officer at Saint Peter’s, he was the co-director and later director of its Center for Microplasma Science and Technology from 2009-2018; chair of the Department of Applied Science and Technology, 2014-2018; vice president and briefly president of the faculty senate, 2016-2018; and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, 2018-2024.

As a dean, Dr. Zhu led the largest college at Saint Peter’s, focusing on academic innovation and financial and strategic stewardship. Earlier, as department chair, he helped establish new academic concentrations, implement revised curricula and enhance lab-based learning for biochemistry, biotechnology and physics programs, as well as dual-degree engineering partnerships.

Dr. Zhu helped secure more than $2 million in research grants and the establishment of the federally-funded Center for Microplasma Science and Technology. Through collaborations with partner institutions, Dr. Zhu mentored high school, undergraduate and graduate students, helping develop future scientists.

A first-generation college student, Dr. Zhu was born in China. He came to the U.S. to pursue a doctoral degree at Stevens Institute of Technology. He credits his personal journey, including early challenges with language and cultural adjustments, for shaping his compassionate, community-focused approach to leadership.

Dr. Zhu earned a Bachelor of Science in physics and education and a Master of Engineering in material science and engineering from Soochow University in China. He also holds a Ph.D. in physics from the Stevens Institute of Technology. He is a graduate of the 18-month Ignatian Colleagues Program, which included formative experiences such as a silent retreat at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Retreat Center in Colorado and an immersion trip to Lima, Peru.

An accomplished researcher and scholar in plasma physics, he holds two patents in the United States and six in China, and has had numerous peer-reviewed journal and conference publications.

Philip E. Auerswald, Ph.D., professor of public policy at George Mason University, will deliver the keynote speech at this spring’s Henry George Seminar.

Dr. Auerswald will present his lecture, titled, “How We Got to Now,” at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, at the McIlhenny Ballroom (Room 407) inside The University of Scranton’s DeNaples Center. It is free and open to the public.

Dr. Auerswald's research interests include innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development with an emphasis on technology-driven growth. He currently serves as cochair and executive director of the Global Entrepreneurship Research Network, an initiative of the Kauffman Foundation. He is a Senior Fellow at George Mason's Mercatus Center and is the cofounder and editor of "Innovations," a quarterly journal about entrepreneurial solutions to global challenges published by MIT Press.

A distinguished author, Dr. Auerswald's most recent book, "The Code Economy: A Forty-Thousand Year History," was released in 2017. The book discusses the ways in which code has driven human development throughout history.

Dr. Auerswald received a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Yale University. From 2010 to 2013, he was an advisor to the Clinton Global Initiative.

Financial support for the Henry George Seminar is provided by a grant from the Progress and Poverty Institute. The lecture series is organized and presented by the Kania School of Management's Department of Economics, Finance and International Business and the XI chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon. The series is named in honor of the 19th century American economist and social reformer and has hosted many of the world's leading economists.

For more information about the spring Henry George Seminar, please call 570-941-4048 email pamela.turbessi@scranton.edu.

High school students from around the region competed in the 25th annual Northeastern Pennsylvania Brain Bee, an academic competition designed to inspire an interest in neuroscience. The event was held Saturday, Feb. 21, at the PNC Auditorium inside the Loyola Science Center.

Among the participants was the winner Muyan Liu, a junior from Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia. Liu’s victory advanced her to the National Brain Bee that will be held Saturday, April 25, at the University of California, Irvine. She also received a $1,000 scholarship to The University of Scranton, if she attends the University, and a cash prize.

“Most people take biology in high school. Maybe they’ve had psychology, but generally, they don’t have neuroscience,” Robert F. Waldeck, Ph.D., director of the neuroscience program at Scranton and the NEPA Brain Bee coordinator, told the Times Leader. “So it seems like a really complicated topic and they don’t really know much about it, because they don’t know anybody doing it.”

Dr. Waldeck explained that’s where an event like the NEPA Brain Bee proves useful, as it is a competitive, fun and informal way of expanding one’s knowledge on the topic.

For additional coverage, please visit the Times Leader, WNEP and Fox56.

Additionally, the Scranton Brain and Behavior Conference is fast approaching on Saturday, April 18. For more information, please visit the conference’s website.

The University of Scranton welcomed aspiring authors, filmmakers, researchers and historians to campus on Saturday, Feb. 28, as part of a regional National History Day (NHD) competition.

The University’s DeNaples Center opened its doors to 60 students from Bedford, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Sullivan and Wayne counties. Participants competed across five categories — documentaries, exhibits, papers, performances and websites — in Junior (Grades 6-8) and Senior (Grades 9-12) divisions. Submitted projects aligned with this year’s theme “Revolution, Reaction and Reform.”

Wyalusing Senior High School was Best School, Senior Division, while Harlan Rowe Middle School won Best School, Junior Division.

The event served as the Pennsylvania Region 2 contest, setting the stage for the upcoming Pennsylvania State Finals, which will also be hosted at the University. The state championship will be held April 25-26.

NHD is a nonprofit education organization, established in 1974 and dedicated the improving the teaching and learning of history.

