General Archive

By: Ryan Sophabmixay '24, student correspondent

People often build connections with nature to find inner peace and beauty. In the process, a lot of content is created through photographs, video and artwork. However, a select few get the opportunity to display their creations to the public. To help give artists a platform they need, The University of Scranton will host the 2024 Environmental Art Show from April 15-24.

The Environmental Art Show will take place on the fifth floor of the Weinberg Memorial Library in the Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage room. The exhibit will be open to the general public from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. A virtual exhibit will also be available for those who cannot view the artworks in person.

The inaugural virtual exhibit took place in 2021. Marleen Cloutier, Art Show Coordinator and Cataloging and Metadata Librarian for the Weinberg Memorial Library, said the virtual platform was successful and helped continue the show during a time of need.

“Going virtual provided an opportunity to reach new audiences and to take a look back, documenting the history of past Environmental Art Show exhibits,” Cloutier said.

The 2024 artwork will be available beginning April 15. View current and past submissions.

The Environmental Art Show's opening event, An Artist Talk with Theresa O’Connor, will take place on April 15 at 5 p.m. in the Weinberg Memorial Library, Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room. The artist will discuss the use of sustainable and eco-friendly mediums to create her art pieces.

O’Connor’s passion for art began at a young age, when she drew inspiration from her mother. She studied interior design at both Arcadia and Marywood Universities and used academic experiences to hone her skills and further understand her artistic expression. 

“Throughout my journey, I've actively engaged in collaborative projects that have enriched my artistic perspective, including 'The Moth Project',” O’Connor said.

O’Connor described a defining moment in her career as the establishment of The Vintage Theater, a venue for the performing, literary and visual arts located for nearly six years at 326 Spruce Street in Scranton. There she served as the Visual Art Director and Founder. O’Connor’s role allowed her to curate her own artwork and help aspiring artists. She aims to evolve as an artist and hopes to inspire others with her artwork.

“Each brushstroke and creation carries a sense of hope, reflecting my dedication to the transformative power of art,” O’Connor said.

Commitment to Art on Campus

The Environmental Art Show is an annual event that occurs during The University of Scranton’s Earth Week. The inaugural show took place in 2010, after which is ran for 10 straight years before a one-year pause because of the pandemic. It resumed in 2021.

The show, which features artwork from students, faculty and the surrounding community, receives approximately 10 to 20 submissions each year in a variety of mediums such as artwork, photography, sculpture. The virtual art exhibit receives submissions from around the world.

“We have had some great submissions over the years. You can view images of some of our previous shows via our virtual exhibit 'Previous Exhibits' page,” Cloutier said.

“Last year’s guest speaker Stéphanie Williams, a Beekeeper, materials artist, and educator, created an art piece with our community on the day of her Artist Talk. Three of Stéphanie’s pieces that were displayed in the 2023 show are displayed on the third floor of the library outside of Media Services.”

This year’s theme “Creating Connections,” encourages participating artists to create art pieces that share their connection with either nature or a sustainable practice. When determining a theme, Cloutier considers all aspects of the show.

“I take into consideration the opening speaker for the Artist Talk, the University’s overall Earth Week theme, and the year’s Earth Day theme,” Cloutier said.

The art show aims to promote the natural beauty of our environment, as well as the many sustainable practices, through creative artwork. It’s also an opportunity for University students, faculty, staff and community members to relax and share their artistic views and abilities. 

Elizabeth A. Johnson, C.S.J., the 2024 University of Scranton Arrupe Award winner will present: "Jesus and the Earth: Seeing Christ Through an Ecological Lens," on Wednesday, April 17, from 6 p.m. at the Moskovitz Theater,  DeNaples Center, 4th Floor.

The University of Scranton created the Arrupe Award in 1995 to recognize persons who have furthered in a significant way the Ignatian mission. Recipients are chosen both for the Ignatian vision which they bring to their ministry and their outstanding contributions to the Ignatian mission. The award is named for the late Very Rev. Pedro Arrupe, S.J., the 28th Superior General of the Society of Jesus. Father Arrupe articulated a dynamic vision of the Ignatian mission and its ministry for contemporary times.

Johnson has been hailed by The National Catholic Reporter as “one of the country’s most prominent and respected theologians.” She has served as president of the Catholic Theological Society of America. She is internationally known for her work in systematic, feminist and ecological theology. In her 11 books and numerous articles, she has offered groundbreaking perspectives on traditional Catholic thought. 

Born in Brooklyn, New York, the oldest of seven children, she joined the Sisters of Saint Joseph in the late 1950s. After earning a bachelor’s degree at Brentwood College and a master’s degree at Manhattan College in 1964, she taught science and religion to elementary and high school students. Empowered by the Second Vatican Council, over the next two decades, she helped usher in a broader range of possibilities for Catholic religious and lay women. In 1981, she became the first woman to earn a doctorate in theology at the Catholic University of America, where she taught for a decade.

For additional information, see https://www.scranton.edu/ministries/campus-ministry/special-events/special-events-main-page.shtml

 

READ ROYAL NEWS AND WIN PRIZES!

Each Wednesday from April 3 - 17 we will be posting questions about articles in the current issue of Royal News on the University's Facebook and Instagram stories, in the Announcements section of Royal News, and at Viva Engage.

Submit your answers using the link in the posts. Entries with correct answers will have a chance to win a $5.00 Starbucks gift card. All participants will also be entered into a grand prize drawing for a $50 University of Scranton Bookstore gift card.

More details on how to enter are below...

How to enter:

1. To enter, you must be a member of The University of Scranton community that includes current students, parents of current students, faculty, staff and alumni. 
   
   
2. Two trivia questions will be posted each Wednesday from April 3 -17
   
   
   • on the University’s Instagram and Facebook stories,
   • at Viva Engage
   • and in the Announcements section of Royal News.
     
     
3. Submit your answers using the link in the post or article.
   
   
4. One entry per week, per person will be accepted. Participants can enter each week of the contest for the duration of the contest.
   
   
5. Questions will be live for 24 hours after they are posted.
   
   
6. Each week, four winners will be selected at random from among all who submit correct answers to that week's Trivia Challenge questions. Each winner will receive a $5.00 Starbucks gift card.
   
   
7. Winners will be notified via email. 
   
   
8. Winners and the correct answers from the previous week will be listed in the Announcements section on the Royal News website.
   
   
9. All entries will be eligible for a chance to win the grand prize of a $50 University of Scranton Bookstore gift card.
   
   
   • The grand prize winner will be selected at noon on April 19, 2024, in a random drawing and will be notified by email.
     
     
10. Find complete terms and conditions HERE.
    
    
    

    Good luck! 

By Ryan Sophabmixay, student correspondent

This month, the University of Scranton's recognition of Earth Day include nearly a dozen events aligned with the theme “Sustainable Living, Caring for Creation.” The University commits to initiatives in support of environmental sustainability year-round, including the purchase of campus vehicle designed to help reduce emissions and noise pollution, installation of energy-saving lighting and efforts to turn excess food and waste into usable soil through composting.

Here is a quick look at what is happening around the campus now.

SUSTAINABLE VEHICLE PURCHASES HELP REDUCE EMISSIONS

Within the past year, the University purchased new campus vehicles to help reduce emissions and noise pollution. The Center of Social and Service Justice received a 2022 Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid, which is America’s first and only plug-in hybrid minivan. The Police Department also received a 2023 Toyota Sienna hybrid minivan to help transport students on and off campus.

The University plans to add nine standard hybrid vehicles on campus for the upcoming fall semester. The vehicles will be distributed between the Admission and Development Departments.  

“Fortunately, we’ve been lucky there were no supply chain issues. These vehicles help with noise pollution, and I immediately noticed the quietness from the vehicles,” Mark Cruciani, Director of Purchasing for the University, said.

Along with the hybrid vehicles, six level two charging stations have been installed on campus. Two are located in the parking pavilion and the other four in the Long Center, Madison Avenue, O’Hara and Redington Hall parking lots. See the campus map for locations.

An electric vehicle (EV) permit, a university parking permit and an EV placard must be displayed while using the charging station. EV placards are $100. To purchase an EV placard, contact parking services.

 

"Another exciting feature being added to our campus is on the 300 block of Madison Avenue," Mark Murphy, Director of Sustainability and Energy Management for the University, said. "The new building is intended to be LEED certified and the building’s roof will hold the campus’s largest Solar Electric project in 2025." 

 

EXCESS FOOD AND WASTE BECOMES USABLE SOIL

The University of Scranton has partnered with ARAMARK and Natural Upcycling to compost excess food, according to Mark Murphy, Director of Sustainability and Energy Management for the University.

Composting had been occurring at the University for three years prior before the pandemic impacted the program in 2020. Afterward, the University began seeking a new service partner and in 2023 restarted the composting program through Natural Upcycling, according to Murphy.

The University collects approximately 1,500 pounds of waste per week at the DeNaples Center. From there, Natural Upcycling handles the composting and turns the waste into usable plant soil.

“A campus our size generates a large amount of lawn and landscaping waste.  Our goal is to compost as much of this as possible and track the weight of our compostables,” Murphy said.

“I feel the composting fits in very well with our culture of sustainability on campus.  We have many programs that make us a good example to others on ways to be sustainable.  We look at our campus as a classroom with sustainable features to share with our students, faculty, staff, visitors and the surrounding communities.”

A future program that may be established at the University is the composting of paper towels.

“I recently observed this practice being performed at another Jesuit university and Natural Upcycling will service this type of program,” he said.

During the fall semester, the University completely upgraded the Byron Gymnasium with LED lighting. The installed lights are estimated to save 46,000 kilowatt hours (kWhs) each year.

CAMPUS LIGHTING UPGRADES CONSERVE ENERGY, CREATE SAVINGS

The University started an energy conservation project last summer. The project consists of installing new lighting in all first-year residence halls, Nevils, Giblin-Kelly, Hafey, McCourt, Lynett, Martin, McKillip, Gannon, and Lavis. In total, after the lighting project the University will save approximately 430,000 kilowatt hours (kWhs) each year.

“The lights have a more modern look and in most cases make the spaces brighter, especially in the student rooms. Maintenance should also notice a big difference in that the lights and lamps should not require repairs for over ten years,” Murphy said.

In the fall semester, the University completely upgraded the Byron Gymnasium to LED lights. Each year, the 60 installed light fixtures are estimated to provide 46,000 kilowatt hours (kWhs) in savings. 

“Feedback has been very good. Also, the reduced maintenance and repair costs on the new light fixtures will save a lot of time and money,” Murphy said.

In 2024, the University purchased 20 percent of its electric load from renewable resources and will continue to add 20 percent more each year. In 2028, the University’s entire electric load will be obtained from renewable resources. In addition, the nearly 80,000 square-foot center for workforce development, applied research and outreach, to be built on University-owned property on the 300 block of Madison Avenue will be LEED certified.

"The building’s roof will hold the campus’s largest solar electric project in 2025," Murphy said.

 

The University of Scranton has updated its Campus Health and Safety guidance for exposure and isolation protocols related to COVID-19 to reflect the most recent recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC now recommends approaching COVID-19 infections in a manner similar to other respiratory viruses. The current guidance is to stay home and isolate from others until fever free for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medications and with symptoms improving overall. 

Additional information for members of the campus community is available on the University’s Campus Health and Safety webpage, as well as the Student Health Services webpage.

The spring 2024 issue of The Scranton Journal is here.

In it, you can read about how the University is celebrating two decades of FIRSTs – First-years-Involved in Reflective Service Together! 

Also, find inspiration in the incredible impact that our alumni are having out in the world, including a speech-language pathologist who provides universally affordable stuttering therapy for clients ages 2 to 80, and an alumni couple who repays a debt of gratitude with new opportunities for Scranton accounting students.

What else is inside this issue?

• Scranton partners with Geisinger on a reimagined student-run clinic for the uninsured.
  
  
• A man "for and with others" reflects on a lifetime of service to the University.
  
  
• Our Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students shares her story to encourage students as they build resilience and find their calling.
  
  
• An inaugural member of the University's Business Leadership Honors Program champions the Jesuit education model. 
  

  
  And, don't forget about Class Notes and online exclusives, including Alumni Photo Central.

  Read all this and more in the fall issue of The Scranton Journal online at scranton.edu/journal .

Click here to flip through the latest issue.

By: Ryan Sophabmixay '24, student correspondent

The University of Scranton is set to host its first Graduate Open House on Wednesday, April 10. The event will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m., and it will give attendees an opportunity to explore the variety of programs offered and learn more about graduate education while interacting with faculty, staff and alumni.

The University offers more than 30 advanced degrees with programs such as physical therapy, nurse anesthesia, health care management, clinical rehabilitation counseling and MBA in analytics and accounting being nationally ranked.

In the last few years, the University has added newer programs such as an online M.S. in cybercrime investigation and cybersecurity, a synchronous remote M.S. in speech-language pathology and a Ph.D. in accounting.

The event will begin on the fourth floor of the DeNaples Center, 900 Mulberry St, Scranton. Guests should arrive by 5:30 p.m. to check in and enjoy light refreshments with the Deans. Shortly afterward, a 6 p.m. welcome session will include explanations of the application and enrollment process. Also, an alumni success panel will share firsthand graduate school experiences and discuss its impact on their career. At 6:45 p.m., attendees will be given the opportunity to tour their desired program’s facility while interacting with faculty.

Caitlyn Hollingshead, Assistant Vice President for Graduate and International Admissions, described graduate education at Scranton and how students are guided to the next steps in their educational and professional endeavors.

“We take great pride in knowing that a graduate degree from The University of Scranton will provide you with not just better job outcomes with higher earning potential, but with a support system of faculty mentors dedicated to your future success.”

While our national recognition tells a wonderful story about the formalized success of our programs, the real differentiator is how the University approaches each student as an individual learner,” Hollingshead said.

To learn more or to register, please visit Scranton.edu/gradopenhouse.

Can’t Make It to Open House?

“The staff of the Office of Graduate Admissions are always available to meet with prospective students through virtual appointments, in-person appointments, phone calls, texts – any way a student needs,” Hollingshead said.

Or, students are welcome to email gradadmissions@scranton.edu for additional information on graduate education or the graduate application process.

The Center for Service and Social Justice (CSSJ) will introduce students to an event rich in meaning on Tuesday, Feb.13, when they revisit a previously popular University tradition -- a Fat Tuesday chocolate fountain, free for all. While providing a sweet segue to the Lenten season, the event is designed to inspire the University community to "Do. Give. Be More!" throughout the year, according to Ellen Judge, CSSJ Outreach Program Coordinator. 

"Instead of giving something up for Lent, we're hoping you will do something for others instead. We can help you find opportunities for service," Judge said. "Most sites are seeking an hour at a time, some ongoing and some one-time opportunities.  We can find something to fit anyone's schedule, transportation needs and interests," she added.

What To Expect From the CSSJ Fat Tuesday Chocolate Fountain

All are invited to the 2nd floor, DeNaples on Tuesday, Feb. 13 from 11:30 -1:00 p.m. for a chocolate extravaganza featuring a variety of fan-favorite dipping ingredients.

"Definitely strawberries, but we will also feature marshmallows, pound cake, chips, pretzel rods, bananas and cookies," Judge confirmed.

"It’s all new to students! No current undergraduates have been to the event, since our last one in February 2020.  We will have Mardi Gras jazz and lots of decorations," Judge said, noting that the program is run with assistance from Aramark, which donates a portion of the associated costs.

"The annual Fat Tuesday chocolate fountain was very popular in the past, hosting more than 700 people each year. We had to discontinue the event after 2020, but now that campus is fully open and ready to regain its pre-pandemic programs, we felt it was important to our community to bring it back in celebration of the beginning of Lent."

Where Kindness Overflows

At the event, members of the CSSJ team will be available to share details about volunteer service opportunities.

"We would love student groups, floors, classes and others to participate in our '40-Day Fill-up,' where you collect various items each week to donate to our on campus Royal Restore food pantry, as well as other pantries in Scranton."

View other opportunities available on the Center for Service and Social Justice website. 

Home to the world’s first officially-recognized university, University Ez-Zitouna, Tunisia remains focused on the importance of education, including leading the charge for women and girls’ education and rights.

"If the people one day wanted to live, then fate must respond, the night must clear, and the chain must be broken." - Verse from the Tunisian National Anthem, written by poet, Aboul-Qacem Echebbi

Fulbright Visiting Scholar, Rahma Baklouti, MA, Arabic Language Teaching Assistant, will present Tunisia in the first Global Insights program for the spring semester, Wednesday, Feb. 28, beginning at 11:30 a.m., in the Rose Room, Brennan Hall 509. Cultural cuisine will be served. Registration is required.

Originally from Monastir, Tunisia, located on the coast, Baklouti shared her love for Tunisian beaches. “We have the best beaches there. Better than Miami.” Tunisian beaches, along with nine UNESCO World Heritage sites, and savory ethnic foods draw tourists from around the world.

Baklouti says the north African-Mediterranean country is famous for couscous, olives and olive oil. Tunisia is the third-ranked exporter in the world. “We have the some of the purest quality olive oil in the world.”  Tunisians sometimes use olive oil to soften one of the favorite condiments, harissa, a hot sauce or paste made from chili peppers and paprika.  

Learn more about ancient civilizations, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the Tunisian country, people, and culture. Registration is required. Register here for the luncheon.

This program is hosted by the Office of Global Education, the Cultural Centers, Residence Life and the Office of Equity and Diversity. For more information, please contact international@scranton.edu or 570-941-4841.

Watch for the next Global Insights presentations on March 26, featuring India, and on April 18, featuring Palestine.  

The University of Scranton Cultural Centers, in collaboration with the Weinberg Memorial Library, the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union and the Black Scranton Project, will host several programs highlighting Black culture for the campus and larger community.

This year's theme: “African American and the Arts,” focuses on African Americans contributions to the world of art in various forms and definitions, and through numerous artistic and cultural movements.

"In the fields of visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression, the African American influence has been paramount. African American artists have used art to preserve history and community memory, as well as for empowerment. Artistic and cultural movements such as the New Negro, Black Arts, Black Renaissance, hip-hop, and Afrofuturism, have been led by people of African descent and set the standard for popular trends around the world. In 2024, we examine the varied history and life of African American arts and artisans." - Association for the Study of African American Life and History 2024 Statement on the Theme of Black History Month

 Programs are free and open to the public.

• Black History Month Film Series. Each begins at 7:30 p.m., in the 4th Floor DeNaples Campus Center, Moskovitz Theater. Sponsored by the Weinberg Memorial Library.
  

  • "Judas and the Black Messiah," Wednesday, Feb. 7

  • "The Hate U Give," Wednesday, Feb. 14

  • "Cooley High," Wednesday, Feb. 28

• BSU Freedom Fest, Saturday, Feb. 17 from 8 p.m -10 p.m., DeNaples Center, Ballroom 407. The event serves as an open compass to educate the student body and Scranton community about Black History and Black Culture. It will promote community connections with local black owned businesses. Sponsored by the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union.

• Black Women in Music, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 7 p.m , Brennan Hall, Rose Room 509. The Cultural Centers will host a presentation and conversation with Maureen Mahon, Associate Professor of Music at New York University about her book "Black Diamond Queens". Black Diamond Queens "draws on recordings, press coverage, archival materials, and interviews to document the history of African American Women in rock and roll between the 1950s and 1980s. Mahon details the musical contributions and cultural impact of Big Mama Thornton, Lavern Baker, Betty Davis, Tina Turner, Merry Clayton, Labelle, the Shirelles, and others demonstrating how dominant views of gender, race, sexuality, and genre affected their careers." Sponsored by the Cultural Centers.

• Black Voices: Scranton Stories Screening & Talk Back, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 6:30 p.m., Black Scranton Project Center for Arts and Culture. Transportation and light refreshments will be provided. RSVP/info at http://www.scranton.edu/scrantonstory. Co-sponsored by The Black Scranton Project and The University of Scranton

• Dialogue Series on Race, Racism, Identity and Privilege: "Black Arts Movements: Afrofuturism“ Tuesday, Feb. 27, 8 p.m , Multicultural Center, 1st Floor DeNaples Center. Sponsored by the Cultural Centers.

• Black History Month Trivia Night, Thursday, Feb. 29, 7 p.m , Brennan Hall, Rose Room 509. Sponsored by the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union.

For more information, contact the Cultural Centers at multicultural@scratnon.edu or 570-941-5904.

Jan. 28     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring ELEW! Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Jan. 30     5 p.m. Slattery Center Lecture: “From Asylum Seeker to Immigration Attorney: How I Turned My Struggle into My Strength” presented by Luis Canales, JD. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

Feb. 2 through March 22     Art Exhibit: “The Fables of Ora Lerman: Creativity + Critical Thinking.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Feb. 2     11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Religion, Democracy, and Election Cycles” presented by Anthea Butler, Ph.D., Geraldine R. Segal Professor in American Social Thought, and chair of religious studies, the University of Pennsylvania. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

Feb. 2     5 p.m. Art Gallery Lecture: “The Fables of Ora Lerman: Creativity + Critical Thinking” presented by Josephine Dunn, Ph.D., guest curator. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Reception to follow at the Hope Horn Gallery as part of Scranton’s First Fridays events. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Feb. 5 through April 21     Art Exhibit: “Scranton Stories” Oral History Interviews and Photographs. Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Free during library hours. Call 570-941-6341 or email michael.knies@Scranton.edu.

Feb. 7     6 p.m. Humanities Forum Lecture: “Ecotheological Longing and Its Double Effect” presented by Martha Serpas, Ph.D. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu

Feb. 7     7:30 p.m. Black History Month Film: “Judas and the Black Messiah” with introductory talk by Anthony Betancourt, Ph.D. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4740 or email rose.merritt@scranton.edu.

Feb. 9     11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Rethinking Local Journalism in Scranton” presented by Jeff Jarvis, Tow Professor of Journalism Innovation and director of the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism at the City University of New York, and creator and founding editor of Entertainment Weekly. McIlhenny Ballroom, The DeNaples Center. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

Feb. 10     1 p.m. 22^nd Annual Northeast PA Brain Bee sponsored by the Neuroscience Program at The University of Scranton. Snow date Feb. 24. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. Free. Pre-registration required. Call 570-941-4324 or email robert.waldeck@scranton.edu.

Feb. 14     7:30 p.m. Black History Month Film: “The Hate U Give” with introductory talk by Anthony Betancourt, Ph.D. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4740 or email rose.merritt@scranton.edu.

Feb. 15     6:30 p.m. Asian New Year Celebration and Workshop. Brennan Hall, Rose Room. Free. Registration required at https://tinyurl.com/AsianNewYearUofS or email asianstudies@scranton.edu.

Feb. 16     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring Dennis Lichtman, clarinet and Mona’s Hot Five. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Feb. 19     5 p.m. Slattery Center Lecture: “Technology’s Student: Thinking and Writing in the Age of AI” presented by Fr. Kevin Spinale, S.J. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

Feb. 20     5 p.m. Ethics Across the Curriculum Lecture: “Got Ethics? The Role of Ethics in Healthcare” presented by Karen Smith, Ph.D., director of clinical ethics, Banner Desert Medical Center. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

Feb. 21     6:30 p.m. Screening and Talk Back: “Black Voices: Scranton Stories.” Black Scranton Project Center for Arts and Culture. Free. Light refreshments provided. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Call 570-941-5529 or email daysi.carreto@scranton.edu.

Feb. 23-25 and March 1-3     8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Performance: “Disaster!” by Seth Rudetsky and Joe Plotnick (musical) presented by The University of Scranton Players. McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Ticket prices vary. Call 570-941-4318 or email players@scranton.edu

Feb. 28     7:30 p.m. Black History Month Film: “Cooley High” with introductory talk by Melissa Anyiwo, Ph.D. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4740 or email rose.merritt@scranton.edu.

March 1     11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “The Lincoln/Armstrong Connection: From Gettysburg to New Orleans” presented by Loren Schoenberg, senior scholar of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, faculty at Juilliard and has also taught at the Manhattan School of Music and the New School. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

March 2     9 a.m. Regional National History Day Competition for junior and senior high school students. The DeNaples Center. Pre-registration required. Call 570-941-4549 or email nhdparegion2@gmail.com.

March 2     3:30 p.m. Performance Music: Jazzfilm/Musictalk screening of “Wham-Re-Bop-Boom-Bam: The Swing Jazz of Eddie Durham” hosted by the film’s creators Loren Schoenberg, producer and musical director and award-winning filmmaker Kris Hendrickson (’88). Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu. 

March 2     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Jazz Band with guest soloist Loren Schoenberg, piano and tenor sax. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

March 6     11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Political Reforms to Combat Extremism” presented by Richard Pildes, Sudler Family Professor of Constitutional Law, one of the nation’s leading scholars of constitutional law and a specialist in legal issues concerning democracy, former law clerk to Justice Thurgood Marshall, and an appointee on President Biden’s Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

March 21     5:30 p.m. Schemel Forum with the Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities Collaborative Program: “Christian Nationalism” presented by Charles R. Gallagher, S.J., associate professor of history, Boston College, and former visiting fellow at the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations, College of the Holy Cross. Reception to follow. Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Free. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

March 23     9 a.m. Preview Day for accepted students to The University of Scranton’s class of 2027. Various locations on campus. Call 570-941-7540 or email admissions@scranton.edu.

March . 24     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Singers and The Scranton Brass Orchestra. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

March 25     11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “All the Beauty in the World: A Portrait of the MET Museum” presented by Patrick Bringley, author and former New Yorker staffer, spent a decade as a museum guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art before writing his memoir. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

April 4     5 p.m. 27^th Annual ACHE Healthcare Symposium: “Driving Change in Healthcare.” McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Registration required. Includes dinner, presentation and panel discussion. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4527 or email abigail.lynott@scranton.edu. 

April 5 through May 3     Art Exhibit: “Our Common Home: Landscapes from the University of Scranton Art Collection.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

April 5     11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “The World in Disarray” presented by Jill Dougherty, adjunct professor, Georgetown University’s Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies, a Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., and a member of the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute Advisory Council. McDonnell Room, The DeNaples Center. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

April 5     5 p.m. Art Gallery Lecture: “Our Common Home: Landscapes from the University of Scranton Art Collection” presented by Darlene Miller-Lanning, Ph.D., director, Hope Horn Gallery. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Reception to follow at the Hope Horn Gallery as part of Scranton’s First Fridays events. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

April 8     4 p.m. Henry George Lecture: “The Economics of Obesity” presented by John Cawley, Ph.D., professor, Department of Economics and the Department of Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell University. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4048 or email john.ruddy@scranton.edu.

April 10     5:30 p.m. Slattery Center Lecture: “REARRANGED: An Opera Singer's Facial Cancer and Life Transposed” presented by Kathleen Watt. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.  

April 14     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring Mark Kosower and Mingyao Zhao, cello. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

April 15     5 p.m. Environmental Art Show Opening Event: An Artist Talk with Theresa O’Connor. Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Free. Call 570-941-4740 or email marleen.cloutier@scranton.edu.

April 15-24     Environmental Art Show: “Creating Connections.” Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Free during library hours. Call 570-941-4740 or email marleen.cloutier@scranton.edu.

April 16     11 a.m. Earth Day Fair with interactive games, presentation and information related to the environment and sustainable practices. Atrium, Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-6267 or email mark.murphy@scranton.edu.

April 18     8:30 a.m. Hayes Family Competition in physics and engineering for high school students. Byron Complex. Registration required. Call 570-941-7509 or email salisa.brown@scranton.edu.

April 18     5:30 p.m. Earth Day “Evening of Environmental Science” and Essay Award Presentation. University student-run interactive science experiments and exhibit of University of Scranton Earth Day Essay Contest submissions. Essay contest awards will be announced at the event. Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-6267 or email susan.falbo@scranton.edu.

April 18     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton String Orchestra with special guest cello soloists Mark Kosower and Mingyao Zhao. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

April 18-20     8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. Performance: “Children of Eden” presented by The University of Scranton Liva Arts Company. McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Ticket prices vary. Visit https://livaartscompany.ludus.com for tickets or email livartscompany@gmail.com.

April 23     4:15 p.m. Math Integration Bee. Calculus-based high school math competition. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Registration required.  See https://www.scranton.edu/academics/cas/math/bee.shtml for more details or email stacey.muir@scranton.edu.  

April 24     noon. Celebration of Student Scholars. Displays and presentations of undergraduate and graduate student research and scholarly projects. Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-7653 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu. 

April 25     5 p.m. Campus Take Back the Night. Dionne Green. Free. Call 570-941-6194 or email bbrandice.ricciardi@scranton.edu.

April 25     6 p.m. Schemel Forum with the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Collaborative Program: “The Mind and Music of Scott Joplin” presented by Richard Kogan, M.D., professor of psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, and artistic director, Weill Cornell Music and Medicine Program. Reception to follow. Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, 525 Pine Street, Scranton. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

April 27-28     9 a.m. Saturday; Noon Sunday. Friends of the Library Book Sale. Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Call 570-941-6195 or email melisa.gallo@scranton.edu.

May 4     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “41^st Annual World Premiere Composition Series Concert” The University of Scranton Concert Band and Concert Choir premiering two new works by composer-conductor Nate Sparks. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

May 8     5 p.m. Feminism Expo. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-6312 or asianstudies@scranton.edu.

May 10    7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring Janet Sora Chung, organ. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

May 18    4 p.m. Commencement Baccalaureate Mass. Byron Recreation Complex. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

May 19    11 a.m. Undergraduate Commencement. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

May 19    4:30 p.m. Graduate Commencement. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

Schemel Forum Courses

Mondays: Jan. 29, Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26 and March 4     6 p.m. Schemel Forum Evening Course: “Hidden Figures of Black History” presented by Melissa Anyiwo, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of History, The University of Scranton. Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

Wednesdays: Jan. 31, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 and March 6     6 p.m. Schemel Forum Evening Course: “Identity Politics” presented by Matthew Meyer, Ph.D., professor, Department of Philosophy, The University of Scranton. Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

Mondays: March 25, April 8, 15, 22, 29 and May 6     6 p.m. Schemel Forum Evening Course: “The Sitcoms of Norman Lear” presented by Charlie Cino, M.A., instructor, Department of English and Theatre, The University of Scranton. Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

The Office of Human Resources presents "For Your Benefit," a series of information sessions on benefits topics.

The Office of Human Resources is pleased to announce the continuation of the learning series, "For Your Benefit," with information sessions geared toward resources, planning and guidance on topics including our various employee benefit plans and life issues such as tuition remission benefit, retirement readiness, employee benefits package and stress management

Upcoming sessions include the following:

“Using your Tuition Benefit”

 

Session 1, back by popular demand, will take place Jan.31 from 2:30 - 4:00 p.m.at The Denaples Center, 401 Moskovitz Theatre.    

The tuition benefit is one of the most significant benefits of working at the University, and we encourage employees to take advantage of it. Employees can pursue an undergraduate degree, learn for their own enrichment or pursue a graduate degree. This workshop is presented by a team to provide a full overview of all of the benefits associated with remission.

• BethAnn McCartney, Benefits Manager, will provide an overview of the many ways eligible employees can take advantage of this benefit for themselves, and for their dependents.
• Jonathan Kirby, Assistant Director of Financial Aid, will share information about the Tuition Exchange program and Financial Aid.
• Melissa Afshari, Associate Director Graduate Admissions, Graduate Admissions & Recruitment, will provide information about the Admissions process for both undergraduate and graduate level coursework, as well as high school scholars.  

 

“Retirement Readiness”

 

Session 2, presented by CAPTRUST Financial Wellness and Advice, will take place Feb.13, from 2:30 -4:00 p.m.   

Designed for people within 10 years of retirement, this webinar will explain income diversification, why it’s important, and how to incorporate it into your retirement plan. It will also cover the basics of Social Security and Medicare benefits, plus investing strategies and tips for creating reliable retirement income.

CAPTRUST is an independent investment advisory firm that provides investment advice to University of Scranton employees who need help navigating their retirement benefits and other financial priorities (budgeting, debt, credit, and college savings). CAPTRUST will not sell any products — their services are made available as part of The University of Scranton retirement plan benefits package, at no cost.

Make an investment advice appointment with CAPTRUST online at captrustadvice.com  or call 1 800-967-9948.

“University of Scranton Benefits Overview”

 

Session 3 will take place March 14 from 2:30- 4:00 p.m. at BRN 228

The University of Scranton fosters a spirit of caring – grounded in Jesuit tradition of cura personalis by providing an outstanding benefits package to its employees. Our comprehensive benefits and resources are designed to promote and sustain the health and wellness of employees and their families, and to help employees invest wisely in their future. 

Our benefits package includes: 

• Health care plan choices that include medical, dental and vision           
• A University supported retirement savings plan 
• Tuition remission and tuition exchange plans for employees and their families 
• Short and long-term disability programs 
• Life Insurance 
• Generous paid time off 
• An employee assistance program 
• Mission and community service leave 
• Alternative work schedule program 

Join BethAnn McCartney, Benefits Manager and Eileen Notarianni, Benefits Specialist, for an overview of the University’s benefit package and important steps to access the benefits. 

 

“Managing Stress: How to Make Stress Your Friend” 

 

Session 4, presented by ENI Total Wellbeing Solutions, will take place April 25 from 2:30- 4:00 p.m. at BRN 228.

Stress is an everyday occurrence, but each individual responds differently to the pressures of life. This stress management training is designed to help individuals become aware of the stressors in their lives, identify their own unique response to stress, and learn proven strategies to help manage stress. These strategies will help us to remain calm and effective in high pressure situations and help us to avoid the health problems associated with long term stress.

Topics discussed in this training include:

• Defining stress and stressors
• How stress affects physical health and emotional wellness
• Identifying your individual stress response
• Targeting stress: Strategies to reduce, prevent and cope with stress
• Prioritizing the important vs. the unimportant and applying stress management strategies

ENI’s NexGen EAP is your confidential EAP, Work/Life, Wellness and Health Advocacy benefit provided by the University at no cost to you. As a full-time AND part-time employee of the University, you and your eligible family members can trust the NexGen EAP services to address your total wellbeing from accessing counseling services to maximizing work/life balance to providing personalized wellness resources. All employees may feel free to contact NexGen EAP by calling 1-800-327-2255, or visiting online at www.nexgeneap.com . The University’s Company ID is 1549. NexGen EAP Mental Health Professionals provide no-cost confidential counseling in-person or over the phone for a variety of stressful issues and is available 24/7. 

 

University of Scranton President Joseph G. Marina, S.J., sent “A Message for Martin Luther King Jr. Day” to the University community.

 

Dear Friends,

 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. frequently credited Jesus Christ for his inspiration and Mohandas Gandhi for his approach to initiating change. As The University of Scranton community celebrates Martin Luther King Day, we join with others across the nation in turning to Dr. King and the example he set to find inspiration and effect change where needed.

In Dr. King’s first book, Stride Toward Freedom, he described six fundamental principles of his philosophy of nonviolence.

Principle One: Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people;

Principle Two: Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding;

Principle Three Nonviolence works to defeat injustice, not people;

Principle Four: Nonviolence holds that suffering for a cause can educate and transform people and societies;

Principle Five: Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate;

Principle Six: Nonviolence believes that the universe is on the side of justice.

Of course, Dr. King did not merely speak of these principles. He practiced them and made great sacrifices to advance them. When the news of his assassination reached Thomas Merton, the great Trappist monk and author and a devoted friend of King’s, Merton sent a note of condolence to Coretta Scott King saying, “[Dr. King] has done the greatest thing anyone can do. In imitation of his master, he has laid down his life for friends and enemies…He will go down in history as one of our greatest citizens.”

As we witness violence and war continuing in the world, and see injustice, hate and divisiveness in our own country, let us keep in mind the fundamental principles above and seek to live them out as active participants in the ongoing work of democracy and social justice.  

Although we have much more to do as we strive to build the Kingdom of God for all at Scranton and beyond, let us be guided by Dr. King’s inspiration. May we always choose love over hate and truly believe and trust that justice will prevail.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Joseph G. Marina, S.J.

President

The University of Scranton community participated in an evening of fellowship and faith on campus Sunday, Dec. 3. Team and club members, classmates and co-workers, family and friends were invited by Mission and Ministry to gather in the Byron Center for the University’s Advent Mass.

After 5 p.m. Mass concluded, attendees created a luminous display as they processed with lit candles down the commons to the tree lighting at Dionne Green. Immediately following, all were invited into the DeNaples Center for Christmas on the Commons hosted by the Center for Student Engagement. 

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Team and club members, classmates and co-workers, family and friends are invited by Mission and Ministry to gather Sunday, Dec. 3  at 5 p.m. in the Byron Center for The University’s Advent Mass.

After mass, stroll down the commons to the Dionne Green for the tree lighting. Then, immediately following, head into the DeNaples Center for Christmas on the Commons hosted by the Center for Student Engagement. It is an evening filled with light, lively fun and love!

"We hope that, even among final exams, papers, grading, shopping, and get-together of all shapes and sizes, that these days provide each of us with the opportunity to prepare our hearts once again for the in-breaking of Christ in our world," said Dan Cosacchi, Ph.D., vice president for Mission and Ministry. 

"One of the ways that we here at The University of Scranton celebrate this liturgical season together is with our annual Advent Mass, followed by our Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony. This year, please join us on Sunday, Dec. 3, at 5 p.m. in the Byron Center. After Mass concludes, we will process with lit candles to the Dionne Green for the remainder of the festivities. All are welcome, and we look forward to seeing you there!"

 

This week, University of Scranton students, faculty and staff received invitations to take part in surveys designed to help the University better understand the student experience.

• The Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Survey (SSI) is sent to all undergraduate and graduate students and asks them to share feedback about their experience at the University so far. They are provided with a comprehensive listing of various program and service areas that may be part of that experience, and indicate how important each is to them, and how satisfied they are.

• The Institutional Priorities Survey (IPS) is a companion instrument sent to faculty and staff. It mirrors the SSI in terms of the aspects of campus life and learning explored. In the IPS survey, faculty and staff are invited to indicate how important it is that the institution meet students’ expectations with the same items included in the SSI, and how well they think they are being met.

We are excited to obtain new data about what students, faculty, and staff think about the importance of, and how well we are meeting, student expectations across a variety of areas. This information will be used to support ongoing improvement activities, and will also be helpful to institutional planning, including the development of our next University-wide strategic plan.

Both surveys will be open through Nov. 30.

To take part, students, faculty and staff can click the personal survey link through their email. Alternatively, they may scan the Student and Faculty/Staff QR codes below, and, once entering their Royal ID No. (QR passcode), complete their survey.

Questions about the SSI or IPS surveys? Email Kathryn.yerkes@scranton.edu

This weekend, prospective students and their families can experience The University of Scranton at Open House. On Sunday, Nov. 5, attendees can meet with faculty, students, admissions counselors and financial aid representatives. Registration and tours begin at 9 a.m.

In the meantime, students who attended on Oct. 22 share their thoughts on Scranton and their day on campus.

"Ever since my first visit I knew I wanted to come here. This is the school I compare other schools to," said Emma Douglas, Woolwich Township, New Jersey, who attended Open House with her parents Kevin and Katie.

Inspired by its Catholic and Jesuit mission, Scranton provides a rigorous, in-depth education designed for personal and professional success. For 30 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Scranton among the 10 top Master’s Universities in the North. The Princeton Review included Scranton in its list “Best Colleges” for 22 consecutive years and in its ranking of the nation’s “Best Science Labs” (No. 18) for seven years, among other rankings.

"I heard great things about the science program which is what I want to go into," said Ryan M. DiMattia, Avoca, shown, who attended Open House on Sunday, Oct. 22 with his father, Gary. "I like the way the campus looks and the people we talked to seem nice." 

 Students who have previously heard about the University from others used the Open House opportunity to form their own opinions.
"The campus is nice. My dad teaches here and has been trying to get me to come, so I came to see if he was biased or not, and everyone had great things to say about it," said Raneem Wesam Alramadeen, Clarks Summit, shown, who attended with her mother Duaa Adeinat.

During Sunday's event, representatives of student organizations, athletic teams and Scranton’s Honors Programs, will be available. Student-led tours of the campus will be conducted throughout the day and will include residence halls, dining halls, computer labs, science labs and academic facilities. 

See what students Alexandra Shomali, a junior mathematical sciences and philosophy double major from Ellicott City, Maryland and Gillian Marsicano, a senior occupational therapy major from East Brunswick, New Jersey advise about Open House in the full video. Also, see what students have to say about Scranton’s residence halls. 

For additional information, contact Scranton’s Admissions Office at 1-888-SCRANTON or visit Scranton’s Open House webpage.

The fall 2023 issue of The Scranton Journal is here. In it, you can read about how the Advancement Department is introducing "A Fire That Kindles Other Fires: The Campaign to Advance Mission, Access and Excellence."

Also, find inspiration in the incredible impact that our alumni are having out in the world, including a CEO of Los Angeles-based financial valuation advisory firm who has established scholarships for accounting students, and a senior director at the College Board in Washington, D.C. who leads strategic admission, access and diversity initiatives.

What else is inside this issue?

• For the second time in school history, Scranton Athletics has captured the Landmark Conference Presidents' Trophy.
  
  
• A 1985 'Fix-A-Friend' dance leads to a #ScrantonLoveStory and a new generation of Royals.
  
  
• Scranton faculty utilizes DNA to solve biological mysteries.
  

  
  And, don't forget about Class Notes and online exclusives, including Alumni Photo Central.

  Read all this and more in the fall issue of The Scranton Journal online at scranton.edu/journal  .

Click below to flip through.

The 600 block of Linden Street in Scranton looks a little more Royal than it did earlier this week. On Tuesday afternoon, Louis Stanley Brown Hall received a flourish of The University of Scranton's signature purple with the installation of a new canopy and awning.

The improvements were initiated in October 2022, according to project manager for the University, James Caffrey, Associate Vice President of Facilities Management.

"The canopy and awning replacements were suggested by Bobby Davis, Vice President for University  Advancement, who, after Lavish moved out, thought we should have something identifying the Louis Stanley Brown Hall building as part of the University," Caffrey said. 

He referenced Lavish Scranton, which previously occupied the space on the corner of Linden Street and Adams Avenue and relocated in 2021 to the former Stoehr & Fister building at 200 Adams Ave. 

The first phase of the updates began last fall with the installation of digital window pictures on the building's first floor exterior.

"People stopped and took notice," said Caffrey, describing the reaction of passersby to the "purple hue" that wraps around the corner and increases visibility for the University in the downtown area of Scranton.

