Alumni Archive
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03/05/2025
The University of Scranton has opened registration for Reunion Weekend 2025.
Alumni from the Class of 1975 celebrating their 50-year reunion can register here; all other alumni can register here.
The University will celebrate Reunion Weekend 2025 June 6-8. Visit this link to add your name to the "Planning to Attend" list, and visit the Planning to Attend page to see which of your classmates is planning to attend the festivities. For more information, visit scranton.edu/reunion or email alumni@scranton.edu.
University Opens Registration for Reunion 2025
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03/05/2025
The University will host a Philadelphia Networking Reception for alumni and students Friday, April 4, at 5 p.m.
The reception, sponsored by the Council of Alumni Lawyers (CAL) and the President's Business Council (PBC), will take place at Aramark Global Headquarters, seventh floor, 2400 Market St., Philadelphia, and it will provide a valuable opportunity for alumni to connect with their fellow Scranton grads and current students. The $20 registration fee includes cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Register for the reception here today.
University To Host Philadelphia Networking Reception With Alumni and Students April 4
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03/05/2025
The University will send out an Alumni Survey this spring. Check your email to participate and help shape the future of Scranton.
Whether you walked across the Commencement stage at the Wachovia Arena, Fitzpatrick Field, or behind the Estate, your opinion matters. Your response is important to us, and it will help craft future programs, activities and communications to better meet your needs and the needs of your fellow alumni.
The Alumni Survey Is Coming Soon
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03/05/2025
The University will host a complimentary Lady Royals Pre-Game Reception Friday, March 7, at 5 p.m. in Room 405 of the DeNaples Center.
The reception, which will take place before the No. 3 Lady Royals take on Mount St. Mary's (NY) in the first round of the NCAA 2025 Division III Women's Basketball Championship, will feature complimentary hors d'oeuvres, beer, wine and soda. Register here for the reception today.
After the reception, head over to the John J. Long, S.J. Center to watch the game and cheer on the Lady Royals. Tickets for the game will be available at the door for $15 for adults and $10 for seniors (61 and over), students and children (ages 2 and up). NOTE: Tickets may only be purchased with cash.
If you can't make it to the game, cheer on the Lady Royals from your living room by watching the game live at this link.
University to Host Lady Royals NCAA Pre-Game Reception March 7
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03/04/2025
Members of the Classes of 2021-2025 will celebrate the 15th annual Shamrockin' Eve in the Byron Recreation Complex March 7.
Visit the Shamrockin' Eve Alumni Registration Page to register today, or visit scranton.edu/shamrockin to learn more about this year's festivities. Alumni and student online registration will close Thursday, March 6, at 8 p.m. Walk-in registration will be available for alumni March 7 on the first floor of the DeNaples Center beginning at 8 p.m. Walk-in registration will NOT be available for students.
Shamrockin' Eve Returns
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03/04/2025
Make plans to join fellow Royals and friends in the spring as we unite in service to implement the values of a Jesuit education and make a meaningful impact in our communities.
Service sites have been set up in Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., on April 12, April 26 and May 3. Visit https://bit.ly/DaysofService25 to register and to see the full list of confirmed sites and dates.
If you’re interested in coordinating a Day of Service site in your region or have ideas for volunteer opportunities near you, please reach out to Marge Gleason, P'14, '17 at margery.gleason@scranton.edu.
Register Today for the Days of Service
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03/04/2025
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Bill ’77 and Jackie Johnson Parker ’78, West Grove, have launched a new business as Santa and Mrs. Claus! After attending Santa School and earning their bachelors' in "Santa-ology," they're spreading holiday cheer through their venture. Friends can follow their festive journey on Facebook at Claus & Co. - Holiday Entertainers.
Hon. James A. Gibbons ’79, Dalton, was named Lackawanna County president judge.
Bernard J. Costello ’91, M.D., D.M.D., Pittsburgh, was promoted to senior vice president for Health Affairs, Distinguished Professor of Surgery at Wayne State University.
MARRIAGES
Alexa Tortorello '19, G '20 to Jonathan Zirnheld, M.D. '18
BIRTHS
A daughter, Maria Juliana, to Anthony and Kaylee Hatfield Santino ’13, Delran, New Jersey, was born on Oct. 8, 2024.
DEATHS
Thomas F. Race, M.D. ’58, Wilbraham, Massachusetts
Thomas P. Dempsey, Ph.D. ’60, Dunmore
John E. Sissick G’62, Weatherly
Thomas E. Dunn ’65, Allentown
Marie Rasimovicz Robine G’74, Larksville
Linda M. Johnson G’75, Beaumont
Michael Ziobro ’76, Plains Township
John E. Menichello ’84, Jefferson Township
Susan L. Vitez G’86, Bethlehem
Barbara Regan Chillemi ’88, Ridgewood, New Jersey
David S. Thomas ’88, Wilkes-Barre
Kristine Basciano Zingone ’89, Chatham, New Jersey
FRIENDS/FAMILY DEATHS
Dolores Zuder, wife of V. Rev. Myron G. Zuder, Ph.D. '58
Mary Beth Feliu, wife of Otto Feliu '71, Syracuse, New York
Alumni Class Notes, March 2025
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02/05/2025
The University of Scranton and the Alumni Society are seeking nominees for the 2025 Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award and the 2025 Frank J. O'Hara Recent Graduate Award. Nominations will be accepted through Friday, February 21.
The Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest award bestowed jointly by the University and the Alumni Society. The award honors select alumni who embody Scranton's Catholic and Jesuit experience and who have achieved distinction in their professional or personal endeavors. Honorees are selected based on the nominees' commitment to Ignatian values and their pursuit of professional and personal excellence.
The Frank J. O'Hara Recent Graduate Award is presented to an alumnus/
na who has graduated within the past 10 years. The recipient(s) will have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to service for others in their personal or professional achievements, which embody Scranton's Catholic, Jesuit values.Honorees will be recognized during Reunion Weekend June 6-8, 2025. Alumni in class years ending in "0" or "5" will be considered this year.
Nominations for both awards will be accepted here or by emailing alumni@scranton.edu.
University Seeks 2025 O'Hara Award Nominations
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02/05/2025
The Alumni Society Advisory Board is currently seeking applications for membership from creative, diverse, dedicated and enthusiastic alumni with a true desire to support The University of Scranton.
Advisory Board membership is a rewarding way to stay involved and engaged with the life of the University. Members play an active role in guiding alumni engagement efforts by serving as strategic advisors to the Office of Alumni Engagement, as well as serving as regional and national ambassadors. Submit your application of interest here.
The Alumni Society Advisory Board is comprised of 25 - 30 University of Scranton alumni volunteers. A non-governing board, this group of passionate Scranton grads partners with the Office of Alumni Engagement to promote and enhance engagement opportunities, foster camaraderie within the alumni network, and support current Scranton students.
Applications will be accepted by the Office of Alumni Engagement through March 24. Learn more about the role of an Alumni Board Member here, and read bios of the board's current members here.
Alumni Society Advisory Board Seeks New Members
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02/05/2025
Members of the Classes of 2021-2025 will celebrate the 15th annual Shamrockin' Eve in the Byron Recreation Complex March 7.
Visit the Shamrockin' Eve Alumni Registration Page to register today, or visit scranton.edu/shamrockin to learn more about this year's festivities.
Register Today for Shamrockin' Eve March 7
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02/05/2025
Make plans to join fellow Royals and friends in the spring as we unite in service to implement the values of a Jesuit education and make a meaningful impact in our communities.
Service sites have been set up in Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., on April 12, April 26 and May 3. Visit https://bit.ly/DaysofService25 for the full list of confirmed sites and dates.
If you’re interested in coordinating a Day of Service site in your region or have ideas for volunteer opportunities near you, please reach out to Marge Gleason, P'14, '17 at margery.gleason@scranton.edu.
University Announces Additional Days of Service in 2025
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02/05/2025
The University will hold several regional receptions in Feb. and March in a city near you:
Atlanta Reception: Feb. 27
Jupiter Reception: March 1
Fort Lauderdale Brunch: March 2
Naples Reception hosted by John A. '66 and Ellen Walsh: March 3
Jupiter, Ft. Lauderdale and Naples Registration
New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia Phillies Spring Training Game in Clearwater: March 4
Florida Spring Training Registration
Watch your email for additional information, or visit scranton.edu/alumni.Reminder: University To Hold Regional Alumni Events in February, March
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02/05/2025
The University will hold the Royals 2 Royals Networking Reception with current students Friday, Feb. 21, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall, located on the fifth floor of 320 Madison Avenue in Scranton.
This engaging networking opportunity offers a platform for casual conversations between alumni and students. Our students are eager to learn from alumni about their post-Scranton careers and experiences. Refreshments will be served, creating a relaxed atmosphere conducive to meaningful interactions.
Following the reception, alumni are encouraged to join us at Backyard Ale House from 8 to 9 p.m. for additional socializing over drinks and appetizers. Register here to reserve your spot today.
University To Host 'Royals 2 Royals' Networking Event Feb. 21
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02/05/2025
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Gregory S. Shinn ’70, Tan Dag City, Surigao del Sur, Philippines, retired from his position in long-term care as an executive director in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. He remarried and moved to Mindanao in the Philippines. Shinn furthered his education after graduating from The University of Scranton by earning a master’s degree in teaching from Colorado College and an MBA in Organizational Behavior from Regis University in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Robert Sintich, Ed.D. ’72, Hancock, New York, has just completed his three-year elected term as commissioner of the Accreditation Commission of Education in Nursing (ACEN), which accredits more than 1,300 nursing programs in the United States and overseas. This organization accredits the largest group of nursing programs, from LPN to Doctoral nursing programs, at universities and community colleges throughout the United States. Dr. Sintich has recently been elected as vice president of Hancock Partners Inc., an economic development board 501(c)(3) organization. The Hancock Partners address the economic development of the greater Hancock, New York area to include northeast Wayne County Pennsylvania.
Joe Sharp ’78, Bensalem, is being honored by his alma mater, Holy Ghost Prep, for his lifelong dedication to the school and amateur sports. Sharp’s journey in athletic training began during his high school years and continued at The University of Scranton. Following graduation, he remained active in youth and senior sports, and he currently serves with the Bucks Adult Soccer League (BASC) as a coach and trainer. The announcement was made during a celebration marking the 50th anniversary of Holy Ghost Prep’s state championship team, which included fellow Scranton alum Paul Miernicki '78. Joe’s induction ceremony is set for early 2026.
Julie Amarie ’87, Henrico, Virginia, is the owner of the Equal Justice Center, PLC in Virginia, an advocate and lobbyist for criminal reforms.
Michael Baumhardt G’13, Homestead, Florida, was promoted to senior director of orientation and commuter student involvement and divisional assessment efforts while maintaining his role within the Department of Orientation and Commuter Student Involvement at The University of Miami. His portfolio has expanded to include additional responsibilities in assessment, data management and analytics reporting for more than 18 departments within the Division of Student Affairs and Alumni Engagement.
MARRIAGES
Katherine Musto ’20 to Joseph Layaou ’21
DEATHS
Raymond C. Rinaldi Sr., Esq. ’60, Moosic
Paul V. Irzinski ’63, Hanover Township
Walter J. Kakareka ’68, Covington Township
John F. Thorne ’68, Oceanview, Delaware
Florence H. Sherwood G’79, Dallas
John J. Osborne ’81, Old Forge
Richard R. Kucinski ’82, Falls Church, Virginia
Jeanette Kassis ’95, Easton
Alumni Class Notes, February 2025
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01/07/2025
The University of Scranton will celebrate Reunion Weekend 2025 from June 6-8.
The “Planning to Attend” list for Reunion Weekend 2025 has officially opened. Visit this link to add your name to the list, and visit the Planning to Attend page to see which of your classmates is planning to attend the festivities. Registration will open in the spring. For more information, visit scranton.edu/reunion or email alumni@scranton.edu.
Reminder: University to Hold Reunion Weekend June 6-8
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01/07/2025
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Mary Jane K. DiMattio, Ph.D. ’89, Jefferson Township, was elected to serve as chairperson of the Department of Nursing at The University of Scranton. She began her term in June of 2024.
Thomas J. Spoto '91, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, West Palm Beach, Asset and Wealth Management, has been named Partner at Goldman Sachs effective Jan. 1, 2025.
Paul Collins, Ph.D. ’00, Amherst, Massachusetts, professor of Legal Studies and Political Science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, was recognized with both the 2024 C. Herman Pritchett Award from the American Political Science Association and the 2024 Choice Outstanding Academic Title Award from the American Library Association for his book, “Supreme Bias: Gender and Race in U.S. Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings” (Stanford University Press, 2023). “Supreme Bias” examines the subtle forms of bias that women and people of color face on their paths to the Supreme Court. In addition to revealing the disturbing extent to which race and gender bias exist even at the highest echelon of U.S. legal power, the book provides concrete suggestions for how that bias can be reduced in the future.
MARRIAGES
Vaughn DeWolfe G’82 to Beverly Jones
Jaclyn Potapchuk ’05 to James D. Vaughn ’09
Meagan Ackerman ’20 to Jack Peccerillo ’20
Grace Gallagher ’21 to Evan Karli ’20
BIRTHS
A daughter, Nora Elizabeth, to Leigh Magnotta Fennie '11, G'19 and William Fennie, Scranton
DEATHS
Andrew R. Hricko ’49, Lexington, Kentucky
Edward Hughes ’58, Archbald
John A. Kacergis ’58, Jekyll Island, Georgia
Frank G. Kost ’64, Harrisburg
Philip R. Daniel ’67, Lutz, Florida
John J. Elias ’68, Kingston
Brian Boylan ’69, Scranton
Anthony Summa ’70, Jefferson Township
Susan M. Ruland ’78, Clarks Summit
Joseph R. Shaver, M.D. ’85, Evans, Georgia
Thomas J. Donahue, DMD ’87, Dallas
Rev. Thomas J. Major ’87, Dushore
Karen A. Magnotta ’05, Dunmore
FRIENDS/FAMILY DEATHS
Carie C. Kelly, wife of Thomas C. Kelly ’97, sister-in-law to Matthew A. Kelly ’04 and Maura A. Kelly ’07
Alumni Class Notes, January 2025
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01/07/2025
The University will hold several regional receptions in February and March in a city near you:
Atlanta Reception: Feb. 27
Jupiter Reception: March 1
Fort Lauderdale Brunch: March 2
Naples Reception hosted by John A. '66 and Ellen Walsh: March 3
New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia Phillies Spring Training Game in Clearwater: March 4
Full details will follow in upcoming editions of Royal News. Watch your email for additional information, or visit scranton.edu/alumni.
University to Hold Regional Alumni Events in February and March
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01/07/2025
The Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley will hold a Royal Happy Hour for Scranton alumni, parents and friends at Fegley's Bethlehem Brew Works Wednesday, Jan. 15, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
The $10 admission fee includes beer, wine, soda and appetizers. Register for the Royal Happy Hour here.
After the happy hour, head over to Moravian University to watch the Scranton Royals battle the Moravian Greyhounds at 7 p.m. Game tickets will be available at the door.
Reminder: Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley to Hold Royal Happy Hour Jan. 15
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01/07/2025
All alumni are invited to the Royals 2 Royals Networking Reception with current students on Friday, Feb. 21. The event will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall, located on the fifth floor of 320 Madison Avenue in Scranton.
This engaging networking opportunity offers a platform for casual conversations between alumni and students. Our students are eager to learn from alumni about their post-Scranton careers and experiences. Refreshments will be served, creating a relaxed atmosphere conducive to meaningful interactions.
Following the reception, alumni are encouraged to join us at Backyard Ale House from 8 to 9 p.m. for additional socializing over drinks and appetizers. Register here to reserve your spot today.
University to Host 'Royals 2 Royals' Networking Event Feb. 21
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01/07/2025
Make plans to join fellow Royals and friends Saturday, April 12, as we unite in service to implement the values of a Jesuit education and make a meaningful impact in our communities.
If you’re interested in coordinating a service site or have ideas for volunteer opportunities near you, please reach out to Marge Gleason P'14,'17 at margery.gleason@scranton.edu by Friday, Feb. 7.
For a list of sites already confirmed, visit scranton.edu/dayofservice.
Save The Date for the Day of Service April 12
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01/07/2025
The University will hold a Presidential Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, in Los Angeles, California, Jan. 24 at 6 p.m.
Register here to join your fellow Royals in the City of Angels.
University to Hold Presidential Reception in Los Angeles Jan. 24
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01/07/2025
The University will hold a Presidential Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey, Jan. 22 at 6 p.m.
Register here to meet up with your fellow Royals in the Garden State.
University to Hold Presidential Reception in New Jersey Jan. 22
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01/07/2025
The University will hold a Presidential Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., in Scottsdale, Arizona, Thursday, Jan. 23, from 6-8 p.m. Register for the event here.
University to Hold Presidential Reception in Arizona Jan. 23
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01/07/2025
The Scranton Club of NEPA invites alumni, parents and friends of The University of Scranton to an exciting night of hockey as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins take on the Utica Comets! Join us Saturday, January 25, at 6:05 p.m. at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Tickets are $26 and include a $4 food voucher. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with fellow Royals and cheer on your favorite team! Register here to secure your spot.
Scranton Club of NEPA to Host Electrifying Evening of Hockey
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12/04/2024
On Dec. 3, a record-shattering 825 members of The University of Scranton family celebrated Giving Tuesday 2024 by raising more than $83,000 for campus programs and priorities in a wonderful start to the Christmas season.
"In true Ignatian fashion, your generosity has once again demonstrated your love for our wonderful University," said Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, in a "Thank You" video message to those who donated. "On behalf of all the members of the Scranton community, let me thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you have done and continue to do for our beloved University." See Father Marina's video message here, and see the 2024 Giving Tuesday campaign video here.
In 2022, the University reached its previous high-water Giving Tuesday participation total when nearly 400 alumni, parents and friends of the University donated more than $65,000. In 2023, the University reached its record Giving Tuesday financial total when nearly 300 members of the Scranton community donated more than $115,000.
University Community Celebrates Record-Shattering Giving Tuesday
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12/03/2024
The University will hold several Christmas receptions during the 2024 holiday season:
- December 5, 2024: Connecticut Christmas Reception
6 - 8:30 p.m.
Columbus Park Trattoria
205 Main Street
Stamford, Connecticut
Register Here - December 11, 2024: New York Christmas Reception
6 - 8:30 p.m.
The New York Athletic Club
180 Central Park South
New York, New York
Register Here - December 11, 2024: Harrisburg Christmas Party
5 - 7 p.m.
Millworks
340 Verbeke Street
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Register Here
- December 13, 2024: Lehigh Valley
Illumination at Coca-Cola Park
6 - 9 p.m.
Coca-Cola Park,1050 IronPigs Way
Allentown, Pennsylvania
This event is Sold Out -
December 18, 2024: Philadelphia Presidential Christmas Reception
The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia
10 Avenue of the Arts
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Register Here - December 19, 2024: Boston Presidential Christmas Reception
The Ritz-Carlton Boston
10 Avery Street
Boston, Massachusetts
Register Here
- December 20, 2024: Washington, DC Presidential Christmas Reception
The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner
1700 Tysons Blvd.
McLean, Virginia
Register Here
- January 22, 2025: New Jersey Presidential Reception
Baltusrol Golf Club
201 Shunpike Road
Springfield, New Jersey
Register Here
University To Hold Regional Christmas Parties
- December 5, 2024: Connecticut Christmas Reception
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12/03/2024
The Jesuit Center extends a warm invitation to all seeking spiritual solace and reflection this holiday season. During the season of Advent, the center encourages individuals to register for its Advent Daily Devotional emails, which offer a daily dose of inspiration and insight.
Experience the joy of daily reflection during the season of Advent with a series of profound essays crafted by our Jesuits, alumni, students, faculty and staff. Each day, engage in moments of introspection, prayer and learning while fostering a deeper connection to faith and self.
Register Today for The Jesuit Center's Advent Daily Devotional Emails
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12/03/2024
The University of Scranton will celebrate Reunion Weekend 2025 from June 6-8.
The “Planning to Attend” list for Reunion Weekend 2025 has officially opened. Visit this link to add your name to the list, and visit the Planning to Attend page to see which of your classmates is planning to attend the festivities. Registration will open in 2025. For more information, visit scranton.edu/reunion or email alumni@scranton.edu.
Reminder: University to Hold Reunion 2025 June 6-8
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12/03/2024
The Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley will hold a Royal Happy Hour for Scranton alumni, parents and friends at Fegley's Bethlehem Brew Works Wednesday, Jan. 15, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
The $10 admission fee includes beer, wine, soda and appetizers. Register for the Royal Happy Hour here.
After the happy hour, head over to Moravian University to watch the Scranton Royals battle the Moravian Greyhounds at 7 p.m. Game tickets will be available at the door.
Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley to Hold Royal Happy Hour Jan. 15
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12/03/2024
The University will hold the 2025 Carlesimo Golf Tournament and Award Dinner Monday, June 23, at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in Flourtown.
The annual Golf Tournament and Award Dinner serves as a fundraising event to support and enhance the student-athlete experience at The University of Scranton. All proceeds will directly benefit the Department of Athletics and the 550+ students it serves. Visit this link to view photos from the 2024 event.
The Philadelphia Cricket Club, the nation's oldest country club, is considered one of the finest full-service country clubs in America. The club recently hosted the 2024 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship and will host the PGA Tour's Truist Championship in May.
Additional information and registration will be available in the spring.
University to Hold Carlesimo Golf Tournament and Award Dinner June 23
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12/03/2024
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Lt. Col., U.S. Army (Ret) Nick Camera ’71, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was again appointed the Community Service chairman for the state of South Carolina Veterans of Foreign Wars. Camera has held this position since 2017, when he achieved All State recognition as VFW Post Commander of Post 10804 in North Myrtle Beach.
Gregory Shahum, Ph.D. ’00, G’05, St. Paul, Minnesota, celebrated his one-year anniversary as administrator of a 220-bed skilled nursing facility in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Andrew Ponti ’10, Leonardtown, Maryland, received the Maryland Tourism Coalition’s “Ambassador of the Year” award in both 2023 and 2024. This award is given in recognition of a Maryland Tourism Coalition member who has worked to grow the membership of the organization and to promote the tourism and hospitality industry in their region and throughout the state of Maryland.
Luke Capper ’24, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, interned with the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives in Harrisburg during the summer of 2024, where he gained hands-on experience in archival work. As part of his role, he digitized historical records, photographed artifacts, and conducted research on early 19th-century Pennsylvania legislators. Capper also had the unique opportunity to work alongside Jesse Teitelbaum G’98, Director of Archives, Harrisburg.
MARRIAGES
Katie Greene ’15 to Kevin Prendergast ’15
Angela Parry '15, DPT '18 to Adam Cassel
Rachel DiBisceglie ’18 to Cesar Andy Garcia ’18
DEATHS
John A. Kelly ’61, Moscow
Henry A. Turchanik, Jr. ’64, Hanover Township
Michael J. Culkin ’68, Mountain Top
Andrew P. Marko G’68, Harveys Lake
Louis A. Danzico ’69, Moscow
Alan J. Kosh ’69, Scranton
Kevin J. Kakareka ’76, Scranton
Elizabeth Wickkizer G’84, Macungie
Edward S. McHale G’92, Harford Township
Scott K. Nowak ’02, Houston, Texas
Michael J. Pucci, M.D. ’03, Philadelphia
FRIENDS/FAMILY DEATHS
Dorothy D. Karas, mother of Noelle D. Karas '97 and April (Fletcher) Karas '00
Patrick Twohig, father of Mary Twohig Novick '98
Alumni Class Notes, December 2024
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11/06/2024
The University of Scranton will hold the President’s Medal Gala Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, at Pier Sixty, Manhattan’s largest waterfront event venue.
All alumni, parents and friends of the University are welcome and encouraged to attend the event, and registration for the event will open in 2025.
For more information, contact Associate Vice President of Development Eric Eckenrode at eric.eckenrode@scranton.edu or Executive Director of Advancement for Campus Engagement Brad Troy ’02 at bradley.troy@scranton.edu.
Save the Date for the President's Medal Gala Oct. 2 at Pier Sixty
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11/05/2024
The University of Scranton Athletics Department will induct six new members into its Wall of Fame on Saturday, Nov. 23.
The Class of 2025 is comprised of Julia Crilly '15 (women's volleyball), Ross Danzig '15 (men's basketball/baseball), Jennifer (Bostwick) Guglielmi '06 (field hockey/women's lacrosse), Meredith Mesaris '15 (women's basketball), Ryan Millard '15 (men's lacrosse) and Alyssa (Fania) Panayi '15 (field hockey).
An induction ceremony will take place between games of a men's and women's basketball doubleheader against Juniata in the John Long Center. The women's game will tip-off at 1 p.m., followed by the men's game at 3:30 p.m. Brief remarks and a cocktail reception will begin at 6 p.m. in Brennan Hall following the doubleheader. Tickets for the cocktail reception are $20 for ages 12 and older and $10 for children ages 5-11. Children under 5 will receive free admission. Visit this link to register for the cocktail reception today.
The Wall of Fame was founded in 1970 to honor student-athletes, administrators and those in the community who have been instrumental in the overall development of the University's athletics program. This year's class brings the Wall's membership to 292.
Julia Crilly – Women's Volleyball, 2011-14
A four-year member of the women's volleyball team, Crilly became the first All-American in program history when she was named Honorable Mention All-America by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). She was a first-team All-Region selection by the AVCA that same year.
A four-time All-Landmark Conference honoree, Crilly earned first-team accolades in 2013 and 2014 after being named to the second team in 2011 and 2012. She was also the conference Rookie of the Year in 2011. Crilly ranks third in Landmark Conference history in career kills (1,648), fourth in kills per set (3.55) and fifth in service aces (195).
A dominant outside hitter, Crilly is one of only two players in Scranton women's volleyball history to lead the program in kills in four different seasons. She ranks third in program history in career kills, third in career digs (1,572), and fifth in service aces. She was also a force defensively, ranking 22nd in Scranton history in solo blocks (41), 23rd in total blocks (154) and 24th in block assists (141).
A standout in the classroom as well, Crilly was named the Landmark Conference Senior Scholar Athlete in 2014 and was a three-time member of the conference's Academic Honor Roll.
Crilly helped the Royals to Landmark Conference playoff appearances in all four of her seasons, and the Royals amassed 72 victories over those four years. She was a co-recipient of the University's O'Hara Award in 2015, presented annually to the top male and female athletes in the senior class.
Ross Danzig – Men's Basketball & Baseball, 2011-15
A standout all-around athlete, Danzig etched his name all over the men's basketball record book during his four years at Scranton. He ranks fourth in career points (1,793), seventh in 3-pointers made (184), 10th in field goals made (621), 11th in assists (386), 13th in free throws made (367), 15th in steals (127), tied for 15th in blocks (89) and 16th in rebounds (727).
Danzig earned five different all-region honors during his time on the hardwood. D3hoops.com named him to the All-Mid-Atlantic Region Third Team in 2012-13, Second Team in 2014-15, and First Team in 2013-14. He also earned first-team honors in 2013-14 and 2014-15 from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).
The Landmark Conference Player of the Year in 2013-14, Danzig earned all-conference first-team honors in his final three seasons after being named the conference Rookie of the Year in 2011-12. He ranks sixth in Landmark history in points and field goals made, eighth in assists and free throws made, and tied for ninth in rebounds.
The Royals were a force nationally during Danzig's time in purple and white. They won three Landmark Conference championships (2011-12, 2013-14 and 2014-15), and made three NCAA Tournament appearances, advancing to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in 2011-12 and the second round in 2014-15.
On the baseball diamond, Danzig earned All-Landmark Conference second-team honors in 2014. He helped the Royals reach the Landmark Conference playoffs in 2013 and 2015, advancing to the championship series in 2013. The Royals won 76 games in his four seasons, including 39 in conference play.
In 114 career games, Danzig hit .341 with 134 hits, including 22 doubles and seven home runs with 86 runs batted in and 80 runs scored. In seven career playoff games, he went 17-for-33 (.515) with four doubles, six RBIs, four runs and two stolen bases.
Danzig was the 2015 recipient of the O'Hara Award, presented annually to the top male and female student-athletes in the senior class. He was also a three-time Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll selection of his work in the classroom.
Jennifer (Bostwick) Guglielmi – Field Hockey (2002-05), Women's Lacrosse (2003)
As a midfielder in field hockey, Bostwick made an impact on both ends of the field. Her all-around play earned her Freedom Conference First Team honors in 2003, 2004 and 2005 after being named Rookie of the Year in 2002.
Bostwick had a knack for making the big play, scoring five game-winners among her 14 career goals. She also added five assists while making an impact on a defensive unit that posted 23 shutouts during her career.
The Royals qualified for the playoffs three times during Bostwick's career (2002, 2004, 2005), including a championship game appearance in 2004.
On the lacrosse field, Bostwick helped Scranton go 13-4 and win the Middle Atlantic Conference championship in 2003. She finished the season with four goals, two assists and 18 ground balls.
Meredith Mesaris – Women's Basketball, 2011-15
One of the most decorated athletes in Scranton history, Mesaris was named All-American by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) in 2014-15 and honorable mention All-American in 2013-14. She also received third-team All-American honors from D3hoops.com in 2014-15. D3hoops.com also named her first-team all-Mid-Atlantic Region in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
At the conference level, Mesaris was the Landmark Conference Player of the Year in 2014-15, and she earned first-team honors in 2013-14 and 2014-15, as well as second-team in 2012-13. She led the Lady Royals to the conference title in 2013-14 while earning tournament MVP honors. Mesaris is also the conference's all-time leading scorer with 1,758 points. She also holds the conference record for field goals made (642) and ranks fifth in free-throw percentage (83.0).
Mesaris is the Lady Royals' all-time leader in free-throws made (400) and ranks third in points per game (17.9), fourth in scoring and field goals made, fifth in free-throw percentage and 16th in field goal percentage (48.3). She holds the program's single-season record for free-throws made with 145 in 2013-14.
The Lady Royals advanced to the NCAA Tournament three times during her career, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2013-14. Mesaris led the team to 85 victories, including 14 in conference play. She was the co-recipient of the O'Hara Award in 2015, presented annually to the top male and female athletes in the senior class.
Not to be outdone, Mesaris was a standout in the classroom, earning CoSIDA Second Team Academic All-America honors in 2014-15, as well as being named to the District IV All-Academic Team in 2013-14 and 2014-15. She was also a three-time Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll selection.
Ryan Millard – Men's Lacrosse (2012-15)
A standout defenseman, Millard became just the second men's lacrosse player in Scranton history to receive All-American honors when he was named Honorable Mention All-American by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) in 2015.
Millard also earned first-team All-Landmark Conference honors in 2014 and 2015 while anchoring a defense that posted the lowest goals-against average in the conference both seasons. He was second on the team in ground balls in both seasons, scooping up 59 in 2014 and 67 in 2015.
For his career, Millard ranks 12th in program history in ground balls with 159. He also finished with 33 caused turnovers and added three assists from the defensive back line.
Millard helped the Royals advance to the Landmark playoffs in each of his four seasons, including a championship appearance in 2015. The Royals won 37 games during his career, including 17 in conference play.
An academic standout as well, Millard was named USILA Scholar All-American in 2015 and was a three-time member of the Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll.
Alyssa (Fania) Panayi – Field Hockey (2011-14)
A dominant offensive force from the midfield, Fania earned All-South Atlantic Region First Team honors in 2014 from the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA). She was also the Landmark Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a first-team selection that year and added second-team all-conference honors in her other three seasons.
In that standout senior season in 2014, Fania finished with 18 goals, eight assists and 44 points, marking the second straight season she led the team in all three categories. For her career, she ranks tied for third in program history in assists (22), fifth in points (104) and tied for fifth in goals (41). She is also sixth all-time in Landmark Conference history in points and tied for sixth in goals.
Fania helped the Royals advance to the conference playoffs in each of her four seasons, including a championship game appearance in 2013. The Royals won 50 games during her career, including 14 in conference play.
An excellent student, Fania was a three-time selection to the Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll.
Register Today for Wall of Fame Day Reception Nov. 23
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11/05/2024
The University will hold several Christmas receptions during the 2024 holiday season. Check future issues of Royal News for additional information and registration links.
- December 5, 2024: Connecticut Christmas Reception
6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Columbus Park Trattoria
205 Main Street
Stamford, Connecticut
Register Here - December 11, 2024: New York Christmas Reception
6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
The New York Athletic Club
180 Central Park South
New York, New York
Register Here - December 11, 2024: Harrisburg Christmas Party
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Millworks
340 Verbeke Street
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Register Here
- December 13, 2024: Lehigh Valley
Illumination at Coca-Cola Park
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Coca-Cola Park, 1050 IronPigs Way
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Register Here -
December 18, 2024: Philadelphia Presidential Christmas Reception
The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia
10 Avenue of the Arts
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Register Here - December 19, 2024: Boston Presidential Christmas Reception
The Ritz-Carlton Boston
10 Avery Street
Boston, Massachusetts
Register Here
- December 20, 2024: Washington, DC Presidential Christmas Reception
The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner
1700 Tysons Blvd.
McLean, Virginia
Register Here
- January 22, 2025: New Jersey Presidential Reception
Baltusrol Golf Club
201 Shunpike Road
Springfield, New Jersey
Registration coming soon!
University Announces 2024 Christmas Party Schedule
- December 5, 2024: Connecticut Christmas Reception
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11/05/2024
The University of Scranton is pleased to invite alumni, friends and art enthusiasts to an exclusive evening celebrating the Hudson River & Delaware Valley exhibitions, featuring selections from the collections of Paul Biedlingmaier Jr. ’76 and Mark Biedlingmaier ’80, G’80. Join us on Friday, November 15, 2024, for a unique opportunity to explore these remarkable collections and learn about the vision behind them.
The event begins with a Collectors’ Lecture from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Pearn Auditorium on the second floor of Brennan Hall. Following the lecture, guests are invited to a Gallery Reception from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at The Hope Horn Gallery, located on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall. The reception offers an intimate setting to view the curated works, enjoy refreshments and connect with fellow art lovers.
Register here by November 13, 2024.University to Hold Hudson River and Delaware Valley Exhibitions
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11/05/2024
The University of Scranton invites alumni, parents and friends to join us for a festive evening of crafting and socializing at our “Crafts and Cocktails” event on Thursday, November 14, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. This creative gathering will be held in the Rose Room on the fifth floor of Brennan Hall, located at 320 Madison Avenue on campus.
Participants will have the opportunity to create a charming 22-inch Snowman Door Hanger, with expert guidance from the Creative Sisters of Olyphant. For a $55 registration fee, attendees will receive all materials needed for the craft, along with an assortment of refreshments, including wine, beer, soda, and snacks, making it a relaxed and enjoyable way to kick off the holiday season.
This is the perfect chance to bring a touch of holiday spirit into your home while connecting with fellow Scranton Royals. Spaces are limited, so we encourage early registration to secure your spot for this cozy, creative evening.
Visit this link to register.University to Hold Crafts and Cocktails Event Nov. 14
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11/05/2024
The University of Scranton will celebrate Reunion Weekend 2025 from June 6-8.
The “Planning to Attend” list for Reunion Weekend 2025 has officially opened. Visit this link to add your name to the list, and visit the Planning to Attend page to see which of your classmates is planning to attend the festivities. For more information, visit scranton.edu/reunion or email alumni@scranton.edu.Reminder: Save The Date for Reunion June 6-8, 2025
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11/05/2024
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Joe McCarthy ’63, Coventry, Rhode Island, completed Leadership Rhode Island’s 2024 Senior Fellows Program “aimed at lifting the voices, knowledge and vision of Rhode Island residents 62 and older.” Participants met with state leaders and identified issues to address through meaningful action plans. For six months, Joe will work on a Rhode Island Department of Health project aimed at supporting state residents with Alzheimer’s disease.
Bart P. Billings, Ph.D. ’66, Carlsbad, California, has recently published a book, "How the Media Creates Victims in our Society." In his book, Billings documents how the media became a dominant force for demoralizing and weakening American society. More information can be found at bartpbillings.com.
Kathleen McNally Durkin ’87, Baltimore, Maryland, chief executive officer of The Arc Baltimore, has been named to The Daily Record’s 2024 list of Maryland’s Most Admired CEOs.
Joseph P. Redington ’93, Kingston, has been named University Registrar at The University of Scranton.
Kathryn Ott Lovell ’96, Philadelphia, president and CEO, Philadelphia Visitor Center Corp., was named one of the Top Women Influencers 2024 by Philadelphia Business Journal.
Brian Shahum ’00, Portland, Oregon, has earned the Management Liability Insurance Specialist (MLIS) designation from the International Risk Management Institute, Inc. (IRMI).
Kristen Fratz Vogl, DPT ’00, G’01, Mantua, New Jersey, has been named vice president for service lines at BayCare.
Emma Dermody, daughter of Kevin Dermody ’13 and Jacquelyn Tofani Dermody ’13, was honored during a family trip to Italy in September when she was selected out of a crowd during a papal audience to meet Pope Francis and receive his blessing. In attendance were several family members, including Emma’s paternal grandparents, Ellen Cummings Dermody ’84, a former professor in the Theology Department.
Linzee Duncan ’16, Bloomfield, New Jersey, and Shannon Howe Pendergast ’13, Pear River, New York, have begun their journey at Holy Name Medical Center Sister Claire Tynan School of Nursing, class of 2026. Shannon and Linzee met at orientation when Pendergast had a Scranton ‘13 Lacrosse shirt on and Duncan called her out.
Brian Maguire ’18, Philadelphia, joined Fox Rothschild in Philadelphia as an associate in the Litigation Department. A former prosecutor, Brian helps clients resolve an array of commercial disputes and provides strategic advice to mitigate litigation risk.
MARRIAGES
Taylor Septer Hartman '19, G'20 to Erich Hartman
BIRTHS
A daughter, Adelaide Marie, to Claire Davis ’08 and John Carman, Havertown
A daughter, Jane Elizabeth, to Christopher and Christine Gein Gill ’10, G’11, Massapequa, New York
A son, Owen Patrick McDermott, to Michael '10 and Joan '10 Miller McDermott, and a grandson to Michael '71 and Patricia McDermott
DEATHS
Leo M. McCormack ’51, Scranton
Rev. Michael J. Rafferty ’52, Scranton
Patrick J. Lahey '55, Scranton
Eugene J. Leeson ’55, Olyphant
Thomas R. Conway ’56, Moscow
Lt. Col. Jack J. LaSpina Jr., USA (Ret.) ’58, Georgetown, Texas
John G. Higgins ’59, G’70, Dunmore
Michael J. Sekol ’62, Sun City Florida
Eva Moretti ’63, Scranton
Ralph J. Domenick ’65, Rock Hill, South Carolina
Martin J. Dowling ’65, Fleetville
Frank L. Larkin ’69, Scranton
Donato J. Summa, Ph.D. G’74, Dunmore
Julia Lalli Lackenby G’76, Susquehanna
John P. Patrick ’04, Milltown, New Jersey
Alumni Class Notes, November 2024
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10/04/2024
On Oct. 17, John O’Malley ’87, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army Retired, will embark upon ROAR: The Ryan O’Malley Annual Ride for the sixth time by participating in the Arizona Trail Race 800, the longest single track mountain bike race in the world, in support of the Ryan T. O’Malley ’99 Memorial Scholarship.
This year, John will by vying for the "Triple Crown of Bikepacking," a distinction earned by completing all three of the classic dirt bikepacking routes in the United States: the Arizona Trail, the Tour Divide/Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, and the Colorado Trail. To date, only 42 people have earned this distinction.
After Ryan's passing in 2011, his family established the scholarship in his memory to enable Computer Science students of limited resources with an interest in fitness to attend The University of Scranton. Since that time, Ryan's family and friends have raised more than $160,000 for the scholarship, much of it through ROAR: The Ryan O'Malley Annual Race, a 5K fundraising event the family organized from 2013-2017. In 2018, John, Ryan’s brother, embarked upon the inaugural ROAR: The Ryan O’Malley Annual Ride by cycling the 500+ miles of The Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango in Ryan’s memory. While John rode The Colorado Trail again for ROAR in 2019 and 2020, he was sidelined by injuries and knee surgery in 2021.
While John embarked upon the Tour Divide in June of 2022, a life-threatening accident 125 miles from the 2,665.7-mile race's finish line landed him in an intensive care/trauma unit. Eighty-four days later, he returned to the scene of the accident and triumphantly finished the final leg of the race.
“I ride to remember and honor our brother, Ryan, with whom I shared a common love of adventure, sport and cycling,” he said. “I ride to give back in some way to the community who nurtured us. Through the ROAR and Ryan’s scholarship, we help to provide students with limited financial resources the opportunity to attend The University of Scranton. The purpose of the annual ride is to seek donations for the scholarship fund, to increase awareness of suicide prevention and to promote physical health and well-being. If I can inspire anyone to get outside and exercise, it’s a win.
"In a more philosophical sense, I take on such endeavors to expand my mind and my potential, to be more capable in all aspects of life. This is how I live my life. We are all capable of so much more."
A Lifelong Love
John’s love of cycling and adventure began when he was growing up in the Green Ridge section of Scranton.
“Bikes were a big deal back then, and if you had one, you were a lucky kid,” he said. “ For me, the bike became an instrument of exploration, discovery and freedom.”
As the oldest child of John J. O’Malley, Ph.D. ’64, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University, and his wife, Helene, John shared his love of cycling with his five siblings, especially Ryan, his youngest brother.
“As a kid, time and distance had little meaning,” he said of the hours they spent exploring the NEPA area together. “We’d just ride, inspired by the adventure and the natural beauty of the region.”
Upon graduating from the University, John began his military career in Ft. Carson, Colorado, where he started racing mountain bikes. Since then, he has continued to ride and race, competing in triathlons and adventure races throughout the country. When he and his family settled in Monument, Colorado, he became so inspired by the expanses and terrain he saw on two wheels that he proposed the idea of funding Ryan’s scholarship through an annual bike ride, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The Arizona Trail Race 800
The Arizona Trail Race 800, like the Tour Divide and the Colorado Trail, is a solo, self-supported race where John will be carrying all his required gear and food. The longest single track mountain bike race in the world, the race traverses the Arizona National Scenic Trail, extending from the Mexican border to the Utah border with 70,107 feet of elevation gain from start to finish. Starting at the U.S.-Mexico border, the trail climbs and descends from one “sky island” mountain range to another, gaining and losing thousands of feet in elevation and traversing biomes ranging from desert to boreal forest.
"This will likely be the most challenging of the three triple crown events," John said, adding that the diverse terrain will demand plenty of technical riding and "hike-a-bike" action. Given the trail's remote nature, John believes it will be difficult to find water sources and places to replenish his necessary supplies. As an added challenge, after riding 700 miles, he will be required to disassemble his bike at the north rim of the Grand Canyon, put it on his back, and hike 21 miles to the south rim. Because of these conditions, John anticipates finishing the race in about 20 days while averaging 40-45 miles a day. In order to maintain that pace and to hike the 50 pounds of bike and gear he will have to carry, he plans to consume about 300-400 calories an hour. Throughout his journey, John will provide daily updates on his Facebook account. Interested parties can track the race and his progress at trackleaders.com once the race begins.
"Competing in the Arizona Trail Race 800 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he said. "I am blessed to have the time, resources, health and support to take on such an endeavor. I’m going to give it my best shot and hope to inspire others get outside, stay healthy and live life to the fullest – just like Ryan would!
"No matter how hard things may get for me, I think about people who are struggling with depression or other mental or physical illness. I have it easy. I am merely the guy riding a bike."
An Attitude of Gratitude
John thanked Kathi, their daughters, Kaitlyn and Jenna, his entire family, and the greater Scranton community for supporting his endeavors.
"The University of Scranton has been instrumental in this support, especially Bridget Chomko and the Office of Annual Giving," he said. "Bridget has been with us since the very beginning and works tirelessly to help us attain success each year."
John attributes any success in cycling and life in general to his upbringing in Scranton and the long hard days on the gridiron and ball fields of his hometown.
"The work ethic, values and grit instilled in me at a young age have carried me through challenging times in the military and in sport and adventure," he said. "My experience at the U with long hours spent in the ROTC program and the weight room set me up for success in life.
"The people who raised, coached and nurtured me while growing up in Scranton are my greatest life heroes. The University of Scranton was truly our home away from home."
Visit this link to support ROAR and the Ryan T. O'Malley '99 Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Ryan O'Malley Annual Ride (ROAR) to Begin Oct. 17
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10/02/2024
By: Elizabeth Vander Neut ’26, student correspondent
Two men of faith at different stages in their Jesuit formation journeys recall distinct experiences from their undergraduate years at The University of Scranton that influence who they are today.
Rev. Mr. Douglas Jones, S.J. ’10 credits Scranton with his “vocational awakening.” Mr. Andrew Milewski, S.J. ’13 describes his role as a resident assistant as “formative.”
Still, both highly value one aspect: a strong sense of community on campus.
“It’s the people. My favorite part of being at Scranton has always been the community,” said Milewski, who, during the regency stage of formation, is teaching at St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia. “I met so many friends there, some of whom I am reconnecting with in Philly. Scranton is a place where you are always going to see someone you know and connect with, but that you can also always meet someone new.
“I loved the Cura Personalis community I was a part of for a number of years, the retreats and service opportunities I was able to do like Search and First. The people I met through The Aquinas and Esprit. Even though when I go back now and it feels different, I can still connect with old professors and have sushi with them downtown.”
Jones, who was recently one of eight Jesuits ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Robert P. Reed, Auxiliary Bishop of Boston at the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, said his favorite things about Scranton and the Jesuits are interchangeable.
“My favorite thing about Scranton was the strong sense of community on campus,” he said. “Performance Music ensembles and SJLA were two great communities within the broader University community. They helped me see how I could thrive when I had strong support, and sometimes saw more in me than I saw in myself! Interestingly, I find much the same thing in Jesuit life. I love that life as a Jesuit is lived in community.”The University of Scranton alumni discuss how their experiences with community, mentorship and Ignatian spirituality influenced their vocational and Jesuit journeys. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
On Jesuit Identity:
Jones: “It took a while for me to realize my call to be a Jesuit and a priest, or at least it took a while for me to admit it to myself.
“The first time I recall thinking about life as a Jesuit was fairly early on in my time at Scranton, I think. I saw Fr. Cadigan coming out of the science building (RIP, old Loyola) wearing a clerical shirt and a lab coat, and I thought to myself ‘How great it is that a Jesuit can be a priest and engage in a totally different kind of profession at the same time?’
“I took a Special Jesuit Liberal Arts (SJLA) class called ‘Magis’ with Fr. Ron McKinney in which we learned more about Ignatian spirituality and the history of the Jesuits. I started to feel some attraction at that point, but I was a bit stubborn and wanted to follow the path I thought I wanted my life to take. It was only a few years later that I started to seriously discern a vocation as a Jesuit, and it quickly became clear that it was where God was calling me.”
Milewski: “Being a resident assistant was really formative during my time as an undergrad at Scranton. Before that, I was a commuter, so being on campus allowed me to get more involved in campus activities. I was involved with the Cura Personalis living-learning community at that time, as well. And with my residents, I would have weekly prayer services, justice education programs and service projects. We had a ton of fun in McCourt and were really a close community. It was great to be a part of that, and I knew that I wanted to give my life to something like that.
“But before I was ever a resident assistant or a work study, I worked in the cafeteria in the DeNaples center. I did this for my first year, and it really transformed my college experience. Although I did it because I needed money, it also allowed me to see a lot of my classmates, and I was in a position serving them. I think, at our best, Jesuits are about service, and I learned this from my time with the Fresh Food Company, too.”
Rev. Mr. Douglas Jones, S.J. ’10, shown at center, as an undergraduate at Scranton.
On Mentorship:
Jones: “Scranton played a really important role in my vocational awakening. As I mentioned, SJLA got me asking big questions while helping me come to a clearer understanding of what I think and believe, and it taught me more about the Jesuits and Ignatian spirituality.
“Most of my non-academic time was spent in Performance Music. In Cheryl Boga I found a mentor, friend and a passionate supporter of the Jesuit mission on campus. Boga knows and loves Jesuits, not in a romanticized or ideal way, but in a real way. And that includes holding Jesuits, and our University, to a high standard, especially when it comes to care for students, which she knows is indispensable to the Jesuit mission.“Of course, I would be remiss not to mention the influence of Fr. Pilarz. I didn’t know him well, but I couldn’t help but admire the beautiful way he articulated Jesuit and Ignatian values. They weren’t some distant ideals, but things I saw being lived out at the University.”
Milewski: “It is hard to name some faculty without leaving others out. My first-year philosophy teacher was Dr. Ileana Szymanski, Ph.D., who passed away in 2019. I was able to leave the novitiate for a day and travel for her memorial Mass, and that was very special. I would like to think she would have appreciated my graduate thesis paper on Aristotle, but she probably would have preferred if I did it on Plato.“My time as a work-study in the English department connected me to the life of the University. It instilled in me the courage to be an English Lit minor, and in my literature classes, I read many novels and works that expanded my mind. Working with Dr. Joe Kraus in creative nonfiction and John Hill, professor emeritus in poetry, I was able to really craft my language and introspection skills. Dr. Linda Ledford-Miller's Literature of American Minorities class also opened my eyes and made me think about justice issues from the perspective of those on the margins.
“I also worked with Dr. Jessica Nolan and Dr. Jill Warker in psychology labs looking at issues of intrinsic racism and language acquisition. This has no doubt spurred my interest in the cross-cultural social justice work that I have done.”
Rev. Mr. Douglas Jones, S.J. ’10, above, left, with participants in an Arab Christian youth gathering in 2019.
On Inspiration and Ministry:
Jones: “In the eight years I’ve been a Jesuit, I’ve done some things I might have imagined myself doing, but many I would not have imagined. I have a Ph.D., so if you told me in 2016 that I would teach college students as a Jesuit, that wouldn't have been a shock. But if you told me I’d be accompanying student retreats, which I do at Boston College, I would have been surprised. I would have been even more surprised at the idea of preaching a weekend retreat at a Jesuit retreat house, which I got to do this past March in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
“My Ph.D. is in Middle Eastern politics, so it probably would not have surprised me if you’d told me I’d spend time in that part of the world as a Jesuit. But I would not have seen myself working with Syrian refugees on the far eastern border of Lebanon, or with Filipino and Sri Lankan migrant workers in Beirut, and I definitely would not have seen myself spending a summer at a Jesuit cultural center in Alexandria, Egypt. I also would never have dreamed of teaching sixth graders about prayer, teaching high school seniors about medieval Islamic philosophers, or serving as a hospital chaplain.
“I’m glad I’ve allowed God, and the Society, to show me where and how I can best serve, rather than relying only on my own plans. God’s imagination is way better than my own!”
Milewski: “I think the most important thing is being able to name where God is present at any moment. Teaching in Brooklyn, for example, I was able to find God in both the positive as well as the challenging interactions I have had with students. I have been confirmed in my vocation as a teacher throughout my experiences, first teaching in Asia, and now working in the Ignatian School Network. I have been teaching my students about images of God, the notions or stereotypes that they bring into their thoughts about faith and religion. I would say that my image of God as a teacher is very much present to me these days.”On Fellowship:
Jones: “I’ve gotten to know Jesuits from all over the United States, and from dozens of countries. As a Jesuit friend of mine likes to say, ‘We’re a diverse group of guys, but we all have the same best friend (Jesus, that is).’ I suppose that’s another way of saying we’re ‘friends in the Lord,’ which is a phrase Jesuits often use to describe ourselves.“Much as my communities at Scranton supported me, pushed me and accompanied me in the good and bad moments, life with my brother Jesuits is full of faith, fellowship and laughter. There are certainly sacrifices in religious life, but it’s also a really joyful life. As I mentioned, it’s a life that’s also been full of surprises, but that has kept it from being boring!”
On The Journey Ahead:
Jones: “Currently, I’m in the last year of my theology studies, the final stage of preparation for priesthood. I was ordained a deacon on September 14, and I’ll be ordained a priest in June of next year, God willing.“Much of my week is spent in theology classes. I find studying theology helps me deepen my personal faith, but also helps me be a better pastoral minister. I often find class material will help me better accompany people by delving deeper into questions and issues that we all face in our complicated lives, or in some cases, getting practical experience, such as in administering the sacraments or engaging in spiritual counseling, also helps.
“Since my recent ordination, I serve as deacon at a nearby parish, and I’m already really enjoying that ministry. The most visible part of a deacon’s role is serving at Mass, so I’ve had to get used to wearing new vestments and getting to do things like proclaim the Gospel and preach. But equally rewarding are the less visible elements: the conversations with parishioners, the requests for prayer or blessings, the various parish groups I get work alongside. This week, I will preside at a committal (burial) ceremony in a cemetery, and then on Sunday, I’ll baptize three babies. It’s really a ministry of the whole spectrum of life! I’ve always thought of diaconate as a step on the way to priesthood, but getting involved in a parish, and now serving as a deacon, helps me see that it’s not only that: it’s a unique ministry of its own, and one that is already teaching me a great deal of things that complement what I’m learning in the classroom.”
Milewski: “I am currently teaching freshman religion, junior history and a senior English elective (at St. Joseph’s Prep). In these classes, I am happy to bring the skills and experiences I have learned from my time studying at Scranton and Loyola University Chicago, as well as my experiences living abroad and working in other Jesuit institutions. I am trying to be present at the school, but after I finish this stage of formation, called regency, I will move on to my theology studies for eventual ordination. I will most likely be ordained in about five years.”
Mr. Andrew Milewski, S.J. ’13, shown above right, teaching at St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia during the regency stage of formation.
Alumni Spotlight: Rev. Mr. Douglas Jones, S.J. ’10 and Mr. Andrew Milewski, S.J. ’13
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10/02/2024
By: Elizabeth Vander Neut ’26, student correspondent
Two men of faith at different stages in their Jesuit formation journeys recall distinct experiences from their undergraduate years at The University of Scranton that influence who they are today.
Rev. Mr. Douglas Jones, S.J. ’10 credits Scranton with his “vocational awakening.” Mr. Andrew Milewski, S.J. ’13 describes his role as a resident assistant as “formative.”
Still, both highly value one aspect: a strong sense of community on campus.
“It’s the people. My favorite part of being at Scranton has always been the community,” said Milewski, who, during the regency stage of formation, is teaching at St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia. “I met so many friends there, some of whom I am reconnecting with in Philly. Scranton is a place where you are always going to see someone you know and connect with, but that you can also always meet someone new.
“I loved the Cura Personalis community I was a part of for a number of years, the retreats and service opportunities I was able to do like Search and First. The people I met through The Aquinas and Esprit. Even though when I go back now and it feels different, I can still connect with old professors and have sushi with them downtown.”
Jones, who was recently one of eight Jesuits ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Robert P. Reed, Auxiliary Bishop of Boston at the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, said his favorite things about Scranton and the Jesuits are interchangeable.
“My favorite thing about Scranton was the strong sense of community on campus,” he said. “Performance Music ensembles and SJLA were two great communities within the broader University community. They helped me see how I could thrive when I had strong support, and sometimes saw more in me than I saw in myself! Interestingly, I find much the same thing in Jesuit life. I love that life as a Jesuit is lived in community.”The University of Scranton alumni discuss how their experiences with community, mentorship and Ignatian spirituality influenced their vocational and Jesuit journeys. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
On Jesuit Identity:
Jones: “It took a while for me to realize my call to be a Jesuit and a priest, or at least it took a while for me to admit it to myself.
“The first time I recall thinking about life as a Jesuit was fairly early on in my time at Scranton, I think. I saw Fr. Cadigan coming out of the science building (RIP, old Loyola) wearing a clerical shirt and a lab coat, and I thought to myself ‘How great it is that a Jesuit can be a priest and engage in a totally different kind of profession at the same time?’
“I took a Special Jesuit Liberal Arts (SJLA) class called ‘Magis’ with Fr. Ron McKinney in which we learned more about Ignatian spirituality and the history of the Jesuits. I started to feel some attraction at that point, but I was a bit stubborn and wanted to follow the path I thought I wanted my life to take. It was only a few years later that I started to seriously discern a vocation as a Jesuit, and it quickly became clear that it was where God was calling me.”
Milewski: “Being a resident assistant was really formative during my time as an undergrad at Scranton. Before that, I was a commuter, so being on campus allowed me to get more involved in campus activities. I was involved with the Cura Personalis living-learning community at that time, as well. And with my residents, I would have weekly prayer services, justice education programs and service projects. We had a ton of fun in McCourt and were really a close community. It was great to be a part of that, and I knew that I wanted to give my life to something like that.
“But before I was ever a resident assistant or a work study, I worked in the cafeteria in the DeNaples center. I did this for my first year, and it really transformed my college experience. Although I did it because I needed money, it also allowed me to see a lot of my classmates, and I was in a position serving them. I think, at our best, Jesuits are about service, and I learned this from my time with the Fresh Food Company, too.”
Rev. Mr. Douglas Jones, S.J. ’10, shown at center, as an undergraduate at Scranton.
On Mentorship:
Jones: “Scranton played a really important role in my vocational awakening. As I mentioned, SJLA got me asking big questions while helping me come to a clearer understanding of what I think and believe, and it taught me more about the Jesuits and Ignatian spirituality.
“Most of my non-academic time was spent in Performance Music. In Cheryl Boga I found a mentor, friend and a passionate supporter of the Jesuit mission on campus. Boga knows and loves Jesuits, not in a romanticized or ideal way, but in a real way. And that includes holding Jesuits, and our University, to a high standard, especially when it comes to care for students, which she knows is indispensable to the Jesuit mission.“Of course, I would be remiss not to mention the influence of Fr. Pilarz. I didn’t know him well, but I couldn’t help but admire the beautiful way he articulated Jesuit and Ignatian values. They weren’t some distant ideals, but things I saw being lived out at the University.”
Milewski: “It is hard to name some faculty without leaving others out. My first-year philosophy teacher was Dr. Ileana Szymanski, Ph.D., who passed away in 2019. I was able to leave the novitiate for a day and travel for her memorial Mass, and that was very special. I would like to think she would have appreciated my graduate thesis paper on Aristotle, but she probably would have preferred if I did it on Plato.“My time as a work-study in the English department connected me to the life of the University. It instilled in me the courage to be an English Lit minor, and in my literature classes, I read many novels and works that expanded my mind. Working with Dr. Joe Kraus in creative nonfiction and John Hill, professor emeritus in poetry, I was able to really craft my language and introspection skills. Dr. Linda Ledford-Miller's Literature of American Minorities class also opened my eyes and made me think about justice issues from the perspective of those on the margins.
“I also worked with Dr. Jessica Nolan and Dr. Jill Warker in psychology labs looking at issues of intrinsic racism and language acquisition. This has no doubt spurred my interest in the cross-cultural social justice work that I have done.”Rev. Mr. Douglas Jones, S.J. ’10, above, left, with participants in an Arab Christian youth gathering in 2019.
On Inspiration and Ministry:
Jones: “In the eight years I’ve been a Jesuit, I’ve done some things I might have imagined myself doing, but many I would not have imagined. I have a Ph.D., so if you told me in 2016 that I would teach college students as a Jesuit, that wouldn't have been a shock. But if you told me I’d be accompanying student retreats, which I do at Boston College, I would have been surprised. I would have been even more surprised at the idea of preaching a weekend retreat at a Jesuit retreat house, which I got to do this past March in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
“My Ph.D. is in Middle Eastern politics, so it probably would not have surprised me if you’d told me I’d spend time in that part of the world as a Jesuit. But I would not have seen myself working with Syrian refugees on the far eastern border of Lebanon, or with Filipino and Sri Lankan migrant workers in Beirut, and I definitely would not have seen myself spending a summer at a Jesuit cultural center in Alexandria, Egypt. I also would never have dreamed of teaching sixth graders about prayer, teaching high school seniors about medieval Islamic philosophers, or serving as a hospital chaplain.
“I’m glad I’ve allowed God, and the Society, to show me where and how I can best serve, rather than relying only on my own plans. God’s imagination is way better than my own!”
Milewski: “I think the most important thing is being able to name where God is present at any moment. Teaching in Brooklyn, for example, I was able to find God in both the positive as well as the challenging interactions I have had with students. I have been confirmed in my vocation as a teacher throughout my experiences, first teaching in Asia, and now working in the Ignatian School Network. I have been teaching my students about images of God, the notions or stereotypes that they bring into their thoughts about faith and religion. I would say that my image as God as a teacher is very much present to me these days.”On Fellowship:
Jones: “I’ve gotten to know Jesuits from all over the United States, and from dozens of countries. As a Jesuit friend of mine likes to say, ‘We’re a diverse group of guys, but we all have the same best friend (Jesus, that is).’ I suppose that’s another way of saying we’re ‘friends in the Lord,’ which is a phrase Jesuits often use to describe ourselves.“Much as my communities at Scranton supported me, pushed me and accompanied me in the good and bad moments, life with my brother Jesuits is full of faith, fellowship and laughter. There are certainly sacrifices in religious life, but it’s also a really joyful life. As I mentioned, it’s a life that’s also been full of surprises, but that has kept it from being boring!”
On The Journey Ahead:
Jones: “Currently, I’m in the last year of my theology studies, the final stage of preparation for priesthood. I was ordained a deacon on September 14, and I’ll be ordained a priest in June of next year, God willing.“Much of my week is spent in theology classes. I find studying theology helps me deepen my personal faith, but also helps me be a better pastoral minister. I often find class material will help me better accompany people by delving deeper into questions and issues that we all face in our complicated lives, or in some cases, getting practical experience, such as in administering the sacraments or engaging in spiritual counseling, also helps.
“Since my recent ordination, I serve as deacon at a nearby parish, and I’m already really enjoying that ministry. The most visible part of a deacon’s role is serving at Mass, so I’ve had to get used to wearing new vestments and getting to do things like proclaim the Gospel and preach. But equally rewarding are the less visible elements: the conversations with parishioners, the requests for prayer or blessings, the various parish groups I get work alongside. This week, I will preside at a committal (burial) ceremony in a cemetery, and then on Sunday, I’ll baptize three babies. It’s really a ministry of the whole spectrum of life! I’ve always thought of diaconate as a step on the way to priesthood, but getting involved in a parish, and now serving as a deacon, helps me see that it’s not only that: it’s a unique ministry of its own, and one that is already teaching me a great deal of things that complement what I’m learning in the classroom.”
Milewski: “I am currently teaching freshman religion, junior history and a senior English elective (at St. Joseph’s Prep). In these classes, I am happy to bring the skills and experiences I have learned from my time studying at Scranton and Loyola University Chicago, as well as my experiences living abroad and working in other Jesuit institutions. I am trying to be present at the school, but after I finish this stage of formation, called regency, I will move on to my theology studies for eventual ordination. I will most likely be ordained in about five years.”
Mr. Andrew Milewski, S.J. ’13, shown above right, teaching at St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia during the regency stage of formation.
Alumni Spotlight: Rev. Mr. Douglas Jones, S.J. ’10 and Mr. Andrew Milewski, S.J. ’13
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10/02/2024
By Rosemary Shaver, President of the Friends of the Library
Brandy Schillace, Ph.D., will be honored by The University of Scranton’s Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library with the Royden B. Davis, S.J., Distinguished Author Award on Nov. 16, 2024. Schillace, an author, historian, and medical humanities scholar, self-identifies as autistic/neurodivergent. She includes autistic and neurodivergent representation in her work, such as the character Jo Jones, the protagonist in her novel, 'The Framed Women of Ardemore House.'
Scranton alumnus Christopher Banks, '86, G'98, president and CEO of the Autism Society of America, will serve as toastmaster at the Nov. 16 Distinguished Author Awards Dinner.
Banks remains engaged in the University’s mission by serving as Vice President for the Board of Directors for the Salvadoran Children of the Poor Education (S.C.O.P.E.) Foundation (www.scopefoundation.org), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded by Rev. Brendan G. Lally, S.J., former rector of the Scranton Jesuit Community of the Maryland Province, and led by University alumni and partners.
Reflecting on representation in literature and art, Banks commented, “The Autism Society of America recognizes the importance of inclusion of the neurodivergent community, especially the autism community, in works of art that depict the experiences of the autistic individuals through lived experience.” He added, "Authors like Brandy … should be encouraged to bring their talents forward so that society sees these individuals and their contributions for who they are.”
As a student at the University, Banks recounted participating in Helping Hands, a student-led initiative that brought together university students with those in the intellectual developmental disability community from the Scranton area. “It was a great opportunity for us as students to recognize how fortunate we were, how blessed we were, and that for whom much is given, much is expected. That has carried through throughout my life.”
“Now, I am at the Autism Society of America where I get to use many of those experiences plus many of the things I’ve learned to help lead a not-for-profit that has a national focus with a local reach in the communities across the country like the Northeastern PA Autism Society,” he reflected.
In 1986, Banks was nominated by the graduating class and later won a national contest to become the symbolic one millionth Jesuit alumnus in the United States. After completing his undergraduate studies at The University of Scranton, Banks carried the Ignatian Spirituality International with him in his personal and professional life. He served for two years with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC) on the island of Palau in Micronesia. Today, he continues that work through his service with the S.C.O.P.E. Foundation Board, which has a mission “to sustain and endow the operations of Santa Luisa Elementary School in San Salvador, El Salvador, which serves the poorest of the poor in the capital city.” Concepts of “cura personalis” and the “magis” continue to inspire him in his professional work.
“We know from scripture, to whom much is given, much is expected. I have been given a tremendous amount. My life is rich and full and blessed. It is incumbent upon me to use all those gifts and talents for the good of others which is for the greater glory. That’s the impact that the Jesuit education has had on me when it comes to how I carry out my daily practice, my work, the decisions I have to make at the Autism Society or for the local community, or when I’m on Capitol Hill talking to members of our Senate or the House of Representatives about the importance of legislation such as the Autism Cares Act.” - Christopher Banks, '86, G'98
Banks is excited to visit the Weinberg Memorial Library when he returns to campus in November to participate in the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library Distinguished Author Award event. His connection to the Weinberg Memorial Library goes back to its origin in 1989. “I was working at The University of Scranton as Father Punuska’s assistant when the university received the extraordinary gift from Harry Weinberg,” Banks recounted.
“Whenever I return to campus, I enjoy going to the Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room on the top floor of the Weinberg Library and seeing the quotes from Gerard Manly Hopkins and others as well as the artistic depiction of the Valley. Father Panuska took great pride, in the time he spent and the energy put forth, to pay homage to the local community with this wonderful space.”
Banks encourages current University students to, “immerse yourself in the fullness of the experience called The University of Scranton,” adding, “for me, all of those experiences, all of those encounters, all of those relationships that I had through college and in other engagements with the Society of Jesus have benefited me and have helped shape me to be the man I am today, almost 40 years out of the University.”
Tickets and sponsorship of the Distinguished Author Award program to benefit the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library may be purchased by visiting scranton.edu/author.
ASA President, Christopher Banks '86, G'98, To Toast Distinguished Author Nov. 16
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10/02/2024
More than 70 alumni and students hit the links at Pine Hills Country Club Saturday, Sept. 28, for the third annual Alumni-Student Golf Outing. Kyle Dunn '24, Luke Merlan '26, Brendan O'Donoghue '24 and James O'Donoghue '26 won the tournament and were presented with the event's signature purple jackets in recognition of their accomplishment.
Dunn '24, Merlan '26, O'Donoghue '24 and O'Donoghue '26 Win Third Annual Alumni-Student Golf Outing
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10/01/2024
The University of Scranton’s President's Business Council will hold a networking reception in New York City for alumni and current students on Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Sixty Pine Street in New York, New York. This complimentary event offers an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow alumni and current students while enjoying cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Space is limited, so don't miss this chance to expand your network in a relaxed and welcoming setting. Visit this link to register.
PBC to Hold NYC Networking Reception Oct. 23
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10/01/2024
The Scranton Club of New Jersey invites alumni, parents and friends to volunteer at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey on Saturday, Nov. 2, from 8:45 to 11:00 a.m. Volunteers will assemble at 31 Evans Terminal, Hillside, New Jersey, to help sort food, assemble boxes, pack pasta and prepare food for distribution to local network partners and community members in need. This is a meaningful way to give back and connect with fellow Scranton alumni and families. Register here today.
Scranton Club of New Jersey to Volunteer at Community Food Bank
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10/01/2024
Get ready to tee off for an afternoon of friendly competition and great company at Topgolf King of Prussia!
Join us Sunday, Oct. 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. for an exciting two hours of gameplay, delicious food and refreshing soft drinks—all for just $50 per person. Whether you're a pro golfer or a first-timer, this event promises a fantastic time for all. But hurry, space is limited! Grab your spot and connect with fellow Royals for an unforgettable day on the green. Visit this link to register today.
Swing into Fun with Your Fellow Royals at Topgolf Oct. 20
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10/01/2024
University of Scranton alumni and friends are invited to ScrantoberFest at Independence Beer Garden in Philadelphia Thursday, Oct. 3, from 6 to 9 p.m.
The $30 admission fee includes a drink ticket, appetizers and a special Scranton giveaway. Reconnect with fellow alumni and enjoy a festive evening in the heart of the city!
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://bit.ly/ScrantonoberFest.
Celebrate Scrantoberfest at Independence Beer Garden Oct. 3
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10/01/2024
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Gerard J. Walsh ’76, Hanover, and his wife, Irene, celebrated the births of their 30th and 31st grandchildren in 2024; additionally, they celebrated the release of their son Matt's hit movie "Am I Racist?" to theaters nationwide in September.
Joe Nazzaro ’81, Park Ridge, New Jersey, has just seen his 20th book (and his fifth Star Trek book) published. A biography of makeup legend Dick Smith is expected by the end of the year, and a collection of Harry Potter interviews in 2025.
Carol A. Peters ’82, Scranton, celebrated 42 years as vice president of Peters Design Group, Inc.
Ed Burnetta, M.D. ’84, Villanova, accompanied his son, Chris Burnetta, to Wrocław, Poland, for the European Men’s U20 Lacrosse championship this summer. Chris was the youngest player on the Ireland national team, which he qualified for by his mom being Irish-born. He led the team in scoring and made the all-tournament team as Ireland went 7-0 and defeated England in the final 10-7 to become the 2024 European champions. Chris will be a sophomore at the Haverford School this year.
John Littel '86, Virginia Beach, was recently appointed chief of staff to Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. He previously served as Virginia's Secretary of Health and Human Resources.
U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Michael B. Lalor ’95, New Baltimore, Michigan, was promoted to major general during a ceremony on Aug. 27, 2024, at the U.S. Army Garrison-Detroit Arsenal. As the commanding general of the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM), he oversees the command staff at TACOM’s Detroit Arsenal headquarters, as well as the Integrated Logistics Support Center, four depots, two arsenals, and the Army’s ground equipment supply chain, life cycle management and sustainment efforts supporting active-duty Army units around the world.
Lt. Col. John Chrampanis ’97, St. Louis, Missouri, has been officially retired from the United States Air Force after 22 years of service. Affectionately known as the "Party Guy" during his days at the University, he accumulated over 3,500 flight hours in the mighty C-130 “Hercules” aircraft during his career, including 200-plus combat missions in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn and Inherent Resolve. He has performed military operations in over 50 countries and has supported numerous humanitarian efforts globally, including the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. He has been stationed in Alabama, Japan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Illinois, and he served his final seven years in the Connecticut Air National Guard with the 118th Airlift Squadron and “Flying Yankees." He is set to continue his flying career as a pilot for Delta Air Lines.
David Simpkins G’08, Saint Augustine, Florida, has been promoted to Director for School Services at the St. Johns (FL) County School District.
Rev. Mr. Douglas Jones, S.J. ’10, Brighton, Massachusetts, was one of eight Jesuits ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Robert P. Reed, Auxiliary Bishop of Boston, at the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. He will continue his studies for the priesthood at the Clough School for Theology and Ministry at Boston College and begins his new ministry as a deacon at St. Mary of the Assumption, Brookline, Massachusetts. Deacon Jones will be ordained a priest at Fordham University on Saturday, June 14, 2025.
Samantha Falgout, Ph.D. ’24, Houma, Louisiana, is serving the second year of a two-year term as Member-at-Large on the Society of Louisiana CPAs’ (LCPA) 2024-25 Board of Directors. Dr. Falgout is an Assistant Professor of Accounting at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux and serves as Chapter President for the LCPA’s South Central Chapter. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Accounting from The University of Scranton and holds both a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor's in Accounting from Nicholls State University.
MARRIAGES
Christina Rakowski '07 to Alex Marentis
Tiffany Cecere ’18, to Christopher O'Donnell
Morgan Rentzheimer '18 to Jarod Herman '21
Emily Carr '19 to Nicholas Peragine '18
BIRTHS
A son, Nolan, to Kerry and Paul Boye ’09, West Orange, New Jersey
DEATHS
Joseph J. Jankowski, M.D. ’57, Needham, Massachusetts
Arthur T. Myers ’57, Owego, New York
John G. Gulbin ’61, Old Forge
James A. Wilson ’67, G’76, Scranton
Dorothy M. Lenhart ’68, Archbald
John J. Lemoncelli, Ed.D ’71, G’73, Mechanicsburg
Marianne Cimino Lynch ’81, Scranton
Susan (Jill) Holczer ’93, Warrington, Virginia
Kristin Sanner Walker, Ph.D. G’98, Binghamton, New York
FRIENDS/FAMILY DEATHS
Michael C. Demyan Jr., brother of Philip J. Demyan '76
Romaine Biedlingmaier, mother of Mark Biedlingmaier ’80 and Paul Biedlingmaier ’76, widow of the late Paul P. Biedlingmaier, D.D.S. ’46
Richard Kapusta Sr., father of Beth Kapusta Welsh '99
Alumni Class Notes, Oct. 2024
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09/04/2024
The University of Scranton will present the President’s Medal to James M. Slattery ’86, H’23, former chair of the University’s Board of Trustees and head of North America for Rosebank Industries PLC, at The President’s Medal Gala Friday, Sept. 20, at Pier Sixty, Manhattan's largest waterfront event venue.
The black-tie gala promises to dazzle attendees with the sort of world-class cuisine and entertainment that has made New York the cultural capital of the world. The event is the largest annual fundraiser for the University, and proceeds from the dinner benefit the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund, which awards four-year, full-tuition scholarships to incoming first-year University students with outstanding high school records and notable community involvement. The University presents the President’s Medal to individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others. All alumni, parents and friends of the University are welcome and encouraged to register here for this year’s event.
Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, recently recorded a waterfront-themed teaser video promoting the event that features a prominent splash. Visit this link to see the video.
A certified public accountant, Slattery is the head of North America for Rosebank Industries PLC, a company that buys, improves and sells companies. Prior to joining Rosebank Industries PLC, he was the chief operating officer at Melrose PLC. Previously, Slattery served as chief financial officer for McKechnie Aerospace, CFO for 180s, Struever Bros. Eccles and Rouse and DAP Products, Inc., and as controller for Wassall PLC. He began his career with Coopers and Lybrand.
Slattery earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from The University of Scranton and served as the chair of the University’s President’s Business Council Annual Award Dinner in 2013. He joined the University's Board of Trustees in 2015 and served as its chair from 2019-2022. He and his wife, Betsy, established the University’s Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities, named in honor of his parents, who instilled in him a commitment to Catholic higher education. He and Betsy are the proud parents of three sons, Daniel, John Michael and Shane, and they reside in Peachtree City, Georgia.
For more information, contact Associate Vice President of Development Eric Eckenrode at eric.eckenrode@scranton.edu or Executive Director of Advancement for Campus Engagement Brad Troy ’02 at bradley.troy@scranton.edu. For information on complimentary, round-trip transportation from Scranton, contact Program Manager Meg Sweeney '20 at 570-941-5850.
Celebrate Scranton in NYC at The President's Medal Gala Sept. 20
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09/03/2024
Incoming first-year students of University of Scranton alumni gathered together with their families and the Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, Aug. 24 for the Class of 2028 Legacy Families Reception and Photo at Brennan Hall.
Visit this link to see the photographs from this year's reception.
Over the years, the Legacy Families Reception and Photo has become a University tradition. Prior to Convocation each year, incoming legacy students and their families gather together for a photograph with the University's president to mark the outset of their collegiate odyssey. Four years later, prior to commencement, the same families gather together with the University's president to mark the beginning of their journey as men and women for and with others beyond Scranton's borders.
University Holds Class of 2028 Legacy Families Reception
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09/03/2024
The University of Scranton will hold Family Weekend 2024 Sept. 21-22. Register here to join your student(s) at their home away from home today.
Family Weekend at The University of Scranton provides our families with a special opportunity to connect with their students, explore the greater Scranton area, and experience the wonders of our vibrant campus community. Highlights from this year's schedule include:
- Student Showcase, featuring performances by our talented student performance groups
- Family Weekend Marketplace
- Taste of Scranton Food Truck Fair
- Family Weekend Mass
- Family Weekend Concert
- USPB After Dark: Family Weekend Edition
- Lawn Games
While there is no charge for Family Weekend, we ask that you register for planning purposes. Food trucks and vendors will manage their own transactions.
Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to create lasting memories and see what makes Scranton so special. Visit this link to see a full schedule of activities.
Family Weekend Returns Sept. 21-22
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09/03/2024
University of Scranton alumni and friends are invited to ScrantoberFest at Independence Beer Garden in Philadelphia Thursday, Oct. 3, from 6 to 9 p.m.
The $30 admission fee includes a drink ticket, appetizers, and a special Scranton giveaway. Reconnect with fellow alumni and enjoy a festive evening in the heart of the city!
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://bit.ly/ScrantonoberFest.
University To Hold Scrantoberfest at Independence Beer Garden Oct. 3
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09/03/2024
Alumni, parents and friends of The University of Scranton will gather at Nationals Park, Washington, D.C., on Friday, Sept. 27, to see the Washington Nationals take on the Philadelphia Phillies.
The $80 admission fee includes a ticket to the game in section 111 and a $20 food voucher. Visit this link to register today.
Reminder: Royals to Gather at Nationals Park Sept. 27
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09/03/2024
Get ready to tee off for an afternoon of friendly competition and great company at Topgolf King of Prussia! Join us Sunday, Oct. 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. for an exciting two hours of gameplay, delicious food and refreshing soft drinks—all for just $50 per person. Whether you're a pro golfer or a first-timer, this event promises a fantastic time for all. But hurry, space is limited! Grab your spot and connect with fellow Royals for an unforgettable day on the green. Visit this link to register today.
Swing Into Fun With Your Fellow Royals at Topgolf Oct. 20
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09/03/2024
Grab your clubs and join us for an afternoon of golf and camaraderie at the third annual Alumni-Student Golf Outing at Pine Hills Country Club Saturday, Sept. 28! The fun begins with an exciting 18-hole scramble format starting at 1:30 p.m., followed by a barbecue dinner. For $70 per person, you'll enjoy golf, cart, dinner and a chance to win fantastic prizes. This event is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni and make new friends among the students. Don’t miss out—purchase your tickets today and be part of this memorable outing! Purchase your tickets here.
University to Hold Third Annual Alumni-Student Golf Outing Sept. 28
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09/03/2024
The University of Scranton will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the University's Physical Therapy program Sept. 27-28. Visit this link to register for the celebration.
Friday, Sept. 27
7-10 p.m.
Welcome Back Mixer at Backyard Ale House
Meet up with your fellow Royals at Backyard Ale House, downtown Scranton's premier craft beer bar and restaurant.
Saturday, Sept. 28
Noon-1 p.m.
PT Department Tour
Leahy Hall
Tour the University's Department of Physical Therapy with your fellow alumni and friends.
1-4 p.m.
"Managing Shoulder Impingement with Regional Interdependence: Going Beyond Scapular Punches and Sidelying ER," with John Salva, PT, MPT, OCS '98, MPT '99
Leahy Hall, Kane Forum
Cost: $10 donation toward program-specific service trips
This continuing education course will cover evaluation and treatment of shoulder impingement with considerations for regional interdependence. It includes concepts from the Selective Functional Movement Assessment, Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization and Primal Foundations. Participants will learn how to identify and treat areas outside the shoulder that contribute to shoulder dysfunction. Exercise prescription will include global stabilization based on developmental milestones and archetypal postures.
4-5 p.m.
PT Department Tour
Leahy Hall
Tour the University's Department of Physical Therapy with your fellow alumni and friends.
6 p.m.
Cocktails & Dinner
The DeNaples Center, 4th Floor, McIlhenny Ballroom
Cost: $40 per person
Enjoy cocktails, dinner and a keynote address by Angela Stolfi PT '96, MPT '97, DPT '07.
University to Celebrate 40 Years of Physical Therapy Sept. 27-28
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09/03/2024
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Lawrence J. Moran Sr. ’74, Jermyn, of the law firm, The Moran Law Group, LLC, achieved recertification as both a civil trial and criminal trial law advocate, recognizing 30 years of certification of special competence in the fields of both civil and criminal trial law advocacy, by The National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA).
Frank R. DiMaio, M.D., M.B.A. ’84, Old Brookville, New York, has been appointed Chairman of the Musculoskeletal Service Line at Catholic Health in Long Island, New York.
Kristin Schmidt Larson G’13, Fargo, North Dakota, is the author of "Traveling Caravan: Growing Up Under The Big Top." Her books are available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IngramSpark. She is also the founder of Simplekindness.co, a small business owner of Kind Skin, and the inventor of Koollips.com.
MARRIAGES
Brian Felkowski ’08, G’11 to Kaitlyn Kotlowski
Megan Etzel ’13 to Salvatore Grosso
DEATHS
Hugh G. Collins ’52, Mashpee, Massachusetts
William J. Golla ’58, Moosic
Robert E. Ghigiarelli G’67, Old Forge
Joseph F. Casagrande ’68, Round Rock, Texas
William T. Mickere ’73, Palm Desert, California
Giles Morgan ’73, Dickson City
Charles J. Lipinski, Ph.D. ’74 G’76, Clarks Summit
Gerard S. Field '77, Mountaintop
John J. Hartridge ’82, Dunmore
Joel Z. Krisanda ’86, Moosic Lakes
Irene S. Gaughan ’92, Scranton
Alumni Class Notes, September 2024
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08/07/2024
The University of Scranton will present the President’s Medal to James M. Slattery ’86, H’23, former chair of the University’s Board of Trustees and head of North America for Rosebank Industries PLC, at The President’s Medal Gala Friday, Sept. 20, at Pier Sixty, Manhattan's largest waterfront event venue.
The event is the largest annual fundraiser for the University, and proceeds from the dinner benefit the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund, which awards four-year, full-tuition scholarships to incoming first-year University students with outstanding high school records and notable community involvement. The University presents the President’s Medal to individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others. All alumni, parents and friends of the University are welcome and encouraged to register here for this year’s event.
Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, recently recorded a waterfront-themed teaser video promoting the event that features a prominent splash. Visit this link to see the video.
A certified public accountant, Slattery is the head of North America for Rosebank Industries PLC, a company that buys, improves and sells companies. Prior to joining Rosebank Industries PLC, he was the chief operating officer at Melrose PLC. Previously, Slattery served as chief financial officer for McKechnie Aerospace, CFO for 180s, Struever Bros. Eccles and Rouse and DAP Products, Inc., and as controller for Wassall PLC. He began his career with Coopers and Lybrand.
Slattery earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from The University of Scranton and served as the chair of the University’s President’s Business Council Annual Award Dinner in 2013. He joined the University's Board of Trustees in 2015 and served as its chair from 2019-2022. He and his wife, Betsy, established the University’s Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities, named in honor of his parents, who instilled in him a commitment to Catholic higher education. He and Betsy are the proud parents of three sons, Daniel, John Michael and Shane, and they reside in Peachtree City, Georgia.
For more information, contact Associate Vice President of Development Eric Eckenrode at eric.eckenrode@scranton.edu or Executive Director of Advancement for Campus Engagement Brad Troy ’02 at bradley.troy@scranton.edu.
Make a Big Splash at The President's Medal Gala Sept. 20
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08/01/2024
Alumni, parents and friends of The University of Scranton will gather at Nationals Park, Washington D.C. on Friday, Sept. 27, to see the Washington Nationals take on the Philadelphia Phillies.
The $80 admission fee includes a ticket to the game in section 111 and a $20 food voucher. Visit this link to register today.
Royals to Gather at Nationals Park Sept. 27
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08/01/2024
Join your Scranton friends at Citizens Bank Park as the Philadelphia Phillies take on the Chicago Cubs in the final home game of the regular season.
The game is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 25, with the first pitch at 6:05 p.m. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m.
Tickets are priced at $65 per person and include a $30 food and beverage voucher, which can be used at any concession stand or restaurant in the ballpark. Seats are located in section 244 - Scoreboard Porch. A limited number of tickets are available. Purchase yours today here.
Reminder: Royals to Head to Final Phillies Home Game Sept. 25
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08/01/2024
Baseball fans, mark your calendars for an unforgettable evening at Fenway Park! On Monday, Aug. 26, join us for a special pre-game gathering on the Truly Terrace as the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Boston Red Sox. This event kicks off at 5:40 p.m., offering a perfect opportunity to enjoy the company before the first pitch at 7:10 p.m.
Tickets are $80 per person, including a reserved seat and a $40 food voucher to enjoy Fenway Park's best culinary offerings. This is a perfect chance to relax, socialize and get ready for an exciting game in one of Major League Baseball’s most iconic venues.
Don’t miss out on this unique experience. Tickets are limited, so secure yours today!
Reminder: Royals to Gather at Fenway Park Aug. 26
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08/01/2024
All University of Scranton alumni are officially invited to an exciting evening at Pier 13 in Hoboken on Thursday, Aug. 22, starting at 6:30 p.m. In case of rain, the event will be rescheduled to Friday, Aug. 23.
Tickets are $30 and include two drink tickets and a special Scranton giveaway. Food trucks will be available on-site, and an ATM is also accessible for convenience.
Don’t miss this opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni and enjoy a wonderful evening by the water. Click here for tickets. We look forward to seeing you there!
Reminder: Royals to Gather in Hoboken at Pier 13 Aug. 22
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08/01/2024
Join The University of Scranton for a day at the racetrack on Sunday, Aug.18, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey.
Enjoy a fun-filled event with exciting horse racing, delicious food and great company. The $35 ticket for adults and $20 ticket for children includes park admission and a tasty menu featuring burgers, barbecued chicken, hot dogs, salads, beans, mac and cheese and more. Children under 5 attend free of charge. This is a BYOB event—cans only, no hard liquor.
We look forward to seeing alumni, students, families and friends for a memorable day at the racetrack. Tickets can be purchased here.
University to Hold Royals at the Races Aug. 18
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08/01/2024
The University of Scranton invites all alumni, parents and friends of the University in the greater Chicago area to gather at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago to watch the New York Yankees take on the Chicago White Sox Wednesday, Aug.14. Game time is at 7:10 p.m.
Tickets are $70, which includes your seat and access to the Patio Party from 5:30 to 7:40 p.m. Enjoy all-you-can-eat BBQ ribs, Cajun chicken, fried chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, various salads and drinks such as Modelo, Miller Lite, Coors Light, wine, soft drinks and water.
Seats are located in section 104. A limited number of tickets are still available, so secure yours soon. Don’t miss this chance to reconnect with the University community and enjoy a great game.
Tickets can be purchased here. We look forward to seeing you there!
Reminder: Enjoy a Night of Baseball with Royals in Chicago Aug. 14
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08/01/2024
Join The University of Scranton for an exciting evening of baseball at Coca-Cola Park Aug. 9 as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders take on the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.
The game begins at 7:05 p.m., with gates opening at 5:45 p.m., allowing plenty of time to enjoy the pre-game atmosphere. Tickets are $12 per person and include a $2 ballpark credit.
Bring your family and friends for an unforgettable night of baseball, community spirit and fun. Purchase your tickets here today!
Reminder: Lehigh Valley Alumni to Head to Ballgame Aug. 9
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08/01/2024
All University of Scranton alumni, parents and friends are invited to join us for an exciting evening at Yankee Stadium. On Thursday, Aug. 8, join us for a pre-game reception on the Budweiser Party Deck from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., followed by the game.
During the reception, guests will enjoy 90 minutes of draft beer, non-alcoholic beverages and a $20 food voucher to make the most of their ballpark experience. Then, attendees will move to their seats in section 334 to cheer the New York Yankees as they take on the Los Angeles Angels at 7:05 p.m.
Tickets for this special event are priced at $90 per person, with a limited number still available. Don’t miss this chance to join the University community for an evening of baseball, connections and lasting memories at Yankee Stadium! Get your tickets here.
Reminder: Royals to Gather at Yankee Stadium Aug. 8
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08/01/2024
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Eileen Carmody Cramer '91, Mount Holly, New Jersey, and Lexie Maese '26, Marlton, New Jersey, recently volunteered for Vacation Bible School at Medford United Methodist Church in Medford, New Jersey, where Maese is serving as Cultivate Summer Intern. They shared the same major at The University of Scranton, secondary education/ social studies. Carmody Cramer is currently at Lawrence High School in Lawrence Township as a school librarian media specialist and teacher of AP Capstone.
Brian Eltz '02, G'05, Millersville, was hired as the new theology teacher at Lancaster Catholic High School.
Maria Zangardi G’09, Norristown, was named senior vice president, Human Resources and Corporate Officer, at Universal Health Services.
BIRTHS
James ’13 and Anali Ranslow, Corona, California, welcomed their son, Isaac Emmanuel Ranslow, on June 15, 2024.
DEATHS
Joseph R. Carr ’53, Dunmore
Victor M. Vassil ’56, Cumming, Georgia
John L. Rafferty ’59, Rockbridge Baths, Virginia
Thomas G. Peacock ’61, Binghamton, New York
Thomas B. Walsh Jr ’62, Dallas, Texas
Leroy B. Gerchman, M.D. ’63, Allentown
Loretta B. Garrity G’65, Bridgewater, New Jersey
Martin J. Parise G’72, Clifford Township
Thomas T. Vrba G’73, Whitehall
Robert J. Spager ’85, Dickson City
Karen Puzycki Greco ’88, Waverly Township
Mark J. Kane, M.D. ’90, Newington, Connecticut
Colleen Farrell Foulke ’91, Clifton Park, New York
Kathleen Videtti Wright ’91, Clarks Summit
Sandra A. Sylvester ’02, Pittston
Alumni Class Notes, August 2024
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07/03/2024
By Ryan Sophabmixay, Student Correspondent
Studying abroad is an exciting experience for many students. However, assimilating to the new culture and surroundings can be challenging. Peter Amicucci ’22, Poughquag, New York, welcomed those challenges. While attending The University of Scranton, Amicucci became actively involved in campus life by joining the wrestling team and musical programs. He joined the concert choir during his senior year and was a member of the jazz, symphonic and concert band and won a Fulbright-Lappeenranta University of Technology Graduate Award to Finland. There, he embarked on a journey to continue his education while finding ways to understand and enjoy the Finnish culture.
Beginning in the spring of 2021, Amicucci dedicated one year toward working on his Fulbright application. The process for the prestigious international academic exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government consisted of background checks, multiple short answer questions and two essays: a personal essay and a statement of purpose. In addition, Amicucci reached out to professors in Finland to fulfill the affiliation requirement in the Fulbright application process.
He later met with The University of Scranton Fulbright board and panel members to finalize his application by October 2021. After waiting several months, Amicucci became a national finalist for the Fulbright grant in March 2022. He described the joy he felt reading the message.
“I saw I got the grant, and I started jumping up and down like a lunatic,” Amicucci said.
“The Fulbright application was the most intense application I’ve done in my life. But it was something I had always wanted to do. I’m glad I applied.”
The transition to LUT was not too difficult for Amicucci. Amicucci attended orientation the week before classes began and had tutors (orientation assistants) and second-year students guide him in locating classes and developing his schedule. The biggest differences Amicucci noticed: the college education and student culture.
“Finland college education is more tradition based. Finland has mandatory events that are considered rites of passage. One event is Vappu Eve, where all students completing the first year of university do their baptism,” Amicucci said.
“The process varies from university to university. One school has a crane, and they gather three to four people at a time. …We have two metal slides and people go down in the water two at a time.”
He described the helpful environment among the student population. “The student culture was very different,” he said. “Within each major there is a great community where if someone feels like they are struggling with something, and the professor is not available, they can go in and find someone to help them.”
At Lappeenranta University of Technology in Finland, Fulbright award recipient Peter Amicucci '22, pictured back row, center, was a member of the Big Band, which is the university’s professional level jazz band
Attending LUT, Amicucci also got involved with music groups. He is a member of the Lappeenranta Big Band, which is the university’s professional level jazz band, and the Teekkarilaulajat men’s choir for LUT.
Last year, Amicucci, along with other choir members, performed in a coffee advertisement for Lehmus Roastery. The Finnish brand used the ad to promote its holiday line of coffee, specifically the Kettu-kahville, which translates to fox coffee. He described his experiences, which included wearing a fox-themed costume.
“Going through the process of recording and filming the commercial was actually a cool thing,” Amicucci said.“The shoot was supposed to take two hours, but the same day there was a graduation gig … and we were double-booked. As soon as I finished my scenes, I took off the fox costume and rushed over to the university.”
Peter Amicucci ’22, pictured above at center, played two successful seasons with the Lappeenranta University football team, helping them through two national championship games.
Beyond music, Amicucci reconnected with his love for American football in Finland. He played two successful seasons with the Lappeenranta University football team, helping them through two national championship games. Though not victorious, Amicucci enjoyed sharing the field with his teammates.
“I got to experience their view on the sport and at the same time got to show my view on the game …,” Amicucci said.
Amicucci always had a strong interests in music. During the pandemic, he learned to play the violin because of the safety guidelines.
“Transition from brass to violin was more difficult than instrument to vocals. I like to be challenged when it comes to music. And I feel like the violin checked off all the boxes,” Amicucci said.
Amicucci said he still incorporates the Jesuit teachings learned at Scranton in his daily life.
“The Jesuit education has helped a lot in guiding me through the community. The values are always there. The care for the whole person is stressed a lot in Finland,” Amicucci said.
Amicucci is set to graduate LUT with a master’s degree in supply management and a minor in sustainable business. He plans to return to the U.S in July and would like to work in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Although he looks forward to returning home, Amicucci appreciates his time in Finland and will carry the lessons he learned throughout his career.
“If you think you’re going to study abroad, just ... break the bubble. Experience a lot," said Amicucci.
“It’s bittersweet to leave Finland, but maybe down the line, I’ll get a summer cottage and visit a couple months a year.”
A view of the Northern Lights as photographed in Finland by Peter Amicucci '22.
Alumni Spotlight: Peter Amicucci ’22
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07/02/2024
Join your Scranton friends at Citizens Bank Park as the Philadelphia Phillies take on the Chicago Cubs in the final home game of the regular season.
The game is scheduled for Wednesday, September 25, with the first pitch at 6:05 p.m. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m.
Tickets are priced at $65 per person and include a $30 food and beverage voucher, which can be used at any concession stand or restaurant in the ballpark. Seats are located in section 244 - Scoreboard Porch. A limited number of tickets are available. Purchase yours today here.
Royals To Head To Final Phillies Home Game Sept. 25
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07/02/2024
Baseball fans, mark your calendars for an unforgettable evening at Fenway Park! On Monday, August 26, join us for a special pre-game gathering on the Truly Terrace as the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Boston Red Sox. This event kicks off at 5:40 p.m., offering a perfect opportunity to enjoy the company before the first pitch at 7:10 p.m.
Tickets are $80 per person, including a reserved seat and a $40 food voucher to enjoy Fenway Park's best culinary offerings. This is a perfect chance to relax, socialize and get ready for an exciting game in one of Major League Baseball’s most iconic venues.
Don’t miss out on this unique experience. Tickets are limited, so secure yours today!
Royals To Gather at Fenway Park Aug. 26
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07/02/2024
All University of Scranton alumni are officially invited to an exciting evening at Pier 13 in Hoboken on Thursday, August 22, starting at 6:30 p.m. In case of rain, the event will be rescheduled to Friday, August 23.
Tickets are $30 and include two drink tickets and a special Scranton giveaway. Food trucks will be available on-site, and an ATM is also accessible for convenience.
Don’t miss this opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni and enjoy a wonderful evening by the water. Click here for tickets. We look forward to seeing you there!
Royals To Gather in Hoboken at Pier 13 Aug. 22
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07/02/2024
Join The University of Scranton for a day at the racetrack on Sunday, August 18, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey.
Enjoy a fun-filled event with exciting horse racing, delicious food and great company. The $35 ticket for adults and $20 ticket for children includes park admission and a tasty menu featuring burgers, barbecued chicken, hot dogs, salads, beans, mac and cheese and more. Children under 5 attend free of charge. This is a BYOB event—cans only, no hard liquor.
We look forward to seeing alumni, students, families and friends for a memorable day at the racetrack. Tickets can be purchased here.
Register Today for Royals at the Races Aug. 18
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07/02/2024
The University of Scranton invites all alumni, parents and friends of the University in the greater Chicago area to gather at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago to watch the New York Yankees take on the Chicago White Sox Wednesday, August 14. Game time is at 7:10 p.m.
Tickets are $70, which includes your seat and access to the Patio Party from 5:30 to 7:40 p.m. Enjoy all-you-can-eat BBQ ribs, Cajun chicken, fried chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, various salads and drinks such as Modelo, Miller Lite, Coors Light, wine, soft drinks and water.
Seats are located in section 104. A limited number of tickets are still available, so secure yours soon. Don’t miss this chance to reconnect with the University community and enjoy a great game.
Tickets can be purchased here. We look forward to seeing you there!
Enjoy a Night of Baseball With the University in Chicago Aug. 14
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07/02/2024
Join The University of Scranton for an exciting evening of baseball at Coca-Cola Park August 9 as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders take on the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.
The game begins at 7:05 p.m., with gates opening at 5:45 p.m., allowing plenty of time to enjoy the pre-game atmosphere. Tickets are $12 per person and include a $2 ballpark credit.
Bring your family and friends for an unforgettable night of baseball, community spirit and fun. Purchase your tickets here today!
Lehigh Valley Alumni To Head To Ballgame Aug. 9
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07/02/2024
All University of Scranton alumni, parents and friends are invited to join us for an exciting evening at Yankee Stadium. On Thursday, August 8, join us for a pre-game reception on the Budweiser Party Deck from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., followed by the game.
During the reception, guests will enjoy 90 minutes of draft beer, non-alcoholic beverages and a $20 food voucher to make the most of their ballpark experience. Then, attendees will move to their seats in section 334 to cheer the New York Yankees as they take on the Los Angeles Angels at 7:05 p.m.
Tickets for this special event are priced at $90 per person, with a limited number still available. Don’t miss this chance to join the University community for an evening of baseball, connections and lasting memories at Yankee Stadium! Get your tickets here.
Royals To Gather At Yankee Stadium Aug. 8
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07/02/2024
The University of Scranton invites alumni to gather for a fun-filled event at Bar Anticipation, located at 703 16th Avenue, Lake Como, New Jersey. The event will take place on Saturday, July 27, from 3 to 7 p.m.
The $30 admission fee includes two drink tickets and an unlimited summer BBQ featuring burgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, salads, corn on the cob, watermelon and more. Attendees will also receive a special Scranton giveaway.
Don’t miss this opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni and enjoy a great summer afternoon. Click here for tickets. We look forward to seeing you there!
Register Today for Royals at the Shore 2024
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07/02/2024
Get ready for a grand slam evening at Dodger Stadium! We are thrilled to invite alumni to an unforgettable night of baseball action as the Philadelphia Phillies take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. Join us on Monday, August 5, at the iconic Dodger Stadium. Game time is at 7:10 p.m.
The $85 ticket fee per person includes a game seat and a $25 food voucher to indulge in all the ballpark favorites. Our seats are in section 105, the perfect spot to catch all the action!
Mark your calendars, grab your caps, and get ready to cheer for your team in the company of the University of Scranton community. Register for your ticket here, and we'll see you at the ballpark August 5!
Royals To Gather at Dodger Stadium Aug. 5
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06/05/2024
P.J. Carlesimo sure has put his stamp on college and professional basketball since the days he spent on The University of Scranton campus in the 1950s and 1960s. While his father, Peter, was serving the University for nearly 25 years, including 15 as the director of athletics, P.J. was building a foundation that would make him a household name in the basketball world.
The University of Scranton will present the 2024 Peter A. Carlesimo Award to P.J. Carlesimo at the annual Carlesimo Golf Tournament and Award Dinner on Monday, June 24 at Philadelphia Cricket Club in Flourtown, Pennsylvania.
Quandel Construction Group is the title sponsor for the event, which supports and enhances the student-athlete experience at Scranton.
Since 2011, the Carlesimo Award, named for the late University of Scranton head coach and director of athletics, has been presented to someone who has made special contributions to athletics and Catholic education.
The golf portion of the event is currently sold out, but individuals can still register for the evening award dinner honoring P.J. Carlesimo. Register for this year's dinner here.
In nearly 40 years as a basketball coach, P.J. Carlesimo enjoyed immense success at both the college and NBA levels. After graduating from Fordham in 1971, he got his start in coaching at his alma mater before moving on to New Hampshire College and then Wagner. In 1982, he was named the head coach at Seton Hall and oversaw the rebuilding of the Pirates’ program to national prominence. In 1989, he led Seton Hall to the Final Four, where it lost in overtime in the national title game to Michigan, 80-79.
In 12 seasons at Seton Hall, Carlesimo won 212 games, including five seasons of 20-plus victories, and made six NCAA Tournament appearances. He would eventually be named Seton Hall’s “Coach of the Century” as a result of his success.
During that time, P.J. was also an assistant coach of the 1992 U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team that was better known as “The Dream Team.” That team would go on to win the gold medal, ending an eight-year drought and beginning a run of eight gold medals in nine Olympic games from 1992 to 2020.
In 1994, Carlesimo was named the head coach of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, marking the start of a 17-year career on the NBA sidelines. He would go on to win 239 games as a head coach over parts of nine seasons with five organizations - Portland, Golden State, Seattle/Oklahoma City and Brooklyn. As an assistant coach, he won titles with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003, 2005 and 2007.
In addition to his coaching success, Carlesimo has been a significant contributor in the broadcast booth. He has worked for ESPN, TNT, Westwood One, Fox Sports, the Pac-12 Network, NBC and Comcast Sportsnet; additionally, Carlesimo is the only broadcaster in history to call the Olympic Gold Medal basketball game, the NCAA Championship game and the NBA Finals. He remains a regular contributor on SportsCenter and calls select NBA games, including the Finals, for ESPN Radio, as well as working NCAA basketball for Westwood One.
A member of the Hall of Fame at both Wagner College and Seton Hall University, Carlesimo was also inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 1992 Olympic team.
P.J. Carlesimo To Receive 2024 Carlesimo Award June 24
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06/05/2024
Join your Scranton friends at Citizens Bank Park as the Philadelphia Phillies take on the Chicago Cubs in the final home game of the regular season.
The game is scheduled for Wednesday, September 25, 2024, with the first pitch at 6:05 p.m. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m.
Tickets are priced at $65 per person and include a $30 food and beverage voucher, which can be used at any concession stand or restaurant in the ballpark. Seats are located in section 244 - Scoreboard Porch. A limited number of tickets are available. Purchase yours today here.
Royals To Head To Final Phillies Home Game Sept. 25
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06/04/2024
The University of Scranton will present the President’s Medal to James M. Slattery ’86, H’23, former chair of the University’s Board of Trustees and chief operating officer of North America for Melrose PLC, at the President’s Medal Award Dinner Friday, Sept. 20, at Pier Sixty in New York City.
The event is the largest annual fundraiser for the University, and proceeds from the dinner benefit the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund, which awards four-year, full-tuition scholarships to incoming first-year University students with outstanding high school records and notable community involvement. This year’s event marks the 23rd time the University has presented the President’s Medal, which recognizes individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others. All alumni, parents and friends of the University are welcome and encouraged to attend this year’s event.
A certified public accountant, Slattery is the COO of North America for Melrose PLC, a London-based company that buys, improves and sells companies that engage in the manufacture of highly-engineered products. Prior to joining Melrose, he was the chief financial officer for McKechnie Aerospace. Previously, Slattery served as CFO for 180s, Struever Bros. Eccles and Rouse and DAP Products, Inc., and as controller for Wassall PLC. He began his career with Coopers and Lybrand.
Slattery earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from The University of Scranton and served as the chair of the University’s President’s Business Council Annual Award Dinner in 2013. He and his wife, Betsy, established the University’s Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities, named in honor of his parents who instilled in him a commitment to Catholic higher education. He and Betsy are the proud parents of three sons, Daniel, John Michael and Shane, and they reside in Peachtree City, Georgia.
For more information, contact Associate Vice President of Development Eric Eckenrode at eric.eckenrode@scranton.edu or Executive Director of Advancement for Campus Engagement Brad Troy ’02 at bradley.troy@scranton.edu.
Royals To Get Back in the New York Groove at the President's Medal Award Dinner Sept. 20
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06/04/2024
The University of Scranton and the Alumni Society are proud to announce the recipients of the 2024 Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest award bestowed jointly by the University and the Alumni Society.
Congratulations to the 2024 recipients:
Ellen M. Boyle, Esq. '84
Regina Dolan Donohue '89
Brian M. Duke '79
Paul W. Lameo '94
Michael F. Guarnuccio '89
Richard J. Klonoski, Ph.D. '74
Timothy H. Scully Jr. '74
Erin E. O'Malley-Stewart '94, G'97
The recipients will be honored at a dinner Friday, June 14, at 7 p.m. as part of the Reunion Weekend festivities. To register for the event or to leave a congratulatory note for an honoree, please use this RSVP link.
University Announces 2024 O'Hara Award Honorees
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06/04/2024
The University will hold Reunion Weekend 2024 from June 14-16. Alumni who graduated in class years ending in "4" and "9" will celebrate their milestone years with their fellow Royals. Register here to reserve your spot today and visit the Planning to Attend page to see which of your classmates are planning to attend the festivities.
Is it time to refresh your Scranton wardrobe? If so, celebrate your class in style by purchasing our commemorative Reunion T-shirt at this link.
While you are in town during Reunion Weekend, enjoy a round of golf at Pine Hills Country Club, 140 S. Keyser Ave in Taylor. We have secured eight tee times beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 15. Space is limited, so register today at this link.
Reunion Weekend Returns June 14-16
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06/04/2024
The University of Scranton invites alumni, parents, and friends to join Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, for a delightful summer celebration at the historic Belmar Fishing Club in Belmar, NJ, June 22 from 3 to 6 p.m. Hosted by Karen Golding ’91, this event promises an afternoon of seaside charm. Guests will have the opportunity to mingle and reconnect with fellow members of The University of Scranton community.
The cost to attend is $75 per person. Attendees will be treated to a picnic buffet featuring delectable cuisine and refreshing cocktails, all while enjoying the timeless ambience of the Belmar Fishing Club. Reservations are limited, so please RSVP here.
University To Hold Presidential Reception at Belmar Fishing Club June 22
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06/04/2024
All University of Scranton alumni, parents and friends are invited to join us for an exciting evening at Yankee Stadium. On Thursday, August 8, join us for a pre-game reception on the Budweiser Party Deck from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., followed by the game.
During the reception, guests will enjoy 90 minutes of draft beer, non-alcoholic beverages,and a $20 food voucher to make the most of their ballpark experience. Then, we’ll move to our seats in section 334 to cheer the New York Yankees as they take on the Los Angeles Angels at 7:05 p.m.
Tickets for this special event are priced at $90 per person, with a limited number still available. Don’t miss this chance to join the University community for an evening of baseball, connections and lasting memories at Yankee Stadium! Get your tickets here.
Royals Head To Yankee Stadium Aug. 8
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06/04/2024
Join The University of Scranton for a day at the racetrack on Sunday, August 18, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey.
Enjoy a fun-filled event with exciting horse racing, delicious food and great company. The $35 ticket for adults and $20 ticket for children includes park admission and a tasty menu featuring burgers, barbecued chicken, hot dogs, salads, beans, mac and cheese, and more. Children under 5 attend free of charge. This is a BYOB event—cans only, no hard liquor.
We look forward to seeing alumni, students, families and friends for a memorable day at the racetrack. Tickets can be purchased here.
University To Hold Royals At The Races Aug. 18
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06/04/2024
Join The University of Scranton for an exciting evening of baseball at Coca-Cola Park August 9 as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders take on the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.
The game begins at 7:05 p.m., with gates opening at 5:45 p.m., allowing plenty of time to enjoy the pre-game atmosphere. Tickets are $12 per person and include a $2 ballpark credit.
Bring your family and friends for an unforgettable night of baseball, community spirit and fun. Purchase your tickets here today!
Alumni To Enjoy Ballgame at Coca-Cola Park Aug. 9
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06/04/2024
The University of Scranton invites all alumni, parents and friends of the University in the greater Chicago area to gather at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago to watch the New York Yankees take on the Chicago White Sox Wednesday, August 14. Game time is at 7:10 p.m.
Tickets are $70, which includes your seat and access to the Patio Party from 5:30 to 7:40 p.m. Enjoy all-you-can-eat BBQ ribs, Cajun chicken, fried chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, various salads and drinks such as Modelo, Miller Lite, Coors Light, wine, soft drinks and water.
Seats are located in section 104. A limited number of tickets are still available, so secure yours soon. Don’t miss this chance to reconnect with the University community and enjoy a great game.
Tickets can be purchased here. We look forward to seeing you there!
Enjoy a Night of Baseball With the University in Chicago Aug. 14
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06/04/2024
The University of Scranton invites alumni to gather for a fun-filled event at Bar Anticipation, located at 703 16th Avenue, Lake Como, NJ. The event will take place on Saturday, July 27, from 3 to 7 p.m.
The $30 admission fee includes two drink tickets and an unlimited summer BBQ featuring burgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, salads, corn on the cob, watermelon and more. Attendees will also receive a special Scranton giveaway.
Don’t miss this opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni and enjoy a great summer afternoon. Click here for tickets. We look forward to seeing you there!
Royals To Gather At Bar Anticipation July 27
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06/04/2024
All University of Scranton alumni are officially invited to an exciting evening at Pier 13 in Hoboken on Thursday, August 22, starting at 6:30 p.m. In case of rain, the event will be rescheduled to Friday, August 23.
Tickets are $30 and include two drink tickets and a special Scranton giveaway. Food trucks will be available on-site, and an ATM is also accessible for convenience.
Don’t miss this opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni and enjoy a wonderful evening by the water. Click here for tickets. We look forward to seeing you there!
Scranton Alumni To Gather in Hoboken at Pier 13 Aug. 22
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06/04/2024
Baseball fans, mark your calendars for an unforgettable evening at Fenway Park! On Monday, August 26, join us for a special pre-game gathering on the Truly Terrace as the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Boston Red Sox. This event kicks off at 5:40 p.m., offering a perfect opportunity to enjoy the company before the first pitch at 7:10 p.m.
Tickets are $80 per person, including a reserved seat and a $40 food voucher to enjoy Fenway Park's best culinary offerings. This is a perfect chance to relax, socialize and get ready for an exciting game in one of Major League Baseball’s most iconic venues.
Don’t miss out on this unique experience. Tickets are limited, so secure yours today!
Join The University of Scranton at Fenway Park Aug. 26
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06/04/2024
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
James Gordon Cain, M.D. ’87, Daytona Beach Shores, Florida, joined the University of Florida College of Medicine Jacksonville as professor and chair of the Department of Anesthesiology.
MARRIAGES
Jen (Villare) Lorish '12, G'14 to Mitchell Lorish
Jimmy Jencarelli '16 to Krista Ziegler '16, DPT '19
BIRTHS
A baby girl, Lucia Rose, to Alex '18 and Sara Rizzo Wolan '18, G'19, was born in September 2023
DEATHS
Eugene Talerico Sr. ’51, Old Forge
William C. O'Malley ’59, Fernandina Beach, Florida
Jerome Block ’60, Allentown
John J. Mecca, M.D. ’62, Allentown
Jack E. Cisney ’63, Benwood, West Virginia
James G. McHale ’63, Cambridge, Nebraska
William J. Kane, M.D. ’65, Greensboro, North Carolina
Joseph C. Andraski ’69, Bensalem
Mary T. Lupien McCabe G’71, Wilkes-Barre
Marlin C. Evans ’72, Bangor
James C. Barrett ’73, Clarks Summit
Joseph G. Cherochak ’73, Florence, South Carolina
John B. Kelly ’74, Drexel Hill
Rev. Joseph Clark ’80, Allendale, Virginia
Mary Lynn Garvey McHale ’81, Scranton
Jonathan Sever Moe G’84, Scranton
Sister Rae Ann Ohlinger G’84, Allentown
Ann M. McDonough G’87, Lake Worth, Florida
Maryann T. Romano G’87, The Villages, Florida
Joseph J. Scochin ’87, Scott Township
Todd T. Parry ’12, Peckville
Alumni Class Notes, June 2024
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05/01/2024
The University recently launched "Royal Remembrances," a new audio source for the latest and greatest University of Scranton stories.
Focusing on conversations with alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends of the University, the show's inaugural episode features part one of a two-part interview with Frank Dubas '71, former global managing partner for Sovereign Institutions at Deloitte and current mastermind behind the Garden of Cedar in South Scranton. The discussion touches upon everything from his formative days growing up in Jessup to his student days at Scranton to the extraordinary 42-year career at Deloitte that took him all over the world.
Visit this link to listen to the show on Apple Podcasts today, or visit this link to listen to the show directly on its homepage.University Launches Royal Remembrances Podcast
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04/30/2024
The University of Scranton will celebrate 5.06.24, its 10th Annual Day of Giving, on May 6. Since its inception in 2015, 5.06 has evolved into a decade-long tradition of profound impact, leaving a lasting legacy for generations of students. Alumni, parents, friends, faculty, students and staff are invited to join together to celebrate by supporting the campus programs and causes that ignite their passion for Scranton.
As part of the celebration, individuals can show their love for Scranton by acquiring a special edition University of Scranton Office 5K T-shirt. The Office 5K event, developed by local nonprofit Valley in Motion, is scheduled for Saturday, May 4, in downtown Scranton. In collaboration with Valley in Motion, proceeds from The Office 5K will contribute to the Day of Giving efforts. Whether participants plan to be in town or engage from home, purchasing a T-shirt serves as a meaningful contribution to 5.06. Visit https://bit.ly/UofSOffice5KT to make your 5.06 gift and secure your limited edition T-shirt today.
For more information on how to participate in 5.06 and acquire your University of Scranton Office 5K T-shirt, please visit this link.
University Gears Up for 10th Annual Day of Giving
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04/30/2024
Scranton Nursing Alumni are invited to join a special Happy Hour celebration in New York City's Upper West Side to commemorate National Nurses Week. Hosted at George Keeley's on May 6 at 6 p.m., this event offers an opportunity for alumni to gather together, reminisce about their alma mater and honor the invaluable contributions of nurses worldwide. There will be extended happy hour specials and a Scranton giveaway. RSVP at https://bit.ly/NursesHappyHour.
Scranton Nurses Celebrate National Nurses Week With NYC Happy Hour Event
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04/30/2024
The University will hold Reunion Weekend 2024 from June 14-16. Alumni who graduated in class years ending in "4" and "9" will celebrate their milestone years with their fellow Royals. Register here to reserve your spot today and visit the Planning to Attend page to see which of your classmates are planning to attend the festivities.
Is it time to refresh your Scranton wardrobe? If so, celebrate your class in style by purchasing our commemorative Reunion T-shirt at this link.
While you are in town during Reunion Weekend, enjoy a round of golf at Pine Hills Country Club, 140 S. Keyser Ave in Taylor. We have secured eight tee times beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 15. Space is limited, so register today at this link.
Also, register for the Saturday Evening Celebration by May 1 to receive a $10 discount.
Register Today for Reunion Weekend 2024 June 14-16
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04/30/2024
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
William L. Kovacs ’69, Great Falls, Virginia, published his third book, “Devolution of Power: Rolling Back the Federal State to Preserve the Republic.” It provides a roadmap to unwinding the massive accumulation of federal power by devolving most domestic functions to the states, creating a more accountable and efficient government. His first book, “Reform the Kakistocracy, Rule by the Least Able or Least Principled Citizens,” was awarded the 2021 Independent Press Award for Social/Political Change. His books are online and wherever books are sold.
Ernest Kollra ’75, Plantation, Florida, was reelected to another six-year term as circuit court judge for the 17th judicial circuit in Broward County, Florida. He will be presiding in Fort Lauderdale in the felony division.
Alvin J. Berlot, D.O. ’80, Moscow, was recently awarded Clinical Associate Professorship in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Frank R. DiMaio, M.D. ’84, Old Brookville, New York, has been appointed as the inaugural Chairman of the Musculoskeletal Service Line at Catholic Health in Melville, New York.
Scott R. Antoine, D.O. ’89, Carmel, Indiana, published an Amazon best-seller called “The Comprehensive Physician’s Guide to the Management of PANS and PANDAS”, which is a medical textbook outlining his approach to the treatment of children with post-infectious autoimmune encephalitis. This textbook has established the standard of care in the management of these disorders.
Kathryn "Kate" Coviello Cacciamani ’91, Philadelphia, was named as a member of the newly created Pennsylvania Indigent Defense Advisory Committee (IDAC) by Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Joanna McClinton. Cacciamani is serving as vice-chair of IDAC.
Tricia Richards-Service, Ph.D. G’91, Clarks Summit, received the Part-time Faculty Excellence in Teaching and Instruction Award. She is an adjunct assistant professor in the Klein College of Media and Communication, Advertising and Public Relations.
Daniel J. DeSalvo '02, Bayonne, New Jersey, was appointed by Governor Phil Murphy and sworn in as a Judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey in February.
Abigail Corrigan '21, Philadelphia, ran in the Boston marathon, finishing in 27th place overall in the women's division; additionally, she was the 8th American finisher out of more than 10,900 female runners.
MARRIAGES
Adriana Nurkiewicz '14 to Andrew Webber
Michelle Post '16 to Brian Farrell '16
BIRTHS
A baby boy, Gio, to Stephen '12 and Sarah Phillips Fernando '12, Dunmore
A baby boy, Ellis Mishko, to Dennis Mishko '12 and Kathleen Lavelle '12, was born on October 9, 2023 in New York City.
A daughter, Harper Emilia, to Christopher and Alexa Winchel D’Antonio '17, G'18, Brooklyn, New York on April 4, 2024.
DEATHS
William F. Cawley ’56, Sarasota, Florida
Thomas J. Mizianty, M.D., Ph.D. '61, Waymart
Paul Rusincovitch ‘61, G'67, G'72, Taylor
William E. Barrett ’65, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Leo E. Solomon G’65, Wilkes-Barre
Robert T. Gownley Jr. '69, Scranton
Michael F. Rodgers G'74, Fairfax, Virginia
Joseph F. Capalong, D.M.D. ’75, Dunmore
Craig N. Peterson ’77, Harrisonburg, Virginia
Nicholas J. Punko G’77, Wilkes-Barre
Robert J. Lopatto ’81, Olyphant
Mark C. Rostkowski ’81, Duryea
James P. Gregorowicz '83, Springbrook Township
Catherine Long Burke '84, Dunmore
James M. Crawford ’87, Berkeley Heights, New Jersey
Christopher A. Barbarevech, M.D. '88, Moosic
Maria E. Button G’90, Mountaintop
John A. Zaggi Jr. ’92, Greenwood, South Carolina
Moira R. Parkinson '12, Syracuse, New York
FRIENDS/FAMILY DEATHS
Joan Weiss McDonald, sister of Joseph F. Weiss, Ph.D. ’61
Alumni Class Notes, May 2024
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04/02/2024
By Grace Whittam '24
Sarah Flanagan ’20, G’21 of Northford, Connecticut, embarked on a journey to become a pediatric occupational therapist, a path marked by resilience, dedication and the pursuit of helping others. She now serves as a pediatric occupational therapist at Cheshire Fitness Zone in Cheshire, Connecticut, where she aids in building up children’s autonomy and confidence.
“I love witnessing the excitement when a child develops a new skill or level of independence and how that translates to what is meaningful to them at their stage of life,” Flanagan said.
From a young age, Flanagan felt a calling to work with people with disabilities. Her journey to this path started long before she first toured The University of Scranton. The affinity for helping others began when she was 14 at Camp Nerden, a special needs summer camp in Middlefield, Connecticut, which her guidance counselor recommended she check out in order to complete mandatory service hours set by her high school.
“She had no idea what she recommended was something that would literally change my life,” Flanagan said.
By the end of the summer going into her sophomore year of high school, Flanagan had completed the recommended curriculum hours for her to graduate. Nevertheless, she continued to volunteer there year after year, and the summers at Camp Nerden became Flanagan’s favorite part of the year.
Transitioning from a volunteer to a staff member, Flanagan spent over a decade at Camp Nerden forming deep connections with campers. Both Flanagan and her sister have shown steadfast dedication to Camp Nerden and have formed relationships with campers that have changed their lives for the better – a testament to the love shared on the camp’s grounds.
“Camp is truly a place where people can come and fully be themselves. It is a place to feel free, seen, loved and supported – not just for campers, but for the staff as well,” Flanagan said.
The Flanagan sisters recently made a favored camper’s day by spending her birthday with her; their friendship, which began over a decade ago when the camper was five, was one of the formative experiences at Camp Nerden that helped inspire Flanagan’s decision to become an occupational therapist.
“At camp, I needed to utilize the resources available to create meaningful, motivating outdoor activities and adapt the activity accordingly for each group that came through with a variety of factors such as different ages and level of cognitive and physical ability,” Flanagan said.
Flanagan brought her passion for helping others with her as she started touring colleges. Upon visiting The University of Scranton, she fell in love with Leahy Hall’s occupational therapy labs.
“Especially in preparing for such a hands-on profession, I wanted to be able to apply what we were learning in our textbooks to real life scenarios and materials,” Flanagan said.
But choosing Scranton was not just about academics for Flanagan. After attending a Catholic high school, she felt connected to the Jesuit values Scranton holds close to its core. Flanagan wanted to be on a campus that not only integrated these values into education, but also fostered them around the community.
She felt particularly connected to the Jesuit value of “cura personalis.” This value calls for “care of the whole person,” something Flanagan takes into her work every day and applies to every client interaction she has. She works to understand her patients’ values, beliefs, routines and roles, and she uses that knowledge as the foundation of their occupation profile.
“Occupational therapy is a holistic profession, so we treat more than just the symptoms we are presented with. Understanding the patient allows us to develop a full picture of who they are and how the entire person is impacted by the diagnosis or symptoms they are seeking therapy for,” Flanagan said.
While on campus, Flanagan was involved in many activities, including the Relay for Life Committee, Praise and Worship, Royal Signers and the Student Occupational Therapy Association; she also participated in many intramural sports, where she often achieved “smashing success.” Flanagan was a leader for the Manresa retreat and had on-campus jobs at the mail room and the Office of Admissions.
In a memorable assignment from an activity analysis course, Flanagan was tasked with filling a bag of 20 OT-based activities, staying within a $20 budget. This assignment altered Flanagan’s perspective and pushed her to think creatively about how one simple material can be applied to different physical, cognitive and social task areas.
“To this day I can look at a simple dollar store material like a pipe cleaner or bubble wrap and think of multiple ways it can be used to address goals,” Flanagan said.
This helped Flanagan become better attuned to her clients’ or students’ varying needs as she is prepared to respond to them anywhere from a fully-equipped therapy room to a utility closet with little to no materials provided.
“This has also helped to keep therapy sessions unique and interesting for my clients, as I am able to use the same materials in new, different ways throughout a plan of care,” Flanagan said.
After passing her National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Flanagan has been working as a pediatric occupational therapist in an outpatient setting and elementary schools for almost two years, bringing the value of “cura personalis” to each patient she sees.
Beginning her mornings at one of three elementary schools, Flanagan helps students in special education functionally participate in curriculum expectations and normal classroom routines. She focuses on activities like handwriting, typing, cutting, coloring, visual perception and completing multi-step tasks.
“I recommend accommodations and modifications to the environment to help promote success for my students in class,” Flanagan said.
After she leaves elementary schools, she heads to her outpatient clinic, where she services clients with varying goals and needs, including fine motor development, visual motor and perceptual skills, cognition, sensory processing and emotional regulation.
Flanagan appreciates the way pediatric occupational therapy can help children to gain a sense of autonomy and reach their potential.
“I love that I can be a support for families of children with disabilities and enable functional, safe participation in family tasks as independently as possible,” Flanagan said.
Yet, Flanagan acknowledges the challenges of transitioning from student to practitioner. Thanks to a supportive mentorship program, she navigated this journey with guidance.
“I try to integrate self-care like exercise into my week as much as possible because it’s important that I’m bringing my most regulated self to sessions to help regulate the children I work with,” Flanagan said.
Through it all, Flanagan has remained committed to pediatric occupational therapy. In the years to come, she will continue to rely on the fundamental and in-depth knowledge she learned from the occupational therapy classes and labs that originally caught her attention at Scranton, and she hopes to expand her knowledge and work with more specific treatments, specifically in the neuro aspect of pediatric occupational therapy.
“Each course at Scranton was integrated with the activity analysis component that truly taught me to ‘think like an OT,’” Flanagan said.
Alumni Spotlight: Sarah Flanagan '20, G'21
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04/02/2024
The University of Scranton Office of Alumni Engagement has launched an Alumni Small-Business Online Directory. Register your small business today and browse the directory to support your fellow Royals.
This online directory provides a platform for alumni business owners to showcase their success while doubling as a resource for Royals to purchase products from their fellow Royals.
All businesses on the directory must be owned by University of Scranton alumni. Register here to list your business on the directory, and visit this link to browse the listings.
Reminder: Register Your Business in the Alumni Small-Business Online Directory
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04/02/2024The University will hold a reunion for graduates of the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts program Saturday, April 6. Register here to reserve your spot today.
For more information, contact alumni@scranton.edu.University to Celebrate SJLA Reunion April 6
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04/02/2024
The University will hold Reunion Weekend 2024 from June 14-16. Alumni who graduated in class years ending in "4" and "9" will celebrate their milestone years with their fellow Royals. Register here to reserve your spot today and visit the Planning to Attend page to see which of your classmates is planning to attend the festivities. For more information, visit scranton.edu/reunion or email alumni@scranton.edu.
Register Today For Reunion 2024 June 14-16
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04/02/2024
The University will hold a cocktail reception in Austin, TX, with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, for Scranton alumni, parents and friends Friday, April 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Driskill.
Register here to reserve your spot today.
University to Hold Presidential Reception in Austin April 12
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04/02/2024
The University will hold a gathering in Houston, Texas, for Scranton alumni, parents and friends featuring Paul DiPietrantonio '97, chair of the Alumni Society Advisory Board, Saturday, April 13, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Heights Bier Garten.
Attendees will enjoy a selection of beer, wine, and appetizers. Register here to attend this function today.
University to Hold Alumni Reception in Houston April 13
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04/02/2024
The University will hold its annual Day of Service event on Saturday, April 13. Each year, alumni, parents and friends of the University throughout the nation honor Scranton's mission by volunteering with their fellow Royals in their home regions. Register for a site in your community today to show the world the meaning of #Royals4Others.
Marina Del Rey, California
Royals near Marina Del Rey will have the opportunity to clean up Dockweiler State Beach with Heal The Bay from 9-11 a.m. Register here to participate in this project.
Atlanta
Royals in the Atlanta area will have the opportunity to beautify Grant Park by working with Hands on Atlanta: Grant Park Conservancy from 9 a.m.-noon. Volunteers must 16 or older. Register here to participate in this project.
Chicago
Royals in the Chicago area will have the opportunity to repack bulk food for distribution at the Greater Chicago Food Depository from 8:30-11:15 a.m. Register here to participate in this project.
Boston
Royals in the greater Boston area will have the opportunity to serve either breakfast or dinner to veterans at the New England Home for Veterans in Boston. The breakfast service will run from 9:45 - 11 a.m., and the dinner service will run from 3:45 - 5 p.m. Register here to participate in this project.
New York City
Royals in the Big Apple will have the opportunity to prepare meals for lunch at Bowery Mission from 10 a.m. - noon. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old to participate. Register here to participate in this project.
Brooklyn
Royals in the Brooklyn area will have the opportunity to participate in Brooklyn Jesuit Prep's Saturday program from 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Volunteers will work on a project, assist with homework and play games. Register here to participate in this project.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Royals near Raleigh, North Carolina, will have the opportunity to serve the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina from 9 a.m. - noon. Volunteers will sort and bag produce, build CSFP (Commodity Supplemental Food Program) boxes for senior citizens, sort and inspect food drive donations, bag cereal, rice or pasta into family-size bags, and assist in other ways as needed. Volunteers must be 12 or older, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Register here to participate in this project.
Harrisburg
Royals near Harrisburg will have the opportunity to serve at the Central PA Food Bank from 9 a.m. - noon. Volunteers will pack boxes of food for one of the food bank's many programs. Volunteers must be 14 or older, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Register here to participate in this project.
Philadelphia
Royals near the City of Brotherly Love will have the opportunity to serve The Drueding Center from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Register here to participate in this project.
Dunmore
Royals in Northeastern Pennsylvania will have the opportunity to serve at St. Joseph's Center Baby and Food Pantry from 9 a.m. - noon. Volunteers will assist with cleaning up the exterior of the facility; in the event of inclement weather, volunteers will work on an indoor project. Lunch will be served. Register here to participate in this project.
Washington, D.C.
Royals near Washington, D.C., will have the opportunity to serve the Arlington Food Assistance Center from 1 - 2:30 p.m. Volunteers will bag produce, sort non-perishable, donated food, and bag and seal dry goods. Volunteers must be 12 or older, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Register here to participate in this project.
If you don't see a service site in your region, volunteer in your community April 13 and tell us about it by contacting alumni@scranton.edu.
University Day of Service Returns April 13
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04/02/2024
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Donna Stefans ’93, Dix Hills, New York, founder and lead attorney at Stefans Law Group, PC, an Estate Planning and Elder Law firm, has been added to the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) New York Chapter Board of Directors. NAELA is a community of attorneys who specialize in handling legal issues affecting people as they age and those with special needs. NAELA believes in the importance of continuing legal education, advocacy, and examining public policy issues in our mission to enhance the quality of life for older adults and persons with disabilities.
Rev. Mark R. Searles '08, Easton, was appointed to the faculty of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and will work in the college division at the seminary's new campus in Lower Gwynedd Township.
MARRIAGES
Elizabeth Walters '00 to George John Walters
Jen Villare ‘12, G‘14 to Mitchell Lorish
DEATHS
Robert J. Murray ’51, Greensboro, North Carolina
Rev. William D. Campbell, Ph.D. ’52, Wilkes-Barre
John J. Marcinkevicz Jr. ’61, Vista, California
Gerald N. Dougherty ’63, York
Joseph L. Spear ’63, Annville
James Patrick D'Iorio, M.D. ’66, Forty Fort
Virginia Serino G’68, Pittston
James J. Deice ’69, Pittston
Phillip S. Froncek ’73, Brodheadsville
William T. Taylor ’73, Lansdowne
Michael O. O’Boyle ’74, Scranton
John J. Cipriano, M.D. ’75, Dunmore
Robert K. Davis ’75, Scranton
Annette Schmidlin Young G’83, Lakeville
Mark A. Singer ’84, Hughestown
FRIENDS' DEATHS
John Schmidt Sr., father of Emilie Schmidt '77, John Schmidt Jr. '78 and Paul Schmidt '80
Alumni Class Notes, April 2024
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03/05/2024
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
John C. Miller G’85, Fairfield, Iowa, and his wife, Vina, recently returned from an experience to help propagate peace initiatives throughout the world. This 15-day event was hosted by the TM (Transcendental Meditation) group at an ashram in India (Kanha) near Hyderabad. It was attended by 11,000 people from 139 countries.
James P McGraw III, DMSc, MPAS, PA ’90, Peachtree City, Georgia, has been selected by the Best in Georgia Magazine as one of the "Top Doctors" in the state for 2024.
Suzanne Messina Messer ’01, Cicero, New York, has assumed the position of deputy managing member in the Syracuse office of Bond, Schoeneck and King.
Dale J. Bauman ’04, Buffalo, New York, an attorney, was named Senior Partner at Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria, LLP. Dale practices civil litigation in New York and Florida.
MARRIAGES
Shannon Clarke '07 to Steve Carvalho '05
Taggart McGurrin '10, G'11 to Melissa (DeSalvo) McGurrin
Brittany Kenney ’15 to Gene Calabro
Matthew DeMello '16 to Sarah Yoffredo '13
Bryn Frankhouser '16, G'17 to Eddie Hannon '16
Kevin Bowery ’21 to Liz Filachek '21, G'22
BIRTHS
A daughter, Olivia Rose, to Bridget and Matthew Tirella '09
A daughter, Adelaide, to Kim Sorace '16 and Eddie Sorace '14
A daughter, Grace, to Kaitlyn Vito '16 and Kyle Vito '14
A daughter, Arden, to Gabrielle Pierce ’14, DPT ’17
DEATHS
Jack S. Gorelick, Ph.D. ’41, Brooklyn, New York
John M. Kennedy ’50, Framingham, Massachusetts
Louis A. Naglak ’55, Doylestown
John J. Capone ’57, Indianapolis, Indiana
Edward D. Kazakavich ’59, Bedford, New Hampshire
Joseph E. Stachnick ’60, Covington Township
Earl B. Allison ’65, Seminole, Florida
Judith Chiampi Barone G’68, West Pittston
Richard J. Brust ’72, Scranton
James P. Mecca ’72, Dunmore
Gregory G. Sereditch ’80, Scranton
David E. Allegrucci ’84, Buckeye, Arizona
John E. Enders, Ph.D. G’89, Dalton
Julia Larioni Ludka ’97, G’98, South Abington Township
Kyrsten “Kay” Belles ’22, Scranton
FRIENDS' DEATHS
Harold J. “Mack” McCambridge, father of Mary M. McCambridge ’79
Louis E. DeVirgilis, father of Eric C. DeVirgilis '86
Gloria Ann Cheslock, mother of Craig Lukatch '00 and Loni (Lukatch) Cinoski '02
Kathleen Warrick, mother of Kimberly Warrick Mongiello ‘05
Alumni Class Notes, March 2024
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03/05/2024
The University of Scranton Office of Alumni Engagement has launched an Alumni Small-Business Online Directory. Register your small business today and browse the directory to support your fellow Royals.
This online directory provides a platform for alumni business owners to showcase their success while doubling as a resource for Royals to purchase products from their fellow Royals.
All businesses on the directory must be owned by University of Scranton alumni. Register here to list your business on the directory, and visit this link to browse the listings.
Register Your Small Business in the Alumni Small-Business Online Directory
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03/05/2024
The University will hold a reunion for graduates of the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts program Saturday, April 6. Register here to reserve your spot today.
For more information, contact alumni@scranton.edu.Register Today for the SJLA Reunion April 6
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03/05/2024
The University has confirmed several sites for its annual Day of Service event, which will take place on Saturday, April 13. Register today to show the world the meaning of #Royals4Others.
Marina Del Rey, California
Royals near Marina Del Rey will have the opportunity to clean up Dockweiler State Beach with Heal The Bay from 9-11 a.m. Register here to participate in this project.
Atlanta
Royals in the Atlanta area will have the opportunity to beautify Grant Park by working with Hands on Atlanta: Grant Park Conservancy from 9 a.m.-noon. Volunteers must 16 or older. Register here to participate in this project.
Chicago
Royals in the Chicago area will have the opportunity to repack bulk food for distribution at the Greater Chicago Food Depository from 8:30-11:15 a.m. Register here to participate in this project.
Boston
Royals in the greater Boston area will have the opportunity to serve either breakfast or dinner to veterans at the New England Home for Veterans in Boston. The breakfast service will run from 9:45 - 11 a.m., and the dinner service will run from 3:45 - 5 p.m. Register here to participate in this project.
New York City
Royals in the Big Apple will have the opportunity to prepare meals for lunch at Bowery Mission from 10 a.m. - noon. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old to participate. Register here to participate in this project.
Brooklyn
Royals in the Brooklyn area will have the opportunity to participate in Brooklyn Jesuit Prep's Saturday program from 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Volunteers will work on a project, assist with homework and play games. Register here to participate in this project.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Royals near Raleigh, North Carolina, will have the opportunity to serve the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina from 9 a.m. - noon. Volunteers will sort and bag produce, build CSFP boxes for senior citizens, sort and inspect food drive donations, bag cereal, rice or pasta into family-size bags, and assist in other ways as needed. Volunteers must be 12 or older, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Register here to participate in this project.
Harrisburg
Royals near Harrisburg will have the opportunity to serve at the Central PA Food Bank from 9 a.m. - noon. Volunteers will pack boxes of food for one of the food bank's many programs. Volunteers must be 14 or older, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Register here to participate in this project.
Philadelphia
Royals near the City of Brotherly Love will have the opportunity to serve The Drueding Center from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Register here to participate in this project.
Dunmore
Royals in Northeastern Pennsylvania will have the opportunity to serve at St. Joseph's Center Baby and Food Pantry from 9 a.m. - noon. Volunteers will assist with cleaning up the exterior of the facility; in the event of inclement weather, volunteers will work on an indoor project. Lunch will be served. Register here to participate in this project.
Washington, D.C.
Royals near Washington, D.C., will have the opportunity to serve the Arlington Food Assistance Center from 1 - 2:30 p.m. Volunteers will bag produce, sort non-perishable, donated food, and bag and seal dry goods. Volunteers must be 12 or older, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Register here to participate in this project.
If you don't see a service site in your region, volunteer in your community April 13 and tell us about it by contacting alumni@scranton.edu.
Register Today for The Day of Service
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03/05/2024
The University of Scranton is proud to announce a series of alumni events that will celebrate the Scranton spirit over spring break.
The festivities kick off in Estero, Florida, where Scranton alumni, parents and friends are invited to a reception at Duffy's Sports Grill on Monday, March 11, from 7 to 9 p.m. Attendees will enjoy beer, wine, soda and appetizers for $20 per person.
Register for the Estero reception here
Next, University alumni, parents and friends on Long Island are invited to cheer on the Men’s Lacrosse team Saturday, March 16, as they face Trinity College (Conn.) at St. Joseph’s University (LI) Outdoor Field Complex in Patchogue at 2 p.m. Royals are also invited to attend a post-game reception at Drift 82 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. The $25 post-game reception fee includes an open bar and appetizers.
Register for the Long Island post-game reception here
Finally, Scranton will head to Myrtle Beach for another exciting event! Join University of Scranton alumni, parents and friends for a reception at Putters Pub, located at 5183 Barefoot Resort, Bridge Road, North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on Thursday, March 14, from 7 to 9 p.m. Admission is $20 per person and includes beer, wine, soda and appetizers.
Register for the Myrtle Beach reception here
Join us as we celebrate The University of Scranton community and its enduring bonds.
Scranton Alumni To Gather for Spring Break Events
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03/05/2024
Members of the Classes of 2020-2024 will celebrate the 14th annual Shamrockin' Eve in the Byron Recreation Complex March 8.
Visit the Shamrockin' Eve Alumni Registration Page to register today, or visit scranton.edu/shamrockin to learn more about this year's festivities.
Shamrockin' Eve Returns March 8
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02/07/2024
The University has confirmed several sites for its annual Day of Service event, which will take place on Saturday, April 13.
Boston
Royals in the greater Boston area will have the opportunity to serve either breakfast or dinner to veterans at the New England Home for Veterans in Boston. The breakfast service will run from 9:45 - 11 a.m., and the dinner service will run from 3:45 - 5 p.m. Register here to participate in this project.
New York City
Royals in the Big Apple will have the opportunity to prepare meals for lunch at Bowery Mission from 10 a.m. - noon. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old to participate. Register here to participate in this project.
Brooklyn
Royals in the Brooklyn area will have the opportunity to participate in Brooklyn Jesuit Prep's Saturday program from 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Volunteers will work on a project, assist with homework and play games. Register here to participate in this project.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Royals near Raleigh, North Carolina, will have the opportunity to serve the Food Bank of Central &. Eastern North Carolina from 9 a.m. - noon. Volunteers will sort and bag produce, build CSFP boxes for senior citizens, sort and inspect food drive donations, bag cereal, rice or pasta into family-size bags, and assist in other ways as needed. Volunteers must be 12 or older, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Register here to participate in this project.
Harrisburg
Royals near Harrisburg will have the opportunity to serve at the Central PA Food Bank from 9 a.m. - noon. Volunteers will pack boxes of food for one of the food bank's many programs. Volunteers must be 14 or older, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Register here to participate in this project.
Philadelphia
Royals near the City of Brotherly Love will have the opportunity to serve The Drueding Center from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Register here to participate in this project.
Dunmore
Royals in Northeastern Pennsylvania will have the opportunity to serve at St. Joseph's Center Baby and Food Pantry from 9 a.m. - noon. Volunteers will assist with cleaning up the exterior of the facility; in the event of inclement weather, volunteers will work on an indoor project. Lunch will be served. Register here to participate in this project.
Washington, D.C.
Royals near Washington, D.C., will have the opportunity to serve the Arlington Food Assistance Center from 1 - 2:30 p.m. Volunteers will bag produce, sort non-perishable, donated food, and bag and seal dry goods. Volunteers must be 12 or older, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Register here to participate in this project.
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.
University Announces Day of Service Sites
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02/06/2024
The University will hold a Royal Meet-up in Clearwater, Florida, at Baycare Ballpark as the Philadelphia Phillies take on the Minnesota Twins March 2.
A pre-game buffet will begin at noon, and the first pitch will be thrown at 1:05 p.m. Tickets to the event, which include a game ticket and the pre-game buffet, will be $50. Register here today.
Royals To Meet at Spring Training March 2
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02/06/2024
The Council of Alumni Lawyers (CAL) will hold a networking reception with University of Scranton Pre-Law Society students at The Orange Lawn Tennis Club in South Orange, New Jersey, March 1 at 5 p.m.
The cocktail and hors d'oeuvre reception will give alumni lawyers the chance to meet both their fellow alumni attorneys in the South Orange area and current students interested in a legal career. Register for the reception here today.
CAL To Hold Networking Reception in NJ With Pre-Law Society Students March 1
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02/06/2024
The University of Scranton Office of Alumni Engagement has launched an Alumni Small-Business Online Directory.
This online directory provides a platform for alumni business owners to showcase their success while doubling as a resource for Royals to purchase products from their fellow Royals.
All businesses on the directory must be owned by University of Scranton alumni. Register here to list your business on the directory, and visit this link to browse the listings.
University Launches Alumni Small-Business Online Directory
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02/06/2024
The University will hold three receptions in California in March with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President.
On Tuesday, March 5, Royals will meet in the San Francisco area; on Wednesday, March 6, Royals will gather in the San Diego area; and, on Thursday, March 7, Royals will meet in the Los Angeles area. Registration and venue information will be available soon.
University To Hold Presidential Receptions in California in March
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02/06/2024
The University will hold three cocktail receptions with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, in Florida in Feb. and March.
On Wednesday, Feb. 28, Royals will meet up at The Bear's Club in Jupiter at 5 p.m. This event will be hosted by Art '53, H'89 and Angela Kania. Register here today.
On Thursday, Feb. 29, Royals will gather at Gordon Ramsay Hell's Kitchen in Miami at 6 p.m. Register here today.
On Friday, March 1, Royals will meet up at St. Kitts At Crown Colony in Pelican Bay at 5:30 p.m. This event will be hosted by John A. '66 and Ellen Walsh. Register here today.
Register Today for Presidential Receptions in Florida Feb. 28-March 1
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02/06/2024
The University is delighted to invite alumni to the Royals 2 Royals Networking Reception with current students on Friday, Feb. 23. The event will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall, located on the fifth floor of 320 Madison Avenue in Scranton.
This engaging networking opportunity offers a platform for casual conversations between alumni and students. Our students are eager to learn from alumni about their post-Scranton careers and experiences. Refreshments will be served, creating a relaxed atmosphere conducive to meaningful interactions.
Following the reception, alumni are encouraged to join us at Backyard Alehouse from 8 to 9 p.m. for additional socializing over drinks and appetizers. Register here to reserve your spot today.
For additional inquiries or more information, please contact us via email at alumni@scranton.edu.
Register Today for 'Royals 2 Royals' Networking Event for Alumni and Students Feb. 23
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02/06/2024
The University of Scranton is pleased to announce a Day of Prayer and Reflection to be held on Sunday, March 3, at The Loyola Jesuit Center, 161 James Street, Morristown, New Jersey. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The spiritual retreat, themed "Finding God in All Things," will be led by Rev. Paul Brian Campbell, S.J. Participants will engage in topical discussions, attend Mass, experience a gathering of graces, and enjoy a continental breakfast and lunch throughout the day.
The registration fee for the spiritual retreat is $75 per person, which includes continental breakfast, lunch, and the retreat program. Alumni, parents, and friends of the University can register here for the event.
For inquiries or additional information, please contact us via email at alumni@scranton.edu.
Register Today for the Spiritual Retreat March 3
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02/06/2024
The University has opened registration for the 14th annual Shamrockin' Eve, a celebration for the Classes of 2020-2024 that will take place in the Byron Recreation Complex March 8.
Visit the Shamrockin' Eve Alumni Registration Page to register today, or visit scranton.edu/shamrockin to learn more about this year's festivities.
Register Today for 14th Annual Shamrockin' Eve March 8
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02/06/2024
The University will hold a reunion for graduates of the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts program Saturday, April 6.
Registration will open soon. For more information, contact alumni@scranton.edu.
Reminder: Save The Date for the SJLA Reunion April 6
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02/06/2024
The University will celebrate Reunion Weekend 2024 from June 14-16. Registration for the event will open in the spring.
The “Planning to Attend” list for Reunion Weekend 2024 has officially opened. Visit this link to add your name to the Planning to Attend list, and visit the Planning to Attend page to see which of your classmates is planning to attend the festivities. For more information, visit scranton.edu/reunion or email alumni@scranton.edu.
Reminder: Save The Date for Reunion June 14-16
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02/06/2024
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Melinda C. Ghilardi ’80, Dunmore, a trial lawyer at Munley Law, recently co-moderated the criminal panel of the Federal Practice Institute sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, the CLE arm of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
Michael Griffin ’81, Colton, New York, and his wife Nancy are the recipients of the 2022-2023 Canton-Potsdam Hospital Board of Directors Community Service Award. The award is the highest honor bestowed by the hospital board and is given to individuals or organizations that have improved the health of communities in the region.
Peter Butera ’83, Harveys Lake, and his team, The Butera Jordan Bender Hendricks group of Janney Montgomery Scott, were named to the Forbes 2024 Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams list. The ranking, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on client retention, experience, AUM, and several other factors.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, of Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, presented at the American Association of Justice’s (AAJ) Truck Litigation Group Members Only Meeting in Florida on “Rule of 3."
Lisa Witowski Shearman ’89, Lansdale, a principal at the firm Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin, has been elected president of the Montgomery Bar Association. Shearman is the 8th woman president and 139th president of the Montgomery Bar Association.
Peter Stockschlaeder ’91, Potomac, Maryland, currently works for GRSi, a subsidiary of DLH Corporation, as a project manager and the Mac Engineering team lead on the company's contract at the National Institute of Mental Health in Rockville, Maryland. He is a recipient of the 2023 NIMH Director's Award as part of the IT Data Center Engineering Team, which contributed to enhancing technology service delivery at the agency.
Eric D. Brophy ’92, Wall, New Jersey, was named to the ROI Influencers Power List: 2024 Economic Development. Brophy is the executive chief of staff for economic growth in the Governor of New Jersey’s Office.
Wesley Meehan ’14, Philadelphia, has joined Fox Rothschild in the Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, office as an associate in the Labor & Employment Department.
Cynthia Buchman G’17, Orefield, vice president of strategic planning and operation services at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation, was named the recipient of the Lee/Haney Award for Senior Leadership by ACHE of Eastern Pennsylvania.
MARRIAGES
Stephanie Longo ’03, G’06 to Sean Brennan, Ph.D
Alena Eckstein ’09 to James Voytek
Laurel Coyle ’11 to Corey Rudalavage
Lauren Carosi ’16 to Ryan Pattis
Emily D’Antonio ’17, DPT ’20 to Michael Montague ’18, DPT ’21
DEATHS
John M. Kennedy ’50, Framingham, Massachusetts
Andrew A. Fioriti ’56, Jacksonville, Florida
Hon. Anthony F. Mantione ’57, Harrisburg
Michael Labonich ’58, Jermyn
Anthony C. Romeo ’59, Washington, D.C.
William J. Young ’59, South Abington Township
James J. Farrell ’62, Metuchen, New Jersey
Joseph D. Ceccoli Sr. ’65, Levittown
Gerard J. Hyland ’67, Durham, North Carolina
John R. Burns, Ed.D. ’69, Philadelphia
Louis T. Corbett ’69, Seattle, Washington
Carolann G. Puk G’71, Kingston
Michael J. O’Malley ’75, Tamaqua
Teresa Joseph Drogalis ’77, Duryea
Sr. Elizabeth Szilvasi, MPF G’77, Watertown, New York
Elaine M. Herrick, M.D. ’82, Yonkers, New York
Timothy J. Corcoran ’84, Mount Holly, New Jersey
Diana Barber Githler ’90, Corning, New York
Catherine A. Conway G’03, Scranton
John Kozlowski ’15, Huntington Station, New York
Allison M. Reynolds G’16, Hockessen, Delaware
Alumni Class Notes, February 2024
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01/10/2024
The University of Scranton Athletic Department will induct six new members into its Wall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 3.
The Class of 2024 is comprised of Kristen (Best) Higgins '04 (Women's Swimming & Diving), Travis Farrell '13 (Men's Basketball), Jerry Rivers '82 (Wrestling), Samantha Russo '13 (Women's Soccer), Katie Slade '11 (Women's Lacrosse) and Joe Veselovsky '09 (Men's Swimming & Diving).
An induction ceremony will take place between games of a men's and women's basketball doubleheader against Catholic at the John Long Center.
There will also be inductee remarks and a cocktail reception to be held at 5:30 p.m. on campus. Register here to be a part of Scranton history.
The Wall of Fame was founded in 1970 to honor student-athletes, administrators and those in the community who have been instrumental in the overall development of the University's athletics program. This year's class brings the Wall's membership to 286.
Kristen (Best) Higgins – Women's Swimming & Diving, 2000-04
A four-year member of the women's swimming & diving team, Best was a two-time Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) champion in the 1650 freestyle and a member of two 800 free relay winning teams. She posted 11 top-six finishes in MAC championship events during her career and helped lead the Royals to a conference title in 2004.
Best holds the second-fastest time in program history in both the 1,000 and 1650 freestyle as well as the fourth-best time in the 500 free.
Travis Farrell – Men's Basketball, 2009-13
Farrell ranks second in program history in steals (222), fourth in steals per game (2.1) and 11th in three-pointers made with 139. In 2011-12, he earned D3hoops.com All-Region and Landmark Conference Defensive Player of the Year accolades as Scranton advanced to the Elite Eight.
A three-time All-Landmark Conference selection, he is the only player in program history to record 1,000 career points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists and 200 steals, and is also one of two players all-time to lead the team in steals during all four years of his career.
Farrell helped lead Scranton to two Landmark Conference titles and an 80-32 overall record for a winning percentage of .714.
Jerry Rivers – Wrestling, 1978-82
Rivers is one of 13 NCAA qualifiers in program history as he accomplished the feat at 162 pounds in 1982. During his time at Scranton, he placed second in the weight class at the 1982 MAC Championships and sixth in 1980.
Holding a career record of 45-11-1, Rivers ranks 10th all-time in program history in winning percentage at .798.
Samantha Russo – Women's Soccer, 2010-13
A three-time USCAA All-Region selection, Russo ranks in the top 20 in program history in assists (23, T-8th), total points (87, T-9th) and goals (32, 11th). She earned All-Landmark First Team honors in all four years of her career along with receiving Rookie of the Year in 2010 and Offensive Player of the Year in 2013.
The Royals captured three consecutive Landmark Conference titles from 2010-2012 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament in all four years of her career. Russo helped guide Scranton to a 53-19-12 record (.702) and an unbeaten 20-0-4 mark in Landmark play.
Russo capped her career by being recognized as The University's 2014 recipient of the annual O'Hara Award, presented to the top male and female student-athlete in the graduating class.
In the classroom, Russo was named to the 2013 CoSIDA District IV All-Academic Team and was a two-time member of the Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll.
Katie Slade – Women's Lacrosse (2008-11)
Slade was a four-time All-Landmark Conference selection during her career and holds the program's career record in caused turnovers at 123. She also ranks fourth in ground balls with 195 and ninth in draw controls with 130.
Her caused turnover and ground ball totals rank fourth and sixth all-time in Landmark Conference history, respectively.
Slade helped guide the Royals to 32 victories and a pair of Landmark playoff appearances during her career. She was also the 2011 co-recipient of The University's Carlesimo Award, presented annually to a male and female senior student-athlete for outstanding athletic and academic success.
Joe Veselovsky – Men's Swimming & Diving (2005-09)
Veselovsky closed his career as one of the most decorated swimmers in Scranton history as he earned 2008 Landmark Conference Male Swimmer of the Year honors after winning the 200 IM, 400 IM and 200 butterfly at the conference championships. He also won the 400 IM at the 2007 MAC Championships.
A 10-time individual medalist at conference championship meets, he was also a member of six top-three relay teams. Veselovsky is also the only four-time conference champion in program history.
