June 2025

Eight University of Scranton students were selected for this year’s Royal Experience Summer Internship Program and an additional student earned an opportunity via the Royal Psychology Summer Internship Program. Since 2016, the Royal Experience has provided students with valuable, hands-on experience across numerous career paths.

The Royal Experience provides students with a stipend up to $2,000, supporting their participation in meaningful, otherwise-unpaid internships during the summer of 2025. The program was initially established through funding by the University’s Parents’ Executive Council and donations by alumni and friends of the University. The Royal Psychology Summer Internship Program is funded by the Department of Psychology but otherwise follows the same guidelines as the Royal Experience.

Having been selected from a competitive pool of candidates, this year’s nine interns are writing about their experiences in a blog published on the University’s Roche Family Center for Career Development webpage.

The following students are participating in the 2025 Royal Experience Summer Internship Program:

Damaris Acomata, an accounting major from Secaucus, New Jersey, is interning with the accounting firm Pardo & Associates CPAs in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Amelia Alfano, a criminal justice major from Budd Lake, New Jersey, is interning at the Mobile Response Stabilization Services (MRSS) division of the Center for Family Services based in Rockaway, New Jersey.

Jane Bagatta, a journalism/electronic media and advertising/public relations double major from Rockville Centre, New York, is interning with Herald Community Newspapers on Long Island, New York.

Rachael Beehler, a forensic chemistry major from Boonton, New Jersey, is interning at the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE) in Horsham.

Sophia da Costa, a neuroscience/philosophy double major from Maple Glen, is interning with the biopsychology lab at The University of Scranton.

Eduardo Diazgranados, a biochemistry, cell and molecular biology major from Swarthmore, is interning with the Biology Department at The University of Scranton.

Sally Hopkins, an advertising/public relations and journalism/electronic media double major from East Stroudsburg, is interning with the It Is a Keeper division of White Birch Media.

Anthony Knof, a criminal justice major from Pompton Plains, New Jersey, is interning with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Fugitive Unit in New Jersey.

The following student is participating in the 2025 Royal Psychology Summer Internship Program:

Liz Ortega, a political science/psychology double major from Pearl River, New York, is interning at the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office in New York.

The following students were added to The University of Scranton Dean’s List for the fall 2024 semester after publication of the list in January of 2025.

The Dean’s List recognizes students for academic excellence during the 2024 fall semester. A student must have a grade point average of 3.5 or better with a minimum number of credit hours to make the Dean’s List. The list includes students from the Jesuit university’s College of Arts and Sciences, the Kania School of Management and the Leahy College of Health Sciences.

Students added to the fall 2024 Dean’s List are:

A team of more than 30 University of Scranton students excelled at this year’s Students Save Lives College Challenge, a competition whose goal is educating the public about organ donation.

The University of Scranton placed third out of 14 teams from institutions of higher learning. Scranton’s team consisted of students in a communications ethics course instructed by Brian Snee, Ph.D., associate professor of communications and media.

Teams competed for points across numerous activities, including social media posts, new donor registrations and participating in special days like National Donor Day (Feb. 14) and National Blue and Green Day (April 11).

The College Challenge is presented by the Gift of Life Donor Program. Gift of Life is an internationally recognized nonprofit organization that helps coordinate life-saving organ and tissue transplants. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, more than 103,000 men, women and children are on the national transplant waiting list and nearly 50,000 transplants were performed in 2024.

The following is a list of students who competed on this year’s third-place team from Scranton:

Lucy Abdalla, an advertising/public relations major from South Abington Township

Lily Abreu, an advertising/public relations major from Wilkes-Barre

Dermot Alvidrez, a journalism and electronic media major from Summit, New Jersey

Alexander Arici, a communication major from Boonton, New Jersey

Jane Bagatta, a journalism and electronic media major from Rockville Centre, New York

Daniel Bohenek, a journalism and electronic media major from Scranton

Weston Camillone, a journalism/electronic media and advertising/public relations major from East Northport, New York