Phase two, canopy and awning replacements that feature the University's split “S” logo, were contingent upon approval by the Scranton Historical Architecture Review Board, HARB, which was granted in November of last year.

Caffrey consulted with Angela Kiesinger, Interior Designer, Hemmler + Camayd, Scranton, who developed architectural renderings that were reviewed and approved by the University. Vendors involved with the project included Brand Graphic Solutions, Plymouth, and Awesome Awnings and Exterior Services, Dunmore.

According to Caffrey, the Facilities Management Department is also working on a multi-year, phased plan to upgrade the building's HVAC system.

"This is one of nearly 100 projects that the Facilities Management department is managing to enhance and maintain The University of Scranton," Caffrey said.

The University of Scranton offered an interfaith Prayer Service for Peace in the Holy Land in the G. Donald Pantle, S.J., Rose Garden on campus Oct. 17.

The University joined with others across the world who answered the call to pray for peace issued by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, a call endorsed by The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Offering prayers and Scripture readings from the Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions at the University’s service were Rabbi Daniel Swartz of Temple Hesed; and from The University of Scranton, Daniel Cosacchi, Ph.D., vice president for mission and ministry; Michael G. Azar, Ph.D., associate professor of theology/religious studies; Ahmed Gomaa, Ph.D., associate professor of operations and analytics; and Julie Schumacher Cohen, assistant vice president of community engagement and government affairs. Michael O’Malley, director of liturgy and music, provided a closing hymn.

Last week, University of Scranton President Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., sent “A Statement on the Violence in Israel and Gaza” to the University community in which he quoted this Prayer for Peace from Pope Francis:

“Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be ‘brother’ [and ‘sister’], and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen.”

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University of Scranton President Joseph G. Marina, S.J., sent “A Statement on the Violence in Israel and Gaza” to the University community.

 

Dear Friends, 

Words often fail when faced with the inhumane violence of terrorism and the destruction of war. Nevertheless, as a university community, we must voice our solidarity with the people of Israel as they grapple with the aftermath of unprecedented brutal attacks by Hamas this past weekend amidst Jewish holidays. We must likewise recognize and remember innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza killed, injured or displaced by the war that has ensued. 

Many within our University community have family and friends who may be directly affected by these tragic events. Please remember campus resources are available to offer support, including, but not limited to the Dean of Students Office (201 DeNaples Center; 570-941-7680), Counseling Center (6^th Floor O’Hara Hall; 570-941-7620) and Campus Ministry (200 DeNaples Center; 570-941-7419) for students and the Employee Assistance Program for staff and faculty. 

On Tuesday, Oct. 17, we will conduct a vigil at noon in the G. Donald Pantle, S.J., Rose Garden to pray for peace and for all victims of violence in the Middle East.  

Until then, I ask that you join me in praying for peace in Israel and Gaza and for a just and secure future for the peoples of the Holy Land. Let us also pray for all victims of violence, for those held captive, for their families and loved ones, and for those who care for them. As Pope Francis said in his “Prayer for Peace”:

Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be "brother" [and “sister”], and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen. 

 

Yours faithfully, 

Joseph G. Marina, S.J.

President

In an occasional series, Royal News spotlights clubs from the university’s 100+ student organizations on campus, speaks to members and offers information on how to connect with the clubs.

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

---

 

GET INVOLVED

Club: Roundnet Club

Meet: Andrew Gordos, '24, shown, a biomathematics, pre-dental major from Leesport, Pennsylvania and  president of the Roundnet Club.

Connect: @uofs_roundnet

Q: What is the Roundnet Club’s mission?

"To provide the opportunity for all students attending The University of Scranton to increase their knowledge of and compete at all skill levels of Spikeball*."

Q: What, in your opinion, are the most exciting events or activities you present as a club?

"The club, for the past two years, has partnered with CSA (Commuter Student Association) for an ice cream social, and partnered with CHEW (Center for Health Education and Welness) for Glow and Flow, in which our club provided glow-in-the-dark nets and balls. One event that was super exciting was our little club tournament on Sept. 23. This was our first tournament, ever, and we are planning on having a University-wide tournament in October."

Q: Why would you recommend someone join?

"I would recommend people join the club if they would like to learn how to play the game, to improve their skills related to the game, or to have fun playing with others. We are very open to new and experienced players."

Q: Why did you join the club?

"I helped in the process of forming the club as the first captain. I always wanted to have a Roundnet club at Scranton because I wanted to create a place where people could meet others who also loved the game. I did not have that for my first two years and I wanted to create that for others."

Q: When and where does the Roundnet Club meet?

"Roundnet Club meets for practices three times every week. We meet in the Byron on Mondays from 7:00-8:30 p.m., on the Fitzpatrick Field on Thursdays from 7:30-9:00 p.m., and on the Fitzpatrick Field on Saturdays, in which the times fluctuate week-to-week."

Q: Any plans for the fall semester?

"We plan to continue our practices but we are planning a University-wide tournament on either Oct. 14 or Oct. 21. Flyers for this tournament will be published soon around campus with all the necessary information."

 * Roundnet is a sport that is played with a spherical ball, similar to a beach ball, on a raised rounded net. Spikeball is an equipment of the Roundnet sport.


Shown, above, from left: Roundnet Club officers Vice President John Christiansen '25, a secondary education and history major, Captain Justin Nichols, '25, a nursing major, Secretary Rishi Majmundar '25 and President Andrew Gordos '24, President, a biomathematics major.

The University of Scranton Roche Family Center for Career Development invites students of all majors to visit the Fall 2023 Career Expo on Friday, Sept. 29, from noon to 3 p.m. at The Byron Center on campus.

"The team in the Center for Career Development works with students in all years and all majors; it's never too soon to see us," said Lori Moran, director of The University of Scranton Roche Family Center for Career Development.

"We are here to support students and alumni with anything related to their career journey and career development."

Moran shared few tips, below, for students in regard to Friday's Career Expo.

BEFORE THE EXPO:

* Research the organizations who will be there—check out the list of organizations on Handshake! There are over 100!

* Prepare your "elevator pitch," your 30-second introduction, so you feel confident introducing yourself and talking with recruiters.

* Schedule an appointment with one of the careers coaches to talk about your resume, your elevator pitch, or anything else in regard to your career development and preparing for the Expo!

DURING THE EXPO:

* Dress to impress.

* Bring copies of your resume printed on good quality resume paper.

* Talk to the organizations you have identified.

AFTER THE EXPO:

* Follow up with the organizations you spoke with by writing a thank-you email.

The local and University communities are invited to attend a documentary film screening of "Pray, The Story of Patrick Peyton" on Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center, Room 401.

The 70-minute documentary shares the path of an Irish teenager who immigrated to Scranton in 1928, worked at the Cathedral of St. Peter and became one of history's greatest advocates for family prayer. 

Vice President for Mission and Ministry Daniel Cosacchi, Ph.D. explains what makes it a must-see film.

"There are many things that make this film a great experience for us, but if I could point to one in particular, it would be Fr. Peyton’s local connection to our area. After immigrating from Ireland, Fr. Peyton landed right here in town and even discovered his vocation to the priesthood here in Scranton. One of Fr. Peyton’s first jobs as a young man was working in St. Peter’s Cathedral, which is a short walk from our campus."

In 1928, Patrick Peyton immigrated to Scranton, where his family members were residing in America. Unable to find work, a young Patrick Peyton accepts the position as a janitor at the St. Peter's Cathedral, which rekindles his desire to become a priest and changes the course of his life. Fr. Peyton, shown, convinces Hollywood’s biggest stars to help him spread the message, “The family that prays together stays together.”

Fr. Peyton’s fame spreads globally and audiences in the millions flock to his public prayer rallies. This is the story of a tireless missionary, an unlikely hero, and one of history’s greatest advocates for family prayer.

"We became involved in hosting this screening because of our long and happy connection with Dave and Ann Hawk, who are well-known because of Gertrude Hawk Chocolates and for all of their philanthropy here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Hawks have been avid supporters of Fr. Peyton’s cause for canonization for many years, even leading a monthly Rosary recitation at St. Peter Cathedral to pray for Fr. Peyton’s cause. The Hawks thought hosting the screening here at the University would be a great idea, and we agreed!" said Dr. Cosacchi.

A panel discussion will follow the film, featuring Fr. David Marcham, shown, Vice Postulator of the Cause for Venerable Patrick Peyton.

"We can expect more conversation about Fr. Peyton’s life, and his links to Scranton, as well as the process of a cause of canonization.

But also, it will be great to hear more about other aspects of Fr. Peyton’s life that will be touched on in the film, especially the moniker given him, 'The Rosary Priest' and his being credited with coming up with the phrase, 'The family that prays together, stays together.' The panel discussion will help us all realize how Fr. Peyton’s life and ministry affect us even today," added Cosacchi.

View the trailer at PrayTheFilm.com

Register using the form at this link.

 

The theme for 2023 Family Weekend "Choose Your Own Adventure" perfectly encapsulates events planned for Sept. 23 and 24: A student talent showcase, an afternoon of food truck fare, a concert that features 'living legends' and a Mass with a spirit of inclusivity of all religious and non-denominational traditions. 

The list of activities on campus continues with athletics, such as field hockey and women's rugby games, and USPB After Dark: Family Weekend Edition, where University of Scranton Programming Board (USPB) will transform the DeNaples Center into a family entertainment complex with a live, interactive game show, Scranton bingo, photo booths and more.

"We are looking forward to, again, welcoming our Scranton Families in Fellowship and Celebration at the annual Family Weekend Event to be held this Saturday, September 23, 2023! It's a great opportunity for students to reconnect and show their families around their 'Scranton Home'!" said Peggy Doolittle '20, G'22, advancement coordinator.

Get additional details about events on campus at our Family Weekend Activities page.



Clubs set to perform in the student showcase on Saturday at the The John J. Long Center include: Scrantones (Men/Women for Octaves), Royal Harmony (Men/Women for Octaves), Liva Arts (Musical Theater), Royal Expressions (Contemporary Dance), cheer, shown below, dance team, shown above, and Urban Beats.

Student organizations will sponsor fundraisers, including the cheer team, selling T-shirts and beverage insulators, and the dance team, offering glitter tattoos, a popcorn machine and T-shirts, among others.

The Family Weekend Planning Committee, along with faculty, staff and students invites all family and friends to browse The Weinberg Library Book Sale for hidden treasures or take a chance on winning an amazing basket at The Center for Service and Social Justice Basket Raffle.

Join our community at Mass on Saturday at 4 p.m. at The William J. Byron, S.J. Recreation Complex as we celebrate Scranton families coming together in fellowship. Families of all religious affiliations are warmly welcome.

Concert to Feature 'Living Legends' 

The Family Weekend Concert presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton will feature trombonist and vocalist Wycliffe Gordon H’06 and pianist Eric Reed on Saturday, Sept. 23. 

"WE!,” a concert featuring Gordon and Reed, with an appearance by The University of Scranton Concert Choir, will take place Saturday, Sept. 23, at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center. The concert is free of charge. 

“Our student choir will perform Robert Ray’s Gospel Magnificat with Wycliffe and Eric,” said Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga. “It’s a rare opportunity for student musicians to perform this music alongside living legends.”

Learn more at a Royal News article about the performers.

Family Weekend Hospitality Center

A warm welcome awaits visitors at the Family Weekend Hospitality Center Saturday between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at The DeNaples Center, 1st Floor. Staff will be on hand to answer questions about the weekend and offer suggestions about our Scranton Downtown and the surrounding area.

For additional details, visit: www.scranton.edu/familyweekend

With questions, call 570-941-4222 or email: familyweekend@scranton.edu

 

Sept. 8-29     Art Exhibit: “Cura Personalis: Selections from the University of Scranton Art Collection.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu

Sept. 8       11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “We’ve Got to Get Ourselves Back to the Garden: Inside the Music and Times of the Woodstock Generation” presented by Rob Kapilow, composer, conductor, music commentator and author. The Kane Forum, Edward Leahy, Jr. Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Sept. 8       5 p.m. Art Gallery Curator’s Lecture: “Cura Personalis: Selections from the University of Scranton Art Collection.” Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Reception follows at the Hope Horn Gallery. Free. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Sept. 8       7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “What Makes It Great? The American Songbook” featuring Rob Kapilow, composer, conductor, music commentator and author, with soprano Magdalyn E. Boga. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Sept. 12      11 a.m. Volunteer Fair for area nonprofit agencies offering volunteer opportunities for students. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Pre-registration required. Call 570-941-7429 or email ellen.judge@scranton.edu.

Sept. 12      11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Gun Violence, Prevention, and the Role of the Media” presented by Jim MacMillan, journalist, educator and social innovator, director of the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Sept. 19      11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Revitalizing Democracy” presented by Michele Moody-Adams, Ph.D., Joseph L. Straus Professor of Political Philosophy and Legal Theory, Columbia University. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Sept. 19    Noon. Laudato Si’ Plan Kickoff Event. Rev. G. Donald Pantle, S.J., Rose Garden. Free. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

Sept. 21       7:30 p.m. Ignatian Values in Action Lecture: “Living Against the Grain” presented by Tim Muldoon, theologian, professor and author of several books including The Ignatian Workout. Byron Recreation Complex. Free. Call 570-941-7520 or email linda.walsh@scranton.edu.

Sept. 23      7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “WE!” featuring Wycliffe Gordon, trombone and Eric Reed, piano with an appearance by The University of Scranton Concert Choir. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Sept. 28        5 p.m. Lecture: “What is Comparative Theology? How is it humanities? How is it Jesuit? How is it Catholic? Why do you do it, and how have you found that God meets you in this work?” presented by Francis X. Clooney, S.J., Jesuit priest and scholar in the teachings of Hinduism, professor at Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

Sept. 23-24        The University of Scranton Family Weekend 2023. Various campus locations. Call 570-941-4222 or email familyweekend@scranton.edu.

Sept. 28       7:30 p.m. Asian Studies invites you to the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival tea tasting and dessert pairing and learn about the legends and customs associated with the festival. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Free. Email ann.pang-white@scranton.edu to reserve a seat.  

Sept. 30      7 a.m. Schemel Forum bus trip to Philadelphia Museum of Art and Rodin Museum. $135 per person. Registration required. Spaces are limited. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Oct. 5         8:30 a.m. 22nd Annual U.S. Conference on DISABILITY “Ability Focused Advocacy: Breaking Barriers to Achieving Careers and Independence” McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free for general public. Call 570-941-7819 or visit www.scranton.edu/disabilityconference.

Oct. 5         11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Transforming Spaces: Public Art and Community Engagement” presented by Michelle Angela Ortiz, 2021 Art is Essential Grantee, 2020 Art For Justice Fund Grantee, Pew Fellow, Rauschenberg Foundation Artist and Activist Fellow, and Kennedy Center Citizen Artist National Fellow. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Oct. 6-20      Art Exhibit: “Earth’s Apothecary: Recent Works by Jordan Oakey.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Oct. 11       6 p.m. Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities: “Chanteur of French Songs” presented by Kevin Soucie, guitarist. Slattery Center. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

Oct. 12       5:30 p.m. Humanities Forum Lecture: “Bison Hide, Elephant Tusk, and Sperm Whale Oil: The Industrial Revolution and the ‘Late Holocene Depletions’ ca. 1800-1920” presented by J.R. McNeill, Distinguished University Professor at Georgetown University. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

Oct. 13       11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “AI and Deciphering the Criminal Mind” presented by Ann Burgess, D.N.Sc., renowned expert in trauma, abuse assessment and treatment. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Oct. 13       5 p.m. Artist’s Lecture: “Earth’s Apothecary: Recent Works by Jordan Oakey.” Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Reception follows at the Hope Horn Gallery. Free. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Oct. 14       7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner, piano. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Oct. 17       5:30 p.m. Schemel Forum with the Gail and Francis Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities Collaborative Program: “Myers Distinguished Visiting Fellow in the Humanities and Civic Engagement Lecture” presented by Dale Jamieson, Ph.D., professor emeritus of environmental studies; director, Center for Environmental and Animal Protection; affiliated professor of law, medical ethics and bioethics; founding director of environmental studies program; and former chair of the environmental studies department and professor of philosophy at New York University. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Receptions follows. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Oct. 19      5 p.m. Humanities Forum: Lecture and Book Signing by Patricia Leavy, author of Hollyland. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu. 

Oct. 22      9 a.m. Open House for prospective students and their families. Various locations on campus. Registration required. Free. Call 888-SCRANTON or email admissions@scranton.edu.

Oct. 27-Nov. 17         Art Exhibit: “Scranton’s Story: Oral History Portrait Photographs.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Oct. 27       5 p.m. Art Gallery Panel Discussion: “Scranton’s Story: Oral History Portrait Photographs.” Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Reception follows at the Hope Horn Gallery. Free. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Oct. 28       7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Jazz Band with guest soloist Chris Lewis, tenor sax. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Oct. 20-22 and 27-29         8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” presented by The University Players. Royal Theater, McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Ticket prices vary. Call 570-941-4318 or email players@scranton.edu

Oct. 30       6 p.m. Schemel Forum with the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library Collaborative Program: “Book Bans and Censorship” presented by Tracie D. Hall, executive director American Library Association, author, curator and advocate for the Arts. PNC Auditorium or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Oct. 31            7:30 p.m. Judaic Studies Institute Lecture: “Dyed in Crimson – Football, Faith, Antisemitism, and the American Dream” presented by Zev Eleff, Ph.D., president of Gratz College, ordained Rabbi and distinguished academic scholar. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. Free. 570-941-7956 or marc.shapiro@scranton.edu.

Nov. 2        11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “A Molecule Away from Madness: Tales of the Hijacked Brain” presented by Sara Manning Peskin, M.D., assistant professor of clinical neurology, University of Pennsylvania. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Nov 2         4 p.m. Humanities Forum Lecture: “Explaining the Cosmos: Can the Philosopher Help?” presented by Dean Zimmerman, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Rutgers University, author and lecturer. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

Nov. 4        7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Symphonic Band. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Nov. 5         9 a.m. Open House for prospective students and their families. Various locations on campus. Registration required. Free. Call 888-SCRANTON or email admissions@scranton.edu.

Nov. 9        7:30 p.m. Henry George Lecture: “The ‘China Shock’ After 22 Years” presented by Robert C. Feenstra, Ph.D., C. Bryan Cameron Distinguished Chair in International Economics, University of California, Davis. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4048 or email janice.mecadon@scranton.edu.

Nov 10        Noon. Humanities Forum Lecture: “The Habit of Poetry: The Literary Lives of Nuns in Mid-century America” presented by Nick Ripatrazone, author and culture editor of Image Journal. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

Nov. 12       4 p.m. Performance Music: “The Generation Sing!” The Catholic Choral Society opens their 75^th anniversary season jointed by The University of Scranton concert Choir and Valley View High School Choir with middle school and elementary choirs. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Nov. 16        7 p.m. Keynote Lecture and Book Signing: “Who are We as a Nation? Education for Democracy” presented by Danielle Allen, Harvard University political theorist and author of Justice by Means of Democracy. The event is part of “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story,” a project supported by a NEH grant led by The University of Scranton and community partners. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Nov. 16-18      8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. “Footloose” presented by Liva Arts Company. The Royal Theater, McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. $5. Call 570-941-7401 or email livaartscompany@gmail.com.

Nov. 18       7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton String Orchestra with guest violinist Kako Miura Boga. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Dec. 2       8 p.m. Performance Music: “56^th Annual Noel Night” featuring The University of Scranton Singers and Chamber Ensembles. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Dec. 10      7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “Empty Stocking Fund Benefit Concert.” Performance Music student musicians perform solo, duo, trio and small group renditions of a variety of Christmas favorites. Houlihan-McLean Center. Admission: one new unwrapped toy, new toiletry items or a monetary donation. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Schemel Courses:

Tuesdays: Sept. 12, 19, 26 and Oct. 3, 10, 24          6 p.m. Schemel Forum Course: “Indiana Jones and the Twentieth Century” presented by Sean Brennan, Ph.D., professor of history, The University of Scranton. Room 305, Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Wednesdays: Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 and Nov. 1, 8         6 p.m. Schemel Forum Course: “The Crisis of the Sciences: Positivism, Essentialism, and the Need for Critical Theory?” presented by Andrew LaZella, Ph.D., professor of philosophy, The University of Scranton. Room 305, Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Mondays: Oct. 23, 30 and Nov. 16, 13, 20, 27        6 p.m. Schemel Forum Course: “Writing in Place” presented by Hank Willenbrink, Ph.D., associate professor, English and Theatre, The University of Scranton. Room 305, Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

 

The University's marketing communications department is looking for an experienced web developer to join our team.

The developer works collaboratively with departments and constituencies across campus to create and maintain effective and engaging web user experiences.

This position is charged with the development, testing and maintenance of the University’s public-facing websites, web integrations with software and services, and assistance with the administration of the University’s content management system.

The University of Scranton is one of the top employers in the region and is a great place to work. Employees can take advantage of many unique benefits, such as free use of the fitness facilities, annual employee events and employee discounts on a wide range of travel and entertainment venues and services.

We also offer an excellent benefits package!

Benefits include:

• Comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage
• Tuition remission and tuition exchange plans for employees and their families
• Generous University contribution for The University retirement savings plan
• Voluntary retirement saving plan

Other benefits include:

• Disability and Life Insurance coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Voluntary insurance options (including life and critical illness)
• Generous paid time off
• Mission and community service leave

To learn more about the web developers position, visit universityofscrantonjobs.com.

NOTE: Applications for this position will be accepted through Tuesday, August 29.

Each year, the University recognizes staff and faculty across all departments for 10 and 20 years of service in their position under The Order of Pro Deo et Universitate. The event this year was held on Thursday, April 20, at 5 p.m. in the Rose Room in Brennan Hall. Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, and Betsey Moylan, Faculty Emeritus and Chairwoman for The Order of Pro Deo, presented the awards to inductees, whose families and friends were in attendance to celebrate their loved ones.

“What I have enjoyed most about my 20 years with The University of Scranton are the people I have met and the friendships I have made. I really do consider my co-workers as family and I am honored to be part of such an incredible group!” said Erin Maguire, Athletics Operations Manager, honoree.

Ten-year recipients each received a silver pin with the University Crest and a certificate and the 20-year recipients each received a gold pin with the University Crest, a certificate and an engraved medal.

In addition to the 10- and 20-year recipients, members who achieved 30 and 40 years of service at the University were invited to be recognized and celebrate the newest members of The Pro Deo Society  

“It’s been wonderful to celebrate the members of the University staff and faculty, as well as Aramark staff, who were honored today for their significant service to the University and our students,“ Patti Tetreault, Vice President Human Resources with the University.

Honorees with 10 Years of Service 

 David Angeloni

Duane S. Armitage

Michael Azar

Shawn Beistline

Erin A. Bisciaio

Charles M. Brown

Arthur J. Catino

Robert C. Giambatista

Thomas J. Kern Jr.

Mary M. Kovaleski

Joseph P. Laguzzi

Yibai Li

Fred Mercadante

Adam J. Pratt

 Michael Schappert

Judith L. Stanton

Bradley J. Troy

Benjamin T. Willis

Doreen Wormuth

Rachel Bourizk

 Richard W. Krayer

John A. Ruddy

Laura A. Talerico

Ian M. O’Hara

Patrick T. Orr

Cynthia Parry

Thomas Coleman

Christopher M. Carrera

Honorees with 20 Years of Service

Marc J. Dwyer

William J. Fiorini

Mevlida M. Kasumovic

Erin A. Maguire

Catherine M. McCormick

Sharon L. Olechna

Lynn M. Pelick

Lynn M. Rasalla

Robert J. Smith

Marlene J Morgan

Tracy M. Muth

Robert E. Kennedy

Gerianne Barber

 

Honorees with 30 Years of Service

Mary Kay Aston

Margaret F. Hynosky

 Jerome McDermott

John J. Ogden III

Susan M. Shoemaker

Nabil A. Tamimi

Richard A. Larsen

Mary Jane K. DiMattio

Rosemary A. Ferrise

Honorees with 40 Years of Service

Robert A. Spalletta

Stephen E. Whittaker

Lisa M. Cornell

James E. Fenwick

The University of Scranton received a total of $5,000 from two grants from Scranton Area Community Foundation (SACF) to support its SPARK Program, a free, week-long enrichment and mentoring summer camp for Scranton-area teens. The SPARK program received a $3,500 from the Women in Philanthropy initiative of the SACF and $1,500 Spring Community Needs grant from the SACF.

SPARK is designed to foster teamwork, encourage self-esteem and good decision-making and enhance communication skills through interactive educational and outdoor activities. Through shared meals offered through the camp, participants also forge a sense of community and belonging. Area students aged 12-16 who participate in SPARK are recruited through the Nativity Miguel School, the United Neighborhood Centers and Friends of the Poor.

SPARK is run by students from the University and Scranton Prep under the supervision of University staff and faculty. The camp takes place at the University’s Conference and Retreat Center at Chapman Lake one week in July.

SPARK also provides mentoring training and opportunities for service for University of Scranton and Scranton Prep students who volunteer to help run the program.

SPARK was founded in 2012 by Patricia Vaccaro, director of the University’s Center for Service and Social Justice, and Danny Marx, a graduate of the University and Prep, who is now a mathematics teacher at Scranton Prep.

The mission of the Scranton Area Community Foundation, a public 501c3 community foundation, is to enhance the quality of life for all people in Northeastern Pennsylvania through the development of organized philanthropy. According to its website, the foundation serves as a steward, a grant-maker, a charitable resource and a catalyst for change. The foundation manages more than 300 charitable funds established by philanthropic individuals in our community and have granted more than $20 million to assist the educational, human service, environmental, civic, and arts and cultural organizations in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Nearly 300 students in grades five to 12 participated in The University of Scranton Earth Day Essay Contest this year. Awards were announced at the University’s Evening of Environmental Science Event on campus in April.

This year’s essay theme was “People’s Planet, Climate Justice.”

Four of the six fifth-grade essay contest winners were from All Saints Academy in Scranton. These students include Lila Tallo, first place; Griffin Maynor, second place; Liam Marante, second place and Talia Lameo, third place. The other fifth-grade winners came from St. Claire/St. Paul’s in Scranton. Brian Clarke won first place and Annie Butler won third place.

The sixth-grade students that took first place in the essay contest were Tommy Killino, from All Saints Academy and Jimmy Doherty, from St Claire/St. Paul’s. The students who won second place were John Paul Kasaczun, from All Saints Academy and Mya DeSantis, from St Claire/St. Paul’s. Receiving a third-place award were Kelly Heffron and Cecelia Gilmartin, both from St. Claires/St. Paul’s.

The first-place winner of the seventh-grade essay contest was Jazleymi V., from Howard Gardner School in Scranton. In second-place was Niko Benko, from All Saints Academy and in third-place was Raeleigh Reiss, also from Howard Gardner.

The eight-grade first-place winners were Mary Guziewicz, from Howard Gardner School and Nethra Purushothaman, from Herndon, Virginia. In second place were Isabella Benjamin, from St Claire/St. Paul’s and Edie Hann, from Scranton STEMM Academy. The third-place winners were Fallon Price, from All Saints Academy and Rebecca Oakes, from Howard Gardner school.

The ninth-10^th grade essay contest winners were: Grace Becklish, first place, North Pocono High school; Clinton J Muir, second place, Holy Cross High School; Emma Woody, second-place, Holy Cross High School; and

The 11^th-12^th grade essay contest winners were all from West Scranton High School. Coming in first-place was Ally Anderson; in second place was Katherine Barnansky and in third-place was Ella Frounfelker.

University of Scranton students who work in the Jesuit school’s Office of Sustainability reviewed the essays submitted, in addition to organizing the award ceremony Nathaniel Smith, Wilkes-Barre, a neuroscience major and member of the University’s Magis Honors Program in STEM and its Undergraduate Honors Program, served as MC for the award presentation. University student Amelia Farry, South Abington Township, also participated in the ceremony. Mark Murphy, director of the Office of Sustainability at the University, has organized the Earth Day Essay Contest for a decade.

Information about next year’s essay contest will be posted to the University’s Sustainability webpage in January 2024.

Below, from left: University of Scranton students Amelia Farry, South Abington Township, and Nathaniel Smith, Wilkes-Barre; Earth Day Essay Contest 6th grade medalists Tommy Killino, All Saints Academy, and John Paul Kasaczun, All Saints Academy; and Mark Murphy, director of the Office of Sustainability at the University. Gallery shows photos from the Evening of Environmental Science.

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The National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) Chapter at The University of Scranton has been awarded Gold Chapter Honors for attaining a distinguished level of achievement in the areas of member recruitment and engagement, community outreach and service, legislative advocacy and fundraising during the 2022-23 academic year.

The announcement was made this week by the parent organization, National NSSLHA, whose members are studying communication sciences and disorders (CSD), speech-language pathology and audiology at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels at college and universities nationwide.

“We are so proud of the 2022-23 Gold Chapter Honors awardees, and we congratulate them on all they’ve achieved this year,” said NSSLHA Executive Council President Gabrielle Howard.

“Each chapter demonstrated a deep commitment to its members, its community, and the professions, and embodied NSSLHA’s values in the areas of collaboration, diversity, education, integrity, leadership and service,” she said.

Through its annual honors program, NSSLHA recognizes outstanding affiliated chapters that have made significant contributions to CSD programs, the national organization and their local chapters. Chapter Honors are awarded at the bronze, silver and gold levels.

During the 2022-23 academic year, the University's chapter participated in multiple community outreach and legislative activities. The chapter has partnered with the Bjorn This Way Foundation and raised over $1,000 to provide speech-language pathology services to individuals who need them.

As a chapter, they decided to contact the University's parking services about the language used on accessible parking signs.The latest update from the University has stated that the parking signs will be updated to reflect person-first language. The chapter then decided to extend this mission to the City of Scranton in regard to city-owned accessible parking. The chapter has been advised to bring this issue to a city meeting where they will propose the changes.

The chapter has handed out flyers for Stuttering Awareness Day, including tips on communicating with individuals who stutter. The chapter has participated in signing Take Action Letters through NSSLHA to request that Congress permanently cover telehealth services under Medicare after the pandemic public health emergency coverage was over.

“I am incredibly proud of all of our chapter members for all of their hard work and dedication throughout the year. This is our first full year as a chapter and first year eligible to receive chapter honors, so I am elated that we were able to receive Gold Chapter Honors this year!” said Chapter President Megan Knecht.

The University of Scranton NSSLHA Chapter is one of only 93 in the U.S. and Puerto Rico to receive Gold Chapter Honors in 2023.

How have efforts by the NSSLHA Chapter at The University helped on a national level?

Efforts made by the NSSLHA Chapter at The University of Scranton helped National NSSLHA:
● Increase awareness of communication sciences and disorders (CSD) on more than 140 local college campuses and communities across the country as well as through virtual platforms;
● Increase advocacy efforts by sending more than 5,400 letters to state and federal legislators;
● Provide scholarships to students in CSD programs by contributing more than $22,500 to the ASHFoundation’s NSSLHA Scholarship;
● Support CSD-related organizations by donating $60,000 and more than 25,000 hours of chapter members’ time.

About the NSSLHA Chapter at The University of Scranton

The Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD) program at The University of Scranton strives to focus on a diverse and open-minded education, moral reflection and teaching for social justice while maintaining rigorous scholarship, teaching, service and community partnerships.

The program is held in Edward R. Leahy Hall, which serves the Panuska College of Professional Studies for undergraduate and post-graduate students preparing for careers in health and education.

The National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) is the only national student organization for pre-professionals studying communication sciences and disorders (CSD) recognized by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Established in 1972, National NSSLHA is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, and supports nearly 11,000 members and more than 350 chapters at colleges and universities nationwide.

Spring 2023 marks the halfway point of the University Strategic Plan. This five-year plan outlines our shared institutional goals for the Humanities: supporting students as they explore their faith, passion and purpose, advancing the University though innovation, supporting diversity, equity and inclusion and expanding partnerships in our mission.

Regular progress and impact reports at the Strategic Plan website showcase initiatives and outcomes, highlighting the many ways the University community has embraced and continues to support these goals.

We recently chatted with Dr. Michelle Maldonado, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chair of the University Planning Committee and Kate Yerkes, Assistant Provost for Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, to discuss what has been accomplished and what is on the horizon.

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Q. Kate, in your role you coordinate planning activities across the University, with particular focus on the Strategic Plan. What is a strategic plan? Why do we have one?

"In simplest terms, a strategic plan is a document defining specific goals an organization hopes to achieve over a particular span of time. The plan serves as a framework for decision making and committing to goals that address the most the important issues and needs and ultimately, as a guide for prioritizing our time and resources. 

To answer why we have one, it's important to think about what not having one would mean. In the absence of shared goals, we run the risk of different areas of the University moving in very different directions. I'd also be remiss if I did not note that having institutional goals in place, and providing evidence that they are aligned with our mission and being actively pursued, is a requirement for our institutional accreditation with Middle States. So, taken together, strategic planning is a matter of best practice, good business, and of accountability."

Q: How does the strategic plan connect to the University’s Catholic, Jesuit mission?
KY: "Every college and university has a mission, some statement that defines its scope and purpose and who it serves – it’s guiding north star, if you will. This mission is the foundation for strategic goals. We do not want to embrace goals that take us far from that focal point.
 

Our Catholic, Jesuit mission guided our earliest conversation about the strategic plan, and it permeates it in very concrete ways. To name just a few examples:

1. The Humanities goal objectives relate to the Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities, and exploring connections between the Humanities and Jesuit education.

2. Jesuit ideals frame our approach to supporting students as they understand and pursue their faith, passion, and purpose.

3. Our approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including our commitment to cura personalis, understanding and supporting each individual in their uniqueness.

4. The Jesuit Universal Apostolic Preferences challenge us to better care for our common home and for others, and these are included in the plan’s objectives related to sustainability and service to our broader community."

 

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Q: The Strategic Plan web page includes a lot of information about activities and outcomes. What have been some of the most significant?

Dr. Maldonado: "There have been very significant efforts to address affordability and expand our infrastructure to support student success, such as the new Opening Doors Scholarship and the restructuring of the CTLE (Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence).

The creation of an Office of Student Support and Success mirrors best practices in higher education, where student success is approached in a comprehensive manner. The Office will also have a specialist who focuses on first generation and historically underrepresented students.

In addition, the formation of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) Conference on Student Success and Retention this year, as well as a shared commitment by all AJCU Provosts to focus on student success as a priority, mirrors the work we are doing here at the University."

KY: "There have been so many areas of impact. One that comes immediately to mind is the work we’ve done to build and now collaboratively implement the new, campus-wide plan for diversity, equity and inclusion. The work being done by staff and faculty to better understand the changing needs of our students and to support them within Student Life and other areas amazes me every day."

Q: Dr. Maldonado, as Provost, in addition to your seat on the President’s Cabinet, you are the Chair of the University Planning Committee.  As you guide these groups in considering the work left to be done for this current strategic plan, what do you see as our topmost priorities?

MM: "A key priority is integrating the Strategic Plan more explicitly with the Universal Apostolic Preferences. In addition, the University Planning Committee has agreed that we need to be a key voice in championing priorities and initiatives over the next two years."

Q: What are some external trends that you find yourself thinking most about?  How can our strategic planning – both the current plan and future ones – help ready us to address those opportunities and challenges?

MM: "Some of the external trends that we need to consider moving forward include: the ways in which AI (artificial intelligence) is reshaping higher education, the exploration of new academic programs that respond to shifting needs in the workplace and among our students, and a prioritized focus on student success and retention. In addition, we need to support innovative pedagogy and research through collaborative initiatives with our faculty. We address some of these elements in our current plan and newer trends will inform our future approach."

KY: "We’ll start ramping up environmental scanning within the UPC (University Planning Committee) and in other areas. Scanning is a process where we intentionally examine issues and trends to be sure we have current data and information and and try to build an understanding of what their impact could be.  This analysis is key to making decisions about what needs to be part of the plan."

Q: When will we start putting pen to paper for these future plans?

KY: "Each strategic plan generally follows a five-year span, so the current one is set to conclude in spring 2025. That means that we hope to be ready to launch a new plan in fall 2025, which with the inclusive process we are committed to usually takes at least 18 months to construct.  We want to be sure that all faculty, staff, and students have an opportunity to share their views as part of the planning process. The UPC is already beginning to think about the process for the next plan, and members of the campus community can expect to hear much more in spring 2024."

Q: Dr. Maldonado, you are currently co-chairing the University’s Laudato Si' process.  Can you speak a bit about how this connects to our strategic plan goals?  What can we expect to see in the coming months?

MM: "The Strategic Plan highlights environmental sustainability. Our new Laudato Si’ initiative will build on this emphasis and address how “care for our common home” can impact the University as a whole. This is a seven-year process, and we will be sharing our journey with the University community in the next academic year. "

Q: What would you both most hope that those reading this article understand about the Strategic Plan?

MM: "I hope that members of the University community see themselves in the Strategic Plan. We want this plan to be ours, and by that I mean a plan where each individual member of our community finds a way to connect to and embody an aspect of its vision."   

KY: "That they can be involved. For some, the Strategic Plan may feel big and inaccessible – something  that other people are working on that may not relate to their day-to-day life as a student or as a member of the faculty or staff. But there are ways big and small to contribute, for example, everyday steps to support inclusion, or to build connections and partnerships to support students and our broader community.

Faculty and staff can be part of their own departmental, divisional and college planning activities, helping to shape and unpack broader strategic goals in ways that are uniquely meaningful for their areas. Others may feel a connection to the spirit of the plan, for example, the advance goal is very much about innovation. Are there ways they can embrace that spirit of innovation? 

Students may reflect on their experiences and how they relate to the goals of the plan in terms of what they are seeing in campus programming and services, or, if they don’t, ask why.

Student leaders may consider if there are goals or objectives in the plan they are well positioned to help with, and suggest how they can continue to be a voice for their fellow students in the planning process as we think about our goals for the future."

Check Royal News this fall for updates on projects related to the University’s Strategic Plan.

On a holiday that celebrates the power of trees -- Arbor Day -- consider a lunchtime stroll through campus to view The University of Scranton's Dawn Redwood, a deciduous conifer species that was once considered extinct. 

"For over 30 years I've heard rumors that a special tree existed on campus. Last summer Gerry Zaboski (Senior Vice President, Office of the President) asked if I could check into it, and I discovered the tree was located between Alumni Memorial Hall and the Estate," said Mark Murphy, the University's Director of Sustainability and Energy Management.

A summer work study student in the Office of Sustainability, Nathaniel Smith '23, investigated the species and history of the tree and that information was used to generate artwork for a sign, shown, that will be placed near the tree's base in the coming months.

The tree is located between Alumni Memorial Hall and the Estate. If walking from Alumni Memorial Hall on the sidewalk that leads to the Acessible Parking spaces at the Estate, the tree is on your left about quarter of the way down the sidewalk.

Murphy estimates that the tree was planted in the early 1940s, just about the time the Society of Jesus took over the operation of the University and resided at the Estate. In the late summer of 1942, at the invitation of Bishop William Hafey, 19 Jesuits, including the University's first Jesuit President, Rev. Coleman Nevils, S.J. arrived on campus to administer the University.

Was there a Jesuit priest who might have planted the Dawn Redwood tree in the 1940s? Murphy said he'd love to receive any tips from the University community. Contact him at mark.murphy@scranton.edu 

Learn more about the "Living Fossil," or Metasequoia glyptostrobides, in this article from The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.

 

Through May 5         Art Exhibit: “The University of Scranton Student Exhibition Online.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Virtual exhibit. Free. Call. 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu. 

Through May 12     Art Exhibit: “Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration” by Mark Loughney. Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

May 2      noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “The Promise of American Democracy” presented by Fredrik Logevall, Ph.D., Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School and professor of history, Harvard University. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

May 5             5 p.m. Art Gallery Reception: “Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration” by Mark Loughney as part of downtown Scranton’s First Fridays events. Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

May 6      7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “40^th Annual World Premiere Composition Series Concert” The University of Scranton Concert Band and Concert Choir featuring two new works by composer/conductor Philip J. Kuehn. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

May 8     11:45 a.m. Closing event for campus community of the University’s year-long “Celebrating Women: 50th Anniversary of Coeducation.” Rose Garden and Flag Pole Terrace. Free. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

May 9      noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Vocalising and Music in the Development of Speech Language and Consciousness” presented by Harmar Brereton, M.D., medical and radiation oncologist, Weill Cornell Medical School faculty and clinical professor of medicine at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu

May 12            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton String Orchestra. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

May 20           4 p.m. Commencement Baccalaureate Mass. Byron Recreation Complex. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

May 21            11 a.m. Undergraduate Commencement. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

May 21            4:30 p.m. Graduate Commencement. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

 

On Sunday, April 23, The University of Scranton Singers and Symphonic Band will perform a concert, presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m., inside the University’s Houlihan-McLean Center, on Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, in downtown Scranton. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

     According to Performance Music Conductors and Co-Directors Cheryl Y. Boga and Philip Kuehn, the concert will feature a short program by each ensemble, culminating in a performance of two pieces together.

     The Symphonic Band will be performing Marquez’s “Conga del Fuego Nuevo,” Giroux’s “Mambo Perro Loco,” the perennial Texidor favorite “Amparito Roca” and the Reed arrangement of Monterde’s “La Virgen De La Macarena.” Ken Luckey, principal trumpet of The Scranton Brass Orchestra, will be guest soloist on “La Virgen De La Macarena.” In addition to his busy freelance performing career, Luckey is the Director of Bands at Tunkhannock Area High School and adjunct faculty with the band program at Wilkes University.

     The Singers portion of the program will include Moses Hogan’s arrangement of “Deep River,” “Wade in the Water” arranged by Mark Hayes and Robert Ray’s “Gospel Magnificat."

     Both the 40-member University of Scranton Singers and The University of Scranton Symphonic Band, a 75-member ensemble, are comprised of members of the University community from majors and departments spanning the curriculum. The vast majority of the members are undergraduate students, joined by a few graduate students and members of the faculty and staff – none music majors - who are all brought together by their mutual love of music-making.

     The primary focus of Performance Music at The University of Scranton is its student choral and instrumental performing ensembles. There is no music major at the University, and all enrolled Scranton students (undergraduate and graduate) from every major are eligible for membership in the University Bands, Performance Choirs and String Ensembles, with neither an audition nor enrollment fee required for membership. Hundreds of students participate in the ensembles each year. Other programs within the department - including guest artist concerts, World Premiere Composition Series, Nelhybel Collection, and Scranton Brass Orchestra - closely coordinate programming with the student ensembles. They also offer unique opportunities for student musicians in the ensembles to hear, observe, interact and perform with numerous world-class musicians and artist-teachers.

