Club Spotlight: Organizations Support Breast Cancer Awareness Efforts

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

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

GET INVOLVED

Club: Operations and Analytics Club 
Meet: Luke Glidewell '24, operations management major from Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, and Operations & Analytics Club president.
Connect: @uofs_operations

Club: Colleges Against Cancer Club
Meet: Elizabeth Nemitz '25, biology major from Moscow, Pennsylvania, and president of Scranton’s Colleges Against Cancer club.
Connect: @uofs_cac
 
By: Gabriella Petti ’24, student correspondent

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, members of the Operations and Analytics Club and Colleges Against Cancer Club discuss their organizations' ongoing efforts to raise awareness and support.

Luke Glidewell ‘24, is an operations management major from Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, who serves as Operations & Analytics Club president. He's shown, at left, with club moderator Dr. David Mahalak, center, and Ally Fontana, following a fundraising event hosted recently in Pittston, Pennsylvania to benefit Paint Pittston Pink™, a 501c3 organization . 

Here, he discusses the club, its efforts to support those facing breast cancer, and its future initiatives to give back.

Q: What is the mission of the Operations and Analytics Club?

"Our club is dedicated to helping students prepare themselves for the rapidly growing world of operations and analytics in a supportive environment that fosters strong connections. We host a multitude of meetings and events that feature guest speakers, in addition to fun activities, such as our Casino Night. We also focus heavily on community outreach."

Q: Where do you meet and when?

"We meet on Wednesday nights at 7 p.m., typically in the Pearn Auditorium in Brennan Hall."

Q: Why did you join the Operations and Analytics Club?

"I joined the club about the same time I picked up a business analytics minor. I had spoken to an alumnus who stressed the importance and growth of analytics in every field. This made me want to learn more and get more involved in the field."

Q: How did the club BECOME involved With service to raise awareness of cancer?

"Our club moderator, Dr. [David] Mahalak, is good friends with a woman who runs a local foundation called Paint Pittston Pink™. Along with the club, we brainstormed ideas and found ways we could help."

Q: Which of the club's service projects and events WERE DESIGNED to raise awareness?

"We recently printed T-shirts with our slogan 'Beating the Statistics'. We are selling these shirts with all proceeds going to the charity Paint Pittston Pink™. Dr. Mahalak, Ally Fontana, and I also ran in the 5K organized by the foundation."

Glidewell references the club's fundraiser designed to support breast cancer research. Proceeds from sales of T-shirts created by club members will benefit Paint Pittston Pink™, a 501c3 organization established in 2014 with a mission to “bring the community together to support a cure for all cancers through research and clinical trials.” One hundred percent of proceeds generated by Paint Pittston Pink™ are donated directly for research, using the Paint Pittston Pink™ Fund at The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA.

T-shirts are available for $15 each. To support the club's efforts, contact Operations and Analytics Club President Luke Glidewell, luke.glidewell@scranton.edu or Club Co-Moderator Dr. David Mahalak, david.mahalak@scranton.edu

Q: Do you ENVISION similar events in the club's future?

"We will continue selling our T-shirts and finding other ways to support our community...To further our commitment, we will be getting involved with Scranton Friends of the Poor, who focus on improving the standard of living for those facing poverty."

Q: Why do you make it a point to do this kind of service?

"We find it an important Jesuit idea and human practice to do what we can for those less fortunate than us."

Elizabeth Nemitz ‘25, shown, is a biology major from Moscow, Pennsylvania, and president of Scranton’s Colleges Against Cancer Club.

Q: What is the mission of the Colleges Against Cancer Club?

"We raise awareness and donations for the American Cancer Society."

Q: Where do you meet and when?

"Once a month, we meet in the Moskovitz Theater on the fourth floor of the DeNaples Center."

Q: WhAT INSPIRED YOU TO PARTICIPATE?

"Cancer has affected my family in many ways, and I joined to show support."

Q: What types of events doES THE CLUB ORGANIZE?

"We host many events throughout the year, all focused around the same goals of increasing cancer awareness, and raising money in support of those efforts. Events include The Great American SmokeOut, #UofSPinkWeek [a week of events dedicated to raising money and awareness for breast cancer charities] and the Ovarian Cancer Egg Hunt [fundraiser].

The largest and most well-attended event that we host is Relay for Life, and my favorite is Pink Week. We organize many events in the course of one week to promote awareness and collect donations. Fundraising efforts include [sale of items we create] tie-dying shirts, painting pumpkins, and making bracelets in collaboration with another club, Beading for Hope.

This year, we hope to improve our club attendance and get even more people involved with our events.