Michael Carrea, a communication major from Cranford, New Jersey

Ileen Castillo, a social media strategies major from Bronx, New York

Mia Chmela, a communication major from Franklin Square, New York

Mason Cuff, a business communication major from Clarks Summit

Jake D’Agata, a business communication major from East Moriches, New York

Jennifer D’Andrea, an advertising/public relations major from Tafton

Elise Doherty, an advertising/public relations major from Havertown

Emily Gallagher, a criminal justice major from Blackwood, New Jersey

Erin Gretsky, a communication major from Middletown, New Jersey

Nefty Guadalupe, a journalism and electronic media major from Newark, New Jersey

Ethan Haggerty, a journalism and electronic media major from Milford

Dean Hiltsley, a business communication major from Buchanan, New York

Kaitlyn Johnson, a business communication major from Coram, New York

Carson Kelleher, a business communication major from Clarks Summit

Haley Kenny, a journalism and electronic media major from Vestal, New York

Robert Latzanich, a business communication major from Point Lookout, New York

Patrick McCormack, a business communication major from Livingston, New Jersey

Cynthia McDermott, a communication major from Brightwaters, New York

Derek Myers, a business communication major from Cortland, New York

Carly Nadal, a journalism and electronic media major from Bronx, New York

Connor O’Keefe, an advertising/public relations major from Ramsey, New Jersey

Brenna Parker, an English major from Orangeburg, New York

Mila Racibor, a social media strategies major from Old Forge

Anthony Santos, a journalism and electronic media major from Scranton

Daniel Smith, a communication major from Havertown

Bridget Ulmer, a communication major from North Wales

Grace Werteen, a journalism and electronic media major from Orefield

A team of University of Scranton students recently placed first among a field of international competitors in a cybercrime investigation challenge in Europe.

Nine University of Scranton students participated in a study abroad program in Spain, which provided an exploration of the country’s criminal justice and security systems and admission into the 2025 White Hat Conference. This year’s conference theme — held June 9-11 at the University of León, Spain — was “AI, Cybercrime and Cyber Defense.”

The University’s first-place team was comprised of James Andres, a cybercrime and homeland security major from Surprise, Arizona; Michael O’Donnell, a cybercrime and homeland security major from Old Lyme, Connecticut; and Leah Schneider, a criminal justice major from Middle Village, New York.

Scranton’s three-person team made history. In six years of the White Hat Conference, it was the first U.S. team to place first in the cybercrime investigation capture-the-flag (CTF) challenge that included student and practitioner teams.

The full roster of participating Scranton students:

James Andres, a cybercrime and homeland security major from Surprise, Arizona

Johnathan Fisher, a cybercrime and homeland security major from Moscow

Ryan Gaudioso, a cybercrime and homeland security major from Massapequa, New York

Alyzia Malibu Hiraldo, a criminal justice major from New York, New York

John Mahoney, a criminal justice major from Rockaway Point, New York

Meghan McDonnell, a criminal justice major from Old Forge

Michael O'Donnell, a cybercrime and homeland security major from Old Lyme, Connecticut

Erin Ryan, a mechanical engineering major from Scotch Plains, New York

Leah Schneider, a criminal justice major from Middle Village, New York

The conference and competition were sponsored by Boston University’s Center for Cybercrime Investigation and Cybersecurity (CIC) in partnership with the University of Leon (Universidad de León) and the Spanish National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE). The CTF challenge was a web security exercise that tasked participants with finding hidden pieces of text or code.

Through the course of the events, led by Department of Criminal Justice, Cybersecurity and Sociology professors Michael Jenkins, Ph.D., and Sinchul Back, Ph.D., the students visited several key institutions, gaining a comprehensive understanding of Spain’s criminal justice and national security systems. In addition to hearing from internationally regarded researchers, lawyers and practitioners, students visited the National Police Central Cybercrime Unit, the Constitutional Court, Lazarus (a private cybersecurity firm) and the INCIBE and had opportunities to participate in various cultural events in Madrid.

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Ten of The University of Scranton’s top student writers and researchers were recently honored with coveted Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prizes. Prize winners were honored May 16 at an awards ceremony and reception inside the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Memorial Library.

Miriam Van de Water, a neuroscience and mathematical sciences double major, of Souderton, earned the award in the Undergraduate Upper-Level (200- to 400-level course) category. Myira Vilchis Bruno, a political science major, of Toms River, New Jersey, won at the Undergraduate Foundational (100 level) category.

Van de Water won for her honors thesis, “Examining the Outcomes of Collective Decision Making Over Time.” Van de Water’s research studied how group decisions and sociality impact population success.

Vilchis Bruno won for her paper, “Directly American.” Tasked with researching an argumentative contemporary issue related to her major, Vilchis Bruno explored the benefits of direct democracies versus representative democracies.

Additionally, Kiera Mooney, College Point, New York, and Jessica Tsu, Valley Stream, New York, won prizes in the Graduate category. Their joint project, “The Role of Gender Throughout the History of Occupational Therapy,” reported on the role of gender makeup on the occupational therapy workforce over the past century. Mooney and Tsu incorporated evidence from primary sources dating back to the 1910s to today.