     For further information on the concert, please visit scranton.edu/music.

 

The University of Scranton will host the 2023 Math Integration Bee for area high school students on Thursday, April 27. The competition, offered free of charge, begins with registration at 4:15 p.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center. The competition serves as practice for participants to improve skills for upcoming Advanced Placement calculus tests.

The event will include a light dinner for participants.

The competition functions similar to a spelling bee, but with contestants completing definite and indefinite integral problems, a type of calculus problem, instead of spelling words. All contestants to reach the final round, which will conclude by 7:30 p.m., will receive $25. The overall winner of the Math Integration Bee will receive an additional $75.

The event is hosted by the University’s Mathematics Department. Registration is required to participate and contestants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a guardian, parent or faculty member. The deadline for registration is April 20.

Additional information regarding rules, registration and examples of past problems is available on the Math Integration Bee website. For questions, contact Stacey Muir, Ph.D., professor of mathematics, at Stacey.muir@scranton.edu.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By: Claire Sunday, '23, student correspondent

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

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

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

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

What prompted your interest in art?

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

How would you describe your style of art?

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

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

What inspires you in your work?

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

Did you have any mentors? If so, who?

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

What advice do you have for budding artists?

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

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

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

What opportunities have you found in Scranton with your art?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Liva Arts Company will present “Curtains,” a musical comedy whodunnit, April 20 - 22. Performances will take place Thursday and Friday, 8 p.m. and Saturday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Royal Theater, McDade Center

Admission is free for undergraduate students, $5 otherwise.

Visit https://livaartscompany.ludus.com to reserve tickets. Email livaartscompany@gmail.com with questions.

Welcome the new year of 2023 and the arrival of Chinese new year of rabbit, and join in festivities at an Asian New Year Celebration and Workshop on Feb. 9.

Professor Kunihiko Matsui, Professor Yun (Lily) Chiang, and students from the Japanese and Chinese classes will guide attendees in creating artwork with Japanese origami and Chinese calligraphy and symbols. 

The event, cosponsored by Asian Studies Program, the Department of World Languages and Cultures, Asia Club, and Asian Studies Honor Society, will take place Thursday at 6 p.m., Brennan 509.

Seating is limited. RSVP required: https://tinyurl.com/AsianNewYearUofS

What attendees can expect at the Feb. 9 Asian New Year Celebration and Workshop

- Celebrate Asian New Year with Chopstick Competition, prizes, workshop, food, and more.
- Learn about how Japanese and Chinese celebrate the New Year.
- Create your own artwork with Japanese origami and Chinese calligraphy and symbols with Prof. Kunihiko Matsui and Prof. Yun (Lily) Chiang, and students from the Japanese and Chinese classes.

Questions? email asianstudies@scranton.edu or ann.pang-white@scranton.edu

In conjunction with the Hope Horn Gallery exhibition "A New Understanding: Paintings by Travis Prince," a Campus Coffeehouse with the artist will be held on Thursday, Feb. 23. The event will be held in the Rose Room, 5th Floor, Brennan Hall, from 7 - 8:00 p.m.

The coffeehouse is produced in conjunction with The University of Scranton Office of Equity and Diversity and University of Scranton Multicultural Center, and is supported in part by a University of Scranton Diversity Initiatives Grant, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the Scranton's Story/Our Nation's Story project.

Please call Darlene Miller-Lanning for information at 570-9412-4214.

Join The Center for Health Education and Wellness (CHEW) in the new semester for CHEW'S Weekly Wellness Classes.

Drop-in classes are taught by professional instructors to promote stress relief and increase strength, flexibility, and mindfulness. Classes are open to students, staff and faculty (unless otherwise stated).

• MINDFULNESS MEDITATION: MONDAY 5 p.m., Library, Room 305
  
  
• DROP-IN PICKLEBALL* : TUESDAY 12- 1 p.m., Byron Gym (Employees Only)
  
  
• POUND: TUESDAY, 5:30 p.m., Byron Gym, Royals Room
  
  
• LUNCHTIME YOGA: WEDNESDAY, 12:15 p.m., Byron Gym, Royals Room
  
  
• LIGHT WEIGHTS and ABS*: MONDAY and WEDNESDAY 5 p.m.- Byron Gym, Royals Room (Employees Only)
  
  
• ENERGIZING YOGA: THURSDAY, 5 p.m., Byron Gym, Royals Room
  
  * Denotes faculty- and staff-only classes.

Jan. 28            8:30 a.m. Campaign School 2023. League of Women Voters of Lackawanna County's campaign training program, co-sponsored by the University's Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service. The program also includes a panel of elected local government officials offering helpful tips. Brennan Hall, Rose Room. Fees vary. Register at www.lwvlackawanna.org or email ceeps@scranton.edu.

Feb. 1     7 p.m. Black History Month Film Series: “Moonlight” presented by the Weinberg Memorial Library and the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-7524 or email george.aulisio@scranton.edu.

Feb. 3 through Mar. 10         Art Exhibit: “A New Understanding: Paintings by Travis Prince.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Feb. 3   5 p.m. Art Gallery Lecture: “A New Understanding: Paintings by Travis Prince” presented by Travis Prince, exhibiting artist. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Reception to follow at the Hope Horn Gallery. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Feb. 4    7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring Tony Lustig Trio. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Feb. 5    3 p.m. Black History PBS Film Series “Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom.” This event is part of the “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project. Black Scranton Project Center for Arts & Culture. Registration required. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email info@blackscranton.org.

Feb. 8      7 p.m. Black History Month Film Series: “Blackkklansman” presented by the Weinberg Memorial Library and the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-7524 or email george.aulisio@scranton.edu.

Feb. 9    6 p.m. Asian New Year Celebration and Workshop. Brennan Hall, Rose Room. Free. Registration required at https://tinyurl.com/AsianNewYearUofS or email asianstudies@scranton.edu.

Feb. 9     6 p.m. Community-Based Learning Talk “Black History and Housing in Scranton” featuring Glynis Johns, CEO and founder of the Black Scranton Project. This event is part of the “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Registration required at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CBL23BlackHistoryHousing Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Feb. 11            1 p.m. 21^th Annual Northeast PA Brain Bee sponsored by the Neuroscience Program at The University of Scranton. Snow date Feb. 18. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. Free. Pre-registration required. Call 570-941-4324 or email robert.waldeck@scranton.edu.

Feb. 15            7 p.m. Black History Month Film Series: “Whose Streets?” presented by the Weinberg Memorial Library and the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-7524 or email george.aulisio@scranton.edu.

Feb. 19            3 p.m. Black History PBS Film Series “Becoming Frederick Douglass.” This event is part of the “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project. Black Scranton Project Center for Arts & Culture. Free. Registration required by emailing info@blackscranton.org or call 570-941-4419.

Feb 19       7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Jazz Band with guest soloist Matt Munisteri, guitar and voice. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Feb. 22           7 p.m. Black History Month Film Series: “Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975” presented by the Weinberg Memorial Library and the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-7524 or email george.aulisio@scranton.edu.

Feb. 23           5:30 p.m. The Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Humanities Lecture: “Towards a Just Economy: Guaranteed Income and Human Potential” with Amy Castro, Ph.D., associate professor, University of Pennsylvania. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

Feb. 24-26 and Mar. 3-5                   8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Performance: “Little Women; the Broadway Musical” music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, book by Allan Knee presented by The University of Scranton Players. McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Ticket prices vary. Call 570-941-4318 or email players@scranton.edu.

Feb. 26           3 p.m. Black History PBS Film Series “Jim Crow of the North.” This event is part of the “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Registration required by emailing info@blackscranton.org or call 570-941-4419.

Feb. 28           7 p.m. Black History Month Film Series: “Sparkle” presented by the Weinberg Memorial Library and the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-7524 or email george.aulisio@scranton.edu.

Mar. 4      Talk Back immediately after the performance of “Little Women; the Broadway Musical” by The University of Scranton Players as part of the University’s year-long “Celebrating Women: 50^th Anniversary of Coeducation” series of events. McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Ticket prices vary. Call 570-941-4318 or email players@scranton.edu.

Mar. 5    7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Concert Choir and The Scranton Brass Orchestra. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Mar. 7     6 p.m. Salary Negotiations Workshop offered by The University of Scranton’s Career Development Office and the Jane Kopas Women’s Center as part of the University’s year-long “Celebrating Women: 50^th Anniversary of Coeducation” series of events. Room 405, The DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-6194 or email jkwc@scranton.edu.

Mar. 8     3 p.m. Women of Vision and Courage Award Presentation offered by The University of Scranton’s Jane Kopas Women’s Center as part of the University’s year-long “Celebrating Women: 50^th Anniversary of Coeducation” series of events. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-6194 or email jkwc@scranton.edu.

Mar. 13           noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “The Courage to Care” presented by Carol Rittner, RSM, D.Ed., distinguished professor emerita of Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Dr. Marsha Raticoff Grossman Professor Emerita of Holocaust Studies at Stockton University, New Jersey. The luncheon is part of the University’s year-long “Celebrating Women: 50^th Anniversary of Coeducation” series of events. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Mar. 20 through Apr. 14                   Art Exhibit: “Post COVID: Art by Students for the Scranton School District.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Mar. 23           11:45 a.m. Community-Based Learning Talk “Environmental Health” presented by Tonyehn Verkitus. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Mar. 24           5 p.m. Art Gallery Lecture: “Post COVID: Art by Students for the Scranton School District” presented by Darlene Miller-Lanning. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Reception to follow at the Hope Horn Gallery. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Mar. 25           9 a.m. Preview Day for accepted students to The University of Scranton’s class of 2027. Various locations on campus. Call 570-941-7540 or email admissions@scranton.edu.

Mar. 28           noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “A Foreigner Called Picasso” presented by Annie Cohen-Solal, writer and social historian, distinguished professor at Bocconi University, Milan, Italy. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Mar. 29           5:30 p.m. Schemel Forum with Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Collaborative Program: “Mozart: The Mind and Music of a Genius” presented by Richard Kogan, M.D., professor of psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College and artistic director, Weill Cornell Music and Medicine Program. Sordoni Theater, WVIA Public Media Studies. Reception to follow. Registration required. $35 per person. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Mar. 29           7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “General Recital” featuring flute choir, percussion ensemble, steel drums and more. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Mar. 30           7:30 p.m. Office of Sustainability film and panel discussion “The Seeds of Vandana Shiva.” Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-7520 or email mark.murphy@scranton.edu.

Mar. 30           5 p.m. 26^th Annual ACHE Healthcare Symposium: “Bedside and Administration: A Strategic Alliance.” McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Registration required. Includes dinner, presentation and panel discussion. Fees vary. Call 570-709-9892 or email scarlet.alexander@scranton.edu.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May 2      noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “The Promise of American Democracy” presented by Fredrik Logevall, Ph.D., Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School and professor of history, Harvard University. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

May 6      7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “40^th Annual World Premiere Composition Series Concert” The University of Scranton Concert Band and Concert Choir featuring two new works by composer/conductor Philip J. Kuehn. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

May 9       noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Vocalising and Music in the Development of Speech Language and Consciousness” presented by Harmar Brereton, M.D., medical and radiation oncologist, Weill Cornell Medical School faculty and clinical professor of medicine at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

May 12            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton String Orchestra. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

May 20           TBA Commencement Baccalaureate Mass. Byron Recreation Complex. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

May 21            TBA Graduate and Undergraduate Commencement. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

Schemel Forum Courses

Mondays: Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27 & Mar. 6, 13    6 p.m. Schemel Forum Evening Course: “Down These Mean Streets: An Ethics of Hardboiled, Noir Fiction” presented by Joseph Kraus, Ph.D., professor, Department of English and Theatre, The University of Scranton. Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu. 

Wednesdays: Mar. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 & Apr. 5            6 p.m. Schemel Forum Evening Course: “Philosophy East and West” presented by Ann A. Pang-White, Ph.D., professor, Department of Philosophy and director, Asian Studies Program, The University of Scranton. Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

Thursdays: Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23 & Mar. 2, 9                 6 p.m. Schemel Forum Evening Course: “The Anatomy of Contemporary Conservatism in the US” presented by Matthew Meyer, Ph.D., professor, Department of Philosophy, The University of Scranton. Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

A Statement from Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., President of The University of Scranton, on the Passing of Pope Benedict XVI

Today I join leaders throughout Catholic higher education in celebrating the life and legacy of Pope Benedict XVI. 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. As he said so well in his beautiful work, God is Love: Deus Caritas Est, “Love is the light—and in the end, the only light—that can always illuminate a world grown dim and give us the courage needed to keep living and working.”

I ask that we all pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Benedict on his passing and for the enduring mission of the Church to which he devoted his life.

The Sursum Corda Award recognizes those members of the University’s staff who have made outstanding contributions to the life and mission of the University.

The nominees for the Sursum Corda Awards should have distinguished themselves in one or more of the following ways:

• Shown exceptional dedication and/or creativity in performing his or her duties, and

• Built, contributed, or nurtured the sense of community that has always been the hallmark of our campus community, and

• Contributed in a significant way to helping members of our community “grow to become the living presence of God in the world” (Father General Nicolas, former Superior General of the Society of Jesus).

Each year, a Sursum Corda Award is presented to three, or four members, of the University community:

• A member of the Professional/Paraprofessional staff;

• A member of the Clerical/Technical staff; and

• A member of the Maintenance/University Police staff

The Staff Senate has been asked to gather nominations for the Sursum Corda Award. The Staff Recognition and Excellence Awards Committee will be accepting nominations. Co-Chairs of the Staff Recognition Excellence Committee are Bernard Krzan and Andrea Malia.

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Ready to nominate a person who has made outstanding contributions to the life and mission of the University? Find the award information sheet, a list of past recipients, and the award nomination form on the Staff Senate Yammer page.

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Please fill out the nomination forms as thoroughly as possible (it does not have to be 100 percent complete) and send it to staffsenaterecognition@scranton.edu by Thursday, Dec. 22.

Click here to access the award nomination form.

The University of Scranton’s Asian Studies Program hosted two events that examined transnational migration in Taiwan and its cultural impact on the country’s literature and cinema. Hsin-Chin (Evelyn) Hsieh, Ph.D., presented “Bringing the World to Taiwan: Border Crossing and Transnational Cultural Flow in Contemporary Taiwan” and a screening of the award-winning film “The Good Daughter” and Q and A with the director Yu-Ying (Sally) Wu took place in October in Brennan Hall. The lecture and film screening and Q and A were sponsored by the University’s Asian Studies Program and its College of Arts and Sciences, and the Taipei Cultural Center in New York of the Taiwan Ministry of Culture.

Five University of Scranton students were selected as 2022 Sanofi US Excellence in STEM Scholars, which provided support for the students’ summer independent research projects.

The University students named 2022 Sanofi US Excellence in STEM Scholars are: Angela Hudock ’23, Sayre; Michael Quinnan ’23, Shavertown; James Russo ’23, Franklin Square, New York; Olivia Sander ’23, Macungie; and Nathaniel Smith ’23, Wilkes-Barre.

The grant received from Sanofi, which totaled $20,000, supported research and professional development of the five undergraduate students involved in STEM programs. In addition, the support provided stipends to help the students purchase consumables, such as chemicals, specialized software or disposable laboratory supplies, needed in carrying out their summer research.

Studies have shown that students who engage in an independent research project are more likely to complete their STEM majors, graduate, and develop a path to achieve their academic and career goals.

Hudock, a Presidential Scholar at Scranton, is a biochemistry, cell and molecular biology major and a member of the University’s Magis Honors Program in STEM. She is working with her faculty mentors, Michael Fennie, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry, and Katherine Stumpo, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry, on her research project entitled: “Chemical, Physiological, and Behavioral Assessment of Zebrafish Embryo Exposure to Neonicotinoid Pesticide Clothianidin.”

Quinnan, a Presidential Scholar at Scranton, is a biomathematics major and a member of the University’s Magis Honors Program in STEM. On campus, he is a work study student for the Office of Sustainability. He is also working with his faculty mentor, Murong Xu, Ph.D., assistant professor of mathematics, on his research project entitled: “Network Analysis on the spread of COVID-19.”

Russo is a biology and philosophy double major and member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program. He is working with his faculty mentor, Amelia Randich, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, on his research project entitled: “Dependence of Prosthecomicrobium hirschii Prosthecate Morphotype on Nutrient Levels.”

Sander is majoring in neuroscience at Scranton. She is working with her faculty mentor, Robert Waldeck, Ph.D., associate professor of biology, on her research project entitled: “The Telencephalon’s Influence on the Startle Response of Goldfish.”

Smith is a neuroscience major and member of the University’s Undergraduate Honors Program and its Magis Honors Program in STEM. He received the University’s O’Hara Award medal for outstanding academic achievement during his freshman year. On campus, he is a work study student for the Office of Sustainability. He is working with his faculty mentor, Marc Seid, Ph.D., professor of biology, on his research project entitled: “Navigational Failures in Ants Due to Agonists/Antagonists of Serotonin.”

Faculty members at Scranton often include undergraduate students in their academic projects. The University’s Faculty Student Research Program also supports undergraduate student participation in research. In addition, students participating in the University’s Honors Program and the Magis Honors Program in STEM work with faculty mentors on research projects.

Sanofi is a global pharmaceutical company that is involved in the research, development, marketing and manufacturing of various medicines and vaccines. Every year, Sanofi offers multiple grants to nonprofit organizations and educational institutions that are working to advance participation in STEM fields.

All faculty, staff, students and community members are invited to attend the release of the 2022 Living Wage Report on Tuesday, Nov. 29 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Kane Forum, Leahy Hall, rm. 235, The University of Scranton. Lunch will be served. Seating is limited. Registration is required.

The event will include a presentation of the study’s findings, highlight agency leader and community input and provide a space for facilitated discussion around the challenges the study raises and potential solutions. Printed reports will be provided to participants and the digital version of the report will be posted online that day at: www.scranton.edu/livingwage.

The Living Wage Study 2022, a project of The Institute and The University of Scranton (Community Relations, CEEPS, and the Ellacuria Initiative), seeks to understand better what constitutes a living wage in Northeastern Pennsylvania using the MIT Living Wage calculator, other national and regional data, and connecting this data with input from community agencies and insights from Catholic Social Teaching.

A living wage, and the broader concept of family economic security, is defined as the wage rate at which a worker, employed on a full-time basis, can reach a standard of living that meets essential basic needs and allows the individual or family to live a modest but dignified life.

The 2022 Report outlines the living wage threshold for various family compositions in NEPA and compares it to previous data, details the increases in costs of living, explains some of the major challenges facing those who fall below the living wage threshold, and especially highlights mitigating factors – in particular, racial disparities and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related policies on economic security.

Please join us on Nov. 29 by registering here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2022Wage.

Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a concert featuring The University of Scranton String Orchestra on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.
(As of this writing masks are optional, but please check Performance Music’s website, scranton.edu/music, within 24 hours of the concert for information regarding venue requirements for audiences, as policies regarding campus health and safety may change throughout the season.)

At the concert, the String Orchestra will perform arrangements of music by Bruckner, Handel, and Shostakovich, as well as works by contemporary composers Yukiko Nishimura, Soon Hee Newbold, Brian Balmages and William Hofeldt, according to Performance Music Conductor and Co-Director Philip Kuehn.

“The String Orchestra’s repertoire for this concert spans a few centuries and styles, and is sure to include something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you like the classics or the contemporary, you’ll hear it on Nov. 18th,” stated Kuehn.

The University of Scranton String Orchestra is a 30-member string ensemble made up of students from majors spanning the curriculum. The primary focus of Performance Music at The University of Scranton is its student choral and instrumental performing ensembles. There is no major in music at the University, and all enrolled Scranton students (undergraduate and graduate) are eligible for membership in the University Bands, University Performance Choirs, University String Orchestra and Ensembles, and Steel Drum Ensemble. Neither an audition nor enrollment fee is required for membership.

Other programs within the department, including small ensemble and chamber ensemble music-making opportunities, guest artist concerts, World Premiere Composition Series, the Nelhybel Collection, and Scranton Brass Orchestra, closely coordinate programming with the student ensembles and offer unique opportunities for student musicians in the ensembles to hear, observe, interact, and perform with numerous world-class musicians and artist-teachers. A number of members of the faculty and staff, as well as alumni from the region, also perform with the groups. Each year, hundreds of students participate in the ensembles.

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

Want to go?

What: In Concert: The University of Scranton String Orchestra, presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton

When: Friday, Nov. 18, 2022 at 7:30 p.m.

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

Admission: Free

Team and club members, classmates and co-workers, family and friends: Gather Sunday, Dec. 4 at 5 p.m. in the Byron Center for The University of Scranton Advent Mass.

After mass, stroll down the commons with your candles lit and get ready for the Tree Lighting on the Dionne Green, followed by Christmas on the Commons. Be the light that reignites an over-40 year tradition!!

Microsoft Solutions Dayand and Yammer Launch for The University of Scranton faculty and staff is Nov. 16.


* Register today: https://forms.office.com/r/0CKKn0t0Xz

* View the Microsoft sessions and resources: https://scranton.edu/microsoft

* Preview Yammer: https://yammer.scranton.edu/

Students attending the cultural event “Celebrate Argentina” experienced traditional food and beverages, games, art and trivia. The cultural event on October 26 was led by Fulbright Teaching Assistant, Magalí Ferrer.

Various stations were set up with the goal of informing students about Argentina through an engaging  process.

At the first station students could prepare a traditional Argentinian beverage known as mate. A hot drink, like tea, mate is sipped through a shared metal straw from a specific type of cup filled with yerba. Posters placed around the station explained how to prepare the drink, and a memory game involved vocabulary about mate.

The second station involved the preparation of a symbol recognized throughout the country: a gaucho, an Argentinian cowboy hat.

“Making the hats was everyone's favorite,” Carmen Acosta, a Spanish tutor, said.

The third station focused on making rosettes, a national symbol usually worn by all Argentinians on important dates like Independence Day. Students were able to create them with paper. 

At the fourth station, students played traditional Argentinian card games “Chancho Va” or “La Casita Robada” and recited challenging tongue twisters.

The last station included games such as popping balloons in pairs, searching for candy in plates full of flour, and tug of war.

To end the night, a trivia game tested participants on their knowledge about Argentina.

"It was so much fun! The activities Magali chose for the event really kept everyone engaged," said Claudia Campo Mirabent, a Spanish and French tutor at the Language Learning Center.

“I believe these events are important for the whole university community since they can experience other cultures from a native's perspective and interact with them," Ferrer said. "Not only are these events culturally rich, but they promote the attendees' empathy and understanding toward other nations and cultures.”

A team from BBC World News broadcasted live reports on the upcoming U.S. election from the balcony of the Rose Room of Brennan Hall on the campus of The University of Scranton. Scranton alumnus Ted Tait ’86, chief engineer for BBC, Washington, D.C., Bureau, was among the BBC team who broadcasted live reports and interviews about the election throughout the day on Oct. 31.

University of Scranton Political Science Professor Jean Harris, Ph.D., was among those interviewed by BBC World News America anchor Laura Trevelyan during the broadcast.

University of Scranton students Alexander Nunez, Hackettstown, New Jersey, and Kelly Nee, Hopatcong, New Jersey, both journalism and electronic media majors, served as student ambassadors during the visit. Nee also serves as editor of The Aquinas, Scranton’s student newspaper. The University’s Public Relations Intern, Edward Fargis, an English major from Ho Ho Kus, New Jersey, was also on hand. Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of the University, visited the BBC team during a break in the broadcast.

Trevelyan tweeted a thank you to the University for its hospitality. $content.getChild('content').textValue

In collaboration with the President and the Office of the Provost, the Jesuit Center will host Dr. Natalia Imperatori-Lee, Professor and Chair of Religious Studies at Manhattan College.  Dr. Imperatori-Lee will present Latinx Catholicism and the Future of the Church in the United States.

The lecture will take place on Thursday, November 10, at 5:00 p.m. in Loyola Science Center 133.

Dr. Imperatori-Lee's research focuses on Catholic ecclesiology, in particular the intersection of ecclesial identity with feminist and Latinx Catholic thought. Her book, "Cuéntame", explores how narratives shape ecclesiology, which is the study of the church. 

Her interests include the relationship between Catholic theology, sexuality, and education, the intersection of Mariology and ecclesiology, intercultural theology, gender studies, and the relationship of women, the poor and other marginalized groups to church structure and governance.

Dr. Imperatori-Lee has served on the governing boards of the Catholic Theological Society of America, and the of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the U.S.  She is a member of these organizations as well as the American Academy of Religion.  She has also served on the board of FutureChurch.

All are welcome to attend.

For more information, contact the Jesuit Center at ryan.sheehan@scranton.edu.

In addition, Dr. Michael E. Lee, professor and director, Francis & Ann Curran Center for American Catholic Studies Affiliate, and Latin American and Latino Studies Institute at Fordham University, and husband of Dr. Imperatori-Lee, will speak at an Ellacuria group luncheon.

The Church has a long tradition of remembering those who have died.  The Catholic tradition does this in a special way throughout the month of November by joining in prayer and worship, and calling to mind those who have gone before us.  

On Sunday, Nov. 13 at 4:30 p.m. the annual Mass of Remembrance will be celebrated in Madonna della Strada Chapel.  All are welcome to join as we remember in prayer the deceased family members, friends and loved ones of the students, faculty and staff of the University of Scranton and the alumni of the University of Scranton who have died in the past year.

As part of the Mass on Nov.13, there will be a ritual reading of the names of those who have died since this time last year (since November 2021).  If you have lost a friend or loved one during the past year and would like their name included in the ritual during mass, please click here to complete the form.

Please contact amy.hoegen@scranton.edu or The Office of Campus Ministries at 570-941-7419 with any questions.

Forty-two elite members of The University of Scranton's incoming class of 2026 enrolled in two of the University’s five programs of excellence. Scranton offers a range of honors and special programs designed to enhance and complement the academic experience.

Twenty-seven members of The University of Scranton’s incoming class of 2026 enrolled in its Frank P. Corcione Business Honors Program. Students in this program undergo four years of honors studies in the areas of economics, entrepreneurship, operations management, accounting, finance, international business, marketing and management, as well as a series of personal development extracurricular activities in the areas of service and career building.

Meet the 27 members of the class of 2026 taking part in the Frank P. Corcione Business Honors Program here.

Fifteen members of The University of Scranton’s incoming class of 2026 entered its Magis Honors Program in STEM. The program combines the development of STEM knowledge and research techniques with programing to further the students’ understanding of the impact science has on society. 

The Magis Honors Program offers talented students a more intense, interdisciplinary experience of research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Courses taken over four years at Scranton include a special first-year seminar on writing science and a series of seminars on STEM and society. With guidance by faculty mentors, the students in the program develop, present and defend a thesis based on their individual research projects. In addition, the program requires participation in annual community service projects, as well as professional development programs.

Meet the 15 members of the class of 2026 enrolled in the Magis Honors Program in STEM: here.

The Center for Service & Social Justice (CSSJ) has accepted the challenge of finding donors for 40 family members from six separate families who have registered for assistance through the annual Catherine McAuley Center’s Adopt a Family Program.

If you are interested in participating, please contact ellen.judge@scranton.edu. In your email response, please specify the number of people you wish to purchase gifts for this year. The families include adult parents, in addition to children of varying ages.

Want to participate in the Adopt a Family Christmas program?

• Purchase gifts for the family member(s). You may use their wish list or buy something of your choice. The agency has provided a wish list and clothing size for each person. We ask that you spend about $100 per person.

• Wrap your gifts, or send in a gift bags, and put a tag on each item with the person's name and assigned number that you received with the wish list and details.

• Drop your gifts off in the CSSJ office, DeNaples 205B no later than Friday, Dec. 9 at 12 p.m. CSSJ student workers will deliver the gifts the following Monday, Dec. 12.

Majestic Mt. Everest and seven more of world’s tallest peaks stretch to the heavens within the narrow borders of the southern Asia country of Nepal. Global Insights is pleased to feature Ayushi Das ’26, accounting, and Aditya Agrawal ’24, graduate student in the Master of Accountancy (MAcc) program, who will present on Nepal, Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 11:30 a.m. in the Rose Room, Brennan Hall 509. Registration is required. Click here to register.

“Hindu is the national religion. Most people wake up and pray,” said Agrawal. “Many wake up, read the newspaper and have milk tea,” a favorite drink, added Das.

Hinduism is the centerpiece of Nepali culture. Families can be both dependent, including extended relatives living together, and independent, where the household contains only the nuclear family.  Either way, it is customary for families to gather together for special Hindu holiday celebrations.

Das and Agrawal shared that their favorite holidays are the Dashain National Festival, which they said celebrates the triumph of the different manifestations of the Goddess Durga over evil, followed by Tihar, a five-day festival of lights worshipping Yama and Laxmi. People sing and dance, decorate with lights and set off fireworks. Elders bless younger family members with tika, red powder mixed with rice that is placed on the forehead, as a welcome and symbol of faith and devotion.

All students, faculty and staff are invited to learn about the Living Goddess, and share in the cultural cuisine of Nepal!

This program is being offered by the Office of Global Education, the Cross Cultural Centers, Residence Life and the Office of Equity and Diversity. For more information, please contact international@scranton.edu or 570-941-4841.

As Midterm Elections approach, an opportunity is available to join a panel of faculty and students who will  consider how religious faith and commitment might or should affect how we vote and engage politically.

"God at the Polls" panel discussion will take place Thursday, Nov. 3 at 5:30 p.m. in the Theology Lounge, 4th floor of Loyola Science Center, opposite Room 409, between St. Thomas Hall and Loyola Science Center elevators.

Refreshments and event sponsored by the Department of Theology/Religious Studies.

For Your Benefit, Session 2, discussing SwiftMD, will be hosted Oct. 20, from 2:30-4:00 p.m. in The DeNaples Center, Room 405.

Participants in the University's health plan have free and easy access to physicians 24 hours each day, seven days a week. SwiftMD is often the first call they make at the onset of an illness or injury to save themselves time and money.

If it can be treated by a routine office visit or a trip to an Urgent Care Center, SwiftMD offers a convenient, high-quality healthcare alternative. A representative from SWIFT MD, Ross McNeil, will present information about this valuable benefit and how to access care. 

For more information about SwiftMD, visit: https://www.scranton.edu/hr/benefits/swiftmd.shtml

Audience members at upcoming shows of the romantic comedy “Almost, Maine” should pay careful attention to the backstory of each character. Keenan M. Beveridge ’24, who performs in the roles of Lendall and Phil, explained why. The junior theater major described what most surprised him about The University of Scranton Players’ production.

“This play is comprised of vignettes, meaning the scenes are short and seemingly unrelated to one another. I was surprised how much freedom I had as an actor to decide characters’ backstory and personality traits because they don’t have any scripted backstory before the scene starts,” said the junior theater major from Warminster, Pennsylvania.

The romantic comedy by John Cariani and directed by Michael O’Steen, will run October 21-23 and October 28-30 in the Royal Theatre in the McDade Center for the Literary and Performing Arts on the University of Scranton campus. Friday and Saturday shows begin at 8 p.m.; Sunday shows begin at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for general admission and $7 for senior citizens, students and University of Scranton faculty and staff. Reservations can be made HERE. 

Here, Beveridge offers insight into his characters, his background in theatre and what he loves about The University of Scranton:

 

Q. Please describe what you love and hate about the characters you portray in “Almost, Maine”.

“My roles include Lendall (Getting It Back) and Phil (Where It Went). I love that Lendall is there to help his significant other even when she is upset with him, but I hate how clueless he is. I love that Phil stands up for himself in a struggling relationship, but I hate how he holds his real feelings in..."

Q. which celebrity would you like to see tackle these characters?

“I would like to see Jim Carrey’s representation of these characters because I believe he would bring another layer of emotion to them while still allowing the comedy of the show to be seen and enjoyed by the audience.”

Q.  How do you spend time during a five-minute break during rehearsal?

“Depending on the day, I’ll either use my five-minute breaks to read over my lines or just to sit, close my eyes, and be in one place.”

Q. When did your involvement with the arts begin? Please explain what inspired your interest in the theatre.

“In fifth grade, my elementary school music teacher told me I had a nice voice. Shortly after we were taken to see a preview of the middle school’s production of “Annie”. Seeing people who I had grown up with breathing life into characters and having that much fun on stage made me fall in love with theater. I was in the school musical the following year and that love only grew.”

Q. What do you enjoy most about performing with The University of Scranton Players?

“I am treated as a professional while still being taught how to improve my performances and my theater etiquette. Overall, I enjoy the balance we have found between professionalism, education, and fun.”

Q. Have you been involved in other theatre productions?

“I have been in at least one show every year since sixth grade. I’ve participated in theater camps as both an actor and a counselor, with technical theater and crew responsibilities. In my time at The University of Scranton I have been in seven productions, including Almost, Maine. The previous productions include “Carrie the Musical,” “LOVE/SICK,” “313 Monroe Variety Hour,” “3 for 1 Acts,” “A Good Farmer,” and “Snapshots: A Musical Scrapbook.”

Q. Aside from theatre, what is your favorite aspect of The University of Scranton?

“Simply, the beauty of the campus and the incredible views of Scranton from particular spots on campus.”

'ALMOST, MAINE' OFFERS TALES OF LOVE AND "THE MYSTICAL ENERGY OF AURORA BOREALIS"

The University Players’ statement offers this summary of their upcoming performance:

“Propelled by the mystical energy of the aurora borealis and populated with characters who are humorous, plain-spoken, thoughtful, and sincere, ‘Almost, Maine’ is a series of loosely connected tales about love, each with a compelling couple at its center, each with its own touch of sorcery.”

In addition to Beveridge, the company of "Almost, Maine" features:  Gabriella Palmer of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, Kit Karpiak of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Bryanna Grossman of North Brunswick, New Jersey, Thomas Kennedy of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Seth Strouse of Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, Faith Montagino of Morganville, New Jersey, Alek Panchik of Hershey, Pennsylvania, Andrew Vizzard of Havertown, Pennsylvania, Molly McGuinness of Stewart Manor, New York and Nicole Tonny of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

This academic theatre program brings performances to Northeastern Pennsylvania every season. The Players’ productions feature University of Scranton students in a mix of classical and contemporary works under the direction and mentorship of award-winning faculty and guest artists.

Interested in attending a performance of ‘Almost, Maine’? Find details below.

The University of Scranton Players will present "Almost, Maine," a romantic comedy by John Cariani and directed by Michael O’Steen, on Oct. 21-23 and Oct. 28-30. Friday and Saturday shows are at 8 p.m., Sunday’s shows are at 2 p.m. All performances are in the Royal Theatre in the McDade Center for the Literary and Performing Arts on the University of Scranton campus.

Tickets are $10 for general admission and $7 for senior citizens, students and University of Scranton faculty and staff.

Reservations can be made here. Tickets can also be reserved by visiting thescrantonplayers.com or, by calling the University Players box office at 570-941-4318.

Get to know…

Name: Keenan M. Beveridge ’24

Areas of study: theater major with a minor in education

Hometown: Warminster, PA

Interests outside of theatre: Basketball fan, captain of an intramural volleyball team. “I have experience as a bartender and find mixology very interesting, and I enjoy golfing even though I am not good at it.”

Favorite theatre productions, besides "Almost, Maine": “Once,” “Kinky Boots,” “Hamilton,” “In the Heights,” “Waiting for Godot,” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

 

 

On Sunday, Oct. 23, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a recital by critically and popularly acclaimed award-winning pianist Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

Conductor and Director of Performance Music Cheryl Y. Boga says, “I first became of aware of Llewellyn and his incredible talent when my son (Joseph) would text me from his classes at Juilliard to tell me about this amazing 13-year-old who was already enrolled in pursuit of his undergraduate degree and – according to Joseph – ‘played piano like craaaazy!’ Now, at age 25, he is already one of the most virtuosic, vibrant and socially committed musicians of his generation.”

Described as “a gifted virtuoso” by the San Francisco Chronicle, Sanchez-Werner has been performing with orchestras since the age of 6. The California native has played internationally with the Royal Concertgebouw in the Netherlands, CultureSummit Abu Dhabi, the Louvre and Grenoble Museums in France, Smetana Hall in the Czech Republic, State Philharmonic Hall in Slovakia, Verbier Festival in Switzerland, Ashford Castle in Ireland and the Gijon International Piano Festival in Spain. In the United States, he has performed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center and National Sawdust in New York City, Mary B. Galvin Hall in Chicago, Richardson Auditorium at Princeton University, Paramount Theater in Oakland, and the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian Art Museum and Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C.

In addition, Sanchez-Werner has performed at the Kennedy Center and the White House for former President Barack Obama and current President Joe Biden, for President Peña Nieto of Mexico, Prime Minister Peres of Israel and President Kagame of Rwanda. Committed to public service, he received the Atlantic Council Young Global Citizen Award recognizing his dedication to social action through music in such countries as Iraq, Rwanda, France, Canada and the U.S.

An active chamber musician, Sanchez-Werner has collaborated with Renée Fleming, Eric Owens, Marina Poplavskaya, Richard O’Neill and Cynthia Phelps. He partnered with the Gershwin family on a concert and biographical tribute to the Gershwin brothers, and performed “Hallelujah Junction” for John Adams at his 70th birthday celebration in New York.

Sanchez-Werner earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School, where he was awarded the Kovner Fellowship, won the concerto competition and was the youngest admittee to each program at ages 14 and 18, respectively. Juilliard was Sanchez-Werner’s second college experience - he became a full-time student at Ventura College at age five, where he completed 170 college credits toward degrees in music and international relations. Sanchez-Werner also earned an Artist Diploma from the Yale School of Music, where he was awarded the Charles S. Miller Prize.

Please check Performance Music’s website, scranton.edu/music, within 24 hours of the concert for information regarding venue requirements for audiences, as policies regarding campus health and safety may change throughout the season.

For further information on the recital, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more info on Sanchez-Werner, visit llewellynsanchezwerner.com.

Through Nov. 18                   Art Exhibit: “Mayan Narratives: San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala” photographs by Byron Maldonado. Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Nov. 6     9 a.m. Open House for prospective students and their families. Various locations on campus. Registration required. Free. Call 888-SCRANTON or email admissions@scranton.edu.

Nov. 8 7:30 p.m.    The 36^th annual Henry George Lecture: “Still Worth the Trip? Modern-Era Busing and other Lessons from Urban School Reform” presented by Parag Pathak, Ph.D., professor of economics, MIT. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4048 or email janice.mecadon@scranton.edu.

Nov. 10           Noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “On Democracy, Inequality and Jazz Improvisation” presented by Wayne Winborne, Ph.D., executive director, Institute of Jazz Studies, assistant professor arts culture and media, Rutgers University-Newark. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Nov. 12           7:30 a.m. Schemel Forum bus trip to New York, New York, to August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson” $150. Registration required before Sept. 30. Spaces are limited. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Nov. 12           7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Symphonic Band. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Nov. 17           7 p.m. Lecture: “Forced Removal of the Lenape People: History and Homecoming” presented by Curtis Zunigha, enrolled member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians and co-founder/co-director of the Lenape Center. The event is part of “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story,” a project supported by a NEH grant led by The University of Scranton and community partners.  McIlhenny Ballroom, The DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Nov. 17-19                  8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. “Rent” presented by Liva Arts Company. The Royal Theater, McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. $5. Call 570-941-7401 or email livaartscompany@gmail.com.

Nov. 18           6 p.m. Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library and Schemel Forum Collaborative Program: The Royden B. Davis, S.J. Distinguished Author Award Event honoring Ayad Akhtar, Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-nominated playwright, novelist and screenwriter. McIlhenny Ballroom, The DeNaples Center. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Nov. 18           7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton String Orchestra. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Dec. 2      Noon. Schemel Forum’s Munley World Affairs Luncheon Series: “How Putin’s Invasion of Ukraine Changed the World” presented by Trudy Rubin, Worldview columnist, The Philadelphia Inquirer. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Dec. 3      8 p.m. Performance Music: “54^th Annual Noel Night” featuring The University of Scranton Singers and Chamber Ensembles. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Dec. 5      5 p.m. Community Relations Roundtable: “The Journey from ‘Immigrant’ to Citizen” featuring local resource speakers from a range of backgrounds, in collaboration with the Schemel Forum. The event is part of “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story,” a project supported by a NEH grant led by The University of Scranton and community partners. PNC Board Room, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Dec. 9      Noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Process of Peace, Palermo: An Experience, a Model” presented by Leoluca Orlando, professor, former mayor of Palermo, honorary mayor of Palermo Huila Columbia and cofounder of Global Parliament of Mayors. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Dec. 11            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “Empty Stocking Fund Benefit Concert.” Performance Music student musicians perform solo, duet, trio and small group renditions of a variety of Christmas favorites. Houlihan-McLean Center. Admission: one new unwrapped toy, new toiletry items or a monetary donation. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

 

Who doesn't love potato pancakes? Traditionally called placki ziemniaczane in Poland, they have become a coveted treat at fairs, festivals and local church bazaars in Scranton and Northeastern Pennsylvania.

All faculty, staff and students are invited to join the next Global Insights program featuring Staś Zygmunt, University director of news and media relations, on Thursday, Oct. 20, at 11:30 a.m. in the Rose Room, Brennan 509. Registration is required. Click here to register. 

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This program is being offered by the Office of Global Education, the Cultural Centers, Residence Life and the Office of Equity and Diversity. For more information, please contact international@scranton.edu or 570-941-4841.

The University of Scranton Players will present "Almost, Maine," a romantic comedy by John Cariani and directed by Michael O’Steen. The production will run Oct. 21-23 and Oct. 28-30. Friday and Saturday shows are at 8 p.m., Sunday’s shows are at 2 p.m. All performances are in the Royal Theatre in the McDade Center for the Literary and Performing Arts on the University of Scranton campus.

Reservations can be made at this URL: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdmUztNnoEaphJgfDHgCmsAWRGq3CtHndwlg7-1rbIyMTBPfQ/viewform

Or, by visiting us at thescrantonplayers.com

Or, by calling the University Players box office at 570-941-4318

'Almost, Maine' offers Tales of love and the mystical energy of Aurora Borealis

In a series of playful and surreal experiences, "Almost, Maine" dramatizes relationships that end, begin, or change beyond recognition, as strangers become friends, friends become lovers, and lovers turn into strangers. Propelled by the mystical energy of the aurora borealis and populated with characters who are humorous, plain-spoken, thoughtful, and sincere, "Almost, Maine" is a series of loosely connected tales about love, each with a compelling couple at its center, each with its own touch of sorcery.

