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The University of Scranton hosted the sixth annual HamSCI Workshop 2023 for amateur radio enthusiasts and professional scientists March 17-18. From left are: Tai-Yin Huang, Ph.D., aeronomy program director for the National Science Foundation; Esayas Shume, Ph.D., Heliophysics Division Program scientist at NASA Headquarters; Patricia Reiff, Ph.D., (W5TAR) professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Rice University and founding director of the Rice Space Institute; Bob Inderbitzen, director of marketing and innovation The National Association for Amateur Radio (, ARRL); Rosy Schechter, (KJ7RYV) executive director of the Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC); Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D., (W2NAF) assistant professor of physics and engineering at The University of Scranton and HamSCI lead; Jesse Alexander, (WB2IFS) Ham Radio Project lead at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO); and Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at The University of Scranton.

Student

March 24, 2023

University of Scranton students and professors were among the presenters at HamSCI Workshop 2023 which took place at The University of Scranton and the historic Lackawanna Station hotel. The annual workshop brings together amateur radio enthusiasts and professional scientists to collaborate on existing and future innovative research projects.

Twenty-two University of Scranton students and 10 faculty and staff members presented at the workshop along with representatives from Cairo University, Case Western Reserve University, Dartmouth College, Millersville University, Rice University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, The University of Alabama, The University of Alaska, Wilkes University, Virginia Tech, amateur radio clubs and the HamSCI community. Representatives from NASA Headquarters, the Space Science Institute, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the ARRL: The National Association for Amateur Radio, the Tucson Amateur Packet Radio (TAPR) organization, Broadcast Sciences, L.L.C., and Syntek Technologies, also participated.

Tai-Yin Huang, Ph.D., aeronomy program director for the National Science Foundation, and Rosy Schechter (KJ7RYV), executive director of the Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), joined Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D., (W2NAF) assistant professor of physics and electrical engineering at The University of Scranton, and Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Scranton, in welcoming attendees to the conference. Dr. Frissell received NSF and ARDC grants to support the conference. Patricia Reiff, Ph.D., (W5TAR) professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Rice University and founding director of the Rice Space Institute, provided the keynote address.

University of Scranton students presenting at the workshop were:

Milton Andrade Andino, an engineering management major from Randolph, New Jersey;

Augustine Brapoh, an electrical engineering major from Fairless Hills;

Robert Brudnicki, (KC3VFW) a computer engineering major from Archbald;

Christian Chakiris, a computer engineering major from Dickson City;

Devin Diehl, a graduate student from Mayfield;

Matthew Dittmar, an electrical engineering major from Easton;

James Fox, (KE2ANL) a computer science major from Hillsborough, New Jersey;

Nicholas Guerra, (KC3VLK) a computer science major from Scranton;

Sade Lugo, an engineering management major from Scranton;

Michael Molzen, a physics major from Bloomsbury, New Jersey;

John Nelson, a computer engineering major from Jefferson, Maryland;

Cuong Nguyen, (KC3UAX) a computer engineering major from Ashley;

Gerard Piccini, (KD2ZHK) an electrical engineering major from Monroe Township, New Jersey;

Thomas Pisano, (KE2BAC) an electrical engineering major from Staten Island, New York;

Veronica Romanek, (KD2UHN) a physics major from Hampton, New Jersey;

Simal Sami, (KC3UAW) an information technology major from Jessup;

Shaaf Sarwar, (KC3PVF) a physics major from Qazalbash Chowk, Pakistan;

Zainab Shah, a computer engineering major from Hellerstown;

Aidan Szabo, an electrical engineering major from Hillsborough, New Jersey;

Francis Tholley, a graduate student from Barby;

Robert Troy, (KC3VJC) an electrical engineering major from Dunmore;

Nisha Yadav, a graduate student from Muradnagar, Ghaziabad.

In addition to Dr. Frissell, University professors and staff presenting were: Ken Dudeck (WB3AHD), visiting professor of physics and engineering; Rachel Frissell (W2RUF), faculty specialist, physics and engineering; Joseph Klobusicky, Ph.D., assistant professor of mathematics; Majid Mokhtari, manager of laboratory equipment, Department of Physics and Engineering; Declan Mulhall, Ph.D., professor of physics and engineering; Paul Sampson, Ph.D., assistant professor of history; Robert Spalletta (KC3QOB), Ph.D., professor of physics and engineering; Argyrios Varonides, Ph.D., professor of physics and engineering; and Amir Zamanian, Ph.D., assistant professor of physics and engineering. Scranton alumnus Jonathan Rizzo (KC3EEY) of the class of 2021, also presented at the workshop.

The HamSCI Workshop 2023 offered both in-person or virtual participation.

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Students and Faculty Present at HamSCI Workshop

The University of Scranton students and faculty presented at the sixth annual HamSCI Workshop 2023 on Mar. 17-18.

A recital featuring the Caleb Hudson and Achilles Liarmakopoulos Trio, presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton, is planned for Saturday, Mar. 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, in addition to a Masterclass for brass players that will take place at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. (Participants under age 16 must be accompanied by a parent.) Both the concert and masterclass are free of charge.

Community

March 23, 2023

On Saturday, Mar. 25, at 7:30 p.m., Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present “In Recital” featuring the Caleb Hudson and Achilles Liarmakopoulos Trio. The 7:30 p.m. recital will take place in the Houlihan McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Hudson and Liarmakopoulos will be joined by pianist Ahmed Alom, and the recital will feature a virtuosic selection of music, according to Performance Music Conductor and Co-Director Philip Kuehn. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

In addition, Hudson and Liarmakopoulos will also offer a free masterclass for brass players at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. Participants under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent.

Currently a member of the Canadian Brass and a graduate of The Juilliard School with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Hudson possesses a wide range of musical styles, and his performance genres and venues range from soloing in Carnegie Hall to performing with early music ensembles and appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live. He is known for his piccolo trumpet mastery of Bach’s infamous Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, and has performed it around the world with ensembles including Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Israel Philharmonic Soloists and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He enjoys writing and arranging music for Canadian Brass and many of his works have been performed, published, and recorded by them on two albums, Canadian Brass: Perfect Landing and Canadian Brass: Great Wall of China.

According to Conductor and Co-Director Cheryl Y. Boga, “Caleb is no stranger to Houlihan-McLean. He visited the University on an almost annual basis for many years both with the NYTE and as a clinician for our brass seminars, and was our music technology mentor as we started our Scranton Isolation Informances broadcasts during the pandemic. His generosity is as remarkable as his talent.”

Hudson currently serves as assistant professor of trumpet at the University of North Texas College of Music, where he is devoted to teaching and sharing his love for music with students.

Liarmakopoulos, trombonist of the Canadian Brass, holds degrees from the Yale University School of Music, Curtis Institute of Music, San Francisco Conservatory and the Philippos Nakas Conservatory. He has performed as a recitalist in China, Panama, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland and Greece. In 2013, salsa icon Ruben Blades invited him to perform at his concerts at Lincoln Center and Madison Square Garden. Liarmakopoulos has been the adjunct trombone professor at Brooklyn College at CUNY University in New York since 2014, and began teaching at the Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2020. He has also performed and recorded with the genre bending American band Pink Martini. In 2020, Liarmakopoulos was elected as a member of the Board of Advisors for the International Trombone Association.

Alom is a Cuban-born pianist whose versatility spans Jazz, Latin Jazz, and Classical genres. Having played with notable artists in all of these genres, he is a member of the Latin-Grammy Winner Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet. His versatility among contrasting styles of music have led him to collaborate regularly with Philippe Quint, Steve Hackman, Teddy Abrams, Paquito D’Rivera and Pedrito Martinez, among others.

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. 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.

For further information on the concert, call 570-941-7624 or visit the Performance Music webpage (scranton.edu/music). For more info on Hudson and Liarmakopoulos, please visit www.hudsontrumpet.com and www.achillestrombone.com.

Members of Canadian Brass to Perform March 25

Caleb Hudson and Achilles Liarmakopoulos, members of Canadian Brass, will perform Mar. 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan McLean Center.

An article written by Amanda S. Marcy, D.B.A., assistant professor of accounting at The University of Scranton, and Ronald Douglas Parker, D.B.A., assistant professor of accounting at Western Carolina University, both graduates of Scranton’s DBA program, received the 2023 Curt Verschoor Ethics Feature of the Year Award from the Institute of Management Accountants’ Committee on Ethics and Strategic Finance. This is the second-time Dr. Marcy has received this national award.

Faculty

March 21, 2023

An article written by University of Scranton Doctor of Business (DBA) graduates Amanda S. Marcy, ’10, G’11, DBA ’21, assistant professor of accounting at The University of Scranton, and Ronald Douglas Parker, DBA ’21, assistant professor of accounting at Western Carolina University, received the 2023 Curt Verschoor Ethics Feature of the Year Award from the Institute of Management Accountants’ Committee on Ethics and Strategic Finance.

This is the second-time Dr. Marcy received the Curt Verschoor Ethics Feature of the Year Award. She received the award in 2020 for an article co-written with Douglas M. Boyle, D.B.A., chair of the University’s Accounting Department; James F. Boyle, D.B.A., assistant professor of accounting; and Daniel P. Mahoney, Ph.D., professor of accounting.

Drs. Marcy and Parker received the 2023 award for their article “The Value of Civility,” which examined the impact incivility has on the finance and accounting profession, as well as strategies organizations can use to combat incivility in the workplace. Their research indicated that “supervisor incivility significantly correlated to an employee’s overall job satisfaction and their intent to seek new job opportunities.” They stated in the article: “Of those who have experienced supervisor incivility, 24% indicated that they plan to leave their current employer within one year compared to only 6% of those that had never experienced such incivility.”

According to the survey Drs. Marcy and Parker conducted as part of their study, the incivility respondents cited that they had experienced by supervisors was “paying little attention to their opinions/statements (62%); doubting their judgment over a matter for which they were responsible (56%); putting them down or acting condescending toward them (47%); and ignoring or excluding them from professional camaraderie (44%).”

A Certified Public Accountant, Dr. Marcy was named assistant professor of accounting at Scranton in 2018 and previously served as a faculty specialist in the department. Previously, she worked as an accountant for Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the American Accounting Association and the Healthcare Financial Management Association. Dr. Marcy earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting, her MBA specialized in accounting and her D.B.A. in accounting from The University of Scranton.

As a DBA student at Scranton, Dr. Parker and two of his accounting professors won a prestigious 2021 Institute of Management Accountants’ Lybrand Silver Medal for an article they co-authored. A resident of Franklin, North Carolina, Dr. Parker earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western Carolina University.

The annual award is named in memory of Curtis C. Verschoor, a longtime member of the IMA Committee on Ethics, editor of the Strategic Finance Ethics column for 20 years, and a significant contributor to the development and revisions of the IMA Statement of Ethical Professional Practice. Verschoor was a passionate, renowned thought leader on ethics in accounting, having earned a Lifetime Achievement Award from Trust Across America-Trust Around the World for his leadership in and advocacy for trustworthy business practices.

The University of Scranton doctoral business administration degree changed to a Ph.D. in Accounting degree beginning in the 2022-2023 academic year.

Professor Wins Second Accounting Ethics Award

A research article that demonstrates the value of civility in the workplace wins national Institute of Management Accountants ethics award.

The University of Scranton will host numerous educational events in recognition of Earth Day and Scranton’s ongoing sustainability efforts. Most of the events, which run in March, April and May, are offered free of charge and are open to the public.

Community

March 21, 2023

In recognition of Pope Francis’s call toward environmental sustainability, The University of Scranton’s Sustainability Office has chosen the theme “The People’s Planet, Climate Justice” for this spring’s Earth Day celebration. The theme of climate justice focuses on the merging of civil rights and climate change to draw attention to the effects of environmental changes on different communities. Many of the University’s offices and departments have come together to offer numerous educational events in honor of Earth Day and Scranton’s ongoing sustainability efforts.

Events are open to the public, free of charge, unless otherwise indicated.

This year’s Environmental Essay Contest is open to all area students in grades 5-12. The essay will revolve around the theme “The People’s Planet, Climate Justice.” Submissions will be accepted until April 3, and winners will be announced at the Evening of Environmental Science event on April 20. For more details, visit the contest webpage.

World Water Day will be celebrated through an interactive event at the University’s DeNaples Center on March 22. Informative activities and displays will help raise awareness of water usage and its importance. March 22 will also start Plant Based Meals Week for University students, in which the positive impacts of eating green will be promoted at meals offered at the Fresh Food Company.

Tonyehn Verkitus, executive director at Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania, will discuss environmental factors and how disparities in communities jeopardize health and well-being at a Community-Based Learning talk on March 23. The talk begins at 11:45 a.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center.

On March 30, the film “The Seeds of Vandana Shiva” will be screened at the Moskovitz Theater of the DeNaples Center at 7:30 p.m. The film shows many successful changes made through environmental activism and caring for all people. Vandana Shiva is a wonderful example of a woman’s lifelong leadership and activism that has improved the lives of millions of people around the world. A very interesting, entertaining, and inspiring movie.

On April 14, an Environmental Art Show address will be given by artist Stephanie Williams in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library, beginning at 4:30 p.m. William’s work includes pictures of nature, people, creatures, sounds and energies. The library will also host an Environmental Art Show featuring environmental art of members of the University community from April 14 to April 25 in the Heritage Room during library hours.

On April 17, Nicole Negowetti, former clinical instructor at the Harvard Animal Law and Policy Clinic, will discuss her work concerning sustainable agricultural procedures. The talk, offered by the University’s Gail and Francis Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities, begins at 5:30 p.m. at Brennan Hall, The Pearn Auditorium.

The Earth Day Fair will take place the following day, April 18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the atrium of the Loyola Science Center. The event will host University student displays as well as, displays from university departments, local non-profits and governmental offices, which will provide information about sustainable practices and products.

The Evening of Environmental Science, set for April 20, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the atrium of the Loyola Science Center, will feature a display of essays received for the Earth Day Essay Contest, as well interactive environmental displays and activities. Awards for the Essay Contest will be presented at the event.

Earth Day celebrations conclude with a three-hour kayaking trip on the Susquehanna River for students on May 6, hosted by the University’s Sustainability Office and the Society for Sustainability and Conservation.

Visit The University of Scranton’s sustainability webpage for information about the University’s sustainability efforts and Earth Day events, or call the Office of Sustainability at 570-941-6267.

Sustainability in Full Swing at Scranton

The University of Scranton will host a stream of events in March, April and May in recognition of Earth Day and sustainability.

The University of Scranton announced events planned for April 2023.

Community

March 20, 2023

Through April 14 Art Exhibit: “Post COVID: Art by Students for the Scranton School District.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

April 1 9 a.m. Regional National History Day Competition for junior and senior high school students. The DeNaples Center. Pre-registration required. Call 570-941-4549 or email nhdparegion2@gmail.com.

April 1 8:30 a.m. Second annual Conference on Ethics and Excellence in Public Service for public officials, leaders of nonprofit organizations and students. Brennan Hall. $15. Registration required. Email ceeps@scranton.edu.

April 2 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring Mikaela Bennett, voice. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

April 4 7 p.m. Performance: “From Music Score To Life On Stage” book by Gene Terruso, co-produced with the University Players and The Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Humanities. Royal Theater, McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

April 14 4:30 p.m. Environmental Art Show opening event – Artist Talk with Stéphanie Williams. Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Free. Call 570-941-7482 or email marleen.cloutier@scranton.edu.

April 14-25 Environmental Art Show. Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Free during library hours. Call 570-941-7482 or email marleen.cloutier@scranton.edu.