For more information, visit the National History Day page on the University’s website. If you have any questions about the regional or state competition, please contact Sean Brennan, Ph.D., professor of history, at sean.brennan@scranton.edu.

The University of Scranton’s University of Success, a four-year,  pre-college mentorship program, is now accepting applications for the upcoming 2026 academic year that begins this summer. It is open to students currently in eighth grade.

The University of Success is an academic, social and cultural 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, college-bound students to successfully complete high school and gain entrance into a college or university. Last year's freshman class included students who graduated eighth grade from All Saints Academy, Northeast Intermediate School, North Pocono Intermediate School, West Scranton Intermediate School, South Scranton Intermediate School, Riverside Junior High School, Carbondale Area Junior High School, Abington Heights Middle School and Dunmore Junior High School.

Accepted students will begin the program with a residential summer academy, which will be held at The University of Scranton's campus from Sunday, July 12, to Tuesday, July 21. Upon completing the summer program students will continue to meet for enrichment sessions throughout their high school career.

The deadline for submission of applications is Wednesday, April 1, 2026.

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

As The University of Scranton approaches its 140-year anniversary, it has released a new roadmap designed to empower the institution to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of today and those that lie ahead.

“Strategic Plan 2030: Forging Our Future” is built around four goals: a future-oriented enrollment strategy; student success and retention; next-generation learning and innovation; and organizational effectiveness. The execution of these four goals will ensure sustainability, innovation, student success and long-term institutional strength. The steps to achieving these goals — along with supporting objectives and more detailed outcomes — are laid out in a newly launched webpage on the University’s website.

The Strategic Plan has and will continue to engage offices and departments throughout campus as a collaborative, institution-wide effort. While areas of the University will advance the plan’s goals according to their own expertise and operations, the Strategic Plan is universally rooted in a commitment to the University’s mission, vision and values.

“Our work is grounded in a mission that calls us to not only maintain the University, but to nurture and strengthen it,” Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, said in a campus-wide email announcing the Strategic Plan. “Together, we will advance this shared responsibility, moving forward with a readiness to meet change, to embrace innovation and to shape students who will lead productive lives with integrity.” 

The Strategic Plan’s cooperative effort was spearheaded by Tracy M. Stewart, Ph.D., interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, and Kate Yerkes, assistant provost for planning and institutional effectiveness. The Plan is the product of a year’s worth of research and analysis led by the Provost’s Office and informed by campus-wide input.

It is the University’s first such planning document since “Our Core, Our Community, Our Commitment” was released in 2020.

“It is common practice for institutions like ours to create and refresh strategic plans every few years,” Father Marina said. “The preparation of this Strategic Plan, however, was not merely an administrative task. It was a necessary act of stewardship led by the representative University Planning Committee. I am deeply thankful to the committee members and all faculty, staff, students and trustees who shared their thoughtful input, insight and wisdom as part of a University-wide discernment process.”

The Strategic Plan will be implemented through the University’s integrated planning and institutional effectiveness model, which will allow the University to track progress and illustrate the work being done. The initial stages of implementation will include the establishment of team leads and priorities, divisional planning and self-study assessments. Execution of the Plan will continue through 2029 and into 2030.

The multi-level planning and execution of the Strategic Plan, which transcends academic departments, administrative divisions and student-facing units, will be aligned with the University’s Jesuit values. Cura personalis (care of each individual and our campus community) and cura apostolica (care of our institution and its resources) are among the prime influences.

The University of Scranton is a Catholic and Jesuit university with 70 majors across the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, the Kania School of Management and the Leahy College of Health Sciences, as well as 40-plus graduate programs tailored for part-time and full-time students. The Wall Street Journal recently touted the value of a Scranton degree, as the University ranks highly and is trending positively in categories related to return on investment. Recent graduates have exceeded national benchmarks in achieving successful, post-graduation outcomes. Forbes, U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review have also selected Scranton as one of the nation’s best colleges.

For more information, please visit “Strategic Plan 2030: Forging Our Future” on the University’s website.

 The Office of Community-Based Learning (CBL) announces the third cohort of the CBL Student Fellows Program. CBL is an academic experience that involves students working with community partners — individuals, groups and local organizations — in ways that meet community-defined needs. The Student Fellowship Program aims to foster the professional and personal growth of students who are pursuing a CBL project alongside a faculty mentor. 

Projects focus on a plethora of areas and interests such as exploring the benefits and limitations of AI use in English Language instruction, understanding the lived experiences of women and their healthcare needs, coordinating a career exploration workshop for youth in Scranton, assessing food insecurity in Scranton through program assessment and client experience, early language and literacy development for preschool children and identifying gaps in access to pet healthcare services and providing educational resources to pet owners in Scranton. 

All projects are in collaboration with community partners and aim to improve or expand the services they provide. The fellowship program will run throughout the spring semester.   

The Spring 2026 CBL Student Fellows are listed below, including their involvement and a description of each intended project.     