The company of "Almost, Maine" features: Keenan Beveridge of Warminster, Pennsylvania, Gabriella Palmer of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, Kit Karpiak of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Bryanna Grossman of North Brunswick, New Jersey, Thomas Kennedy of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Seth Strouse of Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, Faith Montagino of Morganville, New Jersey, Alek Panchik of Hershey, Pennsylvania, Andrew Vizzard of Havertown, Pennsylvania, Molly McGuinness of Stewart Manor, New York and Nicole Tonny of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

 

Interested in attending? Find details BELOW.

Tickets are $10 for general admission and $7 for senior citizens, students and University of Scranton faculty and staff.

For more information, contact the University Players box office at 570-941-4318 or visit the Players website at www.thescrantonplayers.com or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The University of Scranton Players academic theatre program brings theatre to Northeastern Pennsylvania every season. The Players’ productions feature University of Scranton students in a mix of classical and contemporary works under the direction and mentorship of award-winning faculty and guest artists.

Questions? Email players@scranton.edu.

 

An informational Concentration Fair will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 18, from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the DeNaples Center 2nd floor Fireplace Lounge. 

What is a concentration? This interdisciplinary program, similar to a minor, can complement any major.

At the fair, representatives will be available from some of the concentrations offered at the university: Asian Studies, Environmental Studies, Health Humanities, Latin American & Latinx Studies, and Women's & Gender Studies.

The Royden B. Davis, S. J., Distinguished Author Award presentation honors Ayad Akhtar, Friday, Nov.18, 2022.

Akhtar is a novelist and playwright whose work has been published and performed in over two dozen languages. He is the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Edith Wharton Citation of Merit for Fiction, and an Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Works he has authored include: "Homeland Elegies" (Little, Brown & Co.), which The Washington Post called “a tour de force” and The New York Times called “a beautiful novel…that had echoes of 'The Great Gatsby' and that circles, with pointed intellect, the possibilities and limitations of American life.” His first novel, "American Dervish" (Little, Brown & Co.), was published in over 20 languages.

As a playwright, he has written "Junk" (Lincoln Center, Broadway; Kennedy Prize for American Drama, Tony nomination); "Disgraced" (Lincoln Center, Broadway; Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Tony nomination); "The Who & The What" (Lincoln Center); and "The Invisible Hand" (NYTW; Obie Award, Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award, Olivier, and Evening Standard nominations).

Among other honors, Akhtar is the recipient of the Steinberg Playwrighting Award, the Nestroy Award, the Erwin Piscator Award, as well as fellowships from the American Academy in Rome, MacDowell, the Sundance Institute, and Yaddo, where he serves as a Board Director. Additionally, Ayad is a Board Trustee at New York Theatre Workshop, and PEN America, where he serves as President. In 2021, Akhtar was named the New York State Author, succeeding Colson Whitehead, by the New York State Writers Institute.

This event is a fundraiser for the Weinberg Memorial Library.

Visit scranton.edu/authaward to reserve tickets and/or sponsor the event.

The Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Virtual Speaker Series, presented by the JA Panuska College of Professional Studies and the Edward R. Leahy Jr. Endowment, offers a virtual conference with new topics and a new format. Registration is required for each program. 

REGISTER HERE.

Oct. 12, 2022
1 - 3 p.m. EST
"Career Opportunities in the Changing Workplace"

Panel Moderator: Kathy West Evans, MPA, CRC Director of Business Relations, National Employment Team (NET), Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation ( CSAVR).

Join a panel of business partners to learn about their companies and trends that are shaping the future workplace in the U.S. Participants will learn more about the NET, as well as key business partners representing the private and public sector – UnitedHealth Group, Dell and the U.S. Department of Transportation. Discussions will include the ways these companies are responding to workplace changes. Also, they will offer insight on working with the VR-NET to ensure that their talent pipeline includes candidates with disabilities, as well as supporting employees with disabilities throughout their employment life cycle.

October 19, 2022
1- 3:00 p.m. EST
"Embedding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility: A Cultural Shift for Business Communities, and You!" 

Speakers: Hattie McCarter, MS, CRC, CEO of MEND Consulting Solutions, Certified DEI Professional and Stephanie Perry, MSW, LSW DEI Consultant

Since May 2020, the need for embedding diversity into an organization's structure has been an ebb and flow for most of this nation. Although the need has become more significant, the cultivating passion has been here for over seven decades. Some understand the impact that Diversity Equity Inclusion and Accessibility has on its employees, business, and overall culture, while others are content with surface level efforts. Diversity is not about volume; it’s about having a human-centered approach in creating a safe space for individuals to show up authentically and perform to their full potential.  

Participants in this course can expect to meet the following objectives:

• Develop an understanding on how to “cultivate“ a work culture that embraces equity, inclusion, and accessibility to promote the success of businesses, consumers (internal/external) and the surrounding communities.
• Develop an intersectional lens in working with people with diverse backgrounds and lived experience
• Establish skills on how to become an Inclusive Leader (or Champion)
• Identify key factors in implementing B.R.A.V.E Conversations

October 26, 2022
1 - 3:00 p.m. EST 
"A Framework for Community Engagement: A Pathway to Employment"

Speakers: Cayte Anderson, Ph.D., CRC and Emily Brinck, Ph.D., LPC, CRC, Researchers at the University of Wisconsin Madison, VRTAC-QE

The aim of the Technical Assistance Center for Quality Employment (VRTAC-QE) is to help State and Local VR agency personnel and their partners increase the number and quality of employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. This session provides an overview of the rich array of resources and training available through VRTAC-QE, and various types of technical assistance available through the center. The presenters will highlight specific examples of innovative and effective practices, opportunities to learn more, and tools that can be implemented in practice.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe the meaning of ‘quality’ as it relates to employment and disability.
• Introduce the concept of Quality Employment into local and state VR service delivery.
• Know where to find effective resources to support Quality Employment practice in local and state VR service delivery.
• Identify effective employment strategies leading to improved employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

The University of Scranton Office of Community Relations together with community partners, Scranton Tomorrow and Lackawanna County, are pleased to host Dr. Wonhyung Lee of the University of Albany on Oct. 6, 9 - 10:30 a.m. to speak about her research around the theme: “A Space for Everyone: Building Equity into Downtown Revitalization.”

This presentation with Q&A and discussion will draw on case studies and best practices considering the potentials and pitfalls involved in development and revitalization efforts and the needs of marginalized populations in urban areas and particularly downtown cores.

A light continental breakfast will be served. Event will take place in Kane Forum, Leahy Hall. Open to the campus and public. Email community@scranton.edu to rsvp.

A rich burst of color shines in the predominately black and white image of Rose Cuy, highlighting the beauty of Mayan traditional dress that is all-too-quickly fading from the town of San Lucas Tolimán in Guatemala.

Byron Maldonado hopes his photographs of elderly women of his village who still wear traditional Mayan clothes will help remind people in his town, and inform people the greater community, of the richness of Mayan culture. 

“I hope to remind people of the importance of traditions that are being lost,” said Maldonado of the images he took in 2012 which will be part of the art exhibition “Mayan Narratives: San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala,” to be displayed in The University of Scranton’s Hope Horn Gallery from Friday, Oct. 7, through Friday, Nov. 18.

Maldonado, a native of San Lucas Tolimán, has been taking photos of his village and its people since the time when, as a boy, he found a camera discarded by a visiting tourist in the garbage. 

One day, a priest who ran a Roman Catholic Church Mission in the village saw one of his photos and bought it. The priest, Father Gregory Schaffer, then asked him to begin documenting the work of the San Lucas Mission. 

“My passion for photography was born and my career as a documentary photographer began” wrote Maldonado on his website.

Maldonado recalls that Father Gregory instructed him to only take images of the people, not the way they live, telling him to always keep intact the dignity of the people he photographed.

It is a lesson Maldonado keeps to this very day, saying the faces of those in the photo tell their story – each wrinkle, the texture of their skin, tells about their lives.

Among the photos to be included in the upcoming exhibition is one of Laso Diaz.

“His eyes mean something different to everyone who sees the photo. Some see happiness, others see curiosity. Some see sadness,” said Maldonado. “I remember that he was just so happy to have his photo taken. His big, bright eyes remain with me to this day. In his eyes, I see a sense of hope.”

Maldonado moved to the U.S. in 2006 and further developed his skill as a photographer. 

He returns to San Lucas Tolimán annually. He continues to support the work of the Friends of San Lucas Mission and to keep in touch with those he photographed a decade ago.

Maldonado said that if he were to take a portrait photo of himself it would show two images where his heart lives. One would be of him working with the people of San Lucas Tolimán. The other would be of him with his family. It would document the artist, like his art, preserving the past while looking toward the future.

Maldonado will discuss his exhibition at a public lecture at 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 7, in the Pearn Auditorium of Brennan Hall. A gallery reception will immediately follow at the Hope Horn Gallery as part of the City of Scranton’s First Friday events. The exhibition can be seen during gallery hours through Nov. 18. The lecture and exhibition are free of charge and open to the public.

This exhibition is produced through the Hope Horn Gallery in cooperation with the Office of Community Affairs and the Multicultural Center at The University of Scranton. It is part of the “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project, made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. (Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this project do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.) Funding for the show and its related programming has also been provided by a University of Scranton Diversity Initiatives Grant and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

For additional information, call the Hope Horn Gallery at 570-941-7624, or email Darlene Miller-Lanning, director of the Hope Horn Gallery, at darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

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An event Tuesday, Oct. 4, hosted by the World Languages and Cultures Department will provide answers, and opportunities.

Have you ever wondered what learning another language can do for you and your future? Were you aware that knowledge of a second language can help you obtain a job and increase your salary? Would you like to know which language courses the University of Scranton offers?

Find out at the World Languages and Cultures Open House on Oct. 4 from 4:30 - 6 p.m. At this time faculty, students, and staff from the World Languages and Cultures Department will be available in the Language Learning Center (O’Hara Hall 306) to answer questions and speak with you about the languages, programs, and courses the department has to offer.

Enjoy light refreshments and find out about Spanish, French, Italian, German, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Latin, Greek, Russian, and ASL. 

UPDATE:  Due to weather, the kickoff event will be held in the Heritage Room, Library 5th floor, on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 4:30 p.m. 

The University will begin a yearlong celebration of women being accepted into undergraduate education.   

The celebration will start with a brief program. A few remarks will be offered by Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton, Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, among others. The Gateway will be lit with celebratory colors.

A hot chocolate, cider and doughnut social will follow. 

The first 100 students to arrive will receive a free, commemorative T-shirt.

Faculty, staff, administrators and students who are organizing this milestone celebration for the University community comprise the 50th Anniversary of Coeducation Workgroup.

The event date and location have changed to Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022, in Leahy Room 235. 

A Campus Coffeehouse for the exhibition "Mayan Narratives: San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala. Photographs by Byron Maldonado," will be held on Thursday, Oct. 20, in the Rose Room, Room 509, Brennan Hall, from 7 to 8 p.m. The artist will lead a conversation about his work photographing the indigenous community in San Lucas, and about the San Lucas Mission.

Produced in conjunction with the Multicultural Center, this show is supported in part by a University of Scranton Diversity Initiatives Grant. Please contact Darlene Miller-Lanning at darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu or 570-941-4214 for further information.

The exhibition "Mayan Narratives: San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala. Photographs by Byron Maldonado," will be presented at Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall, 4th Floor, between Oct. 7 and Nov.18. A native of San Lucas Toliman, Maldonado worked as a photographer for Fr. Gregory Schaffer, founder of the town’s San Lucas Mission. Over the years, he has developed a series of images representing the indigenous community there.

University of Scranton students visit San Lucas Toliman on International Service Program trips to the San Lucas Mission. Produced in conjunction with the Multicultural Center, this show is supported in part by a University of Scranton Diversity Initiatives Grant. Gallery hours are Sunday-Friday, 12 to 4 p.m., and Wednesday evenings 6-8 p.m.

Please contact Darlene Miller-Lanning at darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu or 570-941-4214 for further information.

The Office of Human Resources is pleased to announce the continuation of the learning series, For Your Benefit, with sessions geared toward resources, planning and guidance on topics including our various employee benefit plans and life issues such as telemedicine, benefit overview, tuition remission, and more.

Session 2: Oct. 20, 2:30 - 4 p.m. TDC405
Participants in the University's health plan have free and easy access to physicians 24x7. SwiftMD is often the first call they make at the onset of an il lness or injury to save themselves time and money. If it can be treated by a routine office visit or a trip to an Urgent Care Center, SwiftMD offers a convenient, high-quality healthcare alternative. A representative from SWIFT MD, Ross McNeil, will present information about this valuable benefit and how to access care.

Session 3: Nov. 17, 2:30 - 4 p.m. TDC405
The University of Scranton fosters a spirit of caring – grounded in Jesuit tradition of cura personalis by providing an outstanding benefits package to its employees. Our comprehensive benefits and resources are designed to promote and sustain the health and wellness of employees and their families, and to help employees invest wisely in their future.

Session 1, hosted Sept. 22, discussed “Using your Tuition Benefit.” Employees can pursue an undergraduate degree, learn for their own enrichment, or pursue a graduate degree.This workshop, was presented by BethAnn McCartney, Benefits Manager; Jonathan Kirby, Assistant Director of Financial Aid; and Caitlyn M. Hollingshead, Director of Graduate & International Admin., Graduate Admissions and Recruitment.

Learn more about the University benefit package

Our benefits package includes:

-Health care plan choices that include medical, dental and vision
-A University supported retirement savings plan
-Tuition remission and tuition excha nge plans for employees and their families
-Short and long term disability programs
-Life Insurance
-Paid time off
-An employee assistance program
-Mission and Community Service Leave
-Alternative work schedule program

Join BethAnn McCartney, Benefits Manager and Eileen Notarianni, Benefits Specialist, for an overview of the University’s benefit package and important steps to access each benefit.

Employees, faculty and students are invited Wednesday, Sept. 21, for a special event as part of Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story project, “A Shop on Every Corner: Memories of the Garment Industry Film Screening & Discussion” with historian Dr. Ken Wolensky and filmmaker Maureen McGuigan. The event will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Ritz Theater & Performing Arts Center, Scranton, Pennsylvania.

RSVP here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Garment2022.

For more information, visit www.scranton.edu/scrantonstory

Oct. 1       9 a.m. Scranton’s Ready to Run Northeast Pennsylvania Program: “Wanted: More Women Like You in Politics.” Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6326 or email sharon.olechna@scranton.edu.

Oct. 5       6 p.m. Asian Studies Public Lecture and Meet the Award-winning Author “Life on the Move: Transnational Migration and Cross-Cultural Imagination in Taiwan Literature and Film,” Part 1. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-6312 or email ann.pang-white@scranton.edu.

Oct. 6       6 p.m. Asian Studies Film Screening and Meet the Award-winning Director of “The Good Daughter.” “Life on the Move: Transnational Migration and Cross-Cultural Imagination in Taiwan Literature and Film,” Part 2. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free, Call 570-941-6312 or email ann.pang-white@scranton.edu.

Oct. 7 through Nov. 18         Art Exhibit: “Mayan Narratives: San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala” photographs by Byron Maldonado. Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Oct. 7       5 p.m. Art Gallery Lecture: “Mayan Narratives: San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala” presented by Byron Maldonado. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Reception follows at the Hope Horn Gallery. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Oct. 12            1 p.m. The Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Virtual Speaker Series: “Career Opportunities in the Changing Workplace” with panel moderator Kathleen West-Evans, MPA, CRC. Presented by the J. A. Panuska College of Professional Studies and the Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Endowment. Free. Visit www.scranton.edu/disabilityconference. Call 570-941-7401.

Oct. 12            7:30 p.m. Ignatian Values in Action Lecture: “On Juneteenth” presented by Annette Gordon-Reed, Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times best-selling author. Byron Recreation Complex. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Oct. 13            Noon. Schemel Forum and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Collaborative Program: “Threats to Equity: The Influence of Social Determinants on Human Behaviors that Promote Well-being” presented Julie Byerley, MD, president and dean of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Oct. 15            2 p.m. Art Gallery: “Walking Tour: Scranton Lace Company/Lace Village Site.” Free. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu

Oct. 15            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring Andrew Gonzalez, viola and violincello da spalla. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Oct. 19            1 p.m. The Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Virtual Speaker Series: “Embedding Deia: A Cultural-Shift for Business, Communities, and You!” Speakers Hattie McCarter, MS, CRC; CEO of M.E.N.D. Consulting Solutions and certified DEI professional and Stephanie Perry, MSW, LSW DEI consultant. Presented by the J. A. Panuska College of Professional Studies and the Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Endowment. Free. Visit www.scranton.edu/disabilityconference. Call 570-941-7401.

Oct. 21-23 and 28-30      8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. “Almost, Maine” presented by The University Players. Royal Theater, McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Ticket prices vary. Call 570-941-4318 or email players@scranton.edu.

Oct. 23            9 a.m. Open House for prospective students and their families. Various locations on campus. Registration required. Free. Call 888-SCRANTON or email admissions@scranton.edu.

Oct. 23            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner, piano. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Oct. 26            1 p.m. The Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Virtual Speaker Series: “A Framework for Community Engagement: A Pathway to Employment” with speakers Cayte Anderson, Ph.D., and Emily Brinck, Ph.D., both are researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, VRTAC-QE. Presented by the J. A. Panuska College of Professional Studies and the Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Endowment. Free. Visit www.scranton.edu/disabilityconference. Call 570-941-7401.

Oct. 29            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Jazz Band and guest drummer Carmen Intorre Jr. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

 

Pet Therapy is back! Join on the Dionne Green on Tuesday, Sept. 27 from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. to pet all the dogs.


Wait...dogs are needed! To participate, dogs need to be even-tempered, social, fully-vaccinated and great with lots of people and other dogs. Owners with the time and interest to attend, should register by Friday, Sept. 23.  Dog owners can be parents of current students, alumni, members of the University community or therapy dog owners over the age of 18. Please refer to the University Animals on Campus policy before entering any indoor buildings. 


There is no advance registration for visitors, but a Royal card is needed to swipe in.  Event is not open to the public.


Email Ellen.Judge@scranton.edu with any questions or concerns.  The event is hosted by The Center for Service & Social Justice.

The Center for Service and Social Justice is hosting a two-day blood drive with the Red Cross Sept. 14 and 15 from 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. in the Long Center lobby.

To make an appointments visit https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive and search zip code 18510. Walk-ins also welcome.

Please bring ID. Questions or concerns? Contact Ellen.Judge@scranton.edu.

The University and community partners are hosting a lecture and discussion Sept. 8, “The 1902 Anthracite Strike: Causes and Consequences, A 120th Anniversary Evaluation,” with Dr. Bob Wolensky and respondents Dr. Melissa Meade and Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti.

We will consider the impact of the 1902 anthracite strike and its impact and legacy for Scranton’s economic present and future. The event is part of the ongoing “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” National Endowment for the Humanities-funded project and the fall 2022 theme, From the Industrial Revolution to Act 47 and Beyond.

The event will take place Thursday, Sept. 8 at 5:30 p.m. in the Lackawanna County Courthouse, Room 3.

To register for the event, visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/1902Strike

For more information on the Scranton's Story project visit: www.scranton.edu/scrantonstory

Additional events in this theme include:

Performance Music is hosting two additional opportunities for new members to join.

STEEL DRUMS: Wednesday, Sept. 7, 5:30 p.m.
(No prior percussion experience necessary.)

PERFORMANCE CHOIRS: Thursday Sept. 8, 5:30 p.m.
(All singers welcome.)

All rehearsals are held in the Houlihan McLean Center, Mulberry Street at Jefferson Avenue (use Jefferson Ave. door).

For more information: www.scranton.edu/music, (570) 941-7624, or music@scranton.edu

The University will host Family Weekend 2022, a celebration for current students and their families, Sept. 24 and 25.

The annual event gives families a firsthand look into the lives of their students, and the Family Weekend Planning Committee has once again assembled a fantastic array of Scrantastic activities that will foster fun and fellowship. 

Saturday, September 24, 2022

9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Family Weekend Hospitality Center
A warm welcome awaits you at the Family Weekend Hospitality Center. Staff will be on hand to answer questions about the weekend and offer suggestions about the surrounding area.
The DeNaples Center, 1st Floor

Basket Raffle - 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (and Friday 9/23 from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.)
Sponsored by The Center for Service and Social Justice, this annual raffle supports our students' experiential travel and service events.
The DeNaples Center, 1st Floor

10 a.m. Women's Rugby (opponent TBD)
Fitzpatrick Field

Men's Rugby (time/opponent TBD)
Fitzpatrick Field

11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Food Truck Fare
Area food trucks will be parked along Linden Street for this lunch-on-your-own experience. 
2Wayz One Passion Food Truck
Bella Rose Food Truck & Catering LLC
FonDippity
Manning's Mobile Ice Cream Shoppe
Big D's Curbside Crave
(Food trucks subject to change)
Commons Flag Terrace

11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Student Group Performances
Scrantones (Men/Women for Octaves)
Royal Harmony (Men/Women for Octaves)
Liva Arts (Musical Theater)
Royal Expressions (Contemporary Dance)
Urban Beats
University of Scranton Cheer Team
University of Scranton Dance Team
Founder's Green

Noon - 7 p.m. Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library Book Sale
The Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library at The University of Scranton are sponsoring a book sale that will include used non-fiction and fiction hardcover and paperback books. The event takes place outside on the Monroe Avenue side of the Weinberg Memorial Library or inside the building in case of rain, with all proceeds benefiting The Weinberg Memorial Library Endowment.
Weinberg Memorial Library

1 p.m. Women's Volleyball vs. Rowan; vs. Messiah 5 p.m.
John Long Center  (*Friday 9/23 vs. Franklin & Marshall 3 p.m.; Friday 9/23 vs. RIT 7 p.m.)

1 p.m. Women's Field Hockey vs. Catholic
Weiss Field

4 p.m. Family Weekend Mass
Join our community at Mass as we celebrate Scranton families coming together in fellowship. Families of all religious affiliations are welcome.
The William J. Byron, S.J. Recreation Complex

7:30 p.m. Family Weekend Concert 
Joseph Boga and the Scranton Ramblers with an appearance by The University of Scranton Concert Choir 
Houlihan-McLean Center (Visit this link for more information)

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, 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.
The DeNaples Center

Sunday, September 25, 2022

9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Brunch on Your Own
You will have the option to pay at the door or use your student's flex spending account. The cost of brunch is $10.52 per person.
The DeNaples Center, Fresh Food Company, 3rd Floor

Noon - 4 p.m. Hope Horn Art Gallery - "Time and Lace" - A history of The Scranton Lace Company
For over a century, the Scranton Lace Company was recognized for its quality products, innovative management, and skilled workforce. Guest-curated by University of Scranton graduate Roman Golebiowski, this show and catalog celebrate its history as represented in artifacts from the Lackawanna Historical Society and Anthracite Heritage Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

For more information, contact the Family Weekend Planning Committee at 570-941-4222 or familyweekend@scranton.edu, or visit www.scranton.edu/familyweekend.

The University of Scranton welcomed the most diverse class in the history of the school last weekend with 285 members of its class of 2026 identifying as a student of color, representing nearly 27 percent of the incoming class. Scranton also welcomed its largest degree seeking, graduate international student cohort in the last 15 years, with more than 60 new graduate degree-seeking international students starting this fall.

Shown above are Shania Hemingway (left), a chemistry major, and her twin sister Selina, a biology major, both from Alburtis and in the pre-med program, arrived on campus to participate in the Royals of Color Kickoff. 

Read more about the Royals of Color Kickoff (ROCK), here.

Read more about the first-year class, here.

See more photos from Fall Welcome Weekend, here.

Forty-two members of The University of Scranton’s Class of 2026 arrived on campus on Aug. 22 to participate in FIRST (Freshmen Involved in Reflective Service Together), a reflective service immersion program at Scranton. Students volunteered with Neighborworks, the Belleview Center, Telespond and Friends of the Poor. FOX-56 News interviewed students participating in FIRST at the Friends of the Poor warehouse in south Scranton.

Shown, Blake Schultz, an accounting major from Dunmore, was among the members of The University of Scranton’s class of 2026 who participated in FIRST. Here, Schultz is pictured playing catch with children at the Belleview Center in West Scranton.

Read more about the FIRST members of Class of 2026 to arrive, here

“I hope that by talking about how this war destroyed villages and towns, and killed, hurt and damaged the lives of so many people, maybe in the future, people will be more reasonable and peaceful and others will not have to go through what we experienced,” said Serhii Kuzmin Jr.

Eighteen-year-old Serhii, from Kharkiv, Ukraine, arrives on the campus of The University of Scranton as a member of the Jesuit school’s class of 2026. He will major in computer science.

Serhii completed his high school studies in Ukraine in 2021 and spent a gap year searching for a school in the United States to fulfill his dream of attending college in America. He found a fit to cultivate his love of philosophy grounded within a Catholic tradition at The University of Scranton.

Then, he was awakened by loud noises in the early morning hours of February 24. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had begun and everything else stopped.

Learn more about how Serhii renewed his plans to pursue his dream of attending college in the United States, here.

The 12th Annual Downtown Scavenger Hunt will take place from Friday, Sept. 2 - Saturday, Sept. 3. University students can register for this annual event to explore the downtown Scranton area to learn more about our business community, historical landmarks and monuments, creative murals, and unique places. University of Scranton students can register in Royal Sync at https://cglink.me/2rM/s33

The University of Scranton announced Campus Health and Safety protocols related to the pandemic for the fall semester. The plan, informed by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance released on August 11, is intended to minimize the impact of COVID-19. 

The University’s Campus Health and Safety protocols follow the latest guidance concerning isolation and exposure, as well as contact tracing and vaccine recommendations.

Other aspects of the University’s plan were unchanged from the summer months. Masks will remain optional in all campus buildings regardless of vaccination status, unless otherwise instructed. The campus remains open to the general public.

The full update for the fall semester is available on the University’s Campus Health and Safety webpage.

Sept. 2-30       Art Exhibit: “Time and Lace: A History of the Scranton Lace Company.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Sept. 2    7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring Matt Marantz Quartet. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Sept. 7    3 p.m. PCN 2022 Pennsylvania Election Panel Discussion. Pennsylvania Cable Network panel discussion on Pennsylvania’s Governor and U.S. Senate races. Panelists include JoyAnna Hopper, Ph.D., co-director of The University of Scranton’s Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service, and Borys Krawczeniuk, investigative reporter for the Scranton Times-Tribune. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

Sept. 7      3:45 p.m. Public Meeting for The University of Scranton’s Department of Health and Human Performance – Speech-Language Pathology program with the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Kane Forum, Leahy Hall. Free. Call 570-941-6305 or email info@scranton.edu.

Sept. 8      5:30 p.m. Lecture: “The 1902 Anthracite Strike: Causes and Consequences, A 120th Anniversary Evaluation” presented by Bob Wolensky, Ph.D., sociologist and anthracite historian with panel respondents. The event is part of “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story,” a project supported by a NEH grant led by The University of Scranton and community partners.  Lackawanna County Courthouse, 200 N. Washington Avenue. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Sept. 12           Noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Covering the White House: Challenges and Opportunities” presented by Ashley Parker, White House Bureau Chief for the Washington Post and NBC/MSNBC senior political analyst. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Sept. 13     11 a.m. Volunteer Fair for area nonprofit agencies offering volunteer opportunities for students. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Pre-registration required. Call 570-941-7429 or email ellen.judge@scranton.edu.

Sept. 15           4:30 p.m. Q and A with Brian Baumgartner, The Office cast member and author of “Seriously Good Chili Cookbook” and “Welcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of The Office.” Exclusive event for University students, faculty and staff. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Registration required. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

Sept. 15           5:30 p.m. Book signing with Brian Baumgartner, The Office cast member and author of “Seriously Good Chili Cookbook” and “Welcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of The Office.” Exclusive event for University students, faculty and staff. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Royal card ID required. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

Sept. 16           5 p.m. Art Gallery Curator’s Lecture: “Time and Lace: A History of the Scranton Lace Company.” Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Reception follows at the Hope Horn Gallery. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Sept. 17           7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring Carlos Avila, piano, and Vincent Grana, bass voice. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Sept. 19           Noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Higher Education’s Indispensable Role in Preserving and Advancing Democracy” presented by Ira Harkavy, Ph.D., founding director, Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships, University of Pennsylvania. Kane Forum, Edward Leahy Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Sept. 21           7:00 p.m.  “A Shop on Every Corner: Memories of the Garment Industry Film Screening and Discussion” presented by Ken Wolensky, Ph.D., historian and Maureen McGuigan, filmmaker. The event is part of “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story,” a project supported by a NEH grant led by The University of Scranton and community partners.  Ritz Theater and Performing Arts Center. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Sept. 22          7 p.m. NASA event for college and high school students and the general public about future space missions and related careers. PNC Auditorium and Atrium of Loyola Science Center. Free Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

Sept. 23          9 a.m. NASA Northeast Pennsylvania Industry Day, a networking event focused on collaboration opportunities with local businesses. Fourth Floor, DeNaples Center. Free with reservations required to attend. (reservation link if needed: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nasa-industry-day-and-small-business-networking-event-tickets-383703245737). Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

Sept. 23-25     The University of Scranton Family Weekend 2022. Various campus locations. Call 570-941-4222 or email familyweekend@scranton.edu

Sept. 24          7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert: Family Weekend” featuring Joseph Boga and the Scranton Ramblers with an appearance by The University of Scranton Concert Choir. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu. 

Sept. 28          Noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Managing Today and Envisioning Tomorrow: Leading the City of Scranton” presented by Paige Gebhardt Cognetti, mayor, City of Scranton. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Sept. 29          6:30 p.m. President’s Business Council 21^st Annual Award Dinner honoring Patricia A. Byrnes Clark ’86, global chief talent officer, Havas Group, and Thomas P. O’Brien ’86, CEO and president, SumRidge Partners, LLC, at Gotham Hall, New York City. Proceeds from the dinner support the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund. Tickets required. Call 570-941-5837, visit www.scranton.edu/PBCdinner or email timothy.pryle@scranton.edu.

Oct. 1  9 a.m. Scranton’s Ready to Run Northeast Pennsylvania Program: “Wanted: More Women Like You in Politics.” Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6326 or email sharon.olechna@scranton.edu.

Oct. 5  6 p.m. Asian Studies Public Lecture and Meet the Award-winning Author “Life on the Move: Transnational Migration and Cross-Cultural Imagination in Taiwan Literature and Film,” Part 1. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-6312 or email ann.pang-white@scranton.edu.

Oct. 6  6 p.m. Asian Studies Film Screening and Meet the Award-winning Director of “The Good Daughter.” “Life on the Move: Transnational Migration and Cross-Cultural Imagination in Taiwan Literature and Film,” Part 2. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free, Call 570-941-6312 or email ann.pang-white@scranton.edu.

Oct. 7 through Nov. 18         Art Exhibit: “Mayan Narratives: San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala” photographs by Byron Maldonado. Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Oct. 7       5 p.m. Art Gallery Lecture: “Mayan Narratives: San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala” presented by Byron Maldonado. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Reception follows at the Hope Horn Gallery. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Oct. 12            7:30 p.m. Ignatian Values in Action Lecture: “On Juneteenth” presented by Annette Gordon-Reed, Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times best-selling author. Byron Recreation Complex. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Oct. 13            Noon. Schemel Forum and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Collaborative Program: “Threats to Equity: The Influence of Social Determinants on Human Behaviors that Promote Well-being” presented Julie Byerley, MD, president and dean of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Oct. 15            2 p.m. Art Gallery: “Walking Tour: Scranton Lace Company/Lace Village Site.” Free. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Oct. 15            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring Andrew Gonzalez, viola and violincello da spalla. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Oct. 21-23 and 28-30       8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. “Almost, Maine” presented by The University Players. Royal Theater, McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Ticket prices vary. Call 570-941-4318 or email players@scranton.edu

Oct. 23            9 a.m. Open House for prospective students and their families. Various locations on campus. Registration required. Free. Call 888-SCRANTON or email admissions@scranton.edu.

Oct. 23            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner, piano. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Oct. 29            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Jazz Band and guest drummer Carmen Intorre Jr. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Nov. 6        9 a.m. Open House for prospective students and their families. Various locations on campus. Registration required. Free. Call 888-SCRANTON or email admissions@scranton.edu.

Nov. 8       7:30 p.m. 36^th annual Henry George Lecture: “Still Worth the Trip? Modern-Era Busing and other Lessons from Urban School Reform” presented by Parag Pathak, Ph.D., professor of economics, MIT. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4048 or email janice.mecadon@scranton.edu.

Nov. 10           Noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “On Democracy, Inequality and Jazz Improvisation” presented by Wayne Winborne, Ph.D., executive director, Institute of Jazz Studies, assistant professor arts culture and media, Rutgers University-Newark. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Nov. 12           7:30 a.m. Schemel Forum bus trip to New York, New York, to August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson” $150. Registration required before Sept. 30. Spaces are limited. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Nov. 12           7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Symphonic Band. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Nov. 17           7 p.m. Lecture featuring Curtis Zunigha, enrolled member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians and co-founder/co-director of the Lenape Center. The event is part of “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story,” a project supported by a NEH grant led by The University of Scranton and community partners.  McIlhenny Ballroom, The DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Nov. 17-19                  8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. “Rent” presented by Liva Arts Company. The Royal Theater, McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. $5. Call 570-941-7401 or email livaartscompany@gmail.com

Nov. 18           Time: 6 p.m. Schemel Forum with the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library Collaborative Program: The Royden B. Davis, S.J. Distinguished Author Award Event honoring Ayad Akhtar, Pulitzer Prize winning and Tony Award nominated playwright, novelist and screenwriter. McIlhenny Ballroom, The DeNaples Center. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Nov. 18           7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton String Orchestra. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Dec. 2         Noon. Schemel Forum’s Munley World Affairs Luncheon Series: “How Putin’s Invasion of Ukraine Changed the World” presented by Trudy Rubin, Worldview columnist, The Philadelphia Inquirer. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Dec. 3        8 p.m. Performance Music: “54^th Annual Noel Night” featuring The University of Scranton Singers and Chamber Ensembles. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Dec. 5         5 p.m. Community Relations Roundtable: “The Journey from ‘Immigrant’ to Citizen” featuring local resource speakers from a range of backgrounds, in collaboration with the Schemel Forum. The event is part of “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story,” a project supported by a NEH grant led by The University of Scranton and community partners. PNC Board Room, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Dec. 9         Noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Process of Peace, Palermo: An Experience, a Model” presented by Leoluca Orlando, professor, former mayor of Palermo, honorary mayor of Palermo Huila Columbia and cofounder of Global Parliament of Mayors. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Dec. 11            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “Empty Stocking Fund Benefit Concert.” Performance Music student musicians perform solo, duet, trio and small group renditions of a variety of Christmas favorites. Houlihan-McLean Center. Admission: one new unwrapped toy, new toiletry items or a monetary donation. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Schemel Courses:

Mondays: Sept. 19, 26 and Oct. 3, 17, 24, 31          6 p.m. Schemel Forum Course: “Crossing the Line(s): Reading and Writing Contemporary Poetry” presented by Billie Tadros, Ph.D., assistant professor of English and theatre, The University of Scranton. Room 305, Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Wednesdays: Sept. 21, 28 and Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26    6 p.m. Schemel Forum Course: “What is Fascism?” presented by Roy Domenico, Ph.D., professor of history, The University of Scranton. Room 305, Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Tuesdays: Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 and Nov. 1, 8  6 p.m. Schemel Forum Course: “How a Masterpiece of Medieval Irish Art Bridged the Classical and Christian Worlds” presented by Stephen Whittaker, Ph.D., professor of English and theatre, The University of Scranton. Room 305 Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

 

The University of Scranton’s Department of Health and Human Performance – Speech-Language Pathology program invites you to a public meeting with the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). The CAA is a nationally recognized accrediting agency. As part of the CAA’s recognition by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), the agency is encouraged to develop a method for allowing public input about the accreditation process and about graduate education programs prior to final decision by the CAA. Accordingly, individuals who wish to provide input about a program seeking candidacy (pre-accreditation) may do so in two ways: (1) submitting written comments prior to the accreditation site visit in accordance with the procedures specified below or (2) attending and providing comments at a public meeting during the program’s scheduled site visit. All comments provided must:

• relate to a program’s compliance with the published Standards for Accreditation of Graduate Education Programs in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (Standards) in effect at the time comments are submitted, and
• identify the specific program seeking candidacy, initial accreditation, or reaccreditation with the CAA.

Public Meeting  

Date: Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Time: 3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Location: The University of Scranton - Edward Leahy Hall – Kane Forum - 235

If you are unable to attend, you are invited to submit written comments. Please see below for the Policy on Written Comments. A copy of the Standards for Accreditation and/or the CAA’s Policy on Public Comment may be obtained by contacting the Accreditation Office at ASHA, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, Maryland 20850, calling ASHA’s Action Center at 1-800-498-2071, or accessing the documents online at https://caa.asha.org/.

Comments Submitted Prior to the Site Visit

The CAA publishes on its website the list of programs that have submitted applications for candidacy, initial accreditation, and reaccreditation during that calendar year for which the CAA is seeking public comment as part of its current accreditation review of the published programs. The listing will include the dates of the scheduled site visit for each program. Individuals who wish to submit written testimony about any of the programs scheduled for a site visit must adhere to the following procedures.

• All comments about education programs are due in the Accreditation Office no later than 15 days before the first day of the scheduled site visit. Comments received after this time will not be forwarded to the site visit team for consideration during the accreditation review.
• All written testimony—including comments faxed or submitted as e-mail attachments--must include the commenter’s name, address and telephone contact information and the commenter’s relationship to the program in order for Accreditation staff to verify the source of the testimony. All comments must be signed. Comments should be submitted to:

Accreditation Public Comment

Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

2200 Research Boulevard, #310 Rockville, MD 20850

accreditation@asha.org Fax: 301-296-8570.

We are happy to announce that Kristie Ceruti joined the University’s marketing communications department on July 25 as the University Editor and Social Media Manager.

In this role, Kristie will be working with departments and organizations across campus to share their news and stories, not only in Royal News, but also in The Scranton Journal and on our social media sites.

“In the short time that I’ve been at the University, I've experienced a welcoming atmosphere and overall sense of helpfulness from every member of faculty and staff I've met. I look forward to connecting with many more Royals in the coming weeks,” she said.

Prior to joining our staff, Kristie was Senior Marketing Communications Specialist at Benco Dental for nine years, where she guided the company’s public relations and social media efforts, launched and curated their consumer-facing blog, and collaborated on their award-winning magazine, Incisal Edge. 

Her editorial experience also includes two decades as a journalist, leading community and alt-weekly newsrooms in Clarks Summit, Wilkes-Barre, and the suburbs of Philadelphia.

You can reach Kristie at extension 6337 or at kristie.ceruti@scranton.edu.

Submissions to Royal News or The Scranton Journal should be sent to
RoyalNews@Scranton.edu 
ScrantonJournal@Scranton.edu

A Message from the President

Dear Students, Alumni, Faculty, Staff and Friends:

This past year on campus, we’ve celebrated often. There have been building dedications, Landmark Championships and many academic achievements, not to mention a much-needed alumni Reunion. What a joy it was to watch our Center for Service and Social Justice volunteers gather and package meals inside the newly dedicated Arrupe House and to cheer as our newest graduates processed across the stage in May. These are moments I cherish and that I will carry with me throughout my presidency and beyond.

We also celebrated the launch of the campus-wide plan for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, which supports our Strategic Plan. While there is much work to be done, the plan — and Catholic Social Teaching — will help to guide us toward a more inclusive community, a more just society. You can read about the good work being done related to the plan in this issue of the magazine, along with other stories that connect us, near and far.

I could not be prouder to be a part of this University. Your incredible stories help me to understand further what makes this place so special. And your support helps to sustain Scranton’s goals and future endeavors. I hope to celebrate them with you in person soon. In the meantime, please keep the University in your prayers and be assured of mine in return.

Yours Faithfully,
Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J.
President

IN THIS ISSUE:

Features

• Student-Led Investing Pays Off
  The PRISM student group has successfully managed a portion of the University’s endowment from $100,000 to nearly $1 million in 23 years.
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan Launched
  A new plan is released to support the Strategic Plan’s goal of building an inclusive community.>
• Helping First-Generation College Students Achieve Endless Possibilities
  This article by Shannon Murphy Fennie, assistant dean of students, originally appeared in Connections, the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities’ magazine.
• One-on-One with 2021-22 Student Government Leaders
  The Scranton Journal talks to 2021-22 student government leaders Adrianna Smith ’22, G’23 & Claire Sunday ’23.

 

Alumni Profiles

• Daniel Walsh, Ph.D. ’00: Magis at the Pentagon
  A chemist is led by mission and service as the new director of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency.
• Geoff Sanders ’94: In the Waters of Cape Cod
  A career studying coastal ecology and salt marshes leads to an opportunity to study and preserve the resources of Cape Cod National Seashore.
• Chloe Strickland ’17: Speaking Up
  A college counselor opens doors for her students through life lessons and a deep connection to Scranton.
  
  

And of course,

• On the Commons
• Focus on Faculty
• Athletics News
• Alumni News
• Class Notes
• and bonus Web Exclusives!

 

July 2022 Journal Homepage

The Center for Service and Social Justice at The University of Scranton will hold its annual Volunteer and Service Fair for local nonprofits from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, in the DeNaples Center ballroom, 4th floor.

The fair offers University students and student-led clubs interested in service projects and community-based learning sites a chance to meet representatives from nonprofit organizations in need of volunteers.

To register a nonprofit organization for the event, email ellen.judge@scranton.edu or call 570-941-7429. The deadline to register for the fair is Sept. 8.

There is no prior registration necessary for student guests.

The University of Scranton will join Jesuit colleges and universities across the world to mark the close of “The Ignatian Year,” a year-long, worldwide celebration of the 500^thanniversary of the transformation of St. Ignatius, the founder of the Society of Jesus.

The University will light its Class of 2020 gateway sign with a white cross and purple background the evenings of July 28 to July 31, the Feast Day of St. Ignatius and the official closing date of The Ignatian Year.