April 15 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Jazz Band and Saxophone Ensemble with guest baritone/bass saxophonist Leigh Pilzer. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

April 17 5:30 p.m. The Gail and Francis Slattery Center for Humanities Lecture: “The Regeneration Revolution: Working at the Nexus of Food, Climate, and Culture” presented by Nicole Negowetti, managing director of the Plant Based Foods Institute and vice president of Policy & Food Systems at the Plant Based Foods Association. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

April 18 11 a.m. Earth Day Fair with interactive games, presentation and information related to the environment and sustainable practices. Atrium, Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-7520 or email mark.murphy@scranton.edu.

April 20 8:30 a.m. Hayes Family Competition in physics and engineering for high school students. Byron Complex. Registration required. Call 570-941-7509 or email salisa.brown@scranton.edu.

April 20 4 p.m. Henry George Lecture: “Where Does Wealth Come From?” presented by Sandra Black, Ph.D., Columbia University. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4048 or email john.ruddy@scranton.edu.

April 20 5:30 p.m. Earth Day “Evening of Environmental Science” with University student-run interactive science experiments and exhibit of University of Scranton Earth Day Essay Contest submissions. Essay contest awards will be announced at the event. Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-6267 or email susan.falbo@scranton.edu.

April 20-22 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. Performance: “Curtains” presented by The University of Scranton Liva Arts Company. McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Ticket prices vary. Call 570-941-4318 or email players@scranton.edu.

April 23 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Singers and Symphonic Band. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

April 24 through May 5 Art Exhibit: “The University of Scranton Student Exhibition Online.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call. 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

April 26 noon. Celebration of Student Scholars. Displays and presentations of undergraduate and graduate student research and scholarly projects. Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-6353 or email phillip.swank@scranton.edu.

April 27 4:15 p.m. Math Integration Bee. Calculus-based high school math competition. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Registration required. Visit https://www.scranton.edu/academics/cas/math/bee.shtml or email stacey.muir@scranton.edu.

April 27 5 p.m. Campus Take Back the Night. Dionne Green. Free. Call 570-941-6194 or email brandice.ricciardi@scranton.edu.

April 27 7 p.m. Schemel Forum with Weinberg Judaic Studies Institute at The University of Scranton Collaborative Program: “Only in America? Religion, State, and a Hasidic Town in Rural New York” presented by David N. Myers, Ph.D., distinguished professor of history, Sady and Ludwig Kahn Chair in Jewish History and director of the Luskin Center for History and Policy, UCLA. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Registration required. $15 per person. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

April 27-30 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Theatrical performance of “Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight” by The University of Scranton’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program and the English and Theatre Department as part of the University’s year-long “Celebrating Women: 50^th Anniversary of Coeducation” series of events. Studio Theatre of the McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Ticket prices vary. Call 570-941-6194 or email jkwc@scranton.edu.

April 28 noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “The World after the Ukraine War” presented by Jill Dougherty, Russian expert, former CNN Moscow Bureau Chief, current CNN on-air contributor and professor, Georgetown University. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

April 29-30 9 a.m. Saturday; Noon Sunday. Friends of the Library Book and Plant Sale. Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

April Events Planned at University

The following is a list of University of Scranton events planned for April 2023.

COVID Montage, a mixed media piece by Chris Carpio and Kate Gilgallon is among the works that will be on display for the exhibition titled “Post COVID: Art by Students for the Scranton School District” at The University of Scranton’s Hope Horn Gallery in Hyland Hall. The exhibition runs through to April 14 and can be viewed free of charge during gallery hours.

Community

March 19, 2023

High School Students Exhibit Post-Covid Art

West Scranton and Scranton High School Student Exhibition of post-COVID art is on display at The Hope Horn Gallery on campus.

Faculty

March 18, 2023

A few weeks before a global celebration of the environment, the University of Scranton Professor Emeritus John R. Conway III, Ph.D. will offer lifelong learners an insider perspective on some of the planet’s more unusual inhabitants.

The retired professor, who taught biology for 40 years at The University, will present an April 6 lecture at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado on the captivating aspects of “The Incredible, Edible Honeypot Ant”.

He hopes to impart a broader message, which he described as “the diversity of species that evolved on earth and the increasing extinction of them due to human activity.” Dr. Conway will discuss the ecology and biology of the Myrmecocystus mexicanus, or honeypot ant, based on his comprehensive research in the Garden of the Gods, Colorado and the Southwestern Research Station in Arizona.

“Those of us who are biologists and naturalists realize that all forms of life on earth are interconnected and important for the health of the planet. In addition, they collectively are reservoirs of genetic diversity that often is beneficial to discoveries useful to humans,” said Dr. Conway.

“Our accelerating destruction of these forms of life threatens the existence of our planet and our species.”

That lesson is one that Dr. Conway presented to decades of students during his time at Scranton, through coursework and by leading numerous research trips to the Caribbean and Hawaii.

"One of the greatest aspects of leading tropical biology trips abroad with the University was that it allowed me to see students learning in a different light, outside the classroom. Every other year during intersession, we were in places such as Belize, Guatemala, Jamaica, Costa Rica and Panama. It was very rewarding," said Dr. Conway.

Red-eyed tree frog. Atlantica Lodge near Cahuita, Jan. 13, 2007. Photo: Dr. John R. Conway III

Red-eyed tree frog photographed during a University of Scranton tropical biology trip. Atlantica Lodge near Cahuita, Costa Rica, Jan. 13, 2007. Photo courtesy Dr. John R. Conway III

From high school physiology 'nerd' to sought-after Scientific authority

“As I reflect back ... I loved zoology in high school and even did time-consuming India ink drawings of animals in special classes before school. A friend and I were nerds and spent time at my house reviewing a physiology textbook during the summer. When I went to college at Ohio State University ... I first thought of being a pharmacist or veterinarian, but discovered I enjoyed and did well in the required biology courses....

I guess I finally decided that I should do what I most enjoyed, and that if I was successful, I could probably make a living. In my last year at Ohio State, I took summer field biology courses at the Stone Lab on an island in Lake Erie. I applied for a graduate school assistantship in biology at the University of Colorado in Boulder. I received word of acceptance while on the island.”

In 1975, Dr. Conway selected a doctoral thesis topic that retains relevance today -- honey ants -- whose workers live to eat, as much as possible, for the survival of the colony. Nearly 50 years later, he remains a sought-after authority on a type of self-sacrificing southwestern and Mexican honey ant.

In 2018, when he received a $30,000 grant to resume a study of the honey ant at The Garden of the Gods, he reflected on his choice in an interview with Royal News.

“I wanted something that was not only of academic interest, but also of popular interest. I was interested in photography and had National Geographic and other popular scientific magazines in mind. Fortunately, I have been able to achieve that,” said Dr. Conway at that time.

The Durango Herald, Nov. 8, 2022 (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald).png

Excerpt from an article published Nov. 8, 2022 in The Durango Herald newspaper, Colorado. Herald Staff Writer Tyler Brown interviewed The University of Scranton Professor Emeritus John R. Conway III, Ph.D. (Photo: Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)

This past November, Dr. Conway's larger-than-life photo exhibit of honey ants at the Durango Public library garnered media attention from The Durango Herald, shown above.

Also in 2022, Dr. Conway received an invite to serve as a consultant for a PBS award-winning Deep Look nature series. He provided expert information and created diagrams for the KQED YouTube video feature by Gabriela Quiros, "Honeypot Ants Turn Their Biggest Sisters into Jugs of Nectar".

Honey ants: unusual, captivating and sweet

Dr. Conway describes four factors of honey ants that, over the years, he and his students have found most captivating about the unusual species:

How unusual the honey ants are in lifestyle, appearance, and the uniqueness of their adaptation (formation of large repletes to store nectar).
The fact that repletes sacrifice their lives to store food for the colony, hanging in complete darkness in underground special domed chambers their entire lives, and then die when they are depleted.
The convergent evolution of the replete adaptation in two unrelated ants living in two widely separated areas of the world: Australia and North America.
The convergent use of these sweet repletes by Australian Aborigines and early American Indians and the adoption of the honey ant as a totem by certain Australian tribes who developed songs, art, and cave paintings to depict them in their Dreamtime.

Up Next for University Professor Emeritus Dr. John R. Conway III?

Dr. Conway retired from the University in 2016, but not before leading research trips with students to the Caribbean and Hawaii and having traveled extensively throughout the world. Those experiences provide fodder for innumerable projects.
Climbing Kilimanjaro, hiking the Inca trail in Peru, and rafting the Futaleufu river in the Patagonia of Chile are among the adventures he plans to document and share. He shared a few that are planned for the near future, including lectures on past educational trips with University students and personal expeditions.

* A lecture on his research on the western thatching ant, Formica obscuripes, which he has observed for years at his family cabin near the West Elk Wilderness in Colorado.

“I secured a Howard Hughes grant and took several University of Scranton students there one summer to conduct a detailed study.”

* A LECTURE on his travels, including two overland truck camping expeditions, and photographs over the years in Africa (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Swaziland, Zaire).

"It would include personal adventures, such as rafting the Zambezi, climbing Kilimanjaro, and finding mountain gorillas in the Virunga Mountains of Zaire."

I plan to develop a talk on my travels in South America to Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, and Peru. It would include hiking the Inca trail in Peru, hiking in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, and rafting the Futaleufu river in the Patagonia of Chile."

*A lecture based on his experiences and photographs in rainforests and coral reefs during his Tropical Biology courses taught between 1981 and 2014 in the Caribbean, Central America, and Hawaii.

A white-faced capuchin monkey in Cahuita, Costa Rica, photographed during a University of Scranton tropical biology trip. Atlantica Lodge near Cahuita, Jan. 13, 2007. Photo courtesy Dr. John R. Conway III

One project remains at the forefront: A book on the biologists and naturalists who discovered the approximately 2 million known plant and animal species that constitute the Earth’s incredible biodiversity.

"I am conducting research to write a book and give lectures on the great naturalists of history. Currently, I have information on about 100 naturalists. At the moment, I am interested in the first expeditions and naturalists to visit the new lands in the Louisiana Purchase-Lewis and Clark, Zebulon Pike, the Stephen Long Expeditions."

Sought-After Scientific Authority: Professor Emeritus John R. Conway III, Ph.D.

What does retirement look like for a professor who taught biology for 40 years? Dr. John Conway splits his time between photo exhibits, lectures and consulting contributions to a PBS award-winning YouTube nature series.

The University of Scranton will host its second annual Conference on Ethics and Excellence in Public Service on Saturday, April 1, in Brennan Hall. Reservations are required to attend the half-day conference offered by the University’s Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service (CEEPS).

Community

March 16, 2023

The University of Scranton will host the second annual Conference on Ethics and Excellence in Public Service for public officials, leaders of nonprofit organizations and students on Saturday, April 1, in Brennan Hall. The half-day, in-person conference begins at 8:30 a.m. with registration and refreshments.

Topics addressed in panel discussions include “Ethics in Hiring and Government Appointments,” “Ethical Contracting of Services,” “Data for Public Officials,” and the pros and cons of the consolidation of public services. The conference will conclude with a luncheon keynote address by University of Scranton alumna Mary Beth Schluckebier, J.D., an attorney with The Public Interest Law Center in Philadelphia, where she advocates for communities combatting uninhabitable housing, unresponsive landlords and evictions.

Before joining the Law Center, Atty. Schluckebier was a litigation associate at Saul Ewing Arnstein and Lehr, focusing on higher education practice while also representing immigrant clients, community groups and civil rights cases on pro bono basis. She earned her bachelor’s degree in counseling and human services from the University and graduated, cum laude, from Temple University Beasley School of Law. In law school, she served as an intern for the Defender Association of Philadelphia, the Sheller Center for Social Justice and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. Prior to law school, she worked for several years in community, social service and public policy work around immigration issues in both Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

The annual conference is a key initiative of the University’s Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service (CEEPS) with the goal of helping to provide a foundation for ethical governance in Northeastern Pennsylvania by developing and nurturing a community of scholars, public officials and citizens dedicated to improving and protecting democracy at the state and local level.

A $15 registration fee includes all meals and materials for the day. Additional information and a schedule of speakers can be seen on the Conference on Ethics and Excellence in Public Service webpage.

Registration is required to attend. Please email ceeps@scranton.edu to register or for additional information about the conference.

Public Service Ethics and Excellence Conference

The University will host the second annual Conference on Ethics and Excellence in Public Service on campus on April 1.

Sixty-five graduate and undergraduate students, faculty and staff at The University of Scranton received Women of Vision and Courage Awards on International Women’s Day (Mar. 8) at a ceremony on campus. The award recognized women on campus for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the University.

Community

March 15, 2023

The University of Scranton presented Women of Vision and Courage Awards to 65 students, faculty and staff at a ceremony on campus on International Women’s Day (March 8). The celebration, sponsored by the Jane Kopas Women’s Center and the Committee on Gender Equity, recognized women on campus for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the University and its mission.

Began as a biannual ceremony in 2016 by the Committee on Gender Equity as a way commemorate International Women's Day, this year’s ceremony was part of the University’s “Celebrating Women: 50^th Anniversary of Coeducation.”

Gretchen Van Dyke, associate professor of political science at the University, gave the principal address, prior to the award presentation by Brandice Ricciardi, assistant director of the Cultural Centers; and Cara A. Krieg, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology and chair of the Committee on Gender Equity.

University students Ariana Flores, who serve in the Jane Kopas Women’s Center, and Samantha Gurn, graduate assistant for the Jane Kopas Women’s Center, read portions of the nomination submission for each recipient as the awards were presented.

University of Scranton undergraduate and graduate students who received Women of Vision and Courage Awards were:

Marissa Angelo, Dickson City;

Samantha Burton, Jamesville, New York;

Amanda Campbell, Farmingville, New York;

Clara Downey, Easthampton, Massachusetts;

Emily Fleming, Shavertown;

Ariana Flores, Springfield, New Jersey;

Romina Gamarra, Ossing, New York;

Erin Grell, Wood Ridge, New Jersey;

Samantha Gurn, Brackney;

Jillian Haller, Willisten Park, New York;

Hannah Kohrn, Hamden, Connecticut;

Mackenzie Longo, Holbrook, New York;

Mackenzie Machell, South Abington Township;

Claudia Pitts, Scranton;

Analiese Seaman, Fairfield, Connecticut;

Adrianna Smith, Covington Township;

Maria Stephen, Huntingdon Valley;

Chyenne Ward, Clifton, New Jersey.

University of Scranton faculty and staff students who received Women of Vision and Courage Awards were:

Stephanie Adamec, assistant dean for student wellness;

Mary Kay Aston, associate vice president for financial aid and enrollment;

Gerianne Barber, director of the Counseling Training Center;

Barbara Buxton, Ph.D., professor of nursing;

Avianna Carilli, coordinator of internal and domestic service;

Teresa Conte, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Nursing;

Ann “Nancy” Cummings, professor of accounting;

Sherry Dougherty, counseling center;

Melissa Eckenrode, administrative assistant for the Department of English and Theatre;

Julie Ferguson, registrar;

Kym Fetsko, administrative assistant for the Weinberg Memorial Library Dean's Office;

Elizabeth Garcia, J.D., executive director of the Office of Equity and Diversity, Title IX coordinator and special assistant to president;

Jean Wahl Harris, Ph.D., professor of political science;

Caitlyn Hollingshead, assistant vice president of graduate and international admissions;

JoyAnna Hopper, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science;

Nicole Hoskins, Ph.D., assistant professor of theology and religious studies;

Barbara King, student life coordinator, dean of students;

Kristi Klien, coordinator for Panuska College of Professional Studies Academic Affairs;

Diane Lang, administrative assistant for the Department of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship;

Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs;

Andrea Malia, administrative assistant for the vice president for mission and ministry;

Frani Mancuso, assistant vice president for annual giving and engagement;

Amanda Marcy, D.B.A., assistant professor of accounting;

Mary Ann Maslar, office manager and administration assistant to the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences;

Ellen Morgan, counseling center;

Colleen Moyer, head coach of field hockey;

Stacey Muir, Ph.D., professor of mathematics;

Shannon Murphy Fennie, assistant dean of students;

Maria Oreshkina, Ph.D., professor of education;

Debra Parry, operations manager for Kania School of Management;

Hirali Patel, application developer of integration;

Kim Pavlick, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication and media;

Susan Poulson, Ph.D., professor of history;

Meg Purcell, counseling center;

Brandice Ricciardi, assistant director of the Cultural Centers;

Lauren Rivera, J.D., M.Ed., interim vice president for student life and dean of students;

Donna Rupp, administrative assistant for the Department of Psychology;

Patricia Savitts, circulation services coordinator;

Janet Schieber, operations manager for residence life;

Julie Schumacher Cohen, assistant vice principle for community engagement and government affairs;

Rose Sebastinelli, Ph.D., professor of operations and analytics;

Billie Tadros, Ph.D., assistant professor of English and theatre;

Pat Vaccaro, director of the Center for Service and Social Justice;

Jillian Wall, admissions counselor;

Lori Walton, Ph.D., professor of physical therapy;

Donna Witek, professor and information literacy coordinator;

Christine Zakzewski, Ph.D., professor of physics and engineering.

