Reunion is Postponed. Friendship is not Canceled.

Freshman year roommates James Kompany '95 and Vince Carsillo '95 don't get to see each other often, but they were both looking forward to reconnecting at Reunion this year, a break from their demanding jobs in law enforcement and health care. Instead, Reunion has been postponed and they're both navigating unfamiliar territory during the pandemic. Kompany is a police officer in Roselle Park, New Jersey, and Carsillo is a physician whose internal medicine and nephrology practice in Albany, New York, is taking in COVID patients from New York City.

"Personally, I am taking the same precautions as most of the rest of society in order to stay healthy and safe.  Like so many others, I have been forced to alter my lifestyle until this crisis is behind us," said Kompany, a 17-year veteran of the police force, currently a corporal in the patrol division.

At work, Kompany and his fellow officers wear protective gear when interacting with the public and respond to many non-emergency calls in what would be considered a highly unusual way during normal times, via phone rather than patrol car.

As Kompany is receding from the frontlines in some ways, Carsillo is advancing toward the frontlines as his team takes on COVID-19 patients.

"My group provided care to those patients and many required ICU care and acute dialysis related to the virus," said Carsillo. "In the outpatient setting, we needed to reorganize our dialysis units so that we could care for the infected patients at one isolation unit. Personally I am happy that we have seen a decrease in cases and proud of the job my group and my colleagues have done treating the sick and navigating this new medical challenge."

Carsillo is also proud of his former roommate and good friend.

"I have great respect for our police and the work that Jim and his colleagues do every day to protect the public," he said.

They both credit The University of Scranton for helping them through this difficult time. 

"My preparedness comes through faith in God," said Kompany. "And this faith was solidified during my time at The 'U.'"

Carsillo agreed.

"Scranton surely prepared me to manage this crisis. I learned that you can find joy in the service of others and, in the words of Thomas Aquinas, that 'there is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship,'" he said.

Kompany and Carsillo both said that they'll miss seeing each other during Reunion this year, but they appreciate one another more than ever.

"When [Vince and I] connect, we constantly laugh at the same stories and can easily pick up where we left off on our last conversation," said Kompany. "I'm proud to call him a lifelong friend."