July 2024

The University of Scranton’s Prison Education Program, which began in the fall of 2021 at Dallas State Correctional Institution, received a total of $80,000 from the Sunshine Lady Foundation to the support the program for two years. The program will receive $40,000 each year.

The University’s Prison Education Program provides an opportunity for incarcerated individuals to earn an Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Studies. The program aligns with Scranton’s Jesuit mission to extend education and care to marginalized and under-served populations.

Through the program, inmates can take general education college-credit courses taught by University professors on-site at the correctional facility. Participants can earn 60 credits for an associate’s degree in just two and a half years.

The University held a graduation ceremony for the first cohort of nine students who earned their associate degrees in December 2023 at Dallas-SCI. The second cohort of 14 students are expected to complete the requirements for an associate’s degree in December of 2024.

The University’s Prison Education Program is offered free to all incarcerated students who are accepted to the program. The funding support from Sunshine Lady Foundation will be used to help defray the costs of the students’ textbooks, which are vital for the program since the internet is not available to incarcerated students. The funding will also provide support for tutors and other expenses associated with the program.

The Sunshine Lady Foundation was founded in 1996 in North Carolina by the late Doris Buffett, sister of Warren Buffet. The Foundation is inspired by Doris’ vision and energy and is funded through her immense generosity. The Foundation invests in quality higher education in prison and reentry programs in the United States.

Christopher Haw, Ph.D., associate professor of theology and religious studies, serves as program director of the University’s Prison Education Program.

The University of Scranton’s Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Clinic for the Uninsured received a $10,000 critical needs grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation. The grant will be used to support the free services offered to uninsured members of Lackawanna County through the clinic, which include counseling, physical therapy and vision therapy, as well as a medical clinic that offers “non-emergency” health care through a partnership with Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM).

As the only completely free medical clinic in Lackawanna County providing primary and specialty care to adults, the Leahy Clinic improves the health of our community by increasing access to health care for our most vulnerable members who may otherwise forego vital care due to cost or seek care in hospital emergency rooms. The clinic is an indispensable part of the area’s health care “safety net,” offering longitudinal care that includes routine physical examinations, primary care, pre-work physical examinations, adult pre-education physical examinations and sick visits.

The Leahy Clinic also offers opportunities for teaching, research, learning and service to University of Scranton and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine faculty, students and volunteers. The clinic follows a student-run model of operation, with medical oversight provided by Geisinger, expanding opportunities for practical experience in patient care, clinic management and other aspects of healthcare for students at both schools. 

In addition to serving neighbors in need, the clinic offers hands-on teaching and learning opportunities for medical students, nursing students, counseling students and occupational therapy and physical therapy students. Students also receive management and operations experiences by running the clinic.

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.

The University of Scranton and Xavier High School in New York City have signed an agreement that creates a pathway for students who meet eligibility requirements to earn their high school diploma and bachelor’s degree in seven years. The agreement with Xavier will begin in the 2025-2026 academic year.

“I am delighted and grateful to see Scranton and Xavier working together on establishing this new linkage,” said Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton. “Having served on Xavier’s board of trustees in the past and as pastor of the Church of St. Francis Xavier right next door, I know first-hand how seriously Xavier takes its Jesuit mission. Its students are of the highest caliber, and they are exactly the type of students we wish to attract to the University. This new avenue for both of our institutions will provide a more efficient and cost-effective pathway to higher education and bond the Jesuit charisms of our schools in a new and creative way.”

Founded in 1847, Xavier High School is an academically rigorous, Catholic, Jesuit, college preparatory school in New York City that educates intelligent, motivated young men of diverse backgrounds and means. Today, 43 percent of its student body are students of color and 59 percent of Xavier’s students are enrolled in AP or honors courses.

“I am delighted by this deepening of our relationship with The University of Scranton. Over the decades, scores of Xavier graduates have continued their education at Scranton because of the University’s academic rigor and deep commitment to her Jesuit mission and identity,” said Jack Raslowsky, president of Xavier High School. “This relationship will allow and encourage new generations of students to do the same and will prepare them to go forth to transform the world for God’s great glory.”

The agreement allows students from Xavier High School who meet eligibility requirements to gain college credit at The University of Scranton for courses taken in high school. To be eligible for the program, Xavier students must have a final cumulative grade point average of 87 or higher. They must attain a minimum SAT score of 530 in mathematics and 550 in evidence-based reading and mathematics or a minimum ACT composite score of 22. In addition to other requirements, students must also have a cumulative grade of 87 or higher in the individual courses transferred for credit. Students accepted into the University will receive academic credit for eligible courses taken through the program and will be considered for merit- and need-based financial aid.

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For more information about the seven-year program, email Xavier High School at admissions@xavierhs.org. or contact The University of Scranton at admissions@scranton.edu or 1-888-SCRANTON.

Twenty-one rising high school students entered The University of Scranton’s University of Success program. The four-year, pre-college mentorship program began for the new participants with a two-week summer institute, which took place on the University’s campus in July.

The University of Success is an academic and enrichment program designed to provide academic, social, and cultural enrichment to area high school students. The program’s ultimate goal is to assist participating students to successfully complete high school and gain entrance into a college or university. Students enter the program at the completion of the eighth grade and continue through their high school years.

The summer institute provides learning experiences designed to engage the students in creative thinking, problem solving and communication through activities that expose students to concepts in various academic disciples.

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The summer program featured presentations by University faculty, staff and students, including hands-on demonstrations by University professors Declan Mulhall, Ph.D., in physics and engineering; Michael Fennie, Ph.D., in chemistry; and Spencer Galen, Ph.D., in biology. At the institute, students learned about alternate renewable energy sources, sustainability and climate change, among other topics. Counselors from Lackawanna County Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center also presented. The institute included field trips to Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) in Pike County and the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. The students also volunteered for a service project at the St. Francis of Assisi Soup Kitchen.            