The slide presentation for the Women of Vision and Courage Award presentation can be seen here.

Fox56 News interviewed students for a story about the event.

More details about events planned for “Celebrating Women: 50^th Anniversary of Coeducation” can be seen here. $content.getChild('content').textValue

Women of Vision and Courage Awards Presented

The University of Scranton honored 65 women of vision and courage with awards on International Women’s Day.

General

March 14, 2023

Sister Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ, undersecretary of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, will discuss “Pope Francis, Women and Synodality” on Wednesday, March 29, at 7 p.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center. The lecture by the highest-ranking woman official at the Vatican is offered free of charge and is open to the public.

Her appointment by Pope Francis as an undersecretary in 2021, the first woman to hold this position and making her the first woman to have the right to vote in the Synod of Bishops, is considered a watershed moment in the Catholic Church, and an indication of an increased role for women in the life of the Church.

In a Vatican News article, Sister Becquart said she viewed her appointment as undersecretary as a sign of “confidence in the women in the Church” and looked forward to serving the Universal Church.

Established in 1965, the Synod of Bishops is an ecclesiastical advisory group of church leaders from all over the world who assist the pope by regularly examining issues close to the Church. During his papacy, Pope Francis has increased the authority and influence of the Synod of Bishops and expressed a desire to create a more synodal Church, one that is listening and learning from all members.

In 2019, Sister Becquart was appointed, along with four other women and one man, as a consultor to the general secretariat of the Synod of Bishops. They were the first women to be appointed to that position. Prior to that, she served as director of the national office for youth evangelization and vocations at the French Bishops' conference from 2012 to 2018, and held other positions of increasing responsibility and influence in the Church.

Sister Becquart is the author of “100 Prayers to Weather the Storm” (2012); “The Evangelization of Young People, a Challenge” (2013); “Religious, Why?” (2017); and “The Spirit Renews Everything” (2020).

Sister Becquart joined the Xavière Sisters, Missionaries of Jesus Christ in France in August 1995 and took her final vows in September 2005. She graduated from the HEC school of management with a Master in Management with a specialization in entrepreneurship and worked as a consultant in marketing and advertising before joining her order. She studied theology and philosophy at the Centre Sèvres (the Jesuit seminary in Paris), as well as sociology at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences. She earned a licentiate in sacred theology, specializing in ecclesiology with research on synodality at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry.

The lecture, sponsored by the University’s Campus Ministries Office, is among the events planned for the University’s year-long “Celebrating Women: 50^th Anniversary of Coeducation.”

For information about the lecture, call the University’s Campus Ministries Office at 570-941-7419 or email campusministries@scranton.edu.

Pope Francis, Women and Synodality Topic of Talk

Highest-ranking woman official at the Vatican will discuss 'Pope Francis, Women and Synodality' on March 29 at the University.

Student

March 14, 2023

Four University of Scranton students who participate in Performance Music were selected to participate and perform in the 75^th Annual Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band Festival, hosted this year by Mansfield University on March 10-12. They joined 130 other students from colleges and universities throughout the state under the baton of guest conductor Gary Green from the University of Miami for three days of intense rehearsal, culminating in a festival concert on the afternoon of March 12.

The students qualifying for participation were: Colin Gilmartin ’24, euphonium, a political science major from Moscow; Sally Hopkins ’26, tuba, an advertising and public relations major from East Stroudsburg; Tanya Siberon ’23, trumpet, a psychology and counseling and human services double major in the accelerated counseling master’s program from North Baldwin, New York; and Anthony Torres ’25, French horn, a biochemistry major in the pre-med program and member of the University Honors Program from New Milford. Torres is also the recipient of a full-tuition Presidential Scholarship at Scranton.

The University is one of only four Pennsylvania colleges and universities to have students participate in every PA Intercollegiate Band Festival since 1982.

The primary focus of Performance Music at the University 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. 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.

For more information on Performance Music at The University of Scranton, visit scranton.edu/music.

The full spring season of Performance Music Concerts can be seen here.

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Students Perform at Intercollegiate Band Festival

Four University of Scranton Performance Music students participated in the Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band Festival, March 10-12.

General

March 13, 2023

By: Claire Sunday, '23, student correspondent

Even for artists who never show their work, "being creative is meditative and healing in many ways," explains Kym Balthazar Fetsko, an award-winning illustrator for two decades.

The artist and University staff member for the Weinberg Memorial Library discusses her transition from illustration to painting, advice for budding artists and the inspiration behind her art.

While her artwork is featured in many private collections throughout the United States, the Dunmore, Pennsylvania, resident has recently found a local home for some of her paintings at the University, where she has been on staff since 2005. The paintings, which feature an abstract style, are currently on display at the Weinberg Memorial Library's fourth floor Quiet Study Room.

Balthazar Fetsko is a graduate from the University of the Arts, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in illustration in 1995. Her work has been displayed at Art of the State-Pennsylvania, the Rice Gallery of Fine Art Juried Exhibition, and The SDMAAG Spring 2022 Exhibition.

What prompted your interest in art?

An old “Draw Me” ad for Art Instruction Schools. Credit: Art Instruction Schools "Art has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Like most kids in the '70s and '80s, we had to entertain ourselves. I was constantly sketching or coloring. Some of my earliest endeavors were drawing Looney Tunes characters. As I got older, I would challenge myself to draw Tippy the Turtle, or the pirate, (a certain generation will know what I’m talking about!) determined I had what it took to be a serious art student. And I did become an art student, graduating from the University of the Arts with a BFA in Illustration."

How would you describe your style of art?

"I was a freelance illustrator for over 20 years, where my focus was caricatures for editorial publications like The Columbia Journalism Review, FAIR, XXL, and numerous alt weeklies from one end of the country to the other. The industry is changing, however, with a lot of publications closing altogether or going fully digital without buying art anymore. And, truth be told, I just wasn’t enjoying it anymore and was itching for a change.

Along came Covid and the lockdowns, so I took advantage of that time at home to transition to abstract painting, which I’ve always enjoyed but never had the time to pursue. I first dabbled in encaustic painting where you need to heat each wax layer in order to fuse them together. Having a home studio had me reconsider that medium, so I switched over to cold wax, which is beeswax with a little solvent and resin. As the solvent evaporates out of the medium, the soft wax hardens to the density of a beeswax candle. Mixing the cold wax in with oil paint makes the paint thicker and more matte. It also slightly speeds drying time."

What inspires you in your work?

"My work is intuitive and usually inspired by my mood, music, or my surroundings (i.e., a walk in the woods or an afternoon at the beach.)"

Did you have any mentors? If so, who?

"My work has been influenced by the New York School artists, particularly Joan Mitchell, and Jasper Johns.
On the illustrative side, no one could paint an atmosphere quite like Maxfield Parrish. And Norman Rockwell and J.C. Leyendecker dominated editorial illustration during the early 1900s with a style I have always revered."

What advice do you have for budding artists?

"It’s cliché, but don’t give up. I’m only now focusing on, and realizing my potential as an artist. While the creative side was always there, daily life duties have a way of pushing passions to the back burner for a time. But for artists the urge is always there, and it needs to be fed. Even if you decide to never show your work, being creative is meditative and healing in many ways. For me, it has balanced so many facets of my life."

What are some challenges that artists face in their careers today?

"The road to becoming a lucrative artist is not an easy one to travel, but social media is changing the game. Artists have the opportunity for a far broader reach which in turn equals, hopefully, more buyers and exhibition opportunities. Time will always be a challenge. There are not enough hours in the day to accomplish all that needs to be done and sometimes spending time in the studio is the last thing you feel like doing. But creative practice is important, so I encourage even 15 minutes of sketching or art journaling."

What opportunities have you found in Scranton with your art?

"I have an ongoing relationship with Art e’Fekts Gallery in Pittston, where my work is on display and I teach classes. Speaking of classes, I’ve had the wonderful experience of teaching my Oil and Cold Wax Abstracts for Beginners course in Carbondale, Scranton, and Clarks Summit this past year. I am now developing it into a self-paced online course that will be available in April.

While Scranton doesn’t have many galleries, we do have a robust First Friday with local establishments opening their doors to show local artists. I’ve had the opportunity to show at AFA Gallery, a pop-up exhibition at 200 Adams, and various other Scranton locations. I am looking forward to an artist’s reception in June at Art e’Fekts Gallery in Pittston and a large solo exhibition at ArtWorks Gallery on Penn Avenue in October 2023."

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you have given yourself at the start of your career?

"Choose an art discipline based on what appeals to you most. I went into illustration thinking only the elite with gallery connections could ever become painters. It seemed the safer route. My advice is – don’t play it safe. It’s art. It comes from within and the world deserves to see that unique voice in whatever form you wish it to take."

Balthazar Fetsko Shares Fine Art at Scranton

Contemporary oil and cold wax abstract painter Kym Balthazar Fetsko, a University staff member for the Weinberg Memorial Library, discusses cold wax as a medium, advice for budding artists and the inspiration behind her art.

image of planet Earth and text "CBL Talks: Environmental Health"

Community

March 13, 2023

On Thursday, March 23 the Office of Community-Based Learning’s “CBL Talks” series will continue with “CBL Talks: Environmental Health.” This event will take place from 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. in The DeNaples Center Ballroom. Featured guest speaker Tonyehn Verkitus, Executive Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania will lead a discussion on environmental factors, such as air and water quality, as determinants of our health and well-being. These and other environmental factors can lead to disease and health disparities in the places where people live, work, learn and play. Registration for this event required at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CBL23EnvironmentalHealth

“Environmental health is something that deserves far more discussion. It’s easy to think of pollution and climate change as dangerous mainly to the planet and animals, but humans suffer greatly at the hands of polluting industries. It’s hard to pinpoint where conditions like respiratory disease, heart disease, and cancer originate, but when there’s an influx in certain areas, it’s important to consider the common environmental factors.

"Scranton is disproportionately impacted by the diseases above, so I believe this talk will be very eye-opening to students who spend the better part of four years here, and to the local Scranton community,” said Karla Shaffer ‘24, Political Science major, Environmental Studies Concentration.

This talk aims to help broaden the understanding of the environment’s impact on communities with a focus on the greater Scranton area. It will illustrate how existing environmental disparities in communities exposed to a combination of poor environmental quality and social inequities lead to more sickness and disease than seen in wealthier, less polluted communities.

Sponsors include the University's Office of Community-Based Learning in collaboration with the Office of Community Relations, the Office of Sustainability, the Environmental Studies Concentration, and Panuska College of Professional Studies T.A.P.E.S.T.R.Y. program. This event is also a part of the University's 2023 Earth Month events. The CBL Talks are designed to provide University students, as well as the wider community, with information and insights into some of the major challenges and opportunities facing the Scranton area. The Talks illustrate how students and community can affect of positive change. Previously, a Feb. 9 CBL Talk discussed Black History and Housing in Scranton.

Coming April 14: A CBL Talk event focused on the Living Wage Study 2022 Report. Register at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CBL23LivingWage

Each of the CBL Talks will feature a live session beginning with a presentation from guest speakers, followed by Q&A. Recordings of these sessions will serve as a resource for Community-Based Learning courses; reflection questions will be provided to student attendees after each event. CBL Talks can be used as a teaching resource for CBL faculty members. Attendees from the University and Scranton community are invited to attend.

For more information on the CBL Talks program, please visit: www.scranton.edu/cbltalks or email cbl@scranton.edu.

March 23 CBL Talk to Discuss Environmental Health

Spring Community Based Learning series continues with a focus on the environment and its impact on communities, health

Left half of image features a woman displaying flags of Kuwait. Right half of the image features a crowded room with the woman at a podium with large screens behind her

Student

March 12, 2023

Kuwaiti Fulbright Scholar Hosts Cultural Program

Stations featured assorted cultural activities to provide an immersive experience.

The University’s Weinberg Memorial Library is requesting volunteers and book donations for its annual book sale set for April 28-30. All proceeds from the book sale will benefit the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library Endowment, which supports library collections and services.

Community

March 10, 2023

University Library Looking for Book Donations

The University of Scranton’s Weinberg Memorial Library is accepting book, CD and DVD donations for this year’s book sale.

The University’s Weinberg Memorial Library opened an exhibit to celebrate the legacy of the late Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J. ’H15, on the 20th the anniversary of his appointment as the 24th President of The University of Scranton.

Community

March 9, 2023

Exhibit Celebrates First Presidency of Fr. Pilarz

Pride, Passion, Promise: Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Presidency of the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., exhibit opens at Library.

From left: Tiffany Bordonada, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Counseling and Human Services, and co-director of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, The University of Scranton; Mike Allison, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Political Science at The University of Scranton; Julie Schumacher-Cohen, assistant vice president for Community Engagement and Government Affairs at The University of Scranton; and Jenny Gonzalez, Marywood University STARS program director.

Community

March 9, 2023

Justice at the Border Discussed at Scranton

The University of Scranton hosted a discussion of Title 42 and justice at the border.

Alumni

March 9, 2023

Alumni, parents and friends of The University of Scranton will have the opportunity to celebrate Earth Day by participating in one of several regional service projects at the University's annual Day of Service celebration, which will fall on Saturday, April 22. Visit scranton.edu/dayofservice for a full list of this year's sites.

Massachusetts

Royals in the Newtonville, Massachusetts, area will have the opportunity to inspect, sort and package donations at Cradles to Crayons. Register for the Cradles to Crayons service project today.

New York

Royals in the Brooklyn area will have the chance to work on an Earth Day project with the students of Brooklyn Jesuit Prep, and they will also have the opportunity to assist with homework and play games. Register for the Brooklyn Jesuit Prep service project today.

Pennsylvania

Royals in the Harrisburg area will have the opportunity to participate in Tri County Community Action's 11th Annual Great Harrisburg Litter Cleanup. Register today for the 11th Annual Great Harrisburg Litter Cleanup.

Royals in NEPA will have the opportunity to prepare and package meals for the University's We Care program at The Retreat Center at Chapman Lake. Register for The Retreat Center at Chapman Lake service project today.

Royals in NEPA will also have the opportunity to assist the St. Joseph's Center Baby and Food Pantry by meeting cars and taking and sorting donations. Register for the St. Joseph's Center Baby and Food Pantry service project today.

Royals in Philadelphia will have the chance to plant a garden, clean and landscape a playground, and paint happways and lounges at The Drueding Center. Register for The Drueding Center service project today.