The University’s Jesuit Center will host a Spirituality Luncheon for staff and faculty to commemorate the Feast of St. Ignatius and the end of The Ignatian Year on Thursday, July 26. The University will also host a ice cream social for faculty and staff on Friday, July 29, hosted by Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president, and Daniel Cosacchi, Ph.D., vice president for Mission and Ministry at the University.

In a message to the University community about the Feast Day of St. Ignatuis, Father Marina referenced a quote about The Ignatian Year by Rev. Arturo Sosa, S.J., Superior General of the Society of Jesus:

“It is good to remind ourselves that the wound Ignatius suffered in Pamplona was not so much a happy ending, but rather a happy beginning. Conversion consists sometimes of great moments of change, but it is also a never-ending process. We need to put Christ in the center every time, again and again.”

“At Scranton, … (m)ay the Ignatius 500 celebration remind us of the many ways in which we continue the work of St. Ignatius through the transformative education we provide to our students. May we continue to place God at the center of our work, our mission and our lives. May Peace be with you and all who we encounter during our journey,” said Father Marina in his message.

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The University is proud to be a partner at the Black Scranton Project's Juneteenth Jubilee Block Party!

Join us on Sunday, June 19 from 12-5 p.m. in North Scranton, 1902 N Main Ave, Scranton, PA 18508-2004.

More event information is here. 

To build tradition and community, the Black Scranton Project presents, for the 4th consecutive year, the JUNETEENTH JUBILEE BLOCK PARTY. Join us at the Black Scranton Project Center for Arts and Culture for music, food, games, giveaways, and more!

This year’s Juneteenth celebration emphasizes freedom and perseverance and marks the Black Scranton Project's third full year as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

**THIS EVENT IS FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Celebrate and Honor World Refugee Day!

On June 18, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. longtime residents and local Scranton refugee communities are invited to come together for a time of sharing, learning, fellowship, and celebration that honors global refugees.

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World Refugee Day is an annual international day, designated by the United Nations, to celebrate the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution.

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The event will include cultural songs and music, refreshments, games and activities for kids and more.

Location: YMS of R Park in Scranton (18505), 1000 K ane St. (turn on Kane from Pittston Street, continue up Kane Street past the cemetery; the park will be on right side of street).

Call Tim at 484-645-0867 or email community@scranton.edu with questions.

Co-sponsors include Catholic Social Services of The Diocese of Scranton, University of Scranton, United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania, local faith-based groups as well as Friends of the Poor, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine students, and refugee communities including: Bhutanese Cultural Foundation Scranton Association and Congolese Community of Scranton.

The University of Scranton hosted panel discussion about the Jesuit university’s Prison Education Initiative on campus during the spring semester.

Inspired by the work of Gregory Boyle, S.J., the founder of Homeboy Industries, The University of Scranton’s Prison Education Initiative seeks to provide inmates in Northeastern Pennsylvania with an Associate of Arts degree in just over three years. The program, directed by Chris Haw, Ph.D., assistant professor of theology/religious studies at Scranton, hopes to build foundations upon which inmates can continue their education.

Panelists Dr. Haw and Christie Karpiak, Ph.D., professor of psychology, discussed their experience teaching at the State Correctional Institution, SCI-Dallas, in Luzerne County; and Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D., then provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Scranton, spoke on the subject of mass incarceration. Darryl Byers-Robinson, an alumnus of the Bard Prison Initiative, who starred in “College Behind Bars,” also participated in the discussion as a guest-speaker.

Pictured below are several professors at The University of Scranton who have taught at the State Correctional Institution, SCI—Dallas in Luzerne County through the Jesuit university’s Prison Education Initiative. From left are some of the professors who have participated in the Prison Education Initiative: Declan Mulhall, Ph.D., professor of physics and electrical engineering; Christie Karpiak, Ph.D., professor of psychology; Darryl Byers-Robinson, Alumnus of Bard Prison Initiative, guest speaker at a panel discussion about the initiative; and Will Cohen, Ph.D., professor of theology/religious studies.

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Fifteen members of The University of Scranton’s class of 2022 graduated from its Business Leadership Honors Program, which is one of Scranton’s programs of excellence. Students in this highly-selective program 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.

The following is a list of the class of 2022 Business Leadership Honors Program graduates and their majors:

Marissa E. Angelo, Dickson City, graduated, summa cum laude, as an accounting major. Angelo was also a member of the University’s Business Honors Program.

Alexandra C. Benadon, Hillsborough, New Jersey, graduated, summa cum laude, as a human resource studies major.            

Philip J. Cocco III, Pittston, graduated, summa cum laude, as an accounting major. Cocco was also a member of the University’s Business Honors Program.

Charles M. Csaszar, Hopewell Junction, New York, graduated, magna cum laude, as an accounting major.    Csaszar was also a member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program.

Collin E. Ennis, Pleasant Mount, graduated, magna cum laude, as a finance major. Ennis was also a member of the University’s Business Honors Program.

Austin J. Glidewell, Clarks Summit, graduated, summa cum laude, as a finance and economics double major. Glidewell was also a member of the University’s Business Honors Program.

Hanna P. Guarnuccio, Scotch Plains, New Jersey, graduated, summa cum laude, as an economics and accounting double major. Guarnuccio was also a member of the University’s Business Honors Program.

Dillon C. Heinz, Leonardo, New Jersey, graduated, magna cum laude, as a finance major.       

Jacqueline J. Heraty, New York, New York, graduated, as a neuroscience major.  

Rebecca A. Johnson, Scranton, graduated, magna cum laude, as an accounting major.            

Benjamin C. Koshinski, Mountain Top, graduated, summa cum laude, as a management and accounting double major.          

Carolina R. Murphy, Jenkintown, graduated, summa cum laude, as a finance and Hispanic studies double major. Murphy was also a member of the University’s Business Honors Program.

Christina F. Piscitelli, New City, New York, graduated, summa cum laude, as an accounting major.   

Claudia D. Pitts, Scranton, graduated, summa cum laude, as an accounting major.        Pitts was also a member of the University’s Business Honors Program.

Caitlin S. Schreiber, Clarence Centre, New York, graduated, summa cum laude, as a business administration major. Schreiber was also a member of the University’s Business Honors Program.

Robert McKeage, Ph.D., associate professor of management, marketing and entrepreneurship, serves as director of the University’s Business Leadership Honors Program.

After our June 1 issue, the University's Royal News e-newsletter will publish on a summer schedule, though the website will continue to be updated daily. And we will return periodically to update our community on the goings-on around campus.

We will publish two alumni editions, one on July 6 and one on Aug. 3, then we'll return to regular action on Wednesday, Aug. 24, and continue our regular weekly publishing schedule throughout the fall 2022 semester.

We welcome announcement submissions from faculty, staff, students and clubs at any time throughout the winter (to include in one of these issues, and beyond), so please send them along. See the instructions here.

Thanks, and have a great summer!

University of Scranton President Joseph G. Marina, S.J., sent “A Message on Buffalo and Other Recent Acts of Violence” to the University community.

Dear Friends, 

Over the weekend, our nation learned of three tragic acts of violence – a mass shooting at a flea market in Houston, Texas, a church in Laguna Woods, California, and a third at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. 

While all three tragedies were senseless and outrageous attacks on the dignity of human life, for the shooting at the Tops Market in Buffalo, the motive now seems clear. As a nation, we must continue to face the evil and arrogance of racism and white supremacy. In this, we join our sister Jesuit institution, Canisius College in Buffalo, in standing in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in the Black community of Buffalo, Scranton and across the country. As a Catholic and Jesuit university, we must be a beacon of love and healing as well as a voice against injustice, intolerance and hatred in all its forms.  

Please pray today and in the days ahead for all who were killed, injured and traumatized and for those who care for and support them. Let us also pray and work for a society built on peace and justice with a genuine concern for human dignity and all of creation. 

“Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness” (1 John 2:9). 

Yours faithfully,

Joseph G. Marina, S.J. 

President  

The Center for Service & Social Justice is collecting donations for area nonprofit agencies in need in boxes throughout the residence halls, 1st and 2nd floors of DeNaples and the parking garage.

Items accepted: housewares, clothing, nonperishable food, small furniture, storage bins, electronics, toiletries, first aid, books, toys and sporting goods.

No large furniture, mattresses, pillows or bedding, please. 

Donations will be accepted now through graduation and can also be dropped off at Arrupe House, Clay and Mulberry.

Contact Ellen.Judge@scranton.edu with questions.

The University of Scranton announced plans to open its campus again to the general public at the start of the summer semester on May 24. The University is currently open to members of the University community and invited guests, which includes family members and friends attending Scranton’s various graduation ceremonies and other events on campus. Currently, higher-grade masks are optional for individuals indoors, regardless of vaccine status.

The University also announced COVID vaccine requirements for students and employees for the fall semester. The University will require all students attending in-person classes or accessing campus for other reasons in the fall 2022 semester to provide proof of being fully vaccinated by August 1. All employees are required to provide an attestation that they are fully vaccinated. Students and employees can apply for medical or religious exemptions to the vaccine requirements.

Regarding boosters, the University strongly recommends, but does not require, that students and employees stay “up to date” with COVID-19 vaccinations.

The University has based its health and safety plan on recommendations by the CDC and other health organizations. The University continues to monitor the situation and will update its plan as needed.

The full update for the summer and fall is available on the University’s Royals Back Together webpage

The once-a-year Hindu Festival of Color, HOLI, will return to campus this Saturday, April 23, outdoors on the Dionne Green from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., after two-year of dormancy due to Covid.

At this event, authentic Indian food will be served. There will also be a presentation, Indian dance, music and throwing color-powder activity. Please bring friends, family and stop by.

The event is presented by the Asia Club, co-sponsored by Multicultural Center, Asian Studies, and the Office of Equity and Diversity.

The United Cultures Organization and the Multicultural Center are putting a call for members of our campus community who would like to host a country table at our Festival of Nations event. The Festival of Nations is an annual event that showcases the diversity of students/ staff/faculty we have on campus. It has always been a fun event for all. This year we want to bring back the full in-person version of this event by having members of the campus community hosting country tables. It is our hope you will consider participating to showcase the diversity of countries' cultures represented on our campus.

Participants hosting a country table will have the opportunity to showcase their countries' cultures through informational poster boards, decorations, sampling of a traditional dish, and interactive activities represented on your table. The organizers (United Cultures Organization and the Multicultural Center) will provide supplies to country table participants to present information about the countries represented at each table. Additionally, a small reimbursement will also be offered to country table participants to cover some of the cost to feature a sampling of a traditional dish at our event.

This year we will host this cherish cultural celebration on Friday, May 6th from 2 p.m.-5 p.m. on the Dionne Green and DeNaples Patio (Rain location: Byron Center)

Register to host a country table using this link.

All students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to a special diversity and inclusion lunch and learn event.

Members of the University’s Black History subcommittee of the Council on Diversity and Inclusion will present on Re-Membering Blackness at The University of Scranton: History as a Call to Action. 

Thursday, April 28, 2022
11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
in the Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center, 4th floor
and via YouTube live stream

RSVP is required.

The Institutional Black History subcommittee of the University’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) seeks to examine the University’s historical relationships with Black faculty, staff, students and the broader community as part of campus efforts to address anti-Black racism and foster greater diversity, equity and inclusion. Grounded in the University’s Jesuit and Catholic mission, these efforts draw on notions of “moral memory” – the collective and moral act of remembering – and “metanoia” – a process of individual and community-based change, spiritual transformation, and renewal.

This presentation and Q&A will provide an update on the work of the Institutional Black History committee and overview of the University’s Black history, as gathered so far through student research conducted by HIST 190 Digital History students, the Weinberg Memorial Library, and subcommittee members. How this research informs the present and the future, including the formation of a Black Studies program, will be discussed.  Presenters will include:

• Julie Schumacher Cohen (Chair), Assistant Vice President for Community Engagement & Government Affairs

• Koebe Diaz, Black Student Union Officer, Class of 2022

• David Dzurec, Ph.D., Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, and Interim Executive Director of Slattery Center for the Humanities

• Colleen Farry, Assistant Professor, Digital Services Librarian, Weinberg Memorial Library

• Nicole Hoskins, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Theology/Religious Studies

• Aiala Levy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of History, Latin American Studies, and Women’s and Gender Studies

• Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

For more information, visit www.scranton.edu/rememberingblackness, a digital project supported by the staff and faculty of the Weinberg Memorial Library.

Please RSVP here. This program is open to the university and Scranton community. A box lunch will be provided. Questions? Contact diversity@scranton.edu.

Co-sponsored by: The University of Scranton Jesuit Center, Office of Equity and Diversity, Council on Diversity and Inclusion’s Institutional Black History subcommittee, and Office of Community Relations.

The Weinberg Memorial Library will continue its partnership with Aramark by creating a convenient food and beverage service in the library’s Pro Deo room. Over Summer 2022, the Java City Cafe will be replaced with the Scranton Market, which will feature standard to-go food items and beverages as well as prepared meals ready to heat and eat on site. The market will be unstaffed and completely self-service. The registers will accept both Royal Card and credit card transactions.

Because the Scranton Market will be unstaffed and in the Library’s Pro Deo room, it will be the first 24/7 food service location on Campus.

The Market will also feature a Yo-Kai Express noodle station. The Yo-Kai can hold more than ten different specialty noodle bowls, such as Tonkotsu Ramen, Vegan Udon, Shrimp Tempura Udon, Spicy Kimchi Pork Miso Ramen, Beef Pho, Chicken Pho, and more.

The Diversity Initiatives Review Board is accepting applications for grants in support of creative, educational programs that PROMOTE diversity, provide opportunity for inter-cultural engagement, and expand opportunities for multicultural experiences for our community.

The Diversity Initiatives Fund is available to campus groups, departments or individuals seeking to promote a greater understanding of diversity through inclusive pedagogies, educational opportunities, multicultural activities and community outreach programs. The grant is intended to launch new, innovative, or educational opportunities for the University community. Recurring projects may apply for funding as well.

Student applicants and part-time employees are required to have a full-time staff or full-time faculty sponsor. Student Clubs are required to have approval of the club moderator and the Coordinator of Student Clubs and Organizations. Individual staff members and non-full-time faculty must obtain approval from their supervisor or department chair, respectively. Sponsorship or approval must be obtained prior to applying for the grant.

To view previous projects and awards, and review the 21-22 grant guidelines and application, please visit: https://www.scranton.edu/equity-diversity/diversity-initiative.shtml

Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Semester deadlines for applications are November 30 and April 30, with the Review Board meeting in December and May of each academic year to discuss approval.

Questions on the application process may be sent to Jennifer.pennington@scranton.edu.

Note: Campus access and other health and safety information will be updated throughout the semester and can be seen on the Royals Back Together webpage.

May 9-13        Art Exhibit: “The University of Scranton Student Exhibition.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

May 7-8          8 a.m. National History Day State Competition for qualifying students from Pennsylvania. Pre-registration required. Call 570-941-4549 or email nhdparegion2@gmail.com.

May 7       7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring John Romeri, organist and John Romeri, flautist. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

May 14            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton String Orchestra with special guests. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

May 21            Noon Undergraduate Commencement. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

May 21            5 p.m. Graduate Commencement. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

May 22           10:30 a.m. Commencement Baccalaureate Mass. Byron Recreation Complex. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

The following is the Mass schedule during Holy Week and Easter break for students, faculty and staff of the University: 

Palm Sunday (April 10):  Our annual campus-wide Mass will take place at 5:00 p.m. in the Byron Center. There will also be Mass on Palm Sunday at 11:00 a.m. in Madonna della Strada Chapel. 

Monday, April 11 thru Wednesday, April, 13:  Mass will be celebrated at 12:05 PM in Sacred Heart Chapel 

Thursday, April 14 thru Monday, April 18: There will be no Masses or services during this period as our campus is closed for Easter break. 

Tuesday, April 19:  Normal Mass schedule resumes on campus with the 12:05 PM Mass in Sacred Heart Chapel. 

May you and your families have a blessed Holy Week and joyous Easter.

After more than a year of research, discussion and discernment, The University of Scranton has released its new campus-wide plan for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). The plan provides a foundational framework and specifies concrete actions for the University community to address diversity and inclusion on campus.

Rev. Joseph R. Marina, S.J., University president, announced the plan at Scranton’s Convocation on April 5.

 The new plan, developed to support directly the Strategic Plan, will guide the University as it seeks to reflect and understand “. . . the diversity of the world by demanding that diversity be a priority as we build an inclusive community and campus culture, and develop and deliver our education and shape our student experience.”

According to the DEI Plan, “The University strives to frame its mission, strategy and policies within the body of Catholic Social Teaching, that deep and profound collection of teachings that calls us to recognize the dignity of each and every human person, to work together in building a truly just society, and to live lives of faith, hope and love.  In doing so, the University participates in the life and mission of the Church for the purpose of having an authentic impact on all those it serves and who comprise its community.”

The plan recognizes diversity, equity and inclusion as integral to the Catholic and Jesuit mission of the University. The action steps outlined in each of these areas directly respond to the broader objectives of the Strategic Plan. The six focal areas of the plan include:

• institutional commitment, transparency, coordination and accountability, improving collaboration and communication throughout the campus community;
• the student experience, expanding engagement and support for diversity and inclusion for all students, including those from historically underrepresented and underserved populations;
• the academic experience, broadening learning opportunities and assuring equity of access to academic and learning support resources for all;
• the faculty and staff experience, building a more structured approach to recruitment, hiring, and training and support resources for our employees;
• student recruitment, enrollment and retention, expanding enrollment of diverse and underrepresented populations, and better understanding and addressing student attrition and retention trends;
• and alumni and community engagement, expanding our reach in the community, engagement with alumni, and understanding their experiences.  

Creating the plan was a first-year priority for the Strategic Plan’s implementation.

“It was also important to make the DEI Strategic Plan a priority given the Black Lives Matter movement and the murders of George Floyd and others in the Black and Brown Community, and after holding several listening sessions during the summer of 2020,” said Elizabeth M. Garcia, Esq., co-chair of the DEI planning committee special assistant to the president, executive director for the Office of Equity and Diversity, Title IX coordinator.

The plan calls for leadership commitment, coordination of campus efforts and transparency, assessment and accountability, ensuring that “everyone is making DEI a priority,” said Garcia.

Students played an important part in helping to shape the plan and will be integral in efforts moving forward. Adrianna Smith ’22 was a member of the planning team this past year during her tenure as president of Student Government.

“The University showed its dedication to all our student populations by including them in all stages of planning from preliminary ideas to the final product,” said Smith. “These new changes will work to improve the daily experience of students on our campus and hopefully ensure that everyone feels that they have an equal and loving place in our community.”

Find out more about the plan, its pillars and its overall findings and implementation at scranton.edu/diversityplan. 

In recent weeks, The University of Scranton hosted an array of in-person speakers and events, including: University of Scranton alumnus Neal Thompson, class of 1987, who discussed his new book, “The First Kennedys: The Humble Roots of An American Dynasty;” Ambassador Bergdís Ellertsdóttir of Iceland, who presented the Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar Lecture Series; and Rev. James L. Heft, the author of “The Future of Catholic Higher Education: The Open Circle,” who spoke as part of the University’s participation in Ignatius 500. In addition, the University held a Byzantine Catholic prayer service for Ukraine in the Byzantine Rite Chapel in Ciszek Hall and students participated in a political dialogue titled, “Freedom and Our Founding.”

Join us in person or by Zoom for the 2nd Joint International Conference co-hosted by National Taiwan University and The University of Scranton, April 11-13, 2022, Register now.

April 11, 5 p.m., Loyola Science Center 133 (PNC Auditorium)
Keynote: 'Transformative Change and Uncertainty'
Dr. L.A. Paul (Yale University, Millstone Family Professor of Philosophy and Cognitive Science) (co-sponsored with the Humanities Forum)

April 12, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., DeNaples Center 405
Conference sessions

April 13, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., DeNaples Center 405
Conference sessions

Please register to ensure space, receive a reminder, and the Zoom link.

The conference is free and welcomes both in-person attendance or by Zoom.

Cosponsored by: National Taiwan University (Philosophy Departments and the College of Arts and Humanities) and University of Scranton (Philosophy Department, Asian Studies, The Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities and the Humanities Forum, The Colllege of Arts and Sciences, and The Provost's Office)

Questions? Contact:
Ann Pang-White
Email: ann.pang-white@scranton.edu
Phone: 570-941-6312

The Schemel Forum presents Jill Dougherty, CNN’s Moscow Bureau Chief for almost a decade, now an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and CNN on-air contributor.

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

Jill Dougherty, Russian history expert, is currently teaching a course in 'Information Wars' at Georgetown University, and explores the new paradigm, what it means for Russia, and what it could mean for America.

This event will be held in person at Edward Leahy Hall, Kane Forum, 235 • Noon to 1:30 p.m., and via Zoom. A remote link will be emailed for Zoom participants

Please contact alicen.morrison@scranton.edu to register.

Free to University Staff, Students, & Faculty

The Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar presents Fredrik Logevall, Ph.D., Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Harvard University, for his talk, "A New Cold War? How To Think About the Struggle in Ukraine."

What are the geopolitical implications of the war in Ukraine? And what does the struggle tell us about the role of individual leaders in shaping history? Join us a Harvard historian Fredrik Logevall considers the crisis and its meaning.

March 24, Brennan Hall, Rose Room, 509 • Noon to 1:30 p.m.; the remote link will be emailed

To register, please contact Alicen.Morrison@scranton.edu

Free to University of Scranton Staff, Students, Faculty/ $10 remote only/ $25 in-person

The University of Scranton’s Ellacuría Initiative will host an all-day Teach-In for Racial Justice on Tuesday, March 29, in LSC 133.

The Teach-In allows space for University students, faculty, and staff to explore issues of racial justice from several disciplinary perspectives. Sessions will be led by different faculty and held during each class period.

 "Fr. Ellacuría urged the University to communicate knowledge beyond the campus to help shape the consciousness of the wider society, to use our resources -- the greatest of which are our people: our faculty, staff and students -- to participate in matters that affect the real lives of people," said Dr. Teresa Grettano, associate professor in English and theatre and director of The Ellacuría Initiative.

The Ellacuría Initiative held a virtual 'Teach-in for Racial Justice' via Zoom in fall 2020, to coincide with #ScholarStrike, the national movement coordinated by Drs. Anthea Butler from the University of Pennsylvania and Kevin Gannon from Grand View University. The #ScholarStrike was meant to disrupt “business as usual” on college campuses, protest racial injustice, stand in solidarity with people of color, and use academic expertise to speak to the current moment.

"This is exactly the work Fr. Ignacio Ellacuría called the University to do in his proyección social (social projection)," said Grettano. 

Over 1000 students and almost 50 classes attended the 2020 Teach-In. Dr. Grettano said that she hopes an in-person program will bring even more people out this year.

Faculty are invited to bring whole classes of students. The entire university community is encouraged to attend sessions throughout the day. Royal card readers will be used to track attendance.

Questions?  Contact: justice-education@scranton.edu

Safety protocols set forth by the Royals Back Together Plan will be followed.

Schedule of events:

 The University of Scranton’s pre-law advisory program guides undergraduate students of various majors through the process of fulfilling the requirements for law school.

Pre-law advisor and professor in the Department of Philosophy, Matthew Meyer Ph.D., begins working with students in their first year, offering course selection guidance and personalized advice based on individual student interests.

The American Bar Association refrains from stating a major best suited for law school preparation, but rather suggests that undergraduate education should enhance students’ problem solving, critical reading and writing, oral communication and listening. Working closely with Scranton alumni and the University’s legal studies concentration, students in the pre-law program are encouraged to develop a wide range of skills both inside and outside of the classroom.

Additionally, leadership opportunities are available on campus through the student-run Pre-Law Society and Mock Trial Team, which all pre-law students are encouraged to join upon entry into the program.

Scranton also has several 3+3 affiliation agreements with law schools, such as Boston College Law School and Villanova University School of Law, allowing the possibility for students to complete their bachelor’s and law degrees in six years rather than seven years.

Additional information about the University’s pre-law programs is available on Scranton’s website.

Note: Access to the campus is currently limited to members of the University community, invited guests and others as listed in the Royals Back Together plan. Campus access and other health and safety information will be updated throughout the semester and can be seen on the Royals Back Together webpage.

Through Apr. 29        Art Exhibit: “Shinnecock Sites and Portraits: Photographs by Jeremy Dennis.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Apr. 2             9 a.m. Ready to Run Northeastern Pennsylvania Campaign School offered in collaboration with the Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service. Fifth floor of Brennan Hall. Fees vary. Registration required. Register at scranton.edu/readytorun. Call 570-941-6326 or mail sharon.olechna@scranton.edu or readytorun@scranton.edu.

Apr. 2      7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring Kako Miura, violinist and friends. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Apr. 6      7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “14^th Annual Gene Yevich Memorial Concert” featuring Dr. Wycliffe A. Gordon with The University of Scranton Singers and Scranton Brass Orchestra. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Apr. 7      8:30 a.m. Hayes Family Competition in physics and engineering for invited high school students. Byron Complex. Registration required. Call 570-941-6296 or email declan.mulhall@scranton.edu.  

Apr. 7      4 p.m. 2022 Annual ACHE Healthcare Symposium: “HEALTH’y Employees Lead to HEALTH’y Patients: Strategies to Support the Well-Being of Healthcare Professionals.” McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Registration required. Includes dinner, presentation and panel discussion. Fees vary. Call 484-632-6605 or email brooke.devers@scranton.edu.

Apr. 7      7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring Dr. Wycliffe A. Gordon with The University of Scranton Jazz Band. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Apr. 7-9          8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. “Drowsy Chaperone” presented by The Liva Arts Company. The Royal Theater, McDade Literary and Performing Arts Center. $7 admission. Visit https://livaartscompany.ludus.com or email joelle.cote@scranton.edu. 

April 9             8 a.m. Inaugural Conference on Ethics and Excellence in Public Service for public officials, leaders of nonprofit organizations and students. Fifth floor of Brennan Hall. Fees vary. Registration required. Email ceeps@scranton.edu or call 570-941-7401.

Apr. 9-10         2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. sessions on Saturday and Sunday. Pysanka workshops to teach the art of decorating Ukrainian Easter eggs with traditional folk designs using a wax-resist method. Smurfit Arts Center. $25 fee will be donated to humanitarian aid in Ukraine via World Central Kitchen. Registration required at surveymonkey.com/r/PysankaApril2022. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Apr. 19-26       Environmental Art Show. Fifth floor Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library. Free during library hours. Call 570-941-6267 or email mark.murphy@scranton.edu.

April 19           11 a.m. Earth Day Fair. Atrium of Loyola Science Center. Free. . Call 570-941-6267 or email mark.murphy@scranton.edu

Apr. 20            4 p.m. Henry George Spring Lecture: “Evolution of Conventions of Behavior” presented by Andrew Schotter, Ph.D., professor of economics, New York University. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4048 or email janice.mecadon@scranton.edu.

April 20           5 p.m. Environmentally-Friendly Tie-Dye event. Dionne Campus Green. Free. Call 570-941-6267 or email mark.murphy@scranton.edu.

Apr. 20            6 p.m. Earth Day “Evening of Environmental Science” with University student-run interactive science experiments and exhibit of University of Scranton Earth Day Essay Contest submissions. Essay contest awards will be announced at the event. Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-6267 or email info@scranton.edu.

Apr. 21            7:30 p.m. Lecture by renowned American climatologist and geophysicist Michael Mann, Ph.D., author of “The New Climate War: The Fight to Take Back Our Planet.” McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-6267 or email mark.murphy@scranton.edu.

Apr. 22            noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Russia and the Post-Truth Society” presented by Jill Dougherty, former CNN’s Moscow bureau chief for almost a decade, Russian expert, adjunct professor at Georgetown University and a CNN on-air contributor. Kane Forum, Edward Leahy Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Apr. 25            5:30 p.m. Schemel Forum Collaborative Program with the Jesuit Center, The University of Scranton: “A Schemel Legacy: The Engineer and the Monk” presented by Christopher F. Schemel, Ph.D., president Delta Q Consultants, Inc. and courtesy professor of chemical engineering, University of South Florida, and Brother Mario Joseph, Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Conyers, Georgia. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall or remote, reception follows. $25 fee. Registration required. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Apr. 25            5:30 p.m. Art show address by environmental artist Laura Kern. Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Free. Call 570-941-6267 or email mark.murphy@scranton.edu.

Apr. 27            1 p.m. “19th Annual Celebration of Student Scholars.” Displays and presentations of undergraduate and graduate student research and scholarly projects. Atrium, Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-6353 or email tabbi.miller-scandle@scranton.edu.

Apr. 28            5 p.m. Take Back the Night. Event includes a pre-rally with information booths and the Clothesline Project display from 5 to 7 p.m.; followed by a march at 7 p.m. and a speak out at 7:15 p.m. Dionne Campus Green. Free. Call 570-941-7902 or email maria.marinucci@scranton.edu.

Apr. 30-May 1            9 a.m. Saturday; noon Sunday. Friends of the Library Book and Plant Sale. Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Apr. 30            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “39^th Annual World Premiere Composition Series Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Concert Band and Concert Choir premiering two new commissioned works by guest composer/conductor Javier Nero. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

A Remarkable Tale of Law, Politics, and Religion: The Making of Kiryas Joel, a Hasidic Town in Upstate New York

This talk will explore the fascinating story of Kiryas Joel, a legally recognized municipality in New York made up entirely of strictly Orthodox Hasidic Jews. How did this town come into being? Does it grate against the separation of religion and state in American politics and law? Or is it of a piece with strong, often religious communities that have found their place on the landscape on this country. The story of Kiryas Joel should be of interest to anyone interested in the place of religion in American society.

Copies of American Shtetl: The Making of Kiryas Joel, a Hasidic Village in Upstate New York will be on sale.

David N. Myers, Ph.D., Sady and Ludwig Kahn Professor of Jewish History at UCLA, where he serves as the director of the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy.
Nomi Stolzenberg, Founder and Co-director of the USC Center for Law, History and Culture

March 14, Brennan Hall, Rose Room, 509 • Noon to 1:30 p.m.; remote link will be emailed
To register contact alicen.morrison@scranton.edu

University of Scranton Campus Ministries will hold a Byzantine Catholic Molében intercessory prayer service for Ukraine this Thursday, Mar. 10 from 4:30-5:15 p.m. in the Ciszek Hall Chapel (in the Career Services building next to Student Health Services).

Rev. Dr. Eduard Shestak, native Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic priest and theology instructor at The University of Scranton, will lead us in prayer and offer a brief presentation on the current war in Ukraine.

All students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend.

In 2021, The University of Scranton received an honorable mention along with a gift basket for its entry in the Tourism Ireland Greening competition. For the past 11 years, Tourism Ireland worked to "green" iconic locations and buildings around the world. Facilities Operations partnered with Kara Bishop and Huey Shi Chew from the Office of Global Education to make the entry a reality. The University of Scranton was one of 690 other schools and iconic buildings to enter the competition for a chance to win a scholarship to study at Maynooth University in Ireland. Because The University of Scranton was a runner-up, the school received a box of Irish cuisine with a collection of chocolates, cookies and coffee. For 2022, Facilities Operations is looking for ways in which to improve the greening to win the 2022 competition. If you have any suggestions, please email mark.murphy@scranton.edu. 

The scholarship competition is sponsored by Maynooth University along with other Irish universities in partnership with Tourism Ireland. The scholarship is valued around $5,000. Tourism Ireland encourages North American universities to turn their campuses green for St Patricks’ Day. Other participants in the greening competition have included iconic landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and the Empire State Building. For the past two years, The University of Scranton has lit the Class of 2020 Gateway green and competed with these iconic landmarks.

Maynooth University enrolls over 13,700 undergraduate students. Each student at Maynooth University comes from different backgrounds, nationalities and cultures. Over 2000 international students from around the world attend Maynooth University yearly. The International Office is the first point of contact for new students and collaborates with other Irish universities. Besides support, the International Office provides cultural information and assistance to international students. The International Office Team works together to make international students as comfortable as possible by supporting their integration into Irish culture.

For more information regarding the competition, please see Tourism Ireland’s press release about the 2021 competition. 

Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton addressed the crisis happening in the Ukraine in an Ash Wednesday message sent to the University community on March 2.

“Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine last week, we have watched with anguish and deep concern as violence and turmoil unfold in eastern Europe. On this Ash Wednesday, I ask the entire University community to answer the call of Pope Francis to devote ourselves to prayer and fasting for peace today. May we also heed his powerful words: ‘May the weapons fall silent. God is with the peacemakers, not with those who use violence. ... It is the people who are the real victims, who pay for the folly of war with their own skin.’ Let us pray for the Ukrainian people, especially those trapped in the midst of violence and those who are now refugees seeking shelter abroad. Let us be inspired by the courage of Ukrainians as they seek to preserve their freedom and fledgling democracy, and by Russians risking their safety to protest against the war,” wrote Father Marina in the message. He also mentioned the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a Women’s History Month reflection sent to the University community on March 1.

Since Feb. 26, the Ukraine flag has been lit on the University’s three-story, Class of 2020 Gateway sign to “show our thoughts and prayers are with the Ukrainian people, as we join with others across the world to pray peace and freedom are restored to their country and their people once again,” the University said in a statement.

In addition, University professors have discussed the ongoing situation with news reporters, including this WNEP-TV story featuring interviews with Gretchen J. Van Dyke, Ph.D., associate professor and acting chair of the Political Science Department, and Sean Brennan, Ph.D., professor of history; and this WNEP-TV interview with Konstantin Lyavdansky, who teaches Russian at the University’s World Languages and Cultures Department. 

Note: Access to the campus is currently limited to members of the University community, invited guests and others as listed in the Royals Back Together plan. Campus access and other health and safety information will be updated throughout the semester and can be seen on the Royals Back Together webpage.

Mar. 1 5 p.m. Lecture with Q&A via Zoom - “Freedom and Our Founding: What do they mean for us today?” The event is part of the “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project’s second theme, “The U.S. Citizen and the American Founding.” Registration required. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Mar. 3 noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Linneaus’ Legacy: Corrupting Color to Serve Discrimination and Exploitation” presented by Kathy Johnson Bowles, executive director of the Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science and Art. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Mar. 3       4:30 p.m. Lecture on “The Future of Catholic Education: Challenges and Opportunities” by author Fr. James L. Heft, founding president of the Institute for the Advancement of Catholic Studies at the University of Southern California. Presented in honor of the Ignatian year, the lecture is hosted the Jesuit Center and the College of Arts and Sciences. Moskovitz Theater. Free. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu

Mar. 4-6          8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. “A Good Farmer” by Sharyn Rothstein presented by The University Players, co-produced by The Jesuit Center. Royal Theater, McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Ticket prices vary. Call 570-941-4353 or email players@scranton.edu.   

Mar. 14           noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “A Remarkable Tale of Law, Politics, and Religion: The Making of Kiryas Joel, a Hasidic Town in Upstate New York” presented David N. Myers, Ph.D., Sady and Ludwig Kahn professor of Jewish history at UCLA and director of the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy, and Nomi Stolzenberg, founder and co-director of the USC Center for Law, History and Culture. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Mar. 21 through Apr. 29       Art Exhibit: “Shinnecock Sites and Portraits: Photographs by Jeremy Dennis.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Mar. 22           7 p.m. Public Dialogue on “Freedom and Our Founding: What do they mean for us today?” The event is part of the “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project’s second theme, “The U.S. Citizen and the American Founding.” Registration required. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.  

Mar. 23           7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “General Recital” featuring The University of Scranton Performance Music students in solo, duo, trio and small ensemble performances. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Mar. 24           noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Window Into the Presidency: The White House Tapes and Their Meaning” presented by Fredrik Logevall, Ph.D., Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Harvard University. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Mar. 26           9 a.m. Preview Day for accepted students to The University of Scranton’s class of 2026. Various locations on campus. Call 570-941-7540 or email admissions@scranton.edu.

Mar. 29           4 p.m. Jay Nathan Lecture Series: “Iceland: History, Culture, Environment” presented by Her Excellency, Ambassador Bergdís Ellertsdóttir of Iceland. Cultural performance and reception to follow. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Reservations encouraged. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu. 

Mar. 30           5 p.m. Lecture by Neal Thompson, author of “The First Kennedys.” Book signing immediately follows lecture. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-7561 or email david.dzurec@scranton.edu.

The University of Scranton will relax masking requirements for students, faculty and staff on Monday, Feb. 28, the same date a vaccine booster requirement for those eligible becomes effective.

The University announced as of Feb. 28, higher-grade masks are optional indoors for fully-vaccinated and boosted members of the University community with the following exceptions: classrooms, laboratories, shared offices and campus liturgies. There, higher-grade masks (N-95, KN-95) or double masking is still required.

Members of the community who are unvaccinated or eligible but not boosted must wear higher-grade masks indoors throughout campus, as must invited guests who are on campus, regardless of their vaccination status. The University remains open only to students, faculty and staff and invited guests.

The University also announced proof of vaccination is no longer required for visitors to attend athletic events.

The full announcement can be seen on the Royals Back Together webpage.

Learn about the history of Dabke, a popular folk dance from Palestine and many other Arab countries, and try the dance for yourself at the Palestinian Cultural Dance Class on Thursday, March 3.

Since 1948, the dance has become the voice of the voiceless and is a resounding statement of Palestinian identity, existence and resistance.

Thursday, March 3
7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Collegiate Hall in Reddington Hall

Contact Hannah Jackson at hannah.jackson@scranton.edu or 570-941-4711 with questions.

Join us on March 3 for the Schemel Forum World Affairs Seminar featuring Kathy Johnson Bowles, executive director of the Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science, and Art.

Linneaus’ Legacy: Corrupting Color to Serve Discrimination and Exploitation

Why did Hitler have a color-coding system in concentration camps? Why are color names like yellow and red associated with racial slurs? Arguably it started with Swedish botanist, zoologist and taxonomist Carl Linneaus (1707-1778), who formalized a system of naming organisms still used today. Bowles traces Linneaus’ legacy and its relationship to morally bankrupt views about race and gender through examples found in material culture.

Brennan Hall, Rose Room, 509 • Noon to 1:30 p.m.; streaming link will be emailed

More information is here.

The Latin American Studies program invites faculty, staff and students to view The Hands of Justice Latin American Film Series for spring 2022. All screenings will take place in the Pearne Auditorium, Brennan Hall 228.

• Feb. 24 @ 7 p.m.- No Mas Bebes/No More Babies tells the story of a little-known but landmark event in reproductive justice when a small group of Mexican immigrant women sued county doctors, the state, and the U.S. government after they were sterilized while giving birth at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

• Mar. 24 @ 7 p.m.- La odisea de los giles / Heroic Losers - In times of the infamous Argentinian Corralito, the neighbors of a little town trace a plan to recover the money they lost after learning that their bank manager and a corrupt lawyer have stolen it.

• Apr. 28 @ 7 p.m. - Democracia em Vertigem / The Edge of Democracy - A cautionary tale for these times of democracy in crisis, the personal and political fuse in The Edge of Democracy explores one of the most dramatic periods in Brazilian history. Combining unprecedented access to Presidents Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff with accounts of her own family's complex political and industrial past, filmmaker Petra Costa (Elena, 2012) witnesses their rise and fall and the tragically polarized nation that remains.

The Weinberg Memorial Library at The University of Scranton with host the 7th annual presentation in the Jay Nathan Ph.D. Visiting Scholar Lecture Series on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. The University will welcome distinguished guests Ambassador Bergdis Ellertsdottir, and classical violinist Eva Ingolfsdottir.

While visiting campus, the ambassador will present Iceland: History. Culture. Environment., to be followed by a cultural showcase featuring Icelandic music. The program begins at 4 p.m. in The Moskovitz Theater, The DeNaples Center, 4th floor.

A reception will follow. The event is free and open to the public through the generous support of Dr. Nathan. Reservations are encouraged at scranton.edu/jaynathanlecture

The University of Scranton Strategic Plan 2020 highlights diversity and inclusion as one of the five main goals: “Diversity & Inclusion - A Welcoming and Supportive Community: Reflect and understand the diversity of the world by demanding that diversity be a priority as we build an inclusive community and campus culture, develop and deliver our education and shape our student experience.”

The Diversity Initiatives Review Board is accepting applications for grants to support creative, educational programs that promote diversity, provide opportunity for inter-cultural engagement, and expand opportunities for multicultural experiences for our community.

With the strategic plan goal in mind, we have committed to "Expand both required and in-time orientation, training and leadership programming and resources for students, faculty, and staff that promote inclusion and cultural understanding, furthering our collective ability to be a more welcoming and respectful campus community.”

Some of the campus initiatives that have been made possible by this grant are: TA Talks featuring the teaching assistants in the World Languages and Cultures department; Safe Zone Training  through the Cross Cultural Centers; Festival of Nations hosted by the Multicultural Center; Holi Festival of Colors through the Asia Club and Asian Studies department; Justice on Tour through Office of Community Outreach; the Annual disAbilites Conference keynote speakers including RJ Mitte, through the Panuska College; some Schemel Forums; the Weinberg Library International Film Festival; faculty and staff development webinar  A Call to Conversion: Eliminating Anti-Black Racism as a Jesuit, Catholic University; art exhibits, multicultural music events and many more!

The Diversity Initiatives Fund is available to students, faculty and staff, campus groups, departments or individuals seeking to promote a greater understanding of diversity through inclusive pedagogies, educational opportunities, multicultural activities and community outreach programs. The grant is intended to launch new, innovative, or educational opportunities for the University community. Recurring projects may apply for funding as well.

Please visit the Diversity Initiatives webpage for a full list of recent award winners, and to access the guidelines and application.

On Feb. 24, at 6 p.m., in the Rose Room, Brennan 509, the Asian Studies Program/Concentration will hold one of its spring signature events, the Asian New Year Festival and Workshop.

It will feature chopstick competition, prizes, Asian food, presentations on Asian chopstick culture and how the new year is celebrated in East Asia. A hands-on workshop in creating artifacts related to the Year of Tiger, with assistance from instructors and students from the Japanese and Chinese classes.

All safety measures will be in place (e.g., spaced-out seating, sanitizer, and mask on throughout the event and participants can only take off their mask when eating).

Seating is very limited. RSVP registration is required to attend the event. Your registration will also enable us to send a reminder email a day before the event. 

Register for Asian New Year Festival and Workshop

This event is co-sponsored by the departments of Asian Studies and World Languages and Cultures.

Please join Asian Studies and World Languages and Cultures for this festive and educational event!

The Multicultural Center is hosting a presentation and discussion about systemic racism and its effects, featuring guest speaker, Dan Kimbrough.