He continues to hold the program record in the 400 IM with a time of 4:13.02 that was set on Feb. 10, 2007, which is the longest-standing program record. Veselovsky also holds the second-fastest time in the 200 fly, sixth-best in 200 IM and seventh-best in the 100 fly.
Scranton's second-place finish at the 2009 Landmark Championships was the best finish in program history at the time.
University To Induct Wall of Fame Class of 2024 Feb. 3
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01/10/2024
In December, hundreds of alumni, parents and friends of the University celebrated the Christmas season with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, at receptions in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., New York City, Boston and Scranton.
Visit the following links to see photos from the events:
Philadelphia Christmas Reception at The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia
Washington, D.C., Christmas Reception at The St. Regis Hotel
New York City Christmas Reception at The Harmonie Club
Royals Celebrate Christmas At Presidential Receptions
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01/09/2024
The University will hold its annual Day of Service Saturday, April 13. If you are interested in planning a service project in your region, please email margery.gleason@scranton.edu. For more information, visit scranton.edu/dayofservice.
Save The Date For The Day Of Service April 13
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01/09/2024
The University is delighted to invite alumni to the Royals 2 Royals Networking Reception with current students on Friday, Feb. 23. The event will take place from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall, located on the fifth floor of 320 Madison Avenue in Scranton.
This engaging networking opportunity offers a platform for casual conversations between alumni and students. Our students are eager to learn from alumni about their post-Scranton careers and experiences. Refreshments will be served, creating a relaxed atmosphere conducive to meaningful interactions.
Following the reception, alumni are encouraged to join us at Backyard Alehouse from 8 to 9 p.m. for additional socializing over drinks and appetizers. Register here to reserve your spot today.
For additional inquiries or more information, please contact us via email at alumni@scranton.edu.
University To Host 'Royals 2 Royals' Networking Event for Alumni and Students Feb. 23
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01/09/2024
The University of Scranton is pleased to announce a Day of Prayer and Reflection to be held on Sunday, March 3, at The Loyola Jesuit Center, 161 James Street, Morristown, New Jersey. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The spiritual retreat, themed "Finding God in All Things," will be led by Rev. Paul Brian Campbell, S.J. Participants will engage in topical discussions, attend Mass, experience a gathering of graces, and enjoy a continental breakfast and lunch throughout the day.
The registration fee for the spiritual retreat is $75 per person, which includes continental breakfast, lunch, and the retreat program. Alumni, parents, and friends of the University can register here for the event.
For inquiries or additional information, please contact us via email at alumni@scranton.edu.University To Hold Spiritual Retreat March 3
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01/09/2024
The University will hold several events in Florida in Feb. and March of 2024.
On Wednesday, Feb. 28, Royals will meet up in the Jupiter/Palm Beach area. On Thursday, Feb. 29, alumni, parents and friends of the University will congregate in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area. On Friday, March 1, Royals in the Naples/Fort Myers area will get together, and, on Saturday, March 2, alumni, parents and friends of the University will gather in the Tampa/Clearwater area.
Registration and venue information will be available in future issues of Royal News.
Reminder: University To Hold Florida Events in February and March
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01/09/2024
The University of Scranton will hold a Presidential Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, at Baltusrol Golf Club, 210 Shunpike Road, Springfield, New Jersey, Jan. 24 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Register here to meet up with your fellow Royals in the Garden State.
University To Hold New Jersey Presidential Reception Jan. 24
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01/08/2024
The University has opened registration for the 14th annual Shamrockin' Eve, a celebration for the Classes of 2020-2024 that will take place in the Byron Recreation Complex March 8.
Visit the Shamrockin' Eve Alumni Registration Page to register today, or visit scranton.edu/shamrockin to learn more about this year's festivities.
University Opens Registration For 14th Annual Shamrockin' Eve March 8
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01/08/2024
The Scranton Club of NEPA is excited to announce a thrilling event for The Alumni Society of the University of Scranton. On Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, alumni, parents and friends of the University are invited to partake in the excitement of a heart-pounding hockey game at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins face off against the Hershey Bears.
The game will begin at 6:05 p.m. Tickets for the event, which include a $4 food voucher and a Penguins giveaway scarf, are available for $21 per person.
To secure your place at this event, please register here. Don't miss this chance to cheer on your favorite team!
Reminder: Scranton Club of NEPA To Host Electrifying Evening Of Hockey Jan. 27
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01/08/2024
The University of Scranton Men's Basketball team will battle Moravian on Sunday, Jan. 14, as part of a full day of Landmark Conference men's and women's hoops action at The Palestra in Philadelphia.
The University will host a pre-game reception for alumni, parents and friends of the University at 5 p.m. at New Deck Tavern. The $20 reception fee includes appetizers and two drink tickets. Note: A ticket to the game is not included in the reception fee. Game time for the Royals will begin at 7:30 p.m. Register today for the pre-game reception.
Reminder: University To Host Philadelphia Pre-Game Reception Jan. 14
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01/08/2024
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Michael Banas, M.D. '83, Dallas, recently published his tenth novel in the medical mystery genre titled "Saving Chopin," a modern-day medical examination of Polish composer Fryderyk Chopin.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, was awarded the 2023 “Mel Award” by the Melvin M. Belli Society. The Mel Award is given to an attorney “who made a significant contribution to the practice of trial law in America.” The Melvin M. Belli Society is an international group of trial lawyers dedicated to preserving and enhancing the Belli legal legacy of promoting courtroom excellence. Munley is the past president of the Society.
John. E. Little ’86, Virginia Beach, Virginia, is in his 12th and final year on the Board of the College of William & Mary, where he and his wife, Marianne, were recently named honorary alumni. Little currently serves as Virginia’s Secretary of Health and Human Resources, where he oversees 12 state agencies and leads a major effort to transform the state’s behavioral health system.
Lisa B. Shearman ’89, Lansdale, a principal in the firm Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell and Lupin PC, was a speaker at the Philadelphia Bar Institute’s Estate Law Institute. Shearman spoke on “411 on 911:POLST (Portable Medical Orders), Healthcare Power of Attorneys (POAs) & Living Wills."
Christen Gilmore Pionzio ’91, Doylestown, a principal of the firm Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin, was listed in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for Land and Zoning law.
Jim McNulty ’96, Gaithersburg, Maryland, was elected vice president of the Gaithersburg City Council for the 2024 legislative year. Gaithersburg is Maryland’s third largest city, with a population of just under 70,000 people. McNulty is entering the third year of his first four-year term on the Council.
Cynthia A. Buchman G’07, Orefield, vice president of Strategic Planning and Operating Services at Good Shephard Rehabilitation, was named the recipient of the Lee/Haney Award for Senior Leadership by ACHE of Eastern Pennsylvania. The Lee/Haney Award annually recognizes those regional ACHE members who embody the mission and vision of ACHE.
Ashley E. Teatum ’09, Durham, North Carolina, was named to the Association of Proposal Management Professionals 40 under 40 list for 2023. This list features proposal management professionals noted for winning big, giving back to their communities and going above and beyond in positioning their teams for success.
Shohin Vance '11, Philadelphia, has been named a partner with the firm Kleinbard, effective January 1, 2024. Vance is a partner in the Litigation Department and will continue to support the Government Relations and Political Law Groups and focus his practice on appellate litigation, litigation involving governmental entities and officials, State and Federal Constitutional matters, and grand jury investigations.
MARRIAGES
Julie Frey '13, G'14 to Dan Donahue '13
Denise Rizzo ’17 to Brandon Pasapane ’17, G’18DEATHS
LTC. Ralph A. DiSanto, USA, Ret. ’48, Deerfield Beach, Florida
Andrew Yurkanin ’50, Mountaintop
Raymond P. Ardoline ’55, Alexandria, Virginia
John S. Glooch ’55, Camp Hill
Donald J. Booth ’58, Waverly, Township
Robert J. Sylvester ’58, Clarks Summit
William G. Connolly ’59, Garwood, New Jersey
Joseph P. McGraw ’60, Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Paul F. Crawley ’61, Harrisburg
David D. Evans ’62, Milburn, New Jersey
Patrick D. McNelis ’62, Washington, D.C.
Francis A. O’Bell ’62, Peckville
Angelo J. Vergnetti ’63, Scottsdale, Arizona
Michael C. Egan, M.D. ’64, Bellevue, Washington
Stephen F. Durkin ’77, Carbondale
Ralph J. Riviello ’82, Dunmore
Philip M. Gogarty IV ’88, Barnegat, New Jersey
James H. Hambrose ’89, Easthampton, New Jersey
Kenneth S. Fekete ’92, Chatham, New JerseyFRIENDS' DEATHS
Eileen Daly, mother of John Daly '84, G'95 and Brendan Daly '88, and grandmother of Patrick Daly '11 and Allison Daly Buzzetta '13
Albert DiSantis, father of John DiSantis '79
Alumni Class Notes, January 2024
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12/06/2023
The University will hold several events in Florida in Feb. and March of 2024.
On Wednesday, Feb. 28, Royals will meet up in the Jupiter/Palm Beach area. On Thursday, Feb. 29, alumni, parents and friends of the University will congregate in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area. On Friday, March 1, Royals in the Naples/Fort Myers area will get together, and, on Saturday, March 2, alumni parents and friends of the University will gather in the Tampa/Clearwater area.
Registration and venue information will be available in early 2024.
University To Hold Florida Events In February and March
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12/06/2023
By Grace Whittam ’24
While navigating across the DeNaples Center, Brennan Hall and the lacrosse field during his student days, Matt Grilli ’19 fell in love with the sense of community he found on The University of Scranton campus. Today, he charts a new course through the business world as an account executive on the sales team of SiriusXM Media, a broadcasting corporation with over 5,800 employees.“There’s never a bad day in Scranton. There may be a rainy one, but never a bad one,” Grilli said.
Grilli, 26, of Chatham, New Jersey, graduated from The University of Scranton in 2019 with a degree in marketing. His interest in marketing and advertising was initially piqued during his junior year of high school by a guest speaker at a school event.
“Marketing was a good mix, in my eyes, to work in business, which was interesting to me, but (being) on the more creative front of everything and helping brands’ success through advertising was my true interest,” Grilli said.
A scion of a family where nearly everyone studied at a Jesuit university, Grilli said his family’s commitment to Jesuit education helped narrow his search for the right college. Early into that process, Grilli found that he gravitated toward a smaller school environment, which made Scranton a great fit.
“From my two visits, I knew that I would fit in with the student body,” he said. “The people at Scranton are welcoming, whether you are on the hill, in the classroom, or out and about on campus. It’s a great feeling to know that people have your back around campus, and somehow I felt that the moment I stepped on the campus.”
The Kania School of Management at The University of Scranton and its dedicated professors exposed Grilli to a variety of knowledge in and out of the classroom. This included studying investment strategies through the Bloomberg Terminals, marketing and advertising techniques, and even exploring the various religions of the world. Grilli appreciated the uniqueness of Jesuit education’s commitment to learning about all types of faith traditions, including those outside of the Catholic and Christian realms.
“Going to a school that had these values, that put emphasis on having smaller classes and a true focus on education, is so evident at Scranton, and it’s such a special part of the education,” Grilli said.
During Grilli’s time in Scranton, he became involved in various activities, including the business club, the marketing society and the Men’s Lacrosse team, which he played on for the entirety of his college experience. Additionally, he participated in entrepreneur society events and community service programs, and he never missed a dinner on the third floor of the DeNaples Center.
“Third floor was an every evening thing for us after lacrosse practice,” Grilli said. “You’re sharing and breaking bread with your closest friends all in one place.
“It’s really a special place.”
Men’s Lacrosse was instrumental in forming Grilli’s deep sense of community while at Scranton. A four-year goalie on the team, Grilli took underclassmen under his wing as he grew older, serving as a mentor on and off the field. Some of his favorite memories originated from the team’s spring break trips, where the bonding that occurred often made up for missing Scranton’s parade day festivities.
“Being able to leave college and be friends with not only people who were in my graduating class, but with people who were two, three or four, even, years younger or older than me was really important,” he said. “I was still able to feel close to the school four years after I graduated because I still had friends and teammates there.”
Every year around Thanksgiving, the lacrosse team assisted local food shelters with delivering prepared meals for Thanksgiving Day feasts. Grilli and many of his teammates were recruited by Rev. Daniel Sweeney, S.J., assistant professor of political science and faculty athletic advisor, to join the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal service organization. Grilli said the sense of community he loved at Scranton evolved even further through the volunteer events he participated in with the Knights of Columbus and through Fr. Sweeney, who said occasional Masses for the team on Sunday mornings.
“(Fr. Sweeney) was very close with the team,” Grilli said. “Being able to have a priest and that element of faith active in our team and larger community was so great.”
During his senior year, Grilli utilized the connections he’d made through networking to explore whether a career in advertising might be a good fit for him.
“I think it’s important to use your network and to be guided to help solidify your interests and passions,” he said. “I’m feeling really good about the career so far, and I owe it all to the people who (helped) me my senior year and my first year working on the agency side.”
Grilli began his career in advertising work at an agency called Essence shortly after graduating. After nearly nine months in the workforce, however, the world drastically changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As Zoom meetings and remote work became the new norm, that sense of community Grilli valued began to diminish, making it harder for him to establish himself as a new employee in the workforce and build relationships with clients and colleagues.
“It's easy to be the first one in and the last one to leave when you can see everyone, but it’s a little harder when you’re online,” Grilli said. “The Covid situation made me work a lot harder.”
About two-and-a-half years ago, he transitioned away from advertising and took a position on the sales side of operations with SiriusXM Media. Since starting with Sirius, Grilli has been happy to be back in the office, where spending time with his coworkers in a collaborative environment has rekindled the sense of community he found he sorely missed during the height of the pandemic.
“It may be more difficult to commute into an office, but once you are there, I think it is very rewarding from a business and mental health standpoint,” he said.
Grilli said he appreciates the culture and environment within SiriusXM Media, which he compares to the comradery he found walking the halls of the DeNaples Center.
In terms of advice for seniors, Grilli emphasized the importance of trusting that Scranton is helping seniors get to the place they want to be in their career. As long as they are putting in their best effort, students should trust that the first job or school acceptance will come.
“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself,” he said. “Make sure to have a super fun senior year, but have as many conversations as you can, whether that be by connecting on LinkedIn with different alumni or other connections.
“Getting on the phone with those people already in the workforce is something I would say is really important if you’re having doubts about what to do next.”
Also, he encouraged all seniors to broaden their social circles by proactively meeting at least 10 new people during the course of senior year, a practice he said significantly enhanced his college experience.
“Keep those special relationships close in the years after graduation and be sure to see those people as much as you can,” Grilli said.
Alumni Spotlight: Matt Grilli '19
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12/06/2023
The University will hold the 14th annual Shamrockin' Eve Friday, March 8, at 8 p.m. in the Byron Recreational Complex.
Royals from the Classes of 2020-2023 are invited to return to campus to celebrate with the members of the Class of 2024. Registration will open in January. For more information, visit scranton.edu/shamrockin.
Save The Date For Shamrockin' Eve March 8
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12/06/2023
The University will hold a reunion for graduates of the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts program Saturday, April 6.
Registration will open in February. For more information, contact alumni@scranton.edu.
Save The Date For The SJLA Reunion April 6
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12/06/2023
The University of Scranton will hold regional Christmas receptions in the Lehigh Valley, New York City, Boston and New Jersey. Register today to celebrate the season with alumni, parents and friends of the University in your region:
Dec. 6: Lehigh Valley Christmas Dinner6-8:30 p.m.
Hampton Winds - Northampton Community College
Hartzell Hall
3835 Green Pond Road
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Registration for this event has closed.Dec. 7: New York City Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President
6-8 p.m.
The Harmonie Club
4 E 60th St
New York, New York
Register hereDec. 8: Boston Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President6-8 p.m.
Carrie Nation Cocktail Club
11 Beacon Street
Boston, Massachusetts
Register hereJan. 24, 2024: New Jersey Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President
6-8 p.m.
Baltusrol Golf Club
201 Shunpike Road
Springfield, New Jersey
Registration will open soon.Additionally, the University held regional Christmas receptions in Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit scranton.edu/christmas.
University To Hold Regional Christmas Receptions
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12/06/2023
The University of Scranton recently received a generous gift from Gerhard and the late Marlene Ertingshausen for the establishment of The Central American Graduate Scholarship.
Over the years, Gerhard and Marlene spent a great deal of time in Central America, falling in love with its people and culture. They established the scholarship in the hope that its recipients will utilize the knowledge they receive at Scranton to better their home communities.
The scholarship will benefit graduate students from Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama pursuing master’s level programs in business administration or software engineering. Strong preference will be given to applicants with demonstrated financial need and some prior work experience. The scholarship will be awarded to on-campus, resident students in an amount to cover the full cost of tuition, room and board, textbooks and supplies, and travel expenditures.
For more information on The Central American Graduate Scholarship, please contact eric.eckenrode@scranton.edu.University Establishes New Central American Graduate Scholarship Program
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12/05/2023
On Nov. 28, more than 300 alumni, parents and friends of The University of Scranton joined together to raise a record-breaking total of over $115,000 for campus programs and priorities during this year's Giving Tuesday celebration. View the donor honor roll here.
University Community Celebrates Record-Breaking Giving Tuesday 2023
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12/05/2023
The University of Scranton Men's Basketball team will battle Moravian on Sunday, Jan. 14, as part of a full day of Landmark Conference men's and women's hoops action at The Palestra in Philadelphia.
The University will host a pre-game reception for alumni, parents and friends of the University at 5 p.m. at New Deck Tavern. The $20 reception fee includes appetizers and two drink tickets. Note: A ticket to the game is not included in the reception fee. Game time for the Royals will begin at 7:30 p.m. Register today for the pre-game reception.
University To Host Pre-Game Reception in Philadelphia Jan. 14
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12/05/2023
The University will celebrate Reunion Weekend 2024 from June 14-16. Registration for the event will open in the spring.
The “Planning to Attend” list for Reunion Weekend 2024 has officially opened. Visit this link to add your name to the Planning to Attend list, and visit the Planning to Attend page to see which of your classmates is planning to attend the festivities. For more information, visit scranton.edu/reunion or email alumni@scranton.edu.
Reminder: Save The Date For Reunion June 14-16
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12/05/2023
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
James D. Moran ’66, Philadelphia, recently donated his library of books about Franklin Roosevelt to the Weinberg Memorial Library. The collection consisted of more than 200 volumes.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, was recently sworn in as the treasurer for the American Association for Justice (AAJ). The AAJ is a 20,000-member organization of plaintiff attorneys dedicated to protecting the rights of trial by jury. The mission of the AAJ is to promote justice and fairness for injured victims, safeguard victims’ rights, and strengthen the civil justice system through education and disclosure of information critical to public safety and health.
James G. Cain, M.D., MBA, FASA, FAAP, DABA ’87, Daytona Beach Shores, Florida, is now department chair and professor of anesthesiology at the University of Florida College of Medicine Jacksonville. Cain also serves as the President of the national Trauma Anesthesiology Society.
Vincent Galko G’99, Roaring Brook Township, senior vice president for Mercury Public Affairs, was recently recognized by City&State Pennsylvania as one of its 2023 50 over 50 most influential difference makers.
Sister Catherine Marie-Elizabeth Rotterman, CSSF ’13, Chicago, Illinois, made her first profession of religious vows with the Felician Sisters of North America on October 29, 2023.
Christopher Kwock ’16, Somerset, New Jersey, received his PharmD from the College of Pharmacy at University of the Sciences on May 25, 2022. He is currently managing a CVS pharmacy in Philadelphia, PA.
Lauren Kwock ’17, Somerset, New Jersey, received her DVM from the College of Veterinary Science at Lincoln Memorial University on May 22, 2021. She is currently practicing in Iselin, New Jersey.
MARRIAGES
Ryan Millard ’15 to Brooke O’Neill ’16
Jeanmarie Villata ’20 to Tim Petersen
BIRTHS
A daughter, Chelsea Ann, to Sean and Maribeth Castaldi Baress ’14, Scranton
A son, Garrett James Gifford, to Gary ’12, DPT ’ 15 and Margaret Mester Gifford ’15, DPT ’18, South Abington Township
A daughter, Mariana Louise, to Ryan and Mariah Dunn Fletcher G’20, Littleton, Colorado
DEATHS
John A. Granahan ’56, Scranton
James P. Noone, M.D. ’63, Auburndale, Florida
Robert W. Mitchell ’64, Hummelstown
Michael Pendrak ’64, Dover, New Jersey
Edward J. Robson ’65, G’68, Clarks Summit
Thomas E. Shoener ’66, Scranton
Francis J. Smaka G’69, Dallas
James F. Strome, Ed.D. G’71, Ocala, Florida
Richard T. Cawley ’72, Fort Lee, New Jersey
James J. Garibaldi ’73, Chatham, New Jersey
Joseph S. Lieber ’73, G’75, Scranton
Thomas F. Moran ’75, Clarks Summit
Julius P. Zamcho ’03, Throop
John D. Cleary ’89, Neshanic Station, New Jersey
Jane Guss ’89, Chester
Thomas A. Yocum ’92, North Abington TownshipFRIENDS' DEATHS
Catherine Melewski, mother of Kenneth Melewski '90
Alumni Class Notes, December 2023
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10/30/2023
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Rev. Msgr. Louis Marucci, Ph.D., D.Min. '81, Gibbsboro, New Jersey, earned a second Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Organization Development and Change from Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California. Msgr. Marucci's dissertation, “The Quest for Joy,” examined the pathways people utilize to (re)discover joy after experiences of intense human suffering.
John Monopoli, Ph.D. ’81, Voorhees, New Jersey, a clinical psychologist, recently published a book titled “Active Mind/Receptive Mind: The Journey of Mindfulness” published by TransPersonal Press. The book is designed to provide readers with a comprehensive introduction to mindfulness and its relationship to constructive action. The book also provides readers with a systematic comparison between eastern and western models of mindfulness and in-depth instructions for “holding” and transcending negative psychological states.
Robert Neiberger ’88, Cary, North Carolina, was recently selected as the chief information officer for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in Raleigh, NC. He also received the NIEHS Director's Award for improving agency information technology services in his previous role as chief technology officer.
Paul Collins, Ph.D. ’00, Amherst, Massachusetts, published his fourth book, "Supreme Bias: Gender and Race in U.S. Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings” (Stanford University Press). The book demonstrates the biases that women and people of color face on their paths to the Supreme Court. Collins is professor of legal studies and political science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Jennifer Fretts ’03, Knightdale, North Carolina, received the New American Hero Award for her role as a kindergarten teacher with Charter Schools USA. This award recognizes a teacher who has made a difference in the lives of students and celebrates their dedication to the craft of teaching.
Gina Maria Noia, Ph.D. ’10, Providence, Rhode Island, joined the faculty at Providence College.
MARRIAGES
Alyssa Fania ’15 to Colin Panayi ’15
Ryan Fitzsimons ’15 to Emily Franks ’16
Christina Carbaugh ’16 to Matthew Marshall
Gianna Delerme '17, G'18 to Brett Auriemma '16, G'18
BIRTHS
A son, Joseph Lincoln Sorbera IV, to Joseph III ’08 and Kristen Maresca Sorbera ’09, Kearny, New Jersey
A daughter, Julia Teresa, to Alex ’12, G’15 and Jennie Hofmann Rizzi ’12, G’13, Flemington, New Jersey
A son, Joseph Michael, to Joseph ’16 and Meghan Campbell Costello ’16, Succasunna, New Jersey
DEATHS
Lawrence Tama, M.D. ’49, Towanda
Robert Clancy ’57, New York, New York
John G. Moffitt ’59, Dunmore
F. Thomas Bonick ’61, G’66, Vestal, New York
John A. Morelli ’62, Dunmore
Daniel J. Mozeleski ’62, Winchester, Virginia
Jay H. Apfelbaum, M.D. ’63, Allentown
Lt. Col. Thomas Battle, Ed.D. ’65, Oceanside, California
Edward J. Bellan ’63, Novelty, Ohio
Richard H. Spalletta ’65, Old Forge
Lawrence J. Gramling, Ph.D. ’68, Milford, Connecticut
Donald J. Kavulich ’70, Dalton
Thomas F. Finnegan ’71, Scranton
Mary Devers ’72, G’83, Scranton
Ray A. Stroh G’75, Plains Township
Frederick K. Toy, M.D. ’76, Moscow
Alfred P. Geary ’80, Huntingdon Valley
Joann Gilroy Langan ’82, Scranton
Anthony M. Gallo ’87, Glenside
David C. Martin G’95, Cathedral City, California
Virginia A. Paoloni G’95, Clarks SummitFRIENDS' DEATHS
Patricia Bonner, mother of Patricia Bonner Boylan ’90
Richard H. Breen, Sr., father of Colonel Richard H. Breen, Jr. ’77
Peter Federico, father of Peter Federico ’91, Taryn Federico Jones ’93 and Celeste Federico Mattson ’95
Kevin Golding, father of Karen Golding ’91
George Hadgis, father of Toni Hadgis ’88
Joseph Maresca, father of Kristen Maresca Sorbera ’09
Alumni Class Notes, November 2023
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10/30/2023
The University has opened registration for the following regional Christmas parties:
Nov. 30: Philadelphia Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President6-8 p.m.
The Ritz Carlton Philadelphia
10 Ave of the Arts
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Register hereDec. 1: Washington, D.C. Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President
6-8 p.m.
The St. Regis Hotel
923 Black Lives Matter Plz NW
Washington, D.C.
Register hereDec. 6: Lehigh Valley Christmas Dinner6-8:30 p.m.
Hampton Winds - Northampton Community College
Hartzell Hall
3835 Green Pond Road
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Register hereDec. 7: New York City Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President
6-8 p.m.
The Harmonie Club
4 E 60th St
New York, New York
Register hereDec. 8: Boston Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President6-8 p.m.
Carrie Nation Cocktail Club
11 Beacon Street
Boston, Massachusetts
Register hereJan. 2024: New Jersey Holiday Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President
6-8 p.m.
TBDUniversity Opens Registration For Regional Christmas Parties
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10/30/2023
The Scranton Club of NEPA is excited to announce a thrilling event for The Alumni Society of the University of Scranton. On Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, alumni, parents and friends of the University are invited to partake in the excitement of a heart-pounding hockey game at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins face off against the Hershey Bears.
The game will begin at 6:05 p.m. Tickets for the event, which include a $4 food voucher and a Penguins giveaway scarf, are available for $21 per person.
To secure your place at this event, please register here. Don't miss this chance to cheer on your favorite team!
Scranton Club of NEPA To Host Electrifying Evening of Hockey
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10/30/2023
The Scranton Club of NEPA is thrilled to announce a Paint and Sip event which will provide an evening of artistic expression and enjoyment for all attendees Wednesday, Nov. 15, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Brennan Hall's Rose Room.
Guests can explore their talents with the guidance of experienced instructors while enjoying a relaxed and social atmosphere. The $45 per person admission fee includes all necessary painting materials as well as a selection of beer, wine, soda and delectable snacks.
Register here or contact alumni@scranton.edu with any questions.
REMINDER: Scranton Club of NEPA To Hold Paint and Sip Nov. 15
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10/30/2023
The University of Scranton is pleased to invite our alumni to a dynamic networking reception Thursday, November 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Fordham University Lincoln Center Campus, Fordham School of Law, Bateman Room, located at 150 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023.
Attendees will have the opportunity to explore potential employer connections and share job or internship prospects with fellow Scranton students and alumni.
Register for the event here. The $20 cost of admission per person includes a selection of cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.
For any inquiries or additional information, please reach out to us via email at alumni@scranton.edu
University To Hold NYC Networking Reception Nov. 9
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10/30/2023
The Jesuit Center extends a warm invitation to all seeking spiritual solace and reflection this holiday season. As the season of Advent approaches, the center encourages individuals to register for its Advent Daily Devotional emails, which offer a daily dose of inspiration and insight.
Experience the joy of daily reflection during the season of Advent with a series of profound essays crafted by our Jesuits, alumni, students, faculty and staff. Each day, engage in moments of introspection, prayer and learning while fostering a deeper connection to faith and self.
Register Today For The Jesuit Center's Advent Daily Devotional Emails
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10/04/2023
The Scranton Club of NEPA will hold a paint and sip night on campus for alumni, parents and friends of the University Wednesday, Nov. 15, in the Rose Room on Brennan Hall's fifth floor.
The $45 registration fee includes painting materials, beer, wine, soda and appetizers. Register for the event here.
Scranton Club of NEPA To Hold Paint & Sip Nov. 15
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10/04/2023
On Oct. 19, John O’Malley ’87, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army Retired, will embark upon ROAR: The Ryan O’Malley Annual Ride for the fifth time by participating in the Arizona Trail Race 800, the longest single track mountain bike race in the world, in support of the Ryan T. O’Malley ’99 Memorial Scholarship.
This year, John will by vying for the "Triple Crown of Bikepacking," a distinction earned by completing all three of the classic dirt bikepacking routes in the United States: the Arizona Trail, the Tour Divide/Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, and the Colorado Trail. To date, only 33 people have earned this distinction.
After Ryan's passing in 2011, his family established the scholarship in his memory to enable Computer Science students of limited resources with an interest in fitness to attend The University of Scranton. Since that time, Ryan's family and friends have raised more than $160,000 for the scholarship, much of it through ROAR: The Ryan O'Malley Annual Race, a 5K fundraising event the family organized from 2013-2017. In 2018, John, Ryan’s brother, embarked upon the inaugural ROAR: The Ryan O’Malley Annual Ride by cycling the 500+ miles of The Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango in Ryan’s memory. While John rode The Colorado Trail again for ROAR in 2019 and 2020, he was sidelined by injuries and knee surgery in 2021.
While John embarked upon the Tour Divide in June of 2022, a life-threatening accident 125 miles from the 2,665.7-mile race's finish line landed him in an intensive care/trauma unit. Eighty-four days later, he returned to the scene of the accident and triumphantly finished the final leg of the race.
“I ride to remember and honor our brother, Ryan, with whom I shared a common love of adventure, sport and cycling,” he said. “I ride to give back in some way to the community who nurtured us. Through the ROAR and Ryan’s scholarship, we help to provide students with limited financial resources the opportunity to attend The University of Scranton. The purpose of the annual ride is to seek donations for the scholarship fund, to increase awareness of suicide prevention and to promote physical health and well-being. If I can inspire anyone to get outside and exercise, it’s a win.
"In a more philosophical sense, I take on such endeavors to expand my mind and my potential, to be more capable in all aspects of life. This is how I live my life. We are all capable of so much more."
A Lifelong Love
John’s love of cycling and adventure began when he was growing up in the Green Ridge section of Scranton.
“Bikes were a big deal back then, and if you had one, you were a lucky kid,” he said. “ For me, the bike became an instrument of exploration, discovery and freedom.”
As the oldest child of John J. O’Malley, Ph.D. ’64, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University, and his wife, Helene, John shared his love of cycling with his five siblings, especially Ryan, his youngest brother.
“As a kid, time and distance had little meaning,” he said of the hours they spent exploring the NEPA area together. “We’d just ride, inspired by the adventure and the natural beauty of the region.”
Upon graduating from the University, John began his military career in Ft. Carson, Colorado, where he started racing mountain bikes. Since then, he has continued to ride and race, competing in triathlons and adventure races throughout the country. When he and his family settled in Monument, Colorado, he became so inspired by the expanses and terrain he saw on two wheels that he proposed the idea of funding Ryan’s scholarship through an annual bike ride, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The Arizona Trail Race 800
The Arizona Trail Race 800, like the Tour Divide and the Colorado Trail, is a solo, self-supported race where John will be carrying all his required gear and food. The longest single track mountain bike race in the world, the race traverses the Arizona National Scenic Trail, extending from the Mexican border to the Utah border with 70,107 feet of elevation gain from start to finish. Starting at the U.S.-Mexico border, the trail climbs and descends from one “sky island” mountain range to another, gaining and losing thousands of feet in elevation and traversing biomes ranging from desert to boreal forest.
"This will likely be the most challenging of the three triple crown events," John said, adding that the diverse terrain will demand plenty of technical riding and "hike-a-bike" action. Given the trail's remote nature, John believes it will be difficult to find water sources and places to replenish his necessary supplies. As an added challenge, after riding 700 miles, he will be required to disassemble his bike at the north rim of the Grand Canyon, put it on his back, and hike 21 miles to the south rim. Because of these conditions, John anticipates finishing the race in about 20 days while averaging 40-45 miles a day. In order to maintain that pace and to hike the 50 pounds of bike and gear he will have to carry, he plans to consume about 300-400 calories an hour. Throughout his journey, John will provide daily updates on his Facebook account. Interested parties can track the race and his progress at trackleaders.com once the race begins.
"Competing in the Arizona Trail Race 800 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he said. "I am blessed to have the time, resources, health and support to take on such an endeavor. I’m going to give it my best shot and hope to inspire others get outside, stay healthy and live life to the fullest – just like Ryan would!
"No matter how hard things may get for me, I think about people who are struggling with depression or other mental or physical illness. I have it easy. I am merely the guy riding a bike."
John thanked his wife, Kathi, their daughters, Kaitlyn and Jenna, his entire family, and the greater Scranton community for supporting his endeavors.
"The University of Scranton has been instrumental in this support, especially Bridget Chomko and the Office of Annual Giving," he said. "Bridget has been with us since the very beginning and works tirelessly to help us attain success each year."
John attributes any success in cycling and life in general to his upbringing in Scranton and the long hard days on the gridiron and ball fields of his hometown.
"The work ethic, values and grit instilled in me at a young age have carried me through challenging times in the military and in sport and adventure," he said. "My experience at the U with long hours spent in the ROTC program and the weight room set me up for success in life.
"The people who raised, coached and nurtured me while growing up in Scranton are my greatest life heroes. The University of Scranton was truly our home away from home."
Visit this link to support ROAR and The Ryan T. O'Malley '99 Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Fifth Ryan O'Malley Annual Ride To Begin Oct. 19
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10/04/2023
By Grace Whittam ’24
Martina Martin ’80 found a vocation and a lifetime of meaningful work in the global and local United Way system. She largely credits this vocation to the teachings and lessons she learned through The University of Scranton’s Socratic approach to education.
“If you can come out of the University and appreciate that Socratic approach early on, you’re much better off,” she said. “It’s so much better to use that ‘inquiry over advocacy’ approach.”
Martin, a Scranton native, began her education at the University in the fall of 1976, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1980. This was during Scranton’s initial years of coeducation, and Martin was a part of the University’s fourth graduating class of women.
Martin’s time at the University was marked by many noteworthy achievements and activities, including membership in the Jesuit Honors Program and the University Singers and being elected vice president of the Business Club. She commuted to campus and was the first member of her family to graduate college. Originally in pre-med, Martin found a better fit in business administration and marketing through a unique set of circumstances some might call “cura personalis.”
Through the Jesuit Honors Program, Martin was empowered to create a course that catered to what she wanted to learn, as long as she could find someone to teach it. When she expressed her desire to take an advertising course, she was directed to reach out to a local top advertising professional, Bill Donovan. Donovan agreed to teach and mentor Martin in a one-on-one advertising course if she agreed to help him start up his own public relations and advertising firm in Northeast Pennsylvania – and they did just that. Martin’s professional life started at Bill Donovan Communications during her third year at the University, and she continued on at that company for almost three years following graduation. Working for Donovan gave Martin a crash course in many different aspects of the communication, PR, advertising, and marketing fields, and it paved the way to her future success.
“It was a wonderful way to be exposed to so many pieces of nonprofit, professional, and for-profit professions that I was positioned well for my next job,” she said.
Seeking to help others with her newfound skills, Martin began volunteering on the communications committee of United Way of Lackawanna County, which is the local member of United Way Worldwide, a global nonprofit organization serving 37 countries and territories.
A few years later, Martin became the director of communications and marketing at United Way of Wyoming Valley. She then committed 11 years as a senior manager at United Way Worldwide in Alexandra, Virginia, where she aided the efforts of United Way organizations and Fortune 500 companies across the country and beyond who were engaged in community philanthropy. Today, Martin is the senior vice president and COO of United Way of Central Maryland in Baltimore.
A central part of Martin’s work was to help visiting delegations from all corners of the world who were trying to export American concepts of philanthropy in ways that fit their governments and cultures. In that capacity, she has worked with people from the United Kingdom, Japan, China and many other nations. Martin believes these cultural exchanges result in beneficial outcomes for everyone involved.
“It’s makes for such a rich life to be with all different types of people,” she said.
A personal favorite part of her work is seeing the way people who would otherwise not interact with one another come together for the betterment of their community.
“Whether it be by race, gender, age, political orientation (or) sexual orientation, people who are otherwise sometimes fierce competitors come together because they care about their community,” Martin said. “That’s what United Way is all about.”
The United Way in Baltimore shifted its fundamental strategy in 2012 when it began focusing on directly incubating solutions to complex issues of poverty faced by low-wage earners known as ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed) who work hard but struggle to make ends meet. For example, the organization created family centers for teenage parents to help them complete high school while simultaneously providing care for their children. This became one of the most rewarding part of Martin’s work as the family center program, staffed by United Way employees, has bested the national average graduation rate for parenting teens by almost 30% .
“When I think about what’s most rewarding, we are always, as an organization, moving to the next intersection of where’s the need, and what can we bring to bear on it,” Martin said. “It allows you to stay with an organization for a very long time, because it’s never the same organization.”Martin has been recognized for her work on numerous occasions. An O’Hara Award recipient, she was named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women three times and received a Maryland Icon Award. Although she said she didn’t fully appreciate the University’s Socratic approach to education until the middle of her career, it’s clear that it aided her as she sought to produce better ideas and encourage inclusive thought. She emphasized the importance of seeking advice and inspiration from the people you look up to, and she encouraged all Scranton students to utilize Scranton’s alumni network to do just that.
“There are people at all stages of their career ready to hire Scranton grads,” she said. “Do not hesitate to use the wonderful network of Scranton alumni all over the world.”
In a world where change is seemingly the only constant, Martin’s life at United Way continues to grow and develop to meet the needs of the people she serves.
“It is not just a job,” she said. “It’s my vocation and avocation. That mission is so important, and that’s the thing that gets all of us through the days that are more heavy-duty.”
Scranton Alumna Dedicates Life to Optimistic Occupation
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10/04/2023
The University has released photos from the public launch of "A Fire That Kindles Other Fires: The Campaign To Advance Mission, Access, & Excellence," its new $135 million capital campaign. See the photos here.
The University celebrated the campaign's launch with a black-tie gala attended by more than 350 guests in the Byron Recreation Complex on campus Sept. 16. The historic campaign, the largest in the University's 135-year history, will advance Scranton’s mission, accessibility and excellence.
“A Fire that Kindles Other Fires is an expression borrowed from the 35th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus. It is a reference to moving into the future with all of the history and tradition of the past; with the same identity but with a new energy in pursuit of new possibilities,” said Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton. “It is also a reference to people – the people who have been touched by the power of a Catholic and Jesuit education and now move through the world as agents of change and messengers of the gospel, kindling other fires.”
Mission-related goals of the campaign include continued investment in state-of-the-art facilities, laboratories, learning spaces, such as the renovations made in Hyland Hall to support the mechanical engineering program, and initiatives that support core aspects of a Scranton Jesuit education, such as the programming and scholarships offered through the Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities.
“The wonderful truth remains that anything and everything we do at Scranton should be and will be done for our students first,” said Father Marina. “Our shared focus is precisely where it belongs: on our students and their success.”
The campaign will grow the University’s endowment to help break the cost barrier and allow access to a Scranton education regardless of financial means. First-year students received more than $40 million in financial aid scholarships, $37 million of which was provided by the University.
Cayla Kumar, a first-generation student majoring in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology with a minor in philosophy from Queens Village, New York, now in her senior year at Scranton said in her remarks at the gala: “One key pillar of this campaign is scholarship, and I can personally attest to its transformative power. The scholarships provided by this University have not only eased the financial burden on my mother, but have also opened the doors to countless opportunities for me. Scholarships are not just funding education; they are investments in the future leaders and change-makers who will carry our mission forward. They bridge the gap between potential and realization, between dreams and achievements.”
The campaign will also support efforts to overcome other barriers to a Scranton education, such as the University’s campus-wide plan for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It will support programming to help enroll, retain and graduate first-generation college students, such as Scranton’s THR1VE program, which provides peer mentors, faculty and staff mentors, advocates and leadership and other resources to first-generation college students.
The campaign will also support Scranton’s goals of excellence in academic and professional outcomes of its graduates, as well as Scranton’s commitment to provide a transformational education to students who graduate as “men and women for and with others.” Each year, more than 2,850 students perform more than 170,000 hours of service. Students also participate in Campus Ministries’ International Service Program, which provides immersion experiences in developing countries across Central and South America.
Two of Scranton’s most generous longtime benefactors, John D. Dionne ’86, H’10, former chair of the University’s Board of Trustees, and Jacquelyn Dionne ’89, co-vice chair of University’s Board of Trustees, will serve as co-chairs of A Fire That Kindles Other Fires.
“The University of Scranton has been stoking the fires of knowledge within its students for 135 years, and we hope that it will continue to kindle those fires for 135 more,” said Jacquelyn Dionne. “Each and every day, Scranton is lighting the way to a better tomorrow.”
In addition to the Dionnes, members of the campaign executive committee include Tracy Bannon ’84, former trustee; John Boken, managing director of AlixPartners and current trustee; Mary Haveron ’85, finance and accounting director of Tire Alliance Groupe, L.L.C., and former trustee; John R. Mariotti, D.M.D. ’75, QMA Orthodontics member and current trustee; Vincent Reilly ’80, managing partner of Reilly, McDevitt and Henrich, P.C., and chair of the University’s Board of Trustees; James Slattery ’86, COO of North America MELROSE P.L.C. and former chair of the University’s Board of Trustees; Joseph Sorbera Jr., JLS Cost Management Systems, Inc., and current trustee; Davida Sweeney, former co-chair of the University’s Parents Executive Council; John “JP” Sweeney, financial advisor/vice president investments Wells Fargo advisors member and current trustee; and Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the University, and, ex-officio, Father Marina and Robert Davis Jr., Ed.D., ’03, G’10,’13, vice president for University advancement.
Also at the gala, University benefactors Patricia and Edward Leahy ’68, H’01, were presented with The University of Scranton’s President’s Medal.
To date, the campaign has raised more than $112 million from 17,800 donors in its non-public phase, which began in May of 2018. The campaign received more than 13 gifts of $1 million or more and the largest single-donation in the University’s history, a $10 million gift from the Leahys, which Father Marina announced at the gala.
To make a donation to the University’s A Fire That Kindles Other Fires Campaign, visit scranton.edu/campaign.
University Releases 'A Fire That Kindles Other Fires' Campaign Launch Photos
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10/03/2023
The University will hold the 2023 Medical Alumni Council (MAC) Symposium on campus Oct. 14. Register for this year's event here.
Although the daylong symposium is primarily designed for Scranton physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, retired physicians, medical school students and undergrad pre-professional students, attendance is also open to medical professionals and students not affiliated with the University. The event will feature a keynote address by Judy Byerley, M.D., MPH, dean of the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, president of Geisinger College of Health Sciences, and chief academic officer and EVP at Geisinger, titled "Producing an Equitable Workforce Prepared to Improve the Health of People and Populations."
The event will also feature a variety of presentations from accomplished alumni, including a panel discussion led by Scott Alan Peslak, M.D., Ph.D. '06 and Pamela Taffera-Deihl, D.O., MBA '02 titled "Navigating the Complex Healthcare Landscape: Patient Perspectives," a presentation by Kevin Hauck, M.D., MPH '06 titled "Feedback in Medical Education: Moving Past Performance," a presentation by Carolyn Serio, D.M.D., MS '17 titled "Access to Orthodontic Care Among Medicaid Patients and Importance of Referrals," and a special lunchtime presentation by R. Barrett Noone, M.D., FACS '61, who will speak about his new book, "From Trenches to Transplants: Changing Lives with Plastic Surgery."
Contact alumni@scranton.edu or visit this link for more information.
University To Hold MAC Symposium Oct. 14
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10/03/2023
The Scranton Clubs of the Chesapeake and Washington, D.C., will hold a Guided Guinness Tour and Tasting Sunday, Oct. 15, at 3:30 p.m. at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Halethorpe, Maryland.
The $40 admission fee includes a private tour of the brewery, a private tasting of four sample-sized beers (Guinness Draught Stout, Baltimore Blonde and two exclusive, experimental brews), a pint of your choice at the start of the tour, a keepsake, and a drink ticket and appetizers after the tour. Register here to secure your ticket today.
Reminder: Scranton Clubs to Hold Guinness Tour And Tasting Oct. 15
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10/03/2023
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced the appointment of Thomas (TJ) Yablonski Jr. '10 to a position in the governor's cabinet as secretary of Legislative Affairs. Yablonski is the fourth Scranton graduate on the cabinet of 22 members.
Effective Oct. 2, he joins Scranton graduates Michael Carroll ’09, Pennsylvania’s secretary of transportation; Jason Kavulich ’97, Pennsylvania’s secretary of aging; and Major Christopher Paris ’99, State Police commissioner; as members of the governor’s cabinet.
“TJ Yablonski brings over a decade of experience serving Pennsylvanians and a deep knowledge of state government to this role. We are proud TJ will be stepping up into this to lead our Office of Legislative Affairs and continue our administration’s work to bring people together and deliver real results for all Pennsylvanians,” said the Governor’s Chief of Staff Dana Fritz in a news release announcing the appointment.
The announcement said that “Yablonski Jr. has spent his entire career serving the people of Pennsylvania, building trusting relationships in Harrisburg and across the Commonwealth, and developing a deep knowledge of Pennsylvania government at all levels.” The announcement also noted Yablonski Jr. had served in a number of senior roles throughout the Wolf administration and previously worked for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Yablonski, of Gouldsboro, graduated as a political science and history double major. At Scranton, he was president of the College Democrats and was among the University students interviewed for a live 2010 BBC radio broadcast that sought American viewpoints on President Obama’s first year in office. The broadcast reached an estimated 1.5 million listeners.
Fourth Scranton Graduate Appointed to PA Governor Cabinet
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10/03/2023
Nearly 100 alumni and students participated in this year's Alumni-Student Golf Outing at Pine Hills Country Club Sept. 30. Alex Kenneson ’24, Liam Dunfee ’24, Al Guari ’88 and Kevin Gremse ’87 won the tournament and captured this year's signature purple jackets. See photos from the event here.
Guari '88, Gremse '87, Kenneson '24 and Dunfee '24 Win Alumni-Student Golf Outing
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10/03/2023
The University will hold the following regional Christmas parties:
Nov. 30: Philadelphia Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President6-8 p.m.
The Ritz Carlton Philadelphia
10 Ave of the Arts
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Registration Opening in NovemberDec. 1: Washington, D.C. Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President
6-8 p.m.
The St. Regis Hotel
923 Black Lives Matter Plz NW
Washington, D.C.
Registration Opening in NovemberDec. 6: Lehigh Valley Christmas Dinner5:30-8:30 p.m.
Hampton Winds - Northampton Community College
Hartzell Hall
3835 Green Pond Road
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Registration Opening in NovemberDec. 7: New York City Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President
6-8 p.m.
The Harmonie Club
4 E 60th St
New York, New York
Registration Opening in NovemberDec. 8: Boston Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President6-8 p.m.
Carrie Nation Cocktail Club
11 Beacon Street
Boston, Massachusetts
Registration Opening in NovemberJan. 2024: New Jersey Holiday Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President
6-8 p.m.
TBDUniversity Announces 2023 Regional Christmas Parties
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10/03/2023
The University of Scranton will hold a Presidential Cocktail Reception with the Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President, Friday, Oct. 27, from 6-8 p.m. at The University Club of Chicago. Register for the reception here.
University to Hold Presidential Reception in Chicago Oct. 27
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10/03/2023
The University will hold a New York City Networking Reception Thursday, Nov. 9, from 6-8 p.m. in the Bateman Room at Fordham University's Lincoln Center Campus at the Fordham School of Law. Register for the reception here.
University to Hold NYC Networking Reception Nov. 9
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10/03/2023
The “Planning to Attend” list for Reunion Weekend 2024 has officially opened. Visit this link to add your name to the Planning to Attend list, and visit the Planning to Attend page to see which of your classmates is planning to attend the festivities.
The University will celebrate Reunion Weekend 2024 from June 14-16. Registration for the event will open in the spring. For more information, visit scranton.edu/reunion or email alumni@scranton.edu.
University Opens Reunion '24 'Planning To Attend' List
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10/03/2023
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Melinda C. Ghilardi ’80, Dunmore, an attorney at Munley Law, was recently included in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers in America for insurance law, personal injury litigation-plaintiff, and product liability litigation-plaintiffs.
Diane Bragg ’87, Paradise, celebrated her first anniversary on August 22, 2023, as a senior retirement plan administrator with Pollard & Associates in Hunt Valley, Maryland. Diane has spent 33 years working as a Retirement Plan Administrator.
Jennifer Cram ’10, Los Angeles, California, had her feature film, "Sick Girl," released in October 2023. Cram is the indie comedy film’s director and writer.
MARRIAGES
Kaitlin Marsicano ’15 to Matthew Huf ’15
DEATHS
Francis R. Burne ’48, Dunmore
James A. Martin ’52, Rockville, Maryland
Norbert R. Stalica, Ph.D. ’56, Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Bernard F. Harding ’59, Waverly
Edward J. Polkowski ’60, Dickson City
Robert M. Wasserman ’61, Carbondale
Rev. Daniel J. Yenkevich ’63, Scranton
Ralph R. Chase ’64, Old Forge
Thomas J. Figmik G’64, Nanticoke
Edward G. Schlesser ’64, Warminster
J. Christopher Warner ’67, Rockville, Maryland
J. William Stapleton ’73, Vienna, Virginia
Joseph S. Petrasko ’74, G’78, Scranton
James Sabatini G’76, Wilkes-Barre
Herbert Smith ’76, South Abington Township
Stephen M. Toman ’77, Scranton
Mary Alexiou G’79, Mountaintop
Lori Iffland Hoban ’81, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Edward R. Mazaleski ’91, Taylor
Ann E. Turlip G’95, ArchbaldAlumni Class Notes, October 2023
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09/06/2023
The Scranton Clubs of the Chesapeake and Washington, D.C., will hold a Guided Guinness Tour and Tasting Sunday, Oct. 15, at 3:30 p.m. at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Halethorpe, Maryland.
The $40 admission fee includes a private tour of the brewery, a private tasting of four sample-sized beers (Guinness Draught Stout, Baltimore Blonde and two exclusive, experimental brews), a pint of your choice at the start of the tour, a keepsake, and a drink ticket and appetizers after the tour. Register here to secure your ticket today.
Scranton Clubs To Hold Guinness Tour And Tasting Oct. 15
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09/06/2023
The University will hold Scranton Soccer Alumni Day Sept. 30 as the men's and women's soccer teams take on Catholic University in a key Landmark Conference matchup.
The men's game will kick off at 1 p.m. at Weiss Field, and the women's game will follow at 3:30 p.m. Complimentary refreshments will be available for all Scranton Soccer alumni from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Register here today to celebrate and support the rich history and tradition of Scranton Soccer.
University To Hold Scranton Soccer Alumni Day Sept. 30
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09/06/2023
Are you interested in helping Admissions search for future Royals? If so, you can represent The University of Scranton at College Fairs and other exciting recruitment events as a Royal Recruiter! Share your perspective on a Scranton education with students and their families while showing the enthusiasm and love you have for the amazing experiences awaiting prospective students here at Scranton! Register here to be added to the roster for potential events in your area, or scan the QR code below.
Royal Recruiters Seek Alumni Volunteers
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09/06/2023
Heather J. (Losi) Holcomb, Ph.D. '21, a member of The University of Scranton’s first cohort of doctoral students, received the American Accounting Association (AAA) Timothy Pearson Best Dissertation Paper Award for 2023. The prestigious award is presented by AAA’s Forensic Accounting Section to the author of a dissertation related to forensic accounting that was completed within the last three years.
Dr. Holcomb received the award for her dissertation titled “The Effects of Client Machiavellian Traits and Fraud Motivation on Fraud Risk Assessments,” which was subsequently published in the Journal of Forensic Accounting Research in 2022. Her dissertation chair was Robert Giambattista, Ph.D., associate professor of management, marketing and entrepreneurship, and her second chair was Douglas Boyle, D.B.A. '88, professor and chair of the Accounting Department and director of the University’s Ph.D. program in accounting.
“It is a tribute to the hard work of our faculty and the quality of the students our program attracts, that Heather Holcomb, a graduate of our first doctoral class, has received this prestigious award. We believe that we continue to see our graduates receive recognition for their achievements,” said Mark Higgins, Ph.D., dean of the Kania School of Management at the University. The doctoral program in business, housed in Scranton’s Kania School of Management, is the first Ph.D. program offered at Scranton.
Dr. Holcomb is the fifth member of the University’s business doctoral program to win a prestigious national dissertation award. Lisa S. Haylon, Ph.D. candidate, and Xiaobing (Emily) Li, Ph.D '23, received the IIA’s Michael J. Barrett Doctoral Dissertation Award this year. Gregory Kogan, Ph.D. '22, and Joy Chacko, Ph.D. '21, were awarded the Institute of Internal Auditors Michael J. Barrett Doctoral Dissertation Award for their respective years.
Dr. Holcomb of Liverpool, New York, is an assistant professor of accounting at the State University of New York at Oswego.
Business Doctoral Graduate Wins Dissertation Award
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09/06/2023
The University will hold the 100th Search Retreat Saturday, Sept. 30, on campus from 11 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
The day will be led by Cathy Seymour '90, director of Retreats & Spiritual Programs at the University. Register today to join us for a day of reflection, prayer, reminiscing and more, and visit this link to see the list of your fellow alumni who have already registered.
University To Celebrate Search 100 Sept. 30
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09/06/2023
The University will hold its second Alumni/Student Golf Outing Saturday, Sept. 30, at Pine Hills Country Club in Taylor.
The scramble play outing will begin with a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m. The outing will include 18 holes of golf, golf carts, dinner and prizes. Register here today.
Register Today For The Alumni/Student Golf Outing Sept. 30
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09/06/2023
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Suzanne Whalen-Maxwell ’90, Succasunna, New Jersey, has earned a Doctor of Education in curriculum and instruction - special education with high distinction.
Samuel J. Richards G’15, Bentleyville, joined the faculty at the International School of Kenya in Nairobi, where he teaches social sciences and IB History of Africa. Richards previously worked at Shanghai American School in China, where he survived several strict covid-19 lockdowns and was proud to be one of four founding faculty for the school’s Pudong Innovation Institute, a design-thinking program that used interdisciplinary and project-based learning.
MARRIAGES
Margaret McCarthy ’10 to Matthew Pomes
BIRTHS
A daughter, Annie Joan, to Thomas, M.D. '09 and Tara Gramigna Churilla, D.O. '11, Roaring Brook Township
A son, Sean Aloysius, to Paul ’13 and Aileen McGonigle McCormick ’13, YardleyDEATHS
Martin A. Alfano ’43, Scranton
John J. Dunn, Sr. ’51, Hilton Head, South Carolina
Marty L. Sugerman ’57, Estero, Florida
John “Barry” Beemer ’63, Clarks Green
Edward A. Gronka ’63, Nanticoke
David Z. Taylor ’69, G’77 Belmar, New Jersey
Robert J. Dougher, Jr. ’70, Scranton
John J. Munley ’70, San Antonio, Texas
Alfred M. Zyga G’71, Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina
Stephen B. Brady ’72, Bernardsville, New Jersey
John M. Hart ’72, Scranton
Richard N. Shay ’74, Simpsonville, South Carolina
Deborah Parker ’76, Scranton
Brian E. Manning ’81, Dickson City
Alfonso M. Paniagua, Jr. ’85, Miami, Florida
Sandra Slater ’88, Horntown, Virginia
Christopher A. Lombardo ’98, Merrick, New YorkAlumni Class Notes, September 2023
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09/05/2023
Incoming first-year students of University of Scranton alumni gathered together with their families and the Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, Aug. 26 for the Class of 2027 Legacy Families Reception and Photo at Brennan Hall.
Over the years, the Legacy Families Reception and Photo has become a University tradition. Prior to Convocation each year, incoming legacy students and their families gather together for a photograph with the University's president to mark the outset of their collegiate odyssey. Four years later, prior to commencement, the same families gather together with the University's president to mark the beginning of their journey as men and women for and with others beyond Scranton's borders.
University Holds Class of 2027 Legacy Families Reception
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09/05/2023
The University will hold the 2023 Medical Alumni Council (MAC) Symposium on campus Oct. 14. Register for this year's event here.
Although the day-long symposium is primarily designed for Scranton physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, retired physicians, medical school students and undergrad pre-professional students, attendance is also open to medical professionals and students not affiliated with the University. The event will feature a keynote address by Judy Byerley, M.D., MPH, dean of the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, president of Geisinger College of Health Sciences, and chief academic officer and EVP at Geisinger, titled "Producing an Equitable Workforce Prepared to Improve the Health of People and Populations."
The event will also feature a variety of presentations from accomplished alumni, including a panel discussion led by Scott Alan Peslak, M.D., Ph.D. '06 and Pamela Tafera-Diehl, D.O., MBA '02 titled "Navigating the Complex Healthcare Landscape: Patient Perspectives," a presentation by Kevin Hauck, M.D., MPH '06 titled "Feedback in Medical Education: Moving Past Performance," a presentation by Carolyn Serio, D.M.D., MS '17 titled "Access to Orthodontic Care Among Medicaid Patients and Importance of Referrals," and a special lunchtime presentation by R. Barrett Noone, M.D., FACS '61, who will speak about his new book, "From Trenches to Transplants: Changing Lives with Plastic Surgery."
Contact alumni@scranton.edu for more information.
MAC Symposium Returns Oct. 14
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08/01/2023
Alumni in the Hoboken and Philadelphia areas will soon have the opportunity to meet up with their Royal peers at a pier-themed event.
Pier 13
On Thursday, Aug. 17, Royals in the greater New York metro area will converge upon Pier 13 in Hoboken, New Jersey, at 6:30 p.m. for an evening of summer fun. The $20 admission fee includes two drink tickets and a Scranton giveaway. Register here for the event today.
Morgan's Pier
On Thursday, Aug. 24, Royals in the City of Brotherly Love will converge upon Morgan's Pier at 6:30 p.m. for an evening of summer fun. The $20 admission fee includes appetizers, one drink ticket and a Scranton giveaway. Register here for the event today.
Royals To Appear At Piers Aug. 17 and 24
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08/01/2023
The University will hold the 100th Search Retreat Saturday, Sept. 30, on campus from 11 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
The day will be led by Cathy Seymour '90, director of Retreats & Spiritual Programs at the University. Register today to join us for a day of reflection, prayer, reminiscing and more.
Register For The 100th Search Retreat
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08/01/2023
The University will hold its second Alumni/Student Golf Outing Saturday, Sept. 30, at Pine Hills Country Club in Taylor, Pennsylvania.
The scramble play outing will begin with a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m. Registration will open soon.
Reminder: University To Hold Alumni/Student Golf Outing Sept. 30
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08/01/2023
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Anthony Talerico Jr. ’01, Eatontown, New Jersey, was reelected to a second four-year term as mayor of the Borough of Eatontown.
MARRIAGES
Adriana Samoni ’16 to John Nolan Ryan ’15
Molly Hampsey ’19, G ’20 to Tyler WeissDEATHS
Rev. James A. Wert ’50, Pittston
Joseph A. Barrett, Ph.D. ’53, G’58, Clarks Summit
J. Joseph Danyo, M.D. ’55, York
Vincent J. Gulotti, Jr. ’59, Newark, Delaware
Richard Dikeman, D.D.S. ’60, Clarks Summit
Stephen S. Insalaco ’61, Pittston Township
Robert J. Burke ’64, G’80, Dunmore
James A. Sposito ’64, Crystal Lake
Robert T. O’Connell ’66, West Pittston
Richard C. Vahey ’69, Mountaintop
Michael Cotter ’71, Wyoming
Jerome C. Horan ’71, Santa Barbara, California
Joseph S. Marhevka, Ph.D. ’72, Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts
Francis Yevitz ’75, Springbrook Township
John J. Regan, Jr. ’84, Jersey City, New Jersey
William C. Brennen G’03, Hawley
Neil F. Geletka G’07, CarbondaleFRIENDS' DEATHS
Patrick J. Gigliotti, father of Marian A. Gigliotti '76, G'80
Alumni Class Notes, August 2023
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07/28/2023
Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, has announced that Elizabeth A. Madden ‘96, Principal, Global Head of Employee Experience and Engagement at Davidson Kempner Capital Management, will serve as the new chair of the President’s Business Council (PBC).
A founding member of the PBC, Madden has been actively serving the University community through the PBC for more than 20 years, most recently serving as its vice chair. She succeeds Francis J. Pearn ’83, P’16, Managing Director and Global Chief Compliance Officer at JPMorgan Chase & Co., who has served as PBC chair since 2019.
“As we navigate this period of transition for the PBC, I want to thank Frank Pearn for his dedication, mentorship, and leadership over the past four years,” Father Marina said. “I am delighted that Elizabeth has agreed to serve as PBC chair. Her work with the PBC has served the University well for more than two decades, and I am grateful that she will continue to move us forward as PBC chair.”
“For more than 20 years, the PBC has given me the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue with the next generation of Royals,” Madden said. “By helping to connect current students with alumni leaders, we continue to strengthen the purple tie that binds the University community together and help build future leaders.”
Throughout her career, Madden has served as a thought leader, strategic partner and consultant by advising hedge fund founders, C-suite executives and internal business leaders. She has significant global experience in recruiting, HR policy and procedures, employee relations, strategic project management and senior leader coaching. As global head of Employee Experience and Engagement, Madden oversees all of Davidson Kempner’s inclusion and belonging, employee development, well-being and philanthropic initiatives. Through her work with the leadership and partners of the firm, she is intimately involved in transforming the employee experience.
Madden earned her B.A. from the University, her Executive Coaching certification from Columbia University and her M.A. in Higher Education from New York University, where she began her career working at the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Prior to joining Davidson Kempner, she spent 18 years at Goldman Sachs in New York and Hong Kong and nearly a decade leading the Prime Brokerage HR Consulting Practice, where she helped hundreds of new and existing hedge funds manage all aspects of the employee life cycle. She also serves as a leader with the Managed Funds Association as founding member for two of their Steering Committes, Human Resources and DEI.
The President’s Business Council was launched in January 2001 to provide networking opportunities for alumni and friends, to promote engagement with University students and to inspire philanthropy in support of the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund. These objectives remain at the core of the PBC and are relevant ways for alumni, parents and friends to meaningfully connect with the University and its students in the service of strengthening the Scranton network in and beyond the business sectors.
During the academic year, the PBC conducts student networking trips to Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. These trips provide a unique opportunity for current students to travel and discover more about the industries represented as well as to meet and network with PBC members and other regional alumni and friends. In conjunction with the University’s Kania School of Management (KSOM), the PBC coordinates the Career Coaches program, which matches a student with a business executive in a player/coach relationship that further strengthens the student’s soft skills in preparation for internship and career opportunities. Since October 2002, the PBC has held its Annual Award Dinner in New York City. The gala has established itself as one of the marquee events of the year and has generated more than $20 million for the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
For more information on the PBC and the many ways to become involved, visit scranton.edu/pbc.
President's Business Council Announces New Chair
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07/05/2023
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Joseph F. Cimini ’70, Dunmore, was among 195 members of the Pennsylvania Bar Association who were recognized for their long-standing membership in the association in 2023 with a Fifty-Year Member Award.
Kevin DeCoursey ’80, Florham Park, New Jersey, was ordained as a permanent deacon in the Paterson Diocese of New Jersey. As part of his formation, DeCoursey received his Master of Arts in Theology from Seton Hall University. While he will remain employed as a lawyer, DeCoursey will expand his vocation by providing service to the people of his local parish and beyond.
Eric Kispert ’87, Denville, New Jersey, was ordained as a permanent deacon in the Paterson Diocese of New Jersey. As part of his formation, Kispert received his Master of Arts in Theology from Seton Hall University. While he will remain employed as a relationship therapist, Kispert will expand his vocation by providing service to the people of his local parish and beyond.
Ronald Myer ’91, Lancaster, published his book “33 Ways to Improve in Business and Live,” which is available on Amazon or other online bookstores.
Carol Hee, MBA, Ph.D. ’95, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, has joined Anthesis Group as a sustainability consultant specializing in improving corporate sustainability performance.Kate Groark Shields ’97, Fort Washington, CEO /owner of Vault Communications, a full-service marketing and communications agency, had her firm named as a finalist for Outstanding Agency in the U.S. by PR Week magazine. The firm also received its second consecutive designation as one of Philadelphia's Best Places to Work by the Philadelphia Business Journal.
MARRIAGES
Stephanie Baselice '13 to John McMenamin '12
BIRTHS
A daughter, Hazel Rose, to Brian ’07, G’09 and Holly Loughney, Dunmore
DEATHS
Fred Wolfgang ’50, Scranton
Armand M. Martinelli ’56, Scranton
Robert J. Sarnowski, M.D. ’60, Clarks Summit
John Glennon, Ph.D. G’65, Suffolk, Virginia
George A. Germak G’69, Forty Fort
David R. Boniello, Ph.D. ’72, Lafayette, Indiana
Michael A. Fedor ’72, Moscow
Antonia Kintzer G’72, Bethlehem
Ellen L. Kanavy G’76, Scranton
Gertrude O. Keen G’79, Jackson Township
Terence E. Matthews ’90, Flanders, New JerseyAlumni Class Notes, July 2023
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07/03/2023
On June 26, the University honored Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., the 25th president of The University of Scranton, with the 2023 Peter A. Carlesimo Award at the annual Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, New Jersey.
The annual celebration raised more than $100,000 for Scranton Athletics. Quandel Construction Group served as the event’s title sponsor.
More than 250 alumni and friends of the University participated in the golf tournament, and an additional 50 guests registered for the award dinner.
“The University of Scranton remains deeply within my heart," said Quinn upon accepting the award. “My mantra for what we were doing at The University of Scranton was that we were to become the Division III school of choice for student-athletes who wanted a Catholic, Jesuit education.
“The University of Scranton has achieved that."
About the honoree
Father Quinn served as the 25th president of The University of Scranton from July 2011 to June 2017. From his first days on campus, Father Quinn demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to Catholic and Jesuit higher education and a deep appreciation for the pivotal role athletics can play in enhancing both the overall student experience and the University community as a whole.
On May 8, 2018, the University dedicated the Kevin P. Quinn, S.J. Athletics Campus, its brand-new, $14 million athletic facility, in recognition of Father Quinn’s special interest in promoting athletics and his relentless support of Scranton’s student-athletes. Father Quinn strongly advocated for the development of the athletics campus, and his role in spearheading the fundraising efforts needed to make this longtime University dream a reality cannot be overstated.
In addition to his support of the athletics campus, Father Quinn oversaw the addition of Women’s Golf and Men’s and Women’s Track & Field at Scranton. He was also very supportive of the creation of The Royal Way, the Department of Athletics initiative that provides our student-athletes with a distinctly Jesuit athletics experience rooted in the religious and spiritual foundations of the University’s Catholic and Jesuit mission.
About the event
Since 2011, the Peter A. Carlesimo Award has been presented to someone who has made special contributions to athletics and Catholic education. The Golf Tournament & Award Dinner serves as a fundraising event to support and enhance the student-athlete experience at The University of Scranton. For more information, visit scranton.edu/carlesimoaward.
University Honors Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., With Carlesimo Award
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07/03/2023
The University will hold its second Alumni/Student Golf Outing Saturday, Sept. 30, at Pine Hills Country Club in Taylor, Pennsylvania.
The scramble play outing will begin with a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m. Registration will open soon.
Reminder: University To Hold Alumni/Student Golf Outing Sept. 30
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07/03/2023
Sandy beaches. Evening ball games. Cocktails on the pier. Your fellow Royals. What's not to love?
The University of Scranton will hold several regional events this summer designed to give you the opportunity to enjoy a little fun in the sun with your fellow Royals in New Jersey, the Lehigh Valley, Boston and Philadelphia. Read on to learn more about these signature events that will undoubtedly plant the seeds of your future Scranton nostalgia.
Royals At The Shore
Join your fellow alumni, parents and friends Saturday, July 22, from 4-8 p.m. at Bar Anticipation in Lake Como, New Jersey, for Royals At The Shore, where your $30 admission fee includes a buffet, two drink tickets and a Scranton giveaway. Register here to reserve your ticket today.
Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs Game
The Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley will hold a meetup at Coca-Cola Park Wednesday, Aug. 2, for alumni, parents, students and friends as the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs take on the Buffalo Bisons at 7:05 p.m. Register here for the event today.
Pier 13
On Thursday, Aug. 17, Royals in the greater New York metro area will converge upon Pier 13 in Hoboken, New Jersey, at 6:30 p.m. for an evening of summer fun. The $20 admission fee includes two drink tickets and a Scranton giveaway. Register here for the event today.
Morgan's Pier
On Thursday, Aug. 24, Royals in the City of Brotherly Love will converge upon Morgan's Pier at 6:30 p.m. for an evening of summer fun. The $20 admission fee includes appetizers, one drink ticket and a Scranton giveaway. Register here for the event today.
Scranton At Fenway Park
The University of Scranton will hold a reception at Fenway Park for alumni, parents and friends August 29 as the Boston Red Sox take on the Houston Astros.
The reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. on the Truly Terrace, and the first pitch will be thrown at 7:10 p.m. The $80 admission fee includes a ticket to the game, a $40 food voucher and a Scranton giveaway. Limited spots remain, so make sure you register here today.
Summer of Scranton 2023
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06/07/2023
Joseph L. Sorbera III ’08, outgoing chair of the Alumni Society Advisory Board, transferred leadership of the Board to his successor, Paul DiPietrantonio ’97, at the Board’s May 6 meeting on campus.
DiPietrantonio joined the board in 2020; since then, he has served on the Student Engagement Committee, a group he began chairing in 2022.
A proud first-generation college student whose parents emigrated to the United States from Italy, DiPietrantonio graduated from the University in 1997 with a B.S. in Accounting. Since then, he has worked in accounting and finance and currently serves as CFO of a family-owned real estate company.
DiPietrantonio is an avid advocate for promoting Jesuit ideals and The University of Scranton. His love of service initially took root during his student days at the University, where he was an active participant in annual volunteer trips and on-campus events, and, since graduating, he has regularly participated in Scranton’s Day of Service events. He is also involved in volunteer organizations in the Hudson Valley and attends fundraisers benefiting charitable organizations.
DiPietrantonio enjoys spending time with his wife, Elizabeth, daughter, Lucy, and son, Franklin Harvey, at their home in Kingston, New York.Alumni Society Advisory Board Names New Chair
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06/06/2023
The University will hold its second Alumni/Student Golf Outing Saturday, September 30, at Pine Hills Country Club in Taylor, Pennsylvania.
The scramble play outing will begin with a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m. Registration will open soon.
Save The Date For The Alumni/Student Golf Outing Sept. 30
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06/06/2023
The University of Scranton will hold a reception at Fenway Park for alumni, parents and friends August 29 as the Boston Red Sox take on the Houston Astros.
The reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. on the Truly Terrace, and the first pitch will be thrown at 7:10 p.m. The $80 admission fee includes a ticket to the game, a $40 food voucher and a Scranton giveaway. Register today at this link.
University To Hold Reception At Fenway Park Aug. 29
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06/06/2023
On June 26, The University of Scranton will honor Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., the 25th president of the University, with the 2023 Peter A. Carlesimo Award at the annual Carlesimo Golf Tournament and Award Dinner at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, New Jersey.
Quandel Construction Group will serve as the event’s title sponsor. Although the golf tournament has sold out, there are still seats available for the evening award dinner honoring Father Quinn; register for the award dinner today at this link.
About the honoree
Father Quinn served as the 25th president of The University of Scranton from July 2011 to June 2017. From his first days on campus, Father Quinn demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to Jesuit Catholic higher education and a deep appreciation for the pivotal role athletics can play in enhancing both the overall student experience and the University community as a whole.
On May 8, 2018, the University dedicated the Kevin P. Quinn, S.J. Athletics Campus, its brand-new, $14 million athletic facility, in recognition of Father Quinn’s special interest in promoting athletics and his relentless support of Scranton’s student-athletes. Father Quinn strongly advocated for the development of the athletics campus, and his role in spearheading the fundraising efforts needed to make this longtime University dream a reality cannot be overstated.
In addition to his support of the athletics campus, Father Quinn oversaw the addition of Women’s Golf and Men’s and Women’s Track and Field at Scranton. He was also very supportive of the creation of The Royal Way, the Department of Athletics initiative that provides our student-athletes with a distinctly Jesuit athletics experience rooted in the religious and spiritual foundations of the University’s Catholic and Jesuit mission.
About the event
Since 2011, the Peter A. Carlesimo Award has been presented to someone who has made special contributions to athletics and Catholic education. The Golf Tournament and Award Dinner serves as a fundraising event to support and enhance the student-athlete experience at The University of Scranton. For more information, visit scranton.edu/carlesimoaward.
Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., To Receive Carlesimo Award June 26
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06/06/2023
The University of Scranton will hold its annual Reunion Weekend celebration June 9-11. Visit this link to register for this year’s events.
Friday, June 9
Registration Opens At The Reunion Weekend Hospitality Center
2 – 10 p.m.
The DeNaples Center, 1st Floor
When you arrive on campus, make The DeNaples Center your first stop to receive your name tag, event tickets and other information.
The Frank J. O’Hara Awards Dinner
7 p.m.
The McIlhenny Ballroom of The DeNaples Center, 4th Floor
The University and The Alumni Society will honor Elizabeth Altemus Murphy '83, Noradeen Farlekas, LP.D., CFA '83, Colleen A. Joseph, M.D. '83, John J. (Jack) Lynch, III '83, Erin Tracy Bradley, M.D., MPH '88, Matthew L. Davidson, Ph.D. '93, Linda M. Hee, Esq. '93, Yohuru R. Williams, Ph.D. '93, G'93, and Colonel Christopher Paris, Esq. '98, at the 2023 Frank J. O'Hara Awards Dinner. Visit this link to register and/or to leave a congratulatory note for an honoree today.
All-Class Welcome Reception
9-11 p.m.
The Flagpole Terrace
Celebrate the weekend with friends, music, bar snacks, beer, wine and soda at the Flagpole Terrace.
Saturday, June 10
Registration Opens At The Reunion Weekend Hospitality Center
9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
The DeNaples Center, 1st Floor
Special Constituency Reunions
11 a.m. - Noon
Band and Singers: Houlihan McLeanRainbow Royals: The DeNaples Center, 2nd Floor
SJLA: The DeNaples Center, 2nd Floor
All-Class Family Picnic
12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
The Dionne GreenEnjoy a picnic lunch and plenty of fun with your friends at this crowd-pleasing, family-friendly event! Entertainment will include a DJ, yard games, ice cream truck, bounce house, and more. Adult tickets will cost $30, and tickets for children ages 5-18 will cost $15; children under 5 will be admitted for free.
Special Performance By Durty Nelly and The Blackwells
1:30 – 3 p.m.
The Dionne Green Amphitheater
See Durty Nelly and The Blackwells, a band comprised of members of the Class of 1993, return to campus for a special performance.
Campus Tour
3 p.m.
Departs from The DeNaples Center, 2nd Floor
Saturday Evening Celebration
6 - 10 p.m.
The DeNaples Center Patio & Dionne GreenYou and your classmates will be treated to an evening of food, spirits and dancing. Tickets will cost $60 per person. Cocktails will be available at your class dinner location, and the after party will be on the patio of the DeNaples Center.
In addition to the events listed above, the University will hold a 50-Year Medal Ceremony for the members of The Class of 1973 and their guests.
Class Dinner and 50-Year Medal Ceremony
6 p.m.
The DeNaples Center, 4th FloorIncludes dinner, cocktails, and the 50-year medal ceremony.
Sunday, June 11
Reunion Weekend Mass
For more information on Reunion Weekend, visit scranton.edu/reunion.
9:30 a.m.
Madonna della Strada ChapelReunion Weekend Returns June 9-11
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06/05/2023
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Barrett Noone, M.D. ’61, Haverford, recently published a history of plastic surgery in America for the lay reader titled "From Trenches to Transplants: Changing Lives with Plastic Surgery". Dr. Noone received the Frank J. O’Hara Distinguished Alumni Award in 1986 and served as a University Trustee from 1999 through 2004. The book is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books a Million and other commercial entities.
Patrick F. Cioni, ’64, G’69, Roaring Brook Township, is a licensed professional counselor specializing in evidence-based treatment of chronic anger by using forgiveness as a therapy method. He has published a paper titled “Sexuality and Spirituality: An Attempt at Integration for Sexual and Relational Health” and a poem titled “A Song to Jesus and the Sons and Daughters of the Heavenly City” in the Homiletic and Pastoral Review. Also published was “Field of Dreams: A Clinical and Scriptural Analysis for Counselors, Clients, and Spiritual Directors in Human Development." Motivation for writing these and other publications comes from the challenge to effectively address issues that clients bring to counseling. Cioni hopes the Lord lets him live long enough to finish the current paper “Maximizing the Benefits of Faith-Based Counseling."
Kelly Thompson-Brazill, DNP, ACNP-BC, FCCM ’99, Washington, D.C., associate professor and director of the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program at Georgetown University's School of Nursing (GUSON), will become GUSON's assistant dean for APRN Programs on July 1, 2023.
Janan M. E. Tallo, Esq. '02, Old Forge, accepted the position of Chief Public Defender of the Columbia County Public Defender's Office, Columbia County, Pennsylvania.
MARRIAGES
Rob Kelly, Ph.D. ’79 to Jack Brown
Paris Metzger '15 to Michael J. Foy
Tyler Milewski ’16, G’18 to Matthew Chaltain
Alexa Winchel ’17, G’18 to Christopher D’Antonio
BIRTHS
A son, Jacob, to Clyde '07, G'09 and Lisa Hummel Rosencrance '08, G'09, South Abington Township
A son, Colin Michael, to Greg ’13 and Anastasia Zygmunt Mooney ’13, G’15, Harrisburg; grandson of Charles Mooney ’83 and Stan ’84, G’85 and Elizabeth Zygmunt ’87; great-grandson of the late Thomas Casey ’51
A son, Parker Lennie, to Kellie and Tim Janes ’15, Bedminster, New Jersey
A son, James, to Jonathan and Sarah Thomas Auchey ’17, Sierra Vista, Arizona
DEATHS
Terrence J. Brown ’60, Wethersfield, Connecticut
Paul A. Chianese ’63, Hadley
Vincent S. McEvoy ’65, Rome, New York
Charles B. Holleran ’67, New York, New York
Timothy J. Woestman ’69, Havertown
Deacon John A. Donaghy, Ph.D ’70, Santa Rosa de Copan, Honduras
Mary Beth Farrell ’79, H’10, Lake Ariel
Thomas J. (T.J.) Sullivan ’97, Wyckoff, New Jersey
Holly Hinz Sorensen ’00, Salisbury Township
Alumni Class Notes, June 2023
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05/09/2023
Recent graduates, Crysta O’Donnell '22 and Carolina Murphy '22 studied a language at The University of Scranton and it has opened many doors for them.
Andorra is a tiny country located between Spain and France, among the southern peaks of the Pyrenees Mountains. This microstate is also the destination of O’Donnell, one of the two ambassadors chosen last year by the Fulbright organization to represent the United States abroad during the 2022-2023 academic year.
“I am really thrilled. I could not believe it when I was informed that I had been awarded the Fulbright,” explains O'Donnell.She graduated last May with a double major in International Studies and Hispanic Studies and a minor in French. Now, O'Donnell will have the chance to put in motion all the skills she developed at The University of Scranton. Andorrans speak Spanish and French.
“And I’ve been told that I will have to learn Catalan too, the official language of the country,” she added.Her position is the English Teaching Assistant in the Escola Andorrana, one of the education systems of the small country. Andorra is technically a principality whose Heads of State are the President of France and the Bishop of Urgel, Spain. It has an elected Parliament and Government, though. The country is known for its sky stations and duty-free stores.
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime,” said O'Donnell before leaving Scranton.
The other University recipient of the Fulbright grant was Peter Amicucci '22, major in business administration. His destination will be further north in Europe: Finland.
Murphy ended her tenure at The University of Scranton with a bang. Last May at the Class Night ceremony she received the Professor Joseph G. Brunner Award for Excellence in Foreign Languages.
“I am very honored to be receiving this award, and I am excited my hard work over the past four years here at Scranton has paid off! This award gives me the opportunity to represent the department that has supported me during my time here and inspires me to continue my hard work,” said Murphy.
She graduated in May with a double major in finance and Spanish studies and a minor in business leadership.“I have been passionate about studying Spanish since middle school and am grateful to have pursued it throughout my academic career. I would highly recommend studying a foreign language, it has given me incredible opportunities in learning about a diverse group of cultures, meaningful traditions, and connecting with people I otherwise could not communicate with,” Murphy said. Her 4.0 GPA in Spanish studies demonstrates her passion for the program.
-- Submitted by: Jaime Meilán del Río, Faculty Specialist, Department of World Languages and Cultures
Language Studies Opens Doors for Alumni
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05/02/2023
The University of Scranton will celebrate 5.06, its ninth annual Day of Giving, on Saturday, May 6, by attempting to reach its goal of 2,023 donors.
There are many ways to participate in the 5.06 fun, including wearing purple, posting fond Scranton memories and photos on social media using #GiveToScrantOn506 and #Royals4Others, and making a gift to the campus fund of your choice. Jim Slattery ’86, former chair of the Board of Trustees, will match the first $25,000 donated to The Opening Doors Scholarship, an award serving graduates of the Cristo Rey Network of High Schools, Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago and other similar institutions that have demonstrated financial need. The scholarship closes the gap of any unmet financial needs after all other sources of financial aid and scholarships have been determined.
Alumni, parents and friends of the University can also register for this year’s Virtual 5.06K, a virtual exercise challenge that invites participants to exercise in any way prior to 5.07. All Virtual 506K participants will automatically be counted as 5.06 donors, and they can designate their registration fees to the University causes of their choice. Register for the Virtual 5.06K here.
All 5.06 donors will receive University of Scranton stickers as a token of our appreciation. Make your 5.06 gift here or text ScrantonGives23 to 71777. For more information on 5.06.23, visit scranton.edu/506
University To Celebrate 5.06 Day of Giving May 6
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05/02/2023
Registration has opened for Reunion 2023, which will take place June 9-11.
Visit this link to register today for the celebration, and visit scranton.edu/reunion for information on the schedule of events.
Reminder: Register Today For Reunion 2023 June 9-11
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05/02/2023
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Tom Miller, Ph.D. G’67, Lexington, Kentucky, an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine at the University of Kentucky and the Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention & Policy at the University of Connecticut, just saw his 15th book, School Violence and Primary Prevention (2023), published by Springer International Publications. Chapters range from the conceptual to the practical, detailing the many forms of violence, prevention, assessment and treatment. Issues related to key figures involved in addressing violence in our schools—school superintendents, law enforcement, educators, and health care professionals - are discussed.
Nick Camera ’71, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has been appointed as Community Service chairman of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for the state of South Carolina. A 1971 ARMY ROTC graduate, he retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel and is still serving veterans as a Past Post Commander and a state officer.
Dennis Size ’76, Port Washington, New York, executive vice-president of the Lighting Design Group in NYC, recently received the 2022 Sports EMMY Award for his Lighting Design of NBC's Broadcast Coverage of Super Bowl LVI at the SOFI Stadium in Los Angeles.
Melinda Ghilardi, Esq. ’80, Dunmore, participated in the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Fourth Annual Federal Practice Institute. Ghilardi moderated a panel of lawyers and a district court judge who analyzed the criminal implications of the hypothetical fact pattern "The Criminal Conundrum."
Hon. Terrence R. Nealon ’81, Scranton, was presented with the Civil Litigation Professional Excellence Award by The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Civil Litigation Section.
Mike Cosgrove ’82, Dunmore, recently served as the 2022 President of the Lackawanna Bar Association, as well as the 2022 President of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County. He is a partner in the law firm of Haggerty, Hinton and Cosgrove, LLP.
Lisa M. Weckbacher, Ph.D. ’91, Thousand Oaks, California, published her first children's picture storybook, "What Is the Shape of My Egg?" the first in a series of books dedicated to nurturing spatial reasoning and the development of basic geometric concepts.
Michael A. Malia ’97, Manasquan, New Jersey, was elevated to name partner in the law firm Peri Stewart Malia, which has offices in Fairfield and Sea Girt, New Jersey, as well as New York.
COL Cristin Kiley Mount ’99, M.D., Lakewood, Washington, is retiring from the U.S. Army after 24 years of service. She will stay in Tacoma, Washington, continuing her practice as an intensivist, and will serve as an ultrasound instructor for the Society of Critical Care Medicine.
Timothy Donahue ’00, Bridgewater, New Jersey, earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Donahue’s dissertation examined how high school assistant principals conceptualize and implement disciplinary practices, and how these practices change over time.
BIRTHS
A daughter, Gal Helena McCann, to Zach and Kerry Madden McCann ’12, Bethlehem
A daughter, Collins Christie, to Jonathan ’14 and Shannon O’Gorman Grueter, Nutley, New Jersey
A daughter, Heidi Lynn, to Sarah Jencarelli ’20 and Ty Frankhouser, Plymouth Meeting
DEATHS
Wallace E. Fletcher ’60, Westport, Massachusetts
William J. Davis ’63, Clarks Green
Michael J. DeVergilius ’65, Old Forge
Joseph J. Barrette, D.M.D. ’66, Dunmore
Fred Sunderman ’67, El Paso, Texas
Mildred M. Petcavage G’71, Wilkes-Barre
John J. Bannon ’74, Waldorf, Maryland
John F. Boland ’77, G’79, Scranton
Janet Colman Brehm G’96, McDonough, Georgia
Joseph P. Voyt ’98, ScrantonFRIENDS' DEATHS
Victor L'Eplattenier, father of Renee L'Eplattenier '95
Tom Tennant, father of Elizabeth Tennant Klein '92 and grandfather of Bridget Klein '23 and Kelly Klein '25
Alumni Class Notes, May 2023
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04/05/2023
While the campus of The University of Scranton has been known to inspire a sort of “love at first sight” in many of its grads who grew up outside of the Scranton area, Phyllis Reinhardt ’78 humorously recalled a decidedly different sort of first encounter with northeastern Pennsylvania while driving past the culm dumps, or mountainous piles of coal mining waste, alongside Interstate 81 in 1960 to meet the family of Carl Richard Shewack, her husband-to-be at the time.
“He’s bringing me to meet his parents, and it was a beautiful, beautiful day in the spring,” she said. “The windows are down, mind you, and I get a whiff of the culm dumps, and I think, ‘Oh my God, what am I getting into? What am I doing?’
“That was my introduction to Scranton.”
Despite that less-than-stellar introduction, Reinhardt, a native of Wisconsin and a veteran of both the Air Force and the U.S. Army Reserve, came to appreciate life in the Electric City.
“There is an atmosphere in Scranton that makes you want to get to know people,” she said. “I’ve lived in several places over my military career, and I came back here.
“Scranton is a good place to live.”
After spending her childhood on a farm in Wisconsin, Reinhardt joined the Air Force and was stationed in Syracuse, New York, where she met Shewack, who was also serving in the Air Force. The couple married in May of 1960, and, after Carl finished his term of service and Phyllis was discharged on the basis of marriage, they settled in Scranton. Along the way, they were blessed with three children: Lisa, Linda and Carl Richard Jr.
“Scranton was a wonderful place to raise the kids,” she said.
After a decade of marriage, Reinhardt and Shewack divorced, and Phyllis decided to pursue her dream of going to college. After briefly working toward a career as a medical secretary and realizing that she was never going to master stenography, she took an aptitude test that indicated she would excel at social work and decided to pursue a degree in sociology at The University of Scranton.
Learning How To Learn
Reinhardt joined the U.S. Army Reserve to help finance the cost of her education. When she enrolled at the University in 1974, coeducation, which began in 1972, was still a fairly new phenomenon, and some of the faculty members she encountered were still adjusting to the new status quo.
“Many of the professors still called us ‘guys,’” she said. “They had not yet made that transition to ‘ladies and gentlemen,’ but I never felt that anyone resented our being here.”
On the whole, Reinhardt said she felt quite welcome on campus.
“The University is a welcoming community,” she said. “It’s warm. People are very outgoing.”
At the University, she said she encountered a priest who helped contextualize both her purpose as an undergraduate student and her innate desire to serve others.
“He said, ‘If you’re here to learn how to do a job, you’re in the wrong place … you’re here to learn how to learn,’” she said. “That always struck me as, ‘Yes, you have to learn, you have to put that energy and that knowledge to good use, and how better than to help your fellow human beings?’”
During her student days, Reinhardt served on the University Senate and the Dexter Hanley Council, where she was elected vice president during her senior year; she also became the first woman to join the University’s Veterans Club. While she can barely remember how she managed to successfully juggle her extracurriculars, her studies, her job and her family, she said the University’s emphasis on nurturing her spiritual core aided her efforts.
“My life was busy, but to find the peace and contentment of knowing that you are part of something bigger than yourself … that lesson has really stuck with me,” she said. “There were times throughout my life where things didn’t go so well, but that sense of spiritual being, that this is the core of every human being – if you aren’t in touch with that, life can be pretty rugged.”
A Woman For And With Others
After graduating from the University, Reinhardt moved to Nebraska to work for the Department of Veterans Affairs. When her mother fell ill, she moved back to Wisconsin to care for her. After her mother passed, Reinhardt took on a “dual status” position in the U.S. Army Reserve that allowed her to function in both a military and civilian capacity, and she worked toward a master’s degree in public administration at Iowa State University. At the beginning of the Gulf War, she was promoted to director of Family Programs, a new position in which she helped prepare reserve soldiers and their family members for the challenges of deployment by briefing them on their benefits and informing them of the various resources they could utilize for support, and she continued to serve in that capacity until her retirement a decade later.
“(The reserves) decided that they needed a family readiness program to support military families, and I was fortunate enough to be one of the first 10 people to hold that position,” she said. “I met the most wonderful people.”
After a long career spent teaching, training and assisting others, Reinhardt retired and returned to Scranton, where she almost immediately began volunteering to teach, train and assist others. She became a docent for Scranton’s Everhart Museum, where she has led school groups on tours of the property for the past 20 years. She joined the National Active & Retired Federal Employees Association Scranton Chapter 129 and currently serves as its president. Drawing upon her days on the farm in Wisconsin, she became a master gardener for the Penn State Cooperative Extension, where she lends her vast experience to her fellow gardeners in the interest of helping them solve their problems. She also became active in Fair Districts PA, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to fixing legislative rules in order to end gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. At the University, she joined the Friends of the Library Advisory Board and attended many of the cultural enrichment programs and luncheons offered by the Schemel Forum. Ultimately, Reinhardt said she believes that we are here to serve each other, and she enjoys spending her time helping the people of her community.
“It makes me feel, I guess, needed,” she said. “I had 15,000 soldiers and their families looking to me for guidance when they deployed, and, suddenly, nobody needed me. The phone stopped ringing, the emails were no more, so I guess I filled that gap by (volunteering).”
She also hasn’t stopped pursuing new interests: despite “never graduating from drawing stick people,” she began taking oil painting classes at the Dunmore Senior Center a few years ago and has enjoyed them immensely.
A Scranton Legacy
As an early pioneer of coeducation at the University, Reinhardt helped blaze a trail for thousands of women to follow in the decades to come, including her daughter, Lisa Thurston ’85, G’09, academic dean at Scranton Preparatory School, and her granddaughter, Catherine Thurston, VMD ’15, a large animal surgery resident at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center.
“To see them succeed, and so well – it makes me very proud, obviously,” she said. “They are in fields where they are helping people, so maybe it’s a family tradition to share your knowledge, to help people solve their problems?
“It’s very heartwarming.”
While the University has certainly seen its share of changes since Reinhardt’s student days, she said the warmth and welcoming spirit she first encountered nearly half a century ago remains intact, and she plans to continue to serve the greater University community in the years to come.
“It has always been one of my better achievements to have graduated and to be able to use that and give back,” she said. “Serving on the (Friends of the Library Advisory Board), I can give back to the students who are following me and make it a better environment for them."
Alumni Spotlight: Phyllis Reinhardt '78
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04/05/2023
"Tito," a short film co-written, co-directed and produced by Andy Tworischuk '09, will screen at the Northeast Pennsylvania Film Festival at the Waverly Community House Saturday, April 15, at 11 a.m.
According to the film's YouTube description, "Tito," a film set in New York City's seedy underworld, follows a worn-out delivery driver as he attempts to find purpose in his life. "As he struggles to navigate a city that feels like Hell, The Delivery Man finds comfort in his only friend, a dog named Tito. Distraught and desperate to change the course of his life, a chance encounter at a gas station might solve his problems once and for all."
In addition to his co-writing, co-directing, and producing credits, Tworischuk also appears in the film as "Tough Customer."
The film has won several awards, including Best Picture, Best First Time Director, Best Cinematography and Best Actor at the 2022 Festigious International Film Festival, Best Indie Short and a Special Jury Mention at the 2022 Independent Shorts Awards International Film Festival, Best American Cinematography and Best American Film at the 2022 Los Angeles Cinematography Awards, and Best First Time Director and Best Ensemble at the 2022 New York International Film Awards.
Visit the 2023 Northeast Pennsylvania Film Festival page for more information.
Alumnus Filmmaker To Screen 'Tito' At NEPA Film Festival April 15
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04/05/2023
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 hallways and lounges at The Drueding Center. Register for The Drueding Center service project today.
Royals in the 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 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.
Day Of Service Returns April 22
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04/05/2023
The University will host "Opening The Doors To Women On Campus," a panel discussion featuring first-hand accounts of the early days of coeducation at Scranton, Wednesday, April 12, at 5 p.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center.
Susan Poulson, Ph.D., professor of History at the University, will moderate a panel featuring Melinda C. Ghilardi, Esq. '80, attorney with Munley Law and former first assistant federal public defender, Martina A. Martin '80, SVP and COO of United Way of Central Maryland, Baltimore, Rev. Bernard R. McIlhenny, S.J., H'98, Dean of Admissions Emeritus at the University, and Karen L. Pennington '76, G'83, H'15, retired vice president for Student Development and Campus Life at Montclair State University. Refreshments will follow the discussion.
University To Hold 50 Years of Coeducation Panel Discussion April 12
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04/05/2023
The University of Scranton will induct five new members into its athletics department Wall of Fame over Wall of Fame Weekend April 28-29.
The festivities will begin with the Wall of Fame Induction Ceremony in the Moskovitz Theater on the fourth floor of the DeNaples Center Friday, April 28, at 7 p.m. as the University officially inducts Tim Cleary '13, Men's Lacrosse, Bob Doetzer '87, Men's Lacrosse/Wrestling, Gretchen Kempf Quinn '13, Field Hockey, Bill McGuinness '13, Men's Soccer, and Tim McGurrin '13, Men's Tennis, into the Wall of Fame Class of 2023. A cocktail reception will follow the ceremony; tickets for the reception are $20 for ages 12 and older and $10 for children ages 5-11, while children under five will receive free admission. Visit this link to register for the cocktail reception today.
The celebration will continue Saturday, April 29, at the Quinn Athletics Campus when the Wall of Fame Class of 2023 will be introduced at halftime of the 1 p.m. Women's Lacrosse game.
University To Hold Wall Of Fame Weekend April 28-29
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04/05/2023
Registration has opened for this year's Virtual 5.06K, a virtual exercise challenge that invites participants to exercise in any way between Saturday, April 29, and Saturday, May 6, in support of 5.06, the University's ninth annual Day of Giving.
All Virtual 5.06K participants will automatically be counted as 5.06 donors, and they can designate their registration fees to the University cause of their choice. Visit this link to register for the Virtual 5.06K today, and visit scranton.edu/506 for more information on Scranton's ninth annual Day of Giving.
University Opens Virtual 5.06K Registration
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04/05/2023
Registration has opened for Reunion 2023, which will take place June 9-11.
Visit this link to register today for the celebration, and visit scranton.edu/reunion for information on the schedule of events.
Register Today For Reunion 2023 June 9-11
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04/05/2023
The University of Scranton Book Club will discuss "Walking Together: The Way of Synodality" by Pope Francis during its next virtual meeting Tuesday, April 25, at 7 p.m.
The conversation will be facilitated by Daniel Cosacchi, Ph.D., vice president for Mission and Ministry at the University, and Ryan Sheehan, J.D., executive director of The Jesuit Center. The discussion will occur over two Zoom sessions, and the first discussion will cover up to page 83. Session two will be held May 1.
Join The University of Scranton Book Club today to connect with your fellow Royals.
University Book Club To Discuss 'Walking Together: The Way Of Synodality' by Pope Francis April 25
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04/05/2023
The Scranton Club of New York will meet at Yankee Stadium Wednesday, July 26 to watch the New York Yankees take on the New York Mets.
The game will begin at 7:05 p.m., and gates will open at 5:30 p.m. The club will hold a pre-game reception on the Budweiser Party Deck featuring 90 minutes of food, draft beer, and non-alcoholic beverages, all of which will be included in the $90 price of admission. Attendees will sit in section 415.
Visit this link to register today.
Scranton Club of NY To Meet at Yankee Game July 26
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04/05/2023
The University will host a networking reception for alumni, parents and friends at Harrisburg's Lancaster Brewing Company Wednesday, May 3, at 5:30 p.m.
The $15 registration fee includes appetizers and your choice of one flight of beer or a mixed drink. Guests are encouraged to bring a business card to enter a special University raffle. Visit this link to register today.
University To Host Harrisburg Networking Reception At Lancaster Brewing Company May 3
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04/05/2023
The University will host its annual Pre-Law Advisory Program Banquet in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall Monday, May 1, at 5:30 p.m.
The evening will include dinner, cocktails, and plenty of opportunities for students, faculty and alumni lawyers to connect with each other. It will also feature a keynote address by the Hon. Mary Walsh Dempsey '88, Judge of the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas.
University To Host Annual Pre-Law Advisory Program Banquet May 1
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04/05/2023
The Council of Alumni Lawyers (CAL) will hold a networking reception with University of Scranton Pre-Law Society students at The Pyramid Club in Philadelphia April 21.
The cocktail and hors d'oeuvre reception will give alumni lawyers the chance to meet both their fellow alumni attorneys in the Philadelphia area and current students interested in a legal career. Register for the CAL Networking Reception with Pre-Law Society Students today.
Reminder: CAL To Hold Philadelphia Networking Reception With Pre-Law Students April 21
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04/05/2023
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
The Honorable Patrick M. Fiore ’78, Palmetto Bay, Florida, was reelected to a second term as a city commissioner in Palmetto Bay, Florida, in November 2022.
Lawrence A. J. Spegar, Esq. '84, Jessup, joined the 25 Year Club - Consecutive Years for attending the Super Bowl. From Super Bowls XXXII through LVII, Spegar has now attended 26 straight Super Bowls. An attorney, author, actor, director and television host, Spegar has become one of the leading and enthusiastic personalities in the sports world. He is the Author of "Cougar Town, USA," available on Amazon. The book is a celebration of the great tradition of football throughout America.
Lisa Witowski Shearman ’89, Lansdale, a partner at the firm Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin, has advanced to the position of president-elect of the Montgomery Bar Association.
Matthew Cooper, M.D. ’90, Wisconsin, has been appointed Chief of the Division of Transplantation in the Department of Surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), Director of the Joint Solid Organ Transplantation Program at Froedtert Health and Children’s Wisconsin, and the Mark B. Adams Chair in Transplant Surgery.
Bridget McMahon ’92, Baltimore, Maryland, was named vice president of Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders in August 2022. Her work centers on a large scale, multi-center, observational Parkinson's Disease study sponsored by the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
Andrew Conaboy ’07, Sarasota, Florida, became partner at the law firm of Berlin Patten Ebling, PLLC on January 1, 2022.
MARRIAGES
Michael Nobile '82 to Stephanie Bramblett
Nate Wynosky '13 to Alexis Sorace
John Bayruns '14 to Olivia Barone '14
Maria Salvatore ’15, G’16 to Greg Cunningham '15, G'16
Marco Richione ’16, G’18 to Victoria Kochmer ’15
Gianna Vitolo ’16 to Sal Montuori ’16
Matthew McGovern '17 to Emily Frantzen '17
Sydney Smith ’17 to Shawn SeneseBIRTHS
A daughter, Hailey Alea, to Daniel '07 and Michelle Constantino Crowe '07, Commack, New York.
A daughter, June Jacqueline Wnek-Kelly, to John Kelly '10 and Erica Wnek, West Orange, New Jersey. Granddaughter of Catherine Navin Kelly '76
DEATHS
George J. Kocsis ’52, Dunmore
Paul Yatsonsky ’59, Liverpool, New York
Edward A. D’Agostino ’62, Scranton
Raymond Pacini ’62, Pittston
Ralph W. Grambo, Ph.D. ’64, Poyntelle
Verghese J. Chirayath, Ph.D. ’66, Cary, North Carolina
Charles Chellis ’68, Windsor Mill, Maryland
Jerome C. Horan ’71, Santa Barbara, CA
Bernard F. Slusarz ’71, Mountaintop
Timothy J. Griffin G’73, Tunkhannock
Frank J. Mazzeo, Jr. ’79, Wyoming
John-Tom Knuttel ’81, Fairless Hills
Barbara Buyer Rose ’82, Atlanta, Georgia
James J. DeAngelis ’90, Jersey City, New Jersey
John C. McGuire ’91, BethlehemFRIENDS' DEATHS
Mary Ann Johnson, mother of Wendy Johnson Evans ’89 and Tracy Johnson Burke ’91
Thomas P. Smith, Psy.D., father of Sydney Smith Senese ’17
Alumni Class Notes, April 2023
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03/01/2023
The 13th annual Shamrockin’ Eve will return to the Byron Center Friday, March 10, at 8:30 p.m.
The event will unite alumni from the classes of 2018-2022 with current seniors in celebration of one of Scranton's favorite traditions. Featuring food, drinks, a DJ, a photo booth, and a sea of green T-shirts, Shamrockin’ Eve will truly be a night to remember.
Alumni can register online through Friday, March 10, at 9 a.m.; alumni may also register as walk-ins at the event for $40. Seniors must register online for $35 by March 10 at 9 a.m. as senior walk-ins will not be admitted. See a list of registrants here. This year, $5 of every registration fee will benefit The University of Scranton Royal Fund.
In 2009, the University held its first Shamrockin' Eve. The event was founded after a group of young alumni who wanted to reconnect with Scranton and each other prior to their five-year class reunion met with the late Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., the University’s 24th and 27th president, at Chapman Lake. It quickly evolved into an opportunity for current seniors and recent graduates to contribute to the success of future University students.
For more information, visit scranton.edu/shamrock.
Shamrockin' Eve Returns March 10
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03/01/2023
The University will hold a reception for alumni, parents and friends in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, at Murphy's Law Sports Bar March 13 at 7 p.m.
The $15 registration fee includes beer, wine, soda and appetizers. Register for the reception here.
The University's Baseball and Softball teams will be in Myrtle Beach for spring break training from March 11-17. Visit athletics.scranton.edu for the latest team schedules.
University To Hold Myrtle Beach Reception March 13
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03/01/2023
The Council of Alumni Lawyers (CAL) will hold a networking reception with University of Scranton Pre-Law Society students at The Pyramid Club in Philadelphia April 21.
The cocktail and hors d'oeuvre reception will give alumni lawyers the chance to meet both their fellow alumni attorneys in the Philadelphia area and current students interested in a legal career. Register for the CAL Networking Reception with Pre-Law Society Students today.
CAL To Hold Networking Reception With Pre-Law Society Students In Philadelphia April 21
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03/01/2023
The University will celebrate Reunion Weekend 2023 from June 9-11. Registration for the event will open soon. For more information, visit scranton.edu/reunion or email alumni@scranton.edu.
The “Planning to Attend” list for Reunion Weekend 2023 has officially opened. Add your name to the Planning to Attend list to let your friends know you're coming, and visit the Planning to Attend page to see which of your classmates is planning to attend the festivities.
Reminder: University To Hold Reunion 2023 June 9-11
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03/01/2023
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
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02/28/2023
The University will hold three Presidential Receptions with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, in Florida during the month of March.
The first reception will take place at Admiral's Cove Golf Village in Jupiter, Florida, March 5 from 4 to 6 p.m. Visit https://bit.ly/UofSJupiter2023 to register for the event.
The second reception will take place at Naples Bay Resort & Marina in Naples, Florida, March 24, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Visit https://scranton.advancementform.com/event/florida-events-2023/register to register for the event.
The third gathering will take place at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, March 26 as the Yankees take on the Blue Jays at a spring training game. The pre-game reception will begin at 11 a.m., and the first pitch will be thrown at 1:05 p.m. The $50 registration fee includes the pre-game reception and a ticket to the game. Visit https://scranton.advancementform.com/event/florida-events-2023/register to register for the event.
University To Hold Presidential Receptions In Florida In March
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02/28/2023
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, partner at Munley Law, spoke at the Sidney T. Marable Arizona Association for Justice Annual Conference 2022. Munley spoke on the topic, “Persuading the Butchers, Bakers, and Candlestick Makers: Using Liability and Lay Witnesses to Prove Damage.”
Catherine Julius G'94, Plains, and Robert Bresnahan '12, Dallas, recently participated as a dance team in Dancing Stars of Wilkes-Barre, a fundraiser at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts for the KISS Theatre Company, an inclusive performing arts center for children in the Wyoming Valley.
MARRIAGES
Lauren Jurbala ’14', G'19 to John Rafferty
Connor Tucciarone '14 to Christina Scully '14
Lexi Cerchione ’16 to Chris Chojnacki ’16BIRTHS
A son, Charles “Charlie” Christopher, to Lindsay and Chris Weber ’12, Garden City, New York
A son, Tripp, to Michael and Maureen Elfring Killeen ’13, Ramsey, New JerseyDEATHS
Daniel T. Pompey, Sr., M.D. ’54, Nokomis, Florida
Eugene Baeurle ’55, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
William G. Vitaletti ’55, Williamsburg, Virginia
Michael T. Moran ’56, Drums
Kenneth L. Polley ’56, Reading
Col. Warren N. Balish, USA Ret. ’58, Ashburn, Virginia
James H. Masters ’59, Dunmore
John P. Reddington, Ph.D. ’59, Newark, Delaware
Walter Matechak ’63, Clarks Summit
Eugene G. Opsasnick ’64, G’65, North Abington Township
Daniel J. Glodek ’68, Dickson City
James J. Gillern ’69, Medford, New Jersey
Francis M. Goskowski ’72, Clarks Summit
Daniel D. Dowd, Jr., D.O. ’74, York
Alison Goldstein Bruno ’99, Germantown, WisconsinAlumni Class Notes, March 2023
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02/07/2023
The Princeton Review listed The University of Scranton’s Kania School of Management among the nation’s “Best Business Schools” in its 2023 ranking of just 243 colleges in the country. This is the 18th consecutive year that Scranton has been included in the listing the nation’s most elite business colleges. Scranton was included among the list of “Best On-Campus MBA Programs,” which was published online on January 31.
The listing of business programs is compiled from data from the Princeton Review’s surveys of nearly 20,300 students enrolled in MBA programs as well as institutional data collected from the schools. The data incorporates career outcomes, academic rigor, admissions selectivity and other factors. The Princeton Review does not provide an overall rank of the schools, but does publish lists of the top 10 schools in 18 different categories, such as the “toughest to get into.”
The University’s Kania School of Management is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), which is widely considered the gold standard of excellence for business schools. Less than five percent of business colleges worldwide hold AACSB accreditation.
The Princeton Review also listed Scranton in its 2023 edition of the “Best 388 Colleges,” ranking Scranton among the nation’s “Best Science Labs” (No. 7), “Best Campus Food” (No. 25 ) and “Most Religious Schools (No. 24). The Princeton Review also included Scranton in its 2023 “Guide to Green Colleges,” which lists just 455 schools in the world selected for expressing “strong commitments to the environment in their campus policies, programs and practices.”
Scranton Among Nation’s Best Business Schools
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01/31/2023
Forty years after a historic 29-3 season that culminated in winning the national title, The University of Scranton will welcome back the 1982-83 men's basketball team for a reunion that will be held on Saturday, Feb. 4, at halftime of the Royals' game versus Catholic in the John Long Center. Opening tip is slated for 4 p.m.
It marked the second national title in eight seasons for the Royals, who were led by legendary head coach Bob Bessoir for both championship runs.
"We are excited to welcome back the 1983 championship men's basketball team and celebrate them on the 40th Anniversary of their historic National Championship run!", Executive Director of Athletics Dave Martin said.
The 1983 Royals won their final 19 games of the year and defeated Wittenberg in thrilling fashion by a score of 64-63 in front of 3,700 people at Calvin University (Mich.). Ironically, the Tigers were also on the losing end when the Royals won their first title in 1976. Scranton also defeated Moravian (73-59), Widener (74-69 in 3OT), Potsdam State (65-64) and Roanoke (82-67) en route to capturing the program's second national title, with the first three of those victories coming in the Long Center.
Coach Bessoir's son, Bill, earned Most Outstanding Player honors after scoring 27 points in the national title game victory over Wittenberg, and Mickey Banas was also named to the All-Tournament Team.
The team included Bessoir, Banas, Todd Bailey, Mark Hutchinson, Jeff Jones, Steve Joseph, Tom Kosin, Bill Maile, Rich Para, Dan Polacheck and Floyd Wood. Coach Bessoir was joined on the sidelines by assistant coach Bob Walsh and assistant coach Oriey Glenn.
Visit In A Dallas Minute's YouTube page for a look back at some of the best memories from the unforgettable 1983 National Championship run.
Scranton's women's basketball team will open the action on Feb. 4 by taking on the Cardinals at 2 p.m.
Admission for the doubleheader is $7 for adults (18-61), $4 for seniors 62+ and children 10+, while University of Scranton faculty, staff, students and children ages nine and under are free of charge.
University Athletic Department To Host Reunion of 1983 Men's Basketball National Title Team Feb. 4
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01/31/2023
Newly inaugurated Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro nominated three University of Scranton graduates to Cabinet positions in his administration. Michael Carroll ’09 was nominated to serve as Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Transportation. Jason Kavulich ’97 was nominated to serve as Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Aging. Major Christopher Paris ’99 was nominated to serve as State Police Commissioner.
The 22 members of the Governor’s Cabinet serve as directors of various state agencies. The directors are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate.
Carroll, Pittston, was elected to the state House in 2006, and served eight terms, including two as the ranking Democrat on the House Transportation Committee. He also worked as legislative liaison for PennDOT under Gov. Robert Casey; served as chief of staff for former state Rep. John Yudichak, and was the district office director for former U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski.
Kavulich, Scranton, has 21 years of experience in the human services field, rising from a county caseworker to supervisory administrative positions in the Lackawanna County Office of Youth and Family Services and the Area Agency on Aging, where he served as director. As Secretary of Aging, Kavulich will follow in the footsteps of fellow alumnus Brian Duke ’79, who served in the position from 2011-2015.
A native of Lackawanna County, Major Paris has been a member of the Pennsylvania State Police since enlisting in 1999. He served as a state trooper in several parts of the state, as a station and troop commander, and as deputy commissioner of administration and professional accountability. He earned a law degree from Temple University Law School, and is a graduate of the 267th session of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy.
Three Alumni Nominated To Cabinet By PA Governor
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01/31/2023
Registration has opened for the University's 13th annual Shamrockin' Eve, a celebration for the Classes of 2018-2023 that will take place in the Byron Recreation Complex March 10.
Visit the Shamrockin' Eve Alumni Registration Page to register today, or visit scranton.edu/shamrockin to learn more about this year's festivities.
Registration Now Open For Shamrockin' Eve 2023
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01/31/2023
The University of Scranton Council of Alumni Lawyers will host a networking reception with Pre-Law Society students Friday, Feb. 17, at 5 p.m. in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library.
The reception will give alumni lawyers the opportunity to meet and connect with current students and their fellow alumni. Beer, wine, soda and hors d'oeuvres will be served. To register, visit the Pre-Law Society Networking Reception registration page.
CAL To Hold Networking Reception With Pre-Law Students Feb. 17
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01/31/2023
The Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley will hold a Lady Royals pre-game happy hour reception Feb. 15 at Fegley's Bethlehem Brew Works. Visit the Happy Hour Registration page to register today.
The reception will begin at 5 p.m. The $10 admission fee includes beer, wine, soda, appetizers and Scranton swag. Attendees are welcome to cheer on the Lady Royals as they battle Moravian University that evening at 7 p.m., and tickets for the game will be available at the door.
Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley To Hold Lady Royals Pre-Game Happy Hour Feb. 15
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01/31/2023
The University will celebrate Reunion Weekend 2023 from June 9-11. Registration for the event will open in March. For more information, visit scranton.edu/reunion or email alumni@scranton.edu.
The “Planning to Attend” list for Reunion Weekend 2023 has officially opened. Add your name to the Planning to Attend list to let your friends know you're coming, and visit the Planning to Attend page to see which of your classmates is planning to attend the festivities.
Reminder: University To Hold Reunion 2023 June 9-11
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01/31/2023
The University will hold its annual Day of Service on Earth Day 2023, which will fall on Saturday, April 22.
In honor of Earth Day, the University is seeking environmentally-focused regional service projects such as cleaning a park, schoolyard or church; it is also seeking to serve your communities in other ways, such as food and clothing drives. Contact alumni@scranton.edu by Jan. 31 to propose a service project in your region.
Reminder: University To Hold Day of Service April 22
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01/31/2023
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 SummitFRIENDS' 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
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01/26/2023
U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 “Best Online Graduate Programs” ranked The University of Scranton’s online master’s degree programs in business (excluding MBA) at No. 54 and its online MBA program at No. 102 in the nation. U.S. News also ranked Scranton at No. 72 in the country for “Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans.”
This is the 12th consecutive year that U.S. News ranked the University’s online programs among the best in the nation. The methodology used by U.S. News to determine the ranking has changed several times throughout the years.
For the 2023 Best Online Programs ranking, which published Jan. 24, U.S. News reviewed statistical information submitted by schools. The ranking criteria differed by category. The criteria used by U.S. News to rank online business and MBA programs included student engagement (30 percent), which looked at graduation rates, class size, one-year retention rates, and best practices such as accreditation by AACSB International, among other factors. The ranking criteria also included peer reputation score (25 percent); faculty credentials and training (15 percent); student excellence (15 percent); and student services and technology (15 percent).
In addition to offering distance education programs that incorporate coursework that is predominantly online, colleges and universities making the “Best Online Program for Veterans” list must have ranked in top half of 2023 Best Online Program rankings; be regionally accredited; be certified for the GI Bill and participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program; and enroll a “critical mass of veterans” as defined by U.S. News based on the size of the college.
Scranton offers online MBA degrees in general business, accounting, business analytics, enterprise resource planning, finance, healthcare management, human resources management, international business and operations management; master’s degrees in accountancy, applied behavior analysis, business analytics, cybercrime investigation and cybersecurity, finance, health administration, health informatics, human resources management and a dual MBA/MHA degree, in addition to graduate certificates. For technology, recruitment and marketing support, the University partners with Wiley for the online programs.
In other rankings published by U.S. News, Scranton has been ranked among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 29 consecutive years. Scranton is ranked No. 5 in the 2023 edition of the guidebook. U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 6 in its category for “Best Undergraduate Teaching,” a selection of the top colleges in the nation that express a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching.
Scranton Online Programs Ranked Among Best in USA
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01/04/2023
The University of Scranton will light its four-story, Class of 2020 Gateway sign in memory of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, Jan. 3, 4 and 5. The sign will display a white cross with a gold background.
White and gold are worn by the Pope during Christmas and Easter, symbolizing the birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ. These colors are also worn during funerals because they symbolize life rather than mourning, according to an ABC News article about the meaning of the colors worn by the Pope.
“As a true pastor and scholar, his writings and teachings will continue to inspire theologians for generations to come. More than that, as a great pastoral leader, he called us all to a deeper relationship with God, one grounded in love and fidelity,” wrote Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., president of the University, in a statement on the passing of Pope Benedict XVI.
$content.getChild('content').textValueIn Memory of Pope Benedict XVI
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01/03/2023
The University will hold its 13th annual Shamrockin' Eve celebration for members of the Classes of 2019-2023 on Friday, March 10.
Registration will open soon. For more information, visit scranton.edu/shamrock.
Save The Date For Shamrockin' Eve March 10
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01/03/2023
Joe Fitzgerald, M.D. ’64 has figured out the key to a happy, successful retirement: serve the children of his community and play a lot of golf.
The retired orthopedic surgeon, who resides in Kingston, Rhode Island, with his wife, Kathleen, spends every Tuesday and Thursday at Clothes to Kids Rhode Island, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides new and quality used clothing to low-income or in-crisis school-age children in Providence County free of charge so that they may attend school with the confidence and self-esteem needed to achieve academic success.
“It’s supposed to add self-esteem, and I think it works,” Fitzgerald said. “I think it makes the world a better place.”
Fitzgerald’s interest in making the world a better place can be traced back to the example he saw his mother, a nurse, and his father, a school teacher, set for him when he was growing up in Throop, Pennsylvania. His love affair with golf also began early in his life after an uncle arranged for him to play for free at a local course.
“I played golf about 45 holes a day when I was 13,” he said, “so I got pretty good as a result of that.”
As a student at Throop High School, Fitzgerald already knew he wanted to attend the University.
“Where else would I go?” he said with a laugh. “Everybody went to Scranton. I was five miles away from Scranton.
“It was affordable and it was a rite of passage.”
After spending a few weeks considering what he wanted to do with the rest of his life, Fitzgerald realized he enjoyed his science courses and thought a life spent helping others through medicine would be a life well-spent.
“I was very happy I did that,” he said. “I never regretted that.”
Fitzgerald commuted to campus each day with a few friends who also commuted. At Scranton, he double-majored in biology and philosophy in an early version of what would become the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program, and he played on the Golf Team, where he achieved a three-stroke handicap. During his senior year, he was accepted at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C., where he initially lived above the office of a doctor who happened to be a Scranton native.
During the rest of his time at medical school, Fitzgerald lived at the District of Columbia General Hospital, where he worked a few hours a week in exchange for room and board. In addition to that arrangement, he also worked as a lab technician to cover the rest of his expenses. He graduated from medical school in 1968 and met his future wife, Kathleen, who was then a student nurse, during his time as a medical intern.
“We got married about a year-and-a-half later,” he said, adding that they eventually brought two children, Matthew and Jennifer, into the world.
After finishing his internship, Fitzgerald spent two years in the U.S. Army as a general medical officer. After he was discharged, he landed a prestigious residency in orthopedics at Rhode Island Hospital. After finishing his residency, he founded South County Orthopedics and became the Chief Team Physician at the University of Rhode Island. While running South County Orthopedics, he found a way to “pay it forward” that proved to be as spiritually rewarding as it was financially advantageous.
“Because of my living at D.C. General and the fact that I was able to go through school without much debt, I tended to do a lot of charitable work in my own practice,” he said. “If people could’t pay me, I’d say, ‘That’s OK. Just keep coming back and send your friends,’ and I filled up a practice that way.
“I just wanted to be a doctor, take care of people and do charitable work.”
Fitzgerald continued to operate as a Team Physician at Rhode Island University and as the head of South County Orthopedics for 40 years; when the company merged with a few other groups into Ortho Rhode Island in 2016, he retired and began playing golf three days a week. About three years ago, he discovered Clothes To Kids Rhode Island and dedicated himself to supporting its mission.
“Clothe a child, change a life,” he said, echoing one of Clothes To Kids Rhode Island’s slogans. “It’s very gratifying.
“I shop with people, that’s all, and talk to people about their lives.”
Since opening in 2016, Clothes To Kids Rhode Island, which is primarily funded by donations from local citizens or corporations, has provided 9,000 wardrobes to children in Providence County, a thrift store value of more than $375,000. Fitzgerald plans to continue to serve his community at Clothes To Kids Rhode Island, and he needn’t look any further than the smiles on the faces of the people he serves to know that his efforts are helping to make the world a better place.
"I have a chance to talk to people and smile at them," he said. "In our place, everybody smiles."
Alumni Spotlight: Joe Fitzgerald, M.D. '64
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01/03/2023
The University of Scranton Women's Basketball team will battle Susquehanna on Sunday, Jan. 15, as part of a full day of Landmark Conference men's and women's hoops action at The Palestra in Philadelphia.
Game time for the Lady Royals will begin at 2:30 p.m. The University will host a post-game reception at New Deck Tavern, 3408 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, at 5 p.m. The $20 reception fee includes appetizers and two drink tickets (game ticket not included). To register for the reception, visit this link.
Reminder: University To Host Lady Royals Post-Game Reception In Philadelphia Jan. 15
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01/03/2023
The University will hold its annual Day of Service on Earth Day 2023, which will fall on Saturday, April 22.
In honor of Earth Day, the University is seeking environmentally-focused regional service projects such as cleaning a park, schoolyard or church; it is also seeking to serve your communities in other ways, such as food and clothing drives. Contact alumni@scranton.edu by Jan. 31 to propose a service project in your region.
Reminder: University To Hold Day of Service April 22
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01/03/2023
In December, hundreds of alumni, parents and friends of the University celebrated the Christmas season with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President, at receptions in Washington, D.C., New York City, Scranton and Philadelphia.
EVENT PHOTOS
- To see photos from the Washington, D.C., reception at The Mayflower Hotel, visit this link.
- To see photos from the New York City reception at The New York Athletic Club, visit this link.
- To see photos from the President's Circle reception at the McIlhenny Ballroom, visit this link.
- To see photos from the Philadelphia reception at The Bellevue Hotel, visit this link.
Inclement weather caused a planned Presidential Christmas Reception at the Madison Hotel in Morristown, New Jersey, to be rescheduled for Jan. 20. Check the next alumni issue of Royal News for a link to photos from the event.
Royals Celebrate At Presidential Christmas Parties
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01/03/2023
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Alexander Zygmunt, M.D. ’12, Covington, Kentucky, completed a neuromuscular fellowship with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in 2022. Zygmunt is a pediatric neurologist and assistant professor of pediatrics in the Division of Neurology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
MARRIAGES
Shawn Lamb ’11 to Jay Wong
Alexander Zygmunt, M.D. ’12 to Danielle Tapp, Ph.D.
Joshua Bayzick ’15 to Megan Hudock ’16BIRTHS
A daughter, Kayla Maeve, to Bobby ’13, G14 and Christine Moleti Della Polla '13, DPT '16, Havertown
DEATHS
Chester R. Cott ’50, Lilitz
Paul S. Dudzik ’57, G’65, Old Forge
Alexander P. Mickiewicz ’57, Baltimore, Maryland
William H. Wasilewski, Ph.D. ’63, G’68, Lynn, Massachusetts
Joseph R. Clift ’67, G’73, Honesdale
Joseph J. Malewich ’67, Fairfax, Virginia
John C. Garlinger ’68, Beaufort, South Carolina
James J. Gillern ’69, Medford, New Jersey
Thomas P. Stezar ’76, Etters
Michael P. Sandone ’80, North Abington Township
Ross J. Cordaro ’81, Scranton
Michele M. Albright G’02, Clarks SummitAlumni Class Notes, January 2023
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12/07/2022
By: Julia Gavigan ’23, student correspondent
When Phil Grieco ’00, the senior director of Brand Strategy and Consumer Insights at Monster Energy, was an undergraduate at The University of Scranton, he already knew he had a passion for communicating with others.“Nothing else spoke to me besides communications,” he said. “I loved talking to people and public speaking. I was so drawn to it.”
While working toward a bachelor’s degree in communications and media studies, Grieco was impressed by the University’s emphasis on the Jesuit value of cura personalis, or care for the whole person. That level of attention to his wellbeing helped prepare him for his remarkable career.
“It felt like people had eyes on you,” Grieco said. “The professors had eyes on you; you weren’t just a number.
“I felt like there was a personal touch.”
He also learned the value of trying new things and meeting new people.
“That shaped who I am today,” he said.
Grieco started his career in public relations at MFA Marketing and Public Relations, a small agency now known as Finn Partners in New York City. At MFA, he worked with clients like Burton Snowboards and Timex Watches. He then switched companies in 2003 and began to work for Octagon, a sports marketing agency, as a senior account executive in Public Relations and Marketing. At Octagon, he was exposed to the inner workings of the sports marketing industry. In 2007, he became senior brand manager of Mars, the world’s leading manufacturer of chocolate, where he learned “everything from brand positioning to how to market.”
“Who is the target consumer?” Grieco said. “What is our brand? What is our message? And how are we going to go out, make it relevant, stay top of mind and build loyalty?”
At Mars, Grieco directed multimillion-dollar NASCAR and NFL partnerships across multiple brands, including M&Ms, Snickers, Pedigree, Doublemint, JuicyFruit, Skittles and Starburst. He continued to utilize the line of questioning he developed at Mars when he began working for the National Basketball Association, where he drove sponsorship deals for NBA, WNBA and G League teams to maximize revenue growth. During his time with the NBA, he also worked directly with the Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors and New Orleans Pelicans.
In 2016, Grieco moved across the country to the West Coast to work as the director of Global Marketing for GoPro, where he shaped the global marketing strategy of all GoPro brand partnerships, including Under Armour, BMW, Mattel, Toyota and Red Bull.
In his current position at Monster Energy, Grieco is responsible for overseeing strategic marketing and innovation initiatives.
“I get to work more closely with our leadership because I sit at the hub of our data,” he said. “They constantly want to know how we are doing, how are we performing, what’s up, what’s down, why is this retailer down, and why is this brand down.”
“Sometimes you can find it in the data; sometimes you need to find that information through a conversation with a stakeholder, or custom research, and that’s why data is so important.”
Throughout the creative process, Grieco says it’s imperative to listen to the wants and needs of the consumer in order to create a successful brand. One of the many projects that Grieco has been involved in at Monster Energy that exemplifies his ability to respond to the demands of his consumers was the launch of True North Energy seltzer, an organic, plant-based seltzer. The research into the target audience and goals of the launch began two years ago with the emerging popularity of regular and spiked seltzers. Starting with a research brief, Grieco and his teams discovered there was a growing interest in healthy seltzers, which eventually resulted in the creation of True North.
Grieco was also involved in the creation of Reign, a performance energy drink and one of Grieco’s most successful beverages at Monster Energy. The 300 mg caffeine-infused beverage was launched three years ago to compete against Bang Energy drink, and, within 18 months, it became a $300 million brand. Today, it generates $450 million in retail sales annually.
As demonstrated by the products he’s launched at Monster Energy, the key to Grieco’s success is simply listening to and understanding the people around him. By caring for the needs of his consumers and embracing a form of corporatized cura personalis, Grieco proves that paying attention to each individual can benefit both one’s personal and professional lives.
Alumni Spotlight: Phil Grieco '00
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12/06/2022Nearly 400 members of the University community donated more than $65,000 to University causes during this year's global Giving Tuesday celebration.
Many of the donations were designated for the Center for Service and Social Justice, a University organization that offers opportunities for students to express their faith in reflective service and work toward the transformation of unjust societal structures while responding to local and national needs. To view the donor honor roll, visit this link.University Community Celebrates Giving Tuesday 2022
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12/06/2022
The University of Scranton Women's Basketball team will battle Susquehanna on Sunday, Jan. 15, as part of a full day of Landmark Conference men's and women's hoops action at The Palestra in Philadelphia.
Game time for the Lady Royals will begin at 2:30 p.m. The University will hold a post-game reception at New Deck Tavern, 3408 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, at 5 p.m. The $20 reception fee includes appetizers and two drink tickets (game ticket not included). To register for the reception, visit this link.
University To Host Lady Royals Post-Game Reception Jan. 15
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12/06/2022
The Scranton Club of NEPA will gather to cheer on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins as they host the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza Friday, Jan. 20, at 7:05 p.m.
The $20 price of admission will include a $4 food voucher. To register, visit this link.
Scranton Club of NEPA To Gather At Penguins Game Jan. 20
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12/06/2022
The University will hold its annual Day of Service on Earth Day 2023, which will fall on Saturday, April 22.
In honor of Earth Day, the University is seeking environmentally-focused regional service projects such as cleaning up a park, schoolyard or church; it is also seeking to serve your communities in other ways, such as food and clothing drives. Contact alumni@scranton.edu by January 31 to propose a service project in your region.
Save The Date For The Day Of Service, April 22
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12/06/2022
The University will celebrate Reunion Weekend 2023 from June 9-11. Registration for the event will open in March. For more information, visit scranton.edu/reunion or email alumni@scranton.edu.
The “Planning to Attend” list for Reunion Weekend 2023 has officially opened. Visit this link to add your name to the Planning to Attend list, and visit the Planning to Attend page to see which of your classmates is planning to attend the festivities.
Reminder: Save The Date For Reunion 2023 June 9-11
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12/06/2022
There is still time to register for the Jesuit Center's Advent Daily Devotional emails.
Each day of the season of Advent, enjoy a few moments of reflection, learning, prayer and inspiration by registering to receive this collection of daily essays written by our Jesuits, alumni, students, faculty and staff.
The holidays can often be a busy, stressful time, and the Advent Daily Devotional emails offer a great opportunity to intentionally take a few moments each day for spiritual renewal. To register, visit this link.
Reminder: Register Today For The Advent Daily Devotional Emails
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12/06/2022
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Patricia McCormack, M.D. ’76, Scranton, recently published her first book, “Life After Martin.” Inspired by one of the staples of flute repertoire, it chronicles an adult amateur musician’s quest to master this work. “Life After Martin” is available in paperback on Amazon and as an ebook on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Apple books.
William (Bill) Savage ’79, Lemoyne, has spent the fall semester teaching writing and rhetoric as an adjunct faculty member at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia and Alvernia University in Reading. Savage previously taught at Towson University, York College of Pennsylvania, and Harrisburg Area Community College. Savage has spent nearly 40 years in journalism, most recently at The Morning Call in Allentown, as well as several years at The Times Leader in Wilkes-Barre and The Patriot-News in Harrisburg, among other newspapers. A member of the Dramatists Guild, Philadelphia, Savage has had some of his plays read or performed publicly in Philadelphia, London and Mount Gretna. He has also written two novels: “To the Mill and Back,” based on his teen years working in the textile industry in Scranton, and “Redemption by the Bay.”
Gary Jones G’84, South Abington Township, Eastern Division Vendor Relations manager at Hajoca Corporation, received the Fred V. Keenan Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by the American Supply Association, for a long history of service and dedication to the association and the PHCP-PVF industry.
Charlie Flint '89, Smyrna, Georgia, launched Filmland Spirits, a new business, in September 2022. Filmland Spirits (www.filmlandspirits.com) is an award-winning spirits brand bringing people together through captivating stories and great-tasting spirits. Their current lineup includes two bourbons and a rye, which are available online and in fine retail shops in California and Kentucky.
Glynnis Jones '02, G '03, Lansdale, recently accepted a position as an assistant professor in the Master's Degree Level Occupational Therapy program at Moravian University in Bethlehem.
Jude Krushnowski ’10, Champaign, Illinois, was hired as director of the Foreign Language Teacher Education program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Krushnowski was also elected as incoming director of Region 4 of the Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
Ashley Hill ’17, Aurora, Colorado, is a new lead of the competency restoration program at Denver Health on their forensic psychiatric unit, working toward stabilizing and educating inmates with acute psychosis in preparation to defend themselves in court.
MARRIAGES
Patrick Eiben ’11 to Alexis Constantinopoulos ’11
Nicole Lasota ’16 to Ryan Strelec
Kat Fletcher ’20 to Charlie Nugent ’20DEATHS
Selig S. Strassman, M.D. ’48, Bainbridge, Ohio
Robert W. Weibel, M.D. ’51, Lansdale
William G. Lowry ’54, Louisville, Kentucky
Joseph T. Valonis ’62, Annapolis, Maryland
Michael M. Echan ’64, Vestal, New York
Joseph A. Gentile ’69, Scranton
Paul M. Swift ’75, Sea Isle City, New Jersey
J. Timothy Cannon, Ph.D. ’71, Scranton
Christopher J. Hunt ’82, Howell, New Jersey
Ryan J. Martin ’01, Danielsville
Timothy R. Kapp ’06, DunmoreFRIENDS' DEATHS
Cheryl L Augustine, sister of John Major '10.
Alumni Class Notes, December 2022
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11/01/2022
Registration has opened for the University’s 2022 Presidential Christmas Parties in Washington, D.C., New York City, Philadelphia and Morristown, New Jersey. To register, visit scranton.edu/Christmas.
Washington, D.C., Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President
December 1
The Mayflower Hotel
District Ballroom
1127 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, D.C.NYC Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President
December 2
The New York Athletic Club
Olympic Room
180 Central Park South
New York, New YorkPhiladelphia Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President
December 14
The Bellevue Hotel
Red and Clover Room
200 S. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PANew Jersey Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President
December 15
The Madison Hotel
Glenallyn Ballroom
1 Convent Road
Morristown, NJ
For more information, visit scranton.edu/Christmas.University Opens Registration For Presidential Christmas Parties
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11/01/2022
When John O’Malley ’87 embarked upon The Tour Divide in support of The Ryan T. O’Malley ’99 Memorial Scholarship June 10, he figured it would take him about a month or so to traverse the race’s grueling 2,665.7-mile route from Alberta, Canada, to the U.S.-Mexico border in New Mexico; that was before, of course, a life-threatening accident about 125 miles from the race’s finish line landed the retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel in an intensive care/trauma unit July 15.
Just 84 days later, on what would have been his brother Ryan’s 45th birthday, O’Malley returned to the scene of the accident determined to finish the race’s final 125 miles.
What happened in-between, of course, might be called a miracle.
“John truly is an iron man,” said Helene O’Malley, John’s mother. “The blessed Mother and Ryan were looking down on him.”
“John is a world-class athlete who completed a world-class endurance cycling event with a world-class effort and … some other-worldly help,” said John “Jack” O’Malley, Ph.D. ’64, professor of psychology emeritus at the University and John’s father. “God is good.”
A Lifelong Love
John’s love of cycling and adventure began when he was growing up in the Green Ridge section of Scranton.
“Bikes were a big deal back then, and if you had one, you were a lucky kid,” he said. “ For me, the bike became an instrument of exploration, discovery and freedom.”
As the oldest child of Dr. O’Malley and Helene, John shared his love of cycling with his five siblings, especially Ryan, his youngest brother.
“As a kid, time and distance had little meaning,” he said of the hours they spent exploring the NEPA area together. “We’d just ride, inspired by the adventure and the natural beauty of the region.”
Upon graduating from the University, John began his military career in Ft. Carson, Colorado, where he started racing mountain bikes. Since then, he has continued to ride and race, competing in triathlons and adventure races throughout the country.
ROAR
After Ryan's passing in 2011, his family established The Ryan T. O’Malley ’99 Memorial Scholarship in his memory to enable Computer Science students of limited resources with an interest in fitness to attend The University of Scranton. Since that time, Ryan's family and friends have raised more than $150,000 for the scholarship, much of it through ROAR: The Ryan O'Malley Annual Race, a 5K fundraising event the family organized from 2013-2017.
When John and his family settled in Monument, Colorado, he became so inspired by the expanses and terrain he saw while on two wheels that he proposed the idea of funding Ryan’s scholarship through an annual bike ride. In 2018, John embarked upon the inaugural ROAR: The Ryan O’Malley Annual Ride by cycling the 500+ miles of The Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango in Ryan’s memory. While John rode The Colorado Trail again for ROAR in 2019 and 2020, he was sidelined by injuries and knee surgery in 2021.
The Tour Divide
On June 10, John embarked upon ROAR: The Ryan O’Malley Annual Ride for the fourth time by participating in The Tour Divide in support of The Ryan T. O’Malley ’99 Memorial Scholarship.The Tour Divide follows the “Great Divide Mountain Bike Route,” a 90 percent off-road trail that follows the Continental Divide through Alberta, British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Established by the Adventure Cycling Association in 1998, it is considered the most important off-pavement cycling route in the world. Prior to beginning The Tour Divide, John said he was looking forward to riding for “family, community and the well-being of others.”
“I ride to remember and honor our brother, Ryan,” he said. “I ride to give back in some way to the community who nurtured us. Through the ROAR and Ryan’s scholarship, we help to provide students with limited financial resources the opportunity to attend The University of Scranton.”
The Tour Divide’s race clock runs 24 hours a day, and the self-supported riders aren’t allowed any outside help other than the ability to access public facilities along the way. Participating cyclists must carry their camping equipment, food and water through long stretches of remote mountain wilderness, pristine river valleys, open grassland and desert while risking injury, mechanical failure, treacherous weather and encounters with potentially dangerous wildlife.
They also, apparently, need to watch out for dangerous human life.
The Accident
After riding for more than a month in the Tour Divide, John was involved in an accident in the early morning hours of July 15 near Silver City, New Mexico, about a two-day ride from the race’s finish line.
“I was struck by an apparent hit-and-run driver on Hwy 180,” he said. “Although there were no witnesses to the incident, and I remember nothing of the accident, being intubated on-site, nor the Medivac flight, the nature and extent of injuries to both sides of my body, and damage to my bicycle, helmet and other gear verify that this is what happened.
“Hospital staff came to the same conclusion as well, based on my overall condition.”
John was found by two motorists sometime after the accident who alerted the police, and he was airlifted to an intensive care/trauma unit in El Paso, Texas.
“I sustained a traumatic brain injury with a skull fracture and a few subdural hematomas/ subarachnoid hemorrhages,” he said. “A complement of body bruises and cuts, a broken nose, broken molars and some torn cartilage/ligaments (knee and shoulder) complete the ‘needs repair’ list.”
After a 12-day stint in El Paso, where John was joined by his wife, Kathi, his mother-in-law, Karen, and his sister, Julianne Phillipp, M.D. ’91, a Virginia-based pediatrician, he was transferred to a rehab center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he received occupational and cognitive therapy for an additional four days. Since then, he has continued outpatient care with a team of doctors and therapists in Ft. Carson, Colorado, and his recovery has been nothing short of miraculous.
“A CT scan about three weeks ago showed everything was healed up,” John said. “I owe much of my recovery thus far to believing wholeheartedly that I will heal and become stronger … most of this belief comes from the love and support of my family.
“I can also say that being an athlete and a soldier has contributed directly to where I am right now. Coordination, reaction, balance, strength and agility have been developed through training/drills my entire life and helped me immensely during initial evaluation and therapy.”
Crossing The Finish Line
John and Kathi returned to the scene of the accident to finish what he began in June Oct. 7. Although he was quickly greeted by heavy rainfall that transformed the terrain from a navigable dirt path to a thick “peanut butter mud,” he traveled about 80 miles in approximately 10 hours of cycling, leaving him with just 45 miles to go to his goal.
On Oct. 8, John finally crossed the finish line of The Tour Divide 120 days after embarking upon it.
“The Tour Divide is truly a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that stays with you and changes you for the good,” he said. “There is no easy way out there and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
All things considered, John remains grateful for the experience, especially for the more than $12,000 his efforts raised for Scranton students.
“The greatest / proudest part of the ride was what we raised for Ryan’s scholarship fund,” he said. “To all who pledged – thank you.
“Your kindness fueled me daily out there and will help young men and women receive a great college education.”
O'Malley Recovers From Life-threatening Injuries, Finishes ROAR
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11/01/2022
The University has reprinted “Royal Recipes: A University of Scranton Cookbook,” a collection of more than 140 recipes submitted by Scranton alumni, parents, students, friends, faculty and staff.
Copies of the cookbook, first released in 2019, are available for purchase for $25, and $10 of each sale will be donated to the University’s Center for Service and Social Justice Arrupe House. To purchase a cookbook today, visit this link.
University Re-releases 'Royal Recipes: A University of Scranton Cookbook'
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11/01/2022
The Jesuit Center invites you to enjoy daily inspiration and reflection this holiday season by registering for its Advent Daily Devotional emails.
Each day of the season of Advent, enjoy a few moments of reflection, learning, prayer and inspiration by registering to receive this collection of daily essays written by our Jesuits, alumni, students, faculty and staff.
The holidays can often be a busy, stressful time, and the Advent Daily Devotional emails offer a great opportunity to intentionally take a few moments each day for spiritual renewal. To register, visit this link.
Register Today for The Jesuit Center's Advent Daily Devotional Emails
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11/01/2022
The “Planning to Attend” list for Reunion Weekend 2023 has officially opened. Visit this link to add your name to the Planning to Attend list, and visit the Planning to Attend page to see which of your classmates is planning to attend the festivities.
The University will celebrate Reunion Weekend 2023 from June 9-11. Registration for the event will open in March. For more information, visit scranton.edu/reunion or email alumni@scranton.edu.
University Opens Reunion '23 'Planning To Attend' List
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11/01/2022
The Council of Alumni Lawyers (CAL) is looking to create an Alumni Lawyers Directory so that alumni attorneys can more easily connect, network and support one another.
To register for the directory, visit this link.
CAL Seeking Attorneys for Alumni Lawyers Directory
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11/01/2022
The University's Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service is seeking feedback from current and former alumni public servants interested in sharing their experiences with current students.
The University of Scranton's Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service provides resources for students, governing officials and community members seeking education, training or opportunities related to ethics and excellence in public service.
To complete the brief questionnaire, visit this link. For more information, email alumni@scranton.edu.
Reminder: CEEPs Seeking Feedback From Public Servants
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11/01/2022
John Colonna ’67, G’73, G’76, Binghamton, New York, was recently inducted into the Binghamton University Athletics Hall of Fame (coach) and was also inducted with his team into the Catholic Central/Seton Catholic Central High School Hall of Fame.
Amanda (Mandy) Bair '07 G'09, Williamsport, was hired as School Counselor at Curtin Intermediate School in the Williamsport Area School District in Williamsport.
MARRIAGES
Marco Carnovale ’18 to Katie Moloney ‘19
Christopher Mingone ’20 to Emmaline Freeman ’21BIRTHS
A daughter, Emma Anne, to Kevin P. '13 and Jacquelyn A. Tofani Dermody '13, Conshohocken
DEATHS
Victor F. Greco, M.D. ’47, Drums
Joseph J. Rescigno ’67, G’73, Scranton
Peter J. Igoe ’72, G’75, G’85, Dunmore
Philip W. Gumble ’73, Bethlehem
Michael P. O’Malley ’76, Scranton
Sharon A. Troynacki G’80, Pittston
Malcolm A. Kline ’81, Triangle, Virginia
Rita Koshinski-Uchida, D.O. ’82, Monterey, California
Michael J. Carroll ’83, Monroe, New York
Richard Kazmerick ’86, Exeter
Mary S. Sylvester ’03, ScrantonFRIENDS' DEATHS
Pamela Carlson, wife of Kevin Carlson '78
Alumni Class Notes, November 2022
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10/14/2022
The University of Scranton held a kick-off event to launch a year-round celebration of the its 50-year anniversary of becoming co-educational. Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of the University, and Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, spoke at the event, which also included refreshments and a commemorative T-shirt giveaway to students.
Banners marking the celebration adorn the campus walkways.
In addition, to mark the beginning of the celebration, the University showed a tribute to the 50th anniversary celebration on its Class of 2020 Gateway sign.
Scranton Celebrates 50 Years of Co-Education
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10/04/2022
The University of Scranton’s President’s Business Council (PBC) presented Patti Byrnes Clarke ’86, P’17,’19, global chief talent officer, Havas Group, and Tom O’Brien ’86, P’19, senior managing director, SumRidge Partners, a Raymond James company, with President’s Medals at its 21st Annual Award Dinner on Sept. 29 at Gotham Hall in New York City. Proceeds from the gala, which raised more than $1.1 million, support the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
“Our University has been blessed to be able to honor so many extraordinary individuals over the years and this year is no different. We are privileged to count among them our alumni Patricia Byrnes Clarke and Tom P. O’Brien, both of the class of 1986,” said Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton in his remarks.
The President’s Medal recognizes individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others, representing lifetime achievements that reflect the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service.
“Patti and Tom are highly successful professionals who have had a tremendous impact on generations of alumni,” said Frank Pearn ’83, P’16, global chief compliance officer, JPMorgan Chase and Co., and chair of the President’s Business Council, in his remarks at the dinner. “They truly embody everything that the PBC aims to represent and, given the way that they share their talents, gifts and insights, they are wonderful examples of St. Ignatius’s quote that ‘Love is shown more in deeds than in words.’”
Through its celebrations, the PBC has generated more than $20 million for the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund. Presidential Scholarships are four-year, full-tuition scholarships awarded to incoming first-year students at Scranton with both outstanding records in high school and notable community involvement.
Presidential Scholar Dominic Finan ’23, Malvern, a neuroscience and philosophy double major in the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program, spoke at the award dinner on behalf of the Presidential Scholars.
Dominic Finan '23 addresses the crowd at the PBC 21st Annual Award Dinner flanked by his fellow Presidential Scholars.
“Collectively, the 18 of us (from the class of 2023) have 28 majors, 18 minors, and 5 concentrations. … These academic pursuits, research opportunities and moments of profound growth would not be possible without the contributions of everyone in this room. So, for that I say thank you. Thank you for empowering our unique gifts, talents, and interests; and thank you, most importantly, for helping us call The University of Scranton our home. You have changed our lives, and our family’s lives, for the better,” said Finan. “The generosity of the President’s Business Council cleared a path for us to become future lawyers, doctors, actuaries, educators, researchers, and business executives alike. We promise to use the spark you ignited in us to ‘go forth and set the world on fire.’”
In accepting their awards, Byrnes Clarke and O’Brien talked about why they became involved with the PBC and in giving back to the University.
“I got involved with the PBC because I wanted to try to give back to students and help with mentoring and job placement,” said O’Brien. “Early in my career, a fellow Scranton alumnus, whom I did not know, helped me. … I need to do this because someone a long time ago helped me.” In recollecting his persistence in getting Scranton students considered for internships at Morgan Stanley and then at SumRidge Partners, O’Brien added, “If you haven’t tried it yet, I encourage you to do so. You are getting someone who is productive, hard-working, resilient and not entitled that will make a huge impact on your business.”
“The exposure to Scranton and its students and its alumni challenged me to take on my own journey to do more and to do better as a person, a family member, a leader and a friend,” said Byrnes Clarke. “It’s true that as Scranton students we are exposed to the Ignatian values, but aren’t always mature enough to overtly put them into practice in our lives. But, with a Scranton education, that Ignatian foundation is always there. And when you choose to be engaged, and get involved and give back to Scranton, you get this very special opportunity to explore those Ignatian roots.”
A recording of the 2022 PBC Dinner is available at https://youtu.be/efhjS3UcENQ, and photos from the event can be found on the Alumni Society's Shutterfly page. For more information on the PBC, contact Executive Director Tim Pryle ’89 at 570-941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu, or visit scranton.edu/pbc.
About Patti Byrnes Clarke
Frank Pearn '83, P'16 and Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S. J., University President, present Patti Byrnes Clarke '86, P'17, '19 with the President's Medal.
During her time at the Havas Group, which is one of the world’s largest global communications groups and part of the Vivendi Group, Patti Byrnes Clarke has built a talent management approach that includes initiatives on network mobility, high-potential leadership development, women’s leadership advancement, global employee engagement, employer branding, global diversity, equity and inclusion and wellness. As the global chief talent officer, she is responsible for leading the talent and cultural strategy for the group’s 20,000 plus employees in more than 100 countries.
Byrnes Clarke earned her bachelor’s degree in management from the University in 1986. She is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees and a former member of the Kania School of Management Advisory Board and the University’s Parents’ Executive Council (PEC). She is also a former chair of the PBC and created the PBC/Kania School of Management Career Coaches Program, in which she remains a mentor to current University students. She and her husband, David, reside in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, and have five children.
About Tom O’Brien
Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President, and Frank Pearn '83, P'16 present Tom O'Brien '86, P'19 with the President's Medal.
Prior to the acquisition of SumRidge Partners, LLC, by Raymond James in July 2022, Tom O’Brien was a co-founder, chief executive officer and president of SumRidge Partners, L.LC., which formed in 2010. SumRidge Partners is a top-ranked electronic fixed income market maker specializing in high-yield, investment-grade corporate bonds, municipal bonds, institutional preferred securities, and emerging market bonds. Prior to launching SumRidge Partners, O’Brien was co-head of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney’s Capital Markets division and was also a member of the firm’s management and risk committees.
O’Brien earned his bachelor’s degree of economics/finance from the University in 1986 and a master of business administration from Fordham University. He is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees, where he served as vice chair, and was a former chair of the PBC. Today, he acts as a mentor to current University students and frequently teaches in the fixed income securities and markets course, which he co-developed with the late Frank Corcione, Ph.D., and Murli Rajan, Ph.D., G’84. He resides in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, with his wife, Denise, and their three sons.
Byrnes Clarke and O'Brien Receive President's Medals at PBC Dinner
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10/04/2022
Members of the Council of Alumni Lawyers (CAL) are invited to attend a lecture presented by Elizabeth Hinton, associate professor in the Department of History and the Department of African American Studies at Yale University with a secondary appointment as professor of Law at Yale Law School, through the Slattery Center's Myers Distinguished Fellowship Oct. 20.
Hinton is the author of "America on Fire: The Untold History of Police Violence and Black Rebellion Since the 1960s" and "From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America." She will speak Oct. 20 at 5 p.m. in Room 133 of the Loyola Science Center, and the University will hold a cocktail reception immediately after the lecture. To register, visit this link.
CAL Members Invited To Elizabeth Hinton Lecture Presented By Slattery Center
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10/04/2022
The University of Scranton Book Club will begin discussing "The Whole Language: The Power of Extravagant Tenderness" by Gregory Boyle, S.J., at its next virtual meeting Nov. 1. To register for the discussion, visit this link.
"The Whole Language: The Power of Extravagant Tenderness" focuses on Boyle's experiences at Homeboy Industries, the largest gang intervention, rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world.
Ryan Sheehan, executive director of The Jesuit Center, and Daniel Cosacchi, vice president for Mission and Ministry, will lead the virtual discussions of the book. For more information on the club, visit scranton.edu/alumnibookclub.
University Book Club To Discuss 'The Whole Language' By Gregory Boyle, S.J.
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10/04/2022
The University will hold the following Presidential Christmas receptions:
Washington, D.C., Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President December 1
The Mayflower Hotel
District Ballroom
1127 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, D.C.NYC Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President December 2
The New York Athletic Club
Olympic Room
180 Central Park South
New York, New YorkPhiladelphia Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President December 14
The Bellevue Hotel
Red and Clover Room
200 S. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PANew Jersey Christmas Reception with Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University President December 15
The Madison Hotel
Glenallyn Ballroom
1 Convent Road
Morristown, NJRegistration will open in November. For more information, email alumni@scranton.edu.
University Announces 2022 Presidential Christmas Parties
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10/04/2022
The University will celebrate Reunion Weekend 2023 from June 9-11. Registration for the event will open in March. For more information, visit scranton.edu/reunion or email alumni@scranton.edu.
Save The Date For Reunion 2023 June 9-11
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10/04/2022
The University's Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service is seeking feedback from current and former alumni public servants interested in sharing their experiences with current students.
The University of Scranton's Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service provides resources for students, governing officials and community members seeking education, training or opportunities related to ethics and excellence in public service.
To complete the brief questionnaire, visit this link. For more information, email alumni@scranton.edu.
CEEPS Seeks Feedback from Public Servants
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10/04/2022
Friday, October 7, will be the last chance to register for the Alumni/Student Golf Outing Oct. 15 at Pine Hills Country Club, 140 S. Keyser Avenue, Taylor, PA.
The scramble golf tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Prizes will be awarded at a barbecue dinner at Pine Hills after the tournament concludes. To register, visit this link.
Register Today For The Alumni Student Golf Outing Oct. 15
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10/04/2022
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, recently spoke at the Melvin M. Belli Society 74th Annual Seminar in Seattle, Washington, on the topic, “Using Electronic Evidence on a Case.” The Melvin Belli Society was created in 1981 to promote courtroom excellence through the international exchange of ideas among the country’s top trial lawyers via meetings and education.
Timothy M. Powers '97, G'00, Pittston, was appointed to a one-year position as a lecturer in the Department of Counseling and Human Services at The University of Scranton. Powers will be teaching undergraduate courses on case management, multiculturalism, counseling theories, human adjustment and family systems.
Jed D. Gonzalo, M.D. ’02, Hummelstown, has joined the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine as senior associate dean for Medical Education and will lead its curricular and educational programs.
Melanie Natoli ’02, Front Royal, Virginia, a winemaker, received the Virginia Governor’s Cup on behalf of Cana Vineyards and Winery of Middleburg, marking the first time in the 40-year history of the event that a female winemaker won the cup.
John Swarts ’02, G’08, Dickson City, participated in the Ritz Theater’s 115th anniversary celebration by writing a modern-day adaptation of “Pinocchio.” The 15-minute play was performed each day of La Festa and starred some of the theater’s best actors.
Jonathan P. Forte ’07, G’09, Easton, Maryland, was appointed president/CEO of RiverStone Health and will lead the RiverStone Health Clinic, Home Health & Hospice, as well as the Yellowstone County Health Department, Montana Family Medicine Residency Program in Billings, Montana, effective January 2023.
Timothy Gallic ’09, Warren, New Jersey, a longtime Catholic school administrator across the country, became president of Powers Catholic High School on October 1, 2022.