Royals in Worcester area will have the opportunity to paint, landscape, clean and organize The Variety Children's Charity. Register for The Variety Children's Charity service project today.

Washington, D.C.

Royals in the Washington, D.C., area will have the opportunity to sort and package items for distribution to those in need at the Arlington Food Assistance Center. Register for the Arlington Food Assistance Center service project today.

If you are interested in coordinating a Day of Service site in your region, please email Marge Gleason, P'14, '17, at margery.gleason@scranton.edu. If you don't see a service site in your region but would still like to participate in the Day of Service, volunteer in your community April 22 and tell us about it by sending a picture or emailing your information to alumni@scranton.edu.

Registration Now Open For Day of Service April 22

Show your community the meaning of #Royals4Others.

The recently released 2022 Brigham Young University Accounting Rankings have placed The University of Scranton Accounting Department and faculty among the best research institutions in the world.

Faculty

March 7, 2023

The recently released 2022 Brigham Young University Accounting Rankings have placed The University of Scranton Accounting Department and faculty among the best research institutions in the world.

The Accounting Department of The University of Scranton ranked No. 5 (tied) in the world for accounting education research published in the most recent six-years in a listing considered to be the gold standard in accounting disciplines. The 2022 Brigham Young University Accounting Rankings also recognized several accounting faculty members individually for their research publication success.

The Brigham Young University report ranks accounting programs and faculty throughout the world based on their success in publishing in top-tier, peer-reviewed accounting journals. The report is updated annually and includes ranks for specific categories of research and for specific time periods. The 2022 update ranks Scranton’s Accounting Department at as the fifth (tied) most prolific department in the world for accounting education research over the most recent six-year period, following Brigham Young University (first), Texas Tech University (second) and Kennesaw State University (third), Clemson University (fourth) and tied (fifth) with Indiana University and West Virginia University. The department was also ranked internationally for all methods, audit, managerial, experimental and archival accounting research.

With respect to authorships of individual accounting faculty in the area of accounting education, three Scranton faculty members were ranked internationally. Douglas M. Boyle, D.B.A., professor and chair of the Accounting Department and director of the Ph.D. program, was ranked No. 6. James F. Boyle, D.B.A., associate professor of accounting and director of the MAcc program, was ranked No. 19 and Brian W. Carpenter, Ph.D., professor emeritus of accounting, was ranked No. 37. Additionally, Dr. Douglas Boyle was ranked for all methods, auditing and experimental research; Dr. Carpenter was ranked for all methods; and Jeh-Hyun Cho, Ph.D., assistant professor of accounting, was ranked for managerial and archival.

“The University of Scranton’s listing near the top of the 2022 Brigham Young University Accounting Education Research rankings and the very high rankings of many of its individual faculty in a variety of sub-disciplines bear testimony to the Accounting Department’s commitment to excellence in both teaching and research. As an institution that is committed to teaching excellence, it is important that our faculty are committed to conducting research and disseminating it to our students in the classroom. These rankings show that our accounting faculty or engaged in high quality education research that impacts our students at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral level,” said Mark Higgins, Ph.D., dean of the University’s Kania School of Management and professor of accounting.

This is the third consecutive year that the University’s Accounting Department was ranked in the top five in the world for research success in the prestigious Brigham Young University Accounting Rankings. The Accounting Department and the prolific research of its faculty have been recognized previously by two academic journals including one which ranked it as No. 1 for the number of publications in the leading five accounting practitioner journals.

Accounting Dept. Research Productivity in Top 5 in World

Scranton Accounting Department ranked fifth in world for success in publishing accounting educational research in top peer-reviewed journals.

The University of Scranton presented Sursum Corda (Lift Up Your Hearts) Awards to four staff members at a convocation held on campus. From left, are: Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president; Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., senior provost and vice president for academic affairs; Sursum Corda Award recipients Gina Butler, assistant dean, College of Arts and Sciences; Pat Cooper, dorm maintenance supervisor; Catherine Seymour, director of retreats and spiritual programs; and Eileen Notarianni, benefits specialist; and Patricia Tetreault, vice president for human resources.

General

March 7, 2023

Sursum Corda Awards were presented to four staff members by University of Scranton President Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., who also delivered his State of the University address at the Spring Convocation. The event took place in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center in March and also recognized 62 new staff members who joined the University in the last year.

Sursum Corda (Lift Up Your Hearts) Awards recognize members of the University’s professional/paraprofessional staff, clerical/technical staff and maintenance/public safety staff who have made outstanding contributions to the life and mission of the University. This year’s recipients were: Gina Butler, assistant dean, College of Arts and Sciences; Pat Cooper, dorm maintenance supervisor; Eileen Notarianni, Human Resources benefits specialist; Catherine Seymour, director of retreats and spiritual programs, Office of Campus Ministries.

In his remarks, Father Marina said this event celebrates the life and mission of the University and this year’s recipients of the Sursum Corda awards “clearly deserve to be recognized for their wonderful work.”

“Many thanks to each of you for your very hard work and for the contributions that you continue to make. You play such a vital role in advancing our mission,” said Father Marina at the convocation.

With gratitude, Father Marina also highlighted in his address several recent accomplishments at the University including students service experiences, the Landmark Championships won by the men’s and women’s basketball teams and the grand opening of expanded Multicultural Center. He also mentioned the University’s year-long celebration of the 50^th anniversary of coeducation of women at Scranton, among other programs and initiatives.

Also speaking at the convocation were Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., senior provost and vice president for academic affairs, and Daniel Cosacchi, Ph.D., vice president for mission and ministry.

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Four Receive Sursum Corda Awards at University

Sursum Corda (Lift Up Your Hearts) Awards and the State of the University Address presented at the Spring Convocation on campus.

Serhii Kuzmin and his father, also Serhii, in Kyiv, Ukraine, standing in front of a large brown building.

Student

March 5, 2023

Global Insights Presents: 'Ukraine'

A desert, majestic mountains, pink lakes and the largest ski resort in Eastern Europe can all be found in Ukraine.

Julliard-trained pianist Richard Kogan, M.D., professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and artistic director of the Weill Cornell Music and Medicine Program; and David N. Myers, Ph.D., distinguished professor of history, Sady and Ludwig Kahn Chair in Jewish History, and director of the Luskin Center for History and Policy at UCLA; will lead University of Scranton Schemel Forum Collaborative Programs on Mar. 29 and Apr. 27.

Community

March 3, 2023

Two engaging Collaborative Programs are on tap for The University of Scranton’s Schemel Forum this spring.

On Wednesday, Mar. 29, the Schemel Forum will partner with Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine to present “Mozart: The Mind and Music of a Genius,” featuring Richard Kogan, M.D., professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and artistic director of the Weill Cornell Music and Medicine Program. The program will begin at 5:30 p.m. in WVIA Public Media Studios’ Sordoni Theater, with a reception to follow. Admission is $35 per person.

At the program, Dr. Kogan, a Julliard-trained pianist and Harvard-trained psychiatrist, will explore the mystery of creative genius through an examination of the life, mind and music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). To illustrate his points, Dr. Kogan will perform some of Mozart's most sublime musical compositions on the piano.

Then, on Thursday, Apr. 27, the Schemel Forum, the Theology and Religious Students Department and the Weinberg Judaic Studies Institute will co-present “Only in America? Religion, State, and a Hasidic Town in Rural New York,” featuring David N. Myers, Ph.D., distinguished professor of history, Sady and Ludwig Kahn Chair in Jewish History, and director of the Luskin Center for History and Policy at UCLA. The event will take place at 7 p.m. in the Pearn Auditorium of Brennan Hall. Admission is $15 per person.

At the program, Dr. Myers will discuss the remarkable case of Kiryas Joel, a town in New York state populated entirely by Satmar Hasidic Jews. What, Myers will ask, does this town of religiously observant Jews tell us about the "wall of separation" between religion and state of which Thomas Jefferson spoke? And, has that Jeffersonian ideal given way to a new vision of religious liberties as the paramount constitutional right?

To register for the programs, contact Brooke Leonard at 570-941-4740 or brooke.leonard@scranton.edu. Or, to pay online, visit the Schemel Forum’s webpage (scranton.edu/schemelforum)

Listen to a Sondra Myers, director of the Schemel Forum, discuss the spring season at a WVIA interview with Erika Funke.

Mozart Performance and Talk Begins Spring Program

Mozart and an American town populated entirely by Satmar Hasidic Jews are the topics for the Schemel Forum’s spring collaborative programs.

From left: Sarah Kenehan, Ph.D., executive director of the University’s Gail and Francis Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities; and Amy Beth Castro, Ph.D.o.

Community

March 3, 2023

Slattery Center Hosts Talk on Guaranteed Income

The Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities welcomed Penn’s Amy Beth Castro, Ph.D., for a talk on guaranteed income and human potential.

men's club volleyball team on the court at a game

Student

March 3, 2023

In an occasional series, Royal News spotlights clubs from the university’s 80+ student organizations on campus, speaks to members, and offers information on how to connect with the clubs.

To suggest suggest a club for a future Royal News article, share ideas, or to inform us of any upcoming club events, please email RoyalNews@scranton.edu or Gabriella.petti@scranton.edu

GET INVOLVED

Club: University of Scranton Men's Club Volleyball

Meet: Conor Kellough '24, from Harleysville, Pennsylvania, shown below, is a physics major with minors in philosophy and mathematics.

Volleyball Club Position: Libero

Connect: @uofsmensvolleyball

By: Gabriella Petti ’24, student correspondent

Q: How did you get involved in club volleyball?

"As a freshman, I was looking for a sport to get involved in and a friend suggested we both try out for the volleyball team. It was a somewhat small group, but I enjoyed tryouts and the company the team provided, and before I knew it I was hooked."

Q: Did you have any experience playing volleyball before joining a club team?

"Nope. All my life I played soccer, and the most competitive experience I had prior was high school gym volleyball."

Q: What does the club tournament look like?

"Tournaments are usually composed of four to six teams that visit for two to three games. Many of these teams are club teams, like ours, but we play against some DIII teams as well. These games are usually best of three sets, though occasionally are best of five."

Q: How competitive is it?

"We face lots of similarly skilled teams, making for fierce and competitive matchups. While anyone can try out, all players on the team love the sport and work to improve themselves as players."

Q: What is your favorite part of volleyball?

"My favorite part of volleyball is seeing myself and the team improve. I always strive to make myself a better player, and I can see the work that my teammates put in every practice. Seeing this pay off in a game against a good team is a thrill, and the energy after a won point or set is infectious. Furthermore, as libero I specialize in defense, and there is something to be said for denying the other team a good hit and granting my team another opportunity to get the point."

Q: What has been your most memorable moment from volleyball?

"One of the most memorable moments was likely from the most recent tournament. I had just dove for a pass, but it went a bit over the net. As the other team went to hit it back over immediately I, from the ground, was able to reach and save the ball again. Pushing myself and giving my team another chance was exhilarating and felt almost cinematic."

Q: How often do you practice?

"We practice three times a week, usually Monday and Wednesday nights as well as midday Saturday."

Q: Why should people join club volleyball?

"I highly recommend checking out club volleyball due to the camaraderie and payoff of effort. At practices we have a good mix of games and drills, allowing for improvement and enjoyment of the game. Though it is a commitment, tournaments and games are high energy, exciting events where we compete against other skilled teams. Tryouts are admittedly competitive, but everyone who is interested is welcome and encouraged to come."

Photo courtesy Kendra Robles ‘26

Club Spotlight: University of Scranton Men's Club Volleyball

Conor Kellough '24 says The University of Scranton Men's Club Volleyball offers camaraderie and competition against other skilled teams.

A man and six women celebrate Shamrockin' Eve in 2022.

Alumni

March 1, 2023

Shamrockin' Eve Returns March 10

Scranton tradition to unite alumni and seniors.

A graphic of the University Seal superimposed over a shoreline with text reading "The University of Scranton Presidential Receptions In Florida March 2023."

Alumni

March 1, 2023

University To Hold Presidential Receptions In Florida In March

Connect with your fellow Royals in the Sunshine State.

Graphic of the University Seal superimposed over a beach that reads "The University of Scranton, a Jesuit University, Myrtle Beach Reception, Murphy's Law Sports Bar, March 13, 7-9 p.m."

Alumni

March 1, 2023

University To Hold Myrtle Beach Reception March 13

Meet up with your fellow Royals at Murphy's Law Sports Bar.

The University of Scranton’s year-long “Celebrating Women: 50th Anniversary of Coeducation” includes lectures, film screenings, workshops, award presentations and theatrical performances in the upcoming months.

General

March 1, 2023

“I Am Woman,” the Helen Reddy song that became an unofficial anthem of the women’s movement, hit number one on Billboard’s record chart on Dec. 9, 1972.

At the same time, a group of 120 women were charting a new course for themselves and future generations on the campus of The University of Scranton as members of the first incoming class that included women as residential and commuter full-time students.

A news article from that period in the then-Sunday paper The Scrantonian, interviewed several women in the first coed class about the transition. Students quoted said that they chose Scranton because they felt Scranton genuinely wanted them. Many of the women said that when the classes began in the fall semester, they felt self-conscious about being members of the first coed class and noted that the men, too, had to adjust. But, they said, as the semester continued they felt more comfortable and accepted.

Among the first cohort of women trailblazers at Scranton interviewed in The Scrantonian news story was Susan Swain ’76, now the president and co-CEO of C-SPAN. The English major was quoted as saying: “I find that I don’t have to be on my guard as much. I don’t have to constantly worry about whether I’m making a good impression because the guys I associate with are really good friends and I can be myself and they can too.”

Another member of the first coed cohort, former University Trustee Karen Pennington, Ph.D., ’76, G’83, H’15, who served as vice president for student development and campus life at Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey, until she retired a few years ago, was quoted as saying: “The small classes are great, because the teachers have the opportunity of giving students closer attention.”

The University has marked the 50^th anniversary of becoming coeducational with a year-long celebration.

“These celebrations matter,” said Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the opening ceremony of the celebration in September. “I’m very aware that I am standing in front of you in this space because of these women, and because of this decision,” noting that it is important to remember the women “who created spaces for us that did not exist for them.”

In addition, Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of the University, sent a message about the celebration to the University community.

The Committee for the Celebration of 50 years of Coeducation at Scranton is co-chaired by Elizabeth Garcia, J.D., executive director of the Office of Equity and Diversity and special assistant to the president, and Lauren Rivera, J.D., interim vice president for student life and dean of students.

'Celebrating Women: 50^th Anniversary of Coeducation' upcoming events include:

* A screening of the documentary “Fair Play,” followed by a facilitated conversation about wage gap, the effects of gender roles in families struggling to maintain their work-life balance and intersectionality, will take place March 2 at 6 p.m. in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall. “Fair Play” is based on the best-selling book written by Eve Rodsky.

* A “Talk Back” led by Susan Poulson, Ph.D., professor of history at the University, will immediately follow the 8 p.m. March 4 performance of “Little Women: the Broadway Musical” by The University of Scranton Players in the McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts.

* A Salary Negotiations Workshop, offered by the University’s Center for Career Development, Office of Human Resources and Jane Kopas Women’s Center, is set for March 7 at 6 p.m. in room 405 of the DeNaples Center.

* The Women of Vision and Courage Award Presentation and Celebration will take place at 3 p.m. on March 8, International Women’s Day, in the McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center.

* Carol Rittner, RSM, D.Ed., distinguished professor emerita of Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Dr. Marsha Raticoff Grossman Professor Emerita of Holocaust Studies at Stockton University, New Jersey, will present “The Courage to Care” as part of the Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminars. The talk begins at noon on March 13 in the Rose Room, Brennan Hall.