Click here to register.

Dan Kimbrough is an educator with over two decades of classroom, training, and presenting experience. Topics span teaching media criticism, media literacy, conflict mediation, intercultural l communications, race and racism in America, systemic racism, Black history, DEI and JEDI training and consulting, media production, content creation, and live sports production. He also serves on various boards and councils, helping to build up and make a better local community. Including the American Cancer Society NYPENN region, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeaster PA, The American Advertising Federation, and the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce.

When not working in the community, Kimbrough is the owner of Park Multimedia, content creation and storytelling media company, that works with individuals and businesses to tell their stories through media. He knows the power of content and storytelling in reaching an audience and branding a business. He has 20+ years of media experience and has worked with ESPN, as a documentary filmmaker, production manager, professor, podcast producer, photographer, editor, and more.

We look forward to seeing you there!

For more information, please contact Jose Sanchez at jose.sanchez@scranton.edu 

University of Scranton faculty, staff and students are invited to join the Multicultural Center for the screening and discussion of the John Lewis: Good Trouble documentary.

Register here.

Thursday, Feb. 17
7:00 p.m.
Loyola Science Center 133, PNC Auditorium

John Lewis: Good Trouble is an intimate account of legendary U.S. Representative John Lewis’ life, legacy and more than 60 years of extraordinary activism. After Lewis petitioned Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to help integrate a segregated school in his hometown of Troy, Alabama, King sent 'the boy from Troy' a round trip bus ticket to meet with him. From that meeting onward, Lewis became one of King’s closest allies. He organized Freedom Rides that left him bloodied or jailed, and stood at the front lines in the historic marches on Washington and Selma. He never lost the spirit of the “boy from Troy” and called on his fellow Americans to get into 'good trouble' until his passing on July 17, 2020.

John Lewis: Good Trouble, directed by Dawn Porter, produced by Erika Alexander, et al. , Ro*Co Films, 2020. Alexander Street.

For more information, please contact Jose Sanchez at jose.sanchez@scranton.edu. 

In celebration of International Women's Day, the Women and Gender Studies Program and the Jane Kopas Women's Center will host a roundtable on Global Gender Equity on March 8 in the Rose Room, Brennan 509, from 5-7 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Speakers will be Dr. Imen Neffati (Pembroke College, UK), Dr. Ovidiu Cocieru (University of Scranton), and Dr. Virginia Picchietti (University of Scranton).

Registration is required. Please RSVP by Feb. 28 to marzia.caporale@scranton.edu.

As part of Diversity and Inclusion's “Lunch and Learn” series and an effort of the Council on Diversity and Inclusion’s Institutional Black History subcommittee, Rev. David Collins, S.J., will present "Jesuits and Slavery: A History in Search of Understanding" on Feb. 15.

Jesuits and Slavery: A History in Search of Understanding
Presentation by Rev. David Collins, S.J.
Haub Director of Catholic Studies and Associate Professor of History, Georgetown University

Tuesday, February 15, 2022
11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Via Zoom/ In-person Luncheon Kane forum, Leahy Hall 235

Registration is required. Lunch will be offered to go.

This presentation and Q&A will provide an overview of the participation by the Society of Jesus in slaveholding from the 16th to the 19th centuries and will explore what this legacy of racial injustice and anti-Black racism means for all U.S. Jesuit institutions, including The University of Scranton, today.

Fr. Collins is an internationally recognized expert in processes of historical truth and reconciliation. For more than twenty years he has been involved in educational outreach on Jesuit history and slaveholding both to Jesuits and interested communities. He led Georgetown University’s Working Group on Slavery, Memory and Reconciliation, which has garnered national attention since 2015, and he continues to play a consultative role for religious schools and other institutions trying to address historical connections to slaveholding and its legacy. He has recently been involved in conversations examining comparative processes of truth and reconciliation between the US, Canada, and Finland. By training, Fr. Collins is an intellectual and cultural historian of religion and science in Europe.

For more information, visit slaveryarchive.georgetown.edu and shmr.jesuits.org.

RSVP here. This program is open to the University community and the broader public. An in-person watch party will be open to University faculty, staff and students only.

Co-sponsored by: The University of Scranton Jesuit Center, Office of Equity and Diversity, Council on Diversity and Inclusion’s Institutional Black History subcommittee, and Office of Community Relations, and the Multicultural Center.

Global Insights invites you to join the spring opening presentation featuring mathematician and visiting scholar, Dr. Serap Şahinkaya, Feb. 22, 2022, at 11:30 a.m. in the Rose Room, Brennan Hall 509.

A country that bridges two continents, southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia, and fuses world cultures, Turkey has played a key role in the building blocks of society. The archeological history predates the 600 years long, powerful Ottoman Empire, and to date, the landscape offers a look back in time to the earliest days of humanity.

Serap Şahinkaya, Ph.D., assistant professor of math at Tarsus University and visiting scholar from Istanbul Turkey, has come to the University of Scranton after meeting Steven Dougherty, Ph.D., professor of math, at a conference. Şahinkaya shared that Turkey is culturally diverse with heavy Middle Eastern, European and Asian influences. The land area spans just over the size of Texas and holds a population of almost 8.5 million, most of whom are located int eh urban areas, like Istanbul. She enjoys the native street foods, music and folk dance.

Participants will enjoy a musical performance by Dr. Şahinkaya on the Turkish guitar along with cultural cuisine.

Students, faculty and staff are invited to learn more about Turkey. Click here to register.

This program is being offered by the Office of Global Education, the Cross Cultural Centers, Residence Life and the Office of Equity and Diversity. For more information, please contact international@scranton.edu or 570-941-4841.

The Schemel Forum presents its Virtual World Affairs Seminar "Our Common Home: Vatican and Multifaith Engagement on Environment and Climate Justice" on Thursday, February 10.

Rabbi Daniel Swartz of Scranton’s Temple Hesed and Executive Director of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, recently traveled to the Vatican to take part in an ongoing multifaith effort to address climate change. Join us to hear highlights of that work and to discuss the role of faith traditions to protect the environment and promote the common good.

Rabbi Daniel Swartz, Spiritual Leader, Temple Hesed and Executive Director, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL)

REMOTE ONLY- Noon to 1:30 p.m.; Zoom remote link will be emailed
Please email Alicen.Morrison@scranton.edu to register

Learn about how the Lunar New Year is celebrated, the history of red envelopes, and how to make Chinese paper cutting art from Chinese instructor Chun-Sheng Su from Taiwan. No registration is required.

Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022
7:00-8:00 p.m.
Leahy 235 (Kane Forum)

Sponsored by the World Languages and Cultures Department
Contact Hannah Jackson at hannah.jackson@scranton.edu for more information

The University of Scranton Board of Trustees will hold its retreat on Feb. 16 on campus.

During the upcoming meeting, board members will focus on the Anti-Racism Examen, which is “designed to strengthen the link between personal reflection and institutional action,” according to the Association of Jesuit Colleges & Universities (AJCU).

University President Joseph G. Marina, S.J., had a part in the creation of the AJCU Anti-Racism Examen in 2020, which, he said, like the daily Examen, “is rooted in both a sense of gratitude and honest self-examination.”

The board’s advanced reading will include the seminal letter, “Interracial Apostolate,” of Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J., to American Jesuits in 1967. Fr. Marina recently quoted an excerpt from the letter – as “an avenue of ongoing learning” – in his reflection on Black History Month.

 “Through the Examen project, I shared my own realizations in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd of discovering aspects and legacies of Black history beyond those I had previously known. I was reminded by the truth that however much knowledge we acquire, we all remain students. And so I am anxious to continue my learning,” Fr. Marina wrote in the reflection.

 Speakers on the Anti-Racism Examen will include Robert Kelly, Ph.D., vice president and special assistant to the president, Loyola University Maryland, and Catherine Punsalan-Manlimos, assistant to the president for Mission and Integration, University of Detroit Mercy. Nancy Dallavalle, Ph.D., associate professor of religious students, Fairfield University, will also speak at the retreat about the newly revised Characteristics of Jesuit higher education.

 Dr. Kelly provides leadership for the areas across Loyola University Maryland such as Mission & Identity, Intercollegiate Athletics, External Affairs and the Division for Student Development. Deeply immersed in both liberal arts and Jesuit education, he works closely with the president to coordinate oversight of the strategic plan. Dr. Kelly served in executive leadership roles at Union College, Loyola University Chicago and Seattle University. In addition to his bachelor’s degree in political science, Dr. Kelly received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland and his master's degree from the University of Vermont. He has also served on Loyola’s board of trustees; and attended Harvard University’s Institute for Educational Management (IEM).

 Dr. Punsalan-Manlimos has played an active role in Jesuit education for more than 30 years, beginning at Ateneo de Manlia University, where she earned a bachelor’s in physics. She received her master’s in Theological Studies at the Loyola School of Theology in Quezon City and her doctorate in Systematic Theology at the University of Notre Dame. She began her teaching career at Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, Philippines, one of five Jesuit universities in the country, where she was a member of the theology department and taught courses at the undergraduate level and in the Formation Institute for Religious Education (FIRE), a summer graduate program for religious educators and catechists. Dr. Punsalan-Manlimos was an associate professor in the Theology and Religious Studies Department at Seattle University for 15 years, the inaugural director of the Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture and held the Malcolm and Mari Stamper Endowed Chair in Catholic Intellectual and Cultural Traditions. In addition, she directed the Catholic Studies Program in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Dr. Dallavalle has more than 13 years of experience at Fairfield University. She completed her bachelor’s in music at Benedictine College, enrolling in a Master of Arts in Theology program concentrating in Systematics, and obtaining her degree in 1983. She received her doctorate in theology from the University of Notre Dame in 1993. Dr. Dallavalle then joined the Religious Studies department at Fairfield University in Connecticut, working over the years as associate professor and chair of the Department of Religious Studies, associate professor of religious studies and university facilitator for Mission & Identity, vice president for Mission & Identity and special assistant to the provost. 

Love is in the air! Royals tell their #ScrantonLoveStory ahead of Valentine's Day.

Nick McKaba '16 and Stephanie Romano '15, G'16 are getting married in June 2022. The pair met thanks to their love of sports.

"I played softball and at the U and Nick played lacrosse. Nick proposed in the Rose Garden in June 2020," wrote Stephanie.

Go Royals!

Dana (Giambrone) ‘97 and Seth Rosencrance ‘97 met in Nevils Hall in 1993 and have been together ever since. 

 Keith Guglielmi '06 and Jennifer (Bostwick) Guglielmi '06 met through ROTC on campus.

Blaire Wilkie ‘15, G‘18 and Michael Balcon ‘13, G‘16 tied the knot on campus "where we fell in love!"

Kyle Hatler '03 and Tera Ravina '03  "met through a mutual friend while studying for exams in our Math 104 class with Dr. Bonnie Xiong during our fall semester of freshman year on campus. We were both Nevils Devils as well."

The couple started dating in 1999 and got married 10 years later. They live in Rutherford, New Jersey with their two children. 

 Casey Fitzgerald ‘16 and Mollie Medrano ‘17 met through mutual friends during their time here on campus.

Felix Rodriguez '13 and Amanda Rodriguez '13 "met our junior year at a party."

Sophie Sabatell '17, G'18 and Timothy Poole '17, G'20 "met at the praise and worship group which Tim helped to start/run our freshman year. We have been married for almost a year and a half now."

Ingrid (Stein) Garofalo '03 and Joseph Garofalo '03 met in front of Fitch Hall in the spring of 2000. 

Bridget (Gallagher) Lolli ‘16 and James Lolli ‘14 DPT ‘17 "met when I was a freshman, got married in May of 2020, and are now expecting our first baby in May 2022!!" wrote Bridget.

"We met in 2014 living on Vine Street, have been dating since 2016, and are getting married on 05.06.2023."

Pete Sims ‘22 and Mary Bunone ‘22 met at Search 89.

"We had classes together junior year but didn’t meet until Halloween weekend senior year through a mutual friend. Have been together ever since."

Joe '16 and Meghan Costello '16 got married in September 2020 with "a whole crew of Scranton people" at their wedding.

Dillon De Benedetto '15 and Marina Pierre '15 met on the first day of University Orientation in July 2011.

Their story:

"During the student welcome party in the Byron Recreation Center, Marina saw Dillon walking by and he immediately caught her eye and she asked him to join in on the game of pickup volleyball. After about 10 minutes they went for a walk around campus and clicked immediately. After Orientation, they exchanged numbers and talked all summer until school was back in session. Dillon found every opportunity to message her about the book they were required to read (which he didn't)."

When they both returned to college for the semester, their friendship blossomed. Dillon always knew Marina was the one and only had eyes for her. After a year of pursuing Marina, who also knew deep down she liked Dillon, they finally decided to become more than best friends and started dating and the rest is history! They have been together 10 years and will be happily married in the Fall of 2022."

Sue (Brzenski) Gibbons '01 and Tom Gibbons '96, G'99 didn't meet until after college.

"Tom‘s sister, Gillian Gibbons, was one of my best friends at Scranton. I always knew Tom as her older brother. After college, she informed me that she always knew we’d be together. We started dating in 2006 and have never been apart since! This year we will be married for 13 years. The pictures I’m sharing are from our wedding. Father Pilarz married us at Saint Ann’s basilica Parish in Scranton. We had pictures with our wedding party taken at the Estate. The picture with our friends shows all of the alumni that were present at our wedding. Father Pilarz referred to our wedding during the ceremony as a “meeting of the Scranton Alumni Society.”

The following notes about the death of Matthew Reavy, Ph.D., were sent to the University community from the Office of the President. Information about the viewing is included below.

---

Feb. 3

Dear Friends,

I am saddened to inform you that Matthew Reavy, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and Media at the University, passed away yesterday.

A graduate of The University of Scranton, Dr. Reavy earned his bachelor’s degree in 1984 and his master’s degree in 1992 from Scranton. He earned his doctorate at the University of Missouri, Columbia. He returned to his alma mater to join the faculty in 1998, having previously served as an assistant professor at Louisiana State University. He also worked as a journalist for the Scranton Tribune, the Hometown Publications chain of weekly newspapers and the National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting.

During his nearly 25-year tenure at the University, he served on numerous committees and governance bodies, as department chair and as the faculty adviser to The Aquinas. His areas of teaching and research include journalism and ethics. Through his teaching, participation in panel discussions, scholarly work and opinion pieces he kept a critical eye on the profession he loved, holding journalists and the news industry to the highest standards. He will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his wife, Susan, and sons, Declan, Samuel and Benjamin. Benjamin is currently a student at the University.

While I regret being away from campus on University business at this time, I know that my brother Jesuits, Campus Ministries and the Counseling Center are offering their support to our students and faculty.

We will share more details regarding funeral arrangements when that information becomes available. In the meantime, please join me in remembering Dr. Reavy and his family in your prayers.

Eternal life grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.

Yours faithfully, 

 

Joseph G. Marina, S. J.

President 

---

Feb. 7 

Dear Friends,

I am writing to share information about the viewing planned for Matthew Reavy, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and Media, who passed away February 2. 

Friends and colleagues may call Tuesday, February 8, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Harold C. Snowdon Funeral Home Inc., 140 N. Main Street, Shavertown. 

A funeral service will be held later for family, close friends and colleagues. Matt’s full obituary can be seen here. Contributions can be made to the Matthew Reavy, Ph.D., Scholarship Fund at The University of Scranton, online at scranton.edu/makeagift or mailed to University Advancement, University of Scranton, 800 Linden Street, Scranton, PA 18510. 

This, of course, is a very difficult time for the Reavy family. Please join me in remembering Dr. Reavy and his family in your prayers.

Eternal life grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.

Yours faithfully, 

 

Joseph G. Marina, S. J.

President 

The first week with students back for the spring semester at The University of Scranton saw more winning for the women's basketball team, an impressive evening for the track & field teams and the swimming & diving teams concluding their regular seasons as preparation begins for the 2022 Landmark Conference Championships. 

For that and more on the week that was in Scranton Athletics, check out this week's Royal Review by clicking here. 

To follow University of Scranton Athletics all season long, remember to follow the Royals on Twitter and Instagram @RoyalAthletics. 

The Center for Health Education and Wellness (CHEW) kicks off its annual Fitness Challenge on Feb. 14, so be sure to register before Feb. 8 using this link or the QR code around campus!

CHEW is challenging you to complete 150 minutes of physical activity per week for four weeks. If you log your progress for three of the four weeks you earn a dri-fit T-shirt! You can additionally participate as part of a team to be entered into weekly raffles and a final grand prize! For more information and to check out this year's shirt, visit scranton.edu/chew.

The Weinberg Memorial Library is seeking submissions for its annual exhibit of Environmental Art.

The art show will be held in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library from April 19-26, 2022.

The theme for 2022 is Everything is Connected: Celebrating our Connection with the Natural Environment. We encourage artists to consider developing artwork around this year’s theme. Submissions are open to all, and we encourage submissions by University of Scranton students, staff, faculty and alumni.

For more information, click here.

The deadline for submissions is set for Wednesday, March 30, 2022. Virtual art can be submitted here.

If you would like to submit but have questions or need assistance with your submission, please contact Environmental Art Show Coordinator Marleen Cloutier at marleen.cloutier@scranton.edu.

Spring 2022 Weekly Wellness Classes- in-person and Masks Required
Check out CHEW's Weekly Wellness Class offerings on RoyalSync, IM Leagues or email chew@scranton.edu.
All classes are open to students, faculty and staff.

Please sign CHEW'S Weekly Wellness Class Waiver if you didn't last semester (Click here.)
One waiver covers all CHEW's Weekly Wellness Classes.

Mondays - 5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Mindfulness Meditation-Library Room 305
5:00-6:00 p.m. Light Weights & Abs- Byron Royals Room -(Faculty & Staff only)

Tuesdays - 6:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. - POUND-Byron Royals Room

Wednesdays - 12:15 p.m. -12:45 p.m. - Lunchtime Yoga Flow- Byron Royals Room
5:00-6:00 p.m. Light Weights & Abs- Byron Royals Room -(Faculty & Staff only)

Thursdays - 5:00 p.m. -5:45 p.m. - Energizing Yoga- Byron Royals Room

The University ranked among the best in the nation for several of its online programs by U.S. News & World Report and for contribution to the public good by Washington Monthly.

Scranton Nationally Ranked for Doing Public Good

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.

Continue reading, here.

Scranton Online Programs Among the Best in the Nation

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 11^th 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.

Continue reading, here.

Access to our campus continues to be restricted this Spring due to the COVID-19 health crisis. Therefore, our weekday and Sunday Masses on campus at this time are limited to current students, faculty and staff of the University. Royal Card access is required. Masks are required.

Sunday Mass will be offered at 11:00 a.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (January 30 – May 15) in Madonna della Strada chapel when school is in session.

Please note:

* There will be no 7 p.m. Mass on Sunday, Feb. 13 due to the Super Bowl.

* There will be no Masses on campus during spring break.

* There will be a 7 p.m. Mass only on Sunday, March 20 (return from spring break).

* There will be two Masses on Palm Sunday (April 10): 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.

* There will be no Masses or services during the Easter holiday.

Weekday Masses will be offered Monday thru Saturday at 12:05 pm (January 26 – May 20)

in Sacred Heart Chapel when school is in session.

Special Masses:

· On Ash Wednesday (March 2) Mass and distribution of ashes will take place at 12:05 p.m., 4:40 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom (DeNaples Center).

 

Over the past several weeks, the University has shared important updates for the Royals Back Together plan that are effective with the start of the spring semester on Wednesday, January 26, 2022. Providing important details concerning boosters, masking and other protocols, previous communications consisted of the following:

Additional Information Regarding Health and Safety Plan for the Spring Semester, January 24, 2022

Health and Safety Updates for the Spring Semester, January 14, 2022

Additional Information for Spring Plan, January 20, 2022 

Additional Information Regarding Updates to the Royals Back Together Plan, January 20, 2022

Please note, the University will distribute a limited supply of free higher grade masks to students at the mailroom of the DeNaples Center.

The most up-to-date information will continue to be posted on the Royals Back Together website.

Note: Access to the campus is currently limited to members of the University community, invited guests and others as listed in the Royals Back Together plan. Campus access and other health and safety information will be updated throughout the semester and can be seen on the Royals Back Together webpage.

Feb. 3 5 p.m. Book Discussion: “Freedom: An Unruly History” led by Matt Meyers, Ph.D., professor of philosophy, University of Scranton. The event is part of the “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project’s second theme, “The U.S. Citizen and the American Founding.” Offered in-person or in a virtual format. Registration required. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Feb. 4 through Mar. 4                       Art Exhibit: “Beneath the Surface, Behind the Horizon: Sculptures and Drawings by Cynthia Myron.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Feb. 10            noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Our Common Home: Vatican and Multifaith Engagement on Environment and Climate Justice” presented by Rabbi Daniel Swartz, spiritual leader, Temple Hesed and executive director, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Feb. 13            3 p.m. Performance Music: “Valentine’s Day Eve Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Jazz Band with special guest Arnt Arntzen, banjo, guitar and voice. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Feb. 18            noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Is Liberal Democracy Already History?” presented by Elzbieta Matynia, Ph.D., professor of sociology and liberal studies and director of the Transregional Center for Democratic Studies at the New School for Social Research. Kane Forum, Edward Leahy Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Feb. 20           7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring John Wilson, pianist. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Mar. 1     5 p.m. Lecture with Q&A via Zoom - “Freedom and Our Founding: What do they mean for us today?” The event is part of the “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project’s second theme, “The U.S. Citizen and the American Founding.” Registration required. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Mar. 3     noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Linneaus’ Legacy: Corrupting Color to Serve Discrimination and Exploitation” presented by Kathy Johnson Bowles, executive director of the Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science and Art. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Mar. 14           noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “A Remarkable Tale of Law, Politics, and Religion: The Making of Kiryas Joel, a Hasidic Town in Upstate New York” presented David N. Myers, Ph.D., Sady and Ludwig Kahn professor of Jewish history at UCLA and director of the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy, and Nomi Stolzenberg, founder and co-director of the USC Center for Law, History and Culture. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Mar. 21 through Apr. 29       Art Exhibit: “Shinnecock Sites and Portraits: Photographs by Jeremy Dennis.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Mar. 22           7 p.m. Public Dialogue on “Freedom and Our Founding: What do they mean for us today?” The event is part of the “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project’s second theme, “The U.S. Citizen and the American Founding.” Registration required. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.  

Mar. 23           7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “General Recital” featuring The University of Scranton Performance Music students in solo, duo, trio and small ensemble performances. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Mar. 24           noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Window Into the Presidency: The White House Tapes and Their Meaning” presented by Fredrik Logevall, Ph.D., Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Harvard University. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Mar. 26           9 a.m. Preview Day for accepted students to The University of Scranton’s class of 2026. Various locations on campus. Call 570-941-7540 or email admissions@scranton.edu.

Apr. 2     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring Kako Miura, violinist and friends. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Apr. 6     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “14^th Annual Gene Yevich Memorial Concert” featuring Dr. Wycliffe A. Gordon with The University of Scranton Singers and Scranton Brass Orchestra. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Apr. 7     4 p.m. 2022 Annual ACHE Healthcare Symposium: “HEALTH’y Employees Lead to HEALTH’y Patients: Strategies to Support the Well-Being of Healthcare Professionals.” McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Registration required. Includes dinner, presentation and panel discussion. Fees vary. Call 484-632-6605 or email brooke.devers@scranton.edu.

Apr. 7    7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring Dr. Wycliffe A. Gordon with The University of Scranton Jazz Band. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Apr. 20            4 p.m. Henry George Spring Lecture: “Evolution of Conventions of Behavior” presented by Andrew Schotter, Ph.D., professor of economics, New York University. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4048 or email janice.mecadon@scranton.edu.

Apr. 22            noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Russia and the Post-Truth Society” presented by Jill Dougherty, former CNN’s Moscow bureau chief for almost a decade, Russian expert, adjunct professor at Georgetown University and a CNN on-air contributor. Kane Forum, Edward Leahy Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Apr. 25            5:30 p.m. Schemel Forum Collaborative Program with the Jesuit Center, The University of Scranton: “A Schemel Legacy: The Engineer and the Monk” presented by Christopher F. Schemel, Ph.D., president Delta Q Consultants, Inc. and courtesy professor of chemical engineering, University of South Florida, and Brother Mario Joseph, Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Conyers, Georgia. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall or remote, reception follows. $25 fee. Registration required. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Apr. 27            4:30 p.m. Annual Math Integration Bee. Calculus based competition for both high school and college divisions. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Registration required. Call 570-941-6580 or email stacey.muir@scranton.edu.

Apr. 30-May 1            9 a.m. Saturday; noon Sunday. Friends of the Library Book and Plant Sale. Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Apr. 30            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “39^th Annual World Premiere Composition Series Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Concert Band and Concert Choir premiering two new commissioned works by guest composer/conductor Javier Nero. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

May 9-13        Art Exhibit: “The University of Scranton Student Exhibition.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

May 7      7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring John Romeri, organist and John Romeri, flautist. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

May 14            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton String Orchestra with special guests. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

May 21            TBA Graduate and Undergraduate Commencement. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

May 22           TBA Commencement Baccalaureate Mass. Byron Recreation Complex. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

Schemel Forum Courses

Tuesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 & Mar. 1, 8       6 p.m. Schemel Forum Evening Course: “James Bond and the Cold War” presented by Sean Brennan, Ph.D., professor of history, The University of Scranton. Weinberg Memorial Library or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Thursdays: Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24 & Mar. 3, 10  6 p.m. Schemel Forum Evening Course: “Moral Citizenship: The Enlightenment Vision of the Ethical Community” presented by Christopher E. Fremaux, Ph.D., assistant professor of philosophy, The University of Scranton. Weinberg Memorial Library or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Wednesdays: Feb. 9, 16, 23 & Mar. 2, 9, 23           6 p.m. Schemel Forum Evening Course: “Police as Guardians in a Time of War” presented by Michael J. Jenkins, Ph.D., chair and associate professor of sociology, criminal justice and criminology and executive director, Center for the Analysis and Prevention of Crime, The University of Scranton. Weinberg Memorial Library or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

 

Ashley L. Stampone ’10, G’11, faculty specialist in the Accounting Department of The University of Scranton, was named among the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal’s Top 20 Under 40.  The list is the NEPA Business Journal’s “salute to the best and brightest young business stars in the region.” The publication has published the list annually since 2002.

The profile of Prof. Stampone can be seen on the NEPA Business Journal webpage.

In 2021, Prof. Stampone also received the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) Young Leaders Award and the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) Ursel K. Albers IMA Campus Advocate of the Year Award. She received the University’s the Kania School of Management Professor of the Year twice, in 2021 and 2020. In 2019, Prof. Stampone was also honored with the IMA’s Faculty Leadership Award.

Prof. Stampone joined the faculty at Scranton in 2016. Previously, she worked as an internal auditor for QVC, Inc., as a senior financial systems analyst for Bridon American Corporation, as an inventory accountant for International Salt Company and a staff accountant for ParenteBeard, LLC.

A resident of Old Forge, Prof. Stampone received a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA from The University of Scranton. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) at Scranton.

Note: Access to the campus is currently limited to members of the University community, invited guests and others as listed in the Royals Back Together plan. Campus access and other health and safety information will be updated throughout the semester and can be seen on the Royals Back Together webpage.

Jan. 16 2:30 p.m. The Greater Scranton Martin Luther King Community Celebration: “Covid 19: Recognizing the trauma. Healing the soul.” Interactive Zoom webinar with audience question and answer. Free. Registration required. Call 570-941-6645 or email jennifer.pennington@scranton.edu.

Jan. 29            8 a.m. Virtual Campaign School 2022. Learn how to run a successful campaign for public office.  Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Lackawanna County, the Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service at The University of Scranton, WNEP-TV and Toyota of Scranton. Registration required. Fees vary. Email lwvlackawanna@gmail.com or visit www.lwvlackawanna.org.

The University of Scranton Department of Nursing will host its 10-year Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) site visit from March 28-30, 2022. The 2022 visit will be a virtual site visit.

ln accordance with CCNE's Procedures for Accreditation, the Department of Nursing invites all members of the Scranton community and our educational partners to submit, in writing, third-party comments concerning the Department of Nursing’s qualifications for accreditation of its baccalaureate, master’s, Doctor of Nursing Practice and post-graduate APRN certificate programs. Should you wish, you can refer to the CCNË Standards for Accreditation located on the CCNE website. Please note that any third-party comments are only shared with members of the CCNE evaluation team. These comments are not shared with the Department of Nursing, the Accreditation Review Committee, or the CCNE Board.

lf you would like to submit a third-party comment for a program currently under review, please submit to  thirdpartycomments@ccneaccreditation.orq. Comments will be accepted by CCNE through March 1, 2022.  lf you prefer to mail comments, please use the following address: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Attn: Third-Party Comments 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750 Washington, DC 20001. If you have any questions about this process, please contact CCNE staff at 202.887 .6791 x268 

A degree in biology prepares graduates for a broad range of professions in fields such as health sciences, environmental science and policy, education and technology.

In anticipation of students’ post-grad pursuits, The University of Scranton’s Bachelor of Science in Biology meets most of the course requirements for health professional graduate programs such as medical, dental and veterinary. Scranton’s medical school acceptance rate is consistently above the national average, averaging nearly 80 percent for the last 20 years. Recent graduates have been admitted into leading medical schools including Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Jefferson Medical College, the University of Connecticut and the University of New Hampshire, among others.

Scranton’s biology majors have also been successful entering graduate programs of studies at numerous institutions, including Cornell University and Texas A and M University. Graduates have also entered the workforce at companies such as Sonofi, Abbott Labs, Becton Dickinson, Biomed Labs and Fisher Scientific, among others.

With plenty of research opportunities, undergraduate students majoring in biology work one-on-one with faculty advisors and even have the potential to co-author papers and present at international conferences. Examples of Faculty/Student Research projects are “Effects of estrogen on bone quantity and density,” “Modeling stenotic aortic valves in a cardiovascular model” and “Morphine addiction in ants: a new model for self-administration.”

“Every biology student is assigned a faculty advisor in their sophomore year who not only helps with course selections but becomes an extension of a student’s support system,” said Terrence Sweeney, Ph.D., professor of biology and physiology program director. “Faculty advisors are there to help students understand their goals – and themselves – better.”

Weekday and Sunday worship continues in December and January.

• Sunday Masses

  • Dec. 12 – 11:00 am, 4:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m., Madonna della Strada Chapel

  • Jan. 9, 16, 23 – 5:00 p.m., Chapel of the Sacred Heart

  • Jan. 30 – 11:00 a.m., 4:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m., Madonna della Strada Chapel

  • Sunday Masses will not be offered on Dec. 19, 26, and Jan 2

• Weekday Masses

  • Dec. 6 to 23 (Monday through Saturday), Chapel of the Sacred Heart

  • Weekday Masses (Monday through Saturday) will not be offered from Dec. 24 to Jan. 25

•  Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

  • Dec. 8, Wednesday – 12:05 p.m., Madonna della Strada Chapel

•  Muslim Jum’ah Service, Dec 10, 17

  • 1:00 p.m. – Campus Mosque

After our Dec. 8 issue, the University's Royal News e-newsletter will publish on a winter schedule, though the website will continue to be updated daily. And we will return periodically to update our community on the goings-on around campus.

We will publish a special holiday edition in late December, then we'll publish an issue on Wednesday, Jan. 5.

We will return to regular action on Wednesday, Jan. 26, and continue our regular weekly publishing schedule throughout the spring 2022 semester.

We welcome announcement submissions from faculty, staff, students and clubs at any time throughout the winter (to include in one of these issues, and beyond), so please send them along. See the instructions here.

Thanks, and have a great holiday season!

Thanks to everyone who donated to The University of Scranton’s Student Veterans Organization (SVO) donation drive for the Gino Merli Veterans Center and the St. Francis Commons.

SVO was thrilled to receive 42 bars of soap, 15 deodorants, 38 tissue boxes, 81 pairs of socks, 16 hats, 4 pairs of gloves, 7 bottles of body wash and many additional items (Pepto, cold/flu meds, pain reliever meds, toothpaste and brushes, shaving creme and razors, bandaids and Neosporin).

Your generosity and kindness especially during the holidays are greatly appreciated! Please contact barbara.king@scranton.edu (SVO Advisor) with any questions. Happy Holidays everyone!

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Mass will take place on Dec. 8 at 12:05 p.m. in Madonna della Strada Chapel. This is a holy day of obligation. 

University Advent Mass this Sunday, Dec 5 at 5 p.m. in the Byron.

Interested in the tree lighting too? More information is here.

Want to sign up for The Jesuit Center's Daily Advent Devotional? Click here.

The Jesuit Center invites you to enjoy daily inspiration and reflection this holiday season!

Every day, during the Advent and Lent seasons, you can enjoy a time of reflection, learning, prayer and inspiration from a collection of devotionals specially written by our Jesuits, alumni, students, staff and faculty.

The holidays can often be busy and stressful. This is a great opportunity to be intentional in taking a few moments in the day to be renewed.
 
SIGN UP HERE            

The Office of Equity and Diversity and the Multicultural Center are pleased to present Mr. Curtis Zunigha, an enrolled member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians in Oklahoma, at an in-person luncheon event on Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021 @ 11:30 a.m., to be held in the Rose Room, Brennan Hall 509. This event will also be streamed via Zoom. Registration is required to attend luncheon and receive zoom information.

Mr. Zunigha’s presentation will center around the story or the Lenape people who inhabited the Lackawanna and Delaware River Valleys, our Land Acknowledgement statement and what it truly means, and essential steps going forward in service of social justice.

Mr. Zunigha has over 35 years of experience as a practitioner of Lenape/Delaware culture, language, customs and traditions. He serves as a Co-Director of the Lenape Center (thelenapecenter.com) a nonprofit arts and cultural education organization based in New York City.

He has served as a consultant and lecturer to several prominent local organizations such as the  Philadelphia Museum of Art, American Philosophical Society, Library Company of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Historical Society, and the University of Pennsylvania.

The greater Scranton community is invited to attend via Zoom. Please use the registration link to receive Zoom information.

Register for luncheon or Zoom here.

For more information or help with registration, please contact Jennifer.penningotn@scranton.edu, or call 570-903-9450.

The latest issue of The Scranton Journal is here, with features about Fr. Marina's Inauguration and first 100+ days as president, student and faculty STEM work and young alumni finding their way in a post-pandemic world.

Flip through the magazine:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click through the website.

Students, faculty and employees are invited to a talk by Jay Sosa via Zoom on Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m.: Unstable Analogies: LGBT Anti-Discrimination Law in Brazil and the (Non) Intersectionality of Human Rights.

From 2001 to 2019, Brazil's LGBT movements campaigned to enact anti-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The campaigns initiated a debate over the nature and extent of homophobia in Brazilian society, spanning transnational appeals for human rights inclusions to television melodrama.

This talk explains how Brazilians’ constant comparison of homophobia with racism challenged 20th-century discourses on national identity that had emphasized Brazil's racial harmony and sexual tolerance. But these comparisons also proved unstable analogies that cultivated different ethical questions about racial, gender and sexual justice in distinct settings. Drawing on intersectionality's intellectual roots in U.S. anti-discrimination law, the talk examines how intersectionality's critique of analogizing oppressions translates to transnational settings.

The Zoom link is here.

Campus Ministries is happy to announce that the annual University Advent Mass will once again take place on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. in the Byron.  

Please join Campus Ministries as they journey through these Advent days, preparing once again for the celebration of Christ’s birth – Emmanuel, the hope of the peoples and Savior of every nation.

Following the Mass, the Christmas tree on Dionne Green will be blessed.

All are welcome to join us both for the celebration of the Eucharist and the Tree Lighting!

Monday (Nov. 22), Tuesday (Nov. 23), and Wednesday (Nov. 24):

• Mass at 12:05 p.m. in Sacred Heart Chapel

 
Masses/services will not be offered on campus on the following dates and/or times:

• Thursday (Nov. 25), Friday (Nov. 26) and Saturday (Nov. 27)
• Sunday (Nov. 28) at 11:00 a.m. or 4:30 p.m.

 
Mass on the first Sunday of Advent will be offered on Sunday (Nov. 28) at 7:00 p.m. in Madonna della Strada Chapel.

On Sunday, Nov. 14, the annual Mass of Remembrance was celebrated to pray and remember by name the family members, friends and loved ones of The University of Scranton community and alumnae/i who passed away during the past year. The Chapel Choir Ensemble was glorious, leading each of us to pray more deeply. University President Father Joseph Marina presided at this Mass, coordinated by the Office of Campus Ministries, during which almost 120 people were remembered. He reminded the congregation of the consoling doctrine of faith that teaches the faithful departed abide with God in love, of Jesus’ promise to believe in his promise of eternal life, and that someday we shall be reunited with loved ones.

It has been a long-standing tradition in the Catholic Church to remember those who have died during the month of November. Together as a community of faith, we remember many things.

We remember those who lived among us and somehow touched our lives - our family and friends, our neighbors and coworkers.

We remember the many who mourn, grieving great loss.

We remember Jesus who died for us and prepared for each of us a dwelling place of peace, recognizing the great hope we have in Christ’s resurrection.

And we remember life has changed, not ended.

Eternal rest grant unto them, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace.

Every November, for at least 17 years, The University of Scranton has joined hundreds of universities across the country in the International Education Week (IEW) celebration, which highlights the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.  

IEW, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, is part of our efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn and exchange experiences.  

This year, The Office of Global Education would like to highlight the benefits of international education through the work of a visiting research scholar from Colombia, Ms. Lina Maria García. García is a Ph.D. candidate of the biomedical and biological sciences program of the Universidad del Rosario in Colombia.  She is currently on the Scranton campus doing research along with Dr. Marc Seid in the Biology Department.  

García studied bee learning and memory as an undergraduate in the Biology program at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia. She later obtained her master's in biological sciences at the same university. In her last semester of the master's degree, she was awarded a doctoral fellowship by the Universidad del Rosario. 

García and Seid are researching ways to pharmacologically protect honey bees and bumblebees from the negative effects of certain pesticides such as fipronil. Previous research has indicated that the bee’s brain has been affected by the sublethal exposure to fipronil and thus reducing individual and colony performance as key pollinators.  Their research on bee health is key to indirectly supporting food security.  

They recently presented their research at the Entomological Society of America-Annual Meeting 2021 in Denver, Colorado.

Learn about the history of crepes and how to make your own at the crepe cooking class, taught by Fulbright Teaching Assistant Nawel Kahouaji.

Make delicious crepes for yourself on Wednesday, Nov. 17 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. on the 3rd floor of DeNaples. No meal swipes are required and all are welcome.

Sponsored by the World Languages and Cultures Department. Contact Hannah Jackson at hannah.jackson@scranton.edu with questions.

On Sunday, Nov. 14 at 4:30 p.m., the annual Mass of Remembrance will be celebrated in Madonna della Strada Chapel during which we remember in prayer the deceased family members, friends and loved ones of the students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae of The University of Scranton who have died in the past year.

As part of the Mass, there will be a ritual reading of the names of those who have died since this time last year (since November 2020). If you have lost a friend or loved one during the past year and would like their name included in the ritual during Mass, please submit this form: https://forms.gle/C9soLEZgwTASHyqW8.

Contact amy.hoegen@scranton.edu or The Office of Campus Ministries at 570-941-7419 with any questions.
 

The Department of English & Theatre, with support from Women’s & Gender Studies, S.A.F.E. (Scranton Alliance for Equity), the Rainbow Royals, and a diversity initiatives grant from the Office of Equity and Diversity will present award-winning trans poet Kayleb Rae Candrilli at the upcoming University Reading Series event. November 11 at 6:30 p.m. in Brennan Hall 228, The Pearn Auditorium. Light refreshments will be served. This free event is open to the public.

 Kayleb Rae Candrilli is the recipient of a Whiting Award, PEW fellowship, and of a fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts. They are the author of Water I Won’t Touch, All the Gay Saints, and What Runs Over. More information about Candrilli and their work can be found at their website and at Copper Canyon Press’s pages for Candrilli and for their recent book Water I Won’t Touch).

 The event is free and open to both campus and to the public (masks required). A Royal Card reader will be used to take attendance, for faculty interested in offering credit for attending this event. Contact Dr. Billie R. Tadros (billie.tadros@scranton.edu) with any questions.

The Pennsylvania Redistricting Advisory Council has rescheduled a listening session in Scranton for 5:30 p.m. Nov. 4, Brennan Hall, University of Scranton. The listening session will gather public feedback on congressional redistricting.

Governor Tom Wolf created the council of redistricting experts to provide him with recommendations for his review of the congressional redistricting plan which will be passed by the General Assembly later this year.

The decisions made through the redistricting process will affect every person and community in Pennsylvania for the next decade, and Pennsylvanians have the opportunity to have their voices heard.

Pennsylvanians are also encouraged to visit the administration’s redistricting website to review draft Redistricting Principles developed by the Advisory Council, submit proposed maps, outline communities of interest and submit comments to help shape the outcome of this critical part of our democratic process.

Members of the public are invited to attend. Please email the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs at OIARSVP@pa.gov with your name to RSVP.

On Nov. 1, the University president, Joseph Marina, S.J., sent a message to the University community celebrating both the Solemnity of All Saints and National Native American Heritage Month. Below is his note.

Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints. This is a sacred day in which we not only remember the great men and women of the Catholic faith who continue to provide us with good and holy example but also a special time to invoke their aid for the graces we desire. Many of us tend to gravitate toward St. Ignatius and other Jesuit role models in our prayers and our actions. Nothing wrong with that! But the Communion of Saints is far more expansive. It is comprised of those in Heaven along with those who live on Earth, all held together by the love of God and the ardent desire to share that love. The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it this way: “It is not merely by the title of example that we cherish the memory of those in heaven; we seek, rather, that by this devotion to the exercise of charity, the union of the whole Church in the Spirit may be strengthened (#957).

Also, November is National Native American Heritage Month. It is a time to celebrate cultures, traditions, histories, and to acknowledge the important contributions of the original inhabitants of our continent.  This month is also a time to educate and raise awareness about the unique challenges and sufferings Native people and communities have faced historically and in the present. 

The University of Scranton has officially adopted a Land Acknowledgment Statement to recognize and honor the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Lenape, the Munsee, the Shawnee and the Susquehannocks in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Statement reads:

 The University of Scranton acknowledges the original inhabitants and nations of this land: the Lenape, the Munsee, the Shawnee and the Susquehannocks.  May we be ever mindful of their legacy and contributions and commit ourselves to stewarding this land with care and compassion as we navigate our communities towards faith and justice.