MARRIAGES
Evan Canavan ’13 to Melissa Molinari
Meghan Tighe ’16 to Phillip Dunbar ’16
Larissa Hoffmann '16 to Timothy Harding '15BIRTHS
A son, Cameron Vincent, to Brendan ’11 and Jill Lowry Reilly ’11, East Norriton
DEATHS
John A. Richards ’56, Pittston
A. Jerome McCormick ’57, Clifton Park, New York
Thomas V. Tinsley ’63, Glen Summit
Charles F. McElwee ’76, Hershey
David W. Fritz ’92, Old ForgeFRIENDS' DEATHS
Barbara Valtos, sister of Dennis Darlak, Ph.D. ’65
Ellie Grech, mother of Thomas J. Grech '84 and Robert Grech '87Alumni Class Notes, October 2022
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09/30/2022
The University of Scranton’s President’s Business Council (PBC) presented Patti Byrnes Clarke ’86, P’17,’19, global chief talent officer, Havas Group; and Tom O’Brien ’86, P’19, senior managing director, SumRidge Partners, a Raymond James company; with the President’s Medals at its 21st Annual Award Dinner on Sept. 29 at Gotham Hall in New York City. Proceeds from the gala, which raised more than $1.1 million, support the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
“Our University has been blessed to be able to honor so many extraordinary individuals over the years and this year is no different. We are privileged to count among them our alumni Patricia Byrnes Clarke and Tom P. O’Brien of the class of 1986,” said Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton in his remarks.
The President’s Medal recognizes individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others, representing lifetime achievements that reflect the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service.
“Patti and Tom are highly successful professionals who have had a tremendous impact on generations of alumni,” said Frank Pearn ’83, global chief compliance officer, JPMorgan Chase and Co., and chair of the President’s Business Council, in his remarks at the dinner. “They truly embody everything that the PBC aims to represent and, given the way that they share their talents, gifts and insights, they are wonderful examples of St. Ignatius’s quote that ‘Love is shown more in deeds than in words.’”
Through its past celebrations, the PBC has generated more than $19 million for the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund. Presidential Scholarships are four-year, full-tuition scholarships awarded to incoming freshmen at Scranton with both outstanding records in high school and notable community involvement.
Class of 2023 Presidential Scholar Dominic Finan ’23, Malvern, a neuroscience and philosophy double major in the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program, spoke at the award dinner on behalf of the Presidential Scholars.
Other Presidential Scholars of the University’s class of 2023 are: Emily Amershek, New Ringgold, a philosophy major and member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program; Lauren Cawley, Duryea, a secondary education – mathematics and mathematics double major; Matthew Earley, Perkasie, a finance major and member of the University’s Business Honors Program and the Business Leadership Honors Program; Michael Edwards, Wadsworth, Ohio, a mathematics and philosophy double major and member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program; Jared Fernandez, Tunkhannock, a nursing major; Timothy Gallagher, River Vale, New Jersey, a computer science and philosophy double major and member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program; Angela Hudock, Sayer, a biochemistry, cell and molecular biology major and member of the University’s Magis Honors Program in STEM; Amanda Lamphere, Sellersville, a mathematics and computer science double major; James Lanning, Mountain Top, a chemistry major; Sarah Liskowicz, Wilkes-Barre, a neuroscience and biomathematics double major and member of the University’s undergraduate Honors Program; Molly Neeson, Pottstown, an environmental science major and member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program; Michael Quinnan, Shavertown, a biomathematics major and member of the University’s Magis Honors Program in STEM; Muhammad Shaaf Sarwar, Qazalbash Chowk, Pakistan, a physics and mathematical sciences double major; Cameron Shedlock, White Haven, a neuroscience major and member of the University’s Magis Honors Program in STEM; Claire Sunday, South Abington Township, a theology and religious studies and philosophy double major and member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program and undergraduate Honors Program; Kathleen Wallace, Bowie, Maryland, a philosophy and theology and religious studies double major and member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program; and Daniel Zych, Waverly, a mathematics major.
“Collectively, the 18 of us (from the class of 2023) have 28 majors, 18 minors, and 5 concentrations. … These academic pursuits, research opportunities and moments of profound growth would not be possible without the contributions of everyone in this room. So, for that I say thank you. Thank you for empowering our unique gifts, talents, and interests; and thank you, most importantly, for helping us call The University of Scranton our home. You have changed our lives, and our family’s lives, for the better,” said. Finan. “The generosity of the President’s Business Council cleared a path for us to become future lawyers, doctors, actuaries, educators, researchers, and business executives alike. We promise to use the spark you ignited in us to ‘go forth and set the world on fire.’”
In accepting their awards, Byrnes Clarke and O’Brien talked about why they became involved with the PBC and in giving back to the University.
“I got involved with the PBC because I wanted to try to give back to students and help with mentoring and job placement,” said O’Briem. “Early in my career, a fellow Scranton alumnus who I did not know helped me. … I need to do this because someone a long time ago helped me.”
“The exposure to Scranton and its students and its alumni challenged me to take on my own journey to do more and to do better as a person, a family member, a leader and a friend,” said Byrnes Clarke. “It’s true that as Scranton students we are exposed to the Ignatian values, but aren’t always mature enough to overtly put them into practice in our lives. But, with a Scranton education, that Ignaitan foundation is always there. And when you choose to be engaged, and get involved and give back to Scranton, you get this very special opportunity to explore those Ignaitan roots.”
For more information on the PBC, contact Executive Director Timothy J. Pryle ’89 at 570-941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu, or visit scranton.edu/pbc.
About Patti Byrnes Clarke
During her time at the Havas Group, which is one of the world’s largest global communications groups and part of the Vivendi Group, Patti Byrnes Clarke has built a talent management approach that includes initiatives on network mobility, high-potential leadership development, women’s leadership advancement, global employee engagement, employer branding, global diversity, equity and inclusion and wellness. As the global chief talent officer, she is responsible for leading the talent and cultural strategy for the group’s 20,000 plus employees in more than 100 countries.
Byrnes Clarke earned her bachelor’s degree in management from the University in 1986. She is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees and a former member of the Kania School of Management Advisory Board and the University’s Parents’ Executive Council (PEC). She is also a former chair of the PBC and created the PBC/Kania School of Management Career Coaches Program, in which she remains a mentor to current University students. She and her husband, David, reside in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, and have five children.
About Tom O’Brien
Prior to the acquisition of SumRidge Partners, LLC, by Raymond James in July 2022, Tom O’Brien was a co-founder, chief executive officer and president of SumRidge Partners, L.LC., which formed in 2010. SumRidge Partners is a top-ranked electronic fixed income market maker specializing in high-yield, investment-grade corporate bonds, municipal bonds, institutional preferred securities, and emerging market bonds. Prior to launching SumRidge Partners, O’Brien was co-head of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney’s Capital Markets division and was also a member of the firm’s management and risk committees.
O’Brien earned his bachelor’s degree of economics/finance from the University in 1986 and a master of business administration from Fordham University. He is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees, where he served as vice chair, and was a former chair of the PBC. Today, he acts as a mentor to current University students and frequently teaches in the fixed income securities and markets course, which he co-developed with the late Frank Corcione, Ph.D., and Murli Rajan, Ph.D., G’84. He resides in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, with his wife, Denise, and their three sons.
$content.getChild('content').textValuePBC Dinner Exceeds Fundraising Goal
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09/29/2022
The University of Scranton ranked No. 47 among the 603 master’s universities in the nation included in a 2022 listing by Washington Monthly that seeks to rate colleges based on their contribution to the public good. Published in the September/October issue of the magazine and online, Washington Monthly analyzed numerous data sets to determine an overall rank based on what “schools do for the country.” According to the publication, they rank “four-year schools (national universities, liberal arts colleges, baccalaureate colleges, and master’s universities) based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility, research, and providing opportunities for public service.”
Washington Monthly also ranked the colleges in categories for “research,” “community and national service” and “social mobility.” Scranton ranked No. 39, No. 52 and No. 124, respectively, in these categories among master’s universities.
Washington Monthly weighted equally the colleges’ scores for research, social mobility and service to calculate the overall ranking. The research score is based on each school’s research expenditure and the number of alumni earning Ph.D.s, relative to the size of the college. The social mobility score is based on actual and predicted graduation rates; student loan repayment rates; the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants; and the school’s average net price for full-time, in-state students with family incomes below $75,000 per year over the past three years, among other factors. The service score, also adjusted for the size of the school, is based on the size of the ROTC program; the number of alumni serving in the Peace Corps; and the percentage of federal work study grant money spent on community service projects and voter engagement, among other factors.
This is the 13th consecutive year Washington Monthly has included Scranton in its college rankings.
In other national rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Scranton No. 5 among regional universities in the north in its 2023 guidebook, marking the 29th consecutive year that Scranton ranked in the top 10. The Princeton Review included Scranton in its list of “Best Colleges” for 21 consecutive years, and ranked the University No. 7 in the nation for “Best Science Lab Facilities” in its latest edition of the guidebook.
Scranton Ranked in Top 50 for Doing Public Good
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09/27/2022
Forbes ranked The University of Scranton among “America’s Top Colleges” for the 14th year. Scranton is the only college in Northeast Pennsylvania to be named among the just 498 elite colleges in the nation listed in the 2022 ranking, which was published online last month. Scranton, ranked No. 414, was among just 33 colleges in Pennsylvania that Forbes selected as “America’s Top Colleges.”
The ranking by Forbes analyzed “outputs” of a college education, weighting alumni salaries at one to six years and 10 years after enrollment and after graduation the most, representing 20 percent of the overall score. The methodology used by Forbes also looked at graduation rates (15 percent), student debt (15 percent) and the number of alumni making the Forbes “American Leaders” lists (15 percent), such as its “Forbes 400” and “Richest Self-Made Women” lists, as well as alumni who won national and international awards or positions, such as winners of the Nobel Prize. Forbes also rated retention rate (10 percent), academic success (10 percent), as measured by alumni winning prestigious academic scholarships, such as Fulbright and Truman scholarships, and a “return on investment” measurement (15 percent), which calculates the time it takes for students to pay their college debt based on the “post-enrollment earnings boost students get compared their typical salary of a high school graduate in their state.”
In other national rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Scranton No. 5 among regional universities in the north in its 2023 guidebook. This is the 29th consecutive year that Scranton ranked in the top 10. The Princeton Review included Scranton in its list of “Best Colleges” for 21 consecutive years, and ranked the University No. 7 in the nation for “Best Science Lab Facilities” in the 2023 edition of the guidebook.
Forbes Names Scranton Among Top Colleges in USA
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09/26/2022
The University of Scranton President’s Business Council (PBC) will host its first in-person President’s Business Council (PBC) Award Dinner since 2019. The PBC 21st Annual Award Dinner will take place at Gotham Hall in New York City on Thursday, Sept. 29, and will honor this year’s recipients of the President’s Medal: Patti Byrnes Clarke ’86, P’17,’19, global chief talent officer, Havas Group; and Tom O’Brien ’86, P’19, senior managing director, SumRidge Partners, a Raymond James company. Proceeds from the dinner go directly to the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
During her time at the Havas Group, which is one of the world’s largest global communications groups and part of the Vivendi Group, Byrnes Clarke has built a talent management approach that includes initiatives on network mobility, high-potential leadership development, women’s leadership advancement, global employee engagement, employer branding, global diversity, equity and inclusion and wellness. As the global chief talent officer, she is responsible for leading the talent and cultural strategy for the group’s 20,000 plus employees in more than 100 countries.
Byrnes Clarke earned her bachelor’s degree in management from the University in 1986. She is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees and a former member of the Kania School of Management Advisory Board and the University’s Parents’ Executive Council (PEC). She is also a former chair of the PBC and created the PBC/Kania School of Management Career Coaches Program, in which she remains a mentor to current University students. She and her husband, David, reside in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, and have five children.
Prior to the acquisition of SumRidge Partners, LLC, by Raymond James in July 2022, O’Brien was a co-founder, chief executive officer and president of SumRidge Partners, L.LC., which formed in 2010. SumRidge Partners is a top-ranked electronic fixed income market maker specializing in high-yield, investment-grade corporate bonds, municipal bonds, institutional preferred securities, and emerging market bonds. Prior to launching SumRidge Partners, O’Brien was co-head of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney’s Capital Markets division and was also a member of the firm’s management and risk committees.
O’Brien earned his bachelor’s degree of economics/finance from the University in 1986 and a master of business administration from Fordham University. He is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees, where he served as vice chair, and was a former chair of the PBC. Today, he acts as a mentor to current University students and frequently teaches in the fixed income securities and markets course, which he co-developed with the late Frank Corcione, Ph.D., and Murli Rajan, Ph.D., G’84. He resides in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, with his wife, Denise, and their three sons.
Byrnes Clarke and O’Brien will be honored with the President’s Medal not only for their career successes, but also for their commitment to the University’s mission and its students.
The PBC was formed in 2001 by the University and a prominent group of alumni and friends with the purpose of advancing the mission of the University. The PBC is committed to strengthening the Scranton network in the business sectors and to providing mentoring, internships and career support for current students and meaningful engagement opportunities for alumni, parents and friends. At the PBC’s Annual Award Dinner, an honoree is presented with the University’s President’s Medal, which recognizes individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others. Proceeds from the dinner go directly to the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund. Presidential Scholarships are four-year, full-tuition scholarships awarded to the University’s incoming first-year students with outstanding records in high school and notable community involvement.
Additional details regarding this year’s dinner, including the live stream link, are available on the PBC Award Dinner webpage or by contacting Tim Pryle ’89, executive director of the PBC, at 570-941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu.
Annual PBC Celebration Returns to NYC Sept. 29
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09/19/2022
The University of Scranton named seven individuals to its Board of Trustees: William Canny ’77, H’07; Joseph Collins ’90; Mary Collins, Ph.D.; Matthew Cooper, M.D. ’90; Lisa DeNaples, D.M.D.; Rev. Keith Maczkiewicz, S.J.; and Rev. Adam Rosinski, S.J. ’07.
William Canny
William Canny, executive director of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Migration and Refugee Services (USCCB/MRS), has more than 30 years of service to the Catholic Church and to refugees and migrants through his current position, as well as previous positions held at Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the International Catholic Migration Commission.
Canny joined USCCB/MRS in 2015. He previously served as CRS in several positions during the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He served as director of emergency operations at CRS from 2010 to 2012, leading the emergency department in global prevention, preparedness, protection and response operations. Canny directed CRS’ initial response to the Haiti earthquake of 2010. From 1998 to 2004, Canny served as secretary general for the International Catholic Migration Commission. He also served as the chief operations officer of the Papal Foundation.
Throughout his distinguished career, Canny has demonstrated commitment to – and has provided a wealth of experience in – providing service to migrants, refugees and others in need. He has lived and worked in Niger, Djibouti, Burkina Faso, India, Switzerland and Haiti.
Canny received an honorary doctorate in humane letters from The University of Scranton at the New Student Assembly in 2007. He earned a bachelor’s degree in human services in 1977 from
Scranton and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Pittsburgh. He lives in Bethesda, Maryland, with his wife Patricia and his twin sons Alex and Roan.
Joseph Collins
Joseph Collins, vice president, Medical Intelligence, Patient Insights and Solutions at Astellas Pharmaceuticals, has spent his career in the pharmaceutical industry. At Astellas, a global Life Sciences organization, Collins manages teams tasked with ensuring the perspective and insights of patients and healthcare providers are considered in all phases of drug development and commercialization. Prior to joining Astellas, he worked at Sanofi and Roche Pharmaceuticals.
Collins is active in several organizations including serving on the board of Times Shamrock Communications. He is a member of the President’s Business Council at The University of Scranton and serves as a mentor to undergraduates in the Kania School of Management. He has served on the Devon Preparatory School Alumni Board, Keystone College Board of Trustees and the Greater Scranton Area Chamber of Commerce.
Collins graduated from The University of Scranton in 1990 with dual bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history and received his master’s in business administration from Villanova University in 2007. He lives in Scranton with his wife Mauri Haggerty Collins and their five daughters Clare, Catie, Cecelia, Rita and Elizabeth.
Mary Collins, Ph.D.
Dr. Mary Collins, associate provost and as a resident Chaplain at Le Moyne College, has 40 years of experience in Jesuit Catholic higher education. During her time at Le Moyne College, Dr. Collins has served as associate provost for twelve years, as resident Chaplain for ten years, as the inaugural dean of management for several years, as the department chair of accounting for multiple terms, and as Faculty Senate president three times. As a faculty member, Dr. Collins, who is also a licensed certified public accountant in New York, has taught upper-division courses in financial accounting and auditing, pursued her research interest on budgets and organizational behavior and served on numerous committees primarily in academic affairs and finance. She received two awards for teaching excellence.
During her distinguished career, Dr. Collins has served on numerous boards, including the Institute of Internal Auditors of Central New York Chapter, Peace Action of Central New York, VNA Systems, Inc., among others. She served on numerous committees of professional organizations and
local initiatives including the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, vice-chair of Mayor’s Commission on Living Wage, New York State’s Assembly’s Task Force on University-Industry Cooperation and the American Accounting Association Auditing Section National Committee, to name a few.
Dr. Collins earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Le Moyne College, and her master’s degree in accounting and Ph.D., focusing on accounting and organization behavior, change and development, from Syracuse University.
Matthew Cooper, M.D.
Dr. Matthew Cooper is a professor of surgery at Georgetown School of Medicine, and director of kidney and pancreas transplantation and director for quality at the Medstar Georgetown Transplant Institute (MGTI). He is involved in transplantation activities both in the U.S. and around the world. He is the current United Network for Organ Sharing/Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network president. He is a member of the National and D.C. Board of Directors for the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and a member of the NKF’s National Transplant Task Force. He has served as a councillor for the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. He is a current board member for the National Kidney Registry, the American Foundation for Donation and Transplantation, the International Pancreas and Islet Cell Transplant Association and Donate Life America. Dr. Cooper has served as chair of the American Transplant Congress.
Dr. Cooper seeks new opportunities for living donation through innovation and by removing the disincentives for those considering donation while promoting the safety and long-term care of live organ donors. His clinical interests include kidney and pancreas transplantation; particularly the use of marginal organs. He has authored over 220 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 300 abstracts and 12 book chapters. He is regularly invited to speak on a variety of transplant-related topics both nationally and internationally.
Prior to his current role at Medstar Georgetown Transplant Institute, which he began in 2012, Dr. Cooper directed the kidney transplant and clinical research program the University of Maryland (2005-2012). He joined the transplant faculty at the Johns Hopkins Hospital upon completion of his training and was appointed surgical director of kidney transplantation and clinical research in 2003.
Dr. Cooper graduated from The University of Scranton in 1990, earning his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry. He earned his medical degree from the Georgetown University School of Medicine.
He completed his general surgery training at the Medical College of Wisconsin followed by a fellowship in multi-organ abdominal transplantation at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
Dr. Cooper and his wife, Alicia, reside in Columbia, Maryland. They are the parents of 3 children: Julia’ 19, Emily and Matthew.
Lisa DeNaples, D.M.D.
Dr. Lisa DeNaples, is owner and managing trustee at Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, a premier resort in the Poconos with nearly 300 rooms, a spa and salon and five restaurants. Mount Airy was the first AAA Four Diamond casino resort in Pennsylvania.
When a hand injury forced Dr. DeNaples to reduce some of her dental work, she became co-owner and vice president of a Harley Davidson Dealership located in Williamsport. She attended Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, California, for one and a half years, where she had an externship in the City District Attorney’s Office. While attending law school, she was asked by her father to lead the Mount Airy Project where she currently serves as owner and managing trustee.
Dr. DeNaples is a current board member of Highmark Blue Cross. She is a former board member of the Boys and Girls Club of Scranton, Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau, The University of Scranton, Scranton Council on Literacy Advance (SCOLA) and Mercy Hospital (Scranton Regional Hospital).
A graduate of Scranton Preparatory School, Dr. DeNaples earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Marywood University. She earned her doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania Dental School with a focus on General Family Dentistry.
Rev. Keith Maczkiewicz, S.J.
Rev. Keith Maczkiewicz, S.J., is the director of campus ministry and university Chaplain at Fairfield University, where he has served since July 2021. A native of Long Island, New York, he joined the East Coast Province Jesuits in the summer of 2008. He has served mainly in campus ministry at the college and high school level, in retreat work, and in faith formation. He has also served as the director of religious education at a diverse parish in Oakland, California.
Father Maczkiewicz was ordained a priest in June 2018 and has worked in campus ministry at Georgetown University, the College of the Holy Cross and The University of Scranton, where he lived in Hafey Hall as a resident minister from 2006 to 2008.
Father Maczkiewicz earned his bachelor’s degree in history/American studies/education from Fairfield University and his master’s degree in secondary education from Providence College. After entering the Society of Jesus, he completed his philosophy studies and earned a master’s degree from Loyola University Chicago and his completed theology studies earning a M.Div., Th.M., S.T.L. at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California. He is currently a student in the Executive Doctor of Higher Education program at Boston College, in its inaugural cohort.
Rev. Adam Rosinski, S.J.
Rev. Adam Rosinski, S.J., a priest of the USA East Jesuit Province, currently serves as the Socius and assistant director of novices at the St. Andrew Hall Jesuit Novitiate in Syracuse, New York. Since his ordination to the priesthood in 2019, he previously served as associate pastor at St. Raphael Catholic Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, and as the assistant director and promoter of vocations for the Jesuits’ USA East Province.
Father Rosinski serves as a trustee of St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia.
Father Rosinski earned his bachelor’s degree in theology and counseling and human services from The University of Scranton in 2007. He entered the Society of Jesus in 2009 and, during his Jesuit formation, he earned his master’s degree in social philosophy from Loyola University Chicago, served as a teacher and campus minister at St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia, and went on to earn Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees from the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry.
University of Scranton Names Seven New Trustees
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09/12/2022
U.S. News & World Report ranked Scranton No. 5 among the “Best Regional Universities in the North” in the 2023 edition of the “Best Colleges” guidebook, which became available online today. U.S. News has ranked Scranton among the top 10 universities in its category for 29 consecutive years.
U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 6 in its category for “Best Undergraduate Teaching,” a selection of the top colleges in the nation that express a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching.
“Our students and their parents, our faculty and staff, and our alumni know well and value greatly the quality of the Jesuit education offered at Scranton. However, it is also very gratifying for Scranton to receive such consistently high-marks and recognition from more impartial sources like U.S. News and other national rankings,” said Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton. “We are delighted U.S. News once again ranked Scranton No. 5 in its latest guidebook.”
Several of Scranton’s programs were also included in national rankings, as opposed to listings by category. U.S. News ranked Scranton among the nation’s “Best Undergraduate Programs in Accounting” at No. 44 in the U.S.; among the “Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs” at No. 135; and among “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs” at No. 185 (where doctorate is not offered). Scranton’s was also listed among the 537 “Best Undergraduate Computer Science Programs” in the nation. Scranton also ranked No. 219 among America’s “Best Undergraduate Business Programs,” which listed just 516 schools that hold accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
For these program listings, U.S. News only ranked schools holding the highest recognized national accreditations in their fields. The rankings were based solely on dean and senior faculty recommendations from peer institutions.
In addition, U.S. News ranked Scranton No. 54 as a “Best Value Regional University in the North,” which compares academic quality of programs to cost of attendance. This is the tenth consecutive year U.S. News has recognized Scranton as a “Best Value” school. Scranton was ranked No. 145 in its category in “Top Performers on Social Mobility,” which looks at the success of schools that enroll and graduate students who were awarded with Pell Grants.
U.S. News uses data on 17 measures of academic quality to rank bachelor’s degree colleges in the America. For its rankings, U.S. News considers a range of quality indicators that include a peer assessment of academic excellence (20 percent); faculty resources (20 percent), which includes class size and regional cost-of-living adjustments to faculty pay and benefits; graduation rates (17.6 percent); freshman retention (4.4 percent); graduation performance rates (8 percent), which compares a school’s actual graduation rates with predicted graduation rates based on characteristics of the incoming class; financial resources (10 percent); a social mobility score (5 percent); graduate indebtedness (5 percent); and alumni giving (3 percent). U.S. News ranking analysis also includes student selectivity (7 percent), as measured by SAT or ACT scores and high school ranking of students in the top 25 percent of their class.
U.S. News categorizes colleges for their rankings based on the official Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classification of universities.
The 2023 U.S. News “Best Colleges” rankings became available online Sept. 12.
$content.getChild('content').textValueU.S. News Ranks Scranton No. 5 in 2023 Guidebook
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09/06/2022
The President’s Business Council (PBC) will present President’s Medals to Patricia A. Byrnes Clarke ’86, P'17,’19, global chief talent officer for Havas Group, and Thomas P. O’Brien ’86, P’19, senior managing director of SumRidge Partners, a Raymond James company, at its 21st Annual Award Dinner on Thursday, Sept. 29, at Gotham Hall in New York City.
“We are looking forward to being in person for this year’s PBC Dinner in late September as we celebrate our honorees, the University, and our students,” said Timothy J. Pryle ’89, executive director of the PBC. “We have two wonderful honorees who are excellent representatives of the PBC and who continue to have a tremendous impact on the University and our students.”
In presenting the President’s Medal, the University and the PBC recognize individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields, who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others, and who personify the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service. Since its inaugural dinner in 2002, the PBC has generated nearly $20 million for the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
To find out more about this year’s dinner, our honorees and to view the livestream on Sept. 29, visit the PBC Dinner link. To buy your table/tickets for this year’s dinner or to make your contribution, visit the RSVP link. For more information on this year's event or the PBC, please contact Tim Pryle at (570) 941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu.
Gotham Hall
PBC Prepares For 21st Annual Award Dinner Sept. 29
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09/06/2022
Incoming first-year students of University of Scranton alumni gathered together with their families and the Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, Aug. 27 for the Class of 2026 Legacy Families Reception and Photo at Brennan Hall.
Visit University Advancement's Shutterfly Page to see the photographs from this year's reception.
Over the years, the Legacy Families Reception and Photo has become a University tradition. Prior to Convocation each year, incoming legacy students and their families gather together for a photograph with the University's president to mark the outset of their collegiate odyssey. Four years later, prior to commencement, the same families gather together with the University's president to mark the beginning of their journey as men and women for and with others beyond Scranton's borders.
University Holds Class of 2026 Legacy Families Reception
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09/06/2022
Alumni and student golfers are invited to participate in an Alumni/Student Golf Outing Oct. 15 at Pine Hills Country Club, 140 S. Keyser Avenue, Taylor, PA.
The scramble golf tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Prizes will be awarded at a barbecue dinner at Pine Hills after the tournament concludes. To register, visit this link.
University To Hold Alumni/Student Golf Outing Oct. 15
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09/06/2022
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Paul Majkut G’66, San Diego, California, retired in 2020 after a career spent teaching undergraduate and graduate literature and philosophy. During that time, he was also an active journalist, both within the U.S. and abroad. He has been awarded five Fulbright Senior Specialist and Scholar grants (Argentina, Finland, Germany, Mexico, Estonia), and two National Endowment for the Humanities awards (Oxford, Cambridge). He is a Reader of Medieval Manuscripts and Rare Books at the Bodleian Library (Oxford), Cambridge University Library, and The Huntington Library. He has received numerous journalism awards for this writing (the San Diego Press Club, the Los Angeles Press Club, the Southern California Press Club, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the National Conference of Christians and Jews). In 1998, he founded the Society for Phenomenology and Media. He has lectured as a visiting professor widely in universities in the United States as well as internationally. Since retiring, he was asked by university colleagues abroad to teach classes online. Refusing pay, he decided to teach a course at the University of Jos, Nigeria, an impoverished university beset by religious violence.
Jim Moran ’66, Philadelphia, recently published his essay, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his Struggle with Polio, on line at FDRRESEARCH.COM.
Thomas F. McNevin, Ph.D. ’74, G’77, Yardley, retired last year after 36 years as a research scientist with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, where he worked on chemical and radiological hazardous site remediations, air pollution and energy issues.
Kevin Ball ’77, Levittown, retired from teaching after 46 years at Archbishop Ryan High School. In addition to teaching math and engineering, he spent 40-plus years as Technology Coordinator, coached soccer for more than 20 years and coached hockey for 40 years.
Howard F. Mulligan ’85, New York, New York, joined Greenspoon and Marder as a partner. Mulligan focuses his practice on the intersecting disciplines of corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, structured finance, fund information, commercial real estate, securities law, capital markets and business restructuring.
Jennifer Lawrence Janofsky, Ph.D. ’95, Glen Ridge, New Jersey, a public historian at Rowan University and the director of Red Bank Battlefield Park in National Park, New Jersey, led a series of four public digs, in the summer of 2022 at the park, which is the site of a critical 1777 Revolutionary War between the Hessians and the American fighting force. The remains of as many as 13 individuals, believed to be Hessian soldiers, were discovered. This discovery was a surprise. No maps from the period showed there would be human remains at the site.
Patrick J. Cummings ’07, Havertown, was elected partner at Weber Gallagher on August 1, 2022.
Cecilia Baress ’08, Old Forge, joined the Department of Communication and Media at The University of Scranton as an adjunct faculty member. The former managing editor and editor-in-chief of The Aquinas is also an adviser to the student news publication.
Matthew W. Smeltzer ’12, North Wales, has joined STV, a leader in engineering, architectural, planning and program and construction management services as corporate controller. In this role, Smeltzer will report directly to STV’s chief financial officer and will be responsible for STV’s accounting, reporting and financial audits.
MARRIAGES
Allison Carbone ’12 to Andrew Freer
James Ranslow '13 to Anali Meza
Tim Janes '15 to Kellie Reidinger
Bridget Gallaher ’16 to James Lolli ’14, G’17
Christopher Vatter ’17 to Meghan Miller ’17BIRTHS
A daughter, Michelle Agnes, to Dan ’07 and Dawn Leavy Neenan ’10, Staten Island, New York
A daughter, Emaline Jamie, to Michael ’11 and Elizabeth Lukowicz Sunkel ’11, Fieldsboro, New Jersey
A son, Logan Charles, to James ’14, DPT '17 and Bridget Gallaher Lolli ’16, Havertown
DEATHS
Irwin Schneider ’52, Fleetville
John E. McCawley ’60, Endwell
Col. James W. Patterson, USA, Ret. ’63, Roaring Brook Township
John J. Grace ’65, Lakewood, Colorado
Terrence P. Zealand, Ed.D. ’72, Howell, New Jersey
Melissa Conway Luther, Ph.D. ’76, Carlsbad, California
George R. Huhn ’83, Venice, Florida
David J. Lauriha ’88, ArchbaldFRIENDS' DEATHS
Elizabeth Bush Schmidt, sister of Peter Bush ’79
Alumni Class Notes, September 2022
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09/06/2022
University of Scranton alumnus and former University trustee, Rev. James F. Duffy, S.J., M.D., will serve as the new superior for the Scranton Jesuit Community. His position became effective July 31. He replaced Rev. Herbert B. Keller, S.J., who stepped down from that position, which he has held since 2015.
A 1988 graduate of The University of Scranton, Father Duffy served as a trustee at his alma mater from 2007 to 2016. He received the University’s Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni award in 2013, which is the highest award bestowed jointly by the University and our Alumni Society.
A board-certified internist, Father Duffy earned his medical degree from Georgetown University in 1992. He served as an undersea medical officer for the U.S. Navy in Sardegna, Italy, onboard the USS Simon Lake (AS-33), from 1993-1996. When he returned to the U.S. after four years of service, he entered the Society of Jesus as a novice in 1996 and was first missioned to complete his residency training in Internal Medicine at Georgetown University Hospital from 1998-2000. During his philosophy studies, he earned his master’s in health care ethics from Loyola University of Chicago and during his theological studies, he completed his M.Div. from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. Following ordination in 2006, Father Duffy served as associate cean of clinical education at Georgetown University School of Medicine from 2006 to 2016, before joining the Saint Louis University School of Medicine in 2017 in the same role.
Consistent with the Universal Apostolic Preferences, Father Duffy has continued to practice in Spanish-speaking, underserved medical clinics throughout his Jesuit formation and medical career.
Scranton Jesuit Community New Superior is Alumnus
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09/02/2022
The Princeton Review selected The University of Scranton once again among the best colleges in the nation. Scranton is among just 14 percent of schools listed in the 2023 edition of the “Best 388 Colleges” guidebook, marking the 21st consecutive year the University was selected and recommended by The Princeton Review as one of the top colleges in the country.
In addition, for the sixth year, The Princeton Review ranked Scranton among the nation’s “Best Science Lab Facilities” (No. 7) and “Best Campus Food” (No. 25). Scranton also ranked among the “Most Religious Students” (No. 24) in the latest edition of the guidebook.
The Princeton Review wrote “some students refer to The University of Scranton as ‘Disney World in PA’ because ‘everyone is so friendly and helpful,’” in its profile of Scranton, which also included boasts about the University’s accessible and caring faculty, outstanding facilities, a network of supportive alumni, and a Jesuit mission and curriculum firmly grounded in ethics.
“We salute The University of Scranton for its outstanding academics, and its many other impressive offerings. We are delighted to recommend it as an ideal choice for students searching for their ‘best fit’ college,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor –in-chief and lead author of “The Best 388 Colleges,” in a news release.
The Princeton Review does not include an overall ranking of the schools selected as the best in the country, however they do publish rankings of schools in 50 categories based on results of their surveys of 160,000 students at the 388 colleges included in the book. Information from the surveys is also used in the profiles included about each school in the publication.
In addition to The Princeton Review, U.S. News has ranked Scranton among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 28 consecutive years, placing the University No. 5 among the “Best Regional Universities in the North” its 2022 edition of the “Best Colleges” guidebook.
Scranton Picked Among Best Colleges in Nation
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08/10/2022
A comprehensive analysis of the return on investment (ROI) of college degrees at more than 4,500 colleges in the United States shows the value gains of liberal arts education during the lifetime of a career. The analysis also ranks the ROI of a degree from The University of Scranton among the top 4 percent of colleges in the country after 40 years, among the top 5 percent after 30 years and among the top 7 percent after 20 years.
The analysis by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce calculated the 40-year net present value of a University of Scranton degree is $1.404 million, which ranked No. 200 of 4,500 colleges in the nation (top 4 percent). The 30-year net present value for a Scranton degree was calculated at $1.053 million, which ranked at No. 227 in the nation (top 5 percent); and the 20-year net present value of a degree was $627,000, which ranked at No. 327 in the country (top 7 percent).
The Center ranked 4,500 colleges based on the net value of the degrees at 10, 20, 30 and 40 years after enrollment using data from the expanded College Scorecard. The analysis, published online in the spring of 2022, looked at the net cost of attendance, which includes tuition, fees, books and supplies, and living expenses, minus aid received from all sources. The Center then calculated the net present value of a degree, which is “a metric that includes costs, future earnings and the length of time it would take to invest and earn a certain amount of money over a fixed horizon.”
The analysis found that “bachelor’s degrees from private colleges, on average, have higher ROI than degrees from public colleges 40 years after enrollment. Community colleges and many certificate programs have the highest returns in the short term, 10 years after enrollment, though returns from bachelor’s degrees eventually overtake those of most two-year credentials.”
In addition, the analysis showed “the median ROI of liberal arts colleges is nearly $200,000 higher than the median for all colleges. Further, the 40-year median ROI of liberal arts institutions ($918,000) is close to those of four-year engineering and technology-related schools ($917,000), and four-year business and management schools ($913,000).”
Scranton has been recognized for its value in other national rankings such as U.S. News & World Report and The Economist. Most recently, Money magazine ranked the University at No. 268 among its selection of just 623 of the nation’s best values for a college education.
ROI of Scranton Degree Ranks in Top 7 Percent
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08/02/2022
John O’Malley ’87, Lieutenant Colonel, US Army Retired, is recovering from injuries he sustained in an accident while riding in an ultra-distance cycling race and raising money for a University memorial scholarship honoring his brother.
After riding for more than a month in the Tour Divide, a 2,745-mile cycling race from Alberta, Canada, to New Mexico, in support of the fourth Ryan O’Malley Annual Ride (ROAR), a fundraiser for the Ryan T. O’Malley ’99 Memorial Scholarship at the University, O’Malley was involved in an accident near Silver City, New Mexico, about 125 miles from the race’s finish line in the early morning hours of July 15. According to the O’Malley family, John was found by two motorists who spotted him on the side of the road and alerted the police.
According to a GoFundMe page set up by Katie O’Malley, John’s daughter, to help with their family’s medical expenses, “John was airlifted from the scene in New Mexico and taken to an intensive care unit/trauma center in El Paso, Texas.
“We have since learned that he has endured a traumatic brain injury.”
Although John can’t recall the events surrounding the accident, he publicly thanked the Silver City police officers who assisted him in a Facebook post dated July 26.
“I am most grateful for their decisiveness and professionalism as a CT scan revealed a subdural hematoma,” he wrote. “I still have no idea how nor when I sustained these injuries.
“At this point, I’m heartbroken that I didn’t finish the race, but happy to be under great care (with) a great prognosis to return soon and get ‘er done! The silver lining to all of this is that we raised over 12k for the Ryan T. O’Malley Memorial Scholarship fund at The University of Scranton allowing students in need the opportunity to get a college education.”
According to John “Jack” O’Malley, Ph.D. ’64, professor of psychology emeritus at the University and John’s father, John was transferred from the University Medical Center of El Paso to Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Colorado Springs July 27, and he was released to his home in Monument, Colorado July 30, where he will continue outpatient physical therapy.
“His recovery has been remarkable!” Dr. O’Malley said. “Everyone has been so kind, and we deeply appreciate the caring and prayers.”
According to several recent Facebook posts and comments made by John and his circle of friends, he remains an inspiration to many, and he plans to dedicate himself fully to healing and recovering until he’s ready to race again.
“I’m headed back to Silver City to finish this baby!” he wrote in a Facebook comment July 30.
To follow John’s progress and learn more about the Ryan T. O’Malley Memorial Scholarship, visit this link.
ROAR
On June 10, John embarked upon ROAR: The Ryan O’Malley Annual Ride for the fourth time by participating in The Tour Divide, an annual ultra-distance cycling race that sees participants traverse the length of the Rocky Mountains from Alberta, Canada, to the US/Mexico border in Antelope Wells, New Mexico, in support of the Ryan T. O’Malley ’99 Memorial Scholarship.
After Ryan's passing in 2011, his family established the scholarship in his memory to enable Computer Science students of limited resources with an interest in fitness to attend The University of Scranton. Since that time, Ryan's family and friends have raised more than $150,000 for the scholarship, much of it through ROAR: The Ryan O'Malley Annual Race, a 5K fundraising event the family organized from 2013-2017. In 2018, John embarked upon the inaugural ROAR: The Ryan O’Malley Annual Ride by cycling the 500+ miles of The Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango in Ryan’s memory. While John rode The Colorado Trail again for ROAR in 2019 and 2020, he was sidelined by injuries and knee surgery in 2021. Prior to beginning The Tour Divide, John said he was looking forward to riding for “family, community and the well-being of others.”
“I ride to remember and honor our brother, Ryan,” he said. “I ride to give back in some way to the community who nurtured us. Through the ROAR and Ryan’s scholarship, we help to provide students with limited financial resources the opportunity to attend The University of Scranton.”
John’s love of cycling and adventure began when he was growing up in the Green Ridge section of Scranton.
“Bikes were a big deal back then, and if you had one, you were a lucky kid,” he said. “ For me, the bike became an instrument of exploration, discovery and freedom.”
As the oldest child of Dr. O’Malley and his wife, Helene, John shared his love of cycling with his five siblings, especially Ryan, his youngest brother.
“As a kid, time and distance had little meaning,” he said of the hours they spent exploring the NEPA area together. “We’d just ride, inspired by the adventure and the natural beauty of the region.”
Upon graduating from the University, John began his military career in Ft. Carson, Colorado, where he started racing mountain bikes. Since then, he has continued to ride and race, competing in triathlons and adventure races throughout the country. When he and his family settled in Monument, Colorado, he became so inspired by the expanses and terrain he saw on two wheels that he proposed the idea of funding Ryan’s scholarship through an annual bike ride.
The Tour Divide
The Tour Divide follows the 2,745-mile “Great Divide Mountain Bike Route,” a 90% off-road trail that follows the Continental Divide through Alberta, British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Established by the Adventure Cycling Association in 1998, it is considered the most important off-pavement cycling route in the world.
The Tour Divide’s race clock runs 24 hours a day, and the self-supported riders aren’t allowed any outside help other than the ability to access public facilities along the way that are available to everyone. Participating cyclists must carry their camping equipment, food and water through long stretches of remote mountain wilderness, pristine river valleys, open grassland and desert while risking injury, mechanical failure, treacherous weather and encounters with potentially dangerous wildlife.
To support the Ryan O’Malley Annual Ride and Ryan’s scholarship, visit this link.
O'Malley Recovering From ROAR Injuries
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08/02/2022
The President’s Business Council (PBC) will present President’s Medals to Patricia A. Byrnes Clarke ’86, P'17,’19, global chief talent officer for Havas Group, and Thomas P. O’Brien ’86, P’19, chief executive officer & president of SumRidge Partners, LLC, at its 21st Annual Award Dinner on Thursday, Sept. 29, at Gotham Hall in New York City.
“We are looking forward to being in person for this year’s PBC Dinner in late September as we celebrate our honorees, the University, and our students,” said Timothy J. Pryle ’89, executive director of the PBC. “We have two wonderful honorees who are excellent representatives of the PBC and who continue to have a tremendous impact on the University and our students.”
In presenting the President’s Medal, the University and the PBC recognize individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields, who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others, and who personify the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service. Since its inaugural dinner in 2002, the PBC has generated nearly $20 million for the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
To find out more about this year’s dinner and our honorees, visit the PBC Dinner link. To register for this year’s dinner or to make your contribution, visit the RSVP link. For more information on this year's event or the PBC, please contact Tim Pryle at (570) 941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu.
PBC To Hold 21st Annual Award Dinner Sept. 29
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08/02/2022
Fall is nearly here, and The University of Scranton has scheduled a number of alumni-centered events designed to help you connect with your fellow Royals.
Scranton G.O.L.D. At Pier 13
Join your fellow graduates of the last decade (G.O.L.D.) in the Hoboken area Aug. 4 at Pier 13, 1301 Sinatra Dr N, Hoboken, NJ, at 6:30 p.m. for an evening on the pier! The $10 registration fee includes a drink ticket and a Scranton giveaway. To register, visit this link.
Scranton Club of New York Yankee Game
The Scranton Club of New York will meet at Yankee Stadium Aug. 17 to watch the New York Yankees take on the Tampa Bay Rays.
The game will begin at 7:05 p.m., and gates will open at 5:30 p.m. The club will hold a pre-game reception on the Budweiser Party Deck featuring 90 minutes of food, draft beer, and non-alcoholic beverages, all of which will be included in the price of admission. Tickets will cost $75.
This event is sold out.
Scranton Club of Philadelphia To Gather At Independence Beer Garden
The Scranton Club of Philadelphia will hold a gathering Sept. 8 at Independence Beer Garden, 100 S Independence Mall W, Philadelphia, at 6 p.m. The $30 registration fee includes a drink ticket, appetizers and a Scranton giveaway. To register, visit this link.
The President’s Business Council 21st Annual Award Dinner
The President’s Business Council (PBC) will present President’s Medals to Patricia A. Byrnes Clarke ’86, P'17,’19, global chief talent officer for Havas Group, and Thomas P. O’Brien ’86, P’19, chief executive officer & president of SumRidge Partners, LLC, at its 21st Annual Award Dinner on Thursday, Sept. 29, at Gotham Hall in New York City.
“We are looking forward to being in person for this year’s PBC Dinner in late September as we celebrate our honorees, the University, and our students,” said Timothy J. Pryle ’89, executive director of the PBC. “We have two wonderful honorees who are excellent representatives of the PBC and who continue to have a tremendous impact on the University and our students.”
In presenting the President’s Medal, the University and the PBC recognize individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields, who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others, and who personify the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service. Since its inaugural dinner in 2002, the PBC has generated nearly $20 million for the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
To find out more about this year’s dinner and our honorees, visit the PBC Dinner link. To register for this year’s dinner or to make your contribution, visit the RSVP link. For more information on this year's event or the PBC, please contact Tim Pryle at (570) 941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu.
Fall Alumni Event Preview
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08/01/2022
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Daniel J. Herman, M.D. ’82, Seattle, Washington, associate clinical professor of Family Medicine, was named the 2022 Attending of the Year at the University of Washington/Valley Family Medicine Residency where he has helped train over 160 Family Medicine Physicians since the year 2000.
Carol Peters ’82, Scranton, celebrated 42 years as vice president of Peters Design Group, Architectural Engineering.
Richard J. Scalione ’81, Franklin, Tennessee, has written his first children’s book entitled “The Mean, Hungry Washing Machine,” which is available on Amazon.
Ellen T. Wayne, Ed.D. ’89, Florida, is the CEO and executive director of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach.
Ron Prislupski ’95, Moosic, was recently named President of the Nativity Miguel School of Scranton.
Heather Rowan-Kenyon, Ph.D. '95, West Roxbury, Massachusetts, was promoted to full professor and department chair of Education Leadership and Higher Education in the Lynch School of Higher Education and Human Development at Boston College.
Samuel J. Denisco ’98, Harrisburg, has joined Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies in its government relations practice. Denisco joins Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies as a principal and will work out of its Harrisburg office.
Davina Capik, Ed.D. G’08, Windsor, received the Samuel T. Gladding Unsung Heroes Award presented by the American Counseling Association (ACA) at the 2022 ACA Conference in Atlanta GA.
Mary Desmarais ’10, Arlington, Virginia, started Catholic Inclusion, LLC, a consulting company which works with Catholic schools to help them become accessible and inclusive to students with intellectual disabilities.
Laura Romanovich ’18, Peckville, began a full-time science instructor position at Johnson College in Scranton.
Olivia Borges ’22, Bethlehem, is a research technician level 2 in the Han Lab at Duke University. Borges will be working alongside Dr. Han studying how gut microbiota regulate host aging. On top of doing research, she also has lab manager duties to help get the lab up and running and be the “PI for the day” whenever she is away.
BIRTHS
A daughter, Adeline, to Will and Tracey Moller ’07, Summit, New Jersey
A daughter, Everly Gassert, to Grif and Jennifer Gentile Gassert ’09, Alpharetta, Georgia
A son, Leo James Nebzydoski, to Meghan and John Nebzydoski ’10, G’12, Pleasant Mount
A daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth Sachs, to Brice ’11 and Jasmine Santiago Sachs ’11, Morristown, New Jersey
A son, Anthony Thomas Santino, Jr., to Thomas and Kaylee Hatfield Santino ’13, Delran, New Jersey
DEATHS
Donald J. Kemple ’56, Syracuse, New York
Bernard Troy ’65, Scranton
Hon. Robert P. Meehan ’69, Freedom
Ronald E. LeKarz ’78, Ellicott City, Maryland
Thomas J. Simrell, D.M.D. ’81, Greenfield Township
Brian L. Carpenter ’87, Olyphant
William F. Holmes, Ph.D. ’94, G’96, Worcester, Massachusetts
FRIENDS' DEATHS
William Mangan, husband of Wendy Yeager Mangan '94
Doris J. Pierce, mother of Thomas M. Pierce ’87
Alumni Class Notes, August 2022
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07/29/2022
Money magazine ranked The University of Scranton among its list of the nation’s best values for a college education. The 2022 ranking is based on the magazine’s analysis of dozens of data points to evaluate educational quality, affordability and alumni success. Money ranked Scranton at No. 268 among its selection of just 623 “Best Colleges in America,” a ranking of “schools that combine quality and affordability, while admitting at least 20 percent of applicants.”
This is the seventh consecutive time that Money included Scranton in its published list of America’s best values in college education. Scranton was the highest ranked school in Northeastern Pennsylvania listed.
Scranton ranked in the top 15 percent of schools listed for “outcomes.” The factors Money used to assess “outcomes” included the average salaries of students ten years after enrollment based on data from U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard as well as salaries of graduates adjusted by major. In addition to other factors, the “outcomes” criteria looked at socio-economic mobility data from Third Way that measures a college’s share of students from low- and moderate-income backgrounds as well as the cost and payoff of a degree for those students.
The factors Money analyzed to determine a colleges’ “academic quality” included the six-year graduation rate, the standardized test scores of incoming students, the student-faculty ratio and the graduation rate of Pell Grant recipients, among other factors. The analysis also included “value” assessments that looked at a school’s predicted graduation rates based on the academic and economic profile of its student body versus its actual graduation rates.
The criteria used to assess “affordability” included an estimate of the “net price of a degree,” which assessed tuition, the time it takes for students to graduate, and the school’s average financial aid offered to students. The “affordability” criteria also looked at student debt, student loan default rates, and student loan default rates adjusted for the economic and academic profile of a school’s student body, in addition to other factors.
Colleges with graduation rates below the national median, that were in financial difficulty, or that had fewer than 500 undergraduates, were not included in Money’s ranking. A separate ranking was done for schools that accept fewer than 20 percent of applicants.
Scranton has been recognized for its value in other national rankings such as U.S. News & World Report and The Economist, among others.
Scranton Ranked Among America’s Best Values
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07/28/2022
Intelligent.com ranked The University of Scranton’s Master of Accountancy Degree No. 3 in the nation for “Best Online Master’s in Accounting” and No. 13 in the country for “Best MBA in Healthcare Management.” The 2022 ranking of accredited, nonprofit schools by the online education source is based on an assessment of student engagement, potential return on investment and leading third-party evaluations of the programs, including an assessment of consistent performance in other national rankings such as U.S. News & World Report.
U.S. News has ranked Scranton has been ranked among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 28 consecutive years. Scranton is ranked No. 5 in the 2022 edition of the guidebook. U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 14 in its category for “Best Undergraduate Teaching.” Earlier this year, U.S. News ranked Scranton’s MBA Specialty in accounting No. 14 in the nation, tying with Harvard University, Arizona State University and Ohio State University in its full-time MBA program ranking. U.S. News also ranked Scranton’s MBA specialty programs in business analytics No. 29 and finance No. 34 in America. In addition, U.S. News ranked Scranton’s online master’s degree programs in business (excluding MBA) at No. 55; and its online MBA program at No. 98 in the nation in its “Best Online Programs” guide.
Graduate Programs Ranked Among Best in Nation
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07/22/2022
The University of Scranton’s Board of Trustees have approved the change of the doctoral business administration degree to a Ph.D. in Accounting degree beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year. The curriculum and degree requirements will remain the same. This is the first Ph.D. degree to be offered at Scranton.
The business doctoral degree, which the University began in 2017 and graduated its first cohort of students in 2021, has already been internationally recognized when in 2019 the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) listed the program among the “Innovations and Best Practices in Canada, Latin America and the United States.” The program was recognized for providing a non-traditional research doctoral degree in accounting that “promotes diversity and practice relevance by providing a flexible path for experienced practitioners to gain the knowledge and credentials required to succeed in tenure-track positions at AACSB-accredited institutions.”
“The doctoral program was developed in direct response to calls made by the Pathways Commission to transform experienced accounting professionals into exceptional academics and teachers capable of producing original-practice relevant research grounded in the ethical foundation of Scranton’s Jesuit identity,” said Douglas M. Boyle, D.B.A., C.P.A., C.M.A., professor and chair of the University’s Accounting Department and Ph.D. program director
“As co-chair of the Implementation Phase of Pathways, the Accounting Ph.D. at The University of Scranton is exactly what we hope institutions would strive to create,” said Mark Higgins, Ph.D., Dean of the Kania School of Management. “We wanted institutions to create terminal degrees that align with an institutions mission and this program does that by incorporating Jesuit values and producing graduates that are capable of publishing in relevant practiced based research in quality journals.”
The first and second cohorts of doctoral graduates and faculty have already co-authored and published more than 20 manuscripts in internationally recognized refereed journals with six of the publications winning awards from the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), including two Lybrand Competition Medals and the Curtis C. Verschoor Ethics Article of the Year. Gregory Kogan ’22 and Joy Chacko ’21 were awarded the Institute of Internal Auditors Michael J. Barrett Doctoral Dissertation Award for their respective years.
Scranton’s accounting professors in the program have received numerous awards for teaching and have also been recognized internationally for their research. The 2021 Brigham Young University Accounting Report Update, which annually ranks accounting programs and faculty throughout the world based on their success in publishing in top-tier accounting journals, placed the Accounting Department at The University of Scranton as the fourth most prolific department in the world for accounting education research (excluding cases) over the most recent six-year period. The department was also ranked internationally for all methods, audit and experimental accounting research.
With respect to authorships of individual accounting faculty in the area of accounting education reported in the 2021 Update: Dr. Douglas Boyle, was ranked No. 7; and James F. Boyle, D.B.A., C.P.A., associate professor and director of the MAcc program, and Brian W. Carpenter, Ph.D., professor, ranked No. 18 (tied).
The doctoral program, housed in the University’s Kania School of Management, also engages renowned scholars from other institutions to advise and serve on dissertation committees. These esteemed faculty members include George W. Krull, Jr., Ph.D., external global strategic advisor for the doctoral program, Dr. Krull served as a partner in the executive office of Grant Thornton LLP and was the firm’s chief learning officer. He has served as an executive-in-residence and professor of accounting at Bradley University where he was awarded emeritus status in 2011. During his distinguished career, Dr. Krull has served with the American Accounting Association (AAA), the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Pathways Commission. He was a member of the AACSB International’s Blue Ribbon Committee on Accreditation Quality and has served four terms on the AACSB’s Accounting Accreditation Committee. In 2014, Dr. Krull was recognized as one of one hundred distinguished graduates of Spears School at Oklahoma State during its centennial anniversary celebration, and in 2015 he was inducted into the Spears School Hall of Fame. In 2016, he received the American Accounting Association Outstanding Service Award.
Students currently enrolled in the program and students entering the program for fall 2023 will receive a Ph.D. degree.
For additional information about Scranton’s first Ph.D. program, visit the program’s webpage or contact the Accounting Department at the University at 570-941-4047 or Caitlyn Hollingshead,
Scranton to Offer First Ph.D. Degree
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07/06/2022
The Scranton Club of Philadelphia will hold a gathering Sept. 8 at Independence Beer Garden, 100 S Independence Mall W, Philadelphia, at 6 p.m. The $30 registration fee includes a drink ticket, appetizers and a Scranton giveaway. To register, visit this link.
Scranton Club To Meet At Independence Beer Garden Sept. 8
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07/06/2022
Join your fellow graduates of the last decade (G.O.L.D.) in the Hoboken area Aug. 4 at Pier 13, 1301 Sinatra Dr N, Hoboken, NJ, at 6:30 p.m. for a summer evening on the pier! The $10 registration fee includes a drink ticket and a Scranton giveaway. To register, visit this link.
Scranton G.O.L.D. To Meet At Pier 13 Aug. 4
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07/06/2022
Join your fellow graduates of the last decade (G.O.L.D.) in the Philadelphia area July 21 at Morgan's Pier, 221 N Christopher Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, at 6 p.m. for a summer evening to remember! The $20 admission fee includes a drink ticket, appetizers and a Scranton giveaway. To register, visit this link.
Scranton G.O.L.D. To Meet At Morgan's Pier July 21
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07/06/2022
The Scranton Club of New York will meet at Yankee Stadium Aug. 17 to watch the New York Yankees take on the Tampa Bay Rays.
The game will begin at 7:05 p.m., and gates will open at 5:30 p.m. The club will hold a pre-game reception on the Budweiser Party Deck featuring 90 minutes of food, draft beer, and non-alcoholic beverages, all of which will be included in the price of admission. Tickets will cost $75.
To register, visit this link.
Reminder: Scranton Club of NY To Meet At Yankee Game Aug. 17
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07/06/2022
The Scranton Club of New Jersey will host a Day At The Races at Monmouth Park Racetrack July 24.
Alumni, parents and friends of the University are invited to enjoy a day at the track in the Reserved Picnic Area. In addition to betting on the horses, this family-friendly event will include a picnic barbecue, playground, live music and more. Gates will open at 11:30 a.m. Tickets for adults 13 and over will cost $26, tickets for children ages 6-12 will cost $13, and children under 6 will receive free admission.
To register, visit this link.
Register Today For A Day At The Races July 24
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07/06/2022
On June 27, the University honored Tony Rice, Notre Dame legend and quarterback of the 1988 National Championship Team, with the 2022 Peter A. Carlesimo Award at the annual Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, New Jersey.
The event raised more than $100,000 for Scranton Athletics. Quandel Construction Group served as the event’s title sponsor. To see photos from the event, visit this link.
“This is one of my favorite days of the year,” said Dave Martin, executive director of Athletics at the University and the event’s master of ceremonies, prior to the beginning of the meal. “Thanks to all the incredible support in this room, we once again were able to exceed our goals.”
Martin then introduced the evening’s speakers: Bridget Monaghan ’24, a three-year starter on the Lady Royals majoring in business administration; the Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., the twenty-ninth president of The University of Scranton; and basketball legend P.J. Carlesimo, the eldest son of the former University athletic director the award is named after.
“My experience as a member of the Lady Royals will be something I will cherish forever,” Monaghan said. “Thank you for all that you do for Scranton Athletics.”
Father Marina spoke next, sharing some of the 2021-2022 academic year’s athletic highlights.
“We gather here to celebrate our players, our student-athletes and our wonderful staff who had another incredibly successful year in the Landmark Conference and the NCAA,” he said. “We captured three conference championships and saw four teams advance to the national tournament. Twenty-one out of 23 teams participated in post-season play. That’s amazing. We continued to strengthen and enhance the Royal Way program, which provides a glimpse into the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola from an athlete’s perspective.”
After dinner, Carlesimo said his father would have appreciated honoring Rice.
“Tony, he legitimately would be thrilled, more so for what you’ve done off the field,” he said. “You were a great, great player, but what you’ve done since graduation at Notre Dame (is) even more impressive.”
After receiving the award, Rice expressed his gratitude for a number of significant people in his life, including the grandmother who raised him, legendary Notre Dame Football Coach Lou Holtz, and Jim ’90 and Kerry ’90 Conmy, who serve with Rice on the Board of Directors of Patrick’s Pals Foundation, a nonprofit that provides children and young adults with multiple disabilities with equipment and therapies. The Conmys founded Patrick’s Pals in honor of their son, Patrick, a 19-year-old boy who was born with many special needs which left him unable to do many things for himself.
“For me to get this award, it’s not about me, it’s about someone that pointed me in the right direction,” Rice said. “They gave me an opportunity to do something with myself.”
Near the end of his remarks, Rice gestured to the purple Scranton baseball cap he had been wearing since he received the award and made a surprising admission.
“I’ve never worn any hat of another college, just Notre Dame,” he said. “Notre Dame will be there forever, Scranton will be there forever, too.
“Go Royals, go Irish, let’s go Scranton.”
About the honoree
Tony Rice made a name for himself on the gridiron while leading Notre Dame to the 1988 national championship and finishing his career a year later with a 31-4 record as the signal caller for the Fighting Irish. He was named an All-American and the recipient of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the nation’s top upperclassmen quarterback following his senior season.
Rice piloted Notre Dame to a perfect 12-0 record and the school’s eighth national title in 1988, capped by the top-ranked Fighting Irish defeating third-ranked West Virginia 34-21 in the Fiesta Bowl with Rice passing for 213 yards and two touchdowns, and adding 75 rushing yards en route to sharing MVP honors with teammate Frank Stams.
A year later, Rice nearly led the Irish to a second straight national title, but a loss to Miami in late November was Notre Dame’s only blemish on the season. The Irish rebounded to knock off top-ranked Colorado, 21-6, in the Orange Bowl with Rice tallying 149 total yards in his final collegiate game. Notre Dame finished the season ranked second in the nation.
Playing for legendary head coach Lou Holtz, Rice finished his career with 3,273 yards and 13 touchdowns through the air, and 2,049 yards and 23 touchdowns as one of the best option quarterbacks in college football history.
After completing his college career, Rice played one season for the Canadian Football League’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, two seasons with the Barcelona Dragons of the World League and one season for Munich Thunder in the Football League of Europe in 1994.
Off the field, Rice has served on the board of the Patrick’s Pals Foundation for several years. Since its founding, Patrick’s Pals has raised more than $1 million to help families in need.
A native of South Carolina who now lives in Chicago, Rice is also active in the D.A.R.E. program, working to keep kids off drugs and away from gangs and violent behavior. He works closely with Pop Warner youth football teams, making visits and speaking to young athletes. He’s also involved in the annual Walter Camp Weekend, where current and former stars gather to celebrate Walter Camp’s legacy and complete community service work, including virtual hospital visits.
Rice also remains active at Notre Dame and in the South Bend area, regularly participating in Notre Dame alumni events while also working with the Center for the Homeless in South Bend and South Bend LOGAN Community Resources, Inc., which serves adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
About the event
Since 2011, the Peter A. Carlesimo Award has been presented to someone who has made special contributions to athletics and Catholic education. The Golf Tournament & Award Dinner serves as a fundraising event to support and enhance the student-athlete experience at The University of Scranton. For more information, visit scranton.edu/carlesimoaward.
University Honors Tony Rice With Carlesimo Award
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07/05/2022
Hundreds of Royals returned to campus to make new memories with old friends at Reunion 2022 June 11-12. Visit this link to see photos from the celebration.
Alumni Return For Reunion 2022
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07/05/2022
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, recently presented at Northeast PA Trial Lawyers Association’s Personal Injury Seminar on “Auto Law Update and the Impact of New Joint and Several Liability Case Law PLUS Using Electronic Evidence to Prove your Case.”
Richard W. Peuser ’86, G’87, Brookeville, Maryland, became the director, Processing and Release Division, National Declassification Center, Archives II, College Park, Maryland, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in September 2021. Peuser began his career at NARA in July 1988.
Jennifer Miller Koehl, VMD '04, State College, was appointed assistant teaching professor and program coordinator for the Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences undergraduate major at the Pennsylvania State University.
Erica Fischer-Cartlidge ’06, Springfield, New Jersey, was appointed to the role of chief clinical officer of the Oncology Nursing Society.
Lauren E. Lefevre ’10, Ewing, New Jersey, joined the firm Florio Perrucci Steinhardt Cappelli Tipton & Taylor LLC in their Education Law and Municipal Law Practices Group. Lefevre assists school board and municipal clients in a wide range of matters including day-to-day legal issues, labor and employment, discipline and harassment, governance, OPRA, and public contracting,
Zachary R. Morano ’15, Wayne, has joined the firm Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin as an associate in the firm’s Real Estate and Land Use Department.
Lorenzo Antonio Singotti ’17, Duryea, recently graduated from Marywood University with a Master of Social Work degree. Singotti recently accepted a position with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a social worker in the Emergency Department at the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center.
MARRIAGES
Elizabeth McCabe ’14 to William Stallone ’14
BIRTHS
A daughter, Sofia Lucy, to William ’08 and Ashley Miller Colona ’09, Teaneck, New Jersey
DEATHS
John M. O’Connor ’51, Falmouth, Massachusetts
Joseph N. Demko, Sr., M.D. ’54, Scranton
Robert F. Duffy ’57, Rockville, Maryland
Robert T. Kelly ’58, H’93, Jessup
John F. Callahan, D.O.’60, Dallas
Timothy L. Curtin ’60, Scranton
John F. Lepkowski ’60, Liverpool, New York
Francis R. Zuleski ’62, West Chester
Joseph R. McDonald ’72, Clarks Summit
Thomas J. Egan, D.D.S. ’65, Silver Spring, Maryland
Karl Kempter ’65, Scranton
William G. Maile ’84, Carbondale
David R. Hudachek ’02, EaglevilleAlumni Class Notes, July 2022
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06/01/2022
BECOME A FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY MEMBER – FREE “NEW GRADUATE MEMBERSHIP”The Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library invite 2022 graduates to a FREE membership from June 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023.Benefits of becoming a Friends member include a 10% discount (excluding textbooks) to the University of Scranton Bookstore, invitations to Friends of the Library special events, and many more.To claim your free membership visit this link.
Grads Get Free Friends of the Library Membership
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06/01/2022
The University of Scranton will hold Reunion Weekend June 11-12. To register, visit this link.
Royals from all class years are invited to attend this year's celebration, which will be the first in-person Reunion since the start of the pandemic in 2020. The schedule of events will be as follows:
Saturday, June 11
Special Constituency Reunions
11 a.m.
Locations TBDHanging in Houlihan (Band and Singers)
Rainbow Royals
SJLA
All-Class Family Picnic
12:30 - 3 p.m.
Founder's GreenEnjoy a picnic lunch and plenty of fun with your friends at this crowd-pleasing, family-friendly event! Entertainment will include a DJ, yard games, ice cream truck, bounce house and more. Visit this link for a preview of the All-Class Family Picnic menu. Adult tickets will cost $30, and tickets for children ages 5-18 will cost $15; children under 5 will be admitted for free.
Saturday Evening Celebration6 - 10 p.m.
The DeNaples Center Patio & Dionne GreenYou and your classmates will be treated to an evening of food, spirits and dancing. Visit this link for a preview of the Saturday Evening Celebration menu. Tickets will cost $50. If you are registered for the Saturday Evening Celebration, you can request housing for yourself and up to three other people. All members of your party must register and pay for the celebration before you will be assigned a room.
Sunday, June 12
Reunion Weekend Mass
9:30 a.m.
Madonna della Strada ChapelBrunch On Your Own
10 a.m. - noon
Fresh Food Company, 3rd Floor of The DeNaples CenterBrunch will be available for all attendees and their guests for a fee that will be collected upon arrival.
Class of 1972 Special EventsIn addition to the events listed above, the University will hold a few special events for the members of The Class of 1972 and their guests.
Friday, June 10
Class Dinner and 50-Year Medal Ceremony
6 p.m.
Location TBDIncludes dinner, cocktails, and the 50-year medal ceremony.
Saturday, June 11
Class of 1972 Memorial
10 a.m.
Chapel of the Sacred HeartVisit the Chapel of the Sacred Heart to witness a memorial honoring the deceased members of the Class of 1972.
For more information on Reunion Weekend, visit scranton.edu/reunion.
Reunion Weekend to Return June 11-12
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06/01/2022
The University of Scranton will hold the Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner on June 27 at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, New Jersey. The University will honor Tony Rice, Notre Dame legend and quarterback for the 1988 National Championship Team, with the Peter A. Carlesimo Award. To register, visit this link.
The University is proud to partner once again with the Quandel Construction Group as Title Sponsor for this year's event. Registration and lunch will begin at 10 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at noon; a reception will begin at 5 p.m., and the Award Dinner will immediately follow.
The Golf Tournament and Award Dinner serves as a fundraising event to support and enhance the student-athlete experience at The University of Scranton. For more information about this event, please visit scranton.edu/carlesimoaward or contact Eric Eckenrode at eric.eckenrode@scranton.edu.
Reminder: University to Hold Carlesimo Golf Tournament and Award Dinner June 27
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06/01/2022
On June 10, John O’Malley ’87, Lieutenant Colonel, US Army Retired, will embark upon ROAR: The Ryan O’Malley Annual Ride for the fourth time by participating in The Tour Divide, an annual ultra-distance cycling race that sees participants traverse the length of the Rocky Mountains from Alberta, Canada, to the US/Mexico border in New Mexico, in support of the Ryan T. O’Malley ’99 Memorial Scholarship.
After Ryan's passing in 2011, his family established the scholarship in his memory to enable Computer Science students of limited resources with an interest in fitness to attend The University of Scranton. Since that time, Ryan's family and friends have raised more than $150,000 for the scholarship, much of it through ROAR: The Ryan O'Malley Annual Race, a 5K fundraising event the family organized from 2013-2017. In 2018, John, Ryan’s brother, embarked upon the inaugural ROAR: The Ryan O’Malley Annual Ride by cycling the 500+ miles of The Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango in Ryan’s memory. While John rode The Colorado Trail again for ROAR in 2019 and 2020, he was sidelined by injuries and knee surgery in 2021. This year, he is looking forward to riding for “family, community and the well-being of others.”
“I ride to remember and honor our brother, Ryan,” he said. “I ride to give back in some way to the community who nurtured us. Through the ROAR and Ryan’s scholarship, we help to provide students with limited financial resources the opportunity to attend The University of Scranton.
“I ride to promote physical and mental well-being. If I can inspire anyone to get outside and exercise, it’s a win.”
A Lifelong Love
John’s love of cycling and adventure began when he was growing up in the Green Ridge section of Scranton.
“Bikes were a big deal back then, and if you had one, you were a lucky kid,” he said. “ For me, the bike became an instrument of exploration, discovery and freedom.”
As the oldest child of John J. O’Malley, Ph.D. ’64, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University, and his wife, Helene, John shared his love of cycling with his five siblings, especially Ryan, his youngest brother.
“As a kid, time and distance had little meaning,” he said of the hours they spent exploring the NEPA area together. “We’d just ride, inspired by the adventure and the natural beauty of the region.”
Upon graduating from the University, John began his military career in Ft. Carson, Colorado, where he started racing mountain bikes. Since then, he has continued to ride and race, competing in triathlons and adventure races throughout the country. When he and his family settled in Monument, Colorado, he became so inspired by the expanses and terrain he saw on two wheels that he proposed the idea of funding Ryan’s scholarship through an annual bike ride, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The Tour Divide
The Tour Divide follows the 2,745-mile “Great Divide Mountain Bike Route,” a 90% off-road trail that follows the Continental Divide through Alberta, British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Established by the Adventure Cycling Association in 1998, it is considered the most important off-pavement cycling route in the world.
The Tour Divide’s race clock runs 24 hours a day, and the self-supported riders aren’t allowed any outside help other than the ability to access public facilities along the way that are available to everyone. Participating cyclists must carry their camping equipment, food and water through long stretches of remote mountain wilderness, pristine river valleys, open grassland and desert while risking injury, mechanical failure, treacherous weather and encounters with potentially dangerous wildlife.
John plans to complete The Tour Divide in about 30 days by riding 85-100+ miles a day, and he estimates he’ll have to consume a minimum of 300-400 calories an hour to sustain this effort.
“Competing in The Tour Divide is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he said. “I am blessed to have the time, resources, health and support of my family to take on such an endeavor. I’m going to give it my best shot and make it to the Mexican Border.
“I hope to inspire others to get outside, stay healthy and live life to the fullest, just like Ryan would.”
John said he attributes any success in cycling and in his life in general to his upbringing, to the time he spent on the gridiron and ball fields of Scranton, and to his time at the University.
“The work ethic, values and grit instilled in me at a young age has carried me through challenging times in the military and in sport and adventure,” he said. “My experience at the University and the long hours spent in the ROTC program and the weight room set me up for success in life.
“The people who raised, coached and nurtured me while growing up in Scranton are my greatest life heroes. The University of Scranton was truly our home away from home.”
To support the Ryan O’Malley Annual Ride and Ryan’s scholarship, visit this link. To track John’s progress on The Tour Divide, visit this link.
Fourth Ryan O'Malley Annual Ride to Begin June 10
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06/01/2022
The Scranton Club of New York will meet at Yankee Stadium Aug. 17 to watch the New York Yankees take on the Tampa Bay Rays.
The game will begin at 7:05 p.m., and gates will open at 5:30 p.m. The club will hold a pre-game reception on the Budweiser Party Deck featuring 90 minutes of food, draft beer, and non-alcoholic beverages, all of which will be included in the price of admission. Tickets will cost $75.
To register, visit this link.
Scranton Club of New York To Meet At Yankee Game Aug. 17
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06/01/2022
The Scranton Club of New Jersey will host a Day At The Races at Monmouth Park Racetrack July 24.
Alumni, parents and friends of the University are invited to enjoy a day at the track in the Reserved Picnic Area. In addition to betting on the horses, this family-friendly event will include a picnic barbecue, playground, live music and more. Gates will open at 11:30 a.m. Tickets for adults 13 and over will cost $26, tickets for children ages 6-12 will cost $13, and children under 6 will receive free admission.
To register, visit this link.
Reminder: Scranton Club of NJ to Host Day at the Races July 24
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06/01/2022
The Scranton Club of NEPA will meet up to watch the Railriders take on the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs June 5 at PNC Field.
Alumni, parents and friends of the University are invited to attend the game, which will begin at 1:05 p.m. Gates will open at noon. Tickets will cost $25 for adults and $15 for children ages 3-17, and children 2 and under will be admitted for free. To register, visit this link.
Scranton Club of NEPA to Meet at Railriders Game June 5
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06/01/2022
The Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley will meet up to watch the Iron Pigs take on the Norfolk Tides June 24 at Coca-Cola Park.
Alumni, parents and friends of the University are invited to attend the game, which will begin at 7:05 p.m. Tickets will be seated in Section 118. Visit this link to register for $11, which includes $2 in ballpark credit. For more information, contact alumni@scranton.edu.
Reminder: Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley to Meet at Iron Pigs Game June 24
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06/01/2022
The Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley will hold a miniature golf tournament Saturday, June 4, at 5 p.m. at Putt U, 5201 PA-309, Center Valley, PA.
Royals will gather at the Putt U Pavilion, which adjoins both the red and blue courses, to begin their evening of summertime fun. Tickets will cost $7.50 for adults and $6.50 for children under 12 and adults over 62. After the tournament, attendees can plan to meet at Copperhead Grille, 5737 PA-378, Bethlehem, PA, for an informal post-tournament gathering.
To register, visit this link.
Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley to Hold Mini-Golf Tournament June 4
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06/01/2022
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, of Munley Law, was named to the 2022 Lawdragon 500 “Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers List.”
Lisa Witowski Shearman ’89, Lansdale, a partner in the firm Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin, was recently interviewed on “Legal Talk with Stacy Clark TV” (MLTV21-Main Line Network). In the interview, Sherman covered the importance of everyone having a will and other estate planning documents up-to-date and in place, including a Financial Power of Attorney, Health Care Power of Attorney and an Advance Medical Directive. Sherman was selected to the 2022 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list in the area of Estate Planning and Probate law.
Daniel W. Munley ’90, Waverly, of Munley Law, was named to the 2022 Lawdragon 500 “Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers List.”
Brett Lapinski ’93, Elk Grove, California, was promoted to director of Medi-Cal Regulatory Oversight Operations for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan in January 2022. In her role, Brett is accountable for activities throughout Kaiser Permanente related to Medicaid regulations and contract requirements and ensuring quality, affordable and accessible member care. Lapinski also earned her national board certification in Informatics Nursing.
Brian J. Gavin ’00, Alexandria, Virginia, senior vice president of communications and marketing for Volunteers of America, has earned his CFRE certification from Certified Fundraising Executive International. Established in 1981, CFRE is the only globally recognized fundraising certification and is accredited by the American National Standards Institute as the only accredited certification for fundraising professionals.
Colin J. O’Boyle ’04, Plymouth Meeting, a shareholder at Elliott Greenleaf PC in Blue Bell, was honored by the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Young Lawyers Division with its Michael K. Smith Excellence in Service Award at an awards ceremony during the PBA Annual Meeting in May 2022. The award is presented to a Pennsylvania young lawyer who, through his or her exemplary personal and professional conduct, reminds lawyers of their professional and community responsibilities.
Father Henry Graebe ’09, Jackson, New Jersey, was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on May 21, 2022.
Jonathan B. Schall ’13 has joined Fox Rothschild LLP in Philadelphia as an associate in the Corporate and Health Law Practices.
BIRTHS
A son, Russell Walter, to William and Leigh Magnotta Fennie'11, G'19, Scranton
DEATHS
Stanley J. Burke ’50, Port Carbon
Roman Salamon ’57, Susquehanna
James J. Miskell ’60, Bardstown, Kentucky
J. Brian Durkin ’71, Philadelphia
Gregory A. Nelson ’86, WyomingFRIENDS/FAMILY DEATHS
Brian Leahy, husband of Susan Paige Leahy ’91 and brother of Michael Leahy ’05
Alumni Class Notes, June 2022
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05/26/2022
The University of Scranton will offer a new Master’s Degree in Cybercrime Investigation and Cybersecurity in a fully online format that will focus on the criminological aspects of the much-in-demand field.
In addition, the graduate degree program is aligned with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Workforce Framework, which consists of standards, guidelines and best practices to manage cybersecurity risk. The program, which will be offered starting in the fall of 2022, will help prepare students for various professional certifications by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium, such as Certified Ethical Hacker and Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator.
“The field of cybercrime investigation and cybersecurity is growing rapidly as malicious attacks to information systems at the local, regional, national and international level become more frequent and detrimental to individuals and organizations who have become increasingly dependent upon the use of technology,” said Michael Jenkins, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice and Criminology at The University of Scranton. “Many new and existing higher education programs in this field focus heavily on the computer science discipline, however, to prevent cyber threats today, we also need professionals who fully understand cybercriminal’s motivations, goals, behaviors, methods of intrusions and manipulations.”
The University’s new 30-credit Master’s Degree in Cybercrime Investigation and Cybersecurity program courses include Cyber Criminology and Criminal Justice, Digital Forensics Investigation, Mobile Forensics, Cyber Defense and Cyber Risk Assessment and Management, among others. The program will leverage the University’s partnership with Jacobs, through which the international defense and security firm will advise Scranton on the fast-changing field to support and keep current the cyber-related undergraduate and graduate curriculum. Jacobs will also be a source of job placement for University graduates.
Dr. Jenkins said graduates of the program can work for small or large businesses, as well as for government agencies or nonprofit organizations. Positions in this field include cybercrime investigator, digital forensic examiner or cybersecurity specialist.
“Job reports continue to project a national and worldwide shortage of cyber-related workers. With the cyber-related global workforce expected to rise to 6 million professionals by 2030, a 1.5 million shortfall is predicted for this workforce,” said Dr. Jenkins.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics employment for cybersecurity analysts will increase by 28 percent between 2016 and 2026, and employment for digital forensic analysts is expected to increase by 32 percent between 2018 and 2028. Both rates are higher than the average growth rate for all other professionals.
According to PayScale.com, information security officers, a position for which master’s degrees are often preferred or required, earn an annual median salary of $92,000.
The new master’s degree program will be housed in the University’s Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice and Criminology.
The University began offering a Bachelor of Science in Cybercrime and Homeland Security in the fall of 2020. Both undergraduate and graduate students in these programs have access to hands-on programming and research opportunities offered through the University’s Center for the Analysis and Prevention of Crime.
For additional information, email Dr. Jenkins at Michael.jenkins@scranton.edu.Cybercrime Investigation and Cybersecurity Graduate Degree
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05/04/2022
The University of Scranton will celebrate 5.06, its eighth annual Day of Giving, on Friday, May 6, by attempting to reach its goal of 2,022 donors before 5.07 begins.
There are many ways to participate in the 5.06 fun, including wearing purple, posting fond Scranton memories and photos on social media using #TGI506, #GiveToScrantOn506 and #Royals4Others, and making a gift to the campus fund of your choice. Jim Slattery ’86, current chair of the Board of Trustees, will match the first $25,000 donated to The Opening Doors Scholarship, a new scholarship serving graduates of the Cristo Rey Network of High Schools, Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago, and other similar institutions who have demonstrated financial need by closing the gap of any unmet financial needs after all other sources of financial aid and scholarships have been determined.
“My experience at the University was nothing short of transformational,” Slattery said. “I think those of us that attended here should do what we can to enable Cristo Rey students who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to have the same experience that we did.”
Alumni, parents and friends of the University can also register for this year’s Virtual 5.06K, a virtual exercise challenge that invites participants to exercise in any way prior to 5.07. All Virtual 506K participants will automatically be counted as 5.06 donors, and they can designate their registration fees to the University cause of their choice.
All 5.06 donors will receive a University of Scranton pennant as a token of our appreciation. To make your 5.06 gift, visit this link or text Scranton50622 to 71777. To register for the Virtual 5.06K, visit this link. For more information on 5.06.22, visit scranton.edu/506.
University To Celebrate 5.06 Day Of Giving May 6
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05/04/2022
The Scranton Club of New Jersey will host a Day At The Races at Monmouth Park Racetrack July 24.
Alumni, parents and friends of the University are invited to enjoy a day at the track in the Reserved Picnic Area. In addition to betting on the horses, this family-friendly event will include a picnic barbecue, playground, live music and more.
Registration will open in June. Contact alumni@scranton.edu for more information.
Scranton Club of New Jersey to Host Day at the Races July 24
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05/04/2022
The Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley will meet up and watch the Iron Pigs take on the Norfolk Tides June 24 at Coca-Cola Park.
Alumni, parents and friends of the University are invited to attend the game, which will begin at 7:05 p.m. Tickets will be seated in Section 118. Visit this link to register for $11, which includes $2 in ballpark credit. For more information, contact alumni@scranton.edu.
Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley to Meet at Iron Pigs Game June 24
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05/04/2022
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
John G. Harris ’73, Harrisburg, received the Central Pennsylvania Music Awards (CPMA) Hall of Fame’s Lifetime Achievement Award (The Whitey Noll Award) at this year’s CPMAs and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on March 24. In a career that spans more than four decades, Harris has worn almost every hat in the regional music industry scene except musician. Harris started his career by scouting and booking bands as a nightclub manager and then became fully engaged in the business as a manager/promoter/talent buyer at the Metron. He was also an associate producer at Makoul Productions (City Island Concerts) and manager of several bands. He re-defined the role of middle-agent for decades at venues throughout Central Pennsylvania and worked with the city of Harrisburg on events such as Reservoir Park, July 4, Kipona, ArtsFest, and concerts on Market Square. While manager of the Best Western Conference Center & Courtyard Night Club (New Cumberland), he started the annual Millennium Music Conference (MMC) & Showcase. MMC went on for 25 years and at its height would sell out hotels and host over 100 music industry professionals and 300 acts and artists showcasing at 30 live music venues in and around Harrisburg. In 2008, Harris started the Singer-Songwriter of Cape May Conference (New Jersey) which ran for 12 years until the pandemic. Harris is currently the Talent Buyer at XL LIVE and Production Manager for Harrisburg University Presents.
Althea Penn, Ed.D. G’13, Snellville, Georgia, is the new director of Early Education at The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Dr. Penn brings more than 30 years of experience in organization leadership as well as primary and secondary education to ACSI, most recently serving as executive director of The Shepherd’s Academy for Teaching Excellence in Snellville, Georgia. She has served thousands of educators, administrators and schools as an educational consultant and professional development specialist. Penn will lead the ACSI EE team in developing biblically-based resources and providing professional development to support early educators. She collaborates with other departments to carry out initiatives in alignment with the organization’s strategic plan, including the integration of current research for ECE program practices. As a principal, Dr. Penn was awarded Ford's Freedom Unsung Teacher Hero of COVID-19 Award for courageously launching an EE-12th school during the pandemic.
Michael D. Azzato ’17, Harrisburg, was hired as a tax staff accountant at Brown Schultz Sheridan & Fritz, Camp Hill.
MARRIAGES
Alicia Yanac, D.O. ’10 to Tom RobinsonBIRTHS
A daughter, Isabella Antonia, to Nicholas’13, G’15 and Christina Walsh Minissale’15, Cherry Hill, New Jersey
FRIENDS' DEATHS
Claire Lukaschek, mother of Mary Claire Lukaschek Aitken ’82 and mother-in-law of Linda Green Lukaschek ’83
Mary Pearn, mother of James Pearn ’78 and Francis Pearn ’83; grandmother of Brian Pearn ’16
Alumni Class Notes, May 2022
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05/03/2022
The University of Scranton will hold the Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner June 27 at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, New Jersey. The University will honor Tony Rice, Notre Dame legend and quarterback for the 1988 National Championship Team, with the Peter A. Carlesimo Award. To register, visit this link.
The University is proud to partner once again with the Quandel Construction Group as Title Sponsor for this year's event. Registration and lunch will begin at 10 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at noon; a reception will begin at 5 p.m., and the Award Dinner will immediately follow.
The Golf Tournament and Award Dinner serves as a fundraising event to support and enhance the student-athlete experience at The University of Scranton. For more information about this event, please visit scranton.edu/carlesimoaward or contact Eric Eckenrode at eric.eckenrode@scranton.edu.
University to Hold Carlesimo Golf Tournament And Award Dinner June 27
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05/03/2022
Registration has opened for Reunion 2022, which will take place June 11-12.
To register, visit this link. Visit scranton.edu/reunion for more information.
Register Today for Reunion 2022
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05/03/2022
The Ignatian Volunteer Corps (IVC) will hold a luncheon and information session discussing volunteer opportunities for people aged 50 and above Tuesday, May 24, at noon in the McDonnell Room on the DeNaples Center's fourth floor.
The event will give attendees the chance to learn firsthand about the IVC NEPA Chapter from local volunteers and Teddy Michel, region director of IVC NEPA. To register, visit this link.
The IVC provides men and women, most aged 50 or above, with opportunities to share their life skills and wisdom in service to people who are underserved. IVC provides a dynamic equilibrium of action and reflection for individuals desiring to make a difference in the lives of those needing service, those doing service, and those with whom they serve.
Reminder: IVC to Hold Luncheon and Info Session May 24
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04/19/2022
The University of Scranton was ranked among Fortune’s “Best Online MBA Programs” listing, placing at No. 62 in the nation. This is the second year of the ranking by Fortune and is also the second year Fortune included Scranton among America’s “Best Online MBA Programs.”
For the ranking, Fortune looked at the quality of the online MBA program at the colleges as measured by their students’ average undergraduate GPA and GMAT score, the number of students enrolled, the colleges’ first-year retention rate and its graduation rate, which accounted for 62.5 percent of the overall ranking score. Fortune partnered with Ipsos to survey 2,500 business professionals and hiring managers to produce a measurement of the “brand appeal” of the college, or “how much a group of people want to recruit from the university” (20 percent). Fortune also counted the number of Fortune 1000 executives who earned an MBA from the college (17.5 percent).
Fortune’s “Best Online MBA Programs” ranking was published online on April 6.
Scranton was also ranked at No. 55 in the nation in Fortune’s 2021-2022 listing of the “Best Part-time MBA Programs.”
Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report ranked Scranton’s online master’s degree programs in business (excluding MBA) at No. 55; and its online MBA program at No. 98 in the nation in its “Best Online Programs” guide. U.S. News also ranked Scranton at No. 65 in the country for “Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans.”
Fortune Picks Scranton Among Best Online MBAs
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04/06/2022
The University will hold a Survivorship Ceremony at this year’s Relay For Life in the Long Center lobby April 29 at 5 p.m.
The Relay For Life movement is dedicated to helping communities attack cancer. The Survivorship Ceremony is an opportunity for cancer survivors to discuss their experiences over a meal. Alumni cancer survivors are invited to attend this year’s ceremony and can bring up to two guests to the event, which will include dinner provided by Relay For Life. They are also invited to attend the Relay For Life, which will begin immediately after the Survivorship Ceremony.
To register for the Survivorship Ceremony, email rebecca.reynolds@scranton.edu by April 14. To register for the Relay For Life, visit this link.
Alumni Cancer Survivors Invited To Relay For Life Survivorship Ceremony April 29
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04/06/2022
The President’s Business Council (PBC) will present President’s Medals to Patricia A. Byrnes Clarke ’86, P17,’19 and Thomas P. O’Brien ’86, P’19 at its 21st Annual Award Dinner on Thursday, Sept. 29, at Gotham Hall in New York City.
“We are very hopeful that this year will continue to progress in a way that will allow us to safely celebrate our honorees, the University, and our students in person in late September,” said Timothy J. Pryle ’89, executive director of the PBC. “We have two wonderful honorees whose resumés include assisting countless Scranton alumni with charting their own career success.”
Patricia A. Byrnes Clarke ’86, P’17,’19 is the global chief talent officer for the Havas Group, one of the world's largest global communications groups founded in 1835 in Paris and part of the Vivendi Group. Ms. Clarke is responsible for leading the talent and cultural strategy for the group’s 20,000+ employees in over 100 countries. During her time at Havas, she has built a talent management approach that includes initiatives on network mobility, high-potential leadership development, women’s leadership advancement, global employee engagement, employer branding, global diversity, equity and inclusion and wellness.
Prior to joining Havas, Ms. Clarke ran her own consulting business with a focus on helping private equity-backed companies develop their talent management capabilities. She also had a 20-year stint at Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), where she was chief human resources officer for 9 years and also ran global internal communications. She led D&B to industry honors as one of Fortune Magazine’s “Most Admired Companies.”
Ms. Clarke earned a bachelor’s degree in management from the University in 1986. She is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees and a former member of the Kania School of Management Advisory Board and the Parents’ Executive Council (PEC). She is also a former chair of the PBC and created the PBC/Kania School of Management Career Coaches Program, in which she remains a mentor to current University students. She and her husband, David, reside in Atlantic Highlands, N.J., and have five children.
Thomas P. O’Brien ’86, P’19 is a co-founder and the current chief executive officer and president of SumRidge Partners, LLC, based in Jersey City, N.J. Formed in 2010, SumRidge Partners is a top-ranked electronic fixed income market maker specializing in high-yield, investment-grade corporate bonds, municipal bonds, institutional preferred securities, and emerging market bonds.
Prior to launching SumRidge Partners, Mr. O’Brien was co-head of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney’s Capital Markets division and was also a member of the firm’s management and risk committees; during his time in those roles, he was instrumental in building and developing the retail capital markets division into an industry leader. Previously, he was head of Morgan Stanley’s retail fixed income trading, which included U.S. credit, rates and municipal bond trading. He began his career with Dean Witter as an institutional MBS trader and subsequently traded various fixed income products; later, he took responsibility for risk management oversight of several product lines.
Mr. O’Brien earned a bachelor’s degree of economics/finance from the University in 1986 and a master of business administration from Fordham University. He is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees, where he served as vice chairman, and a former chair of the PBC. Today, he acts as a mentor to current University students and frequently teaches in the fixed income securities and markets course, which he co-developed with the late Frank Corcione, Ph.D., and Murli Rajan, Ph.D., G’84. Mr. O’Brien resides in Basking Ridge, N.J., with his wife, Denise, and their three sons.
In presenting the President’s Medal, the University and the PBC recognize individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields, who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others, and who personify the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service. Since its inaugural dinner in 2002, the PBC has generated nearly $20 million for the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
Planning for this year's dinner, including an in-person Dinner Kickoff Reception in New York City, is ongoing. For more information on this year's events or the PBC, please contact Tim Pryle at (570) 941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu.
University Announces Honorees For PBC 21st Annual Award Dinner
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04/06/2022
Registration has opened for Reunion 2022, which will take place June 11-12.
To register, visit this link. Visit scranton.edu/reunion for more information.
Reunion 2022 Registration Now Open
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04/06/2022
The Ignatian Volunteer Corps (IVC) will hold a luncheon and information session discussing volunteer opportunities for people aged 50 and above Tuesday, May 24, at noon in the McDonnell Room on the DeNaples Center's fourth floor.
The event will give attendees the chance to learn firsthand about the IVC NEPA Chapter from local volunteers and Teddy Michel, region director of IVC NEPA. To register, visit this link.
The IVC provides men and women, most aged 50 or above, with opportunities to share their life skills and wisdom in service to people who are underserved. IVC provides a dynamic equilibrium of action and reflection for individuals desiring to make a difference in the lives of those needing service, those doing service, and those with whom they serve.
Ignatian Volunteer Corps To Hold Luncheon And Info Session at University May 24
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04/05/2022
The Alumni Society of The University of Scranton will hold its annual Day of Service Saturday, April 23.
Each year, alumni throughout the nation honor the University's mission by volunteering with their fellow Royals in their home regions.
Register today for the following service projects:
Massachusetts
Boston - Cradles to Crayons, 10 a.m. - noon
Click here to register
New Jersey
Hillside - Community Food Bank of New Jersey, 9 - 11 a.m.
Click here to registerNew York
New York City - Cardinal Spellman Center-Meatloaf Kitchen, 7:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Click here to registerStony Brook - Cooking for Long Island Vets,10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
This event is at full capacity. Please email alumni@scranton.edu to be placed on a wait list.
Pennsylvania
Harrisburg - Central PA Food Bank, 9 a.m. - noon (THIS SITE WILL BE VOLUNTEERING ON APRIL 9)
Click here to registerJefferson Township (NEPA) - Jefferson Elementary School, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Click here to registerPhiladelphia - Cradles to Crayons, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Click here to registerScranton - Center for Service and Social Justice Arrupe House, 10 a.m. - noon
Click here to registerWashington, D.C.
Alexandria, Virginia - Habitat for Humanity ReStore, 10 a.m. - noon
Click here to registerConnecticut - Coming Soon
Check www.scranton.edu/dayofservice for emerging details.
No service site in your region?
Volunteer in your community Saturday, April 23 and tell us about! Download and print this Scranton sign and send a picture or email us the information at alumni@scranton.edu.
University To Hold Day of Service April 23
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04/05/2022
The University has received a gift from an anonymous donor that will establish The Edward R. Leahy Award in honor of Edward R. Leahy ’68, H’01 in recognition of his extraordinary commitment to and passion for helping leaders and institutions dedicated to improving the lives and well-being of people with disabilities and other health challenges.
The Award will be given annually to a rising junior or rising senior student in the Panuska College of Professional Studies at The University of Scranton who has not only achieved academic excellence in his or her field of study, but who has also participated in related extracurricular activities and demonstrated the commitment and promise to become a model leader in the field.
The Edward R. Leahy Award will be accompanied by an annual prize of $1,000 funded from the donor’s contribution. The Award recipient will be selected by the Dean of the Panuska College of Professional Studies.
University To Establish Edward R. Leahy Award
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04/05/2022
The University will hold its annual Pre-Law Advisory Program Banquet in Brennan Hall's Rose Room Monday, May 2, at 6 p.m.
The evening includes dinner, cocktails, and plenty of opportunities for students, faculty and alumni lawyers to connect with each other. It will also feature a keynote address by the Hon. Paul B. Matey ’93, United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
To register, visit this link. Attendees are encouraged to wear either business attire or business casual attire. Please RSVP by April 25.
University To Hold Annual Pre-Law Advisory Program Banquet May 2
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04/05/2022
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
James A. Noone ’66, Fairfax, Virginia, has been elected as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Maritime Historical Society. Noone is a retired managing director of the nationwide public affairs/government relations firm Mercury and is also a retired Navy Reserve captain with 39 years of active and reserve service.
Brian J. Gavin ’00, Alexandria, Virginia, senior vice president of Communications and Marketing for Volunteers of America, has earned his CFRE certification from Certified Fundraising Executive International.
Gregory W. Carman ’15, Farmingdale, New York, is an associate in Forchelli Deegan Terrana’s Land Use & Zoning, Litigation, Cannabis and Condominium, Cooperative and HOA practice groups. As an associate, Carman represents commercial and residential clients across Long Island to secure zoning changes, subdivision approvals, site plan approvals, variances, road abandonments, and special use permits.
BIRTHS
A son, Leo Fox, to Samantha Morales ’10 and Anthony Mercado ’09, Ridgewood, New York
DEATHS
Robert M. Pron ’56, Scranton
Robert R. Newton, Ph.D. ’57, Newport, Rhode Island
Patrick G. Cawley ’60, Pittston
James J. McKane ’60, G’72, Archbald
Henry P. Burke ’64, Dunmore
Thomas P. Haggerty ’65, Scranton
John J. Gower ’66, Pen Argyl
W. Donald White ’66, San Antonio, Texas
James M. Sysko ’77, G’84, Scranton
Thomas J. Nardone ’83, Pittston
Robert F. Ruddy, Jr. ’83, Dunmore
Joyce A. Knott ’95, Scranton
Jacquelyn Cantore Pane ’00, G’01, Lexington, North Carolina
Annemarie McInerney Scully ’02, Lynbrook, New YorkFRIENDS' DEATHS
Marion Moran, mother of Alison Moran ’91
Alumni Class Notes, April 2022
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04/05/2022
The University of Scranton hosted alumnus Neal Thompson ’87 for a discussion and book signing for his latest book, “The First Kennedys: The Humble Roots of An American Dynasty.” The book details the Kennedy family’s flight from the Ireland potato famine and their later actualization of the American Dream.
The event was cosponsored by The Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities and the History Department.
$content.getChild('content').textValueBook Discussion and Signing with Scranton Alumnus
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03/30/2022
Several of The University of Scranton’s graduate programs ranked among the best in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 edition of “Best Graduate Schools.”
Scranton’s MBA Specialty in accounting ranked No. 14 in the nation, tying with Harvard University, Arizona State University and Ohio State University in the U.S. News full-time MBA program ranking. Scranton’s MBA specialty programs in business analytics ranked No. 29 and finance ranked No. 34 in America in the ranking published by U.S. News online March 29.
In addition to the program specialty rankings, Scranton’s graduate program in nursing ranked No. 95 and its part-time MBA program ranked No. 100 out of all such programs nationally.
For the graduate school rankings, U.S. News uses data gathered by surveys of college faculty and administrators, and for nursing programs, from professionals working in health care, to assess the quality of programs. U.S. News also uses statistical data such as faculty student ratios and student test scores. The U.S. News ranking of the Best Graduate Schools Ranking by MBA Specialties is based solely on ratings by business school deans and directors of AACSB-accredited MBA programs.
The University’s graduate-level business programs include a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), Master of Accountancy (MAcc), Master of Science in Finance (MSF). Master of Science in Business Analytics and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in general management or with a specialization in accounting, business analytics, finance, healthcare management, international business, management information systems, marketing and operations management. The University also offers combined/accelerated bachelor’s and master’s level programs including accounting BS/MBA, operations management BS/MBA, finance BS/MBA, management BS/MBA, and College of Arts and Sciences Bachelor’s/MBA, and other programs.
Graduate nursing degrees offered by Scranton include Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP): Family Nurse Practitioner, MSN, and post-master’s certificate; Executive Nursing Leadership, M.S.N; and Nurse Anesthesia, DNP, and an accelerated MSN degree program.
All of the University’s graduate programs hold the highest national accreditation within each discipline, including accreditation by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) for business and accreditation by The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for nursing and Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) for nurse anesthesia.
Earlier this year, U.S. News’ “Best Online Programs” publication ranked the University’s online master’s degree programs in business (excluding MBA) at No. 55 and its online MBA program at No. 98 in the nation. U.S. News also ranked Scranton at No. 65 in the country for “Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans.”
In other rankings published by U.S. News, Scranton has been ranked among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 28 consecutive years. Scranton is ranked No. 5 in the 2022 edition of the guidebook. U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 14 in its category for “Best Undergraduate Teaching.”
Graduate Programs Top U.S. News National Rankings
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03/09/2022
Neal Thompson, a 1987 University of Scranton graduate, will return to campus to discuss his new book, “The First Kennedys: The Humble Roots of An American Dynasty,” on March 30 at 5 p.m. lecture. The book is the story of the first Kennedys escaped the potato famine of Ireland and came to America in the mid-1800s.
Bridget Murphy and Patrick Kennedy arrived in America penniless, hungry and hopeful, like many thousands of mid-1800s immigrants. They met, married, and had five children together, losing their first-born son as an infant. Three years later, Patrick became ill and died of consumption. This left Bridget – JFK’s tenacious great-grandmother – to raise four children single-handedly in the slums of East Boston.
“I wanted to find a story that told many stories. I wanted to explore the origins of the Kennedy family in America. I wanted to understand Irish immigration in America. I wanted to understand life for Irish immigrants in the 1800s, which was when Bridget (Murphy Kennedy) came here,” said Thompson about his book during a recent interview published by the JFK Library.
In “The First Kennedys,” Thompson highlights Bridget’s ability to overcome both discrimination and poverty to maintain her family and clear a path for her only son P.J. to become the first of many Kennedys elected to public office.
The grandson of an Irish immigrant couple, also named Bridget and Patrick, Thompson is the author of five highly acclaimed books, including “A Curious Man,” “Driving with the Devil” and “Kickflip Boys.” A former newspaper reporter, Thompson has written for The New York Times, Washington Post, Outside, Esquire, Backpacker, Vanity Fair and The Wall Street Journal.
Thompson will sign copies of his book prior to his talk, from 4:30 to 5 p.m. on the 4th floor of the DeNaples Center, and immediately following his discussion, which begins at 5 p.m. in the Moskovitz Theater in the DeNaples Center.
The event is cosponsored by The Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities and the History Department, and is free to University students, faculty, staff and guests from the greater Scranton community. Health and safety protocols that are in effect on March 30 as outlined in the Royals Back Together plan must be followed by those in attendance.
For more information about the lecture of book signing, email david.dzurec@scranton.edu or call 570-941-7561.
Lecture/Book Signing by The First Kennedys Author
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03/02/2022
The 12th annual Shamrockin’ Eve will return to the Byron Center Friday, March 11, at 8:30 p.m.
The event will unite alumni from the classes of 2018-2021 with current seniors to celebrate one of Scranton's favorite traditions. Featuring food, drinks, a DJ, a photo booth, and a sea of green t-shirts, Shamrockin’ Eve will truly be a night to remember.
Alumni can register online through Friday, March 11, at 9 a.m.; alumni may also register as walk-ins at the event for $40. Seniors must register online for $30 by March 11 at 9 a.m. as senior walk-ins will not be admitted. To see a list of registrants, visit this link. All attendees must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and the event will follow the health and safety protocols outlined in the Royals Back Together plan, which are subject to change. This year, $5 of every registration fee will benefit THR!VE, a program that enhances the experiences of Scranton students who identify as first-generation college students by providing scholarships and general support.
In 2009, the University held its first Shamrockin' Eve. The event was founded after a group of young alumni who wanted to reconnect with Scranton and each other prior to their five-year class reunion met with the late Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., the University’s 24th and 27th president, at Chapman Lake. It quickly evolved into an opportunity for current seniors and recent graduates to contribute to the success of future University students.
For more information, visit scranton.edu/shamrock or contact Jenna Bruchalski, program manager for Alumni Engagement, at jenna.bruchalski@scranton.edu.
Shamrockin' Eve Returns March 11
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03/02/2022
The Alumni Society of The University of Scranton will hold its annual Day of Service Saturday, April 23. Register today for the following service projects:
Massachusetts
Boston - Cradles to Crayons, 10 a.m. - noon
Click here to register
New Jersey
Hillside - Community Food Bank of New Jersey, 9 - 11 a.m.
Click here to registerNew York
New York City - Cardinal Spellman Center-Meatloaf Kitchen, 7:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Click here to register
Pennsylvania
Harrisburg - Central PA Food Bank, 9 a.m. - noon (THIS SITE WILL BE VOLUNTEERING ON APRIL 9)
Click here to registerJefferson Township (NEPA) - Jefferson Elementary School, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Click here to registerPhiladelphia - Cradles to Crayons, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Click here to registerWashington, D.C.
Alexandria, Virginia - Habitat for Humanity ReStore, 10 a.m. - noon
Click here to registerIf you are interested in hosting a service project in your region, please email alumni@scranton.edu information on volunteer opportunities within your community by March 11.
No service site in your region?
Volunteer in your community Saturday, April 23 and tell us about! Download and print this Scranton sign and send a picture or email us the information at alumni@scranton.edu.
Register Today for the Day of Service April 23
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03/02/2022
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Lauren LiCalzi Lavelle ’03, Glen Head, New York, was honored as the 2020 Essential Worker of the Year by Garden City New York Media as a 6th grade Science teacher at Garden City Middle School. In addition to teaching, Lavelle is also the head field hockey coach at Garden City High School, where she led the team to the state finals in 2021 after winning both the Nassau County and Long Island Class B Championships and recorded an undefeated regular season. As a result of her efforts, Newsday named Lauren the 2021 Nassau County coach of the year.
Stephanie Ann Berry ’08, Mount Juliet, Tennessee, was recently tenured and promoted to associate professor at Tennessee Technological University. Berry currently serves in the role of interim-chairperson in the Department of Counseling and Psychology.
Megan Byers Apostol ’11, River Edge, New Jersey, has been promoted to director of Marketing at DMR Architects. During her decade at DMR, Apostol has raised DMR Architects’ reputation through publicity initiatives, print and digital communications, and marketing initiatives highlighting its talented team and diverse practice capabilities. She is responsible for securing architectural and real estate industry awards for DMR, including NJBIZ Best Place to Work, and prestigious awards for team members including the ICON award and inclusion in influencer lists in ROI_NJ and NJBiz.
WEDDINGS
John Paul Castellano ’05 to Kimberly Synarski
Chris Quinn ’11 to Elizabeth Beaty
Cristina Pontoriero ’13 to Jeffrey Currie ’12
Allison Nagy '15, G'16 to Sean Scully '15, G'18BIRTHS
A daughter, Molly Rose, to Robert and Elizabeth Pulice Wideman, VMD. ’10, Harleysville
A daughter, Sophia Brooke, to Stephen ’12 and Sarah Phillips Fernando ’12, Dunmore
A daughter, Marissa, to Jimmy ’13 and Nicole Clemson Mirra ’13, Bowie, MarylandDEATHS
John J. Corcoran, M.D. ’57, Lancaster
Martin R. Hanczyc ’61, Duryea
Kenneth J. Wandalowski ’61, Taylor
Paul A. Suche ’63, Eynon
Branimir M. Rieger, Ph.D. ’64, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Joseph J. Zukoski, Jr., D.D.S. ’64, New Orleans, Louisiana
Joseph A. Lacomare ’67, Salisbury Township
Thomas A. Pepe ’76, Lansdale
Nathan Warshawsky ’80, Scranton
Matthew M. Reavy, Ph.D. ’84, Trucksville
Brian P. Sullivan ’90, Taunton, Massachusetts
Michael A. Freiman, M.D. ’94, Port Matilda, FloridaFRIENDS' DEATHS
Teresa Iannielli, mother of Nicholas W. Iannielli ’92, G’04 and Francis M. Iannielli ’93
Alumni Class Notes, March 2022
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02/03/2022
Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton, professed his final vows as a Jesuit in the presence of members of The University of Scranton community at a Mass in the Madonna della Strada Chapel on campus on January 30.
Members of the Society of Jesus take their final vows after completing the last stage of formation called “Tertianship,” which includes a 30-day retreat to reengage the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, as well as a year-long refection on their life and service as a Jesuit.
Father Marina invited the University community to share with him the formal conclusion of his Jesuit formation, which he began 18 years ago. Father Marina entered the Society of Jesus in 2004 and was ordained to the priesthood in 2012. He became the 29th President of The University of Scranton in June of 2021.
$content.getChild('content').textValueUniversity President Professes Final Vows
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02/02/2022
The University of Scranton Book Club will begin discussing "The Long Loneliness" by Dorothy Day at its next virtual meeting Feb. 20. To register for the discussion, visit this link.
"The Long Loneliness" is the autobiography of Dorothy Day, an American Catholic social activist who sought to be in solidarity with poor and marginalized people throughout her life. By the time of her death in 1980, many already considered her a saint, and St. John Paul II opened her cause for canonization in 2000.
The Rev. Patrick D. Rogers, S.J., executive director of The Jesuit Center, and the Rev. James D. Redington, S.J., Jesuit fellow at The Jesuit Center, will lead the virtual discussions of the book. For more information on the club, visit scranton.edu/alumnibookclub.
University Book Club To Discuss 'The Long Loneliness' Feb. 20
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02/02/2022
The Jesuit Center will launch its annual Lenten Daily Devotional project with an inaugural email reflection on Ash Wednesday, which falls on March 2 this year.
The Lenten Daily Devotional is a project of The Jesuit Center in partnership with University Advancement. For each of Lent's 40 days, participants in the project will receive an email containing a daily prayer, a link to a daily scripture reading and a reflection written by a member of the University community. To receive the daily devotional emails, visit this link. All recipients who registered in a prior year are already signed up for this year’s reflections. For more information on The Jesuit Center and its mission, visit this link.
Register Today for The Jesuit Center's Lenten Daily Devotional Emails
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02/02/2022
The Alumni Society of The University of Scranton will hold its annual Day of Service Saturday, April 23 (with the exception of South Central, Pa., which will hold its Day of Service April 9). If you are interested in hosting a service project in your region, please email alumni@scranton.edu information on volunteer opportunities within your community by Feb. 25.
Save the Date for the Day of Service April 23
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02/02/2022
Alumni and friends of the University are invited to attend "Walking Through Life With Ignatius," a webinar on spirituality and service sponsored by a partnership between Ignatian Volunteer Corps and alumni offices within the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, Feb. 16 at noon. To register, visit this link.
The webinar's panelists will discuss a wide variety of topics, including how God calls us in different ways at different times in our lives, how our relationship with God changes as we accrue wisdom and experience, and how we can enhance our spirituality as we age through prayer and service in the Ignatian tradition.
The following panelists will appear at the webinar:
Barbara Lee
Barbara Lee is a spiritual director and writer who lives in New York City. She is a retired lawyer and has served for more than twenty years as a member of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps. She is the author of "God Isn’t Finished With Me Yet: Discovering the Spiritual Graces of Later Life" and "Answering God’s Call: A Scripture-Based Journey for Older Adults."
Brigid Farrell Dunn
Brigid Farrell Dunn grew up in Orchard Park, New York. A graduate of Le Moyne College, she taught at her alma mater as an adjunct professor in the Gender & Women's Studies Department. After college, she spent two years in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and then earned a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) at Yale. She has been a grant writer, campus minister, development officer, teacher and chaplain. Brigid became Board Certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains in 2015. She resides in Fayetteville, New York, with her husband and their two daughters.
Jason Downer, S.J.
Jason Downer, S.J., is a Jesuit priest currently missioned to Le Moyne College where he serves as Campus Minister for Ignatian Ministry. He is also a spiritual director with training in offering the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises. Since joining the Jesuits in 2010, Jason has lived in many parts of the United States and abroad, but is happy to call Syracuse, NY home for a while.
John W. Green (moderator)
A 2001 graduate of the Boston College School of Social Work, John W. Green's orientation towards service began during his post-college year when he entered the Jesuit Volunteer Corps serving in Portland, ME. As he sought out his next steps in professional development, his desire to pursue social work and commitment to the Ignatian value of service to others lead him to Boston College, where he developed clinical skills and built a solid foundation for administrative leadership. He now serves as the director of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps (IVC) Philadelphia/South Jersey and the vice president of partnership engagement for the IVC National Office.
All registrants will receive a recording of the webinar. For more information, contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at alumni@scranton.edu or 570-941-5997.
Join Us for a Webinar on Ignatian Spirituality and Service Feb. 16
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02/02/2022
Scranton alumni who are working in the field of law or who are currently enrolled in law school are encouraged to join the Council of Alumni Lawyers (CAL). CAL members utilize their experience and education to actively support faculty, staff and administrators in leading the educational and professional development of Scranton students who plan to enter the field of law. To join, visit this link.
Already a member? Recently graduated law school? Make sure to send your current employment information to alumni@scranton.edu.
Council Of Alumni Lawyers Seeks Members
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02/02/2022
The University of Scranton Police Department recently presented a half-day workshop on de-escalation strategies to nearly 40 local law enforcement officers, including college police and security personnel and municipal officers. The free workshop sought to reduce injuries and the need to use physical force by training officers to safely and effectively respond to situations involving people in crisis with effective communication and active listening. The workshop was funded through a grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation.
For more information on University Police, visit this link.
University Police Provide De-Escalation Training To Local Law Enforcement
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02/01/2022
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Daniel F. Battafarano, D.O. ’77, San Antonio, Texas, was recognized with the designation of Master by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) at the annual meeting in November 2021 for outstanding contributions to the ACR and the field of rheumatology through scholarly achievement and service to patients, teaching and the profession.
Thomas E. Sheridan, Jr. ’79, Hawley, was named president and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank.
John E. Littel ’86, Virginia Beach, Virginia, has been chosen to serve as the Commonwealth of Virginia’s secretary of health and human resources by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin.
Bernard F. King ’87, Worcester, has been named Chief Operating Officer for GRAM Aseptic Manufacturing. GRAM specializes in the formulation, filling and packaging of sterile pharmaceutical products including COVID vaccines and other lifesaving products.
Carol Hee, Ph.D. ’95, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, has been awarded the Johnston Teaching Excellence Award for outstanding contributions to undergraduate teaching at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Hee has taught environmental science and sustainability studies for 13 years at UNC-CH and joined Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment as an associate adjunct professor in 2020.
Sean P. Morgan ’97, Solana Beach, California, a supervisory boarder patrol agent of the United States Border Patrol, recently received three awards for actions taken in the line of duty. In August 2021, he received his second Border Patrol Achievement Medal for leading a team of agents that made over 300 felony arrests and 1,000 misdemeanor arrests during the previous year. Later that same month he received his third Border Patrol Achievement Medal for rescuing a driver who became entrapped in a car, which was also leaking gasoline. In September 2021, Moran was awarded the Border Patrol Commendation Medal with Valor, the agency's second highest award for bravery, after Moran and two other agents located a wanted felon. They pursued the suspect and later took him into custody after a standoff in the suspect's car. The suspect was arrested on three felony charges stemming from the attempted murder of his girlfriend. Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Moran has served in the Border Patrol for almost 25 years.
Henry Yampolsky ’02, Salem, Virginia, will have his book, "Dis-Solving Conflict from Within: an Inner Path for Conflict Transformation," released by the Global Collective Publishers on May 16, 2022. This book will be available everywhere books are sold. Yampolsky currently serves as assistant director for Education, Outreach, and Conflict Resolution at Virginia Tech’s Office for Equity and Accessibility and teaches Mediation, Conflict Resolution, and Peace Building as part of Virginia Tech’s Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention.Genelle Hoban Sedon ’04, G’07, Wilkes-Barre, is the owner and director of C & G Tutoring. The tutoring service, which began with just three tutors and now has over twenty, offers both in-person and virtual tutoring sessions. The tutoring service has reached more than 250 students in the Wyoming Valley from pre-k all the way through college. Sedon’s goal is to try to help local students earn scholarships and gain acceptance to the universities of their choice.
Colleen M. Degnan ’11, Horsham, has joined Fox Rothschild LLP in Blue Bell, Pa., as an Associate in the Corporate Department. As a member of the firm's Corporate Department, Degnan advises clients on a broad range of transactions and agreements, including public finance, procurement and real estate matters.
WEDDINGS
Angela Stewart ’14 to Giancarlo Bellone ’16
BIRTHS
A daughter, Renee Louise, to Joseph ’03, MBA ’13 and Ingrid Stein Garofalo ’03, Hackettstown, New Jersey
A daughter, Sofia Carmel, was born Oct. 10 in NYC to Patrick and Alexandra Mickler Auth ’08, Hoboken, New Jersey
A daughter, Willa, to Kevin and Cate McKenna Furman ’09, Newtown Square
A daughter, Eliana Grace, to John ’14 and Alexis Ribeiro Spadaro ’15, Florham Park, New Jersey
DEATHS
William A. Quinn ’49, Mountainside, New Jersey
Kenneth A. Roth ’54, Centerville, Ohio
Edward J. Sunday ’59, Scranton
John J. Ferry, M.D. ’60, Omaha, Nebraska
Joseph J. Farrell ’63, The Villages, Florida
Louis J. Nardella, Sr. ’65, Scranton
Walter J. Borowski ’71, Scranton
Merrill Mayenschein ’76, Covington Township
Kenneth J. Reuther G’77, Moscow
Richard J. Chukonis G’79, Wilkes-Barre
William J. Katorkas ’80, Newark, Delaware
Ralph J. Kurtz ’83, Old Forge
Jeffrey J. Butler ’87, Okemos, MichiganFRIENDS' DEATHS
Felicia Domiano, wife of Anthony Domiano, Sr. ’60; mother of Anthony Domiano, Jr. ’84 and Marie Domiano ’85
George Grech, father of Thomas J. Grech '84 and Robert Grech '87
Alumni Class Notes, February 2022
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01/25/2022
U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 “Best Online Graduate Programs” ranked The University of Scranton’s online master’s degree programs in business (excluding MBA) at No. 55 and its online MBA program at No. 98 in the nation. U.S. News also ranked Scranton at No. 65 in the country for “Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans.”
This is the 11th consecutive year that U.S. News ranked the University’s online programs among the best in the nation. The methodology used by U.S. News to determine the ranking has changed several times throughout the years.
For the 2022 Best Online Programs ranking, which published January 25, U.S. News reviewed statistical information submitted by schools. The ranking criteria differed by category. The criteria used by U.S. News to rank online business and MBA programs included student engagement (30 percent), which looked at graduation rates, class size, one-year retention rates, and best practices such as accreditation by AACSB International, among other factors. The ranking criteria also included peer reputation score (25 percent); faculty credentials and training (15 percent); admission selectivity (15 percent); and student services and technology (15 percent).
In addition to offering distance education programs that incorporate coursework that is predominantly online, colleges and universities making the “Best Online Program for Veterans” list must have ranked in top half of 2022 Best Online Program rankings; be regionally accredited; be certified for the GI Bill and participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program; and enroll a “critical mass of veterans” as defined by U.S. News based on the size of the college.
Scranton offers online MBA degrees in general business, accounting, business analytics, enterprise resource planning, finance, healthcare management, human resources, international business and operations management; master’s degrees in accountancy, business analytics, finance, health administration, health informatics and human resources and a dual MBA/MHA degree, in addition to graduate certificates. For technology, recruitment and marketing support, the University partners with Wiley for the online programs.
In other rankings published by U.S. News, Scranton has been ranked among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 28 consecutive years. Scranton is ranked No. 5 in the 2022 edition of the guidebook. U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 14 in its category for “Best Undergraduate Teaching.” U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 14 in its category in its “Best Undergraduate Teaching” listing of the top colleges in the nation expressing “a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching,” among other rankings.
Scranton Online Programs Among Best in Nation
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01/21/2022
The University of Scranton ranked No. 84 among the 616 master’s universities in the nation included in a 2021 listing by Washington Monthly that seeks to rate colleges based on their contribution to the public good. Published in the September/October issue of the magazine and online, Washington Monthly analyzed numerous data sets to determine an overall rank, as well as a score and rank of colleges for “research,” “social mobility” and “community and national service.” Scranton ranked No. 34, No. 187 and No. 115, respectively, in these categories among master’s universities.
Washington Monthly weighted equally the colleges’ scores for research, social mobility and service to calculate the overall ranking. The research score is based on each school’s research expenditure and the number of alumni earning Ph.D.s, relative to the size of the college. The social mobility score is based on actual and predicted graduation rates; student loan repayment rates; the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants; and the school’s average net price for full-time, in-state students with family incomes below $75,000 per year over the past three years, among other factors. The service score, also adjusted for the size of the school, is based on the size of the ROTC program; the number of alumni serving in the Peace Corps; and the percentage of federal work study grant money spent on community service projects and voter engagement, among other factors.
This is the 12th consecutive year Washington Monthly has included Scranton in its college rankings.
In other national rankings, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Scranton among the 10 top Regional Universities in the North for 28 consecutive years, and as a “Best Value” school for nine consecutive years. The Princeton Review included Scranton in its list “Best Colleges” for 20 consecutive years.
Scranton Nationally Ranked for Doing Public Good
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01/05/2022
Alumni, parents and friends of the University in the Boston, Mass., Philadelphia and New York City areas celebrated the Christmas season together at several regional Christmas events throughout the month of December.
Boston Christmas Stroll Along The Freedom Trail
Alumni and friends enjoyed walking the historic Freedom Trail Dec. 11 and discovering how Boston's holiday traditions evolved. The group was led by a tour guide dressed in the style of a 19th century Dickensian character who pointed out the exceptional holiday lights and Christmas trees along the trail.
The Holly Jolly Trolley
Royals in the Philadelphia area enjoyed live music and magnificent views of the lights of the City of Brotherly Love aboard the Holly Jolly Trolley on Dec. 1 and Dec. 2.
A Longwood Christmas at Longwood Gardens
Alumni and friends enjoyed the beautiful holiday display at Longwood Gardens on Dec. 15. Royals strolling through the gardens were delighted by this year's theme, which showcased the contrast between fire and ice.
New York City Presidential Christmas Reception
Alumni, parents and friends of the University in the New York City area joined the Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, at the New York Athletic Club for a Presidential Christmas Reception on Dec. 8. To see photos from this event, visit this link.
Alumni Celebrate Christmas Season At Regional Events
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01/05/2022
More than 20 alumni, parents and friends of the University kicked off the holiday season by packing 350 boxes of meal kits along an assembly line at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey Dec. 4.
"Overall, I think it was an excellent start to the Christmas and Advent season," said Brianna Tucciarone '20, an Alumni Society Advisory Board Member who volunteered at the project.
To see more photos from the project, visit this link. For more information on regional service projects and the Alumni Society Advisory Board, visit scranton.edu/alumni.
Royals Assist New Jersey Food Bank Dec. 4
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01/04/2022
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, recently used her expertise in trucking law to speak to the New Jersey Association for Justice Boardwalk Seminar in 2021 on “Discovery Issues in Trucking Cases.”
Timothy J. Keating ’85, McLean, Virginia, has joined Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLC as a policy director in the firm’s Washington, D.C., Government Relations Department.
Jacquie Cleary ’87, Westfield, New Jersey, the CEO of Atlas, is honored to be announced this year as one of the 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies. The Women Presidents' Organization (WPO), in collaboration with JPMorgan Chase Commercial Banking, released the 14th annual ranking of the 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies in October. The companies on this year's 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies list span a range of industries, from consumer products to STEM-related fields. From January to December of 2020, the 50 Fastest generated a combined $4.1 billion in revenue and collectively employed more than 24,000 people.
Erica Fischer-Cartlidge, '06, Springfield, New Jersey, was the recipient of the 40 Under 40 in Cancer award, which recognizes the contributions being made across the field of cancer by rising stars and emerging leaders under the age of 40 years old. Dr. Cartlidge is an alumnus of The University of Scranton School of Nursing and currently works at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
WEDDINGS
Diana Martin ’11 to Travis Dufner
Erin Barry ’12 to Bridgette Sakar ’12DEATHS
John E. Walsh, Ed.D. ’49, H’89, Meshoppen
John Elnitsky ’52, Whitehall
Alfred P. Intoccia, Ph.D. ’52, Audubon
Robert P. Schulte ’55, Scranton
James A. Calpin ’59, Midlothian, Virginia
Vito A. Ciaglia ’59, Dunmore
Daniel J. Mozelski ’62, Winchester, Virginia
Nicholas D. Volpetti ’62, Kingston
Samuel G. Bianco ’63, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Paul J. Waldek ’64, Dover, New Jersey
Eugene J. Donahue ’68, Clarks Summit
Michael E. Dux ’77, Philadelphia
Elizabeth Milder Beh ’78, Springbrook Township
James J. Martin ’78, Scranton
Monica Vaughn McGonigle ’78, Fairfax, Virginia
Frank J. Paris ’80, Spring Hill, Florida
Louise Booth Bright ’84, New Hope
Donald J. Kanavy ’87, G’99, Archbald
Eugene J. Deignan ’89, Olyphant
William P. Stoffel ’90, Chatham, New Jersey
Ann Marie O’Hara ’97, ScrantonFRIENDS' DEATHS
Carl F. Green Sr., father of Carl F. Green Jr. '88
Robert W. Hildreth, father of Kate Hildreth ’05Alumni Class Notes, January 2022
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12/21/2021
The University of Scranton is pleased to share in the great pride of today’s announcement that alumnus Reverend Jeffrey J. Walsh ’87 has been appointed by Pope Francis as the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Gaylord, Michigan.
Bishop-elect Walsh currently serves as pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish and Saint Rose of Lima Parish, Carbondale. His episcopal ordination and installation as Bishop of Gaylord are scheduled for March 4, 2022, at 2 p.m. in Saint Mary Cathedral, Gaylord.
A native of Scranton, Bishop-elect Walsh graduated from The University of Scranton in 1987 with a degree in Counseling and Human Resources. He studied for the priesthood at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, earning a Master of Divinity Degree. He received a Master of Arts in Christian Spirituality from Creighton University in 1999 and a Master of Social Work degree from Marywood University in 2010. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 25, 1994.
“The University of Scranton joins His Excellency, the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of Scranton, and people throughout the Diocese of Scranton in congratulating Bishop-elect Walsh on this joyful news as he prepares to begin this important episcopal ministry in the Great Lakes region of Michigan,” said Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton.
An article by the Catholic News Agency quoted Bishop-elect Walsh as saying: “With gratitude to our Holy Father Pope Francis, and joy in the Lord, I am eager to begin a new chapter in my life of discipleship among the good people of the Diocese of Gaylord. I am also most grateful to God for 27 years of priestly ministry in the Diocese of Scranton. I have been inspired and challenged to grow in faith through various diocesan assignments and will forever prayerfully remember all the lay faithful, religious, deacons, priests, and bishops with whom and for whom I have served.”
Bishop-elect Walsh has served in a number of assignments in the Diocese of Scranton, including as the Parochial Vicar of Saint Rose of Lima parish, and Director of Religious Education at Sacred Heart High School in Carbondale (1995); Parochial Vicar at the Cathedral of Saint Peter (1996); Pastor of Our Lady of the Lake parish in Lake Winola (1999); Director of Education at St. Pius X Seminary (1999); Director of Vocations (2002); Pastor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Tunkhannock (2004); Regional Episcopal Vicar (2006); Administrator of Saint Rita parish in Gouldsboro (2008); Administrator of Saint Anthony parish in Throop (2009); Secretary for Catholic Social Services (2009); Pastor of Saint John's parish in East Stroudsburg (2010); Vicar for the clergy (2015). He became pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish and Saint Rose of Lima Parish in July 2020. Bishop-elect Walsh is also a member of the diocesan College of Consultors and of the Presbyteral Council.
Pope Names Scranton Alumnus as New Bishop of Gaylord, Michigan
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12/16/2021
The University of Scranton’s online Master of Science in Health Informatics has received accreditation from the prestigious Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
CAHIIM provides consistent quality monitoring of academic degree programs in health informatics through accreditation policies and processes that include tools for assessing continuous quality improvement through partnerships with colleges and universities, a voluntary peer review process, and annual program monitoring of continuous improvements in health informatics education to meet healthcare workforce needs. CAHIIM provides accredited programs with benchmark data and best practices for continuous improvement.
“As a Catholic and Jesuit university, Scranton strives to maintain the highest standards for academic excellence in all of our degree programs, as well as embedding strong ethical components within our curricula to ensure we are fulfilling our Ignatian mission of graduating men and women who serve for and with others. CAHIM’s accreditation process confirms that we are fulfilling our mission in profound ways,” said Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at The University of Scranton.
By meeting the rigorous accreditation standards set by CAHIIM, students earning a master’s degree in health informatics from Scranton are assured that the program provides the required knowledge and skill demanded by professionals working in high-growth field. The online 33-credit graduate program is designed to support the student’s development of the American Medical Informatics Association’s master’s level competencies in health informatics. A final capstone course allows students to develop expertise in a specialized arena by working on a real-world informatics project under the guidance of a preceptor.
Scranton’s master’s degree in health informatics is an interdisciplinary program that includes courses developed and taught by faculty from healthcare clinical disciplines, health informatics and health administration from the Panuska College of Professional Studies; computer science in the College of Arts and Sciences; and operations and analytics in the Kania School of Management, which holds accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
In the fall 2021 semester, the University began to offer a specialization in data analytics for the master’s degree program in health informatics that requires an additional 6-8 credits of coursework. Applicants to the graduate program must meet admission requirements.
For additional information, visit the Master of Science degree in Health Informatics webpage or contact Margarete L. Zalon, Ph.D., professor of nursing and director of the University’s online Master of Science in Health Informatics Program at Margarete.zalon@scranton.edu or 570-941-7655.
Online Health Informatics Masters CAHIIM Accredited
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12/01/2021
One alumnus combines a love of science and communication — plus his hip-hop performance skills — to teach STEM concepts and digital literacy all over the world.
By Frantz Lucien’s own estimation, he’s taught students across the U.S. and on every continent except Antarctica, all from the dock of Pier 86 in New York City.
As the manager of Interactive Experience and Family Engagement and a museum educator at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum on Pier 86, Lucien ’12 created a distance-learning program for the museum in 2016. The Intrepid Museum is a nonprofit educational institution that features the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier, a National Historic Landmark that served tours of duty in World War II and the Vietnam War, plus home to America’s first space shuttle, Enterprise, and jets and submarines. The museum presents exhibitions and interactive educational programming that showcase American innovation and bravery.
“I take a lot of pride in the fact that I created our distance-learning, virtual field trip program,” said Lucien, who majored in communication and media studies on the broadcast track at Scranton. “And it was one of the reasons we were able to pivot so quickly (when COVID happened) and go to the digital version of our museum and do different digital programming.”
Prior to the pandemic, Lucien would traverse the floor of the museum with an iPad to host virtual field trips, teaching students from as far away as Texas and China. He said teachers often told him that their students felt like they were right there with him at the museum. Fast forward to March 2020. Lucien sought to replicate that experience, even when the museum was closed at the height of the pandemic.
“My question was, how do I translate that (immersive experience) when I am sitting in my living room with a sunset painting behind my head?” Lucien said. “So I immediately went down to the ship — because I didn’t live too far from the ship — right before everything closed down. And I took videos walking through and talking, like what we normally do. And then I edited those videos and added different pictures and video clips, and they literally got shared all over the world.”
Continue reading in The Scranton Journal.
Frantz Lucien, Jr. ’12: Bridging the Digital Divide
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12/01/2021
The University of Scranton President’s Business Council (PBC) Virtual 20th Annual Award Dinner honoring John E. (Jack) Brennan ’68, P’06 in memoriam and also recognizing the first 20 years of the PBC was broadcast Nov. 18. This year’s event raised more than $750,000 for the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund, surpassing $19 million generated cumulatively.
Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, presented Cindy Brennan, Ryan Brennan ’06 and Sarah Brennan Lapointe, Jack’s wife, son and daughter, with the University’s President’s Medal during the event. Father Marina noted, “Tonight has been a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the life of Jack Brennan and the many ways his legacy lives on at his beloved Alma Mater.” In his acceptance remarks, Ryan said, “I want to thank everyone at the University for honoring my father. I know that he would be very proud of this award. The feeling and inspiration he got while he was at the University stayed with him for the rest of his life. I believe his generosity, not only financially but also of his time, is the major reason for this recognition.”
The audience was then treated to a retrospective video detailing the PBC’s origin, evolution and impact on students and alumni. The PBC was formed in 2001 by the University and a prominent group of alumni and friends with the purpose of advancing the mission of the University. The PBC is committed to strengthening the Scranton network in the business sectors and to providing mentoring, internships and career support for current students and meaningful engagement opportunities for alumni, parents and friends. At the PBC’s Annual Award Dinner, an honoree is presented with the University’s President’s Medal, which recognizes individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others. Through the proceeds from its annual award dinners, the PBC supports the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
The PBC Virtual 20th Annual Award Dinner can be seen here. Gifts to the PBC can be made via the PBC giving page. For additional information, contact Timothy J. Pryle ’89, executive director of the PBC, at 570-941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu.
About the honoree
John E. (Jack) Brennan ’68, P’06 received a bachelor’s degree in management from the University in 1968. A veteran of the Vietnam War, he served as a 1st lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corp. in Thailand. Following his years of service, Mr. Brennan joined Motorola as a salesman. He later co-founded Metro Mobile CTS, Inc., and served as the president and chief operating officer. Metro Mobile was later sold to Bell Atlantic, which would eventually become Verizon Communications. He was also president of Activated Communications and a member of the board of directors at Spectrum Signal Processing. At the time of his retirement, he was the vice chairman of the board of Southern Union Co. (later acquired by Energy Transfer LP).
During his professional career, Mr. Brennan was an active member of his community, serving as president of the Radio Club of America, as president of the Old Tappan Board of Education, as a member of the Old Tappan Planning Board, and as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. In support of his passion for furthering the education of young minds, Mr. Brennan was a long-time member of the Board of Trustees at Christ the King School (Cristo Rey) in Newark, N.J., and at the University, where he was also a founding member of the Kania School of Management Advisory Board. He was also among the inaugural inductees to the Business Leader Hall of Fame. In Oct. 2000, the University named Brennan Hall, the home of the Kania School of Management, in his honor.
Mr. Brennan passed away in Sept. 2020 after battling cancer. He is survived by his wife, Cindy, their two children and their grandchildren.
PBC Honors Jack Brennan and Recognizes First 20 Years
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12/01/2021
Nearly 300 alumni, parents and friends of the University donated nearly $50,000 to University causes during this year's global Giving Tuesday celebration.
The University's Giving Tuesday campaign began with a special video message promoting THR1VE, a program which supports University students who identify as first-generation college students, from the Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president. In the video, Father Marina, a first-generation college student, talks about the transformational impact his education had upon his life. Many of Tuesday's donations were designated for THR1VE, where they will help to ensure that first-generation college students continue to thrive at Scranton. To view the donor honor roll, visit this link.
University Community Celebrates Giving Tuesday
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12/01/2021
The University will hold a Presidential Christmas reception at The New York Athletic Club Wednesday, Dec. 8, at 6 p.m. with the Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president.
To register, visit scranton.edu/christmas.
University Announces NYC Presidential Christmas Reception Dec. 8
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12/01/2021
The University of Scranton is pleased to announce the establishment of an annual scholarship to honor the memory of Sara Farrell Hutchison ’08, an alumna who tragically passed away in August 2021. Initiated by colleagues of Marian Farrell, Ph.D., in the University’s Faculty Senate and Department of Nursing, The Sara Farrell Hutchison ’08 Memorial Scholarship benefits non-traditional female students studying in any of the health-related fields. “Non-traditional student” is defined, for the purpose of the scholarship, as a student who is returning to school to pursue her education after an absence.
Born in Scranton, Hutchison was the daughter of James C. and Dr. Marian L. Rosler Farrell. She was a 2004 graduate of Scranton Preparatory School and earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science from the University in 2008. Hutchison was a devoted wife, sister, daughter and mother to three children.
To make a donation to The Sara Farrell Hutchison ’08 Memorial Scholarship, please visit scranton.edu/makeagift or send a check payable to The University of Scranton (please note “Sara Hutchison Scholarship” in the memo line), University Advancement, 800 Linden Street, Scranton, PA 18510.
University to Offer New Annual Scholarship in Honor of Alumna
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12/01/2021
On November 16, 20 alumni and friends of The University of Scranton sorted and inspected clothing donations at Cradles To Crayons Philadelphia, an organization that provides children from birth through age 12 living in homeless or low-income situations with the essential items they need to thrive.
Royals Volunteer At Cradles To Crayons
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11/30/2021
Join your Scranton friends in the Boston area for a historical holiday stroll along the Freedom Trail Saturday, Dec. 11, at 3:30 p.m.
Walk the Freedom Trail and discover how Boston’s holiday traditions evolved. Led by 19th-century Dickensian costumed guides, the festive stroll is complete with a tour of holiday lights and Christmas trees along the Freedom Trail.
The 60-minute tour, provided by The Freedom Trail Foundation, will begin at the Boston Commons Visitor Information Center, 139 Tremont Street, Boston, Mass. Tickets for adults will cost $15, and tickets for children will cost $5.
To register, visit this link.
University to Hold Boston Christmas Stroll Dec. 11
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11/30/2021
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Harry A. Lennon ’83, Round Top, New York, has been re-elected to a sixth term on the Greene County, New York Legislature where he serves as Minority Leader.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, recently spoke at the Kentucky Justice Association. Drawing on her extensive trial expertise, Munley spoke to the Association on “Using the Defendants’ Words Against Them to Develop Your Trial Story.” Munley also recently spoke to the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. Her discussion was titled “Rule of Three: Industry Standard or Make Believe?”
Lawrence A. J. Spegar '84, Jessup, was recognized in 2021 as one of America's Most Honored Lawyers. Spegar has enjoyed a 35-year career as a trial lawyer representing clients in a comprehensive practice involving areas of personal injury, disability, real estate, business, entertainment and wills and estates. His practice has covered many jurisdictions, including Pennsylvania and the United States Supreme Court.
Julius J. Prezelski ’86, Mount Airy, Maryland, was the 2021 recipient of the Ted Beck Effective Educator Award which recognizes JumpStart’s third chairman’s commitment to making evidence-based decisions in striving to improve financial education. From basketball coach to business teacher, Prezelski uses coaching and storytelling as his unique approach to teaching. As a mentor, he uses his own personal experiences to teach the pitfalls and wins of financial management and does not shy away from difficult conversations in the classroom.
Elizabeth Brue Alterman ’93, Chatham, New Jersey, had her memoir, "Sad Sacked," released by Audible Originals on November 11, 2021. Alterman has also been named Erma Bombeck’s Humor Writer of the Month for November.
Robert Keenan ’95, Wayne, New Jersey, has been named vice president of Product Management/Development for Adweek.
James F. McNulty ’96, Gaithersburg, Maryland, was elected to the Gaithersburg City Council. McNulty will serve a 4-year term as one of two new council members in Maryland’s third-largest city.
Kate Brennan ’03, York, received a 2021 MAP Grant for her work with "The Infinity Trilogy," a YA musical cycle created to encourage mentorship between professionals and fledgling artists. The first piece in the trilogy, "ALiEN8," was recently published with YouthPLAYS after premiering with Drexel University, where she was a Mandell Professional in Residence. The second piece of the trilogy, "Clean Slate," is scheduled to premiere with Passage Theatre Company in 2022. Her book of poetry, "elevated thoughts," was published with Literati Press in 2020. Kate currently lives with her husband, child and dog in York where she is Artistic Director of Ignition Arts.
Samuel J. Richards G’15, Shanghai, China, received an honorable mention during the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church’s annual meeting for his peer-reviewed research on Edward Colston. His article, “Historical Revision in Church: Re-examining the ‘Saint' Edward Colston,” was published in the September 2020 issue of the Anglican and Episcopal History, and investigates the legacy of philanthropist, enslaver, and High Anglican Edward Colston who lived from 1636 to 1721. It was noted for its excellent and timely research. Richards currently teaches history and politics at Shanghai American School in China.
WEDDINGS
Kelly Ann Haggerty ’09 to Frederick Vilsmeier
Meagan Pehnke ’10, G’11 to Joseph Serafini ’09
Kaylee Hatfield ’13 to Anthony Santino
Brianna McCullough '13 to Demetrios Vlahos
Elizabeth Joyce ’15 to Bryan Elman ’15
Elizabeth Palladino ’15, DPT ’18 to Patrick Heneghan ’15
Meghan Campbell ’16 to Joseph Costello ’16
Alison Kucharski '16 to Viliam Varhol
Maura McGowan '16, DPT '19 to Zachary HoldenBIRTHS
A son, Ryan, to Michael and Danielle Tartaglia Centalonza ’06, Randolph, New Jersey
A daughter, Michaela Kathleen, to Joseph ’08 and Kaitlyn O’Connor Yourkavitch ’09, G’11, Reading
A daughter, Sophia Charles, to Christopher and Mary Rose Ho ’10, New York, New York
A daughter, Margaret Ann, to Joseph ’09 and Meagan Pehnke-Serafini ’10, G’11, Philadelphia
A son, Owen Lawrence, to Michael and Kristina Russo Joyce, ’12, DPT ’15, Wycoff, New Jersey
A son, River Michael, to Robert ’13 and Allison Tait Sachs ’14, Morristown, New Jersey
A daughter, Isla, to Joshua ’15 and Jackie Cavanaugh Ryan ’15, Rockville, MarylandDEATHS
Myer B. Kahn ’38, Rockville, Maryland
Michael A. Rossi, Sr., Ph.D. ’53, Hackettstown, New Jersey
Fred S. Lewenson, D.D.S. ’57, East Norriton
LTC. Walter J. Lynch, USA, Ret. ’16, Moosic
Albert J. Marmo ’62, Bowie, Maryland
Gerald M. Durkin ’68, Clarks Summit
Joseph F. Gibbons ’70, Clarks Summit
John R. Hirschler ’73, Lancaster
Nancy Dunleavy Batten ’77, Raleigh, North Carolina
Thomas Z. Swinick ’78, G’83 Dunmore
Kevin J. O’Hara ’80, Greenfield Township
Mark L. Kuna ’84, Allentown
Brian J. Leahy ’90, Cranford, New Jersey
Nicole Rusyn Lutz ’93, Olyphant
Wendy Bailey Morris ’93, Scranton
Kerri Hubbard Naples ’06, G’09, Hazlet, New Jersey
Sara R. Wargo ’11, JessupFRIENDS' DEATHS
Rosemary DeMichele, wife of Michael DeMichele, Ph.D. ’63, mother of Michael A. DeMichele, M.D. ’87, Christine DeMichele Consiglio ’89 and Jacqueline DeMichele Kloss, Ph.D. ’92
Judy Peacock, wife of Thomas Peacock ’61
Kathleen Thornton, wife of Jeffrey T. Thornton ’85Alumni Class Notes, December 2021
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11/22/2021
Fortune ranked The University of Scranton at No. 55 in the nation in its first ranking of part-time MBA programs. For its “Best Part-Time MBA Programs” ranking, published online Nov. 17, Fortune surveyed thousands of business professionals and hiring managers about their opinions of the MBA programs offered at business schools across the country.
Scranton is among the just 70 part-time MBA programs selected by Fortune for the ranking, which included just eight Jesuit colleges, and only four colleges in Pennsylvania.
For the ranking, Fortune looked at the quality of the part-time MBA program at the colleges as measured by their students’ average number of years of experience in the workforce, because, according to Fortune, part-time MBA students value the knowledge they gain from their fellow classmates’ professional experiences, as well as the curriculum. In addition to work experience, Fortune also looked at the undergraduate GPA and GMAT score for incoming students, for a measurement that accounted for 60 percent of the overall ranking score. Fortune partnered with Ipsos to survey thousands of business professionals and hiring managers to produce a measurement of the “brand score” of the college, or a calculation of “how much a group of people want to recruit from the university” (25 percent); and counted the number of Fortune 1000 executives who earned an MBA from the college (15 percent).
Earlier this year, Fortune’s inaugural ranking of the “Best Online MBAs” placed The University of Scranton at No. 72 in the nation for the 2021 listing published online in April. In addition, U.S. News & World Report ranked Scranton’s online master’s degree programs in business (excluding MBA) at No. 48; and its online MBA program at No. 111 in the nation in its “Best Online Programs” guide. U.S. News also ranked Scranton at No. 67 in the country for “Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans.” The University’s on-campus programs have also been consistently ranked among the best in the nation by numerous sources, including U.S. News for 28 consecutive years, The Princeton Review for 20 consecutive years, and The Wall Street Journal since the ranking began in 2016.
Fortune Ranks Scranton in Best Part-Time MBA List
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11/05/2021
Ninety-nine percent of The University of Scranton’s class of 2020 graduates at the undergraduate level, and 98 percent of class of 2020 members at the graduate level, reported being successful in their choice of career path of either employment or pursuing additional education within 12 months of graduation. The “First Destination Survey” report by Scranton’s Gerard R. Roche Center for Career Development is based on career success data obtained for 83 percent of the undergraduate class. This “knowledge rate,” or percentage of graduates for whom their career outcome is known, exceeds the National Association of College Employers recommended rate of 65 percent. The knowledge rate for members of the University’s graduate class of 2020 is 74 percent.
For members of University’s class of 2020 earning a bachelor’s degree, 50 percent of graduates had the goal of obtaining full-time employment and 99 percent of graduates succeed with that goal. Forty-five percent of graduates had the goal of attending graduate or professional school and 99 percent of graduates successfully achieved that goal.
The average (mean) salary is $50,662, based on the bachelor’s degree graduates that provided salary information. The average salary varied by major. The highest average salaries reported are in computer science ($75,000), nursing ($62,943) and electrical engineering ($58,264).
Geographically, of those employed, 80 percent reported working in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.
Additionally, the report for undergraduates showed 87 percent of the Class of 2020 completed at least one experiential learning opportunity during their education at Scranton, which includes internships, research, student teaching, observations, clinicals, externships and residencies.
For master’s degree graduates with a 98 percent overall success rate, the report shows 92 percent being employed full-time; 3 percent being employed part-time; 1 percent pursuing additional education; 2 percent seeking another goal, and 2 percent still seeking employment. The average (mean) salary for 2020 master’s degree graduates is $73,601, based on the graduates that provided salary information. Salaries reported vary by degree programs. The highest average salaries reported are for graduates with master’s degrees in nurse anesthesia ($172,627), enterprise resource planning – MBA ($143,878) and family nurse practitioner ($84,780).
Of those employed, 74 percent are working in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.
For the University’s class of 2019, 99 percent graduates at both the undergraduate and graduate level reported being successful in their choice of career path of either employment or pursuing additional education within six months of graduation.
Class of 2020 Graduates Successful at Career Goals
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11/03/2021
The University has announced Christmas events in Philadelphia and Boston.
Philadelphia Events
The University will hold three Christmas events in the Philadelphia area during the month of December.
The Holly Jolly Trolley
Join your Scranton friends in Philadelphia Dec. 1 and/or Dec. 2 for a private holiday lights tour aboard the Holly Jolly Trolley. Enjoy live music, magnificent views of some of the best light displays in the city, a bit of South Philly flavor, and complimentary pizza on this BYOB and snacks tour provided by Founding Footsteps. The tours will begin at Iron Hill Brewery, 1150 Market St., Philadelphia, at 6:30 p.m. sharp, so please plan to arrive by 6 p.m. To register for the $30 admission fee, visit this link.
A Longwood Christmas at Longwood Gardens
Join your Scranton friends in Kennett Square Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. for a self-guided tour of the indoor and outdoor gardens at Longwood Gardens, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square. Witness the splendor of half-a-million lights and then cozy up to the warm glow of an outdoor fire pit. Adult admission will cost $20, and children under 18 will be admitted for free. To register, visit this link.
Read the original posting, here.
Boston Event
Boston Christmas Stroll, Dec. 11
Join your Scranton friends in the Boston area for a historical holiday stroll along the Freedom Trail Saturday, Dec. 11, at 3:30 p.m.
Walk the Freedom Trail and discover how Boston’s holiday traditions evolved. Led by 19th-century Dickensian costumed guides, the festive stroll is complete with a tour of holiday lights and Christmas trees along the Freedom Trail.
The 60-minute tour, provided by The Freedom Trail Foundation, will begin at the Boston Commons Visitor Information Center, 139 Tremont Street, Boston, Mass. Tickets for adults will cost $15, and tickets for children will cost $5. To register, visit this link.
Read the original posting, here.
University Announces Several Regional Christmas Events
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11/02/2021
The University of Scranton President’s Business Council (PBC) will offer a virtual celebration on Thursday, Nov. 18, which will honor John E. (Jack) Brennan ’68, P’06 in memoriam and will also provide a retrospective look at the first 20 years of the PBC.
John E. (Jack) Brennan ’68, P’06 received a bachelor’s degree in management from the University in 1968. A veteran of the Vietnam War, he served as a 1st lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corp. in Thailand. Following his years of service, Mr. Brennan joined Motorola as a salesman. He later co-founded Metro Mobile CTS, Inc., and served as the president and chief operating officer. Metro Mobile was later sold to Bell Atlantic, which would eventually become Verizon Communications. He was also president of Activated Communications and a member of the board of directors at Spectrum Signal Processing. At the time of his retirement, he was the vice chairman of the board of Southern Union Co. (later acquired by Energy Transfer LP).
During his professional career, Mr. Brennan was an active member of his community, serving as president of the Radio Club of America, as president of the Old Tappan Board of Education, as a member of the Old Tappan Planning Board, and as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. In support of his passion for furthering the education of young minds, Mr. Brennan was a long-time member of the Board of Trustees at Christ the King School (Cristo Rey) in Newark, N.J., and at the University, where he was also a founding member of the Kania School of Management Advisory Board. He was also among the inaugural inductees to the Business Leader Hall of Fame. In Oct. 2000, the University named Brennan Hall, the home of the Kania School of Management, in his honor.
Mr. Brennan passed away in Sept. 2020 after battling cancer. He is survived by his wife, Cindy, their two children and their grandchildren.
The PBC was formed in 2001 by the University and a prominent group of alumni and friends with the purpose of advancing the mission of the University. The PBC is committed to strengthening the Scranton network in the business sectors and to providing mentoring, internships and career support for current students and meaningful engagement opportunities for alumni, parents and friends. At the PBC’s Annual Award Dinner, an honoree is presented with the University’s President’s Medal, which recognizes individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others. Proceeds from the dinner go directly to the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
Additional details regarding this year's virtual celebration are available at www.scranton.edu/pbcdinner or by contacting Tim Pryle '89, executive director of the PBC, at (570) 941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu.
PBC To Offer Virtual Celebration Honoring Jack Brennan Nov. 18
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11/02/2021
Royal readers will be back together on screen this weekend for the first of two virtual discussions centered around The University of Scranton Book Club’s seventh book selection, “He Leadeth Me: An Extraordinary Testament of Faith.” The latest book is authored by Walter Ciszek, S.J. H’76, namesake for the University’s Ciszek Hall, the current home of the Center for Career Development.
Father Ciszek received an honorary doctor of law degree from the University in 1976. After entering the Society of Jesus in 1928 and being ordained to the priesthood in 1937, he entered eastern Poland as a missionary in 1938. At the start of WWII, he was arrested by the Russian secret police and spent five years in Moscow prisons. Sentenced to 10 more years in prison as “a spy of the Vatican,” he was sent north to a penal camp, where he labored in mines and construction projects until the end of his sentence. Father Ciszek returned to the U.S. in 1963 as part of an exchange agreement with the Soviet Union. The Shenandoah native, who passed away in 1984, is also the author of “With God in Russia.”
Dedicated in 2005, Ciszek Hall was originally designed to hold a 15,000-book library, a chapel, offices, a garden and space for social activities.
To learn more about The University of Scranton Book Club and to receive notifications of future book selections, visit Scranton.edu/alumnibookclub.
University Book Club Selection Bears Familiar Name
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11/02/2021
The Scranton Club of New Jersey will give Royals in the Garden State the chance to serve their community by volunteering at Community Food Bank of New Jersey Dec. 4 from 9 to 11 a.m.
Scranton alumni, parents and friends will gather at the food bank's Hillside location at 31 Evans Terminal, Hillside, NJ, to assemble boxes, pack pasta and prepare food to be distributed to partner agencies and members of the community. Volunteers must be at least 12 years old, and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. To register for the event, visit this link.
University To Offer New Jersey Service Project Dec. 4
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11/02/2021
The University will hold three Christmas events in the Philadelphia area during the month of December.
The Holly Jolly Trolley
Join your Scranton friends in Philadelphia Dec. 1 and/or Dec. 2 for a private holiday lights tour aboard the Holly Jolly Trolley. Enjoy live music, magnificent views of some of the best light displays in the city, a bit of South Philly flavor, and complimentary pizza on this BYOB and snacks tour provided by Founding Footsteps. The tours will begin at Iron Hill Brewery, 1150 Market St., Philadelphia, at 6:30 p.m. sharp, so please plan to arrive by 6 p.m. To register for the $30 admission fee, visit this link.
A Longwood Christmas at Longwood Gardens
Join your Scranton friends in Kennett Square Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. for a self-guided tour of the indoor and outdoor gardens at Longwood Gardens, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square. Witness the splendor of half-a-million lights and then cozy up to the warm glow of an outdoor fire pit. Adult admission will cost $20, and children under 18 will be admitted for free. To register, visit this link.
University Announces Philadelphia Christmas Events
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11/02/2021
Join your Scranton friends in the Boston area for a historical holiday stroll along the Freedom Trail Saturday, Dec. 11, at 3:30 p.m.
Walk the Freedom Trail and discover how Boston’s holiday traditions evolved. Led by 19th-century Dickensian costumed guides, the festive stroll is complete with a tour of holiday lights and Christmas trees along the Freedom Trail.
The 60-minute tour, provided by The Freedom Trail Foundation, will begin at the Boston Commons Visitor Information Center, 139 Tremont Street, Boston, Mass. Tickets for adults will cost $15, and tickets for children will cost $5. To register, visit this link.
University Announces Boston Christmas Stroll Dec. 11
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11/02/2021
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Brian R. McAndrew ’74, Havre de Grace, Maryland, recently retired from the Defense Intelligence Senior Executive Service after over 40 years with the Federal government. In 2004, Brian received the prestigious Presidential Rank Reward for his accomplishments in overseeing cryptologic operations within the U.S. Intelligence Community. Upon retirement, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence presented Brian with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to national security operations.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, is listed in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and was named the 2022 “Lawyer of the Year” for Product Liability Litigation-Plaintiffs in Northeastern Pennsylvania.John Miller G’85, Fairfield, Iowa, attended a military Honor Flight from Eastern Iowa to Washington, D.C., Sept. 21 with 120 other Iowa veterans to view the war monuments and presidential memorials. While there, he took etchings of several veterans' names, including his former Air Force Academy Commander Major Jack Espenshied, who was killed in combat in Vietnam in1968.
Patricia A. Hoffman, D.O. ’17, New Brunswick, New Jersey, published a case report in the September issue of The American Academy of Osteopathy Journal called “Single Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment Session Eliminates Percutaneous Coronary Intervention-Induced Upper Thoracic Pain in Elderly Male.”
WEDDINGS
Ron Babcock ’01 to Jamie Reed
Marissa Schilling'14, G'15 to Stephen Barbuto'14
Nicole Christiansen, '17, DPT '20 to Kyle Miller, '17
Taylor Ryan '17, DPT '20 to Matthew Horn '16BIRTHS
A son, Dean Perry, to Franco and Amanda Szewczyk Forgione ’07, South Abington Township
A daughter, Nora Elizabeth, to Aram ’10 and Jill Bury Afarian ’10, Nutley, New Jersey
A son, Paul Frank III, to Paul ’12, G’14 and Kristin Leccese Luongo ’12, G’13, Scranton
A daughter, Lila Mae, to Greg ’13 and Anastasia Zygmunt Mooney ’13, G’15, Harrisburg; granddaughter of Charles Mooney ’83, Stan ’84, G’95 and Elizabeth Zygmunt ’87; great-granddaughter of the late Thomas Casey ’51DEATHS
John F. Gallagher ’58, Winter Park, Florida
Stanley M. Victor ’62, Easton
James F. “Chipper” Mootz '68, Blue Bell
Chuck P. Coccodrilli ’85, Lake Ariel
Regina B. Bennett ’93, G’96, Clarks SummitAlumni Class Notes, November 2021
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10/26/2021
Jeffrey Colucci '21 recently embarked on his career in accounting. Here, he shares what he's learned on his first month on the job at KPMG as an audit associate.