* In recognition of the 50th anniversaries of Title IX and coeducation at Scranton, a full-day Women’s and Gender Justice Teach-in, hosted by the University’s Ellacuria Initiative will take place on March 28 in the PNC Auditorium of the Loyola Science Center.

* The highest-ranking female official at the Vatican, Sister Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ, will discuss “Pope Francis, Women and Synodality,” at 7 p.m. on March 29 at 7 p.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center. Sister Becquart was appointed by Pope Francis as the undersecretary of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.

* A screening of the film “The Seeds of Vandana Shiva” will take place on March 30 at 7:30 p.m. in the Moskovitz Theater of the DeNaples Center.

* An Alumni Panel Discussion will take place on April 12 at 5 p.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center

* The University of Scranton’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program and the English and Theatre Department will perform “Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight” at the Studio Theatre of the McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Performances are set for April 27, 28 and 29 at 8 p.m., and on April 30 at 2 p.m.

Additional events include table sits and trivia tables on the second floor of the DeNaples Center in March and a trip to Seneca Falls on March 25, among other activities. The University will also light the Class of 2020 Gateway Sign in honor of the celebration on March 1, 8 and April 12.

Some events are free of charge, while ticket prices vary for others. More details about events planned for “Celebrating Women: 50^th Anniversary of Coeducation” can be seen here. For questions or additional information, contact the University’s Jane Kopas Women’s Center at 570-941-6194.

University Celebrates Roar That Began 50 Years Ago

The University of Scranton celebrates its 50th anniversary of coeducation with an array of events scheduled in March and April.

Two photos side by side. Person conducting research and bird on a branch.

Faculty

March 1, 2023

Assistant Professor of Biology, Spencer Galen, Ph.D, instructs University students in the classroom, lab and field. In addition to his academic work, Dr. Galen participates in scientific research regarding ornithology, the study of birds, and parasitology, the study of parasites. Recently, DNA he sequenced helped solve a biological mystery. He explains how the collaboration identifies a "strange-looking bird" (spotted in Pennsylvania!) as a species unlike any known to science.

When he's not instructing Royals in General Biology I and II, General Physiology Laboratory, and Parasitology, he's guiding them toward forward-thinking facets of the field, including statistics and bioinformatics, which he describes as "powerful tools that scientists increasingly rely on to understand their data".

Today Dr. Galen discusses his contributions as co-author of "Genetic confirmation of a hybrid between two highly divergent cardinalid species: A rose-breasted grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) and a scarlet tanager (Piranga olivacea)," shown, below.

What inspired you to research this topic?

"The story behind my contribution to this study is actually quite an odd one, but one that speaks to the collaborative nature of science. As many people know the news or from popular media, DNA can be used to identify an unknown person of interest whether it may be a suspect in a criminal case or a long-lost relative. We can also use DNA to solve biological mysteries, such as identifying the parents of a hybrid organism.

Several years ago a strange-looking bird unlike any species known to science was seen right here in Pennsylvania, and a team of researchers sought to study its DNA to try to determine if it was a hybrid. Coincidentally, I had previously sequenced the DNA of a number of bird species from the eastern U.S.A., and my DNA data was used to solve the hybrid mystery – as it turned out, the bird was a hybrid of two very distantly related bird species (the rose-breasted grosbeak and scarlet tanager, believed to have last shared a common ancestor 10 million years ago)."

What theory did your research team have as to how a hybrid formed under natural conditions in the wild? What techniques were used to solve the mystery of the bird’s origin?

"The research team that I was involved with used a combination of evidence from DNA, physical appearance, and song analysis to determine the parents of the hybrid bird. While the song of the bird was similar to one of the proposed parental species (scarlet tanager), both the physical appearance and the DNA of the bird appeared to be a perfect mix of the two parents. We really don’t understand the circumstances under which the hybrid formed, but with increasing forest fragmentation and declining songbird populations it may mean that birds are having a harder time finding a mate, possibly making hybridization more likely."

What is something that has surprised you in your research?

"A parasite is any organism that lives in or on a host species and depends on that host species for energetic resources. Parasites are everywhere and are extremely diverse, which makes studying them very rewarding as there is a lot of room for discovery. I am particularly interested in what is called parasite biodiversity, which is broadly thought of as the number of species of parasite and their abundances throughout the world.

The general hypothesis that drives a lot of my research is that parasites are probably even more abundant and diverse than we have previously understood. Using more advanced DNA-based methods my research largely supports this idea, showing that there are likely thousands of undiscovered species of blood parasite that are in need of study."

What do you recommend to someone interested in pursuing a career in your field?

"I probably wouldn’t have liked to hear this advice when I was an undergraduate, but it is advantageous to become skilled with both numbers and computers if you want to work in any biological field. I am referring specifically to the fields of statistics and bioinformatics, which are both powerful tools that scientists increasingly rely on to understand their data.

I don’t think someone interested in ecology and evolutionary biology needs to become an expert statistician or bioinformatician (I am certainly not), but having basic skills in these areas will make you a more versatile scientist who has the ability to transition to a variety of other fields. I recommend taking a least one introductory class in statistics (e.g. Biostatistics offered by the biology department) and computer science, to start building these skills."

What’s next for you in terms of research projects?

"I have many different projects going on that I am excited about! I have students working on projects related to blood parasites in birds from Alaska, blood parasites that infect birds of prey such as eagles and vultures, discovering new species of blood parasites in the eastern U.S., and identifying what animals insect vectors like mosquitoes are feeding on in northeastern PA, among several other projects. I have a talented group of students working on these studies and I have been thrilled to see them develop as scientists."

When did you decide to pursue a career as a researcher and educator?

"I don’t know exactly when I decided that I wanted to be a professor, but I suppose I was always destined to become one because I never considered pursuing a career that wouldn’t allow me to freely explore my interests in science and natural history. As a professor I get to do research with my students on any topic that strikes my interest, which is a special thing about this job that I greatly value.

It is hard to know when your work as an academic is truly making an impact, and so I try to focus on making sure my students are building long-lasting, positive associations with biology, whether it is in the lab or in the classroom. I think getting the next generation excited about biology is probably the most impactful thing that we can do as professors."

On a Lighter Note...

Dr. Spencer C. Galen earned a doctoral degree in Comparative Biology from the Richard Gilder Graduate School at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, a Master's in Biology from the University of New Mexico and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Delaware.

Favorite birdsongs?

"Picking my favorite bird song is like trying to pick a favorite child, but I will throw out one that I am particularly fond of – the Veery is a thrush that spends its summers in Pennsylvania forests that has an eerily beautiful song. You can listen to it here: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Veery/sounds#."

Favorite location for bird watching?

"In the eastern U.S.A. I think that it is hard to beat Cape May, New Jersey for the best bird watching location. It is a small area packed with amazing bird watching spots that span the transition from forest to the ocean. Visit during Spring or Fall and birds are everywhere! It is also a charming little beach town if you need a different reason to visit."

Faculty Profile: A Conversation with Dr. Spencer Galen

Leading his students by example, Dr. Spencer C. Galen utilizes data to solve biological mysteries. Recently, DNA sequenced by the Assistant Professor in the University Biology Department helped researchers identify a "strange-looking bird" spotted in Pennsylvania as a species unlike any known to science.

Community

March 1, 2023

Black History and Housing in Scranton Discussed

The University of Scranton hosted a Community-Based-Learning talk titled “Black History and Housing in Scranton” in February.

Staff

March 1, 2023

The Staff Senate would like to thank all staff members who took the time to recognize and share their colleague’s accomplishments, sense of community, and dedication to excellence. The Meg Cullen Brown Magis Award would not exist without our caring community!

THE MEG CULLEN-BROWN MAGIS AWARD WINNER for MARCH 2023 is: Jason Thorne, Printing Service

How long have you worked at the University?
"Almost 15 years."

What is your title?
"Senior Graphic Designer"

What do you like best about your job?
"Creative freedom and the people."

What do you like to do for fun?
Hiking with friends and spoiling my three girls, Bella (shown), Sheba and Isis, an 8-year old black Lab and two 10-year old felines."

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and celebrate the good work that Jason does on a daily basis. We hope you will join us in personally congratulating Jason and all our nominees.

Jason will receive a certificate for $50 worth of complimentary food at our fabulous University food service outlets, as well as a reserved parking space in the DeNaples Parking Pavilion for the month of March. Each monthly winner is also invited to the Senate Recognition event in May to receive a certificate of appreciation.

We congratulate our winner and all nominees for being recognized as “Magis” employees!

March 2023 Nominees:

Devleta Alic, Facilities

Anthon Amato , Facilities

Jessica Barletta, University Police

Tara Blaine, Graduate Admissions

Salisa Brown, Faculty Secretary PHY/EE/CHEM

Christopher Carter, Grounds

Tom Cody, Infrastructure & Security Services

Janelle Decker, Music

Nancy Dolan, General Counsel

Hugh Doyle, Admissions

John Harris, Physical Plant Electrician

Jessica Hughes, Facilities Operations

JoAnne Jurkiewicz, World Languages and Cultures

Tom Kern, Client Services

Starr Laird, Facilities

Peg Mazzino, Facilities

Ikram Muhammad, Information Technology

Denise Mullen, Facilities

Glen Pace, IT

James Piazza, Carpentry/Trades

Dylan Popien, Facilities

Dolores Rozelle, PCPS

Donna Rupp, Psychology

Melissa Sherrill, Printing and mailing

Ken Smoke, Grounds

Adam Szydlowski, KSOM Advising

Mauri Walsh, Facilities

Eve Walsh-Bisignani, IT

Devleta Alic, Facilities

Anthony Amato, Facilities

Geri Barber, Counseling and Human Services

Deanna Beyrent, Client Services

Julie Brackeva-Phillips, IT

Gina Butler, CAS Dean's Office

Christopher Carter, Grounds

Thomas Cody, Infrastructure & Security Services

Janelle Decker, Music

Cheryl Evans, Financial Aid

Kym Fetsko, Library

Sharon Finnerty, Weinberg Memorial Library

Melisa Gallo, Interlibrary Loan - Library

John Garzarella, Athletic - Maintenance

Terri Golosky, Admissions

Synthia Guthrie-Kretsch, Mailing Services

Jacob Harris, Facilities Operations

Cindy Hricko, IT

Ann Keeler, Counseling and Human Services

Tom Kern, IT

Jon Kessell, Application Development

Anthony Kilker, Grounds

Barbara King, Dean of Students Office

Gary Lalli, Registrar's Office

Dave Martin, Athletics

Mary Ann Maslar, CAS Dean's Office

Peg Mazzino, Facilities

Ellen Morgan, Counseling Center

Denise Mullen, Facilities

Lisa Notarianni, Information Technology

Jill O'Connor, Nursing

Debbie Parry, KSOM Deans office

Carol Policastro, Facilities

Michael Ritterbeck, CSE

Janet Schieber, Residence Life

Melissa Sherrill, Printing

Eileen Siock, Grad Admission

JoAnn Stavisky, Facilities

Jason Thorne, Creative Services - Printing and Mailing

Eve Walsh-Bisignani, IT

John Witko, Facilities

Gerry Wren, Security

Jason Thorne is Meg Cullen-Brown Magis Award Winner

Jason Thorne receives the Meg Cullen-Brown Magis Award for March 2023

Alumni

March 1, 2023

CAL To Hold Networking Reception With Pre-Law Society Students In Philadelphia April 21

Connect with alumni lawyers and current students in the City of Brotherly Love.

A graphic reading 'The University of Scranton Reunion: Reconnect, Reminisce And Remember.'

Alumni

March 1, 2023

Reminder: University To Hold Reunion 2023 June 9-11

Reconnect with your Royal Family.

Dr. Paul Datti standing on balcony with blue sky in background

Staff

February 28, 2023

All These Isms: Understanding Privilege, Power, and Oppression

Faculty and staff are invited to the next Diversity+Inclusion = A Better U! lunch and learn program, presented by Dr. Paul Datti, professor in the counseling and human services program.

The Class of 2020 Gateway lit up to resemble a purple cross on a white background.

Alumni

February 28, 2023

Alumni Class Notes, March 2023

Share your story with your Royal Family.

Headshots of Dr. Julius Fleming, Jr., Glynis Johns, and Dr. Melissa Anyiwo

Community

February 28, 2023

On Wednesday, March 8 from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Rose Room, Brennan Hall 509 at The University of Scranton a humanities lecture and discussion “Black Patience & Emancipation: A Conversation,” will feature Dr. Julius Fleming, Jr., author and Associate Professor of English and Director, English Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Fleming will reflect on the themes raised in his recent book, "Black Patience: Performance, Civil Rights, and the Unfinished Project of Emancipation". He will then engage in conversation about their local and national relevance with Glynis Johns, CEO and Founder of the Black Scranton Project and Dr. Melissa Anyiwo, Associate Professor of African American History at The University of Scranton. A Q&A with the audience will follow the discussion.

This event is co-sponsored by the Black Scranton Project. To register for this event, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BlackPatience23

Dr. Fleming earned a doctorate in English, and a graduate certificate in Africana studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Specializing in Afro-Diasporic literatures and cultures, Dr. Fleming has particular interests in performance studies, Black political culture, diaspora, and colonialism, especially where they intersect with race, gender, and sexuality.

His book "Black Patience" reconsiders the Civil Rights Movement from the perspective of Black theatre, while examining the importance of time and effect to the making of the modern racial order. Analyzing a largely unexplored, transnational archive of Black theatre, the book demonstrates how Black artists and activists used theatre and performance to unsettle the demands of a violent racial project he terms “Black patience.” From the slave castle to the hold of the slave ship, from the auction block to commands to “go slow” in fighting segregation, Black people have historically been forced to wait, coerced into performing patience. This book argues that during the Civil Rights Movement, Black people’s cries for “freedom now”—at the lunch counter, in the streets, and importantly, on the theatrical stage—disturbed the historical praxis of using Black patience to manufacture and preserve anti-Blackness and white supremacy.

This event is a part of the "Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story" project’s sixth theme, “The Underground Railroad to Black Scranton.” The theme included a PBS Black History Film Series, a connected exhibition at the University’s Hope Horn Gallery, A New Understanding: Paintings by Travis Prince, ongoing through March 10, and a humanities lecture and discussion, “Black History and Housing in Scranton,” featuring Glynis Johns CEO and Founder of the Black Scranton Project, held on Feb. 9. During the Feb. 9 event, Johns discussed the Black history of Adams Avenue in the downtown Scranton area where a predominantly African American neighborhood existed prior to redevelopment in the 1970s and explored themes around Blackness, housing, racial discrimination, and affordability that remain relevant today. This event was also part of the University’s spring Community-Based Learning talks series. The event recording is now available on the University’s YouTube channel at: "Black History and Housing in Scranton."

For more information about the Scranton Story project and to view upcoming events and recordings of past events, please visit www.scranton.edu/scrantonstory.

Questions? Contact community@scranton.edu or call 570-941-4419.

Follow the Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story project on social media at: Facebook and Instagram @ourscrantonstory and on Twitter at @scrantonstory

March 8 Event Featuring Dr. Julius Fleming, Jr. to Explore Black Patience, Emancipation

Dr. Julius Fleming, Jr. to discuss his book and engage in conversation around local implications of Black Patience & Emancipation.

The University of Scranton’s “Celebrating Women: 50th Anniversary of Coeducation” includes multiple events planned in March and April.

Community

February 27, 2023

The University of Scranton’s “Celebrating Women: 50^th Anniversary of Coeducation” kicks into high gear in March and April. The following is a list of events planned in the coming months.

Mar. 1 11 a.m. Table Sit: information about the 50^th anniversary celebration and Women’s History Month, sponsored by the University’s Jane Kopas Women’s Center. Second floor, DeNaples Center. Free. Open to members of the University community. Call 570-941-6194 or email jkwc@scranton.edu.

