University Honors and Thanks Pandemic Responders
The University of Scranton’s St. Thomas Gateway will illuminate a red cross with a blue background from sunset until 10 p.m. each evening as part of Royals Respond, an initiative to honor those who are bravely and selflessly responding during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially our alumni and members of the University community.The University of Scranton is launching “Royals Respond” to recognize, honor and thank alumni and other members of the University community who are selflessly responding to the pandemic. As part of this initiative, the University will light a red cross on a blue background on the St. Thomas Gateway to honor all those who are bravely and selflessly responding to COVID-19, especially acknowledging the service of alumni and members of the University community. The Gateway will be lit from sunset until 10 p.m. each evening after Mar. 31.
Royals Respond will invite students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and friends to add their own name or that of others connected to the University to an Honor Roll recognizing those who are helping the nation and the world respond to the pandemic. The University community will also be invited to share individual stories, photos with captions, news coverage, video footage or reflections that may be featured on the Royals Respond section of the University’s Royal News website and shared in social media and other University publications in the weeks and months ahead.
“We are grateful to all who have given of themselves to help others in small and great ways during this pandemic and are especially thankful to our alumni and members of the University community for their contribution in this time of need,” said University of Scranton President Rev. Scott. R. Pilarz, S.J. “Through their efforts, they embody the Jesuit ideal of being ‘men and women for and with others.’ We wanted to use the prominence of the St. Thomas Gateway and other resources available to us as a way to express our heartfelt thanks to them.”
The University will also highlight the actions of alumni, students, parents, faculty and staff through individual stories on the Royals Respond website, which will serve as a repository of their efforts, great and small. The stories will also be shared in Royal News, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or other University social media and publications. Alumni, parents and all members of the University community can share their story or that of another Royal for possible publication.
Visit scranton.edu/royalsrespond to submit names to the Honor Roll or stories for publication.
The University’s St. Thomas Gateway features a lit glass wall etched with the seal of The University of Scranton that spans the center of the four-story building. The façade can be seen on Linden Street for blocks from downtown Scranton.