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Honorable mention recognition was awarded to Faith Montagnino, Morganville, New Jersey, Undergraduate Foundational; and Erin Augusiewicz, Seafood, New York, Undergraduate Foundational. Receiving Graduate honorable mention recognition were: Nicolette George, Denville, New Jersey; Mary Kallberg, Bethel, Connecticut; Julia LeMay, Flanders, New Jersey; and Stephanie Patullo, Hillsborough, New Jersey.

The Library Research Prize program was introduced in 2011, recognizing excellence in research projects that show evidence of significant knowledge of the methods of research and the information gathering process, as well as the use of library resources, services and tools. The awards were named in 2017 for Bonnie W. Oldham, Professor Emerita, who founded the prize program in 2011.

For more information, visit the prize’s webpage on scranton.edu.

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Hundreds of incoming University of Scranton first-year students over the next two weeks will begin their college experience, arriving to campus for New Student Orientation.

Members of the University’s incoming class of 2029 are offered four opportunities to attend two-day orientation sessions:

• Monday, June 23 and Tuesday, June 24

• Thursday, June 26 and Friday, June 27

• Monday, June 30 and Tuesday, July 1

• Wednesday, July 2 and Thursday, July 3

Each of the four sessions is designed to give students and their parents/guardians a proper introduction to Scranton, filled with opportunities to make friends, meet faculty and staff, tour campus and learn about the resources available to them.

In addition to the professional staff, the New Student Orientation program is led by a team of Orientation Assistants, including two Orientation Team Leaders, Daylene Marin Garzon ’26, a criminal justice major from Liberty, New York; and Connor Farrington ’27, a business analytics and accounting double major from Washington, New Jersey.

For updates and more information, follow the New Student Orientation account on Instagram @uofs_cse and visit the orientation page on the University’s website.

Today, Jenyah Cunningham ’25 is decisive, focused and goal-oriented.

These traits helped Cunningham open doors at The University of Scranton, where she carefully plotted out her four-year journey en route to receiving a world-class academic fellowship.

However, growing up, Cunningham was just as impressionable and spontaneous as any child forming opinions about potential careers.

“I always wonder, ‘What if I didn’t have a great teacher? What if my third-grade math teacher was horrible to me?’” she said. “But I had great teachers. And I want to be a person who students can look back on 20 years later and say, ‘Ms. Cunningham was a great teacher.’”

Cunningham, who graduated cum laude as a double major (secondary education, English; English), of Brooklyn, New York, accepted a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Taiwan. The Fulbright Student Scholarships program is a prestigious international academic exchange opportunity provided competitively by the U.S. government.

Cunningham is slated to teach English at a junior high school from August through June as one of nearly 200 Fulbright award recipients stationed in Taiwan. While at Scranton, she had a Chinese language focus within her Asian studies concentration.

It will be Cunningham’s second trip to the country. She completed a study abroad program in summer of 2024 at Fu Jen Catholic University, a Jesuit college in Taiwan.

“I had the best time there,” she said. “I thought it was the most amazing place, so that solidified my option to choose Taiwan as my country to go to.”

While learning new people, places and ways of life can be intimidating, Cunningham’s up for the challenge. She grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, moved to New York to attend school, then enrolled at The University of Scranton before even stepping on campus.

“I found myself at The University of Scranton because my college advisor at the time told me that the University has a great education program,” Cunningham recalled. “I didn’t expect to get in. But I got in, they gave me financial aid and I said, ‘Why not come to Scranton?’”

Cunningham’s most difficult adjustment in college, she said, was living without her twin sister, Janeciah Cunningham. But after a few months, Cunningham fully embraced the Scranton community and all it had to offer, including her English advisor, Joe Kraus, Ph.D., professor and chair of the English Department, who encouraged her to look into the Fulbright program.

Before being selected for the fellowship, Cunningham began her teaching pursuits this past year with a 12-week student teaching assignment at Dunmore High School.

Going into Dunmore, Cunningham initially feared she wouldn’t be a good teacher and that she might not like the career she chose for herself. Thankfully, such fears were unfounded and she called her experience of teaching 10th grade English “very amazing.”

“Student teaching really taught me what it means to be a teacher,” she said. “It fulfilled every dream that I always dreamed of.”

After working with Dr. Kraus and Kara Bishop, Fulbright program advisor, Cunningham, in May, finally received her long-awaited update on the fellowship. She opened the email with her sister on the phone, sharing the news and excitement from hundreds of miles away.

As she begins her teaching journey, Cunningham has a clear idea of how she hopes to succeed and evolve in the profession.

“If I’m 30 years down the line, still very much happy in my career, still having passion … trying to change and improve,” she said, “then I know I’ve had a successful teaching career.”