As I reflect on my first month as an Audit Associate at KPMG in their New York City Metro practice, I am filled with excitement, nerves and gratitude. During my first week, the new associates had virtual training and we were warmly welcomed to the firm by countless friendly individuals from managers to partners. After I completed the first week of the virtual training, I jumped right into my first engagement and began auditing my first client. I worked on various tasks with my engagement team such as testing expenses, payroll, investments, revenue and more to ensure the financial statements were fairly stated. I had a bit of a heavy workload since it was “busy season” for the client I was assigned to, which has exposed me to various audit procedures and concepts and allowed me to learn more than I ever could have imagined, gaining invaluable technical skills to use on my future engagements. Some days have been challenging as I get acclimated to the new role and do many things for the first time, but the difficult days are the ones where we experience the most growth.
Despite being in a virtual environment, I never feel alone as it couldn’t be easier to message my team and ask to hop on a phone call to answer all my questions (which I’ve had a ton of), regardless of how busy they are. I have been so impressed and grateful for my team’s support, patience and encouragement thus far and appreciate the knowledge they share with me every day.
For the second part of my training, I recently visited Lakehouse, KPMG’s new state-of-the-art learning, development, and innovation center in Florida, which is such an incredible facility that it is hard to put into words. Initially, I was so nervous to attend my first in-person event since I didn’t know anyone, but everyone was so friendly, and I was so grateful for the opportunity to meet other new hires and form relationships! It was priceless to attend this training in-person, especially in such a luxurious and innovative facility, to further develop my audit skills and foster new connections. KPMG’s enormous investment in this training facility and their people is impressive and reminded me that I chose the right firm that really cares about its people and their futures. I’m excited to go in the NYC office for the first time in the coming weeks for more technology training and for lunch to meet more individuals at the firm.
I am so grateful for everyone who helped get me where I am today; my friends and family who are always supporting me, my accounting professors at Scranton for all the knowledge I absorbed from them, all my mentors along the way, and the Center for Career Development who connect students with opportunities such as this one. I’m so excited to see where my career takes me at such a prestigious firm with endless opportunities in front of me!Recent Graduate Spotlight: Jeffrey Colucci '21
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10/20/2021
University of Scranton alumnus Thomas Tate, Esq. ’56, spoke to students majoring in physics and engineering during his Oct. 14th visit to campus and toured the exhibit “New Frontiers: The Thomas N. Tate, Esq. ’56 Collection of Aerospace Memorabilia,” which he donated to the University. The collection of items accumulated during his service with the national aerospace program from 1962 through 2003 was displayed in the new 5,300 square-foot, state-of-the-art learning and laboratory space for the Mechanical Engineering program on the first floor of Hyland Hall.
“I know that with philanthropy comes promise and possibilities. I want the next generation of explorers to receive a Catholic and Jesuit education that takes them to discovering their great frontier. Together, our support can redirect their future in ways unimagined,” said Tate of his donation to the University.
Tate spoke to University students at The Institute for Electronics and Electrical Engineering Seminar Series about his personal experience with the aerospace program, which included work on the Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle initiatives.
A native of Olyphant, Tate received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University in 1956. His distinguished career spanned four decades, during which he held positions with Rockwell International for 12 years; the federal government, serving on the House of Representatives’ Committee on Science and Technology for 15 years; and an advocacy group, working for the Aerospace Industries Association for 17 years.
His collection will have a permanent home in the mechanical engineering facility in Hyland Hall. The renovated space includes three laboratories, a workshop, a machine shop, and a 16-seat computer lab, as well as faculty offices and a student lounge area. In the facility, mechanical engineering students will experiment with several pieces of equipment in solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, control, dynamics and vibration labs. Students, like aerospace scientists, will work with a wind tunnel, where they will determine important fluid characteristics by measuring aerodynamics pressures, forces and moments applied to aerodynamics models such as airfoil models by the airflow in laminar and turbulent flows. They will also investigate the behavior of engineering materials by performing precise tensile and compression tests to determine material properties such as strength, modulus of elasticity, yield and failure stresses of standard engineering materials.
In addition to mechanical engineering, which the University began to offer in the fall of 2020, other majors offered by the University’s Physics and Engineering Department include computer engineering, electrical engineering, engineering management, biophysics and physics.
$content.getChild('content').textValueStudents Hear Firsthand Account of Space Programs
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10/13/2021
Three college resource websites for prospective students have ranked The University of Scranton among the top 25 best Catholic colleges in the nation in recently published rankings. The rankings include some of the most prestigious Catholic universities in America.
Niche.com ranked Scranton No. 22 among the 2022 “Best Catholic Colleges in America,” which is a ranking based on key statistics and student reviews. The ranking is based on their analysis of academic, admissions, financial and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education along with millions of reviews from students and alumni. Niche.com ranked Scranton No. 2 among the “Best Catholic Colleges in Pennsylvania.”
College Factual ranked Scranton No. 17 in its 2022 list of “Best Colleges Affiliated as Roman Catholic Nationwide.” The national ranking is based their analysis of retention and graduation rates, student loan default rates, overall average post- graduation earnings based on PayScale and College Scorecard data, among other data.
College Choice ranked Scranton No. 23 among the “Best Catholic Colleges and Universities” in the nation, published in June 2021. The ranking was based on their analysis of the college’s reputation, net cost, financial aid and average graduate salary, which used publicly available data from websites of the schools, the National Center for Educational Statistics, U.S. News and World Report and Payscale.com.
Scranton Among Top 25 Catholic Colleges in Nation
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10/06/2021
The University of Scranton held the 2021 Medical Alumni Council (MAC) Symposium virtually Oct. 2.
The day-long event featured presentations on a variety of CME topics from accomplished alumni as well as a panel discussion from members of the MAC. The symposium in its entirety will premiere on The Alumni Society’s YouTube channel soon; check future installments of Royal News for a link to the full conference.
The symposium featured the following alumni presentations:
“Treating the Whole Patient: Where Medicine & Dentistry Converge” by Patrick Donnelly, D.M.D., Ph.D. ’09, general dentist, Cipriani Dental Associates
“Managing Anxiety in the Clinical Office Setting: Improving Comfort & Outcomes at Routine Medical & Dental Visits” by Kevin Brazill, D.O., F.A.P.A. ’95, medical director, John D. Kelly Mental Health Clinic, Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital, Finger Lakes Health
“Novel Therapeutic Approaches & Patient-directed Care in Sickle Cell Disease: Past, Present, & Future” by Scott Peslak, M.D., Ph.D. ’06, instructor, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pennsylvania
“Ethics, Policy, & Orthopedic Surgery” by John Mercuri, M.D., M.A. Bioethics ’07, adult hip and knee reconstruction, Geisinger Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine
The symposium also included “Scranton Shorts” videos designed to give viewers a peek into a specific area of medicine or research. Presentations included “Pediatric Eye Care With Angela Croteau Marx, O.D. '07,” “Medical Parenting in a Pandemic with Julie Krcmaric, M.A., N.C.C. '07,” “Summer Neuroscience Research Experience: Oxytocin & Heroin Addiction with Jacob Shomali '22,” and “Covid & Medical Training: The New Abnormal with Christopher Kustera '15, G'17, Kate Musto '20, and Sara Wierbowski '19.”
The event also featured opening remarks by April Troy, M.D. M.P.H., F.A.A.P. ’02, a general pediatrician at Pediatrics of Northeastern Pennsylvania and an assistant clinical professor at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Troy’s introduction completed her term of service as the MAC’s executive committee chair, and she transitioned to the position of immediate past chair. Joseph Butash, M.D.’07, an emergency medicine physician at St. Luke’s University Health Network, delivered the symposium’s farewell address as his first act as chair of the MAC’s executive committee.
For more information on the MAC, visit this link.
MAC Symposium Premieres Virtually
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10/06/2021
The University of Scranton will present “New Frontiers: The Thomas N. Tate, Esq. ’56 Collection of Aerospace Memorabilia” at 5 p.m. Oct. 14 on the first floor of Hyland Hall in the Department of Physics and Engineering Mechanical Engineering Facility.
A native of Olyphant, Tate received his B.S. in Marketing from the University in 1956. From 1962 through 2003, he played a major role in the national aerospace program, working for government and industry on the Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle initiatives. In a career spanning more than four decades, he held positions with a private corporation, working at Rockwell International for 12 years; the federal government, serving on the House of Representatives’ Committee on Science and Technology for 15 years; and an advocacy group, working for the Aerospace Industries Association for 17 years.
Tate will also appear as a guest speaker at The Institute for Electronics and Electrical Engineering Seminar Series Oct. 14 at noon in Hyland Hall’s Room 102. In conjunction with this presentation, the “Tate Collection of Aerospace Memorabilia,” which Tate recently donated to the University, will have a permanent home in the department’s new Mechanical Engineering facility in Hyland Hall.
The Mechanical Engineering Program in the Physics and Engineering Department is a 5,300 square-foot, state-of-the-art learning and laboratory space. Using modern equipment and contemporary methods, students learn analysis, synthesis and evaluation for understanding solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, dynamics and thermodynamics, control, and vibration. They work with a wind tunnel, where they determine fluid characteristics by measuring aerodynamic pressures, forces and moments applied to aerodynamic models by the airflow in laminar and turbulent flows. They also investigate the behavior of engineering materials by performing tensile and compression tests to determine material properties such as strength, modulus of elasticity, yield, and failure stresses.
The exhibition of the “Tate Collection of Aerospace Memorabilia” will not only document an important phase of engineering history, but it will also convey to students the exciting careers and endless possibilities that a University of Scranton education provides.
Through the NASA memorabilia collection and his personal recollections of his time in the aerospace industry, Tate takes us on a spectacular journey through an age of discovery best exemplified by the moon landing. His pioneering spirit helped forge a new era of space exploration that future generations will continue to study for ages to come.
Tate was part of the space journey from the very beginning, when President Kennedy committed the nation to “landing a person on the moon before the end of the decade.” Tate’s Jesuit education at Scranton convinced him to listen to his calling and “go forth and set the world on fire.” He set out for California with his marketing degree from Scranton, and his confidence landed him a position testing, analyzing and synthesizing data for the NASA and Rockwell flight teams. His early work with spacecraft testing for Rockwell International at Edwards Air Force Base set the stage for his next two career paths: serving the House Committee on Science and Technology, and serving as Vice President of the Aerospace Industries Association.
While the early NASA work was exciting and generously funded, shuttle setbacks and economic downturns ultimately grounded plans for continued spaceflight. Still, the aerospace program left a remarkable legacy, opening a universe of possibilities for those who care to enter. It continues to inspire innovation, exploration and discovery in children and adults worldwide. Some of its benefits range from current students’ interest in space education to the expanded role of private industry in aerospace activities and plans for visiting Mars. While the inventions that resulted from the program are too numerous to mention, their enormous impact on our civilization helps us study, save and preserve our planet for future generations.
Tate’s legacy with our space program is a powerful reminder of where a University of Scranton degree can take you. Tate traveled the world after graduation, and his love for The University of Scranton remained front and center in his life because of Scranton’s outstanding professors and the Jesuits who encouraged his curiosity and the Socratic method of learning.
“My Jesuit education provided character building and self-discipline with rigorous leadership training from the military sciences,” he said. “The Jesuits taught me and continue to teach current students to look beyond what is in front of them. Throughout my life, I stayed connected to Scranton and The Alumni Society. Because of great professors and the Jesuit influence on my life, I established, endowed and continue to support The Tate Family Scholarship. I’ve also chosen membership in The Estate Society.
“I know that with philanthropy comes promise and possibilities. I want the next generation of explorers to receive a Catholic and Jesuit education that takes them to discovering their great frontier. Together, our support can redirect their future in ways unimagined. I firmly believe in the scripture, ‘To whom much is given, much is expected,’ and I am honored to support my alma mater’s mission.”
University To Present 'New Frontiers: The Thomas N. Tate, Esq. '56 Collection' Oct. 14
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10/06/2021
The Alumni Society will offer fall regional service project opportunities to Royals near Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.
On Saturday, Nov. 6, from 10 a.m. to noon, alumni, parents and friends can help bag non-perishable items for food distribution at ALIVE!, 116 South Quaker Lane, Alexandria, Va., the oldest and largest private safety net dedicated to fighting poverty and hunger in the city of Alexandria. To register, visit this link.
On Tuesday, Nov. 16, from 6 to 8 p.m., alumni, parents and friends will sort donations at the Cradles to Crayons Giving Factory, 4700 Wissahickon Avenue, Suite 142, Philadelphia, in support of the more than 300,000 children living in poverty in the Philadelphia area. To register, visit this link.
Royals in the Hillside, New Jersey area will soon be able to register for a service opportunity Dec. 4 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Hillside location. Check future issues of Royal News to learn more. For more information or to suggest volunteer opportunities in your region, email Marge Gleason at Margery.gleason@scranton.edu.
Alumni Society Announces Fall Regional Service Projects
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10/06/2021
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
William J. Parker ’77, West Grove, vice president of Claims & Underwriting for Conestoga Title Insurance Co., received his recent appointment as a Certified Land Title Professional (CLTP) by the Pennsylvania Land Title Association (PLTA). The CLTP designation is the highest professional designation level awarded by the PLTA. Education, experience and professional participation are among the requisites for sitting for the CLTP examination. Parker is an approved CE and CLE instructor in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio and New York and serves on the Executive, Education and Legislative committees for the Pennsylvania Land Title Association.
Susan Henke Brinkman '91, Patchogue, New York, was named the 2021 Suffolk School Library Media Association's Librarian of the Year. A Bayport Blue Point UFSD School Library Media Specialist for 14 years, Susan has led the district through many innovative projects, including an inquiry-based library enrichment research class for grades 3-5, and she also established a close partnership with the local public library to expand resources and communication. Praised for her willingness to share knowledge and provide professional development for her peers in Suffolk County, Susan has proven herself a leader in the field.
Christen Gilmore Pionzio ’91, Doylestown, a partner in the firm Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell and Lupin, is listed in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Scott R. Mullen, Ed.D. ’03, Wilmington, Delaware, earned his doctorate in Education Leadership from Widener University. His dissertation topic was "Efficacy of Restorative Justice Strategies in Response to Academic Dishonesty: Perceptions of High School Administrators, Teachers, and Parents." Dr. Mullen teaches Latin and serves as chair of the Classics Department at his alma mater, St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, in Philadelphia.
William T. Colona ’08, Teaneck, New Jersey, has been promoted to assistant vice president for Government Relations, Federal and Urban Affairs at Fordham University.
Dylan H. Lang ’15, Atlanta, Georgia, spoke in front of the United Nations Human Rights Council on behalf of the United States of America.
BIRTHS
A daughter, Riley Madison, to Michael ’05 and Sara Suchoski Carroll ’05, Montville, New Jersey
WEDDINGSMara Castellano ’07, G’14 to Mike Horvath
Caitlin Counihan '15, DPT '18 to Daniel DiPaola '14, DPT '17DEATHS
E. Donald Kotchick, M.D. '57, Dalton
George J. Klem, Ph.D. ’67, Havre de Grace, Maryland
Chester J. Kowalski ’68, Scott Township
Frank E. Galonis ’79, Pittston
Jill Finn Healey ’86, Edwardsville
Diana M. Woloshin G’08, Summerville, South CarolinaFRIENDS'/FAMILY DEATHS
Francis X. Solano, father of Francis X. Solano, M.D. ’75
James Zipay, brother of Edward Zipay ’65, G’67Alumni Class Notes, October 2021
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10/04/2021
The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education ranked The University of Scranton No. 89 in the nation for student engagement. This was Scranton’s best ranking among the 796 schools included in The Wall Street Journal’s “Best Colleges 2022” ranking, which scored schools in several categories as well as an overall ranking. Scranton also ranked at No. 212 for student outcomes, scoring well for salaries of graduates, adjusted for student, location and other characteristics, among other factors. Scranton’s overall ranking was No. 261 in the nation.
Scranton had the best overall ranking, as well as student engagement and outcomes rankings, of the northeastern Pennsylvania colleges that were included in The Wall Street Journal’s ranking.
The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education ranking is based on an analysis of 15 performance metrics in the categories of resources, student engagement, outcomes and campus environment.
The student engagement portion of their analysis is based largely on The U.S. Student Survey data. Factors considered for the student engagement score are related directly to their college experience, such as interaction with faculty and other students, and whether they would recommend their schools to others. The number of accredited programs offered is also factored into this measure. Student engagement represented 20 percent of the overall ranking score.
Outcomes, which represented 40 percent of the overall ranking score, looked at graduation rate, academic reputation, debt after graduation and the “value added” to graduate salary. The “value added” portion of the analysis applied statistical modeling to adjust for student, location and other characteristics in order to measure the impact the school has on the salary of its graduates.
The ranking also measured resources invested in instruction and student services (30 percent of the overall ranking), which included the finance cost per student, faculty/student ratio and research papers published per faculty member, and the learning environment (10 percent of the overall ranking), which includes student and staff diversity, among other factors.
The ranking was published by The Wall Street Journal Sept. 17.
Scranton Among Wall Street Journal’s Best Colleges
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09/29/2021
“The University really is a miracle. It is a place in point of fact where miracles are commonplace; where dreams are nurtured; where hope is born in every generation, where the students have a friendship and a genius for loyalty, and therefore a place where friendships are strong and lifelong; where character is formed; where God is discovered, wrestled with, praised and served; where generosity is a way of life.” Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J., the 23rd president of The University of Scranton and current president of Fordham University
“What we need at this moment in higher education are leaders capable of distinguishing between the inevitable and the possible. Leaders with enough creativity and originality to write a new script for the future. And that, University of Scranton, is just one of the ways in which you are so blessed to have Joe Marina as your president.” Linda M. LeMura, Ph.D., president of Le Moyne College
“This campus and its students bring such a vibrant energy to our city and we are all proud to have such a world class institution in the heart of the city of Scranton. The University is a true exemplar of the best of Jesuit education.” U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright
“The city would not be what it is today without The University of Scranton. The University is a foundational institution in the community and as we do go forward it is paramount that we continue to build together.” Paige Cognetti, mayor of Scranton.
“At its core, the University continues to fulfill its original vision, rooted in the life of the church as a Catholic and Jesuit university animated by the spiritual vision and tradition of excellence characteristic of the Society of Jesus and those who share its way of proceeding.” Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of Scranton,
“In Father Marina, the board found a skilled academic leader and proven teacher who is also the ideal champion for mission and for community in all its richness.” James Slattery ’86, chair of The University of Scranton Board of Trustees
“Speaking for all Jesuits, you have our great affection, our prayers and every confidence that you will be a wonderful leader of this amazing place.” Rev. Joseph M. O’Keefe, S.J., provincial of the USA East Province of the Society of Jesus,
“We are absolutely privileged to have such a kind and thoughtful person leading The University of Scranton community as our new president. We have already noticed Father Marina’s genuine commitment to students and remain excited about the legacy he will leave on this University long after many of us have graduated. … While I’m sure his culinary skills are on point, it’s comforting to know that students aren’t the only ones who set of the fire alarm in Pilarz Hall.” Adrianna O. Smith ’22, president of Student Government
“More so than any other person I know, Joe has a stunningly acute sacramental vision. What I mean by that is that he sees clearly what is before him, but he also looks through those things, people, relationships, objects, impasses. He looks beyond them to see possibilities and newness. He sees the best of what can be and ultimately he sees how the finger of God is at work in all of it and in all of us.” Rev. Peter Folan, S.J., assistant professor of theology and religious studies at Georgetown University, in the Introduction of the President.
A recording of the ceremony can be viewed from the Inauguration website.
Quotes from the Inauguration of the 29th President
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09/28/2021
The University of Scranton’s Kania School of Management announced a gift of $1 million from John D. Dionne ’86 and Jacquelyn Dionne ‘89. The generous donation will be used to name and support two Kania honors programs: the Frank P. Corcione Business Honors Program; and the Robert L. McKeage Business Leadership Honors Program. The fund will support the growing Study Abroad program and other activities for students in these two honors programs, as well as other students enrolled in the Kania School of Management.
The Frank P. Corcione Business Honors Program and the Robert L. McKeage Business Leadership Honors Program are among the University’s five undergraduate programs of excellence. The Business Honors Program is a selective four-year program geared toward highly-motivated undergraduate students interested in pursuing academic excellence in business who will pursue honors studies in the areas of economics, entrepreneurship, operations management, accounting, finance, international business, marketing and management. The Business Leadership Honors Program is a highly-selective program students enter in their junior year. Participants explore the basic theories and concepts of leadership through special seminars and courses in management, ethics, strategy and analysis, in addition to field trips to learn from top executives and projects in leadership, service and mentoring.
For over twenty-five years, the Dionnes have been good friends and generous benefactors of The University of Scranton and the Kania School of Management. The Dionnes were co-recipients of the 2013 University President’s Medal and were the driving force behind creating the Kania School Business Leader Hall of Fame. The green located at the heart of the University’s campus is named in their honor.
“I can’t thank you enough for your generosity and steadfast support. You are an example to our students and your fellow graduates and an inspiration to me.” said Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, upon announcing the gift at his Inauguration as Scranton’s 29th president on Sept. 24.
A native of Scranton, Jackie Dionne is a registered nurse and received her bachelor’s degree in health administration from the University. She currently serves as an RN with elderly and Alzheimer’s patients. Jackie Dionne serves on the University’s Board of Trustees and previously served on its board from 2011 to 2017. She works with numerous charitable organizations, including the National Charity League, Horizons Organization of Bridgeport and Meals on Wheels.
A New Hampshire native, John Dionne graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics/finance and accounting from the University and later earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. A very successful business executive, he retired in 2013 as a senior managing director from the Blackstone Group. He currently serves as a senior advisor to Blackstone, is a senior lecturer at the Harvard Business School, and a director of Fortune 500 companies. A former chair of the University’s Board of Trustees, John Dionne, helped launch the President’s Business Council and the annual award dinner. A frequent speaker in the Kania School of Management’s Executive in Residence program and other leading universities, he was recently ranked among Harvard’s top 50 most prominent alumni.
“We are grateful to honor two of the long-time icons of the Kania School in current Professor Dr. Robert McKeage and the late Dr. Frank Corcione. They share a demanding Jesuit philosophical ideal, illustrated by the quote of St. Luke – ‘from whom much is given, much is expected,’” said John Dionne. “Dr. Corcione was demanding but cared, and motivated students to give it their all. Wall Street is awash with ‘Corcione products.’”
“Additionally, we are pleased to enhance the rapidly growing demand by students for semesters abroad by making them more affordable. We believe the program is a life-changing experience and an exciting complement to a University of Scranton Catholic and Jesuit education,” added Jackie Dionne. “Dr. McKeage is award-winning, dedicated faculty member, who always places student learning first.”
University Receives 1 Million Dollar Donation
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09/28/2021
Supported by a generous gift from the Dionne family, The University of Scranton’s Kania School of Management will name two programs of excellence after faculty who have had a significant impact on the lives of Kania students: the Frank P. Corcione Business Honors Program and the Robert L. McKeage Business Leadership Honors Program.
About the Professors Honored
The legendary Frank P. Corcione, Ph.D., professor emeritus, retired in 2009 after 28 years of distinguished service to The University of Scranton. A member of the department of Economics and Finance and professor emeritus at Scranton, he taught a wide range of courses within his field. A highly-regarded professor, he was an imposing presence in the classroom and demanded students give their best. Generations of students will attest to the nervousness they felt when enrolling in his classes. However, in return, Dr. Corcione had a huge impact on the lives of many of his students. He was demanding but cared, and motivated students to give it their all. He used his strong connections with alumni to help students secure internships and jobs. Wall Street is awash with “Corcione products.” During his nearly 30 years at The University of Scranton, Dr. Corcione was active with the faculty union. He also served as a consultant working on economics damages cases and was widely respected for his formidable skill in providing courtroom testimony. A native of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Dr. Corcione earned a bachelor’s degree from Moravian College. He earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Lehigh University. He proudly served in the U.S Marine Corps from 1958 to 1962. Sadly, he passed away in December 2020 and is survived by his widow Sandy, sons Christopher and Matthew, and grandson Michael.
A distinguished professor who has served as a faculty member at The University of Scranton since 1974, Robert L. McKeage, Ph.D. ’71, G’73, is the director of the University’s Business Leadership Honors Program and an associate professor of marketing and management in the Kania School of Management. Dr. McKeage played a key role in the development of Scranton’s Business Leadership Honors Program, which has graduated more than 200 elite students who have completed the prestigious two-year program. An award-winning, dedicated faculty member, who always places student learning first, Dr. McKeage’s numerous teaching accolades include the Alpha Sigma Nu’s Edward Gannon Award for Teaching, the Kania School of Management’s Student’s Choice Award for Teaching and the Provost’s Enhancement Award for Excellence in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. In 2011, he was awarded the University’s O’Hara Award, which is the highest honor bestowed jointly by the University and its Alumni Society. Most recently, he was named an Alperin Teaching Fellow. Dr. McKeage is an active volunteer in the greater Scranton area, serving on several regional non-profit boards. A native of Montrose, Pennsylvania, Dr. McKeage holds both a Bachelor of Science in Management and a Master’s in Business Administration from The University of Scranton. He also earned a Master’s of Science from Lehigh University and a Ph.D. from Temple University. John D. Dionne ’86 and Jacquelyn Dionne ’89 said in the announcement of their gift of $1 million:
“We are grateful to honor two of the long-time icons of the Kania School in current Professor Dr. Robert McKeage and the late Dr. Frank Corcione. They share a demanding Jesuit philosophical ideal, illustrated by the quote of St. Luke – ‘from whom much is given, much is expected,’”
Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, announced the gift at his Inauguration as Scranton’s 29th president, thanking the Dionnes' for their “generosity and steadfast support. You are an example to our students and your fellow graduates and an inspiration to me.”
About the Programs of Excellence
The Frank P. Corcione Business Honors Program and the Robert L. McKeage Business Leadership Honors Program are among the University’s five undergraduate programs of excellence. The Business Honors Program is a selective four-year program geared toward highly-motivated undergraduate students interested in pursuing academic excellence in business who will pursue honors studies in the areas of economics, entrepreneurship, operations management, accounting, finance, international business, marketing and management. The Business Leadership Honors Program is a highly-selective program students enter in their junior year. Participants explore the basic theories and concepts of leadership through special seminars and courses in management, ethics, strategy and analysis, in addition to field trips to learn from top executives and projects in leadership, service and mentoring.
$content.getChild('content').textValueTwo Honors Programs Named After Professors
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09/27/2021
The University of Scranton named six individuals to its Board of Trustees: John Boken P’16, P’22; Rev. Thomas W. Neitzke, S.J.; Crystal E. Newby, Ed.D. ’04, G’08; Rev. Angelo J. (“A.J.”) Rizzo, S.J. ’03; Joseph L. Sorbera Jr. P’08, P’08; and Anthony J. Yanni, M.D. ’88, P’21, P’23.
Boken is a managing director in the turnaround and restructuring services practice at AlixPartners, an international consultancy firm. With more than 30 years of corporate turnaround and restructuring experience, he specializes in complex, high profile, national and cross-border cases, including NRG Energy (2004) and Flying J (2011). He has often been appointed to senior management positions in client engagements, including serving as CEO, COO, CFO, and Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO), helping companies address and resolve financial and operational distress. Recently, he served as Deputy CRO for Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) in its landmark Chapter 11 bankruptcy case in California. His experience spans a variety of industries, including energy, logistics, entertainment, homebuilding, industrial construction, manufacturing, retail, health care and agriculture.
Boken started his professional career at Arthur Andersen, ultimately becoming a principal and co-owner of a premier boutique restructuring advisory firm, Zolfo Cooper. In 2018, he and his partners merged their firm with AlixPartners, where he now serves in both a leadership capacity and continues as a senior client restructuring advisory practitioner. In addition, Boken serves on the board of directors for The Pasha Group.
Boken holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Santa Clara University. He resides in South Pasadena, California, with his wife, Susie. They are the parents of three children: Brendan ’16, Connell and Eryn ’22.
Father Neitzke, Ed.D., is the dean and executive director at Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago. Previously, he served as president of Creighton Preparatory School and was also an adjunct faculty member at Creighton University’s Graduate School. He has taught courses in strategic and political leadership, school law and foundations of education, and has supervised internships in elementary/secondary administration. He is also an adjunct faculty member for the Jesuit Worldwide Learning: Higher Education at the Margins.
Father Neitzke served as chairman of the board at Creighton Preparatory School before his term as president, and currently serves on the boards of Marquette University, Marquette University High School and the Jesuit Academy. Previously, he served on the boards of Georgetown Preparatory School, Loyola Academy, Seattle University, Brophy College Preparatory School and the Boys and Girls Club of the Midlands.
Father Neitzke earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Loyola University in Chicago, a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of San Francisco, a Master of Divinity degree from Santa Clara University and a doctorate from Creighton University focusing on educational leadership.
Dr. Newby recently accepted the role of senior director of strategic admission, access and diversity initiatives at the College Board. Previously, Dr. Newby served as the inaugural director of diversity, equity and inclusion at the National Association for College Admission Counseling, where she served for eight years. Earlier in her career, she worked in college admission offices at The University of Scranton, Montclair State University and Bloomsburg University.
Most recently, Dr. Newby joined the Advisory Council for the Philadelphia College Prep Roundtable, a college access and completion network. In addition, she served as a selection committee member from 2015-2020 for the American School Counselor Association’s School Counselor of the Year award. In 2020, she interviewed Professor Ibram X. Kendi, National Book Award winner and New York Times bestselling author of “How to be an Antiracist and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You,” co-authored by Jason Reynolds. In June 2021, Dr. Newby had an essay published in “Chicken Soup for the Soul: I’m Speaking Now: Black Women Share Their Truth in 101 Stories of Love, Courage and Hope.”
Dr. Newby earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from The University of Scranton and a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University. At her undergraduate commencement at Scranton, Dr. Newby received the Lawrence A. Mann Award, which recognizes leadership and service to the University community. As a student at Scranton, she was an active member of Performance Music, United Colors, Liva Arts Company and University Players. She also served as a resident assistant, orientation assistant and student teleworker.
Father Rizzo is a priest of the U.S.A. East Province of the Society of Jesus, who began serving as the president of Scranton Preparatory School in July 2021. Most recently, he served as director of mission and identity at Regis High School in New York City.
Fr. Rizzo taught English, religion and Latin at Scranton Prep from 2011 to 2014. An alumnus of St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia, he previously ministered at several other Jesuit high schools on the east coast. He served at his alma mater as a volunteer teacher in the school’s Alumni Service Corps. He also served as the director of Christian service at Loyola Blakefield for three years. He entered the Society of Jesus in 2007 and was ordained to the priesthood in 2017. He served as assistant pastor at St. Ignatius Loyola parish in Baltimore, and earlier was a deacon at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Oakland, California.
Fr. Rizzo has served as a trustee of St. Ignatius High School, St. Elizabeth High School and Fairfield Preparatory School.
Father Rizzo earned bachelor’s degrees in both biology and philosophy from The University of Scranton, a master’s degree in pastoral counseling from Loyola University Maryland; a master’s degree in humanities from Fordham University, and a Master of Divinity degree from the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. Fr. Rizzo was awarded a doctorate in Catholic educational leadership from the University of San Francisco.
Sorbera is the CEO and president of JLS Cost Management Systems, Inc., based in New York City. His firm manages finances, costs and strategies associated with major construction projects being conducted by businesses across the United States and Europe. He also serves as a long-standing member of the board of directors-executive management committee of Bideawee, a 118-year-old animal rescue and adoption organization.
Since 2004, Sorbera has served The University of Scranton in multiple capacities: first as an involved parent, then in a leadership position alongside then-President Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., in the Pride, Passion and Promise Capital Campaign. He has served as an executive-in-residence for Kania School of Management and as a member of the University’s Board of Trustees from 2009-2015. He is currently a member of the President’s Business Council and was honored with the President’s Medal in 2018.
Sorbera earned his bachelor’s degree in management from the University of Phoenix. He and his late wife, Diane, have three children Christina, Diana ’08 and Joseph III ’08, and a granddaughter, Danielle Marie.
Dr. Yanni is senior vice president and head of patient centricity at Astellas, where he is responsible for leading the development and execution of the company’s global patient centricity strategy across all functions of the organization. With a shared vision to better and more genuinely understand the patient journey in the real-world setting, along with the continued development of a patient-centered corporate culture worldwide, one area in which he is focused is on creating sustainable processes to address key areas that matter to patients and applying their unique insights to the entire product lifecycle – from early research to development and, ultimately, to utilization.
Previously, Dr. Yanni held multiple roles at Sanofi, most recently serving as head of patient insights, solutions and outcomes where he led a global team to create a first-in-industry process to integrate the patient and clinician perspective into research portfolio decision-making. Earlier in his career, Dr. Yanni spent nearly 15 years in clinical practice serving as a primary care physician, chief of internal medicine and chief medical officer for a health system in the Northeastern United States.
Dr. Yanni currently serves on the board of directors for Patient Focused Medical Development. He was selected as one of 2021’s 100 Most Inspiring People in the life-sciences industry by PharmaVoice Magazine.
Dr. Yanni earned a bachelor’s degree from The University of Scranton, a MBA from the University of Massachusetts and a M.D. from Drexel University School of Medicine (formerly Hahnemann). He is married to Karen (Fagin) Yanni ’88, G’08, and they have four children: Patrick, Gina, Nicholas ’21 and Elisa ’23.
The University of Scranton Names Six New Trustees
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09/24/2021
“A Fire That Kindles Other Fires,” the theme chosen for the Inauguration of Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., as the 29th president of The University of Scranton, was evident throughout the address given by the new president at the ceremony. In his Inaugural Address, Father Marina referred to remarks of former Scranton presidents, words of Jesuit superior generals, the life of St. Ignatius and the accomplishments of students, faculty, staff, alumni and others, to illustrate the influence one person can have on others.
“In his first inaugural address, Father Pilarz referred to our University as a miracle in the mountains. And that’s exactly what it is. But it didn’t take long for me to notice that Scranton is also a vineyard in the valley, a place where hard work, dedication, and an authentic commitment to the ideals and characteristics of Catholic and Jesuit higher education converge for the benefit of the students we serve,” said Father Marina. “This vineyard produces sweet and abundant grapes and our harvest is a harvest to be envied. … The credit goes to our wonderful students, our amazing faculty and staff, loyal trustees, alumni and benefactors who, year after year, have cultivated the soil of this vineyard to make it rich and nurturing.”
Father Marina said the term “a fire that kindles other fires,” from the second decree of the 35th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus, “is a metaphor that every Jesuit work, and every member of that work, can take on in a personal and apostolic way. The University of Scranton is, without a doubt, a fire that kindles other fires – one that illuminates and warms rather than burns and destroys.”
Father Marina referred to the University’s sense of community as its greatest asset.
“The community that is Scranton is authentic, and you can feel it almost immediately when stepping onto our beautiful campus. We are a family,” said Father Marina. “Our community is not an insulated one. It is grounded in God’s love. Our university exists because of Jesus Christ. And our future will be stoked by the fire of the Holy Spirit for decades to come. This triune reality makes our community open to all, not despite their differences, but precisely because of them. We are made stronger by our diversity and by our love for one another.”
Father Marina closed his remarks citing advice he received from Scranton’s 23rd president, Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J., currently the president of Fordham University: “If you love The University of Scranton, if you truly love it, then marvelous things are bound to happen.”
Father Marina said that is “exactly” what he intends to do, and asked others to “please join me as we carry our mission forward, or, more rightly, may I join you? So that, together, we can cultivate this wonderful vineyard in the valley and be that fire that kindles other fires.”
The Inauguration occurred during the Ignatian Year, the 500th anniversary of the conversion of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus.
Nearly 1,500 members of the University community and invited guests attended the Inauguration, including representatives from more than 45 colleges and universities; Rev. Joseph M. O’Keefe, S.J., provincial of the USA East Province of the Society of Jesus, who presented the Missioning of the President at the ceremony; Scranton’s Mayor Paige Cognetti, who provided greetings from the city; and Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of Scranton, who provided the Invocation, among others. Recorded greetings were given by U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright and U.S. Senator Bob Casey, a Scranton native. The Inauguration also featured the performance of an original work composed for the Inauguration by David Lantz III, titled “To the Ends of the Earth.”
A recording of the ceremony is available for viewing. Photos from the event can be seen on the University’s Inauguration Flickr album.
In addition to the Inauguration Ceremony, an Inauguration Mass is planned for Saturday, Sept. 25, at 4 p.m. on campus. An Inauguration Concert is set for Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center. The events coincide with Family Weekend.
$content.getChild('content').textValueScranton Celebrates Inauguration of 29th President
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09/24/2021
Inauguration Date: Sept. 24, 2021
Ignatian Year - commemorating the 500th anniversary of the conversion of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus
Theme: “A Fire that Kindles Other Fires” – The Inauguration theme is quoted from Decree 2 of the 35th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus.
Attendance: Nearly 1,500
Number of Colleges and Universities Represented: 41
Oldest College Represented: University of Pennsylvania (established 1740)
Newest College Represented: Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medical College (established 2008)
Number of School Presidents in Attendance: 11
Former University of Scranton Presidents in Attendance: 3
Quotable: “The 35th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus, in its second decree, proposed the symbol of a fire that kindles other fires. This term was first used in reference to St. Alberto Hurtdado of Chile and later intended for the renewal of all Jesuits. But it wasn’t meant for them alone. This is a metaphor that every Jesuit work, and every member of that work, can take on in a personal and apostolic way. The University of Scranton is, without a doubt, a fire that kindles other fires – one that illuminates and warms rather than burns and destroys.” Inaugural Address of Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., President of The University of Scranton.
World Premiere at Inauguration: First performance of a new work for combined band and choir entitled “To The Ends Of The Earth,” composed by David Lantz III with a text inspired by themes from the 35thGeneral Congregation of The Society of Jesus.
Quick Facts on Inauguration of the 29th President
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09/22/2021
Forbes ranked The University of Scranton among “America’s Top Colleges” for the 13th year. Scranton is the only college in Northeast Pennsylvania to be named among the 600 elite colleges listed in the 2021 ranking, which was published online on Sept. 8. Scranton, ranked No. 425, was among just 35 colleges in Pennsylvania that Forbes selected as “America’s Top Colleges.”
The ranking by Forbes analyzed “outputs” of a college education, weighting alumni salaries at one to four years and 10 years after graduation the most at 20 percent of their overall score. The methodology used by Forbes also looked at graduation rates (15 percent), student debt (15 percent) and the number of alumni making the Forbes “American Leaders” lists (15 percent), such as its “Forbes 400” and “Richest Self-Made Women” lists, as well as alumni who won national and international awards or positions, such as winners of the Nobel Prize and graduates who are members of the Supreme Court. Forbes also rated retention rate (10 percent), academic success (10 percent), as measured by alumni winning prestigious academic scholarships, such as Fulbright and Truman scholarships, and a “return on investment” measurement (15 percent), which calculates the time it takes for students to pay their college debt based on the “post-enrollment earnings boost students get compared their typical salary of a high school graduate in their state.”
Also in September, U.S. News & World Report ranked Scranton No. 5 among the “Best Regional Universities in the North” in the 2022 edition of their “Best Colleges” guidebook, marking the 28th consecutive year that U.S. News ranked Scranton among the top 10 universities in its category. U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 14 in its category in its “Best Undergraduate Teaching” listing of the top colleges in the nation expressing “a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching;” No. 45 as a “Best Value Regional University in the North;” and No. 138 in its category in “Top Performers on Social Mobility.” In national rankings, U.S. News ranked Scranton No. 166 among America’s “Best Undergraduate Business Programs;” No. 185 among “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs;” and No. 148 among the nation’s “Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs.”
Scranton Named Among Top Colleges in America
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09/14/2021
The University of Scranton President’s Business Council (PBC) announced that the 20th Annual Award Dinner, planned for Thursday, Oct. 7, at Gotham Hall in New York City, has been canceled due to complications related to the ongoing pandemic. The PBC will instead offer a virtual celebration on Thursday, Nov. 18, which will honor John E. (Jack) Brennan ’68, P’06, in memoriam, and will also provide a retrospective look at the first twenty years of the PBC.
“Working in consultation with our New York City-based PBC leadership team, we decided that hosting a virtual event in November was best for the University, our honorees and all of our constituents,” said Timothy J. Pryle ’89, executive director of the PBC. “We are confident that we can build on our extremely successful virtual event last year as we honor the late Jack Brennan and reflect on the first twenty years of the PBC.”
Patricia A. Byrnes Clarke ’86, P’17,’19 and Thomas P. O’Brien ’86, P’19, who were also scheduled to be honored on Oct. 7, will be the honorees for the October 2022 PBC Dinner.
The PBC was formed in 2001 by the University and a prominent group of alumni and friends with the purpose of advancing the mission of the University. The PBC is committed to strengthening the Scranton network in the business sectors and to providing mentoring, internship and career support for current students and meaningful engagement opportunities for alumni, parents and friends. At the PBC’s Annual Award Dinner, an honoree is presented with the University’s President’s Medal, which recognizes individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others. Proceeds from the dinner go directly to the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
Additional details regarding this year’s virtual celebration will follow.
PBC Opts for Virtual Celebration Honoring Jack Brennan
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09/13/2021
U.S. News & World Report ranked Scranton No. 5 among the “Best Regional Universities in the North” in the 2022 edition of the “Best Colleges” guidebook, which became available online today. U.S. News has ranked Scranton among the top 10 universities in its category for 28 consecutive years.
U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 14 in its category in its “Best Undergraduate Teaching” listing of the top colleges in the nation expressing “a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching.”
In addition, Scranton was ranked No. 45 as a “Best Value Regional University in the North,” which compares academic quality of programs to cost of attendance. This is the ninth consecutive year U.S. News has recognized Scranton as a “Best Value” school. Scranton was ranked No. 138 in its category in “Top Performers on Social Mobility,” which looks at schools that enroll and graduate “large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants.”
In national rankings, as opposed to listings by category, U.S. News included Scranton among America’s “Best Undergraduate Business Programs,” ranking Scranton at No. 166 in the U.S., “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs” at No. 185 (where doctorate is not offered); and among the nation’s “Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs,” ranking Scranton No. 148 in the nation.
U.S. News uses data on 17 measures of academic quality to rank 1,466 bachelor’s degree colleges in the America. For its rankings, U.S. News considers a range of quality indicators that include an “outcomes” measurement” (40 percent), which assesses graduation rates; freshman retention; a social mobility score; graduate indebtedness; and graduation performance rates, which compares a school’s actual graduation rates with predicted graduation rates based on characteristics of the incoming class. U.S. News ranking analysis also includes a peer assessment of academic excellence (20 percent); faculty resources (20 percent), which includes class size and regional cost-of-living adjustments to faculty pay and benefits; student excellence (7 percent), as measured by SAT or ACT scores and high school ranking of students in the top 25 percent of their class; financial resources (10 percent); and alumni giving (3 percent).
U.S. News categorizes colleges for their rankings based on the official Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classification of universities.
The 2022 U.S. News “Best Colleges” rankings became available online Sept. 13. The printed edition of the guidebook will be available in bookstores Nov. 2.
To read more about all the accolades the University has received visit our Outcomes & National Recognition page.
$content.getChild('content').textValueU.S. News Ranks Scranton No. 5 in 2022 Guidebook
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08/31/2021
The University will hold the 2021 Medical Alumni Council (MAC) Symposium in the DeNaples Center’s Moskovitz Theater Oct. 2; in addition to the in-person gathering, the University will also offer a virtual attendance option. To register for the event, visit this link.
Although the day-long symposium is primarily designed for Scranton physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, retired physicians, medical school students and undergrad pre-professional students, attendance is also open to medical professionals and students not affiliated with the University. The event will feature presentations on a variety of CME topics from accomplished alumni*, including the following:
7:45 a.m. - Registration & Continental Breakfast - The DeNaples Center
8:30 a.m. - Welcome & Opening Remarks - April Troy, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P. '02
Executive Committee Chair, Medical Alumni Council
General Pediatrician, Pediatrics of Northeastern Pennsylvania
Assistant Clinical Professor, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine8:45 a.m. - Patrick Donnelly, D.M.D., Ph.D. '09
Cipriani Dental Associates; Newtown, PA
TOPIC: Treating the Whole Patient: Where Medicine & Dentistry Converge9:40 a.m. - Scranton Short
9:50 a.m. - Kevin Brazill, D.O., F.A.P.A. '95
Medical Director, John D Kelly Mental Health Clinic
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital; Finger Lakes Health; Penn Yan, New York
TOPIC: Managing Anxiety in the Clinical Office Setting: Improving Comfort & Outcomes at Routine Medical & Dental Visits10:45 a.m. - Scranton Short
10:55 a.m. - Break
11:15 a.m. - Panel Discussion
Melissa Edwards, M.D., M.H.A. '20
MDvSystem Serviceline Director of Women's Health, PeaceHealthChristopher Jones, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.H.P.M. '02
Palliative Medicine Specialist, Duke HealthThomas Langan, Jr., D.M.D., M.S. '09
Periodontist, Perio Health and Dental Implants
President, Scranton District Dental SocietyJoseph Mastroianni, V.M.D., '14
Veterinarian, Wallenpaupack Veterinary ClinicPamela Taffera-Deihl, D.O., M.B.A. '02
Hospitalist and System Medical Director, Patient Logistics and Transfer Center, WellSpan Health, York, PA
TOPIC: The US Healthcare Reemergence from COVID-19: Strategies from the Storm12:45 p.m. – Lunch
1:45 p.m. - Scranton Short
1:55 p.m. - Scott Peslak, M.D., Ph.D. '06
Instructor, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pennsylvania
TOPIC: Novel Therapeutic Approaches & Patient-directed care in Sickle Cell Disease- Past, Present, & Future2:50 p.m. - Scranton Short
3:00 p.m. - John Mercuri, M.D., M.A. Bioethics '07
Adult Hip and Knee Reconstruction, Geisinger Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine
TOPIC: Ethics, Policy, & Orthopedic Surgery
4:30 p.m. - Farewell - Joseph Butash, M.D. '07
Incoming Chair, Executive Committee, Medical Alumni Council
Emergency Medicine
St. Luke's University Health Network
*Schedule of activities is subject to change.MAC Symposium Returns Oct. 2
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08/31/2021
The Legacy Families of The Class of 2025 met with Father Marina Saturday at the front steps of the Loyola Science Center to mark the beginning of their students' college careers. To see photos from the event, visit this link.
Class Of 2025 Legacy Families Launch Students' Scranton Careers
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08/31/2021
The University will hold "Career Change and How to Navigate It," the latest chapter in its alumni career development webinar series, September 29 at 7 p.m.
The workshop, hosted by Director for Career Development Chris Whitney G'06 and Assistant Director for Career Development Lori Moran '93, G'95, will focus on how Royals can sucessfully change careers in the time of "The Great Resignation." To register, visit this link.
The series sprang from a partnership between The Alumni Society Advisory Board and The Center for Career Development. The University will hold "Interviewing," the final installment in the series, May 26.
The first five installments in the series, "What The Center For Career Development Can Do For Scranton Alumni," "Changes Within Your Career," "Building And Enhancing Your Resume," "The Job Search" and "Interviewing," are available to view at scranton.edu/alumnicareers.
University To Continue Alumni Career Development Webinar Series Sept. 29
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08/31/2021
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
John “Jack” Lynch ’83, Bryn Mawr, was elected to the Board of Trustees of the American Hospital Association (AHA) for a three-year term beginning January 1, 2022. The Board of Trustees is the highest policymaking body of the AHA and has ultimate authority for the governance and management of its directions and finances.
Jennifer Donatelli ’95, Brooklyn Park, Maryland, has been writing correspondence on behalf of Maryland State Comptroller Peter Franchot's office since July 2021. She also has worked as a freelance web content producer for WJZ TV in Baltimore, Maryland.
Timothy M. Gallen ’96, Hatfield, was recently honored by the Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling with their McClintick Service Award; the award recognizes a person who has demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the profession and leadership to the association while planning to continue to work on behalf of students to ensure access to postsecondary education.
Brian Eltz ’02, G’05, Millersville, recently published his second children's book, "Perking Up Poe," as a follow-up to last year's "Shaking Up Shakespeare."
BIRTHS
A daughter, Quinn Kathleen, to Kerry and Paul Boye '09, West Orange, New Jersey
DEATHS
William P. Morris ’57, Old Forge
John P. Gower ’58, Rockville, Maryland
Richard J. Rembecki ’58, Scranton
Brian E. McHugh G’59, Kingston
Edward J. Manley, Sr. ’60, H’97, Scranton
James F. Kettrick, M.D.’67, Zion Crossroads, Virginia
William P. Lawler ’69, West Wyoming
Charles J. Pineno, Ph.D. ’69, Marco Island, Florida
Paul A. Ruddy ’69, Dunmore
Patrick G. McHale ’73, Carbondale
Lorraine C. Kevra ’77, Fair Haven, New Jersey
Karen Edwards Smith ’83, Matamoras
Robert J. Kleck, Jr. ’84, Harding
Sarah Farrell Hutchison ’08, Glenburn Township
FRIENDS' DEATHSMichael G. Cappucci, husband of Rosemarie Clark Cappucci ’86, brother-in-law of Charlene Clark Laniewski ’88 and Marybeth Clark ’00
Carol Ann Clark, mother of Rosemarie Clark Cappucci ’86, Charlene Clark Laniewski ’88 and Marybeth Clark ’00
Eugene Demyan, brother of Phil Demyan ’76
Patricia Anne Gahagan, wife of Mike Gahagan ’00
Nicholas Huth, father of Peggy Huth Redmond '90Alumni Class Notes, September 2021
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08/04/2021
The University of Scranton will offer a new graduate certificate in business analytics beginning in the fall 2021 semester. The 12-credit program in the emerging, high-growth field can be completed on-campus or online in as little as six-months.
Business analytics is one of the fastest growing professions in the country, with job opportunities available in virtually every type of industry, as companies seek qualified employees capable of analyzing complex data to make informed decisions. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects double-digit employment growth for management analysts and market research analysts from 2019 to 2029, with job opportunities for management analysts expected to increase by 11 percent, and market research analyst positions projected to increase by 18 percent.
The graduate certificate program in business analytics is offered through the University’s Kania School of Management, which holds accreditation by Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). The curriculum is comprised of four courses, which includes two required courses (Introduction to Business Analytics and Data Mining) and two electives that can focus on highly sought skills related to Python, R, Tableau, or SQL. Students admitted to the program without business knowledge in statistics, management science and information systems may need to take foundational courses in those areas.
In addition to the graduate certificate, the University offers a 30-credit master’s degree in business analytics and a 36-credit MBA degree with a specialization in business analytics both of which are offered in on-campus and online modalities. The University also offers a bachelor’s degree in business analytics, as well as a business analytics minor and concentration. The programs are housed in the University’s Operations and Analytics Department.
For additional information, contact the University’s Office of Graduate Admissions at 888-727-2686 or by email gradadmissions@scranton.edu, or Nabil Tamini, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Operations and Analytics Department at nabil.tamini@scranton.edu.
New Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics
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08/04/2021
The President’s Business Council (PBC) will present President’s Medals to John E. (Jack) Brennan ’68, P’06 (in memoriam), Patricia A. Byrnes Clarke ’86, P17,’19, and Thomas P. O’Brien ’86, P’19 at its 20th Annual Award Dinner on Thursday, Oct. 7, at Gotham Hall in New York City.
“We are all excited by the prospects of gathering together in person to celebrate our Honorees, the University, our students, and the PBC’s 20th anniversary,” said Timothy J. Pryle ’89, executive director of the PBC. “We are also mindful of the ebb and flow of the state of today’s world with COVID-19 and will continue to monitor all of the current health guidelines to prepare for a safe in-person event for our expected attendees. Given the viewership success of last year’s virtual celebration, we will also provide a livestream link for remote viewing on October seventh.
“A delay in the remodeling of the ballroom at The Pierre Hotel, our host for all of the previous dinners, necessitated a move to a new venue this year. We are looking forward to welcoming our attendees to Gotham Hall.”
John E. (Jack) Brennan ’68, P’06 received a bachelor’s degree in management from the University in 1968. A veteran of the Vietnam War, he served as a 1st lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corp. in Thailand. Following his years of service, Mr. Brennan joined Motorola as a salesman. He later co-founded Metro Mobile CTS, Inc., and served as the president and chief operating officer. Metro Mobile was later sold to Bell Atlantic, which would eventually become Verizon Communications. He was also president of Activated Communications and a member of the board of directors at Spectrum Signal Processing. At the time of his retirement, he was the vice chairman of the board of Southern Union Co. (later acquired by Energy Transfer LP).
During his professional career, Mr. Brennan was an active member of his community, serving as president of the Radio Club of America, as president of the Old Tappan Board of Education, as a member of the Old Tappan Planning Board, and as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. In support of his passion for furthering the education of young minds, Mr. Brennan was a long-time member of the Board of Trustees at Christ the King School (Cristo Rey) in Newark, N.J., and at the University, where he was also a founding member of the Kania School of Management Advisory Board. He was also among the inaugural inductees to the Business Leader Hall of Fame. In Oct. 2000, the University named Brennan Hall, the home of the Kania School of Management, in his honor.
Mr. Brennan passed away in Sept. 2020 after battling cancer. He is survived by his wife, Cindy, their two children and their grandchildren.
Patricia A. Byrnes Clarke ’86, P’17,’19 is the global chief talent officer for the Havas Group, one of the world's largest global communications groups founded in 1835 in Paris and part of the Vivendi Group. Ms. Clarke is responsible for leading all aspects of global human resources as well as talent and cultural strategy for the group’s 20,000+ employees in over 100 countries. During her time at Havas, she has built a talent management approach that includes initiatives on network mobility, high-potential leadership development, women’s leadership advancement, global employee engagement, employer branding, and global diversity, equity and inclusion.
Prior to joining Havas, Ms. Clarke ran her own consulting business with a focus on helping private equity-backed companies develop their talent management capabilities. She also had a 20-year stint at Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), where she was chief human resources officer for 9 years and also ran global internal communications. She led D&B to industry honors as one of Fortune Magazine’s “Most Admired Companies.”
Ms. Clarke earned a bachelor’s degree in management from the University in 1986. She is a current member of the University’s Board of Trustees and a former member of the Kania School of Management Advisory Board and the Parents’ Executive Council (PEC). She is also a former chair of the PBC and created the PBC/Kania School of Management Career Coaches Program, in which she remains a mentor to current University students. She and her husband, David, reside in Atlantic Highlands, N.J., and have five children.
Thomas P. O’Brien ’86, P’19 is a co-founder and the current chief executive officer and president of SumRidge Partners, LLC, based in Jersey City, N.J. Formed in 2010, SumRidge Partners is a top-ranked, electronic fixed income market maker specializing in high-yield, investment-grade corporate bonds, municipal bonds, institutional preferred securities, and emerging market bonds.
Prior to launching SumRidge Partners, Mr. O’Brien was co-head of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney’s Capital Markets division and was also a member of the firm’s management and risk committees. He was instrumental in building and developing the retail capital markets division into an industry leader. Previously, he was head of Morgan Stanley’s retail fixed income trading, which included U.S. credit, rates and municipal bond trading. He began his career with Dean Witter as an institutional MBS trader and subsequently traded various fixed income products; later, he took responsibility for risk management oversight of several product lines.
Mr. O’Brien earned a bachelor’s degree of economics/finance from the University in 1986 and a master of business administration from Fordham University. He is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees, where he served as vice chairman, and a former chair of the PBC. Today, he acts as a mentor to current University students and frequently teaches in the fixed income securities and markets course, which he co-developed with the late Frank Corcione, Ph.D. Mr. O’Brien resides in Basking Ridge, N.J., with his wife, Denise, and their three sons.
In presenting the President’s Medal, the University and the PBC recognize individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields, who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others, and who personify the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service. Since its inaugural dinner in 2002, the PBC has generated more than $18 million for the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
Planning for this year’s dinner, including a virtual Honorees Announcement, is ongoing, so please visit our website at scranton.edu/PBCdinner. For more information on this year’s event or the PBC, please contact Tim Pryle at (570) 941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu.
University Announces Honorees for PBC 20th Annual Award Dinner
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08/03/2021
The University has opened registration for the 2021 Medical Alumni Council Symposium. The day-long gathering will be held Oct. 2 in the DeNaples Center's Moskovitz Theater, and the University will also offer a virtual attendance option. Visit this link to register today, or visit this link to view the full schedule of events.
Registration Now Open For MAC Symposium Oct. 2
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08/03/2021
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, was re-elected to the Executive Committee of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) for the 2021-2022 year at its annual convention. In addition, Munley received two awards in recognition of her service to AAJ: the Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes members of AAJ Board of Governors have been a special assistant to the president of the Association during the past year, and the Above and Beyond Award, which honors AAJ members who have made exceptional contributions to sustain and strengthen the organization.
John P. McShea ’12, Abington Township, joined Eastburn and Gray, PC and will be working in the firm’s litigation, real estate, land use and zoning, and municipal law practice groups.
Marriages
Blaire E. Wilkie ’15, D.P.T. ’18 to Michael C. Balcon ’13, D.P.T. ’16
Deaths
Vincent J. Gryctko ’50, Altavista, Virginia
Gregory Hodowanec ’50, Edison, New Jersey
Thomas B. Stim, Ph.D. ’51, Ambler
Peter E. Herguth ’61, Fountain Hills, Arizona
Michael Kosh ’68, Redwood City, California
Martin J. Domiano ’69, Apalachin, New York
Gerard A. Coury ’71, Peckville
James Volz ’75, Scranton
John J. Wehrum ’77, Dunmore
George P. Skumanick ’83, Tunkhannock
Linda R. Young G’85, Bethlehem
Michael F. Mazzarella ’86, Scranton
Christine Medico Harding ’90, Wellesley, Massachusetts
Ryan J. Kiess ’18, Manhasset, New YorkFriends' Deaths
Walter Frank Karas, father of Noelle D. Karas '97 and April Karas Fletcher '00
Sally Ann Kozlowski, wife of Frederick J. Kozlowski ’64 and mother of Frederick H. Kozlowski, M.D. ’90
Marilyn Lewis, mother of James Lewis ’77 and grandmother of Jason Lewis, M.D. ’00
Adeline Mazzucelli, mother of Colette Mazzucelli, Ph.D. ’83Alumni Class Notes, August 2021
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07/26/2021
The University of Scranton conferred doctor of business administration (DBA) degrees to the first cohort of students to graduate from the program at a special ceremony in the McIllhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center on July 12.
The University’s DBA program with a concentration in accounting was developed to provide experienced practitioners with a practical pathway to an academic career at a school of business that possesses or is seeking formal accreditation by Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).
“When this program was born, we inspired to transform experienced accounting professionals into exceptional academics and teachers capable of producing advanced-practice relevant research grounded in the ethical foundation of our institution’s St. Ignatian identity,” said Douglas M. Boyle, DBA, chair of the University’s Accounting Department and DBA program director, at the ceremony. “Graduates of cohort one, you have exceeded our expectations and we look forward to witnessing the continued impact you will have on the world of business through the education and formation of future generations of leaders in industry grounded in the ethical formation of Ignatian identity.”
Dr. Boyle noted that the DBA graduates and faculty have already co-authored and published 15 manuscripts in internationally recognized refereed journals with six of the publications winning awards from the Institute of Management Accountants. He noted that each of the graduates had been successful in securing at least one publication as a co-author while still attending the program. He also said the majority of cohort one graduates have already secured tenure-track position in AACSB-accredited schools of business, with others continuing to work in industry or establishing consulting practices.
Scranton’s DBA program, which began in 2018, has already been internationally recognized when AACSB listed the program among the “Innovations and Best Practices in Canada, Latin America and the United States.” The program was recognized for providing a non-traditional research DBA in accounting that “promotes diversity and practice relevance by providing a flexible path for experienced practitioners to gain the knowledge and credentials required to succeed in tenure-track positions at AACSB-accredited institutions.”
At the ceremony, degrees were conferred by Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton, upon candidates presented by Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.
“Your education lives on after this day. Although it belongs to you, it also belongs to the world, where you are called and needed to be agents of change, to be ethical leaders and to work for the common good,” said Father Marina at the ceremony.
Also at the ceremony, George W. Krull, Jr., Ph.D., global strategic advisor for the University’s DBA program, provided the keynote address and Todd DeZoort, Ph.D., a global scholar in Scranton’s DBA program and the Durr-Fillauer Chair in Business Ethics and Professor of Accounting at the University of Alabama, was recognized as the Kania School of Management Global Scholar of the Year. Rev. Patrick Rogers, S.J., executive director of the University’s Jesuit Center, provided the Invocation and Father Marina provided the Benediction.
Class of 2021 graduates of The University of Scranton’s DBA program are:
Marcus Justin Burke of Highland Village, Texas;
Joy Chacko of Chandler, Arizona;
Anthony Lamont Fulmore of Killeen, Texas;
Craig Gallagher of South Abington Township;
Daniel J. Gaydon of Plains;
Elena V. Isaacson of Niskayuna, New York;
Heather J. Losi of Liverpool, New York;
Amanda Sue Marcy of Clifford Township;
Patrick Edward O’Brien of North Merrick New York;
Ronald Douglas Parker of Franklin, North Carolina;
Savas Saymaz of Allentown.
$content.getChild('content').textValueScranton DBA Program Graduates First Students
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07/07/2021
On June 14, the University honored Scranton golf legend Ed Karpovich ’76, G’86 with the 2021 Peter A. Carlesimo Award at the annual Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner at Glenmaura National Golf Club.
The event raised more than $100,000 for Scranton Athletics. Quandel Construction Group served as the event’s title sponsor.
More than 160 alumni and friends of the University participated in the golf tournament, and an additional 50 guests attended the award dinner.
Cheers erupted from Royal and friend alike as Dave Martin, executive director of Athletics at the University, recognized Karpovich, the guest of honor, prior to the beginning of the meal.
“The University is proud to honor one of our very own tonight, University of Scranton coaching legend Eddie Karpovich, with the 2021 Peter A. Carlesimo Award,” Martin said before introducing the evening’s speakers: current softball player Lauren Cawley ’23, a secondary education and math major, basketball legend P.J. Carlesimo, the son of the University athletic director the award is named after, and, on his very first day on the job, the Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., the twenty-ninth president of The University of Scranton.
“I would like to start by saying, ‘Thank you,’” Cawley said. “Thank you … for the generous support you have all provided. Because of you, Scranton athletes are able to have a transformative experience both on and off the field as we journey through our four years.”
Father Marina spoke next, mentioning some of Karpovich’s outstanding achievements prior to providing the evening’s Invocation.
“Under Ed’s great coaching, golf at Scranton has achieved nearly 400 wins,” Marina said. “Absolutely amazing. He’s obviously touched countless lives for the better.”
After dinner, Carlesimo spoke about the parallels between Karpovich’s legacy and that of his late father.
“Karp, I’m really here representing our family, and especially my father,” he said. “To continue to have my father’s name associated with the University is really meaningful to our family.
“Karp reminds me an awful lot of my father in how much he cared about this school and the students that he worked with at this school. He’s meant so much to it, and I’m so happy that his name is on the Carlesimo Award.”
After receiving the award, Karpovich expressed his gratitude for the continued support of the event’s attendees on behalf of his fellow Scranton coaches.
“We appreciate this from the bottom of our heart,” he said, “and this tournament just helps every athletic team out in a big way, so thank you.
“I am honored and privileged to get this award.”
A remarkable career
Karpovich has been a part of the men’s golf program at the University for more than four decades. In 39 seasons as the head men’s golf coach at the University, he has compiled an overall record of 354-120-2 in dual match competition. He also led Scranton to a Middle Atlantic Conference team championship in 1988. That team, which featured All-American and MAC individual champion Will Carey III ‘88, set a school record with a 24-0 regular season mark. Thirty-four of his players have earned all-conference honors, while two – Carey and Mike Chomicz – have competed in the NCAA Division III championships.
In the fall of 2016, Karpovich was instrumental in starting the women’s golf program at the University. In five seasons as the women’s head coach, he has led the Royals to 32 dual match victories.
Karpovich has also been an ambassador for the sport, joining former King’s College head coach Tom Davis in 1999 to found the Glenmaura National Collegiate Invitational, an annual event that attracts some of the top Division III talent in the region. Glenmaura National also serves as the Royals’ home course. In addition, he served on the NCAA regional committee in 2011.
Karpovich is a 1976 graduate of the University and a member of its prestigious Wall of Fame. As a player, he led the Royals to three MAC team titles (1973, 1975, 1976) while capturing MAC individual championships in 1974 and 1976. He also competed in the 1974 and 1976 NCAA championships, finishing tied for 150th in 1974 and tied for 42nd in 1976. He currently serves as treasurer of Lackawanna County.
About the event
Named in honor of Peter A. Carlesimo, former University of Scranton coach and athletics director, the Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner celebrates athletics at the University by honoring a person who has made special contributions to athletics and Catholic education. The Golf Tournament and Award Dinner serves as a fundraising event to support and enhance the student-athlete experience at Scranton. To see photos from this year’s event, visit this link. For more information, visit scranton.edu/carlesimoaward.
University Honors Karpovich With Carlesimo Award
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07/07/2021
Joe A. Vinson, Ph.D., emeritus professor of chemistry at the University, believes so strongly in the value of research opportunities that he is providing a $25,000 gift to the University to permanently create them.
According to Vinson’s bio, he first became “hooked on research” during his student days at the University of California at Berkeley, and, over the course of his career, he authored more than 90 articles in scientific publications; additionally, he has been mentioned in many lay publications for his contributions to the field of antioxidants in health and disease. Although Vinson taught his final class at the University in 2015, he is now an emeritus professor.
Vinson recently committed a $25,000 leadership gift to initiate The Joe A. Vinson, Ph.D., Endowment for Summer Thesis Research in Chemistry. While the minimum threshold for an endowment investment at the University is $50,000, Vinson hopes his gift will inspire others to support the initiative in the hope of creating a consistent and perpetual source of research income for future Scranton students.
Upon learning of Vinson’s generosity, one of his former students, Michael G. Coco Jr., Ph. D. ’13, a chemist at KBR, Inc., sought to aid Vinson’s efforts by reaching out to his fellow chemistry alumni, writing, “(Vinson’s) personal commitment to continue research opportunities at our alma mater is so impressive that I had to be part of this effort. To make this perpetual fund possible, I invite you to help create this important legacy. Please join me in making a generous gift to support this initiative.
“Let us ensure that Dr. Vinson’s legacy will continue to enrich the lives of students well beyond our years and for the life of our wonderful University!”
To support The Joe A. Vinson, Ph.D., Endowment for Summer Thesis Research in Chemistry, visit Scranton.edu/makeagift. To find research articles by faculty members in the Chemistry department, visit this link. To contact Dr. Vinson directly, email him at joe.vinson@scranton.edu.
University Seeks To Fund Chemistry Research Through Vinson Endowment
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07/07/2021
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
William R. Savage ’79, Lemoyne, had a Dramatists Guild/Philadelphia reading of his play “Leave it to the Angels” on June 24. Last summer, his play “Men of the Empire” received a reading in support of the Globe Theatre in London. Earlier in 2020, Savage had live readings of “Say He Was a Soldier” and “Mom, I Smoke!” at the Parkway Central Library I Philadelphia, also through Dramatists Guild.
Thomas J. Grech ’84, Malverne, New York, has been appointed to the Board of the Town of Hempstead Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and the Local Development Corporation (LDC).Lisa W. Shearman ’89, Lansdale, a partner with the firm Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin, PC, has recently been elected a fellow to the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).
Matthew Cooper, M.D. ’90, Columbia, Maryland, has been named president of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) Board of Directors. This position in solid organ transplantation is recognized as the most influential position in the world with the U.S. donation and transplantation system being the most successful around the globe. UNOS is the mission-driven nonprofit serving the nation’s transplant system. Cooper currently serves as the director of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation at the Medstar Georgetown Transplant Institute based at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC.
Nathanial J. Sann ’00, Mechanicsville, Virginia, was named the 12th President of The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Integrated Health section. The vision of the society is to improve public health and well-being by lessening the burden of the disease of obesity and related diseases throughout the world. Sann is responsible for directing the activities of the Integrated Health Section of the ASMBS, including strategic planning and acting as representatives of their disciplines to the Executive Council of the Society. He guides the activities of the IH committees and initiatives. The primary goal is to cultivate a knowledgeable, skilled and empowered membership inclusive of all integrated health specialties and increase the integrated health professional membership value. Sann is a family nurse practitioner at Advanced Surgical Partners of Virginia.
Howard R. Kindred, Jr. G’06, Georgetown, Texas, chief financial officer at Trimbuilt Construction, was nominated for best CFO for a large private company in Austin, Texas. .
Deaths
Eugene J. Roe, M.D. ’51, Clarks Summit
Paul J. Coolican, D.D.S. ’52, Clarks Summit
LTC Edmund Sieminski ’55, Mountaintop
Joseph A. Noto, M.D. ’57, Asheville, North Carolina
Robert C. Moran ’58, Columbus, New Jersey
Robert C. Davey ’60, Branford, Connecticut
Eugene J. Sullivan ’65, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
E. John Fedor ’69, York
Gerard A. Coury ’71, Peckville
John V. Kane ’79, Concord, North Carolina
Ellen Moran DeLorenzo ’81, Bloomfield, Connecticut
Eugene J. Kane, Jr. ’84, Clarks Summit and Vero Beach, Florida
John T. Dellamalva ’05, G’05, Moosic
Patrick J. Mulhern, Jr. ’05, SpringfieldAlumni Class Notes, July 2021
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06/02/2021
As the world slowly began to reopen during the spring of 2021, Scranton graduates far and wide continued to utilize the alumni network to serve their communities, support current students and bond over their shared love of the University.
Virtual Computing Sciences Spring Social Event
On April 22, nearly 50 alumni, students and faculty members continued the year-long celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Computing Science department at Scranton with a zoom social. The discussion and camaraderie lasted more than two hours as alumni fielded industry and career questions from students, and faculty and alumni reminisced about campus and curriculum changes over the last 50 years. Department Chair Richard Plishka ’75, along with six fellow faculty members who were also present, look forward to continuing alumni engagement efforts beyond the fiftieth year.
Day of Service
On April 24, small groups of alumni celebrated this year’s Day of Service safely in their hometowns by volunteering and/or dropping off essential food items and supplies at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, City Harvest New York City, the Central PA Food Bank, the Greater Boston Food Bank, Cooking for Long Island Veterans, and the University’s We Care Wednesdays program. To see photos from this year’s event, visit this link.
Rainbow Royals Inaugural Meet and Greet
Rainbow Royals, the University’s LGBTQIA+ and ally network, held its first virtual Meet and Greet on May 12. The gathering featured an update on LGBTQIA+ life on campus delivered by Maria Marinucci, director of the Cross Cultural Center at the University, and Tara Fay, biology faculty specialist and moderator of S.A.F.E. (Scranton Alliance For Equity) Space, the LGBTQIA+ club. The event also featured a question and answer session moderated by John Gownley ’06, founding member of Rainbow Royals and assistant director of Campus Ministry for Church Operations and Special Events at Fordham University. Visit Scranton.edu/RainbowRoyals to learn more and get involved.
Virtual Pre-Law Banquet and Council of Alumni Lawyers Event
On May 3, members of the Council of Alumni Lawyers joined students via Zoom for the virtual Pre-Law Society Banquet, an annual celebration of the University’s Pre-Law Society and Mock Trial team. This year’s event featured a keynote address delivered by Melinda Ghilardi, Esq. ’80 and Kathleen Santora, Esq. ’80, alumnae attorneys who both formerly served on the University’s Board of Trustees. Learn more about the Council of Alumni Lawyers at Scranton.edu/CAL.
5.06.21: Don’t Waste Love
More than 3,300 members of the University community joined together to contribute a total of $689,763 to various scholarships and causes for Scranton’s seventh annual Day of Giving on May 6. This year’s campaign shattered all previous 5.06 records and surpassed the initial goal of 2,427 donors, which was chosen to honor the memory of the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., Scranton’s twenty-fourth and twenty-seventh president. The celebration included a Virtual 5.06K, a competitive Athletics Team Challenge, and a generous Trustee Scholarship Match that doubled all gifts to scholarships up to a total of $265,506. Alumni and friends of Father Pilarz honored him on 5.06 by submitting videos and photos, joining Team Pilarz in the Virtual 5.06K, contributing to The Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., Scholarship Fund, and sharing heartfelt tributes and memories. View more content from the day at Scranton.edu/506.
Women’s Alliance
On May 18, over 100 alumnae signed-up to view a virtual panel hosted by the University’s Women’s Alliance. Moderated by Senior Business Major and President of the Kania Women in Business Club Alexandra Wanas ‘21, the discussion explored the topic, “One Year later: What We’ve Learned.” Panelists Judy Castrogiovanni ’97, G’02, principal of Jefferson Elementary School and the 2021 Pennsylvania National Distinguished Principal, Judith O’Donnell, M.D. ’85, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and hospital epidemiologist at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, and Amanda Gentile, LPC ’11, owner and mental health counselor at The Giving Tree Wellness Center, reflected upon an incredibly challenging year in each of their industries and shared the takeaways that have made them stronger leaders. To view the recording and get involved with the Women’s Alliance, visit Scranton.edu/WomensAlliance.
Scranton Alumni Network Continues To Thrive
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06/02/2021
During the Alumni Society Advisory Board’s virtual meeting May 22, outgoing Chair of the Board Mike Short ’99 transferred leadership of the Board to his successor, Joseph L. Sorbera III ’08.
Sorbera joined the Alumni Society Advisory Board in 2017 and has led the Student Engagement Committee of the Board for the last year, working closely with the Future Alumni Network of Scranton (FANS) Club to foster the alumni-student connection. Joe graduated cum laude with a B.S. in Management and a minor in Japanese language. During his student days, Sorbera founded the Italian Society on campus, acted in many Liva Arts Company performances and participated in the Business Leadership Program and the Model UN.
Sorbera, vice president of JLS Cost Management Systems in Manhattan, lives in Kearny, New Jersey, with his wife, Kristen ’09, and their daughter, Danielle. The two met at an Alumni Christmas reception and were both engaged and married on campus. He is the former co-chair of the Young Professionals Committee for Bideawee, a 116-year-old animal rescue organization based in Manhattan, and also serves on the alumni board for Loyola School in New York City.
View current members of the Alumni Society Advisory Board at Scranton.edu/alumniboard.
Alumni Society Advisory Board Names New Chair
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06/02/2021
Mara I. Smith, Esq. ’13, G’21, outgoing chair of the Council of Alumni Lawyers (CAL), has completed her term and transferred leadership of the CAL to Eric D. Brophy, Esq. ’92, executive director of the New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority. Brophy will begin formerly leading the CAL as chair at the next meeting this fall.
Brophy serves as the chief executive officer of the Authority and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of a New Jersey independent authority responsible for the issuance of taxable and tax-exempt bonds, as well as the administration of several state-backed grant programs for institutions of higher education in New Jersey.
Previously, Brophy served as a member of The University of Scranton Alumni Society Advisory Board. In addition, he and his wife, Elaine '92, endowed the Ignatian Global Citizen Program in the University’s Department of Political Science in 2018. Eric graduated from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1999 and spent 20 years in private practice at several law firms, eventually running his own law firm for 11 years before joining Governor Murphy’s administration.
Council Of Alumni Lawyers Names Next Chair
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06/01/2021
The University recently held "Acing The Interview," the final installment in a five-part series of alumni career development webinars.
The workshop, hosted by Director for Career Development Chris Whitney G'06 and Assistant Director for Career Development Lori Moran '93, G'95, focuses on how Royals can succeed during the interview process.
The series sprang from a partnership between The Alumni Society Advisory Board and The Center for Career Development. All of the installments in the series, including "What The Center For Career Development Can Do For Scranton Alumni," "Changes Within Your Career," "Building And Enhancing Your Resume" and "The Job Search," are available for viewing at scranton.edu/alumnicareers.
University Concludes Alumni Career Development Webinar Series
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06/01/2021
The University of Scranton will present the 2021 Peter A. Carlesimo Award to Ed Karpovich ’76, G’86 at the annual Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner June 14 at Glenmaura National Golf Club. The event celebrates athletics at The University of Scranton and honors a person who has made special contributions to athletics and Catholic education.
Karpovich has been a part of the men’s golf program at The University of Scranton for more than four decades. In 39 seasons as the head men’s golf coach at The University of Scranton, he has compiled an overall record of 354-120-2 in dual match competition. He also led Scranton to a Middle Atlantic Conference team championship in 1988. That team, which featured All-American and MAC individual champion Will Carey III ‘88, set a school record with a 24-0 regular season mark. Thirty-four of his players have earned all-conference honors, while two – Carey and Mike Chomicz – have competed in the NCAA Division III championships.
In the fall of 2016, Karpovich was instrumental in starting the women’s golf program at the University. In five seasons as the women’s head coach, he has led the Royals to 32 dual match victories.
Karpovich has also been an ambassador for the sport, joining former King’s College head coach Tom Davis in 1999 to found the Glenmaura National Collegiate Invitational, an annual event that attracts some of the top Division III talent in the region. Glenmaura National also serves as the Royals’ home course. In addition, he served on the NCAA regional committee in 2011.
“Coach Karpovich has been a tremendous part of our athletics program for decades,” said Executive Director of Athletics Dave Martin. “His career as a student-athlete was one of the best in school history for any sport and is only surpassed by his tireless dedication to our golf program as the head coach for nearly four decades. His devotion to the University and our Jesuit and Catholic ideals has been an invaluable asset to our department from the first day he stepped on campus nearly 50 years ago.”
“I am honored to be chosen to receive the Carlesimo Award, named after a great man who achieved national recognition for his contributions to collegiate athletics,” said Karpovich. “I thank The University of Scranton, the athletics department, and its director, Dave Martin, for considering me for this recognition.”
Karpovich is a 1976 graduate of the University and a member of its prestigious Wall of Fame. As a player, he led the Royals to three MAC team titles (1973, 1975, 1976) while capturing MAC individual championships in 1974 and 1976. He also competed in the 1974 and 1976 NCAA championships, finishing tied for 150th in 1974 and tied for 42nd in 1976. He currently serves as treasurer of Lackawanna County.
While the golf portion of this year’s event is sold out, there are still tickets available for the evening reception and award dinner. For additional information or to register, please visit scranton.edu/carlesimoaward.
Karpovich To Receive 2021 Peter A. Carlesimo Award
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06/01/2021
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Thomas J. Grech ’84, Malverne, New York, has been appointed to the Board of the Town of Hempstead Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and the Local Development Corporation (LDC).
Lisa W. Shearman ’89, Lansdale, a partner with the firm Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin, PC, has recently been elected a fellow to the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).
Deaths
Paul J. Coolican, D.D.S. ’52, Clarks Summit
Robert C. Davey ’60, Branford, Connecticut
E. John Fedor ’69, York
Ellen Moran DeLorenzo ’81, Bloomfield, Connecticut
John T. Dellamalva ’05, G’05, Moosic
Patrick J. Mulhern, Jr. ’05, SpringfieldAlumni Class Notes, June 2021
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06/01/2021
Twins Mary Lynn Massino G’20 and Maria Ehnot (née Massino) G’15 chose the same career and the same graduate school to help them achieve their goals.
They received graduate degrees in rehabilitation counseling at The University of Scranton. Both currently work as vocational rehabilitation counselors, Mary Lynn with the Hartford Insurance Agency and Maria with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation through the Department of Labor and Industry.
We recently talked to Mary Lynn (ML) and Maria (M) about their experience at Scranton and beyond.
How did you choose Scranton?
M: Being familiar with The University of Scranton and the excellent reputation the school has I knew this is where I wanted to apply and continue onto my master’s degree. Living just a few blocks from the campus too made the commute very easy.
ML: My sister told me a lot about the program and her positive experience which ultimately led to me to choose The University of Scranton. I felt very supported by my professors and always felt I had their guidance along the way.
What was your best experience here?
ML: My best experience at The University of Scranton was the support of the faculty and the other students I met throughout my program and the relationships I formed. I felt very supported by my professors and always felt I had their guidance along the way. It was also important to me to meet other students and build relationships in my program. I met so many wonderful people over the two and a half years.
M: After reflecting on my experience, I would say that practicum has helped prepare me for my career which is crucial and just what I was hoping to achieve as I went through the experience. Typically, for counselors, this is the most stressful part of the program. Working long hours to fulfill the requirements of practicum was tough for sure, but overall the experience certainly helped prepare me for my future. My mentor at that time was Dr. Lori Bruch. The guidance I received from her was so professional and supportive. That meant everything to me!
"I felt very supported by my professors and always felt I had their guidance along the way." - Mary Lynn Massino G’20
Tell us about your current position.
ML: I help individuals who are on short-term disability and long-term disability get back to work. My involvement is to provide vocational expertise knowledge to these customers to ensure they return to work safely and successfully.
M: As a vocational rehabilitation counselor, I assist individuals with disabilities who have barriers to employment and help them prepare for, obtain or maintain competitive employment. I cover a rural area and have a mixed caseload of working with transition students with IEP’s or 504 plans as well as adults with achieving their employment needs for the workforce.
What do you enjoy most about it?
M: I mostly enjoy the rewarding feeling of helping someone achieve their goal and connecting/meeting with other community agencies.
ML: It is very rewarding being able to help others and to see my customers achieve their personal goals.
How did Scranton help you along the way?
M: The counseling professors have amazing connections with other counseling professionals and community agencies and helped guide me towards my position. As a vocational rehabilitation counselor, it’s crucial to develop working relationships with outside agencies and other professionals. I try to work on this as part of my professionalism as a counselor.
ML: Scranton helped me tremendously. The information I had learned in my program is being applied to real life in the work that I do every day. I really feel the rehabilitation counseling program prepared me to be successful in my role today as a working professional.
Twin Sisters Get Matching Graduate Degrees at Scranton
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06/01/2021
Reminder: Please take our survey! The deadline is Friday, June 4.
Every few years, The University of Scranton reaches out to the readers of The Scranton Journal, our alumni magazine, to get their input on the magazine. This past academic year, due to the pandemic, the University decided to publish digital-only issues of the magazine. This helped us to conserve resources and provide our readers with more current, relevant content.
We hope you’ll let us know how you felt about your experience with our online issues of the Journal.
Our web-based survey is easy to use and takes about 5 minutes to complete.
If you have questions about this survey, please contact scrantonjournal@scranton.edu.
Alumni, thank you in advance for helping to make The Scranton Journal even better. To begin the survey, click on the following link or copy and paste it into your browser.Reminder: We Need Your Input to Improve the Online Scranton Journal!
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05/11/2021
The University of Scranton will formally recognize four honorary degree recipients at its undergraduate commencement ceremonies on Sunday, May 23. Receiving honorary degrees from the University, which were conferred by the University’s Board of Trustees prior to commencement, are: Susan M. St. Ledger ’86, president of worldwide field operations for Okta, Inc.; Rev. Otto Hentz, S.J., associate professor of theology, Georgetown University; Rev. Columba A. Stewart, O.S.B., executive director of the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library at St. John’s University; and Nicole Young ’00, Emmy Award-winning producer for 60 Minutes. St. Ledger will also serve as the principal speaker at the 2021 commencement on Sunday, May 23.
Susan M. St. Ledger ’86
At Okta, a global provider of secure identity management platforms, St. Ledger’s responsibilities include worldwide sales, customer success and support, professional services, partner and channel ecosystems, marketing and brand, and business operations. She has more than 25 years of senior leadership in high-growth technology companies. She previously served for more than four years as president of worldwide field operations for Splunk, more than 11 years at Salesforce and more than 12 years at Sun Microsystems. She is a passionate learner and anchors her leadership principles in what she calls a high-growth mindset, which is required to transform and accelerate business. She has demonstrated expertise in identifying market opportunity and business transformation needs for SaaS environments.
St. Ledger started her career in several technical jobs, including her first role out of college as a software engineer at the National Security Agency. In November 2019, St. Ledger became the first independent board member of HashiCorp, the leader in multi-cloud infrastructure automation software.
St. Ledger earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science, magna cum laude, from the University in 1986.
Rev. Otto Hentz, S.J.
Fr. Hentz has been a professor at Georgetown University for more than 50 years. A gifted and dedicated teacher, Georgetown University named him a Wall Street Alliance Honoree in 2015.
In 1955, Fr. Hentz entered the Society of Jesus, and later taught philosophy at Georgetown from 1962-1965. He was ordained as a priest in 1968. He earned a doctoral degree in theology from the University of Chicago. He returned to Georgetown in 1972 as a member of the Department of Theology and has served as an associate professor at Georgetown since 1978, teaching courses on the Catholic Church in the modern world, Christianity and Jesus Christ, and systematic theology.
Fr. Hentz has served two terms as a member of The University of Scranton’s board of trustees.
Rev. Columba A. Stewart, O.S.B.
Through his work at the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library, Fr. Stewart has traveled to the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and South Asia, working with international religious leaders, government authorities and archivists to preserve ancient to early-modern religious manuscripts. In 2015, the Hill Museum launched an online reading room to provide access to the library’s growing digitized collection, which is already the world’s largest digital collection of ancient manuscripts. His work has been featured in stories in 60 Minutes, the BBC, Harvard Magazine and The Atlantic.
A scholar of early Christian monasticism, Fr. Stewart’s books include Working the Earth of the Heart: the Messalian Controversy in History, Texts and Language to 431 and Prayer and Community: the Benedictine Tradition.
Fr. Stewart earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, his master’s in religious studies from Yale University, and his doctorate in theology from Oxford University.
Nicole Young ’00
During her distinguished career, Young has been honored with 16 News and Documentary Emmy Awards, three Alfred I. DuPont- Columbia Awards, four Writer’s Guild Awards, two Gerald Loeb Awards, two Sigma Delta Chi Awards, four National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Salute to Excellence Awards, a George Foster Peabody Award, a George Polk Award, an Edward R. Murrow Award, and a Wilbur Award to name a few.
Young’s most recent 60 Minutes assignments include breaking news coverage on the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump; reporting on Syria from the front lines on the refugee crisis, the use of chemical weapons and The Syrian Civil Defense, also known as “The White Helmets” and Ethiopia’s Rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela. Some of Young’s most critical stories, however, are those focusing on job loss, poverty, homelessness and especially child hunger in the United States.
In addition to producing pieces for 60 Minutes, Young played an essential role as a senior producer at the CBS Evening News for six years where she broke major stories for the nightly broadcast.
Young arrived at CBS News as an intern at the age of 19 and has worked for CBS in Washington, D.C., London and New York. She joined 60 Minutes in 2004 as Scott Pelley’s assistant and became his producer a few years later. A member of The University of Scranton’s Board of Trustees, Young earned her bachelor’s degree from Scranton in 2000 and her master’s degree from City, University of London.
Undergraduate commencement ceremonies will be held on Sunday, May 23, for graduates of the University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies at 9:30 a.m.; the Kania School of Management at 1 p.m.; and for the College of Arts and Sciences at 4:30 p.m.
Four Receive Honorary Degrees from University
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05/05/2021
The University of Scranton will celebrate 5.06, its seventh annual Day of Giving, on Thursday, May 6. This year’s goal is to reach 2,427 donors by midnight on 5.06 in honor of the University’s 24th and 27th president, the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J.
There are many ways to participate in the 5.06 fun, including wearing purple, posting fond Scranton memories and photos on social media using #RoyalsDontWasteLove and #GiveToScrantON506, and making a gift to the campus fund of your choice. More than 506 alumni, students, parents and friends of the University have already registered for this year’s Virtual 5.06K, a virtual exercise challenge that invites participants to exercise in any way by Thursday at midnight. All 5.06K participants will automatically be counted as 5.06 donors, and registrants can designate their registration fees to the University cause of their choice. Donors to the Scott R. Pilarz, S.J. Scholarship will receive a “Don’t Waste Love” T-shirt honoring the memory of Father Pilarz.
To make your 5.06 gift, visit this link. To register for the Virtual 5.06K, visit this link. For more information on 5.06.21, visit this link.University To Celebrate Day Of Giving May 6
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05/05/2021
Every few years, The University of Scranton reaches out to the readers of The Scranton Journal, our alumni magazine, to get their input on the magazine. This past academic year, due to the pandemic, the University decided to publish digital-only issues of the magazine. This helped us to conserve resources and provide our readers with more current, relevant content.
We hope you’ll let us know how you felt about your experience with our online issues of the Journal.
Our web-based survey is easy to use and takes about 5 minutes to complete.
If you have questions about this survey, please contact scrantonjournal@scranton.edu.
Alumni, thank you in advance for helping to make The Scranton Journal even better. To begin the survey, click on the following link or copy and paste it into your browser.Alumni: We Need Your Input to Improve the Online Scranton Journal!
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05/05/2021
Rainbow Royals, the University's LGBTQIA+ and ally alumni network, will hold a virtual meet and greet via zoom May 12 at 7 p.m.
The virtual meeting will feature an update on LGBTQIA+ life on campus delivered by Maria Marinucci, director of the Cross Cultural Center at the University, and Tara Fay, biology faculty specialist and moderator of S.A.F.E. (Scranton Alliance For Equity) Space, the LGBTQIA+ club on campus. To register for the event, visit this link.
To learn more about Rainbow Royals, visit this link.
Rainbow Royals to Hold Virtual Meet and Greet May 12
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05/05/2021
The University will hold "Interviewing," the final installment in its series of alumni career development webinars, Wednesday, May 26, at 7 p.m.
The workshop, hosted by Director for Career Development Chris Whitney G'06 and Assistant Director for Career Development Lori Moran '93, G'95, will focus on how Royals can succeed during the interview process. Registration will open soon.
The series sprang from a partnership between The Alumni Society Advisory Board and The Center for Career Development. The University will hold "Interviewing," the final installment in the series, May 26.
The first four installments in the series, "What The Center For Career Development Can Do For Scranton Alumni," "Changes Within Your Career," "Building And Enhancing Your Resume" and "The Job Search," are available to view at scranton.edu/alumnicareers.
University to Continue Alumni Career Development Webinar Series May 26
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05/05/2021
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
William L. Kovacs ’69, Great Falls, Virginia, was awarded the 2021 Independent Press Award (category Social/Political change) for his book "Reform the Kakistocracy: Rule by the Least Able or Least Principled Citizens." In 2020, his book received the bronze award from the Non-Fiction Book Association. It was also given five stars from Readers’ Favorite. "Reform the Kakistocracy" sets out how the federal government transformed itself from one of limited powers to one of immense power without any constitutional changes. Kovacs states, “These changes in institutional power fundamentally affect the relationship of citizens to their government. Government is now the master and citizens the servant of government. The loyalty of today’s elected officials is to a political party and interest groups, not to solving problems for citizens.” Unlike many books on government reform, "Reform the Kakistocracy" does not dangle fuzzy proposals in front of the reader; instead, it presents clear, thought-provoking ideas for reforming government.
Michael F. Cosgrove ’82, Dunmore, partner in the law firm of Haggerty Hinton & Cosgrove, LLP, is president-elect for the Lackawanna Bar Association and was elected president of The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick for 2021-22.
Michael A. Sebastian ’88, Moosic, has joined Marshall Dennehey’s Moosic, PA office as a shareholder in the Workers’ Compensation Department. Sebastian concentrates the entirety of his practice on workers’ compensation defense and represents employers, insurance carriers and third-party administrators. With more than 20 years of experience, he has appeared on behalf of his clients before many local judges, the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board, the Commonwealth Court and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. In addition to litigating claims, Sebastian counsels clients on implementing risk management strategies that focus on lowering workers’ compensation costs and avoiding liability exposure.
Judith Pinataro Castrogiovanni ’97, G’01, Moscow, principal of Jefferson Elementary School, Jefferson Township, in the North Pocono School District, has been named Pennsylvania’s 2021 National Distinguished Principal (NDP) by the Pennsylvania Principals Association. As a state winner in the National Association of Elementary School Principals’ (NAESP) National Distinguished Principal (NDP) Program, Castrogiovanni will be honored by NAESP and the PA Principals Association at special award ceremonies in the fall.
Melissa M. Donahue ’98, Philadelphia, has joined Bancroft Capital, a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, specializing in Institutional Brokerage and Capital Markets services, as vice-president. Donahue will work on the equity trading desk at the Fort Washington office and will assist with compliance and back-office operations.
Kelly A. Thompson-Brazill ’99, Wake Forest, North Carolina, has been promoted to associate professor, School of Nursing and Health Studies, at Georgetown University.
Robin Raju ’04, Bronxville, New York, has been appointed to chief financial officer of Equitable Holding, a financial service holding company comprised of Equitable and AllianceBernstein.
BIRTHS
A son, David William Savino, to Dave ’13 and Cassie Doheny Savino ’14, Paramus, New Jersey
DEATHS
Hugh P. Donlan ’55, Stevens Point, Wisconsin
J. Roger Kemple ’58, Alachua, Florida
James J. Peyton ’59, Binghamton, New York
Edward M. Marinchak ’63, King of Prussia
David M. Philips ’69, Northampton
Col. Arthur T. Carey, USA, Ret. ’70, Jonesboro, Georgia
Paul Serpico ’70, Fairfield, New Jersey
Eugene F. Killiany ’73, G’78, Scranton
Patricia A. Mellow ’82, Forest CityFriends' Deaths
Christopher J. Sauer, son of Joseph F. Sauer ’64
Alumni Class Notes, May 2021
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04/27/2021
Fortune’s inaugural ranking of the “Best Online MBAs” placed The University of Scranton at No. 72 in the nation. Fortune initiated the new ranking in response to the transition of many schools to virtual formats for learning caused by the pandemic. Fortune expects the popularity of the online format for MBA programs will increase in the coming years.
The “Best Online MBAs” ranking was published online on April 26.
For the ranking, Fortune looked at the quality of the online MBA program at the colleges as measured by their students’ average undergraduate GPA and GMAT score, the number of students enrolled, the colleges’ first-year retention rate and its graduation rate, which accounted for 55 percent of the overall ranking score. Fortune partnered with Ipsos to survey thousands of business professionals and hiring managers to produce a measurement of the “brand appeal” of the college, or “how much a group of people want to recruit from the university” (20 percent). Fortune also counted the number of Fortune 1000 executives who earned an MBA from the college (17.5 percent) and calculated the “prestige score” of a college based its online MBA program rankings by other national sources such as U.S. News, The Princeton Review and others (7.5 percent).
Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report ranked Scranton’s online master’s degree programs in business (excluding MBA) at No. 48; and its online MBA program at No. 111 in the nation in its “Best Online Programs” guide. U.S. News also ranked Scranton at No. 67 in the country for “Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans.” The University’s online and on-campus programs have been ranked by numerous sources, including The Princeton Review and The Wall Street Journal.
Fortune Best Online MBA Programs Includes Scranton
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04/13/2021
The Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Jammu, and The University of Scranton have signed an agreement to develop academic exchanges for students and faculty members and channel research collaborations.
The agreement was signed virtually by both partners on April 13, 2021, in the presence of senior representatives, including: Director Professor B. S. Sahay, Ph.D., Professor Jabir Ali, Ph.D., and Aakash Kamble, Ph.D., from IIM Jammu; and Jeffrey Gingerich, Ph.D., acting president and provost/senior vice president of academic affairs, Gerald Zaboski, vice president for enrollment management and external affairs, Sam Beldona, Ph.D., dean of the Kania School of Management, and Murli Rajan, Ph.D., associate dean of the Kania School of Management, from The University of Scranton.
This strategic collaboration paves a roadmap for the internationalization of education with a broader objective to build synergies between both partners in academics, research and executive education. With the National Education Policy 2020 announcing strategic changes in the associations between Indian and foreign education providers, the association between IIM Jammu and Scranton provides a unique opportunity for Indian students to experience a blended variant of global education.
The strategic models of engagement have been identified to form the basis of the association. They will focus on student exchange for the MBA Program and the five-year Integrated Program in Management with faculty exchanges and doctoral research scholar exchange between the partners. The faculty members at both institutions will also conduct research collaborations and joint research projects.
Dr. Sahay from IIM Jammu, said, “the National Education Policy 2020 has given impetus to the internationalization of the Indian education system. Academic and research collaborations are the pathways to create an institute par excellence. The collaborations with leading global universities align with the vision and mission of IIM Jammu to provide a global outlook to the student with a strong foundation of regional and national focus. The partnership with The University of Scranton opens up doors for IIM Jammu students to pursue international student exchange programs in the USA, thus enriching their learning experience.”
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Gingerich from The University of Scranton said, “We are delighted to have an association with IIM Jammu. One of our objectives at Scranton is to connect and partner with high-achieving education providers worldwide. These partnerships are important to the University since they provide alternative learning experiences and allow for the sharing of ideas and experiences. The partnership with IIM Jammu will provide an opportunity to collaborate with world-class teachers and researchers and expand global research. It will also help students gain international experience that will benefit them in their future careers.”
About the Indian Institute of Management, Jammu:
Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu, an Institute of National Importance, was established by the Ministry of Education, Government of India in 2016 in Jammu, India. IIM Jammu offers MBA and Ph.D. programs in Management and has launched the 5-year Integrated Programme in Management from the upcoming academic year 2021-22. IIM Jammu has set high standards to provide value-based education and research, executive education, consultancy, and strong corporate and international linkages. The 200-acre, state-of-the-art campus of IIM Jammu is coming up at Jagti in Jammu with a footprint of 750,000 sq. ft. IIM Jammu also has set up an off campus in Srinagar.
About The University of Scranton:
Founded in 1888, The University of Scranton is a comprehensive, co-educational Catholic and Jesuit institution located in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Northeast with an enrollment of approximately 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students. “Best 380 Colleges,” “Best Buys in College Education,” “America's Best Colleges,” “A Focus on Student Success,” “Best Undergraduate Teaching,” “Most Innovative Schools,” “Best Catholic Colleges” – these are just a few of the ways that the nation’s leading college rankings and guidebooks consistently refer to The University of Scranton.
Agreement with Indian Institute of Management Signed
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04/07/2021
The Medical Alumni Council of The University of Scranton will hold The MAC Symposium Saturday, Oct. 2.
The symposium will feature presentations by Scranton alumni doctors, dentists and veterinarians. Check future issues of Royal News for registration information.
University To Hold MAC Symposium Oct. 2
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04/07/2021
The University will hold its Annual Pre-law Advisory Program Banquet via zoom Monday, May 3, at 6 p.m.
The celebration will feature a keynote address delivered by Melinda Ghilardi, Esq. ’80 and Kathleen Santora, Esq. ’80, alumnae lawyers who both formerly served as members of the University's Board of Trustees. Anyone affiliated with the University's prelaw program is welcome to attend. Registration will open soon.
University To Hold Annual Pre-law Advisory Program Banquet Virtually May 3
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04/07/2021
The University will hold its annual Day of Service April 24.
Each year, alumni throughout the nation honor the University's mission by volunteering with their fellow Royals in their regions. This year, the University will offer service projects in the following regions:
Massachusetts
Boston - Greater Boston Food Bank: 1-4 p.m.
Pennsylvania
Harrisburg - Central PA Food Bank: 9 a.m.-noonNEPA: The University of Scranton We Care Wednesday Program 9-11 a.m.: This site will be a "Drop-Off Drive." The Center for Service and Social Justice will be providing a wish list of items they need, and alumni/parents/friends can drop them off at the DeNaples Center Turnaround (on Mulberry Street between the Parking Pavilion and The DeNaples Center).
New Jersey
Hillside - Community Food Bank of New Jersey: 9-11 a.m.
THIS SITE IS AT CAPACITY. Email alumni@scranton.edu to be placed on the wait list.Camden - Joseph's House 10 a.m.-noon: This site will be a "Drop-Off Drive." Joseph's House will be providing a wish list of items they need, and alumni/parents/friends can drop them off.
New York
New York City - City Harvest Mobile Market Washington Heights: 8 a.m.- noon
THIS SITE IS AT CAPACITY. Email alumni@scranton.edu to be placed on the wait list.
Stony Brook - Cooking for Long Island Veterans: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: This site will be a "Drop-Off Drive." Cooking for Long Island Veterans will be providing a wish list of items they need, and alumni/parents/friends can drop them off at the Target in Farmingdale located at 100 Willow Street, Farmingdale, NY.For more information and registration, visit scranton.edu/dayofservice.
Reminder: University To Hold Day Of Service April 24
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04/07/2021
The University will hold "The Job Search," the fourth installment in its series of alumni career development webinars, Wednesday, April 28, at 7 p.m.
The workshop, hosted by Director for Career Development Chris Whitney G'06 and Career Development Coordinator Lori Moran '93, G'95, will focus on finding the right job in today's competitive market. To register, visit this link.
The series sprang from a partnership between The Alumni Society Advisory Board and The Center for Career Development. The University will hold "Interviewing," the final installment in the series, May 26.
The first three installments in the series, "What The Center For Career Development Can Do For Scranton Alumni," "Changes Within Your Career" and "Building And Enhancing Your Resume," are available to view at scranton.edu/alumnicareers.
University Continues Alumni Career Development Webinar Series April 28
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04/06/2021
The University of Scranton is proud to announce the 2021 Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner will be held at Glenmaura National Golf Club in Moosic, PA, on Monday, June 14.
This year, the University will honor legendary golf coach Ed Karpovich '76, G'86 with the 2021 Peter A. Carlesimo Award. We are once again partnering with the Quandel Construction Group as Title Sponsor for this event.
Please visit scranton.edu/carlesimoaward for more information and to register for this event. Space is limited this year, so please register as soon as possible to ensure your reservation.
Ed Karpovich has been the face of the golf program at The University of Scranton for more than four decades. A 1976 graduate of the University, Karpovich was a standout on the men’s golf team, leading the Royals to three MAC team titles while capturing the MAC individual crown in 1974 and 1976. He also competed in the 1974 and 1976 NCAA championships.
Karpovich returned to the University in 1982 as the head coach of the men’s golf team, a position he still holds today. When the University added women’s golf in 2016, Karpovich was the obvious choice to lead the program from the beginning. In 38 years, he has posted more than 350 victories between the two programs, including 12 finishes in the top three at conference championships.
While his numbers on the golf course are staggering, Karpovich’s loyalty and dedication to The University of Scranton and its student-athletes has been his true gift to the community. His knowledge of the game of golf, his belief in the Catholic and Jesuit ideals the University embodies, and his tireless work ethic have made the University a better place.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the event or sponsorship opportunities, contact Eric Eckenrode at eric.eckenrode@scranton.edu.
Named in honor of Peter A. Carlesimo, former University of Scranton coach and athletics director, the Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner celebrates athletics at The University of Scranton and honors a person who has made special contributions to athletics and Catholic education. The Golf Tournament and Award Dinner serves as a fundraising event to support and enhance the student-athlete experience at Scranton.
University To Hold Carlesimo Golf Tournament And Award Dinner June 14
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04/06/2021
The University recently released "Bridges To El Salvador: A University of Scranton Documentary," a video that chronicles Scranton's 20-year relationship with the people of Las Delicias, a village in El Salvador.
Featuring interviews with the Rev. Brendan Lally, S.J. '70, the former campus minister and rector of the University, Marie Karam, former director of the Language Learning Center at the University, the Rev. Ronald McKinney, S.J., professor of philosophy at the University, and alumni who traveled to El Salvador during their student days, the video examines the origin and evolution of Scranton's faculty, staff, and student service and immersion trips to El Salvador in the aftermath of its brutal civil war. The video also focuses on the work of the University's SEED (Scholarships to Establish Educational Development) Program, which has sponsored the educations of hundreds of children in Las Delicias since its inception, and The SCOPE (Salvadoran Children Of the Poor Education) Foundation, an independent organization founded by Lally and several Scranton alumni that has sponsored thousands of students at the Santa Luisa School in Las Delicias.
View the documentary, below.
For more information on the University's SEED Program, visit this link. For more information on The SCOPE Foundation, visit this link.
University Releases 'Bridges To El Salvador: A University of Scranton Documentary'
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04/06/2021
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, a partner at Munley Law, recently spoke at the Attorneys Information Exchange Group’s (AIEG) 2020 Virtual Symposium on trucking accident litigation. Munley gave a virtual presentation on “Setting Up Your Trial Story.” The AIEG is “a national organization dedicated to sharing information and ideas among member attorneys for the benefit of clients who have been affected by dangerous and defective products.”
Frank R. DiMaio, M.D. ’84, Old Brookville, New York, an orthopedic joint replacement surgeon at St. Francis Hospital, has been named director of External Partnerships, Catholic Health Physicians partners, the full-time practice operated by the six hospitals of the Catholic Healthcare system of Long Island.
Paul M. Collins, Ph.D. ’00, Amherst, Massachusetts, has received two grants from the National Science Foundation. The first, at $400,000, is for a team of faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students to examine how law and legality is understood in LGBTQ+ media. The grant will fund Collins and his team of researchers to study how legal issues rise and fall in the agendas of LGBTQ+ media, how the legal consciousness of the LGBTQ+ community develops over time and how legal decisions influence public awareness and attitudes toward law and legal actors. The team, including graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, will also develop and release two large, comprehensive datasets of specialized media coverage. The second grant will fund a national conference that will give graduate students the opportunity to be mentored by leading scholars in the field of law, politics and society, which will be held at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2023. Collins is a Professor of Legal Studies and Political Science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His third book was recently published by Cambridge University Press, titled "The President and the Supreme Court: Going Public on Judicial Decisions from Washington to Trump."
Tommy Noonan ’06, Darien, Connecticut, was promoted to partner at Butler Tibbetts Butler Tibbetts, a leading law firm known for guiding clients through their most vulnerable moments in business and in life. Noonan is a resourceful and versatile lawyer with a wide array of litigation experience. He represents individuals and businesses at both the trial and appellate levels, deploying creative and effective strategies customized to meet unique client needs ranging from negotiations and mediation to litigation and trials. Noonan handles complex cases involving a broad range of sectors and scenarios, focused primarily in the areas of healthcare and managed care, civil and commercial, construction, corporate, personal injury, and probate.
Marriages
Julia Joyce ’15 to James Dembesky ’14
Births
A son, Hayes Michael, to Jonathan ’14 and Shannon O’Gorman Grueter ’15, Nutley, New JerseyDeaths
Leonard G. Tarantini ’51, Clarks Summit
Edmund R. Tylenda ’55, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Donald J. Whalen ’55, Waverly
John J. Costanzi, M.D.’57, Austin, Texas
John J. Jordan, D.D.S.’57, Havre De Grace, Maryland
Harry E. Phillips ’57, Wyomissing
Frank J. Killino ’58, Delran, New Jersey
Andrew Scott McGowan, Ph.D. ’61, Bronx, New York
Thomas G. Cupillari ’63, Factoryville
William M. Nicholas ’65, Allentown
Thomas A. Joseph ’66, Mountaintop
Brother John P. Calvey ’67, Loretto
Stephen J. Kavulich ’68, Clarks Summit
John J. Purcell ’70, West Pittston
Harry W. Salavantis ’71, G’73 Shavertown
Msgr. Godfrey T. Mosley ’75, Washington, D.C.
Bruno J. Chellino ’72, Carbondale
William Janovsky ’75, Hillsborough, New Jersey
Cornelius J. Milliken, D.D.S. ’77, Elmira, New York
Peter J. White ’80, Scranton
John W. Fortuna, Jr. ’81, TaylorFriends' Deaths
Carmen Perry DeNaples, father of Carmen DeNaples, Jr. '21
Martin Holleran III, son of Martin Holleran, Jr. ’64
Elizabeth Strickland, mother of Harry Strickland, Jr. ’86 and Elizabeth Strickland Elick ’93, grandfather of Oliver Strickland ’13, Hayden Strickland ’15, G’20, Chloe Strickland ’17 and Benjamin Strickland ’20Alumni Class Notes, April 2021
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04/06/2021
Several online information websites for prospective undergraduate and graduate students have ranked some of The University of Scranton’s programs to be among the nation’s best in recently published rankings.
Intellegent.com ranked a dozen of the University’s program among the nation’s best in listings that include: No. 2 among the best master’s in human resources; No. 10 among the best MBA in international Business; No. 13 among the best MBA in healthcare management; No. 14 among the best MBA in human resources; No. 15 among the best online master’s of accountancy; No. 19 among the best accounting degree programs; No. 25 best master’s in health informatics; and No. 33 among the best master’s in healthcare administration, among others. The ranking is based on an assessment of student engagement, potential return on investment and leading third-party evaluations of the programs.
In the first Nursing Schools Almanac rankings published, Scranton’s nursing program ranked No. 71 in the nation. Scranton also ranked No. 30 among private nursing school in the U.S. Nursing Schools Almanac noted Scranton students benefit from “small class sizes and a strong clinical focus, with clinical experiences beginning during sophomore year” and that undergraduates “have opportunities for research, study abroad, and participation in domestic and international service trips.” The rankings are based on evaluation of academic prestige and perceived value; the breadth and depth of nursing programs offered; and student success rates, particularly on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCLEX) national licensure exam.
Besthealthdegrees.com ranked Scranton’s online master’s degree in health informatics No. 10 in the nation; and its bachelor’s degree programs in healthcare management at No. 18 in the country. Among the factors considered in this ranking are the cost of attendance, reputation and salary potential, using data from IPEDS and Niche, U.S. News and World Report and other higher education rating publications.
Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report ranked several of the University’s graduate programs among America’s best and the University’s online master’s degree programs in business (excluding MBA) at No. 48; and its online MBA program at No. 111 in the nation in its “Best Online Programs” guide. U.S. News also ranked Scranton at No. 67 in the country for “Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans.”
Scranton Programs Ranked Among Best in Nation
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03/17/2021
The University of Scranton’s online Master of Science in Health Informatics degree will offer a specialization in data analytics, beginning in the fall 2021 semester. Applications are currently being accepted for the program.
The curriculum for the master’s degree in health informatics was designed by Scranton faculty, who are active leaders and experts in this burgeoning field. The health informatics program’s mission is to “promote excellence in the Jesuit tradition by preparing graduates in the interdisciplinary field of health informatics to use data, information, knowledge and wisdom to improve health.”
Health informatics, data analytics and their associated tools have seen a rapid increase in importance in healthcare due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. This increase comes after a period of amplified interest in big data analysis in healthcare, in an effort to improve patient outcomes and efficiency. A 2019 Leadership survey conducted by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) shows that executive-level leaders at both health information technology vendors and hospitals are now seeing clinical and business analytics as a higher priority than in the past. As a result, the demand for health informaticians who have data analytics, data mining and data visualization skills is increasing. Another HIMSS analysis shows one of the top five job growth areas for health informatics was found to be analytics consultant.
Burning Glass Technologies, a job market analysis company, projects positions for health information managers and directors will grow 20.5 percent through 2029, which is more than four times the national average. Master’s-educated professionals in this position earn up to $106,000 annually.
The online program with a data analytics specialization includes three courses that are offered by Scranton’s Operations and Information Management Department, requiring the completion of a total of 39-41 credits for the master’s degree in health informatics with this specialization. Two one-credit modules in statistics and management science are also required, but may be waived depending on the student’s background.
The additional courses students will take for data analytics specialization will provide an overview of descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analytics, data mining and data visualization. Graduates will be prepared to turn health data into actionable information.
Applicants to the graduate program must meet admission requirements. For additional information, visit the Master of Science degree in Health Informatics webpage or contact Margarete L. Zalon, Ph.D., professor of nursing and director of the University’s online Master of Science in Health Informatics Program at Margarete.zalon@scranton.edu or 570-941-7655.
New Online Master’s Degree Specialization Offered
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03/03/2021
The University will hold its annual Day of Service April 24.
Each year, alumni throughout the nation honor the University's mission by volunteering with their fellow Royals in their regions. This year, the University will offer service projects in Boston, Mass., Harrisburg, Hillside, N.J., Camden, N.J., New York City and Stony Brook, N.Y. Registration for the projects will open in mid-March. For more information, visit scranton.edu/dayofservice. If you would like to coordinate a COVID-safe project or site in your region, email Marge Gleason, P'14, '17 at margery.gleason@scranton.edu.
University to Hold Day of Service April 24
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03/03/2021
The University recently launched Rainbow Royals, Scranton’s LGBTQIA+ and ally alumni network.
The group’s mission, according to its website, is “to foster continuing connections between Scranton's LGBTQIA+ alumni with other LGBTQIA+ university members and the broader university community. Aligning with our Catholic and Jesuit values, Rainbow Royals will work towards cultivating community and creating a space where all are welcomed and valued. Leaning on the Jesuit ideal of Cura Personalis, we are committed to caring for the whole person of every person. We will create an inclusive environment that will be promoted both on-campus and at our off-campus events.”
The club plans to promote educational, professional, social, and service opportunities and events, as well as the sharing of experiences and knowledge for the betterment of the Scranton community. Additionally, Rainbow Royals will connect with student clubs, organizations, faculty and staff to foster a space that allows for resources, a strong network and community for those who identify as LGBTQIA+ on campus. In a spirit of inclusivity and mutual support, Rainbow Royals welcomes all members of Scranton's LGBTQIA+ and ally alumni community.
The establishment of Rainbow Royals represents the combined efforts of Scranton's Alumni Engagement team, the Cross Cultural Centers, and LGBTQIA+ and ally alumni. Formation of the club exemplifies Scranton's continued support and recognition of all alumni who identify as LGBTQIA+.
More than 50 Scranton alumni have joined Rainbow Royals since its inception, and the group plans to begin holding virtual events soon. To join the club, visit this link. Follow Rainbow Royals on Facebook here and on Instagram here.
University Launches Rainbow Royals
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03/03/2021
Nearly 150 students recently attended “Mindset for a Successful Future: Reflections of a KSOM Alumnus with Joe Sorbera ’08," the first in a series of “Agape Latte virtual coffee sessions" that sprang from a partnership between The Alumni Society Advisory Board and The Future Alumni Network of Scranton (FANS).
The next installment in the series, which will debut March 24, will feature Marissa Papula '13. Registration will open soon.
FANS And Alumni Board Launch Agape Latte Virtual Series
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03/03/2021
The University will hold "Building And Enhancing Your Resume," the third installment in its series of alumni career development webinars, Wednesday, March 31 at 7 p.m.
The workshop, hosted by Director for Career Development Chris Whitney G'06 and Career Development Coordinator Lori Moran '93, G'95, will focus on maintaining a competitive resume in today's world. To register, visit this link.
The series sprang from a partnership between The Alumni Society Advisory Board and The Center for Career Development. The University will hold additional webinars on alumni-centered topics in the coming months, including "Job Search" April 28 and "Interviewing" May 26. Check future installments of Royal News for registration information.
The first two installments in the series, "What The Center For Career Development Can Do For Scranton Alumni" and "Changes Within Your Career," are both available to view at scranton.edu/alumnicareers.
University Continues Alumni Career Development Webinar Series March 31
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03/03/2021
The University of Scranton will offer a new Master of Science degree in Applied Behavior Analysis, which will provide students with the educational and supervised fieldwork experiences necessary to achieve national board certification in the much-in-demand profession. Applications are currently being accepted for the graduate program that begins in the fall 2021 semester.
Annual demand for board certified behavior analysts “has increased each year since 2010, with a 1,942 percent increase from 2010 to 2018 and a 127 percent increase from 2017 to 2018,” according to a 2019 Behavior Analyst Certification Board report on U.S. Employment Demand for Behavior Analysts: 2010-2018 (Littleton, CO. author). In addition, the report noted that demand has also increased in all 50 states during this period.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects above-average job growth of 22 percent for behavior analysts between 2018 and 2028. According to Payscale.com, the average salary for Board Certified Behavior Analysists is $62,472.
“There is a critical shortage of skilled professionals who can offer behavioral intervention. Board Certified Behavior Analysts are required to demonstrate a high level of understanding and application of behavioral principles and concepts that are scientific and evidence-based,” said Michael E. Kelley, Ph.D., LP, BCBA-D, program director.
The 42-credit master’s degree program will be housed in the Counseling and Human Services Department of the University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies. The course content is consistent with certification rules for individuals and accreditation standards for programs that meet the eligibility requirements for graduates to sit for the national certification exam for Behavior Analysis, as specified by Behavior Analysis Certification Board.
“Board certification is required for working with individuals living with autism in behavior analysis in most states in the United States of America,” said Dr. Kelley. “Highly-educated and skilled providers of autism services are needed in our region to help our children and family members who are waiting – often desperately – for services.”
Students in this graduate program will complete: 30 credit hours of classroom-based didactic courses; six credit hours of thesis or capstone; and six credit hours of a supervised fieldwork experience. The supervised fieldwork experience will provide students with real-world experience in the application of Behavior Analytic principles, clinical services and research. The clinical site selection will be based on the student’s career goals.
The University currently offers an 21-credit post-graduate Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study. The University also serves as the Executive Hub of five Autism Collaborative Centers of Excellence, which are part of a multi-year, multi-million regional initiative supported by the AllOne Foundation to enhance the service delivery system for individuals with autism and their families living in 13 counties in Northeastern and North Central Pennsylvania. The University’s executive hub, located on Mulberry Street, has state-of-the-art assessment labs to aide in education and training of graduate students. The center is also used for evaluation purposes and research.
Applicants to the graduate program must meet admission requirements. For additional information, visit the applied behavior analysis master’s degree program webpage or contact Dr. Kelley at Michael.kelley@scranton.edu or Caitlyn Hollingshead, director of graduate, transfer and international admissions, at Caitlyn.Hollingshead@scranton.edu or 570-941-6202.
New Master’s Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis
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03/03/2021
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Joseph Agostinelli , D.P.M., Colonel , USAF , Retired ’77, Niceville, Florida was elected president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine for the 2021 calendar year. Dr. Agostinelli is an Emeritus Fellow of the academy. He is a noted author and lecturer on conservative and surgical sports medicine treatments throughout the country.
Weddings
Margaret Mester '15, DPT '18 to Gary Gifford '12, DPT '15
Deaths
Rudolph J. Panaro, M.D. ’51, King of Prussia
James H. Davey, Sr. ’57, Clarks Summit
John J. Jordan, D.D.S. ’57, Havre De Grace, Maryland
Francis M. Regan ’62, Fort Worth, Texas
John R. Galli ’64, G’70, Apalachin, New York
Michael J. Jezuit ’64, West Wyoming
Thomas P. Walsh ’64, Scranton
Russell J. G. Symons ’67, Greenfield Township
William L. Smith ’71, Sarasota, Florida
Carol R. Conaboy G’74, South Abington Township
Elmer J. Generotti ’74, Plantation, Florida
Frank C. Sabatino ’76, Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Thomas S. Daye ’84, Greensboro, North Carolina
Kimberly Kern Shafer ’87, Clarks Summit
Anthony S. Blasi ’89, Scranton
Christian Karenbauer G’19, CranberryFriends' deaths
Patricia O’Dowd McLaughlin, mother of James McLaughlin, D.O. '79, grandmother of Aimee McLaughlin ’07, Nathan McLaughlin ’08 and Ryan McLaughlin ’09
Julius Prezelski, father of Janice Prezelski Vollkommer ’82 and Julius Prezelski ’86Adeline Sabatino, mother of Frank Sabatino ’76
Harry Strickland, Ph.D., father of Harry Strickland, Jr. ’86 and Elizabeth Strickland Elick ’93, grandfather of Oliver Strickland ’13, Hayden Strickland ’15, G’20, Chloe Strickland ’17 and Benjamin Strickland ’20Alumni Class Notes, March 2021
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02/25/2021
The gold standard for business school accreditation – AACSB International – will continue at The University of Scranton for the next five years. The undergraduate and master’s programs in business offered by The Kania School of Management have been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) for the past 25 years. AACSB has extended Scranton’s accreditation through 2025.
Schools accredited by AACSB submit to a comprehensive, 360-degree review every five years to prove that the college continues to offer students an exceptional and relevant business education.
“Parents and students recognize AACSB as the de facto gold standard for business school accreditation. The external accrediting body provides them reassurance of the quality of the business programs being offered at Scranton,” said Sam Beldona, Ph.D., dean of the Kania School of Management.
Less than five percent of business colleges worldwide - 882 schools of business in 57 countries – hold the prestigious AACSB accreditation.
Dean Beldona credits the success of the AACSB accreditation review to the scholarship and passion for teaching of the faculty; the care given to students by staff, alumni and business partners; and the motivation and aptitude of our students.
The accreditation review, completed by deans of other AACSB accredited schools, includes an extensive written report in addition to an onsite visit. The visiting deans meet with faculty, staff and students, the provost and president, as well as multiple advisory committees. The process seeks evidence to prove the education provided by colleges remain relevant to the current needs of businesses. The review looks at a school’s course creation or innovation; the course delivery or engagement of faculty, staff, students and other shareholders; and outcomes or assessment of learning.
Dean Beldona noted that the successful innovations at the Kania School of Management include the launching of a business honors program, a new master’s degree in finance, new undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business analytics and a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Program, which AACSB recognized in 2019 for “Innovations and Best Practices in Canada, Latin America and the United States.”
“Faculty have not only remained current with research, but have been internationally and nationally noted for successful research and publication,” said Dean Beldona. Most recently, the Accounting Department was ranked as the fourth most prolific department in the world for accounting education research (excluding cases) over the most recent six-year period in a 2020 Brigham Young University report. The report also ranked three faculty members with respect to authorships of individual accounting faculty in the area of accounting education.
“Examples of the University’s engagement with the community include MBA curriculum content developed specifically for and delivered at Geisinger in Danville and for Tobyhanna Army Depot. In addition, we have worked with The University of Scranton Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to develop initiatives for the Women’s Entrepreneurship Center, as well as other programming,” said Murli Rajan, Ph.D., associate dean of the Kania School of Management.
Undergraduate Kania School of Management programs include bachelor’s degree programs in accounting, business administration, business analytics, economics, electronic commerce, entrepreneurship, finance, international business, management, marketing and operations and information management.
Graduate level Kania School of Management programs include a master’s in accountancy, a master’s in finance, a master’s in business analytics and a master of business administration (MBA) in general management or with a specialization in accounting, business analytics, finance, healthcare management international business, management information systems, marketing and operations management.
Combined bachelor’s and master’s level programs include accounting BS/MBA, operations management BS/MBA and finance BS/MBA, as well as accelerated programs in a number of areas.
The University also offers online MBA programs in general management or with specialization in accounting, business analytics, enterprise resource planning, finance, healthcare management, human resources, international business and operations management.
Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master’s level and doctoral degrees in business.
Kania School of Management Accreditation Extended
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02/02/2021
The University of Scranton Book Club will discuss "The Devil's Advocate" by Morris West during its next virtual meeting Sunday, Feb. 21st at 7:30 p.m.
According to a summary of the book posted on the club's webpage, "In an impoverished village in southern Italy, the enigmatic life and mysterious death of Giacomo Nerone has inspired talk of sainthood. Father Blaise Meredith, a dying English priest, is sent by the Vatican to investigate. As he tries to untangle the web of facts, rumors and outright lies that surround Nerone, The Devil's Advocate reminds us how the power of goodness ultimately prevails over despair. The Devil's Advocate was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the W.H. Heinemann Award of the Royal Society of Literature, and was made into a film."
The book club is a collaboration between the Alumni Office and The Jesuit Center. The Rev. Patrick Rogers, S.J., executive director of The Jesuit Center, serves as moderator of the group's discussions. Since its inaugural discussion of "Tattoos On The Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion" by the Rev. Gregory Boyle, S.J., the virtual club has discussed "The Jesuit Guide To (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality For Real Life" by the Rev. James Martin, S.J. H'17, "Barking To The Choir: The Power Of Radical Kinship," a second work by Boyle, "The Power And The Glory" by Graham Greene and "Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents" by Isabel Wilkerson. To join the club, visit this link.
University Book Club to Discuss 'The Devil's Advocate'
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02/02/2021
The University's Center for Career Development will hold "Changes Within Your Career," the second installment in its series of alumni career development webinars, Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m.
The workshop, hosted by Director for Career Development Chris Whitney G'06 and Career Development Coordinator Lori Moran '93, G'95, will highlight many of the ways the center can help our alumni achieve their career goals. To register, visit this link.
The Center for Career Development will hold webinars on a variety of alumni-centered topics in the coming months, including "Building And Enhancing Your Resume" March 31, "Job Search" April 28 and "Interviewing" May 26. Check future installments of Royal News for registration information.
The center held "What the Center for Career Development Can Do for Scranton Alumni," the first installment in the series, Jan. 27. To view the webinar, visit this link.
University Continues Alumni Career Development Webinar Series Feb. 24
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02/02/2021
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Gene Gibbons ’64, Alexandria, Virginia, wrote a memoir “Breaking News: A Life in Journalism.” Gibbons covered six U.S. presidents as a White House correspondent for Reuters, and this memoir offers an inside look at modern American history and portraits of presidents, a queen and a pope. The book is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Sean Keeler, M.D. ’98, Las Vegas, Nevada, and his wife Mary celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in Paris, France. The couple resides in Las Vegas, NV where Sean is a perinatologist and partner at Desert Perinatal Associates for nearly 6 years.
James G. Demetriades, Jr. ’00, Nesquehoning, was named CEO of Penn Medicine Princeton Health.John J. Robertson ’04, New York, New York, was promoted to vice president of Distribution by Hearst Television. Robertson will oversee the company’s relationships with OTT distributors and its next-gen tv applications.
BIRTHS
A son, Maxwell Dominic, to Amanda and Jeffrey Manganaro ’02, Ridgewood, NJ.A son, Sam, to Marlana Morell G’08 and her wife Heather, Raleigh, North Carolina
Weddings
Ashley Fisher '09 to Greg Speca '12, DPT ’15
Deaths
Francis M. Lukash ’44, Exeter
Ted M. Stampien, D.D.S. ’52, Clarks Summit
Robert M. Bessoir ’55, Clarks Summit
Joseph A. Reakes ’64, G’70 Moosic
William M. Gallis ’67, Jefferson Township
Anthony J. Bednarczyk ’74, Blakely
Mark A. Graziadio ’77, White Mills
Susan K. Cirba ’78, Scranton
Jennifer Holdren Mease ’93, Lebanon
Nicole M. Suchter ’03, ScrantonFriends' Deaths
Patricia Ahern, mother of Brian Loftus, D.M.D. ’92
Molly Gilmartin, sister of Jerome Gilmartin ’59Alumni Class Notes, Feb. 2021
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02/02/2021
U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 “Best Online Graduate Programs” ranked The University of Scranton’s online master’s degree programs in business (excluding MBA) at No. 48 and its online MBA program at No. 111 in the nation. U.S. News also ranked Scranton at No. 67 in the country for “Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans.”
This is the 10th consecutive year that U.S. News ranked the University’s online programs among the best in the nation. The methodology used by U.S. News to determine the ranking has changed several times throughout the years.
For the 2021 Best Online Programs ranking, which published in January, U.S. News reviewed statistical information submitted by schools. The ranking criteria differed by category. The criteria used by U.S. News to rank online business and MBA programs included student engagement (30 percent), which looked at graduation rates, class size, one-year retention rates, and best practices such as accreditation by AACSB International, among other factors. The ranking criteria also included peer reputation score (25 percent); faculty credentials and training (15 percent); admission selectivity (15 percent); and student services and technology (15 percent).
In addition to offering distance education programs that incorporate coursework that is predominantly online, colleges and universities making the “Best Online Program for Veterans” list must have ranked in top half of 2021 Best Online Program rankings; be regionally accredited; be certified for the GI Bill and participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program; and enroll a “critical mass of veterans” as defined by U.S. News based on the size of the college.
Scranton offers online MBA degrees in general business, accounting, enterprise resource planning, finance, healthcare management, human resources, international business and operations management; master’s degrees in accountancy, business analytics, finance, health administration, health informatics and human resources and a dual MBA/MHA degree, in addition to graduate certificates. For technology, recruitment and marketing support, the University partners with Wiley for the online programs.
In other rankings published by U.S. News, Scranton has been ranked among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 27 consecutive years. Scranton is ranked No. 6 in the 2021 edition of the guidebook. U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 14 in its category for “Best Undergraduate Teaching.” In national rankings of all business programs in America, U.S. News ranked Scranton’s finance program at No. 30, its entrepreneurship program at No. 36 and its accounting program at No. 44 in the country, among other rankings.
Scranton Online Programs Among Best in Nation
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01/21/2021
The University of Scranton’s lighting of the Class of 2020 Gateway and The Estate in amber to honor the lives lost as part of a national moment of remembrance appeared in national television coverage of the Inauguration of President Joe Biden, a native of Scranton and 1976 recipient of an honorary degree from the University.
Since April, the University has lit its new, prominent gateway sign with a red cross on a blue background as part of its Royals Respond initiative to honor those who are bravely and selflessly responding to COVID-19, especially acknowledging the service of alumni and members of the University community. The lighting of the Gateway has changed only a few times since April to mark special occasions, such as the Christmas, Easter, the Fourth of July, Juneteenth National Freedom Day and, most recently, as part of the national moment of remembrance for the Inauguration of President Biden.
The University’s Class of 2020 Gateway features a lit glass wall etched with the seal of The University of Scranton that spans the center of the four-story St. Thomas Hall. The façade can be seen on Linden Street for blocks from downtown Scranton. The sign was first lit in a ceremony in February 2020.
University’s Gateway Makes National Appearance
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01/13/2021
The Princeton Review listed The University of Scranton’s Kania School of Management among the nation’s “Best Business Schools” in its 2021 ranking of just 224 colleges in the country. This is the 16th consecutive year that Scranton has been included in the listing the nation’s most elite business colleges. Scranton was included among the list of “Best On-Campus MBA Programs,” which was published online in December.
The listing of business programs is compiled from data from the Princeton Review’s surveys of nearly 24,000 students enrolled in MBA programs at 369 schools, and of administrators at those schools. The data incorporates career outcomes, academic rigor, admissions selectivity and other factors.
The University’s Kania School of Management is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), which is widely considered the standard of excellence for business schools. Less than five percent of business colleges worldwide hold AACSB accreditation.
The Princeton Review also listed Scranton in its 2021 edition of the “Best 386 Colleges,” ranking Scranton among the nation’s “Best Science Labs” (No. 8), “Best Campus Food” (No. 7) and “Most Religious Schools (No. 15); and included Scranton among the nation’s “Best Online MBA Programs.”
In other national rankings, U.S. News ranked Scranton’s finance program at No. 30, its entrepreneurship program at No. 36 and its accounting program at No. 44 in the country. US News also ranked Scranton among America’s “Best Undergraduate Business Programs” (No. 201), and among the nation’s “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs” (No. 141 among U.S. schools where a doctorate is not offered). In its overall ranking for colleges, Scranton ranked No. 6 among the “Best Regional Universities in the North,” marking the 27th consecutive year that Scranton ranked in the top 10 of its category.
University Among Nation’s Best Business Schools
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01/06/2021
The University's Center for Career Development will hold "What the Center for Career Development Can Do for Scranton Alumni," a professional development webinar exclusively for Scranton alumni, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m.
The workshop, hosted by Director for Career Development Chris Whitney G'06 and Career Development Coordinator Lori Moran '93, G'95, will highlight many of the ways the center can help our alumni achieve their career goals. Registration will open soon.
University To Hold Alumni Career Development Webinar Jan. 27
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01/06/2021
Alumni, parents and friends of the University submitted 35 of their favorite Christmas cookie recipes to the Royal Recipes Virtual Cookie Swap.
Submissions included everything from traditional classics to vegan and no-bake delights. To view the recipes, visit this link.
Royals Submit Recipes To Virtual Christmas Cookie Swap
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01/06/2021
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
William I. Dorfman, Ph.D. ’68, Laud by Sea, Florida, was retired as emeritus professor of Psychology at Nova Southeastern University after 34 years.
Thomas J. Grech ’84, Malverne, New York, has been appointed to the New York City Regional Economic Development Council, one of 10 established state-wide by NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo. The councils are public-private partnerships made up of local experts and stakeholders from business, academia, local government and non-governmental organizations.
John J. Judge, IV ’96, Scranton, was appointed superintendent of the Scranton Fire Department.
Kate Groark Shields ’97, Fort Washington, was named one of the most admired CEOs for 2020 by The Philadelphia Business Journal.
Marriages
Ryan Schuster, Esq., '13 to Monica Skibicki
Births
A son, Emilio Xavier, to Susan Ingraffea ’01 and her husband Luis Meza Emilio, Rahway, New Jersey; grandson of Dominic Ingraffea '67.
Deaths
Constant F. Skaluba ’49, Scranton
Matthias F. Fennell ’52, El Paso, Texas
Walter D. Hedden ’62, Monroe, Connecticut
Daniel J. Millett ’63, Clarks Summit
Daniel R. Coughlin ’67, Concord, North Carolina
Paul C. Hoffman ’69, Wellsboro
David L. Phillips ’69, Clarks Green
James T. Chickson ’72, Scranton
Joseph G. Machek ’72, G’75, Browndale
Emanuel W. Mihalos G’75, Wilkes Barre
Mark J. Moisey ’82, Center Valley
Leslie F. Gettman ’93, Skaneateles, New York
Bishop Sterry David Mahaffey, Jr. ’03, G’05, Sitka, AlaskaRobert M. Bessoir '55, Clarks Summit
Alumni Class Notes, Jan. 2021
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12/02/2020
Nearly 350 members of the University community donated more than $80,000 to University causes during this year's global Giving Tuesday celebration.
Many of the donations were designated for the Father Sweeney Family Outreach Fund, which provides emergency financial aid to students facing unexpected financial hardship. To view the donor honor roll, visit this link.University Community Celebrates Giving Tuesday
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12/02/2020
Share your favorite cookie or holiday dessert recipes with your fellow Royals at the inaugural Royal Recipes Virtual Cookie Swap.
To participate in the swap, submit your recipe to this link by Dec. 4, National Cookie Day. Submissions may be featured on the University's social media accounts.
University Holds Virtual Royal Cookie Swap
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12/02/2020
More than 700 members of the University community watched the online premiere of The University of Scranton Christmas Special Dec. 1. Hosted by sophomore broadcasting student Kelly Nee, the 45-minute video special walks viewers around campus to enjoy the scenes of the season and receive festive greetings from University President Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., members of the faculty and staff, and students. The Special aims to get the University community into the holiday spirit with never-before-seen performances, and it concludes with the lighting of the University’s new 26-foot Norway Spruce at the heart of campus. View the Christmas Special here.
University Debuts Christmas Special
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12/02/2020
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Eva M. Vicor ’84, Bryn Mawr, was appointed as senior vice president and director of wealth planning at Girard, the wealth management division of Univest Financial Corporation, with $3.8 billion in assets under management and supervision.
Jason B. Rush ’93, Tustin, California, and fellow co-founder William J. Kelley, III, launched Common Sense California, (www.cs-california.com), the nation’s first executive and legislative scorecard issued by citizens, not lobbying and professional organizations. The scorecard launched in 2019 and has already scored 2020. Rush and Kelley seek to enhance knowledge of Sacramento and the policies promulgated by it, highlighting legislation attracting little to no attention, but that has a large impact on the body politic.
Lucas T. Lemley G’15, Bangkok, Thailand, was honored as the 2020 Distinguished Alumnus for Lee University’s Helen DeVos College of Education. Lemley is currently working as a high school principal of International Community School in Bangkok.
Timothy J. Pippet ’03, North Wales, was appointed to the Board of Directors at Lutheran Settlement House.
Marriages
Ashley Croft '12 to Drew Stanley '12
Denise Henry ’12 to Jason KuzmaDeaths
Joseph D. Austin ’52, Lake Forest, Illinois
Thomas F. Oltorik ’57, Isle of Palms, South Carolina
Lee T. Bradbury ’61, Deep Creek, Florida
Neil W. Regan ’69, Scranton
John C. Barrett ’71, G’73, ’77, South Abington Township
Michael D. Ely ’74, Scnecksville
Sharon Grasso Gallo ’83, G’85, PeckvilleAlumni Class Notes, Dec. 2020
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12/01/2020
The University of Scranton Nursing Program’s pass rate for the National Council Licensure Examination for first-time test takers for graduates with a bachelor’s degree for 2019 was 98.72 percent. The 2019 average national pass rate for first-time test takers with a baccalaureate degree is 91.22 percent, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing website. This is the most recent annual data available.
The National Council Licensure Examination is a nationwide examination for the licensing of nurses in the United States, Canada and Australia.
“The high pass-rate equates to the success of the program for its educational methods, delivery and student preparation for the licensure exam,” said Kimberly Subasic, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Nursing Department.
According to Dr. Subasic, the University’s pass rate is usually above both state and national averages. She credits its students, curriculum and faculty for its continued strong pass rates, as well as “the state-of-the-art campus laboratory simulation practice and extensive clinical experience provided to our students.”
The University of Scranton’s nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and has full approval of the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.
National Nursing Licensure Pass Rate Tops 98 Percent
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12/01/2020
This is an excerpt from The Scranton Journal. Read it in its entirety, here.
While many of the students of Prof. Paul M. Jackowitz ‘77, P ’11, ’16, assistant professor of Computing Sciences at The University of Scranton, have heard him discuss the unintended consequences of new technologies in the years since he first joined the Scranton faculty in 1982, most of them likely don’t know that Jackowitz would never have embarked upon a career in computer science without the intended consequence of a scheduled meeting with his high school guidance counselor concerning his future after graduation.
“I sat down, and (she) said, ‘What do you want to do when you graduate?’” Jackowitz recalled. “Now, I’m 17 years old, and I haven’t the faintest idea. And, the guidance counselor said, ‘Well, you get good grades in math – do you like math?’ And I mumbled, ‘Yeah, I like math.’ And (she) said, ‘You don’t seem enthusiastic.’ And I said, ‘Well, it’s kind of all the same stuff.’ And she said, ‘Well, what about … computer science?’ and I said, ‘I don’t know what that is.’”
The South Scranton native began formally learning about computer science during the fall of 1973, three years after the University first listed “Computer Science” as an option in its course catalog. At the time, the University, which was the second American Jesuit university to offer a computer science major, had one lone, room-sized Xerox Sigma 6 computer located on the first floor of St. Thomas Hall for its students to use.
“It was behind a brick wall,” Jackowitz said. “You never saw it. There were a couple of holes in the wall. In the one hole, you put your punch card decks with your programs, and, in the other holes, you got a printout back, and that’s how we interacted with computers on campus in the early 1970s.”Continue reading about Jackowitz and listen to a podcast featuring the professor in The Scranton Journal, here.
Celebrating 50 Years of Computing Science with Prof. Paul M. Jackowitz ’77, P’11, ‘16
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11/23/2020
The University of Scranton prides itself on the metaphorical doors it is able to open for its students through education. One such way students can open even more doors is by learning a world language. For many alumni of the University’s Department of World Languages and Cultures, their lives were forever changed after obtaining a major, minor or concentration in another language.
“Learning a language while at Scranton had a profound impact on the opportunities I’ve since had in the workforce,” said Linda Neilan, a former secondary education and Spanish double major.
After graduating in 1994, Neilan decided to pursue service full time through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. Because of her Spanish studies at Scranton, she had enough skills to qualify for and obtain her top volunteer choice: a non-profit law firm in Los Angeles.
Neilan has since built up quite a resume: teaching Spanish at a Jesuit high school, obtaining her law degree, representing all kinds of workers in New York City and serving as a foreign service officer in Brazil and Mexico.
Many of the alumni of the Department of World Languages and Cultures have seen changes in their personal life after learning another language. Michael Canaris, Ph.D. graduated from The University of Scranton in 2002 as a philosophy and theology double major. While at Scranton, Canaris also obtained a concentration in Italian studies. He described his experience in the University’s language classes, especially those with Dr. Picchietti, as transformative.
“Dr. Picchietti really inspired me to not only learn the language but really immerse myself in the culture and history and food and art of Italy,” Canaris said. “This has taken on a really personal dimension to me.”
Canaris currently works at Loyola University in Chicago, coordinating summer graduate programs in Rome. While his Italian skills have served him well in his profession, they have also impacted Michael’s personal life as well. Because of his Italian skills, Canaris lived in Europe for a period of time during which he met his wife, Valeria. In fact, Canaris ended up proposing to Valeria at the Apostolic Palace at Castel Gandolfo on American Thanksgiving. When the couple later rejoined friends and colleagues for an event celebrating the holiday for American ex-pats, Canaris's friend made a toast.
“He toasted Valeria and me in three languages that night, so everyone in the room could understand in Spanish, Italian and English,” Canaris said. “It was such a wonderful experience of living in a global church, in a global academy as an academic and that lived experience of celebrating such a wonderful milestone moment in my life in these various languages and these various cultures.”
Elena Habersky, who graduated from the University in 2013 as an international studies major and theology, philosophy and Arabic triple minor, also had many professional and personal opportunities open for her by learning another language. Habersky loves being able to travel. She always takes the time to learn basic phrases (e.g. thank you, how much) in the mother language of the country she’s traveling to.
“I’ve found that people really appreciate the effort,” Habersky said.
After graduating from the University, Habersky obtained a Fulbright in Jordan. One of the main reasons she was placed in Jordan was because of the Arabic skills she developed as a Scranton student. Habersky is now a researcher at the American University in Cairo. One of her main research projects centers on refugee entitlements in Egypt.
With the world being so connected today, Habersky finds that learning another language is a valuable skillset that everyone should study at some point in their academic careers.
“I feel it should be a requirement for students, if not all Americans,” Habersky said. “It is also important to have some sort of international experience before you graduate. It really helps you grow as a global citizen.”
Open Doors by Learning a Language, Alumni Tell Their Stories
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11/04/2020
This is an excerpt from the profile about Desai in The Scranton Journal.
As the chief accounting officer and global controller for SoulCycle — a fitness studio that offers cycling classes, fitness apparel and an at-home exercise bike — Sameera Desai Sullivan ’05, G’06 keeps the company’s finances in order. But the job is not just about the numbers for her: It’s a lifestyle.
She takes their classes on her bike at home, where her husband has also gotten into the cycling workouts. And when she is in the office, Desai often takes a mid-day break for a class (especially if the playlist has Beyoncé or Jay-Z on it).
“It is such a big part of the culture at SoulCycle HQ: You’re having a tough day, go ride. And when I come back, I feel a little bit differently. We use riding as a way to motivate and relieve stress,” she said, an embodiment of the company’s mission to provide fitness experiences that benefit the mind, body and soul.
SoulCycle’s mission is not unlike The University of Scranton’s commitment to the development of the mind, body and spirit of its students. And, though she’s Muslim, it is that Jesuit character that appealed to Desai when she was choosing a college.
“The concept of cura personalis was instilled in me throughout my education. It made me a well-rounded student and professionally ready to enter the world. I was then able to share all the experiences from the foundation that Scranton set,” she said.
She was born and raised in Zimbabwe, where her mother worked for the United Nations. When Desai was 17, the family moved to New Jersey for her mother to work at the UN headquarters in New York City. The University’s proximity to her family and its Jesuit ideals made it a natural choice.
These days, she’s back in New York City, since SoulCycle is headquartered in the West Village. She initially joined the company in February 2019 to help expand the international footprint in the UK by opening the first SoulCycle studio in London.
Desai, who also holds an MBA from Scranton, started her accounting career at PwC, recruited by fellow Scranton alumni who were partners at the New York City office. But since then, her career path has been atypical for an accounting major.
Desai joined SoulCycle after eight years of working in finance at fashion and beauty brand Marc Jacobs, where she finished her tenure as vice president of finance, global controller. That international experience — plus the French minor she took alongside her accounting major at Scranton — made her a great fit as SoulCycle expanded outside the U.S.
Continue reading about Desai in The Scranton Journal, here.
Alumna Takes Atypical Accounting Path to Arrive at SoulCycle
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11/04/2020
The University will hold a virtual Thanksgiving floral workshop Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 7 p.m. via zoom hosted by Dorian Butovich, the owner of Central Park Flowers.
At the workshop, Butovich will demonstrate how to make an exceptionally beautiful Thanksgiving centerpiece in a step-by-step fashion. To register for this event, visit this link.
University To Host Thanksgiving Floral Workshop
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11/04/2020
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Deaths
James P. McCormick, Jr. ’51, Glen Mills
Patrick J. Manley ’53, Scranton
Jacob J. Orbon ’56, West Chester
Leo B. Burke ’57, Vestal, New York
Bernard M. Tully ’60, Olyphant
Louis T. Umile ’63, G’70, Olyphant
John S. Corcoran ’64, Somerville, Massachusetts
Louis A. Kahanowitz ’64, Scranton
John C. Cox ’67, Bergenfield New Jersey
Donald J. Reese ’72, Scranton
Rev. John J. Connor, C.P. ’74, Scranton
Thomas A. Lynch ’78, Moscow
James P. Vorozilchak ’82, Scranton
John B. McGreevy ’83, Scranton
Mari Walsh Rush ’88, Endwell, New York
Anthony J. Aulisio ’89, Pittston
Anne Baker Spindler ’93, Old ForgeMarriages
Kateri Sternberg '17 to Matthew Owens '17, Ridley Park
Friends' DeathsRaymond F. Chase, D.D.S., father of R. Donald Chase, D.O. ’90
Alumni Class Notes, Nov. 2020
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11/03/2020
The University of Scranton’s Department of Nursing was among two programs in the country presented with a 2020 Assessment and Impact Award for Nursing Education. The award recognizes colleges that have successfully used data to analyze and make changes to better their undergraduate nursing programs. It is presented annually by Skyfactor Benchworks, a Macmillan Learning Company, which produce the most widely used assessments in nursing education.
Scranton’s nursing program was recognized for “high performance in satisfaction with instruction,” demonstrating how a nursing education program “can improve the student experience and support their accreditation efforts through strategically using data.” An analysis of the program’s data highlighted the value of faculty efforts to build strong relationships with students as well as the impact of instructional changes that increased hands-on experiences in their curriculum.
The 2020 winners were chosen through a careful analysis of multiple years of data from the AACN/Benchworks Undergraduate Nursing Exit Assessment. The Skyfactor Benchworks Analytics and Research Team first conducted a quantitative analysis and review of applications, followed by interviews with finalists to learn about improvements in their nursing programs. Those applications and interview notes were then blind reviewed and evaluated on a rubric by an external panel of experts in the nursing education profession.
The University’s nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Read more by clicking below.
Nursing Program Nationally Recognized for Impact
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10/28/2020
Throughout the fall, The University of Scranton sports information office will be profiling former Royal student-athletes who are on the front lines in the battle against the spread of COVID-19. Read this story and others, here. Their fourth profile features Theresa (Kozlusky) Haley, a 1986 graduate former volleyball letterwinner.
During any student's undergraduate and postgraduate studies, they learn of situations that may come about in their prospective careers that will test their knowledge.
For Theresa Haley, it seems she’s prepared for over 30 years for the moment in time we are experiencing in 2020.
A former volleyball student-athlete and 1986 graduate with a degree in Medical Technology from The University of Scranton, Haley went on to earn a Certification in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC).
With this in tow, she eventually worked her way up to a position as an Iinfection preventionist at the Lebanon VA Medical Center where she serves as an expert on practical methods of preventing and controlling the spread of infectious disease. The hospital, as every VA does in the country, serves military veterans and is a part of the largest integrated health care system in the country, consisting of 170 medical centers.
As you can imagine, Haley’s life since March has been busy.
Right from the start of the pandemic, Haley and her team at the Lebanon VA went to work outfitting the hospital to prepare for the worst - a COVID outbreak in the community.
One of Haley’s main responsibilities from the start was repurposing a former intensive care unit into a “respiratory isolation unit" to treat potential coronavirus patients. The unit was equipped with an anteroom where staff members clean their hands and don protective equipment, including a mask that has an air filtration system. The unit is set up for negative pressure, which means the air goes through a filter before being released out of the environment.Read on, here.
Theresa Haley ‘86 Prepares and Protects VA Hospital
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10/21/2020
Like any other wide-eyed, 18-year old freshman, Vanessa Relvas ’12 didn't know exactly what she was in for when she stepped onto Scranton’s campus more than a decade ago.
But she had an inkling that her experience over the next four years would prove life-changing.
“I knew Scranton had a really good (psychology) program, and I really liked the intimacy of the (campus) environment and getting individualized attention (in class),” Relvas said recently from her home in Hatboro.Relvas always had an interest in psychology and enrolled in Scranton’s program as a freshman. Later, through her classwork, she discovered a career option previously unfamiliar to her -- school psychology.
“I didn't even know that was a thing until my junior year in Dr. (John) Norcross’ internship class, and one of my colleagues was shadowing a school psychologist,” she said. “That’s when I started looking into school psychology, and when I knew that was the trajectory I wanted to take."
Read her full story, here.
Finding a Purpose: Relvas Thrives as School Psychologist
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10/14/2020
Nurses Andrew Graham '08 and Valerie Lucas '14 were part of the "heroic team" who treated their colleague at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
"I sat on the edge of the bed, held his hand, rubbed his heart, and we even at one point connected forehead to forehead. I don't think I've ever seen fear in a grown man's eyes like that in my entire life," said Graham in the piece reported by Hoda Kotb.
Watch the "Today Show" segment here.
Alumni Nurses Featured on 'Today Show'
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10/14/2020
The virtual President’s Business Council (PBC) 19th Annual Award Celebration honoring Margaret “Maggie” Quinn Mariotti, Au.D., P’10, John R. Mariotti, D.M.D., ’75 and Monsignor Joseph G. Quinn, J.D., J.C.L., ’72, raised more than $900,000. Proceeds from October 8th celebration, during which the honorees were presented with the University’s President’s Medal, support the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund, and this year will also support the James P. Sweeney, S.J., Family Outreach Fund for students facing unexpected financial hardship and the Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., Scholarship, a need-based scholarship established in 2011 by the Sorbera Family.
“Tonight, we gather in spirit from all over the country and the world,” said Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president of The University of Scranton at the virtual celebration. “Tonight, we celebrate what is best about Scranton. Our honorees Maggie and John Mariotti and Monsignor Quinn are great examples of the best about Scranton. Ours is a University committed to building community and I know few people who are more committed to building community than these great friends – Maggie, John and Joe.”
In presenting the President’s Medal, the University and the PBC recognize individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others while personifying the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service.
In his remarks, Father Pilarz recalled that Monsignor Quinn chaired the University’s Presidential Search Committee in 2003 “that had the audacity to pluck someone out of the classroom with no administrative experience and whose scholarly life was dedicated to 16th century poetry. Only Joe Quinn would have an imagination big enough to make me the President of The University of Scranton.”
Father Pilarz said Maggie and John Mariotti were his “special Scranton welcome wagon,” noting “their love for Scranton was contagious.”
Five of the University’s class of 2021 Presidential Scholars also spoke during the celebration: Molly Elkins, Owings, Maryland, a biochemistry, cell and molecular biology and philosophy double major and member of the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program, undergraduate Honors Program and the Magis Honors Program for STEM; Hannah Graff, Melville, New York, an accounting major currently pursuing her master’s in accountancy with a concentration in forensic accounting; Jacob Myers, Ambler, a biochemistry, cell and molecular biology and philosophy double major and member of the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program and the Magis Honors Program for STEM; Megan Osborne, Mifflinville, a mathematics major; and Amanda Tolvaisa, Springfield, an English and philosophy double major and member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program.
The Presidential Scholars expressed their gratitude to those whose generous support made their scholarships possible, and spoke of the research, internship and academic opportunities the scholarships offered to them.
“The Presidential Scholarship and my time at Scranton has given me an unrivaled education in science supplemented by a robust background in the humanities,” said Myers. “This experience has allowed me to participate in several research programs funded through the NSF (National Science Foundation) over the last several years. This past summer, I had the opportunity to work on determining how long SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, survives on surfaces in order to better understand its transmission.”
Through its previous 18 dinners, the PBC has generated over $16 million for the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
The President’s Business Council (PBC) 19th Annual Award Celebration can be seen here. For additional information, contact Timothy J. Pryle ’89, executive director of the PBC, at 570-941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu.
About the honorees
Dr. Margaret “Maggie” Quinn Mariotti is a retired clinical audiologist whose private practice included offices in Honesdale and Clarks Summit. She has held several clinical audiologist positions at various institutions, including the U.S. Army Hospital Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic at Fort Stewart, Ga. Dr. Mariotti also taught as an adjunct professor in the communication sciences and disorders program at Marywood University.
She was a Pennsylvania Speech and Hearing Association liaison and served as a board member of the Women’s Resource Center and the IHM Foundation. Dr. Mariotti was a member of the University’s Board of Trustees from 2003 through 2010. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from Marywood University, a master’s degree in audiology from Temple University, and a doctorate in audiology from the University of Florida.
Dr. John R. Mariotti has worked as an orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics practitioner for 35 years and is certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. Dr. Mariotti earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University and a doctor of dental medicine degree from Temple University. He was commissioned as a U.S. Army captain in the Army Dental Corps at Fort Stewart, Ga. After completing his tour of duty, Dr. Mariotti pursued his post-graduate degree in orthodontics at the Eastman Dental Center at the University of Rochester. At Eastman, he conducted research in growth and development and TMJ disorders.