Mar. 2 6 p.m. Documentary film screening: “Fair Play,” based on the best-selling book by Eve Rodsky, followed by a facilitated conversation about wage gap, the effects gender roles in families struggling to maintain their work life balance, and intersectionality. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Free. Open to the University community. Call 570-941-6194 or email jkwc@scranton.edu.

Mar. 4 Following the 8 p.m. performance of “Little Women: the Broadway Musical,” Talk Back, led by Susan Poulson, Ph.D., professor of history at The University of Scranton. McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Ticket prices vary. Open to the public. Call 570-941-4318 or email players@scranton.edu.

Mar. 7 6 p.m. Salary Negotiations Workshop offered by The University of Scranton’s Career Development Office, Human Resources Office and the Jane Kopas Women’s Center. Room 405, DeNaples Center. Free. Open to the public. Call 570-941-6194 or email jkwc@scranton.edu.

Mar. 8 3 p.m. Women of Vision and Courage Award Presentation offered by The University of Scranton’s Jane Kopas Women’s Center. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Open to invited guests. Reservations required. Call 570-941-6194 or email jkwc@scranton.edu.

Mar. 13 noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “The Courage to Care” presented by Carol Rittner, RSM, D.Ed., distinguished professor emerita of Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Dr. Marsha Raticoff Grossman Professor Emerita of Holocaust Studies at Stockton University, New Jersey. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Open to the public. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Mar. 24 1 p.m. Trivia Table sponsored by the University’s Jane Kopas Women’s Center. Second floor, DeNaples Center. Free. Open to members of the University community. Call 570-941-6194 or email jkwc@scranton.edu.

Mar. 25 8 a.m. Bus trip to historic Seneca Falls, New York, the birthplace of the women’s movement in the United States. Departs from the DeNaples Center circle. Fees vary. Reservations required. Open to members of the University community. Call 570-941-6194 or email jkwc@scranton.edu.

Mar. 28 8 a.m. Women’s and Gender Justice Teach-in, sponsored by the University’s Ellacuria Initiative, in recognition of the 50th anniversaries of Title IX and coeducation at Scranton. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. Reservations required. Free. Open to members of the University community. Call 570-941-6194 or email jkwc@scranton.edu.

Mar. 29 7 p.m. Lecture: “Pope Francis, Women and Synodality” by Sister Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ, Undersecretary of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops (the highest-ranking female official at the Vatican). McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Open to the public. Call 570-941-7419 or email campusministries@scranton.edu.

Mar. 30 7:30 p.m. Film screening: “The Seeds of Vandana Shiva,” a documentary film about the life of the eco-activist and agro-ecologist, who fought against multinational agribusiness in India and became leader in the international organic food movement. Panel discussion immediately follows. The event is presented by the University’s Office of Sustainability, The Slattery Center, Environmental Studies Concentration, Women and Gender Studies, Asian Studies and the Cultural Centers. Moscovitz theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Open to the public. Call 570-941-7520 or email mark.murphy@scranton.edu.

Apr. 12 5 p.m. Alumni Panel Discussion. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Open to the public. Call 570-941-6194 or email jkwc@scranton.edu.

Apr. 27-30 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Performance: “Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight” by the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program and the English and Theatre Department. Studio Theatre, McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Prices vary. Open to the public. Call 570-941-4318 or email players@scranton.edu.

For additional information about events, contact the University’s Jane Kopas Women’s Center at 570-941-6194 or by email at jkwc@scranton.edu.

A message from Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton, about the celebration can be seen here.

Additional events planned in March can be seen here.

Celebrating Women: 50th Anniversary of Coeducation Events

Numerous events are planned in March and April for The University of Scranton’s Celebrating Women: 50th Anniversary of Coeducation.

In Concert: The University of Scranton Concert Choir with Scranton Brass Orchestra, presented by Performance Music at the University, is planned for Sunday, Mar. 5, at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center. The concert is presented free of charge.

Community

February 26, 2023

On Sunday, Mar. 5, at 7:30 p.m., The University of Scranton’s Concert Choir will present a concert in collaboration with Scranton Brass Orchestra. Presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton, the concert will take place at the University’s Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

According to Performance Music Conductors and Co-Directors Cheryl Y. Boga and Philip Kuehn, the concert will feature a short program by each group, followed by the performance of three pieces by the combined groups, with piano accompaniment.

Formed four decades ago, the mixed-voice University of Scranton Concert Choir is a 50-member ensemble made up of students from majors spanning the University’s curriculum, brought together by their love of music. They are known for their eclectic and diverse styles of programming, and their selections for this concert include a lush choral arrangement of the Great American Songbook standard “When I Fall in Love,” an a cappella version of Don McLean’s “Vincent,” a setting by James Mulholland of the Robert Burns poem “A Red, Red Rose,” Rene Clausen’s “If Music Be The Food of Love,” and the tonally shimmering “Water Night” by Eric Whitacre.

Now in its 11^th season, Scranton Brass Orchestra is a fully-professional, 28-member ensemble comprised of brass and percussion players/teachers from across the region. Since its founding in June 2011, the group’s performances have been free and open to the public, and have featured nationally and internationally acclaimed guests, among them some of the most acclaimed brass players of our time. For the Mar. 5 concert, the ensemble will perform brass band arrangements of music by Gershwin, Andrew Lloyd Weber and American folk songs.

The primary focus of Performance Music at the University 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. 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.

For further information on the concert, call 570-941-7624 or visit scranton.edu/music.

The full spring season of Performance Music Concerts can be seen here.

Choir and Scranton Brass Orchestra to Perform

University Concert Choir and Scranton Brass Orchestra to headline Mar. 5 Performance Music concert.

Student

February 22, 2023

For University of Scranton student Ashley Moronta, the Multicultural Center is a “home away from home.”

“I met my closest friends there. It has brought so many student from different backgrounds together,” said Moronta at the Grand Opening and Blessing Ceremony of the newly expanded and renovated Multicultural Center, now located on the first floor of the DeNaples Center.

University of Scranton President, Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., noted the prominent location and increased size of the Multicultural Center as an illustration of the importance of the University’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts.

“On my way to the ceremony, I saw a beautiful rainbow in the sky. It is a symbol of what we have here today – the gift God has given us with the diversity of our campus,” said Father Marina in his remarks prior to blessing the Center.

According to José Sanchez, assistant director of the University’s Cultural Centers, input from students was solicited and incorporated into the design of the new space.

The renovated facility includes places to store backpacks and coats and a refrigerator for food; rooms for study and group meetings; and TV screens, white boards and coated walls for presentations or to help organize collaborative efforts. Tables function for dining as well as group work spaces. Couches, comfortable for just relaxing, can be easily reformed into theater-type seating for movie screenings, performances or guest lectures.

“We want the Center to be inviting and a place where our students want to spend their time,” said Sanchez.

And that warmth is what attracted student Paul Amara to the Center.

“I felt welcomed. It made me feel that this is a place where I am meant to be,” said Amara in his remarks at the ceremony. An accounting major from Williamsport, Amara said the Multicultural Center and the people he met there have changed him into who he is today, growing from shy person, to a more outgoing individual.

“It warms my heart that the Center will now be open to more people,” he said.

Following the blessing, officers from student organizations cut a ribbon to formally open the renovated Multicultural Center to the campus community. Students cutting the ribbon were Moronta, a senior forensic chemistry major from Hazleton and president of the United Cultures Organization, who also spoke at the ceremony; Arielle Contrera, a senior English major from Brooklyn, New York, and president of the Spanish Cultural Society; Eli Kerr, a 2022 graduate of the University and current occupational therapy graduate student from Scranton and former president of Scranton Alliance for Equity (SAFE); Erica Mascardo, a senior biology major from Kansas City, Missouri, and president of the International Student Club; Ayana McCalla, a senior sociology major from Baldwin, New York, and president of the Louis Stanley Brown Student Union; Siddharth Patel, a senior biochemistry major from Scranton and president of the Asia Club; and Danica Sinson, a senior biology and philosophy double major from Floral Park, New York, and a participant in the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program and president of the Scranton Student Association of the Philippines.

Lauren Rivera, J.D., M.Ed., interim vice president for student life and dean of students, and Sanchez also spoke at the ceremony.

The University received generous financial support from PNC to help fund the Multicultural Center renovations.

Photos of the Grand Opening and Blessing Ceremony of the Multicultural Center, as well as the open house that immediately followed, can be seen in the gallery below and a recording of the event can be seen here.

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Multicultural Center Renovations Revealed

Input from University students influenced the new design and expansion of the Multicultural Center in the DeNaples Center.

Student

February 22, 2023

For the fourth time, a University of Scranton student was selected for the Institute of Management Accountants’ (IMA) “Jimmie Smith” Student Leadership Experience. This highly-selective program chose only three students from the around the world to participate this year.

Charles Csaszar ’22, Hopewell Junction, New York, will participate in a series of virtual meetings from January to May, 2023, focused on governance and volunteerism. The program will conclude in June with his attending the IMA’s Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Throughout the program, Csaszar will be assigned a IMA’s Global Board of Director mentor to learn more about the IMA’s Global Board and explore future IMA volunteer leadership opportunities.

The other two students selected to participate this year are at Illinois State University and Singapore Management University, Singapore.

The IMA Selection Committee only chooses students from IMA Higher Education Endorsement Program member schools to attend this experience. Approximately 100 colleges have achieved endorsement by IMA internationally. The University of Scranton received its endorsement in November 2017.

This is the fourth year a University of Scranton student has attended the prestigious IMA Student Leadership Experience. Nicholas Varriano ’17, ‘G18, attended in 2018, and Nhu Nguyen ’19, attended in 2019, and Emma Bolye ’23, attended in 2022.

Globally, IMA supports the profession through research, the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) program, continuing education, networking and advocacy of the highest ethical business practices. IMA has a global network of more than 140,000 members in 140 countries and over 300 professional and student chapters.

A class of 2022 magna cum laude graduate of The University of Scranton, Csaszar is currently pursuing an accelerated Master of Accountancy degree with a concentration in accounting analytics at Scranton. As an undergraduate, he was an accounting and philosophy double major and member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program and its Robert L. McKeage Business Leadership Honors Program. He was a member of Phi Sigma Tau, the international honor society for students of philosophy, and Beta Alpha Psi, the international honor society for students of accounting, finance, and operations management. He was a recipient of the Accounting Department’s Sophie V. West Service Award for his leadership in service activities while at Scranton. Csaszar was also a member of a team of Scranton students whose virtual presentation was selected as a “Semi-Final 8” for the 2021 IMA Case Competition. He serves as an officer for the University’s IMA Student Chapter that was three-times selected as one of just five IMA Outstanding Student Chapters in the nation. He completed a tax internship with PwC in the New York office and will return to PwC as a tax associate upon graduation with his master’s degree.

Student Selected for Elite Leadership Program

Scranton graduate student Charles Csaszar among just three in the world chosen to participate in a highly-selective leadership experience.

Staff

February 22, 2023

The Staff Senate would like to thank all staff members who took the time to recognize and share their colleague’s accomplishments, sense of community, and dedication to excellence. The Meg Cullen Brown Magis Award would not exist without our caring community!

THE MEG CULLEN-BROWN MAGIS AWARD WINNER for FEBRUARY 2023 is: Donna Rupp, Psychology Department

How long have you worked for the University?
"I have worked at the University for 22 years."

What is your title?
"I am the full-time Faculty Secretary for the Psychology Department (the entire 22 years). I am also the part-time secretary for the Latin American/Latinx Studies and Women’s & and Gender Studies programs (since 2012)."

What do you like best about your job?
"The appreciation and respect I receive from faculty and students is very gratifying."

What do you like to do for fun?
"The most fun thing is spending time with my 3-year-old grandson (shown below). It is such a joy to watch him learn new things and be amazed at everything. Also, although it doesn’t always feel like “fun” at the time I am doing them (haha), I run several days a week and participate in several Wellness classes offered by the University such as Light Weights and Abs and Pickleball. I only started running and faithfully exercising over the past ten years, so I’m not burned out yet -- and curious to see how long I can continue…"

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and celebrate the good work that Donna does on a daily basis. We hope you will join us in personally congratulating Donna and all our nominees.

Donna will receive a certificate for $50 worth of complimentary food at our fabulous University food service outlets, as well as a reserved parking space in the DeNaples Parking Pavilion for the month of February. Each monthly winner is also invited to the Senate Recognition event in May to receive a certificate of appreciation.

We congratulate our winner and all nominees for being recognized as “Magis” employees!

February 2023 Nominees:

Devleta Alic, Facilities

Anthon Amato , Facilities

Jessica Barletta, University Police

Tara Blaine, Graduate Admissions

Salisa Brown, Faculty Secretary PHY/EE/CHEM

Christopher Carter, Grounds

Tom Cody, Infrastructure & Security Services

Janelle Decker, Music

Nancy Dolan, General Counsel

Hugh Doyle, Admissions

John Harris, Physical Plant Electrician

Jessica Hughes, Facilities Operations

JoAnne Jurkiewicz, World Languages and Cultures

Tom Kern, Client Services

Starr Laird, Facilities

Peg Mazzino, Facilities

Ikram Muhammad, Information Technology

Denise Mullen, Facilities

Glen Pace, IT

James Piazza, Carpentry/Trades

Dylan Popien, Facilities

Dolores Rozelle, PCPS

Donna Rupp, Psychology

Melissa Sherrill, Printing and mailing

Ken Smoke, Grounds

Adam Szydlowski, KSOM Advising

Mauri Walsh, Facilities

Eve Walsh-Bisignani, IT

Donna Rupp is Meg Cullen-Brown Magis Award Winner

Donna Rupp receives the Meg Cullen-Brown Magis Award for Feb. 2023

The University of Scranton will host the sixth annual HamSCI Workshop 2023 for amateur radio enthusiasts and professional scientists March 17-18. The conference is titled “Forging Amateur-Professional Bonds.”

Community

February 22, 2023

The University of Scranton will host the HamSCI Workshop 2023, which engages amateur radio enthusiasts and professional scientists to collaborate on existing and future innovative research projects. Titled “Forging Amateur-Professional Bonds,” the conference takes place March 17-18 at locations on campus and at the historic Lackawanna Station hotel. HamSCI is an officially recognized NASA Citizen Science project and the conference has received grant support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC.)

“The HamSCI Workshop plays a unique and important role in the development of both the amateur radio community and the scientific workforce,” said Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D., (W2NAF) assistant professor of physics and electrical engineering at The University of Scranton.

Speakers for the HamSCI Workshop 2023 include a keynote presentation by Patricia Reiff, Ph.D., (W5TAR) professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Rice University and founding director of the Rice Space Institute. She will discuss the importance of united teams of amateurs and professionals in conducting and advancing scientific research. She earned her Ph.D. in space physics and astronomy from Rice University.

Joseph Huba, Ph.D., vice president of Syntek Technologies and former head of the Space Plasma Physics Section at the Naval Research Laboratory, will discuss “Modeling the Ionosphere with SAMI3.” Dr. Huba’s tutorial will provide a general overview of ionospheric physics and SAMI3, which models the plasma and chemical evolution of seven ion species. Dr. Huba earned his Ph.D. in theoretical plasma physics at the University of Maryland.

Also, speaking at the conference will be Jesse Alexander (WB2IFS/3), a licensed amateur radio operator, who will discuss his efforts to introduce young people to the wonder of the Electromagnetic Spectrum through hands-on ham radio-based experiences.

The HamSCI Workshop will give participants hands-on experience using University’s amateur radio station W3USR as well. The workshop will also serve as a team meeting for the HamSCI Personal Space Weather Station project (PSWS), which is a $1.3 million NSF funded project previously awarded to Dr. Frissell.