While some departments, clubs and other groups at the University already include a land acknowledgment as part of their events, the University now has a standard institution-wide statement that can be read at the start of all University-sponsored events. I believe this statement is an important step forward to help build awareness and generate opportunities that will enrich all our lives.

I wish to recognize Dr. Adam Pratt and his research students, Peter Burke and Katia Ramirez, for assisting with the development of this statement. And I encourage faculty, staff and students to please read the statement at the start of their events whenever possible. The Land Acknowledgement Statement will be posted on the University’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion website and on the Office of Equity and Diversity’s website. 

And so we have more than one reason to celebrate as the month of November begins –first, an opportunity to pray in a special way with all the saints and, in so doing, grow stronger in God’s love. And second, to give thanks for the wonderful gift of our Native American sisters and brothers and to honor their legacy on the land on which our beloved University stands.

In today’s first reading, from the Book of Revelation, St. John writes “I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.” In other words, there’s room for everyone in the Communion of Saints. May it always be so. Saints of God come to our aid. Hasten to meet us, angels of the Lord.

All students, staff and faculty are encouraged to participate in the upcoming open fora, and/or complete a brief survey, to add their thoughts on the Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Planning Committee Findings and Recommended Actions. (The plan is available on the News Tab, University Publications channel in my.scranton.)  Responses to the feedback form and survey are anonymous.

Three open fora will be held next week:

• Zoom Sessions: Nov. 10 and 11, @ 11:30 a.m.
• In Person: Nov. 10 @ 2:30 p.m., Pearn Auditorium

 Register here and submit questions for any of the Open Fora.

Our new strategic plan furthers the University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, challenging us to “Reflect and understand the diversity of the world by demanding that diversity be a priority as we build an inclusive community and campus culture, develop and deliver our education and shape our student experience.”

Please help us to further shape the plan by attending an upcoming discussion forum, completing a feedback survey, or both! To help guide this work, the strategic plan calls for the development of a comprehensive, University-wide plan for diversity and inclusion, one that includes concrete actions steps to help us meet our goals. We are pleased to share a draft Diversity and Inclusion Plan, developed over the course of the past year through the committed work of the Diversity and Inclusion Planning Team. The plan is available on the News Tab, University Publications channel in my.scranton.

 Topics to consider when reviewing the plan and responding are:

• Institutional Commitment, Transparency, Accountability and Coordination
• The Student Experience
• The Faculty and Staff Experience
• Student Recruitment, Enrollment and Retention
• Alumni and Community Engagement

Click to Complete Feedback Survey: surveymonkey.com/r/XB8DWMC

Additional comments or feedback may be shared via email to either of us, or planning@scranton.edu.

Join the THR1VE Program in celebrating the successes of our first-generation students, faculty, staff and alumni during The University of Scranton’s National First-Generation College Celebration Fall Festival, Monday, Nov. 8, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on the DeNaples Center patio!

This year’s celebration will be a Fall Festival, complete with your favorite fall foods, hot chocolate, games and prizes. We will also have a photo booth and some first-gen giveaways, so you can proudly showcase your #FirstGenRoyal pride! Additionally, the first 100 students to participate in our celebration will receive a limited-edition T-Shirt!

We also encourage faculty and staff who identify as first-gen grads or advocates to pick up a THR1VE pin at the event. We hope that you will wear this pin proudly throughout the day while sharing your experiences as first-gen graduates or advocates with our students.

Don’t miss your opportunity to participate in this celebration of all that our first-gen Royals have accomplished!

The Center for Service & Social Justice has accepted the challenge of finding donors for 40 individual family members from eight separate families for the annual Catherine McAuley's Adopt a Family program.

Each donor will receive the family member's name, gender, age, clothing sizes and gift suggestions. You can go by their list or come up with your own ideas. The choice is yours. We suggest you spend about $75-$100 for each person.

If you are interested in participating (individual or offices), please email me at ellen.judge@scranton.edu. Please let me know how many people you wish to adopt.

Gifts are due back to the CSSJ office, TDC 205B by Friday, Dec. 10. All gifts should be wrapped or in gift bags, with the person's name and assigned number on each one.

Still unsure whether or not to register for our Nov. 7 Open House? Let attendees from our previous Open House convince you!

In their own words:

"The Open House was a fabulous experience! The school really gave an incredibly positive impression on so many fronts. Your student ambassadors are incredible as well -- HUGE shout out to them."

"I was so impressed! I felt so welcomed by the staff and teachers, and the students made the campus feel like a supportive community. The facilities were amazing, and the presentation helped a lot with informing me on the details of the program."

"We had a wonderful day on campus. Everyone from faculty to students were helpful and welcoming." 

"Beautiful campus, students were so upbeat and informative."

"Amazing open house! Students and staff could not have been more helpful!"

"We appreciated the warm welcome and enthusiasm! Top notch people and university! Very impressed!!"

"(Students and Staff) were engaging, witty, welcoming  and articulate.  It was very well organized and flowed flawlessly. Very impressed and Scranton is definitely a top contender.  Wonderful job."

"By far, the best tour and Open House we have been to. Extremely organized and very informative."

The month of November is the traditional month in the Church’s calendar for remembering those who have died. During this time, the Scranton Jesuit Community will pray in a particular way for those we love and to whom we owe so much – the deceased of our families, our benefactors and our alumni.
 
We invite you, as a member of the University community, to remember your family and friends with us and to have their names included in prayer. Send the names of those to be remembered in our Masses throughout the month of November via this link or by visiting scranton.edu/allsouls.
 
We also invite you to join us for our annual Mass of Remembrance on Nov. 14 at 4:30 p.m. in Madonna della Strada Chapel. Family and friends of the members of our University community who have died in the past year will be remembered in a special way at this Mass. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Dr. Helen Wolf, director of Campus Ministries.

The Student Veterans Organization, Veterans Advocacy Committee, Student Life, Financial Aid and Campus Ministries offices, invite the University community to share in an all faiths prayer vigil in honor of our veterans.

When: Veteran Day  11/11/21 @ 11:00 a.m.

Where: Veterans Lounge - 1st floor Hyland Hall

A reception with light fare will follow.

Join us for:

Solemnity of All Saints

A Holy Day of Obligation

Monday, Nov. 1

Eucharistic Liturgy, 12:05 p.m.

Madonna della Strada Chapel

The Office of Sustainability, a part of the Facilities Management Division, and the University Police Department have installed three new Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations.

As electric vehicles become more popular, the presence of EV charging stations on campus will make it more convenient for our campus community and visitors.  Two EV chargers are located on level two of the parking pavilion, and one is in the Madison Avenue parking lot.  The Madison Avenue location is supplied electricity generated from the University Solar Project.  

The EV spaces are open to all faculty, staff, students, and visitors that have electric vehicles.  Charging time is limited to four hours per vehicle per day. In addition to a valid University of Scranton parking permit, an EV parking permit is required to use the EV charging stations. A premium of $50 is required on your annual parking permit fee. 

Visitors may use the EV charging stations, but they must have a temporary EV charging permit at no charge. If you require any of these special permits, please see Parking Services in the Parking Pavilion.

If you have any questions please contact Mark Murphy, director of Sustainability, at (570) 941-6267 or Catherine Sanderson, coordinator of Parking Services (570) 941-7879.

The World Languages and cultures Department is pleased to invite all faculty, staff and students to Spanish Game Night, hosted by FLTA Julia Illarramendi, next Thursday, Oct. 28, from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the Kane Forum (Leahy 235). Illarramendi will be sharing about the bar culture of Spain and teaching students how to play classic card games.

The event is open to everyone and no registration is required. Sponsored by the World Languages and Cultures Department

Please join us for this Interdisciplinary Asian Studies Fall Lecture, "Moral Psychology of Confucian Shame -- Shame of Shamelessness," Wednesday, Oct. 20, 4:30 p.m. Brennan Hall, Room 228 (Pearn Auditorium). 

"Is shame a negative concept? Can it have a positive effect on our civic life, personal development, business, politics, or interpersonal relationship? How do the East and the West view "shame" differently? Is shame different from guilt? This talk will analyze the moral psychology of Confucian shame as an embodied moral emotion and virtue necessary for human flourishing from the perspective of interdisciplinary studies, comparative philosophy, and philosophy of cognitive science."

Dr. Bongrae Seok is a professor of philosophy at Alvernia University in Reading, Pennsylvania. His primary research interests lie in comparative philosophy of mind and moral psychology, philosophy of cognitive neuroscience, neuroethics and neuroaesthetics. In his recent books, "Naturalization, Human Flourishing, and Asian Philosophy: Owen Flanagan and Beyond" (Routledge 2020), "Moral Psychology of Confucian Shame: Shame of Shamelessness" (Rowman and Littlefield 2016), and "Embodied Moral Psychology and Confucian Philosophy" (Lexington 2013), he develops an interdisciplinary and comparative approach to moral psychology from the viewpoint of embodied moral emotion (empathy, shame, and flourishing). He also published articles on phenomenology and perception of music (embodied musical imagery, and musical chills) and embodied perception of space from the interdisciplinary perspective of philosophy, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience. He is the Program Chair of the APA (American Philosophical Association) affiliated group of NAKPA (North American Korean Philosophical Association). He has served ACPA (Association of Chinese Philosophers in America) as president from 2018 to 2020.

The lecture is free and open to the whole campus community and invited guests by university students, staff and faculty. For more information, contact Ann A. Pang-White, Director of Asian Studies and Professor of Philosophy, at ann.pang-white@scranton.edu.

In conjunction with the exhibition "Trespassing on the Domain of Ghosts: Paintings by Andrea Kastner," the Hope Horn Gallery invites you to a Zoom lecture with the artist on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Join via this Zoom link or contact Darlene Miller-Lanning at 570-941-4214 for further information.

Colts Campus Connections: Free Local Bus Service for Students, Faculty and Staff
EXCITING NEWS!!!! COLTS has streamlined its service by adding earlier and later service to make routes more efficient!

USE myStop and Google Planner to plan your next outing.

myStop is powered by GPS technology and is accessible by phone, smartphone (both iPhone and Android), tablet, or desktop. myStop allows you the rider to be in charge of your transit needs by providing on-the-go real-time information.

Google Trip Planner tells you what bus to take! Just enter your origin and destination (“from address” and “to address”) and let us plan your trip for you. Google Trip Planner gives you personal options, such as shortest walking distance or least amount of transfers. Google Trip Planner is on the myStop page under the Trip Planner tab on the left side of your screen.

GO TO coltsbus.com for more information and bus schedules.

Note: Access to the campus is currently limited to members of the University community, invited guests and others as listed in the Royals Back Together plan. Campus access and other health and safety information will be updated throughout the semester and can be seen on the Royals Back Together webpage.

Nov. 4      Noon. Schemel Forum and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Collaborative Program: “This Community’s Medical College: How advances in pedagogy and technology, and the pandemic, have shaped medical education in the 21^st century” presented by Steven Scheinman, M.D., president and dean, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine; executive vice president and chief academic officer, Geisinger. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu

Nov. 7     9 a.m. Open House for prospective students and their families. Various locations on campus. Registration required. Free. Call 888-SCRANTON or email admissions@scranton.edu.

Nov. 9     5:30 p.m. Schemel Forum and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Collaborative Program: “Beethoven’s Deafness: Psychological Crises and Artistic Triumph” presented by Richard Kogan, M.D., clinical professor of psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College and artistic director, Weill Cornell Music and Medicine Program. Reception to follow. Scranton Cultural Center at Masonic Temple. Registration required. $30. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Nov. 9      7 p.m. Fail Forward Panel Discussion about navigating setbacks with Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs; Tara Hamilton-Fay, faculty specialist, biology; and Randy Shemanski, associate director, athletics. Event is part of the University’s Resilient Royals initiative. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Open to University community only. Free. Call 570-941-4253 or email chew@scranton.edu.

Nov. 12           7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” The University of Scranton Jazz Ensemble with guest artist Benny Benack III, voice and trumpet. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Nov. 17           7:30 p.m. 35^th Henry George Lecture: “The Value of Money: Currencies, Bonds, Bitcoin” presented by Yuliy Sannikov, the Jack Steele Parker Professor of Economics at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4048 or email janice.mecadon@scranton.edu.

Nov. 18-20      8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. “The Addams Family” presented by Liva Arts Company. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. $7. Call 570-941-7401 or email joelle.cote@scranton.edu.

Nov. 20           7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Symphonic Band. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

 

Please join the Asian Studies Asia Club Open House on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 5 p.m. - 6:15 p.m., Brennan Hall, Room 509 (Rose Room). All are welcome! Short presentations and student contests exhibit centered on "Think Globally, Think Asia!" will be on display throughout the event.

All participants will be entered for a free raffle of a $25 e-card. 

Open House is around the corner! Share this with someone you think would like to join us on Oct. 24 or Nov. 7.

Join us at one of our two Open Houses and learn all that Scranton has to offer. Attend presentations, take a campus tour, and meet with faculty, students, coaches and staff. 

Visit scranton.edu/openhouse for more information and to register.

No Masses will be offered from Saturday, Oct. 9 through Monday, Oct. 11.

On Tuesday, Oct. 12, at 12:05 p.m., Mass will be offered in the Chapel of the Sacred Heart.

The regular Mass schedule resumes on Wednesday, Oct. 13.

The Diversity Initiatives Review Board is accepting applications for grants in support of creative, educational programs that PROMOTE diversity, provide opportunity for inter-cultural engagement, and expand opportunities for multicultural experiences for our community.

The Diversity Initiatives Fund is available to campus groups, departments or individuals seeking to promote a greater understanding of diversity through inclusive pedagogies, educational opportunities, multicultural activities and community outreach programs. The grant is intended to launch new, innovative, or educational opportunities for the University community. Recurring projects may apply for funding as well.

Student applicants and part-time employees are required to have a full-time staff or full-time faculty sponsor. Student Clubs are required to have approval of the club moderator and the Coordinator of Student Clubs and Organizations. Individual staff members and non-full-time faculty must obtain approval from their supervisor or department chair, respectively. Sponsorship or approval must be obtained prior to applying for the grant.

To view previous projects and awards, and review the 21-22 grant guidelines and application, please click here.

Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis.** Semester deadlines for applications are November 30 and April 30, with the Review Board meeting in December and May of each academic year to discuss approval.

**Note: The DIRB will be meeting Friday, October 15. Applications submitted by Oct. 14 will be considered at this meeting. Questions on the application process may be sent to Jennifer.pennington@scranton.edu.

The formal Inauguration Ceremony for Father Marina will take place on Friday, Sept. 24, at 11 a.m. at the Byron Recreation Complex for members of the University community and invited guests. The University will livestream the event. A luncheon will immediately follow the ceremony.

In addition to the Inauguration Ceremony, an Inauguration Mass is planned for Saturday, Sept. 25, at 4 p.m. on campus. An Inauguration Concert, set for Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, will feature an original work composed for the Inauguration by David Lantz III, titled “To the Ends of the Earth.”

The events coincide with Family Weekend. Parents and family members visiting campus for the weekend are welcome to attend the Inauguration events.

Get the details about the Inauguration via the Inauguration website, here.

Families, are you ready for this weekend? 

We are looking forward to welcoming families to Scranton on Saturday, Sept. 25 and Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021

Be sure to visit the Activities page for a full list of happenings, both on campus and off.

 From athletic events, the Family Weekend President's Concert, and USPB After Dark on campus to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders baseball games or hiking in Nay Aug Park, there’s something for everyone in your family.

Be sure to also visit the General Information section for answers to all of your Family Weekend FAQ's. 

Registration is not required for Family Weekend activities held on campus.

This year’s event has a Scranton focus, encouraging families to go out with their son or daughter into the greater Scranton area to explore the city’s rich historical heritage, beautiful natural settings, small businesses, and entertainment and cultural attractions. Families seeking things to do with their students have a wide array of options to enjoy. Read more, here.

And for all the details, visit the Family Weekend page, here.

Join Campus Ministries for a Special University Liturgy this Saturday, September 25, at 4 p.m. in the Byron. (Yes, it fulfills the Sunday obligation.) There will also be a 7 p.m. Sunday Mass in Madonna della Strada Chapel (but no 11 a.m. or 4:30 p.m. Sunday Masses).

More information about Inauguration is here.

University of Scranton students are invited to Explore South Scranton and the Cedar Iron District and Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

Saturday, Oct. 2, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. (choice of two start times)

Tour begins with a trip to the South Side Farmers Market. Registration includes $5 in free Market Bucks.

Enjoy Mexican and El Salvadoran cuisine from:
Italo's Restaurant, Chicano's Restaurant, La Chingada Restaurante, La Libertad Pupuseria, and Florita's Bakery
Event will include a set menu from three restaurants.

Registration Required.
$10 fee, Payable in-person with your Royal Card after completing online registration

Learn more about origami, the art of Japanese paper folding and try it for yourself with Japanese instructor Kentaro Fukube on Thursday, Sept. 23 at 7:00 p.m. in the Kane Forum, Leahy 235.

All are welcome, no registration is required.

Sponsored by the World Languages and Cultures Department.

Contact Hannah Jackson at hannah.jackson@scranton.edu for more information.

Join us for the next Schemel Forum World Affairs Seminar.

Tuesday, Sept. 28; Noon to 1:30 p.m.; Zoom link will be emailed

The 2020 Pennsylvania Presidential Election Litigation
Dan Brier and Donna Walsh, Partners, Myers, Brier & Kelly, LLP
We will take a backstage tour of the 2020 Pennsylvania Presidential Election litigation with two of Pennsylvania's lawyers.

RSVP to Alicen.Morrison@scranton.edu
Free to University Staff, Students, Faculty and Schemel Forum Members

***Please note that this Seminar has changed from in-person to remote

Note: Access to the campus is currently limited to members of the University community, invited guests, spectators at athletic events and others as listed in the Royals Back Together plan. Campus access and other health and safety information will be updated throughout the semester and can be seen on the Royals Back Together webpage. 

Sept. 14           Noon. Schemel Forum’s Munley Law World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Arguing at the Supreme Court in a Time of Conflict” presented by Neal Katyal, partner at Hogan Lovells and the Paul and Patricia Saunders Professor of National Security Law at Georgetown University Law Center. Remote presentation. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Sept. 18           7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring Port Mande Quartet, Mark Dover, clarinet and Jeremy Ajani Jordan, piano. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Sept. 20          Noon. Schemel Forum’s Munley Law World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Biden and the World” by presented by Trudy Rubin, Worldview columnist, The Philadelphia Inquirer. Remote presentation. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Sept. 24      11 a.m. The Inauguration of Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., as the 29^th President of The University of Scranton. Dionne Campus Green. Invited guests and University community members only. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@Scranton.edu.

Sept. 25     4 p.m. Inauguration Mass. Byron Recreation Complex. Invited guests, University community members and Family Weekend guests only. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@Scranton.edu.

Sept. 25      7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “Family Weekend President’s Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Concert Band and Concert Choir with surprise guest artists. Houlihan-McLean Center. Invited guests, University community members and Family Weekend guests only. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Sept. 28          Noon. Schemel Forum’s Munley Law World Affairs Luncheon Series: “The 2020 Pennsylvania Presidential Election Litigation” presented by Dan Brier and Donna Walsh, partners, Myers, Brier and Kelly, LLP. Remote presentation. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Oct. 1      3 p.m. Lecture: “Muslims and the Making of America” by author Amir Hussain, Ph.D., professor of theological studies at Loyola Marymount University. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

Oct. 4       7:30 p.m. Ignatian Values In Action Lecture by author Yohuru Williams, Ph.D., G’93, as part of the Royal Reads program 2021-2022 book “The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin. Byron Recreation Complex. First-Year students only. Lecture will be live streamed for others University community members and guests in LSC 133, BRB 228 and TDC 401. Call 570-941-7520 or email linda.walsh@scranton.edu.

Oct. 7       Noon. Schemel Forum’s Munley Law World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Jane Jacobs’ First City: What Comes Next?” presented by Paige Cognetti, mayor, City of Scranton. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Oct. 14     8:30 a.m. 20th Annual U.S. Conference on disABILITY “Exploring Autism Across the Spectrum: Building Inclusive Communities. Year III.” This virtual conference will include daylong live events as well as pre-recorded session offerings. Free. Registration opens mid-September. Call 570-941-7819 or visit www.scranton.edu/disabilityconference.

Oct. 15            Noon. Schemel Forum’s Munley Law World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Democracy in America? An Outsider’s View” presented by Fintan O’Toole, columnist for The Irish Times and the Leonard L. Milberg Lecturer in Irish Letters, Princeton. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Oct. 15            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring Alexander Pattavina, organ. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Oct. 20            4:30 p.m. Asian Studies Lecture: “Moral Psychology of Confucian Shame: Shame of Shamelessness” presented by Bongrae Seok, Ph.D., professor of philosophy, Alvernia University. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. No registration required. Free. Call 570-941-6312 or email ann.pang-white@scranton.edu.

Oct. 23            7:45 a.m. Schemel Forum bus trip “Back to Gotham! NYC!” $150. Registration required to reserve a spot by Oct. 1 as spaces are limited. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Oct. 24            9 a.m. Open House for prospective students and their families. Various locations on campus. Registration required. Free. Call 888-SCRANTON or email admissions@scranton.edu.

Oct. 24            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “Bach for Humanity” featuring Mark Kosower, cello. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Oct. 26            Noon. Schemel Forum’s Munley Law World Affairs Luncheon Series: “The Holocaust and Jewish-Christian Relations” presented by Dr. Carol Rittner, RSM, distinguished professor emerita of Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Dr. Marsha Raticoff Grossman Professor Emerita of Holocaust Studies at Stockton University, New Jersey. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu

Oct. 30            7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton String Orchestra with guest artist John-Morgan Bush, horn. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Nov. 4      Noon. Schemel Forum and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Collaborative Program: “This Community’s Medical College: How advances in pedagogy and technology, and the pandemic, have shaped medical education in the 21^st century” presented by Steven Scheinman, M.D., president and dean, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine; executive vice president and chief academic officer, Geisinger. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Nov. 7      9 a.m. Open House for prospective students and their families. Various locations on campus. Registration required. Free. Call 888-SCRANTON or email admissions@scranton.edu.

Nov. 9      5:30 p.m. Schemel Forum and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Collaborative Program: “Beethoven’s Deafness: Psychological Crises and Artistic Triumph” presented by Richard Kogan, M.D., clinical professor of psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College and artistic director, Weill Cornell Music and Medicine Program. Reception to follow. Scranton Cultural Center at Masonic Temple. Registration required. $30. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

Nov. 12           7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” The University of Scranton Jazz Ensemble with guest artist Benny Benack III, voice and trumpet. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Nov. 18-20      8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. “The Addams Family” presented by Liva Arts Company. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. $7. Call 570-941-7401 or email joelle.cote@scranton.edu.

Nov. 20           7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Symphonic Band. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Dec. 4       8 p.m. (Prelude begins at 7:05 p.m.) Performance Music: “54^th Annual Noel Night” featuring The University of Scranton Singers, Instrumental Chamber Ensembles, and pianist Ron Stabinsky. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu

Dec. 12           7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “Empty Stocking Fund Benefit Recital.” Performance music student musicians perform solo, duet, trio, and small group renditions of a variety of Christmas favorites. Houlihan-McLean Center. Admission: one new unwrapped toy, new toiletry items, or a monetary donation. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Schemel Forum Courses

Wednesdays: Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27 and Nov. 3, 10      6 p.m. Schemel Forum Course: “Social and Moral Issues in Information Technology” presented by Kevin Nordberg, Ph.D., professor emeritus, philosophy and Latin American studies, The University of Scranton. Room 305, Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.

 

University of Scranton President, Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., sent the following reflection about the 20th anniversary of 9/11 to the University and alumni community on Sept. 10, 2021.

In the Madonna della Strada Chapel, on a wall next to the main entrance, a plaque is dedicated in loving memory of members of the University family who lost their lives on September 11. In sacred space, this plaque quietly and profoundly reminds us of the direct tragic impact this day had on our community – an impact shared by countless other communities across the nation.

For many of our students, they learned of the day as they grew up. Others among us recall vividly where we were on that fateful morning in 2001, as we watched the unthinkable unfold before our eyes. Fear, shock, sadness and worry filled our hearts as we prayed for those caught in the World Trade Center and Pentagon and for the safety of brave first responders who placed themselves in harm’s way to save them. Later, we mourned the loss of airline passengers on a field in Shanksville, Pa., who sacrificed themselves to save others. 

As the days unfolded, we discovered ways that each of us was touched directly or indirectly by the loss. The University community learned that five alumni perished on 9/11, as did dozens more with close family ties to our community.

In the months and years that followed, we searched for understanding and made efforts to remember loved ones lost. We built memorials to tell of the events that we vowed never to forget. And, we carried on with our lives, rebuilding as we remembered.

As we mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11, let us recall in memory and prayer our faithful alumni, family and friends who lost their lives on this tragic day. Let us pray for peace and understanding in a world still filled with unrest. Let us also pray for our students today and the faculty and staff who educate and serve them. May they may go into the world as a voice calling for peace and justice and change the world for the betterment of all. 

Let me close by quoting from a September 2001 message by my predecessor, Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., the 23rd President of the University, who provided such capable and pastoral leadership through this crisis:

"As a community of faith, we also pray -- and pray fervently -- that God our Lord will strengthen us in this time of sorrow so that, guided by His wisdom, we will be able to build a world in which the reign of love overcomes hatred, suspicion and violence.”

 

The University community will gather on Thursday, Sept. 9 at 11:30 a.m. in the Byron for the opening school liturgy, the Mass of the Holy Spirit. All are welcome!

Bishop Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, will be the main celebrant.

Everyone is encouraged to wear Scranton gear as together we show our pride in our school!

The University of Scranton is once again counted among the best colleges in the nation according to The Princeton Review. Scranton is among the 14 percent of schools listed in the 2022 edition of the “Best 387 Colleges” guidebook, marking the 20^th consecutive year the University was selected by The Princeton Review to be among the top colleges in the country.

 This year also marks the 30^th anniversary for the guidebook, which was published August 31. To mark the milestone, The Princeton Review put together 26 “Great Lists” to recognize schools with the most impressive history of being included in the guidebook’s annual “best of” lists. Scranton made the “Great List” for “Best Campus Food.” The Princeton Review did not publish their “best of” lists this year because of the pandemic. The “Best of” lists of the “Top 20” colleges in 62 categories are based entirely on surveys of students at colleges selected by The Princeton Review for inclusion in its guidebook.

“With most students attended college remotely this past year due to COVID, we knew it would be impossible to survey them about their on-campus experiences – from how they rated their college library to their campus food,” said Robert Franek, editor-in-chief at The Princeton Review.

In addition to consistently making the “Best Campus Food” listing, The Princeton Review has also included Scranton in its listing of the nation’s “Best Science Lab Facilities” for six consecutive years (No. 8 in the 2021 edition).

The 2022 edition of the guidebook includes detailed profiles of each of “The Best 387 Colleges.” Scranton’s profile mentions its “strong science programs, which result in a ‘high rate of students get- ting acceptance to medical schools.’” The Jesuit university’s professors were described as “awesome,” “caring” and “really supportive” and that “they really ‘want their students to excel’ and ‘care about their...success.’”

In addition to The Princeton Review, U.S. News has ranked Scranton among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 27 consecutive years, placing the University No. 6 in its 2020 edition of the “Best Colleges” guidebook. In addition, U.S. News ranked Scranton No. 14 in its category in a “Best Undergraduate Teaching” listing of the top colleges expressing “a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching.”

Pet Therapy is back in person! Join us on the Dionne Green on Tuesday, Sept. 28 from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. to pet all the dogs! Wait...we need dogs. If you have an even-tempered, social dog that is fully vaccinated and great with lots of people and other dogs, you have the time and would like to come- email ellen.judge@scranton.edu. Even though this is outdoors, it will be very well attended so masks will be required for all the humans and leashes for the canines.

Please refer to our Royals Back Together plan for our safety and vaccination requirements for guests and participants. We can't wait to see you!

Register your dog here. No advance registration for visitors but you must swipe in with your Royal Card.  This event is hosted by The Center for Service & Social Justice, DeNaples 205B.

CHEW is kicking off Weekly Wellness Classes this week.
Monday
Mindfulness Meditation @ 5:00-5:30 p.m. in Library 305 *Exception 8/30- Rose Garden (rain location 4th-floor theater)
Light Weights & Abs @ 5:00-6:00 p.m. in The Royals Room *Employees Only

Tuesday
POUND @ 6:00-6:45 p.m. in The Royals Rooms

Wednesday
Lunchtime Yoga Flow @ 12:15-12:45 p.m. in The Royals Room
Light Weights & Abs @ 5:00-6:00 p.m. in The Royals Room *Employees Only

Thursday
Energizing Yoga @ 5:00-5:45 p.m. in The Royals Room

Check out CHEW's Weekly Wellness Class offerings and descriptions on RoyalSync, IM Leagues, here or email chew@scranton.edu. All classes are open to students, faculty and staff.

Please sign CHEW'S Weekly Wellness Class Waiver.
One waiver covers all CHEW's Weekly Wellness Classes.

The University of Scranton will use a tile near the top of its Royals Back Together plan to indicate if masks are required indoors for full-vaccinated individuals and whether or not the campus is open to the general public.

The Royals Back Together plan takes into account the latest health and safety recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH). The University will adjust the plan regarding masking and other health requirements based on the virus spread within the local community.

The University announced in a campus update on Aug. 23 that masks will be required indoors for fully-vaccinated individuals through to Sept. 13, when the University will update the campus to any changes. Masks will be required indoors for unvaccinated individuals throughout the semester.

The University also announced that the campus is only open to invited guests, which include parents and family members of students who will be on campus this weekend helping their children move into residence halls.

In addition to parents and family members, invited guests include those registered for admissions tours and guests; spectators at athletic events; invited speakers or guests for meetings and events; contractors and other campus service providers; and fully vaccinated guests in University residence halls, for which registration required. The campus is closed to the general public through to Sept. 13 and a Royal Card is needed to access buildings on campus.

The full update available on the Royals Back Together webpage.

In response to the pandemic last year, Facilities Operations at The University of Scranton implemented multiple adjustments to Campus Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems in academic buildings and most office buildings on campus to improve indoor air quality.

The University increased the outdoor air and relief air of HVAC systems where possible. This process reduces the recirculation of air into the space while improving the air quality by flushing more impurities out of the space. The University will also continue to run HVAC systems longer, both before and after the space is occupied, in order to clear more aerosols from the space. The University will also increase the supply air rate in the HVAC system by increasing the fan speeds wherever possible, thereby increasing the air change rate in the space. The University has also treated all heating and cooling coils with an anti-bacterial spray and has replaced air filters prior to the beginning of the fall semester.

For residence hall bedrooms and remote office spaces that did not have HVAC systems, the University has provided portable room air cleaners with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters. HEPA is a type of pleated mechanical air filter that can remove 99.97 percent of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria and any airborne particles down to 0.1 microns. New HEPA filters have bene installed in all the existing portable air cleaners in preparation of the fall semester.

The University of Scranton has returned its campus to pre-pandemic configurations for the return of in-person classes and activities for the fall 2021 semester. The photo gallery shows how indoor lounges, classrooms, labs, dining facilities and other spaces on campus now look just prior to the start of the semester on Monday, August 30.

The University will continue to follow health and safety guidelines as outlined in the Royals Back Together plan during the semester. The plan incorporates health and safety recommendations for a fully-vaccinated campus. The University has instituted a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for students and employees for the start of the semester.

The plan also takes into account the latest health and safety recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH), including flexibility to adjust the plans masking and other health requirements based on the virus spread within the local community.

More information about the plan is available on the Royals Back Together webpage.

The University of Scranton announced its Royals Back Together plan for the return of in-person classes and activities for the fall 2021 semester, which begins on Monday, Aug. 30. The plan incorporates the University’s previously announced COVID-19 vaccine requirement for students and employees.

The plan also takes into account the latest health and safety recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH), including flexibility to adjust the plans masking and other health requirements based on the virus spread within the local community.

Vaccinated individuals do not need to participate in COVID-19 surveillance testing. Following CDC guidelines, the University will adjust indoor masking requirements for vaccinated individuals based on community spread. A Mask Status tile on the Royals Back Together webpage will indicate if masks are required indoors for vaccinated individuals. (Currently, the University is following its summer plan, which requires all individuals to wear masks indoors.) Throughout the semester, masks can be worn by individuals if they prefer, and faculty and staff can require masks be worn in their offices, classroom or labs if desired.

In accordance with Pennsylvania law, students and employees may request a waiver to the vaccine requirement for religious or medical reasons. For students or employees who are granted a vaccine waiver, the Royals Back Together plan requires weekly COVID-19 surveillance testing, mask requirements when indoors or in crowded spaces outdoors where social distancing cannot be met, daily health screenings via a wellness app, as well as specific quarantine and isolation instructions and other health and safety guidelines.

Students who are required to quarantine or isolate must do so off-campus during the fall semester. The University will provide temporary areas for quarantine and isolation if needed while off-campus arrangements are being made.

The Royals Back Together plan reminds members of the University community of their individual responsibility to follow guidelines to protect the health and well-being of themselves and others.

The Royals Back Together plan also addresses cleaning protocols, health services, student life, athletics and a number of other critical areas, including contact tracing procedures. The plan also recognizes the need to continue to adapt to changing circumstances.

Move-in for the fall semester is Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 28 and 29. Classes resume on Monday, Aug. 30.

More information about the plan is available on the Royals Back Together webpage.

The DeNaples Mailroom will reopen on August 16. Hours are as follows:

Aug. 16 - 27
• Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Aug. 28
• Saturday: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Beginning Aug. 30
• Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 11 and 18: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m

University of Scranton President Joseph G. Marina, S.J., sent “Best Wishes for the Feast” to The University of Scranton faculty and staff.

Dear Friends, 

I hope you are having a wonderful summer and that everyone you know and love is safe and healthy.  

On Saturday, the Church will celebrate the great Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, made even more marvelous this year as the Society of Jesus and all Jesuit works have begun an initiative called “The Ignatian Year.” This celebration goes from May 2021 until July 2022 and honors the 500^th anniversary of the transformation of Inigo the glory seeker into Ignatius the humble pilgrim and future saint. You will hear more about the Ignatian Year in weeks to come but, for this year’s feast, I hope you will find much consolation and grace in remembering that our University is a strategic and integral part of a dynamic mission that goes back nearly five centuries and, with God’s help, will continue for many more to come.  

This Saturday also marks the birthday of our beloved past president, Fr. Scott Pilarz. It’s a beautiful coincidence, or perhaps no coincidence at all, that he was born on the anniversary of the feast of the founder of the Jesuits and author of the Spiritual Exercises. Having now spent nearly six weeks here at Scranton, it’s very clear to me why Fr. Pilarz referred to our University as “the miracle in the mountains.” Please remember him in your prayers in a special way this weekend. 

Over the past several weeks, our campus has come to life with the presence of various groups of people, from middle-school children in the Regis High School REACH Program to harpists and their friends with the Welsh Heritage Society to the National Point Guard Basketball Camp and on it goes. I can only imagine how good it will be when all of our students and you will be back on campus in the fall. That said, I am very grateful for those who are here now –dedicated staff in offices and on the grounds, our excellent faculty teaching summer courses here or online, the student ambassadors leading visitors up and down the campus, and other student volunteers involved in service.  

As you know, the effort to protect our community through COVID-19 vaccination and other safety measures is continuing. Various campus facilities are being readied for the fall opening. And the summer is flying by, as it always does. But I wanted to take a moment to call our collective attention to the spiritual dimension of life, which is always with us, by wishing you a very happy feast on St. Ignatius Day 2021. May the spirit of Ignatius fill our minds and hearts with the desire to seek God in all things and the energy to advance the service of faith and promotion of justice.  

Enjoy the rest of the summer and be assured of my prayers and very best wishes on the feast and always! 

Yours faithfully, 

Fr. Marina

After our June 2 issue, the University's Royal News e-newsletter will publish on a summer schedule, though the website will continue to be updated daily. And we will return periodically to update our community on the goings-on around campus.

We will publish on Wednesday, July 7, and then again on Aug. 4.

We will return to regular action on Wednesday, Aug. 25, and continue our regular weekly publishing schedule throughout the fall 2020 semester.

We welcome announcement submissions at any time throughout the summer (to include in one of these three issues, and beyond), so please send them along. See the instructions here.

Thanks, and have a great summer!

The University's Baccalaureate Mass for The Class of 2021 premiered on May 22. 

"Today we pray with and for you, the Class of 2021," said celebrant Rev. Herbert B. Keller, S.J., vice president for Mission and Ministry at The University of Scranton. "We ask God that He will bless you as you go forward from this place."

Father Keller remembered when he was serving as interim president during the Class of 2021's first year at Scranton, and he noted just how much the members of the class have changed since that first day.

"As a class, you came to an awareness of the presence of the Lord during your own experience of passion in dealing with COVID, experiencing the suffering and death of loved ones, or the inconvenience of quarantine or isolation. ... You discovered that love was stronger than any illness, and you discovered those gifts by staying together."

Watch the entire Mass below.

Missed Commencement? No problem. 

You can still watch the recordings of The University of Scranton's Commencement Weekend events or share them with family and friends. 

The events are:

The Donning of the Kente Ceremony
Physical Therapy Graduation Awards Ceremony
Class Night for the Class of 2021
Graduate Commencement
Nursing Pinning Ceremony
Baccalaureate Mass for The Class of 2021
Sigma Theta-lota Omega Chapter Induction
PCPS Commencement Ceremony
KSOM Commencement Ceremony
CAS Commencement Ceremony

And, still to come: ROTC Commissioning, scheduled for May 29 at 10 a.m.

Click below for the entire Commencement playlist. 

 

Commencement Weekend is just a few days away. This year, with three in-person undergraduate ceremonies and one graduate, plus several virtual and in-person special interest events, it’s just a little more complicated than usual, so we are laying it all out for you here.

 If you can’t find the answer below, visit scranton.edu/commencement. For a chance for your photo to be featured on the Commencement page, use #Royals2021 when posting!

 Who graduates when?

 The graduate commencement ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 22 at 10 a.m., and the three undergraduate ceremonies will take place on Sunday, May 23.

PCPS Undergraduate Commencement: May 23, 9:30 a.m.

KSOM Undergraduate Commencement: May 23, 1 p.m.

CAS Undergraduate Commencement: May 23, 4:30 p.m.

 All events have limited seating capacities due to health and safety measures put in place because of the pandemic. Tickets are required to attend. More information about the Commencement ceremonies is here. 

I don’t have a ticket. How do I celebrate with my graduate?

No problem! You can watch most of the events, live. Live streams can be found here.

My best friend is graduating from a different college. How do I watch his/her graduation?

Members of the Class of 2021 are invited to join together to view the Commencement live stream for the college ceremonies that they are not attending. Limited seating will be available in the Moskovitz Theater (DeNaples Center, 4th Floor).

Which events are in person, and which are virtual?

Most events are in person this year with limited tickets. However, Class Night and Baccalaureate Mass were pre-recorded, and will be able to be streamed here. Many other events are in person over the weekend and will also be live streamed.

A list of all of the special interest events, from the Donning of the Kente Ceremony to Nurses’ Pinning are listed here.

Do masks have to be worn, even if I’m vaccinated?  

Through the end of the semester, the University will maintain the health and safety protocols of the Royals Safe Together Plan, including the requirement for everyone to wear masks on campus and at Commencement events. 

I couldn’t pick up Commencement tickets for myself or my guests, now what?

You will be able to pick up tickets at separate will-call locations prior to each ceremony at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Graduates can pick up their will-call tickets at the East Gate and guests can pick up their will-call tickets at the West Gate.

What am I allowed to bring to Commencement?

Please do not bring extra items that you would have to carry in your hands (i.e. cameras, purses, etc.). All graduates will be screened upon entering the Arena. As of January 1, 2019, Mohegan Sun Arena implemented a clear bag policy to bring items into the venue. Find information about the policy, here.

When should I arrive at my Commencement ceremony?

• Arrive at the Mohegan Sun Arena 45 minutes prior to your ceremony.

• Graduate Commencement Arrival Time, May 22: 9:15 a.m.
• PCPS Arrival Time, May 23: 8:45 a.m.
• KSOM Arrival Time, May 23: 12:15 p.m.
• CAS Arrival Time, May 23: 3:45 p.m.

Is there a formal procession at my graduation?

There will not be a formal procession of the graduates.

At arrival, graduates must proceed to their assigned seats on the Arena floor. Seats are numbered by row/seat, and and seating instructions were sent to your Scranton.edu email address on Monday, May 17.

Are there meals on campus during Commencement Weekend?

Yes, there are, but not for guests.

Please show your Royal Card at the time of purchase.

 Flex can be used in dining locations, POD and SBUX. All remaining flex will be lost if not used before Saturday, May 22, 2021.

Get more meal information and other information for graduates, here.

Which way does this tassel go?

To the right!

Student Ambassadors will assist with ensuring your academic attire (hood, cap, tassel) is on correctly. The velvet of your hood should be placed closest to your chin. The tassel for your cap should be placed on the right and the provost will instruct you to move it to the other side during the ceremony. Honor stoles and cords, if applicable, should be placed on your person before you don your hood.  The stole and cords hang down the front of your gown.

Need a video? Student Government did one for you! Click on the image below for a video.

For more information on academic attire, visit this page.

Congratulations graduates!

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For all other commencement information, please visit scranton.edu/commencement.

The University of Scranton Players is proud to present its final show of the year, the 313 Monroe Variety Hour. An evening of classic radio for the podcasting era.

Available from May 7 to May 14 on YouTube. Enjoy this family-friendly romp through the golden age of radio featuring comedy from Abbot and Costello, the Marx Brothers, and many, many more.

Join us via this link.

For faculty, staff and students: If you have missed, or would like to take a second look at, any of our diversity and inclusion programming this year, we encourage you to visit our website, and click on the blue bar 'Diversity & Inclusion Recorded Programs for Faculty, Staff and Students.'

**Please note: The Milagros Castillo-Montoya Antiracist Teaching Pedagogy Videos are only available for a short time. We encourage faculty to view them at their earliest convenience.

If you have any questions or have difficulty accessing a video, please contact jennifer.pennington@scranton.edu.

This IT Matters was created in collaboration with the Administrative Technology Advisory Council (ATAC) Data Governance Subcommittee, which provides guidance and advice on the enterprise administrative systems at the University.