Dr. Mariotti served as president and chair of the board of the Scranton District Dental Society and is a past board president of the Middle Atlantic Society of Orthodontists. An active member of the University’s Medical Alumni Council, he became a member of the Board of Trustees in 2019.
The Mariottis, who reside in Jefferson Township, have four children.
Monsignor Joseph G. Quinn has been a priest in the Diocese of Scranton for 35 years and currently serves as pastor of Our Lady of the Snows Parish in Clarks Summit. For 16 years, he was the rector of St. Peter’s Cathedral. Prior to his current role, he was the vice president for mission and ministry at Fordham University.
Monsignor Quinn received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from The University of Scranton and a juris doctorate from Seton Hall University. At the age of 25, he was appointed a federal magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court, becoming the youngest person in the country to serve in that position. After resigning his post, he entered the seminary and completed his studies at the North American College in Rome, earning graduate degrees in theology from the Gregorian University and the Angelicum University.
He has served on numerous boards, including as a member of the Board of Advisors of the North American College and as the founding chairman of the Scranton Preparatory School Board of Trustees. He is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees, which he served for 15 years.
The Quinns are two of the 12 children of the late June Scanlan Quinn and John A. Quinn Sr., D.D.S., ’40.
Three Receive President’s Medals at Virtual Event
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10/14/2020
The University recently released its Annual Honor Roll of Donors, a special tribute to alumni, parents, students, friends, faculty and staff who have demonstrated their generous commitment to The University of Scranton between June 1, 2019, and May 31, 2020.
More than 9,400 generous donors made gifts to The University of Scranton this past fiscal year. During this time of great uncertainty, we've been comforted, encouraged and humbled by the outpouring of support from our loyal benefactors. Their generosity in a time of unique challenges for the Scranton Community and the world at large has a tremendous positive impact, enriching the lives of our students and expanding their opportunities for academic success.
To view the honor roll, visit this link.
Honor Roll Of Donors Recognizes Donor Generosity
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10/13/2020
The University of Scranton ranked No. 112 among the 614 master’s universities in the nation included in a 2020 listing by Washington Monthly that seeks to rate colleges based on their contribution to the public good. Published in the September/October issue of the magazine and online, Washington Monthly analyzed numerous data sets to determine an overall rank, as well as a score and rank of colleges for “research,” “social mobility” and “community and national service.” Scranton ranked No. 37, No. 189 and No. 227, respectively, in these categories among master’s universities.
Washington Monthly weighted equally the colleges’ scores for research, social mobility and service to calculate the overall ranking. The research score is based on each school’s research expenditure and the number of alumni earning Ph.D.s, relative to the size of the college. The social mobility score is based on actual and predicted graduation rates; student loan repayment rates; actual verses predicted median earnings of graduates 10 years after enrollment; and the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants and the school’s average net price for full-time, in-state students with family incomes below $75,000 per year over the past three years, among other factors. The service score, also adjusted for the size of the school, is based on the size of the ROTC program; the number of alumni serving in the Peace Corps; and the percentage of federal work study grant money spent on community service projects and voter engagement, among other factors.
This is the 11th consecutive year Washington Monthly has included Scranton in its college rankings.
In other national rankings, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Scranton among the 10 top Master’s Universities in the North for 27 consecutive years, and as a “Best Value” school for eight consecutive years. The Princeton Review included Scranton in its list “Best Colleges” for 19 consecutive years and in its ranking of the nation’s “Best Science Labs” (No. 8) and “Best Campus Food” (No. 7) for six consecutive years, among other rankings.
Scranton among Best Colleges for Public Good
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10/07/2020
The President’s Business Council (PBC) 19th Annual Award Celebration will be held virtually beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8, and will be viewable at this link. During the event, Margaret “Maggie” Quinn Mariotti, Au.D., P’10, John R. Mariotti, D.M.D., ’75 and Monsignor Joseph G. Quinn, J.D., J.C.L., ’72, will be presented with the University’s President’s Medal.
“Our goal all along in the planning of this year’s event has been to transfer as much of the in-person experience as possible to a virtual audience,” said Timothy J. Pryle ’89, executive director of the PBC. “While we all know the challenges of accomplishing that, we have embraced the opportunity that a virtual event offers by providing greater access to more members of our University of Scranton community who might not normally be able to join us in person. As always, our main objective of supporting student scholarships remains.”
In addition to the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund, proceeds from this year will be designated to the James P. Sweeney, S.J., Family Outreach Fund, for students facing unexpected financial hardship, and the Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., Scholarship, a need-based scholarship established in 2011 by the Sorbera Family.
Margaret “Maggie” Quinn Mariotti, Au.D., P’10 is a retired clinical audiologist whose private practice included offices in Honesdale and Clarks Summit. She has held several clinical audiologist positions at various institutions, including the U.S. Army Hospital Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic at Fort Stewart, Ga. Dr. Mariotti also taught as an adjunct professor in the communication sciences and disorders program at Marywood University.
She was a Pennsylvania Speech and Hearing Association liaison and served as a board member of the Women’s Resource Center and the IHM Foundation. Maggie was a member of the University’s Board of Trustees from 2003 through 2010. Dr. Mariotti earned a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from Marywood University, a master’s degree in audiology from Temple University, and a doctorate in audiology from the University of Florida.
John R. Mariotti, D.M.D., ’75, P’10 has worked as an orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics practitioner for 35 years and is certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. Dr. Mariotti earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University and a doctor of dental medicine degree from Temple University. He was commissioned as a U.S. Army captain in the Army Dental Corps at Fort Stewart, Ga. After completing his tour of duty, John pursued his post-graduate degree in orthodontics at the Eastman Dental Center at the University of Rochester. At Eastman, he conducted research in growth and development and TMJ disorders.
Dr. Mariotti served as president and chair of the board of the Scranton District Dental Society and is a past board president of the Middle Atlantic Society of Orthodontists. An active member of the University’s Medical Alumni Council, he became a member of the Board of Trustees in 2019.
The Mariottis, who reside in Jefferson Twp., have four children.
Monsignor Joseph G. Quinn, J.D., J.C.L., ’72 has been a priest in the Diocese of Scranton for 35 years and currently serves as pastor of Our Lady of the Snows Parish in Clarks Summit. For 16 years he was the rector of St. Peter’s Cathedral. Prior to his current role, he was the vice president for mission and ministry at Fordham University.
Monsignor Quinn received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University and a juris doctorate from Seton Hall University. At the age of 25, he was appointed a federal magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court, becoming the youngest person in the country to serve in that position. After resigning his post, he entered the seminary and completed his studies at the North American College in Rome, earning graduate degrees in theology from the Gregorian University and the Angelicum University.
He has served on numerous boards, including as a member of the Board of Advisors of the North American College and as the founding chairman of the Scranton Preparatory School Board of Trustees. He is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees, which he served for 15 years.
The Quinns are two of the 12 children of the late June Scanlan Quinn and John A. Quinn Sr., D.D.S., ’40.
In presenting the President’s Medal, the University and the PBC recognize individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others while personifying the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service. Through its 18 dinners, the PBC has generated over $16 million for the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
This year’s fundraising effort, which will again be part of the event, includes a silent auction. Additional details on the auction and the Celebration are available on our website at www.scranton.edu/PBCcelebration. For more information, please contact Tim Pryle at (570) 941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu.
PBC To Hold Virtual Celebration Oct. 8
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10/07/2020
John E. (Jack) Brennan ’68, P’06, who served two different terms on The University of Scranton’s Board of Trustees, passed away on Saturday, Sept. 19, at the age of 74.
Jack is remembered by many for his kindness, honesty, intelligence, a self-deprecating sense of humor and his dedication to the University.
He served on the Board of Trustees longer than any other lay person in the University's history during his twin terms of service (1992-2001 and 2002-2008, respectively). He was also a member of the Kania School of Management (KSOM) Advisory Board and the President’s Business Council.
In October 2000, Brennan Hall, home of KSOM, was named in his honor.
Dr. Michael Mensah, who served as the dean of the Kania School from 2005-2018, spoke fondly of Jack’s dedication and service to The University of Scranton.
“Jack was outstanding in regards to his personal service to the Kania School of Management and our students. He was selected to the KSOM Advisory Board in 2006 and brought some much-needed personal characteristics to the board, including his humbleness. This was very helpful to a new dean like myself,” Dr. Mensah said.
Mensah recalled the story of a very tense board meeting early on in his term as dean and how Jack immediately was able to lighten the mood with a joke regarding his own performance as a student.
“The devotion to student affairs and student issues is what I want people to know about Jack. He drove to Scranton for every board meeting (from New Jersey) and was always present on campus giving his personal time to interact with students,” Dr. Mensah said. “The KSOM Internship Office, along with the Career Development Center, were all things that Jack fought for and devoted his time to.”
Close friend Bill Lynett '72 offered similar sentiments regarding Jack’s dedication to the University.
“Jack cared so deeply about The University of Scranton and he devoted so much time to it. He served as a guest lecturer in several classes and students liked him because they could identify with him,” Lynett said. “He wasn’t out to better himself, but to better the University and those that lead the University.”
Jack served as a mentor for several students during his time on the KSOM Advisory Board and was the recipient of the University’s O’Hara Award for Management in 2003. He was also among the first inductees into the KSOM Business Leader Hall of Fame in 2015.
“Some people just build a certain kind of relationship with their alma mater, and Jack felt that way about The University of Scranton. He not only loved the Kania School of Management, but everything about the University as a whole,” Lynett added.
Lynett served on the Board of Trustees with Jack in the 1990s and is a current member of the KSOM Advisory Board.
“What you saw was what you got with Jack," said close friend Edward R. Leahy, J.D. '68. "He was as honest as the day is long and was a smart and direct guy. There was a real practicality about his intelligence."
Ed and Jack became fast friends during their first day on campus on a Sunday night before classes began the next day, in the fall of 1964. In fact, Ed recalled that after walking up to main campus from his dorm, the old Hotel Casey, which was located across the street from the now Hilton Hotel in downtown Scranton, he saw Jack sitting on a bench in the quad. The two began talking, and Jack became Ed’s first friend at the University.
Little did both know at the time that their conversation would mark the start of a more than 50-year friendship as both served together on the Board of Trustees from 1994-2000.
Jack graduated from the University in 1968 and then enlisted in the U.S. Army. His service included a tour of duty as a first lieutenant with the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
His experience with the Signal Corps led to a long and distinguished business career over the years. Jack was a co-founder of Metro Mobile CTS, Inc., which was one of the first cell phone providers, and served as president & COO of the company. During his career, he also served as president and COO of SkyWay systems; vice chairman of the board of directors of Southern Union Company; president of Activated Communications; and member of the board of directors of Spectrum Signal Processing.
Jack is survived by his wife, Lucinda, and the couple’s two children, Ryan and Sarah, as well as several other relatives. His son, Ryan, is a 2006 graduate of the University.
Remembering Jack Brennan '68
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10/07/2020
The Alumni Society recently announced that it will hold a pumpkin carving competition through Oct. 30.
The competition is open to all alumni and friends of the University. To participate, carve or paint a Scranton-themed pumpkin, take a picture of the creation and submit the photo along with the artist's first name, last initial, and graduation year, if applicable, to alumni@scranton.edu by Oct. 30. The Alumni Society will announce three winners, who will all receive Scrantastic prizes, on Halloween.
Alumni Society Announces Pumpkin Carving Contest
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10/07/2020
Alumni and friends of the University are invited to celebrate the sixth annual Jesuit Friends and Alumni Sunday Oct. 24 and 25 with a virtual Mass celebrated by the Rev. Joseph O’Keefe, S.J., provincial of the USA East Province, and the Rev. Adam Rosinski, S.J. '07, assistant director of vocations for the USA East Province.
Jesuit Alumni Sunday was started six years ago as a way of bringing together alumni of Jesuit schools and friends of the Jesuits across generations to rekindle their connection with the Society of Jesus and each other. To register, visit this link.
University To Celebrate Jesuit Friends And Alumni Sunday Oct. 24, 25
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10/07/2020
Throughout the fall, The University of Scranton sports information office will be profiling former Royal student-athletes who are on the front lines in the battle against the spread of COVID-19. Read more, here.
The 2007 season for the then Meaghan Curtin was one for the record books on the defensive end for The University of Scranton volleyball team.
At the conclusion of the year, Curtin shattered the program record for digs, finishing the campaign with 811 to help Scranton win 25 games and advance to the very first Landmark Conference championship match. She also went on to earn All-Landmark Conference second-team honors, as well.
Now, in her professional life as the assistant nurse manager at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, the now Meghan Ledetsch is playing defense against a much stronger opponent -- COVID-19. Before taking her current position in July, Ledetsch served as a nurse in the Cardiac ICU at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York for five years, as challenging of a position as there is in the entire hospital.
“As one of the biggest Heart Center's on Long Island, I took care of the sickest of the sick cardiac patients,” Ledetsch said. “This includes but is not limited to carcinogenic shock, septic shock, end-stage heart failure, heart attacks, LVADS, heart transplants, arrhythmia's, pulmonary diseases, end-stage renal disease, etc. Sometimes these patients were so sick they needed to have two nurses instead of the 1-nurse to 2-patient ratio we typically have.”
But, even working in a high-pressure unit such as the Cardiac ICU could not prepare Ledetsch for what was to come this past spring. Once the pandemic reared its vicious head into the New York metro area in March, Ledetsch’s Cardiac ICU unit became a full-blown COVID ICU.
“Over the past few months, words cannot describe what my hospital has seen or gone through,” she said. “Myself and my colleagues were exposed to a whole different type of nursing.”
Read on, here.Ledetsch Adjusts on the Fly, Helps Long Island Block Back COVID-19
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10/07/2020
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
James D. Moran ’66, Philadelphia, recently self-published a monograph, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and His Struggle with Polio, which appears at jamesdmoran.com. Moran looks forward to writing a longer work on the subject.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, senior partner at Munley Law, has received the Marie Lambert Award from the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Women Trial Lawyers Caucus. The Marie Lambert Award is presented annually to one female lawyer in the United States in recognition of exemplary leadership to her profession, community, the AAJ and the Women Trial Lawyers Caucus. In addition to receiving this award, Munley has been elected by the members of AAJ’s Board of Governors to serve on the Association’s Executive Committee.
Timothy P. McGurrin, Jr. ’12, G’13 Philadelphia, has joined the firm Blank Rome LLP as an associate in the firm’s Tax, Benefits and Private Climate Group in the Philadelphia office. McGurrin concentrates his practice on a wide range of tax matters, and he regularly provides multistate tax guidance, assists with the implementation of corporate restructuring and performs tax due diligence for mergers and acquisitions, including providing advice related to U.S. state income taxes, transfer taxes, and employment taxes. He also handles tax controversy matters as well as provides state tax advice related to federal tax reform and various other state tax assistance for corporate taxpayers and individual taxpayers.
Elena M. Habersky ’13, Cairo, Egypt, is a recipient of the 2020 Moira Erin O’Donnell Emerging Leaders for Justice Award. The O’Donnell Award honors young adults who have received an undergraduate degree from a U.S. Jesuit university and have demonstrated significant social justice leadership in their communities. Habersky is project manager for the Refugee Entitlements in Egypt Project at the Center for Migration and Refugee Studies at American University in Cairo.
Evan C. Karli ’20, Mechanicsburg, joined the firm Brown Schultz Sheridan and Fritz as an audit staff accountant.
Deaths
Martin “Frank” Lowry ’51, Camillus, New York
Thomas J. Streznewski ’54, Furlong
Robert F. Miller, M.D. ’55, Cumberland, Maryland
Harold F. Gillern ’56, Dunmore
Robert T. Shields ’59, Binghamton, New York
John F. Lane, Jr. ’60, G’68 Archbald
Robert C. Mayer ’61, Loganville, Georgia
Leonard B. Berkoski, Jr. ’62, Arnold, Maryland
E. Robert Galligan G’66, New York, New York
Bernard J. Trescavage ’66, Falls Church, Virginia
John E. “Jack” Brennan ’68, Old Tappan, New Jersey
Edward A. Stecco ’73, Olyphant
Charles “Chuck” D. McNally ’91, Glenside
Lewis A. Sebia ’81, PlainsBirths
A daughter, Claire Cynthia, to Bill and Liz Connolly Carton ’05, Ramsey, New Jersey
A daughter, Reagan Raquel, to Joe and Rebecca Devlin Gallagher ’05, New York, New York
A son, Archer Lawrence, to Jennifer and Lawrence Rubal ’05, Alexandria, VirginiaAlumni Class Notes, Oct. 2020
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10/06/2020
The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education ranked The University of Scranton No. 92 in the nation for student engagement. This was Scranton’s best ranking among the nearly 800 schools included in The Wall Street Journal’s “Best Colleges 2021” ranking, which scored schools in several categories as well as an overall ranking. Scranton also ranked at No. 208 for student outcomes, scoring well for salaries of graduates, adjusted for student, location and other characteristics, among other factors. Scranton’s overall ranking was No. 243 in the nation.
The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education ranking is based on an analysis of 15 performance metrics in the categories of resources, student engagement, outcomes and campus environment.
The student engagement portion of their analysis is based largely on The U.S. Student Survey data. Factors considered for the student engagement score are related directly to their college experience, such as interaction with faculty and other students, and whether they would recommend their schools to others. The number of accredited programs offered is also factored into this measure. Student engagement represented 20 percent of the overall ranking score.
Outcomes, which represented 40 percent of the overall ranking score, looked at graduation rate, academic reputation, debt after graduation and the “value added” to graduate salary. The “value added” portion of the analysis applied statistical modeling to adjust for student, location and other characteristics in order to measure the impact the school has on the salary of its graduates.
The ranking also measured resources invested in instruction and student services (30 percent of the overall ranking), which included the finance cost per student, faculty/student ratio and research papers published per faculty member, and the learning environment (10 percent of the overall ranking), which includes student and staff diversity, among other factors.
The ranking was published by The Wall Street Journal Sept. 17.
Scranton Among Wall Street Journal’s Best Colleges
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09/28/2020
The University of Scranton named four individuals to its Board of Trustees: James F. Cummings, M.D., ’88, H’15; Rev. Richard G. Malloy, S.J.; John P. “JP” Sweeney P’08, P’13, P’20; and Nicole Young ’00.
Dr. Cummings is the president of ICON Government and Public Health Solutions Inc., a global clinical research organization, providing clinical trial and functional services to government and commercial customers. Previously, he served as vice president of clinical development and translational medicine at Novavax Inc., in Gaithersburg, Maryland, where he led the development programs for all emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, including human and veterinary vaccine development and polyclonal human antibody development.
Colonel (Retired) Cummings enjoyed a distinguished 26-year career in the U.S. Army with a proven track record in vaccine, drug and diagnostics development. Most recently, he served as director of the Department of Defense (DoD) Global Emerging Infectious Diseases Surveillance and Response Systems (DoD GEIS) leading Biosurveillance for the US DoD with laboratories and partners in 71 countries, and as the consultant to the Surgeon General for all medical research and development. He also served at Walter Reed Army Research Institute of Research (WRAIR), where he directed the comprehensive translational medicine research division within the WRAIR and DoD, and was director of the clinical trials center in DoD, and chief of overseas vaccine development for WRAIR’s Department of Immunology, Division of CD&I. He has been elected a fellow in the American College of Physicians (FACP), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (FIDSA) and the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (FASTMH). Dr. Cummings has more than 35 peer-reviewed publications, several book chapters and has recently served as a member of numerous national committees and editorial boards.
A native of Dunmore, Dr. Cummings graduated from the Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1993, after earning his bachelor’s degree in biology from The University of Scranton in 1988. He also received an honorary doctorate from the University in 2015 and delivered principal remarks at the graduate commencement. He resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with his wife, Julia, and their two children.
Fr. Malloy serves as director of mission and ministry, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Baltimore, Maryland. Previously, he served as University Chaplain and vice president for University Ministries at Scranton, and taught courses there in anthropology, sociology and theology. From 1988-2003, he worked as a member of the Jesuit Urban Service team at Holy Name Parish in Camden, New Jersey, where he also served in various positions at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.
His books include, A Faith That Frees: Catholic Matters for the 21st Century (Orbis Books, 2008), which examines the relationships between the practices of faith and the cultural currents and changes so rapidly occurring in our global world. He has also published Being on Fire: the Top Ten Essentials of Catholic Faith (Orbis Books 2014). His third book, Spiritual Direction: A Beginner’s Guide was published by Orbis in the Fall of 2017. All three books were recognized with awards by the Catholic Press Association in the category “Best Presentation of the Catholic Faith.”
Fr. Malloy has also written numerous articles for Catholic newspapers, magazines and other publications, and has led and presented at numerous retreats and workshops.
Fr. Malloy entered the Jesuit order in 1976. He earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Louis University and a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from Temple University. He earned a Master of Divinity and a S.T.L. from Weston Jesuit School of Theology. During his Jesuit training, Fr. Malloy served for three years (1981-1984) in Osorno and Santiago, Chile. He was ordained in 1988.
Sweeney is a vice president in the Private Client Group of Wells Fargo Advisors in Scranton. Before entering the financial services industry, he served as vice president/program manager with Specialty Defense Systems headquartered in Dunmore.
Sweeney has been actively engaged with the University of Scranton. He and his wife Davida served as co-chairs of the University’s Parents Executive Council for the 2019-20 academic year. He has been a member of the Carlesimo Golf Tournament and Awards Committee and the President’s Business Council. He also serves on the boards of several local nonprofit organizations.
The Sweeney’s have five children, Kathleen ’08 G’10, Patrick ’14, Marc G’20, Maeve and Meg ’20. Sweeney attended The University of Scranton’s Dexter Hanley College. His father, John P. Sweeney, graduated from Scranton in 1961 and received the University’s Frank J. O’Hara Award in 2006.
Young is an award-winning producer for 60 Minutes. Among her many honors, she has received 16 News and Documentary Emmy Awards, three Alfred I. DuPont- Columbia Awards, four Writer’s Guild Awards, two Gerald Loeb Awards, two Sigma Delta Chi Awards, four National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Salute to Excellence Awards, a George Foster Peabody Award, a George Polk Award, an Edward R. Murrow Award, and a Wilbur Award.
Young’s most recent 60 Minutes assignments include breaking news coverage on the COVID-19 pandemic, social injustice and the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump; reporting on Syria from the front lines on the refugee crisis, the use of chemical weapons and The Syrian Civil Defense, also known as “The White Helmets” and Ethiopia’s Rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela. Some of Young’s most critical stories, however, are those focusing on job loss, poverty, homelessness and especially child hunger in the United States.
In addition to producing pieces for 60 Minutes, Young was a senior producer at the CBS Evening News for six years where she broke major stories for the nightly broadcast.
Young earned her bachelor’s degree in communication at the University and her master’s degree in international journalism from City University of London. She resides in the New York City area with her family.
University of Scranton Names Four New Trustees
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09/21/2020
Throughout the Fall, The University of Scranton sports information office will be profiling former Royal student-athletes who are on the front lines in the battle against the spread of COVID-19. Their first profile features Kelly Johnson-Loughlin, a former volleyball student-athlete (2010-2013). Check their site for these profiles and athletics news.
In her playing days at Scranton, Kelly Loughlin (maiden name Johnson) was known for her blocking abilities at the net as a four-year letter winner for the volleyball team, finishing her career in the top ten all-time in two major statistical categories in program history - solo blocks (121, 6th all-time), and total blocks (265, 9th all-time).
Since March, Loughlin has been trying to block something else -- the spread of COVID-19 in her community.
A 2014 nursing graduate from The University of Scranton, Loughlin serves as an Emergency Room Nurse at The Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she resides with her husband Dom and two dogs, Fetty and Kona.
At her job, Loughlin has been putting in 12-hour shifts to meet the demand COVID-19 has had in her hospital.
A native of Pearl River, NY, Loughlin has also experienced what many of us around the country have had to deal with - the reality of not being able to see friends and family that live far away.
“Living this far from home has been a challenge and now because of the pandemic we haven’t seen our family in over a year due to travel restrictions,” she said. “Hawaii has basically been on lockdown and making it very difficult to leave the island/return to the island. We had several trips home planned from February through September, all of them being cancelled.”
See more photos here.
Kelly Loughlin '14 Blocks COVID-19 Spread in Honolulu
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09/15/2020
Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president of The University of Scranton, announced the University’s decision to cancel class of 2020 commencement events planned for the weekend of Oct. 24-25.
“Today, I have the unfortunate task of sharing some bad news. Although we had hoped things would have settled down by now, the pandemic continues to be a challenge all across the country. Necessary limits put in place by Pennsylvania, prohibit us from moving ahead with our commencement scheduled for October,” said Father Pilarz in a video message sent to members of the University’s class of 2020 on Sept. 14.
“I have not made this decision lightly, and I do so with a genuine sense of disappointment and sadness. Nothing would have brought me greater joy than to have been able to gather your class as we had hoped and planned,” wrote Father Pilarz in an email message that linked to the video.
The University of Scranton held virtual celebrations in May for the members of its undergraduate and graduate class of 2020, at which the University announced the naming of the Class of 2020 Gateway in their honor. The University conferred degrees to graduates as a group at these celebrations. The University had planned to announce the graduates individually at its October commencement.
Planned October Commencement Events Cancelled
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09/14/2020
U.S. News & World Report has ranked The University of Scranton among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for the 27th consecutive year. U.S. News ranked Scranton No. 6 in the 2021 edition of the “Best Colleges” guidebook, which became available online today.
U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 14 in its category in its “Best Undergraduate Teaching” listing of the top colleges in the nation expressing “a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching.”
In addition, Scranton was ranked No. 40 as a “Best Value Regional University in the North,” which compares academic quality of programs to cost of attendance. This is the eighth consecutive year U.S. News has recognized Scranton as a “Best Value” school. Scranton was ranked No. 136 in its category in a new listing U.S. News of “Top Performers on Social Mobility,” which looks at schools that enroll and graduate “large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants.”
In national rankings, as opposed to listings by category, U.S. News included Scranton among America’s “Best Undergraduate Business Programs,” ranking Scranton at No. 201 in the U.S., and among the nation’s “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs,” ranking Scranton No. 141 among schools where a doctorate is not offered. Also, in national rankings of all business programs in America, U.S. News ranked Scranton’s finance program at No. 30, its entrepreneurship program at No. 36 and its accounting program at No. 44 in the country.
U.S. News changed the methodology used in its rankings this year to include graduate indebtedness among the data used to determine a school’s “outcomes” assessment, which represents 40 percent of the overall score. Other factors in the “outcomes” assessment include a social mobility score, freshman retention, graduation rates and graduation performance rates, which compares a school’s actual graduation rates with predicted graduation rates based on characteristics of the incoming class.
In addition, U.S. News considers a range of quality indicators for its ranking that includes peer assessment of academic excellence (20 percent); faculty resources (20 percent), which now includes regional cost-of-living adjustments to faculty pay and benefits; student selectivity (7 percent); financial resources (10 percent); and alumni giving (3 percent).
U.S. News categorizes colleges for their rankings based on the official Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classification of universities.
The 2021 U.S. News “Best Colleges” rankings became available online Sept. 14. The printed edition of the guidebook will be available in bookstores Oct 27.
U.S. News Ranks Scranton No. 6 in 2021 Guidebook
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09/09/2020
Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president of The University of Scranton, provided an update on University’s pandemic response, campus active cases and contingency planning in a video message sent to members of the University community on Sept. 8.
In the video message, Father Pilarz noted the number of positive cases reported on campus was “concerning,” however “the level of case activity so far is manageable … If activity were to rise sharply from current levels during the course of this week then we may need to pivot to online learning for all classes for two weeks to let things settle down. I hope pausing in-person classes will not be necessary, but I wanted to alert you to the possibility.”
Father Pilarz discussed the University’s screening tests of all students, faculty and staff on campus as a proactive approach that “helps to limit the spread compared to testing only individuals who develop symptoms.”
“From the start of the semester, we expected that we would have positive cases. The virus is too widespread nationally to avoid it. Our hope then and now is that our case numbers would be manageable and that anyone impacted would be spared the more serious effects of COVID-19,” said Father Pilarz.
Father Pilarz ended the message by thanking faculty for their “flexibility in working with individual students who need to isolate or quarantine;” staff for their “dedicated, mission-driven work across campus;” and students for “embracing our plan so seriously, for dialing back your social activities in responsible ways and, most importantly, for continuing to display the care and concern for each other that is a hallmark of the Scranton community.”
Father Pilarz’s full message can be seen here and below.
President Updates Campus on Pandemic Response
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09/02/2020
The University of Scranton Book Club has provided nearly 450 Scranton alumni and parents with a virtual space to discuss compelling works of fiction and nonfiction since its launch in February.
The club will begin discussing "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents" by Isabel Wilkerson via zoom Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. Subsequent discussions of the book will occur biweekly.
The book club is a collaboration between the Alumni Office and The Jesuit Center. The Rev. Patrick Rogers, S.J., executive director of The Jesuit Center, serves as moderator of the group's discussions.
To join the club, visit this link.
The University of Scranton Book Club discussed "The Power And The Glory" by Graham Greene on Aug. 23. Watch below.
University Book Club Provides Compelling Discussion
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09/02/2020
More than 1,000 alumni, parents and friends of the University "masked up" for Scranton students while raising more than $33,000 for The Father Sweeney Family Outreach Fund.
The Fr. Sweeney Fund provides emergency financial aid to students who are at risk of withdrawing because of unforeseen financial circumstances. In these unprecedented times, this fund has emerged as a saving grace for many Scranton students. Those who make a gift to the fund of $25 or more will receive a Scranton mask as a gesture of gratitude for their generosity.
To support our students and claim your Scranton mask, visit this link and make a gift to the Fr. Sweeney Fund.
1,000+ 'Mask Up' For Scranton Students
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09/02/2020
The Medical Alumni Council of The University of Scranton will hold "Finding Mentors and Maintaining Your Sense of Self in Medicine," a webinar for medical alumni of the University, Sept. 12 at 1 p.m.
The session was designed to help aspiring and early-career doctors at all levels understand the importance of mentorship and choose and nurture the mentor/mentee relationship throughout training and beyond. Presenters will span the spectrum from private practice dentistry to faculty in academic medicine to medical fellows and residents.
The webinar's panelists will include Ann K. Astolfi, D.M.D. '88, periodontist at Ann K. Astolfi, D.M.D., Domenic W. Casablanca, M.D. FAAFP '89, family physician at Northeast Medical Group, Family Medicine Residency Faculty at Middlesex Health, Christopher A. Jones, M.D., M.B.A. '02, director of Outpatient Care at Duke University Health System, John J. Mangan, M.D., M.H.A. '11, Rothman Institute Orthopaedic Surgery Resident at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and Scott Alan Pesiak, M.D., Ph.D. '06, Hematology/Oncology Fellow at University of Pennsylvania. To register for the webinar, visit this link.
Medical Alumni Council To Hold Webinar Sept. 12
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09/02/2020
The Alumni Society recently launched the first issue of the Post-Scranton Survival Guide, a 12-month email series for the members of the Class of 2020.
The series provides new alumni with advice on life after graduation. The first issue features links to career development resources, surveys on future e-newsletter content and a video message from Chris Whitney, director of the Center for Career Development. To read the first issue, visit this link.
University Launches Post-Scranton Survival Guide 2020
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09/02/2020
The University will hold a kick-off zoom social to celebrate 50 years of Computing Sciences at Scranton Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.
The event will gather department faculty, current students and Computer Science alumni in one virtual space to converse and reminisce about the program. Alumni interested in attending can visit this link to register, and alumni who are planning to attend can visit this link to declare their intention to attend.
The kick-off social is the first of many planned activities commemorating this milestone. For more information on the social, contact Jenna Bruchalski '17, G'20, program manager for Alumni Engagement, at jenna.bruchalski@scranton.edu.
University To Celebrate 50 Years Of Computing Sciences Sept. 17
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09/01/2020
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
John J. Luciani G’87, York, president of First Capital Engineering (FCE), is now officially certified as a professional traffic operations engineer (PTOE). The PTOE certification is the highest level of licensing available in the field of Traffic Engineering.
Christen Gilmore Pionzio ’91, Doylestown, a principal in the firm Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell and Lupin, was included in the 2021 edition of the Best Lawyers in America. Pionzio was recognized for Land Use and Zoning Law.
Mona Spellman-Benjamin ’07, Griffin, Georgia, was recently inducted into the The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing 2020. Spellman-Benjamin is currently working toward building a business model for Nursing Research Implementation, American Nursing Care Solutions. The objective is to put nursing research into action in order to implement nursing research findings. One of the first research leadership papers looked at staffing and short staffing issues.
Ashley Miller Colona, ’09, Teaneck, New Jersey, is now a fourth grade teacher at The Academy of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Tenafly, New Jersey.
Deaths
Harold J. Laggner, M.D. ’42, Longwood, Florida
Albert Tawil, M.D. ’58, Tampa, Florida
John T. Gough ’59, Horseheads, New York
Walter B. McNichols ’59, Endicott, New York
Robert D. Zoka ’61, Kingston
George Karsko, Jr. ’62, Toms River, New Jersey
Leonard L. Szpara, Ed.D. ’65, Mount Joy
Joseph F. O’Donnell G’73, York
Joseph G. Betachini ’75, G’79, Archbald
Patricia P. Lawhon G’76, Corpus Christi, Texas
Rev. Lynn H. Tompkins ’76, Kingsley
Sean P. McCauley ’11, Levittown, New YorkBirths
A son, Flynn Joseph, to David and Angela Colarusso Boonstra ’02, Hoboken, New Jersey
A son, Wyatt Ellis, to Grif and Jen Gentile Gassert ’08, Alpharetta, Georgia
A son, Edward Michael, to Thomas, M.D. '09 and Tara Gramigna Churilla, D.O. '11, Roaring Brook Township
A son, Jack Robert McDermott, to Michael ’10 and Joan Miller McDermott '10, Kennett Square; grandson of Michael McDermott '71, Newtown SquareAlumni Class Notes, September 2020
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09/01/2020
Karolyn Teufel, M.D. '98 co-authored a study alongside other George Washington University researchers that found five biomarkers were associated with higher odds of clinical deterioration and death in COVID-19 patients.
In a study of 299 COVID-19 patients who were admitted to GW Hospital between March 12 and May 9, 2020, they found that elevated levels of the biomarkers IL-6, D-dimer, CRP, LDH and ferritin meant an increased risk for ICU admission, invasive ventilatory support and death. This is an important finding, because it may help physicians in the U.S. better predict outcomes of COVID-19 patients.
“The association between biomarkers and clinical outcomes in novel coronavirus pneumonia in a US cohort” was published in Future Medicine and is available here.
Chemistry Alumna Co-authors Study on COVID-19
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08/26/2020
The University of Scranton ranked among the nation’s best values for a college education based on educational quality, affordability and alumni success, according to a 2020 ranking by Money magazine published online Aug. 25. Money ranked Scranton at No. 274 among its selection of the 739 “Best Colleges for Your Money” in America, a ranking of “schools that successfully combine quality and affordability.” Money based its ranking on its analysis of more than 20,000 data points.
This is the sixth consecutive year Money has listed Scranton among America’s best values in college education. Scranton was the highest ranked school in Northeastern Pennsylvania and had the eighth highest rank of the 25 Jesuit colleges listed.
The factors Money analyzed to determine a colleges’ “academic quality” included the six-year graduation rate, the standardized test scores of incoming freshmen, the student-faculty ratio and the graduation rate of Pell Grant recipients, among other factors. The analysis also included “value” assessments that looked at a school’s predicted graduation rates based on the academic and economic profile of its student body versus its actual graduation rates.
The criteria used to assess “affordability” included an estimate of the “net price of a degree,” which assessed tuition, the time it takes for students to graduate, and the school’s average need- and merit-based financial aid offered to students. The “affordability” criteria also looked at student debt, student loan default rates, the affordability for low-income students and student loan default rates adjusted for the economic and academic profile of a school’s student body, in addition to other factors.
The factors Money used to assess “outcomes” included the average salaries of alumni reported in PayScale early- and mid-career, and their reported earnings at these points adjusted by major. In addition to other factors, the “outcomes” criteria looked at socio-economic mobility index that uses data from the Equality of Opportunity Project, a study that examines the percentage of students that move from low-income backgrounds to upper-middle-class jobs before the age of 34.
Colleges with graduation rates below the national median, that were in financial difficulty, or that had fewer than 500 undergraduates, were not included in Money’s ranking.
Scranton has been recognized for its value in other national rankings such as U.S. News Forbes, The Economist and Barron’s.
Scranton Among Nation’s Best Values for College
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08/18/2020
For the 19th consecutive year, The Princeton Review included Scranton among the nation’s “Best 386 Colleges” in its annual guidebook that published Aug. 18. In addition, The Princeton Review ranked Scranton for the sixth consecutive year among the nation’s “Best Campus Food” (No. 7) and “Best Science Lab Facilities” (No. 8). The Princeton Review also ranked Scranton at No. 15 in the nation for “Most Religious Students.”
The 2020 edition of the guidebook includes detailed profiles of each of “The Best 386 Colleges.” Scranton’s profile stated that students “like the fact that they are required to take courses in the ‘humanities, philosophy, and theology irrespective of [their] major.’ In turn, this ensures that students receive a well- rounded education.” Students also touted Scranton’s strong science programs and high acceptance rates to medical schools. Student’s also praised the faculty saying “they’re just so engaging and really know how to present the material in such a way that it’s interesting for us as students.”
For the annual guidebook, The Princeton Review selects schools it “believes are the best in the nation, academically.” Just 13 percent of America’s 2,500 four-year colleges and universities are included. The book also includes The Princeton Review’s much publicized “Best of” lists of the “Top 20” colleges in 62 categories. The “Best of” lists are based entirely on surveys of students at colleges selected by The Princeton Review for inclusion in its guidebook.
In addition to The Princeton Review, U.S. News has ranked Scranton among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 26 consecutive years, placing the University No. 6 in its 2020 edition of the “Best Colleges” guidebook. U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 5 in its category in a listing, based on peer assessment recommendations, of the nation’s “Most Innovative Schools,” which recognizes colleges that are making “innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology and facilities.” In addition, U.S. News ranked Scranton No. 12 in its category in its “Best Undergraduate Teaching” listing of the top colleges in the nation expressing “a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching.”
Scranton in Princeton Review’s Best Colleges List
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08/12/2020
Three information websites for prospective college students have ranked The University of Scranton in the top 25 best Catholic colleges in the nation in recently published rankings for 2020. The rankings include some of the most prestigious Catholic universities in America.
Niche.com ranked Scranton No. 18 among the 2020 Best Catholic Colleges in America, which is a ranking based on key statistics and student reviews using data from the U.S. Department of Education. According to their website, “top-ranked Catholic colleges are leading academic institutions that offer students an education and college experience rooted in Catholic traditions and faith.” The ranking is based on their analysis of academic, admissions, financial, and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education along with millions of reviews from students and alumni.
College Factual ranked Scranton No. 22 in its 2020 list of “Best Colleges Affiliated as Roman Catholic Nationwide.” The national ranking is based their analysis of retention and graduation rates, student loan default rates, overall average post- graduation earnings based on PayScale and College Scorecard data, among other data. Scranton ranked No. 3 “Best Colleges Affiliated as Roman Catholic in Pennsylvania.”
College Choice ranked Scranton No. 23 among just 75 “Best Catholic Colleges and Universities” in the nation. The ranking was based on their analysis of the college’s reputation, net cost, financial aid and average graduate salary, which used publicly available data from websites of the schools, the National Center for Educational Statistics, U.S. News and World Report, and Payscale.com.
In April of 2020, College Consensus ranked Scranton No. 37 among the “Best Catholic Colleges and Universities” in America. For the ranking, College Consensus calculated an “average rating score” for colleges based on national guidebook rankings, which include U.S. News and World Report, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and others. College Consensus also calculated an “overall score” for colleges based on student reviews posted on multiple sites, including Niche.com. The schools were ranked based on a “consensus ranking” that combined both these scores.
In addition to the above rankings, The University of Scranton is listed in numerous well-known national “best college” rankings and guidebooks, such as U.S. News, The Princeton Review and others.
Scranton Ranked Among Best Catholic Colleges in US
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08/05/2020
As the keynote speaker for the April 30 President’s Business Council webinar, Col. James Cummings, M.D. ’88, H’15, president of ICON Government and Public Health Solutions, Inc., discussed everything from the history of pandemics to possible vaccines.
Following his graduation from Georgetown University School of Medicine, Cummings spent 26 years in the U.S. Army. He has maintained a close connection with The University of Scranton as a member of the University’s Medical Alumni Council (MAC) and mentor to pre-medical students. Prior to his current position at ICON, he was vice president of clinical development and translational medicine at Novavax, a clinical-state biotechnology company “committed to delivering novel products to prevent a broad range of infectious diseases.”
Prior to Novavax, he was director at the Department of Defense’s Global Emerging Infection Surveillance and Response Systems (DoD-GEIS) responsible for oversight, development, functionality and fiscal accountability of the DoD’s global surveillance program for emerging infectious disease.
Here are some highlights from his talk, which you can watch in its entirety, here.
On Pre-COVID
“We’ve done a lot of learning through all of these outbreaks. And we do a lot of continued planning and learning even when there’s not an outbreak occurring. Across the whole of government, and not just the U.S. government, but other governments as well, NGOs, academic institutions, commercial biopharmaceutical companies, CROs, like the one I run at Icon, and others. We get together very regularly to discuss and learn from what we call Disease X, that’s the next pathogen, generally considered to be a viral pathogen, that will be infecting humanity and could be responsible for an outbreak or a pandemic.”
On Who it Affects
“I can tell you from the death rate…it’s not only the elderly or those who are medically compromised who are ill in the hospital, on ventilators or who are dead. This certainly has a concentration in elderly or medically compromised, but it crosses the spectrum of humanity in terms of who it’s affecting directly.”
On Biosurveillance
“There’s a national strategy for biosurveillance that’s been in place for many years. When you see a constellation of people becoming ill and you don’t know why they’re becoming ill, we’re very fortunate now that we have gene sequencing available and we can detect novel infectious agents just like this coronavirus. And that was done in China. We take that data, we review it, we integrate it, we analyze it. We turn it into actionable information that you can disseminate to key leaders and to people who can make a difference in what that information might mean. That decision gives support and feedback about where next to go for biosurveillance.”
On Healthcare Innovations
“There are DNA-based vaccines and mRNA-based vaccines. These vaccines involve injections either intramuscularly or subdermally, and then, generally speaking, some electroporation, just a fancy name for a little bit of electrical stimulus on the skin to drive that DNA or mRNA into our dendritic cells and get a robust immune response.”
“There are more traditional vaccine production methodologies either protein subunit vaccines, replicating viral vector vaccines, and virus-like particles, nonreplicating viral vectors and live attenuated virus. The inactivated, think of that like your traditional flu vaccine where we grow a bunch of virus, we kill it, then we give your immune system a little taste of that virus. Your immune system develops a robust response to that and realizes that’s the wanted poster for your immune system. The majority of these are all, for the most part, acting against the glycoprotein spike on the coronavirus.”
“There is good news on the horizon, because these platforms have already been developed for other coronaviruses. The good news is that they were able to turn the key on the machine and go very quickly with a safe product into phase one testing.”
On Cooperation
“In my short career, 26 years or so, there’s been a great development or maturation, I think, of relationships with the FDA and other regulatory agencies and industry. There are partnerships for developing solutions moving forward. Where, at one point in time, the FDA may not have been looked at as a facilitator of great products, but more of a policeman, now what’s happening is that the FDA is really bringing to bear the full might of their knowledge and their power as a regulatory agency…to ensure that we’re very rapidly assessing these investigational new drugs or vaccines or diagnostics and facilitating great work moving forward faster.”
“The regulatory process has really sped up in terms of total amount of time it requires to ensure a safe product is moving forward. That is key. You don’t want a rubber stamp, and that’s not what they’re giving. They are giving a very thoughtful review in a more expedited fashion.”
“No one’s looking for shortcuts.”
On Opening
“It’s a very fluid situation. This isn’t a light switch that we flip on and say ‘OK we’re open for business now.’ This is going to be a very segmented transition. And when you say, ‘getting back to normal,’ it’s a new normal.”
“I’m a fan of the build, measure, learn cycle. So, we’ll take a look, we’ll make a data-driven decision, then we will monitor to see what that decision produced.”
“In educators’ standpoints, there’s so much value in having people together. …You really want kids to have that socialization and that process of further maturation and development, but it can’t be at the cost of endangering their health. So I think we have to be very practical and pragmatic.”
Infectious Disease Expert Discusses Outbreaks, Responses and Covid-19
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08/05/2020
The President’s Business Council (PBC) will present President’s Medals to Margaret “Maggie” Quinn Mariotti, Au.D. P’10, John R. Mariotti, D.M.D. ’75, P’10 and Monsignor Joseph G. Quinn, J.D., J.C.L. ’72 at its virtual 19th Annual Award Celebration on Thursday, Oct. 8.
“While we are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we feel that it is important to continue with our annual fundraising initiative in support of the student needs and scholarships at Scranton,” said Timothy J. Pryle ’89, executive director of the PBC. “This year, we feel that it is important to expand the impact of our fundraising efforts to support more students while also recognizing Father Pilarz’s tireless leadership through this pandemic.” In addition to the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund, this year’s proceeds will be designated to the James P. Sweeney, S.J., Family Outreach Fund for students facing unexpected financial hardship and the Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., Scholarship, a need-based scholarship established in 2011 by the Sorbera Family.
Margaret “Maggie” Quinn Mariotti, Au.D. P’10 is a retired clinical audiologist whose private practice included offices in Honesdale and Clarks Summit. She has held several clinical audiologist positions at various institutions, including the U.S. Army Hospital Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic at Fort Stewart, Ga. Dr. Mariotti also taught as an adjunct professor in the communication sciences and disorders program at Marywood University.
She was a Pennsylvania Speech and Hearing Association liaison and served as a board member of the Women’s Resource Center and the IHM Foundation. Maggie was a member of the University’s Board of Trustees from 2003 through 2010. Dr. Mariotti earned a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from Marywood University, a master’s degree in audiology from Temple University and a doctorate in audiology from the University of Florida.
John R. Mariotti, D.M.D. ’75, P’10 has worked as an orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics practitioner for 35 years and is certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. Dr. Mariotti earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University and a doctor of dental medicine degree from Temple University. He was commissioned as a U.S. Army captain in the Army Dental Corps at Fort Stewart, Ga. After completing his tour of duty, John pursued his post-graduate degree in orthodontics at the Eastman Dental Center at the University of Rochester. At Eastman, he conducted research in growth and development and TMJ disorders.
Dr. Mariotti served as president and chair of the board of the Scranton District Dental Society and is a past board president of the Middle Atlantic Society of Orthodontists. An active member of the University’s Medical Alumni Council, he became a member of the Board of Trustees in 2019.
The Mariottis, who reside in Jefferson Twp., have four children.
Monsignor Joseph G. Quinn, J.D., J.C.L. ’72 has been a priest in the Diocese of Scranton for 35 years and currently serves as pastor of Our Lady of the Snows Parish in Clarks Summit. For 16 years he was the rector of St. Peter’s Cathedral. Prior to his current role, he was the vice president for mission and ministry at Fordham University.
Monsignor Quinn received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University and a juris doctorate from Seton Hall University. At the age of 25, he was appointed a federal magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court, becoming the youngest person in the country to serve in that position. After resigning his post, he entered the seminary and completed his studies at the North American College in Rome, earning graduate degrees in theology from the Gregorian University and the Angelicum University.
He has served on numerous boards, including as a member of the Board of Advisors of the North American College and as the founding chairman of the Scranton Preparatory School Board of Trustees. He is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees, which he served for 15 years.
The Quinns are two of the 12 children of the late June Scanlan Quinn and John A. Quinn Sr., D.D.S. ’40.
In presenting the President’s Medal, the University and the PBC recognize individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields, who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others, and who personify the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service. Through its previous 18 dinners, the PBC has generated over $16 million for the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
Planning for this year’s celebration, including a virtual Honoree Announcement, is ongoing, so please visit our website at www.scranton.edu/PBCcelebration for up-to-date information and the October 8 event link. For more information on this year’s event or the PBC, please contact Tim Pryle at (570) 941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu.
PBC To Offer Virtual Celebration Oct. 8
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08/05/2020
Nearly 100 Class of 2024 families signed-up to meet Scranton alumni, parents, students and staff members via Zoom before heading to campus for the fall semester. These “Welcome to Scranton” sessions gave incoming first-year students a chance to ask questions, meet fellow members of the Class of 2024 and hear proud alumni share their favorite Scranton memories.
University Holds Zoom Welcome For Class of 2024 Families
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08/05/2020
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Mary M. McCambridge '79, Lake Mary, Florida, a grief and bereavement specialist and author of several works in her field who established the Foundation for Grieving Children, Inc., has launched a podcast, The Mary Mac Show, lending her 35 years' experience to comfort and educate those grieving the death of a loved one. Her show was recognized among the 10 Best Podcasts on Grief by several organizations. She is also offering products for the bereaved through The Mary Mac Shop. Mary is a 2009 recipient of the Frank J. O'Hara Award.
Stephen P. Castellano ’90, Glen Mills, was named chief practice operations officer at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). In this role, Castellano will be a key member of the leadership team, overseeing a multispecialty, multi-location group of medical practices as well as the design of organizational structure, day-to-day oversight of performance and operations, and the continuous improvement of administrative and clinical operating models.
Karen M. Murphy, Ph.D. ’91, Clarks Summit, chief innovation officer and founding director of the Geisinger Steele Institute for Health Innovation, was named a “2020 Woman to Watch in Health Information Technology” by Becker’s Hospital Review. In her role at the Steele Institute, Murphy leads Geisinger’s commitment to innovation, developing leading-edge solutions that slow rising costs, improve quality and increase access to healthcare.
Courtney Roselle ’11, Jersey City, New Jersey, was a competitor on The Rock’s “Titan Games,” on NBC. Roselle is a professional Crossfit athlete and trainer for Brazen Athletics in Hoboken and Black House Strength and Conditioning in Fairfield. Roselle also has her own fitness company, Iron Grace, which sells workout apparel and offers training classes.
Deaths
Eugene M. Langan ’58, Clarks Green
Edward B. Vanisky ’58, Clarks Summit
Edward E. Adrian ’59, Johnson City New York
Eugene R. Molnar ’59, Cary, North Carolina
Henry D. Ritzie, Jr. ’63, Dupont
Raymond J. Lintner ’66, Honesdale
William F. Yachymiak ’68, Brooklyn
Joseph S. Kutsop ’73, Blakely
Henry P. Magdon ’82, Olyphant
Edward L. “Ned” Posluszny ’92, ThroopBirths
A daughter, Michalina Marie, to Chris '08 and Allison Martyn Samuels '08, Centennial, Colorado.
Alumni Class Notes, August 2020
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07/22/2020
In January, NBC’s The Office cast member Brain Baumgartner (Kevin) stopped by The University of Scranton campus to speak to students, staff and alumni about the show’s connection to Scranton for a podcast airing on Spotify. The History of The Office, hosted by Baumgartner, chronicles the show from its origins to its continued popularity today on streaming services like Netflix.
In addition to interviews the show’s creators, cast members, writers and fans, Baumgartner interviewed organizers of The Office Convention and The Office Wrap Party, which took place on the University’s campus and other locations in the city. Scranton alumnus Tim Holmes ’88, along with area resident Michele Dempsey, were interviewed in the University’s Weinberg Memorial Library for the podcast. Scranton alumni Emily Holmes G’14 and Colin Holmes ’13 also participated.
Scranton staff members who helped to organized The Office Convention and The Office Wrap Party on campus also spoke to Baumgartner during the visit, including Randy Shemanski, associate director of athletics; Frani Mancuso ’93, executive director of conferences and event services; Stan Zygmunt ’84, G’95, director of news and media relations; Shannon Murphy Fennie ’99, assistant dean of students; and Michael Ritterbeck ’09, director of the Center for Student Engagement, who was a University student volunteer for the Office Convention.
Scranton students who were fans of The Office were also interviewed, including Virginia Farrell, Scranton; Abril Lopez, Scranton; Makenzie Mason, Doylestown; Conor Nealon, Duryea; Eliza Phenneger, Center Valley; Adrianna Smith, Covington Township; Claire Sunday, South Abington Township; and Lily Warhaftig, New York, New York.
Makers of The History of The Office Visited Campus
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07/14/2020
Karen Murphy, Ph.D., RN '91 is executive vice president and chief innovation officer at Geisinger and founding director of the Steele Institute for Healthcare Innovation.
In a recent interview with HealthLeaders, she discussed how Geisinger and the Institute pivoted to respond to COVID-19, from using bots to screen employees to launching efforts to do contact tracing.
Murphy was named a 2020 “Woman to Watch” in health information technology by Becker’s Hospital Review in January 2020.
Read the Q&A with her here.
Alumna CIO Discusses Innovation in the Time of COVID
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07/06/2020
Beginning in the fall 2020 semester, The University of Scranton will offer a new Master of Science in Business Analytics. The 30-credit graduate program will be offered both online and on-campus and can be completed in as little as one year when taken on a full-time basis. Applications for the program are currently being accepted
Business analytics is one of the fastest growing professions in the country, with job opportunities available in companies of all sizes and in all sectors. A recent survey in Forbes found that more than 95 percent of businesses had some kind of need to manage large amounts of data. Job titles include: business intelligence analyst, data analyst, information technology analyst or marketing research analyst, among other titles.
According to the Graduate Management Admission Council’s (GMAC) 2019 Corporate Recruiters Survey, 72 percent of technology companies looked to directly hire personnel with a master’s in business analytics last year. According to GMAC, the median starting salary for Master of Science in Business Analytics graduates is $85,000. According to Payscale, salaries for Management Consultants rise to more than $140,000 at top companies. Salary estimates of business analysts range between $65,000 to $130,000 based on postings listed by indeed.com.
Students pursing a master’s degree in business analytics will develop specialized knowledge in using advanced analytics techniques such as data visualization, predictive analytics and prescriptive analytics to solve business problems. Students will develop hands-on experience with highly sought after software tools such as Python, R, and Tableau. Courses for the program include data mining, introduction to Big Data, business database management systems, forecasting models, data visualization, business simulation and customer relations management analytics.
The University also offers a specialization in business analytics in its MBA program, as well as a bachelor’s degree in business analytics.
Business programs offered at The University of Scranton are accredited by the rigorous standards of AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). Less than 5 percent of business colleges worldwide hold AACSB International accreditation, which is widely considered the gold standard mark of excellence for business schools.
For additional information visit the Master of Science in Business Analytics webpage.Master’s in Business Analytics Offered at Scranton
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06/30/2020
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Vivienne T. Meljen, M.D. '13, Durham, North Carolina, a resident at Duke Obstetrics and Gynecology, was a 2020 Virtual Hammond Research Day winner. Hammond Research Day is a time to celebrate and honor Duke Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology residents and fellows for their exceptional achievements.
Connor M. Shanahan ’15, G’16, West Harrison, New York, manager of Multi-Specialty Clinics and AIDS Care at Westchester Medical Center, was named one of the 2020 Rising Stars – 40 Under 40 Award Winners by the Business Council of Westchester. The 2020 Rising Stars-40 Under 40 is a diverse and highly talented group representing an impressive array of professionals and fields, including many COVID heroes who have been on the front line helping those in need. The winners, including Shanahan, will be honored on September 2.
Deaths
Joseph T. Reddington ’52, Canton, Massachusetts
Algrid J. Moceyunas ’54, St. Simons Island, Georgia
Leonard Weiss, O.D. ’55, Honesdale
Daniel J. McGlone ’64, Scranton
Eugene J. Zaverl ’66, G’71 Charlotte, North Carolina
Michael G. Fuller ’69, G’76 Clarks Summit
Andrew G. Golden ’73, Scranton
Rev. Peter D. Menghini ’76, Scranton
Sophie V. West ’17, Los Angeles, California
Friends' Deaths
Thomas Hughes, father of Amy Hughes Hassaj ’92 and brother of Edward J. Hughes, Sr. ’58Alumni Class Notes, July 2020
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06/04/2020
Alex Isakov, M.D., MPH ’87 is a professor of emergency medicine and the executive director of the Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR) at Emory University in Atlanta.
“Preparation for emerging special pathogens has been a large focus of my career in medicine,” he said.
In 2014, he and his team at Grady EMS, the city of Atlanta’s 911 ambulance service, transported the first person brought to the United States who was confirmed to have Ebola Virus Disease.
He was subsequently a lead contributor for the EMS Infectious Disease Playbook published by the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Technical Resources and Information Exchange (TRACIE).
He is now busy responding to COVID-19.
“In the early days of the pandemic, my colleagues and I recognized the need to assist the public to find guidance about their signs and symptoms of illness, and how best to seek evaluation and care," said Dr. Isakov.
They adapted SORT, a tool that they had developed and implemented for the 2009 influenza pandemic, and created c19check.com. Available for free to the public, this tool steers people to relevant CDC guidance, helps those who need emergency care to seek it immediately, and advises others with mild symptoms to seek an evaluation while maintaining social and physical distancing.
“In addition to educating the public, this tool can also provide real-time epidemiologic data that can help to identify community hotspots and inform potentially life-saving public health interventions,” said Dr. Isakov.
The tool is available in over 30 languages.
Dr. Isakov also is the Emergency Medical Services lead for the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC), a federally funded program that provides education, training and expert consultation to the health care community about high consequence infectious diseases like COVID-19. He contributes weekly as a panelist for the National COVID-19 Grand Rounds hosted by the Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.
Locally, in Atlanta, as the executive director of CEPAR, he engages daily with inter-disciplinary teams that are forging Emory University’s response to the pandemic, with “a laser focus on health and safety,” he said.
As the Director of Emory’s Section of Prehospital and Disaster Medicine in his academic department, he leads a team of emergency medicine and EMS physicians who serve the community as medical directors for 911 call centers, emergency responders and ground and air ambulances, all on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Isakov also serves on the frontline himself, seeing patients in the Emory University Hospital Emergency Department.
“These are trying times for everyone,” Isakov said. “It’s a privilege to work with caring colleagues, skilled teams and to be part of a community that is committed to making a difference in people’s lives.”
Expert in Emerging Special Pathogens Responds to Pandemic
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06/03/2020
Reunion Weekend, originally scheduled for June 12-14, 2020, will take place on campus at a later date. In the meantime, The University of Scranton will offer milestone alumni an opportunity to commemorate the weekend virtually with a series of online events. Alumni with class years ending in "0" or "5" are invited to participate.
The University will hold a virtual Memorial Mile for alumni to honor the memory of their departed classmates, mentors, and friends. To participate, alumni in a reunion year can exercise any time, in any way, between Friday, June 12, and Sunday, June 14, and designate their registration fee to a memorial scholarship, or to the University fund of their choice. To register, visit this link.
On Saturday, June 13, at 8 p.m., reunion classes are invited to put on their favorite Scranton apparel and join us in the Virtual Purple Lounge, the hottest virtual night club on campus! Groove along to the sweetest tunes of your college years and watch for a drop-in by a few special guests. Stay tuned for more info on this Scrantastic event.
Finally, all alumni are invited to join us on Sunday, June 14, at 10 a.m. for a virtual Reunion Mass featuring readings by your fellow alumni and liturgical music performed in Madonna della Strada Chapel. A link for the Mass will be available soon.
For more information on Reunion, visit scranton.edu/reunion.Virtual Reunion Events Planned For June 12-14
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06/03/2020
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Thomas R. McGann, M.D. ’77, York, received the 2020 Healthcare Heroes Lifetime Achievement Award from the Central Pennsylvania Business Journal.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, has been listed as Lawyer of the Year in The Best Lawyers in America 2020 for the practice area of “Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs” for metro Allentown, Pennsylvania. This is the third time Munley has been recognized as Lawyer of the Year. For 2017 and 2019, she received the award for the practice area of “Product Liability Litigation-Plaintiffs.”
Brian Eltz, '02, G'05, Millersville, recently published his first children's book, “Shaking Up Shakespeare”, through Christian Faith Publishing (for ages 3 to 12).
Edward J Foster, V. ’17, Throop, graduated Drexel School of Law with honors.Deaths
John J. Fendrock, DPS ’48, Burlington, Massachusetts
William R. Montone ’49, Harrisburg
Paul T. Burke ’51, Scranton
John J. Malina, M.D. ’51, Taylor
John G. Signorino ’51, Venice, Florida
Leonard S. Maldonato ’57, Scranton
Paul F. Dwyer ’60, Scranton
John P. Mahon ’60, Studio City, California
Nicholas Pezak ’60, Jessup
Robert J. Morgan ’61, Marlton, New Jersey
Michael D. Costa ’62, Mayfield
Robert G. McAndrew ’62, Scranton
Edward J. Sowinski, Jr., Ph.D. ’62, Williamsburg, Virginia
Joseph J. Barbuti ’63, Scranton
Ronald G. Roskos ’71, Kingston
Kenneth G. Lewis, Ph.D. ’75, G’76, Scranton
James A. Rodda G’86, Prompton
H. Merritt Hughes G’00, Wilkes Barre
Mary Grace Dolores Dirks ’01, New Hyde Park, New York
Francis Dehaut ’10, Wilkes BarreBirths
A son, Owen Charles, to Christopher and Maria Kern Haggerty '09, South Abington Township
Alumni Class Notes, June 2020
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06/03/2020
Danielle (Gilson) Healey '11 is an RN at Yale New Haven Hospital in the Perioperative Services Adult Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) who tested positive for COVID-19 on April 2. Her mom, sister, niece and husband also contracted the virus.
"The University of Scranton nursing program definitely taught me to be flexible and to be ready for any situation," said Healey. "I think It has helped throughout my nine-year nursing career feel prepared and confident. I will be forever grateful for the experiences, education and the professors at Scranton."
She shared her recent experiences with us.
You got COVID-19 as more strict measures were being taken at the hospital where you work. Can you tell us what it was like at your hospital at the time?
My hospital had just started requiring employees to wear a mask at all times. Everyone was on edge and we didn't know what was going to happen with our hospital or our unit. We started training and shadowing in the ICUs to prepare for possibly floating there. Although all of the RN's in the PACU are critical care or Emergency Department trained, some nurses had never worked in an ICU or hadn't worked in one in years. Luckily I had worked in the medical ICU four years ago so I was better prepared than most of my coworkers.
We eventually would close our PACU, open as an ICU non-COVID overflow unit, and float to the various COVID ICU floors. There would eventually be four Medical COVID ICU floors in my hospital. The evening before our shift, our manager would text us saying if we were to report to the float pool or our ICU overflow unit the next day. This started happening just as I became sick, so I did not care for any COVID patients (as far as I know) before that, though looking back there may have been a couple suspected cases before we starting locking everything down.
Can you tell us what it was like to get the virus?
I was tested for COVID-19 on April 2, 2020. I started having symptoms a few days before that, which started as slight body aches. I eventually progressed to have a wide variety of symptoms, ranging from a headache behind my eyes to chills and losing my sense of taste and smell. Although I would feel like I had a fever at times my home thermometer said otherwise. I ended up losing my taste for about a month, which was very depressing as I couldn't even use food as a comfort. I developed slight respiratory symptoms about a week or so into it, which was a slight dry cough and wheeze. Luckily it never progressed to shortness of breath or anything more severe. I also had gastrointestinal symptoms at one point. All in all, it lasted about two weeks before I returned to work. My hospital's criteria was that I was symptom-free for 72 hours before returning; I did not have to test negative. Physically I was just tired throughout the whole course, mostly laying on the couch and not being very active. Mentally it was a roller coaster, because, at the same time, my mom, sister, niece and husband all got the virus as well.
Your mom and sister are nurses also nurses who tested positive. What were their experiences like?
I was extremely worried about my mom, as she is in the high-risk age group and my sister who has bad asthma. My mom had the worst symptoms of all of us. She developed a very bad cough, had fevers and severe joint aches. She was put on Z-Pack Antibiotics for possible secondary pneumonia. She and my sister both luckily avoided the hospital. My sister had similar symptoms to my mom and they also all lost their sense of taste and smell. It took my mom a month and a half to fully recover, and she just went back to work last week. I am so thankful they are all OK. It was definitely one of the scariest times of my life.
What was it like when you returned to work at the hospital?
When I returned, I cared for COVID patients who ranged from being on high amounts of oxygen on a high flow nasal cannula to being very sick on ventilators. There was such a wide variety in the ages and medical history of the patients that I soon realized COVID does not discriminate.
The whole experience was very surreal. You would arrive in the morning, stand in line to receive your PPE for the day, and then go to the charge nurse to see which floor you were assigned to. You would get a paper bag to store your masks that you reused all day and then placed in a recycling bin at the end of your shift.
I quickly realized these patients were sicker than I thought, with it being extremely difficult to wean down their oxygen requirements. There was a lot of hoping and waiting.
I tried to share my experience with the patients that I could to offer them hope and understanding. One patient I had was a very active man in his 70s who still worked and had almost no medical history. He was very frustrated and just kept looking for answers, asking me why I think this happened to him. I was at a loss for what to say to him. I just tried to make his experience as positive as I could. It made me appreciate, even more, that my family and I had mild symptoms and were able to avoid the hospital.
Can you tell us about one experience treating a COVID patient?
One of the last patients with COVID that I took care of would probably be the most memorable. She was an older woman from a nursing facility with a history of schizophrenia and dementia. She was a no-code DNR/DNI which means do not resuscitate and do not intubate, so she was on a BIPAP machine to help her breathe. She had no family or next of kin, only a legal power of attorney who made her medical decisions. The doctors caring for her painted a bleak picture in rounds that morning, talking through her plan of care but eventually realizing there was not much else they could do for her. They then talked to the medical representative about discontinuing care. When the time came, the respiratory therapist and I sat with her, and I did my best to keep her comfortable in her last moments with medication drips and pushes. I sang her a song and held her hand. I was happy that at least she wasn't alone when she passed.
How do you decompress after your days with patients?Coming home to my husband, cat, and dog would help me decompress and let go of the day's events. My friends have also been incredibly supportive and there for me every step of the way. It helps tremendously that my mom and sister are nurses; I can talk about my stressful days and they know exactly what I'm going through.
Danielle Healey, RN '11 Returns to Work after COVID
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05/27/2020
Eileen Parinisi Dimond '85 was part of The University of Scranton’s first graduating class of nursing students. From there, she went on to a deeply rewarding career at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Rockville, Maryland, where she’s been an integral part of research teams responsible for numerous innovations in the treatment of the disease.
"NCI doesn’t stop even when a pandemic hits the globe. Our mission in cancer research continues and, in fact, NCI has been tapped to use its unique resources and breadth of experience to address aspects of the pandemic," said Dimond.
She weighed on what has changed at work during the pandemic.
"While many of the cancer prevention trials I work with had to pause for accrual due to canceling of elective surgeries, research staff working from home and to limit participant exposure, the cancer treatment trials continued," she said. "It has been amazing to see everyone working together even though many of us are working from home, to do all we can to keep research moving forward."
Read The Scranton Journal profile about Dimond, before COVID-19, here.
Read more about the work NCI is doing on the NCI website www.cancer.gov or in this post about how NCI is involved in evaluating antibody tests.
Eileen Parinisi Dimond '85: The Role of National Cancer Institute During the Pandemic
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05/27/2020
Maura Regan ‘13 G’14, an Acute Care Occupational Therapist at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation, is guiding COVID-19 survivors through their post-ventilator recoveries. She was named New York Post's "Hero of the Day" on May 26, 2020.
Read the story from the New York Post:
Occupational therapist teaches NYC coronavirus survivors how to walk, talk again
Maura Regan ‘13 G’14 Named New York Post's Hero of the Day
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05/19/2020
While most are keeping their distance during the pandemic, three Scranton alumnae remain in close proximity to one another in New York City.
Mary Rose Ho '10 and Liz Waldron Capobianco '01 are nurse educators at NYU Langone, responsible for the education of nurses entering the health system as well as the ongoing education needs of all the nurses at NYU. As the first stop for new nurses, the two often meet Scranton alumni as they begin their new jobs.
"It is a special connection, and I think it is comforting for us, as well as the nurses new to NYU," said Capobianco.
In April, they welcomed one recent alumna to NYU: Lauren Garel ‘17. Once Ho found out she was a Scranton graduate, she shared the news with Capobianco, and they quickly connected with her.
"She started her first nursing job at the height of the pandemic here in New York, which has been a most difficult and frightening time," said Capobianco. "As we would expect from a fellow Royal, Lauren has handled herself with poise and grace during this uncertain time."
Ho and Capobianco have worked in the Department of Nursing Professional Practice as Nursing Professional Development Specialists for about two years. In just two weeks during the pandemic, they "have educated an increased number of nurses new to NYU as well as 400+ travel RNs."
They have also trained existing nurses that work in perioperative and procedural settings to the inpatient setting and over 200 acute care nurses to care for ICU-level patients as NYU opened more ICU’s to meet the need of the COVID-positive patient population.
Garel and Capobianco helped discharge the 1,000th COVID patient from the hospital when Capobianco suddenly recognized an attending physician in the crowd, Dr. Kevin Huack '07.
"I introduced him to Lauren, and said, 'Look at us Scranton grads at this historic moment!'" said Capobianco. "I then had the honor of helping to escort the 1,000th COVID patient out of the hospital to the cheers of hundreds of our employees and watched her reunite with her daughter who she had not seen for a month while she was in the hospital. There was not a dry eye in the crowd, and I was so honored to be a part of it."
The Scranton alumnae continue to reach out to new nurses who enter the NYU system.
"It is always fun to connect with them and reignite our Scranton community here," said Capobianco, who met one of her best friends, also a Scranton grad, at NYU. "I think Scranton grads gravitate to each other and also gravitate to the greatest challenges, which is why I am so proudly with so many right now."
One she can no longer be with is her former NYU colleague and Scranton classmate, Mary Grace Dirks '01, who recently died of cancer at the end of April. Because of the pandemic, no visitors other than Dirks' husband, also a Scranton alumnus, were allowed to visit her. Just hours before she died, a mutual NYU friend was able to hold Dirks' hand and "tell her that all of her Scranton friends loved her," said Capobianco.
"The nursing world is strong and loyal," she said. "Scranton built a sense of community that is unlike other universities."
Nursing Alumnae Connect at One NYC Hospital
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05/11/2020
Freshman year roommates James Kompany '95 and Vince Carsillo '95 don't get to see each other often, but they were both looking forward to reconnecting at Reunion this year, a break from their demanding jobs in law enforcement and health care. Instead, Reunion has been postponed and they're both navigating unfamiliar territory during the pandemic. Kompany is a police officer in Roselle Park, New Jersey, and Carsillo is a physician whose internal medicine and nephrology practice in Albany, New York, is taking in COVID patients from New York City.
"Personally, I am taking the same precautions as most of the rest of society in order to stay healthy and safe. Like so many others, I have been forced to alter my lifestyle until this crisis is behind us," said Kompany, a 17-year veteran of the police force, currently a corporal in the patrol division.
At work, Kompany and his fellow officers wear protective gear when interacting with the public and respond to many non-emergency calls in what would be considered a highly unusual way during normal times, via phone rather than patrol car.
As Kompany is receding from the frontlines in some ways, Carsillo is advancing toward the frontlines as his team takes on COVID-19 patients.
"My group provided care to those patients and many required ICU care and acute dialysis related to the virus," said Carsillo. "In the outpatient setting, we needed to reorganize our dialysis units so that we could care for the infected patients at one isolation unit. Personally I am happy that we have seen a decrease in cases and proud of the job my group and my colleagues have done treating the sick and navigating this new medical challenge."
Carsillo is also proud of his former roommate and good friend.
"I have great respect for our police and the work that Jim and his colleagues do every day to protect the public," he said.
They both credit The University of Scranton for helping them through this difficult time.
"My preparedness comes through faith in God," said Kompany. "And this faith was solidified during my time at The 'U.'"
Carsillo agreed.
"Scranton surely prepared me to manage this crisis. I learned that you can find joy in the service of others and, in the words of Thomas Aquinas, that 'there is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship,'" he said.
Kompany and Carsillo both said that they'll miss seeing each other during Reunion this year, but they appreciate one another more than ever.
"When [Vince and I] connect, we constantly laugh at the same stories and can easily pick up where we left off on our last conversation," said Kompany. "I'm proud to call him a lifelong friend."Reunion is Postponed. Friendship is not Canceled.
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05/06/2020
Royals around the world will unite virtually today for 5.06, The University of Scranton’s sixth annual Day of Giving.
Since 2015, the University community has pulled together on each 5.06 to show its true strength. May 6th has become a symbol of spirit, generosity and hope for all alumni, family and friends of Scranton. A tradition as powerful as this can bring us light in this time of darkness and truly unite the Scranton community in support of our students. Celebrate the occasion by visiting this link or texting scranton506 to 71777 and making a gift to your favorite University cause today.
Father Sweeney Emergency Fund $40,000 Match
On Tuesday, current and former members of the Board of Trustees generously joined together to match the next $40,000 in gifts to the Father Sweeney Fund for Emergency Financial Aid. This dollar-for-dollar match enables donors to the fund to double their gift and provide twice the amount of relief to Scranton students experiencing unexpected financial hardships. To donate to the fund and double your impact, visit this link or text FRSWEENEYFUND to 71777.
About The James P. Sweeney, S.J., Family Outreach Fund
The Very Rev. James P. Sweeney, S.J., was Provincial of the Society of Jesus in 1942 when the Jesuits were invited to assume administration of the University. It was a time of great uncertainty for the nation and for higher education, with college enrollments dropping dramatically due to enlistments and the draft. Even so, Sweeney accepted the invitation, saying, “Acceptance of your invitation is of course a challenge in these abnormal times, when all colleges are facing a crisis…However, St. Ignatius was never one to run away from a difficult proposition, and we are supposed to imitate his example.”
Inspired by this example of hope and faith, the University established the James P. Sweeney, S.J., Family Outreach Fund in the late 2000s, when the recession left many students unable to meet tuition payments. Since then, the fund has continued to be a beacon of hope, helping Scranton students to continue their studies after encountering unexpected financial hardship.
For more information on 5.06, including how to participate in the Virtual 5.06K and how to host a Virtual Scranton Happy Hour, visit scranton.edu/506.
5.06.20: Royals Rise Up
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05/05/2020
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Joseph F. Weiss, Ph.D. ’61, Kensington, Maryland, received the Msgr. Geno Baroni Award as part of Catholic Charities’ of Washington, D.C. Caritas recognition program. The Msgr. Geno Baroni Award is given to an individual who has been a strong advocate for the oppressed through his or her activities in the archdiocesan community. Dr. Weiss has volunteered with Dorothy Day Place for more than six years, providing donations for clients’ emergency needs. He uses his own resources and time to provide food and clothing to clients in dire need of support.
Michael J. O’Neill ’94, Newtown Square, has joined Fellerman & Ciarimboli Law, concentrating his practice on catastrophic injury litigation, including representing people catastrophically injured by negligence associated with motor vehicle and truck collisions, medical malpractice, product liability, and premises liability.
Michelle D. Gano ’13, Pittstown, New Jersey, published an uplifting, inspirational book for teachers called “Look Beyond the Clouds: Transform Your Daily Habits to Overcome Teacher Burnout and Find Joy in Teaching Again.” Gano’s mission as a teacher and author is to spread a much-needed message of positivity, hope and gratitude to teachers. The book is available to purchase on Amazon.Deaths
William U. Roulette ’50, Stroudsburg
Angelo J. Fata ’51, Valhalla, New York
Paul J. Dougherty ’57, G’64, Dunmore
John J. Kearney ’61, Pottstown
Anthony P. Molinaro, Jr. ’64, Blakely
Otto J. Heil ’70, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Howard M. Pachter ’71, Scranton
Joseph F. Poklemba ’76, Blakely
Rev. Joseph F. Sica ’77, Scranton
William J. Schlittler ’78, MoscowBirths
A son, Chase Jonathan, to Jonathan ’09 and Caroline Crennan Perina '09, North Brunswick, New Jersey
Alumni Class Notes, May 2020
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05/05/2020
It's Nurses Day. We value the hard work of our RoyalRNs every day, but today, this year, we want to send them a special thank you. We have gathered some of our recent Royals Respond stories featuring nurses, and those who support them, below.We continue to honor them, and other health care workers, each evening when we light St. Thomas Gateway with a red cross, which you can read about here.
You can browse through our Honor Roll, which honors Royals on the frontlines, including 159 nurses, here.
Taylor Kerrane '16: Brother Pays Tribute
Conor Kerrane '12 writes a tribute to his sister, Taylor Kerrane '16, an ER nurse for Northwell Health in Long Island, New York.
Taylor Kerrane '16 graduated at the top of her class from The University of Scranton with a BS in Nursing. She chose this career path as it compliments her caring nature and ambition to bring good health and faith to the world.
Early in life, Taylor succeeded at many things and, after graduating, was propelled by her education into a great career as an ER nurse for Northwell Health in Long Island, New York. She was selected from hundreds of other graduates across the nation into a high-profile program at Northwell to train with best-of-breed professionals and cater to a high demand, high-stress environment.
With her training and drive, Taylor has stepped up to the plate to address the COVID19 outbreak alongside her colleagues with world-class professionalism and bravery. She has endured the stress of helping over 100 COVID19 positive patients in her hospital and continuously fights on the line to save lives.
Read the entire story here.
Isabella Dolente '17 is Honored by her Parents
Isabella Dolente '17 is a nurse who is working to combat COVID-19 in Philadelphia. Her parents, small business owners Carl and Lisa Dolente P'17, P'23 from Haddon Heights, New Jersey, were so proud of their daughter on the front line of the pandemic that they made shirts that say, "Not All Heroes Wear Capes. My Daughter Wears Scrubs." The saying was sent to them from Scranton staff member Lynn King Andres '89, P'17, director of the Parents' Executive Council (PEC). The couple, members of the PEC, sent the T-shirts to the family and friends of Isabella's nurse colleagues. Their daughter, Miranda, is a first-year student at Scranton.
Isabella responded to her parents' generosity by posting a thank you on her Facebook page, "Before all this, I can say that I’d taken my parents hugs and kisses for granted. I have not missed something more. Thank you for being the two best humans I know. The strongest and greatest support system a daughter/nurse could have."
Read the entire story here.
Thank you, nurses!
Tell us how Royals you know are responding during this crisis.
Share a Story
The University community is invited to share individual stories, photos with captions, news coverage, video footage or reflections that may be featured on the Royals Respond section of the Royal News website and shared in social media and other University publications in the weeks and months ahead.
Click here to share a story.
Honor a Royal
We also invite students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and friends to recognize someone connected to the University who is helping the nation and the world respond to the pandemic. Submissions will be gathered in a Royals Respond Honor Roll which will be shared on this page, and on the Royal News website.
Click here to Honor a Royal.
Nurses Day: Collection of Stories
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05/01/2020
In mid-March, Alyssa Muchisky '16, a medical student at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, and many other third and fourth-year medical students around the country were pulled from their clinical rotations due to the lack of personal protective equipment.
"We knew the strain this pandemic would put on our country's hospital systems, and we felt powerless because we could not help our colleagues on the frontlines," she recounted. "A bunch of third-year students got together and brainstormed ways we could support our hospitals from afar, and that is when we came up with the idea of Meals for Medics."
The group of students, along with Scranton Tomorrow, founded Meals for Medics, which raises money to buy hot meals from local restaurants for health care workers at Geisinger Community Medical Center. They are delivered to the hospital by the medical students. On April 23, they delivered more than 300 meals to third shift staff who work at night.
"All of us have worked shifts in the hospitals that are hectic and unpredictable. Sometimes hospital workers have as little as five minutes to quickly eat before moving on to the next task," said Muchisky. "We wanted to provide readily available nutritious options for all hospital staff during this time."
Muchisky, a Scranton native, is glad to be able to help her community during the pandemic.
"This project is really near and dear to me because its a small way I can give back to a community that has already done so much for me," she said.
Alumna Establishes Meals for Medics in Scranton
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04/30/2020
In early March 2020, a cruise ship carrying passengers afflicted with COVID-19 docked in Oakland, California, and many of the patients were sent to the hospital where Liz Durkin, M.D. ’93 works as a palliative medicine physician.
“These patients were fortunately not critically ill, but we were aware early of the challenges for staffing and PPE [personal protective equipment] in caring for COVID-positive patients,” said Durkin, who works at Permanente Medical Group in northern California. “Our palliative hospital teams have been working on preparedness for a possible surge in cases for the last two months, including new workflows relying on virtual visits, even with hospitalized patients, to minimize the need for PPE in the room. We have also been working on educating other physicians and team members on how to care for patients at the end of life in a compassionate and dignified manner.”
As the COVID-19 pandemic has spread across the United States, Scranton palliative care physicians and nurses are a vital part of caring for patients and supporting their families in isolating circumstances. Both in Scranton and on the West Coast, Royals in palliative care are using technology to maintain connections among patients, families and care teams. And they have been bolstered by community support in times that are unnerving for patients, families and health care workers alike.
Palliative care is not the same as hospice care, which begins after treatment for a disease concludes. While both these methods aim to keep patients comfortable, palliative care is for anyone with a serious or chronic illness and is best begun at diagnosis. Palliative care physicians and nurses, working with specialists who provide curative treatments, help patients understand their choices for medical treatment and recommend treatments that can help control symptoms and improve quality of life.
“In palliative medicine, our goal is to make sure that we are inclusive of all of a patients’ beloveds, which usually includes meeting them in person and having large family meetings to discuss the plan of care for a patient,” said Lauren Nicholls, M.D. ’11, who works at Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton. “We make it a priority to break down any barriers between families and the medical team.”
Patricia Wright, Ph.D., a University of Scranton nursing professor, said that palliative care is especially important for patients with COVID-19, since there is no immediate cure and it is life-threatening for some patients.
“Palliative care is often incorporated into the treatment of chronic conditions, but it becomes even more important when a disease is potentially life-threatening,” said Wright, who specializes in community health and hospice care. “In cases of COVID-19, the challenge is to hope for the best while preparing for the worst, meaning that even patients with mild symptoms should be invited to develop an advance care plan in the event that their condition rapidly worsens.”
Working with patients and family members to do just that has become more challenging during the pandemic, according to Nicholls. Her hospital has a no visitors policy in place, unless patients are dying. But patients dying of COVID-19 are not allowed visitors for fear of passing on the disease to family members.
“Now, in addition to the physical barrier of distance between us and the family, we have the physical barrier of the PPE between us and the patients,” Nicholls said. “The entire manner in which I typically connect with families has been disrupted. To make up for the lack of physical contact with patients and families, I have been relying on the telephone far more and making sure to relay the little things, such as get-well cards made by local children for our ICU patients, to let families know that their loved ones are not just another name in a bed; they are a whole person, being loved by our team in their absence.”
In Oakland, Durkin is employing similar phone and video communication methods with patients’ families, especially elderly patients who are without their usual support systems in hospitals with restricted visitor policies. Here in Scranton, Laura (Pikulski) Marion ’92 is the assistant vice president of Allied Services Hospice and Palliative Programs in Scranton, and she is working with patients in their homes, nursing homes, or the organization’s hospice care center. She’s helped implement telemedicine virtual appointments for patients and helps them stay connected to their families with video calls instead of in-person visits.
“We’re rewriting policies almost daily as things change so quickly with the Department of Health and the CDC. Some days trying to manage, learn, read, and share all the information is exhausting, and the days are long and I tend to be weary,” said Marion. “Loved ones aren't seeing their family for two to three weeks, elderly are isolated and no one is immune. Healthy people are being stricken by this virus. This is not hype; this is real and it is highly contagious.”
Durkin shared Marion’s concern for the elderly and isolated patients, as well as the health care workers treating them.
“I think the hardest part of this is the unknown,” said Durkin. “I am vulnerable to this infection, and even otherwise healthy individuals may have poor outcomes when faced with this disease. We are usually able to have the perspective of ‘distance’ from our patient's illness, but not in this case. We are all vulnerable.”
Even in the face of fear and unknown, Marion said people in the Scranton community are rallying to support both patients and health care workers.
“Folks reaching out to offer to make homemade masks and donate, local restaurants offering to feed our nurses and staff, donations of food being dropped to the hospice center,” Marion said. “There are folks offering to sit and make phone calls to our home patients to make sure they are not isolated. Amazing things are coming out of this on a daily basis.”
‘We are all Vulnerable’: Palliative Care during COVID
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04/24/2020
Hear from Kelly Sarti Wroblewski ‘02, director of infectious disease programs for the Association of Public Health Laboratories, about the COVID-19 testing landscape.
WHO: Kelly Sarti Wroblewski ‘02, director of infectious disease programs for the Association of Public Health Laboratories
MAJOR: Medical Technology
ADDITIONAL EDUCATION: Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University
HOMETOWN: Moosic, PA
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Silver Spring, MD
FAMILY: Husband, Ed, and sons, Eddie, 8, and Calvin, 4
Kelly Wroblewski’s role in the pandemic response can be likened to that of a detective in a war zone. As a director in a public health network, she’s worked both quietly behind the scenes yet vocally on the frontlines. Her primary weapon has become the holy grail in this battle: the long-awaited COVID-19 test.
Wroblewski’s daily tasks differ from those of other scientific groups responding to a public health emergency. Public health laboratories, present in every state, monitor the collective health of the public and inform the care of the population rather than the individual. An organizational leader in the national network of public health labs, all of which were on high alert awaiting from the CDC the assay, or chemicals, that would detect the virus, Wroblewski and her crew have been first responders in another sense of the word. That’s because, in the early days of the virus, only public health labs were allowed to run testing. She became a vanguard, however, in getting all critically needed hands on deck.
Having begun her career at a microbiology lab at a small Pennsylvania hospital before taking a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health working on antimicrobial resistance then earning her MPH and working in the clinical lab at Johns Hopkins, Wroblewski has participated in many outbreak responses. So while COVID-19 is a novel virus it’s familiar ground for her.
She kicked her leadership into high gear after Jan. 18, the day on which the CDC detected the first case of the virus in the United States. Much of her role then was to work the phones furiously, assessing whether individual laboratories were ready with the necessary supplies and equipment once the assay was released and the labs could then “test the test,” so to speak, before themselves administering it.
Because of the now-well-known problems with the first released test and the initial prohibition on private labs doing testing, Wroblewski made an unprecedented move as the country awaited some positive news: She wrote to the FDA asking for permission for public health labs to make their own tests.
Because the first case in the United States with untraceable origins confirmed that COVID-19 had taken root here, the FDA essentially agreed, permitting advanced labs to develop their own tests.
This was a watershed moment for public health laboratories, and Wroblewski was at the forefront.
Royal News (RN): Kelly, it can be said that you are working in an epicenter of the fight against COVID-19. You recently told NPR that the situation with testing in America was “a giant mess” but that you were trying to remain optimistic that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. In the few weeks since you’ve spoken to NPR has the availability and effectiveness of the rapid test increased your optimism on the testing front?
Kelly Wroblewski (KW): The rapid molecular test is certainly another welcome tool in the toolbox, but, like many other testing supplies, there are limits to the availability of reagents, and it is not going to be the best fit for every setting. We continue to increase and improve capacity, but we still have room to improve both in terms of testing capacity and testing strategy. We are making progress, though.
RN: Early on, just after the virus hit the United States, the initial test fast-tracked by the FDA was considered glitchy at best, and it wasn’t until late February that a new test finally showed up. Can you tell us a little more about the mood in your sector during those waiting days?
KW: There was definitely an anxious vibe. We roll out and implement new tests with some frequency, and this had never happened. So there was a certain amount of disbelief and a lot of anxiousness as the public health laboratories waited for some resolution to the problem.
RN: Are the right people able to receive access to the rapid test right now? And, if not, who are the right people who should be receiving access?
KW: The rapid test has opened up testing, but it’s by far not accounting for the bulk of the tests being performed. The rapid test is really best used in settings where a there isn’t easy access to laboratory testing and a fast result is needed to inform decision making. Examples include places like rural critical access hospitals, nursing homes or prisons.
RN: What needs to change right now when it comes to testing?
KW: We need a high-quality, well-vetted antibody test. More than that, we need a thoughtful, feasible testing strategy that includes implementation details. Up to this point we’ve been so reactionary; we’ve been reacting to a new problem every day. We need to take the time to build plans with some scientific rigor behind them.
RN: Can you describe your emotions after you essentially got the ball rolling with the FDA so that public health labs could work independently on their own tests? We’d love to hear of your excitement as well as your fears.
KW: A few things happened at once. As they opened up the pathway for laboratories to develop their own SARS-CoV-2 tests, FDA and CDC also dropped the problematic component of the original CDC test. So in the end, most of the public health laboratories moved ahead with the CDC assay. My primary thought at the time was pushing to make sure public health labs brought a test on as expeditiously as possible. It was exciting to be involved in shaping policy in that way. I really look forward to the after action and thinking through how we use some of these actions to build a system that allows us to do better in the future.
RN: The testing landscape – at least in terms of who was allowed on the mat – essentially went from public health laboratories flying solo to private laboratories and eventually the private sector all contributing. What’s the next best step in this battle – for everyone involved in testing?
KW: We are going to need all hands on deck for a long time. It goes to what I said before about developing a thoughtful strategy. All of those laboratories from point-of-care testing sites to hospital labs to commercial labs to public health labs have a role they are best suited to play. Defining those roles and ironing out the logistics of getting the right specimens to the right labs is going to be key to ensuring we are using all of our laboratory resources most efficiently. It will be a critical component of this next phase.
RN: Is this the fight of your life so far? Can you tell us how your Scranton education armed you for it?
KW: Someday, I am sure it will all sink in and I will feel that way. Really though, I’ve been taking it one day at a time, addressing the problem in front of me to the best of my ability and moving on to the next one. Scranton, for me, struck that perfect balance between being challenging and supportive. I never felt coddled and worked really hard. At the same time, I felt that my professors wanted the very best for me and therefore expected the very best effort out of me. It’s that sense that putting forward your best effort is going to yield good results.
Ask the Expert: Kelly Sarti Wroblewski ‘02
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04/24/2020
The University of Scranton was selected to the Catholic Volunteer Network’s 2020 “Top Schools for Service,” a list of just 29 elite Catholic colleges in the nation noted for the expression of their commitment to service. Scranton is among the seven schools selected in the Mid-Atlantic Region and is among 13 Jesuit colleges listed in all four regions of America.
The national list of “Top Schools for Service” recognized “campuses who have demonstrated consistent excellence in collaborating with our network and championing post-grad service among students.” According to Catholic Volunteer Network, the recognition celebrated “the women and men who serve in Campus Ministries, Service-Learning and Social Justice Offices and Career Centers at colleges and universities nationwide” who make long-term commitment to service by students possible. The Catholic Volunteer Network honored the University’s Center for Service and Social Justice.
“The University of Scranton is delighted to be among the select universities in the nation recognized by the Catholic Volunteer Network for the ways in which we encourage in our students a commitment to service,” said Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president. “Our Catholic and Jesuit mission is central to the transformative education we provide to our students to inspire in them a passion to serve others for the greater glory of God and the betterment of human kind.”
In addition to the community-based academic learning service projects that are part of a course, student volunteers assist community agencies and participate in numerous campus service projects, many of which are organized and facilitated by the University’s Center for Service and Social Justice. Service projects also include those completed by members of the University’s 85 student clubs which are required to complete at least three service events each academic year. Patricia Vaccaro serves as the director of the University’s Center for Service and Social Justice.
Each year, more than 2,800 Scranton students volunteer for more than 175,000 hours of service. In addition, each year members of the University’s graduating class commit to long-term service projects with nonprofit organizations and underserved populations throughout the country and internationally. Catherine Seymour, campus minister, coordinates the University’s post-grad service program.
Scranton’s previous national recognition for its commitment to service includes being named among just 361 colleges in America to earn the highly-respected Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Community Engagement Classification. Scranton has also been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.
Catholic Volunteer Network, the leading membership organization of Christian volunteer and mission programs, fosters and promotes full-time domestic and international faith-based volunteer service opportunities for people of all ages, backgrounds, and skills.
Scranton Among Nation’s Top Schools for Service
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04/16/2020
Colonel (R) Richard H. Breen, Jr. ’77, past president of the University's Alumni Society Advisory Board, is the director of Strategic Communications for the Military Health System (MHS), Department of Defense, at the Pentagon. In this capacity, he directly supports the assistant secretary of defense for Health Affairs and the director of the Defense Health Agency in all aspects of Military Health communications. He is coordinating all the military medical communications activities for the MHS during the COVID-19 crisis.
The MHS is responsible for the delivery of health care to more than 9.5 million beneficiaries eligible for the military health care benefit worldwide through 53 hospitals and more than 400 medical and dental clinics, as well as all health policy for the department. It serves as medical advisor to the White House, conducts an extensive research and development program, manages the education and training of all military medical personnel, leads a military medical university called the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and conducts coordinating activities with all federal agencies including the Center for Disease and Control, Health and Human Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The MHS consists of Army, Navy and Air Force medical departments, a joint staff surgeon, the Defense Health Agency and the University.
During COVID-19, he is coordinating all strategic planning, operations and tactics impacting medical issues for the 9.5 million beneficiaries, managing two of the five largest DoD websites (health.mil and Tricare.mil), conducting media training, interfacing with the media, pitching stories and responding to media inquiries, leading a customer service interface program, managing a newsroom, developing outreach products for strategic partners, managing several social media platforms and serving as the senior communications advisor to the entire worldwide Military Health System.
We asked him a few questions about his work and life during COVID-19.
What does your day-to-day look like and how is that vastly different from what it looked like before the crisis?
The greatest challenge is the higher level of intensity in the daily mission and managing both the speed and accuracy of timely, critical information in an environment that changes by the minute. My day starts at 0545 hrs. (5:45 a.m.) when I receive my first media reports from the previous 24 hours. Then I work with my media team to conduct an analysis and prepare to brief senior leaders on media engagements daily at 0730 hrs. At 0800 hrs., I set the day's priorities for my team of more than 80 people. At 1015 hrs. daily, I hold a communications operations call where I receive updates from the team on worldwide communications missions. These include a situational overview of how the department is managing the crisis and the impact of the communication, the critical information that needs to be disseminated to both beneficiaries and stakeholders worldwide and updates on programs, policies and activities.
Throughout the day, there are numerous meetings, briefings, discussions, strategic advising and project guidance provided. At 1700 hrs. (5 p.m.) I have a leader’s recap, review the missions of the day and begin the plans for tomorrow. Then at 1800 hrs., I go for a long walk with my wife Lorrie (Marywood University '78), return to my computer and respond to the more than 300 emails I received throughout the day. Today’s biggest challenge (Friday, April 10) is a major media presser in the Pentagon Briefing Room.
Obviously, Communications and outreach are incredibly important at this time. How do you ensure that the entire country hears your message?
Great question and a hard question. Fortunately, my communications team has a good network and series of communications tactics developed over years of hard work, planning and outreach. The challenge is not the delivery or the dissemination of information. The real challenge is sorting through conflicting information from multiple sources to consolidate the most accurate message to be delivered to our various audiences.
Testing of the COVID-19 virus, access to care, canceling elective surgery, waiving co-pays, limiting pharmaceuticals and communicating a 500 percent increase in calls to our 24/7 nurse advice line require focused communications. Just think of the stories. The deployment of the USNS Comfort and Mercy hospital ships, the establishment of Army field hospitals, the activation of National Guard and reserve medical units, the early graduation of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences medical school and graduate school of nursing, the research efforts to find a cure and the education of the military medical force are stories we try to tell worldwide. And we use multiple channels: media, our two websites, video conferences with stakeholders, internal communications, gov. delivery email blasts, video messages, daily leadership messages, graphics, are some ways. Sending products to stakeholders and encouraging them to share our communications message are also key to success.
Bottom line. Consistent, accurate, timely and credible information delivered fast over many channels contributes to success. The challenge is getting this data and validating it. And we are always looking at ways to cut through the massive news clutter. It is a real challenge. The key is finding the right, unique story that grabs the interest of the audience.
How are you coping, personally, with what is going on right now?
Keeping everyone on my team focused, encouraging personal time and family time, emphasizing exercise and movement and sometimes using comedy to put some leverage into the day. However, we experienced a tragedy recently.
On April 2, my media relations chief, Kevin Dwyer, died in his sleep. This was not COVID-19 related. At 51 years of age, the previous night, he had completed a long bike ride, spent time in his yard and called his sister saying what a great ride he had. When he did not come to work on Thursday, I sent the Alexandria, Virginia, police to his home where they found him in bed. Single with no health issues at all, we were stunned. On Friday morning at 0800 hrs., I conducted a phone call with my team to break the news to them. The hardest part is we are all separated and cannot grieve as a team.
I can handle a long day. I’m a soldier, and I have served in several crises. I am devastated at the loss of both a colleague and friend, especially during the Easter season. So, I pray a lot and do all I can to encourage my team to honor his memory through our work.
How have you relied on your training?
I totally rely on my training and experience. I was the senior spokesman as an Army Colonel on the grounds of the Pentagon for the first three weeks after the attack on 9-11 and conducted media training to the New York National Guard in New York City. As the senior Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Army Military District of Washington, I led a wartime scenario on a battlefield in my hometown. I had a very young and inexperienced team, so my leadership was critical to success. We did two daily news conferences in front of more than 300 media daily, briefed senior leaders, dignitaries, congressional and in some case celebrities on the operation and the specifics of what happened. I have commanded six times in uniform and am very comfortable in crisis scenarios. But it is the resilience and professionalism of my teammates, not necessarily me, that gets us through a crisis. I just provide guidance. These pros execute the mission flawlessly.
Colonel Richard H. Breen, Jr. ’77: A New Mission
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04/16/2020
As the president and CEO of Main Line Health (MLH), I have the honor and privilege of working with more than 12,000 employees and medical staff members who comprise one of the Delaware Valley’s largest health systems. In the summer of 2019, we launched a new brand campaign to capture the essence of the MLH spirit and to differentiate the experience our team strives to deliver. The foundation of the campaign was crafted after dozens of interviews with team members from across the organization to explain what drives us at MLH; to describe the values we bring forth every day to make MLH the best place to both give and receive care. This work resulted in a brand narrative that defines our promise to see, hear and connect to each of our patients as individuals, and our belief that Health Care is Human Care.
Since the arrival of COVID-19 to our region in early March, our MLH spirit has undergone the ultimate test. While the Philadelphia region, in general, had the opportunity to learn from areas severely hit with less time to plan (such as Seattle and New York City) we at MLH treated some of the earliest cases on the East Coast. In fact, Montgomery County, located directly in our service area, saw among the first COVID-19 cases in the state and by mid-March, our campuses had treated close to 20-30 percent of all the cases in Pennsylvania.
With the early signs that COVID-19 had infiltrated our communities, we implemented our incident command structure across the System and began comprehensive planning, and 24/7 coverage to ensure a coordinated response across our five hospitals. The safety of our patients, team and community always remains at the crux-of our planning and decision making. Key areas of focus for us over the past six weeks included:
- Changing processes and procedures: This included canceling elective surgeries, implementing screening checkpoints, and the suspension of volunteer services and visitor restrictions.
- Procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for our team: Our Logistics team has literally scoured the globe to ensure our team is appropriately protected, and we secured shipments from around the world. While we believe we currently have sufficient supply, our responsibility as health care leaders is to ensure responsible and prudent use to conserve as much PPE as possible for the duration of the pandemic.
- Securing and deploying testing for the community: The MLH team was one of the first in the state to establish drive through testing for those who were ill, but did not need emergency level care. Likewise, we worked doggedly to secure rapid testing for our inpatients—this type of testing is key to appropriately managing patients and protecting our team. To date, we have tested almost 7,000 community members.
- Surge planning: Our team has created predictive modeling to anticipate when our area could experience the highest volume of cases. In order to serve as many in our community as possible, we worked extensively on a three-tiered surge model that allows us to scale our bed capabilities and use non-traditional patient areas, like large conference rooms, should it be necessary. When fully activated, we could care for 1,600 inpatients across MLH.
I am incredibly proud — and forever grateful to — our administrative team for their dedication, ingenuity, collaboration and exhaustive efforts to ensure we are operationally prepared to serve the community when they need us most. However, it’s those by the bedside — our heroes directly battling this silent enemy — whose work surpasses all expectations. These brave individuals on the front lines who provide critical care, serve as family for those patients who have none, and create a safe and clean environment are the ones who truly embody the concept that health care is human care. Despite their own fears and facing so many unknowns, these crusaders “suit up” every day, committed to saving as many possible. In the span of a day, they experience sorrow and triumph, but in response to every situation, they respond with strength and grace.
Take for instance Lindsey, a nurse caring for a COVID-19 hospice patient. As the virus took this patient’s life, several family members visited throughout the day, but all had just gone home for the night. Due to the set-up on the unit, Lindsey was able to see directly into the patient’s room from the nurses station. Within a short span of time, she noticed an acute change in her patient's status. She gowned as quickly as possible to enter the room and spend the last 3-4 minutes of her patient’s life by their side. When the physician called the family to share the news of their loved one’s death, she was also able to offer the solace that Lindsey was present at the bedside… their parent did not die alone.
While we mourn those taken by COVID-19, we also celebrate our survivors. Such as when one of our Hospital teams arranged a joyous farewell for a patient who spent more than 20 days in the Intensive Care Unit, on a ventilator. Just as the lives that are lost leave scars on our team, this patient, too, leaves an indelible imprint on our front-line heroes. It is these moments that offer a revitalizing reminder of why we are in this work, after all. While there can be profound sadness in health care, there is also unforgettable joy.
These moments demonstrate compassion and empathy that represent not only the MLH spirit but the human spirit. This pandemic has taken lives, upended the financial infrastructure of our nation, and altered daily existence as we have known it for so long. But it’s also given something to us … these human moments. Moments that demonstrate the goodness of humanity. Moments that allow our faith to shine. Moments that give us strength and hope for a future that is far brighter than we could have possibly imagined.
Something Found in COVID-19: Human Moments
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04/11/2020
When people think of front-lines health care workers, they rightfully imagine those in direct care.
But legions behind the scenes fuel the critical work of the front lines, and University accounting graduate Melissa Schnipp ’96, of Bogota, New Jersey, is among them. So are her 10-year-old son, Antonello, and husband, Dan.
Melissa is site finance controller at Hackensack Meridian Health’s Palisades Medical Center, a community hospital increasing its ICU beds and converting floors to serve a community hard-hit by COVID-19. Her role in this pandemic, she explained, is “keeping the cash flow moving, monitoring the materials supply chain, pushing all the paperwork through and making sure emergency purchasing gets accomplished.”
At Hackensack Meridian, workers in many roles have been redeployed as the virus progressed, and Melissa has been no exception. Originally working from home when the crisis became full-blown, she had been, at points, called back to the physical site to play various roles. It was during her time at home, though, when some bonus family bonding led to a special mission for the Schnipps, initiated by Antonello.
While Melissa was working at home, she said, her family heard more than usual of one another’s work or school conversations, giving her a new understanding of her husband’s and son’s days and them of hers.
“They got to hear some of the safety calls and the things we talk about every day,” she said. Antonello, understandably, had been worried about his mother, especially when she was going into the medical center.
“I just reassured him that I was going in to help, and that this is what we need to do for society as a whole,” she said, noting that value was formed early on while a student at Scranton.
“He asked why there wasn’t a cure, and I explained we need research,” she recalled.
Antonello had an idea. Having already dabbled in fundraising efforts, raising money for childhood cancer and for the American Heart Association, he asked Melissa if he could raise dollars to help find a COVID-19 vaccine.
He explained his mission as simply as any 10-year-old would: “I wanted to get research so people wouldn’t get sick and nobody would die.”
The Schnipps used the Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation’s platform to set up a personal page, The “Big A COVID-19 Combat Fund.”
“Because he is 10 we set the goal at $1,000 and told him we’d match whatever he was able to raise,” Melissa said. “We sent emails out and a few Facebook posts using the URL link for his team site."
The page reached its goal in a week, has now hit $1,150 and is still active. The money will go to Hackensack Meridian’s Center for Discovery and Innovation, which is researching and working on a vaccine.
Scranton, Melissa said, laid the groundwork for this.
“Dean Michael Mensah taught me well,” she said. “He always stressed we were going to face things in life that were not ‘textbook.’ When we got into the world, we would need to be prepared for anything.”
“That lesson really resonates with me now,” Melissa said, as does the way the University stressed service. “My compassion and passion for service – and my trying to instill the same in my son – definitely came from Scranton.”
A Family Fundraising Effort from Behind the Frontlines
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04/09/2020
Conor Kerrane '12 writes a tribute to his sister, Taylor Kerrane '16, an ER nurse for Northwell Health in Long Island, New York.
Taylor Kerrane '16 graduated at the top of her class from The University of Scranton with a BS in Nursing. She chose this career path as it compliments her caring nature and ambition to bring good health and faith to the world.
Early in life, Taylor succeeded at many things and, after graduating, was propelled by her education into a great career as an ER nurse for Northwell Health in Long Island, New York. She was selected from hundreds of other graduates across the nation into a high-profile program at Northwell to train with best-of-breed professionals and cater to a high demand, high-stress environment.
With her training and drive, Taylor has stepped up to the plate to address the COVID19 outbreak alongside her colleagues with world-class professionalism and bravery. She has endured the stress of helping over 100 COVID19 positive patients in her hospital and continuously fights on the line to save lives.
With the current circumstances, her role as an ER nurse presents more emotional hardships than any chief executive can endure, and Taylor takes her day-to-day operations in full stride. Due to the significance of this pandemic, Taylor has made a selfless request that our parents live outside of the home during this time to protect them from the unfortunate reality we are currently living.
Our entire family is proud of what she has accomplished and thankful for her services to our local community. We love you Taylor and keep up the great work!
Taylor Kerrane '16: Brother Pays Tribute
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04/09/2020
It all started when her freshman year floormate asked her for sewing advice to make masks. That gave Cat Munzing '05, from Oceanside, New York, an idea. She had just quit her full-time job as a customer relations manager for a jewelry store to focus on her business, making custom children's dresses, baby clothes and repurposing old wedding dresses into such garments as christening and communion gowns.
"I actually contacted Cat to ask her for advice on a sewing machine so that I could make some masks [for my family] since I’ve known since Martin Hall, freshman year, that she was a pro at sewing," said classmate Karen Hoerst '05, a neurologist who is now home with her young children.
Hoerst "planted the seed," Munzing said, and she quickly pivoted the focus of her regular business to sewing masks for health care professionals. The first masks were donated to NYU Winthrop on Long Island, where her sister is a surgical technologist, and eventually throughout the Northeast and across the country to California and Arizona. As of April 9, she has made and shipped more than 1,000 masks.
"My customers typically come to me for alterations, custom dresses, things that are wants rather than needs," she said. "So, while it's disheartening that our health care providers don't have what they need during this time, it's nice to be able to help."Munzing is also heartened by the generosity of others. A few people from her community are helping her with the cutting and sewing and "the donations are pouring in," she said. "Supplies, money, their own time, it's been incredible."
And, take it from Hoerst, Munzing's hard work is appreciated.
"So many people right now feel helpless in this situation, but Cat took the opportunity to take a bad situation and do something for others, many of whom she doesn’t even know personally," said Hoerst. "As someone who is a doctor (even though I’m not currently working) I know how much it means to the doctors, nurses, and all other hospital staff to know people are in their corner."
Pictured above: Cat Munzing '05
Cat Munzing '05: A Scranton Connection Inspires the Making of Masks
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04/07/2020
Isabella Dolente '17 is a nurse who is working to combat COVID-19 in Philadelphia. Her parents, small business owners Carl and Lisa Dolente P'17, P'23 from Haddon Heights, New Jersey, were so proud of their daughter on the front line of the pandemic that they made shirts that say, "Not All Heroes Wear Capes. My Daughter Wears Scrubs." The saying was sent to them from Scranton staff member Lynn King Andres '89, P'17, director of the Parents' Executive Council (PEC). The couple, members of the PEC, sent the T-shirts to the family and friends of Isabella's nurse colleagues. Their daughter, Miranda, is a first-year student at Scranton.
Isabella responded to her parents' generosity by posting a thank you on her Facebook page, "Before all this, I can say that I’d taken my parents hugs and kisses for granted. I have not missed something more. Thank you for being the two best humans I know. The strongest and greatest support system a daughter/nurse could have."
Isabella continues to help patients in the ER at her hospital, while her parents donate food to her and her colleagues.
"Seeing them through the window when picking up dinner from their house hit home for me because all I wanted to do was hug them, squeeze them forever and thank them endlessly for being the best," wrote Isabella in her Facebook post.
Isabella Dolente '17 is Honored by her Parents
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04/07/2020
The University's Medical Alumni Council collected tributes to doctors on National Doctors' Day on Monday, March 30. Read a selection of the tributes here. You can also Honor a Royal or share a story by visiting scranton.edu/royalsrespond. See the Honor Roll at scranton.edu/honor-a-royal. Read all the tributes from Doctors' Day here.
My brother, Dr. Joseph Cahill '08, is currently completing his last year of surgical residency in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with Pinnacle Health. He graduated from Scranton in 2008 with a degree in Biology. He went on to complete his master's in cell and molecular biology from Binghamton University. He then completed Medical School at Lake Eerie College of Osteopathic Medicine. He will begin a fellowship this summer. His Scranton education helped create a strong foundation for his career. Together, with his perseverance and education, he has become a stellar and well-respected doctor. His work ethic is unmatched and has inspired me to work harder than I knew I could. He truly embodies the quote on Brennan Hall's wall, "Of those to whom much is given, much is expected- Luke 12:48". Joe's commitment to his patients is unwavering. Thank you, Joe!
- Elizabeth Cahill '15
Please recognize Dr. Michael T. Brown '82, as he works continuously to treat patients throughout this pandemic. Dr. Brown is a surgical oncologist at Tower Health in Reading. He recently celebrated his 60th birthday with festivities postponed as he did not want to unwittingly spread anything to his wife, Dr. Patti Brown, or his three children, son-in-law or 2-year-old granddaughter. Dr. Brown is an incredible surgeon and mentor who warrants recognition year-round and especially this Doctors' Day.
- Douglas Brown
Dr. Eileen (Hoffner) Bishop '05 earned a degree in biomathematics and continued her studies at The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Bishop completed a fellowship in critical care at Dartmouth before joining the team at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
She is a dedicated advocate for the care of the sickest patients. She works tireless hours as a critical care physician and has worked been a leader at the Cleveland Clinic in many regards. She is on maternity leave but will be returning to the frontlines of patient care in a short time, around the peak-projection point for the pandemic in her area. She is an example of Royals for Others.
- Kim Collins '08
National Doctors' Day Tributes
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04/07/2020
Captain Vincent Solomeno '07 is assistant operations officer for New Jersey National Guard's Joint Task Force 57, which is responsible for the New Jersey Army and Air National Guard's support of COVID-19 statewide. In his full-time work, he is a principal staff officer with the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, working in veterans programs and services.
Nowadays, Solomeno finds himself referring to an Ignatian prayer that he learned as a student at Scranton, "More than ever I find myself in the hands of God."
"That's a fair assessment of how I feel these days," he said.
He is taking care of himself in order to ensure he can help others.
"I am doing my best to eat healthy and sleep when I can," he said.
Although he is deployed to his community, he gives credit to health care workers.
"My contribution to the overall effort is modest in comparison to others. I pray for the healthcare workers who are on the front line helping people through this pandemic. here is a whole lot of suffering here in New Jersey and in the wider world," he said. "Our long hours and work may ease that suffering. That's the goal."
When the hours seem long and the light seems dim, he reassures himself and his team.
"When it feels difficult, I tell the others on my team to put one foot in front of the other," said Solomeno. "We find ourselves in the hands of God."
Captain Vincent Solomeno '07: I Find Myself in the Hands of God
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04/06/2020
Lauren Carosi '16 is a physician assistant working in the emergency room at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. She had been working in the ER for about a year and a half before the COVID-19 crisis.
Tell us what life is like for you right now.
Life is hard here for all of us in the middle of a pandemic, will little PPE and no ventilators left for patients. Each day is extremely challenging and upsetting, but knowing how many people’s lives we are saving at the same time is remarkable. I am so honored to be a health care professional during these times and do my little part in helping save the world.
How are you coping when you're at home or how do you prepare for the next day or night at work?
I am so lucky that I have the most amazing support system of friends and family. Friends and family have continuously been checking in to see how I am doing mentally and emotionally and although they cannot understand completely, they have done an excellent job of keeping me sane.
I have always loved to exercise and it has continued to be a great escape during these difficult times; lots of walking and long runs! When mentally preparing before a shift, I try to refer back to two of my favorite quotes. One is from a University of Scranton Christmas card I received a few years ago that I still display in my room. It states "When there is darkness, you can be the light." Another quote I tend to refer to is "All you can do is the best you can do at any given time." It's difficult to go to work and know that we cannot adequately do our job due to short staffing and lack of resources. In a time period of uncertainty and of fear, where my hands are tied, my colleagues and I may not be able to take care of and save every single patient. A more positive thought that I try to ruminate on is that I can be supportive and comforting to my patients when they are alone and need it most.
Do you find yourself telling others how they can help? What do you say?
Others can definitely help in the midst of a pandemic! We are so grateful for all the donated meals, donated masks, and recognition that everyone is providing healthcare workers during this time. Each individual can help by continuing to quarantine and practice social distancing as a way to prevent further spread of the coronavirus. Continuous hand washing and avoiding touching your face not only protects you, but it protects others. And just remember, we are all in this together!
Have you felt prepared for this?
When choosing to become a physician assistant, I did think I would be an essential employee on the frontline of a pandemic. But I am still extremely happy with my choice to become a healthcare professional, especially during a time when I am needed most!
Honor a Royal or share your story, here.Lauren Carosi '16: Being the Light
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03/31/2020
On Monday, The Medical Alumni Council of The University of Scranton (MAC) wished its alumni physicians a happy National Doctors' Day by asking the alumni, students and friends of the University to submit stories of outstanding alumni doctors to the MAC at scrantonmac@scranton.edu.
To read the many stories of alumni physicians making a difference in the world, visit scranton.edu/mac.
Royals Recognize Alumni Doctors On National Doctors' Day
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03/31/2020
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Charles B. Gibbons ’67, Pittsburgh, a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, lectured on federal evidence at the Pacific Judicial Conference Trial Practice Training held in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, in January 2020.
Patricia Richards-Service, Ph.D. G’91, South Abington Township, instructor in the Communication Arts department at Marywood University, was notified by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and World Learning that she has been recommended by the Peer Review Panel for placement on the Fulbright Specialist Roster for a tenure of three years. As a candidate on the Fulbright Specialist Roster, Dr. Richards-Service is now eligible to be matched with projects designed by host institutions in more than 150 countries globally. The Fulbright Specialist Program is unique among programs in the Fulbright portfolio in that host institutions lead the project development process. This ensures that any outside expertise requested through the Fulbright Specialist Program meets a need that the institution has identified as a critical area for its growth and development.
James P. Walsh ’91, Clarks Green, was promoted to director of sales-east coast for United Gilsonite Laboratories, a paint specialty manufacturing company, located in Scranton.
Patrick Stokes ’01, Hillsborough, New Jersey, was elected president of the Central Jersey CPCU Society Chapter. The CPCU designation is widely considered the most distinguished designation offered in the insurance industry. Stokes works for Chubb developing advanced analytics solutions.
John R. Patro, OTD. ’07, G’08, West Long Branch, New Jersey, was named chair and associate professor of Occupational Therapy at Monmouth University. Dr. Patro is working to open an entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctoral (OTD) program at the University’s campus in West Long Branch, New Jersey. Patro is a Ph.D. candidate in Educational Studies from Lesley University and has earned OTD from Chatham University.
Deaths
Eli Fleisher ’49, Kingston
Richard H. Capozzi ’57, Dunmore
Hon. James M. Munley ’58, Archbald
Ronald Skiscim ’59, Crestwood, Kentucky
David P. Chowanec ’64, Frederick, Maryland
John F. Rooney, Ed.D. ’64, Taylor
Albert J. Serino ’69, Pittston
Gerald A. Beurket ’70, Binghamton, New York
Jeremy P. Mulderig, Ph.D. ’72, Chicago, Illinois
Thomas C. Kenney ’83, Clarks GreenBirths
A daughter, Hannah Jena, to Rebecca and Philip Loscombe ’07, Wyoming
A daughter, Isabella Angelina, to Patrick and Alexandra Mickler Auth ’08, Hoboken, New Jersey
A son, John Joseph, to John ’11 and Stephanie Reidlinger O’Connor ’11, HavertownMarriages
Thomas Grady ’07 to Aileen Cordaro
Friends' Deaths
Helen Kost, twin sister of Frank G. Kost ’64
Joan Lonsdorf, widow of James Lonsdorf ’50Alumni Class Notes, April 2020
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03/11/2020
Earlier today, Fr. Pilarz announced to the University Community that, after careful consideration of CDC recommendations related to COVID-19, he made the difficult decision to cancel Shamrockin’ Eve for the first time in the event’s 12-year history.
"Yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control provided additional guidance for colleges, universities and businesses regarding large events and activities," he wrote. "Acting on this advice but with a heavy heart, I wanted to share my decision to cancel our Shamrockin’ Eve celebration that was scheduled for Friday, March 13.
Across my two tenures as president of Scranton, the founding of Shamrockin’ Eve is among the decisions of which I am most pleased and proud. I am sure that you all share my disappointment but trust that you understand that I think it is warranted given the current circumstances around COVID-19."
In true Scranton fashion, many registrants have decided to turn a negative into a positive and donate their registration fee to the University’s SEED Program, which provides tuition to K-9th grade students at the Santa Luisa School in El Salvador.
“In the grand scheme of things, my $35 fee is already out of my pocket and it can provide a half-year of education to a student in El Salvador. I’m Shamrockin’ in spirit!” said Emily Erickson ’19.
To join Shamrockers in shining some unexpected luck on this deserving group of children, click here to make a contribution. Every $60 raised funds a full-year tuition for one student.
Shamrockin' In Spirit
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03/11/2020
The University of Scranton ranked No. 3 in the nation for “Best Online MBA Programs for Military” in a 2020 list published online by College Consensus. In other national rankings, College Consensus placed the University’s Online Masters in Human Resource Management at No. 3; Online Accounting MBA at No. 4; Online Finance MBA at No. 6 and Online Healthcare MBA at No. 9.
For all of these rankings, College Consensus picked the nation’s best programs based on their analysis of the program’s affordability, reputation and convenience. For reputation, College Consensus calculated an “average rating score” for colleges based on national guidebook rankings, which include U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and others. The University of Scranton is ranked in all of these publications, in addition to numerous other national “best college” rankings. For convenience, the programs had to be able to be completed 100 percent online, among other factors.
In addition to the 2020 online program rankings, College Consensus ranked The University of Scranton at No. 10 among the “Best Catholic Colleges and Universities” in America in a 2019 ranking that included some of the most prestigious Catholic universities in the nation.
Scranton Online Programs Rank Among Top 10 in US
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03/04/2020
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED. Please see this link for more.
The 12th annual Shamrockin’ Eve will return to the Byron Center Friday, March 13, at 8:30 p.m. The yearly event will unite alumni from the classes of 2010-2019 with current seniors to celebrate one of Scranton's favorite traditions with a live band, photo booth, and a sea of green t-shirts in support of student scholarships at the University.
In 2009, the University held its first Shamrockin' Eve. The event was founded by a group of young alumni who wanted to reconnect with Scranton and each other prior to their five-year class reunion. It quickly evolved into an opportunity for current seniors and recent graduates to contribute to the success of future University students.
Alumni can register online for $35 through Friday, March 13, at 8 a.m.; alumni may also register as walk-ins at the event for $40. Seniors must register online for $30 by March 13 at 8 a.m. as senior walk-ins will not be admitted. All who choose to make a Shamrockin' gift to any University cause will receive a green Scranton koozie.
For more information, visit scranton.edu/shamrock or contact Jenna Bruchalski, program manager for Alumni Engagement, at jenna.bruchalski@scranton.edu.
CANCELED EVENT: Shamrockin' Eve
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03/04/2020
The University will hold a Council of Alumni Lawyers (CAL) mixer March 11 at The Pyramid Club, 1735 Market St., Philadelphia, at 5:30 p.m.
The reception is open to all alumni lawyers and Scranton alumni currently in law school. The $10 registration fee will provide attendants with cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and a short presentation on the CAL's mission. To register, visit this link. To learn more about the CAL and its mission, visit this link.
University To Hold Philadelphia CAL Mixer March 11
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03/04/2020
The University will hold a complimentary pre-game reception March 6 at 5 p.m. in Brennan Hall's Rose Room for alumni, parents and friends looking to cheer on the Lady Royals as they take on Endicott in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The reception will include complimentary appetizers and cocktails. To register, visit this link.
The game will begin at the Long Center at 7 p.m. Tickets for the game can be purchased at the Long Center beginning at 4 p.m. Adults (ages 18-61) can purchase tickets to the game for $7 per person; seniors (ages 62 and older) can purchase tickets for $4 per person; students and children can attend the game for free. If you can't make it to the game but would like to watch it, visit athletics.scranton.edu.
University To Hold Lady Royals Pre-Game Celebration March 6
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03/04/2020
The Jesuit Center recently launched the Alumni Book Club, a digital experience that gives alumni a place to participate in group discussions of books of note with the Rev. Patrick Rogers, S.J., executive director of The Jesuit Center, and the Rev. James D. Redington, S.J.
More than 150 Scranton alumni from around the world have registered for the club. Rogers and Redington led a spirited discussion on the first few chapters of "Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Endless Compassion" by the Rev. Gregory Boyle, S.J., founder of Homeboy Industries in February, and the club will meet to discuss the book further March 8 at 8 p.m.
To register for the club, visit this link. For more information on the club, visit this link.
Jesuit Center Launches Alumni Book Club
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03/04/2020
The University will hold its annual Day of Service April 18.
Each year, alumni throughout the nation honor the University's mission by volunteering with their fellow Royals in their regions. Registration is currently open for the following regional sites:
Massachusetts
Boston - St. Francis House
Pennsylvania
Collegeville - Daily Bread Community Food Pantry
Harrisburg-Central PA Food Bank
Philadelphia-The Drueding Center
Philadelphia-Gift of Life House (Philadelphia Nursing Alumni)
Philadelphia-Our Brothers' Place
NEPA-Weinberg Food Bank
Worcester - Variety the Children's CharityNew Jersey
Hillside - Community Food Bank of New JerseyNew York
New York City - Carter Burden Center
New York (Floral Park)- Hance Family Foundation Park Clean-UpWashington, D.C.
Arlington-Arlington Food Assistance CenterFor more information, visit scranton.edu/dayofservice.
Register Today For The Day Of Service
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03/04/2020
The University will hold a Happy Hour event for alumni, parents and friends May 1 in Binghamton, New York at Social on State at 6 p.m.
Registration for the event will open soon. For more information, contact alumni@scranton.edu.
Save The Date For A Happy Hour In Binghamton May 1
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03/04/2020
The University will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Liva Arts Company April 25.
The celebration will take place between two showings of Liva's production of "Mamma Mia!" in Brennan Hall's Rose Room. Registration for the celebration will open soon. For more information, contact Jenna Bruchalski '17, program manager for Alumni Engagement at the University, at jenna.bruchalski@scranton.edu.
Save The Date For The Liva Arts Company's 30th Anniversary Celebration
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03/04/2020
Registration for Reunion 2020 will open in mid-March. Class years ending in "5" and "0" will celebrate their milestone reunions at this year's event.
The planning to attend form, which will add your name to the "planning to attend" form, is now available. To sign up, visit this link. For more information on Reunion 2020, visit this link.
Reunion 2020 Registration To Open Mid-March
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03/04/2020
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Lynn M. Heard G’97, Covington Township, has been recognized as “Nurse of the Year” in Pennsylvania and is now up for national recognition. Heard is a school nurse at North Pocono High School.
Paul M. Collins, Ph.D. ’00, Amherst, Massachusetts, published his third book, "The President and the Supreme Court," with Cambridge University Press. Paul is Professor of Legal Studies and Political Science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His research and commentary have appeared in a host of popular media outlets, including CNN, the New York Times, National Public Radio, Time, USA Today, Voice of America, Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. He has also authored articles in Slate, The Conversation, and the Washington Post.
Holly K. Pilcavage ’12, Wilkes-Barre, was named chief executive officer of Coal Creative, an NEPA-based creative agency.
Tenaz Katrak Purdy G’12, Yardley, recently published a book called “Stand Out or Sit Down: Stories and Lessons for Teens and Young Adults to Find a Job They Love.” For more information, visit this link.
Deaths
S. Leonard Shufler ’50, Pittsburgh
William J. Bevelock ’55, Lakewood Ranch, Florida
John T. Comeford ’57, Scranton
Stephen A. Korducavich ’60, Binghamton, New York
Francis Oberman ’62, Webster, New York
Ronald Krafjack G’66, Newton Township
John J. Lucchi ’66, Moosic
Henry Evan Powderly, Ed.D. ’66 Pawling, New York
Edward B. Testa ’68, Eynon
Frederick P. Bifano ’71, Newark, Delaware
James Soya ’78, Dickson City
Jeanne Piccirilli Milazzo ’85, Wyoming
Karen Amann Talerico, Ph.D. ’88, Portland, Oregon
Births
A son, Jacob Joseph, to Robert and Elizabeth Pulice Wideman, VMD ’10, Harleysville
Friends' Deaths
Louise DeSanto, mother of Jerome DeSanto ’75, G’78Alumni Class Notes, March 2020
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03/03/2020
Multiple online information websites for prospective college students have ranked several of The University of Scranton’s programs to be among the nation’s best in 2020.
Master’s Program Guide ranked the University’s online MBA program in accounting at No.4 in the nation. The ranking is based on affordability (25 percent); student satisfaction and support services (25 percent); online accessibility (25 percent); and accreditation and commendation from such respected sources as U.S. News (25 percent).
University HQ (headquarters) ranked the University’s undergraduate accounting program at No. 12 in the nation. The ranking referenced Scranton’s new four-year BS/MAcc accelerated program. The ranking is based on retention rate, four- and six-year graduation rates, admissions selectivity, percentage of students receiving financial aid, tuition, loan default rates and salary of graduates, among other factors.
Online College Plan ranked the University’s online master in healthcare administration degree at No. 12 in the nation. The ranking is based on assessment of the program’s reputation, cost, graduation rates and student-to-faculty ratio.
Intellegent.com ranked the following nine online programs among the nation’s best: master’s in accounting at No. 13; master’s in human resources at No. 15; human resources degree at No. 16; MBA in international business at No. 24; master’s in health informatics at No. 26; master’s in curriculum and instruction at No. 34; MBA in healthcare management at No. 37; MBA in human resources at No. 37; master’s in finance at No. 39. The ranking is based on an assessment of student engagement, potential return on investment and leading third-party evaluations of the programs.
GradReports ranked the University’s online master in healthcare administration degree at No. 19 in the nation; its online master in human resources degree at No. 21 in the nation; and its bachelor’s degree in public health at No. 13 in the nation. The ranking is based on media salaries and median debt, as well as statistical data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
College Rank placed the University’s online master in healthcare administration degree at No. 24 in the country. The ranking is based on metrics assessing the affordability, quality of education and support services provided.
Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 “Best Online Graduate Programs” ranked the University’s online master’s degree programs in business (excluding MBA) at No. 51 and its MBA program at No. 118 in the nation. U.S. News also ranked the University at No. 64 in the country for “Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans.”
Online Rankings Place Scranton Programs Among Best
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03/03/2020
“My womanhood and the things I do as a woman are not going to slow me down or stop my story,” Emmy Award-winning producer of 60 Minutes, Nicole Young, said at a recent Schemel Forum luncheon on campus.
Young, a graduate of The University of Scranton, spoke about her harrowing experiences covering news in unique and dangerous situations as not only a woman, but also as a person of color.
In her talk, “Covering Crisis as a Woman,” Young gives her account of the harder stories that she has covered in her years working as a producer of 60 Minutes. She gave context to stories before playing different segments of her work that took place in areas such as South Sudan, Afghanistan, China, Haiti and Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Newtown, Connecticut.
“I will give you a warning: the stories I cover are hard,” Young said.
Young spoke about how during some points of her career she had to leave behind her determination to get the story herself and put the safety of her team before her.
For example, while doing a story about gold in the Democratic Republic of Congo, although Young meticulously planned the excursion into a militia-held goldmine, the night before it was to take place her 60 Minutes anchor Scott Pelley pulled her aside, urging her to realize that it was safer for herself and everyone involved if she stayed behind.
“It was a moment where I had to make a decision that was more about being smarter as a producer than it was about being a woman,” Young said.
Young explained that the appearance of her team and how they were traveling would signal that they had valuables. Young also explained how the militias in the area were known to use sexual violence as leverage and as the only woman in her team, it was not improbable that the militia would take her as a hostage.
“I was mad because something that I obviously can’t help – being a woman -– put the rest of my team in danger,” Young said.
Young closed the seminar thanking everyone for bearing witness to the stories she has covered.
“All of these stories, I feel, have been the greatest privilege of my life – to be able to cover regardless of the danger and how hard they are, how sad they are, how complex they are – because it has allowed me to be the best person, wife and mother I can be,” Young said. “I’ve been humbled by the women I’ve been able to meet. Every single woman who shared their story leaves me so honored. I hope I have another 20 years of being able to hear more.”
The seminar was part of the Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminars, which are sponsored by Munley Law. The next seminar in the series will take place at noon, on Mar. 6, in the Rose Room in Brennan Hall. The topic is “Navigating in an Uncertain World: Global Challenges, Populism and Brexit” with guest speaker David Donoghue, Ph.D., Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (2013-2017).
Emmy-Award Winning Graduate Speaks at Scranton
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02/26/2020
The Jesuit Center has officially launched its Lent Daily Devotional project with an inaugural email reflection on Ash Wednesday by the Rev. Patrick Rogers, S.J., executive director of The Jesuit Center.
The Lent Daily Devotional is a project of The Jesuit Center in partnership with University Advancement. For each of Lent's 40 days, participants in the project will receive an email containing a daily prayer, a link to a daily scripture reading and a reflection written by a member of the University community. To receive the daily devotional emails, visit this link. For more information on The Jesuit Center and its mission, visit this link.
Jesuit Center Launches Lent Daily Devotional Project
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02/21/2020
“In 1888, the founder of the University, Bishop O’Hara, hoped that the University would quote ‘Light up this valley with the fires of learning.’ This gateway will literally light up the valley,” said University of Scranton President Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., of the St. Thomas Gateway at the first lighting ceremony of the newly renovated façade.
Following a prayer and blessing of the Gateway façade, which features a lit glass wall etched with the University’s seal that spans the center of the four-story hall, Father Pilarz launched a demonstration that showcased some of the lighting capabilities the design.
Also speaking at the ceremony were: Fahad Ashraf, Clarks Summit, Student Government president, who is a biology and philosophy double major and member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program and its undergraduate Honors Program; and Casey Welby, Dunmore, Student Government chief-of-staff, who is a classical languages and history double major and member of the University’s undergraduate Honors Program. Rev. Herbert B. Keller, S.J., vice president for mission and ministry, assisted with the blessing.
The St. Thomas Gateway is key entry way to campus for many prospective students and their families and can be seen for blocks from downtown Scranton. The renovation of the facade layers the region’s distinctive West Mountain stone with granite quarried from the same site as the stone used in 1867 to construct the Scranton Estate on campus. The base of the Gateway includes a wood trellis, a wall carved with The University of Scranton’s name and a stone bench for seating. At the top of the Gateway, a cross rises above the left side of the building. The center glass wall will be lit in evenings to accentuate the image of the University’s seal.
Hemmler + Camayd designed the updated St. Thomas Gateway. A.J. Guzzi General Contractors, Inc., served as the construction manager for the project.
St. Thomas Gateway Lights-up Campus and City
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02/19/2020
U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 “Best Online Graduate Programs” ranked The University of Scranton’s online master’s degree programs in business (excluding MBA) at No. 51 and its MBA program at No. 118 in the nation. U.S. News also ranked Scranton at No. 64 in the country for “Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans.”
This is the ninth consecutive year that U.S. News ranked the University’s online programs among the best in the nation. The methodology used by U.S. News to determine the ranking has changed several times throughout the years.
For the 2020 Best Online Programs ranking, which published in January, U.S. News reviewed statistical information submitted by schools. The ranking criteria differed by category. The criteria used by U.S. News to rank online business and MBA programs included student engagement (30 percent), which looked at graduation rates, class size, one-year retention rates, and best practices such as accreditation by AACSB International, among other factors. The ranking criteria also included peer reputation score (25 percent); faculty credentials and training (15 percent); admission selectivity (15 percent); and student services and technology (15 percent).
In addition to offering distance education programs that incorporate coursework that is predominantly online, colleges and universities making the “Best Online Program for Veterans” list must have ranked in top half of 2020 Best Online Program rankings; be regionally accredited; be certified for the GI Bill, which includes participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program; and enroll a “critical mass of veterans” as defined by U.S. News based on the size of the college.
Scranton offers online MBA degrees in general business, accounting, enterprise resource planning, finance, healthcare management, human resources, international business and operations management; master’s degrees in accountancy, finance, health administration, health informatics and human resources and a dual MBA/MHA degree, in addition to graduate certificates. For technology, recruitment and marketing support, the University partners with Wiley for the online programs.
In other rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, Scranton has been ranked among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 26 consecutive years. Scranton is ranked No. 6 in the 2020 edition of the guidebook. U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 5 in its category in a ranking of the “Most Innovative Schools” and No. 12 in its category for “Best Undergraduate Teaching.” U.S. News also ranked Scranton’s programs in entrepreneurship at No. 33, finance at No. 43, and accounting at No. 52 in the country, among other rankings.
US News Ranks Scranton Online Programs Among Best
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02/12/2020
We talked to a few University of Scranton couples. Hear what they have to say about their love stories, here.
Joseph '08 and Kristen Sorbera '09
Joseph and Kristen didn't actually meet at Scranton, but they consider themselves a "Scranton couple," so much so that they were married on campus.
Tell us how and where you met.
Actually, despite spending three years on campus together, attending the same events, and even having some overlapping friends, we didn’t actually meet until 2016 at an alumni Christmas reception! We like to say we didn’t meet at Scranton, we met because of Scranton; and that’s how we knew we were meant for each other.
Is there a place in the Scranton area that was your “go-to” spot that you both treasure?Because we didn’t know each other during our time on campus, there are no spots we have from back then. However, there are more than a few spots that we hold dear. The first is the Rose Garden, where we sat on our first time visiting campus together. The second is Brennan Hall, where we got engaged right on the seal of the University. And, of course, our hearts will always be in Madonna della Strada Chapel where we said our vows and became husband and wife.
What is your best relationship advice for current Scranton couples and others?
Go to alumni events! You never know who you’re going to meet. And when you do, you’ll have at least one thing in common.
And when you finally find your forever Royal, remember to be a man or woman for them, caring for their whole person, and dedicating yourself to doing more for them and for the greater glory of God.
PHOTOS
TOP: Joseph and Kristen on their wedding day at Scranton.
BOTTOM: Joseph and Kristen around when they met.Don '72, G'74 and Rosemary Broderick '76, G'80, G'89
Don and Rosemary were introduced by a mutual friend in the University's student affairs building.Where was your first date?
At a University of Scranton function, after the Snowball event in 1970.
Is there a place in the Scranton area that was your “go-to” spot that you both treasure?
We spent a lot of our time in the dormitory visiting with friends; we enjoyed taking long walks in the park and dined on pizza at Granteeds and burgers at O'Toole's.
What is your best relationship advice for current Scranton couples and others?
Mutual trust, respect and consideration! Give it your best! Laugh a lot and have each other’s back.
PHOTOSTOP: The Broderick WeddingMIDDLE: Don and Rosemary at her graduationBOTTOM: The Broderick family
Kevin and Jacquey Dermody, Class of 2013
Kevin and Jacquey met during their freshman year at Chapman Lake, but they didn't start dating until the end of their senior year.
Where was your first date?
Our first date was at Sibio’s Restaurant in Dunmore, Pennsylvania - one of Kevin’s favorite restaurants.
Is there a place in the Scranton area that was your “go-to” spot that you both treasure?
DeNaples Third Floor Cafeteria -- we both loved the social atmosphere and the food of the third-floor cafeteria!
What is your best relationship advice for current Scranton couples and others?
Trust God that it will all work out. Love is patient.
PHOTOS
TOP: Jacquey and Kevin on their wedding day: June 22, 2019
BOTTOM: Jacquey and Kevin on their graduation day: May 26, 2013
Jeff and Kathleen Rossi, Class of 1988
Jeff and Kathleen were friends first. He likes to rely on her memory.
Tell us how and where you met.
We were friends since sophomore year. We ran in the same circles and I got to know her even though I was in Redington Hall sophomore year and she lived off campus.
Where was your first date?
We didn't start dating until the second semester of senior year. Kathy tells me that our first official date was at a Bennigans Restaurant near her home (Hazlet, New Jersey) -- although I don't remember (but I believe her). I do remember our first official date at the U was at one of the senior formals.
Is there a place in the Scranton area that was your “go-to” spot that you both treasure?
She says I used to regularly drive her to a laundromat in Dunmore (I don't remember that either, but I believe her :)) Her house senior year was on Mulberry St right next to Scanlons and Oscars, so we definitely treasured each of those fine establishments on a regular basis.
What is your best relationship advice for current Scranton couples and others?Be flexible, be forgiving, be easy going, don't sweat the small stuff. Those are the themes that describe both of us and it's worked for the last 26 years. I'd also say surround yourself with similar traits in friends. Our longest and best friends are all Scranton grads (or connected to Scranton grads). Scranton breeds good people, and our Scranton friends have been a source of love and happiness that I think has helped us stay grounded throughout our marriage.
PHOTOS
TOP: Jeff and Kathleen at the prom (or senior formal) last semester, senior year.
BOTTOM: "Our family": son, Thomas, 24, daughter, Nicole, 21Tell us YOUR Scranton love story by using #ScrantonLoveStory or by emailing socialmedia@scranton.edu!
Scranton Love Stories
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02/05/2020
The University will hold its annual Day of Service April 18.
Each year, alumni througout the nation honor the University's mission by volunteering with their fellow Royals in their regions. Registration is currently open for the following regional sites:
Massachusetts
Boston - St. Francis House
Pennsylvania
Collegeville - Daily Bread Community Food Pantry
Harrisburg-Central PA Food Bank
Philadelphia-The Drueding Center
Philadelphia-Gift of Life House (Philadelphia Nursing Alumni)
Philadelphia-Our Brothers' Place
NEPA-Weinberg Food Bank
Worcester - Variety the Children's CharityNew Jersey
Hillside - Community Food Bank of New JerseyNew York
New York City - Carter Burden Center
New York (Floral Park)- Hance Family Foundation Park Clean-UpWashington, D.C.
Arlington-Arlington Food Assistance CenterIf you are interested in coordinating a Day of Service site in your region, email Marge Gleason P'14, '17, assistant director of Alumni Engagement/Class Notes Editor, at margery.gleason@scranton.edu. For more information, visit scranton.edu/dayofservice.
University To Hold Day Of Service April 18
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02/05/2020
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED. Go here for more info.
The University will hold its twelfth annual Shamrockin' Eve celebration Friday, March 13, at 8:30 p.m. in the Byron Center.
Hundreds of alumni from the Classes of 2010-2019 will return to campus to celebrate with current seniors. To register, visit this link. To join the Shamrockin' Alumni Committee, visit this link or contact Jenna Bruchalski '17, program manager for Alumni Engagement, at jenna.bruchalski@scranton.edu. For more information, visit scranton.edu/shamrockin.
CANCELED EVENT: Shamrockin' Eve
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02/04/2020
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Robert J. Mancuso G’06, Philadelphia, was elected partner at Drinker Biddel & Reath LLP, effective February 1, 2020. Mancuso is one of 13 attorneys elected in the new partnership class and represents and counsels clients on a variety of life insurance and annuities matters and property and casualty insurance issues.
Brian J. Patchcoski ’08, State College, was the recipient of the 2019 Alumni Achievement Award from The Pennsylvania State University. Alumni Achievement Award recipients are nominated by an academic college or campus and invited by the president of the University to return to Penn State to share their expertise with students and the University community. Honorees demonstrate to students that Penn State alumni succeed in exceptional fashion at any age.
Steven A. Picozzo ’17, Covington Township, was among the first Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine students named to the Geisinger Primary Care Scholars program. Geisinger Primary Care scholars pay no tuition or fees and receive a monthly stipend in exchange for signing on to become primary care providers in the Geisinger system. Program participants may specialize in family medicine, internal medicine or medicine/pediatrics.Kara A. Romanowski ’19, Swoyersville, was among the first Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine students named to the Geisinger Primary Care Scholars program. Geisinger Primary Care scholars pay no tuition or fees and receive a monthly stipend in exchange for signing on to become primary care providers in the Geisinger system. Program participants may specialize in family medicine, internal medicine or medicine/pediatrics.
Deaths
Walter J. Sweeney ’50, Syracuse, New York
Thomas J. Powell ’55, Nashville, Tennessee
George W. Compton, Ph.D. ’56, Hawley
John J. Farrell, Jr. ’57, Mamaroneck, New York
August J. Nicastro ’60, Forest Hill, Maryland
John M. Martin ’63, G’71, Lake Winola
Edmund Zelno ’65, Narberth
Russell O. Gunton ’74, Mill City
Joseph B. Dente, M.D. ’75, Metlakatla, Alaska
Christopher P. Arnone ’91, Jefferson Township
Michael A. Hegedus ’93, Jefferson Township
Danielle P. Irvin ’94, ScrantonBirths
A daughter, Cora Sophia, to Anthony and Erin Barrett DeCicco ’03, Clarks Summit
A daughter, Lauren Anne, to Bill ’08 and Ashley Miller Colona ’09, Teaneck, New Jersey
A daughter, Elliot Louise, to Eric and Sarah Albrecht Ward ’09, Oreland
A daughter, Olivia Quinn, to Stephen ’12 and Sarah Phillips Fernando ’12, Dunmore
A daughter, Rory, to John ’12 and Molly Harms Hogan ’13, Rockville Center, New York
A daughter, Ella Rose, to Dave ’13 and Cassie Doheny Savino ’14, Paramus, New JerseyMarriages
Paul Torok ’90 to Jodi Castiglia
Emily Halpin ’12 to Peter Thomas ’11
Lindsay McLaughlin ’15 to Stephen Wasylenko ’15, G’15
Friends' Deaths
Donna Lewis, sister of William George ’79, G’81Alumni Class Notes, February 2020
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01/08/2020
The University of Scranton will hold several alumni events throughout the winter of 2020.
Ride for Royals: Private Scranton Spin Classes
The University will hold regional Ride for Royals events in Scranton, Philadelphia and Hoboken, New Jersey. Spin away the holiday stress (and carbs) with fellow alumni and then enjoy a post-ride happy hour together.
The $30 registration fee for each event includes a 45-minute spin class, a post-ride drink and snacks, and $10 of each registration benefits the campus fund of your choice.
The Scranton event will take place at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 12 at Trybe Fitness Studio inside The Giving Tree, 311 Penn Avenue, Scranton; the after-ride happy hour will take place at The Giving Tree.
The Philadelphia event will take place at 12:45 p.m. Jan. 19 at Soulcycle Rittenhouse Square, 113 16th St., Philadelphia; the after-ride happy hour will take place at Ladder 15, 1528 Sansom St., Philadelphia.
The Hoboken event will take place at 12:45 p.m. Jan. 19 at SoulCycle Hoboken, 1400 Washington St., Hoboken, New Jersey; the after-ride happy hour will take place at City Bistro, 56 14th St., Hoboken, New Jersey.
To register for any of the events, visit this link.
Council of Alumni Lawyers Mixer Tour
Come together with fellow alumni lawyers in Scranton, Philadelphia and New York City to learn more about the mission of the Council of Alumni Lawyers.
The Scranton event will take place at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 16 at The Scranton Club, 404 N. Washington Ave., Scranton. To register, visit this link.
The New York City event will take place Feb. 20. More information will soon be available on the New York City and Philadelphia events.
Follow the Council of Alumni Lawyers on Facebook @ScrantonCAL or by visiting this link.
Wall of Fame Day
The University of Scranton will induct the six newest members into its athletics department Wall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 8, in a ceremony held between games of the men's and women's basketball doubleheader against Catholic in the John Long Center.
This year's class includes Brooke (Hinkley) Ferro '08 (volleyball), Beth Howlett (field hockey), Liz (O'Connor) Huck '04 (women's soccer), Kathleen (Daly) Jordan '08 (women's basketball), Erin (O'Connor) Lentini '09 (women's swimming), and Chris Psihoules '09 (baseball).
The Wall of Fame was founded in 1970 to honor student-athletes, administrators and those in the community who have been instrumental in the overall development of the University's athletics program. This year's class brings the Wall's membership to 266.
The ceremony will take place at approximately 2:35 p.m. The men's basketball game begins at 1 p.m., and the ceremony will begin approximately five minutes after the conclusion of the doubleheader. Tickets for the cocktail reception are $20 for ages 12 and older and $10 for children ages 5-11. Children under 5 can attend for free. A registration link for the reception will be available soon.
An Ignatian Journey: Seeking God In All Things
The University will hold a retreat for Scranton alumni and parents Feb. 28-March 1 at The Jesuit Center in Wernersville. Retreatants will receive concrete ways to “find God in all things” and use Ignatian spirituality in their lives.
The retreat will be led by the Rev. Brendan Lally, S.J. '70 of The University of Scranton and St. Joseph's University and the Rev. Patrick Rogers, S.J., executive director of The Jesuit Center at The University of Scranton.
The weekend will offer presentations, time for silent reflection, guidance on incorporating Ignatian spirituality into participants’ daily lives using elements such as the Examen prayer of St. Ignatius, opportunities to find inspiration in the lives of Jesuit figures such as the Rev. Walther Ciszek S.J., and companionship with other retreatants.
Registration for the event is $100. To register, visit this link.
Coming Soon: Alumni Book Club
Brought to you by The Jesuit Center at Scranton, the Alumni Book Club is a completely digital experience that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home. Read along with fellow alumni and then tune-in for scheduled online discussions and reflections with the Rev. Patrick Rogers, S.J., Executive Director of The Jesuit Center. The inaugural book will be “Tattoos on the Heart” by Gregory Boyle, S.J., founder of Homeboy Industries. A sign-up link will be available soon. For more information, email alumni@scranton.edu.
Coming Soon: Career Conversations Webinar Series
Are you re-entering the work force, changing careers or looking to advance in your current field? Join our Career Development team for an online discussion of these topics. They will answer your questions and give you personalized tips that are applicable for any field. Sign-up link will be available soon. For more information, email alumni@scranton.edu.
Shamrockin’ Eve
Members of the Classes of ’10-’19 will have the opportunity to celebrate with members of the Class of 2020 at Shamrockin’ Eve 2020 on March 13. Registration will open soon for this event. If you are interested in joining the alumni planning committee, please email alumni@scranton.edu.
Reunion 2020
While registration for Reunion 2020 won’t open until mid-March, you still have time to volunteer as a member of your Class Committee. Visit scranton.edu/myreunion to update your contact information, say you plan to attend and join your class committee.
Alumni Winter Preview 2020
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01/08/2020The University of Scranton will induct the six newest members into its athletics department Wall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 8, in a ceremony held between games of the men's and women's basketball doubleheader against Catholic in the John Long Center.
This year's class includes Brooke (Hinkley) Ferro '08 (volleyball), Beth Howlett (field hockey), Liz (O'Connor) Huck '04 (women's soccer), Kathleen (Daly) Jordan '08 (women's basketball), Erin (O'Connor) Lentini '09 (women's swimming), and Chris Psihoules '09 (baseball).
The Wall of Fame was founded in 1970 to honor student-athletes, administrators and those in the community who have been instrumental in the overall development of the University's athletics program. This year's class brings the Wall's membership to 266.
The ceremony will take place at approximately 2:35 p.m. The men's basketball game begins at 1 p.m., and the ceremony will begin approximately five minutes after the conclusion of the game. A cocktail reception will take place after the conclusion of the doubleheader. Tickets for the cocktail reception are $20 for ages 12 and older and $10 for children ages 5-11. Children under 5 can attend for free. A registration link for the reception will be available soon.
Brooke (Hinkley) Ferro - Volleyball, 2004-07
A standout for the Royals volleyball team for three seasons, Ferro led the Royals to 100 victories in her time in the program, including a Freedom Conference championship and a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2005.
Despite missing a portion of her junior year rehabilitating an injury from a severe car accident, Ferro earned All-Freedom Conference First Team accolades in 2006 and went on to do the same when the Royals joined the newly formed Landmark Conference in 2007. All-time, Ferro still ranks first in career block-assists in program history and second in career total blocks. She also holds program records for most block-assists in a season and most total blocks in a campaign.
The 2008 Peter A. Carlesimo Award winner recognizing the most outstanding athletics and academic achievement in the graduating class, Ferro also earned the Landmark Conference's Senior Scholar Athlete award for volleyball in 2007 and was named to the conference's All-Academic Team the same year.
Beth Howlett - Field Hockey Head Coach, 1980-90, 1994-97
The field hockey program's winningest coach until this past season, Howlett finished her 15- season career at Scranton with 153 triumphs and won two conference championships, taking the 1992 MAC Northern Division crown and the 1997 MAC Freedom title. Also in 1997, Howlett led the Royals to the NCAA Tournament, the program's lone bid all-time until this past season.
A leader of seven Scranton teams that earned MAC tournament bids, Howlett's first team in 1980 finished ranked eighth in all of NCAA Division III. Overall, she guided 23 student-athletes to All-Conference honors, three more to NFCHA All-Region Accolades and one (Andrea Thompson) to All-American honors in 1994.
Liz (O'Connor) Huck - Women's Soccer, 2000-03
A member of four Freedom Conference and NCAA Tournament teams, Huck scored 17 goals, including nine game-winners, in her four-year career as a midfielder at Scranton, adding 14 assists for 48 career points. An NSCAA All-Region Third Team pick in 2003, Huck was a two-time Freedom Conference First Team selection (2002, 2003) and led the Royals to a pair of Elite Eight appearances in 2001 and 2003.
Helping the program post a 71-13-4 record over her four-year career, Huck was also honored for her outstanding work in the classroom, nabbing NSCAA East Region Third Team Scholar Athlete (2003) and MAC Academic Honor Roll (2001-03) in her career, as well.
Kathleen (Daly) Jordan - Women's Basketball, 2004-08
Jordan shined in her senior season of 2007-08 on her way to earning WBCA Honorable Mention All-American honors, Landmark Conference Player of the Year and All-Landmark First Team honors. Jordan played in 109 career games, scoring 640 points and adding 461 rebounds, 137 assists, and 102 steals. In that outstanding senior season, she averaged 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.0 steals while leading the Lady Royals to the conference title.
A member of two Final Four teams (2005, 2006) and a Sweet 16 team (2007), Jordan helped the Lady Royals go 108-14 overall and 55-1 in conference play while winning four conference crowns over four seasons. She was also named to the 2007-08 D3hoops.com All-South Region Second Team and the ECAC All-South Region Second Team the same season. Scranton's recipient of the 2008 Dr. Harold Davis Award honoring the team's most valuable senior, Daly was also the Landmark Conference's Senior Scholar Athlete in 2007-08.
Erin (O'Connor) Lentini - Women's Swimming, 2006-09
One of Scranton's most decorated women's swimmers in program history, Lentini was a back-to-back Landmark Conference Female Swimmer of the Year, taking the award in both 2008 and 2009, leading Scranton to the Landmark title in both seasons.
Overall, Lentini won 10 combined individual conference championships in the MAC and Landmark Conferences, taking six alone in two Landmark Championship meets. She also was a member of four Landmark Conference champion relay teams and broke the Byron Center pool record in the 400-IM in her career.
Chris Psihoules - Baseball, 2006-09
A standout on the diamond from the moment he stepped on the field, Psihoules etched his name into the Scranton record books throughout his banner four-year career. An infielder who helped the Royals win a program-record 26 games in 2008, Psihoules was a career .371 hitter at Scranton, smacking 18 home runs and collecting 143 career RBI's.
The 2006 Freedom Conference Rookie of the Year, Psihoules was a First Team All-Freedom pick twice (2006, 2007), a First Team All-Landmark Conference selection in 2009, and an ECAC South All-Star First Team pick the same season. In 2009, Psihoules batted .417 (the 11th best mark in program history) and knocked in 44 RBI's (fourth-best in a season, all-time). He also posted 14 doubles, which is still the third-most in a campaign in school history. His 41 runs scored in 2008 are also ranked ninth in program history.University To Hold Wall Of Fame Day Feb. 8
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01/08/2020
Hundreds of Royals celebrated the Christmas season together in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Morristown, New Jersey, Honesdale, Harrisburg, Scranton, Boston, Massachusetts and New York City throughout the month of December.
To see photos from the New York City reception, visit this link. To see photos from the Washington, D.C. reception, visit this link. To see photos from the Philadelphia reception, visit this link. To see photos from the President's Circle reception on campus, visit this link.
Alumni Celebrate Christmas At Regional Christmas Parties
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01/08/2020
The University of Scranton will host an Alumni Dinner at the Hyatt Regency Mumbai, Sahar Airport Road, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Jan. 24 at 6 p.m.
Gerry Zaboski '87, vice president for Enrollment Management & External Affairs, will host the dinner and will discuss the possiblity of establishing The University of Scranton Alumni Club of India. To register for the event, visit this link.