The workshop also features presentations of research abstracts related to the latest developments related radio science and amateur radio, including those related to solar eclipse ionospheric effects, Sporadic E, traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs), and space and terrestrial weather impacts to radio propagation. University of Scranton students Veronica Romanek, Hampton, New Jersey, a senior physics and Spanish double major; Francis Tholley ’21, Darby, a software engineering graduate student, who earned his bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Scranton; and Shaaf Sarwar, Qazalbash Chowk, Lahore, Pakistan, a senior physics major and recipient of the University’s full-tuition Presidential Scholarship, will be among the research presenters.

In addition, the Murgas Amateur Radio club from NEPA will showcase old amateur radios in an “Amateur Radio Through the Ages” exhibit in the display cases on the second floor of Loyola Science Center. The Murgas Amateur Radio Club and Scranton Pocono Amateur Radio Club will also run a special event amateur radio station at the workshop using the W3USR call sign and offer on-site amateur radio license exams.

The HamSCI Workshop 2023 offers both in-person or virtual participation. Lodging for the event is available at the historic Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel Scranton and the Hilton Scranton and Conference Center. For registration details and conference information, visit the HamSCI Workshop 2023 webpage.

Dr. Frissell talks about the workshop in this WVIA podcast.

University to Host HamSCI Sixth Annual Workshop

Members of the amateur radio community and professional scientists will convene at the HamSCI Workshop at Scranton March 17-18.

pysanka eggs and Dr. Amelia Randich writing pysanka

Community

February 20, 2023

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 as a series of four to support Ukraine. This year, the University is expanding to offer six workshops.

Six pysanka workshops will be offered as follows: on Monday, Feb. 27 from 6:30 – 8 p.m.; on Saturday, March 4 from 1-2:30 p.m.; on Saturday, March 4 from 3-4:30 p.m.; on Monday, March 6 from 6:30-8 p.m.; on Saturday, March 11 from 1-2:30 p.m.; and on Saturday, March 11 from 3-4:30 p.m.

All workshops will take place in the Smurfit Arts Center, Scranton, Pennsylvania, on the corners of Vine St. and Madison Ave. Masks are recommended. Each workshop is limited to 10 people and children must be accompanied by an adult. The workshop cost is $25, payable by cash or check. Registration is required at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094BA5A822A3F5CE9-pysanka

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.

“The tradition of pysankarstvo has been handed down through the women in my family and I’m tremendously proud to continue the art. I’ve been writing pysanky with my mother since before I can remember. Easter on my mom’s side has always been a treasured holiday, and the days of Lent before it a special season for writing pysanky. I now write pysanky year-round and have the honor of having some of my pysanky in the Pysanka Museum in Kolomyya, 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.

“It has been a terrible winter and will likely be a difficult spring for Ukraine. As I begin to make dyes this year, it is with the hope that we will have peace this year and see the removal of Russian forces from Ukrainian lands. Please join me in writing these intentions in the form of folk pysanky,” said Dr. Randich.

To learn more about Dr. Randich and her work creating and teaching the art of pysanka, please visit https://pysankypower.wordpress.com/

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

Upcoming Pysanka Workshops to Benefit Humanitarian Relief to Ukraine

University to offer series of pysanka workshops to teach traditional Ukrainian art and benefit humanitarian relief to Ukraine.

Student

February 20, 2023

In an occasional series, Royal News spotlights clubs from the university’s 80+ student organizations on campus, speaks to members, and offers information on how to connect with the clubs.

To suggest suggest a club for a future Royal News article, share ideas, or to inform us of any upcoming club events, please email RoyalNews@scranton.edu or Gabriella.petti@scranton.edu

GET INVOLVED

Club: Royal Signers

Meet: Julia Higgins '23, shown below, is a senior occupational therapy major from Honesdale, Pennsylvania and president of the Royal Signers.

Connect: @scrantonroyalsigners

By: Gabriella Petti ’24, student correspondent

Q: When and where do the Royal Signers meet?

A: "The Royal Signers meet every Monday at 8 p.m. in Loyola Science Center."

Q: Do you teach and learn sign language in the club?

A: "Yes! Each week we pick a theme and learn signs around that theme."

Q: What does a typical meeting look like?

A: "A typical meeting will start with updates and exciting news. Next, we will teach our signs for the week and do a related activity. Finally, we end our night with a Deaf culture spotlight. This is a time for us to showcase deafness in the media and current events."

Q: Why did you join the club?

A: "I joined the club because I was interested in learning more about ASL [American Sign Language] and the people in the club seemed so welcoming."

Q: How did you become interested in ASL (American Sign Language)?

A: "I went to school with a CODA (child of a Deaf adult). His mom would teach us ASL in elementary school."

Q: Why would you recommend someone to join?

A: "I would recommend that anyone who is interested in Deaf culture or ASL join the club, regardless of prior knowledge. We are very welcoming, supportive, and love to have a good time."

Q: What, in your opinion, is the most exciting activity you do as a club?

A: "I think our most exciting event that we do as a club is any of our performances. Being able to learn a song and perform it for our peers and even members of the Deaf community is a really meaningful experience!...A little note: in deaf culture there is a difference between deaf and Deaf so in this interview I am speaking about Deaf culture." *

* According to Carol Padden and Tom Humphries in "Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture (1988)" : "
We use the lowercase deaf when referring to the audiological condition of not hearing, and the uppercase Deaf when referring to a particular group of deaf people who share a language – American Sign Language (ASL) – and a culture."

Club Spotlight: Royal Signers

Royal Signers President Julia Higgins '23, said that at weekly meetings, members learn signs related to a theme, perform songs in American Sign Language and reflect on Deaf culture in the media.

Alumni

February 17, 2023

What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.

Melinda Ghilardi ’80, Dunmore, spoke at the American Association of Justice’s 2022 Annual Convention in Seattle, Washington, on the topic of Insurance Sales Broker and Agent Liability.

Peter Stockschlaeder ’91, Potomac, Maryland, is currently working as a Windows Engineer and Project Manager for GRSi, Inc., a leading Maryland company in the health care information technology field. Stockschlaeder is a recipient of the company's 2022 Technical Achievement award for contributions to a GRSi, Inc., program he works on at the National Institute of Mental Health, in Rockville, Maryland.

Dawn K. deQuevedo ’93, Olyphant, recently appeared with her son and family on CBS Mornings in a piece on Tourette Syndrome by CBS Lead National News Correspondent David Begnaud. Watch the segment or read the story at CBS News.

Jason P. Kavulich ’97, Scranton, was appointed by Governor Shapiro to be the next secretary of the Department of Aging.

Susan Chrusciel Marangos ’04, Chatham, New Jersey, has started a new position as Senior Technical Project Manager at eClinical Solutions. In this new role, she will be managing next generation data repositories and analytics.

MARRIAGES

Alexander Pinarreta ’18 to Kara Truskolawski ’18, G’19,

Alex Wolan '18 to Sara Rizzo '18 G'19

BIRTHS

A daughter, Adriana Pearl, to Matthew and Victoria Swift Mound '02, Morris Plains, New Jersey

DEATHS

Paul S. Berger ’54, North Bethesda, Maryland
Joseph J. Banick ’59, G’67, Dunmore
Robert T. Fidiam ’63, Dunmore
Joseph “Cliff” Curry ’66, West Pittston
Marcia A. Shelinski ’68, G’70, Muncy
Francis M. Goskowski ’72, Clarks Summit

FRIENDS' DEATHS

Kathleen E. Bevilacqua, mother of Michael J. Bevilacqua '78, Richard G. Bevilacqua '83 and Steven Bevilacqua, M.D., D.M.D. '84

Catherine M. "Kitty" Fisch, grandmother of Robert J. Fisch '11, G'15, Timothy M. Fisch '15, G'16, and Matthew N. Fisch '20, and mother-in-law of Patrick M. Scanlon '81

Alumni Class Notes, February 2023

Share your story with your Royal Family.

Michelle Gonzalez Maldonado, Ph.D., was named provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at The University of Scranton.

Staff

February 15, 2023

University of Scranton President, Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., announced the appointment of Michelle Gonzalez Maldonado, Ph.D., as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, effective immediately. Dr. Maldonado was serving as Scranton’s interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs for the 2022-2023 academic year.

“Dr. Maldonado has a deep understanding and appreciation of our Catholic and Jesuit mission, and a love of the characteristics that make Scranton so special,” said Father Marina in a Feb. 14^th message to the University community.

A member of the President’s Cabinet, the provost serves as the chief academic officer for the University and has overall responsibility for its education and research programs. The provost is responsible for providing leadership and oversight for the academic division’s budget, undergraduate and graduate programs, teaching, research, the library and the faculty. In addition, the provost works with deans and faculty to develop advancements to the curriculum and oversee the academic programming of the University’s three colleges.

In the campus announcement, Father Marina noted that during her time as interim provost, Dr. Maldonado “outlined academic priorities that are integrated with the Universal Apostolic Preferences and the University’s Strategic Plan” and had “begun work to implement more transfer-friendly policies for students, created academic support programs for first-generation students, developed innovative programs for non-traditional learners, and is spearheading our initiative to become a Laudato Si’ university.”

“Throughout her time at Scranton, she has also played a key role in the creation and implementation of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan,” said Father Marina.

Dr. Maldonado joined the University in 2020 as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. As dean, she oversaw the development and implementation of a five-year strategic plan for the College and launched an online Master’s in Cybercrime Investigation and Cybersecurity, among other accomplishments.

As a scholar, Dr. Maldonado’s academic areas of specialization include Latino/a and Latin American theology; Afro-Caribbean and Latino/a studies; and constructive and cultural theologies. In addition to the nearly dozen books that she has edited, co-authored or authored, she has published more than 50 articles in academic journals and book chapters. She has also presented at more than 90 academic conferences and meetings and contributed more than a dozen book reviews. She has written articles for the National Catholic Reporter and Conversations, and, in March of 2021, participated as a panelist in “The Francis Factor at Eight Years: Global Impacts, U.S. Challenges” discussion hosted by Georgetown University. In 2022, she was a panel participant and keynote speaker for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s V Encuentro Ministry Series Project.

Prior to joining Scranton, Dr. Maldonado served as assistant provost of undergraduate education at the University of Miami, where she has also served as the executive director of the Office of Academic Enhancement and as a professor of religious studies. She joined the faculty at the University of Miami in 2006.

Dr. Maldonado has received multiple honors and awards during her career, including the Alumni of the Year award from the Graduate Theological Union, the 2008 Catholic Press Association Book Award for Second Place in Gender Issues for her book “Created in God’s Image,” and a 2004 Catholic Press Association Book Award and a 2004 Hispanic Theological Initiative Book Prize for her first book “Sor Juana: Beauty and Justice in the Americas.”

Previously, Dr. Maldonado served as a theologian-in-residence at San Lucas Toliman Mission in Guatemala and as an assistant professor of theological studies at Loyola Marymount University.

Dr. Maldonado earned her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University, her master’s degree from the Union Theology Seminary, and her Ph.D. from the Graduate Theological Union.

The University’s selection of Dr. Maldonado followed a national search conducted by a broadly representative search committee chaired by Scranton alumnus Anthony Yanni, M.D., University trustee and senior vice president and global head, Patient Centricity for Astellas.

Michelle Gonzalez Maldonado, Ph.D., Named Provost

Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president, named Michelle Gonzalez Maldonado, Ph.D., as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.

Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D., assistant professor physics and electrical engineering at The University of Scranton, was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant of $49,999 to support the “The Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI) Workshop 2023,” which will take place Mar. 17-18 at the University. He also received a grant of $25,245 from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) in support of the workshop.

Faculty

February 15, 2023

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a nearly $50,000 grant to Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D., assistant professor physics and electrical engineering at The University of Scranton, to support “The Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI) Workshop 2023.” He also received a grant of just over $25,000 from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) to support the workshop. The HamSCI Workshop 2023 will take place Mar. 17 and 18 at The University of Scranton and the historic Radisson at Lackawanna Station.

“The HamSCI Workshop plays a unique and important role in the development of both the amateur radio community and the scientific workforce,” said Dr. Frissell, who noted there are more than 770,000 licensed ham radio operators in the U. S. and about 3 million worldwide. “Each year, the workshop brings together many young student researchers and experienced scientists, engineers and amateur radio operators in an environment where they can share ideas and learn from each other.”

The HamSCI is a collective of professional researchers and licensed amateur radio operators (a.k.a. hams) with the objective to foster collaborations between the amateur and professional communities for the purposes of advancing scientific research and understanding, encouraging the development of new technologies to support this research, and to provide educational opportunities for the amateur radio community and the general public.

“Dr. Frissell is doing incredible work at The University of Scranton, performing cutting-edge scientific research while educating future scientists. The workshop funded by this grant will bring some of the brightest scientific minds to Scranton, and I am sure it will be a weekend of great collaboration and discussion. As the Ranking Member of the Commerce Justice and Science Subcommittee, I am proud to help fund projects like this one through the National Science Foundation, and I admire Dr. Frissell’s efforts to put Northeastern Pennsylvania on the map through his scientific endeavors,” said U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright.

The workshop will include talks from prominent leaders in radio science, space science and space weather from both the professional and amateur communities, as well as research abstracts related to the latest developments related radio science and amateur radio, including those related to solar eclipse ionospheric effects, Sporadic E, traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs), and space and terrestrial weather impacts to radio propagation.

Dr. Frissell noted that the 2023 HamSCI Workshop is particularly important and timely for the HamSCI community in order to prepare for the upcoming annular solar eclipse on Oct. 14 and the total solar eclipse on Oct. 8, 2024. “Both eclipses have paths that sweep across the continental United States and are the last solar eclipses to traverse this area until 2044, and are therefore important, time-sensitive, in- formation rich opportunities for running unique and “controlled” ionospheric experiments,” said Dr. Frissell.

The workshop will serve as a team meeting for the HamSCI Personal Space Weather Station project, which is a $1.3 million NSF funded project previously awarded to Dr. Frissell. The project seeks to harness the power of a network of licensed amateur radio operators to better understand and measure the effects of weather in the upper levels of Earth’s atmosphere. In August 2021, Dr. Frissell received a six-figure grant through the NASA’s Space Weather Applications Operations 2 Research Program for the research project “Enabling Space Weather Research with Global Scale Amateur Radio Datasets.

Speakers for the HamSCI Workshop 2023 include a keynote presentation by Patricia Reiff, Ph.D., (W5TAR) professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Rice University and founding director of the Rice Space Institute. She will discuss “Forging Amateur-Professional Bonds.” Joseph Huba, Ph.D., vice president of Syntek Technologies and former head of the Space Plasma Physics Section at the Naval Research Laboratory, will discuss “Modeling the Ionosphere with SAMI3.” (SAMI3 models the plasma and chemical evolution of seven ion species.) Also, Jesse Alexander (WB2IFS/3), a licensed amateur radio operator, will discuss his efforts to introduce young people to the wonder of the Electromagnetic Spectrum through hands-on ham radio based experiences.

In addition, the Murgas Amateur Radio club from NEPA will showcase old amateur radios in an “Amateur Radio Through the Ages” exhibit in the display cases on the second floor of Loyola Science Center.

Dr. Frissell talks about the workshop in this WVIA podcast.

Registration and additional information about the conference, which is offered in an in-person and virtual format, can be found on the HamSCI Workshop 2023 webpage.

NSF and ARDC Grants Support HamSCI Workshop

Physics professor Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D., was awarded two grants to support a Ham Radio Science workshop at the University Mar. 17-18.