Lauren DeSantis ’26  

Lauren DeSantis ‘26 is a senior from Copiague, New York, in the College of Arts and Sciences studying  English and philosophy. Her project focuses on understanding how free, accessible AI tools can support English Language Learning (ELL) instructors. The project centers on educator perspectives on the benefits and limitations of AI use in real classrooms. 

By grounding her research in the lived realities of local instructors, the project aims to identify tools that are  innovative and culturally responsive, and practical while considering the community’s existing resources. DeSantis seeks to offer a free training workshop to give instructors hands-on exposure to AI tools they choose to incorporate into their teaching. This project moves to inform broader conversations among educators, community organizations and institutions in the local Scranton community about how emerging technologies can be utilized responsibly to support language learning.  

Jessica Ely '26 

Jessica Ely ‘26 is a senior from Dimock in the College of Arts and Sciences. She has a major in biology, a minor in psychology and a health humanities concentration. Her project aims to use graphic medicine to center the lived experiences of women and other marginalized patients navigating healthcare in the Scranton community. The project highlights healthcare as a deeply human journey shaped by access, cost, policy and emotional well-being. Project partners include Maternal and Family Health Services and the Edward R. Leahy Jr. Clinic for the Uninsured. 

Ely aims to hear from students and community members connected to organizations in the area through anonymous surveys to gather firsthand perspectives on women’s health concerns. These local perspectives will inform a public-facing educational comic that reflects the realities and challenges faced by people in the region, making complex topics more approachable and visible. 

By distributing the comic at partner organizations and online, Ely aims to increase awareness and empower individuals to make better-informed decisions about their health. Grounded in The University of Scranton’s Jesuit values of cura personalis and social justice, this project blends art, public health and advocacy to foster a more informed and connected community.  

Gianna Familetti '28 

Gianna Familetti ‘28, is a sophomore from Dalton, in the Leahy College of Health Sciences. She has a major in communication sciences and disorders as well as a minor in psychology. Familetti will be teaming up with Marywood University’s after-school program, Students Together Achieving Remarkable Success (STARS), to expand post-secondary education and career awareness through interactive, panel-style workshops.

The youth participating in the STARS program will have the opportunity to engage directly with students, faculty, and staff from The University of Scranton about college life, academic majors and diverse career pathways. By pairing peer-to-peer conversations with faculty insight and interactive campus activities, the workshops aim to make higher education feel more accessible and achievable for local students. Drawing on her own experience as a first-generation college student, Familetti brings empathy and mentorship to students facing uncertainty in their academic paths. This project supports the local community by empowering youth to envision meaningful futures. 

Fiona Killeen '26 

Fiona Killeen ‘26 , is a senior from Sparkill, New York, in the College of Arts and Sciences. She has a major in psychology, along with a minor in political science. Her project, Navigating Nourishment, addresses food insecurity in the Scranton community by focusing on program assessment and client experience at Friends of the Poor. The project centers on the experiences of community members navigating shifting eligibility requirements and access barriers. Through the development and administration of a client survey, Killeen is examining how effectively the pantry meets the needs of the community it serves. By analyzing client feedback and overall program effectiveness, this project aims to understand how local food assistance organizations can respond to community needs with greater accessibility and dignity. Grounded in the Jesuit value of being men and women for others, this work promotes dignity, equity and care for the whole person. 

Tia Varghese ‘27 

Tia Varghese ‘27, is a junior from Catonsville, Maryland  in the Leahy College of Health Sciences. She is majoring in communication sciences and disorders. Her project, Little Voices, Big Futures, supports early language and literacy development for preschool children from multicultural families in the Scranton community. She is teaming up with The University of Scranton Early Learning Center to provide weekly interactive language sessions focused on storytelling, music and play, alongside take-home kits in English, Spanish, and Hindi to extend learning into the home. The program draws on evidence-based practices in early language intervention to ensure activities are engaging and accessible for children of varied language backgrounds and abilities. This project responds directly to a community-identified need for equitable early childhood support by addressing early language gaps, which can hold long-term academic and social consequences. Varghese aims to empower families with tools and strategies to support language growth at home, while preschool staff gain a sustainable model for inclusive language enrichment.  

Olivia Zrebiec '28 
 

Olivia Zrebiec ’28 is a sophomore from Belford, New Jersey  in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is majoring in biology with minors in biochemistry and history; as well as being on the Pre-Veterinary track. Through her project, Care for Every Paw, she aims to partner with the Scranton Area Community Foundation’s NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative to identify and address gaps in access to preventative pet healthcare and veterinary education in underserved Scranton communities. By working with the NEPA Animal Welfare Collective, Zrebiec aims to identify common preventable medical issues, seasonal trends, and patterns linked to environmental factors. This data-driven approach would allow shelters to better anticipate medical needs and use limited resources more efficiently. 

Zrebiec hopes to develop accessible materials, such as pamphlets and social media content as well as engaging with the public through workshops or information tables at adoption events. This project extends care to the full ecosystem of families, communities and animals that provide much-needed companionship and emotional support.  

The Office of Community-Based Learning is excited to see how these programs develop and to see the impact that they will have on the Scranton community. For more information on CBL at the University visit www.scranton.edu/cbl