University To Host Alumni Dinner In Mumbai Jan. 24
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01/08/2020
PPL contributed $10,000 through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program to support The University of Scranton’s University of Success, a multi-year, pre-college program for high school students designed to develop the skills needed to successfully gain entrance to college.
Students enter the University of Success at the completion of the eighth grade and continue through their high school years. The program offers enrichment courses in study skills, SAT prep, public speaking, math, science, art and cultural activities, as well as financial aid and wellness seminars. The ultimate goal is for University of Success students to be accepted into a four-year college or university.
The University of Success, offered free of charge to participants, is funded almost entirely by corporate and foundation grants.
For additional information, visit the University of Success web site.
PPL Supports The University Of Success
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01/08/2020
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Sean Keeler, M.D. ’98, Las Vegas, Nevada, and his wife Mary, celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary in Paris, renewing their vows underneath the Eiffel Tower.
Christopher M. Gallagher ’00, Doylestown, an attorney with Thomas, Thomas & Hafer, LLP (TTH), was promoted to partner in January 2020. Gallagher, who works out of TTH’s Philadelphia Office, handles general liability cases.
Gregory M. Shahum, Ph.D. '00, G'05, Stamford, Connecticut, a healthcare administrator, guided Edgehill in Stamford to a deficiency-free subacute rehab inspection from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, one of the highest distinctions of quality care and services to its residents. A deficiency-free survey certifies that all skilled nursing care and services provided at the community meet or exceed the regulatory standards outlined by both the State of Connecticut and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirements of participation.
Daniel Munley, Esq. '90, Waverly Township, successfully achieved recertification as a civil trial advocate from the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA). The NBTA was formed out of a strong conviction that both the law profession and its clients would benefit from an organization designed specifically to create an objective set
of standards illustrating an attorney's experience and expertise in the practice of trial law. Munley is part of a growing number of trial attorneys who have illustrated their commitment to bettering the legal profession by successfully completing a rigorous application process and providing the consumer of legal services with an objective measure by which to choose qualified and experienced legal counsel. The elaborate screening of credentials that all NBTA board certified attorneys must successfully complete includes demonstration of substantial trial experience, submission of judicial and peer references to attest to their competency, attendance of continuing legal education courses and proof of good standing. Board Certification is the highest, most stringent and most reliable honor an attorney can achieve. Board certifications are the only distinctions awarded by non-profit organizations. The NBTA as well as all board-certifying organizations are committed to safeguarding the public’s ability to choose a good attorney. Munley is a graduate of the University of Tulsa College of Law. He is a member of the Association of Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America and is on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. Munley is a past Chairperson of the American Association for Justice Trucking Litigation Group. He frequently travels around the U.S. to speak on trucking matters. Approximately three percent of American lawyers are board certified, and Munley is a member of a very select group who has taken the time to prove competence in their specialty area and earn board certification.Deaths
Fred Mitchell ’56, Scranton
Robert M. Gilroy ’57, Silver Spring, Maryland
Nicholas J. Rossi ’57, Apalachin, New York
Gerald J. Davies ’58, Pittsburgh
Bernard Hochman ’58, Los Angeles, California
Paul J. Brazill ’64, Vestal, New York
Patrick F. Fischetti ’64, Archbald
Marie O. Carpenter G’69, Dickson City
Joseph P. Sharkness G’73, Dallas
Peter M. Millets ’96, G’97, Bethlehem
Kristen Erk Erbach, D.M.D. ’00, HonesdaleBirths
A son, Aaron Joseph, to Ali and Joseph Butash, M.D. ’07, Buffalo, New York
A daughter, Gia Rey, to Ashley and James Cilento ’14, Scranton
A daughter, Avery Lisa, to Olivia Warnero ’16 and Tyler Sherman, North Port, FloridaMarriages
Stephanie Kazanas, Ph.D. ’08 to Kevin Berry, M.D. ’09
Ryan Snyder ’11 to Tara Fleisher
Eilish Huvane ’13 to Robby Granstrand ’13
Friends' Deaths
William Fendrock, brother of John Fendrock ’48Alumni Class Notes, January 2020
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12/11/2019
Announced in May, the Gail and Francis Slattery Center for Humanities is completing its first semester with projects that have included the inauguration of the Humanities in Action Lecture Series. Renovations are set to begin this month to the Center’s home, a Victorian mansion on the corner of Mulberry Street and Clay Avenue.
Leading the Center’s efforts is its executive director, Gregory Jordan, J.D. A writer, teacher and film producer, Jordan has authored two books, “The Saints are Coming” and “Willie Mays Aikens: Safe at Home.” About the former, acclaimed writer Ron Hansen wrote: “In its psychological complexity, richness of detail, and discerning sympathy for its main characters, ‘The Saints Are Coming’ reads like a novel worthy of Graham Greene.” The latter recounts the life of the man who became the symbol of the racism inherent in America’s drug laws. Filming on “The Royal,” a movie based on his Aikens book and with the screenplay penned by Jordan, was completed in November in Augusta, Georgia. He has written several screenplays that have been optioned by producers in Spain and Los Angeles, collaborated on several books and penned articles for The New York Times, Vox Media and The Hill, among other publications.
“Our president and our provost, our board and our donors are doubling down on the humanities at the same time many universities are closing shop on them. We intend the Slattery Center to be not some high tower endeavor but a vital venue that will trade in the gritty stuff of personal and professional aspiration. The Slattery Center has certainly been created for the humanities departments and its students, but also for the entire University, for our larger community, for our students and for (their) parents as investors in (their) personhood and professional future,” said Jordan in his opening remarks at the launch of the Humanities in Action Lecture Series. The lecture series was launched in November with a talk by Denis McDonough, former chief of staff to President Obama and current senior principal at the Markle Foundation and chair of its Rework America Task Force.
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Jordan received his bachelor’s degree at Williams College and a master’s degree in fine arts from the City University of New York, and a J.D. at Georgetown University. Upon graduating from college, Jordan was the special assistant to Thomas Krens, the director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, when Krens developed the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum by renowned architect Frank Gehry. Jordan recently moved to northeast Pennsylvania from Spain with his wife and children to direct the Center.
The Center is continuing plans for the hallmark speaker series, program development, fellowships and community outreach programs with special emphasis on students.
The Center will advance the University’s liberal arts tradition and enhance the core role it plays in the formation of students to become “men and women for others.” The Center, named after the parents of benefactor and current University Trustee James M. Slattery ’86 and his wife, Betsy, will serve as a national model for humanities in action.
A Successful First Semester for Slattery Center
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12/04/2019
For the second year in a row, the University will hold the Deck the Decades alumni challenge to determine which decade of alumni has the most Scranton spirit.
Until Dec. 18, alumni who sign up for a Christmas party or who make a gift of any amount to a University of Scranton designation of their choice will be counted as participants in the challenge. Participating alumni from the winning decade will receive a special gift, and all alumni who donated on Giving Tuesday have already been counted. This year, the University will hold Christmas parties in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, NEPA, Harrisburg, Boston, and New York City; for a full list of this year's festivities, including dates and locations, visit this link. Visit this link to register for a Christmas party, or visit this link to make a gift to the University.
For more information on the Deck the Decades challenge, visit this link.
Deck The Decades Alumni Challenge Returns
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12/04/2019
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Kate O’Boyle ’80, Melbourne, Florida, celebrated her 5 year heart transplant anniversary in September 2019 and published a book, “Waiting…568 Thoughts While Waiting for a Heart Transplant.” The book chronicles the ups and downs of O’Boyle’s healing journal, dealing with loss, and searching for a new purpose in life.
John Zangardi ’83, Potomac Falls, Virginia, former chief information officer at the Department of Homeland Security, has joined Leidos’ civil group as senior vice president of business initiatives and strategic partnerships. Zangardi brings to the role decades of federal information technology modernization experience to help the company’s civil group build up strategic relationships and technical core capabilities.
Jennifer Dominiquini ’93, Sugar Land, Texas, was named chief digital experience officer at TDECU, Houston’s largest credit union. Dominiquini will also oversee the contact center and lending in addition to all digital.
Philip Grieco ’00, Costa Mesa, California, was promoted to senior director of Brand Strategy and Consumer Insights at Monster Energy Company, based in Corona, California. Grieco has been with the company for almost two years.Jennifer Koehl, VMD ’04, State College, was elected to the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association’s Board of Trustees in August 2019.
Peter Barrale, M.D. ’13, Shohola, earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from Ross University School of Medicine in May 2019 and is currently a resident in pediatrics at Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital.
Deaths
David F. Hoeschele ’50, Boyertown
Robert W. Munley, Jr. ’52, Dalton
Robert C. MacGregor, Sr. ’58, Scranton
James Conlon ’81, Blakely
Kathleen M. Schultz ’81, Wilkes-Barre
Louis “Sonny” Giordano ’91, ScrantonMarriages
Christopher Kane ’86 to Josefina Hernandez Quinn
Diane Burke ’12 to Sean Grieb ’12Jacqueline Eadie ’13 to Michael Giammarusco ’13
Jacqueyn Tofani ’13 to Kevin Dermody ’13
Friends' Deaths
Donna Lewis, RN, sister of William George ’79, G’81Alumni Class Notes, December 2019
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11/26/2019
The Princeton Review listed The University of Scranton’s Kania School of Management among the nation’s “Best Business Schools” for 2020, marking the 15th consecutive year that Scranton has been included in the listing of just 248 of the most elite business colleges in the nation. Scranton was included among the list of “Best On-Campus MBA Programs,” which was published online in November.
“We commend these schools for their outstanding MBA programs, each of which has stellar academic offerings as well as on-campus and off-campus experiential components,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor in chief, in a news release announcing the 2020 “Best Business Schools” lists.
The listing of business programs is compiled from an analysis of institutional data and survey data from students attending the business schools. The data incorporates career outcomes, academic rigor, admissions selectivity and other factors.
The profile of Scranton on the “Best Business Schools” website noted its “Jesuit values add an element of social responsibility to the work students do at the Kania School of Management (KSOM).” The profile also said Scranton is “focused on what will be required of an MBA graduate in today’s marketplace” and described the school as an “excellent learning atmosphere,” where “everyone is friendly and willing to help.” The Princeton Review also noted Scranton’s professors were accessible and “provide critical insight.”
The University’s Kania School of Management is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), which is widely considered the standard of excellence for business schools. Less than five percent of business colleges worldwide hold AACSB accreditation.
The Princeton Review also listed Scranton in its 2020 edition of the “Best 385 Colleges,” ranking Scranton among the nation’s “Best Science Labs” (No. 7), “Best Campus Food” (No. 10) and “Best Run Colleges” (No. 20). The Princeton Review also included Scranton in its 2019 “Guide to Green Colleges.”
In other national rankings, U.S. News and World Report included Scranton in a national ranking of the “Best Undergraduate Business Programs” (No. 224) and ranked Scranton’s entrepreneurship program at No. 33, its finance program at No. 43 and its accounting program at No. 52 in the country. In the overall ranking for colleges, U.S. News ranked Scranton No. 6 among the “Best Regional Universities in the North,” marking the 26th consecutive year that Scranton ranked in the top 10 of its category.
Scranton Listed Among Best Business Schools
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11/06/2019
The University will hold several regional Christmas parties throughout the holiday season. For a master list of this year's regional parties, visit Scranton.edu/ChristmasParties.
The University will also hold its Deck The Decades alumni participation challenge for the second year in a row. This year, the decade of alumni that shows the most Scranton spirit by collecting the most party regsitrants or making the most gifts to any University cause will win the challenge, and participating alumni from that decade will receive a Scranton ornament. Last year, the 2010s won the inaugural challenge. To register for the challenge and/or make a gift, visit Scranton.edu/ChristmasParties.
On Dec. 5, alumni and friends of the University in the Philadelphia area can celebrate together at The Bellevue Hotel, 200 South Broad Street, Philadelphia. To register, visit this link.
On Dec. 6, alumni and friends in the Washington, D.C. area can celebrate together at The Willard Intercontinental, 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C.. To register, visit this link.
Also on Dec. 6, alumni and friends in New Jersey can celebrate together at The Madison Hotel, 1 Convent Road, Morristown, New Jersey. To register, visit this link.
On Dec. 7, alumni and friends in New Jersey can Brunch With Santa at Basking Ridge Country Club, 185 Madisonville Road, Basking Ridge, New Jersey. To register, visit this link.
On Dec. 8, alumni and friends in NEPA can ride the Scranton Express via the Stourbridge Line and enjoy a visit from Santa, cookies, cocoa, candy canes and silver bells at The Stourbridge Line, 812 Main Street, Honesdale. To register, visit this link.
On Dec. 11, alumni and friends in Harrisburg can celebrate together at Appalachia Brewing Company, 50 Cameron Street, Harrisburg. To register, visit this link.
Also on Dec. 11, alumni and friends in NEPA can celebrate together at a Wine & Paint Night on campus; registtration will open soon.
Alumni and friends in New England will also have the chance to celebrate together Dec. 11 at the Boston Christmas Party; registration will open soon.
On Dec. 14, alumni and friends in the Philadelphia area can celebrate the season at Longwood Gardens, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square. To register, visit this link.
And, on Dec. 18, alumni and friends in New York City can celebrate together at The New York Athletic Club, 180 Central Park South, New York, New York. To register, visit this link.
University Announces 2019 Christmas Parties
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11/06/2019
Nearly 30 Scranton Golf alumni recently teed off at Glenmaura National Golf Club at the Karpovich Cup 2019, an annual event that supports Scranton Golf programs in honor of legendary Head Coach Ed Karpovich.
Erik Meyer '15 and Eric Montella '16 took home this year's title. For more information on Scranton Golf, visit this link.
Alumni Support Scranton Golf At Karpovich Cup 2019
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11/06/2019
Several alumni of the Chemistry program recently returned to campus to tour the Loyola Science Center, visit with faculty members and reconnect with fellow graduates of the program.
To see more photos of the event, visit this link.
Alumni Gather For Chemistry Alumni Reception
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11/06/2019
Nearly 100 alumni, family and friends of The University of Scranton recently attended the Lady Royals Tip-Off Dinner to celebrate the beginning of this year's basketball season.
At the dinner, the University honored Canio Cianci '68, former men's and women's basketball assistant coach, with the Mike Strong Award.
For more information on the Lady Royals, visit this link.
Alumni Gather For Lady Royals Tip-Off Dinner
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11/06/2019
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Walter Barry ’59, West Brandywine, has published a new book called “A Caregiver’s Journey Through Alzheimer’s,” a story about love, companionship, and devotion. It is a story about a couple joining hands and going the distance in a difficult fight against an insidious disease. The storyline is similar to what millions of caregivers endure every day, yet is very personal.
Archbishop Joseph S. Marino ’75, Birmingham, Alabama, was named president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome by Pope Francis. Martino will be only the second U.S. prelate to head the Rome-based school, which was founded more than 300 years ago.
Joseph McComb ’94, D.O., MBA, Newtown Square, was recently appointed vice chair for quality and performance improvement and associate professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.
Joseph Hart G’96, Mantua, New Jersey, and his wife, Lisa David-Hart, have opened an art gallery at the Village on High in Millville, New Jersey. Joseph and Lisa have permanent brain injuries and have experienced strokes. The gallery displays Lisa’s beautiful paintings, the works of individuals with disabilities, and veterans.
Michael A. Malia ’97, Manasquan, New Jersey, a partner with Peri & Stewart, was installed as the 54th president of the New Jersey Defense Association, New Jersey’s Defense Voice, in June 2019.
Paul Ryan ’97, Chantilly, Virginia, was promoted to senior tax manager at PBMares, LLP, a leading accounting and business-consulting firm.
Jamie Heenan ’99, Scranton, opened the doors to her business, Keep Well, at the Scranton Public Market in the Marketplace at Steamtown, on October 5. Keep Well is a wellness bar which offers a variety of healthy options that change according to season. Keep Well supports local agriculture as well as the environment and purchases their ingredients from local farmers’ markets when possible.
Erin Elizabeth Jennings Cody ’01, Vestal, New York, was selected as director of Harpur Edge at Binghamton University, SUNY and will start in her new role in January 2020 where she will work to connect alumni and employers with over 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students in the Liberal Arts and Sciences each year through high impact learning experiences that assist them in deepening the edge they gain from their Liberal Arts and Science degrees.
Kelly Parent Huestis ’01, G’02, Frederick, Maryland, a physical therapy graduate, was elected as the Section on Women’s Health (APTA) secretary, effective 2020-2023.Jennifer Kelly Dominiquini '93, Sugar Land, Texas, was recently named chief digital experience officer at TDECU, Houston's largest credit union.
Deaths
James J. Balzano ’52, Easton
Edward J. Brislin ’52, Orange, California
John Krochta ’52, Ruskin, Florida
Msgr. Francis J. Beeda ’56, Wilkes Barre
Dominic R. Scott ’56, Clarks Summit
Sheldon Liberman ’60, Scranton
Robert J. Gaudio G’62, Drums
John Brier ’63, Spring Brook Township
John D. Cenera, Jr. ’77, West Pittston
Joseph Hessmiller ’78, Bethlehem
William F. Jackson ’80, Olyphant
Carl J. Vonden Steinen, Psy.D. ’82, Lafayette, New YorkBirths
A son, Owen Michael, to Andrew and Erin Elizabeth Jennings Cody ’01, Vestal, New York
A son, Michael Joseph, to Mike ’01 and Julie Quinn Husek ’03, Chalfont
A son, Patrick Holden, to Patrick ’06, G’16 and Nadia Gougeon Dunn ’05, G’06, G’17, Warwick
A son, Daniel Francis, to Daniel ’07 and Michelle Constantino Crowe ’07, Commack, New York
A daughter, Rosemary Margaret, to Arlen ’07 and Eileen Honan Stabbe ’07, North Haven, Connecticut
A son, Hank Joseph, to Rich Kaminski ’09 and Georgia Rose ’09, Montclair, New Jersey
A daughter, Natalie Elizabeth, to Alex’12, G’15 and Jennie Hofmann Rizzi ’12,G’15, Flemington, New JerseyAlumni Class Notes, November 2019
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10/22/2019
The University of Scranton will hold its annual Mass of Remembrance Saturday, Nov. 2, at 5 p.m. in Madonna della Strada Chapel.
The University community will gather together in prayer to remember the deceased alumni, family members, friends, faculty and loved ones of The University of Scranton. If you have lost a loved one in the past year and would like your deceased loved one's name read as part of the ritual at the Mass, contact Amy Hoegen at amy.hoegen@scranton.edu or 570-941-5510 by Wednesday, Oct. 30.
University to Hold Mass Of Remembrance Nov. 2
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10/22/2019
The University of Scranton ranked among the nation’s “Best Colleges” in an online 2020 listing by College Factual of “colleges and universities that meet high standards and provide quality outcomes to students.” Scranton ranked No. 177 in the national ranking of 1,727 schools. In a listing of 123 “Best Colleges” in Pennsylvania, Scranton ranked No. 19.
College Factual also ranked Scranton at No. 22 the nation in its ranking of “Best Religiously Affiliated,” which listed just 182 schools in the country.
In other postings on the College Factual website, several Scranton programs ranked in the top 15 percent in the nation, including accounting, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, business administration, criminal justice, international business, marketing, nursing and philosophy and religious studies.
College Factual, in rankings published online, considers retention and graduation rates, student loan default rates, overall average post-graduation earnings based on PayScale and College Scorecard data, among other factors.
In other national rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Scranton No. 6 among the “Best Regional Universities in the North,” No. 5 in its category for the nation’s “Most Innovative Schools,” and No. 12 in its category for “Best Undergraduate Teaching.” U.S. News has also ranked Scranton as a “Best Value” school for seven consecutive years. The Princeton Review included Scranton in its list of “Best Colleges” and ranked Scranton No. 7 for the “Best Science Labs” in the nation and No. 19 for the “Best Campus Food” in the nation.
Scranton Ranked Among Best in Nation for Quality
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10/16/2019
The University of Scranton’s President’s Business Council (PBC) presented JoAnne M. Kuehner H’01 and Carl J. Kuehner ’62, H’11 with the President’s Medal at its 18th Annual Award Dinner on Oct. 10, at The Pierre Hotel in New York City. Proceeds from the gala, which raised more than $1 million, support the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund. Through its past 17 dinners, the PBC has generated more than $15 million for the scholarship fund.
“Of course, our presidential scholars are a University treasure. With tremendous talent, promise and potential, they provide academic leadership to their classmates,” said Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president of The University of Scranton in his remarks. Presidential Scholarships are four-year, full-tuition scholarships awarded to incoming freshmen at Scranton with both outstanding records in high school and notable community involvement.
Class of 2020 Presidential Scholar Katherine Musto, Pittston, a biology major in the undergraduate Honors Program, who spoke at the award dinner on behalf of the Presidential Scholars, said the best part about the University is its caring community.
“The Jesuit quotes that are plastered all over various buildings are not just there for show. The faculty and staff truly embody them,” said Musto. “In my sophomore year, my brother Brian passed away after a long battle with cancer. I was in the middle of organic chemistry and a million different responsibilities, and I did not want to attend school anymore. My mom pushed me to go back to campus, and I was blown away by the kindness and support of my professors and peers. If I had gone to any other school, I probably wouldn’t be graduating on the traditional, four-year timeline.”
Father Pilarz referred to the recipients of this year’s President’s Medal as “special exemplars” of the best characteristics of a Catholic and Jesuit education.
“JoAnne and Carl Kuehner are a constant source of inspiration and are among the very best friends to the University and to me. For years, they have opened their homes and hearts to me and many other members of this community,” said Father Pilarz.
The President’s Medal recognizes individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others, representing lifetime achievements that reflect the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service.
For more information on the PBC, contact Executive Director Timothy J. Pryle ’89 at 570-941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu, or visit scranton.edu/pbc.
About the Kuehners
JoAnne M. Castrogiovanni Kuehner is a native of Dunmore and an honorary doctorate degree recipient in the University’s Class of 2001. She founded Hope for Haiti in 1990 and has devoted the past 30 years of her “time, treasure and talent to helping the poorest of the poor.” Hope for Haiti is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for the Haitian people, particularly children, through education, nutrition and healthcare. She recently published “Oh, for the Love of Haiti!,” a memoir in which she shares personal experiences with the people and communities that benefit from Hope for Haiti’s long-term partnerships.
In 2011, she stepped down from her formal CEO role at Hope for Haiti but remains an active member of the organization’s board of directors. She is a former Gulfshore Life Woman of the Year honoree and is a current member of the Board of Visitors of the University’s Panuska College for Professional Studies (PCPS).
Carl J. Kuehner is a native of North Scranton and the president of Real Estate Technology Corporation, a diversified real estate and investment firm based in Florida. Under his direction, Real Estate Technology Corp. has developed, among its many projects, low-income farm worker housing at sites in Collier County, Fla., where he has served in a variety of positions with Immokalee Non-Profit Housing, Inc. In recognition of his long-term dedication to Immokalee Non-Profit Housing, a community center was dedicated in his name in 2008. In 2010, he was honored with the Greater Naples Leadership Service Award. Over the years, he has served on several corporate and non-profit boards, including Gertrude Hawk Chocolates and The University of Scranton Board of Trustees, where he served as chairman from 2007 to 2009.
Carl Kuehner received his bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering at the University while also participating in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). In 2011, the University awarded him an honorary doctorate degree. He also holds a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
Together, the Kuehners have been active, long-term participants and philanthropists in their communities beyond their commitment to Hope for Haiti. They established the Scranton chapter of the Order of Malta and have spent 20 years serving as a knight and a dame in this lay Catholic order whose ministry is to care for the poor and the sick of the world. They were lay chairs for the Wayne-Pike region for the Diocese of Scranton 2018 Annual Appeal. Their commitment to the University, to the Pride, Passion, Promise Capital Campaign and to University leadership was commemorated with the naming of Kuehner Hall in the Loyola Science Center in 2012. In the fall of 2018, the University also dedicated “A Place of Solitude” on the second floor of McGurrin Hall, an enclosed space featuring a running fountain and a living wall that provides a quiet, welcoming area for students, faculty and staff to reflect, pray and discern. The space was dedicated to JoAnne’s and Carl’s parents, as well as to the parents of PCPS Dean Debra Pellegrino, Ed.D. The Kuehners, who reside in Lake Ariel and Naples, Florida, have four children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Hear them speak here.
Annual PBC Dinner Celebrates Scranton at its Best
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10/02/2019
The President’s Business Council (PBC) will present JoAnne M. Kuehner H’01 and Carl J. Kuehner ’62, H’11 with the President’s Medal at its 18th Annual Award Dinner Thursday, Oct. 10, at The Pierre Hotel in New York City.
JoAnne M. Castrogiovanni Kuehner H’01 is a native of Dunmore and an honorary doctorate degree recipient in the University’s Class of 2001. She founded Hope for Haiti in 1990 and has devoted the past 30 years of her “time, treasure and talent to helping the poorest of the poor.” Hope for Haiti is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for the Haitian people, particularly children, through education, nutrition and healthcare. She recently published “Oh, for the Love of Haiti!,” a memoir in which she shares personal experiences with the people and communities that benefit from Hope for Haiti’s long-term partnerships.
In 2011, she stepped down from her formal CEO role at Hope for Haiti but remains an active member of the organization’s board of directors. She is a former Gulfshore Life Woman of the Year honoree and is a current member of the Board of Visitors of the Panuska College for Professional Studies (PCPS).
Carl J. Kuehner ’62, H’11 is a native of North Scranton and the president of Real Estate Technology Corporation, a diversified real estate and investment firm based in Florida. Under his direction, Real Estate Technology Corp. has developed, among its many projects, low-income farm worker housing at sites in Collier County, Fla., where he has served in a variety of positions with Immokalee Non-Profit Housing, Inc. In recognition of his long-term dedication to Immokalee Non-Profit Housing, a community center was dedicated in his name in 2008. In 2010, he was honored with the Greater Naples Leadership Service Award. Over the years, he has served on several corporate and non-profit boards, including Gertrude Hawk Chocolates and The University of Scranton Board of Trustees, where he served as chairman from 2007 to 2009.
Carl received his bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering at the University while also participating in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). In 2011, the University awarded him an honorary doctorate degree. He also holds a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
Together, the Kuehners have been active, long-term participants and philanthropists in their communities beyond their commitment to Hope for Haiti. They established the Scranton chapter of the Order of Malta and have spent 20 years serving as a knight and a dame in this lay Catholic order whose ministry is to care for the poor and the sick of the world. They were lay chairs for the Wayne-Pike region for the Diocese of Scranton 2018 Annual Appeal. Their commitment to the University, to the Pride, Passion, Promise Capital Campaign and to University leadership was commemorated with the naming of Kuehner Hall in the Loyola Science Center in 2012. In the fall of 2018, the University also dedicated “A Place of Solitude” on the second floor of McGurrin Hall, an enclosed space featuring a running fountain and a living wall that provides a quiet, welcoming area for students, faculty and staff to reflect, pray and discern. The space was dedicated to JoAnne’s and Carl’s parents, as well as to the parents of PCPS Dean Debra Pellegrino, Ed.D. The Kuehners, who reside in Lake Ariel and Naples, Fla., have four children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
In presenting the President’s Medal, the University and the PBC recognize individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others. The proceeds from the Annual Award Dinner go directly to the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund. The gala is a wonderful celebration of Scranton and of honorees whose lifetime achievements reflect the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service. This year’s dinner will introduce black tie optional attire for attendees. Through its 17 dinners, the PBC has generated over $15 million for the scholarship fund.
Roundtrip bus service to and from this year’s dinner will again be available for guests traveling from Scranton and Philadelphia. Further details are available by contacting pbc@scranton.edu or 570-941-5837.
To support or attend the 18th Annual Award Dinner, visit this link. For more information on the PBC, including additional ways to participate in this year’s dinner, contact Executive Director Timothy J. Pryle ’89 at (570) 941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu, or visit scranton.edu/pbc.
PBC Prepares For 18th Annual Award Dinner Oct. 10
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10/02/2019
The University will celebrate Jesuit Alumni Sunday Oct. 20 at 11 a.m. with a Mass in Madonna della Strada Chapel.
Jesuit Alumni Sunday is an opportunity for alumni and friends of Jesuit schools to celebrate their common bond through the celebration of liturgy, followed by a reception where attendees can learn about volunteer programs, spiritual development opportunities and other ways to take part in the may offerings of Jesuit ministries.
Visit this link to register for the celebration.
Alumni and friends in other cities can celebrate at the following locations and times. All Masses will be held Oct. 20 unless otherwise specified:
Atlanta, Georgia: Ignatius House, Sandy Springs - 2 p.m.
Baltimore, Maryland: St. Ignatius Church - 10:30 a.m.
Buffalo, New York: Canisius College - 8:30 p.m.
Buffalo, New York: St. Michael's Parish - Noon
Charlotte, North Carolina: St. Peter's Church - 5 p.m.
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts: St. Ignatius Church - 5:30 p.m.
Fairfield, Connecticut: Fairfield University, SATURDAY. Oct. 19 - 5 p.m.
Morristown, New Jersey: Loyola Jesuit Center - 10:30 a.m.
Manhattan, New York: St. Francis Xavier Parish - 5:00 p.m.
Manhattan, New York: Church of St. Ignatius Loyola - 7:30 p.m.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Old St. Joe's Church - 6:30 p.m.
Portland, Maine: Our Lady of Hope - 9 a.m.(St. Pius)
Raleigh, North Carolina: St. Raphael The Archangel Church - 5:30 p.m.
Richmond, Virginia: Sacred Heart Church - 8:45 a.m.
Scranton, Pennsylvania: The University of Scranton - 11:00 a.m.
Staten Island, New York: Our Lady of Mount Carmel - 10:00 a.m. (English)
& 11:30 a.m. (Spanish)
Syracuse, New York: LeMoyne College - 7 p.m.
Washington, D.C.: Holy Trinity Parish, SATURDAY, Oct. 19 - 5:30 p.m.
Weston, Massachusetts: Campion Center Chapel, Saturday & Sunday at 10 a.m.
Woodstock, Maryland.: St. Alphonsus Rodriguez Church - Noon
Worcester, Massachusetts: College of the Holy Cross: - 11:30 a.m.Internationally, friends and alumni will celebrate Mass in Amman, Jordan, at Sacred Heart Parish Oct. 19 at 5 p.m.
To register for any of the above celebrations, visit this link.
University To Celebrate Jesuit Alumni Sunday Oct. 20
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10/01/2019
The University of Scranton recently honored Cocciardi and Associates, Inc. as its Business Partner of the Year at its annual Business Partner Appreciation Dinner.
“For us here at Cocciardi, winning this award is not just a thrill and an honor,” said Cocciardi and Associates, Inc. Safety, Health and Environmental Senior Professional of Operations Mike Baltrusaitis. “It really does represent the University’s commitment toward environmental health and safety and emergency preparedness.
“I want to thank (University Police) Chief Bergman, (University Associate Vice President for Facilities Operations) Jim Caffrey and everybody here that we continually work with.”
Since 1990, Cocciardi and Associates, Inc., a leader in the safety, industrial hygiene, environmental and public health and emergency preparedness fields, has worked with the University to ensure that it maintains a safe, toxic-free environment.
The annual Business Partner Appreciation Dinner recognizes the top 100 companies that make outstanding contributions to Scranton’s ability to deliver a superior educational experience its students. Finalists for this year’s award include Awesome Films, C&D Waterproofing Corp., Excellence With Integrity Institute, High Industries, Inc., Marsh USA, Inc.,Savoy Contract Furniture, Scranton Electric Heating & Cooling Services, Inc., Waste Management and Whiteboard Higher Education LLC.
University Honors Business Partner Of The Year 2019
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10/01/2019
More than 40 alumni represented their organizations while connecting with more than 400 students at the Gerard R. Roche Center for Career Development at The University of Scranton Fall 2019 Career Expo in the Byron Center Sept. 26.
For information on ways to connect with current students, contact Chris Whitney, director of the Gerard R. Roche Center for Career Development at The University of Scranton, at christina.whitney@scranton.edu.
Scores Of Alumni Return For Fall 2019 Career Expo
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10/01/2019
The University of Scranton will hold two Legacy Receptions during its Open House events Oct. 20 and Nov. 3.
Alumni parents and grandparents of prospective students are welcome to join representatives of the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement anytime between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in the fifth floor lobby of the Loyola Science Center for light fare and refreshments. Please RSVP to the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement via email at alumni@scranton.edu or by phone at 570-941-5997.
University To Hold Fall Open House Legacy Receptions
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10/01/2019
The Scranton Club of Philadelphia will hold a happy hour at Morgan's Pier, 221 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m.
The $15 registration fee includes one drink ticket, appetizers and a Scranton giveaway. To register, visit this link.
University To Hold Happy Hour At Morgan's Pier Oct. 3
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10/01/2019The University will hold a happy hour Oct. 3 at Park Tavern in Piedmont Park, 500 10th Street NE, Corner of 10th and Monroe, Atlanta, Georgia, at 6 p.m. The $10 registration fee includes one drink ticket and complimentary appetizers. To register, visit this link.
University To Hold Atlanta Happy Hour Oct. 3
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10/01/2019
The University will hold a Chemistry Alumni Reception Sunday, Oct. 27, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Loyola Science Center atrium.
The afternoon will include time to connect with faculty and fellow chemistry alumni, tours of the Loyola Science Center, appetizers and drinks. To register, visit this link.
University To Hold Chemistry Alumni Reception Oct. 27
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10/01/2019
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Joseph Sharp ’78, Bensalem, celebrated his fortieth anniversary as an independent insurance broker this year. Sharp also achieved a long time goal of having a novel published, “Grasping at Shadows.” The book is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.com
Edward Kowalewski ’84, Saratoga Springs, New York, recently joined the firm of Hodgson Russ as a partner in their Saratoga office. Kowalewski’s practice involves commercial and contract law, construction law and litigation.
Heather Rowan-Kenyon, Ph.D. ’95, West Roxbury, Massachusetts, published a book, "Technology and Engagement: Making Technology Work for First-Generation College Students," which won the 2018 Association for the Study of Higher Education Book of the Year Award.
Michael J. Archer, D.O. ’05, Manlius, New York, graduated from the thoracic surgery residency program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in July 2019. Archer has joined the faculty at SUNY-Upstate Medical University as an assistant professor of Surgery in the Division of Thoracic Surgery.
Meghan Reap ’08, Syracuse, New York, joined the firm of Barclay Damon as an associate. Reap is a member of the Trusts & Estates practice area.
Deaths
Frank A. Cimini ’39, Dunmore
Eugene Pronko ’52, Vienna, Virginia
Michael J. Melnick ’60, G’67, Scranton
Earl A. McGeever ’63, Norcross, Georgia
William J. Wright ’66, Covington Township
Edward J. Linnen G’70, Duryea
William J. Lonstein ’70, Oak Hill, Virginia
Marilyn Lozinski Watkins ’81, Madison Township
Michael P. Albano ’82, Washington TownshipBirths
A daughter, Olivia Rose, to Paul ’09 and Rebecca Smith Biagioli ’13, Throop
A son, Gavin John, to Michael and Kristina Russo Joyce ’12, DPT ’15, Midland Park, New JerseyMarriages
Jennifer Fretts ’03 to W. Austin King
Christina Walsh ’15 to Nicholas Minissale, D.O. ’13, G’15
Erica Boileau ’17 to Matthew Lasewicz ’17
Magdalyn Boga G’20 to James Vasky ’13, G’20
Friends' Deaths
Richard Bourcier, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, father of Camille Bourcier McCreavy ’85, Jeanine Bourcier Holmlund ’85, Normand Bourcier ’89, G’91, Michelle Bourcier ’91 and Paul Bourcier ’92
Joseph and Gloria DeFrank, parents of Gina DeFrank Abbott ’89
Raymond W. Holland, father of MK Holland ’92, Lorraine Holland ’95 and Raymond Holland ’97
Eugene G. Kemmerer, RPh, husband of Kathleen M. Kemmerer G’88
Catherine M. Lillie, mother of Raymond Lillie ’81
Dennis P. Lyons, father of Dennis J. Lyons ’83
Thomas Monaghan, father of Linda Monaghan ’89
Stefanie Neugebauer, mother of Doris Neugebauer ’79Alumni Class Notes, October 2019
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09/30/2019
University of Scranton Names Five New Trustees
The University of Scranton has named five individuals to its Board of Trustees: Rachele Mackin Browning ’84; Kathleen Sprows Cummings, Ph.D. ’93, G’93, H’19; Rev. Ryan J. Maher, S.J; John R. Mariotti, D.M.D. ’75; and Steve Sandherr ’80.
As managing director of SEI’s institutional group, Browning is responsible for new client outreach and business development in the U.S. for health care, nonprofit and the corporate markets. Prior to working for SEI, a global provider of asset management, investment processing and investment operation solutions that she joined in 1995, Browning was a commercial lender at CoreStates Bank responsible for business development in the United Kingdom and their U.S. subsidiaries. She later was responsible for the sales and marketing of the derivatives desk in CoreStates Capital Markets Group, hedging corporate client portfolios.
Browning earned her bachelor’s degree from The University of Scranton and received the University’s Frank J. O’Hara Distinguished Alumni Award in 2019. She currently serves on the Board of Mindfulness through Movement, a Philadelphia organization committed to nurturing the wellness of children in underserved areas through mindful breathing and movement. A resident of Villanova, she and her husband, Tom, have two sons, Curran and Colin.
Dr. Cummings is the William W. and Anna Jean Cushwa Director of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism at the University of Notre Dame and the Rev. John A. O'Brien Professor of American studies and history. In addition to directing the Cushwa Center, Dr. Cummings presently oversees the History of Women Religious, an academic organization devoted to the historical study of Catholic sisters. Her teaching and research interests center on the history of Catholicism in the United States, the study of American women and the relationship between religion and American society.
Dr. Cummings is the author of the books “A Saint of Our Own: How the Quest for a Holy Hero Helped Catholics Become American” and “New Women of the Old Faith: Gender and American Catholicism in the Progressive Era,” which won three 2009 Catholic Press Association Awards. She often serves as a media commentator on contemporary events in the Church and appeared on NBC’s live coverage of the canonization of Popes John Paul II and John XXIII, and Pope Francis’ visit to the United States in 2015. She is frequently quoted in the New York Times and other media outlets on Catholic subjects.
Dr. Cummings earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The University of Scranton, and a second master’s degree and her doctorate from the University of Notre Dame. Dr. Cummings received the University’s Frank J. O’Hara Distinguished Alumni Award for religion and spirituality in 2013 and, earlier this year, received the University’s Pedro Arrupe, S.J., Award for Distinguished Contributions to Ignatian Mission and Ministry and an honorary degree from the University. A resident of South Bend, Indiana, Cumming and her husband Thomas have three children.
A native of Phoenix, Arizona, Father Maher has served as the president of Scranton Preparatory School since 2015. Previously, he served as executive director of The University of Scranton’s Jesuit Center, a resource center he founded to help faculty and staff understand and engage more fully in the Catholic and Jesuit mission of the University. During his career, Father Maher has taught in Jesuit high schools in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., and served for 11 years as an associate dean and professor at Georgetown University. He also worked for three years on Capitol Hill as a legislative assistant in the United States Senate.
A former trustee of the University, Father Maher entered the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus in 1986 and was ordained a priest in 1997. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. He holds a master’s degree in philosophy from St. Louis University and a master’s degree in divinity from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. He earned his doctorate from the University of San Francisco.
Dr. Mariotti has worked as an orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics practitioner for 35 years. He is certified by the American Board of Orthodontics in the specialty of orthodontics. In the past few years, he has been chosen to be a fellow of the International College of Dentists and to the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Both societies honor doctors throughout the world who aspire to excellence.
Dr. Mariotti earned his bachelor’s degree from The University of Scranton and his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Temple University. After graduating, he joined the U. S. Army and was commissioned as an officer with the rank of captain in the Army Dental Corps. After completing his tour of duty, Dr. Mariotti returned to New York where he pursued his post-graduate degree in orthodontics at the Eastman Dental Center at the University of Rochester. While studying at Eastman, one of the top dental training centers in the U.S., Dr. Mariotti did research in growth and development and TMJ disorders. Recognized as an outstanding student, he was invited to join one of the faculty practices prior to his graduation.
Since returning to Scranton, Dr. Mariotti has served as president and chair of the Board of the Scranton District Dental Society, and was a board member of the Middle Atlantic Society of Orthodontists, having served as its president in 2005. He has also served as an active member of the Medical Alumni Board at The University of Scranton.
Since 1997, Sandherr has served as chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, the nation’s largest commercial construction trade association with more than 27,000 member firms across the country. In that capacity, he leads efforts to protect and promote the construction industry in Congress, federal agencies and the courts. For the past 12 years, the newspaper The Hill has named Sandherr as a top association lobbyist. He has also served as labor and small business counsel for the National Association of Home Builders and practiced law with the firm of Thompson, Mann and Hutson.
Sandherr earned his bachelor’s degree from The University of Scranton and his J.D. degree from the Columbus School of Law of the Catholic University of America. He is a member of the Bar of the District of Columbia. He is an honorary trustee of the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., and was elected to the National Academy of Construction. He resides in Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife, Cynthia.
University of Scranton Names Five New Trustees
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09/25/2019
The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education ranked The University of Scranton No. 232 among the 801 “Top U.S. Colleges” included in its 2020 listing. Scranton’s highest scores were in the area of student engagement, where it placed at No. 104 in the nation. Scranton also ranked at No. 195 for student outcomes, scoring well for salaries of graduates, adjusted for student, location and other characteristics, and graduation rates.
The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education ranking is based on an analysis of 15 performance metrics in the categories of resources, student engagement, outcomes and campus environment. The student engagement portion of their analysis is based on The U.S. Student Survey, which queried more than 170,000 current college and university students on a range of issues relating directly to their college experience, such as interaction with faculty and other students, and whether they would recommend their schools to others. Student engagement represented 20 percent of the overall ranking score.
Outcomes, which represented 40 percent of the overall ranking score, looked at graduation rate, academic reputation, “value added” to graduate salary and “value added” to the loan repayment rate. The “value added” portions of the analysis applied statistical modeling to adjust for student, location and other characteristics in order to measure the impact the school has on the salary and loan repayment rates of its graduates.
The ranking also measured resources invested in instruction and student services (30 percent of the overall ranking), which included the finance cost per student, faculty/student ratio and research papers published per faculty member, and the learning environment (10 percent of the overall ranking), which includes student and staff diversity, among other factors.
The ranking was published by The Wall Street Journal Sept. 4.
Scranton Ranked for Student Engagement, Outcomes
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09/10/2019
The University of Scranton dedicated a freshman residence hall in honor of the late Brendan J. Giblin of the class of 2006, who died in a hit-and-run accident while on spring break during his senior year, and the late William H. Kelly Jr. of the class of 1993, who perished in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
“Your families had suffered the unthinkable, the unexpected death of a child – of a brother,” said University of Scranton President Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., at the dedication ceremony. “Yet, somehow, you were able to find the strength to turn these tragedies into a way to help others. Through your efforts, more than $1 million has been raised to support Giblin and Kelly scholarships that have been awarded to dozens of students at Scranton.”
To date, the University has awarded six Giblin Scholarships and 27 Kelly Scholarships to students at Scranton.
Kim Baxter, a senior from Philadelphia who is majoring in political science and criminal justice, spoke at the dedication on behalf of the recipients of Kelly and Giblin scholarships. Baxter is the recipient of a Giblin Scholarship.
“I have loved attending the University for the past four years because I have had the opportunity to serve in different leadership positions, to serve others through different services trips, and to gain experience through different internships, such as my past internship at the Lackawanna County Court House with Judge Barrasse,” said Baxter. “I would not have been able to attended the University without receiving the Brendan J. Giblin Scholarship.”
Also speaking at the dedication ceremony, which was attended by members of the Giblin and Kelly families, were Robert Davis Jr., Ed.D., vice president for student life, and Rev. Herbert B. Keller, S.J., vice president for mission and ministry, who offered a prayer and blessed the hall.
Giblin-Kelly Hall, formerly called Hannan Hall, is a residence facility built in 1960 that accommodates 74 students. The hall is one of the University’s first-year Living-Learning Communities, which are residence halls in which students who share a common interest experience unique learning opportunities together, such as taking the same courses or engaging in special events.
One of the communities in Giblin-Kelly Hall is dedicated to St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, and challenges participants to develop their leadership potential, to focus on academic success, and to achieve personal excellence. The second community housed in Giblin-Kelly Hall focuses on 8 dimensions of wellness: physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual, occupational, environmental and multicultural. First-year students in this community are encouraged to explore these themes as they apply them to their life.
Giblin-Kelly Hall Dedicated at University
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09/09/2019
U.S. News & World Report has ranked The University of Scranton among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for the 26th consecutive year. U.S. News ranked Scranton No. 6 in the 2020 edition of the “Best Colleges” guidebook, which became available online today.
U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 5 in its category in a listing, based on peer assessment recommendations, of the nation’s “Most Innovative Schools,” which recognizes colleges that are making “innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology and facilities.” In addition, U.S. News ranked Scranton No. 12 in its category in its “Best Undergraduate Teaching” listing of the top colleges in the nation expressing “a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching.”
In national rankings, as opposed to listings by category, U.S. News included Scranton among America’s “Best Undergraduate Business Programs,” ranking Scranton at No. 224 in the U.S., and among the nation’s “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs,” ranking Scranton No. 143 among schools where a doctorate is not offered. Also, in national rankings of all business programs in America, U.S. News ranked Scranton’s entrepreneurship program at No. 33, its finance program at No. 43 and its accounting program at No. 52 in the country.
In addition, Scranton was ranked No. 38 as a “Best Value Regional University in the North,” which compares academic quality of programs to cost of attendance. This is the seventh consecutive year U.S. News has recognized Scranton as a “Best Value” school. Scranton was also listed among the “top ranked” colleges where students do well based on “spirit and hard work.”
U.S. News slightly changed the methodology used in its rankings this year to include a first-generation student graduation variable among the data used to determine a school’s “outcomes” assessment, which represents 35 percent of the overall score. Other factors in the “outcomes” assessment include a social mobility score, freshman retention, graduation rates and graduation performance rates, which compares a school’s actual graduation rates with predicted graduation rates based on characteristics of the incoming class.
In addition, U.S. News considers a range of quality indicators for its ranking that includes peer assessment of academic excellence (20 percent); faculty resources (20 percent), which now includes regional cost-of-living adjustments to faculty pay and benefits; student selectivity (10 percent); financial resources (10 percent); and alumni giving (5 percent).
U.S. News categorizes colleges for their rankings based on the official Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classification of universities.
The 2020 U.S. News “Best Colleges” rankings became available online Sept. 9.
U.S. News Ranks Scranton No. 6 in 2020 Guidebook
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09/04/2019
This article originally appeared in the Kania Magazine.
Sometimes loved ones know you better than you know yourself.
Patti Clarke ’86 credits her husband with helping her discern that she should focus her volunteer work on The University of Scranton. In 2016, she was asked both to join the school’s Board of Trustees and take over as chair of its President’s Business Council (PBC). Clarke was conflicted over how that could fit with her numerous other volunteer commitments. Her spouse, David, put things in perspective.
“He said, ‘It seems to me that your real passion is around Scranton,’” she recalled.
Clarke, the chief talent officer for the Havas Group, ended up saying yes to both commitments. It added another facet to her already close relationship with the University. She led the restructuring of the PBC’s career-coaching program, returned regularly to speak to Kania School students, and mentored interns and new employees who come to Havas from the University.
The French advertising and communications company is one of the world’s largest, and Clarke is responsible for global human resources and talent and cultural strategy for more than 20,000 employees in over 100 countries. The job marks the latest in a long career for Clarke, who earned her bachelor’s degree in management from the Kania School in 1986.
The New Jersey resident credits Jesuit education with broadening her horizons. “I was open-minded to a lot of opportunities. I wasn’t lock-set into any particular thing,” she said. “When you look at my career, I went from insurance, to Wall Street, to data information, to advertising. I can’t help but think that the breadth of The (University of) Scranton education had something to do with that.”
Clarke spent 20 years with Dun & Bradstreet, the global data and analytics company, where she was chief human resources officer and also ran global internal communications. Before joining Havas, she ran a consulting business.
In college, Clarke started out as an accounting student but switched to management because its broader scope appealed to her. Working with the Kania School as an alumna has shown her how far its programs have come since her undergraduate days when there were fewer internships and much less networking with alumni.
As former chair of the PBC (a new chair was announced in spring 2019), she helped to implement a career-coaching program in Kania. It matches students with alumni working in the field to which they aspire. Clarke always takes time to work with interns from Scranton.
“I really love meeting with students – I love helping them,” she said. “If you get engaged (with the University), you will be richer for it. There are lots of ways that Scranton gives back to you.”
Read more from the Kania Magazine, here.
Human Resources Executive Finds Meaning in Engaging with Students
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09/04/2019
The University will hold Reunion 2020 June 12-14. Class years ending in "5" and "0" will celebrate their milestone reunions.
The planning to attend form, which will add your name to the "planning to attend" form and includes information on joining your class committee and nominating your fellow Royals for the Frank O'Hara Awards, is now available. To sign up, visit this link.
Registration will open in March 2020. For more information, visit this link.
Reminder: Save the Date for Reunion 2020
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09/04/2019
The University of Scranton will host several alumni events in the fall of 2019.
Scranton Connections LIVE!
On September 14, the University will hold Scranton Connections LIVE!, a chance for alumni to interact with current students in a casual environment, at 2 p.m. on the DeNaples Center patio.
Immediately following Scranton Connections LIVE!, the University will hold Royals on the Rooftop, a complimentary alumni after-party on the rooftop of Leahy Hall featuring beer, wine, soft drinks, and hors d'oeuvres as a show of appreciation to participating alumni. To register for the events, visit this link.
Family Weekend
The University's annual Family Weekend will take place September 20-22. To register for the weekend-long celebration, visit this link. For a full schedule of events, visit this link.
Men's and Women's Lacrosse Alumni Day
The Men's and Women's Lacrosse Teams will hold their annual alumni games on Saturday, Sept. 21, at Weiss Field beginning with the men's game at 4 p.m. and followed by the women's game at 6 p.m. A social will follow at a site TBD. To register for the men's event, contact Head Men's Lacrosse Coach Michael Hofmeister at michael.hofmeister@scranton.edu; to register for the women's event, contact Head Women's Lacrosse Coach Chrissy Trescavage at christina.trescavage@scranton.edu.
The Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley Hampton WInds Dinner
The Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley will hold its annual Hampton Winds dinner Sept. 26 at 6 p.m.
Enjoy a five-course meal at Hampton Winds prepared by students from Northampton Community College's Culinary Arts Program in the company of your fellow Scranton alumni and friends. To register for the event at a rate of $50 per person, visit this link.
The Scranton Club of New Jersey Red Bulls Gathering
The Scranton Club of New Jersey will gather at Red Bull Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, to see the New York Red Bulls take on DC United Sept. 29.
To register, visit this link. Registration is $25 per person. For more information, contact alumni@scranton.edu.
Atlanta Happy Hour
The University will hold a happy hour in Atlanta, Georgia, Oct. 3 for its alumni and friends at a site TBD. Check future issues of Royal News for more information on this event.
The Scranton Club of Philadelphia Recent Grad Happy Hour At Morgan's Pier
Also on Oct. 3, The Scranton Club of Philadelphia will hold a Recent Grad Happy Hour for members of the Classes of '09-'19 at Morgan's Pier. Check future issues of Royal News for more information on this event.
President’s Business Council 18th Annual Award Dinner
On Oct. 10, the President’s Business Council (PBC) 18th Annual Award Dinner will take place at The Pierre Hotel in New York City. At the dinner, which supports the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund, the University will honor JoAnne M. Kuehner H’01 and Carl J. Kuehner ’62, H’11 with the President’s Medal. Through its 17 dinners, the PBC has generated over $14 million for the scholarship fund while transforming the lives of scores of Presidential Scholars. To register for the event, visit this link. For more information, contact Tim Pryle ’89, executive director, at 570-941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu, or visit scranton.edu/pbcdinner.Fall Alumni Preview 2019
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09/04/2019
Although Marilyn (Bogusch) Pryle ’91, G’97 has had a truly remarkable career as an educator, she has never stopped learning.
“I always loved being a student,” she recently said while recording an episode of The Scranton Shorts Podcast. “To this day, I’m a student, still.”
While Pryle may have never stopped learning, it’s fair to say she never stops teaching, either. The West Chester native, who lives in Clarks Summit and teaches World Literature at Abington Heights High School, has dedicated her life to serving others by teaching reading and writing. Since graduating from The University of Scranton, she has encouraged thousands of students to become lifelong readers and writers. She earned her master’s in Reading Education from Scranton and an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson. Along the way, she wrote seven books on teaching reading and writing, most recently publishing "Reading With Presence" with Heinemann in 2018. Through her website, marilynpryle.com, she provides her fellow educators with resources to develop their students’ reading and writing skills. On Sundays, she runs a free, all-volunteer English conversation group at the Lackawanna Children’s Library for refugees of all ages in the greater Scranton area seeking to improve their English skills. And, in December, she was recognized for her efforts when the state Department of Education named her the 2019 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, an honor it bestows annually upon one of its tens of thousands of teachers.
“Literacy should be a human right,” she said. “On a very basic level, it’s the thing that takes someone’s life from just the survival mode to something much richer.”
University Days
Pryle said a good portion of her educational philosophy can be traced back to her days at Scranton, where the University’s emphasis on cura personalis permanently colored her outlook.
“I really think that my devotion to this idea of the whole child, educating the whole person, comes from my experience here at Scranton,” she said.
As a senior at Bishop Shanahan High School, however, she had a hard time seeing herself as a Scranton student.
“I had a deposit down at another school,” she said.
After a close friend insisted she at least visit campus, however, she was impressed by the positive energy she felt radiating out from its spiritual center and began to reconsider her choice. An equally positive meeting with Dave Hair, the University’s swim coach at the time, convinced Pryle that Scranton was the right choice for her. A member of the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts program, Pryle majored in Secondary Education and joined the fledgling swim team, where she became the first All-American swimmer in University history. After participating in a domestic service trip to Appalachia and an international service trip to Mexico, Pryle chose to continue to serve others by applying to the Jesuit International Volunteer Corps. Once she was accepted into the corps, she learned she would spend two years in Katmandu, Nepal, teaching English at an all-boys school. There was just one wrinkle: she would have to wait a few months after graduating in May to depart for Nepal because of the way its school system was structured. Luckily, she found a temporary job recruiting students in the University’s Department of Admissions; even more luckily, she met Tim Pryle ’89, a fellow alumnus and admissions counselor who would become her future husband.
“When he asked me out on our first date, I said, ‘You know, I’m still going to Nepal,’ and he said, ‘That’s OK – let’s just see what happens,’” she said. “Then, I went to Nepal for two years.”
There and Back Again
Pryle enjoyed her time in Nepal.
“It was amazing,” she said. “It’s very different from our culture.
“It’s not the rushed pace we have here.”
Things moved quickly for Pryle when she returned home. She began teaching, married Tim and decided to pursue her reading specialist degree at the University. Afterward, the couple moved to Boston, where she earned her MFA at Emerson. Shortly after, she landed a dream job teaching a creative writing workshop. Over the next four years, she created and refined many of her own materials for the workshop; with the birth of their first child on the horizon, the couple decided to move back to the Scranton area to be closer to their respective extended families. It was during that time that Marilyn decided to repurpose the materials she had created for the workshop for her first book, “Teaching Students To Write Effective Essays.”
“Luckily, our son Gavin was a good sleeper,” she joked. “I started chipping away at a manuscript.”
Teacher Of The Year
Scholastic published the book, and, over the next several years, Marilyn would go on to write six additional books about teaching reading and writing. She began teaching at Abington Heights High School and founded her website, marilynpryle.com. When she learned of the greater Scranton area’s growing refugee population, she contacted Catholic Social Services to see if there was a way she could help the area’s non-native English speakers sharpen their English skills, which eventually led to the creation of the all-volunteer English conversation group. And, at every turn, Pryle’s faith in the power of the written word and the effect it can have upon her students grew stronger.
“What I care about is they leave feeling like lifelong readers and writers, or at least they know how to go about being lifelong readers and writers,” she said. “That is what will make them a better human being, a better son, a better daughter, a better girlfriend, a better boyfriend, brother, sister – however they want to define themselves. A better citizen.
“All citizens should be deep readers and writers.”
Pryle was nominated for the Pennsylvania 2019 Teacher of the Year Award by Cindy Roe, a fellow teacher at Abington Heights High School. The year-long nomination process, which included writing essays and recording classroom instructional videos, narrowed the field of contestants down to 12 finalists, who gathered together at a conference in Hershey in December for the announcement of the winner. When Pryle learned she had been selected as the Teacher of the Year, she said she felt an initial sigh of relief which was quickly followed by the realization that she would have to live up to the responsibility of representing the state’s teachers.
“I take it very seriously,” she said. “I’m just so proud and honored to be the person that is teacher of the year.”
Since winning the award, Pryle has spoken at numerous education-focused events. In November, she will hand in Pennsylvania’s application for National Teacher of the Year, and she will spend 2020 meeting her fellow finalists for the award as they attend events at high-profile locations like the White House, Google Headquarters, and Space Camp. Despite all the accolades she has earned, Pryle remains a true woman for and with others dedicated to the mission statement she wrote years ago to keep herself inspired, a statement which now proudly resides on her website.
“I believe that connecting with great literature is a force for good in this world, one that cultivates empathy, one that empowers,” the statement reads. “I will help young people experience this connection. I will be a clear conduit of the texts I teach.
“I believe that becoming a better writer develops one’s own thinking, a benefit that improves every aspect of one’s life, a skill of attention and attunement to this world. I will help each student look closely at her world, and develop and refine his individual voice.
“I will strive to encourage other educators. I will not become doubtful of the power of words or my power as an educator. I will not become negative or cynical, no matter what happens in my town, state, or country. The calling to teach and the great works of humanity stand larger than the arguments of our era.
“I will do all of this with my strongest effort, for I know I am not only teaching reading and writing; I am teaching what it means to be a human being, to live in this medium of flesh and words.”
Alumni Spotlight: Marilyn (Bogusch) Pryle '91, G'97
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09/04/2019
More than 30 University of Scranton alumni recently attended the Patrick's Pals Golf Outing in Whitehouse Station, NJ, to support Patrick's Pals, a non-profit foundation started by Jim Conmy '90 and Kerry Cosgrove Conmy '90 that provides children with multiple disabilities with equipment and therapies necessary for them to function on a daily basis.
According to the foundation's website, the Conmys founded Patrick's Pals in 2008 in honor of their son, Patrick, who was born with many special needs that left him unable to do many things for himself. In early 2008, close friends and family members approached Jim and Kerry with an idea to have a charity golf tournament benefiting Patrick. The Conmys approved of the idea, but instead of using the funds for Patrick, they created the foundation to help special children like Patrick. Since its founding, Patrick's Pals has raised more than $1 million.
Since then, Patrick’s Pals has supported Mane Stream in Oldwick, NJ, enabling children to take hippotherapy lessons, and has provided technology grants to several schools to upgrade their augmentative devices and help meet the needs of students with speech and language challenges. Patrick’s Pals has also used its funds to purchase specialized equipment for children and to provide others with respite care in a hospital setting.
For more information, visit Patrick's Pals web site.
Alumni Attend Patrick's Pals Golf Outing
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09/04/2019
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Francis X. O’Connor ’71, Susquehanna, was elected as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer for 2019. O’Connor has his law practice in Great Bend and is past president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
James R. Kunz ’81, Maine, New York, and his son Adam were awarded their Master’s (4th Dan) belt in the martial art of Tang Soo Do.Hon. Kelly Carroll Gaughan ’95, Milford, has been sworn in as judge on the Pike County Court of Common Pleas.
Rev. Dr. Cynthia Cerio Mapstone ’87, Cazenovia, New York, completed her Doctor of Ministry Degree at Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, New York, in May 2019. Mapstone currently serves as pastor of Congregational Care and Family Ministries at DeWitt Community Church in DeWitt, New York.
Kathleen M. Zelno ’99, Valencia, California, executive vice president, Aeronautics at Lockheed Martin Corporation, was part of the ADP Special Programs Capture Team, which won a Nova Award in Aeronautics. The Nova Award is Lockheed Martin’s highest honor presented annually to individuals and teams who have made outstanding contributions to the corporation’s mission and business objectives.Mary Wozny ’02, Delray Beach, Florida, studied avian and tropical ecology in the Amazon. Wozny, an education specialist at Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County, is a graduate student in Miami University’s Global Field Program.
Deaths
Stanley E. Kowalski ’49, Vestal, New York
Rudolph L. Lantelme ’52, New Windsor, New York
Joseph Leonard, Ph.D. ’54, Gainesville, Virginia
John J. Helring ’58, Clarks Summit
Peter G. Loftus Sr. ’61, Waverly
Jeremiah F. Munley ’69, G’76, Sturges
David Clouser, D.D.S. ’70, Montoursville
Gayle Thorpe Baar G’74, Scranton
Patrick W. Foley ’79, Kendall Park, New Jersey
Thomas E. Pocius, D.M.D. ’80, ScrantonBirths
A son, Gonzaga Alexander, to Siloé and Charlotte Brown Perez ’10, Glassboro, New Jersey
Marriages
Kristen Maresca ’09 to Joseph Sorbera ’08
Sasha-Lee Vos ’14 to Ryan Saraceni ’14Alumni Class Notes, September 2019
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09/04/2019
The University of Scranton will hold several Regional Information Receptions over the coming weeks for prospective students and their families.
The receptions will give prospective students the chance to see an admissions presentation and speak with University Admissions representatives, who are happy to answer any and all questions regarding the application and enrollment process. The Information Receptions are ideal occasions for University alumni to spread the word within their communities about the opportunities available at The University of Scranton. The receptions will take place at the following locations on the following dates:
Long Island
Sunday, Sept. 22, noon
Long Island Marriott
101 James Doolittle Boulevard
Uniondale, NY 11553
(516) 794-3800
Northern New Jersey
Sunday, September 22, 6:00 p.m.
Saddle Brook Marriott
I-80 at Garden State Parkway
138 New Pehle Avenue
Saddle Brook, NJ 07663
(201) 843-9500
Central New Jersey
Sunday, September 22, noon
Bridgewater Marriott
700 Commons Way
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
(908) 927-9300
Southern New Jersey
Sunday, September 22, 6:00 p.m.
Radisson Hotel of Freehold
50 Gibson Place
Freehold, NJ 07728
(732) 780-3400
Northeastern Pennsylvania
Tuesday, September 24, 6:00 p.m.
The University of Scranton
The DeNaples Center
900 Mulberry Street
Scranton, PA 18510
(570) 941- 7540
Boston
Sunday, September 29, noon
Hyatt House Boston/Waltham
54 Fourth Avenue
Waltham, MA 02451
(781) 290-0026
Southern Connecticut
Sunday, September 29, 6:00 p.m.
Hyatt House Shelton
830 Bridgeport Avenue
Shelton, CT 06484
(203) 225-0700
Westchester
Monday, September 30, 7:00 p.m.
Westchester Marriott
670 White Plains Road
Tarrytown, NY 10591
(914) 631-2200
Philadelphia
Monday, September 30, 7:00 p.m.
Philadelphia Marriott West
111 Crawford Avenue
West Conshohocken, PA 19428
(610) 941-5600
Register hereUniversity to Hold Regional Information Sessions
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09/04/2019
Scranton ranked No. 18 among the “Best Catholic Colleges in America” in a 2020 Niche.com list published recently online. Niche.com also placed Scranton No. 223 among the “Best Colleges in America” in its ranking of 1,626 four-year colleges.
Niche.com ranked Scranton in the top 10 percent of schools in the country in a number of other national rankings, including: “Best Colleges with No Application Fee in America” (No. 35); “Best College Food in America” (No. 69); “Best College Dorms in America” (No. 74); “Best College Campuses in America” (No. 142); and “Best Value Colleges in America” (No. 144).
In state lists, also published on the website, Scranton ranked No. 1 in “Best Colleges with No Application Fee in Pennsylvania;” No. 2 in “Best Catholic Colleges in Pennsylvania;” No. 4 in both “Best College Campuses in Pennsylvania” and “Best College Food in Pennsylvania;” and No. 5 in “Best College Dorms in Pennsylvania;” among other rankings.
Niche.com based its rankings on its analysis of academic, admissions, financial and student life data reported by the U.S. Department of Education and reviews of academic and campus life by students and alumni made on its website. The company analyzes dozens of public data sets and millions of reviews to produce comprehensive rankings, report cards and profiles for K-12 schools, colleges and neighborhoods in the U.S. The website includes more than 200,000 profiles of schools, companies and neighborhoods.
Earlier this year, College Consensus ranked Scranton No. 10 among the “Best Catholic Colleges and Universities” in the nation. The Princeton Review also ranked Scranton among “The Best 385 Colleges” in the country and among the nation’s “Best Science Lab Facilities” (No. 7), “Best Campus Food” (No. 10) and “Best-Run Colleges (No. 20) in the 2020 edition of its annual guidebook published in August.
Scranton Among America’s Best Catholic Colleges
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08/28/2019
The Princeton Review, Money magazine and Forbes ranked Scranton among the best colleges in the nation in August.
The Princeton Review selected The University of Scranton among “The Best 385 Colleges” in the country and also ranked Scranton among the nation’s “Best Science Lab Facilities” (No. 7), “Best Campus Food” (No. 10) and “Best-Run Colleges (No. 20). The 2020 edition of the annual guidebook published Aug. 6.
The University was also recognized as a “best value” in higher education by Forbes in its 2019 listing of “America’s Top Colleges.” Forbes ranked the University No. 251 in its listing of just 650 schools, which published online Aug. 12.
Money magazine ranked the University of No. 296 among its selection of the 744 “Best Colleges in America” in its 2019 listing published online Aug. 15. Money based its ranking of the nation’s best values for a college education on its analysis of 26 data factors to determine the schools’ educational quality, affordability and alumni success.
Scranton Ranked Among Best Colleges in America
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08/23/2019
For the second time in a week, The University of Scranton was nationally recognized as a “best value” in higher education. Forbes ranked the University No. 251 among “America’s Top Colleges” for value in the 2019 listing of just 650 schools, which published on Aug. 15. This is the 12th consecutive year that Forbes has included Scranton in its national ranking.
Just three days earlier, Money magazine ranked Scranton at No. 296 among its selection of the 744 “best performing colleges” in America.
Only 40 colleges in Pennsylvania were included in Forbes list of “America’s Top Colleges.” Scranton and King’s College were the only two colleges in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Northeast to be listed.
The ranking by Forbes analyzed “outputs” of a college education, such as alumni salaries, student satisfaction surveys, student debt and other data, to determine the best values in college education. Factors used in the ranking included four- and six-year graduation rates, average federal student loan debt, student loan default rates and “post-graduate success” as measured by salaries reported in PayScale and the U.S. Department of Education’s “College Scorecard.” Forbes also considered rankings published by Niche.com to evaluate the “student experience,” the percentage of graduates earning doctoral degrees, and the number of prestigious fellowships won by students, including Fulbright and Goldwater scholarships, among other factors.
Earlier in August, The Princeton Review also selected the University among “The Best 385 Colleges” in the country and ranked Scranton among the nation’s “Best Science Lab Facilities” (No. 7) and “Best Campus Food” (No. 10).
Scranton among Top Colleges in America
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08/16/2019
The University of Scranton ranked among the nation’s best values for a college education based on educational quality, affordability and alumni success, according to a 2019 ranking by Money magazine published in August. Money ranked Scranton at No. 296 among its selection if the 744 “best performing colleges” in America. Money based its ranking on its analysis of 26 data factors.
The factors Money analyzed to determine a colleges’ “academic quality” included the six-year graduation rate, the standardized test scores of incoming freshmen, the student-faculty ratio and the graduation rate of Pell Grant recipients, among other factors. The analysis also included “value” assessments that looked at a school’s predicted graduation rates based on the academic and economic profile of its student body versus its actual graduation rates.
The criteria used to assess “affordability” included an estimate of the “net price of a degree,” which assessed tuition, the time it takes for students to graduate, and the school’s average need- and merit-based financial aid offered to students. The “affordability” criteria also looked at student debt, student loan default rates, the affordability for low-income students and student loan default rates adjusted for the economic and academic profile of a school’s student body, in addition to other factors.
The factors Money used to assess “outcomes” included the average salaries of alumni reported in PayScale early- and mid-career, their reported earnings at these points adjusted by major. In addition to other factors, the “outcomes” criteria also looked at socio-economic mobility index that uses data from the Equality of Opportunity Project, a study that examines the percentage of students that move from low-income backgrounds to upper-middle-class jobs before the age of 34.
Colleges with graduation rates below the national median, that were in financial difficulty, or that had fewer than 500 undergraduates, were not included in Money’s ranking.
Scranton has been recognized for its value in other national rankings such as U.S. News, Forbes, Niche.com and The Economist.
Scranton Among Best Values in Higher Education
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08/08/2019
For the 18th consecutive year, The Princeton Review included Scranton among the nation’s “Best 385 Colleges” in its annual guidebook that published Aug. 6. In addition, The Princeton Review ranked Scranton for the fifth consecutive year among the nation’s “Best Science Lab Facilities” (No. 7) and “Best Campus Food” (No. 10). The Princeton Review also ranked Scranton at No. 20 in the nation for “Best-Run Colleges.”
For the annual guidebook, The Princeton Review selects schools it “believes are the best in the nation, academically.” Just 13 percent of America’s 2,500 four-year colleges and universities are included. The book also includes The Princeton Review’s much publicized “Best of” lists of the “Top 20” colleges in 62 categories. The “Best of” lists are based entirely on surveys of students at colleges selected by The Princeton Review for inclusion in its guidebook.
The 2020 edition of the guidebook includes detailed profiles of each of “The Best 385 Colleges.” Scranton’s profile stated that students praised its “awesome,” “caring” and “really supportive” professors, saying the professors “want their students to excel” and “care about their ... success.” Students also praised the “new improvements constantly being made to update campus including residence halls and academic buildings.”
Scranton’s major capital improvements to academic facilities include the $85 million, 200,000-square-foot Loyola Science Center, which is one of the most innovative science buildings in the country, and the $47.5 million Edward R. Leahy Jr. Hall, which puts the best simulation environments, applied-science laboratories, equipment and technology directly in the hands of students and faculty.
In addition to The Princeton Review, U.S. News has ranked Scranton among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 25 consecutive years, placing the University No. 6 in its 2019 edition of the “Best Colleges” guidebook. U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 3 in its category in a listing of the top colleges in the nation expressing “A Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching” and No. 11 in its category in a ranking of the “Most Innovative Schools” in America. U.S. News also ranked Scranton’s entrepreneurship program at No. 31, its finance program at No. 36 and its accounting program at No. 37 in the country.
Scranton Among Elite Best Colleges in Nation
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08/06/2019
University of Scranton alumni from the classes of 09-19 are invited to gather at Pier 13, 1301 Sinatra Drive N, Hoboken, New Jersey, Aug. 22 at 6:30 p.m. for a Scranton Happy Hour.
Registration, which includes a drink and a purple koozie, is $10 per person. To register, visit this link.
University to Hold Happy Hour at Pier 13 Aug. 22
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08/06/2019
The University of Scranton is now providing complimentary Scranton return address labels to interested alumni.
To receive your labels, visit this link and confirm that your address information is up-to-date.
University Offering Return Address Labels to Alumni
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08/06/2019
The Scranton Club of the Lehigh Valley will hold a Movie Night at Movie Tavern, 6150 Hamilton Blvd, Allentown, PA, Aug. 17.
Royals and friends planning to attend will pick the late afternoon film of their choice; after the credits roll, they will then meet up with their fellow attendees in the lobby bar.
Tickets can be purchased here or in the lobby of Movie Tavern.
Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley to Hold Movie Night Aug. 17
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08/06/2019
The University will hold Reunion 2020 June 12-14. Class years ending in "5" and "0" will celebrate their milestone reunions.
Registration will open in March 2020. For more information, visit this link.
Save the Date for Reunion 2020
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08/06/2019
The Scranton Club of New York will host a gathering at Yankee Stadium Sept. 4 as the New York Yankees take on the Texas Rangers.
The event includes a ticket for Section 426 and admission to a pre-game reception on the Masterpass Batter's Eye Deck beginning at 5 p.m. Admission costs $74 per person. The pre-game reception will include Nathan's hot dogs, burgers, chicken tenders, fries, salads, draft beer, Pepsi products and Poland Spring Water. The game will begin at 6:35 p.m., and the gates to the stadium will open two hours prior to the game.
Visit this link to register for the event. For more information, contact Marge Gleason P'14, '17 at alumni@scranton.edu.
Reminder: Scranton Club to Hold Yankee Game Reception Sept. 4
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08/06/2019
The Scranton Club of New Jersey will gather at Red Bull Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, to see the New York Red Bulls take on DC United Sept. 29.
To register, visit this link. Registration is $25 per person. For more information, contact alumni@scranton.edu.
Reminder: Scranton Club of New Jersey to Gather at Red Bulls Game Sept. 29
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08/06/2019
The Scranton Club of Long Island invites all alumni and friends to watch the New York Lizards take on the Atlanta Blaze at Hofstra University Aug. 17.
A "bring-your-own-refreshments" pre-game tailgate will be held under the Scranton flag in the parking lot of Shuart Stadium at 6 p.m. while the game will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets to the game are $20. To register, visit this link.
Reminder: Scranton Club of Long Island to Gather at Lacrosse Game Aug. 17
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08/06/2019
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Vincent Galko G’99, Roaring Brook, a senior vice president at Mercury Public Affairs, was recently appointed by the Pennsylvania Senate to serve as a commissioner on the Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial. The commission is tasked with planning and executing all of the activities, financial responsibilities and celebrations commemorating the 250th birthday of the United States.
Nick McCann ’01, Swedesboro, New Jersey, received his Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in Mathematics & Science Education from Temple University.
Jessica DiDonato Zazzera ’04, Park Ridge, New Jersey, has joined energy industry innovator 5 as an account manager.
Samantha Fallon Kelly ’05, Red Bank, New Jersey, was named executive director of Atlantic Health System Neuroscience and Atlantic Neuroscience Institute. Kelly will be responsible for aligning neuroscience services with Atlantic Health System’s mission and vision across all Atlantic Health System medical centers, ambulatory satellite centers, and its five comprehensive and primary stroke centers.
Dylan Lang ’15, Roxbury, Massachusetts, was named a 2019 Rappaport Law & Public Policy Fellow at Boston College Law.
Lt. Gen. Christopher F. Burne , USAF (RET) ’80, Gettysburg, was honored by the United States Air Force by placing his portrait in the main corridor of the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) School located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Nearly 200 officers and enlisted members, along with trustees of the JAG School Foundation, gathered to witness General Burne and his wife, Robin, unveil the general’s official portrait. General Burne was twice awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious service to the United States government in duty of great responsibility. In 2014, he was nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate as the 17th Judge Advocate General, serving as the top-uniformed legal officer in the Air Force.
Deaths
Col. Paul F. Toolan, USA (RET) ’42, Gwynedd Valley
John J.F. Holmes, M.D. ’48, Clarks Summit
Donald J. Murphy ’49, Camp Hill
Edward J. Thomas ’49, Holmdel, New Jersey
Hon. James J. Walsh ’55, Washington, D.C.
Martin J. Kushmerick, M.D., Ph.D. ’58, Seattle, Washington
Roger W. Davies G’60, Binghamton, New York
John B. Pryle ’60, Archbald
William N. Seibert ’60, Bedford, Massachusetts
John P. Carroll ’62, Goldsboro, North Carolina
Ret. Lt. Col. Everett R. Jenkins ’67, Orangeburg, South Carolina
John J. Barrett, Jr. ’73, Scranton
John M. Moxen, M.D. ’76, Clarks Summit
Richard A. Ritts ’88, Mountaintop
Linda L. Biberman ’98, Las Vegas, Nevada
Bruce T. Moore ’02, G’05, Scranton
Elizabeth Tokarcsik-Heilers ’05, BlakesleeBirths
A son, Michael Joseph, to Michael ’01 and Julie Quinn Husek ’03, Chalfont
Twins, Austin David and Jane Edith, to Jim and Joy Oliver Herrick, Ph.D. ’02, Springfield, Virginia
A daughter, Molly Josephine, to Michael and Kara Armstrong McMorrow ’04, Northvale, New Jersey
A son, Everett Norris, to Kevin and Cate McKenna Furman ’09, Newtown Square
A son, Joseph Paul, to Sean and Maribeth Castaldi Baress ’13, G’13, ScrantonMarriages
Jackie Cavanaugh ’15 to Joshua Ryan ’15
Kate Foley ’16 to Kyle Conklin ’16Friends' Deaths
Joan Ksiazek, sister of Michael P. Glinsky ’66
Alumni Class Notes, August 2019
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07/19/2019
Fifty years ago, University of Scranton alumnus Glynn S. Lunney served as a NASA flight director for the historic Apollo 11 mission that placed the first man on the moon. Lunney, a native of Old Forge, completed his pre-engineering studies at the University in 1955 and went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Detroit in 1958.
“It amazes me to know that 50 years ago, a Scranton alumnus played a pivotal role in placing a man on the moon,” said Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president of The University of Scranton. “We are very proud of contributions our alumni have made, and will continue to make in the future, for mankind and for the greater glory of God.”
During his distinguished career, Lunney served as a flight director for Apollo 5, 8, 11, 12, 13 and 14, and as lead flight director for Apollo 1, 4, 7 and 10.
The University bestowed an honorary degree upon Lunney in 1971. Read the news release announcing the honorary degree in the University’s Weinberg Memorial Library’s digital archive.
Scranton’s Apollo 11 Connection
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07/02/2019
With the Fourth of July right around the corner, there is no denying it any longer: summer is officially here, even in the Electric City, and your Royal Family has spent the last month celebrating our sweetest time of year by gathering together at various alumni-focused events, both on campus and off.
Reunion Weekend 2019
Royals with class years ending in “4” and “9” returned to campus June 7-9 for Reunion Weekend 2019, the annual chance for alumni celebrating their milestone years to gather “together again, where it all began.” To see photos from the event, visit this link.
All alumni are invited to return to campus June 12-14 for Reunion Weekend 2020, when Scranton grads with class years ending in “5” and “0” will celebrate their milestone years. If you would like to join your class committee, please email alumni@scranton.edu for additional information. Registration will open in March 2020. Visit www.scranton.edu/reunion for updates and information on Reunion 2020.
Day At The Races
The Scranton Club of New Jersey held A Day At The Races at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey, June 23. To see photos from the event, visit this link.
The Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner Honors Speedy Morris
The University honored Philadelphia area basketball legend Speedy Morris with the 2019 Peter A. Carlesimo Award at its annual Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner at the Philadelphia Cricket Club June 24.
More than 200 guests attended the festivities, which raised more than $100,000 for Scranton Athletics. Quandel Construction Group served as the event’s title sponsor.
During his 50+ years in Catholic athletics, Morris, the winningest coach in Philadelphia Catholic League history, won over 1,000 games as a coach at the collegiate and high school levels..
Morris began his career by leading the CYO team at St. John the Baptist Church in Manayunk in 1960. Seven years later, he took over the boys’ varsity team at Roman Catholic High School, where he won a staggering 347 games in 14 seasons. After moving on to Penn Charter in 1982 and winning 41 more games, Morris was asked to coach the women’s program at La Salle University in 1984.
After coaching the Explorers women’s team for two seasons and posting a 43-17 record, Morris took over the men’s program in 1986 and became the first Division I level coach to lead both a men’s and women’s program at the same school.
As the men’s coach, Morris led La Salle to 238 victories, four NCAA Tournament appearances, four NIT bids, and four conference championships in 15 seasons. His best campaign came in the 1989-90 season, when Morris led the Explorers to a 30-2 record and a 12th-place finish nationally in both major polls with a team that featured star players Lionel Simmons and Doug Overton.
In 2001, Morris returned to the high school level, where he has coached the boys’ team at St. Joseph’s Prep to more than 300 victories over the last 18 seasons. He was inducted into the Philadelphia Big Five Hall of Fame in 2010 and received the Morgan Wootten Award for lifetime achievement from the National Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
Since 2011, the Peter A. Carlesimo Award, named for the late University of Scranton head coach and director of athletics, has been presented to someone who has made special contributions to athletics and Catholic education. The Golf Tournament & Award Dinner serves as a fundraising event that supports and enhances the student-athlete experience at Scranton.
To see photos from the event, visit this link. For more information on supporting student-athletes, visit this link.
Scranton Summer 2019
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07/02/2019
The Scranton Club of New Jersey will gather at Red Bull Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, to see the New York Red Bulls take on DC United Sept. 29.
Registration will open soon for the event. For more information, contact alumni@scranton.edu.
Scranton Club of New Jersey To Gather At New York Red Bulls Game Sept. 29
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07/02/2019
The Scranton Club of Long Island invites all alumni and friends to watch the New York Lizards take on the Atlanta Blaze at Hofstra University Aug. 17.
A "bring-your-own-refreshments" pre-game tailgate will be held under the Scranton flag in the parking lot of Shuart Stadium at 6 p.m. while the game will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets to the game are $20. To register, visit this link.
Scranton Club of Long Island To Gather At Lacrosse Game Aug. 17
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07/02/2019
Registration is now open for The University of Scranton's summer service at the Gesu School, 1700 W Thompson St., Philadelphia, August 3. Interested parties can register by visiting this link.
Please contact alumni@scranton.edu for more information.
Registration Now Open For Gesu School Service Project Aug. 3
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07/02/2019
The Scranton Club of New York will host a gathering at Yankee Stadium Sept. 4 as the New York Yankees take on the Texas Rangers.
The event includes a ticket for Section 426 and admission to a pre-game reception on the Masterpass Batter's Eye Deck beginning at 5 p.m. Admission costs $74 per person. The pre-game reception will include Nathan's hot dogs, burgers, chicken tenders, fries, salads, draft beer, Pepsi products and Poland Spring Water. The game will begin at 6:35 p.m., and the gates to the stadium will open two hours prior to the game.
Visit this link to register for the event. For more information, contact Marge Gleason P'14, '17 at alumni@scranton.edu.
Reminder: SCRANTON CLUB TO HOLD YANKEE GAME RECEPTION SEPT. 4
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07/02/2019
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Suzanne Flanagan ’87, Basking Ridge, New Jersey, was awarded the role of senior account executive with CE Tech (Cutting Edge Technologies), a New Jersey based IT consulting firm. Flanagan, the mother of a brain cancer survivor, is the founder of the Luke Forward Pediatric Brain Cancer Fund and a member of the Bernard’s Parents with Exceptional Children (PEC) group, which raises funds to help children with Special needs.
Paul L. D’Andrea, M.D., USAF ’90, Hampton, Virginia, was promoted to colonel in the United States Air Force while deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan, June 1.
Carl Thorsen ’90, Bethesda, Maryland, was named for the sixth consecutive year as one of Washington’s 25 “top lobbyists.” Thorsen is a founding partner of Thorsen French Advocacy, a boutique government relations firm.
Patricia Miller McEnery ’91, Line Lexington, and Cheryl Ruddock Leatherbarrow ’91, Pipersville, best friends since their University of Scranton days, both completed their doctoral degrees in Educational Leadership and Administration at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania.
Sharon Holmes Hartranft, M.Ed. ’95, Chalfont, has been appointed Science Department chair, starting in the 2019-2020 school year, at Archbishop Wood High School, where she teachers AP Environmental Science, Honors Forensic Science and Biology.
Daniel M. Stanislawczyk ’97, Lake Worth, Florida, was named president and CEO of Seagull Services, Inc.
Jonathan Miknis ’06, Dillsburg, graduated from Penn State University with a Master’s Degree in Nursing with the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Option in May 2019.
Adam Z. Rosinski, S.J. ’07, Raleigh, North Carolina, a Jesuit in the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus, was ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, June 8 at the Fordham University Church in the Bronx, New York. Father Rosinski’s first assignment as an ordained priest is to serve as parochial vicar at St. Raphael Catholic Church in Raleigh.
Dana M. Poloni ’11, Nazareth, was awarded the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in May 2019.
Christopher H. Nebzydoski ’12, Pleasant Mount, was awarded the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in May 2019.
Nicholas J. Minissale ’13, Neptune, New Jersey, was awarded the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in May 2019.
Deaths
Irving Cader ’39, Clarks Summit
Gerald P. Nolan, M.D. ’50, New Albany, Ohio
Edwin Utan ’50, Scranton
Perry L. Billington ’69, ’78, G’84, Flemington, New Jersey
Peter Loftus ’69, Waverly
Alex J. Poplawsky, Ph.D. ’70, Danville
Chris J. Fedele ’71, Covington Township
Timothy H. Gilroy ’78, Philadelphia
Lori Lewis Esposito ’86, Binghamton, New York
Sarah E. Fabricatore ’10, DunmoreBirths
A son, Peter Jia, to Na Na and Jonathan Miknis ’06, Dillsburg
Marriages
Susan Chrusciel ’04 to Nikitas Marangos
Alumni Class Notes, July 2019
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07/01/2019
The University of Scranton placed at No. 10 among the “Best Catholic Colleges and Universities” in America in a 2019 ranking that combines an average score from respected national publication rankings with an average score based on student reviews posted online. The ranking, published recently online by College Consensus, includes some of the most prestigious Catholic universities in America.
Scranton was the highest ranked Catholic university in Pennsylvania.
For the ranking, College Consensus calculated an “average rating score” for colleges based on national guidebook rankings, which include U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and others. College Consensus also calculated an “overall score” for colleges based on student reviews posted on multiple sites, including Niche.com. The “consensus ranking” combined both these scores.
This is the second consecutive year College Consensus ranked Scranton in the top 10 Catholic Colleges in the nation.
Niche.com also ranked Scranton among “Best Catholic Colleges in America,” placing Scranton at No. 14 in its 2019 national ranking. College Factual ranked Scranton No. 33 in its national 2019 “Best Roman Catholic Colleges” list and No. 2 in Pennsylvania for its state rankings of Catholic colleges.
The University of Scranton is ranked in all the above-mentioned publications, in addition to numerous other national “best college” rankings. U.S. News has ranked Scranton among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 25 consecutive years.
Scranton No. 10 Best Catholic College in U.S.
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06/05/2019
The University will hold its annual Reunion Weekend celebration June 7-9 on campus. Class years ending in "4" or "9" will celebrate their milestone years "together again, where it all began."
Friday, June 7
Registration will open at 2 p.m. on the first floor of the DeNaples Center and will remain open until 10 p.m. At 5 p.m., the Class of 1969 will gather together on the Dionne Green for a barbecue. At 7 p.m., the University and The Alumni Society will honor Tracy Farrell Bannon '84, P'10,'12,'13,'15 of Waverly, Rachele Mackin Browning '84 of Villanova, Jacquelyn Rasieleski Dionne '89 of Westport, Conn., Meigan B. Kelly '94 of Downingtown, Thomas J. McGonigle, Esq. '79 of Fairfax, Va., Daniel P. O'Toole, Esq. '89 of Oradell, N.J., Jason J. Sico, M.D. '99 of Guilford, Conn. and Ambassador James D. Walsh '69, H '01 of Sarasota, Fla., at the Frank J. O'Hara Alumni Awards Dinner Opening Celebration in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center. At 9 p.m., the Class of 1969 will gather in the Frank McDonnell Room (room 405) of the DeNaples Center for Cocktails and Conversation; also at 9 p.m., the University will hold its All-Class Welcome Reception at the Commons Flag Terrace in front of the Weinberg Memorial Library (in the event of rain, it will be held on the first floor of the DeNaples Center).
Saturday, June 8
Registration will once again open on the first floor of the DeNaples Center at 8:30 a.m. and will remain open until 7 p.m. From 9 a.m. to noon, alumni and their guests can rent complimentary bicycles on the DeNaples Center's patio to explore the wonders of the Electric City. At 10 a.m., the University will hold the Class of 1969 Memorial Service in the Sacred Heart Chapel. Also at 10 a.m., alumni and their guests can stop by the Commons Flag Terrace to board the Iggy Shuttle and take a tour of the Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J. Athletics Campus. Alumni interested in mentoring and/or networking with current students are encouraged to attend the Scranton Connections Presentation in the Frank McDonnell Room (room 405) of the DeNaples Center to learn how they can get involved with the newly-launched program. At 11 a.m., the University will hold a Royal Gathering for Band and Singer alumni and their guests in the Houlihan-McLean Center Band Room, for ROTC alumni and their guests in Hyland Hall's Veterans Lounge, for Domestic and International Service Trip alumni and their guests on the second floor lounge of the DeNaples Center, and for Orientation Assistant alumni and their guests on the second floor lounge of the DeNaples Center. At 12:30, the All-Class Family picnic will take place on the Dionne Green. At 3 p.m., a Campus Tour will depart from the second floor of the DeNaples Center. At 5 p.m., the invitation-only President's Reception will occur at the Estate Patio (in the event of rain, it will take place in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library). At 6 p.m., alumni and their guests will gather at the DeNaples Center Patio for Cocktails on the Commons. At 6:15 p.m., members of the Class of 1969 and their guests will gather in Brennan Hall's Pearn Auditorium for the Class of 1969 Medal Ceremony. At 7:30 p.m., members of each class and their guests will gather at their class dinners, and, after finishing their meals, will report to the DeNaples Center Patio to enjoy music, beer, wine, soda and snacks.
Sunday, June 9
The University will hold a Reunion Weekend Mass in Madonna della Strada Chapel at 9:30 a.m. From 10 a.m. to noon, the University will hold a Farewell Brunch at the Fresh Food Company on the third floor of the DeNaples Center.
For more information, visit scranton.edu/reunion.
Reunion Weekend Returns
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06/05/2019
The University will honor Philadelphia area basketball legend Speedy Morris with the Peter A. Carlesimo Award at the 2019 Carlesimo Golf Tournament and Award Dinner June 24 at the Philadelphia Cricket Club.
Morris has won more than 1,000 games as a coach at the collegiate and high school levels; he has also been inducted into 11 Halls of Fame and is the winningest coach in Philadelphia Catholic League history.
Since 2011, the Peter A. Carlesimo Award, named for the late University of Scranton head coach and director of athletics, has been presented to someone who has made special contributions to athletics and Catholic education. The Quandel Construction Group is the title sponsor for the event, which supports and enhances the student-athlete experience at Scranton.
Morris is the personification of what the Carlesimo Award stands for as he has been involved in Catholic athletics for more than 50 years, coaching basketball at both the high school and collegiate levels.
Morris began his career before even graduating high school when he was asked to lead the CYO team at St. John the Baptist Church in Manayunk, Pa., during his senior year in 1960.
Seven years later, he took over the boys’ varsity team at Roman Catholic High School, where he won a staggering 347 games in 14 seasons. After moving on to Penn Charter in 1982 and winning 41 more games, Morris was asked to coach the women’s program at La Salle University in 1984.
After coaching the Explorers women’s team for two seasons and posting a 43-17 record, Morris took over the men’s program in 1986 and became the first Division I level coach to lead both a men’s and women’s program at the same school.
As the men’s coach, Morris led La Salle to 238 victories, four NCAA Tournament appearances, four NIT bids, and four conference championships in 15 seasons. His best campaign came in the 1989-90 season, when Morris led the Explorers to a 30-2 record and a twelfth-place finish nationally in both major polls with a team that featured star players Lionel Simmons and Doug Overton.
In 2001, Morris left his position at La Salle as the winningest coach in program history and returned to the high school level, where he has coached the boys’ team at St. Joseph’s Prep for the last 18 seasons, winning more than 300 games at the school.
The 2017 recipient of the Morgan Wootten Award for lifetime achievement in coaching high school basketball, Morris is the only coach in Pennsylvania state high school basketball history to win over 300 or more games at two different schools. He is also a member of the Philadelphia Big Five Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 2010.
The Carlesimo Golf Tournament and Award Dinner is open to the public. For registration or additional information, please visit scranton.edu/carlesimoaward or call 570-941-7719.
University To Honor Speedy Morris With Carlesimo Award June 24
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06/04/2019The University of Scranton will hold a summer service project at the Gesu School, 1700 W Thompson St., Philadelphia, August 3. Registration will open in late June. Please contact alumni@scranton.edu for more information.
Scranton To Hold Service Project At Gesu School Aug. 3
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06/04/2019
The Scranton Club of New York will host a gathering at Yankee Stadium September 4 as the New York Yankees take on the Texas Rangers.
The event includes a ticket for Section 426 and admission to a pre-game reception on the Masterpass Batter's Eye Deck beginning at 5 p.m. Admission costs $74 per person. The pre-game reception will include Nathan's hot dogs, burgers, chicken tenders, fries, salads, draft beer, Pepsi products and Poland Spring Water. The game will begin at 6:35 p.m., and the gates to the stadium will open two hours prior to the game.
Visit this link to register for the event. For more information, contact Marge Gleason P'14, '17 at alumni@scranton.edu.
Scranton Club To Hold Yankee Game Reception Sept. 4
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06/04/2019
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Joseph C. O’Laughlin, D.O. ’71, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, was honored by the Michigan Association of Osteopathic Physicians for 40 years of service to the citizens of Michigan. O’Laughlin served as chief of Gastroenterology at Regional Medical Center, co-founded the Tri-County Center for Endoscopy and Surgery in Clinton Township, Michigan, and served as clinical associate professor of Medicine at Michigan State University. O’Laughlin performed more than 60,000 diagnostic and interventional gastrointestinal endoscopies during his career.
Melinda Ghilardi ’80, Dunmore, of Munley Law, will serve a three-year term as the unit county governor on the Pennsylvania Bar Association Board of Governors. Ghilardi’s term began in May 2019.
Mary Andrews Brown ’81, Maplewood, New Jersey, was one of this year’s four inductees into the DTC Advertising Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is designed to honor individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in the advancement of direct-to-consumer marketing.
Timothy Fox ’89, Fleetwood, earned his Ph.D. in Leadership from Alvernia University.
Anthony P. Trozzolillo ’84, Scranton, was selected for inclusion in 2019 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers List. Trozzolillo was selected in the category of Personal Injury, General: Defense.
Michelle Lindsey Karedes ’89, Endicott, New York, was promoted to senior director of Strategic Facility Planning at United Health Services. During her 20 years at the region’s largest health system, she has held a range of positions in management including most recently the system director of Oncology Services.
Joanna Prokosch Zucker ’92, Scottsdale, Arizona, joined PCA Skin Care, a Colgate Palmolive subsidiary, as their chief executive officer.
Christopher D. Pavuk ’94, Peckville, was selected for inclusion in 2019 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers List. Pavuk was selected in the category of workers’ compensation.
Christopher J. Williams ’94, Roseville, California, graduated on May 30 from the Harvard Graduate School of Education with a Doctor in Educational Leadership (DEL). His capstone (dissertation) concentrated on addressing chronic absenteeism within the context of the school district as an ecological system.
Timothy M. Gallen ’96, Hatfield, was appointed to the Finance Committee for the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, beginning September 2019.
Jennifer Menichini ’02, Pittston Township, a lawyer with the firm Joyce, Carmody and Moran PC, became the chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Young Lawyers Division in May.
Rachel Trommelen Wellons ’02, New Orleans, Louisiana, has been elected to the position of chair-elect for the Vestibular Rehabilitation Special Interest Group of the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy (ANPT). She will serve in this position during 2019-2020 and then move into the chair position in July 2020. Wellons is an assistant professor of Clinical Physical Therapy at LSU Heath.
Colin J. O’Boyle ’04, Plymouth Meeting, a shareholder at Elliott Greenleaf PC in Blue Bell, became the chair-elect of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Young Lawyers Division at the conclusion of the association’s annual meeting in May 2019.
David M. Linhares ’13, Scranton, was recently promoted to client delivery director for Conifer Health Solutions based in Frisco, Texas. Linhare will have both client services management and revenue cycle performance responsibilities for one of the company’s largest clients, Tenet Healthcare. Tenet Healthcare currently operates 65 acute care hospitals nationwide.
Deaths
Louis R. Pettinato ’54, Old Forge
Robert P. Holland ’56, Alpharetta, Georgia
Gregory J. Provell ’56, Toms River, New Jersey
Sylvester Chapa ’57, Scranton
Donald T. Hall ’62, Scranton
Bernard J. Walsh ’64, Downingtown
Leonard A. Gallo ’70, Scranton
Denise Christie Anhalt ’87, Newtown
Linda Bogle Thorbahn ’87, Malvern
BirthsA son, Lucius Enrico, to Greg and Jeanette Hand Archetto ’99, Warminster
A daughter, Kassia, to Chris ’08 andAllison Martyn Samuels ’08, Centennial, Colorado
A son, Evan Joseph, to Joseph ’08 and Kaitlyn O’Connor Yourkavitch ’09, G12, Reading
A daughter, Lily Josephine, to Paul ’12, G’12 and Kristin Leccese Luongo ’12, G’13, ScrantonMarriages
Morgan Mayenschein ’12 to Ryan Caviston ’15, G’17
Alexis Ribeiro ’15 to John Spadaro ’14
Friends' Deaths
Dianne Chapa, wife of Thaddeus Chapa ’62Alumni Class Notes, June 2019
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05/22/2019
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) recognized The University of Scranton’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program for “Innovations and Best Practices in Canada, Latin America and the United States.” Just 43 colleges from the two continents were included in the just-released publication that recognizes the “impactful ways” AACSB member schools are redefining business education.
AACSB recognized Scranton for providing a non-traditional research DBA in accounting that “promotes diversity and practice relevance by providing a flexible path for experienced practitioners to gain the knowledge and credentials required to succeed in tenure-track positions at AACSB-accredited institutions.”
The University developed its DBA program in accounting in response to the pending shortage of accounting faculty and The Pathways Commission on Accounting Higher Education of the American Accounting Association (AAA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) call to develop more flexible, non-traditional tracks to an accounting doctorate for experienced practitioners. AACSB also has recognized this need.
Several Scranton accounting faculty members researched and published several manuscripts in top-tier journals examining the national challenge as part of their research to develop the DBA program at the University.
The University’s DBA program in accounting, launched in the fall of 2017, was developed specifically to provide experienced practitioners with a practical, flexible pathway to an academic career, while still providing for the development of the knowledge and skill set necessary to become a “scholarly academic,” that is one who is most qualified to serve in a tenure-track position at a school of business that possesses or is seeking formal accreditation by AACSB International.
Douglas M. Boyle, DBA, associate professor, accounting department chair, and DBA program director at Scranton said the innovative doctorate program provides a flexible structure and practice relevance, in addition to training for teaching excellence.
“First, the program has a single concentration in accounting. This innovation enables the program participants to engage earlier and more deeply in research in the accounting discipline, thus better preparing them to publish in quality journals,” said Dr. Boyle. “Second, the program follows a cohort model and is delivered in a flexible manner through monthly on campus residencies, allowing participants to retain their professional positions and practice relevance. Third, the program includes faculty from Scranton and nationally recognized scholars from other AACSB institutions, serving as program advisors in the dissertation process. In addition to extensive coursework in business literature, theory and methods, the program also includes courses in the academic governance, teaching excellence, Jesuit pedagogy and applied research to address practice relevance.”
According to Dr. Boyle the DBA’s first three cohorts of 35 doctoral candidates represent a very diverse group of professionals with extensive practice experience. The majority of the candidates are female and over 20 percent represent individuals of color.
“This diversity far exceeds that of population of tenured faculty and senior accounting leaders in practice,” said Dr. Boyle. He also said the initial scholarly outcomes for the DBA students have included numerous conference presentations, proceeding and peer-reviewed publications, with several candidates already having published manuscripts in the top five practice journals.
05-22-19
AACSB Named DBA Program Among Best Practices
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05/20/2019
This article originally appeared in Challenges, the Panuska College of Professional Studies' newsletter.
Stephen Gadomski ’15 has been selected as a Gates Cambridge Scholar. Stephen, a current M.D./Ph.D. student at The Medical University of South Carolina, plans to study skeletal stem cells to improve stem cell therapies for skeletal disease.
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship program was created in 2000 through funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Scholars are selected for their outstanding intellectual ability, leadership potential, commitment to improving the lives of others, and the fit between the applicant’s qualifications/aspirations and the postgraduate programs at Cambridge.
Read Challenges, here.
Exercise Science Alumnus Selected for Gates Cambridge Scholar Program
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05/08/2019
The University's fifth annual 5.06 Day of Giving celebration was a resounding success, raising more than $450,000 for a host of University causes from nearly 2,700 donors.
From May 3 through May 6, the University held several events celebrating the Day of Giving, including regional happy hours in Philadelphia at The Field House, in New Jersey at Kilkenny House Restaurant & Pub, in New York at Printer's Alley and in Scranton at Backyard Ale House. Nearly 200 runners and walkers turned out for the second 5.06K Saturday morning at the Heritage Trail next to the Quinn Athletics Campus, and more than 100 runners and walkers completed the Virtual 5.06K over the weekend in solidarity with the Scranton event. The University also held its 5.06 Campus Headquarters celebration May 6 in the DeNaples Center featuring complimentary food, a DJ and a chance to win an array of prizes.
For more information on 5.06, visit scranton.edu/506.
5 Years Of 5.06
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05/01/2019
The University will hold a series of events celebrating 5.06, its annual Day of Giving, May 3-6.
This year, the University will try to reach its most ambitious goal yet: 2,506 donors. Interested parties can make their gifts by visiting scranton.edu/506, by texting 506Weekend to 71777, by visiting Campus Headquarters in the DeNaples Center May 6 or by running or walking in this year's 5.06K May 4 or Virtual 5.06K over the weekend. All Royals are encouraged to show their Scranton pride on 5.06 by wearing purple, following the Alumni Society on social media and sharing its posts and posting their favorite 5.06 Weekend photos to social media using #GiveToScrantON506.
Regional Happy Hours
The University will hold regional happy hours to kickoff 5.06 Weekend May 3 in Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York, and Scranton.
Royals in Philadelphia will gather together at 6 p.m. at the Field House, 1150 Filbert Street, Philadelphia,19107; visit this link to register for the event.
Royals in New Jersey will gather together at 6 p.m. at Kilkenny House Restaurant & Pub, 112 South Avenue East, Cranford, NJ; visit this link to register for the event.
Royals in New York will gather together at 6:30 p.m. at Printers Alley, 215 W 40th Street, New York, NY; visit this link to register for the event.
Royals in NEPA will gather at Backyard Ale House at 6 p.m., 523 Linden Street; visit this link to register for the event.
5.06K & Virtual 5.06K
The University will also hold a 5.06K family run/walk Saturday, May 4, at the Heritage Trail next to the Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus, and a Virtual 5.06k for Royals who are unable to make the campus event but would still like to participate. Participation in either race counts as a 5.06 gift. Visit this link to register for the 5.06K and visit this link to register for the Virtual 5.06k.
Campus Headquarters
On Monday, May 6, Royals who find themselves on campus will be able to make their gifts in person at 5.06 Headquarters in the DeNaples Center while enjoying complimentary popcorn and complimentary Rita's Italian Ice.
For more information on 5.06, visit scranton.edu/506.
5.06 Returns
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05/01/2019
The University of Scranton and the Alumni Society are proud to announce the honorees of the 2019 Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award.
The University will honor Tracy Farrell Bannon '84, P'10,'12,'13,'15 of Waverly, Rachele Mackin Browning '84 of Villanova, Jacquelyn Rasieleski Dionne '89 of Westport, Conn., Meigan B. Kelly '94 of Downingtown, Thomas J. McGonigle, Esq. '79 of Fairfax, Va., Daniel P. O'Toole, Esq. '89 of Oradell, N.J., Jason J. Sico, M.D. '99 of Guilford, Conn. and Ambassador James D. Walsh '69, H '01 of Sarasota, Fla.
The Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest award bestowed jointly by the University and the Alumni Society. The award honors select alumni who embody Scranton's Catholic and Jesuit experience and who have achieved distinction in their professional or personal endeavors. Honorees are selected based on the nominees' commitment to Ignatian values and their pursuit of professional and personal excellence. To share a congratulatory message with this year's honorees, visit this link.
The honorees will receive their awards Friday, June 7, during Reunion Weekend. For more information on this year's event, contact margery.gleason@scranton.edu.
University Announces 2019 O'Hara Award Honorees
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05/01/2019
The President’s Business Council (PBC) will present JoAnne M. Kuehner H’01 and Carl J. Kuehner ’62, H’11 with the President’s Medal at its 18th Annual Award Dinner Thursday, Oct. 10, at The Pierre Hotel in New York City.
JoAnne M. Castrogiovanni Kuehner H’01 is a native of Dunmore and an honorary doctorate degree recipient in the University’s Class of 2001. In 1990 she founded Hope for Haiti and has devoted the past 30 years of her “time, treasure and talent to helping the poorest of the poor.” Hope for Haiti is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for the Haitian people, particularly children, through education, nutrition and healthcare. She recently published “Oh, for the Love of Haiti!”, a memoir in which she shares personal experiences with the people and communities that benefit from Hope for Haiti’s long-term partnerships. (Visit this link to read more from a recent RoyalNews article about JoAnne’s experiences.)
In 2011, she stepped down from her formal CEO role at Hope for Haiti but remains an active member of the organization’s board of directors. She is a former Gulfshore Life Woman of the Year honoree and is a current member of the Board of Visitors of the Panuska College for Professional Studies (PCPS).
Carl J. Kuehner ’62, H’11 is a native of North Scranton and the president of Real Estate Technology Corporation, a diversified real estate and investment firm based in Florida. Under his direction, Real Estate Technology Corp. has developed, among its many projects, low-income farm worker housing at sites in Collier County, Fla., where he has served in a variety of positions with Immokalee Non-Profit Housing, Inc. In recognition of his long-term dedication to Immokalee Non-Profit Housing, a community center was dedicated in his name in 2008. In 2010, he was honored with the Greater Naples Leadership Service Award. Over the years, he has served on several corporate and non-profit boards, including Gertrude Hawk Chocolates and The University of Scranton Board of Trustees, where he served as chairman from 2007 to 2009.
Carl received his bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering at the University while also participating in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), where he was honored with the Reserved Officers’ Association Award Medal. In 2011, the University awarded him an honorary doctorate degree. He also holds a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
Together, the Kuehners have been active, long-term participants and philanthropists in their communities beyond their commitment to Hope for Haiti. They established the Scranton chapter of the Order of Malta and have spent 20 years serving as a knight and a dame in this lay Catholic order, whose ministry is to care for the poor and the sick of the world. They were lay chairs for the Wayne-Pike region for the Diocese of Scranton 2018 Annual Appeal. Their commitment to the University, to the Pride, Passion, Promise Capital Campaign and to University leadership was commemorated with the naming of Kuehner Hall in the Loyola Science Center in 2012. In the fall of 2018, the University also dedicated “A Place of Solitude” on the second floor of McGurrin Hall, an enclosed space featuring a running fountain and a living wall that provides a quiet, welcoming area for students, faculty and staff to reflect, pray and discern. The space was dedicated to JoAnne’s and Carl’s parents, as well as to the parents of PCPS Dean Debra Pellegrino, Ed.D. The Kuehners, who reside in Lake Ariel and Naples, Fla., have four children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
In presenting the President’s Medal, the University and the PBC recognize individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others. The proceeds from the Annual Award Dinner go directly to the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund. The black-tie gala is a wonderful celebration of Scranton and of honorees whose lifetime achievements reflect the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service. Through its 17 dinners, the PBC has generated over $14 million for the scholarship fund. Joseph ’65, G’68 and Mimi Castrogiovanni, JoAnne’s brother and sister-in-law, will co-chair this year’s gala.
The PBC Dinner Kickoff Receptions will be held Tuesday, June 4, in New York City, Tuesday, June 11, in Philadelphia and on a June date to-be-determined in Scranton. Each networking reception will include a University update and remarks from the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., University president, as well as a chance to meet this year’s honorees. For more information on the PBC, the Dinner Kickoff Receptions, and the ways to participate in this year’s dinner, please contact Timothy J. Pryle ’89, executive director, at (570) 941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu. Visit the PBC website at scranton.edu/pbc.
Kuehners To Receive President's Medal
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05/01/2019The University of Scranton will hold its annual Reunion Weekend June 7-9. To register for the event, visit scranton.edu/reunion.
Class years ending in "4" or "9" will celebrate their milestone years. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your reunion, please contact alumni@scranton.edu.
Reminder: Register Today For Reunion Weekend
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05/01/2019
The Scranton Club of the Lehigh Valley will hold a miniature golf tournament May 31 at 6:30 p.m. at Putt U, 5201 PA-309, Center Valley.
The low score will win the Thomas Dunn Trophy. Families are welcome to stay after the event for beverages and ice cream. Adults will adjourn to The Copperhead Grille in Center Valley
for food and drink after the tournament.There is a $6 registration fee per person for the event. To register, visit this link.For more information, contact Ted Wolf '74 at twolff1@ptd.net or 610.769.8027.
Scranton Club Of The Lehigh Valley To Hold Mini Golf Tournament May 31
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05/01/2019
The Scranton Club of New Jersey will hold A Day At The Races at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey, June 23.
Place your bets on the horses while catching up with your fellow Royals. Gates will open for this family-friendly event at 11:30 a.m., where alumni and friends will gather at a reserved picnic are at the park. Registration ($20 for adults and children 13 or over, $10 for children 3-12 and free for children under 3) includes park admission, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, salads, watermelon, kids' chicken fingers and fries, soda and bottled water. Draft beer is also included for guests 21 or older. Admission also includes free park activities, including pony rides, a bounce house, and live music.
Visit this link to register. For more information, contact alumni@scranton.edu.
Reminder: University To Hold Day At The Races June 23
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05/01/2019
The University of Scranton will hold an Alumni Happy Hour in Berks County Friday, May 10, at 5 p.m. at Third & Spruce, 238 S. 3rd Avenue in Reading.
The event will feature complimentary appetizers and a cash bar. Visit this link to register today.
University To Hold Alumni Happy Hour In Berks County May 10
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05/01/2019
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Karen Kraynak Creamer ’80, Swedesboro, New Jersey, has been promoted to vice-president, BU Operations Management at Syneos Health Clinical. Syneos Health, with headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina, is a global, fully-integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization that helps customers improve and accelerate the delivery of therapies that impact health worldwide.
Cathy J. Toner ’89, Downingtown, was promoted to assistant dean, Talent & Staff Development, Community & External Outreach at the Villanova School of Business at Villanova University.
Eric D. Brophy ’92, Wall, New Jersey, was named executive director of the New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority on September 10, 2018.
Brian Shahum ’00, Portland, Oregon, joined the Brown & Brown NW (BBNW) team as an insurance broker in their Commercial Lines team. Shahum brings with him over three years of experience in Portland’s commercial real estate market and over 12 years of domestic and international insurance claim knowledge. His focus at BBNW will be growing a portfolio of commercial customers and focusing on delivering exceptional service and solutions to his clients’ insurance needs.
Elena Habersky ’13, Dallas, was awarded a fellowship grant through the American University in Cairo and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to conduct ethnographic research in Uganda during March 2019. Habersky’s project examines how African refugee populations, namely Congolese and Darfuri communities, assemble, become, and escape in urban settings from Amman to Cairo to Kampala. Her research hopes to show how migration within the Global South changes the humanitarian governments and societies in which these refuges reside. During her month in Uganda, she was able to connect with Father Henry Mulindwa ’07, a local Diocesan priest and Scranton alumnus whom she met in January 2013 on the Christianity in Africa travel course.
April Francia ’15, Philadelphia, gained admission to the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
Deaths
Wyland W. Snyder ’42, Simi Valley, California
Dominick A. Cruciani, Jr., M.D. ’54, Clarks Green
Harry J. Nageli, Jr. ’56, G’65, Kingston
Arthur J. DeNero ’58, Naples, Florida
William Glennon ’58, Wall, New Jersey
Anthony P. Emmi ’61, Scranton
John A. Klebauskas ’68, Scranton
Ronald J. Amorino ’69, Ridgewood, New Jersey
Louis Slonina ’69, Dupont
Joseph A. Coleman, Jr. ’72, Avoca
Robert D. Boyle ’76, Madison, New Jersey
Raymond K. Stives ’76, San Diego, California
Kevin J. May ’79, Roaring Brook Township
Philip E. Lonergan ’81, DallasBirths
A daughter, Genevieve Cerise, to Amy and Sean Buggy ’92, Philadelphia
A daughter, Savannah Livingston, to Peter ’06 and Ashley Ferguson Buechner ’07, G’09, Sparta, New Jersey
A daughter, Elliot Marilu, to Thomas and Stephanie Tantum Conserette ’08, G’18, Yardley
A son, Aiden Alexander, to Pete and Taylor Ainley Daniele ’09, Dumont, New Jersey
A son, Theodore Robert, to Joseph ’10 and Mallory O’Hara DeLullo ’10, Newport News, VirginiaMarriages
Christina Guariglia ’10 to Ryan Auld ’10
Molly Furlan ’13 to Patrick Cassidy ’13
Allison Keller ’96 to Shawn Coleman
Adria DeSimone ’11 to Michael Lampman ’11
Meghan Giunta ’13 to Eric Buonpastore ’13
Shannon O’Gorman ’15 to Jonathan Grueter ’14
Kristen Kispert ’16 to Ralph Petagna ’16,G’17Friends’ Deaths
Gretel Bush, mother of Peter M. Bush ’79
Patricia Cox, mother of Jack Cox ’80 and grandmother of Tim Cox ’13 and Jacquelyn Guida ’14
Jane Feeney, mother of Eugene Feeney ’84
Nicole Orue and Georgia Orue, daughters of John Orue ’81Alumni Class Notes, May 2019
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04/30/2019
This article originally appeared in the spring 2019 issue of the Latin American and Women's Studies newsletter.
Many of you might be wondering what one might do with a degree that states you studied Latin American Studies, Spanish or any major that blends these interrelated fields of studies. Well, I am here to say that Latin American Studies is a way of living with a diverse and broad perspective. It is a form of seeing cultures, societies and life throughout the world as it is. It serves as a foundation that is bolstered by one’s own lived experiences and the sharing of others’ experiences. As an International Jesuit Volunteer in Andahuaylillas, Peru (only an hour from Cusco), I have found the content that inspired artists, writers and Peruvians such as Gustavo Gutierrez, Mario Vargas Llosa and Julio Ramón Ribeyro. All of this is shared through daily conversation, uninterrupted and drawn out dinners, and in the general rhythm and music of the Peruvian lifestyle.
To be able to serve in such a diverse place is truly a privilege and gift that is made more profound because of Latin American Studies. My role is to work on the Pastoral division of Fe y Alegria 44, which is a public Jesuit school located in rural and underserved population areas throughout Peru and 17 other countries. I am to assist in religion classes and liturgical planning for their primary and secondary school, and I will help develop an Ignatian Sports Program aimed at inculcating Ignatian values through the medium of sport. It is apparent that my time in Prof. Jaime Meilan del Rio’s 311 Conversational Spanish course will come in handy, but to have Dr. Yamile Silva’s Soccer is Passion course this past year will prove to be very helpful outside of the classroom as well!
While Latin American Studies might not be the easiest thing to explain to potential employers or skeptical parents, programs such as this one provide openness to appreciate the different flavors of wherever life may take you. Here in Peru, sometimes that “flavor” can be interpreted literally with
dishes like ceviche, pollo a la brasa and yes, even the cuy.Read more from the Latin American and Women's Studies newsletter, here.
Life as an International Jesuit Volunteer in Peru
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04/16/2019
Three days after the public release of the Pennsylvania grand jury report detailing sexual abuse by Catholic priests in the Commonwealth, The New York Times published an opinion column about the findings by University alumna Kathleen Sprows Cummings, Ph.D., ’93, ’G93, the director of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism at the University of Notre Dame.
The “masterful opinion article captured so well what I and so many other Catholics were feeling in that moment,” said University of Scranton President Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., who presented Dr. Cummings with the University’s Pedro Arrupe, S.J., Award for Distinguished Contributions to Ignatian Mission and Ministry Award at a ceremony on campus April 11.
“(B)eyond the righteous anger channeled in your words you did something more. You spoke to the holiness that yet abides in the church and always will … You also offered words of example for how the church could speak to the shaken faithful and to souls shattered by the sins of abuse and complicity,” said Father Pilarz at the ceremony. He said that her New York Times column was among the inspirations for the University’s formation of the Task Force on Healing, Reconciliation and Hope.
“We are proud today to shine the light on the magnificent work you have done throughout your scholarly career and, most recently, for the voice you give to us all in a dark hour,” said Father Pilarz.
A well-respected scholar who has written extensively on gender and the ways in which women have shaped American Catholic history, Dr. Cummings also frequently appears as a media commentator on contemporary events in the Church, such as NBC’s live coverage of the canonization of Popes John Paul II and John XXIII, and Pope Francis’ historic visit to the United States. Her books include the recently published “A Saint of Our Own: How the Quest for a Holy Hero Helped Catholics Become American” and “New Women of the Old Faith: Gender and American Catholicism in the Progressive Era,” which won three 2009 Catholic Press Association Awards.
At the ceremony, Dr. Cummings spoke fondly of her years at Scranton, of the friendships made and of the “transformative” influence of her professors and mentors, such as Susan Poulson, Ph.D.; Rev. Ronald McKinney, S.J.; E. Springs Steele, Ph.D., Stephen Whittaker, Ph.D.; and William Parente, Ph.D. Dr. Cummings also spoke of Rev. Bernard McIlhenny, who admitted her to the University and encouraged her to enroll in its Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program. She thanked him for seeing “something in a 17-year-old girl that she could not see in herself and for guiding her to a place that would teach her again and again how to pay careful attention to the moments when God might be calling her to seek more.”
“Jesuits, and those who boast about having been educated by them, are not placeholders. We’re not wardens of established norms, but those who continue to ask difficult questions about our world, about justice and peace, and about what it means to be a human being. It was the principles I internalized during my four years here more than anything else that transformed me from a person who hid behind books into a person who writes them; from a girl who struggled to find her voice into a woman who tries to use that voice to amplify the voices silenced in the past and the present by sexism, misogyny and by injustice,” said Dr. Cummings.
The Arrupe Award is named in honor of the late Very Rev. Pedro Arrupe, S.J., the superior general of the Society of Jesus from 1965 to 1983, and is intended to further his vision by recognizing men and women for outstanding contributions in a wide variety of Ignatian-inspired ministries. The University instituted the annual Arrupe Award in 1995.
The citation of Dr. Cumming’s Arrupe Award reads in part: “Dr. Cummings has dedicated her life to deepening our understanding of what it means to be Catholic and has provided us with an example of how to live up to our responsibility as a Catholic university dedicated to the pursuit of faith and justice and the search for truth.”
Scranton Alumna Receives Arrupe Award
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04/03/2019
The University of Scranton will celebrate its annual Alumni Day of Service Saturday, April 13.
This initiative, coordinated through the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement, provides alumni, parents and friends around the nation with a shared service opportunity to demonstrate the life-changing and enduring power of a Jesuit education.
Royals will serve their communities at the following sites:
Harrisburg: Central PA Food Bank
Northeast PA: Weinberg Food Bank
Philadelphia: Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission
West Chester: West Chester Food Cupboard
Camden, New Jersey: Cathedral Kitchen
Hillside, New Jersey: Community Food Bank of New Jersey
Washington, D.C.: Capital Area Food BankFor more information on the Day of Service, visit scranton.edu/dayofservice.
Scranton Day Of Service Returns
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04/02/2019
Beginning in the fall 2019 semester, The University of Scranton will offer a post-graduate Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study. Applications are currently being accepted for the 18-credit program for professionals working in psychology, education, child care, occupational therapy, speech and language disorders, and counseling. The program will prepare students to meet the requirements needed to take the Behavior Analysis Certification Board examination. The course work is currently under review by the Association of Applied Behavioral Analysis International (ABAI).
According to the CDC, the estimated prevalence of children who live with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one in fifty-nine. In response to this increased need, a multi-year, multi-million regional initiative, announced by AllOne Foundation in 2018, intends to enhance the service delivery system for individuals with ASD and their families living in 13 counties in Northeastern and North Central Pennsylvania. The University will serve as the executive hub of five Autism Collaborative Centers of Excellence.
The University’s hub will be a family friendly place for information and referral. The hub also has three state-of-the-art assessment labs to aide in education and training of the graduate students, as well as for evaluation purposes.
“The University is committed to working with the AllOne Foundation and community partners in building a community of care for children with ASD and their families by offering family friendly hubs for information and referral, identifying gaps in services, and increasing the number of skilled professionals through the Applied Behavior Analysis certificate program who can offer proven evidence-based interventions,” said Debra A. Pellegrino, Ed.D., dean of the Panuska College of Professional Studies.
Applicants to the post-graduate program must meet master degree, G.P.A. and other requirements for admittance. For additional information, contact Lori Bruch, Ed.D., chair of the Department of Counseling and Human Services, at Lori.Bruch@scranton.edu, or Caitlyn Hollingshead, director of graduate and international admissions, at Caitlyn.Hollingshead@scranton.edu or 570-941-6202.
New Post-Graduate Certificate Offered at Scranton
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04/02/2019
The University of Scranton will hold regional happy hours to celebrate 5.06 Weekend in Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York, and Scranton.
This year marks five years of 5.06, the University's annual Day of Giving celebration. The happy hours, which will all take place Friday, May 3, will serve as kick-off events for the weekend's festivities.
Royals in Philadelphia will gather together at 6 p.m. at the Field House, 1150 Filbert Street, Philadelphia,19107; visit this link to register for the event.
Royals in New Jersey will gather together at 6 p.m. at Kilkenny House Restaurant & Pub, 112 South Avenue East, Cranford, NJ; visit this link to register for the event.
Royals in New York will gather together at 6:30 p.m. at Printers Alley, 215 W 40th Street, New York, NY; visit this link to register for the event.
Royals in NEPA will gather at Backyard Ale House at 6 p.m., 523 Linden Street; registration will open soon.
The University will also hold several other 5.06 Weekend events, including a 5.06K family run/walk Saturday, May 4, at the Heritage Trail next to the Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus, and a Virtual 5.06k for Royals who are unable to make the campus event but would still like to participate. Participation in either race counts as a 5.06 gift. Visit this link to register for the 5.06K and visit this link to register for the Virtual 5.06k.
For more information on 5.06 Weekend, visit this link.
University Announces 5.06 Regional Happy Hours, 5.06Ks
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04/02/2019
The Scranton Club of New Jersey will hold A Day At The Races at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey, June 23.
Place your bets on the horses while catching up with your fellow Royals. Gates will open for this family-friendly event at 11:30 a.m., where alumni and friends will gather at a reserved picnic are at the park. Registration ($20 for adults and children 13 or over, $10 for children 3-12 and free for children under 3) includes park admission, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, salads, watermelon, kids' chicken fingers and fries, soda and bottled water. Draft beer is also included for guests 21 or older. Admission also includes free park activities, including pony rides, a bounce house, and live music.
Visit this link to register. For more information, contact alumni@scranton.edu.
University To Hold Day At The Races At Monmouth Park June 23
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04/02/2019
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Linda Albrechta Garbade ’84, Conklin, New York, was honored by the Catholic Schools of Broome County with the 2019 Richard Bucci Excellence in Teaching award.
Kelly Thompson-Brazill ’99, Raleigh, North Carolina, was appointed director of the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program at Georgetown University’s School of Nursing and Health Studies in January 2019.
Jacqueline DeFilippis ’08, Somerset, New Jersey, a school counselor at the Samuel E. Shull Middle School in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, was recognized as the 2018-2019 Governor’s Educational Services Professional of the Year. This is DeFilippis’ second time achieving this award.
Daisy Vélez, Psy.D. ’09, Norfolk, Virginia, earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from La Salle University. Vélez specialized in health psychology by completing her internship in medical/health psychology at University of Florida and residency in consultation and liaison psychology at Jackson Health System in Miami. She recently earned her license and is a psychologist at the Hampton VA Medical Center in Virginia.
Deaths
Eugene J. Harrison ’51, Archbald
Lewis C. Druffner, Jr., M.D. ’55, Avoca
Joseph A. Lavelle, Ph.D. ’58, Coopersburg
Joseph H. Tolan ’58, Dunmore
Joseph G. (Jerry) Coolican ’60, Whitesboro, New York
Martin L. Wimmer, D.D.S. ’65, Bridgewater, New Jersey
Frank M. Radaszewski ’67, Wilkes-Barre
Michael Leddy, D.M.D. ’72, St. Lawrence
Michael T. Savitsky ’81, Glenburn Township
Kevin McDonnell ’95, LaflinMarriages
Sarah Gibbons ’13 to James Olechna ’12
Friends' Deaths
William Walsh, father of Scott Walsh ’86 and Tracey Walsh ’89Alumni Class Notes, April 2019
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03/27/2019
Performance Music at The University of Scranton will welcome back some multitalented alumni for its Saturday, April 6, concert.
That evening, The University of Scranton Jazz Band will be joined on stage by The Alumni Blues Doctors, made up of Scranton graduates and Performance Music alumni Drs. Christian Adonizio ’92, Bernard J. Costello ’91, Christopher Newman ’94 and Matthew Stopper ’99.
The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the University’s Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.
The concert is being sponsored by the family of the late Michael Zaboski Sr., in celebration of his life and love of music. The late Zaboski’s son is University Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and External Affairs Gerald C. Zaboski ’87, G ’95, one of several Zaboski family members who have performed in the University’s choirs and bands. The late Mr. Zaboski’s grandson Gared is a 2018 graduate student who plays saxophone in the University’s jazz band, and Gared’s brother Kyle is a sophomore at Scranton.
Though the University has no music major, countless talented student musicians have played for Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga during her 38-plus years at Scranton. And it just so happens that many of those alumni happen to be physicians, she said.
All four Alumni Blues Doctors will have featured solos at the concert, according to Boga.
“They all were and remain excellent musicians. And Chris Newman continues to play professionally all over the place with orchestras and bands,” Boga said. “These are like my kids coming home. I’m so excited about this, I can’t even tell you.”
Dr. Adonizio is a board-certified hematologist/oncologist who practices at Geisinger Medical Center. He serves as the medical director for oncology innovation and analytics and the director for cancer care delivery research, as well as a clinical professor of medicine, at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.
Dr. Costello is a board-certified surgeon who serves as dean and professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, chief of pediatric oral and maxillofacial surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and a surgeon with the Cleft and Craniofacial Center.
Dr. Newman is a board-certified internal medicine specialist who is the chief medical officer and vice president of medical affairs at Penn State Health/St. Joseph’s, and the executive director of St. Joseph’s Medical Group. A professional musician, he performs with numerous bands, orchestras and chamber music ensembles throughout the Northeast.
Dr. Stopper is a cardiologist and electrophysiologist at Great Valley Cardiology, specializing in the comprehensive treatment of cardiac arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation. He is board certified in clinical cardiac electrophysiology, cardiovascular diseases, internal medicine, nuclear cardiology and adult echocardiography.
The University of Scranton Jazz Band is a 25-member ensemble of big band instrumentation, made up of University student musicians from majors spanning the curriculum. The band performs four or more times per year, with the majority of its performances free of charge and open to the public.
For further information on the concert, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music.
Alumni Blues Doctors to Perform with Jazz Band
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03/12/2019
The University of Scranton online master’s in accountancy program (MAcc) ranked No. 1, No. 3, No. 4 (twice) and No. 7 in five separate 2019 “Best Online Programs in Accounting” lists.
Best Colleges ranked the University’s program No. 1 in the nation in its ranking of the “Top 25 Programs for a Master’s in Accounting Online for 2019.” The list by Best Colleges, an independent college information website, equally weighted information on a school’s admissions rate, student loan default rate, retention rate, graduation rate and the percent of students enrolled in online classes, to determine its ranking.
Best College Reviews, an online college review journal, ranked Scranton No. 3 in the nation in its list of the “40 Best Online Master’s Degrees in Accounting.” Best College Reviews ranked the schools according to points awarded for “relevant accounting courses that apply well in the accounting job market (1-5 point range), awards or other noted recognition in the field (1-4 point range), faculty expertise with terminal degrees in the field (1-4 points), flexibility of degree track (1-3 points), quality of online interface and resources (1-3 points) and an additional point was awarded for features of particular distinction.”
Master’s Program Guide ranked Scranton No. 4 list of the “50 Best Online Master of Accounting Degrees.” The methodology used by the online college information source first looked at top programs recognized in sources such as U.S. News and World Report, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The publication then ranked the schools based on affordability (25 percent), accreditation and commendation (25 percent), student satisfaction and support services (25 percent) and online accessibility (25 percent).
Accounting Degree Review ranked Scranton No. 4 in the nation in its list of the “Top 50 Online Master’s Degrees in Accounting.” According to the online information source for prospective accounting and finance students, the 2019 ranking is based on publicly available information regarding reputation, prestige, student satisfaction, affordability and value.
College Choice ranked Scranton No. 7 in its “Best Online Master’s in Accounting” list. The ranking by online college search source only included accredited institutions. The University’s Kania School of Management holds accreditation by the rigorous standards of AACSB International. Schools were then ranked based on quality factors (20 percent), such as graduation rate and faculty credentials; reputation (20 percent), based on the school’s ranking in US News, Financial Times and other sources; affordability (20 percent), based on net price calculation and average student loan size; value (20 percent) based on a return on investment (ROI) score; and satisfaction (20 percent), based on retention and reviews logged on Rate My Professor, Niche and other online sources.
In addition, Online Schools Center, an online college information source, listed Scranton among the “Top 15 Online Master’s of Management Accounting.” Schools were not ranked in the listing of just the top online accounting programs in the nation. The list was determined based on program criteria (50 percent), such as the percentage of the program that can be completed online and retention rates; ancillary services (30 percent), such as career services and post-graduate career placement; and school criteria (20 percent), such as accreditation and other recognition.
Scranton offers online master’s degrees in accountancy, finance, health administration, health informatics and human resources, as well as online MBA degrees in general business, accounting, enterprise resource planning, finance, healthcare management, human resources, international business and operations management; and a dual MBA/MHA degree, in addition to graduate certificates. For technology, recruitment and marketing support, the University partners with Wiley for the online programs.
Online Master of Accounting Tops Best Lists
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03/06/2019
The 11th annual Shamrockin’ Eve will return to the Byron Center Friday, March 8, at 8:30 p.m. The yearly event will unite alumni from the classes of 2009-2018 with current seniors to celebrate one of Scranton's favorite traditions with a live band, photo booth, and a sea of green t-shirts in support of student scholarships at the University.
In 2009, the University held its first Shamrockin' Eve. The event was founded by a group of young alumni who wanted to reconnect with Scranton and each other prior to their five-year class reunion. It quickly evolved into an opportunity for current seniors and recent graduates to contribute to the success of future University students.
Alumni can register online for $35 through Thursday, March 7 at 8 p.m.; alumni may also register as walk-ins at the event for $40. Seniors must register online for $30 by March 7 at 8 p.m. as senior walk-ins will not be admitted.
For more information, visit scranton.edu/shamrock or contact Alex Maier, assistant director of Annual Giving, at alexandra.maier@scranton.edu.
Shamrockin' Eve Returns
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03/06/2019
University President Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., has announced that Francis J. Pearn ’83, P’16, managing director and global chief compliance officer at JPMorgan Chase & Co., will serve as the new chair of the President’s Business Council (PBC). A former vice chair of the University’s Board of Trustees and the recipient of the University’s President’s Medal at the PBC’s 2015 Annual Award Dinner, Pearn is a founding member of the PBC Executive Committee. He succeeds Patricia Byrnes Clarke ’86, P’17,’19, chief talent officer at Havas, who served as PBC chair since 2016.
“As we transition in a new PBC chair, I first want to thank Patti Clarke for her dedication to and leadership of the PBC over the past six years, serving three as vice chair and three as chair. I look forward to continuing to work with Patti in her role as a member of the Board of Trustees,” Pilarz said. “I am delighted that Frank has agreed to serve as PBC chair. Frank has been actively engaged with the University in a variety of leadership roles for the past several years. I am grateful that he will continue to serve the University and move us forward as PBC chair.”
The President’s Business Council was launched in January 2001 to provide networking opportunities for alumni and friends, to promote engagement with University students and to inspire philanthropy in support of the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund. These objectives remain at the core of the PBC and are relevant ways for alumni, parents
and friends to meaningfully connect with the University and its students as a way of strengthening the Scranton network in and beyond the business sectors.“The PBC provided a wonderful opportunity for me to re-engage with the University as well as to connect with students and more alumni. I never expected to be so involved, but I have been very fortunate and enriched by those experiences,” said Pearn. “I look forward to adding to the PBC legacy as we meaningfully engage more alumni with the University.”
During the academic year, the PBC conducts student networking trips to Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. These trips provide a unique opportunity for current students to travel to one of these cities to discover more about the industries represented as well as to meet and network with PBC members and other regional alumni and friends. In conjunction with the University’s Kania School of Management (SOM), the PBC coordinates the Career Coaches program which matches a student with a business executive in a player/coach relationship to further strengthen the student’s soft skills in preparation for internship and career opportunities. Since October 2002, the PBC has held its Annual Award Dinner at The Pierre in New York City. The black-tie gala has established itself as one of the marquee events of the year and has generated over $15 million for the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund. This year’s 18th Annual Award Dinner will be held on Thursday, Oct. 10.
For more information on the PBC and the ways to become more involved, please contact Tim Pryle ’89 at (570) 941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu, and visit our website at www.scranton.edu/pbc.
President's Business Council Announces New Chair
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03/05/2019
The University of Scranton will hold a Legacy Reception for alumni parents and grandparents of accepted students and their families during Preview Day March 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library. Lite fare and refreshments will be served at the event.
Preview Day is an opportunity for prospective students and their families to interact with the University more personally and find their footing on campus. This reception is an opportunity for students and their families who share the Scranton connection to meet each other and enjoy all that the University has to offer. If you would like to attend, please notify the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement at alumni@scranton.edu or 570-941-5997.
University To Hold Legacy Reception On Preview Day
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03/05/2019
Registration for Reunion Weekend 2019 will open March 11. To register for the event, visit scranton.edu/reunion.
Class years ending in "4" or "9" will celebrate their milestone years June 7-9 at Reunion Weekend 2019. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your reunion, please contact alumni@scranton.edu.
Reunion Weekend Registration To Open March 11
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03/05/2019
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Brian J. Benedetti ’78, Wilkes-Barre, was elected chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Everhart Museum in Scranton.
Patricia Savage, Ph.D. G’89, Hollidaysburg, was named one of Pennsylvania Business Central’s 2019 Top Pennsylvania Women in Business CEOs. Savage is President/CEO of Allegheny Lutheran Social Ministries.
Kathleen Zelno ’99, G’04, Los Angeles, California, received the 2019 Program Assessment and Evaluation Corporate Excellence Award from Lockheed Martin Corp., Washington, D.C.
Jonathan Poplawsky, Ph.D. ’07, Knoxville, Tennessee, a materials scientist at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, developed and linked advanced characterization techniques that improve our ability to see and understand atomic-scale features of diverse materials for energy and information technologies. Poplawsky’s article, “Probing Materials To Improve Energy And Information Technologies,” was published by the U.S. Department of Energy Science News, January 2019 edition.
Alexander Zygmunt, M.D. ’12, Cincinnati, Ohio, was named to the ten-member Residents and Fellow Board of the Journal of Child Neurology. Zygmunt earned his medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine in 2019 and is currently a resident in child neurology at Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital.
Stephen Gadomski ’15, Charleston, South Carolina, was awarded a 2019 Gates-Cambridge Scholarship. The Gates-Cambridge Scholarship is awarded to the most academically outstanding and socially committed United States citizens. There are thirty-four scholars selected to be part of the 2019 class of Gates-Cambridge Scholars at the University of Cambridge.
DeathsManuel Finkelstein, Ph.D. ’50, North Adams, Massachusetts
John Tully, D.D.S. ’55, Gettysburg
Charles E. Rome ’56, West Pittston
Basil M. Castner ’58, Sewickley
Joseph M. Lombardo Sr., M.D. ’60, Pittston
John G. Voytko ’65, Spring Brook Township
James W. Summers ’67, Issaquah, Washington
Alexander J. Marker III ’69, Spring Brook Township
Hugh K. Murray ’69, Honesdale
Frank G. Ryczak Sr. ’71, Scott Township
James W. Powers ’72, Arlington, Texas
Lenore Schimes ’78, G’81, Scranton
Joseph Heitman III ’79, Spring Brook Township
Edward N. Sledziewski ’09, FlourtownBirths
A son, Connor Matthew, to Matthew and Victoria Swift Mound ’02, Morris Plains, New Jersey
Marriages
Sean Gibney ’09 to Jessica Moore G’13
Ariel Ruggiero ’12 to Timothy McKeever ’12
Friends’ Deaths
Blaise Davis, son of Annie and Andrew Davis '06, nephew of Bobby Davis '03, Claire Davis '08, Bobby '13, G'14 and Christine Della Polla '13, G'16, and David Miller '18
Thomas Kelly, father of Stephen C. Kelly ’91Alumni Class Notes, March 2019
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03/05/2019
The Medical Alumni Council will host the 2019 Medical Alumni Symposium March 30 in the PNC Auditorium of the Loyola Science Center.
The day-long event will give medical professionals the chance to connect with University alumni working in the medical field; it will also feature presentations on an array of CME topics from accomplished alumni, updates on the University, and time to reminisce and network. While the day is primarily designed for University alumni, it is also open to colleagues who are not University alumni. The symposium is open to both physicians and advanced practice clinicians.
The symposium will feature the following presenters and topics:
Thomas Loughney, M.D., FACP, FACG '85, Associate Professor of Medicine, Director of Gastroenterology, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
TOPIC: Colon Cancer Screening in the US 2019
Maria Gubbiotti, M.D./Ph.D. candidate '11, M.D./Ph.D. candidate (degree anticipate May 2019) at Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University
TOPIC: Novel Markers to Predict Response and/or Outcome to Immunotherapy for Glioblastoma: Exploring the Tumor Microenvironment
Erin Tracy, M.D., MPH '88, Associate Professor Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School
TOPIC: Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery
Geno Merli, M.D., MACP, FHM, FSVM '71, Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Co-Director at Jefferson Vascular Center, Senior Vice President and Associate Chief Medical Officer at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University
TOPIC: Selecting Direct Oral Anticoagulants and Reversing Their Effects
Panel Discussion:
April Troy, M.D., MPH, FAAP '02, Assistant Clinical Professor at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Pediatrician at Pediatrics of Northeastern PA
Jed Gonzalo, M.D. '02, Associate Professor of Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Associate Dean for Health Systems Education, Penn State College of Medicine
Clark Veet, M.D. '10, General Medicine Fellow, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Kelly McGuire, D.O. '05, Private Practice Surgeon, Northeast Surgical Specialists
Ralph Riviello, M.D., MS, FACEP '90, Chair of Department of Emergency Medicine, Crozer Keystone Health System
TOPIC: Medical Education in the 21st Century
To register for the symposium, visit this link. To see a full schedule of events, visit this link. For more information on the MAC, visit this link.
Reminder: University To Hold MAC Symposium March 30
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03/05/2019
The University of Scranton will celebrate its annual Alumni Day of Service Saturday, April 13.
This initiative, coordinated through the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement, provides alumni, parents and friends around the nation with a shared service opportunity to demonstrate the life-changing and enduring power of a Jesuit education.
The University has opened registration for the following sites:
Harrisburg: Central PA Food Bank
Northeast PA: Weinberg Food Bank
Philadelphia: Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission
West Chester: West Chester Food Cupboard
Camden, New Jersey: Cathedral Kitchen
Hillside, New Jersey: Community Food Bank of New Jersey
Washington, D.C.: Capital Area Food BankFor more information on the Day of Service, visit scranton.edu/dayofservice.
Reminder: University To Hold Scranton Day Of Service 2019
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02/19/2019
Several information websites for prospective college students have ranked The University of Scranton online programs among the nation’s best.
Successful Student ranked the University’s online master in healthcare administration degree No. 7 in the nation. The ranking is based on the quality of the program, the types of courses available and healthcare administration degree program faculty, as well as other “awards, rankings, reputation and the online education process.”
Online Masters ranked the University’s online MBA in human resources No. 8 in the nation. The ranking is based a “data set comprised of interviews and surveys from current students and alumni,” as well as recent data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and statistical data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
The Online MBA Report ranked Scranton’s online MBA program at No. 6 among faith-based colleges in the nation and No. 23 among private colleges in the nation. The ranking criteria used for the U.S. based online programs listed includes the academic reputation of online and campus-based MBA programs, MBA enrollment and admissions selectivity, among other factors.
Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 “Best Online Graduate Programs” ranked Scranton’s online master’s degree programs in business (excluding MBA) at No. 76 and its MBA program at No. 109 in the nation. U.S. News also ranked Scranton at No. 52 in the country for “Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans.”
Scranton offers online MBA degrees in general business, accounting, enterprise resource planning, finance, healthcare management, human resources, international business and operations management; master’s degrees in accountancy, finance, health administration, health informatics and human resources and a dual MBA/MHA degree, in addition to graduate certificates. For technology, recruitment and marketing support, the University partners with Wiley for the online programs.
Online Programs Ranked Among the Best
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02/05/2019
The University of Scranton will hold a Toast2Scranton Campus Celebration Feb. 22 in the Byron Center at 6 p.m. to give alumni and students the chance to meet and chat about their college experiences, career aspirations and life paths.
The event will feature snacks, s'mores and the launch of ScrantonConnections, the all-new online mentoring platform. To register, visit this link. For more information, contact alumni@scranton.edu.
University To Hold Toast2Scranton Campus Celebration Feb. 22
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02/05/2019
The University of Scranton will induct the six newest members into its athletics department Wall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 9, in a ceremony held between games of the men's and women's basketball doubleheader against Juniata in the John Long Center.
Brief remarks and a cocktail reception will be held from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. in the DeNaples Center following the men's and women's basketball doubleheader against Juniata. The women's game will tip off at 1 p.m., followed by the men's game at 3:15 p.m.
Tickets for the cocktail reception are $20 for ages 12 and older and $10 for children ages 5-11. Children under 5 are free. To register for the event, visit this link.
This year's class includes Randy Arnold '08 (men's basketball), Karen (Barlow) Lisk '89 (field hockey), Tim Logan '08 (men's soccer), Mary Beth (Vogel) Murray '08 (women's soccer and softball), Frank Ross '87 (baseball) and Donell Young '07 (wrestling).
The Wall of Fame was founded in 1970 to honor student-athletes, administrators and those in the community who have been instrumental in the overall development of the University's athletics program. This year's class brings the Wall's membership to 261.
The induction ceremony will take place at approximately 2:35 p.m. following the conclusion of the women's basketball game.
Randy Arnold – Men's Basketball, 2004-08
Known for his gritty, tough-as-nails play as the Royals' point guard, Arnold received plenty of accolades during his four years at Scranton. He was an All-Middle Atlantic Region Second Team selection by the National Association of Basketball Coaches in 2006 and was a three-time first-team all-conference honoree, earning that nod in the Freedom Conference in 2006 and 2007, then in the Landmark Conference as a senior in 2008.Arnold was also the 2006 Freedom Conference Tournament MVP, leading the team to the first of two conference championships it would win during his time in the purple and white. The Royals also won the Landmark title in 2008.
Arnold was the 2008 recipient of the Frank O'Hara Award as the top male student-athlete in the graduating class. He was also named the John "Les" Dickman Award recipient in 2006 as the team's most valuable player.
A starter in all 105 games he played in, Arnold finished his career with 1,272 points, 376 assists, 252 steals, 280 rebounds, 89 3-pointers and a free throw percentage of .828. His 252 career steals are a program record and 30 more than the next-best total.
Arnold led the Royals in assists and steals in each of his four seasons while leading Scranton to a total of 79 victories during his career. The Royals reached the postseason in each of his four seasons, including NCAA Tournament appearances in 2006 and 2008.
Karen (Barlow) Lisk – Field Hockey, 1985-88
In four seasons with the field hockey team, Lisk was a standout defender during a highly successful period for the Royals. She was a three-time All-Middle Atlantic Conference First Team honoree (1986, 1987, 1988), joining teammate Judy Grimaldi (Wall of Fame Class of 2012) as the first field hockey student-athletes in Scranton history to earn first-team all-conference honors three times.Lisk was a 1989 co-recipient of the Frank O'Hara Award as the top female student-athlete in the graduating class and was later voted to the Middle Atlantic Conference All-Century Team. She finished her career with three goals as a defender while helping Scranton post 23 shutouts over four seasons.
The Royals went 48-30-3 during Lisk's career, including Middle Atlantic Conference playoff berths in 1985 and 1987.
Tim Logan – Men's Soccer, 2005-08
Logan is one of the most decorated student-athletes in the men's soccer program over the past 20 years. He was a three-time All-Mid-Atlantic Region Third Team honoree (2006, 2007, 2008) by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and was the 2008 Landmark Conference Offensive Player of the Year.Logan was also a four-time all-conference selection, earning second-team all-Freedom Conference in 2005, first-team all-Freedom Conference in 2006, and first-team all-Landmark Conference in 2007 and 2008. He also had the first game-winning goal in Landmark Conference men's soccer history when he scored in overtime to defeat Merchant Marine Academy, 2-1, on Sept. 15, 2007, in Kings Point, N.Y.
In 70 career games, Logan finished with 33 goals and 15 assists for 81 points. He ranks ninth in program history in both career goals and career points. He led the team in points and goals in each of his four seasons, and led the team in assists in 2008 and tied for the team lead in 2006.
The Royals went 35-23-12 during Logan's career, including 18-7-3 in conference play. They reached the Freedom Conference playoffs in 2006 and the Landmark Conference playoffs in 2007 and 2008, reaching the title matches in 2006 and 2007.
Mary Beth (Vogel) Murray – Women's Soccer and Softball, 2004-08
Murray was a two-sport standout in the purple and white, earning numerous accolades in both women's soccer and softball. All totaled, she earned all-conference honors seven times and received two prestigious athletic department honors upon completing her career – the Father Fitzpatrick Award for outstanding leadership and service, and the Frank O'Hara Award as the top female student-athlete in the senior class.On the soccer pitch, Murray was named second-team all-Freedom Conference in 2005, first-team all-Freedom Conference in 2006 and first-team all-Landmark Conference in 2007. As a standout center back on defense, she finished with eight goals in 65 games while helping the Royals hold opponents to 1.15 goals per game during her career.
The women's soccer team won 39 matches in Murray's four seasons, including 20 in conference play. The Royals won three conference titles – the 2004 and 2006 Freedom Conference titles, and the 2007 Landmark Conference crown – and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2004 and 2006.
In softball, Murray was named first-team all-Freedom Conference in 2005 and 2006, second-team all-Freedom Conference in 2007, and first-team all-Landmark Conference in 2008. Her name is scattered throughout the softball team's record book, as she ranks third in career hits (135), sixth in career runs (88), tied for ninth in career stolen bases (23), tied for 13th in career RBIs (57), 14th in career doubles (20) and 25th in career batting average (.325).
In Murray's senior season, the softball team won a then-school record 27 games, a mark that stood for 10 seasons. That team also went on to qualify for the Landmark Conference playoffs.
Frank Ross – Baseball, 1984-86
One of the most feared power hitters in Scranton baseball history, Ross put up prolific power numbers in his three seasons with the diamond Royals. The team played 91 games during his three seasons, and he finished with 24 home runs, or one every 3.8 games. While statistics do not exist for the early years of Scranton baseball, it's safe to say Ross is among the all-time leaders in career home runs.A first-team all-Middle Atlantic Conference honoree in 1985, Ross hit 10 homers and drove in 36 runs that season. A year later, he hit 12 homers, which are the second-most on record in team history, while earning second-team all-MAC accolades. On April 7, 1984, Ross drove in all seven runs in a 7-5 win over Delaware Valley, the highest single-game RBI total on record in school history.
For his career, Ross hit .377 with 97 hits, including those 24 home runs, and 77 runs driven in.
Donell Young – Wrestling, 2004-07
Young had one of the most successful single seasons in Scranton wrestling history when he qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships in 2007, marking the last time a Royal advanced to the national tournament. He earned a spot in the tournament by finishing second at 149 pounds at the Metropolitan Conference Championships.A year earlier, Young narrowly missed a spot in the national tournament when he finished third at 149 pounds in the Middle Atlantic Conference Championships. He finished his career with three invitational titles, all at 149 – the 2005 University of Scranton & King's College Invitational, and both the 2006 and 2007 Washington & Lee Invitational.
A four-time University of Scranton Athlete of the Week, Young finished his career with 69 victories, which was fifth-most in school history at the time. His 22-1 record in 2006 is the second-best single-season winning percentage (.965) in program history.
University To Hold Wall Of Fame Day Feb. 9
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02/05/2019
The University of Scranton will hold two Scranton Gatherings in the state of Florida during the month of February.
The first, featuring cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, will take place Friday, Feb. 22 at the The Beach House of the Ritz-Carlton Naples, 280 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples, FL, at 5:30 p.m. The second, sponsored by Edward and Christine Kane P'12, '14, will take place Sunday, Feb. 24, at The Harbourview Ballroom of The Club at Admirals Cove, 200 Admirals Cove Boulevard, Jupiter, FL, at 11 a.m. To register for either reception, visit this link.
For more information on these complimentary events or to register by phone, contact Marge Gleason P'14, '17 at 570-941-5997, or email alumni@scranton.edu.
University To Hold Florida Gatherings
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02/05/2019
The University of Scranton will celebrate its annual Alumni Day of Service Saturday, April 13.
This initiative, coordinated through the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement, provides alumni, parents and friends around the nation with a shared service opportunity to demonstrate the life-changing and enduring power of a Jesuit education.
The University has opened registration for the following sites:
Harrisburg: Central PA Food Bank
Northeast PA: Weinberg Food Bank
Philadelphia: Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission
West Chester: West Chester Food Cupboard
Camden, New Jersey: Cathedral Kitchen
Hillside, New Jersey: Community Food Bank of New Jersey
Washington, D.C.: Capital Area Food BankFor more information on the Day of Service, visit scranton.edu/dayofservice.
Reminder: University To Hold Scranton Day Of Service 2019
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02/05/2019
The Medical Alumni Council will host the 2019 Medical Alumni Symposium March 30 in the PNC Auditorium of the Loyola Science Center.
The day-long event will give medical professionals the chance to connect with University alumni working in the medical field; it will also feature presentations on an array of CME topics from accomplished alumni, updates on the University, and time to reminisce and network. While the day is primarily designed for University alumni, it is also open to colleagues who are not University alumni. The symposium is open to both physicians and advanced practice clinicians.
The symposium will feature the following presenters and topics:
Thomas Loughney, M.D., FACP, FACG '85, Associate Professor of Medicine, Director of Gastroenterology, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
TOPIC: Colon Cancer Screening in the US 2019
Maria Gubbiotti, M.D./Ph.D. candidate '11, M.D./Ph.D. candidate (degree anticipate May 2019) at Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University
TOPIC: Novel Markers to Predict Response and/or Outcome to Immunotherapy for Glioblastoma: Exploring the Tumor Microenvironment
Erin Tracy, M.D., MPH '88, Associate Professor Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School
TOPIC: Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery
Geno Merli, M.D., MACP, FHM, FSVM '71, Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Co-Director at Jefferson Vascular Center, Senior Vice President and Associate Chief Medical Officer at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University
TOPIC: Selecting Direct Oral Anticoagulants and Reversing Their Effects
Panel Discussion:
April Troy, M.D., MPH, FAAP '02, Assistant Clinical Professor at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Pediatrician at Pediatrics of Northeastern PA
Jed Gonzalo, M.D. '02, Associate Professor of Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Associate Dean for Health Systems Education, Penn State College of Medicine
Clark Veet, M.D. '10, General Medicine Fellow, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Kelly McGuire, D.O. '05, Private Practice Surgeon, Northeast Surgical Specialists
Ralph Riviello, M.D., MS, FACEP '90, Chair of Department of Emergency Medicine, Crozer Keystone Health System
TOPIC: Medical Education in the 21st Century
To register for the symposium, visit this link. To see a full schedule of events, visit this link. For more information on the MAC, visit this link.
Reminder: University To Hold MAC Symposium March 30
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02/05/2019
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Colonel (RET) Richard H. Breen, Jr. ’77, Alexandria, Virginia, was recently inducted into the Cardinal O’Hara High School Hall of Fame in recognition of his career in the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense during a ceremony at the Springfield school Campus. Visit this link to view a video of the ceremony.
Eugene M. Sibick, CAPT (Ret), D.D.S. ’80, Williamsville, New York, recently retired after a distinguished 34-year career with the U.S. Navy. Dr. Sibick has received numerous awards and decorations throughout his career, including 1988 “Outstanding Dental Officer” for the Northeast Region, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal and the Expert Rifle and Pistol Medals for which he was affectionately known as “Dead Eye Doc.” Sibick serves as an adjunct professor in the Biology department at Medaille College and continues to serve the 8th District Dental Society as the chairman of the Peer Review Committee.
Robert English ’81, Eatontown, New Jersey, was elected to his fourth three-year term on the Eatontown, New Jersey, Board of Education. In addition, English was also chosen to be the Board president for the fifth consecutive year.
Harry A. Lennon ’83, Round Top, New York, has been elected to his fifth term on the Greene County, New York, Legislature, where he serves as the minority leader.
Susan J. Soloway ’83, Annandale, New Jersey, was sworn in as Hunterdon County New Jersey’s fourth female freeholder in 305 years. Soloway, an accountant by trade, was a two-term mayor, served on the Township Land Use Board, and is active as a volunteer in the Franklin Township community.
Thomas Grech ’84, Malverne, New York, president and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, has been chosen by NYC and NYS to be on the Amazon Community Advisory Committee, a group of 45 members put together as part of Amazon’s planned headquarters project in Long Island City, New York.
Sean McFarland ’90, Frederick, Maryland, recently completed a Master’s of Science in the Cybersecurity Technology program at the University of Maryland.Jonathan A. Cote, Ed.D. ’02, Califon, New Jersey, earned his Doctorate of Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University in August 2018. Dr. Cote is the registrar and teaches Physics at Delbarton School in Morristown, New Jersey.
Stephanie Longo ’03, Dunmore, has received a Gold Award in the History category from the Nonfiction Book Awards, via the Nonfiction Authors Association, for her 2018 publication “Italians of Lackawanna County,” published by Arcadia Publishing. The Nonfiction Book Awards recognize literary excellence in more than 150 categories. The program honors books year-round, judging them based on a scoring system that evaluates the quality of the writing and production of the book. A book can receive a bronze, silver or gold award based on the final evaluation score.
William T. Colona ’08, Teaneck, New Jersey, accepted a position at Fordham University as director of Government Relations, Federal and Urban Affairs.Deaths
Paul M. Borick, Ph.D. ’47, Clemson, South Carolina
Francis J. O’Malley ’59, Westport, Connecticut
Carmen Gigliotti ’60, Carbondale
Joseph M. Mucciolo, Sr. ’60, Spring Brook Township
Albert J. Treski ’65, Moosic
Richard Gratz, M.D. ’73, South Abington Township
James Daniels ’75, Carbondale
Joseph M. Sparrow, Jr. ’75, Carbondale
Stanley J. Rzucidlo ’78, G’86, Jermyn
John J. Valvano ’78, Dunmore
Kimberly Rupp ’90, G’02, Whites Crossing
Mark J. DeAntonio ’92, CarbondaleBirths
A son, Connor Joseph, to Amanda and Jeffrey Manganaro ’02, Hoboken, New Jersey
A daughter, Cassidy Paige, to Russell and Christine Potts Miller ’02, CollegevilleMarriages
Emily Keim ’13 to Daniel Shaw ’13
Emily Williams ’16 to Frank Pallien ’16Friends' Deaths
Marie Farley, widow of Gerald Farley ’51 and sister of Ralph Imbalzano ’68, G’74
Joseph Greco, father of John Greco, M.D. ’76 and Joseph Greco, M.D. ’83Alumni Class Notes, February 2019
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02/05/2019
This semester, The University of Scranton’s Kania School of Management will join select business schools in the country participating in the Barron’s In Education program from Dow Jones. The program, which Barron’s Group launched in early 2018, provides business students and faculty digital access to Barron’s and additional educational resources made available exclusively to partner schools.
The University’s participation in Barron’s In Education was sponsored by Scranton alumnus Peter Butera ’83, senior vice president wealth management, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.
“As a Jesuit business school, we are committed to preparing our students with the professional, ethical and critical-thinking skills needed to become leaders in their fields. The assets made available through the Barron’s In Education program will allow us to further enhance the experiential learning experience we are privileged to provide to our students,” said Murli Rajan, Ph.D., interim dean of the Kania School of Management (KSOM). “We are thankful also for the generous support of Mr. Butera to make this partnership with Barron’s possible.”
In addition to access to Barron’s digital content, the program provides access to guest speakers available from Dow Jones and Butera Jordan Bender Group/Merrill Lynch, tours of Dow Jones headquarters in Manhattan for students, and opportunities to connect with Dow Jones recruitment teams for possible internships and fulltime positions. KSOM faculty members will have access to Barron’s Weekly Review, a weekly summary prepared for faculty to bring real world events into the classroom. The KSOM Dean’s Office can also nominate up to three students for enhanced training to serve as Dow Jones/Barron’s Student Ambassadors.
“The partnership with Barron’s, America’s premier financial magazine, gives the students access to real-world resources that will help them to hone their skills and understanding of global markets and the analysis tools used by investors,” said Butera. “I have used Barron’s throughout my 32 years with Merrill Lynch.”
“The Barron’s In Education program helps to better connect business with academia in aiding financial literacy and proficiency for future business leaders,” said Joe Lanza, Director of Financial Education at Dow Jones. “We are very pleased to have the University of Scranton’s Kania School of Management partnering with Barron’s on this important initiative.”
KSOM students and faculty can access Barron’s In Education through a portal on MyScranton.com beginning Feb. 15.
About Barron’s in Education
The Barron’s in Education program partners with academia and engages students to join business leaders, top market professionals, C-level executives, business school faculty and highly successful investors across the Barron’s community. For more information go to: http://go.dowjones.com/barronsineducation.
KSOM Joins Barron’s In Education Program
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01/29/2019
U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 “Best Online Graduate Programs” ranked The University of Scranton’s online master’s degree programs in business (excluding MBA) at No. 76 and its MBA program at No. 109 in the nation. U.S. News also ranked Scranton at No. 52 in the country for “Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans.”
This is the eighth consecutive year that U.S. News ranked the University’s online programs among the best in the nation. The methodology used by U.S. News to determine the ranking has changed several times throughout the years.
For the 2019 Best Online Programs ranking, which published Jan. 15, U.S. News reviewed statistical information submitted by schools. The ranking criteria differed by category. The criteria used by U.S. News to rank online business and MBA programs included student engagement (28 percent), which looked at graduation rates, class size, one-year retention rates, and best practices such as accreditation by AACSB International, collaborative coursework requirements, course evaluation requirements and other factors. The ranking criteria also included admission selectivity (25 percent); peer reputation score (25 percent); faculty credentials and training (11 percent); and student services and technology (11 percent).
In addition to offering distance education programs that incorporate coursework that is predominantly online, colleges and universities making the “Best Online Program for Veterans” list must have ranked in top half of 2019 Best Online Program rankings; be certified for the GI Bill, which includes participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program; and enroll a “critical mass of veterans” as defined by U.S. News based on the size of the college.
Scranton offers online MBA degrees in general business, accounting, enterprise resource planning, finance, healthcare management, human resources, international business and operations management; master’s degrees in accountancy, finance, health administration, health informatics and human resources and a dual MBA/MHA degree, in addition to graduate certificates. For technology, recruitment and marketing support, the University partners with Wiley for the online programs.
In other rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, Scranton has been ranked among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 25 consecutive years. Scranton is ranked No. 6 in the 2019 edition of the guidebook. U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 3 in its category in a listing of just 168 colleges in the nation expressing “A Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching” and No. 11 in its category in a ranking of the “Most Innovative Schools.” U.S. News also ranked Scranton’s programs in entrepreneurship at No. 31, finance at No. 36, and accounting at No. 37 in the country, among other rankings.
The 2019 Best Online Programs listing can be viewed at usnews.com.
Online Programs Among Best for Business, Veterans
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01/23/2019
Ninety-eight percent of The University of Scranton’s undergraduate class of 2018 and 99 percent of its graduate class reported being successful in their choice of career path of either employment or pursuing additional education within six months of graduation. The “First Destination Survey” report by Scranton’s Gerard R. Roche Center for Career Development is based on career success data obtained about 79 percent of the undergraduate class. This “knowledge rate,” or percentage of graduates for whom their career outcome is known, far exceeds the National Association of College Employers recommended rate of 65 percent. The knowledge rate for members of the University’s graduate class of 2018 is 68 percent.
For members of University’s class of 2018 earning a bachelor’s degree, 97 percent were successful in obtaining their goal of full-time employment, and 99 percent were successful in obtaining their goal of attending graduate or professional school.
The average (mean) salary is $51,282, based on the bachelor’s degree graduates that provided salary information. The average salary varied by major. The highest average salaries reported are in electrical engineering ($70,625), strategic communications ($63,000) and nursing ($61,529).
Geographically, of those employed, 81 percent reported working in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.
Additionally, the report for undergraduates shows: 48 percent are employed in full-time positions; 47 percent are pursuing additional education; 3 percent were employed in part-time positions or pursing another intentional career path as defined by the graduate. Seventy-nine percent (79%) of the Class of 2018 completed at least one experiential learning opportunity during their education at Scranton.
For the master’s degree graduates, 98 percent are employed full-time; 2 percent are pursuing additional education. The average (mean) salary for 2018 master’s degree graduates is $62,571, based on the graduates that provided salary information. Salaries reported vary by degree programs. The highest average salaries reported are for graduates with master’s degrees in educational administration ($86,625), operation’s management (MBA) ($84,843) and general business administration (MBA) ($83,629)
Of those employed, 71 percent are working in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.
Successful Outcomes Reported for Class of 2018
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01/11/2019
The University of Scranton President Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., blessed “A Place of Solitude” at a private ceremony in the fall semester. Located on the second floor of McGurrin Hall, this enclosed space features a running fountain and a living wall and provides a quiet, welcoming area for students, faculty and staff to reflect, pray and discern. The space is dedicated in loving memory to Carl and AnnaBell Kuehner, Joseph and Angeline Castrogiovanni, and John and Eva Pellegrino.
Place of Solitude Blessed on Campus
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01/09/2019
The Medical Alumni Council will host the 2019 Medical Alumni Symposium March 30 in the PNC Auditorium of the Loyola Science Center.
The day-long event will give medical professionals the chance to connect with University alumni working in the medical field; it will also feature presentations on an array of CME topics from accomplished alumni, updates on the University, and time to reminisce and network. While the day is primarily designed for University alumni, it is also open to colleagues who are not University alumni. The symposium is open to both physicians and advanced practice clinicians.
The symposium will feature the following presenters and topics:
Thomas Loughney, M.D., FACP, FACG '85, Associate Professor of Medicine, Director of Gastroenterology, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
TOPIC: Colon Cancer Screening in the US 2019
Maria Gubbiotti, M.D./Ph.D. candidate '11, M.D./Ph.D. candidate (degree anticipate May 2019) at Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University
TOPIC: Novel Markers to Predict Response and/or Outcome to Immunotherapy for Glioblastoma: Exploring the Tumor Microenvironment
Erin Tracy, M.D., MPH '88, Associate Professor Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School
TOPIC: Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery
Geno Merli, M.D., MACP, FHM, FSVM '71, Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Co-Director at Jefferson Vascular Center, Senior Vice President and Associate Chief Medical Officer at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University
TOPIC: Selecting Direct Oral Anticoagulants and Reversing Their Effects
Panel Discussion:
April Troy, M.D., MPH, FAAP '02, Assistant Clinical Professor at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Pediatrician at Pediatrics of Northeastern PA
Jed Gonzalo, M.D. '02, Associate Professor of Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Associate Dean for Health Systems Education, Penn State College of Medicine
Clark Veet, M.D. '10, General Medicine Fellow, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Kelly McGuire, D.O. '05, Private Practice Surgeon, Northeast Surgical Specialists
Ralph Riviello, M.D., MS, FACEP '90, Chair of Department of Emergency Medicine, Crozer Keystone Health System
TOPIC: Medical Education in the 21st Century
To register for the symposium, visit this link. To see a full schedule of events, visit this link. For more information on the MAC, visit this link.
University To Hold MAC Symposium March 30
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01/09/2019
The University of Scranton will celebrate its annual Alumni Day of Service Saturday, April 13.
This initiative, coordinated through the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement, provides alumni, parents and friends around the nation with a shared service opportunity to demonstrate the life-changing and enduring power of a Jesuit education.
The University has opened registration for the following sites:
Harrisburg: Central PA Food Bank
Northeast PA: Weinberg Food Bank
Philadelphia: Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission
West Chester: West Chester Food Cupboard
Camden, New Jersey: Cathedral Kitchen
Hillside, New Jersey: Community Food Bank of New Jersey
Washington, D.C.: Capital Area Food BankFor more information on the Day of Service, visit scranton.edu/dayofservice. We are still looking for more volunteer opportunities. If you are interested in helping coordinate a site in your region or know of somewhere in your region we can volunteer, please email Marge Gleason P'14, 17, coordinator of Alumni Engagement, at margery.gleason@scranton.edu by Thursday, Jan. 24.
University Announces Scranton Day Of Service 2019
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01/09/2019
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Dominique Ponzio Bernardo ’93, King of Prussia, has joined Variety Children’s Charity as their new chief executive officer. Variety Children’s Charity is a nonprofit in Montgomery County with a mission to enrich the lives of children and young adults with disabilities through social, educational and vocational programs that nurture independence and self-confidence, and prepare them for life.
Matthew L. Davidson, Ph.D. ’93, Fayetteville, N.Y., along with Robert W. Davis, Ed.D. ’03, had an article, “Sport at the Service of Human Development: Distinctly Jesuit Athletics,” published in the Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal. The article describes the underlying theory and practice of a Distinctly Jesuit Approach to Athletics, which was represented at the 2016 Vatican Conference, Sport at the Service of Humanity. The approach has been developed and implemented in a collaboration between the Institute for Excellence & Ethics (IEE) and the athletics departments at Le Moyne College and The University of Scranton.
Paul B. Matey ’93, West Caldwell, N.J., has joined the law firm of Lowenstein Sandler LLP in Roseland as a partner. Matey has also been nominated by President Trump to serve as
circuit judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.Christy Marshall Silva ’96, Downingtown, was awarded the National Honoree for L’Oreal Paris USA 2018 Women of Worth at a gala in New York City in December 2018. Silva formed Aidan’s Heart Foundation (AHF) to protect young hearts from Sudden Cardiac Arrest after the unexpected death of her son Aiden Joseph Silva in the fall of
2010 . AHF works to create a culture oflife savers , and its biggest achievements to date are the number of hearts screened, AEDs installed and children taught CPR and AED skills.Robert W. Davis, Ed.D. ’03, Dunmore, along with Matthew L. Davidson, Ph.D. ’93, had an article, “Sport at the Service of Human Development: Distinctly Jesuit Athletics,” published in the Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal. The article describes the underlying theory and practice of a Distinctly Jesuit Approach to Athletics, which was represented at the 2016 Vatican Conference, Sport at the Service of Humanity. The approach has been developed and implemented in a collaboration between the Institute for Excellence & Ethics (IEE) and the athletics departments at Le Moyne College and The University of Scranton.
Gina M. Noia, Ph.D. ’10, Ave Maria, Fla., received her Ph.D. in Theology and Health Care Ethics from Saint Louis University. Noia is now an assistant professor of Theology at Ave Maria University.
DeathsPaul J. Flynn ’49, Lake Wales, Florida
John P. Hopkins, Ph.D. ’55, Palmer Township
James J. Murphy ’56, Endwell, New York
Joseph R. Ciabocchi ’57, Lewisburg
Joseph A. Pellegrini ’58, Pittston
Robert G. Donovan ’59, Pittston
John P. Polansky ’63, Archbald
Frank M. Lavin, Sr. ’66, Whites Crossing and Crystal Lake
Shepard Bennett G’67, Vestal, New York
Marie Keeler G’69, Hackettstown, New Jersey
The Rev. William B. Blake G’72, Jessup
Daniel D. Denning ’77, Bradford
Edward M. Marchand, D.M.D. ’78, Kintnersville
John Lynn ’83, Hollywood, Maryland
Peter P. Power ’91, Dublin, IrelandBirths
A son, Andrew Michael, to William and Leigh Magnotta Fennie ’11, Dunmore
Marriages
Paul Boye ’09to Kerry O’Connor
KaityTirney ’11 to Bill Bornaschella ’11
Frantz Lucien, Jr’ ’12 to Meagan Molina ’13
Anastasia Zygmunt ’13, G’15 to Gregory Mooney ’13
Friends' Deaths
Grace Grizzanti, mother of Jessica Grizzanti McLaughlin ’05,G’08
J. David Hosie, brother of Martin Hosie ’79 and Eric Hosie ’88
Linda Weinstock, wife of Martin Weinstock ’65Alumni Class Notes, January 2019
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01/09/2019
A few spots remain open for Reigniting Our Ignatian Spirituality: A Retreat for Scranton Alumni, a weekend-long retreat led by the Rev. Brendan Lally, S.J. '70 at The Jesuit Center in Wernersville Feb. 15-17.
Alumni of The University of Scranton and their spouses are warmly invited to join Lally and the Rev. Patrick Rogers, S.J., executive director of The Jesuit Center at Scranton, on a spiritual journey that will give participants concrete ways to “find God in all things” and use Ignatian spirituality in our lives.
The weekend will offer presentations, time for silent reflection, companionship with fellow alumni, and guidance on incorporating Ignatian spirituality into our daily lives using elements such as the Examen prayer of St. Ignatius.
To register for the retreat, visit this link.
Spots Remain Open For Reigniting Our Ignatian Spirituality: A Retreat For Scranton Alumni
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01/09/2019
Nearly 200 alumni, parents and friends of The University of Scranton celebrated the Christmas season together at the New York Regional Christmas Reception at The Harmonie Club Dec. 14.
The event featured remarks from Alumni Society Advisory Board Member Joseph Sorbera III ’08, Brian Lavin ‘20 and Cheryl Murphy, Associate Vice President of Development.
To see pictures from the event, visit the University’s Shutterfly page.University Holds New York City Regional Christmas Reception 2018
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01/09/2019
Nearly 100 alumni, parents and friends of The University of Scranton celebrated the Christmas season together at the New Jersey Regional Christmas Reception at The Madison Hotel Dec. 13.
The event featured remarks from Alumni Society President Mike Short ‘99, Grace Gallagher ‘21 and Thomas MacKinnon, vice president for University Advancement.
To see pictures from the event, visit the University’s Shutterfly page.University Holds New Jersey Regional Christmas Reception 2018
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12/11/2018
More than 120 alumni, parents and friends of The University of Scranton celebrated the Christmas season together at the Washington, D.C., Presidential Christmas Reception at The Willard InterContinental Hotel Dec. 7.
The event featured remarks from Alumni Society Past President Col. Richard H. Breen Jr., U.S. Army (ret) ’77, Brianna Baran ‘19 and the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president of the University.
To see pictures from the event, visit the University’s Shutterfly page.University Holds Washington, D.C., Presidential Christmas Reception 2018
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12/11/2018
More than 100 alumni, parents and friends of The University of Scranton celebrated the Christmas season together at the Philadelphia Regional Christmas Reception at The Bellevue Hotel Dec. 6.
The event featured remarks from Alumni Society Advisory Board Member Mara Smith, J.D. ’13, Colleen Boyle ‘20 and Gerald C. Zaboski ’87, G’95, vice provost for Enrollment Management and External Affairs for the University.
To see pictures from the event, visit the University’s Shutterfly page.
University Holds Philadelphia Regional Christmas Celebration 2018
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12/05/2018
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Rev. Myron Zuder, Ph.D. ’58, Akron, Ohio, celebrated 50 years as pastor of St. Mary Dormition Orthodox Church in Akron. He also celebrated 56 years of ordination and marriage to his wife Dolores.
Ronald Collins ’77, Washington, DC, was re-elected to a two-year term on November 6,
2018 as an advisory neighborhood commissioner (ANC) in the District of Columbia, representing the Southwest, Navy Yardand Buzzard Point neighborhoods. ANC Commissioners haveresponsibility in considering zoning, development projects, Alcohol Beverage Control licensing, public safety, transportation, and public works matters in their neighborhoods.Albert Russo ’80, Pottersville, New Jersey
and Thomas Schaible ’80, Oldwick, New Jersey, marked the 30th anniversary of their business partnership (and 42 years of friendship) in September of 2018 with a trip to Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast of Italy with their wives Susan and Laura. Schaible Russo Financial provides comprehensive financial planning and investment advisory services to clients across the country and is based in Whitehouse, New Jersey.Thomas Shields, Ph.D. ’90, became the associate dean for Academic and Student Affairs in the School of Professional and Continuing Studies at the University of Richmond. Shields is also the chair of Graduate Education and associate professor in Education and Leadership Studies at the University.
Brendan Curry ’95, Fairfax, Virginia, was appointed as chief of Washington Operations at The Planetary Society, the world’s largest independent, non-profit space interest organization. Curry brings nearly twenty years of space policy experience to the new role. Prior to joining The Planetary Society, Curry served as vice president of Washington Operations at the Space Foundation, where he interfaced with industry executives, officials in the White House, NASA, the Department of Defense, the National Reconnaissance Office, the State Department, Commerce Department and other officials in the Executive Branch departments. He continues to work with Congress as well as international space officials.
Joseph Scotchlas ’11, Largo, Florida, was promoted to assistant healthcare director, Bay Pines VA Healthcare System in Bay Pines, Florida.
Deaths
Hon. Richard P. Conaboy ’46, H’83, Scranton
John (Jack) Forrester ’49, Vienna, Virginia
Andrew R. Chmiel ’50, Fairport, New York
George F. Hoyes ’50, Forty Fort
Frank A. Agnone, Sr. D.D.S. ’54, West Palm Beach Florida and Manassas, Virginia
Neil H. Graham ’55, Willow Grove
Joseph A. Lucas ’60, Kenhorst
Alexander M. McGowan ’64, Carbondale
Timothy Hinton ’65, ScrantonGeorge F. Ollendike ’65, Garden City, New York
Andrew J. Bednar ’69, Allentown
Marianne Blazys Kleha ’69, Scranton
David F. Rohlic ’83, Emmaus
Frederic W. Wey ’91, Sugar Land, Texas
Rosemary Orrson Hosey G’09, Dallas
Births
A son, James Nicholas, to Bill Carton and Liz Connolly ’05, New Rochelle, New York
A son, Hudson Devlin, to Joe and Rebecca Devlin Gallagher ’05, New York, New York
A daughter, Lucy Helen, to Matt and Jan Amann Rooney ’06, Decatur, Georgia
Marriages
Paul Biagioli ’09 to Rebecca Smith ’13
Rebecca Walsh ’11 to Joseph Tafaro ’11
Gerald Ford ’12 to Colleen O’Brien ’13, G’14
Kimberly Hosgood ’12 to Michael Martin ’12
Shannon Lavelle ’13 to Brewster Tisson
Grace Nebzydoski, V.M.D. ’13 to Joseph Mastroianni, V.M.D. ’14
Samantha Heck ’14 to Adam Bogumil
Andrew Gentilucci ’14 to Olivia Wynn ’15
Friends Deaths
Alvin Gross, father-in-law of Joseph Sharp ’78
Thomas Mitchell, father of Thomas Mitchell, II ’97
Harold Sharp, father of Joseph Sharp ’78
Alumni Class Notes, December 2018
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12/05/2018
Francis X.J. Homer ’64, professor emeritus of history, University historian and
current adjunct professor in history, has pledged $100,000 to support the new Humanities Initiative at The University of Scranton.Interested in promoting the study of the humanities — culture, history, language, literature, philosophy, religion — at the University, a group of faculty started the initiative in fall 2017 with support from the College of Arts and Sciences dean. In promoting the humanities, the departments seek to improve the quality of the co-curricular education for the larger student body and to increase the number of students studying the humanities. The supporters on campus plan to do this by enriching the culture of the humanities, promoting interdisciplinary inquiry and research among faculty and students, and fostering civic engagement and collaboration with the larger community.
In announcing his gift, Homer said, “I am deeply grateful to Father Scott Pilarz, S.J., president of The University of Scranton, for his endorsement and commitment to our Humanities Initiative, which serves our broad community.” Homer’s hope is that this gift will increase the quality of this innovative program and the opportunities it offers for all future generations of Scranton students.
When he arrived as a student, Homer said, he was struck by the tremendous philanthropy of those who helped build this University. “Whether it was the generous gift of Scranton Hall, by the Scranton Family, or Elizabeth B. (Betty) Redington’s endowment for scholarships, it was the generosity of philanthropists giving for education,” he said. “That’s why today The University of Scranton is such a great institution of higher learning.”
Homer also remembered The University of Scranton in his estate plan and said he hopes the humanities will be the future heart of this University, enabling students to achieve greatness because of their ability to think, create
open dialogue and go out in the world with open minds and no preconceived notions.If you are interested in the Humanities Initiative at
Scranton, or a planned gift, please contact Carol.Maculloch@scranton.edu to help with your giving to this important initiative.Professor Emeritus, University Historian Pledges $100,000 to Humanities Initiative
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12/05/2018
Feb. 15-17, 2019, join fellow alumni at The Jesuit Center in Wernersville, Penn. for a weekend-long retreat led by Rev. Brendan Lally, S.J. ‘70.
Alumni of The University of Scranton and their spouses are warmly invited to join Fr. Lally and Rev. Patrick Rogers, S.J., executive director of The Jesuit Center at Scranton, on a spiritual journey that will give participants concrete ways to “find God in all things” and use Ignatian spirituality in our lives.
The weekend will offer presentations, time for silent reflection, companionship with fellow alumni, and guidance on incorporating Ignatian spirituality into our daily lives using elements such as the Examen prayer of St. Ignatius.
Cost: $200 per person
Reigniting Our Ignatian Spirituality: A Retreat For Scranton Alumni
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12/03/2018
On Tuesday, Nov. 27, a global day of giving known as #GivingTuesday, the University community came together in a generous way to support the Rev. James P. Sweeney, S.J., Family Outreach Fund, which provides emergency financial aid for struggling Scranton students.
Since its inception, the Father Sweeney Fund has awarded $3.4 million to 950 Scranton students, helping those students stay enrolled at Scranton after encountering unexpected financial hardship.
On #GivingTuesday, 234 donors contributed $40,744, mostly to the Father Sweeney Fund. One of those donors is a current Scranton parent whose son benefited from the fund. She says:
“I hadn’t realized it was #GivingTuesday until I saw a quote from Pope Francis
reminding us that little miracles happen with small amounts of generosity. A small miracle for our family was The Father Sweeney Fund. My son received aid this year due to financial circumstances...Small acts of giving really add up, and regardless of the amount, I wanted to give back so that other students who are in the same position as my son are able to stay and thrive at Scranton.”#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving dedicated to supporting non-profit organizations all over the world. Learn more about the global movement at givingtuesday.org.
Support the Fr. Sweeney Fund Here: Scranton.edu/makeagiftUniversity Raises $40,000 On #GivingTuesday for Struggling Scranton Students
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12/03/2018
Nov. 30, 2018: Alumni returned to campus to host current students in a variety of networking dinners known as Beyond the Commons.
The evening kicked off with a hot chocolate social hour in the lobby of Leahy Hall. A group of 16 alumni
were able to socialize with over 30 eager students representing all three schools of study at Scranton. After the social hour, alumni and students were broken into smaller groups to enjoy their meals at restaurants throughout downtown Scranton.This year’s dinner themes included the following: Advancing your Career, Health Sciences and Related Professions, The Scranton Bucket List, The Value of a Jesuit Education and Women in the Workplace.
Presented by the Future Alumni Network of Scranton (FANS), Beyond the Commons is a series of dinners that gives current students of all class years and majors the opportunity to develop their networking skills and mingle with alumni in a casual setting.
If you are interested in hearing more about Beyond the Commons, please contact FANS President, Brianna Tucciarone, at brianna.tucciarone@scranton.edu.
Alumni Host Students at Beyond the Commons Dinners in Scranton
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12/03/2018
Interested in becoming more involved with your Alma Mater? We are seeking creative, diverse, dedicated and enthusiastic alumni with a true desire to support their alma mater by positively engaging fellow alumni in the life of The University of Scranton.
Advisory Board membership is a rewarding way to stay involved and engaged with the University. Members play an active role in guiding alumni engagement efforts by serving as strategic advisors to the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement, as well as serving as regional and national ambassadors.
If board membership is something you are interested in, we encourage you to apply! Applications are accepted through the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement.
Click here to submit your application.
Deadline for applications is Jan. 20, 2019.
Alumni Society Advisory Board Now Accepting Applications
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12/03/2018
On Nov. 9, the University launched the first-ever Deck the Decades Challenge to help Scranton alumni get into the holiday spirit. Alumni can put their decade in the lead by registering for any Scranton Christmas Celebration or by making a gift to any Scranton fund by Dec. 15.
The decade of alumni with the most Christmas party attendees and the most donors, wins. Any alumni from the winning decade who either attended a party or made a gift will receive a Scranton Christmas ornament.
Only pre-registered event attendees will be counted. Challenge ends Dec. 15. Learn more here.Deck The Decades Challenge Continues
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11/27/2018
The Princeton Review listed The University of Scranton’s Kania School of Management among the nation’s “Best Business Schools” for 2019, marking the 14th consecutive year that Scranton has been included in the listing of just 252 of the nation’s most elite business colleges. Scranton was included among the list of “Best On-Campus MBA Programs,” which was published online in November.
The listing of business programs is compiled from an analysis of institutional data and survey data from students attending the business schools. The data incorporates career outcomes, academic rigor, admissions selectivity and other factors. The University received high marks for professor accessibility and interest. In addition to praising Jesuit ideals imbedded in the curriculum, students quoted in Scranton’s profile section said the business school provided “an environment which is collaborative, values different ideas, encourages discussion, and lets the students think about phenomena in a very creative manner.”
The University’s Kania School of Management is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), which is widely considered the standard of excellence for business schools. Less than five percent of business colleges worldwide hold AACSB accreditation.
The Princeton Review also listed Scranton in its 2019 edition of “The Best 384 Colleges,” ranking Scranton among the nation’s “Best Science Labs” (No. 16) and “Best Campus Food” (No. 15). The Princeton Review also included Scranton in its “Guide to 399 Green Colleges.”
In other national rankings, U.S. News and World Report included Scranton in a national ranking of the “Best Undergraduate Business Programs” (No. 199) and ranked Scranton’s entrepreneurship program at No. 31, its finance program at No. 36 and its accounting program at No. 37 in the country. In the overall ranking for colleges, U.S. News ranked Scranton No. 6 among the “Best Regional Universities in the North,” marking the 25th consecutive year that Scranton ranked in the top 10 of its category.
Princeton Review Lists Best Business Schools
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11/21/2018
Whether feeding a family in need or freeing cars stuck in the snow, University of Scranton students were ready, willing and able to help this past weekend.
More than 100 students volunteered Nov. 18 to prepare and distribute 200 Thanksgiving food baskets to families at the Valley View Housing Development in South Scranton. Students, faculty and staff donated food baskets for area families in need through the annual Thanksgiving Food Drive organized by the University’s Campus Ministries’ Center for Service and Social Justice.
In addition, the Scranton Times-Tribune reported on University student “heroes” who pushed out dozens of cars stuck in the snow on Mulberry Street near campus during the Nor’easter that hit Northeast Pennsylvania on Nov. 15. University Chaplain Rev. Richard Malloy, S.J., tweeted about the students’ spontaneous acts of kindness.
The spirit of giving will continue this season with several holiday programs organized by University’s Campus Ministries’ Center for Service and Social Justice, including Christmas gift drives and a Community Christmas Day Breakfast, which will take place from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 25 in the DeNaples Center.
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11/09/2018
The University of Scranton will hold a Beyond The Commons dinner event for alumni and students Nov. 30.
Beyond The Commons dinners give students and alumni with common interests the chance to network with each other in an informal setting. The Nov. 30 event will begin with a Coffee Hour Kick-Off at 5:30 p.m. in the lobby of Leahy Hall. After the coffee hour, alumni will host students at off-campus dinner sites to discuss topics such as "Women in the Workplace," "Advancing Your Career" and "The Real World: Life After College."
For more information, visit this link.
Beyond The Commons Returns Nov. 30
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11/06/2018
The University of Scranton will hold several Christmas events over the coming weeks open to all alumni,
parents and friends of the University.Chesapeake Club Christmas Party
On Nov. 29, The Scranton Club of the Chesapeake will hold a Christmas party at Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, 1000 Lancaster Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 at 7 p.m. To register, visit this link.
Noel Night Reception
The Scranton Club of Northeast Pennsylvania will hold a pre-Noel Night Concert reception Dec. 1 in the Kane Forum of Leahy Hall at 5 p.m. To register, visit this link.
Philadelphia Christmas Reception
The Alumni Society will hold a Christmas reception Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at The Bellevue Hotel, 200 South Broad Street, Philadelphia 19102. To register, visit this link.
Washington, D.C., Christmas Reception
The Alumni Society will hold a Christmas reception featuring the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president of the University, on Dec. 7 at 6:30 p.m. at The Willard Intercontinental Washington, D.C., 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington, D.C. 20004. To register, visit this link.
Long Island Brunch With Santa
Santa Clause will take a break from his busy schedule to enjoy a brunch at Colonial Springs Golf Club in Farmingdale, New York, Dec. 8, at 11 a.m. Guests will enjoy a brunch buffet and individual visits and photo opportunities with Santa. To register, visit this link.
Lehigh Valley Christmas Party
The Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley will gather at the home of Ted Wolff '74 in Schnecksville for a Christmas party Dec. 8 at 11 a.m. To register, visit this link.
New Jersey Christmas Reception
The Alumni Society will hold a Christmas reception Dec. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at The Madison Hotel, 1 Convent Road, Morristown, NJ 07960. To register, visit this link.
New York Christmas Reception
The Alumni Society will hold a Christmas reception Dec. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Harmonie Club, 4 East 60th Street, New York, New York 10022. To register, visit this link.
University Announces 2018 Christmas Parties
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11/06/2018The University of Scranton and the Alumni Society are seeking nominees for the 2019 Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award and the 2019 Frank J. O'Hara Recent Graduate Award. Nominations will be accepted through Monday, Dec. 10.
The Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest award bestowed jointly by the University and the Alumni Society. The award honors select alumni who embody Scranton's Catholic and Jesuit experience and who have achieved distinction in their professional or personal endeavors. Honorees are selected based on the nominees' commitment to Ignatian values and their pursuit of professional and personal excellence.
The Frank J. O'Hara Recent Graduate Award is presented to an alumnus/na who has graduated within the past 10 years. The recipient(s) will have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to service for others in their personal or professional achievements, which embody Scranton's Catholic, Jesuit values.
Honorees for both awards will be recognized during Reunion Weekend June 7-9, 2019. Alumni in class years ending in "4" or "9" will be considered this year.
Nominations for both awards will be accepted here or by emailing alumni@scranton.edu.University Seeks 2019 O'Hara Award Nominations
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11/06/2018
The University of Scranton will hold its 2nd Annual Lady Royals Tip-Off Dinner Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall. The dinner and reception will include the public intruduction of the 2018-19 Scranton Lady Royals and the presentation of the 2018 Mike Strong Award to Lady Royals' legend and former head coach Deanna Klingman '86, G'91.
The Tip-Off Dinner is open to all Scranton Women’s Basketball alumnae, parents, family and friends. The cost per ticket is $75 for adults and $20 for children between 5-12 years of age; children under 5 can attend for free. Visit this link to register for this Event.
All tickets include hors d’oeuvres and dinner buffet. Adult tickets also include an open bar and a charitable contribution to the Women’s Basketball program.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact eric.eckenrode@scranton.edu.University To Hold Lady Royals Tip-Off Dinner Nov. 10
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11/04/2018
As a student of Scranton Central High School in the 1970s, Paul Swift ’75 never thought he would one day become The University of Scranton alumnus who donated the first Greek language New Testament printed in Western Europe to the University’s rare book collection; Swift, in fact, never thought he would attend the University at all, despite his extended family’s association with it.
“In all candor, and this is extreme candor, I initially did not have an interest in going to The University of Scranton,” the Hill Section native said.
How, then, did Swift become a Royal who gifted a priceless artifact to his alma mater? Therein lies a tale…
All In The Family
Growing up, Swift became very familiar with the University’s campus by frequenting the Mulberry Street basketball courts it owned at the time. His grandfather, Ted Rafferty, worked on many of the vehicles of the University’s Jesuits at his gas station, Rafferty & Welles, which was then located near the Estate, and Swift’s great aunt, Nellie Brown, who became the first practicing female physician in Scranton, was the first woman to study at the University (when it was still St. Thomas College) when she took a course required for medical school in the 1920s. In addition to those connections, Swift’s cousin, Frank C. Brown, taught at the University as a professor of history for many years. Partly because of that familiarity with the University, the young Swift initially sought to go away to school.
Rafferty & Welles, Ted Rafferty's gas station.
“My feeling was that if I went to The University of Scranton, it was going to be like a fifth year of high school,” he said.
Instead, Swift chose to study at what was then known as the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University (now LIU Post). His financial situation soon changed, however, when his parents’ marriage ended, and Swift realized he would have to work his way through school. After considering his options, Swift chose to move back home to major in history and minor in political science at the University with his sights set upon the long term goal of becoming a lawyer.
“It was a terrific educational experience in terms of the quality of the professors and the Jesuits,” he said.
Opportunity Knocks
As a student, Swift began working in the credit department of Sears Roebuck and, upon graduating, the company offered him a management position.
“I said to myself, ‘Well, I’ll go to law school later,’ because I had been financially challenged for a number of years,” he said. “Needless to say, once the money started coming in, I did not want to return to student poverty.”
While at Sears Roebuck, Swift was promoted a number of times, eventually rising to the position of New Credit Account Sales Manager for the City of Philadelphia.
“(Sears) could have been Amazon before Amazon, when you think of it,” he said. “The (Sears) catalog was Amazon in 1910. They were shipping products all around the country.”
Along the way, he met Linda Gotchel, and the two eventually married. Around that time, Swift decided to leave Sears Roebuck and began working in the sales department of a small distribution firm in the hospitality supply industry.
“I always had a passion for cooking,” he said. “I basically cooked for my brother and sister as they grew up.”
That passion soon led him to a sales position with U.S. Foodservice, where he enjoyed a successful 20-year career while he and Linda raised two daughters, Lauren and Casey, in their Sea Isle City, New Jersey, home. About five years ago, he founded his own hospitality supply company, Swift and Associates, which he continues to run today.
The Story Behind The Donation Of The Greatest Story Ever Told
A page from the fifth volume of the Complutensian Polyglot Bible.
Over the course of her remarkable life, Nellie Brown collected many antiques, and, in 1931, she purchased the fifth volume (containing the New Testament) of the Complutensian Polyglot Bible printed in 1514 at Complutense University in Madrid for Cardinal Ximenes, founder of Complutense University.
“This New Testament is from a landmark six-volume Bible printed in multiple languages,” said University Special Collections Librarian and Associate Professor Michael Knies. “The Complutensian Polyglot was the first multi-lingual Bible printed in Europe and portions contain Hebrew, Greek, Latin and Aramaic. Work on the polyglot commenced around 1502, but it took until 1517 for printing to be completed. It then took until 1520 to gain papal approval.”
After Nellie’s death, the Bible came into Swift’s possession, and he decided to donate it to the University in honor of Nellie, Ted Rafferty and Frank Brown.
“I really thought she would want it to be (at the University),” Swift said. “I’m sure Frank Brown would have wanted it (at the University).”
The Weinberg Memorial Library recently featured the Bible in a rare book exhibit in its Heritage Room, which delighted Swift.
“When I saw it in the glass case (in the Heritage Room), I truly felt like I did the right thing,” Swift said. “You don’t get the opportunity to do something like that often.”
By giving the Bible a permanent home at his alma mater, Swift secured his family’s legacy while preserving an important piece of history.
“Any good university is a living, breathing thing,” he said. “The more you can feed the university, the bigger and stronger it’s going to be for future generations.
“The future of the University looks very strong, does it not?”
Alumni Spotlight On Paul Swift '75
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11/04/2018
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
William Kiehl, Ph.D. ’67, Mountville, was appointed a trustee of Wilson College, Chambersburg, PA.
Mary Doyle Troy, Ph.D. ’95, G’06, Dunmore, earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision in August 2018 from Regent University. Dr. Troy is an assistant professor in the Department of Counseling & Human Services at The University of Scranton.Adelaide Riggi ’97, Bridgewater, New Jersey, a partner at Snyder Sarno D’Aniello Maceri & da Costa, LLC, was inducted as the Somerset County Bar Foundation’s new chair for the 2018-2019 year. Riggi was honored and recognized for her dedication to the Foundation and the Somerset County community at large as well as her legal expertise.
Rachel Trommelen Wellons, DPT ’02, G’03, New Orleans, Louisiana, was promoted to associate professor of Physical Therapy at Louisiana State University Health Center in New Orleans. Wellons’ teaching and research focus is Neurologic Physical Therapy.
Mari Andres Duncan, Ph.D. ’97, Arlington, TX, earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Duncan currently serves as the director of Apartment & Residence Life at UTA. As director, she is responsible for the student, staff and community development of the on-campus housing communities. This includes professional and student staff recruitment and training, programming, budget oversight and student success. UTA has a global enrollment of over 58,000 and over 180 degrees programs with 10,000 students living on or adjacent to campus.
DeathsJoseph J. Lantolf ’57, Arlington Heights, Illinois
Michael J. Grobosky ’58, Duryea
C. William Eckenrode ’60, Lancaster
John J. McGee ’61, Thousand Oaks, California
Thomas J. Nolan ’63, Bethlehem
F. Robert Brady ’65, Scranton
Gerald P. Grzywacz ’70, Philadelphia
Arthur E. Manuel ’73, Peckville
Frederick W. Dute G’78, Sugarloaf
Sharon A. Evans, Ph.D. ’80, Germantown, Maryland
Salvatore J. Nardozzi Jr. ’83, Dunmore
Doreen Yankoski Swingle ’83, Lake Ariel
Judith Hashem Shea ’85, Natick, Massachusetts
Maria R. Doria, M.D. ’88, Winona, Minnesota
Births
Twin sons, Owen Edward and Tristan James, to Aimee and Drew Clancy ’06, Brick, New Jersey
A son, Carmen James, to Franco and Amanda Szewczyk Forgione ’07, South Abington TownshipMarriages
Dennis Mishko ’12 to Kathleen Lavelle ’12Dave Savino ’13 to Cassie Doheny ’14
Alumni Class Notes, November 2018
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11/02/2018
The University of Scranton welcomed the second cohort of students into its doctor of business administration (DBA) program.
Douglas M. Boyle, DBA, associate professor, Accounting Department chair and DBA program director, faculty from the DBA program, University Trustees and DBA students who entered the program in the fall of last year, joined together to help orient the new students into the program at a welcome session on campus.
Housed in the University’s Kania School of Management, the DBA program began in the fall semester of 2017.
The University’s DBA program, with a concentration in accounting, was developed to provide experienced practitioners with a practical pathway to an academic career. The program offers participants flexibility, while still providing for the development of the knowledge and skill set necessary to become a “scholarly academic” – one who is qualified to teach at a school of business that possesses or is seeking formal accreditation by Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).
The incoming DBA students are:
Shea N. Burden of Athens, Ohio;
Felisha N. Fret of Great Neck, New York;
Anuradha (Anu) C. Ghai of Allentown;
Jessica L. Hildebrand of Mountain Top;
Hugh Lambert of Rochester, New York;
Ran Li of Potsdam, New York;
Alexis C. Montelone of Bensalem;
Afia A. Oppong of New City, New York;
Linette Rayeski of West New York, New Jersey;
Savas Saymaz of Whitehall;
Charles Speicher of North Attleboro, Massachusetts;
Ashley L. Stampone of Old Forge;
James W. Sunday of Scranton.
New Students Begin DBA Program at Scranton
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10/24/2018
The University of Scranton will hold its annual Mass of Remembrance Thursday, Nov. 8, at 4:40 p.m. in the Madonna della Strada Chapel.
The University community will gather together in prayer to remember the deceased alumni, family members, friends, faculty and loved ones of The University of Scranton. To submit the name of someone you would like to be remembered in the University’s Masses throughout the month of November, visit scranton.edu/allsouls.
A light reception will follow the Mass in the McIlhenny Ballroom on the fourth floor of the DeNaples Center.
For more information, please contact the Campus Ministries Office at 570-941-7419 or the office of Alumni and Parent Engagement at 570-941-5997.
University To Hold Mass Of Remembrance Nov. 8
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10/23/2018
The Future Alumni Network of Scranton, commonly referred to as FANS around campus, is a student-led organization focused on bridging the gap between students and alumni by creating a home for meaningful relationships to flourish. The club allows students to begin considering what they may be interested in after graduation by testing the waters through club meetings, events and networking opportunities with alumni; ultimately, it creates a meeting place for Royals looking to help support each other. FANS is a club open to students of all majors, and, as its president, I can confidently state that we welcome the partnership of any alumni willing to network with undergraduate students.
Before entering my first FANS meeting my freshman year at Scranton, I could have never guessed I would find the passion for developing connections between Scranton students and alumni that is so dear to my heart today. FANS was already a club on campus when I joined with the wonderful Alex Maier, assistant director of annual giving, leading our pack. Her positive energy and willingness to work with students was very exciting and kept us engaged. We have been fortunate to work closely with the Alumni Society Advisory Board and the University’s Advancement Office in all that we do, and their support has allowed us to continue to grow our program each year. From hosting us in their own homes to coming back to campus for our events and even taking students out to dinner, we are grateful for the sponsorship of the Scranton alumni who allow FANS to thrive.
After that first year, Alex asked me to come on as FANS president for the upcoming school year and assist her with the activities of the club. I was honored to accept the position and began brainstorming immediately on how to grow FANS into what I knew it could become. Reworking our goals, expanding to include new members and discovering our unique abilities as a club on campus took time. Navigating our way around the kinks as we went along made the team closer and, in time, the pieces came together as FANS continued to succeed. Throughout that time, I was excited to find something very special happening at every FANS event: our community was beginning to form. I am still excited by the sparkle in an alumna’s eye as she shares a favorite memory, the tenacity of a student determined to meet an
alumna currently working in her dream career and the remarkable spirit displayed by the men and women for and with others who network with us at FANS events. Becoming a part of FANS has made me a better leader and I strive to give others within our organization the same amazing experience.As I walked into my second year as president, we welcomed Ruth David’14, coordinator for student engagement, to help grow our team, and we increased student representation by adding Renzo Barrenechea’20 and Madelena Pine’21 to our
leadership board. Our team now works together on developing alumni relationships, event planning, member retention, gathering useful networking tips, meeting preparation and more as FANS continues to mature, and our students and alumni continue to benefit from their interactions with it.In the coming year, I would like to see new FANS events on campus for students and alumni to network with each other in different settings so that students can become more comfortable in a diverse array of social situations. I also would like to see FANS partner with other offices on campus so our members can be given the most current networking and career planning information available. That information will enable them to enter into conversations with alumni as prepared as possible, which will
in turn aid them in achieving their career objectives. As president, my goal each year for FANS has been to see more members join our club, and, at the outset of every year, I pick a number, keep it in my head, and hold myself accountable to that number throughout the year. I have come to understand, however, that, whether I reach the number in my head or not, the more important goal is to foster the connections my fellow students are developing with alumni by facilitating a space for that to happen. For me, that is of greater value.If you’re interested in learning more about FANS, please visit scranton.edu/fans or our Facebook page, or contact me directly at brianna.tucciarone@scranton.edu.
FANS: A Personal Reflection
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10/17/2018
Niche.com ranked Scranton No. 206 among the “Best Colleges in America” in its list of 1,647 four-year colleges in a 2018 listing published recently online.
Niche.com also ranked Scranton in the top 10 percent of schools in the country in a number of other national rankings, including: “Best Catholic Colleges in America” (No. 14); “Best Colleges with No Application Fee in America” (No. 34); “Best College Dorms in America” (No. 52); “Best College Food in America” (No. 58); “Best College Campuses in America” (No. 94); and “Best Value Colleges in America” (No. 130).
In state lists, also published on the website, Scranton ranked No. 1 in “Best Colleges with No Application Fee in Pennsylvania;” No. 2 in both “Best Catholic Colleges in Pennsylvania” and “Best College Campuses in Pennsylvania;” No. 4 in “Best College Food in Pennsylvania;” and No. 5 in “Best College Dorms in Pennsylvania.”
Niche.com based its rankings on its analysis of academic, admissions, financial and student life data reported by the U.S. Department of Education and reviews of academic and campus life by students and alumni made on its website. The company analyzes dozens of public data sets and millions of reviews to produce comprehensive rankings, report cards and profiles for K-12 schools, colleges and neighborhoods in the U.S. The website includes more than 200,000 profiles of schools, companies and neighborhoods.
Also in September, U.S. News & World Report ranked Scranton No. 6 among “Best Regional Universities in North” in the 2019 edition of its “Best Colleges” guidebook, as well as No. 3 for “A Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching” and No. 11 among “Most Innovative Schools.” U.S. News also ranked the University as a “Best Value” school. Scranton was also ranked in a 2018 listing by Washington Monthly that seeks to rate colleges based on their contribution to the public good, and in a The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education ranking of the “Top U.S. Colleges.”
Online Reviews Rank Scranton Among the Best
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10/16/2018
The University of Scranton will hold two Legacy Receptions during its Open House events Oct. 21 and Nov. 4.
Alumni parents and grandparents of prospective students are welcome to join representatives of the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement anytime between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in the Heritage Room (on the fifth floor) of the Weinberg Memorial Library for light fare and refreshments. Please RSVP to the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement via email at alumni@scranton.edu or by phone at 570-941-5997.
University Announces Fall Open House Legacy Receptions
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10/16/2018
The University of Scranton will celebrate Jesuit Alumni Sunday at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 21 with a Mass in Madonna della Strada Chapel.
The annual event is an opportunity for alumni and friends of Jesuit schools to celebrate their common bond through the celebration of liturgy followed by a reception where attendees can learn about volunteer programs, spiritual development opportunities and other ways to take part in the many offerings of Jesuit ministries.
To register for the event, visit this link.
Jesuit alumni and friends outside of the Scranton area can celebrate at the following locations and times Oct. 21 unless otherwise noted:
Atlanta, Georgia: Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School - Noon
Baltimore, Maryland: St. Ignatius Church - 10:30 a.m.
Bronx, New York: Fordham University Church – 11 a.m.
Buffalo, New York: St. Michael's Parish - Noon
Chapel Point, Maryland: St. Ignatius Church - 11:15
Charlotte, North Carolina: St. Peter's Church – 5 p.m.
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts: St. Ignatius Church - 5:30 p.m.
Fairfield, Connecticut: Fairfield University Egan Chapel – SATURDAY, Oct. 20 – 5 p.m.
Fairfield, Connecticut: Fairfield University Egan Chapel-Sunday, Oct. 21 -11 a.m.
Morristown, New Jersey: Loyola Jesuit Center - 11:30 a.m.
Manhattan, New York: St. Francis Xavier Parish – 5 p.m.
Manhattan, New York: St. Ignatius Loyola Parish - 7:30 p.m.
Oceanside, New York: St. Anthony's Parish - 12:30 p.m.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Old St. Joe's Church - 6:30 p.m.
Portland, Maine: Our Lady of Hope – 9 a.m.(St. Pius)
Raleigh, North Carolina: St. Raphael The Archangel Church - 5:30 p.m.
Richmond, Virginia: Sacred Heart Church - 8:45 a.m.
Staten Island, New York: Our Lady of Mount Carmel – 10 a.m.
Syracuse, New York: LeMoyne College Panasci Family Chapel – 7 p.m.
Washington, DC: Holy Trinity Parish - SATURDAY, Oct. 20 - 5:30 p.m.
Weston, Massachusetts: Campion Center Chapel of the Holy Spirit – 10 a.m.
Wheeling, West Virginia: Wheeling Jesuit University Chapel - 11 a.m.
Worcester, Massachusetts: College of the Holy Cross St. Joseph Memorial Chapel: - 11:30 a.m.University To Celebrate Jesuit Alumni Sunday Oct. 21
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10/16/2018
The University of Scranton will induct the six newest members into its athletics department Wall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 9, in a ceremony held between games of the men's and women's basketball doubleheader against Juniata in the John Long Center.
This year's class includes Randy Arnold '08 (men's basketball), Karen (Barlow) Lisk '89 (field hockey), Tim Logan '08 (men's soccer), Mary Beth (Vogel) Murray '08 (women's soccer and softball), Frank Ross '87 (baseball) and Donell Young '07 (wrestling).
The Wall of Fame was founded in 1970 to honor student-athletes, administrators and those in the community who have been instrumental in the overall development of the University's athletics program. This year's class brings the Wall's membership to 261.
The ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 9, will take place at approximately 2:35 p.m. The women's basketball game begins at 1 p.m., and the ceremony will begin approximately five minutes following the conclusion of the game.
To read about the honorees, click here.
Scranton Announces Wall of Fame Class of 2018
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10/10/2018
The University of Scranton’s President’s Business Council (PBC) 17th Annual Award Dinner honored Linda S. McGowan ’80, partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), and Joseph L. Sorbera Jr. P’08,’08, president of JLS Cost Management Systems Inc.
Each was presented with the University’s President’s Medal by University President Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., and Patricia A. Byrnes Clarke ’86, P’17, ’19, chief talent officer of Havas and a member of the University’s Board of Trustees and chair of the PBC. More than 500 guests attended the dinner at The Pierre Hotel in New York City on Oct. 4. Proceeds from the black-tie gala, which raised more than $1 million, support the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.
Presidential Scholarships are four-year, full-tuition scholarships awarded to incoming freshmen at Scranton with both outstanding records in high school and notable community involvement. Through its past 16 dinners, the PBC has generated $14 million for the scholarship fund.
The President’s Medal recognizes individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others, representing lifetime achievements that reflect the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service.
Father Pilarz referred to both honorees as “good friends” of the University in his remarks.
“Linda, you are an amazing mentor and friend to so many Scranton students. You have helped to shape their aspirations and helped them realize their dreams,” said Father Pilarz, referring to the many students she has mentored during the past decades and her work in strengthening the connection between PwC and Scranton. There are more than 110 Scranton alumni currently working at PwC. At the Oct. 4 event, the PBC announced the creation of The Linda S. McGowan/PricewaterhouseCooper Scholarship, endowed scholarship for an incoming student majoring in accounting at Scranton.
“Joe, you are the quintessential Scranton parent and were an exemplary member of our Board of Trustees,” said Father Pilarz. “The University, and I very personally, have benefited from your wisdom and the depth of your commitment to Catholic and Jesuit education. You also truly understand what makes Scranton so special.”
Honoree Sorbera’s description of the University, spoken to Father Pilarz when his children were students at Scranton, is etched on the third-floor wall of the University’s DeNaples Center. It reads, “Scranton is the kind of place where if anybody trips, everybody stops to help them up again.”
Sara Wierbowski, Owego, New York, of the University’s class of 2019, also spoke at the gala on behalf of the Presidential Scholars.
“We are a group of prospective M.D.s, D.O.s, attorneys, scientists, nurses, Ph.D.s, PTs, engineers and business professionals, and we all have one thing in common, we are truly nerdy students who love to take in as much knowledge as we can so we can give back to those around us. We wouldn’t be as effective at that without the generosity of people like you. Thank you,” said Wierbowski, a neuroscience and philosophy double major. She is a member of both the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program and the undergraduate Honors Program.
About Linda S. McGowan
McGowan has more than 30 years of experience as a member of PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Banking and Capital Markets Group. She is a member of the national office of the firm and provides technical advice on regulatory and industry-specific auditing matters. She is the author of the firm’s technical guidance and the firm’s letters on proposed rule changes. The list of industry clients which McGowan has served during her career includes Goldman Sachs; Merrill Lynch; Barclays; W.P. Stewart & Co.; Angelo, Gordon & Co.; MarketAxess; Knight Trading Group; Commerzbank; Cantor Fitzgerald; Janney Montgomery Scott; and ICAP.
McGowan has helped develop capital savings systems and interacted with the regulators for her clients on a no-name basis. Her client work involves diverse products such as commodity funds, venture capital investments, and collateralized mortgage obligations and includes such diverse projects as development of principal and interest collection and reconciliation procedures; special reviews of procedures with regard to possession or control, net capital, the reserve formula, and the treasury auction and primary dealer reporting process; development of an integrated haircut system; review of branch office practices, procedures, and operational reviews for both large and mid-size broker-dealers; and implementation and evaluation of new clearing systems and evaluation of cross-border margin and credit alternatives. She has been involved in numerous control reviews utilizing the COSO framework including such areas as equity and fixed income trading; treasury, stock lending and repurchase transactions; and investment banking. She has assisted in the establishment and registration process for several broker-dealers in the Internet environment with both foreign- and domestic-based ownership.
A native of Apalachin, New York., McGowan received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University in 1980. Since graduation, she has been actively involved in mentoring and recruiting current students, as well as mentoring the young Scranton alumni at PricewaterhouseCoopers. McGowan is a founding member of the PBC Executive Committee, a member and founding chair of the Kania School of Management Dean’s Advisory Board and serves on the Accounting Department Professional Council. McGowan and her husband, Michael ’81, reside in Bucks County, and have four children.
About Joseph L. Sorbera Jr.
Sorbera is responsible for growing and reshaping his family’s construction management business, which started in 1977, into an industry-leading project management and cost-management organization whose client list includes global financial, banking, educational and media firms. The firm specializes in large-scale capital projects, ensuring they are completed expertly as planned and on budget. The company motto, “deliver more than expected,” is indicative of the reason behind the loyalty they have earned from clients, colleagues and employees alike. The evolution of so many clients and colleagues into dear friends throughout 40-plus years of being in business is Sorbera’s greatest source of professional pride.
In addition to serving multiple terms on the Board of Trustees of Loyola School in Manhattan, Sorbera is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees. A former executive-in-residence at the University, he was also a member of the executive committee of the Pride Passion Promise campaign. In 2017, he was the honoree at the 97th annual Italian Welfare League gala in New York City. A current member of the President’s Business Council, Sorbera also serves as chair of the Board of the 115-year-old animal rescue organization, Bideawee.
Sorbera was born and raised in the tenements of Little Italy in New York, where the formation of family values, love of Sicilian traditions and strong sense of community were deeply ingrained into his persona. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Phoenix. Now a resident of Staten Island, New York, he and his wife, Diane, are the parents of three children: Christina, Diana ’08 and Joseph III ’08.
For more information on the PBC, contact PBC Executive Director Timothy J. Pryle ’89 at 570-941-5837 or at pbc@scranton.edu, or visit scranton.edu/pbc.
PBC Dinner Raises More Than $1 Million
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10/02/2018
The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education ranked The University of Scranton among “Top U.S. Colleges” in a 2019 listing that analyzes student outcomes after graduation, as well as their engagement while on campus to determine “how well a college will prepare students for life after graduation.”
Scranton’s highest rank was at No. 126 for student engagement, placing it in the top 15 percent of the ranking of nearly 1,000 colleges listed. Scranton also ranked at No. 182 for student outcomes; No. 260 for resources and No. 217 for an “overall” ranking based on analysis of 15 individual performance indicators.
The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education based the student engagement portion of their analysis on The U.S. Student Survey, which queried more than 189,000 current college and university students on a range of issues relating directly to their college experience, such as interaction with faculty and other students, and whether they would recommend their schools to others. Student engagement represented 20 percent of the overall ranking score. Outcomes, which represented 40 percent of the overall ranking score, looked at graduation rate, academic reputation, “value added” to graduate salary and “value added” to the loan repayment rate. The “value added” portions of the analysis applied statistical modeling to adjust for student, location and other characteristics in order to measure the impact the school has on the salary and loan repayment rates of its graduates. The ranking also measured resources invested in instruction and student services (30 percent), which included the finance cost per student, faculty/student ratio and research papers published per faculty member, and the learning environment (10 percent), which includes student and staff diversity, among other factors.
The ranking was published by The Wall Street Journal in September.
Scranton on 2019 National Ranking for Outcomes
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09/28/2018
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Ernest Kollra ’75, Plantation, Florida, was elected to a full six-year term on the circuit court for Broward County Florida on August 28, 2018. Judge Kollra, who was appointed to the bench in 2016 by Florida governor Rick Scott, sits in the felony trial division and presides in Fort Lauderdale.
Vincent Carsillo, D.O. ’95, Slingerlands, New York, the managing partner of Capital District Renal Physicians, has opened his second Dialysis Unit in the Capital District of upstate New York.
Deaths
Gerard R. Roche ’53, Hobe Sound, Florida
Donald J. Galligan ’55, Bethel Park
Walter F. Cavanagh ’59, McLean, Virginia
Theodore L. Ferraro ’59, West Long Branch, New Jersey
James J. Mowad, Jr. ’60, Scranton
Robert M. Grady, Sr. ’61, Throop
Harry P. O’Neill, III ’69, G’75, The Villages, Florida
Martin R. Kelly ’73, Skaneateles, New York
Hon. William J. Nealon H’75, Scranton
Brett Miller ’01, Colonia, New Jersey
Births
A daughter, Harper Madison, to Christopher and Kimberly Johnson Harris ’04, Newnan, Georgia
Marriages
Christine Moleti ’13, DPT ’16 to Bobby Della Polla ’13, G’14
Briann Lafty ’13 to Robert Scirocco ’13
Alumni Class Notes, October 2018
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09/26/2018
The University of Scranton will hold several regional Toast2Scranton celebrations in Sept. and Oct. to give Royals the chance to connect with their fellow alumni and welcome the Class of 2018 to the alumni family.
Thursday, September 27
On Sept. 27, Royals in Raleigh, North Carolina will meet at 6 p.m. at the Carolina Ale House Raleigh-Briar Creek, 7981 Skyland Ridge Parkway, Raleigh, North Carolina. The complimentary event includes appetizers and a cash bar. To register for the event, follow this link.
Also on Sept. 27, Royals in South Central PA will gather at 6 p.m. at The Millworks, 340 Verbeke Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102. The complimentary event includes appetizers and a cash bar. To register for the event, follow this link.
Royals in the Lehigh Valley will also have the chance to celebrate Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. at The Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley's Annual Dinner at Hampton Winds, 3835 Green Pond Road, Bethlehem, PA 18020, which will also serve as the area's Toast2Scranton celebration. The $51 per person event features a five-course meal prepared by students from Northampton Community College's Culinary Arts Program. To register for the event, follow this link.
Friday, September 28
On Sept. 28, Royals in the Washington, D.C., area will gather at 6 p.m. at Mission Dupont Circle, 1606 20th Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20009, for the area's Toast2Scranton celebration. The complimentary event will include appetizers and a cash bar. to register for the event, follow this link.
Also on Sept. 28, Royals throughout NEPA will gather at 6 p.m. at The Backyard Ale House, 523 Linden Street in Scranton for the area's Toast2Scranton celebration. The complimentary event includes appetizers and a cash bar. To register for the event, follow this link.
Royals in the Red Bank, New Jersey area will gather that same day at 6:30 p.m. at the Downtown, 10 West Front Street, Red Bank, New Jersey, for the area's Toast2Scranton celebration. The complimentary event includes appetizers and a cash bar. To register for the event, follow this link.
On Sept. 28, Royals in Ridgewood, New Jersey will gather at 6:30 p.m. at the Park West Tavern, 30 Oak Street, Ridgewood, New Jersey, for the area's Toast2Scranton celebration. The complimentary event includes appetizers and a cash bar. To register for the event, follow this link.
Royals in New York will hold their Toast2Scranton celebration Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. at Hurley's, 232 W 48th Street, New York, NY. The complimentary event includes appetizers and a cash bar. To register for the event, follow this link.
Thursday, October 11
Royals in Connecticut will gather on Oct. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Crave, 52 Sanford Avenue, Fairfield, CT, for their region's Toast2Scranton celebration. NOTE: the location has changed since the event was originally announced. The complimentary event includes appetizers and a cash bar. To register for the event, follow this link.
Friday, October 19
On Friday, Oct. 19, Royals in the Philadelphia area will gather at 6:30 p.m. at City Tap House University City, 3925 Walnut Street, Philadelphia for the region's Toast2Scranton celebration. The complimentary event includes appetizers and a cash bar. To register for the event, follow this link.
University To Hold Toast2Scranton Celebrations
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09/26/2018
The University of Scranton will hold a Men's Soccer 50th Season Celebration Sept. 29.
The day-long celebration will begin with an Alumni Game at 9:30 a.m. at the Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus' Weiss Field. The festivities will continue at 11:15 a.m. with the dedication of the Steve Klingman Plaza at Weiss Field in honor of former Men's Soccer Coach and current Assistant Athletics Facilities Manager Steve Klingman. At 1 p.m., the Men's Soccer team will square off against Goucher at Weiss Field.
Following the game, the University will hold a cocktail reception at 5 p.m. in Leahy Hall. The event will feature Guy Valvano, author of "Pushing 50: A Chronicle of The University of Scranton Men’s Soccer Program," who will be on-hand to sign copies of the book. Tickets to the cocktail reception are available at this link for a $25 fee.
For more information, visit this link.
University To Hold Men's Soccer 50th Season Celebration
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09/24/2018
The University of Scranton has named three individuals to its Board of Trustees: Jacquelyn Rasieleski Dionne ’89, Westport, Connecticut; Liz Murphy '83, Southport, North Carolina; and Vincent R. Reilly, Esq., ’80, P’05, ’08, ’11, ’14, Philadelphia.
A native of Scranton and University of Scranton alumna, Dionne became a registered nurse upon graduating from Community Medical Center in 1986. She received a bachelor’s degree in health administration from the University in 1989. She began her career as a trauma intensive care nurse in Scranton and continued as a cardiothoracic nurse in Boston and the New Hampshire Heart Institute. She recently returned to a medical setting, working as an RN with elderly and Alzheimer’s patients.
She is active in numerous charitable organizations, including having served as a vice president for the National Charity League, Westport Chapter, as well as Horizons Organization of Bridgeport Connecticut, Meals on Wheels and several other nonprofit organizations. Dionne previously served on the University’s board from 2011 through 2017. During that time, she chaired the advancement committee, served on the executive committee, and on both the presidential and provost search committees. In 2015, she was instrumental in the creation of the Kania School of Management’s Business Wall of Fame. In 2013, she and her husband, John D. Dionne ’86, were co-recipients of the University’s President’s Medal, an honor presented by the President’s Business Council. In 2008, the University named its newly created green at the heart of its campus in honor of her and her husband.
Murphy, who graduated in 1983, is chair of the board and chief evangelist for CampusWorks, Inc., a higher education professional services company. She has more than 35 years of experience in higher education, having first served as an institutional fundraiser for both a university and a community college foundation. For more than 21 years she worked at Datatel, an enterprise software provider to higher education, serving in marketing and professional services leadership roles, before advancing to the position of chief client officer there. She then served as chief executive officer of CampusWorks for more than six years.
Murphy serves on the boards of Oohlala, Quality Matters and the Alliance for Innovation and Transformation. She also served as director and chair of the board of the Lupus Foundation of America, D.C., Maryland and Virginia Chapter.
She is married to University of Scranton alumnus and former University Trustee Justin Murphy ’76.
Reilly, who graduated from The University of Scranton in 1980 and Villanova University School of Law in 1983, has been active in civil litigation in the state and federal courts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. On Jan. 1, 2000, along with Tracey McDevitt ’93, he founded the law firm of Reilly, McDevitt and Henrich, where he serves as managing partner of the firm with offices in Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware. Reilly serves on the advisory board of the Friends of St. Malachy Inc., a nonprofit corporation assisting St. Malachy Parish in North Philadelphia. He previously served as a University trustee from 2011 to 2017 He is married to Eileen O’Neil, who graduated from the University in 1982. Four of their five children, Brigid ’05, Peggy ’08, Brendan ’11 and Colin ’14, graduated from The University of Scranton. Their son Tim graduated from the University of Delaware in 2009.
University of Scranton Names New Trustees
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09/21/2018
“I love this place, and I am blessed to be here with you” was the message Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., delivered in his Inauguration Address as the 27th President at The University of Scranton.
In his remarks, Father Pilarz discussed “our community, our core
and our shared commitments” to an audience of nearly 1,500 in the Byron Recreation Complex on campus Sept. 21, emphasizing the sacred role played by teachers and the blessed atmosphere of a university as a place to search for and discovertruth . He recommitted to dedicate University resources to the key role humanities play in a Jesuit education, announcing the establishment of a center for the humanities at Scranton, as well as the first leadership gift of $1 million from University Trustee James Slattery and his wife, Betsy, in support of this effort.“The humanities and liberal arts are home to the great stories, and Jesuit educators have always believed that reading the great stories is the best preparation for a life lived generously in service of others and God,” said Father Pilarz. “In addition, they knew that the great stories teach you that time is a finger snap and a blink of an
eye, and that you should not allow a moment to pass you by without taking joyous, ecstatic note of it. In other words, the humanities teach us, don’t waste love.”Father Pilarz also promised to raise funds to support endowments for scholarships and financial aid to students, as well as support for life-changing service and service trips.
“Our devotion to community, our passion for the liberal arts, and all of our commitments constitute a call to action, a call to think beyond ourselves in service of our mission for the greater Glory of God and world’s wellbeing. Ultimately, they are a call to love,” said Father Pilarz. “I pray today and every day that all of us at Scranton will be preoccupied with love for our students and for one another.”
The Inauguration included video greetings from faculty, students, alumni
and staff, as well as elected officials and college presidents.“This is day of great promise for The University of Scranton. We have chosen you to lead this University community and to embrace, strengthen and further our mission. As you undertake the presidency, the Board of Trustees and the entire University community pledge our support and collaboration to work with you to enlighten the minds and lift the hearts of our campus, our community and our world,” said Joseph M. Vaszily ’95, chair of the University’s Board of Trustees.
The ceremony also included a surprise performance by acclaimed trombonist Wycliffe A. Gordon H’06 and the world premiere performance of “Don’t Waste Love,” which was composed by Joshua Rosenblum and commissioned especially for Father Pilarz’s Inauguration as the University’s 27th president. Rosenblum conducted the piece, which was performed by the University’s Concert Band and Concert Choir. The piece will also be performed at the University’s Family Weekend Inauguration concert at 7:30 p.m. the evening of Sept. 22 in the Houlihan-McLean Center.
Father Pilarz served as Scranton’s 24th president from 2003 to 2011, becoming the fifth longest-serving president at Scranton and third longest-serving Jesuit president. During his first tenure as president, the University earned national recognition for academic quality, community engagement
and student success, achievingthen record admissions and undertaking the largest construction projects in its history. He expanded international mission and service opportunities and programs to enhance its Catholic and Jesuit identity. Transformational capital projects included the 180,000-square-foot Patrick and Margaret DeNaples Center; the 108,000-square-foot Christopher and Margaret Condron Hall; the John and Jacquelyn Dionne Campus Green; the expansion of the Retreat Center at Chapman Lake, the 189,000-square-foot apartment and fitness complex on Mulberry Street; and the 200,000-square-foot Loyola Science Center.Other accomplishments included dedicated support for research by new faculty, the President’s Colloquy for Presidential Scholars, and five endowed chairs to attract top scholars. The University’s progress was supported by the Pride, Passion, Promise Campaign, the most ambitious capital campaign in the University’s history, surpassing its $125 million fundraising goal.
As a scholar, Father Pilarz has delivered numerous papers at scholarly conferences on various aspects of medieval and Renaissance literature. He has also lectured and published on topics related to Jesuit education. His book, Robert Southwell, S.J., and the Mission of Literature 1561-1595: Writing Reconciliation, was published by Ashgate Press. A quote of St. Southwell’s, “Not where I breathe, but where I love, I live,” is engraved above a prominent entrance to the DeNaples Center. These words were also incorporated into the theme of Father Pilarz’s Inauguration as well: “Where I Love, I Live.”
President Shares Vision for University
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09/21/2018My fellow Trustees, Bishop Bambera, Father Provincial, honored guests, my brother Jesuits, members of
faculty , staff and administration and most importantly, University of Scranton students.
First and foremost, thanks to all who made this great day in the life of the University possible – this wonderful celebration of community. In all honesty, there is only one thing I want to say today:
I love this place, and I am blessed to be back here with you.
However, my bosses, the Trustees, are sitting behind me, and I don’t think I can get away with a single sentence. They hired me, and they are going to want to hear more.
There are actually three aspects of the University that I wish to address today: Our Community, Our Coreand Our Shared Commitments.
Our Community
Speaking tocommunity , let me start by thanking Father Herb Keller for the groundwork he laid last year as Interim President. I’m delighted that he is the rector of the Scranton Jesuit community and also special assistant to the president. This is one of those rare instances where my boss is also my special assistant. Herb’s good work built upon the legacy ofcommunity that generations of women and men serving the University have made our hallmark including our former president, Father Joseph McShane, who we are happy to welcome back today.
One of the primary reasons I am so happy to be back is because of the special, unique nature of this community that has once again so warmly welcomed me and my family.
Two years ago, I was happily serving as the president of Georgetown Prep, the oldest Jesuit high school in the United States, complete with my own golf course (if only I golfed). I was blessed with remarkable comrades and collaborators, some of whom have joined us here today. People who are devoted to serving Prep’s exceptional students.
I can assure you that there was no other place on the planet that I would have considered leaving Prep, except for The University of Scranton. When Scranton friends first suggested that I consider coming back, my respect for and devotion to this place led me to discern the pursuit of this opportunity. And throughout thatdiscernment I was haunted by some words that somebody etched on the front of the DeNaples Center:
Not where I breathe, but where I love, I live.
Whilecommunity is a key strength, we can never be complacent here at Scranton. As you know,community both here and everywhere is under stress. Some of these stresses are not new. In 2011, Father General Adolfo Nicholás in Mexico City said:
“When one is overwhelmed with such a dizzying pluralism of choices and values and beliefs and visions of life, then one can so easily slip into the lazy superficiality of relativism or mere tolerance of others and their views, rather than engaging in the hard work of forming communities of dialogue in the search of truth and understanding.”
We have never been afraid of this kind of hard work at The University of Scranton. In our current context, this work requires a focus on reconciliation. As our current Father General recent wrote:
The university is …a privileged space for exercising human freedom. Freedom to search and find the paths of social transformation through research and teaching. It is a space in which the message of liberation of the Good News of the Gospel can contribute to finding better ways to generate life in the midst of difficulties and uncertainty, which seem to overwhelm the daily lives of most men and women, opening a space for hope to enter.
What better place for hope to enter than here at The University of Scranton. We must ensure that hope always abides here and more that we are the source for hope in our local community, the communities in which our graduates live and work, in the Church, and in the world.
Our Core
How do we go about equipping our students to live lives that are sources for hope? For me, the answer is clear and central to my own education and life’s work. We have always given pride of place to the liberal arts and the humanities, and our commitment to these academic disciplines is rooted and grounded in our mission and identity. The earliest Jesuit educators believed and developed a curriculum out of the conviction that the study of literature, history, language, theologyand philosophy, transform students to be agents for positive change in a world always waiting to be made more gentle and just. At Scranton, the humanities and liberal arts are the heart of the matter and must always remain so.
This is not to say that as a comprehensive university we are not committed to an array of outstanding undergraduate and graduate, professional and pre-professional programs. But what sets apart a Scranton doctor, nurse, accountant, teacher, scientist or executive is a deep appreciation for and understanding of the human condition. Humanities and the liberal arts offer opportunities to gain wisdom by engaging and embracing life’s greatest mysteries. Those of you that know me well, know that at heart, I am an English teacher. At the conclusion of every English class I have ever taught, I share with my students these words from the New Jersey novelist Philip Roth:
“I love teaching literature. I am rarely ever so contented as when I am here with my pages of notes and my marked up texts and with people like yourselves. To my mind, there is nothing quite like the classroom in all of life. Sometimes when we are in the midst of talking, when one of you has pierced with a single phrase right to the heart of the book at hand, I want to cry out: Dear friends, cherish this. Why? Because once you have left here people are rarely if ever going to talk to you or listen to you the way you talk or listen to one another and to me in this bright and barren little room. …I doubt that you know how very affecting it is to hear you speak thoughtfully and in all earnestness about solitude, illness, longing, loss, suffering, delusion, hope, passion and love. …To put it as straight as I can, what the church is to a true believer; a classroom is to me. Some kneel at Sunday prayer, and I appear three times each week to teach the great stories to you.”
The humanities and liberal arts are home to the great stories, and Jesuit educators have always believed that reading the great stories is the best preparation for a life lived generously in service of others and God. In addition, they knew that the great stories teach you that time is a finger snap and a blink of aneye, and that you should not allow a moment to pass you by without taking joyous, ecstatic note of it. In other words, the humanities teach us don’t waste love.
Even before I arrived, faculty and administrators were talking about how Scranton can best be positioned as a leader in humanities education. Inspired by their good work and by my own deep convictions, I have already made finding resources to support this dream a priority. We must explicitly re-dedicate our community to Ignatian intellectual rigor, curiosityand personal and professional growth.
As a start to accomplishing this, we will create a center for the humanities that will provide every part of our academic community – business and nursing, the arts and political science, communications and chemistry – with an empowering and coherent basis for these Ignatian ideals.
While you will hear much more about our plans in the coming weeks, I wish today to let you know that we have already received the first of what I hope will be many leadership gifts in support of it. I know I am putting him on the spot, but I want to acknowledge the generous commitment of one million dollars from Mr. James Slattery and his wife, Betsy. Jim…. thank you and Betsy for helping to launch this dream.
Our Commitments
While the liberal arts central to our mission, we have over the decades defined a Scranton education in much more comprehensive ways. We are proud of all of our academic programs and the ways in which they too transform the lives of our students. As we look to the future, we are committed to strengthen strategically our existing programs and to add appropriate new ones. While our past provides a compass, we always need to be aware of opportunities and potential directions. I encourage all of us, especially our new provost, the deansand the faculty, to be innovative, entrepreneurial and collaborative. Ultimately, all of the programs that we offer now and will offer in the future to our students must develop organically and authentically in accord with our mission and identity.
In addition to finding financial support for the liberal arts and humanities, I am committed to doing the same for student-faculty research and faculty development. Our students tell us again and again how such research has helped them discern their passion in life. These opportunities obviously require a level of generosity from our faculty who give so freely of their time and who remain excited to create knowledge. We can all be grateful, as I am, for the Scranton faculty who are so selflessly committed to student success.
In order that future generations may have access to the Scranton experience, we are committed to redoubling our efforts to supportendowment for the sake of affordability. Scholarships and financial aid are the difference makers for students and their families. To this end, we must invite our alumni, parentsand friends to help our students to realize their dreams here.
We have a strong tradition here in Scranton of service and service programs both international and domestic. I have to admit that during my first tenure, I had to be strong-armed into accompanying a group of students to El Salvador. They had earlier in the semester talked me into offering a reader on liberation theology. At the end of the semester, they asked a question: “What are we going to do with what we have learned? Let us go to Central America and put theory into practice.” Their example was an inspiration for me and my shared experience with them convinced me more than ever of the importance of exposing our students to the gritty reality of the world. While we didn’t change El Salvador in 10 days. That experience of service forever changed all of us. We must be committed to seeing such programs flourish, and a dream of mine is to see them fully endowed.
While our current strategic plan rightly encourages us to embrace the world, we just as enthusiastically embrace our city and the region of Northeastern Pennsylvania. We are committed to the University remaining an engine of opportunity, a voice for social justice and a hub of cultural, intellectual and spiritual life.
As a University founded by the first Bishop of Scranton and sustained by the Society of Jesus since 1942, we uniquely manifest our Catholic and Jesuit identity. For example, and withdeference to my fellow Jesuit presidents with us today, Scranton stands out among our sister Jesuit institutions in our practice of cura personalis.
Based on the Saint Ignatius’ experience during his conversion of God drawing close to him as an individual with his own hopes, aspirations, dreams, our paradigm for relating to Scranton students embodies the “reverent familiarity” practiced by the earliest Jesuit educators. We have learned that caring for students in this way is the heart of our transformational education.
This qualifies our University community to address with care, issues facing the Church both local and universal. Recently our Board of Trustees dedicated endowed funds to launch an effort both scholarly and pastorally to harness our gifts attime when the need for transformation is so apparent. We commit ourselves to this effort with a sense of humility, but also with a sense of urgency.
As I conclude, let me draw upon the words of Father Timothy Healy, a mentor, friend and late president of Georgetown. Father Healy once spoke of the work of a University as an “act of love,” and Ignatius reminds us that “Love is shown in deeds, not in words.” Our devotion to community, our passion for the liberal arts, and all of our commitments constitute a call to action, a call to think beyond ourselves in service of our mission for the greater Glory of God and world’s wellbeing. Ultimately, they are a call to love.
To again paraphrase Father Healy: while universities are great at assessment, planningand accreditation, in our heart of hearts they don’t really matter to us. What does matter is the individual contact, the teacher in the classroom…, the arc across which our learning bangs into the energy of the young. That interchange is more important to us than all the statistics, rules or regulations issued by the office of the dean or provost, all the fulminations of the president and the Board of Trustees or anyone else on the good ground on which we serve. “Only individuals grow and that growth, in mind and heart, is the university’s preoccupation.”
I pray today and every day that all of us at Scranton will be preoccupied with love for our students and for one another. I love this place, and I am so blessed to be back here with all of you.
God bless you, God bless Catholic and Jesuit education, and God bless The University of Scranton.Inauguration Address
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09/21/2018
A Celebration of Community: The Inauguration of Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., as The University of Scranton’s 27th President
Inauguration Date: Sept. 21, 2018
Attendance:
Total for all events: 3,100 (estimate)
Inauguration Ceremony: 1,500
Inauguration Mass: 1,000 (estimate)
Inauguration Concert: 600 (estimate)
Number of Colleges and Universities Represented: 54
Oldest College Represented: Harvard University (established 1636)
Newest College Represented: The Commonwealth Medical College (established 2008)
Number of School Presidents in Attendance: 11
Former University of Scranton Presidents in Attendance: 3 (including Father Pilarz as No. 24)
Quotable: “Where I Love, I Live” Inauguration theme, inspired by the words of Jesuit martyr St. Robert Southwell: “Not where I breathe, but where I love, I live.”
World Premiere at Inauguration: Joshua Rosenblum’s original composition “Don’t Waste Love,” based on text drawn from inspirational words from Father Pilarz’s addresses to the University community made during his first tenure at Scranton, combined with phrases from poems and writings by other members of the Society of Jesus, including St. Robert Southwell, Gerard Manley Hopkins, St. Ignatius of Loyola and Pope Francis.
Quick Facts
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09/19/2018
The University of Scranton recently honored A.J. Guzzi General Contractors, Inc. as its Business Partner of the Year at its annual Business Partner Appreciation Dinner.
“Twenty-five years ago, my mentor and my best friend, Ang Guzzi, said, ‘I want to give you some advice,’” said John Heim, president of A.J. Guzzi General Contractors, Inc., as he accepted the award on behalf of the company. “He said, ‘Make sure that every project that you do, the quality is perfect, and it will pay dividends.’ Tonight, it paid dividends. I am honored to receive this award.
“I have to say thank you. I’m just a contractor, and I rely on people around me to do the work. Thank you to the University and all the people at the University. They are fantastic people to work with. Thank you to the architects and engineers that put the project on a piece of paper and give me a road map to follow. Thank you to my employees, suppliers and subcontractors that actually build the project. And most importantly, I want to say thank you to my right-hand woman, my wife Carol. She answers the phone, answers my emails, makes sure I get where I’m supposed to be on time, and every August 10, she puts up with me when I say, ‘The students are coming back and we’re in trouble.’”
A.J. Guzzi General Contractors, Inc. has worked on a variety of University projects over the years, including the restoration of the Commons, renovations to the TV Studio, McGowan and Blair Houses and the Office of Equity and Diversity. Most recently A.J. Guzzi completed The Estate landscaping project which serves as the backdrop for many Scranton student and alumni photos.
The annual event recognizes the top 100 companies that make outstanding contributions to Scranton’s ability to deliver a superior educational experience its students. Finalists for this year’s award include American Janitor & Paper Supply, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP, Battaglia’s Sporting Goods, Dell EMC, ELD Consulting Group, Ltd., L. R. Costanzo Construction Services Company, Inc., The Quandel Group, United Educators and Wojdak Government Relations.
University Honors Business Partner Of The Year 2018
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09/19/2018
Students, faculty, staff, alumni, community leaders and area residents are invited to attend “A Celebration of Community: The Inauguration of Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., as The University of Scranton’s 27th President” on Friday, Sept. 21, at 11 a.m. University classes have been canceled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday and offices will be closed during that time to allow attendance at the ceremony, which will take place in the Byron Recreation Complex. A luncheon will immediately follow the ceremony on the Dionne Campus Green.
In addition to the ceremony, a Mass in Celebration of the Inauguration of Father Pilarz will take place on Saturday, Sept. 22, at 4 p.m. in the Byron Recreation Complex.
Both events will be live streamed at scranton.edu/eventslive. An archived video will be available immediately following each event and will remain available for viewing on this site for 30 days.
The University’s Inauguration events will conclude with the “Family Weekend President’s Concert: Celebrating the Inauguration of Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., as the 27th President” Saturday, Sept. 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center. The concert will feature The University of Scranton Concert Band and Concert Choir with special guest Wycliffe A. Gordon H’06.
The Inauguration will include the world premiere performance of “Don’t Waste Love,” which was composed by Joshua Rosenblum and commissioned especially for Father Pilarz’s Inauguration as the University’s 27th president. The piece will be performed by the University’s Concert Band and Concert Choir and will be conducted by the composer. The text of “Don’t Waste Love” is drawn from inspirational words from Father Pilarz’s addresses to the University community made during his first tenure at Scranton, combined with phrases from poems and writings by other members of the Society of Jesus, including St. Robert Southwell, Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J., St. Ignatius of Loyola and Pope Francis. The piece will also be performed at the concert Saturday evening.
All three Inauguration events are free of charge and open to the public.
Inauguration Planned for September 21
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09/18/2018
The University of Scranton ranked No. 107 among the 695 master’s universities in the nation included in a 2018 listing by Washington Monthly that seeks to rate colleges based on their contribution to the public good. Published in the September/October issue of the magazine and online, Washington Monthly analyzed numerous data sets to determine an overall rank, as well as a score and rank of colleges for “research,” “social mobility” and “community and national service.” Scranton ranked No. 55, No. 201 and No. 207, respectively, in these categories among master’s universities.
In addition, Washington Monthly also ranked schools in multiple data points. Scranton’s highest rankings in its category were: No. 17 for graduation rate; No. 31 for its student loan repayment; No. 43 for ROTC; and No. 52 for graduates earning Ph.D.s.
Washington Monthly weighted equally the colleges’ scores for research, social mobility and service to calculate the overall ranking. The research score is based on each school’s research expenditure and the number of alumni earning Ph.D.s, relative to the size of the college. The social mobility score is based on actual and predicted graduation rates; student loan repayment rates; actual verses predicted median earnings of graduates 10 years after enrollment; and the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants and the percentage of first generation college students, among other factors. The service score, also adjusted for the size of the school, is based on the size of the ROTC program; the number of alumni serving in the Peace Corps; and the percentage of federal work study grant money spent on community service projects.
Earlier this month, U.S. News and World Report ranked the University No. 6 for the “Best Regional Universities in the North,” marking the 25th consecutive year that Scranton ranked in the top 10 in its category. U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 3 in its category in a listing of the top 168 colleges in the nation expressing “A Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching” and No. 11 in its category in a ranking of the “Most Innovative Schools” that recognized just 159 colleges in America, among other rankings.
Scranton among Colleges Ranked by Washington Monthly
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09/10/2018
For the 25th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report has ranked The University of Scranton among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North.” Scranton ranked No. 6 in the 2019 edition of the “Best Colleges” guidebook, which became available online today. U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 3 in its category in a listing of the top 168 colleges in the nation expressing “A Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching” and No. 11 in its category in a ranking of the “Most Innovative Schools” that recognized just 159 colleges in America.
“We are honored to have been counted among the top ten universities in the north by U.S. News for a quarter of a century,” said Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president of The University of Scranton. “The consistent recognition we have received through national rankings from U.S. News and others acknowledges the significant work done by our faculty and staff at this Catholic and Jesuit university that is centered on student learning and outcomes. That is why I am most proud that U.S. News has also selected Scranton once again for its short list of colleges with ‘A Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching.’”
U.S. News rankings of “Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching” colleges and “Most Innovative Schools” are based on the highest scores received through peer assessment surveys. The lists respectively recognize the nation’s top schools “where faculty have an usually strong commitment to undergraduate teaching” and schools that “are making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities,” according to U.S. News.
In national rankings, as opposed to listings by category, U.S. News included Scranton among America’s “Best Undergraduate Business Programs,” ranking Scranton at No. 199 in the U.S., and among the nation’s “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs,” ranking Scranton No. 134 among schools where a doctorate is not offered. Also, in national rankings of all business programs in America, U.S. News ranked several of Scranton’s entrepreneurship program at No. 31, its finance program at No. 36 and its accounting program at No. 37 in the country.
In addition, Scranton was also ranked No. 27 as a “Best Value Regional University in the North,” which compares
academic quality of programs to cost of attendance. This is the sixth consecutive year U.S. News has recognized Scranton as a “Best Value” school. Scranton was also listed among the “top ranked” colleges where students do wellbased on “spirit and hard work.”U.S. News changed the methodology used in its rankings this year, increasing the weight given data used to assess “outcomes” to 35 percent of the overall score. U.S. News added a “social mobility assessment” (5 percent) to the outcomes data this year, based on
graduation rate of Pell Grant recipients and other factors. In addition, U.S. News considers a range of quality indicators for its ranking that includes peer assessment of academic excellence (20 percent); graduation and freshman retention (22 percent); faculty resources (20 percent); student selectivity (10 percent); financial resources (10 percent); alumni giving (5 percent); and graduation performance rates (8 percent), which compares a school’s actual graduation rates with predicted graduation rates based on characteristics of the incoming class. U.S. News categorizes colleges for their rankings based on the official Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classification of universities.The 2019 U.S. News “Best Colleges” rankings became available online Sept. 10.
Scranton Hits Quarter Century Mark in Top 10
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09/05/2018
On Thursday, Oct. 4, at The Pierre Hotel in New York City, the President’s Business Council (PBC) 17th Annual Award Dinner will present Linda S. McGowan ’80, partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and Joseph L. Sorbera Jr. P’08,’08, president of JLS Cost Management Systems Inc., with the University’s President’s Medal.
McGowan has over 30 years of experience as a member of PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Banking and Capital Markets Group. She is a member of the national office of the firm and provides technical advice on regulatory and industry-specific auditing matters. She is the author of the firm’s technical guidance and the firm’s letters on proposed rule changes. The list of industry clients which McGowan has served during her career includes Goldman Sachs; Merrill Lynch; Barclays; W.P. Stewart & Co.; Angelo, Gordon & Co.; MarketAxess; Knight Trading Group; Commerzbank; Cantor Fitzgerald; Janney Montgomery Scott; and ICAP.
McGowan has helped develop capital savings systems and interacted with the regulators for her clients on a no-name basis. Her client work involves diverse products such as commodity funds, venture capital investments, and collateralized mortgage obligations and includes such diverse projects as development of principal and interest collection and reconciliation procedures; special reviews of procedures with regard to possession or control, net capital, the reserve formula, and the treasury auction and primary dealer reporting process; development of an integrated haircut system; review of branch office practices, procedures, and operational reviews for both large and mid-size broker-dealers; and implementation and evaluation of new clearing systems and evaluation of cross-border margin and credit alternatives. She has been involved in numerous control reviews utilizing the COSO framework including such areas as equity and fixed income trading; treasury, stock lending and repurchase transactions; and investment banking. She has assisted in the establishment and registration process for several broker-dealers in the Internet environment with both foreign- and domestic-based ownership.
A native of Apalachin, N.Y., McGowan received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University in 1980. Since graduation, she has been actively involved in mentoring and recruiting current students, as well as mentoring the young Scranton alumni at PricewaterhouseCoopers. McGowan is a founding member of the PBC Executive Committee, a member and founding chair of the Kania School of Management (KSOM) Dean’s Advisory Board and serves on the Accounting Department Professional Council (ADPC). McGowan and her husband, Michael ’81, reside in Bucks County, Pa., and have four children.
Sorbera and his wife, Diane, are the parents of three children: Christina, Diana ’08 and Joseph III ’08. The couple resides in Staten Island, N.Y., along with their beloved golden retriever, Chewie, and cherished rescue dog, Max. He is passionate about his family, animal welfare, Jesuit education and his Italian-American heritage. Sorbera was born and raised in the tenements of Little Italy in New York, where the formation of family values, love of Sicilian traditions and strong sense of community were deeply ingrained into his persona. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Phoenix.
He is responsible for growing and reshaping his family’s construction management business, which started in 1977, into an industry-leading project management and cost management organization whose client list includes global financial, banking, educational, and media firms. The firm specializes in large-scale capital projects, ensuring they are completed expertly as planned and on budget. The company motto, “deliver more than expected,” is indicative of the reason behind the loyalty they have earned from clients, colleagues and employees alike. The evolution of so many clients and colleagues into dear friends throughout 40+ years of being in business is his greatest source of professional pride.
In addition to serving multiple terms on the Board of Trustees of Loyola School in Manhattan, Sorbera is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees. A former executive in residence at the University, he was also a member of the executive committee of the Pride Passion Promise campaign. In 2017, he was the honoree at the 97th annual Italian Welfare League gala in New York City. A current member of the President’s Business Council, Sorbera is Chairman of the Board of the renowned 115-year-old animal rescue organization, Bideawee.
In presenting the President’s Medal, the University and the PBC recognize individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others. The proceeds from the Annual Award Dinner go directly to the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund. The black-tie gala is a wonderful celebration of Scranton and of honorees whose lifetime achievements reflect the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service. Through its 16 dinners, the PBC has generated over $13 million for the scholarship fund.
Roundtrip bus service to and from this year’s dinner will again be available for guests traveling from Scranton and Philadelphia. Further details are available by inquiring to pbc@scranton.edu or 570-941-5837.
On Sept. 19, a few weeks before the dinner, the PBC will co-host a networking reception with current University students at the Westin Philadelphia, Liberty Place, 99 S. 17th Street, Philadelphia. The business attire reception will present students with the opportunity to enhance their out-of-classroom experiences by interacting with alumni and friends.
To register for the 17th Annual Award Dinner, click here. To register for the networking reception in Philadelphia, click here. For more information on the PBC and additional ways to participate in this year’s dinner, contact Executive Director Timothy J. Pryle ’89 at (570) 941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu, or visit scranton.edu/pbc.
PBC Prepares For 17th Annual Award Dinner Oct. 4
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09/05/2018
From Sept. 21-23, the family members of current students will return to campus for Family Weekend 2018, the University’s annual chance for families to get a first-hand look into the lives of their students.
Friday, Sept. 21
11 a.m. - A Celebration of Community: The Inauguration of Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., as The University of Scranton’s 27th President
Join the entire University community in the Byron Recreation Complex for the inauguration of the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., as the University’s 27th president, and then celebrate the occasion by breaking bread with your fellow Royals at a luncheon immediately following the ceremony on the Dionne Green.
1 p.m. – Men’s Golf at Keystone College
Cheer on Men’s Golf as they take on Keystone College at Stonehedge Golf Course in Tunkhannock.
4:30 p.m. – Registration Opens at The DeNaples Center
Pick up your Family Welcome packet from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the first floor lobby of The DeNaples Center. To register in advance for a fee of $35 per family, visit this link.
4:30 p.m. – Campus Ministries Service Trip Fundraiser
Come to the first floor lobby of the DeNaples Center from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday and/or from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, September 22, to participate in a basket raffle benefitting the University’s domestic and international service trips. Tickets are $1 each, or 25 for $20. The drawing will be held promptly at 5 p.m. Saturday.
5 p.m. – Food Truck Friday at Nay Aug Park (Community Event)
Journey up Mulberry Street to Nay Aug Park and indulge your inner foodie at Food Truck Friday, a community event hosted by Nay Aug Park and the Leadership Lackawanna project. The event will be held between the Everhart Museum and the Greenhouse. There will be multiple food trucks present filled with tons of food, as well as music. This event is a great opportunity for families to enjoy dinner outdoors with their friends and family while supporting local food truck venues. Address: 1901 Mulberry Street, Scranton, PA 18510
8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. – The Magic of Brent Kessler
Join your fellow Royals in The DeNaples Center’s Moskovitz Theater for The Magic of Brent Kessler. Brent's over-the-edge magic and stand-up comedy performances have garnered great reviews from thousands of people across the country. The show is an amazing hands-on production that is structured around audience interaction. Every part of the show engages the audience in some way or another.
9 p.m. Look at the Stars: The Astronomy Club’s Stargazing
Take a moment to sit back, relax and let the stress of the day melt away as you join The Astronomy Club for a stargazing session on the rooftop of the Loyola Science Center. The University of Scranton's Astronomy Club will host a special, family-oriented star gazing event. Join them at the LSC Observation Deck in LSC 212 to take a peek into the Heavens through some of their state-of-the art telescopes and also get a great view of the city of Scranton from the LSC rooftop. Space is limited; first come, first served.
Saturday, September 22
8:30 a.m. – Registration Opens at The DeNaples Center
Pick up your Family Welcome packet from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the first floor lobby of The DeNaples Center. To register in advance for a fee of $35 per family, visit this link.
8:30 a.m. – Bike Scranton
Bike Scranton is a cooperative program between The University of Scranton Office of Sustainability and the Lackawanna Valley Heritage Authority. All University of Scranton students and families may borrow a bicycle as long as they can provide a photo ID and are at least 16 years of age. Bikes will be available on The DeNaples Center patio, and tours are self-guided. The last bike check-out time will be at 1:30 p.m.
9 a.m. – Campus Tour
As you take a campus tour, not only will you visit our exceptional buildings, you'll also learn about the University's rich history and culture. The tour will begin in the second floor lobby of The DeNaples Center.
10 a.m. - Women’s Rugby B Side vs. Shippensburg University
Support Women’s Rugby as they take on Shippensburg University at Fitzpatrick Field.
10 a.m. Special Interest Session: STEAM Programming In Scranton
STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) Professor Nicholas P. Truncale, faculty specialist in the Department of Physics and Electrical Engineering, will demonstrate in Room 233 of the Loyola Science Center how STEAM is integrated into the first-year experience for physics and engineering majors at The University of Scranton along with how art can be integrated with engineering to create a unique learning experience.
10 a.m. Special Interest Session: Putting Yourself On The List
You care for everyone around you, but how often do you include yourself on that list? This session in Room 334 of the Loyola Science Center will provide you with the opportunity to take an inventory of your overall wellness and learn some hands-on activities to practice self-care. This session will be presented by Dr. Teresa M. Conte, Ph.D., CPNP, associate professor in the Department of Nursing.
10 a.m. – Siblings’ U
Home can feel quiet when your college student is not there, and Siblings’ U is an excellent opportunity for your children to reconnect and catch up. Our Resident Assistants have put together exciting activities appropriate for all ages.
11 a.m. – Women’s Rugby A Side vs. La Salle University
Support Women’s Rugby as they take on La Salle University at Fitzpatrick Field.
11 a.m. – Special Interest Session: At Ease: An Open Dialogue on Theology/Religious Studies in the Curriculum
This session in Room 212 of the Loyola Science Center will briefly address the role played by the general education curriculum at The University of Scranton with particular attention on the place of Theology/Religious Studies. After a brief introduction, Cyrus P. Olsen Ill, D.Phil. (Oxon.), will hold an open dialogue with all present to encourage families about a unique feature of Jesuit education today.
11 a.m. – Career Development and Your Student
Representatives from The Gerard R. Roche Center for Career Development will discuss ways in which they help students focus on career decisions that are consistent with their unique talents, aspirations, and vision for living in Room 334 of the Loyola Science Center.
11 a.m. – Special Interest Session: Science Is Fun with Dr. Squared (MC2)
Come join the fun and laughter with science in Room 433 of the Loyola Sceince Center! You will see, hear, feel and perhaps even taste some fascinating science demonstrations. We will explore bubbles, entropy, density, magnetism, green chemistry, slime and even a diving catsup packet. These topics, along with a few corny jokes, will make you smile and want to learn more about science. Many of these demonstrations you can do at home to entertain your friends and family and become your own Dr. Squared.
11 a.m. – Scranton 201 Downtown Walking Tour
We introduced you to the City of Scranton at New Student Orientation. Now, Director of Community and Government Relations Julie Schumacher Cohen will lead you on a walking tour of the Electric City highlighting the various businesses and experiences available to your student. You will learn how the University and community partner with each other and also where to shop, eat and locate available discounts during Family Weekend. The tour will begin on the first floor atrium of the Loyola Science Center.
11 a.m. – RoyalFest
Stop by the Dionne Green to visit our downtown vendors, support student club fundraisers, have fun on bounce houses, get your face painted, cheer on our student performers and visit with other Scranton families.
11 a.m. - Campus Ministries Service Trip Fundraiser
Come to the first floor lobby of The DeNaples Center from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday and/or from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, September 22, to participate in a basket raffle benefitting the University’s domestic and international service trips. Tickets are $1 each, or 25 for $20. The drawing will be held promptly at 5 p.m. Saturday.
Noon – Women’s Golf vs. Wilkes University
Support Women’s Golf as they take on Wilkes University at the Scranton Municipal Golf Course in Mount Cobb.
1 p.m. - Field Hockey vs. Catholic University
Support Field Hockey as they take on Catholic University at the Quinn Athletics Campus’ Weiss Field.
3 p.m. - Campus Tour
As you take a campus tour, not only will you visit our exceptional buildings, you'll also learn about the University's rich history and culture. The tour will begin in the second floor lobby of The DeNaples Center.
4 p.m. – Mass in Celebration of the Inauguration of Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J.
Join our community at mass as we celebrate the inauguration of Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., the 27th President of The University of Scranton. Families of all faith commitments are warmly welcome.
7:30 p.m. – Family Weekend President’s Concert in the Houlihan-McLean Center
Featuring The University of Scranton Concert Band and Concert Choir with special guest Dr. Wycliffe A. Gordon, H. '06, and other surprise guests. Wycliffe Gordon – the critically and popularly acclaimed and award-winning musician, composer, arranger, educator, leader and musical ambassador who is widely regarded as one of the greatest trombonists in history - performs with the University's student musicians in a concert celebrating the inauguration of the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., as the 27th President of The University of Scranton.
8:30 p.m. – USPB After Dark: Family Weekend Edition
Join The University of Scranton Programming Board (USPB) as they transform The DeNaples Center into a family entertainment complex! Featuring multiple attractions throughout the building, including a live, interactive game show, Scranton bingo, photo booths and more, this is an exciting family event that is not to be missed. Sponsored by the USPB.
Sunday, September 23
10 a.m. – Brunch on Your Own
The Fresh Food Company on the third floor of The DeNaples Center invites you to enjoy a traditional University of Scranton Sunday brunch. Fresh Food Company can be paid for onsite by using your student's swipe on their Royal ID card or by paying cash.
11 a.m. – Family Time at Chapman Lake
Take a scenic ride to Chapman Lake and tour the grounds where our students connect with their faith and our Jesuit mission when attending our many retreat offerings. Yard games will be available. Pre-order a boxed lunch and make it a picnic. The event is complimentary, but boxed lunches are $9. Address: 1226 Chapman Lake Road, Jermyn, PA. Directions are available on the Campus Ministries website. Please visit at your leisure, as transportation will not be provided.
11:30 a.m. – Everything You Ever Wanted To Ask A Jesuit
University Chaplain Rev. Rick Malloy, S.J., shares how The University of Scranton gets students thinking about their own spirituality and impact on the world. During this session at the Chapman Lake Retreat Center, Malloy will answer questions that you have always wanted to ask a Jesuit.
4 p.m. – Men’s Ice Hockey vs. East Stroudsburg University
Support Men’s Ice Hockey as they take on East Stroudsburg University at the Revolution Ice Center in Pittston.
For more information, visit scranton.edu/familyweekend. To download a copy of the schedule on the Guidebook app, visit this link.
Family Weekend Returns
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09/05/2018
Several Royals recently attended the Patrick's Pals Golf Outing in Whitehouse Station, NJ, to support Patrick's Pals, a non-profit foundation started by Jim Conmy '90 and Kerry Cosgrove Conmy '90 that provides children with multiple disabilities with equipment and therapies necessary for them to function on a daily basis.
According to the foundation's website, the Conmys founded Patrick's Pals in 2008 in honor of their son, Patrick, who was born with many special needs that left him unable to do many things for himself. In early 2008, close friends and family members approached Jim and Kerry with an idea to have a charity golf tournament benefiting Patrick. The Conmys approved of the idea, but instead of using the funds for Patrick, they created the foundation to help special children like Patrick.
Since then, Patrick’s Pals has supported Mane Stream in Oldwick, NJ, enabling children to take hippotherapy lessons, and has provided technoplogy grants to several schools to upgrade their augmentative devices and help meet the needs of students with speech and language challenges. Patrick’s Pals has also used its funds to purchase specialized equipment for children and to provide others with respite care in a hospital setting.
For more information, visit Patrick's Pals web site.
Alumni Attend Patrick's Pals Golf Outing
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09/04/2018
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Tara Gramigna Churilla, D.O. ’11, Roaring Brook, completed her pediatrics residency at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and is now practicing medicine at Pediatric Associates of Kingston.
Thomas Churilla, M.D. ’09, Roaring Brook, completed his residency in radiation oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia and is practicing medicine at Northeast Radiation Oncology Centers in Dunmore.
Phillip Dunn ’84, Cary, North Carolina, completed a successful summit to Everest Base Camp in April 2018 which raised funds for charity. This was Dunn’s second successful summit within two years. In August 2016, he summited Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
Barry Kelly ’74, Drexel Hill, received the State of New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal in honor of his 4th great-grandfather Revolutionary War Veteran Rem. Corson.
Robert Mancuso ’80, G’83, Dunmore, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Wayne Bank, was recognized by the Pennsylvania Bankers Association for his 40 years of service to the banking industry. Mancuso has served the banking industry in various executive leadership roles for four decades.
Lindsay Menasco ’05, Amherst, New York, has joined the Corporate and Securities Practice of the firm Hodgson Russ LLP as a senior associate. Menasco will focus her practice on education law, special education law, and labor and equipment law in the firm’s Buffalo, New York, office.
Erin O’Malley ’94, G’97, Reston, Virginia, has accepted the role of principal at St. Theresa Elementary/Middle School in Ashburn, Virginia, after serving as dean of Student Services for the last 7 years at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, Virginia.
Brian Patchcoski ’08, State College, was sworn in as a commissioner for the governor’s office in the state of Pennsylvania for their newly established Commission on LGBTQ affairs.
Jason Shrive ’06, Scranton, was recently hired as a full-time, tenure track assistant professor in the Sociology, Criminal Justice and Criminology Department at The University of Scranton, commencing Fall 2018 Semester, having previously served as an adjunct professor from 2016-2018. Shrive is also serving as the University's Mock Trial Team faculty advisor. Shrive is an attorney and will be maintaining a private law practice, Shrive Law, LLC, in Scranton, on a part-time basis, where he will practice primarily in Criminal Defense law.
Thomas Umile, Ph.D. ’06, G’06, Philadelphia, joined the faculty of Villanova University as an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry.
Thomas Venditti ’01, Ephrata, completed the 2018 Nancy Bacher Long PR Institute, a public relations intensive program held by the Public Relations Society of America’s Philadelphia chapter. Venditti was a member of the winning team, which designed a new public relations plan for Ralston My Way, a homecare non-profit serving residents in Northwest Philadelphia.
Mary Wozny ’02, Delray Beach, Florida, participated in Miami University’s Earth Expeditions global field course in Namibia in the summer of 2018. Wozny studied ongoing research projects such as radio tracking, cheetah conservation and ecosystem management as well as the design of school and community programs in Namibia. Wozny is a science teacher and department chair at American Heritage School Boca Delray.
Deaths
The Rev. Francis Schemel, S.J. ’48, Washington, D.C.
Paul A. Hiznay ’52, Warren, Vermont
James F. Mullaney ’55, Homewood, Illinois
Lt. Joseph J. Pajuf, USN ret. ’57, Virginia Beach, Virginia
John W. McGoff ’60, Allentown
Lawrence Semenza, Ph.D. ’64, Springfield, Illinois
John W. Murphy, Sr. ’67, Pittston
William W. Duffy ’68, Grant, Minnesota
BirthsA daughter, Maeve Downing, to Jim and Tiffany McDermott Swinarski ’05, East Windsor, New Jersey
A son, Graeme Alexander, to Daniel ’07 and Sarah Malcolm Navins ’08, Highland, New YorkMarriages
Ashley Chandler ’12 to Gregory Lyons ’14
Katherine Pisano ’12 to Richard Corbett ’12Alumni Class Notes, September 2018
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08/31/2018
For the 11th consecutive year, Forbes has ranked The University of Scranton among “America’s Top Colleges” for value. In the 2018 list of just 650 colleges, Forbes ranked Scranton No. 254 in the nation.
Just 40 colleges in Pennsylvania were ranked in the listing published online Aug. 21. Scranton and King’s College were the only two local colleges listed. Twenty-six of the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. were ranked.
The ranking analyzed “outputs” of a college education, such as “alumni salaries and signs of individual success including academic and career accolades” to determine the best values in college education. Factors used in the ranking included retention and graduation rates, average federal student loan debt, student loan default rates and “post-graduate success” as measured by salaries reported in PayScale, the U.S. Department of Education’s “College Scorecard.” Forbes also considered rankings published by Niche.com to evaluate the “student experience,” the percentage of graduates earn doctoral degrees, and the number of prestigious fellowships won by students, including Fulbright and Goldwater scholarships, among other factors.
Scranton also ranked No. 174 among private colleges and No. 104 among colleges in the northeast in lists also published by Forbes.
Earlier in August, Money magazine ranked Scranton No. 191 among the “727 Best Colleges in America.” The Princeton Review also selected the University among “The Best 384 Colleges” in the country and ranked Scranton among the nation’s “Best Science Lab Facilities” (No. 16) and “Best Campus Food” (No. 15).
Scranton on Forbes ‘America’s Top Colleges’ List
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08/28/2018
Incoming first-year students of University of Scranton alumni gathered together with their families Aug. 25 for The Class of 2022 Legacy Families Reception and Photo at Brennan Hall.
Visit University Advancement's Shutterfly Page to see the photographs from this year's reception.
Over the years, the Legacy Families Reception and Photo has become a University tradition. Prior to Convocation each year, incoming legacy students and their families gather together for a photograph with the University's president to mark the outset of their collegiate odyssey. Four years later, prior to commencement, the same families gather together with the University's president to mark the beginning of their journey as men and women for and with others beyond Scranton's borders.
Alumni, Students Gather At Legacy Families Reception
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08/22/2018
The University of Scranton ranked among the nation’s best values for a college education based on educational quality, affordability and alumni success, according to a 2018 ranking by Money magazine published in August. The multifaceted methodology analyzed data on 26 factors in order to rank the 727 “best performing colleges” in America.
Scranton, at No.191 in the nation, had the 7th highest ranking of the 25 Jesuit colleges listed. Scranton is the highest ranked school in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
The factors Money analyzed to determine a colleges’ “academic quality” included the six-year graduation rate, the standardized test scores of incoming freshmen and the student-faculty ratio, among other factors. The analysis also included “value” assessments that looked at a school’s predicted graduation rates based on the academic and economic profile of its student body versus its actual graduation rates.
The criteria used to assess “affordability” included an estimate of the “net price of a degree,” which assessed tuition, the time it takes for students to graduate, and the school’s average need- and merit-based financial aid offered to students. The “affordability” criteria also looked at student debt, student loan default rates, student loan default rates adjusted for the economic and academic profile of a school’s student body and the affordability for low-income students, among other factors.
The factors Money used to assess “outcomes” included the average salaries of alumni reported in PayScale early- and mid-career, their reported earnings at these points adjusted by major, and “job meaning” based on average score of alumni responding to Payscale’s survey question of whether your work “makes the world a better place.” In addition to other factors, the “outcomes” criteria also looked at socio-economic mobility index that uses data from the Equality of Opportunity Project, a study that examines the percentage of students that move from low-income backgrounds to upper-middle-class jobs before the age of 34.
Colleges with graduation rates below the national median, that were in financial difficulty, or that had fewer than 500 undergraduates, were not included in Money’s ranking.
Scranton has been recognized for its value in other national rankings such as U.S. News, which ranked Scranton No. 18 as a “Best Value Regional University in the North” in its 2018 edition. Rankings by Forbes, Niche.com and The Economist, among others, have also recognized Scranton for its value.
Scranton Among America’s ‘Best Values’
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08/01/2018
The University of Scranton will host several events in the fall of 2018 designed to appeal to alumni of all ages.
Legacy Reception 8/25/18
The families of incoming Class of 2022 first-year legacy students are cordially invited to attend a Legacy Reception and Photo event Aug. 25 in Brennan Hall’s Rose Room. The reception will begin at 1 p.m., and the class photo will be taken at 2 p.m. Visit this link to register for this invitation-only event.
Yankees vs. White Sox
The Scranton Club of New York will host a pre-game reception on the Budweiser Party Deck of Yankee Stadium August 29 at 5 p.m. prior to the Yankee/White Sox game. The $75.50 admission includes Nathan’s Hot Dogs, burgers, garden salads, draft beer, Pepsi products, Poland Spring Water and a ticket to the game in section 426. To register, visit this link.
The Inauguration of the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., as the twenty-seventh President of The University of Scranton
The University will celebrate the inauguration of the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., Sept. 21 and 22. Check future issues of Royal News for more information on this event.
Family Weekend
The University’s annual Family Weekend celebration will take place Sept. 21-23. Check future issues of Royal News for more information on this event.
Toast2Scranton
The University will host multiple Toast2Scranton celebrations in September to officially welcome the Class of 2018 into the alumni fold.
On Sept. 27, The Scranton Club of South Central PA will host a Toast2Scranton Happy Hour at 6 p.m. at The Millworks, 340 Verbeke Street, Harrisburg, featuring complimentary appetizers and a cash bar. To register for the event, visit this link.
Also on Sept. 27, The Alumni Society of The University of Scranton will host a Toast2Scranton Happy Hour at 6 p.m. at Carolina Ale House Raleigh-Briar Creek, 7981 Skyland Ridge Parkway, Raleigh, North Carolina, featuring complimentary appetizers and a cash bar. To register for the event, visit this link.
On Sept. 28, The Scranton Alumni Club of NEPA will host a Toast2Scranton Happy Hour at 6 p.m. at The Backyard Alehouse, 523 Linden Street, Scranton, featuring complimentary appetizers and a cash bar. To register for the event, visit this link.
Also on Sept. 28, The Scranton Alumni Club of Washington, D.C., will host a Toast2Scranton Happy Hour at 6 p.m. at Mission Dupont Circle, 1606 20th Street NW, Washington, D.C., featuring complimentary appetizers and a cash bar. To register for the event, visit this link.
50th Anniversary of Men’s Soccer Celebration
On Sept. 29, the University will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Men’s Soccer with a slate of activities. At 9:30 a.m., returning Men’s Soccer alumni will play an alumni game on Weiss Field at the Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus. At 11:15 a.m., the University will honor former Men’s Soccer Coach Steve Klingman with the dedication of Steve Klingman Plaza at the Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus. At 1 p.m., the Men’s Soccer team will face off against Goucher in a Landmark Conference match. Lastly, the University will host a Men’s Soccer Reception in the Kane Forum of Leahy Hall at 5 p.m. Check future issues of Royal News for more information on this event.
President’s Business Council 17th Annual Award Dinner
On Oct. 4, the President’s Business Council 17th Annual Award Dinner will take place at The Pierre Hotel in New York City. At the dinner, which supports the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund, the University will honor Linda S. McGowan ’80, partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and Joseph L. Sorbera Jr. P’08, ’08, president of JLS Cost Management Systems Inc., with the President’s Medal. Since its inception, the annual black tie gala has generated more than $13 million for the scholarship fund and transformed the lives of scores of Presidential Scholars. For more information, contact Tim Pryle ’89, executive director, at 570-941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu, or visit scranton.edu/pbcdinner.
Fall Alumni Preview 2018
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08/01/2018
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Paul J. Cooper ’82, White Mills, was among the 11 men ordained to the permanent diaconate November 25, 2017, by his excellence Joseph Bambera, Bishop, Diocese of Scranton. Cooper will also be honored for 30 years as a PIAA sports official on August 4 at an annual convention in Harrisburg.
John Pivovarnick ’85, Dunmore, published his novel “Tales from the Back of a Bus” July 3. It is available as an eBook and paperback on Amazon.com.
Deaths
Joseph E. Zack ’56, Glen Mills
Michael Peregrim, Sr. ’59, Scranton
Patrick E. Kilker ’62, Windsor, New York
Robert L. Burke ’69, Monessen
The Rev. Ronald J. Hughes ’75, Dunmore
Edward P. Coleman ’80, Stroudsburg
Anthony “A.J.” Dreier, Ph.D. ’80, Wilkes Barre, Twp.
Roman T. Gumina ’84, Monmouth Beach, New Jersey
Jeanne Anderson Bovard H’08, FleetvilleBirths
A son, James Satterlee, to Andrew ’08 and Cynthia Satterlee Donovan ’07, Garden City, New York
Alumni Class Notes, August 2018
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07/10/2018
On July 15, John O'Malley '87 will embark upon the inaugural ROAR: The Ryan O'Malley Annual Ride, a 547 mile journey on the Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango, in support of the Ryan O'Malley '99 Memorial Scholarship.
After Ryan's passing in 2011, his family established the scholarship in his memory to enable Computer Science students of limited resources with an interest in fitness to attend The University of Scranton. Since that time, Ryan's family and friends have raised more than $100,000 for the scholarship, much of it through ROAR: The Ryan O'Malley Annual Race, a 5K fundraising event the family organized from 2013-2017.
This year, John, Ryan's brother, will continue to raise money for the scholarship with the self-supported ride along the Colorado Trail, a journey that will take him 12-14 days to complete. Paul Curtis '99, Ryan's friend and classmate, will join John for a portion of the ride, which will directly benefit the scholarship fund.
Support the Ryan O'Malley '99 Memorial Scholarship today by visiting this link. For more information on John, Ryan and the O'Malley family, visit this link.
Ryan O'Malley Annual Ride To Begin July 15
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07/10/2018
Hundreds of Scranton alumni successfully kept the summertime blues at bay during the month of June by reconnecting with their fellow Royals at Reunion Weekend and/or supporting Scranton Athletics at the Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner.
Reunion Weekend 2018
Reunion Weekend attendance this year exceeded all records as Royals in class years ending in “3” or “8” returned to campus June 8-10 to make new memories with old friends. Alumni celebrated their milestone reunions by raising more than $1 million for University scholarships and campus priorities.
During the festivities, The Alumni Society and the University honored John H. Appleton, Esq. ’68 of Clarks Summit, William J. Brady ’83 of Wellesley, MA, Francis J. Pearn ’83 of Garden City, NY, Col. James F. Cummings, M.D., FACP, FIDSA, U.S. Army (ret) ’88, H’15 of Chevy Chase, MD, Dominque Ponzio Bernardo ’93 of Bridgeport, Michele Giancatarino Gilfillan ’98 of Bloomfield, NJ and Matthew R. Bernard ’99, G. ’03 of Clarks Green with the 2018 Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award; they also honored Elena M. Habersky ’13 of Cairo, Egypt with the 2018 Frank J. O'Hara Recent Graduate Award. The Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest award bestowed jointly by the University and the Alumni Society. The award honors select alumni who embody Scranton's Catholic and Jesuit experience and who have achieved distinction in their professional or personal endeavors. Honorees are selected based on the nominees' commitment to Ignatian values and their pursuit of professional and personal excellence. The Frank J. O'Hara Recent Graduate Award is presented to an alumnus/na who has graduated within the past 10 years. The award honors alumni who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to service for others in their personal or professional achievements which embody Scranton's Catholic, Jesuit values.
All alumni are invited to return to campus June 7-9, 2019, for Reunion Weekend, where Scranton grads with class years ending in “4” or “9” will celebrate their milestone years. If you would like to join your class committee, please email alumni@scranton.edu for additional information. Registration will open in March 2019. To learn more information or let your classmates know that you are planning to attend, visit scranton.edu/reunion and add your name to the “Planning to Attend” list.
To see photos from Reunion Weekend, visit our Shutterfly page.
The Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner
The University honored former Lady Royals Coach Mike Strong June 18 with the 2018 Peter A. Carlesimo Award at its annual Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner at Saucon Valley Country Club.
More than 225 Royals attended the event, helping to raise more than $100,000 for Scranton Athletics. The University partnered with Title Sponsor Quandel Construction Group for this year’s event.
In his 34 seasons as head coach of The University of Scranton's women's basketball program, Mike Strong accomplished things that no one else ever has. When he retired in 2014 with 815 wins under his belt, Strong ended his career as the all-time leader in career victories in NCAA Division III women's basketball history. Over the decades, he led the Lady Royals to 19 conference titles, 26 NCAA Tournaments and eight Final Four appearances, where the team captured the 1985 national title.
Strong also coached some of the best athletes in University history, including 19 All-Americans and two National Player of the Year honorees. In addition, Strong mentored 11 different student-athletes who earned Conference Player of the Year or MVP recognition. During his tenure as head coach, he never had a losing season, and he is the only women’s coach in NCAA Division III history and the second in all of the NCAA Division III to win 800 games. His overall record is 815-182.
Strong's career at the University began well before his appointment as head women's basketball coach. After graduating from Concord College in West Virginia in 1967, he joined the University as an assistant men's basketball coach in 1972 under then-Head Coach and 2016 Carlesimo Award Recipient Bob Bessoir. Under their guidance, the team won the 1976 NCAA Division III national championship.
Strong also enjoyed success in other areas at the University. He coached the men’s tennis team to 91 victories over 11 seasons and led the women’s tennis team to 53 victories and three conference titles in five seasons as head coach. Strong is a retired associate professor in the University's Exercise Science and Sport Department. He and his wife, Linda, reside in Paupack. The couple has two children, Scott and Chris, and three grandchildren.
Named in honor of Peter A. Carlesimo, former University of Scranton coach and athletics director, the Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner celebrates athletics at Scranton and honors a person who has made special contributions to athletics and Catholic education. The Golf Tournament and Award Dinner serves as a fundraising event to support and enhance the student-athlete experience at Scranton.
To see photos from the event, visit our Shutterfly page. For more information on supporting student-athletes, visit scranton.edu/athleticsfund.
Scranton Summer 2018
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07/09/2018
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Thomas Grech ’84, Malverne, New York, President and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, has been appointed as a member of Sunnyside Yard Steering Committee, hosted by New York City Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen and Amtrak Chairman Anthony Coscia.
John Littel ’86, Virginia Beach, Virginia, was elected rector of the College of William and Mary where his youngest son, Clay, will attend this fall. The rector chairs the governing Board of Visitors of the Nation’s second oldest college.Joyce Corbin Moya ’90, Spotsylvania, Virginia, marks the one-year anniversary of the opening of her clinic, Hozho Behavioral Health and Life Coaching Services, an outpatient behavioral health care office that services the northern Virginia region. The basis of her practice is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy complimented by Holistic approaches she learned while living in New Mexico. Her primary audience has been women and couples of color, and retired and active duty military.
Rob Davis ’90, Red Bank, New Jersey, was promoted to head of Digital, USA at Ogilvy.
Tricia Pahoski Richards-Service G’91, Clarks Summit, received her doctorate in administration and leadership with a focus on health promotion from Marywood University in May 2018. Richards-Service is currently completing a Fulbright-Schuman research grant in the European Union and was awarded the McGowan Medal for Excellence in Doctoral Studies.
Nicole Kosteczko Odell, Ph.D. ’03, Woodland, California, has accepted a new position as the assistant principal at Williams Jr./Sr. High School in Williams, California. Odell also finished her preliminary California Administration Credential as of June 2018.
Deaths
James M. Kane, M.D. ’46, Barrington, Illinois
Robert E. Lucas, M.D. ’50, Narrowsburg, New York
John A. Straka ’61, G’69, Scott Township
Eugene Corcoran ’62, Linwood, New Jersey
Terrence A. McMahon, III ’74, Moosic
Edward R. Fryzel ’78, Scott Township
Thomas S. Chirkot G’82, Swoyersville
Deidre Day Sieck, D.O. ’97, Belmar, New JerseyBirths
A daughter, Alyson Paige, to Ben and Kathleen Gruffi Baksic ’09, Southgate, Michigan.
Marriages
Paurush Shah, M.D. ’06 to Shelly Dutt
Friends' DeathsMaryann Artigiani, wife of Armand Artigiani ’53
Peter G. Loftus, Jr., son of Atty. Peter G. Loftus ’61
Kathryn Manger, mother of Thomas Manger ’70
Marie Roche, wife of Gerry Roche ’53 and grandmother of Michael Haag ’18 and Kevin Haag ’20Alumni Class Notes, July 2018
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06/13/2018
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Jim Noone ’66, Fairfax, Virginia, has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the National Maritime Historical Society. Noone is of counsel to the public affairs/government relations firm of Mercury, having served as managing director in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office.
Paul LaBelle ’70, South Abington Township, along with his wife Sharon, received “The 2017 Spirit of Hope Tribute To Courage Award” at the 6th annual Spirit of Hope Celebration in November 2017 for raising well over $200,000 for the Northeast Region Cancer Institute (NRCI) in Scranton. NRCI provides programs to ease the burden of cancer and save lives in the community. The LaBelle’s foundation is called “JUDI H. ROCK ON” in memory of their niece who died very young from cancer.
Kevin McGlinchey ’82, Media, services as key grip for dramatic recreations on CNN’s “Pope: The Most Powerful Man in History.”
Robert Miller, Ph.D. ’90, Bloomfield, New Jersey, received tenure and was promoted to the rank of associate professor of Religious Studies at Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, New York.
Jennifer Menichini ’02, Pittston Township, of the Scranton-based law firm Greco Law Associates PC, became the chair-elect of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Young Lawyers Division at their annual meeting in May.
Stephanie Longo ’03, G’06, Dunmore, recently published her third book, “Italians of Lackawanna County,” with Arcadia Publishing. Her other titles are “Italians of Northeastern Pennsylvania” and "Dunmore.” Stephanie is currently the director of marketing and communications at the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.
Brian Patchcoski ’08, State College, co-authored a chapter titled “Redefining Community through Collaboration: Defining Gender-Neutral Housing for a Four-Year Residential Liberal Arts College” in the newly released book “Trans* Policies & Experiences in Housing and Residence Life.”Deborah Young Nealon ’13, G’15, Rockville, Maryland, group practice administrator, Horizon Surgical Practice, recently became a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the nation’s leading professional society for healthcare leaders.
Abdul Hussain Azizi, M.D. ’14, Scranton, graduated from the Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton in May 2018. Hussain will complete his residency in Internal Medicine at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia.
Kyle Gleaves, M.D. ’14, Wilkes-Barre, graduated from the Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton in May 2018. Gleaves will complete his residency in Internal Medicine at Penn State Hershey.
Nunzio Pirrotta, M.D., Milford, graduated from the Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton in May 2018. Pirrotta will pursue his intern year at UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh and follow with an Anesthesiology residency at the University of Chicago.
Louis Porreca, M.D. ’14, Marlton, New Jersey, graduated from the Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton in May 2018. Porreca will complete his residency in Neurology at Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia.
Deaths
Michael J. Altier ’37, South Abington Township
Richard S. Campagna ’50, Danville, California
Philip J. Kinney, Sr. ’50, Oxford, New Jersey
William J. Nellis ’55, Scranton
Myron W. Yencha ’70, Wilkes-Barre
Kevin J. McMahon ’71, Raleigh, North Carolina
Giacinto “Gino” Cicco ’72, Scranton
Mark W. Ackerman ’76, Binghamton, New York
Mark G. Balczeniuk ’79, Ormond Beach, Florida
John T. Garvey ’83, Brookfield, ConnecticutFriends' Deaths
Nancy Farkas, wife of John Farkas, Ph.D. ’76, G’78
Alumni Class Notes, June 2018
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06/05/2018
On June 8, hundreds of Scranton alumni with class years ending in “3” or “8” will return to their alma mater for Reunion Weekend, the annual three-day celebration that gives Royals the chance to reconnect with their classmates at the place where their friendships began.
The action will begin Friday at noon with the opening of the Registration and Hospitality Center on the first floor of The DeNaples Center and conclude Sunday with a farewell brunch.
Friday, June 8
Check in at the Registration and Hospitality Center: noon – 10 p.m.
When you arrive on campus, make The DeNaples Center your first stop to receive your name tag, event tickets and other information.
Retreat Center at Chapman Lake Open House: 3 – 5 p.m.
Explore the beauty of the Retreat Center at Chapman Lake while enjoying light refreshments.
Class of 1968 Clam Bake: 5 – 6:30 p.m.
Members of the Class of 1968 are invited to experience a classic-style New England Clambake on the Dionne Green with all the traditional fare. The cost of this event has been discounted thanks to the generosity of a fellow classmate who wishes to remain anonymous.
Reunion Weekend Opening Celebration featuring the Frank J. O'Hara Alumni Awards: 7 p.m.
The University of Scranton and The Alumni Society will honor John H. Appleton, Esq. ’68, P'00, '03 of Clarks Summit, William J. Brady ’83, P'12 of Wellesley, MA, Francis J. Pearn ’83, P'16 of Garden City, NY, Col. James F. Cummings, M.D., FACP, FIDSA, U.S. Army (ret) ’88, H’15 of Chevy Chase, MD, Dominque Ponzio Bernardo ’93 of Bridgeport, Michele Giancatarino Gilfillan ’98 of Bloomfield, NJ and Matthew R. Bernard ’99, G. ’03 of Clarks Green with the 2018 Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award; the University will also honor Elena M. Habersky ’13 of Cairo, Egypt with the 2018 Frank J. O'Hara Recent Graduate Award.
All alumni and guests are invited to join us in The DeNaples Center Moskovitz Theater for this complimentary signature event.
The Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Awards are presented annually to alumni who have exhibited sustained achievement in a particular field or endeavor. The Frank J. O'Hara Recent Graduate Award will be presented as well. These are the highest awards bestowed jointly by The University and The Alumni Society.
A complimentary reception will be held immediately following the awards presentation on the Royal Way.
All-Class Welcome Reception: 9 – 11 p.m.
Celebrate the weekend with friends, music, bar snacks, beer, wine and soda at the Commons Flag Terrace. Tickets required.
Class of 1968 Cocktails and Conversation 9 -10 p.m.
Members of the Class of 1968 and their guests will gather in the Frank J. McDonnell Room on the fourth floor of The DeNaples Center to celebrate their 50-year reunion.
Saturday, June 9
Check in at the Registration and Hospitality Center: 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.
When you arrive on campus, make The DeNaples Center your first stop to receive your name tag, event tickets and other information.
Explore Scranton: 9 a.m. – noon
Take a self-guided tour of local attractions following information available at registration or on the Guidebook app.
Bike Scranton: 9 a.m. – noon
Bike Scranton is a cooperative program between The University of Scranton Office of Sustainability and the Lackawanna Valley Heritage Authority. Bikes will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis and at The DeNaples Center Patio. You may borrow a bike as long as you have a photo ID and are at least 18 years of age. Any family member under 18 years of age must bring their own bike to ride. Click here to download information on Bike Scranton and trails in the area.
Class of 1968 Memorial Service: 10 a.m.
Honor the deceased members of the 50-year class at a memorial service in the Sacred Heart Chapel.
Walking Tour of the Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus: 10 a.m. – noon
See the new home of Scranton baseball, soccer, softball, lacrosse and field hockey by meeting at the Commons Flag Terrace at 10 a.m. and hitching a ride on the Iggy Shuttle to the Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus for a guided tour of the facility.
Bands and Singers Royal Gathering: 11 a.m. – noon
Hang out with Cheryl Boga and enjoy light refreshments with your fellow musicians at the Houlihan McLean Center.
Domestic or international Service Trip Participants Reception: 11 a.m. – noon
Join Pat Vaccaro and your fellow service trip alumni on the second floor of The DeNaples Center to reminisce about your service experiences.
Occupational Therapy Reception: 11 a.m. – noon
Join Carol Reinson, Ph. D., and your fellow Occupational Therapy alumni to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first graduating class in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University. Gather on the first floor of The Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Hall for light refreshments and a guided tour of the facility.
Orientation Aid Royal Gathering: 11 a.m. – noon
Reunite with Shannon Murphy Fennie ’99 and your fellow OA’s on the second floor of The DeNaples Center to reminisce about your experiences as an OA.
ROTC Royal Gathering: 11 a.m. – noon
Enjoy light refreshments with your fellow ROTC alumni at the Veterans’ Center on the first floor of Hyland Hall.
All-Class Family Picnic: 12:30 – 3 p.m.
Enjoy an afternoon of traditional picnic fare, entertainment, beer, wine, soda, and children’s activities on the Dionne Green with your fellow Royals. Tickets required.
Class of 1968 Tour of Brennan and Leahy Halls: 2 – 3 p.m.
Join your fellow members of the Class of 1968 at the Commons Flag Terrace for a tour of Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Hall, home base for the University’s Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Exercise Science programs, and Brennan Hall, home of the Kania School of Management.
President’s Reception: 5 – 6 p.m.
A special reception will be held on the Estate Patio recognizing volunteer leadership, philanthropy and the Class of 1968. Invitation only.
Cocktails on the Commons, Class Dinners, and After-Party: 6 p.m.
Join your fellow Royals on The DeNaples Center Patio prior to your class dinners for Cocktails on the Commons. After dinner, meet up with your fellow Royals on The DeNaples Center Patio for the Royal After-Party. Tickets required.
Class of 1968 50-Year Medallion Presentation: 6:15 p.m.
Join your fellow classmates in the Pearn Auditorium of Brennan Hall to receive your 50-Year medallions.
Sunday, June 10
Reunion Weekend Mass: 9:30 a.m.
The Rev. Timothy J. Cadigan, S.J., will celebrate Mass at Madonna della Strada Chapel.
Farewell Brunch: 10 a.m. – noon
Enjoy one last meal with your fellow Royals at the University’s Fresh Food Company on the third floor of The DeNaples Center. Come and go at your own pace. Tickets required.
To stay current on Reunion Weekend Events and Information, download the Guidebook App on iPhone or Android, Click 2018 University of Scranton Reunion Weekend, and then open the guide, or visit this link.
Reunion Weekend Returns June 8-10
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06/05/2018
On June 18, The University of Scranton will honor former Lady Royals Coach Mike Strong with the 2018 Peter A. Carlesimo Award at the Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner at Saucon Valley Country Club.
To register for the event, visit https://www.regonline.com/registration/Checkin.aspx?EventID=2140641.
Saucon Valley Country Club is considered one of the finest golf clubs in the country and has hosted seven U.S.G.A. Championships, including the 2009 U.S. Women's Open. It will also host the U.S. Senior Open in 2022.
Named in honor of Peter A. Carlesimo, former University of Scranton coach and athletics director, the Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner celebrates athletics at The University of Scranton and honors a person who has made special contributions to athletics and Catholic education. The Golf Tournament & Award Dinner serves as a fundraising event to support and enhance the student-athlete experience at Scranton.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the event, contact Interim Executive Director of Development Eric Eckenrode at eric.eckenrode@scranton.edu.
Registration Still Available for Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner
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05/29/2018
The University recently dedicated a walkway at the Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus in honor of former Baseball Coach and Athletics Director Dave Ocorr.
Dozens of former baseball players gathered together with Ocorr and his family to witness the unveiling of two purple “Dave Ocorr Way” street signs at either end of the walkway between the facility's parking lot and Charles J. Volpe Family Field, its baseball field. The campaign to dedicate the walkway in honor of Ocorr originated with former Scranton Baseball players Bob Germann ’70, Larry Liptock ‘70 and Mike Ondo ’71, who reached out to their fellow Baseball alumni to encourage them to honor Ocorr’s legacy.
Ocorr served as the University’s Athletic Director from 1968-1974; he also served as its head baseball coach from 1969-1974 and its head basketball coach from 1971-1972. While at Scranton, Ocorr led the Royal baseball team to an Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament berth in 1974. Ocorr also established the University’s Wall of Fame, started its chapter of the National Youth Sports Program and initiated the Scranton Holiday Basketball Tournament. He was inducted into the Wall of Fame in 1986.
To view pictures from the dedication and the dinner reception that followed, visit https://scrantonalumnisociety.shutterfly.com/16978.
University Dedicates Dave Ocorr Way
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05/23/2018
This article originally appeared in The Scranton Journal.
While it has become commonplace for University of Scranton alumni to use the Scranton network to advance their careers, occasionally the network can present a Royal with the unique opportunity to affect another life for decades, to change an uncertain outlook into a happy ending through the magic of the Scranton family.
This is one of those stories, and it begins with an unexpected health concern in Maryland.
Christy and Eugene
Christy (Carden) Bradley ’98, G’99 and her husband, Eugene Bradley, dated while Christy studied to be a physical therapist at Scranton. After Christy graduated, they married and moved to the Baltimore, Maryland area.
In January 2015, Eugene, who was in great shape and competed in triathlons, underwent routine medical testing and discovered that his kidneys were only functioning at 40 percent.
“I found it hard to believe because … I felt great,” he said.
Eugene said his doctors advised him not to overexert himself and to watch his sodium intake while they monitored his levels. In October 2016, Eugene’s levels began to plummet as he experienced symptoms of abnormal kidney function.
“You’re anemic, you lose a bunch of weight, you’re incredibly cold all the time,” he said.
When his kidney function dropped to 20 percent, Eugene was put on a transplant list. His doctors said if he could receive a transplant before dialysis was necessary, the chances of him regaining his previous quality of life would dramatically improve. When Christy posted a Facebook message asking their family and friends to consider becoming living donors, the Scranton network stepped in.
Network Working
Eugene and Christy knew a fellow Scranton grad, Christy Meyer Bric ’93, through an adult sports league in the Baltimore area. When Meyer Bric learned of Eugene’s condition through Christy Bradley’s Facebook post, she was inspired to help.
“It clicked in my brain that we had another Scranton alumnus in the area who was a kidney transplant surgeon,” Meyer Bric said.
That alumnus was Matthew Cooper, M.D. ’90, director of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation at MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute, which facilitates about 250 kidney transplants annually. Meyer Bric connected the Bradleys with Dr. Cooper a few days before Thanksgiving 2016.
“We immediately arranged a visit for a transplant evaluation,” Cooper said. “He had a willing, living donor in his brother … and we were able to move through (the process) relatively rapidly.”
The Bradleys said Cooper went out of his way to provide exceptional care, giving them his personal cell phone number and responding immediately whenever a question arose. The staff at his Georgetown clinic even referred to them as “The Scranton Bradleys,” which made them feel at ease.
“I feel like he didn’t just take great care of my husband,” Christy Bradley said. “He took great care of me, too.
“I don’t know where we’d be if Christy hadn’t reached out and said, ‘Hey, I know Dr. Cooper.’”
Since the surgery in February 2017, Eugene’s condition has improved dramatically, and he has become an advocate for MedStar’s transplant program, bringing awareness to the continued need for organ donations.
Cooper, who is proud to see his daughter, Julia ’19, study nursing at the University, was happy to help, seeing it as an opportunity to jump into action for a family member.
“This really is what I believe the Alumni Society is all about,” he said. “We take care of each other. Reach out to a Scranton alum and they’ll open their door to you. Not every school can say that.”
Read more from The Scranton Journal, here.
Saving a Life Through the Scranton Network
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05/23/2018
The University of Scranton placed at No. 7 among the “Best Catholic Colleges and Universities” in the nation in a new ranking that combines an average score from respected national publication rankings with an average score based on student reviews posted online. The 2018 ranking, published online by College Consensus, includes some of the most prestigious Catholic universities in America.
Scranton was the highest ranked Catholic university in Pennsylvania.
For the ranking, College Consensus calculated an “average rating score” for colleges based on national guidebook rankings, which include U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and others. College Consensus also calculated an “overall score” for colleges based on student reviews posted on multiple sites, including Niche.com. The “consensus ranking” combined both these scores.
The University of Scranton is ranked in all the above-mentioned publications, in addition to numerous other national “best college” rankings. U.S. News has ranked Scranton among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 24 consecutive years.
$content.getChild('content').textValueScranton No. 7 Best Catholic College in US
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05/09/2018
The President’s Business Council (PBC) 17th Annual Award Dinner will be held on Thursday, Oct. 4, at The Pierre Hotel in New York City. At this year’s dinner, Linda S. McGowan ’80, partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and Joseph L. Sorbera Jr. P’08,’08, president of JLS Cost Management Systems Inc., will each be presented with the University’s President’s Medal.
McGowan has over 30 years of experience as a member of PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Banking and Capital Markets Group. She is a member of the national office of the firm and provides technical advice on regulatory and industry-specific auditing matters. She is the author of the firm’s technical guidance and the firm’s letters on proposed rule changes. The list of industry clients which McGowan has served during her career includes Goldman Sachs; Merrill Lynch; Barclays; W.P. Stewart & Co.; Angelo, Gordon & Co.; MarketAxess; Knight Trading Group; Commerzbank; Cantor Fitzgerald; Janney Montgomery Scott; and ICAP.
McGowan has helped develop capital savings systems and interacted with the regulators for her clients on a no-name basis. Her client work involves diverse products such as commodity funds, venture capital investments, and collateralized mortgage obligations and includes such diverse projects as development of principal and interest collection and reconciliation procedures; special reviews of procedures with regard to possession or control, net capital, the reserve formula, and the treasury auction and primary dealer reporting process; development of an integrated haircut system; review of branch office practices, procedures, and operational reviews for both large and mid-size broker-dealers; and implementation and evaluation of new clearing systems and evaluation of cross-border margin and credit alternatives. She has been involved in numerous control reviews utilizing the COSO framework including such areas as equity and fixed income trading; treasury, stock lending and repurchase transactions; and investment banking. She has assisted in the establishment and registration process for several broker-dealers in the Internet environment with both foreign- and domestic-based ownership.
A native of Apalachin, N.Y., McGowan received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University in 1980. Since graduation, she has been actively involved in mentoring and recruiting current students, as well as mentoring the young Scranton alumni at PricewaterhouseCoopers. McGowan is a founding member of the PBC Executive Committee, a member and founding chair of the Kania School of Management (KSOM) Dean’s Advisory Board and serves on the Accounting Department Professional Council (ADPC). McGowan and her husband, Michael ’81, reside in Bucks County, Pa., and have four children.
Sorbera and his wife, Diane, are the parents of three children: Christina, Diana ’08 and Joseph III ’08. The couple resides in Staten Island, N.Y., along with their beloved golden retriever, Chewie, and cherished rescue dog, Max. He is passionate about his family, animal welfare, Jesuit education and his Italian-American heritage. Sorbera was born and raised in the tenements of Little Italy in New York, where the formation of family values, love of Sicilian traditions and strong sense of community were deeply ingrained into his persona. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Phoenix.
He is responsible for growing and reshaping his family’s construction management business, which started in 1977, into an industry-leading project management and cost management organization whose client list includes global financial, banking, educational, and media firms. The firm specializes in large-scale capital projects, ensuring they are completed expertly as planned and on budget. The company motto, “deliver more than expected,” is indicative of the reason behind the loyalty they have earned from clients, colleagues and employees alike. The evolution of so many clients and colleagues into dear friends throughout 40+ years of being in business is his greatest source of professional pride.
In addition to serving multiple terms on the Board of Trustees of Loyola School in Manhattan, Sorbera is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees. A former executive in residence at the University, he was also a member of the executive committee of the Pride Passion Promise campaign. In 2017, he was the honoree at the 97th annual Italian Welfare League gala in New York City. A current member of the President’s Business Council, Sorbera is Chairman of the Board of the renowned 115-year-old animal rescue organization, Bideawee.
In presenting the President’s Medal, the University and the PBC recognize individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others. The proceeds from the Annual Award Dinner go directly to the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund. The black-tie gala is a wonderful celebration of Scranton and of honorees whose lifetime achievements reflect the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service. Through its 16 dinners, the PBC has generated over $13 million for the scholarship fund.
The PBC Dinner Kickoff Receptions will be held on Monday, June 11, in Philadelphia, and on Thursday, June 14, in New York City, and will include a University update and remarks from the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, University president-elect. For more information on the PBC, the Dinner Kickoff Receptions and the ways to participate in this year's dinner, please contact Timothy J. Pryle '89, executive director, at (570) 941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu. Visit the PBC website at scranton.edu/pbc.
PBC Announces Dinner Honorees
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05/09/2018
A record number of Royals donated $326,000 to The University of Scranton over 5.06 Weekend.
A total of 2,890 Royals made a gift over the weekend, surpassing the University's goal of 2,018 donors by a wide margin and unlocking a $42,000 challenge gift from The Alumni Society Advisory Board, who made the largest challenge gift in 5.06 history. The celebration featured several other challenge gifts, including a $2,002 gift from the Medical Alumni Council Executive Committee, a $1,500 gift from Associate Director of Athletics Toby Lovecchio '85 and Chair of the Nursing Department Cathy Lovecchio, Ph. D., and a $10,000 gift from an anonymous donor to the Brian Musto '12 Memorial Fund for students battling illness.
The celebration also featured a $50,000 scholarship match gift from University Trustee Jim '86 and Betsy Slattery. The couple originally pledged a $25,000 match but doubled that amount when they learned their goal had been met with plenty of time left in the weekend.
Three hundred Royals participated in the inaugural 5.06K, a walk/run at the Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus Saturday morning. One hundred fifty Royals around the world also participated in the inaugural Virtual 5.06K, running or walking a 5k in their respective locations in support of Scranton.
For more information on 5.06, visit scranton.edu/506.
5.06 Weekend Raises $326,000 For The University
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05/02/2018
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
James Courey, DDS ’84, Manalapan, New Jersey, has been selected as a top prosthetic dentist for the 10th consecutive year in New Jersey Monthly Magazine by a survey of his fellow New Jersey dental peers.
Christopher Pietruszkiewicz ’89, Saint Petersburg Beach, Florida, has been appointed as the 24th president of The University of Evansville as of July 1.
Michael Enea ’98, Hillsborough, New Jersey, is celebrating his 3rd year as the owner of “Simply Delicious Dinners,” a meal preparation (fully prepared meals with sides) and catering business in New Jersey.
Robert Dyer, M.D. ’03, Lafayette Hill, earned his M.D. from Temple University Medical School and is presently doing his residency in Burlington, Vermont at the Burlington Vermont Medical Center.
The Rev. Mark Searles ’08, Easton, has been appointed to the position of director of Vocations Promotions for the Diocese of Allentown. Rev. Searles will also maintain his role as chaplain of Allentown Central Catholic High School.
Deaths
Henry W. Bartholomay ’48, Clinton Township
Louis A. Petrini, Sr. ’49, Old Forge
Joseph E. Festa ’60, Scranton
Michael A. Polizzi ’66, Archbald
Charles “Chuck” Colarusso ’79, Jessup
Arthur V. Manuel ’85, Peckville
Kristie T. McDowell ’91, Clarks Summit
Katherine Bialczak Felker ’02, G’04, Scott Township
Joseph J. McDonald ’02, Dunmore
Rebecca D. Haggerty G’09, South Abington TownshipFriends' Deaths
Joyce Gilgallon, mother of Patrick Gilgallon ’87
Patrick Gilmore, Sr., father of Patrick Gilmore, Jr. ’87
Santa Maria Giunta, mother of Carmen Giunta, Ph.D. ’82, Josephine Ann Giunta Hanselmann ’84, Lucia Giunta White ’91 and Mary Louise Giunta Piner ’92
John McGarry, father of Daniel McGarry ’88
J. Roger Schmiedel, father of Zita Schmiedel Redford ’85Births
A son, Harry Kirby, to Tony and Amy Yablonski Ruddy ’04, G’05, Scranton
A son, Luca Reid, to Dominick ’06, G’07 and Courtney Esposito Bellizzi ’06, Rockville, MarylandMarriages
Kelly Tayor ’00 to Jack Wheeler
Zoe Fountoukis ’11 to James Yeates
Casey Pavlick ’11 to Matthew Kaplan
Julie Ozycz ’12 to Peter McManus ’11
Kelsey Hassig ’13 to Robert Gadomski ’12
Rachel Salmon ’15 to Dustin Frisbie ’15Alumni Class Notes, May 2018
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05/01/2018
The Alumni Advisory Board installed Michael K. Short ’99 as the president of The Alumni Society of The University of Scranton at its April 28 meeting.
Short officially became president for a two-year term after Past President Col. Richard H. Breen Jr., U.S. Army (ret) ’77 passed the society’s gavel to him in a transfer of power ceremony. Breen assumed the duties of past president from Martina Martin ’80, who completed her term of service to the board with the transfer. Colleen Neary, Esq. ’88 assumed the duties of president-elect from Short and will succeed him as president when his term is up in 2020.
Short, who resides in Mendham, NJ with his wife Susanna Puntel Short ’01 and son Grady Michael Short, graduated from the University with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. He owns two Allstate insurance agencies that provide multi-line insurance products. He is Series 6 FINRA-certified as a personal financial representative and is a licensed NJ
realtor . He previously served as director of service programs at Scranton Preparatory School and was a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Brooklyn, NY. During Short’s tenure as an Allstate agency owner, he has won numerous company and industry awards. In 2010, Short’s agency was ranked sixth out of all 12,500+ Allstate agencies countrywide. Short’s other awards include Allstate’s Inner Circle Elite (Top 1% in the country), #2 Performing Allstate NJ Agency (2009, 2010), Chairman’s Award, Honor Ring Award and the President’s Conference Award, and he has merited the distinction of Premier Service Agency since the award's creation in 2009. Short enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, studying business/entrepreneurship trends, real estate investment, skiing, golf, SCUBA diving, photographyand technology.“I’d like to thank this board,” Short said to the members of the Alumni Society Advisory Board who were present. “You inspire me to be better. I respect each of you tremendously and will do my absolute best to lead you.”
Short promised the board he would foster a good relationship between the board and the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., University president-elect, as he transitions to University president, push the board and its members to take a more active role in the University community, maintain transparency with his fellow board members and, lastly, “have a lot of fun.”
“I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am to get started and see what we can achieve together,” Short said. “We have a tremendous group of leaders to propel this board forward.”
During his farewell address as president, Breen thanked Martin, Short, his fellow board members and several others he encountered during his previous 12 years on the board. He told his fellow board members to be proud of the work they had done together during his term as president, which included inviting regional club leaders to one of the board’s meetings per year, supporting the Ignite Leadership Conference, creating Toast2Scranton as an annual student engagement event, increasing the board’s participation in the President’s Business Council, refining the nomination process for new board members, establishing a quasi-endowment fund and creating The University of Scranton Alumni Coin of Excellence, a symbolic representation of membership in the Alumni Society first presented to the Class of 2017 at its commencement ceremony.
“I would like to believe that being a member of this Alumni Society Board helps tie us closer to our University, cements lifelong friendships and relationships, (and) enhances the power of volunteerism and giving back, but most
important , it continues to link us together with our Catholic and Jesuit identities,” Breen said. “That above all means the most to me as we all try to be stewards of this University by being, in the words of St. Ignatius Loyola, 'men and women for others.'”In recognition of his service, the board presented Breen with several gifts, including a chair branded with the University seal and a t-shirt quilt constructed from the t-shirts given out at the University events he presided over during his term.
For
more information on The Alumni Society, visit its webpage.Alumni Advisory Board Installs Michael K. Short '99 As Alumni Society President
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05/01/2018
5.06, The University of Scranton’s fourth annual Day of Giving, is fast approaching. By midnight on May 6, the University hopes to reach its goal of 2,018 donors.
5.06 Weekend kicks off this year on May 4. At the University’s Campus Headquarters, students, faculty
and staff will be able to make their 5.06 gifts in person on the first floor of the DeNaples Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Throughout the weekend, 5.06 donations can also be made online or through a text to give campaign.Regional Happy Hours will also take place in Scranton; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Morristown, N.J.; and New York City on May 4
as 5.06 Weekendkick off events for alumni.On May 5, a Royals 5.06K Family Run/ Walk is set to take place at the University’s new Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus. Alumni, parents
and friends are encouraged to join the University community in this run/ walk. Runners and walkers can register for the run/ walk online or at the event. Runners and walkers can sign-in or register for the run/ walk from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. The registration fee is $20 (or $10 for current students). By registering for the run/ walk, participants can make a tax-deductible donation to the University designation of their choice. The run/ walk will start at 9 a.m. Participation in this event will count a runner or walker as one 5.06 Weekend donor.Royals who want to participate in the 5.06K but cannot come out to the Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus on May 5 do not need to worry as they can sign up online to participate in the University’s Virtual 5.06K Run/ Walk. By participating in the Virtual 5.06K, runners and walkers will be able to complete the run/ walk wherever they are over the course of the weekend. Virtual 5.06K runners and walkers can also make a tax-deductible donation to the University designation of their choice. Participants of the Virtual 5.06K are encouraged to wear purple during their run/ walk.
May 6 is the official Day of Giving at the University. Donations will continue to be counted toward the Day of Giving’s donor count until midnight.
Royals are encouraged to help make 5.06 Weekend a success by following The Alumni Society of The University of Scranton on social media and sharing its 5.06 posts. Or, Royals can create 5.06 posts on their own and upload their original posts to their own social media accounts. They are also encouraged to include #GiveToScrantON506 in their posts.
Last year, the University was able to surpass its goal of 1,999 donors, unlocking a $30,000 scholarship gift from Craig Steel ’99 and his family while raising nearly $260,000.
For more information on 5.06 Weekend, including ways to make your gift, visit www.scranton.edu/506.
5.06 Weekend Returns
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05/01/2018
Although Brian Musto ‘12 lost a four-year struggle with cancer this past January, his family and friends will gather together May 5 at The University of Scranton’s 5.06 K Run/Walk to ensure that his legacy lives on through a fund for Scranton students battling illness.
“Education was very important to Brian,” said Alice Egan Musto ‘84, Brian’s mother. “He used to wonder why he got sick at a time when he was so close to getting started with his life that he could see the starting line. We know he’d like to help other students going through similar struggles achieve their goals.”