This edition highlights the ways offices have adopted various technologies to enhance or to allow for business continuity, which was necessary when the University switched to remote work in March 2020.

We hope that you find this information insightful.

In this issue:
- Graduation Audits for Graduate Students Move Online!
- Rank and Tenure Review Moves Online.
- Printing safely with UniPrint.
- Student Absences due to Quarantine/Isolation: Notification Process Improvement.

Read the articles here.

On Saturday, April 17, 2021, The Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children students and their families joined Mary Ann Stefko to celebrate Earth Day and plant flowers and trees. Professor Stefko teaches American Sign Language at The University of Scranton and at The Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children. Several University of Scranton alumni who studied American Sign Language under Professor Stefko volunteered to join the students and their families for the day and had the chance to use their skills in ASL to communicate with these children.

These alumni include Kayla Concannon '19, who is an occupational therapist in Philadelphia who works with individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Matthew Busch '18 is a fourth-year medical student at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine and upon graduation this spring will begin a residency in pediatrics.
Jackie Bailey '18 did her counseling clinical at The Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and became the school counselor.

These three alumni joined Professor Stefko, her students, and their families for this Earth Day celebration and had the opportunity to interact with the children who attended the event using ASL.

“To say that ‘one language class can change your life’ might be lofty, but for these alumni and the children and families I serve, it certainly is the truth," said Professor Stefko.

Learning American Sign Language through The University of Scranton gives students and alumni the chance to impact lives for the better. This is just one example of how learning a world language can give you the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people in your community and the world.

American Sign Language I will be offered in the fall of 2021 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00-5:15 p.m.

Would you like to learn more about ASL and other world languages at The University of Scranton?

Contact Dr. Yamile Silva at yamile.silva@scranton.edu.

The Committee on the Status of Women (CSW) works to promote and pursue equitable and just treatment for women and all members of the University community. The CSW seeks to both raise community awareness of issues that impact the status of women, collaborate with other organizations that advocate for gender issues, and identify concerns that need further study.

To help identify concerns related to gender issues on campus, the CSW invites all members of the University community to its next meeting on Thursday, May 13 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. (Zoom ID available here.) You are welcome to come for just a little bit or for the full time! All attendees are welcome to share concerns about gender issues on campus, ideas for ways we can do better, or simply just listen. Following this open discussion, we invite all attendees to stay for a dialogue on the topic “Feminism as Leadership at The University of Scranton.” This discussion may include but is not limited to:

-What is “feminism,” and why is it relevant both for community members who are women and community members who are not women?
-What does/doesn't feminism look like at the University, and who are our feminist leaders?
-What does/doesn't feminism look like nationally, and who are feminist leaders in our country?
-How might feminism function both as leadership and to support leadership?

Attendees will also receive a CSW T-shirt!

If you have a concern but are unable to attend, you are welcome to submit your concerns through the anonymous virtual suggestion box on the CSW website.

Community members are also welcome to bring concerns to the open portion of any CSW meeting.

The meeting schedule can be found here.

The University of Scranton community is invited to gather at an all faiths prayer vigil for reflection and prayer regarding recent deaths that underscore the tragic consequences of systemic racism and oppression faced by Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander and LGBTQ+ (especially transgender) persons, women, and others who are marginalized in our country, especially on the basis of race.

We encourage you to submit the names of persons you would like to honor by visiting this form.

The vigil program will be held on the Dionne Green, Tuesday, May 4 (rain date May 5) and will consist of an opening prayer at 4:00 p.m. a reading of the submitted names at 7:30 p.m. and a closing prayer at 9:00 p.m. Other activities and support and resources will be available during the vigil. Masks and social distancing will be required.

This University of Scranton program is being offered by the Office of Equity & Diversity, Campus Ministries, and the Cross Cultural Centers. For more information, please contact Dr. Helen Wolf at helen.wolf@scranton.edu, or call (570) 941-7419.

Dear Members of the University Community,

Late this afternoon, a Minneapolis jury returned a guilty verdict on all counts in the trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. As the trial unfolded on national television, it reminded us of the outrage and anguish that followed the murder of Mr. Floyd at the hands of police last May. While justice was served with today’s guilty verdict, it does not remove this pain and anger. We join so many across our nation today in praying that it provides a path for peace, justice and action.

Campus Ministry, the Cross Cultural Centers and the Office of Equity & Diversity are collaborating to conduct “Giving Voice to the Silenced,” a prayer vigil on May 4 (rain date of May 5) on the Dionne Green from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. As a University committed to cura personalis, education and social justice, we want to provide time and space to mourn, express our feelings, support each other, and work toward a better future. Students, faculty and staff can visit for any amount of time in prayer, reflection and solidarity as we remember Mr. Floyd and so many others whose lives were cut short as a tragic consequence of systemic racism and oppression in our nation.

As Father Pilarz noted last June, “As a university, we seek truth. As a Catholic and Jesuit university, we insist that truth be accompanied by freedom, justice and love.” We must as a University continue to build a community in which all are welcome and thrive without fear or prejudice.  We will educate ourselves and improve the culture and systems at The University of Scranton for equity and inclusion.

At this time, I ask that we pray for Mr. Floyd and his family, for the people of Minneapolis and for persons everywhere who face injustice and violence in their lives and in their communities.

Sincerely,

Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D.

Acting President

Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

April 22 marks the 51^st celebration of Earth Day.

While the in-person Earth Day fair is not taking place due to the pandemic, the University is holding several virtual Earth Day events and USPB is holding a celebration on the Dionne Green for students. See below for more information! 

Environmental Art Show

The Environmental Art Show is being held for the 10^th year, however this year it is virtual.

The exhibit debuted this past Monday.

Students, staff and faculty are responsible for this year’s submissions.

View this year’s art show here!

Climate Reality: There is Good News

 

On Wed. April 21, Lincoln Fetcher will hold an event on the current state of the climate.

The event will be held over Zoom.

Essay Contest

The University of Scranton also held an essay contest for local students in grades 7 through 12.

This year’s theme is “Caring for our Common Home.”

A virtual event will be held to honor participants through the Sustainability Office Facebook page 7 p.m. April 22.

More information could be found here.

USPB Earth day celebration

USPB is celebrating Earth Day by giving students free plants. Register via RoyalSync!

 

Banner

A banner to recognize the importance of Earth Day was hung outside of the DeNaples Center facing the Dionne Green.

Media outlets worldwide report an alarming increase of verbal slurs, threats, and physical violence against Asian people over the past year, especially in the United States. Join us on Tuesday, April 27 at 11:30 a.m., for an important panel discussion reflecting on the roots of anti-Asian violence, discriminatory immigration acts and laws, and harmful stereotyping that continues to impact the Asian community today.

This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. Please click here to register.

The next part of the Diversity + Inclusion = A Better U! series will be moderated by Elizabeth M. Garcia, executive director of the Office of Equity and Diversity.

Dr. Meghan Ashlin Rich, Ph.D.,  is a professor of Sociology and Women’s and Gender Studies at The University of Scranton. She also serves as faculty coordinator for the Office of Community-Based Learning. She trained in sociology at University of Delaware (Ph.D.), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (M.A.), and University of Maryland (B.A.). Dr. Rich will discuss the history of Asian immigration to the U.S., highlighting the exclusionary immigration acts and discriminatory laws aimed at limiting and restricting Asian Americans and Asian immigration, post-1965 immigration trends and the “pan-ethnic” Asian American identity, constructed in the face of discrimination and will explain aspects of the “model minority” and gendered stereotypes, and the harm they cause to Asian Americans.  

Dr. Amitava Krishna Dutt, Ph.D., is a Professor of Economics and Political Science Department of Political Science at University of Notre Dame, and Fellow at the Kroc Institute of International Peace Studies and Kellogg Institute of International Studies. He received his BA and MA from University of Calcutta, and his Ph.D., from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1983. Dr. Dutta will discuss anti-Asian violence in the US, with respect to Asian immigration, general issues about “nationalism and race/ethnicity issues concerning Asians in the US in particular, involving social, political and economic factors, and finally, about how attitudes are influenced by some politicians for their personal benefit.

Dr. Jingyi Song, Ph.D., is a professor of history, teaching courses such as Chinese Diaspora and a graduate school level class, Transnational Migration and Identify: Asian American History at the Department of History and Philosophy, SUNY at Old Westbury. She has several published works on these topics. Dr. Song will discuss the Denver Riot that took place October 31, 1880, and its legacy of racism against Asian Americans. She will depict the various dimensions of ethnicity, culture, ideology, politics and economic policies that shape the anti-Chinese sentiment leading to the Riot.

For more information on the program and the diversity and inclusion lunch and learn series, contact Liz Garcia at 570-941-6645 or email elizabeth.garcia2@scranton.edu. Questions regarding registration and Zoom information may be sent to jennifer.pennington@scranton.edu.

This program is being sponsored by the Office of Equity and Diversity, Asian Studies, The CAS Dean's Office, The Provost's Office and the Cross Cultural Centers.

Join The University of Scranton Office of Sustainability, Political Science Department and Environmental Studies on April 14 at 7 p.m., for a special virtual discussion in honor of Earth Day: "Paris v. Pittsburgh: A Conversation on the Paris Climate Agreement."

More information below:

For questions, please contact Mark Murphy at mark.murphy@scranton.edu. 

The University of Scranton presents its first video in a series featuring Joseph G. Marina, S.J., to help Royals get to know its next University president. Father Marina will begin his tenure at Scranton this summer. 

What is the first thing he will do when he arrives? Find out here.

The Schemel Forum Presents: A Jesuit Education and Integrative Thinking in Biotechnology (fighting Tuberculosis) and Economics (eradicating poverty)

Michael Fairbanks, Ph.D., Fellow at Harvard and the chairman and founder of Akagera Medicines, a Biotech company based in Boston and San Francisco focussed on cures for infectious diseases

The Scranton tradition of “scholarship and service” is only part of it. Taking the best ideas and tools from one academic domain and applying them to the challenges of another is how innovation occurs.

Friday, April 16
Via ZOOM- link will be emailed; Noon to 1:30 p.m.
To register contact Alicen.Morrison@scranton.edu

Free to University of Scranton Staff, Students, Faculty and Schemel Forum Members/ $10 per person

Hopefully this is our last virtual version of Pet Therapy before we get back to fun Scranton in-person activities! In the meantime, we would love to feature your pet on our social media outlets on Friday, April 30!

Send an email to ellen.judge@scranton.edu with the subject line: Pet Therapy

• One photo or short video of your pet

• Your name and class year or department

• Your pet’s name and little fun info about them! Be sure to include their quirks, likes/dislike, their breed and where you got them!

• Deadline for Submissions, Wednesday, April 28 at 12 p.m. They will be featured on our Instagram and Facebook pages! Be sure to subscribe to both!

• Feel free to share with friends and family…we want to see them all!

• We hope to be able to hold our next Pet Therapy day on campus on Tuesday, Sept. 28 from 1130 a.m. - 1 p.m. on the Dionne Green, adhering the Royals Safe Together Plan.

Located in the middle of the southern vast Pacific, wondrous volcanic and coral archipelagos make up the region of Oceana knows as French Polynesia. Global Insights is pleased to feature University student, Jessica Moufa, senior nursing major, as the last Global Insights presentation of the semester. Join us Thursday, April 15, 2021 at 11:30 a.m. Registration is required. Click here to register.

Home of Tahiti, a beautiful landscape and warm tropical sun are enough of a draw to this island paradise. However, Moufa says that the people and traditional activities are what makes French Polynesia a place to visit.

“The French Polynesians are sociable and hospitable individuals. Also, the culture involves a lot of flowers (crown flowers, flowers on the ears, flower necklaces), singing, music, dancing, and tattoos," she said.

She says there is special meaning to wearing flowers on the ears and will share that with the audience during her presentation.

A favorite tradition is early morning shopping at the local markets.

“There is a tradition that every Sunday, the locals would wake up early in the morning (around 4 a.m.) to go to the main market on the island. There, you would find every island delicacy such as French patisseries (croissant, pain au chocolat, baguette), local cook or uncooked food (taro, breadfruit, plantain), freshly farmed vegetables, reef fish, pua’a roti (roasted pork), firi firi (twisted coconut donuts) and some Chinese food," she said.

Students, faculty and staff are invited to learn more about the food, surf and traditions at the Global Insights French Polynesia presentation Please click here to register. Zoom information will be sent out 1-2 days before the event.

This program is being offered by the Office of Global Education, the Cross Cultural Centers, Residence Life and the Office of Equity and Diversity. For more information, please contact international@scranton.edu or 570-941-4841.

The Schemel Forum will present "The Abolitionist International" by Manisha Sinha, Ph.D., Draper Chair in American History, the University of Connecticut on April 9.

The talk re-imagines abolition as a radical international movement composed of ordinary men and women, whites and blacks. It shows how the fight to end slavery overlapped with contemporary social movements such as feminism, utopian socialism, pacifism as well as struggles for rights of labor, immigrants and Native Americans.

Via ZOOM- link will be emailed; Noon to 1:30 p.m.
To register contact Alicen.Morrison@scranton.edu

Free to University of Scranton Staff, Students, Faculty and Schemel Forum Members/ $10 per person

The Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities, the Panuska College of Professional Studies, and the Department of Philosophy present

The Inaugural Celebration of the Life and Work of Dr. Edmund Pellegrino

"The Humanities and Healthcare: Medicine as a Moral and Spiritual Enterprise"

Wednesday, April 7, 2021 • 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Featuring Katherine Brown-Saltzman, RN, MA
Internationally-recognized leader in nursing and health care ethics and
Former Director of the UCLA Health Ethics Center

The virtual Zoom presentation will be moderated by:

Kim Subasic, Ph.D., MS, RN, CNE, chair of The University of Scranton's Department of Nursing,
and Matthew F. Shea, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Philosophy

The focus on Dr. Pellegrino's legacy as a physician, philosopher, bioethicist, teacher, writer, university president, devoted Catholic, and devotee of the humanities will annually inspire our students, faculty, and staff to embrace Ignatian ideas in their studies and work. Dr. Pellegrino's conviction that the humanities and spirituality merit a specific, prominent, and permanent role in the education of healthcare professionals, in the healthcare system, and in patient care will form the foundation of this annual celebration.

Register here.

May 21            8 p.m. Virtual Class Night. Presentation of outstanding academic, service and leadership awards to Class of 2021 undergraduates. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

May 22           10 a.m. Graduate Degree Commencement. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Tickets required. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

May 22           4:30 p.m. Virtual Commencement Baccalaureate Mass. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

May 23           9:30 a.m. Undergraduate Commencement for Panuska College of Professional Studies. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Tickets required. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

May 23           1 p.m. Undergraduate Commencement for Kania School of Management. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Tickets required. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

May 23           4:30 p.m. Undergraduate Commencement for College of Arts and Sciences. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Tickets required. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

Nearly 100 members of the University community submitted photos of their dogs for #NationalPuppyDay on March 23.

Click below to see the album.

Join The University of Scranton Players this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 p.m. for John Cariani's Love/Sick via Broadway on Demand (you will need to create a free or log in to your existing Broadway on Demand account to see the show) directed by Michael O'Steen.

March 25: http://bit.ly/uofsplayersmarch25 
March 26: http://bit.ly/uofsplayersmarch26 
March 27: http://bit.ly/uofsplayersmarch27 

A darker cousin to Almost, Maine, John Cariani's Love/Sick is a collection of nine slightly twisted and completely hilarious short plays. Set on a Friday night in an alternate suburban reality, this 80-minute romp explores the pain and the joy that comes with being in love. Full of imperfect lovers and dreamers, Love/Sick is an unromantic comedy for the romantic in everyone.

Scranton Isolation 'Informance' No. 17: Donate Like Capitalism Depended On It!
Wednesday, Mar. 24, 2021, 7:00 p.m.
To Watch: facebook.com/PerformanceMusicAtTheUniversityOfScranton

We live in a time where the Top 0.1percent own more than the bottom 80 percent, but we hear more and more about donor burnout. U.S. nonprofit performing arts organizations, and by extension artists, rely on the largess of these large donors - so why are they not stepping up to strengthen safety nets to similar levels seen in countries like Germany? The answers require going all the way back to the Revenue Act of 1913 and how that influenced the development of the nonprofit tax-exempt status.

Join Cheryl Boga, director of Performance Music, and her co-hosts S.P. Chattopadhyay, Ph.D., professor of management, marketing, and entrepreneurship and Hal Baillie, Ph.D., professor of philosophy and ethics as they welcome their guest Drew McManus, arts consultant and principal of Venture Industries Online to engage in this discussion. They will also field questions from viewers.

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Drew McManus may be Venture's principal but don't let that title fool you into thinking he's just a tech geek. He brings 20 years of global broad-based arts consulting experience to the table and helps clients break the cycle of choosing one-size-fits-none solutions and instead, deliver an option that allows them to get ahead of the tech curve instead of trying to catch up by going slower.
With the vision of legacy support strategy and the delights of creative insights, his mission is to deliver a sophisticated next generation technology designed especially for our business. The first step in that journey began in 2010 when he released The Venture Platform, a purpose-designed managed website development solution designed especially for arts organizations and artists.

His expertise spans multiple sectors and regularly quoted as an industry expert in media outlets including New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Dallas Daily News, The Guardian Unlimited, and the Melbourne Age along with more than 100 additional newspapers, trade journals, and magazine outlets. Broadcast appearances include NPR's All Things Considered, NPR's Weekend Edition, NPR's Morning Edition, WQXR's Conducting Business, WNYC's Soundcheck, CBC One's Definitely Not The Opera, and SoundNotion.TV along with two dozen additional regional market appearances.

As a sought-after speaker and panelist, he has worked with Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network, Opera America, Americans for the Arts, National Arts Marketing Project Conference, Southeastern Theatre Conference, National Performing Arts Conference, Chamber Music America, NewMusicBox, The Conductors Guild, the Organization of Canadian Symphony Musicians, and the International Conference of Symphony Orchestra Musicians. He's been a featured lecturer at University of Wisconsin-Madison's Bolz Center for Arts Administration, Northwestern University School of Music, Eastman School of Music, and Arizona State University. In 2011, he was featured presenter for Chicago's TEDx Michigan Ave conference.
For fun, he writes a daily blog about the orchestra business, provides a platform for arts insiders to speak their mind, leads a team of intrepid arts pros to hack the arts, founded a free arts admin jobs board, and loves a good coffee drink.
He currently resides in the Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood with his wife, violinist Holly Mulcahy.

Dear Members of the University Community,

The University stands in solidarity with our Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander students, faculty and staff and members of the local Scranton community and condemns any acts of hate, racism and violence.

We join the nation in mourning the killing of eight people this week in Atlanta, six of whom were Asian women. These murders follow a surge of racism, violence and harassment against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Our prayers are with the victims and their families and with those who live in fear of similar actions against them. As a Catholic and Jesuit university, we use our voices and direct our actions to serve communities affected by hate and violence.

Nationally, nearly 3,800 hate incidents have been reported against AAPI individuals over the last year, mostly against women. This is deeply troubling. While discrimination has risen during the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-Asian racism is longstanding in the United States.

We are committed to promoting opportunities to build better understanding of the richness and diversity of Asian cultures and experiences. I would like to remind members of our campus community that should you witness or experience discrimination, harassment or bias, resources are available within the Office of Equity and Diversity. 

At this time, we commit ourselves in words and deeds to ensure that all those of Asian descent and other marginalized groups know that The University of Scranton stands with them.

Sincerely,

Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D.

Acting President

Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

 

The University has launched a memorial website to honor the life and service of Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., The University of Scranton’s 24^th and 27^th president, who passed away on March 10, 2021. 

"Anyone who spent time with Father Pilarz experienced his humor, compassion and genuine humanity. He was a person for others in every sense, devoted to a life of service that exemplifies what it means to be a Jesuit and a priest,” wrote James M. Slattery ’86, chair of the Board of Trustees in the announcement of Father Pilarz’s death, which will be displayed on the website along with the obituary and the recording of the Mass of Christian Burial.

 The site includes a photo gallery featuring Father Pilarz alongside students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends on and around campus during his two Scranton presidencies. 

“Don’t waste love,” Father Pilarz often reminded the University community.  Many continue to follow this advice in the wake of his death. Condolences, tributes and shared memories have come in from across the country in remembrance of his extraordinary life and career. Members of the University community and friends are invited to view these memories and condolences and submit their own through a form on the site.

Social media posts and comments about Father Pilarz are being added to the site as well. 

The website also includes tributes from his colleagues and friends in higher education, the Jesuit community and government officials. 

“We all admired his boundless energy and his capacity to share himself with others,” wrote Rev. Michael J. Garanzini, S.J., president of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU). “But, of all the things he taught us, his last gift was showing us how to face adversity with grace and dignity, with the same abandonment of personal will and comfort that characterized his Jesuit priesthood. That final lesson, his struggle with ALS, is, perhaps, his greatest legacy and a most eloquent example of a life lived totally for others and for Christ.”

Virtual Choir “Be Thou My Vision” is presented by a virtual choir comprised of representatives of Performance Music at The University of Scranton student and alumni musicians in a performance dedicated to celebrating the life of Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., who loved celebrating St. Patrick's Day in Scranton.

Please join the Hope Horn Gallery for a Zoom reception with artists exhibiting in 'Soaring Gardens Artists Retreat: The Second Decade' at the Hope Horn Gallery on Thursday, March 18, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. EDT.

Please contact Darlene Miller-Lanning, Gallery Director, for the Zoom link, at darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

On Thursday, March 18 at 11:30 a.m., Fr. Emmanuel Katongole will give a talk entitled “Hope & Healing for Ugandan Youth: Educating Amidst Environmental Degradation, Food Insecurity, and Poverty Through the Bethany Land Institute” via Zoom here. This talk is a part of our 2020-21 Humanities Forum through the Gail and Francis Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities.

A longtime friend of the University of Scranton, Fr. Katongole previously taught in our Theology/Religious Studies Department. He is currently Professor of Theology and Peace Studies at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies in the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame.

Fr. Katongole recently welcomed the first group of caretaker trainees to the Bethany Land Institute, which he co-founded in 2012.

We hope you will join us for this engaging talk.On Thursday, March 18 at 11:30, Fr. Emmanuel Katongole will give a talk entitled “Hope & Healing for Ugandan Youth: Educating Amidst Environmental Degradation, Food Insecurity, and Poverty Through the Bethany Land Institute” via Zoom here. This talk is a part of our 2020-21 Humanities Forum through the Gail and Francis Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities.

A longtime friend of the University of Scranton, Fr. Katongole previously taught in our Theology/Religious Studies Department. He is currently Professor of Theology and Peace Studies at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies in the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame.

Fr. Katongole recently welcomed the first group of caretaker trainees to the Bethany Land Institute, which he co-founded in 2012.

We hope you will join us for this engaging talk.

Students, faculty and staff are invited to the next Diversity + Inclusion Lunch and Learn.

Dr. Adam J. Pratt, Ph.D., Associate Professor, History department, will present Uncovering Scranton's Native Past, Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at 12:00 p.m.  Please click here to register.

Dr. Pratt will delve into the groups of Native people that lived in the northeastern Pennsylvania area, when, and what happened to them; the steps toward creating a Native Land Acknowledgement Statement; and, what other actions should the University make toward addressing past injustices.

 Dr. Adam Pratt is an associate professor of History. His courses taught include 19th-century United States history, the Age of Andrew Jackson, Native American history, and the Civil War and Reconstruction.  His book, Toward Cherokee Removal: Land, Violence, and the White Man’s Chance was published last year with the University of Georgia Press. He discussed his book and research in a recent Alarmist podcast in November which can be heard here.

This educational program for all students, faculty and staff is a part of the Diversity + Inclusion = A Better U! series, hosted by the Office of Equity and Diversity. Registration is required. Please click here to register. 

For more information on the program, please contact elizabeth.garcia2@scranton.edu. Registration and zoom questions contact Jennifer.pennington@scranton.edu.

Meet the World Languages and Cultures Department's Fulbright Language Teaching Assistants from all over the world and learn about their countries and cultures at the 2021 TA talks on Zoom.

TA Talk 1: Germany & Canada
Monday, April 12, 2021
7:00-8:00 P.M.
Click here to register.

TA Talk 2: Palestine & Uruguay
Thursday, May 6, 2021
12:00-1:00 P.M.
Click here to register.

Palm Sunday Masses, March 28, will be held at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the Byron. Access to our campus continues to be restricted and are limited to current students, faculty and staff of the University. Royal Card access is required.

Sunday Mass will be offered at 7:00 p.m. each week (Jan. 31 thru May 16) while school is in session. The Sunday Mass will be held in the Byron Recreation Complex.

Please note:

* There will be two Masses on Palm Sunday (March 28): 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
* There will be no Masses or services during Easter break (April 1 - April 5).

A private Mass of Christian Burial for Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 13. You may livestream the Mass by following this link. 

Also, as was shared in the obituary, a walk-by viewing for students, faculty and staff will be held in the Byron Recreation Complex on campus on Friday, March 12, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The viewing will be open to the general public as well from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Guests will be asked to maintain social distance and to wear masks at all times.

In addition, you may pay tribute to Father Pilarz by sharing your condolences or your own special memory of him through this form. In the days and weeks to come, these entries will be collected and displayed on our website in his honor.

Dear Members of the University Community,

I am saddened to report that Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., the University’s 24^th and 27^th President, passed away today at the age of 61 from complications related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Father Pilarz shared the news of his ALS diagnosis in 2018, promising to “move forward” and “keep working” in service of a university and a community he had grown to love as his home. In the years that followed, he poured himself into the work together with all of you, achieving so many remarkable accomplishments. He challenged us to dream and plan for the University’s future while never forgetting our mission as a Catholic and Jesuit university. He spoke passionately on behalf of others facing ALS, helping to dispel myths as he raised awareness.

Anyone who spent time with Father Pilarz experienced his humor, compassion and genuine humanity. He was a person for others in every sense, devoted to a life of service that exemplifies what it means to be a Jesuit and a priest. Along the way, the depth of his vocation and of his love for all that makes us human inspired countless students, alumni, parents, friends and colleagues to see beyond themselves and to strive for something more. 

Over the last year, perhaps the most challenging ever faced in higher education, Father Pilarz guided us calmly and confidently through the pandemic’s chaos, focused always on our students and on the sacred mission to provide them with a transformational Catholic and Jesuit education. He met other challenges head-on as well, harnessing our strengths to serve the needs of the community and the wider world. He championed the University’s response against racism and the sexual abuse crisis facing the Church. He advocated tirelessly for the humanities and for the liberal arts as core to the formation of students. 

Through his two terms as President, he transformed campus and advanced our mission. The exceptional success of the Pride, Passion, Promise Campaign made possible the largest and most ambitious projects in the University’s history – everything from the Patrick & Margaret DeNaples Center, John & Jacquelyn Dionne Campus Green and Loyola Science Center, to Christopher and Margaret Condron Hall, and Sandra & Paul Montrone Hall and the hall that would bear his name. 

Also during his tenure, Scranton earned national recognition for academic quality, community engagement and student success, achieving record admissions. He expanded international mission and service opportunities and programs, and provided dedicated support for research by new faculty members, among a host of other accomplishments.

As we all mourn his loss, the trustees are keenly aware that, more than anything, Father Pilarz would insist on the University continuing to “move forward” and “keep working” on behalf of our students and mission. In accord with the University’s by-laws,Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D., University Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, will serve as Acting President. As previously announced, Joseph G. Marina, S.J., begins his term as President in June.

Information will be shared soon about ways for the University community to pay their respects. A public viewing is being planned. A funeral mass, while private, will be available for online viewing. 

In a special way, please join me in expressing our great sadness to Father’s parents, Ron and Joan Pilarz, who themselves have become part of the Scranton family. Please remember Father Pilarz and his family and many friends in your prayers. 

Remember also to care for one another. I want to remind students of the support available on campus through the Counseling Center and Campus Ministries, and faculty and staff of support through the University’s Employee Assistance Program. 

Father Pilarz concluded the announcement of his diagnosis by reminding us that we must “find God in all things” and inviting us to do so with him. May he continue to inspire us to follow that example.

May God bless you, may God bless Catholic and Jesuit education, and may God bless The University of Scranton.

Sincerely,

James M. Slattery ’86

Chair, Board of Trustees

America: The Farther Shore
Carla McCabe, President & CEO, WVIA

"Believe that a farther shore is reachable from here.” Those words of Nobel Laureate poet Seamus Heaney were my inspiration for coming to America. I grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland. But here I am in Scranton, PA, honored to lead WVIA, a PBS/NPR affiliate station. My aim is to ensure that we are embedded in the core of the communities we serve, producing programs that reflect who we are, and at the same time, open our hearts and minds to the world we live in.

Tuesday, March 16
Via ZOOM- link will be emailed; Noon to 1:30 p.m.
RSVP to Alicen.Morrison@scranton.edu
Free to University of Scranton Staff, Students, Faculty and Schemel Forum Members; $10/person

The following note about the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union (BSU) was sent to the University community on March 5, from Robert W. Davis Jr., Ed.D., vice president for Student Life, Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D., provost/senior vice president for Academic Affairs and Elizabeth M. Garcia, Esq., special assistant to the president, executive director for the Office of Equity and Diversity and Title IX Coordinator.

Dear Members of the University Community,

More than a year ago, a group of Scranton students led by junior Tiannah Adams began working to form a new group on campus that would focus on the needs and concerns of Black students. Their work succeeded last fall when Student Government officially approved the charter for the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union (BSU).

The Black Student Union draws its name from Mr. Louis Stanley Brown, who earned a commercial degree in the Class of 1919 and is the University’s first Black graduate. Mr. Brown grew up and lived in Scranton for most of his life. The University honored and recognized him in 2016 through the dedication of Louis Stanley Brown Hall, located on the corner of Linden Street and Adams Avenue.

The Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union will advocate for the needs of all Black students on campus. It will provide a safe space for Black students to engage in conversation about the modern-day challenges of the Black experience. It will also provide leadership for current and future Black students, fostering the kind of community that will help them to achieve their full potential. At Scranton, community is rooted in the Ignatian commitment to cura personalis – care for individuals in their own uniqueness, which is essential to our mission as a Catholic and Jesuit university.

Through events and speakers exploring all aspects of Black culture, the Black Student Union will offer opportunities for the entire University to learn, reflect and grow in our understanding of and appreciation for the countless contributions of Black Americans throughout our nation’s history.

We want to congratulate the founding BSU President Ms. Adams, members of the BSU cabinet Ravenne Cooper, Koebe Diaz, Ayana McCalla, Damain Morris and Omolola Adetola, and their moderator Ruth David ’14 for successfully championing the Black Student Union on campus. We pledge our support and encouragement as they and their fellow students work to ensure that our community is inclusive and welcoming for all students.

Sincerely,

Robert W. Davis Jr., Ed.D.
Vice President for Student Life

Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D.
Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Elizabeth M. Garcia, Esq.
Special Assistant to the President, Executive Director for the
Office of Equity and Diversity, and Title IX Coordinator

Hear from members of the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union (BSU), below.

The University of Scranton Strategic Plan 2020 highlights diversity and inclusion as one of the five main goals: “Diversity & Inclusion - A Welcoming and Supportive Community: Reflect and understand the diversity of the world by demanding that diversity be a priority as we build an inclusive community and campus culture, develop and deliver our education and shape our student experience.”

The Diversity Initiatives Review Board is accepting applications for grants to support creative, educational programs that promote diversity, provide opportunity for inter-cultural engagement and expand opportunities for multicultural experiences for our community.

With the strategic plan goal in mind, we have committed to “expand both required and in-time orientation, training and leadership programming and resources for students, faculty, and staff that promote inclusion and cultural understanding, furthering our collective ability to be a more welcoming and respectful campus community.”

Some of the campus initiatives that have been made possible by this grant are: TA Talks featuring the teaching assistants in the World Languages and Cultures department; Safe Zone Training through the Cross Cultural Centers; Festival of Nations hosted by the Multicultural Center; Holi Festival of Colors through the Asia Club and Asian Studies department; Justice on Tour through Office of Community Outreach; the Annual disAbilites Conference keynote speakers including RJ Mitte, through the Panuska College; some Schemel Forums; the Weinberg Library International Film Festival; faculty and staff development webinar  A Call to Conversion: Eliminating Anti-Black Racism as a Jesuit, Catholic University; art exhibits, multicultural music events and many more!

The Diversity Initiatives Fund is available to students, faculty and staff, campus groups, departments or individuals seeking to promote a greater understanding of diversity through inclusive pedagogies, educational opportunities, multicultural activities and community outreach programs. The grant is intended to launch new, innovative, or educational opportunities for the University community. Recurring projects may apply for funding as well.

Please visit the Diversity Initiatives webpage for a full list of recent award winners, and to access the guidelines and application.

Applications will be accepted, reviewed and approved on a rolling basis. Semester deadlines for applications are November 30 and April 30. Questions on the application process may be sent to Jennifer.pennington@scranton.edu.

Global Insights is pleased to feature University staff and students from the Fernandez family as speakers for Global Insights: Paraguay. University staff member Gustavo N. Fernandez, IT client services analyst, along with his two children, University students Rachel Fernandez ’21, occupational therapy, and Jared Fernandez ’23, nursing, will co-present on their Paraguayan heritage, Thursday, March 25, 2021, at 11:30 a.m. Registration is required.  

Students, faculty, staff: Click here to register.

Since 1996, Gustavo N. Fernandez has served the University as an anchor of the IT client services department, coming to the rescue of faculty and staff who are in need of technology problem solving and hardware/software updates. Born in Paraguay, Gustavo came to the United States as a student, ultimately earning a bachelor of science degree from Bloomsburg University, and a master of science degree from the University of Scranton, while working and starting a family in northeastern Pennsylvania. He says “There’s not a lot that’s similar between NEPA and Paraguay. NEPA is mountainous, Paraguay is flat.  NEPA has four distinct seasons, Paraguay has summer and a bit of pretend winter.  The one thing I would say is somewhat similar, is that both NEPA and Paraguay are very family-centric.” While Paraguay enjoys beautiful grasslands, a subtropical climate and woodland forests, the main reason for visiting Paraguay is the people. “Yes, there beautiful places to see but it’s the people that make Paraguay special.”

Senior occupational therapy major, Rachel Fernandez, said that her favorite thing to do in Paraguay was visit with family.

I really enjoy learning about the culture and traveling to exploring the capital city and the countryside alongside family,” she said.

When asked if she would encourage others to visit Paraguay, she responded joyfully, “I definitely encourage others to travel here. If they visit, they should definitely visit the capital (Asunción), Iguazú Falls, Itaipú Dam, and the Paraguayan Chaco!”

While Jared Fernandez, sophomore nursing major, agreed that enjoying time with family was a great experience and what he misses most about Paraguay, he went on to say “My favorite thing to do in Paraguay is pretty much anything that involves the food there. I love cooking and especially love eating the cuisine.”  Like his father and sister, he would encourage traveling to Paraguay. “Honestly, I say just driving through and enjoying the countryside is worth doing, especially if you're traveling with the right people who know how to make any trip enjoyable.”

Students, faculty and staff are invited to learn more about Paraguay, known as the heart of South America, the climate, cuisine, and culture on March 25, 2021, at 11:30 a.m. Please click here to register. Zoom information will be sent out 1-2 days before the event.

This program is being offered by the Office of Global Education, the Cross Cultural Centers, Residence Life and the Office of Equity and Diversity. For more information, please contact international@scranton.edu or 570-941-4841.

The University of Scranton’s Department of World Languages and Cultures is excited to announce that it will be hosting its first Fulbright Night of the spring semester via Zoom Thursday, March 4, from 12 to 1 p.m. The event will focus on the olive harvest season in Palestine and will be presented by Arabic Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Belal Elkurd.

Olive harvest season in Palestine is the time of year when Palestinians come together to gather olives, a mainstay crop of the Palestinian economy. Join us in learning more about this wonderful time of year in Palestine and the traditions associated with it.

Registration is required if you are interested in attending this Fulbright Night. If you are interested, you can register here. If you have any questions about registration or would like more information about the event, please contact Hannah Jackson at Hannah.Jackson@scranton.edu.

We hope to (virtually) see you there!

Campus Ministries and the Center for Service & Social Justice have put together some resources for the Lenten journey. They developed a Lenten Calendar – each day they will offer a suggestion of a prayer intention, fasting idea, and act of giving. Items listed in the “Give” column on the calendar will be distributed to those in need. Items can be placed into donation boxes outside the Center for Service & Social Justice office (TDC 205B) and near the TDC first floor elevators. 

As we are still in the midst of this global pandemic, we developed these resources so that – apart yet together – we can find ways to make this Lenten journey in community.

If you would like to receive a daily email reminder about the Lenten Calendar prayer, fasting, and giving suggestions, please email Dr. Helen Wolf, Director of Campus Ministries.

The University has been so blessed this academic year to continue celebrating the Eucharist in the midst of this global pandemic. University President Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., made it a priority for Campus Ministries to facilitate a weekly Sunday Mass in the Byron Center with about 320 chairs set apart so congregants would be socially distanced.

Following the Royals Safe Together plan and the directives from the Diocese of Scranton, the University community has been able to worship together as a faith community since the fall semester.

On Ash Wednesday, Campus Ministries offered four Masses for students, faculty and staff. Just about 1,000 people received ashes, applied with a Q-tip, and celebrated the Eucharist.

The Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities Presents
Humanities in Action Lecture Series
Uncanny Transformations: Music, the Self, and the Other
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

In this Humanities in Action conversation, internationally renowned musician Dr. Wycliffe A. Gordon, H. `06 -- composer, arranger, bandleader, music educator, and 2006 University of Scranton commencement speaker -- joins moderators Father Pat Rogers and Cheryl Y. Boga, along with our guests and viewers to discuss his legendary career playing, writing, and teaching music. Dr. Gordon will also focus on how organized music-making experiences as part of an ensemble become transformative for the person and the group. Regardless of one's major or career goal, making music together can be a powerful part of the Ignatian journey, an exercise in which the self and the other unite in the divine.

Register here.

Meal delivery. Contact tracing. Package delivery. Communications. Check-ins. Testing. Soup delivery.

Many members of the University community have volunteered their efforts on top of their regular work responsibilities. They are coaches, administrative assistants, vice presidents and other administrative staff, police officers and professors, as well as students who are juggling schoolwork, club activities and more.

Lauren Rivera, J.D., Ed.D., assistant vice president for student life and dean of students, who helped to manage staffing and meals for those isolating or quarantining, said she was grateful for all the volunteers. 

"We had a massive team of contact tracers, and we've been delivering up to 140 meals on campus at a meal period," she said, remembering that one particular student this fall wasn't able to eat the meals provided. 

"The student could only eat soup, so three different University staff members jumped in to deliver soup around the clock to this student," said Rivera.

The Residence Life team has helped students transition to temporary spaces when they have had to quarantine or isolate themselves on campus.

"At this time last year, we could have never imagined the realities we’re facing and how it would impact our work. Our team has been committed to serving our students to the best of our abilities and we try to bring a positive attitude to our work each day," said Brad Troy, director of Residence Life. "To have the opportunity to contribute to some level of normalcy for our students is a privilege. The students have always been the center of our work."

Troy was especially appreciative of the students helping their peers through this difficult time and said they "deserve recognition for their efforts."

"Having to isolate or quarantine is a disruptive experience and can be stressful for students for a variety of reasons. In addition to students who have had to move to temporary housing, we have a number of students who have volunteered countless hours to support their peers," he said. 

Jeff Colucci '21, student government president, delivered meals.

“Whether I’m delivering meals to students in quarantine or meeting with leaders on campus to discuss reopening plans, I have been amazed by the students, faculty and staff who come together to keep our community safe," he said. "Throughout the past year, one thing that has always proven true is that people on this campus care so deeply about the students here and have done everything to keep us connected and safe.”

Liz Garcia, executive director of Equity and Diversity, Title IX coordinator and special assistant to the president, gained another title this past summer: Pandemic Safety Officer. Not only does she oversee the pandemic safety ambassadors and answer questions and enforce rules related to the Royals Safe Together Plan, but she also coordinates and delivers meals to students in isolation and quarantine. She noted that her call for meal, package and water delivery volunteers has been answered by the University community.   

"Serving our students is why we are here, including feeding them and checking on their well-being while in quarantine or isolation.  This responsibility falls on all of us, and so many from our community have stepped up. We have volunteers from all divisions and titles stepping up to assist," said Garcia.

Find the growing list of meal volunteers, below.

Barbara Eagan	Chris Whitney	Bailey McLaughlin	Cassondra Steiner	Rebecca Dzikowski	John Burke
Jennifer Pennington	Patti Tetreault	Barbara King	Casey Welby	Jeff Colucci	Dan Shuck
Amy Fotta	Robert Farrell	Jose Sanchez	Brian Loughney	David Schweitzer	Michael Meyer
Barbara King	Susan Bowen	Kimberly Curran	Jean Lenville	Meg Ambrose	Don Bergmann
Lynn Gavin	Liz Garcia	Melissa Abda	Tim Pryle	Michelle Boughton	Reka Shayka
Emmanuel Aidoo	Susan Falbo	Amy Hoegan	Patricia Cummings	Janet Schieber	Paige Friesema
Stephen Klingman	Gerry Zaboski	Kristi Klien	Ryan Van Zelst	Aaron Lichtenwalter	Eric Morton
Joseph Fitzhenry	Robert Davis	Jeff Gingerich	Michael Ritterbeck	Helen Wolf	Lori Moran

 

Matt Marcotte	Christine Black	Maria Marinucci	Natalie Gray	Julia Hack	Patricia Sayitts
Stephanie Adamec	John Gatto	Bridget Chomko	Nicolena Vega	Sarah Brown	Brandon Loftus
Jonathan Wells	Kaitlyn Lewis	Alexandra Maier	Julia Kulpa	Taylor Roman	Sophia Gonzalez
Jane Johnson	Cheryl Collarini	Madison Beers	Dante Malleo	Sinead Girdusky	Amy Black
Brad Troy	Cathy Seymour	Kaycee O'Neil	Sean Brennan	Brian Sawyer	Alyssa Olcott
Meghan Kimball	Raven Thomas	Danielle Higgins	Devanski Shah	Ansis Romolins	Thomas Helmstetter
Ashley Scovni	Sarah Neff	Guillermo Martinez	Alexandra Maniscalco	Brittany Angrosina	Benjamin McFadden
Bobby Hermes	Laurie McCoy	Rachel Gallagher