Cunningham is the 132nd University of Scranton student since 1972 to be awarded a Fulbright award.

The University of Scranton Class of 2025 graduated on May 18 at Mohegan Arena. The class includes many students who graduated from one, or more, of the University's Programs of Excellence.

Class of 2025 Business Honors Program Graduates

Seven members, shown, of The University of Scranton’s Class of 2025, recently graduated from its Frank P. Corcione Business Honors Program, one of Scranton’s five programs of excellence. 

Students in the Frank P. Corcione Business Honors 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.

Read more about the graduates and their faculty mentors, their majors, and the research projects they presented to a panel of judges in early May, here.

2025 Business Leadership Honors Program Graduates

Thirteen members of The University of Scranton’s Class of 2025 graduated from its Robert L. McKeage Business Leadership Honors Program.

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.

Read more about the program graduates and their majors.

Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program Graduates

Twenty-four members, shown, of The University of Scranton’s Class of 2025 graduated from its Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program (SJLA).

Students in SJLA pursue a rigorous education designed to develop enhanced writing, oral and critical-thinking skills through specially designed courses in philosophy, theology and literature.

Read more about the graduates.

Class of 2025 Graduates of Magis Honors Program in STEM

Fourteen members of the University’s Class of 2025 graduated from the Jesuit school’s 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, shown, a more intense, interdisciplinary experience of research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Courses taken over four years at Scranton combine a series of seminars on STEM and society with humanities courses. 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.

Read more about the graduates and their research projects.

Thirty members of The University of Scranton’s Class of 2025 graduated from the undergraduate University Honors Program.

Undergraduate students in the Honors Program pursue a rigorous education that stresses independent work through close engagement with professors and other honors students, including the preparation, presentation and defense of a research or creative project during their senior year.

Learn more about the graduates, their research projects and faculty mentors. 

University of Scranton graduate Brian Gallagher, J.D. ’08, Lackawanna County district attorney, returned to his alma mater in May to speak to students in the pre-law society and criminal justice program. He discussed his education at Scranton, his career experience and future job opportunities.

This was his second visit to campus in the spring semester. In April, District Attorney Gallagher announced a new Crime Analysis and Investigation Program for internships at the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office for Scranton students majoring in criminal justice, cybercrime and homeland security or sociology.

District Attorney Gallagher graduated from Scranton in 2008.

Students from Dr. Ovidiu Cocieru’s Sports Event Management course hosted the University’s annual SoccerFest Event at Fitzpatrick Field on Saturday, May 3.

The event brought local teams from surrounding middle and high schools together for a series of charity matches benefiting the Keystone Mission. Each team was separated into a division that provided fair pairings based on age and skill set.

The students spent the spring semester learning all aspects of event management, from the initial organization and funding through marketing, ticket sales and registration.

“For me, the most rewarding part of SoccerFest was seeing the event come to life. After weeks of planning and preparation, it was incredible to watch our hard work pay off,” Reagan Dolan ’25, a management major said.  “We faced challenges — including weather issues and tight timelines — but we adapted and made it happen.”

One of the most significant challenges the group faced was recruiting enough teams for each division. Dolan said that the SoccerFest planning team initially sought to create five divisions for teams to compete in, but further evaluation of their resources dropped the count to four.

“That change in particular taught me the importance of flexibility and clear communication,” Dolan said. “Adjusting that initial plan, no matter how nervous it may have made us at the time, didn’t take away from the success of the day—it strengthened it.”

Seventeen teams, undaunted by bleak weather forecasts for that weekend, turned out at the event to have fun for a cause.

For the class instructor, the most important achievement of the event was watching his students help the local community and garner the skills taught in his class.

“It’s one of the most rewarding experiences of the term to see how much my students have grown and learned from running this event,” Dr. Cocieru said. “It’s only made better by the fact that they are having a positive impact on the community.”

For Dolan, the course came at an apropos time. As a four-year member of the University’s field hockey team, team captain during his last year, and a lifelong athlete looking to build a career in the sports industry, he found the insights garnered by the course invaluable to his future growth.

“It gave me a whole new perspective. I’ve always shown up to games ready to play, without realizing the amount of effort and coordination it takes behind the scenes to run an event,” Dolan said. “Being on the operations side helped me appreciate the planning, teamwork and communication involved. I now feel more prepared for real-world responsibilities like team meetings, professional phone calls, and interviews — and I’m excited to bring this experience into my future career in sports.”

Keystone Mission is an Evangelical, faith-based non-profit organization that seeks to share the hope of the Gospels by providing food, clothing, social services and select programming to at-need individuals.