Following the summer institute, the students meet monthly throughout their four years in high school.

The University of Success, offered free of charge to participants, is funded almost entirely by corporate and foundation grants. Donors to the program include Dime Bank, Fidelity Bank, Charles A. Frueauff Foundation, Carl and JoAnne Kuehner, Overlook Estate Foundation, Peoples Security Bank and Trust, PPL Foundation, Lisa A. Thomas, M.D., and Waste Management.

Students entering the University of Success program are as follows:

Tyler Amorim, who attended Scranton STEM Academy;

Stacey Aracena, who attended West Scranton Middle School;

Jordan Ayala, who attended Scranton STEM Academy;

Ali Callahan, who attended Lackawanna Trail Junior-Senior High School;

Liz Cruz, who attended Carbondale Area Junior Senior High School;

Symanys Cuadro, who attended Riverside Junior Senior High School;

Lindsey Fuentez, who attended Riverside Junior Senior High School;

Nashad Gamin, who attended Riverside Junior Senior High School;

Loanny Gonzalez, who attended South Scranton Intermediate;

Lorena Gonzalez, who attended South Scranton Intermediate;

Jazmarae Green, who attended South Scranton Intermediate;

Amaya Harris, who attended West Scranton Middle School;

Kiara Hughes, who attended Mid Valley Secondary Center;

Elana Jones, who attended Abington Heights Middle School;

Kodi Jordan, who attended Dunmore Junior Senior High School;

Andrew Lopez, who attended West Scranton Middle School;

Noah Marin-Salvador, who attended Mid Valley Secondary Center;

Diana Moreno, who attended South Scranton Intermediate;

Davi Motta, who attended Wyoming Valley West Middle School;

William Paneto-Quiles, who attended North Pocono Middle School;

Will Young, who attended Carbondale Area Junior Senior High School.

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Margaret Loughney serves as the program director for the University of Success.

For additional information, visit the University of Success web site.

The University of Scranton received a $1,000 community events grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation. The grant will support an interactive field trip for fourth grade students at McNichols Plaza Elementary School in South Scranton to the University’s Loyola Science Center to learn more about STEM fields.

Under the guidance of University of Scranton professors, University students majoring in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields will plan and run learning stations for the fourth-grade students that focus on age-appropriate lessons in the biological sciences about wildlife and the environment.

The University has partnered with McNichols Plaza Elementary School in the Scranton School District for several years to offer programing that connects the University’s resources in the sciences with area children to introduce them to the STEM fields.

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.

Sixteen high school students graduated from The University of Scranton’s University of Success program, a multi-year, academic and enrichment program that is designed for high school students to develop the skills needed to successfully gain acceptance to college. Fifteen have committed to post-secondary schools to continue their education, with six graduates planning to attend The University of Scranton.

The University of Success, offered free of charge to participants, is funded almost entirely by corporate and foundation grants. Donors to the program include Dime Bank, Fidelity Bank, Charles A. Frueauff Foundation, Carl and JoAnne Kuehner, Overlook Estate Foundation, Peoples Security Bank and Trust, PPL Foundation, Lisa A. Thomas, M.D., and Waste Management.

Students enter the University of Success at the completion of the eighth grade and continue through their four years of high school. The program offers enrichment courses in study skills, SAT prep, public speaking, math, science, art and cultural activities, as well as financial aid and wellness seminars.

The following is a list of 2024 University of Success graduates, the high school they attended, and their post-high school plans.

Andrea Amigon, Wilkes-Barre, who graduated from Wilkes-Barre Area High School, plans to attend Luzerne County Community College and has not yet declared a major;

Jovani Aguilar, Scranton, who graduated from Scranton High School, plans to attend The University of Scranton and major in psychology.

Colby Beck, Hawley, who graduated from Wallenpaupack Area High School and has an interest in art, plans to take gap year.

Isaac Diaz, Scranton, who graduated from Scranton Preparatory School, plans to attend Rochester Institute of Technology and major in exercise science;

Emily Durkin, Moosic, who graduated from Riverside High School, plans to attend The University of Scranton and major in criminal justice.

Arthur Garcia, Scranton, who graduated from West Scranton High School, plans to attend The University of Scranton and has not yet declared a major;

Mariella McCue, Clarks Summit, who graduated from Abington Heights High School, plans to attend The University of Scranton as a participant of the University’s Frank P. Corcione Business Honors Program;

Quienton McMilian, Scranton, who graduated from West Scranton High School, plans to attend The University of Scranton and major in physiology.

Evelyn Moctezuma, Scranton, who graduated from Scranton High School, plans to attend Marywood University and major in early childhood education.

Lizzy Novak, Scott Township, who graduated from Lakeland High School, plans to attend Empire Beauty School and major in cosmetology.

Vallery Oentoya, Scranton, who graduated from West Scranton High School, plans to attend Wilkes University and major in bioengineering.

Miguel Ramos, Moosic, who graduated from Riverside High School, plans to attend The University of Scranton and major in criminal justice.

Olivia Rowehl, Matamoras, who graduated from Delaware Valley High School, plans to attend Florida Institute of Technology and major in forensic technology;

Kateryna Smirnova, Scranton, who graduated from West Scranton High School, plans to attend Temple University and major in architecture;

Zi Chen Weng, Plains, who graduated from Wilkes-Barre Area High School, plans to attend Bucknell University and major in engineering;

Jaden Willis, Taylor, who graduated from Riverside High School, plans to attend Penn State University – Scranton and major in information technology.

Additional information about the program can be found on the  University of Success web site.