A native of Pittston, Brian was the son of Alice and Gerard Jr. Musto. Brian was an outstanding student, graduating as valedictorian of Pittston Area High School in 2008. He graduated summa cum laude from The University of Scranton with a double major in management and history. He was a Presidential Scholar at the University and a member of the University’s Business Leadership Honors Program. Brian went on to Cornell Law School soon after but was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the age of 24. Despite his illness, he graduated from Cornell Law with honors in 2016. A member of Our Lady of the Eucharist Parish in Pittston, Brian married Maria Kristina Melgarejo ‘12 in September 2017, just a few short months before his passing.
A Royal ConnectionBrian was not the first member of his family to attend The University of Scranton; his mother, Alice, graduated from Scranton in 1984, and his older brother, Kevin, graduated from the University in 2010. Both of Brian’s younger siblings also chose to study at Scranton; Chris graduated from the University in 2016, while Kate is currently a sophomore scheduled to graduate in 2020.
Because of the Musto family’s affinity for the University, they decided to memorialize Brian by establishing The Brian Musto ’12 Memorial Fund, which will help offset the education expenses of undergraduate and graduate students battling illness.
“We were fortunate to be able to support Brian during his battle, but we know not all patients can say the same,” said Alice. “That is why we are establishing this fund in Brian’s name at his alma mater, The University of Scranton.”
“Patients in this age bracket are often too old to receive help from pediatric organizations and too young to be completely financially independent. Our goal is to help students with expenses from travel for treatments to books for the semester. These costs add up quickly, and patients often cannot work while fighting health issues,” said Alice.
In order to endow the fund, the family needs to raise $40,000. They recently launched a fundraising campaign through the University’s 5.06 Day of Giving celebration, and they have already raised nearly $30,000 of their goal as of press time. As part of the campaign, the family is sponsoring a team that will participate in the University’s 5.06 K Run/
Walk at the Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus in south Scranton Saturday, May 5 at 9 a.m. Members of the public can register for the event for a fee of $20 by visiting scranton.edu/506K. Interested parties who won’t physically be in Scranton that weekend but wish to support the fund can do so by visiting scranton.edu/506K and signing up for the University’s Virtual 5.06 K Run/Walk May 4-6. Community members can also support the fund through a text to give campaign by texting BRIANMUSTOFUND to 71777.More information can be found here for The Brian Musto ’12 Memorial Fund, and here for The University of Scranton’s 5.06 Weekend.
Alumni Family Memorializes Loved One
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04/24/2018
Nearly 400 participants came together April 13 in the Byron Center for The University of Scranton’s Relay for Life event. More than 30 teams collectively raised more than $37,000 toward cancer research and patient care programs.
The event kicked off at 5 p.m. with its opening ceremony. Following the opening ceremony, survivors of cancer and caregivers of cancer patients were asked to partake in the Survivor/ Caregiver Walk, which consisted of one full lap around the gym. After the survivors and caregivers completed their lap, all other Relay participants were invited to walk the track.
Relay participants could partake in a variety of activities to help them keep moving throughout the night, including taking pictures in a photo booth, jumping in a bounce house and dancing to the music a DJ played in the gym. Competitions, such as knockout and tug-of-war, also took place.
Teams also were able to set up booths around the gym in order to raise extra money for Relay. The Urban Beats Crew team had a pie station where Relay participants could donate money to throw a pie into the face of one of the Urban Beats Crew members. Other teams sold candy, baked goods, Gatorade or soda throughout the night.
A raffle was also held during the event in order to raise extra money for Relay. Some prizes that participants could enter to win included a “The Office” basket, a candy bouquet, Alex and Ani bracelets and an Apple TV. Raffle winners were announced throughout the night.
Performances were made by the University’s Men and Women for Octaves a capella group, Royal Signers and dance team.
The Luminaria Ceremony, which gives participants the opportunity to reflect on everyone that has been touched by cancer, took place at 9 p.m. Luminarias are small, white paper bags. Prior to the event, Relay participants had the opportunity to purchase and decorate a Luminaria in honor or in memory of a loved one who is battling or battled cancer. The Luminaria bags are then placed around the Relay track with glow sticks inside of them.
A ribbon ceremony also took place at midnight. During this ceremony, Relay committee members passed out a variety of colored ribbons associated with different types of cancer. Participants received ribbons that corresponded with the type, or types, of cancer that had touched their lives.
This year’s Relay theme was “Candyland.” Pieces of construction paper adorned the Relay track as a nod to the board game, including colorful paper lanterns decorated as hard candies, construction paper candy canes and construction paper lollipops.
Relay concluded April 14 at 5 a.m. with its closing ceremony.
University Hosts Relay For Life
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04/17/2018
The Kania School of Management hosted its first Women in Business panel and luncheon in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall April 5. Students, faculty and staff were encouraged to attend this free event.
The event started with a panel discussion that featured six alumnae of the University: Tera Hatler ’03 (who served as the moderator), Megan Morgan ’95, Rachele Browning ’84, Kristyn Lartz ’08, Susie Craig ’12 and Betsy Peck ’82. The panelists represented a variety of industries in the business world. Hatler is a partner in EY’s Banking and Capital Markets audit practice; Morgan has spent two decades in the sports industry, is currently the executive director of the Association of Sports Analytics Professionals and will soon launch her own consulting business; Browning is a managing director in SEI’s Institutional Group; Kristyn Lartz is a senior manager for Baker Tilly Krause, LLP; Craig is the senior manager on the product development team at Fenty Beauty by Rihanna; and Peck was the chief operating officer of Markets at JLL before retiring.
The panelists touched on a variety of topics, providing students with advice on how to be successful in the business world.
“Do not settle,” Craig said, sharing with attendees some words of wisdom her mom once told her. “Do not accept no. Push it.”
Panelists also touched on some rookie mistakes they have made or have seen others make. Lartz mentioned how important it is for recent graduates to not fall into the mindset of thinking that they know everything.
“I’ve been doing the same thing for 11 years, and I still am continuing to learn things every day,” Lartz said.
Throughout the discussion, panelists brought up the importance of being about to communicate well with others, whether it be communicating boundaries between colleagues or being able to approach a superior about why you should be considered for a promotion.
“If you’re keeping track of what you’ve accomplished, and how you’ve done it, and you’re communicating that on a regular basis, when you do it, it will be second nature,” Peck said.
After the panel discussion, members of the audience asked questions on topics ranging from how to handle sexual harassment in the workplace to how to know how to approach advisors for help.
Following the question and answer session, panelists and audience members mingled at a catered lunch, which gave students the chance to interact with some of the panelists on a more personal level.
KSOM Hosts Women In Business Panel And Luncheon
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04/10/2018
The University of Scranton ranked among the top 12 percent of colleges in the nation for alumni earnings, according to “Best Universities and Colleges by Salary Potential” 2017-2018 College Salary Report published online by PayScale. The report ranked U.S. colleges based on the median salary reported of alumni early in their careers (from zero to five years of work experience) and at mid-career (ten or more years of work experience).
The salary information used for the analysis was drawn from data reported by the million-plus participants of PayScale’s salary survey. Only U.S. colleges with a statistically significant sample size of respondents were included in the rankings.
Scranton ranked No. 179 among the 1,531 colleges in the nation ranked (top 12 percent) based on median salary reported of all alumni, which includes alumni who earned a bachelor’s degree at the University as well as alumni who continued their education to earn a graduate degree at the University or another school. PayScale reported a median salary for Scranton alumni early in their career of $53,400 and $106,300 at mid-career.
Scranton ranked No. 198 among the 1,509 colleges ranked (top 13 percent) based on median salary reported of alumni who earned only a bachelor’s degree. In this category, Scranton alumni reported a median salary of $52,000 early in their career and $101,400 at mid-career.
The ranking also included the percentage of alumni who said “their work makes the world a better place” (44 percent reported for Scranton alumni) and the percentage of degrees awarded in the science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) fields (13 percent reported for Scranton alumni).
Scranton Among Nation’s Best for Salary Potential
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04/04/2018
The University will hold a series of events to celebrate Rugby Weekend April 27 and 28.
On Friday, April 27, the University will hold a Rugby Alumni Networking and Awards Reception at 7 p.m. on the fourth floor of the DeNaples Center featuring an open bar and heavy appetizers. A small portion of the $50 registration fee will go to the Rugby Club. Click here to register.
Rugby Weekend will also include a golf outing on Friday, April 27, at Blue Ridge Trail Golf Club, 260 Country Club Drive, Mountaintop. To sign up as a single or a foursome, contact Dennis Johnson before April 22 at dennisjohnson99@yahoo.com or 215-237-6348.
On Saturday, April 28, the University will hold a Rugby Alumni Game. The location and time of the game has yet to be decided.
For more information, contact Associate Director of Volunteer Engagement Lynn Andres '89 at lynn.andres@scranton.edu.
University Announces Rugby Reunion
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04/04/2018
The University of Scranton announced the names of three NCAA regulation athletic fields at the soon-to-open Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus in recognition of the support of prominent alumni and their families.
The 75 by 120 yard, synthetic-turf, multi-purpose field will be named Robert and Marilyn Weiss Field in honor of University Trustee Robert Weiss ’68 and his wife, Marilyn. The synthetic-turf baseball field will be named Charles J. Volpe Family Field, a name chosen by Charles (Chuck) Volpe Jr., Esq. ’82 and his wife, Ellen, in honor of the late Charles J. Volpe Sr. ’61, his children, and grandchildren who are graduates of the University. The synthetic-turf softball field will be named Magis Field, a name chosen by former University Trustee Dennis J. McGonigle ’82 and his wife, Rachel. Magis, the Latin word meaning “more,” refers to the relentless desire to do more – or greater – for the glory of God, which is a core Jesuit value and a key component of a Jesuit education.
The Quinn Athletics Campus is a $14 million initiative that will be dedicated this spring in honor of the University’s 25th president. The University’s soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, baseball and softball Division III NCAA teams will play at the 11-acre athletics campus located along Broadway Street in Scranton. The campus also includes bleacher seating, a field house with team locker rooms and a training room, parking, a community basketball court and a children’s play area.
“The University has benefited greatly from the decades of generous support received from the benefactors whom we are pleased to honor through the naming of these fields,” said Rev. Herbert B. Keller, S.J., interim president of The University of Scranton. “Their efforts have strengthened the Jesuit mission of the University by helping us to improve the student-athlete experience.”
A native of Lake Ariel, Weiss is president and CEO of The Cooper Companies (NYSE:COO) Pleasanton, California, a multinational manufacturer and marketer of specialty health care products that operates through two business units, CooperVision and CooperSurgical. During his distinguished 39-year career with The Cooper Companies, he has served as chief operating officer, chief financial officer, corporate controller and treasurer at Cooper, as well as president of CooperVision and a member of the company’s board of directors. On April 30, 2018, he will retire as CEO and president of Cooper but remain on the Cooper Board of Directors. He is also a member of the board of directors for Accuray Incorporated, a global radiosurgery leader. He was recognized in CEO Magazine for 40 Best Companies for Leaders for four years (2011-2014).
A former U.S. Army Captain who was awarded two Bronze Stars and the Army Commendation Medal during his service in Vietnam, Weiss is a certified public accountant and earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting at the University. In 2008, he received the University’s Frank J. O’Hara Distinguished Alumni Award. He is also a member of the University’s President’s Circle and Estate Society.
A native of Scranton, Marilyn Weiss, the former Marilyn Chesick, studied at the University through the Scranton State General Hospital School of Nursing. She served as head nurse at the Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York and as a pediatric nurse at Bayside Pediatrics in Pleasanton. She is now active with the Tri Valley Repertory Theatre in Pleasanton.
A resident of Chester Springs Pennsylvania, McGonigle is chief financial officer and executive vice president at SEI Investments, responsible for guiding the efforts of a number of teams within the company, including finance and accounting, corporate enterprise risk management, workforce development and the SEI Private Wealth Management unit. He is also integrally involved in the setting of SEI’s broader corporate strategy.
Prior to his appointment as CFO in 2002, McGonigle ran one of SEI’s operating segments. Previously, he served as head of product management, overseeing the product development and maintenance of products and services related to SEI’'s investment management offering, as well as SEI’s fund services area. He is also co-owner of Kimberton Whole Foods, a regional chain of organic and natural food markets. Dennis and his wife Rachel have three daughters, who all competed at the Division 1 level of college athletics. This led to their interest in supporting the University of Scranton athletics program and the new campus.
McGonigle was a member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts (SJLA) Honors Program and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He also competed for the University as a member of the men’s golf and ice hockey teams. A member of the University’s President’s Business Council, he was recognized by the University in 2007 with the Frank J. O’Hara Distinguished Alumni Award and the University’s President’s Medal at the President’s Business Council’ Annual Award Dinner in 2017.
Charles J. Volpe Sr., who passed away in 1988, played baseball for the University as a student in the 1950s and early 1960s. A well-respected Scranton businessman and insurance entrepreneur, who founded Foxco Insurance Management Services, he was also an active political leader. He held local and county positions, including serving as deputy mayor of the city of Scranton and as a member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives. His wife Eleanor, who passed away in 2017, and his son, Chuck Volpe Jr., started the Charles J. Volpe Sr. Memorial Scholarship Fund at the University, which provides assistance for a student who is majoring in history, political science or international studies; has achieved academic excellence; and aspires to pursue a career in public service.
Chuck Volpe Jr. was a member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts (SJLA) Honors Program and earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration. While at Scranton, he was president of the College Democrats and class vice president of Student Government. He earned his juris doctor degree from Duquesne University in 1985 and practiced law as a bond counsel and a trial lawyer before joining the family business. Like his father, he too ran for political office and currently hosts The Volpe Report, a political television show currently airing on FOX56 WOLF. He received the University’s Frank J. O’Hara Distinguished Alumni Award in 2017.
A formal dedication ceremony for The Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus will take place Tuesday, May 8, at 10 a.m.
Fields Named at Quinn Athletics Campus
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04/03/2018
The University of Scranton and the Alumni Society are proud to announce the honorees of the 2018 Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award and the honoree of the 2018 Frank J. O'Hara Recent Graduate Award.
The University will honor John H. Appleton, Esq. ’68, P'00, '03 of Clarks Summit, William J. Brady ’83, P'12 of Wellesley, MA, Francis J. Pearn ’83, P'16 of Garden City, NY, Col. James F. Cummings, M.D., FACP, FIDSA, U.S. Army (ret) ’88, H’15 of Chevy Chase, MD, Dominque Ponzio Bernardo ’93 of Bridgeport, Michele Giancatarino Gilfillan ’98 of Bloomfield, NJ and Matthew R. Bernard ’99, G. ’03 of Clarks Green with the 2018 Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award; the University will also honor Elena M. Habersky ’13 of Cairo, Egypt with the 2018 Frank J. O'Hara Recent Graduate Award.
The Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest award bestowed jointly by the University and the Alumni Society. The award honors select alumni who embody Scranton's Catholic and Jesuit experience and who have achieved distinction in their professional or personal endeavors. Honorees are selected based on the nominees' commitment to Ignatian values and their pursuit of professional and personal excellence.
The Frank J. O'Hara Recent Graduate Award is presented to an alumnus/na who has graduated within the past 10 years. The award honors alumni who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to service for others in their personal or professional achievements which embody Scranton's Catholic, Jesuit values.
The honorees will be recognized June 8-10 during the Reunion Weekend 2018 celebration.University Announces 2018 O'Hara Award Honorees
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04/03/2018
The University will hold its inaugural Scranton Purple Passion Day April 13.
To celebrate the occassion, the University asks all alumni, students and parents to show their passion by wearing their University of Scranton gear (shirts, hats, sweatshirts, jackets, ties, pins, etc.). The University also asks participants to use #ScrantonPurplePassion to post their Scranton Purple Passion pictures on social media. Prizes will be awarded for the Most Creative Picture, the Most Scrantastic Picture, the Picture Taken Furthest From Campus and more.
For more information, contact Lynn Andres, associate director of Volunteer Engagement, at lynn.andres@scranton.edu.
University To Hold Scranton Purple Passion Day April 13
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04/03/2018
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Peter Bielinski ’75, Houston, Texas, retired after 18 years as associate general counsel for Cameron International Corp.
Joseph Montella, M.D. ’80, Philadelphia, was promoted to chief medical officer at Cooper University Healthcare in Camden, New Jersey. He is professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, is a certified physician executive and earned his Master of Science Degree in Healthcare Quality and Safety.
Michael Burke ’85, Beverly Hills, California, chairman and CEO, AECOM, was named 2018 Business Person of the Year at the Los Angeles Business Journal annual Business Hall of Fame Awards event.
Michael Hollinger ’93, Reading, was recently awarded the prestigious 2018 Lawyers of Distinction Award in the field of General Practice of Law. Hollinger is the founder and managing partner of the Law Office of Michael Hollinger. In addition to his general practice, Hollinger provides pro bono work to those who cannot afford an attorney.
Alan Landis ’93, Alexandria, Virginia, has been appointed chief operating officer of the Rights and Resources Initiative, an international development coalition advocating for land and resources rights for women, indigenous people and local communities.Deaths
Samuel J. Dante ’52, Old Forge
Terence J. Burke ’60, Naples, Florida
Mark L. Eisenstadt ’62, Endwell, New York
Andrew J. Miroslaw ’66, Lehman Township
Joseph P. McCormack ’67, Scranton
Thomas A. Mellow, Ph.D. ’67, Forest City
David J. Gromelski ’86, Clarks Green
Mary Ann McCormick, O.D. ’86, Honesdale
David Petro ’88, Clearwater, Florida
David Sadock ’88, Robbinsville, New Jersey
James Stimpfl ’89, Sherman ConnecticutFriends' Deaths
Michael Murphy, husband of Ann Marie Castagnaro Murphy ’80
Helene Talerico, mother of Gene Talerico ’89 and grandmother of Katie Talerico ’19Births
A daughter, Tobin Phyllis, to Gregg Marella, M.D. ’89 and Taryn Mitchell, Morristown, New Jersey
A daughter, Hannah Evelyn, to Jenn and Kevin Cleary ’99, G’00, Clemmons, North Carolina
A son, Dominic Michael, to Michael ’04 and Crystal Mayfield Quaglio ’06, Newton, New Jersey
A daughter, Emma, to Clyde ’07, G’09 and Lisa Hummel Rosencrance ’08, G’09, South Abington Township
A son, Luca, to Stephen ’12 and Sarah Phillips Fernando ’12, Charlotte, North Carolina
Marriages
Katie Delpriora ’12 to John Lyons ’13
Chris Weber ’12 to Lindsay SchmidtAlumni Class Notes, April 2018
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03/29/2018
Members of The University of Scranton alumni community will volunteer their time on Saturday, April 14, as part of the University’s ninth annual “Day of Service.” Alumni will serve meals, sort donations, paint and perform farm work through nearly a dozen Scranton Clubs at 15 locations in six states and the District of Columbia.
The Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley will prepare and serve meals to men at the Allentown Rescue Mission in Allentown. Volunteers will also stock shelves in the Mission’s pantry. The Allentown Rescue Mission helps feed, rehabilitate and serve homeless men of the Lehigh Valley.
The Scranton Club of New England will inspect, sort and package donations at Cradles to Crayons Giving Factory Warehouse in Brighton, Massachusetts. Cradles to Crayons collects, processes and distributes children’s items to local children in need. Volunteers are encouraged to bring a gently-used item for donation.
The Scranton Club of New York will host volunteer opportunities at two locations. Volunteers will greet market-goers and distribute produce at City Harvest: St. Mary’s Mobile Market in Bronx. City Harvest collects excess food in the New York City area and redistributes it to those in need. Volunteers also will serve meals and clean up at Meatloaf Kitchen at the Cardinal Spellman Center, in New York City. The Meatloaf Kitchen also serves food to those in need.
The Scranton Club of Northeast Pennsylvania will pack and sort food items at the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Food Bank in Pittston. The Weinberg Food Bank collects and donates food to charitable organizations in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Volunteers are encouraged to bring a canned good for donation.
The Scranton Club of Philadelphia will volunteer at three locations in Philadelphia. Volunteers at Project HOME’s James Widener Ray Homes will serve dinner to residents. Project HOME helps homeless individuals and families get the shelter and care they need, while addressing the causes of poverty and homelessness. Volunteers at Project HOME’s St. Elizabeth’s Recovery Residence will serve lunch to residents. Volunteers at The Drueding Center will paint and clean the childcare center and playground. The Drueding Center serves homeless women and their children, providing housing, meals and social services.
The Scranton Club of Washington, D.C., will volunteer at the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington and the Arlington Food Assistance Center, Arlington, Virginia. Volunteers at Capital Area Food Bank will sort and pack donations. The Capital Area Food Bank collects and distributes food to people of all ages in the Washington Metro Area. Volunteers at the Arlington Food Assistance Center will bag produce. The Arlington Food Assistance Center provides nutritious groceries for those in need in Arlington.
The Scranton Club of New Jersey will volunteer at The Community Food Bank of New Jersey in Hillside and Greater Goods Thrift Store in Hightstown. Volunteers at The Community Food Bank of New Jersey will sort food, stock shelves with food and school supplies, assemble fundraising mailings, work in the thrift shop, and sort new clothes for children. The Community Food Bank of New Jersey provides relief for those affected by hunger and poverty, and asks volunteers to bring a $1 donation. Volunteers at Greater Goods Thrift Store will sort, tag and organize items. Greater Goods provides recyclable clothing and household items to those in need.
The Scranton Club of South Central Pennsylvania will volunteer at Central Pennsylvania Food Bank in Harrisburg. Volunteers will help sort and repackage food for distribution. The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank distributes food to soup kitchens, shelters and food pantries throughout Central Pennsylvania.
Also, alumni near Atlanta will inspect, sort and package grocery donations at the Atlanta Community Food Bank in Georgia. The Atlanta Community Food Bank provides nutritious food to low-income Georgians of all ages. Alumni residing in North Carolina will work at Corral Riding, a farm in Cary, North Carolina. Corral Riding brings rescued horses and at-risk girls together.
For more information or to register online, please visit Alumni Events “Day of Service.”
Alumni Can Volunteer for Day of Service
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03/27/2018
The University of Scranton recently opened registration for its inaugural 5.06K at the Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus.
The all-ages event will take place on Saturday, May 5 as part of this year's 5.06 Weekend of Giving celebration. Alumni, students, parents and friends are welcome to join the University community in this celebratory 5K walk/run. Registration will begin at 7 a.m. and the run will start promptly at 9 a.m. The $20 registration fee ($10 for current students) will include a tax-deductible donation to the University designation of the registrant's choice and a 5.06K t-shirt.
To register, visit scranton.edu/506k.
University Opens 5.06K Registration
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03/20/2018
Nearly 1,000 Royals from the classes of 2008-2018 packed the Byron Center March 9 for the tenth annual Shamrockin' Eve.
Nearly 500 alumni joined more than 500 seniors at the celebration, donning green t-shirts to mark the occassion. Nearly 500 attendees contributed to the success of future University students by making a Shamrockin' Eve gift.
The University held its first Shamrockin' Eve in 2009. The event was founded by a group of young alumni who wanted to reconnect with Scranton and each other prior to their five-year class reunion. It quickly evolved into an opportunity for current seniors and recent graduates to contribute to the success of future University students.
For more information on the event, visit scranton.edu/shamrock.
Alumni, Students Celebrate Shamrockin' Eve
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03/13/2018
The AmazonSmile Foundation recently announced it will donate 1.5 percent of AmazonSmile purchases made by customers who make their first eligible donation at smile.amazon.com/ch/24-0795495 through March 31 to The University of Scranton, an increase of three times its normal donation to the University through the site.
Half the donated proceeds from purchases made at the University's link will benefit the Edward R. Leahy Clinic for the Uninsured, and the other half of the proceeds will benefit The Royal Fund in support of student financial aid. The offer is only available to customers who make an eligible purchase through smile.amazon.com/ch/24-0795495 for the first time. The first-time purchase must be made through smile.amazon.com/ch/24-0795495 on a desktop or mobile browser by March 31 at 11:59 p.m. (PT). AmazonSmile is not currently available through the Amazon app. The offer only applies to products that are eligible for AmazonSmile. Look for "Eligible for AmazonSmile donation" on the product details pages of eligible products. Ineligible purchases include gift cards, recurring Subscribe-And-Save purchases, subsciption renewals and certain digital content, such as videos, music and ebooks. The purchase price is the amount paid for the item minus any rebates and excluding shipping and handling, gift-wrapping fees, taxes or service charges. Donation will be accrued to the University in the quarter following the placement of the order. The offer is non-transferable and may not be resold. Violation of the terms will render the offer invalid, and Amazon reserves the right to modify or cnacel the offer at any time.
The donation amount generated (as shown on smile.amazon.com) as a result of special offers like this one may take a few months to update after the end of the quarter following a purchase.
For more information on AmazonSmile, visit https://smile.amazon.com.
AmazonSmile Announces Triple Donation Promotion For University Through March 31
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03/06/2018
Although recent snowstorms indicate that winter is alive and well in Northeastern Pennsylvania, springtime is just a few weeks away, and The University of Scranton has scheduled a host of events for our alumni to enjoy, regardless of which way the wind blows.
March 9 – Shamrockin’ Eve
The 10th annual Shamrockin’ Eve will return to the Byron Center Friday, March 9, at 8:30 p.m. This year’s event will unite alumni from the classes of 2008-2017 with current seniors in support of student scholarships at the University.
In 2009, the University held its first Shamrockin' Eve. The event was founded by a group of young alumni who wanted to reconnect with Scranton and each other prior to their five-year class reunion. It quickly evolved into an opportunity for current seniors and recent graduates to contribute to the success of future University students.
Alumni can register online at regonline for $35 through Thursday, March 8 at noon; alumni may also register as walk-ins at the event for $40. Current students must register on campus.
For more information, visit scranton.edu/shamrock or contact Alex Maier, assistant director of Annual Giving, at alexandra.maier@scranton.edu.
March 24 – Legacy Reception for Accepted Students & Their Families
Alumni parents and grandparents of accepted students are cordially invited to attend a Legacy Reception for Accepted Students and Their Families on Preview Day, March 24, anytime between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library for light fare and refreshments. To register or to find out more information, contact the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement at alumni@scranton.edu or 570-941-5997.
April 14 – Day of Service
The University of Scranton will celebrate its annual Alumni Day of Service Saturday, April 14.
This initiative, coordinated through the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement, provides alumni, parents and friends around the nation with a shared service opportunity to demonstrate the life-changing and enduring power of a Jesuit education. This year, participants will have the opportunity to serve at 15 sites in multiple cities along the east coast.
In Atlanta, Georgia, Royals will inspect, sort and pack grocery donations at the Atlanta Community Food Bank from 9 a.m. to noon. Interested parties can register here.
In the Lehigh Valley, Royals will prepare and serve a meal to the men at The Allentown Rescue Mission; Royals will also have the opportunity to stock the shelves of the mission’s pantry. Interested parties can register here.
In Cary, North Carolina, Royals will perform farm work at Corral Riding Academy, a Christian non-profit that pairs rescued horses with girls in high-risk situations to provide healing and transformational life changes from 9:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. Interested parties can register here.
In Brighton, Massachusetts, Royals will work in stations to inspect, sort and package donations at Cradles to Crayons Giving Factory Warehouse from 10 a.m. to noon. Interested parties can register here.
Royals in New York City will have two opportunities to serve their communities. In the Bronx, volunteers will distribute fresh produce to eligible market-goers at City Harvest at St. Mary’s Mobile Market from 8:45 a.m. to noon; interested parties can register here. In Manhattan, volunteers will serve a meal, bus tables, and assist with cleanup at Meatloaf Kitchen at the Cardinal Spellman Center from 8 a.m. to noon; interested parties can register here.
Royals in NEPA will pack and sort items for distribution at the Weinberg Food Bank in Pittston from 9 a.m. to noon. Volunteers are asked to bring one canned item as a donation, if possible. Interested parties can register here.
Royals in Philadelphia will have three opportunities to serve the City of Brotherly Love. Volunteers will serve dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. to residents at Project Home: James Widener Ray Homes, a 53-unit permanent supportive housing residence for adults who were previously homeless or who qualify for affordable housing based on income eligibility; interested parties can register here. Also in Philadelphia, volunteers will paint and clean the childcare center and playground from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Drueding Center, a transitional housing program for homeless and formerly homeless families; interested parties can register here. Philadelphia-area Royals will also have the opportunity to serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to the residents at Project Home: St. Elizabeth’s Recovery Residence, a 24-unit recovery residence for men that designates 12 units specifically for veterans; interested parties can register here.
Royals in the Washington, D.C., area will have two opportunities to serve their communities. In Washington, D.C., Royals will sort and pack donations at Capital Area Food Bank from 9 a.m. to noon; interested parties can register here. In Arlington, Virginia, Royals will bag produce at Arlington Food Assistance Center; interested parties can register here.
Royals in New Jersey will have two opportunities to serve their communities. In Hillside, NJ, volunteers will sort and re-pack food items, stock shelves with food, assist the staff at Kathleen’s Closet thrift shop, help assemble fundraiser mailings, sort and package new clothes for children and stock shelves with school supplies at The Community Food Bank of New Jersey from 8:45 to 11 a.m.; volunteers are asked to bring a $1 donation for the food bank. Interested parties can register here. In Hightstown, NJ, volunteers will sort, tag and organize items from 10 a.m. to noon at Greater Goods Thrift Store (through RISE New Jersey), a gathering site that provides affordable recycled clothing and household items; interested parties can register here.
Royals in Harrisburg will sort, relabel and repackage food at the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank from 9 a.m. to noon; interested parties can register here.
For more information, contact Alumni Engagement Coordinator Marge Gleason at margery.gleason@scranton.edu.
April 19 - 2018 Jay Nathan Lecture – The Rise of Romania - History. Culture. Economy.
The Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar Lecture Series invites international scholars from emerging democracies and countries in political and economic transition to visit The University of Scranton to address issues that will enlighten and benefit students, faculty and the community-at-large. Its purpose is to enrich the intellectual life or share a cultural exposition in the arts or music for both The University of Scranton and our Northeastern Pennsylvania Community. Register here for “The Rise of Romania – History. Culture. Economy.”
May 4-6 – 5.06 Weekend
Mark your calendars for the University’s Weekend of Giving! The action kicks off May 4 with regional happy hours in Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, NEPA and Washington, D.C. On May 5, Royals of all ages will gather to run (or walk) the inaugural 5.06K on the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail near the Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus. Finally, on May 6, students and donors will unite to celebrate the 2018 Scholarship Brunch. For more information, visit scranton.edu/506.
June 8-10 – Reunion Weekend
Alumni who graduated in class years ending in “3” or “8” will gather on campus to celebrate their milestone years at Reunion Weekend 2018 June 8-10. Reconnect with your classmates, reminisce about your student days and see how campus has changed since your last visit. For more information, including a tentative schedule of events and a list of alumni who plan on attending, visit scranton.edu/reunion.
June 18 – Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner
The University of Scranton is proud to honor Mike Strong with the 2018 Peter A. Carlesimo Award. One of the most successful coaches in NCAA history, Coach Strong is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA Division III with 815 wins over his 34 seasons as head coach of the Lady Royals.
This year's Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner will be held at Saucon Valley Country Club on Monday, June 18, 2018. The University is proud to partner with the Quandel Construction Group as Title Sponsor for this year's event.
Registration for this event will be available later in March. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the event or sponsorship opportunities, contact Eric Eckenrode at eric.eckenrode@scranton.edu.
Saucon Valley Country Club is considered one of the finest golf clubs in the country and has hosted seven U.S.G.A. Championships, including the 2009 U.S. Women's Open. It will also host the U.S. Senior Open in 2022.
Named in honor of Peter A. Carlesimo, former University of Scranton coach and athletics director, the Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner celebrates athletics at The University of Scranton and honors a person who has made special contributions to athletics and Catholic education. The Golf Tournament and Award Dinner serves as a fundraising event to support and enhance the student-athlete experience at Scranton.
Spring 2018 Alumni Events Preview
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03/06/2018
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Lori Brucker Block ’83, Pitman, New Jersey, of the Department of Public Relations & Advertising at Rowan University, will be awarded the NACADA Region 2 Excellence in Advising-Advisor Primary Role award by the National Academy Advising Association at its regional conference on March 23. Block, a senior advisor and faculty member, will also present “It Just Makes Sense! Intentionally Infusing Career Counseling while Academically Advising!” at the conference. She was also honored in February by Rowan University for her 25 years of service.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, a partner at the Munley Law Firm, served as a speaker on an ethics panel and hosted the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Women Trial Lawyers Caucus meeting and events at the AAJ Winter Convention in Maui in February 2018.Sean McFarland ’90, Frederick, Maryland, has been promoted to senior vice-president and head of Loss Control and Liquidations Technology for Wells Fargo.
Nicholas Kravitz ’04, Dupont, has been named a partner in the firm Myers, Brier & Kelly, LLP.
Brian Dolan ’15, Pearl River, New York, is serving with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest during the 2017-2018 program year. Dolan is volunteering at Terry Reilly Health Services in Boise, Idaho.Michael McDonald ’16, Dunmore, is serving with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps during the 2017-2018 program year. McDonald is volunteering at Catholic Charities of Onondaga County, Syracuse, New York.
Glendys Orellana ’16, Spring City, is serving with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps during the 2017-2018 program year. Orellana is volunteering with Proyecto Generando Vida in Managua, Nicaragua.
Erin Finnerty ’17, Brigantine, New Jersey, is serving with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps during the 2017-2018 program year. Finnerty is volunteering at Urban Compass in Los Angeles, California.
Christa Howarth ’17, Somerset, New Jersey, is serving with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest during the 2017-2018 program year. Howarth is volunteering at Boise Family Strengthening Center at Catholic Charities of Idaho in Boise.
Natalie Kern ’17, Newtown, is serving with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest during the 2017-2018 program year. Kern is volunteering at Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis in Anchorage, Alaska.
Mariah Ruther ’17, Tinton Falls, New Jersey, is serving with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps during the 2017-2018 program year. Ruther is volunteering at Native American Health Center in San Francisco, California.
Dillon Vita ’17, Melville, New York, is serving with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps during the 2017-2018 program year. Vita is volunteering at Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School in Camden, New Jersey
Deaths
Robert F. Killeen ’41, Scranton
Arthur F. Zimmerman, M.D. ’47, Dover Delaware
John M. Cefaly, Sr. ’50, Hanover Township
John L. Fahey, M.D. ’51, Clarks Green
Chester “Chet” Lukas ’51, Bridgewater, New Jersey
Gregory J. Harmonosky ’52, State College
Thomas J. McHugh ’57, Lake Forest, Illinois
James H. Tigue ’61, Edwardsville
Lt. Col. Patrick J. Lalley ’62, Chantilly, Virginia
Joseph J. Leonard, Sr. ’62, Hazle Township
Donald F. Noll ’65, Scott Township
James P. Calpin, Jr. ’66, Poughkeepsie, New York
Peter Stchur, Jr. G’70, Hanover Township
Carmen J. Grazious ’78, Old Forge
Michael P. Loughney ’84, Clarks Green
Salvatore Petrucci, D.M.D. ’86, Scranton
Carolyn M. Byrne ’13, Valley Cottage, New YorkFriends Deaths
Carolyn Blake, wife of Gerald Blake ’63
Alice Mackrell, mother of Timothy Mackrell ’86 and Cynthia Mackrell Cerminaro ’90, G’92; grandmother of Colleen Mackrell ’13Births
A daughter, Lillian Rae, to Daniel and Nancy Duda Leet ’06, G’07, White Plains, New York
A son, Gerard Kevin, to Kevin and Cate McKenna Furman ’09, Philadelphia
A daughter, Jane, to Carissa and Brian O’Connor ’10, Great Bend
A son, Edward Siloé to Siloé and Charlotte Brown Perez ’10, Deptford, New Jersey
Marriages
Elizabeth Pulice, V.M.D. ’10 to Robert Wideman
Dana O’Donnell ’11 to Ted Abbot ’11Alumni Class Notes, March 2018
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03/02/2018The University of Scranton has named Thomas MacKinnon as vice president for university advancement, effective March 19. MacKinnon currently serves as vice president for university advancement at Wilkes University, overseeing their development, alumni and marketing communications efforts. Previously, he served as chief of staff to the president and as executive director of the capital campaign at Scranton.
“Tom brings a keen understanding and deep commitment to the University’s Catholic and Jesuit mission to this important leadership position at Scranton. Through his education, work and volunteer service, he has more than 20 years of experience with Jesuit institutions, as well as decades of leadership experience in fundraising. We are grateful to have him back on board at Scranton,” said Rev. Herbert B. Keller, S.J., interim president at the University, in an announcement to the campus community.
During his service as one of four vice presidents at Wilkes, MacKinnon initiated the largest fundraising campaign effort in the school’s history, reorganized and developed a new fundraising team, and raised more than $40 million in gifts and commitments during the past two years. He also initiated their new branding effort.
While at Scranton, MacKinnon played a leadership role in the success of the largest capital campaign in the University’s history, which raised more than $129 million to support the University’s mission, endowment and development. The campaign helped to make possible such transformational improvement projects as the DeNaples Center, Loyola Science Center, Condron Hall, Montrone Hall, Pilarz Hall and the Dionne Campus Green. In addition to his work in development, he led multiple international service trips for students to El Salvador and Ecuador, and led the University’s senior leadership team on an immersion trip to El Salvador.
MacKinnon left Scranton in 2011 to serve at Marquette University as chief of staff to the president and as interim vice president for university advancement, managing a staff of more than 150 professionals. At Marquette, he was intricately involved in the development and implementation of a new seven-year strategic plan that was universally endorsed by the Marquette community and assisted in the effort to re-imagine procedures for managing their $400 million annual operational budget, among other duties. Also during his tenure, Marquette initiated the planning phase for its capital campaign.
From 2000 to 2008, MacKinnon was vice president for CCS, a strategic fundraising consulting firm. Prior to that, he served as director of alumni and public relations at his alma mater Canisius High School in Buffalo, New York. He also volunteered a year of service at the Jesuit-sponsored Working Boys Center in Ecuador, a project he continues to support today.
MacKinnon earned his bachelor’s degree in English literature from Fordham University and is pursuing a master of fine arts degree in creative writing at Wilkes University.Vice President for University Advancement Named
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02/27/2018
The University of Scranton recently unveiled the official Shamrockin' Eve 2018 t-shirt design.
In 2009, the University held its first Shamrockin' Eve. The event was founded by a group of young alumni who wanted to reconnect with Scranton and each other prior to their five-year class reunion. It quickly evolved into an opportunity for current seniors and recent graduates to contribute to the success of future University students.
This year's event will take place March 9 from 8:30 to 11 p.m. in the Byron Center. All alumni from the classes of 2009-2017 are invited to participate. Alumni can visit regonline to register for the event; the cost of alumni admission is $35. Students must register on campus.
For more information, visit scranton.edu/shamrock or contact Alex Maier, assistant director of Annual Giving, at alexandra.maier@scranton.edu.
University Unveils Shamrockin Eve 2018 T
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02/27/2018
The University of Scranton NEPA Dinner Series will continue at 6 p.m. March 6 at Market Street Grill, 223 W. Market St., Scranton, Pa, 18508.
The dinner, open to all alumni, parents and friends of the University, will include a choice of soup or salad, an entree and dessert at a rate of $30 per person. Visit regonline to register for the dinner, or contact Lynn King Andres '89, associate director of Alumni and Parent Engagement, at lynn.andres@scranton.edu.
NEPA Dinner Series Continues At Market Street Grill March 6
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02/14/2018
The University of Scranton’s Master in Health Administration (MHA) program will be nationally recognized by The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) and Canon Solutions America for its sustainability initiatives in the context of corporate responsibility and Jesuit pedagogy. The University’s MHA program will receive the prestigious CAHME/Canon Award for Sustainability in Healthcare Management Education and Practice at the March 25th CACHE Congress in Chicago.
Each year, CAHME recognizes excellence in graduate healthcare management education with CAHME- accredited programs and in partnership with leading healthcare organizations. These valued programs are recognized for driving innovation, improving the student experience, and expanding the presence of graduate healthcare management education. Now in its second year, the CAHME/Canon Solutions America Award for Sustainability in Healthcare Management Education and Practice focuses on recognizing universities that are committed to pushing public health forward through dynamic and diverse sustainability-driven activities with proven results.
The University MHA program links sustainability with social justice, public health, and health disparities through alumni engagement, international experiences, and community project work.
“Global and environmental health issues are complex and universities teaching future leaders in healthcare, as well as corporations serving in this field, have a responsibility to ethically and effectively address health issues. As educators at a Jesuit university, we take this responsibility very seriously and are deliberate in our efforts to teach our students to be leaders in addressing issues of social justice and sustainability in order to better serve all people, and especially to care for those who are the most vulnerable,” said Debra Pellegrino, Ed.D., dean of the Panuska College of Professional Studies, which houses the health administration program at Scranton. “We are grateful CAHME and Canon are taking the lead in recognizing sustainability in health administration programs with this award, which is so important for the future of healthcare, and we are honored that the University was selected to receive the 2018 award.”
“We are so grateful for Canon’s support of this award, as it recognizes programs that are advancing the quality of graduate healthcare management education,” said Anthony Stanowski, DHA, president and CEO of CAHME in a news release announcing the award. “Canon is an important partner in this work.”
“It’s an honor to announce The University of Scranton Master in Health Administration as our 2018 Sustainability in Healthcare award winner,” said Peter Kowalczuk, president of Canon Solutions America. “Together with CAHME, we are truly committed to helping improve the quality in academic healthcare management education and promoting continuous evolution in the preparation of future healthcare leaders. Canon Solutions America congratulates The University of Scranton on this great achievement and we look forward to their program pushing personal and professional growth for its students while embracing diversity in the health education community.”
According to CAHME, the mission of the University’s master in health administration program helped to secure the award. The program’s mission is to provide local, regional and international students a comprehensive and interdisciplinary set of core competencies and values for health administration jobs in a variety of healthcare organizations. Additionally, the program contributes scholarship to its disciplines, especially applied research, publications and presentations.
The innovative curriculum of the University’s MHA program includes a “Fit for the Profession” component to ensure readiness for profession, said Steven Szydlowski, D.H.A., program director of the University’s MHA program. In addition, sustainability components imbedded in the curriculum include administrative residency project for sustainability in healthcare as part of the program’s 8-credit Administrative Residency course (HAD 581), which is required course for all MHA students. Dr. Szydlowski said projects cover global, environmental, financial, social sustainable issues and involve developing and implementing a sustainability project in an applied healthcare setting. Elements of sustainability are also addressed in other elective courses, as well as through other initiatives such as study abroad experiences.
CAHME is an interdisciplinary group of educational, professional, clinical, and other health sector organizations devoted to quality improvement of education for healthcare management and administration professionals. Additionally, CAHME accreditation establishes the standard of measurement of graduate healthcare management education for the world community.
To learn more about Canon Solutions America’s partnership with CAHME, visit here.
About CAHME:
CAHME serves the public interest by advancing the quality of graduate healthcare management education in the United States and Canada. CAHME is the only organization recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation to grant accreditation to individual academic programs offering a professional master’s degree in healthcare management education. CAHME Accreditation is the benchmark for students and employers that ensure the integrity of healthcare management education. For more information, visit Cahme.org.About Canon Solutions America, Inc.
Canon Solutions America provides industry leading enterprise, production, and large format printing solutions, supported by exceptional professional service offerings. With the technology offerings of the Canon and Océ brands, Canon Solutions America helps companies of all sizes improve sustainability, increase efficiency, and control costs through high volume, continuous feed, digital and traditional printing, and document management solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., Canon Solutions America is headquartered in Melville, N.Y. and has sales and service locations across the U.S. For more information on Canon Solutions America, please visit csa.canon.com.
MHA Program Awarded for Sustainability Effort
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02/06/2018
"Not where I breathe, but where I love, I live."
With those 10 words, Robert Southwell, S.J., expressed the importance of love and passion to the human condition nearly 500 years ago. Today, several University of Scranton alumni have chosen to share their love of Scranton with their Royal family by recalling some of their favorite memories, proving pieces of their hearts will always live on campus.
Paul Batt '66
"One of the most memorable experiences occurred during my senior year. Jim McNulty and John A. Walsh were vying to become student body president. At a planned debate on the steps of the now-defunct student center, John A., who was the play-by-play announcer for Royals basketball on our radio station, WUSV, was haranguing Jim about his lack of enthusiasm for attending the games. Jim, having had about enough, strode to the microphone and confirmed that in his mind John A. was indeed 'a huge athletic supporter.' Jim won the election and later became Mayor of Scranton. John A. went on to head ESPN.
P.S. Picture of me and my wife, a Marywood grad. We met in October of my freshman year at a Scranton mixer and married 5 years later on April fool’s day in 1967."
Mary Beth D'Andrea '82
"2016 Graduate School Commencement. A memorable Scranton moment for my family was when Nicholas became a 'Double Royal.' He received his Master's Degree in Accounting in May 2016. He and I are both 'Double Royals.'"
Kevin Dermody '13
"Three generations of University of Scranton graduates, pictured at the 2013 Class Awards night: Thomas P. Cummings, Sr. '52; Ellen Cummings Dermody '84; Kevin P. Dermody '13; and George T. Dermody, Parent of Class of 2013 graduate. Tribute: 'Scranton runs in our family!'"
Michael Griffin '81
(From left, David Burns ’81, Donald Liotta ’81 and Griffin.)
"The University of Scranton cemented lifelong bonds with the best friends I have today!"
Christine Fanelle Gutekunst '85
"The mountains in view and nearby The University of Scranton inspired me to take up hiking, a lifetime joy that my family and I enjoy doing together at home and wherever we travel. No class reunion is complete without a walk up to Nay Aug Park!"
Theresa Rice Haughey '87
"Favorite memory - walking the Commons and seeing all the painted signs hanging over the Student Center informing us of parties, clubs, 'things going on' around campus prior to social media days! The outside steps of the student center were the heart of the campus; you could always find someone to hang out with in between classes."
Kevin Kucharski '85
"1985, 2014 and 2016 represented!"
Stephanie Longo '03
"My favorite memory at the University was when my Aunt Jennie, who immigrated to the United States from Italy, came to visit me on campus one day. I was an Italian major and we had to watch a movie for Italian class and she came down to watch with me. We ended up walking around campus a bit and she mentioned that she took sewing classes as a child in old Leahy Hall. Sewing was her passion! We went inside and she took me right to the room where her classes were held. She passed away in 2008 and when old Leahy Hall was torn down, I took a piece of the rubble so I could always have something to remember that day. The piece of rubble now sits on my desk in my home office."
Patrick McKenzie '06
"When I am asked why I love the University so much, my response is because of the community. Every party, wedding, event, incorporates a picture of Scranton alumni because we are incredibly proud of that community."
Kathleen Bowe Mulderrig '87
"I have too many fond memories of my time at Scranton to write about just one.The common theme is that I made so many friendships that will last me forever. I loved the community aspect of the school, where even the professors cared about the students as people. It was fun to attend and always fun to go back."
Colleen Neary '88
"First day of a lifetime of Scranton love. Nevil's Hall, August 31, 1984."
Joy Oliver '02
"My son James is 18 months old. His favorite article of clothing is his Scranton sweatshirt. He calls it 'Purple.' We have to wash it constantly because he asks to wear it so often. So here's to you, Scranton, on your 130th birthday. James and the Herrick Family wish you many more."
Jess Palmeri '11
"Natalie Burke ’11, Chris Lantero ’11, Jessica Palmeri ’11, G’13 and Chris Ozoniak ’11 look off into their bright, beautiful futures after Baccalaureate Mass 2011."
Mary Roslonowski '92, G'95
"One favorite memory of Scranton was attending the Smithereens Concert at the gym in February 1992. It was a packed house and it was a really cold night. We listened to their CD over and over again after the concert. The other favorite memory was eating breakfast at the dining hall where they would make you any omelette you wanted or those giant waffles. We loved going there after ROTC PT at 6 a.m."
Mike '99 and Susanna '01 Short
"About a year ago, Fr. Panuska passed away, and we reflected on his invitation to join the Scranton community years ago, so that we could 'grow not only in wisdom, but also in grace.' We are forever grateful to have responded to that invitation as our Scranton experiences have been woven into the fabric of our family's life. We remain good friends with many of the people we connected with on campus back in the late 90's and we've stayed involved in alumni networks. We were out to dinner recently with a non-Scranton friend who commented that he's met many Scranton alums over the years and that he's amazed by how every single grad he's met had a genuinely enriching and overwhelmingly positive experience at Scranton. Isn't it the truth? We proudly display the Gunster sign at our house, and we remember the life-changing experiences we had in a building that no longer exists - in The Aquinas office, in student government, in campus ministry, and even in the cafeterias. We often think of professors who challenged and inspired us. We reminisce about the parties and dorm room hangouts. We recall retreats at Chapman Lake and Masses at Madonna. In every memorable moment, there resides an intangible spirit of community, connectedness, and camaraderie. In essence, The University of Scranton is a good place where good people do good things. We were honored to bring our son to campus for the first time last year as we marked the endowment of our 'Men and Women For and With Others' Scholarship. As we walked the Commons together and remarked on changes to buildings and spaces, we noted that the spirit remains the same. How blessed we are to carry that spirit with us and to pass it along to a future generation. May we be persistent in our pursuit of wisdom and grace."
Mara Smith '13
"During our final semester, our SJLA class went on a retreat at Chapman Lake. The entire weekend was filled with laughter and love, but the greatest manifestation of such came during one of our final afternoon sessions. We were each supposed to go around the room and anyone who wanted to could say something kind about the person whose turn it was. What was intended to be a one-hour session became FIVE hours of tears, hugs, laughter, apologies, forgiveness and so much love. I still get chills thinking of how beautiful it was to sit in true community with individuals I had spent my time at Scranton learning and growing with. Over our four years together at Scranton, I think we each fell in love with SJLA and each other, in whatever individual ways our souls allowed."
Joe Sorbera '08
"Who can forget the first time The Office came to Scranton? The whole school (and city!) had such an exciting vibe. It was great waiting with almost the whole school form very early in the morning, being on the Today Show, and meeting the cast, who couldn't have been nicer (and, I think, more shocked at the welcome they received!)."
Share your Scranton love on social media with #LoveScranton. To see these stories and more, visit the #LoveScranton page.
Alumni Share #LoveScranton Moments
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02/06/2018
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Stephen Brophy ’93, Arlington, Virginia, has joined the firm Husch Blackwell. Brophy will serve as senior counsel in the firm’s Technology, Manufacturing & Transportation industry group and International Trade practice team.
Justin Daly ’93, Great Falls, Virginia, was named, for the third consecutive year, one of the Top Lobbyists by The Hill. Daly founded Daly Consulting Group in 2012 after serving for over 15 years as a senior legal advisor to the US House of Representatives, US Senate, and Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm represents Fidelity Investments, Goldman Sachs, PwC, Travelers and other major financial institutions.
Kate Groark Shields ’97, Fort Washington, was named one of 2017’s “Top Women in PR” by PR News. Shields is president of Vault Communications, which was recently named to the Inc. 5000, the Philadelphia Business Journal’s “Soaring 76” list and the Philadelphia 100, a joint initiative of the Philadelphia Media Network, the Wharton Small Business Development Center and the Entrepreneurs’ Forum of Greater Philadelphia to recognize the 100 fastest-growing companies in the Greater Philadelphia region.
Deaths
Canio J. Sleyo ’41, Scranton
Robert K. Cavanaugh ’46, Scranton
Frank M. Lewis ’51, Washington, DC
Theodore Slachtish ’52, Moscow
Norman E. Woodworth, Lt. Col. (ret) ’52, Peckville
Joseph G. Huggler ’53, Bordentown, New Jersey
Stanley J. Exeter ’55, G’71, Moosic
Angelo A. Costanzo, D.D.S. ’57, Clarks Summit
James L. Horan ’58, Scituate, Massachusetts
Joseph Wascalis ’58, Binghamton, New York
Francis J. Pryal ’59, Edgewater, Maryland
Edward J. Earley, Ed.D. ’62, Fogelsville
Robert G. Meeker, Ph.D. G’62, Hazel Crest, Illinois
Terrence F. Gallagher ’63, Scranton
James P. McGraw, Jr. ’65, Scranton
Richard J. Carlonas ’67, Troy
Alfred Romitelli ’68, Peckville
Gerald J. McInerney, Jr. ’70, Elmira, New York
Clarence E. “Spud” Nachand, Jr. ’70, Dunmore
John W. Reckless ’70, Dunmore
John J. Ziskowski, M.D. ’70, Chillicothe, Ohio
Sr. Catherine Williamson, RSM G’72, Dallas
George MJ Petrus ’88, Sydney, New York
Craig K. Lockwood ’89, Pittston
Brian J. Musto ’12, PittstonFriends' Deaths
Joseph Hardisky, father of Michael Hardisky, Ph.D. (faculty), father-in law of Debra Pellegrino, Ed.D. (dean of Panuska College),grandfather of Michael Hardisky ’00, G’02, Andrew Hardisky, DVM ’01, Denise Hardisky, DVM ’09 and Dana Hardisky, DVM ’10
Helen Skoritowski, mother of Joseph Skoritowski ’81
Births
A son, Kaius William, to Brian ’02, G’05 and Sharon Canale Eltz ’02, Millersville
A daughter, Morgan Abigail, to Michael ’05 and Sara Suchoski Carroll ’05, Montville, New Jersey
A daughter, Everly Susan, to Joseph ’08, G’09 and Susan Salisbury O’Connell ’08, Archbald
A daughter, Alice Joanna, to Michael ’11 and Elizabeth Lukowicz Sunkel ’11, Fieldsboro, New JerseyMarriages
Kaitlyn Carey ’08 to Sean Kennedy
Diana Sorbera ’08 to James WortmanAlumni Class Notes, February 2018
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01/30/2018
Men’s Lacrosse alumni will return to campus Feb. 3 for the team’s annual Alumni Day celebration.
Former Men’s Lacrosse players will face off against current team members at 1 p.m. at Fitzpatrick Field. After the game, alumni will gather at Backyard Ale House for an alumni social featuring complimentary food and a cash bar.
Interested parties should contact Scranton Men’s Lacrosse Coach Michael Hofmeister at michael.hofmeister@scranton.edu to register for the game and social. Scranton athletes seeking information on other alumni celebrations should contact Interim Executive Director of Development Eric Eckenrode at eric.eckenrode@scranton.edu. Visit scranton.edu/athleticsgiving to support Scranton Men’s Lacrosse.
Men's Lacrosse To Hold Alumni Day Feb. 3
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01/09/2018
The University of Scranton will celebrate its annual Alumni Day of Service Saturday, April 14.
This initative, coordinated through the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement, provides alumni, parents and friends around the nation with a shared service opportunity to demonstrate the life-changing and enduring power of a Jesuit education.
Visit scranton.edu/dayofservice to see a list of 2018 sites.
For more information, including how to serve as a site coordinator, contact Alumni Engagement Coordinator Marge Gleason at margery.gleason@scranton.edu.
University Announces Scranton Day Of Service 2018
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01/09/2018
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
John Granahan ’56 is the newly-appointed chairman of the Board of Directors at St. Francis Kitchen in Scranton and St. Francis Commons.
Chester Pleban ’71, Ormond Beach, Florida, released his second novel, The Tarnished Oath. In both this book and his first, Conviction of Innocence, Pleban, a practicing trial lawyer for more than 43 years, writes about courtroom drama and crime.
John Kelly ’76, Herndon, Virginia, was appointed acting inspector general for the United States Department of Homeland Security.
Thomas Grech ’84, Malverne, New York, previously executive director of the Queens Chamber of Commerce in Jackson Heights, New York, has been promoted to president and chief executive officer.
Sean Granahan ’87, Montrose, is the president of Floating Hospital of New York and runs outpatient clinics for homeless women and children living in shelters.
Joyce Catherine Corbin Moya ’90, Lorton, Virginia, is currently employed as a behavioral health contractor at Marine Corps Base Quantico since 2016. Recently Moya has opened “Hozho Behavioral Health and Life Coaching SVs., PLLC” with locations in Springfield and Woodbridge Virginia. Moya specializes in military culture and healthy life styles, women’s issues and couples therapy.
Cathy Binder ’91, King George, Virginia, was elected supervisor for Shiloh District in Kings George County, Virginia.Keith Yurgosky ’91, G’02, Greenfield Township, was selected as the 2017 Pennsylvania State Star for the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network at the America’s SBDC National Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
Sean Keeler, M.D. ’98, Las Vegas, Nevada, is a member of the Board of Directors for the Unforgettables Foundation Nevada Chapter. The mission is to provide funeral costs to financially struggling families who lose a child from 32 weeks in utero through 18 years. Dr. Keeler and his wife recently co-chaired the annual gala that raised $50,000 for the foundation. Visit theunforgettables.org as chapters are expanding nationally.Maria Villafuerte, D.O. ’03, Farmington Hills, Michigan, is a mental health services provider for New Oakland Family Centers in their partial hospitalization, outpatient and telepsychiatry programs.
Dennis O’Malley ’10, Hartford, Connecticut, was recently admitted to the Connecticut State bar. O’Malley graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law in May 2017 and is now completing a judicial clerkship with the Connecticut Supreme Court.
Kevin Dermody ’13, Philadelphia, was appointed to the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Young Lawyer’s Division Executive Committee. In his new role, Dermody will focus on increasing the participation of members and growing membership by engaging with various community organizations to create new opportunities. He will serve a three-year term beginning January 1, 2018.
Deaths
David F. St. Ledger ’56, Mechanicsburg
Thomas E. Vassil, Sr. ’58, Owego, New York
Chester Sebastianelli ’59, Archbald
Thomas M. Enright ’61, Greenfield Township
Drew Von Bergen ’61, Alexandria, Virginia
Charles J. “Chick” Rader ’62, Scranton
Francis E. Egan ’67, Honesdale
Robert B. Gorham ’71, Mill City
Barbara Siarkievicz ’84, Jessup
Capt. Richard D. Heier, Jr. ’08, Scranton
Michael L. Stallone ’09, ExeterFriends' Deaths
Gerald Nemshick, father of Janine-Nemshick-Kerestes ’86 and Christine Nemshick-Lauer G’03Births
A daughter, Jiavanna Veronica, to John and Tracy Perlitis Iannarone ’95, Old Forge
A son, Harrison, to Eric Boulis and Maria Villafuerte, D.O. ’03, Farmington Hills, Michigan
A son, Edward Siloé, to Siloé and Charlotte Brown Perez ’10, Deptford, New Jersey
Marriages
Caroline Frey ’09, DPT ’12 to Carl Cervi ’09, G’11
Colleen Sullivan ’13 to Samuel Arcieri ’12Lindsay Scheve ’14 and Scott Holdren ’14
Alumni Class Notes, January 2018
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01/09/2018
The Alumni Society of The University of Scranton will hold two receptions in Florida in February.
The first will take place in the Estuary Room of The Ritz-Carlton Naples Feb. 16 at 5:30 p.m. The second, sponsored by Edward and Christine Kane P'12, '14, will take place in the Harbourview Ballroom of The Club at Admirals Cove in Jupiter Feb. 18 at 11 a.m.
For more information on these complimentary events, visit the registration page or contact Alumni Engagement Coordinator Marge Gleason at 570-941-5997 or alumni@scranton.edu.
University Announces 2018 Florida Receptions
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01/09/2018
The Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth in Wernersville will host "Reigniting Our Ignatian Spirituality: A Retreat for University of Scranton Alumni" Feb. 9-11.
The retreat, led by the Rev. Brendan Lally, S.J., '70 of the University and St. Joseph's University, will provide alumni with concrete ways to "find God in all things" and use Ignatian spirituality in their lives. The weekend will offer presentations by Lally and the Rev. Patrick Rogers, S.J., executive director of The Jesuit Center at The University of Scranton, time for silent reflection, guidance on incorporating Ignatian spirituality into one's daily life using elements such as the Examen prayer of St. Ignatius and the lives of Jesuit figures such as the Rev. Walter Joseph Ciszek, S.J., and companionship with fellow alumni.
The retreat is open to University alumni and their spouses at a fee of $200 per person. Visit the registration page for more information.
A Retreat for University Alumni
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01/09/2018
The University of Scranton's Medical Alumni Council will once again send a team of students and alumni doctors on its annual MAC Medical Mission to Haiti Jan. 21, where the team will spend a week providing the underserved people of Haiti with medical care.
Over the years, the mission has served as a transformational experience for students entering the medical field as well as the practicing physicians who lead it. During the mission, four alumni doctors and four premedical students typically care for nearly 1,000 Haitians in 80 hours, treating maladies such as hypertension, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, infections, wounds, parasites and diabetes.
In preparation for the trip, the team has begun collecting a wide variety of medical items. Visit here to see the list or to make an online gift to the mission trip. For more information, contact Associate Director of Volunteer Engagement Lynn Andres '89 at 570.941.4142 or lynn.andres@scranton.edu.
Support The MAC Medical Mission To Haiti
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01/09/2018Join your fellow Royals at the Duncan Party Deck of Allentown's PPL Center Jan. 26 at 7:05 p.m. as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms take on the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. A $31 registration fee includes admission to the game and a $5 food voucher. Visit the event's registration page for more information.
Join Us: Lehigh Valley Phantoms Vs. Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins January 26
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01/08/2018
Nearly 100 alumni, parents and friends of The University of Scranton celebrated the Christmas season together at the New York Christmas Reception at the Harmonie Club Dec. 15.
The event featured remarks from Alumni Society Advisory Board Member Joe Sorbera III '08, Cynthia Russo '19 and the Rev. Patrick D. Rogers, S.J., executive director of The Jesuit Center at the University.
To see and share photos from the event, visit University Advancement's Shutterfly page.
New York Christmas Reception 2017
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01/08/2018
Scores of alumni, parents and friends of The University of Scranton celebrated the Christmas season together at the New Jersey Christmas Reception at Baltusrol Golf Club Dec. 14.
The event featured remarks from Alumni Society Advisory Board Member Jeff Rossi '88, Brianna Tucciarone '20 and the Rev. Patrick D. Rogers, S.J., executive director of The Jesuit Center at the University.
To see and share photos from the event, visit University Advancement's Shutterfly page.
New Jersey Christmas Reception 2017
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01/08/2018
Nearly 100 alumni, parents and friends of The University of Scranton celebrated the Christmas season together at the Washington, D.C., Christmas Reception at The Army and Navy Club Dec. 8.
The event featured remarks from Alumni Society Advisory Board Member P.J. Tabit '10, Brian Kilner '20 and the Rev. Patrick D. Rogers, S.J., executive director of The Jesuit Center at the University.
To see and share photos from the event, visit University Advancement's Shutterfly page.
Washington, D.C., Christmas Reception 2017
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12/12/2017
Nearly 100 alumni, parents and friends of The University of Scranton celebrated the Christmas season together at the Philadelphia Christmas Reception at Le Meridien Dec. 7.
The event featured remarks from Alumni Society Advisory Board Member Colleen M. Neary, Esq. '88, Stas Postowski '20 and the Rev. Patrick D. Rogers, S.J., executive director of The Jesuit Center at the University.
To see and share photos from the event, visit University Advancement's Shutterfly page.
Philadelphia Christmas Reception 2017
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12/06/2017
Marking a milestone half-century of song, The University of Scranton Singers presented the 50th annual Noel Night on Saturday, Dec. 2, to a capacity crowd in the university’s Houlihan-McLean Center. Joining the performance were trumpeter Mark Gould, pianist Ron Stabinsky, harpist Marg Davis, and an additional choir made up of nearly 60 alumni.
Bands of students on street corners playing familiar carols welcomed audience members as they entered the building, and those inside the beautifully decorated concert hall were entertained by an hour-long instrumental prelude presented by the University’s String Orchestra and Flute Ensemble.
The main feature of the evening was an inspiring performance by the Singers as The University of Scranton’s annual Christmas gift to the community. The 50-voice mixed choir performed works chosen by alumni as past Noel Night favorites, including works by Britten, Handel, Rorem, Sirett, Tavener and others. Rev. Herbert B. Keller, S.J., interim president, welcomed the audience with a Christmas message and during the course of the performance, the Nativity Martyrology, Prologue to the Gospel of St. John, and St. Luke Nativity Narrative were read by Joseph H. Dreisbach, Ph.D., Harold W. Baillie, Ph.D. and Leonard G. Gougeon, respectively, Ph.D. The seasonal readings have beeb a time-honored concert tradition, just as the event itself is for the many members of the community who are in attendance every year.
“The annual concert, having reached its golden anniversary, now spans several generations and those who once came as children are now bringing their own children,” said Cheryl Boga, director of Performance Music at the University.
Following remarks by Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president-elect, the program concluded with a spirited and inspiring finale in which the University Singers and chamber orchestra were joined by dozens of alumni from choirs throughout the decades to perform Vaclav Nelhybel’s “Estampie Natalis.”
“The evening was a true celebration of community and tradition, featuring performers and even composers who are part of the fabric of the life of the University,” said Boga, "Composer Vaclav Nelhybel, for example, was the composer-in-residence at the University for the last 10 years of his life."
The University of Scranton Singers, joined by trumpeter Mark Gould, pianist Ron Stabinsky, harpist Marg Davis, and an additional choir made up of alumni, presented the 50th annual Noel Night to a capacity crowd in the University’s Houlihan-McLean Center.
Up Next
On Sunday, Dec. 10, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present The Empty Stocking Fund Benefit Concert, which features the Scranton Brass Orchestra, with special guests the Scranton Preparatory School Cavalyrics. Admission to the performance, which begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, is one new toy or piece of children’s clothing, or a cash donation.
Scranton Celebrates 50th Annual Noel Night Concert
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12/05/2017
What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.
Robert Munley, Sr. ’52, Dalton, was named to
the 2017 Irish Legal 100. Irish Legal 100 is a compilation of some of the most accomplished and distinguished legal professionals of Irish descent in the United States.Very Rev. Myron G. Zuder, Ph.D. ’58, Akron, Ohio, celebrated 50 years as pastor of St. Mary Dormition Church in Akron. The Orthodox priest also celebrated 55 years of ordination and 55 years of marriage to wife Dolores.
Zuder’s son Gregory was ordained a sub-deacon on the same day.
Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, was named tothe 2017 Irish Legal 100. Irish Legal 100 is a compilation of some of the most accomplished and distinguished legal professionals of Irish descent in the United States.
Robert T. Voelkner ’83, Wayne New Jersey, was promoted to vice president,sales and marketing, for LabVantage Solutions, a provider of laboratory informatics solutions and services.John J. Luciani G’87, York, is officially registered as a professional engineer and professional land surveyor in the state of Delaware. Luciano is president of First Capital Engineering.
Daniel Munley ’90, Clarks Summit, was named to
the 2017 Irish Legal 100. Irish Legal 100 is a compilation of some of the most accomplished and distinguished legal professionals of Irish descent in the United States.Carl Thorsen ’90, Washington, D.C., has been named for the fifth consecutive year by The Hill Newspaper as one of Washington’s 25 “Top Lobbyists.”
Caroline Munley ’97, Dalton, was named to
the 2017 Irish Legal 100. Irish Legal 100 is a compilation of some of the most accomplished and distinguished legal professionals of Irish descent in the United States.Christine Palmeri Gonzalez ’99, Bel Air, Maryland, was recently promoted to assistant director of Nursing for Ambulatory Services at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.
Brian Shahum ’00, Portland, Oregon, was mentioned in the Portland Business Journal for his work at his family’s company, Mercury Development. Mercury Development is a third generation full service commercial real estate company specializing in the development, leasing and property management of retail shopping centers.
Laura Bopp ’17, Wantagh, New York, spoke at the 20th Annual Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice. Bopp spoke on LEAP (Literacy Education and Advocacy in Prison), which she participated in at the University. The LEAP program focuses on facilitating creative expression for female inmates through writing.
Deaths
Richard “Ace” Armstrong ’45, Scranton
Joseph A. Caputo ’56, Dunmore
Paul Swantkowski ’56, Dupont
Frank J. Germain ’57, Dunmore
James J. Mowad, M.D. ’57, Danville
Robert F. Wren ’57, West Orange, New Jersey
Louis A. Adams ’59, Dupont
Marianne R. Baloga G’62, Wilkes-Barre
Brendan V. Callanan ’66, Belmont, Massachusetts
John J. Dwyer ’72,G’75, Dalton
Joseph Ambrogi ’73, Ardmore
J. Kevin Judge ’73, Lansdale
Joseph Milewski ’75, Eynon
Joan M. Chichura ’81, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Glennon R. Griffin ’88, Westborough, Massachusetts
Daniel A. Zellers ’93, Scranton
Christy Farley ’95, Wood-Ridge, New Jersey
Kate E. Stack ’04, Suffern, New York
Anne M. Kearney ’00, Scranton
Friends Deaths
Joanne Mikulski, mother of Joanne Mikulski Brush ’82
Helen Skoritowski, mother of Joseph D. Skoritowski ’81
Pauline Solomon, mother of Albert Solomon, Ph.D. ’62Births
A son, James Matthew, to Jenna and Matthew DeNinno ’00, Massapequa Park, New York
Marriages
Michael McLane ’10to Leena Watson ’12
Nicole Mollusky ’11to Peter Ferrante, DPM ’11Alumni Class Notes, December
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12/05/2017
While there has always been a great deal of preparation attached to Christmastime, in today’s world, it can often seem like the difficulty level has been ratcheted up from “medium” to “expert.” Between work, gifts, food, travel, and all the 10,000 other things vying for our attention this holiday season, how can busy Scranton alumni ever find the time to prepare for the coming of Christ in their hearts? Luckily, The University of Scranton has created a variety of ways to help alumni stay connected to the things that truly matter this holiday season.
The Advent Daily DevotionalDuring this season of Advent, The Jesuit Center, in partnership with University Advancement, has created The Advent Daily Devotional, a series of email reflections and prayers based on the Church’s readings of the day. Spearheaded by the Rev. Patrick D. Rogers, S.J., executive director of the Jesuit Center, the series features contributions from all corners of the University community, including students, alumni, parents, friends,
faculty and staff. The inaugural message, written by Rogers, deals with the same theme of feeling too busy we alluded to in the introductory paragraph, asking for “the grace to slow down and accept the outstretched hands of God that seek to catch me and mold me in His divine image.” To subscribe to the Advent Daily Devotional, visit its registration page.
A New Podcast
In recent years, America has begun a love affair with the medium of podcasting, a sort of on-demand version of radio consumed primarily on mobile phones that lets the listener download content to control precisely when he or she chooses to “tune in.” University Advancement kicked off its new University-themed podcast, “Scranton Shorts,” Saturday with an interview with Rogers discussing what it was like to grow up in a house of 11 children, his love of music, his calling to the Society of Jesus and his vision for the Jesuit Center. On Sunday, UA released an episode where Rogers discussed the First Sunday of Advent, the Gospel readingschosen for that day, the history behind the Advent Wreath, and how St. Nicholas changed the way we celebrate Advent and Christmas, and UA will continue to release episodes discussing the season of Advent with Rogers each Sunday of Advent until Christmas. To download an episode or subscribe to the podcast, search for “Scranton Shorts” in the Apple Podcasting app or visit the iTunes store or the podcast’s homepage.
Checking In With Your Royal Family
The University’s Christmas celebrations have already begun and there is still time to check in with your Royal family for a healthy dose of holiday cheer. On Dec. 6, The Scranton Club of South Central PA will gather at the Association of Independent Colleges & Universities at 6 p.m. to celebrate the Christmas season. The Alumni Society will hold a Christmas Reception Dec. 7 at Le Meridien Philadelphia at 6:30 p.m., Dec. 8 at The Army and Navy Club in Washington, D.C., at 6:30 p.m., Dec. 14 at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield Township, New Jersey, at 6:30 p.m., and Dec. 15 at Harmonie Club in New York City at 6:30 p.m. Rogers will be on hand in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., New Jersey and New York to wish attendees a hearty “Merry Christmas.” In addition to these gatherings, the University will hold a Long Island Brunch with Santa at Colonial Springs Golf Club in Farmingdale, NY, Dec. 9 at 11 a.m., and The Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley will gather at the home of Ted Wolff '74 in Schnecksville for a Christmas party the same day at the same time. For more information or to register for these events, visit scranton.edu/christmasparties.
Share your Scranton Christmas photos on social media with #ScrantonChristmas.Preparing for Christmas the Scranton Way
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11/28/2017
The University of Scranton will hold several Christmas events over the coming weeks open to all alumni,
parents and friends of the University.
Operation SantaOn Dec. 3, The Scranton Club of Philadelphia will join the St. Joseph's Prep community at Operation Santa, where attendees will gather and wrap Christmas presents for Philadelphia families. The event will begin at 12:30 p.m. with a Mass at St. Joseph's Preparatory School, and the wrapping will commence at 1 p.m. Attendees will receive a lunch. Visit www.regonline.com/opsanta17 to register for the event.
Christmas on CampusAlso on Dec. 3, the University will begin its Christmas on Campus celebration with an Advent Liturgy in the Byron Center at 5 p.m., followed immediately by the tree lighting on the Dionne Green. After the tree lighting, attendees can enjoy hot chocolate and other holiday treats at the Loyola Science Center Atrium. Visit https://www.regonline.com/scrantonchristmas17 to register for the event.
Harrisburg Christmas ReceptionOn Dec. 6, The Scranton Club of South Central PA will gather at the Association of Independent Colleges & Universities at 6 p.m. to celebrate the Christmas season. Visit www.regonline.com/scpachristmas to register for the event.
Philadelphia Christmas ReceptionThe Alumni Society will hold a Christmas Reception Dec. 7 at Le Meridien Philadelphia at 6:30 p.m. featuring the Rev. Patrick D. Rogers, S.J., executive director of the Jesuit Center. Visit https://www.regonline.com/philachristmas17 to register for the event.
Washington, D.C., Christmas ReceptionThe Alumni Society will hold a Christmas Reception Dec. 8, at The Army and Navy Club in Washington, D.C., at 6:30 p.m. featuring the Rev. Patrick D. Rogers, S.J., executive director of the Jesuit Center. Visit https://www.regonline.com/dcchristmas17 to register for the event.
Long Island Brunch With SantaSanta Clause will take a break from his busy schedule to enjoy a brunch at Colonial Springs Golf Club in Farmingdale, New York, Dec. 9, at 11 a.m. Guests will enjoy a brunch buffet and individual visits and photo opportunities with Santa. Visit www.regonline.com/lisanta2017 to register for the event.
Lehigh Valley Christmas PartyThe Scranton Club of Lehigh Valley will gather at the home of Ted Wolff '74 in Schnecksville for a Christmas party Dec. 9 at 11 a.m. Visit www.regonline.com/lvtreecutting to register for the event.
New Jersey Christmas ReceptionThe Alumni Society will hold a Christmas Reception Dec. 14, at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield Township, New Jersey, at 6:30 p.m. featuring the Rev. Patrick D. Rogers, S.J., executive director of the Jesuit Center. Visit https://www.regonline.com/njchristmas17 to register for the event.
New York Christmas ReceptionThe Alumni Society will hold a Christmas Reception Dec. 15, at Harmonie Club in New York City at 6:30 p.m. featuring the Rev. Patrick D. Rogers, S.J., executive director of the Jesuit Center. Visit https://www.regonline.com/nychristmas17 to register for the event.
For more information in the University's Christmas events, visit scranton.edu/christmasparties.University Announces 2017 Christmas Parties
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11/21/2017
We asked, you answered, and the results of the 2017 Alumni Survey are in. More than 1,200 alumni representing 75 different class years, all 50 states and several countries told us what they love about Scranton and what more we can do to keep alumni connected to the University and to one another. Visit scranton.edu/alumnisurveyresults2017 to find out what we learned.
2017 Alumni Survey Reveals Alumni Opinions
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11/13/2017
On Friday, Nov. 10, 15 alumni hosts provided 55 student guests with an invaluable opportunity: a chance to talk with a University of Scranton alumnus/na at Beyond the Commons, a dinner series that connects the former with the latter in a casual setting free from the confines of a formal networking event on campus.
"Beyond the Commons dinners give students the chance to interact with current experts in their fields," said University Assistant Director of Annual Giving Alexandra Maier. "Each dinner, set in a venue off campus, brings approximately 10 students together with one to three alumni. The atmosphere of each dinner is casual and conversation is centered around a specific topic."
This latest round of Beyond the Commons dinners attracted alumni working in a variety of fields willing to discuss several topics. Alumni Society President Col. Rich Breen, U.S. Army (ret) ’77, director of Strategic Communications for the Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, and Alumni Society Advisory Board member Kevin Kucharski '85, senior vice president of clinical operations for Achillion Pharmaceuticals, discussed "Advancing Your Career" with the nine students they hosted; ASAB member Jane Yeoman G '04, a clinical quality management consultant for Highmark, Inc., and ASAB member Maura Hayden '08, a registered nurse at University of Pennsylvania Health System, discussed "Nursing" with the 10 students they hosted; ASAB member Mara Smith, J. D. '13, a law clerk for Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads LLP, ASAB member Jessica Palmeri '11, G '13, a community manager for Hyrell, and ASAB member Joe Sorbera '08, vice president of JLS Cost Management Systems, Inc., discussed "The Real World: Life After College" with the nine students they hosted; ASAB member Dr. John Cardone, M.D. '82, a cardiovascular surgeon at Mary Washington Healthcare/VA Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery, hosted four students at "Dinner With a Doc"; ASAB President-elect Michael Short '99, president of Short Family Agency & Finanical Group, LLC, discussed "Scranton Entrepreneurs" with the five students he hosted; ASAB member Theresa Rice Haughey '87, senior director of pharmacovigilance quality assurance for GlaxoSmithKline, ASAB member Collen Neary, Esq. '88, attorney at law for Sweeney & Neary, LLP, and ASAB member Noradeen Farlekas '83, founder of Social Equity Investment Solutions, discussed "Woman in the Workplace" with the five students they hosted; and ASAB member P.J. Tabit '10, a supervisory policy analyst for the Federal REserve Board of Governors, ASAB member Mike Guarnuccio '89, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and ASAB member Jeff Rossi '88, vice president of compliance and training at Credit Suisse, discussed "Steps to a Successful Future" with the nine students they hosted.
For more information on Beyond the Commons, visit here.
Alumni, Students Turn Out for Beyond the Commons
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11/06/2017
The University of Scranton and the Alumni Society are seeking nominees for the 2018 Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award and the 2018 Frank J. O'Hara Recent Graduate Award. Nominations will be accepted through Monday, Dec. 11, 2017.
The Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest award bestowed jointly by the University and the Alumni Society. The award honors select alumni who embody Scranton's Catholic and Jesuit experience and who have achieved distinction in their professional or personal endeavors. Honorees are selected based on the nominees' commitment to Ignatian values and their pursuit of professional and personal excellence.
The Frank J. O'Hara Recent Graduate Award is presented to an alumnus/na who has graduated within the past 10 years. The recipient(s) will have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to service for others in their personal or professional achievements, which embody Scranton's Catholic, Jesuit values.
Honorees for both awards will be recognized during Reunion Weekend June 8-10, 2018. Alumni in class years ending in "3" or "8" will be considered this year.
Nominations for both awards will be accepted here or by emailing alumni@scranton.edu.University Seeks 2018 O'Hara Awards Nominations
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11/06/2017On Nov. 2, the Honorable Lynne A. Sitarski '86, magistrate judge for the United States District Court, administered the Oath of Admission as an attorney in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to Mara I. Smith '13. Smith currently works as an associate in the litigation department at Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads, LLP in Philadelphia.
Alumna Judge Swears In Alumna Lawyer
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11/06/2017
The first cohort of students began the new doctor of business administration (DBA) at The University of Scranton this fall semester.
The University’s DBA program, with a concentration in accounting, was developed to provide experienced practitioners with a practical pathway to an academic career. The program offers participants flexibility, while still providing for the development of the knowledge and skill set necessary to become a “scholarly academic” – one who is qualified to teach at a school of business that possesses or is seeking formal accreditation by Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).
The DBA program is housed in the University’s Kania School of Management, which is accredited by AACSB International. It is the third doctorate-level program offered by the University, which also offers a doctor of physical therapy degree (DPT) and a doctor of nursing practice (DNP).
Douglas M. Boyle, DBA, associate professor, Accounting Department chair and DBA program director, spoke to the students when they arrived on campus.
The incoming DBA students are:
Marcus Burke of Poughkeepsie, New York;
Joy Chacko of Chandler, Arizona;
Anthony Fulmore of Killeen, Texas;
Craig Gallagher of South Abington Township;
Daniel Gaydon of Plains ;
Elena Isaacson of Glenville, New York;
Stephanie Lee of Chicago, Illinois;
Heather Losi of Liverpool, New York;
Amanda Marcy of Clifford Township;
Patrick O’Brien of North Merrick, New York;
Ronald Parker of Franklin, North Carolina;
Katheryn Zielinski of Bloomington, Minnesota.
Students Begin New DBA Program at Scranton
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11/01/2017
Class Notes
Thomas W. Miller, Ph.D. ’67, Lexington, Kentucky, is recognized for his lifelong contribution to the study and research of stressful life events and stressful transitions across the lifespan in his professional publications and research summarized in his Handbook of Stressful Transitions Across the Lifespan through Springer Publications. More here.Susan M. Swain ’76, Alexandria, Virginia, Co-Chief Executive Officer and President of C-Span, was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame at their 27th annual dinner. The dinner honors the pioneers, innovators,
shows and stars who have made significant contributions to the broadcast/television industry.Kathleen Fitzgerald Sherman ’78, Mountain View, California, opened her own solo law practice in February 2017, after practicing in a large law firm for several years.
John J. Gill, Jr. ’78, G’80, Branchville, New Jersey, retired from Kittatinny Regional High School after 39 years. Gill served as a Biology teacher for 21 years and finished as a guidance counselor for 18 years. He will continue as head varsity wrestling coach, a position he has held for 38 years.
Peter C. Butera, Ph.D. ’80, Lewistown, New York, was named dean of Niagara University’s College of Arts and Sciences.
Isabel Dwornik, Ed.D. G’84, Endwell, New York, recently published a book titled Dreams and Deception: Sports Lure, Racism, and Young Black Males’ Struggles in Sports and Education as part of Peter Lang Publishers’ Adolescent Cultures, School, and Society Series. Dwornik earned a master’s degree and Certificate of Advanced Study in Counselor Education from Syracuse University, an MHRA from the University of Scranton, and a doctorate in Educational Theory and Practice from the State University of New York at Binghamton. She has worked as a counselor and administrator for SUNY Broome Community College, Catholic Social Services, and the Maine-Endwell Central School District. She was also an instructor for Binghamton University for many years.
Daniel J. Murray ’85, Maple Glen, was named as
chief executive officer of Pennswood Village Board of Directors. Pennswood Village is a Quaker-directed Continuing Care Retirement Community for people age 65 and over in Newtown.Kate Groark Shields ’97, Fort Washington, is the owner of a full-service marketing communications firm, Vault Communications. Vault has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing privately-held businesses regionally and nationally by Inc. magazine, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Business Journal and Philadelphia 100, a joint initiative of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Wharton Small Business Development Center and the Entrepreneur’s Forum of Greater Philadelphia.
Jennifer Hunara ’00, G’02, Bethlehem, accepted the position of administrator, Department of Surgery, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City in July 2017.
Barbara Ginty ’06, New York, New York, was recently chosen as a finalist for the "Grow Your Value Competition" which was held during the "Know Your Value" event in New York City on October 30, 2017. The "Know Your Value" event was founded by MSNBC's
cohost of Morning Joe, MikaBrzezinsk , and will include such guests as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Martha Stewart, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jane Pauley and many other notable speakers. Ms. Ginty will be competing among two other finalists at the "Know Your Value" event, pitching her business, Planancial, which offers online personal finance education classes, for the chance to win a $5,000 grand prize. https://www.nbcumv.com/news/mayor-bill-de-blasio-join-mika-brzezinski-onstage-and-declare-oct-30th-%E2%80%9Cknow-your-value-day%E2%80%9D?network=33138Thomas Schneider ’06, Long Beach, New York, received
a MS in Nursing,Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner from Molloy College in August 2017.Joseph Wolfe ’11, Long Branch, New Jersey, has joined DLA Piper as an associate in the firm’s Philadelphia office.
James P. Shygelski ’14, Scranton, has joined the Law Offices of Jennifer J. Riley as an associate attorney.
2nd Lt. Nicholas M. Tallo ’15, Wethersfield, Connecticut, commissioned in the Marine Corps in November 2015 after successful completion of USMC Officer Candidate School. He then attended The Basic School with Bravo Company 2-16. After graduation in June 2016, 2nd Lieutenant Tallo reported to Battery E, 2d Battalion, 11th Marines to perform on-the-job training. In September 2016 he checked in to Marine Artillery Officer Basic Course 7-16 and Joint Fires Observer Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. In February 2017, 2nd Lieutenant Tallo completed the curriculum as the Distinguished Honor
Graduate, and reported to Battery G, 2d Battalion, 11th Marines to serve as the Mortars Fire Direction Officer. In May 2017, 2nd Lieutenant Tallo deployed with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in the South Pacific, where he is currently serving as the Mortars Platoon CommanderDeaths
Donald W. Burdick ’50, Easton
Anthony J. Martino ’51, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
William F. Butler, Sr. ’52, Dunmore
James F. Brennan, Ph.D. ’61, Newark, Delaware
Thomas Matkosky ’61, Peckville
James F. Huff ’62, Moscow
James P. Murphy ’65, Hughestown
Joseph D. Yeager ’68, Forty-Fort
Sr. Patricia Rogers, H.M. G’69, Villa Maria
Daniel Wolfe G’74, Susquehanna
James P. Naticchi ’75, Jessup
Maryann J. Grippo ’88, Scranton
Mary Ann Duffy Savitsky ’90, Glenburn
Kristen Glodek-Oestergaard ’97, Elkins Park
Anne M. Kearney ’00, Scranton
Stephen M. Pfail ’13, G’14 Garden City, New York
Friends Deaths
Anne Marie LaCotta, wife of Jerome P. LaCotta ’63, G’72
Richard Seagrave, father ofMaryBeth Seagrave Doherty ’96Births
A son, Jack Conrad, to Joseph ’10 and Mallory O’Hara DeLullo ’10, Newport News, Virginia
Marriages
Nicole Clemson ’13 to James Mirra ’13
Katherine Lynch ’13 to Colin Reilly ’14
Aileen McGonigle ’13 to Paul McCormick ’13Alumni Class Notes, November
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10/31/2017
The University of Scranton Disaster Relief Steering Committee will hold a Royal Response Community Gathering Nov. 8 to raise money for those most affected by recent natural disasters.
The gathering will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom of The DeNaples Center. Admission to the gathering is a $5 donation via cash, credit/debit, Royal Card or check. The program will include a simple meal of soup and bread to "serve as a reminder that there are still many people who are living hand to mouth," according to an email sent by the Disaster Relief Steering Committee Oct. 30. The Rev. Patrick D. Rogers, S. J., and the Rev. Richard G. Malloy, S.J., will provide musical entertainment at the event. The committee also stated that gifts larger than $5 will be accepted “with joy.” All proceeds from the gathering will go towards the committee’s ongoing efforts to respond to those most affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria, the wildfires in California and the recent earthquake in Mexico City.
The committee is also seeking University staff volunteers to assist with the event. Information on volunteering for the gathering is available here. Those who would like to support the committee’s efforts but cannot attend the event can make a donation here or by texting “RoyalResponse” to 71777.
The Rev. Herbert B. Keller, S.J., Interim President of the University, publicly expressed his desire to establish a Disaster Relief Steering Committee Sept. 6. On Oct. 4, Rogers, executive director of the Jesuit Center, and Patricia Vaccaro, director of the Center for Service and Social Justice, the chairs of the committee, announced that the group, consisting of Morgan Fetsock ’21, Toby Lovecchio ’85, associate director of Athletics, Rose Merritt, office manager of the Counseling Center, Alexandra Maier, assistant director of Annual Giving, Mark Murphy, director of Sustainability, Maeve Potter ’18, Rose Rosado Hernandez ’18, Jennifer Schwartz ’05, G ’06, D.P.T. ’12, faculty specialist for the Department of Physical Therapy, Helen Wolf, Ph.D., executive director for Campus Ministries, and Stan Zygmunt, director of News and Media Relations, had begun its work on behalf of the University.
Since then, the committee has begun to identify, with the help of local charity organizations in the affected areas, how best to address the growing needs of those most affected by the disasters. Through its contacts with those agencies, the committee has determined that gifts of cash which can be used for gift cards is the most impactful gift those affected by the disasters can receive at this time. As of press time, the committee has raised nearly $2,000. More information on the committee is available here.
DRSC To Hold Community Gathering Nov. 8
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10/31/2017
The University of Scranton will begin to offer a Master of Science in Finance (MSF) online January 2018 and on campus beginning in the fall semester of 2018, with applications for the program currently being accepted.
Housed in the University’s AACSB-accredited Kania School of Management, the program is designed for individuals interested in careers in financial or investment management and can help prepare students for professional certifications, including the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program. The rigorous curriculum and flexible format are ideal for working professionals who wish to join the field or gain a competitive edge.
The growing global economy and the intricacies of today’s financial products are driving a need for financial professionals with the specialized knowledge to successfully manage complex portfolios. Employers are also seeking candidates who are able to introduce and implement an ethical organizational culture. Overall, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for financial analysts is expected to grow 11 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations, and the median annual wage for financial analysts as of 2016 was $81,760, with the top 10 percent earning more than $165,100. Professionals with ethics-focused training may also be in greater demand with clients who are concerned about honesty and responsibility from their financial services suppliers.
The frequency and scale of financial scandals in recent years have eroded the image of the finance industry and trust in financial professionals. To help the industry fulfill a vision of integrity and in line with the University’s Jesuit values, the MSF focuses on responsible and ethical strategies for financial and investment management. Graduates learn critical skills and knowledge in the field, including financial securities, risk metrics, hedging strategies, and investment criteria within a Jesuit framework of social responsibility, emphasizing concern for the well-being of both clients and the greater global society.
The program also incorporates the CFA Institute’s six areas of focus to promote a trustworthy industry working to support a better future: putting investors first, safeguarding the system, financial knowledge, regulation and enforcement, retirement security, and transparency and fairness.
The program requires 30 credits and may be completed in 12 months when taken on a full-time basis.
For online students, coursework is complemented by an optional three-day, on-campus residency involving an interactive experience in the state-of-the-art Alperin Financial Center. At the center, students engage in simulations on a trading floor that features an electronic ticker displaying data feeds directly from Wall Street, monitors displaying up-to-the-minute financial news, 12 Bloomberg terminals, and computing hardware and software that support complex evaluations of equities and currencies.
To apply or learn more about the on-campus MSF, contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at 570-941-4416 or email gradadmissions@scranton.edu. To apply or learn more about the online MSF, go to elearning.scranton.edu or call 866-373-9547.
University to Offer Master of Science in Finance
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10/25/2017
More than 90 students, alumni and friends of The University of Scranton gathered on campus Oct. 14 for the 2017 Medical Alumni Symposium.
The day-long continuing medical education event, hosted by the Medical Alumni Council and sponsored by Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, featured presentations by five alumni speakers working in several different areas of the field.
Mark P. Fitzgerald, M.D., Ph.D. ’02, Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology Fellow, Pediatric Regional Epilepsy Program, Division of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, presented “Precision Medicine in Pediatric Epilepsy: From Bedside to Bench and Back”; Paul V. Suhocki, M.D. ’78, Associate Professor, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, presented “The Role of the Interventional Radiologist in a Tertiary Care Medical Center”; Col. James Cummings, M.D., FACP, FIDSA ’88, Vice President of Clinical Development and Translational Medicine, Novavax, Inc., presented “Zika Virus: From the Road to Entebbe to Your Front Door”; Raymond J. Kovalski, M.D. ’78, President, PMA Medical Specialists, presented “Catching up on Sleep: Recognition, Evaluation and Management of Common Sleep Disorders”; and Joseph Bannon, M.D. ’83, Physician-General Surgeon, Geisinger Community Medical Center, presented “Medical School & Graduate Medical Education: What Makes an Applicant Competitive in 2017?”
The event also featured four “Scranton Shorts,” 10-minute TEDx-style lectures presented by medical alumni and current students. Outgoing Medical Alumni Council Executive Committee Chair Pam Taffera-Deihl, D.O., M.B.A. ’02, Hospitalist Physician for Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital, presented “I Wasn’t Supposed to Be Here Today (Neither Were You),” which recounted her experiences in family medicine and her search for a work-life balance. Incoming Medical Alumni Council Executive Committee Chair Christopher Andres, M.D. ’89, Family Physician and Regional Lead Physician for Guthrie Clinic, and Kathleen Healey ’18 presented “MAC Medical Mission to Haiti,” an account of their experiences on the MAC’s annual service trip to the developing nation. Mary Grace Rizzo-Fryzel, D.M.D. ’10, general private practice dentist, presented “What My University of Scranton Education Means to Me,” an account of her life in medicine thus far. Theresa Webster ’18 presented “ImPACT, Exercise, Vestibular Eye Therapy: The Evolution of Concussion Treatment,” an account of her research into concussion treatment.
The occasion also served as a changing of the guard for the Executive Committee as Taffera-Deihl welcomed Andres into his new role.
Pictures from the event are available here. More information on the MAC is available here.MAC Symposium Brings Students, Alumni Together
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10/25/2017
Ten years ago, The University of Scranton hosted a live broadcast with Al Roker of NBC’s Today show to kick-off the three-day Office Convention that brought to the city 15 cast members from “The Office,” a dozen writers, producers and more than 150 journalists covering the events.
The Office Convention provided an opportunity for the University to showcase its campus to a national audience and allowed students the chance to participate in events throughout the city. Student government and student programming leaders played a role in planning the convention and dozens of students majoring in communication assisted public relations staff members with journalists and cast members at events on campus.
In addition to the Today show broadcast, which was attended by more than 3,000 people and featured the University’s cheerleaders, Urban Beats and nine cast members of The Office, other events included a Street Festival, Dunder Mifflin Infinity’s Office Olympics, food, local vendors selling Scranton-related merchandise and two open-air stages offering a wide assortment of live entertainment. There was also a Q&A panel with cast members, a Bloggers’ Breakfast and a Writers’ Block discussion. Many of the events were held on the campus.
The Convention was the brainchild of Scrantonians Michele Dempsey, Sara Hailstone and University of Scranton alumnus Tim Holmes, class of 1988, who collectively chaired the events, which were organized with the assistance of the City of Scranton, the Lackawanna County Convention & Visitors Bureau, WBRE-TV, Times Shamrock Newspapers, The University of Scranton, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and Mohegan Sun.
Ten Year Anniversary of The Office Convention
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10/24/2017
The University of Scranton recently named Mulrooney & Sporer Electrical Contractors its 2017 Business Partner of the Year at its annual Business Partner Appreciation Dinner.
“I’d like to thank The University of Scranton for recognizing Mulrooney & Sporer as the 2017 Business Partner of the Year,” said Jim Egan, the company’s vice president who accepted the award. “I want to thank the whole University of Scranton community for letting us be part of their growth and expansion over the years, and we are looking forward to working together on new ventures and future projects.”
Mulrooney & Sporer Electrical Contractors first began working with the University in 1984. Since then, the company has worked on a variety of University projects, including the current renovation of the Estate grounds and the Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus.
The annual event recognizes the top 100 companies that make outstanding contributions to Scranton’s ability to deliver a superior educational experience its students. Finalists for this year’s award include American Janitor & Paper Supply, Arley Wholesale Inc., Direct Energy, Ellucian Support Inc., Nelnet Campus Commerce, North End Electric, Payne Printery, Inc., Pella Products, Inc. and Virbitsky Masonry, Inc.University Names Business Partner Of The Year 2017
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10/19/2017
The University of Scranton has awarded nine students from its class of 2021 four-year, full-tuition Presidential Scholarships. The Presidential Scholarship recipients are Molly Elkins, Hannah Graff, Madison Heaton, Christine Jiang, Jacob Myers, Megan Osborne, Gabriel Ragusa, Amanda Tolvaisa and Kate Wisner.
Presidential Scholarships are awarded to incoming freshmen with outstanding records in high school and notable community involvement. The scholarship covers four years of full tuition provided that the student maintains at least a 3.25 grade point average.
Molly Elkins, Owings, Maryland, graduated from Northern High School. A National Merit Commended Scholar and AP Scholar with Distinction, she was the recipient of numerous academic awards in high school, including the Superintendent Scholastic Recognition Award. She was president of the National Honor Society and a team captain of Mock Trial. She was also member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, the women’s choir, the junior varsity girls’ soccer team and the theater department. She was a leader of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a secretary of the Parish Council, a leader at Youth Group and president of the Future Doctors of America. She served on a mission trip in Appalachia, and with several community organizations and projects. Elkins is a biochemistry, cell and molecular biology major and a member of the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program. She is the daughter of Scott and Trisha Elkins.
Hannah Graff, Melville, New York, was valedictorian of her graduating class at St. Anthony’s High School. A National Merit Scholar Finalist, National AP Scholar and the AP Scholar with Distinction, Graff is a member of the English, math, French and national honor societies. In high school, she was vice president of honors orchestra, co-president of the book club and on the leadership boards of PB&J Gang (a club that made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for shelters) and SAVE. She was also a Eucharistic Minister, a member of the Kolbe Society and Caring Adolescents. She was also a member of Girls Who Code. She was in the Pit Orchestra, a participant in Independent Science Research, and member of Helping Hands and Clare Council. In her parish, St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Melville, she was a lector. A forensic accounting major with a philosophy and business analytics minor at Scranton, she is also a member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program. She is the daughter of Scranton alumni Craig and Jennifer Graff, both class of 1995.
Madison Heaton, Medford Lakes, New Jersey, graduated magna cum laude from Shawnee High School. An AP Scholar with Distinction, she is the recipient of the AP Latin Academic Achievement Award and a four-time National Latin Exam Gold Medalist. She also received the New Jersey State Seal of Bi-literacy in Latin among other academic awards. In high school, she was the president of the Photography Club, secretary of the American Sign Language Club, and member of the Latin Club and National Honor Society. Heaton served as a volunteer at KinderCare, as well as at nursing homes and assisted living facilities and the Ronald McDonald House. At Scranton, she will pursue an occupational therapy major and a psychology and counseling and human services minor. She is the daughter of Craig and Stephanie Heaton.
Christine Jiang, Dickson City, graduated from Scranton Preparatory School. An AP Scholar Award recipient, she also earned a gold medal for the National Latin Exam, a silver medal for the National German Exam and a green ribbon for the National Greek Exam. In high school, she was a member of the National Honor Society, the Art Society, Cavalier Chronicles, Interactive Media Club and the Prep Players. She served in the Neighborhood Outreach program and the Boys and Girls Club. A sociology and philosophy double major with a minor in Japanese at Scranton, she is also a member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program. She is the daughter of Fen Lam.
Jacob Myers, Ambler, graduated of Abington Friends School. Myers was a member of the Abington Friends School’s baseball team for three years and a captain of the Frisbee team, winning the Edward Thode Award. In high school, he served as a clerk for the Agenda Committee, which is the equivalent to being the president of student government at non-Quaker schools, and as a member of the acapella club. He served as a choral scholar at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Chestnut Hill. A biology major at Scranton with plans to double major in philosophy, he is also a member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program and participant in a pilot STEM Honors Program. He is the son of Erica Nelson and Andrew Myers.
Megan Osborne, Mifflinville, graduated from Central Columbia High School. A National Merit Finalist and an AP Scholar with Honor, she was also a member of the National Honor Society and earned an honorable mention in the National Spanish Exam. In high school, she was a member of the Drama Club and participated in the Model United Nations. She was president of her school’s chorus and placed into the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District Chorus, Regional Chorus and State Chorus. She also placed into District Vocal Jazz. Her volunteer work included serving as a teacher’s aide for a third-grade CCD class at St. Mary’s parish in Berwick. At Scranton, she will pursue a double major in secondary education and mathematics. She is the daughter of Jeff and Joanne Osborne.
Gabriel Ragusa, Garden City, New York, graduated from Garden City High School. An AP Scholar with Distinction and five-time medalist on the National Spanish Exam, he was a member of the National Spanish Honor Society. He was a 2016 American Legion Boys’ State Representative. In high school, he was a member of the Spanish Literary Magazine, Jazz Band, Hospital Explorers program, Chess Club, math team and captain of the swim team. He served as a junior volunteer at Winthrop University Hospital, a volunteer at St. Anne’s Church in Garden City, New York, and Hofstra University’s REACH program for children with disabilities. A biology major at Scranton, he is also member of the University’s Special Jesuits Liberal Arts Honors Program. He is the son of Debbie Ragusa.
Amanda Tolvaisa, Springfield, graduated from Sacred Heart Academy, Bryn Mawr. She was the recipient of numerous academic awards, including the Alumnae Essay Award, the Isabel Gallagher R.S.C.J. History Award and President’s Award for Educational Excellence. A member of the National Honor Society, she was also captain of the crew team and co-editor of her high school’s literary magazine, Chez Nous. An English major at Scranton, she is also a member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program. She is the daughter of Albert and Patricia Tolvaisa.
Kate Wisner, Hanover, was valedictorian of her graduating class from South Western High School. A National Merit Scholar Finalist and AP Scholar with Distinction, she was a member of the National Honor Society and Tri-M Music Honor Society. She received the Rotary Student of the Month award and the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award. She was a member of her high school’s choir, Key Club and the Future Business Leaders of America. A Church Group Leader at First United Methodist parish in Hanover, she served at Vacation Bible School, Homewood at Plum Creek and the Provide-a-Lunch Program. At Scranton, she will pursue a major in occupational therapy. She is the daughter of Wade and Elizabeth Wisner.
Scranton Names Class of 2021 Presidential Scholars
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10/16/2017The Alumni Society of The University of Scranton will hold an Alumni, Parent and Friend Luncheon Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. at Mary Mac's Tea Room in Atlanta, Georgia. Register here through Friday, Oct. 20 to gather with your fellow Royals in the Atlanta area.
Alumni Society to Hold Atlanta Luncheon Oct. 22
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10/11/2017
The Medical Alumni Council Executive Committee will host the 2017 Medical Alumni Symposium Oct. 14 on campus.
"The day-long event promises to be informative, exciting and inspiring," said University of Scranton Associate Director of Volunteer Engagement Lynn Andres '89. "It will include an array of CME topics from accomplished alumni, updates on your alma mater and time to reminisce and network.
"Many undergraduate pre-professional students and alumni currently in medical school and residency will be in attendance. This is an extraordinary opportunity for them to network with alumni in practice."
While this day was designed with Scranton alumni in mind, Andres said, it is also open to medical professionals who did not attend the University. Both physicians and advanced practice clinicians are welcome.
Presenters and topics
Mark P. Fitzgerald, M.D., Ph.D. ’02, Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology Fellow, Pediatric Regional Epilepsy Program, Division of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
TOPIC: Precision Medicine in Pediatric Epilepsy: From Bedside to Bench and Back
Paul V. Suhocki, M.D. ’78, Associate Professor, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center
TOPIC: The Role of the Interventional Radiologist in a Tertiary Care Medical Center
Col. James Cummings, M.D., FACP, FIDSA ’88, Vice President of Clinical Development and Translational Medicine, Novavax, Inc.
TOPIC: Zika Virus: From the Road to Entebbe to Your Front Door
Raymond J. Kovalski, M.D. ’78, President, PMA Medical Specialists
TOPIC: Catching up on Sleep: Recognition,Evaluation and Management of Common Sleep Disorders
Joseph Bannon, M.D. ’83, Physician-General Surgeon, Geisinger Community Medical Center
TOPIC: Medical School & Graduate Medical Education: What Makes an Applicant Competitive in 2017?Register here for the symposium. If you can't make the event but would like to sponsor a student/alumni med student/alumni resident, click here and select “Medical Alumni Symposium – Sponsor a Student” from the drop-down menu. For more information on the symposium, click here or contact Andres at 570.941.4142 or lynn.andres@scranton.edu.
Medical Alumni Council to hold MAC Symposium 2017
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10/10/2017
The President’s Business Council (PBC) honored Dennis J. McGonigle ’82, chief financial officer and executive vice president at SEI Investments, with The University of Scranton President’s Medal at its 16th Annual Award Dinner. Proceeds from the black-tie gala, which raised more than $1.2 million, support the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund. More than 500 guests attended the dinner at The Pierre Hotel in New York City on Oct. 5.
Presidential Scholarships are four-year, full-tuition scholarships awarded to incoming freshmen with outstanding records in high school and notable community involvement. Through its past 15 dinners, the PBC has generated $13 million for the scholarship fund.
The President’s Medal recognizes individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others, representing lifetime achievements that reflect the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service.
University of Scranton Interim President Rev. Herbert B. Keller, S.J., presented the medal to McGonigle with Patricia A. Byrnes Clarke ’86, P’17, ’19, chief talent officer, Havas, member of the University’s Board of Trustees and chair of the PBC.
“Dennis, I am truly grateful for your commitment to the University, which is always focused on our Catholic and Jesuit mission. It is our privilege to honor you tonight,” said Fr. Keller, during his remarks at the dinner. He also noted that the evening is about the University’s students.
“At the heart of The University of Scranton are more than 5,000 students, ready to go out and change the world for the better,” said Fr. Keller. “Domestic and international service trips, research, mentoring and networking, all provide students the exposure to learn things about themselves that they never would have discovered on their own. Students are able to embark on such opportunities because of the financial aid and scholarships we are able to provide them. This assistance allows them to embark on an educational journey with us, grounded in our Catholic and Jesuit identity. Thank you for investing in our students.”
Rebecca Clark, Newark, Delaware, member of the University’s class of 2018, spoke on behalf of the Presidential Scholars.
“I would not be here before you today, or done any of the things I have accomplished over the past three years, without the Presidential Scholarship,” said Clark.
In addition to the full-tuition support, Clark spoke about other learning opportunities offered to the cohort of Presidential Scholars, including a summer leadership program.
“We spent the summer researching problems in today’s world and met back on campus a week before sophomore year began,” said Clark. “It was an amazing way to start my time at Scranton, meeting with people I wouldn’t normally see in my business classes, debating ideas and opinions that don’t normally get a chance to come up in the classroom. It was my first experience like that, having lively debates and discussions about real world issues, but it would certainly not be my last at the University.”
Clark is a finance and accounting double major with minors in philosophy and business leadership. She is a member of both the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program and the Business Leadership Honors Program. During her college years, she interned at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals in Delaware and PwC in Philadelphia and spent a semester studying abroad at King’s College in London. At Scranton, Clark was as captain of the crew team, a member of the Business Club and co-chair of the Kania School of Management’s Student Advisory Board. She is the daughter of Raymond and Jeanne Clark.
Also speaking at the event were dinner co-chairs Rachele Mackin Browning ’84, regional director of SEI Investment Company, and George Evans ’82, co-president of Convergence Inc. Past President Medal recipient Rev. Bernard R. McIlhenny, S.J., provided the invocation.
About Dennis J. McGonigle
In his remarks, McGonigle referred to The University of Scranton as the “blessing of a lifetime” for all it afforded him. A member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts (SJLA) Honors Program, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Soon after, he joined Arthur Andersen LLP and rose to the position of senior auditor. He moved to SEI in 1985 as a business manager and controller of the SEI mutual funds and SEI Financial Services, a subsidiary of SEI Investments. Over his 32-year career, he has worked across SEI in a number of leadership roles ranging from product and operations to market management, culminating in his appointment as CFO in 2002. He has been a member of SEI’s executive committee since 1995 and serves on the board of directors of a number of SEI’s subsidiaries.
In his current role as CFO, McGonigle is responsible for guiding the efforts of a number of teams within the company, including finance and accounting, corporate enterprise risk management, workforce development and the SEI Private Wealth Management unit. He is also integrally involved in the setting of SEI’s broader corporate strategy. Based in Oaks, Pa., and founded in 1968 as Simulated Environments Inc., SEI Investments is a leading global provider of asset management, investment processing and investment operations solutions for institutional and personal wealth management.
A member of the University’s board of trustees since 2008, McGonigle served as vice chair of the board until he completed his tenure in May. He is a member of the University’s President’s Business Council (PBC) and was recognized by the University in 2007 with the Frank J. O’Hara Distinguished Alumni Award. McGonigle is a member of the Wharton Fellows program, an executive education program, at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the co-owner of Kimberton Whole Foods, a growing, regional chain of organic and natural foods markets. He served on the board of trustees of the Kimberton Waldorf School and on the board of directors of Wisdom Technologies Corporation. He is currently involved in promoting vocations to the priesthood with the Vocation Office of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
A native of Pennsauken, New Jersey, McGonigle graduated from Camden Catholic High School, where he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014 for outstanding achievements through scholarship, service and leadership. He and his wife, Rachel, reside in Chester Springs and have three daughters: Audrey, Alyson and Alena.
For more information on the PBC, contact PBC Executive Director Timothy J. Pryle ’89 at 570-941-5837 or at pbc@scranton.edu, or visit scranton.edu/pbc.
PBC Dinner Raises $1.2 Million
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10/03/2017
The University of Scranton has named five new individuals to its Board of Trustees. The varied list of professionals, three of whom are alumni, have served in leadership positions in the pharmaceutical, finance, legal, investment banking and fundraising worlds, and have given their time to numerous volunteer causes.
The new Board members are: Anne Drucker; Timothy Kacani ’87; Kevin O’Brien, Esq. ’80; Anthony Simone ’90; and Maryla Scranton.
Anne Drucker
Drucker is the director of global program management at pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer. She has served on the University’s Parents’ Executive Council, and has been an active member of its Scholarship Committee. She has further supported the University’s philanthropic efforts with the Drucker-Dunstone Scholarship named in honor of her parents, William and Shirley Dunstone, and her husband, Steve Drucker. In addition, she and her family are supporters of the University’s President’s Business Council. Drucker received a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Sciences (now University of the Sciences), and her professional certifications include a PMP (Project Management Professional) from the Project Management Institute. She resides in Randolph, New Jersey, with sons Michael, Kevin ’14 and William ’16, and enjoys spending time at her Newton Lake home.
Timothy Kacani ’87
Kacani is the chief operating officer at Atlas Merchant Capital LLC, a global financial services investment firm based in New York and London. He is a member of Atlas’ investment committee and serves on the board of directors of several Atlas portfolio companies. Before joining Atlas, he served as CFO of Lightyear Capital LLC. Kacani is involved with the University’s President’s Business Council and Accounting Department Professional Council, and serves on the board of the Diocese of Metuchen’s Catholic Schools Commission. A CPA, he received a bachelor’s degree in accounting at Scranton. Kacani lives in Metuchen, New Jersey, with his wife, Karen ’88, and their three children Katherine, Brendan and Kelly.
Kevin O’Brien, Esq. ’80
A practicing attorney in the Philadelphia area since 1983, O’Brien is currently managing partner at Marks, O'Neill, O'Brien, Doherty & Kelly, P.C., a regional litigation firm with offices in five states in the Mid-Atlantic region. In addition to his involvement with the University, he serves on the board of St. Malachy School, and is a Hearing Committee member for the disciplinary board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. After receiving his bachelor’s degree at Scranton, O’Brien attended Seton Hall University School of Law. He is a longtime resident of Marlton, New Jersey, where he lives with his wife, Kathy Coleman O’Brien ’81. The couple has three children, Daniel, Colin and Erin.
Anthony Simone ’90
Simone is president of Renaissance Capital, a frontier and emerging markets investment bank based in Moscow, Russia. There, he focuses specifically on the bank’s international footprint and is responsible for client engagement, regulatory issues, governance and other matters. He also serves as chairman and CEO of its New York City-based RenCap Securities, Inc., CEO of London-based Renaissance Capital Limited, and chairman of Renaissance Capital Dubai. Prior to joining Renaissance Capital in 2008, Simone was CEO of Investec Securities in New York. He received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University and his MBA from Fordham University. He and wife Kelley '90, G'91 were the inaugural co-chairs of the University’s Parents’ Executive Council, and remain members of the organization. The couple has two children, Anna and Anthony ’17, who is currently pursuing an additional degree from the University.
Maryla Scranton
Scranton has had a long and successful career as a fundraising executive for non-profit organizations. She has planned and led annual and capital campaigns that have raised millions of dollars for non-profit organizations throughout the United States. She served as director of development for the University and as campaign director for their first national capital campaign, A Second Cornerstone. In addition, she has been development director at Lackawanna College, Allied Services Health System, Marywood University and The Langley School, in McLean, Virginia. She was vice president of community relations and development for The Mercy Health System, a division of Catholic Health Care Partners, Cincinnati, Ohio. There she established and administered The Mercy Foundation and The Monsignor Andrew J. McGowan Institute for Community Health. In 2004, Scranton started MPS Consulting, which has done work for both profit and non-profit companies. She began as a consultant for Parente Randolph Inc., one of the largest accounting firms in the East. While there, she set up a fundraising business for the company. She has served on the several boards including The Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes-Barre, Friendship House and the Children’s Advocacy Center in Scranton, and Geisinger Health System’s insurance companies in Danville. She served as board chair of the Penn State Worthington Scranton Campus. Currently, she is a member of the Board of Governors of The Scranton Area Foundation. She has presented at local and national conferences and has been the recipient of several awards during her career.
Scranton is a graduate of Penn State. Her daughter, Brook Coyer ’04, ’G08, earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at The University of Scranton.
Scranton is married to the former Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania, William W. Scranton III. They reside in North Abington Township.
University of Scranton Names New Trustees
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09/28/2017
If you’re a student looking for a summer beach job or you’re a Jersey shore business owner looking for employees, Kate (Toolan) Madden ’01 can point you in the right direction with her newest service.
Madden is the president and co-owner of Fresh Start Careers LLC, a full-range career services provider for companies and job candidates. She and Carrie (Fontaine) Davis ’01, executive vice president and co-owner, launched the Philadelphia-based boutique staffing agency in early 2016.
The duo is ready to launch their latest venture, JerseySummerJobs.com, an online job board dedicated to seasonal employment solutions in New Jersey shore communities. They are looking for a few good Royals to post or fill these seasonal positions and spread the word about the program.
According to Madden, the site offers several unique benefits for candidates and employers alike – especially convenience.
“I was fortunate to spend a few summers during college at the shore. Things haven’t changed much in the last 15-20 years,” she said. “Businesses put a ‘Help Wanted’ sign on the door hoping that people will come by and fill out a paper application. Our goal is to bring that entire conversation online and streamline the hiring process.”
By using this free application platform, students no longer need to spend an off-season weekend knocking on doors to secure employment. Now they can apply online from the comfort of their living room via their smart phone. They (and their parents) can rest easy knowing that the site vets all employers as legitimate ‘brick and mortar’ businesses.
On the opposite side, the site offers employers speed and convenience for posting positions and reviewing applications at their own pace. And because of unique partnerships with schools like The University of Scranton, Madden said this job board provides employers with a deep pool of talented candidates.
The site will offer free job postings to employers in January as part of their launch year promotion and will then begin charging nominal fees of $20-$30 in February.
“Promote your jobs and business on our site and we will bring the staff to you,” Madden said to potential employers. “We can save you time, money and frustration. Your next hire is just a few clicks away.”
The site is also seeking student ambassadors to help endorse operations and build a strong pipeline of jobs during the spring semester. Entrepreneurial students can earn commissions by leveraging their personal connections with business owners in these shore communities.
“(Student ambassadors) will earn referrals on any paid job posting that is placed through our platform,” Madden said. “They’ll make money while building up their resumes at the same time. It’s a win-win.”
To help Madden and Davis launch jerseysummerjobs.com, Madden reached out for business development advice from President’s Business Council (PBC) executive director Tim Pryle ’89, who introduced them to Donna Simpson, consultant manager at the University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and member of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Center (WEC) – a partnership between the SBDC and The Kania School of Management (KSOM). According to Madden, Simpson loved the concept and the pieces started to fall into place.
Simpson recruited three student interns to assist during the fall semester: Denise Rizzo, Kaylee Burns, and Claire Marangelli. They assembled targeted databases of school administrators / business owners and provided social media marketing guidance for a strategic two-pronged approach. Simpson also enlisted SBDC Business Consultant Keith Yurgosky to help with search engine optimization (SEO), and SBDC Special Projects Coordinator Francene Dudziec to provide graphic design support.
Additionally, Madden said Jason Schwass G’14, KSOM assistant director for Student Internships, offered to distribute info among the student body while Joe Cleary ’84, CFO of Morey Pier (Wildwood), shared helpful insights on the unique staffing challenges facing shore communities.
Madden and Davis are grateful for the encouragement they have received from their alma mater.
“The positive reception and generous support from students, faculty, staff and alumni has been incredible and humbling,” Madden said. “I’m excited to see this vision become a reality for the 2017 summer season.”
The seeds of Madden’s work at Fresh Start were planted during her time at Scranton. While president of the Business Club, she helped launch the 1st Annual KSOM Recruiting Expo & Fall Dinner on Oct. 5, 1999, a date seared in her memory.
“We planned several workshops leading up to the main event – interview preparation, resume writing, dress and dining etiquette – to help our fellow students put their best foot forward,” she said. “This successful experience was a defining moment. It was proof that anything is possible through hard work.”
After graduation, she continued to help friends and family with their resumes in her free time while working in the pharmaceutical R&D industry. Realizing that her true passion was helping others find their career paths, she became a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and founded Fresh Start Resumes LLC, the sister company to Fresh Start Careers.
“It was a difficult decision to leave a secure job, but I needed to take this chance,” she said. “I’m so happy that I did. I have no regret.”
Madden, a married mother of “three future Royals” credits the University for encouraging her to follow her heart.
“My Jesuit education laid a strong foundation for my personal and professional growth.” she said. “Magis – a restless pursuit of excellence grounded in gratitude - is central to the Ignatian vision. I keep this concept front of mind … always.”
Madden and Davis look forward to returning to campus next month to continue working with The University of Scranton community. Business Club President Jessica Signore ’17, whom Madden met at a PBC networking event in Philadelphia, has invited them to present on the JerseySummerJobs business model at the club’s February meeting.
Her advice for students?
“There is a world of opportunity out there,” she said. “Don’t put limitations on yourself. Be open to the possibilities. If I can do it, anyone can!”
For more information on Fresh Start Careers, visit freshstartcareersusa.com. For more information on securing a summer job on the Jersey shore, visit jerseysummerjobs.com. For more information on Fresh Start Resumes, visit freshstartresumes.com or contact Madden at kate.madden@freshstartcareersusa.com.
Starting Fresh with Kate (Toolan) Madden '01
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09/28/2017
Growing up, writing poetry was a hobby to Brianna Noll ’05, something she did to try to make sense out of her feelings or express her creativity. It wasn’t until she took her first poetry writing workshop at The University of Scranton, however, that the Larksville native suspected she might be able to become a professional poet, a suspicion that paid off when Noll, a current resident of Chicago, learned the Chicago Review of Books had selected her first collection of poetry, “The Price of Scarlet,” as one of “The 10 Best Books to Read This January.”
“I could not believe it,” Noll said. “My press didn’t tell me they were doing this, the Chicago Review of Books didn’t tell me they were doing this, so I happened to stumble upon this article.
“I think I may have even shouted from my living room when I saw it, so I was really excited about it.”
Noll began working on the collection in 2010 as part of her Ph.D. dissertation at the Program for Writers at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she is currently a postdoctoral fellow in teaching and mentoring in UIC’s Honors College. While she said she doesn’t consider herself a part of a poetic movement or school of thought, she said her work most closely resembles that of Wallace Stevens and Brigit Pegeen Kelly.
“One way to talk about the collection is to say that I’m interested in uncertainty,” Noll said. “I’m really interested in what happens when we’re uncertain, when we’re doubtful, or when we face our limits.”
Noll said many of the poems were inspired by the frustration she experienced trying to translate Japanese without the benefit of fluency.
“There are a number of poems that tackle this issue of translation,” she said. “For example, there is one poem that thinks about the first person pronoun. In English, we have one. To talk about yourself, you say, ‘I.’ But in Japanese, there are a bunch of different first-person pronouns, so depending on which one you choose, it says something very particular about the person speaking.
“There is a poem that considers, ‘Who is this speaker that uses this word to speak about herself?’ So it’s asking these kinds of questions to not only think about the issue of translation, but also how do we understand ourselves based on the words that we use?”
Noll said the title comes from one of the poems in the collection that focuses on the modern farming practice of producing bright red tomatoes.
“(People) are more inclined to buy a bright red tomato than they are to buy a tomato that is a little more orange in color,” she said. “So, the people who grow tomatoes work really hard to grow this bright red color because they sell better.
“When you do that and you cultivate these really bright red tomatoes, you sacrifice the flavor of the tomato. You get this really beautiful color, but it doesn’t taste as good as a tomato that has not been manipulated in this way. The poem is about what we sacrifice for something that looks more beautiful or more appealing.
“What are we willing to sacrifice in order to get what we want?”
Noll said she has enjoyed writing from the time she was a child.
“My mom tells me I would write these little stories … about cats,” she said. “They would have these adventures and what-have-you, and I guess at some point, poetry just started speaking to me.”
At Wyoming Valley West High School, she fell in love with the poetry of T.S. Eliot and Sylvia Plath. When the time came to apply to colleges, Noll said the University was her top choice for a very specific reason.
“I was really interested in a Jesuit education,” she said. “I was very familiar from growing up in the area with Scranton and the kind of education that it offered.
“It spoke to my complex interests in English, philosophy and theology.”
Noll credited professor and director of creative writing John Meredith Hill with encouraging her creative endeavors through independent studies that exposed her to a wide variety of poetry while inspiring her to write.
“Through that, it came to seem as though I really could pursue this,” she said.
Noll advised current students interested in poetry and creative writing to take advantage of the opportunities afforded them.
“Read as much as you can,” she said. “Reading, more than anything else, makes a person a better writer. Read broadly, read widely, read poetry that you love, but all kinds of things.
"Form a community of writers. Find other people who are also interested in writing and form a writing group, or a group where you share ideas, or a book club. … Sharing your writing with other people helps you to grow and mature as a writer.”
Noll plans to continue to write. She recently completed a second collection of poetry inspired by philosopher John Locke’s notion of “the commons”
“When Locke talks about ‘the commons,’ he’s talking about property, public lands or national parks, something we all share together as a society,” she said. “The poems in that collection are interested in imagining what else would constitute a commons, in looking beyond nature and property into things like language and culture, maybe even art – what else would be a commons? I’m excited about it.”
For more information on Noll, visit briannanoll.com. For more information on “The Price of Scarlet,” click here.
Alumni Spotlight: Brianna Noll '05
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09/28/2017
As the Disney ride proclaims, “It’s a small world after all.” That statement certainly holds true for Jim Brown ’88 and Katelyn Green ’17, who recently discovered they have much more in common than their University of Scranton educations.
While the Regional Networking Trips The University of Scranton President’s Business Council organizes are always occasions to remember for their student and alumni participants, they have rarely turned out to be life-altering events. A recent excursion to Boston, however, gave Brown and Green the opportunity to reminisce about a deceased alumnus they both care deeply for: Tim Green ’88, Katie’s father and Brown’s former housemate, who passed away suddenly in 1994.
How did these two members of the Scranton family, who had never met before the Boston trip, come to discover their unexpected bond, especially given the ubiquity of their surnames?
Apparently, it is a small world after all, especially in Scranton.
Although Brown grew up in Short Hills, New Jersey, a few hours away from campus, he was spiritually connected to The University of Scranton his whole life: His father, Thomas, grew up in the Hill section of Scranton and graduated from the University in 1955 before earning a master’s degree from Fordham University. Thomas was far from Brown’s only connection to a Jesuit education, however: His late uncle, Edward Brown, S.J., served with Joseph A. Panuska, S.J., in Washington, D.C., prior to Panuska’s tenure as University of Scranton president. When Brown was a child, he often visited his Scranton relatives, and when the time came to pursue a college education, Scranton’s proximity to his hometown and its emphasis on Jesuit ideals appealed to him.
Brown majored in finance and has worked for Bank of America and its legacy organizations since 1990. Today, he resides in Dover, Massachusetts, with his wife, Jean, and their three children: Kerrianne, Ryan and William. As the head of digital marketing for Bank of America, he regularly combines his love of finance and economics with his marketing, technological and management skills.
“Ensuring that we’re putting people in the right positions and the right spots to be successful … that’s the key to success, as far as I’m concerned,“ he said.
Brown met Green in 1984, when they were both first-year students living in McCourt Hall.
“He was full of life,” Brown said of the elder Green. “He lit up the room. You always wanted him to be around, no matter what you were doing.”
By the time they were juniors, Brown and Green, along with a few other friends, lived together in a house on Quincy Ave. After graduation, they kept in touch.
“We had annual gatherings,” Brown said. “A number of my very good friends from The University of Scranton still get together once a year.
“Tim was a big part of that the first few years out of school.”
After graduation, Tim met and married Christine, Katie’s mother, and the couple settled in the Buck’s County area, where Katie and her two older brothers grew up. Tragedy struck when Tim passed away a few short months before Katie was born.
“It was a sudden death,” Green said of his passing. “His heart was beating so fast it just stopped.”
Although Katie was primarily interested in the University because of her father’s connection to it, a visit to campus convinced her it was the right place for her.
“I fell in love with the campus,” she said. “The tour guides really sold me on it – it’s just a beautiful place.”
As a marketing major with a minor in operations management about to graduate in a few weeks, Katie was no stranger to the PBC’s regional trips, and she decided to attend the Boston outing to make a few connections and see the city. Brown, who has attended several similar functions over the years, nearly didn’t go as it followed another social engagement the same evening, but, ultimately, his commitment to his alma mater prevailed over his biological need for rest.
“I think what (PBC Executive Director) Tim (Pryle ’89) does with that group is fabulous,” Brown said. “I try to make it a point to go to that meeting in particular, when they make the visit
“Sometimes, some of those kids are really shy, so I was walking around speaking with groups of kids and handing out my business card. I was speaking with (Katie). We all have a nametag on with our graduation year, and at one point, she said, ‘So, 1988 – my dad graduated in 1988.’ I said, ‘Oh, no kidding?’ And she said, ‘Yeah – Tim Green.’ I said, ‘Excuse me?’ I literally paused, and what went through my mind was, ‘Wait a second – there must be more than one Tim Green. She can’t be talking about the Tim Green that I knew.’”
“He was completely taken aback by it,” Katie said. “He said, ‘I lived with your father.’ I was completely speechless – I didn’t know really what was going on (and was) trying to process everything that was happening. We pretty much talked about my dad the rest of the night until he left.”
“I was speechless for a bit,” Brown said. “When one of those life events happens, there are a million thoughts that go through your mind in about 10 seconds. That’s what was going on at that moment, but at the end of it, I was just very happy to have been there that night and to have met Tim’s daughter. The fact of the matter is I thought she had something special about her, believe it or not, before I even knew who she was. That’s why I was speaking with her – she seemed like someone who was very mature, was asking great questions and was very professional.
“I said to myself, ‘Of course you’re Tim’s daughter.’”
Although Green had heard a great deal about her father’s life from her family, Brown’s insight into his college days filled in some of the missing pieces she had wondered about her whole life.
“I didn’t know a lot about my dad in college since my mom didn’t know him then,” she said. “I learned … that he enjoyed Scranton as much as I did. It made me feel closer to him.”
The two exchanged contact information, and Brown soon sent Katie pictures of Tim that she had never seen before.
“I look a lot like my mom, but I didn’t realize I (also) look a lot like my dad,” Katie said. (My brother is) the spitting image of my dad, so it’s cool to see that I have some of that, too.”
And, given the “small world” reality of Scranton life, it didn’t take long for word of their meeting to spread like wildfire.
“I texted my other former roommates, and they were all amazed at the story I was telling,” Brown said. “They were all thrilled that she had persevered through some tough times and that she had gone to her dad’s alma mater.
“You never know (who you’re going to run into). That’s true in so many things. Every meeting, every discussion, every event – you never know what you’re going to get out of it.”
Alumni Spotlight: Jim Brown '88 and Katelyn Green '17
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09/27/2017
Julian Casablancas, lead singer of The Strokes, once wrote, 'Ten decisions shape your life – you’ll be aware of five, about.' While deciding to attend The University of Scranton isn’t an extraordinarily unique decision for a high school student to make, Jason Mascitti ’80 said his interest in Scranton sprung from an unlikely source: hockey.
“My mom dropped me off at the Holiday Inn on City Line Avenue at a college fair,” the Drexel Hill native said. “This guy at the Scranton booth happened to be the goalie of the hockey team, and he said – I remember it like it was yesterday, and it was almost 40 years ago – he said, ‘Hey, do you want to play hockey at Scranton?’ And I said, ‘Yes, I do.’”
While that type of instinctive, spur-of-the-moment-decision-making came naturally to Mascitti, his time at Scranton taught him to temper those impulses in the twin forges of faith and research, a tactic he began to employ after that chance meeting.
“The proximity to Philly … and the opportunity to combine faith and education was intriguing to me,” he said. “Academically, Scranton would be good for me.”
At Scranton, Mascitti participated in the Academic Development Program (ADP), which focuses on developing the reading, research, public speaking and writing skills of first-year students by emphasizing the connections between the courses and improving participants’ overall verbal skills.
“I was not a great high school student,” Mascitti confessed. “I just struggled.”
Mascitti said the ADP program helped him “learn how to learn.”
“By the end of the first semester … I was teaching seniors how to use the library, and I was a freshman,” he said. “It was like a boot camp.”
Intent on becoming a radio broadcaster, Mascitti majored in communications. During the summers, he worked at Philmont Scout Ranch, a large high adventure Boy Scout camp in New Mexico. A year after graduating, Mascitti decided to return to Philmont for one final summer as its news and information director. In that position, he put his degree to good use, writing press releases and newsletters and handling the camp’s public relations.
“It was in that summer that I met my wife, Julie,” Mascitti said. “We’ve been together ever since then and have been married almost 29 years.”
Mascitti followed Julie to her hometown of Madison, Wisconsin, where he made another life-altering decision.
“I still wanted to pursue broadcasting, but she was still in college,” he said. “I dropped, like a lot of kids do, the idea of being a broadcaster. It didn’t pay.
“It wasn’t really my dream; it was just kind of my dream. Julie was my dream, and life, to me, was bigger than a career. It’s still true today. I’m so happy in my life. I love my career, but my life is more important than my career.”
Mascitti began selling aerial photographs to farmers, but after a year, the travel expenses he incurred made it impractical. Unsure of what to do next, he took his wife’s advice and applied for a sales position at American TV and Appliance.
“She said, ‘Go to this American place – you know a lot about cameras and photography and communication, and you’ll be great,’” he said. “I sold SLR (single lens reflex) cameras . . . kids today don’t even have any idea what (they are). I sold thousands and thousands and thousands of these cameras to people – it was the Apple iPhone craze of the 80’s.”
Over the next 30 years, Mascitti received promotion after promotion, rising to the level of vice president/director of stores for the 15-location company. He and Julie had two sons, Evan and Marco, and life, in general, was good. Tragedy struck when Mascitti was diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia, a rare form of the disease in which the body manufactures an excess of white blood cells. Where many might have despaired upon learning the news, Mascitti instead remembered his Scranton days and began feverishly researching his condition.
“My faith and my education pretty much saved my life,” he said. “(The) education and discipline (I learned in) the ADP program taught me not only to fight, but also to research, so I saved my own life by finding a clinical trial in Washington that my criteria fit.”
Years after going into remission, Mascitti was diagnosed with another blood cancer, lymphoma, and his Scranton education proved to be an invaluable resource yet again.
“A college education helps you understand how to do research and how to communicate with nurses and doctors,” he said. “In many ways, what I learned at Scranton, in the end, could have saved my life.”
While Mascitti said he has enjoyed good health since 1998, another seismic event shifted the axis of his world four years ago, when American TV and Appliance went out of business. Today, he is a financial associate at Thrivent Financial, a Fortune 500 not-for-profit financial services organization that provides financial planning and wealth management solutions for Christians.
“When you’re 57 and highly compensated in an executive level job, it’s really hard to find another one,” Mascitti said. “I ended up in the financial services field, which is exactly where I wanted to end up.
“I help people be wise with money, spend less than they earn, protect their families. . . .It’s very exciting work using all the skills I got from Scranton.”
Last year, Mascitti decided to give back to Scranton and by joining the Estate Society and naming the University as the beneficiary of a $100,000 life insurance policy.
“The University of Scranton was a foundational building block for my life, and I really feel compelled to have someone else have that same building block,” he said. “It’s a very special place. I know all the universities and colleges think (they are) special, but I do believe the leadership and the Jesuit traditions and the all the various statues and artwork . . . (are) stunning. It just gives you a great feeling.”
This year, on 5.06, the University’s upcoming Day of Giving, Mascitti plans to support the Center for Service and Social Justice and hopes others will follow his lead.
“Scranton is a magical place where you (come in) as a naïve freshman and you leave a senior ready for the world, ready for whatever it deals you,” he said. “Why the (Center for Service and Social Justice)? I believe that all people deserve a chance. All people deserve an opportunity to be able to do the things that the average person can do. A lot of people are born into (poverty), and it’s very tough to get out of it.
“I just feel great about giving, and I think other people will feel the same way.”
Alumni Spotlight: Jason Mascitti '80
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09/27/2017
Joseph Nebzydoski, VMD ’74, G’77, P’07, P‘09 still appreciates the lessons he learned at The University of Scranton.
“The good thing about a Jesuit education is every decision you make in life becomes a moral decision,” he said. “What moral implications
is this decision going to have?“It never leaves you.”
When Dr. Nebzydoski chose to establish the Henry J. Sr. and Mary Nebzydoski Memorial Scholarship to honor the legacy of his parents, the moral implications were clear: once the scholarship is fully endowed, it will provide future University of Scranton students with the opportunity to receive an education steeped in the same Jesuit values Joseph has embraced throughout his life.
“It was something I wanted to do out of respect for them because they were truly good parents who couldn’t have done a better job,” he said. "It’s just my way of saying ‘thank you’ to the University.”
Joseph grew up on a dairy farm along with nine siblings in Pleasant Mount. He said his parents provided him with a true example of Christian values.
“(They were) very unselfish,” he said. “(They) always wanted to help people.”
Following in the footsteps of his brothers John Nebzydoski, MD ‘65 and Henry Nebzydoski, VMD ’68, Joseph enrolled at the University and initially majored in biology with the intent to become a physician.
“I wasn’t the most stellar student, to say the least,” he said. “There was a professor, Dr. Appleton, who convinced me to change my major (to biochemistry) my senior year.”
As graduation approached, Joseph found himself at a crossroads.
“I didn’t get into any medical schools because of my grades,” he said. “I had no idea what I was going to do.”
Joseph decided to pursue a graduate degree in biochemistry at the University and became interested in research. After earning his MA, he took a research position with the National Cancer Institute in Maryland. After working there for a few years, he decided to apply to both medical school and veterinary school. When he was accepted to both, he decided to pursue his doctorate in veterinary medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, where he said the knowledge he had gained at The University of Scranton served him well.
“When I got into vet school, I was nervous, but I didn’t have any trouble getting through it,” he said. “(The University) really teaches you well so you’re prepared for the real world.”
As a veterinarian, Joseph initially specialized in large animals like the dairy cows he grew up around, but as the industry evolved, he changed his focus to small animals and established the Youngsville Veterinary Clinic.
“I still do some large, but not as many,” he said.
Over the years, the University continued to hold a special place in the hearts in many of his family members, including the 22 who also attended Scranton.
“My parents sent five of us (to the University),” he said. “Since then, a lot of our children are all grown now and have gone there.”
Joseph and his wife, Kerry Jo, sent two of their three children, Sarah Vassallo, VMD ’07 and Emily Nebzydoski, MD ’09 to the University, where Joseph encouraged them to take note of the University’s dedication to
cura personalis , or the care of the whole person, and develop themselves academically, socially and morally. After establishing the scholarship, many in Joseph’s family, including Andrew P. Nebzydoski, VMD ’77, P'10, P'13, and his wife, Patricia A. Morgan, VMD P'10, P'13, Thomas Nebzydoski ’79, P'01 and his wife, Sharon P'01, Margaret Nebzydoski Tomazic and her husband, David Tomazic, DO, and Vassallo and her husband, Michael, honored the memories of Henry J. Sr. and Mary Nebzydoski by contributing to the fund.“You don’t have to do it all at once,” Joseph said of establishing a scholarship. “It can be over a period of years.
“You’re doing something for a future generation, and hopefully, that will go on ad infinitum – it will never end. You’re putting a mark on the world for a long, long time in a good way. It’s not something that is just going to be short-term - those things are endowed. It might not be a lot of money, but it’s going to help somebody somewhere along the way.”
Giving Back by Paying Forward
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09/27/2017
Imagine you are born with a life-threatening medical condition that requires you to undergo several surgeries from the time you are an infant. After 14 years of fighting for your life, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America pledges to send you anywhere you would like to go to meet anyone you would like to meet. Given such an opportunity, what would you do? For Tristan Searfoss, the son of Brian ’90 and Liisa (Duhigg) Searfoss ’90, the answer was simple: Go to Rome to meet Pope Francis.
As you might imagine, a request of that nature is far from typical, but, according to Liisa, everything about Tristan is far from typical.
Before he was born, Tristan was diagnosed with hypoplastic right heart syndrome and tricuspid atresia, a congenital heart condition a 2012 study cited by the Center for Disease Control estimates occurs in about 1 in 10,000 babies born in the United States. The condition is considered critical and can require several surgical procedures to treat.
As fate would have it, the
Searfosses had recently moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, home of the University of Michigan Hospitals, the one place Liisa said a family friend who practices medicine described as a “miracle” that could possibly save Tristan’s life. When he was born, however, his doctors discovered four additional, unforeseen birth defects which prompted his first surgical procedure a mere twelve hours into his life.Tristan’s first few months were filled with many complications, including heart failure and an infection. He was moved to a special, isolated room along with five other babies in similar situations.
“It was
tortuous , watching these babies try to fight,” Liisa said. “Out of the five families who shared the room with us, Tristan was the only one to go home.”As Tristan grew older, Liisa said she began to notice things about him that struck her as unusual.
“He was always looking up and waving in the same direction,” she said. “Around (the age of) two, Tristan couldn’t really say much, but he would always be waving in the skylights and saying, ‘Hello up there. I see you.' I was sure he meant angels.”
Around the age of six, near the time of his final heart procedure, Liisa said Tristan began asking questions about God, saying things that baffled her and her husband, such as, “I understand that God is in my heart and I keep him there, but what am I going to do if the devil tries to get in?” Although Brian and Liisa, both originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania, had moved the family to South Carolina, they sought spiritual advice from the Rev. Cassian Yuhaus, C.P., at St. Ann’s Basilica and Monastery in West Scranton and began making yearly pilgrimages to St. Ann’s to receive his blessing.
At about the same time, the family learned that Tristan had qualified for a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. When Liisa asked him what he wanted, however, she was shocked by his answer.
“He said, ‘I know what I want. I want to go to Jesus,’” she said. “I told him, ‘You know you can’t go to
Jesus, because if you go to Jesus, you can’t come back.’ He said, ‘I know, and it’s OK. I’m ready to go there and see him, and I’ll just wait for you.’”As the years passed, Liisa said Tristan’s faith continued to grow. When he turned 14, Liisa said she approached him again about the Make-A-Wish offer. Tristan was initially troubled by it, thinking of it as a sort of death sentence, but Liisa said she explained that it was a “life wish,” a reward for fighting as hard as he had his whole life. According to Liisa, Tristan only wanted one thing: to meet Pope Francis. Curiously, this coincided with the pope’s 2015 trip to Philadelphia, Pa., which Liisa assumed would please Tristan.
“We thought that was perfect, and then he said, ‘OK – do I get to see him? Does he get to bless me? Do we have lunch?’” she said. “That’s when we just smiled realizing he hadn't any idea of the enormity of this wish.”
After Tristan learned that none of those things would happen on the trip, he reconsidered his request and came up with a new wish: he wanted to go to Rome, receive a blessing from the pope and “see where he sleeps.” The representatives of Make-A-Wish said they could fly Liisa, Brian, Tristan and his two brothers to Rome for four days over 2016’s Thanksgiving holiday and arrange for the pope to bless Tristan, but that was the most they could hope for. Then, another amazing coincidence occurred: a few weeks before they were scheduled to depart for Rome, Pope Francis opened the Apostolic Palace at Castel Gandolfo, the summer residence and vacation home of the papacy since the 17th century, to the public, giving Tristan the chance to see where the pope sleeps in time for his trip.
“He decided to open his sleeping quarters (to the public),” Liisa said. “This was the most incredible piece of news, to learn of this announcement!”
On the morning of the blessing, the family traveled to the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall, and Tristan and Liisa sat in the front row waiting to meet the pope. Tristan described the moment in a “thank you” letter he wrote to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“As he got closer and closer to me, I could feel my hands start to sweat more and more,” Tristan wrote. “I could feel my heart start to race until it was finally my turn to meet him. I extended my hand out and stood up. He read the title of the (Make-A-Wish) packet that said, ‘Wish to meet the pope – Tristan.’ Then, he blessed me and my holy water and said a prayer in Latin to me.
“For that moment, I was experiencing my own miracle.”
Liisa said Tristan has always acted as a spiritual beacon to the people around him.
“We saw such a spiritual side (of him) coming out
from the age of two,” she said. “As parents, we understand the importance of teaching faith to our children, but it was actually Tristan who opened our eyes and he brought us along with him on his spiritual journey of love and faith in God.”On Saturday, March 4, Tristan will turn 16, and Liisa said the blessing he received from the pope will continue to strengthen his faith and resolve.
“He is 100 percent sure nothing (bad) will happen to him,” she said. “Because Tristan has been so spiritual all his life, he has such strong faith that he is going to be fine.”
For more information on the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit wish.org.
Pope Francis blesses child of alumni couple
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09/08/2017
Less than five minutes into “This Guy,” the comedy album from Ron Babcock ’01 and Sure Thing Records that debuted at #1 on the iTunes comedy chart, Babcock shouts, “Comedy has arrived, people, and its name is Babcock!” While the line is clearly meant to be self-deprecating, it ends up fulfilling its own prophecy, serving as the call to action for a comedic odyssey through the mind of one of America’s funniest stand-up comics. On “This Guy,” Babcock shares his hilarious thoughts on topics as diverse as Coinstar, beards and time travel while keeping his finger firmly on the pulse of the awkward absurdity that is American comedy.
“Most of stand-up is failure,” Babcock said. “It’s one of those things where it’s a process profession. You have to be in love with that process because that’s all it is. Success is the most minor part of the process.
“I always describe it as you’re swimming through a sea of failure to islands of success. You get on that island, you take a break and you enjoy it, and then you jump back in.”
How did a native of Wilkes-Barre evolve into a comedic powerhouse who has been featured on “Adam Devine’s House Party” and “Last Comic Standing,” and what role did The University of Scranton play in that development? It’s a question we explored when we caught up with Babcock during his morning commute from his home in South Pasadena, California, to his new job editing the relaunch of “Muppet Babies,” which will premiere on Disney Junior in 2018.
Babcock knew somewhat earlier than most that the University was the right place for him thanks to his father, George, who was the Associate Dean of the School of Management.
“It’s very simple – my father was a teacher at The University of Scranton,” he said. “My entire family – my three older sisters and one older brother – went to The University of Scranton. I knew I was going to The University of Scranton since the first grade.
“I was very at home on the campus before I set foot on the campus as an actual student.”
As a student, Babcock majored in communications. He first realized his talent for editing after he produced a marketing video for the study abroad office out of camcorder footage he recorded while on a Semester at Sea, which he cited as one of his favorite undergraduate experiences. During his senior year, he produced an hour-long documentary on Scranton landmark the Hotel Casey called “The Hotel Casey, The Perfect Hotel,” which can still be found on YouTube. Afterward, he and a fellow classmate collaborated on a 40-minute sketch comedy video called “Three Credits to Freedom,” which was Babcock’s first foray into comedy.
“We were big fans of ‘Mr. Show with Bob and David,’ and so we basically ripped off them,” Babcock said with a chuckle. “It was a very meta show where the whole show was about us not doing the show.
“We had some ideas, and instead of just talking about it, we went out and actually made it, and it started me down that road, started me down that path.”
After graduation, Babcock moved to Phoenix, Arizona, to start a comedy magazine with Ryan McKee, a friend he had met while on Semester at Sea. One thing led to another, and the duo began performing stand-up together.
“We started performing as a duo because we were too afraid to get up by ourselves, and we actually had some success,” Babcock said. “Our first year doing it, we went to the Las Vegas Comedy Festival and won. That gave us a little more confidence, and we started doing stand-up on our own.”
Along the way, Babcock balanced his life as a comic with his life as an editor, performing across the country while working on television shows like HBO’s “The Life and Times of Tim” and co-hosting and directing the “Why Would You Eat That Challenge.” During a national tour in 2014, the seeds were sown for what would eventually become “This Guy.”
“I was going through Austin, Texas, where Sure Thing Records has this great comedy room,” he said. “After the show, they asked me if I was ever interested in doing a record.
“We picked a date, and I went back out to Austin.”
Babcock said the album was recorded live in one night.
“It was mostly material I’d had for a while with some new stuff I’d written a month or two before,” he said. “That was mostly the all-stars from my career up to this point.”
On the day the record was released, it shot to number one on the iTunes comedy chart, providing Babcock with a standout “island of success.”
“It was very gratifying,” he said. “You put work into something, and it’s nice to see that, oh, people are buying it and listening to it, so it’s not just being released into the ether.
“It’s nice to have something that is digital, that people can buy, that is less than 10 bucks. A comedian once told me whenever you make anything, you’re just making deposits into a savings account. If you write a script, or you make a CD, or you do a little video, you’re just putting things into this little account. You’re just constantly making deposits. You don’t necessarily know when those investments are going to pay off, but the more you put in, sooner or later, those dividends are going to start to pay off. People will notice something you made years ago, and that will turn them onto you, and then you’ll have other things they can check out, and then that will lead to more and more opportunities.”
Babcock is currently working on material for a follow-up album he hopes to record next year. In September, he will appear at the Altercation Comedy Festival in Austin, Texas. He just finished working on Adult Swim’s “Mr. Pickles,” and he’ll continue working on “Muppet Babies” through the end of the year. When asked if he had any advice for current students or budding comics, he responded with the wisdom of a man who has spent a good chunk of his life trying to make the world laugh.
“I come back (to campus) from time to time, and I give talks to the communications students, and my advice is always the same: make stuff,” he said. “You’re at this place for four years with all these resources around – don’t be afraid of failure. This is the place to just do things and find out what you’re good at and find out what you’re not so good at because it’s this wonderful little place where you can make stuff and try new things.
“I think it’s really important to take advantage of everything there. If you want to try something, give it a whirl. It’s a good place to discover what you do and don’t like.”
For more information on Babcock, visit heyron.com. “This Guy” is available on iTunes here.
Alumni Spotlight: Ron Babcock '01
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09/08/2017
University, Scranton Prep partnership for Scranton Shakespeare Festival exemplifies centuries-old Jesuit tradition of support for the arts
Jesuit education has deep, entrenched roots tied closely to the humanistic revival of the Renaissance, which includes the influence William Shakespeare, who expertly used the English language in plays to convey the intensities of human emotions and to deepen the understanding of human nature.
It’s little wonder, then, that the Society of Jesus has such a robust connection to support of the arts – and to Shakespeare.
In fact, some modern-day scholars argue that Shakespeare’s language contains strong Jesuit messages. An article published in 2014 in The Catholic Herald referred to Shakespeare as “a man of Catholic tastes.” Writing for the publication out of the United Kingdom, Clare Asquith describes his “distinctively complex, multilayered blueprint” for the 16th-century play and proffers the possibility that this blueprint was conceived “not by Shakespeare himself … but by the acknowledged educators of Europe – the Jesuits.”
“Central to the revolutionary Jesuit system of education was drama,” she wrote, “and that drama had certain qualities,” among those “a high moral purpose.”
Asquith continued, “The Jesuit mission was not simply to entertain. It was to instill a ‘world-friendly spirituality’ into ordinary people as well as emperors, in pursuit of the common good and a better society.”
Fast-forward five centuries, and on modern stages everywhere, including in the Electric City, you’ll find history repeating itself as Jesuit educators continue to applaud and support the transformative quality of Shakespearean theater.
One case in point is the Scranton Shakespeare Festival, of which The University of Scranton has been a sponsor since its inception six years ago by its alumnus Michael Flynn, who now serves as artistic director for the festival. The University provided campus space for rehearsals and performances, as well as housing for the troupe that brings this high-quality, free theater to Scranton each summer.
This year, the University teamed up with fellow Jesuit institution Scranton Preparatory School to continue its support for the festival.
Colin Holmes, director of drama and musical theater at Scranton Prep and venue liaison for the festival this year, described the arrangement as the perfect partnership and a winning arrangement for all involved.
The University, he said, graciously agreed to house the actors in upperclassmen apartments, and Scranton Prep, meanwhile, offered rehearsal space and hosted performances of two plays in its Bellarmine Theater. It also assisted in staging a performance at Scranton’s PNC Field.
“The mission of the Shakespeare Festival is to provide free theater for the community. It’s natural for Prep and the University to open their doors to this,” said Holmes, a 2009 graduate of Scranton Prep and 2013 graduate of the University. “It just makes sense. The missions very much align.”
Holmes noted that the festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and relies on loyal support of community and institutional benefactors to offer the gift of professional performances to the community.
Holmes also noted the partnership provides opportunities to theater students.
He said that several students, many of whom wish to write or direct, made meaningful connections with actors and had the chance to assist the directors.
Holmes and Flynn, who is also a graduate of Scranton Prep, are looking forward to continuing the partnership with their alma maters – and the continuation of the centuries old tradition of Jesuit support of the arts.
Jesuit Tradition of Support for the Arts Lives on
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08/18/2017
Autumn is a special time at The University of Scranton, a time that signals the beginning of a new academic year even as it heralds the coming end of the calendar year. While many Scranton students are thrilled to return to campus each fall, many alumni may not realize they, too, can participate in a variety of events designed to strengthen the Royal tie that binds the University community together.
On Friday, Sept. 15, Royals from around the country will gather both on campus and at regional receptions to celebrate Toast2Scranton, the University’s annual celebration of all things Scranton. On campus, alumni will have the opportunity to network with
current student while enjoying a veritable cornucopia of hors d’oeuvres.Off campus, alumni will gather at regional receptions throughout the month of September to celebrate their alma mater and officially welcome the newest crop of Scranton grads into the alumni family.
“For our alumni, especially recent graduates, Toast2Scranton gatherings are a great opportunity to catch up with friends and network with fellow Royals in the region,” said University of Scranton Alexandra Maier, assistant director of Annual Giving.
Throughout the evening, alumni at regional receptions will “toast” Scranton with the main celebration on campus via Facebook Live.
For more information, visit scranton.edu/toast2scranton, or contact Lynn Andres at lynn.andres@scranton.edu or 570-941-4142.
The President’s Business Council will also give alumni several opportunities to connect with their alma mater during the Autumn months. On Sept. 13, Royals in the Philadelphia area are invited to a Networking Reception with current University Students; this reception will also include the region’s Toast2Scranton celebration. On Oct. 19, Royals in the Washington, D.C.,
area will have the same opportunity as their Philadelphia counterparts at a Networking Reception with University Students. Locations and times for these receptions will be announced in Royal News.On Thursday, Oct. 5, the President’s Business Council 16th Annual Award Dinner will take place at The Pierre Hotel in New York City. The dinner supports the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund and will honor Dennis J. McGonigle ’82, chief financial officer and executive vice president at SEI Investments, with the President’s Medal. Since its inception, the annual black tie gala has generated $13 million for the scholarship fund and transformed the lives of scores of Presidential Scholars. For more information, contact Tim Pryle ’89, executive director, at 570-941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu, or visit scranton.edu/pbcdinner.
On Saturday, Oct. 14, alumni working in
healthcare will have the opportunity to attend the 2017 Medical Alumni Symposium, hosted by the Medical Alumni Council and the Alumni Society in the PNC Auditorium of the Loyola Science Center.The symposium will feature presentations on a variety of topics by a variety of speakers, including “Precision Medicine in Pediatric Epilepsy: From Bedside to Bench to Back” by Mark P. Fitzgerald, M.D., Ph.D. '02, Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology
fellow , Pediatric Regional Epilepsy Program, Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, “The Role of the Interventional Radiologist in a Tertiary Care Medical Center” by Paul V. Suhocki, M.D. '78, associate professor, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, “Zika Virus: From the Road to Entebbe to Your Front Door” by Col. James Cummings, M.D., FACP, FIDSA '88, vice president of Clinical Development and Translational Medicine, Novavax, Inc., “Catching up on Sleep: Recognition, Evaluation and Management of Common Sleep Disorders” by Raymond J. Kovalski, M.D. '78, president, PMA Medical Specialists, and “Medical School & Graduate Medical Education: What Makes Applications Competitive?” by Jay Bannon, M.D. '83, physician, general surgeon, Geisinger Community Medical Center. Note: CME credits for the event are pending. Click here for more information.Also, on Friday, Oct. 13, alumni who have participated in the Medical Alumni Council’s annual medical mission to Haiti are invited to return to campus for a reunion. For more information, contact Lynn Andres at lynn.andres@scranton.edu.
If you would like to receive advance notice of events like these, please update your contact information at scranton.edu/beengaged, especially if you have not done so since you graduated. For more information on alumni events, visit scranton.edu/alumnievents.
Fall Alumni Preview