Faculty

February 15, 2023

By: Claire Sunday, '23, student correspondent

An experience as teaching assistant led Roxana Curiel, Ph.D. to a profession to which she has dedicated more than a decade, including three years at The University of Scranton. Originally from Mexico City, she graduated from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and received a doctorate in Peninsular and Mexican Literature and Cultures from the University of California, Riverside. During her second year in that program, her scholarship required a teaching assistantship.

The assistant professor in the University's department of World Languages and Cultures described the moment when she entered the classroom, prepared to be a teaching assistant, but was informed she would be teaching the class solo.

“It felt like someone literally just threw me to the lion’s den,” Dr. Curiel said. “When I started making connections with my research and the things I was teaching…that’s when I realized…this is what I am supposed to do.”

Today, she designs courses reflective of those that she wishes would have been part of her formal education. The curriculum also mirrors input received from her students. “We are doing this together,” Dr. Curiel said, explaining her teaching methods.

She again brought her student to the forefront when asked about her proudest moment as an educator: “It was the moment that I realized I was making a difference with my students.”

Dr. Curiel believes in changing one mind at a time and described education as a powerful means through which that difference can be made.

How Dr. Roxana Curiel educates and engages beyond the classroom

In spring 2022, Dr. Curiel completed a paper for the Faculty Success Program of the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD). Her work, "De Roma a Juchitán: Intimacies and Colonial Gaze in Alfonso Cuarón's Roma and Graciela Iturbide's Photography," will be submitted to the Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies.

She also wrote a critique piece with her SPAN 315 “Migrations Across the Americas” students. They went to see the play "A Good Farmer" offered by the Academic Theatre Program/University Players and felt compelled to speak about it. Their piece unpacked the play's shortcomings and promoted an informed understanding of citizenship and the criminalization of Latinx migrants in the U.S.

Last summer, Dr. Curiel was awarded The University of Scranton Faculty Development Grant for the project “De muxe a muxe: Meuxeidad and the Third Gender in Zapotec Culture.” She spent the summer performing an ethnography of two muxe artists, Elvis Guerra and Luka Avedaño, which is part of her book manuscript, "Machorras: Embodying Identity Against Mexicanidad." Dr. Curiel’s current research supports the book, which questions Mexican identity and the label of Latinidad, in general.

She also created “Robles,” a drag performance piece with fellow dragtivist Nancy Cázares and musician Gabriel Tepichín. They were invited to perform it at the Archivo de la Ciudad de México as part of the talk series, “Disidencia, resistencia y movilización. La diversidad sexual en la Ciudad de México a través de sus archivos.” In the performance, they told the story of Colonel Amelio Robles and their transition during the Mexican Revolution (1910), along with current stories of violencia machista against trans women in Latin America. The piece's success has led to several invitations to perform at festivals and LGBTQIA+ events.

Said Dr. Curiel of her research, “If... not tied to activism, it loses meaning.”

In fall 2022, Dr. Curiel was invited to write a chapter on queer theory by scholars from Harvard University and the Universidad Autónoma de México, collaborating in an edited book, "Teoría Queer en México: Disidencias, Diversidades y Diferencias, under contract with Editorial Signos." Latinx students also invited her to be a faculty advisor in creating an ALPFA (Association of Latino Professionals for America) chapter at the University of Scranton.

During the celebration and commemoration of Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month, Dr. Curiel took part in the panel discussion “Building DEI Partnerships for Students Leaning Inside and Outside the Classroom” at The University of Scranton Diversity Equity and Inclusion, or DEI, Faculty Workshop, "Creating a Welcoming and Inclusive Classroom." She also participated in a panel conversation organized by the Multicultural Center on the topic of Latino/x/e communities navigating labels, and their identity.

Before joining The University of Scranton faculty, Dr. Curiel worked at Pepperdine University, and Williams College where she was an Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow.

Faculty Profile: A Conversation With Dr. Roxana Curiel

Roxana Curiel, Ph.D. shares the 'lion's den' moment that inspired her to be an educator, her teaching methods designed to connect with students and research that lends itself to activism.

The Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminars for the spring semester at The University of Scranton will be presented by Carol Rittner, RSM, D.Ed., the Dr. Marsha Raticoff Grossman Professor Emerita of Holocaust Studies at Stockton University; historian Annie Cohen-Solal, distinguished professor at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy; Colum McCann, an Award-winning novelist; Jill Dougherty, CNN on-air contributor; Fredrik Logevall, Ph.D., the Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs at John F. Kennedy School of Government and professor of history at Harvard University; and Harmar Brereton, M.D., medical and radiation oncologist.

Community

February 14, 2023

This spring, The University of Scranton Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminars will feature another diverse lineup of thought-provoking discussions centered around important global issues.

Six prominent speakers will appear at the luncheons, which will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Brennan Hall’s Rose Room (with the exception of the April 21st event). In addition, a Zoom option is available for those who wish to attend remotely.

The series begins Monday, Mar. 13, with “The Courage to Care,” presented by Carol Rittner, RSM, D.Ed., distinguished professor emerita of Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Dr. Marsha Raticoff Grossman Professor Emerita of Holocaust Studies at Stockton University, New Jersey. At the talk, Rittner will discuss the small minority of European Christians who assisted Jewish people during the Holocaust. Among the questions she’ll address are: “Why did they risk their lives?” and “What can we learn from people who had ‘the courage to care?’”

Next, on Tuesday, Mar. 28, writer and social historian Annie Cohen-Solal, distinguished professor at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, will present “A Foreigner Called Picasso,” a look at Picasso’s life in France, where he managed to flourish artistically despite always being looked at as an “other” and never being afforded French citizenship. In spite of all that, he managed to enrich the country’s cultural life like few others in its history.

National Book Award-winning Irish novelist Colum McCann will visit the University on Friday, April 21, for the seminar, “How Stories Heal the World.” During the talk, McCann will discuss how, despite living in fractured times, we can bring a healing bond to our communities and our own lives through the power of stories. The talk will take place in Redington Hall’s Collegiate Hall.

On Friday, Apr. 28, Dunmore native, CNN on-air contributor and Russia expert Jill Dougherty will present “The World after the Ukraine War,” an incisive look at how the war in Ukraine has created global upheaval, affecting energy policies, inflation, food prices and political stability.

Dougherty was in Moscow when the invasion began and now, a year into the war, she’ll examine this watershed event that is transforming Ukraine, Russia, Europe and the world.

“Vladimir Putin thought his invasion of Ukraine would be a blitzkrieg-style lightning strike to remove Ukraine’s president and pull Ukraine back under the influence of Russia,” Dougherty said. “But, one year later, President Volodymyr Zelensky is still in power in Kyiv, NATO allies are supporting Ukraine with tanks and heavy weaponry, the alliance is about to add two more members, Russia’s economy is being hit with unprecedented sanctions, and Ukrainians are more united than ever against Russia.”

On Tuesday, May 2, Fredrik Logevall, Ph.D., the Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs at John F. Kennedy School of Government and professor of history at Harvard University, will present “The Promise of American Democracy.”

At the event, Dr. Logevall will discuss America’s deeply divided politics, and whether the two major parties can ever find their way back to the type of good-faith bargaining that’s essential in a functioning democracy.

“American democracy faces challenges on various fronts,” Dr. Logevall said. “For evidence, we need look no further than the assault on the U.S. Capitol two years ago. Could such violent protest occur again? The possibility is there, so deep is the political dysfunction. But I want to suggest in the talk that there are also reasons to be hopeful, and that some of those reasons can be found in looking at the nation’s history. And I’ll also look to the future a bit, and talk about what I believe a healthy democracy requires.”

Finally, on Tuesday, May 9, Harmar Brereton, M.D., medical and radiation oncologist, Weill Cornell Medical School faculty, and clinical professor of Medicine at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, brings the seminars to a close with “Vocalising and Music in the Development of Speech Language and Consciousness.”

In previous Schemel Forum presentations, Dr. Brereton explored the evolution of consciousness reflected in tool artifacts and Paleolithic art. This time, he’ll look at how the hearing and making of sound also may have influenced the development of consciousness.

“We’ll look at the origins of music up to the beginning of vocalizing and steps taken to what music is for us today,” Dr. Brereton said. “We’ll include a biological and evolutionary review with some assumptions along the way.”

Admission to the luncheon seminars is free for University students, faculty, staff and Schemel Forum members. For non-members, the seminars are $25 in-person (buffet lunch included) and $10 remote.

To register for the seminars, contact Brooke Leonard at 570-941-4740 or brooke.leonard@scranton.edu. Or, to pay online, visit: www.scranton.edu/schemelforum.

Additional Schemel Forum events scheduled for the spring semester include courses and collaborative events. Sondra Myers, Schemel Forum director, discusses the spring events in a WVIA interview with Erika Funke. The full schedule events can be found on the Schemel Forum’s webpage.

Six Eclectic World Affairs Seminars Set for Spring

The Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminars aim to bring the world to Scranton.

Amy Beth Castro, Ph.D., co-founder and director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Guaranteed Income Research, will present “Towards a Just Economy: Guaranteed Income and Human Potential” at The University of Scranton’s Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities Lecture Thursday, Feb. 23. The lecture begins at 5:30 p.m. in the PNC Auditorium of the Loyola Science Center.

Community

February 14, 2023

“Towards a Just Economy: Guaranteed Income and Human Potential” is the title of The University of Scranton’s Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities Lecture by Amy Beth Castro, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice and co-founder and director of its Center for Guaranteed Income Research (CGIR). The talk, presented free of charge and open to the public, begins at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, in PNC Auditorium of the Loyola Science Center.

Dr. Castro’s research explores economic mobility, guaranteed income and innovation. She is the co-principal investigator of 30 applied cash-transfer studies housed at CGIR, where she currently advises more than 20 mayoral teams, state and county legislators on unconditional cash research. She is co-principal investigator of the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED), the nation’s first mayor-led guaranteed income demonstration.

Launched in February 2019 by former Mayor of Stockton, California, Michael D. Tubbs, SEED gave 125 randomly selected residents $500 per month for 24 months. The cash was completely unconditional, with no strings attached and no work requirements. Preliminary outcomes indicate the guaranteed income recipients were enabled to find full-time employment and were healthier, showing less depression and anxiety, among other findings, according to the study’s website.

Dr. Castro’s research has been published by the Social Service Review, The Gerontologist, Social Science and Medicine, Social Work, The American Journal of Public Health and the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management (JPAM). Her research has been featured in newspapers and national publications that include The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The New Yorker and The Economist, as well as broadcast media outlets such as CNN, NBC, PBS and National Public Radio.

Dr. Castro is also known for her work on women and risky lending during the 2008 foreclosure crisis. She was awarded the Society for Social Work and Research Outstanding Dissertation Award, the GADE research award and the Nina Fortin Award for her work on the gender and racial profiles of predatory lending.

At Penn, she is an affiliated faculty member of the Alice Paul Center and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, and is a member of the LGBTQ faculty working group. Prior to her tenure at Penn, she spent more than a decade working with non-profits and community-based agencies in Philadelphia and New York City.

Dr. Castro received her Ph.D. in social welfare and her master’s degree from the City University of New York, her Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania and her bachelor’s degree from Cairn University.

For additional information about the lecture, visit upcoming events on the Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities webpage.

Guaranteed Income and Human Potential Analyzed

Co-founder of Penn’s Center for Guaranteed Income Research to speak at the Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities Lecture on Feb. 23.

At the opening reception for “A New Understanding: Paintings by Travis Prince” are, from left: Mark Higgins, Ph.D., dean of the Kania School of Management at The University of Scranton; Travis Prince, exhibiting artist; Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Scranton; and George Aulisio, dean of the Weinberg Memorial Library at Scranton.

Community

February 9, 2023

Hope Horn Gallery Hosts Artist Travis Prince

Guest artist Travis Prince’s exhibition at the Hope Horn Gallery is among the University’s Black History Month events.

All News

Students and Faculty Present at HamSCI Workshop

Members of Canadian Brass to Perform March 25

Professor Wins Second Accounting Ethics Award

Sustainability in Full Swing at Scranton

April Events Planned at University

High School Students Exhibit Post-Covid Art

From high school physiology 'nerd' to sought-after Scientific authority

Honey ants: unusual, captivating and sweet

Up Next for University Professor Emeritus Dr. John R. Conway III?

* A lecture on his research on the western thatching ant, Formica obscuripes, which he has observed for years at his family cabin near the West Elk Wilderness in Colorado.

* A LECTURE on his travels, including two overland truck camping expeditions, and photographs over the years in Africa (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Swaziland, Zaire).

*A lecture based on his experiences and photographs in rainforests and coral reefs during his Tropical Biology courses taught between 1981 and 2014 in the Caribbean, Central America, and Hawaii.

Sought-After Scientific Authority: Professor Emeritus John R. Conway III, Ph.D.

Public Service Ethics and Excellence Conference

Women of Vision and Courage Awards Presented

Pope Francis, Women and Synodality Topic of Talk

Students Perform at Intercollegiate Band Festival

Balthazar Fetsko Shares Fine Art at Scranton

March 23 CBL Talk to Discuss Environmental Health

Kuwaiti Fulbright Scholar Hosts Cultural Program

University Library Looking for Book Donations

Exhibit Celebrates First Presidency of Fr. Pilarz

Justice at the Border Discussed at Scranton

Registration Now Open For Day of Service April 22

Accounting Dept. Research Productivity in Top 5 in World

Four Receive Sursum Corda Awards at University

Global Insights Presents: 'Ukraine'

Mozart Performance and Talk Begins Spring Program

Slattery Center Hosts Talk on Guaranteed Income

Club Spotlight: University of Scranton Men's Club Volleyball

Shamrockin' Eve Returns March 10

University To Hold Presidential Receptions In Florida In March

University To Hold Myrtle Beach Reception March 13

'Celebrating Women: 50th Anniversary of Coeducation' upcoming events include:

University Celebrates Roar That Began 50 Years Ago

What inspired you to research this topic?

What theory did your research team have as to how a hybrid formed under natural conditions in the wild? What techniques were used to solve the mystery of the bird’s origin?

What is something that has surprised you in your research?

What do you recommend to someone interested in pursuing a career in your field?

What’s next for you in terms of research projects?

When did you decide to pursue a career as a researcher and educator?

On a Lighter Note...

Favorite birdsongs?

Favorite location for bird watching?

Faculty Profile: A Conversation with Dr. Spencer Galen

Black History and Housing in Scranton Discussed

Jason Thorne is Meg Cullen-Brown Magis Award Winner

CAL To Hold Networking Reception With Pre-Law Society Students In Philadelphia April 21

Reminder: University To Hold Reunion 2023 June 9-11

All These Isms: Understanding Privilege, Power, and Oppression

Alumni Class Notes, March 2023

March 8 Event Featuring Dr. Julius Fleming, Jr. to Explore Black Patience, Emancipation

Celebrating Women: 50th Anniversary of Coeducation Events

Choir and Scranton Brass Orchestra to Perform

Multicultural Center Renovations Revealed

Student Selected for Elite Leadership Program

Donna Rupp is Meg Cullen-Brown Magis Award Winner

University to Host HamSCI Sixth Annual Workshop

Upcoming Pysanka Workshops to Benefit Humanitarian Relief to Ukraine

GET INVOLVED

Club Spotlight: Royal Signers

Alumni Class Notes, February 2023

Michelle Gonzalez Maldonado, Ph.D., Named Provost

NSF and ARDC Grants Support HamSCI Workshop

How Dr. Roxana Curiel educates and engages beyond the classroom

Faculty Profile: A Conversation With Dr. Roxana Curiel

Six Eclectic World Affairs Seminars Set for Spring

Guaranteed Income and Human Potential Analyzed

Hope Horn Gallery Hosts Artist Travis Prince

'Celebrating Women: 50^th Anniversary of Coeducation' upcoming events include: